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Hello Fall
I have been looking forward to fall all year long. Fall and winter are my favorite seasons of the year. I love the cooler weather and the cozy clothes and especially sitting by the fire late night. I love the cool, brisk air and the scents that fall brings. I love the changing colors of the trees and the new birds that visit me on their way south for the winter. I love the fall sun sets. They are so gorgeous with all the beautiful colors that only the creator could paint the sky. I’m truly in constant awe at how nature truly transforms in preparation for the season change. I am also transforming along with nature.
My transformation has been happening for two years. I have come to my senses about caring for myself. I used to be the last person on my list and now I am the first. I realize that I have to take the best care of me in order to take care of anything else. I have to monitor my health more and pay attention to myself and how my natural cycle affects me and my emotions. Self-care is preached to us on all social platforms but rarely do anyone give us the true instructions on what exactly self-care is and how do I do it successfully. Well allow me to share my Self-care tips.
- Pay attention to how You feel. Your feelings are the ones that matter. Do what you have to in order to fill your cup. Rest and reset. You’ll be so much better for it.
- Arrange your schedule and activities accordingly. If you’re tired and need to rest don’t fill up your schedule with a whole bunch of tasks. Take it slow. You won’t sleep when you die, you’ll just die when you die. Sleep and rest are important.
- Take time for you to be alone with yourself. Quality time is important for every relationship. Your relationship with yourself is no different. Spend time getting to know yourself and enjoying your own company.
- Monitor your thoughts and the cycle of those thoughts. I know that there are a lot of factors that affect our thoughts. Our hormones, the phases of the moon, even the time of year. Our job is to monitor those thoughts and redirect them to a positive and uplifting state.
- Remove things from your life that do not serve you. This one is simple. It’s time for a mental and emotional declutter. Whatever it is get rid of it and let it go.
- Walk away from people and places that do not bring out the best in you. There are just some Friendships and relationships that are just not worth the drama and stress that they bring. Free yourself from these things, they will only hold you down and bring you down.
- Take the time to develop your mission statement and build your life around it. Give yourself the time to develop who you are and who you want to be. You will never regret giving yourself direction and standards.
- Find and practice the habits that will help you to be the best version of you. It’s not the big things that make up our routines. It’s the small things. The old saying that it’s all in the details is the truth.
- Don’t give up on yourself. You are worth the effort. You are worth fussing over. You are the most important person in your life.
- Give yourself some grace. Nobody’s perfect. Everyone makes mistakes and you really can’t do it all. Give yourself some grace. It’s really going to be okay.
Everyday I have to choose to keep up with my goals, my habits, my health, my body. I choose me. For once I choose me. From now on I choose me. It is a choice to put yourself last. It is a choice to neglect yourself and your health. Sometimes our head is so foggy we don’t realize that we are choosing to put other things ahead of ourselves. How on earth are we surviving this way? How are we managing our lives, our families, our careers or even our households without putting ourselves first. You are the CEO of your life. Have you ever seen a company not care for its boss? Would you treat your boss the way you treat yourself?
Your life is falling apart because you are letting yourself fall apart. Give yourself the love and attention you give everyone and Everything else. Change is good and changing how you love, treat and care for yourself is always a plus. No one is going to care for you more than you care for yourself. Make sure you are giving yourself the best care.
August Beauty and Skincare Favorites.
This month was a month of new discoveries. I have been on a low buy for six months and I can assure you I have had no FOMO. (fear of missing out) I already have a sizable makeup collection and I am dedicated to using up what I have before I purchase any more. Unfortunately, being a makeup junkie as well as an influencer has overloaded my makeup storage. After a big declutter and donations I still have many products to get through.
First, let’s talk about skincare. I have really been enjoying the ELF holy hydration cleansing balm. This product is amazing at getting off all of the makeup and making my skin squeaky clean. I love to massage this product in for 60 seconds and then rinse. I find that it can really do it’s job when I massage it in for a little while
I follow that with my Olay foaming cleanser. These two are a powerhouse cleansing team for me. I never understood double cleansing until I started to do it with these two products. The Olay cleanser is a foaming ceeam cleanser. Again, catering to my dry skin.
