Thankful for Her

Mothers day is just around the corner. I get to celebrate 4 great mothers in my life; my momma, my bonus mom, my mother in la & my aunt who's always been like a mom to me. We are headed down South this mother's day to hang with my In-laws. I can't wait to give our gifts to these special women! Gift giving is one of my favorite things! Like the IG post said, I'm giving away a couple of self pampering things in honor of mothers day!!  See post for details!   I've compiled a list of gift ideas to give your mom this mother's day -- enjoy! 

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Bath Bombs- aren't these MOM bath bombs adorable?! They smell SO good too! Pair them up with a couple others and you've got a great gift in a the making! 

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Spa Day - Give your mom a break! Kid free, adult atmosphere complete with champagne - hello! What else do moms want?! I love Sunlight Spa! The massages are like a whole other level of relaxation! The have some great packages to choose from too!

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Wine - If your mom is anything like me (pre mom status and current) I love me some wine! Cooper's Hawk, located at the country club plaza, offers a Wine CLUB Memership! You get 2 bottles of wine each month with your membership, a free tasting each month, discounts on food and wines & you earn points that compile to be gift cards! You can pay monthly, or for a whole years subscription. I love hanging at Coopers, your momma would SO enjoy this!

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Hey Google Machine - A girlfriend of mine got one of these for Christmas - super cool gift!!! It's basically google at the sound of your voice rather than your finger tips! It plays music, answers questions, gives directions all by saying "Okay Google..." or "hey google...". It give mom's the chance to play 100 questions too! haha

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Brunch - So you're not a wiz in the kitchen, take mom out! I can Brunch so hard,; I love me some brunch time especially if the place has bottomless mimosa's! Randomly, Hyvee (on the Missouri side) has had one of the best Brunch's I have been to in a while! For $15 a person, kids are $7, under 5 is free, you can get a FAB brunch selection + bottomless mimosa's for $9. Shrimp, chicken and bisquites, eggs, bisquits and gravy, candied salmon, muffins & more! 

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Succulents - instead of flowers go with the super trendy succulent gardens! You can pot your own - hit up Home Depot for a selection of plants. Order handmade, beautifully placed gardens from etsy. Or you can DIY your own! Options are endless and make for the perfect decor in any room! Mom will want to show these off!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOMMA'S OUT THERE! -- Emily

THIS for THAT - #2

Hello there! Onto round 2 of THIS for THAT - 2 weeks in a row - woop! haha. It's the little things... 

So I have been eyeing a couple different pairs of blush colored shoes; they're so cute right?? Blush has certainly made it's come back this year! I'm loving the slip on style but 2 things have held me back from purchasing. 1: can I pull them off?? Rarely do I worry about this, I like to be a little to the left but the thought still crosses my mind here and there. 2: Do I really want to spend big money for them? Will I wear them often enough to get the return?? If I'm spending money on something, I plan to wear it. Like boots, I have no problem spending a little extra for fun, unique, styles! Slides though.... ehhh... From left to right: $60.00 - $50.00 -  $75.00

This weekend was a busy one. Saturday I had a wedding to style first thing, then onto a birthday party for one of my daughters besties, then we capped the night with the Garth Brooks Concert (which was ahhh-mazing by the way)! So Sunday, I was looking forward to a chill day. Bry and I decided to do some shopping so we hit up Target first (shocking right??). We always hit the dollar hot spot first to see what kind of goodies we can find then we strolled to the shoes. Guess what I found?!??! BLUSH SLIDES! They're nearly an exact match to the Steve Madden ones I had been pawing at the longest (pictured above, first pair). Guess what, again??? They were only $24.99 - eeee!! Last guess what ..... all women's shoes were buy one, get a 2nd pair at 60% OFF! This is why I love Target. So not only did I score my new Blush slides for HALF of what I was going to pay at Macy's, I also got a SUPER cute pair of rose gold sandals for $7! I was pretty excited to rock these bad boys today! Target: $24.99

Glory - PROM

Glory is a friend of Dayne's (see 2 posts back). They are headed off to college together in August. I always think its awesome when you can find a friend you feel confident to live with and venture to another state with! 

