October Fave Five

I CANNOT BELIEVE IT IS OCTOBER! Like two more months until the end of the year...how the heck did that happen?

Well, another month and another fave five!

Trader Joe's All-In-One Facial Cleanser
I have been using the Oil Cleansing Method for nearly a year now and am really happy with it. But, I've noticed that my skin has been a little dull lately and picked this face wash up during my last trip to Trader Joe's. At $5, if it didn't work, I wasn't out a fortune.

To my surprise, this stuff actually rocks. I still use my oil to take off my eye makeup but, this stuff is strong enough to take off my makeup but gentle enough to not tear up my face. If you are looking for a pretty good, but inexpensive face wash, try this one out!

Buxom Full On Lip Gloss

I admit it - I'm a lip gloss gal. I like to try lip glosses all the time. Cheap, expensive, tingly, colorful, sparkly and bright...you name it, I'll try it. But, low and behold, I have found one that I REALLY like and might make me a loyal customer. 

Buxom Full On Lip Gloss is a tingly, lip plumping (well, on me not so much) lip gloss that really has some staying power and isn't goopy. All things I like. I bought the mini kit from Sephora and I really can't decide which color I like best! I am using Cherry Flip a lot, which is a color I probably would not have pick out based off of what it looks like at first glance, but it's a cute pink that isn't too loud. The tingle in the lip gloss lasts for a really long time, so if you don't like tingly lip glosses, don't pick this up!

Elizabethan Desserts

This has been my favorite dessert place for about the last five years. Only problem, or shall I say the only BLESSING is that it is about 45 minutes away from our home. But, now that Brady has Brain Highways class right across the street from Elizabethan Dessert's new location, I have been there every Sunday enjoying their delicacies! My go-to dessert is their Grasshopper cupcake. Oh minty my. If they are out of those delicious little yummies, I usually get a Magic Bar which is made with all sorts of magicness. 

If you are ever in the Encinitas, California area, definitely stop by and have a little good ol' American dessert. Their St. Louis Ooey Gooey Bars even made Bon Appetites' Top Desserts. Seriously LEGIT. Visit their website HERE.

Their cupcakes come in mini and regular sizes. I know, who the heck buys a mini cupcake?

Personalized Silicone Cup Bands

One thing that has almost made me bat-sh*t crazy with my two boys is their fierce possessiveness over their water bottles. Well, not so much Brady, but Wes is uber possessive over his favorite water bottles. If Brady even dares look at Wes' water bottle, especially his new Jake and the Neverland Pirates stainless steel water "canteen" from the Disney Store, Wes' flips his lid! Poor Brady! And, poor hubby! He innocently will give Brady Wes' cups and that just causes meltdowns all around! Wes is crying because "it's MINE Daddy! MINE!". Brady is crying because "Daddy gave it to ME!" and Dave is about to cry because he can't stand the whining! 

So, to make it very CLEAR to everyone and end the water bottle madness I purchased these silicone cup bands and they are seriously awesome. Each boy picked their own color - Brady picked green and Wes picked blue and I had their full names debossed on each. 

They fit really nice and snug on their water bottles and they are great for many reasons. Because each boy has their own "color", hubby can easily tell who each cup belongs to. Crisis averted. But, one unintended benefit is that each boy can read and identify their own cups. Another cool thing is that Wes is trying his hardest to remember how to spell his last name and he can do this independently now (sometimes long last names are a pain!)

There are four in a pack and I ordered and received them in less than a week. Super sweet! Visit theinkjunkie on Etsy to order yours!

Smarty Pants Vitamins

Finding a vitamin that Brady will take is fairly difficult. It seems that a lot of vitamins are coated with sugar, which he hates! I had found a vitamin that worked for us, but we also had to supplement with Fiber and Omegas separately. Each morning he had a ton of things to take!

A friend had recommended Smart Pants vitamins and I was a little hesitant trying something new with him. But, they had a money back guarantee so I decided to give it a go. What I really like is that Brady can take one vitamin that contains not only his daily vitamins and minerals, but his Omegas and Fiber as well. I'm all about streamlining Brady's supplements wherever I can!

Besides liking what's INSIDE the vitamins, I really like what's NOT INSIDE them. They are free of high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. They are also gluten and casein-free. 

And, if you want to know the best thing about Smarty Pants...they make a 1-for-1 matching nutrient grant to a child in need through their partnership with Vitamin Angels. Visit their website HERE for more information on their products

Hope you are already enjoying your Fall! 

