To My Son: Why Do I Wear Makeup?

Why do I wear makeup? It's a loaded question, for any girl really, as I'd imagine.


However, that is the question posed to me by my 7 year old, as we cuddle for a few minutes before bedtime. He said he wanted to talk. His brother and Dad were both downstairs, so it was just him and me. He said it like this, "Why makeup Mom? Like, why is it important? Why do you HAVE to wear it?


I laughed a little bit and said,
Well, I don't HAVE to wear it, but I like it! 
My son is smart, and he knows there was more to it then that.


So, again, "But why is it important? Why makeup?" 


I went on to tell him that people use makeup for different things. The way he knows of most, is that his favorite wrestlers use makeup sometimes as part of their costume, to become their character. He replied that yes, he understood because they were performing.


But, I am not performing, to him I am just his mom.


He then tells me,
"Well, I'm gonna say...I think you look just as pretty without makeup". 

My heart melted.


We didn't talk about it again, I gave him a kiss and hug, tucked him into bed and that was the end of it, for now. Yet, I've been thinking about his question all day long!

So...this letter is to you my sweet boy. I doubt I'll be able to sit here and type it without crying. Nevertheless, I'm going to write it. It's something that you may not fully understand til you are a bit older, but still, I'm going to write it.

My beautiful brown eyed boy,

I think it's a beautiful thing that you told me that I looked pretty with or without makeup! You are such a sweet and kind little boy. I am glad to know that your father and I are raising you right.

My gut answer to your question was true, I do LIKE makeup! I enjoy it a LOT! However, the reasons I like and use makeup do go much deeper. It is this way for many women and girls, sometimes boys.

Here are a few reasons makeup is "IMPORTANT"

#1. Bonding. Makeup is sometimes,  something we learned from mom or another important person in our life. Makeup can be a bonding experience with someone.

#2. Insecurities. We don't like how our skin looks or how our brows or eyelashes look. Makeup is a tool that girls (and sometimes boys!) can use to help hide blemishes and things about our features that we don't like. This leads to more confidence and can make us feel empowered! (Like a Superhero!)

#3. Confidence! Some girls wear makeup because they are already confident! We can use makeup to highlight our best features. To make our eyes stand out. To make our lips stand out. To make our skin glow even more that it already does! In this case makeup is like a showcase for a persons best features!

#4. Creativity! Wearing makeup can be creative!  Makeup is a form of art! Instead of a paper or canvas, we can use makeup to "paint" our faces in creative ways. This can be a form of expression, just like painting a picture or singing a song. "Playing" with and using makeup lets us experiment with color, shapes and shadows. 

In answer to your question, Mom loves and uses makeup for ALL of these reasons! 

One day, when you meet someone that you like, she may or may not wear makeup. I want you to tell her though, exactly what you told me, that with or without it, she is pretty! 
I hope you meet someone who is confident. Someone who doesn't feel like she "needs" makeup but uses it for the other reasons I listed. However, if you meet somone who does wear makeup because they want to feel more confident, make sure to always be kind. 
My wish for all girls and boys is that they see their inner beauty as the thing that is the most important, because no matter how hard we try, makeup cannot help or cover up a mean personality! 

So, here are just 4 Rules to navigate the world of makeup:

#1. Never make fun of someone, or give them a hard time about wearing
"too much" makeup. Doing makeup takes time, skill and energy. (You know how long it takes Mom to do her makeup!) So, if she takes the time to do her makeup, tell her she looks beautiful!

#2. When she is NOT wearing makeup, tell her she's beautiful! Remember, one of the reasons people wear makeup is to hide things they don't like. They might not want to believe you, but insist that they look beautiful without the makeup!

#3. Always make it HER decision to wear or not wear makeup. Even if she asks, DO NOT try and tell her when she should or should not wear makeup, or how much makeup.  If she wants to wear it, she will. If not, she wont. Be OK with that my son. 😊

#4. Telling any woman/girl exactly what you told me, over and over again...will earn you brownie points for life!
However, be sincere in knowing that each person is beautiful, whether they choose to wear makeup or not. 



I love you so much my beautiful boy!

-Mom



















Instagrams:
@stephykross
@stephsweetandsavory

Facebook Page: Stephy Kross

On Youtube @stephykross

For PR, Collabs & Sponsorships please email: stephykross4@gmail.com

The Last Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe You Will Ever Need

These Chocolate Chip Cookies are 

BIG and SOFT and CHEWY! 

