April Favourites | 2018

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I feel like it’s safe to say that spring is here. It kind of came in overnight. One day we were sporting winter gear, the next day I had the top off my Jeep. I guess that’s Canada for you. We always joke that this is the one place in the world that you can use your heater and air conditioner in the same day.

C’est la vie.

I love when spring blossoms, birds are chirping and the sunshine just seems to touch my heart. Especially after this past winter season that just seemed to go on forever.

Nonetheless, spring is here and so are my April Favourites!

Batiste Dry Shampoo
I’m going to let you in on a little secret…sometimes I go a week or more without washing my hair.

Shocker, I know.

When I colour my hair, it almost always leaves blisters on my scalp. They usually hurt and I have to give them about a week to heal. If I wash my hair, it just breaks them open and leaves me regretting the beauty process.

So, lo and behold, dry shampoo.

I’ve tried many dry shampoos and Batiste is the only one that works amazingly well and consistently. I actually went through my full-size bottle and a travel-size one this month. My favourite scent is the tropical one for obvious reasons. I always want to be on vacation.

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
My first experience with this was when Sephora sent me a deluxe sample kit with an order I placed. When I used it, it was the first time ever that my makeup still looked untouched after a full day of work.

I went to pick some up and the sales lady wouldn’t let me get it. She literally blocked the aisle and put her hand on my back and walked me over to another brand’s setting spray. She told me it would pollute my face and that I should use something more gentle for everyday use. Let’s just say, that I ignored her advice and found a travel-size one in the check-out line.

The only time I couldn’t use this was when I used an acne cream and my face became crazy dry. My skin felt like it was going to crack, so adding the all nighter was a bit too much.

Side note, this is one of those products that you don’t want to buy the travel-size. It costs more for the amount of product you get. You’re better off getting the full-size and enjoying it longer.

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer
Wow.

Every time I go to Sephora, I swatch this on the back of my hand. I never wanted to get a sample because I figured I would love it and then want to buy it. It’s a bit of a splurge.

A few weeks ago I decided I would get a sample anyway.

Ugh! It happened. I loved it. Now, I’m saving up my $$ so I can splurge.

I don’t know what makes this product so perfect, but it goes on so smooth. It is extremely light and makes any texture on your face disappear. My face feels like glass when I use this. My makeup goes on flawlessly over top. I absolutely think this is worth the spend.

L’Oreal Voluminous Superstar X Fiber Mascara
The name of this is way too much for me to remember. That’s the only downfall of this mascara. I first saw this on MakeupByCheryl and since L’Oreal is one of my favourite drugstore brands, I thought I would try it.

It is absolutely easy to apply and I love that the primer is black. My lashes are already long, but this added so much depth that when I went to apply false lashes (which I usually don’t wear because of the natural length of my lashes), they were shorter than my own with this mascara!

mascara

It doesn’t flake, break or run, so I don’t have to worry about my eyes and face looking crazy after a few hours. To top it all off, it washes off so easily – no scrubbing, no double washing, just a swipe of Nivea eye makeup remover and it’s off.

Perfection in a mascara tube.

Have you used any of these products? I’d like to know what you think. Comment below.

How To Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster

Published on by Rowena Francis11 Comments

I am literally beside myself! I have been counting down the payments until our mortgage was paid off.

Guess what!? Now is the time!

I haven’t always been amazing with my money. Actually, I kind of had a similar viewpoint as many other things in my life – all or nothing.

I spent the first 25 years of my life only buying the bare necessities. I loathed spending money. I mean, I dreaded it. Do you know, when we were newlyweds, I budgeted and spent $50 on groceries every other week. We ate a lot of pasta.

Then something happened.

I had a baby.

It was a girl.

I’m not even ashamed to say that we left the hospital and went straight to the mall. Who does that?!

That was almost 11 years ago.

If it wasn’t for my amazing husband who keeps me grounded with reality checks, I’d probably be in a terrible position financially.

