Green Lifestyle
3 Ways to get healthy for the New Year
I’m already thinking about how to start living healthier for the 2017. The holidays are always full of temptations aren’t they? Starting with a major sugar rush from Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving feasts (yes, plural) and then ending up with a plethora of Christmas cookies. I’ve been trying to stay on top of things, but clothing is definitely a little tight right now! I haven’t been exercising or eating as healthy has a should be. I’m sure you all have the same problem, am I right? So I decided there had to be some convenient and time-saving options available for the hardworking family like us. After doing some major research and trial and error, I found three GREAT companies that I highly recommend. I’ve tried and vetted all three and am a huge fan. They make it easy to start being healthier right now, no excuses.
Organic Makeup Daytime Look with Juice Beauty
We’re venturing off into something a little different today. If you’ve been a blog follower for long, you’ll know that I like to live consciously, aka eco-friendly, aka green. I’ve talked about my skincare routine before, and today, I thought it would be fun to bring you my easy daytime makeup routine, all organic of course 😉 I’ve just recently started using Juice Beauty’s new makeup line. They released their makeup products less than a year ago actually, and already they’ve become a staple around here. The foundation and concealer products work better than any I’ve tried! Each product is so moisturizing and nourishing for my (naturally dry skin). I’m not usually a big fan of makeup because I can feel it just sitting like a layer of paint on my face; not so with these! I no longer feel like I’m clogging my pores with toxic makeup. So I reached out to Juice Beauty to collaborate on this post (and giveaway) for you guys. I highly recommend, love (and USE) their makeup.
[Read more…] about Organic Makeup Daytime Look with Juice Beauty
My Bathroom Declutter
In my downtime I’ve been slowly trying to go through and organize our “hidden” storage areas: closets, basement, cabinets, etc. Everything is pretty much unpacked since our move, but lots of things were unpacked and just thrown in closets or shelves. And there they’ve sat…for me to agonize over late at night when I’m trying to go to sleep 😉 SO I’m trying to be proactive about it and to take it one step at a time. Organize, purge and rearrange until I’m happy that we only have what we need and the chaos has been tamed. Then I move on to the next one…it’s a dirty cycle. Literally.
So for today’s post I thought I show you the bathroom linen closet. This is like the bottomless pit of products. It’s a decent size and pretty much our only bathroom storage since we have a pedestal sink. So it’s definitely a catchall…kind of like the kitchen junk drawer (next project maybe???). I thought it would be fun to make a video of the whole process showing you the before and after…and everything in-between. This turned out to be a long post, but as the list of products in the bathroom got smaller, the length of this post got longer 😉 Bear with me!
Back to School Favorites with Bitte
My oldest starts kindergarten next week! And yes, I’m going with the cliche of “Wow, that went by fast!”. Seriously. So I’ve been excited (and bittersweet) all at the same time. I’ve been researching and looking into back-to-school supplies for awhile, wanting to give her the best start possible! Also, keeping in mind, design…because…have you seen the the ridiculousness of those products geared towards kids? I know you have 😉 I just…can’t. So here are my stylish, modern and playful picks for back-to-school this year!
Our New Essentia Organic Memory Foam Mattress
Happy Earth Day! I figured today would be the perfect day to share with you one of my favorite eco-friendly brands, Essentia. In case you haven’t heard of them, they are the only organic and natural memory foam mattress out there. So think Tempurpedic without the chemical fumes and added toxins. They take natural, organic latex to the next level.
A couple of months ago we started our mattress search after my husband started experiencing back pain from our current mattress. He also threw his back out for the first time ever, nothing like that to make you feel old 😉 Anyways, I figured it was time to get rid of our traditional mattress and go with a more eco-friendly option like natural latex. I had already transitioned the whole family to sleeping on organic, natural latex pillows, so it was definitely our next step. By the way, have you ever used a latex foam pillow? They’re a different experience than anything else out there, that’s for sure. You could describe them as almost bouncy, instead of fluffy like a traditional pillow. It takes a little getting used to a first, but after a couple of days you, start to wonder how you ever slept on anything else! Say goodbye to flat, saggy pillows.
That’s why, when I started researching mattresses, I knew I wanted a latex one. Well, when you narrow the field down to organic, natural latex there are really only a few frontrunners. Essentia, of course is one of them. But, Essentia stood out from the pack because they’re the only natural latex MEMORY foam mattress. Intriguing. My familiarity with memory foam is having a Temperpedic pillow I received as a gift. That one pillow stunk up my house for weeks. Seriously. If it stinks so badly that it can permeate your house, it can’t be good to sleep on every night. But after all that, I really did love it (minus the stench). Nothing else conforms to your body and cradles it like good ole’ memory foam.
