Lifestyle & Family Resource site for everyday women and moms
The fourth of July has passed, and next on the list is Back-to-School! Hold up a second though, Let’s squeeze in a last-minute weekend getaway for some fun in the sun. You aren’t going to want to miss these must-have beauty finds before heading out though!
… [read more]This year has been so crazy and not sure what is going to happen, but SUMMER is coming no matter what, and are you READY? No worries we got you covered- here are our top Summer Essentials for 2020.
Now I’m not a makeup fan but of my daughter is, and she loves to play around with different brands, but Ruby Kisses is one of her favorite. The reason why she loves Ruby Kisses is that the colors are very diverse. She is mixed and has a hard time matching her skin tone, but Ruby Kisses, they have her covered! Â
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When it comes to travel-friendly products, you want to stand out in a good way. You want your product to be useful without taking up too much space. But you also want it to be memorable. Have a found the hairbrush that checks off all of these boxes? I think so! Check out our review of the Milk + Sass Macaron Hairbrush ($12.99), which is a detangle brush and compact mirror.
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I’ll be the first to admit that I love when makeup products come in sets. It’s a great way to get multiple items at an excellent deal, and you’re getting the opportunity to try out a brand. So, of course, I jumped at the change to test out a lipstick duo that looked like the perfect pair for a day to night look.
Swedish Jealousy is a new-to-me brand that created makeup for all skin tones. The duo who founded the company wanted to “bridge the gap usually found in makeup,” because they couldn’t share a tube of lipstick. They worked hard to create and test out dozens of lipstick formulas until they found the two perfect shades that looked incredible on both of them.
The brand is Cruelty-Free, Paraben-Free, and Gluten-Free. Let’s take a look at the lipstick duo!
Not going to lie, I just about squealed when I opened this package and saw both of the lipstick shades. They’re wearable for both day and night looks and works well on all skin tones, which was important to the founders.
The Week/Weekend Duo Lip Set ($23.50) features Week, a nude rose pink, that you can apply to the lips without a mirror, and weekend, is a bold, yet wearable watermelon red. Both lipsticks are creamy and apply to the lips evenly. They’re highly moisturizing and will last throughout the day. However, if you do a lot of snacking and drink a lot of coffee or water throughout the day, you will need to re-apply, which is normal with lipsticks.
I wear Week a lot, and I have even received several compliments from people, even asking me where I got it. The price for these two lipsticks is reasonable and worth checking out if you’re shopping around for a new lipstick brand to test out.
My little girl is a TEEN now and she wanted to redo her room. Now I can not afford to do a total overall of her room so I asked her what she wanted the most in her room. She said she wanted an area where she could do her makeup and hair. Perfect! So I thought why not create the vanity area.
For a vanity area, we would need table and storage items. I went ahead and checked online for used tables but couldn’t find what I wanted. Then the next day I did a search for used desks in my area on Facebook Marketplace. You can also use Offer Up and/or LetGo apps to find items you might need. I did find a cool older desk on Facebook Marketplace. We arranged to pick it up and bam we had our vanity table!
The desk was a bit beat up and needed a good cleaning. I asked my daughter if she wanted to paint it but to my surprise, she was good with the wood. Easier process for me. By the way, I got the desk for FREE. So this project so far only cost me my time. Anything for my girl.
I’m so happy the desk had drawers because this girl has so many beauty products plus hair stuff. We cleared an area in her room where she wanted it and had her dad help me put the desk in her room. He thought she was going to use this desk for a desk but he was super excited that we were going to create a vanity area with it. I think he likes to see her do her homework at the kitchen table anyway.
The next step was to buy a wall mirror- I got one at Home Depot for under $10. We put that sucker up horizontally right above the desk. Then she wanted more light so we also put lights around the mirror. Oh my goodness I want one now!
I asked her if she was to get one thing for her vanity area what would it be- well she wanted an up-close tabletop mirror- well that is what she called it!
You know those mirrors that show everything on your face. I was super excited because I knew exactly what I wanted to get her- Ovente Tabletop Vanity Mirror with Wireless Speaker. Oh my goodness mirrors have come a long way.
The Ovente Tabletop mirror is AMAZING- everything a teen will love. It has a dual-sided 360° swivel design with 1x5x magnification and 1x for every day with the 6’ dimension. Now the magnification is awesome but I couldn’t look at it too much- saw my wrinkles. My daughter loves that side.
It has a wireless speaker so she can play music or talk on the phone while doing her hair. I wish they had stuff like this when I was growing up. Plus it is cordless and rechargeable when it is needed.
The LED (which is what you want-plus it is the closest to natural light as you can get) lights help her get ready in the morning for school. Guess what we will never have to replace the light bulb, it will last for the lifetime of the mirror.
Now besides all the cool aspects of this amazing mirror, it looks SLEEK, MODERN, and STYLISH! Plus it also comes in 3 Deluxe Colors: Baby Blue, Baby Pink, and White.
I’m super happy how the vanity table turned out and that she uses it- every day! My goal was to give her something she loved without going broke. She wanted a cool tabletop mirror and I gave her that for sure. Not many girls can say their mirror plays music or can talk to friends while using it to get ready for school.