He has taught me a thing or two about money – and that has helped us pay off our mortgage. We didn’t do anything fancy and we definitely didn’t win the lottery. We just chose to be wise with our financial decisions. None of our decisions caused us to be tight or lack in any way.

Here are some of the things we did to pay off our mortgage faster.

Pay The Mortgage Weekly
This was one of the best decisions we made. If nothing else, do this. Changing your payments to weekly will pay down the principal much faster than if your plan is bi-weekly or monthly. It really does make a difference.

Put A Plan Together
I’m sure everyone who is close to me is probably tired of hearing my payment plan for my mortgage. Especially over the last 2 years, I’ve been a bit obsessive with it. I knew the time frame I wanted to work in, so I made sure that everything lined up payment-wise. As the balance got smaller and smaller, it was easier to nail down an exact date.

Stay Put
I’ll be honest, it’s been quite tempting to upgrade our living arrangements. This booming market can get the best of anyone. I have a dream house that is within reach, but it would require incurring a bigger mortgage. I don’t want that. My house is sufficient. It serves all my needs (not necessarily all my wants). I’ve learned in life that it is much better to be content with what you have than to have the constant stress of ‘keeping up with the Joneses.’

Make Extra Payments
Bear with me, I’m no mortgage specialist, but I do know there are rules you have to follow. If you want to avoid penalties, you have to stay within your payment allowance (I’m sure it’s not called that, but that’s my name for it). All we did was add an extra $30 to each payment. This made another great difference. Although this took a small sacrifice, it really didn’t make a difference in how we spent our money.

All of this was possible because we made smart choices along the way. As Dave Ramsey said, ‘Live like no one else today so you can live like no one else tomorrow.’

Great advice. We didn’t decorate our house immediately. We didn’t drive 2 cars. We didn’t have cable or all the latest gadgets. We didn’t always have internet and cell phones. We didn’t eat out or go on lavish vacations (until recently). We did live within our means. We did enjoy life. We did enjoy each other.

Now, we can sleep soundly in our house knowing that the strain of borrowing money has been lifted.

Spa Night In

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I am about to dive into a crazy busy week couple of weeks. I have deadlines that line up, back to back, each day next week and then some. If I don’t start off on the right foot, I may find myself a bit frazzled by the time June rolls around. June?

I don’t want that.

So, amongst many things (like doing the actual work to prepare), I am going to start off with a night of pampering.

Here is my favourite recipe for the perfect Spa day at home.

Clean House
Ok, maybe this isn’t pampering, per se, but having a clean house will help me relax when I want to. I like to have everything cleaned out, organized, vacuumed, washed, dried, folded, put away. You know, the works. The good news is that I have 2 kids that are quite accustomed to doing chores, so I won’t be running around like a crazy lady. Ok, maybe I’ll still be running around like a crazy lady, but it won’t be because I’m overworked. Plus, I’m totally convinced that my kids would choose to clean the house over anything else. I think.

Snacks
You can’t be pampered without food and drinks. Am I right, or am I right? I’m not the wine and dine type, but I do love a little bubbly – or as my kids call it, rich people water. Perrier. Zevia Ginger Root Beer has been my jam as of late.

If I’m really feeling fancy, I’ll put my drink in a crystal goblet and pour it over crushed ice.

Fancy also means I’ll throw together a tray of hors d‘oeuvres – garlic stuffed olives, an array of cheeses, crackers, fruit, chocolate. Chocolate.

If I’m not feeling overly fancy, I’ll make sure I have some Ruffles Sour Cream ‘n Onion chips.

The point is, I make sure I have food & drinks I love ready to devour.

Movie
If I’m going to have a night in with all the works, I want to watch a great chick flick. I mean, I might want to shed a tear or two, just because. Crying is cleansing, right?

Anyway, I will definitely be picking a movie that the hubby refuses to watch – Fried Green Tomatoes, Steel Magnolias, you get the picture.

PJs
I want luxurious pjs. I want the kind of pjs that you spend money on. I want pjs that make you feel like a million bucks.

