DUCK DONUTS REVIEW + TASTE TEST

On our way back from Chattanooga this weekend, we came across a Duck Donuts! I've seen them all over Tik-Tok so ya'll know my sugar addiction couldn’t resist trying them out. We ordered a dozen and taste tested them all!

Honestly it was a dream come true getting to bite into ten different donuts all at once (two of the flavors we ordered two of). I had major sugar overload (that I paid for later) but it was totally worth it! 

All of the donuts are made to order which is different + unique from any other donut shops I’ve been to. They have a ton of flavors combinations to choose from or you can create your own from the different glazes, toppings & drizzles. I was too overwhelmed with their choices to even think about making my own, lol. Here's what we picked:

DONUT FLAVORS

 Coffee Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Blueberry Crumble, French Toast, The Boardwalk x2 (oreo crumble, powder sugar + vanilla drizzle), Maple Bacon, Sunrise Lemon Icing w/ Raspberry Drizzle, Smore’s x2, The Flip-Flop (chocolate w/ vanilla drizzle) and Cinnamon Bun

The donuts are a vanilla cake base that have a sweet, crispy texture. They remind me of a blend between a funnel cake and a crueler. I love how they all turned out decorated + they were also served warm which is always a win.

Every single one was delish, however there were definitely some that stood out above the others. My boyfriend and I both agreed our top three favorites were the French Toast, Blueberry Crumble & The Boardwalk. To us those three had a little bit of something extra to them. I was blown away by the French Toast because it actually tasted identical to French toast- syrup flavor and all. The funny thing is that it wasn’t even one of the first ones we picked, I added it on to make twelve towards the end 🤪

Some flavors like the Cinnamon Bun and the Flip-Flop reminded me of classic donuts which were good, just not as unique or outstanding as the others. I love the classics, however I think the novelty here (at least for me) is ordering more specialty flavors. The Maple Bacon donut was also a first for both of us. It’s definitely an interesting one... I love bacon but I'm not sure I'm behind the hype on this one. I've always been curious on what one would taste like though so I'm glad we tried it!

Overall, I loved trying them all and I think it's a very cool experience. If you’ve had Duck Donuts before, what’s your favorite one? I will definitely be going back the next time I'm near another one!

EXCITING WEEKEND PLANS | 8/13

Hello, weekend! It’s an exciting one over here because JJ and I are taking a WEEKEND TRIP to Chattanooga! When I tell you it’s been forever since I’ve taken any type of trip or had a vacation (even a mini one like this)- it’s been FOREVER. This was a totally spur of the moment, spontaneous decision we made yesterday which I can't wait for!

PS- still obsessed with this salad from SaladWorks! Totally unrelated to this post but is the only photo I took today 😬

I ran around all last night throwing together outfits, packing, etc. Anyone else prep and pack like you’re moving out?? We’ll only be gone for two nights, LOL. That threw out any chance of a normal blog post for today so a little chat + update it is. We’re leaving after work this evening so I’m going to do my best to share + update what we’re up to on IG stories. If you aren’t following me, you can find me @TheKristenDiary. I’m looking forward to lots of delicious food, time to relax + our hotel.

I’m also laughing because it was the first week I tried time blocking in my new planner (more on that in this post) but most days were a sh*t show and ended up nothing like I’d planned. If it ends with me getting a little R&R, I’m a-okay with that. I will say having things written down helps a lot. I’ve noticed that I still accomplished a lot of my to-dos for the week even if they were off schedule. There were several things this week that I didn’t do when I originally wanted to, but that I was reminded to tackle since they were in my planner. 

Between work and everything else, I squeezed in an unexpected dentist appointment, laundry + sheet change 🔪, blog posts + my step goal. This week’s goal is to walk 10k steps or more every day which I’m on track for. It seems like there are always things that you don’t get done and a million more new ones that keep getting added to the list. The lesson for me on this one always seems to go back to making progress over perfection.

What are you up to this weekend? I'd love to know!

MY GO-TO PRODUCTS FOR MINIMAL SUMMER MAKEUP

A full face of makeup is the last thing on my mind when it's hot AF outside. Most days I go makeup-free, however it's always good to have a go-to minimal look for when you want a little extra something. Using these products, I can throw this look on in no time and run out the door. Quick, easy + fuss-free does it! 

MINIMAL SUMMER MAKEUP

+ Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield - We all know SPF is a skincare must have and this one is a total game changer for your face. I've tried countless facial sunscreens + products, most of which are too thick, have a white cast, are greasy or are made up of chemicals. You want to use a mineral-based, physical sunscreen that will physically block harmful rays versus a chemical sunscreen that is instead going to chemically absorb rays. The Colorescience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield is the best one I've found. It's made up of 12% zinc oxide (physical sunscreen), has SPF 50+ protection, is super bendable and has a subtle peach tint. 

It's the perfect base for a minimal makeup look because it gives a very subtle glow to the skin + offers great protection from the sun. I also love that it has a thinner consistency that blends in well and leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized! 

+ MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter - I have been sharing this MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter for years now.  I always purchase the shade "Radiant Rose" to use as an under eye brightener. It's sort of like a hassle-free concealer for me-- it brightens up the under eye area to combat dark circles and give a wide awake appearance. The coverage is great but lightweight + easily blends in with my fingers. 