If you are looking for soft, cakey cookies: See my "Tips" section below!
If you are looking for thin, crispy cookies: See my "Tips" section below!
If you want to make this recipe, but make smaller cookies: See my "Tips" section below!

I LOVE chocolate chip cookies! You know who loves chocolate chip cookies even more than I do? (Especially, THIS recipe) My husband! In fact, his birthday was a few days ago, and what did he want me to make for dessert? Not a fancy cake or pie, or homemade candy bars...Na! He wanted my Chocolate Chip Cookies with the addition of Heath toffee pieces! So...that's exactly what I made!

This cookie recipe will give you cookies that are not too thick, not to thin but juuuust right! They come out of the oven a tad "puffy" but then once they cool, they settle into themselves and become a soft, chewy, ooey gooey, magical moment of sweetness! 

In my humble opinion, a cookie should be soft and chewy. I prefer this to cake-like cookies...because I'd rather just eat CAKE then! There is also a time and place for a thin, crispy cookie, especially if you want them to keep for longer than a couple days and still taste like they were made yesterday. However, for me, there's nothing like a warm chewy cookie, straight outa the oven!
Still, I realize, not everyone is like me, or my husband, or my kids...or...anyone else I know that loves this recipe. Some people (aka: my father in law, and a professor I had in college) prefer the thin crispy recipe. Or, the cakey recipe (aka: a family friend). So, if you are in one of these camps, don't worry! You can STILL use THIS recipe! You'll just have to make a few slight modifications. See my "Tips" section below and I'll line out the simple ways to make this recipe adaptable to any variety taste buds!

Ingredients: Big Chewy Cookies
All-Purpose Flour 2 Cups
Baking Soda 1/2 Tsp.
Table Salt 1/2 Tsp.
Butter 1/2 to 3/4 Cup or 1 to 1.5 sticks*
Optional: Replace 1/4 Cup of the Butter with 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, if preferred. Adjust amount of butter accordingly.*
Brown Sugar 1 Cup
White Table Sugar 1/2 Cup
Vanilla Extract-1 Tbs.*
1 Egg
1 Egg Yolk*
Chocolate Baking Chips or Chopped Chocolate 2 Cups.*


* Using real butter will make a difference in the flavor of these cookies, do not use shortening or an oil-made "butter" product spread.  

*Coconut Oil-This does not affect the texture of these cookies, only the flavor slightly if you choose to use unrefined coconut oil (which I personally prefer). Unrefined will have a slight coconut flavor in the background, while refined will not. 

*Using a good quality vanilla ext. will make these cookies that much better because the real vanilla will help to balance the chocolate just as the salt balances the sweet. I always use a Double Strength Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract. 

*YES! You need the extra Yolk!-This extra yolk makes the dough much more creamy and less grainy from the sugar. 

*Use your favorite chocolate chips or baking bar, chopped into chunks. I always prefer to use Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips or a mixture of milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips. 

*Once you have the base cookie dough down, this is where you can have fun and make different variations of cookies. You can use white chocolate chips for instance, or add almonds or pecans to your cookies, or even Heath toffee pieces like I just did recently. The sky is the limit to the combos you can create! 

Equipment:  
Cookie Tray/Baking Sheet
Parchment Paper
Big Bowl-microwavable!
Medium Bowl
A good strong Whisk and your arm muscles!*
A spatula
Measuring Cups and Spoons for 1 Cup, 1/2 Cup, 1/4 Cup, 1/2 tsp., 1 Tbls.

*You can alternatively mix this together using a hand or stand mixer. However, in doing so the dough becomes a bit looser and may need to be refrigerated 10-15 minutes before scooping and baking. 

Ready to Mix?

Preheat Oven to 350 F. Bake 12+ minutes. (read below)

Pull out a big sheet of parchment paper, enough to cover your cookie tray, and place the paper onto the tray so it will be ready to drop the cookie dough onto.

In the Large Bowl, place the butter (and coconut oil, if using). Place the bowl in the microwave and heat on high for approx. 1 minute or til the butter and coconut oil are completely melted.
Remove the bowl from microwave and set aside to cool while you prep the dry ingredients.

In the Medium Sized Bowl, add the 2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda and salt.
Whisk together. Set aside.

Get the Large Bowl again, add the 1 cup Brown Sugar and 1/2 cup White Sugar to the bowl with the butter. Whisk til the butter and sugars are well combined.
Next, add the egg and egg yolk and 1 Tbs. Vanilla Extract. Mix together with the whisk til well combined and smooth.

