We just got back from the best trip with our family to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary! We created so many new memories, and had a great time. While we were there, we took a few days off from working so that we could really be present, and not be plugged into social media.
Don’t get us wrong, we LOVE our job and getting to connect with you all and interact, but it definitely weighs on us when we are constantly on our phones and checking messages, posts, planning out content, etc. Even if you don’t have a job on social media, you probably feel the pressure and anxiety that can come with it.
For the longest time, we had not take ONE day off of work. We would post every single day, no matter what, but in June, we went on a trip for our birthday, and decided to take two days off. We didn’t check email, get on Instagram, or anything work related.
At first, it was a little anxiety-ridden because we are so accustomed to always being on our phones, but after a few hours, it felt so nice, and by the second day, we felt so much better.
So, on this trip, we decided to take days off again, and it was so needed, and so worth it! Even if it is not social media, it is good to step back from work, whatever that looks like for you. Whether it is going to a desk job, being a mom, volunteering, etc., we all need time away from it to be better at it on a daily basis.
We are thinking of taking at least one day off every 2 weeks, and think it will help us with a better overall mental health!
On a side note, this pink neon cropped sweatshirt is SO cute and comfy! It also comes in other colors, too, like neon green. We have size xs in it, and it would be cute with shorts or leggings, too! We have the smallest size on in these stretchy skinny jeans and love how comfy they are. You can wear them to travel in, without being uncomfortable!
We found these great and affordable pieces at Walmart. We love that we can find really cute pieces for fall for usually under $30! They also offer free two-day delivery on a lot of their pieces, and in-store pickup, which we use all of the time!
We love denim on denim all year, especially in the summer! What is so great about denim is that it never goes out of style. Usually, we will wear some kind of basic tee with jeans, but sometimes, we love mixing it up and doing an all denim look.
Of course, there are ways to botch this kind of outfit and end up looking like you walked straight off a farm 😉 That is NOT what we are going for! We wanted to share some of our tips for styling an all denim look for you all.
Mix it up with different washes
When wearing denim together, we like opting for two different washes to break it up. In this case, we are doing a lighter washed denim button down shirt (this one is SO soft– wearing size xs) with some darker skinny jeans (wearing 00 short). You could also do the reverse, so a darker top or denim jacket, with lighter jeans.
Keep the denim to clothing, only
We do not suggest wearing any kind of denim accessories, like bags or shoes. It just is way too much going on in our opinion! We suggest neutral accessories, or even a pop of color, like red.
Stay away from too much “western” vibes
All denim can give you a “western” vibe, so we recommend not adding in too many western pieces like belts and boots. Of course, some cute booties or boots would be fine, but we don’t suggest adding in a western belt with western booties and all of that together, unless you’re going for that vibe 😉
Add neutral accessories
For this look, we added some neutral espadrille wedges and a tan tote bag that you can wear with any look. We like neutrals because it keeps the attention on the denim, and compliments it well.
Pair with different denim colors
Besides a typical light or dark denim wash, we think pairing a white denim jacket, skirt, or white jeans is really cute with other denim washes. You can also do the same with black jeans, or or really any colored denim!
This all denim look is from Express. They are our go to for all of our jeans because of how petite we are. Their petite styles and wide range of sizing is why they are our favorite spot! They offer short and longer lengths in their jeans, which is so convenient for shorter girls, like us, and some of you who may be taller.
*PS- Use code 8144 for $25 Off $100 in-store and online*
Everyone knows, or should know that having a good canvas to apply your makeup is key. Of course, that starts with a good skincare regimen. After that, you need a good foundation and concealer regimen to get that skin glowy and flawless!
We wanted to share some of our current favorites that you can find at Nordstrom. Our top products are these two products from Charlotte Tilbury. We love that all of their products are paraben-free, alcohol free, and vegan.
Foundation
Of course, you need a good base layer, and that means foundation! We love this Laura Mercier Silk Crème Moisturizing Photo Edition Foundation because it gives you great coverage that lasts for up to 12 hours aka all day! It really smoothes your skin and gives you an all-over canvas.
We have the “Cashew Beige” color in this one!
Concealer
We love this Charlotte Tilbury Genius Magic Away Concealer for under our eyes, especially! It goes on so smoothly, and leaves your skin looking flawless. We love that it lasts so long and it is water resistant. We also like applying it on our blemishes and breakouts, too.
