sharing some things I love

 

Happy Tuesday, friends! I thought I'd share some things I am currently loving. Most of these are related to cosmetics, which is something I love to talk about! I used to work at a makeup store and loved giving makeovers to young girls going to prom. Most of what I use is very inexpensive and can be bought in a drugstore. There may come a time when this changes, but for now, I don't find it necessary to spend lots of money on things for hair and my face. For every good product, there is a more inexpensive option out there. 

But first—

I say this all the time, but I am thankful that we have makeup to coverup our bad skin days. This made me laugh when I saw it, because poor men! They don't have the options that we do and just have to put up when their skin is less than stellar. Also, when I saw this meme above, I thought of my sister Debi. She will crack up over this.

This one got me too and seriously! Speaking of moisturizer, I have an "evening routine" before I go to bed each night. I wash my face with coconut oil, use this witch hazel rosewater toner and then apply moisturizer. 

I love using coconut oil to remove my makeup. I get a small amount into my hands and rub them together to melt the oil, then rub it generously all over my face. The makeup literally melts right off of my face and I can rub it onto my eyelids and lips, with no irritation. This particular brand is from Aldi's. 

I saw a meme last week that said something along the lines of, "You can use all the expensive makeup products in the world, but all of that won't cover up the skin underneath." I believe that's true and do my best. Mom always taught me this, along with not rubbing my face in a downward pattern, but up toward my eyes. She has obviously lived by this, because have you seen her? She is beautiful! Also, I NEVER go to bed without first removing my makeup. The thought of not doing that is so disturbing.

I figure if her secret worked for her, it'll work for me! I have good genes in my family. 

There are two things I love regarding makeup.

I love the illuminating primer and use two pumps mixed in with my foundation everyday. It gives a little glimmer that I love, all year long. I also love this extremely inexpensive mascara from Amazon! I get the blackest black and replace it when it starts to flake on me. I am no beauty expert, I assure you, these are just things I love that work well for me. I realize as I get older that this may become something I invest more money in, but for now it's not. 

A friend and I recently talked about the topic of makeup and as one a little older than me, she gave me a piece of good advice—to not wear too much. I think this will be true regarding any age. I wore way more makeup as a teenager than I do now. It only takes me five minutes to go through my routine for makeup each day and I am glad for that. I never want to try too hard, because for me, I need to remember that for a right perspective. I think that growing old naturally and gracefully is a beautiful thing. It doesn't mean I'm willing to stop coloring my hair for now or letting myself go—contrary to that, I like to feel pulled together. My sons are all older now and the closer I get to the half century mark, the more I find myself changing. I used to wear nothing but t-shirts, but thanks to a friend at church who inspired me in this, that is no longer the case. I like to look "cute" everyday, as I say it in my mind. Jeans, cute shirt or poncho, cute shoes and jewelry is my go-to look and uniform. 

Here are a few other things I love right now:

I recently found a K Love app for our smart tv! I said the other day how I miss having music in our home. When the boys were young, we had an under the cabinet radio that was always tuned into K Love and I kept it going all the time. This app accomplishes the same thing right now and I'm so glad to have found it.

Todd and I are making efforts to eat healthier and when I get a craving for something sweet and don't want to have a dessert, I'll make a cup of something instead. This could be coffee, hot chocolate or even a glass of chocolate milk. All of those are healthier than a dessert, with less calories.

Speaking of this, we use an app on our phones to keep up with what we eat, one that's been out for ages—My Fitness Pal. It's super easy to maneuver.

I've been loving the routine I've developed of reading every morning for about 45 minutes. I do this from about 6:45-7:30. It's helping me be on a screen less and it actually prompts me to read more throughout the day. I am still as in love with my Kindle as I was the day my hubby bought it for me and I'm still just as shocked that I love reading on it as I was from the start. I always said I'd never be one to read anything electronically. How wrong I was! I've learned to never say never.

I have a routine that I go through every afternoon before my family comes home for the day. I zip around the downstairs and clean up everything from throughout the day. I love having an inviting environment in our home and to me, this helps with that. I pick things up, load up anything left out from my day, I vacuum and I quickly dust the main surfaces with our Swiffer duster. If I remember, I light a candle while I cook dinner. All of this takes about ten minutes.

That's about all I can think of for today's post. What are some things/routines you love right now? I'd love to hear them. You all know how much I love a daily routine! Thanks for reading my blog, friends. Love to all!