Friday Favorites! (mostly fashion)

 

All week I thought it was Thursday so I’m really happy for today to be Friday. Don’t get me wrong — the week went fast in some ways but winter is just…long. With the blizzard last weekend combined with working from home, I feel like I need to get out a bit!

I have my eyes set already on Spring and even as far as Summer, especially when it comes to fashion. I’m ready for warm weather clothes which is a problem since it’s only February.

Here’s a quick look at what I’m browsing right now during this in-between shopping season.

 

Friday Favorites

I love this Beyond Yoga tank and matching leggings with the heart detailing. I live in Beyond Yoga sets year round so this is perfect for me.

The cult-favorite Alo Yoga socks now come in half-crew size! Also from Alo, I want one of these Everyday Full-Zip Hoodies.

I’ve mentioned my velour pajamas from Kate Spade before but I’m mentioning them again because they have kept me warm this winter in the bitter cold. If you live in a cold winter climate, you need these pajamas. Plus, the hearts are so pretty.

Shopbop is running big sales right now and that includes select Stoney Clover products. Get them while you can and if they sell out, the regular-priced Stoney Clover items will ship for free which is a great saving too.

This is a really cute tennis dress from Aerie. They also have tennis skirts on sale right now.

I hope Aerie brings back the rock n ruffle mini skirt because I have two and want more! These skirts are the best and so much cheaper than the LOVESHACKFANCY version. I see no need to buy the LOVESHACK skirt when the Aerie version is that good.

While I have a quilted coat like this from J.Crew, I love the bright pink color of this version from Aqua.

This is my style dress and it’s on sale.

I’m going to Sephora this weekend to restock my favorite Drunk Elephant Micellar Water, Tatcha Lip Mask, and Briogeo shampoo.  

Oh! I bought the Olaplex Blonde Enhancing Toning Shampoo — I use it once a week (or once every two weeks) and I think it’s the best one I’ve tried yet.  I LOVE all Olaplex products so I’m not surprised!

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Give Me All The Skincare (and Stoney Clover Pouches)

 

My Sephora order arrived very quickly!

I had planned to buy everything in the store but then I got so excited on the first day of the sale that I placed my first order immediately online.

This Sephora sale order was really just a restock of my daily skincare products along with one new cream from Tatcha. I do plan to buy a few more things before the sale ends on Monday. Saving money on routine beauty products is a MUST!

Sephora order

Like I say all of the time, skincare is just non-negotiable. It may seem pricey at times but I see it as an investment in ME. Not to mention, I’ve so carefully researched ingredients over the years to find the quality, clean products that get the job done so I know that what I’m buying/using is not only good for my skin and body but reasonably priced for what I’m getting, too.

I’ve also said this before but will say it again – the better your skincare routine, the less makeup you need. And, when you take care of your skin, the makeup you do wear will sit nicer on your face.

Each of these products plays a key role in my daily skincare routine – I highly recommend each and every product listed!

What I Bought From The Sephora Sale

Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair Serum in Cream Treatment – This was my only new product purchase and so far, so good!

Drunk Elephant Sukari Babyfacial AHA/BHA Mask – I use this mask once a week, every Sunday. It lives up to the hype.

Drunk Elephant Marula Oil  – This oil goes on right after the Babyfacial mask but I also use it nightly on top of the rest of my skincare.

Drunk Elephant Micellar Water Mini – Best makeup remover – needed this size for my Stoney Clover pouch when I travel.

Drunk Elephant Firming Eye Serum– Great product.

Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum -I use this every other night.

My morning routine always includes both Drunk Elephant C-Firma Fresh Day Serum and B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum.

Oh, I also cashed in my points for the Get The Glow set of minis because the mini sizes are GREAT for travel and I received sample sizes of the Drunk Elephant shampoo/conditioner which I also use for traveling.

Read more about my Drunk Elephant skincare routine here and the products I recommend grabbing from this sale here.

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Stoney Clover Alert!

Can we discuss the Stoney Clover Apres Ski launch from earlier this week?!

They brought back my favorite Sparkling Cider color as well as launched new pouches and patches.

stoney clover duffel and pouch

I’m focused on ordering a Sparkling Cider large pouch and mini to match my duffle and small pouch but I can’t figure out a patch combination just yet.

I kinda want the Sparkling Cider tote to match my duffle too.

Did you see the sherpa pouches are back?! They are so pretty, you can even use them as a clutch in the winter.

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Have a nice weekend!

Sephora BeautyINSIDER Savings Time!

It’s Sephora BeautyINSIDER Savings Time!

