{We enjoyed a bit of rain and cooler weather earlier in the week!}
Happy (almost end of) MAY! It definitely is starting to feel like summer around here with the suddenly warmer weather, but I am still in shock it’s Memorial Day weekend. What happened to the spring? (Or the winter for that matter?)
Here’s a few things I have been loving.
{one} Olive and June Studio Box.
I am someone who loves to have her nails polished but never go to the salon (to get shellac) unless I have an event. It’s just way too much time and money, and I can give myself a really decent manicure. A few months ago I started hearing about Olive and June (which is a nail salon in LA) and it’s launch of a nail polish line. They also launched an entire kit – the Studio Box – which includes one polish, clippers, cuticle oil, clean-up brush, remover, top coat, nail file and buffer, and the Poppy – and I immediately ordered it!
After using the polish a few times – I got the MM which is the perfect pink-y nude neutral! – I am hooked. The Poppy attaches to the top of the nail polish brush, making it infinitely easier to paint your nails, and a single manicure lasts a full week (if not more). Plus, the polish is 7-Free meaning it doesn’t include 7 of the most toxic ingredients found in many other traditional polishes.
If you are at all inclined to paint your own nails, definitely pick up an Olive and June kit!
{two} Beautycounter Countersun Mineral Sunscreen.
I’ve talked about sunscreen a lot (when it’s summer) and get asked about the sunscreen we use all. the. time. I used to get two different types of sunscreen at the start of each (late) spring and summer, one for the girls and one for me, but now that the girls are older, it’s so much easier to get just one! My favorite one right now is the Beautycounter Countersun Mineral Sunscreen. It’s got a high zinc oxide content, rubs in so you aren’t pasty white, smells good, and is reef friendly. (There is also a spray version, though I feel like we go thru it way too fast and don’t get enough coverage.)
*Also, I don’t sell Beautycounter. But I am a HUGE fan! If you are interested in buying and want to support a local (Seattle) mama, let me know and I’ll get you in touch with my friend who sells it, or you can just buy straight from the website.
{three} Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew with Cascara Cold Foam.
When I started drinking coffee again right after Daphne was born (I took a years-long hiatus after law school and the bar exam) it was cold brew coffee that I was most interested in. And even today, I prefer cold brew coffee over any other type. The process of cold brewing makes the coffee less bitter, it’s easy to make (or buy) pre-made, and I never have to drink lukewarm coffee (yuck). Starbucks has had cold brew as an option for some time, but I’ve been less than thrilled with it (as I am with basically any (drip) coffee from Starbucks). But I ventured out and tried the Nitro Cold Brew with Cascara Cold Foam the other day and I was super impressed. You guys, it actually tasted amazing (and not burned or bitter) and the foam was a great addition!
{four} Welly Bandaid Kits.
Ever since Oh Joy! Bandaids for Target announced the collaboration was over, I started looking for a new source of bandaids (for the girls) stat! (Though I did stock up on the Oh Joy ones.) I liked having “fun” printed bandaids in bright colors that weren’t branded. It’s really hard to find kid-friendly bandaids that aren’t covered in some type of character (Frozen, Paw Patrol, Sesame Street, etc.). But then Target launched the Welly brand and they are so cute! We got the Kids Bravery Badges Rainbow box which has such cute designs (and fabric bandaids) which the girls LOVE but are also something I could wear. (We have plain bandaids for Aaron too.) And the metal boxes are nice as well since the girls have to get pick out their own bandaids. Multiple times per week.
{five} BBG Sweat App.
I have mentioned BBG a lot recently in my weekend updates and my Instagram Stories (and did a full write-up on it last year). I started up BBG again a few weeks ago to compliment my Pure Barre workouts, but to save myself some time. I was doing three PB workouts per week but have switched to two PB workouts per week plus two to three BBG workouts.
All that to say, I LOVE the updated Sweat app. The app was decent before, but the changes since I used it last year are awesome! You can play music via Spotify during a workout, and there are now voice prompts within each exercise including the cool down. I love that I can get in a good workout in 30 minutes without leaving the house!
And also, a big BIRTHDAY shout-out to Aaron today! Happy Birthday, love! We can’t wait to celebrate with you all weekend long.
What are you loving this month?
M