January 2017

1.31.2017

Monthly Favorites | January

Here are some of the products that I have been loving this month and no, this post is not sponsored! It's a collection of things that I have been loving and am wanting to share:

Item #1: Rosebud Salve.

This salve is amazing -- especially in the winter. My friend gave this to me for a birthday a few years back and I've been hooked ever since. This is a product that I need to have in my make up bag... always! Every winter my lips get super chapped and this salve saves the day. It smells like roses and it's a super smooth application. I also love the fact that it stays on for a pretty long time, making my lips feel soft, smooth and moisturized. The packaging says that you can use it on dry skin on your knees and elbows for a bit of relief! I've also heard that this salve helps calm and soothe the sting of minor burns.

You can buy it online at:

Amazon.

Ulta.

Walmart.

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Item #2: O.R.G. Mineral Face Peel.

I received this face peel in the FabFitFun 2016 winter box and I am really loving it so far. I love it so much that I went and bought the editors box, so I can have another bottle once I run out of it. Before using this product, I splash some water on my face, and then I squirt this on my face (generously), wait about 4 seconds, and then I start to rub my face in circular motions. As you rub, you notice that the the dry skin off your face comes right off -- it's amazing! I use this product every three days and I really find that it leaves my skin looking super radiant. This peel is said to have brightening agents and I can attest to that -- my skin looks really great after using this!

You can buy it online at:

O.R.G. skin care.

Amazon.

Dermstore.

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Item #3: Derma | e Vitamin E Skin Oil.

During the winter, my eyebrows start to flake and I find it to be the most annoying thing when you take a picture and you can see dry skin in the picture. I've tried lotions and moisturizers, but nothing worked until I started to put vitamin E oil on them. Initially, I was coating eyebrows because I read (and heard) that vitamin e oil helps thicken the hair, but as I was using it, I noticed that my eyebrows also didn't flake anymore. The dry skin was gone -- score! This oil is also good for combination skin. Use it before you go to sleep to moisturize your skin.

You can buy it online at:
Amazon.
Derma | e.

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Item #4: Barefoot Dreams CozyChic Throw.

This blanket was one of the many birthday gifts my husband gave to me and I really love it. This blanket is probably the softest most cozy blanket that I have ever touched. I really love that it keeps you warm without making you feel like you're overheating your body.

You can buy it online at:
Amazon.
Nordstrom.
Nordstrom Rack.

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Item #5: Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray.

This dry shampoo spray is my go to spray when my hair is looking oily this winter. I use this when I don't have time to wash it. In my time using it, I've noted that while the spray is white it doesn't leave any residue in your hair if you spray quickly and then rush your fingers or a brush through your hair. I also really love that it doesn't give off a chemical-like scent. It smells like lemons!

You can buy it online at:

Dermstore.

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Item #6: WoodWick Lavender Spa Candle.

This would be another birthday gift from my husband and I absolutely love it. Anyone who knows me knows that I love candles and that I'll have a lavender scented anything, so putting the two together makes me all kinds of happy. It smells heavenly!

You can buy it online at:

Amazon.

WoodWick.

Sears.

annnnnnnd, that's a wrap!

Those are the 6 products that I have been loving and using this month.

What are some of your favorite products in January?

2 comments

1.27.2017

Review | L'Oreal Paris True Match Foundation

I thought I'd do a foundation review because I found one that I actually love and I've been on this search for a really long time. L'Oreal Paris's True Match in the shade N2 (classic ivory) with neutral tones is amazing!

Before I bought this, I was using CoverGirl's (CG) AquaSmoothers in the shade Buff Beige (725) and I found that the pigment in that foundation made my skin look unnatural and yellow.

Finding a foundation for my skin has proven to be difficult. I went to Sephora to get my skin matched by their new technology which they've advertised on their website for some time now, and the lady helping me swatched my skin with her skin-foundation matching device (looks like an iPhone), the foundations the computer said would look best on my skin ended up being to yellow for me, so she had to go down a few shades. When she found something she liked and swatched those, I thought that they made me look super pale, sickly almost, rather than giving me that glowy feel I was looking for (which is the purpose of make up - to make you feel like you're glowing and radiating beauty, right?). I'm eastern European, so my skin is a light olive with pinkish, warm/neutral tones and I guess that isn't a tone that the computer registered. Leaving Sephora, I was disappointed because I really wanted to make a foundation transition but left empty-handed. It was a sad day for everyone.

