Beauty Routine

A while back sweet Bad Rebecca (whose name I must admit, I need the back story on!) commented on my Last Day post, saying kindly that my skin looks so glowy all the time and she'd love a post on my beauty routine.  So Rebecca, this one's for you!

For starters, I swear by Proactiv.  In April 2012 I noticed my skin was getting really bad, and I wanted to do something about it. 

Enter Proactiv.

I use the face wash in the shower in the mornings, 

followed by the Green Tea Moisturizer pre-makeup.

At night I wash my make up off with Clean & Clear Daily Pore Cleanser because it has scrubbies, but is gentle enough to use on my eyes to scrub off my mascara & eyeliner.

I follow the Clean & Clear facewash with my Proactiv Toner (applied with cotton rounds) and the Proactiv Repairing Treatment.  I am religious about my nightly routine and I think that consistency is why my face is as clear as it is.

And lastly before bed I use Pond's Anti-Wrinkle Cream around my eyes to reduce puffiness.

*

And now for my make up routine.

Here's me, make-up free except for chapstick.

After my Proactiv Green Tea Moisturizer, I use my Mary Kay Timewise Luminous-Wear Liquid Foundation which I love for it's full coverage; and I use Maybelline Dream Bouncy Cream Blush on my cheeks.

Here's me, with just foundation on.

And here with foundation and blush.

Then I use my Sonia Kushak small brush to apply Almay eye shadow in dark brown on my eyebrows.  The slightly bigger EcoTools brush I use with my Maybelline vanilla shimmer eye shadow, applying from my eyelid to just under my eyebrows as a base for my eyeshadow.

Applying a dark eyeshadow to my eyebrows.

And me with my vanilla eye shadow on.

Almay brown eyeliner follows on the top lid, and black eyeliner follows on the bottom.  

Then I brush a shimmery brown Covergirl eyeshadow on my eyelids.

Applying liner to the top lid.

Here I am, eyeliner applied!

I always curl my eyelashes, as I find it accentuates them, 

and I follow with Covergirl Professional Super Thick Lash Mascara in black-brown.

Curling...

Progress:

Right eye un-mascara'd; left eye masacara'd!

I just bought this Pearl Luminescent shimmer powder, and this large powder brush at Ulta.  I am loving how much it makes my tan sparkle.

Here I am, nearly complete!

The last step is lips.

I use Baby Lips chapstick as a base,

followed by NYX lipliner

and finish off with NYX lip gloss with a shimmer.

Here I am with just liner on.

And here I am all finished!

As much as I love my face routine and my make up, I truly believe that when I am happy, it shows in my face.  My eyes are awake and cheerful, and you can feel the joy radiate from within.

***

PS- How much do you love my nails? 

They are Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips. 

They are so cute and super easy to apply.  

I love them!

4th Of July

We woke up on the fourth of July happy to have made it safely to the KOA the night before.

We promptly got ready for the day (but not before having a muffin and some hot cocoa in Aunt Julie's famous disposable to-go coffee mugs) and headed to Rockaway Beach, where my grandparents live.

We arrived just in time for the small town parade.

When it was all over we visited and then headed back to my grandparents house.  

Then it was on to lunch at the Cow Belle (our favorite restaurant in Rockaway) and then we were off to go play at the beach.

It was a gorgeous day. My grandparents even moseyed down for a while.

The boys played some frisbee, and then let my boys bury their feet in the sand.

I so enjoyed sitting on the beach, watching kites fly,

and watching my boys enjoy one of my favorite past times.

Rockaway just has a piece of my heart.

This little firecracker had so much fun in the sand!

When we were done playing in the sand, we all got ice cream cones.  We ate them in the sunshine and then decided to head back to the campground.

On the way back up the coast, we stopped at a view point and I snapped these beauts.

I just can't get enough.

I miss the vastness of the ocean so much when we're back in Alaska.

We said goodbye to the ocean and trekked back up Highway 101.

These kids took a little snooze.

Then it was time for dinner, followed by smore's.

Wyatt loved marshmallows,

and he also enjoyed the double dipped malt ball I always buy for camping from the bulk section at Winco.  I will admit, I have been known to have my cheeks stuffed with them as well.

Our nephew Isaac made some tasty smores as well.

Everyone enjoyed sitting around the campfire and talking while the kids made and ate smores.

We opted to forgo any fireworks and instead laid low after our busy day.  The boys didn't miss it, and I had gotten my firework fill at the rodeo, so we were all content!

It was a beautiful fourth of July, filled with all things American: 

sunshine, family and, of course, Hershey bars!