Friday Favorites: March buys

And now for something completely different! 😂

Since I’ve come back from my little blogging break, I’ve realized that I don’t have to do things the way I’ve always done them—I can try stuff that is more interesting to 2021 me! So I think I’m going to revamp my budget posts and just highlight a few fun things I’ve bought in the past month.

(FYI: I make a small commission for purchases or clicks made through links in this post.)

Clothes

I don’t usually go to Kohls, but I went last weekend because I was in desperate need of a new pillow. Not only was I successful on that front (hooray, no more upper back pain!), I also found this cozy top to boot! I don’t love dip-dye (I wasn’t into it when it dominated dELiA’s catalogs either 😬), but I do love this lavender-blue moment that seems to be happening in the world.

I also got an Aerie half-zip pullover from Poshmark. I love the color, and it’s very soft. Perhaps most importantly, though, I can get it over my head easily. That’s clutch when you wear glasses! 😂

Accessories

When I saw these super sparkly C&C California headbands at TJ Maxx, it was love at first sight. I especially like the one that’s a mix of different colored sparkles. Unfortunately, I can’t find them online to link to. I want us to all be sparkly princesses together, dammit! 😞

I also picked up this headband on sale at Kohls because I liked that the braid isn’t huge or super puffy. However, the headband itself is very loose? Like, if I bend over, it almost falls off my head? Def never had that experience before! While I appreciate that it won’t hurt my ears, I’m also nervous to wear it on a windy day!

Beauty

I said last month that fancy on-sale lip gloss is one of the things bringing me joy in this dark time, annnd sure enough, I picked up a few more this month. (In normal times, I have a tiny bit of self-control. I think.)

I got the Bare Minerals Buttercream gloss, and I LOVE it! So much so that I went back for another! It’s creamy, non-sticky, and smells faintly of cupcakes—a perfect trio! I only wish I’d gotten it in colors that aren’t basically clear, haha. (I got Forbidden, a pinky nude, and Totally, a tan nude.)

I also picked up Lorac’s Alter Ego gloss in Socialite, which I feel like has a little more color payoff—and a stronger cupcake smell. It’s also a little bit sticky, but not terrible.

I love a bold lip. 😂🤦🏼‍♀️

What fun things did you get this month?

Linking up with Andrea and Erika!

Friday Favorites: February buys

I would normally separate my budget posts and my H54F or Favorites posts, but I just don’t feel up to writing more than one post a week right now. I’m trying to be okay with that, haha. So, here we are!

(FYI: I make a small commission for purchases or clicks made through links in this post.)

Clothes

I had been looking for mauve joggers for months and just could not find the right ones. (I must have returned three different Amazon pairs.) These ones ($23) from Old Navy are the PERFECT shade of lavender-y pink and are very soft and comfy.

I love a good, boxy crop tee, so this ($11) Old Navy find was a must. It’s actually the only v-neck crop tee I have, oddly enough.

I had been listening to AC/DC a lot in January and February, so I was open to an AC/DC tee if I could find just the right one (since there are a lot of options out there at Target and whatnot). Enter the last of the Old Navy finds: this neon fever dream ($19) that is the polar opposite of “Back in Black.” (Kind of like sparkly me listening to AC/DC!) Super weird and I love it.

Two more pairs of fun leggings! I snagged both of these bad boys from Poshmark. Naturally, I needed a second pair of donut leggings ($5) in my life, and I loved the space ones ($15)!

I got this waterfall sweater ($8) from the same seller with the donut leggings. It’s a bit thinner than I thought it would be, and very staticky for some reason, but it is indeed cozy, so it gets the job done. (Any tips on making something less staticky? I do use dryer sheets, but they are apparently doing ZERO.)

Beauty

I try to go with other nighttime lip treatments/balms, but I always come back to Lanolips ($14)—it’s just the best. I got the mint flavor for the first time, and I really like it!

I ran out of my trusty Lush body scrub, so I decided to try out one of the Frank Body (gift card) ones. I love the smell of coffee and chocolate, so I went with that option, and it smells DIVINE. It also leaves my skin feeling super soft. However. It is aggressively scrubby. And it gets EVERYWHERE in the shower. 😣

Discounted brand-name lippies from Marshall’s have become a source of joy in these dark times. 😂 This month, I picked up Lime Crime’s Wet Cherry lip gloss in Cherry Crush ($6) and Winky Lux’s Steal My Heart sheer lipstick in Kiss Me ($6). I’d been wanting to try both of these brands for awhile, but they’re not exactly cheap. ($18 is only cheap at Sephora!) Don’t worry, the Lime Crime one is actually clear! Unfortunately, the Winky Lux one is very much not. I had googled it and thought it was described as sheer—apparently not! And I’m not completely sold on the Lime Crime one, consistency-wise. Mixed feelings all around. (Except on price!)

TOTAL: $107

I think (😂) my budget is $170, so I am shocked by this reasonable total! I have been using shopping as a coping skill way too much in these COVID times. 😬

What have you bought lately?

Linking up with Andrea and Erika!

March 2020 Budget

It’s so weird to be talking about what I bought during a time of national emergency… but I’m also trying to keep things normal here on the blog, and it’s Budget Post time, so here were are. I picked up a few things in early March, pre-“stay at home” order, but since then, I have quit shopping cold turkey. Have you guys been shopping online? I’m having a hard time justifying bringing anything un-essential into the house!

