Tis the season for Christmas cookies! I love Cookies. I also love beer. And in December I love the two together. This Christmas cookies and stout thing wasn’t my idea, I wish it had been because I think it’s one of the greatest ideas ever. It is actually the idea of one of our best (in my opinion) local bars here in Appleton, Fox River House. They have been hosting a Christmas cookies and stout night for the past four years and it’s a night we look forward to very much. It’s really quite brilliant. Anyone can participate in the cookie eating and stout drinking, and if you’re a superstar you can bake cookies to bring thus entering yourself into the cookie contest with a chance to win a bar tab. The yearly entries are no joke. People take their cookies pretty seriously. The stand out for me this year was the third place winner (he got robbed!) which was a creme brulee cookie. Take 10 seconds to imagine how good that would taste. I bet you gained at least a pound thinking about it. I surely gained a few eating them while drinking stout.
Why is this idea brilliant? Personally I tend to gravitate to a stout beer in the colder months. Call me crazy, but I just don’t want a stout when it’s 90 degrees in the middle of summer. A good stout is wonderful on it’s own, but add some sugary sweet Christmas cookies to offset the heavy and sometimes bitterness and you have a match made in heaven. Here are some recommendations if you’re looking for a stout to enjoy this holiday season….. with or without Christmas cookies!
Founders Breakfast Stout – This is probably hands down my favorite stout. It has everything…. brewed with chocolate, oats and coffee, it’s super smooth and so delicious. It’s 8:45am and -6 degrees outside on a Sunday and I really would consider having one right now…. for breakfast…. don’t judge.
Bells Java Stout – Another stout brewed with coffee, this is an easy drinking, smooth stout. Heavy on the coffee and slightly sweet.
Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Stout – Brewers Reserve Series – If you find this (our Woodman’s currently has it), it’ll be pricey, but worth every penny. Aged in oak bourbon barrels it’s a little boozy. Drink this one slow and enjoy the love that surely has gone into brewing it.
And if beer isn’t your thing, try Luna Cafe’s Stout Blend coffee. Luna is a small batch coffee roaster out of De Pere, Wisconsin and their stout blend is the coffee used to brew Hinterland’s Luna Coffee Stout (yet another coffee stout I love). Luna Cafe coffee is our favorite and the Stout blend is always my first choice. I pretty much have a meltdown when our Woodman’s is out of it. Purchase it directly from Luna to avoid previously mentioned meltdown.
Do you have any favorite stouts, Christmas cookies or other awesome holiday traditions? We would love you to share with us!
Happy holidays!! If you’re like me, you are a) stressing out about what to give as gifts and b) simultaneously really good at buying things for yourself. I mean, I feel like I just want to get high fives for being such a good shopper for myself. So here is a list of things that I have that are making me really happy right now- maybe something will inspire you! (No judgement if you just buy it for yourself.)
A really decent travel mug
As much as I prefer to have time to lounge in my pajamas, drinking coffee while I peruse the news of the morning, most of the time I need to take my coffee to go. I love this mug from OXO because it seriously keeps things hot- if I have a client right away in the morning, sometimes I don’t get to drink my coffee until an hour after I’ve poured it, and this mug is like “ok I will wait!”. Also, it does a good job of being leak proof- recently, in a really typical move for me, I was carrying too many things and in a hurry, bobbled my full cup of coffee around while wearing a white shirt, and everything turned out ok. Whew! Paired with some nice tea, this would be welcome under any tree.
Something that smells awesome (and is locally made!)
Real talk: I haven’t really been excited about “natural” deodorants. They mean well, but rarely keep me confident. Enter American Provenance, a local company that is killing it in the personal care game. The labels are designed by a tattoo artist, which is what drew me in to the display at Hy-Vee, and then I was delighted by the scents available, and then double delighted by the ingredients they use (and leave out). Based on glowing reviews, I decided to give the deodorant a whirl, and I am officially converted and crazy obsessed with it! Even after a tough workout, I am way less offensive than my former commercial products left me. If it’s too weird to give someone deodorant, because, it kind of is, they also make awesome body sprays, soaps, beard balms… give them a try!!
