I wanted to try something new for the month of February, and when I found Rowdy Kittens 2017 Month of Tiny Pleasures challenge I was sold. She described it as "a photography challenge that's an invitation to practice gratitude (Side note, I accidentally typed "fratitude" the first time haha) and self-care by savoring tiny pleasures." In 2012, I actually did a photo a day for a whole year and was really good about it. I love little challenges like these. Those photos, mainly selfies because of my laptops built-in webcam, would never have existed if I hadn't decided to do it. I could see when I had started my first job at a Mexican restaurant, when family had come over to visit, and so on. I hope starting this challenge will turn out in a similar way.
I invite you to join me if you are interested. Photos are an awesome way to see where your attention really goes and how little things change. One of my personal favorite changes to see in photos is hairstyles over time.
Another thing I want to do this month is to live and buy purposefully. By this I mean that I want to go through February without making any spontaneous purchases, only ones that are pre-planned and necessary. To do this I will continue planning the meals for the week, learn how to make some of the products I use regularly, continue downsizing my wardrobe (maybe add staple pieces if needed), and so on.
After feeling a bit inspired by Sarah Nourse's video and Scott Dinsmore's TEDx Talk, I went online and looked up the El Paso chapter of SHRM, the national human resources organization. The event was the following evening. After freaking out internally a bit, I went ahead and signed up to attend while cringing to the twenty-five dollars it was going to cost me. I'm so glad that I got out of my comfort zone and went to the kickoff event. Networking events in your field or the field you want to be in are definitely a good investment. At this meeting they swore in the new president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and so on for 2017. It definitely gave off vibes of college organizations and clubs.
One thing I thought was smart of them was to make a game of sorts to get people to walk around and talk to people. Later the woman next to me and I figured out it was for a raffle, but it was too late. I ended up talking to people a bit too much, so I didn't get to enter that particular raffle. However, I did win a blue mug, a Starbucks gift card, and and extra drink ticket (which I gave to someone else).
By and awesome twist of fate, the first table I sat down at included a woman who worked in the HR department at a company I worked at as a temporary employee doing data entry for two weeks. I also completely forgot that EPSHRM held an event in the conference room next door to where I worked, while I was there. Before leaving the event I got her business card and talked about interning with them to learn more about human resources. I hope that turns into something because the company she works for has a good feel to it. Everyone was so friendly and it gave me the impression that this company would be a good one to work for. To my surprise, she remembered my name from when I worked there.
After leaving the event, I called my mom, of course. I was rather exited and just elated at how the evening had gone. If you can't tell from the title of this post, my car was no longer in the parking lot when I made it outside. After freaking out internally again, I looked for any sign as to where it would have gone and found a phone number near the entrance. Yup, they towed my truck about a ten minute drive away. Thank goodness the tow truck driver was still taking away other cars in the parking lot, so I was able to carpool with him. The driver was actually from Juarez, which is maybe ten minutes away from El Paso, so English was not his first language just like Spanish is not mine. Conversation was a bit awkward due to the language barrier, but he was really nice.
The part of the evening that was not as fun was having the pay for the cost of towing, which took about half of my minuscule part-time Chinese restaurant paycheck. Overall it was a great evening, I got to meet lots of new people, and see a glimpse of my future career life.
I also found some TEDx Talks relating to finding your career that I enjoyed, so I will post them here for anyone else that may be in the same boat as me.
Benjamin Todd
"To Find Work You Love, Don't Follow Your Passion"
Eunice Hii
"Don't Just Follow Your Passion: A Talk for Generation Y"
While I was drinking my favorite morning coffee (AKA sugar and creamer with a splash of Folgers Hazelnut coffee), I decided to do a face mask during my morning skincare routine. In my medicine cabinet, I have 2 sample clay masks from CVS Pharmacy, several tubs of various clay masks, and a tube of cucumber peel-off mask. Unfortunately, I had to return the other samples that I had purchased from Ulta and Walgreens because my husband was mad at me for spending too much money. The funny part is that one of my bosses at the Chinese restaurant ended up buying the mask samples off me before I could make it to the store to return them. Whatever works. I do plan on repurchasing the same items when we have more cash flow.
