All I Need is Mascara and Coffee

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The best way to find out what my favorite beauty products are is to look at my vanity after a long week because it’s usually a mess with those products! These are some of my favorite mascaras that I constantly repurchase again and again and use daily.

I am constantly wearing more than one mascara at a time because I love the look of a high volume and lots of lashes. There are a lot of mascaras for sale and it can be daunting to pick just one. For me, I have a handful of favorites that I like to use everyday to the office or for a night out. I’ve tried the higher end mascaras and sure, I am impressed by many of them because they are worth the money. However, for those days at work when I don’t need a full face of makeup, my drugstore mascaras do the job perfectly! Most mornings, I just have time to make a cup of coffee and put on some mascara before I am out the door. Here are some of my favorite mascaras and why.

L’Oreal Butterfly Sculpt // This has been a favorite of mine for years because it gives your lashes the perfect fanned out look. It’s also perfect for bottom lashes because the brush is tiny so it’s not too much product.

Maybelline Falsies // Again, this is another favorite from high school because it’s affordable and works so well! The brush is round so it helps lift and shape the eyelashes for lots of volume. After a few coats, it definitely looks like fake lashes!

Maybelline Colossal Volume Express // This mascara was a recent purchase and has quickly turned into my everyday mascara for work. It’s not too much product so it works for daytime and with just a few applications I am good to go!

Lancome Monsiour Big // I love a good drugstore mascara but I can definitely tell the difference between a $30 mascara and an under $10 mascara. This mascara gives me big lashes and is worth every single penny. This mascara also lasts all day and doesn’t flake or smudge.

Too Faced Better Than Sex // Okay, so this is my favorite favorite mascara to use because nothing can compare to it. Instead of using multiple drug store mascaras at one time to get the perfect look, I just need three strokes of the Better Than Sex Mascara and I am good to go.

L’Oreal Lash Paradise // So if you don’t have $20 to drop on a mascara right now but love Better Than Sex, then Lash Paradise is the perfect dupe. L’Oreal definitely did some research and was able to create a mascara that was just as good as the original. Sure, it doesn’t last as long and it is a pain to take off at night, but for the cost it is definitely worth it!

friday favorites

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Hi friends! I am definitely ready for the weekend how about you!? This past week was pretty average with the same routine. Hopefully when the weather starts to warm up, I’ll have the motivation (and daylight) to do things after work again. This week I am proud of myself because I started to wake up earlier in the morning before work. It was one of my goals for 2019 and after a few months I am getting better at actually getting out of bed when my alarm goes off! Something that has been really helpful for this new routine is by creating a bedtime on my phone with the alarm app. My phone will go to “sleep” with a reminder to go to bed and the do not disturb setting turns on. I use it as a alarm to apply my evening skincare and get into bed no matter what else is on my to do list. Then my alarm goes off the next morning and my phone starts pinging with all of the notifications that I missed at night. Now I am able to take some time to get ready in the morning and actually eat breakfast before leaving the apartment. Having this extra time in the day totally changes my mood and energy levels during the day.

This weekend, I am hoping to catch up on some sleep, get some errands done and spend some time with friends. Every weekend I feel like there is never enough time to get everything done. The weather is slowly starting to warm up and I am hoping that it will feel like Spring soon. I’m still bundled up in my winter coat and big scarf because anything below 70 degrees is too cold for me! I love talking to my parents who just moved to the South because they eat breakfast outside every day and enjoy walks around their garden. I think my mom has worn a real winter coat only like five times this entire winter. Jealous doesn’t even begin to describe it! For years I knew I would move to the South when I was married and ready to start a family, but now a move down South right now is realllly tempting! This girl needs some warm weather STAT!

What I’m Watching

Last weekend, I finished binge watching Rizzoli and Isles on Hulu and I forgot how much of a void in your life there is when you finish a show like that. I spent the rest of my weekend catching up on my usual shows like Grey’s, The Resident, This Is Us and New Amsterdam. Saturday afternoon, Jake came over and decided to cancel our plans to stay in to finish watching Stranger Things. Jake had never seen it so we have been watching it together and now I am really excited for season 3. After work on Monday, I needed a new show to watch so I started watching Madam Secretary from the beginning. I forgot how amazing this show was! I’m embarrassed to admit how many episodes I have watched this week so far. Jake and I needed a new show to watch together so after work on Wednesday, we started to binge watch Fixer Upper. Jake says he saw the show before but now I need him to get obsessed with the Gaines like my family and I are. Maybe if I watch enough episodes with him, he will build me a house hehe!.

