Yes, I shave my face.

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I'm going to start off by saying don't knock it until you try it. And I would bet money on it that once you try it you are going to love it. I started shaving my face a couple years ago. I didn't have some mustache that I was trying to hid. Instead I was really curious about the skincare benefits.

You may have noticed that I have REALLY blonde hair. The thought of is this peach fuzz going to grow back darker when I shave it off definitely crossed my mind. However, I did my research and talked with my esthetician and she reassured me that wouldn't be the case.

Why would you want to shave off that peach fuzz? Shaving your face is just another way that you can exfoliate your skin. No matter how much moisturizer you use, if you never exfoliate to remove the dead skin your products aren't going to be able to sink into the skin. You spend good money on clean, effective products you don't want them just sitting on top of your peach fuzz or skin.

Exfoliating also has huge benefits for fine lines. Think about the men in your life. Have you ever noticed somehow their skin isn't aging the same way yours is despite them only using bar soap? That's right they shave their face and you don't.

I also love how much smoother my makeup goes on without that peach fuzz acting as a barrier.

So what should you use? For me this facial razor has been the easiest to maneuver. You can also use a men's razor. Regardless of what you use you want something that is sharp and clean. I typically only use a blade 1-2 times. This will also help prevent breakouts.

I start by wetting my face and then apply a moisturizing cleanser. This will help reduce friction and irritation. Next, grab your blade and hold it at a 45 degree angle. Use short strokes and go in the direction the hair grows. Be very careful around your eyebrows and hair line. After you are done wipe your face clean, and be sure to moisturize well. I love to give my skin an extra drink with this hyaluronic acid, and then will apply my daily moisturizer.

My skin look best when I do this weekly, but sometime I get a little lax and it ends up being every other week. So are you in? I can't wait to hear how it goes because I am betting that you will love it!

1. Facial Razor | 2. Gentle Cleanser | 3. Hyaluronic Acid Serum

4. Beauty Headband | 5. Moisturizer

If you are curious about what skincare products you should be using to combat your concerns take my Beauty Consult Quiz. 

Squad Life: Launching a Beauty Brand with Nikki Hynek

You all know that I am a beauty products junkie. Two years ago I was attending a conference where Nikki Hynek, founder of Dollup Beauty, was one of the keynote speakers. I was awestruck by her make it work attitude. This girl HUSTLES.

Since the age of seven, Nikki knew that she wanted a product base business. As a make up artist and aesthetician, ideas constantly ran through her head until she landed on the Dollup Beauty case. A hardshell, magnetic case that keeps all of your favorite beauty products and tools in one place. However, despite Nikki's passion for the product and hustle the launch of the Dollup case can't be defined as an instant success. Through a lot of determination was Dollup Case has been the catalyst for the Dollup Beauty line and The Pretty Lane store front and beauty education boutique. Yes, Nikki opened a store front during a time when so many store fronts are closing.

In this week's episode you'll learn how to:

• recover from failure
• have a follow up mentality 
• rethink that vision board. 

Plus, you know that Nikki and I are going to talk a little beauty because their powder highlighter in the shade Lavish is one of my MUST HAVE beauty products. 

Nikki's Recommendations:

Beauty Products: Dollup Skinny Tip Brow Pencil

Instagram: DollupBeuatyCo

Reads: Every good Endeavor by Timothy Keller, Outliers: The Story of Success, Why by Simon Sinek

Nikki's Squad: Alli Webb founder of DryBar, Sara Blakely founder of Spanx

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.

If you don't want to miss an episode and want to receive some of the Squad Life's exclusive content make sure you sign up for our newsletter here.

Spring Beauty Finds

Yesterday, the boy and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary. I am pretty lucky to have a guy that supports me in everything I do - building my Keep Collective business, sharing in our dream of growing our farm and putting up with my makeup and Instagram obsession.

Since, Jon would be participating in the state bowling tournament (that's what guys in small town Iowa do for fun), I decided to spend the day doing some retail therapy before we met up for dinner and drinks. Yesterday, what Ulta's last day of 21 days of Beauty so the store was packed but I was really excited to grab a few of my favorites and try a few new things.

