Her November Issue

Warm Spring Instagram Roundup

One of my favorite things about this time of year is all the festivals and farmers markets that start to pop up. I LOVE FESTIVAL FOOD! This week I got to enjoy some crab garlic fries and a delicious mangoneada from a huge 13 block festival in our area. If you're wondering what a mangoneada is, you are not alone. I discovered them last summer and am now hooked! It is basically a drink consisting of mango chunks, blended mango and chili powder. If you are a fan of sweet and spicy foods then you might really enjoy this- especially on a really hot day. Which let me tell you, we had a lot of this week. Here's a look back on what I wore and links on where to purchase them

Off Shoulder Dress | Rebecca Minkoff Bag | Wedges

March Beauty and Lifestyle Favorites

For beauty products March was all about healthy looking skin and light makeup. Since It's finally warming up it was time to pull out my favorite self tanner of all time! The St. Tropez tanning mousse is fool proof and looks natural every time.

For lips I mostly reached for pinky/mauve shades. I love Stila Liquid Lipstick in Patina over the Fresh Sugar lip balm in tulip. I find that the liquid lipstick isn't as drying as the formulas from other brands, but I still find it more comfortable once I layer it over the Sugar balm.

Shaving my legs has never been the same since I ditched the shaving cream and started using the Tree Hut shave oil. Unlike shaving cream the shave oil adds moisture which is perfect for people like me with dry skin. I get a nice close shave all while caring for my skin. Score!

The Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield is a game changer! While it is $65 for an ounce it is worth every penny. I find myself using such a small amount that the bottle also lasts me a very long time. Essentially the Perfecting Shield is an SPF 30 sunscreen with anti aging benefits that also serves as a blurring primer. It is so lightweight and perfect as a primer under your makeup, but also looks beautiful on its own for those makeup free days.

My skin has been looking really good lately so I find myself using foundation less often and instead reaching for a lightweight BB or CC cream and pairing it with a good concealer. Lately I've been using the Dr. Jart Beauty Balm and have been loving it! It has SPF 45 and brightens your skin while evening out your skin tone. This BB cream is also beautiful under your foundation if you like a little more coverage, but during the warmer months I prefer a more simple makeup routine.

My last favorite I want to share is the Marc Jacobs Gel Eyeliner. I was sent two different colors to try from Influenster and ended up loving them! These glide on so smoothly and have so much pigmentation. They allow you a few seconds to smudge the liner before it dries and then won't budge. It looks so beautiful! The claims are that it is waterproof which I can say is not entirely true. While they are very long lasting, they don't always stand up to my watery eyes from allergies so I try to only use them when my allergies aren't acting up or only on my top lid if they are.

I've been a busy bee around here, but it's so hard to stay away from those outdoor walks with all this gorgeous weather we've been having out here in California! I've been taking full advantage and busting out all my cute off the shoulder dresses and tops. There are so many cute styles available this season and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been having a hard time holding back! We actually did get a bit a rain though, but those are my favorite so I don't mind throwing on a nice comfy sweater to cuddle on the couch with Kitty with. Shop these looks below!

This was such an exciting week! Beauty and the Beast came out and it is MAGICAL! Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite Disney movie by far. It was only recently that I realized why. Belle taught me so much at an early age that really shaped me as the woman I am today. It was because of her fearlessness to want more even though it made her an outcast. She wasn't afraid to be herself regardless of the cost. I often talk to my hunny about how growing up I never fit in. I was teased for loving to learn and couldn't relate to all the people around me who were perfectly fine to just always settle. Yet through that I didn't care. Nothing stopped me from being myself or even spending a second contemplating it and I never understood why until now. It was because of Belle! She made me feel like that was ok. Being different was ok.

And that stayed with me into my young adult years. While everybody around me was getting married and having kids in their early 20s, all I wanted to do was go to college and have a great career. I've always been able to hold true to who I am and what I want out of life and I have Beauty and the Beast to thank for that. For so many years I didn't quite understand just how much that movie meant to my 6 year old, 13 year old, 23, and now 28 year old self, but now that I do I can't help but love it even more. It's the type of movie all little girls should learn from. Where the girl isn't rescued by the prince and is sure of who she is without the help of anyone.

