Things I'm Loving 10.01.24

This past week felt not quite as hectic as the week before, so I came into this week feeling a little more rested. This week is going to be an exciting one as I’m going on a trip with my mom and sister over the weekend - it’ll be the longest I’ve been away from both of my babies (2 nights)! Here’s what I’ve been loving this week:

Birkenstock Boston Clogs | Now that it’s fall I’ve been so excited to break out my clogs again. I guess these are pretty polarizing, but I love them. They’re comfortable and pretty much go with anything. I have the “Mink” shade, which is a nice, warm brown, but I think I want to add a cooler taupe shade to my closet soon (although maybe I’ll go for a dupe rather than the real thing).

Armani Luminous Silk Glow Blush in ‘Ecstasy’ | I got this blush last spring (that’s how old the photo for this post is!) and have recently been dipping into it again. Everyone talks about the Armani Liquid Blushes, which I’m still dying to try, but this one is so beautiful and deserves lots of attention, too. It’s such a silky smooth powder that glides over the skin and blends so easily. Ecstasy is a really pretty cool pink that adds the perfect flush - it’ll be a great “just came in from the cold” blush as the weather cools down.

Sephora Collection Retractable Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil | I usually use a brow powder on a daily basis, but when I’m in a hurry I like to reach for a pencil instead. My normal go-to’s are on the pricier side, but since it’s something I don’t use super often, the last time I needed a new pencil I tried out this more affordable one from Sephora Collection. It’s great! I don’t think I’ll go back to my more expensive pencils. It has a really fine tip to create hairlike strokes, it lasts well all day without fading, and the shade is great and doesn’t pull too warm, as some cheaper eyebrow pencils I’ve tried do.

Maison Louis Marie Antidris Cassis Perfume Oil | I’m normally a “signature scent” kind of person, so I’ll pick one perfume that I’ll wear every day in each season, but lately I’ve been switching up what I’m wearing instead, and I’m rediscovering so many of my old favorites! I’m surprised I don’t see many people mention this one. This brand is on the more “affordable” side of things when it comes to fragrances, and since it’s an oil, a little goes a long way. The scent is so lovely - to me it smells exactly like the Diptyque Baies candle! I find it works well year-round because it’s a bit fresh from the rose and blackcurrant notes, but there’s also a warmth to it that works as the weather cools down.

Clinique Chubby Stick in ‘Fuller Fig’ | If you’re looking for THE flushed, everyday lip for fall this is it. Clinique Chubby Sticks are classics for a reason - they’re easy to apply, comfortable, and last well for a moisturizing lip product. I haven’t really found anything quite like Fuller Fig - it’s just the perfect mix of red, brown, and berry. I think it would be beautiful on everyone! This gets a permanent spot in my rotation every fall.

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Things I'm Loving 09.24.24

Another week of favorites! This week wasn’t busy, but I’m exhausted all the same. I spent lots of time with my boys over the weekend and feel totally fried, but in a “my-heart-is-so-full-so-I’m-just-happy-tired” kind of way.

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in ‘Grace’ | This is an older blush in my collection I’ve rediscovered this week. I wore it to death when it first came out and is still one of my favorite formulas and shades. The Rare Beauty Liquid Blushes are super pigmented, so I only need a tiny little speck blended out to look like a nice flush on my skin. When I don’t overapply it blends out easily, and I think Grace may just be the most perfect shade for me - a beautiful cool pink/rose/mauve. I always get compliments on my skin when I wear it!

Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in ‘Iced Coffee’ | I took awhile to come around to the hype of these Summer Fridays balms, but I LOVE them. They’re such a nice consistency - thick and balmy without being sticky or slippy. All of the scents I’ve tried have been so good, too, but lately my favorite is Iced Coffee. It smells just like a cup of coffee (maybe with a bit of caramel in there too?), and it leaves a nice, subtle brown nude tint. It’s hard to resist collecting them all (I was the girl with a drawer full of LipSmackers when I was younger, too!) - I already have Cherry and Birthday Cake, and now I’ve ordered the new Hot Cocoa one that just launched!

J.Crew Factory Long-Sleeve Striped Tee in ‘Delphinium Blue’ | I’ve been trying to update my wardrobe here and there now that I feel like I might be ready to bring the kids out and about on weekends - I feel like I haven’t worn clothes I love since before I was pregnant! J.Crew Factory was having a sale a couple weeks ago and I grabbed two new shirts. I always feel like all I have are t-shirts, but then that’s all I gravitate towards when I go to buy something else! I like this top because it’s still quite a casual tee, but the cut and color make it feel a little more put-together to me. This is also just my most favorite color anyway, so I feel like I’d love it no matter what. I’m known for buying something I like in every color, so I’m trying to refrain here. But I really like the maroon color of this as well - I love that the cuffs are maroon instead of white!

