The Beauty Tag – 30 Questions

I love doing these types of posts! I was browsing the beauty tag and came across these 30 fun questions!

Please feel free to copy, just make sure to tag me so I can read your answers! 🙂

1. Do you remember your first makeup item?

I think it was probably a lipstick or lip gloss and I was in junior high school. I didn’t really get into makeup until my early 20’s.

2. Describe your perfect mascara. Have you found one that fits your specifications?

OooOooh good question! My perfect mascara is a blackest black formula, has a great wand that is skinny and a bit stiff. I have tried, and continue to try, different mascaras, however, one that has captured my heart is Benefit Roller Lash.  This mascara fits all my specifications so much so that I can stop my search, but then I just wouldn’t be a proper beauty blogger if I did that! 🙂

3. What kind of coverage do you prefer from foundation?

I prefer light to medium coverage. I don’t mind if my imperfections peek through as I prefer a more natural look. I’m no spring chicken and at 45 years old, less is definitely more!

4. Favorite high end brand?

That’s a really tough question. I don’t know if this brand falls under high end, but it’s expensive enough to, so I would have to say Dr. Brandt. I don’t purchase many high end products. I don’t consider Tarte, Urban Decay, Smashbox, etc., as high end.

5. What cosmetic brands have you always wanted to try but still haven’t?

I really want to try Dior Foundation and Marc Jacobs bronzer.

6. Favorite drugstore brand?

Hands down, e.l.f. Cosmetics. All day, err’day. <—– Sorry about that word.

7. Do you wear fake eyelashes?

No. I own quite a few pairs of them, but I’m kind of a doofus when it comes to coordination, so I just dream about being able to wear them and be envious of those who have skillz.

8. Is there any kind of makeup you can’t leave the house without?

Mascara and lip balm. All day, err’day. <—– Sorry about that word. Again.

9. What is your most cherished beauty product?

I love my Jeffree Star eye shadow palettes. They are just so sleek and sexy and glamorous. No, it’s not completely weird to use the word sexy to describe an eye shadow palette. Yes, it’s totally weird.

10. How often do you shop for makeup? Do you like to pick up an item here and there or get lots of goodies at once?

At least once a week. If I don’t run out to shop, I’ll shop online. Typically I pick up a few items here and there unless there’s a good sale goin’ on. I go ham when there are sales.

11. Do you have a “beauty budget” or do you spend freely? 

I try to keep to a minimum between $50.00-$100.00 monthly. There are weeks that I don’t buy anything, though.

12. Do you utilize coupons, rewards cards and sales when you shop for cosmetics?

Definitely! I use Ebates, as well as take advantage of reward points at Ulta and Sephora. I also go ham when e.l.f. Cosmetics has their 50% off sales, as well as Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty sale.

13. What type of product do you buy the most of?

For makeup it’s a tie between mascara and highlighter. Skincare would be sheet masks.

14. Is there a brand that you absolutely can’t stand?

No.

15. Do you avoid certain ingredients in cosmetics like parabens or sulfates?

Obviously ingredients I am allergic to, like coconut oil/water. I probably should be more mindful, but most products nowadays are jumping on board with better ingredients.

16. Do you have a favorite place to shop for makeup?

It’s a tie between Ulta and Sephora. I like both for different reasons. Ulta feels drugstore to me but I prefer to shop there on days that I’m feeling anxiety and can’t handle the semi-upscale’dness of Sephora.

17. Do you like trying new skincare products or do you keep a certain routine?

I do tend to stick with a routine, but will occasionally try new products. I am mindful of ingredients with skin care because I am allergic to coconut oil/water.

18. Favorite bath and body brand?

I am in love with Soap & Glory. ❤

19. If you could only buy from one brand, which brand would you choose?

Again, hands down, e.l.f. Cosmetics. All day, err’day. <—– I’m sorry, I can’t help myself.

20. What brand do you think has the best packaging?

Tarte definitely has pretty packaging, Kat Von D also slays, and Jeffree Star, well, have you seen the Blood Sugar palette? ❤

21. Which celebrity always has great makeup?

I am going to say Gwen Stefani. She just always looks so well put together with her classic red lip and pin-up style hair.

22. Do you belong to any online makeup communities?

No.

23. Favorite Beauty Gurus

I love Tati, NikkieTutorials, Jaclyn Hill, and Jeffree Star. I also like thataylaa, JessicaBraun, KathleenLights and Andrea Matillano.

