Last Minute Halloween Costume Makeup- Barfing Rainbows Tutorial

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HallowCleanFaceOff #CollectiveBias

Momma Told Me: Everything's coming up rainbows.

It's not secret I love color.

I also love to turn heads and last year's Pop Art Makeup tutorial did plenty of that both on and offline. Unfortunately, this year, I've been scrambling to keep up with the rapidly approaching holidays. I have so many awesome recipes and PIN-worthy content in the works, on top of my weekly commitment with the day care, that I haven't had time to plan my own Halloween look. Sound like you? Don't fret, I've got us both covered with a simple, tongue in cheek, Halloween makeup idea inspired by one of this year's most annoying colorful trends, the barfing rainbow.

If you've somehow managed to sail through the majority of 2015 without the knowledge of this pop culture term, then I apologize for ruining the streak. The 'barfing rainbow,' is actually a photo enhancing filter built into a recent update on a major real-time photo chatting application (I shall leave unnamed.) Now, there have been some gorgeous renditions of this look; but we are focused on the convenience and simplicity of painting a free flowing rainbow falling from one's mouth. It's a costume you can throw together in minutes wearing your everyday clothes and with a little bit of exaggeration.

No matter how simple your Halloween costume makeup look is, you'll always want to start with a good foundation. I use Neutrogena® 's Healthy Skin Primer to help even my skin tone and act as a protective SPF barrier for all day looks. It absorbs quickly on the skin's surface and leaves a fresh, light, complexion that is best suited for this 'natural' full face base application. Feel free to add an additional layer of concealer, if desired, leaving the chin area barren. Or, simply complete a full face application, and remove the makeup from your chin with a Neutrogena® Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelette.

Next take a very bright pink blush and daub two generous heaps of product across each cheek, using a wide brush to work the color in. Make sure to drag the color high up your cheekbones and feel free to go overboard for an even more dramatic and 'cartoon' effect. For the main makeup you will want at least primary tubes of water based Yellow, Red, and Blue paint, as well as a white tube to help blend and softer colors to your desired palette. There are many versions of 'barfing rainbow, but all of them have at least Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green, and Purple in them. The one I've chosen to replicate has an additional 'teal' band.

Using a flat brush about 1/2" wide, apply your yellow layer first, drawing a line down your bottom lip, and across your chin and next to your collarbone. You can actually take the lines further for a more dramatic 'every angle' effect, and even only a shirt collar for additional dramatic impact. Working around your yellow layer (which should be close to the center of your mouth/chin, repeat the process with each of the other colors- top lip down to collar.

If the paint begins to clump in a particular place simply wipe off your brush and gently daub the extra paint. Neutrogena® Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes work great for cleaning costume makeup off brushes, and even removing 'mistakes' during the painting process. Don't over-stress the consistency of the lines, this is intended to be a 'barfing' rainbow, after all, and should be 'free flowing' in movement.

Many of the photos floating around from this app feature exaggerated features, such as 'doll eyes' and 'fake lipstick,' or 'sparkles' on the rainbow, itself. If you'd like to have a little extra fun go ahead and apply some false lashes and brightening white shimmer/shadow to your upper and lower eyelids. I also decided to paint my upper lip a nice hot pink to contrast the flowing rainbow- just be sure to wipe any 'color' that may have daubed off onto your upper lip before putting the lipstick on. Those wipes sure do come in handy, don't they?

While you may be in a hurry to get to that party and show off your fiercely witty Halloween makeup, you're going to want to make sure you've stocked up on Neutrogena® Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes from Walmart. Not every ghoul and goblin will have been as smart as you with the quick makeup and affordable costume. Full face applications for vampires and such can be a real beast to get off at the end of the night. Be a good friend and pass a tub of Neutrogena® Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes. You can even tell them they're clinically proven to remove 99.3% of your most stubborn makeup, even waterproof mascara. I, personally, don't leave home without them.

Of course, then you're dealing with particularly stubborn, or cheap costume, makeup removing and 'undoing' makeup are two different things. Some paints can stain especially fair complexions, such as mine, so this year I'm fighting back with the power of Neutrogena® Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes and Neutrogena® Ultra Light Cleansing Oil. Once I've wiped my face down I simply apply 3-4 pumps of Ulta-Light Cleansing Oil to my dry hands, and smooth it all over my face. Next, I massage it into especially tough areas where color has set in, and activate it with a splash of water. Just a quick rinse, and I'm back to my non-rainbow-barfing self!

