The holiday season is upon us which means you are looking for gifts to give to the special people in your lives. I love consulting gift guides of my favorite bloggers to get some ideas especially when it comes to buying for my sisters and friends. I wanted to kick off my series of gift guides with one that is near and dear to my heart.... a Spoonie Gift Guide!

If you are someone living with a chronic illness you know there are some really special comforts in life that truly are some of the best gifts. There may not be a magic pill you can gift to someone who has a chronic illness that will make it all better, but there are plenty of gifts you can give that can help reduce anxiety, create a more comfortable way to relax, and provide a bit of luxury to a day of self care. 

You can shop my picks below so you can treat the spoonie in your life this holiday season (or yourself... alway appropriate to treat yourself). I also have included some brief descriptions, giving you the scoop on why these are the perfect gifts!

​1. slip Silk Pillow Case - When you aren't feeling so hot it's no secret that you can spend a lot of time in bed. Having a luxurious pillow case can make you feel at least a bit pampered while you are getting your beauty sleep. The numerous benefits for your skin and hair simply by switching to this pillow case can make you feel like you are treating yourself while you snooze.

2. Herbivore Detox Bath Salts - Baths are won of my favorite ways to unwind after a long day and they help a lot with chronic joint and muscle pain. I also love how cute this jar is because you will actually want it to be displayed in your bathroom.

3. slip Silk Sleep Mask - I never understood the hype around sleep masks until I wanted to sleep in a bright doctors office. Game. Changed. This is a gem to someone who is constantly exhausted.

4. Audible Membership - Audible is the gift that keeps on giving. It allows you to consume content straight through your earbuds in a relaxing way. When you are nauseous or have a migraine the last thing you want to do is read a book or look at a screen. Audible solves all of these problems and is also a great companion for when you are getting infusions or suffering through a long wait at the doctor's office.

5. Pajama Set - Feeling cute and put together goes a long when when it comes to mindset and morale. Even if your hot date this weekend consists of Netlixing by yourself it feels good to get a little fancy in these adorable (but still ultra comfy) pajamas.

6. Earbuds - This goes hand in hand with the Audible Membership. Listening to books, podcasts, or music can be a great distraction during medical procedures or when you just aren't feeling great and need to take your mind somewhere else. Also, great to wear when you don't feel like speaking to any other humans.

7. Mask Frenzy by Peter Thomas Roth - Masks are another great way to practice self care. This set has all of the greatest highs from PTR but isn't necessarily something you can justify spending the money on yourself. This is a special gift that will remind the spoonie in your life to spend a little extra time treating themselves. 

​8. Gravity Blanket- These are proven to help with anxiety and insomnia which are two things many spoonies experience. Who doesn't want the gift of better sleep?

9. Teddy Bear Faux Fur Bath Robes - Again, sometimes its nice to feel pampered without having to leave your home.

10. Acupressure Mat - These are out of this world when it goes to helping decrease muscle pain and discomfort. They are are proven to help lover anxiety.


Did I miss anything? Let me know what else you would add to the list.

Also, stay tuned for my next gift guide coming soon.

Happy Holidays!

​xx

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I’m no doctor but here is the scoop on how it was explained to me. Basically, cystic acne is nasty bacteria backed up under your skin. The laser targets that area with heat which kills the acne causing bacteria. No bacteria, no cystic acne. Boom. If you want to read more, “The Pretty Pimple” has a great article on laser treatments  that I majorly stalked.

Full facial laser treatments can cost around $200+ but for just a spot or two I recommend talking to your doctor because you can do specifically those areas for a discounted rate. If you suffer from chronic cystic acne you can get a sequence of treatments (usually around 3-5 treatments depending on severity) and clear up the acne you are experiencing. While it isn’t immediate, it is definitely effective and it also helped to prevent scarring. About a third of the time I get some type of acne scar when I have a cystic breakout (probably because I try and handle it myself, whoops) but with this treatment there was absolutely zero scarring.

So what’s the verdict:

I will 100% do this treatment again. It yielded great results with little to no pain, not a huge investment, and no recovery time.


There was no scarring after the treatment and no scarring after the cystic acne healed.


