Holiday Gift Guide #4 - Beauty Gadgets!

December 1, 2017 Stephanie Lassalle

Hey babes! This guide is all about gadgets... beauty gadgets that is! These are all items I have in my bathroom and use on a regular basis - you know I am all about trying things before I share them with you!

I thought this would be a great roundup for the beauty lover in your life, as it can often be hard to shop for makeup and products for someone else. We're picky about our brands, our shades of foundation and what we put on our faces aren't we? So here you have it... five gadgets for your beauty babe.

First up... this awesome make up brush drying rack. I first learned about this from my friend Lauren (check out her beauty blog while you're at it! www.laurenerro.com) and let me tell you, I am not sure how I lived with out it before.

No more brushes on towels scattered around your counter. No more weird flat bristles from drying on their sides. Game. Changer. You can pick it up on Amazon for $8.99 HERE. You probably want to pick one up for yourself as well...

The next item is something you never knew you even needed, and then once you start using it you have no idea how you ever lived before. I was gifted this mascara guard by a friend and thought that it would be just another something I used a few times and got lost in a drawer. Oh how wrong I was. This simple curved mascara guard from Tweezerman helps keep your perfectly blended eyeshadow and your painstakingly applied concealer just how you want it. You can grab it for just $8.15 HERE.

You know that relaxing feeling when you get facial where the warm steam starts to cover your face and you just know you're going to leave there glowing? Why not give that gift to someone! Enter... the at home facial steamer.

I think this is the single biggest improvement I have made to my skin over the last few months. I use this 2ish times per week after cleansing my face super well. I then tone and apply products. This is a great gift for someone looking to upgrade their at-home skincare routine, or perhaps someone that isn't able to get regular facials. You can pick this one up on Amazon for $25.99 HERE.

Any guesses what this next product is? Nope not an ear thermometer... its a vacuum for your face!

... ok stick with me here. A vacuum for your face. Yes, sounds insane. Yes, you look insane but... it totally works. They advertise this as a sort of at home microderm procedure, which it certainly is not quite the same. I have been using this for about 3 months now. I would highly recommend you start out with super light treatments and work your way up. I don't think this thing sucks out impurities quite like it says it does, but it is a wonderful exfoliation and has evened out my skin tone. You can pick this up on Amazon for $34.99

Last on the list, if you have followed me for any length of time you have seen a gazillion times. But, really its so amazing I knew it should be included here. There is a not a single person who wouldn't benefit from a facial ice roller. Get rid of those puffy under eye bags in an instant. Refresh that dull complexion and get rolling! You can grab it on Amazon for just $11.00 HERE

So there you have it! My favorite beauty gadgets right now. Do you have any gadgets I need to know about? Be sure to drop it in the comments below! Happy shopping!

XOXO | SLL

Holiday Gift Guide #3: The person who has everything!

November 22, 2017 Stephanie Lassalle

Next installment on the holiday gift guide is for the hard to shop for person that has everything! We all have that one person that is super hard to shop for, they might be really picky, you might not really know them that well, or maybe they just get themselves all the cool stuff and leave you with nothing!

Right off the bat the first thing that I think of to get "the person who has everything" is an experience. Groupon and Living Social type websites have tons and tons of voucher options that you can give as gifts. From escape rooms to culinary tours there is something for everyone! (This would also be a great option for a family gift, especially if you're on a budget!)

Who doesn't want to know where they come from? I really think the 23andME DNA test, could make such a cool gift! Give someone the gift of knowing their ancestry. I know a few people who have done this and we’re so surprised by the results! It takes about 6 weeks to get your results back and everything you need is included in the kit for $69.00!

Next, I don’t think I know a single person who hasn’t misplaced their keys, purse, wallet… etc.… enter Tile Mate – these small tiles sync to an app on your phone (hopefully that’s not what you misplaced!) and using Bluetooth alters you to the location so you can find it fast! You can pick what sound you want your Tile to make as well so that you can differentiate the rings! This would also be perfect for kids backpacks!

If you’ve misplaced your phone you simply push the button on one of your Tile’s and your phone will ring instantly! They come in singles for $24.99 or a 4 pack for $69.99.

My family loves table topics, and have really enjoyed the conversations that have come from these cards, especially during the holidays. These cards would suit just about anyone on the list. Perfect for your neighbor or co-worker you don’t really know that well! The box is full of conversation starting cards and comes in tons of different versions now! My personal favorite is the original and “not your mom's dinner party!. These run $25.00 per set.

