The Brunette's Holiday Gift Guide

Good morning & happy Wednesday!

Can it really be only 6 days til Christmas?!

I don't have a single thing wrapped yet... 🤔 but otherwise I think we're good.

Gonna have to run to the store and get some cute bags & wrapping paper before they sell outta the cute stuff tho. 😉

Are YOU ready?!

Well, you're either reading this for one of two things:

You AREN'T ready and are in desperate need of ideas (no worries, hopefully I can help),

Or you ARE ready and are just curious

(No worries, hopefully I can amuse you 🤣).

Fair warning, this is my first time doing this, and I don't consiser myself a professional,

so be kind with any criticism here.

My goal is to help and inspire creativity, not necessarily sell through any links- I hope I can accomplish that.

Know that none of the items I have shared are because of paid partnership or advertising, and if I ever do have an opportunity to do that, I will continue to uphold my standard of only sharing things I ALREADY LIKE- not something I don't like but it might make me a couple cents.

Ok, now that that's out of the way,

here are some things that caught my eye this season (or year, or years... some of these are beloved favorites of mine) and I thought y'all might like, too.

UPDATE:
Ok so this is actually extremely time-consuming... So I'm going to go ahead and post what I have so far, and continue to add to this (to the top for convenience) as I go.

I'll post updates so y'all know when a I've added new content.

Happy shopping!

~

Alrighty folks, this collection is of things that pamper and inspire me to good health.
Fighting postpartum depression for the third time and being reallllly bad at self-care, I finally realized I needed some help.
But who can afford to hire someone to follow you around every day and remind you to brush your teeth? (Yes, at risk of sounding like an utter failure at faulting and being gross or unglamorous, the truth is there are many days where I have struggled to do simple things like brush my teeth or fix my hair. The kids have never been neglected as I have always neglected myself.)
Or remind you to drink water, especially because you're nursing, and your lips are terribly chapped because your body is stealing every drop of moisture it can to feed your child?
Or lovingly tell you to get up and move a little, with no judgement? (not sure if a person can do that with no judgement... 🤔)
Ladies, if you've ever been there, or you know someone who is, these are really great gifts to help those ladies/mamas take better care of themselves.
Every single item has been so worth the investment to me.

◼ Rose gold essential oil diffuser.
I didn't feel comfortable recommending an essential oil brand as that can be controversial and I think each person should do their own research (I may spend some time checking out the different companies in the future and share my opinion then), but I will throw in here that cheaper is NOT better when it comes to essential oils.
In the meantime, I have purchased several diffusers over the years, and this one has held up the nicest, not to mention looks the prettiest. I think it's very reasonably priced, and its still cheaper than diffusers that I have seen for sale on the essential oil companies' sites. Win-win.
UPDATE: Guys, its SOLD OUT in this color. 😭 Its no wonder.
But the product itself is so amazing, and they still have it in dark brown, silver, and bamboo.

◼ Cocolaurin Supplement (and Fertility Tea) from Pink Stork.
My dear friend Amy- well, at least I consider her a friend. We have kindred spirits, Amy and I, and if you purchase from her you are more than likely to receive a handwritten note in thanks, and then you'll feel like she's your dear friend, too.
Pink Storm makes several products to help with women's health, especially mamas, and I love the Cocolaurin as it is a powerful immune booster.
Also, the fertility tea helps to balance hormones, which is a current struggle of mine, so this tea is now a favorite.
NOTE: Amazon currently has the Cocolaurin for $4 cheaper, and its available for free one day shipping with orders of $35 or more. O don't think you'll get a note from Amy tho. Also, Target has this fertility tea and a fertility supplement in a combo pack for $39.99 and its eligible for the Redcard 5% discount. 😉

◼ Manuka Honey UMF 15+
I love the quality of this Manuka Honey, and I feel like this brand is right at that sweet spot for quality and price tag.
Don't get me wrong, its not your average honey. If you don't know what Manuka Honey is, well, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to say google it. But if you end up wanting to try some, I recommend this one. 😉
Wouldn't the health enthusiast love to find this baby in their stocking or under the tree?? 💕

◼ Oral B Electric Toothbrush in Rose Gold.
Ladies, if your dental hygiene needs an upgrade, or you need to fall in love with brushing your teeth, then this is the gift for you. But don't be deceived, this toothbrush won't fit in your stocking. It comes in a much larger box with a travel case, a charging stand,  extra brush heads,  and a phone mount that goes on your mirror so it can  watch your Technique!  I was a pro at brushing my teeth after just a few days!
My breath is fresher (which makes me feel sexier 💋) and my teeth & gums are thanking me. I can feel it.
Target currently has it on sale for 17% off, and with the Redcard its then 22% off with a savings of $7.50. And it has free 2 day shipping, and free same day pick-up where available.

