LA Girl: First Impressions

I have never used anything from LA Girl, even though I know it's quite a popular brand because it's super affordable. In my area it's quite hard to find and we only just got a CVS that stocks it, so now that it's more readily available I may be trying quite a lot from it if I actually like it! This is a total first impressions, meaning I just opened the package and swatched the products. I still have yet to use them on and see how they wear. I only purchased two products for the time being to see what I thought.

The first product I picked up was the Matte flat finish pigment gloss in the color Fleur. I was so interested in this particular color because I actually have nothing like it. It's a mix between a nude and a coral and it's super pretty. It's quite thick and it'll be interesting to see how it wears. I've never heard of a matte gloss so I'm hoping it will be comfortable to wear. I'll keep you updated on whether or not this worked for me but I do have high hopes and I'm super excited about this.

I also picked up the LA Girl Nudes palette. The packaging is thick cardboard, which seems like it will hold up well. There is a mirror which makes the lid quite heavy so it doesn't stay up on its own, which is kind of annoying. The swatches are not the most pigmented and I was slightly disappointed by this palette, but I haven't used it on my eyelids so I hope it translates differently. The color range is beautiful with the dark end being purples, which I really love.

The palette and matte lip were each $7.99 so super affordable. I'm hoping that the wear on these is really good because I love a great affordable brand!

Have you guys ever tried anything from LA Girl? If so, what's your favorite product? I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! XO

Skincare Routine

My skincare routine has changed so much over the past couple of years. Not only is it more specific (i.e. anti-aging care and oil control), but I've really narrowed down the products I use instead of changing products all the time. I've finally found products that work for me and a routine that I actually enjoy doing. For so long I was trying the newest and latest and using products I didn't particularly love because I had them and wanted to use them up before buying something new. These days, I know what I like and that's what I buy and use, making it much easier for me to actually have a routine and stick to it.

Just a little info about my particular skin: I'm super oily. I don't just mean t-zone, I mean everywhere. No amount of primer has ever been able to make my makeup last all day, but I've found that with my skincare regime, I've been able to control it a lot more. I also have very large pores so a lot of my skincare routine is about cleansing and keeping my oils under control.

This Biore charcoal cleanser is my absolute favorite. I've used charcoal cleansers for the past few years as they really help control my oil and cleanse my skin, but this is by far my favorite one and since it's from the drugstore it's super affordable. I use it morning and evening. I use the St. Ives fresh skin apricot scrub a couple times a week to keep blackheads at bay and I really like it. It's also super cheap and you can get it at any drugstore.

I've used tons of toners over the years and while they all work pretty much the same, I really love this one from Burt's Bees. It has a nice fresh scent to it that makes it really nice to use. It's also quite cooling so I love it. I use it both morning and evening.

This Lancome advanced genifique concentrate is quite pricey, but I love the results. I use it after cleansing and toning and it helps even out my skin tone. I've definitely noticed it's helped my fine lines. I buy so much from Lancome that I have about a million samples of this, but it's definitely worth the money, in my opinion. I use it in the evening.

This instanatural age-defying eye cream is my favorite eye cream that I've ever used. First of all, it's huge as far as eye creams go so this will last me forever. Second, the ingredients are all natural and clean so I know exactly what I'm putting on my skin. It's super thick and creamy and I love how hydrating it makes my under eye area - it's definitely helped my dark circles. I use this in the evening only.

I use the Julep boost your radiance rosehip facial oil in the mornings and it's one of my favorites. It brightens my skin and makes makeup application so smooth. I was using another oil simply because I wanted to use it up and I hated it so I never looked forward to my morning routine. I finally decided that was ridiculous, so I tossed that oil and started using this one because I love the fresh scent and how bright it makes my skin. I use the Avalon Organics vitamin C oil on my face at night. I don't know if it's true, but I read that it's best to use vitamin C oil on the skin at night so your skin can get the most benefit. All I know is this makes my skin look super refreshed in the mornings. It's pricier, but still from the drugstore so it's easy to find.