For today I decided to go with one of my CVS samples even though they don't really jump out at me. The actual product comes in a tube for around $5.
The Avocado Oatmeal mask claims to be balancing, to give you ultra soft skin, and to give a deep clean. I did notice that my face felt really clean more than anything else, but my skin didn't feel as soft as it does after I use the Shea Moisture Rose or Frankincense and Myrrh masks.
This mask smells really good and it probably is the oatmeal ingredient since it also smells pretty natural. In my opinion, scent is important because that can really make or break a product. If it smells awful, you probably won't use it at all or as often as you would if it smelled good even if the results were breathtaking. Even if I don't notice a big difference in my skin, if the scent is nice then it seems more like a relaxing aromatherapy de-stress session. This mask seemed to fit more into that category than the one they were aiming for.
It's a thick consistency and tingles after you apply it. It almost feels like it's cooling on the skin; I feel it mostly on my nose and a tiny bit on my forehead. I'm not sure if it's because the packet has been in my cabinet for maybe a month or two, but the clay separated a bit which made it way messier and challenging to apply. This also made it dry uneven.
The packet said to let the mask dry completely, which totally goes against how I was taught to use clay masks. The way it felt when it dried was awful because I could feel the tightness and cracking. It also came off really chunky, so overall I'm not particularly impresses/
Would I repurchase? Ehhh... I probably would not buy this again.
I would consider trying it again in a trial size to see if I got a dud or not. If I had purchased the bottle from CVS Pharmacy originally, I would use it, but it wouldn't be a mask I would reach for often.
The other CVS sample mask I have is the Dead Sea Minerals Anti-Stress Clay Mask, which sounds promising. Hopefully that one is a heck of a lot better than this one.
After hearing that clay masks are great for oily skin, I have become absolutely addicted to them. I love that you get that 15 minutes of me-time, they are usually cooling or tingly, and I can tell my skin loves them from how my skin feels after using them. If you also have oily skin or just want to take some time for yourself, then find a mask that smells good, claims to be for your skin type, and or says it will help with a skin concern that you have. A lot of samples are between $1-$2, so there is no real commitment required.
Has anyone else seen these "capsule wardrobes" trending online? Minimalism and being creative with a small number of pieces is apparently really in at the moment. All you have to do is take a peek and you will see the plethora of blogs like Un-Fancy.com and StyleBee.ca and the tiny houses everywhere to notice the fashion/lifestyle trend.
But is simple better? It surprisingly seems like it.
It's 2017 and we have too much space and even more stuff to fill it with. More and more people are choosing to get rid of most of their belongings and narrowing everything down to the bare basics. I can definitely see the appeal when I look around my house and my mom's house. She is a fellow pack-rat and has been moving all of the extra clutter every time she moves. In this way I really don't want to follow in her footsteps, so I have been working up the determination to start. Starting small is (almost) always key. This for me was going through my wardrobe of mainly t-shirts, jeans, yoga pants, and men's basketball shorts.
Decluttering my huge wardrobe has been a process and after several sessions and around 8 trash bags later, I still feel like it's not compact enough and what i do have doesn't have any real style. I had never noticed the style aspect until the other day when I added 1 of those bags of clothes to donate after watching @MuchelleB talk about the Konmari way of decluttering and her personal minimalist lifestyle and advice.
MuchelleB talked about having the same issue with finding a personal style, especially since minimalism has come to reference a certain aesthetic and not the actual lifestyle. What she decided was to pick a color scheme of things she knew looked good on her and then went from there to see if the pieces that she already owns brings her joy or not (the konmari way). StyleBee had an interesting post on defining your personal style, so I'm going to see how she would say I should describe my style.