Glory was so nice and how about that name? So unique! It fits her personality well! She doesn't wear make-up on the daily & didn't want anything over done. We went with a slick/upscale look. The side up-do bun with just some fun little details. Then her make-up just a flawless complection with a golden eye and lengthy lashes. Just stunning! 

Glory- It was SO great to meet you! I can't wait to spend a little more time with you here in a few weeks - girls trip! I hope your senior prom was everything you wanted and more. You looked beautiful! 

10 things you didn't know.

Good Morning Gorgeous!!! Over the last couple of months I have met so many wonderful people & have had so many questions about... me! Of all things! I feel like it's really important to trust the person you have coming into your life on one of the most exciting days of your life. Relationship building is key and believe me I'll play 20 questions with you too! ;)   Today I am sharing 10 things about me. 

1. I have lived in Kansas all my life. I graduated a semester early from Piper High school then moved to Leavenworth for a hot minute. Then met my now husband & moved to Tonganoxie. I love living in this town! Everyone is so friendly and supportive. This town bands together like nothing I have ever seen. 

2. I hated my husband when I first met him. We worked together at Cabela's and I couldn't stand him. I thought he was such a prick! We were both managers there and butted heads on several occasions (guess who won those battles???) He wasn't too fond of me either. One day he asked me out on a lunch date, I said yes & the rest is history. 

3. I have to have the comforter just right. Like the quilt on our bed has flowers on it and flowers have to pointing straight up (towards the sun) and has to be on the right side. I physically cannot handle it being any other way. OCD? Maybe a little but only when it comes to that. 

4. I am obsessed with throw blankets. I can't resist. My favorite spot to buy them is Home Goods & Tj Maxx. They have the best throw blankets. Always a decent price and always fun patterns/textures to chose from! I have 13. They're seasonal so they're not all out at the same time, but Kelley (my photog friend) really appreciates my obsession ;) 

5. I had a band for years. Yep! I sang in choir all through high school and then my junior year started a band. I have open for Darryl Woorley & Tracy Lawrence. I have sang at the VooDoo Lounge and on the stage at Sandstone Amphitheater - if that's still the name?? It changes all the time. I sang my last "show" when I was 5 months pregnant. I miss it. Being in a bar till 2am all weekend long would prevent me from being able to do this passion though, you probably don't want a tired/haggered make-up artist on the day of you wedding. ;) you don't have to worry about that! 

6. My microwave and bathtub are 2 items I DESPERATELY want to replace. They're like, not "me" sized. You can't pop a bag of popcorn in my microwave without watching it the entire 3 minutes it takes to pop because the bag will get stuck and burn. Nothing worse than burnt popcorn smell! So you have to stop it and move the bag - it's a whole process, just for popcorn!  The bath tub is smaller than a standard bath tub. Even my bonus mom thinks so. I can't wait to remodel/add on to our bathroom/closet area. That day will be a glorious one!

7. I. love. carbs. I love all things pasta, all things cheesecake, all things chips and salsa + espinanca sauce. Jose peppers has my heart. A strawberry margarita and some chips + cheese dip = the perfect sunday funday. Also, I order off the kids menu there and I get the same thing everytime. Ask my girlfriends; they order adult food & are jealous of my Go-Gurt when they bring it out! HAHA! 

8. My parents are divorced. Although the divorce wasn't easy and still has times where it pulls at my heart strings, it's okay. My mom lives 7 minutes from me, I couldn't imagine it any other way. My dad still lives in my childhood home so I get to go "home" anytime I want. I got a fabulous bonus mom who gets mistaken for PINK all the time & it's hilarious. I also gained 2 sisters out of the deal so that's fun too! 

9. I wanted more kids. My husband came with 2 bonus kids (I hate the use of "step"). I fell in love with with an "instafam" and there is no shame in that. I had no idea what it would look like but some how I just knew it would work. The boys are amazing kids, my man raised them right. It really is crazy how much love your heart has to give once you open it up. Then came along a little girl, a crazy little red head that has changed our world for the better. As she got bigger and my friends we're having their 2nd kid or some their 3rd. I kept thinking, I want another baby. The hard reality of my husband just really feeling complete and me feeling like something missing is hard. There were tears, a couple dozen of them but ultimately I was/am happy. Isn't that what we're all looking for in this life time? Happiness? I started looking at what I DID have and stopped looking at what I DIDN'T have. I am blessed. CLEV Party of 5 please! 