When I got the True Match, it was on a whim at Target, and I've found that I really really REALLY like it.

It comes in 1 ounce, and the packaging says that it's SPF level is 17, which is great because dermatologists say that 15 SPF is what normal people should be aiming for. So, that fact alone makes me really happy. The packaging also claims it's super blendable -- which is TRUE. The color really blends into my skin and makes it look like I am not wearing makeup. I find that so nice because I am into minimal, barely there makeup looks and it's a dream to own foundation that helps you achieve that!

When you first open the bottle, you'll notice that the foundation is a runny liquid. At first, that made me nervous, but upon application, I loved how smooth it felt and how natural it looked after I blended it on my skin with a beauty blender. The nice thing about this foundation is that a little amount goes a loooong way -- the picture above shows how much I use to cover my entire face and neck, while still having a little bit of product leftover, which I used on spots that I felt needed a little bit more coverage (you know, for those dark acne scars). Every time I use it, I'm left impressed on how little it takes to cover my entire face and how good the coverage is! I like that it spreads evenly and blends into your skin very quickly. You don't have to spend 5 minutes on application to make sure it's really blended into your skin without patchy spots. It truly is a quick and easy application which makes me adore this product even more! As the day went on, I noticed that I didn't need a touch up because I never looked cakey -- it wasn't creasing (a BIG issue I had with CG).

True Match N2 really is a match made in heaven for my skin and I only paid $8.99 at Target! I can't believe I was going to drop $50 on some higher-end brand when this is JUST as good (if not better).

I haven't purchased the True Match powder (yet...), so I don't know how that well that works. Typically, I stay away from powder because I find that powder makes me look cakey and usually gets patchy during the day.. I'm not a fan of powder products in general. Liquid products are usually my favorite with a few exceptions. I might try it out since I loved this so much, but we'll see.. I'm currently in love with this product and it's satisfying all my foundation needs at the moment.

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My face after 7 hours of everyday wear,
no editing, just natural light!

TIP: When I first applied the foundation, I placed it on my hand and got too much on my hand and felt like I was wasting the product. So, to help, now I place the foundation on a board before I take my brush and spread it on my face and then blend with the beauty blender. With the remaining product that has not been touch/used, I just scoop it back into the bottle because every little bit counts.

Okay, so to end this review, I rate L'Oreal Paris's True Match a 4.6/5 only because of the runny consistency, but other than that it is a SOLID product which I will repurchase.

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Buy Online at:

Target for $7.49

Walmart for $7.97

L'Oreal Paris for $10.95

Amazon for $7.12

⇈

eligible for free shipping with Prime

Walgreens for $11.49

⇈

buy one get one 1/2 off until 1/28/17

[[ prices don't include shipping & handling ]]

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⇉ Note & Disclaimer ⇇

the rate given in this blog post is my personal opinion.

there was no compensation given to me for writing this review.

No comments

1.24.2017

Felix :: Pregnancy + Labor Story

I was browsing some folders in my lap top earlier this week and I found some pictures of newborn Felix in the hospital. As I browsed through them, I started walking down memory lane and reminiscing about carrying Felix and awaiting his arrival. Since I started this blog in December (almost two months after my precious babe was born), I never got to share the joys and pains of pregnancy with my little blogging community. Since today is my birthday, I thought I'd share my little one's "birth" story -- its better late than never, right?

Here's my [ pregnancy + labor ] story as I remember it.

How I Found Out:

I found out I was pregnant last March. I had been feeling very tired during the day and it was getting to the point where I couldn't get out of bed until 11 am. I was struggling to wake up for work and I missed a few days because of it (luckily, I worked for my mom and she didn't fire me!), but even on the days I made it on time, I was so sluggish and I could barely function. So, on March 11, I woke up thinking about the two unused pregnancy tests I had tucked away in my sock drawer. I contemplated whether I should take one, but opted to go make breakfast instead. As I opened the fridge and looked inside hoping to distract myself with a meal, the very thought of food was repulsive and made me want to gag. I went back to the bedroom and sat on my bed eyeing the sock drawer and thinking about why I felt so sick for what could have been at least 15 minutes. I decided to take a test just because -- I wasn't feeling myself, but I was 101% sure I wasn't pregnant.

I peed on the stick and waited patiently for the words "not pregnant" to appear. Since I was convinced that there was no way I was pregnant, I felt like this was wasting a test which happen to be quite expensive. Five minutes had passed and I slowly leaned in to read.... PREGNANT.