24. Do you like multi-functional products like lip and cheek stains?

I don’t have any so I can’t really say if I like them.

25. Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?

No, not really. I only use what I am confident with which makes me less clumsy. Throw in bronzer, contour and eye liner and then YES, I am clumsy! 🙂

26. Do you use makeup base/primer for the eyes?

I use foundation. If I am going to wear eye shadow, I’ll use an eye primer, but I don’t wear eye shadow on a regular basis.

27. How many hair products do you use on a typical day?

Well, aside from shampoo and conditioner, none! Occasionally I will use Loma Repair serum but I don’t use it daily.

28. What do you apply first, concealer or foundation?

If I have red spots to cover, I’ll use color correcting concealer first. If I don’t need color correcting, then I go right to foundation and skip concealer altogether. 🙂 Remember, less is more. I think that applies to skin at any age.

29. Do you ever consider taking makeup classes?

I thought about it seriously about 6 months ago, but it’s just a passing dream. I learn a lot from YouTube videos and from just playing around in my bathroom!

30. What do you love about makeup?

I love that there are no rules in makeup. Makeup allows a different level of creativity, a different level of expression to flow, and can be suited to each individual’s style.

Your turn! Don’t forget to tag me! ❤

❤ Cherilyn 

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MorpheMe – February 2018

My February brushes have arrived!

If you aren’t familiar, MorpheMe is a subscription service through Liveglam that offers $30 worth of Morphe brushes for $19.99/month!  The brushes come in a bubblewrap envelope with a cute little accordion card that has brief descriptions of each brush.  I have been subscribed since February 2017 and have received a wide variety of brushes. You can check the website a few weeks before shipping to see if you want to skip the month, swap one brush or swap ’em all. You can choose one of these options without having to unsubscribe.

Let’s get to the brushes! (All links will open in a separate window):

This month’s brushes are from the Elite series. The handles are a sturdy black wood with a gunmetal ferrule and synthetic bristles.

• E34 Tapered Blush ($17.00) Excited to have a backup of my favorite blush brush!
• E23 Deluxe Blender ($7.00)
• E61 Pointed Highlight ($8.00)

I like all three of this month’s brushes, and as previously mentioned, I am happy to have a backup of my favorite blush brush, the E34. 🙂

Total box worth: $32.00

If you’re interested in signing up, clicky clicky HERE (this link will get us both a free brush!), or clicky clicky HERE if you don’t want a free brush. 😉  It’s $19.99/month.

❤ Cherilyn 

Dry Brushing

As a little girl, my mother used to do this process on me called dry brushing.

I was born with eczema on over 90% of my body and suffered with dry, scaly skin. I also had hyper-pigmentation on my neck which is a condition where patches of skin are darker than the surrounding skin. The darkening occurs when an excess of melanin, the brown pigment that produces normal skin color, forms deposits in the skin. I had this across my neck, and in the 70’s there weren’t lasers to help. Once my eczema would dry and scale over, my mother used a dry brush to scrub the dry skin from the eczema off my body and to scrub the pigmentation off my neck. It was an incredibly painful process that left my neck red and raw for a few days, but it worked. I certainly would NOT recommend dry brushing skin with eczema and using the process to remove hyper-pigmentation.

I had forgotten all about dry brushing until I watched Tati discuss it in one of her recent skin care YouTube videos. The first thing Tati talks about in this video is her dry brushing process. lilykoi hawaii also has an exceptional video on dry brushing. I actually prefer Lily’s video. I made the decision to start dry brushing so I headed out to the store to pick one up.  I bought the ecoTools dry body brush.

 

Natural bristles are recommended, but this one is made with cruelty-free synthetic bristles. I would rather have natural bristles; I ordered this trio from Amazon:

The ecoTools brush works pretty well, but I don’t feel like it does much on my feet.  After each brushing, my skin from my calves up to my neck tingled. I felt as though my skin was awakened. My colored tattoo looks brighter and the overall appearance of my skin is brighter and healthier.

