Happy New Year | 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR DOLLS!

I'm very excited about 2017! This past year has definitely been a year of changes, growth, adjusting, checking and readjusting. I'm very thankful for my many adventures, accomplishments and even the mistakes.

& Of course It wouldn't be a New Year post if I didn't mention my 2017 goals are

Getting in the best shape of my life while 

Meditating daily which will hopefully encourage me to focus on things that really matter and 

SAVE like my life depends on it, so I can 

Invest in my dreams and future like never before...all while

Being madly in love.

Thank you guys so much for continuously reading and being a part of my life for these past few years. 

Cheers,

Courtney

Checking In...

HEY Y'ALL! Just checking in to say "hello"! I've been extremely busy with birthday festivities, travel, work and all the craziness of life in general. I've been doing quite a bit of Fall shopping and I have a ton a post ideas so stay tuned in the next week or so for Fall fashion and beauty posts and maybe even a video! 

 Shorts-Zara

Body Suit-Zara

Sweater-H&M

Sandals-Aldo

vegas, missed flights, orlando & more...

Hey Loves! It feels like every time I post I’m returning from a hiatus and that’s probably because that’s the case.:-/ As always, life got in the way, but I thought it was only right to give you an update of where I’ve been & what I've been up to.

I surprised my fiancé with a birthday trip to Vegas (we went early April). It was my first time in VEGAS and it was definitely an adventure. Everyone should definitely go to Vegas at least once! So let’s get into the trip…

In true Courtney fashion I missed my flight, due to shopping (WHO DOES THAT)!? After that fiasco we finally made it to Vegas, checked in and the sleepless fun began!

We stayed at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino and I loved it. The room was modern, the hotel was huge and the casino was my favorite of all the other ones I visited while in Vegas. I won money, lost money, ate…a lot, shopped a little, drunk some, explored a ton and had an amazing time. I probably slept a total of 16 hours in 4 days.

A few weeks later I was off to Orlando for a family vacation. It was a nice little getaway. I explored Orlando, danced all night in a Jamaican club, spent all day at the pool and of course...I ATE! My favorite part of the trip was a cute little brunch cruise. The ship sailed on St. John's River and the view was absolutely amazing!

& then it was back to normal life...

Natural Skin Care Routine

I love makeup just as much as the next girl, but my first and true love is SKINCARE. My philosophy is the better your skin looks, the less makup you need and you feel confident on those lazy days where you don't want to wear makeup at all!

There are very few things we will have our whole life, our skin is of those things! Taking care of our skin is important for overall beauty, health and confidence.

Lately, I've been really focusing on improving the texture and overall vibrance of my skin. I love to buy and try new products, but I always end up back at my more natural and simple skin care routine.

The most important and inexpensive element of my skin care routine is water. I try to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to keep my skin hydrated and prevent wrinkles in the future. Aside from that below is my everyday,morning and nighttime routine...

First, I wash my face with my Juice Beauty Brightening Gel Cleanser. After patting my face dry, NO RUBBING, I tone my face with my Thayers Witch Hazel (I avoid the ones that contain alcohol because they dry out your skin). Lastly, I moisturize using organic unrefined and virgin coconut oil.

My routine is simple, but works really well for me. I'm thinking about trying an organic face mask for those days my skin needs a little extra TLC. I'll let you guys know if I find one I like.


Until next time...stay beautiful!

Xo,

Courtney

Happy New Year | 2016

Happy New Year! We're nearly a week into the new year and I'm extremely excited for the beauty that will be 2016. I spent a large portion of 2015 impatiently waiting for things to happen, towards the end of last year I decided to create the life I want. I'm a firm believer in changing your mind and your life will follow.

Instead of focusing on the things that could or should be better,  I've been focusing on the thoughts and actions it takes to create those things.  It's not enough to want something or feel like you deserve something simply because you are you or you're a great person. There is an abundance of people in the world living complacent lives and feeling as if they want or deserve more. I decided I no longer want to be one of those people. I've opened my heart and mind to all the abundance that life has to offer.

My first step was job hunting like a mad women and not being afraid to ask for the pay and flexibility I wanted and deserve. Well now that that's checked off my list, on to my other major goals...

