*Note from E: HI friends! Mimi’s first CUR takeover was such a huge hit – understandably so, she’s the actual best – that she offered to take over the keyboard again to drop more gems with us all. 🙂
HI everyone! This is Mimi here, stepping out from behind the camera and sitting at the keyboard for a change while Erica enjoys some well-deserved extra baby snuggle time and much needed self-care. When Erica asked me to write about favorite things that I have tried because of CUR, I quickly had a long list. As anyone who follows CUR knows, Erica is VERY particular about what she shares with her audience – it has to be something she uses and loves otherwise you won’t hear about it. That’s great for you – but a bit of a problem for me because I also get to sese and test everything first hand while we shoot – and then I have to add to cart! So without further ado, here are some of my personal favorites.
- DIME Beauty products *DIME discount code: THRIVE20 – If you follow Erica, then you know how highly she rates DIME products. Now I understand why, and I agree. I never really gave too much thought to whether or not products were “clean.” But when E starts doing research, I do research by osmosis, and once you know, you know. Now I check labels and google ingredients, and it’s a whole thing. So far, these are my DIME beauty product favorites (emphasis on the so far):
- DIME Tinted Wonderscreen – SPF 30 protection with a slight tint, goes on sheer and blends easily – it’s the perfect combo product. True story – the first time I wore it, we were going out for a family brunch. The restaurant was crowded so we ended up sitting at a lovely patio table. It was a beautiful day, but when the sun rose overhead, those sunbeams were hot….. my arms were pink by the the end of brunch – but my face was not, thanks to Wonderscreen!
- Dewy Day Cream – Great light moisturizer, blends in quickly, feels great on your skin without being greasy, and you can go right to makeup with no wait time needed.
- Lip Balm – Fabulous product! I use nightly, and often during the day as well because it’s just a great lip moisturizer. Gives a pretty shine and works well over matte lipstick too. Looking forward to trying the tinted balm.
- 7 Summers – All it took was giving Erica a hug when I arrived at her house and immediately saying, “You smell fabulous.” Ordered it for myself the next day and have loved it since. (We were shooting together this week, and again I had to ask what she was wearing because the scent was lovely – turns out it was another DIME fragrance, Dans Les Bois – Guess I’ll have to try that next!)
- Tula filter primer *Tula discount code: COMINGUPROSES – Great sheer primer for under make-up, but also works very well alone to lightly even your skin tone. Sometimes all I wear is this with mascara and lipstick!
- Tula Rose Eye Balm – Brightens, cools, hydrates, and anti-aging – check x 4.
- *Shoutout to Sarah for finding this trio eye balm deal – it’s a $100 value marked down to $60, BUT my code will bring it all the way down to $51!
- Cool Nights pajamas – If you like to go to bed wearing pjs but don’t like having to strip at 2AM, these are the solution. The fabric feels great against your skin, there are lots of patterns and styles to choose from, and every woman deserves pajamas that make you feel fabulous. Even if you don’t overheat while you sleep, treat yourself anyway, as Erica would say. Trust me, you’ll want to change out of your “work clothes” and into these as soon as possible.
- Vanishing Edge undies – These undies have this cool material on the edges that somehow “sticks” to your skin without being sticky. They stay in place without rolling or riding up where you don’t want them, and they don’t show. Lots of patterns and styles – worth the investment.
- Spanx AirEssentials Cocoon *Spanx discount code: ELGXSPANX – Erica gifted me this for Mother’s Day, and in a word, wow! The fabric is so luxurious – it is lightweight and warm, but not too warm, so I think I will be wearing it year-round. There is nothing else in my wardrobe that feels anything like this fabric! (Can you tell that the way a fabric feels reallllly matters to me?!)
- Barefoot Dreams blanket dupe from Sam’s Club – Not even $20. Soft and snuggly, variety of patterns – bought for myself and for gifting. (As seen with other Barefoot Dreams blanket dupes here…although spoiler alert, this one’s the best affordable alternative!)
- Barefoot Dreams sweaters – Another case of trying something on at Erica’s house and being “influenced,” lol. So warm, soft, and luxurious – just Mmmmmm.
- No-show socks – Just buy yourself these and throw away the rest. I bought my regular size plus the smaller size for a slightly lower cut for lower cut sneakers and shoes. They don’t slip, and they have lasted well through many washings.
- THRIVING Tumbler – I use it every single day, and I have gifted it to several girlfriends and co-workers. Drinks stay cold (or hot), and the tumbler does not sweat. It has been a huge help for drinking more water because I can track how many times I refill it daily. It comes to my office with me M-F and anytime I’m running errands. Definite winner.
- Tovala Smart Oven – After seeing it in action at Erica’s house and all the features it had to offer, I went home, measured our toaster oven, and decided the Tovala made a lot more sense for the space. So now the Smart Oven graces our counter, and we have used it regularly. The Tovala is great for reheating and toasting. I have also used it to roast sausage and vegetables that turned out golden and delicious – this was huge for me because I don’t like using our big oven during the summer. AND now I can air fry, basically anything, lol! We have made home-made pita chips and even air fried hot dogs – who knew! I love the from-scratch recipes in the ap, and the air fried pickles are next up.
- Thick gold earring cuff – I always wear an ear cuff, and these are such a statement. I just feel fancy wearing it and think it levels up the look in such a fun and easy way.
- Small thin huggie hoops with crystals – I bought these in both the gold and silver after seeing Erica’s, and I have worn them countless times. Sometimes I wear a pair in the 2nd and 3rd holes in my left ear and sometimes I wear both pair at once – love both looks.
- Victoria Emerson bracelets – It all started with Erica wearing this tres cool wrap bracelet – and me wanting one too. So, I bought myself one and loved it, then got a couple more on a great sale. Then I gifted all my co-worker nurses wrap bracelets for Christmas, and they loved them too. So many styles to chooses from, and they are comfortable to wear and such a great fashion accessory. Since then, Erica gifted me one of their magnetic closure cuff bracelets… and here we go again 😉 Very cool!
- Airpods – I use mine daily. I love listening to podcasts while cooking or doing household tasks, and these work well. Comfortable fit and good sound quality. We have a small house, so it’s great to pop these in if my hubby is watching something on TV, and I don’t want my podcasts to clash with the news or sports.
- Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm – Such a great gloss with shiny long-lasting color. My current favorite is Strawberry. That says it all!
- Mellanni bed sheets – Deep pockets that don’t slip and elastic all the way around the fitted sheet so it actually fits and stays in place. They come in lots of colors and have held up well through many washings. Quality bed sheets are one of those simple luxuries that you can enjoy every night.
- Downy Infusions BLISS – Speaking of simple luxuries, this in wash scent booster is amazing. It may be tempting to think a product like this is no big deal, and why the hype. You will change your mind the first time you do the laundry, and this lovely scent makes you a believer. Trust me.
- Wrist towels – Never knew such a thing existed until I saw them at Erica’s house. Water running up (or down) my arms every night and having to dry the sink are now a thing of the past. I never knew I needed them, but now they are part of my nightly skin care routine.
Whew, I think that’s enough for now, haha (but please know that I could add more!). Thanks for making it to the end. Hope you find a few (or many) new favorites of your own from my list – it’s been fun sharing it with you.
Blessings,
Mimi
