Love and Lion

beauty balm

MY FAVORITE THINGS

It’s Monday…. let’s do this! I am trying to find the motivation to step out of my house this morning. That would require a shower and getting dressed, and I am just not sure if I am up for all of that craziness, ya know?
You guys…. I have accumulated a few things over the last couple of weeks that I am so in love with. Anytime I find a good product or something that just makes me feel good, I always want to share. Some of these are pregnancy related, but not all of them!!
Speaking of motivation to get ready…..
I was playing in Anthropologie this weekend and took one sniff of this stuff and HAD to have it. It appeals to all of my pregnancy senses. It is sweet, but still musky ( which I love in the winter months). I can’t say enough about this scent. I have been the weirdo walking around “smelling myself” for the last couple of days. It is definitely my favorite part of my morning routine.

Leah gave me a stick of this L’OREAL lip balm. She didn’t like the color she chose on her so she passed it along, and I am sooooo glad she did. I absolutely love the creamy texture and gorgeous color!! I went to purchase the Innocent Coral to add to my collection. No liner needed, and it is so hydrating that it really can act as a lip moisturizer. IN. LOVE!
I purchased a couple pairs of maternity jeans ( why fight it, right?) at Motherhood Maternity. I am super picky about jeans, but I actually LOOOOVE these. They feel like leggings, but really do look like actual jeans. You can purchase these here. This particular pair ran large, so I ended up going with an XS instead of S. I also purchased another pair that I couldn’t find online! They are black Indigo Blue skinnies. Maybe they are just in-store only??
Not sure why, but I have been filling my vases with greens in my house. It just feels simple and “fallsish”, and I love the way they smell. Weird, I know.

Fresh mani! Ok, ladies…. I love nail polish. I am a sucker for a beautiful nail color. I took a break from my gels to wear this gorgeous color by OPI. It is called Keeping Suzi at Bay. It was night time when I took this photo, but the color is a little more royal blue looking during the day. Soooo pretty!
I am not a foundation wearer. It is just too much make-up for everyday wear. However, when I am pregnant, my skin freaks out on me even more than usual. I need something that wears light, but offers great coverage! My hubby is not a fan of the overly done makeup face.  I tried this Laura Mercier flawless fluid per the recommendation of the ladies over at Somewhere, Lately. I don’t wear it everyday, but have worn it out for date nights and events. It is amazing!!

I always struggle with baking cups not fully wrapping around my cupcakes/muffins, so I picked these up on my Target run the other day. They are amazing and sturdy. It is the little things, haha!
Enjoy your day everybody!! Thanks for checking in with us. It means so much!!
-J

BEAUTY ESSENTIALS

{click on numbers below for links}
Hey friends!! I have been wanting to do a “beauty bag” post for a couple of weeks now. Something that some of you may not know about me is that I am a licensed esthetician in addition to my full-time mommy and part-time blogger duties. I don’t work in a spa or anything, but I love to take freelance jobs  doing make-up, waxing and talking to women about their skincare concerns. 
My little heartfelt testimony starts here….
I have struggled with my skin as long as I can remember. I have never been able to look in the mirror and see clear skin…..EVER! I am not being sarcastic or dramatic. This is all just real talk. I have just learned to deal with the fact that I don’t have a “poreless” face that tans and can go without make-up….even to the grocery store. It is THE. REASON I went into esthetics. Not only to help others, but to educate myself. { I am actually getting a little teary-eyed….what? } I have always said that working in the food/service industry makes you a better person on the other side. I feel the same way about acne as a teenager (or an adult). There was just nothing worse for me. 
 I have still not conquered my skin issues, but they are better than they used to be. I can’t drink a soda or use a dirty make-up brush without my skin letting you know that I did so. I can put on make-up and take a picture with the best of them. You would never know that I have acne scars, leftover pregnancy spots, or cyst like acne hiding underneath my makeup. My daughter is very good at picking out all of the “owies” on my face. It is always a highlight of my day 😉 This is not meant to be a downer post, however, with all of this information, you will understand how picky I am about my makeup products and exactly how important it is for me to achieve a NATURAL look without the clumpy mascara or cakey foundation. With that being said…. my make-up bag is full of products I believe it 100%. I would NEVER tell someone to use something that I would not use myself.
Lastly, most of my beauty buys are from the drugstore/Target. There are certain things that are worth the splurge, and then there are the inexpensive products that I believe are BETTER than the splurge. Quality is far more important than the cute label that you take pics of and post on your IG account. Yeah…..you know what I am talking about. 😉 Ok, I am done! Thanks for reading if you made it this far without skipping. 
Why I love these products so much:
1.  I love the anti-aging benefits of this concealer. It gives AMAZING coverage (reminiscent of the Laura Mercier concealer pot), but with a smooth, soft texture. It looks so incredibly natural I think.
2. LOVE. THIS. STUFF. BB creams have been extremely hard for me, because they either don’t cover enough, look too orangey, or wipe off on my husband’s shirt when I hug him. This so SO lightweight, but still evens out my skin tone. It smells lovely too. The BEST thing about this product is the fact that it DOES NOT sit in your wrinkles! YAY!!!!
3. Loving these colors for Spring! Turkish delight and Schiap. If you don’t wear bold lipstick, just try it. I PROMISE, it is not as bold to others as it looks to you. And for the love of Pete….don’t ask your husband. They just don’t seem to get the bright lip trend. Or maybe that is just mine!
4. Beauty balm is the way to go when removing eye make-up. This leaves your skin feeling sooooo soft without the oily feel. LOVE!!!
5. I just love this blush. I used it, left it, went back to it. It is just a beautiful color, and so natural looking. They have labels on the top to help you identify what shade works best for you. Cool or warm skin tone? LO’REAL has kind of taken over my make up bag. I use their face concealer as well.
6. Ok, I think this is my favorite product right now. I am obsessed with the twisting wand. I use one position for my top lashes, then click to another position for my bottom lashes. It. is. awesome!
7. This is my go-to powder. I am not a foundation kind of gal, but if it comes in powder form, yes please! There is also a new touch up veil broad spectrum pot that would be great for the summer if you don’t want as heavy of coverage.
-Jenni

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