• Continuing to eat clean and becoming fully Pescatarian (Right now I'm Pescatarian + Turkey:)
• Decorating every space I occupy on a regular basis to be welcoming and relaxing - feng shui
• Cleaning every night and before I leave my house so my home welcomes me back
• Exercising at least 3 times a week, to start...this one will be tough for me at first
• Saving - I have to get my shopping under control and depend less on the thrill of shopping, my goal is to always save more than I spend even with bills calculated in the money spent
• My blog will be a major focus this year because writing has always been a major passion and this will be my investment in myself 
• I'm in the process of deciding the next step in my education - Master's or Certificates in my career field
• Most importantly mental health - this year I will breath, smile, cry, meditate, laugh, dance, sing, relax, and repeat

I look forward to this journey with you all and as always thank you for coming along.

XoXo,

Courtney

it's been a while...

Hey Y'all! I know...I know...It's been a while! Over the past few months there has been many changes in my life. I got a new job and shortly after moved into a new place. With all the much needed changes came a lot of adjusting, tons of unpacking and organizing, which that I'm still in the process of working through.

I came back to hundreds of views and that's motivated me to turn it up a notch with the content and the frequency of my posts.

I want to commit to a posting schedule, I'll start with every Sunday and then move into twice a week...Even though I'm writing this Wednesday night and scheduling it to post tomorrow...Thursday :-/ LOL

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for continuing to be a part of my journey.

XoXo,
Courtney

Summer Favorites

This summer I've stumbled across a few gems! I live in hot, humid Atlanta so I'm all about keeping my beauty products light and breathable and using as few products as possible. I've also been trying to restock my makeup and beauty products with new ones containing fewer harsh chemicals.

Tip: When shopping at Sephora online you can filter product selection by ingredients. I always filter by paraben free & sulfate free. You may be shocked to realize some of your favorites are already free of these ingredients, for example the infamous Nars Creamy Concealer.

I am on a quest to find holy grail products! I'm always excited about trying new products, however I'm trying to do less hoarding and overbuying and go for products that I can use every day. I think I've found some keepers that I'll be repurchasing over and over again.

 

Products:

Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation - N90

Nars Creamy Concealer - Amande

Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil

Loreal Telescopic Mascara Carbon Black

Loreal Telescopic Eye Liner Carbon Black

MAC -Retro Matte -Flat Out Fabulous

NYX Tea Tree Blotting Paper

Essie Sand Tropez

Essie Topless & Barefoot

Givenchy Ange Ou Demon le seceret


XoXo
Courtney

Green Smoothies | 5 Benefits

As always I'm on a journey, this time a journey to health. I have been trying several combinations to make the perfect green smoothie. This time I think I've perfected it!

Why green smoothies?! They can be a substitute for breakfast or for lunch, they are filling and loaded with nutrients.
5 Benefits of Green Smoothies:

• Low calorie
• Pure nutrition
• Weight loss
• Energy
• Clarity

Ingredients: Kale, Spinach, Strawberries, Lemon Juice, Blue Berries, Bananas, Coconut Water, Greek Yogurt(Strawberry) & Ice Cubes

Try my recipe above & tell me your favorite smoothie recipe! 

XoXo

Courtney

good health, good life

Recently, I picked up the book Good Health, Good Life by Joyce Meyer and I am really enjoying it. This book is filled with tips to help change unhealthy routines and improve physically as well as spiritually and mentally.

I'll do an overall review when I've finished reading the book, but so far I'd highly recommend it and you can't really lose with this book costing less than $10.

I know sometimes I've had the thought that most self help books are the same, but I've learned you don't have to take away or use every tip, but if you learn one new thing or are inspired in a positive way it's worth it.

Let me know what you're currently reading or would suggest I read next.

Myrtle Beach | Much Needed Getaway

Myrtle Beach is a staple place in my childhood summer memories. It's always great to go back to the same beach I played on as a child and reflect, relax and just have fun.

I can't wait to go back, it always seems like vacation days fly by. Where's your favorite place to vacation?

Protective Styles | Havana Twists

As you may know I did the big chop a few months back. I haven't quite figured out how to style my natural hair and because I relaxed my leave out when I was transitioning I had to cut it much shorter than the rest of my hair. With all that being said, I'm becoming the queen of protective styles.

