This Week's Wrapup // Leslie Knope's Power Gaze and my The Giggle Guide Article

This week I was terrible at taking photos of my daily makeup looks, sorry!! I started with a few rough days at the beginning of the week, plus a city council meeting yesterday that I had to get all fancy for. And of course I missed out on snapping pics each morning, but I did recreate yesterday's very Leslie Knope style makeup today. Here's what I came up with:

Leslie's power gaze:

My power gaze: (had to take photos in our company's bathroom, which has it's original 1920s wallpaper still...it's very yellow)

With my demon eyes, but no editing whatsoever for these makeup capsule looks! 

Here are two more photos of my look, both with demon less eyes, yay!:

It's soooo weird taking a selfie with closed eyes! 

I think she used more gold eyeshadow that what I did. I went with a pink-ish combo. Here's my version:

Naked2 Palette by Urban Decay, worth the splurge in my opinion.


Kind of similar, right? I love Parks and Rec, so I thought it was only appropriate that I at least try to look like Leslie for a day full of Knope-ish tasks. Unfortunately, I didn't have a power suit to wear, but I still repp'ed the ladies at this all male meeting. I felt pretty good about it!


Some super exciting career news: I got hired this week to write for The Giggle Guide, and I'm very excited about it! My first article was published this week, read it HERE. I might be bouncing up and down with joy right now!! This month has been a lot of hard work but getting another writing gig definitely makes it all worth it. It's one step towards my ultimate career goal, and I'm pretty excited about it! If you are also blazing your own path, please send me an email or comment below with all your achievements this month too. Seriously, list them out and brag away! No matter how small, they are all steps in the right direction. I submitted about 30+ resumes to get one job this month, but one job is worth it. Hopefully this trend continues, fingers crossed.


As far as weekend plans go, the hubs and I have dinner plans Saturday night with some new friends (Paige, the amazing lady behind the blog Healthy Hits The Spot HERE, and her equally cool hubs), then some minor apartment prep work for a walkthrough next week by our landlord (more on that later), and some writing and yoga. Might check out a new church too. All in all, I'm looking forward to the weekend and the month being over, because that means a new budget! I might do some planning for that as well, we'll see how it goes. A book I'm looking at getting is this one HERE, How To Be Parisian Wherever You Are. Sounds like a fun twist on all the typical "being French" books out there. I'll let you know if it's a good read.


xoHM

Story 21 // The Mission

"I still can't make out what they're saying", said Jackie.

She wheeled her chair over to her left computer screen to better see the jumbled code streaming across it. Her chair got stuck a little bit in the dirt--their makeshift tech room was in a shed up in the hills overlooking the main road. The forest wrapped it up almost completely, making it a great hideout. It was abandoned save for a few squirrels that ran through the rotting walls. Jackie pressed her headphones on her ears, in a vain attempt to see if she could understand the dialog better.

"I'm picking up their location now", replied Shannon. She was looking at her radar plus typing away at her computer at the same time, trying to pinpoint the exact location of the convoy. Every so often it would get blurry, so she would have to smack it on it's side, like an old TV set with bunny ear antennas. She was also trying to break into the fire wall the convoy had set up to protect it's intel. It was imperative that she access those top secret documents without being detected. Shannon and Jackie were the best intel-spy-hacker duo on the planet, and they never failed a mission.

Although this mission threatened to break their spotless record. 

Just getting to the location was hell. Half their equipment didn't even get a signal, and their information on the convoy was slim to none. These people were basically ghosts, and Shannon and Jackie were no Ghost Adventurers.

"Wait, I think I'm finally getting a better signal", Jackie said excitedly. She wrote down what she could understand, and handed it to Shannon.

"This is perfect, I think I've almost got the documents, hang on, one more code to enter", said Shannon, her fingers flying fast over her keyboard. The last of the fire wall was breached and she finally saw the huge list of intel. There was a lot of information, more than she prepared for actually. Suddenly the alarm went off on their computer screens--

INTRUDER ALERT!

INTRUDER ALERT!

Red light drenched their screens, and both women looked towards the road to see if the convoy was headed in their direction. Suddenly the door to the shed swung open wildly---

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU KIDS TO STOP PLAYING ON MY PROPERTY!?!?! 

A very angry old man who was turing red in the face looked down at the two girls. They had been playing secret spys and constructed their "computers" out of paper. Both froze, their fingers poised over their fake keyboards. They held their breath waiting for the old man to make a move. 

