I was in a coffee shop last week and there was nowhere to sit amidst the hustle and bustle of the morning buzz.

Taking note of my search, a coffee shop acquaintance offered me her free chair. Over the span of roughly 20 minutes of in-and-out conversation (each of us were minding our own business – I was prayer journaling and she was reading), she told me she had found Jesus because she read the biography of Mary Kay Ash’s life. In response, I said, “That’s crazy. I’m headed to my office to shoot my first partnership with the Mary Kay brand right now.”

Mary Kay Ash once said, “My priorities have always been God first, family second, career third. I have found that when I put my life in this order, everything seems to work out. God was my first priority early in my career when I was struggling to make ends meet. Through the failures and success I have experienced since then, my faith has remained unchecked.”

Talk about – w-o-w; different, refreshing, compelling – a quote from one of the world’s most successful businesswomen in history. How does this relate to me? I come from a large extended family where five women sold Mary Kay products throughout their lives, and my mom was one of them! My aunt and cousin still do – so when the brand reached out and wanted to send over their Chromafusion Collection for review – it felt all wonderfully close. to. home. I’ve been wearing their makeup for years – it was all I had in high school (I tried to pinch as many samples as I could from my mom’s collections – l-o-l) since I couldn’t afford makeup of my own. The crazy part, though, is being reunited with the line from an influencer perspective. My eyes have been opened to the kind of woman Mary Kay Ash was, the faith she held close to her heart, and also – their new line of products. And I’m all in.

“Hope is wishing for something to come true. Faith is belief that it will come true. Believe that for every problem God gives you, He will also provide you with a solution.” – Mary Kay Ash

In a world of overstimulation, 2019 to me has been about finding solid leaders, mentors, and role models to look up to that embody character; whether it’s on social media when I hit that blue follow button *or* in real life when it comes to coffee talks and discipleship. “A woman of character” is something we’re reviewing right now on @my_darling_diary. But it’s also something I’m working on seriously for my career: finding mentor figures who I look up to and whose lives are dedicated to a purpose greater than themselves. After reading up on Mary Kay Ash and the woman she remained to be throughout the oodles of success, it definitely makes me more invested – who.is.with.me.

But the products amazed me just as much. Although I have fond memories of again – nabbing Mary Kay lipstick samples from my mom’s makeup drawer in middle school – trying their products was an incredibly pleasant surprise. Why?

Being the visual creative that I am, I naturally tried the products before reading any of the pamphlets Mary Kay sent about them – naturally. And what I realized is how incredibly smooth the makeup applied. You know when you put on an eyeshadow and it creases, within minutes? Nope, nada – not happening – no creasing – at all. Then I read the pamphlets: Mary Kay’s new Chromafusion Collection is makeup created to wear through work, workouts, weather, whatever – meaning all day endurance and life-proof goodness that holds for a really long day.

The shades were even better – I used a subtle mix of the shades: “hazelnut,” “glazed,” “latte,” and “burnished bronze” on my eyes; and for my cheeks, I used a mix of a hint of “pink” and “darling pink.” Since trying them, I’ve used the eyeshadow palette every single day since and love the way the shadows glide on naturally. I’ve even spoken to other influencers who worked with Mary Kay and we’ve all been oodling over the fact that: once we tried this palette, we ditched our other shadows completely, and wear it on the daily. My mom even tried to pinch my Chromafusion Collection from me — I guess I owe her from back in the old days, huh? Regardless they’re definitely baubles worth negotiating over; and I’m not giving these babies up.

Lastly, being the boss company they are, Mary Kay made the Chromafusion Pro Palettes customizable—meaning you can re-organize them by daily routine and mix and match them up based on your favorite colors, etc.. The long-lasting, non-creasing formula is boast-able, the pigments and hues are deliciously “everyday-applicable,” and the Pro Palettes are customizable – and the cause behind…is just wonderful.

I hope you are as inspired by this post as I am; I know that for me personally – after researching the brand even more in depth and trying their products as a makeup-loving 20-something, I’m definitely encouraged. Mouse over to marykay.com to connect with a local Independent Beauty Consultant for more info! XO

“Behind every success story in Mary Kay, you will find a simple explanation of great faith. I believe that every person has a capacity for greatness, that God planted the seeds there, and it is up to us to make them blossom forth with patience, guidance and belief. It is up to us to discover the multiple talents that we possess and bring them into fruition.” – Mary Kay Ash

“Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’” – Mary Kay Ash

Photos by Jordan Afshin

Thank you, Mary Kay, for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.