I didn't believe it -- how could I be pregnant, I was just reeling from the emotional roller coaster of losing our first baby last November, and I was definitely NOT pregnant. I ran to my room, grabbed the second pregnancy test and took it -- only to read PREGNANT again.

Reaction:

When it finally hit me that I actually was pregnant, I didn't know how to react. Part of me was overjoyed, but part of me was worried. I had suffered from a miscarriage three months prior and I wasn't sure I could carry to full term. There was no medical reason for that fear, but when you lose your first baby, those kind of fears take root in your mind and it's hard to shake them. While I had mixed emotions about having a baby, I started to brainstorm how I would tell Florin.

How I Told My Husband:

I didn't actually tell him face to face. Florin worked several jobs last year and sometimes we would sleep at my parents house. It was half way between our home and his jobs, so when I had to work at my parent's house the following day, we'd just meet there instead of making him drive all the way home for one night -- the day I found out I was pregnant was one of those days. Florin had asked me to bring him some clean clothes, so I strategically placed the pregnancy between his shirt and pants in a bag. The evening rolled around and we were at my parents house, and he asked me if I brought the clothes, to which I replied yes and gave him the bag. About 15 minutes later, he came out of the guest bedroom with the test in his hand and asked me what it was. I told him it was a pregnancy test, to which he replied, "you're pregnant?" in sort of a surprised and confused tone. I said yes and he left without saying a word. I followed him to see what was the matter -- he was just taken aback with the news, but was overjoyed at the news.

The Pregnancy:

After I told Florin, we both shared the feeling of not wanting to get our hopes up just in case it would be a repeat of last time. We told our parents, siblings and a few close friends the good news, but we wanted to wait until the 2nd trimester to announce it to the rest of the world.

The first trimester was brutal. I just couldn't eat anything. The thought of food was repulsive and I honestly would gag the moment anything touched my tongue. I threw up a total of two times, but that number would have been much higher had I eaten. I spent my days eating crackers, bananas, and drinking Gatorade. I lost 10 pounds the first 3 months of my pregnancy. Another aspect of the first trimester was the constant state of sleepiness. I honest felt like dropping down and taking a nap every 3 to 4 hours -- if dropping down meant sleeping on concrete I was tired enough that it sounded desirable.

During the early months of my pregnancy, I found myself without medical insurance and I didn't visit the doctor until I was 7 months pregnant. I had applied to our state's program, and was waiting for a response. During my first trimester, I ended up visiting a pregnancy resource center in April to get my pregnancy validated, so I could send the results to the insurance in hopes that they'd process my paperwork. Going into the center, I was a bit embarrassed because I wasn't in need of much help and I wanted to keep my baby, so I sort of felt like I was wasting their resources. When I walked in I was the only person besides the staff, so that made me feel a bit better. The people there were so friendly and helpful -- they gave me a test and it confirmed that I was pregnant to which they offered a free ultrasound to further validate the pregnancy. Seeing my baby, for the first time on the screen was probably one of the most memorable moments of my life -- there was my little babe at 13 weeks with a strong heartbeat and thrusting around those little stubs that would soon form into precious little hands and feet. I was in love. I then announced that was expecting a little bundle late May via social media.

Once the second trimester rolled around, I was full of energy and starving! I was tired of just staying in bed all day and had this crazy appetite for fruits, veggies and rice crackers. I finally resolved the medical insurance issues in late June, but when I went to make an appointment with my OBGYN, the only opening they had was a month out. A cousin of mine told me about private ultrasound clinics that held sessions to find out the gender, so I quickly found one near me and made an appointment. Everyone that saw me and my growing belly told me that based on my shape, I was going to have a baby girl and I was just so curious! My husband and I went into that appointment thinking we were going to have a little girl, but we left with the pleasant knowledge that a little boy would soon be gracing our lives.

I didn't go out much during the second trimester because it was summer and I couldn't stand the heat. Every time I went in weather that was higher that 80 degrees, I'd feel like I couldn't breathe. I stopped working around 6 months and spent my days inside next to the air conditioner.

