First, let me warn you that this blog will have a few disclaimers and I’m diving into what I believe is a pretty sensitive topic – finances. This is a topic that I’ve planned on covering for about a year now and it’s a question I get asked regularly through DMs or email. I’ve alluded to some degree of the financial struggles we’ve had years ago and how we’ve been able to correct things through financial literacy and changing the pattern of our financial future. As I said before, this is something that I’ve been wanting to talk about but I kept hesitating because it is such a sensitive and personal topic but I kept having this feeling like God was tapping me on the shoulder and telling me that now’s the time to talk about this. I hate to say this, but at first, I didn’t want to listen, I didn’t want to talk about this yet, but the reality is that if this helps even one person, then it was all worth it! So here it goes. (Click below to view my full Coffee Chat video)
Disclaimers
Now let’s get my disclaimers out of the way. Number one, money is a very sensitive topic. I am a very private person, which you probably find really hard to believe because I get on here and I talk about some really personal stuff sometimes. But this one is very much outside of my comfort zone and there are a few reasons for that. I feel like for many of us, money is a loaded, emotional topic. We feel shame about our debt and shame about our money situations. Then on the flip side, people who are in a good financial situation, feel like they can’t share that either. There’s a lot of emotions wrapped up around money and I want to be sensitive to that.
My second disclaimer starts out with a quote that I’m seeing all over social media and I love it! We are experiencing the same storm but in different boats. Right now we are all going through the Corona Quarantine and the life changes that have come with that. We all have this crazy storm swirling around us but our boats are different and that fact is not lost on me.
Finally, I am not a finance expert. The same way I’m not a fashion expert. I’m just gonna be totally upfront about that, too. I’m not a stylist. I was not trying to be one. What I can do is share with you what works for me and what is worked in my own personal situation. Take what works for you and leave the rest. So now that all of that is out of the way, I can get into the topic at hand, which is money.
Our Own Doing
What I’m going to talk about is not a result of a worldwide pandemic or a recession or even a job loss. It happened about 12 years ago and it was something that was entirely our doing. I’m going to share with you some of the steps we took and the things we did because you might feel like you’re in a really, really dark place right now and I want you to know that maybe 12 years from now and hopefully sooner than that, you may be able to look back on this time and say, Wow, that was the time where I set the foundation that’s put me where I am today.
Now let’s get in the wayback machine and rewind 12 years ago. We built the house that we live in right now and we had just moved in. Our mortgage payment was more than twice as much as the starter home that we had been living in. Of course, I wanted new furniture and all of the window treatments and the plantation shutters and all the good stuff. We started racking up credit card debt. The move into the new neighborhood made us think we needed nicer cars so we went ahead and added in the luxury car lease. I think that pretty much covers it, but basically we had gotten into a place where we were in over our heads. To top it off, I had my head in the sand over all of this because Craig was doing all of our bill paying at the time. I chose to keep my head there because I didn’t want to know what was going on. I didn’t want anything to do with it. I felt like I had other responsibilities in the house. I didn’t even want to be aware of it. Craig finally came to me said that we were struggling, that we were spending way more than we were making and that we had to borrow from our 401K to make the mortgage payment. Let me tell you that it was a real come to Jesus moment. I’ll never forget it. I was standing in the kitchen and I just started crying. I couldn’t figure out a way out of this situation because we couldn’t generate more income. Our desire to keep up with the Joneses had gotten us into this place. It was a lot of emotional decision making that got us there and I wasn’t sure where to turn.
Asking For Help
After the emotional dust had settled a bit, I made a phone call to one of the smartest people I know, who is now our financial advisor and has been for the past 12 years. He was my old director at Verizon but he had left and started his second career as a financial advisor. I asked him if he could come over to our house and talk with us about our finances. It was a really difficult phone call to make because he was somebody I really admired and respected but I had to swallow my pride and say, Hey, we are in a bad situation and I don’t know how to get out of this. Craig and I were not taught financial literacy growing up, which I’m guessing a lot of people weren’t. My kids have been because of this situation that we’ve been in and that has been something very important to us.
