Archives for June 2018

FRIDAY FAVORITES & HATE-ITS

Happy Friday, friends and welcome back. Phew, we made it to the weekend, hallelujah! As you can tell by the title, today I’m back with another Friday Favorites post; however instead of only including the good stuff, I thought I’d also include products that just didn’t work out for me. Of course I have to go on record and say that just because something didn’t work for me, doesn’t it mean it won’t work for you. So if anything mentioned below is one of your holy-grails, please don’t hate me, it just didn’t work out between us! I’ve got a lot to share with y’all today, so without further ado, let’s get into this!

*Disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links*

Smashbox Primer Water • Oribe Dry Shampoo • Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel • Milani Amore Matte Lip Cream

Sonia Kashuk Brush Cleaner • Milani Baked Blush • ColourPop Semi-Precious Palette

L’Oreal Sponge • Chanel Mademoiselle Parfum

Okay, so I know you’ve seen some of these things before but they’re just too good to leave out! I’ve been using the Smashbox Primer Water consistently now that the weather has turned from hot to hotter; it not only great at prepping the skin, but works nicely when my face needs a little refresher throughout the day! After letting the primer water sink in I’ve been going in with the Neutrogena Water Gel; it’s the perfect moisturizer for this time of year and feels incredibly soothing and hydrating on the skin. If you’re in the market for a lightweight, water based moisturizer, I think this one is worth checking out! As for a couple of new products, the Sonia Kashuk Brush Cleaner and ColourPop Semi-Precious Palette have quickly become two products in heavy rotation! The brush cleaner has a nice scent and does a great job of getting everything squeaky clean, while the eyeshadow palette features beautiful, jewel-toned shimmer shades that compliment a variety of palettes in my collection! Now for the big (hair) kahuna, the Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo. Okay guys, I know this stuff is RIDICULOUSLY expensive but since this was gifted to me, I thought it was time I REALLY start using it. It smells amazing, never weighs my hair down and does a great job soaking up excess oil without leaving behind any weird reside. With that being said, as much as I enjoy using it, I simply use too much dry shampoo to justify the price tag…I’ll be honest, my coins are not set up to support that habit. Lol.

Auburn T-Shirt • KL Polish (Dream Boy) • Elephant Charm Bracelet • Llama Lunchbox

Dove Men’s Dry Spray Deodorant • Leopard Slides • Hustle Planner

Lush Bath Bomb (Big Blue) • Skinnytaste Cookbook

I know we’re not even halfway through baseball season (though we’re close) yet, but if I’m being honest, my brain has already (halfway) shifted to college football. I placed an order on fanatics.com for a couple of father’s day gifts and realized if I added one more thing to my basket, I would qualify for free shipping…so what did I do?! I ordered a new Auburn tee for September! Go Tigers! Now for those of you that don’t know, I’m obsessed with alpaces, llamas, monkeys, tigers…basically all animals, so for Mother’s Day this year (I’m a CAT mom), David got me the cutest Llama Lunchbox. It’s cute, functional and fits my personality to a T! Speaking of personality, how cute are those Leopard Flats?! They have quickly become some of my favorite slides (go up 1/2 size); they are comfortable, chic and go with everything. And last but certainly not least, the Skinnytaste Cookbook is my right hand man when I’m in the kitchen…you know, besides my mama! It has some awesome recipes and is super easy to follow!

COVER FX Shimmer Veil • Maybelline Lemonade Craze Palette • Garnier BB Cream

Wet n’ Wild Ombre Blush • Dr. Brandt Pores No More Primer • UD Eyeshadow Primer

Batiste Dry Shampoo (Divine Dark) • Skinfood Watermelon Mask • COVER FX Blurring Primer

