My Weight Loss Journey #2

My Weight Loss Journey #2

Just over two months ago, I had a lower back injury (lumbar strain) from doing cardio intervals on the treadmill. I had been doing cardio for a while and decided it was time to up the amount of times I was running on the treadmill so I started doing intervals of running for one minute then walking for one minute. After doing this for a couple of weeks, I noticed that my lower back was getting a bit sore so I lessened the amount of times per week that I was doing my cardio intervals and started doing lower impact cardio as well as the stairs at the gym to supplement my higher impact cardio until my back was feeling better.

About a week or so into changing up my cardio to a lower impact routine due to my lower back pain, I was at the grocery store doing some shopping when I bent down to pick something up off the bottom shelf when I felt an extremely painful shooting pain going up my spine and into my sciatica. I immediately had to leave the store, and in tears struggled to get into my car because of the extremely amount of pain that was effecting my lower back. I could barely sit without being in horrible pain and  I didn't even think about bending over or twisting my body in any way. The only relief I felt was standing up or laying down on my back.

As soon as I could I went to see my primary care doctor who told me to that I had a lumbar strain and that I should put some heat on it as well as taking some pain medication to subside the pain until it went away on its own. I was also given some at home exercises to try to loosen up the muscles that were tight due to the strain.  Unfortunately, this didn't help the situation as much as I would have liked. Over the last two months, I have still had lower back pain although the sharp pain went away  so I had normal movement back but I still had dull pains all the time so I couldn't do much intense exercise like I wanted to.

Fast forward to yesterday while I was at work, I bent over to grab something off of the floor that I had dropped off my desk, and I had the same shooting pain that I had at the grocery store going up my spine and into my sciatica. I work at a doctor's office so I immediately clocked  out and went to see one of the doctor's where I was told that I again had strained my lower back (lumbar strain). I am now taking a steroid to try to repair my back as soon as possible as well as I just started physical therapy today in the hopes that this will once and for all  heal my back from this injury so I can get back to my workout routine.

This whole experience has been very disheartening because nothing is worse than wanting to reach a fitness or health goal and then injuring yourself which puts a pause on the whole situation. I am hoping beyond hope that the medication as well as the physical therapy will help me to get back into good enough shape to start my regular exercise. I will keep you updated on my progress as well as the exercises that I am going to be doing that is prescribed by my physical therapist. If anyone has dealt with any kind of injury during a fitness journey before, you will know how hard and discouraging it can be on you. Prayers for a fast recovery are appreciated and I will pray for those who are also suffering from any time of injury.

God Bless!

Personal Development Tip

Personal Development Tip

After listening to a podcast by Chalene Johnson (The Chalene Show which can be found on iTunes for FREE so make sure you check her out!), she was discussing the thought of focusing on one area of personal development at a time.

The analogy that Chalene used to promote the theory of focusing on one area at a time was this: when you try to do small tasks in all areas of personal development (i.e. health, faith, finances, relationships, career, etc.) you get a little amount done while using a lot of energy in the process. This is much like cleaning small areas of each room through out the house before having people over. When the people come over to your house, it would still look like you didn't really clean up because only small areas were cleaned so the house as a whole is still messy. The house is much like your life when you try to focus on too many areas of your life in personal development.

Instead of spreading yourself thin by trying to improve all your life's areas at one time, pick an area that needs the most work in this time in your life. Chalene likes to refer to this as "the priority in this season in your life." What is the area that you need to focus on right now? Put your energy into that area until you are satisfied with your improvement then move on to the next area that needs the most work.

Let me know if you would like me to go into more depth about what you can do to achieve your goals by liking this post, or let me know what you would like to see next.

Photo by: the_real_houses_of_ig 

Fall Nail Polish Colors

Fall Nail Polish Colors

One of my favorite things I love to do to treat myself throughout the month is getting my nails done. It feels so good to look down at your hands and feet and see a beautiful colored polish. Wearing nail polish on your fingers and toes helps to make you look more put together and polished which is always a great thing.

Along with treating myself to the nail salon a couple time a month, my other favorite thing right now is FALL! Fall is by far my favorite season of the year. Nothing is more beautiful than the changing colors of the trees and plants. Fall truly makes me feel blessed to live in a place where natural beauty like the leaves changing on the trees can be admired for a couple months.