Next, get the Medium Bowl with the dry ingredients and slowly start to add it into the Larger mixing bowl. *Do NOT add all of it at once!

I usually just add about 1/4th of the dry ingredients at a time, mixing well with my whisk between each addition to make sure it is fully incorporated into the mixture. 
If you aren't sure how much to add at a time, take a 1 cup measuring cup and add 1 cup at a time of dry ingredients into the Larger bowl, whisking in between each addition til it all is fully incorporated and looks/feels like cookie dough.

Lastly, add in all of your chocolate chips or chopped chocolate! Once you add the chocolate, use your spatula to slowly fold* the chocolate chips into your cookie dough.

*If you aren't sure what I mean by "fold", start at the top of your bowl around the edge and move the spatula under the cookie dough to the bottom of the bowl, lifting up some of the dough from the bottom and bringing it to the top. Continue to do this around the bowl til all of the chocolate is well incorporated and distributed throughout your cookie dough. 

Use the 1/4 C measuring cup to scoop out cup fulls of the cookie dough and place the dough on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Make sure to place each scoop of dough 2 inches apart! This is important, because these are meant to be BIG cookies. They will spread in the oven as they bake. To insure they do not merge together during baking and become a HUGE Mega Cookie Mess on your tray!!....stick to the 2 inches apart. :)

READY TO BAKE?

Put the tray on the middle oven rack and bake for 12 minutes in the oven or til the edges are slightly browned and the tops of the cookies are puffed up a bit. As I mentioned before, they will look a bit puffy, but once they start to cool within a few minutes they will deflate to their normal chewy cookie state.

Cool these on the tray for at least 5 minutes and then move them to a plate or cooling rack to finish cooling. Serve while slightly warm if you prefer, or wait til they are cool to the touch...and devour! :)

Clarifications, Tips and Recipe Variations below!

Clarification:
Although I mention using coconut oil in this recipe, it is NOT completely necessary.
I always have coconut oil on hand, so I prefer to use it in place of some of the butter. However, I would never completely replace the butter with coconut oil because it would not have the same flavor! There needs to be more butter than coconut oil used in this recipe in order to get the same depth of flavor that butter gives.
In the same way, this is why I prefer to use an unrefined coconut oil when I choose to use it. The unrefined coconut oil has a slight coconut flavor to it. It shows up in a very slight way in the background tastes of the cookie, when used...which also adds some depth of flavor that I prefer. If you are not a fan of the coconut flavor at all, but still want to use it in the recipe, then I'd recommend using a refined coconut oil that will taste neutral (like nothing!) and will not impact the flavor of the cookie whatsoever. Or, just use all butter!

Tips: 
1.) Use the BEST possible, vanilla extract and chocolate that you can buy!

2.) Do not leave out the brown sugar and try to replace it with regular sugar...unless you want a flat, semi chewy cookie that turns crispy fast! ...then do it!

3.) If you don't mind your cookies being a bit more dense and/or need to cut down on the sugar...the 1/2 cup of sugar can be replaced with a couple Tbls baking stevia without the taste being changed too much. Be prepared however, that the cookies may have a slight aftertaste from the stevia if you choose to use more stevia than this and/or if you do not use the full cup of brown sugar.

4. If you want more fluffy, cakey cookies. Add another 1/2 cup of flour to this recipe and do not melt the butter entirely in the microwave. Instead only "soften" the butter and then add the sugars and mix together the softened butter and sugar together. Proceed from there, and follow the rest of the recipe, as is.

5.) If you want thin, crispy cookies, use only 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 full cup of the white sugar instead. By flipping the sugar amounts in the recipe, there is less molasses (which helps make the cookie chewy) and the cookie will also consequently spread more in the oven, making it a thinner cookie. These cookies will be thin and soft at first but after completely cooling off and being stored for a few hours, they will become crispier.

6.) In order to make this recipe and create smaller cookies, portion your cookie dough out onto a plate using a teaspoon and make whatever size cookies you'd like to make. Stick the plate into the fridge for about 15 minutes and let the balls of cookie dough chill before baking. By chilling the dough you ensure that the smaller amount of dough will bake slower, allowing the cookie to still maintain its same texture without spreading too thin in the oven and still leaving you with a chewy, but smaller version of this cookie. *Extra Tip: I like to portion them smaller like this, freeze them on a plate and them pop them in a freezer bag to take out and make when I get a craving or want to make cookies fast! 

