Gardening in High Heels

cultivate a beautiful life

I Could Write a Book on Nail Polish

Today is the first day of Emily Levenson’s Project:Food Budget.  I’ll get to that below, but first…

Ever since I was younger, I wanted to be a writer.  I know I’ve said that before, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise.  I haven’t written a book before, but I think I could probably write a book about nail polish, lipstick, and generally other makeup.  I’ve totally let the #LipStockChallenge slide, but I could write about it for days.

There are so many things I’ve learned about nail polish from working at a spa and generally being obsessed with my nails.  I feel much more confident, pulled together, and powerful when I have my nails painted.  There was a time that I could correctly name the polish someone selected for their manicure.

I’m sorry to say that since I’ve been working so much, I haven’t had time to paint my nails.  My poor collection misses me!  Gardening is also so rough on your hands.  It dries them out, makes your nails flake, and stripes the shine from your nails.

While my nails are more bare than normal, I still have much wisdom to impart about nail polish.

Essie Mint Candy Apple dupes and manicure secrets

— I’m not totally sold that matte top coat applied between coats of light or streaky polish will even it out and give you an even application.  But it does seem to help.  I need to work a little on this technique.

— I also know that you should wrap the tip.  I know, I know.  It sounds dirty.  But it isn’t!  It’s bringing the color of your nail polish or the top/base coat over the tip of the nail.  This seals everything in.

— OPI Nail Envy didn’t make my nails envious at all.  I think it actually made the more prone to breakage when I didn’t use it.

— Essie Three Way Glaze is fantastic.  If I don’t set it, though, it does crease when I’m asleep and my hand is resting against the sheets, which is annoying.  But the shine and staying power is worth being careful the first night after a fresh polish.

— You can set your polish with a little Pam.  Run under cold water to wash off the oil and go.

— I’ve heard that you can put Vaseline or moisturizer around your cuticles as a barrier for the color so it’s neat and clean.  I’m worried that it will mix with the polish and spoil its efficacy.

— I’ve been hunting for an acceptable dupe for Essie Mint Candy Apple since I broke my original bottle.  It was after the new formulation of the color so I couldn’t just buy a new one.  And it took me forever to locate my first bottle when I was at Penn State.  The formula available at Ulta now looks blue.  That is NOT minty or appley!

I think I found the best double in Formula X in Unmistakable.  It’s a light, minty, blue-green.  I thought Zoya in Tiana would be good, but it’s definitely more yellow-green than blue-green.  Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Mint Sorbet is an exact match for Zoya Tiana, though.

OPI in That’s Hula-rious and Gargantuan Green Grape are too green to be Mint Candy Apple.

I’ve also found a combo pack at Target with an Essie Gel-like top coat and Mint Candy Apple polish that looks sneakingly similar to my beloved original bottle.

Sticking to a food budget is hard, but I love the accountability with Project:Food Budget

Now that I’ve gone on about nail polish, I’m going to go on about budgeting.  Today is the first post for Emily Levenson’s Project:Food Budget.  I do my grocery shopping on Tuesday morning (after this is published) so I can’t really say how I’ve done so far.  I have made a meal plan (and will try to stick to it..unlike some of my past weeks!)  I am setting myself up with a $50 per week budget at the grocery story and other places where I buy food to cook.

I’m going to try to be intentional with the bill and track food as well as things I purchase at the store that contribute to eating in (storage bags and aluminum foil for example).  I will not include toiletries, greeting cards, etc that I can also buy where I shop.

For that reason, I’ve also decided not to include eating out in the budget because a) I rarely do it and b) if I do, it’s usually with Jonathan, so that’s more of a “date/entertainment” expense than a food expense.  Are you joining in to track what you’re spending?

Follow along with these other budgeting babes!

Emily Levenson / McGinnis and Bean / Rainaldi.org / Red Pen Mama / Erra Creations / Eryn Says… / Seeking White Space / facepalmmama / Gardening in High Heels / Melissa Firman / Copy & Post / Rachel Olive Miller

What could you write a book about?

Be a Better Blogger is a weekly link up dedicated to helping you be a more intentional blogger.  Want to be a better blogger but don’t know where to start? Head over to the Be a Better Blogger page for daily prompts and a weekly linkup to help get the creative juices flowing! Oh, and use #beabetterblogger on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook to keep the fun going even after you hit Publish!

Makeup Bag Musts

It’s no surprise that I’m excited for today’s Blogger, May I prompt, makeup essentials.  I can always write about my makeup musts.  I have tons of thoughts on makeup.  I think it comes from my mom selling Mary Kay when I was young.  I loved looking in her sample kit the pretty tubes full of fun things that I’d get to play with when I was older.  I still do it today.  I had a field day when she was cleaning out her old things before she moved.

My makeup bag is scaled down right now (from my massive organization undertaking to just one small bag) for vacation. For Blogger, May I, I'm sharing my makeup essentials that are so necessary, they come on vacation with me.