Okay y’all, it’s time to get into the stuff that just didn’t work for me. The COVER FX Shimmer Veil was really disappointing. I don’t know if I just got a bad batch, but it will NOT stay on my eyes. If you’re wanting a shimmery, in your face shadow, check out the STILA Glitter & Glow Liquid Shadows, they are MUCH better quality and never rub off! Onto the Maybelline Lemonade Craze Palette, y’all I’m so bummed about this; I LOVE the concept and color combination but this looked A-W-F-U-L on my eyes. There was a TON of fallout, no color payoff and the application was INCREDIBLY patchy; if you’re looking for something budget friendly, check out some of the ColourPop palettes, they are great quality (especially for the price) and look beautiful on the eyes. As for the Garnier BB Cream…if you’re fairer than me, don’t even try this. It oxidized about 3-4 shades on me and is so emollient that it feels like straight oil sitting on top of the skin; honestly avoid this at all costs if you can. With that being said, I’ve heard that the oily/combo skin formula is A-LOT better, so maybe I’ll give that one a try and keep you guys posted on how I like it! The Wet N’ Wild Ombre Blush, while it’s pretty in the pan, doesn’t have a lick of color payoff. If you’re looking for an affordable ombre blush, check out the ones from NYX! As you can see by the image above, I struck out BIG TIME with primers over the past few weeks. The COVER FX and Dr. Brandt primers are pretty similar in my opinion; they didn’t do a great job blurring out my pores but even more than that, they didn’t sit under my makeup well AT ALL. My foundation started separating after 2-3 hours of wear, and things just looked a lot more cakey and gross when I would use those :(. If you’ve had trouble finding a primer that works for you, check out the Urban Decay Optical Illusion Primer, it does a great job smoothing the skin and is one of my go-to products! Despite loving their face primer, Urban Decay’s Primer Potion for the eyes did ZERO for me; in fact, I think my eye lids looked even more greasy when using that product. On to the last two gems: the Batiste Divine Dark Dry Shampoo and the Skinfood Watermelon Mask. Now you guys know I live and breathe Batiste Dry Shampoo, and while I didn’t actually hate this product (it performed well), it wasn’t my favorite. While I like the idea of having a dry shampoo marketed for color treated hair, in practice, the color agent was more annoying than it was worth (IMO). It got underneath my nails and all over my fingers when I was working it into my hair (eww), and before you tell me that I could just wash my hands, you’re right, I just don’t wanna have to do that EVERY SINGLE TIME I touch my head, you know what I mean?! There are a TON of dry shampoos on the market that I love, unfortunately this wasn’t one of them. As for the mask, I picked it up because I was told that it was great for hydrating the skin (y’all know I struggle with dryness), unfortunately though, it was really irritating and ended up breaking me out. So if you’re looking for a hydrating face mask, I’d check out the Fresh Rose Face Mask or the No7 Nourishing Hydration Mask, I have used both and love them equally!

___________________________________

So that wraps up this edition of Friday Favorites & Hate-Its! I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you have a wonderful weekend! What were you loving this week? Was there anything you tried that just didn’t work out for you?! Leave me a comment down below and let’s chat!

See you Monday!

XOXO,

B

BEACH BAG ESSENTIALS

Happy hump day, friends and welcome back! I hope your week has gotten off to a great start and that you’re ready to talk Beach Bag Essentials with me! With the temperatures steadily rising and beach vacations (or pool days) filling up our weekends, I thought now would be a good time to tell you my must-haves for the hot, salty, summer air! As always, everything will be listed and linked below; so without further ado, let’s jump right in!

*Disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links*

Coola SPF30 Matte Tint • Wet Brush • Girl Wash Your Face • Bow Slides

BP. Tort Sunnies • Neutrogena Face Sunscreen • Ivory Ella Water Bottle

Oversized Tote • Neutrogena Sunscreen (body) • Wristlet Wallet • Sun Bum Lip Balm

Herringbone Beach Towel • Sun Bum Cool Down • Invisibobbles •Auburn Baseball Cap

Sun Bum Hair Oil • Sun Bum 3-in-1 Leave-In Treatment • Sun Bum Sea Spray

I know this may seem a little excessive for the beach but I really do try and keep all of these things with me. Obviously sunscreen and a hat are the two MOST important things on this list; seriously, if you’re going to be outside for any length of time, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE wear sunscreen and a hat. If you notice, I have two separate sunscreens listed, one for the face and one for the body. I love the Neutrogena SheerZinc for my face because it never breaks me out and holds up against the southern heat and humidity pretty well. In addition to sunscreen, I always try to carry a water bottle (you gotta stay hydrated) and a cheap pair of sunnies. The Ivory Ella Water Bottle is my all-time favorite; it’s plastic with a silicone overlay, perfect for the beach or pool and BONUS: when you purchase anything from their website, a portion of the proceeds go to help save the elephants. 🙂 <3 Now while protecting your skin should be your main priority, protecting your lips is JUST as important. The Sun Bum Lip Balm is perfect for laying by the pool or running errands afterwards. It has a slight pink tint and comes with an SPF of 15; and don’t worry, if pink isn’t your color, they have a few other shades to choose from! Now onto hair care. When planning a beach or pool day, I always try to bring things that will keep my hair hydrated. If I know I’m going to be getting in the water, I use the Sun Bum Hair Oil before jumping in; it smells amazing and keeps the damage to a minimum – hallelujah! Now I don’t know about y’all, but sometimes I don’t have time to go home and shower before going out into the world post-beach/pool. If I have errands to run or people to see (outside of my home) I will use the Sun Bum Leave-In Treatment after getting out of the water. It helps to soften and detangle my hair and like all other Sun Bum products, it smells like a dream (shocker). To finish everything off, I will use the Sun Bum Sea Spray to add a little more style to my hair so it doesn’t just look like a wet mop on top of my head (anyone else have he wet mop problem?). I love this stuff because it’s inexpensive and works really well to maintain the texture and grit from the water while also addressing the dreaded southern frizz!

