Love saranghae Skincare

Happy weekend! Is anybody else already totally worn out from this holiday week? We mostly celebrated last weekend and or an actual fourth so I’m not sure what will be doing this weekend but I think it will be a little more low-key. I’ve been trying really hard to last few months to take better care of my skin and give myself a little love.

Tula skincare review and referral discount

Ok y'all, Chris got sick last week and it was icky. Kendall picked it up and I was doing alright until bam! Momma is sick. So this is day 2 in bed for me and it. drives. me. nuts.

If you've known me for years (especially in college), you may think I'm crazy to now say I don't like sleeping during the day! But seriously, I've grown very accustomed to my routine over the last year... it's weird for me to not be the first up and know what's happening in the house throughout the day. BUT, it has given me a little extra time to write (thank you hubby for taking care of me and the kid!)... Hence today's post!

I've been meaning to talk about Tula for awhile now. I'm still super new to their products but I love them so far and wanted to share a few of my favorite products and a referral link if you're new to Tula and want to try it out at 20% off! PLUS they're having a special right now and the more you spend the more you get.

my hydrafacial experience

You would think someone like me (someone with a lot of skin problems throughout her life) would have spent a lot of time and money on skin treatments, but that’s just not the case.  Of course I’ve talked to doctors in the past about my breakouts but inevitably I’m told that my acne is mostly hormonal and unless I want to take a pill every day of my life (which I don’t), there’s not a lot I can do.  Being on birth control for awhile helped my skin although it didn’t erase my acne completely.  Trying different skincare targeted to acne has helped, but again never cleared it up.

One thing I haven’t tried is skincare treatments.  I, like a lot of people, have never had a ton of extra income to spend on pricey facials and treatments.  The older I get though, the more I realize that perhaps that has to do more with the way I prioritize my money rather than a problem of simply “not having enough”.  (That’s another subject for another day… something I’ll get into later when I tackle the subject of finances… which my husband and I have been working on for awhile now.  If you’re curious now, you can go read SmartCouples Finish Rich… great read.)

beauty must-haves lately

I've always had problematic skin... oily to the max plus hormonal breakouts my entire life.  Nothing has changed since my pregnancy.  In fact, for awhile I was worse than normal!  This is sooo frustrating.  There's a few things I've been doing lately, and a couple of different products that I've been using, that have helped out my skin so I'm sharing those today.

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate review

Hope y'all had a great long weekend!  Can you believe summer is "officially" over?!  I can't!  Where has this year gone?  I had a pretty relaxing few days... mostly full of Simpsons watching with my husband, eating (what else is new) and mimosas galore... totally acceptable on a holiday weekend! ;-)  One more thing I did to relax was finally try a skincare sample that I received in my goody bag at the TCU Alumni Frog Chic fashion show!

Honestly, I don't usually use skincare samples I receive.  I know that may sound weird, but I'm in love with Mary Kay and have been for 7 years now (there's a reason I'm a beauty consultant... I love a good discount and I love sharing Mary Kay with others).  Since I tried Mary Kay, I haven't used anything else.  And for good reason... I haven't needed to try anything else... I still don't need to but I figure, surely some people out there think I only talk Mary Kay because I sell it.  Well, that's not at all true.  I talk about it constantly because I love it, it works, and you pay drug store prices for department store quality.  That's the truth.  So I still won't be spending my money on other brands, BUT that doesn't mean I can't experiment once in awhile when I'm handed samples of products.  So I tried my first skin treatment the other day and I'll use this post to let you know what I think! (P.S. be kind haha... it takes guts putting total no-makeup pictures of yourself on here!)

Sample: Kate Somerville ExoliKate Intense Exfoliating Treatment

St. Patrick's Day Giveaway

I can't believe we're already almost a week into March!!  And I can't believe St. Patrick's Day is coming so soon!  It's definitely one of my favorite holidays.  I actually AM Irish and I LOVE beer... so yeah, there you go!  I also love coordinating my look for holidays!  I'm all about the green when this day rolls around, including my makeup!  

So I'm spreading the love with a Green with SASS Giveaway!

Prizes: Mary Kay Lash Love Mascara in "I heart Green" // Mary Kay Mineral Eye Color in "Lime" // Mary Kay Botanicals Effects Skincare samples

This giveaway is happening on my instagram (you must enter on instagram and follow directions there) BUT you can receive an ADDITIONAL ENTRY by commenting on this post below about why you'd love to win! (If you comment below but DO NOT post on instagram, you will NOT be eligible)

All entries must be received by Monday March 9, 2015 @ midnight CST.  A winner will be announced on my instagram on Tuesday morning!  Winner must contact me by Tuesday March 10 with shipping info so I can make sure to get it to you in time for St. Patrick's Day!  Open to legal U.S. residents ONLY, 18 years+.  Not endorsed by Instagram or Mary Kay Inc.  GOOD LUCK!

