Today’s lunch was oh-so-tasty thanks to leftover BBQ meatloaf!
Meatloaf Sandwich
I enjoyed the leftover meatloaf on a whole wheat Arnold sandwich thin which I received as a sample through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program.
Though I’ve already declared my love for these sandwich thins numerous times on the blog, allow me to sing their praises one more time: La, la, la! They are so doughy and delicious! La, la, la! 😀
Yum, Yum Eat 'Em Up
For some extra color, I also enjoyed chopped red and orange peppers with grape tomatoes.
Red + Orange
A cup of Mott’s Natural Applesauce also made an appearance.
Not Just For Kids, My Friends
Thursday's Lunch
I also ate leftover Brussels sprouts and onions from last night, but those eluded any photographs.
This lunch filled me right up!
Now on to some beauty talk…
Make Up vs. No Make Up
I have always envied girls who were good at doing make up.
Watching someone put on their makeup thoroughly amuses me. It’s almost like watching an artist paint a fresh canvas.
Unfortunately I am not good at make up. At all. Not even a little bit.
For one thing, eyeshadow makes me itchy.
I wish I had the ability to highlight my eyes with different color shadows or smudge some eyeliner to give myself the super-sexy smoky eye. Whenever I’ve tried to experiment with color on my eyelids (other than tans, taupes, beiges and golds), I end up looking like Mimi from Drew Carey.
Hi, Mimi!
I think that’s why my makeup routine is so simple and takes about five minutes.
My Make Up Goods
Fortunately I am marrying a man who is not a fan of makeup. He says he cannot tell the difference between me with a full face of make up and me without any makeup. (The poor boy is clearly blind.) On the weekends I often go makeup free since Ryan has said he prefers me that way and it makes my life a little easier, too!
In talking with some of my girlfriends, it seems like a lot of guys like their girlfriends or wives fresh faced. It makes me think that women often put on makeup for other women.
And now, speaking of fresh faces…
Faces of Beauty
As if I wasn’t already a big enough fan of Heather of the wonderful blog Heather’s Dish (this girl has some seriously awesome photography skills), yesterday she made an announcement about a new website she’s launching called Faces of Beauty, which made me love her all the more.
Faces of Beauty
Faces of Beauty is a site where Heather will post pictures of women (and men!) with no (or minimal) makeup to highlight the beauty within them.
100 Percent Make Up Free!
In Heather’s words, “What I want to do is start a CELEBRATION of our natural beauty. What if we took things like wrinkles, smile lines, gray hair, blond eyelashes, crooked teeth, crooked noses, shorter necks, etc. and saw the beauty and the LIFE in them?”
Click here for more information about joining the movement for yourself.
Awesome, awesome idea, Heather! 😀
Of Possible Interest:
- How to Avoid Weekend Weight Gain (An article I wrote for FitandFabLiving.com)
- 10 Signs You’re a Running Fanatic (FitSugar.com)
- Weight Gain in Your 20s: Explained (Health.com)
- Healthy Twitter Chat: Tonight at 8 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. CT join @ThermosBrand on Twitter to celebrate the launch of the company’s new series with a group of health and fitness experts: The Cold Matters Coaches, including Caitlin from the blog Healthy Tipping Point. Participate using the #ThermosCold hashtag on Twitter and you will automatically be entered to win some of the company’s newest insulated hydration products.
Question of the Afternoon
- Do you always wear make up, or are you a makeup minimalist?
- In your past or present relationships, have men preferred you with or without makeup?
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you’re amazing…thank you so much for the link love! would you be OK if i take your picture and this post and use it on http://www.facesofbeauty.org too?
sure! sounds good to me. 🙂 i LOVE your new site, heather & i hope it catches on like wildfire! 😀
I am such a makeup minimalist after years and years of wearing a full-face every day. As a result of my years of makeup-experimentation I’m actually pretty good at doing myself up so when I do ‘throw my face on’ if you will, people don’t tend to immediately recognize me.