10. I want you to be happy. I can't stress this enough. Senior pics, wedding, engagement session, date night - I want you to look and feel your best! Trusting someone else to do your hair and make-up is a big deal, I totally get it. Especially if you're not "into" make-up. It's one of the biggest things for me, that my client and I have a wide open relationship! I want you to be able to tell me what you like and what you don't. I will do everything in my power to fix it for you! Your happiness matters to me; thank you for trusting me!

Photo courtesy of the one and only Kelley Photo & Design. We sometimes get to do super fun stuff like "model" for commercial shoots with her! 

Now you know a little more about me! :) 

THIS for THAT

I'm always looking for ways to save money. I'd imagine I'm not the only one (hello shopping problem)! Sometimes, there just ISN'T a way to get around it, sometimes there just ISN'T a dupe, or an alternative, sometimes the name brand really is the best! If you ask my husband pop tarts fall into this category. I came home with off brand pop tarts one time thinking "woohoo! Saved two dolla's there". He was not pleased and informed me, the name brand is the only way to go. However, there are TONS of products, not just make-up that have a "cheaper" twin out there! A girlfriend of mine and I were chatting, talking about blogs and who we follow etc (because what else do girls talk about??) and she was like I'd read a weekly segment on dupes - light bulb! I can do that! So I'm going to TRY to do this weekly, I make no promises people because well... LIFE. 

Here's Round 1.... Beauty Blenders: Silicone and Sponge. 

Most of us are probably using these in one form or another. You may use it to apply foundation, contour, bake or all of the above. I use mine primarily for contouring. These little sponges can be pricey. I go through them pretty quick too, with all the faces I see in a month I toss blenders every 2-3 months. Even with cleaning them they just get tore up. So if I were to purchase these at sephora, ulta, even amazon - they'd add up quick! From left to right; $16 - $18 - $16

Lucky for me I've found other places to purchase these bad boys! Tj Maxx {in store} - bless you TJ - always has at least 2-3 different shaped blenders for you to choose from. My faves have the tapered end at a point for blending & getting those corner places on the face.  They also have the thinner blenders, if you don't like the thicker sponge ones. Now as for the silicone ones, I've seen these anywhere from $9.99-$25! I was strolling through wal-mart and it dawned on me that maybe the shoe area would have something that worked like the silicone one (my mind works in weird ways sometimes). They actually had the blenders back there for $2.99. Serving as both make-up blenders and heel cushions! lol!  Check out my FIRST EVER video review below! From left to right TJ Maxx $3.99 - Walmart $2.99 - walgreens $4.99

Dayne - PROM

This gorgeous girl is off to her SENIOR prom! I've got to style her several times and I enjoy each time! She is a family friend, her momma being one of my fav people's! Dayne is graduating at the end of May and then will be adventuring to Arkansas for college! So exciting! 

I am ridiculously envious of this girls locks, so long and healthy - ugh! I want! We did a trial a few weeks ago just playing around and everything was just a bit too fancy for her taste, so we went for this fish tail braid to the side! Her make-up; I used the Too Face Peach Palette on her eyes and the becca champagne pop for a killer glow! 

Dayne- You're beyond gorgeous girl. Just look at you in that dress! Lookin' forward to celebrating your accomplishments here in a few weeks! Then following it up with a girls trip - bound to a good time!!

April Favsss

The months are literally flying by. I looked at the calendar on Monday was like oh, I need to write my favs blog next week. Negative Em, next week is MAY! Hoooooww can that be?! Blah, I'm not summer ready but that's a convo for another day. Annyywhoo-- I was front porch sittin' last night thinking of my current favorite things and I've got a little list going so here you go! 

1. Halo Top Ice Cream: Taking note from the before mentioned "summer ready", I have been doing Paleo with my hubs for 3 weeks now. Let me tell you, the caveman missed out on some delish things like French Silk Pie - how I miss pie. It's going pretty good though and I'm seeing results so that's keeping me goin'. However, I have a crippling sweet tooth. I've NEVER been good at diets because I just can't give up my peanut butter M&M's & ice cream, until now. I have found an ice cream that allows me to have a couple spoon fulls a night and not feel like I'm completely undoing my day. Halo Top is high in protein (woop!), low in sugar and calories-240-320 a pint- (even bigger woop!) and tastes delish! I really like the mint chip & the chocolate chip cookie dough. I have found mine at my local target (2 for $8 this week - holllaaa!) and my local Wal-mart. Give it go! 