So Henry came over, sat down and looked over everything. First, we needed to get rid of the car lease as soon as possible. The next step would be to pay down the credit card debt. Then he told us about a course he was teaching at his church called Financial Peace University which is a program by Dave Ramsey. He briefly told us what it was about and to say that this program turned our financial lives around is an understatement. Time for another disclaimer, I am not affiliated with Dave Ramsey nor am I being compensated in any way, it’s just something I truly believe in and it was something that changed our financial future forever. I will never look at things the same way again and one of the most important things we learned was to live below our means.
The Baby Steps
Some of you may have heard of Dave Ramsey and his 7 Baby Steps for Financial Freedom and some of you may be wondering who the heck he is. Other’s may have already gone through his steps and are living a life of financial freedom. I truly believe in his method for getting out of debt because you use what you have and take a good, hard, critical look at your finances. Below are his baby steps.
But before we even jumped into the baby steps, we had to create a list of all our debt, all our bills and all our income. Saving up $1000 when we were struggling to pay our bills was hard. I was able to squeeze out maybe $50 a week and that was hard, but we finally made it and proceeded to Baby Step #2.
While the steps are a great guide to get where you want to be, they are not easy. It took sacrifice. We went from basically not really caring about what we spent to looking at every single penny that we spent. We were able to consolidate all our credit card debt onto one card and pay it down in chunks. We cut our expenses and had a monthly budget. We created our now infamous $15 Fridays. I would take $15 out of the budget per week and that was our entertainment expense. We would rent a movie from Red Box and get $5 pizzas from Little Caesars and some crazy bread. It was something we looked forward to and that our kids look back on with fond memories
Within two years, we were able to pay off sixty thousand dollars worth of debt, not including our mortgage. We were able to fully fund our emergency fund and we were able to start going on vacations again and learned to live below our means. We were able to now move on to Baby Step #3.
Now it’s time to add more to the emergency fund however the emergency fund we’re building now is for situations like what we’re currently in. This will help sustain you if you lose your income, you’ll still be able to cover all your bills for the next 3-6 months depending on how much you figure to save. Now you’ll take the money you were throwing at paying off your debts and that money is now going to go into funding your emergency fund. I’d be lying if I said that after doing steps one and two that step three was easy because it wasn’t. For us to have a six-month emergency fund we needed to save around thirty thousand dollars. This step also required sacrifice and took us roughly another two years to accomplish.
On to baby, step number four, we’re moving into some higher-level stuff now. Invest 15% of your household income in retirement. It’s time to get serious about retirement no matter what your age. Take 15% of your gross household income and start investing it into your retirement. Start with your company’s 401K if they offer one and sometimes you can receive the full employer match. This is important. If you’re not taking advantage of this, please do so.
If this is something you’re not doing, it’s never too late. You can always invest in your retirement. You can start today! There are so many resources out there for you and don’t beat yourself up if this isn’t something you’ve done, just take the steps and do it now.
By the time you get to this step, it’s been assumed that you’ve paid off your debts except for your house and you started saving for retirement. Now it’s time to save for our kids’ college expenses. This is another tip Henry gave to me. I was panicking twelve years ago because we didn’t have any money saved for our kids. He said Your kids can always borrow for college but you cannot borrow for retirement. You have to save for your own retirement. Put yourself first. Then you fund your kids’ college funds. Wow! That really struck me so that’s what we did. We had been saving but we haven’t paid for their college fully. I wanted them to have a little bit of student loan debt coming out of college to make them a little bit hungrier for finding the job and starting their careers. I wanted them to be more invested in their education. Again, just my philosophy, but just my two cents on that.
Now on to baby step six. Your mortgage is the only thing between you and complete freedom from debt. Can you imagine your life with a house payment? Any extra money you could put toward your mortgage could save you tens or even hundreds of thousands in interest. Craig and I are in a place right now because after we paid off all the debt and we were able to contribute to the 529s and able to fund a retirement, we started to pay more on the principle of our mortgage. Our house is 12 years old now and we’re in a position where we’re really close to being able to pay our mortgage off soon. With all of this, I would have to say the sacrifice was completely worth it.
