Life is Beautiful; So are Ostomies

At first glance, this may seem like a peculiar topic to post to my beauty blog. But it really isn't. Most of the time, I blog here about beauty products, health products, and holistic beauty. But those are the mainstream aspects. There's nothing wrong with makeup, beauty products, etc. Obviously, since I love them. But I don't want to overlook what's truly beautiful: Life itself.

What are the odds that you'd be here, on this planet, at this time? Miniscule. I'm not good with math, but trust me on this. Everything had to fall in place just right for us to be alive, to be self aware, to be here on this planet and experience this life. And yes, life is hard. But it's also beautiful and precious, and we need to take time to remember that, even through the hardship we experience.

A few months ago, I was given my second ileostomy. The first time I had it, I did everything in my power to hide it. When it was reversed, I felt like I was finally free. But my debilitating pain returned, and because my doctor was uncertain what to do (and because the ostomy had previously relieved the pain), he gave me another ostomy. I didn't know that was going to happen going in to the surgery. So when I woke up, and realized I had another one, I was devastated. I spent an entire day crying. In fact, I don't think I stopped crying for quite some time after that surgery. I didn't think I could live; I mean, really live, this way. It really affected my body image and self confidence. Even though I've never been one to let others tell me what to look like or who to be, nor one to let life keep me down, I felt like this time, I had really been defeated.

Slowly, but surely, I began to recover. I had the support of my family and my boyfriend. I still cried a lot. But I cried a little less as time went on. I don't know how people change. I only know that they can. It's hard, and it's a fight, but they can. And I have, slowly, had my frame of mind changed for the better. I've gained more confidence in my body, which includes an ostomy. I have told more people. It's not something I plan to scream from the rooftops, just like I wouldn't scream anything else about myself from a rooftop, but I don't mind people knowing. I tweeted a picture of myself, with my ostomy exposed, to approximately 400 people. That was a big step for me, and over due, really, because I didn't even realize that I had become as comfortable with it as I actually have, and will continue to. I still have bad days, because everyone does. Everyone has "fat days" or "bad hair days". I have "bad ostomy days". But it's ok, it's just a part of life.

I was told that before my doctor will reverse my ostomy again, they had to be sure that my strange pain wouldn't reoccur. They did a ct scan in December and I'm pending approval for my medication to begin; another stipulation. I am required to have at least 2 months of treatment. But the past few days, the strange pain has returned. I know this will prolong the time I have with an ostomy. But for the first time, I feel ok about it. I don't feel imprisoned, as I did before. The change in mind set and attitude is really what set me free.

These days, more often than not, I'm happy to say I have an ostomy. Why? Because it can shatter the misconceptions associated with it. I'm active, in a healthy relationship, and do everything that everyone else does. I look normal, because I am. People don't look at me and think "ostomy". That's just silly. So when I tell someone, it can potentially change the way they think in a positive way. And that's a good thing. People with ostomies are just like everyone else. For many people, their ostomies have saved their lives, or allowed them to live a better quality of life. And that's how I've ultimately come to the conclusion: Life is beautiful, therefore, so are ostomies.

Attached below is the picture I tweeted to my 400+ followers on Twitter. I had just come inside from a work out (on one of the few days the weather permitted). Please excuse the toilet, I used the full length mirror in the bathroom. Otherwise, consider it a visual pun.

Warm Strawberry Facial Mask

Hey, everyone! I know it's been a while since my last beauty blog; I've been busy working on my Crohny's Kitchen blog (click here to check it out), as well as some secret projects that I hope to reveal (beauty and health related) and release on Etsy in the near future. Excited! Anyway, tonight I'm working on one of said projects and I decided to concoct an all natural beauty facial mask to wear for a bit. Yay multi-tasking! And of course, I decided to share this with you.

What you'll need:

• 1 strawberry, preferably organic (you don't want any ickies on your face from pesticides)
• 2-3 tablespoons water

Yep, that's it!

Directions:

Prep your face by cleansing it with your choice of facial product, then rinse. Place your strawberry (remove stem) and water in a small microwavable container, then warm for a few seconds (I did 15) in the microwave. Don't over heat it, you don't want the strawberry to be cooked, just softened. Mash thoroughly with a fork and mix with the water until it's well combined. Don't worry about it being smooth, there will still be a few chunks. Wet a wash cloth with very warm water (just don't burn yourself), wring it out, and apply to your face for a few seconds. Then, dip a cotton facial pad or cotton ball into the strawberry liquid and apply all over your face. I like using a cotton pad because it absorbs the liquid, and allows me to easily remove any large chunks of berry before applying. Once applied, allow to dry for 10 minutes, then rinse away and apply your favorite moisturizer.

Benefits: I call this the warm strawberry facial mask because I use heat from the wet cloth to warm the face and open pores, and I use heat to warm up the strawberry and water, which I feel allows it to penetrate the skin more efficiently. Strawberries have naturally occurring salicylic acid, which is great for acne-prone skin, black heads, etc, without being too strong (as may be the case with facial products that contain it, along with other chemicals). Strawberries also contain vitamin C, which aids in the production of collagen (which can be lost due to deficiencies, sun damage, etc, and loss of collagen leads to a tired, aged appearance), and is full of antioxidants. And those are just two examples out of the numerous benefits of vitamin C! Your whole body benefits from this vitamin, but your skin absorbs 20 times more of it when it's applied topically rather than taken internally. Whoa! 