Without thinking the old man grabed a paper monitor and ripped it up, then moved down the line to tear up another one. Shreds of paper went flying, and the two girls sprinted past him towards the open door. They ran as fast as they could into the woods before busting up laughing.

"Did you see his face?! That was hilarious!"

"I can't believe he got so mad!"

They slowed their pace to a walk, and talked about the next mission they wanted to pretend go on.


(This story was inspired by my childhood. I used to make paper computers and play spy all the time, bringing my "supplies" to the school playground. There was a teacher that always shouted at me to stop playing spy and to play on the play set instead. She would grab my paper computer and crumble it up. Kind of dramatic but I understand now that she just wanted me to run around and burn up some kid energy. But it was still fun trying to hide from her and go on a pretend mission.) 

Staying Positive

I usually don't like to admit when I'm wrong. Then again, I don't think anyone likes doing this very much.

But my way of thinking was all wrong. From unmotivated, stagnant, and just downright depressed, I got stuck in a rut. A big ol' rut of self doubt.

This past month though, something happened. I'm not sure if it was the fact that everything in my life kind of fell apart (mainly that my hubs didn't get this huge job opportunity that would of changed our lives forever), or that I finally can laugh at the situation instead of feel like I'm drowning in it. Or maybe I'm going crazy (trust me, I thought this at first). But I just kept on this positive attitude kind of by accident, and while it hasn't been easy, I've felt better about my daily decisions, and I've seen results because of this shift in perspective. So I'm going to jot it all down in hopes someone out there needs a boost too.

Marzee is always in weird positions, cats man.

On fitness:
For the longest time I wanted to be skinny, and I know part of this is my poor body image issue that made me skip meals in high school (I don't do this anymore). But I always think I still need some improvements. I feel pressure to stay thin from everywhere, as I'm sure every other woman does thanks to our terrible culture. I know I've mentioned Tone It Up before, but after joining their online community, I finally feel like my poor body image is solvable. Every single woman on there struggles with it, and there is always someone picking them up to tell them they are perfect the way they already are. So I decided to make this shift at the gym. I got tired of being depressed after not getting in all my cardio, or because I ate too many carbs one day and felt bloated by dinner time. I now want to be as strong as I can be. That means doing more lifting, interval training, and circuits, and less straight cardio. At first I thought I was bound to gain weight (I'm at a healthy 110lbs at 5'2", ps), but to my surprise, I started to see some muscle definition/toning instead. I now look forward to this gym time to push my strength more each day. It seems like such a simple change, and I can't believe it took me this long to do it!

On recalls:
Sometimes GM decides your car is a deathtrap. And sometimes it takes them close to 6 months to ship out replacement parts to your town, making it virtually impossible for you to drive anywhere. But the plus side? I now know the bus route by my place much better, I've saved on gas, and I've realized how much of a privilege it is to have a car in the first place. And I've made new friends with the auto repair shuttle drivers. We may or may not fist bump when we see each other now.

On beauty:
Okay, well I'm still working on this, but I do think the makeup capsule is helping. Last night I found myself much more relaxed than usual. I had hot cocoa, and just sank into my couch, it was such a good feeling! I had just cancelled my Birchbox and Ipsy accounts, and while I thought I'd be bummed, I found that I wasn't. I actually felt relieved. And I think in a really silly way it's due to me putting less stress on makeup. While I like trying new samples, I love that I'm taking a break from it all, and focusing on just the basics of my beauty routine. It's weird, but try doing a makeup capsule too and see if you feel the same way.

On career:
Taking steps towards being an independent/freelance writer has lit a fire under me! I have been so much happier every week knowing I'm trying to further my career goals rather than just plugging away at my daily boring office job. Even though the progress is slow, I'm still pushing forward. I'll write an update on this at the end of each moth if you want to check out my progress.


While this isn't everything, it's a huge part of my shift to a better attitude. I don't always have good days, I've had a couple of really bad ones actually. But for the most part, I'm feeling so much better. I also understand that I'm not dealing with anything major in my life right now, and that sometimes you need to let yourself feel sad/angry/frustrated to get through this event. But if you are just stuck in a rut like me, I hope at least one point in this post helps you.

xo HM

(Pre)Makeup Capsule Photos Fall 2014 // 001

Are you ready for the weekend? I know I am! Here are my week's worth of photos from my (pre)fall 2014 makeup capsule. I'm still fine-tuning my products, there's that crazed feeling before the deadline, kind of like packing for a trip. Will I remember everything? Most importantly though, will I like everything? Fingers crossed I don't go mad! 

