Asking the most special ladies in your life to be part of your “bride tribe” is so exciting, but it can also be stressful. I wanted to ask each of them with a special gift. I did not start any of my wedding planning immediately after getting engaged. I decided to wait a few months to soak in the goodness of our engagement before getting caught up in the wedding plans. My delayed start resulted in my bridesmaids’ gifts to arriving later than planned, but luckily before our engagement party. I didn’t want to go too crazy with gifts, so I decided on personalized wine glasses, nail polish and a sweet card. Our engagement party was hosted at a wine and beer bar, so the wine glasses were the perfect gift. Both the wine glasses and cards were purchased on Etsy. Some of my girls had a good hunch they would be a bridesmaid and others did not. It was so special to surprise them and ask them to be part of my wedding day. Nothing better than happy tears!
The wine glasses and flower girl tumbler were by Weddings By Leann on Etsy in colors midnight and copper metallic. I also ordered a matching “Future Mrs.” and “One Lucky Mr.” wine and beer glass set for Mike and I to use the day of our engagement party. The seller was very responsive via Etsy messages which helped me to make sure the fonts and colors of each item were coordinated. The glasses arrived in 3-4 weeks and were wrapped so perfectly! Lots of bubble wrap, so all arrived in perfect condition. It’s been 8 months and mine is still perfect. I use it all the time, but only wash it by hand.
I ordered “Will You Be My Bridesmaid?” cards from The Lion and The Lark on Etsy as well. This seller was also very responsive via Etsy messages which helped me to order a matching flower girl card. This order was an instant download which I had printed at Staples.
With each glass I gave the girls a nail polish. The bridesmaids got Essie Sole Mate (a perfect plum shade for fall) and my flower girl got a confetti polish by China Glaze.
I have been struggling with acne prone and sensitive skin since I was about 13 years old. Now in my late twenties (what??) I am still managing the same skin problems, along with my skin becoming more dry and wanting to prevent wrinkles! I have come a long way since those teenage years. The majority of the year my skin is clear, but there are times that I feel like no matter what I do I can’t clear up a break out. For those of you that struggle with pimples and acne you know how discouraging that can be. In this blog I am sharing my top skincare tips and the products that I have used over the last year that have worked REALLY well for me. I hope that this blog helps someone else too because there is nothing better than feeling good about your skin.
My go-to Products
FAB Cleanser – It’s super creamy and gentle. Pairs great with the Clarisonic and does a good job of removing makeup. Side note – I have been loving First Aid Beauty (FAB) products over the last year. They are simple, gentle and effective.
FAB Rescue Blemish Pads – My go-to for stubborn breakouts. Sometimes I use 1 pad per day alternating with another toner morning and night. Other times I will use these morning and night. The pads always clear up my skin during during a bad spell.
FAB Ulta Repair Hydrating Serum – I love this stuff, but only use it at night for two reasons. 1) It’s not the cheapest and 2) Some of my makeup doesn’t apply well over it. This serum is not greasy, doesn’t make me break out and keeps my skin SO soft.
FAB Ulta Repair Lotion – I have been loving this light weight, non-greasy, super hydrating lotion! I use it both day and night. It’s a great value for the price – 8oz for $24 – HUGE bottle! But this is the sale price, so I am worried it is going to be discontinued. You should try this out before it’s gone!
Dr. Lin Acne Spot Corrector – This gel contains 5% benzyol peroxide which many articles show is a key product in clearing acne. I have found higher concentrations can be too drying, so when I found this one I knew I had to try it. It’s actually a bit difficult to find, but is available online at Target. I can use this product 2x a day year-round and it does not dry out my skin. During more humid months I do mix in a stronger formula from the drugstore. Even when my skin is clear I still incorporate benzyol peroxide into my routine to help prevent future breakouts.
Michael Todd Blue Green Algae Toner – I never thought I would really like a toner, but I’ve purchased about 5 bottles already. I will use this twice a day when I’m not using the FAB blemish pads. It keeps my skin clear, smooth and hydrated. Can’t say enough good things about it. I love it and would recommend anyone, regardless of skin type, to try it!
Origins Charcoal Mask – This mask is like my secret weapon for clear skin! I use it 1-2x per week and find it works best after showering and exfoliating. The charcoal really pulls the junk our of my pores. When I wake up the next morning my skin always looks great. I think my skin always looks fresh, clear and tight. This mask can be drying though, so use with caution. I generally only use it on my chin, around my mouth and on the sides of my nose. It’s a little too drying for a full face mask (for me). After using this I always follow with a heavy night time moisturizer.