The Most Amazing Body Butter

I used to never make anything from scratch. But, since becoming a mom, I don't know what changed in me. Maybe when I gave birth, some genetic mutation occurred that made me get excited about things like making my own body lotion.

I have some seriously dry skin. Like, so dry it almost looks like I have scales on my legs in the winter. I even resorted to laser hair removal on my legs so I didn't have to shave because it made my legs THAT MUCH MORE dry and itchy. I about tried every lotion out there and there was not one that relieved the curse of dry skin. 

Then someone recommended raw shea butter. And, YES, it DOES work but I didn't like the smell. AT ALL. So, as any of us probably would do, I hopped on Pinterest and found a recipe for whipped body butter. 

This body butter is divine. I'll be honest, at first it's like putting Crisco on your skin. It goes on pretty oily. But, your skin just drinks it up! Plus, it moisturizes your skin for a really long time!

The other great thing I've found is that it has cleared up my son, Weston's eczema. Weston had really bad "chicken skin" on his torso and back. He's in a highly chlorinated pool for swim lessons at least twice a week, which makes it a lot worse. At one point, even the bottom of his foot cracked so deep we couldn't put socks on him. We tried a lot of different things but since it didn't seem to bother him too much, we didn't use anything medicated (other than Neosporin on his foot when it cracked). So, I started lathering him up with my body butter and in about a week, the eczema was COMPLETELY gone! GONE!

I even gave a small sample to my friend for her daughter who had such a bad rash under her chin due to  baby drool. She told me that it cleared it up in a matter of a couple of days. AMAZE BALLS.

So, me being me, I wanted to share with you my favorite whipped body lotion recipe. It's fairly simple to make, contains all natural ingredients (if you use essential oils only) and is by far my most favorite lotion ever!

To make the lotion you will need:

Raw Shea Butter

Coconut Oil

Sweet Almond Oil (Or any other oil like olive, jojoba, grape seed, etc.)

Essential Oils or Fragranced Scent Oil

Here's how I do it...

I take 1 cup of the raw shea butter and 1/2 cup of coconut oil and melt it in a double boiler. I have a bowl that is dedicated to my DIY beauty/craft stuff.

When the shea butter and coconut oil have melted, I mix in 1/2 cup of Sweet Almond Oil. At this point, I'm not going to lie, you're going to have a bowl which looks like a bunch of urine. When it looks like this, you KNOW you are on your way to having something awesome! I am just kidding, of course!

After the shea butter, coconut and almond oils are combined, put the entire bowl in the fridge until it has solidified. When it is solid, it will be quite opaque and hard.

I like to make two, some times three small batches of differing scents. This day, I made lavender-lemon-orange (with essential oils), Juniper Breeze (a Bath & Body Works dupe fragrance from Peak Candle Supply) and Pink Sugar (fragrance from Peak Candle Supply). I really like the Pink Sugar for the boys. It's not baby powder scented like everything else I've found made for kids. 

I like to cut the solidified lotion into three pieces and place in separate bowls to add fragrance to separately.

If you are using essential oils, especially orange or lemon, be prepared to put a lot in. Like 30 drops or more. With the fragrance oils from Peak Candle Supply (or similar), add it sparingly, starting with a tiny amount and adding more to achieve the strength of fragrance you would like. Artificial fragrance are very potent, so don't overdo it!

Once you have added your fragrance, beat with a hand mixer, until it reaches a light, airy whipped consistency. It will look like whipped butter. I store mine in round plastic containers that I purchased through Amazon. 

Make sure you don't store this in an area that is warm. Because this lotion recipe contains coconut oil, it has a low threshold for heat. Seriously, it will turn to liquid at about 80 degrees. If you are in a warmer climate, I'd even suggest keeping it in the fridge. Definitely don't store in your car's glove compartment! I've made THAT mistake for us all to learn from!

I have been making and using this whipped body butter for about a year and a half now. I love it. I've converted many of my friends over to this recipe. It's THAT good. And, I've found almost by accident that it's GREAT for eczema! 

And, one extra bonus...in the summer it gives you that summer glow like you've just slathered on some decadent body oil! I love it on my legs and shoulders for that exact reason!

Fave Five of the Month - June

When did May happen? Gosh darn it, time really flew by last month. Before I knew it, it was the first of June! HELLO! My husband will be glad he won't be getting texts with this in them...

Love me some Timberlake...

I thought I'd share my five favorite things of the moment, just like May! Just little things that make me a happy girl (If you click on the text of the photo's caption, it'll take you to Amazon).

