McIlrath Moments

Aug 21, 2017

It's been a few months since I've done a "reads" post but what can I say....life just gets busy sometimes. I also started school again so these posts are probably going to be become even more sparse because I am going to be reading boring text books until Christmas time (crying).

I really pushed myself to read this book because the movie came out this past weekend. the book was very good, it was a tough read in the sense that some of the stories about Jeannette Wall's life were sort of unbelievable because of how sad they were. Reading this book definitely made me very grateful for my sweet family. I think the biggest thing I took away from this book, is that alcohol messes up lives and not just the life of the alcoholic but all of the people surrounded by the alcoholism.

Fabian and I finally went on a date night too! It was just the two of us...no sisters or friends or parents tagging along for the fun. We went to Olive Garden for dinner which was super yummy but it's always hard to stay on track with healthy eating when you are surrounded by pasta and cheese! I did my best though. We went to see The Glass Castle in the theaters and I really liked it! I mean it's hard for me to not like something if it includes Woody Harrelson. It was definitely different from the book but not in a bad way...just little more choppy.

Overall I think the book is worth a read and the movie is worth the watch at home. Rent it on Redbox or on demand, don't spend $40 to see it in the cinema!

Aug 14, 2017

We Came. We Saw. We Contoured. - BeautyCon 2017

Aug 14, 2017

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I can't believe I am actually typing this post up but YES! I went to BeautyCon 2017 in Los Angeles!!! This was my first year attending and I took my best friend for her birthday. We had no idea what to expect from the event so we went early and we went with open minds and it turned out to be such a successful day. The Los Angeles Convention Center was easy to get to and with only one missed turn (which is surprising in LA, because I usually average about 5 missed turns a trip) we got there no problem!

We are about an hour and a half away from LA so we left around 8AM to give us plenty of time to get there because we had general admission tickets (there are 3 types of tickets to choose from and they vary in price and what time they allow people to go into the convention center) and the time frame for general admission was 12-5PM. We were in a line outside by 10AM and it was already getting pretty warm, the line wasn't super long, which was great but we realized we were going to be standing in the heat for 2 hours before they would let us in...but NO! The organizers of BeautyCon are amazing because only about 10 minutes after we got in the outside line, they started letting people though the security bag check and we went through the lobby of the convention center into another roped off line area, but this was in an air conditioned, carpeted area and it was perfect! They must know makeup lovers can't just stand in the sun for hours because it will melt right off our faces. We sat in line for a bit, grabbed a coffee at the stand right near the line and talked and waited...and of course people watched because that is one of the best parts of events like this.

We got to go in about 30 minutes early and it was magical just stepping through those doors. It was so bright and colorful and just the feeling of seeing all of these makeup booths would make any girl giddy.

They have water stations around the whole convention and an outdoor area with food trucks and drinks. We didn't spend much time eating or drinking because there were so many more important things like eye shadow and highlighter but the options were there and that was nice.

Even with all the free merchandise we still ending up spending some $$, but that's okay because luckily we planned for it and I will say, most of the things are sold at a discount and they take credit/debit and cash too (some places only took cards).

By the end of the day our feet felt like they were about to fall off and we walked about 7 miles according to my apple watch but it was all so worth it! We also got a bunch of free bags for groceries now...WooHoo!

JoJo from the Bachelorette!

Makeup by Shayla...she's gorgeous in person!

Karen Gonzales (Iluvsarahii) slayed with the model's brows

I didn't get to meet Patrick Starr in person but she was so cute from afar!

The day was filled with free merchandise, YouTube star meetups, and so much fun! It couldn't have gone better for 2 BeautyCon virgins and we will definitely we back when it hits LA again!

Aug 1, 2017

New Luxury Makeup in my Vanity

Aug 1, 2017

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I love makeup, but I especially love luxury makeup. There is something so exhilarating about purchasing a beautiful piece of makeup, I don't know if it's the packaging or the way the product applies, but whatever it is, the products listed below are worth the $$$ out of my bank account...in my opinion!