For this, we usually apply this after we have applied our foundation under our eyes, on redness and pigmentation, and on blemishes. We typically use our ring finger to blend it in.
We love this one because it helps to mattify your face, so it’s not all shiny and it leaves your skin looking radiant. We have the #2 color for reference.
Tools
For applying makeup you need a few good tools, besides your fingers.
One of the tools we use are these Sigma Beauty Flawless in a Flash Kabuki Brush Duo. This set comes with a flat kabuki brush, which is great for blending in liquid or cream products on your skin. It also comes with a concealer kabuki brush, which is obviously great for applying concealer 😉
The other tool we swear by is this Beautyblender Original Makeup Sponge Applicator & Cleanser Duo. We use this sponge applicator to apply primers, foundation, powders, and more! You can also wet it before and then apply your makeup with it for a dewy look. Also, it helps for the makeup to not be absorbed in the sponge, and more on your skin.
To clean the applicator, you just rub it on the cleanser and then rinse off, and squeeze out to remove excess. Let it dry, and use again!
Eyes
We don’t wear a ton of eye makeup, but we love this Too Faced Naked Eyes palette. It has nine hades that are great neutrals that are flattering on any skin tone. You can use them for your lids, outer corners, and inner corners.
We found all of these products to achieve a flawless face at Nordstrom. We love that they carry all of our favorite brands and products. Even better, they offer in store pickup, and curbside pickup, so you can place your order online, and within hours, head straight to Nordstrom in your pjs and wait for them to deliver your order right to you!
We are all about splurging for a nice piece, but sometimes, you may be on the fence if you should really bite the bullet, and save up for that big purchase, or if you even truly need that item.
We wanted to share some tips and kind of talk through some of that dialogue, and what we do when we are making decisions like that. Of course, we all want the newest, and nicest things, but we think sometimes they’re either not for us, or maybe not the right purchase, so let’s dive in, shall we?!
Budgeting
First off, let’s say there is something you want to splurge on, but don’t have the budget to purchase it. We love scouting second-hand stores or retailers to find the brands or pieces you want.
Some places we suggest are:
eBay
Craigslist
Poshmark
ThredUp
Local thrift or consignment stores
Plan For Big Purchases
Obviously seems like a no-brainer, but if you are going to make a big purchase or investment, you want to do your research. We always read up on whatever we are buying, and see where we can get the best deal. For example, when we buy a bag or a piece of jewelry, we will look at it several times in person and online, research pricing, saving money on taxes, etc.
You also want to make sure you budget for it. If you have a lot of expenses coming up like buying a car, moving, getting married, etc, you may want to hold off on making a purchase for clothing or bags, especially if it not a necessity.
Seems kind of silly, but there have been times where we have turned down buying something we really wanted, and waiting for the right timing when we had more spending money, etc.
Needing Vs.Wanting
Okay, this is a big thing, and something we all probably struggle with at some point. There are SO many things that we probably don’t ever need, but we want so badly. Fortunately, most of us have the necessities that we need to survive, especially when it comes to clothing.
When it comes to wanting, there is always going to be something. With constant advertising, social media, word of mouth, etc, the pressure is real. You have to really check in with yourself and perform almost an interview with yourself on if it is an item you maybe don’t “need”, but want to have, and that the item will be worth the investment.
Some things we like to ask ourselves are:
“How often will we wear it?”
There are a lot of pieces that are really cute and fun, but when you really think about it, are you truly going to get good use out of it? There are several pieces we have purchased over the years that seemed like a great idea, but then were worn maybe once or twice. Of course, we have stuff that we have gotten SO much use out of.
“Will it go out of style/is it too trendy?”
Trendy pieces are tricky because in the moment, they seem like they are “in”, but before you know it, they aren’t that stylish anymore. Our recommendations for trendy pieces is to find a look-for-less option, that way when it goes out of style, you haven’t spent a ton of money on it! We suggest checking out Shein, Forever21, or H&M.
“Is it because YOU actually like it, or you have seen others with it?”
There can be so much peer pressure with everything, and it comes with fashion, too. Think about the pieces you want, and really evaluate if you truly like it, or have just seen a ton of other people with it, and you want to “fit in”. Of course, that is normal and how society works, but when you’re making a big purchase, you want to be sure YOU are the one who wants the item.
