April 7, 2019
Lip Products You NEED In Your Collection
If you ever need to find me, there's a 99.9% chance I'm looking at lip products somewhere. I am pretty sure I spend way too much on lip products, and yet I'd be lying if I said I didn't already have a 'wishlist' comprised of at least 20 more lip products. If it's natural, a pinky nude, or subtle: then ya girl needs to add it to her collection ASAP.
I am so excited to share my favorite products with you all today, obviously I can't go through each of them or you'd be stuck here on this blog for your entire life. I will be going over a few in depth and will link all my favorites at the bottom of my post for you.
Happy Shopping!! XOXO
1. Sun Bum Chapstick:
Want to smell like a tropical, sunny beach day while you’re in the middle of your boring work day??
This chapstick is for you. Rather you’re actually at the beach or back to your everyday life, your lips will be protected from any damage. You’ll smell amazing, look amazing, and feel amazing.
I truly love these so much I think I might have almost every variation. I just recently picked up their watermelon, and I can't rave about it enough. I swipe it on my lips and it's like an instant vacay vibe.
2. NARS Afterglow Lip Balm in 'Orgasm':
Have you ever been doing your makeup and you reach for a lip color and feel like you ruined the whole look? It’s not bad just disappointing... this will NEVER happen with this balm.
It’s glowy, but not childish and has a subtle “your lips BUT better” look about it.
I find the formula to be creamy and nourishing. The packaging is gorgeous, and with NARS you can always expect to feel like royalty with your purchases. The sleek rose gold design leaves you breathless, I’d say the only disappointment is the amount of product you receive, for $28 one would hope to receive more than .1 oz.
Still the quality is so high, it’s not a deal breaker for me personally.
I fell in love with the gloss the second I put it on. I want to say around four years ago I tried this gloss out for the first time ever per Taylor Morgan's recommendation. This is the perfect gloss because it literally will look gorgeous on anyone, paired with anything, and is the confidence boosting lippie you need when you have to leave the house looking like a small child.
10/10. I have repurchased this three times, and will continue to repurchase when I eventually run out.
(I even keep one in my box at work because who doesn't want to feel like a glowing goddess when filtering customer complaints all day?)
4. Have you ever felt like your lips were lacking the TLC you give to your skin through your skincare routine?
Sure I do the occasional lip scrub and I use lip balm- don't get me wrong but something was missing. Fresh's sugar lip tint, the Laneige lip mask, and Sara Happ Lip Slip were exactly what I was missing.
Sure they're a little pricey- when things like EOS, Carmex, and Burt's Bees are on the market. With them though, you kill two birds with one stone: function (chapped lips) and style (the tint).
What I love about these products are that each of them aren't heavily dyed so you can wear them with a more simple everyday look when running errands (hellllooo concelear and mascara).
Run to your local Sephora or open a new tab on your computer and treat yo self!
April 4, 2019
It's The Climb
Hello, it's me again... trying to string together my many thoughts into readable sentences. This always happens, I have a million ideas on a single subject I really want to write it all out about... and I get overwhelmed and all my ideas drown out each other until all your hear is silence.
The opportunity passes, and I'm left with ideas like "Top 10 Lip Products You Need This Spring" or "My Beauty Bucket List" and I miss the hard stuff. The opportunity to write about what's on my heart instead of what's in my shopping cart.
Well, Not Today Satan... I proudly think to myself as I type... today I am going to be courageous. (LOL, could I be more dramatic? Can you tell I've been listening to Rachel Hollis as I drive back and forth to work via audible? I can practically hear her voice as I think inside my head.)
You aren't supposed to admit this, but I'm often embarrassed of my blog. I'm ashamed I don't have 5,000 followers on instagram, that people aren't asking me what shade of lipstick I have on in my photos. or that I don't have an impressive amount of people knocking down my doors to start a weekly newsletter via email. I see people who I get inspired by and look up to- even hope that I'll reach their level one day... only to see their post of their blog turning one year old. I look at my "EST 2013" and my stats and want to crawl in a hole and stuff my face with Ben and Jerrys. This happens way more than I'd like to admit too- but I want to real and transparent about my struggles.
There are days I feel inadequate because of my social media presence, and as twisted as I know that statement is... that doesn't make it any less true.
