Adeline Anti-Aging Moisturizer {Product Review}

 Hi everyone. My obsession with moisturizer continues. It seems the more I try different kinds the more I want to try other kinds. On the other hand, I'm building myself a good collection and won't need to buy any for a while. So this evening I am reviewing Adeline Anti-Aging Moisturizer from Adeline Skincare. I received this product from the company and Tomoson in exchange for my honest review.

 When the package arrived it soon became evident that some care had not been taken in getting it to my house. And it wasn't the company's fault in any way. The package deliverers somewhere along the way mishandled it. But it's okay, because nothing was severely damaged. As you can see from my photograph, the only strange thing is that the sides of the cap are bent in. The actual product wasn't affected at all.

 As soon as it arrived it went onto my mom's dresser like a few of my other products. She enjoys them just as much as I do. When I took it for testing purposes she was quick to ask me where it went. 

 The bottle is very pretty and classic looking. I like the look of the white and silver together. This moisturizer is unique to all of the others I've tried in the scent and feel of it. Most moisturizers have a fresh flowery sort of scent, or something floral or citrusy. Something. This one included mint. I can smell mint in it and I can feel the mint. I love mint, so this is a good thing.

 I like the feel of this moisturizer. It's a mix between thick and thin and wonderfully smooth. It goes on easily so you only need a small amount to cover your entire face. With the addition of the mint, it feels amazing. The mint makes you skin feel cool and tingly, and I just love that. It includes ingredients like Matrixyl, Witch Hazel, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C & Vitamin E. So it's extremely healthy for your skin. In the time I've used it, my skin has felt great. This moisturizer is pretty great.

View it here on Amazon.

~ Bethany

True Beauty

Healthy and Skinny are two very different things.

It’s okay to be over 90lbs and its okay to not have a thigh gap (can anyone really explain the whole ‘thigh gap’ thing to me, please? I don’t see any reason for it at all. The only way I have seen it achievable is through a lot of people who have lost more weight than they should to achieve it.) it’s okay to weigh 20 more pounds than your best friend. As long as you are healthy its okay. I promise you. Compared to a lot of my friends I’m rather big…. but thats only because they are a lot shorter or smaller than I am.

I have many friend who’s healthy weight might be 100lbs where mine is more than that.

There is a big difference between healthy and skinny this picture is a very good example.

(My apologies on the scantily dressed women…but this proves a point)

You can see the difference between both women. (Even the campaign names and company’s prove the point with almost no explanation needed)

Most of the time to achieve skinny people have to go through insane diets that are in no way healthy for ones body.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying diets are bad but to an extent they can be.

 

I think the main reason anorexia or eating disorders is a big thing is because people are constantly being told things like “I’m not good enough”, “You aren’t beautiful if you are over 100lbs” and the list goes on.

 

A main factor creating these body image issues for people is the media. Magazines and videos especially. The media gives us these false images of flawless, skinny, acne free people when in truth by telling us we can look like someone on the cover of a magazine…well its a lie. WHen you see that model on a Billboard sign or magazine cover or even in a picture or music video it is edited.

 

The media is telling us that to be perfect we need to look like the girls on covers of magazines..but in truth they are lying to us because we can never achieve that. This video I’ve embedded below just shows the process behind things before the public sees it

 

 

Now you are probably wondering where exactly I’m headed with this post so here is where I dig into my point here.

I think the main issue is so many people (mostly the media) telling girls they aren’t perfect. We’re haunted by magazines, books, pictures on the internet and more and see that flawlessness as what true beauty is.

I know a girl who wishes her teeth were perfect and straight and doesn’t like that she is a bigger bodied girl. I know another girl who hates her smile and laugh. Another girl I know hates the acne on her face and another hates the way her hair frizzes….The list goes on and on but today I’m going to tell you and those girls something special.

 

I’m going to tell you a secret.

 

The most important beauty secret of all. 

I’m going to tell you what true beauty is. Are you ready for this?

 

Are you truly ready? This is the truth my friends and I hope you believe it…Here it goes.

The secret is one word. One simple three letter word and that word is:

You.

You embody true beauty. You ARE true beauty.

Beauty isn’t defined by what you wear, how much you weigh, how frizzy your hair is or how curvy you are. (and the list goes on)

Real beauty is being confident in your own skin and not letting anyone else tell you you aren’t worth anything or that you aren’t beautiful.

True beauty is within us all. Just think about this.

You were created by God who made you exactly he way you are and everything in his creation is beautifully and wonderfully made.

