olay cc cream.

i completely skipped right over the BB creams and headed straight for the CC creams.  i am pretty sure these are all just a fad, but i had been wanting to try this out for a while.

tinted moisturizer is something that i have been using every summer since i was a teenager and there have only been a few brands to really carry them until the last couple of years when these types of creams here starting becoming popular.

the seven effects of aging this one claims to fight are:

• Fine lines and wrinkles:  Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Uneven Tone:  Balances and helps even out tone
• Age Spots:  Reduces appearance of age spots
• Gentle Exfoliation:  Improves surface cell turnover
• Dryness:  Provides nourishing moisturization
• Moisture Barrier:  Strengthens skin’s natural defense against moisture loss
• Luminosity:  Recaptures youthful luminosity

i do think this works well as far as moisturizing, giving skin a healthy glow with some coverage, and i love that it contains an spf. normally i get a darker shade than my own skin tone so it gives me some additional color, but i decided to go with what fits my skin in this one, which is light to medium.  it does well, but i could never wear it just alone because it doesn't cover up the circles under my eyes.  my cheeks tend to be a bit uneven as far as redness and it does help to make them appear smoother.

i would recommend this product and would give 3.5/5 stars.  It's a pretty big bottle that will last for months and months because a little goes a long way.  the only draw back is that i paid about $22 for this, and i thought that was a little high.  if i knew how it compared to some of the cheaper brands i used to use, i probably would have stuck to one of them, but i am glad i tried this out.  i really like this olay cc cream, but to me it does just as well as any of the other tinted moisturizers that i have tried. 

it will be nice for the summer because i only wear tinted moisturizer and bronzer because my face is tan.  my only wish now is that i had purchased a darker shade, but this will work for now.

i hope this helps if you have been considering purchasing this item!
let me know what you think if you have tried it before.

three different formulas

a pea-sized amount does the trick.

applying to the skin // all rubbed in

helps skin look more flawless

favorite pictures of myself.

i've been a bit behind in the challenge.  it's been harder than i thought because i'm lazy, things haven't been going right, and other excuses.  but that's no excuse!

today's topic is a favorite pic of yourself.  i couldn't pic just one, so i have included a couple of myself and then a couple of us.  not sure why i like these the best, but i just do. 

enjoy.

my new do!

today i went and saw my cousin who goes to the paul mitchell school in st. louis.  i was really needing a change with my hair and i'm so glad i went.  i freaking love the outcome.  my hair hasn't been this short in about 10 years.  i think it will be great for summer and i can still pull it back. 

i'm sure i'll grow it back eventually, but i am loving the change.

what do you guys think of it?!

dear credit, i am sorry.

today's challenge is to issue an apology.  well there are many things and people i could could say a few sorrys to, but don't feel like getting too personal on the old blog.

i need to tell my credit how sorry i am for hurting it since i was eighteen.  years later i found out that getting my first credit card on the first day of college because i got a free gift, was not the greatest idea.

also wracking up debt from a few other cards, two bachelors degrees, living expenses for 2 years, a house and a couple cars, also didn't help.

unfortunately my credit and i are going to have a rough life together, but here's to hoping our relationship will get better as i age.  good thing i've got someone else's credit to run when it comes to big purchases.  thank you hubby for having good credit, but sorry i've drug yours down with our joint accounts now (:

things will get better, credit, you will see.

would you buy me?

i am like most people and don't really like talking about myself, let alone saying positive things.  i feel that when i talk myself up, i'm being conceited and it makes me super uncomfortable.  today's challenge is to sell yourself in 10 words or less.  hmm...

here we go.

• intelligent
• introvert
• creative
• caring
• productive
• insightful
• alluring
• polite
• particular
• individualized 

well that was embarrassing.

as far as mortifying moments go, i have them quite often. 

words and phrases normally come out of my mouth different than what i intend and i end up feeling foolish.  sometimes i am a clutz and other times, well, who knows what i do to make myself blush.

i couldn't really think of a whole lot that would be worthy of writing about, but everyone loves watching someone fall down, right? 

well once, maybe 5 years ago, i was walking into a store.  it was a cold january day, the snow was just beginning to melt, and it was an ugly, cold day.  i had my hands in my pocket because the door was somewhat of a distance, which i found out isn't a good thing to do when the pathway is messy.  someway, somehow i lost my footing as i was stepping over a puddle.  a large, icy, dirty water puddle. 

since my hands were in my pocket, i had no way of balancing myself and completely fell into said puddle, landing on my shoulder and half of my face submerged in the water.  talk about fun.  i can't even remember if i looked around to see who was watching because i could not believe what had just happened.

