Love, Summer

Hello again & happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend celebrating your father's. I had a lovely weekend myself. On Friday, I spent the day with my younger sister. We went to see A Fault in Our Stars together. It's safe to say we were both wiping tears. It definitely lived up to the hype. Although I am still questioning the ending... Comment below your thoughts if you have seen it! On Saturday, I spent my morning baking up a storm for Sundays family festivities. My parents had their 25th wedding anniversary earlier in the week, so a celebration cake was necessary. I chose a lemon layered cake with a raspberry compote filling. And because I was really feeling the whole baking mood, I also assembled a fresh strawberry trifle. All I have is 3 words: homemade whipped cream. Not to toot my own horn, but it was fantastic! Following my marathon of baking, I met up with my boyfriends future sister-in-law. We joined our sig o's after they finished a fun day of golf at the Dallas Clark tournament. On Sunday, we headed to my parents condo at the lake where both sets of my grandparents and my aunt and uncle joined us for lunch and an afternoon on the boat. Good company and beautiful weather is what summer is all about, right? :)

Because I am taking a break from the city this summer, I often am finding myself with a much smaller selection of things to do. (I guess this is a good thing for my pocket book, huh? I'm going through serious withdrawals from Sephora right now.) However, it is a bit of fresh breath of air to be able to completely manage my online classes and enjoy a laid back summer to its full potential. So far I have spent time gardening, dug into a great book (Fall of Giants by Ken Follett), soaked up some sun on the back patio & at the lake, and enjoyed quality time with family & hometown friends. 

The rest of my summer is filled with fun events. 5K's, theme parks, 4th of July at the lake, bachelorette parties, bridal showers, Ragbrai festivities, and a handful of weddings. I guess according to my calendar, the fun has only just begun! ;)

What have all of you been up to thus far?

XO, Carrie

Summer Planning

This coming weekend is the first weekend that is starting to feel like a "summer weekend". With a busy few days ahead, I took a look into my planner only to find out I have just about every weekend booked up this summer...or so it seems. Luckily, my weekends are filled with lovely events that I am very much looking forward to. Bridal showers, lingerie parties, bachelorette parties, and all things wedding! [My boyfriend's two brothers are engaged, both with beautiful weddings planned for the end of the summer.] I also have a few fun trips planned with family and friends, as well as spending a significant amount of time at my family's lake house. And because I opted to take only a few summer classes online, I really don't have much to complain about. :) I'm coining this summer "my last hurrah", due to the fact I will most likely be swamped with clinical next summer. 

But in the midst of all the traveling and busy weekends, I am hoping to find myself doing some things I love back in Des Moines. When I think of summer, I think of the farmers markets, especially the fresh produce & flowers. I am looking forward to some fun nights at the Valley Junction farmers market, followed by sangria sippin' at Jasper Winery. (If you are DM native, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. If not, I encourage you to find some fun events in your city!) 

This summer, I am vowing to continue to be active, if not even more than I have been the last 3 months. My goal is to branch out and do some things I haven't done before. For my birthday (last week) I received a new set of golf clubs. In the next few months, I plan to play every week and really learn the game. I love that golf is something you can play your whole life. Another outdoorsy things I am taking up is paddle boarding at the lake. Not only is it an excellent workout, but it's a calming and relaxing sport. 

What fun things do you have planned for the summer? Also, what are your favorite things to buy at the farmers market?

XO, Carrie

image via BHG

Ulta Purchases

If you read my last post on the It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Vol. 1 palette, you may have seen me mention that Ulta is offering 20% off your entire purchase. I believe this is for all Club members (with some exceptions??) Check your inbox for the email! :) Even though I had just made a few good purchases at Sephora from the VIB sale, I thought I better take advantage of the discount at Ulta and pick up some things that are sold there too.

Here's what came home with me...

New love... In tube form.

It's a 10 Miracle Deep Conditioner with Keratin

Fekkai Brilliant Glossing styling creme 

St. Tropez Bronzing Lotion for the face

Peter Thomas Roth FirmX Peeling Gel

In the past, I once tried the It's a 10 leave-in treatment. I loved it. However, I went through the bottle so fast and couldn't justify buying the large [& pricey] bottle. After trying out new products over time, I had forgotten about it. A few weeks ago, when I purchased the It Cosmetics palette, they gifted me a free small bottle of the leave in treatment I once loved a few years ago. How exciting! So I have been using that after I shower. I recently had also finished up my hair mask I'd been using and was on the hunt for a new one. So after some searching around, I thought it would only make sense to try the deep conditioner that accompanied it. 

This Fekkai styling creme was a complete impulse buy. I wasn't necessarily looking for another hair product, but after reading the back label that listed the benefits and enjoying the scent, I couldn't resist. It has really good ingredients too, which I love! 

When I made my VIB purchases at Sephora, I got a sample of the St. Tropez face tanner. I must admit, I have kind of been on a self-tan kick. I banned myself from tanning beds, [because let's be honest, it's awful for you] but still love looking bronzed. And because it might be a while until I get some natural color, I am all about rubbing my tan on. I personally don't like applying the St. Tropez mousse [my fave] to my face. The lotion for your face however, is great! It's essentially like a moisturizer that gives you some glow. Don't worry, it won't clog your pores. When my sample ran out, I knew I wanted to pick this up. I will be using it all summer long! :)

Last, but not least, I picked up this craaaazy peel. Thanks to Ivy at Wake Up For Makeup for recommending this product! I have been all about peels lately too. I think they are great for dull and textured skin [especially after a breakout]. When you rub this on your clean, dry skin, you can see the dead skin cells ball up and come off your face right before your eyes. If you are in the market for a new peel, I would give this a go! 