I saw instant, positive results that continue to improve over a few days.


The only thing I would advise against is doing this the week of your wedding like I did. Of course if you are in a pinch, you have to do what you have to do but ideally avoiding trying new treatments immediately before a big event is the way to go. You never know how your skin will react so you want to try new products/treatments out in enough time where you could recover if something went awry. Out of all things to get done last minute though I would say this is not super risky and probably one of the better ones.

Overall…. I saw GO FOR IT.

Now obviously due to expenses and time I can’t run to my doctor every time I have a breakout so I have to find some treatments at home to help remedy the situation. I have shared some of my favorites in the past, one of which being the Fresh Umbrian Clay Mask. I only use it as a spot treatment instead of on my whole face and you only need such a tiny bit that I’ve had this bottle so long that they’ve redone the packaging. It’s not cheap so I’m not mad about it.

I also have been loving the cult favorite Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion for like 7 years now. I use it mostly for whiteheads as opposed to cystic acne but it works super quick and is under $20. I have a set of pimple extracting tools that I keep on my vanity at all times (it was less than $10 from Amazon). I am the type of person that like NEEDS to pop a pimple when I have one which is not great for your skin but with the right tools it can be done in a proper way.

My last trick for fighting breakouts is to actually hydrate my skin. People automatically assume that when your skin breaks out you should dehydrate the shit out of it and turn your face into a desert. From my experience this only makes things worse because then your skin will overproduce oil and it becomes a vicious cycle. Do not be afraid of hydration. If done properly it won’t cause your skin to break out and it will only keep your skin looking tighter and younger which is honestly all I can ask for. I just started using the Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask and I am in love with it. For my daily moisturizer I have really been loving the COSRX Snail Cream. It is affordable and insanely hydrating without feeling too heavy.

Maintaining even and smooth skin sans breakouts can be hard when you have underlying health issues, but it definitely is possible to a certain extent. While I have accepted that my skin will never be “perfect”, I love keeping my skin as healthy as can be and I love sharing my finding with you all!



xx

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Our new podcast is live here on iTunes and we are super pumped about it. This is a fun and lighter episode than we have be doing recently. Diane is preparing for a trip, we talk about some things that we are loving, and we talk about our experiences with botox (+fillers). 

We mentioned a few weeks ago that we were going to experiment with some injectables and report back. By now we've had time to let them sink in and share the details on our experiences. 

Not only do we talk about how to use botox in a preventative way we also talk about how it can fix medical issues. I've had horrible TMJ for as long as I can remember so I went for it and got some needles to the masseter muscle in hopes it would bring me some relief. 

We are sharing ALL of the details so give it a listen. Obviously we are not medical professionals so before your choose to do anything please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon.

If you live in Maryland and need referrals or want to know where we went specifically/who we saw drop us a message and we will give you the scoop.


​xx

My hair and I spent many years fighting with each other. 

My natural locks are a mousey dirty blonde/light brown and was super thin and scraggly for the longest time. And by that I mean up until like last year. 

I cycled through extensions and treatment products for almost a decade before I realized my body's effed up way of absorbing my nutrients (thanks anorexia + Crohn's!) was what was causing my hair to just literally not grow the way I wanted it to. This is a whole other post in and of itself but once my Crohn's got way more under control miraculously my hair started thriving for the first time I could ever remember. 

Over the past 6 months or so I have been experimenting with styling products and tools to style my newly healthier hair and have been getting used to a life of styling my natural hair not just with extensions!

I have done a couple other posts about my haircare favorites before and don't get me wrong, all of those products are great and a lot of them are still in rotation in my routine. Here is the thing though, trying new beauty products is pretty much my hobby so I am always finding new sh*t that I am obsessed with.... hence the title of these posts. 

I'm going to give ya'll a short rundown on why I love each of the products and you can click the link to purchase them via Amazon. Yup, extra bonus here, all of these products you can easily get 'primed' to your home so you literally do not have to leave your sofa. 

If you're into the products I usually share (these included) make sure to check out my Amazon Influencer Shop where you can see all of my favorite things in a variety of different categories. There are a ton of haircare, skincare, and makeup products I love along with other things like books, office supplies, an even selfie lights. 