Then I want comfort.

Yes, this pampering night is all about the comfort! Say what you will, but my TMNT sleepshirt is the best thing since sliced bread. Cozy. Comfy. Totally rad.

Face Mask
Once the house is clean, snacks are prepped, movie is picked, pjs are on, it’s time to get started. I will cleanse, rinse & moisturize my face, then slather on my favourite face mask. I’m currently loving the GlamGlow YouthMud Tinglexfoliate Treatment.

Talk about a mouthful!

Seriously, just like the name says, it tingles. It. Tingles.

But I love it.

There’s something about it that reminds me of a tropical vacation – and that’s literally a life goal, to be living it up in the tropics.

This week, I think I’m going to venture out to Sephora and grab a GlamGlow Bubblesheet Mask. I’ve heard great reviews and I really like GlamGlow.

Nails
I don’t always add this step into my pamper routine, but this week, it’s in there. I have gel nails, so I don’t need to do my fingernails. I just don’t have time to get a pedicure and I plan on wearing sandals next week, so I definitely want to do a pedicure.

Fun fact, when I was a teenager (and into my 20s) I used to paint a design on my nails every day to match my outfit. Every. Single. Day.

My current schedule would never allow for such frivolousness. Except! Except I stumbled upon the perfect quick-dry nail polish! Sally Hansen Insta-dri. You don’t even know! This nail polish can stand it’s ground with only a single coat. Plus, it literally dries in seconds!! (I just realized that this product actually makes those claims!) Hands down favourite polish. I won’t ever go back to other polishes. I don’t know how I waited around for paint to dry when I was young. It’s not even like I had a phone or iPad or anything to pass the time.

Bedtime
Last, but certainly not least, I will snuggle into my bed full of fluffy pillows and suffocating warm blankets. Then I’ll probably talk Brian’s ear off well into the midnight hours.

Do you like to enjoy a good spa night before you dive into a long week? Let me know in the comments one of your favourite pampering products.

An Open Letter to Younger Me

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Dear Younger Me,

Life gets messy sometimes.

It’s not fun. You won’t like messy. As a matter of fact, you will like all your ‘life items’ to be arranged neatly and fit perfectly in a box that can be topped with a lid and wrapped up in a bow.

Guess what.

That box will tip. I mean, sometimes it will be picked up, dumped on the ground, smashed up and you might feel as though those life items are being whipped at you.

Something’s trying to take you out.

Not cool.

But it will happen.

Don’t let it break you.

Remember who you are. (you may have watched a few too many Disney movies along the way)

Seriously, though. Remember.

You will go through things that will shake you to your core. You will be betrayed by people you cared about deeply. You will be wounded.

You know what?

You get stronger. You stand taller. You become who you are meant to be. Your core is strong and secure. You accomplish more than you even knew you desired. You have a beautiful family with a husband who cares for you dearly.

Don’t compare yourself to others. Don’t get caught up in meaningless drama. Don’t play into that which is meant to destroy you.

Find the forerunners. Find those who want to do good in life. Empower them. Encourage them. Hold their hands tight and their hearts carefully. Guide them toward the light. Use your influence to inspire others to be the best version of themselves – because that’s beautiful.

When you don’t know what to do, fall back on what you already know to be true. Fear God. Honour the King.

Do what you are meant to do.

Be who you are meant to be.

Be you.

Be. You.
❤ ❤ ❤

Have you ever thought of writing a letter to your younger self? If you could write a letter to your younger self using only two words, what would they be? Comment below.

Skin Care Routine | Spring 2018

Published on by Rowena Francis2 Comments

Although I’ve loved makeup for a long time, I haven’t always loved taking care of my skin. I always found it to be a hassle taking off my makeup before bed or applying cream, serum or anything. I kind of had the thought that skin care products would cause my skin to radically dry out.

I’m grateful to say that I’m a little older and bit wiser in this area. My skin has changed so much since I started really caring for it. I learned that finding the right products was key in keeping my skin fresh, hydrated and healthy.

