My Mary Kay Look/How To!

Happy Saturday Everyone!

A lot of you were asking about how I used my MaryKay products from Influenster, so I decided I'd take a pic and show you how to get MY look :)

Forgive the fact that this is only a halfie..and that I look totally lame.. :)

Anyways; This is a look that I wore to a cookout with friends! Super simple, sun kissed with a bright lip. I got a lot of compliments and ladies asking where they could find my eyeshadow, bronzer, etc. This is a look I wear fairly often, but most of the time, I would be oily by the end of the day. Holy Grail products-I was perfectly matte by the end of the day! I will definitely be switching from my old standby's to these great products.

This is how we do it!

To start my look, I swept MaryKay's Translucent Loose Powder over my face to keep my skin matte. This stuff is amazing because it doesn't give me a chalky look..I then placed MaryKay's Mineral Cheek Color in Shy Blush on the apples of my cheeks to give me a little color. Below the blush I used MaryKay's Mineral Bronzing Powder in Light Medium to contour my cheeks.  The bronzer worked perfect with the blush because it looked completely natural.

I wanted to keep my eyes simple, so I used MaryKay's Cream Eye Color in Apricot Twist to give my lids a nice shimmer.I used my favorite Mary Kay® Cream Eye Color/Concealer Brush to get an even result. To get slight definition to my eye, I lined the top lightly with Mary Kay® Gel Eyeliner With Expandable Brush Applicator and then used the residue to smoke out the bottom of my eye. What I liked about this eyeliner is the convenient brush, I felt like that helped me to control my movements more than normal. I can't live without mascara, so I swept Mary Kay Lash Love Mascara in I <3 Black from root to tip. I did two coats. This mascara is my new favorite. It stays all day and gives me "bombshell" lashes.

Lips I kept simple using Mary Kay NouriShine Plus Lipgloss in Mango Tango. This gave me the high shine look I was craving. Side note: Hubby and son did not get lipgloss on their faces from this gloss...not that they do ten times a day or anything.. ;)


So there ya have it! A perfect sun-kissed look for summer. Go get your products and comment YOUR look :)
XOXO Cate

#MKGlam VoxBox

I received the MaryKay VoxBox from Influenster. I am sooo impressed! :D

This is what I received and my thoughts on each product:

Mary Kay Bronzing Powder

I absolutely love this product. It doesn't contain a high amount of shimmer, so it looks extremely natural. I love the fact that it is so blendable as well! 

Mary Kay Translucent Loose Powder

I have naturally oily skin in spots, so this powder really kept my skin looking matte all day. I layered this over my foundation. It really is translucent, unlike a lot of products with the same claim. I saw NO white residue or tint.

Mary Kay Mineral Cheek Color

This is very similar to the bronzing powder, did I mention I love that both are minerals and won't clog my pores? :) Anyways, this color is a very pale pink, it gives just enough color to show that you made an effort with blush.

Mary Kay Cream Eye Color in Apricot Twist

This is almost a light tan color with a lot of shimmer. It would work as a great eyeshadow base, highlighter, or just worn alone. I can also see this worn as a highlighter on your cheeks if you are lucky enough to be tan! This color doesn't crease after a few hours and is long wearing. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

Mary Kay Cream Eye Color/Concealer Brush

I used this to blend and apply my eye-shadow. I really loved how soft the bristles are. It also distributes product evenly as opposed to other brushes where your makeup looks almost spotty. It seems to be a well made brush. I am obsessed with acquiring more :)

Mary Kay Lash Love® Mascara

I am a mascara junkie. Also, a mascara snob..as much as one who frequents only drugstores can be anyways. This mascara did sooo much for my lashes. It really darkened, lengthened, and thickened. I would be interested in buying this mascara many many more times.