Baby step 7 is where we ultimately all want to be, build wealth and give. It says in the book, Do you know what people with no debt can do? Anything they want! I love that! The last step is the most fun, you can live and give like no one else. Keep building wealth and become insanely generous. Leave an inheritance for your kids and their kids. Now that’s what we call leaving a legacy. And also ultimately, what a great position to be in.
Finding Peace
I just can’t say enough about Financial Peace University, because ultimately it truly has given me peace in this situation that we’re in right now knowing we can weather the storm. I’m not lying awake at night worrying about how are we going to pay our bills or worrying about being in debt because we did these baby steps twelve years ago. We made the sacrifices. Again, the situation that we created, we created on our own and I’m not trying to shame on myself in any way or shame anybody else. It was about not being financially literate. It was about making emotional money decisions and we’re all guilty of that. I view it now as being one of the darkest spots though, kind of like a rock bottom moment for us. But it was also that rock bottom that has gotten us to where we are today and has brought about this peace. I know, if I had to go back and do it all over again, I absolutely would, and if we had to do it again, then we absolutely would, too.
So if you’re still following this story, you’re probably getting to the point where you’re wondering about the title of this blog/coffee chat. I won’t get too much into the business side of things, but GYPO has taken a hit during this pandemic. As the year goes, I have different aspects of the GYPO income to allocate to different things in the business. I have the funds to take care of the company and my team but I run it as an LLC and therefore I’m on the payroll just like my team and receive a paycheck. After reviewing the budget I realized I have 10 more weeks of being able to pay myself. But that’s okay! Because of everything we’ve been through, because of hitting rock bottom and pulling ourselves out of it with the Baby Steps put in place by Dave Ramsey, we are living below our means, debt-free and we’re able to weather this storm. We will be able to live off of one paycheck. (If really want to look behind the GYPO business curtain, be sure the watch the Coffee Chat video above.)
I want you to know that there is hope and that this might be your opportunity to take a look at your finances and take a look at your budget. The scariest thing is just sitting down and looking at those numbers on that spreadsheet but you got to know where you’re at to know where you’re going. Take the time to sit down and look at your finances, sit down with your significant other, and say, okay this is where I’m/we’re at and this is where I/we want to be. Maybe we need a budget or maybe we need to start this baby step or that baby step or whatever. This is an opportunity to do that. It’s never too late. Don’t look at the past. Don’t put all that shame on yourself. Just move forward. This can be a clean slate that you start with.
Your Turn!
I want to hear from you. Have you done Financial Peace University? Have you done the baby steps? I know that this is a topic that people maybe are uncomfortable sharing publicly, but you’re welcome to share in whatever medium you prefer, DM or email me at info@getyourprettyon.com. I would love to hear from you and definitely comment below if you have a tip, a trick, some advice, some emotional support or just some moral support for everybody out there. I would love to hear from you. I want to thank you for allowing me to unpack this topic with you and for giving me grace in the process. I know it can be a really tricky situation. I know that there’s a lot of fear and frustration out there right now for all of us, so thank you guys. Again, I’m no expert on this, but this has absolutely worked for Craig and me for our financial lives and our situation. I appreciate you guys so much and I hope you have an awesome week!
Pretties! I wanted to talk to you about one of the most frequently asked questions this time of year and they are, “What are my favorite white jeans?” and “What white jeans are out there are not see-through and don’t show every dimple, bulge or flaw?” I’ve got the answers for you today because I went to the experts, which are the women that are participating in the Spring 2020 Outfit Formulas™ Capsule Wardrobe program. In our private Facebook group, one of the things that I love most is that every age and every shape and body type is represented and I can go to them on a regular basis for crowdsourcing and I know the recommendations I’m getting back are from real women who actually use and wear what they are recommending. To see the full Coffee Chat video, click below.
White Jeans – Heck Yes or Heck No?