*If you'd like to request Mary Kay samples from me, please visit my Mary Kay website and register as a new customer!  You can request samples anytime or contact me with questions!*

Winter Weather Skincare Favorites

Face Cleansing Brush // 3-in-1 Cleanser // Age-Fighting Moisturizer //

Satin Lips Set // Satin Hands Set // Microdermabrasion Set // 

2-in-1 Body & Shave // Hydrating Lotion // 

Intense Moisturizing Cream // Oil-Free Hydrating Gel

Season dictates changes in skincare, just like it does with our wardrobe.  Like most women, I have to  change up my routine and beauty products when this crazy cold weather hits... even with oily skin.

Valentines Day Gift Guide for Her

1. Pink Wrap Bracelet  2. Pajamas  3. Pillow  4. Mini Instant Camera
5. Heart Pendant  6. Jewelry Box  7. Cozy Blanket  8. Gift Card  9. Candle  10. Handbag
11. Trinket Tray  12. Travel Beauty Bag  13. Professional Makeup Brush Set  14. Earrings
15. Essential Oil Diffuser  16. Necklace  17. Awesome Wife/Girlfriend T-shirt
18. Face cleansing brush  19. Wifey Sweatshirt  20. On-the-go gift set
21. Watch  22. Mood pillows  23. Perfume & Lotion

I would love any of these gifts and I'm pretty sure most ladies would!!! I've tried to include a variety of price ranges.  What's your favorite item?

Bold eyeliner look

Today's beauty products are linked below!! I'm having a super exciting day of fighting off allergies, running errands and taking care of a sick hubby... be jealous!! ;-)  What are y'all up to?

 Foundation Primer // Foundation // Bronzer // Blush // 

Eye Primer //  Cream Eye Shadow // Pink Eye Shadow // 

Purple Eye Shadow //  Black Eyeliner // Mascara // Brow Pencil // 

Brow Gel // Mineral Powder // Lipstick 

Interested in a new makeup look?  Check out my Virtual Makeover Tool!!

*warning: it's REALLY fun and may suck you in! ;-) ENJOY!!

Makeup Monday: super easy bronze eye look

Today I'd love to share a super simple eye makeup look with you!  This has been one of my favorite looks lately.  If you saw my instagram yesterday, you'll know that I've been branching out with my browns.  I'm used to doing eye makeup looks with purples (I have green eyes) and blacks (everyone loves a good smoky eye, right?).  What I'm not so used to is using shades of brown.

This might sound kind of strange.  Honestly, most women I know need a nudge AWAY from the browns.  As a Beauty Consultant, I see a lot of neutrals and browns because women simply are afraid of color.  Well, I'm the opposite; I LOVE color on my eyes and I feel weird using neutral shades.  But this is slowly changing.

I'm loving metallics this season and most of all golds and bronze tones.  This is taking that love and simplifying it into a very easy eye makeup look for day that easily transitions for night.  So here's a step-by-step tutorial on my fave eye look lately!

I've started with prepping my face and applying foundation.  

The products I use: Primer // Foundation // Concealer // Highlighting Pen

I am using three eye colors total; one is a cream eye shadow that I use as a base, the other two are metallic mineral eye colors that I blend on top.  The only other product I'm using is mascara (not counting brushes; if you don't have quality brushes, I highly recommend this set!  It will give you the basic brushes you need for all of your makeup!  They are also guaranteed 100%- ask me more about this).

This is a very quick eye look that can be done in a matter of minutes.  I'm starting with this Cream Eye Shadow in Iced Cocoa

This cream shadow is fabulous because it can be used on it's own, or as a base for an eye look, like I'm doing today.  You can use a brush with this cream, or simply use your finger.  Any time you are applying product to your eyes or around your eyes (shadows, eye creams, etc) USE YOUR RING FINGER!  This is the weakest finger on your hand and therefore the best!  You always want to be as gentle as possible with the skin around your eyes and eye lids.  Tugging and pulling and rubbing this delicate skin is what causes most sagging and puffiness!  You must be gentle.

I use my left ring finger to do my left eye and my right ring finger to do my right eye.  The only reason I do this is to allow my color to go on more symmetrically.  Sometimes it's awkward to reach across to the opposite side of your face and try to angle your finger just right.  I also do my left eye first because it is NOT my dominate hand.  If you are like me and struggle with making the color symmetrical and matching both eyes, this is a simple trick.  It is much easier for me to control my right hand and match the right to the left; so I always do my non-dominant side first.

