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Photo of the Week: Week 3 (2012)
DateNight Jan 2012
This picture isn’t actually out of focus. It was rainy and cold last night, but Ric and I went out for dinner and a movie last night. This scene really made it feel rather magical. It’s the plaza at Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach!
The makeup saga continues…
So, first up is a video of the replacements I got for the unlucky Sephora haul. I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but I broke out after that makeover. It was pretty minor and resolved very quickly, but I still wasn’t happy about it. So, the NEW makeup:
Since I received those last week, I did a side-by-side comparison of the foundations that I have, including that trial sized one from Laura Mercier (Creme Smooth Foundation in Warm Ivory). That’s in the next video:
So there you have it.
I have one more makeup-related video to go, and it has to do with that hydrating foundation primer. Let’s just say that hasn’t gone well… I’m returning the original tube, the free replacement tube that the company provided, and requesting an original formula tube. You’ll see why. I also review the tinted moisturizer, which I’m MUCH happier with.
Photo of the Week: Week 2 (2012)
This is my belated week 2 post. The picture was taken by my coworker on Jan 12th. I was feeling pretty good about myself that day! I actually thought my hair was… fluffier… or frizzier or whatever… than it actually looks. That’s my actual hair, no heat styling.
And I’m wearing my Christmas gift from my mom (it’s a necklace and earrings from Sabika). Maybe not iconic for the week, but oh well.
The Sephora Makeover
Yesterday, I went to Sephora to get some slightly more professional makeup help. It was part of my New Year’s Resolutions. Because I’m requiring myself to demonstrate that I did this, I have photos and lists.
So, this whole beauty thing was really born out of my coworkers making such a huge deal out of my hair and makeup on the Friday before New Year’s. It made me think most of the rest of the time I look like a slob.
The closest Sephora store is in Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach. I asked a coworker who has been there, and she thought they opened at 9:00 AM. I was there at 9:30 AM on a SATURDAY. This is not something I would normally do. I went with my hair pulled back (ok, that’s normal) and without makeup on (semi-normal), not even sunscreen or moisturizer (ABNORMAL).
I had the makeup artist take before and after pics.
Well, there you have it. No, they’re not perfectly matched (I’m not at work, thanks).
So what was used to achieve this gorgeousness?
- First, she blotted my face with a Shiseido toner. It looked and smelled a lot like the Neutrogena toner… and felt like it, too. I honestly couldn’t tell a difference.
- Next, she applied a Shiseido moisturizer. This stuff looked frighteningly expensive and looked like ground pearls. It was surprisingly light-weight feeling, but was pretty intensive moisturizing. I have dry skin.
- We patch tested a couple foundation colours from Makeup For Ever HD. I ended up at #117, which vanished into my skin. I have yellow undertones??!?! She first applied lightly with her fingertips, then touched up some areas (undereye) with a brush.
- She then applied their microfinish powder.
- Next, she dusted some NARS blush in Orgasm (seriously) on my cheeks (it really felt like just under my cheekbones).
- Finally, she spritzed me with Urban Decay’s All-Nighter setting spray.
What did I buy?
Well, I did my first “haul” video…
What do I think?
I think it’s pretty nice. It’s me, just a cleaned-up version. I also think that after an hour or so my face started to ITCH and my eyes burned. And I have no clue what irritated it… so I’m going to call and ask them what I should do next. I haven’t opened anything I bought and I have the receipt, so I should be able to exchange, right???
Photo of the Week: Week 1 (2012)
The sky at sunset on January 3, 2012 was beautiful. I took this as I left work through the Westin Virginia Beach Town Center Parking Garage. That was truly one of the most hot-pink scenes I’ve EVER seen!
Keeping Resolutions, Week 1
In my last post, I set 5 resolutions. It’s week one. I’m not going to post weekly updates, but I plan to check in this week (1), week 2 (next week), week 4, and monthly thereafter. It will help hold me accountable.
- Financial: I set myself a $100 allowance. This doesn’t cover necessities (deodorant, for example, can come out of my primary budget, as do gas, groceries, and cat food), but any restaurant trips, makeup, impulse stuff, movies, etc. have to come out of this allowance. Secondly, my Visa checkcard does not go everywhere with me anymore. Gas and grocery days only. It’s more restrictive than I thought.