Putting my two obsessions (getting my nails done and the beautiful fall season), I decided to pull some of my favorite nail polishes from my extensive collection to share with you what my top fall choices are. Note: Some of these colors may be sold out or limited edition, however, with all of the nail polish brands and choices out there, it won't be hard to find a dupe if it's not available anymore.

Ravishing Red's
- OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress (cool red with shimmer)
- OPI Go with the Lava Flow (red-coral with gold shimmer)
- OPI First Date at the Golden Gate (brick red)
- Orly Red Flare (true red)
- L'Oreal He Read My Mind (true red with gold shimmer)

Rocking Rose's
- Sally Hansen So Much Fawn (light dusty rose)
- Sally Hansen Scarlet Lacquer (bright rose)
- China Glaze Sex on the Beach (light dusty rose with gold shimmer)

Popping Purple's
- OPI Suzi & the 7 Dusseldorfs (warm purple with shimmer)
- Sally Hansen Pat on the Black (deep purple)
- L'Oreal Violet Vixen (violet purple)
- L'Oreal  Breaking Curfew (black purple)

Beautiful Blue's
- OPI Into the Night (true blue with shimmer)
- L'Oreal After Hours (deep blue)

Gorgeous Green's
- OPI Amazon... Amazoff (emerald green)

Outstanding Orange's
- OPI In My Back Pocket (bright orange)

Glamorous Grey's
- Sally Hansen Commander in Chic (taupe grey)

All Photos by Becky Schutten

Sephora Face Mask Review

Sephora Face Mask Review

Sephora Green Tea Face Mask
Price: $6.00
Where you can buy this: Sephora stores, Sephora.com

On my exciting Saturday night yesterday, instead of going out like most people to celebrate Halloween, I decided to stay in with my family, watch the Cubs games, and try out one of Sephora's popular face masks. I have been having some trouble with my skin lately. Feeling blemishes under my skin that had not come to the surface yet, and unwanted texture that I couldn't seem to get rid of.

After looking thru my skin care drawer, I stumbled upon Sephora's Green Tea Mask, which is said to help mattify the skin as well as help with anti-blemish agents in it. My skin is mostly dry with slight oil in the t-zone area, so I wasn't to concerned about the mattifying effects that it could provide. However, I was optimistic about the anti-blemish aspect in the hopes that it would help to pull some of the blemishes that were stuck under my skin and illuminate the undesired texture I was experiencing.

According to the Sephora website, the Green Tea Mask is supposed to "mattify and purify to soothe skin while minimizing shine and reducing the appearance of outbreaks." This mask is a sheet mask which is a mask that is a sheet of fabric with the solution soaked into the sheet with cut outs for your eyes, nostrils, and mouth. I usually leave sheet masks on for about 15-30 minutes depending on the type of mask and how my skin is feeling throughout the experience. I left this mask on for about 20-25 minutes. After removing the mask, I washed my face with my usual face wash and applied my night time moisturizer and face oil.

Directly after removing the face mask, my skin instantly feel smooth and soft to the touch and did not feel dried out or dehydrated due to the mattifying properties in the mask. In fact, my face didn't really look matte at all. This morning when I woke up, I checked my face in the mirror and a lot of the blemishes had surfaced and appeared smaller than the night before to my pleasant surprise. As well as, the skin on my face was still soft and smooth to the touch.

All in all, I would definitely recommend the Sephora Green Tea Face Mask for someone who is looking to pull-out and reduce the appearance of their blemishes as well as, helping smooth out the texture of their skin. If you are looking for a mask that is going to reduce oil, I am not sure that I saw such a big difference even in my more oily areas in my t-zone.

All Photos by Becky Schutten

"The Manizer Sisters" Palette Review

"The Manizer Sisters" Palette Review

It is no secret that beauty lovers around the world love the Balm Cosmetics luminizing products. We all know (or if you don't know) that three of the most requested products from the Balm are Mary-Lou Manizer, Cindy-Lou Manizer, and Betty-Lou Manizer. Mary, Cindy, and Betty are three gorgeous highlighters that range from light, medium, and dark for all different skin tones. These illuminators are sold individually but as I recently discovered (where have I been???), they are also available in a trio. The amount of product that you get in the Manizer trio is less than you would if you bought them all separately, but I think its well worth it if you want to try all three of them like I did.

