Tyme Iron Tutorial and Review

This is the first beauty tutorial I have done on the blog. I am so excited to make this a weekly thing! Disclaimer--I have not been compensated by the Tyme people. All opinions are my own completely!

So let's talk about the Tyme iron. It has been all over Facebook. It was haunting me daily. So I put it on my Christmas list last year, and I got it! It took me a good 3 practicing sessions before I had it down, but now it is the only hair product I ever use on myself. No more curling irons, and no more straightening irons. I just use the Tyme iron and I am set for both waves and straight! How cool is that?

If you are interested in getting a Tyme iron. You can purchase one here.

Here's the thing--we as humans to do not have a long attention span--so a product, no matter how great, that has a learning curve often gets shoved in the back of our cabinets in the bathroom and forgotten! That is why I wanted to do a video tutorial and post here about my experience with the Tyme iron. View my tutorial below if you already have the iron--or if you're just curious, or thinking about purchasing.

And now for my review!

1. Price
The Tyme iron is $189. That is a little bit pricey, but as someone who has bought Chi irons for years, it really is not that much more.  Many curling wand systems are in the same price point. I guess when you consider that the iron is supposed to take the position of both a straightening iron and a curling iron, then it would warrant that higher price. BUT I will admit that I used my Chi iron to curl my hair too, and the results were not much different.

2. Packaging and Quality
the Tyme iron comes in really sturdy and nice packaging. It arrived unharmed and in a timely manner. I have been using this iron consistently for over a year, and it still works just like it did the first day. It is well made.

3. Performance
The Tyme iron makes beautiful smooth curls and can straighten just as good as any other straightening iron I have ever used (and I have curly hair so I have used a lot). It has sucessfully replaced my other irons completely.

My one issue is that you cannot control the heat setting on the iron. It comes in one setting (F******* HOT). So if you are one who worries about heat damage--this might not be the iron for you.

4. Overall
Overall I love this iron. I use it weekly and I even use it on clients. While it does take time to learn how to use, I do think that it has superior performance.

Do you have a Tyme iron? If you don't, then maybe you will consider investing the next time you are in the market for a new tool.

Till Wednesday!
Caroline

Shopping Guide For Her

One of my most read posts each year is my Christmas List. Just yesterday, I overheard two teachers in the hall struggling with what to get their wives for Christmas. While, I didn't volunteer any ideas at the time, I am more than willing to share them with you. Ladies, if you see something you like here--don't shy away from posting the link to this post on your husband's Facebook wall. Being subtle has gotten us all less appealing gifts in the past. Afterall, your husband really wants to make you happy and doesn't really want to waste money on something that will go unused. TRUST ME!

1. Boots!
I love getting boots for Christmas because I wear the crap out of them all winter long, and am always in need of a new pair by the next year. A good pair of brown riding boots like these...they would never be a disappointment.

2. Alex and Ani Bangles
If you know me, then you know I love these bangles. They are a great way to give a personlized gift without having to go through Etsy. Which is good because husbands do tend to procrastinate! I have a bangle with a P for my daughter's name. I also have one with her birthstone. Now, each time we go to a new place I get a bangle for that destination as well as a souvenir. Last year I added a Las Vegas, and a Disney 2016 bangle to my arm. This is a great way to show that you care and put thought into the gift. I am eyeing this particular bangle which is the zodiac sign for my daughter. I also like this one and this one for my husband and myself.

3. Old Navy Rockstar Colored Jeans
I love these jeans because I can get away with wearing them to work. They are stretchy and comfortable and I love them so so much. I want them in each and every color! They are the cutest way to add a pop of color to your wardrobe.

4. Mia Fit Cleansing Gift Set
The newest trend in skincare is the facial cleansing brush. I have yet to dive into this because they are pretty pricey. For that reason I think that it would be an awesome gift. I traditionally would not spend this much on myself in any one sitting, but I would get a ton of use out of it if I were to have it in my bathroom.

5. Sigma Brush Set
I am a girly girl who loves makeup. One thing I have learned through becoming a makeup artist is that makeup brushes make a big difference. You need quality stuff. I love this Sigma eye set because it is not too pricey, yet it is packed with useful tools. Sigma has a 2 year guarantee on all of their brushes. They are some the best quality out there, and therefore a great gift for any fashionista.

When I am not JUST P's Mommy

Since I started this blog it has been pretty exclusively about my journey into motherhood with baby P. However, I do want to delve into my favorite hobby and part-time job—being a makeup artist.

I did not go to cosmetology school—and I am constantly looking to learn more, but I feel that I have made a good little niche for myself in the makeup world. I don’t have a booming business, but this is partly by design. I am happy with just a job or two a weekend so that I can focus mostly on my most important job—being P’s mommy.

I think that it is VITALLY important for a mom to have a creative outlet. Creativity keeps you in touch with your spirit. It keeps you sane when times are hard. It keeps you from becoming JUST someone’s mom. I have found with these weekly outings that I get time to just be Caroline. Not J’s wife and not P’s mommy. Just me. It’s refreshing and it keeps me happy.

I work a lot with one of my best friends in the whole world, Sarah of OWN Boudoir and Sarah Esther Photography. She has photographed me a million times. She did my engagement, wedding, and P’s newborn and 3 month photos. She is INSANELY talented and crazy fun to be around. She has given me a great opportunity to work with her boudoir clients on a weekly basis and I am so grateful that she has taken that chance on me. I hope that I make her proud.

The number one reason that I love working with Sarah is that we are able to make women feel beautiful. Each and every woman that walks into that studio has a story to tell. A lot of them are brides about to get married who want to give their groom an incredibly sexy gift on their wedding day. Some of these women are wives who want to spice up their love life. My favorites are the women that do this for themselves—they want to capture themselves at their very best. They want to feel beautiful inside and out. That is what we do for them. It makes me feel great about myself inside and out—and I hope it rubs off on them!

I’ve done a few weddings here and there and am dabbling into doing hairstyling (on a limited basis). I have a wedding coming up this month that I am super stoked about.

I operate mostly on word of mouth—it is crazy how the opportunities come in. I get calls and facebook messages from people who heard of me through a bride I worked with and it makes me smile. It  means that I have done a good job.

It is a great way to supplement my income while I am staying home with P. Although, that is not really why I do it. I do it to get away from it all for an afternoon and step into the fantasy of girly, pretty, and sexy things. I get to be that trendy well-manicured mommy that seems to have it all and a bag of chips—even if my life is SO not really that way.

My goal from here on out is to share more of this side of my life with each of you. AND maybe give you a few beauty tips and tricks here and there.

Happy Sunday everyone!