Accidental Beauty Blogger

I use my blog a lot to write about my struggles, adventures, running and fundraising to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma society and their fight against blood cancers! I’ll conveniently post my fundraising page link here – and again at the end of the post. I’m $2100 or so away from meeting my personal goal for the Vegas Rock n Roll Marathon event! That’s a lot of money to support this great cause 😉

Go Big, Go Vegas and Go Team!

I get a few likes and views…mostly from Facebook friends! Last month I wrote a small post about my Face Spackle sample in my Birchbox. It is great stuff…but it cracked me up because I think I got it because I’m in the over 40 crowd! I got way more views and likes  from the beauty blog’ish post than anything before-which kind of made me laugh because the only reason I probably even have makeup is that my mom gifts me Birchbox subscriptions! (I really do love the samples though!) I accidentally became a beauty blogger for a day. And…oooof…those of you that followed my blog because of that Face Spackle post…no worries if you stop following when you realize this isn’t really a beauty blogging type of blog!

Ok. Here are more thoughts on beauty blogging though…You’ve all seen this pic on my blog before, but this is what I look like when I first wake up in the morning.

I think I may be actually wearing some make up in the picture below…maybe the LOC eyeliner and PBJ Lip Smoothie by The Beauty Crop from my June 2016 Birchbox?

I really got dressed up in the next picture…a quick spray of the dry shampoo I received a while back, the Coola mineral face sunscreen and some other stuff (pictured below…with my yoga mat background) and off we went on  a hike! Getting fancy… Not sure why I bothered with any makeup to go tromping around in the mountains. I think I was still giggling about my Face Spackle post!

 

And finally…here I am in the next pic with the most makeup I probably ever wear! I have a sample of some red lipsticks I got a while back. I’ll have to post those pictures at some point. I’m not used to that much color yet!! I’m failing as a beauty blogger because I don’t remember what products I used in most of the pictures. I can’t review them more than to say…I liked them, they felt good.  I’d buy them all if I had the money…except for that pink lip tar stuff I got once. See…I don’t even remember the names and am too lazy to go look on the packages! I guess the Coola would be the exception. It is perfect for when I run and think that my friends might take selfies or we’ll go out to brunch after. I would buy it by the gallon and bathe in it. It goes on smooth, doesn’t feel caky or dry like some face suncreens do – and I haven’t gotten a burn yet on my face on the days I’ve used it! (See…how was that?) I also really like the actual Birchbox boxes and have saved them all. I’m trying to find a good craft project on Pinterest for them! If any beauty bloggers ares still reading this…tell me what you do with your boxes!

If I don’t wear that much makeup, why am  I posting this, you ask? Well…for one…it really is fun to try out all of the samples. They make me feel special and a little glamorous. It helps with the depression to feel pampered, too. AND, It’s fundraising season again…time to bump up the training and start my fundraising. Since one of my goals this year is to ask for donations from strangers… (because it’s really hard for me to ask to do that) I’ll do this challenge. If someone I don’t know donates $25 or more – I’ll start my accidental beauty blogger blog… It’ll be separate from this but I’ll do it through to the end of the Marathon in Vegas in November.  My mom gets me Birchbox subscriptions from time to time (which really is one of the best gifts ever!!!), I know people who sell Younique, and I just treated myself to at least one month of an Ipsy Glam Bag subscription. I’ll have the supplies! My motto will be:

And, since I’m asking (and part of my motto this year is Go Big) – Birchbox, Ipsy, Younique, Coola, Laura Geller New York, The Beauty Crop…ya’ll want to sponsor Team in Training this year, right? Your naaaame would be on my running Jersey in Vegas and I’d blog about you!!! There are national sponsors and local sponsors  – go here for info become a TNT sponsor  and here are my local staff contacts – they could hook you up with all of the info! Sporty girls wear makeup too sometimes…even if you might not be able to see it! (Hint: any of you business people out there reading this could sponsor, too!)

Now granted, my accidental beauty blogger posts will probably be about beauty products and running…and maybe reviews of some of the gear I try out at run club. Like the heavenly Altra shoes and SmartWool socks! But can’t you just imagine…I could test how a fancy mascara stands up to a double digit run…I’d take photos of how that turns out! Brunch after a 20-miler – lets see what the dry shampoo can do for that. How does that perfume really  stand up after speedwork in 90 degree weather? Or maybe, the Garmin Forerunner 235 may be water resistant to a degree…but how easy is it really to clean sunscreen smudges from the watch face! The possibilities are endless…don’t some of you want to see this happen? This could be funny…and you would be helping support life saving cancer research and supporting blood cancer patients and their loved ones! If you can’t donate  – share – ask your favorite companies to donate or sponsor Team in Training!

I guess if you know me and want to see that blog come to life…donate and write a compelling argument for why I should do this…I’ll consider it.

Here is my fundraising site – Go Big, Go Vegas and Go Team! and more info about why I’m doing this.

Although…in closing, I have to say running, friends, and helping support a great cause like Team in Training is the best beauty product out there, right? Happiness is a great foundation and smiles are good face brighteners. Makeup and beauty products are fun, but they don’t define my worth or how I feel about myself or my looks! Just check out these two lovely ladies below and that’s all the proof you need! Me sans makeup for sure because this picture was taken at the butt crack of dawn the morning of the Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon in October! (That said…if makeup makes you happy – or not wearing makeup makes you sad – go for it -you’re beautiful when you feel beautiful!!)