Things I Am Loving Lately

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter with friends and family. 

We had the most perfect day. We started off with blueberry lemon muffins and church. We then went to Barnes and Noble to pick up a few puzzles (our new hobby together) and I also found a few new reads, including The Arrangement which I cannot put down and would recommend to anyone looking for an unpredictable book with dark humor and an honest depiction of real people and their very real problems. 

Purchase "The Arrangment" 

Later we took a trip to my parents and enjoyed Easter dinner, kite flying, minibiking, the movie Sing (which I loved every second of), and "Head Charades" (a new iPhone app which is a great family game). 

I wanted to share today some of the things I have been obsessing over lately. 

TJ Maxx has done it again...I found this very applicable night shirt for under $10 on the clearance rack. Summer is approaching and I get very hot at night but like the weight of covers on top of me. My solution? Nightshirts. (It is also worth mentioning for humor's sake that I have ruined all of my nice PJs, including those from Victoria's Secret and Liz Claiborne. Everything from bleach to fire has taken a toll on my favorite prints and patterns. I no longer am allowed the luxury of investing in nice pajama sets. 

I got on board the Starbucks "Unicorn Frauppacino" train and tried one. It was very strange, yet weirdly delicious. It is not something I would drink every day but it was worth trying. The tarte mango would taste great spiked on a vacation. 

Speaking of coffee, I am tired of spilling my hot caffeinated drinks on myself in my car by using my poor judgement and choosing to carry open coffee cups into the car. I love my new Lilly Pulitzer mug, and you can purchase it off the Paper Store with 10% off your first purchase. I actually bought mine off of Amazon Prime. They don't make this print anymore! I love that it is BPA free, though a pain to handwash it every time. 

Lilly Pulitzer "Confetti" Insulated Mug

One of my favorite blogs to read is April's "Smidge of This." It is actually listed in my favorite blogs list on the right. Her sister is the owner of Laura Cox designs, a fabulous Etsy shop with handmade necklaces. I am especially in love with her gold dipped oysters and hammered bead necklaces. They are beachy and fresh. I love Etsy and the thought of supporting small businesses, many of which are run by SAH moms. Shop Laura Cox designs here!  

I am on a bit of a spending freeze after buying my new coffee maker and bar cart as a reward for passing my CCRN exam. However, I would love to purchase one of these in the summer!

Lastly, everyone needs to try out my favorite new highlighters. I have been a die hard Too Faced makeup fan by entire life and almost all of my cosmetics are from this brand. Their quality and sustainability is unmatched. Their new Love Light highlighters from the Natural Love collection do not disappoint. They are light and icy. There is one for every skin tone, from dark to light. How many other makeup brands honestly make 3 different highlighters that universally cover every skin tone? I can't leave my house without them, even if I don't wear foundation. I get so many compliments on my "sunny glow." 

Too Faced Love Light Highlighter 

I would love to hear what you are all obsessing over lately!

XOXO, 

Life Lately in Instagram Photos

I haven't posted lately due to an immense amount of studying for a special certification test that increases my credibility where I work in the medical field. Too much of life got in the way and I just haven't had time to do some of the things I love. Totally worth it, in my opinion, if that means that I can chip away at some of the things on my goals list for this year. Making time for blogging was one of those things. Even when I am not posting regularly, I am still active on Instagram so feel free to follow along for all of my favorite things, from foodie finds to chronic makeup hoarding. 

You may have seen my post here on falling in love with Too Faced "Fall in Love" collection. Well, since then I received it...and I am head over heals. The colors are flawless, the wear is at least twelve hours without a primer, and there is the perfect mix of matte shadows for bases and shimmery shadows for lids. Unlike many makeup palettes, there is not one color here that is not practical for everyday use. 

I also stepped out of the box and decided to try out Dior's Airflash foundation, as well as their brush specifically designed for aerosol foundation. This stuff is worth every single penny, my friends. I had a Sephora clerk apply it at the store and was instantly in love. My skin looked airbrushed. This is the kind of foundation you pay for when you get your makeup done for your own wedding. Though the quality does not disappoint, the price might. I was reading in the reviews that people who used this every day as their primary foundation ran out in three weeks. I definitely believe this, even if you are careful not to apply too much foundation into the brush before applying it to your face. 

via

Click here to find the link to the Backstage Buffing Brush. 

I use Too Faced Born This Way Foundation for every day use in the color Ivory and received almost as flawless effects. The Dior Airflash is definitely for special occasions and evening outings. 

Will and I had our own homemade pizza night when we decided that we no longer wanted the ground beef that I had originally thawed for dinner. I found premade dough at Giant Eagle and it turned out just as delicious. Personally, I don't regret not trying to make my own dough from scratch because living in an apartment means limited counter space and more of a potential for a disaster using raw ingredients like flour and yeast. 

