Skincare Guest Post: Becca Evans

Hey everybody! Today I'm really excited about a guest post from a friend of mine, Becca! I'm excited because:

a) I like her
b) I like her blog
c) She's going to talk about skincare, which I really like
d) She's pretty and that's what is most important in life, right? (Sometimes I worry I'll get a reader that will not pick up on my sarcasm and think I'm shallow...But then I think, "Eh, I'll still do it.")
e) I agree with her side note concerning sunscreen so naturally, we probably agree on everything. Naturally.

So, keep reading, and then zoom on over to her blog if you like what you see! And keep checking up on her blog. You might just see this crazy lady right here featured on Good As Gold, as well!

-L
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Hi There! My name is Becs, and I blog (sometimes, if you're lucky) at my own little slice of webspace: Good As Gold. I am so excited to be here on Lyss' blog today, and am honored to guest post. Lyss and I have actually lived in the same neighborhood growing up, but actually didn't start bonding until we started dating boys who were each other's best friends (she actually married hers!). So basically, I like to think we're pretty much besties. (Although, ask her, and she may deny it... ha!) She is seriously the bomb, though. So thanks for having me! Today I'd like to talk about stress and my bad skin. In less than 3 weeks, I will be getting married to the love of my life, Trevor. Here's a photo of us so you can put a face with the name:

As you can imagine, I'm a little overwhelmed. We just bought a house and are working on some major painting projects, I have no idea what I'm doing about centerpieces at the wedding, and to be honest, I'm just a worrier by nature. In fact, I have had several exhaustion-induced moments of panic about how quickly the wedding is coming. I can't stop myself from thinking things like.... I need to make more money, our house is so empty, IKEA, I need to go to Ikea! What am I going to do with my hair? Should I put it up, or keep it down? I need to schedule an appointment with Jenna, STAT. What if Trevor hates me? What if he likes our future kids more than me? What if he will always want to be at work to get away from me? What if he RUNS AWAY. Ok, you get the point. I obviously am a little paranoid, but I can't help it! So much is going on, and my Capricorn control freak nature (holla zodiac sisters!) is causing me to BREAK. OUT. It's true. I have awful, acne ridden, dry, oily skin... especially when I am a little or a lot stressed out. This is not a good thing with my wedding coming quicker than I can even comprehend, so I have myself on a very strict routine. Today I wanted to share with you how I keep my skin clear even when my head is about to explode! ...and yes! One of those things is a liquid makeup!

Liquid Foundation
Face Oil/Blemish Control

1. Neutrogena Acne Scrub. I use this every single day, morning and night. I LOVE Neutrogena products, because they are always gentle on my skin, and seem to keep the break outs under control more than other products I have tried. I also love that this wash comes in a grapefruit scent. So refreshing!

2. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup. I actually just started using this product a few weeks ago, and the difference with my skin before and after using this makeup is UNREAL. My skin looked more clear within a few days of using this makeup. Plus, it has SPF 20 in it to make sure my face stays healthy. Let me just take this moment to also say: SPF IS YOUR FACES BFF. Don't forget.

3. Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentrate. Okay, so this is my 'splurge' item. I have to buy one of these every 2 months, and it's about $30, but it's probably one of the most important things you could splurge on. Moisturizer is a huge deal. And this one... oh man, it's like liquid gold. I cannot say enough about this product. It is a thicker moisturizer, but I don't feel like it masks onto my face. It soaks in very quickly, and is the perfect primer for your makeup in the morning as well.

4. Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment. Put this stuff on an oncoming zit as you go to bed, and in the morning, it will be gone. I really put a good glob on, and it has lasted me forever. I swear by this stuff, I used to have a topical medication from my derm, and this stuff is just as good!

5. St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Invigorating Scrub. I use this once or twice a week to get off any buildup of dry skin, makeup, or if my skin is just looking a little dull. This does the job, but is very gentle on my sensitive skin.

Phew! We made it! I really feel like I have found the perfect secret to healthy skin. I know everyone's skin is different, but these products really work for me! Thanks again, Lyss for inviting me to share on your blog, and don't forget to come visit me over at Good as Gold! See you all there!