Before we dive into my current routine, let’s see how my skin care routine has changed a bit over the last few years.

2016
FCO
This was literally the only thing I used on my face (besides makeup). You can use FCO as an eye makeup remover, makeup remover and moisturizer, all in one. My face was never dry or greasy when I used this (although it is comedogenic, so you want to be careful with it).
Reason why I switched? It bothered my eyes so much that my vision would be blurry for about 2 hours after using it.

2017
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
FCO
Makeup Eraser
I admit, I continued to use the FCO to take off my eye makeup because it worked so well. I never had to scrub, it just melted it away. Closer to the end of 2017, I tried to use just the Makeup Eraser, but I felt like it left a film on my skin, so I added a cleanser. I tried a sample of the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and I loved how it cleaned my skin. I just couldn’t get over the smell and how dry my face felt afterward.

So, I switched. Again.

2018
Nivea Eye Makeup Remover
Biore Powder Cleanser
Tatcha The Deep Cleanse
Tatcha The Water Cream
This year has been an amazing start for me with skin care. It all started because I was travelling to Israel and wanted to pack in a carry-on. I did a lot of research on cutting edge products and found a powdered cleanser – which would eliminate that out of my liquids allotment. The problem was that it was so expensive and I wasn’t sure if it worked. I began looking for a cheap version of it when I found Biore had one. It was $6, so I couldn’t resist trying it.

I love it!

I know this is kinda gross, but my pores felt like they were exploding dirt right out of them! My face felt so clean after. The only problem was that it tightens and dries the skin as tight as I used to roll baby diapers.

I needed a cream.

I had a sample of Dr. Jart+ Hydrogel that I started using and I LOVED it. It wasn’t heavy, moisturized my face and literally felt like water.


Then I ran out of it.


I immediately ran out to Sephora to get a new sample or possibly buy it, but they didn’t carry it in the store. I decided I would get a sample of the Tatcha Water Cream and see if that compared. I got distracted, like usual, and tried the Tatcha Deep Cleanse on my hand. I’m sure if they have cameras in the store, they could pull up first of all how I accidentally squirted a boatload onto my hand, but secondly how excited I got with it.

Seriously.

I was talking loudly. To myself. In a very animated monologue. Then, in the middle of my monologue, I turned around and a shaft of light ignited the end-cap in front of me and I found myself staring at a travel size duo, for just $30.

Um, yes?


So I did what any beauty lover would do. I bought it and ran home to wash my face.

At 10:00 in the morning.

I’m not even going to tell you anything about it, cause I’m saving that for a full review, but I will say that it quickly made it’s debut into my skin care regime.

So now, I feel like my skin is the best it’s ever been. I owe it all to my new skin care routine.

1. Remove eye makeup with Nivea
2. Take off makeup with Biore Powder
3. Wash my face/neck with Tatcha Deep Cleanse
4. Moisturize with Tatcha Water Cream

Do you have a tried-and-true skin care regime? What is your favourite product? Comment below.

Beauty Reward Programs | Hot or Not?

Published on by Rowena Francis2 Comments

It’s no secret that beauty costs money. Let’s be downright honest here. It’s expensive. So, how do you make it worth it? Is there a payoff?

Can I just say, the payoff is feeling great and looking like a million bucks. However, beauty stores tend to have some sort of loyalty reward program to reel you in.

Hook. Line. Sinker.

Here are my reviews/thoughts on the few bigger beauty stores where I shop.

Ulta
The nearest Ulta is about 40 minutes and another country away, but it doesn’t stop me from heading out there to shop.

Ulta has a reward system called Ultamate Rewards. There are 3 membership levels: Member (free, earn 1 pt/US$1), Platinum (US$450, earn 1.25 pt/US$1) & Diamond (US$1,200, earn 1.5 pt/US$1). I am currently at the Member level because I only started actually shopping there 3 months ago, and the dollar exchange hasn’t been favourable for Canadians (which means I pay more). All levels receive a free birthday gift as well as 2x the points in your birthday month. The Platinum & Diamond levels also receive a US$10 birthday coupon and points never expire. If you’re Platinum, you will also receive free shipping on orders of US$25 or more and will also receive a US$25 beauty service reward card every year.