Brows: First if you ever have a chance to have your eyebrows waxed at a Benefit Brow Bar do it. People are always asking me what makes them so good and I think it is too things. 1. Consistency. All the gals are trained the same way so I can go into any Ulta, sit down at the Benefit Brow Bar and get the same result. Also, I love that they mark out how your brow will look after waxing so you can confirm that is the shape you are going for. 

I'll admit that I am more of a Sephora gal than an Ulta gal, but I do love that Ulta carries MAC cosmetics now. I've been noticing a lot of pop of color trends this spring and wanted to give it a try myself. The MAC assistant and I went through a lot of purples and blues, but decided that this pop of coral-y pink would be perfect and I am loving it. I apply it right to the center of my eyelid, staying out of the crease, and to my lower lash line. This coppery liquid eyeliner is going to be fun for the spring and summer. It goes on lighter and dries darker, so don't feel like you have to apply a lot to start with.

One of the problems that I have been trying to fix is when I wear mascara on my lower lashes I feel like some transfers to my skin throughout the day leaving dark smudges. I had to laugh when the associate said, "girl if you can find a mascara that won't do this let me know!" I guess we are all on the hunt. However, she did say that she has been using a primer on her lower lash first and then applying her mascara and it has really helped. I am on day one of this method and so far so good. Thw Josie Maran mascara is only available at Sephora but it is one of my favorites!

Talking about hair care products I noticed that Ulta now carries Drybar. This is one of my favorite mousses, and it is awesome for fine hair. I had mentioned in my IG story thought that I am not a fan of any other Drybar product, especially not the dry shampoo. You overwhelming agreed. Now, if you are looking for a great dry shampoo I am in LOVE with Klorane and have been for years. One of my favorite bloggers Jen from The Sister Studio raves about Dove Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo and that girl has dang good hair. I am really excited to give this a try especially since it is a great price. 

So, what are you looking to try this spring? Sephora's big spring 15% off sale is going to be happening soon so you can bet I'll be stocking up on more favorites.

This post may include affiliate links. 

Beauty Musts for Beating the Summer Sun

Whether I am on the farm or at the beach (she we actually took a family vacation this summer) making sure the SPF is ready is really important to me. Not only am I a fair skinned beauty, but skin cancer is scary. Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime?

After using these products for the last couple weeks, and trying a few others that didn't live up the hype I am ready to share my favorites. 

1. Klorane Dry Shampoo: I have tried a lot of dry shampoos with no luck. I was about to give up until I got a sample of the Klorane Dry Shampoo in my Ipsy beauty bag. This stuff is amazing. I love using it after being outside when you hair is a little sweaty to freshen up. It also works great for those days that you want to skip the hair washing. I am now on my second bottle. 

2. Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster: Even if you want to protect your skin, most of us still want that sun kissed glow. Since I am so pale it is hard to find something that is natural looking. I had read about this Clarins product on a few beauty blogs, and it definitely lived up to its claims. You drop 2-3 drops of this oil like substance into the moisturizer that you are going to use right away. Since you are adding the self tanner you can control the color. It has given me a nice glow. 

3. Rash Guard Swin Shirt: Sometimes it is hard to get the sunscreen everywhere. Since I knew we were going to the lake I invested in a rash guard shirt very similar to this one from J. Crew. This shirt offers a SPF of 50 and is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation as an effective UV protectant. 

4. Clinique City Block Sheer: I have been using this product since 2010, and I love it. It is tinted and I apply over my moisturizer and under my foundation. It is also great on those days that you don't want to wear foundation, but your skin needs a little evening out. Highly recommend it! 

A few pictures from our vacation. Target Field. My nephew Bode. Campfire S'mores. 

What are some of your favorite ways to beat the summer heat? 

Anniversary Beauty Swap Product Review and Link Up

It's time for the big reveal. I've been watching everyone's Instagram pictures pouring in with the #ccbeautyswap hashtag and I must say I think we are all on Santa's nice list because we got spoiled!

For those that have never heard of a Beauty Swap you can read about the details here, and I promise after the new year we'll be having another one.

This time I was partnered up with my co-host of the Beauty Swap Melanie from The Traveling Cowgirl. Melanie and I first met when I lived in the Kansas City area, now we both live in Iowa and we love turquoise! I think we must have been reading each other minds because she got me the perfect products.

1. Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lash - I was really excited to get this mascara as I've hear so much about the product, but have been really skeptical. I guess part of the reason was because I kept seeing people take the results too far and have these cobwebby looking lashes. So what does it do? Well it is a three part mascara. 1. apply what is similar to a regular mascara, then 2. apply what look like tiny fibers (they remind me of feathers) to your "wet" coat to help build your lashes, and 3. reapply the regular mascara to seal. The result is way full lashes without having to wear false lashes. I've been really impressed with the product, and I've been able to get a fuller lash line without them looking fake or too unnatural. 

2. Too Faced Palette Boudoir Soft and Sexy Eyes - This was total surprise to receive this palette. Melanie said she's been wearing the colors from this palette for awhile and I can see why. It's actually similar to some MAC shades I've been wearing, but this palette gives you way more colors and a lower price. The grey's have a purple undertone which is great for my eye color. 

3. Ole Henriksen The Clean Truth - Melanie totally read my mind on this one. I had recently gone to Sephora to pick up some stuff for our NFR Vegas trip. When I sat in the beauty chair the beauty consultant asked me to remove my make-up with this wipe. It smelled amazing! Come to find out that it was the Ole Henriksen wipe. What I love about these two products is not only do they remove make-up but they also contain vitamin C and a bunch of other stuff to brighten and refresh your face. Plus, when I am home I can use the foam cleanser and on the road use the wipes. And did I mention they smell amazing. I'll definitely be purchasing this product once I run out. 

Melanie also include some Josie Argan Nail Polish remover, which is funny because I sent her Argan Face Oil, a really cute turquoise burlap bag and some other fun samples. 

Now here is the good news. Melanie sells the 3D Fiber Lash Mascara and want to give a set away to one of our Beauty Swappers. All you have to do it link up to you blog or Instagram post or leave a comment in the comment section. You have until Dec. 31 to enter and link up. 

Thanks so much to everyone that joined in on the fun. I've even met some of our swappers in person now and it's fun to watch new friendships form! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Fall Beauty Swap Product Review

It has been fun to finally get back in the Beauty Swap swing of things! It makes me so excited to see all of our swappers receiving packages in the mail and showing off their new products. If you haven't checked out the #ccbeautyswap hashtag on Instagram be sure to do so. And keep checking back this week as our swappers link up and review their products.

I was paired up with Taylor Truckey of Michigan. I think Taylor and I's paths first crossed on Twitter. She is a make-up lover herself, and often posts beauty tips on her blog College Girl Ag World. Taylor and I both have a love of bold lip color and she spoiled me with the perfect products.

Taylor's package included lots of fun items, but these are the five that I have dove right into. 

1. I have been noticing the It Cosmetics line lately at Ulta. This cc cream is different than my Stila or MAC cc cream as it definitely has more coverage, while still being really hydrating. I also like that it has an SPF of 50. Taylor has been wearing it herself and recommends wearing it over a primer. 

2. I was so excited to receive brush #115 from the It Cosmetics line. I can not get over how soft this brush is. Even my husband couldn't believe how soft it was. It is perfect to use with the cc cream or my MAC foundation to give an airbrush look. 

3. I was first introduced to the EOS Lip Balm through the inaugural Beauty Swap. I love the lip balm and was very excited to receive the hand cream. Our dishwasher recently broke so this has been perfect for my dry hands. 

4. Both of these lipsticks are from NYX. Which I've seen at both my drug store and Ulta. It is also a relatively inexpensive line of make-up, and I'll admit I have passed it up probably due to that. Call my a make-up snob I guess. However, the lipstick on the right the NYX Matte is amazing! It wears fantastic, and I like the rich color. The lipstick on the left is part of the NYX Simply Red collection. This lipstick also wears great, and has a rich glossy color. 

This is me wearing the NYX Matte lipstick in Merlot.

If you are interested in participating in the swap follow the Crystal Cattle Blog or Facebook page as I'll be sending out information the middle to end of November. And thank you to Ashley of Messy Kennedy for helping me host the swap. 

An InLinkz Link-up

Beauty Swap: Spring Link Up

I was so excited to see a lot of "old friends" and new faces in our Spring Beauty Swap. It was fun having Taysha of Dirt Road Charm host with me since we are both make-up specifically MAC lovers. For those of you wondering what a Beauty Swap is check out this link and then watch my blog and Crystal Cattle Facebook page for the announcement of when the next swap will be.