Dead Ringers

I wasn't sponsored for any of these reviews or suggestions.

Hey, ya'll.
So, this post has been in the works for some time, now. To give you a little background, I'm maybe the cheapest person alive, but I'm also kind of a snob and I want the best of the best.

See my dilemma here?

It's a rough life.

Anyway, in my quest to find the best and avoid spending small fortunes, here are some cheaper (read: drugstore) dead ringers for some of my favorite products.

Let me know what you think, and share the love if you know of some awesome dupes that I didn't include!

1. The Pencil Eyeliner That Won't Rub Off or Transfer to the Top of Your Eyelid

High End: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil
$19 at Sephora

Okay, so I LOVE this eye pencil. But guess what? It's like $20 at Sephora for EYELINER. Are you kidding me? Where's my free sample, thankyouverymuch? This stuff goes NOWHERE until you wash it off, though. Which is so great.

Drugstore: Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner

$5 ish

I am in love. I bought these for my sister and some friends, because I loved mine so much. (Wait, did I give you any, sis?? Meh.) These are so great because they stay put, but you can also blend it out and make it smokey-ish if you hurry and do it before it dries. If you wait, it's stayin' though. (Until you wash it off. Duh.)
The white and nude colors are gorgeous in the inner corner, and they stay put in your waterline and don't bug your eyes.

2. Setting Powder That Actually (ahem) SETS

High End: Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder
$34 at Sephora

I've talked about this gem before. I love it. I use it right after my primer if I'm using foundation, and I use it after my BB cream dries if I don't want the hassle of primer/foundation. It's super fine, so it doesn't allow you to get cakey and fills in all the little lines.
But it costs a fortune.

Drugstore: elf High Definition Powder in Translucent
$6.00

Just as good, people. It has silicone in it, which is the magic ingredient in our friend, Make Up For Ever. And I didn't break out when I used it. So there ya go.

Also, don't be dumb. It's a setting powder. If you use a ton, you'll look like Casper, savvy?

3. Lipstick That Doesn't Look Like Crap

High End: Mac. Duh.
$15 at Macy's

Everyone knows that the best high end lipstick ever is Mac. I'm in love with Bombshell and Raspberry Swirl, but Raspberry Swirl was unfortunately just a limited edition. (Why do they do that?!?)

Drugstore: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick
$4 ish

It's kind of hard to find exact dupes for colors, but I love this lipstick just as much as Mac and it's like 1/4 of the price! Plus, they have a lot of matte colors that I love. Right now, my favorite is Primrose (a cream lipstick) and Sky Pink (matte).

4. A Cream Eyeshadow that Doesn't Crease, YA DIG?!

High End: Mac Paint Pot
$18.50 at Macy's

These are great. They do just what they say they'll do. They don't crease. They're pretty alone, or under powder shadow (primer style).

Drugstore: Maybelline 24 Hour Tattoo
$5 ish

These are just as good, last just as long (in the jar AND on your face, yo!), have just as many of the colors that I like, and you can get four for the price of one paint pot. Um...do I need to talk about this anymore? Mmk.

5. Highlighter So That I Can Fake it That My Face Looks Dewey Like a Sun Goddess

High End: Benefit High Beam
$26 at Sephora

This is so pretty. But the weird brush thing kinda throws me off. I just like my little sample. Mostly b'cause it was free. Holla.

Drugstore: elf Shimmering Facial Whip
$1. Yes, I'll repeat that. $1.

I love this, and I love all the colors. It's pretty as a highlighter on your brow bone, too. Works great with a stipple brush, and I like blending it with liquid blush. And it's a dollar. Oh, and it's a dollar.
But the name weirds me out. Facial whip?? eew.

6. Things To Make My Hair Look Like....Really Great

High End: Things That Smell Great, Work Great and Cost My First Born
(Redken, Aveda, Matrix/Biologe, Bumble and Bumble, etc.)