Things to keep you warm
One of the best gifts Pamela ever gave me (and trust me, she gives good gift) is a pair of Smartwool socks. It sounds like a total old person thing to give, but come on- it’s something you don’t want to buy for yourself (they are a little pricey), but on days like we’ve been having lately (it “feels like” -13 degrees today), I am happy to find them in my drawer- they are truly life saving. They come in cute colors, wash easily, and last forever.
I also love and rely on my Yea.Nice knit hat. One of the founders of this brand is from Wisconsin (yay!) and they donate a fleece hat to a homeless shelter for every hat purchased. Sweet. They have a ton of great styles and fit like you want a beanie to fit- perfectly slouchy while keeping your head warm.
Reliable beauty
I have had my original Urban Decay Naked palette for easily 5 years, and it is one that I consistently go back to. I use the matte shades almost daily, and the golds and shimmers are perfect for special occasions. Ok, Sin is a perfect shadow all the time, always. And really, if I wasn’t trying to show myself tremendous restraint, I would be all about the Ultimate Basics palette: this would also be an ace gift, especially if you think the shimmers are too much. (*cough cough buy it for me*)
Makeup brushes also make a great gift, since they take the pressure off picking colors, and you can never have too many (amirite?!?!). I grabbed this little gift set at Target recently and it is so great- I use all three of these every day! Real Techniques makes really decent, affordable brushes, and these are super fab additions to their line.
… And Murder!
Ok ok ok… this is NOT a gift (wait! Is it my gift to you??) but it is my current total obsession: the My Favorite Murder podcast. I would consider myself medium-interested in true crime on a normal day, but I have been listening to this podcast pretty much non-stop. It is hilarious, interesting, and makes me feel like I’m hanging out with my similarly warped friends. Maybe you could listen to it while wrapping gifts? (Any other murderinos out there??)
Cheers to you and yours this holiday season! Do you have any tried and true gifts to give? Who is stumping you the most this year? Can’t we just buy things for ourselves and drink champagne?!? Tell me about a great podcast!!
Well, it’s finally winter. Snow is on the ground, icy air is obnoxiously slapping us in the face, the humidifier has been employed in the bedroom, and fashion is reduced to “but is it warm??” Also, it’s dark out at 4:30. It’s basically midnight before Wheel of Fortune is on. So, to save our sanity, we are reaching for warm, cozy beverages… like tea! It’s a hug in a cup! What’s in our tea cupboards??
Pamela:
I would have to say that my favorite tea is earl grey. I sometimes feel like there isn’t a brand that I haven’t tried their earl grey (of course this is not true, but you see where I’m going…. I’ve tried a lot.) One of my favorite places to pick up tea is TJ Maxx, which is where I have picked up and am often able repurchase Clipper organic earl grey. I feel like it has the perfect amount of bergamot, is really smooth, and with a splash of milk, pretty much perfection.
Say Celestial Seasonings and sleepy time and lemon zinger tea is what I think of – I’ve honestly never been a fan. Which is why I was surprised to find they have a slightly more posh range within their line now. I stumbled upon the Dirty Chai at Target, and decided to impulse purchase it. It’s a masala chai tea with espresso. Do you remember General Foods International coffees? With a little milk and honey, this tastes just like that. It satisfies my caffeine needs when I can’t choose if I’d rather have tea or have coffee and is pretty good, actually!
With a name like Teapigs, even without trying any of their teas, how can you not already love them? Having tried several of their teas through the pick and mix sample box, there’s not one I don’t like. The herbal teas they offer are particularly great. I love the Super Fruit at night, when I don’t want any caffeine, but I want something sweet. It’s delicious on it’s own and even better with milk.
Jess:
Real talk: I’m a coffee girl, first and foremost. But in the past 5-10 years, I can only deal with coffee in the morning. Granted, it is ESSENTIAL in the morning, but come 10:30 or 11:00am, and I enjoy it less and less. If I have coffee after noon, forget it- I just want to chew my face off, and then I won’t fall asleep until 2am. BEING OLD IS THE WORST.
