Kandyle Renee

Friday, November 12, 2021

Romanticizing My Life and Why I Believe it Works

Hey ladies, have you heard the phrase, “Romanticize Your Life”? It's a popular phrase often used on social media to encourage people to find ways to enhance everyday experiences in their lives. I’ll be the 1st to admit that social media can be a lot when it comes to telling people how they should live life, lol. I would see life hack TikToks, youtube videos and much more, all encouraging people to do this or do that and you'd be adding to your own quality of life. Things like adding eucalyptus leaves to your shower for a more relaxing experience, or saving up for a small staycation. Now I know what you're thinking, who has time to worry about a spa like shower as a mom when there is so much to be done. Even if you're not a mother, the ability to slow down and truly experience life isn't something that we are all accustomed to doing. Oftentimes we are so caught up in the modain routines of life that we forget to really live in the moment. But hearing this phrase accompanied by a few simple explanations has really opened my eyes to a new way of living. Hear me out...

It wasn't until I saw another content creator talking about how she now romanticized her bed time routine that I was convinced. Here's what she did, she asked herself how she could enhance her bed time experience so that it wouldn’t be just another boring activity. For her that meant investing in high-end pajamas. She said while bedtime was a normal routine, it wasn't something that she really looked forward to. But with something simple like pajamas she felt as though her bedtime experience was enhanced. And with those things in mind I began to think about how I, too could Romanticize parts of my life…

So I started with my “Wednesday alone time”. When life isn't “lifeing”, once a week I come home after work and basically chill. I make sure I have a glass of wine, dinner cooked the day before and a tv show queued up and ready to watch. It's my me time, the one day that I have carved out away from content creating, house work and the kids, to just be and relax. So what did I do to enhance this time alone? Well, the 1st thing i did amongst other things is, I purchased more of my favorite lounge sets from Nastygal. During the pandemic I found these gorgeous and comfy lounge sets from NastyGal, so it was a no brainer for me to head there and purchase more. In doing this, what I found is that my alone time was now an enhanced experience. Here’s how, before I would stay in my scrubs while having alone time and if i'm being honest this wasn't very relaxing. Keeping my scrubs on everyday after work until bed was normal for me and I didn't take them off until I prepared for bed. Even after my mid-week alone time, I kept my scrubs on. So when I started wearing the lounge sets the entire experience changed. Believe it or not the lounge sets enhanced my alone time and instead of putting them off like before hand I now made this weekly accrance a priority. Its been about 3 weeks and I am still going strong.

One of my biggest take-aways from this new social media craze n phrase “Romanticizing Your Life”, is that life is to be lived. Finding ways to enhance the simplest things in our lives doesn’t have to cost you much and in doing so your quality of lives improves... Cheers to you girl!

Saturday, October 30, 2021

The Perfect Family Christmas Card for Procrastinators & 5 Thing I'm Doing Differently to Prepare

Christmas is around the corner and every year I decide at the last minute that I am going to do holiday cards for family and friends. Spoiler alert, I never actually follow through with those plans. It's not like i dont have the equipment and time to properly commit to the shoot, it's the lack of planning on my part. I can never find pj’s for the whole family or outfits that coordinate well with the kids, on time. And did I also mention that I wait until after Thanksgiving to try and execute this plan, a bad idea.

So what am I planning to do differently this year? I've come up with 5 different ideas to help me properly put together the perfect Family Christmas Card and ways to prepare.

Here are 5 things i plan to do differently this year:

1. Instead of shopping for all of our looks in November, I started shopping and purchasing everything this week. It's the last week in October and all this week I've been roaming around Target's website for matching family pajamas as well as Boohoo and Missguided for formal wear. Target has many affordable options when it comes to pj’s. I especially love their Black Flannel Pajamas because they match our holiday home decor

2. Booked all of our hair and makeup appointments the last week of October. Now if I'm being honest this is something I should have done a few weeks earlier, so I'd recommend doing this a month and a half out if possible.

3. I created a Pinterest board of different holiday looks, poses and ideas for family photos. Pinterest has lots of ideas for holiday pictures and it has been a big help...

4. After work, I've been driving around the city to look for the perfect spot for our pictures because I will be taking all of our pictures myself. This has proven to be the most difficult part of my planning so far but I'm certain I will come up with the right spot.

5. Now as far as printing the photos out and creating the cards I decided to keep it simple and go with my local Walgreens or Cvs for their simple and easy printing options.