These pics are Monday-Thursday, with a few close ups. You can tell the mornings I was sleepy and a little loopy. I didn't take pictures of today bc I was so hungover I looked like a dried prune. It was rough! So I thought you maybe didn't want to see that haphazardness. 

If you want a tutorial on how to do something let me know. So far, I've cut my getting ready/makeup time in half! It's so nice! But I do feel like I'm missing something. I think it's the quickness that makes me feel that way. I'll see if I can pinpoint what's bugging me. 

Weekend plans are to gym it up, do some writing, and focus on my goals. I'm still applying for writing gigs, and I'm going to rewrite my pitch this weekend too. Have a good one and I'll try to check in on Sunday. 

xo HM

Story 20 // Following the Horizon (Poem)

It's ridiculous but sad, isn't it?
Those memories of a care free time,
when responsibility seemed miles away,
like the horizon, drifting ever constantly away from you.

I remember that feeling,
but is it even accurate?
The good memories are always easier to remember...

You always have to keep going,
pushing on to the next phase,
sailing onward into another sunset.

There are storms you have to go through,
the first ones I remember vividly,
as being dark,
murky, foggy.

They were scary, I shook from head to toe.
I remember thinking this was it,
the end of me,
my little boat wouldn't make it through the night.

But, then, as dawn broke across the ocean,
the seas calmed,
the wind whistled gently once again,
and I knew I had changed.

Some of these storms make me a better person,
others are petty, stupid, frivolous.
But each one teaches me a lesson.

As I drift I wonder every once in a while where I'm going.
Oh how I'd be so grateful for a map.
I've spent too much time looking for one,
searching for some guidance on this journey.

Just where is my boat headed?
Why am I needing to go this direction?
What will happen when I finally get there?
Can I even make it there in time?

Don't think about it too much, people say.
You'll go mad, they warn.
(Sometimes I think that wouldn't be all that bad.)

Ah, to be a mad man,
the bliss of the carefree,
yet not the childlike kind acceptable to others.

I would be locked away.
No keys but padded walls,
that destination is not for me.

Some nights the seas rock my hammock.
The sickness makes it impossible,
so I escape into the abyss behind my eyelids.

After a while the storms don't bother me as much.
I trust my ship to make it through.
After all, it's been through worse.

The weathering my boat has taken,
the scars that cross it's surface,
all tell of tales of past adventures.

Tales of cannon fire,
of times of battle,
and times of sorrow.

Why not refinish my boat, you ask?
Give it a good sanding,
paint it up bright again.

I think about it,
look into it a little,
but to change how it looks would take a part of it away.
And memories can't be sanded down.

I love my boat,
scars and all,
I welcome the questions and stares.

I may never find that map,
and I can't avoid every storm,
but as long as I trust in the horizon,
I know I'm in good hands.

Makeup: Ups and Downs, Plus Makeup Capsule Product Update

You know those days when you have a really good makeup day, and you are genuinely impressed by how you managed to get your face to look that flawless? Then, the next day after that, you do a 180 and can't seem to get even the simplest of makeup basics right? Welcome to my weekend.

It was all good on Saturday. I didn't even spend that much time on makeup, mainly thanks to this new capsule. Everything stayed put, didn't need touching up, basically it all around rocked.

Then came Sunday, and it was all wrong. First, I did outdoor yoga in the morning without any makeup at all, just sunscreen. And that was a lot of fun, I highly recommend doing that whenever it's offered in your town. (Check a Lululemon in your city, they offer free Sunday yoga here in SLO). But I couldn't get my makeup right for the rest of the day. Very frustrating.

On these days I feel like nothing is working, I just keep it to the basics. Mascara, simple coverup, light blush, natural brows, and Chapstick. Nothing looks better than a natural, healthy face in my opinion. No eyeliner, shadow, or lip gloss. I was excited and a little apprehensive to try these new Chapsticks from Birchbloggers (check BB out HERE, and Chapstick out HERE). While I love a good lip balm, I unfortunately have a terrible track record with what actually works and what just sits on top on my lips. You know what I mean? The balm that just feels waxy? Well, Chapstick has definitely made me a fan. Their sticks are so perfect for moisturizing you don't even think about it. And they are huge! How awesome is that?! It's about time a lip balm was sold in a bigger tube than a tampon! Haha sorry but you know its true! ;) 

I was given two dual end Chapsticks to try (and you can sign up with Birchblogger to try out stuff too) and I have to say I like the Night and Day one better. The other one, Moisture and Renew, I only really like the Renew end. But hey, three out of four isn't bad! They are very absorbent, not at all waxy, and really do revitalize dry chapped lips. Can't beat a product that lives up to what it says on the packaging. 

