Squad Life: Top 10 Make Up Recommendations of the Year

I am a self proclaimed make up junkie. I knew for this episode that I wanted to call on my friend and make up artist Melissa Chesnut. She started her journey into make up and skincare with MaryKay, jump she earned that pink car. Four years ago Melissa transitioned into launching her own business, Naturally You Make Up Artistry, which specializes in bridal make up. This year alone she has done nearly 70 events. So without further ado here are our favorite picks.

1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. 

7. | 8. | 9. | 10. | 11. | 12.

1. Charolette Tilbury Palette // the all in one palette that looks good on everyone 

2. Becca Under Eye Brighting Corrector // I recommend this one all the time

3. MAC Brave // my most asked about lipstick 

4. Sonia Roselli SexAPeel // Melissa's secret to glowing skin

5. EVER Youthful Peptide Serum // the treatment step in my skin care

6. EVER Reveal Biomimetic Peel Pads // smoothing and re-texturizing the surface of your skin

7. Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream // Melissa's recommendation for dark circles

8. Dollup Beauty Highlight // My ride or die product in the shade Lavish

9. Mary Kay Creme Eyeliner // Lasts long like liquid but easier to apply 

10. Slanted Eyeliner Brush // Use this brush to make applying eyeliner a breeze

11. Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara // A Squad Life guest favorite 

12. EVER Whiplash // Amazing mascara in from the clean beauty category 

Hint: If you are interested in any of the EVER products wait until Black Friday through Cyber Monday. They will be 30% off! 

Melissa's Recommendations: 

Connect with Melissa: Instagram @naturallyyoumakeupartistry or Naturally You Make VIP Group

Squad Recommendation: @nikki_makeup

Podcast: NPR How I Built This

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Guide Guide for Boss Ladies

Do you have a friend or sister chasing after her dreams? Maybe she has a side hustle or she is climbing the corporate ranks? Perhaps you are the boss and you want to treat yourself. The gift guide is boss lady approved.

1. | 2. | 3. | 4. 

5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9. 

1. Ring Light with Stand // When people come to my office this is hands down the number one thing I am asked about. Ring lights are the perfect way to light you up in videos, Instagram stories or on a conference call.
2. Boss Barrette // Enough said. It's on my Christmas wish list.
3. Boss Pen Set 
4. Echo Dot // I love this for music and it makes ordering printer paper real simple.
5. Blue Yeti Podcast Mic // This is what I use to record my podcasts.
6. Affirmation Cards // You need to check out this website. These cards are awesome.
7. Tile Sticker // I lose everything.
8. Laptop Bag // I personally carry this bag everywhere and it is amazing.
9. Customizable Necklace // Engrave a mantra or her business name. Also available in white.

If you really love that laptop bag and necklace come hang out here. I'll be sharing lots more goodies in the online Insider's group.

To see all the gift guides click here. 

Under $50 Women Holiday Gift Guide

This gift guide almost got to be names the under $40 gift guide and then I found those gorgeous mittens. Ladies feel free to print this off or forward it to your man or mama. Men if you are reading this DO NOT buy her another robe and pair of slippers. We have enough. Those don't wear out. So unless they were specifically ask for let's get a little more creative. 

1. Mittens // Warmth is my number one priority and its even better when I can look stylish 

2. Sheets // I think you'll be surprised at where these come from but they reviews are amazing

3. Wire Hoops // The perfect size, right on trend and come in silver, gold and rose gold

4. Coin Necklace // A classic necklace that will never go out of style

5. Ever Lavish Body Butter // The stuff smells amazing, like lemon bars. Grab one for yourself and your friend

6. Lipstick Set // I love these minis and the range of color

7. Ear Buds // These make the list because they are a lookalike but the reviews are five stars

8. PJ Set // All my friends agree this is the only PJ set you need. There is also get a pants version 

9. Jewelry Case // So many pockets and dividers, plus a spot for all your earrings 

To see all the gift guides click here. 