If you are looking for the perfect gift for TEEN GIRL you need the Ovente Tabletop Vanity Mirror and it is under $50! Plus it makes a wonderful addition to a DIY Vanity Area.
I’ve talked many times about my skincare woes. Unfortunately, I am a literal oil slick and I have hormonal acne. Any slight mishap in the ingredients in my skin care routine and I have painful, red cysts popping up. Frequently, I look for skincare lines that have natural ingredients.
Recently, I tried three different skincare lines. Most Noteworthy, each line aims to deep clean pores while also being gentle on the skin. After trial and error, I have favorites from each of the skincare lines that I like and I wanted to share them all with my fellow oily peeps.
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Finding skincare that’s both travel-friendly and inexpensive is quite the challenge. However, it’s a challenge I’m ready for. While I’m not traveling anytime soon, I am moving. I have to pack everything up and can only use certain products, so it’s the perfect time to test out some travel-size products from My ALCHEMY Skincare.
My ALCHEMY Skincare is a cruelty-free and clean skincare brand that wants you to stay as young as you feel using products with healthy aging ingredients. They learned firsthand “the impact of self-care and nutrition on our bodies, both inside and out.” Inspired by cancer, the mother-daughter team had one goal in mind – “to offer every [BODY] knowledge to empower healthy choices as we strive to help you live your best life toxic-free.”
I was sent and able to test the Travel Mini [$65] kit. Perfect for traveling or when you’re in the middle of a move, and you don’t have a ton of space or everything readily available.
What’s inside the kit:
The website also shows you how to use each product, which I think comes in handy.
Each product is:
I recently decided to go solely cruelty-free and clean. I don’t believe in animal testing, there’s no need for it, and I will not use brands that still do this. This kit is nice. It truly is. I have crazy sensitive skin, so of course, I was a bit nervous to try everything. My skin reacted nicely. They don’t take up a lot of space on my bathroom skink, you don’t need to use a ton of products, and there are no horrible scents.
This kit is an excellent option if you’re looking to try a new brand, you want to go cruelty-free, or you are doing some traveling soon and want travel-friendly products. While I do like these products and didn’t have any issues, I’d recommend testing them out before you travel. It’s always best to know a product works for you before heading out on vacation.
The price might seem high for a travel kit, but the quality is marvelous and well worth it. I’m always looking for great deals and ways to save money, but when it comes to skincare, I’ll spend the money if it’s amazing. And it is.
We tried the Visual Artist Makeup Crayon set and excited to share what we think. Did you know this set can be found at Target!?
When it comes to makeup, I always tell people to do what makes them happy. If you want to go neutral, do it. If you want to wear the boldest shadows, rock it out! Makeup lets us explore who we are and our creativity. However, many people don’t always have the money to expand their collection, especially if they’re unsure whether or not the bold colors will work out. This is where brands like C’est Moi come into play.
This clean beauty brand offers a wide variety of products from skincare to color cosmetics. I’ve been called “basic” many times because I always go for the neutral shadows, so when I was given the opportunity to step outside my typical comfort zone, I couldn’t say no. The brand was kind enough to send their Visual Artist Makeup Crayon (set of 6) to try out, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on these and try something different. The six shades in the set include:
There are many benefits to using these products, which include:
The shadow pencils glide on nicely and fairly easy to work with. Everyone is different, but sometimes you have to work quickly with cream products to avoid any creasing. My eyelids crease like you wouldn’t believe, so I have to work quickly – other people may not. The colors are fun, bright, and can be used with any bold eye look you’re going for. At the price point $25 for the Visual Artist Makeup Crayon set of 6, it’s worth stepping outside your normal looks to try something new.
The white makes a great base to help eye shadows pop more, and the black works as a liner, as long as you set it with a black shadow. If you’re really good and working with cream products and shadows, the Visual Artist Makeup Crayon can also be used to darken up your look a little bit.
While $25 can be a little bit more than what some people may want to spend, but you are getting six shadow sticks in the Visual Artist Makeup Crayon set to work with. That’s less than $5 a pencil. I’m enjoying these shadow pencils, and it works out great that they’re a clean brand since I’m moving to only use clean and cruelty-free brands.
As I age, my skincare needs change. It’s almost as though I finally find a great routine that works for me and my skin reaks havoc all over again. Hormones, stress, and even seasons play such a large part when it comes to healthy skin. So I find myself once again spending countless hours searching the internet for skin care regimen to suit my needs. The problem is, I am clueless on which products to use in conjunction with others or how to nourish my skin in a way that won’t need a change of routine a few months out. Oz Naturals, however, has catered the best skin care regiment for my skincare needs so I decided to put it to the test.
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I ask myself this a lot…what about ME? Moms are always giving to others, but you need to give back to yourself too. No one is going to take care of you, so here are some ideas/products to treat yourself better!
All my life I have heard…did you drink your water? No I’m not too fond of water, yes I get it I need it. But do I like it, NO! I try to drink plain water, but it just isn’t my thing. So since I need to be that example, I need water that has flavor. Being healthier is the number one way on how you can treat yourself better. Plus I can get my veggies and vitamins in too!
