2016 Beauty Favs

. . . because everybody is doing it! Also, I know pretty much all of these products I mention have been out for a long time and were not released in 2016... but these were the products that I have enjoyed most this year!

Primer: NYX Angel Veil Primer. I feel like this primer is one that anyone would love... whether you're oily, dry, large pores, etc. it makes your foundation go on SO smooth and last a long time. The only downfall about this is that it IS one of the more pricey products from NYX.

Foundation: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream. Oh, Ulta... why did you have to give me a sample of this stuff? After months of literally squeezing out every.last.drop of it, I finally broke down and just bought the full-sized tube. I love this stuff because it looks so natural on the skin, but it's still full coverage. With that being said, you will need to blend this stuff out with a brush or a damp sponge, don't try to rub it in like a tinted moisturizer, or it'll be a complete disaster! Also, this stuff smells good, like citrus... I love it.

Concealer: Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer. Everybody and their dog on Youtube talked about this stuff this year... and for good reason. The tiniest bit of the product goes such a long way, and I love the huge doe foot applicator! This stuff is extremely full coverage, but it's super easy to blend out. If you can ever find your color in stock... just buy it. You won't regret it. And just in case you're wondering, this stuff smells good, too!

Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo. Been using this stuff for two years... only just this month did I have to open up a new one! I've tried other brow products from Anastasia, but I feel like powder is what works best for me and my brows. Annnnd that's all I'm gonna say about that, because brows are boring.

Eyeshadow: Makeup Geek. Why it took me so long to purchase these, I have no idea. Maybe it was the fact that they were single eyeshadows? + the thought of having to get a z-palette just seemed too intimidating for my eyeshadow palette loving heart! But I'm so happy I finally purchased some (peach smoothie, creme brulee, cocoa bear, prom night, and grandstand), because they blend out so well, and are very pigmented. Plus, I just feel kinda fancy whipping out a z-palette now ha! (Am I Jaclyn Hill yet?!) I definitely understand why these shadows have been talked about on Youtube for years!

Eyeliner: Essence gel liner. I feel like no one talks about the brand Essence! It's so freaking dirt cheap and such good quality! I feel like it's even cheaper than E.L.F! Anyway, I decided to try their gel eyeliner, since my Maybelline one was drying out, and I'm so glad I did! It's literally half the price of Maybelline's... and Maybelline's is already cheap! I feel like this gel liner is even better than Maybelline's... it's creamier and blacker! There's a lot of things from Essence that I love, but this is probably my favorite. This brand is seriously the best kept secret at Ulta!

Mascara: Butter London Double Decker Lashes. This is another product I have to blame (or thank?) Ulta for giving me a sample of, otherwise I would have never even looked at this, but it was truly love at first swipe. The brush reminds me a lot of the Loreal Voluminous and the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara- so obviously it's a volumizing mascara. I must say that my other favorite mascara this year would still be the Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara, too... I will always love it (and the price).

Bronzer: Hoola Bronzer by Benefit. "If it's not broken, don't fix it"-my motto for this bronzer, since I've been using it for almost 3 years. Maybe my 2017 resolution should be to branch out and try more bronzers?! I really just love this stuff so much. It's the perfect color on everyone I put it on!

Blush: Milani Baked Blush in "Luminoso". Why was I so late to this party?! Oh well, I'm on the luminoso train, and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. This stuff is the perfect everyday color blush, and I love that it gives you a little highlighted glow! I have never hit pan on a blush until this... that's how much I'm obsessed with this stuff.

Highlight: Champagne Pop by Becca x Jaclyn Hill (of course). I think another 2017 resolution would be to branch out with more highlighters... but I think I will always love this the most, mostly because Jaclyn Hill created it ;) #highlightonfleek

Setting Spray: Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray. Ain't NO oil getting through my huge-A pores while I'm wearing this stuff! This spray is an oily girl's best friend.