Also, I'm switching my mascara choice to this one by Urban Decay after getting a sample of it in my Ipsy glam bag from August (see it HERE). It adds a ton of length without clumping. The only downside I've seen is that it kind of sweats off during the day, but it's been pretty hot here lately, and I can't complain about when it happens at the gym (whoops, I workout in makeup!). It's not everyday it does this though, and I like the product otherwise. So I'm going to try it out, and just throw on a little bit of under eye coverup on those days it needs it.

I'm dragging my feet on picking my lipgloss/lipsticks, aren't I? Sorry about that. It's been a million degrees outside so putting anything on my lips thats glossy doesn't sound fun at all. I'll get myself organized soon though, I promise. 

Have a great Tuesday! 

xo HM

*Birchbloggers did not compensate me to write this, but I did get these Chapsticks for free. I highly recommend signing up for this program if you are a blogger yourself. 

Capsule Makeup For Fall '14

You've heard of the capsule wardrobe by now I'm sure. As I mentioned last week, I am currently getting my wardrobe picks finalized, and then right in the middle of it all, I had an epiphany!! Huge lightbulb moment! What if I applied these very same rules and principles to my makeup?! Genius maybe, kinda stupid to some, but to me it sounded like the exact challenge I needed. I'm so damn tired of it taking me 20+ minutes to get my day makeup on every morning, so I'm going to capsulize my routine. It's not that I wear a ton of products at once, I just have about a million options available, and that takes time to sort through/decide on what to wear. My makeup capsule is going to involve a very small (to me) selection of makeup that I will use exclusively for each season. I'm going to not buy any makeup at all during the current season, and I'm even going to put my makeup samples from Birchbox and Ipsy on hold (or I'm going to try to anyway, need to email them about that!). I want to invest in more expensive/nicer makeup, so this will hopefully help me realize what I truly want to splurge on. My philosophy is: you can never know what you need until you get rid of the excess. Here's to hoping this works (and that I don't go crazy for eyeshadow palettes come winter!).

Here's the checklist if you want to do this too:

-One foundation or BB Creme
-One concealer (try to use a universal one if possible)
-One blush
-Bronzer (only if you need it)
-One eyeshadow palette
-One brow filler (shadow or pencil)
-One eyeliner (crayon)
-One eyeliner (liquid)
-One mascara (+ curler, I'm not really counting this as separate from mascara)
-Brushes: keep this as limited as possible, and try to get a multitasking one if you can
-Lipstick/gloss: limit to 3 options only (not including chapstick, that's more of a moisturizer to me)

-Not included: face moisturizers, SPFs, primers, smudgers, etc.

Here's my selection, with links:

(If you look closely, you can see my crappy pedicure...)

Let's see what we've got here: 

-Foundation: L'oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder in Classic Ivory HERE

-Concealer (that poor label, guess I use this a lot): Maybelline Age Rewind/Dark Circle in Light (I think, it's faded) HERE

-Blush: City Color Be Matte Blush in Fresh Melon HERE (Ipsy fave)

-Bronzer: Smashbox Bronze Lights in Warm Tan HERE

-Blush/Bronzer brush: Old, it's Smashbox (it came with the finishing powder I bought for my wedding)

-Eyebrow shadow: Smashbox Photo Op Eye Trio in Focal Point, using the brown shade obviously HERE

-Eyebrow brush: Sephora (old, similar HERE)

-Eyeshadow: Urban Decay palette Naked2 HERE (includes a double sided brush)

-Eyeshadow brushes: the one included in the palette and this one too (I don't know where I got mine but the link is to a very similar one)

-Eyeliner (Crayon): Noir Cosmetics Long Wear Eyeliner HERE one shade available only (Birchbox fave)

-Liquide Eyeliner: Maybelline Line Stiletto Ultimate Precision Liquid Eyeliner HERE in blackest black

-*Mascara + curler: curler is old but mascara is Rimmel Scandalous Curve in black HERE

-Lipstick/gloss: TBD (I need to think about this for a little bit longer)

*This might change, I'm on the fence about it. I'll let you know what I end up with. 