Okay now let's do this thing....

I am a hairspray brat. I remember when I was little my mom used to spray hairspray while I was talking to her and it would get in my face/mouth and I would LOSE my shit. I've always been weird about how it smells, how sticky it is, and how impossible it makes restyling your hair without washing it. The thing is, when you have hair on the thinner side you need a decent amount of spray to keep any curls in tact but the formula cant be too heavy that it makes weighs your hair down.

I recently had the chance to try this product for free thanks to Influenster and I was a huge fan. This blog post is not sponsored by them so just putting that out there. I actually like this stuff. The hold is great like to the point where I had my hair curled during the outrageous Northeast windstorm and it kept my curls in tact. 

The formula isn't super sticky and it actually gives your hair a pretty but non greasy shine. This stuff is perfect for the girl who hates washing her hair because it holds well but you can easily brush your hair and restyle without dealing with yucky buildup or a crunchy feel. 
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There isn't much to say about this stuff besides it is a lifesaver. To be honest, I don't even know all 25 things this stuff does but I can gladly tell you what I use it for. I put it in after I wash my hair as a leave in conditioner. It helps to detangle and moisturize my hair as well as helping to manage frizziness and as a heat protectant. 

It is super easy to use and a little goes a long way. It is totally not heavy at all and doesn't leave any kind of residue. 
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Drybar products are my JAM. Literally I have never used something from them that I haven't fallen in love with. A little goes a long way with this sea salt spray. I love putting it in wet hair if I don't have time to dry it because it will leave my usual stick straight hair with a bit of texture. I love spraying this in with a tiny bit of hairspray after doing some tousled curls. It gives your hair a sexy, undone looks and looks like you aren't trying too hard. Usually to look like you aren't trying you have to put a lot of effort in but seriously, not with this stuff. It is also great to throw in your beach bag on vacations. Also, I'm a huge fan of this for second (and even third) day hair to amp it up a bit. The delicious smell doesn't hurt either. 
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If you haven't gotten the theme here, I just really don't like washing my hair. Don't judge me. I know at least 80% of ya'll reading this only wash yours 2-3 times per week whether you want to admit it or not. 

Dry shampoo is my best friend. I actually joke at work that our team runs on dry shampoo. Why? Because we are all boss ass babes that have a lot more important things to do than wash our hair everyday. Just. Saying.

I've tried almost every type of dry shampoo on the market. Expensive, cheap, spray, powder, you name it and I've tried it. My tried and true favorite always is Batiste. It is reasonably priced, gets the job done, and I always order this 3-pack from Amazon because that is how quickly I go through it.
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I have been through my fair share of curling irons but I have never found one that is as easy to use and totally efficient as this one it. Matt got this for my for Valentine's Day last month after I had been obsessing over it when I got my hair done at Drybar. Best husband award.

This tool is super easy to use. It heats up to 440 degrees almost instantly so it is great for when you are rushed in the mornings. The barrel rotates to it is ergonomically friendly and ensures you have a smooth curl every time. The 1.25 inch is great for my length of hair and perfect for curling my extensions as well. 

It definitely is an investment but I have learned over the years that in my opinion it is definitely worth investing in quality hair tools because they DO make such a different.
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This T3 dryer is another great investment in the hair tool category. It is so light weight and dries my hair insanely quickly. Another one that makes rushed morning before work 10x easier. It also isn't super loud so you won't wake your entire house up at 6am. The speedy drying time is the thing that will forever sell me on T3 dryers because part of the reason I hate washing my hair is because I hate the time it takes to style afterwards. This has undoubtedly cut down my drying time at least in half. 15 extra minutes that I can sleep in on a Monday morning? Sign. Me. Up.


I hope you all enjoy the products I mentioned and they help to make your hair styling experience a lot more efficient and hopefully more fun! Make sure to check out my Amazon Influencer Page to shop my other favorite items and drop me a message/comment with any recommendations you have! I am always looking for new things to try!


xx

Happy Sunday ya'll! 

