Mother’s Day is just around the corner, so today I’m sharing my gift guide full of ideas for those special women in your life. Whether you want to treat her to a pretty piece of jewelry, gift her with something practical or give her something unexpected, there’s a little of everything here. And don’t forget, a little peace and quiet and/or breakfast in bed is always appreciated ;)
Tatoos on my face? That’s not something I ever would have fathomed having done. Yet, here I am, over the moon thrilled with my microbladed eyebrows and wondering why in the world I waited so long to take the plunge! For anyone that’s considering microblading or who is simply curious as to what all it entails, I’m going to share my experience with you.
As you can see from the image above, just before I walked into my appointment, my eyebrows were lacking to say the least. They were almost non-existent (a result of over plucking them in the 90’s with little re-growth) and they did not frame my face well. Filling them in daily was an extensive process that I was never able to master. When it came down to it, I didn’t have much to lose. What I was warned by others as well as my makeup artist was that ‘it is a process, please be patient’! And a process it was.
The whole appointment took less than two hours. Close to half of the time was spent mapping out the lines and angles on my face. It’s such a mix of science and art. I was able to tweak and approve the final shape and immediately knew it was how I always wished they looked. A numbing cream was used and very helpful for the microblading process. The scraping sound was unnerving to say the least and at times I could feel some of the tattooing process, but overall it was manageable. You’re able to select a color custom to your preference, so I went with the color that looked closest to my natural brows, maybe a touch lighter as I was nervous of them appearing too dark. Apparently this is common for all first time clients! The next time I have them done, I’ll likely go one shade darker. The image above was taken the night after I had them done.
Following my appointment, the first couple of days my eyebrows appeared very dark, red and swollen, and then between days 3-4 they began to scab over. As the scabs fell off naturally they became itchy for a day or two…for me, that was the worst part as you’re unable to touch them for fear of ruining them. I was required to keep them dry during this time which was somewhat of a challenge. I didn’t take part in any workouts that were high intensity in order to eliminate excess sweat and I was very cautious in the shower and washing around my face. This comic depiction basically sums everything up and now that I’m on the other side I’m able to laugh about it!
When the scabs began to fall off, what was left were very light brows. As promised they did begin to darken up, but it wasn’t until my touch-up appointment around 6 weeks that they seemed to fully appear complete. It turned out that the ‘touch-up’ appointment was essentially a second microblading appointment, albeit, it was much faster. The healing process the second time around seemed to happen more rapidly as well, but hats became my best friend during both healing processes!
Here’s a comparison of my brows before and after the first round of healing.
And here is what they look like fully healed (below). The only maintenance required is to keep them safe from too much sunlight (I have an SPF in my daily moisturizer that I apply) and I pluck any new hairs that grow outside of the microbladed shape. The longevity is based on your skin-type and they can last anywhere from 1-3 years before requiring another touch-up.
Prices vary, but based on what I’ve seen, however the average seems to fall around $500. For me, that price was worth every penny. I no longer need to touch my brows and the re-shaping has dramatically changed the look of my eyes and face overall. I always felt that I needed bangs before, but I now realize that was just to cover the part of my face that I never felt confident in.
For those that are local, I saw Mallory at Microblading with Mallory. I would certainly recommend her and her Instagram page is full of inspiration for anyone that may be looking for more examples of before/afters.
If you have any further questions that I may not have covered, feel free to reach out in the comments and I’ll be sure to check back!
I love a good tunic and it gains bonus points when it comes in the form of a sweatshirt! This one lays so well, despite being oversized. Sometime I feel that they can just swallow you up, but this one manages to have a more flattering fit while giving that oversized look. It comes in a few solids and tie-dye prints as well. I wore it here with my off-white denim and sneakers for a casual day of errands, but I also tried it on with my bike shorts and love that look as well. Not to mention leggings, a tunics best friend!
Also worth mentioning are the pieces of jewelry I’m wearing here. This stack of bracelets have been getting even more wear than I expected. I love that I can mix and match them and I continue to add more to play around with! If you place an order, you can get 20% off your order using code LOVELY20. My earrings are also worth raving about. I cannot get over the adorable scalloped detail that is so perfect for spring/summer. They make a big impact and yet they are so light-weight that you forget you have them on.