The nice thing about Ulta is that they sell both drugstore and high-end brands. So, you can get everything you need at one store. That also means I’m in there for a good few hours, at best. There are also a few items I love that are exclusive to Ulta, so it’s worth it.

The thing I love about Ultamate Rewards is that your points equal a dollar amount so you can use it towards any purchase.

The thing I’m not loving about this is that the website is not consistent between the US site and the CAN site, so I have to shop the US side if I want to get my rewards. Twist my arm, I might as well stop by Chick-fil-A while I’m out there.

Sephora
I have a love/hate relationship with Sephora. I feel like we’ve parted ways so many times, but I’m constantly lured back in by it’s Sephora-ness.

Samples. Beauty Offers. Exclusive Products.

Sephora’s reward system is called Beauty Insider. There are also 3 membership levels: Insider (free), VIB (C$350), Rouge (C$1,000). I am currently a VIB. All levels receive a birthday gift, have access to the Rewards Bazaar as well as the Beauty Insider Community. The VIB & Rouge levels also receive monthly gifts and free custom makeovers (1x for VIB). The Rouge level also gets you free shipping on all your orders, a private hotline and invitations to exclusive events.

In my opinion, Sephora has the worst rewards program. Although you can rack up points quickly and there are lots of sales and bonuses (like the Spring Bonus, check out my wish list), your points can only be used in the Rewards Bazaar. Products are launched in the Bazaar every Tuesday and Thursday 9am-5pm (PT) and they go so fast, it’s unreal. I have an alarm set on my phone and by the time I tap on the Rewards Bazaar tab, everything good is already sold out. Every. Time. My points just keep racking up, unused. Pointless, in my opinion. How ironic. Yet, I keep going back cause it calls me.

Beauty Boutique
I am true and true Canadian. So, I wouldn’t be true to my heritage if I didn’t include a Canadian company.

Shopper’s Drug Mart, anyone? Sorry, I mean Beauty Boutique.

Alright, if we’re going to be hands down open here, the Beauty Boutique is my impulsive spending place. There’s one just around the corner. I could walk there, even if I was stranded at home with no car.

They have just recently switched over their rewards program. It used to be Optimum Rewards, but has since changed to PC Optimum.

Now, I love the PC rewards program. I use it for my groceries, gas, everything. One year, I was able to pay for 90% of Christmas with my PC Points. So, the fact that they joined up with the Beauty Boutique just sets me over the top.

In my opinion, the Beauty Boutique is not quite as established as Sephora or Ulta, but it’s coming along quite nicely. They have great deals and a well-established reward system. It’s a bit different from the other reward systems as it doesn’t have tiers built-in. It is free to join and you can earn 15 pts/C$1 or more, depending on the store you’re shopping at or card you use (PC Mastercards earn more). 10,000 points is equal to $10. There are always opportunities to earn bonus points – I just usually flip through the flyer to see what’s happening.

There you have it. My 3 favourite beauty stores and their reward programs. My favourite would definitely be Sephora, if they switched their bazaar over to dollar value rewards. I probably would spend all my money there.

Until then…

What is your favourite reward program? Do you buy things based on rewards? Comment below.

How To Jeep | 101

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For a few years now, I’ve been driving a 20 year old Honda. It is fully loaded with a sunroof, heated seats, leather interior – literally, the works. The best part of it? When we all get in it, it feels like we are all in one accord.

Ok, so there have been a few flaws with my gem – 4 flaws actually. Which isn’t really that bad, except if it’s 4 pitted rims. Not horrible, but mildly inconvenient when you’re running late and notice that your tires are flat. Again. Just like yesterday morning.

Flat_Tire

Needless to say, I’ve parked ol’ faithful and upgraded a bit.

