e.l.f beauty review

Hello dears! So I first went down the e.l.f rabbit hole a few weeks ago when I decided to look for a new gold eyeshadow. I've been using a light champange color by Maybelline for about a year and I was wanting something still slightly neutral looking but bold enough to make my eyes pop a bit ;) I checked out e.l.f's website (btw e.l.f stands for eyes lips face) because going out for errands is a bit of a to-do these days and I know they've got some of the cheapest prices around! I signed up as a customer on their site (it's free, they just need your email) and I got a code for free shipping on my first order! (Instead of the standard $25 minimum purchase) I picked out $10 worth of product (because I'm trying to stick to a budget, ha) and I was fairly pleased with what I received! In the past I've used e.l.f on a couple occasions for example picking up a pair of false eyelashes at Target for a special event and even finding a couple items of theirs at the Dollar Tree that surprised me with their quality! (A fun hot pink blush and some grapefruit lip balm with a red tint that rocks!) I also like their merchandising, it doesn't feel chinsy to me for being such inexpensive makeup! 

Around Mother's Day I decided to place a $25 order (to get the free shipping) and to also get the free Rose Gold bundle (for spending the $25) which included one of my new favorite products, a highlighter! This is something I've never tried before and I am now a fan! So within these two orders I basically just replaced my whole makeup bag for $35 which is pretty awesome for this bargain loving gal. In the past I have typically preferred more natural products, mostly because my hubby worked at Whole Foods and I got a discount there! I used Mineral Fusion for several years and I do still enjoy their line as well but during this season of being on one income it's a lot more practical for me to find cheaper products that I still love, that way I have more disposable income to spend at the thrift store hahaha. (Seriously though) And seeing as how I don't wear a full face everyday I don't feel quite as concerned about the chemicals, at least for the time being ;) but I digress,

Here's what I picked up in my recent orders! 

^ Rose Gold Bundle + Peach Squad shadow


My favorite product from this entire haul was the highlighter that was in my Rose Gold gift set, here is an example that I found on Pinterest of how to use highlighter but I usually just stick to putting it on my cheeks.

Some additional thoughts on a few of the products listed above---

I am surprised by how much I like their foundation! I was kind of nervous to try it because I've got fairly acne prone skin and this ended up having some fragrance in it which made me even more nervous but so far I haven't had any problems and I like the color and coverage! I might try the acne fighting foundation next to see how it compares.

This particular concealer isn't doing much for me, wouldn't recommend. I might try a different blend to see if I like the color, consistency and coverage better. 

I've never used primer before so I bought some out of curiosity. It's so light and soft going on so I like the way it feels but I don't really see much a difference when using it in combination with my foundation. I don't really use a daily moisturizer (I know I should, wrinkles ugh) so at least this is giving my skin some extra hydration I guess!

I am not super savvy when it comes to doing my brows but I like the clear brow mascara to shape them just a little bit. 

The brush I bought is super soft and doesn't lose bristles easily like I've experienced with other cheaper brushes. I use it for dusting on a little of the finishing powder and blush.

The liquid molten eyeshadow that was also in the Rose Gold bundle is my new go-to for a quick bit of glam when it comes to neutral makeup (which is most days!) I like the consistency and how it goes on. 

The finishing powder works alright for setting my makeup but I think I'll try their high definition powder next to see how I like that! 

I like the mascara but it does come off easily on my brown bone while its still drying. I think I'll try a different formula of theirs to see if I like another one even more!

Here are three looks that I created with my new products: 

1.) Everyday natural

A little bit of foundation, blush, lipgloss and mascara go a long way. I'll swipe on a bit of each at the start of a typical day so I don't end up looking particularly haggard later on ;) I want my skin to breathe too so I'll either apply my foundation really light or even better just dot a little concealer under my eyes instead and call it good! Here I also added a little brown eyeliner but most days I just go without it to save time! Also if you are wondering what those bulky straps are about I've got Timmy in the baby carrier, haha. 

2.) Playful Weekend look

Not that colorful eye makeup has to be reserved for the weekend but if I'm going to put the extra effort and pizzaz into my makeup its probably because I'm heading out to do something fun! I used the gold eyeshadow from the Peach Squad duo palette, the midnight blue liquid eyeliner pen (careful when opening this one it gets on your hand easily!) and then some of the highlighter on my cheeks. I also tried this lipgloss in neutral (also from the Rose Gold bundle) and liked it. I usually pick color for lips or eyes, rarely both together. (Just personal preference) 

3.) Classic vibe

If I want to feel a little bit fancy or put together a colorful lip does the trick! Like I mentioned I usually pick color for lips or eyes so for this look I used the tan eyeshadow from the Tea for Two eyeshadow palette and then the matte lip pen in Hot Commodity which goes on really smoothly, I like it! I skipped eyeliner because I didn't want to look too overdone but a nice winged liner would be fun for this look as well.

