2014 - Goals, Resolutions & Reflections

One of my favourite blog posts every year has to be my New Years Goals & Reflections post.  I know it's sort of cheesy and most ppl hate resolutions so for the most part I make a habit to not call them resolutions (although I know it says resolutions in the title).

I still really like the idea of starting fresh and having a good look back at the year to kind of take stock in how I did, how I'm doing...what I want to do or achieve in the next year.  Sometimes even when I think I haven't accomplished much or I'm feeling a bit down about my progress I find it really does help to look back at the goals I set for myself...sometimes I even surprise myself and I'm actually pretty impressed w/ some of the things I've achieved.

So first I'd like to take a look back at last year's goals and see how I did on them!

Well my first goal for last year was To Live More In The Moment...I'll be honest I'm not actually quite sure how I did on this one.  I did travel a bit in the beginning of the year - took a trip to Malaysia and Singapore so I def. think that was spontaneous and adventurous.  The Summer was so busy it definitely felt like a big blur to be honest...I may have been living in the moment but that's only b/c I barely had any time to plan before something else came up lol!  I feel overall I enjoyed my year and did some fun and exciting things but I think I could have worked on this one a bit more.

Stop Comparing Myself To Others - This is definitely one that I'm going to have to keep w/ me for next year b/c I'll be honest in the beginning of the year or during the Summer when I was super busy this was easy to do but it's when it gets slower or I'm not as busy that this sort of thing can eat away at me and it's not helpful or productive for myself or my well-being.

Grow My Wedding Business - This is one goal I can definitely say I achieved. I didn't quite reach my 80 wedding mark but I did do 76 weddings this year...even though it was only 4 more wedding than last year the big difference here was that all 76 weddings were MINE...compared to other years where some of the weddings were wedding I worked for other artists and companies.  As well I did start to grow my wedding business roster and booked an additional 20 weddings w/ my staff!

Re-looking at my goals for last year I can kind of see why I've been feeling a bit down on myself the last couple of mths...the Summer was amazing but I'm not going to lie Nov & Dec were not great for me...I think a lot of it had to do w/ the fact that I really didn't achieve my goals for Commercial Work & Productivity.  Overall did I make more money this year - Yes...my business grew quite a bit but I know there is still so much more I can do!

One thing I definitely feel proud for finally getting on track w/ is Saving Money.  I pay my credit card in full every month.  All my debt besides one small student loan is paid off (and I'm working on that loan).  Plus I started saving for my future this year and even got a financial planner.

So re-looking at the year I definitely think I started out strong but then sort of lost steam near the end.  I need to look at why this happened...perhaps I was just a bit burnt out from the crazy Summer...perhaps it's other reasons.  All I know is that I have to make sure that doesn't happen again this year!  Which leads me to this years GOALS!  This years goals are a few from the past, a few that I want to continue to build on my from last year and a couple of new ones...lots to achieve in the upcoming mths!

GOALS for 2014

Cut Out Toxic Influences or People - If a person or thing isn't a positive influence on my life or pulls me into any sort of negative mindset or direction I need to cut it or them out.  Sometimes I find myself getting too caught up in negative things or people that don't actually matter when I should be focusing on and striving to improve relations w/ people and things that do matter. Overall I try to live a fairly optimistic and positive life so I don't want negative things creeping in and affecting that.

Live A Healthier and More Balanced Life - I think an overall theme for this year might be cutting out the bad and embracing the good.  Despite feeling somewhat down professional the last couple of mths I would say I've definitely gotten more balance in my health and well being.  I feel I'm finally on track to reach a few weight loss goals I've set for myself.  And before xmas I was down 15-20 pounds from the year before and even fitting into some jeans I haven't worn since my time in Shanghai! (I've put on a few pounds over the holidays though).  I want to keep on track and eat a cleaner and healthier diet...cut down on my sugar and bad carbs and exercise more.  I just need to find the balance between my personal life and my work life lol!  I have a problem where when one is good the other sort of falls away and vice versa...I need to work on this!

Exercise More - My boyfriend and I have started playing squash which is a good start and I'm happy to be doing that again.  We were running outside before this awful cold weather set in.  I really want to get back into the running and I want to run a half marathon this year at some point.  I don't know when exactly but I want to find one either in the Spring or Fall.  Plus I want to start doing my Insanity workout dvds again...it's freakin' cold out right now so I need to do something to keep me active!

