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5 Things No One Tells You About Turning 35 – Beauty At Any Age

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NOTHING TO DISCLOSE

 

When I was in my 20s, I remember thinking… “drat, my 30s are just a few years away!”  It’s not that I was afraid of getting older, but I always assumed that my life couldn’t get any better than 20.  Boy was I wrong, because my “Dirty Thirties” came into my life and I’ve been loving and enjoying it!  Now that I’m 35, I have learned so much about who I am as a person and kind of embraced my love for life, instead of always wondering about what others were thinking of me.  With my knowledge of proper skin care and techniques, I am happy to say that I am not only happy in the skin I’m in, but also excited to be the age I am.  However, if I had to turn back the clock – there would be some things I wish people would share and divulge with me to prep for my thirties.  There are 5 Things No One Tells You About Turning 35 and while each person may have their list of things, here is mine.

no makeup selfie

How’s my no makeup selfie? (pictured above)  Let me be straight up and honest with you – if you live with me, near me or know me, this is my every day look.  I leave the house like this to go shopping, run errands and everything in between.  Hair in a bun, bare face (with exception to my serums, moisturizer, SPF, lip balm) and a hoodie or t-shirt.  Unless I really feel like dressing up or have some place special to be, besides Mascara and some form of lip product, this really is my every day all day!  Five or more years ago, you couldn’t catch me leaving the house if I didn’t at least have a powder or mineral foundation on.  I was not only self conscious of who I was and how I looked, I also would have constant breakouts.  Which leaves me to my #1 thing no one tells you about turning 35.

1.  Embrace your skin – love your skin – take care of your skin.  A few years ago I wore foundation often, eye makeup, primers, etc. for years before I was diagnosed with severe Eczema in 2013 and was told by my Dermatologist that I was not taking care of my skin.  “Not taking care of my skin?” I said, “How is that even possible?  I use all the best products on the market today!”  I didn’t realize that the cosmetics I used on my skin to hide my imperfections were causing my reactions and I was breaking out and having flare ups because of it.  Now two years later, foundation free, and I’m happy to say that besides my little break outs from my monthly friend, my skin looks good and feels great.  Skin care really is EVERYTHING to me and while I don’t necessarily invest in all the expensive products (I don’t find the need to sometimes), I find that as much love that I put into my skin care routine and my skin, the more love I get back from it in return.

plus size fashion

After having three kids, two of which are twins – every part of my body went array and even five years later of a consistent battle with my weight, I can honestly say I will never get back to that size 8, 125 lbs. that I used to be.  While it saddens me sometimes, I know that my size doesn’t define who I am as a person and I’m still proud of who I am.  My number two thing that no one told me about being 35…

2.  Society does not define who you are as a person – YOU do!  I have always been the type of person that considered myself a leader, but after having my children and putting on my weight, I did feel a little insecure.  Let’s face it – who doesn’t?  I’m constantly working on my body and being healthy, but I’m doing it for ME, not for society, not for people who think I need to lose weight and certainly not for any other reason but to be healthy and happy.  I walk or run two miles a day, five days a week and feel GREAT.  I’m still a plus sized gal, with scars from my stretch marks, surgeries and thunder thighs that would stop traffic, but I feel good.  The stereotype of being a plus size girl no longer bugs or bothers me.

glam makeup look

3.  Embrace Your Inner Glam Whenever and Wherever.  Red lips?  Smoky eyes?  I think that if you are feeling a glam look that day, even if you are just rocking it out around the house, do it!  I remember being told in my 20s that using makeup is all about going to the club (mind you I live in a small town and hardly anyone dressed up), but that is not the case… wear it when you feel like it.  I went to the grocery store using a red lipstick and bold winged liner and was asked by the cashier if I was going somewhere special.  My response:  “Yeah, to pick up my son from school!” Red lips are not just for the red carpet.  Like a smoky eye, red lips are used whenever and where ever you feel like it.  Embrace your inner Glam Diva.

