#and bath and body works had a sale for fragrances today

[suashii]

some pretty flowers i walked by on my little outing today!

[something-tofightfor]

We just had probably the most unfulfilling experience at a restaurant I have had in the last decade and I have never been so happy to be home from a meal in my life.

- found a $50 Applebees gift card so I decided we’d use it after we did some running around today (Bath and body works was having a sale on soap and wall plug fragrances - they now have palo santo and sage and coffee and whiskey permanently)

- we go in and they tell us the wait is 35 minutes, we get seated after ten, so i think the night is going to go smoothly. (It was not busy, but they were down a server)

- get seated, immediately give our drink order.

- takes fifteen minutes to get our drinks.

- i decided to order the 2/$25 because it would have been a $3.50 difference in price between getting two entrees and an appetizer and one entree and an appetizer… i asked for one entree to eat, and the other packaged to go, the server says no problem.

(Right around the time we ordered our food, a family was seated at the booth behind us. At this point, their small children are crawling around the booth and kicking the back of it while screeching. Mom and dad were too busy to parent them, because they were engaged in a face time video call.)

- we wait another fifteen minutes, and our appetizers are brought. (Fuck yeah, boneless wings)

- ten minutes later she brings us drink refills without prompting, but does not say a WORD.

(The family has received their appetizers. The children stop using the booth back as a jungle gym long enough to eat, but the conversation continues on - complete with them trying to talk OVER the music playing on the other end of the phone.)

- our server brings us two entrees: both of mine, neither of which are packaged to go. Chris has to remind her that he ordered something else. It takes her five minutes to go and get it and bring it to the table without another word.

- we start eating.

(The children finish their appetizers and need to work off the calories so they again begin climbing and screaming. The conversation continues - it’s a lot of laughing and what sounds like arguing. the adults get their meals.)

- we finish eating, and need a couple of to-go boxes because we have food leftover and an entire entree that needs to be packaged up since it wasn’t already done.

(Our server proceeds to ignore us and ask the family if they want dessert; the mother told her to come back in a few minutes because she was in the middle of a phone call.)

- chris goes over to an empty table that is being used as a staging table - bags, extra silverware, to go boxes, condiments etc - and gets us what we need after we waited for ten minutes for her to walk by again and she did not.

- she comes back to cash out the table that is not the family. Glances over, drops our check off, and then asks the family again if they want dessert. I said her name to try to get her attention because WE ALSO wanted dessert… she walked away.

(The phone conversation is STILL going and is now louder because they maxed out the volume to combat the still screeching children)

- i have a virtual gift card. I cannot scan it. Our server walks by and delivers the family’s dessert, once again ignoring me trying to get her attention and chris very obviously also trying to get her attention.

(The family finishes their meal and leaves cash to cover the total before leaving the restaurant - still on the phone - but not before the kids actually come into my side of the booth with their arms while they’re putting their coats on because they are standing ON the seat cushion to get redressed instead of doing it in the aisle)

- our server finally stops and i explain that i have the gift card but that we were going to get dessert so if she wanted to do two transactions, that would be fine… and you would have thought I was asking her to build the pyramids by hand alone with the attitude we got. Fine. whatever, we won’t get dessert, just let me pay so we can GTFO. She takes a picture of the gift card on my phone screen with her phone so she can type it into her computer.

- ten minutes later she comes back and said “you still owe $12” - chris gives her his card to cover the difference. She’s gone for another ten minutes.

- i would have asked to speak to a manager, just because the attitude was unnecessary and ridiculous, but the manager was already dealing with an irate customer at the bar (i think he was drunk) so we just decided to leave and I’m going to fill out the online survey.

Long story short: my boneless wings were delicious but the experience overall was total bullshit for just about every other reason possible.

[allthingsscented]

Last Semi Annual Sale Haul!!

Here are my first impressions/reviews:

Pink Lavender Espresso- this one smells soooo cozy! i’m really excited to get it burning and see how it smells then. i think it would be nice to burn on a cozy rainy day in or maybe in cold weather ☕️

Lavender Vetiver- i got this one going in my bathroom today. i like it so far, it’s more of a woodsy scent than the sweet floral that usually is lavender from bath and body but i really like it! 🌲

Amethyst Dreams- i’ve had this one before and i loved it! it’s kind of hard to put the scent into words but it smells very fresh and clean with some floral. 💜

Raspberries & Whipped Vanilla- this one is a favorite, so i got it in the wallflower and room spray. it is a super sweet scent and true to its name! i really like to use it around Valentine’s Day, but it’s great year round as well 🍨

Cinnamon Spiced Vanilla- this is a bath and body works staple. it smells like cinnamon sugar deserts and it’s perfect to use year round 🍮

Sapphire Quartz- amazing! it’s woodsy and also has a cologne like scent to it. it is STRONG though! i plugged it in in my bedroom today and it has filled my whole apartment with its scent! 💎

Pure Wonder- had to get a backup of this! i used this so much more than i expected last winter. it’s a sophisticated and magical scent with some floral and some amber to it! 💕

Bamboo & Surf- i’m so glad i ended up getting this one. it smells like a nautical bamboo! perfect for summer. 🎋

Golden Sunflower- a favorite of mine, but i only got the mini mist in the past. it’s true to its name and is perfect for the end of summer! 🌻

Hand Sanitizers- they all smell great. i’m not going to go through and give a first impression for all of them right now but will likely review them as i use them. on first impression this Pink Peach Blossom is really standing out to me so i’ll be using it first! 🍑

Flowerchild- i’ve had this is the wallflower and it is so good. it reminds me of the retired scent Carried Away and it’s just as whimsical a floral as i remember that being. 💐

Car Fragrances- excited to have Iced Dragonfruit Tea, i’ve had it in the wallflower before and it’s so refreshing and fruity. i’ve had Warm Ocean Breeze in the car fragrance before and really liked it. Indigo Paradise is completely new to me so i’ll likely review it when i use it! 🌊

[anysathyrah]

230112 confetti daydream

hello, good day, and welcome to another random post.

today's random topic: bath & body works body mist ehheehhe.

I'm not a fan of the strong scent of perfumes, especially those small, glass bottles showcased somewhere in Parkson, in glass container like that, it was called eau de parfum? I know perfumes has different names, according to the percentage of alcohol and fragrance oil and stuff, eau de parfum has long-lasting effect, but it felt like grown ups would wear (my mom doesn't wear any perfume tho) the highest perfume classification I ever had would be eau de toilette...

but my current to-go-to perfumes are from bath & body works. they have eau de parfum too, but like I said, I couldn't handle strong scents, so I opt to use body mist. my top bbw body mist are confetti daydream, sweet pea and butterfly. I bought other scents as well, but nothing can beat my top threes.

especially confetti daydream. I first bought confetti daydream in late 2020, and it was a mysterious scent because it's a seasonal scent! I have no idea what season it would be sell, perhaps winter, but this scent is really hard to get! none of my friends wore it too, perhaps I've gotten lucky with this scent. it has similar scent as butterfly; a newer scent they brought in and it quickly have gotten really popular. the thing about butterfly is that it has a sharper note than confetti daydream, if I'm not mistaken, they changed one note of scent only. was it pear?

anyways, I would reserve my time and money and look out for bbw sales on September, because the 2nd time I bought it was during Sept 2022. I made my first bottle of confetti daydream last for two years :3

ohhhhhh another thing that made me fall in love even better with confetti daydream is its packaging! the first bottle was a pink holographic one, which is really nice, but the second bottle they got rid of the holograph surface and change the colour to purple.

a win-win situation for me hehe

bath & body works, please make confetti daydream, a year-long scent :') the scent seem like cease to exist huhuhuhu I tried to find people who wore this scent on the internet, or people who recommended the scent, but I don't know.... people don't make reviews on it. but when I try to buy, IT ALWAYS SOLD OUT LIKE WHY? i thought no one knows hing. or was it an unpopular scent?

even my little sister loves the scent huuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu

I don't want to fight to buyyyyy~ there's so many people who bought it in bulk and sell it at a higher price huwaaaaa

that's all hehe

p/s: I've switched to spotify after four months of apple music hehehehehe

[wakaoujisenhime]

Our fireplace - Keigo x reader

A/N: This right here is a special present for @bluuenvy for the Secret Santa event fyeahbnha hosted! Hope you have a great holiday! I tried to implement as much of your interests/wishes, which you shared with me, as I could and hope that you’ll enjoy this fluffy story even a little bit! (*´◡`)

I also tried my hand at graphics and hope that it’s enough to count as a second present! Please enjoy! ❤️

Tags: Hawks/Keigo x reader ✅  SFW ✅  fluff ✅

━━━━☆ ━━━━☆ ━━━━☆

You were woken up rather sudden and unwillingly as the sunlight which shone on the empty space next to you reached your closed eyes. In an attempt to escape the bothersome light you turn your back to your windows and look at the dimly lit room with squinted eyes. The slight fragrance of your boyfriend’s cologne was still lingering and it made you remember the way his arms would always wrap around your body and keep you warm during all those nights immediately made a smile appear on your sleepy face. 

Despite still feeling tired you stretched your body and reached for your glasses on the nightstand next to your bed, while doing so you managed to catch a glimpse of the clock.

8:35 AM…

You sighed and leaned your back against the headboard. It usually didn’t surprise you to wake up alone, but today you at least hoped to be able to have your beloved next to yourself. Sadly him being a pro hero meant that things like this would occur daily and you had no choice but to accept it.