Before I got old and lazy, I used to be a super tea person. Like, I would buy bulk, whole leaf loose tea, I had a dedicated tea infuser, knew all the temperatures and steeping times for my teas… it was pretty great really. I loved a company called SpecialTeas, which is now Teavana (uuugh. read: Starbucks). Green tea was my jam (straight up Dragonwell is delightful!), and Pamela got me hooked on the Earl Grey Creme, which is a softer, less astringent version of an Earl Grey. These are, in fact, special teas, so I don’t reach for them as often as I would like to, but they are around if I have some time and want a treat (and need a little non-coffee boost in the afternoon).
While technically not actually tea, per se, I always keep some kind (any kind!) of peppermint tea on hand. It’s not caffeinated, so it’s a great after-dinner digestive. Also, it saved my (future) marriage when I had my wisdom teeth removed, and was forbidden from brushing my teeth for several days (DAYS!!!). Also also, it’s great to have on had if you have a crum tum.
Have you ever had a hot toddy? Like, for realsies? It’s honey, lemon, and ginger diluted in hot water. It’s like a hug that punches you in the face, but it’s perfect if you’re feeling a bit under the weather, which is likely this time of year. Our local co-op makes an AMAZING hot toddy (non-alcoholic) in their coffee/juice bar- here is the recipe– it’s probably amazing (and even more medicinal) with a little sploosh of rum or whiskey. 😉
Lyn:
I do not drink coffee. It’s a constant battle because I drive long, long distances late at night and sometimes drinking coffee would be a good idea–but I get crabby about the caffeine and the taste–so I don’t. But tea? I’m crazy for tea. Pamela and I bonded over our tea obsession when we were first introduced by Jess. In fact–buried in my tea collection is the Teapigs sample box Pamela mentioned above–which is a super fun way to try a bunch of new varieties.
Most of the teas from my desk drawer. Yeah–it’s a problem.
I drink tea all day long. As much of it as I drink, unlike Jess, I don’t know any of the metrics of making tea. Nor do I have a tea making process. I just fill my mug with hot water from the dispenser and put a tea bag in. And then I refill it throughout the day until I’m basically drinking hot water. At some point, I’ll start over with a new tea bag and begin the process again. Very fancy.
My “Baby I’m a Star” original mug–painted by yours truly in the Dells a million years ago–with my signature lipstick stain.
But I start every day at the office the same way–with my favorite tea of all time–Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea. I am straight up addicted. In fact–half of my office is now, too–even my tea averse business partner is converted. This tea is exactly as the name says–it’s very cinnamony–and makes you feel all warm–with spicy kick. I’ve tried a ton of other teas to try and find an appropriate dup, and I can’t. I’m not sure what makes it so special. But it is. Nothing I have tried even comes close. It is a black tea–so it does have some caffeine–but the decaffeinated version is still really good. I have both and will sometimes just switch to the decaf in the afternoon. It is pricey for a tea–but soooo worth it. (Honorable mention in the Harney and Sons line is their Paris tea.)
Almost every aspect of my life uses my voice: talking at work (and life), teaching dance, singing in choir (or in the car or at a concert). So my voice takes a beating. I don’t know what I would do without the classic Traditional Medicinal Throat Coat Tea. I love black licorice so I have no issues with the flavor of the tea and it works wonders on giving your voice life again. If you like licorice, the Yogi Eqyptian Licorice is wonderful, but not as medicinal.
At night, my favorite tea to unwind with is the get some zzz’s from The Republic of Tea. I have a lot of their teas and really love the canister presentation. I have a bunch of them just because I’m a sucker for the packaging and love trying them. But I find this nighttime tea perfect to relieve stress and get ready for bed.
Are you more tea or coffee? Do you have any favorites that we need to put in our cupboard or desk drawer? Please comment below! And hey–stay warm out there, folks!
Like all things, we have purchased these teas with our own money and are not being paid for our drinking habits.
I love lists. I make lists for everything. I’m one of those people that adds something to a list—even after it’s finished—just so I can cross it off.
