My Newest Obsession

Besides sleep, I have found a new obsession!  And, I'd have to say that lack of my first obsession is what lead me to my second obsession....CONCEALER!

I am 31 weeks pregnant this week and completely exhausted!  Everyone is currently battling a cold in our house and sleep has been extra-limited of late- and for some reason (pregnancy, probably) the sleep I am getting, just doesn't feel as restful as it once did.  Sad, but true.  I wake up and my eyes look like I've been staring into the sun for hours- red, and dry, and puffy.  Yuck!

So, a quick fix?  Concealer!  I know many women hate using it because it can look a little "pastey".  First of all, make sure the concealer you're using is only one shade lighter than your skin-tone.  Second, be sure to cleanse and moisturize properly.  My third tip, is purely my own- I dab the concealer on (using the wand-type of concealer) to the areas I need to "brighten" and allow it to warm on my skin for a few seconds before I try to blend it.  I find that this helps it blend more smoothly- thus avoiding the "pastey" look that can sometimes appear.  It makes such a big difference- really!

So much so, that using concealer has gone from a "special occasions only" part of my routine to a DAILY part of my routine.  Is it part of yours?

Time Management and Hair Management...yes, they go together!

I remember in high school, I was the girl who had to wash her hair every.single.day.  In the morning, not at night.  And I styled my long, straight hair, every day- usually with rollers.  All to put it up in a cute, swinging ponytail.  What?  Rollers to put it in a ponytail?  Crazy, the things we'll do with time and energy on our hands.  I so would not have spent that energy in such a wasteful manner had I known how little of it I would have at my disposal almost 15 years later!

So, as a mom, who rarely wakes up before my kids do, getting myself ready in the morning has become a challenge.  I find it hard to find the time to get in the shower, much less wash and dry and style (whew!) my hair!!!  But, I think I've finally figured some things out....not how to get my almost-4-year old to go to bed without a fight...no, no...that would be too difficult...but, I think I've nailed how to get a good head of hair for a few days.....And here's my process...

It starts with freshly washed hair on Monday morning.  I put a "movie" (a show) on for the kids, they watch it on my bed, and I do my hair.  I make sure every little piece is perfect!  I use some product (Royal Spa Awapuhi Mousse) to help give my ultra-fine hair some "grab" and I take the time to do it well.  This usually leads to a full face of makeup, too- so, if you catch me on a Monday, you got lucky...I actually don't look like a Zombie!

Tuesday....usually, my hair still looks good!  If I need to or want to, I may run a fat curling iron over the ends to get my slept-on-hair evened out again, but usually, I don't need to.  It's usually fuller, too, from sleeping on it.

Wednesday is a wash day, typically, but, not necessarily.  I have also gotten pretty hooked on using a dry shampoo to soak up extra oils and to add some *umph* to my roots.  I LOVE this product- smells AMAZING and works great!

Thursday is definitely a wash, dry, and style day and then the cycle repeats.  Not only do I get nice hair out of this, but, from washing it less often, it's healthier, too.  

Lastly, just like a nice polished, made-up face can pull together an entire look, doing your hair is the same.  I have been guilty for a long, long time, of just throwing my hair up in a messy pony tail just to get out of the house.  But, now that I have figured out this system (and my hair no longer goes in a pony tail), I am so much happier!  It's fun to style, it looks good, and, it doesn't really take much time.  Not nearly as much time as washing, drying, rolling, and putting in a ponytail did....I still can't believe that....Anyway, do you have any time-saving tips that help you get through the week looking great?  Please share with the rest of us! :)

Valentine's Day Giveaway!!!!

Alright ladies, I think it's time for some fun!!!! I am hosting a giveaway! I didn't do nearly as many of these in the past year as I'd planned (got a little distracted), but I hope to surprise some lucky followers with great beauty products on a more regular basis this year!

Up for grabs is:

New Beauty Magazine Winter/Spring 2012 Issue featuring the 100 Best Products of the Year

Motives Paint Pot Mineral Eye Shadow in Instyle

Motives Lip Shine in Sweet Spice

A $40+ product value with tons of invaluable info!  

