If you use your registered Starbucks Rewards Card now through the 18th after 2pm, you’ll receive a bonus star for every purchase!
Category: Blog
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
1. Starbucks Gift Card | Starbucks, various denominations
If your Valentine likes Starbucks, gift cards are the way to go. They even have cute, Valentine’s Day themed cards online and in-store. Even just $5 is super sweet to give to school friends, family or a co-worker.
2. Veranda Place Bee Wristlet | Kate Spade, $98
This wristlet is so cute! Pink with bows? You can’t go wrong. It’s great because it can hold your cards & money and be a sort of on-the-go wallet or throw it in your purse to help you stay organized. Perfect for your sister or best friend….or yourself!
3. togoPower Boost Keychain | Photojojo, $40
This keychain holds up to 1.5 hrs of extra battery life for your phone. It’s small and fits on your key ring. This would be great for anyone, even the guy in your life. A boost of power can help you stay connected with your Valentine when they need it most.
4. Valentine’s Day socks | Nordstrom, $10
Everyone loves a cute pair of socks. These pink, heart socks are sweet and cozy. Perfect for your sister or school friends. Tie them up with a ribbon and some candy & you’re good to go!
5. Too Faced Plump Gloss Glow | Sephora, $42
This set from Sephora comes with a mascara, nude lipstick, and a heart shaped pink blush. Very Valentine’s Day appropriate! The blush looks nice and rosy with a shimmer highlighter built in. A great Valentine’s Day gift for the makeup lover in your life.
6. Rue iPhone 5 Case | Marc Jacobs, $48
This iPhone case is so fun and pink! With a black cat with white mascara detail around the eyes, this gift is perfect for your best friend or sister who like trendy things or anything Marc Jacobs. The case bulges in certain areas around the phone so you’ll always have a good grip!
7. “Love Edge” Stud Earrings | Marc Jacobs, $42
Sleek, simple heart earrings are perfect for a casual day or a romantic Valentine’s Day evening. Delicate & dainty and perfect for the girly girl in your life.
8. Hanalei Triangles iPhone 5 Case | Pura Vida Bracelets, $20
This case is fun and beachy. Perfect for your friend who isn’t really into Valentine’s, but you still want to get them something. It has a slightly romantic feel with the layers of colors, but it’s perfect to give year round. Check the site for other fun case options!
9. Heart Compact | Marc Jacobs, $7
This mirrored compact is super cute to give to your teammates, school friends or anyone who would like a heart shaped mirror. At just $7, it’s a cute gift for everyone.
10. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Gift Trio | Sephora, $120
My favorite fragrance of all time! Flowerbomb is a super floral scent that just makes you happy when you smell it. This set comes with the fragrance, a shower gel, and a body cream. And if you get it from Sephora with your Beauty Insider card, you’ll earn triple points. This gift is great for a girlfriend/wife.
11. Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Complexion Kit | Sephora, $68
This set is perfect for your mother, your sister, or anyone who likes makeup/skincare. The set comes with a bottle of the Josie Maran Argan Oil Light, Cheek Gelée, Matchmaker Powder Foundation, and Matchmaker Serum Foundation. It’s limited edition and there are three color options.
12. Dior Creme de Rose Lip Balm | Sephora, $27
Love this lip balm! It’s amazing! Perfect for the bestie or family member in your life who cares about skincare or lip products. This balm will heal chapped, winter lips and can be used as a primer, on its own, or as a treatment. Plus, it’s sheer pink and romantic in its embelished white case.
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Quick & Easy Valentine’s Day DIY Gift
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and if you’re looking for a quick and easy DIY gift, look no further. I found this simple Valentine’s Day themed candy jar idea through Pinterest from thefrugalgirls.com, so I thought I’d re-create it as a perfect gift for friends and family.
I love the Valentine’s Day themed M&M’s! Even though they taste the same, all Pink’s and Red’s seem magical. ❤ Anyway, it’s pretty straight forward — separate your M&M’s by color and layer them into your mason jar.
Then, to make it a little extra special, I cut out a few hearts out of the red construction paper and wrote some fun Valentine’s Day themed notes — “I love you” & “You’re sweet”. I slid the hearts into the side of the jar so that they’ll show through the glass.