When the third trimester arrived, it brought back the waves of sleepiness -- only this time I had to sleep. I couldn't keep myself awake anymore. I would sit down on the couch or on my bed which would then result in crashing for two or more hours at a time. I was so tired all the time and everything started to hurt around seven and a half months. My little nugget was already head down, pressing on my cervix and I had 2 more months to go! As the days went on, it got harder to walk because of the pain and I started to get so much acid reflux that I couldn't sleep at night. It was the most uncomfortable I've ever been. To add to the pain, my little guy was a kicker and by that I mean that whenever he kicked, I felt like my abdomen was about to burst. You could see the kicks move my belly almost always and he was moving all night long. If that wasn't enough, around the same time I found out Felix was head down, my body decided to throw in some Braxton Hicks contractions -- I felt like a complete mess!

I recently found this picture on my computer, exactly a week before I gave birth, passed out before 9 pm.
😂 I have NO idea when he took this -- it cracks me up.

I also had a preclampsia and high blood pressure scare. We were having a prolonged summer and the heat would raise my blood pressure into a troublesome zone. The doctors at the clinic labeled me a "high risk pregnancy" and since my due date was November 15th, they decided that they wanted to monitor my blood pressure and the baby's heart rate. My primary doctor eventually had me going to her office for a stress test twice a week -- which was where I get hooked up to a machine that measures my contractions and the baby's heart rate for 20 to 30 minutes. By the end of my pregnancy, everyone in the office knew me by first name basis since I was there what seemed like every other day.

Stress Test Selfie!

Labor + Birth

I woke up on October 25 at 3 am with a really dull, but persistent backache. I tried shifting the mountain of pillows I was sleeping on in order to get more comfortable and went back to sleep. I woke up at 7 am with the same persisting pain. I made breakfast for Florin and then saw him off to work around 1:30 pm and ended up having my best friend Diana come and visit me. We chatted for about 2 hours, but as I sat on the couch the pain was getting worse and worse. When she left around 4 pm, I went straight to bed. I woke up at 6:30 pm with what had to be the worst back pain I had ever felt in my life. I went to the bathroom to pee and noticed that I wiped a little bit of blood.

Trying not to panic, I told myself it must be nothing and tried to go back to bed. I couldn't sleep, so I started to time the sudden streaks of pain in my lower back. I was having one every 7 minutes. I went to the bathroom again only to wipe even more blood -- I started to get nervous. I called the clinic and was told that there probably wasn't anything wrong, but because this was my first baby, they just wanted to check me out. I called Florin and told him that the doctor wanted to see me and he rushed home. By the time he got home, I was having those streams of pain in my back every 5 minutes and it was getting hard to walk. Florin came home, helped me get into the car and we were off. The hospital I went to had their birthing unit away from the main entrance, so we had to park the car and walk to the door -- I thought I was going to have the baby on the sidewalk the pain was so strong!

I finally made it inside and checked in at 8:30 pm. They showed me the room I was to be in and had me get into a hospital gown. She checked to see if I was dilated and I was -- 3 inches. She announced that tonight was baby night. She explained that the pain I was experiencing in my back was "back labor," and that some women get contractions in their back instead of their abdomen. She called the doctor and he said he was on his way.

The doctor that came in to deliver my baby wasn't my primary OBGYN because it was her night off. The doctor my husband really liked was on call which made him happy. I had seen Dr. Yanke a couple of times during a stress test, so he wasn't a complete stranger. During my pregnancy, I felt really odd about a male delivering my baby, but when the time came, I didn't care who did it, I just wanted my baby out, so when he arrived I was more than happy to see a familiar face.

Contractions were coming every 2 minutes and I felt like my back was going to break, so Dr. Yanke okayed the epidural and around 10:30 pm I got the shot. The process was smooth and the results were amazing. I could feel my abdomen tighten, but the pain was gone -- I was so relieved. Thus the waiting game began.

The nurse would come in every hour to check how far I was dilated. Around 2 am, the nurse and doctor noticed that I stopped at 5 cm and wasn't dilating anymore, so they pumped me with some synthetic hormone to get the contractions going even more. I spent another 3 hours laying in bed, dozing off and on, until I felt an immense pressure and had the nurse get the doctor.

Alas, my baby was making an entrance into the world. Labor was definitely harder than I anticipated and I thought it was going to be pretty hard. Pushing a child out of your body seemed almost impossible. Felix was coming out transverse, so it made pushing him out harder. I pushed for about 45 minutes until Felix was completely out on October 26 at 5:43 am. It was insane. About 5 minutes before he was born, I was ready to tell the doctor to cut me open because at this rate the kid was never going to come out. They have you push in segments of three and you're supposed to hold your breath. By the third push, I couldn't even breathe so I'd let it out. The doctor encourages you to push, and tells you to push like you did last time, but in my eyes, I was pushing the same the whole entire time! It was just hard, but he did finally come out -- and that's the important part!

