heykathryn

Mary Kay debuted their ClearProof Charcoal Mask in mid May of 2017 and by mid June, 1 million masks had already been sold? Why? Here are my thoughts on why:

The mask works! the mask uses charcoal to pull out impurities from your pores and remove excess oil. You can see this working because the mask will go on shiny and dark but dry and turn light gray/white as it absorbs oil! It’s fascinating and gross to watch! This is a deep cleanse that minimizes the appearance of pores. Activated charcoal binds to dirt and toxins to bring everything to the surface! Mary Kay also holds a patent for the use of navy bean, which brightens skin!

It’s $24! If you’re like me and like to try lots of products you know that there are lots of expensive masks out there claiming to do various things. The Mary Kay Charcoal Mask comes in a large tube that can be used approximately 30 times. That’s $.80 per application! Depending on your skin type, those with oily skin can use the mask 3 times a week. Those with dry skin should use the mask once a week. You can continue to exfoliate as usual!

The mask easily washes off! No painful/damaging pulling! Your pores aren’t going to get smaller if you’re pulling, ripping, damaging your skin! Simply use a wash cloth to wash off the mask after 20ish minutes. The mask contains no glue! No pain, but plenty to gain from using this mask!

Multi-masking! Mary Kay also offers the TimeWise Moisture Renewing Gel Mask to hydrate your skin. This means you can mask specific to your skincare needs! Oily on your T-zone? Use the Charcoal Mask! Dry on your cheeks? Use the Moisture Renewing Gel Mask! I can help you map your skin!

My experience: I first tried the mask at an event at my local Whole Foods! I was masking in public! Talk about some crazy looks! But trying the mask is so fun because everyone can enjoy it (even your hubby!) and everyone is glowing by the end (thank you charcoal and navy bean)! I’m not kidding; the results are immediate because you’re removing impurities as you mask!

When I ordered my mask, I could smell the mask as I approached my front door where it was boxed on my doorstep from UPS! But the SMELL is WONDERFUL! It’s such a clean smell of rosemary, peppermint, and honeysuckle! No harsh smell of chemicals!

I have extremely acne prone skin because of both oily skin and hormonal acne. I actually prefer to use the mask as a spot treatment. I see a spot on my skin that looks like a pimple is forming or a spot where I need to calm the agony, I apply the mask and let it do it’s thing for 20 minutes. I wash off with warm water and immediately or by the next day the pimple has shrunk or is gone!

Want to try it? Let me know!

Okay… confession time: We used NO florist for our May 2016 wedding and the flowers were amazing!

First, my friend Douglas and I handmade all of the corsages and boutonnieres for the wedding with fake flowers from Hobby Lobby. We made four corsages total, for my mum, my great aunt, Joshua’s mom, and Joshua’s grandma. We made nine boutonnieres total with fake orchids (my dad, my step dad, his dad, his grandfather, our four groomsmen, and ring bearer). I’m not crafty, so we had to buy everything like a glue gun. We brought home everything we liked and then just returned all unopen/unused flowers and I would say it was about $50 (~$4 each) and two hours of laughing nonstop trying to make these things. That’s far cheaper than getting these at the florist.

They looked so good my father in law tried to save his by putting it in a cup of water and storing it in the fridge following the wedding. haha. 🙂

And we did not have to worry about keeping the real flowers looking fresh.

For my bouquet and my four bridesmaids’ bouquets, we made them as well the morning of the wedding. We went for breakfast around 8am and then headed to Publix around 9:30am for a late afternoon wedding. At Publix, we grabbed all the flowers we liked (but we could have done this more cost efficiently if need be) from the floral section.

Now, my mum, sister, and I scoped this Publix out weeks before the wedding and knew they had a very large flower section that was refreshed every morning. I would not recommend this without some local research.

Then my bridesmaids and I went home and had a “bouquet making party.” We listened to music on the big front porch of our beach house (where the reception was held) and sorted the flowers by color. It was my vision that we each have bright, multi-colored bouquets but each would be different for each bridesmaid. My bridesmaids each picked their dresses with the only stipulation being that the dress was purple.

Then we each picked the flowers we liked and made our bouquets to our liking. My sister-in-law goes to Clemson and wanted a large orange flower; I wanted a giant bouquet. They turned out lovely and so beautiful!