Mary Kay Gel Eyeliner with Expandable Brush Applicator in Jet Black

This would be the "Holy Grail" product of this box. This eyeliner is nothing short of amazing. It is so smooth and easy to apply. It lasts and  the color is just..rich. I really love the brush as well. It expands so if you are better at applying with long or short brushes..you got both! I might actually be able to finally master the cat eye with this.. 

Mary Kay NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss in Mango Tango

This is the cherry on top of the sunkissed look..

This beautiful red-coral color. This is the perfect lipgloss. Bold color, non-sticky, long lasting. Plus my hubby even loved the color!

If you would like to join Influenster head over to www.influenster.com and score YOUR OWN free swag :)

#SheSharesTruth-Shattered.

Happy Friday everyone! :) I have talked about She Reads Truth sooo many times. Raving about how awesome the concept is-a community full of women reading God's Word and learning together. I just love the Church as a whole, and community is something that really touches my heart. She Reads Truth has gotten even better-as if that were possible- and they are now giving readers an opportunity to teach others what they have learned. Enter #SheSharesTruth. The details are nicely laid out in the post, but I just wanted to take a few moments and share my heart and what God has shown me through Psalm 130.

Psalm 130 spoke to my heart in a great way. My journey to where I am today as a wife and mother has not been an easy one. I don't have a perfect saved and never looked back story. Instead, I have a story filled with bad decisions, a heart marred by hurts from my past, and one heck of a testimony about the Grace of God. I identify with the Psalmist-hardcore.

3-4If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings,

who would stand a chance?

As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit,

and that’s why you’re worshiped.

 

 Partying. Sex. Pride. Lies. And those are just the big ones. If God kept a record of everything I had done, I wouldn't have any hope for a good life. But instead He pushes any record of my sins as far as the East is from the West. Forgiveness is who He is. It is the core of the Gospel. He does it for His Name's sake. I think there is a reason why God called David, in all his dysfunction and sin, a man after His heart. Throughout the Bible, God calls sinners. He has this beautiful habit of taking a life that is so soiled by immorality and bad things, and making that life not only amazing..but using that life to touch so many other lives. We serve a God of second chances. Life has no meaning, we are lost, we are shame filled..then God comes.

7-8O Israel, wait and watch for God—

with God’s arrival comes love,

with God’s arrival comes generous redemption.

No doubt about it—he’ll redeem Israel,

buy back Israel from captivity to sin.

 

When God shows up big things happen. We are not the same. With Gods arrival comes love. Generous redemption. We do not serve a distant God. God isn't just waiting for us to mess up so He can discard us. He doesn't forget about us, even in the worst of our pits. Instead He has our names carved on His hand as a reminder. We all are bound to fall down. It's human nature. We have this struggle against ourselves that is..well, hard. It's a fight, an epic battle. But all that matters is that we keep fighting. That we accept the Grace that is so clearly out there for us in our weakness. 

 

Choose to fight today.  

J'Adore VoxBox Feb 2014 Review!

I recently had an amazing opportunity to become an Influenster. As an Influenster, you use social media to promote and give your opinions on products. Every so often, they send out a VoxBox. VoxBoxes are full of great products! In return, you review and bring awareness to these brands. I received my first VoxBox the J'Adore Valentines Day box and loved it.
Here's the lowdown! :)

The Vaseline Men Spray Lotion is a goodie for my husband actually, so I thought I'd share his take on it. He said that the reason he doesn't use regular lotion is the girly scents and he doesn't like goop on his hands. This product was perfect in his opinion because of the manly smell (that was wifey approved too). This product also dried extremely fast. It made him super soft too, which both of us can appreciate.

This is seriously a miracle product. I was super excited to see a face mask in my box! This mask has a good scent to it, and left my oily skin pretty matte. Normally face masks that claim to mattify dry my skin out terribly, and this product didn't do that. I will definitely buy this.

