Things that Make Me Happy about Spring

March 21, 2015March 21, 2015 / Kayla Hutchison / 6 Comments

Ah, Spring is officially here! The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and I am wheezing!

No really, Spring is my worst season of the year in terms of allergies and asthma. Hold your inhalers in the air if you feel me on this one.

Pre-kids I enjoyed Winter because I didn’t mind being alone and inside all of the time. Post-kids I am itching for Spring to be here so we can get the hell outside before we start ripping each others hair out.
So, today I just want to share some pretty pictures and things about what makes me happy about Spring.

1. Glosses. I don’t know what it is about Spring and Summer, but I am all about glosses during these seasons. Anyone else like that? I think it’s because I am out and about a lot and lip gloss is just easier, yet it has the power to pull a look together. I don’t have to sit and line my lips and conceal for 5 minutes like I do with most lipsticks. I plan on giving my butter and elixir glosses some love this Spring. I’m trying to use what I have and buy less. Key word: trying.

2. Bright Cheeks! Honestly, I rock a bright cheek all year around, but Spring is when I actually love to play with pinks and corals. Some of my favorites are the City Color Cosmetics blush quad, the Rose duo from BH Cosmetics, and Pearlescent Pink by Wet n Wild. Are you all seeing my obsession with roses and all things rose related yet?

3. Dewy Skin. My skin is less dry in Spring so I can actually make my skin look a little dewy and glowy! It excites me, don’t judge me. I love the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum and the Loreal Magic Lumi I am trying to use up because I actually like the Bourjois one more. The Bourjois healthy mix serum gives me of a satin matte finish, and it smells so much better.

4. More skin fun. It’s apparent at this point that I am the shade of paper. I used to try to tan and such, but as of 5 years ago I decided to stop it all together and be okay with my skin color. I do sun protect even on cloudy, rainy days in the Spring and Summer. I love this Yes To lotion because it’s thick and doesn’t break me out, and it has spf 30. I’ve also been loving the Pixi glow mist underneath and on top of my makeup. It gives a very healthy glow and feels nice on my skin. My only beef is the sprayer moves a lot and I’m clumsy and miss my face sometimes, thus wasting product.

5. Bright(ish) nails! Raspberries and neutrals and sometimes lavender is about as adventurous as I get with my nails. You’re judging me, aren’t you? I like my box. My box is safe. My box is gray and cold. Some of my favorite nail polish brands include elf, essie, and wet n wild.

6. Spring Cleaning and rediscoveries! I really need to go through my palettes and rotate them out and dust a few off and show them some love. I have been trying out so many new products that I have kind of pushed aside some other goodies that I truly do love, namely my Naked palette. I used to use that precious palette everyday. Everyday. Now, with every other neutral palette in existence I haven’t shown the original heartbreaker any of my attention.

Gah, I talk about palettes like they’re children. Maybe I should rotate my children out too and clean them…

Kidding, y’all.
I need to also give my Dark Rose palette some attention because I truly do love it, and I think it may become a staple for me for Spring looks for that “pop of color.” The colors in this palette work together in weird and mysterious ways. I need to unlock it’s magic.

There I go again about palettes…

Anyway those are some things that make me happy about Spring, beauty wise. Life wise I can’t wait to get out and take both my daughters to parks and hear their giggles. I also need to do a huge de-clutter in my life and around my house and just get rid of things.
What are some things that make you happy about Spring, if anything?

As always, thanks for stopping by and reading and I hope you are all having lovely days! Please sign up for email notifications or follow me on here to see more from me if you like me!

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Winter Favorites

February 4, 2015February 4, 2015 / Kayla Hutchison / Leave a comment

Brace yourselves, winter is coming. Oh no…it’s here!
Corny (and terrible, I know) jokes set aside, it is winter for many around the world. Or at least in the northern hemisphere. That means snow, lots of layers, red noses, and dry skin.
A little bit of background about my skin: my skin is super dry and peely, especially in the winter. I struggle with eczema, and it’s a bit of an embarassing problem at times.