If you'd like additional benefits for your skin, you can add honey for its antibacterial properties, or all natural greek yogurt for its abilities to exfoliate and soften the skin.

There you have it! An all natural, and super simple, warm strawberry facial! Treat yourself to some strawberries for a snack, too. :-)

Until next time!

How to Contour Your Face

Hey, everybody! My last blog discussed how to highlight your face, so now I'm going to cover how to contour your face. While the purpose of highlighting is to bring out certain features that flatter, contouring is used to recess less flattering features. Make sense? When we contour, we're using cosmetics to create a shadow effect, which can give the appearance of more pronounced cheek bones, more defined jaw/chin, a thinner nose, etc. Using the same photo I used for my guide to highlighting, I've created another visual guide to contouring. I also went over the same guide to illustrate what is commonly referred to as the "3" method for contouring, which may make things easier to get the hang of, especially for beginners.

Figure 1: Contouring the temples and blending inwards toward the center of your forehead (along your hairline) can create a more flattering face shape by giving the illusion of a narrower forehead.

Figure 2: Find the apples of your cheeks, and sweep a contouring powder (or cream) along underneath the cheekbones. This will give your cheekbones definition.

 Figure 3: Apply a bronzer (contouring product) along each side of your nose to give a thinner appearance.

 Figure 4: Sweep a contour along the outside edge of your jaw, along to your chin. This thins the face.

The "3" Method: In my photo, I marked the "3" visual method. This is a method in which you contour in a way that makes a figure three. If you can trace that pattern on your face, or visualize it, then you can contour using that method. It contours the 3 primary areas on your face, which are the most helpful in shaping your face. This is also an easy way for beginners to learn how to contour.

 That's it, everyone! Sorry it took some time to get up, but I hope you find this info useful. ;-) Until next time!

How to Highlight Your Face

Hey, everyone! Sorry it has been so slow on posts as of late, I've been trying to work out the kinks in my day time job schedule so I can focus more on my writing and coming YouTube channel, tutorials, etc. But I do have a good post for you tonight! Without further ado...

How to Highlight Your Face

The photo below has been marked to illustrate the areas of the face that are beneficial to highlight. These areas are naturally hit by light, so applying a highlight brings them out even more. High lighting overall also gives your face a beautiful glow. So, when done properly, you'll be show casing the more flattering areas of your face and achieving a radiant appearance.  Please note that I actually didn't use a highlight in this photo, it's just the best front-facing one I have at the moment.

Figure 1: Forehead. Apply a highlighting product to the lower center of your forehead. Think of where light would naturally hit.

Figure 2: Brow bone. If you're wearing eyeshadow, it's common to use a very light shade for a highlight here, but of course you can also use a product specifically for highlighting.

Figure 3: High cheekbone. This is a very flattering place to apply a highlight. I really like Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl for this area. Just highlight along the high part of your cheekbones, as illustrated.

Figure 4: Inner corner. One of my favorite areas to accentuate. If I don't apply a highlight anywhere else, I usually still apply it here. Doing so will brighten your eyes and make you appear more awake. I like to use the Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil in "Milk".

Figure 5: Center Chin. Again, like the forehead, think of where light naturally his you as a guide to applying.

Figure 6: Cupid's bow. Helps to accentuate the lips.

Figure 7: Bridge of the nose. Again, apply where light naturally hits the bridge of your nose to bring forth and flatter.

Tips:

If you're new to highlighting, start with just a couple of features. I recommend the inner corner, the brow bone, and the cheek bones. These are the most flattering, in my opinion.

Experiment with products. There are all kinds of highlighting products out there, so play around til you find one you like. Something to consider is the finish; do you want a matte finish? Or do you like a little shimmer? Also, don't be afraid to test out products that aren't marketed as a highlight, but look like they could work as one. For example, a light white/cream colored eyeshadow could be a beautiful highlight!

Coming soon: My super simple guide to contouring!

Nyx Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator review (with swatches!)

I recently purchased a few Nyx items to try out because I received some of the Jumbo Eye Pencils for Christmas and LOVE them, so I wanted to try more of their products. The nearest Ulta is about an hour away, and with the arctic conditions here as of late, I didn't want to drive that far. So I ordered online. The three things I was most excited to try were the  round lipstick in "Tea Rose", the eyeshadow trio in "Barefoot in the Sand", and the Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator. This is a review on the latter.

The Nyx Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator comes in 2 shades, "Sunbeam" and "Gleam". Sunbeam has a very light pink hue, while Gleam has a golden/peachy hue. I got this in Sunbeam because I feel it's best for my skin tone. Below are swatches of each.

Product claim (directly from the Nyx website):

Capture that sexy glow with our lightweight, multi-functional illuminator. Use as a foundation base or over cheekbones, décolletage, or cupids bow for that refreshing luminosity that'll have everyone talking.