Have you tried any of these products?


Happy Thursday! :)

Carrie's Choice

Song Bird Blouse// This chiffon blouse with a vintage inspired neck-tie is SO flowy and fun for a sunny day. Paired with your favorite bangles and some cat-eye sunnies, you're ready to go!

Lush Knit Maxi// Maxis are all the hype for any summer occasion! This bloused bodice is so easy to wear. 

Belted Tunic// Tunics: Love, Silk: Double love! This beautiful red motif print top can be easily worn with your favorite skinnys and a classy chain strap shoulder bag. 

Watercolor Shorts// These knit, lightweight shorts are perfect for a summer night out. Polish off your outfit with a tucked in blouse and a fun pair of strappy wedges!

If you haven't caught on, I am really loving fun prints for summer. From subtle to bold, I think prints are so easy to wear and can be dressed up or down for any occasion. :)

What have you been loving this summer? 

XO, Carrie

May Favorites

Hey friends! I hope you all have enjoyed this past month just as much as I have. Over the course of May, I have made a lot of changes, and I still plan on more change coming my way! To me, change is, more times that not, a good thing. Whether it be a change in school or a job, or a change in your daily makeup routine, I like to think that the change will benefit you in a some way. So today, I thought it would be fun to share with you the products (and a few extras) that I have added in or changed in my daily routine the last 3-4 weeks. So let's jump right in!

details: Josie Maran Argan lip treatment;
Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil
Faux Sea Urchin from Target

Over the past few years, from family members to beauty gurus, I have heard amazing things about Josie Maran's line of Argan Oil products. While I know the organic oil is coined to be an amazing product for the entire body, I couldn't fathom rubbing oil on my face and neck having such oily skin the way it is. But I stand corrected. The 100% Argan oil is amazing. It has no scent and is SO nourishing. I have been using it on my split ends, on rough patches of my elbows, and on my face before bed. Accompaning that, I have been lathering up my lips with the lip treatment before bed as well! What a great combo! I recommend checking out her line if you haven't done so already. 

Revlon eyelash curler

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny

Love, love, LOVE this bronzer. For about $3 from the drugstore, this bronzer is what your makeup bag needs. Ok, maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but I can't get enough of this. Why do I love it so? It is matte. Yes, matte. There is no shimmer and it's the perfect build-able shade!

Maybelline Masterprecise pen eyeliner

Victoria's Secret Deep-Softening Body Butter
in Pure Seduction

Urban Decay Lip Junkie in Naked
Came with Naked2 Palette

MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque
(makes for a great eyeshadow base but looks beautiful on its own as well)

We are finally starting to see some sun here in Iowa. I've really been enjoying laying by the pool, reading a good book and wearing my fun new shades from Francesca's. These Kate Spade dupes were $14. Got to love that!

My latest read is Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close. I've gotten many laughs out of this book so far. 

Sandals: Guess
Polish: Royal Navy by Butter London

A little R&R. Whats not to love?

I've been loving this quote. I saved it as a my wallpaper on my phone just as a little reminder that fear can't hold us back and that we will figure our "things" out along the way. :)

I hope you all enjoy your month of June, wherever it takes you.

As always, thank you for reading!

XO, Carrie

Sweat-Proof Spring & Summer Makeup

Seriously, there's nothing worse than looking in the mirror halfway through a beautiful, warm day and realizing you've sweat off 90% of your makeup. With the heat of spring and summer on the horizon, I thought I'd get a head start and share with you all some tips on how to maintain a sweat-proof look this for the warm weather seasons.  

***Yes, I realize if it 100° outside with humidity, your makeup isn't going to stay perfect, but these tips will help!!

1. Use primers. Just like painting your kitchen walls with a base coat, sometimes our face needs it as well. Primers are designed to help keep your makeup in place. Many primers also have the technology to reduce the size and appearance of pores, which we all want, right? I would recommend the Loreal Magic Perfecting Base. You can find this at the drugstore and it costs a fraction of other leading primers! 

(I'd also love to try the Benefit POREfessional. I've heard tons of great things about how well this primer works. If you've tried it, let me know what you think!)

2. Use a matte finish foundation. After a primer, the best thing you can do is apply a matte foundation in your desired coverage. Although we all love to have a little natural glowy look, your skin will do that on its own in the heat. A matte foundation will reduce the chances of looking too glowy. ;) You've heard me rave about it before, and I will say it again, the Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ foundation is amazing! It is my number one recommendation. 

(A great drugstore alternative would be the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation.)

3. Use a setting powder. Whether you have oily skin or not, you are probably going to get shiny throughout the warm day. After you apply your foundation, set it with a powder (specifically the t-zone area). I like to use the MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural! 

(A cheaper alternative is the Stay Matte by Rimmel. You can pick this up at the drug store for about $3.)

4. Use cream blushes. While I am new to the idea of cream blush, I think it couldn't be more perfect for beating the summer heat. The cream blush formula will "adhear" better to your skin and won't run like powder can tend to do. Maybelline Dream Bouncy in Candy Coral (a recommendation from TiffanyD) is the only one I have. (Best to apply with a synthetic haired brush.)

 (Loreal Invisible Lift is another option, as well as NARS The Multiple.) 

5. Use a waterproof mascara. Some people love it. Some people hate it. And when it comes to hate, I think it comes from the struggle to remove the mascara. That's where you need a good makeup remover. Which you should already be using ;) Waterproof mascara won't melt off your lashes and definitely won't run. Most of your favorite mascaras probably have a waterproof version! Go check it out! 

Bonus tip: Wear sunscreen underneath all of that, as well as on the rest of your body! 

I hope you find these tips helpful in the upcoming warm months!

XO, Carrie