Winter 2014 Favorites

Winter is officially here and it’s my job to make sure you are prepared to bundle up and enjoy it with some of my favorite things. After last year’s Polar Vortex I am hoping for a milder winter this time around. But if not, I am prepared to hibernate. Without further adieu, here are my favorite things for winter:

Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache Souffle Body Creme ($60)

Laura Mercier has a whole line of pistachio flavored body treatments and creme. This stuff smells SO good. I can’t wait to stock up on the body creme for the season.

Pistachio

Bamboo Chic Drape Front Cardigan ($90)

Many of my favorite bloggers have raved about this cardigan a.k.a. the blardigan and it would be the perfect way to stay cozy during winter.

blardigan

OPI Thank Glogg It’s Friday

This color is from the new Nordic Collection. I would get the regular color as well as the gel. I did like the My Voice is a Little Norse sparkle color for a little extra on the ring finger or all of the nails for an extra bling.

Thank Glogg its Friday

Helan Women’s Faux Fox Fur Shawl Cloak Cape Coat ($38.74)

I got a luxurious looking fur trimmed cape at a small local boutique. I can’t tell you how many complements I’ve already received on it and it was only $80! Can’t beat that! It looks so much more expensive than it is. Unfortunately, it isn’t available online, but I did the next best thing and found a similar look for less which looks just like mine:

fur cape

Wen Winter White Citrus ($32.82)

I can’t wait to try the newest Wen scent, especially since I just finished my fall trio. You can also try the Winter Cranberry Mint and the Winter Vanilla Mint. Check out my original post on the benefits of Wen.

hp_WEN_SEO_11262014

Cable Knit Arm Warmers ($16.50)

I could use these as I am writing this post – I can’t feel my fingers at the moment.

arm warmers

Vanilla Bean Noel Candle ($12)

John usually doesn’t like candles, but even he commented on how good it made the house smell.

pBBW1-19562734v275

Verilux Happylight 5000 Energy Lamp ($44.98)

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is especially prevalent here in the cold Michigan weather. I thought I would try to combat it this year with 30 minutes under this special energy lamp. You can bring it to work or keep it at home, but I think this would be great for both John and I to keep our energy up this winter.

VT05-SilRight_standard

Ombre Faux Fur Vest ($69.97)

This is so much fun for winter. I need to get this and hang out in a winter resort destination.

faux fur ombre vest

MNG by Mango® Long-Sleeve Mon Chéri Sweatshirt ($39.99)

If you haven’t noticed a theme yet, it is cold in Michigan and I need to stay warm. I’ve been meaning to add a graphic sweatshirt to my wardrobe and this is just the cutest thing!

mon cheri

UGG Classic Short Sparkle Boots ($190)

I never used to like UGGs and then I got some knock off UGGs and loved them – they are SO warm. I think I would be willing to upgrade to the real thing and these sparkle ones are so cute!

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What are your favorite things for winter?

If you missed last years Winter Favorites post, you can find it here.



Friday Favorites: Pumpkin Edition

Since we are in full pumpkin season now, I thought it would be fun to talk about some pumpkin beauty products and get into the spirit of the season! Here are five beauty products that are not only awesome, but smell like pumpkin too!

Pumpkin Final Collage

1. Wen Fall Ginger Pumpkin

You all know how much I love Wen! (If not, check out my original post on the benefits of Wen). I think this is one of my favorite Wen scents.

wen pumpkin

2. Eminence Limited Edition – Pumpkin Latte Hydration Masque

I’ve talked about how awesome Eminence beauty products are here. They are all natural and you plant a tree with every purchase. Now they are even better because they have a fun limited edition pumpkin masque.

pumpkinlattehydrationmasque

3. Sexy Hair Healthy Sexy Pumpkin Puree Treatment Masque

I thought this would be fun as a hair treatment. Pumpkin has a lot of restorative properties!

pumpkin hair mask

4. No Bull Organic Pumpkin Body Scrub

I wasn’t familiar with this brand before, but I love the all organic message. Plus a pumpkin body scrub would be a great pamper product when you need some extra TLC.

E002497_S04_A_1

5. Senna Moisture Lip Treatment Balm

We all need chapstick as the weather starts to get colder. What better way to hydrate your lips than with a pumpkin flavor chapstick?

senna

What are your favorite pumpkin products?

I am excited that Five on Friday with A Liz AdventuresThe Good Life BlogHello Happiness and Carolina Charm is back. While it was gone I joined a few other link ups and I am loving meeting everyone!

5 on Friday Logo - Final

If you would like to join the Oh Hey Friday Linkup with The Farmer’s Wife and September Farm just click the button below for more details.

I am also participating in the Friday Favorites Linkup with A Little Bit of Everything Blog, Grace and Love Blog and Momfessionals. You can click the button below for more information and to join the linkup.

Momfessionals

For more Friday Favorites posts, click here.