Another sigh escaped your mouth as you slowly got up and made your way to the kitchen, ready to prepare some breakfast and start your first free day since long ago, but much to your surprise a plate of your favorite breakfast meal was already standing at the center of the kitchen island and a small note was leaned against the edge of the plate. You take the small paper and look at the familiar handwriting.

Good morning sunshine, hope I didn’t wake you up this morning (though maybe I should have). I wish you a Merry Christmas and hope that you’ll make the most out of today’s first half, ‘cause I get to have you all to myself during the second half. Just make sure to be at home by 6 PM, trust me...you won’t regret it.

Love you, my dear

While you read that note, you failed to notice the wide grin that had spread across your face. The mere thought of your boyfriend having prepared something for the two of you additionally to his plan of coming home earlier than he had ever managed before made your heart race with anticipation. You started humming to yourself while you ate your warm breakfast.

Today is going to be a great day…

With that thought in mind, you finished up eating, put the dishes away, and made your way to the bathroom. Your plan for today was to mainly spoil yourself and do some shopping, since thanks to work you weren’t able to go on a good shopping spree for quite a while. 

Surrounded by the warm and bubbly water of your bathtub you let your thoughts wander, thinking about whether you should invite some of your friends to accompany you, but you decided against it, remembering that today was a special holiday they’d probably like to spend alongside their families and significant others. Thanks to your thought process, the idea of spending Christmas alongside your beloved entered your mind once again and before you could suppress any upcoming scenario that popped into your head, you saw a small smiley face on the mirror shelf unit above your sink. Your eyes widened as you remembered the day Hawks had drawn this small emoticon. The two of you took a bath together on that day and when you started drying your hair in front of the mirrored shelf he made fun of your pouty face. He said that you should try and look more cheerful so that you prevent any wrinkles from forming on your beautiful and young face. Since the mirror was still partially fogged back then, the little face had stayed there, and it unexpectedly brightened up your mood.

“Alright, let’s do this!” you happily cried out and raised both of your fists into the air, determined to make this the best day of your life.

After pressing the play button on your phone’s favorite playlist and turning the volume to max, you began to dance while you dressed yourself up. As for today’s outfit, you picked one that you considered your favorite: black skinny jeans, a dark purple top, and a grey pullover with dark-colored patterns. Now that you were dressed up, you once again returned to the bath to do your hair, since having long hair meant a lot of struggles, but you never considered it that way...if anything you absolutely loved it and you’d gladly spend almost an hour playing with it or fixing it, and indeed it took you 40 minutes to fix it the way you wanted it to be. With a triumphant grin, you placed your hands on your hips and admired the subtle hairdo that perfectly complemented your facial features.

Perfect...now I’m all set.

Instead of pausing your loud music, you simply plugged your headphones in and continued dancing to the vibrant beats that roared through the small speakers as you progressively left the apartment. 

——

After getting on your regional bus which would drive you right to the heart of the city where all of the shops would stand so close to each other that they resembled a tight-knitted pearl necklace, allowing not even the tiniest space for a side alley. You took a seat next to the window and looked out, relishing the familiar places of your vivid hometown. As soon as the vehicle passed a couple of your favorite stores you once again remembered some of your past dates with Keigo and thanks to the energetic J-Rock music that dominated your playlist, the scenes you recalled were mostly positive. Even though you were in a slight daze something caught you off guard. A pair of red wings flashed before your vision and you were so taken aback that it took you a short while to actually process what you had seemingly witnessed. You reluctantly turned your head back a bit, trying to make sure that your eyes weren’t deceiving you, but the bus had already passed the shop in question and the trademark of your boyfriend was nowhere to be seen.

Am I finally starting to see things?

Your stop finally arrived and the moment you got out of the bus, the festive mood of the city finally hit you in all its glory. Holiday lights, garlands, colorful posters announcing sales or wishing passersby and customers a merry Christmas. Everything was so full of life and bright that the immense urge to visit every single shop overcame you, a tingly feeling you know too well. The city center was brimming with life and not only tourists and locals were present, but also some folks from the outskirts had decided to drop by and enjoy what the usually stressful and oppressing collage of high buildings had organized for the festive days. Your excitement went through the roof as you walked a few steps, letting your eyes roam around, and that’s when you first took notice of the variety of street vendors that loudly advertised their products and food. Everything seemed so welcoming and warm and if it weren’t for your little “promise” with Keigo, you would’ve spent your entire day jumping from one store to the other, trying as much of the food out as your stomach could take. A silent giggle escaped your lips at the sheer imagination of yourself going through with that plan, but enough of that. You were here to spoil yourself and no one was going to stop you from it.

A few hours passed by and within those you had visited a handful of shops. You had paid a visit to your favorite clothing store, which you left with two full shopping bags, full of new different tops, jeans, jackets, and a few beanies you’d occasionally put on. Next, you visited one of the many music stores your city had constructed, looking for the newest release of your main Japanese rock band as well as for some merch to go along with it. Further down the street was a small and barely noticeable building, its size was minuscule in comparison to the ones which surrounded him and unlike them, it had no modern façade, it was a simple brick building with very few Christmas decorations. And this small store was something you considered your getaway on lonely days or just bad days in general...it was your favorite bookstore. You were always over the moon when they had the latest release of your favorite genre of books, namely mystery novels. The staff there was similar to the building’s exterior: old but proper, super friendly, and attentive to any type of customers. They adored you and you did so as well. That mutual fondness you had for each other lead to many conversations on different topics, you sometimes even sat down and drank something together, but the main thing they did for you was set the newest releases to the side and wait for you to pick them up.

When you opened the wooden door to the store the familiar chime of the small bell above the door frame rang out, notifying the two owners of your arrival.

“My dear, welcome! How have you been?”

Another wide smile adorned your lips as you took the old and skinny hands of the owner into your own, squeezing them lightly. The two of you exchanged greetings, chatted a bit, and then his facial features dropped a little. His voice sounded sad as he confessed to you that there were no new novels for you to pick up. His seriousness took you by surprise, but you just giggled and reassured him, that it was no problem whatsoever, you were here to give them something in the first place. Their surprised and touched expressions warmed your heart, and after exchanging dozens of hugs you exited the store and resumed your shopping spree…

“No way! Bakugou look who’s there!”

The sudden loud but cheerful voice caught you off guard and as you turned your head to its source you saw a familiar duo amid the countless other pedestrians.

“Kirishima! Bakugou! What a coincidence of meeting you guys here!”

“There’s nothing coincidental about this and you know it.”

Both you and the red-haired young man squinted your eyes and raised your eyebrows at the grumpy blond, who immediately got flustered and tried to hide it with countless insults that weren’t bad-mannered in the least. Ignoring his usual tactics Kirishima and you shifted your attention to each other and started chatting up a storm.

“Have you been out shopping for presents as well?” he asked with his typical lively voice. You smiled and answered that this was more or less the case. The three of you resumed the walk and talked about today’s plans.

You found out that the former 1A planned a get-together at a restaurant and Bakugou made sure to stress multiple times that he wasn’t here voluntarily and that Kirishima had forced him to go shopping for some small surprises for their former classmates. 

“And what about you, don’t you have anything planned with that birdman of yours?”  If you weren’t between these tall men right now, the blond would’ve gotten elbowed by his friend, who now had to resort to glares only. 

“Bakugou, you can’t ask her something so personal!”

“Why not? Didn’t we tell her about our plans too?”

“She’ll share it with us if she feels comfortable, ok? It’s way more private than our get-together!”

“You little-”

Much to their surprise, your giggles were what interrupted their small bickering and after a while, the two of them couldn’t hold back and joined in. After calming down you just shook your head and told them about the small note he had left behind but after suppressing all those lonely thoughts for the entire day, your facade finally dropped and so did your expression. You couldn’t take it anymore, this entire time you had spent in the city, trying to spoil yourself, one couple after the other entered your sight and as if to spite you, all of them recreating some of the cutest couple moments you had experienced alongside Hawks. It was as if all the couples had come up with a plan to constantly rub salt into your wound and you really hated being that overdramatic, but you really couldn’t help it. 

So what if I want to be with him on Christmas? 

Is it bad that I want him by my side on a holiday one is supposed to celebrate with their loved one?

You suddenly felt a big hand pat you on your back and it startled you. Turns out that you had been saying all of these things out loud. Now both men were looking at you with a worried and sympathetic expression, it was no secret that you were embarrassed about your sudden outburst and just as you were about to apologize to them, Bakugou sighed unexpectedly audible, catching the two of you off guard.

“You know I’m probably never going to hear the end of this, but I can’t keep this up anymore...not when you’re like this,” he paused and looked at you “before I met up with Kirishima, I saw that bird further down the street, mumbling to himself that he had to quickly go back home and start preparing for something or else he wouldn’t make it. So chances that you meet him at home right now rather than later...are rather high.”

That’s all he had to say and the perhaps biggest grin you had ever mustered appeared on your face a couple of seconds after he had finished his little confession of sorts. You really wanted to stay with them for a little bit longer but the thought of meeting Keigo earlier than expected prevailed, so you hugged them goodbye, wished them and their classmates a pleasant night, and finally gave Bakugou a quick and rather unexpected kiss on his puffed-out cheek. Kirishima stopped him from releasing his quirk under the broad daylight while they were in between all these innocent people and earned himself a reward kiss on his cold red cheek as well.