Drugstore: Suave Professionals

THIS ENTIRE LINE IS AMAZING.
And they're all like $3

7. Concealer For Ma' Mug

High End: Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer
$25 at Sephora

Drugstore: Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer
$5 ish

This one comes with a weird concealer pencil thing that didn't match so well...and I chucked it. Adios.

8. Brushes

High End: Sigma F35
$18 at sigmabeauty.com

Drugstore: elf Tapered Brush
$3 at eyeslipsface.com

These are both great, and the sigma is actually a little bit better. But not for double (plus) the price. Just not gonna happen.

So there ya have it! I know that there are so many more, so I'd love to hear what your favorite dupes are! Also, what do you think is WORTH the splurge??

-L

P.S. Get excited boys and girls (mostly girls....), because I just got word that my Birchbox and Ipsy Bag have shipped. Get ready for a review, yo.



Sunday Secret Weapons: Skincare

This week, my secret weapons are a few skin care products that I really love, but don't hear too much about from other people. Maybe some of you will like them, too!

1. Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream:

This first product is awesome. First of all, I have REALLY sensitive skin. I'm all about products that are natural. I have a rule (that I only sometimes break--like for Cetaphil), that if I put it on my face, I have to be able to pronounce/recognize all the ingredients. The ingredients in this are as follows: Olive oil, beeswax, honey, bee pollen, royal jelly and propolis extract.

This stuff is great for my daughter, too. She has eczema, and this really helps her skin.

For this stuff, I only use it at night. It definitely makes my skin look greasy and SUPER shiny, so I wouldn't recommend using it in the day. If I didn't know every ingredient in it, it might worry me that it looks so shiny. But don't be scared by the oily nature of it. Olive oil is actually good for your skin in a pure form. I use this in place of a moisturizer at night. Also, I like to let it dry while I brush my teeth and get all ready for bed. Use about the size of your thumb nail, rub it together in your hands first, and then you can use it on your face (or anywhere!). It has helped keep my skin calm, heal blemishes, etc.

As far as price goes, it feels like a small fortune because I'm a cheapskate frugal shopper, but it's really not too bad, especially for how long it lasts you! It's about $30, and for the last 3 months, I have used it every day on my face, and all over my daughters whole body (granted, she's only like a foot tall), and the jar is still pretty much full.

2. Sugar:

No, really. Sugar.
So, I put like a tablespoon of sugar in the palm of my hand, mix it with my face wash at night, and it's like the BEST exfoliant in the world.

I'm not gonna go acting like I'm a chemist or even remotely good at science at all, whatsoever. I'm not. D's get degrees, boys and girls, and this girl barely passes her science classes. I don't want to be a scientist! I want to be a writer! Or get paid to talk about makeup and shoes all day long but that's not realistic, nor is it relative to the current subject of skincare and table sugar! BUT, I did pay attention enough to know that table sugar is a lil' but of glucose, and a lil' bit of fructose, and I couldn't tell you if that's good for your skin or not, but I do know that it passes the pronunciation of ingredients test, and it's all scrubby-like. So it's working for me. And my skin kind of hates me sometimes, so if it's working for me, it's prolly safe. Plus I looked it up and some random websites said it was a good, natural scrub. Which is weird since, isn't refined table sugar in fact, not natural??
Or not. I don't know! I'm not a chemist! It just works, okay?

3. Coconut Oil:

I'm loving this. I use it all the time. As a hair mask/deep conditioner (Split ends? What split ends?), as a scalp treatment (Itchy scalp? Nothankyouverymuch. Not this girl.), as a facial moisturizer (sometimes I mix it with sugar. And it smells like a sweet, creamy, coconutty treat, thankyouverymuch), as a shaving cream oil, as a treatment for my little girl's eczema, as a tanning oil (Okay, that's an untruth. I'm kind of banking on not going to hell, so I won't lie to you, I haven't done this, but I might. One day.), and whatever else I feel like dabbin' this miracle goodness on! Don't be scared to use it on your face--again, it's the good kind of oil. I actually use it more like a facewash (or scrub if used with sugar), and rinse it off afterward. It will still feel kind of greasy, but coconut oil, if it's organic and all that granola jazz, is anti-bacterial. It's good for the ol' pores. Ain't no thing. And it's pretty cheap. Like $10-$12 ish bucks for a little tub of it. I don't feel like giving all the instructions so just buy the bottle I buy and follow the directions on the back, yo.
I use Efa Gold Organic Coconut Oil and I would recommend just buying it at Walgreens. But you can order it on Amazon, too.