How you get it:

1)  Like Custom Beauty Club on Facebook AND leave a note on the wall!

2)  Send me an email at nicjoniec@gmail.com with your email address and I'll sign you up to receive product emails (only 2-5 per year), no spam, promise!

3)  Completely optional, but, I'd love for you to follow me on Twitter, too, at CustomBeauty4U if you have a twitter account! But, that's just for fun! ;)

Everyone who completes those simple steps will be entered into the drawing for the prize- the winner will be selected completely randomly using Random.org.  The giveaway begins now and is closed to entrants at Midnight EST on February 8th!  So hurry!  Enter- and snag yourself some new loot just in time for a fancy night out on Valentine's Day!

Share with friends, and as always...Be WELL! :)

Feeling Slightly Human Again- What it takes:

As a mother to two young children (nearly 4 and 2) and expecting another little one in the coming months, there are many days that I don't make it out of my pajamas anymore. I'm exhausted! As comfy as PJs are, it doesn't make me feel too great knowing that my husband left me in the morning looking the same as when he came home...10+ hours later! (Now if that doesn't scream, "hey hot stuff!!!!" then I don't know what does!!! :) )

Over the past few months, I have definitely put myself on the back burner a bit. Let's face it, between house hunting with 2 toddlers every weekend, having a very rough 1st trimester, holidays, and moving on December 17th, there was so much on my plate that keeping up with any recommended beauty regimen was just not happening. That being said, I have polished myself back to a shiny new woman and this is what it took:

1) a very good exfoliation - face & body....very simple- I actually just used a soft washcloth one night to clean my face very gently. No scrubbing, just nice circular motions using a cream cleanser that is already designed to emulsify the skin. I used a fine pumice on my feet, knees, and elbows to smooth out rough patches of dry skin (after soaking to soften the skin first). Then,
2) religious daily moisturizing day & night- including my face and body. This weather reaks havoc on my skin. Anywhere undergarments rub instantly causes a dry patch that hurts and the eczema on my face gets worse. Even with proper hydration, my skin is just zapped. So, I've been using a dry skin moisturizer day and night all over my body and finally, am seeing improvement. I've been pretty dedicated to using my facial moisturizer too that has chamomile and lavender extract to help calm the eczema and provide soft, healthy skin.
3) eyebrow waxing - so, I seem to have misplaced my most-beloved tweezers in the moving process so, I was using a really sucky pair to try to keep up. Even with the 3-way mirrors (thanks to the old owners for that unfortunate view) in our bathroom, and ultra bright lighting, the eyebrows quickly got a little squirrelly...until this weekend....phew! What a great difference!
4) while totally not a necessity, a pedicure does wonders for my mind, mood, and feet and that was the final touch for me. It's a half an hour of not talking to a single soul (unless you want to)...everyone knows what they need to do so there's no need to think....just relax and enjoy and voila! Pretty toes!

While I could use a hair appointment still, in general, I feel so much better! Not one of those things took more than a half an hour but they have given me so much peace and hopefully...a renewed energy for changing out of my pajamas every morning...for me AND my hubby's sake! :)

Altered Beauty - then & now

I've recently become a HUGE fan of Pinterest!  If you don't have an account there yet, leave me a comment with your email address and I'll personally invite you!  It's a great place to, yes, waste time, but, ...  it's wasting... while enriching your life, if that makes sense.  ... And organizing your life.  So, anyway, send me your email address.  You'll be glad you did.  


So, on Pinterest, I have come across some really thought provoking quotes and images regarding body image and how our perceptions of these things have changed over time.  Take a look:

While I am not, and should not be, the judge of what is "hot" or not, it is very interesting to see the change.  


What do you think is ideal?  Or do you think it is different for everyone?  I've read so many comments on pictures such as the one above where people bash the "skinny" girls for being too skinny and "unhealthy".  Then I see quotes like this one, which I love:

Very interesting when you put it that way, huh?  What do you think?