We used floral tape to keep the bouquets together and tied purple ribbon around to make a handle. I wanted long ribbons on the bouquets that would flow in the wind.

(My bracelet was “something borrowed” and the pin on my bouquet was “something old.”)

All the extra flowers were used as decoration for the reception and we used the bouquets to decorate around the guest book and favors.

It was SO EASY and FUN! If you’re looking to save money and don’t have your heart set on particular flowers, then I would highly recommend this!

 I’m loving these products from Influenster that I received in the mail for free! Influenster is a website where you review products that you already use and then they send you more products to review! 

More on the products later but join the fun here: Influenster! 

  Let me tell you about my best friend: She’s absolutely hilarious. She has bright strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. She’s the only person I know who understands my love public health and loves it too. She’s wicked smart. She the type of person you want to be on your team– fun and hardworking; she gets along with most everyone. She’s good with kids and with adults. She loves animals. She’s a safe driver. She’s a bad singer but that doesn’t stop her from belting out her favorite tunes. She likes sports and musicals. She’s pretty much up for trying anything. But she eats her food plain. She’s always willing to talk when I need her. She’s travelled the world but is still close with her childhood friends. We met on the first day of uni and we’ve been friends ever since. She takes my sass and deals out some her own too. She’s the best listener. We were once reprimanded in a college class for talking too much. She’s held me when I’ve cried and I know things about her that no one else knows. When we’re together, we’re better. We laugh louder, we smile bigger, we talk more, we give more.

And she doesn’t know she’s beautiful. This absolutely breaks my heart. I should have told her every day since we met. But even then, I don’t know if she would believe me.

We were hanging out on Monday, drinking hot chocolate, chatting non-stop, and doing a puzzle. Then matter-of-factly she asked, “do you think I don’t get dates because I’m not pretty?” I was stunned. I didn’t know what to say.

Why do girls feel like something is wrong with them if they don’t get asked out on a date? We live in a society where everything is first based on looks. This is especially true in college. We believe if we could just look better, we could be fulfilled. My best friend is beautiful. She shouldn’t change a thing. And yet, she thinks something is wrong with her and that she has to change for others to like her.

God made us in His image (Gen 1:27). We are the only creature in which this is true. He knows the hairs on our head and knitted each of us in our mother’s womb. This is exciting and why God seeks a relationship with us. He’s our Father. We were made by Him are loved by Him. And it’s so painful to know this is true and still feel like you don’t measure up.

But we were not made to measure up to man’s standards. We are called to love ourselves. I believe when we love ourselves, we can love others better, as we are also called to do.

God made the beautiful Carolina sunsets my best friend and I experience nightly. He made the roaring ocean and the soft sand. He made silly, playful dogs. He made the beautiful trees on our university campus, along with the beauty of all our other favorite places. And He made me and you and my best friend. He saw fit that in this world we exist with a purpose. We’re made beautiful in our own ways, yet still in His image.

When we accept this to be true and accept Christ as our Savior, we are made new. Our sins are washed away. Our identity is now found in Christ. We are no longer of this world in the way we once were, seeking approval from man.

And when you look in the mirror, it’s hard to remember all this and feel like it’s enough. You still don’t have a date; your thighs still feel too big; your dress size still feels too high; and your hair still seems to not being doing what you want. I want to encourage you to seek God in this moment. Ask for God to transform how you think about yourself. These negative thoughts are a waste of energy. Pray that you will become the woman God wants you to be; ask Him to redirect your thoughts. Ask for forgiveness for all this self-hate. Thank God for your health. Thank Him for the strength he gives you to do His works, through strong legs, helpful hands, a warm smile… And if you see fit, pray for your future husband and those you will encounter that you can encourage since going through this struggle. Ask God to prepare you for these people.

And never forget, you have me– your friend who loves you, who cherishes you and this friendship, and finds you beautiful in so many ways. I love you, best friend.

  
Started this morning early with AlyP at Starbucks before walking to our Public Health senior seminar! I can’t believe it’s our last semester. 

Today was finally cold enough to wear my Barbour jacket, although I wore it all the time in Glasgow in the summer!