Start on the outside corner of your eyelid and blend inward.  You may feel like you're just smudging color on your eye and that it looks strange but remember, this is the first step.  Eye makeup is all about layering and not every layer will look "pretty".  This is just a base and will be completely covered and blended, so ONLY put the dark cream where you want dark color.  I always concentrate my dark color to the outside 1/3 of my eye lid and blend towards the middle.

wedding wednesday: getting ready

Hey y'all!! Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!  Did you shop this past weekend??

I'm sorry that it's been a week since my last post!  I've had a few things going on that unfortunately prevented me being able to post the last few days, so, I am sorry for that!  But I'm back and continuing my posts about our WEDDING!!!

Today I wanted to share some of my favorite Getting Ready photos of me and my girls! (I'll feature the guys later) All photos are by my good friend Brandy Bacon of Darmon's Photography!
*photos are not to be reused to reproduced in any way without consent from the owner of the photos, Cassandra (Alwin) Altizer of Texas Sass.

I've linked the details at the bottom!  Hope you enjoy!  Let me know you what you think in the comments!!

It was a nice change having someone do my makeup... I'm usually on the other end!

Red roses are my favorite flowers.  I always wanted red for myself and white for my bridesmaids

my latest travel essentials

I've been traveling a lot lately... not super exciting blogging trips or vacations or anything... just mostly toting around in the car all over Texas for various things like weddings and family visits.  Now, I love traveling but at the same time I am a total OCD person that hates to be away from home!  Home is where I have all of my stuff and everything is just right, you know?

At home you have everything you need and everything you're used to and you know right where it is.  And if you run out of something, chances are you know exactly where that something is on your local store's shelf and it's a quick fix.  But what about traveling?  How do you stay comfortable and how do you fit everything you need without overpacking and taking everything you own?

In my world the answer is simple... Travel size products.  Ok, I am well aware that travel size items are extremely small amounts of product for jacked up prices... Yes, I get it.  But there's also a huge convenience factor here and to me, it's worth it.  I like to have my small products on hand, packed and ready to go for any trip.  I've linked my favorite products below from my most recent road trip! 

 Kleenex Travel Packs // Tide to go mini // Listerine // Thirty-One flat iron cover (new prints) //

Mary Kay Facial Cleansing Cloths // Mary Kay Satin Lips Lip Balm // 

Mary Kay Satin Hands Fragrance-Free Hand Cream // Wet Brush Squirt //

Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo & Conditioner // Johnson's Baby Powder //

Downy Wrinkle Releaser // Ban Total Refresh Cooling Body Cloths // 

Scotch Lint Roller Mini // Huggies Baby Wipes

All of these items were purchased in the Travel Size Product sections of Target and Walmart (except the flat iron cover and the Mary Kay products).  Most of them are pretty self-explanatory as to what I used them for but a couple of things may not be.  

The baby powder and Ban Cooling Wipes are for Texas weather.  Yep, it gets hot and we sweat here... A LOT... even in October.  It's nice to have the baby powder for your body and underarms, but it's also nice to have to sprinkle on your feet before putting on heels or any shoes really.  It will help keep your feet cool and dry, and if you're anything like me, your feet determine your whole body's temperature.  

I have to say that the Ban Wipes were a very pleasant surprise and they worked really well!!  I happened to see them when I was grabbing the other travel items and thought, well I'm going to Houston, cooling wipes are probably a good investment!  And they were!  They worked really well and actually I found the best use of them to be on my recent camping trip.  There's nothing like a cool, soothing clean cloth when you've been sweating outside for a few days!  My one complaint would be that the individual cloths are pretty small, but the cooling sensation was great!

The other item you may question is the baby wipes.  No, I do not have children (just a husband & that's close enough right now! BAM hahaha JK Love you Hubby!!) but I ALWAYS have baby wipes.  They are so useful!  I use them all the time for simply wiping off my hands or giving myself a quick "bath" and reapplying deodorant.  They can also be used for removing your makeup (especially eye makeup) when you don't have any other means.  And they can be used for wiping away those pesky deodorant marks from your clothing!

What are your must-have products for traveling?  Any big travel plans coming up?  I'd love to hear about your trips and packing tips!!

Tip Tuesday: Long-lasting Lipstick + my favorite PINK!

 

 MUAH!! Happy Tuesday loves! How is your week going so far?  Today I just wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to my favorite PINK LIPSTICK shade recently... Pink Chérie!

