August Favorites

'Favorites' posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) 'rediscovered' items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month.

beauty favorites

Milani Eye Tech Liquid Eyeliner
Black eyeliner hasn't been part of my routine in years. But lately, I've been admiring winged/cat eye looks and tutorials. The flashy "NEW" writing on this product and the fact I had some CVS Extrabucks to burn encouraged me to purchase this on a whim. It's so easy to use and comes off clean, too.  The compact size was great for vacationing/traveling.

OPI Nail Polish in Coca-Cola Red
I saw this in a magazine advertisement and immediately purchased it on eBay; I've been wearing it constantly since it arrived. It's a perfect red, exactly like a Coca-Cola can. The formula is great, as always.

Suave Moroccan Infusion Dry Shampoo
I used the Suave Moroccan Shampoo (not a huge fan). However, I did the like the smell. For only $3, I decided to give this a try. It works just as good as some of my high-end dry shampoos. Not only is good for hiding oily roots, but works pretty good on clean hair to add texture and boost waves.

cat eyes & Coca-Cola cans,
-Kaitlyn

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Empties #4

beauty empties

Almay Makeup Eraser Sticks
I've purchased these for years and have a few back-ups on hand. They're a quick fix when you make a mess of your mascara or eyeliner. (Makeup remover and a q-tip would do the trick too but these are great for on-the-go.)

Bath & Body Works White Citrus Shower Gel 
(travel size) I'm always drawn to clean or citrus scents - this is a little of both; it's super refreshing and wakes you up in the morning. I will probably repurchase.

Beauty Protection Protect & Detangle Leave-In Conditioner 
(Birchbox sample) This was great at moisturizing and detangling; I just didn't care for the scent - it's a very strong vanilla scent. I probably won't purchase this in full-size.

Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar
My doctor recommended to use this bar soap on more sensitive areas. It lathers really nicely and is scentless. My skin has responded well to it. I have a few back-ups on hand, but I'll repurchase when I need to.

equate Oil Free Eve Makeup Remover 
(comparable to Neutrogena) I usually don't go for generic items but this was on sale and about half the cost of Neutrogena; I decided to try it out for around $3. It was a little bit more oily than Neutrogena, but it's definitely comparable. I'm not sure if I'll repurchase; I prefer Clinique and coconut oil lately.

L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara 
The wand on this mascara was super cool - it bends in all directions. However, it didn't provide more volume than Maybelline The Rocket. I won't be repurchasing.

Maybelline Pumped Up Colossal Volum' Express Mascara
This was just an okay mascara - not good, not bad. I won't be repurchasing.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara
I've raved about this over and over, it's my favorite mascara. I will continue to repurchase.

MoroccanOil MoroccanOil Treatment
This is the only hair product I really use anymore. I use two pumps on wet hair to moisturize and about half a pump on dry hair to tame frizz and add shine. I've already repurchased another bottle.

Ms. Manicure Strike to Smooth mini emery boards
These mini nail files were great for on-the-go. They take up little space in your purse or travel bag. I prefer glass nail files now, so I don't plan on repurchasing these.

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes
The are the most effective makeup removing wipes I've tried that don't irritate my skin (aside from the black packaging Olay Regenerist Wipes.) But they're not super great with mascara. I've already repurchased these in bulk.

Revlon Photoready Powder in Fair/Light
It has taken me about two years to finish this powder. (Actually, it finally broke when it was a super thin ring.) I used it just for setting concealer and it did the job. I might repurchase this in the future.

Skintimate Dry Skin Shaving Gel
This shaving cream is moisturizing and doesn't have an overwhelming smell. I have a few back-ups and I will repurchase it in the future.

Suave Moroccan Infusion Shine Conditioner
I picked up a cheap conditioner to leave at Brad's house. This smells great and left my hair pretty soft. It doesn't have any Moroccan oil in it though. It doesn't compare to my beloved Joico K-Pak; I won't be repurchasing.

up & up cotton rounds (2)
Cotton rounds are an essential for me. I go through them super fast, which is why I already repurchased in bulk.

Vitafusion Women's Complete Multivitamin (150 count)
I've discussed these in a previous empties post; I already repurchased an even larger bottle.

Venus & Olay Razor Cartridge (2)
These are my favorite razor... multiple blades, a shave bar, and a moisturizing bar leaves my skin super smooth. I've already repurchased them in bulk.

mascaras & bulk buys,
-Kaitlyn

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July Favorites

'Favorites' posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) 'rediscovered' items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month.

beauty & food favorites

This month, I've rediscovered a lot of old favorites that I always mention in previous posts but haven't used in awhile:

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara is awesome for long and thick but clump-free lashes.

LUSH Sex Bomb Bath Bomb smells heavenly and leaves the bath water pink.

Glass nail files are the only way to go to avoid breakage and get smooth edges with minimal effort. I've used the Sephora Glass nail file for nearly two years but I wanted more to keep everywhere - my car, purse, and travel bag; these were a great find.

