Beauty Style

My Make Up Bag – Take it ‘To-Go!’

Oct 262010
 

I have quite the make up collection.  Probably not as much as I did 5 to 10 years ago before it became necessary to simplify my life more, but it still raises an eyebrow or two when some see me carrying my make up bag.

Dump Out the Drawer!

makeup

Forget your cluttered cosmetic drawer.  I love my make up bag, and I highly recommend that every woman has one.  I not only recommend that you have one, but that you keep all of your make up and tools in it at all times, ready to go at a moments notice.

“Why?” You Ask??

I love wearing make up and it is a RARE occasion to find this face out in public bare, but at the same time, make up does not make the list of top priorities in my life.  I have fun playing with the colors, I like how it helps me look fresh, awake and vibrant, but I don’t let it dictate my schedule and my day.   The only way to do that is keep it portable.  Keeping all of my tools in one places means:

  • I don’t have to pack and unpack when ever I travel, especially if it is just a last minute overnight trip.
  • I can grab and go anytime, any where.  Awesome when you are going to be away from home all day and need to primp a little before a night out with your honey or freshen up before a late night meeting.
  • I never have to worry that I don’t have the right color or tool I need for any job.

I nearly always put my make up on in the car on the way to church (while my husband drives that is!)  I often put it on at the kitchen table while the kids are working on a morning school assignment, or at my desk while I am waiting for a file to download or checking e-mails.

What’s in Lori’s Bag?

EVERYTHING!  I put everything in my bag that I could ever possibly want when applying my make up.  Here are some things I have in my bag you may want to consider:

  • Mirror (OK, a MUST)
  • Tweezers
  • Small scissors for trimming eye brows
  • False lashes and glue
  • Nail glue, file & trimmers
  • Extra sponges
  • Makeup brushes
  • Eye drops
  • Tissues/cotton balls/Q-tips
  • Wet wipes/Moist Towelettes – great when there is no place to wash your hands

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I am mainly a ‘put it on once and leave it alone girl,’ so I don’t carry my make up with me EVERYWHERE.  The only things I keep on me in my purse are a lip color/lip gloss, and a powder compact.

A Different Bag for Different Girls

No two make up bags need to look and function exactly the same.  I have a good sized bag because I have lots of goodies in it, but some who look great with a simpler make up routine and don’t go for the works won’t need something quite so grandiose.  Here is what to look for:

  • Portable:  handles are great, and if it is larger, something that may sit nicely on your lap while you are in a car or on an airplane (remember, no scissors on planes these days …)  I love that mine opens like a small tackle box so everything is in reach.
  • Organized:  Don’t get something you will have to dig through to find anything.  If everything has its own place and you are bumping around in a car, you won’t have to dump everything out to find something.  Mine even has slots for my brushes.  If you can’t find the perfect bag for you, consider purchasing smaller clear bags to put inside a larger case to keep things organized but still easy to see.
  • Clean able:  Wipe clean surfaces and machine washable are a must.
  • Soft sided but sturdy.  Hard cases don’t feel so great on your lap and are often heavy.

Here are some Recommendations I found …..

For the Glamor Girl:

Got loads of it?  Wish I could find one just like mine, because I think it is near perfect,  but try something like these….  and consider doing some purging while you are at it.  Dump the old stuff that is probably growing bacteria anyhow, and dump the colors you never wear.

Travelon Mini Cosmetic Organizer on Amazon

Travelon Mini Cosmetic Organizer on Amazon

Monogrammed Large Solid Cosmetic Cases by Chicmonkeybb

Monogrammed Large Solid Cosmetic Cases by Chicmonkeybb

For the Working Girl:

If you are not the diva with all of the glitter and false lashes, but you still have a nice collection one of these may be for you.

Capri Train Case from The Container Store

Capri Train Case from The Container Store

For the Minimalist:

Your bag may not contain much, but it should include at least a tinted moisturizer, lip gloss or tinted lip balm, mascara and lash curlers, tweezers and eyebrow brush and some sort of dual eye and cheek color.

Capri Hanging Cosmetic Bag by The Container Store

Capri Hanging Cosmetic Bag by The Container Store

Medium Make-up Cosmetic Zippered Pouch by BizzieLizzie

Medium Make-up Cosmetic Zippered Pouch by BizzieLizzie

For all you Non-Make-up Wearers:

Ok, we all know most of the time you look fantastic with out it, but there are times you should wear it.  And since you are not used to wearing it, all the more reason to have an organized bag so you know what to do with it all!  Keep it bright and colorful so you can find it!  ;)

Small Makeup Bag by MomBabyMe

Small Makeup Bag by MomBabyMe

So here is to all of us girls…

hope you find the perfect case!

LoveLoriButton

Nacho Cheese Finger Nails?????

Jul 102010
 

Just to encourage you, I sometimes make mistakes.  :)

I thought I would have ‘fun’ again this week with my finger nails and go with a bright, playful color for summer.  “How about yellow?” I thought.  It was not the kind of pure yellow I like to wear normally, but I thought it would still be fun.  Even after they were painted the color seemed OK, ….

but as they cured…

they got darker….

and more and more orange!