Example: last week the face on one of my tattoos legitimately had an eczema patch. I felt a bit bad for her. Even more worrying though, I am very careful with the way my skin looks on my tattoos, because constantly peeling skin can result in faded colors in tattoos, and I want my tattoos to always look fresh and bright.

That’s the subject for another post though.

I live in Tennessee, so I know the winters here are not as harsh as they are up north. However, I think we can all agree that winter is a bad time for almost everyone’s skin. The heat we run tends to dry our faces out, and seasonal depression affects many of us as well and sometimes self care is put on the back burner.

So today I just wanted to share a few of my personal winter favorites that are quick (and inexpensive…most of them) and can help your skin out a little, if needed.

1. Vaseline Creme Brulee Lip Treatment If I recall correctly, these range between $1-2 at most drugstores. These little tubs of glory have been life savers for my lips. On top of having eczema problems, I also have asthma, and that means during the winter I breathe out of my mouth way more often, resulting in very chapped lips. Like painfully chapped some days. This can be a huge damper for someone like me that loves lipstick, so I make sure to try and take care of my lips before they get chapped. This product helps me with that. I slather this stuff on before bed most nights, and it’s still holding strong when I wake up. It’s an amazing product, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

2. Blistex Lip Medex I’m probably going to have a lot of lip products in this post, but that’s you all love me, right? I will just keep telling myself that. Anyway, I use this product when my lips are really really chapped and I need a quick fix. I think I bought this by recommendation from Dani from CoffeebreakwithDani (look her up, she’s so funny and genuine) for about $2 at cvs. Warning: this stuff is strong, and feels (and smells) like straight medicine going on your lips. However, it works wonders. I reach for this when I need quick relief on days when my lips are chapped from the cold wind.

3. Sonia Kashuk Body Oil This was a recent discovery. I foung this on clearance for $5 at Target (hollaaaa) and decided to pick it up and try it out. I have “Red Promisa” which has sandlewood, jasmine, and vanilla, and this oil is heavenly. It feels luxurious without the luxury price tag. It smells like a floral paradise (my favorite) and it hydrates my skin very well. If you see this at your Target on clearance, grab it. It’s worth every penny. I would have paid full price for it though.

4. First Aid Ultra Repair Cream This is probably the one thing out of everything in this post that I absolutely cannot live without. This lotion does it all. No joke. It can be used all over the body, including the face. It’s sensitive skin friendly, and it helps with eczema. This lotion has been my saving grace this winter. I use it once at night, and again when I wake up and my skin feels so supple and hydrated and ready for makeup. It’s also cleared up the eczema patches on my arms. I think this is $12 at sephora for 2 ozs, which sounds pricey, but it is so worth it. I can’t live without this stuff now, and I will probably take the plunge and buy the bigger one once I run out. A little goes a long way with this product though.

5. Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer Okay, I lied about all of these products being inexpensive. In my defense, I have tried so many primers and none compare to this one, in my opinion. It does what it says. It’s a hydrating primer. If you have very dry skin, in the winter time it’s best to avoid mattifying primers because they’ll dry your face out even more. This primer is more like a moisturizer, and gives your skin an extra boost before you apply makeup. I just bought this primer this year, and my makeup has never looked better in the winter. I know there are other hydrating primers like from Too Faced and such, but if anyone has a nice drugstore primer that’s hydrating, let me know.

6. Malin and Goetz Mojito Lip Balm I received this product in my January Ipsy bag, and I have not been able to stop using it since I got it. It has a really nice lime scent to it, and it’s thick so it really hydrates and protects my lips from winter wind damage. It’s very thick, so if you don’t like thick balms on your lips this won’t be for you, but I like to use this particular balm at night. I can put a layer on before bed and wake up and it’s still there. That’s pretty amazing considering I am a well known snorer and nighttime mouth breather (thanks, asthma).

