Leather Jacket  |  Leopard Scarf  |  Basic Tee
Skinny Jeans  |  Ankle Boots  |  Necklace  |  Handbag

Happy Friday friends!!  Hope you had a great week :)  This week was productive for me so I'm feeling really good!  Temperatures are supposed to drop with lots of snow coming for the weekend.  Maybe I'll be staying inside to keep warm lol!  A popular trend right now is animal print.  What I love about animal print pieces are how they pop in the winter against neutrals like black and white.  This leopard print scarf is a couple years old but it is a go-to accessory when I want to spice things up.  I recently ordered this animal print sweatshirt and am going to pick it up form the store later today! It's probably the last animal print piece I will buy for awhile since I already own a few leopard print pieces.

For those getting snow the next few days, stay safe and warm!!  

​Photos by Jessi Lynn Photography

Basic Long Sleeve  |  Light Wash Denim Jacket  |  Leggings
Pom Beanie  |  Sunglasses  | Nike Sneakers

This year, I wanted to take time to truly think about my goals and aspirations for 2019.  I'm stepping away from resolutions, they never really worked out in the past so no sense in wasting time.  For 2019, my goal is to be intentional.  I choose this word based off a sermon we had in church the first Sunday of this year.  Pastor spoke about being intentionally faithful in our actions and it spoke to me on a very personal level.  How much time had I wasted by being anxious and worrying?  2019 is going to be much different.

What does it mean to be intentional?  It means things are done on purpose.  To be deliberate, calculated, thoughtful, purposeful, planned, or intended.  I want to live this year with intention; carefully spending time and resources doing the things that will enrich my life.  One thing both Darin and I have started is reading our Bible daily.  Spending planned time in God's word to become better and faithful servants, giving God control over our lives as He intended.  A song that comes to mind is Intentional by Travis Greene...it's a bit repetitive but it gets the point across that God is continually working to do good in our lives, even if we don't see it.

In 2019 I want to live my life for a purpose.  By being intentional I hope to spend time and money more wisely.  The new planner I am using this year has already been a big help in dividing my time to be more productive.  I shared this year's planner in this blog post.  It's impressive how organized and less stressed I am already, and it's only a couple weeks into the new year!  Planning out my day by the hour and deciding 3 major tasks each day is tremendously beneficial.

What are your goals and aspirations for the year 2019? 

Photos by Jessi Lynn Photography

The hunt for the perfect shampoo and conditioner is never ending.  With all the brands, new improvements, trends, and push to use all natural ingredients makes finding the right hair care products quite the task.  I personally have lost track of all the types of shampoo/conditioner combos I have tried over the years.  A little background on my hair: it's fine, dry, never been colored or treated, long, mostly straight with a little wave, and sensitive.  What I mean by sensitive is that I cannot use a cream shampoo, it has to be clear(ish).  Also, I have to use a comb, NOT A BRUSH.  Brushes tend to cause more damage as they are harsh on my hair.  Case in point, my hair is high maintenance!

Recently, I was introduced to a new company that creates one-of-a-kind, personalized hair care products based on a person's specific hair care needs.  Formulate shampoo and conditioner was uniquely made according to my current hair type and my hair goals.  I took a quiz with Formulate to determine the exact ingredients needed to achieve perfect hair.  You can watch me take the quiz over on the "Formulate" highlight on my Instagram stories!

The photo on the left is before using Formulate, on the right is my hair after 4 weeks.

While you might not see a difference, the feel has completely changed.  Silky smooth hair to the touch and it feels stronger than it use to.  One issue I did have with the first round of Formulate was the cream based shampoo.  As mentioned above, I have only used clear shampoos.  I expressed my concern with the Formulate team after 4 weeks and the amazing team helped create a new formula that is now a clear shampoo!  What other hair care brand actually listens to your concern and fixes the problem?  None!  I started using the new formula this week with high hopes that it will start to show me results that others can see as well. 

Formulate products are so amazing, it's like having a spa treatment every time you wash your hair.  Formulate let's you be in control of the scent (with several to choose from), how strong the scent is (I chose light), and what results you want without being confined to the per-determined and narrow results that the products at the store give you.  When the Formulate box showed up in the mail, I was pleasantly surprised by the chic packaging!  The box was sturdy with a simple design.  Open it up and you see the large cylindrical bottles in contrasting colors nestled in a bed of crinkle cut paper.  Formulate bottles also come with pumps for easy use in the shower! 

Along with the bottles and easy to use pumps, comes a personalized card detailing your hairy type, your hair goals, the scent, information on the main ingredients, and instructions on how to get the most out of the products.  Formulate recommends using 4 pumps of each the shampoo and conditioner.  At first, it seems like a lot but it was actually the perfect amount.  The shampoo lathered nicely and left my hair feeling clean without being too dry.  The conditioner went on smooth and left my hair feeling perfectly nourished.  Both Formulate products rinsed nicely in cool water.  No residue left behind, just a refreshing scent.

Ideally, it takes 3 formulas to get the perfect combination for your hair goals.  I am currently on my second formula which means there is still a ways to go!  All in good time :)  The Formulate journey has been fantastic.  From the warm and welcoming team to the at home experience.  Having real people behind the brand that you can talk to is a real game changer in the hair care arena.  I love that personal interaction with a dedicated team that delivers real results.

Interested in starting your Formulate journey?  Begin HERE with a quiz to get an in depth look at your hair type and goals.  Feel free to ask me any questions, I'd be happy to help! 

GIVEAWAY!!!
Enter the giveaway for a chance to win your own personalized set of Formulate shampoo and conditioner that's shipped directly to you, completely FREE.  Giveaway ends on February 28th

*In collaboration with Formulate.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'll be honest, most days I don't have time for an elaborate makeup look.  15 minutes is the max amount of time to do my makeup in the morning before rushing off to work.  A simple and fresh makeup look that is daytime appropriate is a go-to for me.  Today, I will walk you through some of the steps and products I use to achieve this look!

Must have makeup brushes!  All are by Morphe Brushes: M441 is for blending eyeshadow, M532 is for highlight, M438 I use for setting powder, the angled brush is for blush, and the gold brush is actually what I use for bronzing.  It gets the job done fast! 

I love the tartlette eyeshadow palette, it has some great neutral shades that aren't too warm or too cool.  Clearly, "wanderer" is a favorite!  "Wanderer" is what I use as a transition color.  For this particular look, I mixed wanderer with force of nature all over the eye lid and in the crease. 

Lately, I have been a fan of using false lashes.  My lashes are very short and falsies give a little extra "oomph" to the makeup look.  A couple faves include Eylure Luxe in Opulent and Flutter lashes in Intoxicating. 

This mini Marc Jacobs products give the perfect nude lip.  They came as part of a holiday kit that is still available and much more affordable than the full size products. 

Every makeup look is sealed with a setting spray.  I'm currently obsessed with the Morphe setting spray, it goes on in an even mist and makes your makeup look airbrushed.  

I hope you enjoyed this quick makeup look!  Let me know if you would like to see more makeup posts on the blog.  As always, if you have any questions, please leave a comment below!