7.) Reversely, if you want to make a cookie pie out of this dough, you can! What about a cookie cake/pizza? Of course! If you want to make a cookie pie...actually, it will be cookie pies. You will need 2 pie pans/tins! Separate your dough into equal halves and press it gently into your pie pans. Do NOT spray the bottom of the pie pans, or "grease" them. Just press the dough into the pie pans using clean fingers. Make sure the dough is as even as possible around the pans. Baking time for the pie cookies will be a few minutes longer than usual (around the 15-16 minute mark) so keep an eye on them. When the edges are starting to slightly brown and they are puffing up slightly in the middle, they're done! Let these cool completely before attempting to slice into them, otherwise the warm dough will stick to the bottom of the pan.

For cookie cakes/pizzas, you'll need a pizza pan. Put parchment on the pizza pan and divide the cookie dough in half and bake half at a time on the pizza tray. After placing half the dough onto the middle of the tray, press it down using clean fingers. Press the cookie dough evenly onto the middle of the pan working from the middle of the pan outward til you have about a 1/2 inch thick cookie. Remember, the cookie is going to puff up and spread during baking, so make sure it is not to close to the edge of the pan, otherwise you'll have a mess in your oven! Baking time for this will be about 15 minutes or longer as well, so make sure to keep an eye on it and look for browning at the edges as always. As with the cookie pie, it is best to let this cookie pizza cool before attempting to slice into it. If it's not completely cool, you will not get a clean slice. Also! Don't forget! With a really big cookie "cake" like this, you always have the option to decorate it with frosting! Yum!

I hope that the next time you feel like making some chocolate chip cookies that you'll try out this recipe! It's a recipe I've perfected over the years and I use it myself in all the many ways I've described above! The cookie base is perfect for making all kinds of cookies with different "add ins" so have fun with it! 

Let me know in the comments below if you like this recipe and if you try it out!
I'd love to know how you like YOUR Chocolate Chip Cookies!

-S💋


If you don't already follow me on social media, my foodie instagram is @stephsweetandsavory

If you're interested in makeup, you can also follow me on insta @stephykross
Or, look for my makeup reviews and chats on youtube @stefykross

Alfredo Sauce Recipe!

Alfredo sauce is the first sauce I learned how to make on my own, completely from scratch! 

I loved being able to pull a few things from the fridge and pantry and make a delicious alfredo sauce I could be proud to top my pasta! Over the years, I've combined several different techniques and tips for making the perfect sauce every time! It starts with real, quality ingredients. From there, if you follow my simple directions and tips & saves you'll be able to make a perfect alfredo sauce every time too! 

Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

2 tbls Butter 

2 tbls All Purpose Flour
2 cups Milk or Half n Half 

1 Wedge of Parmesian cheese 

Dried Basil, 1/4 tsp. 

Garlic-either powdered, chopped or freshly minced. 

Salt & Pepper 

Notes on getting quality ingredients
If you use good ingredients the sauce will almost make itself

Notes on Butter: Use real butter for this. Using a butter alternative made from oil will make your sauce just that...oily. 

Notes on Flour: AP Flour only. Do not use whole wheat, almond, coconut flour etc. 

*If you are gluten free and using this with gf pasta then you may sub corn starch for the flour but you will only need half the amt of corn starch as you would flour. 

Notes on Milk: Use the real stuff...no almond or coconut milk here. It won't taste the same...trust me! 

Half n Half will make a thicker, richer sauce but often I use whole milk just because that's what I have in my fridge. However, if you use 2% or less...beware..low fat milks when heated, can start to separate and the sauce will turn out gritty. So if u want a smooth sauce...u need the fat! 

*If you are lactose intolerant, use a lactose free milk that is made from real milk. 

Notes on Cheese: 

Quality Parmesian cheese! 

Grated with a box grater into shreds. Do NOT use the "grated parmesian cheese"... that is used for pizza topping only! Try to avoid buying pre-grated shreds as well because they contain additives that will affect the sauce. 

Spices:
Salt & Pepper to taste.
Garlic powder, use a small pinch or use 2 cloves freshly minced garlic or 1/4th tsp pre-chopped garlic from a jar. I often use the pre-chopped roasted garlic found in the produce section of my grocery store.
Dried Basil, about 1/4 tsp or less.

How to: 
You'll want to have your milk meaured out and your cheese already shredded and in a bowl ready so you can grab it. Also, a big spoon to stir, because once you start, you're going to have to constantly stir it so it doesn't thicken up too fast & clump.