I literally started planning my Sephora Sale order weeks in advance because I knew the Sephora Holidays Savings Event was approaching and it’s such a great opportunity for saving money on my routine must-have beauty products.

sephora beauty insider sale

Use Code YAYHOLIDAY

For today’s post, I’m going to list out a whole bunch of my beauty product recommendations as suggestions when shopping the Sephora sale, and then next week, I can share what I ordered specifically during the Sephora sale. Sound good?!

Sephora sale

Skincare:

I’ve gone in-depth on skincare so frequently that I don’t want to overload this post with my recommendations.

It’s always a good idea to choose anything from Biossance or Drunk Elephant.

See my Drunk Elephant skincare routine in this post along with the best clean skincare products in this post.

I can’t even choose which Drunk Elephant products to recommend to you in this post because I recommend ALL OF THEM – you just can’t go wrong. From cleansers to serums to moisturizers to masks (and haircare too), the products are excellent, clean, and well-priced.

However, the BEST makeup remover in my opinion is the Drunk Elephant Micellar Water. It literally removes your makeup in one try and does not irritate my eyes at all. I’m super sensitive so even the most sensitive of removers will burn – not this one!

Oh, and grab the Drunk Elephant F Balm Waterfacial Mask – so good for winter.

I do LOVE Tatcha skincare products too. During this sale, I will be grabbing the Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair Serum in Cream Treatment and The Dewey Serum Resurfacing and Plumping Treatment.

Oh, and The Kissu Lip Mask is life-changing for your lips. Even if you think your lips aren’t chapped and already feel hydrated, think again. Try this lip mask and you will see what I mean.

Need an excellent moisturizer for your body? Go with Necessaire Body Lotion.

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Makeup:

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I wear a lot of makeup from Glossier which makes it a little hard to give you honest recommendations about all of the makeup options to shop during the Sephora sale. BUT! I do have a few to share!

Foundations: The Ilia True Skin Serum Foundation is a nice, clean foundation that won’t irritate your skin but goes on nicely with medium coverage. If you want a clean foundation with light/medium coverage and an SPF, try the cult-favorite Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40.

My favorite Makeup Primer: Tatcha Silk Canvas

Favorite Concealer: Kosas Revealer Concealer 

Excellent Setting PowderTatcha The Silk Powder Protective Setting Powder

Best Powder BlushCharlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush

Best eye shadow palettes if you have sensitive eyes but still want to wear eye shadow in a variety of shades that apply well and stay on: Tarte Power Bar Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Palette. 

Favorite Lash Primer: Milk Lash Primer

Really Nice Eyebrow Pencil: Kosas Brow Pop 

Need lip gloss? Try a Kosa Wet Lip Oil Gloss. I also love the Forget the Filler Lip Plumper Line Smoothing Gloss from Lawless.

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Hair:

If you aren’t ready to trust me that Olaplex is THE BEST, try out the mini-size shampoo and conditioner as a start.

Also, try Briogeo Don’t Detox & Repair Set before buying the full sizes – I think you will love the Briogeo products but the mini sets give you a chance to try before spending full price.

I like the Drunk Elephant Shampoo and Conditioner, and the Wild Marula Tangle Spray. I don’t use the spray every time I do my hair but when I feel like I need it, it’s great.

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Beauty Sets:

Buy a set as a holiday gift for someone else or for yourself to use for travel purposes. Or, go with a set simply to try the products before purchasing the full-size options.

Everyone needs the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Secrets Set.

I will get the Tatcha No Filter Essentials for myself.

Already own the Drunk Elephant Hair & Body Kit and then went on to buy the full-size products.

The Drunk Elephant Night Out Skincare Set is a great gift. I use all of the products in the set.

Asking for this Necessaire Body Ritual Set for Hanukkah.

Great price here for the Olaplex Healthy Hair Essentials

How cute is this Single Scoop (like ice cream) Beauty Blender?

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Makeup Bags:

If you need a place to store your beauty products, I obviously recommend Stoney Clover pouches. And the BEST NEWS is that tomorrow (November 6) Stoney Clover is running their one-day sale – everything will be 20% off!

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Sephora Order Arrived + Fashion Finds From The Week

FRIDAY!

It was a super busy week of work but I was extra excited one afternoon when my order from the Sephora Spring Sale arrived at my door!

Sephora order

I mentioned specifically what I ordered from the Sephora sale in this post so, for today, I just want to focus on The Littles Hair & Body Kit from Drunk Elephant.

