Beauty is a Beast!

Disclaimer: By posting this entry I do not claim to be an expert in the art of make-up artistry and application. It's a fun an free look from my view as I venture into the world of fashion, style, and beauty as a newbie! This post is based on actual people and event names have be concealed to protect the privacy of those involved!

We have  heard all the famous quotes relating to inner and outer beauty like, beauty is in the eye of the beholder , and beauty is only skin deep , no amount of makeup can cover an ugly heart. But for a pre to early teen girl in middle school this means absolutely nothing! Everything is about which girl has the most visually appealing perfectly polished appearance and unfortunately that girl was not me by a long shot.

I find the book and movie series's and those similar to Diary of a Wimpy Kid to be quite an amusing and fitting adaptation of the tumultuous life of puberty manifested, and in some cases not so manifested in the lives of all of us all as middle school students. Constant scenarios both male and male reminiscent of the land of ants and giants forever at odds.

MEAN GIRLS , JOCKS, CHEERLEADERS, THE PRETTY PERFECTS, and BEST DRESSED VS. EVERYONE ELSE

With that being said to explain that I have never been "that chick" that had the best or wore the best. Never wore makeup until my adult life and never understood how to wear until now at almost thirty years old. But hey its never to late to learn or turn over a new leaf.

Usually when I bought makeup it was quick in a hurry and the cheapest I could find. When I would put it on it was also usually quick and in a hurry and the final outcome would look.... well .....cheap. But since I didn't wear it often I really didn't think much of it. More and more often with the boom of visual media like twitter and instagram I began to see more and more ladies both online, on television, and in person with flawless looking faces. This inspired me to step my make-up game
up and learn what I was doing wrong and how to do it right. This led me on a trip to my local ULTA cosmetic store which I have often passed. I never dared to enter much to intimidating for a makeup dummy like myself. But this day would be a day of brave new beginnings! So in I walked into the intensely well lit parlor of pretty and I did not look back ( you would've been so proud)! I am instantly surrounded by more makeup tubes, tins, bottles, kits, lids, than I have ever seen in one space. So of course I had no idea what was what, so I sought help from ULTA REP #1. ULTA REP #1 was both friendly, personable and patient with all my questions and never made me feel silly or uncomfortable. She proceeded to do a separate look on each side of my face ; one side with Benefit Cosmetics http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/ the other in IMAN http://www.imancosmetics.com/. I had worn IMAN in the past and was pleased with the look so I was excited to see the outcome after proper application. Needless to say, IMAN cosmetics boosted intense red undertones which in turn made me look orangy like an umpa lumpa. The Benefit side was much better but still not the look I had seen before and hoped to accomplish. ULTA REP #1 and I came up with a mix of the IMAN and Benefit products that should work together to achieve the look I desperately desired. Shortly before I checked out I met ULTA REP#2. "WOW!" Now her face showed that flaw less look that I had came to originally capture! Quickly I began to get her opinion on the products REP#1 had suggested and bombarded her with questions about her personal look.This is when she revealed her look is achieved by using M.A.C. makeup.http://www.maccosmetics.com/index.tmpl ULTA REP#2 mentioned she was a professional makeup artist; therefore, I was definitely swayed by her testimony. Nevertheless I purchased the products, but I was not totally sold. So, I made a mad dash to the MAC makeup counter also in the mall inside Dilliards department store. Needless to say after my consultation and application; my face now matched that of all the ones I had saw before. M.A.C. makeup is well worth the money and actually cheaper than what I purchased and returned to ULTA cosmetics. Thanks ULTA REP #2 lol!

Items Purchased @ MAC Cotunter :

 M.A.C Prep +Prime Skin  $29

Studio Fix Fluid NW44 $27

Pro Longwear Concealer $17

Items Returned to ULTA:

Don't remember that's how much i hated them!

My daughter showed me this on her xbox gallery the other day  thought it was very cool make-up gone techno!

The "GREAT WEIGHT DEBATE"