This weekend was incredibly relaxing for me which I needed after the chaos of the holidays. I also was starting to get sick so I needed to sleep it off, hydrate, and load up on Vitamin C. It was also so damn cold here in Maryland so I rejoiced that I had a reason to stay curled up in the house. 

I spent today prepping for the week and getting myself ready to crush it. I've been slammed at work with a ton of projects so getting set up on Sundays to make my mornings and my week go as smoothly as possible is so key. 

Something that I always have struggled with is my morning routine. I love maximizing my sleep time which means I get up at the last minute possible to make it to work on time. I've tried to change this about myself but I just have accepted the fact that mornings aren't my thing. I get so stressed scrambling around trying to get a smoothie together and pack my vitamins, snacks, waters, for the whole day. To be honest I usually grab the quickest thing possible and bolt out the door. 

This leaves me with not the greatest breakfast and trying to remember to take all of my supplements when I get home. Smoothies are such a great way to pack in veggies, fruits, and supplements/powders that make up for what you aren't getting throughout the rest of your day so I had to figure out a way to make this work.

After I listened to The Skinny Confidental podcast a couple weeks ago with Dr. Mona Vand, my life CHANGED. It seems so simple but it just made so much sense and how the heck did I not think of this before. Mona said that she preps her smoothies in pre portioned bags for each day so that she doesn't have to scramble in the morning to get ingredients together. THIS MAKES SO MUCH FREAKING SENSE.

So I've started doing this and it is a true game changer. 

I wanted to show you guys what I put in my smoothies and how seriously freaking easy it is. I also have been doing this with supplements. If you have Crohn's or any chronic illness you know taking your supplements are crucial to keep your body functioning so forgetting them and not being organized with what you are taking can really screw things up.

Make it SUPER easy. 

I usually break it down by:

• ​1 handful of something green (spinach or kale) 
• 1 handful of fruit (usually I try and stick with berries because they aren't super acidic, they're decently low in sugar, they have a ton of health benefits, and I just really like how they taste) - to keep things in the budget I like to get the frozen wild blueberries from Trader Joe's
• Add ins! (this is the fun part)
  • Chia seeds
  • Spirulina powder
  • Hemp seeds
  • Maca powder
  • Protein powder
  • Collagen powder

You throw it all in bags- portioned for each day of the week and in the morning you JUST ADD WATER and BLEND.

​Boom. Out the door. 

My favorite combination is one handful of spinach, one handful of blueberries, chia seeds, maca powder, and spirulina powder. You can add regular water or coconut water if you are feeling crazy. Sometimes I mix up the consistency by adding some ice. 


This is a great way to pack in nutrients at the beginning of your day and start things off the right way while not having to stress out in the kitchen in the AM. 

I will do a separate post about what I am doing with my vitamins and what vitamins/ supplements I've been taking but I will just saw this for now, pre packing them for the week is a game changer. 

I also have been testing out some supplements that you can just add into your water, stir, and enjoy which is also another lazy girl tip I will be sharing with ya'll once I narrow down my favorites.

All of the lazy girl tips will be coming your way so stay tuned. 

While you wait, I'm dying to know what your tips and tricks are AND what are your favorite morning smoothie add ins?

xx

Any time there is a season change my skin FREAKS out. Oily, dry, break outs, peeling, you name it, my skin is doing it. This year I feel like I've finally got things under control with a serious routine but I needed to step up my game in the scalp department. I focus so much on styling products and products to protect my color that I majorly neglect taking care of my actual skin on my head. So weird, right? I run into the same issue every year where as soon as it starts to get cold my scalp gets flaky and dry and I just tough it out or steal some of Matt's Head & Shoulders that hangs out in our shower. This year I have finally found the solution though and I couldn't wait to share it with ya'll. This Tea Tree Shampoo from Maple Holistics is my new favorite find. Not only does is sooth my scalp, eliminate flakiness, and make my hair feel super smooth... it is under $10. If you have been following along with Crohnically Blonde you know that I am in the middle of planning a wedding so cutting costs anywhere I can is on the agenda for me so this is actually perfect. It smells amazing and makes me not hate the dreaded task of washing my hair so much. I mix this in with my normal haircare routine and use it 1-2x per week (I only wash my hair every other day anyway).