bold makeup selfies

4.  Bold, Colorful Makeup is Beautiful!  Makeup is a form of expression, creativity and whatever else you want to call it.  I posted a look a few weeks ago where I had been wearing Barbie Pink lips and neon eyeliner (pictured above – lower right) and was told that it looked great.  Sometimes, while a neutral makeup look or none at all is my choice for every day – I love to pull out the bright bold lip colors and eye shadows that I love.  Purple lips?  Bold, colorful smoky eyes? Candy Yum Yum Neon Lips?  They are okay to use and have fun with.  Makeup is about self expression and art!  It’s fun, funky and I like to wear it now and then.

beauty at any age

5.  Wrinkles, Gray Hair (oh – did I mention I have both of those?) and anything else which would normally define age, does not make you any less beautiful.  YOU ARE A BEAUTIFUL PERSON – EMBRACE IT!  Due to some crazy genes, I started to develop gray hair in my early twenties (if not sooner) and since I was a smoker in my late teens, early 20s (so glad I quit at 24), I developed wrinkles – but that doesn’t mean that I am any less beautiful.  Sometimes we forget that beauty is at any age, any body type, any skin type, any person and we put so much pressure on ourselves to be the best.  The truth is, we are all beautiful – no matter what.  Our lives and futures are not determined by how we look or what we put on, but the impression we make in people’s lives and the path and legacy we leave behind.

“When I leave this World, I want to be remembered as the person who made everyone feel great about themselves and the one that gave them inspiration to persevere, not just the person who taught them how to do a smoky eye.” – Honey

My legacy would be that you don’t have to give up anything.  You can be chic but have a sense of humor, you can be sexy but comfortable, you can be timeless but fresh. – Michael Kors

So what does beauty mean to you at your age?  What tips would you give yourself if you could turn back the hands of time?  Stop on by and check out my dear loves from The Beauty Blogger Collaboration and see what they have to say about Beauty at any age.

xo

Signature Honey


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Don’t Hide Your Curls Away – Love Your Curls With Dove Quench

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This post was sponsored by Lunchbox.

When I was a little girl, I had really long curly hair.  Since I got my curly hair from my dad, I remember thinking that I was so out of place since my mom’s hair was straighter than mine and I had this misconception that I was supposed to look like my mommy.  My mom wasn’t quite sure how to take care of curls and my dad, well – he thought pulling it back would be the best option to keep it tame and out of my face.  It tangled all the time because no one in my family really knew how to care for them and detangling was something I dreaded.  I cried sometimes, hating the hair I had and praying that God would make my hair straight overnight.  For years I struggled with this head of curly hair, so much so that if you look at some of my childhood photos, my hair is pulled back and out of the way.

Love Your Curls

It was a rare occasion that I left my hair down and flowing and that routine followed me well into high school and years after graduation.  I always looked at all the girls who had straight hair and thought to myself that their hair was so pretty straight and so easy to take care of.  Dancing Hula was the only time you would catch me with my hair down and out and I hated every minute of it and couldn’t wait till my performance was over so I could pull it back. When taking my high school senior portraits, my mom wanted me to wear my hair down since she thought it was beautiful, I did so – but hated every minute of it.  After graduation I discovered a flat iron and really put stress on my locks by straightening my hair constantly.  My husband always encouraged me to leave my hair down and love my curls, but it was such a struggle. About 4 years ago, I finally decided that… it’s time to stop hiding my curls away.

Love Your Curls

Now that I’m well into my thirties, I have realized that I need to love my curls and embrace them.  It’s taken me most of my life to figure this out and I encourage everyone to not only love their curls, but love the skin you’re in.  Part of the reason I wasn’t too happy with my curls is that they became frizzy quickly and I had no idea how to care for them.  After years of trying a plethora of hair care products, I finally found some that are made specifically for curly hair.

