A Beauty Flunkie Learns New Tricks

I had yet another silly 101 list goal - to get a professional makeover.

I didn't really want to be made over into someone that I wasn't. I wanted to learn how to put on makeup properly, because outside of theater and clowning, I've never had a makeup lesson. Ever.

That's how I found myself spending the afternoon with a makeup artist (no makeup counter salesperson application for me, thank you) walking through the basics of foundation, contouring, lip lining and the like.

And the result? Still very much like Shannah but slightly more polished.

I did take home some new skills that I can replicate for myself, although I think I'd need my makeup artist, Mandi, to pull off this extremely polished appearance every day.

Was it worth having a silly goal like this? I'd say yes - I feel a little more sure of myself when standing in the aisle at Sephora and I certainly know what to say yes to and what to ignore as a waste of money.

Do Not

Do not tell your husband, Don't laugh.

Do not tell your husband, I don't want to hear mocking comments.

Do not tell your husband, I have a good reason for doing this.

The truth is, you're wasting your breath while giving him fair warning that he needs to rev up his joke machine.

This is particularly true if you've decided to try out a product called Frownies.



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Guess I Really Needed That Beauty Sleep

We've been tired. Busy, yes, but mostly tired.

We blame allergy season and the drought-exacerbated dusty air for our lack of ability to sleep deeply.

That's why we went to bed at 9 pm the other night. An early turn-in and a slightly later rise left us feeling much closer to human. Not 100%, but better.

Still, I was surprised when I had this conversation with a coworker later that day:

Coworker: Are you going to the XYZ luncheon today?

Me: Not that I know of, why?

Coworker: I just wondered. You're all dressed up today like you're going out.

Me: I'm going to ABC's networking event tonight, but I've worn this to the office lots of times.

Coworker: Ah, that explains it. I mean, you're wearing make-up and all that stuff.

Me: I always wear make-up!

The moral to this story: Tired makes you look less presentable than you might imagine.

Cold Weather Cool

Fall has finally arrived in North Texas - in the low 60s during the day, mid 20s at night.

Y'all, that's cold around here.

Thus I've taken to wearing layers at night. No lie: this week I found myself wearing crazy jammie pants, a nightgown and a long-sleeved t-shirt. Klassy. (Yes, with a K.)

I rounded the sleepy-time look out with a sheet, three blankets and two furballs. Nice and toasty.

Cold doesn't just bring out the layers, it also brings out the Kleenex, cold medication and Blistex lip therapy. It's not been pretty.

But what cold does bring out that is pretty is my favorite hat, purchased while on holiday in Ireland several years ago:

I may be cold, but I'm still cute.

The Preserve in the Urban Environment

Last weekend The Boy and I visited a little known nature preserve tucked in the midst of the rapidly expanding Dallas suburbs.

Spring Creek Forest Preserve is owned by the City of Garland, and is full of natural trails, lovely large trees and windy concreted paths. It's also the only place in the world where five different species of oak trees can be found.

I'd write more, but I'd rather let the photos do the talking:

It's sad that I have to put something like this on my 101 list to actually go and visit.

Artsy-artsy

I've always wanted to go to an exclusive art gallery opening. First, I wanted to know what that experience would be like. Second, I've always wanted the opportunity to have a private tour by a museum conservator.

So it was my very good fortune that my company is the presenting sponsor for the gorgeous Kimbell Museum of Art's fall 2012 exhibition: The Kimbell at 40.

As part of our sponsorship, I was able to attend the exhibition opening events and it was everything I could have hoped it would be...

A lovely light lunch with the press and art community, including the director of another local museum.

And a wonderful guided tour of the exhibition, where I was able to learn many inside stories about the various collection pieces.

Happy 40th anniversary, Kimbell! You're only getting better with age.

Granting Permission

After living on a tight budget for so long, it's hard to give yourself permission to do things that you really must do. Things like buying new clothes - even when your current clothes are falling off your body because you've finally achieved your BMI and have kept losing weight.

It's hard to give yourself permission to buy nice clothes, in a correct size.

Let's face it - it's hard to know what the correct size is.

It's also hard to give yourself permission to pay full price for something you've wanted for a long time, like these lovely riding boots:

But it's important to keep things in balance: sacrifice and indulgence, risk and reward, thrift and investment.

And that's why I have a new wardrobe - and new riding boots.