Um, do you see how big and pretty this bright neon orange pouch is?! And how it includes so many cute and colorful clean hair and body products? It felt like my birthday when I got this pouch packed so nicely with so many products!

drunk elephant hair body

The Littles Hair & Body Kit Includes:
– 2 oz/60 mL Cocomino™ Glossing Shampoo
– 2 oz/60 mL Cocomino™ Marula Cream Conditioner
– 2 oz/60 mL T.L.C. Happi Scalp™ Scrub
– 2 oz/60 mL Wild Marula™ Tangle Spray
– 2 oz/60 mL Kamili™ Cream Body Cleanser
– 2 oz/60 mL Sili™ Body Lotion
– 1 oz/30 mL Sweet Pitti™ Deodorant Cream
– Light blue comb
– Neon orange bag

drunk elephant littles

I highly recommend this set from Drunk Elephant if:

  • You want to try the hair and body products without spending money on the full-size options
  • Need a gift (This is great for Mother’s Day!)
  • Want travel size products

The pouch is super nice. It’s sturdy, large, and the zipper is not flimsy. You know I love a good pouch — I will definitely continue to use this Drunk Elephant pouch long after the products that came with it are finished.

Fashion Finds

This Smocked Terry Cover-Up Dress reminds me so much of my Juicy dresses from when my son was little. In fact, I still have those dresses so I guess it’s time to wear them again as they are now back in style!

Definitely getting this Smocked Bandeau Bikini.I was already looking at it and then my friend told me she got it and loves it.

This Short Sarong Skirt Cover Up is a summer staple.

Love both this Tie Front Mini Dress and Lace Trim A-Line Skirt.

These shorts are cute and these are the best everyday t-shirts in my opinion.

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My Favorite Sweatshirt + Flashbacks + Fashion Finds

Finally Friday! I’ve organized some favorites from the week to share today…have a great weekend!

Favorite Fitness

Although I ran twice this week, Melissa Wood Health‘s workouts continue to be my favorite. It’s a tough decision some mornings to decide if I want to run or if I prefer a blend of yoga and pilates with maybe a walk. I wonder if the warmer weather will entice me to run a little more? Really not so sure. We will see!

Favorite Fashion

I have additional favorite fashion finds further down in this post but today’s fashion highlight is definitely my new college sweatshirt.

The nice thing about having a son is that he’s not fighting me for my clothes or for the trendy college apparel all of the girls are wearing. And, since he’s wearing the standard college apparel and NOT the trendy college apparel to show off where he’s going to college, I CAN.

In fact, he told me that he knew about the Roadie Couture Trunk Show at Twenty5A and asked me if I would be going. So yes, of course, I went and had to get myself a trendy college sweatshirt.

Obsessed is an understatement. This is my new favorite, go to hoodie. I meant to get a picture of myself wearing it but the week got away from me! 

roadie couture buffalo sweatshirt

Favorite Flashbacks

The flashback post I shared on Wednesday from when I used to fill my Maoz Vegetarian Bowls super high was from 2014. It was also the day that I was invited to the Build A Bear pop up shop in the city which was recapped as well within that post. This blog has offered me some really nice perks over the years!

I had taken my son out of middle school for the day and WOW, it’s just crazy how time flies. I remember at the time feeling bad for taking him out of school but also knew that it wouldn’t matter in the long run. And it doesn’t. Instead, he still remembers that fun day in the city, still has the bear, and I have the post with pictures to remember it.

Build-A-Bear

Do you know what it’s like to have a blog for over eight years and randomly read old posts with my son in them? I don’t post as often as I once did but seeing my old posts with what we used to do since 2013 is….well, there aren’t really words.

How about this one from my son’s 11th birthday when I wrote about how you just Never Sleep Again. It was written before the Bar Mitzvah and mentions my fears of one day my son driving on his own.

I’m doing okay with my son driving by the way. It comes in handy when I need him to run an errand for me. I try not to worry. I just say a prayer, trust the universe, and hold my breath until he’s home.

Favorite Finds

Love this short sleeve ruffle dress in the pink. I like this white dress too. Oh, and this tiered dress from J.Crew is the type you grab in every color for summer.

This is a nice maxi dress from J. Crew if you like maxi dresses.

Did I already mention these shorts? I don’t think I did because even I forgot that I wanted to buy them.

Some items from Stoney Clover’s Picnic Collection are available on Shopbop.

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What I bought from the Sephora sale:

Don’t forget that there’s still time to shop Sephora’s Spring Savings Event! It would be a shame for you to pass up the discount since it’s such an excellent time to save money on skincare and makeup you use on a regular basis. It’s also a great time to save money on trying out new products.

I will likely place one more order but here’s what I got so far!

This Brigeo shampoo.

From Drunk Elephant, I’m excited to try the Polypeptide Resurfacing Serum, restocked my Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Moisturizer and Marula Oil, and at the last minute, ordered the The Little Hair and Body Kit so that I can try all of the hair and skin products.