B) How do you feel when you have worn something you don't love? - Awkward - Uncomfortable - Average/Boring - Regretful
STEP 2: SORT (Isolate the DOs and DON'Ts of your style)
A) Write down all of the things you don't like to wear and don't consider your style. - Button-Downs - Anything that shows too much cleavage - Collared Shirts - Itchy Fabrics - Anything I have to worry about after leaving the house
B) Write down all the things you do like to wear and do consider your style. - Figure-flattering/Tailored at the waist or under bust - Scoop Necks - Three Quarter Sleeves - Layers - Tights under dresses and structured shorts
STEP 3: GET REAL (Identify your lifestyle and what you dress for)
A) What activities do you do most? How do you dress for them? - Drive / Shoes that I can feel the pedal through -Take Walks & Exercise / Comfortable Clothes and Shoes - Work / Professional Clothes and Black Heels, Comfortable Clothes and Shoes - Lounge around at Home / Tank Tops, Loose Shorts, and PJ Pants
B) How does the weather impact your style? What is your typical mode of transportation? - Hot Weather = Tank Top and Shorts - Cold Weather = Layers, Warm Socks, Thick Jacket or Coat - I usually drive my car everywhere - Sometimes I fly via airplane
STEP 4: EXAMINE (Recognize the specifics from looks you love)
A) List your top 10-20 most worn items. - Knee-Length Dresses - Tights - Cardigans/Sweaters - Jeans (Pants & Shorts) - T-Shirts - Tank Tops - Flowy Pants (it looks a lot like a floor-length skirt) - Sneakers - Flip-Flops - Black Heels
B) List your 3 Go-To Outfits/Silhouettes. - Dress, Tights, Cardigan, Heels - Fitted Top, Flowy/Loose-Fitting Bottoms - Fitted Top, Jeans/Shorts, Sneakers, Cardigan/Sweater
STEP 5: DEFINE (Put your personal style into words)
A) Write down all the key words and phrase you can think of that accurately apply to your style. (Get that Thesaurus out!) - Monochromatic AKA Mostly black with some jewel tones - Bohemian-Inspired - Gothic-Inspired - Classic/Timeless - City Chic - Modest - Layers -Relaxed - Grunge
B) Finally, Pull the 3-5 words that really resonate with you the most. These will be your personal style definition!
MY PERSONAL STYLE IS:
COMFORTABLELAYERSCITY CHICMONOCHROMATICTIMELESS
Hopefully this helps someone else out there that's trying to put their style or desired style into words. I'm going to see how I like these descriptions over time, if it helps when I go shopping, and if it helps narrow down my desired wardrobe further.
I have been thinking about posts that I would like to make and considering the amount of (mainly beauty) YouTube videos I watch regularly, I figured why not talk a bit about a couple of my favorite videos of the week (well month or two, but details). In no particular order, here we go!
1) Atleeeey's "Sugar Plum Fairy Inspired Look" from her Christmas-inspired series.
I absolutely love this look and this particular YouTuber. Ashley is so creative and chill, and inspires me to play more with color in my own makeup looks. I don't believe she has done any collaborations yet.
Jackie's channel was a recent re-discovery for me after seeing her on Sugarpill's channel doing swatches of their new Pumpkin Spice Metallic Shadow and Liquid Lipstick (here's the video) with Autumn (who has fair skin). Her 2016 Favorites are my absolute favorite because she makes it into a tutorial using only those products. Jackie collaborated with Artist Couture to make the La Bronze highlighter.
3) Thataylaa's "Favorite Makeup of 2016 - Most Reached For Products"
Taylor's channel is in my top three YouTube channels ever. She does pale foundation testing, GRWM videos that she calls Shadow & Schmooze, vlogs, and other beauty things. I really like seeing her pale foundation testings in her Foundation Fridays and 15 Days of Foundation series since she compares lots of different products, tries them out with different setting powders and such, and shows the coverage and wear over her cystic acne. If you have combination skin, cystic acne, and or a fair complexion then you would love her. She collaborated with BHue Beauty to make a dark red lipstick.
