Handmade knit cowl neck scarf | Beauty with the Baby | Denver handmade artisan

we've been waiting a whole year to pull this sweet little cowl neck scarf out and sport it around town. A dear friend of mine, Whitney, made this for my little doll face, even with a matching headband.  The color is so vibrant. 

I prayed for a red headed blue eyed baby. So whitney made it with colors to show off her skin tones. All my prayers were answered, and my strawberry blonde baby tromps around the mural at spur coffee shop in littleton warm and cozy in it. 

denver skin care shop small

I'm a huge fan of shopping small. I try to incorporate at least one handmade item in all of ruby's outfits.

Someone told me once, "shopping small means you're sending a kid to dance lessons, and helping families live the American dream."

Even though we can't afford to buy all our food from corner markets, have a closet full of handmade homemade clothes from craft fairs, we still try to do our part in paying for at least one soccer practice.  

 

Whitney and her family started a beautiful salon in Erie Colorado called Salon Halcyon, this past year. Both her and her mom went to hair school together.

What a cool experience to share.

The salon is full of talented gals working for the same goal. Supporting one another, helping to support their families as well.  

If it's a hair style, or a handmade scarf that you are in the market for, whitney is your gal. She'll listen to what you are looking for, and put thought and love and intention into your creation.  

Scarf by Whitney 

Photography by Baby Rose Photography

3 day detox | Beauty with the Baby | Denver Skin Care

We are in that weird time after the holidays where we are ready for a reset. For me it's a body and mind reset, that I've been anxious to get going since December of 2014.

The months after I had my daughter were a total doozy. For 3 months this little gal cried almost the entire time she was awake. The milk based formula was tearing her apart. Poor thing.

I really was just so exhausted and so beat down, that I had no idea to switch that up. What a long first few months of life it was for this sweet thing. 

and for my husband and I too. 

I couldn't even think clearly to help out my tiny newborn child, how could I think clearly to help myself. There were no home cooked meals after Grammy left, and definitely no exercise. Except if you count the endless hours of carrying that sweet babe around, for fear that she would wake up and scream more. 

Then kicked up wedding season for me, which is early early mornings and long long days, all weekend. All worth while, but totally draining. No energy left to meal plan or wake up early enough to get the gym before my husband left for work at 6 am. I know, I know.... excuses. But  this is where we are and this is why I'm writing this little tale to you. 

 

 

My sweet friend, Eliza came to the rescue with this detox system. I usually think that most of the things that come from Dr. Oz's mouth are total B.S. But I gave it a shot.

Totally stoked I did. This cleanse it meant to kick out sugar and processed things from your liver and kidneys.

Mmmmm sugar... oh wait. 

I head to Costco on the Sunday before I want to take the "no chew" leap. I'll substitute some of the raw items for frozen berries and veggies. 

Were not millionaires spending 100's of dollars on pound of fresh fruit a week. But man that backyard garden is already getting planned for this summer. 

I'll try to set out each day, and ziplock the individual recipies for the freezer. I'm more likely to stay with it if I keep ahead of the "cooking" part of it. Then all the ingrediants besides the liquid are frozen. The consistancy makes it easy to stay fuller with, in my opinion. I'll also keep a few things in the fridge. I'm the type that need to chew a few times a day. At least its within the mixes, keeping with the detox.

Ruby gets one too. Shes a great eatter, but its fun to try a little variety. I think she thinks its a treat. Which it totally fine by me. 

She really hates the Nutra Ninja though. So thats about 1 minute of dancing and singing in the living room til its done whirling our "treats" into this beautiful purple color.  

More than anything, I want her to see that what we put into our bodies is a huge deal. I want her to love herself and her body. I want to get into having good habits surround her as she grows up so they start becoming her norm. My confidence is the biggest thing that I want to rub off on her. Loving myself, whatever version that is. Staying healthy, and keeping myself around for as long as possible. Do what works for you. Just do it with intention. 

Sugar Scrubbing | Beauty with the Baby | Denver Skin Care

When this crazy weather starts giving us a day in the teens, then all the sudden in the 60's, my skin is like.... "um whoa, where is the moisture, lady! GIVE ME THAT OIL!"

With a busy bridal trial season ramping up, I don't always find the time for a facial for myself. But I do actually find the time to shower, weird. 

