Hello, Gorgeous!

I created this blog to post about anything and everything, so you never know what's coming your way... I have been working at Glow ~ a beauty boutique for two years now, and love learning more about all of the fabulous products in the beauty industry! I will be blogging about a few of my favorite items occasionally, all which can be purchased at GLOW! For more information, feel free to comment, and I will answer you as soon as possible.

Be sure to add us as a friend on Facebook (Glow Troy), "like" our "Glow" page, and follow us on Instagram @glowtroy.. ENJOY! ~ XOXO

skincare

Philosophy. Purity Made Simple. $23

If you're like me, at the end of the day, one of the things you dread most is taking off your eye makeup.. Have you been searching for the perfect product, and nothing seems to work? The search is over!! This 3-in-1 cleansing gel works like no other! Massage a small amount on damp skin for 30-60 seconds, rinse thoroughly with warm water, and you'll be ready for bed in no time! Providing a fresh, foaming, deep clean that is ideal for oily skin types, this product removes dirt, oil, impurities, and all traces of makeup.

Glam Glow. SuperMud and ThirstyMud. $69

If you know me, you know I'm a complete #glamaholic! I have yet to find a product I love more than Glam Glow. I've tried all of the Glam Glow products, and while they're all wonderful, these are the two that I enjoy the most!

Glam Glow Super-Clearing Mud Mask Treatment 

Clinically developed by GlamGlow to help fight all common skin concerns, this mud mask treatment is the world's most scientifically advanced clearing treatment. Designed for men and women of all ages and skin types, SuperMud is sure to leave your skin clear and poreless. Apply a thin layer to clean skin, leave on for 5-20 minutes (depending on your skin's reaction), and then remove with water. This product can be used as a full mask, as well as for spot treatment, as often as needed.

Glam Glow ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment

Does the cold weather have your skin feeling dry? ThirstyMud uses the newest, most advanced and extreme hydration active technologies, providing instant hydration for long, medium, and short term results. Not only does this fabulous product immediately hydrate your skin, but it also moisturizes, restores, replenishes, and calms the skin. Designed for men and women of all ages and skin types, this product is an absolute MUST TRY! Personally, my favorite way to use this product is applying it at night, then waking up with extremely hydrated skin!

For more information on all GlamGlow products, click here to visit their website!

makeup

Let's face it.. If you're a woman, you have some sort of a makeup addiction (whether you want to admit it or not). This week I have decided to feature some of my absolute favorite shades of lipstick from Lipstick Queen! For more information on these fabulous hues, be sure to check out the website linked above!

1. Saint Pink - $22 

2. Jean Queen - $20

3. Hot Rose Sinner - $22

4. Pink Bluff - $22

5. Saint Nude - $22

hair

Living Proof. Perfect Hair Day. $24

Wouldn't you like to have a "perfect hair day" every day?! Well ladies, now you can!! These fabulous products provide all you need for beautiful, healthy hair - smoothness, volume, conditioning, strength, and polish. Living Proof is the first hair care company in 30 years to patent a molecule. The two molecules used in these products are Volumizing Molecule (PBAE) and Healthy Hair Molecule (OFPMA). 

To find out more about these molecules, as well as all of the other fabulous products Living Proof has to offer, click here.

fragrance

Since I couldn't pick just ONE of my favorite perfumes, I decided to share four of my ABSOLUTE favorites! Drumroll please...

Gucci Premiere: $87

Inspired by timeless hollywood glamour and with top notes of bergamot and blackberry, this fragrance is the perfect blend of power and sensuality. Click here to find out more.

Dolce: $112

This gentle fragrance is a mix of white flowers, and over the past couple of months has been a BEST SELLER at Glow! Its elegant packaging is reminiscent of a vintage fragrance flacon. Come by and give it a try.. You'll be back for more!

Kate Spade Live Colorfully: $24

This roller ball is perfect for on-the-go! With top notes of mandarin, pink water lily, and stare anise, this fabulous fragrance is quickly becoming a top seller. If the roller ball isn't enough, there are plenty of other fabulous products that go along with this scent. Find out more about them here.

Jimmy Choo Flash: $98

I found out about this product in December of 2013, and have been in love ever since! This bold, striking fragrance is sure to turn heads. Effervescent and sensual, featuring notes of pink pepper, tangerine strawberry, exotic white flowers, and white powdery woods, stop by Glow and find out what the fuss is all about!

Thank you all for following my blog posts.. I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my absolute FAVORITE beauty products GLOW has to offer! I will be featuring more products in the next couple of weeks. Feel free to comment with any product you would like to know more about. I'm also always open to suggestions for my next posts.. Stay tuned....

