+ mascara review +

Okay, ladies. This is going to be the shortest beauty product review you've ever read, because I really only have one thing to say: MAC Opulash is the best. You can stop reading now.

But really, for years I've been on the hunt for the best mascara, because it's the only cosmetic product I use regularly. Every time I've found a "good" one as in "oh this is way better than that awful YouCanHaveLashesAsVolumizedAsVacuumCleanerBrushes XXXXXL!! I tried last year" mascara, they discontinue it, or change the packaging so that it might as well be discontinued because I can't find it. This year I finally gave in and have been trying out the way-too-expensive mascaras because the thought popped into my head that maybe, maybe mascara is worth spending money on in the same way that you can't half-ass your face moisturizer or your go-to black heels.

First, I tried Bad Gal's Blue mascara. I was originally headed there to pick it up in Black, but the crazy woman at the counter convinced me that with my blue eyes, the blue mascara would be absolutely stunning. I pointed out that she also had blue eyes, but was wearing black, and she entirely ignored the question and cheerfully started talking about how fantastic my lashes already were. So, for a few weeks I wore "stripper lashes" as my brother sweetly referenced them. By stripper lashes I mean that yes, in the light, my lashes looked bright blue - even though little blonde lady told me it would appear black. Always.

Pros: Awesome application brush. Great to have as a secondary mascara color for nights you go out & are wearing colorful eyeliner/shadow. Cons: Have to apply 2-3 coats to have it sufficiently "volumized!!!" Makes people question your morals and your career. If you would like to purchase it, here are the specs:


Benefit Bad Gal Blue $19

After the first month, I went back and exchanged it for the black. Short story here. I liked it a lot, but still was choking a bit over paying $20 for mascara that really didn't last me that long.


Benefit Bad Gal Black $19

Three days ago, I ran out of my Bad Gal and decided to check MAC's mascara even though I've been told by half the world that Bad Gal is the best on the planet. The awesome asian girl that always helps me at MAC told the cashier, "Lauren will be buying Opulash in black, please." So, that is what I bought. And it was $14, which is better than $19. And that purchase brings us to this post.

MAC's mascara is so much better than Bad Gal that I will most likely be wearing it until I have my third child and let myself go altogether, at which point I will go back to purchasing Bad Gal just for the name.

Go buy it.


Mac OPULASH $14

Question for anyone actually reading this: Have you tried any of these three? Thoughts? Any others you recommend me try?

 

+ thought > process +

your world is
more
beautiful than mine
and
i don’t
know
why
but
i know that i know
what
i want
and
i know that i don’t know
how to get there
and
i know that
once
i get
there
i may not
want what
i don’t know
how to get.

+ influence. +

who : : is : : under : : your : : influence

- - -

think about it. and tell me.

+ photos from washington state, & thoughts on grief +

This has been a week for wrestling with new things, and very old things. The old grief, the new self-doubt, and new eyes. Grief is a strange thing. There is no feeling like it. It is debilitating and consistent only in it's inconsistency in appearing. It scares me that visually, grief sits at the base of my heart and joy is at the top. It permeates a level that joy has not yet touched. I realized I've sought healing in addition to grief, instead of in it's place. More on grief here.

Oh the mysteries of the heart.

P.S. I miss the Pacific Northwest and it's rawness. The "closer to God" effect. I found the photos above from Deception Pass, Washington when organizing my library and am excited to go back again this year.

+ an artist going blind, and a challenge. +

Yesterday we dropped a Love Bomb on Laura. She is an art journalism student and an oil painter, and she is slowly going blind. I am still choked up about this. Maybe it's that she's dealing with my greatest fear, maybe that she's an art student like me, maybe it's simply that she's an absolutely gorgeous young woman losing her ability to see beautiful things. Maybe I'm still stumbling over her gracious humility in having to take the bus, and shower with her eyes closed.

Regardless, reading Laura's blog yesterday reminded me how temporary this world is, and called me out on the unworthy weight I give to what I see.

Laura, this is a thank you for being faithful. You get it. You understand the world, your Maker, your purpose. It takes most of us a lifetime to come to this place, and I would argue that you see things more clearly than we do.

- - -

To the rest of you, the world needs you. I have a challenge. Who are you leading? Who is behind you? Who has acted out this week because you challenged them? There are hundreds of thousands more people like Laura that are in desperate need of encouragement and the strength of a community behind them.

Can you say you're doing your part?

Today, I ask you to find a project to expand. Be responsible for growing an established movement. Love Bomb is one of these movements, and there are others. Operation Beautiful is one that we will be partnering with for next week's Love Bomb Mission. There are plenty.

If you want to help grow Love Bomb, comment or shoot me an email (laurennicolelove@gmail.com). There are easy, easy ways to go one step further and drastically expand the reach of our Love Bombs within minutes. I am more than happy to give you the suggestions and tools.

Please, don't be passive. When something tugs at your heartstrings, re-blog it. Re-tweet it. Share the fan page on Facebook with your friends. Forward an email. Tell someone. 2010 has made it easy for you.

I love you all - thank you again, Love Bomb team, for all that you've done.

+ where else are you on the web? +

[photos by my brother. the rest are here.]

Question: Where else are all you people? Tumblr? Twitter? 20SB? LookBook? Leave me a comment with any social networking sites you're comfortable with sharing so we can be friends evveerrywheeerre. xoxo

Mine: @laurenlankford | tumblr | carbonmade | 20sb | flickr | etc...

- - -

P.S. Don't forget to follow @dropalovebomb.

