Your Questions Answered! A Fun Q&A
I Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season! I am wrapping up the year with a few fun posts, and first up on this list is a fun Q&A! I asked you all on Instagram Stories to submit your questions, so I am here to answer as many as I can! There were a lot of similar questions, and I also condensed a few.
I had a lot of fun answering these questions, and I hope you enjoy reading it!
Your Questions Answered! A Fun Q&A
Blogging
How did you start blogging? I started my blog in 2009 after I got married as a way to journal and keep up with family and stuff. My best friend Katie told me I should do it and then I did. Haha! It sort of just evolved as I did. If you want to hear more about my blog journey, be sure to check out my “I Quit My Day Job” post/video.
How do you keep up on the latest trends in social media? I do my best to research and constantly learn. I am one of those people who takes my blog very seriously and I want to know how to do everything that will best help me succeed. I’ve taught myself photography, Photoshop, Lightroom, Final Cut Pro, HTML/CSS and more. I also research and implement strategies for social media (namely Pinterest and Instagram) constantly so I am staying on top of it. My thought is that if you want to succeed in something, you should be able to do it all yourself. Now, we all don’t have the time to do everything ourselves (in fact, I’m going to hire an intern in 2018 – more on that soon), and sometimes we need to hire out.
How have you been doing since you decided to resign your teaching job and blog full-time? Things have been going really well! I am really proud of my year this year, especially with my income. I did write a life update blog post where I go into more detail about how the transition has been if you’d like to read more!
How much do you make as a beauty guru? Let’s just say – I make a full-time income. My CPA told me to say that. (By the way, my CPA is my husband, haha!)
Do you have to travel a lot to be a successful blogger to keep up with trends? I travel a lot for personal reasons, but not to further my career in blogging. The best thing about blogging is that you can live anywhere in the world.
Makeup
Do you have any “at the moment” makeup suggestions? At the moment, I am really loving the collection (everything besides the setting powder). All of the lip products and the eyeshadow quads are just beautiful!
What kind of waterproof mascara do you think is the best? I cannot quit L’Oreal Lash Paradise, both in the regular and waterproof version! My favorite mascara find of the entire year!
How do I get my foundation not to cake? The best way for your foundation to stay put and not cake is to use a primer, make sure to set it with a powder, and use setting spray. Another big thing is understanding your skin type and choosing a foundation formula that works well with it. For example, I am normal to oily and I prefer foundations that have a matte or satin finish. Dewy foundations tend to cake up and slip off my face. I really think a foundation routine video should be in the works!
How do you keep your makeup under your eyes from making it look like you are wrinkly? I have a hard time with that! A few years back I did a “How to Cover Dark Circles Under Eyes” blog post and video. Making sure to follow the steps in that will really help with that issue. I also highly suggest applying an eye cream and letting it soak in about 5 minutes before applying makeup. Staying hydrated also helps immensely!
What are your thoughts on magnetic eyelashes? I’ve never tried them before! I’m thinking I need to get my hands on some to give my thoughts.
What’s the best cruelty-free mascara for lashes that don’t hold a curl? If you’ve never tried the Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara, you’ve got to! Not only is it cruelty-free, but it’s drugstore and super affordable (under $5 on Amazon Prime!).
Do you have any best tips for flat lashes? One technique that works really well is to put one coat of waterproof mascara on before putting two coats of regular mascara. Make sure your lashes are curled before!
Favorite drugstore eyeshadow palettes? I did a whole blog post on this! Make sure you check out my 5 Amazing Drugstore Eyeshadow Palettes post.
Do you have any quick makeup / natural look tutorials? I definitely need to film some more of these in the upcoming year. I know you guys like wearable and natural looks the best! For the time being, you may like my Makeup Tips for Photos, Eyeshadow Tutorial for Beginners, or my entirely Drugstore Makeup Tutorial.
What are your favorite makeup looks? My favorite makeup look to wear is the one I created in my Makeup Tips for Photos tutorial. It makes me feel the most confident!
Where do you store your makeup? I have a very organized chaos way to organize my products. A lot of it goes in an Ikea Alex 9 drawer in my master closet. I have some in my bathroom drawers and linen closet – usually that’s where I keep all of the makeup I am currently using/loving. I then have my PR samples separated into four different boxes for me to go through and test. I have those samples categorized by eyes, lips, face, and skincare. I have a bookshelf where I organize more skin, body, and hair care. Anything that I try and don’t like or isn’t my shade goes in another bin – I let my friends and family go through it first. Anything left over gets donated to a local women’s shelter. It’s quite a lot and kind of crazy if you’re a super organized outsider, but this system is working out so far for me!
Skincare
Can you share your Botox experience with us? How often do you go? I did a video and a blog post on my Botox and filler experience. I do continue to get Botox in my forehead and crow’s feet about every 4 months, and I have touched my fillers up one other time since having it done in 2016. I think Botox is so easy – easier than getting a flu shot! (Fillers are a little more intense but 100% worth it.) The key is finding an injector who really understands your needs and who you feel comfortable with. If done correctly, you will not look frozen and plastic. I seriously think it’s the best thing I did in my mid-thirties to not only shed a few years off but to be preventative! I continue to go to Suzanne Bruce & Associates in Houston. Dr. Katz is my dermatologist.
What face cleanser do you recommend for normal to dry skin? I’m a huge fan of affordable cleansers, especially since they’re on your skin for such a short amount of time. My dermatologist has even told me this – you should save your money on cleansers!
Have you found a dupe for the Clarins Double Serum? I have not even tried the Clarins Double Serum, let alone find a dupe for it. I hear so many good things about it, and I think I may splurge on it this year and try and find a dupe. If you’re looking for a really great affordable serum, try incorporating a pure hyaluronic acid into your routine. I get mine off Amazon for just over $15, and it’s a huge bottle that lasts me a long time.
Family / Life
Is your family complete? I’m really not sure. I think I would be happy if I somehow got pregnant despite preventing pregnancy, but I am also completely content and happy with Kennedy and Caroline. Greg and I are pretty undecided about this.
Have any updates on Houston since the flood? It’s been a long four months for many families here in Houston. A lot of homes are still dealing with the effects of Harvey, and many are just now getting back into their homes after flood damage. We just so happened to be one of the lucky ones. The city has certainly repaired and “moved on” and the sense of community has felt so strong here. Some beautiful things did happen after the flood, such as the Astros winning the World Series. We all have bonded over something catastrophic and celebratory all in the span of a few months, and I am proud to be from Houston.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a question! I hope to do more of these in the future!
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