FEBRUARY BEAUTY HAUL

Needing to restock on a few essentials always calls for a beauty haul! One constant in my skincare routine is always Bioderma Micellar Water. It's the best of the best and always the first step in my regimen. I use it everyday to remove makeup/double-cleanse at night and refresh my skin in the morning. The large bottles are the way to go- they're the best bang for your buck and last for months. I've also been needing some new dermaplane razors and have been curious to try these Kitsch Disposable Razors. I don't really have any preference when it comes to face razors so these looked promising. The reviews are high and the price is low- win win! 

Also from Kitsch are these stretchy hair ties. For years I've used this style and all of mine are wearing out. It felt time for a new vibe and of all places, I found these at the grocery store haha. I was immediately drawn to their soft, stretchy material. I'm always skeptical that the softer hair ties will hold my hair but these state they're for thick, long and curly hair. We will definitely see!! I'll be looking for three loops! 

Just a few more skin things- the Differin Acne Spot Treatment and the Versed Lip Scrub. Both are new to me- I'm excited to try. Also has anyone used the Differin Adapalene Gel? It's suppose to target breakouts while also being anti-aging for fine lines + wrinkles. Would love to know your feedback if so! 

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What product is a non-negotiabale in your routine?

I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

SKINCARE HAUL

A few of my Black Friday finds have started coming in so lots of fun hauls are coming your way!! For today's post I wanted to share some new skin/body care products I picked up- I'm so excited to try these out. It's a close toss up these days on whether I love skincare or makeup more... most of the time skincare tends to win out but lately we've been a little on the fritz. I can't seem to figure out the root cause of some breakouts/dermatitis on my face so we're a little at odds with each other, loooolllll. 

Despite the current sitch, I love trying out new products and achieving glowy, hydrated skin which skincare definitely plays a roll in. I'm still doing a lot of trial and error to help with the spots on my face so I picked up the Anua Azelaic Acid 10+ Serum. Azelaic acid is great for targeting bacteria, redness and inflammation on the face. I've been trying this Ordinary Azelaic Acid cream without too much success on the spots and because I don't know the root cause, my expectations for the serum to clear up the spots is pretty low. I actually purchased it more to target the redness on my skin and if I'm lucky, maybe it will help the spots too. Anua is a Korean brand which I love + I'm a big fan of their Hydrating Ceramide serum! 

I'm the most excited to try out AHAVA for the first time. I have had both their Deadsea Mineral Bath Salt and their Mineral Hand Cream on my wish list for the longest time. Ya'll know my love for baths runs deep! All of their products use great, high-quality ingredients and are top rated. The hand cream also made since because I was already purchasing a pair of these Paume Organic Cotton Overnight Gloves. One of my biggest pet peeves during the winter is how dry and cracked my hands get. I'm both a chronic hand washer and addicted to my space heater, lol. Definitely a winning duo for dry hands!

I'm always looking for new hand creams, masks, etc., to try and every so often I'll wear gloves to bed for some extra hydration. I recently discovered Paume and their hand gloves get an amazing review.  I was sold by several comments saying they fit well and stay on -my current pair is way too big and always comes off in my sleep. 

Hand sanitizer definitely doesn't help the dryness, however I've been been having fun buying Touchland hand sanitizers! I do feel like they're less harsh than your typical hand sanitizer? It's a little bit of a silly splurge, however they're fun and the scents are nice. I also love the spray applicator! I've been trying different scents so today I picked up Rainwater. So far my favorite is the Blue Sandalwood! 

What did you purchase for Black Friday/Cyber Monday?

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BEAUTY ESSENTIALS HAUL

BIC Soleil Disposable Razors // Secret Clinical Strength Deodorant // Skintimate Coconut Delight Shaving Gel // Bioderma Micellar Water // Plackers Teeth Flossers 

Ya'll I finally secured the Skintimate Coconut Delight! I shared a "What's in my Target cart" post a few weeks ago + it was finally time to do a little restock on some beauty essentials. Ya'll know I like to buy all at the same time to get those extra $5 Tarjayyyy gift card deals. Usually they'll do some type of spend X, get a $5 gift card when it comes to health and beauty. That always works out too because every time you turn around, you always need to restock something! If it's not toothpaste, it's deodorant lol. 