Just Be YOU!

How many times have you ever made the comment that you wish you were more like someone else? Wish you had legs like Carrie Underwood? Wish you had the body of a Victoria's Secret Angel? While you're wishing about all you don't have, do you ever take the time to be thankful for what you do have? 

Every morning we wake up and look in the mirror, pointing out the things we wish we could change. We wish our teeth were whiter, our skin was more clear, we had a better tan, and that we could lose weight and fit back into our favorite dress. What we don't look in the mirror and realize is that we are blessed to see another day, and that we are the children of God - beautifully and wonderfully made.

At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves guilty of wishing there was something we could change. If we all wanted to change into the "perfect" person, we would look the same. Just as Marilyn Monroe stated, "Imperfection is Beauty." What would the world be like if every single person had the same skin tone, hair color, body size, clothing style? Boring.. Absolutely boring!

If you have curly hair, don't spend hours trying to straighten it each day. Put some mousse in it, and think about the girls with straight hair who desire to have your curls. If you're embarrassed to be a girl with a size 11 foot, think about how cool it is to be able to custom order your own shoes. If you're fair complected (like myself), think about how well you'll age (hopefully) and how likely it is you won't get as many wrinkles as soon as others.

Not only have I struggled with wishing I could change things about my outward appearance, but I have also, at times, struggled with who I am on the inside. I personally believe that one of the biggest changes in life is being sent off to college. If you're like me, went to a small school, and grew up hearing that "nothing good happens after midnight," as soon as you're off to college and on your own, you have to define who you are and who you want to be known as right away.

When I first came to college in 2011, I met all different kinds of people. I met friends who invited me to church on Wednesdays and Sundays, friends who wanted to go to the library every night, friends who thought it was cool to be at the fraternity houses every single night, and friends who forced me into making my first trip to the bar (definitely not my favorite place to be)!

While I experienced each of the following listed above, it was my decision to decide who I was going to be, just as it's YOUR decision to choose your own path and to "JUST BE YOU!" 

I learned very quickly that socializing during week nights was not for me, and that I would rather be in bed by 10 and get my 8+ hours of sleep each night. I learned that as fun as my friends made it sound like the weekend parties were going to be (and I did attend a few), I'd rather make the drive home to spend time with my family (as I still do at least once a week). While it was hard to make these decisions at first, and I was faced with peer pressure at times, I could not be more thankful for putting hope in God and making the decisions that were right for me.

Had I not made the decisions that were right for me, would I be where I am today? Would I be graduating on time with over a 3.8 GPA? Would I have been as involved as I was in activities that will benefit my future and are likely to provide job opportunities? Would I be as close to my family if I wouldn't have visited so much while in college, or would I have grown farther apart from them?

While it's easy to "follow the crowd" and want to fit in with the "cool kids," it's YOUR ultimate decision to do what's right for you. I vividly remember learning about peer pressure in middle school, and thinking that it was surely something I would never have to deal with. It breaks my heart to know that at a time when I was learning about peer pressure, most kids are now experiencing peer pressure.

When you feel as if you're being pressured to do something that you're not comfortable doing, or if you know something does not fit in with your morals and values, then don't be afraid to just be YOU!

The next time you're asked to go out with friends on a Tuesday night, when you know you should stay in and study for a test the next week in a class you've been struggling in, make the decision that will benefit you, no matter what others think.

We live in a world where we're too worried about what others think, and how they will react if we don't do things the way they think should be done.

Just as Dr. Seuss once said,

"Today you are YOU, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who is youer than YOU!"

The Five W's of Life

As a student majoring in Broadcast Journalism, I have become very familiar with the five W’s of journalism, which remain a cornerstone of news gathering today. The W’s, including who, what, when, where, and why, are the questions asked by journalists to provide the necessary details about a news story or event. Just as the five W’s play a very important role in journalism, there are 5 W's that can play a very important role in your life, and help guide you in the right direction!

I found these five W’s to be very interesting, and here's how I broke them down:

The first W states, “Who you are is what makes you special. Do not change for anyone.” I’ve learned throughout the past few years that people are going to try to bring you down, and some are going to try to change you, but you have to remember that each and every one of you are unique in your own way, and despite the opinions of others, that’s what sets you apart and makes you special. You’re not going to please everyone, so do not change for anyone. Be yourself, and if someone has a problem, well, let them have a problem. 

The second W states, “What lies ahead will always be a mystery. Do not be afraid to explore.” I hear people say all the time that they are scared to death of what the future has in store for them. They’re scared of being alone, not finding a job, not being successful, and much more. As a Senior in college and graduating in just a few short months, it’s often frightening to think about the next stage in life. My parents refer to it as the “real world.” Even though it is quite frightening to think about being on my own, especially paying my owns bills and completely providing for myself, I don’t let it hold me back. Instead, I continue working hard, knowing that God is in control and HE already knows exactly what's next in my life!

