Belle Belle Beauty

Anyone else feel like they are still on a journey emerging from COVID? Just me? I am going into the office all day. Back at the gym full time. Even added a yoga studio to the mix. Traveling like a madwoman over the next three months. Skin care routine in full flex. But I am just just now adding eyeliner back into the routine. And I honestly forgot what a huge impact it makes on a festive face.

I was on the hunt for Sarah Creal eyeliner but I’ll be honest, I am not sure I love that it is so precisely targetted to perimenoposal women. I appreciate the nod to my demographic. But I am casually clinging to my mid-to-late 30s makeup routine. And that includes a waterproof eyeliner. So the new offering from Patrick Starr jumped out to me.

The ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Point Made 24-Hour Gel Eyeliner Pencil sounds like it was made for me with that silky texture. I need something that is going to glide on and it sure delivers. I love a classic inky black and this has that precision kohl that works like a dream on my water line. I am sure there are loads of trendy, different looks for eyeliner, but I am a sucker for that waterline, dark and even lining right along the lashes.

I suppose it will smoke out. But I do just leave as is right along the lash. It is advertised as a matte finish and I suppose I can notice a lack of glitter or sheen. That has to be a good thing as it officially falls into “age-appropriate”.

The “waterproof” factor kicks in – it does dry down quickly. I find I have about 10 seconds to correct any mistakes. It is easy to fix any rouge pencil marks with makeup remover but honestly, the pencil is so smooth, it rarely happens. It sharpens perfectly with my regular sharpener. I use an old Laura Mercier one.

For a little more impactful look, I do add the ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starrr Point Made Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner Pen on the top side of my lashes. It is equally fabulous, but I personally reserve for a bigger and a bolder look.

While the temps in Tulsa might feel like summer (80 degrees expected here on Christmas!), the winter dry air has made its presence known. No matter how much water I drink, my skin always becomes dry and dehydrated this time of year. After several winters here in Tulsa, I finally discovered Osea Undaria Algae Body Butter.

The scent is hard to put my finger on – difficult to describe. Even my most particular friends find the fragrance subtle and pleasant. I personally get a lot of sweet citrus at first. Officially, the notes include grapefruit, lime, mandarin and cypress. The formula is based on seaweed but there is no seaweed or oceanic smell. There are not any of my favored gourmand or sandalwood scents either – I kind of appreciate that for a change of pace.

The texture is butter-rich but I find it very quickly absorbed. If you prefer a dewy finish, I also love the Undaria Algae Body Oil. Ceramides and Shea Butter leave my skin plump. And I do think it is improving the slight look of crepiness I’ve seen around my knees.

There are a lot of places to find Osea. It is on Amazon and several beauty stores. But I have found, after many many tubs purchased, my favorite place to order is directly from Osea. The items come beautifully packed. The company is so generous with samples and sales. And there are wonderful gift sets available (Osea has quickly become my favorite gift to give).

It is that time of year again – stock up on favorites with the Shopbop Style Event. Use code STYLE through October 14, 2021, at 11:59pm PT to get 15% off orders of $200+20% off orders of $500+25% off orders of $800+. Just make sure to look for items labeled Style Event.

In May of 2017, my friend Katherine and I went on our Iceland adventure. It was a trip of a lifetime. Iceland has been on my bucket list since before it was even trendy. My friend in college did a Fulbright scholarship there in 2001 and I have had dreams of visiting ever since. We did the whole ring road over 12 days, seeing every nook and cranny of the beautiful island.

We didn’t buy a whole bunch over there (except for some amazing skin care). But I did take home something like a souvenir. I got hooked on how the Nordic sleep. Every night at the humble but so cozy homes we stayed it, the beds were made with a fitted sheet and a folded duvet as the sole cover. No flat sheet, no blanket. I slept like a baby.

As soon as I got home, I ordered a sheet set from Parachute Home (who obviously knew what they were doing because they sold sheet sets in this exact way). For the last three years, Parachute has been my go-to. I have one set of Percale, but I continue to use my Linen sets week after week.

In the picture above, where Izzy and Tink are showing off their bed, I have the Parachute Home Matelasse Coverlet in Pebble Grey with matching Euro Shams. These are a relatively new addition and I like that they lend themselves to a more finished look. But more often than not, I embrace this undone linen (obviously this week, unmatched and quirky). I have the linen fitted sheet in White, the linen duvet cover in Coal and the linen pillowcase sets in Coal and Fog.

My other look is linen pillowcases, fitted sheet and duvet cover all in Fog. Fog is an almost near match with the Matelasse Coverlet in Pebble Grey for a more monochromatic look.

I tend to sleep hot, and I have never been more comfortable than in the weight and feel of Parachute Home’s Linen. The bedding is easy to care for and holds up beautifully. I wasn’t asked by Parachute Home to write this post – I just really love the brand and wanted to share. The brand is committed to high quality items that are easy to shop. Most of what I have purchased has been made in Portugal. And to boot, the packaging is beautiful.

Last week I introduced some new topics here. Thanks for the enthusiasm and excited to shake things up on the blog. To get things rolling, this is how my re-entry into the fitness world came about. It wasn’t pretty but I am sure glad I took that road.

In June 2019, I turned 40. As my big year approached, I drummed up the idea to run a 10k before I turned the big 4-0. In January, I figured I better join a gym to facilitate that undertaking. I knew I had to increase my endurance and strength to run that distance (and not destroy my knees in the process). Lots of my co-workers enjoyed the gym at the hospital across the way from our office so I figured I would give it a shot.

I’ve always benefited from personal training. I like the instruction, but even more I like the accountability. Yes, it is pricey. But I was willing to forgo other little luxuries and invest. It paid off. And I have learned that it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, especially in these times of COVID. More on that in a bit.

When I joined the gym, I expressed interest in functional fitness and HIIT (high intensity interval training) and got matched with Exercise Physiologist / Tactical Strength and Conditioning Coach Lee Smither. Lee is a veteran of the United States Air Force with years of tactical, strength and conditioning experience. Slightly intimidating. And a little scary. LOL. His workouts are definitely challenging but his approach and demeanor encouraged me to go further than I ever thought I could. Lee is patient in instruction, and a stickler for form – something who knows what being 40 feels like and wants to avoid injury at all costs would appreciate. He is also adept at adjusting workouts and routines according to goals, injuries and ability.

Our hour long training sessions consisted of a lot of body-weight work (jumping jacks, burpees, air squats). He works with cardio equipment tools like the assault bike, rower and SkiErg (a kind of cross-country skiing upright rower). And he isn’t afraid to throw in medicine balls, battling ropes and weighted sandbags. He also is an experienced runner and came in valuable as a race coach. Below is a sample workout from last week that really made me hate him humbled me but was so rewarding at the end:

Cardio and Abs

Warm Up: 1 mile run

5 rounds:

• One minute of up/downs (kinda like a burpee but not quite)
• One minute max meters on assault bike
• One minute max flutter kicks
• One minute slam balls

Three rounds:

• One minute plank
• One lap (100 meters approximately) Farmers carry (carry plate weight in each hand – I used 10 pounds but can go up to 25 for a challenge)

Finish with 100 Russian Twists

Simple but killer. I burned approximately 660 calories.

The punchline of that story: thanks to a lot of hard work and help from Lee and my friend Deena, that 10k turned into a half-marathon. I completed the race in March of 2019 at a “not-totally-embarrassing-time” well ahead of my 40th! And in the process, got hooked on getting stronger and more fit.

*Stay tuned for my next fitness post on why virtual training works for me versus apps like FitOn, Aaptive, Nike and even in-person training. And more about how Lee and I work together now virtually. *