I also love to make any shopping opportunity fun so here's a little haul of what I got, hehe. I rambled on in that post about the Skintimate Coconut Delight shaving gel because I've never tried that scent before and it smells delish, ya'll. Definitely all the summer vibes which we're enjoying for at least a few more weeks... TBD once August arrives. I also needed new razors so I grabbed these BIC Soleil 3-Blade Razors. I don't really notice too much different in disposable versus changing blades so I grab these most of the time. I also was impressed Amazon did a deal during prime week on this 14-pack. I think it was under $10 which was a great buy, however I've also seen them at that same price at other times too. I think if you can snag them in the 70-80 cent range, it's a win. 

Deodorant and flossers are always in the rebuys- thankfully I'm still stocked up on toothpaste ;) I've learned to buy two at a time of my favorite one on Amazon because it goes out of stock all of time. The Secret Clinical is my go-to for working out/the summer, however I've also been rotating Salt & Stone back in here and there. I love the scents and will wear it when I'm staying indoors or doing less activity. 

Last but never least is my beloved Bioderma! It is THE best and a must-have in my skincare routine. It's worth the splurge but you can snag it on sale every once in awhile! You can also buy the 2-pack like I got which is a better deal. I use it every day both in the morning and at night with these cotton pads to remove makeup + dirt from my skin. It's the absolute best, everyone needs! 

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MINI AMAZON SKINCARE HAUL

This month I've been working to replenish my skin with lots of extra hydration and moisture. I made the mistake of derma planing a few weeks ago when my skin was on the dry side which resulted in even more dryness and lots of redness and irritation. I was running low on my hyaluronic acid serum and moisturizer (both of which I love + highly recommend) so I thought I'd try out some new products with a few added ingredients to help calm and restore my skin. 

After hearing a lot of positive reviews on this TIRTIR Milk Skin Rice Toner, I purchased it as a first step post-cleanse for my daytime routine. It's a hydrating toner with niacinamide (vitamin B3) which has a lot skin benefits such as treating acne and inflammation to targeting wrinkles. The toner also contains rice bran, ceramides and some other ingredients to help deeply moisturize and brighten the skin. 

For even more added hydration, I also picked up this ANUA Rice Ceramide 7 Hydrating Barrier Serum to layer on top of the milk toner. This one has a few similar ingredients including rice extract and niacinamide, however it also has hyaluronic acid, honey extract and glycerin. 

To seal all of the moisture in, I wanted to try out this Minimalist Face Moisturizer for Dry Skin. It seemed like a good layering option for daytime with 5% Marula Oil and hyaluronic acid. 

I started using these three together in the mornings after cleansing (lately I've just been using my micellar water + a cotton pad so I don't over wash my skin) and before applying my tinted SPF. I noticed an immediate difference after two or three days in my skin and it's done a complete 360, ya'll. All of the dryness is gone and it looks so vibrant and glowy! I even had someone compliment my skin this week and say that I had a glow going!

So far I'm super impressed and excited to keep trying these out. Compared to a lot of the skincare I typically buy, they were also very affordable (especially the moisturizer- it's like $7!). As of now, I definitely think they're worth trying if you're needing some extra hydration. I also have very sensitive skin and I haven't found them to be irritating at all. I'll continue to keep using them and will update you again a little later on! 

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NEW BEAUTY + SKINCARE HAUL

Valentino Born in Roma Green Stravaganza Set // Shiseido Cotton Pads // ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm // Tarte Shape Tape Concealer // Dr. Jart+ Moisturizing Rubber Face Mask // Dr. Jart+ Soothing Rubber Face Mask // Dr. Jart+ Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Sheet Masks // OSEA Under Eye Serum Roller  

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I've been a little shoppy lately in the beauty department. Between my birthday last month and needing to revamp my skin a bit, I have some fun new purchases to share with you. 

As part of my birthday gift, I decided to finally splurge on the Valentino Born in Roma Green Stravaganza perfume. This is the first scent I've smelled and enjoyed on my skin in years- it's seriously so so good. I opted for this gift set with a full-size bottle and an extra travel-size, however I found it on sale for 25% off right now here! I'm not sure how long the sale will last but that's an amazing deal! 

I haven't bought too much actual makeup lately, just a new concealer. I've always loved this one- it's super high coverage with a great shade range. 

Lately my main priority has become my skin. I've been working on clearing up some pesky breakouts and staying consistent with my skincare products. This week she went on a major freakout- I think my monthly derma plane on Monday was a bad mood. Right now everything is a little dry and flaky so I'm grabbing for extra hydration and moisture. I decided to try out these Dr.Jart+ face masks to help give my skin a little boost- these rubber ones are so neat looking! I picked up a moisturizing one, a soothing one + a pack of these moisturizing sheet masks with Hyaluronic Acid. 

