My Experience With Botox & Filler

Hi guys!
Miss me?
I've been so busy lately, and lazy when I have spare time as a result. However, I'm eager to get back to sharing with you guys!

Okay, so this topic is something I've been dying to talk about, but wanted to wait until I had a little more experience with it before I did a blog post about it. It's kind of taboo, and has a lot of misconceptions behind it. It's something I debated talking about, but at the end of the day it's something I want to share regardless of what other people think.

As of last week, I'm happy to report that I have officially tried Botox. I am also happy to report that I am OBSESSED. I am a very expressive person and because of that I have started to develop lines across my forehead, and a permanent dent in between my eyebrows. Literally every picture I take, you can see a frown in my forehead. I've tried facial massage and jade rolling to help soften it. It has helped, but the frown is still there.

Before attacking my entire forehead with Botox, I decided to try just my scowl in between my brows. It was quick, easy, and after a full 7 days I am not only unable to frown when the sun hits my face but I am completely free of any indention. It also got rid of several of the lines in my forehead. We didn't even target those! I'm so happy.

Prior to last week, the only other thing I have had done to my face is add Juvéderm to my lips. I have always been pretty happy with my lips, I just wanted to give them a little something extra. After my wedding, and before I was pregnant with Dean I did a half syringe of filler (Juvéderm) to mainly my top lip. The remainder of the syringe was added to my bottom lip. This lasted me a full year, despite my RN telling me that it would only last 8 months or so! I got them done again about 3 months ago and I'm still in love.

I'm gonna be straight with you guys: lip filler f****n HURTS. It hurts bad. I'll be straight with you guys again: I will get lip filler to the day I DIE. I feel like Angelina Jolie. Not really, but I do feel like THAT BITCH. I also struggle with extremely dry lips typically, and Juvéderm completely gets rid of any dryness and cracks.
One negative symptom that I had was bruising on my lips the following week, but that is normal and clearls up quickly. Here is a before and after of the first time.

I wanted to be real with you guys about this stuff rather than try and keep it a secret for a few reasons, one of them being that I genuinely love to talk about things that make me feel good about myself. Another reason being that I cannot stand when I can clearly tell that someone's face has changed and yet they try to keep it a secret. You guys know that I am an open book.

I am so supportive of women (and men) doing whatever it takes to make them feel good about themselves. If you love Botox and filler all over your face, great. If you feel like you've earned every line and want to embrace it, you do you boo. Women are beautiful either way. I, personally, want to do Botox until my face looks like Bella Hadid's. But hey, that's me.

What are your experiences with Botox and filler? Is there something else I should try? My crow's feet are next on my hit list. Also, if you're local and want to know where I go for these services, just ask!

lovelovelove,
Tanner

General Life Update: September 2019

My people! 

I know if you're reading this then you truly are one of my people because this post isn't exactly invigorating. It's just a grab a glass of wine, and let's talk kind of read.

When I started this blog my intention was to offer something useful to my readers: whether that be giving you the styling knowledge to make you feel like you have new hair, sharing skincare knowledge to make you feel like you can slay at life, or just conversing with you all about my favorite health and wellness tips. I don't care what it is I'm writing about, as long as I can offer you guys something useful. 

Tonight's post might not necessarily be useful, but it will be therapeutic for me because it brings me back to doing something that fuels my soul... writing. 

So, instead of my usually curated, organized, tips and tricks blog post I'm just going to give you guys a general life update. Grab a glass of wine, and let's chat. 

If I'm being honest, this week- okay, this past MONTH has been a mess around here. By around here, I mean me. I am the mess. I am the type of person who thrives on following a schedule, a routine, and healthy habits. Even though I thrive following these things, I am naturally someone who craves the opposite of structure. If it were up to me I would run around like a chicken with it's head cut off- but that isn't how I thrive. I am my best self when I am organized and disciplined.

This month I have been neither organized or disciplined.

Normally, I would hide this from the world and punish myself mentally with endless negative self talk, but I just finished The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown. If you're like me and you find your worth in how much you accomplish on a daily basis, READ THIS BOOK. She breaks down the reasoning behind why we feel the need to be so perfect all of the time- and how it's impossible. SO, rather than beating myself over this past month I'm going to give myself grace and embrace it for what it is: rest. Is rest a crime? I think not. 

If you're not a reader, watch the Brené Brown special on Netflix. Like, now. Please !! All the way through. You'll laugh, and then you'll cry.

I have also been feeling super motivated in the business aspect of my life, which also brings in an insane amount of fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of success. I was struggling with all of this internally and a friend of mine (hi, Kandice!) recommended Rachel Hollis's newest podcast What's Keeping You From Making a Million Dollars?

I wouldn't have listened to it normally because I don't exactly consider myself a "million dollar" candidate (working on that mindset change, k?) but I cried THREE TIMES during this podcast. It's for anyone, in my opinion. It taught my that I am absolutely, 100% deserving of the success that is coming for me. As someone who constantly talks down to myself for being less-than perfect, this was exactly what I needed to hear. 

This coming week my goal is to talk to myself with the same grace and gentleness that I would talk to my son if he were thinking the same way that I am. Would I ever say to him "You're so f'n awful I can't believe you ate that Taco Bell and only vacuumed today Dean, WTF?? When are you going to get your life together?" 

NO.

I would say, "Look how much you accomplished, bub! And so what if you ate Taco Bell? You wanted it! Eat something healthy for dinner. Don't be so hard on yourself!" 

What if we all talked to ourselves with that kind of compassion and love?

lovelovelove, 

Tanner