The drive back passed by quicker in comparison to earlier and you were really thankful for that since you couldn’t wait to meet your beloved any longer.

“Keigo!”

Your loud voice mixed with the quick and sudden way you opened the front door startled the winged man so bad that he even let out a silent yelp. He was so surprised by your premature visit that he just stood there in the middle of the living room with two beautifully wrapped presents in his hands. You were quite surprised yourself at the way your home had changed in those few hours you were away, but that was secondary right now because something on your boyfriend caught your attention. He wore a fluffy white pullover which you secretly knitted for him over the course of a few months, it was supposed to be his present for today which you had put underneath the small Christmas tree the two of you decorated a few weeks back.

“Ok wait, I can explain!”

While he put away the two boxes in panic, you simply jogged up to him and jumped into his arms, almost knocking him down. Before he could say anything, you began kissing his lips passionately and after a few of your kisses, he decided to just drop his explanation for the time being and enjoy your affectionate behavior, which he of course returned with as much love as you had given him.

When the two of you finally separated, he took the initiative and began talking: “So before you start showering me with questions all I want to say is that I was planning on surprising you with a joint dinner, some presents, and your favorite dessert. Unfortunately, someone caught me in the middle of my plans so now…you’ll have to wait quite a bit for me to finish everything up, sorry about that sunshine I reall-”

“It’s ok Keigo I don’t mind! If anything...I’d love to help you out with it and even though that might ruin your planned surprise, I honestly don’t care for it too much. I just want to be with you today.”

Your bluntness had always been something he admired you for and it was no secret that he still had some problems with expressing his feelings without any restraint and that’s why he really appreciated it when you made the first steps. Back when the two of you had first met it was the exact opposite: he was the open and pretty forward person while you were a tad shyer, but after the two of you gradually grew closer to each other your roles reversed. Nonetheless, you both complement each other perfectly and every day was but another great adventure.

The two of you moved your conversation to the kitchen where you guys finished up the rest of the dinner and talked about your day. That’s also when you finally answered the question he was constantly bringing up, namely why you knew that he’d be back at home earlier than he promised. 

After you guys put some of the meals in the oven and let the others cool down, your boyfriend took you by the hand and dragged you to the fireplace he had lit some moments ago, urging you that it was now your turn to open your presents.

Keigo sat down cross-legged in front of you and watched you open the boxes with big eyes. You picked the bigger one first and when you finally reached the present you couldn’t help but laugh. It was a beige cardigan which also seemed like it was self-knit, similar to the pullover you gave him. Both of you couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the similar thoughts you guys had for a present. Next up was the smaller rectangle box which was way harder in comparison and even though you tried your best to not damage the wonderfully chosen present paper, your curiosity got the best out of you and soon you were ripping one small piece after the other...and forth came a book.

“N-No way! Keigo is that what I think this is?”

“Well...if you’re thinking about the newest volume of your favorite suspense novel, then yes, this is indeed it!”

You happily cried out his name and once again threw your arms around his neck, but this time it was him who attacked you with millions of kisses. Keigo then took you into his arms and leaned his back against the couch. Both of you remained in that position for a short while, his calm breathing, and a little quickened heartbeat were having a quite calming effect on you. The warmth the fire next to you provided made you sleepy on top of that and just as you were about to close your eyes and doze off, your beloved’s voice brought you back to reality...

“You know sunshine...if there is something like a past life then I’d like to believe that we were destined to be together but didn’t manage to do it.”

It was surprising to hear him speak of past lives since this was normally a topic you were interested in and often thought about, Keigo on the other hand usually listened to your theories and imaginations and added his opinion occasionally, so hearing him initiate it this time was a little worrisome. But you knew better than to interrupt him, so all you did was squeeze his body tighter and remain silent yet attentive.

“I rarely imagine stuff like that, but on days like this I just can't help but wonder if I really deserve this much happiness...d-don’t misunderstand me though, I’m really really thankful for you, our relationship, everything! But everything is going so smooth that I just can't help but overthink it and maybe we weren’t in a relationship in our past lives, but ended up leading a good life despite that, so now...”

Silence followed and you heard how his pulse had remarkably quickened the longer he talked about it, knowing Keigo his thoughts had already begun drifting into the darkest of abysses, and you weren’t going to let that happen.

“...Now you’re thinking that something bad might be waiting for us in the future...as payback for our good life but bad relationship type of past life?” you asked as you looked up to the worried facial expression of your lover, whose only reaction was to nod. You sat up and looked him directly into his eyes while your hands squeezed both of his cheeks.

“That’s not how past lives work Keigo and you know it. I don’t want you to plunge yourself in darkness over a theory with no basis. Since when were you even that type of guy who believed that...what did you call it again...mambo jambo?” 

He smiled and gave your palms a gentle kiss, but he remained silent, waiting for you to finish. 

You continued trying to reassure him, telling him that no matter what you guys were going to face in the future you’d always have each other and even if that one random theory he came up with should happen one day, you promised him to never leave his side. 

And this seemingly meaningless promise is what drove Hawks to come out of his comfort zone in the following months, he also started coming home earlier from work and patrols. All in all, he began spending more time with you and you had nothing against it, if anything you appreciated him thinking more about your joint life as well as himself.

One day when you once again got woken up by the sunlight you felt how someone caressed your cheek and then the mattress tilted as the weight which was next to you disappeared. It took you a few minutes to wake yourself up and look around for your lover, but then you noticed something on your hand. Your eyes widened and you immediately jumped out of your bed, looking for Keigo, who was smiling to himself as he took a seat in front of your fireplace and patiently waited for you...

[kuramirocket]

Sandra Velasquez wants Americans to see Mexican products with a new lens. “We can also make premium, beautiful brands. It’s not just about cheap, everyday things,” she says passionately.

In 2019, she started Nopalera, a bath and beauty line, using nopal, a popular cactus variety, which grows wild in Mexico and southern California. With little money, she maxed out credit cards, and ultimately took out working capital loans to finance the new venture.

Though she didn’t have too much capital at hand, Velasquez had worked as a sales rep for popular food brands; this helped her understand the importance of branding. Working with a designer, she created the unique image of a Latina woman with her hair set in the shape of the prickly pear cactus.

The image resonated, garnering feedback and interest in the brand even before she had debuted Nopalera. Upon launching the brand, Velasquez quickly sold out of her initial batch of soaps, which she was making — and continues to do so — out of her Brooklyn space herself. 

For Velasquez, Nopalera is more than a bath and body brand, she says. As the daughter of a farm worker in California, it’s important for her to respect her roots and yet, create a different image of her community. “We are not all the same, and we should not fit under one generalization. There are those who are interested in a more premium product, that still speaks to our heritage. And I wanted to show that we can make something that’s beautifully designed and in line with today’s popular brands.”

The range falls under clean beauty, made with natural ingredients, free of animal products, and fragrance-free as well (for sensitive skin). Nopal, the hero ingredient in all her products, has many uses beyond bath and beauty, Velasquez explains: as a substitute for leather, as a bio-plastic, and of course, as food. The cactus also regenerates quickly, she notes, making it an eco-friendly material that will grow back fast. “I have one here in Brooklyn and if I cut it back, it’ll grow in a week. So in that way, it’s a great renewable material.”

Velasquez explains that her moisturizing bars use oil, procured from the seeds of the prickly pear fruit on the cactus, and the process for setting the bars can take more than 24 hours. “Whereas most moisturizing bars use beeswax, which is a simpler process of melting and setting, this is more complicated and requires me to keep coming back to it to get the right consistency.”

The soaps, which come in three different varieties, utilize the pad, or the edible part of the nopal. "That’s what I wanted to do, showcase the culture of Mexico.”

Instead, she adds that much of the industry has a “very Eurocentric attitude, and it’s time for a change.”

[coffeetablettowers]

peeps i went on a shopping spree for myself today.

bought a bath & body works fragrance visor clip and three refill scents (also two room sprays for the older niece and nephew as they were on sale for $3.95)

bought three long skirts, two shirts, and multivitamin from amazon

bought two bras from soma because they were 50% bogo and i had a 20% off coupon that also gave me free shipping so i saved $39

and now i'm broke, but i'm worth it :']

[thelifestyleeditor]

CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS

Who are you: Silvana de Soissons

What is your work: I am the founder and product maker at Farm Soap Co.

Where can we find you:

Website: www.farmsoapco.com

Twitter: @silvanades

Instagram: @farmsoapco

Facebook: Farm Soap Co.

Describe your work in 5 words: Handmade, small-batch, botanical skincare.

Can you tell us a little about what you do? I grow and produce botanical skincare products - I have just recently launched my business with eight different plant-based soaps, and will be launching bath salts, body oils, toners, mists and creams soon. I aim to grow the botanicals which are distilled and turned into the hydrosols, macerations and essential oils that go into the products. I am working on a section of the walled garden at Deans Court in Wimborne - hopefully we will be able to harvest the first plants in the autumn of this year.

Can you tell us about your career journey and how you got to where you are today? Well, I have certainly had a circuitous career, starting with a degree in Economics from the University of Bath and then moving to London. I have worked in finance, sales, marketing and retailing and have also owned my own food and lifestyle business in Bath. For a long time I have been a buyer of artisan toiletries and skincare products – both as a consumer and also as a retailer. I believe in the healing, nourishing and medicinal power of plants, and in putting the very best ingredients on my skin in the same way I would only put the best, seasonal, local ingredients on my plate. I wanted to create a skincare brand that was completely plant based, vegan, zero chemical and zero plastic, with trustworthy and transparent sourcing, and production with a sense of place. That’s how Farm Soap Co. was born.