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2. Grace Not Perfection: I'm not a big book reader. I'm more of a scroll-through-FB-articles and read-my-fav-blog's- kind of reader. Lately though, I find myself needing a break from my phone. To be completely honest, I picked up this book not because someone said I should read it but because the title spoke to me & the cover was pretty. Turns out, it's a wonderful read. If you're a busy mom who never feels like she never does enough but can't possibly understand how she can do more, this would be right up your ally. There's times where it asks you stop and take notes; makes you think a little deeper. Warning: you may cry. I did, several times. Bet you can't guess where I got my copy?! Target! 

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3. Tarteist Pro Amazonian clay Palette: I have bought numerous palettes lately (shhhh, don't tell my husband)! I haven't been displeased with ANY of them! The Tarte brand just never seems to fail. I had done a giveaway a few months back with my lash lady and we gave away a Tarte Pro palette and ever since then, I've wanted one. So I treated myself and I'm SO glad I did. You'll find matte's and a few shimmers in this palette. The colors will work for any skin tone & that's a huge plus for me when buying palettes, that I can use them while styling! All are highly pigmented and blend beautifully! Sephora, Ulta and Tarte.com are all places for purchase!

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4. Zote Soap: SUPER random thing to me on my favorites list, I know. How much $$ do you spend on brush cleaning sprays and pads and wipes?? I can tell you, I'd spend $25+ a month on those items, especially during high volume wedding seasons (good hygenic practices are a must for me)! I have a lot of brushes too so I know that's not an average number but doesn't $2.00 sound better?? That's what one bar of this soap costs. A $1.67 at home depot to be exact but after tax, you get it. I use this bar to clean my brushes and beauty blenders and it works like magic! Best part is, the two main ingredients are tallow and coconut oil, so it won't harm your skin! You won't go through a whole bar in one sitting, should last 4-6 cleanings depending on number of brushes. Give it a try, let me know what you think! 

April showers bring MAY flowers.... I'm ready to see those pretty blooms! -- Em

I Heart You Dry Conditioner

Remember when dry shampoo was the newest thing? Everyone around you was going on and on about how great dry shampoo was. You searched high and low for the right one to use. One that didn't leave you more greasy, one that didn't smell disgusting/sour, one that WORKED with your hair type! When you found it, you bought 4 cans, just in case of a discontinuance or zombie apocalypses, right?? I am getting that feeling all over again for Dry Conditioner!! I picked up a can of the Amika Silken Up Dry Conditioner a few weeks ago and let me tell you, I'm lovin' it!! It's safe on color treated hair (praise) and is sulfate and paraben free! This stuff really prolongs the bounce and shine in my hair in between washes. Since my hair is naturally curly,  I have to apply heat daily if I straighten. I can spray in some of this dry conditioner and it moisturizes my ends, perking them right up! The other great thing I've noticed is A LOT less frizz and static; depending on the season I can really struggle with those two things! Plus, it smells amazing!! I would totes recommend giving this product a try! I can't wait to try more from the Amika line. 

I picked up my can at a salon here in downtown Tongie; The Beauty Bar. If you're local, go see them! 

The picture on the left is straight out of bed, you can see my ends are dry and ragged looking. 

The picture on the right is after heat (straighter on 300 degrees) and a couple sprays of the dry conditioner! 

Lash Update!

I'm still rockin' my lash extensions and I get questions all the time! SO I figured I'd give y'all a quick run down/update! 