As fun as it is to barf rainbows, I can't be seen as my 'alter ego' all the time- having efficient makeup removal with even a single Neutrogena® Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelette is  true time saver. Just look at all that makeup I got off with one towelette! Best of all, there's 24 more in the package for me to use on non rainbow barfing days! How do you remove costume or stubborn makeup?

What Daughter Says: I may go by the 'living rainbow' but I don't always want to look like my skin is trying to become one. Efficient makeup removal is a must for the upcoming holiday!

D.I.Y Car Elfing Kit + Trapped Elf Vent Air Freshener Holiday Car Hacks

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FallForPennzoil #CollectiveBias

Momma Told Me: I could certainly use an elf or two around here!

When my car was totaled (before you panic no one was harmed but my beautiful purple P.T.'s undercarriage) on St.Patrick's Day I was devastated. Vehicles are just things, and things can be replaced, but my car is my rolling sanctuary. It's my place where all is zen, and I'm completely in control of the music, the sights, the smells. And I take immaculate care of my car- whenever I can fit in the time. So, when I ended up getting a replacement vehicle with 60k less miles it was not only the 'newest' car I'd ever owned, it was a bit stressful to know how to properly care for and maintain it. For example, in the past, I'd always walked in and asked for the standard high mile Pennzoil® oil change, but now I had a younger engine, a Turbo engine, and it was ticking it's way towards past due on those regular maintenance services when I took possession of it.

I'd intended to drive it straight from signing the papers to my local Walmart, but somehow life got in the way and 1 round trip road trip to Oregon to visit Momma, and I found myself past due! And every day that ticks closer to the holidays I wind up with more and more on my plate and less time to juggle everything on my honey do list. Thankfully I'm at my local Walmart at least once, if not twice, a week. It's my one-stop-shop to knock multiple things off my seasonal checklist. From prescription refills to a new Winter jacket or just some party snacks for the big game, I can achieve a lot all at once.

So you won't be surprised to hear I brought my new wheels into my local Walmart Automotive department and they had a good chuckle at the fact this is now the 6th car I've brought to them for regular service. (Just try and guess how many emergency tires I purchased there in the past year.) It started a few years ago when I was trying to drop my car off at a local lube and oil chain but simply didn't have time to sit around and wait for more than an hour. After my first Walmart oil change I was hooked by not just the convenience of being able to shop while I waited, but also the ability to follow my car's progress while shopping, and the amazing prices on quality Pennzoil® Platinum Full Synthetic Motor Oil change packages. And now even more states can enjoy the convenience of Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic thanks to Walmart locations in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee expanding to offer these services!

And it was during a recent shopping trip, and Walmart automotive service, visit that I was inspired by this sentiment, and the theme of the season. You see, I give back a lot when I'm in my car. It may seem strange but I stop at intersections, or near fast food joints all the time and buy meals, or give money, to outstretched hands in our community. I'm also that person who regularly pays for the order behind me in a drive-thru.

 I believe in paying things forward and spreading unexpected cheer, and few times are as stressful as the holidays, no matter how much cheer they bring. So I picked up a cute greeting card, a tire pressure gauge, some craft supplies, and a Walmart gift card with $44.88 on it. Yes, $44.88, the precise amount to help another shopper check of their upcoming oil change while getting some holiday shopping done thanks the the rollback ($49.88 to $44.88) on Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic oil changes now through December 27, 2016.

My favorite DIY projects are also ones I can share, so I knew my Flattened Elf Vent Air Freshener was going to be the perfect handmade touch to complete my little car 'Elfing' kit. All you need to get started is:

Pair of Scissors

Hot Glue Gun (Mini is fine)

Small Clothespins

1 Sheet Red, Green And 2 Sheets White Felt

Peppermint (Or Your Fragrance of Choice) Essential Oil

Small Bells

Pencil (NOTE: I used a marker and the oil made residual ink bleed over time)

Optional Markers or Fabric Paint To Decorate

Start by pulling up a few reference photos of elf legs to decide on the style you want to go with. You don't have to be a world class artist- feel free to take some creative liberties when drawing your leg and feet outline on one of your white felt sheets. TIP 1: For your white 'base' felt go with the stiffer felt sheet over the soft fabric style felt. This will help give your finishes product more stability when you glue your bells on at the end. TIP 2: Place your clothespin on your fabric when planning the length of your elf legs. Ideally your clothes pin will run along the length of the leg, and not exceed the leg in width.

