Drugstore Beauty Must-Haves for Winter 2.0!

Last year, you might remember that I shared my favorite winter drugstore skincare products! I feel like winter is the time of year where you have to be a little extra with your beauty routine. It's cold and dry and in my opinion a little bit miserable during wintertime! I wanted to do another round of my favorite winter skincare products that I've added into my routine this year and I threw in a couple beauty products this time as well!

This post contains affiliate links: scroll to the bottom of this post to shop my favorites!

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish + Matte Topcoat

Ok, I'm starting off by sharing two beauty products! The black nail trend has been hot this winter and honestly I wasn't sure that I would like it on myself. I always gravitate towards peach or blush nail shades but I tried it and I loved it! Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish is pretty much the only nail polish I buy now because I find it to be the best drugstore polish out there. People have asked if I get  manicures when I wear it and it lasts longer than any I've tried. This is the shade "Blacky O" and I've also been loving this Big Matte Top Coat to add a matte finish and mix it up sometimes!

Que Bella Gel Eye Masks

My under eyes always need help + in the wintertime I just want to add all the extra moisture and pampering there that I can! These are my favorite under eye masks and they are so cheap! I grabbed this 3 pack at Target for $2.99! I splurged for a more expensive brand while I was there last and these are so much better! The back of the package says that these eye masks "visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles and leave your eye area brightened and soft."

Pacifica Lipstick Wipes

I actually received these in a PR package back in the summer and shared them in a blog post already but they have really come in handy this winter! Even though these wipes are meant to remove lipstick, they are exfoliating and perfect for keeping my lips smooth especially before applying lipstick!

Blistex Lip Balm

Ok, another lip product! I have big lips and I swear winter is the #1 enemy for me! Blistex is by far my favorite chapstick brand and I've tried a lot. I almost always grab the Blistex Medicated Lip Balm but I tried this Soft and Lush Lip Balm and I'm loving how soft it feels as well as the girly scent! (That's the best way I can think to describe the smell!)

No7 Lift & Luminate Eye Cream

I won a collection of no7 products in a contest this year and I am always grabbing them! I really like this Lift & Luminate Eye Cream. It's just a good basic eye cream that's perfect to give a little extra moisture and life under my eyes before applying makeup!

DERMA E Psorzema Cream

I received this Psorzema Cream from DERMA E in a PR package recently and I've loved using it as a body lotion this winter! I don't suffer from Psoriasis or Eczema but if you do, you may want to give this product a try! It's inexpensive and DERMA E is one of my favorites because they are an awesome natural brand that is 100% vegan, gmo-free and cruelty free!

Have you tired and loved any of these products as well? I'd love to hear your beauty must-haves in the comments below!

xoxo, Gillian

It's January 30th and I Want to Throw in the Towel...

I have a serious love/hate relationship with New Year's resolutions. There is something about the idea of setting resolutions each January that gets me very excited... it's the same way I feel about school supplies in the fall, new planners or notebooks + moving to a new house with empty cabinets and closets full of potential... (This picture seriously captured my reality as a boy mom- haha!)

The Best Products for Maintaining Blonde Hair

     I started dying my hair blonde a little over 2 years ago and it's definitely been a bit of a learning curve to find products that work! Prior to going blonde, I didn't dye my hair for ten years and during that time I pretty much just used the cheapest drugstore products I could find. Since I never colored my hair, it stayed really healthy and strong even though I wasn't putting much effort into products. 

     Now that my hair has been through many rounds of bleach and color, it's become so much more important for me to take the time to find higher quality haircare! My hair stylist had to teach me that if I want to keep my hair healthy and my color vibrant, I have to invest a little more and most importantly always choose sulfate-free products!

So, after much trial and error, I've put together my list of "The Best Products for Maintaining Blonde Hair!"

*This post contains affiliate links! Thanks for supporting me!*

$500 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

Happy New Year! 

I'm partnering with some blogger friends to offer you guys a chance to win a $500 Amazon Gift Card! Christmas is over so this giveaway would be a perfect chance to treat yourself to something fun!

There are many ways to enter and I promise that you will find some new really cool bloggers to follow along the way.

Use the form below to enter and good luck!!

$500 AMAZON GIFTCARD GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Little Boy Style / Christmas Tee Edition!

I'm so excited to share some fun little boy Christmas tees with you today! Asher is still just barely in that "baby boy" phase and I'm enjoying every minute of dressing him in adorable holiday shirts this year while I still can!

*This post is in collaboration with Nano and includes affiliate links. I only partner with companies that I truly love! Thanks for supporting my family by reading along.*

I shared a post featuring Nano this past summer and we are still loving the clothing that they sent! Their shirts are great quality and have held up beautifully through many washings. (If you have boys, you know how many washings I mean!) I love that Nano offers jogger pants because that is all Asher wears in the colder months and he was in need of a couple new pairs. Nano clothing is made with durability in mind and is manufactured in the USA!

How cute are these blue camo joggers?