Lip products: Buxom Lipgloss in "White Russian," Bareminerals Marvelous Moxie gloss in "Rule Breaker," and NYX retractable lip liner in "Sand Beige" This year I was all about those super glossy, almost wet looking lips (thanks Kardashians). Most days I would line and fill my lips with NYX lipliner in "nude" and then throw on one of these lip glosses. Sooooo pretty + easy + no worrying about it being on my teeth.




Annnnd there you have it! My 2016 beauty favs! What products do I need to try in 2017?! You know I'll take any excuse to go to Ulta.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, peeps.

Our day was filled with all the things that matter in life: The Savior, family, and food (of course). Oh, and me trying to bribe Chris to wear a freaking Santa hat with me, which as you can see, didn't really work out despite my best attempts at bribing Chris with a back massage to an entire episode of Modern Family (bah humbug, Chris!). 

I hope you had a Merry Christmas, and Chris hopes you had a Santa-hat-free Christmas!

Love, 

The Gourleys

when I said we're leaving our mattress in the living room...

... I really meant it.

Besides the occasional trip to the grocery store + Swig (my punchcard loves me!), we have pretty much set up camp in our living room.

Who woulda known that simply putting a mattress in the living room is all it takes to make me actually like watching hours of sports? I wish I could say the mattress gave Chris the same tolerance to watch Hairspray Live!, but it didn't (please tell me you watched it?!).

Now I know I said #noshame when it came to having a mattress in our living room, which is still true, but I think there is a little shame to be had when people come over and see it... do they think we're fighting and Chris has to sleep downstairs? Or maybe they just think we're really white trash? Which they wouldn't be completely wrong, seeing as how we've made a nice little border with our Swig cups. . .

Anyway, now you know where to find us + you'll understand why our bellies are giving Santa a run for his money.


p.s. CHRISTMAS IN 10 DAYS!!!! How?!

when life sucks // 6 simple steps

Sometimes life is just rotten. Like, really though.

So, what do you do?

Step One: Make sure you're married to a Chris Gourley.
(okay, the real "step one" is CRY. a lot).

Step Two: Have your Chris Gourley suggest that you go to Swig.

Step Three: Have your Chris Gourley voluntarily + completely drag down your mattress to the living room so you can enjoy watching TV surrounded by Christmas lights.

Step Four: Contemplate on leaving your mattress in the living room all month of December. #noshame

Step Five (optional): Convince your Chris Gourley to take a kissy picture (which probably ain't our best look) on self-timer solely for the purpose of being on the blog. #seriouslynoshame

Step Six (also optional): Realize that having a Chris Gourley is absolutely the one thing that helps life feel just a little less rotten. . .

just a little thankfulness

'tis the season, right?!

I am thankful for (in no particular order)...

+ CHRIS
+ both sides of my family
+ self-tanner
+ Costco blankets (thank you, mom!)
+ the Ellen show, because feels
+ candy cane kisses
(even if my waistline ain't so thankful)
+ voicemails from Lexi
+ my students. especially when they randomly all start singing in unison Jason Aldean's "Big Green Tractor" + convince me to do the #mannequinchallenge
+ the gospel
+ my coworkers 
+ sunshine
+ friends
+ also Friends the series 
(and even more specifically, Ross Gellar)
+ High Fitness + my Vasa pass 
(literally the only reason I haven't completely given up and wanted to just waste away on these colder, darker days)
+ naps
+ skookies (the addiction is truly real)
+ the blessed person who decided mashed potatoes should be part of Thanksgiving dinner
+ zits...always keeping me humble
+ Christmas music. Ain't ashamed.

...and I think I'm just going to stop there, which I'm sure most people that are reading this list are thankful for.

