Beauty Tips: Why I Decided to Quit Dairy

For the past 6 years, I've had cystic acne. I've tried just about everything I could to get rid of it: expensive skincare, prescriptions from my dermatologist, rounds and rounds of antibiotics, going on a different birth control pill, quitting birth control entirely. The only thing that really made my cystic acne go away was being pregnant--but that only lasted about 20 weeks! 

After trying just about everything, I had resigned myself to my fate: I'm just someone who gets cystic acne. That's just the reality. I have extremely oily skin, some kind of slightly hormonal imbalance (trust me, I've always been down that road of tests), and that's it. It's just a perfect storm. 

(You can read about my other oily skin essentials here.)

However, after getting involved in skincare, I was talking about my chronic cystic acne in a beauty group I'm in. Another member asked a serious question: have you considered cutting dairy out of your diet? 

And here's the thing: I love dairy. Milk in my coffee and tea, hot cocoa made with milk, cheese, mashed potatoes with butter and cream... I love dairy. It's probably up there on my list of favorite foods. I am also not anti-dairy: if you ethically source your dairy products (which I do!), you can effectively avoid any of the most negative aspects of dairy products. 

However, I also know about the connection between severe acne and dairy. For some people, dairy can make their skin worse because of the hormones in it. (And note: these hormones aren't bad for you, but for some people they are disruptive.) 

This was something I'd always wanted to avoid. Why? Because I love dairy. But I'd done everything for my cystic acne: I double cleanse with oil to help unclog my pores (I recently switched to pure jojoba), I use tea tree oil and black African soap religiously, I buy all the right expensive skincare, and I love a good clarifying skin mask. But I couldn't shake my worst cystic acne related to my cycle. 

It was time. I had to do it. I had to cut out dairy. 

Obviously, making such a huge dietary change doesn't come out of nowhere. When Forrest needed me to cut out dairy for 4 days, I cried.

So I decided to make changes small: I started with my coffee. My dairy creamer was out; I replaced it with an almond-based creamer from CoffeeMate. (Note: it's really hard to find low sugar almond milk creamers. If anyone has any suggestions that also don't have that horrid aftertaste from the almond, please let me know.) 

Next, it was the milk I use; I used Califia Farms unsweetened almond milk for several weeks, but Califia Farms is having some problems, so they aren't available in stores now. I switched to O Organics Almond milk and it's pretty good (except it has a minor aftertaste). 

Next up on my list of things to drop: butter. I love buttered toast and I'm allergic to soy, a major component in many vegan butter alternatives. Finding a butter alternative that is both dairy and soy free is taking more research than I had previously thought it would. 

The thing that's been easiest to drop, surprisingly, is cheese. I don't really miss cheese (although the sprinkle of parmesan cheese on pasta is rough) as much as I previously thought.... except when it comes to pizza. 

Here's to hoping that all this work finally (FINALLY) gets rid of 6 years worth of cystic acne. 

Have you dropped dairy to help your skin? Let me know how it went in the comments! 

5 Beauty Products I Love Right Now

I've been meaning to write this post for a long time, but to be quite frank, I was waiting until I had five really good beauty products that I felt passionate about. I've been very so-so on beauty products lately: I think the more I learn about beauty, make up, skincare, everything, the pickier I get. It's like I used to think drugstore eye shadows were all about as good as it got; now I couldn't be pickier! 

These five products legitimately fill me with such excitement! It's hard to contain, truly. Let's jump right in. 

1. Soap & Glory's Peaches & Clean Deep Cleansing Milk 

I bought this face wash, originally, in a pinch: I needed something cheap, I needed something immediately, and I needed something that would just take my make up off. Soap & Glory is on a list of questionably cruelty-free companies, so I don't want to promote it as 100% CF. However, if you have sensitive skin and want to replace a micellar water that is totally absolutely not CF, it's a good option. This face wash isn't like other face washes: it's more like a thin lotion. I love using it first to remove my make up, then following up with a second face wash or exfoliant. It also smells amazing, just like peaches, and if I use it alone, it leaves my skin super hydrated. 

2. eSalon's Get Lifted Root Spray

eSalon has been such a hit-and-miss for me, but this root spray has been rocking my world lately. I have very flat hair, but also a lot of hair: so the longer my hair gets, the flatter it gets because of the sheer weight of it on my head. This root spray has been making the days I wear my hair down just a little bit more bearable; it lasts my entire day at work without touch ups and gives me just the right amount of volume, without making my hair feel like a sticky mess. 