As I started to check out everything else by Maple Holistics, I realized that you can actually sign up to get FREE samples. We all love free and we all love trying out a great product before we actually buy so go request a sample and your scalp will thank you. Let me know what you end up trying and what you think!  

​Below are links to some other products that I am loving for nourishing my skin.

• Acure Rosehip Oil & Acure Brightening Facial Scrub
• Tree Hut Body Butter
• And of course my crystals a la Annabelle Desisto

​xx

If you guys haven't noticed I've really embraced Instagram Stories after a long while of shying away from anything following the Snapchat model. I never jumped on board to Snap bandwagon just because to me it honestly just seemed like a whole lot of work and set up for little to no ROI. Let me explain.... you have to make a conscious effort to make sure you are promoting yet another user name on another platform for your brand, you have to make sure you are keeping up adding brands you are going to promote on both Instagram and Snapchat, and it just was another app that I had to deal with. Sounds high maintenance but I also just couldn't get into the whole sharing every little thing in my life until I realized there was actually value I could add by doing so. I still don't share everything but I do get to share quick tips on products, funny things about my dogs, and give people a look at what my non curated life looks like. Not only does this leave my Instagram feed freed up but it also has helped me to connect with readers/followers of CB in a whole new way. I just love it now. I like that Instagram is already something that I utilize on the regular so adding a new feature is easily integrated into my social media habits. I love that I can just tag brands that I already love without having to go find and follow on another site and I love being able to see updates from not only my friends but businesses and bloggers I follow along with. Instagram you did it right. There are a whole lot of other things that I do not like about you right now but I will save that for a different post..... (in case you haven't heard, Google "Instagram algorithm" be prepared for lots of shade).

Basically the point of this whole rant is that I've been utilizing stories to share real time updates and finds so I think I have slacked a little on sharing them on here. I DO want to get back to doing that though because I think it really is important to have posts to go back to that round up the top content you are sharing day to day. So, takeaway #1- follow me on Instagram to see real time updates, #2- enjoy this new, updated post of all of my favorite new and now finds that I can't get enough of. 

​xx

I absolutely LOVE decorating for Fall. That being said, though, I don't like veering from my neutral color scheme and the usual fall colors don't go with my whole "look" I have going on at home. In the past I have been all about the white pumpkin decorating craze that dominates Pinterest but this year I switched things up to green pumpkins! They aren't AS basic as the white pumpkins but still fit my color scheme requirements. I picked up some cute decor for Fall (including green pumpkins, at Hobby Lobby and Target).

I got a sample of this product at Sephora the other day and have been so obsessed ever since. It is super moisturizing, tastes amazing, and adds a perfect finish to your lips if you are going for a natural look (which I pretty much always am). I can't get enough of this stuff and have been recommending it right and left to pretty much every person I meet. You can get it for yourself HERE. You won't regret it. 

I am so OCD about office/school supplies and the pens/pencils that I write with so when I found these I was skeptical at first but soon made a believer. I ordered these bad boys off of Amazon (I have the multi color pack) for writing and color coding my planner and for organizing my notes at work. The thin tips make it so easy to write neatly and the color selection is amazing. You can get them on Amazon and have them at your house in two days. Score.

I did a whole Instagram post on this stuff  but to give you a quick rundown.... this stuff is a miracle for whitening teeth painlessly. It is made of clay, it is organic, it is pain free, and you can get 30% off of your first order with my code "M30". Click here, you are welcome.

This stuff has become my go to. So far I have tried their Pinot Noir and the Rose and both have been heaven for my tastebuds. The wines aren't too sweet and definitely gets you a little buzzed with your first class (or is that just me?). Did I mention that they come in cans? Yup, cans. So they are great for bonfires and other outdoor Fall events. Especially for us gluten free folk who can't drink beer, these are a cool alternative so you don't have to look like the asshole drinking out of a wine class while everyone else has Miller Lite cans.

