Her November Issue: November 2018

Current Fall Favorites

It's that time again! I'm sharing all the products I've been loving this season! Some are new favorites and some are products I've been using since last year, but they are all so good!

You girls already know how much I love the Stila Liquid Lipsticks. They are the only liquid lipsticks that don't dry out my already super dry lips. For years my Go-To shade was Patina, but over the past couple of months I've become loyal to Stila Liquid Lipstick in Baci. It isn't a shade for everyone, but if you live a more lilac toned nude then you might really enjoy it. These days I rarely wear anything else!

I've also become obsessed with the Hourglass Caution Mascara. I don't wear false lashes or extensions, but I love big fluttery curled lashes everyday. I already have long lashes, but they stick straight out and have absolutely zero natural curl. Most mascaras, especially those with a wetter consistency, weigh them down and undo any curl that my curler gave me. This Hourglass Caution Mascara holds that curl all day!! That is almost unheard of for my lashes. I got so many messages asking what mascara I was wearing in my Instagram haircut selfie and this is it!

The scent I've been reaching for all season is the Pacifica Amber Dreams Perfume. It is sugary and sweet, but with hints of deep amber which keeps it from being overwhelmingly sweet. It is a very calming scent for me so I like to spray some on when I'm lounging around and reading or doing some late night work. I've gotten so many compliments on this one and know you will love it!

I've been using the Hourglass Brush and Hourglass Vanish Foundation for a solid year now and still love it. This brush is dense yet soft and blurs your foundation into your skin like a dream. I use it with all different types of foundation and haven't found a single one that it doesn't apply beautifully. I recently bought a new Beauty Blender and I haven't even opened it because this guy has just been my favorite that I don't reach for anything else anymore.

I replaced my beloved It Cosmetics CC cream with the Lancome Skin Feels Good Foundation. It feels just as lightweight on my skin, but it has a little more coverage and makes my skin look flawless. I can't say enough good things about it.

The Skyn Mask is my favorite mask I've ever used. This two step process leaves my skin feeling fresh and baby soft. It really gets deep into your pores and improves your skin texture. They come in little packs which honestly isn't my favorite, but it's so good that I don't even mind. These regularly go out of stock so grab them when you see them!

I've been using the Lancome Serum regularly for several months and have seen so much improvement in the suppleness and brightness of my skin. I add a drop or two to my regular moisturizer after cleansing and it works wonders!

If you're looking for a good eye moisturizer for these colder months I recommend this Belif Eye Bomb Moisturizer that I use religiously this time of year. I have combination oily skin, but my under eyes get drier in the fall and winter so I use an under eye moisturizer that is a little heavier and more moisturizing. This one has been my favorite for a while and I'll be reaching for it again all season.

Speaking of dry winter skin, my legs get especially dry this time of year. I recently discovered this Tatcha Indigo Body Butter which is the most beautiful blue cream. It is thick and moisturizing, but melts right into your skin so it never feels heavy. It leaves my skin feeling so silky and extremely moisturized and is perfect for combating the dreaded dry and itchy winter skin.

One non-beauty favorite I wanted to share with you this month is the Hallmark Movies Now App. I have been loving this app all season for finding cozy Christmas movies and cheesy shows. It's an on demand streaming video service and is $5.99 a month. One of my favorites that I recently finished is Chesapeake Shores. It's the perfect blend of a cheesy family drama and idyllic romance. I Love it!! I've also watched a ton of the Christmas movies available so let me Know if you'd like to see a list of the best Christmas movies available on the app!

A Cozy Lounge Look and My Favorite Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Happy Thanksgiving week! How many of you will be hosting this year? We're going to my sister's and I'm in charge of dessert. So I've been going through my recipes this week and have a bit of a sweet tooth right now and a bunch of brown bananas on the counter. Never throw out those bananas you forgot to eat and are now brown and gross looking. They are the sweetest in this state and are absolutely perfect for some easy and delicious banana bread. The darker the better! An added bonus is the delicious scent that will spread throughout your home while it bakes. That alone is heavenly!

Through the years I've tried dozens of recipes, but recently I found one that I love above all the others. It's super simple and only uses a handful of ingredients. One thing that I do differently is that instead of using walnuts I add in crushed up almonds. I just prefer the flavor and texture of them and have found that other people are surprised with how much they enjoy it too. Since I am lactose intolerant I do use a dairy free butter so I can attest to the fact that dairy free butter does work wonderfully in this recipe.

Sometimes I add in fresh blueberries for just an added burst of flavor and that is always a hit as well. Play around with the recipe and find what you love. Everybody is sure to enjoy this banana bread so make sure you make an extra loaf!

I've been living in cozy clothes all season and baking up a ton. So I thought I'd also share one of my go to looks along with my banana bread recipe. I love a good pair of soft joggers. This pair is so comfy I never want to take them off! And of course, I paired them with one of my favorite front tie thermals that I've shared several times a soft lace bralette! If you come over this season you can probably bet that I will be wearing some variation of this look!

Best Affordable Target and Walmart Christmas Decor

Hey Ladies! I hope you're all doing well! I've been so sick and that makes me incredibly restless! To pass the time I may have been doing a little too much online shopping. Oops! Let's keep that as our little secret. One of the main things I've been shopping for is Christmas decor and let me tell you how impressed I am with the affordable options this year! Walmart in general has been killing it and their new decor is no exception. I decided to round up some of my favorite affordable Christmas decor from both Walmart and Target for you. Don't forget to check back or check in store for things that go out of stock. I've found that they've been restocking some items sporadically. Enjoy!

Self Care Routine: Sick Edition

Happy Tuesday Friends! How was your Veterans Day weekend? I've been sick as a dog so mine wasn't exciting at all. I figured this would be a good time to share my self care routine, though, since I've had the extra time for face masks and nails while I veg out on the couch. My voice may sound deep and hoarse, but at least my nails have never looked better!