Cut your legs out carefully and use the stiff white leg cutout as a template to trace your feet onto your green felt, and your pants onto your secondary (softer) white felt sheet. Once your white pants are cutout trace the pants onto the red felt and cut a second pair of identical pants. TIP 3: This project will make 2 Flattened Elf Vent Air Fresheners- Just cut a second 'base' pant/leg template from your stiff white felt, and a second pair of green shoes, and you will have everything you need to assemble 2- no need to cut out extra white or red pants.

Next use your hot glue gun to attach your green shoes to the bottom of your elf legs base. Place your red pants over your white pants, lined up identical. Carefully cut slightly angled strips across your (layered) pants. This will create two sets of interlocking stripes in each color, with which you will use to make your elves' stockings.

The next part can get a little tricky, so be careful to arrange your strips in ascending order from largest to smallest (sort of to create the illusion of striped long johns). One at a time place your strips from smallest to largest, skipping a size between each color, alternating red and white. Don't get frustrated if you start to get straggler glue strings, they'll clean up easily when you're done.

Once all of your felt pieces are glued on you will have an extra set of alternating red and white stripes perfect to make a second elf, if desired. Flip your pants over and glue a clothespin on each leg, paying attention to angle them just right to allow room for both to clip without hitting each other. Flip your pants over and glue your bells onto the tips of your elf shoes. Lastly, add a few drops of Peppermint Essential Oil to the legs. Only 2-3 drops are more than enough to keep your car smelling great for weeks! If you really want to go the extra mile when gifting you can give your recipient a bottle of essential oil to refresh their elf legs all season long!

Now that my car was smelling great, and running great thanks to it's recent Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic Motor Oil change, it was time to spread a little holiday cheer and share some of the joy of a happy car during the holidays. I wrote a little note in my greeting card explaining a little about who I was and why I wanted to do something nice for a stranger, tucked my Walmart gift card inside, and tied it up with the tire gauge and handmade air freshener.

I'm not going to lie, I get butterflies everything I 'stop and drop' something like a 'boo kit' or 'elfing kit'- I always worry I'll get caught in the act and some stranger will come rushing out of a store or their house with the wrong impression. So I tried to keep my photos brief here, haha! Really all I did was pull up to a random parking spot and tuck my Elfing Kit into the windshield wiper on the vehicle next to me. It was that easy. And just think how awesome it will be for someone to discover this on their windshield instead of one of those classic business card or advertisement spam flyers! P.S. How adorbs does the elf air freshener look sticking out of my air vent???

Of course there is no season for giving- it's important (to me) to give back all year round- it's my way of helping to make the universe a little brighter. But there is a season of dinner parties, frantic gift list shopping, family photos, and road trips- and it's easy to let your regular car care slide in the middle of it. Naturally its' also one of the most dangerous seasons to ignore regular vehicle maintenance, so make sure you bring your car by the Walmart Automotive Care department during your next shopping trip. Remember, for a limited time you can take advantage of that great Pennzoil® Platinum Full Synthetic Oil change rollback of $44.88 through December 27th, 2016! So, go ahead and dish- what have you been overlooking when it comes to your car care as the holidays sneak closer?

What Daughter Says: Be someone's elf this season and surprise a stranger with a little extra cheer- then let Walmart be your elf and save you time while you shop.

5 Me Time Moments In 5 Minutes- FREE Adult Coloring Printable

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #OREOThinSide #CollectiveBias

Momma Told Me: All work and no play....

This year's been a pretty crazy one for me. In between the multiple trips to visit, or provide care for, family, I've also taken on an unexpected move. And by unexpected I mean I was literally notified the house we'd been hoping to land came available overnight and was ready to move within days, where we'd previously spoken about timelines closer to mid 2017. All this on top of juggling the hustle and bustle of imminent holidays. Let's just say I don't know if we'll be enjoying our turkey dinner on chair cushions on the floor at our old condo, or a dining table surrounded by moving boxes at the house. Yes, my days lately aren't short of things to do and ways to consume time.