Where is your office/studio, and what is the view out of your window? I am very fortunate, especially since the Coronavirus lock-down was announced, that my workshop is in the back of my home, so I have no commute. I live on a Dorset dairy farm and my workshop used to be a cheese room - the right temperature and size to create a soap making workshop. My view out of the window is the garden.

What is the first thing you do when you get to work? I come down to my kitchen at around 6.30am to let my Fox Terrier dog Gumdrop out. I then make coffee, listen to the news on BBC Radio 4, and then I make my ‘To Do’ list for the day - amount of soaps that need to be produced, check on the cured soaps, answer emails, send out samples to potential stockists, order new supplies etc.

What are the tools of your trade? There are so many! The soaps are made from olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, almond oil, essential oils, lye and in some cases sea salt and seaweed from Dorset’s Jurassic coast. I use weighing scales, pouring jugs, bowls, spoons, knives, thermometers, pots, spatulas, moulds, trays, steel racks, the list goes on!

What can’t you work without? My Roberts radio – I have it on for most of the day, a bit of Radio 3, a bit of Radio 4. Always accompanied by Italian coffee or British tea, with a cheeky biscuit or two.

Why do you love what you do? I love working for myself; I love the artisan, handmade process; I love creating a product that is pure, natural and simple; I love growing and producing; I love not having to manage people (is it OK to say that?!).

Who or what inspires you? There are so many excellent independent, small-batch botanical skincare producers all over the world, and I am inspired and informed by them every day. It is fascinating to see how producers and formulators from many different countries use their culture, heritage, flora and customs to create skincare, toiletries and well-being products with a sense of place and pride. I love to follow the work of: Bamford, L.A Bruket, Sphaera Soap, Seed to Skin, Primally Pure, Rawbatch Soap, Pai Skincare, Votary, Vintner’s Daughter, Wild Sage, Wildsmith Skin, Wilder Botanics, A.S. Apothecary, Enchanted Plants, Yellow Gorse, Saint Iris Adriatica, Honest Skincare, Haeckels, so many!

What is the best advice you have received? This is a quote by Benjamin Franklin, so obviously it’s not advice received but it’s the advice I always give to those who want to be cheap, do sloppy work and cut corners: “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” The best advice always comes from my husband John-Paul, and my 24 year old daughter Mariella. Whenever I have had problems dealing with certain people in my career, managing difficult members of staff, or handling a supplier who wasn’t behaving in a professional manner, I tell them the whole issue and they talk me through sensible solutions bit-by-bit. They really should set up an “Agony Aunt Advice” column, they’re so good at getting to the heart of the matter and nailing the solution on the head. Sometimes when the going gets tough in business (and when is the going not tough in business?!), you need to be strong and detach yourself from situations - you can’t see the solution clearly if you’re too close.

One moment in your career you will always remember? Err, launching Farm Soap Co. at the time of the Coronavirus epidemic has got to be right up there as memorable. I have never launched a lock-down business before – any helpful hints and tips?! Still, soap saves lives! We will always need soap, remember that.

What is the best part of your job? The best part of my job is working with fantastic botanical ingredients – coconut oil, shea butter, essential oils, herbs and flowers.

And the worst? The washing up! You would not believe the amount of washing up there is after you have made a batch of soap. Endless washing, drying, putting away and repeat!

What’s your proudest career achievement? Still being in the world of business and making and selling products thirty two years after graduating - I love making, creating, learning and developing and I think that it’s an achievement in life to never lose the gift of wonder, the thirst for knowledge and the drive to explore and invent. I am proud to be a dinosaur and still alive - that’s an achievement.

What are you working on at the moment? Formulations for botanical bath salts, body oils, toners, tonics and creams.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life? Please can someone find a vaccine for Coronavirus. Please could someone come and help me do the washing up. Also, please could someone come on a daily basis and tire Gumdrop out!

Can you share a favourite websites or Instagram feed? I love The Shopkeepers @the_shopkeepers https://www.theshopkeepers.com/ - they are such a wonderful resource for learning about and celebrating small, independent shops all over the world

I love The Botanical Candle Company in Shaftesbury - @thebotanicalcandleco https://www.thebotanicalcandleco.co.uk/ – such a beautiful shop selling wonderful homewares, lifestyle goods and the world’s best smelling scented candles made of soy wax. The owner Amalia Pothecary (what a wonderful name!) and her husband James, also have a lovely home and pets and her personal account @_apothecary_ is a hilarious peek at her life at home.

One of the most beautiful feeds on Instagram belongs to No 56 Penzance @no.56penzance and the artisan makers account @no.56makers https://no-56.com/ - I want to buy every single thing in that shop. The owner Carole has exquisite taste.

As does @thehambledon and @objectsofuse and @gonzalezygonzalezstore and @march.sf and @levestiairedejeanne and @rennes._ and @bontucson and @cinq.kyoko and @cloveandcreek and @avidaportuguesa and @veritecoeur_shop and @veritecoeur_atelier and @plaingoods and @tiinathestore...I could go on and on!

What have you learned the hard way? It takes a great deal of patience and commitment to formulate a good soap, or any skincare product. There are no shortcuts - you need to commit the time, resources, focus and energy. There are lots of failed attempts. You will end up using A LOT of soap yourself.

If you could do another job what would you like to do and why? I am a fair weather person - during the Summer I would like to work in a herb garden and look after plants all day long - being surrounded by nature, with a straw hat on my head, a Thermos flask of tea and a picnic lunch in my basket. Then in Winter you would find me in front of the fire - looking through all the seed catalogues and gardening books, planning the fair weather days.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to do what you are doing? You will need to learn a great deal, go on workshops and courses, follow all the professional makers, buy good books on the subject, practice, practice, practice, and develop your own distinctive products. The toiletries and skincare market is very crowded - you will need your own USP (unique selling proposition) and good branding and packaging too. I would say, go and work for others for a few years first and watch and learn all the sides of the business - from finance to sourcing, origination, production, sales, distribution etc. With every job comes an apprenticeship period that will stand you in good stead for the future.

If you could be someone for a day who would it be? I would like to be Jo Malone - she has such a wonderful sense of smell, ability to create new fragrances and market them in an extremely overcrowded market. She sold her eponymous business to Estée Lauder and then created Jo Loves. She has overcome huge personal adversity without losing her enthusiasm and smile - what a brilliant entrepreneur and positive, engaging role model to all who follow.

Do you have a secret ambition still to achieve? So many - I would love for Farm Soap Co. to grow as a business and be stocked in my favourite lifestyle stores and boutique hotels and B&Bs. My ambition is to keep learning and developing, producing really good botanical skincare products and toiletries for all my customers to enjoy.

What is your personal motto? Keep your head and hopes high.

If you had an extra hour each day what would you do with it? Enjoy a really long, hot bath with essential oils and bath salts, a glass of cold Prosecco in hand, woody, scented candles flickering, a warm, white fluffy towel on the radiator and clean flannel pyjamas. I am totally rock & roll!

How would you like to be remembered? She came. She saw. She made it happen. Then she had a bath.

Thank you Silvana for talking to The Lifestyle Editor.

[bubbleray57-blog]

It was founded in 1990 in New Albany, Ohio and has since expanded across the country.

It specializes in numerous fragrant lotions, bath items, personal care items, and home fragrances. Other Limited Brands include Victoria's Secret, Henri Bendel, , Express, Express Men, and C. O. Bigelow. Limited Brands also once owned Abercrombie Fitch, The Limited, Banana Republic, The Limited Too, as well as Lane Bryant and Lerner, which is now known as New York Co.In October 2006, Diane Neal, former president of GAP Outlet and Mervyn's, was brought in as the new president.The company launched both a seasonal catalogue and a website in 2006. In November 2006, Bath and Body Works launched its first television commercial advertisement. Net Sales as of January 28, 2006 were $2,285,000,000, significantly higher than all other Limited Brands, except Victoria's Secret.Other: Shampoo Conditioner Styling cream Nail polish Anti aging cream Body powder Cold cream SindoorInternational Nomenclature of Cosmetic List of ingredientsCosmetic advertising Beauty salon Cosmetology History of cosmeticsAlmay American Beauty Artistry Aveda Avon Bath Body Works Biotherm Bobbi Brown The Body Shop Bonne Bell Burt's Bees Cargo Carol's Daughter Clarins Clinique CoverGirl Elizabeth Arden Est Lauder Faberg Hard Candy Helena Rubinstein Kevyn Aucoin Kiehl's Lanc Laneige Laura Mercier Lise Watier L'Or Love Cosmetics MAC Cosmetics Mary Kay Max Factor Maybelline Nars Natural Wonder Neutrogena Nivea Oriflame Origins Revlon Rimmel Sephora Shiseido Shu Uemura SK II Stila Ulta Urban Decay Vichy Victoria's Secret WellaChemicals Companies People History. Iside Sarmiento productoslibro de Feng ShuiAromas doTerraOhmjard zenbamb de la fortuna"Precaucin con los espejos. Nunca ponerlos alineados con puertas y ventanas excepto si la vista es a un bello paisaje para atraer a tu hogar el Ch de la naturaleza".La Lavanda elimina el stres, el insominio y ayuda relajarse y a dormir placenteramente. Muy bueno para alergias, picaduras del insecto, repelente natural y quita espinillas.El Limn es un desinfectante natural, purifica la sangre y ayuda a regular el de la presin sangunea circulacin, varices y estado de animo.Qvc Mac Makeup, makeup forever academy fortShop For Your Favorite Tarte Makeup Now! Try our New Search Results! Shop, Compare and Save at Pronto. Free Shipping on all orders! Sep 5, 2010 . New Stuff! (Ulta, Sephora, MAC , All Cosmetics Wholesale, QVC ). gtgirly202 videos. SubscribeSubscribedUnsubscribe 4,267. 1,822. Like . Or, for a bit of dream like pampering, just glide the brush on your skin with or without powder, for a light massage. From It Cosmetics. As far as I know, MAC NEVER goes on sale. BUT you can get their products in the Cosmetics Company Outlet stores.They usually have a limited selection of regular line . Nov 10, 2012 . and countless others. I absolutely love the tarte liquid foundation but wish it was a tad more hydrating. I'm not sure why I'm tempted by the Tarte . QVC Please try to bring MAC Cosmetics here! my fear is that like ALL the other make up beauty shows, the spectrum of diversity will be underrepresented. Explore QVC and find everything you need paired with award winning service, from the comfort of your own home. Don't be suprised when you see Ricky Martin as one of the faces for the next Viva . From It Cosmetics. QVC : Product Detail. Item no: A225107 . Photos Videos. It Cosmetics Anti Aging Celebration Foundation with Brush . 32649758df 18M A C Makeup for less. Grab a bargain today. Mac Makeups . Compare Foundation Makeup Read Expert and User Reviews. Huge Range of Top Brand Make up Get the best deal . mac pro cosmetics on Makeup.

