Skincare Routine.

Day 2 of my beauty care mini series!
Sorry I've been more sporadic with my postings.
The internet has been spotty and I've been working off and on the past 2 weeks.


When I was younger and started having acne, I used the Velocity skincare line from Mary Kay.
Then I became lazy and didn't really have any breakouts.
My face started getting real sensitive and I started to notice that every time I washed my face, it would break out! So no face washing=no breakouts.

I have combination skin (oily t-zone, dry everywhere else) and sensitive skin.

But recently, my face has been really brutal to me and won't quit having breakouts, so I've gone back to washing my face twice a day (when I wake up and before I go to bed). 

I use a facial cleanser and then use an astringent in the evenings (unless it starts drying my face out too much, then I don't use it). I have a facial moisturizer with salicylic acid acne medication in it, so I'll use that when I don't use the astringent. Otherwise, I'll just use my Jergen's body lotion to moisturize my face.

 Off-brand Wal-Mart version of Clearsol Daily Facial Cleanser to wash my face. 

Equate Deep Cleansing Sensitive Skin Astringent

Equate Dual Power Moisturizer.

I'm wanting to switch skincare routines because I need something that works a little bit better without being too harsh on my face. If you use something that works for you, please let me know!

Beauty Care Routine.

Everyone from blogs to YouTube posts something about their beauty care regime.
So, I figured I would do the same!
I plan to do a 3 day mini-series.
Today will be the make-up products I use.
Day 2 will be my skin care routine.
Day 3 will be how I apply my make-up.


I have been trying to find the right make-up combination since, oh, high school.
It's basically been trial by error. Things got a bit more difficult when my skin decided to turn on me and become super sensitive (that's been a fun experience...not).
I've mostly stuck with Covergirl products, but I've recently branched out to Maybelline, Neutregena (for concealer), and Hard Candy.
I was always under the impression that you had to use everything from only one brand (don't know why...), especially since I have such sensitive skin.
Thank goodness for fashion magazines, Pinterest, and YouTube videos to steer me in the right direction!

Without further ado, the beauty products I use.

Concealer and Highlighter.

Covergirl concealer: used for flare-ups and red spots.

Neutrogena Eye Concealer/Highlighter: used for under eye and t-zone for highlighting.

 

Maybelline FIT 220 liquid foundation and powder foundation.

 Maybelline Mega Plush Volume in Black mascara.

Hard Candy Shadow Dancer in Head to Toe liquid to powder eye shawdow.

Hard Candy Stroke of Gorgeous Marker in Fudge eyeliner.

Baby Lips Electro Lip Balm in Pink Shock.
Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie.
Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm in Melon Mania.

Elf Powder Brush.

Elf Blush Brush.

If you have any questions or would like to know where I got those cosmetics, just comment below!

Summer Goal #2

This may seem like a silly goal, but if you knew me, you'd understand.
My second goal this summer was to finally set up my room at the house I've been living in. For the past 6 months...
I'm the ULTIMATE procrastinator on most everything, especially things that don't really need to be done, but would be nice if they were done.
I don't know why it took me 6 whole months to do it, but it did.

I didn't really feel at home while I've been living here.
I thought it was because of my two roommates that previously lived here.
But I still felt that way when they moved out in May.
Then I had two new roommates move in and they were setting up their rooms and I thought "Wow, their rooms are so homey. I wish mine was too."
Uh DUH Antasia, your room can be homey too!

I have all my decorations from my old house and used those.
I also have two chairs, a desk chair, a tv, and tv stand that I was able to throw into the mix.
So, my room went from looking like this...

 

To this!

Can you sense a theme going on here? haha. I sold the desk to one of my friend's roommates. I'm debating on whether or not to buy a new one.
One of my roommates suggested I go to Goodwill or someplace similar and find furniture to refurbish.

I've always wanted to refurbish a piece of furniture. I've seen tons of really cute ideas on Pinterest, but I'm nervous to buy all the supplies to just have it be an epic fail. I'm up for suggestions and would love to hear any projects that you have completed (or even bombed).

Unique Boutique.