◼ Hapbee's Silver Toothpaste
Ok, I've tried lots of different fluoride-free toothpastes over the past couple of years (If you don't know the negative effects of fluoride, including  compromised immune system and cognitive damage/lowered IQ, you really should look into it... Not to mention it was invented by a scientist who was working with Hitler... No kidding) and this one is my current favorite.
Who doesn't want the added benefits of colloidal silver & bentonite clay in their toothpaste?!

 ◼ Guys, I know the Fitbit was featured in another collection already (or further down, depending on when you first read this post), but the personal benefits of this watch are really wonderful.
It does what it's supposed to do, from encourage me to move every hour or get a total of however many steps in, track my weight trends, track my sleep including Sleep Quality, and even give me guided breathing sessions when I'm feeling anxious and need to instantly calm down.  This little watch is like the therapist that follows you around everywhere that none of us can afford to hire. Haha.

◼ Fertility Tea (mentioned along with Cocolaurin)

◼ Diffuser bracelet.
I bought this bracelet with money that my parents gave me for my last birthday, and I really really like it.  I love the earthy yet modern style, the rose gold hardware, and of course the ability to  constantly be diffusing whatever essential oils I'm needing at the time, right here on my hand.

◼ Hidrate Spark Water Bottle.
I highly doubt that I need to go into listing the benefits of drinking adequate amounts of water, some of which include but are definitely not limited to... clearer skin, less brain fog, more energy and less fatigue, increased skin hydration & elasticity and no more chapped lips, sufficient milk supply for your baby when nursing, sufficient amniotic fluid for your baby when pregnant, weight loss, regular bowel movements, improved kidney health... The list goes on and on and on. We need water, guys. So it definitely is a problem when you are bad at drinking water, like I was. I'm still not very good at it without this water bottle to remind me, because it hasn't even been 21 days yet, but this thing has helped me increase my water by at least double so far, and it's much less frustrating than having my husband call me every hour or two to remind me to drink water! Haha! I think every busy mom should have one of these, or even just every busy person, unless you're like a water drinking pro, which then of course get something else you need! 🤣
The link above is for the manufacturer who currently has this water bottle for sale for almost $10 off and has more color varieties, but Target also currently has it on sale for the same price plus you get to stack your 5% Red Card discount and you get free shipping, but it's only available in black, white and teal.

~

Here's a magical little display of some of my favorite electronics. 💕

Clockwise starting with the microphone 🎤...

◼ Guys, THIS MIC! I probably can't accurately convey to you how much fun & good times we've had with this mic.
Basically it's a Bluetooth microphone that connects to your phone so you can sing karaoke wherever you want, no cords required. It has tons of cool features and comes in seven colors! We love this thing!

◼ These headphones. 🎧
What can I say? Target had them on sale and was also running a promotion to get a free gift card when I got them. And, they're rose gold... 😍
Of course, they're super comfortable and have amazing sound quality, but you probably already knew that. 😉
I've linked them at Target because with 5% off using their red card, they are currently the cheapest retailer online, but if that means nothing to you then Amazon also has them for the same price.

◼ Bluetooth ear buds.
They have crystal clear sound, about four hours of continuous music play, and look extremely stylish while doing it. Enough said.

◼ Fitbit Alta HR. I love the slim design of this Fitbit, and the way it looks with the many wristbands that are available to switch out. It looks like a very feminine accessory when done right. Its on sale almost everywhere, although there's a couple online retailers worth mentioning. First I'll mention the manufacturer, fitbit.com, which is running a promotion today for free one-day shipping with your purchase of Select Fitbit items with code "HURRY". See my screenshot below. 👇

The other retailer worth mentioning is Kohl's, which although you can't redeem coupons on this item, you can use your Kohl's Cash and yes2you Rewards, which could bring down the already reduced sale price to lower than the other retailers. And lastly, of course there's Target, which isn't stingy about offering you 5% off your purchase with your red card, and as usual you get free shipping, but this item qualifies for free 2-day shipping. The 5% off brings this watch's price down to $114, making it your cheapest option of the three. So those are the best sales at the moment.