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[sadgirlselfcare]

The Sad Girl Story - Extended

If you’ve read my “About” page on my website, then you know that the beginning of SGSC was not your typical “beginning of business” story. I didn’t have some epiphany one day about opening a self care business. It was never my “dream”, in fact nowhere close. Despite all of that, Sad Girl is here – And i'm hoping it’s here to stay. To really learn the story, we have to go back to December 2019. I was at the lowest point I had ever been in with my mental health. I was depressed, hopeless, and even suicidal. In my mind at the time, there was nothing left for me in this world. My partners were supportive, but I was beginning to feel like a burden I wouldn’t expect anyone to hold. I needed something, anything, to occupy my mind. To bring some sense of accomplishment to my life, no matter how small. At the time, baths were one of the only ways I could take care of my personal hygiene. They were the least labor intensive thing, as standing in the shower was just too much for me at the time. I loved to use bath bombs, they were just an extra something that made my bath feel like a luxurious experience, but I felt something missing from the store bought bombs I always got. I felt that I was not getting quality for the prices I was paying. I wanted more, so my partner suggested I make my own.

I researched the process (albeit not nearly as much as I should’ve) and started collecting the necessary ingredients to begin. As soon as everything had arrived, I jumped in, head first. Rookie mistake. Within 5 minutes of beginning my first batch, I had this foamy, volcanic mess on my floor. It looked like a 2nd grade science project.

I felt so defeated. I’m fairly certain I cried, but I honestly can’t remember. But what I do remember, is something along the lines of “Okay, that failed, so let’s just give up”. As much as I wanted to just admit defeat, my partners kept pushing for me to try again.

My second attempt was no better than the first, but I was determined at that point. Bath bombs had just become a challenge, and I was going to win. It probably took around ten attempts, to get anything remotely resembling a bath bomb..and it wasn’t great. It hardly fizzed at all, there was virtually no color, and you couldn’t smell the fragrance at all. Again – I felt defeated. I had done all this work, so much trial and error – and I had failed…again.

What I didn’t realize back then, and something I’m still working on understanding today, is that I will NEVER be perfect at this. As much as I can hope and wish and dream, perfection will never come, and that is okay. I spent about 2 months trying to get my recipe down. When I finally got a product that I was happy with, I started making 2-3 batches a day. Probably around 10 bath bombs per day…you can see my problem? By the end of the second month, I had an entire storage container (you know, the cube ones?) full of bath bombs.

I decided to make a post on my personal facebook page, asking if anyone would have any interest in bath bombs. I was selling them for what it cost me to make them. The response was….more than I expected. I sent out probably 10 packages in the two weeks I started advertising. And this was just to family and friends. Once I had sold quite a few, I decided I needed a new recipe. I had done a lot more research since I had first begun, and I knew I could make them better.

At this point my interest had developed into all things bath related. I started researching the process for soaps, sugar scrubs, and body butters. I had what seemed like 50 projects at once, and this was exactly what I needed at the time to keep me busy.

As I started accumulating more product, I started listing more things for sale to my friends and family. By February, I had named my “business” Sad Girl Self Care. The name meant a lot to me, it was the perfect name for my business, which grew from my motivation to keep myself grounded, and make something out of nothing, when I felt like I had nothing to offer.

Stay tuned for more.

https://sadgirlselfcare.com/the-sad-girl-story-extended/

[snowpixie03]

Random Target Haul

I was in Target today to get my Nephew's birthday present and ended up getting some other stuff. They just redid the beauty section at my Target and now they have Real Techniques brushes and are carrying Soap Glory so I was real excited to wonder the new aisles. As I wondered I ended up throwing a lot in my basket so this is what I bought.

E.l.f. Cleansing Duo Face Brush - This is a dual-sided cleansing brush that has soft bristles on one side to gently cleanse pore and has a flexible silicone head on the other side to exfoliate and massage the skin. I was just curious about this and it has only $14 so I decided to try it.

E.l.f. Mascara & Shadow Shield - I got this because I'm always getting mascara on my lid or underneath my eyes so I'm hoping this will help prevent that.

E.l.f. Kiss It Goodbye Lip Color Remover - Since I've gotten into liquid lipstick and longer lasting stains I figured I would give this a try because I have a hard removing some lip products. I haven't heard anyone really talk about this so I don't know if that because it's terrible or because no body has really tried it but I will let you guys know if it works.

Real Techniques eye shade + blend duo - I love Real Techniques brushes and I actually don't own these two brushes. I do own a shading brush from this brand but it's much smaller and fluffier than the one in this duo which is finely tapered. The blending brush is a deluxe crease brush which I feel like I can never have too many blending brushes hence why I got this.

L'Oréal Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender - I wasn't planning on getting any of these new sponges from L'Oréal but I've had a few requests to try one and since this is the one I'm most likely to use I got this one. I will absolutely let you guys know my thoughts on this since some of you requested that I try this.

Zoella Fizz Bar - If you don't know who Zoella is, she is a huge youtuber from the U.K. who has a bath and body products line. Until recently, unless you ordered them online, you couldn't find her products anywhere but during the Holiday some of her holiday line showed up in Target. Today I found a couple items from her regular line and snatched them up. This one is a bath fizzer so basically it's like a fizzy bath bomb (think LUSH). I can smell this through the packaging and I can't wait to use this. I love bath stuff and am always looking to try something new so I'm stoked about this.

Zoella Blissful Mistful Solid Fragrance - This looks like a lip balm in a tin but it's actually a solid fragrance. Again, I could smell the scent through the packaging and I am in love with this scent. I also really like carrying a solid fragrance with me so I can refresh the scent throughout the day so totally happy about finding this too.

Signature Soy Candle in the scent Blushing Amber - Since I am a candle junkie and Target has their signature soy candles on sale this week I wondered over to see what new scents they had. Blushing Amber was the first one I picked up and it smelled awesome also really familiar. I put in down and started smelling some of the other scents but kept going to it then I realized what it smelled like and I put it in my basket. This candle smells exactly like the Bath and Body Works scent Endless Weekend which is one of my all time favorite scents. Right now, you can't get Endless Weekend in a candle so I bought Blushing Amber. I don't love that the Target candles are only two wick candles but I love this scent so I'm willing to deal with it.

That's it for this post. I'm not sure what I'll be posting next but it will probably a review on the Wet N' Wild Liquid lipsticks so until my next post.

Later weirdos,

Snow

[jonasmaurer]

Friday Faves

Hi friends! Happy Friday to ya. I hope that you’ve had a good week. We’ve just been doing our thing over here. Lots of time at home and at the pool. I’m thankful to have a way to tire out the kiddos when we’ve been mostly inside. We’ve also been making tons of Perler bead creations (the girls are obsessed) and finding ways to stay buy.

To shake up my routine a bit, I took a Peloton yoga class and it was everything I needed.

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party. This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below!

Read, watch, listen:

This important podcast episode from my favorite podcast guy. Shaun dives deeply into his personal story, systemic racism and racial profiling, and action steps we can take.

What books have you read lately? A friend lent me We Were the Lucky Ones and after taking a break from historical fiction, I’m sucked into this one. It’s beautifully-written and I’ll probably finish it this weekend.

Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Since I finished Queer Eye (so sad when it was over), I’m back into Season 3 of Maisel. If you haven’t watched this one yet, I highly recommend it. It’s light, witty, and the costumes are insane.

Fashion + beauty:

Equilibria bath bombs!! My friends at Equilibria sent me some of their new products to try and I was so excited to check them out. The package contained their new bath bombs, roller duo (scented with lavender and peppermint) and mineral bath soak. I haven’t been taking baths at all lately – I took my first one since we moved back two years ago, and that was because I had that horrible pityriasis rosea rash situation – and the new bath bombs gave me a bit of motivation to block out some time for reading in the tub.

