Spring Favorites

by Rachel McCarthy
Spring Fashion and Beauty Favorites



Happy Friday Eve, friends! Did this week go crazy fast, or was it just me?! A little bit of a different kind of post for today — it’s something I’ve been wanting to compile for awhile now and I’m finally getting around to it. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite finds of spring and giving a full review on some new beauty products that I have tried and fell in love with. I’m hoping to share posts like this more often — I’m thinking every other month? — so stay tuned for more. Without further ado, let’s start the reviews!

drybar Triple Sec Review

HAIR PRODUCTS


drybar Triple Sec: A relatively recent discovery that I use almost daily, this “3-in-1” formula can seriously work wonders on your hair. This product promises to texturize, amplify and refresh and they aren’t kidding. I’ve been limiting my days with my flat iron since January so I’ve been wearing my hair in curls a lot more often. I spray a little of this on in the morning — on both sides of my head and in the back — before curling my hair and the amount of volume I get is amazing. I’m mean “big hair don’t care”. Not only does this spray give you some serious volume, it is also a clear dry shampoo that effectively absorbs oils. Oh, and the best part: the smell is amazing. Think amber, coconut and vanilla. My mom tried some the other week and the first thing she commented on was the scent. As she said, you don’t even need to wear perfume when you spray this, it’s that good! Since I am in the middle of a lot of traveling, I knew I wouldn’t want to be away from it for too long, so I just bought the travel size, too. The travel size is also great if you are interested in trying it out. Once you fall in love with it, you can move onto the standard size 🙂
Elizabeth Arden Liquid Highlighter Review

IT Cosmetics Bronzer Review


MAKEUP

Elizabeth Arden Illuminating Liquid Highlighter c/o: I had been looking for a highlighter to try since the beginning of the year and hadn’t had much luck. Personally, highlighter isn’t something I wear everyday, but mostly when getting dressed up or for special occasions. I will say that when I first opened the jar, I was a little worried. It seemed a little too gold for me and I was afraid that it would appear “cakey”. But wow, was I wrong! What is so great about this highlighter is that it’s definitely buildable. The first time I used it, I was super cautious when applying and didn’t add that much to the tops of my cheeks. But as I got more comfortable with it, I realized that it added the perfect amount of shimmer. With it’s unique mesh touch dispenser, you can easily apply the highlighter not only to your cheek bones but also to your eyebrow bones for added shimmer. The only disadvantage I can think of is that it is unfortunately a limited edition item so be sure to scoop yours up fast. I’m hoping Elizabeth Arden decides to restock this highlighter, it’s quickly becoming a favorite. 

IT Cosmetics Confidence in Your Glow Instant Nude c/o: I’m sure you know by now that I’m a huge fan of IT Cosmetics products. After discovering the brand almost one year ago, I have continued to use several of their products daily {my top two favorites that I use every single day: Bye Bye Under Eye – I wear “light” – and the Superhero Mascara}. I was anxious to try their bronzers because in the past, bronzers have been difficult for me to wear. My skin is super fair, most bronzers I try make me look orange. Not a good look! I have been using this bronzer in the “instant nude” shade and have really liked the results. When I swipe the brush across the palette, I’ve been stopping before I get to the darkest color since my face hasn’t got too much sun yet. And if you are looking for a great brush to use when applying the bronzer, this one-step brush is the one I have pictured here.
Cute Converse Slip On Sneakers
Original post HERE

Gold New Balance Sneakers
Original post HERE

SPRING SHOES: SNEAKERS

Converse Slip On Sneakers & Gold New Balance Sneakers: Sneakers have been my go-to lately. I don’t know if it’s the rise in athleisure clothing or the comfort factor, but I have been finding all new ways to style sneakers that use to be outside my comfort zone. The gold New Balance sneakers are a few years old {but are still in stock!} and they were my first pair of “dressy” sneakers. I have plenty of tennis shoes and running shoes, but with the retro style and gold details, it was easy to pair these with casual weekend outfits like jeans and even dresses. The slip on Converse sneakers are a more recently purchase and I wear them any chance I get. As I mentioned yesterday, I love wearing red, white and blue during the warmer months and these sneakers are the perfect accessory for nautical clothing. And you can’t beat the slip on style!
Lip Slip by Sara Happ Review


THE LIPGLOSS YOU NEED

the lip slip by sara happ one luxe gloss: If you have been following along for awhile, you probably already know that I love lipstick and lipgloss and one of my favorite past times is matching my lip color to my outfit! This spring, I’ve been wearing a lot of nude colors on my lips — my two favorite are Kim KW {a creamy, light blush} and YSL #48 {soft beige} — and I always like to wear a gloss over my lipstick, especially when it’s a lighter shade. I just bought this lipgloss the other weekend and have worn it just about everyday since. It is so universal — wear it by itself during the day, over your favorite lipstick or even put it on before bed to hydrate you lips. Worn recently on the blog HERE.
Cute Spring Dress Nordstrom
Original post HERE