I find that when I'm sick my skin really suffers so I've been trying to give it a little bit of extra TLC. I recently received that new Jafra Royal Boost collection and have been trying them out over the past couple weeks. The detox clay mask is one I've really been enjoying for my normal/ combo skin. It removes impurities and leaves my skin feeling super soft. I was experiencing a mild breakout last week and this mask help clear it up quickly. I've been using it every other day, but I would recommend less frequent use if you have drier skin.

I've also really been enjoying the gel cleanser from this line. It's gentle, but effective and leaves my skin really clean. It's also great at removing makeup!

Being stuck in bed is the perfect time to wrap your hair up in a hair mask and cap (or towel) for hours to get your hair back in tiptop shape. I hate the mess of sleeping in a hair mask so this is really the best time for me to get that intense hydration you get after a long hair mask session. I've been loving THIS mask from Deva Curl. My hair tangles easy, but this mask always helps give me smooth and silky, tangle free strands for several days.

Being sick is so hard on my already dry lips! I have to use a more intense lip balm to keep them from cracking during this time. I have recently discovered THIS lip mask that helps keep them more moisturized. I'm obsessed with it. If there's one thing from this list that you need it's this! I put it on at night and by morning my lips are so hydrated and smooth. A little trick I also do is to use a little bit on the edges of my nostrils to keep them from getting raw and peeling from damage from using so many tissues.

I've been loving my gel lamp since I bought it last year. I've gotten pretty good with it and have been able to extend the length of my mani to up to over two weeks and even then I only have to redo it because of growth. I've been using this cuticle oil daily and I'm amazed at how much of a difference it makes! Not only are my cuticles in the best shape they've been, but I find that the more moisturized my nail bed is the longer my polish goes without chipping. I always follow up with THIS hand cream for extra soft and moisturized hands.

Bodysuit Love and a quick Route 66 Trip!

Happy Monday Ladies! How was your weekend? I just returned from a quick little birthday trip down a small portion of Route 66 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. It is something I've been wanting to do for years! It was everything I hoped it would be and more and I'll share more about that shortly, but first I wanted to address my new found love of bodysuits. I think I mentioned them in one other post recently, but I have not stopped wearing them since! They are so comfortable paired with some high waisted jeans and look effortless chic paired with a simple cardi. I may have gone on a bodysuit spree recently and now have a collection of every style from mock neck to long sleeve to henley styles, they are all great!

This brown bodysuit I wore on my birthday was a recent under $10 score and I can't recommend it enough! The torso length is perfect so this is such a comfortable find that I see myself wearing time and time again this season. Also, notice how I'm not wearing grey again. While brown may not really be a daring color choice I'm making baby steps to incorporating color back into my wardrobe.

You guys know I LOVE history. The more boring and detailed a story about our past or historical buildings is, the better. I especially love American history and the gold rush period. This little trip got to combine both of those loves.

So while on our little Historic Route 66 adventure we stopped at the ghost town of Calico. Located near Barstow, CA this is most famous for its association to Walter Knott, founder of Knotts Berry Farm. The town of Calico still exists today partly because of his efforts to preserve it and his donation of the property to San Bernardino County, but its history stems way back to 1881 when it was booming because of a very successful silver mine. Only a few of the original buildings still exist, but a lot of pretty accurate replicas have been built to create this fun little tourist spot in the middle of the desert.

There are a couple of small museums you can walk through and see what early life was like in the town and walk through an original home. Shops to peruse that aren't your average souvenir shops are also plentiful in Calico.

There are a few places to eat in Calico including this building that is the Calico House Restaurant. It has the most heavenly front porch full of a bunch of rocking chairs to just lounge on and enjoy a nice cold sarsaparilla. I could have sat there and taken the whole vibe in for hours.

There are two mine tours available in Calico. The one most tourists visit is the one at the Maggie mine that is a short 10 minute walk through that gives you a quick glimpse of what being in a mine was like for the miners. The Silver King Mine Tour is a more advanced 4 hour tour that requires a little bit of a hike to get to and a lot more walking to complete. We only had a few hours so we didn't get to check this one out, but are really hoping to get to it soon. There is also a ghost tour available on Saturday nights that piques my interest and we might also have to check out.

Our most random find on Route 66 was a McDonalds inside of train cars. It's actually even better than you expect. You walk into the McDonalds train station, which is actually just the Barstow Station and there is the option to purchase from several different restaurants and then eat inside of the train cars. There is even a small arcade and some shops inside. And if you're a pressed penny collector you can stop here for some cool Route 66 ones!

My family was having a birthday party for me the next day and I had to get back so it wasn't the longest Route 66 trip, but it was definitely full of so many good discoveries. I cannot wait until we can head back and explore some more!

A Cozy Halloween

Happy November girls! Can you believe we're already in November? The years just fly by. I feel so old when I say that, but it's the truth. How was your Halloween? We took my nephews trick or treating and honestly, I did not have a costume planned. Things have been crazy and I just had no desire to come up with anything this year so I was scrambling at the very last minute. My inspiration came from the very popular teddy bear sweaters this year so I quickly made myself some bear ears that I attached to a stretchy headband. I used a stretchy headband because I have a trigger spot for migraines near my ears that headbands always put pressure on (and sadly sunglasses too) Does anybody else have this issue? I also luckily had these bear paws stashed away so I dug them out and called it a costume. We had a wonderful time and the kids got so much candy! (Even after I collect my tax) Did you pass out any candy?

This sweater is is so cozy and kept me warm all night. Plus it's under $20!

Bear Paws

Here's a similar Foot Prop if you want to get ahead for next Halloween season