Free Your Beauty

/ Sonia Castaneda / Leave a comment

NYFW has arrived and that’s all everyone is talking about! I partnered with Burt’s Bees to share how I define my own beauty while trying on some of their beauty products! I find the power of makeup can change the way one looks, acts, and even breathes. My favorite trend to see on the runway is timeless complete with flawless skin, bold eyes and flush lips. This NYFW makeup look inspires me to embrace my natural beauty, care for my skin and still take risks…with color.

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I am 34 years old and wearing NO makeup makes me feel uncomfortable. I feel like you can see how tired I am, or when I am having an allergy attack, and all of my age spots I will forever call freckles.

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I tend to be quite rebellious, so I’m not usually influenced to change who I am, or how I look, based on external beauty standards.For me, being beautiful constantly searching to become  healthier and wiser, while learning to be mentally and emotionally secure with who I am and who I want to become. I used to be very critical of myself until I started to implement self-love practices. Now, I embrace my imperfections and celebrate my uniqueness.

I recently became obsessed with natural makeup / health products so Burt’s Bees Beauty was a no brainer. Burt’s Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Makeup is hydrating, evens and smooths skin, and formulated without silicones or parabens. It it by far one of the best natural foundation I have used.

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Finding my perfect color match was not difficult. I swatched 3 shades that I thought might match, and I went with the bottom color: 1045 Warm Honey.

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Trend alert: Glass Skin.

I achieved this runway staple with the Burt’s Bees All Aglow Lip & Cheek Stick in 1250 Suez Sand. Apply directly to the skin, and use clean finger tips to blend in! This product can be used on your cheeks and lips for dewy hydrated finish.

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Hopefully you were able to catch my InstaStories where I shared a STORTorial (short tutorial) on how I used the Burt’s Bees Eye Shadow Trio in 1510 Blooming Desert.

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If you have super sensitive eyes, or wear contact lenses, you should check out this mascara! The Burt’s Bees Nourishing Mascara is long – wearing, 100% natural, and formulated without parabens! It is available in two shades: Classic Black, and Black Brown (which I am wearing).

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For the most part I keep my makeup routine and looks simple. I do experiment with color, even more so when fall comes to town. Neutral tones are my comfort zone, so the 18 high-impact and vibrant shades Burt’s Bees Liquid Lipsticks have my attention! Did you know that there are six gilded shades exclusive to CVS too? There are SO many shades to choose from that it is hard to pick! You can find them at your local CVS.

(right to left: 801 Sandy Seas, 804 Peony Puddle, 805 Pouring Nude, 813 Blush Bay, 814 Primrose Pool, and 823 Rhubarb Rapids)

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This is my final look! How did I do? I want to know what your favorite NYFW trends are this year in the comments section, and how you feel like you adapt them to your personal beauty looks. Social Media makes it difficult NOT to compare ourselves to others. I hope you leave my blog knowing you are beautiful and unique! OWN IT! As always thank you so much for reading!

xoxo,

Sonia

Who let the moms out? Woot – Woot – WOOT!

/ Sonia Castaneda / Leave a comment

As most of you know, I am a mother who works from home. This can sound like a dream for most women commuting to work everyday, but trust me – its not that glamorous! I used to imagine stay at home mothers sleeping until noon, working out, meal prepping, clipping coupons, organizing, and being stress free because they don’t have anyone to answer too! WRONG! Actually quite the opposite. I have to not only work here, but I cook and clean, drop off and pick up my son, I don’t have anyone to talk to but the UPS man for 2 seconds, and I always jump at every sound scared out of my flip flops. I take the dogs on longer than usual walks just to get a break from my tiny condo. I know I know…things could be worse, but hear me out!

I am grateful for the few friends I do have from grade school and church because I look forward to the outings! I know a few moms who are dragging their feet at TARGET right now just trying to extend the alone time just a bit longer haha. I am happy to report we got out for the day. Away from worrying about anything, even spending too much money! We hit the I-15 South toward Corona, Ca to GLEN IVY HOT SPRINGS!

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We pulled up into the parking lot about 10 minutes before the spa opened, and practically ran in when they let us through!

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Admission is $50 Monday – Thursday, $70 on Friday – Sunday, and $40 Thursday – Saturday 4pm – 9pm! We were there for 8 hours and let me tell you, the time flew! After we rinsed of we took a short elevator ride down into the Grotto to be painted neck-to-toe with a warm aloe vera, coconut oil, eucalyptus and lavender masque. The service is $25, and you need a reservation!

Spending time soaking up the sun will make you hungrier than you could ever imagine! You can not bring in your own food or drinks, bags inspected at the entrance by spa employees, so we stopped into the IVY KITCHEN for lunch.  I suggest the nachos ($16)! There were 3 of us and we could not finish the large ($26) – it was huge! I also got the plant based sliders ($16) which were amazing! The girls also enjoyed the BBQ Flat bread ($16), which is also large enough to share. Everything on the menu is farm to table, and they even grow their own avocados and citrus onsite!

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One thing we all kept saying is: Its so nice doing NOTHING! Stay at home moms, working moms, mother figures, women…I am you, I get you, I feel for you! I hope everyone gets a way and experiences little adventures like this.

I dont drink much anymore. 1) Alcohol is sugar, and sugar makes you fat. Id rather eat candy to be honest. 2) Diabetes. 3) It will destroy a budget for eating out faster than you can say “Im on a budget”. So I stick to water which is free.99 haha and if I am feeling wild, Ill have one. I went with a classic Bloody Mary ($10), its practically vegetables right? *wink*.

