August Favorites

And just like that, summer is over.

Yes, I know it’s technically not over for a couple more weeks, but Labor Day always signifies the end for me. We spent this last month soaking up every second we could.

We did a long weekend in Ocean City, NJ. We used our pool as much as possible, whenever the weather would allow it. We got ice cream cones more times than we should have. We grilled all the foods.

And then school started. For real. Kieran has been in some form of daycare/preschool since he was 1 1/2 years old, but it never felt like a true school year because he would be there year round. This year, he started kindergarten and it felt TOO real. I’m still recovering from the feelings of shock/sadness/pride/excitement/anxiety I experienced watching my first child board a real-deal school bus for the first time. He is officially off to the races, and while I couldn’t be more excited, it is a bittersweet excitement. These past five years have gone by so incredibly fast, and when I think about another five years, I realize that he’ll be 10!!!!! What.

But, I’m excited for him. Kieran has a late September birthday and we debated holding him back to do another year of pre-K, but all of his teachers said they thought he was ready for kindergarten. Worst case? We’ll do two years of kindergarten. We were told by several people that it’s more common than one might think, and it’s better to expose kids to the kindergarten curriculum early rather than delay it for an entire year. Regardless, he is unaware of all of this and has been excited for weeks to start this new chapter in his little world. My sweet boy. You will do great things!

In other news, as I mentioned before, I stopped working in late August. The reasons were numerous and complicated, but the primary reason was so that I could be home with Finn and there for Kieran as he started kindergarten. We didn’t have a family member available to watch Finn (our parents all still work), and while people do it all the time, I didn’t want to put Finn in daycare at five months old. We had a wonderful babysitter with him for the summer, but she is a teacher and had to return to her real work at the end of August. It still hasn’t fully hit me that I have stopped working. It still feels like I’m taking vacation time or something. I don’t think it will really hit me until we’re really in the full swing of things in the next week or two.

All in all, it was a good decision for me career wise (things were…stagnant in a lot of ways. I’d been at the company for 14 years and was starting to feel like I’d done everything I was really interested in doing there), and an even better decision for our little family. I am so excited for what is to come.

While lots has changed in our world, I did have some time to explore some new favorites this month. Warning: this is going to be a skincare-heavy list. I discovered sooo many awesome products this past month.

1. At the top of the list this month is the wild rose + vitamin C brightening sleeping facial cream from Korres. My good friend, who is a skincare guru, recommended this to me when I complained about my postpartum melasma (hyperpigmentation). It’s been so bad, and even though I slather SPF 40 on my face every day, my skin is just a mess right now. This product is DEFINITELY making a difference. Not only does a little bit go a long way, but my dark spots are noticeably lighter in the morning and my face as a whole is lusciously moisturized and plumped. I love it.
2. Another awesome discovery that came as a recommendation by my friend is Herbevore’s Bakuchiol retinol alternative smoothing serum. I am still nursing and so retinol if a no-no for awhile. Unfortunately, retinol does amazing things for fine lines and I DO miss it in my products. This alternative serum has been wonderful. I definitely notice a difference in my skin’s texture after using this consistently for a month now. Highly recommend!
3. Because of my skin going wonky on me after having Finn, I had to start using a tinted moisturizer for the first time in my life. I realize how obnoxious that must sound, but I have always avoided full-face make up. I hate the way it feels, and I’ve never needed to cover up anything significant. I could always get away with concealer/spot coverage. But now, my hormone-induced hyperpigmentation is out of control. I needed something to cover it up. I am loving Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue tinted moisturizer. It is lightweight, blends like a dream, and actually feels nourishing on my skin. I hope to get a lighter shade for the winter as well.
4. I am also loving this Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen/Lip Color. I have it in the color “poppy,” which is a gorgeous rosy pink color. I think I might pick up one of the darker shades for winter. It goes on as easily as chapstick but gives a pop of shimmery color. It’s been awesome for me when I’m rushing – I can put it on without having to think about it much.
5. When we were at the beach this summer, this tent saved our lives. Specifically because Finn couldn’t wear sunscreen yet and we needed a way to keep him cool and out of the sun. This tent not only was really easy to set up and fold up to put away, but it did the job well. It was also roomy enough that two adults could sit in the tent with him, if needed. It gave us all a break from the sun, when needed. Highly recommend! I could see us using it for the next few summers, even when sunscreen is a go.
6. Because of the cooler temperatures (yay!!!), I started wearing leggings again. I broke out my lululemon align crop leggings this past week, and I was reminded why I love them so much. They are seriously the softest, butteriest leggings that have just the right amount of support and stretch. They are my go to. I’m hoping to stock up on a few more pairs for winter. They are worth the investment, in my opinion.
7. As for food discoveries, we haven’t branched out much from our usuals, but my sister did a Trader Joe’s run for me again this past month, and she brought me TJ’s layered dip, which is essentially hummus loaded up like a classic layered southwestern dip. IT IS SO GOOD. I ate it on crackers, chips, and bell pepper strips. So yum. A great snack to have on hand. I’m going to ask that she bring me more than one container next time! Hah.
8. The new Taylor Swift “Lover” album has been on REPEAT for me. I love it. Every single song. I realize that you either love her or hate her, and I kind of teeter somewhere in the middle with a lot of her music, but for some reason, this album is speaking to me at the moment. The only issue? It’s super summery, and I wish I had it all summer long!

And that about sums up my month. Lots of skincare, some new makeup discoveries, and minimal food stuff. We were so busy! I hope you all had a fabulous summer. Cheers to FALL! Xoxo.

 

[This post is not sponsored but contains affiliate links. If you click on an affiliate link and purchase the product, I receive a small kickback from the seller – at no extra cost to you! It is a small way I can earn a living doing what I love. Thank you for supporting this blog! I will always disclose this to you.]