This is the first set (60 min application time) I got done so all I've been doing is going every 2 weeks and getting a fill (30 min application time). A Fill means, she adds in more lashes (glued to your individual natural lash) as your eye has naturally shed some lashes and you've lost some extensions. This by no way means your lashes look bad or that you have these big gaping holes. You lose 1-4 lashes a day! I know, hard to believe right? You just don't pay as much attention to your lashes as your do when you've added in extensions. You can go see Alex once a week for a fill if you'd like (like my step mom) or you can go every 2 weeks (like me) or you can even go every 3 weeks. It's completely up to you! The best thing is you do NOT need mascara, not for your top lashes anyway. You can wear it on the bottom lashes if you'd like! If you do use mascara, I'd stay away from waterproof or oil based products, as the make up of those products can dissolve the glue and shorten the life of your lashes. To remove eye make-up, like eye shadow or eye liner, use only water based products. The glue is waterproof but once you get a full set on/fill stay away from the water for 24 hours giving the glue ample time to adhere to your lash. You can shower and swim as you please after that! I am completely addicted ladies! 

Here's a look at my lashes after two weeks of wear... As you can see, they'r not that bad

No make-up. It's important you don't have any make-up on when you're getting lashes so the pads will stick under your eye. It's also important to have clean lids so your tech isn't fighting any oil/make-up build up during application. 

Here's a look at my lashes after a fill! 

This is today, the day after my fill. Obviously wearing make-up ;) 

Have a great day!

Alyssa - Prom

As Prom season comes to an end, I have a few more beautiful girls to show off! I did two weekends of prom styling and I'm already missing it! 

Alyssa was referred to me by Emma, (prior prom post)! A referral is the best compliment you can receive, in my opinion, I SO appreciate them! I was so excited to meet Alyssa, she just seemed so sweet! Her time slot was cutting it close for meeting, so she ended up throwing her dress on at my house and putting on finishing touches there (perk of styling with me, I'll let you use my bathroom to change - HAHA). Hair we went for a classic up-do, her hair curled so easily and pinned right back! Looked great! We went for a darker eye just for fun and long lashes! In all the rush, Alyssa realized she forgot earrings! I couldn't let her walk away with no earrings, so we dug through my jewlery and we found some that matched perfectly with her cream dress! Another perk, I'm always down for people to borrow as long as it's returned! 

Alyssa- I hope you enjoyed your prom! You looked beautiful! See you soon for senior pics! 

Emma - Prom

Every year prom season comes around I get so excited! Excited to see the girls, to work on new Glam styles, to see the dresses, hear where the hot spot is for dinner - all those prom things! Emma is in her senior year, this was her senior prom and she trusted to me to make her look Fab!

She walked in the door Saturday saying "I hope this goes better than my nails", the rest of the style I was legit sweating. Like paniced, because although this was my 2nd time styling her, I didn't know the nail story, yet! lol! She proceeded to tell me and I'm happy to report, her style went MUCH MUCH smoother than her nail appointment(s). That's what I strive for; to make people happy and to make them feel beautiful! She looked in the mirror and I could see it, she loved the way she looked! That's what it's all about! Curls for days, volume, lengthy lashes and a killer high light-glow! 

Emma- We haven't spent much time with each other but you are such a joyous person! You are beautiful inside and out. Enjoy what's left of your senior year! You're going to do big things in the years to come! 

Mia - Prom

2017 prom season was a busy one (and it's still going)! I got the pleasure of hanging with some FAB ladies Saturday. Listening to all the fun stuff they have going on in the next couple months ALMOST (like just a little tiny bit) made me miss high school. Such a fun time - prom! For seniors and for juniors it's a big day! 

Meet Miss Mia. I hadn't never met Mia, but it was great getting to know her. She was headed off for her junior prom later on after our style. She came in, showed me her dress (breath taking) and gave me some ideas of what she wanted. Originally she wanted her hair half up, half down but all I could think was "big braid! big braid". My exact words were "are you married to the half up cuz I've got an idea". She was all about it - which was totally fun! I threw some curls in on top and teased it nice and big! Then went at it with a fish tail braid. Make-up wise, she wanted dark and long lashes - not a problem! The whole thing turned out gorg! 

Mia- It was great meeting you. Thank you for letting me do, essentially, what I wanted with your hair! You looked stunning! I can't wait to pair up with Kelley for your senior pics! It's going to be so fun! Enjoy the rest of your junior year & good luck with track! :)

Hope- Prom

This is the 2nd time I got the pleasure of styling Hope. She came to Kelley and I for her senior pictures & I got to style her then too! Now, she's ending her high school career! So much to look forward to in the next couple of weeks! One of those things was checked off the list this weekend though - PROM! 