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I honestly did not like the blue cups. BUT for legal reasons, I will let it slide. The youngest you have to be to get into GlenIvy is 16, so they want to make sure no one underage is drinking! The blue cup lets everyone know how much I spent for the beverage, how old I am, and that I am feeling gooooood haha.

There are tons of things to do for free. Mineral and saline baths, showers and jacuzzis, saunas and gardens, lay out and read a book, chat with other spa goers…or like one mom I met – go alone and take a long peaceful nap! We had an amazing time. After the long drive back home, I was home just in time to go to sleep! What a way to spend the day! If you have ever been to Glen Ivy, or have been to something similar, let me know you thoughts and suggestions in the comment section below! Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

Sonia

Hiking, Worship, and Healing.

/ Sonia Castaneda / Leave a comment

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Jude and I spend a lot of time together. Naturally, where I am he is. I make it my mission to spend time with him outdoors. Today we went on a hike with our dogs, while my favorite worship songs played loudly in my pocket. My family’s faith has been tested and strengthened in the last 6 months. You might have seen a post of two mentioning the woman’s bible study I joined 7 weeks ago, I needed God.  My son has been dealing with a string of challenges and he’s finally feeling…free. Jude started showing signs of anxiety many years ago and it only intensified over the years. We thought it was just a phase, it didn’t go away. His emotions were all over, ranging from sadness, boredom, and anger. He didn’t know how to express himself.

Because I am on YouTube, I am judged for everything including my parenting. I am always compared to other influencers and how they choose to raise their children. Ive been sent so many bibles, passive aggressively,  I could start my own church. A few made comments about how my son isn’t in private school and how selfish I am to not give him the best education with the resources I have. The truth is, I tried. He was attending Christian private school during summer. Kris and I volunteered 2 days a week to support our son and accompany his class on field trips. My son was dismissed only a month in because he had sever anxiety – not getting into a fight, no rules were broken – simply because he was having an anxiety attack and they didn’t know how to deal with it. There was no prayer, no sympathy for my son, no nothing. I was handed a check and I left with my sons hand in mine. I assured him that I was happy with him, and grateful we had the opportunity to find somewhere better.

From that moment I was going to do whatever it took to ensure he would NEVER feel dismissed by anyone, because of who he is and what he is going through. This post is not to shame him, but to shed light on mental health and to give hope to others. Through my research and personal therapy, I feel comfort knowing I am not alone. My son is not the only one, my family is not the only ones feeling this way. There is light at the end. There are better days to come. I am happier and grateful for the healing my son and family are finally experiencing. Amen!

YouTube has been a place were influencers have shared only the best parts of their lives. If connecting with my followers has always been my motivation for uploading…I knew I needed to start sharing. Im on a journey to start living my purpose. If you too are going through something similar, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section. I would love to connect.

*Latina Kisses*

Sonia

 

CoverGirl TruBlend Matte Made Foundation Review

/ Sonia Castaneda / Leave a comment

CoverGirl TruBlend Matte Made Foundation $9 Amazon

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Finding my true match proved to be easier than I thought…when it comes to foundation! I was sent a PR package a week or so ago that included all 40 of CoverGirl’s TruBlend Matte Made Foundations. To be honest it was overwhelming to say the least. I put it off until I had to time swatch them all (already mentally preparing myself for failure). To my surprise I got it right in the first try! I also picked 2 other shades that were potential prospects.

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Top to bottom: T40 Sun Beige, M60 Natural Beige, M70 Sand Beige.

I loved the consistency. The sent was light. The coverage was fair. The finish was beautiful! I loved everything about it BUT it wasn’t a matte finish like the name implies. Other than that I really didn’t have much to complain about. Check out my YouTube video for more thoughts, opinion and swatches! Spoiler Alert : It might be my new favorite foundation. The price and finish were spot on!

Let me know if you tried it, want to try it or what your thoughts are about this foundation in the comment section below!

Summer Blues

/ Sonia Castaneda / Leave a comment

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Its summer! Some are super excited, and others are mothers. Mother’s who work from home who now have to juggle being mommy and the employee. I didn’t really understand why my mom was more stressed during school breaks. Now I get it mom, loud and clear! Its all the food our children are consuming. The “Im bored” declaration before noon. I struggle with finding balance. There are only so many video games, books, and card games before you all start getting cabin fever! I know I need to work to provide, but my heart breaks looking up from my screen to catch my son’s big beautiful eyes waiting for his turn with me.

I am grateful our family has been united but I can’t help but still feel like a single parent sometimes. Most times. I think I am just feeling like a mom. A lot is expected of us. To cook and clean, stock the fridge, make the lunches, play doctor or referee. We make the budgets, plan the vacations, and everything else in between. This is why we get lost for hours at target…on purpose! I love Kris, but if he asks me one more time how much allergy medicine to give our son, when all he has to do is move his thumb on the bottle he is holding – I am going to lose it! Again, I love him, but come on!

With that said I am going to try my best to schedule out every moment, even some time to do nothing. At 8:15pm tonight I plan to lay on my bed, like a potato, and watch a teen sitcom for hours shamelessly judging all the poor choices the characters make until I pass out. Hey, whatever floats your boat. 13 Reason Why is where its at! I want to spend more time in prayer, grow my own vegetables, eat those vegetables, and play with my son. Like really play with him. Maybe even learn how to play his favorite video game. MAYBE!

I have been a mom for almost 9 years and my son Jude gets around. Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel for:

TOP 10 PLACES TO TAKE YOUR KIDS IN CALIFORNIA ON A BUDGET. 

Money never stopped my mom from having a blast with her 4 kids, and it shouldn’t stop you either. Are you feeling the summer blues? How do you shake it off? What are your plans for the next 2 months? Let us all know in the comments below!