1 Peter 3:3-4

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

 

 

A Peak at My Blog// Being BeYOUtiful

 Here is a peek at what's going on at my blog right now.  If you would like to check it out you can come visit All Things Good.  I am really excited about this series, and I really want to encourage you all about how beautiful you really are!

     Ever since I started this blog, God laid it on my heart to teach girls, teens, and women, how to be fashionable and beautiful yet god-honoring ladies while practicing the feminine art of saving money:).  I wanted to teach other women, girls, and teens, that God made all of them beautiful, it's just a question of whether or not they choose to show it and enhance what God has already given them.  Every female has unique features that make her her!

     Are you ready to embark on your journey?  Well like every good journey needs we need a map!

     We will be revisiting what true beauty looks like, especially in the eyes of God.  We will learn that beauty is not only about looks, but about the kind of person that displays it.  We will learn that we are all different, and that's OK.  I will teach you some things that are essentials for bringing out the unique beauty that God gave you, all of the do's and don'ts.  You will find out what kind of styles and makeups you like best (saving money while you do so;)).  But you can't just have beauty, you have to keep it up, so I will be offering you tips.  Not only tips for physical health but mental and spiritual as well.  

       At the end of our journey we will do some fun (and important!) things to help you remember all that you learned, and that you are beYOUtiful!

Things to bring on your journey...

• A friend or two:)
• A Bible
• A notebook 
• A pen
• An open mind and open heart
• Your beYOUtiful self!;)
• and of course...GOD!

Things to LEAVE BEHIND

• Insecurities
• Negative thoughts
• Judgementalness
• Scales and Sizes
• Uncontentedness
• A closed mind and a closed heart
• And satan... Don't let the devil tell you lies!  Listen to God's truth!

     I want you to pray this prayer before we start our journey-

Lord,

     I know that when you created me, you made a masterpiece.  When You formed me before I was born I was your creation.  Every single part of my body and every single feature is there for a reason.

     God, I'm sorry that sometimes I don't always treat your masterpiece with all the respect it deserves.  Ridiculing and criticizing your creation that You made with all the infinite love that only You can give.  I promise to try and take care of the body that you lent me before I come to live with you.

      But Lord, give me the strength to fight satan's lies with your truth!  I know that you love me, but help me to love myself in the way You intended me to.  Please be with me on this journey and let me know that I am not alone.  All the praise and glory goes to You God!

Amen!


Please watch this video:)

          

     And don't forget, this is a journey we are taking TOGETHER!  I want to hear from YOU!  If you have a question, be sure to comment about it share your thoughts!  Be in touch with me!  I would love to hear from you!  Now girlfriend, let's begin our BeYOUtiful journey!!!

Beautiful Things

I was planning on doing this as a Classy Garb post.  Obviously it’s not.  Actually I just got back from a wonderful week at church camp and felt the urge to share some of what I learned with all you classy ladies.
 

                 First of all let me say the week was a huge blessing.  How nice is it to just get away from the world and all it's temptations?  I don’t know about you, but that fact alone makes it the ideal time to renew and strengthen my walk with the Lord. To top it all off we are surrounded by the awesome creation of God. 

   Isn't it beautiful? 

                Since we were ‘roughing’ it by tent camping, packing in our own food (and some even tried to attempt catching dinner while fishing…they didn’t catch much), and basically ‘living off’ the land for the week our camp ‘theme’ was Finding God through His Creation.  Pretty good theme, huh? 

                Think about it.  When I’m surrounded by the world and its influences I tend to lose sight of God and become weary in my walk with Him.  Is it the same for you?  On the other hand when I’m in the middle of mountains, camped beside a stream, getting to wake up every morning to a meadow covered in flowers the first thought that comes to mind is “Wow, God is amazing.”

 The view in front of the tent I shared with two other girls. 

                Throughout the week we were constantly reminded of the awe inspiring wonders God made for us to enjoy.  In our lessons we let God “Rock Our World” by studying David and Goliath with the emphasis on the five stones.  With God’s help we can ‘topple’ our own giants, so we each found our own special stone to remind us that God is always there for us.  Each stone was different, just like each person, but God created and loves us all.   

                

                We also experienced the might and power of God through thunderstorms, lighting, hail, and rain.  Thankfully God protected us from flash flooding, although most of the tents and quiet and bit of bedding and clothing were soaked.  

Actually, it rained more than anything.

                But to me all the rain was worth it.  Seeing a thunderstorm like that in the mountains is a completely differed view than you get in the city or on the flatlands.  The clouds hang so low and the thunder echoes through the canyon.  