Vibe Check

When you aren't around a bunch of teenagers it is easy to not know what is cool. Actually to be frank even if we knew what was cool I am pretty sure we still wouldn't look real cool doing it. Recently, I learned about a term called vibe check. And while is comes with some odd urban dictionary definitions the way it was explained to me in a coaching call I liked the most.

A vibe check is you essential evaluating your mindset. Our outside environment can have enormous influence on us. We can also decide to protect out space and give ourself a vibe check when we are headed down a path we don't like.

In this episode I discuss the three times you need to check your vibe: on social media, in face-to-face situations and when you are alone.



Crystal's Recommendations:
Podcast: Episode 21 with Jenn Whitmer
Shopping: Keep Collective

If you loved this episode, don't forget to subscribe on iTunes or Spotify, share a screenshot on social or send me a message. Join our community on Instagram by using the hashtag #thesquadlife and tag @crystalcattle.

Women's Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide

Growing up I LOVED to open up my stocking. Now that I help Santa out with stockings it can be so hard to walk the fine line of "stuff" and things that they will ooh and awe over. Also, any of these gifts would be the perfect gift for your secret Santa exchange, coworker or teachers. 

Lot of these items you can grab from Amazon or Sephora, but I also wanted to included a few more some of my favorite small businesses. Being a small business owner myself you should see the happy dance I do when an order comes through. 

1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. 

7. | 8. | 9. | 10. | 11. | 12. 

1. Lip Mask // hands down one of my favorite beauty products

2. Bolt Earrings // on trend and great quality 

3. Travel Mug

4. Champagne Gummie Bears

5. 100 Days to Brave // a great way to kick off the new year

6. Whiplash Mascara

7. Phone Grip 

8. Smartwool No Show Socks 

9. Engravable Necklace // customize with your state or a saying 

10. Extra Long Charing Cable

11. Skincare Pack

12. Witty Pens // lots of other fun sayings

You can see all of my gift guides here. 

Gift Guide for Hard to Shop for Men

Men are the hardest/worst to shop for. Gift giving is one of my love languages so I rack my brain each year to try and figure out the best gift for Jon. It isn't easy, but I feel like I have a pretty high success rate. Well, except for the 23 and Me DNA test that I bought him that still hasn't been used, lol. Everything on this list he has bought for himself or received as a gift and has loved it. 

1. | 2. | 3. | 4.

5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9.

1. Jack Black Beard Lube Conditioning Shave 
2. Traeger Grill // Ladies if you can go big get him the Traeger. Once you make bacon on it you will thank me.
3. Shoe Dog 
4. Dollar Shave Club // I have gotten this for both Jon and my father in law. I also use these razors myself now!
5. Meat Thermometer // I don't know how many meat thermometers we go through each year, and I realized this one has made it almost a year. That is a big win in my books.
6. Heated Vest // This is exactly what you think it is and Jon loves it.
7. Smartwool socks 
8. Extra Long Charging Cord 
9. Jack Stack BBQ // This is our favorite Kansas City BBQ. My parents have order BBQ packages for Jon and I before. It is the perfect treat.

Make sure you check out all my other gift guides here.

Squad Life: Have your cake and eat it too with Leah Beyer aka Farm Wife Drinks

Leah Beyer is a trailblazer. From the being elected the first female president of her FFA chapter to working her way up the corporate ranks, Leah is one that has commanded respect. However, that doesn't mean she doesn't like to have fun. 

Through a series of twists and turns Leah started the Farm Wife Drinks blog, in addition to raising a family, owning a farm and making a 50 miles on-way commute to the Elanco corporate offices. As she puts it "As a working mom we sometimes say you can't have the cake and eat it too. And I'm like 'yeah you can, you just have to sometimes buy the cake from someone.'"

