Bronzed and beautiful...

So, lately, I've gotten myself in a bit of a pickle.
I'm dying for a bronzed/golden complexion but alas, I'm a ghost... and ghosts can't be bronzed... without a little extra help.

I'm TOTALLY against tanning beds and the like mainly for the fact that I refuse to pay for skin cancer. My family has enough bad genes to last me a life time so thanks but no, I'll pass on the tanning beds.

With that said, I decided to try a "sunless tanning" approach that would look more natural than Oompa Loompa.
My first instinct was to go with Jergens Natural Glow moisturizer in the Revitalizing as well as Firming formulas (I used the color tan to dark which I will explain in a minute).

I have used this product many moons ago but in the "Fair to Medium" category and I had few concerns after that fiasco:

a) It stinks - not a little but a lot! It's hard to describe the odor to someone who is unfamiliar... I liken it to a musty plastic... not a good daytime fragrance at any rate.
b) It can leave you a bit orangy-looking - granted, I was obsessively applying the stuff (it recommends once a day while I insisted on a thrice daily application). I don't know if that made the color go orange but I can tell you that I'm not taking that chance.

In truth, Jergens has changed their formula since then so it stinks ever so slightly less but still enough to make me cringe when I get a good whiff. Also, I did a bit more research on YouTube and Tiffany D recommended the medium to dark one because the color looked more natural.

Now for the pros and cons!

Pros:
*The pre-scent as I like to call it -The scent before you get into the bizarre plastic odor that is the sunless tanner.
*The gradual results - It's nice to get bronzed over a period of time rather than be dark all at once. It looks more natural and people will think that you're naturally golden-hued.
*The amount of product you get - I got a bonus size which is great! And I feel like it will last me for the rest of the year...

Cons:
*The price - it's about $7 - $8 for a normal 7.5 fl oz. or 221 mL. If you can get a bonus size (9.4 fl oz or 278 mL) it's a little bit more worth it.
*The claims - I bought the Firming formula as well as the Revitalizing formula. The firming formula is supposed to "clinically reduce the appearance of cellulite." Not so much. As for the Revitalizing formula? I haven't used it long enough to note the difference but it claims to last 2x longer than the original formula. Hmmmm...
*Getting the hard-to-reach places (like your back) - I had to enlist the help of my dear husband, Matt, for this one. Poor Matt had to slap on the product and then quickly wash his hands so that he wouldn't suffer from "tan hands" syndrome as I like to call it. If you don't have help, it's an awkward process (not unlike the spelling of the word 'awkward').
*The scent (duh) - as I said, my experience with the scent is that it's stinky but bearable. The strength of the scent also depends a lot on how much product you put on.
*The waiting time - after you apply the stuff, you have to wait for "several minutes" for the product to dry. Not only was I guessing if I let it dry long enough but I got so annoyed that I would give it about 2-3 minutes and then just get dressed. The good news is that you can't see any streaking. Or I can't at least.

So what were my results, you ask?

So far, so good. I'm actually the color of normal humans now so I'm pretty satisfied with the results. My legs are no longer blindingly white and my arms have a bronzed hue to them. The results probably aren't super noticeable to other people but I like what I'm seeing so far!

In sum:
If you can stand the stench and find someone to help you get those hard to reach areas, and can wait up to a week before you see any results, this product is for you! I would probably not purchase this again just because I think I'll be trying another form of selfless tanning... like a gel perhaps?

If you have any product recommendations, comment below!

xoxo C

A Belated Update!

Hey everyone!

I made a video about this on my YouTube channel but basically, I'll restate the facts here.

This summer has been absolutely insane. Firstly, I started off my summer with a horrific sinus infection that may or may not have been Strep... then I spent the majority of my time volunteering at the in-patient Behavioral Health unit at the hospital in my hometown. Basically, I spent half the day with the Rec Therapist that worked there and we did crafts with the patients as well as treatment plans. I actually got to do a patient assessment all by myself which was pretty spectacular! Ha!

Fast forward to the middle of July and that's when all the crazy stuff began to happen. We found out that due to some unforeseen issues, Matt's funding for college had run out, which meant a) he couldn't go to college b) he would be out of a Visa c) that's illegal d) he'd have to go home until we got married next June.

In a nutshell a+b+c+d = disaster!