{photo from MaryKay.com}

This is the perfect pink in my book... not too light and not too bright!  Take a closer look at this shade and
even try it on virtually HERE!  Want to learn more about Mary Kay's True Dimensions formula?  Check
out this video!

This lipstick really is the silkiest, smoothest lipstick you will ever put on!  It's so moisturizing and luxurious!  And did you see all those shades?  This past season saw a lot of new additions and ladies are loving them!  What color is your favorite?

No matter what shade of lipstick you prefer, I'm sure you'd love to know how to make it last longer!  One of the most common questions I receive as a Beauty Consultant is how to make lipstick last.  So here you go... here are my tips and tricks!

Ladies, if you're searching for a magical lipstick that will stay on all day no matter what you eat, drink or do, I'm very sorry to disappoint you... this does not exist!  Seriously y'all.  It doesn't.  You will always have to reapply lipstick after meals, etc.  It's life.  BUT, I promise I can help minimize the number of times you have to do it!

Here are some of my favorite products from Mary Kay that I use on myself, I recommend to my customers and I use on all of my professional makeup jobs.  There are other brands that make these types of products... if you love another brand, go for it.  My tips are general application tips that can be applied by anyone with any brand products.  If you are interested in the specific Mary Kay products I mention, there is purchasing information at the bottom of this post, as well as a coupon code to use on your first purchase!

{Please note: As I always say, I personally only use Mary Kay and those are the products I talk about because I believe in the concept of being able to TRY your products and switch them out if they are not correct for you.  I don't know another company that guarantees every single product 100%.  So when I recommend these products, it is not for my gain but for yours... really, honestly.  I believe you should be able to return a product instead of getting stuck with a drawer full of beauty products you'll never use.  I believe you should be able to try lipstick shades to your heart's desire until you find just the right one.  I am able to provide this service to my customers through Mary Kay and their satisfaction guarantee} 

1. Exfoliate your lips.  The skin on your lips is the only skin on your entire body that does not naturally exfoliate.  This is why we all have so many issues with dry lips, peeling and cracking.  Using a lip mask to scruff off the dead skin cells will help you apply lipstick easier, and it will help the color last long and look better.  I recommend Mary Kay's Satin Lips Set.

2. Neutralize your lip color with your foundation or concealer.  This may sound strange but this will help your lipstick look more true-to-color as you see it in the tube, as well as add another layer to help the lipstick, well... stick! My favorite Mary Kay foundations are the TimeWise Liquids but you could also use your skin shade of Concealer.

3. Prime your lips with a Lip Primer.  Just like painting a wall, color will go on better and last longer when you prime first.  I love Mary Kay's anti-aging Lip Primer!

4. Line your lips with a Lip Liner.  No, don't draw an outline on your lips with a dark color and then leave it!  This horrible trend has scared ladies away from lip liner for way too long!  The key to lip liner is using it all over.  Outline your lips, then completely fill in your entire lips with the color.  Again, this layer will give the lipstick something else to stick to.  Light layers of multiple products is the key!  Don't want to use a colored lip liner?  No problem!  Mary Kay makes a clear lip liner so you can get the benefits of a liner without additional color!  Booya!

5. Apply your lipstick!

As I mentioned above, you kind find these types of products in most stores but if you don't want to get stuck with something you don't love, how about trying some Mary Kay?  If you don't already have a consultant, I'd love to be yours!  No matter where you are in the U.S. I can help!  I ship products and stay in touch with customers in multiple states and I'd love to help you too.

Please take a moment to register on my website so I can keep in contact with you!  If you're interested in purchasing the products I've mentioned today (at no risk to you because of our guarantee) please click the links above an order through my Mary Kay website!  (You can also contact me if you have additional questions)

**SPECIAL DEAL** Use coupon code "NEW15" to receive 15% OFF your first order with me! (enter this in the "customer comments" portion during checkout)

Smooches y'all!  Hope my tips have helped!

be bold!

Yesterday was a super casual day.  It was Chris' day off and after a morning and early afternoon of just hanging out, we decided to venture out to a favorite shop and browse around.  I didn't want to get "all made up" but I wanted a simple, quick pop of color with my eye makeup.  I've been loving to the BOLD COLOR of Mary Kay at Play's Bold Fluid Eyeliner. 

 Of course I'm partial to the purple, with my green eyes and all, but I really love every color.  It's super fun to mix and match them also!  My favorite is blending the colors to create an ombre effect!  Check out these helpful You Tube tutorials from Mary Kay!  Ombre, cat eye & basic looks are highlighted! 

Ready to try it for yourself? If you already have a Mary Kay beauty consultant, please contact her to try!  If you don't, guess what?  Now you do!  I'd love to work with you and be your FREE beauty consultant!  There are SO many perks to having a personal makeup consultant and I'd love to tell you about it! 