The third W states, “When life pushes you over, you push back harder.” We are all human beings, nobody’s perfect, and we are going to fail at some point in our lives. However, it’s how we react to the failure that shows our true character. When things don’t go our way, and life pushes us over, we must push back harder, knowing that everything happens for a reason and the best is yet to be. Don’t give up, and have faith in knowing that God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers.

The forth W states, “Where there are choices to make, make the ones you won’t regret.” There are four human elements that make a good choice good. These elements include your emotions, yourself, a vision, and your surroundings. The choices you make must fit in with your positive emotions, and you must avoid negative ones. Your choices must also match who you are as a person. By having a vision when making the right choices, you must make sure that your choices are in accordance with your long-term goals. Lastly, you must pay attention to your surroundings and make sure your choices are compatible with the situation you find yourself in. If you put these four elements into consideration when making choices, you’ll be more likely to make the right ones.

The fifth W states, “Why things happen will never be certain. Take it in stride and move forward.” Nobody will ever understand why bad things happen. I am a firm believer of the saying, “Everything happens for a reason.” Even though we sometimes don’t understand what the reasoning could possibly be, we have to have faith in knowing that it did happen for a reason, and everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. Even though it’s hard to understand why bad things happen, such as heartbreak, death, illnesses, and much more, we must move forward in life and not dwell on the things we can’t change. If you experience heartbreak, have faith in knowing there’s somebody else out there that’s better for you. If you lose a loved one, find comfort in knowing that you will see them again one day.

I hope you all enjoy reading about how I think we can apply the five W’s to our lives. Think about how they apply to yours, and how you can enjoy life even more while putting these Five W’s of Life into perspective.

Self Image in Today's Society

Unless you're hiding under a rock or have no social life, you're well aware of today's society and how it's impacting our youth. Nothing upsets me more than seeing a beautiful, natural twelve-year-old girl feel as if she has to wear a full face of makeup to feel beautiful. Growing up, at age twelve, the thought of makeup never even crossed my mind. Instead, I was a "brace face," wore a slick back ponytail, a tshirt every day, capri pants, and new balance tennis shoes with shoe strings to match my shirt each day. Did I look dorky? Sure! Was I happy? Absolutely!

It wouldn't be fair if I didn't show you a picture.. right? Here I was in junior high, brace face, no makeup, slick back ponytail, and not a worry in the world!

In today's society, popularity seems to be based off of how many "likes" you get on your Instagram picture, or how many retweets you can get on Twitter. I would be a hypocrite if I tried to say that I don't enjoy social media or pay any attention to how many "likes" I get, because I certainly do. However, I do not take it to the extreme. Many times, I have heard people talk about how they delete pictures because they don't get a certain amount of "likes." Social media is fun, and I post PLENTY of pictures myself, but I never once consider popularity based off of how many "likes" I get.

Before you can get the "likes," you have to post your picture. Here's a whole new subject! I have watched people edit a picture for a good ten minutes, staring at it and correcting every single blemish, whitening teeth, slimming their face, and enhancing specific features. Again, while I can't say I don't edit my pictures, or have never used an app to help "enhance" my beauty, I can say that it's not my top priority, and if you search my social media sites, you will find PLENTY of pictures of me without a drop of makeup, still happy as can be!

Today's challenge for young ladies is completely different than it was when I was growing up, and it truly breaks my heart! Back in the awkward stage (pictured above), instead of competing with my friends to see who could get the most "likes," I was in the band room competing to see who could get first chair (YES, I played the trombone in the 5th and 6th grade band)!! 

If you're reading this and are currently struggling with your confidence and are having a hard time adjusting to the perceptions of today's society, just KNOW how much more beautiful you are than an Instagram filter makes you look, and how much more important you are than the number of "likes" you get on your selfies.

Sure, you might have the prettiest hair, prettiest smile, and best wardrobe, but what matters most is that you have the prettiest heart. Instead of worrying so much about how you look on the outside, think about how much more pleasant life would be if everyone was more concerned about their inner beauty. GIRLS - if you wake up late for school, throw your hair in a bun, brush your teeth, and go make the best of your day! Don't be late for school and miss an entire class just because you're afraid to go in public looking "natural."

I want to challenge each and every one of you. Go just one day without straightening every strand of hair and putting on makeup to hide every flaw. Go in public confidently, and don't apologize and comment that you "look so bad!" Embrace your inner beauty, and always remember that true beauty comes from within!