________________________

So that wraps up this Beach Bag Essentials post! I hope you enjoyed it and were able to find some beachy inspo for your next vacation! What are some of your must-have products for the beach/pool? Leave me a comment down below and let’s chat!

XOXO,

B

FRIDAY FAVORITES

Happy Friday, friends and welcome back! I hope you’ve had an awesome week so far and are looking forward to the weekend ahead! I think I’ll be doing a little shopping with my mama as I have some ULTA gift cards that are currently burning a hole in my wallet. 🙂 In addition to a little retail therapy, David and I have a cookout tomorrow night to celebrate a friend’s birthday; fingers crossed the Georgia weather cooperates! Anyways, as you can tell by the title, I’m back with another Friday Favorites post for you all! Per usual I have a mix of beauty, lifestyle and music favorites to share so let’s hop right in!

*Disclosure: Some links may be affiliate links*

Clinique Clay Mask * Cantu Body Butter * Anti-Acne Serum * Palladio Liquid Lipstick

M.D. Rosehip Oil * Morphe x Jaclyn Hill Palette * FAB Ultra Repair Cream

Too Faced Setting Powder * Tarte Lip Scrub * Soap & Glory Flake Away

I’ve been keeping it pretty simple when it comes to skincare and beauty as of late. However, despite using some of my old favorites (FAB Ultra Repair Cream, Too Faced Powder & Anti Acne Serum), I have introduced a couple of new products into my regimen as well. The Clinique Charcoal Clay Mask has been GREAT for addressing clogged pores and problematic skin, while the Mario Badescu Rosehip Oil has been a WONDERFUL addition to my everyday skincare routine. If you’ve been around the blog a while, then you know that I have incredibly dry skin and try to incorporate a facial oil into my routine to ensure that my hydration stays in check. This bad boy from MD is affordable, gentle on sensitive skin and works wonders; if you’re in the market for a new facial oil and don’t want to pay $$$ for the Josie Maran Argan Oil, this might be a nice option for you!

Okay y’all, these boxers from Old Navy are my favorite shorts to wear around the house! They’re not too short, incredibly comfortable and have the cutest palm tree pattern on them. If you’re looking for a good pair of sleep/lounge shorts, go to Old Navy, they have loads to choose from! Now let’s move on to shoes. You guys know that I’ve been loving the ease of slides lately; they’re incredibly comfortable, easy to throw on and go and depending on the style, can be dressed up or down. I love a good leopard accessory and knew I HAD to have these when I saw them online. They come in two other color/patterns and if you’re interested, I would suggest going up 1/2 a size! Last but not least, can we talk about my Joanna Gaines coffee mug?! Y’all, I can’t handle the cuteness. My sweet sister (well, David’s sister – same difference) got me this for my birthday and I must say, I’m obsessed. I seriously can’t get enough of Chip and Jo and love breaking this mug out every morning when I sit down to get ready! I don’t know about y’all, but I think she really might be my spirit animal! <3

Women’s Boxers * Sugarfix Layered Necklace * Shine Bright Notebook

Leopard Slides * Braves Shirt * Dove Deodorant

Exfoliating Gloves * Sharpie Highlighters * Joanna Gaines Coffee Mug

As you can tell by the list shown above, it’s been another week of non-stop country hits. Some are old school while others are new (thanks Dan & Shay), but regardless of when they were released, I love them all the same!

____________________________________

So that wraps up this edition of Friday Favorites! I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you have a wonderful weekend! What were you loving this week? Anything you think I NEED to pick up while I’m at ULTA tomorrow?! Leave me a comment down below and let’s chat!

See you Monday!

XOXO,

B

THE ART OF REACHING OUT

** The topic(s) discussed below may be triggering for some readers. Please consider passing on this post or reading with a loved one if you are struggling. **

Happy hump day, friends and welcome back! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that your week has gotten off to a great start! My weekend consisted of the best country playlist, a lot of relaxation and loads of college baseball (War Eagle)…so basically all of my favorite things! Now I know I typically talk beauty, fashion and lifestyle here on Southern Lights, but today I wanted to hop on and talk about something that has been weighing heavy on my heart. The recent loss of 2 relatively high profile individuals has sparked a (much needed) conversation about suicide awareness and the need for “reaching out” when you need help; now don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that we’re FINALLY having this conversation, but I’m terribly sad that it’s us taken this long. If you’ve been around my corner of the internet for any length of time, you know that I am a HUGE advocate for mental health; I think it should be treated as willingly and with the same amount of care as our physical health. I cannot understand why someone would think that treating a heart condition or high blood pressure with medication is any different than treating a chemical imbalance in your brain with medication…I just don’t get it. The stigma that surrounds anxiety & depression (among other illnesses) make it hard for those who are struggling to reach out; I know, I’ve been there. We’ve certainly made progress but we still have a long way to go.