Gelous Nail Base Coat
I'm in love with this base coat. I used to NEVER paint my nails with colored polish because it just didn't last past a day without a chip. Now I can paint my nails and most times it lasts without a chip for 5-7 days. The way I use it is I apply a thin coat on clean, dry nails and let it dry. Then I paint a coat of colored polish and let it dry. Then, again, I paint a coat of Gelous base coat and repeat with another coat of colored polish. Last I seal with a glossy top coat (I like Essie). It's hard for me to paint my nails with the boys around and I NEVER have enough time to do it all at once. So, I kind of do it throughout the day, which is why I let each coat dry. I don't know if THAT'S why my polish lasts so long, but it does! If I see a chip starting to develop, I slap a seal of Gelous on the ends of my nails and it prolongs the polish! I'm not gentle on my hands and I'm amazed this stuff works. About $5 to boot! I found my bottle at my local Sally's Beauty Supply.

American Classic Gelous Nail Gel Base Coat Nail Polish

Sofia Champagne - Francis Coppola

I picked up a bottle of this champagne a few years ago and really took a liking to it. But, what's made me love it more is that I found it in a four-pack of cans with straws! WHAT!?! So, extremely cute and portable (and discreet, haha!). How can you NOT love this!?! It's a perfect little addition to a girls night out, a bridal shower or a night at the fire pit! I try to keep a couple cans in the fridge for good days (ANY good day!). With summer here, I will find any reason to crack open a can of bubbly! "We made it through the day? Where's the champagne!?" I find it at Target and it's about $11! BAR-GAIN! SCHWING!

Francis Ford Coppola Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs 4-Pack

Le Mystere Lolita Convertible Bra

Summer is finally here and for me that means the torture of putting my lady lumps in a strapless bra. Man, why is it that strapless bras don't do anything they are supposed to? I spend most of my time hiking my bra up! I know! CLASSY! I've been eyeing the Le Mystere Lolita Convertible Bra for a while. But, at $78, I was not rushing to Nordstroms to buy it. I keep seeing it pop up on Zulily for about $30, so I took the plunge. I was pretty hesitant because you can't return to Zulily, but I heeded the advice of many reviewers and ordered a cup size larger and band size smaller. It is a little tight, but maybe that's the last few days of Sonic and milk shakes. 

What I WILL tell you is that this thing perks those suckers up (which is impressive in itself) and does not budge. I'm not tugging up on my dress and it probably is worth $78 but heck, wait until you see it on Zulily and snap one up for yourself! My regular bras are mostly all le Mystere, so I really love the brand, but I've NEVER paid full price for one. You can often find them on sale on Zulily, Amazon and Nordstroms.

Le Mystere Women's Lolita Strapless Bra #7759

Redken Rewind

My hairstylist is one fantastic gal! She's really helped me understand my hair! She's the one that introduced me to Redken Rewind. One thing I've ALWAYS had a problem with is fly away hairs. That paired with the fact that I have two cowlicks at the nape of my neck, my hair has driven me bonkers whenever I've tried to do anything fun like chignons. I used to try and hairspray and gel everything into place and I ended up with super shiny, super rock hard helmet hair. 

I use a tiny, tiny bit of Rewind on my hair most days to smooth out my fly aways. When I put my hair up, I use it on the unruly hairs that don't want to cooperate, like those pesky nape cowlicks. It doesn't make my hair flat or hard. It's consistency is between a gel and pomade. Use it sparingly, like a half a pea size and use more if needed. The jar is huge, so even though it about $20, it lasts a gazillion years! 

Redken Rewind Pliable Styling Paste, 5-Ounces Bottle

Silicone Ice Cream Cones

I bought these for a sensory play activity I wanted to do over the summer months (more on that this week!). But, I've used these cones in so many ways. I use them to do sorting and a memory game we've created. We also use it for pretend play and just for being silly. These cones have even made their way into bath time, too! The set I purchased was about $12 and it came with cupcake mix and a ton of sprinkles. I used the cake and frosting mix in one of our faux ice cream sensory activities and the sprinkles have been used in several different activities, including over applesauce at lunch (by Wes' request). 

Brand Castle Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes Kit, 6-Count

What are some of YOUR faves this month?

Fave Five of the Month - MAY

I love hearing about other's favorite obsessions! Mainly, because I'm not the least bit creative. So, I thought I'd share with you a few of my faves of the moment. Just random things that tickle my fancy. (I almost typed fanny. And, I almost left it. But, that word reminds me of fanny pack and I don't do fanny packs. Just sayin').