As an extra detail, I cut a circle out of the construction paper to cover the lid of the mason jar. Then I cut a ‘tag’ out of the construction paper as a To: label and attached it to the jar with some red yarn. Super easy! Just make sure to get a smaller/cuter sized mason jar so the M&M’s can fill it all the way. 🙂
I’ve been wanting to get more into Pinterest, so if you have an account, I’d love to start following you. Post your links in the comments! ❤
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Lush | Mini Haul + Neon Love Soap
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I popped into Lush to get a few favorites, but I was also excited to see their Valentine’s Day items. I got the Comforter Bubble Bar (my FAVORITE!), two Sex Bomb Bath Bombs, and a small chunk of the new Neon Love Soap.
The soap is limited edition for Valentine’s Day and is a super pretty reddish-pink color with a white heart running through the middle. The hearts were cut all weird in the blocks at the store, but one of the sales associates was super nice and cut me a piece with a perfect heart! ❤
From Lush “With fresh passion fruit juice to cleanse and soya yogurt to nourish, Neon Love is one we want to use all over our bodies in the bath and shower. A new perfume was blended for this bar, and includes citrusy bergamot, rosewood and spicy cinnamon leaf oil. Hiding inside the huge heart-shaped soap are little white hearts to ensure every slice looks just as beautiful as it smells.”
I really like the way this smells and kind of wish I’d gotten a larger piece. It smells warm and cinnamon-y but not spicy; and sweet and citrus-y; very clean. The scent lingers for a while. Plus, it makes a sweet pink lather which is amazing. It did made my hands feel kind of dry after washing with it & I had to use some hand cream to get rid of the tightness. :/
Have you tried the Neon Lush soap? Or any of the Valentine’s Day items from Lush? What did you think? 🙂
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
It’s that time again — Star Dash time at Starbucks that is. This Winter Star Dash is a little different than the ones we’ve seen in the past. Rather than earning a $5 or $10 gift card upon reaching your star goal, this time you’ll just earn more stars.
Check your email or your Starbucks app to see if you’ve been selected to participate in this offer. If you don’t have a registered Starbucks card, you can sign up here and start earning stars for your purchases.
The Winter Star Dash is running from now until February 9th 11th. If you earn 25 stars, you’ll receive 10 bonus stars, and if you earn 40 stars, you’ll receive 20 bonus stars.
What do you think of this Star Dash? Do you prefer a gift card or bonus stars?
UPDATE: The Star Dash ends on February 11th. And Rewards will be distributed by February 18th.
I am nowhere near completing my Star Dash goal! Hopefully, I get an easier offer next time. How are you doing with your Star Dash? Check where you are by logging into your account. Did you reach your goal?
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I’ve had some time to get familiar with the Josie Maran Complexion Care Package that I got from QVC. This set was such a great value with five full-sized products for under $60.
Argan Tinted Moisturizer
There are four color choices with the Argan Tinted Moisturizer (Fair, Light, Medium, Dark), I picked up the Light 1 color.
The Tinted Moisturizer has SPF 30 and really evens out the skin tone without looking greasy or heavy. Similar to a BB Cream, the Tinted Moisturizer blends best with the fingers. A little bit goes a long way and it settles into the skin to give a nice finished look.
There is a yellow undertone to the Light 1 color I got which works to neutralize redness. Coverage is light and makes skin look dewey which may look over shiny if you have oily skin.
Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon
Your color selection for the Tinted Moisturizer also dictates your Concealer Crayon color in this set. I’ve never used any kind of concealer crayon before, so I was excited to see what this argan-infused one would be like.
I know other concealers I’ve used in the past have seemed drying or chalky; settling into fine lines under my eyes. This concealer is far from that; it’s very creamy and glides on easily. For me, however, it’s a little too creamy. Maybe I’m just using too much, but it seemed to slip all over my under eye area and eventually crease in those fine lines.
It would probably work best with a light setting powder, but if I’m going for a quick, fresh-faced look, I don’t want to have to set everything with a powder.
Infinity Cream Intensive Creamy Oil
There are many uses listed for the Argan Infinity Cream — from smoothing down fly-aways to an intensive hand cream. The Infinity Cream seems to be a more concentrated version of the Argan Oil. It has a Vaseline/petroleum jelly feeling even though it does not contain any of that. The Infinity Cream is all organic and contains 100% pure Argan Oil.
I like to use this cream on my cuticles, knees & elbows, and on my hands. It absorbs nicely and hydrates dry flaky areas.
I love the pure Argan Oil. Click the link ^ for the ways I like to use it. Definitely my favorite product in the kit.
Argan Color Stick in Dreamy Pink
The Argan Color stick is the perfect on-the-go color stick. It’s compact and infused with argan oil to give your skin a nice, healthy rosy glow. Definitely would repurchase this.
Because it’s infused with argan oil, the color stick was quite creamy when applied to the cheeks or lips. It appears bright at first, but it blends nicely into the skin for a natural looking flush.