◼ Fitbit Versa
This watch has so many new features, I'm still getting used to it myself, so maybe a tutorial from the manufacturer is in order to so it justice.
Literally the exact same deals are going on as above, with Target's red cars bringing it down to the lowest prices of $142.50

◼ Tile Mate Combo Pack
I bought this for Mark as a Christmas gift, so we haven't used it yet, but I am so excited to try it out. If you are forgetful like me, or even just human haha, then you probably need a set of these in your life. Target currently still has them on sale for $39.95, and then of course don't forget to stack your 5% if you have a red card. If you've never heard of these before, click the link here and check it out!

~

This flatlay is simply a collection of some of my favorite beauty items.
Some of them are very new to me, for instance the Pür eyeshadow palette that I haven't even used yet, and some I have had since before Jimmy was born and I consider them makeup staples.

The look below was done using several of these items.
I'm wearing:
Tarte Full Coverage Foundation (not pictured), RMS Beauty Quad, Tarte Arch Architect in I-don't-know-what-color-because-the-little-sticker-came-off but probably medium brown, Espresso Yourself eyeshadow palette in Strawberries & Cream and Java Chip, Simply Naked Beauty mascara kit, and NYX Liquid Lip Lingerie in Babydoll.

I'm not a pro so don't critique it too hard. 😉
I probably wear makeup maaayyyyyybe five times a month, but when I do I love these products.

Ok so here they are clockwise starting with the polish....

◼ Sally Hansen polish in Steely Serene (Color Therapy), Blushed Petal (CT, Terra Coppa (Miracle Gel) Exotic Acaí (CT) and Haute Stone (CT).

◼ Espresso Yourself eyeshadow palette by The Beauty Crop.
Y'all the names of these shades are so delicious, and these shadows are infused with my favorite beverage- COFFEE! ☕
(Also sold at Forever 21)

◼ This natural mascara kit by Simply Naked Beauty gives me lashes for DAYS, is made with organic ingredients, and its WATERPROOF. Boom. 👊

◼ This beauty quad by RMS Beauty has all of the essentials, and its super compact which makes it ideal for travel.
Bonus, it is formulated in a balm, so its super hydrating for winter skin without causing breakouts. No chalky look here.

◼ This NYX Liquid Lip Lingerie in Babydoll is that perfect nude lippie that is SO IN right now, and its super affordable.
It's a very matte formula and may feel dry to some. I layered it with some lip balm. 😉

◼ Guys, an eyebrow pencil and gel all in one! I love how travel friendly this Arch Architect by Tarte is, not to mention the product itself is 👌.

◼ Like I said, I haven't tried this Be Your Selfie eyeshadow palette from Pür yet, but I'm in love with these colors!

◼ My gals, if your hair is damaged or if you have long hair, you should try this stuff.
Why did I include long hair with damaged hair? Because the weight of your hair is putting stress on... Well, your hair. And this Caviar Repair Protein Cream by Alterna will coat your hair strands to give them added support. Try it, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

~

This group of things is inspired by The Dreamer / Planner, (or someone who needs help planning and organizing their life 🤣) and had me oohing and ahhing over the lovely florals & rose gold....

I can't think of a prettier way to start the new year. 💕

"Hidden Agenda" Planner // "Vintage Blog" Journal // Assorted Metallic Pens // Desk Set // Set of 3 Notepads // String Lights //

UPDATE: It appears as if the pen set & desk set are sold out! 

I've linked a similar pen set here... Still hunting for a desk set for y'all. 💋

Xo,

The Brunette

I Tried Meaningful Beauty for a Month and This is What Happened

Okay, so as promised I am delivering a blog post with an update of my thoughts on the skin care line Meaningful Beauty by Cindy Crawford that came in my October Bless Box.