This sauce needs a little bit of baby sitting. If you get distracted or something happens, don't worry! The sauce CAN be SAVED! Just follow my Tips & Saves below and you'll get it back on track in no time! :)

Directions: 

In a small pot, make a rue by melting the butter first and then adding the flour to the melted butter. Mix the melted butter and flour together til it's a paste like consistency...this is your "rue", which will thicken the sauce. 

Next, pour in your half n half or milk. Now you want to slowly stir the sauce over medium heat til it starts to very slightly thicken. 

Once it starts to thicken, add in your shredded cheese a big pinch at a time. Make sure each pinch has melted into the sauce before adding more. Keep stiring while adding the cheese little by little. Once all the cheese is added, add the spices and stir them in. Keep stiring til it's thickened up enough to cover the back of your spoon in a thick layer of sauce. 

Tips & Saves: 

When you drain your pasta, stick a mug in your sink to collect some of the pasta water in as you drain it. 

Keep this aside in case you need it! 

If the sauce ends up too thick: Add some pasta water spoonful at a time til its thinned out. The starch in the pasta water also helps the sauce stick to the noodles.

If the sauce ends up lumpy: Use a small holed colander or a strainer/sifter and pour the sauce through it into another bowl. You can use a spoon to push around any lumps and the thin perfect sauce will go through and be what you're left with. The lumps you can disguard.

Anytime the sauce is too thin you can keep heating it over medium heat while stirring...it'll eventually thicken up. Or...just add more cheese!

Besides traditional chicken alfredo...this sauce is amazing as a chicken carbonara sauce. Cook up some bacon til it's crispy and then add some cut up chicken breast to the greesy bacony goodness...cook the chicken and then add some frozen peas. Next add your mixture to some pasta and top with the alfredo sauce....so yummy! 

My boys love this one!! ! :) 

Enjoy!!!

I hope you enjoy this family favorite as much as we do! 

If you have any questions about this recipe, please feel free to ask in the comments below and I'll get back to you asap! 

"Two Worlds Collide" About this Blog

I wasn't sure what I wanted to say when I first posted here. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted this "blog" to be. I called this blog "WonderWomom Saves the Day" because I have been a lover of the character of Wonder Woman since I was a kid. Wonder Woman is a strong female who can do anything! Wonder Woman is strong, determined, athletic, smart, worldly, and beautiful! She's an inspiration, so I called this blog Wonder Womom in honor to her. Also, however, in honor to myself! 

My pun (corny as it may be) is to use the name Womom instead of Woman, because I am a mom. I am a mom of two boys. I run our house full of boys 24/7 and absolutely love what I do! Being a mom has made me feel more womanly than I ever did before having kids.

Besides my family, I have found in the past few years a true love of two things that make me giddy with joy to even discuss!

  Makeup and Food! 

So, this blog, this space, is going to be a place where my two joys, my two hobbies,
my two worlds...collide. 

I have made 2 Instagram accounts to post pictures, reviews, short videos and snippets of recipes.
@StephyKross is going to be where you can find all things makeup related!
@Stephssavoryandsweet is where I'll be posting all things food!

Below, I'll talk about my journey so far. I'd be honored if you'd follow me on my continuing journey and see where this leads us. My hope is that I can always be of some sort of help to you and in any small way, "Save your Day!"
...just like Wonder Woman. :)


My Makeup Journey:

I wore very little makeup til I was about a sophomore in highschool. Up til this point the only eye shadow I had worn was this very natural champaign color. Just a slight wash across my lids was all I'd use on my eyes. I didn't wear any liner or mascara or much foundation. I felt awkward. Like I hadn't quite "grown up" and didn't "look" as grown up as some of my peers did in the early years of highschool.
This one day, a friend of mine had some makeup and we took turns putting it on each other. We didn't cake it on and really go overboard with it, (I had this done before and thought it was way too much for me at my age at the time.) My friend did my eye shadow with a slight beige color all over the lid and then did a dark green matte color in the outer V of my lid. She applied mascara and pink gloss to my lips and was done. We took pictures of each other in our new makeup looks.

Once the film was developed, Yes, I said..."DEVELOPED!"

I remember staring at the pictures of myself for the longest time and thinking for the first time, "Wow! I look so pretty!" 

I couldn't believe the difference that little bit of makeup made to define my eyes and make me look (just a tad!) more grown up. That was the very first memory I had of makeup making me feel good about myself and like I was worth whatever extra effort it took to make my eyes pop like that again! 

Throughout the years, my makeup has changed time and time again. In my college years I think all I usually wore was a cream to powder compact foundation, black eyeliner and lip balm, but this made me feel amazing! 