Really???!!! If you someone in a 'WARM' season you could get away with this, but not me!

Really???!!! If you are someone in a 'WARM' season you could get away with this, but not me!

After about 5 hours all I could think of was cheep nacho cheese sauce at the ball park.  Honestly, this picture does not do them justice.  Blech!

I could not stand it anymore last night and found a nice dark color to paint over them.

Replacing the OPI color (sorry don't know the name) with "Watermelon Rind" by China Glaze

Replacing the OPI color (sorry don't know the name) with "Watermelon Rind" by China Glaze

Ahhhhhhhhhh…..  much better.

Now I can go to the big 50th Anniversary Party tonight and not have to apologize for the cheese sauce.

Now I can go to the big 50th Anniversary Party tonight and not have to apologize for the cheese sauce.

So don’t be discouraged when you make color and style mistakes.  We all do it, and most are fixable!   ….  Thus one of the reasons I don’t recommend getting a tattoo…. not so easy to fix…. and they don’t age so well.  ;)

Happy Saturday!

LoveLoriButton

Nail the Fireworks

Jun 232010
 

I always think you should have some fun with your personal style.  No need to take ourselves too seriously.  So every now and then I like to do a little extra with my nails, and holidays always seem like a great reason to play.

So today I had my nails done and did something a little patriotic with a simple graphic wink at fireworks.  I was admiring the finished product and thought the design would be pretty simple to duplicate yourself.  Having my nails done is one of the small luxuries I indulge in, but if you want to have some “do-it-yourself” fun with your own nails, this is an easy way to go!

This simple design was only $5 extra for the full set, and can be easiy duplicated by yourself.

This simple design was only $5 extra for the full set, and can be easily duplicated by yourself.

After you have filed and cleaned your nails, here is what you will need to polish them:

Base coat – Use a ridge filler if needed.  Base coat will help make the polish last longer.

White French Tip Polish – You could also use a soft silver or even just clear.

A Piece of scrap paper

Red, Blue & Yellow Polish – I used a shimmery aqua blue, shimmery blue red, and yellow.  You could use gold or silver polish to replace the yellow if you can not find it.  I have also seen some nail designers use craft paint for designs.

A Dried Up Ball Point Pen – Be sure any excess/dried up ink is cleaned off the tip.

Top Coat

Step 1 :  Put a thin coat of base coat on your nails and allow to dry for a couple of minutes.  Having a fan nearby is handy for moving things along, or a hair dry on the cool setting.

Step 2 : Paint a thin coat of the white french tip nail polish on your entire nail.  The best way to paint your nails is in three even strokes; one down the center of your nail, and then one down either side.  Multiple strokes can make the polish not go on as smoothly.  Allow this coat to dry for a few minutes.

Step 3 : Paint a second coat of the white french tip nail polish.  Be sure to give this coat plenty of drying time.  Polish should be fairly well set before moving on.

Step 4 :  Use the brush from the red nail polish to put a small bit of red polish on the piece of scrap paper.  Touch the very tip of the ball point pen (just the ball itself) into the red polish and carefully dot the tip of the pen onto the outside corner of one of your finger nails.  You can use the paper to test the amount of polish that gets transferred before doing it on your nail.  One touch should do it, but you can carefully repeat one time if needed.  Place one dot on the outside corner of each nail.

Three simple dots of bold color on a plain background make a fun graphic statement

Three simple dots of bold color on a plain background make a fun graphic statement

Step 5 :   Repeat step 4 with the blue and yellow polishes, being careful to clean the tip of the pen before switching colors.  Allow several minutes for the three colors to dry before finishing.

Step 6 :  Go over each dry nail with a coat of top coat.  Be extra careful not to over brush with the top coat, and stick with the three brush stroke rule.  Over working it can soften and smudge the design below.

Step 7 :  Air/Fan/Hairdryer dry and enjoy!

Enjoy Your Patriotic Nails!

LoveLoriButton

The Beauty of Health

Apr 192010
 

A trim body, great complexion, and shiny hair are not just signs of superficial beauty, they are also signs of inner health;  the health of our mind, our spirit, our heart, our entire body.

A healthy mind, heart and spirit are reflected in a bright smile,  sparkling eyes and an  attitude that brings warm-fuzzy love to everyone it meets.  A life of fitness shows in our posture, our figure and our energy levels.  A life of nutritious eating can be seen in luminous skin, strong hair and finger nails….  Real beauty, the kind that does not require pounds of makeup and countless plastic surgeries, truly is reflected from the inside out.

The Goal? Get Over Yourself!

What is my mantra when working with any of my clients in organizing their closet, or teaching a new makeup technique, or giving advice on a healthy lifestyle?