MAKE SURE YOU ONLY USE ORGANIC, PURE EXTRA VIRGIN COCONUT OIL OR ELSE IT WILL MAKE YOUR SKIN LOOK LIKE A HOT MESS. kthanks.

4. Some Mixin' and Matchin' and Whatnot:

So, one thing that I love is mixing the sugar and a little bit of coconut oil as a lip scrub. Just try it. The next day, that sometimes-makes-my-lips-look-flaky-but-it-was-freakin'-expensive-so-I'm-using-it-mac-lipstick will go on smooth like butta. As in, no gloss needed. But still, use the gloss. We're not neanderthals, ladies.

Another thing I love? Coconut oil makes your arm pits smell good. Don't judge me. You'd prolly have some extra on your hands when you were in the bathtub, and you'd prolly try it. I'm just the only one sayin' it!

If you're having a breakout, and you decide to pull out the heavy artillery (I'm talkin' that tube of 10% BP, boys and girls), use the Egyptian Magic Skin Cream around wherever you put the Benzoyl Peroxide (but not on top...let's not defeat the purpose, now), and you'll avoid that annoying "Yes, I dried out my zit but I also have Flakeville around the rest of my non-broken out face. Thanksforthat. I can't win." thing happenin'.

OR, if you have just that one little spot that is kind of dry and it is making your makeup look stupid (I'm telling you, you ought to be using a good primer!), then just use a tiny bit of the Egyptian Magic and then put your powder over it so that it won't be shiny. It's kind of the consistency of Vaseline, without being bad for your pores, and it won't let your skin get dry again throughout the day.

Ipsy vs. Birchbox

Hey, everybody! Alright, so the moment of truth has arrived upon us. Now, this is serious business, here. All of this world peace business and national debt hootenanny can just calm down for a minute. We have real issues to discuss. Like which is better? Birchbox or Ipsy?

In all seriousness, there are a lot of sad, scary things that happen in our world. I get that, and I don't mean to make light of it. But how about we all just take a second and be girly for a minute? Because I have some awesome stuff to show you.

For those of you who don't know, Birchbox and Ipsy are both programs that are each $10/month. Though they're similar, they're totally separate companies. They are subscriptions that you can purchase for a year (at a discounted price) or pay month to month. They send you a package once a month full of high end beauty samples, and some of the products even come full size, which I love. You always get well more than $10 worth of product. For someone like me who is a self admitted cheapskate, it's a great way to test out the really expensive, but really nice, high end products without feeling like you are running a huge risk or that you have to go back to the department store to return expensive product. 

So, both my Birchbox and my Ipsy bag arrived on the same day. Here they are, in all of their pink, girly glory!

Both subscriptions are just $10/month

The first one I opened was my Birchbox. As you can see, lots of goodies came this month!

-Juice Beauty Green Apple Skin Peel for Sensitive Skin (Like mine. Holla!)

-Cookies

-Kerastase Shapmpoo

-Coola Cucumber Facial Sunscreen

-Cargo Water Resistant Blush in Los Cabos

First off, the Juicy Beauty skin peel. I have really sensitive skin, so I was nervous to use a skin care product on my face that I hadn't really heard much about. But I did a little research, and after some awesome reviews, I gave it a go. And I.love.it. It's certified organic, and makes my skin feel so soft! It's kind of pricey (about $40 for a full size jar), but I honestly think it's worth it. I'm planning to buy the full size, and I can tell just from my sample that a little goes a long way, and it'll last a while.

Next, the Hail Merry Macaroons. These tasted like butt. Don't eat them. I tried to make my sister eat one just because I wanted to see her face or watch her spit it out, but she didn't buy it. One bite of one cookie, and the rest hit the trash can. Also, they were more like the consistency of a brownie, not a macaroon.