I use the Olay complete face lotion with SPF 15 every morning and I have done for years. It's nice, it's light, it has SPF, and it's been my trusted day lotion for a very long time. I switch between the St. Ives Timeless skin lotion and the instanatural retinol moisturizer at night. I love the St. Ives one because it's so affordable and it's also super rich and nourishing. The instanatural retinol moisturizer really helps restore my skin's elasticity and is also really hydrating.

I use a clay face mask 3 times a week and when I don't use the mask I use my instanatural facial peel 3 nights a week. This seems like a lot, but as I said, I have super oily skin so this really works for me. Since I've done this routine and stuck to it, my skin has looked so much nicer and my oil really is under better control. 

In total, my morning skincare routine takes about 15 minutes and my evening skincare routine takes about 30 minutes. I actually enjoy doing them both and really look forward to my skincare ritual, especially because I love the products I'm using. 

Tell me, what do you guys use and do you have a routine you stick to? I hope you all have a great week ahead! XO

Get to Know Me Tag (2018 Edition)

It's been a long time since I've done a tag and since I do love a good tag I thought I'd do an updated one. As always - If you do this tag leave me your link in the comments below (I'm nosy so I love to see what people answer to these questions!)

1. Are you named after anyone? My name is a family name from my mother's side. My middle name was my paternal grandmother's middle name but I changed it to my maiden name when I got married.

2. When was the last time you cried? If you read my post here, you'll know all of last year was a cry fest for me haha!

3. Do you have kids? No I do not.

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself? I think I would - Most of the time I am positive, I'm pretty fun to be around, and I am fiercely loyal.

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? It's like a second language for me.

6. What's the first thing you notice about people? Their eyes and really nothing else. My friend was joking with me the other day because she had something stuck in her teeth and I didn't tell her because I didn't notice. I tend to look into people's eyes when they talk and don't notice much else.

7. What is your eye color? Brown.

8. Scary movie or happy endings? Both but if I have to choose scary movie all the way!

9. Favorite smells? Vanilla and coconut.

10. What's the furthest you've ever been from home? Mexico and I'm dying to go back!

11. Do you have any special talents? I guess you could say writing? Other than that I'm pretty basic haha!

12. Where were you born? Austin, Texas.

13. What are your hobbies? I love to read, travel, spend time with my family and *fingers crossed* hopefully I can say sewing after this year. I'm really trying to learn how to sew!

14. Do you have any pets? I grew up with dogs all my life but currently no pets. *Dog hungry!*

15. Do you have any siblings? I have an older brother and an older half brother.

16. What do you want to be when you grow up? I'm still figuring that one out - ultimately I just want to help people. That's my jam!

17. Who was your first best friend? A girl named Zooey in kindergarten.

18. How tall are you? 5'2 1/2"

19. Funniest moment throughout school? School was so long ago for me you guys ... I'm sure what I thought was horrifying then is actually funny now but I can't pinpoint a moment!

20. How many countries have you visited? Only 2, planning to change that!

21. What was your favorite/worst subject in high school? I always loved English and Art and was always terrible at Science. I really could never wrap my head around the concepts.

22. What is your favorite drink? Coffee. If I could just have a drip line of coffee straight to my veins my life would be complete.

23. What is your favorite perfume? It's so hard for me to pick a favorite anything but if I had to choose I'd say Lancome's La Vie Est Belle.

24. What sports do you play? I bike, if that's considered a sport ... Otherwise I've never been sporty.

25. Tell us one of your bad habits. I procrastinate. I've fully accepted that I just work better this way at this point, but no matter how much time I have to get something done, I never can do it until the last minute. It's like my brain won't function unless I only have an hour to do something. It's ridiculous.

Hopefully you guys found this fun to read, as I've always loved to learn more about the bloggers behind the blog! Remember to let me know if you do it so I can check it out!

Hope you guys have a wonderful week! We're leaving for California on Thursday so I'm definitely going to have a fun one! XO

January (2018) Favorites

Hey guys! If you follow me on Instagram you'll have seen my post about getting over the flu last week - I don't know about you guys, but I've met my quota of being sick for the year haha. If only that was how it works. Needless to say, I am feeling loads better, or at least enough to do this post on what I was loving in January.