In conclusion ;) Will I become an e.l.f user for life? I don't know, probably not but I am really enjoying their products for the time being! If I could go buck wild with my makeup budget I would probably buy all Benefit products, I love their line too!

Also I like following e.l.f on Instagram for some glam beauty inspo since I usually stick to the same old routine most days! They are constantly having sales and promotions which is a great reason to follow them on social media too. @thebeyoutybureau is another account that I recommend following since I am not an actual beauty blogger and this gal knows her craft! (Plus she is adorable) If you don't do Insta her blog site is: www.thebeyoutybureau.com 

Have you used e.l.f before, if so what did you think? 

What are your favorite/must have beauty budget buys? 

Cheers and happy styling!

Birth Story and Postpartum Style

I wanted to wait to write my birth story until I was nearing the end of the initial 6 week postpartum period to share a little bit about that side of my experience as well. Timothy’s birth and first couple weeks of life were so full of peace and grace, my heart is flooded with gratitude as I reflect on this time! Now several weeks in, reality has set in a bit and things have gotten tougher, not unmanageable but I’m still daily adjusting to meeting the needs of two kids while trying to have more relaxed expectations on myself. ;) I am not a super tidy person by nature (my modus operandi is somewhat haphazard) but over the last few years I've grown a lot in that area, in this season though I'm trying to relax my newfound appreciation for an organized space, time with these sweet little gems is so much more valuable than stressing over trying to maintain a spotless house or an ambitious to do list.

So anyways first a little bit about Timothy's birth! 

I was becoming anxious the week before he was born (he was six days past his due date) as Keenan’s paternity leave was dwindling. His time off began on Timothy's due date, as Coralee was only three days past her due date we thought that meant baby would arrive “on time” or even early, whoops! However those six days prior to his arrival were filled with priceless quality family time and plenty of labor inducing techniques like walking, spicy food, you get the picture ;)

^40.5 weeks pregnant hoping dearly this was my last "maternity" picture, it was!

I had a checkup the day before little man arrived and I asked the midwife to check my cervix to see if I was dilated at all (I was in desperate need of some hope!) Effaced to a 2 I thought that was better than nothing and she casually offered to do a “membrane sweep” “Sure!” I replied willing to try just about anything to get things going (I was about two days away from making myself a Castor oil cocktail, I am thankful I didn’t have to go that route!) Almost immediately after the sweep I began having contractions that became increasingly regular and more intense (unlike the random Braxton Hicks I was experiencing all week) The sweep (which I half laughed through because of how awkward and uncomfortable it was) occurred around 3:30pm, by about 10pm I was pretty sure this was finally the real deal so I called the midwife to give her a heads up. Labor slowly progressed through the night, I downloaded a contraction counting app to time how close together they were and watched the contractions steadily become closer and closer, trying to rest as much as I could in between! There was some back labor (ouch!) And around 2am I thought to myself, ok this is why some mamas get the epidural, duh! But because I had chosen to give birth at home that was not an option and onward my labor went! Keenan was a great support during this time which was basically me alternating between standing holding onto his shoulders or crouching in the fetal position on the couch as I got through the contractions. I definitely appreciated being able to labor in my own space and was so thankful that my daughter was spending the night with my mother in law because there was no way she would have slept through all that noise! At 3am we gave our midwife another ring (well Keenan did, I couldn’t even talk at this point!) and she arrived by about 4am. We had yet to set up the birth pool (I honestly wasn’t sure at what point we were supposed to haha) and after checking me she was quite surprised we hadn’t filled it up yet, it was already almost push time! The midwife and her assistant with the help of Keenan quickly filled it up with warm water (and kept it warm by boiling water on the stove) and getting in felt so nice, like a pleasant hot bath! I wish I would have filled it up sooner! I looove baths which is part of the reason I opted to try a water birth, I had heard it could help with natural pain management and could make things more comfortable which it did! After a bit more laboring in the tub, I began to push with the coaching of the midwife. Both kid’s push times were about 20 minutes but this time around having her coach me and tell me when to slow down drastically reduced my tearing, last time it was a second degree tear with stitches (so painful) but this go I only had a minor first degree tear that did not require stitches which I thought was pretty decent considering his size! (9.11 pounds) Anyhow 4:59am he arrived and with the help of the midwife Keenan “caught” him and placed him on my chest! The sense of peace and relief when you cross that finish line is unreal! I knew I still needed to birth the placenta so that was in the back of my mind but enjoying those first cuddles was pure bliss.