Once I received my dry brushing trio, I decided to try dry brushing my face. I wasn’t quite sold on dragging a dry brush across my face, but I did it first thing in the morning after dry brushing my body and it felt amazing! After my shower, my face appeared brighter and I noticed fewer blackheads (gross, I know) on my nose. I just take the brush and brush my face in circular motions, including my chin and even my ears.  I’ve been dry brushing my face daily now for two weeks and my skin is brighter, the blackheads on my nose have greatly diminished, the cystic acne I had on my chin for months is almost gone and the overall appearance of my skin is incredible!  I swear if you told me there’d be a day that I’d be dragging a dry brush across my face, I’d think you were freekin’ nuts. I thought my battery-operated facial brush was giving my face a good clean, but it really isn’t. I’ll dry brush and continue to use my battery-operated facial brush for cleansing, but I owe the refreshed, bright, blackhead-free face to my dry brushing.  I do use the gloves to wash my body, and they’re amazing. I am more than pleased with this product.

Here are great tips on dry brushing from Organic Spa Magazine (click here for more):

1. Beginning with the soles of your feet, use swift upward strokes and brush from the feet up the legs, working toward your heart. Repeat five times.
2. Brush from the ankles to the knees on all sides of the legs. Repeat five times.
3. Once you’ve covered your lower body, move to your hands and work up your arms. Brush from the wrist to the elbow on each surface of the arm (front, back, inside, outside) and repeat for the area between the elbow and shoulder. Repeat five times.
4. Next, using a long-handle brush—or ask your partner to help—brush your back. Beginning with your lower back, stroke from the bottom of the spine up to the bottom of the shoulders blades, or as high as you can reach. Do this for the center, left and right sides of the lower back. Repeat five times.
5. Last, work on your abdomen (moving in a clockwise direction to follow the movement of the colon), chest and neck. It’s best to avoid your face as facial skin is
   too sensitive.
6. Brush for about three to five minutes until your skin is slightly tingly.
7. Shower after you’ve dry brushed your entire body to wash off dead skin. Alternate between the hottest water temperature and the coldest. This stimulates circulation, bringing more blood to the top layers of the skin.

Dry brushing is said to not only exfoliate, but also improves blood circulation, breaks down cellulite, and helps skin to absorb nutrients by unclogging pores. I highly recommend dry brushing for all the incredible benefits aside from smooth and soft skin. I have had such amazing results in just a few weeks of dry brushing.

Do you dry brush? How has dry brushing helped your skin?

❤ Cherilyn 

ipsy – February 2018

I am always excited when I receive the notification that my ipsy bag has shipped. 🙂 It’s the little things, y’all.

If you’re not familiar,  ipsy is a beauty subscription service for $10/month.  You receive 5 beauty products; some deluxe sample sizes, with the occasional full size product. Everything arrives in a cute zippered makeup bag.

This month’s theme is Unzipped.  Self-Love Starts Here: See Why *Everyone* (Including You) Deserves to Feel Sexy.

The bag is a pretty soft pink with a black lace trim. The zipper pull is a round black rubber tab with ipsy imprinted in pink. The inside is a shiny black satin-style material. I’m not a fan of pink, but find the bag to be very pretty and feminine.

 

Let’s get to the goodies!

 

• PÜR Mini Fully Charged Mascara – I really like this mascara! Wore nice all day without transfer.
• BANG BEAUTY Blush in Smoked Peach – Not a fan of blushes with a sheen. I’m going to give it another shot. Perhaps it was just too much with highlight. It is a pretty color, though.
• BIOBELLE Perfecting Primer Facial Mask – Will have to update when I use this product.
• BLAQ Meteor Shower charcoal scrub – Will have to update when I use this product.
• LUXIE BEAUTY Blending and Shading Eye Brush 249 – This brush will go in my brush pile for future use.

If you’re interested in trying out the ipsy subscription service, click my referral link here. If you’d rather check out ipsy without my referral link, clicky clicky here!

What do you think of this month’s ipsy bag and goodies? What’d ya get?

❤ Cherilyn 

I Sang the National Anthem

In 2015, I had the honor and privilege of singing The National Anthem before a Fort Myers Miracle baseball game. There were 1,500 people in attendance.

I was nervous even though I had a few months to prepare. Hell, I had practiced for this day since I was FIVE.

I’m not a pro, I don’t get paid millions to sing. When I went to vocal training, I made it clear that I wanted to sing our Anthem as it should be sung, without grandstanding, but with great honor. So, this is the only time I will ever be able to kick Fergie’s arse at something. 😜

I am incredibly proud of myself for being given this honor. I know my singing isn’t perfect, and it is a tad pitchy, but I’m not a professional. And I remembered the words. 😊

Thank you for listening.