I always see Moon Juice products featured by The Skinny Confidential but haven't been totally sold. The other day I gave in and tried this Brain Powder one morning at work. I was pretty surprised that about 20 minutes after drinking the powder (I mixed it with caffeine free mint tea) I was more alert, awake, and focused. Usually it takes me a couple cups of coffee to get to that point but if this powder can get me amped up that quickly without the negative gastro effects from coffee then I guess it is worth it! Get yours here.

I am always on the hunt for products that will hydrate my skin without making me break out or have a reaction from it. ThirstyMud is heaven for skin transitioning seasons. I put it on for about 20 minutes while I am taking a bubble bath and when I take it off my skin feels plump, moisturized, and so smooth. A little of this stuff goes a long way so you can make the jar last. 

Charleston is obsessed with toys that we can stuff treats into and those things will keep him busy for hours. Kong toys are a lifesaver when we are trying to get things done around the house and need Charleston to be occupied. Rhaegar is a little easier to entertain. We put him in front of the window and he can stare for hours. I like to browse the different Kong toys at my local pet store to decide what is best for my boys. There are different ones for different ages and strength of chewers. 

It all started with Red Lentil pasta from Trader Joe's and then when I saw this stuff I had to give it a try. This has quickly become a dinner staple in my household especially when I need to whip something up quickly. While I usually opt for zoodles or spaghetti squash for a gluten free pasta alternative, this pasta is a great way to get your carb fix while still packing in protein and keeping gluten free. I usually just make this quickly with a bit of olive oil, garlic salt, and parmesan cheese. Perfect come home late from work week night dinner.

I was going through my makeup to organize it the other day and found an unopened Butter London eye pencil that I got for free a while ago and never had the chance to use. What! So I started using this in Earl Grey and have become kind of addicted to it. I like that it is a softer color than the black I usually use. It blends easily and is long lasting so I don't have to worry about it smudging throughout the day, even when my eyes are watery from allergies. I've used other Butter London products, all of which have been great, so I wasn't surprise when this stuff exceeded my expectations. You can get yours from Ulta.com. 

I am a Tory Burch flats girl through and through. Call me basic, but I love how comfortable and durable they are. I have worn some variation of a Tory Burch flat almost everyday to work for the past year or so. My black flats are on their last leg so I wanted to replace them but try something new. I have been loving monograms lately, especially with my new monogram (I am so corny, I know). When I saw that I could get monogrammed flats from Marleylilly I had to place an order ASAP. I am so picky about my shoes but these definitely are up to my standards. They are cute, comfortable, and unique to you. 

I can't wait to hear what you guys end up trying or have tried from this list! Also, please feel free to message me any recommendations on new things to try! I am always game for a new product. 

​xx

I've been a little M.I.A. this past week. Mostly because my health hasn't been awesome. I've been super exhausted leading up to my Remicade this past Friday and I've been trying to relax as much as possible. As much as I hate being a hermit and feeling under the weather, it is a good opportunity for me to test out new self care products (skincare, bath products, etc.). Now that I am bouncing back a bit I am excited to share some of the new things I've tried.

My number one new product right now is amazing, hydrating, and only $12 (and can be at your house almost instantly thanks to Amazon Prime). Drugstore brands are revolutionizing their products more and more to compete with the prestige lines of skincare and makeup. Long gone are the days of looking down on skincare products because of their lower price tag. Every time I read a beauty blog or watch a tutorial, there is a heavier mix of prestige and drugstore brand products that when mixed together can create the perfect cocktail of products that are not only amazingly effective but also affordable. I used to blow more money than I care to admit on high end beauty and skincare products but the more new drugstore brand products that I try the more I am swayed to sometimes swing by my local CVS instead of Sephora. 

This e.l.f. Bubble Mask has been hyped up all over the internet for a while now but I just recently decided to give it a try. To be honest, I was not expecting much and thought it was some crazy thing that middle school girls use for fun. Well, it is kind of amusing but it also does a damn good job of hydrating your skin. I left it on all over my face and neck for about 20 minutes while I was taking a bath. It comes out of the bottle as a clear gel substance but as soon as you rub it on your face it is game time. Tiny bubbles take over and as they pop it creates a soothing, tingling feeling on your skin. When about 20 minutes were up I rinsed the product off of my face and was genuinely surprised at how smooth my skin felt. I looked more youthful, fresh, and rejuvenated. I thought that maybe I was just having a good skin day but the experiment proved to be legit when after a long day at work I brought life back to my sad looking skin. I think this stuff is the real deal.