When I was in store last weekend, I bought this ILIA Liquid Powder Chromatic Eye Tint. As I’ve said, my eyes are very sensitive so I’m careful with the types of eye shadows I wear. This liquid to powder eye tint from ILIA is made with clean ingredients and doesn’t irritate my eyes at all. It’s a really nice product. Oh and honestly? This Micellar Water/makeup remover from Drunk Elephant is the greatest I’ve ever used. It removes my face/eye makeup so quickly and easily with zero irritation.

I couldn’t get the Lawless lash primer that I wanted while in store but the girl who helped me recommended the KUSH Lash Primer from Milk Makeup so I bought it. So far I really like it and it doesn’t irritate my eyes. My Glossier Lash Slick goes on really well over the primer. Between the two products, the volume of my lashes is SERIOUS.

Ugh, I really wanted this lip gloss but it’s sold out online and in store!

Here are my picks again for what to grab from the Sephora Sale.If you have any questions, let me know!

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It’s Sephora Springs Savings Event Time! Here’s What To Grab On Sale

 

I’m excited to share my suggestions for what to buy during the Sephora Spring Savings Event!

The Sephora Spring Savings Event begins today for Rouge status (hi, that’s me!) with VIB and Insider status starting next week!

  • Rouge: 20% off from April 9 to April 19
  • VIB: 15% off from April 13 to April 19
  • Insider: 10% off from April 15 to April 19

The Sephora sale (using code, OMGSPRING at checkout both in stores and online) is such a good time to save money and stock up on skincare, sunscreen, and any makeup you might need.

Since this is not a sale to be missed, I typically go through my skincare first (including sunscreen) to determine what is close to running low in order to save money on my skincare staples.  Then I check my makeup to see what I will need to replace soon as well as anything new that I could use.

I put together my recommendations for what you should grab from the Sephora Sale based upon what I like plus what I will be adding to my cart too.

 

what to buy from Sephora spring savings sale

Let’s get started with sunscreens first.

Now is an excellent time to ensure you have your sunscreen products set for the summer.

In my recent Drunk Elephant Skincare post, I shared that I love the Umbra Sheer™ Physical Daily Defense SPF 30. While in the summer I do like a higher SPF on my face, I still recommend this sunscreen. It’s great year-round, under makeup, and also really good for running first thing in the morning. For me though, I wear a higher SPF sunscreen to the beach or when sitting at the pool because I have fair skin.

I also have this Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation which doubles as your lightweight foundation and sunscreen in one. This is great for the daytime with or without added makeup.

I ALWAYS come back to Dior Dreamskin Fresh & Perfect Cushion Broad Spectrum SPF 50. This is without a doubt a fabulous skincare/makeup/SPF product. I buy the refill every year. While it’s technically not labeled a clean skincare product, it is free of sulfates SLS and SLES, parabens, formaldehyde, formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, coal tar, hydroquinone, triclosan, and triclocarban which is a TOTAL PLUS.

I also like this Supergoop Shimmershade Illuminating Cream Eyeshadow SPF 30.It’s an eye shadow that doubles as sunscreen for the eyelid too. I have it and really like to use it in the summer.

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Skincare

I already went in-depth on skincare recently so I won’t overload this post with my recommendations.

It’s always a good idea to choose anything from Biossance or Drunk Elephant.

See my Drunk Elephant skincare routine in this post along with the best clean skincare products in this post.

I do want to try the new  Protini™ Powerpeptide Resurfacing Serum from Drunk Elephant. I’m hearing great reviews on this serum which can be used AM and/or PM.

I’ve had this body lotion from Necessaire on my list to try for a while based upon hearing great things about it. I do really like the body lotion from Drunk Elephant though so it’s really a toss-up in terms of which to recommend.

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Makeup

So I use a lot of makeup from Glossier which makes it a little hard to give you honest recommendations from Sephora. BUT! I do have a few to share!

Best blush: Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush

My favorite make primer: Tatcha Silk Canvas

Best eye shadow palettes if you have sensitive eyes but still want to wear eye shadow in a variety of shades that apply well and stay on: Tarte Power Bar Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Palette. This palette from Tarte is really nice too- lots of colors!

Need lip gloss? Kosa Wet Lip Oil Gloss. Oh, and I want to try the Forget the Filler Lip Plumper Line Smoothing Gloss from Lawless.

Want to try the cult-favorite Pillow Talk for your lips? Go with the Charlotte Tilbury Mini Pillow Talk & Liner Set

I’m going to try this lash primer from LASHFOOD.