❤️ Cherilyn

Boxycharm – February 2018

It’s the month of love and I LOVE my beauty boxes!

I just received my February Boxycharm! If you’ve not heard of this box, Boxycharm is a monthly beauty subscription service. For $21/month, you receive 4-5 full sized beauty products in a cute little black box.  Each box is always worth $100+!

This month’s Boxy theme is Galaxy Glow! I was pretty excited when I saw the spoilers for this month’s box. Let’s get to the goodies!

• Cover FX Shimmer Veil in Amethyst ($28.00)
• Ofra Cosmetics Pop-Up Palette Mini ($19.00)
• Ofra Cosmetics Blush Godet Refill in Winter Rose Glow ($12.00)
• Crown Brush brush trio ($29.99 on sale right now for $20.99)
• PUR Cosmetics X-Faux Lips Plumping Lip Exfoliator ($17.00)
• Vintage Cosmetics Smokey Eye Pencil in Jet Black ($21.00)

Box Total: $126.99!

I was hoping for the Naked Cosmetics Holographic Highlighter Palette, but I’m not mad at the Ofra palette and blush. The Cover FX Shimmer Veil is beautiful! The brushes are very soft and I’ll probably try the medium brush for highlight application. I won’t use the black eye pencil so I’ll pass that on, and I am curious to try the lip exfoliator!

Overall, I am pleased with this month’s Boxycharm. I’ve not been let down since subscribing almost one year ago.

If you want to check out Boxycharm for yourself, click my referral link here!  If you want to check out Boxycharm and subscribe without clicking the referral link, clicky clicky right here!

What’d you get in your Boxycharm?

❤ Cherilyn 

Essence Volume Stylist 18hr Mascara

I watch a lot of YouTube beauty and skin care product reviews. I always want to see how a product works on different people before investing my money, even with products that are easy on my budget.

My favorite reviewer to watch, and one I trust most is Tati. I have purchased more products based on her reviews than of anyone else.

My most recent Tati Approved purchase was the Essence Volume Stylist 18hr Mascara. This mascara is inexpensive at $4.99.

I have two because the first one I purchased seemed a bit dry.

I am always on the hunt for a great mascara. I love a good dark thick mascara because my eyelashes are light in color. My favorites have been Lash Paradise and Benefit’s Roller Lash. The Lash Paradise is nice, and gives my lashes a full volume look, but it’s a clumpy nice full volume look. Benefit’s Roller Lash has been a consistent favorite. It gives my lashes that natural yet voluminous look. I’ve never had an issue with clumping or drying out and I find myself always going back to the Roller Lash.

The packaging of the Essence mascara is lightweight. It does feel cheap with its big ol’ bulky plastic lid.  It reminds me of those fat markers I used as a kid. I also DID NOT LIKE that the packaging was NOT secured with plastic making it tamper-resistant. Anyone can open the tube and either apply to their lashes while in store, or touch it with their fingers. I reached for one waaaaaay in the back hoping no one had opened it.

Besides the huge hygiene issue, I like the wand. It did a great job coating my lashes. At first application, the mascara applied fairly nicely, it did come off a bit clumpy, but by the time I was done coating the one eye, there was a perfect amount of product left on the wand to coat my left lashes. The formula is nice and thick and is a deep black.

There was some odd separation on my lower lash. I took these photos about 30 minutes after application. You can kind of see a bit of transfer on the bottom lashes.

 

Overall, my lashes looked voluminous and long.  After about 30 minutes, I had transfer from my bottom lashes. Throughout the day the transfer was insane. I had raccoon eyes and was constantly wiping away the transfer from my eyelids and under eye. I gave this mascara another try the next day.  The mascara was clumpy out of the tube, so I just wiped off the excess and applied it to my lashes. Again, it looked beautiful on my lashes, but the transfer throughout the day was nuts!

What I like about the Essence Volume Stylist 18hr Mascara is the price point. I also like the way the mascara looks upon application.

What I do not like about the Essence Volume Stylist 18hr Mascara is the packaging not being secured with a tamper seal. I also don’t like the amount of product that comes out on the wand. I either have to wipe off the excess on the tube opening, which creates a big mess, or use a tissue to remove excess and that is a waste of product. I also do not like the transfer. I looked awful after an hour of wear time.

