Hold my hand

Lately things have been different. My husband is on a new schedule for work which doesn't allow us to see each other as much, my work schedule has been nothing short of unpredictable, and things have just felt off for me lately. Do you ever have those times? You know, when you just can't seem to grasp onto the routine you're so used to, the one you're so comfortable with. I'm not going to lie, it's been rough. My husband, bless his heart, has been sleeping less and doing everything in his power to give me as much of his time that he can. I'm a quality time girl y'all. I need it to feel loved. Isn't he sweet? Yes, I know he's a keeper.

I haven't been spending as much time with The Lord. I feel like there's no time! Sure we have our chats here and there during the day, but no special time like we used to. My schedule is off, it's irregular and sometimes I feel lucky when I'm just able to sleep like I used to. And I mean really, sleep is a pretty silly excuse when you're talking about hanging out with The Lord of all creation.

So things have been off, like I said. And I've been searching for a routine. Searching for some sort of regularity that I can get comfortable with but it hasn't come. On top of all the work schedules, I've got quite a few other things going on that I'm just not sure how to juggle. So time has just been slipping by lately. Sometimes I realize I'm cooking dinner or getting ready for bed and I have no idea where the day went because I haven't really gotten anything done that I wanted to.

I have this devotional I usually read in the morning called "Jesus Calling." I didn't get to it this morning so I planned on giving it a quick glance over before bed. I did and I actually had to read today's entry 3 times and stop for a second after reading it because it spoke so perfectly to what I've been struggling with and it was like a lightbulb finally came on for me.

The Lord wants to hold our hands. He wants us to look to Him. Not just in times when things are going great, or when they're really bad, but every single day. More importantly though, when our routines feel off and we feel like things just aren't working right, he wants us to look to Him. He wants to hold our hand. Because the times where we are uncomfortable and the times we feel off are often the times He is looking for growth from us. These are the times that The Lord is looking for more trust. Trust that we acknowledge that THIS day is the one He has made, trust that through all the chaos, and through all the uncertainty, He is there.

Psalm 91 is one of my favorite passages of scripture. It talks about the fact that The Lord is our refuge and protection even when things all around us look grim and are filled with uncertainty. Verse 4 says "He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge." I think it's beautiful to imagine The Lord sweeping us under His wings when we need it.

The best thing, and the thing I honestly think I didn't realize until now is that even when I'm feeling lost and out of sorts, His love remains. Even when it's 9pm and I'm just throwing a pizza in the oven because the day was crazy and I don't have time for anything else, His love remains. And even if that new job of yours is exhausting you, or you've got no idea how you'll make it through the week, His love remains.

So if you're going through a rough patch, and dealing with some uncertainty, I would encourage you to take heart because The Lord doesn't change. And even when things feel off, and nothing is normal, He's there. Take comfort in the constant, unchanging power of His love for you. Because sometimes, it's the only thing that's constant.

xo

Victoria

Bronzers 101

I'm a beauty junkie. Really, I am. Sometimes I think to myself that I need a vanity just for my makeup and hair products. Because the vanity I have is currently home to my overabundance of jewelry. Oh that's really bad. Did I mention I hoard accessories? And by jewelry I don't mean legit diamonds and gold, although there is some of that going on, I mean inappropriate amounts of costume jewelry...I digress, the point is I have lots and lots of hair and beauty products. And ever since I started working at a makeup counter, things have reached a whole new level. sorry husband. But seriously who doesn't love a brand new mascara, or an exciting eye shadow?! I mean makeup can be so fun to change based on your mood! Smoky eyes one day, subtle the next, and then bam! a red lip! 

One of my favorite products, and probably one of the ones I'm most picky about is my bronzer. It's one of the basics and definitely part of what I wear every day.  Let me preface this post by saying that I do not believe in cheap bronzers. I've had wayyyy too many cheap ones that clog my pores and just don't do it for me. So although some of these bronzers to follow aren't cheap, they are good. And they will not make you break out. Also, none of these companies are paying me to recommend these to you. Although I wish they would! ;) Let's talk about a couple of my favorites and then let's talk application! 

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1. Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess ($29)- This is the bronzer that is currently in my makeup bag. It's available at either Sephora or Ulta. So what I love about this bronzer is that first of all, the color is perfect for my skin tone. It's warm without making my skin look dirty. It's available in a few shades so lighter girls, you may want to go one shade lighter. This bronzer also has a luminous finish, which means that it has a bit of iridescence to it. Most of the time, when you say luminous, women get scared for some reason, I guess it's probably a fear of having a glitter face. This definitely isn't that. It has a nice golden pearl like finish to it, which makes your skin nice and glowy! Definitely one of the best bronzers I've tried. 

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2. NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna ($36)- So this one is a bit more on the pricey side but NARS is a great brand y'all. Francois Nars is a really well respected makeup artist in the fashion industry and his entire line of cosmetics is really nice. The pigments are really strong so the colors all can be pretty intense. But he developed a line from a place of understanding what looks good on women and I think it really shows. This bronzer is a favorite of lots of beauty magazines and well respected makeup artists. It also has a luminous finish. The color is intense, like I said, so it's perfect for the times of year when your skin is a bit more tanned. NARS cosmetics are available at Sephora, Lord and Taylor, Nordstrom, Saks, and I think Neiman Marcus.