If you haven't gone to the movies yet to watch the new Beauty and the Beast adaption then I really suggest that you do. I cannot recommend the movie enough. It is the perfect blend of the charming Beauty and the Beast we know and love and the beauty and elegance of Marie Antoinette. I'm ready to go watch it again!

What I wore this week:

From above:

Off Shoulder Top, Rebecca Minkoff Bag, Steve Madden Wedges, Similar Jeans

Spring is already in full swing here in California! The almond blossoms have bloomed and started falling to the ground resulting in the perfect photo op, so I took advantage.

Read on for details

Powering through a major lifestyle change

It's been a long road and many, MANY years of struggles to get to this point, but I finally have some answers and I'm finally feeling GREAT!

For as long as I can remember I have struggled with a weak immune system and fatigue, but as I got older the list of symptoms I was experiencing was getting bigger and bigger. I dealt with joint issues, depression, colds, migraines, the list goes on and on. I've always been a healthy eater, exercised regularly and had no medical reasons that would explain away all my seemingly unrelated ailments. It wasn't until a couple of months ago, after a lot of research and an extensive elimination diet that I finally found out that my issues were related to gluten. Yep, I am now one of those people.

Greenery! I couldn't be more excited about the 2017 Pantone color of the year and I kinda feel like I'm the only one. Oh dear, misunderstood green. It's always been my favorite color, but whenever I reveal it to whoever asked I'm always sure to get a strange look in return. Green? Why green? Isn't pink prettier?

I was introduced to the first book in the Java Jive Mystery series, Death by Decaf, by Caroline Fardig a few months ago. I instantly became captivated and engrossed by not only the story which is full of twists and turns, but also with the main character. The series begins with Juliet, a headstrong and fiery redhead who is forced to make coffee out of the lemons that life has thrown at her. She soon finds herself intertwined with a murder and has to fight tooth and nail to clear her name. Between he wit, temper and knack for danger, I found myself glued to the pages and rooting for Juliet as though she were my friend.

Transitional Fall Decor Inspiration

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As autumn looms and the excitement of changing weather begins to set in (it's 100 degrees here in California so cooler weather is VERY welcome) I'm finding myself in need of changing up the decor in my home. Okay, I'm always changing up the decor in my home, but this time the changing weather is my excuse. I'm finding inspiration everywhere and I'm not ashamed to admit that I've been on the Anthropologie website nearly every day for the past week.

Jack and Grace are the epitome of the perfect couple. He is a handsome and successful lawyer for battered women and she is the expert housewife who left her demanding job full of travel in order to dote on her loving husband. They are what marriage dreams are made of. Or are they? This book unravels and layer by layer leaves you with a chilling sense unease and shock. The twisted, more psychotic older sister to. Gone Girl, B.A Paris is making a bold mark on the literary world with this debut novel. Be prepared to sit glued to this book from beginning to end.

Buy this book here:

I recently received the Sprout Vox Box from Influenster full of goodies for people who are vegan, have diet restrictions, or are just trying to live a more green lifestyle. Yay! I am not vegan, but I live a very healthy lifestyle and due to digestion issues try to eat a lot of plant based products so this seemed like a perfect fit.

Read on...

Mailbox Full of Freebies!

My mailbox looks like Christmas! I wanted to share with you, lovely ladies, how yours can too for absolutely free. Whaaat? Yep, FREE!

I get sent a lot of products to try out directly from the company so I left those out and only pictured the things that you can get too. This picture of the contents of my mailbox were all from one day, although, keep in mind that it doesn’t look like this every day. Occasionally having Christmas in your mailbox with little effort is still nice though, right?

Click on to read how

Loreal Extraordinary Oil System Review

The Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Shampoo System is Loreal's first shampoo system with luscious, lightweight oils such as

Argan

Chamomile

Coconut

Amla

Soja

Sunflower

I have a hard time finding a shampoo that both leaves my hair feeling really clean AND nourishes it and leaves it feeling soft. Over the years I came to believe that I would have to choose one or the other, but this shampoo gives me that deep clean feeling that I desire while still spoiling my hair with nourishing oil that leaves it feeling silky soft without weighing it down

This conditioner gave the ends of my hair some much needed TLC. After just one wash I noticed that the ends of my hair were noticeably softer with less breakage and tangling. After one week my hair looks fabulous and healthy. I would definitely recommend this conditioner to anybody who has straight to wavy semi- damaged hair who isn't looking to spend a fortune to try to repair it. However, if you have curly hair, I don't recommend this haircare system for you. I found that this haircare system leaves my wavy hair looking straighter instead of accentuating my natural wave.