Travel More...Even If It's Just Small Trips - The last few years I've definitely been traveling more and seen some really interesting places and met some really interesting people.  I think this year I'd like to mix it up w/ doing some small trips mixed in w/ some larger and more adventurous ones!  There might be a trip to Vancouver, Vegas and NYC this year...plus also the possibility of something in South America at some point...have to make sure these things become a reality and not just something that's talked about though!

Read More -  I got a Kobo for Christmas and I've already downloaded a bunch of books.  I know it's almost like working out to me (but for my mind)...once I get back into it it's not that hard I just need to get back in the habit of reading again.  I got a Kobo b/c I'll be honest I hate clutter and I just didn't want to collect anymore books in my place.  I think the idea of getting more books was actually holding me back from reading...as silly as it is.

Get More Commercial Work - I know I say this one EVERY year but it's an important one and to be honest the one I'm usually least satisfied w/ my success in.  I really need to network more...I know this...and I sort of hate this.  I'll be honest I'm somewhat of an introvert and this is probably one of things I have the most trouble w/ but I need to get over that and start making some new connections and meeting new photographers and production companies.  Plus I have to do a better job and keeping and building the business relationships I already have established.  I need to get over this idea that I'm "bugging people" lol.

Do More Creatives & Get Published More - In years past I've actually done a lot of creatives and seen my work in a bunch of publications but that is definitely something I let fall behind this year.  A large part of it had to do w/ the fact that I was spending so much time focusing on my wedding business and having that grow that I wasn't looking to do creatives or see my work in magazines...b/c well it doesn't actually pay anything lol!  I did however get editorials in both Noi.se Magazine and MEGA Man Magazine so that was pretty cool!  Plus I have plans to go to NYC this Aug. to work w/ Todd Anthony Tyler for a few upcoming projects for Numero Thailand so that could be pretty exciting!

Network More Within The Bridal Industry - My wedding biz has been growing steadily and somewhat rapidly over the past couple of years which if nothing else in my business life is something I'm pretty proud of.  But of course with anything there is always room for improvement. I want to bring my bridal business to the next level.  I want to do 80 weddings this year and I want to grow my team and the number of weddings they do as well!  I need to reach out to more wedding photographers and planners and possibly do some wedding creatives for publication and what not as I really want to elevate the level of my business.

Blog More - I'll admit I was somewhat lazy w/ this blog this year and there have even been points where I wondered if I wanted to keep it going.  Like working out sometimes I find it hard to start but once I get into the groove of blogging I really do enjoy it so I need to remember that and not look at it as such a chore sometimes b/c in truth it's suppose to be fun.  Plus I really need to make sure I do my Product Review blogs quicker...sometimes I've taken FAR too long to write a review on products I've received from companies.

Stop Living In the Past - I can't change certain decisions or outcomes for things that happened both personally or professionally in my past so I need to stop replaying them in my mind sometimes.  It's not productive to anyone and in fact it can be quite detrimental to not only my present but also my future.  I can only control the things I do today and how they will build for things in the future.

Stop Concerning Myself So Much With Other People - I need to really focus on ME...and stop comparing myself to everyone else out there.  I can only control my actions and my outcome so I need to block out the negativity I feel creeping in when I get jealous of other people's success.  I need to remember to be happy for other people's success whether it be personal or professional and not angry about it.  That's just a negative downward cycle that I don't want to be part of..and I'm actually a bit disappointed in myself that I've let it affect me at various times this year!

Be More Productive - Again another repeat from last year...but it's a big one and there is always room for improvement on this one!  Sometimes I feel the busier I am the more productive I am w/ my time.  It's when I'm less busy that I start wasting time more.  There are always things I can be doing for my business and I need to remember this instead of spending countless hours playing Candy Crush ;)

So that's a pretty big list for the year!  I feel good about it though and I think 2014 is going to be my best year yet!

