#omglove

What better time to finally find a little time to gather my faves from the past few months than on the first snowed in day of the season? Rounded up a little bit of this and a little bit of that while I’ve been writing Christmas (and one Hanukkah) cards and watching no less than four Netflix Christmas movies. I hope you enjoy! 

Beauty and Fashion:

Essence Brighten Up! Banana Powder - I am OBSESSED with this powder! I use it to both set and brighten up under my eyes, chin and forehead. It is super smoothing and soft, and it’s such a bargain! I usually stock up when Ulta has the entire Essence brand for Buy One Get One 50% off. 

Great Lakes Collagen Protein - The packaging isn’t the cutest, but I am seriously convinced that this collagen protein powder is making my eyelashes grow! I add two heaping teaspoons to my coffee in the morning and you can’t even taste it at all, plus I’m getting some added protein to start my day, which definitely isn’t a bad thing. This brand is almost half the price of Vital Proteins and on Amazon prime - score!

Pink Velvet Scrunchie - Scrunchies are baaaack and this pink velvet one from Target is so cute and only $4.99! 

It's a 10 Miracle Oil plus Keratin - This hair oil is totally worth the hype - it smells amazing and you only need a little for a great smooth and shiny result.

Lifestyle:

Warby Parker Louise Wide Glasses in Birch Tortoise - Earlier this fall I tried Warby Parker’s at Home Try On program for a new pair of reading glasses and was so impressed with the brand, quality and experience! My glasses came quickly and their customer service was top notch. I have the Louise Wide style in Birch Tortoise - kind of a dark blue and khaki mix - and I love them!

Dyson V7 Motorhead in Fuchsia - And now we enter the section of an OMG, LOVE! post in which I obsess about something Chrissy (and her mom) introduced me to. If loving your vacuum is wrong then I don’t want to be right. This thing is AWESOME. It’s cordless, bagless, comes with a ton of great attachments and seamlessly goes from carpet to hard flooring. It’s hands down one of my best purchases in a long, long time. Ugh, I’m so 30.

Apple iPhone XS Max and Heyday Print Case - I may or may not have had a bit of a mid-life crisis yolo moment and upgraded to the iPhone XS Max. #NoRagrets It’s incredible (FaceID 4life) and I love the Heyday case I picked up for it at Target! Heyday is a newer brand at Target and has super cute Apple accessories like iPhone cases and iWatch bands that are really affordable. 

Mpow 059 Over Ear Bluetooth Headphones - I’ve been in the market for some over the ear wireless headphones for a bit and gave these a try after reading all of the positive reviews on Amazon. Bonus - they were $39.99! The quality and comfort for the price is crazy, I love that I can use them wired in with the included headphone jack, or charge them up to use as a wireless bluetooth connection. Perfect for at my work desk and traveling on a plane - a great gift for anyone that needs new head phones!

Food and Bevies:

Cuisinart Griddler - My brother Patrick inspired this purchase and I’m so happy with it! You can use it as an indoor grill, griddler, panini press and a waffle maker (I bought the waffle grates separately). It has a drain that catches excess grease and is really easy to clean - the grates are dishwasher safe! 

Mrs. Anderson's Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat - This silicone baking mat is a great alternative to parchment paper that you can use over and over again! It’s heat safe up to 480°F and you don’t need to use any added oil or nonstick cooking spray - win!

Trader Joe’s Pizza Crust - Rebecca and I tried this on a whim while she was visiting and I’ve bought them no joked five more times since! You get two flatbreads in a package and can top them with whatever you like. We did a pesto/feta on one and pepperoni/green pepper/mozzarella on the other - they are soooo good! 

Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie - If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert to bring to an upcoming holiday party, look no further than this baby right here! It is so, so easy and SO, SO good! The crust consists of canned cinnamon rolls and yes that is as good (probably even better) as it sounds. Definitely suggest reading the comments and taking the advice to bake the bottom crust for about 5-7 minutes before adding the filling. Give this a try, you won’t regret it!

Entertainment:

TCL Smart 4K Roku TV - Yooooo I got a new TV and it’s so dope! My sweet, sweet friends upgraded me and I’m over here livin’ in 2030 with this 4K smart beauty! 

New Amsterdam on NBC - Out of all the shows that started this fall, New Amsterdam is definitely one of my favorites! It’s kind of a mix between a Grey’s Anatomy and a Law and Order type vibe and riiiight up my alley. 

Old Dominion - Hotel Key - This song is the jaaaam, I’ve got it on repeat! 

Brett Eldredge Glow (Deluxe Edition) - I’ve been fangirling over Brett Eldredge for awhile now and his Christmas album - Glow - is no exception. It has both the classics and some new originals that will definitely get you into the holiday spirit.

What have you been loving lately? What are you wishing for this holiday season? Share it with me on Twitter and Instagram @brit_kotary using #OmgLove!

Clinks and winks <3

Isn’t it crazy how it felt like January was the longest month, while February flew by in a flash? For me, it seemed like there was a pretty good balance of both productivity and downtime, so I am very thankful for that. I picked up some new loves along the way and am excited to share them with you!