The thing is, I'm not my follower count, my Pinterest views, or anyone else. I am me: I love when the sun feels like a hug, chips and guac, and helping others. I am making my worth dependent on someones highlight reel: and while statistics are truth and grounded in fact... they can't limit you. You aren't what a screen tells you that you are. Cheesy as it is, you can honestly be anything you want to be.
I should be proud of LookBrooke, not because of my views or following- but because of my growth. If you got further down, the site now shows you similar posts like the one you're reading. Often they're some of my first posts. The photos are eyesores, they look like they were drawn up from the imagination of a six year old, and they're some of my proudest work to date because I was PASSIONATE. Blogging was fun, it wasn't something I ended up taking myself way too seriously about. I was just being me, and that's all blogging needs to be.
I want you to read this with coffee or wine in hand and feel like we're catching up on each others lives. This isn't about me, my pride, or my insecurities. This is about interests and loving both myself and others enough to be transparent and completely myself.
I know God isn't finished with me yet, and when I hit a new mile marker- I'll one day be cringing at the site of those posts too.
XOXO
March 18, 2019
Loving Lately...
You guys!!! The last time I used this template was back in 2016 (JoJo was Bachelorette!). It's been such a long time since I've shared favorites this way and I had so much fun figuring out what I wanted to share with you this time around. I even have a returning contender: buxom's lip plumper... it's been three years and I still give it all the heart eye emojis.
Thursday night about two hours after I got off from work, I started getting sick, I was even up all night throwing up... we think it was food poisoning... I was so worried I wouldn't be able to get my life together and get up a post for Monday- but I'm so glad I'm currently typing this one up.
There are SO many amazing products on the market right now, to be honest- this list doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of everything that I adore currently but I also don't want to make you sit through a college lecture length of me rambling about things I love (that you will TOO!). So let's start...
BEAUTY
1. Buxom's Full-On Plumping Lip Cream in 'White Russian': Me and my mom are OBSESSED with these. (She prefers 'Hot Toddy'!) I don't think I have found a lipgloss I love as much as these since trying them back in 2016, every other gloss I get tired of. It provides the perfect amount of pigment, gloss, and plump that you honestly don't regret the price tag of $20. I have owned three in my lifetime, they last that long. Basically, one for a single year. So when you look at it that way, how can you say no?
2. Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Finish Skin Perfecting Powder in 'Medium 2': YALL. I wanted a Charlotte Tilbury product for YEARS. I never dreamed I would be able to afford them on my own, I can remember Taylor Morgan sharing about them on instastories and her blog and thinking one day! Now that the day is here, I CAN'T STOP RAVING EITHER. Do yourself a favor, and when your budget allows- splurge on her products! I have never felt more beautiful then when I swipe her powder across my problem areas and see the pores slowly disappear.
3. Sephora's Tatcha- Pore Perfecting Moisturizer and Cleanser Duo: What I really want to rave about is their deep cleanse. It truly ruined every other cleanser for me, and I have had it almost for a year and it's still going strong. YALL- this is the mini size I can't even imagine the FULL. What I love about this product is it's a natural everyday exfoliant that isn't too harsh that it will leave my skin feeling rubbed raw, but will also leave my skin feeling rejuvenated. I love that for only $25, you get to experience a brand as luxurious as Tatcha. Me and my bestie Cristen are literally obsessed...
4. Tarte's 'The Buffer' Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush: I was definitely a sponge girl until I found this brush and to be honest, I rarely reach for a sponge to apply my foundation after owning it. For easy and on the go, you just can't beat a brush- it's true! But this seems to give the same look a beauty blender can achieve. I will never go back!
Life + Style
1. The Amazon Bikini Everyone and Their Dog Is Talking About: If you have an instagram, you've seen this bikini. It is everyones favorite photo-op bikini for summer time, and I'm not ashamed to be lumped into a group with them. This is hands down one of the most flattering bikinis out there, and I don't think it has to do with the fact that it's high-waisted (though let's be honest- it doesn't hurt) I think it's just that freaking cute! It's not an everyday beach suit, but it's really good for occasions. I want a cute suit to wear around my bf''s fam (done)... I want a suit for a girls weekend at the condo (add to cart!)... I want a bikini I'm not ashamed of posting onto social media (THIS IS FOR YOU!). Just be sure to size up one (and if they don't have that size- sizing up two won't completely ruin the suit- that's what I had to do!)