I personally prefer myself without it though, and so does my boyfriend. Plus it means an extra 10 minutes of sleep.
I love makeup because I love bright colors and look at it being an “art” but I don’t wear TOO much unless I’m going out!
You’re beautiful with and without make up–inside and out! I usually only wear makeup if I am leaving the house and seeing people I know. If I’m going to the grocery store/running errands I am 100% make up free, especially in the summertime. Of course, I can see the difference but I feel like as I grow older, I care a lot less. I used to wear a lot more in high school. Then I got to college and stopped caring. Weird how that works.
i used to wear lavender eye shadow in high school! eek!
In your past or present relationships, have men preferred you with or without makeup?
I almost never wear makeup. During the week, at work, if anything, just lipgloss (the Victoria’s Secret ones are delectable!) and mascara (lovelovelove Benefit badgal lash). I won’t be 27 forever – I’ll save the makeup for when I need it! If I’m going out after work I might go to the bathroom and, depending on what I’m wearing, put on some Sephora eyeliner in gunmetal or blue jean, or put on a pretty Stila eyeshadow.
My experience is that men, for the most part, want women to wear makeup as needed to make them look good/natural. They don’t want the girl to “look” like she has on makeup. But, on rare occasions when I doll up and go all out (see: smokey eye, or dramatic lipstick), the guys have loved it because it was a) appropriate and b) special and out of the norm. Most girls I see my age wear way too much makeup on a regular basis to go to work and run errands, in my opinion.
My boyfriend actually prefers a more natural look also. 🙂 It definitely makes life easier and makes me question why I ever spent numerous house trying to cover up any imperfection on my face? Most of the guys I dated, in fact, liked less make up. Funny.
My daily make up routine involves using Bareminerals to cover up any sort of blemish I may have, followed by applying some blush, a little eyeliner, and heating my eyelash curler with the hair dryer to help curl the lashes. 🙂 5 minutes tops!
Eye shadow also makes me itchy!!!!!!! 🙂
I NEVER wear make up, mostly because I’m lazy (gosh, am I really admitting this out loud?). Thankfully, Karl also prefers girls without make up!
Once in a while when I got out, I might put a bit of blush, lipstick and some mascara, but like you, I suck at applying eye shadow.
I’m really nervous about my wedding day make up — I can’t get a trial done, since it’s in Brazil, but so afraid it’ll look too clownish! I want to look good, but natural…
i was actually really, really nervous about my make up trial too. i brought in a picture of an actress who looked natural, but clearly had some makeup on. they just mirrored that & i didn’t feel overly done.
I wear cover up on my dark circles and blush and bronzer during the week. On the weekend I’ll throw on some eyeliner and mascara and eyeshadow if I’m feeling super fancy. My bf says he likes me better without, but he really just doesn’t like when i do dark eye make up.
i think that’s how ryan is too… no “hooker eyes.” 😉
I almost never wear make up. I don’t have a perfect complexion, and my scars from pimples and pimples are really visible, but I just don’t feel like myself with make up.
When I dress up, I just put a bit of a mascara and maybe some lipstick.
I never wear make-up! I feel like I should wear something to work, but if its gives me an extra 10 minutes to myself in the morning I’ll take it. I do however wear make-up when I go out. Even then its only eyeshadow, mascara and lipstick/gloss. My mom does the same and she looks amazing.
As for chubs (the BF), he prefers me make-up free. At most mascara but he hates anything my lips or skin, so you bet that makes me happy!
Hubbs isn’t a fan of make up either. Luckily I am 100% like you. I’m not good at make up, so I don’t wear it- haha 🙂
I’ve basically given up make up this summer. I only wear it if we’re going to a big party, but otherwise, around the house, out to dinner, on the boat, I’m fresh faced!