Products that work for others may not work for me, and it appears I am not a good candidate for this mascara. I’ve never experienced this level of transfer. Transfer happens when skin oils come in contact with makeup, but I have never noticed even the slightest bit of oil around my eyelids/undereye area. It’s OK, I’m not mad at it. I’ll still buy Tati Approved products! ❤ She approves them, not makes them. 🙂

I give the Essence Volume Stylist 18hr Mascara one pair of RABID racoon eyes for it’s price point at $4.99, which is great, but RABID raccoon eyes because of the packaging not having a tamper-resistant seal.

Have you tried this mascara? What was your experience?

❤ Cherilyn 

Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day, lovelies! ❤

I’m not the romantic sort. Never have been, which is weird according to my friends.

I’ve just never been into the mushy love stuff. It all makes me uncomfortable, which brings me to the point of this post. 🙂

Many years ago, I read Shopgirl, a novella written by Steve Martin. Yep, that Steve Martin. I loved the book so much that I was thrilled when it was made into a movie starring that Steve Martin.

It’s been many years since I last watched the movie, but it’s currently playing on HBO so I watched it when I was out with the flu. The entire movie is sweet, but I relate to Steve Martin’s character, Ray Porter, much more than Claire Danes as Mirabelle Buttersfield. The ending of the movie brings me to tears every single time.

I was that girl who never allowed herself to fall. Ok, correction.. I was that girl who never allowed herself to ADMIT to falling.  In love.

I’d never admit it until it was too late. Sometimes that was a blessing in disguise. Sometimes I lost what would have been great loves because of my stubbornness, or fear.  Or both.

It was both.

At 2:02 is where I most relate to Ray Porter, and at 2:06 is where I really lose it when the camera pans to Mirabelle’s face. I’ve seen that face. I’ve even been that face. I don’t know which is more painful.

I think you’ll like the novella and the movie.

Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all.

❤ Cherilyn 

 

 

Tattoos

I have four.

I had wanted a tattoo since my early 20’s but waited until my late 30’s just because I really wanted to be sure I was ready for the commitment.

I decided on an owl on my back. As a nature/wildlife photographer, birds are my favorite to photograph. I love owls, and living here in Florida, we have many different species of owls here, one being the burrowing owl.

This tattoo took 2.5 hours and after it was finished, I wanted to go back in for another. I can’t remember what year I got my first tattoo. If I had to guess, I’d say 2011. I am in love with my owl. ❤

My second tattoo is the birds on my collarbone. The two birds represent my two daughters. Again, a bird theme because I love birds. I will add two smaller blue birds, for my Grandsons, and a third smaller bird for my third Grandbaby due in September from my oldest daughter.  We don’t yet know what she is having. ❤

My third tattoo is an aperture because photography is my passion. Most don’t know what the aperture is and I usually tell them the tattoo is from Chase Bank and mandatory to get if your mortgage is through them. 😉 This tattoo has since bled into almost one big blob and needs to either be covered up or re-worked. I am thinking of having it re-worked with white to separate the lines.

 

My fourth tattoo, my beloved peacock sleeve, began in December 2014. I have 15 hours at $100.00/hr invested in this sleeve. While the colors aren’t what I was going for, I do love the tattoo and I get many compliments on it daily.  I had always wanted a peacock sleeve. I love peacocks; I think they are one of the most beautiful creatures ever.

The first photo is the outline, which took four hours. The second and third photos were the coloring sessions, each at 4 hours.

The below photo is the last of the work I have had done and was a three hour session. This is how my sleeve currently looks.

I still need to have some work done on my sleeve, and then to think of a background, if I decide to go that route.

It is incredibly important to search around to find an artist who takes the time to listen to your wants and is open to your ideas. My artist for my sleeve came highly recommended and while he did an amazing job, he didn’t listen to me when I said what colors I wanted and did not want. My tattoo is beautiful, but not what I had in mind colors-wise. As a tattoo is on your skin forever, it is well worth your time to do your research in selecting an artist. Do not be embarrassed to ask to see past work (any artist should have a portfolio) and ask questions. I will not be returning to him for future tattoos.