We decided to go with some serious glitter corners paired with a smokey black and charcoal eye! Hair she wanted half up, half down and BIG! She didn't want the same as everyone else though & I love that! So we threw in a trendy braid, curls and some major volume! 

Hope - You seriously looked amazing! Your style went right along with that beautiful dress!! Looking forward to the next time :) Enjoy your senior year! 

She Gorg!

A while back Kelley and I did a day of Bare Sessions; it was much fun! I totally think every woman should do one. Even if it's not for that special person their life. Forget them! Do it for yourself! Before you say anything , like: where's yours Em? I'm working on it. I have a floating date set with Kelley for this spring/summer - I'm excited!! Anyway, so the day we did this past fall was great, all the ladies were perfect. I have been waiting to share this style because she was giving it as a gift, so no spoilers! Hayley is one of those people you love to hate. She is so sweet so you love her but so pretty you hate her. haha! Much Love Hals. She looks awesome in everything, too! Just look at these choices for her bare session so much zest! She Gorg! 

Hayley - I am SOOO bummed I can't style your wedding (I'm already booked for her date, in 2018!). However, I am so glad I was able to do this shoot for you and I'm sure there will be many more makeup and hair doing's in our future! I love styling you! I love that you're always down for whatever, you let me just go for it! This cooper eye we did in the bare session was perfection. It worked for every outfit, the color made the blue in your eyes pop too! Of course, your hair always has the best bounce in your curls! Overall girl you just kill sessions! See you soon!! xox!

Photos by the stunning Kelley Photo & Design

Does This Ring Make Me look Engaged?!

Wedding season is just around the corner and I'm READY! I am booked solid for 2017 and have already started booking for 2018 - which just seems unreal to me! I am so blessed to get to work with such fun brides! 

I used to shop at the buckle all the time, like, it was a legit problem.  That's how I met the gorgeous Alexa. Although my buckle addition has come to a halt and she no longer works there, social media has kept us in touch! and guess what?! She's one of my 2017 December Brides! She just took her engagement pics with Ashley Mizell Photography over the weekend and I got to do her hair and make-up for them! It was an early morning style; which is totally fine! I had my coffee. Doesn't she look STUNNING!? I mean those curls! Gah, they're to die for! Not to mention her glowing face and that lip color that was perfect for that rusty shirt she has on.

Alexa- You are going to make for an absolute knock out bride! I'm so excited to get to be part of your big day! It's going to be wonderful!  I cannot wait to style you again; showers & bach parties will be here before we know it! 

Anastasia - Beverly Hills Not Steele.

Did you read the 50 shades books or see the movies?? Anytime I talk about Anastasia products I think of Miss Anastasia Steele; I can't help it! haha! If you haven't seen it or read it - I do recommend! Anyway, so Anastasia Beverly Hills (ABH) is a brand I have mad love for. All the products are clean, crisp, gorgeous color & highly pigmented; all worth the money! Like, anyone I do have a couple products that I favorite from this line. 

One of them being the Modern Renaissance Palette. SWOON - these colors are beautiful & unique. You're not going to get these colors in any other palette; 3 metallic colors & the remaining 11 are all mattes. The berry shades are HOT colors this spring/summer and they're harder to find, you get those colors with this palette! You can easily go from a work look to a night out look too, which is a selling point for me with palettes! I find anytime I am doing a boho type style, this is my GO TO for eyes. Rumor has it Claudia Soare is putting out the "twin" to this palette.... I cannot wait to see what it looks like! I am sure it will be a must have too!

BROWS! I was so against the brow trend when it first started coming around. Mostly because my brows SUCK. I never really learned what I was doing when I was younger so mine are thin little brows due to poor plucking and no shaping. Immediately I knew I had to do something about it especially being in the make-up/styling world! I hit up my local Sephora after doing some research & found that the ABH Brow Powder Duo in Blonde would be my holy grail. I LOVE THIS STUFF! The brow powder is movable, so it's super easy to shape with. I've also found that it's pretty smudge proof. I use it DAILY and my brows still look great at the end of the night. This product also Has a good life expectancy; I go through one of these about every 5-6 months. I also recommend you snag the ABH Brow Brush #7B; double ended for all your brow shaping needs! 