Vintage Bridal - A Timeless Look

I've been doing weddings for a few years now and trends and styles tend to go in and out but one style that never seems to wane is the "Vintage Look"....usually this look is referring to makeup and hair styles of the 50s/60s...sometimes 20s fingerwaves are also a popular request.  Women like Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot etc are often referenced.  Current Hollywood trends also often play a big part in the popularity of this look. If a lot of actresses are sporting "vintage" inspired makeup or hair and the award shows or a big Hollywood movie is highlighting a time period (Great Gatsby I'm looking at you)...it can then have a big impact on the following wedding season.

I think a lot of this has to do w/ it being sort of a "timeless look"...even though of course it is of a different time.  Brides that usually request this look tend to want either a bolder lip in pink or red or possibly a winged liner.  Some want big bouffant hairdos, classic beehives or as mentioned above fingerwaves.  What's important to remember when doing this sort of look for brides is to be "inspired" by the period and to not do a total recreation of the era as that's when things can start to look a bit dated or cartoonish (1920s I'm looking at you ;) ).

This past year I had a few brides that were inspired by vintage trends and I thought I'd share a couple of them w/ you b/c they are all different but you can still see the sort of vintage vibe in all of them!

Michelle

Photos courtesy of Ryan @ Luminous Studios

Michelle's tea length dress and fascinator immediately call out for a vintage inspired look...I love fascinators!  We decided on an elegant Audrey beehive for the day.  Michelle's natural hair is a bit on the shorter/finer side of things so I really think this was a great look to make her hair look bigger!  Kept the eyes soft and played up the lips w/ a pretty pink!

Jennifer

I actually had the pleasure of working w/ Jennifer earlier in the year on her best friend's wedding so it was such a pleasure to work w/ her again!  Jennifer LOVES the full out vintage vamp look - red lips, big winged liner, pale skin!  Plus her hair will do ANYTHING!  It's so full and thick...and boy does it hold curl!  Whenever a bride shows me pics of the vintage wave I get nervous b/c so many ppl the second you go to comb through a curl the hair falls completely..not Jennifer - hair model hair!

Adriana

Photos courtesy of Nicole Duplantis @ Eclipse Photography

I already wrote about and showed pics from this wedding earlier this year but I thought I'd show a couple again to illustrate how the vintage look can be interpreted in different ways.  Adriana wanted a 60s vibe to her look w/ straight hair and a bouffant on top.  She also kept the lips a very mod style nude/pink and had a slight wing to liner (very slight ;) ).

HUGE Holiday Giveaway - Whitening Lightning Holiday Bundle

'Tis the season to give to those you LOVE and guess what I REALLY LOVE my readers!  So much so that I've partnered up w/ Whitening Lightning again to give you guys the chance at another AMAZING Giveaway just in time for the holidays!

I've used and loved Whitening Lightning products in the past and I've done a few giveaways w/ them too...and they've always been super generous w/ my readers but this giveaway is really awesome!

PLUS they've also given me a new discount code to share w/ my readers...hey if you don't win the giveaway...or you just can't wait to have this awesome kit you can still get this amazing bundle for $89.00 (HUGE SAVINGS) by using the coupon code SnowMan or if you're looking to purchase some of their other cool products you can always use my discount code JESSICA70 to get 70% off your purchase!!

So what exactly am I giving away you ask?

I'm giving away 1 Whitening Lightning Holiday Bundle (basically the first pic on the blog) to 1 lucky reader in the US or Canada!

Whitening Lightning Bundle includes:

Get the Dial a Smile Teeth Whitening Kit, your choice of 2 pens (Any Pens) and 2 Lip Glosses (Any Colour). VALUE $499

The home kit contains 3 complete professional whitening treatments

• Whiten your teeth at home
• Takes only 20 minutes
• Painless
• 4-7 shades whiter per treatment on average
• Great for smokers, wine, and coffee lovers
• Great for teens that just got their braces off

The Super booster pen will whiten your teeth while you sleep with a Whitening Lightning Teeth Whitening Pen

• up to 7-10 shades in 14 days
• Works while you sleep
• No unpleasant taste
• Just paint it on 
• No sensitivity unpleasant taste
• No Mess

The Color Your Smile Lighted Lip Gloss  Contains collagen peptides - increase lip volume Reduces Lip Wrinkles Doubles as a lip treatment Feels smooth and light on lips - never sticky Will not feather or bleed How AWESOME is all that! So how do you ENTER...it's SO Easy & Simple AND I've given a ton of options to choose from!  Do 1 or do them ALL! Please allow a few seconds for the Rafflecopter Widget to load...it's sometimes slow!  a Rafflecopter giveaway Happy Holidays and Good Luck!