Before I get into the top choices of our Pretties, I know some of you are thinking, “but I would never, ever, EVER wear white jeans.” I know this because when I put them on the shopping list for Outfit Formulas capsule wardrobe, I regularly get pushback. They are one of those things that if you don’t have a pair you love, they’ll push you too far outside of your comfort zone and you’ll feel self-conscious in them which is not the goal. I truly believe that white jeans work for every single body type and they can fit and flatter everyone. I’ve seen it first hand in our Facebook groups. I promise you, they are an easy and versatile way to feel put together and a great alternative to blue denim. Once you find a pair you love you’ll wonder why you waited so long to incorporate them into your daily style.
White jeans are perfect for this time of year too. They’re something you can dress up or down very easily. Dress them up with a floral blouse and some cute wedges or you can dress them down with a plain gray t-shirt and some slip-on sneakers. I also think the fit is really important when selecting your white denim. You really want something that’s going to be a slimmer fit with your white jeans. There are boyfriend white jeans out there, but I really love the slimmer fit and the look of the proportions. Also, a slimmer fit doesn’t necessarily mean they have to be a skinny cut, you could do a straight-leg jean too.
Now I’m going to share the top brands rated by the Pretties that are not see-through and that are thicker fabric and have checked all the boxes that women look for in a good pair of white jeans.
The Loft white denim is the overall number one choice and I can attest to that because I have a pair and I loved them! The Pretties loved them stating that they were not see-through, they are a thicker denim fabric with just the right amount of stretch and they seemed to fit well across the board for most body types. The two cuts that were named the most were the Modern Skinny Ankle Jean and the Curvy Skinny Jean.
Old Navy jeans were another reader favorite with their Rockstar cut. I have to be honest, I tried them in the past and I felt they were a little too thin, but the Pretties have said they have changed it up and now they are better made, better quality and have a nice amount of stretch to them. If it’s been a while since you tried them, they may be worth a second look.
Next up on the list was Talbots. They have a high rise jegging that our customers loved. I checked those out for the first time yesterday when I was pulling links for this and they’ve gotten good reviews. Some of the Pretties said that they are a slim fit, but a thick fabric.
My favorite white denim which also is on the honorable mention list are from J.Crew Factory. I have two different pairs. I have the midrise version and they are a thicker fabric, not see-through, and just the right amount of stretch but they don’t stretch out. I also have the 9″ high-rise white jeans for a more modern look.
What are your thoughts on white jeans? Do you love them? Are they something you want to add to your closet?
Hi Pretties! This week I posted an article in our Pretties Facebook group about quarantine makeup and whether you’re wearing it or not. And I was kind of surprised by the answers that a lot of you are deciding not to wear makeup during quarantine. One of the reasons why you weren’t wearing your makeup was to save money by not “wasting” it. I know this trick, I tried to do the same thing too when I first started working from home but the fact is, you’re makeup is going to eventually expire regardless of whether you’re wearing it or not. It broke my heart when my favorite makeup expired with plenty of product left. But that’s what I wanted to touch on today, the article as well as some of the benefits, for lack of a better term, of putting on makeup and staying in a daily routine. Plus I’m going to share with you my morning makeup routine and the products I use. For more details and to watch my makeup application, click on the video below.
Prep the Canvas
Prepping the canvas is very important and in this case, the canvas is your skin. By laying out a good foundation this will help enhance the details of your makeup and allow for better staying power. It’s always good to moisturize before applying your foundation and I love It Cosmetics Confidence In A Gel Lotion Weightless Moisturizer.
For the past few years, the one foundation I keep coming back to over and over and over again is actually a CC cream from It Cosmetics. I have a few variations but the one I use almost every morning is the Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+. I have this in a few different colors because in the summer my skin is a little darker and in the winter months it lightens up. I apply it with a beauty sponge and start in the middle of my face and kind of work my way out, then go down and work my way down on my nose. Don’t forget to bring it down onto your neck. You shouldn’t have to do too much blending if the color match is good. This product is pretty lightweight, but it has a decent amount of coverage.
I used to use a lot of powder then I got away from that because powder really does settle into lines and accentuates them. Now I only apply powder sparingly and the powder that I’m going to use is again another It Cosmetics product, Your Skin But Better CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder. And if you don’t like the feel of a liquid foundation, you can use this as an all over powder. It’s a nice lightweight powder that gives you great coverage too. I use the medium color and apply a little bit right between my eyes, a bit around my nose and in my T zone. I also use it on my eyelids because I think it helps my eyeshadow go on more smoothly.
