Beauty Archives - Page 3 of 5 - Thrifty Wife Happy Life

A Day at the Salon with Douglas J. Aveda Institute

July 24, 2019 by Katie Haller

*This post is sponsored by Douglas J. Aveda Institute. All opinions are 100% my own.

Last week, I was invited to the Douglas J. Aveda Institute in downtown Grand Rapids for a complimentary spa and salon day. I was absolutely thrilled about this invite because as you know I’m new to the Grand Rapids area. After a stressful move across the country, a relaxing day at the salon sounded amazing.

The Gift of Me-Time for Mother’s Day

May 3, 2018 by Katie Haller

Ever since I became a mom, my life has been dedicated to taking care of my little boy. I’m always thinking about him and what he might need next. I have this never-ending list of things I need to do in my head to make sure he is well taken care of and our home is running smoothly. No matter how hard I try, I still manage to forget something. From the time I wake up, until the time I go to sleep, my mind is on my family.

The truth is, I didn’t really think about the amount of time I would spend focusing all my energy on another human. Don’t get me wrong, I honestly love taking care of my little guy. I love being a mom. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without him. But I do miss the amount of time I used to have to myself. It makes me understand and appreciate my own mom more. There was a reason she would hide out in the bathroom away from us kids. She just wanted a little alone time.

*This post is part of a collaboration with Smile Brilliant. All opinions are 100% my own.

This year for Mother’s Day, I think all of us moms should give ourselves a little bit of me-time. I did a poll last week on my Instastories and I wasn’t surprised by the results. From what people told me, the majority of us mom don’t take the extra time on ourselves that we should. When I became a mom, I made a promise to myself that I wasn’t going to lose myself in motherhood. I wanted to still do the things that I enjoyed and still put myself together every day because that’s important to me. It makes me feel good to put together a cute outfit, do my hair and wear makeup. I still fall behind in a few things. I don’t work out the way I would like to, I only get to the salon every 6 months and my nails might have nail polish on them, but they only look good maybe 2 days out of the week.

One thing that I’ve been trying to do more often is to take care of my smile. Last summer I did a review on the professional at-home teeth whitening system, Smile Brilliant (Check out my post HERE!). I was really pleased with my results and it felt good to set aside a little bit of me-time. (Check out my results below!) Since then, I’ve been trying to keep up on whiting my teeth here and there. I think it’s really important to just take a little bit of extra time on yourself when you can. Teeth whitening is an easy way that you can do that. I like to whiten my teeth while my little guy is in the bathtub. He’s entertained with his bath toys and I can still be there if he needs me, but I also pay a little attention to myself.

I’m so excited, because Smile Brilliant wants to share one of their teeth whitening kits with one of my readers. They are giving away a $149 credit to cover the cost of your own professional at home teeth whitening system. Go HERE to enter! You can also use my coupon code thriftywifehappylife20 for $20 off! You don’t have to be a mom to enjoy some me-time with some teeth whiting, so make sure you enter!! The winner will be informed by e-mail!

Daily Makeup for a Busy Mom

March 8, 2018 by Katie Haller

You will rarely find me without makeup on. Unless I’m working out, at the pool or I just got out of bed, I always wear makeup. I think that makeup is one of the best things about being a girl! Every morning, I set aside a little bit of time to put on my daily makeup. It doesn’t take me long and I always feel like it makes such a difference.

If you don’t wear makeup every day, I can understand how you might be a little overwhelmed by it all. There are so many different products and makeup brushes. I mean, even I get overwhelmed when I walk into a Sephora store and start to question if I am supposed to be using all these different products. Over the years, I’ve done a lot of experimenting with my makeup. After watching lots of YouTube tutorials and reading a lot of beauty bloggers, I finally have a good routine down for how I apply my makeup everyday. I switch up my makeup products, but my routine usually stays the same.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link, I will make a commission for this blog. Thank you for your support!

I mostly wear budget-friendly drug store brands, with the exception of a few things. Maybelline and e.l.f. are just a couple of my favorite brands. I’d love to one day start wearing a few more higher-end products, especially with my foundation, but as of right now, drug store brands work just fine. I really think it’s all how you apply your makeup that makes all the difference. I use eco tools or e.l.f. brushes to apply most of my makeup and I have a beauty blender that I like to use for my concealer.