  

                Most important however, was the realization that God makes beautiful things, the flowers, the creek, the mountains, the stars that shine so bright in the clear mountain air.  But greatest of all is you.  You are a beautiful creation of God. 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 

Well, I hope you enjoyed my ramblings and I hope that sometime today you take the time to look at God through His creation. You never know what you might find. 

Just Stop Hating Yourself!

(Image courtesy of Pinterest)

 

Us women have always desired to be beautiful, radiant, pretty, gorgeous. Ever since the beginning of time, humanity in general has loved beauty, whether it be the simple perfection of a rose in full bloom, or the dramatic brilliance of an evening sunset. God created in us the ability to acknowledge and appreciate the beautiful world He fashioned.

 

And a major part of that beautiful world, quite obviously, is us.

 

With the immense desire of women in this country to be beautiful, flawless and perfect according to society's standards, have we lost sight of what true, God-given beauty really is?

 

I believe so.

 

It is a sad reality; but the fact remains - most women in the US alone hate their bodies, or at least a part of their bodies.

 

Young girls and adult women alike are pressured to conform to what the hottest celebs and fashion leaders deem trendy and acceptable, and practically 99% of that time, what's being pushed is something which isn't appropriate or godly, in one way or another.

 

Even if what is being pushed is something that's actually okay/appropriate, it's still such a tragedy that women rely on anonymous corporations and celebrities miles and miles away - people they've never even met - to determine what's beautiful and what's not. Going even further, you know what? When it comes down to the bottom line, it's a tragedy when we rely on any person's opinion more than our Creator's - no matter who the person may be.

 

So here we are - stuck in a time and place where ladies are constantly bombarded by the supposed 'need' to be tan as a beach bum, have unnaturally white teeth like in the toothpaste commercials, be as skinny as a pole and yet wear a size D bra... America's "requirements for physical beauty" could go on and on indefinitely.  

 

And with all these pressures, and the exposure to people who supposedly "look better/hotter/more beautiful than us", let's face it. Most of us struggle with self-hatred concerning our bodies, in some form.

 

Body image self-hate is common today among each age group and body type. I know a very skinny girl in her mid-teens, who thinks she needs to lose weight/go on a diet...and I should mention, she's tall and could probably be considered model material, in some talent agencies.

On our beach trip, I met a 13 year old cheerleader, with an athletic/average build. She complained on end about her body's many supposed 'flaws', even though in my eyes, she looked perfectly healthy.

And then you have ladies in their later stages of life, looking in the mirror and sighing at the grey hairs and wrinkles.

 

All this discontentment! And the irony of it all, is that what one girl hates about herself, most everyone else will shrug off or think is totally healthy and beautiful.

 

I want to share a bit of my personal self-hate journey with y'all.

 

As a 12 year old, I wrote in my journal once that I thought myself fat and unattractive. I compared my body to those of some of my friends; because all throughout my life I have always been bigger than the other girls my age...as a 12 year old, I considered this an unpleasant fate.

As a child, I was the tallest in my Awana Bible club class. I was always as tall as, or taller than the boys in my age group. Things stayed this way until about thirteen...when boys I knew started getting tall really fast.

Even to this day, I am one of the tallest females that I know, and I weigh more than most of my girlfriends, and women I encounter, because of my larger body-build. Having to look up at other women is something I'm not used to, and it feels very odd.

 

I am not a small person. I will never be skinny, or *healthily* weigh under 120 pounds.

My hourglass body type is as curvy as an Appalachian mountain road, and a doctor told me once that I possessed shoulders which could "pull a plow." Needless to say, they are pretty broad shoulders for a girl. My waist is smaller, but my wide hips are my downfall. While I have never hated my entire body's appearance, I have continually found displeasure in my lower half - the behind and down.

 

I used to hate my legs just in general. Since hourglass figures usually maintain a steady weight all over their bodies, unlike apple figures, my legs are certainly not "bird legs". They've always possessed a lot of curve. Granted, most of this is muscle, but that's not apparent when you're trying on a pair of jeans and all you see in the mirror is "thunder-thighs".

 

My parents would assure me as an early teen that a person's weight had nothing to do with them being 'fat' or 'thin'. But since my weight always lingered a bit higher than other girls', I would abandon this truth and consider myself overweight. (which in reality, I wasn't)

 

And I'll admit today, that while I am content with my weight and physical standings, there are times when I find myself feeling disgusted with my naturally large thighs and butt. I am aware that it is just something to be expected with my body type, but as much as I try this is the one 'problem area' I have.

 

If we were all honest, we'd admit that there was something about our bodies we didn't care for in particular. In my case, it's my behind/thighs. I know some girls who don't like their arms, and some ladies who are sick of their tummies.