Something I worry about when I shop drugstore brands is that the ingredients may irritate my skin or cause me to break out. This actually is a little bit crazy because often times when you compare products at different price points they have the same or very similar ingredients. It is all about doing your research and also some trial and error. The Bubble Mask didn't cause any irritation to my skin or cause any breakouts which was a huge win. The only negative I can come up with is that it feels kind of weird to leave on for an extended period of time. With some hydrating masks that are more creamy I will actually leave them on my face and neck all night. I know this isn't recommended but, yes, I do it. This mask is more of a 'do while you catch up on your DVRed shows' or 'while you take a bubble bath' kind of thing.

Overall, I think this stuff will be a lasting part of my routine going into the winter. For $12, you can't beat the price, and it definitely helped out my tired skin. I suggest you head over to Amazon and order one of these ASAP to add to your self care routine. I'm serious. With colder weather creeping up it is best to be proactive with hydrating and prep your skin in advance instead of waiting for disaster in ensue. I literally do this every year and wake up one day at the end of November wondering why I look like a psycho who hasn't put on moisturizer in 10 years. Don't do that. I also like to think that since I am dehydrated (thanks Crohn's!) pretty much 24/7, quenching my skin's thirst with some yummy products are even more necessary. 

I can't wait to hear what you guys think once you try this or if you have already tried this! I also would love to hear any recommendations that you have for hydrating products/any must haves going into the chilly months!


Be back with some more later this week.


​xx

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you all had a relaxing, refreshing, and rejuvenating weekend! I have been curled up in my house, post Remicade, catching up on blogging and Real Housewives of New York. Today I had my big outing of the weekend and went to grab some Greek food for brunch with my mom, grandpa, and Matt. We tried a bunch of small plates (they have GREAT gluten free choices) but my favorite was the spinach frittata, seriously to die for. It's nice to get dressed and put some makeup on even when you aren't feeling so hot, it boosts my spirits a bit. 

I sported my new Lulu's aviators which I ordered in my ER/pain medicine induced haze and I've ended up really loving them. Also, below is my live action shot of me yelling at Matt for something because I am a gem of a girlfriend. Just kidding, not yelling at him, love you boo.

Anyway, by time I got home I was totally exhausted and I knew writing the full post that I wanted to do was NOT happening. I got a little creative with this one and decided to just do a video of what I was going to do a post on. Genius! According to Gary V. video and audio content is the KEY right now so count me the F in. Honestly, when I am not feeling great it is way easier to articulate myself through spoken words than it is writing something witty and engaging (sorry yall!).

This week I wanted to show you all my favorite things that I am obsessing over lately! I feel like I used to do these in individual posts but I have been trying out so many cool new things that I feel like I needed to group some together. This segment has a mix of books, jewelry, beauty, sparkling water (yassss), and my favorite website for summer fashion. The best part is that everything I am recommending to you all is under $20 and you can get pretty much everything on Amazon. That is, minus Lulus.com because you can spend a boat load of money there. I am not responsible for that. 

I hope you guys enjoy! Please let me know if this is a style of delivering content that you guys and enjoy and I can do some more of these!

Also, feel free to drop me a DM or let me know on my Instagram what products you are ABSOLUTELY LOVING RN. 


​xx.

When I originally was thinking through writing this post I was singing the tune of "oh my god I love summer, I love the heat, I love everything warm and summer". Now I am sitting here with fans blowing on me on an 87 degree day on day two without central AC. Yikes. And get this, they can't come out to repair it until Monday. It is like the universe had to knock me down a little from my "I love summer" high. Either way, I am fighting through the fact that I feel like I am in a hot yoga class 24/7 and I love my dogs more than I love myself so I give them prime fan blowing real estate. 