Here’s what I got when life was still normal:

1. Teleties (Target): $8

2. Ryka Devotion Plus 2 Sneakers (DSW): $70 - coupon = $60

3. Dr. Pawpaw Tinted Lip Balm (Amazon): $7

4. Colourpop So Juicy Lip Gloss (Ulta): $9

TOTAL: $84

I’ve tried several different brands of the phone-cord-esque hair ties and never liked them. They were usually too tight on my wrist but not tight enough in my hair. So I’m not really sure what possessed me to impulse-buy Teleties at my last trip to Target (😭), but alas, I did, and I love them? Even though I have very thick hair, I believe I got the “small” size, and they have been great! They’re thinner than other phone cord ties I’ve tried, and they feel more secure in my hair, even though they’re also a bit stretched now, which makes them more comfortable on the wrist. Bonus that they come in lots of fun colors! Definitely recommend.

I’m really glad that I picked up a more supportive sneaker just in time for all the walking I’m now doing! The Ryka sneakers are very comfy and plushy—initially, they felt slightly like a walking boot, like a similar rocking motion. Apparently, they have some sort of special technology that’s supposed to lessen the impact on your feet, which sounds great to me—I broke my foot a few years ago, and that foot can still be temperamental from time to time.

Honestly, I haven’t worn the lip glosses a ton since I haven’t been going anywhere! The Dr. Paw Paw is fine but a bit thin. The Colourpop gloss is pretty good (and very minty!), but it can be a bit too thick and sticky sometimes. I feel like Goldilocks, haha! It’s a good thing that I’m not shopping, because I would probably just be stress-buying lip gloss, aka my fave thing to buy.

Have you guys been shopping online? What did you pick up in March?

February 2020 Budget

February was a tale of two months! I bought everything below in the first nine days of the month, when I was seriously on a hunt for comfy pants (and, okay, a few comfy tops!) for my new work-from-home wardrobe.

1. Fleece Turtleneck Sweatshirt (American Eagle): $40 on sale for $30

2. Chenille V-Neck Oversized Sweater (Aerie): $55 on sale for $30

3. Real Soft Jogger (Aerie): $35 on sale for $24

4. Tula Instant Facial Treatment Pads (Amazon): $22

Not pictured:

Play Pocket and Cuff Legging (Aerie): $50 on sale for $35

TOTAL: $141

I do like the two pairs of joggers that I picked up this month, buuut I think these Amazon joggers that I got in January are my favorite. (They’re actually more like harem pants than joggers, but they’re just SO buttery soft and comfy! And there’s no uncomfortably-low-rise waistband issues because the waistband seriously comes up to my bra, LOL.) The Aerie Real Soft Joggers are fine, but they’re really thin, almost like pj pants. The Play Pocket and Cuff Leggings, on the other hand, are much thicker and VERY soft on the inside. They feel like a dream, but they’re clingier, which is kind of annoying—but I guess makes sense because Aerie calls them “leggings,” not joggers. 🤔

The two Aerie/AE tops are so cozy and warm, and they’re both in shades of pink because, as I mentioned here, pink has been my favorite color lately. Also, my girl Tif from Bright on a Budget totally influenced me on the chenille sweater!

Lastly, I got the Tula facial pads because I had tried them at my mini-facial back in the fall, and I was blown away by how they didn’t irritate my sensitive skin. I was in such disbelief that I didn’t buy them at the time, sure my skin would rebel later that day. But I had no ill effects and finally got around to picking them up this month!

What did you buy in February? And do tell—what are your favorite comfy joggers/leggings?!

Budget post: January 2020

When I was dealing with depression symptoms earlier in January, I really had zero interest in shopping. I only bought things that I was running out of. Buuut then I started feeling better and snuck in a few fun purchases before month’s end! Here’s what I got:

affiliate links below

1. Fitglow Beauty Lip Colour Serum in Nudie: $42 on sale for $36

2. Ro’s Argan (Lush): $36 - gift card = $0

3. Tarte Sugar Rush Lip Slip Lip Oil in Cherry Slush (Ulta): $15 - gift card = $0

4. Comfy Lounge Pants with Pockets (Amazon): $20 - gift card = $0

Not pictured:

1. Dream Cream (Lush): $8 - gift card = $0

2. Colourpop Just a Tint Lip Crayon in A Go-Go (Ulta) $8 - gift card = $0

3. Averr Aglow Clarifying Hydration Dew: $29

4. Averr Aglow Radiant Cleansing Nectar: $34

TOTAL: $99

The Fitglow Beauty Lip Colour Serum might be the most expensive lip product I’ve ever purchased, and I got totally influenced by The Birds Papaya on this one. It’s… good? The color I got (Nudie) is a perfect MLBB shade, but I don’t know that I totally love the texture of it. For $42, I better love it with my whole heart, you know? I still do wear it a lot, though.

I’m meh on the Colourpop Lip Crayon too—kind of drying, darker than I thought it would be—and I also have mixed feelings about the Tarte Lip Oil. I usually hate a lip oil because they’re too thin and watery, but this one is actually quite thick. So I love that, buuut it does border on sticky sometimes. My favorite thing about it? It smells HEAVENLY. Do I keep it on my work desk and smell it throughout the day? Yes. #trueconfessions

I love the Ro’s Argan, don’t love the price so much. But it is a big tub that should last me awhile, AND I’ve noticed that it’s totally been helping my dry winter hands. I hate wearing lotion because of how gross it makes your hands feel, but you wash Ro’s Argan off, so it’s kind of perfect for me! Dream Cream is great too. I like to use it on my legs after shaving because I have super sensitive skin that is easily perturbed.

The Amazon Comfy Lounge Pants are the ones I was raving about last week, and they are DARN soft and comfy. The perfect addition to my new work-from-home wardrobe!

The Averr Aglow items were re-purchases because yes, I blew through those two products in two months. 😱 I do see a noticeable decrease in redness since I started using Averr Aglow back in December, but these two products + shipping ran me $70. 😱 I don’t know that I can keep bank-rolling that groovy lifestyle!

Do you have favorite lip products OR comfy pants that I should know about?! What did you buy this month?