My makeup bag is scaled down right now (from my massive organization undertaking to just one small bag) for vacation.  For Blogger, May I, I’m sharing my makeup essentials that are so necessary, they come on vacation with me.

A good base layer

I try not to wear too much stuff on my skin so I can let it breathe, so what I use as my primer has to really have some staying power, blur some imperfections, and have sun protectant.  I just finished a sample of Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, so with me this time is Benefit’s The Porefessional.  I also use primer on my eye lids and under my eyes to hold everything in place there.

Eye brightening something

You never know how much sleep you’ll really get or if you’ll be puffy from sitting in a car for hours (maybe that’s just me).  I like using an eye brightener under my concealer to fake the illusion of a restful vacation.  I just got back into using Benefit’s Eye Bright, a crayon-like pinky hued pencil that perks up even the darkest of circles.

Eye shadow palettes

I wish I could say that I have things that do double duty, like eye shadow that also doubles as highlighter, a bronzer, and fold-out couch, but I rarely use multi-use products like that.  Instead, I look for small versions of what I love.  I love slim shadow palettes for variety and portability.  Wet n Wild has some great 8-pan palettes that are slim, great quality, and offer lots of eye-look options.

Eyeliner and mascara that stay put

On a normal day, I don’t bring makeup to the office to do touch ups, so you know I’m not wandering around the streets on vacation with a mini-makeup aresenal in my purse.  I need all the room I can get for granola bars.  I get hranky (that’s a step up from hangry; it’s hungry + angry + cranky).  So I need to be able to put my eyeliner and mascara on once and let it be.

I’ve been using Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara for a few weeks and I love it’s staying power.  It doesn’t smudge, even if I have it on my lower lashes yet it comes off easily when the time is right

 No-fuss lip stuff

Okay, here’s where I do a little double-duty with my makeup.  I love lipsticks that are moisturizing or in some way offer a little extra comfort on the lips.  I also want things that are easy to apply and aren’t sticky.   There’s nothing like getting a cooling breeze and then having half your hair stick to your mouth.

Mm so hot.

The lip products that I have with me can be applied with or without a mirror.  Bite BB for Lips, Mary Kay True Dimensions lipstick, and Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss lipstick all came with me.  I have a few different color options for different looks and they’re all low-fuss.

Of course, I have things like brushes and tweezers.  And Jonathan would be so proud because I finally remembered to bring Band-Aids with me.  I swear, I’m the least-prepared girl.

What are your makeup essentials?


Skincare struggle

For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled with my skin.  I have naturally oily skin and high levels of stress, which always led me to break out.  I also have hormonal acne (which camps out on my face about once a month, you know what I’m sayin’?)  Today is the perfect day to talk about skincare and current struggles for Blogger, May I.

I've struggled with skin issues for so long, I almost gave up trying. With clean(er) eating and new skincare products, I finally have skin I'm proud of.

I have tried just about every skincare solution on the market (except Proactiv) all throughout high school and college.  I really tried lots of things in college; that is when my skin was the worst it has ever been.  I blame it on the awful water in the PSU dorms.  Ugh, just terrible.  I even tried washing with purified water from my Brita, that’s how bad the water was there!

And of course, makeup makes a difference.  The worse my skin got, the more makeup I used, and the less it could breathe and heal itself…and we begin again.

Fast forward a few years.  I finally have skin that I’m getting proud of and I attribute it to eating fresher, drinking more water, and finding the right things for my skin.  Oh it was a struggle to find, but I did it.  And I did talk about some of my favorite skincare items recently – they still are, but I added a few new things to the mix.

A while ago, a fellow Local Levo leader, Kelly, sent me a message asking if I could help her with something she does on the side, Rodan + Fields.  Developed by two dermatologists, there are specific product lines for adult skincare concerns: acne, aging, dark spots, and overall skin health (look up).  I haven’t really ever committed to only using one line (I still mix and match), but I was definitely interested because her before and after pictures are crazy-awesome.

After taking the skin profile quiz and going back and forth with Kelly, I decided to try the Redefine line.  This line is made to diminish the appearance of fine lines, large pores, and loss of firmness.  Now, I don’t have tons of lines, but sometimes my skin looks dull and I want to get ahead of the curve and start giving my skin good things now before it is too late.

In the Redefine line is a cleanser + mask, pore minimizing toner, treatment + spf day cream, and a restorative night cream.  I’m not a huge fan of the cleanser + mask because when I wake up in the morning, I don’t want to spend 2+ minutes letting it sit on my face first before I actually wash, but I do love this at night.  And when I do use it, I notice an instant brightness in my skin.

The toner is so refreshing and gentle; it doesn’t tingle or sting (sometimes I actually like that because you know it’s working).

The creams are what I love most.  They actually get the job done but they aren’t greasy or heavy.  I feel super moisturized throughout the day without having extra oil production.  There’s a before-and-after skincare progression at the bottom.  Damn, that camera picks up ev.ery.thing.

