Woohoo, Friday and Halloween weekend is finally upon us! Yesterday was seriously one of the best nights seeing Luke Bryan killin' it in Chicago! My voice is gone and I'm exhausted, so that's gotta mean it was a great night right?
Let's get on with our Friday, shall we?
Favorite Halloween Food(s):
Favorite Halloween Movie(s):
Hands down the best Halloween movie, like ever!
I'm a sucker for Disney movies and this one is a Halloween fave.
What are some of your favorites about Halloween? Are you dressing up or doing anything fun this weekend? I'll be back Monday to recap my fun (long) weekend! In the meantime I'm linking up with:
Today is the start of my much deserved weekend. I have been working basically every weekend in October and last weekend was crazy busy because of A and his parents being in town. This long weekend for me will be fully enjoyed, plus it's also Halloween, but more on that tomorrow!
As far as today goes, if you didn't guess by the blog title, I'm going to see Luke Bryan shake it for me at the United Center!!!!
This is my first country concert and I seriously could not be more excited. All week I've been picking my outfit to wear, sucks that Chicago weather is so flippin' cold. Follow me along on snapchat {npat62} and/or Instagram {npat62} to see all my Luke Bryan shenanigans!
To get me in the mood for the concert tonight, here are some of my Luke faves.
Happy Wedding Wednesday friends! Last week I talked about my skincare routine for daytime, but today I wanted to talk more about my nightly skincare routine. I use a few different products that are better suited for night. Again this is all to help my skin become better for myself and to look and feel great for my wedding!
Step 1
I of course use my Clarisonic Mia 1 brush to take all my makeup off and just cleanse my skin for the day. Seriously the best investment you could get for yourself. I still have no idea what the heck I was waiting for, should have gotten this months ago, but I'm glad I have it now. I feel that I get a good enough clean with using it just once a day, but I know many people use it twice a day.
Obviously I can't just use the Clarisonic brush without a cleanser on it. Honestly the one from Clarisonic is pretty pricey, so I decided to find my own facial cleanser to use. Formula 10.0.6 Best Face Forward Daily Foaming Cleanser has been pretty great for me. I love that it comes out as a gel, but lathers up. It's great on my skin and makes me feel fresh!
My final step for my nighttime routine is my night cream. I use Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream and it's seriously my favorite. I had been shopping around for the perfect night cream for quite some time now and when I realized that the Boots line was at Ulta I knew I had to check it out. The cream is a tiny bit oily, but I don't mind that for a night cream. I also put a thicker layer on just to make sure I get it all over. This is such a great line especially for sensitive skin, so if you're in the market for a night cream (or day cream), I recommend checking this line out.
So let's do a breakdown of the prices for my nightly routine. I'll include only the new products since some of the products are used in my daytime routine.
$99.00
+ $5.99
+ $14.99
_____________
$119.98
Considering the Clarisonic will be a one time purchase, this is definitely not a bad price to pay for this routine.
If you added up my products from the daytime skincare routine and the night one, it adds up to less than $300! This may be a pretty penny to spend on your skin, but consider it an investment in your skin and yourself.
What are some of your favorite skin care products? Do you have a daytime and nighttime routine?
Now it is your turn! We would love to have you link-up with your wedding tales, planning adventures and day-of memories.
As always, we would love to have you linking up with us and sharing your wedding inspiration, stories and photos of your own! Just please remember to link back to either mine or Macy's blog in order to keep the Wedding Wednesday fun going around.
When I saw this fun little tag on Lolo's blog, I knew I wanted to jump in on the fun. She left the tag open to anyone, and I'll do the same. If you want to join together then go ahead and use these prompts to create your own post....who couldn't use a post inspiration every now and then?!
Favorite candle scent:
This is seriously the best scent ever created, go and get you some!
Coffee, tea or hot chocolate?
Coffee for work, but definitely hot chocolate with extra marshmallows on weekends!