Dove Quench

I have used Dove beauty products for years and the Sensitive Skin body wash is a holy grail in my household.  Having tried Dove hair products before, I knew I would enjoy this line, but didn’t realize how much exactly.  Dove Quench Absolute is a new hair care line for the curly haired gals.  Dove Quench is a part of Dove Advanced Hair Series and is great for perfectly nourished hair plus 4x more defined and natural curls.  The product line is affordable for anyone to buy and provides your hair with the moisture needed to pamper and quench your curls.  After the first use, I noticed my curls were much more defined and held their curl through the heat and wind that Hawaii has been experiencing lately.  After using this product line the last couple of weeks, I am proud to say it will become a household favorite.  My hair smells so nice and looks beautiful.

  • Dove Quench Absolute Ultra Nourishing Shampoo – I was a bit apprehensive in using this product at first since seeing that one of the main ingredients in this product is SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulfate).  I’ve done my best the last few years to eliminate sulfates from my hair care routine because it had dried my hair so badly but was VERY impressed with how my hair felt with this product.  My hair felt really soft and moisturized and though I do not shampoo my hair every day – with consistent use I noticed it still had not dried my hair as other products with SLS have done.
  • Dove Quench Absolute Ultra Nourishing Conditioner – This product had a different consistency then what I had been using when it comes to conditioners.  It doesn’t have as much slip to it as other products I have used but isn’t overly thick like a masque either.  I use conditioners to detangle my hair while in the shower, so I was impressed with how easily this product moved through my hair and allowed my hair to move easily through my fingers.  After rinsing and drying my hair was soft and left silky like I had used a mask.
  • Dove Quench Absolute Intensive Restoration Mask – My hair is absolutely in love with this stuff that I’m finding it hard not to want to use it every time I wash my hair.  My hair is soft, manageable without needing to detangle.  It seems like my tangles almost fall out of my hair when I apply this and run my fingers through my locks.
  • Dove Quench Absolute Supreme Creme Serum – This pump is nice, but it can be a pain when your hands are slippery since you need a little more pressure to get the product out.  However, the product itself is thick and since my hair is so long, it took a lot of product to work through my entire head of hair.  Having used other types of curly hair products in the past, I was worried that my hair would feel crunchy, sticky or weighed down but none of that happened.  I love to apply this to my hair when it is damp and then leave in my pineapple bun overnight to release beautiful, smooth curls in the morning.  If you are someone who uses gel or mousse to hold your curls, this is not it… but will work well together to keep your curls nicely formed.

Love Your Curls

Do you have a curl story?  Head on over to Dove’s Website and share your Curly Hair Story.  You could be included in their e-book of Curly goodness, so be sure to check it out.  Everyone who submits a story will get a copy of the e-book.  Also 5 lucky winners will receive a Dove Prize Pack that includes hair products and other awesome goodies.

If there is one thing I wanted to get across with this post, it is that I want women and girls around the World to love themselves, love who they are and love their curls – no matter the size, the length or the type of curls, they are a part of you and YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

Signature Honey

This post was sponsored by Lunchbox.  All content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Love Your Curls

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Honey’s 2015 Beauty Resolutions

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2015 Beauty Resolutions???  Well, I am the type of person to make goals each year, but I’ve never taken the time to make one that is beauty related.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect… but I’m just the type of person that learned that sometimes I just need to do things as they come.  Yes, I think Goals are important… I do have a list as a guide.  But, I also think when it comes to beauty, I just can’t seem to strap on the cuffs and settle down – so to say.  Either way, doing this collaboration with my girls from The Beauty Council had my gears turning in my brain.  What could I possibly have as a beauty resolution?  Is there something I want to change or improve on personally when it comes to beauty?  Well, let’s just see what I came up with.

2015 Beauty Resolutions

Let me be honest with all of you for a quick second… I contemplated saying that this year I would take a backseat in purchasing cosmetics and taper my spending a bit when it came to makeup.  Then, I realized I couldn’t stop laughing because we all know that this will probably never happen.  I could consider myself a makeup addict, swooning over the newest release and yearning to make my next purchase.  But, I’m also a blogger and realistic.  There will be times I know I just can’t resist.  I can say that I have cut down my spending on makeup dramatically over the last few months… so maybe I can consider this resolution a win. #winning

On a serious note, I really did think hard about what I could possibly do for a beauty resolution this year and here are a few things I came up with.  Some people may not necessarily agree with me, but hey – they’re my resolutions… right?