I'm also excited to finally try this ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. I've heard everyone rave about this product for years and since I was in the market for an oil-based cleanser to take off makeup, I decided to purchase. I think adding back in an extra step with my micellar water will help my skin and make sure all of my makeup is fully removed. I did a restock on my favorite cotton pads too- I use them with the micellar water for my eyes + face. They are hands down the best cotton pads I've ever used + 100% worth the splurge! For under eyes, I've been trying out this OSEA eye serum that is anti-aging and targets dark circles and puffiness with Hyaluronic Acid and peptides. I love how cooling it feels on my skin! 

What's in your skincare lineup right now?

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TOWER 28 BEAUTY HAUL

One of my Black Friday purchases this year was some new beauty goodies from Tower 28 Beauty. I've had my eye on their SOS Makeup Spray for the last several weeks so when they ran their sale, I decided to pick up a few things. Lately I've been breaking out a lot around my chin + mouth area which is super frustrating. Sometimes I'll have a "flare up" with several around my mouth area and I can never pinpoint what's causing them. I've heard a lot of great things about using hypochlorous acid for breakouts which is one of the active ingredients in the Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray. The spray is also formulated to help with redness + irritation which I also sometimes have!

I ended up buying the spray in this limited edition SOS Rescue Bestsellers Kit. The kit comes with a full size of the SOS Rescue Spray, a full size SOS LipSoftie Lip Treatment Balm and a mini SOS Face Cream. The entire kit normally retails for $40 and is a $56 value, however I snagged it for 28% off with the BF/CM discount! I've been trying it out and I actually think it's made a big difference in my skin so far. 

I grabbed a few lippie products on sale too- the ShineOn Lip Jelly in the shade "Sesame" and the OneLiner Lip Liner in "Check Me Out." They also included a free gift with purchase too- another ShineOn Lip Jelly in the shade "Chill" which was a fun bonus! 

I've always enjoyed using Tower 28's products and I love that they are clean and have fun, sleek packaging. I'll definitely keep you updated on how using the SOS Spray goes but so far, I'm impressed.

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A MID-WEEK GROCERY RUN | 5.1.24

This week's grocery haul is super random-- just a few necessities + a few snackies. To know me is to know my Diet Coke obsession. It's an addiction, ya'll, which means when there's a deal on drinks, I'm buying. I've also been having some serious fruit cravings lately. I definitely feel like it has something to do with this hot weather... I planned to stock up but the only thing that was looking good were the Honeycrisp apples. I'm also on the hunt for a whole organic pineapple which seems hard to find?  

I may have gotten a little over zealous on the bread this week but I can't go without the Hero bread now. Still a 10/10 on all fronts- good for you + tasty. You can also buy it online here which is also awesome. I also really like the izzio Sourdough and I saw they now offer it in a whole loaf! The last few times I purchased, it was a half loaf for the same price. Was just too good of a buy to pass up so they'll just be taking turns! 

For lunches I grabbed some deli meat + cheese which just keeps things easy. I love a good sandwich and besides the controversy on deli meat itself, it's pretty lean in calories + higher in protein. I also love the Two Good smoothies- Strawberry Banana is the best flavor! 

The last few things are some hash browns, Siete Cookies (have you tried this flavor? I'm excited to!) and Chipwich Ice Cream Sandwiches. 

DAIRY/NON-DAIRY

+ Boar's Head Smoked Gouda Cheese

+ Two Good Strawberry Banana Smoothies 

PROTEIN

+ Boar's Head Virginia Ham

PRODUCE

+ Organic Honeycrisp Apples 

GRAINS/BREAD

+ Hero Seeded Bread 

+ izzio Sourdough 

MISCELLANEOUS 

+ Siete Chocolate Chip Cookies

+ Chipwich Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches

+ Pacific Valley Tater Patties 

+ Diet Coke  

What's on your list this week?

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A LITTLE HAIRCARE HAUL

Lately my hair has been a bit of a hot mess express in need of a little TLC. Naturally it only made sense to try out some new products and a fresh routine to add some life and zhuzh things up a bit! My hair has always been very thick, a little wavy + curly and prone to some dryness. I'm not a consistent masker so to add some extra moisture in, I scooped up this cute Amika Mask set. It comes with three of their bestselling masks: a full-size of the Dream Routine Overnight Hydration Treatment and two deluxe sizes in the Soulfood Nourishing Mask and The Kure Intense Bond Repair Mask. I can't wait to try them all. I've always been happy with how Amika products work and these all have great ratings-- they also smell amazing! 