Spring Favorites

After this ridiculous Michigan winter, I could not be anymore ready for Spring! Today is the first day of Spring and I am rolling out the red carpet for it by sharing my favorite Spring things with you.

Wen Spring Orange Blossom

Now that it’s Spring I can try out the new limited edition Spring Orange Blossom Cleansing Conditioner. You can read more about my journey with Wen here.

WenCheers to Capri Limoncello Candle

Capri is big this Spring, I have seen a number of different collections and designs inspired by Capri lately. I was shopping last week and found this Limoncello candle at Bath & Body Works. I LOVE anything Limoncello flavored and bought this for the house to start welcoming Spring!

Limoncello

Old Navy Floral Blazer

I found this for one of my The Crazy Ones recaps and fell in love with it. This is the next item on my shopping list. Every girl needs a Spring floral to wear!

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CND Vinylux in Tropix

I have been rocking the Tutti Frutti lately, but really want a fun Spring nail color. I think Tropix is the perfect shade of coral for Spring.

Tropix

Kate Spade Rain Check Umbrella

April showers bring May flowers! To prepare for Spring we need some cute raingear and per usual, Kate Spade saves the day with this adorable Rain Check umbrella.

Screen Shot 2014-03-20 at 12.30.40 AM

Hunter Rain Boots

Unfortunately, my calves are too big for the tall Hunter boots, so I decided that I would try the short ones instead. Then I found these adorable Spring colors in the short ones!

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Fioni Krime

Every year Payless comes out with a shoe that I have to have. Last year, my Mom went on the hunt and secured them for me after hitting a bunch of stores. I am just as in love with the newest release this year. They are sold out in my size online, so let the hunt begin! I have been watching for a 10 on eBay and am going to check out some of the stores this weekend for my size.

Fioni Krime

Adrianna Papell Floral Sheath Dress

Every year for as long as I can remember, I’ve had an Easter dress. This year will be no different. Things to keep in mind – your Easter dress should be colorful and floral. I’ve had my eye on this sheath dress.

Screen Shot 2014-03-20 at 1.27.13 AM

Kate Spade Cedar Street Tote

A few weeks back we had a co-worker visit from another office and she had the most fabulous bag! It turned out to be this Kate Spade tote in robin’s egg blue (which just screams Tiffany). I had to have it for Spring!

kate spade

White House Black Market Floral Leopard Print Blouse

As soon as I stumbled across this blouse I fell in love with it! So springy and feminine!

570102302_111_normalI would love to hear what your favorite Spring things are in the comments. If you are still stuck on winter, you can read about my Winter favorites here.


5 on Friday: Loved Me Back to Life

It’s time for another edition of Five on Friday with A Liz AdventuresThe Good Life BlogHello Happiness and Carolina Charm.

5 on Friday Logo - Final

I didn’t have a specific theme this week, but there are a few things that I have been loving this week and needed to share with you.

1. Celine Dion’s new single “Loved Me Back to Life”

 

Celine Dion

I may have mentioned before that I am a HUGE Celine Dion fan. I have seen her in concert three times (twice in Vegas and once here in Michigan) and she is amazing. I remember how starstruck I was the first time I saw her in concert, she has the most beautiful voice and she is a great performer. I couldn’t wait to hear her newest single and have already preordered her new album on iTunes, which comes out on November 5th.

 2. Wen Fall Apple Spice Cleansing Conditioner ($29)

 

Wen Fall Apple Spice

Wen Fall Apple Spice

Chaz Dean has released a limited edition Fall Apple Spice Cleansing Conditioner on QVC. I can’t wait to get mine and try it out! Click here to read my post about the Wen Cleansing Conditioners if you’ve never tried it before.

3. Starbucks Refreshers

 

Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher

Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher

I am not a coffee drinker, I don’t like the taste or flavor of any coffee products. I also don’t like tea or soda, so this limits the choices I have to get caffeine. I recently tried the new Starbucks Refreshers and I am hooked! I find that they taste great and they don’t make me jittery and nauseous like some other energy drinks out there. They also don’t throw off my entire sleep schedule like a 5 hour or Red Bull, which is great.

Strawberry Lemonade Refresher

Strawberry Lemonade Refresher

 

I have tried them at the store, in a can and as a supplement in my water and really enjoy all of them. My favorite flavors are the Very Berry Hibiscus and the Strawberry Lemonade. It also gives me something to get at Starbucks when friends or colleagues want to stop there.

VIA Refresher Packet

VIA Refresher Packet

4. Jason and Molly Mesnick’s Podcast: This is Reality

 

mesnick

I love podcasts and I love the Bachelor and Bachelorette, so when Jason and Molly Mesnick came out with their own podcast I knew I would love. I just didn’t realize how much until I started listening to it. If you’ve ever wanted the inside scoop on what goes down on the Bachelor, look no further. These two give an inside look into their lives and their experience on the show. Each podcast is about 30 minutes each. I got caught up on them this week and I’m hooked!