After I’m done with my powder I add a little bit of bronzer. Typically that’s all I do on a daily basis. I use the Tarteist PRO Glow To Go Highlight & Contour Palette by Tarte and the bottom color Chisel is my go-to! It’s a matte bronzer and I use a stippling brush and apply a little bit of bronzer in the places where the sun would naturally hit – up along my hairline, a little down my nose, on my cheeks and along my jawline. Remember, a little goes a long way so you don’t need that much. This palette also has a highlighter in it which is also good to run down the center of your nose, just above your top lip where your cupid’s bow is and a little on the top of your cheekbone swiping up towards your hairline. Then be sure to feather it out and you’re good to go!
Yes, surprise, another It Cosmetics product but I love their Bye Bye Pores Blush in Sweet Cheeks. It’s a really pretty blush and has just a little bit of shimmer to it. I swirl my brush a little bit and then I apply it to the apples while smiling and blend up. Don’t forget to smile, smiling makes you happy. Got a smile when you put your makeup on.
I have two eyeshadow palettes that I love. One is Superhero Eye Transforming Anti-Aging Super Palette. You can come up with a lot of different color combinations with this palette and it’s perfect for everything from everyday, natural looks, to dramatic, evening looks. The other palette I love is Superhero By Day Eyeshadow Palette. This is more of a daytime palette that has some softer colors in it. I usually pick one of these two palettes and for years my base lid color has been either a pale shell pink or a champagne color. I’ll start with the shell pink color called Magical and go over my whole lid. Sometimes I’ll stop right there but today I’m going to add this soft brown called Aura and add it above my lid and then blend it into the crease. Then I might add some liner but instead of using a pencil or liquid liner, I use my eyeshadow to line my eyes. Today I’m using the black shadow called Superhero and I line my top lid and then only do one-third of my bottom line.
Like I said you can stop at any step but I am going to show you my eyelash falsies. I used to do eyelash extensions but then I quit because I became allergic to them so now I use the KISS Ever EZ Lashes #11, Multipack and Kiss I-Gloo Strip Black Lash Adhesive. The size 11 lashes just seem to fit better and have more of a curve to them. I still had to trim them just a little but I love the way they look. They are reusable too, just peel the glue off of them after you take them off. After you’ve ensured that they’ll fit properly after trimming, run a small line of glue on the lash line of the Kiss Lashes then using tweezers, sit them right on top of your lash line and work the lashes in until you know they are secure. You can also use clear glue if you don’t want to use black. They can be tricky at first but practice makes perfect.
Finally, on to my brows. I did have microblading done a little over a year ago and I’m due for a touchup. Until then I go in with my It Cosmetics Brow Powder and fill in where the hair is a little sparse. Once I’m satisfied and I think they look even then I’m done and ready to go!
You Do You
All in all, when I’m not chatting, my makeup routine takes me about seven minutes. For me, it’s all about doing what makes me feel good and taking my makeup routine as far as I want to take it for that particular day. Some days it may just be some foundation with my SPF so I can enjoy being outside or other days I may feel like doing everything and then topping it off with a nice pink lip. If you’re looking at all this and saying, “man this is just not for me,” then I totally respect that. There is no judgment here! You do you and what works for you!
Your turn! What does your makeup routine look like during the quarantine? Are you using this an opportunity to try out some new looks?
The weather is getting warmer, which means it’s time to swap out your boots for some cute sandals, flip flops, and flats. But as I’m sure you already know, not all shoes are created equal. There was a time when we had to pick between sandals being either cute or comfortable, but not both. However, now it seems our requests for both beauty and comfort are finally being heard. With so many brands available, it’s hard to test drive them all, so I decided to check out one of my go-to resources, you! Word of mouth is still one of my favorite ways to learn about products or tips that make life easier. That’s one of the many reasons I love the Pretties’ Page on Facebook. It’s a fantastic and supportive community of ladies that are a great resource when we have questions or need advice.
