Maybe you haven’t noticed which I totally don’t mind at all that I’ve been super MIA in 2018 so far! It’s been a busy start to the year and I’ve put social media and my blog on hols for a while to get my personal life in order. However I’m finally getting back in the groove and wanted to write a quick post to catch up on the year so far.
JANUARY
– We found a house! We had been house hunting casually for the last year while we lived in an apartment to downsize and save up money and finally found a house that spoke to us.
– Beauty Heroes: Maya Chia Eye Achiever. I totally didn’t post about this, or maybe I did on Instagram I honestly don’t remember… I was really excited to try something from Maya Chia especially this product because it had just launched and I’d heard good things so far. I’ve been kind of disappointed with it. I haven’t really noticed any results and the oil/serum formula hasn’t been my favorite. I love the roller ball application but no matter how little I try to use it always ends up traveling into my eyes making them water and blur. I also didn’t much like the sidekick which was the pressed serum. I think it had little mica particles and I really don’t like shimmer in general and especially not for a skincare product versus makeup. But that’s the beauty of a subscription box and this is the FIRST time I’ve been mildly let down by Beauty Heroes, they typically knock it out of the park for me.
FEBRUARY
– Buying a house and going through the mortgage process is time consuming and who you work with makes all the difference. Do you research and make sure you’re working with a reputable and knowledgeable mortgage lender and real estate agent. If you live local to Olympia I’d be more than happy to recommend who we used, the customer service was above and beyond from both parties and I can’t recommend them enough.
– Beauty Heroes: Fitglow Beauty. I was really excited to finally try some Fitglow skincare, I’ve heard so much about it! Now I can’t say I was blown away but I was definitely happy with the products in this box and I’ve used them consistently even though I’m a hard core oil user and typically don’t like creams or lotions. My favorite use for these was always mixed together, one pump of each, either before bed when I’m too lazy to take the time for an oil serum or during the day to create a tinted moisturizer with my Gressa foundation.
MARCH
– Moving is my least favorite thing and I am so glad that we aren’t moving ANY time soon! This is our “forever home ♥
– Unpacking is almost as bad however I do enjoy the ability to newly organize and find a place for everything.
– Since we downsized from a 4 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom apartment that was half the square footage we sold and donated a TON of our belongings in order to simplify so the nice thing was that we actually had way less than I expected in terms of boxes and unpacking. And I’m really enjoying having a full sized house that’s super minimal and kind of empty due to not having much furniture or extra crap!
– We purchased an older home, built in 1984, that has never been updated or really changed much. We’re DIYers so we started tearing into the house right away. All our projects are cosmetic except for the kitchen which will be larger project down the road. For now we’re doing paint, floors, new trim and doors, new vanities, toilets and bathtubs, and replacing all the light fixtures and switches/outlets.
– I celebrated my birthday as well on the 12th and made that entire weekend about self care. I needed it and I’m so glad I made myself a priority for that weekend. I struggle with putting myself first and taking care of my needs until it’s almost too late so this was a really good exercise and it was the most amazing weekend because of it.
– Beauty Heroes: Siam Seas. I had never really heard of this brand and was really excited to try something new. The hero was this interesting toner, Yen Heal and Hydrate, that’s much more than a toner, it’s really a light weight moisturizer or almost a serum. While it is liquid it’s so viscous and full of amazing ingredients you’re better off applying it like a serum by spraying into your hands first. However the hero for me was actually the sidekick, their Morning Delight oil cleanser took me fully by surprise and I’ve already purchased a full size. This oil cleanser dissolved my makeup like no other oil cleanser I’ve used before including the Fitglow mascara which has been the hardest to remove green mascara I’ve used so far. SOLD!
– Order my first products from W3ll People! I had to get their tinted SPF and bio concealer of course. I cannot get enough of the tinted SPF, it’s the easiest stuff to apply and I love the light coverage. Just enough to smooth out my complexion without looking like I’m wearing anything. And the SPF is an added bonus. While during the week I’m only indoors for work on the weekends I try to get outside as much as possible so it’s a lot more important for me to try and wear an SPF which I’m not consistent about. This tinted SPF is amazing and will be a repurchase for me at all times.
APRIL
– We’re a little over a month into living in our house and it’s felt like home from Day 1. The transformation that’s coming along is pretty amazing too. We’re basically working night and weekends on the house, like having 2 full time jobs, but it’s SO WORTH IT!
– Beauty Heroes: De Mamiel. Another new to me brand I was really excited to try these products. The hero product is an antioxidant rich serum that’s supposed to help combat pollution and protect your skin from free radicals. So far I’ve really enjoyed using it, it’s a gorgeous milky consistency that absorbs fast and smells good. The sidekick was a deluxe sample of their day time tinted moisturizer which is rated as 30 SPF in Europe but not yet rated officially in the USA. I have been really enjoying the idea of a tinted moisturizer lately for the weekends when I don’t want to wear a full face of foundation. This moisturizer has a super light tint so it only gives you super light coverage but I still enjoy the tint and you could easily amp it up by adding a drop of Gressa foundation for more coverage.
– Natural Ave happened! I technically accepted a role with Natural Ave in March but things didn’t really get started until recently and I’m so excited to share more about it! I’ll have a dedicated post shortly, but basically Natural Ave is a curated collection of brands and products that you can shop from individuals like mew are committed to green beauty. Brands that partner with Natural Ave let us choose a couple products that we’d like to use and test, after we’ve tried them a few times (as long as we like them) we then post them in our individual stores so that you can go shop and read our honest thoughts and opinions of these products! So you get a chance to support green beauty bloggers like me as well as natural and organic beauty brands ( a lot of which are smaller indie brands looking for exposure).
– Pretty Pure Beauty: I am now an affiliate for this awesome online beauty boutique! They carry some of the best brands including Agent Nateur, H is for Love, and Skin Owl and have an awesome selection of sale items.
Thanks for catching up with me, I’m happy to be getting back into the groove and can’t wait to share some awesome posts and ideas in the near future!
