R+F - Why the regimen?

I've decided to do a few posts this month to provide product information for those that might be interested in Rodan + Fields. Sometimes people are wondering about the products but haven't had a chance to ask...well, here you go!

Ok, why the regimen? Rodan + Fields has four regimens - here's a quick rundown:

REDEFINE - This is the anti-aging line. Minimizes wrinkles, pores, and prevents them as well.

REVERSE - This one is for sun-damage and skin discoloration (freckles, spots, melasma). 
                  {Sorry, I don't have a pic of this one!}

UNBLEMISH - The regimen that fights acne and breakouts, specially formulated for adults (but teens can use it too).

SOOTHE - This line is for sensitive skin. It decreases irritation and redness.

The answer: The Doctors (Katie Rodan + Kathy Fields) are believers in multi-step therapy in order to produce the best results. Each part of the regimen does its own job and works with the others to bring about the best possible outcome for your skin. Check out these results!

Now when many people hear the word "regimen" or "multiple steps" they think, "No way, I can't do all that!" Or "Can't I use just one of the steps to see results?"

All of the regimens do contain either three or four parts and all contain sunscreen for morning-only application. 

I can honestly say that I had no problem transitioning to using a regimen. Before I started using Redefine, I was a wash-at-night girl and was even slacking at that. In the morning, I would just splash my face a bit in the shower but nothing else. Once I started using the products and feeling those instant results, I was addicted. I don't think I missed a morning or evening regimen in the first six months. Even now, I rarely skip. Seeing and feeling those results are what give me that push even when I'm tired and don't feel like washing my face. And, really, the whole process takes about four to five minutes max. I put on my mask - step 1 - before brushing my teeth and wash it off when I'm done brushing. Step 2 - toner and step 3 - moisturizer - take about 30 seconds total to apply. That's it!

If you're wondering which regimen would be right for you? Take this short {quiz}. Don't forget to enter your email address at the end so I can see your results as well! As always, if you have any questions, I'd love to get you some answers and great skin!

Visit my personal website to learn even more about the products: kristiemccormick.myrandf.com  

{My next post will include the awesome "extras" that Rodan + Fields offers in addition to the four regimens.  Stay tuned!}

Sparkle & shine - 4th birthday party

Today was the big party day at our house. Landen turned four on Wednesday and today we celebrated with family and some friends. Being 6.5 months pregnant while being mommy to a four and one and a half year-old have definitely minimized my party planning and decor, but I enjoy it just as much as that first birthday party. 

The theme this year - Sparkle & Shine - was inspired by Landen herself. She's into all things girly. Babies, bracelets, lip gloss, all things shiny. So I went with it. It also allowed me to incorporate PINK - a must - and reuse/repurpose some of our decor from last year's sweets party. 

I'll start with the decorations...instead of puff balls this year, I opted to make some tissue paper tassels. Just as easy as the puff balls, just a different look. And if you're going to make tons of them like I did, they just take a little time. I followed this tutorial on Pinterest.

The banners were just revamped from last year. I've actually used them for three parties now. I just replace the colored paper and save the brown card stock triangles. Using rubber cement to attach the paper usually works well, but the pink glitter paper I used on one of the banners got discolored from it...oops.

Another new decoration was some glittery garland. I spray painted and glittered some circular name tags and hot glued to some string for extra glittery decor in the window. 

I went pretty simple on the snacks this year. It was an ice cream & cake party, so white cheddar popcorn, birthday treat cookies from earlier in the week, and some mexicali dip did the trick. I used clear glass bowls and some apothecary jars to serve the food. The glitter "L" was a big hit with Landen because she got to help me make it. And, boy, was it glittery! She loaded it on for sure. Along with the snacks we served some pink lemonade. 

Party favors included homemade glitter playdoh and a cookie cutter. This was another project that Landen got to help with which made them even more special for her to share with her guests.