Amazon has so many cheap frame options available, and I found the last set of a four pack of black frames (that already came with cut mats!) and did some light hanging in lieu of hanging curtains. When I eventually move out of my apartment, I have to patch all of the holes in the wall that I have created in my 1,200 square feet. I promise you that the amount of art, shelves, and curtains hung on other walls is second to none and I cannot bear to think of having to patch any more. This will do! 

I have had so much use out of my Lilly planner paper, from coating my acrylic makeup holder to invitations, coasters, paper mache ornaments, and this. Moral of the story, never throw your agenda out and always consult Pinterest for DIY ideas. 

We have made many a stop to our favorite donut shop for either cake donuts or rainbow sprinkle affairs. 

I can't get enough of the cute kits they have by the front line at Barnes and Noble. I picked this up, and am currently "refrigerating" my seeds, hoping they germinate in a few weeks. I have a newfound obsession with green-thumbing.  

I picked up two of these #FLOATIES for one of my good friends and I for the summer.

Such a great stocking stuffer, small gift, or thinking-of-you treat!

 What have you been loving lately?

XOXO, 

Season Favorites

Spring has pretty much sprung, and I am so excited about all of the new releases from all my favorite brands, even if that just means browsing! 

First of all, I have been waiting forever for the release of the Too Faced  "Fall in Love" collection, and it is released as of March 9th! Could these shimmery nudes be any better? I love that there are so many options for blending. Too Faced is my go to for all makeup, including my concealer, their Better Than Sex Waterproof mascara, and blushes / bronzers. I don't ever have to use a primer because their makeup sticks all day. 

And I won't forget to mention...they are having a huge sale and many of their cosmetics are up to 60% off right now. 

And, all of the Lilly Spring 2017 arrivals are gorgeous. All of the crisp blues and whites have me ooo-ing and awe-ing because as you know, I am obsessed with any hue of blue and all resort wear. Will and I are trying to plan a few quick getaways this year and I hope some of these releases get listed on Poshmark or in the Lilly After Party Sale in the summer so I can snag a few. 

Lilly Spring 2017 by aduchessandablog on polyvore.com

What new releases are you loving this season?

XOXO,

5 on Friday

Happy Friday, everyone! Unfortunately, I am working the entire weekend which I am not excited about because I just got over a 7 day sickness. However, I am excited to be linking up with Smidge of This and Carolina Charm for 5 on Friday. Head over and link up yourself and post about 5 things on your mind. 

1.  I had such a fun Valentine's Day with Will. I must admit, the best in a long time. He surprised me with a stunning bouquet, a dinner at a gorgeous restaurant on Monday, and Rose treats from L'Occitane, my favorite. 

I am enjoying them as they brighten up my family room. I am so ready for Spring so that these bright colors can infiltrate my wardrobe again. 

Loving this sheepskin run that I found at TJ Maxx, my guilty pleasure store. 

Although hard to see, the moon over the city from our view at dinner was divine. It looked like a harvest moon though this is so difficult to capture in a photo. I was sick and trying to stifle my coughing fits in between my bites of scallops and shrimp in a cajun cream sauce...how romantic. 

2.  That day I walked into Dillard's and walked out with an entire outfit for under $100 within 2 hours. I cannot remember the last time I did that. Everything was on deep discount, and I love my knack for finding everything in clearance! I wanted something beautiful and unique that I hadn't worn before for dinner. 

3.  I shipped out my first order of prints for a very happy mermaid loving customer this week. You can shop this print and many other pretty options either on Instagram by following @paintingsbyrachael or by shopping at my tab above, also linked here. 

4. Breaking in for a little review of LUSH bath bombs here...I must admit, I was not the biggest fan. 

Avo-Bath

I never used to be a fan of bath bombs, but I had a coworker recently recommend LUSH bath bombs to me and I happened to run into a boutique unexpectedly in Pennsylvania. I just picked up one bath bomb to see if I liked it, and I was very impressed. I chose the Avo-Bath for the hints of citrus. It was soothing to my skin, and supposedly the products are vegan and handmade which I love the concept of. My only worry is over time they will start to irritate my skin because later in the evening I started to itch everywhere, and I mean everywhere.

 I would definitely recommend it once in a while for a relaxing bath as long as you shower after to remove it all from your skin and replenish your skin with an oatmeal or shea based lotion afterwards at the very least to replace the moisture lost in a hot tub. I am a firm believer that aromas can calm and soothe, and I think that would be the main selling point to make me go back for more. 

5.  I am the biggest fan of these SIREN candles. I am not a fan of the fact that they are poured in Vietnam (um hello, do I need to be worried about lead in my candle?!) but I love to place them around the home. The smell is delicious. All of them are based on "sea scents" and they truly give me nostalgia for the ocean in the summer. I think the Moonlit Orchid is my favorite, followed by Sea Glass. If you only like candles made in the USA like Yankee, which is my personal favorite, these candles are rich enough to scent a room without burning. The gold rim just looks so classy! 