The Balm created beautiful and silky highlights that are just enough pigment to pack a punch on your cheeks without making you look like a disco ball. These illuminators are so creamy and smooth that they are super easy to apply and blend out in the skin. The other great thing about these products are that they are buildable. When you purchase some highlighters, you either get a very natural looking glow or you are so illuminated that you can be seen from space. With the Manizer Sisters, you can achieve both looks depending on your preference. Applying the highlighter lightly or with a fluffy brush, you can get a slight sheen that looks like you are glowing from within. On the other hand, if you are looking for a more intense highlight, you can apply the product with a more heavy hand or use a more dense brush.

The first illuminator in the palette is Mary-Lou Manizer. This highlight is a light champagne beige color. It has a beautiful pearl like texture when applied to the skin. This is a stunning highlight for people who have fair to medium skin tones. This color would not work as well on darker skin tones however.

The second illuminator in the palette is Cindy-Lou Manizer. This highlight is a light dusty rose color. This highlight also has a pearl like texture when it is applied to the skin. This highlight is great for people who have medium to darker skin tones. It shows up on the skin as a beautiful pinky colored highlight. However, if you have more fair skin, this would be more of a blush topper than a highlight due to it being more of a rosy tone. I have worn this on top of a matte blush or just on its own on my cheeks instead of a blush and it is absolutely gorgeous!

The third and last highlight in this palette is Betty-Lou Manizer. This highlight is a golden bronze color. Like the first two highlighters, this product has a pearl like texture when applied to the skin. This illuminator is perfect for those who have a darker skin tone. This would not work as a highlighters for people who have fair to medium skin, but it looks gorgeous on a darker skinned person. (This is a great product because there is not a lot of highlighters out there for people who are on the darker side of the spectrum, so this would also be a great product to add to a makeup artist's kit because it has a color for everyone!) This illuminator can also be used as a glowing bronzer for people who have fair to medium skin tones.

The Balm Cosmetics "The Manizer Sisters" Palette
Price: $15.99 - $30.00
Where you can buy it: thebalm.com and select beauty supply stores

All photos by Becky Schutten.

My Favorite Hairsprays

My Favorite Hairsprays

One of my hair stylist's and a close family friend once told me that hairspray to your hair style is equal to mascara to your makeup. Basically, it is the finishing touch to getting your look to be just right. That's some pretty important stuff!

Equally as important as the hairspray itself, is the brand and type of product that you are using. Again, like mascara, if you don't pick a brand or type of hairspray that you need for the style you are going for, it can majorly impact your look and its longevity.

 

There are a ton of different brands and types of hairspray on the market from affordable drugstore hairsprays to high-end more pricy hairsprays. Both drugstore and high-end stores have great options for everyone. Picking your perfect hairspray (or hairsprays) is all about figuring out actually what you need to use the hairspray for. Do you want it to hold your up-do in place all day and all night? Do you want it to just finish off the loose waves you created?

I have three great hairsprays and one dry shampoo that are my ride or dies when it comes to finishing off my hair. There products range from drugstore to high-end and I use each of them for a different reason. These hairsprays are in no particular order.

The first hairspray I love is Sexy Hair's Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play Volumizing Hairspray. Even though the bottle says "spray and play" on it, I think that this is a stronger holding hairspray. I love to use this type of hairspray when I want to keep my hair style in place all day. You want to be careful with how much product you spray on your hair because this formula can tend to build up quickly which in turn can make your hair seem a little crunchy if you spray too much. However, if you are doing an up-do or don't want your hair to move around a lot throughout the day, this would be a great choice!