It took me a while to get on the Kylie Cosmetics train. I got a liquid lip from a friend at Christmas and loved it, even though it was a little dry, the color pay off was great but other than that, I had no desire to purchase anything from her site...until I saw this beauty. It's from her Summer 2017 collection and it's so much fun! I've used it a bunch and I love the fact that there are so many everyday colors in the palette but there are also fun "vacation" colors as well. The pigmentation is great, there's a little bit of fall out with the glitters and there is some kick up, but it's easy to work with and so much fun.

This Becca Amethyst Highlighter highlighter is something I purchased that was a little out of my comfort zone but I just couldn't pass it up because of how pretty it was, the lilac, purple tones in it are so cool to use when doing a more playful look, it's not the most blinding highlight I have ever used but that's perfectly fine with me because to be honest, I am not that big of a "blinding" highlight fan. They just tend to show the imperfections of the skin too much and I like to keep my base just a little more toned down and play up my eyes more. Becca definitely knows how to do highlighters though...and I mean com'on, can we all admire the packaging for a minute??

The Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray is perfection! It makes my makeup last forever and it helps to keep my shine at bay. I'm not super oily but I like having a matte base as opposed to a dewy base. There are couple of downfalls to the spray, one being the smell of it...I can hardly stand the smell when I am misting this on my face, but luckily the scent does not last and I quickly forget about it. Another thing I am not crazy about this spray is the way it can make my face feel if I spray too much. From my personal experience, being heavy handed with this spray doesn't have good endings, my face ends up feeling a little tight and uncomfortable, so I usually just spritz my face a couple of times and leave it at that. It also saves me money because I am using less of the product...score!

Oh Buxom Lip Glosses....you are my absolute dream! No but really...they are a dream to wear. I love the color range, I love the formula, I love the fact that they make your lips just a little tingly to plump them up a bit , I love the packaging and how they keep it simple and give you a lot of product...I could go on an on about my love for these guys! I do not have a single negative thing to say about them!

I don't know if it's the packaging or the product I love more! The Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Finish Skin Perfecting Micro-Powder is simply amazing! It goes on like a dream, especially around my under eye area and around my nose area, it just makes my skin look so smooth. The only downside to this product is the shade availability...there's basically no availability. I have the shade medium because that is generally my shade range, and it's a little too light for me to use all over my face in the summer months when I am more tan, I am not sure how it's going to work in the winter when I am not as dark but I'm sure it will look fantastic when I set my foundation.

Jul 12, 2017

Motivation

Jul 12, 2017

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I'm going on my 7th week with some CRAZY motivation! I don't know how that fire got lit under my butt, but it did and I am feeling great about it. For me, my motivation has to do with my health, I am trying to make myself a priority and I am realizing that I need to be healthy in order to be my best self for other people. It's all cliche...I know...but it's also very very true! All of these crazy "fit" people and social media fitness gurus are on to something, and even though their Instagram posts, showing off their rock hard abs and muscles can get super overwhelming and I'm just going to say it...annoying, they really know what they are doing (for the most part).
I have a crazy fitness journey ahead of me and I am no where near my goal at all but I am pretty happy that I am at least on my way and seeing results is only motivating me more. I know it's pretty early into the journey so losing weight and seeing my body change is going to happen at a quicker pace than it might down the road, I am sure I will hit road blocks and I might even slip and have a fry or two but my goal is to just keep going.
On top of trying to lose weight and be my best self I have not been to the doctor's since I was in high school (four years ago) and I have not been to the dentist in about two years (I know...ewww) because I have major anxiety about both (that's for another blog post) but I have finally decided suck it up and go because not only do I want to look better and feel better physically but I want to feel better on the inside as well and that starts with doctors!
It's all small steps and I am working on my all around self. I want to be fitter, happier and healthier!

