The Gift of Glam Tag!!

In the beginning, this was meant to be a video, but as we all know, cold and flu season has arrived, especially around here.  So, since I wasn't able to film this, I decided to get it out there as a blog post, because I feel SO strongly about this, and I urge each of you to do whatever you can with this, even if all you can afford to do is pass on the tag videos or share this blog.

It's truly something when you have time to sit back, step away from your own problems in life and realize that there are people who have it FAR worse than you.  People are in more pain, hungry, homeless, cold, sick, dying...and the list goes ON and ON.  It's pretty easy to get wrapped up in our own self-pity, and I'm not saying that we don't have the right to feel bad when things aren't going well for us, regardless of the reason, but trying to always realize that there are people who have it even harder than you do, might somehow help you to handle your own struggles with as much courage and grace as you can muster.

This tag was started by Rochelle and Jenn, aka +Glam Moms .  Many times during this time of year we DO think of giving to those in need.  We send food, clothing, monetary donations, etc. to either local charity organizations or national ones.  It wasn't until these awesome gals came out with this tag that I realized, while I too had donated other items, it had NEVER occurred to me to give the gift of being able to feel beautiful.  I haven't tried to hide, in any way, that I was an abused wife a very LONG time ago.  Luckily, I didn't end up in a battered women's shelter.  I had a family that wrapped me and my children in their love and protection.  So many women "out there" have nowhere and/or no one to turn to, so they have to seek out shelters for protection, both for themselves and the precious children who are caught in the middle of the violence.

Make sure to do as I did and call before donating.  Some shelters will accept only new, unopened items, while others will accept "lightly used," as our local one will.  I spoke to them and told them how to disinfect the shadows or any other type of powder product.  If you aren't sure how to do that, feel free to ask me.  I'm sure it's probably available online, if you google it, or it might even be on YouTube.

So, on with the show. ;)  This is what I've gotten prepared so far, and my daughter will be taking the items to town, the shelter is in a town  about 20 miles from here and so is shopping, and she will be picking up some Wet N Wild kits to add to this collection, as well as a few toiletries, as the shelter is low on things like that as well.  Oh, and I finally have a reason to be grateful for my forgetfulness too! I had visited Sephora's website twice, within two days of one another.  I always start out by checking my "LOVES" section.  Well, I had found that Stila had an eye shadow palette on sale for $10, and Anastasia Beverly Hills had 3 separate glosses on sale for the same price as the Stila palette.  Being me, and never wanting to miss out on a great deal, I actually ordered those items TWICE!!  At first I was annoyed, because I wanted to cancel my order, but those of you who have tried to cancel an order an hour or so after clicking the submit button will know, that the items "go to the warehouse for shipping" almost immediately.  Then, the next day, I saw Jenn's "Giving the Gift of Glam Tag!" So that ended up working out great!  I also had a huge tin, which was about half full of samples that I had been saving up, and 3 makeup bags. I also had the 144 color ELF shadow palette, which I had never used only swatched, that came as a gift for ordering more than a certain amount of products.  I'm not sure what that set price was, but now I'm really glad I had gotten it.

This is the ELF palette, along with some other shadows that have been only swatched.  On the left is a NYX Trio (TS27-Platinum pink/Salmon/Jazzy bronze.)  In the middle is a quad from Coastal Scents, but I'm not sure what the colors are, because the labels are not on the bottom of the little hotpots.  On the right is a Cover Girl Single shadow in 440 Shimmering Onyx.

Here, I've laid out the 3 makeup bags, along with the products going into each bag.

Makeup Bag 1:  In this bag, I have included the Cover Girl single shadow in 440 Shimmering Onyx, a sample of Smashbox Photo Finish primer, LORAC Tantalizer Body Bronzing Luminizer, Amorefacic Future Response Age Defense cream, NYX Trio palette, Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum foundation sample, Benefit Total moisture facial cream deluxe sample, Benefit It's Potent! Eye cream deluxe sample, Anastasia Beverly Hills Hydrafull gloss in Sangria, 2 perfume samples; Justin Bieber's Girlfriend and Juicy Couture-Couture La La, and Stila Double Duty Beauty/Convertible color dual (lip & cheek) cream.

Makeup Bag 2:  In this bag, I've included Boscia Green Tea blotting linens, Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream, Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil, Coastal Scents hotpot quad (white, bronze, royal blue and dark navy,) Glamglow Youthmud, Ojon color sustain pro shampoo, Anthony Instant Fix oil control, L'Oreal Magic Skin beautifier BB cream, L'Occitane milk concentrate body cream, Anastasia Beverly Hills Hydrafull Gloss in Sorbet, Ren Hydra-calm cleansing milk, Perfumes; Especially Escada and Dolce & Gabbana light blue, Tarte bronzer in Park Ave. Princess, and Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara.

Makeup Bag 3:  In this bag, I've included Givenchy Mister Light in Mister Macaroon, First Aid Beauty ultra repair cream, Smashbox Photo Finish foundation primer, Amorefacific Future Response Age Defense Cream, Boscia Oil-free Nightly Hydration, Philosophy Miracle Worker miraculous anti-aging retinoid eye repair, Cream Soda soothing cream drybar, Benefit the POREfessional primer, Stila Artful eye collector's edition Vol III, Anastasia Beverly Hills Hydrafull gloss in Bellini, Smashbox camera ready CC cream, Lancome Definicils mascara, and perfumes; Flora by Gucci and Down Town by Calvin Klein.

And...here it all is, bagged up and ready to go!  Please, even if you aren't able to buy anything, at least consider either doing a blog or a video to spread the word about this.  You never know who you might really touch by giving her the gift to feel pretty again.  Also, please try to never judge anyone or say that you would do things differently, because saying it and DOING it are 2 separate things.  I always said it would NEVER happen to me, and if it did, it would only be ONCE!...I was wrong.  I just thank God for helping my children and me out of that situation, and I believe I came out a MUCH stronger woman, not because of it, but despite it!  PLEASE, if you are suffering at the hands of an abuser, get out of that situation.  If I could do it, believe me, YOU CAN TOO!!