2. Sol De Janeiro's Brazilian Bum Bum Cream: Contrary to what it sounds like, it's not butt cream and it also is pronounced like Boom Boom. I know everyone is talking about this lotion but there's a reason why- it smells HEAVENLY. I have never been a fan of lotions before, I would use them but didn't HAVE to use them if that makes sense. Well, I love this product so much... I literally keep two at all times- one for my bfs house and one for mine!
3. Amazon Traveling Makeup Case: I have to shoutout my girl Taylor, because somehow she always leads me to things I can't possibly live without (like this makeup case)! I had been on the search for a good case for probably my entire life with makeup. I never wanted to spend too much money and I also just never really liked anything I ever settled on. So when she posted this to her story- I immediately grabbed it! Though small, it surprisingly holds SO much- I have my everyday makeup in there (including ALL my options that I switch in between) and to me that's wild... this was like around $20! How is that even possible!? I keep my makeup stash at Ms but if I ever want to wear makeup to work then I need a case for on-the-go and this holds everything I could ever want. Do yourself a favor and grab this before your next trip!
4. Amazon Pink Fluffy Slippers: Do you sense the theme? I got an alexa for Christmas and then finally joined the rest of the world and created an amazon prime account and I AM ALIVE! How did I go this long without ordering things at the drop of a hat? My bank account might hate me, but yall should NOT because I get to share all my GREAT finds! As usual, I found this via Taylor (literally do I ever find anything on my own lol) they are the most comfiest slippers you could ever own in your life! I feel like I'm walking on air and it's because they don't have a solid back to them... it's cushion. So literally going to wear these everywhere, k?
Coveting
1. Laneige's Lip Sleeping Mask: If you follow any youtubers or bloggers than you know this stuff is the ish. I'm totally late to the party but I want to join too! I smelled it in Sephora once and HATED the smell but I think it was just an off batch because literally all my friends rave about it too. Have you tried it?
2. Marc Jacobs Beauty's Velvet Noir Volume Mascara: I have heard nothing but good things about this product and I honestly have it in my Sephora cart and I just need to click check out because I NEED IT. They also have a primer that looks bomb too. (Taylor recommends it too, so ya know I'm sold.)
3. Drunk Elephant's T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum: I have a few of their products and actually LOVE them (even more than Sunday Riley, am I allowed to say that??) their oil is actually how I realized that oils DO work and can be added to your skincare routine. I haven't tried their day or night serum and would love to try either one.
Other
1. Tates Cookies: YALL, how did I never try these until I was 25 years old!? That's 24 years WASTED! I really want to make ice cream sandwiches with them, has anybody tried that?? They are the perfect amount of buttery and crunchy and chocolatey- literally can't get enough. Literally who needs boys when these cookies exist???
2. Mio Energy: I have been trying to not only drink more water but cut down on coffee and lattes, and this stuff is the bomb. They have so many flavors and all it is, is water enhancers and some of them have caffeine in them too which is perfect for me when I go to work! The black cherry has Kool Aid vibes (!!!)
3. Apps I've Been Loving:
-Tone It Up: This app has changed the way I view exercise. I love spending 30 mins daily choosing a workout that fits MY problem areas, insecurities, or lifestyle. They also have SO much variety within their variety (things like boxing, arms, full circuits, hiit, yoga, and more!) I've already seen an improvement in not only my body but my self confidence too!
-Shopkick: I won't go into too much detail because I have a previous post that explains it in full length but this app is the reason I've gotten $100+ worth of Sephora completely FREE (!!!). If you love to window shop... or live somewhere where there isn't a lot to do then you NEED this app!
So what are some of your favorites lately, Lord knows I'm already creating a shopping list in my head lol.... leave some recommendations below!
March 11, 2019
Stop Taking It So Personally
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| |Thread & Supply Jacket|Aerie Leggings (with pockets!)| |
"'Cause when you feel attacked that's a feeling, not a fact"
If you've been around for a while then you know I'm a musical theatre junkie. That particular quote above is a line from Mean Girls on Broadway. I can remember hearing the song for the first time and thinking wow now that's a game changer! It goes hand in hand with my new mindset I've been working on all of 2019...