 

So, I guess what I'm saying is: Stop hating yourself! Satan will constantly try to drag our minds down into a state of depression and discontentment. He's found a way to do this, simply by implanting and encouraging self-hate ideas about our bodies; which pull us away from the reality that we are all created in YHWH's Image and exceedingly precious to Him.

The truth is, every single girl on planet earth is beautiful in His eyes. Did you hear that? Every single girl. Every single woman.

 

And He certainly didn't create us to be loathing our own visages!

 

So, y'all, I know this was kind of a out-of-nowhere, random (and long) post. But I hope it serves to encourage you about being thankful for the beautiful person our Creator made you to be.

Don't let the trash of the world contaminate your mind. Be set apart, and appreciate the incredible body you were given!

 

Choose to dwell in negativity, constantly bashing your body and questioning why God made you the way He did, and your life will reflect on this. Negativity breeds negativity.

 

If you dwell in contentment, your life will be blessed.

 

Now for some feedback. Is there a particular part of your body you struggle with appreciating? Do you have a "problem-spot?" What's one thing you LIKE about your body?

 

 

 

P.s. You're probably wondering now what happened to Bethany. I am guest posting for her today because she needed some time to work out some things in her busy schedule! Be looking for her return, next week.

Lovely

  I am so sorry, girls....I had my post all ready to go and totally forgot to post it before I ran off to work this morning!  Here it is, but make sure you don't miss Bethany's post right below mine! :)

 

  I had seen her in pictures and I knew that she was very pretty, but I was not prepared for the breath-taking beauty that walked into church that morning.  I could easily see why my brothers were smitten with her.  Silver rings graced her fingers and bracelets dangled from her slender wrists.  Her hair was swept up in a loose bun with wisps of hair framing her face and just barely covering the diamonds in her ears.  Her dark eyes lit up when she smiled and communicated energy, life and love.  Though barely seventeen, here was a young woman with the power to give life or to destroy it perhaps without ever knowing.

As I thought about this young woman and the effect that she could potentially, if not already, have on my brothers and all the other men and boys that she will meet throughout her life I realized something that I had not really given much thought to before.  At least, not in quite the same way.

All my life I have been taught at my parents' side, from the pulpit and straight from the Scriptures that a woman should focus on cultivating that inner beauty that comes from being wholly submitted to Jesus Christ.  But the thing that most people never mentioned was the importance of being physically beautiful as well.

In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 16, God describes how He took His Bride and clothed her with linen and silk and put bracelets on her arms, a chain about her neck, a jewel on her forehead, earrings in her ears and a crown on her head.

 From studying both Scripture and God's Creation around us, I think it is very obvious that God loves beauty.  He created women to be beautiful and He designed men to want a beautiful woman.  He created the flowers in the field "which today is and tomorrow is thrown into the oven".  He created the sky with it's alternately brilliant hues of blue, red, yellow, purple, green.  The peacock is known for its vibrant feathers and the monarch butterfly with its bright orange wings.  Who is to say that God does not love physical beauty?

When Paul exhorted women to, "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;" (1 Tim. 2:9) I believe that he was not telling them that being outwardly beautiful means nothing and should be not be thought of at all.  He did not mean that all women who strive to follow Christ should throw away all of their jewels and pretty clothes and never braid their hair.  Not at all for this would not be consistent with the rest of Scripture.

His point seems to be that, as followers of Christ, women should be more concerned with inner beauty rather than being like the women of that time who did little else than make themselves beautiful by braiding gold and jewels into their hair (this was a woman's dowry usually worth thousands of dollars and used to show off her wealth to potential suitors) and dressing themselves in expensive and usually revealing clothing.

Back to my story...I sat there in church thinking about what a precious gift that God has given this girl and how she might use it and I realized that God has given every woman that same gift each in her own unique way, including me.  The gift of beauty.  This gift has been used for evil throughout the history of the earth, but it was originally intended for good.  I got to thinking about different things that I could change in myself in order to use the gift given to me in order to glorify my Lord.

I realized that cultivating inner beauty is the most important aspect of a beautiful woman and it is the only facet of beauty that can stand on its own.  But it is not the only facet of beauty that is commendable.  If a younger woman who perhaps was compromised and not seeking God met another young woman a little older than her...would she be more apt to look up to that sister and want to be like her if the other woman took care to be strong and healthy and carefully dressed herself in a way that enhanced her beauty and made people say, "There goes a lovely woman." when she walked in the room?  I got to thinking that if a teenage girl were going after the world and she met me, could I have an influence on her?  Would she be intrigued to find that it is possible to be both modest and tastefully dressed?  Would she be inspired to be lovely rather than trendy?  Or would she look at me and think that I was just another conservative homeschooled graduate trying not to be too attractive...and succeeding at it?