And I love being able to run my eyes without smearing mascara 😉
PS- You look gorgeous without make-up! Yay for not needing it 🙂
I don’t wear much makeup either. My boyfriend also says he can’t tell the difference if I have makeup on or not, and he’s not a big fan of makeup either.
If I am leaving the house, I usually just use a tiny bit of bronzer and blush, chapstick, and curl my eyelashes. Good to go, two minutes tops! If there is good reason, like going out with girlfriends or for a nice dinner, I will put a bit more on, but even then it looks pretty natural.
I tend to think of myself as a very self confident person, but the one thing that I am self conscious about are my dark under eye circles. They are so dark, and deep set that they can be difficult to cover up. People frequently think that I’m either exhausted, or my make has run and it can get super annoying! My mom’s friend who worked at Sephora was on a mission for months before my wedding try to find something that would work for me!! I don’t wear a lot of make up (little bit of liner, blush, mascara) but under eye concealer is always a MUST for me! My husband though, of course likes me without make up, dark circles and all!
I never wear makeup. Growing up my mom never wore make up unless she was going out with my dad, so I guess I get it from her. I love not having to do anything though. I work at a bank and even while working I don’t have any on. They are fine with it, which makes me happy. I do, on occasion, put some mascara on and some lip stuff if Jason and I are going out. Other than that I am all for a clean face. On my wedding day my mom did my makeup and it was amazing it was just enough that everyone was like WOW! and not to much were I felt like I looked like a completely different person.
I am a minimalist for sure…it’s funny, in high school I didn’t leave the house without my face on. Now a days, I can’t stand to put it on!
It’s been years since I worried who will see me without my make up on! 🙂
I almost always wear makeup. Usually not too much but when I go out with the girls or on nights, I love to get all dolled up with fake lashes and everything. My bf doesn’t love lots of makeup and haates fake lashes but I think it’s fun so I guess I do it for me?
For work I go with minimal, unless I have an event (I’m an event planner) then I usually do a full face (but still make it natrual).
When I go out to restaurants, friends places etc I usually do an inbetween – it all really depends on my mood.
I love make up (like REALLY love it). I’ve been told I have a knack for it (probably because I bought every book about makeup application when I was 16) and I love how it can transform people (I’m not talking just everyday makeup ehre, I’m also talking costume make up).
PJ (my husband) likes me both ways – he’s always told me he likes the natrual look, but says hye knows how much I love makeup and I feel good when I’m wearing it. I think that he likes that I can go out without anything on my face, but I can also get all dolled up too.
My hubby definitely prefers the minimalist look. Like you Julie, he has said he can’t tell the difference between me with it on or off. Puhlease! I look like a sleep-deprived Zombie, with a bad case of blotchiness. Back in the day, I wore a significant amount of eyeshadow. I rocked out the blue eye shadow 😉 However, since I have gotten older and in the working field I have taken a more natural look. When I am at home I wear little to no makeup, but I always feel compelled to wear my “war paint’ when I go out. I think that Heather’s idea is amazing!
i always say i look like a mole b/c my eyelashes are blonde & my eyes disappear w/o mascara! 🙂
I love that you are bringing this make-up or no make-up topic up b/c I have heard it over and over…many men prefer no make-up.
In fact, I was recently in a wedding and the bride was saying how her new husband prefers her sans-make-up. My husband tells me the same thing! And so what do I do? Go make-up free. It makes my life easier and hearing this over and over from women across the globe…it reinforces my belief that make-up is an unnecessary evil (evil for me b/c I am awful at applying it…no hating on people who are gift in that art like my sisters). Make-up, no make-up? Do what makes YOU happy is what I say 🙂
I pretty much have the same makeup routine every single day. And it’s not much different from morning to night. Just that if it’s at night, I wear a little more eye liner. I’m not an artist. So I don’t even attempt… lol
I think makeup is fun, but on a day-to-day basis for work, I am pretty minimalistic – BareMinerals, curl eyelashes, mascara, and maybe some blush and/or bronzer if I need some color. If I am just running errands, I usually go barefaced. I wore a brighter lipcolor and some false eyelashes for my wedding a month ago, and I loved the extra ‘wow-factor,’ which I wouldn’t have had if I wore lots of makeup daily. My husband likes me best barefaced or almost natural, but he also LOVES when I go all out for a special date with him. For that reason, I have become an expert at a tamed-down version of the smoky eye 🙂 I like my hubs to know that I put on sexy eyes just for him!