For all you people that live in Searcy, Arkansas, you HAVE to stop by where I work!
It's called Unique Boutique. It's on Race street right in front of Harding, beside the Family Dollar.
Unique Boutique is a higher end consignment shop.
I LOVE working there! My boss is amazing and I love the environment of a small boutique.
I have found some great steals that have really added to my wardrobe.
So if you live in Searcy, stop on by! We always have sales going on, as well as GREAT prices for name brand or designer apparel and accessories!
If you don't live in Searcy, find your local consignment shop and support your local businesses.

Sperry's $24.99

New shirts! Between $7.99-$11.99 each

Liz Claiborne blouse $13.99

Pinterest: Beauty recipe.

I finally decided to try something I saw on Pinterest!
Even better, it was a beauty recipe. For a black head remover.
Lately, I've been breaking out like crazy on my face and so I've been trying everything I can to clear my face!
So, I used this egg white recipe. I also added lemon juice and baking soda to it because I saw it on other black head remover recipes as well.

1)Separate the egg whites from the yolk into separate bowls.
2)Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of baking soda to the egg whites.
3)Apply the mixture to your face
4)Put toilet paper all over your face and basically paper mache your face.
5)Leave on for an hour or so.
6)Peel off the mask and wash your face with your typical facial cleanser.

Sorry about the super ugly close up!
My aunt said I looked like a burn victim in the last picture haha. 
P.S. I made the mistake of using my astringent after I did the face mask. DO NOT DO THIS!! It dried my skin out so much and now I'm having to moisturize excessively and the so now the mask was probably pointless since I'm clogging my pores with lotion. So, moral of the story, don't be stupid like me haha.

6 Things You Should Know...

I follow a blog called Life in Technicolor. It's written by this sweet Mormon gal named Gracie. If you look at her blog, you'll see that mine is very similar to hers. Her blog actually gave me such wonderful inspiration for the format, as well as to blog!

She had this questionnaire on her blog that I would like to do as well. She tagged other bloggers to do as well, but I don't really follow enough blogs to do that. But if you're reading my blog and would like to fill out this questionnaire, please do! Leave a comment below with the link to your blog and I'll check it out. =)


1) Favorite song of the week.
My favorite song this week is Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars.
I love this song SO much. I made sure not to be a silly cliche of a girl and connect it to some boy. This song helped me get through pledge week when I was a freshman. I would listen to it every morning on repeat. It was like a mini pep talk in music form. It got me through that CRAZY week and every time I listen to that song, it reminds me of that week and all the memories I formed with such a wonderful group of girls. Plus, it makes me feel happy when I'm feeling down.

2)Why do you blog? What makes you stick with it?
I have always been a writer. I love to write about my feelings or on topics given to me by teachers in class. It gives me a rush. I love to write about things that are important to me. I hope that my words will positively affect anyone who reads them, like I've been positively affected by words I've read from others. What better way to do that than with a blog? I have had this blog for a year now and haven't really stuck with being consistent about updating it. But, this summer, I have A LOT of spare time to write. Plus, I figured out the nifty schedule button that let's me post things later on in the week. So when I have a lot of time to kill or am on a writing kick, I can pop out a couple blog posts and space them out.

3)What's your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure is watching tv or movies when it's perfectly sunny outside. I don't know what it is that makes me choose watching something I can record (and most of the time, it has been previously recorded) when I can go outside and enjoy God's creation. But I do and it's my guilty pleasure. I've gotten hooked on to a lot of tv shows or have rewatched tv shows that have gone off air. Check out all the ones I watch!
One Tree Hill, Grey's Anatomy, Pretty Little Liars, The Big Bang Theory, Mistresses, Gilmore Girls, Chicago Fire, Tia and Tamera, and XOX Betsey Johnson.

4)What's the one beauty product you can't live without?
I would have to say my Baby Lips chapstick. My good friend, Rebekah, got me hooked on to it this past school year. Needless to say, I'm now addicted and can't go anywhere without it. It's a great moisturizer, has SPF (always a plus!), and each shade has a slight tint to it!