Thrift Thick is also a new discovery for me and I love her product reviews. She is absolutely adorable and always is completely honest. I especially like this particular video because she does three different looks with the same palette as opposed to the usual one look that other beauty vloggers do.
5) NikkieTutorials' "Kylie Jenner Lip Kits - First Impressions and Swatches"
Nikkie is one of those YouTubers that really got me back into playing with makeup and was one of the ones who introduced me to the online beauty community. She does some product testing, but mainly makeup tutorials and has collaborated with Too Faced Cosmetics to make The Power of Makeup Palette. I feel like Nikkie and Taylor are the awesome best friends who love playing with makeup.
Kathleen is so down to earth and sweet. I love watching her videos because it seems like she's actually talking to you as opposed to rambling about life (which I also enjoy). She has done collaborations with Morphe (Eyeshadow Palette), Colourpop (Liquid Lipsticks), Ofra (Liquid Lipsticks), and MakeupGeek (Highlighter Palette), and even recently started her own nail polish company called KL Polish.
7) MannyMUA's "New Anastasia Modern Renaissance Palette Tutorial"
First of all, super congrats to Manny for his recent part of the Maybelline Big Shot Mascara campaign! Manny is one of the other artists who has really inspired me to play with makeup and color again. He's really chill and funny. Manny has done a collaboration with MakeupGeek to make an eyeshadow palette. He is one of my favorite YouTubers to watch.
Jessica, Taylor, and Katrin (below) were the ones who inspired me to go through my makeup and decide what I truly want and use. I still havent had the chance to donate my decluttered makeup, but it's on my To Do List. Jessica is also a teacher and does lots of videos on affordable makeup products. Thank goodness.
Speaking of MannyMUA's palette, Nikita did a makeup tutorial using it. Nikita is adorable and just fun to watch. I love seeing the looks she does and it's interesting to hear about her transition and life as a transgender woman. She was also recently in Jeffree Star's campaign for his holiday collection.
10) Jeffree Star's "No Tea, No Shade Makeup Tutorial"
Jeffree is definitely an artist. He started his own cosmetics line called Jeffree Star Cosmetics that started with only liquid lipsticks and has since branched out to include lip scrubs, highlighters, lipsticks, eyeshadow palettes,and fashion. His liquid lipsticks make up a huge portion of my lipstick collection and the shade Mannequin is one of the things I keep in my purse.
11) JKissa's 'Chatty GRWM - Maroon Smokey Eye and Messy Bun Tutorial"
I couldn't not put JKissa in this list. She is one of my favorite beauty vloggers and it's awesome that she doesn't wear foundation, is vegetarian, and always mentions colors not only for her fair skin, but also for the deeper skin tones. Jessica does tons of first impressions and my favorites are when she does a GRWM with a new palette.
12) Shaaanxo's "Ariana Grande 'Side to Side' Makeup Tutorial"
Shannon has quickly risen to one of my favorite beauty vloggers. I love watching her lipstick swatch videos, celebrity-inspired tutorials, and GRWM vidoes. She collaborated with BH Cosmetics to make an eye and lip palette. Definitely a must watch channel.
Bunny is adorable, quirky, and someone who has a good amount and variety in her content. She does makeup tutorials, First Impression Fridays, Does This Really Work?, and more. She collaborated with Tarte to make the Swamp Queen Palette.
14) Katrin Berndt 's "Changing My Appearance Doesn't Mean I Hate Myself"
I actually discovered Katrin through her minimalism journey and decultter videos. She also does vlogs, makeup tutorials, GRWM videos, and talks about various topics. She cracks me up, is down to earth, and makes me want to get my life together.
Caito Potatoe is absolutely adorable and does mostly makeup tutorials inspired by a Jeffree Star product (usually a liquid lipstick). I love how bubbly she is and it's fun to watch her play with makeup and chat about random stuff.