Clarisonic – I purchased a Clarisonic Mia 1 about a year ago and definitely think it helps keep my skin clear. I prefer the radiance brush head over the sensitive brush. I use it almost every night in the shower to remove my makeup and deep cleanse my face. I find that when I don’t use the Clarisonic regularly I tend to get black heads and sebum build-up on my chin. You may have to experiment with different cleansers to find which cleanser/Clarsonic combo works for you. I recommend a good cream cleanse that lathers up a lot. As I mentioned above, I love the one from FAB.
Nutrition Choices
Sugar – Without fail bad sugar and sweets make me breakout. Usually these breakouts appear in tiny bumps on my forehead and cheeks. For most of my life my acne has been around my chin and mouth, so I know when I have pimples elsewhere it’s from food or something very greasy touching my face. I am known to get a breakout around my mouth from salad dressing or oily spaghetti touching my chin too. Fruits and whole grain breads don’t seem to have an impact on my skin, but I really have to watch the desserts. My wedding is coming up this fall and I don’t have to have a sugar breakout! I indulged a little over Memorial Day weekend and by Thursday I woke up with bumps on my forehead. Some foods I have noticed my skin reacting to are cake, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, cereal and store bought granola.
Water – I am guilty of not drinking enough water, but I know when I do I feel better and my skin looks better. I find that if I drink hot water with lemon when I get to work I will usually reach for another cup and keep drinking throughout the day.
Salmon and Nuts – I noticed an improvement in my hair and skin when I regularly incorporate fish and nuts. Yay for healthy fats!
Good Habits for Clear Skin – Overall, I think keeping your skin clear and healthy is attributed to a good skincare routine and good food choices. Taking all of your makeup off at night is very important. It’s also a good idea to regularly wash your makeup brushes because they can hold dirt and bacteria. I also finding that introducing too many products at once can be confusing for my skin. It becomes hard to tell which products are working and which are not. I always introduce one new product at a time. I have also made it a habit to change my bathroom hand towels and pillow cases often. I use a new hand towel every time I was my face. Like makeup brushes, pillow cases and towels can hold on to dirt. If you do breakout, definitely try not to touch it because it always makes it work and you’ll end up making it more noticeable!
My absolute favorite lip gloss (and not just for this month) is the Clinique Long Lasting Lip Gloss in Adore U. It’s the perfect plum toned gloss with just the right tough of frost and simmer. My natural lip color is on the darker side, so I feel like this color works perfectly for me.
This is a bit of a random favorite, but during the dry winter months it’s been a life saver. I bought my first tube in January when my ring finger got irritated from my engagement ring (click here to read about that mess). Since then I have been using it on my cuticles, lips and mixing it with hand lotion. I even started putting a touch under my nose at night because my sinuses get so dry while I’m sleeping. It’s definitely a staple beauty product now for dry, irritated and cracked skin.
Who doesn’t love a good eye cream?! My under eye area gets super dry and flaky. This skin area as well as my eyes themselves are very sensitive. The wrong product can make my eyes red and irritated almost like I have pink-eye. I have previously been using Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment for years which I do really like, but my local stores don’t sell it and I wanted to try something new. At the recommendation of a Benefit’s rep at Ulta, I decided to try the It’s Potent Eye Cream. It doesn’t have a must of a scent, added fragrance or parabens. It has added brightening effects which I may have noticed a bit and it keeps my under eye area hydrated. I’ve now finished the jar and I think I’ll buy it again! Definitely worth a try.
I have heard a lot about Milani Baked Blushes on YouTube being a great drugstore buy, so I wanted to give one a try. I usually like rosy/plum colored blushes, so I went with the Rose D’Oro. It definitely has more of an orange-y/bronze tone to it that I had hoped for, but I do like it. Some days I use it as a blush and other days as a bronzer. I even use it in the create of my eyelids (a favorite trick of mine) for a natural, bronzey glow.
I have been using the NYX tinted brown gel for about a year. Not sure how I lived without using something on my brows before that! Shaped brows totally step-up your look even on minimal makeup days. I feel like good browns just help you look more put together. I don’t always feel like using brow shadow and my brows themselves are pretty thick, so a tinted brow gel is perfect. Since my brow hairs are on the thick side (and sometimes get wavy!) the gel is perfect for keeping them in place. I have tried the chocolate and brunette shades and I feel like the chocolate is more natural and complements my dark blonde hair better.
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