 

I wondered also if I might perhaps use this gift and any influence that God gives me, to turn my brothers and other young men toward the right path by influencing those women who can do them so much damage or so much good? 

I hope that as I grow older, I will be for younger sisters what my older sister and a few others have been for me.  I hope that I can pass on what I learn about what true beauty looks like and draw others to follow my Lord as well.

Slips and Petticoats

We focus so much on what others see, that we don't really talk about the nitty gritty of clothing.  So, that brings me to slips and petticoats.

I love my slips.  I have a longer (mid-calf one) for longer skirts and then a knee-length one for shorter skirts. Not only do slips make thinner skirts no longer see through, they help them hang nicer.  

Slips come in two styles: full and half.  Full slips are basically a tank top and half slip in one piece.  They work great for dresses that tend to cling or are see through.  

The half slip is looks just like a plain skirt with an elastic waist.  They come in a variety of lengths and are super easy to whip up yourself.  In the winter, wearing a flannel lined slip keeps you quite warm.  

Most slips are made of rayon, but you can find some made of cotton (Etsy is a great place to find cotton slips).  Cotton slips are great for hot, muggy climates, while flannel-lined slips are great for keeping warm in colder climates.

1950's petticoat (poodle skirts anyone?)

Petticoats are a little harder to find and once again Etsy is a great place to find them.  Petticoats have been around for centuries.  They started gaining popularity around the 1600s to help the wearer achieve the small waist fashion.  The petticoats were elaborately decorated and worn under split skirts.  

During the early/mid-1800s multiple petticoats were worn to create a full skirt, especially for dancing.  Then during the Edwardian era slender skirts became more popular, so the number of petticoats worn at once decreased.  In the 1950s, petticoats became popular with teenage girls especially with poodle skirts.

Petticoats are slowly making a comeback.  Today, petticoats are typically worn under bridal and formal wear to create a full skirt appearance and are made of a variety of materials (cotton, tulle, etc.).  You can wear petticoats under everyday dresses or jumpers for fuller skirt, plus they are a lot of fun to twirl around with =)

All images via Pinterest.

 

Lilla Rose Hair Clips! {Product Review}

Howdy y'alls!

A couple weeks ago, I was sent a beautiful flexi-clip from Lilla Rose!

 Lilla Rose is one of my favorite hair jewelry/hair piece companies, and a couple years ago I was first introduced to them by winning a giveaway hosted by the lovely ladies at Urban Homestead. 

Amanda Smith was the sweet consultant I worked with this time. She is also the one donating a $16 gift certificate to Lilla Rose on our our big group giveaway (ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT TO ENTER!!).

So, a big shout-out thank you to Amanda for contributing to the giveaway and providing this product for review today! (Y'all, she would love it if you could go and like her Facebook page, and also check out her Lilla Rose online store.)

Nowwww, on to the review!

I was given a choice of which flexi-clip I'd like to review and I chose the Dreamcatcher in size medium. 

(Photo from Lilla Rose website, since my icky photos don't really do this clip justice!)

The first thing which caught my eye with this particular clip, was the color combinations.

The turquoise. 

If y'all didn't know already, I adore turquoise...it's just about my favorite color.

So naturally, when I was skimming the flexi-clip page, I saw this one and instantly knew it was "the one."

  

I really like the little sparkly jewel in the middle. (Once again, this photo doesn't do it justice at all.)

I chose the size medium clip because I wanted something big enough to hold a good section of my thick hair, but small enough to do half-up/half-down hairstyles and such without some giant clip to fuss with.

 The clip I won a while back was a size small flexi-clip, but I think the medium works a ton better for my hair type now that I have the two to compare.

I've only had this clip for a few weeks and already, numerous people have given me compliments on it. 

It's really easy to use, (literally, it takes mere seconds for me to pin my hair back with it) and adds a touch of whimsy and elegance to any hairstyle.

Overall, I give the flexi-clips two thumbs up! Even the packaging this clip arrived in was professional and elegant. 

Amanda has been a pleasure to work with and I would definitely refer you to her if you are interested in making a purchase from Lilla Rose. (Once again, visit her shop here)

Are you unsure of what size clip you'd wear? Click this link for details on  flexi-clip sizing. 

I hope y'all enjoyed this review! I do apologize for the quality of the photos I took. I'm no professional photographer(as is evident!)...even though that would be a nice aspiration one day!

 If you could pick one Lilla Rose item, what would it be? 

Have a blessed Monday,

 Note: I was given this item from Lilla Rose in exchange for my honest opinion.