Things I'm Loving 09.04.24

I think today (or maybe yesterday) marks 10 years since my very first blog post! So far I’m really enjoying getting back into blogging, and I can’t wait to have time to sit down and write more than just these favorites posts (if you have something specific you’d like to see, please let me know!).

Duolingo | I’ve gotten back into doing a Spanish lesson on Duolingo every night before I go to bed. I took up to Spanish 5 in high school but haven’t used it since then, so it’s been nice to refresh my memory on what I learned back then, learn some new things, and do something that isn’t doomscrolling every night before bed.

Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream | I got this moisturizer earlier this year when I saw it recommended as a dupe for the Dieux Skin Instant Angel Moisturizer - I love Instant Angel, but it was out of stock for awhile and I needed a replacement. It turns out I think I like this moisturizer even better, and it saves me so much money, too! It has an almost whipped texture and feels deeply nourishing and soothing on the skin. I use this at night, but once my daytime moisturizer runs out I’ll probably just use it in the morning too - it’s not too heavy to use under sunscreen/makeup.

Peripera Ink the Velvet Lip Tint | Again, I can’t seem to do one of these posts without including whatever lip product I’m fixating on for the week. I have a few shades of these lip tints (some were PR samples and some I purchased myself), and they’re such a good everyday product. It’s a whipped, mousse-y texture that really does feel like weightless velvet on the lips. It doesn’t feel drying, and it lasts really well throughout the day. Lately I’ve been mixing the Rosy Nude and Star Plum Pink shades to get my perfect everyday shade: something just between subtle nude and flushed pink.

Haus Labs Color Fuse Blush Balm Stick in ‘Glassy Acai’ | I’ve had this sitting in my makeup bag for most of the summer and finally started using it consistently this week. It’s such a beautiful formula - it leaves a lovely dewy sheen on the skin, but it dries down and doesn’t feel tacky. It’s pigmented but easy to sheer out and also layers well, so I think they’ll work well on all skin tones. The shade Glassy Acai is a really pretty red berry shade that adds a really natural-looking flush - I love it for a minimal makeup look. I’ve also been smudging a bit into my lips as well when I’m not wearing the Peripera Lip Tint to tie the whole look together, and it works really well there too.

Glossier Cleanser Concentrate | I always thought I was a Glossier Milky Jelly gal through and through, but when my skin started getting really oily and clogged during my first trimester last summer I decided to try the Cleanser Concentrate. Even though my skin has gone back to normal, I still use and love this - it makes my skin feel super clean without that stripped, squeaky feeling. It removes makeup in a pinch when I don’t feel like doing a double cleanse and using a cleansing balm first, which is nice when I just want to get my bedtime routine done and get into bed as soon as possible. It could be hormonal but I feel like I break out less when I’m using this consistently, too.

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Things I'm Loving 08.28.24

I’m back with another weekly favorites post! Maybe once I get back into a groove of writing I’ll branch out on what my posts can be about, but for now keeping it to these “Things I’m Loving” posts is helping me stay consistent.

BAGGU Go Pouch Set | My BAGGU obsession continues - I prefer to keep my things organized in little pouches in my bags instead of them floating all over, so I grabbed a set of the BAGGU Go Pouches. I like that they can lay flat if you don’t stuff them, but the bottom folds out to be able to stand up, too. They can fit so much! Right now I’m using the smallest size to keep extra tampons/pads, the medium for other everyday toiletries like hand sanitizer and lip products, and I keep the largest size at home to hold my everyday makeup. I thought they were so handy that I even got a second set to use in my diaper bag - my older son loves the cat print on the one I keep his first aid kit in!

Kosas Hotliner Hyaluronic Acid Contouring Lip Liner in ‘Mega’ | I don’t think I can write these posts without including at least one lip product, and this lip liner is the one I can’t get enough of this week. The formula is quite creamy and glides on easily, but it doesn’t slip around and stays put for hours. I love how there is a brush on the end to blend the product in, and the shade Mega is the perfect goes-with-everything pink for me.

Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel | Normally I don’t get excited about things like brow gel enough to include in a post like this, but this one is just so good. My eyebrows are quite stubborn - most of the hairs in my left brow grow downwards, while my right brow grows more “normally,” so it’s hard to get them to match unless I can get a gel that holds the left one really well. The Rare Beauty one has really good hold, but it doesn’t feel stiff or crunchy in my brows. It’s also great for doing a laminated/feathered brow look.

Thrive Causemetics Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara | I don’t know what’s going on with my lashes, but ever since I had my son this spring they’ve been weird. They clump together even when using my least clumpy mascaras, they don’t hold a curl, and any extra length I get when I first put mascara on seems to disappear by midday. I went back to using the Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara, which was a favorite awhile ago, and it’s the best my lashes have looked in awhile. I love that it’s a tubing mascara, so it doesn’t smudge throughout the day but is super easy to remove at night.

Bonjout Beauty Le Balm (PR Sample) | I’m scraping the bottom of this and I’m so sad to see it coming to an end. This was an absolute staple for me in my early postpartum days when I wanted to do a nighttime skincare routine, but I also wanted to get into bed as quickly as possible. This is supposed to be able to replace a serum, moisturizer, and oil, and it definitely worked that way for me. It was so nice to just wash my face and slap this on and be done. Now that I’m trying to savor the last bits of it, I use a tiny bit instead of an oil at night and it’s beautiful that way, too. It’s deeply nourishing but not greasy or sticky. It smells faintly of roses, which is lovely, and it doesn’t irritate my skin. I need to start saving to get a new one!

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Things I’m Loving 08.21.24

The past week has been pretty hectic, but I still have a few favorites to share! It’s been a blur, but the biggest standout of the week is that my baby seems to have really discovered his voice lately, so it’s been extra loud and squawk-y at my house.

Ergobaby Embrace Carrier | This has probably been my number one essential for life with a toddler and a baby. Luckily the baby loves this thing if he’s sleepy enough - I’ve been timing outings with my toddler around naptimes for my baby so he can just sleep in the carrier while we’re out. I’ve usually been giving him his last catnap of the day in this too so I can be sure he gets around half an hour of sleep and be hands-free to play with my toddler or make dinner. It’s easy to get baby in and out of, and it’s very comfortable to wear.

Bobbi Brown Extra Plump Lip Serum in ‘Bare Raspberry’| I got this earlier this summer and then I forgot about it in a purse I don’t use often, but I’ve recently come back around to it. It’s such a beautiful formula - it feels like a true, cushion-y lip serum. It doesn’t feel too sticky but still lasts a long time on the lips. I don’t notice any real plumping, but it does make my lips feel very hydrated and nourished. The color is quite sheer, but ‘Bare Raspberry’ adds a really subtle flush of color that’s perfect for everyday.

Brook & York Mackenzie Birthstone Necklace | My husband got me this necklace for Mother’s Day this year, and I’ve worn it every day since! It has both of my boys’ birthstones in it, so of course I really love it. I don’t have any other necklaces on chains like this - I like how it’s a bit dainty, yet the shape of the chain links makes it a little more bold.

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Liquid Blonzer in ‘Kiss of Mauve’ | I loved the bareMinerals Blonzer Powders when they came out, so I had to try the new liquid version when I saw it on the Ulta website. The formula is a bit gel-like, which is really nice (like the Complexion Rescue, also a favorite). It blends in so naturally and easily, so you really do look like you just came in from being out in the sun. I love using this on rushed mornings because it gives the look of blush and bronzer in one, and it’s quick and easy to apply.

Violette_FR Boum-Boum Milk | This is an older favorite I don’t think I’ve ever gotten the chance to talk about, but I LOVE this face spray. Lately my skin has been feeling a bit dried out from going back and forth between the extreme humidity outside and blasting air conditioning inside, so this has been helping a lot. It almost feels like a watery moisturizer. I usually use it as the toning step of my skincare routine, and the rest of my other products lay beautifully on top of it. Recently I started spraying it over my makeup and it’s lovely that way too - it just helps to meld everything together and makes it look more skin-like. I’d definitely like to try more from this brand!

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