What I’m Listening To

I’m still listening to the Goop podcast on my commute to work. This week’s episodes have covered addiction, family and how to become your future self. Did you know that Dax Shepard has a podcast? I didn’t either until he was on the Goop podcast talking about it. I may have to subscribe because he is so funny and down to earth.

What I’m Loving

Emily Ley revealed new planners and they look beautiful! Yes, this planner is a bit pricey but I love mine and would be truly lost without it.

I found my new go to outfit for brunch!

I’m excited for the Chrisley Know’ Best spin-off, Growing Up Chrisley, premiering on April 2nd. It’s one of my favorite shows to watch over and over whenever I need a funny show to watch.

Love these shoes for spring and they are perfect for the office. I am also sharing these loafer slides because I have three of them from last year and they are my most worn style shoe!

I neeeeed these earrings because I somehow lost all of my other pearl studs.

Tell me I don’t need this pillow! I really hope I can find time this weekend to do some decorating around my apartment for Spring.

Everyone’s favorite cami is now in chambray for spring! Buy it ASAP because it will sell out again.

I never found a cardigan I didn’t like lol!

Looks like I’m going to Old Navy this weekend because these pink pants are adorable for spring!

On The Blog

A Spritz of LOVE

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A while ago, I received a few rewards and a handful of coupons from Victoria’s Secret. I didn’t need anything but felt like not using my gift cards would be a waste so I went into a store to browse. I have plenty of intimates and my pajama drawer looks like it is going to explode at any minute. Since I didn’t need any new lounge wear, I wandered over to the beauty section and started spraying. It’s been years since I purchased a perfume at Victoria’s Secret. Their marketing lately has been working because I wanted to see if there was anything I could buy with my gift card. After I sprayed the perfume LOVE, I immediately fell in love (ha!). It’s hard to describe but it’s a classic scent that feels light and airy. With the fruity and cotton combination, it’s a great fragrance for everyday. I already have so many perfumes for special occasions, but I am always looking for a fresh and clean fragrance to wear everyday.

I also need to admit that I may have purchased this perfume because of how pretty the bottle was! It looks so pretty on my dresser next to my other perfumes. Now before leaving the apartment, I love to do a quick spritz on my way out. I may not look like an Angel in a bra, but I guess I can enjoy pizza while smelling like one!

Have you tried any Victoria’s Secret Beauty items lately? I remember stocking up on sprays in high school and then trading them with my friends. For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with scents and smelling good. I’m sure I’ll be back soon so I can pick up another perfume!

Skincare Review: Peter Thomas Roth Peptide 21 Collection

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This point contains affiliate links that help support Blonde Rosie.

I love trying new skincare products and I reallly love trying products that work! I’ve been using Peter Thomas Roth skincare products lately and I’m already seeing results. The new Peptide 21 collection has 21 peptides, neuropeptides and 2 gamma proteins (lots of collagen and proteins that help with anti aging!) The Peptide 21 Collection helps prevent wrinkles, keep your skin firm and moisturized and exfoliate leaving your skin looking radiant!

Peptides are chains of amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins in the skin. Over time, our body stops producing collagen and this is what causes our skin to age. When peptides are applied to the skin, the skin working with the peptides to produce new collagen. Applying skincare products with peptides helps get rid of wrinkles naturally and daily slows down the loss of collagen in your skin.

I use the Peptide 21 Wrinkle Resist Serum on my face and neck at night because it dramatically reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles. 

The Lift & Firm moisturizer does just that! I like to use it under my makeup because it makes my skin feel bouncy, firm with lots of hydration.

The Amino Acid Exfoliating Peel Pads reduce the look of pokes and uneven skin tone. It’s an easy way to exfoliate your skin once or twice a week and it does an amazing job at making your skin feel really smooth! 

My favorite part is that it takes just 2 minutes to apply a serum at night and put on a moisturizer in the morning. I love easy skincare that works right away and doesn’t take too much time out of my day! My skin loves every single one of these products and I know that you will to! If you take some time now to invest in your skin. I can promise that you won’t regret it ten years from now!

A big thank you to Influenster and Peter Thomas Roth for supporting today’s blog post. Products were received complimentary for review purposes but as always, all thoughts are my own.

The Secret to Tricking Everyone That Your Apartment is Clean

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Jake always rolls his eyes when I say that my apartment is a mess. There will be a few things on my floor and a bowl on my coffee table and I think my apartment is a disaster. It usually takes us like 5 minutes to straighten up my apartment before bed and everything is back to being clean again. One trick that makes cleaning up super easy is that I am very insistent on having clear counter tops. Sure, I have decor on my coffee table and end tables, but I try really hard to keep it very minimal. Even really pretty home decor can look like clutter when there is too much of it.