Price: $17.95
Where you can find it: Ulta
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/a/_/Ntt-Big%20Sexy%20Hair%20Spray%20%26%20Play%20Volumizing%20Hairspray?ciSelector=searchResults

The second hairspray that I adore is Sexy Hair's Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Touchable Weightless Hairspray. This hairspray does exactly what it describes on the bottle: touchable and weightless. This is a great product for when you want to keep your hair style in place, but want to be able to run your fingers through your hair and not feel like there is a ton of product built up in it. This product is great for loose waves or a more relaxed hair style. Also, the Healthy Sexy Hairspray is made with Argan Oil which keep your hair moisturized and shiny.

Price: $17.95
Where you can find it: Ulta
http://www.ulta.com/healthy-hair-soy-touchable-weightless-hairspray?productId=xlsImpprod4270103

The third hairspray that I'm obsessed with is the L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray in Strong Hold. I like to say that this hairspray is a mix between the first two hairsprays that I've mentioned. Since it's a "strong hold" hairspray, it can hold your hair style for a long time. Yet at the same time, it is touchable and brushable! You can keep your hair looking great while you have the freedom to run your fingers through your hair without having to worry about getting them stuck or sticky. Plus, you can get this great find at your local drugstore!

Price: $13.76
Where you can find it: Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Target
http://www.walmart.com/ip/L-Oreal-Elnett-Strong-Hold-Hairspray-11-oz/13060319

Last but not least, my favorite dry shampoo is the Batiste Dry Shampoo in Dark and Deep Brown. You may be asking yourself why I'm mentioning a dry shampoo in my top hairsprays and I'll tell you why. I love using a dry shampoo as a finishing spray on freshly washed hair. This dry shampoo helps to create volume and texture to my hair while lighting hold my soft waves. In particular, if you spray this product in your roots after you wash and style your hair, it will create body while keep the oils at bay before they even have a chance to start. Instead of waiting for your roots to get greasy, you can spray this on "first day hair" and it will help to prevent the build up of oil which in turn prolongs your hair style for an extra day or two. Plus, it is a dark color for my beauty lovers out there that have deeper locks! (Note: This is also available in different colors and scents.)

Price: $8.99
Where you can find it: Ulta, Walgreens
http://www.ulta.com/ulta/a/_/Ntt-Batiste%20Dry%20Shampoo?ciSelector=searchResults

Note: All of these hairsprays and dry shampoos have a scent to them, and everyone has different preferences to what they can tolerate. I don't think that any of these products have too strong or terrible of a smell personally.

All photos were take by Becky Schutten.

Chunky Heel Trend

Chunky Heel Trend

One of my favorite new (or should I say "reoccurring") trends is the chunky heel trend. I think this trend puts a twist on our "everyday" heels. Don't get me wrong... I love my stiletto heels as much a the next shoe addict, but I also love to mix up my shoe collection with a variety of different classic and trendy shoe options. I think that the chunky heel is a great way to rock a stylish shoe while also taking comfort into consideration. The chunkier the heel, the easier it is to walk in (and who doesn't want to be comfortable.)

Now that we've established why I love the chunky heel trend, let's talk about where I love to buy my chunky heels! One of the best affordable shoe stores I have found is Lola Shoetique. Lola Shoetique is a shoe store based out of Los Angeles. Since I am located in the Chicago land area, I usually order all of my shoes from Lola Shoetique's online site. I am so in love with this shoe store! Not only are the shoes extremely stylish and affordable, they are also great quality and have amazing customer service! I would definitely recommend checking out their site if you are a shoe lover like myself.

www.lolashoetique.com

Here are a few of my more recent chunky heel purchases from Lola Shoetique.

 

 

All photos and opinions are my own.

Stranded Island Essentials

What Five Items Would You Take?

If you were stranded on a remote island and could only take five makeup products with you, what would you take? I am going to tell you the five products that I would choose as far as makeup products. This is not including skincare or tools to apply the makeup products that are chosen. This is just the five holy grail products that I would bring with me to create a basic but beautiful look.

MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear Concealer
Price: $21.00
Where you can buy this: MAC Cosmetics, Macy's, Nordstrom

I would chose the MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear Concealer because you can use this product as a foundation and a concealer if you want to. The Pro Longwear Concealer comes in a small glass bottle so it is super easy to carry around if you need to. This concealer can be worn with heavy coverage if it is applied with a sponge or a brush and it can be worn with more sheer coverage if it is applied with the fingers or mixed with a moisturizer. The Pro Longwear Concealer has amazing staying power and does not have to be set with a powder.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer
Price: $23.00
Where you can buy this: Sephora, Ulta, Macy's, Nordstrom

 

The second item that I would chose to bring with me is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer. This is one of my holy grail products, and is by far one of my favorite brow products of all time (besides the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel!) I love the Brow Definer because it has a spoolie on one end so that you can maintain and groom your brows and the other end has an angled brow pencil that you can create flawless brows with. The actual brow products has a beautiful range of colors for every hair color and tone, and the longevity of the product is amazing. Your brows aren't going anywhere with this brow pencil! Plus, if you are in a pinch, you can also use this as an eyeliner for along the lash line to create a smoky eye.

L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara
Price: $8.29
Where you can buy this: Ulta, drugstores, etc.

 

The third product that I would pick would have to be the L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara. This is my ride or die mascara. I have not found another mascara (drugstore nor high end) that compares to the length and volume that the L'Oreal Voluminous provides. If you love the look of false lashes but do not know how to apply them or just plain hate to wear them, then this the mascara for you. It gives you the illusion of much thicker and fuller lashes. Not to mention that the carbon black color is as black as they come. I have been using the L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara for many years now and I have never had a problem with it running or smudging no matter what the weather was or what activities I was participating in that day. Plus, it is not a waterproof mascara so it is easy to remove without ripping out your real lashes.

Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo
Price: $39.00
Where you can buy this: Sephora, Make Up For Ever stores

 

 

The next product that I would chose would be the Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo. This is a highlight and contour duo. Half of the product is a highlighter and the other half of the product is a contour/bronzer and the two halves are made into a petite black compact. The Pro Sculpting Duo comes in two colors: one is a more golden tone and the other is a more pink tone. I personally have the pinker toned set because I think that this color in particular is best on a wider range of skin tones. I think the highlight looks nice on my skin when I am on the fair side and when I am self tanning and have a bit of color. This product is great because it is a compact two in one product that is easy to carry around and is great for multi-purpose situations. You can not only use this duo as a highlight and contour kit, but you can also use them as eye shadows. I have used them as eye shadows many times and I have been complimented on how beautiful it looks, so its a win win!

MAC Cosmetics Boldly Bare Lip Pencil
Price: $16.50
Where you can buy this: MAC Cosmetics, Macy's, Nordstrom

 

 

The last product that I would chose would be the MAC Cosmetics Boldly Bare Lip Pencil. MAC's lip pencils have to be some of my favorite lip pencil formulas on the market. They are an amazing formula that lasts and is not uncomfortable to wear at all. Not to mention that MAC has a ton of colors in their lip pencil line! In particular, I love the color Boldly Bare. Boldly Bare is a neutral pinky-brown color. It is almost like your lip color but better. I like to line my lips with the pencil then fill the rest of it in to create a great long lasting base for my lipstick, or even rock it by itself since the color is amazing on its own. This is a must-have color in any makeup lover's collection!

All Photos By Becky Schutten

L'Oreal Collection Exclusive Review

L'Oreal's Eva Longoria Lipstick and Nail Polish

L'Oreal's exclusive collection with a handful of famous celebrities helps give everyone a look into what these ladies favorite colors are when it comes to lipsticks and nail polish. A few of these women include Eva Longoria, Juliana Moore, and Jennifer Lopez. This exclusive collection comes with a signature lipstick and nail polish that was picked to represent each of the women that they are named after. The lipstick and the nail polish come separately for purchase, but they are made to compliment each other beautifully.

After looking at all of the colors from the collection, I decided to go with the lipstick and nail polish that was designed for Eva Longoria. I felt that both of these products suited my taste the best of all the choices that were available. I have previously purchased the Jennifer Lopez lipstick in the nude collection, and I love the formula and scent of the lipstick. Also, I have bought many of the L'Oreal nail polishes and I have always loved the formula and lasting power.

Eva's Pink Lipstick
Price: $8.99
Where you can find it: Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Ulta, etc.