Cute Spring Midi Dress Nordstrom
Original post HERE

SPRING DRESSES

Orange Swing Dress & Coral Midi Dress: I’ve always been a dress girl, but this spring, I’ve been wearing them a ton! Since we have had a pretty mild spring, I was able to break out the spring and summer dresses a little earlier than usual. This orange dress has quickly become one of my favorite purchases from this season — I’m so excited to wear it again this weekend when we go out to dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary! Not only is the swing style light and fun, I love the pleats and of course the bell sleeves. This coral midi dress was a favorite dress from last summer and I was so thrilled that it came back in stock this year — and in more colors! The length, color and cut are all perfect for transitioning from a day at work to date night. With it’s price tag of $68, you can’t beat this staple spring dress.
No7 Day Lotion Review

Shea Moisture Hand & Body Scrub Review

Purity One-Step Facial Cleansing Cloths Review


SKINCARE PRODUCTS

Last, but not least, a few of my favorite skincare products I have found, tried and loved during the spring season:

No7 Beautiful Skin Day Lotion: I have been using the same moisturizer/moisturizing oil and foundation for a few years now. As I have mentioned before, with super sensitive skin, I tend to stick to what I know works instead of branching off and trying new things that could give my skin a bad reaction. With all the traveling I have this spring, I was looking for a travel-friendly moisturizer to replace my oil {I never have luck when traveling with liquids and I knew a glass bottle filled with oil could be a disaster!}. I was at Target the other week picking up other travel supplies when I discovered this day cream. It’s hypo-allergenic and good for normal to dry skin so I figured I would give it a try. I also picked up this Youthful Replenishing Facial Oil to replace my usual oil for when I am home since I was almost out. Can you believe I have used this No7 oil everyday since?! I typically get a reaction when I switch up products but it never happened with this day cream or oil. My skin feels so soft and hydrated after using both of these products, I was truly shocked by the results! I will definitely be re-purchasing both the cream and oil again.
Shea Moisture Hand and Body Scrub: Speaking of moisture, I first discovered this brand from my blogger friend Jalisa. After her rave reviews, I decided to give it a try. I went with this extra moisturizing version — my skin is dry 365 days out of the year and had been looking for months for a body scrub. After using this just once, my skin was so incredibly soft, I seriously couldn’t believe it! No amount of lotion was helping the dry skin on my legs and after that first use, it was gone. I’ve been using it once a week or every other week {I sometimes forget!} and have noticed that my arms and legs have been staying more hydrated since I started using it. I have tried several scrubs over the years and this is my new favorite!

Purity Facial Cleansing Cloths: Finding these face wipes was all thanks to the traveling I’ve been mentioning! I use THIS foaming cleanser on my face every morning and night but it was too many ounces to travel with for carry on luggage. I picked up these cleansing wipes a few weekends ago to take on my trips after reading countless reviews. One of my biggest pet peeves is taking my makeup off at night. I cannot stand the feeling of makeup stuck on my face, so I typically use a wipe to remove the makeup and then wash my face to ensure everything has been removed. All the reviews I read said these Purity wipes worked wonders — 1 cloth to remove all the makeup and dirt leaving your face feeling completely clean. I was pretty skeptical of this given my obsession with a clean face, but after using these wipes all last weekend, I can say it really does work! Available in 15 and 30 count sizes, you could easily keep them in your purse or gym bag for a quick face clean up, too. 



Whew! Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to provide a thorough review of each of the products. Let me know if you have any questions about the products I mentioned. I’ve linked all products I talked about in the post in the tool below for you to check out. 



Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend!

SHOP THE POST

21 thoughts on “Spring Favorites”

  3. I'm such a lipgloss fanatic (hence the name of my blog!), so I'm going to have to try out the gloss you mentioned above. I'm always looking for new ones to try and new colors to take a look at. Thank you for sharing your picks, and I hope you guys have a great weekend!

    Shauna

    http://www.lipglossandlace.net

  7. Yay! I'm so glad you loved the scrub! Doesn't it make your body feel amazing?! I love that they have different scrubs for different skin needs and preferences, I've had my eye on the body wash from this collection. You have me so curious about Dry Bar spray because I can never really seem to find a spray that holds my waves, but doesn't make my hair feel like straw; I've noticed you've been wearing curls more, which I've been loving, so I'll have to keep this product in mind. Thanks so much for sharing your faves with us, beauty, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead!

    XO,

    Jalisa
    http://www.thestylecontour.com

  8. I love your spring picks, lady! I've heard really good things about those Purity wipes; I use the face wash so I think I would loooove these. Great for travel!

    -Ashley
    Le Stylo Rouge

  11. So many great products!! I haven't tried that lip gloss before, but I love how you pair it with the same CT lipstick I have as well!! All the skincare products sound heavenly – going to have to check them out!! xo, Biana –BlovedBoston

  12. I love SO many of these products too! The Drybar Triple Sec is just amazing and I've used the Purity wipes forever! You look absolutely GORGEOUS in coral/orange. It's a great color on you!! Happy Friday!!

    Rosy Outlook

Comments are closed.