With all the planning I have done I feel confident that our pictures will not only come out perfect but i will have them in the mail and to family/ friends before Christmas!!! Not to mention this plan is definitely procrastination proof, lol…

No worries, I've linked my pajamas set from the picture above as well as a few other options here… happy shopping ladies. Red and white Poinsettia pajamas

Thursday, August 20, 2020

3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Blog

So today I celebrate 1 year of blogging! I’m super proud of myself for making it this far but there are just a few things I wish I had known prior to starting my blog. I'm sure a lot of people they think it’s really easy to create a blog and it’s just throwing a few words together taking a few pictures and that’s it. And if you are not a blogger I totally understand why you would think that, but let me tell you it's a lot of hard work.

Since starting my blog I’ve had a lot of trial and error and I’m sure there will be more to come. There was so much I didn’t know and I thought I’d share 3 of those things with you all today.

1. You have to spend as much time promoting your work as you did to create it. It’s not enough to tell folks once that hey I have a NEW blog post up go read it. You have to promote, promote and promote your work even more. If you don’t promote your work than who else will?

2. Perfectionism is the enemy of progress. While we would all like to write out the perfect blog post with the perfect pictures, that isn’t realistic. Especially not in the beginning stages. It’s important now that we had to start somewhere so just start. You will get better with time.

3. Consistent is the name of the game. Consistency is a requirement of success and if you want to be successful at blogging or anything in life than you need to be consistent.

While I am extremely proud of the work I’ve done thus far, I know there’s a lot more work to do. I hope these three tips were helpful because I believe with anything in life we do a three can be useful.

Saturday, August 15, 2020

A Beginners Guide to Buying the Right Makeup Foundation

So earlier in the week we talked on my Ig stories about buying the right makeup foundation for your skin and all of its struggles. For the past few weeks I’ve been trying to find not only the perfect color match but also the right foundation that would work best for my acne prone skin. I am currently using Clinique' foundation and I like it, but I don't love it. It gives me full coverage, but the issue that I have with it the most, is that if seems to be too bright for my skin tone and it bleed ALOT. So for the past few weeks I've been looking for another foundation to use or mix with the current one that I have.

Like you, I too didn't know the basics when it came to not only buying foundation, but what to look for when buying it. I took a makeup application course about a month ago with a local makeup artist here in Beaumont named Meagan and she gave me some great tips on buying foundation. I also did a little researched on color matching your foundation and different methods to use when do so. After much trial n error and helpful tips from a professional, I was able to find another foundation to mix with my current Clinique foundation. I settled on Fenty Beauty's matte finish foundation in 290 and I have to tell you guys I'm very pleased with my selection.

This process has been very interesting and I thought it'd be a good idea to share with you what tips, tricks and methods is used to help me not only buy the foundation but find the right color. So I documented the entire process and created what I like to call a Beginners beginnes guide to buying the right makeup foundation.

Skin Type

This is the 1st and most important thing to know before purchasing your foundation, KNOW your skin type. There are three types of skin types: Dry, Oily or a combination of both. Knowing your skin type is key when determining what type of foundation will work best for you. Skin type can make a difference in how your foundation not only appears but how it oxidizes with your skin. If you have dry skin type, you don't what a matte finish foundation, so hydrating foundation are your best friend. Oily skin type you don't want a foundation that has a dewy finish, so mattifying foundation will more than likely be good for you. Now for folks with combo skin types you'll need a foundation that's somewhat mattifying and hydrating so you can go for more of foundation with a satin finish.

Color Matching

Before buying a foundation determine if your undertones are warm (gold/yellow), cool(pink) or neutral. The best way to do this is by taking a picture in front of a white background with great lighting. Looking at the contrast between your skin and background will help you determine the colors in your skin that appears. This little trick worked so well for me and was such a big help in the store when talking with an associate about finding the right color.

Oxidozing

Now the process was very different from what I guess it would be like if we were not "in the middle of a pandemic" (I say this a least five times a day!) Normally Id say get a sample of the foundation to take home to try out, see how it oxidizes with my skin and go from there. But that's not possible right now. I mean that's really the best case scenario for this process, but yeah Corona. Lucky for us stores are understanding of this and have made the buying and returning process really easy. Buy the foundation. Before you clutch your pearls ladies let me say this, stores are letting your return the foundation right now. Scouts honor (crosses fingers)! Stores like Sephora and Ulta are both allowing your to return makeup at full cost. Take advantage. I know that seems like a complete waste of time and MONEY, but honestly knowing how the foundation will oxidize on your skin will make all the difference in the world. Now this method may not be the most affordable so id day this is more like a "last result" type of thing. But it worked fo me.