Beauty and Fashion:

Neutrogena Anti- Residue Shampoo - I have my girl Allie Mac to thank for recommending this clarifying shampoo to me! It really helps to de-gunk my hair without leaving it too dried out. I pick mine up at Target.com or Amazon and use it once a week or every other shampoo. 

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray - I’ve tried a few drugstore setting sprays and while they work well, nothing holds a candle to the All Nighter Setting Spray from Urban Decay. I’ve tested it out on light makeup days and more full faced looks and it always makes my makeup last and look better, longer. I picked mine up in a discounted double pack at Macy’s last summer and just cracked open my second bottle.

Lifestyle:

Greeting Cards at Trader Joe’s - I have always been a strong believer in “it’s the thought that counts” when it comes to greeting cards. I love to give and receive them, but I can’t get behind a $5 or $6 Hallmark card when most of the time they get thrown away after the shared sentiment is received. True story when I was little and I’d make homemade cards, I always drew a crown and UPC on the back, how cute was I?! Anyway, enter Trader Joe’s cards that are 99 cents. LESS THAN ONE DOLLAR PEOPLE! They are on great quality paper and have beautiful artwork and verses on them. I like to pick up a bunch every month or so to have on hand for birthdays, thank yous, anniversaries and just because. Last week when I was picking up a new batch, the associate that was checking me out told me that they are changed each week! I knew they changed a lot because I hadn’t seen the same card twice, but every week! That is amazing and even more reason to love them. 

Amazon + Dollar Store Life Hacks - Two kinda, sorta life hacks that I’ve shared on my Instagram recently (@brit_kotary!) have to do with Amazon and the Dollar Store. Long story short I had a cute, ceramic soap dispenser that I loved but had somehow broken the arm on the pump. I was sad to think about tossing the entire thing, so I jumped on Amazon to see if a separate, stock pump existed that I could get to replace it. Lucky enough I found this one and my little soap dispenser was saved! Always check the ‘zon. The second is to pick up inexpensive disposal rubber gloves at the Dollar Store (I prefer Dollar Tree) and use them when doing dishes and cleaning to help protect and preserve my nicely manicured nails. I also like to check the Dollar Store for things like shower and sink cleaning brushes. They are the same quality as more pricey options and I don’t feel bad about tossing them and buying new ones when they get gross. Do you have any Amazon or Dollar Store hacks or tips? I’d love to hear them!

Food and Bevies:

Hello Fresh - Somehow I am very late on the mailed meals train, but I finally gave Hello Fresh a try in February and had a great experience with it! I love to cook and actually really enjoy grocery shopping (most of the time). I had a promo code for $50 off two weeks (3 meals per week) and found some great new recipes and techniques to add to my cooking repertoire. I can’t justify the regular price for my budget and needs, but I can see how it would be really convenient if you lived in a large, expensive city and getting groceries wasn’t as easy as it is out here in the burbs. My recommendation is if you have a promo or discount code, it’s totally worth checking out and having fun with!

NapTimeKitchen - Earlier this month my PIC Chrissy shared @NapTimeKitchen’s Instagram with me and I am so obsessed, I find myself opening the app just to check if she’s updated! Kate has a great, honest and positive personality and shares the best tips and ideas for cooking, Trader Joe’s shopping and just straight up life. Definitely check out her page and give her a follow!

Entertainment:

The Greatest Showman - Shoutout to Chrissy #2 for recommending what I believe to be one of the (no exaggeration) best movies I’ve seen in my entire life. If you have not seen this movie yet, run, do not walk to see it while it’s still in theaters. I immediately purchased the soundtrack after seeing it and have been listening to it on #repeat. What are your favorite songs if you’ve seen it? Mine are Come Alive, Never Enough, This is Me and Rewrite the Stars. UGH IT’S ALL SO GOOD!!  

Kesha: “Praying” 2018 GRAMMYs Performance - I can’t get the embed code for this video to work properly for some reason, but if you haven’t had the pleasure of watching this live performance, I encourage you to experience it. I love the song, I love the strength and I love the power of hope in the message. Bravo, Kesha and thank you.

#OnTheFence:

I’m including this bonus #OnTheFence category because I’m, well, on the fence about it. I had written about previously trying the L'Oreal Paris EverCurl HydraCharge Shampoo, Conditioner and Cream Gel in a former post. Short story it was terrible and I think I even threw it away. So when I got an Influenster invite to try the EverPure Frizz-Defy Shampoo and EverPure Frizz-Defy Conditioner, I was pretty skeptical. So far I thiiink I like it, but I need to give it some more time. It has a hint of a pleasant sunscreen smell and feels pretty moisturizing but so far not too heavy. Maybe they took some feedback from the last round of reviews! Full disclosure: I received both products complimentary to try from Influenster, but all opinions are my honest own. If you like trying products in exchange for feedback, I totally suggest checking out Influenster!

What were you loving in February that I should try? Anything coming up in March that I need to check out? Share it with me on Twitter @brit_kotary using #OmgLove!

Clinks and winks <3