I was looking back at some photos from a few years ago (a couple I'm sharing here now), and one thing that stood out most to me was that I was wearing makeup. That may seem like an odd thing to say, but I used to wear it all the time.

Look! Makeup!

 Another thing you may not know about me is I was all set to go to school in NYC for make up artistry and then I was in a pretty bad car accident. It put that plan on hold pretty indefinitely.


At the time I wasn't about to let my injuries kill my dreams, so I self taught myself. I spent several hours a day watching tutorials, reading books, and practicing techniques.


From there I learned, I applied myself, and I felt successful. Then life changed. I moved. I went through some hard stuff and makeup just wasn't a priority. Once a passion, became a chore.


I left life come between me and my passion. I let toxic relationships suck the life out of me until I broke. I put aside my needs for others. I landed in a dark place where my passions not longer mattered.

That's NEVER okay.

I needed a reminder. I needed something to tell me that I'm allowed to have th ose passions back. I started to unload the toxic. I started to remind myself that I'm a beautiful, strong woman who deserves happiness.


Lately I've started to reach for those makeup brushes again. There are photos of me wearing makeup.

I smile when I see myself in the mirror again. I look alive and happy. Letting go of all that built up stress from others has given me back something I love.

Me over the weekend in makeup!

You can do this too. Just let it go and let those passions back in now. You deserve that smile.

Normally I would not post a skin routine on here, but I really am in love with what I've been using lately! My skin is pretty stubborn, okay A LOT stubborn and it gets angry at me when I try new things most of the time. It never follows the rules. For example. everyone says Cetaphil is really good for sensitive skin and is really gentle and all that jazz. My skin HATES it. It breaks out and gets all red. (No bad blood Cetaphil, I'm sure you're great and live up to all the hype for all other skin.) My skin has issues. Nuff said.

A few weeks ago I was able to visit a Lush while I was out of town. I love Lush, but I don't have any local so I don't buy as often as I'd like. I had lots of time to spare so I sat down and had a demonstration with all these amazing products for the face. Lets just say I fell in love with A LOT of products. It was tough to make a decision on what to bring home with me, but I had to be reasonable and bought the ones that would really help my skin out.



First up is Herbalism. This stuff is AH-MAZ-ING. It is a clay based face and body cleanser. It has little bits of almond to help exfoliate the skin. I use this every night before I go to bed. It leaves my skin feeling smooth and squeaky clean! I recommend only using this once a day a night if you have sensitive skin like I do. Once at night seems to do the trick!

Good ol green Herbalism!

After using Herbalism I spritz my face with Tea Tree Water. My skin drinks this stuff right up. I use a cotton round to remove any excess which also gets rid of any leftover residue from the cleanser. In the mornings I do no cleanse my face with the Herbalism again, so I just spritz on the Tea Tree Water and use that as my cleanser. My skin was clean when I went to bed so all I need is to remove any residue that may have gotten on my skin while sleeping.

Tea Tree Water!

The last item I purchased and am in love with is Cupcake! This stuff smells like a minty chocolate cupcake. It is a thick brown mask that helps repair the skin and calms it. Like I mentioned up there, my skin is kind of a jerk. It flares up for any reason. I use this mask once a week and it has been keeping my skin happy. This stuff also needs to stay in the fridge because it is perishable.

Yummy Cupcake!

Lush has some pretty amazing products, and their holiday products are coming out soon! I always love to buy their holiday stuff for gifts. They come all gift wrapped and ready to roll. Some of the cleaners and masks come in little tubs that aren't normal recyclables so they ask that you bring them back for them to dispose of. For every 5 you bring back, you get a free mask! Pretty amazing deal! I love how eco-friendly they are and they never test on animals. Check them out if you get the chance cause again- LOVE!

This is not a sponsored post. I just simply love their products and decided to do a short review.

Do you shop at Lush? What are your favorite products? If you don't use Lush, what other brands do you use that are eco-friendly?