What is the best Fall memory you have?
I love going to the pumpkin farm, so fun to go and pick out a pumpkin and just get that sense of Fall.
Best fragrance for Fall?
I got this as a gift and I'm loving the smell of it, so light and airy!
Favorite Thanksgiving food?
My family actually doesn't do the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, instead we feast out on Mexican food, my fave. I do love me some mashed potatoes though.
Most worn sweater?
This is the coziest sweater and perfect to dress up or down! Love it!
Football games or jumping in leaf piles?
Definitely football games, that's what Fall is all about! Even though the Bears have been sucking the past few years, can't help but continue to cheer for them.
Favorite type of pie:
Apple pie is definitely a favorite of mine, especially warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but for Fall specifically, I love pumpkin pie!
What is autumn weather like where you live?
Oh it's definitely autumn around these parts. We've been clocking temps in the 50s & 60s, sometimes the temps drop to the low 40s at night. Just a friendly reminder that winter is coming!
Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged liner?
Definitely loving the dark lips. I'm terrible at making even lines so attempting a winged liner is just asking for failure.
What song really gets you into the Fall spirit?
I'm a sucker for the Monster Mash, it's a Fall staple!
Is pumpkin spice worth the hype?
YES! So far I haven't been liking the other flavors that Sbux has come out with for the Fall besides the coveted PSL.
Favorite Fall TV show:
Oh goodness, I cannot just choose one or a few of my favorite Fall TV shows, I just watch too many...here's a post I did on the full list of Fall TV shows I've been tuning into this season. Check out my full list HERE!
Skinny jeans or leggings?
Leggings, all day every day. They are so much more comfortable than jeans and pair best with boots/booties!
Combat boots or Uggs?
Combat boots! Uggs are reserved for the winter to keep my piggies warm and snuggly. Combat boots pair the best with Fall fashion.
Halloween: yay or nay?
Yay. I'm not huge into dressing up, but it being on Saturday this year my friend is having a Gatsby themed Halloween party and I've gotten creative with my costume and I'm excited to wear it!
Fall mornings or evenings?
Definitely the mornings, they are more crisp and the sunrises are just more gorgeous in the Fall.
What do you think about Black Friday?
Honestly, I'd rather do my shopping online during Cyber Monday. Although I may be trying to score some new things for A and I...depending on where there's a good deal, more than likely I'll be in the Target line!
One Fall 2015 trend you love?
I'm loving the plaid trend. I've been stocking up on different colors of plaid like my favorite, blue and green plaid. Paired with a cute puffy vest not only looks on trend, but keeps you warm!
What are some of your favorite things about Fall? I won't tag anyone specific, but if you need post inspiration and want to join, go for it and use these prompts!
Also I'm joining Meg,Veronica, & my Wedding Wednesday co-host Macy for Falling for ____. Link up with them to show everyone how you enjoy Fall in your city!
Woah woah woah Monday, where the heck did you come from?! I swear this weekend flew by for me, not only was it a weekend that I had off (after 3 non-stop working weekends), but my fiance and his parents came to Chicago for 2 days! The bulk of the trip was meant finalizing things for the wedding, they looked at the venue (and loved it) and we discussed hotel rooms, etc. The other half was spent eating. I think we tried to pack in every "Chicago" staple in this weekend. It was so much fun, we accomplished a ton, and helped fill the gap until I see A again in less than a month for Thanksgiving!!
I was a super terrible blogger this weekend and took a whole 2 pictures the entire time, my bad!
FRIDAY
My fiance and his parents landed mid-day on Friday so I picked them up from the airport and dropped his parents off to their relative's house while A came back to my house. We decided to do date night and headed over to Yard House. We love this place from Houston and knew when choosing places, this was it. I got the grilled cheese & tomato bisque soup...this was seriously the best grilled cheese ever, 4 different types of cheeses, avocado, and roasted tomatoes...yum!! My drink of the night was the Bikini Tini, it was delicious and made me feel like laying out on a beach someplace!