That is why when I was looking for cute and comfortable sandals for the summer, I turned to our fabulous Pretties. Whether you suffer from foot problems and injuries or just want something super comfortable, the below brands are worth checking out. Some of them are definitely on the pricey side, but there are ways around that. Keep your eyes out for sales, and if you find a style you really like, a simple search can help you find a lower price at the many retailers available. Also, opting for a neutral color will ensure that they can go with multiple looks, making them a great closet staple investment piece. Lastly, be sure to double-check the retailer’s return policy. Do they offer free returns or exchanges? If you try them and don’t like them, will they still offer a full refund? On the chance that you don’t fall in love with your sandal purchase, it’s good to know what your return options are.
Although many brands were mentioned, the number one recommended brand was Vionic. They were highly recommended if you suffer from any sort of ankle or foot pain or just need some good arch support. They average about $130 but most of our Pretties said they are well worth it. They can be found on the Vionic website where they will occasionally have great sales but they can also be found at lower prices on DSW, Shoes.com, QVC.com, and Amazon just to name a few. Below are a few of the cute styles I found available.
Dansko is another brand that the Pretties swear by. They offer great cushion and support and come in a lot of cute styles. This is also a brand trusted by doctors, nurses, chefs, and other professionals that are on their feet all day and they’ve translated that comfort to cute, fashionable sandals. They can be found on Zappos, Shoes.com, and The Walking Company.
Fitflop has a great selection of sandals and flip-flops from flats to wedges and sporty to dress. They boast a perfect pairing between biometrics, fashion, and comfort. They are said to help with plantar fasciitis and have great arch support. They have a great selection, and it looks like they have some great sales and an outlet section on their site as well. Just be sure to read through their return and exchange policy as all outlet sales are final. The FitFlop brand can also be found at retailers like Nordstrom, DSW, and Zappos.
Abeo is a brand that has built-in orthotic support. Some sandals come with a standard neutral support orthotic, however, there are some styles where you’re able to customize the type of support you need such as metatarsal support which reduces stress on the ball of the foot. Also, the description for each shoe style is pretty detailed and includes what type of foot they are recommended for, a high or low arch if you’re suffering from plantar fasciitis or you’re just looking for something with neutral support and cushion. The main Abeo site has a lot of great sales as well as The Walking Company and ShoeStores.com.
Earth Brand sandals are said to be extremely comfortable, but they are also good for the environment by sustainably sourcing materials, including the use of water-based, non-toxic glues, vegetable-tanned leathers, and glue-free shoeboxes. They have a ton of styles to choose from and their signature Powerpath® Footbed Design offers shock absorption in the heel, stabilization through your stride, and energizes as you lift off. They have a lot of great sales through their website but can also be found at QVC.
The below list are other brands that were mentioned for having sandals and flip flops that were both fashionable and totally comfortable. Let me know what you think? Did we miss any? If so please comment below and let me know!
Your turn! Which sandals do you like the best? Do you have a favorite brand? Comment below!
Hi Pretties! I hope you are all hanging in there. I can’t tell you how much I love interacting with you all on the Facebook pages. I love seeing your pictures, reading your advice and just the overall positive vibe that the Pretties bring. However, now that we are in what I believe is our fourth week of quarantine, I’ve noticed a trend among conversation and that is how are we going to handle our own beauty routines at home when we’re used to going into the salon for things like getting our roots touched up, getting our eyebrows done or getting our nails done. All of these things that we’re used to getting done at the salon but now we can’t. So this past week, I had some fun ordering some products off Amazon to try and I want to share them with you. Click my Coffee Chat video below for a full demo.
So one of the things that we’ve been talking about this week is that our roots are starting to grow out. I was lucky enough to get mine done the day before quarantine, so I’m not too bad, yet but there’s definitely a little bit of gray starting to sprout out in there. We’ve run the gamut when we’ve talked about this in our Facebook Pretties’ group from women telling me that they just decided they’re going to let it grow out and go gray, which is totally maintenance-free and definitely an option, to women saying they’re going to try a box color. There’s been tons of color and product recommendations on the Pretties Facebook page so if you’re not on there yet, click here to join. As of now, I’m going to try and wait for my stylist but in the meantime, I found this amazing product by L’Oreal called Magic Root Cover Up. It comes in a variety of shades but for my hair I chose medium brown. It’s super easy to use and doesn’t brush out. I got mine from Amazon but you can also find it at places like Target or Walmart.