A Long Way From Home - MEGA Man Editorial

So I just got my hands on the final editorial spread for MEGA Man magazine (Philippines) featuring my photographer friend and resident photographer/judge on Asia's Next Top Model Cycle 1 Todd Anthony Tyler. Before he became a photographer he was actually a model for several years which I think has definitely influenced his work and shooting style. It was so fun to get to work w/ Todd on a shoot as it had been such a long time...although this one was slightly different as he was the model and not the photographer lol!

It was a little chaotic to get this whole thing even planned and executed as we had to get it done during Todd's last visit to Canada in Sept. which also happened to coincide w/ TIFF and NYCFW...yeah...not the easiest time to do an editorial or source wardrobe let me tell you!  But it all came together in the end and I think it looks amazing and Todd totally captured that rugged, Canadian outdoors look we were going for...very different from the Philippines obviously...which was also another reason Todd wanted to shoot this in Canada.

Once Todd explained the concept to me and everything he was looking for I knew I had the perfect photographer for him.  I'm so glad Zach Hertzman (who I've worked w/ on a number of occasions) was able to shoot this story b/c his style was exactly what Todd was going for and he's so great on-location and w/ natural light!

The location for the shoot was actually Todd's sisters farm and land (and we also did a mini detour to a horse farm at the end of the shoot)...what's funny is Todd was location scouting and asking his family before the shoot for ideas and no one thought to suggest the farm (which he had never seen prior) b/c they thought it was too run down or "not pretty" enough...it's funny how ppl not in fashion don't always understand how we actually WANT those run down, dirty locations b/c they have character lol!

As far as my part in this whole editorial is concerned...I'm not going to lie...it was pretty easy.  It's male grooming and Todd has great skin so just cleaned it up a bit (covered some of those under eye circles) and styled the hair.  The thing w/ a shoot like this is to not make him too "clean" or "pretty".  I wanted him to look a bit rugged and dirty so I actually went to my friends at Blur Makeup Room  and picked up some Reel Dirt to work on to his hands and face to give him that slightly dirty, rugged look.

So here's the editorial!  I've also slipped in a couple behind the scenes shots from the day!  I actually have a bunch of pics that didn't make it into the editorial...there are so many great pics from this shoot!

His sister has mini horses...how cute are they!  Btw I know you can't tell but it was COLD outside...esp. considering it was the middle of Sept!!!

Zach doing his thing...Todd doing his

Me literally "getting my hands dirty" w/ the Reel Dirt

Private Makeup Lessons - Great Holiday Gift, Great Personal Investment!

In the last year I've seen a surge in the amount of Private Makeup Lessons I give to women.  I think in part this has to do w/ the fact that I advertise the service on my Wedding Site but also b/c a lot of women are coming to realize that they know very little about makeup and in fact many are even scared of it but they do realize its importance in society...esp. in the professional sector.

The mere idea of hiring someone to teach you makeup seems like a fairly modern and new concept to a lot of people out there.  It's actually funny b/c so many women initially have trouble grasping the concept of investing in someone to teach them how to apply makeup b/c it is "just makeup" after all but then if you were to ask them many of these same women would express how "scared" they are of makeup and doing it "wrong".  I mean I remember when I was a teen I don't remember any sort of thing like this being available (and there def. wasn't YouTube around back then w/ tutorials and advice).  Plus, I find with many women makeup tips and skills are initially learned through the mothers and if the mother never wore makeup then it's more likely that these women never really started wearing or experimenting w/ makeup themselves.

So as the holidays are fast approaching it got me thinking about what a unique and thoughtful gift it might be to invest in a Private Makeup Lesson for your wife, sister, daughter, girlfriend, mother etc...basically any woman in your life lol!  I can almost guarantee no one else would be getting that person the same thing plus it really shows a lot of thought and people love when they get gifts that are "outside the box" and experiential gifts!  Plus how cool would it be for a lot of women to have a professional makeup artist come to their house and personally teach them "tricks and secrets" of the pros!