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3. Bobbi Brown bronzing powder in medium ($38)- So Bobbi Brown is actually a pretty well respected makeup artist that also started her own cosmetics line. She is known for creating really beautiful "natural" makeup looks where the models look like they aren't wearing anything at all. So because of this, her powders are pressed really tightly so when you apply, you get a minimal amount of makeup. This allows you to get nice build-able coverage as well as keep things natural looking. Does that make sense? This particular bronzer isn't luminous (it has more of a matte finish) and doesn't go on heavy so it's great if you're into more of the natural look. I've used this one before and loved it. Bobbi Brown isn't sold in my area though, so I've had to switch. It also comes in a good range of colors so there's one for everyone! Bobbi Brown cosmetics are a little harder to find but I have found them at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Lord and Taylor. 

Now lets talk application. I feel like a lot of women I meet (especially at the counter) are super intimidated by bronzers. And I think it's because they don't know how to apply them. To start things off, let's be clear: Bronzers are not blush and bronzers are not the same as loose/ pressed powder. This means that they aren't meant to be applied the same way either of these two products are. Think of a bronzer as a date with the sun! Bronzers add great color to your face in just the places the sun would kiss you see I told you it's like a date!, such as your forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin. The best way to remember application is to think of applying them in sort of a number 3 figure on each side of your face starting above your eyebrows, going to your cheeks, and finally your chin. You also may want to dust your nose a bit. The key here is to not just use the product like blush, to avoid looking dirty, and also to make sure you don't use it all over your face, like a pressed powder. Bronzers are great for adding a warm wash of color, without being as obvious as say, a blush. Another key to applying bronzer is making sure you use a good brush. Big and fluffy ones work best! Above everything else, keep in mind that makeup application should be fun! There aren't any strict rules so figure out what works best for you. And go try a bronzer if you don't use one already! You might be surprised how much you like it! 

Do you have a favorite bronzer? I'd love to hear all about it! 

xo

Victoria

Five things on a Friday

So pretty much every Friday I have this nerdy Friday song that I sing (don't worry, I don't actually sing a real music note) and a corresponding dance I do (oh you're right, it's not cute at all) because let's be honest, Fridays are the BEST y'all! Aside from the fact that they are the start of the weekend, I feel like the human population as a whole is in a better mood, which makes life fun. Also, you girls probably count down the minutes till you get (hopefully!) a post from me about some of my favorite things for the week! Let's jump right in! 

1. Simply Smooth Hair Treatment- A friend of mine gave me this after she purchased it at a salon and noticed that one of the main ingredients was wheat protein. She has a severe gluten allergy that's nothin to mess with. I totally would have paid her for it, but she wouldn't let me. So aside from the fact that this stuff was free, I'm totally loving it!! You just spritz it on after you wash your hair, and it helps detangle, smooth, and I think it just adds some great overall shine! I love it. And I'm always tryin a new hair product so it's usually pretty hard to convince me! 

2. Henri Bendel bracelet- Ok so this is something very near and dear to my heart. I don't really do souvenirs so on our trip to NYC last year, I picked up this bracelet as my own sort of memento of the trip. It's from Henri Bendel on 5th Avenue, which is a fabulous store and if you haven't heard of it, check out the website. It was definitely more than I would usually spend on something like this, but hey it was NYC and the husband approved! I absolutely adore it and wear it with practically everything. It's the perfect bit of over the top sparkle that I think basically every outfit needs. More is more girls!

3. Chip Skip by OPI- As you all know, I'm obsessed with a fan of doing my nails. The only thing I hate though, is nails that chip after like a day or two! It's the worst! All that hard work and sitting around waiting for them to dry just goes down the tubes! Anyways, this stuff by OPI has totally been a lifesaver! Its basically a base coat before your base coat. And it dries out your nail bed from any excess oil or moisture. This helps the nail polish to adhere better to your nail. It's pretty stinky but I swear it works. This, along with my beloved base coat and a few other tricks I've learned (don't worry, I'll share those later!) has been getting me an average of 6-7 days per polish! It's great! 

4. Chance Eau Frache by Chanel- Chanel makes the best perfume. I know smell is super personal and really varies from person to person so if you go to the mall and smell this one this weekend and hate it, it won't hurt my feelings. But also, please don't tell me because this is my very favorite perfume and it's the one I wore when I met and married (2 of the best days ever!) the man of my dreams. So besides the sentimental value this perfume has to me, I just adore it because I think it smells amazing! It's pricey so I only save it for special occasions but it's the best y'all and I just couldn't get through another 5 things post and not make mention of it. side note: yes, my bottle is almost empty so if you so happen to know my husband, please tell him I'd like some more for my birthday in August! 

5. Denim vest by xhiliration- Yes I did it. I went and bought something so 90s it's fabulous. Guess where I got it?! Target! I know, my shopping there really is becoming a problem. Anyways, I totally love this vest y'all! It's so 90s and bohemian and maybe even a bit edgy all at the same time. I fully plan on living in it all summer and throwing it over any old dress I can! I'm thinking it will be a nice update to that denim shirt I've been wearing the heck out of all season! I know some of you may be skeptical and maybe even a little traumatized by the ones from the 90s that everyone wore with those awful sunflower dresses and hats, but trust me y'all, this vest is so not that! And just to prove it to you, I'll leave you with a picture of me wearing it and two of my dearest friends who are some of my favorite people in the world! 

Have a fabulous weekend y'all! 

xo

Victoria