I love this Shea lip butter from The Body Shop. I actually purchased the advent calendar half off during black Friday, so I got a ton of favorites from the brand, but this one was definitely at the top of that list. I don't think there is anything that works better for dry lips than these lip butters!

I have always loved the Vera Wang Princess scents - Rock Princess is one of the best night scents EVER - but I'm really loving this original roller ball one that's so easy to just stick in my purse for touch ups when I'm on the go. It's vanilla but not too sweet, which makes it a very "grown up" scent and one of my favorites!

Before my friend gave me this bellapierre cosmetics lipstick this brand wasn't even on my radar, but they totally should have been! This is the shade Antique Pink, and besides being so pretty, this lipstick really is kiss proof. I'm pretty impressed with the formula and the fact that it really never ever comes off. They're not the cheapest of lipsticks at $20 a pop, but man oh man, this one is worth every penny!

You guys know my love of everything e.l.f. and despite owning pretty much everything they've ever made, I'd never tried this particular primer before now - and I really have no idea why. The Poreless Face primer is right up my alley. Since it contains tea tree oil it does wonders to control my oily skin and it really does shrink my pores. And since it's e.l.f. it's also super affordable.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this ring before because for the longest time after I purchased it, I never really wore it. At the start of the month I dug it out of the back of my jewelry drawer and since then I've been wearing it nearly everyday. It's House of Harlow and the pretty green makes this the perfect statement piece for any outfit. When I want an extra punch I just slip this on and I'm good to go.

That does it for what I've been loving this last month. What about you guys, what have you been loving in January?

I hope you guys all have a lovely week ahead as we start this new month! XO

Pixi H2O Skin Tint

I'm the type of person who doesn't love heavy makeup. I mean I wear a lot of makeup, and I LOVE makeup, but if my skin is looking great, I don't want a full coverage foundation. When I was looking for a lighter option to simply even out my skin tone, I came across this Pixi H2O skin tint. I had never heard of a tinted face gel before and it sounded interesting, so I picked it up and ended up loving it!

First of all, the packaging is beautiful, as all Pixi packaging is. I loved the pump, it's one of my favorite features of this product, and I also love how much you get. And since this is a gel formula, a little product goes a very very long way.

It's boasted as a cooling and hydrating sheer tinted water-based gel. Apply as you would a moisturizer and pat into skin. And you really have to do that. It's so thin that any brush or sponge absorbs the product, so you do have to use your fingers. I don't mind, as the gel is the first thing I put on after moisturizer so my hands are clean, but if that bothers you, you might want to skip this. It is very light and cooling, this will definitely be my go-to skin tint on hot summer days. It offers just enough coverage to take out the redness from my skin and brighten my dull under eye area, but it is still light and lets your skin breathe.

The biggest downside to this is it only comes in like 3 colors. I chose the lightest color, 01, but I'm not the palest of people, if that gives you any idea of color range. I think you could use this if you were Ivory to Medium, but any lighter wouldn't work for you. It doesn't offer much darker either, so I could easily pick up the 02 when I'm tan, but that doesn't give much color range to the product. What's up with that Pixi? So while this does work for me, definitely test in store if you are worried it might not match!

Overall this is a great product for days you want your natural skin on display and is a great option for light coverage in the warm months.

Have you guys ever used a gel face tint before? If so, which one and did you like it?

Hope you all have a wonderful week ahead! XO

Instanatural Glycolic Peel

I've definitely tried to be more conscious about the products I'm using this last year, especially skincare. I've used the instanatural brand for quite some time and have tried a lot of different products and this one is definitely one of my favorites.

To be honest, I was quite afraid to try peels until recently. They always sounded scary, even though essentially they're just an exfoliant. When I saw this one from instanatural with ingredients I actually understood, I took the plunge and I have to say I love it.

Although you can do the peel up to three times a week I've started with just once a week. I've tried it three times and I have to say my skin looks fantastic. I do it on Sunday and my skin feels super refreshed for the week and my skin literally glows until my next application.

I love that it comes with a pump for easy application. It also comes with very specific and easy to understand instructions so even if you are a newbie and scared of peels like I was, it's super simple to follow and use (believe me, I would not try something overly complicated!)