Also, cheap tattoos are not always good tattoos. You truly DO get what you pay for. An hourly rate between $100-$150 is pretty common in my area. That’s not to say that an expensive tattoo can’t be a crappy tattoo. 🙂

Occasionally I am looked at with a scrunched nose. That doesn’t bother me. I don’t mind questions by others, but it is rude to say “I’d NEVER do THAT to MY skin”, and the popular one that I get told all the time “I don’t like when pretty ladies have tattoos”. Well, you are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to tell me your opinion. 🙂 It is also rude to ask how much a tattoo costs. I don’t mind if others ask me, though, because I know they’re just curious. I always answer with “I have 15 hours at $100/hr invested”. Often I am asked for the story behind my tattoos. Well, there isn’t one. And when I say that, I am greeted with a disappointed “Oh”. Sometimes the meaning behind tattoos is personal and private.  Sometimes there isn’t a story behind a tattoo. Most everyone I know who has tattoos do not like being asked the meaning or story behind their choices. It’s just another opportunity for the non-tatted person to sneer when the meaning or story isn’t wowing enough. I also don’t mind when people ask me about the pain. People are just curious, and I find it’s easier to just answer the questions with a smile on my face. Being nice helps break the stereotype of us being ex-cons or druggies. 🙂

I know that tattoos are becoming more socially acceptable, and I’ve never been denied employment because of my tattoos. I’ve only been asked to wear long sleeves. Even as a professional in the corporate world, I didn’t have to cover my sleeve. I am pleased to see that those of us who get tattoos as a method of expression aren’t being discriminated against quite as much anymore.

Do you have tattoos?

❤ Cherilyn 

Smaul Haul (<— See What I Did There?)

I thought it was time to pick up a few new mascaras floating around to give ’em a try, and while I was out, I picked up a few more things!

I found three mascaras, a highlighter, a new PM moisturizer. a bubble face mask, and a face mask trio.

• Covergirl Peacock Flare mascara in Extreme Black ($7.94) Available in Extreme Black, Extreme Black Waterproof, Intense Black and Jet Black
• Covergirl Total Tease Waterproof mascara in Very Black ($7.94) Available in Black, Very Black and Black Brown
• Maybelline total temptation mascara in Blackest Black ($7.94) Available in Blackest Black, Brownish Black and Very Black
• Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic highlighter in Molten Gold ($7.94)
• SpaScriptions Rose, Gold and Cucumber Face Mask trio ($6.74)
• SOO AE Charcoal Clay Bubble Mask ($2.50)
• CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM ($8.27)

I am excited to try the mascaras! I don’t know which one I’ll try first! 🙂  I am currently using the CeraVe brand face wash and daily moisturizer that I thought I should introduce the night moisturizer into my routine.

Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts?

❤ Cherilyn 

Blogger Recognition Award

I was nominated for the Blogger Recognition Award by the wonderful Mrs T (Life With Mrs T). Mrs T writes amazing product reviews, posts stunning eye looks, shares her unboxings, and writes lifestyle posts that leave her readers wanting more. I love her eye looks posts as I am envious of her talent and her bold use of color. You can read her post about her Blogger Recognition Award here.  Give Mrs T a follow. Thank me later. ❤

Thank you so much for the nomination! I am so grateful and thankful for your recognition! I am enjoying getting to know you through this platform. ❤

What is the Blogger Recognition Award?

The Blogger Recognition Award is an award that fosters the blogging community through connecting with each other and working together to grow our little patch of the internet.

What is my blog about, and why did I start writing?

My blog started in January 2017. In fact, I just had my first year anniversary here on WordPress! I haven’t written a post about it because I was battling the flu the past couple of weeks.

I started my blog as a place to share reviews of beauty and skin care products. I initially posted reviews on Facebook with positive results from my friends, but was growing a bit tired of the private messages trying to get me to try Rodan + Fields, Mary Kay, and other expensive products at each turn.  While I didn’t mind the recommendations, after all that’s what I was doing, I wanted to focus on products that were budget friendly and easily available. This is when I decided to create a blog.

I had no idea where blogging would take me, if anywhere. I didn’t even think anyone would ever read my reviews or even care about my thoughts on a product! I mean, who am I? I can’t even apply eyeliner without looking like a raccoon, how can I expect others to take whatever I write about seriously? It’s been a fun journey and I plan on continuing the fun!