Essie Mamba
This is one of my most favorite nude nail polishes right now. Sucker is hard to find. I found a bottle at Walgreens! It's a really versatile color that looks great on most skin colors.

My ring finger has muffin top!? 

Feel Good Brush

My hair stylist told me about this brush. It's awesome. My hair is now really, really long and when I have to comb it while wet, it's like raking out a mangey mutt. And, in the process, I ripped out a lot of my hair. This brush detangles you hair while wet, without detangler. I swear by it!

Autism With a Side of Fries - Personal Blog

http://autismwithasideoffries.blogspot.com/

Yes, I have a child with Autism. When they diagnosed him, they didn't revoke my right to vanity or humor. Thank goodness, right? So, when I stumbled across this blog, I fell in love. It is honest and raw, with a hilarious twist. At the end of the day, all we can do is laugh, ya'll! And, ironic because Brady's "currency" is fries. We can get him to do anything for fries. And, if you follow their FB feed, not only is it funnier than heck, but you can ask or answer questions others ask. 

Can I Play Too by Mo Willems

Originally, I purchased this book for Brady. But, Wes is the one that has really taken a liking to this book. I think it's hilarious and don't mind reading it over and over to Wes. With Brady we are really trying to use it to talk abstractly about the story and other's feelings (since it doesn't have a lot of words in it). We have a couple other Mo Willems books, but this one is by far my favorite (so far)!

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Red Velvet (040)

I have always loved the look of a red lip with simple winged black eye liner. Simple and classic. But, every time I have tried it I thought it looked kind of, well, whore-like on me. Nothing says "Mother of the Year" like red hooker lip, bleeding in my fine lines and flaking off my lips like I was a dehydrated drunk. When someone recommended this lip butter, I hopped in the hoopty and drove to the local Target right away to scoop it up and I've been using it ever since. It's got the feel of a lip balm and pigment of a lipstick. PS...I hate selfies, but here is my lame attempt at one to show you I don't roll out looking like a lady of the night.

What are your faves right now?

Moni-what?

I have to admit...I love me some makeup. It's kind of embarrassing how much makeup this girl owns, since I normally look the same day in, day out. Makeup and nail polish are those things that I seem to always pick up when I'm out and about. Eye shadow here. Nail polish there. Lip stick to try. Mascara to have as a spare. And, don't even get me started on chapstick - tinted or otherwise.

And, since having kids, I've discovered drug stores dupes and gems. While I used to be a name brand whore (um, *cough* a MAC diva), I have learned that there are some super things out there that are just as good! 

One must-have product that I have used is Smashbox's Photo Finish. I have used it for a really long time. But, at $42 a bottle, it was on the chopping blocks after kids. So, slowly, I tried using less and less, make justification for the expense, but really, it was just not a necessity. One day, while perusing Pinterest, I saw someone wrote a blog post on a dupe for this swell serum. I was on it like white on rice. Take a deep breath because you'll never guess what the dupe is.

MONISTAT CHAFING RELIEF POWDER-GEL

Yes, the makers of MONISTAT INTIMATE CARE makes the Smashbox Photo Finish dupe! 

I have to admit, I was kind of dying reading it at first. I mean, it is made by the same people who make princess part care products. We all know that "intimate care" is code for your thang needs some help. But, according to the review, Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel was like one ingredient off from Smashbox's product. So, at $6, I really had nothing to lose by trying it. Plus, if I needed some chafing relief, I can save it for that FUN day!

So, off to trusty ol' Target I went. I put it in my cart with all of my other impulse buys, I mean, necessities. I made sure to say, "I hope this is the right product that my sister needed" when they scanned the Monistat. I mean, I knew what I was using it for, but I think I caught a slide-glance at my thighs when it went on the conveyor belt. Maybe it was the king sized Snickers, but I THINK that they were looking because of the Monistat. 

And, the verdict? It's pretty damn close to Smashbox's product. It is a little bit thicker and creamier than Photo Finish. It has a very different texture as well. But, as far as effectiveness? It's really right on par with Photo Finish. I still occasionally use Smashbox for evenings out, as rare as those are. But, on an every day basis, I mainly use the "Stat". I put it on after my moisturizer has soaked into my skin, but before my foundation. And, you know what? It's pretty damn good! 

So, give it a try! I saved myself about $36! SCORE!

What's your favorite drug store find?