^ Timothy at about 12 hours old. (Thanks Adj for the pictures!)

Thankfully he took well to nursing and has been such a sweetie since day one. The baby carrier is a life saver for keeping him close and content and thanks to the help of my dear friend Katie coming to stay with me and sweet friends from church dropping off meals I was able to stay off my feet and rest a TON that first week. I’ve slowly been increasing my activity and feeling more and more like myself while getting to know this sweet little guy and trying to help my darling Coralee, who is 2 1/2 adjust as well. 

Here are a few basic items that have helped me greatly during the postpartum period:

I have been super happy with the nursing bras and tanks I bought from H&M! They are pretty much all I wear these days and they were a great price too. http://www.hm.com/us/

MAMA brand from H&M both were a 2 pack for $29.99

As I had some minor abdominal separation with both of my pregnancies I knew I was going to want to wear a postpartum girdle this time! My sweet friend Vanessa had given me hers to use after I had Coralee and I was really inconsistent in using it. This time I've worn it almost 24-7 except for when hand washing/drying it and I feel like it has helped a ton with providing support for my weak core and shrinking my body back to size.  There are many great varieties on the market, this is the one that I have been using!

bellybandit.com

This is their Original Belly Bandit design (the one I wore) $49.95

Baby carriers! Oh my goodness, being able to snuggle my baby all day and keep up with my toddler and be somewhat productive is amazing. Here are the ones I've been using!



This is a great carrier to put on quickly for shorter periods! Sakura Bloom Ring Sling, classic $98 https://sakurabloom.com/collections/classic

We've been using our Tula with our toddler for over 2 years now, it has definitely more than paid for itself! This exact design is no longer in stock but they are always coming out with adorable new patterns that you can check out here! https://babytula.com Mine is the Standard Ergonomic Carrier and we are using the infant insert until little man is 15 lbs and has more head control!

Lastly my dear friend Kayla just sent me one of her Solly Baby Wraps in the mail last week and oh my gosh I'm in love! I want one in every color, it's amazing! I've always veered away from this style of carrier because I was afraid it would be too complicated to use but it's not at all, I got the hang of it after watching their YouTube tutorial and practicing putting him in a couple times. It's so soft and not too stretchy (which was a problem I had with a similar wrap I owned in the past) Definitely recommend. http://sollybaby.com (This is a photo from their site, this color Tigerlily is now on my wish list!)

After having my first child one detail I was blindsided by was what to wear after delivery! I had spent so much time figuring out what to wear while still pregnant and getting everything ready for sweet baby (rightly so) but it didn't dawn on me that my pre-pregnancy clothes weren't going to fit once I waltzed (or waddled lol) out of the hospital. This time thankfully with some experience I sorted through my closet and drawers a couple weeks before to try and make postpartum dressing as easy as I could!

I am a denim addict and am one of those sick weirdos that likes to wear jeans even when I am relaxing at home. My pre-preggo jeans are still not fitting comfortably so I am thankful that I still have 2-3 pairs of non-maternity jeans (I really don't care for the elastic waistlines of maternity pants) that fit me in the last month of pregnancy and fit comfortably for the time being.

V-neck shirts for nursing! This was the biggest adjustment for me clothing wise after my first baby, I had to considering nursing accessibility with each outfit! Part of me mourned that I wouldn't be wearing anything crewneck for a while (so dramatic I know) but these days if I rock a crew tee I just wear an undershirt so I don't feel like I'm stripping if I lift my shirt up to nurse, haha. I also appreciate having button up tops on hand for nursing as well. Anything I wear I just accept that it will be tagged in spit up within a few hours because it will be, ha.

Self care in little ways here and there have gone a long way for me. Getting dressed and going out solo occasionally helps me to feel like a "normal person" in this rewarding but demanding time. My favorite weekend outings include coffee and the park with the fam and hitting the secondhand stores by myself for an hour or two. 

What postpartum tips would you recommend? Please share in the comments!

Happy Styling :)