Advice for bloggers starting out 

Advice #1: Content! Content is more than just words. Just a few things that I believe are important to content and keep me interested in a blog:

• Content that is current and relevant to the community you are reaching out to.
• Content that is well-researched and fact based. If it is a review of a product, the post should thoroughly discuss the product with pros and cons to help readers determine if they should pass or try the product. Please note, I don’t have to see you in the bathtub with a bath bomb to be persuaded to buy said bath bomb.

You don’t have to be an award-winning writer or published author to write a great blog. I’ve been writing since I was 4 years old, and, I, use, commas, incorrectly, I end sentences with prepositions, and start sentences with And, and my sentence structures make people cringe, and I make up words, and use ain’t and y’all and cliches.

Lastly but not leastly <— made-up word: Photos of whatever you are blogging about are awesome, but if your photos are blurry, kindly don’t post them. Look, I know I am guilty of posting less than perfect photos, but none have been blurry. Nothing makes me leave a post faster than a post with photos that induce vomiting. Also, sure it is nice if photos have amazing props, but definitely not necessary to make your pics stand out. Crisp clear photos on a kitchen counter top are better than a blurry photo with pretty props.

My nominees (The rules are to select 10, but I always select five):

The Bellezza Corner Love her posts about beauty and life!

Life with Lil Red Amazing sense of style and those shoes, honey!

Charlotte’s Makeup Blog Stunning fashion sense and great reviews on beauty products!

Simply Beyoutified  Can I just say how much I love her blog name? ❤

Polished by Amy I am so envious of her work!

The Rules

Congratulations on your nomination! Write a post detailing everything about it.

You need to thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog in your post.

Give your readers a brief history about this awesome award.

New bloggers always love some good advice. Give them two of your best pieces of advice.

Now for the fun part, select 10 other amazing bloggers to nominate.

Last but not least, comment on everyone’s blog and give them a chance to hear about their nomination.

❤ Cherilyn

Revisiting the Beauty Blender

Over the past year since first purchasing, I have had some mixed feelings on my beauty blender. I liked it at first (read that review here) but then I quickly changed my mind. I didn’t like how it drank up my foundation and how it was just exhausting to use. It was blend, blend, blend, bounce, bounce, blend, bounce, blend, bounce, you get the picture.  To be honest, I didn’t like the work it took for foundation application and took to only using the beauty blender occasionally to apply powders and cream products. As I am not a regular user of powders and cream products, so away went the beauty blender.

I hadn’t touched it again until recently.

I am sure that I’m not alone in that my makeup application changes as I learn new techniques or see selfies and wonder what the heck I was thinking with a certain look! Previously I preferred a heavy hand with foundation, also known as being a full coverage queen. 🙂 I realized that my mature wrinkly skin looks better with a light hand, and a light foundation application just isn’t as beautiful with a brush as it is with a beauty blender. I have some pretty great foundation brushes, but in comparison with my beauty blender kind of fall flat.

Before we continue, please ignore how completely gross my beauty blender looks. 🙂

Over the past month I have fallen in love with my beauty blender! Even on the days that I was ill but had to go to work, I grabbed my beauty blender to apply my foundation. Yes, even while not feeling well, I dampened that beauty blender and went to town with the blend, blend, blend, bounce, bounce, blend, bounce, blend, bounce, you get the picture. I also have a Morphe beauty sponge that I use damp to apply my setting powder. My skin has looked GORGEOUS, and I am so impressed with both sponges that I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to using a brush for foundation application.

There are absolutely NO streaks on my skin with my beauty blender. My skin looks flawless and natural. Using a beauty blender is still exhausting, but again, the less product I use, the easier and quicker the blending. Don’t get me wrong here, my brushes aren’t crap. They have served me well for many years. I didn’t quite get that it takes work to make foundation look exceptional on my skin. I was positive I’d never try my beauty blender again, much less love it so much that I cleaned and then stored away my foundation brushes!

Do you use a beauty sponge to apply your foundation? What tips do you have for extending its life or even tips for use?

❤ Cherilyn 

ipsy January – 2018

It’s the first ipsy bag of 2018!

If you’re not familiar,  ipsy is a beauty subscription service for $10/month.  You receive 5 beauty products; some deluxe sample sizes, with the occasional full size product. Everything arrives in a cute zippered makeup bag.

January’s theme is Game Face. Have Your Strongest Year Yet—Set Goals, Crush Them, and Look Fierce Doing It.