My favorite moisturizer is still the Charlotte Tilbury Magic cream. That cream is a life saver for my dry/ combo skin. It’s marketed as a one and done product for moisture and priming. I use it for both. I can use all the help I can get when it comes to prepping my skin before makeup. I love how thick it is and how my skin feels after using it.I was also skeptical about this product at first because of the hype around it.
Even Charlotte Tilbury said that it will give you “Supermodel” skin. Really? I think it plumps the skin and gives it a nice glow and I let it sink in for a few minutes before I do anything else. It’s an awesome moisturizer but, my skin needs a little bit more. I have very dry, mature, textured skin. This cream alone is great but for the longevity of my makeup I have to use a primer.
For primer I use the Wet n Wild moisturizing serum primer. This product was a surprise to me. At a time when everyone was coming out with serum primers, this one flew under the radar. I looked for reviews and Tik Toks about this primer and there was very little hype around it. It is amazing though. I have to give it to Wet n Wild for nailing it with this one.
It makes my skin so smooth and soft. It creates the perfect base for makeup. It gives a good glow and a little pore filling. It is a great product for the price.
My foundation of the Moment is the NARS radiant long wear foundation. This foundation gives me the perfect coverage and it wears incredibly well. I love to wear it to work because I know it will last and look good even at the end of a 12 hour shift.
The finish is very skinlike. It has medium buildable coverage which I like. I still love my full coverage foundations but this one has stolen my heart at the moment. My favorite concealer is the Maybelline instant age rewind. I have loved this concealer for a while now. I was so happy when they extended the shade range. Now it’s available to more skin tones in better shade ranges.
For bronzer I am still working Through Fenty sun stalker bronzer in Mocha Mami. I have had this bronzer for a year now and am only starting to hit pan. That goes to show how little you need to get a sun kissed glow. I go back and forth between this and the Charlotte Tilbury powder bronzer which I have no sign of hitting pan on any time soon. The Charlotte Tilbury bronzer I have is in the deep shade and is slightly cooler in tone but gives the same effect on the skin.
For my other face and eye makeup I am using the Natasha Denona glam face palette in the deeper color. This was a wise investment for me because a face palette makes my life so much easier. I already have a few Charlotte Tilbury face palettes which have made my life a lot easier as far as my makeup is concerned. For me, having everything in one place makes my makeup routine so much easier. I can get a full face done with less products. I love this palette because it contains my signature look with a few extras. I love a deep brown smoky eye and I can achieve it with a little flair using this palette.
I was skeptical at first because of the cream products in this palette. But, as it turns out, the formula of these are just perfect for my skin. I love how smooth and easy they are to work with.
For lips I have been enjoying a few matte lips. First is MAC velvet matte lip in devoted to chili. Second is Dose of colors Mood liquid lip, third is Charlotte Tilbury Pillow talk medium.
All three of these are different matte formulas, which is a favorite of mine at the moment. The Powder kiss by MAC has a mousse texture and is very moisturizing without being slippery or traveling into fine lines which is what you want for a vibrant red. I want my red lip to stay in place and not travel all over my face.
The Dose of Colors liquid lipstick in Mood is a deep burgundy almost burnt brown on my lips. It is a traditional matte liquid lip color. I love it because it really is a mood. It is gorgeous for fall, and I love it for days when I’m not wearing much makeup. It’s a comfortable formula and I love the way it wears.
The icing on the cake is the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Medium. This is my everyday go to nude lipstick. Depending on how I apply my liner I can make it deeper if I like. It has a very comfortable wear. It is a traditional bullet lipstick with a semi matte finish. I have seen this color on lots of different skin tones and it reads different on every single one. It’s almost like those mood lipsticks we used to wear in the 90’s. It adjusts to each person’s skin tone. I love the way it feels on the lips. It’s a silky-smooth formula that makes your lips look supple and feels soft when you press them together.
I hope you enjoyed my August faves and maybe some of my favorites are your favorites too. Let me know some of your favorites and why in the comments. Friends always share. May peace and love follow you through your life journey.
A little makeup therapy.
Self love
Clever Fox planner review
I have been using this planner for three months now and I can’t begin to tell you how it has changed me and the way I achieve goals.
I had been looking for a new planner in January. After failing to keep up with any other planner that I own, I decided to give this one a try. I had never been a bullet journal person so I really had to do some research on this brand and it’s tool.