Even before the big chop I've never wanted to have to do a lot with my hair in the mornings, so I've been wearing sew-ins religiously. I kind of wanted to changed things up so I decided to try some different protective styles.

1st up...HAVANA TWISTS.

I did these twists about two months ago and have been redoing them every other week or in sections as needed. I love them! Havana twists are so versatile, they give you a different look and your hair gets a break from constant manipulation.

It took me about 7 1/2 hours to complete these and I used 5-6 packs of Marley Hair.

I think I'll leave these in until the end of March or until I think of the next protective style to try.

natural everyday makeup

For a natural everyday look I use a beauty blender, wet it, apply a dime size of Mac Studio Fix Fluid all over my face. I then apply mineralize skin finish to my t-zone. After my skin tone is even I brush out my eyelashes and eyebrows with a spoolie, fill in my eyebrows, line my water line, then apply two coats of mascara. Lastly, I line my lips with a brown liner and apply one of my favorite nude lipsticks.

Products:

MAC Studio Fix Fluid

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish

Eco Tools Spoolie

Maybelline Lash Stiletto

NYX black eye liner

NYX brown lip liner

MAC Jubilee

XoXo,

Courtney

Minimalism?

For the past few months I have been attempting to live a minimalist lifestyle. I've started with the most challenging part of my life...shopping. I was shopping far too much and buying too many pieces that weren't classic, were over priced and are now forgotten. I realized I have a closet full of clothes with tags that I will probably never wear.

As with anything the first step is realizing the problem. I am getting to point in my life where I really have to prioritize how and where I spend my money. I am buying more classic pieces and investing in clothing that will last. I do on occasion buy something that pops out at me that I know is simply trendy, but that is no longer my common practice.

I've been seeking functional items I know I'll always love and I can get a lot of wear out of. I love black, blazers, and button ups, which is pretty practical since I work in Corporate environment. 

Next up...

I'll be giving away clothes and shoes and reorganizing my closets.

XoXo,

Courtney

Big Chop

I've attempted to go natural 4 times. Each time I didn't stick with it; it was too time consuming, too expensive, too hard or just looked too bad. On my fourth attempt I decided to relax my edges only, then later realized that made no sense at all, so I cut it all off.

 October 10th I relaxed my edges for the last time and 8 weeks later I cut off all my relaxed ends.

I thought I'd cry or feel some sort of attachment to my hair, BUT I actually felt relieved and free. I don't know why I held on to those scraggly ends for so long.

So I'm officially all natural. Let the journey begin.

Finding my center.

As work and life keeps me busy and my mind constantly racing, it becomes increasingly important for me to find ways to center myself and quiet my thoughts. Meditation is proving to be one of the best ways for me. Here are some of my meditation tips and routines:

• Pick a time and try to meditate at that time everyday to build a routine.
• Find a quiet place where you can be undisturbed and comfortable.
• Don't expect too much from yourself, start small 5-10 minutes, then build from there.
• Research different techniques, methods and benefits.
• You can meditate anywhere anytime, so if you get stressed at work go sit in your car and use a few minutes to calm yourself.
• Breath. Focus on your breathing.
• Try your hardest to clear your mind and think of nothing, just be.
• A friend suggested music, I haven't tried this yet, but I'll let you all know how I like it. 

-

XoXo

Courtney

Finding the Perfect Hairstylist

Finding a hairstylist that takes her time, cares about hair health, is able to deliver the results you ask for, is professional and actually styles hair well is harder than it sounds.

When I moved to a city like Atlanta I thought I would have no problem finding a talented hair stylist, but boy was I wrong. With so many claiming to be "Weave-ologist","Master Stylist" and "Veterans" you'd think there would be too many great stylist to choose from.

So far, I've been to four hair stylists at four different hair salons. I've come across extreme unprofessionalism, lack of attention to hair health, hair damage, and just down right bad service. It left me wondering if I would ever find a stylist worth paying my hard earned money. I believe I've finally found a stylists I will be going to for a while & I'll share more about her in an upcoming post.

Now that I've been through a couple of stylists and had my share of horror stories I feel that its only right to share some of the tips I've learned in picking a stylist who will make your hair both beautiful and healthy.