I was paired up with Lauren. Lauren and I met many years ago at the National Cattlemen's Beef Convention. Although, we haven't been able to cross paths face to face again, we stay in touch via social media. I loved what Lauren sent me!

Lauren definitely gets big points for presentation. She has gorgeous handwriting/calligraphy. I'll explain a little more about the "sparkle box" in a minute.

In just over a week the Boy and I are going to the Dominican Republic with some friends, so Lauren kept that in mind. 

1. Moroccan Oil - I have actually used Moroccan Oil before and love it. Lauren't timing was perfect because I am almost out. My sister first introduced me to this product. She and I have really fine hair and one day I noticed how soft her hair was, and asked her secret. She told me Moroccan Oil. I was pretty skeptical that an oil would work on my fine hair, but it does. You only need a tiny amount, think dime size or less and then you work this through you hair, while it is wet, starting at mid shaft to the ends. My hair is softer, less frizzy and I think takes less time to blow dry when I use this product. I also love the Moroccan Oil brand hairspray. 

2. Too Faced Beauty Balm - On a recent trip to Sephora I had tired this product, but hadn't purchased yet so I was so excited when Lauren included this beauty balm. She too was introduced to it via a previous Beauty Swap partner. It is perfect for those days that I want some coverage, but not wanting to apply foundation. Plus, it is SPF 30, which will be perfect for vacation. I have used the MAC Beauty Balm in the past, and I like how it wears, but there isn't one light enough for my fair completion. The Too Faced Snow Glow is perfect for me. 

3. Aquaphor Lip Repair - Lauren lives in Arizona and said this is her favorite SPF lip balm. No one likes chapped or worse burnt lips so I am excited to use this product. 

4. MAC Patent Lip Polish - I love this lipstick! It definitely has color, but feels kind of like a gloss, but has more staying power than a gloss. Make sense, lol? The color is Fearless and is the perfect pink shade, not hot pink, but not baby pink either. I recently, feature this lipstick in my Spring Five Favorites.

Now onto the sparkle box. This box was started by Erin Worrel, passed onto Melanie Acklin and then to Lauren. Now, it is in my possession. Each of their names and the date is wrote on the inside of the box. My next Beauty Swap partner will receive this box! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Five Favorites Springtime Edition

As I put together my Five Favorite for Spring I feel like we haven't actually have that much Spring like weather. We've been receiving rain which we need, but the temperatures have remained cool. For Easter we took a quick trip to Fort Worth to see the Boy's sister and brother-in-law and the weather was awesome. Unfortunately, we weren't able to bring it back with us.

1. Kendra Scott Earrings - I have had my eyes on a pair of Kendra Scott earrings for awhile. With a little bit of left over birthday money I bought myself my first pair. Then the Boy surprised my with a bright pink pair for our 2nd anniversary! I went with the smaller Elle earrings and they are the perfect size. 

2. Black Maxi Dress - I actually bought this maxi dress on my trip to Oklahoma in preparing for our vacation to the Dominican in May, however it has quickly become a favorite. It was so easy to dress up with my new earrings for our anniversary and then I dress it down with a jean jacket on our trip to the Ft. Worth Zoo. 

3. MAC Patent Lip Polish - I love this new lipstick I received in our most recent Beauty Swap. I'll be blogging about all the items I receive soon, but I have to share this right away. They color is called Fearless and it is a lighter pink. I have a picture of me wearing it on my Crystal Cattle Instagram.

4. Rubber Boots - Good ole, plain ole, rubber boots! It has been muddy and wet around here and my trusty rubber boots have came in handy. Mine are actually dark green, and not fashionable, but completely practical. Rubber boots make checking on the new baby calves and feeding a lot easier. 

5. Mindy Kaling - Currently, I am ready "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling, and I love it. Definitely a humorous read, combined with a biography of Mindy's life. It's been the perfect audiobook for all my recent travels. 

I hope you have being enjoying spring! Perhaps there are a few new finds that have become your favorite. Also, if you were apart of the Beauty Swap don't forget to start working on your blog post. I'll be having the link up on May 2.

