May 2015 Favorites

Hey everyone! I know I have been missing in action lately but there is so much going on, including the start of a new blog! I can't reveal the content just yet but the blog will be up on June 29th... that's a little over 3 weeks away, so stay tuned! Now let's check out my [few] favorites during the month of May:

Hair

Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk... I chose to keep my hair in a protective style for most of May and putting this in my hair on wash day prior to styling kept my hair moisturized for several days.

Skincare

photo courtesy of Target.com

Acure Seriously Firming Facial Serum... this is actually not a serum at all- it's an oil. nevertheless, it smells wonderful and works wonders for your skin. one pump (maybe a pump and a half) is all you need. I use it at night after washing my face.

Food

photo courtesy of Naturebox.com

Naturebox Cherry Vanilla Granola... most mornings, this was my breakfast of choice (along with yogurt). I could just eat it right out of the bag- it's really that good!


And this month, I actually have a non-favorite...

Bath & Body
Sydelle Cosmetics Coconuts Over You Deodorant... I have loved this natural brand for well over a year now and this was the first time I had ever tried this scent. Unfortunately it isn't one that I would ever purchase again- I will just stick with my favorite scent by them, Almond Elegance (as soon as it is back in stock... grrrr!)

March 2015 Favorites

March is over, so you know what that means... a monthly favorites post! Let's skip the long intro and get right into my picks for March:

Hair

Pantene Pro-V Detangler... this was a staple product of mine for many years before it disappeared. I'm so glad to have found it in stores again! I use it to keep my hair smooth and as a treatment for my ends (because it makes them curl just right).

Skincare

Caudalie Makeup Remover Cleansing Water... I've discovered that this is all I need to cleanse my skin in the morning. It's gentle yet effective, and I don't even need to use moisturizer on warmer days (at least 50 degrees).


Bath & Body

Shea Moisture Tahitian Noni & Monoi Smooth & Illuminate Bath, Body & Massage Oil... a new find this month that is exclusive to Ulta. I like that this oil is lightweight (not as thick as their other ones) and has a nice, delicate scent.


Food/Snack

Welch's Fruit Snacks (Island Fruit)... totally. addicted. to. these. When it comes to fruit snacks, I tend to only gravitate towards cherry flavored ones. But these island fruit flavors changed the game for me! 

Drink

365 Cherry Vanilla Creme Soda... yes, this Whole Foods brand soda has become my absolute favorite thing to drink. As I mentioned above, I love all things cherry and this is THE BEST cherry soda I have ever had. It's made with natural cane sugar, so no artificial sweeteners and also no caffeine- definitely a win-win!


Miscellaneous

International Delight Irish Cream coffee creamer...  I don't drink coffee, but I do drink vanilla Instant Breakfast daily and also quite a bit of tea regularly. This creamer has been my go-to flavor this month for adding to my vanilla chair tea and making my boring vanilla breakfast drink something more enjoyable.


And now for my non-favorite:

Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream... I tried this before a few years ago and thought I'd give it another shot... it broke my face out back then and broke my face out again this time. I will not make the mistake of repurchasing this product a third time.


Did you have any favorites this month? Have you tried any of the products/items above? Leave a comment!

February 2015 Favorites

Sheesh... it's already March! I missed my set time frame for posting my January favorites so I wanted to make sure that I shared my February favorites. Let's go!

Hair

Shea Moisture Yucca & Baobab Thickening Growth Milk... I've used this product on and off for quite some time but have been using it more consistently during this month to quickly moisturize my curls every morning. I love the fact that it is a lightweight formula and smells very good. (this product is now under a different name - Shea Moisture Yucca & Plantain AntiBreakage Strengthening Styling Milk- I will try that one after my current bottle of the old formula is empty)








Skincare

Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser... I know, I know... this isn't a natural product but it is paraben free. I have used this face cleanser on and off for a few months but really stuck with it this month because of how cold it has been. I like how it doesn't make my skin feel dry after rinsing- that's the beauty of an oil-based cleanser.









Bath & Body

Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Body Wash... such a great moisturizing body wash and it smells nice, too! I typically use this on the weekends for a more pampering cleansing experience but it might just become my everyday body wash.

Tea

Bigelow Vanilla Chai... this isn't a new tea but it is definitely a favorite. I like to put amaretto coffee creamer in this tea as opposed to just adding milk (like you're supposed to do with chai) and it gives it such an awesome new flavor!

Food

Campbell's Spicy Vegetable Chili... I didn't discover this until almost the end of February but let me tell you how it quickly became a favorite of mine (after I added some much needed flavor- it was bland straight out of the can)! This is definitely be a cold weather staple. I know we are moving towards warmer weather... but I think I'm going to stock up on it anyway!










And new for this month, NON-favorites:

Nourish Organic Cucumber + Watercress Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser... I was hoping that this would be a great face wash to use each morning but it made me break out something awful after the first (and only) time I used it. 

Honeymaid Go Bites... can you say yuck? I was quite disappointed in these because I was expecting them to be a yummy graham cracker pod filled with vanilla cream but that is far from what they tasted like. I know the box says something about them having protein in them but I didn't think it would taste like it had protein in them. Fail.










What did you find yourself constantly picking up in February? Leave a comment sharing your favorite(s)!

Top 5 Tuesday: Winter Skincare

It looks like the winter weather is finally here to stay, so it's important to protect our skin from these harsh temperatures! These are my top five picks to keep skin glowing all winter long:

1. Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil... put a few drops in your moisturizer before applying it to your face

Photo courtesy of Sephora.com

2. Nourish Organic Renewing Eye Cream: Avocado + Argan... an eye cream is a must for that delicate eye area! I received this as a sample in a monthly beauty subscription *product not yet available for purchase*

Photo courtesy of Ipsy.com

3. Michael Todd True Organics Avocado Mango Mask... I only do a mask once a week but this one is my favorite hydrating mask

Photo courtesy of MichaelToddUSA.com

4. Boscia Tsubaki Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask... I use this on nights when I exfoliate

Photo courtesy of Sephora.com

5. Dr. Lipp's Original Nipple Balm for Lips... okay, yes it sounds strange but I like to use my blog to introduce you to items you may not be familiar with. This really is a great lip moisturizer! Just don't focus on the name. =)

Photo courtesy of US.SpaceNK.com

What are your favorite winter skincare products? Share them in a comment below!