Despite my air conditioning mishap I am still going to bring ya'll a little update on some products that I am obsessing over right now. The amount of different beauty products I try on a regular basis borderline crazy but I consider it research. I am not only a sucker for things that deliver results but also for super cute packaging. I love some good, cohesive branding and product names and packaging that wows. When it comes to beauty products there are always the latest and greatest trends that brands follow but how many companies can make virtually the same product with almost the same formulation playing into the same trend that everyone else is playing into? Every company does this. Yes, there are brands that sell you on formula or price point but something that I think can really set a product apart for their competitors: packaging.

In a world where everyone is documenting everything brands need to make their products beautiful and photogenic that way customers and influencers are more likely to snap a picture and share. There could be two products that are exactly the same but the one with more appealing packaging is the choice I will always go for. I think it is more than just about the fact that it "looks cute", I feel like it makes me feel like the brand put more care into the whole experience that their customer will have with this product. That makes me trust the brand more and in return I want to buy into the whole experience of what they are selling.

Right now some of my favorite products (for both performance and packaging) are summer themed and I am loving it. Palms, pineapples, & flamingos are taking over my vanity set up and I am basking in the cuteness. 

These four items not only perfectly packaged but they also are must haves for my fresh, dewy summer look that I am currently really liking. I have been using brightening face wipes, a slight bit on foundation with highlighter mixed in, some swipes of mascara, and highlighter on my cheek bones and under my brows to top it off.

Like I said, I am a total sucker for packaging and TJ Maxx is my ultimate weakness. I always love picking up makeup wipes from TJ Maxx because they always have a great variety and you can get a package of about 60 wipes for under $5. The best part, other than getting the chance to try different brands, is that their selections always have cool packaging that varies in color and pattern. I love this because I can obsessively pick the packaging that best matches the aesthetic I am going for at the time. Just make sure when you are picking that you are reading the ingredients to make sure you are selecting a good product (and not getting suckered in by the cute packaging only) and make sure you are picking out a wipe that is fitting for your skin type.

One of the highlighters and the mascara that I am really liking right now are from The Beauty Crop. Both of these items I ordered or received via Birchbox. The Lighting Crew highlighter is a very thin formula that sits lightly on your skin. If you mix it in with a BB cream or light foundation and blend with a beauty blender you get a perfect dewy look. I love that the formula is light enough to easily blend with foundation because a lot of other highlighters can be way too shimmery for all over use. A little of this stuff goes a long way so this tiny $18 tube will be blessing your makeup bag with its pineapple cuteness for quite a while. The Fabulous Flocking Lashes is another current favorite. It is a waterproof formula that doesn't leave your lashes feeling dry or crispy. I usually hate waterproof mascaras but this one is a winner thanks to the moisturizing nature of it. It provides a very natural look that makes this a perfect product to rock when you want to look super effortless. For the full size tube it is about $20. I am flamingo obsessed (my mom is too, must run in the family) so I freak every time I see something flamingo themed. Must. Buy.

​You can get both of these products here along with some other cute stuff. I got mine via Birchbox so I could use my reward points but if you want to buy them directly from The Beauty Crop website you can get 10% off of your first purchase (yay!).

My last must have isn't a hero because of the packaging but really because of the freaking heavenly summery smell. I usually am not one to take notice of the scent of makeup because that is not usually one of my deciding factors for making a purchase (unless it is disgusting). This product changed my mind. I received this Marc Jacobs highlighter complimentary to test for Influenster. I immediately noticed the delicious coconut smell with the first tiny pump of product. I just can't get enough of it not. It isn't like that sunscreen coconut smell, its like a nice coconut candle smell. Once I got over how amazing the scent was I realized that the product performance was pretty awesome as well. This gel highlighter is great for creating a natural glow on your cheek bones, brow arch, and even a tad right above your lip. A little goes a long way with this highlighter as well so I will be, for sure, enjoying this all summer long. 

Currently they are out of stock but you can check it out here and bookmark that ish for when it comes back in stock. You can also get 15% off of your first purchase with Marc Jacobs Beauty.



Let me know what other products you all are loving for summer and other themed products that are taking over your makeup collection!


xx