To a Jeep.

Sheri Jeep

Now, I don’t know if y’all know this, but apparently there’s a code for Jeep drivers. Actually, not just any Jeep. Only Jeep Jeeps. You know, the kind that you go baha-ing in with the top off, wind in your hair, sun kissing your skin, beach in view or on the rugged terrain.

I never knew any of this, but it’s there and I’m determined to follow it. So far, this is what I know…

The Jeep Wave
Shortly after I picked up my Jeep, I started noticing people waving to me. I was so confused.

Am I that popular? Do that many people know who I am?

I told my friend about this and she suggested I was crazy. So I did what any crazy person would do. I pulled up Google and searched ‘waving’ and ‘Jeeps.’

That’s when I found out about the Jeep Wave.

Let me just tell you. If you’re having a rough day, find a Jeep to drive – your day will dramatically improve. There’s this thing about people waving to you like you belong together that just makes you feel like you’re one in a million. It almost feels similar to likes, comments and follows on social media. You matter. Someone sees you. You belong together.

Fine, maybe my new Jeep doesn’t complete me, but driving it adds fun adventure to my days. So I’ll take it.

The wave was a bit of a learning curve for me. The first few times I got overly excited and waved like a two year old desperate to be acknowledged by the Paw Patrols. After a few of those, I got my act together and started waving a bit more like a seasoned Jeep owner.

Jeep_Wave

Brian asked me for my keys a few days ago. I drilled him on the code.

So, chances are, if you drive a Jeep and pass me on the road, you’re getting a wave.

Do you have a Jeep? Is there more to the code? Comment below.

Foundation Favourites | 2018

Published on by Rowena Francis8 Comments

I’ve always been the type of person that finds a favourite product and then tries to stick with it forever. More times than I’m excited about, I’ve headed to the store just to find my favourites have been removed from the shelves.
Discontinued.
Way. Too. Often.
That’s where I found myself a few years ago when I ran out of my tried-and-true foundation. Oddly enough, I can’t even remember what it was.
Forgotten. That’s what it was.
This just also happened to be the same time that I found out about Sephora.
I went to Sephora and loaded up on foundation samples – Kat Von D, Tarte, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Makeup Forever, etc.
I found a few that worked great for me.
Out of those samples, these are the ones that I ended up buying in full-size. I’m loving the way they work for me.

Ultra_HD_Pic

Makeup Forever Ultra HD
Cost: $$ ($52 CDN)
Coverage: Medium
Great for all skin types, it claims to make skin look flawless and feel moisturized.
Let’s just be real here. This is the first high-end foundation that I bought. I was super surprised that foundation could last an entire day and still look flawless after that many hours.
It could be that I only ever used drug-store brands, or it could be that this foundation is just simply amazing.
I’ll give you the answer, it’s amazing.
The foundation went on smooth and blended well. It gave my face a smooth finish and still looked flawless at the end of each day.
Here is the review I wrote on Influenster.

Ultra_HD

Too_Faced_Pic

Too Faced Born This Way
Cost: $$ ($49 CDN)
Coverage: Medium-to-full
Claims to moisturize, brighten skin’s appearance, promote elasticity and give a smooth & youthful appearance.
This is the foundation I tried when I ran out of my Ultra HD. Born this way foundation is absolutely perfect for everyday. It is super light on my skin and looks very natural.
Seriously, I just noticed on the website that it has hyaluronic acid in it. This is my new favourite ingredient. I did a ton of research on it when I was trying to decide if I wanted to get a gel shot in my knee – which is apparently hyaluronic acid…but that’s another story for another day.
Here is the review I wrote on Influenster.

Born_This_Way

Ok, so for some reason, my skin is getting lighter and lighter as the days go on. You’d think winter is lasting long into April or something. Due to this, my high-end foundations are way too dark for me. I mean, by more than a handful of shades. The last thing I wanted to do was go spend money on foundation shades that would only last for a month or so.
Now, y’all know that deals not only catch my eye, but also that I struggle to pass up a good one. Especially when it’s foundation and on sale for $5. In my new shade of blinding light skin tone, no less.
So, with that, I’m including my new fav drugstore foundation.

