Halfway over the hump, yo! How’s your week going? Better yet, how was your MONTH? Seeing as the first month of 2018 is officially about to be DONEZO – can ya believe it?! (Nope, nope I cannot). And I’ve got a feelin’ February is going to *FLY* by – I’ll be traveling for half of the month basically, and there’s Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day and ALL THE DAYS.
My intention is to be more, welp, intentional for the rest of this week. I’ve been feeling all over the place lately, namely because I’ve just got #AllTheThings happening on my plate and I’m just trying to stay afloat. But I *hate* just being in survival mode – since obvi that’s not thriving, or living, or anything better than simply existing. With the close of the month, I’ve been checking up on dem goals – and I already KNOW I’m behind on my reading goals that I set at the start of 2018. Today might be a day to finish up “the essentials” and then prioritize the other essentials – the self-care essentials. Ya feel?
Alrighty, onwards + upwards towards this month’s Cool Sh*t I lovelovelove. ICYMI, we do 5 links to read, 5 things to buy, + some stuff on sale. And instead of mini playlists every month anymore, we’ve got a WHOPPER CUR playlist for all of Q1 that you can follow along with + jam! Are you following it yet in Spotify?! Click here to listen + enjoy. 🙂
Links I Love:
- How the 26-year-old founder of Pink Peonies turned her blog into a million dollar business.
- “Receive.”
- How to travel the world while working full time.
- A 27-year-old wrote this before dying of cancer. (Warning: Your life might change).
- 35 apps to download right now (and not delete).
Stuff on Sale:
Extra 25% off everything already on sale at Nike
This gorgeous, classic swimsuit is 40% off (I just bought it – this girl needs a beach!)
Extra 70% off SALE at the LOFT [code: EXTRA]
The cuuuuutest ruffled kicks are 40% off – on sale for $35.96! (In blush, silver, + black!)
Get 20% off + FREE shipping on Tula skincare (one of my alltime FAVES) [code: COMINGUPROSES]
Up to 75% off Clearance, 50% off Dresses, AND 40% off Jeans/Fleece/Outerwear at Old Navy [code: WINNING]
This layered initial necklace comes down to only $4.46 with code EXTRA – PERFECT for your bestie for Galentine’s Day!
Extra 50% off all Clearance at Express
An ultra-soft, off-shoulder, long-sleeve top to transition into spring – on sale for $11.96 (code: EXTRA)
One of my *FAVE* cozy soft chenille sweaters this season – on sale for 20 bucks! (Comes in 3 colors – #AddToCart)
Things I Love lovelove:
Still cannot get over the fact that I actually own a Gucci bag now. WHAT. #DREAMS. #MamaIMadeIt. ICYMI, this girl was *never* designer anything (and still isn’t – haha!). I mean, y’all know I’m the queen of designer LOOKALIKES. 😉 But I’ve had my eye on 3 specific Gucci bags for basically ever, and I knew I would never in a million years buy myself one of these things justbecause. I just wouldn’t. I’d rather, oh I dunno, pay my mortgage that month. HA. 😉 But y’all also know I firmly believe in the TREAT YO’SELF mentality. So, I figured if I earned a Gucci bag, I’d feel waaaaaay better about spending a totally absurd amount of money on a purse. So that’s what I did! I set 3 very big, very specific, very tangible goals for myself in my business. Hit the goal, get the Gucci.
I thought this would take honestly months, because the goals I set were goals I’ve been working towards for what feels like the better part of forever. After not hitting them month after month, I figured I needed to up my incentive system for myself – since I sure as heck wasn’t going to belittle the goals. #ambitiousAF 😉 SO, I sat down + got crystal clear on what exactly I wanted to achieve, and I associate a bag with each goal. WOULDN’T YOU KNOW, literally 3 days after doing this process, I hit the first goal. And y’all…these are legit goals I’ve had for the entirety of my business. Which just goes to show that sometimes, you’ve gotta give yourself a gold star at the finish line to kick things into gear. Or a Gucci bag. Same thing. 😉
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
I had heard rave reviews of this stuff for ages. Has it been around forever and I’ve just been under a rock?! This girl loveloveloves herself some full coverage. Y’all have heard me say it a thousand and one times about my skin – it’s been a handful over the years, to say the least. So unless the grace of God gave me clear skin on a random Tuesday justbecause, chances are I have to wear something coverage-wise just to even out skin tone, eliminate texture, etc.