Ash is smitten with this Gingerbread Cookies Christmas tee and already has plans to wear it to his 1st Grade "gingerbread party" on Wednesday!

(My mama heart is swooning over these photos!)

This shirt could not be more perfect for my dinosaur loving boy! Asher has always loved the "T-Rex" so I knew he had to have this shirt. I chose some plain grey joggers to go with this tee; he will get lots of use out of these!

Clothing Featured in this Post:
c/o Nano: Gingerbread Cookies Tee Blue Camo Joggers Santa + T-Rex Tee Grey Joggers + Cat + Jack from Target Velco Shoes

I hope you enjoyed these new outfits from Nano as much as we do! Boy mamas, you must check out this shop because their cute + comfy clothes are just perfect for little boys! 
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Do you like to get Holiday themed shirts for your kiddos?

Affordable Hair Care for the Whole Family!

Well, I've come across a really cool hair care brand that I want to share with you and you'll never believe where I found it... WalMart!



I love finding products that the whole family can use! Since we live in a tiny condo, saving space is always a priority! Like their name says, Everyone™ products can be used by everyone in the family and the best part is that they are paraben and sulfate free! Everyone™ is made by EO Products, a family-owned body care manufacturer founded in 1995. Everyone™ believes people shouldn’t have to choose between a product they can afford and a product that’s good for them and their family.

I purchased the Everyone™ Balance Shampoo + Conditioner to try out. I'm really picky about what I use on my hair since it's bleached and color treated. It's imperative that I use sulfate free products to keep my color which can be really hard to find at an affordable price! These 20oz bottles were only $9.97 each- not bad!

 
I love that Everyone™ products use organic ingredients and also pure essential oils for an aromatherapeutic shower experience! I chose the Balance Shampoo + Conditioner hoping that it would make my hair a little more "smooth and shiny". These products smelled heavenly and I'm really happy with my results.



I love that the whole family can benefit from my new Everyone™ hair care products! I'm a complete hair snob and will of course keep using some of my higher end products on my blonde hair but I love that I have found something affordable, sulfate free and nontoxic to add into my rotation!

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Holiday Gift Guide: Outside the Box Ideas for Men!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. Product was provided by the client for review; however, all opinions are mine alone. #WorldsSmartestToothbrush #PhilipsSonicare #OprahsFavoriteThings #CollectiveBias

I'm really excited to have put together a little gift guide for men this year on my blog! I feel like it can be really hard to shop for men this time of year without being bombarded with the usual "alcohol and sports" ideas. 

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm totally married to a sports guy and there is nothing wrong with beer or sports but come on, our guys deserve more that just that, right? I tried to give you a little outline of ideas here if you're looking for some direction when shopping for the men in your life!

// Something "Artsy" //

I love this "300 Writing Prompts" journal that I found- such a fun idea for a guy who likes to write! Other artsy ideas are music, a cool piece of art or tickets to a show!

// Something Trendy //

My husband is pretty trendy and stylish. Of course, a wallet is not a new idea by any means but hey, it's a staple of life for most guys! I think this cool canvas green wallet is super unique and cute! 

(You can shop this image by clicking above!)

// Something Electronic //

Electronics are something I usually see geared towards men's gift giving during the holidays but I tried to think outside the box! The Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9500 Rechargeable Toothbrush was named one of Oprah’s Favorite things in 2017, and I had the chance to try a DiamondClean Smart for myself. I have been an Oprah fan for years and love using her Favorite Things List to help me think of gift ideas for the holidays!

This year I have discovered the amazing benefits of using an electric toothbrush! I don't think I can ever go back to using a traditional one and this Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9300 Rechargeable Toothbrush from Amazon is way better than what been using from the drugstore! Philips Sonicare is the number 1 Dental Professional recommended brand and this is their "best ever toothbrush for complete oral care". It has 4 modes and 3 intensities to help you focus on your whole mouth, teeth, gums and tongue. Additionally, you can connect with the Sonicare app to get real-time feedback and personalized coaching on your oral health! I'm pretty blown away by this technology!

// Something to Eat //

A way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right? I thought this little popcorn set was such a neat gift idea! Get your guy some fun snacks or maybe cooking classes for the two of you to take together. In my house, it's my husband who does all the cooking so I honestly think he'd even love a cookbook! 

// Something Cute //

Girls aren't the only ones who need a sweet gesture! I think this, "I Love You a Latte" mug is just manly enough but still a super sweet way to show you care. 

// Something Sweet //

It's weird to me that chocolates are always thought of as a feminine gift because men have a sweet tooth too! I decided to incorporate that all encompassing, "dudes love alcohol," idea here with these Caramel Rum Truffles! (Yum!) Other "sweet" ideas could be a tin of cookies or a gift basket full of your guy's favorite candies and treats!

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(I found the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean on Amazon!)

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I hope that my gift guide gave you a few ideas for the guys on your Christmas list this year! Do you also get frustrating looking for gifts for men or is it just me?

Happy Shopping!