  1. Start using and utilizing the makeup I currently own.  No one needs 4,200,601 makeup palettes or pieces of makeup.  Don’t get me wrong… no one can really have that much (I think), but my makeup collection is just too much and many pieces are purchased to use just once or twice and then thrown into the black hole that I call my makeup stash and forgotten about.  I get so caught up in the hype of a new makeup product release, trend or just the overall that my brain automatically buys on impulse… kind of like eating – no wonder I’m a plus sized girl. lol j/k
  2. Stop buying cosmetics based on their cute packaging.  Yeah – I don’t know that I’ll stick with that one… but I tried anyway. teehee!
  3. Get more rest / sleep.  Oh now I think I might be kidding myself with this one.  I have said for years I would be getting more rest and stop revolving around 2 hours or less of sleep each night.  I don’t think this one is possible, but one can dream… right – literally! lol  Sleep is an important part of any beauty regimen.  A good nights sleep will not only rejuvenate your body but your face and keep you looking younger, longer.  I’ll do my best to try it this year.
  4. Stop comparing myself to the “Elite Instagram Famous”.  Let me clarify on this one a little… I do look at Instagram photos and think to myself… what does this person have, that I may not.  Why do I not have as many likes on my photos as this person does?  Come on now, who doesn’t?  But the fact of the matter is that I need to remember that I don’t need to blur my skin, over saturate my images, add filters and make myself look like a doll.  My face looks great without makeup, without a filter, without editing and when I do those things, it’s never to hide imperfections that I’m uncomfortable with but for fun and creativity.  I’m not bashing on those that do, to each his own… but I don’t need to feel inferior in comparison to these people.  I’m comfortable in the skin I’m in and I can rock it too!
  5. Love Myself!  Last but not least, I thought this one would be important.  Like I mentioned before, I love the skin I’m in and I’m comfortable with me and who I am… but it took a long time to get to that point in my life.  Insecurities are something each person may have and have to deal with on their own.  I need to remember to take time for me and take care of me.  I must love myself, love me for all that I have done, all my accomplishments and most important celebrate who I am as a person.

2015 is going to the best year of my life and I am determined to ensure that it is.  Whether it means I need to make goals for life or for beauty, family or anything in general – I am confident that any resolution whether or big or small will be a great inspiration for success.  All kidding aside while this post was meant to poke fun on a few things I do, it was also meant to be a serious side of who I am.  I seek to be an inspiration for those who feel they just “cannot” and with a little self love and push – I know it can happen.  Don’t forget to stop on by and show some love to my girls from The Beauty Council.  Read what made their Beauty Resolutions list for 2015.

Wishing you all a wonderful 2015.  May all your resolutions be accomplished and may you get all the happiness, love and prosperity your heart desires. xo!

Signature Honey

 

THE BEAUTY COUNCIL POST HEADER


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I Accepted the Challenge – The Ice Bucket Challenge

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I have accepted the Ice Bucket Challenge to help Strike Out ALS.  I was challenged by my fellow Hawaii Beauty Blogger Buddy – The Fab Kath aka FabZilla.  Now, I have been contemplating what I would do about this over the last few months if someone actually challenged me and originally, I thought I would not take part because of the waste of water.  But, after watching several of these, probably over a 100 of them, I figured I could taper and adjust the challenge to be more of what others are doing now – a small bucket of ice and water and that is what I did.

ice bucket challenge copy

What is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.

Watch the video embedded below to see if I was an Ice Bucket Challenge Survivor or click here to watch directly on YouTube.

Now – there are several different reasons behind using the ice and cold water for the ice bucket challenge.  I have heard several different reasons and here are a few:

  • For cancer patients – the ice cold water when poured on your head is the same feeling that cancer patients feel when they are going through chemotherapy.
  • For those suffering from ALS – the feeling of ice cold water when poured on your head is similar to that of someone who suffers from Lou Gehrig’s Disease, the feeling of  your mind being trapped inside your body.