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Hair

If you aren’t ready to trust me that Olaplex is THE BEST, try out the mini size shampoo and conditioner as a start.

I keep thinking about this Scalp Revival Charcoal + Coconut Oil Mico-Exfoliating Scalp Scrub Shampoo from Briogeo. I had gotten a sample of it last year for my birthday and really loved it. While I don’t have scalp issues, this shampoo made my hair/head feel so clean and refreshed. I’m likely going to get it during this Sephora sale.

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If you have any questions about what to buy from the Sephora Spring Savings sale, let me know! I’m always happy to help with beauty product recommendations!

5 Favorite Beauty Products To Try Right Now

Obviously, it’s impossible for me to really select just five favorite beauty products. I have an overflowing abundance of favorite beauty products filling up my bathroom and Stoney Clover pouches!

However, for the purposes of this post, I wanted to put together five favorite beauty products that do stand out to me and are worth sharing with you as must-have beauty items.

5 Favorite Beauty Products

Mason Pearson Hairbrush

While this list is in no particular order, I am putting my lifelong most favorite hairbrush first.

mason pearson hairbrush

If you haven’t tried a Mason Pearson hairbrush, I do think your hair is missing out. Don’t let the price tag scare you, if you invest in a Mason Pearson hairbrush, you will have it for at least 20 years. AT LEAST. I know I’ve said this before but I’ve been using a Mason Pearson hairbrush since I’m a little girl. It’s a classic beauty necessity and worth every penny.

This hairbrush instantly boosts shine and brushes hair as no other hairbrush can do. It’s a known fact. Plus, it comes with a nylon cleaning brush to assist you in keeping your hairbrush in tip-top shape.

mason Pearson hairbrush

Drunk Elephant Milky Micellar Water

I have more ways to remove makeup in my bathroom than most but this Micellar Water from Drunk Elephant is the most gentle, the most effective makeup remover I’ve ever experienced.

What it is: A milky, ceramide-rich micellar water that thoroughly and gently removes makeup, dirt, pollution, and bacteria from the face and eye area—no rinsing needed.

Skin Type: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily

If you want a makeup remover that doesn’t irritate in any way and can remove your face and eye makeup all at once, here it is. I’m always so fascinated at how quickly and easily the makeup from my eyes is removed with zero burning or irritation.

drunk elephant micellar water

See also: Drunk Elephant Skincare Routine

e.l.f. Instant Lift Brow Pencil

Um, this brow pencil is literally two dollars. You can’t NOT at least try it! Like even if you have another brow pencil that you use, how do you not add this e.l.f. brow pencil to your makeup bag as a back up? Again, it’s two dollars and I find it to be a terrific brow pencil. Grab it at Target, it’s a no brainer!

e.l.f. brow pencil

See also: E.L.F. Skincare Review

Sunscreen

I wear sunscreen every day and if you have been reading for a while, you know that I preach about the need for sunscreen and the importance of the ingredients in the products you apply to your skin.  All sunscreens are NOT created equal.

I’ve been using Drunk Elephant Umbra Sheer Physical Defense SPF 30 this winter on a daily basis. It sits well under makeup and works well for running too.

What it is: A sheer physical sunscreen that delivers powerful broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection and aids in the prevention of free-radical and oxidative damage.
Skin Type: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily
Skincare Concerns: Fine Lines and Wrinkles, Dark Spots, and Dullness and Uneven Texture

umbra sheer daily defense spy 30

My all-time favorite summer sunscreen for running, the beach, and every day is Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50.

Without a doubt, this product is my must-have spring and summer item. My face has never even come close to burning while wearing this sunscreen and I do believe it has helped to prevent premature aging, sun damage, and wrinkles. I do not run in the spring or summer without this sunscreen on my face and I never go to the beach without it.

skinceuticals sunscreen

Product Details: Offers the photo-protection of trusted physical filters zinc oxide (Z-COTE®) and titanium dioxide, and is enhanced by artemia salina, a plankton extract known to increase the skin’s defenses and resistance to UV and heat stress. Color-infused technology enhances natural skin tone and boosts daily radiance.

Key Features / Benefits: Infused with translucent color spheres that blend with all skin tones, this weightless fluid boosts daily radiance and provides broad spectrum UV protection with 100% physical UV filters. Dries quickly with no residue and contains no chemical filters. Suitable for all skin types, including very sensitive. 