As I've gotten older, and become more involved in social media these last 7-8 years, I've followed the beauty community the most. I love the women who can be so confident, no matter their age or what their skin looks like. I admire the women who post a picture bare faced with no makeup on, or to start a video tutorial fresh faced so we can watch a "transformation" happen!

I have loved getting to connect with so many kind women, of all different age groups, who are using makeup to help other women feel good about themselves. 

I get so much joy out of learning different techniques and ways to use makeup! I also get joy out of trying new and different products. It doesn't matter if it's a $50 product or $1! I'll still enjoy seeing if it's a worthwhile buy so I can share my newfound treasure!
If you choose to follow me on my continuing makeup journey, I hope that I can be useful to you. I hope that I can help somehow, like so many of the women I admire. If I can help to make even 1 person feel more beautful in their own skin, then I feel like I've done a good job here in this space.


My Food Journey:

I remember cooking with my mom since I was very young. I remember baking with my grandma since I was very, very young! In fact, I actually have a picture of myself when I was only 2 years old, sitting on the counter, preparing pie crusts with my grandma! ...Maybe I'll hunt down that picture and post it eventually. Stay Tuned!

As a young girl, I remember being in the kitchen with my mom, making enchiladas or lasagna the most! These two meals were delicious and the first I would make for my husband many, many years later when we were engaged. However, I knew how to make very little else by my memory alone and knew I couldn't make lasagna and enchiladas everyday!

So, I turned to the Food Network and the Cooking Channel! 

I lived 5 min from our first apartment so would drive home quickly for lunch. I would make a very quick lunch and then would sit in front of the TV, turn on the Food Network and with a pen and paper beside me, I would sit and watch. I would furiously take notes when there was something that I really wanted to make! (This was way before I realized that you can look up these recipes on the internet!) I had notes FULL of different recipes I wanted to try.

Thankfully, my husband was a willing guinea pig for all my kitchen experimentation! 

My first "omg!" moment, was when I learned how to make alfredo sauce

...from scratch! 

I had marinara down, but alfredo sauce, I honestly loved the stuff from Olive Garden and had no idea what magic was in it. I had always used a jar, and wondered why it NEVER tasted the same as a restaurants! 

I made the sauce from a "rou" ,whole milk, basil, garlic and parmesian cheese and thought, "Wow! This is BETTER than the one at the restaurants!" and it blew my mind that I could do it with just a few ingredients in my fridge!

...and btw, thanks Giada De Laurentiis!

After that, I vowed to keep learning about food and to make as much as I could from scratch! Besides it being healthier (less preservatives etc etc),

I just feel there's always something magical about being able to open a pantry and say, "Hmm, I feel like making (Insert whatever you're craving!)  and being able to make it at a spur of the moment from scratch! No box, jar or bottle needed. 

Now days, I make anything and everything for myself and especially for the people that I love. My kids and hubby are of course the biggest fans of my cooking and I get so happy when I can make something new and my picky little eaters say,

"Mom! This is the best food ever!" 

My mom and inlaws are also big fans, mainly of my sweets! I love being able to bake from scratch and I always try and have ingredients in the pantry for everyone's favorite kinds of cookies!

I hope that I can assit and inspire you in the kitchen! Whether it's making a simple salad, a new sauce, main dish or a batch of the best chocolate chip cookies! I hope you find a way to connect with food here, and if you have any questions or would like a certain recipe of mine, then don't be shy!


Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope this helps you to learn a little more about me and who I am and why I am here in this space. I hope you enjoy all the content that I've got coming for you!

💋-S

Glam vs. Natural

In the beauty community there's always a whirl wind of changing products. New releases come out every month (sometimes every week!). At times it can be hard to keep up with what is "fresh" and "new". However, makeup is expensive and good quality products actually last a long time. Let's show those products a little love by using them as extensively as we can!

Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE makeup and will run to the store (or website) for something that I "just can't live without" probably more often then I'm willing to admit. Especially if there's a sale, special, gift with purchase or any other thing brands and stores use to lure us into buying product...I admit, it works. I'm a sucker for makeup. 

Even though this is the case, I still love playing with and enjoying some favs! I love having an arsenal of makeup that is my "go to" makeup. Makeup that just WORKS!
For products to be products that "work" for me in this way, they must be versatile.
I love having a set of products that can be used for daytime & nighttime with an easy transition from one to the other. Also, a set of products that can be used as full-face "Glam" makeup or for a more "Natural" easy going type of look.