This stuff is not the cheapest makeup on the block, but I heard girls SWEARING it was worth it because it legit covers errrr’thaaaaanag. I wanted to test it first, though, before dropping 40 bucks on a bottle. SO, when J + I went to San Antonio back in October, I wandered into a Macy’s to figure out what the heck shade I’d be, and to try and snag some samples to wear at home to see if it really lived up to the hype. Spoiler alert: it totally did/does. AND you need only a liiiiiiiittle bit on your makeup sponge or brush to cover your entire face. A little really goes a long way, making it really worth the $$$. PRO TIP: Go in-store to be shade-matched, but then buy online to take advantage of free gifts with purchase!
PSA: If it’s helpful, I wear the shade BUFF!
Monogrammed Marley Lilly Pullover Tunic
Marley Lilly is also a more recent discovery, and HOLY MOLY, it was lovelovelove at first click. This company is simply darling. Everthing is monogrammed, so it’s the perfect place to find cute gifts for brides-to-be or newlywed chicas! I’ve got quite a few things from them now, and I’ve been nothing but impressed. First off, their packaging for orders is SO STINKIN’ CUTE, all wrapped in pink + green with a literal bow wrapped around it. Everything is just so well-made, and the monogram detailing is darling. This heathered tunic is one of my faves because it’s legit WARM. It doesn’t look nearly as warm as it actually is, which is nice since it helps you layer up in winter without looking bulky (remember this post? 😉 ) It’s got this fleece-like lining, so it definitely keeps you nice n’ warm this time of year.
Other Marley Lilly recommendations include this coat (PERFECT for girls in more southern states especially), this sweater tunic (it’s longer enough to cover your booty when you pair with leggings!), this coffee mug (It fits your Instagram aesthetic 😉 ), and this monogrammed bag (SUCH a good giftable for your girlfriends!!!).
My ongoing goal for forever is “drink more water.” I’m the actual worst at it really. Which is totally embarassing because hello, I’m a grown-ass woman who can’t hydrate herself to save her life. WORKING ON IT. But one thing I’ve found working for me this month has been reaching for flavored sparkling or seltzer water instead of plain ol’ water from the tap. Making it “more interesting” to drink works on me. I guess I’m one for inventives? 😉 If there’s fruit in my water or if I’m sipping it through a straw, I’m 100% more likely to actually drink it. But for grab n’ go purposes, a 50 cent bottle of something sparkling does the trick.
I’m not brand-loyal here – I’ll just grab whatever flavor sounds good when I’m getting groceries. Trader Joe’s does have some of my fave flavors, because they’ve got cool fusion options like “Strawberry Clementine.” (See my Trader Joe’s shopping list here!). Otherwise, I pick up a variety and try to drink AT LEAST one a day. Just make sure ya grab ones that still have nothing in ’em, like actual water – no calories, no added sugar, no sodium, etc! (Not-so-fun fact: Dasani water has SODIUM on the nutrition label. Meaning, salt. Which makes you more thirsty. Um…yeah no bueno).
Eva NYC Mane Magic 10-in-1 primer
IDK if y’all remember me talking about this stuff on Instagram forever ago, but I did – and I still lovelovelove it. Especially in winter when my hair reaaaaaally needs some good ol’ TLC! It’s called the “Mane Magic 10-in-1 primer,” and it does a LOT. It detangles, nourishes, strengthens, softens, cuts drying time, adds shine, reduces frizz, + protects against thermal, environmental, AND UV damage. *gasps for air* It’s got argan oil + sunflower seed oil inside for hydration, but it doesn’t feel greasy or heavy in the SLIGHTEST, which is super important to me. Is there anything worse than putting a product on your freshly washed hair, only to realize you’re going to have to just wash it again?! The spray bottle is huge for me here. It comes out as a light mist. Any time I’m using any sorta oil or heavy “moisturizer” on my hair, I NEED it to be a light spray applicator for a mist effect. If it comes out in globs or oil or anything thick at all, no bueno. This is light enough to spray multiple days a week, and it does the job; I apply on damp or dry hair depending on the day, and it works wonders either way.
Bonus points because it smells AMAZEBALLS, which we all know is of the utmost importance in our haircare products. 😉
What links/things/sales have you found + loveloveloved lately?
For past Cool Sh*t I Lovelovelove, click here.
For thoughts on trusting God more, click here.
For Fifteen Favorites of mine, click here.
For tips on saying NO when you need to, click here.
For 4 steps to a perfect pucker, click here.
For the latest #AskE Q&A post, click here.
Happy HUMP – thanks for hanging out, girlfriend!