You can't take others reactions to you personally, they are not facts. It's someone latching on to something in the moment, instead of actually facing what the actual problem is.
Gosh! That is so much easier said than done, right? I feel like it's an on going battle with me, you feel confident, that no one can tear you down- Brooke (that girl) knows what she's doing! Then a customer starts making comments about the way you FOAM A LATTE and you feel inferior, confused, and crushed. I just let someones opinion of foam, make me think I was less than. The worst part is we can sit here reading that statements and in unison all agree that I was insane for letting that simple action have that kind of affect on me. But if we reach deep down, we know that we've all let similar situations make us feel inferior.
We go around acting like that stops in high school, but some of us will always be drama queens deep down. We let people's opinions run the show and dictate who we are. And y'all, that has got to STOP. No wonder we're all driving each other mad!
I had an epiphany around Christmas time, I was dealing with a situation that escalated and ended up with someone video taping me. You know those viral videos where someone makes a worker seem like a complete and total A. All I was doing was sticking to my job and the set rules laid out for me. I wasn't rude, I didn't want to make anyone feel less than, and I certainly wouldn't want to negatively impact someones day. They flipped the script, and wanted to make me out as a monster. They left, and I sobbed uncontrollably. I couldn't stop shaking, and I was honestly confused. I tried to act brave, but for a solid month I worried I would have to deal with nasty comments on the internet that I just wasn't ready for.
It was in that moment that I realized, I was taking this way too personally, and I'm sorry but so were they. If you are told that light ice does not equal more product... that is not a personal attack. If someone is videoing you for absolutely no reason just to fit their narrative... that is not a personal attack. When someone calls you an idiot for carding them... that is not a person attack. When someone questions rather you have college education under your belt because you don't know their specific cigarette subcategory... believe it or not, that is not a personal attack.
I'm not saying that we should go around and emotionally vomit all our frustrations onto each other. I do not excuse or dismiss their behaviors one bit, but I can't get hung up on them and take them personally. Someone's reactions to something, often times says a lot more about them than it does about your abilities. (In an act of complete transparency, it says a lot about me when I let someone's opinion of foam dictate how I want to treat someone.)
We have got to stop letting others negativity belittle or define us. It has got to stop! Even if you aren't a believer like me, and don't think that our identity can only be determined and found through Jesus...
then you have to know that your ability and identity is NOT determined by other thoughts and it's not even our own thoughts and measure of our own self-worth! We have got to stop being such easily offended creators and start taking things with a grain of SALT.
I know it's not easy. I know sometimes you want to cry yourself to sleep secretly. I know that in the moment it feels like an attack and a fact. I know when your mind gets to settle, it keeps you up at night occasionally. I know, it's easier said than done.
BUT, I also...
know that you aren't alone. I know that my door is always open. I know that every single person feels like someones opinion is a fact. I know that we will wrestle with these truths daily, 'til we die.
And I say, bring it on. I'm ready to be better, stronger, and more resilient than who I was.
March 4, 2019
It's All A Balancing Act
Lately, I've felt uninspired to write anything worth while. I wanted to get back to the roots of why I created LookBrooke... to write out what God was teaching me day by day. Don't get me wrong I'm a self proclaimed beauty lover, but there's only so many beauty favs posts I can write out before it feels like fluff.
I recently got promoted in my job, and now deal with customers in a more hands-on manner than before (though if you've worked retail- then you know customers are people you must deal with no matter the title.) I almost feel like it's helped me be a better human being all around.
It all comes down to a balancing act. One I'm constantly perfecting day to day. Some days are easier than others, the scales just naturally lean towards the right way. Some days though, I have an overwhelming need to cry out to Jesus from frustration. The battle between pride, guilt, love, and appreciation. It's the line between caring for your work but making sure that sense of pride isn't shadowing your love for others. Same can be reversed too, and that your love for others isn't jeopardizing the work. That's when my scale just falls completely over and crash bang ow! it's on the floor and we're back to ground zero.
This all applies to life too, I strive to my live life with arms wide open and my heart eager to pour into others. I'm still learning and striving to get it somewhat perfected. Having pride in not only my work but my response to others, as well.
So let's raise our coffee, wine, beer, or mimosa high in the air and balance our scales. Cheers to another perfectly imperfect learning curve of a day! *weee*
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