Move or no move, we all feel the stress of the season during this time of the year, which provides just added stress and struggle on top of everyday challenges like juggling a family and a job, writing a meal plan with dietary restrictions, or taking on a leadership position at ones' volunteer gig. So I've taken a few minutes to zen out (because blogging is one of my ways to unwind) and share with you my favorite 5 Minute Me Time Moment break ideas.

1. Add a little atmosphere- The first thing I do when I start to feel a little overwhelmed is close my eyes and take a deep breath. I let all of the senses I might not have been focusing on right then take over. Since this usually involves scent and sound, I'll typically light a candle or incense, and even turn on a familiar melody. By engaging parts of your brain currently dormant, you can help switch off the parts which are being overwhelmed and provide some valuable moments to recharge. It's the simplest form of meditation and it only requires shifting your senses from one focus to another. Of course, aromatherapy may also provide key benefits to recharge if you choose your scents meticulously.

2. Engage in a little furriendly therapy- My favorite way to recharge at home is free, always available, and provides an immediate lift whether I have 2 minutes or 20. The same furry faces that greet you with excitement when you first get home after a long day will be just as enthusiastic for your affection when you pause to take time out to acknowledge them during your daily tasks. Whether it's a 5 minute walk around the block with the dog, some affectionate cat scratches with the cat, or a full blown fetch session in the backyard, pets provide an instant endorphin lift.

3. Just drop everything- It may sound like the beckoning of an apocalyptic doom, but (in most cases) you really can just drop it all for 5 minutes and the world won't burst into flames around you. A lot of the time we self impose stress upon ourselves by setting unreasonable goals, or simply feeding a drive to accomplish something. Your achievement will be just as worthwhile should it take you 5 more minutes to complete, and you're actually likely to be more productive after a quick break than if you'd just powered through. Of course, if you're like me, you'll be tempted to tinker and spend your 'me time' doing other things that may feel productive, but aren't quite considered a break. Make sure you remove yourself from these temptations by heading to a quiet room, or even outside for your break.

4. Reward Yourself- If you find it hard to just sit still and unwind grabbing a snack or treat can help fill your break time with positive vibes and delicious reflections. I recently discovered NEW Lemon OREO Thins at my local Ralphs and my 5 minute breaks because a lot more delicious. For those who still haven't experienced these thinner, crispier, OREO cookies, with the perfect cream to cookie ratio- you simply must pick up a package. There are now 5 varieties to choose from, Original, Golden, Mint, and NEW Chocolate and NEW Lemon filled OREO Thins. Just a few of these crispy sandwich cookies put an instant smile on my face.

5. Let your creative juices flow- It may seem contradictory to throw so much of yourself into something while seeking respite from a strenuous task but, again, engaging a different side of your brain can instantly help refresh and recharge. Naturally what one person finds creatively freeing might be different for another, but many agree that the trend of modern adult coloring is universally appealing. Whether you enjoy being meticulous in planning your color placement and the zen of coloring inside the lines, or you thrive on the anarchy of wild color combinations and the prospect of a purple kitten, taking just 5 minutes to sit down and focus your creative energies can truly recharge in the most hectic of times.

So there you have it, my favorite 5 Minute Me Time Moment ideas. You may be tempted to do some of them at the same time (I know the allure of a golden OREO cookie with a perfect crisp crunch gets me every time) but you really should try to practice these ideas on their own. After all, it's only 5 minutes- when you start to add multiple breaks in you really only end up overwhelming your time, and it hardly becomes a break at all. That is, unless you commit to a 20 or 30 minute break- and I'm all for that. Too bad the real world doesn't pencil more of those in, right?

If you're inspired by my suggestions, and want to see what some other really awesome people have to say about how to unwind this holiday season (or any time, really) then you simply must check out this Social Hub for some 'Thinspiration'- and make sure to pick up some OREO Thins at your local Ralphs too. They're the perfect pairing for our FREE Printable Adult Coloring Page above, too! Now, tell me, what's your favorite way to unwind and take a few minutes of me time when the world gets crazy around you?


What Daughter Says: You're only at your best until you're not- taking 5 minutes out to recharge doesn't make you less efficient, it makes you more effective.