In this episode Leah and I cover:

• Why counseling changed the trajectory of her life
• How we both live the life of knowing it is ok to be "this and that"
• And why felt tip eyeliner is the greatest invention for once you are past your 20s

Leah's Recommendations:
Make Up: Marykay Felt Tip Eyeliner
Books: Anything by Brene Brown
Her Favorite Drink Recipe: Lemon Drop Martini with Lemoncello

If you loved this episode make sure you are signed up for my weekly newsletter. Don't forget to subscribe on iTunes or Spotify, share a screenshot on social or send me a message. Join our community on Instagram by using the hashtag #thesquadlife and tag @crystalcattle.

The Books Rachel Hollis Thinks You Should Read

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. I only share things that I personally love and I know would be of value to my readers. 

I'm a personal development junkie. Conferences, books, podcasts, you name it I love it. This past weekend, I attended RISE Business, Rachel Hollis's conference for entrepreneurs, business owners, those wanting to start a business, executives, etc. I mean you name it that person was there.

There might be another two months left of 2019 but I wanted to start thinking NOW of how I can best serve my community and customers aka all of you. My wheels have not stopped spinning as I dream of how I will grow my Squad Insider's, my boutique and our farm. Yes, at the conference I introduced myself as the farm girl that really likes lipstick and jewelry, and has a podcast.

For three days Rachel and her squad pulled back the curtain on their lives, struggles and knowledge. The squad is pretty impressed. We are talking Marie Forleo, Trent Shelton, Brendon Bouchard, Amy Porterfield, Chris Hogan, the list went on. Every person that walked across the stage had their own book or podcast, but Rachel also share a list of books that has made the biggest impact on her life.

Rachel's Suggestions I've Read

5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins: If you are needing a mindset shift or a way to motivate yourself this is an awesome book. If you aren't a big reader you can get a great overview in Mel's Ted Talk.

The One Thing by Gary Keller: This is a great book that I've read parts of multiple times. I've loved sharing content around "the one thing" with my team.

High Performance Habits by Brendon Bouchard: Brendon was my favorite speaker at the conference. He spent $1 million on research through two universities to identify the habits that highly successful people across the world utilize.

Rachel's Suggestions that my Husband Jon Has Read

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike: This tells the story of the early days of Nike and how the company almost didn't survive.

Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vee: If you are trying to figure out how to tell your story and develop your marketing this is the book for you.

Everything Else She Thinks You Should Read

The E Myth Revisited Michael Gerber
Excellence Wins by Horst Shultz
Doing the Right Thing by Scott Rae
Barking Up the Wrong Tree by Eric Barker
Multipliers by Liz Wiseman
Ulimate Sales Machine by Chey Holtz
The Power of Habit by Chales Duhigg
Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller

To make life easy I put together a list on Amazon. #clickaddtocart

If you already have some of these scratched off your list I would love to hear your feedback. You can also subscribe to my weekly newsletter and podcast where you can bet I'll be sharing more about the conference.

You can also listen to my podcast recap of the RISE Business conference here.

Squad Life: How to Resolve Conflict with Jenn Whitmer

Conflict... isn't the worst? It can be so uncomfortable, and it is found in every part of our lives. In our careers, communities, volunteer work, online, with immediate and extended family, it is everywhere. The good new is rhe same thing that can help prevent us from finding ourselves in conflict is the same thing that can help us work through the problem, good communication.

Jenn Whitmer, a personal development coach and jack of all trades, and I met this spring. After following her Instagram account I knew that she was the gal that could help navigate those difficult conversations. In this episode you will learn:

1. How to know if you are good communicator 
2. What is "peacefaking" and why it doesn't work
3. Tip on dealing with conflict
4. Why practice makes hard conversations go easier

Plus, Jenn is also a HUGE fan of the Ennegram (she is a 7) and is currently getting certified in the personality assessment program.




Jenn's recommendations:
Make Up: Lancome Color Design Lipstick Ooh La Lab
Special Offer: BOGO coaching with Jenn Whitmer 

If you loved this episode, don't forget to subscribe on iTunes or Spotify, share a screenshot on social or send me a message. Join our community on Instagram by using the hashtag #thesquadlife and tag @crystalcattle.