Those are a few of my personal winter must haves. What are some of yours? Comment and let me know, I may try out some of your suggestions!

Clear Proof Acne System: Final Thoughts

November 24, 2014November 24, 2014 / Kayla Hutchison / Leave a comment

A few weeks back I did a first impression post for the Clear Proof Acne System that Influenster sent me. Now I have completed my review and I decided to film my final thoughts with more detail, but I will also link my first impressions post 🙂
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https://kaylahutchison.wordpress.com/2014/10/21/first-impression-clear-proof-acne-system/

First Impression: Clear Proof Acne System

October 21, 2014October 27, 2014 / Kayla Hutchison / 1 Comment

Before I begin this post, I was sent these products by Influenster complimentary to try and test out. However, these opinions are my own and I will not spare my true opinion of this product over the next 30 days I am set to test it.

I was really excited when I learned I was one of the bloggers chosen to try this product out and review it. It came right in time, at 4 months postpartum my skin has been less than satisfactory, and with fall upon us my already dry skin is drying out even more. I love Mary Kay products. I am not a consultant, however I know a pretty awesome lady that does sell their products in case anyone was wondering.
Anyway, I am going to do a first impression (this post) for the very first time I try the product and then another after 15 days (halfway) and then a final post with all of my thoughts of the product overall after 30 days. Unless this sets off a bad reaction with my skin I will be doing all 3 posts, so if you are a first time visitor to my page and want to know more about the product outside of my first impression, feel free to subscribe.

I want to start off by saying that my skin problems right now are mostly hormonal. I just had my second daughter 4 months ago, and I have been losing weight and such, but my skin still hates me. Mostly around in my jaw line area. I’m also on birth control, which is also a factor. My skin type is very dry. Like…super dry. This time of the year is awful for me in terms of skin moisture. The fall air seems to suck every bit of happy moisture out of my face.

Alright, on to the routine and first impression.

This is what the box looks like. It came with 4 full sized products in the system, and I am pretty excited that this comes with both a toner and moisturizer to start out with. I’ve noticed that many acne systems either have one or the other in their systems, and sell the toner or moisturizer as a separate part of the system itself.

Also included was a card giving detail as to what to use first and what the products do. Nothing fancy in terms of how most acne treatments work. Wash, tone, spot treat, moisturize. I like simple and to the point. Because really, who has time for a one hour skin routine every night? I have 2 kids, so I know I don’t. I want something quick and effective.

First use (bed time)- I typically take most of my makeup off first with a Burt’s Bees sensitive skin makeup wipe. I used the gel cleanser in the package first and massaged it into my skin, focusing on my trouble areas. I noticed this product doesn’t have much of a smell, which I like. I tend to wash my skin with cold water because warm/hot water dries my skin out so I avoid it when I can.

I then put the toner on a clean cotton round and dabbed it on my face. The toner’s main ingredient is salicylic acid, which is pretty typical for many acne treatments. It can be drying, but it’s typically an effective way to clear acne up for me. Also no smell for this product either.

I put the gel spot treatment on a few spots on my chin and along the bad area on my jaw line.

I don’t moisturize before bed because it can break already broken skin out, so I will try that in the morning before I start my morning routine and report back.
Okay, so when I woke up this morning my skin felt fresh still, but a bit tight and a little dry. I expected it, so I put on some of the moisturizer before starting my routine. I did notice some of the spots that were trying to come up on my jaw line are already looking less red.
The moisturizer did feel light on my face. Maybe too light. I have extremely dry skin though. To truly test the product I did not put any other moisturizers on my face and did my regular makeup routine, but I did notice some dry patches around my nose and on my cheeks. So, I may personally need to use another face lotion on top of it, but it’s not a huge deal.
At the end of the day my skin does not feel irritated or anything, which makes me even more excited to potentially see results over the next 30 days.
Overall, I am impressed so far, but it’s hard to tell with many acne clearing systems how/if they are going to work with simply a first impression. Stay tuned for my next posts regarding this product 🙂