See also: What’s in my Stoney Clover Pouch For Summer Running

Glossier Lash Slick

I’ve professed my love for Glossier’s Lash Slick mascara several times in the past so of course, it was making this top 5 favorite beauty products list.

glossier lash slick

Why it’s special: Lash Slick’s weightless, flexible formula enhances the look of your natural lashes. The secret’s in teeny-tiny fibers that coat each individual hair from root to tip creating maximum definition and length—think less “your mascara looks good” and more “your lashes look good”

  • It’s water-resistant, not waterproof—that means it stays in place without smudging or flaking for up to 12 hours, but then removes easily with warm water (and without harsh, damaging rubbing) when you’re ready to take it off

  • As your everyday mascara, nourishing ingredients like Provitamin B5 and Biotinyl Tripeptide-1 help support sleek, shiny, cared-for lashes long term

I’m telling you – if you haven’t tried Lash Slick yet, you just have to if you want perfectly lengthened, lifted, natural yet enhanced and pretty lashes. It’s all in that wand and how it so easily separates the lashes. It’s fascinating, actually. There’s a reason it’s a cult favorite!

Mascara Trick: I like to use the Lash Slick wand with my Dior Mascaras too. I keep one Lash Slick for this purpose. When I really want to amp up my lashes (like if you actually have somewhere to be), I dip the Lash Slick wand in Dior Mascara which gives the lashes extra volume while separately them perfectly.

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Of Interest:

Glossier Favorites 

My Black Friday Glossier Order

I Answered A Beauty Q&A, Here’s What I Said 

 

Drunk Elephant Winter Skincare Routine

 

Let’s finally chat today about my winter skincare routine with Drunk Elephant!

I know I’ve spoken at length about Drunk Elephant skincare in the past but I feel it’s important I address the clean skincare products I’ve been using especially as they relate to winter skincare needs.

If you didn’t already know, my skincare routine is a really big deal to me. I’ve always taken extra good care of my skin and remain thankful that I started at such a young age because my 42-year old skin looks darn good if I do say so myself. Of course, genetics plays a role and so does diet and hydration but let’s be real – taking care of your skin with the right skincare products ON A DAILY BASIS is a critical component too.

drunk elephant products

My son watches me apply my daily skincare routine and loves to make fun of me. I’m pretty sure he will be telling his children one day about grandma and her love for layering lotions and potions on her face to keep her skin looking so young and feeling so soft.

Yes, I do layer multiple skincare products, both morning and night. But trust me, they each have a purpose!

Even with all of my layering and care to my skin, this winter I did experience some dryness. I know, right? How is that even possible with all that I do? Well, it happened.

While I don’t normally see the dryness in my skin, I can feel it. When my face feels dry in the winter, it feels like an overall tightness to my face.

And my biggest giveaway of winter dry skin? My eyes will feel dry and irritated. Even if I can’t fully see it, I will feel it. The delicate skin around the eyes and on eyelids is the thinnest and most sensitive so it makes sense that this area feels the cold, winter air first.

drunk elephant shelf

As soon as I noticed that I was experiencing some winter skin dryness, I knew right away that I needed to up my skincare game ASAP with hydration from soothing, quality (clean!) skincare.

Since I already had a clean, quality skincare routine going with Drunk Elephant, I only needed very small tweaks to my products to produce an immediate result.

I love Drunk Elephant products for really simple reasons:

  • Clean, quality skincare without any of the junk we don’t want to put on/in our body.
  • Reasonably priced. Listen, it’s not drugstore cheap but you get what you pay for. In comparison to other skincare lines, Drunk Elephant is reasonable for the quality. The results are worth it.
  • Non-Irritating. Obviously, we are all different but for me, I can use any Drunk Elephant product without an irritating reaction. I do have sensitive skin (especially my eyes) and have yet to have an issue.
  • Results. Drunk Elephant products work, and work quickly. I always say that the better your skincare, the less makeup you will need. And that’s the truth.

Below I am listing both my morning and evening skincare routine for this winter. While I do use products from other brands (like Biossance), for the purposes of this post I will focus on Drunk Elephant as the routine below and products listed are what I am using daily at the moment.

I didn’t need to tweak my morning skincare routine but will list both morning and evening to give you an idea of which products I use (and the order in which they are applied) each day.

drunk elephant shelfie

Morning Winter Skincare:

Cleanse: I rotate my cleansers for the morning but have been using the new E-Rase Milki Micellar Water – it’s an excellent product and the most gentle ever on the eyes!