+ saying things that need to be said +

This post is for my brother, Kevin. I've been spending so much time lately reminding the whole world to love more, and I don't want to miss out on the love I personally need to get out in the open. :)

There are very few people that you can be 100% yourself around, swinging wildly back and forth from sobbing with laughter from years old inside jokes to somber life confessions, and then right back to more laughter triggered by something communicated just by your eyes. Kevin is one of these people for me, and I love him dearly.

Kevin: There is nothing I treasure more than you. Your friendship and brotherhood and heart are three things absolutely invaluable to me. You can consider yourself one of my closest friends, and nothing makes me more excited than to anticipate having this with you for the rest of our lives. I have more fun with you than with any other guy I know. I love how outrageously excited you are to see me every single time; there are few feelings better than knowing your presence is truly wanted. I am so proud of you for your diligence, your faith, your excitement, your sense of humor, your desire to be the best that you can, your generosity that puts everyone to shame, and your love for others. I have prayed one thing for you, consistently, and that is that you would seek Love over all else. Seeing that prayer be answered brings me so much happiness.

Watching the way you have treated past girlfriends constantly challenges and reminds me to never settle; I have yet to meet someone that treats his girl as well as you do. I notice every single time you sacrifice something for me, hold a door open for me, protect me from something, or go out of your way to make me laugh. The wisdom that comes out of your mouth when you seek God never fails to surprise me and bless me. I have witnessed the love of Jesus in you, and I wish there were words to explain how thankful I am for how you have loved me. You have kept my head above water many, many times. I have also witnessed an supernatural humility in you as you have sought to apologize and reconcile relationships with your friends; you will never know how much I respect you for this.

You have had life harder than most for an 18 year old, and yet you are still one of the happiest people I know. I hate watching the downswings, when you feel like giving up, and feel as though you cannot see any reward for your hard work. I can see it. It is one of the most painful things to watch for me, and I would give anything for your daily life to be easier for you. Please know that I help you as much as I can. You are resilient. Remember that. Never forget that your worth comes from who you are, and not just what you do. I have watched you grow stronger and wiser and more balanced over the last several months, and I am so proud of you for this. I respect you for your overwhelming desire and effort to be a good man. You have an incredible heart, and I consider you as one of my greatest gifts - life without you is something I can't imagine.

Love love love!

- Big Sis

+ join the love bomb team. NOW. +

Alright, everyone. The time has come.

For the last several months I have been (somewhat) holding my tongue about a new project I am very, very excited to be a part of. And I want ALL of you guys to participate.

I have been working with Nate at ItStartsWith.Us on the Love Bomb project, and this week is the big release. The concept is simple. We change the lives of those desperately needing hope, love, care, & encouragement - together, once a week, for five minutes.

We are all busy, I know this. But the next time someone asks you what you're doing with your life, I bet your answer isn't "cleaning up," "going grocery shopping" or "sitting at a desk." I know that all of you want something More.

A homeless man asked me a couple days ago what my life objective was, and without hesitation I replied, "to love people." It's taken me a long time to get here. To the place where that is my default answer, where it comes naturally. Yes I want to get married, yes I want to live where I want to live, there are activities and careers that I dream about. But what do I want to do with my life? Love people.

And it's a genuine fight to fit what you're doing with your life into your daily routine.

This is why I'm pouring a good chunk of every day into Love Bomb, and why I am the new Team Leader for the project. I want to help you fit what you truly care about into your daily or weekly routine. So please, put your name and email into the little box below, and every week when you get the email linking you to someone who desperately needs to be reminded that that love is real, take 5 minutes to do something about it. I want to see all of you grow into the place where you are content to simply respond, "I want to love people" when you are asked what you're doing with your life.

Come on guys, you are bloggers. This is what we do. We comment to show our love.

website | @dropalovebomb

Follow us on Tumblr, on Twitter, and subscribe below to the once-a-week mission emails.

And welcome to the Love Bomb Team. :)

- lauren xoxo
@laurenlankford

+ simple update +

i've been gaining clarity lately.

i've felt like i'm running my life through a sieve. it's a good thing.

the blogging has been suffering; my hands have been redirected to what i can feel and touch.

what i've been doing:

+ wearing significantly more white
+ loving american apparel's new nail polish
+ buying more michael kors wedges
+ having a passionate love affair with tumblr
+ working on lovebomb; excited for it's release
+ prepping for a photo exhibit
+ listening to the postal service
+ working on giving the 10% found between 90 and 100
+ reading a book that has revolutionized my life
+ wading through rivers and creeks
+ getting excited for daytona beach, and chicago.
+ getting my heart centered
+ wishing that madewell was in columbus
+ remembering who i am

+ i have won. +

I am protected; guarded; covered.
He is faithful to be mine.
Get your twisting hands away from me,
send your wolves away.
I am the light you are drawn to
and it is the light that will defeat you.
You dim my sight and you escalate my senses to fear.
You taunt me, taking even the simplest choices from me.
Towards you, or away from you?
To fight? Without knowing what this is?
Are you coming for me, or only for those I love?
But then I see;
I am the light, the light you were drawn to.
What saves me is what beckons death.
I am paralyzed by what I am;
what gives me away, what I cannot shake.
It takes your own shape,
yet you seek to circle and threaten to kill.
I have always run;
wearer of the laurels, victorious one.
Daughter that wins the race.
But this I cannot outrun,
this I cannot escape.
And so I am protected; guarded; covered.
I have a shield of faith,
my feet have been anchored;
shoes of peace.
Get your hands away from me,
send your wolves back into the trees;
like a coward you come in my sleep.
I am protected; guarded; covered;
I have won.