Not pictured: my eyeliner crayon smudger. I love this one, but I don't love the eyeliner it's attached to. So I kept an old used up liner and continued to use the smudger. (Also, I'm being told that "smudger" isn't a word, but that's impossible since I use it just about every day, right? Is that how words work?...)

Also not pictured: this eyeshadow primer. It's a sampler packet from Urban Decay, and I would strongly suggest getting it before you buy the full product to see which one you like best. Plus each sample lasts me about 7ish wears, crazy right? I literally just got a month's worth of free primer! Samples man, I live for them! Ugh, not getting Birchbox and Ipsy is gonna be HARD!

I haven't picked my lipstick/gloss choices yet but I'll have those ready this week. I need to see what I'll realistically wear and what will go with my usual heavy eyeshadow/liner. If anyone is interested in what moisturizers and SPFs I use please let me know and I'll link ya up! 

I'm really happy about dialing down my makeup. And to be clear, I only wear makeup because it makes me happy. I go without it when I don't feel like putting it on. I don't need it in my life, I just like it. It's fun to try new looks and tricks. It's my most versatile accessory and I think of it just like that--an accessory that isn't needed but is nice to have on when you feel like it. Please keep this in mind for all my future makeup posts and for yourself as well. You are way more beautiful as yourself than with makeup on. 

Have a good night,

xo HM

Friday Shenanigans + Career Goals

After this week at work, I've never been so glad that it's Friday. Gym, wine, and some fun bday parties to go to. Plus I got 3 magazines in the mail all at once! Score-zies!

-Skinny jeans. I'm finally back into my white skinnies and it feels soooo nice! It's a little silly, I'll be honest, but I'm happy about it. I've been a Tone It Up (site HERE) follower for exactly a year now, and their workouts kick my butt. I haven't tried their nutrition plan yet, but I might do that soon too. If you want to know some of my favorite workouts by them, let me know and I'll do a post about it to link you up. I might write about my weight issues too...another time for another post. 

Yay! Just in time to be out of fashion too! ;)

-Makeup capsule. I only have photos from today for the whole week, whoops! My bad, I get a little rushed in the mornings and forget to take a picture. I know these aren't the best photos, but I don't have a nice camera at the moment, so my trusty iPhone will have to do for now. What I've discovered this week since starting my fall makeup capsule is that the shadow in my Naked2 palette, Bootycall, is a perfect cheekbone highlighter. That shade is so versatile, I also use it for my brow bone. Love it. 

I just have Egyptian Magic on my lips, still need to do my lipgloss picks.

My hooded eyelids make it hard to see my eyeshadow and liner when I smile normal/big, so I tried not smiling as hard here. Harder to do than I thought ha!

-Career Goals. Last weekend I made a promise to myself that I'm going to really pump up the volume (Christian Slater anyone?) on my freelance writing. I made goals, fixed my pitch, selected samples of my writing, and started applying for jobs. So far, I only got one bite, but that's okay. It's all about numbers, meaning that the more pitches I send out, the more likely I'll get a couple more jobs. So I'm going to take what I can and make this freelancing writing job my goal, and I'll update where I'm at on this blog so you can follow along. By this time next year, I want to have this as my primary income maker. I think I can do it, I just need to apply myself and push forward. 

Have a great weekend! 

xo HM

Story 19 // Slippery When Wet

Since last week's story was a little heavy, I wanted to lighten things up this week. Also, because of today's significance, I think a story located in Boston is appropriate. There were so many American flags around town, it was really cool to see. Here is a story about an embarrassing moment in my life, I hope you can get a good laugh out of it! 

When I was in college I was a part of a performance troupe that toured around the US doing improv and scripted skits about socially relevant issues such as sexual assault, homophobia, and racism. Despite the heavy topics, it was a very rewarding experience and a great way to travel on the cheap too. I visited some pretty cool places, including the great city of Boston.