After the news broke about Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, my timeline was FLOODED with posts about suicide awareness and reaching out for help when you need it; and as much as I (and everyone else) would like for it to be that simple, the reality is that it’s much, much harder. There are a variety of reasons why people don’t reach out for help and even though we mean well, our encouragement isn’t always enough. Think about it; if you’re an independent person who likes to complete tasks (whatever they may be) on your own without the help of outside sources, you won’t ask for help. You’ll take on unnecessary stress and stretch yourself beyond thin just to avoid “burdening” someone else by asking for their help. Now imagine for a second being clinically depressed or overly anxious and trying to reach out for help? It feels impossible. Sometimes the thought of talking to someone about how dark your thoughts have become is enough to cripple you with unimaginable fear. What if I’m bothering them? What if they judge me? What if they don’t understand? Unfortunately, as much as we try to be helpful in times of need, the stigma that surrounds mental illness can oftentimes encourage folks to run the other way.

I’m not saying this to be negative or to imply that you that you’re doing a bad job by sharing resources and asking people to reach out, I 100% encourage you to continue doing so. However, in addition to sharing that information with your loved ones, I would also encourage YOU to reach out. If there’s a friend that you haven’t heard from in a while, give them a call and check in. You wouldn’t believe how good it feels to hear from someone that you haven’t talked to in years…especially if they’re going through a hard time or feeling a little lost. Regardless of how it comes to be, if someone comes to you and indicates that they may need help, listen. Try to understand their pain and empathize with their experience. Offer whatever resources (numbers, names of professionals, etc.) you have and check in as often as you can. Life is hard and we are all doing the best that we can, but sometimes a little extra help is just the thing we need.

If you or someone you know is struggling, how can I help?! I will leave resources below in case you ever find yourself (or someone you know) needing them. But until next time, know that you are beautiful, inspiring and oh so worthy.

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

1-800-273-8255

XOXO,

B

FATHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE UNDER $50

Phew, it’s finally Friday; thank goodness. I hope all of you made it through the week relatively unscathed and are ready for the weekend ahead! Do you have anything fun planned? Leave me a comment down below and let’s chat about your summer plans! Anyways, back to the topic at hand; Father’s Day! For those of you not keeping track, Father’s Day is a week from Sunday (June, 17th), so it’s time to finalize those plans and get ready to spoil your favorite guy. This year I did things a little differently and decided to keep everything under $50 dollars as I wanted to ensure the price point was favorable for everyone! So if you’ve been looking for some gift inspiration, keep on reading and let’s get to shopping!

 **Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links**

Hydro Flask 10oz Tumbler • Cuisinart 20pc Grilling Set • Sony Wireless Headphones

Cathy’s Concepts Wall Bottle Opener • Cuff Links • Jack Black Gift Set

GT Packable Jacket • Williams Sonoma Rub Set • Libbey Beer Flight Set

Herschel Travel Bag • Amazon Echo Dot • Atlanta Braves Hat • Armani Cologne Travel Spray

If you’re someone who has gotten off to a late start when it comes to shopping for Father’s Day, don’t fret, I’ve got you covered. I tried to include a variety of gifts that would work for a lot of dads out there; I think a couple of my favorite things shown above are the GT Packable Jacket (shocker! A sports item) and the Wall Bottle Opener…I mean come on, how cute is that?!

Now if you’re someone who’s thinking of getting something a little bigger this year, here are a few things that I think he would love! A nice pair of Ray Ban Sunglasses because a classic pair of shades never go out of style. A new Fitbit Versa Smart Watch because who doesn’t love crushing their fitness goals. Or maybe you’re looking for something more along the experience lines this year, a pair of tickets to see his favorite sports (go Braves) team or favorite band in concert would certainly put a smile on his face. But really, at the end of the day, it’s not about how much money you spend or what kind of gift(s) you buy, as long as you tell him how important he is and how much you love him, he’ll remember the day for years to come!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and were able to gain a little gift-giving inspiration. What do you and your dad do to celebrate? Leave me a comment down below and let’s chat!

XOXO,

B