5)Where do you see yourself/your life in 5 years from now?
Oh, I love this question. I've been asked some form of it since high school. Until recently, I had always given the fluff answer "married, with kids, have a great job". Not saying I don't want those things, because trust me, I do! But, most of all, I want to be happy. Happy with my life (both the physical and spiritual side), my job, my future husband and children, everything. I hear so many people say these days that "Oh, I wish I had done this or that" or "I will be happy once I reach this point or goal in my life". Experience has taught me that you need to cherish every moment God gives you and be happy with what you have. Like my baby sister used to always say "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit".

6)What's something about yourself that your readers don't know? (a fact about you, a goal, an embarrassing moment, anything!)
Most of my friends and family will tell you that I am an open book. I truly am. I try not to hide things from anyone and I'm ok with talking about most things that people don't typically talk about. It has gotten me into trouble sometimes, but I've learned when and where to say things  (and definitely where not to!). But something some people may find shocking is that I'm very vulnerable and sensitive. I get my feelings hurt at the drop of a hat. It's something I've struggled with all of my life. I've learned to build walls, be confrontational, and use sarcasm as a vice. Close friends have caught on to that and kudos to those individuals. Even though I'm an open book, it's still really hard for me to truly be open and honest to people because of trust issues that I have.



Now it's your turn to answer questions! Pick 6 questions from below and post them on your blog! =)

Pick 6 of the following questions:

1) Who is your role model? Real or fictional. Explain!

2) What (or who) motives you? (It's different from question 1, promise.)

3) Mac or PC?

4) You get an all-expense paid trip to anywhere in the world. Where would it be and why?

5) What is your greatest accomplishment (or failure)

6) What's your guilty pleasure?

7) What's something about yourself that your readers don't know? (a fact about you, a goal, an embarrassing moment, anything!)

8) Favorite place to unwind. =)

How to stay in touch.

I don't know if I've mentioned before this, but my parents' are missionaries in China.
It's a 15 hour time difference between Arkansas and Shanghai, China.
It's been hard, to say the least, to have my parents' so far away. Especially since I only get to see them once a year now.
They're hopefully flying to Arkansas in August for several days, but that will be the first time I've seen my dad in a whole year (not even being dramatic) and 7 months since I've seen my mom.
I plan on going to Greece next summer on a study abroad program, so it'll probably be 2 years before I see them next (after their visit in August).

We Skype a bunch. That's something that wasn't really around the first time we were in China, so I'm glad technology has made something like Skype so that I can see my parents'.

Skype has been an absolute godsend.
Back in December, my great-grandmother suffered a stroke and was placed in hospice. I was able to take my finals early and arrive back home the night before she passed away.
Because of Skype, I was able to video chat my parents' who were in China and weren't able to be there in person.
Even though my great-grandma was unconscious at that point, my mom was able to say her good-byes to her grandmother (and my dad as well) over Skype.
My grandmother, her brother and sister, and I were all in the room the entire night.
We were all so tired and wanted some rest, so we placed my laptop by my great-grandmother's bed and my mom (and my dad for a bit) stayed up all night to make sure my great-grandmother was still breathing.
If and when she passed on, my mom was instructed to holler and make as much noise as possible to wake the rest of us up. Luckily, she didn't have to do that.
My great-grandma passed away around 9am the next day and my mom was able to be there for that tragic time.

Most recently, my uncle Chad and his beautiful fiance (now wife and my aunt!) got married.
I wasn't able to be there for it, but my dad was able to Skype me in and see their beautiful wedding!
Needless to say, Skype is amazing.
 
My aunt and I came up with a great idea to watch movie's together on Netflix!
We decided one day to have a movie marathon!
My aunt Rhonda lives in Washington state and I'm here in Arkansas.
I had been talking about how amazing The Great Gatsby was (with the beautiful Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby), so we decided to watch the 1974 version of The Great Gatsby with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow.
P.S. The storyline and script were basically the same, aside from better cinematography in the 2013 version.
It was a little off, but it was impossible to start it at the same exact time.
We texted throughout the whole movie about the movie and it was great!
No one yelling at us for talking during the movie or anything like that!
After that, we watched my all-time favorite movie, Breakfast At Tiffany's with the stunning Audrey Hepburn.

I was also able to watch a movie with my mom in China and my sister, Courtny, in Washington state.
We watched Elizabethtown (Great movie. DEFINITELY recommend it!). It's one of our favorites and I'm glad we were able to do that together even though we're so far apart.