Kelly warned me that the Redefine line isn’t for treating acne, but I do notice that if I get a breakout, it’s definitely not as long-lasting as it used to be.  Another benefit of the Redefine line is that spots fade quickly now that I’m using something with a little oomph to it.

She also warned me that I may notice an increase in breakouts right after I started to use this.  I’ve been through enough with my skin to know that any skincare switch will always “get worse before it gets better.”  I honestly didn’t notice an increase in breakouts when I started to use these products, so we’re in the clear there.

In addition to Rodan + Fields, I have been loving the Mary Kay Botanical Effects line.  There’s a gel cleanser, toner, gel “hydrator,” and a mask.  The gel cleanser is great in the summer to really tackle oil and makeup.  And the mask..oh the mask.  Mary Kay made a clay mask years ago that’s been pretty much my only skincare constant and they discontinued it.  The Botanical Effects mask has finally replaced that.

Guys, I’m seriously all about the masks.  I have Lush’s Mask of Magnaminty and I just bought Cupcake.  I can’t say good enough things about how they’ve made my skin feel bright and pretty.

And of course, I’m still forever in love with Philosophy.  Their Microdelivery Peel is my weekly treat to myself – my skin feels smooth and fresh after I use it.

I love makeup, but I love having to use less of it, especially in the summer.  The less I can do to a) get out the door and b) feel not caked in makeup all day long is a victory in my book.  Right now, I’m just down to wearing concealer and MAC Mineralized Skin Finish or a light dusting of Bare Minerals.

Just a little makeup and clear skin. It's possible!

There’s still some work to do, but I’m happy with the progress.

What are your skincare struggles?  Please tell me I’m not alone!



Rodan and Fields skincare transformation.

Need the prompts for the Blogger, May I challenge? Gotcha covered. Want to use your own prompts? No problem! Just grab a button to show that you’re linking up with myself, Katy, and Meghan. Oh, and use #BloggerMayI on Twitter/Instagram to keep the fun going even after you hit Publish!

Kelly sent me Rodan + Fields Redefine kit at a reduced rate, but I wouldn’t be sharing it if I didn’t use it, love it, and believe in it.  Other products mentioned are just because I love them and they work!

Never Have I Ever – Beauty Edition

The older I get, the harder it is to play Never Have I Ever.  It’s also been quite a few years since I’ve had to play Never Have I Ever.  Never have I ever had a Big Mac, broken a bone (knock on a huuuuuge pile of wood), operated a chain saw..

Today’s Blogger, May I prompt is Never Have I Ever.  Since it’s Makeup Monday, I’m sharing health and beauty things that I’ve never done.  When I was sitting down to write this, I realized there are a lot of things I’ve done when it comes to “beauty” stuff – I’ve waxed, dyed, permed, and just about everything in between.

There are very few things I haven't done when it comes to makeup and hair. But there are a few. Read on to see what "Never Have I Ever" done. #BloggerMayI

Never have I ever…

Successfully teased my hair.

I have a Spornette Little Wonder and it’s great but I have no idea what I’m doing with it.  I kind of just push hair around.  It looks messy instead of..BAM look at my big hair don’t care, which is what I want it to look like.

Gotten a French pedicure

For the longest time, I always wore red polish on my toe nails.  I can’t make up my mind when it comes to finger nail polish, but toe nails were always red.  Finally, I managed to break out of that rut, but as experimental as I get with my nails, I can’t bring myself to do the French style on my toe nails.  My little baby toe nail is soooo small, it would basically just be entirely white.  And look weird.

Successfully used home wax kits

I’m Italian and as expressive as we are with our hands, our eyebrows are just as expressive.  I have dark, heavy brows and they need to be controlled.  So I figured I’d get an at-home wax kit and try to use that instead of tweeze.  Fail.  Fail all over.

I ended up getting about a quarter of my eyelashes stuck to the strip.  I did not realize that before I pulled it off my face.  I just realized how many waxing blunders I’ve made.  I should just leave that to the pros.

And that’s all she wrote.  This headache is getting worse the longer I concentrate.  Time to zone out with Netflix and Parks & Rec.  Leslie Knope heals all wounds.

What have you never ever done?


Easter Hangover

Happy Monday, Gardeners!  I didn’t want to NOT write something, but I also have nothing to write – it happens.  I’m the first to admit it.

This weekend after spending a great time in Columbus (where #AngelicaAteColumbus hardcore), lunch with family, and running to prepare for the Pittsburgh Marathon (just the half, thanks), I didn’t get a post written for today.

If you’re missing a dose of my Monday beauty advice, check out my #LipStockChallenge on Instagram and Twitter – I’m rotating through my stash of lip products, one per day until I run out.  Follow the fun and join in if you want to share your #lotd (lip of the day).

How was your weekend?

Let’s Play

           

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