Putting my face on

I've been wearing make-up regularly since middle school. And, if we're being honest, I've been exposed to it longer than that, because I wore it for dance recitals and gymnastics meets when I was littler. So I'm going on at least 20 years of make-up wearing, which means I've certainly done a lot of things that are wrong for me. I definitely wore blue eyeshadow in the 90s thinking that it would enhance my blue eyes (wrong, so wrong), and I've certainly used too much bronzer (accept the pale-ness!) and all the wrong colors of blush. Some of the pictures of me from the "good ol' days" are completely cringe-worthy, thanks to the make-up that I must have thought looked good. (Bless my mama for letting me do me, but... sheesh. I'd have been embarrassed to be seen with myself! Ha)

Luckily, over the last few years, I've finally settled into some products that are just the right ones for myself. I've slowly but surely cleared out my makeup bag, getting rid of 97 random colors of eyeshadow and 14 different mascaras and a blush for every day of the week. I have whittled my routine down to five items that run the gamut of needs and get the job done for me every day. Additionally, they simplify my life and help me so that I can get my make-up done from start to finish in the morning in under 10 minutes. I figured that if these are the things that work for me, maybe they will work for someone else - so I'm sharing them with you today! Keep in mind, for every day, casual make-up for work or whatever, I usually go for a minimal look, with gentle enhancements without looking overdone. For special occasions, I add a few more products - but this is what I go with Monday - Friday! Take a look.

[all images sourced from links below]

1. Garnier BB Cream // BB creams are all the rage (or were? I don't know anymore) and I'll admit that I don't usually jump on bandwagons quite so hard - but BB cream solved a problem I'd been having for a long time. I have some redness to my face and a few places where my skin is uneven, and for year I'd been applying liquid foundation to try to solve that problem. Newsflash: it never really worked. BB cream was like a gift sent from the gods - I tried the Garnier version first and never went back. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

2. Revlon PhotoReady Pressed Powder // after the BB cream, I apply a light dusting of this powder to my whole face. I've tried about a jillion pressed powders over the years, and have been using this one for the last 18 months or so. It covers nicely without caking, and the shade actually matches my skin really well.

3. Lancome Blush Subtil // this is a makeup splurge, sort of. As far as blush goes, this is not cheap, but it is highly pigmented and lasts FOREVER. I asked a consultant at the Lancome counter to find me a color for everyday wear, and this is what we settled on. Again, I've never looked back. It is well worth the money (and time to get a recommendation from a professional), because I can't tell you how much money I've thrown away over the years on blushes that just don't provide good color or are generally crappy.

4. Naked Palette // do I really even need to say anything about this? If you don't own a Naked Palette, do yourself a favor and buy one today. You will not regret it. It hurt me to throw down the money for this the first time I bought one, but it is now the only eyeshadow I use. Also highly-pigmented, it, too, lasts FOREVER (I'm talking like a year with just one palette - and I use it daily). The colors all compliment one another, and I can mix up any assortment of things and it generally looks good. I use the black shade in this as eyeliner with a separate brush, so it's a 2-in-1 for me in the mornings.

5. CoverGirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara // I discovered the LashBlast Fusion on my wedding day when one of my bridesmaids handed it to me for a touch-up (I know, never share eye make-up, blah blah) and have literally never used anything since. It is hands-down my favorite mascara. Granted, I have pretty good eyelashes naturally, so I don't need a huge enhancement the way some people prefer, but this mascara provides a nice coat that makes my lashes look longer and fuller without clumping. Also, it's cheap. Don't hate it at all.

If you're looking for a tried-and-true product, one of these might work for you! I am all for efficiency in the morning (every extra minute in bed counts) and I know that I can go from looking like a hot mess to polished in just a few minutes. Who doesn't need that?!

Note: there are no affiliate links or any other crap in this post; these are all just the products that I use and love. Promise!

So tell me...

• What's the #1 product in your makeup arsenal?
• Do you believe in make-up splurges or savings? I'm a mix, obviously, of drugstore and higher-end products.
• What is one thing making you happy today?

If it's on, I'm watching

When it comes to guilty pleasures, one of mine is old episodes of my most beloved TV shows. I feel like there are hardly any shows anymore that truly last - every time I find a new show that I like, apparently no one else does, because they cancel it on me! (RIP The Finder and Alcatraz - gone but not forgotten.) That said, there are several shows that I can watch over and over, and can turn on mid-episode and never miss a beat (easy when they are on my screen eighteen times a week). Below are some of my all-time favorites!

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Bones

I started watching Bones when it first aired, and it is still one of my favorite shows. I love the characters, and I love the plot lines. It's a bit far-fetched at times, sure, but I feel like they've done a decent job maintaining the story and building the characters, even though the show has been on for.ev.er. Not every show lasts this long!

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Big Bang Theory

As of this moment, there are 83 episodes of BBT on my DVR. I've seen everyone of 'em, and it doesn't bother me a bit. C & I love this show, and my parents love it, too! I've never seen my dad laugh so hard as he does during some of the episodes of this show. This is one of my go-tos when I have a few minutes of downtime and want to give my brain a break. 20 minutes of BBT does the trick!