Fit_Me_Pic

Maybelline Fit Me (Matte & Poreless)
Cost: $
Coverage: Medium
Ideal for normal to oily skin, it claims to blur pores and control shine. It also claims to leave a natural, seamless finish.
So, I’ll start by saying that I was pleasantly surprised with my $5 find. Beyond that, this foundation delivered results that were beyond my expectations. It matched my skin tone perfectly, went on smooth and blended extremely easily. It lasted all day and I couldn’t even tell a difference between this and my high-end loves. As a matter of fact, since my skin looks like it bleached itself overnight, I will probably head out to the nearest drugstore and pick me up a bottle in a beautiful shade of blinding light.

It might be worth mentioning that I’m currently wearing Tarte Shape Tape (hydrating) every day. Although I don’t love it as much as I love the concealer, it does work for me. However, you’ll never guess, but it’s also getting too dark for me.
What. Is. Happening??
If you read my post on my Sephora VIB Wishlist, I’ll likely be trying out Estée Lauder Double Wear next. The question is whether I buy it in shade winter or summer???

What is your favourite foundation? Do you live by high-end or drugstore finds? Comment below.

Sephora VIB Sale Wishlist | Spring 2018

Published on by Rowena Francis4 Comments

Green corrector.

That was my very first purchase at Sephora. I was almost 20.

I had no idea what to do with it. I just loved the idea of a store completely dedicated to makeup.

So I bought the fanciest thing I could think of without looking like I was clueless about makeup.

I was.

And I probably reeked of ‘newbie’ from across the mall.

I’d like to say that’s when I started learning about makeup, but it’s not. We didn’t have any specialty makeup stores that I knew of where I lived. Plus, I never wanted to spend money. Ever.

Fast forward to 2016.

A friend forwarded me an email from Sephora.

And here we are. Loving makeup and working it into the monthly budget.

The semi-annual VIB Insider event is coming up at Sephora and I thought it would be fun to put together my top 10 shopping list for the spring.

First, let’s talk about the dates.

VIB ROUGE
April 13-16 & 20-23
15% discount
Code: YAYROUGE

VIB
April 20-23
15% discount
Code: YAYVIB

BEAUTY INSIDER
April 20-23
10% discount
Code: YAYINSIDER

With that, let’s dive into the list!

Tatcha
The Deep Cleanse
Tatcha
The Water Cream
Amika
Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Shampoo
Amika
Bombshell Blowout Volume Spray
Tarte
Mermaid Skin Hyaluronic H2O Sérum
Hourglass
Mineral Veil Primer
Estée Lauder
Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation
Olaplex
Hair Perfector No. 3
Atelier Cologne
Collection Azur – Mandarin Glaciale
Urban Decay
All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray

It was hard limiting my list to 10, but realistically I don’t have an unlimited number of resources available at my disposal for makeup. Or for anything.

If I could only get one thing, I would buy the Tatcha Deep Cleanse/Water Cream duo. I was so reluctant to buy anything from Tatcha because of the price point, but quickly found out that it is absolutely worth it!! My skin did a complete 180 degree turn literally overnight. That’s worth my money.
A good face of makeup starts with good skin care.

Are you shopping the VIB Sale at Sephora? What’s on your list? Comment below.

5 Tips to Survive the Sugar Purge

Published on by Rowena Francis2 Comments
Pinterest Sugar Purge
Photo by Heather Schwartz on Unsplash

I recently shared how I ditched sugar. I’d like to say it was super easy and it happened in a finger snap. It didn’t.

Although I did go cold turkey and it happened all in one day, it didn’t become a lifestyle until a few years later.

Maybe don’t torture yourself like that.

It was literally a daily choice – sometimes a moment by moment choice – that formed habits of saying no to things.

That paved the way for it to turn into a lifestyle.