Simplify your life to the point that first thing in the morning you get yourself together, you read & pray,  you exercise, you get dressed and do your hair and makeup, and then you leave your bedroom and never think about yourself for the rest of the day.  You are then free to love on everyone else and not be constantly wondering…  “Does my hair look funny?” “I bet she thinks I’m  fat,”   “Gee this skirt is too tight!”  “Ugh, I’m too tired to read my child a book…”

Living a life that values our health shows that we  value our life.  Caring for our health by eating nutritious foods and exercising are signs that we  want to care for the bodies that God so graciously and lovingly designed for us.  It is all part of a lifestyle of worship.  We don’t worship the body, but we worship the God who  made it.  When we know that we were created for a purpose and live our life commissioned by God to do the work assigned to us, it should be a logical conclusion to take  care of the fragile vessels given to us to do it in.  We are then free to truly get over ourselves and focus on what matters.

As Shouts Arise by Jamie Bottoms

As Shouts Arise by Jamie Bottoms

Lori’s 5 Keys to Beautiful Health

Here are the  5 areas in my life that I find contribute to  my overall health and allow me to live a more beautiful life.

  1. PEACE for my SOUL  –

    Every morning, as soon as I am awake enough and before I let myself check e-mails or do a load of laundry I open up my Bible and read a chapter to let myself get centered with life giving words.  I pray in my spirit much of the day and flood my ears with praise  and worship music every chance I get.   Then I get my tushy to church EVERY Sunday to be encouraged and edified.   This all helps keep some of the ugly side of my personality at bay and keep me focused on what is important in life.

  2. SLEEP for my STRENGTH –

    If I don’t get my beauty sleep I am a mess.  I am cranky, I move slowly, I think slowly, and if I let it go for too long my immune system  wears down and I get sick.   I know my body and how much time it needs and I let it have just that.   If you need to get up super early in the morning, know your limits  and don’t let yourself stay up late at night wasting your time and brain power watching garbage on TV.   At the same time, don’t make yourself sluggish by lazily sleeping in past your  needed time allotment,  too much sleep can slow you down too.

    Organic Lavender Peppermint Aromatherapy Eye Pillow

    Organic Lavender Peppermint Aromatherapy Eye Pillow by Besem Natural Scents

  3. FOOD for my BODY –

    My philosophy for a good diet means to the best of my ability,  but not to the point of adding stress and worry, I avoid foods high in sugar, bad fats, packaged  & processed foods, artificial sweeteners, preservatives & fast food, and I eat foods that are organic, and go  for lean meats, lots of colorful fruits and veggies and whole grains.

    Heirloom Cosmic Purple Carrot

    Heirloom Cosmic Purple Carrot from Azure Dandelion

  4. ACTIVITY for my ENERGY –

    This one is not my strongest point but I attempt to keep my activity level up by making it fun for me.  I like to stretch while I am taking my steaming hot showers,  run up and down my stairs as I go throughout my busy day, take my children on physical outings like hikes, and find the time whenever possible to dance around my house with the music blasting.

  5. ORGANIZATION for my SANITY –

    Disorganization sucks my time if I waste it hunting for a misplaced item or haveing to make unnecessary runs to  the  store because I did not properly plan ahead of time.  It sucks my energy if I am constantly trying to catch up instead of taking the easy way of maintaining.  It makes extra work  dealing with all of the ‘stuff’ in life and it stunts my creative flow as I end up focusing on the ‘mess’ instead of the  people and the talents.  To keep my life organized I plan my time very carefully by doing things like keeping shopping lists and have specific times that I go to the grocery store, pre-preparing dinners for nights that I know I won’t have much time so we avoid last  minute fast food runs,  have chore checklists for my children so they know what I expect of them so we avoid the stress of arguing  about getting things done, and having a designated place for nearly everything in the house so that even my 4 year old can help me put away laundry because he knows where to put Daddy’s underwear and the dish towels.

Well, I could go on on these subjects for days, but then, that is my goal.  I hope to write more posts  on a lifestyle of beautiful health because I do feel it is necessary for any stylish girl and goes right along with a lifestyle of faith and worship.

LoveLoriButton

I LOVE What I Do!

Aug 212009
 

It is great to love what you do, and even better when you get to do more than one thing that you love to do, all at the same time! 

Last night was one of those moments in time.

I got to play with my jewelry, give make overs, style up some outfits, hang out and giggle with my friends, watch my best friend hone her craft, watch the girls work it in front of the camera, and see some absolutely AMAZING pictures come out of it all.

  

We had a photo shoot!

The need to practice with a new fancy-shmancy camera, and the need to photograph some more of my jewelry on models, arose the plan for another photo shoot.   It was a bit complicated getting everything scheduled, and I was tempted to cancel the whole thing several times, but in the end it was all worth it.

The new inspiration words for my shoots are "Passion, Purpose, Praise."

That alone had us giggling a lot.  Instead of "business in the front and party in the back," we had "purpose on the right and passion on the left."  Wish I had a camera in my hands to capture Penny’s version with her twisted side pony tail to make fun of my hair antics.

                      

You and I will have to wait a little longer to see the full results of the shoot, as Penny and I are doing a wedding this weekend.  Hope your day is as fun filled as mine!

♥ Lori

 

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