There are SO MANY women out there that LOVE makeup but are just too scared to try it themselves...or they have drawers and drawers of makeup that's going to waste b/c they don't know what to do w/ it.  With a private lesson a woman would learn what works exactly for her and how to apply makeup specifically for her features and face.  Plus she'd learn what specific products or brushes she should be investing in which for a lot of women would actually save money as they wouldn't be buying tons of makeup that either didn't work for them or they didn't know what to do with.

It's also a great idea for young girls that are newly getting into makeup.  I know we've all seen those young girls that are ruining their beautiful young faces w/ too thin brows and too much eyeliner.  Why not have someone teach them the basics and good techniques from the start so they don't have to look back on their teens years 10 years from now and think "What was I thinking?" lol!

Also, for any women out their reading this and thinking they might want a lesson...go for it!  Give a gift to yourself sometime!  I'm all about giving gifts for myself lol...especially when I was a single lady (b/c let's be real no one else was doing it)!  I often talk to my clients about this being an investment into one's self.  I honestly believe knowing how to apply a basic day look style of makeup is the equivalent of a man knowing how to tie a tie.  It's a life skill that every woman should learn that will help them in almost all professional settings.  Now I'm not saying all women need to wear tons of makeup all the time.  I'm just saying knowing and understanding the basics and how to pump those "basics" up for a night look are great skills to have and they come in handy in a lot of personal and professional settings.

I'd actually say I get booked most for lessons by women that realize they need to start looking more professional and pulled together for their career and workplace.  Often it's young women just entering the workforce that need to appear mature and polished or even women that are heading back into the workforce after taking some time off for their children.  Whatever the case may be a lot of women are seeing the importance makeup plays in presenting a polished and professional person.

So for anyone looking for a last minute gift idea that is guaranteed to be unique and memorable I'd definitely say a private makeup lesson could be a great idea or suggestion!

Christmas Time With Lush Cosmetics!

 Christmas came early for me this year!  After my excellent experience w/ Lush Cosmetics Halloween line I of course jumped at the chance to try and sample some of their products from their current Holiday collection.

If you're struggling w/ a gift for an friend, family member or someone in the office some of these little treats would make an excellent addition.  As I mentioned before Lush Cosmetics are handmade and fresh w/ little to no preservatives or packaging.  All products are vegetarian friendly and many are vegan friendly.  The only thing some people aren't a fan of (and I mentioned this before) is the fragrances.  The products do tend to have a lot of natural fragrance so if that's not something you're cool w/ you might want to pass on these things.

Now on to the treats!

Sandy Santa - This is a shower body exfoliant in the shape of Santa.  Good for buffing away that dry Winter skin for your feet, legs and elbows.  I'd probably avoid the face w/ this one as I think it would be a little too coarse or rough for that.  This year they've also added coconut oils and shea butters to soften the skin while exfoliating.  It's a good product but beware that Santa's red cap does bleed once wet so can be a little messy and your shower might need a bit of a rinse...I think my boyfriend referred to this product as "bloody Santa" or "bleeding head Santa" lol.

Buche De Noel - Another exfoliant/cleanser but this one is for the face.  It usesground almonds to gently exfoliate the face and almond oil and seawood to hydrate and nourish it.  I like this product and I do find a little goes a long way....which is great b/c my one complaint about some Lush products is that they get used up very quickly considering the price.  I personally wouldn't use this as my everyday face shower cleanser maybe more like 1 or 2 times a week.  Because of the ground almonds...even though they are ground finely I think it could be a bit much for the skin to use it everyday...plus I sometimes worry about the the micro tears almond exfoliants can create on the skin b/c of the rough edges (even when finely ground).  I do really enjoy the smell of this product though and I do not find it drying to the skin.

Snowcake - This bar soap has been a hit w/ my boyfriend...so much so I'd say I actually only used it a couple of times lol.  He even said he'd consider buying other soaps from Lush as sort of "special soaps" to sometimes use instead of his regular day to day "man soaps".  I really liked the almond icing and marzapan fragrance and I did overall find the soap very moisturizing...although I'll be totally honest and admit I'm more of a shower gel girl anyway ;)

Rose Jam - Speaking of shower gel this leads me to my next product and actually probably my FAV out of the bunch.  I LOVED the way this shower gel smelled!  And I'll be honest I'm not usually a big "rose" fragrance fan but I really like this!  Plus unlike a lot of other shower gels the fragrance stayed w/ me after the shower.  I remember one time in particular thinking what is that lovely smell...then I realized it was me lol!