I've always wondered why its been so hard for me to lose weight .... like really whats the problem. In my mind I had managed to come up with many reasons why the cosmos were secretly plotting against me, AND my waistline! Can you say "conspiracy theory" ( raised eyebrow)? This of course led me straight down the rabbit hole into a mind numbing spiral of yo-yo diets, fat be-gone pills, extreme exercise routines, and even flat out starvation. Yet deeper still down the abyss I went into an emotional decay of low self esteem, moral  decay all the way down to depression and active thoughts of suicide. Imagine a simple enjoyable everyday task like shopping for a new shirt or pair of pants or the ever dreaded mirror glance before you hop in the shower becoming your utter most worst nightmare sending lighting bolts of shame and dispare straight  to your heart. These feelings then become the fuel that starts another weight loss journey sadly  destined for failure before it begins. WHY? Because more times than not there is more going on beside eating the wrong foods and eating too much of them. Likely the cause has some, if not all to do with some type of internal emotional disfunction manifesting itself outwardly through poor lifestyle and eating habits. (Ron Williams calls this soul wounds and addresses it in full in his book "FAITH and FAT LOSS" a must read! http://faithandfatloss.com/) Feelings, hurts, and pain from our past that we have tried to bury down deep in the hopes of maintaining a happy and productive life. BE CLEAR... even if you have managed to gain control of your thoughts and perceptions of these past events don't be fooled, their still there only now it is possible you have unknowingly developed certian coping mechanisms as it relates to food, diet, and exercise. The battle as always is not with the body OR THE BELLY! It's in our minds, tied in personal perception or how we see ourselves as it relates to those past hurts. It's all SELF ESTEEM and SELF AWARENESS. We are who we belive we are and more importantly who God created us to be. NOT WHAT OTHERS HAVE LIED AND SAID WE WERE AND MOST CERTAINLY NOT WHO THE DEVIL TRIES TO MAKE US THINK WE ARE, WHICH IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Not good enough to look your best and be your best and then inspire some one else to be there best. This is not an entry to tell you how to lose weight it is to tell you to get your mind right and then watch what happens! xoxoxo

SPICY. SEXY. SIZZLE.

Disclaimer: This post deals in the category of sex and relationships. This is a post geared toward  married couples only. I believe sex before marriage is a  moral and spiritual sin. Engaging in sexual acts without a commitment clouds personal judgement, can cause your partner to see you in  a negative light and can bring about unsuspecting consequences for you and the one you love.

Lots of couples struggle with things getting boring in the bedroom. Married couples especially that have a few years and a couple kids under their belt. Daily routines, weekly work rituals, and morning madness with the children are just a handful of scenarios that could account for a slow down in sexual activity with your spouse. Never fear this is completely normal. Sexual valleys and peaks occur for most people peaking teens and early twenties ( sampling every piece of candy you see) mellowing out early to mid-thirties ( career focus, marriage, kids) then peaking again in our forties.

THE PROBLEM
Lets face it its hard to maintain a healthy and fulfilling sex life when you're just plain dog tired (mentally and/or physically).

• As time goes on we spend less time focused on ourselves as individuals because we are giving our all to work and family.
• We lose touch with our spouses and haven't kept up with how their sexual wants, needs, and desires have changed over time.

• Sex becomes one more thing scheduled on the to do list instead of a spontaneous passionate rendezvous.

THE SOLUTION 

• Getting the proper rest, exercise, and diet are essential to a long healthy sex life. Certain foods and supplements have a direct effect and things like libido and stamina.

http://sexualwellness.org/diet.htm 
http://sexualwellness.org/diet2.htm

• Make sure you are making time for romance, this should be a priority! I'm not talking about that lame once a week date night either FOLKS. I'm talking about patterning your entire lifestyle to be open to new opportunities to enhance your love life.  

• Communication is key don't waste time doing or saying what you think your partner likes; ASK THEM! People change. Engaging in intimate conversation with your spouse is half the turn-on. They will feel loved and valued the that you took the time to listen. You just might learn something new about them sexually that will really get things hot in a hurry!

• Get out of doing things the "traditional way" BORING. One thing sex should not be is boring , planned, or predictable. Don't be afraid to incorporate new ideals in the game. Staying within the chosen comfort level is key. Clear communication of goals and expectations should be laid out in advance.

THE DOUBT DEMON!

Amazing how a five letter word can inflict such a gross amount of shaming emotions on us all at once. Although doubt is only one word the overwhelming power it has once unleashed gives it the might of many. Doubt defined deals with lack of confidence and distrust but it is more than evident that once this snowball gets to rolling massive amounts of mental and emotional damage is sure to follow. Living the Lady Mogul Lifestyle requires a constant reassurance of self. It is important everyday to take steps that will help to build up the floodgates of your psyche against massive spills of negative emotions much like that of  doubt. If there is anyone in life you should be able to trust its yourself and if that's not the case begin to work on this by making YOU a  priority through daily meditation and affirmation sessions. (Yes, that's right talk to yourself if no one else is doing it speak  into your life in a positive way yourself) Picture doubt as a Godzilla monster in your head dead set on the total annihilation of your city of hopes and dreams. The longer you allow doubt to be a factor in how you choose to process your thoughts will determine if your city flourishes with success or is crushed in the aftermath of doubts destruction.