Tips:

• You get what you pay for. Do not attempt to find a quality stylist by searching for the cheapest one. You may have to spend a few extra dollars for someone who is more qualified and uses quality products and tools.
• Ask Questions. Before you book your appointment do not be afraid or feel like a bother for asking questions. Find out about the products the stylist uses, how long the stylist has been doing hair, if the stylist can do the specific style you want and if the stylist is familiar with styling your hair texture.
• Get the price up front. Make the stylist aware of what you want done specifically and get the price so there will be no surprises.
• Take before and after photographs. It's always nice to have something to compare your final outcome with.
• Bring a picture. This is the best way to illustrate exactly how you want your hair, but be mindful all hair types are not the same and won't look the same in a style.
• Be professional. Although the salon is often seen as an informal place it is a place of business, so be comfortable and enjoy yourself, but always be professional and on time.

I will be sharing my hair story and following my hair journey here on Fashionofliving.com.

Stay tuned.

XoXo

Courtney

Nude Lips

I've been on the hunt for the perfect nude lipstick for a very long time! It's hard to find a nude lipsticks that flatters your skin tone and doesn't wash out your face or make you look like you've been eating powdered donuts!

Recently I've hit the jackpot in my search.

Tip: Lip liner makes the colors transition better with your skin and helps you customize the color.
I pair my lipsticks with mauve and brown lip pencils to obtain the perfect nude lip.

Peep my nude favs below:

 (Left to Right)

Lipsticks: Maybelline "Touchable Taupe", MAC "Freckle Tone", MAC "Hug Me", Revlon "Mink" & Revlon Colorburst "Coy"
Liners: "Nutmeg", "Nude Truffle" & "Medium Brown" (All by NYX)

My favorite of these so far is MAC "Hug Me"! It's an everyday, creamy nude and I can't get enough of it.


TO BUY LIST:

• MAC Velvet Teddy
• MAC Twig
• MAC Snob
• MAC Shy Girl
• MAC Myth
• MAC Jubilee
• MAC High Tea
• All of the Maybelline "The Bluffs" Lipsticks

Oh yeah, I bought MAC Mocha and returned it the very next day, it was too orange for my skin.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave me some lipstick suggestions below!

XoXo,

Courtney

Food Adventures | Twist

I decided to go on another food adventure (when I eat somewhere that's not one of my routine favorite spots). One of the things I love about Atlanta is the variety of restaurants!

We went to Twist in Phipps Plaza and the food was different and yummy. We ate outside, which I love to do, it was a great experience.

 I had crab cakes and Twist macaroni and cheese. I loved the crab cakes, the macaroni and cheese...not so much.

Babe had duck breast and of course I ate his food and mine! I can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes they have.

Rating:8.5

From A Wildflower | in limbo.

Check out my latest contribution http://fromawildflower.com/2014/03/20/in-limbo/

No Soda Challenge

For the past few years I’ve been doing “No Soda Challenges”. I realize how unhealthy my addiction is and I’m trying to stop. I don’t know if I’ll ever stop drinking soda for good, but I’ve gone eight months no soda, so I know I can conquer my demons.  Soda is my biggest guilty pleasure. Coca cola is my all-time favorite and I literally can’t get enough of it.

Usually I convince my boyfriend and his mom to join me so I won’t feel alone and so tempted. My boyfriend’s mom is just as addicted as me so it’s fun to see who can hold out the longest and to have our little check-ins/support group.

This time not only will I be cutting out soda I’m going to drink a lot more water, this won’t be too hard because I’m an extremist. If I’m not drinking soda I’m usually drinking water,  I don’t really like juice.

This time my challenge started at the end of February I was two weeks soda free, then this weekend I couldn't fight the urge and relapsed. SO, let’s try this again. I’m attempting to go March 10^th  to October 10^th (my birthday), NO SODA!

I’d love for you guys to join me. 

Good Luck! :)

Fun Facts:

• Soda causes dehydration. 
• The acid in soda weakens the enamel on your teeth.
• Soda is loaded with calories and cutting it out of your diet may get you closer, quicker to your summer body goals!
• Drinking lots of water improves your skin’s tone and texture.
• Drinking water makes you happier! Research shows dehydration can cause a change in mood, staying hydrated remedies this and helps you think clearer