my mom was still by the car talking to a friend so i had to walk back to her and explain what was going on.  obviously she was dying laughing but still wanted to shop.  that meant that i had to wait in the car, take off my soaking wet clothes and sit in my bra & underwear, with gloves on my feet.

such a happy, proud moment that was.

a sweet moment in my morning

this is a scene from my morning.  who doesn't love to sprawl across a comfy, king bed.  they sure do.

advice: especially for my fellow dog lovers.

diddle, abby, dutch

i'm not sure when i learned this, but it's something i had never really thought too much about.  now that i know, i can't believe it never crossed my mind and i feel sort of foolish.

please, please, please, be smart about walking your dog on a hot afternoon this spring & summer, not only because of the hot temps, but because of the hot pavement.  heat travels through the pads of their feet and can ultimately overheat the dog and kill him or her. if you must walk them, try the grass.

in the summer i normally walk dutch in the mornings because the roads and sidewalks are still cool from the nite before.  about eleven or so, they really start to heat up and stay warm until the nite.  even some evenings they can be pretty hot. i always reach down and touch the sidewalk with my palm to see how hot it is before we set out on our journey.

this really isn't something that most people probably think about, but i know a person who accidentally overheated their dog and he ended up dying.  isn't that terrible?!  this person felt awful, but he never thought walking on a hot sidewalk would be a bad thing.

we can wear shoes, but unfortunately dogs pads take the brunt of it all.  i have seen doggy shoes for times like this, but it's smarter just to walk in a cooler environment. 

there is my bit of advice for the day.  hopefully this is something you can use for the upcoming months to protect your pooch!

AGING. why am i scared of it?!

source

there are many, many things that i am afraid of in life, but for some reason aging ranks high on my list.  not only do i not want to appear older, lose my youth, have the dreaded wrinkles and gray hair, along with saggy skin, but i think i'm afraid that my bucket list won't be complete.

i know i'm not the only one that feels life is flying faster and faster each day.  i seriously do not know where the time goes, but i am one that tends to live in the past unfortunately.  i always think of, 'shoulda, woulda, coulda,' or 'if only...'  that tends to breed negativity, but there are always things that go undone.

of course i feel i get wiser as i age, so part of me longs to see what the future holds, but insecurities are also present.  aging is just a scary, unavoidable part of life no matter how you look at it.  i am very excited and blessed for each and every day, therefore i try to have unwasted days.  hopefully some day i can come to terms with the whole process, but until i reach that point, i will live in fear of each day as well.  kinda sad, really, huh?!

do you know what i do for a living?

how do i answer the question, 'what do you do' without actually telling you?  well, here it is.  

i work in a hospital on a cardiac floor, rarely sitting down for my twelve hour shifts.  i get to wear comfy scrubs, rarely have to do my hair, and can wear minimal makeup, if i want {but knowing me, and from this post, you know i don't skimp on the makeup}. 

i pass meds, give injections, teach patients, help the sick to feel better, put people on bedpans, and start ivs.  there are days i see my patients cry, their family members needing reassurance while shedding tears, and sadly, witnessing the passing of some every now and then.

most days are stressful, but there are positive aspects of the job, like working three days a week, hot doctors, meeting so many different individuals, making people feel good, and greater self-worth.  one thing i have definitely learned is that i have to take care of myself as well.  always caring for others can lead to self-neglect - going to the bathroom once a day, eating lunch on the go or not at all, and not getting enough water to drink.  i have to be on top of my game, which can be hard for me since i am scatterbrained and have ocd, but it works most days. 

i'm not sure if this is my calling in life, but i can say that i like what i do, which is a first for me.  there is such a variety in each day that i am rarely bored.  in most cases i can't keep up because my floor is a busy one, making the days pass quickly.  this job isn't for everyone and i never saw myself doing this about five years ago.  somehow i changed along the way and have adapted to hospital life quite well. 

who knows how long i will stay in this particular job, but for now i plan to enjoy the daily learning experiences and the relationships i form with so many unique individuals. 

quotes that guide my life.

here are a few of my most favorite quotes in the world.  they all pertain to who i am as a person and all sum up my life, pretty much.

* who are you to judge the life i live? i know im not perfect and i dont live to be, but before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean - bob marley.

 

* a dog is the only thing that loves you more than you love yourself.

* troubles and cares dissolve completely in salt water.

*  i'm smiling because I have no idea what's going on.

* whatever you are, be a good one.

* it came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them, and every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. if I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are.