You guyyyyyys. This is one of my new favorite things. The rose scent is gorgeous and I felt so relaxed when I drifted off to bed. If you need a little boost of self care, check these out! (The code FITNESSISTA gets you 20% off at checkout, too.)

The Gal Meets Glam line is ending, which is sad to read, but everything on their site is on sale (final sale). I finally ordered this dress that I’d been lurking for at least a year.

Random purchase of the week = this amazing sweatshirt.

Beautycounter friends and family is going strong! Thank you so much to those of you who have already ordered! This is the perfect opportunity to try our products if you haven’t already, or stock up on some of your faves.

Check out the full site here. Also, email friends, check your newsletter for a fun little something I’m doing during the sale.

I shared some of my top picks in this post but here are some more if you’re looking for ideas!

Lipgloss– All of our lip products are incredible. The lipgloss isn’t sticky at all, includes natural vanilla bean, and adds the perfect amount of shine. The ingredients are safe so there’s no worries when the kiddos raid my makeup stash or ask me if they can use my lipgloss.

Cleansing balm– This is our go-to balm that works as a cleanser, a makeup remover, or an overnight mask. It’s moisturizing without being greasy, and I also use it on my heels in the winter when they’re super dry. When the kiddos have dry or irritated skin, I use a thin layer of cleansing balm. It’s pricey but a little goes a long way! I’ve had my jar for over a year now.

Countermatch adaptive body lotion– We have this lotion in all of our bathrooms by the sink. It adapts to the amount of moisture your skin needs, it’s lightweight, and fragrance-free.

Counter+ brightening facial oil– This citrus-scented facial oil quickly absorbs and penetrates skin to awaken and replenish. Lightweight and silky smooth, our proprietary blend of oils is designed to help hydrate and improve the appearance of skin radiance. Omega-rich marula oil provides intense hydration, while antioxidant vitamin C helps brighten and even skin tone.

Satin powder blush in nectar: This is exactly like the NARS orgasm blush I used to use, with way better ingredients. This product contains mica — this is a huge industry with major transparency issues. Beautycounter has done an incredible job of making sure their mica is responsibly-sourced with frequent on-the-ground audits. You can read more about their mission here and it’s one of the many reasons why I love this company so much.

If you need help with skincare recommendations, please let me know! You can also fill out my handy skincare survey here.

Fitness + good eats:

20-minute biceps and triceps arm workout.

Beginner half marathon tips and tricks.

I might be the last person on the White Claw train but I’m happy to be here. It’s like a slightly boozy LaCroix.

Try these collagen brownies if you haven’t already!

How exercise can shift your body clock.

Have a happy Friday, friends. Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today and I’ll see ya soon.

xo

Gina

The post Friday Faves appeared first on The Fitnessista.

Friday Faves published first on https://olimpsportnutritionde.tumblr.com/

[trenttrendspotter]

A Conversation About How Retailers and Manufacturers Communicate

Key topics and top trends at the ECRM

By Nancy Trent

I had the privilege of being the featured speaker at a recent ECRM conference, a prestigious “speed dating” event for major retailers and manufacturers. This particular ECRM event catered to every day and holiday cosmetics, toiletries, fragrances, and bath industries. The topic I covered was How to Flex Your Social Media Muscle, so I spent much of my time at the networking events surrounding my speech talking to the participating retailers and manufacturers about their marketing. What I heard was disconnect. Every manufacturer sales rep I spoke with said they would do anything the retailers wanted them to do to support sell-through, and many of them have marketing departments to drive it.  When I spoke with retailers, they often said the manufacturers aren’t giving them what they need, which for most, is regional sales support.  

Every retailer is looking to sell a pre-sold product. They look for brands they know have consumer demand. Retailers are telling us that they want “destination brands,” brands that consumers know by name.  

Product manufacturers and retailers need to strategize and work closely together to support sell-through in their regional markets. Likewise, sales and marketing need to work more closely as well. All marketing is first and foremost to support sales; if sales doesn’t know what marketing is doing, it’s a waste of efforts. If marketing doesn’t know what the retailers are telling sales they need, it’s never going to happen.  

Marketing and sales should be collaborating to build the stores’ confidence in the brand by getting both national and local recognition for it. People buy what other people tell them to try, and it’s a brand’s responsibility to drive new shoppers into stores for their products.  

One of the first steps is to get on the same page about consumer needs. Today’s shopper is obsessed with well-being and seeking natural ways to look and feel healthy.  

Today’s “well-thy” shoppers want retailers to be the source for what they need, when they need it, how they want it.  

This morning they are parents. This afternoon they are executives. Tonight they will be spouses. Tomorrow they will be a child. On Friday, they are foodies. Saturday, yogis. On Sunday, they are travellers.  Brands need to cater to whoever shoppers may be this minute, and well-being is always on the list. The problem, as you have identified, is that with all of the substantial, impactful and wonderful things shoppers are doing, they don’t have time for self-care.  

Trendspotting at the ECRM

One retailer I spoke with, Dominique Rush, Buyer for The Beauty Collection, wants consumers to know that The Beauty Collection is a family-owned business with close-knit vendor relationships that takes pride in its carefully considered brand portfolio. “Our customer requests and buying team ensure we have the best offerings in our locations,” said Rush. “Customers are ingredient savvy and want clean ingredients in their beauty products. A trend that I have seen grow across the board is fo sustainably sourced products, including the packaging and support collateral. Nowadays, less is more when it comes to packaging and cartons.”

Also speaking to consumer interests, Tony Giovanini, Senior Vice President, ECRM Health & Beauty Care, said, “There was definitely a theme around beauty personalization and wellness, and how consumers are making lifestyle changes, pampering themselves from the comfort of their homes. We saw a wide variety of bath and spa products, including bath bombs, scented soaps, body lotions/moisturizers, bath salts, and candles.”

The theme of the products is focused on pure ingredients that are natural, sustainable and good for you, Giovanini added. “These products were available in single units, as well as in luxury style gift sets for the holidays. We also saw new mask treatments, including traditional but unique face masks, hair masks and hand & foot masks with a focus on style, superfoods and CBD.”

On the cosmetics side, there are some really great luxury style gift sets available at affordable prices for the upcoming Holiday Season.These sets focused on color focused eye pallets and lip glosses. Again, sticking with the lifestyle and DIY theme, the beauty tools have continued to improve as well from implements, applicators, cosmetics bags.

According to Robin Raskin founder of Living in Digital Times, “Beauty and wellness is moving very quickly into the digital age. We’re seeing artificial intelligence being used in facial recognition for personalization of services allowing the customer to experiment with product, gauge their results and make new offers for products including skin care, makeup, hair care, dental, personal hygiene and more.”

Raskin also predicts the blockchain supply will help improve sourcing for the beauty industry and trends show an emphasis on purity of goods and eco-tasteful packaging and materials. “The line is blurring between cosmetic and overall wellness.” That was apparent in the brands I met with at the event.  

Here are a few of the highlights:

Classic, function and real-time results.  City Beauty is a classic, luxury beauty brand dedicated to formulating skincare and cosmetics that look amazing and deliver actual, real-time results. They specialize in anti-aging products, but women of all ages love the results along with how they feel. Their main focus is “functional beauty” where all of their products are designed to not only make you look beautiful while you wear them, but to provide deeper benefits that you can actually see. City Beauty was developed for consumers seeking solutions for specific, hard-to-treat skincare concerns rarely addressed by other skincare brands. Although the products can benefit anyone, consumers with visible signs of aging often see the most dramatic results. Each product is formulated not only to give immediate effects, but also provide lasting benefits.

Born as a digitally-native brand in 2002, City is starting a new chapter of giving both existing and new consumers a hands-on, in-person experience meant to enhance their skincare and beauty journey. Some of the biggest trends that City sees in the industry are greater inclusivity, a growing consumer demand for attainable luxury, and a shift towards enhancing one’s natural beauty.

“Beauty brands are now showcasing models and brand ambassadors of all ages, genders, and cultures, which makes beauty feel inclusive for a lot more people,” said Allyson Barrio, Director of City Beauty. “There is also a growing demand for professional-grade products that feel luxurious, deliver results, and are attainable. This has especially allowed newer, more agile brands to rival established giants for consumer attention. Leading this massive shift is the growing wellness movement, which has influenced beauty ideals to reflect a more natural, personalized, and health-conscious look.” City Beauty has been a long-time proponent of age-inclusivity, attainable luxury, and products that are as healthy as they are beautiful.

Thermal wellness made easy.  Parasilk is a company redefining the future of paraffin wax treatments with products and delivery systems for medical, spa and massage professionals, and direct to consumers for at home spa treatments. From athletes, to pain relief, to dry and aging skin, Parasilk hydrates, moisturizes, retexturizes, rejuvenates, soothes and protects your hands and feet.

Accessible anti-aging for years to come. Bellefontaine Switzerland is the Swiss-based luxury skincare company specializing in anti-aging. All of their products contain natural and precious ingredients from the Alps, pure water from glaciers and the most recent discoveries in biotechnology to bring you the best quality products on the market in order to have great skin now and even better skin in the years to come.