One of the best pieces of advice that actually works as a key to success in life and in business has to be having the right mindset, do you agree? No matter what is happening for you today, I hope these quotes bring you a little joy. Please share your favourites and let me know in …

Wish me luck! ;)

Apr 30, 2017

Young Blood

Apr 30, 2017

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I have a very bad habit...it's more like a character flaw but I just want time to speed up and I want to know what my future holds. I want to know what school I am going to, who I am going to marry, when and if I am going to have children, where I am going to settle down, who my friends are going to be into adulthood. These are all questions that swirl around in my mind daily, and it doesn't help when you're at the age where people are starting to graduate from college or get engaged, married, or even starting a family! I will be the first one to say that I love social media but sometimes I feel like it hinders my ability to think clearly and think logically, seeing people around me advancing in life in so many amazing ways only makes me more insecure about my life, and I even let it affect my happiness sometimes!
A few weeks ago my friend, Fabian and I went to dinner and the topic came up about feeling "stuck" in life, I discovered that it's not just me, that my friend who has a degree and in my opinion is advancing in life perfectly, feels the exact same way I do sometimes, and it got me thinking. I think at my age and everyone in my age group probably feels the exact same way at one point or another, we all want the best for ourselves and at times, it seems like it's never going to happen (I do it all the time), but I think the important thing to remember is that it is going to happen, not overnight and not without work, but it is, and it will happen when God wants it to happen.
I know, I know...blah blah blah...I sound like every other teen or person in their early 20's, but I think making light of the subject doesn't help either, I realize at the end of the day it's all going to be okay and tomorrow is always a new day for new opportunities, but this post is for those moments when it seems like tomorrow is never going to come and you think you're going to live at home forever or be stuck in the same town or job.
For myself, I think the most important thing I can do is LIVE! Live life to the fullest, have fun, try not to stress about every little thing, and give more of my trust to God, he knows what he's doing and just because I may not be married with a child living in a cute apartment right now, doesn't mean that's not in the cards for me someday...or He might have something bigger planned.

This song (the reason for the title) and the paragraph (my friend sent me) help me feel better on those "hard days"

Apr 8, 2017

March Reads

Apr 8, 2017

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I read a total of 1 book in the month of March, it's a little below my goal of 2 books a month for 2017...but hey, life is busy! I don't really have much to say about the book I read, it was a little bit different and a very interesting read, I don't know whether to be disturbed by it or facsinated by it. It's a quick read though, because it keeps you wanting to know more. I will say, the ending was a little flat for me. Overall I think I would give this a 5 out of 10.

P.S. I read a paperback book this month...it wasn't on my iPad! I felt like I was living in ancient times ;)

Apr 3, 2017

Weekend Getaway

Apr 3, 2017

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It's crazy to think that it's already been a week since Fabian and I braved the adventure of traveling over 1000 miles in one weekend, but we did it, and we did it successfully! (minus a few hours of sleep)
I could take or leave Page, AZ but the things to do around there are worth the stay! Fabian and I drove 10 hours on Friday night after work. It was a very long and dark drive but we made it, got about 3 hours of sleep and then we were up again for a fun day filled of hikes and sight seeing. Horseshoe Bend was one of the prettiest places I have ever been to, it was so pretty in fact that we went back 2 times because we couldn't get enough. The lower Antelope Canyon was also mind blowing. And luckily we were able to see it! We had a scare because due to my poor planning, I did not know that we couldn't see it without making a reservation online, but luckily we went through Ken's Tours and they had openings! We definitely got lucky! We also went on a few hikes in Utah and the sights were just magical. The rain kept chasing us all day long but luckily it only got us a little on one of our last hikes. Walking over 8 miles on 3 hours of sleep was rough towards the end but so worth it...I mean we're only young once, right?
Because we did not get to see all the pretty sights driving in to Page on Friday night, the drive back on Sunday was extra fun, We played music, ate yummy snacks and switched off driving. I also took Fabian to Cafe Rio in St. George on our way home because I feel like it's illegal to drive through there and not stop for some cilantro lime rice....yummmy!
Once we hit Las Vegas we decided we needed a driving break and walked around Bass Pro Shops for an hour or so...it was fun but it might have been a mistake because the Sunday traffic coming home from Vegas was BRUTAL...all in all, it took us about 12 hours to get home on Sunday! Even though it was A LOT of driving, and we lost some precious hours of sleep, I would do it all over again!
I swear I am even having withdrawals, as I am writing this at my desk, I am also texting Fabian because we are trying to work out our next weekend getaway.

All the blogs I read prior to going said to go in the morning before it gets too crowded and that was the best tip I could give anyone, there were barely any people and it was so peaceful! Fabian and I went back at sunset and it was like we were at the mall it was so crowded...go in the morning to take pictures...you will be much happier!