My kitchen is tiny so clean counter space is a must! I try to keep only the appliances I use daily on my counters and everything else is in the cabinets. All of my spices and cooking tools are in a cabinet so they are out of sight until I need to use them which is rare. Pots and pans should have a home in a cabinet so they are not taking up valuable counter top space. . At night before bed, I will put all of my dirty dishes in the dishwasher, wipe down everything and put any food back in their right place. Just having a kitchen with nothing on it makes it look so clean!

I don’t get much mail so I can easily sort it or toss it as soon as I walk in the door. I have a little entry table with a mail sorter so anything important goes there so I know exactly where it is. Paper accumulates quickly so I try to prevent it from happening as much as possible. One thing I like to keep is coupons because I always use them when I shop! There is an envelope in my junk drawer that has all of them so I can easily grab them when I go shopping.

At night, I will do a quick walk around and put items back where they belong. It takes like five minutes but really helps keeping the place look clean all week long. My inspiration is hotel rooms because there is nothing on the counters and the rooms are always relaxing. Am I the only one who can’t go to bed when their home is a mess? My closet can have clothes on the floor, my hamper can be overflowing with laundry, but as long as all of the surfaces in my apartment don’t have clutter, my apartment looks clean!

How I am Planning for a Productive Week

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With a cup of coffee in my hand and my planner in front of me, I am ready to plan this week. Errands, the gym, trying a new face product and meal prep all are added to my planner so I can see what needs to be done this week. If it is not in my planner there is a good chance I will completely forget about it. Oops! Here I put a few ways to plan a productive week together for you. Have a good week everyone!

Plan Something Fun First Thing in the Morning
I hate waking up early on the weekends and will avoid it as much as I can. However, I have found that planning something in the morning with a friend is a good reason to get out of bed before noon. Plan to get brunch or make a date with yourself and try a new coffee shop in town. Find a reason to get out of your apartment so you don’t feel like you got nothing done all day. And while you are out, now is the best time to get those errands done!

Get the Errands out of the Way
Throughout the week, I keep a post it in my planner that has a list of everything I need to purchase. In my planner, I keep a list of places and errands I need to run on the weekend so I can see ahead of time what the best day is to get everything done. On Fridays, I will order as much as I can on Target.com so it can be shipped to my apartment and then I can just shop for produce and other items that cannot be shipped. My goal is to get everything done as soon as possible on Saturday so I can enjoy my Sundays.

Do Laundry and Immediately Put it Away
I have never hated laundry and I really don’t mind doing it. However, I find that I am always getting distracted and never find time to actually put it away. My new goal is to fold and put away as soon as it comes out of the dryer so I don’t have to stare at a pile of clean laundry on my bed!

Wash Your Sheets & Make Your Bed
Get in the habit of cleaning your sheets every weekend. My preference is to do them on Sunday evenings so I can crawl into a nice warm bed! My bed will never be made in the morning because I am too lazy but I do like making it on Sunday nights. It makes me a lot more eager to get into bed.

Get Snacks & Lunches Ready for the Week
While I cook dinner on Sunday, I like to cut up veggies and put them in tupperware and organize my fridge so I can easily grab food in the morning before i leave for work. I started to buy snack size containers of apple sauce and fruit cups that I can keep at my desk. I’ll also make popcorn and put handfuls in plastic bags so I can have easy snacks. I try to make everything easy to grab and go on Sunday nights so I don’t have to worry about lunches during the week.

Clean Your Apartment
Now that I clean my apartment every single week, it makes this weekly task much more manageable. I talk a little bit about it more here, but I basically take a few minutes to walk around and collect dishes before running the dishwasher, throwing in a load of laundry, wiping down counters and then quickly vacuuming all before I sit down to have breakfast. It seems like a long list, but once I made a routine, it became super manageable.

Write a To Do List for the Week
I would be lost without my planner! On Sundays, I like to look at what I have going on during the week so then I can make a to do list for each day. This way I can plan ahead to make sure I don’t forget anything and plan days to go to the gym. This is also a perfect time to text friends to plan coffee and dinner plans for the week.

Catch Up on Sleep But Don’t Sleep All Day
I love to sleep late on the weekends, but I found that I get so much more done when I wake up and immediately get moving! Another perk is that you will be able to go to bed early or at a reasonable time instead of staying up late because you slept all day.

Go To Bed Early
I actually have a few timers that go off to let me know when to go to bed. Even if I am not asleep by the second alarm, I know that I should be in bed by this time. It holds me accountable and I know that I am the worst when I don’t get enough sleep at night.