Y'all know I'm all about my lip colors. My target favs are the NYX's but every so often I spoil myself and pick up a few beauties from my fav lines like too faced, Urban Decay, or in this case ABH! I got these 2 matte Liquid Lipstick beauties a couple weeks ago. Both in shades of berry/pink. I've worn them several times and got TONS of compliments! Perfect spring shades! 

Have a wonderful Tuesday! -- Emily

March FAVS!

It's MARCH! It's birthday month for Little and for Big. One turning 5 & one turning 23 - scary dynamic but it works for us! ;) March madness is upon us too - always a fun time of year! plus st. patty's day; that was always more fun when I was younger haha. I've bought a handful of new products lately so here's a run down of my current FAVS!

Tarte Shape Tape: So I'm not going to lie, the first time I tried this, I honestly thought "what is all the buzz about?!" then I thought maybe it's me, not the product. So I reached out to a local beauty group I'm part of and it turns out, it was me - ha! I think I used just a little too much in my first application. So I tried it again a couple more times and i'm lovin' it! 3 dots strung along under your eyes is literally all you need; less is more in this case!! It' gives a super smooth contour, the color I got (Fair for pink undertones) is perfect! I love that it comes in so many options! A beauty staple for sure! 

Urban Decay Self Adjusting Primer: dude, this stuff is legit! First of all, my make-up application went on SO smooth! So right off the bat I noticed it was doing one of my "musts" for primers- evening out the playing field. Before I even applied my makeup though, I noticed it was evening out my skin tone. Winter is rough for me (skin and weight wise lol), my skin gets really uneven, so the fact that it was self adapting and covering my red/splotchy spots was awesome! By the end of the day, the areas I tend to get oily in - weren't! Oil & shine control- check! Next time you're in Ulta or Sephora - pick one up! It's a must! ((I'll snap a before and after application of this stuff this week so watch for it on IG))

Lash extensions: With summer coming quicker than I'm ready for (i'm more of a fall/winter/spring gal) I am SO excited to be able to go bare faced to work! A little summer glow and lashes on point - ah that's what dreams are made of! My girl alex; ilashKC/Lashed by alex is amazing! if you've thought about it, contact her; ask her your questions, she'll be happy to answer anything you've got for her. I've had mine on for 5 months, I go ever 2 weeks for a fill, there's less dramatic options if what i have isn't your style (i want full and long all the time), I don't see any damage, I don't even realize they're there!. Plus every 2 weeks, I am guaranteed 45 min of "me" time!  

Lorac California Dreamin' palette: SO i picked this little beauty up at Kohl's a while back and i am really liking it! For one, the colors are gorg! for two, they're unique colors, i like having special palettes like this on hand! For three, it was only $30! perfect price point for an impromptu buy but would also make a great gift! I used the "seaside" green to give my st,patty's day eyes a little extra POP! 

Happy March Ladies! :) 

3-2-1... Hair

I don't have super thick hair; sometimes I'm thankful and sometimes I realllllyyy wish it was thicker and longer and blonder. We always want what we don't have; am I right!? My hair may not be super thick but it does take for-ev-er to blow dry. I stopped wearing my hair straight/curled because it was taking too long to do; I'd get hot and sweaty in my bathroom from blow drying and the shower steam and end up sweaty, it was just a MESS of a situation. My husband couldn't understand why I'd get so pissy-pants after spending literal hours on my hair, I have a child & a life . I can't spend HOURS getting ready, even though sometimes I want to ;).  Here's some of the products I use to make my blow drying process easier!

It all starts with prep! Right?? Cooking, crafting, painting; all masterpiece potential and all take prep! I use this Blow Dry It Quick spray from L'Oreal Paris DAILY! Anytime I set out to blow dry my hair completely (not wearing natural curls), I spray this stuff all over my hairs. I start at the top and work my way down then brush it through. It acts as both a blow drying primer and a heat protector!  Best of all this product will not break the bank ($3.99!) & you can snag it on your next Target trip! 