Shop the Look:
Happy Friday! It’s been a bit of a whirlwind week, but I’m ready to welcome to weekend and hopefully enjoy more of the sunshine we’ve been having! I’ve been meaning to share some of the latest Loft pieces that I’ve tried on and now I finally have it pulled together for you. There are so many great pieces and a bunch of mix and match options as you’ll see below. Those are the best, in my opinion, because you can really work your wardrobe to the max. Scroll on for all the details…
I could (and have been) wearing this outfit on constant repeat. I adore these colors, the simplicity of a good t-shirt dress (trust me, you need one in your closet), a great cropped jacket (flattering over a dress or high-waisted pants as it gives your waist some shape) and classic white sneaks. You’ll see me in these sneakers in just about every image below because they go with everything.
How could I not try on this adorable, striped button-up dress?! So sweet and stands out from all of the typical (albeit pretty) floral dresses that pop up for spring. Runs TTS for me.
Thought this sweater tank was cute. Slightly more elevated than a cotton tank and great for work layered under a jacket. Also, these pants and a warm weather must have. Wide-leg, light-weight and so very comfortable. See them in green below. They run slightly large on me, I sized down one.
Another great tank! It has a nice weight to it, lays well and isn’t clingy. Comes in a few pretty colors and also white (see below). These green pants are another great casual spring/summer option. Love the flattering tie-waist and I personally like them cuffed once at the ankle. Play around with what works best for you.
I love color on color, especially when playing around with different shades of the same hue. These two greens are so pretty together! The sweater is lighter-weight for spring and also comes in a bunch of other colors.
I never pass by their lounge section without grabbing a few things because they are such great cozy pieces that I wear frequently. And how sweet and playful is this cherry sweater?
As I mentioned previously, plenty of mixing and matching options. Their casual wear is on point right now. Well, it always is, but I’m falling for it more than ever! This soft yellow is a shade I can actually pull off and I feel like most would be able to. I can’t tell you how cozy all of the pieces are, you’ll have to try for yourself! I’m wearing a small in all of the tops and xs in the bottoms, which is pretty TTS for Loft.
Biker shorts. We all have mixed feelings. At least that’s what I gather! Last year I tried (and tried) the Spanx faux leather biker shorts (because I love their leggings) but they just always felt a little too forced on me. As soon as I tried this pair on at Loft I knew I loved them. Not only the fit, but I feel that I can style them well to fit me. Perfect for summer weekends at home!
If you’re looking for a casual legging with a bit of structure, I’d check these out. Love the color as well as the fit. They’d be perfect with a tank/tee and a denim jacket or sweatshirt.
Shop the Post:
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend! Things may not look the same as we are used to, but at least it’s looking a lot brighter than it did last year at this time. Sunday marked our first time back in church and even with all of the safety precautions, it was so special to be back, on Easter of all weeks.
I try to capture some family shots every Easter and the kids roll their eyes and then comply ;) It’s the only time that I am consistent (even more so than Christmas) and I love looking back through the years, seeing how they’ve grown and changed. It’s fun to see the similarities that stand out in each of their personalities year to year and also the ways they’ve changed. Let’s just say I’m grateful for the decrease in complete meltdowns these days!
It really is a sweet stage we are in…pre-teen drama and post baby/toddler phase. I know it’s not going to last forever, and trust me, the constant bickering I could certainly do without, but gosh I love these three. Jack and his mature, detailed, always got-my-back personality. Madelyn, my reserved, creative, sweet soul. And Audrey, the fearless, center of attention, always holding her own. They really are the biggest blessings and I’m so very grateful for the family God has blessed us with.
Shop the Look:
It’s time for a round-up of some everyday looks. Here’s what I’ve been pulling out of my closet recently, embracing spring but adapting to the ever varying temperatures. It’s been fun breaking out some brighter colors and trying out some new shoes for the season. Hopefully you’ll be able to take a little inspiration into your own closet!