I had never been (well, maybe when I was a kid, but who remembers where they went when they were 2?!) and I was very excited to check it out. Our instructor/teacher always planned an extra day after each performance so we could check out the current town we were in and take a few tours. I had my new skinny jeans on (pastel pink, to be exact), and was ready to learn some local history. We started walking around, checking out neighborhoods, markets, and taking a Duck Tour (half on land, half in water, and the transition from land to water freaked me out!). The town reminded me of London, which makes sense, and also made me miss Europe. The architecture was so amazing, I kept finding myself looking up at the buildings with each block we went down. The rain came down pretty hard throughout the day, but that didn't stop us from exploring. After all, my skinny jeans were keeping me warm! Well, that and my huge rain coat.

We took the Freedom Trail (it's really cool, check it out HERE) all the way to this bridge, and right before we were going to cross it, we saw this cemetery on a hill (I think it was the Copp's Hill Burying Ground HERE), and decided to check it out to see some old tomb stones. Everyone branched off to try to find the oldest one. It was creepy and cool at the same time. The rain might of added to the eeriness too. (There's so much history in every square inch of Boston--I love that city! I highly recommend walking this trail)

As I started to read a couple of names and dates, I saw a teammate of mine slide down a wooden ramp that led to another level, kind of like he had skates on his shoes. The ramp looked damp and old, with a little bit of moss covering it's surface. He was sliding down it, then hopping up the small wall to the level above and sliding down it again. It looked like a lot of fun, so of course I decided to join him.

The ramp was muddy and weathered, but stoic, since it had probably seen centuries of burials. I remember thinking this might be bad luck or something, since it's in a cemetery and all. But I brushed off that thought and got ready to slide. My teammate told me to lean towards the bottom of the ramp, just like snowboarding. I thought I was an alright snowboarder, not amazing or anything, but I knew how to go down a hill. So I got my feet ready to slide, leaned into the decline....then all of a sudden...

BAM!!

Both my feet flew up into the air, and I landed flat on my butt. If I was trying for the perfect wipeout, this was it. I hit that ramp hard, right on my left butt cheek. My skinnies were done for, having the most perfect black/brown spot now on them. My teammate attempted to help me up, but he was laughing too much to be of any use. I was shocked that I slipped so quickly, embarrassed that I would have this mark on my ass for the rest of the day (it was barely noon), and amused a little bit. How did I think this was going to pan out for me? Really, this was meant to be all along and I just had to go with it.

So the rest of the day I endured millions of jokes by the rest of my team, and it turned out to be a really fun day.

PS: I had a ginormous bruise from this! Double embarrassing...

My Quick Beauty Tips and Tricks // 001

I've been getting a couple questions lately about some beauty tips, so I thought I would share a few here and there whenever I have some time. I'm sure to do a follow up with more, but for now, here are five picked at random. If you want something specific covered or have a question, leave them in the comments section or email me.

Hey it's my vanity! :)

-Use a Dove bar of soap instead of shave gel. This is a tip I got from an article about a leg model (Women's Health or Women's Fitness, sorry can't remember!), so I figured if she is paid to show off her stems her methods must be working. If you're like me, and use way too much shave gel/body wash/shampoo in one sitting, then this is a great way to save you some money. I used to get the jumbo pack of shave gel at Costco, and while that's cheap, it isn't quite as cheap as a bar of soap. So I switched over to the Dove bar once my family sized shave gel supply ran out (way too fast because over user right here), and I love it. I think I love it more than shave gel, to be honest. It's easy to use, super gentle on my skin, and for only $1 per bar, you can't get much cheaper. Try it out and see if you like it too. You'll only be out a dollar if you don't. (I really want to try making my own body wash too, and I'll definitely be using this DIY HERE).

-Prevent eyeshadow creases by using a primer first. I looooovvveee eyeshadow. I'm much more likely to wear it than bold lipstick. But when I would put my makeup on in the morning (7am), by the time I go to the gym, then go home, it had all but vanished, save for a crease mark. I know what you're thinking--of course it wore off because you were at the gym (ps I work out in my makeup, which I know is a bad habit, but I have yet to break out from it, soooo...). But the reality is, it wore off probably by mid-day/lunch. So I found that a primer, such as this Urban Decay one HERE, makes my shadow last literally all day long until I wash my face at night. Yes, even at the gym through my interval workouts where I fear I'm sweating off my eyebrows, my shadow stays put. Speaking of eyebrows...