What kinds of things do you do to keep in touch with family and friend's that are far away?

Happy 4th of July!

4th of July.
It means so much and something different to each and every person in America.
Freedom. Death. Celebration. Family.
Bar-b-q. Watermelon. Picnics and blankets.
Fireworks. The National Anthem.

I could sit here for an hour (or longer) and list everything.
Take the time to think about what the 4th of July means to you.
Coming from a family full of veterans, any patriotic day makes me reflect on them and the men and women currently in the military who are fighting, and dying, for our freedom.

The freedom to be able to enjoy a nice picnic with your family and watch the fireworks at night on the 4th of July.

There's nothing more that makes me feel like an American than when I'm at some time of sporting event (i.e. NASCAR yeehaw!) and the National Anthem is sang.
It literally gives me chills and goose bumps.

Even with everything that is going on in this world and our country, we really are the land of the free and the home of the brave.
In Washington, there's not that much patriotism other than the 4th. But after living in the South going on three years now, patriotism is everywhere!
Bumper stickers on cars saying "Support Our Troops" or "My son/daughter is in the _____".
It's so refreshing to see and know that people are appreciative of our troops.
I wasn't alive for it, but I know there was a time where soldiers were absolutely hated for what they did. I'm so glad that the animosity is mostly gone.

So thank a veteran, eat delicious food, and enjoy your family on this wonderful day of the year!

Here's a song that always get's me pumped up to be an American, a poem about a soldier's sacrifice, and tons of pinterest ideas for the 4th of July!


Have a happy 4th of July!

Summer Goal #1...

So, this summer, I am staying in good ol' Searcy, Arkansas.
My parents' live in China and so I don't have a place to go to on breaks.
Luckily, I live in a really nice house off campus and my landlords let me stay here this summer.

I took Management and Organizational Behavior for two weeks in May, had a 10 day break, and then took Math 105 during the month of June.
I have set some goals for myself, so I don't go CRAZY living by myself this summer.

My first goal is to lose weight.
I know that's everyone under the sun's goal, but I really would like to get all this flub off.
When I lived in China, I was 135 pounds and a size 8. Granted, I was 16 and 17 years old during that time, but I feel I can at least get to 140.
I won't reveal my current weight until I lose it all (let's just say it's a really high number).

I've just started implementing good eating habits.
Whenever I go to the grocery store now, I only buy healthy things.
Most of my meals consist of grilled salmon, sometimes grilled chicken, and some time of veggies (sauteed sweet peppers or a salad).
I haven't grown tired of those things yet, but if anyone is reading this and would like to suggest other healthy meals, I would love a variety in my diet! =)

My mother did the Dukan diet (it's the one Princess Kate did before the royal wedding!).
She lost 40 pounds in 3 and a half months.
I would LOVE to lose that much weight, especially in that amount of time.
People have said that's a lot of weight to lose in such a short amount of time.
But she's kept it off for the most part and it's been at least a year and a half. 

Here's a picture of me from back in January (left) and from yesterday (right).

I don't have a scale, so I don't know for sure if I've lost weight, but everyone that I've shown this picture to says that they see the weight loss (although it could just be the quality/way I've styled my hair).

Same blog, different look (& name!)

Hello fellow readers (if I have any that is).
If you've happened across my blog before, you may notice a couple changes.
I decided to give my blog another face lift or "change of clothes" =)
Probably the fashion merchandiser in me. Who knows.

I also changed the name of my blog.
It used to be Another Place To Fall.
It's a song title and I thought it was fitting for the point in my life I was currently at.
But, along with changes to my blog, I'm making changes to my life.
I would like to try and continue blogging as much as possible about daily happenings and whatnot, so I decided a name change would be necessary.

A Beautiful Mess.
It's also the title of a song by Jason Mraz.
A lot of "messes" have been happening lately in my life and it just brings me down.
With not really having anything to do this summer, I've decided to make changes.
I've decided to make an effort to see the beauty in every situation instead of the bad.
I tend to look at all the bad things that happen to me and not really ever reflect on the good things that happen.

So here's to new beginnings!
Until next time,