Shop these eyeliners and more on my WEBSITE.  Plus, you can contact me for free samples, beauty advice, makeup services and free product!  Just register on my website as a new customer! 

#MayFlowersGIVEAWAY

Happy May!! I am so excited to be participating in an amazing GIVEAWAY hosted by my great friend Kelly aka Mrs. Toes!! 

 Head on over to my instagram {@texas_sass} to enter the contest! AND be sure to check out Kelly's blog Mrs. Toes for additional entry opportunities!!

 Good luck y'all!

Friday Favorites

These two products have been selling like crazy in the past two weeks! I can barely keep them stocked in my store! Everyone that is trying them is LOVING them!

Get on-trend with Mary Kay CC Cream and the hottest lip color for Spring 2014, Coral!

Have you tried them yet? Contact me for your complimentary makeover! Happy Friday and Happy Spring y'all!

Mardi gras color

{left to right: Mary Kay Mineral Eye Colors in Emerald, Gold Coast & Iris}

Get in the Mardi Gras spirit with fun, bold eye colors!  These mineral eye colors from Mary Kay have rich pigment and lasting power!  Add in Eye Primer to make the color POP even more and last longer!

Check out these eye colors and much more in my Mary Kay online store!  Remember, all products including color are guaranteed 100% so you never have to worry about trying something new!

One month and counting...

Today marks one month until our wedding! Ah!! I can't believe how quickly it's approaching.  I'm not going to lie, the planning process has been stressful and time-consuming.  It's easy for me and Chris, and I'm sure any couple, to fight in those circumstances.  But Valentine's Day yesterday was a perfect excuse to put all planning aside and just enjoy each other's company.  With the upcoming wedding and everything going on, we decided to stay on a budget and have a date night, but not splurge on gifts.  I did buy him a card and he bought me two bouquets of gorgeous flowers.

I surprised Chris with homemade peanut butter cookies, Prosecco on ice and a cute table setting.

Maybe it looked kinda cheesy, maybe not... I guess that depends on your outlook :-)  I loved it though.  {heart champagne flutes, red & pink heart shapes table scatter, napkins and paper plates all from Dollar Tree}  I experimented with the cookies and decided to try to make them heart-shaped.  The first batch wasn't quite right; They didn't look horrible but they also didn't look enough like hearts.

One the second batch, I formed the dough into a more drastic V-shape.

They turned out much better! ...actually, I think they turned out adorable!  It took a couple extra minutes but it was worth it.

After popping some bubbly and toasting to love, we headed out to dinner.  We're blessed to live in downtown Fort Worth and so we decided to walk.  It was a tad chilly, but thankfully the weather the last few days has been quite nice!  When we were trying to decide earlier that day where to eat, Chris and I had a telepathic moment where we both thought of Thai food at the same time.  He texted me while at work and suggested it and I thought Wow we're exactly on the same page.

If you haven't tried TIE in downtown, it's phenomenal.  This was only my second time eating Thai food; both experiences were at Tie.  I fell in love on our first visit.  It's delicious and it's affordable... and the restaurant is currently BYOB.  Not to mention the friendly staff and relaxed atmosphere.  You wouldn't think it could get any better, but it does... the music playlist.  I'm not sure if it's an XM radio station or what but it's straight up 90s jams and it takes me back to my childhood!  We brought along a few Shiners and enjoyed a fabulous meal for less than $30 before tip.

We thought about going bowling, but after calling the Lucky Strike and discovering they had a two and a half hour lane wait, we opted for something else.  Since we were already roaming downtown on foot, we headed a few blocks over to one of our favorite bars, Paddy Reds.  We ordered a few Shiners (since we had to store our leftover byob beers with the bartender) and played a couple of games of darts.

I think one of the things Chris loves about me is the fact that I love to dress cute and sassy, but I'm still one of those girls that is perfectly happy drinking a few beers and relaxing at the pub.  I was feeling a little Blair Waldorf compared to the other bar patrons {ha!} but that didn't stop me from loving this outfit!!

{pink lips: Mary Kay @Play Lip Crayon in Perfect Pink + Mary Kay NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss in Icicle // Earrings: Kate Spade // Necklace: Chloe + Isabel}

{Booties: Isaac Mizrahi (old) similar // Wristlet: Coach}

{Heart blouse: LC Lauren Conrad // Skirt: Proenza Schouler}

The night was perfectly us.  I loved it and I love him.  Hope you had a lovely Valentine's Day too.  One month and counting... I can't wait!