3. The Body Shop's Tea Tree Face Wash

I love tea tree oil for break outs. It can be really harsh though, so I always worry about using it every day. However, the Body Shop's Tea Tree face wash has truly changed my mind on that front. I use this as a follow up to my Soap & Glory Peaches & Clean Cleansing Milk. Originally, this little bottle was an impulse buy at Ulta; however, I have since also purchased the full size bottle (I just haven't opened it yet). I am obsessed with this face wash. It's done a really good job of keeping smaller break outs under control for the last few months. If you're oily and acne prone, this is the perfect face wash and it's surprisingly affordable. 

4. Ulta Beauty's Rose Gold Palette

When I first bought this palette, I didn't have super high expectations. I just wanted the free gift Ulta was offering that week (it had a mascara and a bunch of other full size products; I can't help it, I love anything free). However, I've been using this palette almost every single day. The colors all follow along the lines of being muted, mauve-y pink and rose shades, with a deeper purple and a gray; the metallic row has a great selection of matching metallics. It's great for creating a monochromatic look. The metallic shades do need a little assistance (I use some of my Mario Badescu Aloe & Green Tea spray on my brush) to really pop, but for such a cheap palette ($16 after a coupon), it's totally worth it. 

5. SMACK! Beauty's Anti-Wrinkle Retinol Serum 

This was a bargain buy at TJ Maxx and I have to admit, I'm sad that I'll have to repurchase it somewhere else now. It was only $6.99 at TJ Maxx, so if you see it at your local shop, grab it. I alternate this serum with my Ole Henriksen Transformation Gel, just to avoid drying out my skin too much. I consider this serum a major contributor to my reduced break outs in the last two months. Retinol is used for anti-aging, but it also is a great chemical exfoliant to help prevent break outs and cystic acne. This was a great addition to my skincare routine! 

Healthy Finger Food Ideas for Picky Toddlers

The number one question that gets posted in my mom groups is, of course, "Are your kids eating, like, AT ALL?" What is it about being between 18 and 24 months that turns toddlers into the weirdest eaters of all time? Kids who used to happily eat just about everything suddenly reject things they used to love and demand buckets of ketchup with everything. 

Forrest definitely has his moments of refusing to eat anything, but thankfully, I know I can usually get him to eat a few tried-and-true things. But some of our former staples (like quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches) are now on his "no" list. You read that right--he refuses to eat cheese now. 

To make mealtimes easier, I started experimenting with finger foods that I could use to either substitute what he was already eating (without resorting to a peanut butter and jelly every single night) and were a little healthier. These are what I came up with. 

1. Tiny Pancakes

I make Forrest banana and egg pancakes (like the kind you see on Pinterest, here is a good recipe, although I add diced up fruit, cinnamon, and two tablespoons of flour as well); for snacks and lunches, I will sometimes make "tiny pancakes." This is just a tiny dot of batter on the griddle. A few dots adds up to a little bowl of cute pancakes, something he can snack on during dinner or after his nap. They're easy and at least it's not a handful of Teddy Grahams, right? 

2. Steamed, Diced Carrots with Ketchup & Ranch

Every mother is now staring at their screen like, "you're joking, right?" I know, this sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, but trust me. I could never get Forrest to eat carrots... if I left them whole. I steam him a few baby carrots for lunch nearly every day and was basically throwing them away untouched.

One day, I decided to dice them into pieces, toss them in a little butter and garlic salt, and present them with some ketchup and ranch for dipping. He ate every single one. This may be further proof that toddlers will eat nearly anything with their favorite dips, but I think it made him think those pieces of carrot were something else. This is now a staple for lunch and dinner for him. If you have a microwave steamer, it's especially easy. 

3. Veggie Nuggets

Forrest will eat chicken, fruit, and carbs until the cows come home. But veggies are where we really struggle. I've really discovered that he needs his veggie disguised--either in applesauce pouches or in nugget form. 

We buy our veggie nuggets (this is my favorite brand and variety, you can get them at Whole Foods and most grocery stores). But I have made them before and they're surprisingly easy. I like this recipe for them, because it includes lentils--perfect for if you worry your toddler isn't getting enough iron. 