Happy Monday beautiful people! I am really excited for today's post. I am joining an amazing link-up hosted by Kate over at The "Florkens", Nicole over at Treasure Tromp, and Jackie over at Jade & Oak. These ladies are encouraging everyone to feel beautiful in their own skin by not trying so hard. The point of this link-up is to take off all the makeup, let your hair down, and just feel beautiful with what God gave you. This is such an important thing we all seem to forget. We all get so wrapped up in trying to have the perfect everything these days, we forget to love ourselves and our lives as they are.




Today I am posting a photo of myself with no makeup on and my hair is just so. I look at this photo and instantly see all of my flaws (Of course, this is what society has taught us right?). I also notice how much I love my eyes. They are blue, but will mimic other colors and sometimes look grey. When I play them up with makeup they are a bright blue that shine. They are my favorite feature and they make me feel beautiful.

I hope you will all share a picture and show your beauty! It is so empowering to show off your natural beauty to the world. Make it a great Monday everyone!

I was watching some YouTube videos last night when I realized how much I trade in my tv watching for YouTube surfing these days. You really can find ANYTHING on there. When I say everything I mean it. YouTubers make me laugh. They show me how to do things. They educate me. They entertain me. They make me feel like I can do anything. So where am I going with this, you ask? It got me thinking about how these people are getting in front of a camera every week and showing you their world. They are brave and get treated all sorts of ways just by putting themselves out there everyday.

It got me looking through my subscription list. I don't have a ton but the ones I do have, I have been watching for years. Some of these people have been doing this for so long, its like a favorite TV show. You can't get enough and hope it never gets cancelled, so to speak. I noticed a majority of my subscription's are beauty related. These ladies helped me learn how to use and put on makeup. A lot of them younger than I have really grown up on these channels. Some have families now, major beauty careers, or even their own brand lines. They do it all and they choose to show you. This is awesome to me because I don't have the guts to do that. This blog is it for me. My world in words, but probably never in videos.

I felt this was a good time to introduce you all to my favorite YouTubers. These are the faces I enjoy watching when I need a break from the world. I pull up these channels and watch as I am working on my blog, or working on something else that is keeping me glued to my computer for the evening.

• XSparkage: Leesha was probably the first channel I subscribed to. She always had bright fun makeup tutorials that kept me coming back for more! 
• Leesha Vlogs: Leesha now only does great beauty tutorials, she also vlogs! She is about to become a mommy so head on over and watch her adventures to parenthood. 
• Elle Fowler: Elle has been at this awhile and she has really done a lot for herself. Between her and her sister, they have their own brands. I love watching Elle because she is always changing it up.
• Its Judy's Life: Judy has a great vlog. She and her hubby Benji really bring you life unedited with their toddler and new baby twin girls! Lots of fun there! Be sure to check her out! (She also has a beauty channel but I prefer her vlog :)
•  Jenna Marbles: Ok anyone who needs a laugh, check out Jenna. She is funny and crude, but hey I like it!
• Ray William Johnson: I don't know what it is about this channel but I am always laughing with all the random finds around youtube! Check it out for a big laugh!

So there you have it. My favorite youtube channels to watch when there ain't $h!t on the TV! Do you all have any favorite channels you watch? I am always looking for something new to keep me interested so pass along those links! Or do you yourself have a channel? Post the link!

Happy Hump Day!!

It's that time again! I am going to feature a blog post from my previous blog as a #tbt. Last week I featured a blog writing inspiration post, which you can recap here. This week I want to feature a post about why I attend events. They are so much fun, especially if they are free. This one happened to be free and had a lot of fun goodies!

Does anyone else just love the heck out of Influenster like I do? I have been a member with them just about 18 months and have been invited to try some pretty awesome products. This month I was invited into the GoVoxBox which included some awesome products geared towards what I would call an active lifestyle. This made me super happy due to the fact that I am premiering a new series on Friday which is going to be geared towards a healthier lifestyle on a budget.

Before I get into the goodies I wanted to talk a little about what Influenster is and why you want to join! As stated on the website, Influenster is a community of trendsetters, social media masterminds, and educated consumers who live to give opinions of products and experiences. So basically this a cool place to share your reviews on products and influence others to try new things. The more you influence the more opportunities you get to try out new products that come via a VoxBox.