I love making lists. I love reading list.
And of all the lists I make during the year–this one is my favorite. Reviewing music in preparation for compiling this list gives me an opportunity to revisit periods of the year tied to that music. Like listening to Blonde for the first time in my hotel room in Tokyo. Running through a village in Denmark and hearing Usher’s surprise turn on Yuna’s song, Crush. Ending my dance class with a cooldown to All My Friends. Checking out A Moon Shaped Pool on my drive back from Eaux Claires festival and being moved to tears by the closer, True Love Waits.
Festivals are often a source for my favorite music experiences of the year. And no one reminds me of this summer’s festival season like Chance the Rapper and his surprise appearances at Lollapalooza and Pitchfork. (Sadly, I missed him at Eaux Claires.) No Problem will always remind me of #summer16. He is the only artist that appears on three tracks on this year’s list.
Each year’s list tends to be a mix of old favorites and new finds—and there’s something extra special when a song brings both together. One of my musical highlights of 2016 is Craig David’s comeback and one of my great finds was the Kaytranada album. (I discovered it by Shazamming the pre-show music at the BØRNS’ concert.) So of course–the Kaytranada track Got It Good FEATURING Craig David was gonna make my list. Other mixes of old and new can be found on D.R.A.M’s duet with the incomparable, Erykah Badu on the sexy WiFi and Anderson Paak and Schoolboy Q’s perfection, Am I Wrong?
Or sometimes, two favorites come together like the Waves remix, with Miguel and Tame Impala—both artists on my 2015 mix—creating a track that still freaks me and it dropped in January. And of course, my favorite couple of 2016 (and 2010, 2012…)—and sadly just #summer16—Drake and Rihanna’s track, Too Good.
My list runs from November 1, 2015-October 31, 2016. I want to have time to give things a proper listen (thus why Missy Elliot’s WTF is on my list this year, even though it appeared on most 2015 year-end lists). But sometimes you have to make an exception. After four different friends asked me if I’d checked out the new A Tribe Called Quest album, I knew I needed to stop and give it a listen. I’m glad I did and We the People…is included on this year’s list.
Then there’s Beyoncé. Like everyone else, Lemonade was it for me this year. It only took one listen to know it would be my favorite album of the year–and it’s only gotten better and better with time. And no song blew my mind like Formation making it my favorite song of the year.
It’s no coincidence I call the list my “favorites” and not the best. These are the songs I returned to again and again throughout the year. I could’ve easily made this list 100 songs long–but figured that’s obnoxious. I could make the case that any song on David Bowie’s album is one of the best of the year. It’s just too hard for me to listen to them. Similarly, this year will always be remembered as the year we lost Prince. I debated adding a Prince song in memorial, but I still struggle to listen to anything from his catalog and have yet to make it through Purple Rain without crying. So I didn’t.
Finally, this year will also be remembered as the year music listening got incredibly fractured and complicated. For example, the only complete list with all my top 50 favorite songs appears on Tidal. Spotify is close, but is missing Formation, making the list feel incomplete. I can’t purchase my favorite Car Seat Headrest song or Kanye West’s Ultralight Beam on Itunes so my CDs have holes. And YouTube doesn’t have four of the songs: Ivy, Too Good, Got it Good or The Ballad of Costa Concordia (Car Seat Headrest is making it incredibly difficult for you to hear this epic track.)
But I want you to have the chance to give my list a listen, so I’ve created three different playlists on three different platforms based on what’s available—and I am always willing to get you CD old school-style—just ask! Hopefully, one of these options will work for you.
And remember—while I love making lists—I love reading them. I will spend the next few months checking out everyone else’s lists—including yours. So please post your favorite songs from 2016 below so I can give them a spin!
I hope you find some new tracks or artists on this list that become your new favorites, too. Or maybe they bring back good memories from this year. I know this year has been hard, but it’s also been one of the best in music that I can remember in a long time.
Can’t wait to hear your feedback on my list and start checking out your favorites, too!
We know that Pamela rocks the nudes. Soon we will learn about Lyn’s favorite reds. But for me, I can’t resist the siren call of a solid fuschia.
