When it comes to my face, and the products I use on it, I err on the side of minimal. Less is more is what they say and for me, nothing rings more true. I have been known to fit in a surf session before work or, going way back, before class. Salty beach curls was how I let my hair lay and a layer of waterproof mascara was all she wrote. Now that I am a new Mom, I don't have the time in the morning anymore to fit in a few waves, or for that matter, spend time putting makeup on my face. I need easy, I need fast, and I need to look sort of cool. (My number one fear in life right now is, am I a cool Mom, or no?). I connected with an old classmate of mine who is a consultant for @beautycounter and a Mom as well. So naturally, I was like, help me.

@beautycounter products pride themselves on being free of harmful chemicals. Our skin is our largest organ and absorbs what we put on it. Lotions, sunscreen, foundation, perfume etc. all get absorbed into our bodies from our skin. Without regulations, thousands of harmful ingredients are allowed in our everyday products with no one pumping the breaks. I'm a big believer in anything in moderation, you can't worry all day long about every little thing, but my face and my skin is one thing that I will worry about and that I will prioritize because you know, it's sort of important. 

So I linked up with Jackie, told her my woes, and she hooked me up in a major way. Below are my picks and thoughts, and I'm not just saying this to say this but I am hooked. Also, the package everything came in was adorable, I am a big fan of attention to detail, people.

1. Charcoal Cleansing Bar: It clarifies, detoxifies, and absorbs impurities from skin for a brighter and smoother complexion. It also removes makeup and can be used anywhere on the body. Also, it lasts FOREVER. My husband and I both tried this, and it makes your skin feel SO good.

2. Adaptive Moisture Lotion (face): This lightweight face lotion hydrates skin throughout the day to provide 24 hours of hydration. Great for sensitive skin!

3. Cleansing Balm: This is a 20 in 1 product. It can be used as a hydrating and brightening overnight mask, an oil based cleanser, scar treatment, lip balm, eye cream, sunburn elixir, split-end hair treatment, the list goes on and on. A little bit truly goes a long way. The jar lasts most people well over a year. *New Mom MUST.

4. Dew Skin Moisturizing Coverage: This is a tinted moisturizer that delivers lightweight hydration, a hint of sheer coverage, SPF 20 protection, and gives your skin a glowing effect. SPF in my products is a MUST living in California. Not to brag, but it's sunny ALL the time, and that takes a toll quickly.

5. Cream Blusher in Hibiscus: If you like a pop of color on your lips this blusher can be used on your cheeks and lips. I LOVE this color. I just put a little on my finger tips, dot it around the apples on my cheeks, dot it on my lips, and then circle back to the apples of my cheeks to blend it in. This shade literally goes with everything!

6. Lip Conditioner in Calandula: Lightweight and hydrating - I use chapstick every single day so this  was a fave of mine. It is made with avocado oil, Shea butter, meadowfoam seed oils, and jojoba oil. It also comes in peppermint.

7. Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 30: My husband and I tried an "organic" sunscreen earlier in the summer and we both got burnt SO bad. I said never again will we not use Banana Boat, but this product is lightweight, water-resistant, and smells great. It even stayed on evenly when I went for a run. Formulated with non-nano zinc oxide, is anti-oxydent-rich, and never uses Octinoxate or Oxybenzone. All high spf sunscreen has oxybenzone, the known endocrine disrupter and ingredient banned in Hawaii for reef damage. Who knew, seriously.

Thank you Jackie / @beautycounter ... you have changed the way I think about using skin products and thank you for helping me with my easy/fast/cool problems. xoxo

https://www.beautycounter.com/jackiepyburn

As of late, it feels like my day can quickly turn into mayhem. My husband and I just adopted a boxer puppy so suddenly, our little family of 4 turned into a party of 5 (2 adults, 2 fur babies, and a 7 month old baby boy). Are we nuts? Yup! The puppy needed some care and a home and we just could.not.say.no. Our son sprouted 4 teeth and just started crawling last week, and now he jets around the house on all fours, laughing endlessly at his new talent. Also, puppy is not trained so that has been WORK. If I can't get ease in other areas because i'm chasing around a baby and 2 dogs, I need it in my wardrobe, and that's just the way it has to be until things calm down a bit. Or maybe they never will, and that's why we like it! I'll let you know in a few months, k?
As I have mentioned before, I tend to dress more on the casual side when appropriate, and prefer simple with a statement piece. I was on the hunt for exactly that and found THIS Kimono at @forever21. I had my eye on a few different Kimono styles that I found online but opted for this in-store buy. It is in every sense of the word EASY AND BREEZY. I wear cut off distressed shorts all the time, super casual and easy right? Throw on this geo pattern inspired Kimono and I look half decent! For sure a W.

​Similar option here: 
https://www.forever21.com/gl/shop/Catalog/Product/contemporary-main/2000289871

and here:

​https://www.forever21.com/gl/shop/Catalog/Product/contemporary-main/2000288603

Olive Green is all over the trend forecasts for Fall and is also named one of the leading colors for the upcoming season by Pantone. Who doesn't love a good Pantone swatch, for real. Luckily for me, my eyes are very much olive green so this color suits me well right off the bat. Thank you, Universe. 

Because we lost a lot of our personal belongings in a house fire before we moved to California, I have been wearing only what we could fit in the truck to drive cross country. Since we have settled here, I have been slowly adding pieces back into my wardrobe. I have been very careful not to go overboard and to choose calmly (very difficult for me) and wisely. Do I need everything? Yes. Do I need everything NOW? No. That is my logic and I swear if I don't stick to it, I will accidentally fill our 3 story townhome with nothing but clothing for me. So this week I ventured out to find a cool spot that I could potentially become a regular at and found Bay St. in Oakland. I can probably sum up my experience in a few words "Oh sh*t, should I be driving down this street? (...turns corner...) OMG, I found my new fav spot." I think most of us who live in the Bay area and have gone out to explore Oakland feel the exact same way. I popped into a few shops on Bay St. with a vision of Olive on my brain. My personal style often teeters toward the casual side so when I popped into @aerie and saw Chambray Overalls that were adjustable for my mile long torso, it was a no brainer. Also, these babies can be dressed down with a tank or bralette and slides by day and a leather jacket and heels by night. My kind of outfit, assuming the baby doesn't spit up on me or dogs drool on me. At this point it's all the same amiright. Another item that was hot on my list was a new bra. I am a new Mom, with new Mom woes and if you are a Mom, you know, I do not have to explain, but I will say, that the @aerie Real Me Bralette may have changed my life, and it's only been 24 hours. Casual, comfortable, wear it however you want, and I will. It also has an adorable little quote printed on the back. I'll circle back on this for future discussion. The last steal of the day were these VACAY Summer Slides. With two dogs and a baby, getting my shoes on can be awkwardly annoying while trying to get everyone ready and out of the house, but these  just slip right on. Best of all, everything I bought is on sale right-now. Olive it all. Get it? 

@WGSN blog puts out a color of the month and currently it is Lilac. Couldn't agree more, the calming pastel for sure speaks to me and has started to take over my closet in multiple facets. Lilac was forecasted in 2016 and has made a solid comeback - maybe this means it is my spirit color if that's a thing. If not, i'll make it a thing.