Since I have a hard time writing down in words my daily makeup routine, I decided to make my very first video to show you how I apply my makeup daily. Hopefully you will find it helpful!

Saranghae 5 Step Anti-Aging Skincare Routine

January 12, 2018 by Katie Haller

*This post is part of a collaboration with Saranghae. As always all opinions are 100% my own.

I have never had perfect skin. It’s always been oily and prone to acne. My biggest concern when it comes to skincare has always been keeping a clear face. I never really gave much thought to using anti-aging products until after I turned 30. I’ve always heard that it’s never too early to start using anti-aging skincare products. That’s why I’ve had more interest in trying out different skincare products in recent years.

When Saranghae contacted me to collaborate with them on a post, I knew very little about what they were all about, but I was very interested in learning more about them. Saranghae is an award-winning Korean 5 step anti-aging skincare system. I had heard of Korean skin care products through social media and other bloggers, but this was my first time trying it out for myself.

I was very impressed by Saranghae at first sight. Everything came beautifully packaged, which I’m a huge fan of presentation. I felt like they really nailed it on this one. All the products have a nice clean smell to them without being too strong. The 5 step routine includes…

Nourishing + Moisturizing Cleanser
Deep Radiance Essence + Serum
Firm & Lift Cellular Regeneration Cream
Focus Renewal Eye Cream
Elemental Essence Mask

The first 4 products are used daily and the Elemental Essence Mask is recommended to be used weekly. I’ve been doing the 5 step system once a day for almost a month now (for best results it is recommended to use the system twice a day). So far, I’ve been really happy with my results. I get a little nervous when I try new skincare products, because I’m always worried that it will leave my face feeling greasy, but that was not the case at all with Saranghae. I absolutely loved the cleanser, because I had never tried anything like it. It goes on dry as an oil, then it foams up as you slowly wash it away with water. I also really love the regeneration cream. It’s like a mini facelift in a jar. All the products were very absorbent and left my skin feeling hydrated and refreshed. I usually dread washing my face at the end of the night, but lately, it’s been my favorite part of my bedtime routine.

In Korean, Saranghae means “I love you”. I completely understand why they chose that name for this product. I am truly enjoying using Saranghae and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a new skincare product.

For more information on Saranghae, click HERE!

LipSense Review

October 9, 2017 by Katie Haller

Today I’m talking all about LipSense. Have you heard of it? If you are on any form of social media, I’m sure you have at least heard the name or know someone who sells it. LipSense is the long-lasting lip color that will stay on your lips all day long.

I normally don’t wear a lot of lipstick. I like a little color once in a while, but I try to stick to very neutral colors. I love the idea of lipstick, but I’ve always had bad luck with it. Every time I wear lipstick, it always comes off my lips within an hour of applying it.

I’ve been hearing a lot of great things about LipSense, so I was very excited when I was asked to collaborate on a product review of LipSense. I’ve been working with Kristin, who is a distributor of LipSense. She’s extremely knowledgeable about the product. When I told her that I preferred neutral lip colors, she gave me a few options to choose from and helped me pick out the perfect color for me. I ended up going with the color Pink Champaign. Kristin sent me the complete starter kit that includes the long-lasting liquid lip color, moisturizing gloss, and the Oops remover. The complete starter kit is valued at $55.

Once I received my starter kit, I started wearing it every day to work. I really wanted to get a feel for the lipstick before I wrote about it. What I found out, was that these girls aren’t lying when they say it lasts all day. Being a preschool teacher, my makeup takes a beating throughout the day. With LipSense, my lip color never moved.

How does LipSense work?

My starter kit came with detailed instructions on how to apply it. You start off with clean dry lips, then you apply the lip color. You are supposed to start at the corners of your lips and run the wand across, then you wait for it to dry and apply 2 more coats. At first, I was a little worried that the lipstick was going to dry out my lips, but once you apply the lip gloss, it adds so much moisture to your lips that it was no longer a concern. You can leave your lipstick at home and just bring the lip gloss with you when you leave the house.

Is it worth the price?