This current exclusive collection that was released by L'Oreal is a group of pinker toned lipsticks and nail polishes. I'm not a huge fan of a super pink lip on my skin tone on a day to day basis, but the Eva Longoria pink lipstick is a beautiful balance between a statement pink and a pink that you can wear on a daily basis. The lipstick itself is called Eva's Pink. It is a gorgeous medium-deep rose toned pink. The formula is opaque and creamy, so it is very easy to apply on the lips. Also, the longevity of these L'Oreal lipsticks is great! They last for a couple of hours without crusting on the lips or bleeding outside of your lip line. Eva's Pink is a neutral enough pink that you can pair pretty much any lip liner with it and it would blend easily. I would suggest using something like Dervish from MAC Cosmetics. I think that Dervish is he perfect color to define the lips without taking away from the lipsticks stunning color.

Eva's Pink Nail Polish
Price: $7.99
Where you can find it: Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Ulta, etc.

The nail polish that goes along with the lipstick is also called Eva's Pink. The nail polish color is a beautifully muted rosy color. This color can be worn with any look because it is more on the neutral side of the pink and rose tones. This nail polish formula is super opaque and gives a great color payoff with one stroke. I like to use two coats of nail polish to make sure that there is no streaking, but you could absolutely get away with one coat and be fine. I usually don't even use a top coat to make sure that the nail polish lasts because I think that the formula is good enough that it doesn't need it. I would say that this formula of nail polish lasts about a week to two weeks without chipping depending on the color.

I would definitely recommend purchasing the L'Oreal Collection Exclusive lipsticks and nail polish if you are drawn to any of the colors. I loved some of the other colors as well, and I am strongly considering running back to the store to buy more. Let me know if you would like to see any of the other colors or reviews on the other lipsticks and nail polish colors.

All photos by  Becky Schutten.

Favorite Nude Lipsticks

Favorite Nude Lipsticks

If I had to choose only one lipstick color to wear for the rest of my life, it would definitely be nude!When I look through my extensive lipstick collection, it is clear that I have a nude lipstick obession. I have double the amount of nude lipsticks than any other lipstick color in my collection. Nude lipsticks are my favorite because they can go perfectly with any makeup look. A smoky eye to a neutral eye, a nude lip will go with anything.

When I think of a nude lipstick, I don't have a limited view on what a nude color is. When some people think of a nude lipstick, they think that it looks like the color of skin. However, I feel that a nude lipstick is any color that ranges from the natural color of lips all the way to flesh toned lipsticks. The advantages to wearing a nude lip is that you can create many different looks with the many colors of nudes that you have. For instance, you can apply just the nude lipstick and blur out the edges to create a soft focused lip look, or you can use a corresponding lip liner to make the nude lip crisp and defined.

I have choosen my top 15 nude lipstick colors that range from light to dark, sheer to opaque, and glossy to matte. I think that in this selection of lipsticks, anyone can find a lipstick that would look great on them. As a reference, I am a NC30/NC35 in MAC foundation right now as I just self-tanned a few days ago.

Too Faced Melted Lipstick in Melted Nude
Price: $21.00
You can buy this at: Ulta, Sephora, and Macy's

Milani Lipstick in Naturally Chic
Price: $5.99
You can buy this at: Milani.com, Mejer, and CVS

MAC Lipstick in Japanese Maple
Price: $17.00
You can buy this at: MAC stores, Macy's, and Nordstrom

Bobbi Brown Lipstick in Baby Pink
Price: $27.00
You can buy this at: bobbibrown.com, Macy's, and Nordstrom

Lime Crime Lipstick in Coquette
Price: $8.00
You can buy this at: limecrime.com

Bite Beauty Lipstick in Caramel
Price: $26.00
You can buy this at: bitebeauty.com and Sephora

NYX Lipstick in Athens
Price: $5.99
You can buy this at: Ulta, Target, and nyxcosmetics.com

Kardashian Beauty En-Joystick in Modern Mauve
Price: $ 8.99
You can buy this at: Ulta and kbeauty.com

YSL Lipstick in #8
Price: $37.00
You can buy this at: Sephora, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue

Urban Decay Lipstick in Naked
Price: $22.00
You can buy this at: Ulta, Sephora, and Macy's