Spring Beauty Swap

I know you have been asking, and wondering, and pondering when we have our next Beauty Swap. Well, the time has come! I am very excited to have Taysha of Dirt Road Charm helping me host the Spring Beauty Swap. Taysha and I have a love of MAC make-up, cattle and agriculture, and we finally got to meet in person at the National Western Stock Show this year.

So how does a Beauty Swap work? Once you have signed up we’ll pair you with another beauty loving blogger (or someone that enjoys Twitter or Instagram). You’ll have a little bit of time to get to know your new social media friend, and then you’ll send each other a gift of beauty products. Sign up for the Beauty Swap will take place March 24-April 4, 2014. We’ll send out the pairings by April 8. Get to know your partner and then be sure to get your package in the mail by April 18. It is really important to follow these deadlines as we have had a few Beauty Swappers send their packages off and get nothing in return :(

Once you have received your box start testing out your new beauty product. We'll host a link up on May 2. Feel free to link up and read all about everyone else's find. Here are link ups from Beauty Swap I and Beauty Swap II! You don't have to have a blog to participate, but we do ask that you have a social media way to communicate and join in on the fun. Use the hashtag #ccbeautyswap on Twitter or Instagram. Below is a list of a few rules and guidelines. We ask that you try and stick to the rules as closely as possible.


1. Follow the Crystal Cattle and Dirt Road Charm blogs and Facebook pages.
2. Email your partner within 72 hours of receiving your match. If you haven’t heard from your match after three days are up, let Crystal know and we’ll try and pair you with someone else.
3. Be sure to ask your partner questions about their likes and disklikes, skin tone, preferred colors, etc. or maybe they want to be surprised!
4. Each box should contain a min. of $15 worth of product. Please include one full size item. You may also include samples of products with your one full size item. Since Easter is around the corner also include your favorite Easter candy.
5. Items must be new, unless you’ve discussed this with your partner. (Perhaps she loves purple nail polish and you have bottle you know you won’t use anymore.)
6. Packages must be shipped by April 18. If possible it is a good idea to get a tracking number incase something gets lost.
7. Once you receive your package create a post revealing what you received and link up with us on May 2.
8. If you do not follow the rules you may forfeit you right to participate in future Beauty Swaps. Crystal Cattle has the right to refuse participation for any reason.

Click here to sign up! 

Crystal Cattle and Cowgirl Crush Beauty Swap

Hello all you pretty ladies. I know you have been anxiously awaiting the announcement of my second Beauty Swap. We had a blast on the first one (you can see all the links to the ladies that participated here). This time I am excited to have Courtney Nolz help me host round two. Courtney is a girl who loves agriculture as much as I do, but also owns her own boutique called Cowgirl Crush. I also love reading Courtney's Make-Up Monday blog posts.

So how does a Beauty Swap work? Once you have signed up we’ll pair you with another beauty loving blogger (or someone that enjoys Twitter or Instagram). You’ll have a little bit of time to get to know your new social media friend, and then you’ll send each other a gift of beauty products. Sign up for the Beauty Swap will take place January 15-21, 2014. We’ll send out the pairings by January 26. Get to know your partner and then be sure to get your package in the mail by February 4.

Once you have received you box feel free to link up and share your new beauty finds! You don't have to have a blog to participate, but we do ask that you have a social media way to communicate and join in on the fun. Use the hashtag #beautyswap on Twitter or Instagram. Below is a list of a few rules and guidelines. We ask that you try and stick to the rules as closely as possible.

1. Follow the Crystal Cattle Blog and the Cowgirl Crush and Crystal Cattle Facebook pages.
2. Email your partner within 72 hours of receiving your match. If you haven’t heard from your match after three days are up, let us know and we’ll pair you with someone else. 
3. Be sure to ask your partner questions about their likes and disklikes, skin tone, preferred colors, etc. or maybe they want to be surprised! 
4. Each box should contain a min. of $15 worth of product. Please include one full size item. You may also include samples of products with your one full size item. Don't forget Valentine's Day is around the corner so maybe you want to include a special treat.
5. Items must be new, unless you’ve discussed this with your partner. (Perhaps she loves purple nail polish and you have bottle you know you won’t use anymore.) 
6. Packages must be shipped by Feb. 4. If possible it is a good idea to get a tracking number incase something gets lost. 
7. Once you receive your package create a post revealing what you received and link up with the Crystal Cattle blog on February 21.