The book itself is absolutely gorgeous. I picked the Mystic Blue color. It came beautifully packed in a gift box, along with a few sheets of stickers. Needless to say, I have already ordered more. I love having simple decorations in my planner.
This planner begins with a little shadow work prompts to help you figure out your mission and purpose. This gives your plans and goals clear intent. It also gives you prompts for gratitude and affirmation.
I love the way this planner is setup. I have the weekly version but there are so many different types to choose from. I’m sure you can find one to suit your needs. I also have one in a binder style. Both are A5 size. That’s the size that works best for me. They can fit into any of my bags.
The best planner system I have ever used. I love the book style as well as the binder style. The only con is that you can’t buy refills for the binder style. I think they are phasing that style out. I also love the paper quality and the sturdy feeling.
This planner allows you to have a real plan and helps you stick to your goals. I love the layout and all of the prompts. I hadn’t thought about it but I’m glad I have some clarity. I’ve also become more focused and intentional.
The best part of all was the affordable price. I didn’t spend an arm and a leg to get everything I needed in a planner. Your year is going to be awesome no matter what planner system you choose but please give this one a try.
January Makeup and Skincare Favorites 2022
I have been rotating a few foundations every month and the one I stuck to for the month of January was the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Finish foundation. It gave me medium to full coverage, which I love. It wore beautifully throughout the day and I didn’t have to touch up very much.
The concealer that has stolen my heart is the Catrice True Skin high coverage concealer. This one was a real hidden gem at the drugstore. I was pleasantly surprised. It’s light and full coverage, and blends like a dream. It wears for a long time, and I don’t notice any creasing. This concealer also works great with my favorite setting powder.
My favorite setting powder has been the Laura Mercier loose setting powder in the new Translucent Honey. This is the greatest thing that Laura Mercier could have done with her iconic, translucent loose setting powder. This is my perfect setting powder. It’s the same cult favorite with a little hint of color.
I don’t have a new pressed powder because I am currently on a no buy/ low buy. I’ll have an update on that at the end of the quarter. I’m currently working through two MAC mineralized skin finishes and a Studio Fix powder.
My favorite blush, highlight and eyeshadows are all in one palette. The Natasha Denona glam face palette. I’m currently working on finishing that palette and I will have an update on how that is going and how long it’s going to take. The Natasha Denona glam face palette is so beautiful and not just the outer packaging but the products inside are just gorgeous. Just add liner and mascara and you’re good to go. I like to just tight line for day and winged liner for night. This palette is a true staple for the simple makeup lover.
Finally, to finish off the complexion, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush bronzer. This bronzer is exactly as it says. It gives an airbrushed bronze to my skin like no other. If I want a subtle contour, I apply with a tight brush. If I want a bronze, I use a fluffy fanned out brush. Either way, the bronzer is gorgeous. I got the deep shade, and I am an NC50 in MAC and it is perfection.
I have a kit that is my skincare favorite, and I am so glad I brought this into my Routine. It is the Charlotte Tilbury Magic skin Icons. This kit is a supercharged quartet of proucts that gives you supermodel skin. After using this kit in the trial size for a month, I had to get the full sizes.
Discover the results observed in a user study for Charlotte’s Magic Cream moisturizer: Charlotte’s Magic Cream is infused with supercharged skincare ingredients!
- 100% agree that WRINKLES appear REDUCED!
- 100% felt their skin was instantly MOISTURISED
- 100% agree dull skin was instantly TRANSFORMED
Charlotte’s Magic Serum Crystal Elixir:
Discover the results observed in a user trial for Charlotte’s Magic Serum Crystal Elixir
- 93% AGREE SKIN LOOKS YOUNGER!
- 97% agree skin feels INTENSELY HYDRATED!
- 94% agree skin looks and feels FIRMER!
Magic Night Cream:
RESULTS OBSERVED IN A USER STUDY:
- 100% agree skin looks and feels SMOOTHER
- 96% agree skin looks and feels PLUMPER
Magic Eye Rescue:
RESULTS OBSERVED IN A CLINICAL STUDY:
- 100% agree DARK CIRCLES are significantly BRIGHTENED
- 100% agree skin looks and feels SMOOTHER
- 100% agree skin looks and feels FIRMER
Magic Lip Oil Crystal Elixir:
Discover the clinically proven results of Charlotte’s Magic Lip Oil Crystal Elixir.