The awareness of this disease as well as donations for the cure have spread across our nation and the ice bucket challenge has gone viral.  While everyone has their reasoning behind doing the challenge I think that most people had no idea about the disease or what it entailed until all of this was pushed into the scene.  My family has lost many loved ones to disease or cancer over the years and I think that this was a great way for me to bring awareness and knowledge to the table as well as allow those that have passed or those that are suffering to benefit.  Now – the challenge is not just about pouring a bucket of ice and water over your head, but each person who takes the challenge should also be donating to the cause.

I will be donating money made from my blog and YouTube channel in the months of August and September to the ALSA.org foundation as well as the Cancer Institute Research Foundation.  I appreciate all of you that have taken the time to read and watch the video.  Remember… even if you decide not to take the challenge and pour a bucket of water on your head, making others aware of the situation or donating to find a cure are steps in the right direction.  Together, we can all make a difference.

Make your donations or learn more about ALS at alsa.org

Signature Honey

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Believe in Me – Motivational Monday

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I’m sure that most of you have noticed that I’ve been a bit MIA lately – or at least the last week.  My blog has been quiet and my thoughts not as visible as they normally are.  Honestly, I haven’t been feeling very well the since Saturday – but on a quick road to recovery… thankfully, I had only been running a fever with an achy body.  I hope the worst is behind me.  I have a few posts in the works, but just didn’t feel like I wanted to talk about makeup on my blog today- so I figured I would share a little Motivational Monday for all of you.  It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten personal – so here it goes.

motivational monday

“I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it.” – Maya Angelou

Those that know me, know I’m just a humble person… always striving to make sure my Husband and Sons have what they need and making sure those around me feel wanted and loved.  But little know the struggle that I have had growing up.  Picture it… a little Hawaiian Hula Girl living in a Paradise that was not quite Paradise for me.  Don’t get it twisted, Hawaii is beautiful and is a tropical oasis filled with hopes and dreams… but it’s expensive to live here.. houses now a days averaging $800K for a 3 bedroom the size of a cottage, cars that cost $20K brand new in the States (Mainland) cost $40K here.  There is definitely a price to pay when living in Paradise.  I grew up a little girl who knew my family didn’t have much, but it didn’t keep me from my dreams and aspirations for my future.  My parents worked hard – to make sure my siblings and I had everything we needed to get where we needed to go and gave use the encouragement to push through and persevere.

So – why the reason for this post?  Well, I’m now 34 years old and while life still offers its choice of challenges, Life is Good.  Summer has hit Hawaii in full swing and the days are beautiful and warm, my family has their health and we are living good.  I have come a long way from the poor little girl with frizzy curly hair, hula skirt and rubber slippers (flip flops) and have become a well respected woman in society (although – I still rock out my rubbah slippahs).  Did it all happen over night?  Well, of course not – but I worked hard, prayed and asked God for guidance, have an awesome support system and of course – Believed in my myself.  This once poor little girl is happy and content where life has taken her and looks forward to God’s gifts bestowed upon me.

I’m not gonna lie… it is probably one of the most difficult things anyone can do… “Think Positive!”  Seriously, how is that even possible when the World is riddled with negativity ready to throw itself at you?  I’ll admit that there are times that I feel like I am surrounded by the negativeness that I try so hard to run from.  But, such is life and as a society we need to just stop and move on.  You life is your sanctuary and you must think of it as such… be rid of all the negative things or those that offer negative or unhappy thoughts and know that you are better than that.  Fill your sanctuary with love and kindness and know that you are the only thing keeping you from being who and what you want to be.  At the end of the day… You must “Believe in Yourself” or as I would say to myself in my head or out loud when I feel like times are tough or I’m in a dark place… “Believe in Me!”

Wishing you all a wonderful and fabulous week filled with thoughts of love and happiness.  Be Happy and Believe in Yourself.

A little music for your soul from Paula Fuga.

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