This month, I also have a few "random favorites":

Larabars - I first discovered these about two years ago in one of my very first Birchboxes. Kroger constantly has these on sale for 10/$10 so I've slowly been trying all of the flavors. The bars are great for a light meal or snack on-the-go. They're made from whole foods and have pure and simple ingredients - not to mention, they're extremely flavorful!

Kashi GoLean Crisp! Toasted Berry Crumble Cereal - I'm slowly but surely cutting all dairy from my diet. Finding a cereal that tastes amazing with almond milk has taken forever. I've finally found the perfect combination - it reminds me a little bit of Cap'n Crunch Berries cereal... but more healthy, of course.

Polarized Sunglasses - My eyes are pretty sensitive. I'm never outside without sunglasses. Even on those cloudy-but-bright days, I'm the weirdo wearing sunglasses. Recently, I made the switch to polarized sunglasses and I don't think I'll ever be turning back. The glare is cut and colors are so much more vivid; it's a little easier to see.

grown-up Cap'n Crunch & vivid vision,
-Kaitlyn

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Haul: St. Louis

mall haul shopping spree

My last no reason shopping trip was in January - nearly half a year ago! Lately, when it comes to shopping, I'm always on a mission looking for just one item... in-and-out in just ten minutes. It was refreshing not to be looking for anything and to just aimlessly wander through a mall all day. In honor of my second no reason shopping trip this year, I thought a haul was appropriate:

LUSH cosmetics

Unfortunately, we no longer have LUSH in Memphis. I always look forward to visiting LUSH whenever I'm out of town. (My last visit was in March!) I picked up my two favorites: Ocean Salt Scrub & Sex Bomb Bath Bomb.

H&M

The only clothing item I'm 'need of' at the moment are shorts. The majority of my shorts from last year are too small or just fit weird. I'm having issues finding both comfortable and flattering shorts this season. I was contemplating between a pair of Joe's white shorts (flattering but not comfortable) and these H&M ones (comfortable, sort of flattering, but sheer.) For now, I went with the H&M ones. But the shorts hunt continues...

I'm obsessed with midi rings! However, I'm constantly losing or breaking them. I got two variety packages at H&M: I got 15 rings (all shapes, sizes, and colors) for $8.90; (that's about .60 cents a ring) I won't feel too bad about them disappearing anymore!

Fashion finds from Wildfox & BCBG

I have been wanting a Wildfox sweater for forever, but I could never talk myself into spending $100+ on a funky, not-everyday-wear, sweater; I was super excited when I found this one on sale. It's so comfortable! It feels like a soft blanket and will work as a great, year-round piece.

I scored this BCBGMAXAZRIA 'Carman' dress for 60% off. I think it will work as both a career and night-out piece. I'm a big fan of matte jersey material... it's comfortable and low-maintenance (no steaming or ironing!) Not to mention, how cool is the design?

french macarons

Finally, no big shopping trip is complete without some sweets! We stopped at LaBonne Bouchée for macarons. They had 35 flavors to choose from (WOW!!) - it was both overwhelming and fun; I picked six flavors for myself. They have pre-packaged bags and boxes for a discounted price; I also got a grab bag for a gift. (If you can't tell, macarons aren't really a 'thing' here in Memphis, so I always try to find the best macarons in other cities when I'm out-of-town.)

disappearing rings & endless macarons,
-Kaitlyn

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June Favorites

'Favorites' posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) 'rediscovered' items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month.

I've been in a beauty rut lately; I've been sticking to the same products I always rave about or just wearing minimal/no makeup (thank you, Memphis humidity.) For the first time in the history of this blog, this month's favorites consist of no beauty products. I'll rave about some shoes and food instead...

shoes

Shoes
All of my shoes just scream winter (boots are my favorite) or they're just extremely dressy. I work in retail, so I wanted some comfy but still fashionable shoes. I was eyeing the Steve Madden Felixx Sandal, but I couldn't find them anywhere in my area and I wanted to try them on before purchasing. (In my opinion, Steve Madden shoe sizes run differently depending on the style of shoe. No to mention, paying return shipping to exchange a size really irritates me.) A week later, I found the MIA Melonye Sandal. I decided to go with these instead. I'm in need of more closed-toe shoes, when I saw the Gabriella Rocha Vanya ankle booties for only $15 (It must have been a promotion; they're double the price now.) I immediately put them in my cart. These two have been the best, super cheap, research-less purchases I've made in awhile. I've been wearing both of these shoes interchangeably the entire month of June. No one believes I only paid around $20 a pair!

Graze
In my shoe order, mentioned above, was a free trial of Graze. (I've never heard of it. A subscription of unique, healthy snacks right to your door? Sign me up!) They offer weekly or biweekly options; each box is $6 and you receive four individually wrapped, ready-to-eat snacks. (That's only $1.50 a snack!) If you're constantly on-the-go and looking for more snack options - this is definitely for you! Sign up now to get your 1st and 5th box for FREE. I've enjoyed everything they've sent so far:

Graze Box

booties & snack boxes,
-Kaitlyn

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