Next idea is a little out of the box, but I personally have done this on many occasions and it has always been amazingly well received... make a donation in their name. For a friends birthday, I sponsored a bat at a bat sanctuary for a year, (she's a bat lover obviously!) and she totally loved it. I think this would be a wonderfully thoughtful gift, and super appropriate for the person that already has everything!

I hope this guide gets you off to a good start for that hard to shop for person! Or even makes you think about gift giving in a different way!

Whats the best gift you've ever received? Drop it in the comments below!

XOXO | SLL

Thanksgiving Planning!

November 21, 2017 Stephanie Lassalle

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Can you believe its just a few days away? I'm not hosting this year - but, I thought I would share with you a simple spreadsheet that has brought some sanity to my Thanksgivings of years past!

I created this simple spreadsheet a few years ago, Its a calendar, a reminder system, a shopping list and sanity saver all in one!

What I do first is get a final(ish) head count - it is much easier to plan when you know how many people you will be serving (shh... then I add like 4 more to make sure we have leftovers!).

When we host, I don't do a ton of the Thanksgiving cooking as my husband is a magnificent cook and cooks a killer turkey! So my job is generally logistics, taste tester and baker!

So...You can imagine how big of a deal it is when someone (oopsy) forgets to buy that one ingredient that makes the dish... never again with this list!

Our next step, my husband and I decide on a menu for the day. I go through the recipes and pull out the ingredients necessary for each dish. I then enter it into this spreadsheet with the quantity needed.

Next step, I go through the kitchen and see what we have already in our pantry - if I have the ingredient I leave the line black and put an X in that collum. If I cant find it, the line goes to red (really helps when at the store).

While grocery shopping I then mark each thing off as I put it in the cart to make sure I don't miss anything (never again!!!).

I also use this list to keep me organized while preparing, I like to include what "special" items I will need for setting the table so that I can start pulling those out and washing them if needed a few days before. Since we have a pretty small kitchen and just one oven its been really helpful to schedule oven time so that everything is done when we needed it to be!

So there you have it! Hope everyone has a most wonderful holiday with their friends and families! Do you have any tips and tricks to make your Turkey day run smoother?

Want a copy of this spreadsheet to get you started? Just sign up for the email list and leave a comment on this post and I will send you an excel file to get you started!

XOXO | SLL

Holiday Gift Guide #2 - The Traveler!

November 15, 2017 Stephanie Lassalle

Holiday gift guide #2 – The Traveler

I hope you all loved the first installment of the Holiday Gift Guide (The Girl on the Go!) – seems like everyone did! For our next edition, I thought I would focus on our friend or family member that seems to always be in a different city or on an airplane! We all know that person that is constantly living out of a suitcase, so why not get them something special that lets them know you’re thinking about them even when they are miles away!

My biggest struggle with travel is staying organized – but the last couple of trips I have taken have been night and day compared to the “hotel room destroyer” of previous trips. I seriously upgraded my travel game with a few new things (that I’m totally including here!).

Amazon Basics Hardside Spinner Set ($ 188.97)

The biggest change I made was new luggage! And while luggage can be a pretty personal decision- so far everyone I know that has them, totally loves hard-sided suitcases! I got a pretty inexpensive set on Amazon, (mostly because I couldn’t make a color decision) And I was really impressed with the quality, I've checked them several times and they're holding up great. (To purchase mine click HERE.) There are gazillions of chic options now on the interwebs. I love the different textures and colors that Calpak offers – you can get lost on their website for hours dreaming of the airport photoshoots you can have with them!

I love the rose gold color of these, this is the Ambeur 2 piece set which sells for $285

Next up… packing cubes! These, like the hard sided luggage, take a little to get used to but have totally elevated my travel game! It really helps keep me organized as well as plan outfits while traveling. When using the hard sided suitcases you can’t just flip your bag open like a normal suitcase and dig around so these are vital! Pick her up a set with a cute print to brighten her day when she's packing!

Packing Cube Set (comes in tons of patterns!) $19.99

I divide mine up by clothing type, makes unpacking a breeze and helps to stop me from overpacking when you see all 6 pairs of jeans in one spot for a weekend trip! To purchase click HERE.