The Wet Brush - the brush to end all brushes. The perfect brush, I can't rave about this enough. This gets me through my mornings not only with my hair but also with my 4 year old's hair! Tangles are easily avoided because of the bristle type, making brushing less damaging and just an easier all over task. {Obviously mine has been used, a lot, you can barely see the label! haha}

This Hot Tools Tourmaline Ion Professional Dryer was a Christmas present from the hubs - he did good right? He's a pretty awesome gift giver. I was kind of shocked by this one though, I barely mentioned I wanted a new dryer. Funny story, we had been together for like 8 months, moved in together and my hair dryer literally caught on fire while in use. I about pee'd my pants! The thought of my hair singeing off, my favorite dryer burning up, oh and being 4 months pregnant; not the best reaction. Bless his heart, he came home with a new one from Target that night, I used to for years, just for that reason. I bought one at beauty brands and after 6 months, I decided I didn't love it & mentioned I wanted another (I sound so high maintenance with hair dryers don't I?!) Any-who, he bought one of the best ones out there! It's super light weight, but still delivers a heavy/quick air flow! It also has numerous settings, never us the combo of super hot and high, even with the best products, that's a damaging set up. The best thing it, it works with your hair to save it's moisture!

Happy Hairs, Happy Gals! Have a great Tuesday Loves! Emily

Feelin' Springy

So I was feeling Springy over the weekend, even though they were the coldest days out of the past like 12. Kansas weather, you just really never know! 

I created this eye with the Peach Palette by Too Faced I have been raving about! If you haven't bought it you, you muuuuustt treat yo self & pick it up! I only used 4 colors & it didn't take long at all! 'Peach Pit' on the outer edge, blending in 'cobbler' on top and inner edge. I dabbed a little 'Belini' there in the middle to give a gold/peachy pink ray in the center and then used 'peaches & cream' for my brow highlight and inner edge color. I brought a little but of Peach pit down to line my bottom lashes and used 'Belini' to finish off my inner-lower eye..... Perfect look for a pop of color! Plus, purples/plums/golds really bring out my green eyes so I'll wear purple pretty often! But don't worry green eyed girls for styling, purple isn't always my go to! ;) 

Picture is pre-contouring & face make-up application. I always do my eyes first ;) 

I RARELY wear eye liner anymore. You just don't need it with extensions plus it can be really rough on your lashes when removing it. I'm due for a fill this week - love fresh lashes!

Oh & of course my lashes are always on point thanks to my girl Alex with lashed by Alex! She's in KC, ladies - she is SO worth the investment! 

Happy Monday!! Emily

February - A Few of My Favorite Things

It's February! When did that happen?! Crazy town. So I realize I'm a month late into the year, but seriously January went by so quick!! I want to do a monthly favorite piece, featuring a few of my favorite current things. There may be 2, there may be 7. Guess we'll just have to see! ;)

SO my February Faves:

Bath Table + Bath Bombs + Wine.

I mean don't you want to quit everything you're doing right now and go get in the bath tub!? I do. The table is hand crafted & designed to each individual specifications. You have your choice of dark or light wood too. Best of all, there's a wine slot for the stem of your wine glass to chill in! You'll be able to order them on Etsy from the Wheat State Studio, but until then you can message owner Kimmy here

My Fav bath bombs are from LUSH. Once you try one, you can't go back. They're addicting. A bath without one hardly seems worth it! ha! There's such an array of options. You can get bombs with all kinds of different smells and benefits. Most of them turn your bath water colors so thats fun & some release lotions & sparkles into it. There's even bubble bombs and shower bombs (online only). Each bomb leaves your skin silky smooth & leaves you feeling super relaxed!

Wine; I am no connoisseur, I have a couple friends that drink all these fancy wines; reds and whites and are well versed {My sista Sarah is pictured and falls into this category}. I'm over here like what's sweet & bubbly?! I get severe heartburn with anything that's too dry so I stay away from those. However ask me about Moscato and I am your girl! My go to wine is the Cupcake DiAsti; sweet, bubbly & goes down smooth. One of my current favorite wineries to hit up is Cooper Hawk It's located at the country club plaza. Great atmosphere, yummy food& best of all $7.00 tastings! Great for girls afternoons & birthday celebrations {both of which are pictured} You're sure to find something you love! My favorite Coopers Hawk wine is the Sweet Red Sparkling wine. So good!

Those are just a few of my favorite things...... Happy February!