MAC Lipstick in Shy Shine
Price: $17.00
You can buy this at: MAC stores, Macy's, and Nordstrom

Estee Lauder Lipstick in Desirable
Price: $30.00
You can buy this at: Sephora, Macy's, and Nordstrom

Chanel Lipstick in Boy
Price: $37.00
You can buy this at: Macy's, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue

L'Oreal Lipstick in Jennifer's Nude
Price: $5.99
You can buy this at: Walgreens, Walmart, and Target

YSL Lipstick in #9
Price: $37.00
You can buy this at: Sephora, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue

All Photos by Becky Schutten

#internationalwomensday

#internationalwomensday

What does International Women's Day mean to you? Standing up for women's rights? Focusing on equality between men and women in the work place and in society? Women embracing their bodies and their sexuality? All of the above?

As hard as it might be to believe, inequality doesn't just stop at race or the color of someone's skin. Women's inequality is still a huge issue in today's society. And as hard as it is to admit, it's not just men that help create and sustain this inequality. Women can be some of our biggest enforcers when it comes to keeping limitations on what it means to be an  "independent" and "free" woman in today's society. This is extremely alarming to me. We, as women, already have more obstacles to face than men when trying to live a life free of judgment and shaming to be putting those limitations on ourselves and each other. We should be supporting one another to succeed and be comfortable in our own skin. Supporting one another to be confident in the skin we were born in and comfortable with making our own choices about what we want our life and legacy to be.

"Live and let live."

This term is hard for a lot of people to understand and implement in their lives. Everyone wants to be accepted for the person that they are and supported in the choices they make as they are trying to become the person they want to be. No one wants to be made to feel like they are inadequate or that they cannot truly be themselves in the fear that people will judge them. We are all human beings and we need to respect other's choices and let them live. LET LIVE.

No one is perfect and no one will ever live up to other people's standards of the perfect person. As women, we have an even greater pressure to be perfect. The perfect hair. The perfect makeup. The perfect face without any makeup. The perfect body. The perfect outfits. To be honest, women tend to make up these "perfect" scenarios of how they should look and act then project them on to other women. As a result, women begin to feel inadequate and feel shameful because they will never live up to these standards that are put on them.

We were all born different. Different shapes. Different sizes. Different colors. Different personalities. Different views. Different goals. And that's perfectly okay! In fact, I think that's pretty damn amazing! I get inspired by women how are different than I am. I look at how they live their lives and the decisions they have made and it inspires me to live my own life as authentically as possible. I might admire the way another woman looks or the confidence she has or how business savvy a woman is, but the best part about that is that those aspects and traits that I admire in so many women are helping me to become the great woman that I hope to be as I navigate through my life.

So, instead of judging another woman because the doesn't have the same values as you, or she is comfortable with her body, or she has opinions and she's willing to voice them, or she isn't what you consider to be the "perfect woman" consider the following:

Would you want your daughter, sister, mother, aunt, cousin, grandmother, friend, niece, or wife to be judged or made to feel badly about who she is? I would be willing to take a risk and say that just about everyone would never wish those feelings upon their loved ones.

So, instead of taking the time to tear someone else down, why not take that energy and use it for something good. Lift someone up today! Give them a compliment. Tell them what you like about them. Focus on the positive. Use your voice to uplift others rather than spreading hate in an already cold and judgemental society.

Bullying others in person or on social media should never be accepted or tolerated, so let's spread the love instead. Women to men. Men to men. Men to women. And women to women!

Happy International Women's Day! Embrace yourself!

Women who inspire me (in no particular order):

                                                                Marilyn Monroe: Movie Star

 

Elizabeth Taylor: Movie Star

 

My Amazing Mom

 

 

Lindsay Matway: Fitness and Life Coach

 

 

My Beautiful Sister

 

 

Anna Saccone-Joly: YouTuber/Beauty Guru

 

 

Kim Kardashian West: Reality Star/Entrepreneur

 

 

Pastor Grace: Woman of God

 

 

Amra Olevic (Amrezy): Beauty Blogger/Guru

 

 

My Wonderful Grandma: Rest in Peace