Episode 4 "Bronzers" - Missionary Makeup

You can read about why I'm doing this here.

As I piece together what to keep handy throughout my travels and what can be packed away for a week or so, I've now come to the bronzer category.  I have such a tough time finding a good bronzer. Since I'm so fair, I have a hard time not over doing it.

Here's my tiny collection of bronzers:

My Bronzer Collection:

Tarte Park Avenue Princess Mineral Bronzer

Laura Geller Baked Body Frosing All Over Face and Body Glow in Tahitian Glow

(Phew! That's a looooooooong name!)

So, which one will I keep handy while I travel? Neither! You'll have to wait until Episode 6 to see what I'll bring along instead!

What bronzers have you tried and loved, especially for fair skin?

Episode 5 "Highlighters" is coming up...

I Surrender All

"I Surrender All" (Jadon Lavik Version)

We were in the car heading out for a quick fast food dinner tonight. My 2-year-old was singing in the back seat. Singing is a new hobby of hers and she is soaking up new songs like a sponge!

"Surrender all, Mommy!" she said.

"Okay," I said. "I'll find it." I shuffled through the iPod and found Jadon Lavik's version of the old hymn "I Surrender All." It's become one of our daughter's favorite. As I listened to the words, sung by Jadon Lavik, my little girl's voice was so sweet to my ears. Tears came to my eyes.

All to Jesus I surrender;

All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.

Refrain:

I surrender all,

I surrender all;

All to Thee, my blessed Savior,

I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Humbly at His feet I bow,

Worldly pleasures all forsaken;

Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;

Let me feel the Holy Spirit,

Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Lord, I give myself to Thee;

Fill me with Thy love and power;

Let Thy blessing fall on me.

Do I truly trust Jesus daily, do I truly surrender all to Him? Even my little girl sitting in the back seat of the car? Even my newborn son who is so helpless and dependent on me?

I must, in fact, be like my son, fully dependent. I must realize that I can do nothing in my life to guarantee my well-being. That's fully God's department. And He's got a history of being good at it, too.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Lord, I give myself to Thee;

Fill me with Thy love and power;

Let Thy blessing fall on me.

What I hear God saying: I want you to truly trust me and have no fear.

Episode 3 "Blush" - Missionary Makeup

You can read about why I'm doing this here.

Now onto one of my favorite types of makeup products: BLUSHES!!!

Here's what I've got to work with:

My Blush Collection:

Laura Geller Bronze-N-Brighten in Fair

Laura Geller Blush-N-Brighten in Mimosa and Apricot Berry

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Blush in Dollface and Blissful

Elf All Over Color Stick in Pink Lemonade

Elf Studio Blushes in Fuchsia Fusion and Pink Passion

Wet N Wild Color Icon Blusher in 831 E Pearlescent Pink

Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour in 04 Plum Poppy

Hard Candy Blush Crush Baked Blush in 125 Living Doll

Milani Minerals Mineral Powder Blush in #201 Luminous

 Drumroll, please! And the winner, who gets to ride with me in my handy makeup bag:

Laura Geller Bronze-N-Brighten in Fair

I know, I know, you're probably thinking, that thing ain't even a blush! You're right, it's a "bronzer". However, it's too pink for me to wear as a bronzer. But I love it as a neutral blush.

Don't you need a pink blush, you may be asking...

Why, yes I do! And I will be taking another one, but you'll have to wait until Episode 6 to find out which one it is!

What one blush could you not live without?

Episode 4 "Bronzers" is coming up...

Episode 2 "Contouring" - Missionary Makeup

You can read about why I'm doing this here.


This should be an easy choice, as I only have three products that I use for contouring. Even though a couple of them aren't "intended" to be used for contouring, I do it anyway!

My Contouring Collection:

Benefit's Hoola Bronzer

Laura Geller's Balance-N-Brighten Foundation in Regular

Laura Geller's Bronze-N-Brighten in Regular

I use Hoola very sparingly and on days when I want a bit more defined contour. I use a somewhat large fluffier brush with the LG foundation, as I don't have to be very precise. It's not super dark, but too dark for my foundation. Finally, I use the Bronze-N-Brighten sparingly, too. It's similar to Hoola, maybe pinker.

So, who gets to be my on-hand contour? The winner is easy: 

Laura Geller Bronze-N-Brighten in Regular

The other two products will have to hang out in my suitcase until we arrive in South Asia.

I chose LG's Bronze-N-Brighten in Regular because it's the smallest (mini size) of my three contour products. The packaging is easy to use, too. I don't want to mess with Hoola's box, and the LG foundation is a bit large for this situation.

What is your favorite contouring product?

Episode 3 "Blush" is coming up...

Julep Maven Box -- February 2012

Yeah, funky nail polish!

In January I received my very first Julep Maven box for just $.01!

As February approached, I had to make the decisions that Julep Maven members get to make each month...

1. Do I want my box, or do I want to pass for the month for no charge?
2. Do I want to have Julep ship my box to someone else as a gift?
2. Which of the five box options do I want?

I decided I wanted it.

Here's what it looked like:

And inside:

A special chocolate treat: (in the shape of an Oscar, of course -- 'tis the season!)

And finally, the three lovely colors:

 Rachel (rust-colored)

Oscar (gold sparkle - in honor of the Oscars)

Elizabeth (navy blue)

Top to Bottom: Elizabeth, Rachel, and Oscar

I wasn't going to continue to be subscribed to this service because I'm not much of a nail polish person.  However, I've been really impressed by their customer service, the quality of the polish (easy to put on, chip-resistant), and the colors this month just spoke my language!

If you're interested in Julep, follow the link on my blog in the upper right-hand corner. I get a point if you subscribe through me.

Also, use the code MAVEN5 or WELCOMEMV5 for your first box to be only $5!

Episode 1 "Primers and Foundations" - Missionary Makeup

You can read about why I'm doing this here.

As I try to figure out how to move my makeup with me, I knew the first step would be sorting. In order to document the progress, here was my setup.

I have my dear, sweet husband to thank for making me a light box to photograph my makeup in. He's into photography, so he uses it every once and a while, but really, I use it most. 

He simply took a cardboard box, cut holes in the left and right sides, and covered them with wax paper. This allows light from the flashes to go through. The flashes are triggered by the little flash on my camera. There's another hole in the top of the box, also covered with wax paper, so if I wanted, I could add another flash above for even more lighting.

Okay, onto the Primers and Foundations:

My Primers/Foundations Collection:

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Illuminating Serum

Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-up Primer in Bronze

Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-up Primer in Champagne

Benefit's The POREfessional

Everyday Minerals Base in Ivory

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup in 10 Classic Ivory

Missha Signature Real Complete BB Cream in No. 21 Light Pink Beige

I honestly haven't figured out what I'm wanting to have handy. With all of my makeup, some will go in a bag that I won't open until we land in South Asia. Other stuff will be accessible throughout the trip, since we have a 4-day layover in Europe.

Which primer and foundation below would you recommend I keep handy, and why? (Factors to consider: mess, liquid/non-liquid, size, portability, ease of use, etc.) It's a conundrum! 

Any packing tips?

Episode 2  "Contouring" is coming up...

Missionary Makeup

I'm on my way to the other side of the world again. Missionary work is calling, and I can't wait to return! But what happens when missionary work and makeup intertwine? Well, I have to get creative with what to move and how to move it!

How do you take something like this:

and this:

and figure out what goes in the suitcase, what goes in the carry-on, and how?

Missionary Makeup, Episode 1 "Primers and Foundations" is coming soon...