Hope you all have a good weekend!

XOXO, 

L'Occitane Favorites

On our recent trip to Pittsburgh, Will and I wandered into a L'Occitane store. I have honestly never tried their products and am so glad we did. I love that the products are based on organic farming, although I admit I was semi disappointed when I found out that the hand gel did have parabens in it, although some studies are suggesting that parabens might not actually affect fertility. Regardless, I always feel better knowing all of the ingredients in a product I am using on my skin.

This winter have a spa day for yourself. I picked both my skincare and See's candies favorites 

for a relaxing night in. 

The shea butter based bar soap is incredible. I have used body wash my entire life and found that I did not need to reapply and relather. I also felt like my skin had a soft protective coating after in the best way from the ultrahydration of shea butter.

The hand gel is another one of my new favorites. albeit I admit I was hesitant to make the purchase due to the price. However, I am very hard on my hands while washing them at the hospital almost around the clock and decided to make the purchase. The cooling sensation of the hand gel is incredible and I feel like the gel base soaks in so much easier without leaving a greasy film.

Shop all of our L'Occitane pics below. I love that Will helped me make this list, because it goes to show that high quality skin products are for everyone. Next time I go back I would love to try some of the Rose scented products, though I find the refreshing hints of citrus in the skincare I purchased very uplifting.

Another tip? Use the shea butter pot not only on your lips but also on your cuticles and feet!

Have you ever tried L'Occitane? I am interested in maybe finding an eye cream from them!

XOXO,

My Skincare Routine

I recently had a few questions on my skincare routine from a few coworkers, and I have also had a lot of interest in beauty routines and my favorite products previously between Instagram followers and my previous blog domain in the past. Here is a step by step guide to my skincare routine both day by day and throughout the week.

All of my products are tried and true. I have used them for many years and have a tendency to keep going back to them regardless of if I have tried other products. While I understand that many of my picks are pricey, I believe your skin is something you should always invest in, because you only have one shot at it through life. This being said, wear sunscreen each time you are going to be in the sun for an extended amount of time (they say anything greater than 20 minutes regardless of rain or shine requires sun protection). I live in the north so being blasted by the sun on a daily basis is not a main concern of mine, especially since I work night shift. In fact, I have been told by my dermatologist that 20 minutes of sun exposure can be healthy for those are deficient in Vitamin D. However, there is a very fine line between soaking in a beneficial amount of rays and worshiping the sun.

I wash my face two times a day, no more and no less regardless of whether or not I have worn makeup. I have two toned skin, so washing my skin more will result in overdrying after which my skin will produce copious amounts of oil. When I wake up to go to work, I wash my face with St. Ive's Exfoliating face wash. I use a tear-drop sponge to exfoliate which I tend to replace every 3 to 4 weeks. I also wash my face in the shower when I get home from work with the same face cleanser. I always like to make sure my cleanser has salicylic acid to fight blemishes. I find that this face cleanser is cheap, is not formulated with any phthalates or parabens and has just the right amount of salicylic acid to not overdry my skin. I have found that benzyl peroxide leaves my skin with large, scabby flaky patches which is not ok. Not to mention, St. Ive's is cheap and can be found almost anywhere, as well as exfoliating pads.

Every time I wash my face I also follow up with a toner and a moisturizer, both 2 minutes within getting out of the shower. The toner helps even skin tone and finish cleaning oil and excess makeup off. I am always surprised that I can dirty two to three cotton balls with junk from my face despite having washed and exfoliated my face in the shower.

 I then use my favorite face serum underneath my moisturizer whether it is morning or night. I thought I should or would ever use a face serum, and once I did I noticed a difference immediately. I tried argan oil and thicker night moisturizers, but nothing left my skin as soft, supple and ageless as Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Recovery Complex. It has a formula that not only moisturizes but produces radiance, fixes dryness, and fades dark spots. It never leaves my skin oily, and I have felt like in the 3 years since I have been using this my face is at a "stand-still" despite trekking through multiple Northeastern snow belt winters. However, it does not stand alone...I smooth it all over my face and neck but still follow up with a day moisturizer with SPF in the morning or a night cream in the evening before I go to bed. I use Neutrogena for both, as I find they are affordable but do the job beautifully since I go through a jar at least every 2 - 3 months. A $45 - $75 moisturizer would get expensive very quickly considering I use a different one in the evening and at night. I think it is so important to use a night moisturizer in the evening because the goal is to hydrate and let your skin breathe with a thicker cream. I often get free samples from Sephora with my purchases and will do a water pack mask at night when I don't have to worry about my face looking oily.