It all started a few years ago- I was having dinner with my dear friend Nico, and afterward we popped into Macy’s to check out the MAC counter. Feeling bold after a few cocktails, I tried on a limited edition shade called Rare Exotic. I loved it, but worried I might look crazy with such a bold color. Nico insisted that I buy it. She’s a really good friend. Right after that I dropped a cupcake on the ground, ate it anyway, and she never told anyone. But this, friends, is where my fuschia addiction began.
MAC Mattene Lipstick in Rare Exotic. Photo via Temptalia.com
The heartbreak in this story is those fatal words: limited edition. See, not only is this color the perfect hot pink with blue undertones, the formula is perfection. It’s a satin matte finish, doesn’t dry out your lips, and one swipe lasts the whole night. I have about a half an inch of product left, and weep a little every time I use it.
Never fear: I have some other fuschias that can carry me through. My closest backup is Urban Decay‘s Menace (comfort matte), or it’s sister Anarchy (cream). Both of them are bright, in your face fuschias with a blue undertone, which is my favorite type of fuschia. Urban Decay knocks it out of the park on their matte formulas- they are richly pigmented, don’t dry out your lips (especially if you use a lipliner or primer underneath), and the colors pack a punch all night long. The cream formulas are also aces, though slightly less long-wearing, but good to carry in your purse for touch ups.
Anarchy, photo via Urban DecayMenace, photo via Urban Decay
On the drugstore end of the spectrum, I usually have a stick (tube?) of Revlon’s Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in my purse or car for emergencies. It’s a nice sheer hot pink, so it’s a little easier/daytime wearable, plus the formula is moisturizing, leaving a subtle wash of color behind. This is under $10 and an easy gateway product into the world of bold lips. Plus, it’s kinda minty!
Smitten, photo via Revlon
The last pink that I reach for regularly is a surprise to me- I recently grabbed the Sephora Collection Color Last Lipstick in Forever Fuschia (obviously)- it’s actually a really great dupe for Urban Decay’s Jilted, which is also a favorite, but this is a little cheaper. Oddly, it smells like Jolly Ranchers, but it fades after a little bit. The formula wears nicely, is bold but not super crazy bold, and is great for touch ups.
Forever Fuschia, photo via Sephora.com
As usual, I compulsively buy hot pink lipstick with my own money. I have a whole drawer of them. It’s fine. What are your go-to hot pinks?? Also, there seems to be some debate on how to spell “fuschia”, but this is how Alexa told me to spell it.
I was so excited for my Sephora to finally get the “Glow For It” set back in stock! The website had been out of stock ever since I remember discovering it existed, (and actually, I am sad to report it’s not even online anymore) so I had naturally been obsessively checking my store everyday. Being a self professed highlight junkie, it was pretty much the only thing I wanted in the way of gift sets this season. I already have two of the products it included, the Benefit Watt’s Up and the Milk Makeup Sunshine Oil, but none of the others. And I was specifically excited about the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter and the Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder. I’ve had a chance to play around with the set and here are my opinions on how they all stack up.
As I stated already, I have this. In this same exact size actually, the mini trial size. I’ve had it for about a year, and though it’s not one of my go to products, It’s come in handy as a highlight for brow bone, inner corner of the eye, nose and cupids bow. The twist up stick – cream to powder formula is easy to use and it’s really pretty. Nothing bad about it at all. I’m really glad to have another little mini, but I see no need to purchase it in a full retail size.
Again, one that I have already in a trial size. And I like it a lot. I find it nice and hydrating with out turning my face into an oil slick. I’ve used it under my foundation and it gives a slightly more dewy look. But I have found that I use it mostly at night as a/under my moisturizer, and I’ve also been using it on my cuticles and hands. My biggest complaint though is the rollerball application. It’s really not good. It doesn’t glide against my skin smoothly or easily and I have to work at it for a while to get the product out. I feel like I’m set with the two trial sizes and once I use them up, will move on. There are other oils out there that are really very comparable and easier to apply. I won’t be purchasing this in full size.