The birthday girl herself was feeling pretty festive, as she should, dressed in a personalized, frilly, sparkly ensemble. Shockingly, I could find very few (like zero) dresses with sparkle or any kind of sequins when I searched some of my favorite websites a few weeks ago. So we decided on this dress and paired it with some sparkly shoes, and I found a sequin "L" iron-on appliqué to add some more shine. 

Finally, the cake. Oh, the cake! My favorite bakeries were booked with weddings this weekend...and I may have waited a little too long to place my order, so I decided I would make it myself. Crazy. Never again. I am NOT a baker, and it is so stressful! I will say that the cake turned out fine, but I made SIX round cakes and one GIANT batch of buttercream frosting this week. Did I mention I hate baking? I may need to close my kitchen for a week to recover. So here it is...

It took one (sad looking) practice cake earlier in the week, a new frosting recipe and some help and moral support from my mom to get this thing put together. But I did it. Just this one time. Never again. Did I already say that? 

Of course Landen received several nice gifts from family and friends that I'm sure will keep her busy (and well accessorized) for quite awhile. She and Callen enjoyed the bubble maker from Uncle Dan once the party was over. 

Although it's hard to believe Landen is FOUR, it's also so much fun to watch her grow each an every day. Being her mommy has not been a breeze by any stretch of the imagination, but I wouldn't trade this attentive, particular, emotional, energetic little girl for anything. I'm sure this year of her life will be amazing.

Now excuse me while I go book a birthday cake for next year's party...

Back to the blog - Why Rodan + Fields?

I haven't blogged since Landen's third birthday...and tomorrow is her fourth! So it's been an entire year of an inactive blog. The culprit: (no, not my kids/crazy schedule) my computer! I HATED my last computer and have since upgraded to a beautiful MacBook. I'm in love. And to get right to the point of this post (because my kids will only stay occupied for so long), the reason WHY I was able to purchase my MacBook is my Rodan + Fields business! That's right, my R+F business helped me purchase my dream computer - one that I thought I would "eventually" save up for. 

So why did I choose R+F? Well, I didn't really go out looking for a side business in addition to my teaching job and mommy duties. R+F chose me. I had a couple of family members getting into the business last spring/summer and eventually I tried the products as well. After an initial trial, I ordered my Redefine regimen and the rest is history. I FELL. IN. LOVE. with my skin. Seriously. 

I felt instant results with this regimen. And, to be honest, I didn't even think there was anything wrong with my skin to begin with. So seeing and feeling results was surprising. I initially thought this was just a good aging preventer. My results: firmness, no more afternoon/evening greasy feeling, and a more even complexion. 

As some have probably noticed my R+F "naked" posts, I have also been able to go make-up free - something I NEVER thought possible. Now, I'm going to be honest. I am not TOTALLY comfortable going make-up free. My eyes need a little help - blonde eyebrows and short, light lashes are something that R+F cannot fix, so I often opt for my brow liner and mascara even on "make-up free" days. 

So I thought I'd share my normal make-up regimen with you:

There it is! Mascara, brow liner, and some cream eye color (because my eyelids are naturally a bit dark). This is what I wear on a daily basis. Hanging around the house, running errands, even visiting friends or going on outings with the kids. This is my everyday regimen.

Now, if I have a special event - like going out to dinner, a wedding, something a little more dressed up, here's what I use.

To my normal regimen, I add powder, a little cheek bronzer, some colored eye shadow and some Younique fiber mascara. No concealer, no foundation...and I love it!

Within one week of using Redefine, I KNEW I had to get into the R+F business. I mean - the results are REAL. They are clearly products I believe in, so I took the plunge and, along with making extra money, have enjoyed seeing the results from my customers and others all over the country who are loving their skin because of R+F!

If you'd like to check out the products for yourself, my personal website is:

kristiemccormick.myrandf.com

A Sweet Pink 3rd Birthday

It's definitely hard to believe that Landen's third birthday party has come and gone. It was that very first ladybug party that made me realize how much I *love* planning little birthday parties.