Also in the smoothing realm are these goodies from IGK: the Good Behavior 4-in-1 Prep Spray, Good Behavior Smoothing Spray and Crybaby Anti-Frizz Serum. There is lots of smoothing, de-frizzing and softening involved which hopefully transfers to my hair! 

Lastly from Ouai, my sister bought me a little gift set for Christmas that came with their Scalp & Body Scrub, the Detox Shampoo + Hair Oil. I think between these, Amika + IGK, I've pretty much got all of my bases covered. I'll keep you posted on how everything works! 

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I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :) 

RECENT BEAUTY PURCHASES

Between fourth of July and Prime Week, I've been doing some much needed damage in the retail therapy depo. I definitely go in waves when it comes to shopping. I either buy nothing or I buy everything! Lol. Anyone else also like that? Since I snagged a few new beauty items from my list, it was the perfect opportunity to share a random mini haul. All for the blog content, right? Here's what I grabbed: 

+ Nécessaire The Deodorant Gel - I'm still on the clean deodorant sans aluminum kick which has turned out to be an ongoing drama. I have yet to find the "perfect" clean deodorant that is clean, smells yummy and doesn't make me sweat or itch. I was loving the Agent Nateur holi(stick), however I later found out that me + baking soda do not get along. That makes finding a good one even harder + I've been through several so-so options. I'm not sure I'll be able to find one that works like an antiperspirant so it better not make me smell or mess up my clothes!

I decided to give this Nécessaire The Deodorant Gel a try because it's pretty clean + has amazing reviews. What sold me were the claims that it smelled great, wasn't irritating for sensitive skin + didn't leave a stain on clothing. It also comes in a glass bottle and is a roll on which I love + love! I grabbed both the Eucalyptus scent and the fragrance free.

+ Sun Bum Sunscreen Lip Balm w/ SPF 30 - I'm also trying to be better about using SPF everyday so I grabbed this Sun Bum Mineral Lip Balm. I love Colorescience and this tinted moisturizer for the face but I always forget about the lips. The Sun Bum lippie is mineral and made with Zinc Oxide which is a must. Always choose physical sunscreens (Zinc Oxide or Titanium Dioxide) over chemical! 

+ UNITE 7 Seconds Leave-in Hair Detangler - Sydney Adams influenced me on this one! My hair is a hot mess most of the time and because it's so long + wavy, it get pretty tangled up. After I saw her recommend the Unite 7 Seconds Detangler, I looked it up and was immediately sold after reading the reviews. It detangles, adds moisture and has sun + heat protection. 

+ Dior Backstage Face Brush - Jena influenced this one, haha. I've been wanting to try the Dior Airflash Foundation for years now and she recently said this brush works so amazing paired with it. I'm still trying to figure out what shade to order in the foundation but I have the brush now! It also looks like it would be great for cream bronzers too. 

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What have you been buying lately?

I love sharing my picks with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

NEW MAKEUP FOR SPRING + SUMMER | HAUL

MAC Art Library Eyeshadow Palette [Shade: Nude Model] // ILIA Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil [Shade: Only You] // ILIA Fullest Volumizing Mascara // Morphe Blush Brush // Morphe Blender Brush // MAC Fix+ Mist // Lawless Forget the Filler Pluming Lip Gloss // Lawless Forget the Filler Plumping Overnight Mask 

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VITAMINS + SUPPLEMENTS HAUL

Lately I’ve been learning a lot more about the importance of taking care of my body and preventative steps to stay healthy. While I’m extremely thankful that I’ve been healthy throughout my life, in the past it’s made me view vitamins and supplements as optional. My routine up to this point has been very sporadic— I would go for months taking vitamins everyday only to quit cold turkey. Up to this point, I‘ve also only been taking vitamin c gummies daily. Not only have I decided now is the time to get my sh*t together and up the ante, I’m also being more selective with what I do take. Sadly that means kicking the sugary gummies for a better alternative!

After doing some research, I ordered a whole new lineup of supplements that I’m *fingers crossed* going to start taking daily. One exception is this MSM powder which I started taking daily about three weeks ago. So far, I feel like I’ve seen such a huge improvement which I’ll talk more about below. 