In the picture above I have a Glam side and a more Natural side. Let's just get this outa the way...I know teal eyeshadow is not "natural" or even a natural color, but what I'm refering to is my face makeup. Its a ligher makeup and even though I did use teal on my eyes, I didn't pack on the color like I would for a full glam type of makeup. I really enjoyed this look. The teal shadow added a pop of color to the fresh, lightweight makeup look.
On the Glam side, I used the same teal eye shadow but only on the lashline as an accent color. My lid is packed with some smokey browns from the Tartlette in Bloom palette, and my base consists of a few extra contour, highlight and bronzing products which are layered for maximum effect without looking "cakey".

Both of these looks were acheived using mostly the same products. I did add a few products for the more glam side. However, all the products I used for the natural side are some of the same products just used in a more stretegic way for a more natural finish.

If you're interested in exactly what I used and how I applied my makeup for these looks, then continue below.
I list out all the makeup I used so you can match it with the layout picture and see the products I'm talking about. I also go through how I apply these products and how I use them for a Glam look vs. A more Natural look. 

Natural Makeup: 
Loreal True Match Lumi Foundation: I applied this with a dampened beauty spongue by Real Techniques. Dampened so it won't soak up as much product and so it will glide softly on the skin. I use swiping motions to glide the product over the skin an then a stippling motion over areas that I want more coverage (like my cheeks).
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer: I applied it only under the eyes and blended it in using the tip of my same blending spongue.
Tarte Smooth Operator setting powder: I used a very small amount of this only to set the concealer under my eyes and very lightly in my T zone. I use a small Luxi setting brush for this.
Benefit Hoolah Quickie Contour Stick: I applied a small amount to the hollows of my cheeks and blended it in using a Real Techniques bold metals contour brush.
Benefit Watts Up? Highlighting Stick: I swiped this onto the high cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and on my lids. I blended it in with my fingers.
Benefit Good Proof Eyebrow Pencil: I used this to add color and definition to my sparse brows.
Tarte, matte rose blush in Blissful: I applied this very lightly on the apples of my cheeks sweeping back towards the top of my ear.
NYX Ultimate Eyeshadow Palette, Colors: I used the 2 teal shades in this palette all over the lid concentrating the darker teal on the outer corners and the lashline and the dark peachy shade for some light definition in the upper crease.
Loreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara: I applied 2 coats to the top and 1 coat to the bottom lashes.
Soap and Glory statin nude lipstick in Nude Edition: This is a very pale nude color. I used this color just because I wanted the eyes to be the thing about this look that stood out.