SATURDAY
We started the morning out by heading to our venue with everyone to get an idea of what it will look like (since his parents have only seen pictures) and discuss timeline of events, etc. Lets just say a lot got done with that lol. Next we headed next door to the hotel to check out the rooms, we've already decided on the venue and hotel, but again this was the first time his parents were seeing anything so just to get a visual for it all it was nice. After all that we headed to this boutique to look for a designer bridal dress for me. I know I talked about possibly doing custom and at this point, I may go that route. Surprisingly it costs about as much as a ready-made dress and every single design piece I get to work with top-class fashion designers (in India) to create my dream dress. This is the inspiration piece I've given them, of course with some tweaks to make it perfect for me...can't wait to see (and show you guys) the sketch of the dress they come up with!!!
This is the dress I keep coming back to no matter what else I see so I know I will be so thrilled knowing that something like is will be what I'll be wearing walking down the aisle!!!
SUNDAY
This day we were definitely slower in getting up, but when we did it was just in time for a massive lunch. My dad ordered food from the place we will be catering food from to pick some items that we'll be serving. It was a great way of taste testing food without being in a restaurant, everything was done at home! After the massive lunch, we all hung out and just talked until I had to take them to the airport :(.
It was such a quick trip for them, but it'll definitely hold me over until Thanksgiving. I'm glad they were able to come and see where we are at as far as wedding planning and visualize a lot.
Hope you guys all had a wonderful weekend. This is luckily a short week for me, since Thursday is the Luke Bryan concert, my weekend starts early!! Linking up with the gorgeous Biana for Weekending!
Woohoo Happy Friday friends!! I feel like this week has seriously dragged and been unnecessarily long, anyone agree?? I'm gonna make this a bit short and sweet today :)!
ONE
I get to see my love today!!! He is coming to town for a (super) quick flight, but I am so excited to see him since I haven't since the end of August for my birthday! Another plus is that his parents are coming with so we'll all get to hang for a few days!
TWO
My bestie gave me my bridesmaid gift and I couldn't love it more. She knows I have a love affair with Alex & Ani bracelets and I'm excited to add this one to my collection!
THREE
On Monday I had myself a little pampering session while watching Hocus Pocus, is there anything better in life than that?! Also if you haven't tried these Biore Charcoal Pore Strips you need to run, not walk to Ulta and grab yourself some. It is seriously deep cleansing and made my nose look so clean!! Also if you haven't tried the Sephora Pearl Mask you need to, it's so nice and refreshing!
FOUR
After seeing this on Myra's blog a little while back, I knew I had to figure out how to do this and guys, I'm addicted. I went to the craft store and bought an entire bag of different colored embroidering floss and have been doing this on all my wires. I'm working on my Macbook cord...it's taking me a little longer, but I did Blackhawks colors so I'm excited about how that's going to turn out!
FIVE
Ok guys, Justin Bieber has been killing it lately. I just heard another song on my way to work the other day and I'm smitten again. If you haven't heard it yet listen to it. Also Adele has made her way back into the music world with her new song Hello, it's really good and gives me serious Lana Del Ray vibes!
Hey folks! I have been meaning to talk about my skin care routine. It is seriously so important to take care of your skin especially as you age *shudder*! For my 27th birthday I wanted to do something for myself that I knew would help me out in the long run. I wanted to create a skin care routine that I could stick with and wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg.
Also with my wedding coming up in less than 9 months (EEK!) I know I want my skin to be as beautiful as possible for my wedding because those pictures will be around forever and ever. I knew finding a skin care routine that works for me was an important part of wedding planning because god knows the stress breakouts will happen a few weeks before the big day...who wants that?!