+ Velour Lashes Fluff'n 3-in-1 Brow Pencil - Cleaning up the brows just a little can do wonders for your face while still maintaining a minimal look. I like to lightly touch up + fill in around my brows with the Velour Fluff'n Brow Pencil. It has a pencil, spoolie + wax all in one to color and set everything. Super convenient and compact! 

+ Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Mascara - A little bit of mascara is also essential. It's the easiest way to open up the eyes + makes a huge difference. Right now I've been loving the Benefit Roller Lash! 

+ Burt's Bees Lip Balm - My lips constantly feel dry so keeping them hydrated during the summer is a must. I always go for the best of the best- the Burt's Bees lip balm. You can't beat a classic, it works and still gives a little shine to the lips.

My go-to products for a quick, minimal makeup look for summer! The best part is you don't have to use any tools either so it's easy peasy, lemon squeezy. 

I love sharing my favorite products 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? :)

WEEKLY TO-DO LIST | AUGUST 9 - 15

I originally planned to share my weekly view in the new planner I bought, however I'm still figuring out how I want to use + organize everything. One thing that I've always done that has been a big help is creating a to-do list of everything I need and want to accomplish for the week. It's been a little while since my last Weekly To-Do List post (you can see previous ones here + here) so I thought we'd kick this week off with one! If you've missed my previous ones, these are personal (non-work) related things that I want to get done. I like to keep the list relatively short and manageable and I typically only add in things I want to challenge/push myself to get done or things that are out of the ordinary.

WEEKLY TO-DO LIST

• WALK 10,000 STEPS - I've been shooting to walk at least 10,000 steps each day. I have a love hate relationship with my Fitbit which means I usually forget to wear it + end up having no idea how many steps I've walked. I'm going to challenge myself to *fingers crossed* remember to wear it everyday and get to 10K. 

• CLEAN OUT CAR - This is at the top of the list this week because my car needs it SO BAD. It always takes me forever to thoroughly clean out + vacuum my car but I love it once it's done!

• STORE RETURNS - It's rare that I have to return something so when I do, I always push it off. It's one of those things that's inconvenient even though it's easily done. I usually spend more time + energy thinking about how I need to return something (and worrying that I won't make the deadline!) than it actually takes to do it. I randomly have three different stores to return to so my plan is to knock them all out on my day off.

• EPSOM SALT BATH - I love using epsom salts in the bath to detox + soak my muscles. This is another "once it awhile" thing I do but I think it would be a great habit to start doing weekly. 

• PLAN OUT NEXT WEEK - Is it overkill to plan out planning out? LOL. I'm super into my new planner + stickers (make sure you check out my haul here) so I'm making an effort to use everything and organize my weeks out.

If I can get all of these done on top of work + my weekly basics (laundry, blog posts, etc.) then it will be a productive week. What's at the top of your list this week?

WHAT I WANT: AUGUST

Button-up / Brow Gel / Sandals / Henley / Rings / PJs

I love sharing what I want 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? :)

MY FIRST EYEBROW THREADING EXPERIENCE

Today I had my first eyebrow threading experience. It's something I've wanted to try for years, I just never made an appointment to go. I use to have them waxed, however over the years I've gone a little more maintenance free and have just been tweezing them at home. I liked the appeal of threading because it seemed less abrasive on the skin compared to waxing. Before going, I also had my haircut for the first time in FOREVER. I didn't want to do anything crazy so I just cut off a few inches to clean up dead ends + added in some layers to frame around my face. I shared a photo on IG but I'll post one if you aren't following me! PS- you can find me @TheKristenDiary ;) 

Alright back to the threading! If you aren't familiar with the process, cotton threads are twisted and used over/on the brows to pull out hairs. It gives a similar effect to having your brows waxed, however is said to be more precise and better for your skin. 

I chose to go to a local eyebrow threading shop where I live that had great customer reviews online. I'm always leery when it comes to cosmetic + beauty procedures so definitely make sure you do your homework. If I had to summarize my experience, it was quick + efficient. Because it was my first time doing threading, the technician told me that I would have to hold the skin tight on my forehead and my eyelid while she was threading. I then sat down and she went to work! 

The entire process took less than 10 minutes. Each brow only took a few minutes each + then she also went back and cleaned up the area with scissors and tweezers. I was surprised that it did hurt a little bit when she first started. For some reason I was under the impression that it was a pain-free process, however    I experienced some minor discomfort and pain. It wasn't anything crazy- after the first few times it didn't seem to hurt as bad either. Afterwards, she wiped around the area with some sort of liquid (Google says it was probably aloe vera gel) and sent me on my way. 

I was honestly amazed at how quick + fast the process was. I was in and out in no time which I actually really appreciate. My past experiences with waxing were definitely longer. The price where I went was also extremely affordable, I only paid $10 + tip to get them done! Like with waxing, I did experience a little bit of redness around the area for awhile. I have sensitive skin so this is pretty common for me. 

Here's a before + after comparison!

What do you think? I think she did an awesome job at thinning them out and adding more definition to my arch. I still wanted them to look like my brows and not be too thin which I think she nailed. 

Have you tried eyebrow threading before?

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? :)