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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Things I'm Loving 09.10.24

How do we feel about this being a Tuesday post instead of Wednesday? I thought I liked the idea of a midweek blogpost, but now I’m thinking I’d maybe like to do it earlier in the week. Anyway, here’s what I was loving this week.

Marin Skincare Campfire S’mores Lip Treatment | Marin Skincare has been on my radar for awhile - one of my friends told me about it a long time ago, and I just never got around to trying anything until they launched their lip treatments. I was a big fan of their Blueberry French Toast scent, but I think I love their limited edition Campfire S’mores one even more. The Lip Treatment itself has a plush, grippy texture that feels super comfortable on the lips and leaves a glossy sheen. I wear it on its own around the house, and I also wear it as a clear gloss over a lip liner. The S’mores scent is so good - it’s not too sweet and smells like graham crackers.

Kosas Blush is Life Baked Blush in ‘Butterflies’ | I’ve been rotating through a bunch of blushes lately and have fallen back in love with this one. I really love the formula - it looks so healthy and skinlike, something I don’t find often in a powder blush. It’s really easy to apply without overdoing it, though it can be built up for a bolder finish. The shade Butterflies is super pretty - the most perfect bright pink that really livens up the skin.

Lisa Eldridge Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colour in ‘Rose Official’ | Another lip favorite I’ve rediscovered this week is by Lisa Eldridge. I love everything I’ve tried from her brand, and I think the shades she comes out with are always really special. The Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colours are easy to wear on an everyday basis because they’re a little more sheer than a regular lipstick, they have a lovely sheen, and they feel really comfortable. They don’t last as long as a matte, but I find I still don’t have to reapply until after lunch. Rose Official is a beautiful shade and just goes with everything, so I’ve found myself reaching for it over and over lately.

Iris & Romeo Ceramide Multi-Balm in ‘Rosy Glow’ | I got this earlier this year when Iris & Romeo came to Sephora, and it’s a perfect product for minimal makeup days. It’s beautiful and balmy and has some skincare benefits, and it works well on both the lips and the cheeks. Rosy Glow is another “healthy” looking shade that looks like a natural flush, so again, it goes with everything. They’ve also recently launched new shades, and I may need to get my hands on the berry shade! This is probably weird but I also really like how it smells - whatever combination of essential oils it has makes it smell just like Thornes Marketplace (for any of my Western MA friends!) and it smells really nostalgic to me.

Making good use of the Story Dream Machine when the power went out earlier this year.

Little Tikes Story Dream Machine | My in-laws got this for Camden last Christmas and it’s been such a hit ever since, though lately he’s really gotten into using it and has just about figured out how to work it by himself. I think it’s the cutest concept - you can buy different sets of the little books that the projector will show and flip through and read along. I like that it occupies Cam without being “screentime,” and it’s like he’s being read to (although reading to him is probably my most favorite thing). Now that he can use it by himself I’ve been letting him have it in his crib for naps and bedtime, and it’s so cute to watch him on the monitor get one more story and go to sleep after I’ve read to him, said goodnight, and left the room. They have so many different books available, and I’m eyeing the Eric Carle and Richard Scarry sets especially as Christmas gifts for him this year.

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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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