If you are new to the land of peels and love natural ingredients, I'd say give this a try. Another plus is that it is super affordable - something I've always loved about this brand. Oftentimes the brand does a buy one get one half off or free, and that's when I stock up on their products. I'll leave the link below if you want to give it a go.

Let me know what other peels are good to try or if you've ever used a peel in your skincare routine!

Have a happy week ahead! XO -Kim

www.instanatural.com

Goodbye and Good Riddance 2017

*Warning: this post will be wordy, lengthy, and personal. If that's not your thing, feel free to leave now! You've been warned.

You guys know that I have always been very personal and real on my blog. There's no point in me having a blog if I can't look back and see the things I was really thinking and feeling. Therefore, it is my stance that I will always remember 2017 as the year I fell into a dark, deep pit and managed to claw my way back up, albeit very slowly and not without a lot of struggle.

As many of you know, I started a new career this year in real estate. I've never been one to shy away from change. I've always enjoyed experiencing new things and it's never bothered me that things change. That's life. I have to admit though, I struggled with my career change. After having worked in the same job with the same people for 10 years, I suddenly found myself in the position of not knowing my job. Being the low man on the totem pole. Having to learn everything from scratch. That in itself was a struggle. Add onto that the fact that my husband and I had never worked in a capacity where we were responsible for, or had to answer to each other. Sure, we'd met at work and essentially worked together our entire careers, but never for each other. There was a lot of fighting, a lot of crying (mostly on my part) and a lot of figuring out our new roles. I am very lucky to say that I have a great husband who was always willing to communicate, to compromise, and to just let me be an emotional wreck, which I was fairly often this year.

Add to the change the fact that I had lost a lot of the people that normally helped me through tough situations and it was the beginning of the spiral for me. It's no one's fault. People move on. People change. Our lives go on different paths and eventually I felt like my life was so separate from theirs that I didn't even know how to start that conversation. Around this time I was around a lot of negative people and I really felt like for the first time in a long time that I had lost myself. I didn't know what part I was playing in my career, in my friendships, or just life in general. I started feeling sad, worthless, and constantly exhausted for no particular reason.

Around this time I also started gaining weight. I was the heaviest I'd ever been in my life and that made me feel even worse. I didn't want to get out of bed and get dressed because I really didn't feel good about myself. I didn't feel like I was accomplishing anything or contributing anything at my job and I just felt all around not good. I was being negative all the time, which is not in my personality at all, but I couldn't figure out how to pull myself out. I could feel myself being an annoyance, a burden, and a pain to be around, but I really didn't know how to not be those things.

Another big change was that we sold our coffee shops. Now this was a long time coming as we had been trying to sell them for over a year, and it was something that really needed to happen. It was consuming way more of my time then I ever intended it to and it was making it difficult for me to really get into any sort of routine or schedule, or give 100% to my new career. Even though it was a good thing, it was still so bittersweet to me. I tried really hard to make sure we sold it to someone that would keep the same integrity and the same passion that we had. Sadly, that did not happen and within a few weeks I watched all the love and hard work I put into it go down the drain. I hope that the new owners will find their way and be successful, but it was really heartbreaking to watch my dream die.

This all sounds so melodramatic as I'm writing it, but at the time it's really how I felt. I knew rationally that I was being a little crazy, that I just needed to buck up and move forward, but depression is a funny thing. You know that nothing really life shattering is happening, but you feel like everything is falling apart. All the changes that happened was for the good, but I still couldn't feel happy about any of it.

All I can say is this: it does get better. I acknowledged that I was depressed, that no matter how silly it might seem to others, I had a right to feel the way that I did. And I stopped wallowing. I found that if I laid in bed and felt sorry for myself, it got so much worse. One day turned into two, turned into a week. Instead, I got myself up, got myself to work, and did the things I needed to do. I also started surrounding myself with positive people, who cared about me, let me talk, and were just there. We changed companies, which was very difficult but also really helped put me in a place that I needed to be. I talked, I cried, I allowed myself to feel what I felt, and now I'm starting over again. Reach out, get help, do what is best for you, but keep moving forward!

Thank you to all of you who reached out, who checked up on me, and who allowed me this time off. I love you, I'm here for you, and I am happy to be back! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and here's to making 2018 our best year yet!