Eye serum: SHABA COMPLEX™ Firming Eye Serum

Vitamin C Serum: C Firma Vitamin C Day Serum

Hydration Serum: B Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum

Moisturizer: Lala Retro Whipped Moisturizer

Sunscreen: Umbra™ Sheer Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30

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Evening Winter Skincare:

Remove Makeup/Cleanse: Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanse or  E-Rase Milki Micellar Water (plus another cleanser after removing makeup)

Eye serum: SHABA COMPLEX™ Firming Eye Serum

Retinol or Night Serum (alternate): A-PASSIONI™ Retinol Cream  or T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum

*Hydration SerumB Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum

Moisturize: Lala Retro Whipped Moisturizer

Oil: Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil

*Hydration MaskF-BALM™ Electrolyte Waterfacial Mask

Once a week I use T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial™ AHA + BHA Mask- IT’S WORTH THE HYPE

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Winter Skincare Game Changers:

I starred and bolded the two Drunk Elephant skincare products above that I added to my evening routine which solved my dry skin situation immediately.

drunk elephant hydrating skincare

The two game-changers to my winter skincare routine are the addition of B Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum in the evening AND the F-BALM™ Electrolyte Waterfacial Mask.

I had gotten so used to only using the B Hydra Hydration Serum in the morning because it was part of Drunk Elephant’s Time To Wake Up Duo. Since it came as a set with the Vitamin C Serum, I naturally used the morning duo in the morning and the Been A Long Day Duo in the evening.

But once my skin felt a little dry, I added the B Hydra Hydration Serum to my nighttime routine and definitely felt the difference right away. If you are experiencing dryness, I do recommend this serum and recommend adding an extra pump or two in the morning and evening — it will easily hydrate your skin and make a quick difference.

But the F-Balm Mask?!

OMG. Several pumps at night after the rest of the skincare is done is the trick to beautifully hydrated skin by morning.

“A cooling, quenching overnight mask that visibly plumps and restores with an electrolyte cocktail while helping to support the skin’s acid mantle.”

drunk elephant f balm

Lately, I try to use the F-Balm mask almost every night, especially when it’s super cold outside. Keep in mind that although they call this a mask, it feels more like adding an extra moisturizer to your face. You don’t wash it off. Instead, it absorbs right into your skin, even after you have layered all of your other products on first.

I’ve had this mask since last spring but it has truly come in handy this winter. I wake up with the softest, happiest skin in the morning. Not only is my skin beautifully hydrated, but my complexion looks so even-toned, including my eyelids. My eyelids tend to be redder in their tone but this hydration mask has changed that this winter.

It’s important to note that I didn’t need to change what I put on the skin around my eye, I just needed overall hydration added to my evening routine to boost my skin’s hydration and cure any signs of dryness.

If you are new to a skincare routine or are unsure you want to invest in Drunk Elephant products, I do recommend their mini-sized products to get started. They package the sets so nicely which will help you learn which products you like and when to use what in your skincare routine.

Here are some options:

Time To Wak Up Vitamin C + Hydration Serum Duo

Been A Long Day Glycolic Serum + Moisturizer Duo

The Littles – Mini sizes for both morning and night

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If you have any questions at all or need skincare recommendations, please let me know!

Beauty & Skincare Posts of Interest:

I Answered A Beauty Q&A, Here’s What I Said

Best Clean Skincare Products I’m Using in 2020

Versed Skincare Review

Sephora Holiday Event Favorites Fall 2020

E.L.F. Skincare Review

 

Friday Faves (Mother Kelly’s + Sex and the City! + Glossier)

Last Friday I said that I’m working on a winter skincare post (with focus on Drunk Elephant) but I just couldn’t get it ready in time to share it today.

Instead, I have a few other favorites from the week to discuss and then hopefully, I can finish up the winter skincare for next week. I should have some time during this upcoming three-day (!!) weekend to get my act together.

HOCKEY IS BACK!

Winter means hockey season to me so it’s been quite strange to not have Islanders games to attend or even watch on television. I mean, it was beyond odd to have hockey to watch last summer and even though I thoroughly enjoyed it, the fall and winter are just not been the same without the Islanders playing.

Last night was the first game of the new season and although we can’t attend games, I’m thrilled to have hockey back in action. In honor of opening night against the Rangers, we brought in dinner from my all-time favorite, Mother Kelly’s.

I had the hot cold salad. I love this salad for the mix of tomato, cucumber, onion, goat cheese, craisins, candied walnuts, beets, grilled portobello mushrooms, asparagus, roasted peppers, and string beans.

hot cold salad from Mother Kelly's

Mother Kelly’s makes the best garlic knots around.

garlic knots

Sex and the City is Returning

Did you hear the great news? Sex and the City will be back with a new revival series! If you know me, you know that Sex and the City is my most favorite show. I watch the reruns on E! religiously and can sit through the Sex and the City marathons on E! as if I’ve never seen the episodes a thousand times. It’s one of the few shows (maybe this and Seinfeld) that I can watch over and over regardless of how many times I’ve seen it.