This is one of four formulas in the Cover FX Infusion Drops. The C + Lemongrass is the Radiance formula. It is less a product to highlight and more for use as skincare, in my opinion. It can be mixed into moisturizer and foundation, or used directly on the skin, which is how I’ve been using it. It smells pretty ok and though I’m not sure if the small size will be big enough to produce very noticeable results (this one is pretty tiny and I feel like a little does not go a very long way) but it’s probably subtly doing what it’s supposed too, or at the very least making my skin feel nice. I’m not even close to being in love with it though, and it’s kind of pricey, so I won’t buy the full size.
One of 5 different shades, the glowing lights shade is definitely not the shade I’d have chosen for myself. I’m more of a champagne/peach/gold highlight girl and this one is very pink. It’s a cream to powder formula and found that with this formula, I couldn’t get my brush to pick it up. So It’s best applied with fingers for me…. not sure about if maybe a synthetic brush would be better? Maybe. Anyway, it’s pretty and has a lot of pigment, but if you’re going to buy a highlight that you have to apply with your fingers buy one of these from ColourPOP (ColourPOP suggests fingers for application for most of their face products.) Really, for the price of this full size Lancome highlight, buy 4 of the ColourPOP singles, which as far as I can tell are a pretty similar formula, if not almost exactly the same. I’ll stick to ColourPOP.
I was certain I would love this, and I was right. I love it. And why wouldn’t I? Becca completely kills the highlight game. Liquid illuminizers like this (or this Josie Maran one, which I already have and love) are so versatile. You can really customize the amount of glow you want – directly on the skin under your foundation, mixed with your foundation, mixed with a primer or mixed with a moisturizer. And it translates into an all over lit-from-within glow. I will be happily buying this in the full size when my sample runs out (but not until I use up the Josie Maran.)
I was the most excited for this one. I’ve often looked at the Hourglass Strobe Lighting Powder line, but wondered, is it worth the price? Have you wondered too? Because it’s not cheap. And it seems like everyone raves about these powders. While I can’t say that I disliked it completely, I also cannot say I loved it completely. And truthfully, I probably need to give it more time and trial. But I am honestly totally underwhelmed. There is no denying that it’s very pretty and does give a nice glow, but it’s very, very subtle. SUPER subtle. Maybe it could just be this color? Maybe??? This would probably work well as more of an all over powder used in a situation where too glowy could be a problem…. yeah, don’t ask me what (absurd) situation that is….. wedding photos maybe? I can safely say that I am not sad that I never bought a full size at full price. I will happily use up this mini size, but probably never buy it in full size.
There you have it. I tried them all, and they all have very different but specific uses and effects. And while I know you can no longer get this set, I wouldn’t say you missed out – I am a little disappointed in it, if I’m being honest. But now I know! And hopefully, my trials and opinions will help you navigate your next highlight/glow/dewy skin product purchase! Let me know what you think of it if you were able to get your hands on it!
BTW, as usual I paid for this little ol’ set with my own money (and at full price too, as it was not in stock during the VIB 20% off event!)
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!! We are so grateful to this wonderful, caring community–filled with friends we’ve known forever and some we’ve never actually met in person–that give us a space to share thoughts, ideas, insecurities and obsessions. In a relatively short amount of time, we feel we’ve taped into something real and we are proud to be on this journey with you. Thank you for traveling with us!
To show our appreciation–we offered one email subscriber a gift pack of Our Drugstore MVPs–picked at random, today, Thanksgiving Day, 2016. Using a very scientific “Random Number Generator”–it’s on the Internet so it must be legit, right?–we selected one number and matched it to our email subscriber list. And the winner…Rachel F!!
Thank you to all our email subscribers, Facebook fans, casual blog readers and generally awesome people we love! We hope you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving–and from Jess, Pam and me–we think you are all winners!!
