Weekend Update 2-12-21

I’m not sure this is something I’ll be able to stick to every week, but I thought it would be fun to pull together a post of a few things I’m loving, a few things I have my eye on or articles I’ve read, and sharing some plans for the weekend. Let me know if this is something you’d want to see moving forward!

Currently Loving

Tort Hair Clips - I’ve been really into just throwing my hair into a clip lately, and Tort makes the prettiest ones! I have three now: the Joan, the Toto, and the Anna. I love that the Anna one is longer so I can fit all my hair into it. I’m wearing it today!

bareMinerals Strength & Length Mascara - I seriously can’t stop testing out mascaras, and this is the latest one I’ve fallen in love with this week. It adds length and subtle volume, so for me it’s the perfect everyday mascara. I like that it has a lash-conditioning serum infused into it as well.

Doc Martens Fur-Lined Chelsea Boots - I had been looking for a pair of more casual black Chelsea boots (the pair I have has a heel, making them a bit dressy for what I’m wearing nowadays), and I finally settled on this cozy-looking pair from Doc Martens. They’re so comfortable right out of the box, and they go well with pretty much any outfit I wear.

Bridgerton Books - Like most people, I loved Bridgerton on Netflix and binged it in about two days. I’ve also watched it all the way through four times. It got me interested in the book series, so I’ve slowly been plugging away at them. There are eight books, each centered on one of the Bridgerton siblings (the series followed the events of the first book, and it seems like season two will follow Anthony’s story in the second book). I’m on book five now - all about Eloise. She was my favorite character in the show, so hopefully the show keeps going long enough for them to focus on her!

Obe Fitness - I’ve started taking exercise more seriously, and signing up for Obe Fitness has probably been the best thing! I like that you can join live classes or take them on your own time afterward. Every class I’ve taken has been so fun, so I actually want to add at least one to my daily routine, and it doesn’t feel like a chore! So far my favorite classes are the “Yoga Sculpt” ones.

On My Radar

Madewell Perfect Vintage Jeans - my whole closet is pretty much American Eagle Mom Jeans (which I absolutely love), but I’ve been itching to try something new. I don’t think I’ve worn any other brand of jeans except American Eagle since I was a teenager. I’ve heard great things about these Madewell ones, and I’ve been wanting to try a more true straight-leg style. Maybe all the posts about Gen Z saying skinny jeans are uncool are getting to me (even though I don’t wear skinny jeans often anymore).

The Nap Dress - Everyone raves about these supposedly so-comfortable-you-can-sleep-in-them dresses, and they just dropped a new collection this week. A lot are already sold out but I actually convinced myself to pick up the Ellie Dress in the new light blue color - I’m not really a dress person, but I always wish I was, so maybe something ultra comfortable that can be dressed up or down will change that. I’m also a sucker for that light blue shade, too.

Framing Britney Spears - I haven’t gotten a chance to watch the new Britney Spears documentary on Hulu yet, but I really want to. I remember seeing the first ad for Baby One More Time and begging my mom to get me the CD when I was little - it was one of my first CDs (along with Spice Girls Spice World)! I’ve always been a Britney fan, but haven’t followed much of the drama with her conservatorship or anything lately. Judging from other people’s reactions, I think the documentary is going to break my heart.

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) - I’ve only recently become a Taylor Swift fan (not really until she released Lover), so I’m so excited to get to experience her old music all over again with an open mind. I was one of those annoying teenagers who didn’t like her just because I was buying into all the misogynistic critiques I would read online at the time. My best friend is pretty much her biggest fan, so looking back I wish I hadn’t been such a grump so I could have bonded with him over loving her music sooner! I’ve already listened to Love Story today, and I can’t wait for the rest of the album to drop in April.

Kacey Musgraves in Rolling Stone - I read this article yesterday, and it made me so excited for her new album coming up. She was inspired by Greek tragedy, so the album is going to be structured in different acts, which sounds like such a cool idea. I’ve only been a fan for a couple years now (as soon as I heard Rainbow on the radio in 2019 during an especially tough time), but I love following everything she’s doing. It was interesting to read a bit about her background, which I hadn’t done before.

Weekend Plans

We’re not big on Valentine’s Day (it’s going to be our 11th Valentine’s Day together), but since it’s on Sunday and we’re home anyway, we’re going to cook dinner together. When we first started dating we cooked together all the time. We’re going to make Beef Wellington, which we’ve only made once almost ten years ago. I didn’t even know how to cook back then, but I remember it taking way longer than expected, so hopefully we get dinner on the table before 9pm. Other plans are just hanging out with the dogs and still keeping an eye on Olive’s recovery from her ACL surgery a couple weeks ago - she’s doing so well, and we can take her on short walks now!