I also cannot wait to go to the Stoney Clover store in the city because one of their exclusive city store patches looks like the steps of Carrie Bradshaw’s brownstone apartment.

I’m not in the city right now as often as usual but as soon as I’m there (hopefully in the next month or so), I am going to get a mini pouch with the brownstone patch. FOR SURE.

stoney clover

Glossier Favorites

Okay so I know that I just shared a whole post about what I’ve loving right now from Glossier and while that entire post still holds true and I use every one of those products daily, I wanted to give a quick shout out to two Glossier products in particular for today.

glossier cloud paint

Balm Dotcom IS A MUST HAVE LIP BALM if you haven’t already tried it. It’s such a great lip balm and excellent to use on your lips when running in the winter. Trust me. While I use Balm Dotcom throughout the day, I love to apply it right before heading outside in the winter to run. My lips feel so nice and protected from the harsh winter air. Balm Dotcom is also known as a universal skin salve so if you have other areas of dryness (like on your hands, fingers, around cuticles for example), you can also apply the product to those spots.

Cloud Paint, which is the best cream blush I’ve ever used, is also terrific when used as an EYE SHADOW. Just dab some on your eyelids and watch the subtle pop of color add so much while using so little. It’s a great multitask product and works well if you are sensitive to makeup. The colors may look bright but they are natural in application and buildable so you can go lighter or darker depending upon what you like. I love having a product that can do multiple things – makes life easy.

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Winter Happiness + PJ Salvage Pajamas (Friday Favorites)

Okay so it’s Friday and I’m not fully sure how that happened although I am not complaining in the slightest. This week is one large blur, not only because work has been so busy, but also due to Wednesday’s terrible occurrences in Washington, DC. I won’t get into those details as I’m sure anyone who is reading this is well aware of the situation that took place. Instead, I’ll just refer you to my post from September 11 for the part where I said that terrorists are laughing at us.

Friday Favorites

I wish I had more time this week to discuss a few other things in today’s favorites post but as mentioned above, it’s been a bit of a week.

But let’s discuss my idea of winter happiness! Winter happiness for me is when it’s not terribly cold outside which translates into me not needing to wear a jacket. Or extra winter accessories.

While I don’t love the cold weather, I do adjust fairly quickly in that 45 degrees and above starts to feel warm. It makes life easier when I can wear a sweatshirt and go into stores without a coat. When I need to wear a coat, a hat, and gloves, PLUS A FACE MASK, it’s like SO MANY LAYERS and additional parts that I don’t even know which item I need to pull on or pull off when I’m walking in and out of stores. Not to mention, my sunglasses. When I have the coat, hat, gloves, glasses, and then the mask, life just gets really confusing. I hope you can relate to what I’m saying — TOO MANY ITEMS.

I felt so free the other day when I could walk into the mall without a coat, hat, and gloves.

shopping selfie

If you still need face masks or haven’t bought my favorite Stoney Clover tie-dye face masks with the pretty beads on the sides, you can choose from a wide selection here.They have so many face mask options right now so if you don’t want tie-dye, you can still get a pretty face mask with beads on the sides. It’s all about the beads.

OH! Bloomingdale’s has some of the Stoney Clover tie-dye face masks and solid colored face masks with beads on crazy sale. Like HALF PRICE. Grab them here!

PJ Salvage Pajamas 

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I said that I bought peppermint tea by accident? It’s so funny to me that this happened and now peppermint tea has now become one of my favorites.

Also, please note the pretty pattern of lips on my arm in the below picture. I bought a new PJ Salvage loungewear set and I’m obsessed. PJ Salvage offers some of the prettiest, cutest, most comfortable loungewear and pajamas available. We are home more than ever so it’s important to love your loungewear.

peppermint tea

You can find a wide selection of PJ Salvage here, or you can check Nordstrom Rack as they often have great deals on PJ Salvage –but act fast if you see something you like.

If you can still grab this PJ Salvage Long Sleeve Printed Wild Heart Crewneck and the matching joggers in your size, do it! You won’t be disappointed. Or this Running On Coffee Lounge top and oh, this long sleeve hoodie with stars. I love a soft hoodie for around the house.

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Next Week

I’m working on a new post about winter skincare that I will (hopefully) share next Friday. It’s not that I do that much different in my skincare routine during the winter than other times of the year, but I do make sure my skin is well taken care of during the super cold months.

I’ll be chatting about my winter skincare plus my latest restock order from Drunk Elephant which also includes a few new products that I’ve added to my daily routine.Yes, I do think you are going to need all of these products. 🙂

drunk elephant products

Have a great weekend!

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