The bag. Hmm. It’s definitely sporty looking, but I don’t think of sporty when I think of makeup. I don’t think of makeup when I think about sporty. It’s a mesh bag with the ipsy logo imprinted on a bright yellow tag located on the side of the bag, and a shoestring-ish zipper pull. The inner of the bag is a bright yellow. I get where ipsy is going with it, though. Set goals, crush them, and look fierce doing it.

Let’s get to the goodies! (All links will open in a separate window):

SERAPHINE BOTANICALS Raisin + Cream Long-Lasting Lip Stain ($24.00) Not really my color, though it is pretty. I’m not sure if I’ll use this.

CIATÉ LONDON Fierce Flicks Liquid Eyeliner ($19.00) I do not use eyeliner so I’ll be passing this on to a friend.

LUNA BY LUNA COSMETICS Eyeshadow in Juliet ($15.00) This is a pretty color. I’ll probably pass this on to a friend, though.

BEFINE SKIN CARE Exfoliating Cleanser ($24.00) I love getting exfoliating cleansers in my beauty boxes. I am looking forward to using this!

BIOREPUBLIC SKINCARE Sheet Mask Duo: Aloe Rescue & Pomegranate Crush ($4.99 ea.) I love getting sheet masks in my beauty boxes! These ones look promising.

I must admit I am less than impressed with the very first ipsy bag of 2018. It’s just meh for me, but not meh enough to cancel. I’ve had ipsy for almost a year and I’ve been happy with most of the bags. For $10/mo. I can’t really complain.

If you’re interested in trying out the ipsy subscription service, click my referral link here. If you’d rather check out ipsy without my referral link, clicky clicky here!

What do you think of this month’s ipsy bag and goodies? What’d ya get?

❤ Cherilyn 

Boxycharm January – 2018

My January Boxycharm is here! This is my first Boxycharm unboxing of 2018!

If you’ve not heard of this box, Boxycharm is a monthly beauty subscription service. For $21/month, you receive 4-5 full sized beauty products in a cute little black box.  Each box is always worth $100+!

January’s theme is Rock 2018.

Let’s get to it! (All links will open in a separate window):

Crown Brush Glam Metals Palette  ($29.99) I haven’t had an opportunity to play with this palette as I came down with the flu just after receiving my Boxy. The colors are pretty, soft and plenty pigmented, though!

Dr. Brandt Luminizer Primer ($38.00) I have been using this primer every day since I got my Boxy and I love it! I have never used a primer that makes my skin look so radiant and makes my foundation apply to my skin beautifully. It is expensive and I’m not sure if I’ll repurchase. I may see if I can find a dupe.

PUR Bronze & Brighten Palette ($34.00) I have used the highlight shade daily. It gives my skin this beautiful golden glow. I haven’t used the blush or the bronzer yet, and am not sure I will. They’re both a bit too shimmery. The highlight is very pretty though, and will continue to use this in rotation with my tarte Amazonian Clay highlighting and blush palette.

girlactik Matte Lip Paint in Posh ($23.00) This is my first girlactik product. Posh looks like a really pretty color on the website, but it’s a rusty terracotta brown/orange/red color on my lips. I don’t like it and probably will not use it. It smells nice, dries down and feels good on my lips, but it’s just a shade that I can’t pull off too well.

it Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil ($24.00) I am not a fan of eyebrow pencils. I think this is mainly because I don’t know how to use them! I prefer to use The Brow Gal powder and the e.l.f. Cosmetics brow gel. I’ll gift this to a friend.

Total Boxycharm worth: $148.99! Wow!

Overall, I am pleased with the first Boxycharm box of 2018. Regardless of the few items I won’t be using, the Dr. Brandt primer is wonderful, as is the PUR palette. Both products are worth more than what I pay monthly for my subscription.

If you want to check out Boxycharm for yourself, click my referral link here!  If you want to check out Boxycharm and subscribe without clicking the referral link, clicky clicky right here!

❤ Cherilyn 

I’m Back!

OMG you guys, I have not been that sick in years!

The flu virus has been terrible this year, more so than previous years.

I am glad that I am pretty much back to normal, or at least at about 90%! Still dealing with some congestion and coughing, but it’s light and manageable.

So glad to be back here! I have missed reading your posts and I have missed blogging!

I hope you have all been good and staying healthy!

❤ Cherilyn