I have used the skin care regime that was sent for an entire month, so I am definitely not jumping the gun with my feedback.

Okay so let's just dive right in.

First of all, I love how moisturizing the entire collection feels. I definitely noticed a difference in the hydration and elasticity of my skin.

However, being only 25 and still having combination skin now and again that is prone to some acne breakouts, I feel like the collection is lacking products for people with combination or acne-prone or oily skin. Again, I know that this is probably not the type of skin that this skin care line is catering to, so I don't feel like it means the skincare is any less effective.

I think it was nice that Sazan of Bless Box wanted to send an entire skin care kit, but I do feel like it's not necessarily inclusive enough for the majority of her subscribers, which mostly range in ages from 25 to 35, and they probably also found the need for a balancing toner or something else in addition to the products that were sent.

Lastly, I do have to say that I did notice a slight chemical fragrance with this line, even though it is probably comparative with other high quality products that could be purchased from a beauty store or the mall. I do happen to prefer something more natural and if possible organic, so there's that.

So, those are my thoughts after using Meaningful Beauty for a month!

Below you'll find a side-by-side of my face from before and after.

Again, you can see my face is broken out, confirming that this is probably not the best set if you have combination skin or need help rebalancing your skin PH levels. 😉

Having not had a consistent skincare routine before this, I was hoping for better results, but hey, on to the next.

Closing statement/Final Opinion: Good, but not for me. 😉

Xo, The Brunette

Road Trip to Rye Brook, NY and The Surrounding Areas

Happy Friday!

At long last, here are the photos that trickled out little by little, all rounded up into one place. It was a blur of a trip, but it was good.

If you know me you know I'm a stay-at-home mom and that I love getting out of the house, so, #worthit 😉

Mark worked on Saturday as he usually does, and I had an allergic reaction to some chemical fragrances Friday night that lasted all day Saturday so I basically got nothing done as far as packing until he came to help me. We left PA very late, and arrived at our hotel after midnight.

(We stayed at Doral Arrowwood in Rye Brook, New York. I do recommend them.

See my final thoughts at the very end. ❤)

The kids napped on the way there, and then of course were wide awake once we arrived. Mark needed to wind down anyway from actually trying to stay awake, so I decided to have an impromptu picnic on the floor.

All 3 of the kids thought it was a blast,

and it was the perfect way to help their anxious selves feel like we had done something that night when in reality they were really just chilling and eating snacks on the floor while Mommy set things out for the next day. 😂

Fast forward to the next morning....

The kids were still in bed and Mark and I could barely force ourselves to get up, we were so tired. So Mark brewed some coffee while I order some room service.

I've actually never done that before (I told you I only pretend to be fancy 😜) so it had to be documented. 👇

Of course the minute food arrived,

Mommy got bombarded. 😂

But what I did get to eat was delicious. Lol.

After our pre-breakfast snack, Mark and the kids chilled with some Netflix on the tablet (so Mark could finish waking up haha)

while I shot some photos for my Bless Box unboxing featuring Bless Box x Meaningful Beauty.

You can check that blog post out here.

Here the girls are in their Wal-Mart find dresses (Yay me!) all ready to go find some more food!

The breakfast buffet offered at the hotel looked AMAZING and seemed reasonably priced for the great service they offered in the atrium where it was served (I did pop down there and check it out), but we opted to instead hit the road as early as possible and grab breakfast on the fly in hopes of accomplishing more sightseeing.

Had to take a picture of the lovely view from our room but got photobimbed by this cutie. ❤

I managed to get one solo, further down 👇

My lovely Chari, almost always willing to pose for a photo.

Here we go, just Momma. 😉

I snapped some more photos of the room and the rest of the hotel as we checked out and headed for the van.

Above you can see the views from the lobby & lounge.

What you can't see are the pretty navy velvet sofas. 😍

I can only imagine what the views are like with snow!

The view from the parking lot.

My little group of adventurers. 💕

Our first view if the city area.

I love the way the fall foliage looks against the city skyline.

❤

The view of the Hudson River as we rounded the corner and headed down...

This is Tarrytown, New York, and there's a beautiful boardwalk along the Hudson River.

It was such a lovely place for a Sunday afternoon stroll.

My babies seeing The Hudson for the first time ever.

No caption needed, right?