Brief Beauty

The Boy calls my plant pot collection in the garage the "plant graveyard."

That's not very nice, I don't think. Yes, I just killed my cactus that I'd successfully kept alive at my former company for five years, but I don't kill all of my plants.

Just most of them.

But we have a new lovely that's taken the place of the dead cactus, courtesy of the Tyler Rose Marathon:

The Boy said I should post a photo to remember how it looked before it died.

Not nice, I say. Not nice.

41 - 67

From the keeping it real files:

In the world of airbrushed and Photoshopped, living in the land of make-up and blow-outs, this is what 41 years and 67 days looks like after:

• living in Europe and Africa
• living and working in six states
• changing jobs after 14 years with a company
• supporting your spouse's job change after 5 years with a company
• enduring massive changes in family structure
• adjusting to the loss of loved ones
• experiencing two church leadership changes due to unforeseen circumstances
• learning to run and losing 15 pounds
• wearing an orthopedic boot for nearly three weeks

If you're only as old as you feel, I think I look pretty young.

It's a Miracle Worker...Kind Of

First, a bit of sad news: You don't automatically have wonderful skin once you are out of your teens.

I know! It's not fair, right?

Plus this means that for years teenagers are lied to when they're told "You will grow out of blemishes." No, teenagers, the truth is that you will continue to have blemishes, although perhaps not nearly as many, but you'll also have "fine lines" (what is fine about them I'll never know) and clogged pores from wearing makeup to work and anti-aging products at night.

It's just not right.

I've heard about the excessive measures - and what I consider to be prohibitive expense - that some women go through to maintain younger, healthier skin. Expensive serums, morning and evening creams, spritzes, facials, peels and handy gadgets like the $120 Clarisonic skin cleaning system.

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I like facials and I have creams and serums (though cheaper versions for sure). I've even had a peel, although it was an accidental version via a sunburn atop Mt Kilimanjaro. {oops}

But the Clarisonic skin cleaning system was something I couldn't bring myself to purchase. $120 for a brush? A brush that you scoot around your face? I don't think so.

Yet those clogged pores and increasingly-not-so-fine lines continued to mock me.

That's when I discovered the Olay Pro-X facial cleaning system.

It looks very similar to the Clarisonic - it's slightly smaller, is powered differently and the brush operates by spinning rather than sonic pulses. Relatively minor differences.

The biggest difference is the price tag. The Clarisonic? $120. The Olay Pro-X? $30.

That's right - $30.

To use, you simply wet your face and apply your normal cleanser. Wet the brush and gently move it around your face for 60 seconds. There's no need to press the brush hard against your face - very simple, very easy will do.

Here's the question - price savings or not, does it work?

I've used it for two weeks and can see a noticeable difference in the size of my pores (which I will NOT show you on the blog) and my face has a healthy, shiny glow. Yay! Definitely worth spending $30 to have.

What the Pro-X won't do:

• Get rid of the well-established wrinkles you already have, or
• Keep your husband from laughing hysterically every time he sees you brushing your face.

Even miracles come with some limitations.

A Stroll Through the Arboretum

Until yesterday, I've only been to the Dallas Arboretum one time - 1998, the year before The Boy and I were married.

Until yesterday, The Boy had never been to the Dallas Arboretum.

This is why I put things like "Attend the Dallas Blooms Festival" on my 101 List. If I didn't, it might be another 14 years before we'd get around to visiting the Dallas Arboretum.

(And for those keeping count, I only have 25 things left to do on my 101 List before the end of November. I think it's mostly achievable.)

I'd write more, but I'll let the photos (mostly shots by The Boy) describe the experience instead.

Aren't You Going to Say...?

I have been dissatisfied with my hairdresser. Tired of hearing my complaints, The Boy convinced me to try his stylist.

Verdict? She's great.

I really loved the cut that she gave me. Apparently, everyone else really loved the cut that she gave me as well.

Everywhere I've gone over the last month, people have complimented me on my hair. I mean, everywhere. Church, work, networking events, client meetings, the grocery store...it's crazy.

I told The Boy that I'm starting to expect compliments and, in a major case of childhood excessive hair compliments flashback, am prepared to ask for them if they aren't forthcoming:

Aren't you going to say something

about my pretty red hair?

What Can This Mean?

Is someone trying to tell me something? In the course of my 10-minute stop at a local beauty products store, I was chased down by two employees.