A great client of mine brought me some of this happy juice a few years ago. Shes been making it for her friends, and now she sells it online. Primarily used for hands a body, I was like,..
"Well, its totally natural and organic, I'm gonna try this on my face."

Oh boy am I glad I took that chance. 

Its the perfect mixture of sugar, shea butter, avocado oil, apricot oil, vitamin e oil, macadamia nut oil, jojoba oil, and tea tree oil. The sugar is a little gritty for the face so just be gentle. I give it a good scrub while my shampoo is sitting and let it soak into the skin. Lightly rinse off before getting out of the shower, and I barely need moisturizer.

You see now those generic drug store brands of this shower oil. This is an all natural form, with an exfoliant.

Even better. 

I'm a huge fan of shopping small and local. Heather ships out of Denver. We even sell the scrub at my salon, Blo. She customizes scents as well. 

Give it a try. Your face and body will be singing your praises after the first application! 

5 minute makeup look | Beauty with the Baby | Denver Airbrush Makeup Artist

I get the request of, "I love the makeup you have on right now, can your do mine just like that?" 

Like A LOT.

Which I do take as a total compliment. So thank you to all those gals that have given me that early morning bit of confidence.

Truth is, this is my 5-minute makeup look. For photoshoots and weddings, I wouldn't recommend it. But for your headed to work with a baby on one hip and a latte half cold in the other hand, totally... lets do this.

It's quick, but keep in mind that it does take a bit of practice to get it down. I've had exactly 385 days to perfect it.

Being a small business beauty industry hustler and a new-ish mommy will really gets you motivated.

So here's a small step by step. Small because really, its just about the products for this one. The higher end, the better, when it comes to short steps. It gives more pigment. More bang for your small, sweet, fleeting seconds of morning time. 

  • Start with a good base- MAC prep + prime Fix+ is a great primer on top of your daily moisture. Then I move onto my Smashbox studio finish hydrating under eye primer.
  • I'm loving the Mirabella CC cream for a medium coverage foundation. It has sunscreen in it as well!
  • Set this all with MAC Prep+Prime translucent finishing power. Its super thin so it won't settle into lines. If you feel like you are dry already, skip this step.
  • Cover FX creamy concealer is my old trusty favorite for dark circles. Theres been many many days of those lately. 
  • MAC has these sweet little paint pots for a shadow base or lid concealer.  Then I don't need as much powder shadow. There are numerous colors. Even in colored shades. 
  • Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 pallate has almost every shade you need for the quick look. I use STARK from lash line to brow bone, COVER with a fluffy brush in the crease and lower lash line,  and UNDONE for my liner.
  • Glo Minerals has the perfect peach liner for my lower water line. This is a game changer for those sleepy eyes.
  • MAC has a great brow pencil. The one shown is an off brand because I lost my MAC "Veluxe" brow liner in Red Head. Pencils are so fast. Then I fluff out my brows with a spooly after to get more of a natural affect. 
  • I always go back to Youngbloods Lengthening Mineral Mascara. For my lashes, i need them to seperate and cover the blonde. Its perfect for all my clients. 
  • Back to cheeks, can we have a moment of silence for my Benefit Hula bronzer. I've had this baby for 2 years, just hit pan and had to rip open the sides of the box to get more. Its matte and really perfect for any skin tone.
  • I need a long lasting blush, and this is it. MAC ambient. It was given to me by my lovely friend Eliza... and no I'm not giving it back. 
  • Last off I do another Fix+ spray, my favorite Image Skin Care lip treatment, and were off! 

I can't believe I made it this far without chasing a baby, but I may have given her a locked up tight blush and a clean brush of her own to play with. But I did have a fat cat plop right down in the middle of it all, per usual.

 

Remember, its all in the practice and the play.

Always give yourself those 5 extra minutes for a little makeup.

I always feel a little more put together,... and geez when does the full "put together" return in this Mama's brain?

Such a great everyday look for every skin type, every shade, every woman. Embrace the tired eyes, the dry lips, and the fine lines.

We wear our lives on our face, and mine says "this lady has a sweet, lovey, clingy baby girl, a mortgage, and a budding career behind all those crow's feet."

I'll take it, and go gracefully into those early mornings.  

Mess and all.