5. ClearCheckBook.com 

 

register

I have finally entered the digital age! I am one of those people that keeps a paper checkbook register and balances my checkbook periodically. That is how I was raised and the habit stuck. I decided to try out an online system so I can better track my spending and get rid of my old paper checkbook register. I settled on ClearCheckBook.com and I really like how it works. You enter all of your transactions and then you can “jive” them once they clear your account. You can also place a category on each purchase which allows you to pull some cool charts to see where your money is going. This is a huge departure for me, but if I still like it after a few months I might decide to do my budgeting there as well, instead of with my trusty excel spreadsheet.

Do you have anything that you are loving this week and want to share?

For more Five on Fridays posts click here. 


The Journey Begins with Wen

I have been on a journey this year, a journey to get fabulous hair. To do this you have to go back to the basics-shampoo and conditioner. I have tried many different shampoo brands in my life, all promising to give me more volume, make my hair thicker, shinier, better. Unfortunately, all of their promises fell flat. There isn’t much you can do with baby fine hair like mine. That is, until I discovered Wen.

I first heard about Wen in a random celebrity interview, but it intrigued me. Could this be the shampoo I was waiting for? I did more research online, watched the infomercial and was hooked.

Wen is made from natural ingredients and contains no sulfates or harsh chemicals like regular shampoo. It doesn’t strip your hair and takes the place of your shampoo and conditioner.

I had to try it, but I didn’t really want to sign up for shipments from the infomercial or QVC so I ended up buying the starter kit from Sephora.

This came with the Cleansing Conditioner, Replenishing Treatment Mist and Re Moist Intensive Hair Treatment all in Sweet Almond Mint for $39.50.

 

Wen Healthy Hair Kit

Wen Healthy Hair Kit

I tried it out and loved it! At the time Sephora only carried the Sweet Almond Mint Scent and you could only buy 12 oz. at a time. Now they have expanded and carry the Sweet Almond Mint, Cucumber Aloe and Fig Cleansing Conditioners in the 16 oz. size for $32.

There are a lot of other scents that you can get through the Wen website or through QVC. I like to buy mine through eBay because you can search for the cheapest one and try all different scents. So far I have tried the Sweet Almond Mint, Lavender, Tea Tree and Fall Ginger Pumpkin. The Lavender is my favorite so far.

Here is a list of the different scents and what they work best for:

  • Sweet Almond Mint – Universal for every hair type
  • Pomegranate – Universal for every hair type
  • Fig – For medium to thick hair, coarse hair, dry, damaged or color-treated hair – This is the most moisturizing
  • Lavender – Specifically created for fine, thin hair – Gives volume and is the second most moisturizing flavor
  • Tea Tree – Recommended to anyone who has scalp problems, for dandruff, dry/itchy scalp or thinning hair
  • Cucumber Aloe – Clarifying for those with oily scalps and dry ends or if you need extra cleansing
  • Fall Ginger Pumpkin, Winter Vanilla Mint, Spring Gardenia Green Tea, Summer Mango Coconut, Fall Apple Spice, Spring Orange Blossom – Seasonal scents that are universal for all hair types, lengths and textures

I’ve noticed a huge difference in my hair since I started using Wen. It looks healthier, thicker and less frizzy. I really notice it when I run out of Wen and have to use regular shampoo so I try to make sure I replenish my supply on time. I find that the Lavender works better for me, so if you aren’t seeing results you might try changing up the scent.

Here is how I use Wen: I wet my hair in the shower and use as many pumps as I need to thoroughly cover my hair. This is usually 8-10 pumps. Wen doesn’t lather up like shampoo it is more similar to conditioner. I don’t have a lot of hair to begin with so you may need to use more if you have thick hair. Then I run a wide-tooth comb through my hair to make sure that I have my entire head covered. I do this first before I do anything else so I can let it sit while I finish my shower. When I finish everything else I rinse it out.

So there you have it – pretty simple for great results.

I have also experimented with some of the Wen styling products including:

Wen Styling Creme- $24

Wen Styling Creme

Wen Styling Creme

Wen Volumizing Spray – $30

Wen Volumizing Spray

Wen Volumizing Spray

Wen Texturizing Balm – $26

Wen Texturizing Balm

Wen Texturizing Balm

My routine before blowdrying is to spray the Wen Replenishing Mist and the Wen Volumizing Spray on my entire head. I then add the Wen Styling Creme to just the ends. I only use the Wen Texturizing Balm if I have flyaways that won’t stay put. I also use the Wen Replenishing Mist if I need to restyle my hair to go out and before I go to bed for a little extra moisture. A little of these products go a long way.

I know this may sound weird to some of you, using a conditioner instead of shampoo, but trust me it works. I have always had very oily hair and this doesn’t weigh my hair down at all.

Have you tried Wen yet? Let me know what you think!

Read more about my journey to get fabulous hair Tools of the Trade.


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