Have you used any of these Josie Maran products? Let me know what you think! 🙂
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
You know I love Chipotle, I always get a sofritas burrito with fajita peppers, green & corn salsa, sometimes sour cream, and guacamole. Their guacamole is amazing; no wonder they charge $2 extra!
Looking around online, I found a video of how to make Chipotle’s famous guac!
This recipe served 6 – 10 people (or just me for 2 days. lol. I love guacamole!) You’ll need:
- 6 large ripe avocados – pitted and peeled. (Don’t skimp on the avocado; get the best you can find!)
- 3 cups fresh cilantro – chopped
- 1.5 cups red onion – finely chopped
- 12 large serrano chilies – seeded and finely chopped
- 12 tsp lime juice (I used 2 limes)
- 1.5 tsp salt
And that’s it! This recipe is so easy and tastes so perfect.
Combine all your avocado in a large bowl and lightly mash with a fork, large spoon, or a mashed potato press.
Add your peppers, cilantro, onions, salt, and lime juice and combine/mash together. I prefer my guac to be a little chunkier so I combine all the ingredients lightly.
And ta-da! You’re ready to enjoy the best guacamole EVER!
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Josie Maran Argan Milk | Review
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I’ve been incorporating the new Josie Maran Argan Milk into my nightly skincare routine and I’m excited to review it. I love the Josie Maran Argan Oil and I love how Josie Maran Cosmetics uses organic ingredients in all of its products.
Packaging
The Josie Maran Argan Milk comes in a sleek 1oz bottle for $56. Similar to the Josie Maran Argan Oil, the Argan Milk is dispensed through a glass dropper. The construction of the rubber-squeeze end of the dropper is more solid that the older bottles of Argan Oil — the stopper in my little bottle of Argan Oil sometimes pops out of the top :/ But the Argan Milk bottle has a substantial weight and the dropper seems durable much like the new bottles of Argan Oil.
Ingredients
Aqua (Water)** (and) Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil* (and) Propanediol** (and) Glyceryl Caprylate** (and) Glyceryl Undecylenate** (and) Phosphatidylglycerol** (and) Sodium Benzoate** (and) Xanthan Gum** (and) Citric Acid**.
*ORGANIC **NATURAL
Essentially, this Argan Milk is just Argan Oil and water. The Argan Milk doesn’t contain any parabens, sulfates, or phthalates. Yay!
Use
Apply 3 -5 drops of the Argan Milk day and night. The applicator is similar to the dropper that comes with the Argan Oil, but the dropper part is slightly more tapered off so you can really control how much is released. It’s recommended that you follow with a few drops of the Josie Maran Argan Oil/Argan Oil Light.
Consistency
The Argan Milk is lightweight, smooth and silky feeling. I try to lightly spread the Argan Milk all over my face with my fingers before pressing it lightly into my skin. The Argan Milk’s silkiness quickly absorbs into your skin and leaves a slightly tacky feeling. The Argan Milk absorbs like a serum, but with a slightly more creamier consistency than a gel-like consistency.
Results
The Argan Milk really preps the skin for the Argan Oil/ Argan Oil Light. It’s quick-absorbing and definitely hydrating. My skin’s texture is more even and those winter dry spots are gone! I’ve actually been using the Argan Milk on the back of my hands as a treatment the last couple of nights and following with the Argan Oil. Even my hands are looking and feeling softer! If you aren’t a fan of the Argan Oil (which is amazing! Try it if you haven’t!), then I still think the Argan Milk would be a good addition to any skincare regimen as a way to get the benefits of Argan Oil without sacrificing your regular moisturizer.
I’ve been using the Argan Milk as a night serum, but I think this would also be great for the day time as well. Again, it’s so light and absorbs quickly, that I think it would work well under makeup. Overall, I love the new Josie Maran Argan Milk. It’s the perfect way to get the added benefits of Argan Oil and long lasting hydration.
❤ Bonus: Even Svetlana loves Argan Milk!
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2014 Nighttime Skincare Routine
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
One of my resolutions this year has been to wash my face every night. I’m usually really good about it, but we all have had those late nights where you just want to fall into bed rather than washing your face. On nights like that, I would sometimes use the Neutrogena makeup removing face wipes which seemed to get the job done. But this year, there will be no excuse for being lazy and not washing my face.
Your body repairs itself while you are sleeping; how can you expect optimum results when you are leaving a mask of the day’s dirt and bacteria on your face all night? I’m sure everyone’s heard the saying, “The best makeup is good skincare!”