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CSI

AKA one of the greatest shows, ever! I do love a good crime scene investigation, and the dramatics in this show just make it so. great. There is a special place in my heart for CSI: Miami and the opening scene where Horatio Cane puts on his sunglasses... you all know what I'm talking about. 

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The original CSI is my favorite, but I like NY and Miami just as well, and will happily turn them on when I see a repeat episode. C & I have been known to have CSI marathons of back-to-back-to-back episodes. Just can't get enough!

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House

I was never a huge House fan on my own; I watched it here and there when it first aired, and enjoyed it, but I never truly got into the show until I met C. C, however, is somewhat of a House fanatic, and knows most of the episodes inside out and backward. We spent a summer together in college watching multiple seasons back-to-back, and ever since then, I've loved it. Each episode is all-encompassing with a single story, and it's so fun to see the wacky medical things that occur. I'm sad that it's over, but C & I both felt like it was time for that story to come to an end. The old episodes are still great to watch!

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Food Network 

I realize this isn't a show, but it definitely goes on this list - I am a Food Network addict. I used to watch hours of it in college, and the old-school FN shows are some of my faves. I love the original chefs: Giada, Rachael Ray, Ina Garten, Bobby Flay, Tyler Florence.... some of the older shows still playing during the day, and I love having them on during the days I work from home. If there is nothing on TV, I can almost always count on FN to not let me down. Some people watch HGTV, or TLC - I always, always watch Food Network. I love my cooking shows!!

So tell me...

• What's your guilty pleasure when it comes to TV?
• What show has been cancelled or ended that you miss watching?
• What's your favorite channel / network when nothing else is on?

This winter, I'm fighting back

Every winter, without fail, it's like all the moisture in my body suddenly evacuates. My skin is dry, my hair is dry, my throat is parched... every drop of water is gone! This winter, I've been trying my best to fight back. It's hard for me to find products that moisturize without feeling greasy or wet, and I have sensitive skin and thin hair, so I need products that won't worsen the issues, but will provide some relief. I've rounded up a few of my favorites, and maybe you will see something here that will help you battle winter dryness!

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask // I've been using this mask for several years now, and it's one of the only things I've found that doesn't make my hair greasy and weighed down, and actually does add moisture. I use it once a week or so - schmear it on, leave for a few minutes, comb through, and rinse. And it smells nice, too!

Aveeno Skin Relief Overnight Cream // This lotion is intensely thick and rich. It smells kind of oatmeal-y, but it doesn't bother me. I'm not sure what it is about using it overnight that helps, but I put it on right before I go to bed and the moisture usually holds through the next day

Aveeno Skin Relief Shower & Bath Oil // I just found this product this year, and I love it so far. You use it at the very end of your shower, and it locks in the moisture. It's only of the only things I've found that helps me not feel like my skin is on fire the minute I step out of the shower. Plus, it hasn't left my shower super greasy and slippery, the way other similar products have in the past.

Eos Vanilla Bliss Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream // This is another product I just found this year, and I'm really happy with it. Usually, when I use shaving cream to shave, even if it's a "deep moisture" or "dry skin" version, I can practically feel it drying my skin as I go. Not with this! It's more like a lotion than a shaving cream, and it actually moisturizes while you shave. I'm not sure I agree with the "24 hour" claim on the bottle, but as long as I use this and lotion afterwards, my legs feel alright.

Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly // Perhaps the least glamorous product on the list, petroleum jelly is what I use when nothing else is working. It is rather greasy, so I try to use it before bed or when I don't have to go anywhere for a bit. However, it's one of the only things that helps when my hands get cracked and dry, and it works wonders for knees and elbows, too. Better than any hand cream I've tried, and cheaper, too!

What products do you use to survive the winter? Any secret weapons? The worse my skin gets, the more I consider migrating somewhere warm this time of year!

The little things - Friday happies!

This has been such a weird week. With the holiday on Monday and going back to "regular" work on Thursday, all my routines are totally wonky. Needless to say, I can't believe it's already Friday! Time flies...

Let's get straight to the point. This round of Five for Friday is stuff I'm currently loving... easy enough!

Five for Friday

Homemade pizza

We used the garlic & herb dough from TJ's (so good!) for DIY pizza last night.

This is easily one of my favorite dinners! 

While C sticks with the basics, I am an "everything but the kitchen sink" pizza maker: 

give me all of the toppings! 

This one included green pepper, onions, fresh tomato, pepperoni,

 mozz, feta, basil & garlic seasoning, & kalamata olives. Yum!

Fresh flowers

Another TJ's find - just $3.99 for this beautiful bunch of fall flowers.

Looks perfect on my kitchen table!

Milestones

Can't believe we are just a few days away from our anniversary.

We were just talking about how it feels like our wedding happened so recently.

We have such great memories from that night!

Free stuff

Found this in my mailbox today - that's a full-size deodorant, my friends!

I love samples that are actually worthwhile sizes.

My fall porch

It makes me so happy to have a full-sized porch to decorate.

Pumpkins, mums, and Hokies - oh my!

All the rain last week did those mums good, and they are all in full bloom. So pretty!