Step by step. Moment by moment. Choice by choice.

Here are my tips for getting started.

Tip #1 Don’t get excited by all the sugar-free ‘options’ at the local grocery store.

I had no idea that sugar-free chocolate existed until a few weeks into my journey. When I saw the bag at the store, I bought multiple bags of EVERY kind offered.

When I got home, I indulged and ate every last chocolate that I bought.

Maybe self-discipline was my downfall?

Within a few hours, I was in agonizing pain.

I mean, agonizing.

My belly swelled out and resembled a fairly pregnant state. I could barely stand up straight because of the pain in my gut. Then, I had to try to avoid all types of social measures because the best air fresheners couldn’t even keep up. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it was a struggle to escape the porcelain throne.

Guess what.

I didn’t make the correlation.

Just a few short days later, I was craving chocolate again.

And the process kept on going.

Until a friend told me about sugar alcohols.

Tip #2 Steer clear of sugar alcohols.

Sugar alcohols are sweeteners used in many products labeled ‘sugar-free’ or ‘no sugar added’.

Sugar alcohols sweeten your treats, but tear up your gut – they have this crazy effect called a laxative effect.

See where I’m going with this?

Just. Don’t. Do. It.

Trust me on that one. Your gut will thank you.

Sugar alcohols may appear as

  • Maltitol
  • Sorbitol
  • Mannitol
  • Lactitol
  • Isomalt
  • Glycerol
  • Erythritol

There are so many names for sugar alcohols, so do some research or just stay away from anything that lists ‘sugar alcohols’ in the nutritional information on the package (there is an exception to this, I’ll mention later).

Tip #3 Be prepared with a plan

One of the things that I struggled with at first was the cravings. I’m going to be frank, the cravings have never gone away completely. However, I quickly learned that they had a rhythm and rhyme to them. All I had to do was prepare ahead of time by baking. I have done a ton of experimenting with baking sugar-free. It was quite hard back in 2011 because there were very few options available. My first baking experiment was brownies and they looked, felt and tasted just like a cardboard box. I’m not kidding. Now I feel like I have so many options to use to satisfy my sweet-tooth when it comes every few weeks.

Tip #4 Find a healthy sugar alternative that you like.

The thing with any sugar alternative is that it will never be an exact match to the sugar cane. So, you’ll have to find something that you like and what works for you. For me, for the last 7 years it has been coconut sugar. That being said, just a few weeks ago I tried Swerve (available on Amazon or Superstore) and thought it was the closest to sugar that I’ve ever had – and it comes in granulated and powdered). Technically it’s a sugar alcohol (erythritol), but it’s all natural (like the erythritol that’s found in pears, etc.). I made peanut butter cups with it and my kids devoured them.

There are some other great alternatives. However, I’ve never been a fan of Splenda and although I do use it sometimes, stevia usually lands me with a pretty migraine.

Tip #5 Purge the pantry.

Stop for just one moment. Don’t even think of doing this until you’ve explored Tips 1-4.

You. Will. Regret. It.

Once you have a plan, a sugar alternative that you like and have educated yourself enough on the effects of sugar alcohols, then it’s time to go through your cupboards.

My rule of thumb as I purged my cupboards, fridge, pantry, freezer, dressers, pockets, shelves, etc. (yes, I hid sugar everywhere!) is if it has sugar (by any name) in the first 8 ingredients, I chucked it.

Did you know that ingredients are listed in order of quantity used? Sometimes companies separate the sugars into different names so that sugar doesn’t appear within the first few ingredients.

Tip #6 Give yourself a break.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s extremely difficult to cut sugar cold-turkey. Give yourself time to adjust to it. Take small steps to work toward your goal. It’s doable and you will notice wonderful benefits when you take the plunge. It’s been 7 years for me and I’m still learning and adjusting. It’s a process.

Are you on a journey to cutting down on your sugar intake? What sugar alternatives do  you use? Comment below.

*Disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. There is no added cost to you.