To remove my makeup and cleanse my face, I start with my trusted Clarisonic Mia and Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple cleanser. I recently got the sensitive brush head for the Mia and I am really liking it.
After using the Clarisonic on my face, I’ll use my fingers and some more of the Purity to gently remove my eye makeup/cleanse my eye area.
If I have any blemishes or problem areas, I’ll use a pump of Grease Lightening from Lush. It’s called a cleanser but it works more as a toner or spot treatment for me.
The newest addition to my nighttime skincare routine is the Josie Maran Argan Milk. It works with the Argan Oil to be an intensive hydrating treatment. Full review here.
I use the Josie Maran Argan Oil right behind the Argan Milk — just a few drops for your face and neck. I kind of pat/press it into my skin so it really sinks in. Check out some other ways I useArgan Oil here.
Next up is my under eye area. I find that I don’t really like the feel of a night cream under my eye, but I really love the Lancome Genifique Yeux eye concentrate. It’s like a cooling serum to help de-puff and brighten the eye area. The secret is in the application because the wand has a pivoted “pearl” at the end that helps gently massage the under eye area.
I then seal everything in with my favorite night cream ever — the Lancome Absolue Night Cream. It smells amazing and isn’t too thick or greasy.
Then to moisturize my chest and the rest of my body, I use Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil. This stuff has been amazing for me! Click for my review. This is the jumbo sized jar from QVC in the unscented version.
And, of course, I couldn’t forget the Dior Creme de Rose lip balm. I use this at night as a lip treatment and, as you can see, I’m going through it pretty quickly. See my full review here.
And that’s it for my nighttime skincare routine! It may seem like a lot, but skincare is important to me. No matter your age, it’s never too early to start really taking care of your skin. What’s your current skincare routine?
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I was so excited when I saw the Josie Maran Complexion Care Package on QVC. The set comes with 5 full sized products:
- 1.7-fl oz Argan Tinted Moisturizer
- 0.1-oz Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon
- 2.2-fl oz Infinity Cream Intensive Creamy Oil
- 1.7-fl oz 100% Pure Argan Oil
- 0.55-oz Argan Color Stick in Dreamy Pink
I already love the Argan Oil, but I was interested in trying some of the cosmetics. The set was the Today’s Special Value when I ordered it, so I got everything for $59 + tax/shipping (retail value: $156). I’ll get a few more uses out of everything before I do a review.
UPDATE: Full review here!
The packaging is nice and I’m pleased with the value. I’d never tried the Infinity Cream or any of the Josie Maran makeup.
Each of the cosmetics is infused with Josie’s signature Argan Oil and all of the products are cruelty free and paraben free. ❤
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How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Makeup brushes are your tools to creating that perfect look — you have brushes for eyeshadow, for your foundation, contouring, and more. With the right tools, you can do almost anything! But makeup brushes need to be cleaned or else they can collect dirt/bacteria which can affect your skin.
How to clean your makeup brushes
*Always hold your brush with the bristles pointing down during the cleaning process — if water seeps into the base of the bristles, it can break down the glue and destroy your brush. Quality makeup brushes can be expensive; you’ll want to be careful when cleaning them to protect your investment*
- Run your brush under warm water to break up any surface makeup.
- Squeeze a small amount of the Mac brush cleanser or Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple into the palm of your hand. (You can use baby shampoo or even olive oil as well).
- Swirl the brush into the cleanser of your choice and rinse under warm water.
- Repeat cleansing and rinsing until water runs clear.
- Reshape your brush.
- Set brush on an incline on a towel until brush is dry.
This is a pretty deep-cleansing method and it will take a while for your brushes to dry. So make sure you apply your makeup before cleansing your brushes.
It’s up to you how often you want to clean your makeup brushes. If you’re looking for a faster clean, however, Sephora has a spray on brush cleaner for more of everyday use.
How often do you clean your make up brushes?
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you know I love me some Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers (with Light Ice!) from Starbucks; my Gold Card proves that. It’s tangy, but sweet; it has green coffee extract for a natural boost of energy; it’s cool and “refreshing”; it’s pink….you get the idea. It’s amazing! But at $5 a drink (I usually get the Trenta size), I wanted to see what other options were available. Check out my Starbucks Berry Hibiscus Refresher DIY Recipe!
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
The Nike+ Running App has gotten a recent update that now provides a “coaching” feature to help you train for your running goals. You know that I already love the Nike+ Running App, so I was excited for what this update could do to help me train for that half marathon I told you about back in November. 