Getting Back on Track

In my newsletter a few weeks ago, I wrote about how I'd been having really bad anxiety lately caused by a mix of macro and micro issues. For me, macro issues are global: things are happening every single day that just feel, well, bad, and it can be very scary. Micro issues are personal, individual, smaller issues that give me anxiety. The macro puts me in an anxious mood; the micro issues push me over the edge. So that when I freak out about a bunch of bugs in my living room that I need to vacuum up despite being terrified of bugs, I'm actually freaking out about the threat of nuclear war. 

For that reason, my blog, my Instagram, and my newsletter have been kind of all over the place. I tell myself that, for the sake of my mental health, I need to take a break. So I do. Then I feel bad about not blogging, about not writing my newsletter on Friday evening so it can send on Saturday, about not scheduling a blog post all week despite having a very clear editorial calendar set up. 

Then I get more anxious about it. And thus, the cycle continues. 

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I love blogging; I love that it gives me something to do that isn't horribly high-pressured outside of my day job. I can experiment with methods here that I can use in my day job. I like having a sense of purpose in everything I do and blogging gives me something to do in my downtime. But I know I can take it a little too seriously. Almost too seriously. 

I get very overwhelmed very easily, despite the fact that I seem to always be looking for something new to take on! I've let myself get too overwhelmed because I try to stay up to date on everything: politics, blogging, what's happening in content marketing. It does not help that I often spend evenings working for my day job, doing tasks for social media and more in the time between when my son goes to bed and I do. 

So what's a girl to do? 

As I've written before, I know I need to work on forgiving myself. I know I live a relatively easy life and, for that reason, I often feel like I can never slack off because I need to earn what I have. As well, I know I need to be easier on myself when it comes to finishing things; it doesn't have to be perfect and my version of success doesn't have to be others versions of success. I don't want to be a blogging phenom; it's hard when the measure of success in the blogging community is a certain level. But realistically, I don't want hundreds of thousands of people reading my blog or emailing me! 

A few months ago, I was doing a great job reducing my anxiety through working out, giving myself real time where I didn't do anything, and saying "no" to new tasks. I know I need to take that on again, so this is a way to hold myself accountable. If you're struggling right now too, I hope you join me. 

My Favorite Weekly Bullet Journal Layout

I've been bullet journaling for about two years now. I primarily use it for work, but at home, I use a bullet journal to do my daily journals. I find it's a lot less intimidating to simply write notes in a little box, as opposed to looking at an entire blank page. I use the space to also write my focus for the week (like reducing my anxiety or forgiving myself for making mistakes), as well as goals and track my work outs. 

Above, you can see my absolute favorite weekly layout. I don't like a ton of decoration, but I do use my embarrassingly large washi tape collection to make things a little pretty. It's neat and orderly and I have just enough space in each box to write important tasks and appointments, as well as to write my evening notes. On Sundays, I write a longer journal entry where I reflect on my week, what went wrong, what went right, and what I can do different next week. Then I make my next weeks layout with a specific focus on an eye on the past week. 

I wanted to share what my weekly layout looks like in my bullet journal for a few reasons: 

1. Bullet journaling can seem really intimidating when you see the amazing art pieces some people do in theirs! But realistically, I don't think you have to go crazy in a bullet journal. 
    
2. It's nice to see how someone realistically uses a bullet journal. I'm never going to get track of all my habits, my savings, my budget in a notebook. That's just not how my brain works! But I do try to keep a journal so that I can remember when things happen and my son can have a record of what life was like with him as a toddler. 

I keep my Pinterest journals board updated with interesting bujo layouts. You can check it out here. I'm always making little tweaks to my weekly layout--like changing up fonts, color schemes, and more--but I think picking one you like and sticking with it is the best way to figure out what works, so you can better use your bullet journal. 

Beauty Review: BITE Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquid Lipsticks*

As always, the asterisk in the title of this post indicates I received these lipsticks for free via Influenster. If you'd like to learn more about my disclosure policy, see here. 

I wanted so badly to love these lipsticks. For whatever reason, when I received the email, I interpreted them to be matte liquid lips. But they are, in fact, not. They are liquified lipsticks, which is nice way of saying a very pigmented gloss. 

I received three colors: Demi-Glace (a sort of brown toned dark purple), Eclair (a fairy standard pinky-mauve with a heavy purple undertone), and Flambe (a bright, orange-red). I wasn't stunned by any of the colors at first glance. I don't like orange reds simply because they don't look good on me. Demi-Glace is quite dark so I could make it work for Fall. Eclair is probably my favorite, but it's also a color that I own in at least ten different ways at this point! 