Now–it’s back to eating and schooling the fam at cards for me! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! xoxoxo
Happy Thanksgiving!! We are so very excited to spend the day with our families and loved ones, enjoying too much delicious food and testing the limits of our stretchy pants. But, as seasonal Hallmark Channel movies love to remind us, sometimes the holidays can be a sticky situation of awkward conversations, pointed topics, and rehashing of tired memories. Before you decide to retreat into a whole box of wine tomorrow, let me help you brainstorm some fun alternative conversations for the day! (Real talk: this is as much for me as it is for you. Let’s do this.)
What movie do you just have to watch if you happen to notice it’s on TV?
For me, it’s either Jurassic Park (the original, obvs), Bring It On (the first one or the third one), or Deep Blue Sea, for which I also have a special knack for turning it on right as Samuel L Jackson finishes his motivational speech…
It’s the zombie apocalypse! What skills do you bring to our survival?
As a massage therapist who is too nice and optimistic, I personally struggle with what I will contribute, but I lift weights so I guess that’s a plus? For carrying stuff? I also worry that when the time comes, I will be wearing a really stupid outfit. I mean seriously- how is Michonne cool enough to have survived in fold-down studded boots?? I need them immediately.
Related: what 5 albums do you hope are downloaded onto your ipod after the zombie apocalypse?
There’s a new King Kong movie coming out that looks pretty rad! But really, how would an ecosystem of over-sized creatures work? What do they eat? Why isn’t the island full of giant poops? Discuss.
Which is scarier: outer space or the ocean?
This is a fun one, because both are scary, and both have reasons one is scarier than the other! You can set up your own rules, like, are you lost at sea or in space? How did you get here? Do you have any survival items? Is there a chance of anyone coming to help you? Everyone has an opinion and no one is wrong: it’s all terrifying, so we all agree. Hooray!
Have you seen this cheetah and dog who are best friends?
Keep this one in your back pocket just in case you need to deflect someone from going down a slippery conversation slope- watch this short video and let the “aawww”s abound. Look at their faces!! Such cute noses!! They are an unlikely pair of cuteness!! No matter if you are on “team dog” or “team cat”, no one can resist the adorableness of these scritchable ears and bellies.
OK friends- I hope this helps!! Please let us know if you have any good conversations starters, survival strategies, or good recipes to share. And we really want to know if you’re more scared of space or the ocean.
I love a bold red lip. I love a bright pink lip. I dabble in purples and deep berry shades. But nudes are my jam. And a nude color can be tricky to wear. Truthfully I do have more than a few that I feel make me look like I’m dead. But when you find the right one, it’s magical (ok, that sounds dramatic, but you feel me, right?) Here is a run down of my current rotation.
We may have mentioned once or twice on the blog how much we love Jeffree Star’s Velour Liquid Lipsticks. For good reason. They are the best. They look great and don’t dry out our lips. In a word, they are perfection as far as matte liquid lipsticks go. I just received Celebrity Skin a week or so ago (they had a free shipping day, I couldn’t resist) and it has fast become my top nude. It’s a slightly peachy, brown nude that I feel could suit any skin tone at all. And, it wears for hours. Shout out to Mannequin for being my second favorite from the nudes in his collection.
When the new Vice collection came out I had a pretty hard time deciding which nudes I was going to pick up. The tester display is a nude wonderland. I settled on a few, with Insanity being my top choice. Insanity is a cream formula, no fuss, easy wearing warm nude that has become a go to for my day to day when I have little time (and little patience for application of a liquid lip) and no available mirror.
Cheap and good. This color hails from the “buffs” collection. It’s a cream formula and again, easy wearing. This is not as warm of a nude as some of my others, it’s more cool toned in my opinion. A co-worker once told me it made me look very exotic, so I’ll pretty much be buying this until it gets discontinued. Wouldn’t you like to look exotic from time to time? I thought so.
Soap and Glory is a brand from England, that wasn’t always so easy to find in the US. It’s now sold at Walgreens.com, Ulta.com and Target.com – with Ulta and Walgreens having a pretty good selection of product in stores as well. I went to Walgreens to check out what they had and of course, left with a nude lipstick. Super Nude is their matte formula. While I wouldn’t consider it a true matte, the formula is still nice. It’s comfortable and creamy, but not shiny. The shade Super Nude is a nice pink nude and it smells like vanilla beans. Next time I’m at Walgreens I’ll definitely pick up another shade.