- Lip volume appears boosted by up to 70% in 28 days
- MOISTURISES for up to 24 HOURS***
- BOOSTS HYDRATION by up to 157% in 1 hour!***
- Visibly REDUCES the appearance of LIP LINES by up to 20%
This kit is amazing and actually does what the clinical trial says it does. You get these awesome results from a company that really stands behind their products. A true “Supermodel” skin brand. Charlotte has magic elves working in her lab. I swear they are really putting pixie dust or something in these products to make them so amazing. You really do get what you pay for.
Well, that’s all of my makeup and skincare favorites. I’m going to give an update on my low buy in a future.
Natasha Denona Glam Face Palette review
I have had this palette for a few weeks now. I have been reaching for it every time I do my makeup. I like the convenience of having everything in one place. The only thing I have to add is bronzer and my complexion products.
It was a hard decision to get this one. I had to step back and examine my makeup collection and see where this palette would fit in. I am not regretting my purchase in the least. I don’t have any other Natasha Denona products, and this was a great starter palette for me. I find that this palette gives me a basic day to night look without worry.
I love that Natasha Denona as well as other brands are becoming more consumer conscious. As a consumer I want products that make my life easier. I don’t want to have to figure it out. That has been achieved with this palette. I’m not a beginner but I appreciate the simplicity. I can also experiment and come up with a very cohesive look that didn’t take too much time or effort.
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The palette comes in two versions, light and dark. I thought it was about skin tone, but it’s really about whether you want a soft or rich eye look. I now wish that I had gotten both. I have the dark palette and the colors are so rich and berry toned. In
This palette has two cream products and five eyeshadows that are named by placement rather than color. This is great for beginners and those of us who suffer with decision fatigue. This palette is excellent to grab and go if you are pressed for time in the mornings. I am a wife and mother of two. I don’t have a lot of time to get ready in the morning and instead of looking for makeup items that will work together, I just put on foundation, concealer, bronzer and this palette. I’m ready to roll in about ten minutes.
This palette is for the person who needs to get ready quickly. It is beginner friendly and easily giftable. If you are looking for a palette that will be easy to use and get you out of the door quickly, this is the one for you.
Manipulation
My topic for this week, if ya’ll have paid attention to my posts on Facebook, was manipulation. The reason why I was doing manipulation was because I felt like I was being manipulated myself. Manipulation comes in a lot of different forms you know. It’s more than people just using you but it’s people using you for their own gain. For what it is that they need done. For whatever it is that tickles their fancy. That’s the manipulation that I’m talking about.
So the number one way that you can know that you’re being manipulated is if someone is transcribing someone else’s feeling to you that means a lot to you and it causes you to change your behavior, you’re being manipulated. If someone makes a situation happen that causes you to act a certain way, you’re being manipulated. If someone has a reaction to you or something that you do in order to shift your energy, you’re being manipulated.
I’m saying all these things to say this, you don’t ever let anybody have the key to your energy, to your mind. You should not let anybody shift what is going on inside of you. If you feel like a million then you should always feel like a million regardless of how it makes the person standing next to you feel. I’ve done this a lot in my life. I will take down my shine to make other people in the room comfortable. I’m sorry that you are uncomfortable with my shine but, this is my shine. Maybe you need to turn your light up a little bit. Maybe you need to fine-tune your kilowatts. I am no longer going to turn down my shine to make you feel comfortable because what happens is you are basically negating yourself for the benefit and the comfort of someone else. If somebody feels some type of way about your shine that means that standing next to you they feel inferior and that’s their problem not yours.
It’s not your fault that they feel inferior, that they feel less than, because they’re standing next to you and your light is shining so bright. Don’t dumb down yourself for nobody and don’t let anybody have the key to your energy, to your spirit, to your shine. There shouldn’t even be a switch accessible for the outside world to even turn down your shine, even turn down your energy, to even turn down your glow. That shouldn’t ever happen.