These three things made a world of difference in my experience in buying my foundation and I hope that they can be helpful to you. Let me know your thought and if this worked for you below.

Sunday, August 9, 2020

7 basics You Need in Your Wardrobe For Summer

During the summer I always like to keep a few basic pieces in my wardrobe that are key in creating an effortless look. I keep these things on hand that are mainly my go-to’s when I’m pushed for time and want to look well put together. These items usually work no matter the occasion or event, are inexpensive and can be found at any of your favorite stores. So I’m sure your wondering by now what these items are... So without any further delay, the list are as follows:

A white t-shirt. With a white tee you can never go wrong. It can be dressed up or down and can be paired with anything. Under a slip dress or cam, with a skirt or your favorite pair of jeans.

A neutral tank. Having a neutral colored tank is key for the summer. Especially if you like to look chic and well put together, having a tank will help you achieve this look.

Slide in sandals for the win. The shoe that provides style and comfort, is a slide in sandal. You can pair this with a maxi dress or denim shorts for and trendy look.

Denim shorts, because why not. Listen these are a must for the summer. There are so many varieties of denim shorts out there. Everything from Bermuda to high-waisted shorts, there’s something to suit your comfort needs.

T-shirt dresses. Now this basic is fairly new, but so necessary for the summer. You're going to want to have this dress ready and available simply because it takes little to no effort to style. Those slide in sandals will come in handy for this basic item.

Mom jeans are ideal for summer because again they give you a comfy and stylish look without much effort. Style this basic with either your tank or white, heels or sneakers.

Cross body bags are not only great for running errands but comes in hand for your summer vacations. The only accessories you need for this season and is my go-to bag when I’m in a hurry but want to remain stylish.

These 7 items are a must for every wardrobe in my opinion. Have these items in your wardrobe will help make life easier and keep you looking on point for the summer.

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

A Versatile Top, Plus 2 Tips for Shopping On A Budget

Okay so don’t judge me... because you all are going to see me wearing this top like fiftyleven times by the time summer is over. LOL, seriously though. I’ve been on the hunt for a milkmaid top all last year and I’m beyond excited to have found one. The square neckline and puffy shelves add just the right amount of detail to the top and are what drew me in when I saw a sign that said “Kandyle, Buy Me” hanging above the rack in H&M, a few weeks back!

The trend become really popular in the spring of 2019 and has transcended from there into 2020 and is something I believe will become a staple in everyone’s closet. Like I said before the square neck line and statement sleeves were instant hits. One thing that concerned me about the top before trying it on though, was that it was a bit cropped at the hem line. I’ve lost a significant amount of weight but I’m not going to lie my stomach still needs lots of work and while I normally steer clear of cropped tops but I took my chance with this one and tried it on. In the dressing room while trying the top on I notice something was different. It not only could be worn as the milkmaid top but also doubled ad a cold shoulder top. The top was perfect and I could definitely see myself taking this from a day to night look. Having tops like this can be a lifesaver when you're on a budget and want to be fashionable!

A versatile piece of clothing can help you stick to a budget. When you’ve found a item you like and are wondering if it can be worn multiple ways, it’s important to keep these 2 things in mind:

Is this something I can wear for the next couple of years? Basically is this a classic piece or something that trendy right now. To keep spending to a minimum you want to focus on pieces that’ll last you for years to come. Although the milkmaid top and dress are a new trend, I believe they are classic pieces and can be worn for years to come.
Does this fit into my price point... when shopping for things that are flexible there should always be an amount your willing to spend.

Versatility in clothing is something that can make for a great wardrobe. To me it’s a way to get a great bang for your buck and I’m absolutely pleased with this top and all of it functions. What are some things you keep in mind when shopping on a budget?

Friday, June 26, 2020

Weekly Top 5

Hey ladies I'm back with another Weekly Top 5 and this time every thing is on sale. Zara is having their annual summer sale with lots of goodies up for grabs. The sale started on Wednesday and there is still are quite a few items available. Below are a few things I picked up from the sale. a few pairs of heels a blazer and a couple pairs of jeans. Happy Friday ladies and happy shopping!