Although the inspiration for this party hit me a little later than I would have liked, I loved it all the same, and it turned out perfectly.

Landen is now at an age where she likes to voice her opinion, so her vote for the birthday party theme was "pink" (and Doc McStuffins...but I vetoed that one). I had been thinking about a "sweets" theme because she has a sweet tooth for sure, but she also loves to listen to the old song "Sugar, Sugar" on the way to daycare. So pink + sweets + sugar = our birthday party theme.

First up, the birthday "cupcake"! We just *had* to have a pink cupcake for the birthday cake. I didn't want any writing on the cupcake so I created the miniature banner for the topper. Cake by Baked to Perfection.

 

Pink chocolate covered popcorn, Smarties, and some purple M & M's were the party favors. I sprayed several mason jars with silver paint and used painter's tape to create striped designs on several of them. They were perfect for treats, silverware and flowers.

 

More pink chocolate covered popcorn to snack on at the party. Here's the recipe - I just turned my white chocolate chips pink with food coloring.

Some delicious dip for the adults to snack on.

 



 Pink lemonade and mason jars to sip from...plus some fun straws.

The birthday banner....please ignore the mini-blinds and no curtains...still waiting on kitchen window treatment inspiration...(if you have any ideas for me, pass them on).

My infamous puff balls...so cheap and easy to make and they add so much fun to the party décor.

Another decoration that has become tradition is several of my Instagrams of Landen throughout the year. I hung them from the mantle this year and framed it with some more puffs. My picture didn't turn out bright enough, so I'll have to try snagging another before I take them down.

 

Also, I created all of the pink/fuchsia carnation bouquets myself and ordered the flowers from Ivy Hutch. The idea came from a Today show segment while I was on maternity leave with Callen.  

How cool is this sidewalk chalk I found while killing time at Meijer one day?! Perfect for the sweets theme.

 

And my beautiful birthday girl. I love this shot of her. She's looking so grown up these days.

It was such a treat to create this birthday party for my special girl. If I could quit my job and plan children's birthday parties for a living, I would. Sadly, I don't think there's much of a market in rural Northwest Ohio for this, so back to teaching I go in September. I am quite excited because I already have a theme picked for Mr. Callen's first birthday party coming up in December. Hehe!

Well, hello, blog....

Here's what's been happening since my last post in March...

Two kids, nice weather, and busy schedules don't leave a lot of time for blogging! Maybe I'll get the hang of it soon.
Oh, and don't even ask me what was going on with Callen's outfit in the six month photo...It must have been quite the busy day, and I just said whatever.

A little project...

I've started a monthly project for myself. It involves taking photos of Callen and adding montly milestones to the photo using Photoshop. At the end of his first year I'll get these photos printed in a book as a keepsake. I saw this somewhere on Pinterest and, so far, have been able to keep up with the task. Over the past week I've been compiling the milestones...and I have to say it would be a lot easier to do them right away (DUH!). I hope to keep up with this as a visual baby book for him to look at later in life.

Here are his first three photos...

Callen is three months old!

My little guy is three months old today! I can't believe he's getting so big. I love seeing his little personality develop. Callen is such a smiley, happy baby it's difficult to do anything but smile when I look at him. Even in the midst of his first double-ear infection this week he was smiling. This was not the case last Sunday night though when he was inconsolable for several hours in the middle of the night. But he's doing much better now as the ear infection and cold/cough don't seem to be bothering him any more.

What's even more surprising than Callen turning three months old today is the fact that I was able to take his three month photos TODAY too. He was quite cooperative after being woken from his nap, stripped, changed and manipulated for various shots. Like I said...happy baby. So I thought I'd share a few images from our shoot.

Such a sweetie.

Checking out a book.

Big sister Landen joined for a few...seconds.

The favorite. This one captures his personality perfectly!

No, his hair is not red. I think it's just the lighting. He's actually keeping his dark hair for now, so we'll have to wait and see if that changes as he grows.