You got people walking around from day to day really dumbing down their shine for the comfort of someone else. Listen, if your friends feel some type of way about your shine, they ain’t your friends, because your real friends gonna push you up to shine brighter. They’re gonna push you up to do better. I hate to have to go so far back but, this is about how far back as I can go. In high school I had friends, real friends, and and they know who they are because we still rock till this day but I had real friends that used to get on my ass and be like “dude what’s wrong with you? why are you looking like this? why your clothes wrinkle? what the [ %#@ ] is wrong with you? can you get your [ $#@! ] together? oh uh uh, you can’t sit with us looking like that.” I needed all of that. Why? Because I was dumbing myself down to fit into something that I didn’t even belong to.
See, that’s the thing, when God give you a shine, that’s your shine, and most of the time, when he gives you a shine, that shine is just for you. You can’t take nobody with you. You can’t share it. You damn sure can’t give people access to it.
You know what happens when people find fire, they want to put it out it’s just a natural instinct to put out a fire. So if you got the fire, I guarantee if you let people see it, they gonna want to put it out. Folks are afraid of fire. Fire burns, fire destroys, and most of the time the only thing you burning and destroying is their lack of self-confidence and self-esteem.
You all know what happens when you get too close to fire. Nobody wants to be next to anything hotter than them. Nobody wants to stand next to a chick that’s hotter than them. They don’t want to be affiliated with nobody who’s faster than them or stronger than them. Don’t dump down your shine for them. They have the same opportunity as you. They can level up just like you. What’s wrong with a lot of ya’ll is that ya’ll are putting your level up on hold because it’s gonna make your friends uncomfortable. Your level up is about you. If your friend’s are uncomfortable, that’s on them
They got the same access to the same internet as you do. So, if that makes them feel uncomfortable, then too damn bad. Level up anyway. Do you anyway. You cannot put your shine on hold. You cannot put yourself on hold for the comfort of other folks. You can’t let people manipulate you into thinking that if you do this, that, and the third, if you come down from level one to level 10, that that’s going to make your relationship better. It does not because they’re already disrespecting you by demanding that you turn it down.
I hope this is helping somebody.
If you spend your whole life trying to make other folks comfortable, you will never take the time to make you comfortable. You’ll never take the time to make you happy. What makes you happy, what makes you feel good, is the only thing that matters. I used to be that person that was like “oh let me tone it down, let me bring it down, not any more. I’ll turn it all the way up every everywhere I go. Manipulation is only someone else’s way of turning down your shine, of turning down your energy. People who have more than you will be jealous of you. They will be jealous of you because of your shine and they will manipulate their way into your energy to turn it down for the comfort of themselves. Don’t let it happen.
The worst thing that you ever do is turn down your shine to comfort somebody else. If you let them do that that time then they’ll keep going and going and going and going and going and then after a while you find yourself on puppet string. Be aware of it and know when it’s happening to you so you can prevent the side effect of it.
You have to be strong. You have to be mentally strong, and you have to be emotionally mature. When you mature emotionally, there are a lot of things that you will let go of. You aren’t easily pushed or moved by other people’s actions. You will respond instead of react. I hope this post helped someone.
Rediscovering Myself
During the now almost two years we have been going through this pandemic, I have been dealing with a lot of shadow work and mental health issues of my own. Shadow work is an introspective psychological practice that anyone can do and can lead to a more fulfilling life. When working with the shadow, you may have moments of awakening that lead to greater authenticity, creativity, and emotional freedom.
Doing the inside work necessary for my own self improvement gave me the direction and clarity I needed to make real lasting change. I have been able to rearrange my habits and schedule to better suit my needs. I have regained my confidence and even became more punctual. Which, has been a weakness of mine for many years.
I’ve had time to reflect on who I am and what I believe in. I found myself editing my wardrobe and changing my hair to suit my needs, which, before the pandemic, were not being met by me very well.
Because of the pandemic, I was able to focus on myself and take better care of my needs and the needs of my family. I didn’t know what any of the shadow work was until I started my femininity journey. I felt like I had lost touch with my femininity and I went on a video hunt on YouTube to find out how to activate my feminine energy.
What I found was a treasure trove of insight and advice that literally changed my life. I rarely give any recommendation’s about YouTube because everyone’s taste is different, but if you are trying to activate or re-activate your feminine energy I would definitely go to YouTube and type it in and give some of these awesome content creators some love.
Fix Your Crown 
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