So we met with our Pastor and we had several options in mind:
a) possibly the church could loan us some money
b) perhaps the church could sponsor him for one semester
c) Pastor would have a brilliant idea we didn't think of
and
d) (the most outrageous option) we could get married the next week, fill out the paperwork -- then Matt wouldn't have to leave and he could possibly get a job (provided of course the government agreed and approved his 'change of status'....

So, after meeting with our Pastor, we discovered that a, b, and c, weren't going to happen... so we settled on solution d) get married sooner.

Scary right? Here I thought I had an extra year to get used to the idea of being Mrs. Matt... not so in God's plan though... His good, pleasing, and perfect plan.

After finding this all out on Monday, July 5th, we set up our pre-marital counseling for Monday and Tuesday, July 12th and 13th and by Saturday, July 17th, we were legally and spiritually bound together in Holy Matrimony.

The wedding was beautiful... even for a thrown together affair. We had only our closest friends and family there (minus Matt's side, of course) so in all, about 20 people showed up.

The ceremony seemed like it lasted for hours but I assume that was because it was the most important day of my life thus far. Also, I was a nervous wreck.

All in all, I wouldn't change a thing. It was beautifully imperfect and it reminded me what marriage was really about. Not the dress or the cake or the food or the bridesmaids' dresses... but about the real and lasting love that a man and a woman share and making a holy covenant with God to love each other and lift each other up even when you don't feel like it. To make a conscious choice to love the other person with all of your heart in a sacrificial way... just like Jesus loved us even though we are wretched sinners.

My wedding was unique and though it didn't happen quite as I had hoped or planned... much like our first year of marriage will be I'm sure, I loved every minute of it!
I hope that you enjoyed this little post about my massive change in life... I'll try to be more ambitious and actually update this more than I have.

I'm back... with a vengence! (mini update, April faves)

So it's been a while! And I do apologize... it would seem that life got in the way of things, but now I'm back and hopefully, better than ever!

I did learn a couple things in my absence that I would like to share with you, though:

1) Making YouTube videos is a tough gig.
Sure, it may look like cake but making videos takes creativity, ingenuity, and above all, patience... all of which I lack to the "n-th" degree.

2) Confronting your beauty-phobias can be an empowering experience.
Normally, I shy away from bright, bold anything.... now I'm trying something new... I'm experimenting. You can't conquer your beauty fears unless you take them on.

Some other things that I would like to share with you are my monthly favorites. Now granted, these are not all beauty-related but I trust that you won't mind too much!

1) Lush - Helping Hands hand cream
This stuff is awesome! From the smell, to the consistency, to the packaging, this stuff is impressive. I love that it's small enough to fit in your purse and that it also has a pump but what's even better is this stuff seems to be bottomless! Yes, I've been using it daily since December and there's just no end in sight.

2) A brown/taupe smokey eye
I just filmed a video making an amateur attempt at said smokey eye and I'm pleasantly surprised at how simple the look really is! It's even easier if you have the proper brushes: a flat shadow brush and a fluffy blending brush.

3) Criminal Minds on A&E
I love this show. I was hooked the first time I saw it. I've always been into psychology and profiling ever since I saw Silence of the Lambs years and years ago. It's a great show and I highly recommend it!

4) Gardettos in the Italian Cheese Blend
This stuff is delish... with a capital D! The one downside is that it gives you horrific breath. I'm talking at least five attempts at teeth brushing before your breath returns to it's pre-noxious fume state. The true testimony of its deliciousness is that I'm running short on toothpaste right now since I'm in transition, and even with the taste of the Italian Cheese Blend still wafting through my nostrils, the idea of going to bed with Gardetto breath leaves me unphased.

5) Exercise Incentives!
I recnently bought the Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and am convinced that I will be sweating my way to a svelte figure! No more junk food binges or chocolate muffins for me! I'm working on a segment for my YouTube channel to give some tips for starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle... I'm thinking of calling it Bealecheeks' Bridal Boot Camp... Join me, won't you?

Essentially, that is all that is/has been floating around my head the last few months. Obviously, I've been thinking about my upcoming nuptials... last time I checked it was 420-something days until my wedding, so I'm not getting too carried away.

I hope that this blog post finds you well and I hope you have a fabulous weekend!
xoxo bealecheeks