The shampoo was fine. Nothing super special. I liked it and used it because it came with the package, but I don't know that I'd seek it out to buy more. I'll stick with my Biologe, thankyouverymuch.

This sunscreen smells so great. It's really fresh and feels really light on your skin. It's the perfect size to toss in your purse or keep in your car. I also love that it's formulated for your face. One thing I hate about sunscreen is the oily feeling it gives your skin and this is great. My makeup has sunscreen in it, but for the days I spend by the pool with my kids, I plan on going au natural. This will be awesome for that!

The Cargo blush is AWESOME. It's water resistant, which means it lasts all day and looks great. But it still comes off so easy when you wash your face. I adore Cargo, anyway, and this blush is a new favorite. The sample size is a fairly good size, and even if I used it every single day, I bet it would be a month or so before I even hit pan. It's a matte, coral-ish color, and I'm loving it for summer. It stays matte all day long. Another huge plus. I want more of this, in all three of the colors that Cargo makes it in.

Next is the Ipsy bag!

- Chevron Makeup Bag

- Zoya Nail Polish

- Pacifica Island Vanilla and Tahitian Gardenia Roll-on Perfume

- Pacifica Coconut Crushed Pearl Bronzing Body Lotion

- Yaby Concealer

- Mirabella Shimmerati Glimmer Gloss

The makeup bag that all my goodies came in is adorable, and fits in my purse perfectly. It's also awesome for travel. Seriously, you can't ever have too many of these gems.

The Zoya nail polish came in a REALLY cute mint color. I love this nail polish. It came full size, and that alone is an $8 value. I love this nail polish. It dried fairly quickly, but not so quickly that it was getting clumpy before I was finished like some quick-dry nail polishes do. It's also really durable, which is a MUST HAVE for me. Of course, I did two coats, but I did it three days ago, and it still looks perfect. Not a single chip. It's rivaling Essie and Revlon Colorstay for me, and those are my two favorite brands. I'm a big fan of this. I want it in more colors!

This roll-on perfume smells DIVINE. It's got the musky, deep smell of vanilla, but it's still flowery enough to wear every day. I also love roll-on perfumes because I can toss them in my purse and keep them there for whenever I need it. It's full size for a roll-on, and it's actually even bigger than my other roll-on perfumes that are already stashed away in my purse. I love this!

The coconut bronzing lotion is so pretty! I am excited to use this in the summer, when we are out in the sunshine. It smells really fresh, and it's bronzing without being streaky or looking AT ALL like sunless tanner. It's just pretty and smells really fresh.

This concealer is really creamy, and because of the quiz that Ipsy has you take when you sign up, it was my perfect shade. It's a small, sample size. But to give you a general size idea, if I used it every single day, it would probably last me 2-3 weeks. Then again, I don't tend to use a ton of concealer, so it just depends on how much you typically wear. It's definitely enough to know I'm a big fan, though!

This lip gloss is awesome, too. It isn't sticky, and it's a really pretty color. It's a bright, hot pink, but it's really shimmery and sheer, so it doesn't come across as too bright, and you can wear it every day and not look like a Lady of the Night, if you're catching my drift. (Kidding. I actually LOVE dark lipstick. Especially red!!) Plus, as you can see in the pic, the packaging is so cool. It's full size, and ya'll know I love that!

So, there are products from both subscriptions that I really love.

Birchbox: At first sight, the Cargo blush was my favorite, but after using the Juicy Beauty Skin Peel, I realized it's a draw between the two for the favorite spot. I also wish the sizes were just a little bit bigger.

Ipsy Bag: Although it's really hard to decide, I'd have to say my favorite in this bag is the nail polish. But the perfume comes in as a close second!