-Fill in your brows with eyeshadow instead of pencil. This might not be ideal for everyone, but it's been my experience that most makeup artists prefer to use eyeshadow to fill in brows to make sure they don't look too perfect. A pencil can still work too, but I have more luck with eyeshadow. Plus my brows are super dark, always have been, so I have a hard time finding a pencil in my shade. Currently I use this brown HERE by Smashbox, in the trio called Focal Point. It's super dark and perfect. Kind of a coffee tone. Also the gold it's paired with was my favorite, it was used up very quickly! If you are afraid of your brows falling off throughout the day, just put a clear coat of brow gel over them after you put on the shadow. It just looks like clear mascara, and your brows should last you all day long.

-The only way you will get good at doing a cat eye, is by doing one every day. If you aren't that great at applying liquid eyeliner, try practicing applying it every single day. You will eventually get so good at it that it will go on quickly and look amazing, trust me. Don't use a stencil, that's not teaching you how to do one, it's just a useless "training wheel" concept. Also know that you can never make both eyes identical, just accept that fact. Start applying it before your eyeshadow, in case you mess up and have to remove it. If you mess up part of it, take a damp Q-tip and swipe off the liner little by little, being gentle obviously. Then after you've got your liner on, do your eyeshadow, and then retrace your liner to make it look like it was applied over your shadow the whole time. My favorite liquid liners are drugstore brands like Loreal and Maybelline. Seriously, the expensive ones always peel or rub off for some reason.

-Dark under eyes? Drink more water. This might be obvious to some people, but I never thought this would help my blue under eye circles so much. A couple of months ago my doctor told me to start taking vitamins. So I started taking a multi vitamin and you know how they turn your pee neon-highlighter yellow? I wanted to be so hydrated every day that I would get rid of that effect. Personal challenges are my number one motivator apparently, because I started drinking a ton of water, and my skin started to change. It no longer was dull and dry, so I didn't have to moisturize as much. Plus, my very dark under eye circles that I thought I was just stuck with have really lightened up! It's been about 2-2.5 months now, and I would highly recommend trying this. You can't go wrong keeping yourself hydrated, and the benefits can make your beauty routing easier, you feeling better, having more energy, and all around being a better (hydrated) version of you!

That's it for now! Have a great weekend! I'm planning on working out and sipping wine, as usual. Also, I'm downsizing my wardrobe, and I'm going to start planning my capsule wardrobe for fall. I've always wanted to do this and since it seems to be gaining some popularity recently, I figure I might as well hop on board. Now or never, right? Something like that anyway. I'll keep you updated on it, and I'll try to post outfits as I go. (Check out what a capsule wardrobe is from the pro HERE. I'm following all her tips on how to do this).  

xo HM

Story 18 // Final Decisions

Beep, beep, beep...

The old man was deep in thought over a spot on the wall. His hand absentmindedly rested on the front cover of the bible by his bed. The title was faded, but the binding looked like it had barely been opened. The pages still looked crisp and new. His arm was bruised from the IV, with scars from IV's past farther up. His white hair was tousled in a forever bed head style, and his hospital gown looked well worn. Even though he was inside all day, his complexion still had a slight tan, making him look healthier than he was. At 81 years old, he had two weeks left to go, give or take a couple hours. This was it.

"You gonna read that, or just feel the spirit through the cover?"

The old man didn't hear his roommate wake up, and he didn't like that. He used to pride himself on his excellent hearing, but that quickly faded after 75. He looked down at the book he was touching. It was going to be now or never, he thought. What's it going to be? Decision time.

His young roommate had a perfectly bald, egg-shaped head. The pale skin around his eyes didn't have a wrinkle on them yet, but it might never get the chance. His cancer was progressing quicker than the old man's. Unless this new treatment kicked in soon, he wasn't going to make it. But he knew the risks, knew them all his life. After spending countless years here at Mercy General, it just about felt like home. He had lived his life knowing that everyday was a blessing, and acted accordingly. For what he was up against, he was very level headed.

"Are you going to finally decide today?" - the kid asked, gesturing towards the bible.

The old man was still, then shook his head from his absent stare down of the wall, and answered, "I...just thought...I would have more time than this to decide."

"Wait, you want more time? How much time have you had already?! How old are you?" -the kid sat up a little bit from his pile of pillows. He was getting tired of having this conversation.

The old man thought about this, and immediately felt selfish. How could he ask for more time, especially with this sick kid right next to him? But he didn't feel like it was time for him to go either. It's a weird feeling, being told when the end will come. When the lights are going to be shut off, the doors closed and locked up for good. What if he beats the odds and lives longer? Then he can decide, then he will know if he wants to finally believe, or not. He just needed more time to think about it...