Valentines Day wouldn't be complete without..chocolate. Hersheys Kisses are my old standby favorite, so I don't really have much new input on them, but I received a HUGE bag of them. It was a great treat to have, and it got me in the Valentines Day mood :)


I didn't get a good picture of this, but the box also included Red Rose tea. I got the flavors Lemon Chiffon, and Carmel Creme. Both decadent amazing flavors that I enjoyed. It was the perfect thing to help me wind down after a long day. I will most likely buy this tea again. The flavors are so unique and delicious. Like dessert in a teacup :)

This was my favorite product in the box. I have naturally curly hair, and this product was able to get all the kinks out! Normally even with product my hair has a lot of bends to it. Not only did I have straight hair, but it smelled good and was super shiny and soft.

This is the only product in the VoxBox that I had trouble or a negative opinion of. And that isn't even the products fault. I suck at false eyelashes. :) From what I could tell, if you are someone who normally uses lashes and has experience this would be a great product. I did like the fact that the lashes looked natural!

Show Me The Money!

Today I wanted to share a little bit about what I do for a living. I actually have gotten a couple messages already asking me "What do I do to be able to stay home?".  Wellll, the answer is I work part-time as a Web Search Evaluator for Leapforce. When I first got sick with hyperemesis, and stepped down from my position at a Bank, I was searching super hard for something..legit. We all know that most online "job" opportunities are actually scams. Leapforce however, is a legitimate money-making opportunity. Like any legitimate online job, it does require time and effort. You are counted as an "Independent Contractor", so you do have to take your own taxes out of every check. I think that the pay you receive is extremely good. I know a lot of people who do this full-time, but personally, I would recommend this as the equivalent of a part-time job, or something to supplement income. Leapforce has a great support system of co-workers who are able to help you with any questions you may have, and the on the job training is absolutely amazing.

Leapforce is almost always accepting applications, so if you are interested here is my personal referral link :Leapforce Application


I think it is a huge blessing to be able to stay home with my soon-to-be-here son, and to be able to be a homemaker, while still helping my family out! :)

What I'm Reading This Month-January Edition!

So; as apart of my "renovation" process for 2014, I chose to bring mainly books that edify or teach me things to my reading list! Being the nerd I am, I have a pretty good start on what I want to read this month/year! It's hard to divide it up :)
Ashley over at Christian Wife Life is having a monthly link up with other bloggers as well as a pretty sweet giveaway, so follow this link: What I'm Reading Link Up and link your blog post (or comment on her post if you don't have a blog) and let everyone know what books are on your hit list!


First on my list:

I am a huge Karen Kingsbury fan, and I have never found a single book of hers that didn't leave me wanting another one. This book, I have been hearing lots about! Music + my favorite author = one excited me :)









2.

Obviously I have read this book before, but I wanted to re-read it as I am in a classics mood lately. Plus, it just seems like a "wintery" book.







3.

So I have been hearing a bunch about this book as well, and I saw it at my local thrift store, and decided to give it a shot. I have heard Francis Chan speak at the One Thing Conference 2013, via my lovely laptop, and loooveddd what he had to say. Another radical approach to the Word. Which I can always appreciate.







My reading list this month is a little short, because we are almost halfway through January already! Can you believe it? My favorite book from last month/year however was : Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I have never felt the presence of God like I did reading this book. This is the most amazing book on my shelf. Can't wait to see what you all choose for your January reading lists! :)

Dear Friday ♥

Dear Friday, You took long enough to get here! I am looking forward to what you have to offer today.

Dear SparkPeople's BabyFit; Is it too late to be jumping on the healthy bandwagon? I swear, I have a mostly good excuse..

Dear Morning Sickness, I thought I broke up with you somewhere in the second trimester..guess you can't get enough of me.

Dear Hubby, you have been sooo sweet to me this week. I can't wait till I get to cuddle with you and make you breakfast tomorrow :)

Dear Micaiah, you are such a little kicker this week. Seeing your precious little face this week via ultrasound was probably the most amazing experience of my life. I can already see so much of Daddy and I in you! You are nothing short of perfection.


Dear God, Thanks for all the amazing blessings <3