Click here to sign up! 

p.s. we have the right to exclude people from the Beauty Swap based on not following these guidelines in past Beauty Swaps. So don't leave your partner hanging! 

Beauty: Nov/Dec Beauty Swap Link Up

Thank you to all the awesome ladies that participated in my first ever Beauty Swap and a special thanks for Jenny Dewey for helping me host it.

I know I had a blast watching all the tweets, Instagram photos and Facebook posts about the packages you were sending and receiving. By the looks of things we had some pretty generous ladies out there. I hope you are all enjoying your new products. 

My swapping partner was Sara Hewitt. Who knew that two random people could have so much in common. We are both farm girls who grew up with livestock, and are learning a lot more about crops. She is currently working on her master's at K-State so of course I had to send her a K-State Eat Beef license plate in addition to some beauty products! 

Now onto Sara's package for me. I love that Sara sent me a lot of products that I have been wanting to try but haven't gone out and bought for myself.

Nov/Dec Crystal Cattle Beauty Swap by crystalcattleblog featuring a waterproof eye liner

My favorite products from Sara were: 1. Victoria Secret Pink Body Spray. Not only is the scent great, but Sara was right knowing I would love the name - Wild at Heart. 2. EOS lip balm - this is by favorite my new favorite lip balm. I love the scent and it actually has kept my lips from getting chapped all through days in the mountains this Christmas and a pre-New Years cold. 3. Covergirl Lipstain - Sara and I had talked about me being more of a lipstick gal, but I love this lip stain. It is just enough color for the days I am running around the farm or town, and I also have been wearing it as a base and laying my lipstick over top of it. 4. Finally, I love this purple eyeliner from Urban Decay. Purple is a great eye color for me to wear and it glides on super easily. The color is very rich and pigmented. 

You can learn more about each of the products by clicking on the individual photos above. 

Beauty: The Best Detangling Hair Brush EVER

Recently, I tried out a new hair salon. The girl gave me a great cut, however the product she sent me home with has changed my life. Seriously.

This year my hair has gotten really long. And although I have fine hair it gets supper knotted up/tangled. I had tried to use a pick on as much as possible but somedays it felt like I was ripping chunks of hair out. I was telling the hairdresser about this problem and she said I need a "Wet Brush."

It is called the Wet Brush and seriously it may be the best beauty product I have bought this year. With only a couple passes it will untangle the biggest of knots in my hair. My hairdresser said she not only recommends it to long-haired ladies, but also to little girls. She said it is gentle enough that even little girls can get those awful tangles out of their hair. I believe her.

I have used it both when my hair is wet and dry and it works great both way. You can buy this brush through the Wet Brush website or I have found them at even a better price through Ulta.

Beauty: Miracle Worker Moisturizer

A couple weeks ago we had a good blog discussion about one of my favorite long wear lipsticks. On my Facebook page the question came up about moisturizers.

Quick story before I tell you about my new favorite.

Awhile back the Boy and I were having hectic night. I made a deal with him I would take care of supper if he could run to Walmart for me and pick up a few things before I headed out on another trip. Those things included a few groceries and an adventure into the beauty aisle to pick up some moisturizer for me. At the time I was using one of the Regenerist Olay moisturizers.

Upon arriving back from the store the Boy claimed I can't believe you use that stuff. I was curious as to why this was his reaction. "You use anti-aging stuff? Isn't that unfair to the ladies that need it. If you are already using this stuff at your age you won't ever age!"

This is how men think.

Now back to my new moisturizer of choice. This spring my old Olay standby wasn't working. I was having a combination of dry skin, redness and breakouts. It was time for a change. While I was in Ulta (Iowa's version of Sephora) I noticed the Philosophy Miracle Maker sample size in the checkout line. I figured that I would give it a shot since the reviews I had seen online were pretty positive. The results - I love it.

The moisturizer feels heavy when it goes on, but absorbs extremely quickly and isn't oily. My skin feels great, and although I don't know if it is preventing age from creeping in it doesn't seem to hurt. I can definitely tell a difference when I'm traveling and forgot it at home.