Felix didn't cry much when he came into the world, just whimpered. When they placed him on my chest, I was so relieved that he was out, and so tired from 8 hours of labor and 45 minutes of pushing. It didn't really hit me that I had a baby until about 8 am and from that moment on, I couldn't get enough of him!

He came into the world weighing about 7 pounds and 2 ounces and was about 21 inches long -- a skinny, long baby boy. He had the sweetest cheeks and a head full of hair (all that heart burn was not in vain, praise jesus). He had the softest skin and the longest fingers I've ever seen. He was absolutely perfect. The nurses were telling me that he was becoming a hospital favorite because he was so tiny and sweet and I couldn't have agreed more!

I know ever parent feels like this, but it was love at first sight. I honestly felt like I had the cutest baby in the world. Every discomfort that pregnancy and labor brought was quickly washed away as I spent time with my little babe. Having a child really shows you a love that you've never felt before.

We spent two days in the hospital because I had a bacteria in my system that could have been potentially dangerous for the baby, and they wanted to monitor us for at least two days. Everything turned out fine and we got to go home on the 27th and begin life at home with the sweetest little man who happened to be ours. We were so excited to go home and start our lives!

Thinking Back:

If I have any regrets -- it's not taking more pictures of my baby bump. While pregnant, I felt like such a WHALE (I had gained about 40 pounds by the end of it all) and since the camera adds 10 pounds, I didn't want that documented. I avoided the camera at all times. The very few pictures I have are shot that were taken when I wasn't paying attention at a family gathering or outing. People told me that this was a regret of theirs, but I didn't listen and now I am reaping the consequences. It's not a major thing, but it would have been nice to have a few more pictures. Next time I suppose!

Annnnnnd, that my friends is my [ pregnancy + labor ] story as I remember it. Truth be told, I thought that pregnancy and labor were probably one of the hardest things I've ever done, but in the end, you realize it's so worth it. I would do it all over again (and I probably will!) The journey is long, and sometimes tedious, but oh the joy it brings. I look at Felix and I just have such an immense love and joy when I see him, it's like nothing I've ever known. I'm always thinking about we now have this precious little baby who makes everything in this life so much sweeter. As a person of faith, I feel like having a baby puts into perspective how much God loves us. It's the most incredible, heart warming feeling!

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Thanks for reading this novel of a post!

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1.20.2017

Check In | 12 Weeks

Felix is 12 weeks already. My goodness time flies when you're looking after an infant. It seems like just yesterday I was anxiously awaiting labor pains and for my sweet little man to grace the world... and now here we are -- 12 weeks old and I have no idea where the time has gone.

I am desperately trying to soak in every moment with my little guy.

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These past 12 weeks have been about learning.

I've always loved kids, so if I wasn't babysitting my siblings, I was volunteering at their elementary school or in the church preschool room. Before I had Felix, I was even teaching a classroom of 3rd and 4th grade boys for our church's AWANA program -- I could never get enough of little ones and was always dreaming of having my own.

When Felix was born, I was pretty confident with the idea of becoming a mom and so when the journey began, I was surprised to learn that even with my lifetime experience of being around children, I knew very little.

No one tells you that a baby who wants to consistently nurse is not always doing it out of hunger, but sometimes just for comfort. No one tells you that breastfed babies can go 10 or more days without pooping without it being worrisome and no one tells you how much breastfeeding can hurt -- you have to learn these things on your own.

At the beginning of Felix's life, everyone wanted to see and hold him which would sometimes frustrate me. When you have your baby, all you want to do is spend time looking at that precious babe, take care of their needs and then go to sleep because you're exhausted. People would come over and would wake him up just because they wanted to hold him. After they left, I had to spend hours with a restless overstimulated baby who couldn't fall back asleep.

Another thing that would make me lose it is when people would kiss his cheeks. I spent the first 2 months of his life at home just so he wouldn't get sick and then people waltzed in from the outside world, where germs roamed free, only to leave a slobbery one on my helpless little one's face. It sounds dramatic, but it really bothered me because I was trying so hard to keep a contained sterile environment. It took me a long time to muster up the courage to tell people, "no, please don't touch."

Lesson 1:

it's okay to tell people that they cannot touch your child.

Another thing that happened was that I was also overwhelmed by the advice everyone was giving me on how to take care of a newborn -- because more often than not, it was conflicting information.