On the same theme of packing cubes, help her keep all that tech stuff organized! How cute are these cases?!?? I went ahead and got a second set of chargers that I keep in a little pouch like this – SO. MUCH. EASIER. To purchase click HERE.

We all know that airplanes can destroy our skin, this rose water mist from Roses and Rose (an awesome local female owned company!) will help keep you glowy when on the go. It’s perfect for a little refresh as well as under all your serums and moisturizers for a little extra hydration. To purchase click HERE - and the best part? They're offering my readers a 15% off with the code HOLIDAY15 - time to stock up!

You should for sure pick up a body scrub while you're browsing too! Don't forget to use code HOLIDAY15!

No one wants to look like a wrinkled mess when they get to their fabulous destination – this lightweight steamer is the perfect addition to your fashionistas bag! To purchase click HERE.

And there you have it! I hope that you're enjoying these guides. Feel free to drop any questions in the comments below and suggestions for our next guide!

XOXO | SLL

Holiday Gift List #1 - The girl on the go!

October 27, 2017 Stephanie Lassalle

Can you guys believe its already the last Friday of October!?!

Where did September and October go?!? Pretty soon we're going to be sliding into the holidays! If you haven't gotten the idea by now...I'm a total stress case, extreme prep-er, and a planner. I'm also the most disorganized compulsively organized person I know. Remember that whole walking contradiction part... The holidays TOTALLY stress me out, but one thing I am told I am really good at is gift giving! I work really hard to give thoughtful fun gifts, and often do it on a really tight budget!

I usually start with an excel spreadsheet (would anyone be interested in seeing how I set mine up?) with everyone I need to buy for - the budget for each person and my total holiday budget. Once I purchase a gift I add it to the spreadsheet and deduct it from the budget!

I figured each Friday for the next few weeks I would post a few things I am loving for gifting this year. This weeks edition - the girl on the go! (and all under $35!)

So let's get to it!

I know I am late to the party but I absolutely LOVE my PopSocket - I had one that I had ordered off Amazon on my old case and once I found out you could customize them I KNEW I had to do it. It makes your phone so much easier to hold especially when you're on the go! You can use it as a stand to watch a tutorial, or just save your hand when typing out those emails. Wouldn't this be fun to customize and give as a gift? My custom one was $16.99 shipped (price goes way down if you do a bunch - fun for a business too!)

If you don't feel up to getting creative, or don't want to go the custom route - there are ton of cute options you could coordinate with cases! Link to shop! (Link to shop my case - since I'm obsessed with it too!)

Next up - coffee!!! These adorable mugs are by Ban.do - and they seriously have the funniest and cutest products. I love their coffee mugs - they're fun, totally functional and under $20. I have several and they never let me down, they're also great conversation starters! Give one with a Starbucks gift card for an extra little touch. Link to shop!

i-rgb-50228-hotstuffthermalmug-butfirstcoffee_1024x1024.jpg

If your girl with the go is anything like me, her phone dies ALLLLLLLLL the time. I've purchased several different battery packs over the years and they all let me down. They were heavy, didn't hold a charge themselves, took forever etc etc

Enter the Belkin. I got this as a set with a car and wall adapter, originally from the Apple store, and paid way too much for it but I was desperate. I was able to track it down on Amazon for way cheaper. I know this doesn't seem like the most glam gift, but seriously I don't know what I would do with out it! Pick one up so you guys can stay in touch (you might want to grab one for yourself too!) $35 Amazon. Link to shop! (PS- it comes in silver, gold and gunmetal too!)

This busy girl is going to need some kind of day planner to keep her organized! I have tried about 900000884374 different day planners and I keep finding my way back to the Happy Planner. They are easy to customize, they come with all kinds of fun things, they have tons and tons of different covers and page styles. I really love adding in pockets to keep things like receipts and bills. As well as the clear photo holders to store memories and motivational things.

You can pick these up locally at places like Michaels, or you can grab this one off Amazon which comes with a whole kit to get you started! What better time to give a planner then the holidays? And only $30! Set your busy girl off on the right foot for 2018! Link to shop!

So there you have it! I hope that this gives you a few ideas, or at least sparks one! Stay tuned for next week's list... what would you like to see most? The dudes? The travler? The bff? The parents?

Leave me a comment and let me know!

XOXO | SLL