So now that we’ve covered the hair on top of our head, literally, it’s time to talk about the other hair on our head, more specifically our faces. Yes, we all get it and I’m starting to see my sideburns growing out and the hair on my upper lip and chin area too. Everything was starting to get out of control, including my eyebrows so I decided to try these little touch up razors by Shick Silk. I’m not going to lie, I was in shock with I saw how much hair came off my face. I used the blade all over my facial areas and even used it to touch up my brows. They’re still a little bushier than I’d like, but I want to experiment a little more before I get too crazy, but now my face feels amazing and my makeup goes on so much smoother. Normally I’d have this waxed but now I think this is my new favorite way to remove unwanted facial hair. If you’re not sure about the blade you can also try the handheld battery ones by Flawless but I’m telling you, the blade was awesome and it works great! Either tool you choose, I think it’s easier than waxing at home for sure!
It takes a lot for me to say that something is life-changing but this next product is just that. I’ve been doing blowouts on my hair for years with the dryer and a round brush and it typically takes me 20-30 minutes. It’s a total pain which is why I only wash my hair twice a week. I’ve seen the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer And Volumizer Hot Air Brush before and I knew it had gotten a lot of buzz but it wasn’t until I saw the Pretties in our Pretties’ Group singing its praises that I decided I just needed to try it. Oh wow! I am kicking myself for not trying this sooner! I was able to completely dry and add volume to my hair in 10 minutes. Never before have I EVER done my hair that quickly! To say this tool is a game-changer is an understatement. A huge thank you to all the Pretties out there that recommended this.
There you have it, three products I tried that are helping me maintain until I can rush back and support my favorite stylist again. Next, I’m going to figure out what to do about my nails. Let me know if you have any quarantine beauty hacks that are working for you. Please share them below or in the Pretties Group, we would love to hear them.
Do you struggle to put outfits together? Are you stuck in a yoga pants rut? Not sure if you can make the latest trends work for you? You’re in the right place!
I’m Alison, a mom of three and recovering yoga pants addict on a mission to make getting dressed and feeling pretty the easiest thing you do all day! Learn more about my story HERE.
I am so glad I was part of the Fall 2019 Style Challenge. It gave me confidence and so many great outfitt ideas. The ladies in the group were very supportive and I will defintetly be doing another challenge in the future.
Betty Weyandt December 20, 2019
I’ve been participating in the GYPO Style Challenges for three years now and I’ve loved it. I’ve always loved clothes, but I didn’t know how to put outfits together. My closet is now full of mix-and-match outfits, I have learned how to dress myself, and there is no more stress in figuring out to wear. The private FB group is full of wonderful ladies that build each other up. It’s so fun and is seriously the best group on FB.
Kirstin Rasmussen November 20, 2019
Get Your Pretty On has changed my life, seriously. I have always chased what is trendy but found from season to season, that things go out of style and I was wasting money on items that I would only end up wearing a few times. GYPO has enabled me to simplify my closet, helps me make smarter purchasing decisions, and I feel so put together and confident using the outfit formulas that are provided. This program is a GAME CHANGER. I've been following GYPO for a few years now and my only regret is not jumping on board sooner.
Michelle Kline November 20, 2019
Great community of ladies, helping each other look stylish, without breaking the bank, and using much of what you already own.
Chosen Faith November 19, 2019
GYPO challenges have been one of the best things I have done! It had taught me so much more than just creating a closet of clothes that I love but also to have confidence in myself, how to pick and choose colors that work for me instead of against, and had given a wonderful community of Pretties who are so special.
Maraline Freeman October 16, 2019
I love GYPO!!! I finally feel put together and stylish! The shopping lists and outfit combinations make shopping and getting dressed effortless.
Krista Probst October 16, 2019
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