Both subscriptions were awesome this month, but I felt like Ipsy gave me more bang for my buck, and that's a big deal to me! I'd have to say Ipsy is the winner this month, but I can't wait to see what's in store for next month!! One thing about Birchbox that I love, that Ipsy doesn't offer, is that you can earn points with Birchbox for reviewing the products you receive in your subscription, as well as for purchasing your subscription every month. It makes it so if you do your reviews, about every third month is free. Ipsy does have a points system, but it's only for referring people, and they're harder and less realistic to accumulate.

Let me know what you guys liked, and if you're interested in a subscription to either, the links are below!

For info about an Ipsy subscription, click here: Ipsy
For info about a Birchbox subscription, click here: Birchbox

Also, I'd love to know if a Birchbox or Ipsy giveaway is something ya'll would be interested in, sometime in the future?

Thanks, all!

-L

*CLOSED* Giveaway: The Busy Biddy Boutique

I have a lot of weaknesses.
Some of them are good weaknesses, though.
Like my weakness for Boutiques.

And The Busy Biddy Boutique in Orem, Utah is no exception, my friends.

The second I walked in, it smelled amazing. I was greeted cheerfully by the shop owner, and semi browsed, semi eavesdropped on her conversations with other customers. I listened in as she complimented other shoppers, asked the "regulars" about their families, and gave away rock candy suckers to a little boy who was admittedly ready to go, but was patiently waiting for his mom to finish looking around.

From every possible hook hung an outfit, and from every shelf sat delicate perfume or adorable decor. Counters were lined with jewelry and charms, and treats were visible here and there.

The old home turned boutique is jam packed, in a good way, with treasures. I spoke with the shop owner, Janet, and learned they've been in business for nine years, and she didn't have to tell me she loved her job. It's written all over her face.

She seemed to know every customer by name, and each purchase was perfectly wrapped up. It's not lost on Janet that presentation is everything.

This necklace has two charms. One with an "L" for Landon and another with an "A" for Adelle (Ellie). I adore having my kids' initials around my neck. The only hard part was choosing which charms I wanted!! Janet wrapped it happily for me as I chatted with her about her shop, my blog and our shared loves for all things pretty.

Directly from The Busy Biddy itself is our next beautiful giveaway.
I'm jealous of the winner who will have soft, lovely smelling, sparkling hands with this divine hand cream and adorable ring. (I had my eye on this lotion at Anthropology not too long ago, and trust me, it smells amazing!)

The rules for the giveaway are simple, but you have to complete both steps!!!
- Comment on my blog (and make sure you're a follower)!
- "Like" The Busy Biddy's Facebook page.

An additional entry can be made for "sharing" this post on Facebook, but only if the first two steps are already completed.

The contest will close on Friday, May 3rd. I will notify the winner and you will have 72 hours to claim your (adorable) prize! I'll deliver or ship it to you, if you live far away from me.

Have fun!

-L

Sunday Secret Weapons-Birchbox Style

Okay, so anyone who doesn't already get this, you're crazy. But it's okay because I was behind the times, too. And I just barely signed up but I'm so excited I could just lose my mind. Don't feel bad, you can click on this link and sign up right away. It says that there is about a 4 week waiting list, but I got mine in about 4 days.

https://www.birchbox.com?raf=9fjwl

And I will be blogging about what comes in this lovely surprise each month whenever I get it. And there will be reviews, don't you worry.

So, the secret weapon part of this, you ask?

Birchbox points.

So, if you sign up for the yearly subscription, you might die at the price, because it's $110. But, that's not a huge deal if you think about what you're getting. That means that one month is free, and it also comes with 110 birchbox points. For every 100 points, you get a free month. See how this works??

Well, if you're not really feelin' the $110, you can pay month to month with a $10/month subscription. You don't get any initial Birchbox points, but here is the kicker. For every item that you complete a review for, you get 10 points. Each month, you get between four and six items, so every few months, it's free. Those points will add up fast, lovelies!

So, thanks to our amazing family friend, Heather Clawson, I'm a happy girl, with a Birchbox on the way.

Holla.

-L

Sunday Secret Weapons-BUSY

This week has been a wild ride for me. It's a combination of school, finals, work, the kids, housework, family stuff, and all the other odds and ends that fill the gaps. That being said, Sunday snuck up on me. And before I knew it, it was 11:45 on Sunday night!