Together4Ever

Have we really been together and complaining about weight gain for FOUR years?! Do you think that's why Chris got us a gym pass for our anniversary gift? I still am a little in denial about all of this! About the being together for four years--not the gym pass. There's no denying that it's about dang time we got one. "We're feeling skinny, Tony!"(we're not friends if you don't know what movie that quote is from)

In all seriousness though, it's SO weird to think Chris and I have been together for FOUR years now. Four just sounds so...... mature? Experienced? Like we shouldn't be fighting over the remote anymore? Like, do we reeaallllly have to give up the "newlywed" title now? Clearly I'm still in denial, but at the same time, it totally makes sense we're now on year four. I feel like this last year we've grown closer than ever before. I guess it's true what they say, marriage really does get better with time (er.... is that what they say about wine?).

This year we kept it pretty low key, since it's pretty hard to top being in Disneyland like we were last year for our 3rd anniversary (you can read about here and here), but I'd be lying if I said I didn't try and convince Chris to take me back for this anniversary. Spoiler alert: He said no. I was completely fine with settling for a fancy dinner at our all time favorite, Alamexo, and then going home and making skookies and watching BYU basketball (my gift to Chris ha!).

Of course we took our traditional anniversary picture! We took some at the restaurant in Salt Lake, but then I made Chris take another one at home, since I felt like that picture would be more "us," you know, because sweatpants and couch (and now I'm even more grateful Chris got us a gym pass after typing that).

Man, Chris is such a good sport about taking this picture on our anniversary.

Speaking of Chris... I freaking love that guy. There is no one who knows me or loves me better than he does. He makes me the happiest and is always there for me when I need a shoulder to cry on (how is his shoulder not just a big prune by now?!). Chris is so selfless and always looks on the bright side of things. How in the world did I get him to settle for me and then put up with me for these past 4 years?! I'm seriously still trying to figure out what I even bring to the table in this marriage...besides quite literally dinner.

Even if I still can't fully understand how I got Chris to marry me there is one thing I know for sure: Our love is FOURever! Sometimes even eternity doesn't seem long enough.

Love you, Chris! Here's to year 4!

A Guide to Being a Basic White Girl in Shayli Form

If you're wanting to profess your love of all things Fall related and you're not quite sure how to do that in proper white girl (Shayli) form, don't worry--I got you covered. Like, yoga pants and UGG boots covered!

First things first: Post a selfie of you sportin' a nice dark berry lip + awkwardly trying to master the no-teeth-showing smile because you suffer from a disorder called "turtle lips," in which your top lip disappears completely when you smile. Consider not smiling with teeth a cheap alternative to LipSense (for us broke basic girls who can't spend $55 on lip product) if you're concerned about lipstick on your teeth. Check, check, and CHECK!

Next, have a bowl of pumpkin shaped Reese's on your table at all times because Reese's in any holiday shape are a must (the perfection of the peanut butter to chocolate ratio in the holiday shapes is almost uncanny!). Also, give yourself mental high fives when you walk past the bowl and it's not completely empty after only 2 days.

Speaking of food, you must have your crockpot out at all times, because that soup isn't going to make itself! Just kidding, it IS going to make itself.... that's why we basics love the crockpot, duh.

Okay, and if you think you're supposed to wash all this delicious Fall festive food down with a pumpkin spice latte, think again! You should actually be drinking hot chocolate with International Delight's Almond Joy Creamer in it. Even if it's still 70 degrees outside.

Also, If your'e going to be a basic white girl in Utah, you should probably just accept the fact that it's going to be sweater weather in the morning and heatstroke weather in the afternoon. (Utah what the freak am I supposed to wear?!) If you're going the Shayli route, you'll still wear your flannel no matter how much you're sweating your guts out, because your'e just too damn proud to admit that it's not completely Fall in Utah yet.

Last but not least, make sure you create a "Fall Bucket List" that has things on it like "Go to Corn Belly's," and "Make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies" and "buy more berry lip colors." Oh, and make sure get pumpkins, haystacks, and cornstalks to put on your front porch because how else is your neighborhood going to know you're a basic white girl?

HAPPY FALL YA'LL!