P.S. LOVE your blog, Julie – I’m a first-time commenter 🙂
woop, woop! first time commenters make me smileeee! (as do regular commenters 😉 )
I’m a minimalist when it comes to make up to…it probably takes me 5 minutes to do it in the morning and most weekends I don’t wear any if I can get away with it.
I wear very little makeup. My Mom didn’t allow me to wear any until the end of highschool and then it was only mascara and lipstick. To this day (I’m 30) I only wear foundation *maybe* once a month.
If I looked like you without makeup, then I wouldn’t wear any either!! You look fabulous!
My husband also prefers me without make up. I try to avoid it on weekends as much as possible. hehe.
Unlike most people on the site, go natural because I have to, not because I want to. I wish that I could wear make-up. My skin is soooo sensitive, that everything irritates it (that includes sensitive skin moisturizer). I have a naturally ruddy complexion, so the mineral based make-ups that are not supposed to irritate the skin don’t provide any coverage. So, I go sans make-up everyday. I guess it saves money:)
i’m a minimalist…probably due to the fact that i’m HORRIBLE at applying makeup!
i think my bf appreciates a little bit of makeup. (i don’t blame him!) since i stopped wearing makeup so often (pure laziness on my part) the times i do get dressed up, he does comment / compliment.
I always wear makeup during the week (I feel like I look CRAZY tired if I don’t! bleh) but on the weekends, unless I’m going out at night or going to a brunch or something, I’ll go without. Let my skin breathe some fresh air a bit!
I’ve always been envious of girls who can just swipe some red lipstick on and instantly look perfect.
I have always been so terrible at putting on makeup and never wore it until junior year of college.
Now I keep it very simple because I don’t care for the way makeup makes me look (or the application time) and my husband loves me just the way I am without the makeup. 🙂
i’m a minimalist too… just some bronzer and mascara usually. but i do the whole routine occasionally. this summer i’ve also stopped doing my hair. in humidity it gets curly anyway, so now i just scrunch it after getting out of the shower. that saves lots of time and then i don’t get upset when it curls anyway! 🙂
On a daily basis I wear little to no makeup, but that’s mostly because no one is seeing me!
I do put on makeup if I’m leaving the house, mostly because I am white as a ghost. If I don’t add some color I can look like I’m sick!
I also have rosacea that comes and goes, so the times I don’t look sick, I look like I just ran 100 miles.
Oh and to answer the second questions, my husband really doesn’t care either way. Makeup or no, he’s good. It’s mostly for me!
I wear minimal makeup a little eyeliner on top(a fine line to thicken my lash line), mascara, bronzer, and gloss. I used to do the whole 3 eyeshadow thing now I don’t hubby likes me natural and I like natural gloss no more sparkles like a few years ago.
My make-up experiments started and ended when I was in middle school. I had a huge, green roll-on glitter stick that I used on my eyes, cheeks, lips, chest, legs, hair, wherever!
Nowadays, I consider my freckles to be nature’s make-up.
Faces of beauty is such a wonderful idea. I love the idea of celebrating the LIFE behind our looks.
You look beautiful with or without makeup!
I only wear foundation to cover up my acne. I usually wear lipgloss and sometimes mascara. If I had the choice [and confidence], I wouldn’t wear foundation. Lipgloss is always fun though!
Most men I’ve been with have told me excessive makeup is not very attractive (ie too much eyeshadow). I find they generally believe less is more.