* this too shall pass.

actually just got this on thursday!

10 situations in life that make me uncomfortable!

1.  driving in construction - narrow lanes, fast cars, semis, crap in the road.  exactly why i have white knuckles at that time.

2.  germs - big time germophobe.  i wash my hands and use sanitizer incessantly.  it's a sickness, really, but i can't help it.  there are too many big time bugs out there that make people sick and i want no part of it!

3.  my period - enough said.

4.  inserting catheters - being all up in someone's nether region really isn't my cup of tea, but it's part of the job.  it can definitely be embarrassing for both parties so i normally do it as fast as possible, smile, and exit.

5.  public speaking - i can remember my speech class when i was 18.  it was sheer torture and i'm surprised i never had a heart attack.  it has gotten a little easier as i've gotten older, but i still absolutely hate it and thank god it rarely happens.

6.  speaking the truth in some situations - you know, like telling someone they have something in their teeth or nose, that outfit doesn't look good, or yes, i knew your husband was cheating.  it can be hard to say sometimes, but be the better person and just get it out!

7.  hangovers -  i am queen of them.  it doesn't matter how little i drink, my body punishes me severely the following day. 

8.  heights -they definitely make me a bit nervous, although i love to fly.

9. seeing people cry - this is hard for everyone i think.  instances like this make me want to cry as well.

10.  sleeping while hot - i can't stand for the room or covers to be warm.  i can never be fully under the covers, as i always have to have a leg out, along with an arm.

what makes you feel uncomfortable?!

what i am best at.

certainly this isn't the thing i do best, but it's one that i am very passionate about and love.  ever since i was little i have been obsessed with beauty. i've worn makeup since jr high, dyed my hair since then, and shaved my legs for the first time at age 7. 

i have done makeup for weddings, currently cut hair for a couple people, and have even cut long hair into a short bob while on vacation on the balcony, at nite, with kitchen shears - it wasn't perfection, but it was cute. never a dull moment really.

i am a beauty product junkie.  i am a platinum member at ulta, i have numerous coastal scents eyeshadow palettes, almost every body shop product there is, baskets full of hair goodies, and drawers full of half-used face and body products. it's sick, but there's too much good stuff out there that i cannot keep my hands off of.

unfortunately having this passion comes with a bit of vanity.  i can't leave the house with at least mascara on, maybe even bronzer.  my lashes are so light i can't hardly stand to look at myself au natural. 

i also care very much about my skin, protecting it from the environment and aging.  i slather on body lotion every day after i shower, wash my face twice a day, wear at least spf 15 on face and skin, and use anti-aging products. skin has to last your whole life so why not try and keep it healthy as well.  treat skin as you would anything else you care about.

the main thing though is that i like to have fun with everything.  i love to see the final result whether it's a funky bright eyeshadow, a cute braid, natural, neutral face, or a curly mess.  anyone can do it; it just takes some practice.

one thing i admit though, after all this time, i still cannot put mascara on my bottom lashes on my left eye without it touching skin.  i hate that, so q-tips are always close by.  maybe one day i will master it (;

i hope this post doesn't sound like i'm a prissy, snooty thing.  i'm actually quite the opposite, but i just have a true love for beauty and that's who i am.

the story of me.

this is pretty much me in a nutshell.

summer girl ★ dreamer ★ smell everything ★cardiac nurse ★ dog mom ★ OCD ★ scatterbrained ★ oldest sister ★ beauty product junkie ★ chocoholic ★ reader ★ nosey ★ want to be young forever ★ ford focus ★ sueno ★ creative ★ always playing with my hair ★ not sure what my natural hair color is ★ green thumb ★ curious ★ have huge pupils ★ perfectionist ★ spontaneous ★ tattooed ★ tea drinker ★ pb&j toast for breakfast ★ well traveled ★ pack rat ★ non-denominational ★ short nails ★ live in haunted houses ★ purple ★ vodka ★ patchouli ★ hockey ★ birkenstocks ★ tank tops ★ sunblock ★ peace ★ unique ★ superstitious ★ feather pillows ★ cat eyeliner ★ salt water ★ jamaica ★ animal rights activist ★ concerts ★ glitter ★ st louis arch ★ anxious ★ piercings ★ indecisive ★ nude lips ★ electronic music ★ jewelry maker ★ bell bottoms ★ fish tanks ★ picture taker ★ dove soap ★ arbonne ★ 1981 ★ wanderer ★ authentic ★ thankful ★ the beach ★ braids ★ friendship bracelets ★ money spender ★ 31 ★ wish on stars ★ loving life ★