The real star of the show is the serum oil. I used about two pea sized amounts on my long hair right about the time that my hair was nearly dry (I usually air dry my hair) and before using any heat in order to protect it and tame any fly aways. The oil left my hair feeling incredibly soft without weighing it down or leaving it feeling greasy. Definitely my favorite of the three products

I received these product for free to try, but opinions are all my own

Get the look for less!

A new year calls for new home decor! It is such a sad day for me when I have to take down all of my Christmas decorations. The long stretch of cold months ahead suddenly seem like a dark, dull tunnel. This year avoid that disappointing feeling and get excited for a new opportunity to decorate! I get such a warm feeling in my stomach when my home is well decorated and that feeling is even sweeter when I know that I didn't spend a fortune! So as you're taking down your Christmas decor don't fret, take it as an opportunity to start your year out fresh. Holiday decor isn't the only decor you should be getting excited about!

Adding small but bold touches to your home can have a huge impact. I picked out three of my favorite items that I've been eyeing recently and found more affordable options to beat that dreaded guilt (and make your hubby happy) Can you tell which is the cheaper alternative? Continue reading to find out which is which

Grab the Bauble Bar Courtney Bib for $25!

You don't want to wait on this! Grab the beautiful Courtney bib for $25 right now one their website. This is one of their hidden baubles for Halloween so you'll want to make sure that you hurry and purchase while it's still at this great price. It's a blogger favorite and makes any outfit go from casual to glam!

Grab this beauty Here

but don't forget to use your Ebates for 4% cash back!

Trendy Tuesday: PLAID

After posting my latest Friday Fahsion Roundup I really got in the mood for plaid (that was me just warming up..ha!) What is it about lumberjack prints that are just so appealing to me? AND apparently everybody else at the moment. It's safe to say that Mad for Plaid is my favorite trend

EVER!I've been shopping around and have brought to you some of my favorite affordable options and link so you can shop your favorite styles.

Since I'm so crazy about this trend you'll be getting a double dose of Trendy Tuesday as I'll be featuring both clothing AND home decor options! Yes, the trend can now extend into the comforts of your home. You're welcome darling!

1. Polly & Esther Plaid Fringe Cardigan

2. Plaid Juicy Couture Mini Satchel

3. Plaid Thermal Tunic

4. Classic Plaid Flannel Shirt

5. Adam Lippes for Target Pointed Toe Flat

6. Button Front Tunic

7. Womens Plaid Puffer Vest

8. Plaid Blanket Scarf

1. Plaid Flannel Heated Blanket

2. Spiritz Dinner Plate

3. Sonoma Serving Bowl

4. Adam Lippes for Target Melamine Tray Set

5. Spiritz Notecard Set

6. Plaid Mug

7. Red Plaid Stag Throw Pillow

And as always, don't forget to use your Ebates!

Friday Budget Outfit Roundup!

We're mad about plaid right now and it shows! Great plaid styles are popping up everywhere and on everything from scarves to Diet Coke bottles and we aren't complaining! I found some great affordable styles for this week's Friday Budget Outfit Roundup and I'm excited to share them. One outfit is head to toe from Walmart, another from Target, and the third is for you to guess! Find out which is which after the jump!

Trendy Tuesday: Faux Fur Vest

I am all for the faux fur vest trend! Scratch that, I'm a fan of vests in general. They are a great way to add interest and glam to an outfit by layering. You can easily dress up a simple jeans and tee shirt look and look like you put plenty of effort into getting ready. Yay for lazy girl outfits! I think that deserves its own hashtag #lazygirlglam

Friday Budget Outfit Roundup

Every Friday I will bring you Budget friendly outfit picks. Each outfit will be comprised of items all from one big box store such as Target, Walmart, and Kmart which coincidentally are this weeks top picks (not coincidentally, I named them on purpose hehe)

Can you guess which is which?