16) Glam&Gore's "The Hooked little Mermaid Makeup Tutorial"
Mykie is another artist with interesting content since she is not only a makeup artist, but an fx artist also. My favorite series she has done about the Disney Princesses combined both of those talents into two separate and connected tutorials. Her puppy named Ripley is also adorable and sometimes cameos in her videos.
PS.
I just discovered Sarah Hawkinson and I love her already. Katrin Berndt mentioned Sarah while talking about bullet journals. This is her current featured video which is "Grunge GRWM". I'm definitely going to watch more of her videos.
This morning, just like the last couple mornings, I have watched a couple TED Talks while drinking my morning coffee. Folgers Hazelnut is the best coffee ever created, by the way.
Young-ha Kim talked about how ashe children we were artists all the time and as adults we give more reasons as to why we don't do art as opposed to just doing it.
I'm not sure how I convinced my husband that we should go to the animal shelter, but that's where we found ourselves this afternoon. Its been bothering him that my cats are so scared of him. At first it was only Merlin, but now Maggie Mae has gotten skittish around him also.
El Paso Animal Services is right next door to the Humane Society, so we went through each respectively. Mike was pretty quickly drawn to a boxer mix and I liked a dark colored German Shepard. The volunteers let us walk them around the building and go into the run, which is a fenced in grassy area where they can run and play. The boxer mix peed on the facing a lot, but was really sweet. The German Shepard was sweet, but wasn't dog friendly, so we decided he wouldn't be a good fit.
I regret not taking a picture of him, but we should be bringing home the boxer mix in a couple days! I hope it all works out. We have absolutely nothing prepared for him yet, so we will have to get some stuff and pay for another pet deposit if he gets along with the cats. Cross your fingers for us!
You know how in the movies when there is a group of people sitting in a circle of plastic chairs for a therapy session? I imagine how uncomfortable most everyone is and those very few that have gone so many times that they feel way to comfortable there. Each person takes their turn to introduce themselves and "admit that they have a problem," and everyone else drones out a bored sounding greeting back.
"Hello everyone. My name is Rachel and I'm a packrat." "Hiiii Raaaacheeeel."
Too bad there is not a mainstream Hoarders Anonymous. It is obvious to me that I will never be someone who lives a minimalist lifestyle. Kudos to those who do as it seems so modern and less stressful. I personally love have knick knacks around the house, most with sentimental value or are used daily, as it seems more homey. I come from a family of packrats, so parking my car in a garage is an experience I have yet to have.
A couple months ago when I first started the plans for moving to the city where my husband works (and long before that), I noticed (again) how much clothes I have. I do wear most of it, but the sheer volume of clothes in my closet, in drawers, and in purposefully placed piles seemed like too much. My husband, who is definitely a minimalist, backed me up on that observation. The last time I purged my wardrobe I donated five or six full trash bags of clothing. The purge before that it was two or three bags of clothes.
It had never even crossed my mind to go through my makeup collection until I watched makeup declutter videos from beauty YouTubers, @thataylaa and @katrinberndt. It took way longer than I anticipated, but I gathered up a good chunk of products that I don't reach for or have never actually touched. @thataylaa had the awesome idea to donate her gently used makeup to an organization called Project Beauty Share, who provides women in need with cosmetics and feminine products to get them back on their feet and help them regain their dignity. Regardless, I plan on donating whatever makeup I can and giving away or tossing what I can't.
What I actually kept included primers, foundations that actually match my skin tone, face/setting powders, blushes, highlighters, a bronzer (that I'm still playing with), eyeshadow palettes and singles, several eyeliner pens, a gel eyeliner pot, several lip liners, several eyebrow pencils, an eyebrow powder, and a dip brow pomade. I'm obviously super indecisive on how to fill in my eyebrows at the moment. If I ever get down a real routine, I will likely donate the other products.
What really helped me be ruthless was the idea that everything has a home, even if it is not yours.