Bombardino - These are one of those cute and fun stocking stuffer type gifts!  It's definitely a little treat for your skin and a bit of an indulgence b/c they aren't really long lasting but that's what makes them perfect to give as gifts.  I personally love gifts that I'd never actually buy for myself but would still like to try and this little bath bomb is perfect for that!

Santa's Lip Scrub - This lip scrub feels and tastes so yummy on my lips.  It's very moisturizing and the sugar exfoliates while the coconut oil moisturizes.  Sure you could make this scrub (minus the flavour and colour) at home but this is a nice little treat that's easy to keep in your purse or again throw in a stocking or gift bag for a friend!  It has a cherry cola fragrance and taste and it's edible so you just lick it off your lips after you exfoliate...it tastes so good I also lick it off my finger after I apply it too lol!

Santa Baby - This is a perfect companion gift for the Santa's Lip Scrub.  Made w/ shea and cocoa butters to moisturize lips during the cold, harsh Winter mths.  This lip tint/moisturizer does give some intense colour pay off so if you're not looking for some rosy lips I'd try something a little more neutral like the Eggnog Lip Balm. Another neat trick - you can use this lip tint to give your cheeks a nice rosy flush...I love when products have duel purposes!

The Christmas Penguin - Last but definitely not least!  How did Lush know my fav animal is the penguin ;) This little guy is another bubble bath bomb and every penguin is unique as they are each made from hand.  I thought this one was just too cute!

This is just a sample of the items available in the Holiday Collection by Lush this year so there's definitely something for everyone and definitely worth checking out online or in-store!

Cetaphil DERMACONTROL System Review

A few wks back I was sent some products from the Cetaphil DERMACONTROL line.  As someone who naturally has oily and acne prone skin this line seems like the perfect fit for my skin!

I've actually been a Cetaphil user off and on for many years.  I first got introduced to the brand through a dermatologist when I was in high school and suffering from severe acne.  The line has remained a popular staple for a lot of dermatologists, makeup artists and just regular people b/c it's non irritating, fragrance free and great for those w/ super sensitive skin...plus it's super affordable and readily available at most drug stores!

So I received the 2 part DERMACONTROL system - Cleanser & Moisturizer

Cetaphil DERMACONTROL Oil Control Foam Wash 

• Zinc complex absorbs excess oil while providing a soothing, hydrating cleanse
• Non-drying, soap-free foam wash
• Reduces shine and oiliness

Overall it's a good cleanser - it does what it says which is always a good thing.  Does a good job at taking off makeup, although I would still follow up w/ an alcohol-free toner after cleansing to really clean the skin.  I like the foam washes b/c they really seem to last a long time and I tend to waste less.  One or two pumps is all you need to wash your face.  It doesn't irritate or sting the skin and I didn't feel it dried out my skin at all or made it feel tight and stiff like some cleansers which strip the skin too much.  

Cetaphil DERMACONTROL Oil Control Moisturizer w/ SPF 30

• The 3-in-1 formulation: hydrates, protects and controls shine
• Ceramide infused formulation replenishes the skin's moisture barrier
• Oleosome technology achieves SPF 30 with fewer sunscreen agents, minimizing irritation potential
• Lightweight, oil-free, soft matte finish

Again another solid product.  I'm always happy w/ my moisturizer includes SPF b/c it's just one less product I have to add to my skin and it's important to remember to wear SPF all year round...even in the dreary Winter months!  I only use oil free moisturizers and again this moisturizer is very gentle and non-irritating.  It left my skin feeling moisturized but not greasy or oily and it absorbed well into the skin.

So overall these are two solid cleanse and moisturizing options esp. for those w/ sensitive and oily/acne-prone skin and they are very affordable.  

The only thing I will remind people is that these do not have any medicated ingredients to help control or fix any acne issues.  I wouldn't say my skin is any "better" or less acne prone b/c I'm using them but I will say it didn't make my skin worse or irritated in any way.  If you have acne you will still need to speak to a dermatologist for the best course of action for your skin or try various over the counter creams or gels.