As you know, I’m the thrifty wife and I’m not one to spend a lot of money on makeup. Most of my makeup products are from the drugstore, but I do have the occasional makeup splurge. LipSense is defiantly a splurge for me. As I mentioned before, the starter kit is $55, however, once you have the starter kit, you can purchase the lipstick Al La Cart for $25. One good thing about LipSense is that one tube equals 4 regular lipsticks, plus it lasts all day. If you add that all up, it makes it worth the purchase. You also have to remember that you are paying for a quality product. I have never had a lip color like this one.

How can you order LipSense?

If you’re ready to make the splurge, I would say go for it! You can go to Kristin’s facebook group Confessions of a Lipstick Addict or DM her on Instagram @confessions_of_lipstick_addict to place an order. She is also offering a special promo code for my readers. Use the code ThriftyWifeHappyLife10 and receive 10% off your purchase.

*A big thank to Kristin who gifted me this product!

Smile Brilliant- Affordable Teeth Whitening

September 5, 2017 by Katie Haller

*This post is sponsored by Smile Brilliant. All opinions are 100% my own.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life- Professional teeth whitening at home

My smile has always been very important to me. There is nothing like a healthy smile to give you the confidence that you need. I always feel like your smile is your best accessory.

My smile hasn’t always been so great. I wore braces for 6 years of my life. From 4th grade to 10th grade I had those ugly little metal things hiding my smile. When I finally got my braces off and saw my new smile, I promised myself that I would always take good care of my teeth. For 16 years I wore my retainer to bed almost every night. I brush my teeth often, floss and I keep up on those teeth cleanings every six months. I’m proud to say that I’ve only had one cavity my whole life. But even with my good dental care, my teeth are still not as white as I’d like them to be. I drink coffee daily and I enjoy wine, beer, and the occasional pop. I use whitening toothpaste and mouthwash, but I still wish I could have whiter teeth. I’ve looked into getting my teeth whiten at the dentist, but insurance doesn’t cover it and it can get pretty pricy. That’s why I was so excited when Smile Brilliant contacted me to see if I wanted to collaborate with them and try out their teeth whitening system.

Smile Brilliant is a professional at-home teeth whitening system that simply removes the stains from your teeth and brings out the natural color. At first, I was a little intimidated by the system, because it all seemed very involved and I didn’t want to mess anything up. After doing a little research, I quickly realized that it wasn’t so hard.

Smile Brilliant sent the kit to my house with everything I needed. The teeth whitening kit came with the whitening gel applicators, desensitizing gel applicators, impression trays, catalyst paste and base paste to make the impressions. It also came with an envelope with shipping to send the impressions back to the lab.

The first thing I did was make my impressions. I can remember having to make impressions so many times when I was at the orthodontist as a kid, so I felt like this processes was pretty easy for me. I followed the directions that came with the kit very closely so I didn’t mess anything up. When I was done, I filled out the card that came with the kit. I placed the impressions and the card in the envelope and dropped it in the mail box. I was surprised how quickly they were able to send back my custom-fitted trays to me.

Once I received my custom-fitted trays, I was ready to go. The instructions are very easy to follow, you just need to set aside time to do the treatments. I found it easy to do my whitening in the evening, which is what is recommended. I wore the whitening trays for an hour or so before bed, while I cleaned up around the house and got some blogging done. After you are done with the teeth whitening gel, you brush your teeth, wash and dry the trays, then you use the desensitizing gel for 20 minutes. Some people experience some gum irritation or teeth sensitivity, but I didn’t have many problems with that. I think that the desensitizing gel really helped any of the teeth sensitivity that I may have experienced.

Everyone’s results are different. For me, my teeth have a natural white color to them, so the whitening helped with removing the stains from around my gums and on my side teeth.

I’m really glad that I had the chance to brighten up my smile. Now here’s the fun part! Smile Brilliant is going to give one of my readers their own whitening kit so that you too can try out their teeth whitening system for yourself. To enter the GIVEAWAY all you have to do is CLICK HERE and leave your name and email address. Winner will be notified by email 2 weeks from today. The lucky winner will walk away with a $139 credit! That’s not all! If you don’t win you can still order your own teeth whitening kit and use the coupon code thriftywifehappylife to receive 10% off your order.

Home Teeth Whitening

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