Unboxing:
Yep…flavored water but I’m also going to take it a step farther- water that gives me my daily dose of green nutrition plus tastes fantastic. I’m talking about AMAZING GRASS. They have tablets you put in water. By the way, Green Effervescent tablets are PERFECT for the mom on the go. You can get flavors that help with energy, hydrate, detox, and even beauty tablets.
If you want to go all out and get on the drink water kick with me, then you need the Eff Your Water Kit which is terrific. You will get one branded glass water bottle with sleeve, five effervescent tubes including Lemon Lime, Energy Tropical, Hydrate Strawberry Lemonade, Detox Lemon Charcoal, & Beauty Pink Lemonade, plus fun collateral and one pack of Eff Your Water stickers!
All you have to do is drop an effervescent tablet into your drink, making it the most novel and convenient way to get a daily dose of green nutrition. The tablets are made with the brand’s proprietary alkalizing greens blend, including wheatgrass, barley grass, alfalfa, spirulina, and chlorella, plus more than 30 antioxidant superfoods to help support immunity.
I love the fact I can have different flavors and it helps me get my water intake in plus my greens, antioxidants, and vitamins. Mama is getting her healthy on with all these healthy water tablets.
I’m in my 50’s and skincare is a big thing for me! It really doesn’t matter what age you are, taking care of your skin is definitely a way to give back to yourself. Every morning I take time to do a beauty routine that gets me in the mood for the day.
First, make sure the products you use don’t have a bunch of junk in them- you know they make your face greasy and then you break out- stop using those products. You want all-natural products that will have you looking clean, healthy and of course looking amazing.
But also it has all-natural- ingredients that come from the most biodiverse forests. It is plant-based and vegan which enhance and maintain natural collagen levels to keep skin elastic. My face is so smooth after I use SOMA AYURVEDIC! A skincare routine is a great way to treat yourself better.
I’ve been using the vitamin C serum, anti-aging cream, and under-eye gel for a couple of weeks now and OMG my face is looking so healthy. I don’t look like I haven’t slept in months and my face has a glow to it now. Even my husband who barley comments on how I look even noticed how healthy my face looks. Let’s just say I’ve been taking a lot more selfies, lately.
Home is where the heart is right…well it also is where everyone wants Mom to do everything for them so I created an area where I can go relax. I created a Summer Oasis for myself out in the backyard. What a wonderful way to give back to yourself- create your own space. Now it’s nothing like a SHE SHED but it is my space that I enjoy every day. When I need time away from the chaos of life and family I head to the backyard.
The Deoccrated Summer Box gave me the inspiration I needed to get my oasis started. Plus it was really fun getting a box full of decor items that are colorful, functional, and perfect for the summer. The summer box has a hostess with the mostess vibe going on and I love it. Colors are amazing and I’m digging the tropical theme- who doesn’t like Flamingos.
The art print can be framed and reused in the home. It also has two sides so you can utilize both prints and change up the decor.
The apron and napkins can be used year-round since they are my favorite colors. Omg…you need to check out Pinterest for fun things to do with a cloth napkin. My husband thinks the apron is for him but no way it is way too pretty for him to wear it while BBQ’ing but I sure will rock it at my many summer parties.
The box art can be displayed inside too. Create a relaxing oasis on your bookcase too. I love to feature it on our wall outside for now. Which also features the wood plaque. The plaque has two sides and this plaque definitely will be hung inside by my desk after summer.
The HELLO hook will be hanging by the front door soon- but for now, it’s outside holding the cute TIC TAC TOE travel game.
My daughter and I play this game almost every night outside. By the way, you can also throw this game in your beach bag for a day trip. Tic Tac Toe is a fun game to play, no matter what age.
The vessel can hold all kinds of items outside and inside- think bills and stationary. Outside it holds the napkins, utensils, and seasonings. I can use this vessel for so many things in the house.
The lantern is my favorite item in the box because I’ve always wanted one. It is outside now and holds candles. When I bring it inside I might use it for a plant that has an ugly vase.
Thank you Decocrated, pronounced (DECO-CRATED), a new quarterly (seasonal) home décor subscription box for my inspiration for creating an outside summer oasis for me to unwind and relax. The box has over $200 worth of items that you can use all year round and is priced under $80. Love this deal.
We all need cookies in our life, right? How about a cookie that is healthy? What the heck is a healthy cookie- well CompletEats is a plant-based grab-and-go cookie that is gluten-free, vegan, 7 grams of protein, full of Omega-3s and fiber. See healthy.
They have three flavors: Cherry Almond, Mocha Chip, and Chocolate Chia. And each cookie has 6-7 ingredients and all are sourced in California. Since I live in California I knew I had to try these cookies. Healthy cookies are also a cool way to treat yourself better!
Each cookie has 7 grams of protein, full of Omega-3s, and fiber. CompletEats cookies are perfect for before and after your workouts and will keep you full and energized throughout the day. Now that is a cookie- that is recommended with exercise.
MOM’S you need to treat yourself better and I hope you think about some of these products or ideas to create a happier and healthier you!
Since we are on the subject of MOMS…please read Cool Updates for Mom
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