I have now gone through two regular size (2 oz.) jars since my sample purchase. Although, it is a little more expensive initially it seems to last a lot longer that what was in the Olay container.

What is your favorite moisturizer? And where do you love to shop for your beauty products. Walking into a Sephora requires a lot of self control from me!

Beauty: Stila Long Wear Lipstick

Over the past couple of  years I have developed a love for bright colored lipstick. The problem is lipstick doesn't stick to my lips. I can use primer, lipliner, all the trick and it just wears off. However, that is when I discovered two of my favorite long-wear lipsticks Stila Long Wear Lip Color, and Mac Pro Long Wear (we'll talk about that one another day).

This was a candid photo the Boy snapped of me at one of our cattle sales. We were just gooding around, but I love the picture. 

Reasons I love Stila Long Wear Lip Color:

1. Great color: Intriguing is my favorite. It is a bright bold hot pink. If you are wanting a neon pink go with Exhilarating. 

2. Staying Power: This lipstick lasts. All day. Through food, smooches, working on the cattle, you name it this stuff lasts. 

3. Non-drying: I also really like the matte finish of this lip color. However, it definitely isn't drying. 

Now the bad news... Stila discounted this lipstick! I thought I was going to cry when I couldn't track it down on Sephora anymore. However, this week after some searching I found that Beauty.com still has some in stock. 

What is your favorite long wear lipstick? Have you learned any tricks over the years to keep your make-up in place? 

A week of Instagram: The Game of Life

I think we are due for another Crystal Cattle Instagram update. I got to travel a little bit the middle of February but this weekend will make the third weekend in a row that I am home. I have no idea when the last time was that happened, but it has been great. 

You've got to check out this Bed Head Thickening Spray called Superstar Queen for a Day. It is kind of like a mousse, except it sprays more like a hairspray. I used this stuff all the time in college and kind of forgot how much I like it. It give my fine hair great volume without weighing it down. Love it. 

My travel took me to San Antonio for a couple days so I made sure that I made a trip over to the Riverwalk. Here's a couple questions. How do they make their margaritas so darn good? And how can I grow an avocado tree in Iowa without a greenhouse. I am working a few ideas because I think I am getting addicted to avocados.

Look how big Parker the bull calf is getting. He has even started to eat some grain. It always amazes me how like calves are smart enough to discover things like grain. This weekend we gave his mom, Teardrop a hair cut. She looks like a whole new women! We have had a couple new calves so I'll be sure to post those pictures soon. 

The other night I surprised the Boy by bringing home the Game of Life. As a kid my family used to play it all the time, and he said him and his sister played it a ton. He beat me, but I figured being a Lawyer with an Executive Cape House and retiring with 1.5 million isn't too shabby!

A week of Instagram: Bills, Hot Rollers and Cows

Crazy about those little square pictures. 

I love Instagram. For those of you who are wondering what this little word I am talking about is let me give a quick run down.

1. Instagram is a photo sharing social media site. You use an app on your phone to do it.
2. You can post, follow, like and comment of photos
3. You can add color filters (think of photoshop) to your photos
4. It is awesome and I am going to start posting a little recap each week using Instagram photos.

This was supper last night. Grown-up nachos. My side contains veggies and the Boy sans veggies. Had to get my protein fix before my run. That's right I am still sticking to the running. 

Tuesday was bill day at the farm. We paid a feed bill, vet bill, crop insurance bill, lumber bill and more. Good thing we sold a heifer this weekend. 

Have you noticed the Christmas stuff out in Walmart! I was really tempted to buy these recipe magazines. Some one said there are less than 100 days until Christmas. Not sure how I feel about that!

What do you do on a Thursday night while waiting for the laundry to finish. Dig out your old hot rollers, of course. These are from my high school days, and I used to use them almost everyday. In the mornings I would go feed cattle, come back in, throw these in, and while they were setting do my make-up and have breakfast. They curl didn't hold too well this time. I think I need a setting spray. 

Of course the week wouldn't be complete without cows. These were a few of the heifers we watched sell in Illinois. I posted a video of a different lot selling for $25,000. Yes, $25,000 for a cow. 

If you are on Instagram let me know, and you can find me by searching for @crystalcattle

p.s. Anyone notice you can't search for Instagram people via Twitter now. Annoying.