The update helps you to train for a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, or a Marathon each at either Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced levels. You can select whatever skill level you want, but the App recommends a level for you based on your history of runs which is pretty neat. I selected the Half Marathon goal and was excited to get back on track with my running. I was definitely slacking during the holidays. The App recommended that I start at the Beginner level which I would have picked anyway. It was weird though, because it recommended the Beginner level when I selected the Half Marathon, but the Intermediate level with I clicked the full Marathon. After, I selected the race I was training for and what level I wanted, I was on my way to 12 weeks of training. I was curious to see what the “coaching” part was like. Was there audio feedback? A pre-run pep talk? I already knew about the run reminders, but what was the training program like?
Basically, the App tells you what your workout will consist of for each day of your training. You can click to see what it has in store for you each day. For my Half Marathon plan, it has me doing 58 runs over the course of 12 weeks. The first week is a Warm Up week with four days of running, two days of rest, and a day of cross training. There is no audio feedback with your coached workouts. 🙁 You just click the workout scheduled for that day and read what you’re supposed to do. If it is a running day, you can click Run from that page and run the way it instructs. After you complete the run, it will be marked complete. If it’s a cross-training or rest day, you have to go in and manually mark it as done.
I was really hoping for some audible feedback — more than just the usual “average pace” and “distance remaining” updates. Especially when one of the training days included 2 miles of fartleks. It would have been cool to have it tell me when to speed up/slow down without having to time myself and look down all the time. Those three minutes are very long when you’re trying to run at a faster pace.
Overall, I’m please with this update and don’t forget, this App is free! So awesome if you are training for something or just looking for a way to track your runs.
CREME DE ROSE PACKAGING
The Dior Creme de Rose lip balm comes in a .25oz white, circular pot inside of a small box. The white pot is quite sleek and feels substantial but not overly heavy. There is a nice filigree around the edges of the lid of the pot and the ‘CD’ initials are engraved in the center. Very simple but it has a quality feel. The lid twists on/off and when you first open it, there is a thin protective layer of plastic covering the balm.
There’s always the concern of potted balms not being hygienic because you’re dipping your fingers into the same pot and then smearing it on your lips, but I think it’s fine as long as you’re keeping your hands clean. You really should avoid touching your face at all unless your hands are clean but sometimes that’s just not practical. In the end, I’m more concerned with the results, so back to the review!
ROSE SCENT
The rose scent is amazing; not synthetic. I love roses and this smells just like the flower, but it’s subtle. I know some people aren’t a fan of rose scents so this may not be the product for you. The scent does, however, seem to wear off after 15-20 minutes.
BALM TEXTURE
The balm is light pink but is sheer on the lips. When you open the pot, the surface of the balm is quite firm; it’s like a barrier on the top because the balm is more creamy once you break through that layer. I don’t recommend just ramming your finger through the top layer though. Just keep using it like you’d use any balm, lightly rubbing your finger over the top. Otherwise, you’ll just end up wasting product and creating an unattractive crater in the balm.
The balm is thick, but not sticky or greasy. It feels smooth and silky on the lips — less waxy than Chapstick, but thicker and creamier than Rosebud Salve.
APPLICATION
You can use the Creme de Rose balm as a treatment — applying a thicker layer at night to the lips and area around the lips. When I wake up, my lips are always soft and feel hydrated; it really soaks into the lips.
Use as an everyday balm. Creme de Rose has SPF 10, so your newly soft lips will be protected from the UV rays. The balm penetrates deep down into your lips so you don’t need to reapply often to get that moisturized feeling.
Or you can use the balm as a primer for your lipstick or lipgloss. I like to use the Benetint lip stain on my lips and then apply the Creme de Rose on top. My lips feel great, but I have a festive red shining through without having to think about reapplying color throughout the night.
MY RESULTS
I’ve been loving this balm! During these winter months, my lips have been smooth and soft which is amazing for me. My lips were always peeling or cracking before and I definitely didn’t help the situation by peeling the skin; gross, I know. My lips seemed to be really sensitive too. I’d been on the hunt for a hydrating/healing lip product and used all types of drugstore products, even medicated products, from Blistex to BabyLips with only temporary relief. So, the Creme de Rose lip balm definitely makes good on the “smoothing” claim.
As far as “plumping” goes, I don’t see my lips looking fuller, but I do feel that slight tingling feeling (very slight) that you feel with those plumping lip glosses. If anything, I can see how a healthier, more moisturized lip could appear fuller and plump.
I recommend Dior Creme de Rose to anyone who has dry, chapped lips or someone just looking for a nice hydrating lip treatment. I’ll continue to use it for many years to come.