I hope everyone had a great week and has an even better weekend!

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November Favorites

I say this every month, but I can’t believe how quickly November flew by. I seriously feel like it was just Halloween. I’ve got some favorites to share for the month, although my last post was also things I’m “loving lately” - I’ve just found a bunch of things I want to talk about!

Cirque Colors Nail Polishes - I have a few brands I’m loyal to when it comes to nail polish, but lately my favorite has been Cirque Colors. Their formula seems to last the best on me, and they have some really unique shades you don’t tend to see anywhere else. My nails also seem to go the longest without breaking while they’re painted with this formula. I especially love their nail art sets - the ones I have (rose quartz, jade, tortoiseshell, and amethyst) are all so easy to use, even for a nail art novice like me, and they look amazing by the time you’re done painting. One color I’m currently really excited to try is Rothko Red, which changes from a deep oxblood to a bright red depending on the temperature.

Chappywrap Blanket - After hearing so much hype about these blankets from quite a few bloggers I follow, I wanted to give them as Christmas gifts. But I of course had to order one for myself first to check and make sure the hype was warranted. And it is! This is honestly my favorite blanket and totally worth the money. It’s a soft, fleece-y material that feels super cozy and warm, but it’s on the thinner side so it’s still comfortable to lounge under without being bulky or hard to rearrange. A lot of their patterns are so cute - I had a hard time narrowing it down to the one I got myself!

Dermaflash Dermapore Ultrasonic Device - I got this in the Sephora sale after hearing a few of my Instagram friends rave about it, and I’m now obsessed, too. It has two modes, one for pore extractions, and one for infusing your skincare into your skin. I love the extraction mode the most. You just wet your skin and glide the metal tool over your skin with some pressure. It’s amazing to watch it push gunk out of your pores that you may not even have known was there! This has been really helping to keep my skin smooth and clear. I use it once a week, usually on a Sunday night, and follow with gentle skincare.

Salt New York Palette - Again, this is something I recently fell for because of the hype I was seeing on Instagram. I love creating my own palettes, so it was really fun to choose my four cream colors to fit in the palette. The palette itself is really nice - it feels sturdy, it zips to close, and it has a mirror, but the cream products are the star of the show here. The formula is on the thin side, so it melts into the skin beautifully and doesn’t slide around throughout the day. They’re all so blendable and look really natural on the skin. I got the shades Beige from the Highlights, Rose and Raspberry from the Lip & Cheeks, and Light from the Sculpt & Bronze. The shade range is also extensive which is great to see - I’ve been trying to be more conscious about the products I’m recommending, because I never want to recommend something that all of my readers aren’t able to use.

Bijou Candles Billie Candle - Bijou recently dropped a new candle collection called The Chanteuses and I am here for it. They’re named for famous female crooners Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan, and the scents are all warm and cozy and perfect for fall/winter. Ella was my favorite initially (my husband said it smells like “fancy Cinnamon Toast Crunch”), but Billie has really grown on me and is the one I light the most now. It’s a beautiful mix of embers, pine, and vanilla, so it smells like Christmas trees and roasted marshmallows, in a way that’s not too sweet or cloying. It’s so nice! I’ll probably get a backup soon.

J.Crew Tissue Turtlenecks - I’m not sure where my love of turtlenecks in recent years came from, because when I was little my mom used to always make me wear them underneath my outfits to keep warm, and I absolutely hated them. But now I love layering them under a sweater or sweatshirt, and these ones from J.Crew are perfect. As the name suggests, they’re quite thin, so they don’t feel uncomfortable or bulky under other clothes. I have a black, a white, and a gray one for lots of layering possibilities, and I know I’ll be wearing them a lot this winter.

J.Crew Beanie - I’m the kind of person who can rarely pull off a hat. I don’t know if my head is too big or what, but I feel like almost every hat I wear looks weird on me. I got this J.Crew beanie on a whim last month (because my only winter hats were a Patriots one and a Bruins one, and sometimes you just need something plain!), and I love it! It’s incredibly soft and cozy, and it keeps my head nice and warm. I have this thing where I can’t walk the dogs without a hat if it’s under 55 degrees outside because the cold wind going by my ears gives me a headache, and this is the one I’ve been reaching for the most. It actually looks pretty cute on me!