All good oils. Peet Bros. has a simple and powerful promise: to deliver more of the premium, moisturizing ingredients their customers value, while remaining 100% palm oil-free. They know the harmful dangers that palm oil puts on our environment, so they are taking a stand to protect the world we call home. Palm oil is one of the largest contributors to global deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss; the palm oil industry also has a devastating impact on the environment. So instead, they substitute their products with olive oil, shea butter, hemp oil + CBD. They believe in full ingredient transparency.

Bottling up the best nature has to offer. Faith In Nature believes that everyone should benefit from what the Earth provides. That is why they are passionate about keeping their prices affordable and only using the best natural ingredients to ensure that everyone can afford to go natural because that will truly make a big different. Starting out in the UK, Faith In Nature quickly became the best-known natural beauty brand. They make decisions for the brand that put people and the environment first.

Self-care part of every day. From body wash and gels to moisturizers to candles to fragrance, Vitabath is a retro brand appealing to a new audience by bringing all of the necessary luxury bath and skincare products to treat yourself at affordable price points.

Complexion helper. “Tranexamic Acid is set to be a huge ingredient trend, it’s an anti-inflammatory and amazing for addressing skin discoloration whether it’s melasma, post acne hyperpigmentation, dark spots, sunspots or just general dull and uneven=looking skin,” said Stephen Byrne, Head of Global Sales of Amelia Knight, creators of Scientia (see-en-cha), a new beauty brand that is knowledgeable, innovative and upfront. “With hyperpigmentation being one of the most common skin concerns, answers to this complexion complaint are always popular in the industry and market.”

After 15 years at the helm of her family’s cosmetics business, Founder and Creative Director Tiffany Salmon hunted down the best ingredients mother nature has to offer from all over the world and took her vast knowledge of beauty innovation back to the in-house laboratory at Scientia HQ, creating products that are straightforward, transparent and not just make you look good, but feel good too. The Scientia Dusk and Dawn Elixirs are designed to give aromatherapy benefits as well as intense skin nourishment. Take three deep breaths and enjoy invigorating Ginger, Pink Pepper and Fennel (with Dawn) or calming Lavender, Ylang Ylang or Frankincense (with Dusk) to help promote overall better well-being.

“With the majority of people often leading hectic modern lives,” noted Byrne, “research is showing that ‘Anti-Fatigue’ beauty will become a huge trend over the coming years, as consumers look for products that make them look more awake and well rested as a response to leading busier lifestyles.”

For more industry trends and to nurture relationships between manufacturers and retails plan to participate upcoming ECRM events. 

As seen in WholeFoods Magazine

[makeupmavenjessica]

New Post has been published on https://makeupmavenjessica.com/10-facts-about-avon-you-dont-know/

10 Facts About Avon You Don't Know!

10 Facts About Avon You Don’t Know!

Here is my 10 Facts About Avon You Don’t Know! Many of the people I meet out in the world have an Avon story. I have lost count of how many times I have told people what I do and they respond with something like “My mom used to sell Avon!” It actually just happened to my husband while he was on a computer repair job. With so many people’s lives having been impacted by Avon there is still a lot people don’t know.

Check out my list of 10 Facts About Avon You Don’t Know! Comment Below if one of these surprised you. Bonus points to those who actually did know some of these!

  Avon has been around for 132 years! Since 1886, Avon offered women the rare opportunity to earn their own money 34 years before women in the U.S. won the right to vote and 11 years before Aspirin was invented!

 Avon has 90% brand recognition around the world! This means that 9 out of 10 people know WHO Avon is and WHAT we do! And don’t be fooled in thinking that we are your Grandma’s Avon! We have new products that come out every 2 weeks and are on trend! A lot of people are surprised at our selection of fashion, shoes and home decor. Plus, we now have a health and wellness line!

Avon was started by a man! David H. McConnell was a was a traveling book salesperson, and offered beauty products as perk. He soon realized customers were more interested in the free perfume samples than the books, and that many of them stayed at home while their husbands went off to work. McConnell mixed the company’s first fragrances himself, and recruited a team of women to be Sales Representatives. It was an inspired idea: women had a passion for his products and loved networking with other women, so it turned out to be a brilliant business model, which works just as well today.

Avon was the first beauty company to launch an e-commerce site in 1996! And they are one of the most talked about Beauty Brands on social media.

All Avon jewelry is nickel free! In fact, Avon does chemical testing to ensure no nickel has been used in the plating and overlay. All of our jewelry is hypoallergenic.

AVON is one of the largest direct sellers, and a leading global beauty company! Avon Sells 4 Lipsticks and 2 mascaras every second around the world! That’s a lot of lipstick!

First to create AHA, Avon revolutionized the world of skincare with the launch of its ANEW brand. Consistently first to market with skincare breakthroughs, ANEW pioneers transformative, anti-aging technology to help women look years younger. It was the first mass skincare product to contain Alpha Hydroxy Acid anti-aging technology.

Avon has more than 1,000 patents granted and pending worldwide. Every year, Avon creates and tests over 1,000 products AND has 200+ scientists and technicians that work on every breakthrough at our Skincare Institute. 156 Anew Skincare products sold each minute globally in 2014

In the last 5 years, Avon has created 1,700 fragrance products globally. Isn’t that amazing?

Avon is a leader in funding women’s causes across the globe in more than 50 countries. More than $1 BILLION dollars has been donated to end domestic and gender violence and end breast cancer. In fact, they’ve delivered meals and given transportation to appointments for women when they’re going through treatment. It is so amazing to stand with a company that cares and supports women.

Bonus Fact:  You can start your own business and become a CEO for only $25!

What do you think of my list of 10 Facts About Avon You May Not Know? Comment Below!

What's Next?

Comment below: Do you like online shopping or prefer to shop the brochure in person?

Ready to start earning with an Avon business? Start Today for as low as $25!

FAQ about selling Avon

SHOP NOW: www.YourAvon.com/JZUMBUSCH Use Avon Coupon Code: WELCOME10 for 10% off all orders over $40. First time customers only

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Current Avon Promo Codes 2018

Avon Promo Code 2018: WELCOME10 - 10% off any Avon Online Order Size at https://jzumbusch.avonrepresentative.com A Box - Autumn Romance Select Jewelry - Buy 1 Get 1 Free Select Anew Skin Care - 2 for $40 Avon Kids Bath & Body - 2 for $11.99 All Current Promotions - Shop All Current Promotions

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Essential Oils: So Much Hype, So Little Science

http://fashion-trendin.com/essential-oils-so-much-hype-so-little-science/

Essential Oils: So Much Hype, So Little Science

The rise of the wellness industrial complex has put things like natural beauty and essential oils in the spotlight for their perceived lack of chemicals.

Though common in skincare and household cleaning products today, essential oils have long been revered for their healing powers and are used for health and medicinal purposes such as alleviating anxiety or curing the common cold. In fact, a cursory glance at the web results for “essential oils” tells the story of a magical cure-all — one most vehemently told by the multi-level marketing companies that sell them.

But when it comes to the science-backed benefits of essential oils, what’s actually effective? According to experts and research, not much. Here’s what you should know before you invest.

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are not vital to humans, as their name might suggest. They’re compounds extracted from plants through a distillation or cold-pressing process that captures the plant’s “essential” scent and flavor.

Known for demystifying chemistry, Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, explains that many plants’ compounds are volatile: “Some [are] destined to attract pollinators, others to ward off bugs that have the intention of making a tasty meal of the leaves. It is the volatile chemicals that are regarded as the plant’s essence and are the ones captured in the ‘essential oil.’”

(In fact, another name for essential oil is “volatile oil.”)

How they’re used

Today, essential oils are used to add scent to cosmetics and cleaning products, and flavor to food and beverages, Schwarcz says; but they’re also used as “medical treatments by application to the skin, through ingestion, or through inhalation, the latter commonly being referred to as ‘aromatherapy.’”

Essential oils have a long history of use. They were used for thousands of years in cosmetics and perfumes and for therapeutic purposes by ancient cultures from China and India to the Egyptians and Romans.

Dilini Vethanayagam, an internist and associate professor of pulmonary medicine at the University of Alberta, says Western countries are simply new to the trend. “I’m originally from South Asia, and alternative medicines are very popular there, but that’s over many decades of training,” she notes.

It’s undeniable that it’s a booming business right now, thanks in part to billion-dollar companies selling essential oil products. Rachel Monroe reported for The New Yorker last fall that in 10 years, essential oil company Young Living grew tenfold. Its competitor doTERRA claimed it made $1 billion in sales in 2015.

As Monroe theorized, people today are turning to essential oils because they’re disillusioned by Western medicine. And as Annaliese Griffin recently speculated in Quartz, women are doing so in particular, since modern medicine and the U.S. healthcare system has failed them time and time again:

“The medical system is even more terrible for women, whose experience of pain is routinely minimized by health practitioners. … Enter the wellness industry, which specializes in creating safe, welcoming, amber-lit spaces that make people feel cared-for and relaxed, and which treats the female body as its default. … The problem is that the rest of the wellness industry hitches a ride on their coattails of compassion and competency, benefiting from the utter lack of warmth found in mainstream medical treatment.”

So, what are the claims?

Lavender oil is good for skin irritations, easing muscle tension and helping with sleep problems. Rose oil cures acne and increases sex drive. Sweet orange oil controls gas and stomach problems.

There seems to be an essential oil solution for just about every condition and problem. Guides on the topic are common on health and natural living blogs, but even institutions like the University of Maryland Medical Center offer reference guides for aromatherapy.