JVN Complete Air Dry Cream | I’ve been using this for a few months now, and I think it’s my most favorite hair product I’ve ever tried. I’ve been super lazy with my hair my whole life - I don’t really prioritize styling it, especially now when I’m getting up at 5am to feed the baby before getting ready for work, so I feel like I’ve been looking for ways to make it look nice when air-dried forever. This does exactly what I’ve been looking for - it eliminates frizz and defines my natural waves so I always feel like I can just finger-comb it in the morning and go.

Kiditos Magic Water Elf Kit | I saw this kit to make little squishy toys in a reel last week and instantly had to get it to try with Camden - it’s so much fun! You get a bunch of different colored gel, some molds, and packets of powdered Calcium Lactate all in a tub. It comes with clearly-written directions - you fill the tub with water and stir in a packet of powder, squeeze the gel into the molds, and then put them into the water. When the water hits the gel it instantly makes it start to solidify so it can slide out of the mold on its own. As they sit in the water over time they firm up and set, getting super squishy! I think Cam was a little young for this, as I had to help him a lot with squeezing the gel and then he didn’t have much patience to let them set, but now that we have a bunch made he loves them! Every morning he wants to run downstairs and check on his “squishy things” and wants to show everyone that comes over. I highly, highly recommend this as a fun activity to do with kids!

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Things I'm Loving 09.17.24

September seems like it’s just flying by, doesn’t it? I went to check out a library book on Libby yesterday and was shocked when it said the return date was in October, then I realized it’s only a couple weeks away! Anyway, here are a few things I kept reaching for this past week.

PREQUEL Multi-Quench Serum | I just ordered a couple things from Prequel during their Labor Day sale, and they’ve already been big hits for me. The Multi-Quench Serum is a watery gel meant to deeply hydrate the skin. It contains polyglutamic acid, which is a moisturizing peptide proven to be an even better hydrator than hyaluronic acid. It also has glycerin to help retain that moisture and repair the skin barrier. My skin has been so happy since introducing this into my routine - I use it every morning after cleansing, and I’ve noticed my skin feels a lot smoother and doesn’t feel like it dries out throughout the day.

CeraVe Healing Ointment | I’ve used this on my kids since my toddler was an infant, and I finally got myself my own tube to use. I keep getting small eczema flareups on one eyelid, but this has been helping a lot. Now that it’s getting cooler and drier outside, I’ve been taking a pea-sized amount and applying it all over my face as the last step of my skincare routine to seal everything in. Using a small amount doesn’t feel too heavy or greasy, and I wake up with glowing, nourished skin.

REFY Lip Blur Liner in ‘Mauve’ | This is another new addition I just got over the last week, but I’m already hooked. As I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed my natural lip color has gotten paler, and my lip line has become less defined, so I usually use lip liner every time I’m wearing makeup. Sometimes a regular lip liner can just feel so harsh though, so I jumped at the chance to try this new launch from REFY. It has a velvety texture that glides on the lips and feels like nothing. It doesn’t have a precise point, so it does create that blurred lip line that I was looking for. It instantly makes my lips look fuller, so I’ve been using it under everything since I got it. Mauve is my perfect everyday pink shade - it’s pretty much the shade my lips used to be in my teens and 20s.

MERIT Bronze Balm in ‘Quince’ | I could have sworn I had already written about this recently, but I guess not! I bought this on a whim shortly after I gave birth to my younger son even though I wasn’t going to be wearing much makeup for a while, and I’m so glad I have it now. It’s basically foolproof - it’s so soft and blendable, and it’s on the sheer side, so it’s quick and easy to warm up the skin without going overboard. I can’t believe I didn’t jump on this right when it launched because this kind of thing is right up my alley.

Abercrombie 90s Relaxed Jeans | Now that the weather is cooling down and I’m coming out of my postpartum haze, I’ve been looking forward to wearing some of my regular clothes again. Right now these are my favorite jeans in my closet - I love the relaxed style, and I like that they’re still high-waisted. Most of my jeans are on the cropped side/come to my ankles, so I like having these ones that go all the way to my feet. I have them in a couple washes and just recently ordered the ‘Oat’ shade while it was on sale.

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