I know everyone meant well, but part of me wanted to learn on my own.

There was a lot of pressure from people to breastfeed. Like I mentioned in a previous post, it took a long time for my milk to come in and while I was waiting, people kept asking how much I had pumped in the morning or if I had breastfed that day. Others, when they heard I was supplementing with formula would scold me and tell me to stop. There was a lot of pressure, from everyone, but at the end of the day, I knew I was trying my best and that I was doing what was best for my baby. The milk eventually came in and then everyone laid back and stopped asking about my milk supply -- thank goodness.

Lesson 2:

do what you think is best for your baby, not what people are telling you to do.

Being a new mom is hard especially when everyone around you has opinions.

I had to listen to their advice, but I didn't always have to follow it.

I found myself having this maternal instinct that I didn't have before. I'll be in the kitchen and then I'll have a sudden urge to go check on the baby, and when I go, there he is, about ready to start crying.

It is amazing how in tune mother and baby become.

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But even though these past 12 weeks have been full of ups and downs, they have also been amazing.

Felix is growing so fast. He loves talking to mom and dad, and has recently started giggling. He adores people and always wants to be around someone. He's just the most smiliest content baby and I absolutely adore that little man.

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Here are some of my favorite pictures from these last 12 weeks:

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1.17.2017

Review | Jelly Pong Pong Liquid Gossamer

Today I'm reviewing on of my all time favorite products that a received from IPSY (a make up subscription) -- the Jelly Pong Pong Liquid Gossamer! It's one of my favorite highlighting tools because it is so lightweight and soooooo easy to apply.

Before receiving this product in my ipsy glam bag, I never heard of Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics, so I did a little bit of research. I found out that Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics is based in London, United Kingdom and that they pride themselves in "creating make up a little bit differently." I found that tagline to be rather intriguing and kind of cliche because it seems like all make up brands rave about how "differently" they make their products compared to other brands.

The Liquid Gossamer is intended to give the face "instant radiance while keeping the skin moisturized." The full size product was made in Italy and is labeled as having 8 mL/0.27 oz of the product inside. The packaging states that it is 48% water based and 78% Natural.

The website claims that it's "formulated with ultra-fine, light-refracting coated mica pigments in a sheer, soft cream that gives your skin an ethereal, youthful-looking glow" and I can attest to that! This product makes your cheek bones look so glowy -- I love it!

When I first got the liquid gossamer in the glam bag, I thought it was a sample size because it was so small, but when I looked at the Jelly Pong Pong website, I couldn't find the product in bigger size. I was sort of upset because I LOVED the product and thought it wouldn't last a long time, right? Wrong. I received mine in November 2015, and it lasted until March of 2016 which was really surprising.

When you open the cap, be sure to hold it upright because if not, the product will droop right on out. The product is very very runny -- hence the 48% water based claim. They really weren't kidding. The first couple of times I used it, I put to much on the board and because of my "no wasting make up policy," I ended up having a really glowy look. With time I learned that a small dot goes a really long way if you like a subtle, natural look.

I wish I had a photo for you guys to see how it looks applied, but I don't -- I ran out of the product before it graced my mind to take a picture!

The pricing, in my opinion, is kind of outrageous. It's listed as $22.95 + shipping and handling and it's not even one ounce. I do love this product, but to me the price isn't worth it when you can drive yourself to Target and get L'Oreal's True Match LUMI Liquid Glow Illuminator (review coming soon!) for more product and cheaper. I would probably consider this luxury make up since you technically have to import it from Europe. Due to that fact alone, I wouldn't repurchase this product. I loved it, but I just can't convince myself that one ounce for $23 + shipping and handling is a good idea.

So, I'll give the Jelly Pong Pong Liquid Gossamer a 3.7 out of 5

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If you'd like to try Jelly Pong Pong's Liquid Gossamer, click HEREhttps://jellypongpong.com/collections/face/products/liquid-gossamer-48-water-based-78-natural.

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⇉ Note & Disclaimer ⇇

the rate given in this blog post is my personal opinion.

there was no compensation given to me for writing this review.

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1.13.2017

First Family Photos

the last few days have been a winter wonderland in Portland, Oregon.

we had a historic 13+ inches of snow fall all at once.

so naturally, we took this opportunity to have a snowy photo shoot in our backyard.
it just happens to be the first family photos we've taken -- all three of us in one shot.

here are some of my favorites.

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