My first impression, when I tried on Eclair the first time, was: "oh these smell incredibly sweet." They do smell so sweet; it's so cloying that I actually had a really difficult time handling it. Someone pointed out in a beauty group I'm in that they smell like gummy bears. That's pretty dead on, actually. 

On the lips, they feel incredibly nice: they're smooth and glossy, extremely hydrating. If you're not sensitive to smells, they will probably be fine. But if you're like me and a strong smell can give you a headache, they can be overpowering, as I said. However, they leave my lips feeling so moisturized, it's really hard to complain!

Let's talk longevity: they are not long lasting. They're a highly pigmented gloss, essentially; they stay sticky and don't dry down. Unlike lipsticks, it's not a cream or crayon. It bothered me to have my lipstick wear off bit by bit as I went through my morning and reapplying every two or so hours was a bit of a pain. But I like the color of Eclair enough to keep at it. However, the darker and more pigmented colors actually have even more issues with longevity; not only did Demi-Glace come off very easily, but it stained everything it touched, including my coffee mug. 

Would I buy one of these lipsticks on my own? Probably not. At this point, I'm either rocking a liquid lip or a classic lipstick. Gloss was never my favorite, even when I was 14 and lipgloss was insanely popular. The sticky texture is enough to drive me batty. That being said, if you do not like liquid lips and enjoy a more glossy look, these are definitely right up your alley! I've seen some of the other colors in the line and they are actually much better than the three I got. You can view all the colors here. (I really like Chai and Cava!) 

The Sunshine Blogger Award

I was so excited to be nominated for the SunShine Blogger Award by Brandiann at Momma Review. I love her blog; it's so nice to read another mom blogger who is positive and put together (uh, something I really struggle with!). Thanks for the nomination, Brandiann! 

It's been absolutely forever since I've done one of these awards!  

WHAT IS THE SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD?

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to bloggers who are creative, positive and inspiring. Once nominated the blogger is required to write a post in which they:

THE RULES:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated them and link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated them.
3. Nominate 11 other blogs and give them 11 new questions to answer.
4. Notify your nominees and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post.

BRANDIANN'S QUESTIONS FOR ME 

1. What are three things you cannot live without?
1) my iPhone (embarrassing)
2) coffee
3) scented candles

2. Has a movie or book made a huge impact on you?
The Harry Potter series had a huge impact on me as a young teenager. From about 2004-2007, I was really involved in the HP fandom; that was my first foray into blogging for an audience! I still interact with the HP fandom today and love reading fan fiction (there are some amazing writers out there!).

3. What was your favorite toy growing up?
I had (and still have) a stuffed, white seal that was my absolute favorite stuffed animal.

4. Tell me the 3 best things about you.
1) I keep a constant collection of face masks to give as gifts when my friends are stressed.
2) I make a really good cup of coffee.
3) I can whip up cookies or cupcakes in less than an hour, which makes me an incredibly valuable friend!

5. If you could time travel, where would you go?
Oh gosh, I used to think about this a lot. I used to really want to go to the late 1970s in England. Or the late 1600s. I just really want to know what it was like to live in a big, drafty castle!

6. What is your favorite Disney movie?
The Lion King still holds such a special place in my heart! As well as Hercules, one of the most underrated Disney movies of all time.

7. As a child, what did you wish to become when you grew up?
I wanted to be an artist.

8. Why do you blog?
More than anything, I love having an outlet for my writing and a way to stay busy in the evenings when I’m not at work. I’m a sort of if-I’m-bored-I’m-miserable person, so having a hobby is very important to me.

9. What’s your favorite season, and why?
FALL. Does it need to be said? I’m an October baby, I love Halloween, I love wearing sweaters, I hate being hot and sweaty. Fall is the most perfect, blissful time of the year. It doesn’t get better.

10. What’s the hardest thing about being a Mom/Mum?
It’s hard to not have the things you used to. At first I felt very guilty wishing I could just have a full day and night to myself, where I could watch TV and eat whatever food I wanted, clean the house top to bottom and not worry about it being messy again for a while. But it’s ok to miss those things. For me, it was difficult to adjust to being a mom and not having the same freedoms as I used to have.

11. What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I’m very proud of where I am in my career right now and everything I’m accomplishing.