- Physical: I set a goal of going to the gym a minimum of 5 days a week. This week, I succeeded! Boy, was I sore! I watched what I ate and logged it using MyFitnessPal. I lost a whopping 1 pound, which doesn’t seem worth it for the amount of physical work and soreness. I don’t care. I’m going to keep at it; I can still make my target weight in under a year at that rate! Also, I took my vitamins daily (something I’m bad at remembering to do).
- Beauty: I did my hair and makeup all week. I medicated my rosacea spot. I have a separate post about my first trip to Sephora!
- Be nicer to my cat: check. I’ve made a deliberate effort to pet her more and feel annoyed slightly less. This one truly is silly–she already has me wrapped around her little paw!
- Project for me… um…. you know, it’s hard to find one thing that you really liked in a week. I did this week. See additional post. So, check there too.
All in all, not bad. I’m not quite thrilled, and the semester starts TOMORROW, and it’s going to be very difficult to keep up with the hair and makeup issue because I’ll have to get up earlier. I am NOT a morning person.
Another New Year
I suppose I really should review last year’s Resolutions Post before I start on this year’s. Well. Now I should take my own advice.#160; HA! If only it were that easy, eh?
I have three main goals/resolutions for this year. Some are more complex than others.
- Financial: At the end of this year, I would like to have only student loans and my car payment. I’m not yet sure if that’s feasible, but it is something to work towards.
- Physical: Improve my health by losing weight (I have a goal of 45 pounds) and becoming more fit (I want to be able to run a mile). I have a gym membership, I have knowledge. I need implementation.
- Beauty: I resolve to take more pride in my appearance. I usually roll out of bed, shower, and throw on some foundation and maybe lipstick. Last week I actually put on MORE makeup for New Year’s, and I got LOTS of compliments and comments at work. It was strange. Maybe I’m not trying hard enough.
- Be nicer to my cat. Hey, I promised! She’s very (VERY) vocal and demanding sometimes, and usually tries to interfere when I’m at the computer. I do NOT mistreat her, but I ignore her a little more than I ought to (at least, she thinks so).
- I want to do a project for me. I’ve always wanted to kind of do a snapshot-of-the-day project, but I’m also pretty darned sure I can’t keep up with that. So I’ll start smaller—snapshot of the week!
As progressing towards some of those goals, I went and used that gym membership today. I’m glad my keyboard is at the height it is, because it was upper-body day, and most of my muscles in that region protesteth loudly.
We the Sheeple…
Junius Brutus Stearns' 1856 painting George Washington Addressing the Constitutional Convention.
I’ve been complaining and ranting about the current political climate and government. It’s nice to know that others out there are having intelligent discussions about our Constitution and what it means. I think this needs to be a LOT more widespread than it is today
Couldn’t have said it better…
The other day, I came across a blog courtesy of another blog. Don’t you love how that happens? This one caught my eye because I can COMPLETELY relate to this.. and I couldn’t have said it better myself. I feel the same way. Husband part excepted–I’m not actually married. But the sentiment basically applies:
It’s Not Just My Husband (sorry, husband)
For several years now, I’ve been following what I call the “American diner-style” diet. I follow this diet because:
a) My husband is the cook in our house, and he has the palate of a very picky two-year-old, which results in a rotating menu of chicken fingers, hamburgers, pizza, and grilled cheese.
b) It’s a hassle to cook two completely separate meals-for-one each night; and
c) Up until now, I’ve been able to get away with it.
But lately, things they are a-changing. I no longer feel happily full and treated after a delicious crappy meal. I feel tired, bloated, and vaguely resentful. When we go grocery shopping, I find myself gravitating towards the organic aisle and gazing longingly at stalks of asparagus as that little mister thing lightly sprays them in dew. You don’t want to take me to a restaurant with a salad bar, because it won’t be pretty. I will clean that sucker out. Don’t think I won’t.
–Quoted from http://www.cordeliacallsitquits.com/quit-treating-my-body-like-poo/
And that’s just it! That’s how I feel after the crappy-food meals! I just… can’t seem to convey that appropriately to the other people I live with. I won’t go insane at a salad bar, and while I love to cook (and I’m reasonably good at it) I don’t seem to be the primary cook. Mostly because what I want to eat isn’t “American diner.”
That’s not the only thing that she’s written that I can totally relate to… her rant on people who insist I (should/must/will) have kids is also terribly apropos.
I may just have to start a blogroll. Wow.