Except maybe that this is the new Tappan Zee Bridge.

I'm probably more dramatic than most, but all I could think of while we drove over it was all of those end-of-the-world movies where wires on bridges snap and cars fall into the water.... 😕

Just an old house that I thought looked picturesque.

The place above here is a small (memorial?) park in a town called Sleepy Hollow.

This is right past Sleepy Hollow headed towards Tarrytown Lake,

Pictured below.

The colors were gorgeous.

You can't really tell in this photo because I upped the brightness, but it was almost getting to be too dark to see.

But the views up around Bear Mountain were 😯😯😯😍😍😍.

That concludes our jaunt into New York.

Some final thoughts on the room...

For the location (near Westchester / Tarrytown and other very scenic & upscale areas) the price of the room was definitely on point.

Some of the hotel seemed a bit dated, but absolutely spotless. It is HUGE so there was some walking involved, unlike other park>walk inside maybe 15 ft> crash & sleep kind of places, but it's NOT that kind of hotel.

They offer valet parking but Mark hates valet parking (Idk why 🤔, I just didn't even ask...) hence the walking with the suitcase photo. 😉

There was a pool and I believe a game room also, random chairs & lounges nestled here and there, and a bar, as well as of course conference rooms and I think a venue for weddings... The hotel has it all.

I noticed lots of families with children as well as business people, so it is upscale without being snooty.

Nobody smirked at us for having 3 kids in tow, but there weren't kids shrieking up and down the halls either.

Breakfast smelled and looked AMAZING, and the amount of people that were there for the food spoke for itself.

Staff was extremely friendly and helpful,

and checking in/out was seamless.

If you need to stay in the area, or if you simply need to get away, I do recommend them.

Well, that's all for now!

I'm already looking forward to our next travels...

Xo, The Brunette

October Bless Box Unboxing / First Impressions

Hello loves,

The October Bless Box has arrived! 

(I also got the September box, but it was shipped to FL while I was in PA and I have not been back to fetch it. Soon tho, and I will happily post that box also 😉)

This month Sazan Hendrix, co-founder of the Bless Box, collaborated with Cindy Crawford and her Meaningful Beauty line to bring her subscribers several awesome skincare products and, in short, a complete skincare regime.

Even Jimmy was excited to get this box opened and see what was inside!

First of all

I love the color. 

That's Meaningful Beauty's signature color, and its beautiful.

As you can see, these are full-sized products,

not trial-sized.

Alright, let's try this stuff out!

First things first, The Cleanser.

I love how its cleansing without being sticky and creamy, and yet it didn't strip my skin of all moisture.

First impression: I think I'm going to enjoy using this during this winter.

Second, The Youth Activating Melon Serum. Wow. It's softening and luxurious feeling without being oily or sticky. My skin just drank it up!

Third, The Intensive Triple Exfoliating Treatment.

I used this last night actually, and I love how it effortlessly got rid of my dry, flaky skin and left me glowing!

And all primed and ready for the...

Fourth, Overnight Retinol Repair Creme.

This stuff was rich and amazing.

No lack of moisture here, and it was exactly what my skin needed to stay moisturized all night long, even in dry indoor-heated air.

Here I'm showcasing the Exfoliating Treatment (Third one I mentioned), as well as #5, the Lifting Eye Creme and #6 Daytime SPF Lotion.

Following the Melon Serum, I applied SPF Lotion & gently patted some Eye Creme around my eyes.

Last but not least, #7,

The Remodeling Lip Serum.

I have no clue if it actually visibly plumps your lips, but I do know this:

I went to bed with chapped lips and applied this before sleep, and woke up without chapped lips, and the dead skin exfoliated away with a sugar packet (at the coffee station in my hotel room) and a little bit of cleanser.

I love this stuff!

Well, there you have it.

I've decided to use this stuff consistently all month long, and I'll be updating this post with an official before and after photo.

(Actually, I did a whole blog post on it,

And you can find the photos + my thoughts here)

Do you get a subscription box? If so, which one? Have you tried Cindy Crawford's line, Meaningful Beauty?

What were YOUR thoughts?

And last, did you enjoy this post?

Leave me some love in the comments if you did!

I hope you each had a darling weekend!

XO, The Brunette