Coffee Talk: The Answers Part 2

Good morning, I'm back for another round of coffee talk: answering your questions and
letting you in on a few of my secrets...

3.   What are your fave hair products?  What beauty products do you 
use / what is your skin routine? ~ Maegan from Chesterrific

Seriously, how is your skin so glowy and dewy and amazing?? 
~ Lucy the Valliant

First of all, THANK YOU!!!!  What sweet words to tell a 32 year old woman who has
really started to see changes in her skin!  Now, in the spirit of honesty and true
feminine sisterhood, there's no way I can share my skin care and product secrets with
you without first letting you see my blank canvas.  I had Shawn snap these photos of
me in the early morning, au natural light: no editing, no make-up, just me:

Up All Night Mama under eye circles, fine lines around the eyes, a mild case of melasma,
sun spots (that I like to pretend are freckles) on my nose: the same "problems" most
women face.  But, with a good, consistent skin care routine and the right make-up:
easily camouflaged and treated!  

I owe my skin to A) my French/Native American genes, the women in my family all
have lovely skin and B) my grandmother.  On my 13th birthday, my grandmother bought
me my very own tub of Noxzema skin cleanser and Oil of Olay moisturizer.  She gave
me strict instructions to wash my face every morning and every night without fail, to stay
out of the sun as much as possible, to avoid cigarettes like the plague, and to never
leave home without a smile:)  Though I have not always been faithful to this wise,
Cajun mama's advice, her words have been ingrained in my beauty regimen for the
greater part of my adult life.  

I am a product junkie and have tried just about every line imaginable: until I found
Murad.  This is, in my humble opinion, the BEST line of skin care products on the
market.  They are gentle on your skin, reasonably priced, and super effective in
controlling and preventing fine lines and break outs.  I use Murad's Time Release 
Acne Cleanser, followed by the Clarifying Toner.  I then use an under eye cream
by Dermalogica called Total Eye Care that is amazing because it is tinted and helps
cover my dark circles.  Next comes Murad's Oil Control Matifying Moisturizer, with SPF
15 in it of course.  The last step is a foundation primer made by Merle Norman that I
simply can NOT live without.  It keeps my makeup fresh all day long and gives my skin
that dewy glow I love so much.  At night, I repeat using only the cleanser,
toner, and moisturizer.  

I have been using Merle Norman's Luxiva mineral make-up for several years and
am obsessed.  It's a two for one product: you are treating your skin with an amazing
anti-aging formula while also wearing quality, skin improving make-up.  Growing up, I
always thought Merle Norman was for my grandmother's age group, a line for older
ladies and not up to par with the modern woman.  I couldn't have been more wrong:
Merle Norman's makeup is gorgeous, provides as much or as little coverage as you need,
and absorbs oil while giving your skin a shimmery glow.  I wear the Luxiva mineral
powder foundation, mineral blush, mineral eye shadow, and eyeliner.  Have you ever
watched "What Not to Wear" on TLC?  My make-up routine is from Carmindy's 5 
minute face, all about a natural look and highlights.  Easy easy.

For hair, I use a shampoo and conditioner by Matrix called Sleek Look.  I never blow dry
or flat iron my hair and use a deep conditioner by Wen once a week.  I only comb my
hair when it is wet and fresh out of the shower using a wide tooth comb, I never brush
it.  While it is wet, I comb a small amount of Matrix sculpting gel from roots to tips, let it
air dry over night, and then use a texturizing cream to form my unruly waves and
prevent any frizz.  The No Heat Curl Method has become my best friend and helps
me to define my curls without causing my hair any stress or damage.

The most important thing any of us can do for our skin and hair is drink lots of water,
wear an SPF cream daily, get as much rest as our children and busy lives will allow, and
stay away from harsh chemicals whenever possible.  My grandmother was right:
consistency is key, morning and night.  And of course, SMILE!
It's the best accessory!

4.  I'm curious if you got the envelope and goodie I sent you! 
~ Erin from My Beautiful Disaster

Erin, YES!!!  I'm guessing you didn't get my email but yes, I got the beautiful postcard
you sent as well as the key chain and I LOVED them!  There's seriously nothing more
exciting than getting REAL mail.  While emails and Skyping and texting and blogging
have made communicating with friends and family so convenient, I miss good old
fashioned letters and postcards.  Isabelle actually confiscated the key chain you sent me
and has been sporting it on her back pack ever since.  She thinks it's pretty cool that
her Mama has a friend all the way from Canada!  Thank you so much and I promise
to send you a Louisiana care package soon!

5.  Do you guys want to have more children? 
~ Caitlin from To Make Love Stay

Yes yes and yes!!  Shawn and I are both pretty in love with the idea of having a son.
Shawn is an only child and the last hope of carrying on the Vasquez family name.  While
we love our daughters more than life itself, I know that he dreams of having a son to
play football with, Boy Scouts and fishing trips, guitar lessons and playing under the
hood of the truck.  When we were newly married, however, my grandmother performed
an old trick with my wedding ring that is legendary in our family for predicting how
many children you will have.  She predicted I would have 3 girls.  So far, she's 2 for 2.
By the end of next year, when Brees is a little older and Shawn is done with school, we
hope to start trying for another baby and, God willing, we'll find out how accurate
she really was...