Aerie Waffle Oversized Crew Sweater - I got myself two of these sweaters last month and I seriously can’t stop wearing them. I wear them around the house to keep warm, and they’re SO soft and cozy. I have a ton of sweaters and sweatshirts and my super cozy L.L.Bean robe, but I still keep pulling these sweaters on instead. I love anything waffle-knit, so I knew it would be love with these. I have the light gray and oatmeal colors, and I’m tempted to get myself a third one so I’ll always have one that’s clean.

What were your favorite things in November?

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5 Beauty Products I'm Loving Lately

Between changing up my products for the changing seasons, figuring out how to style a new haircut, and the Sephora sale, I feel like I’ve found a few new favorites lately that I just couldn’t wait to share. I’ve been using the shorter days/longer nights as an excuse to really take care of myself and indulge in longer, almost meditative, routines.

Amika Thicc Volumizing Base* - This has been such a huge help when styling my hair. It’s a thicker cream consistency, and you really only need a pea-sized amount to see a dramatic result. It’s formulated with Redensyl, which plumps and thickens each hair strand. The result is volumized hair that’s still touchable - I can’t deal with products that make it impossible for me to run my hands through my hair, but this doesn’t do that. It’s been especially helpful in making sure my curtain bangs don’t fall flat while I’m styling them or in between washes. This bottle will last forever! I’ve linked it on Sephora above, but you can also get it from the Amika website and use code DADMUNK for 10% off (affiliate code).

Woo Me Beauty Nail Growth Serum - I read about this on The Stripe, one of my favorite blogs, and just had to try it. Woo Me Beauty is a small, Black-owned brand, and their Nail Growth Serum has rave reviews. It uses a blend of oils as well as garlic to moisturize and strengthen the nails and cuticles, without having a garlic smell. My nails have been splitting and flaking a lot lately, I’m assuming from the dry almost-winter air as well as constant hand washing, but this has been helping a lot! It’s only been about a week (the website says you can see results in two), but I already feel like my nails are growing a lot better and stronger than usual. The bottle is also exceptionally pretty, and this will for sure have a place in my Holiday Gift Guide coming up!

Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in ‘Summertime Wine’ - This was part of my last-minute Sephora sale order, and I’ve been reaching for it constantly. I had heard so many great things about these cream blushes, so I don’t know why (or how) I resisted picking one up until now. I like that it’s not overly emollient, so while it’s easy to apply and blend, it doesn’t slide around or fade throughout the day. Because I chose a deeper shade, it’s quite pigmented, but it still sheers out well and is easy to build up to your desired level of pigmentation on the cheeks. Despite the name, I find Summertime Wine is such a good winter shade - it’s a beautiful mulberry that adds the perfect “cold weather” flush on me. It has a bit of shimmer running through it, but it just creates a radiant glow on the cheeks, rather than looking glittery.

Gucci Beauty Rouge a Levres Voile Sheer Lipsticks - This is quickly becoming one of my favorite lipstick formulas. I’m just not into the super pigmented, matte lip anymore. I like that these are sheer, but they’re not particularly balmy or slippery, so they still stay put well and don’t transfer a lot. The sheer finish makes some of the deeper and bolder shades more wearable for everyday - the two shades I have are a deep cherry red (506 Louisa Red) and a deep berry (603 Marina Violet), but because they’re sheer, they look like a soft lip stain. I can’t not mention the packaging here, too - it’s so beautiful and feels quite luxe, so I have these out on display when I’m not carrying them around in my bag with me!

Byroe Bell Pepper Serum* - Byroe sent me the serums from their salad-inspired skincare line early this year, and I’m only just now getting around to testing them out. And I’m kicking myself for not trying them sooner! I’ve really been loving the Bell Pepper Serum, a watery-gel serum meant to hydrate and soothe the skin. It contains Centella Asiatica and ceramides to soothe the skin and strengthen its barrier, as well as bell pepper and Ascorbic Acid to brighten the skin with Vitamin C and antioxidants. It’s been quite effective - my skin feels instantly soothed when I’ve put this on after a long day, and I’ve noticed a difference in my skin’s texture and tone. Breakouts fade more quickly, so I’m not left with many dark marks on my chin anymore. The price is a bit steep, but I would repurchase this one when I run out! They also sell a set of minis to try more of the line.

What have you been loving lately?

Products marked with an asterisk (*) have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.