So, in light of my busy schedule, I thought to myself, "Self, how about we do a Sunday Secret Weapons: Too Busy To Function edition?"

And I told myself, "Self, that's a good idea you've got there."

The truth is, we spend so much of our time being "busy". I want to focus more on just smelling the roses. I would like to notice the little things, or stop to just play on the floor with the kids. These things happen from time to time, but they're far more rare than I'd like. And so, here are a few of the things I do, to cut just a few corners. Even if it only saves me ten minutes, that is prime coloring time with the babes.

So, *ahem*. Here are some of my secret weapons to combat my days when I'm so busy, that I literally don't have time to stop and put gas in my car! (This has happened. Repeatedly.)

1. Who has time to wash their hair?
Okay, first of all, I try to just wash my hair twice a week anyway. Gross? No. Every girl knows it's better for your hair if you only wash once or twice a week. Otherwise, your scalp overcompensates and produces too much oil. And THAT would be gross. So, my secret weapon for when I don't have time to wash my hair is:

Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo
This stuff is awesome, and dirt cheap. I've gone through like 6 bottles since I discovered it. Dry shampoo can make your hair feel like straw, but this is amazing. Try it. You'll be hooked. It's like $3 at the drugstore.

2. Sorry, kids. I don't have time to make you breakfast.
Four words: Mini boxes of Cheerios.
When the mornings are rushed and we're lucky to get out the door on time as it is, these are life savers.  Yes, everyone. I know it's cheaper to just put cereal in a baggy. But I give them juice in washable water bottles, so bite me. I'm doing my part for the environment. Blah, blah. Anyway, the novelty of these are good because my kids are excited enough about them that it's fun for them to eat them in the car on our way to wherever we need to be in the mornings. Saves me a good 20 minutes!

3. If I don't have time to wash my hair, what makes you think I have time to actually STYLE it?
Boys and girls, enter: The French Braid.

So fast. Keeps it out of my face. And if you have the right outfit, you won't look like a polygamist. (No offense, if you're into that kinda thing...no judgement. Except I do judge your long socks with running shoes and dresses and I'm trying to be better and you're still beautiful and it's okay because you just gotta be you! Baby steps.)

Right now, I'm loving these:

And one of them will most likely happen tomorrow since I'm always running late-too late to actually do my hair...

4. I'm an insomniac, plus with so much to do, how can I waste time SLEEPING!?

Alright, that's stupid. I love sleeping. But I just can't sometimes. So.

Drink a lot of water. Really, though. It helps a lot.
Take vitamins.
And most importantly:
Always have a Rockstar on hand. With a straw.

5. Decisions take too long.
I struggle with deciding on clothes. This seems dumb and "duh", but one of my BIGGEST time savers is to pick out mine and my kids' clothes the night before. Landon is so used to it, he does it himself before bed.

6. Just say no.
We're busy. All of us. (Well most of us.) And I don't have time to go out and do all the things I want to with all of the people I want to see. And trying to fit everything in leaves me overwhelmed and my kids missing quality time with me. So, I say "no", a lot. No, I can't meet up. No, I can't do dinner. No, I can't stop by. No, I'm not home. No, you can't come visit. No, we can't get together.
I know I've hurt a few feelings, but busy lives really outline your priorities...any spare time I happen to find is already spoken for. They belong to my two little loves. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

7. Ask.
There's no shame in needing help. Especially when it comes to kids. It takes a village, and I've been blessed with an amazing village. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, best friends, etc. Things can get really crazy, but as long as I always keep my focus on what really matters the very most, then I know that I'll be okay.

So, there ya have it. A few of my secret weapons for when times get busy!!! The more organized I stay, the less I'm likely to lose my mind. Whether its new babies, finals, a hectic job, little kids, a big event, etc., the trick is, plan ahead, cut corners when you can, and simplify.

And if none of this mattered to anyone, then whatever. It's all I had time for. Really. I'm blogging on my phone in the bathtub for hell's sake. Which should be #8. Multitasking.....

-L