What do I think my true secrets to beautiful skin are? I never spot treat blemishes with hyper-drying ointments, I always always always wash my makeup off before bed, and I make it a point to wear both a moisturizer and a foundation during the day with an SPF. I have also included a link in the scrolling Polyvore insert with my favorite sunblock to wear in sunny weather in addition to a hat. Though the theories state SPF does not work after 30, I say the higher the block the better.

Three times a week I will also use the Philosophy Oxidizing Facial Peel. I cannot rave about this peel enough. You first put on a charcoal base peel and let it sit for a minute. The second step cream is added to the charcoal base and it starts to foam. The combination of the two allows for an oxidation process that lets bursts of oxygen into your pores. After three minutes, you use the dermablade to exfoliate and scrape off the peel. It truly clears the skin and my face feels like silk through a gentle process. Once a week, I also use a thick Boscia fask mask to pull off extra oil in my ENT zone and also pull out extra "crud" in my pores that more gentle exfoliating might not pull out.

Some of the dream products I would like to try out include La Mer's moisturizer. I also would like to find an eye cream in the future. I will let you know if I find one that I love!  You can shop all of my favorite products below, and ask any questions...skincare is my passion!

What are you favorite cult beauty products to use? 

XOXO, 

Lately

As you know, every week I like to share off my Instagram feed everything that I have been up to lately. Here I can elaborate a little more in depth about what fun things have been going on in my life. You can follow along at @theduchess1317 on Instagram, or click on the Insta-feed in the sidebar to the right. As I mentioned before, A Duchess & A Blog is now on Bloglovin as well. I am so excited to have added these new features to my little corner of the Internet, which is a true labor of love. 

Other fun features that have been added to the blog lately include a list of all of the blogs I love to follow as well as a list of hyperlinks to the places I love to shop, which are included in the list alongside my blog archive in the right hand sidebar.  I have additionally added a "Favorites" tab which I previously mentioned. Here you can view my most loved posts according to views. However, please note that I will refrain from including recipes and all of the "Lately" posts, as these can be found by searching the phrase word "Lately" in the search bar and they will all populate.  I will include some of the most loved Lately posts of all time. 

Now, off my soapbox...here is what I have been up to the past week!

Cooks Nonstick Large Griddle /  Hamilton Waffle Maker 

I was so excited to finally use the breakfast goodies that I got for a steal on Black Friday. I may not have announced it here, but I am a huge connoisseur of breakfast. I want alllll the breakfast foods. Part of this is probably associated with working third shift and breakfast being my main meal of the day. The day after Thanksgiving I was able to score a large Cooks griddle from JCPenny for eight dollars (normally fourty) and a Bella waffle maker for free from Macy's. While I am not able to find the exact replica of the Bella waffle maker as I believe it was a special edition for the Macy's Black Friday rebate special, I was able to find a very inexpensive and practical waffle maker from Hamilton Beach which I have linked above. I have a few Hamilton Beach kitchen products and they have worked for years! Will and I enjoyed this delicious plate of breakfast goods on NYE. 

The Lilly napkins were given to me by someone who knew I would appreciate them...and I love how they look layered with my yellow napkins. 

Sonic the Hedgehog Colorway Art Toy 

If you have been reading my blog even for a minute then you know I am obsessed with Kidrobot and Tokidoki art toys. I was so excited when Will surprised me with a late Christmas gift...this Sonic the Hedgehog colorway toy to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Sega's classic video game character. While I am not a video game junkie by any means, I am easily addicted to the colorful classic games of Pac-Man, Sonic and Super Mario. This electic and bright toy fit perfectly on one of my decorative shelves and adds to the whimsical decor in my nautical home. I love that there were only 200 of these pieces made worldwide. 

I spent my New Year's Day recovering from the wedding celebration we had in downtown CLE the night before as well as making two loaves of banana bread. As a carb junkie, I cannot get enough. 

Score! I found this on deep, deep, deep discount at The Real Real. 

If you have not checked out this online luxury consignment store, now is the time. Many of the products look like they have been used from women like me...which is not enough. Needless to say, beautiful goods and accessories end up sitting in the closet for months when they could be loved in other homes. This particular consignment store is offering 20% off many of their items for a while and you will also receive another fraction of money off for signing up for an account. 

I was not so much of a happy camper when I had to go into Sephora for the third time after swearing myself off because I lost my Benefit Watts Up! stick for the second time, which meant I had to replace it for the third. At thirty dollars a pop, I was angry but at least I have been getting a lot of beauty points and reward products in return. 

Unfortunately, this is one of the absolute staples in my beauty routine. I swear that I can get away with wearing less makeup when I use this highlighter because it truly brightens all the right areas of my face (bridge of my nose, cheekbones, edges of my forehead, tip of my chin). 

Watts Up! Highlighter in Champagne 

What have you been up to lately? 

I have some exciting reviews coming to the blog soon so stay tuned!

XOXO,