The website description goes on to say the product is:

Lightweight multifunctional face moisturizer that provides a luminous glow. Enhances your complexion by adding a touch of shimmer illuminating your skin. Provides a glorious, luminous healthy glow instantly.

Let me start by saying, I think (and hope) that the word "moisturizer" in their description was a mistake. This is not, under any circumstances, a moisturizer. It's a liquid highlight. Now, with that said...

I've been using this product in place of my Benefit Girl Meets Pearl as my highlight, and it does do what a highlight should do. Note that I haven't used it all over my face, but I plan to mix a little with my foundation and report on the results in the near future. I've simply used it as you would normally use a highlight; on my cheek bones, brow bone, etc. It does a great job of illuminating, just as they claim. However, I wouldn't say "glow" is quite the word for it. This product is shimmery, more so than my usual Girl Meets Pearl (which has a much subtler shimmer). When I think of "glow", I think of a more satin finish, something not quite so sparkly. So, yes, it does a good job of highlighting/illuminating, but it does so with the use of a lot of shimmer. I'm still experimenting with application, so maybe the profound appearance of shimmer can be toned down a bit. I'll be sure to share all of my future findings.

The claims of enhancing your complexion and providing a healthy glow are kind of up in the air. I think whether or not this particular style of highlight is complimentary for a person's complexion depends on the individual and their skin. Mature skin, for example, might benefit from something more subtle than shimmer. But that may not always be the case. So this claim will sometimes hold true, and be completely incorrect other times. One thing that seems to be universal, though, is using a light hand with application. No one will benefit from excessive shimmer on their face.

I give this product:

Yes, at the present time, 3 1/2 stars. As I mentioned, I'm still experimenting, so I may raise this in the future. However, at this point, this is my opinion. The product does illuminate, as it claims. But my personal taste is a satin glow, not so much of a shimmer. My favorite place to use this is on the brow bone, but it just looks like too much shimmer when applied to my cheek bones. If you like this type of finish, then this is a good product. This is also a great dupe for for a high end product with the same finish! Find out which one (with swatches) in my next blog. :-) Also look for my visual guide to highlighting your face.

Until next time!

Sick Day Makeup Routine

Well, it's flu season. And if you're lucky enough to dodge the flu, chances are you'll still wake up with a cold, sore throat, or feeling under the weather in general. But unless you're about to keel over, you may want to look a little more put together and a little less sickly. Here's the simple, quick routine I used today (while feeling pretty icky) that I thought I'd share.

Step one: As with most routines, you need to really moisturize your face. I took a nice warm shower (great for aches that are associated with colds & flu) and washed my face. After I got out and dried off, I double moisturized. I used my Kate Somerville Oil Free moisturizer, then my Simple brand Replenishing Rich moisturizer. I focused on any extra dry areas and also concentrated on my under eye area. I then applied my Philosophy When Hope is Not Enough firming serum under/around my eyes to help firm and reduce the puffy eye syndrome that often accompanies being sick.

Next, I applied my Holika Holika Skin Clearing BB cream all over my face and used it as a light concealer under my eyes because it also has moisturizing effects. Then I applied my ELF Maximum Coverage Concealer on any spots that needed extra coverage. I set everything with ELF High Definition Powder for that soft focus effect.

Step three: Apply some color. If you're feverish and flushed, you probably shouldn't worry about makeup. But for me, I gave myself a natural flush of pink with the ELF studio blush in the color "pink passion". Then I used the ELF baked blush in Peachy Cheeky (read my review here) to give a little bit of a highlight.

I didn't do much with my eyes, but I wanted to look a little more awake, so I curled my lashes and applied a coat of Maybelline Mega Plush mascara in the color k501, which is a brown.

Final step: Lips! You're bound to be dehydrated, which means dry, cracked lips. It doesn't feel or look good, so I recommend exfoliating your lips (read tutorial). I exfoliated with the ELF lip exfoliator (review here), applied a lip balm, then a barely-pink gloss by Hard Candy (it's called glitter lip gloss, but I don't notice any glitter).

Done! You should look alive and awake!

Tips:

Use a liquid illuminator if you really look rough. It will give you a nice, healthy glow.

Try putting an under eye roller (I have one by ELF and one by Garnier) in your fridge to chill, then apply under your eyes. The coolness is soothing and really helps to de-puff. You can also apply one of those cooling gel eye masks that are usually kept in the fridge, or even go old school with cucumber slices.

If you're feeling sick, remember to drink lots of water and herbal teas and get some extra rest! Feel better!

Until next time! :-)

Beauty Tidbit #1: Seamless eyeliner

Having trouble with gaps in your eyeliner where it meets your lashes? Take a precision brush, angle brush, or sponge tip applicator and dab an eyeshadow (in the same color as your liner) along the liner in a gentle downward motion, pressing the product into the gaps around lashes.

As you can see, there are no gaps in this example using the above technique. In addition to filling gaps, it also helps to set your eyeliner so it stays in place all day. ;-)