Glam Makeup:
Benefit Pore-fessional Face Primer. Added product for the Glam look. So this makeup looks more flawless and lasts longer, I added this primer. I only added a small amount to my fingertips and then patted it into my skin concentrating on places where I have larger pores.
Loreal True Match Lumi Foundation. The Glam difference is in how it's applied. I applied this with an expert face brush by Real Techniques. I use circular motions around most of my face and stippling motions on areas like my cheeks and forehead where I want a little more coverage. For me, this brush gives better, more even coverage than the spongue and doesn't soak up all my product.
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. The Glam difference is in where it's applied. I applied it under the eyes in an upside down triangle shape, down the bridge of my nose, a bit on my forehead and on my cupids bow of my lips. I blended it in lightly using the tip of my blending spongue.
Tarte Smooth Operator setting powder. The Glam difference is in where it's applied. I used a small amount of this to set my whole face, concentrating the product on the center of my face. I used a small Luxi setting brush to sweep this lightly all over.
Benefit Hoola Quickie Contour Stick. The Glam difference is in where it's applied. I applied a small amount to the hollows of my cheeks, the temples of my forehead, down the sides of my nose and on the sides of my jawline and blended it in using a Real Techniques bold metals contour brush and my fingers.
Benefit Watts Up? Highlighting Stick. The Glam difference is in where it's applied. I swiped this onto the high cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and onto my cupids bow. I blended it in with my fingers.
Physicians Formula, Butter Bronzer. Added product for the Glam look. I swept some of this bronzer across my forehead and on the places where I added the contour such as the cheekbones, temples, jawline. I also swept this onto my chest area. I used a Real Techniques blush brush for bronzer.
Tarte Highlight in Exposed.  Added product for Glam look. I used a smaller, flat blush brush by Luxi to sweep this poweder highlight across my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, over my cupids bow and lightly across my forehead for some additonal glow.
Benefit Good Proof Eyebrow Pencil. The Glam difference is in how much is applied. I used this to add color and definition to my sparse brows. I added more right at the bottom of the brow, drawing a line to define the brow and make it sharper.
Benefit Gimme Brow. Added product for the Glam look. I swiped some of this brow gel through my brows for added volume and to keep them in place.
Tarte, matte rose blush in Blissful. The Glam difference is in how much and where it is applied. I applied this in a few layers starting in the middle of my cheeks and sweeping back towards the top of my ear.
Tarte Sex Kitten Eyeliner. Added product for the Glam look. I lined only my upper lid with this eyeliner and then used the smudger on the end of the liner to smudge the liner into my lashline and up onto the lid a bit.
Tartlette in Bloom Palette. Added product for the Glam look. I used the shade flowerchild all over my lid and up under my browbone. I used a fluffy blending brush to sweep the shade smartypants into my crease, blending back and forth and going in a few times to build up the color. I then applied the color firecracker using the tip of my ring finger. I patted firecracker all over my eyelid but not going past the lid and into the crease.
Pixi nude eyeliner. Added product for the Glam look. I lined my lower lashline with this nude eyeliner so it can act as a base for the teal colored eyeshadow I added next.
NYX Ultimate Eyeshadow Palette, Colors. The Glam difference is in where and how it is applied. I used the 2 teal shades in this palette on the lower lashline only. I used a small detailer brush by Real Techniques and applied some of the matte lighter teal shadow first, all along my lashline over the pixi nude liner that I used as a base. Then, I went back over my lashline with the darker teal shade, concentrating it on the outer edge of my lashes and pulling into the center slightly.
Loreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara. The Glam difference is in how much you apply. I applied many layers of mascara to lengthen my lashes and build up the volume as much as possible.
Soap and Glory matte nude lipstick in Super Nude. For this look I used a darker, matte nude lipstick which complements this look more. The matte formula of lipstick also lasts longer on the lips.

I hope you all enjoy this. I hope it's helpful or inspirational to someone else who likes makeup just as much as I do.

If you don't already, you can follow me on Insta @stephykross

Thanks for stopping by! 💋

How to get FREE Makeup on YOUR Birthday!

Who doesn't like free stuff?!? 
FREE Makeup!!!!
I went out to Sephora and Ulta today and got some AMAZING FREEBIES for my birthday!!! ...and also a free Starbucks...because I can! 

Here's how to get makeup FREE on YOUR Birthday!

At Sephora:
Be signed up for Sephoras "Beauty Insider" email list. They will send you an email on your birthday that you can redeem for a beauty product. Actually, there is no actual coupon needed. Once your day is here and you've received this email you'll know you can just go to Sephora and get it! Ask a sales associate or cashier about it and they'll just need to verify your email that you used to sign up. Thats it!!! This year they had a set of makeup items and a set of skincare items that you could choose between. Some of these Birthday items can't be bought and are exclusive items only for birthdays...which is kinda cool! It makes you feel like you got something extra special! :)

At Ulta:
Be signed up for Ulta Rewards. They will send you an email letting you know what the birthday gift is about a week before your birthday and then on your birthday you will be sent a coupon to redeem for the special gift item. The gift item is kept behind the counter because again, you can't purchase it, its a Birthday gift only! So, you'll just have to ask the cashier for the item and present your coupon from the email. 
Also, if you are a Platinum rewards member you'll receive a $10 off coupon to use on anything you want. Also, you will recieve some extra rewards points within your birthday month! The rewards add up pretty fast and you can use those points for anything else you want to buy. If you ask to divide up your transactions you can use multiple coupons/discounts for different items you are purchasing.  ;)

Both of these programs are completely FREE to sign up and offer a little something extra for your special day! Dont forget to sign up before YOUR Birthday!!! :)

There are also a lot of foodie freebies you can get on your birthday too! In fact, with a little planning, you could get all your birthday meals and snacks for free! 

(Or get them sporadically throughout your birthday week from places that give you longer than 1 day to redeem birthday rewards!) 

For Example: At Starbucks all you have to do is download their app and sign up for their rewards program. On your birthday the app will notify you that you have a reward. All you have to do is show the app to your barista and they will scan it for your free item! You can get ANY drink, ANY size. Or, ANY 1 food item absolutely FREE! I got a strawberry iced green tea and my barista kindly let me know I could get the biggest size which is a Trenta!! Did you know there was anything bigger than a Venti at Starbucks?

Happy Birthday!!!