“Do you already have similar items in your closet?”
We all convince ourselves that we could use another pair of jeans, or another pair of neutral sandals, but chances are you probably own something that is very similar in your closet. However, if you do own something similar, and you seem to wear it a lot, it may be worth the purchase!
“Does it flatter your figure?”
This is actually pretty interesting because often times we see a bag or a trendy jacket on someone else, and think it would be SO cute on us. However, sometimes if you are petite, like us, that oversized bag or cardigan may look silly on you. Just some food for thought!
Speaking of needing vs. wanting, you MUST have this python printed kimono from Sole Society. You can wear it over a bodysuit with jeans, like how we did, or dress it down over a swimsuit! You could also wear it over a black pencil skirt or slacks and really dress it up.
We paired it with these blush velvet loafers, which are SO cute, and classy. This laser cut tote bag is perfect for any outfit, and literally will match anything you put with it. Such a good bag! We love that Sole Society has so many affordable, but versatile pieces that you can wear for years.
Y’all know we have become major rebounding fanatics in the last 7-8 months. You can read more about what rebounding is in this post. There is rarely a day that goes by that we don’t rebound. Actually, the rebounders have become part of our furniture decor in our living room 😉
We have gotten SO many questions about what rebounding is, why we do it, what the benefits are, and more, so we wanted to give a little more info for you all, and hopefully inspire you all to give it a try!
What we love about both of these rebounders in particular is that it is super quiet when you are bouncing, but gives you a really cushioned bounce. It also has a 40% reduction on impact, compared to other rebounders.
The Benefits
Weight Loss
Of course, this is one of the top benefits. We all would like to stay fit, and for some of us, lose weight. We will talk about the cardio benefits in a little bit, but what is so great about rebounding is that it really works every single muscle in your body. We love wearing our Apple watches to track our steps and calories burned while we are doing it. Usually, we can burn around 200 calories if we jump for about 25-30 minutes!
Another cool thing about using the rebounder for weight loss is that it boosts your metabolism and improves your resting metabolic rate, meaning you can burn calories, even after you are done working out, similar to lifting weights.
Helps With Digestion
This may sound kind of funny, but rebounding can help with digestion, and getting things “moving”, which is always a good thing!
Cardio
Like mentioned in the weight loss benefits, rebounding is great cardio. If you’re like us, you think of cardio as running, biking, etc, but rebounding is actually great cardio as well. You may remember jumping on a trampoline as a kid, but probably forgot how elevated your heart rate got when you jumped.
Rebounding has a lot of benefits when it comes to your heart, but the main one is that it reduces blood pressure and increases blood circulation. It is also less stressful on your joints, and has been proven to be a more effective training method than running to increase oxygen consumption and reducing body fat percentages, according to a study published by the International Journal of Sports Science.
Lymphatic System
This is one of the main benefits that made us start rebounding in the first place! We had read tons of things about how important your lymphatic system is and how rebounding can help with that. The lymphatic system is how our bodies get rid of harmful things (through lymph fluids) and is a major component to overall health. Another really cool thing about this system is that it supports your immune system, so in turn, it can help prevent you from getting sick!
Balance
Of course, as you can imagine, you’re getting a ton of benefits when it comes to balance. When you jump, you’re renewing nerve pathways to your muscles, which is pretty cool. It also helps you build up your core and leg muscles, which help you keep good posture and overall balance.
Mental Health
If you’re like us, you can get pretty stressed and overwhelmed and have that kind of feeling like you have a million tabs open in your brain at once! Doing any kind of exercise, whether it is walking or running, can help with anxiety and stress, but specifically rebounding can help with relaxing.
We have really found that when we rebound, we feel a lot less anxious overall, and we are able to clear our minds. When you are rebounding, it circulates oxygen to your brain, so it can help you refocus, too!
Keeps Your Body Young
Another great benefit that we can all enjoy is that it helps to slow down the aging process. As opposed to running, rebounding protects your joints and discs from fatigue. So, if you suffer from back or neck pain, this is a great option for you because it will actually strengthen your back.
If you all want to get your own rebounder, we highly recommend this brand, and they’re offering 10% off one of the ones we have with code Fold10