I like makeup, some bare minerals, mascara, eye shadow…lip gloss. I definitely see the difference. Sometimes, however, I am lazy and don’t put on anything just for running errands. The funny thing really is that it seems to make no difference to men, they react just the same way. Reminds me of that episode on celebrity rehab when the women were asked to take off their (heavy) make-up and it was a huge struggle for them, tears and all. Then, the guys came in and no one noticed a thing.
Hi! I’m a huge fan of your site, I just had to comment and say that I love that Sadie is hiding in the window in the background of your makeup free picture. She’s so cute! And you look fabulous with or without makeup!
Now that I stay at home….no make-up. But when I have to get ready and be somewhere/go somewhere, I definitely put on make-up!
I have never worn heavy makeup but I do wear quite a bit (foundation, blush, eye shadow, mascara, etc.) on a daily basis. Boyfriends I’ve had in the past have always said they like that I don’t wear makeup – that I go for the natural look. This cracks me up everytime! If only they knew how many products go into that “natural look”!
I feel like I look like a little kid without some makeup on though, so I do wear it regularly.
i always wear eyeliner–when i was a kid i’d leave it on for days at a time because i liked the way it smudged(i cringe about that now). i think it’s fun 🙂 it’s all a personal thing though; my sister never wears much make up and she’s absolutely beautiful as is, like you.
I hate being without makeup but I’ve relaxed about it since high school. Now it’s not such a big deal to go out without it but back then I wouldn’t step out make up free!
my husband doesn’t like it when I do my makeup. I almost never wear makeup.
On our wedding day though, he says, “you can do your makeup like this every day if you want.” Yeah, I’m gonna spend two hours putting on makeup every day, I think not.
I wear makeup to work because it makes me feel more secure doing retail- my customers are already grumpy and I feel like my happy face will be more effective at keeping our interactions pleasant if it’s made up and therefore ‘attractive’.
On my own, or on the weekends, heck no! My boyfriend’s mom is a Mary Kay representative, though, who always wants to slather things on my face in the hopes of selling me her products, so it’s a complicated dance around that.
I am a makeup girl; I NEVER go to work without makeup on. I don’t wear foundation though, only moisturizer, powder, blush, eyeliner, mascara, and sometimes lipgloss. I rarely see my mom without a full face of makeup, so I got it from her obviously. I do sometimes go without a full face on the weekend, but if leaving the house will at least put on mascara.
I am totally clueless about makeup! Fortunately, I’m not all too often confused with the other Mimi…
I say Heather’s page, by way of Mama Pea. Awesome. Incredible. Amazing.
The natural beauty photo display sounds amazing. And…I *adore* the gray dress you have on in the makeup-free pic! Where’s it from?
thank you! it’s from marshall’s (about a week ago) & the brand started with a “t” but i can’t remember exactly who made it!
I’ve dated guys all over the spectrum – each one saying, “You’re going out like THAT?” meant something totally different.
My boyfriend now could care less – make up or no, he can’t seem to tell unless it’s Halloween.
As for actually wearing make up, it depends on how I feel and how much time I have. Just like, “fat days,” I have bad complexion days and good ones.
I did have an accident as a kid which left me with about 2/3s of my upper lip, so neutral glosses only for me! People ask why I don’t just draw the lip in: 1. I kinda like it. It’s a little odd, but 99.9% of people don’t notice until I point it out. 2. Have you ever had lipstick on regular face skin? It feels So Weird!
What a great new site! I don’t have a big make-up routine, but I definitely feel more comfortable putting some on.
Although, most weekends I end up going without just because I wear it every.single. work day.
I’m intersted in that Neutrogena Sunless Foam stuff! I had used another one of their lotion products, but it made me break out. How is this as far as breaking out goes? I’m sure it doesn’t effect you if your using it on a daily basis! 😉 But I’m wondering.. do you use it on your neck too so it looks more natural and your face isn’t that only part that looks tanned?
i definitely use it on my neck, too & haven’t noticed any usual breakouts so far… knock on wood!