Many of the claims about essential oils come from studies showing that their chemical compounds have certain benefits — like tea tree oil, which has antibacterial and antifungal properties. But just because it has antibacterial properties doesn’t mean it can necessarily cure your acne. Other circulating claims are based on studies in which essential oils were tested on rats or other animals rather than humans, or studies that were inconclusive, the results indicating a placebo effect.

In other words, the leap to suggest they can cure and treat conditions is a stretch, Schwarcz says.

Sketchy companies and marketing

In her New Yorker piece, Monroe goes into detail about Young Living (the self-described “World Leader in Essential Oils”) founder Gary Young’s questionable background, which includes opening a health center in Washington state in 1982 where his own daughter died from a birthing service in which she was submerged for an hour in a whirlpool bath; being arrested for practicing medicine without a license; and opening a clinic in Tijuana where he made false diagnoses to get patients to join a costly detox program.

Young, by the way, is a naturopathic doctor who uses natural healing to cure and treat illness. (The legitimacy of naturopathy as a practice has been criticized.)

Even taking Young out of the picture, the business model for these companies is problematic. Two of the biggest essential oil companies, Young Living and doTERRA, work as multi-level marketing schemes. Salespeople in the companies are known as distributors who buy the products at wholesale prices and mark them up to sell them to consumers. “But the real money,” Monroe writes, “comes from recruiting other distributors into your ‘downline’ and getting a commission on their sales.”

Schwarcz adds that distributors often make incredulous claims in order to make sales. “Some of the people the company has snared with its promises of wealth through multi-level marketing end up making a bevy of claims about essential oils helping with cancer, autism, Alzheimer’s disease, mononucleosis and arthritis,” he says.

An unregulated market

Like other complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), the essential oil market is unregulated. But several years ago, the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates prescription medication, issued a warning about Young Living’s marketing. After reviewing the company’s websites and social media accounts, the FDA found that the company was mislabeling and misbranding their products as drugs even though they were not approved as such.

The company had been marketing their products as cures, treatments and preventative measures for things like viral ebola, Parkinson’s disease, autism, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, insomnia, heart disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dementia and multiple sclerosis.

Per ATTN’s reporting, the FDA sent similar warnings to doTERRA and another company, and FDA spokesperson Lindsay Meyer informed the outlet that consumers should be wary of fraud and scams that involve claims to prevent, treat or cure health conditions. “Health fraud scams waste money and can lead to delays in getting proper diagnosis and treatment. They can also cause serious or even fatal injuries,” she told ATTN.

(The companies have also had legal troubles unrelated to product claims.)

The language on Young Living’s website and other similar companies’ websites has since softened, for example, by claiming a scent will help you “refocus.”

No proven benefits

As opposed to modern medicine, CAM is difficult to clock as pseudoscience or not, because human studies and clinical trials on things like essential oils are lacking. “If patients talk about using them as treatment,” Vethanayagam says, “I stop them right there.”

According to two studies (one in 2000 and another in 2012), there’s no convincing evidence that aromatherapy can calm hypertension, depression, anxiety, pain or symptoms of dementia. Schwarcz adds that studies shown to prove the benefits of essential oils are often not reliable, noting that “the scent of lavender may have a calming effect in some people and help with sleep, but it can cause headaches in others.”

And while it may be true that scents can be calming and pleasing to people, Pam Dalton of the Monell Chemical Senses Center says that “they likely aren’t working due to any pharmacological or biological effect, [but] rather a sensory/psychological effect.” For instance, the scent of mint may make you feel more alert because it stimulates a nerve that allows you to perceive irritation and pain (or lack thereof).

In other words, these are mood-based changes rather than physiological ones, and the evidence for the mood-based changes depend on subjective memories you have tied to particular scents. Dalton is currently working on a project funded by an essential oil company, but she says she’s still a skeptic.

In addition, in most studies looking at the benefits of aromatherapy on cancer patients as complementary to chemotherapy and other treatments, the results are mixed.

Dermatologist Diane Berson, who recently spoke at a conference about essential oils as a cosmeceutical trend, says they’re typically okay to use in skincare products if you don’t have an allergic reaction to them. Many people use them since they’re advertised as “botanicals,” but she says there’s no evidence that these are any better than ingredients made synthetically.

Are they dangerous?

Most essential oils are generally considered safe to inhale or apply topically, but be aware that they can cause different reactions in different people, Vethanayagam cautions.

Some people with underlying health conditions might experience problems. A 2013 study she authored, focused on fragranced household items, confirms this. “In an open air environment, if you whiff an aroma, maybe it doesn’t cause negative issues,” she says, “but if you have asthma, it can have a negative impact. It can either be an irritant effect or an inflammatory effect.”

Vethanayagam, whose practice focuses on allergies, says this can potentially cause damage to the hairlike projections, or cilia, that line our airways. As for ingesting? Vethanayagam says it’s probably okay in small quantities. “The lungs are very sensitive, but the stomach goes through many processes to take out the bad stuff,” she says. Berson warns that “some ingredients do cause dermatitis or negative reactions, and some common ones that cause allergic reactions are tea tree oil, lavender, peppermint.”

The University of Maryland Medical Center states that, in general, essential oils should not be used during pregnancy.

The bottom line: Essential oils smell nice, but there’s no evidence they work. In fact, depending on your sensitivity to fragrance and your past medical history, they might even be irritating.

If you enjoy how they smell and still want to use them, go ahead! “If the smell of lavender relaxes you for whatever reason, sniff it at bedtime when you find it difficult to disengage,” Dalton says. “If the smell of wintergreen makes you feel more energized, take a whiff when you’re heading off for a run on the treadmill.”

But you’d be wise to be aware of their limitations and — perhaps more importantly — of the companies that stand to profit from understating them.

  Photos by Louisiana Mei Gelpi. Photos feature UMA oil kits and a Bel Air Naturals oil kit.

[writingsandworship]

Happy Tuesday! I normally post on Mondays, but seeing as yesterday was a holiday, I pushed the post to today! I hope everyone had a beautiful and safe Memorial Day! It’s always a special time to honor those who have fallen and continue to serve. I spent the day shopping and then a movie and homemade burgers with my family.

This week signals the end of May and the beginning of June, so I thought it would be a perfect time to share my monthly favorites! Today is all about the products I’ve been loving this past month! You know how it goes, so I’ll just get into the products! 

 Colourpop Highlighter // Flexitarian 

I shared this highlighter in my Colourpop Haul post a few weeks ago and I have been loving this all month! While it is pretty shocking, it is a very natural color. I personally am not a huge fan of pink or purple hued highlighters…I prefer nude colors like gold or champagne. This formula is a bit odd..its almost cream to powder but not a typical cream. It is so soft and buttery. I will say, you have to use a very dense brush or your fingers to apply! The application is a little tricky till you figure out how to work with it.

Various Single Pressed Shadows 

MAC Quarry (matte)

Colourpop Goody Two-Shoes (Metallic)

Colourpop Silver Lining (Matte)

First off, Quarry is a wonderful transition shade and crease shade. It is a beautiful matte plummy, grey color with a little hint of brown. I use this almost every time I do makeup because it is so versatile. Goody Two-shoes is a brilliant metallic silver, grey color. The shimmer is fine and really makes the eyes pop. Silver Lining is a beautiful matte purple color that I really needed for when I do a plum smoky eye. This is perfect for the lid or the crease depending on what look i’m going for that day.  All three of these are so smooth, easy to apply, and extremely pigmented.

Bath and Body Fragrance Mist // Endless Weekend 

I bought my grandmother some amazing Bath and Body goodies for Mothers Day and I picked up this little beauty for myself! I am loving their body sprays right now. They are perfect to keep in my purse and throw on when I need a little refresh and smell good. Endless Weekend is a blend of magnolia, raspberry, and sandalwood; overall very refreshing and bright scent. Also, they’re still doing a great sale- buy 3 get 2 free so go get yourself one!

Nexxus City Shield Regimen

I received this Nexxus regimen complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. I have used this shampoo, condition, and creme this month and have loved the results! This is a City Shield set that is for all hair types. This is supposed to help protect your hair from the humidity and harmful things in the environment around us. I love that it helps reduce frizz and help the keep it styled all day long. The set is enriched with wheat protein and Indian Lotus Extract. It smells amazing and really helps make my hair feel healthy and stay styled.

Lipsense // Dark Pink 

I have been bitten by the Lipsense bug. I am planning to do a full review but this month I have been LOVING the shade Dark Pink. I think it is perfect for spring and summer; it is the perfect everyday pink. It isn’t too dark or too bright but just right for a beautiful look! If you haven’t heard about Lipsense, then you need to check it out. You apply three layers of color, apply gloss on top of that, and it lasts so much longer than any other lip product that I have tried to date. More info to come! 

Sweetheart Perfect Flush Blush // Something About Berry 

I know I have mentioned this in a favorites in the past, but this month I just can’t get enough of it! I had it put away and not using it for a while and just started using it again! Too Faced knows how to make a blush…that is for sure. This is the perfect pink blush, by far, my favorite! I love the look this gives off! It isn’t too bright and it has a fine shimmer that is subtle. I love to swirl and get the three shades all together. And I mean the packaging is just amazing, am I right?? Definitely glad I picked this up on a sale a while back! 

What have you been loving this last month?? Let me know! I’d love some new ideas for the month of June! XO

May Favorites 2017 Happy Tuesday! I normally post on Mondays, but seeing as yesterday was a holiday, I pushed the post to today!