Mom Effort and Me

Hi Friends!

The post today is not a fun craft or DIY..well unless you call yourself a DIY!

The post today is just giving you some encouragement incase you need it and telling you about a few products that I have been trying and what I think of them.

So at the end of last year I had had enough of basically just moseying through the day. There would be some days, I didn’t get out of my pajamas, take a shower, or put any effort into myself and I was done feeling blah.

You might have heard me tell you earlier this year that I was going to make it my mission to take some time and put effort into myself not just how I look but how I feel and think through the day.

So now that the year is more than half over and the rest will fly by, I want to tell you about how that has been going…

I have usually always been someone who showers in the morning. I felt like if I did it at night my hair would be greasy or just not the best. But, I just don’t have time to do it in the morning. The kids are awake or they’re screaming at the door. Just not fun. So it doesn’t get done and I feel crappy the rest of the day.

So I have embraced the power of a night time shower where I can enjoy it. I also have embraced the power of a good dry shampoo!

Taking a shower at night has allowed me to actually get ready in the morning for the day. With trying to put makeup on, doing my hair, and getting dressed everyday it has help me feel more confident, more productive and like a normal person.

With that being said I have been trying new products and services to invest in myself. I have always been really cheap when it comes to items I want to buy myself, clothes, makeup, or anything.

But now that I am pushing 40 I wanted to start trying products that might actually work and buy clothes that are not “cozy” clothes.

And I want to share with you all my favorites so far…(some Links are affiliate links. See full disclosure here.)

 

Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening

Smile Brilliant reached out to me to see if I was interested in trying their whitening kit and it came at the perfect time! I was excited to try it because I have tried the whitening strips before and they make my teeth sensitive and they’re just awkward and I don’t really see a difference.

Smile Brilliant is different. They sends a kit to make an impression of your teeth that you send back so, they then can create an upper and lower tray that is a mold of your teeth to get the best whitening results as possible. It also comes with a desensitizing cream so your teeth don’t hurt afterwards!

For me, I only did the whitening 1 or 2 times a week. I would do it at night because of the it does take about an hour and half for me and usually I’m just so tired, so I would forget about it. Plus you can’t eat for an hour afterward so it made sense.

I loved that it came with a desensitizing gel. I only had sensitivity one time and it was a night I left it on a little longer than usual. So once you try it you can play with the times to get your best results.

Overall I am really happy with the results. It’s funny though because I notice a big difference but the pictures I took don’t really do them justice.

I think they’re pretty great results only doing them 1-2 times a week!

If you would like to try them for yourself you can visit they’re website here: www.smilebrilliant.com

Or enter to win a kit! Just go here for the giveaway: www.smilebrilliant.com/g/justcallmehomegirl

          *open for 1 week . Open to USA, UK, Australia, and Canadian residents.

IT Cosmetic’s Confidence in a Cream Moisturizer

I was turned on to this product by another blogger, and then I read the reviews and I had to try it. It is more expensive than anything I have ever bought for my face but I have to remember it’s in INVESTMENT in myself.

The first week I tried it was in the middle of March, I loved the way it made my skin feel, I loved that it was actually moisturizing my face for the whole day.

And since this product was a little pricy I wanted to use it everyday twice a day to get it’s full benefits. I have a a habit of trying something for a week and if it doesn’t work then I’m over it.

After a month I was so amazed how my skin felt and looked. The texture was smoother, the tone was better and a lot of my breakouts I always get were gone. Total win.

I am now on my 3rd container and still love it almost 6 months later. I have also fell in love with their Bye Bye Redness and their Bye Bye Under eye concealer as well.

Professional Bra Fitting

So it’s embarrassing to say but I had been wearing the same one bra since before my son was born! He’n now almost 5!

Don’t get me wrong, I have tried to buy a new bras, but with giving birth to two babies in this time I had no idea what size I was!

So I decided to invest in myself again, and get professionally fitted. I went to a local store called Measured to Fit,  run by two awesome woman.

They taught me aspects of a bra I never knew! How to put one on the right way, how it should fit, and what the different parts are supposed to do. I left with two new bras! One was even strapless! I have never found a strapless bra that I could wear and not be pulling it up all night.

These woman were miracle workers! Yes I did pay more than I usually would for a bra…but hey if it lasts me another 5 years it will be worth it!

I think every woman should seek out a professional bra fitter…and no I don’t mean going into Victoria Secret and asking the 20 year old either!

 

Color Street Nail Strips

I was introduced to Color Street by some fellow Moms I became friends with because we were all in the same journey when our kids were born with cleft lip/palates.

She added me to a Facebook Group where she was selling these. I HATE when people add me to Facebook groups just to sell things. But for some reason these looked interesting so I stayed. And about 2 weeks after seeing really cute manicures I purchased some.

I fell in love with them! I’m not the type of person who always has their nails painted. Mostly because I’m not great at it, but also because I hate the dry time and I’m a nail biter so it doesn’t last long. Well with these 100% real nail polish strips there is no daytime, and don’t bite my nails with them on and they last up to 14 days! Best of all they’re so easy and they come off with regular nail polish! I have had so much fun changing up my manicure. I feel more confident and put together when I have these on.

Oh and did I mention all the designs are sooo adorable and awesome?

If you’re interested in purchasing go here (Buy 3 Get 1 Free!) : Shop Color Street

Or you can request a free sample by joining my Facebook group here: Nailed It – with Tara

 

 

Books

Instead of laying in bed scrolling through my phone every night before going to sleep, I have been making it a habit to actually read. Something I always enjoyed but since having kids always made an excuse that I haven’t had time. This year I have made time. Yes, I have read some cheesy beach reads this year while on vacation but I wanted to tell you about two books that have literally changed my perspective, changed my attitude and even my mornings!

Rachel Hollis – Girl Wash Your Face

If you ever feel like you are in a rut, not feeling great, making excuses. This book is for you. It basically tells you to wake up and what you should be telling yourself instead of the lies and excuses you already are. If you’re a Mom, entreprenur or just a woman wanting to make a change this book is for you!

Hal Elrod – The Miracle Morning

I am one that always let my kids wake me up in the morning, then basically complain that I couldn’t get anything done. This books tells you step by step what to do in the morning so you can be the most productive, have the best attitude, and just a great day. I have been slowly implementing these things since July and they have a made a big difference. I plan on going full force in September when our routines get back to normal.

Clothes

I joke with my husband that at this time right now I have more clothes than I have ever owned in my life. Which isn’t really saying much. I have  never really been that much into fashion. I usually get by with jeans, a tank top, and a cardigan. And my clothes usually take up 2 drawers in a dresser.

Well..now I actually have some clothes hung up in the closet!

In my head I never want to buy clothes because I am not at the weight I want to be. I will wait until I lose weight. But then in March I had an event that I was invited to in the city and I literally hand nothing to wear and it took me 3 trips to different stores to actually find something that would work.

So I made it a mission to buy clothes that I liked, that I felt comfortable in even if I wasn’t the size I wanted to be. So I did and I linked up some of my favorites on my Beauty and Fashion page if you haven’t already seen them. Now, I am not a fashionista in anyway but I know what I like. I like comfort, simple but still me.

Take look at my favorites and maybe you will find some too! 

 

I hope you are little inspired by some of the items and services I told you about. I really do feel better than I did at the beginning of the year and I will hope you come along with me on the rest of my journey!

Tooth Whitening Gel