Let me start by saying, skin care stuff (especially the good stuff) can get pricey, but this is what works for me based on my budget. If you want to build a skin care routine for yourself I suggest going to your dermatologist, Ulta, or Sephora to get some skin care knowledge. I'll put the price point of all the products I use to give you an idea of how much my skin care routine costs. The great thing about my routine is, since I have sensitive skin and I don't want anything irritating it, all my stuff is safe for sensitive skin! Again my skin is different than yours and we may have different needs, so please consult a professional first :)!
Step 1
I wash my face with St. Ives Even & Bright Citrus Scrub, St. Ives is such a tried and true product for me..I've been using it since I was in high school. Thankfully they have reformulated and the scrubs isn't as harsh on your face anymore. Plus the smell of this one is so refreshing and invigorating, perfect to wake you up in the morning!
This is something I discovered from my homegirl Meg! She is seriously the best go-to for my makeup and beauty needs, her videos are not only hilarious, but they are informative and give you a great idea of if a product is worth your time and money or not. When I saw this, I knew I needed to order it. Getting Hyaluronic Acid serum in it's purest form is best because this stuff is essentially in all skin care stuff that they charge an arm and a leg for. It makes my face feel fresh and I feel it making a difference.
I'm a big lover of Origins products. My last trip to the Galleria in Houston I asked the girl at Origins what a good eye cream was to battle the dark circles. Immediately she showed me Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Bright Dark Circle Minimizer. I swear if you have super dark circles under your eyes like me, pick yourself up some of this. I've had it for over 6 months and use it daily, this stuff will last you a while. It doesn't feel oily, instead it blends into your skin like butter!
Now you may think this is overkill, but I use a second cream for under my eyes to help with the fine lines. I wait about 5-10 minutes after putting on the Origins cream to put this one on. Now this is a new find for me when I went into Ulta looking for some skin care products. I know Dermalogica is a reputable brand and even with the steep pricetags, know their products are some of the best. The awesome part about Dermalogica Age Smart MultiVitamin Power Firm Serum is that it isn't limited to under your eyes. You can use it around your lips or anywhere you see fine lines. I love the silky feel of this and again doesn't leave my skin feeling oily at all.
Moisturizing is such an important step that is most commonly missed. Another important thing to remember is along with moisturizing, you want to make sure to wear sun screen to protect your skin and how my fave Kate says...practice "safe sun". What great about Formula 10.0.6 Picture Perfect Day Moisturizer is that it's a 2 in 1. Not only is it a great moisturizer, but it has SPF built in. With a price point so low, how can you beat it?! I really love this brand and find their face masks make the most difference for me...but that's a post for another day!
This is my final step in the morning before putting on my makeup. I've been using Origins A Perfect World age defense skin-guardian with white tea for almost 2 years now. This was the very first product I used from Origins and I've been stuck on it ever since. Seriously though, this stuff is great. Not only does it last you a LONG time, but it completely eliminates the need for a makeup primer. I use this on top of my moisturizer in place of my primer and it works amazing. Not only does my makeup last all day, but it doesn't feel cakey or uneven. Each bottle lasts well over 6 months, so I really only see myself purchasing this twice a year.
So if you were to add up all the products together here's what it would total out to:
$4.49
+ $9.98
+ $42.00
+ $58.00
+ $6.99
+ $58.00
________
$179.46
So for less than $180 you can have an awesome skin care routine that tackles all you need. I'm not getting compensated by any of these companies to talk about their products, I just truly love everything I use and even some of the pricier stuff, that stuff lasts me too long to worry about that price tag if I'm really only spending that 2 times a year!
I have a slightly different routine for the night time and I'll talk about in next week's post and do the whole breakdown to that as well!
Now it is your turn! We would love to have you link-up with your wedding tales, planning adventures and day-of memories.
As always, we would love to have you linking up with us and sharing your wedding inspiration, stories and photos of your own! Just please remember to link back to either mine or Macy's blog in order to keep the Wedding Wednesday fun going around.