Image from soapandglory.com
There is a very small glimpse into my nude lipstick obsession. Do you have a nude that you absolutely love? If so, let me know, because you know I’ll run out and buy it immediately (with my own cash money, of course…. as we do all for the products we talk about on the blog.)
We love ALL the products–but we have a special place in our hearts for the ones that keep a little extra cash in our wallets. Regardless of cost, our mantra is: if it works, it works. And some of our MVP products happen to be of the drugstore variety.
To celebrate our MVP drugstore faves–and to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us since we’ve launched our blog–we are offering one blog subscriber a gift pack featuring ALL of our favorite drugstore products shared below!
So check out what we love at the drugstore, make sure you’re subscribed to our blog, and we will pick our winner on Thanksgiving, November 24th. And if you like our blog–please share it with friends–and make sure you’re a fan of our Facebook page, too!
And without further adieu, our MVP drugstore faves:
Pam:
I love my high end body washes that smell amazing and feel so fancy and luxurious. But in addition to those extravagances, I need something that is going to just do the work that I need it to at an inexpensive price point with no frills about it. That product for me is Neutrogena Body Clear body wash. I am prone to keratosis pilaris (KP) not only in the winter, but also sometimes in the summer months. If you’re unfamiliar with KP, I’m talking about the “chicken skin” that can develop on the backs of arms and in my case, on my legs – specifically the insides of my knees. With this wash having 2% salicylic acid, it effectively but gently exfoliates and smooths away the bumps without drying my skin out. It is one of the things that is always in our shower (in fact, we all use it!)
L’Oreal Brow Stylist is also on my list of drugstore finds I won’t stop using anytime soon. For whatever reason it always seems a little hard to find it, but totally worth the hunt. I feel like I have different versions of this product which are all good. And there’s not one I would say is better or worse, but at $9.99, this is a staple for me. It works so well to fill in, tame and set my brows. I use it almost everyday (and on the off days I use my Glossier Boy Brow of course, which I also cannot live without). And in addition to it coming in two shades, it comes in transparent, which is really great if you are just needing to tame and set what you have created with your other brow pencils and pomades.
Lyn:
I feel like I’m working through a hundred mascara samples right now–but my tried and true, nobody does it better, accept no imitations is the L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lash Mascara in Blackest Black. Nothing makes my lashes look longer and fuller with less mess and more staying power than this classic–high end products included. It’s my gold standard that none of the samples have been able to exceed.
My lipstick collection is ridiculous. But one of my favorites–whether it’s from the drugstore or department store–is the Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip Color. The color payoff is rich, the matte finish is legit and it has the benefits of a liquid lip in that you don’t have to reapply it crazy often, but it’s not drying. My favorite colors are Divine Wine and Touch of Spice. But I have a few and they are all great.
Jess:
Need to add a little life to your face after a flight? Soften up your powder? Set your makeup? Wake up? Refresh at the gym? Prep your face for moisturizer?? This product is beyond MVP around here- if we could buy it by the gallon, we would: Mario Badescu Facial Spray. It’s cheap, gets the job done, and just generally makes us very happy.
The holidays are a great time to play with a dramatic eye, so I would also love to give you my favorite drugstore eyeliner- the Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Ultra Black by Physicians Formula. As I’ve told you before, this liquid eyeliner pen with a brush tip is a PERFECT dupe for my holy grail (well, second place holy grail now!) Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. I promise it’s easy to use, too!
Want to win all of this awesome stuff?? Just hit that subscribe button below and include a valid email address– if you’re already subscribed, you’re good to go! We really appreciate everyone who reads and joins the conversation here- thanks for sticking with us and helping us grow! Remember- we will announce the winner on Thanksgiving Day, and yes, we will be wearing stretchy pants.
xoxo
We really love these things! We have bought them with our own money more than once. Now we will buy them for you! What are your drugstore MVPs that keep you coming back?? Tell us in the comments!