Now for the goodies. My VoxBox included 7 full size products. Also included were 2 coupons. Looking into the box I was super excited at what I had to sample.

1. The Vitamin Shoppe Next Step Jaxx Shaker Cup- This really made me happy to see. It was a cute cup that has a giant "jaxx" that helps to keep your shake or smoothies mixed. Shake it up and you have a smooth beverage. Get it here! Price: $7.99 US
2. Next Step Fit and Full Shake Packs- I was provided with 3 different flavors to try with the shaker cup. They included Swiss Chocoale, French Vanilla, and Fresh Berries. Get it here! Price for 3 is: $4.02 US
3. Playtex Sport Fresh Balance Tampons - I always love to try new feminine products. I am working on leading a healthier lifestyle so I am excited to try these in my healthy adventures. Price: $10.49 for 32.
4. Blue Diamond Blueberry Almonds - Love me some almonds! I was so excited to see these in the box! I am a huge lover of almonds and new flavors always get me excited. These packets are great for on the go convenience for a quick healthy snack. Price: $1.12 US
5. ProFoot Pedi-Rock - This looks like it is going to by my best friend during the summer months. I don't know about you but my feet get destroyed from wearing flip flops. This is a soft rock that smooths out all of the calluses and dry patches on your feet. Happy feet ahead! Get it here! Price: $9.99 US
6. ProFoot Triad Orthotic - These inserts are supposed to relieve knee, leg, and back pain. I am excited to try these on a hike. My feet will thank me I'm sure! Get it here! Price: $9.99 US
7. Aqua Spa Relax Body Creme: This smells so good. It is lavender and chamomile. This formula is supposed to leave your skin feeling silky smooth while having a calming effect. It includes Marine Youth Complex which diminishes signs of aging. This stuff is pretty awesome! Get it here! Price: $9.99 US

There are some wonderful products here that I cannot wait to try out! All of the products included came out to $43.60. That's pretty sweet! I can't say it enough. I LOVE this program! Please check it out if you are interested in trying new things and sharing it with the world. I am gonna go and tinker with all of the products! Have a wonderful Wednesday and stay tuned for my Friday premiere!

Click to find out more!

I was going through all of my beauty supplies last night, trying to weed out everything that's either expired or I never use (There is A LOT..trust me!). I still shock myself on how much I collect and never even open. It really is an addiction. Do they offer meetings for that?
 "Hi, My name is Trish, and I am a beauty product-aholic."
Or maybe there is a reality show out there for me. Something along the lines of:
"Hoarders: Beauty Products Edition." Casting for this? Call me!



Having an addiction of this interest can get quite pricey. I really have slowed down over the past year, then I started signing up for things and more stuff just kept on coming!

I had 2 reasons for my mission last night. And trust me, going through my makeup alone is enough to make me want to pull out my hair.

# 1. I needed to make some room for some of my new products that I really am using these days. I felt it was only fair they have a home other than sitting on my bathroom sink.

#2 Picking out the perfect trial sized products for my upcoming trip. More on that coming up next week ;)

I got everything in some form or organization and finally had room to add some new things. A few weeks ago I was sent a new skincare regimen from Yves Rocher to review for them.


They sent me over the Sebo Vegetal collection for combination to oily skin. I was sent:

• Step 1: Cleanse: Purifying Cleansing Gel
• Step 2: Tone: Purifying Micellar Water 2 in 1
• Step 3: Hydrate and Mattify: Zero Blemish Gel Cream

My skin is a hot mess lately. It has nothing to do with the products as it was a hot mess prior to their arrival. I have been using the products for a few weeks now and have noticed it does do wonders for my scaly dry skin in the morning that than normally morphs into a shine-tastic afternoon. It has been keeping my bipolar skin at bay without over irritating my already broken out face.

I really do like these products and will most likely repurchase once these run out. They do make my skin feel really nice and I have experienced zero irritation or added breakouts. The products are paraben free (Yay!) as well as mineral oil free (Whatever that means. But I'm sure its bad for you!). They are also priced decently and the best part when it comes to cost is these products go a long way! Yay less buying, more usage!