I also want to add that I learn so much from Jena Covello on Instagram when it comes to health and supplements! I have to give her credit because I’ve learned more about the importance of certain supplements and I purchased most of these brands based on her recommendations. Anytime I am looking for a specific vitamin, I check her recommendations first. I trust her opinions and think she is a great source to follow. I’ll link her Instagram here. 

Also a quick PSA-- I of course am not a doctor, these are just what I'm choosing to use for my body. Always make sure to do your own research and check with a physician for medical advice. Keep scrolling to see what I’ve purchased!

+Vitamin C: As I mentioned above, the one vitamin I have been taking religiously is Vitamin C. I've always been partial to the gummies-- they taste yummy and are an extra snack during the day that I've never felt bad about! That being said, I've read that gummies are less effective than a pill/capsule and do have extra sugar + additives. Vitamin C itself has a lot of powerful benefits for the body from immune health, collagen production, increased energy, skin benefits and more. I purchased a capsule version to hopefully ween myself off of the gummies, however the most important kind of vitamin is the one that you'll actually take. 

+D3 & K2: Before doing my own research, I never realized that if you're going to take D3 it's important to also take K2. While D3 is also has many functions that support immunity, bone health and the nervous system, K2 helps to insure we properly receive and absorb these benefits. It protects the areas that you don't want D3 to go to (such as organs or arteries) so that your body can absorb it in the right areas. I ordered a prescription one but I’ll link a similar option from Amazon here. 

+Quercetin: I was also unfamiliar with Quercetin up until recently. Like many other vitamins, it's found in a lot of the fruits and vegetables that we eat (or should be eating). It's an antioxidant that helps fight free radical damage, improve immunity and heart health, improve mood, fight inflammation and more. 

+Zinc: I've always been a big fan of zinc for keeping my immune system up during cold + flu season or to help speed up the recovery time of a cold/sickness. I've been told that you don't need to take zinc every day so I purchased this spray to use periodically + when I feel I need a boost. 

+B12: Does anyone actually feel like they ever have enough energy? I sure as hell don't so here's to hoping this B12 blend becomes my new best friend! B vitamins all have a lot of great benefits, the most appealing to me being increased energy, mood enhancement and memory improvement. Lots of reviews on this version report energy boosts, less brain fog and more energy. 

+MSM Powder: I recently shared on IG stories (@TheKristenDiary) that I've started taking an MSM powder to help my joints. I've been experiencing pain in my neck/upper shoulder area on and off since last fall. My mom suggested I take something for it so I started using this joint powder around two weeks ago. So far I feel like it's been helping a ton-- I notice way less pain + stiffness. It's also anti-inflammatory which is also amazing and possibly why I've been feeling less discomfort! 

Do I need a cute pill box now? Dying for these cute ones!

I love sharing health updates + what I’m trying out with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)

NEW PLANNER HAUL | THE HAPPY PLANNER

I recently decided that I need a new planner to organize my sh*t and be more productive. Obviously I needed something cute to motivate me so I picked one out + grabbed some fun stickers. I quickly learned that planner world is a little overwhelming-- there are so many types of planners + accessories out there. I discovered The Happy Planner brand which has so many fun designs, however it was hard choosing! My main goal is to time block my day so I compared all of their different planner designs and opted for one with a vertical layout. 

    

After deciding on the vertical layout, I decided to go for their classic size. I really liked the big size in the happy planners too, however I never found a pattern with the vertical layout that I loved. I don't typically go for a lot of color or floral, however I kept going back to the Spring Garden design. It has a pretty floral cover with coordinating monthly tabs. The inside layout with the minimalist design and nude, white + pink shades is what really sold me. I also love the rose gold accents! 

Each month has a monthly overview + the vertical layout for each day. Since they also sell lots of the accessory packs, I'm going to try to add in some other sheets for my daily to-do lists, budgeting, etc.

I wanted something that is functional for my life but that also inspires me to use + plan out my weeks. I've seen a lot of fully decked out planner spreads (tons of stickers, washy tape, etc.) which I'm not sure is me, however I think getting creative with it will keep it fun. Aka, I had to have some stickers. They have SO many different packs-- pretty much anything and everything you could think of. I tried finding ones that matched the color palette of the inside + also worked with my life. So far I have the Good Habits book and the Wellness book. The colors on these are softer and align with a lot of my goals.

I'm excited to dig in + start prioritizing everything. If you use a planner, what all do you include or put into yours? LMK! 

I love sharing hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)