MY NOMINEES 

1. Charlotte from Girl Next Door Fashion
2. Sian from Rebel Angel
3. Ana at Ana's Little Blog 
4. Terra at So Many Changes 
5. Valerie at Southern Belle in the West 
6. Ashleigh at Wonderland Warblings 
7. Rebecca at the Coastal Mummy
8. Sami at Petite Legs 
9. Sarah at Just Buttons
10. Ellie at Ellie Blooms
11. Megan Anne from Love Megan Anne

MY QUESTIONS FOR THE NOMINEES

1. What's your favorite color & why? 
2. What's your current favorite outfits? 
3. What's one thing you wanted to achieve this year that you haven't yet?
4. Speaking of that thing you wanted to achieve, what can you do today to achieve it? 
5. Are you #TeamCoffee or #TeamTea? (Or the controversial #TeamCocoa?) 
6. You're cast out from society. What's the one thing you'd miss the absolute most? 
7. What has been your favorite summer memory? 
8. What are you looking forward to in the next 6 months? 
9. Quick: name your 3 favorite foods. 
10. Do you have a favorite Instagram account? Share it! 
11. What's one thing you look for in a blog you fall in love with? 

Thank you for reading my blog. And again, thank you to Brandiann for nominating me! 

My Top 5 Face Masks for Oily Skin

If you follow me on Instagram, you are probably aware that I'm kind of a face mask addict lately. I buy, and use, a lot of them. They're one method of self-care that I absolutely love doing: it's quick, it's easy, and it feels infinitely refreshing. 

My favorite face masks are ones that, realistically, are best for oily, acne-prone skin because that's what I have. In the future, I'll share some masks for moisturizing dry skin or for sensitive skin. But for now, these are my five favorite masks for my oily, acne-prone, dull skin. 

I luckily have skin that, while sensitive, I can try new things with relative ease. I do 2-3 masks per week (exfoliating the day after usually) and have yet to have a serious allergic reaction. That being said, always spot test if you're unsure about using something on your skin! 

1. Tony Moly, I'm Real for Clear Skin 

I love Tony Moly sheet masks; you can find them in surprisingly cheap packs on Amazon. But I usually buy them as a special treat at Ulta (because I get the most points for purchases there). The I'm Real for Clear Skin mask has rice water, as well as some other cool ingredients to help soothe skin that's broken out. I always save the packet after I use a mask and use the leftover serum the next morning; whenever I have one of these masks, I get so excited about the extra serum! 

2. YesTo Tomatoes for Clear Skin Paper Mask

YesTo is a great brand and here's why: they're relatively affordable and available in most drugstores; they're also cruelty free. I love the YesTo Tomatoes line, including the charcoal sheet and mud masks. However, my favorite mask is the standard Tomatoes for Clear Skin mask (the white pack); it feels amazing on my skin and I always feel like my redness is diminished the next day. As with Tony Moly masks, I save the extra serum for the next day.  

3. Shea Moisture African Black Soap Clarifying Mud Mask 

Mud masks are really my favorite type of mask, but they are much more drying than paper masks. They tend to do more, typically. I started buying the Shea Moisture African Black Soap mask in packet form at Target and have quickly graduated to owning a tub of it. It's that good. It has African black soap (duh), as well as tea tree oil: tea tree oil is one of the best ways to treat break outs. I save this mask for when I'm most broken out and in need of some major skin TLC (this usually happens when I neglect my skincare for a few days). If you have dry skin, this is definitely not the one for you. But if you're oily, it's a miracle worker. 

4. Tony Moly, I'm Real for Pore Care 

Another Tony Moly mask, another day. This is the Red Wine mask for pore care. I love how it smells and feels on my skin; plus, the idea of using red wine to shrink my pores is truly magical. I found 10 of these masks at Marshals for only $5, so I have a ton of them to use. I also genuinely think regular use (one a week) is shrinking the size of my pores. Wishful thinking? Maybe. 

5. YesTo Grapefruit for Dull & Uneven Skin

Another YesTo mask! This is one of their mud masks; I find it so soothing and it smells so good (like grapefruit, obviously). I have very dull and uneven skin, with a lot of redness and melasma spots. This mask is specifically for that purpose because it has vitamin C in it. If you need a treat, this is one mask that I think could work for dry skinned people too; it's not too harsh and the ingredients are meant to sooth, smooth, and work as anti-aging tools.