One told me I should take advantage of the daily $50 cut-style special. The other told me I would get a discount if I let them do a skin treatment session.

{Sniff.}

I'm On Trend - Just a Little Late

Have you heard of jeggings?

If you said no, count yourselves in my age group (or older). There's no shame in admitting it.

Anyway, they were one of the top clothing items in 2010. I've seen them all over the style blogs and, despite the fact that we're now over halfway through 2011 (thus meaning I'm already giving in to a fashion trend that is on the way out), I bought my first pair:

Some thoughts:

1. Unless you are a size 0 or a celebrity, always wear jeggings with something that covers your thighs and bum. The world will thank you for it.
2. Jeggings are amazing for transforming the "gee this dress is a little short to wear to the office" dress from weekend casual to work casual-chic.
3. Jeggings are about the most comfortable thing ev.er. to wear. I hope I don't start sleeping in them.

Hugh Laurie: Comedic Genius

I thought about titling this post: Now for Something Completely Different.

Today's post is inspired by the need to laugh. And this is hysterical. Plus I love Hugh Laurie. (As an actor, of course. The Boy will always have my heart!)




Is that not great? If you want to read more about the new ad campaign, click here.

Being Forceful

I read in a recent issue of some home improvement magazine that I should prune my roses "forcefully" in early September. Removing all the dead heads and dry canes would result in a "beautiful fall show."

I'm all about the show. And since I don't know much about roses, I figured it was worth trying out. Last month while The Boy was mowing the yard, I put on my thickest gloves (this varietal - I still don't know its name - has particularly lethal needle-thin thorns) and attacked the rose bush with my pruning shears.

Fast forward to October.

I walked outside yesterday afternoon and boy was I ever treated to a beautiful show!!

Three blooms at the top of the bush.
(Unfortunate afternoon lighting)

Two additional blooms at the base of the bush.

I don't think I had this many (five!) blooms at one time all spring or summer.

This makes me want to check out a few books on gardening at my local library to see if I can't bring a little show to other parts of the Hayley yard!

Because...

Sometimes you do things simply because you want to. For example, this week I felt:

1. Bored
2. Hot
3. In need of change

So I chopped my hair short.

Here's a quick pix I snapped during a brief mental break at the office:

Help for Beauty Flunkies

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I am a Beauty Flunkie.

It's hard for me to follow directions for the latest beauty trend and it's hard for me to remember to touch up my makeup throughout the day. Let's not even talk about remembering to put on lipstick!

Don't look, Ethel! Those are some bare nekkid lips...!

Enter the latest tool for the Beauty Flunkie: Cover Girl's Outlast Lipstain. This stuff is magical.

It's a magic marker for your lips!

Just color in your lips, like you would with a normal lipstick. It will feel like a very thin lip gloss going on.

Just like kindergarten - color inside the lines.

And there you have it! Lightly stained lip color that's not too fussy - and more importantly, doesn't require any fussing over for 5-6 hours.

Pretty in pink - for just $8 a tube.

What do you think? Worth the cost and convenience? Or do you prefer more va-va-voom and touch-ups throughout the day?

Rainy Days Lead To...

After days of chilly drizzle, the sun broke out and gave the Hayley Household a bit of a surprise...spring is on the way!!! Look at these lovely little buds on one of our trees in the backyard.


But the weather's also wreaking havoc on my hair. I finally gave up and went with the tousled bed head look that I've sported before:


But all's not well in Bed Head Land. One of my colleagues stopped by my desk and said: Wow! I like your hair...kind of.

Me: Kind of? Is that kind of a compliment or kind of an insult?

Him: No, really! I like it! I meant to say it was kind of like a 60's hippie style but then thought I should say that, so I just stopped talking.

Me: Oh, ok. Well, thanks...kind of!

Blame It On the Rain...

Have you ever had a morning where your hair will Just Not Cooperate?

Monday morning, it was as though my hair laughed at the thought of hair products. Rebelled when the hair dryer and straightener were brought near.

It was not a good day.

So I gave up. I took a laissez-faire approach and let my hair do whatever it pleased.

I call this look Bed Head, as in, I didn't do anything with my hair other than getting out of bed (belying the time I actually spent working with it).

Now you all know (roughly) what I look like first thing in the morning...feel sorry for The Boy for what he has to visually endure every day!

The irony of posting about hair woes the day after posting about my creative hair supply storage system isn't lost on me.