So after checking out Essentia’s mattresses in person at their Berkeley store (heavenly btw) I decided I muuuust have one. The Mr and I love a firm mattress. Tummy sleeper over here! So we ordered the Beausommet. Our Cal King mattress arrived in a surprising small (and surprisingly heavy) box. We dragged it into the bedroom where it we unrolled it and watched it expand. It’s amazing how tiny they can pack mattresses these days!
I wanted to wait until we’ve lived with the mattress for a while before I wrote about it, so I could share my honest opinion. We’ve had the mattress for a few months now. And LOVE it. My husband no longer has back pain and we both sleep amazingly well (and deep). When the mattress arrived we slept on it that first night and there was no off-gassing. Yay for no VOCs! In fact, it’s a little sad, because I’ve started to not like traveling as much. Why? Because I miss my mattress! So much for loving those hotel mattresses 😉 I’ll take my Essentia any day.
Nothing but positives over here you guys for Essentia. We are now Essentia converts for life. Now…if you go take a look at Essentia’s website, you might do a double-take on their prices. And you guys know how I am: why pay more if you can pay less, right? But you also know that I know when to splurge and when to save. And this right here folks? This is definitely a splurge moment. And it’s worth every, little penny. Believe me. And the mattress has a 20 year warranty. There are not many mattress out there that could last 20 years, but I really could see this one standing strong. If you’re in the market for a new mattress, you really should take a look. So worth it. Oh and Essentia is offering 10% off for Copy Cat Chic readers, just use the code: CHIC10! The code is good until the end of the year.
*Mattress c/o of Essentia. I was not paid to write this post, but was given a mattress to provide my honest review. Thank you for supporting Copy Cat Chic and our generous sponsors!
Parent Props | Hospital Bag Packing List- Part 2
7. SCARF | A WARM SCARF TO DOUBLE AS A NURSING COVER
10. FLIP FLOPS | SHOWER SHOES ’cause those showers are yuck
11. SLIPPERS | WASHABLE AND MORE COMFY THAN THE PAIR IN MY OLD POST
12.SLIP ON SHOES | NO NEED TO TIE THOSE SNEAKS!
24. BOTTOM SPRAY | COOLING SPRAY FOR FAST RELIEF
25. TOILETRY CASE | A functional case for all of your goodies
26. TOILETRIES | THE USUAL IN TRAVEL SIZE
27. FLUSHABLE WIPES | EASY ON YOUR BUM…AND FACE 😉
28. FACIAL ROUTINE | TRAVEL SIZES OF YOUR USUAL REGIME
iphone
chargers
playlists set up for labor
driver’s license
insurance card
cash for parking (just in case)
snacks for daddy & anyone laboring with you
treats for nurses as a thank you
birth plan if you have one
This post may contain affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Copy Cat Chic.
Brand Spotlight | Juice Beauty and Giveaway
Today I’m walking you through my latest and greatest skincare regime. My last post on it was pretty popular, but I’ve found a new brand of skincare products since then that I’ve fallen hard for 🙂 Have you guys heard of Juice Beauty?
I first discovered their CC cream that has gotten rave reviews. I’m not a huge make-up wearing person, so I thought this product sounded genius. It combines moisturizer, sunblock and color correction…all in one. and it works WELL. At the same time I ordered their CC cream I decided to order their Green Apple travel sized kit to sample more of their products. They’re organic and rated super well on the EWG skindeep website. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try it out. I have some freckling and sun marks on my face that I’ve been trying to get rid of. And you know what? I noticed a huge difference! My skin looks so much brighter and the sunspots aren’t as noticeable. It was a huge improvement.
I couldn’t help but reach out to them to see if they’d offer a giveaway on my blog. I only like to parter with companies that I believe in and Juice Beauty completely won me over. I know you’ll love them too!
Juice Beauty is also celebrating their 10th Anniversary this year and they have some amazing deals going on until December 19th. You’ll have to check out their 10 days of beauty discounts!
step 1
GREEN APPLE Brightening Gel Cleanser
GREEN APPLE Age Defy Serum
STEM CELLULAR Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer
I start with this gentle cleanser, pat dry then use 1 or 2 pumps of serum. After waiting a couple of minutes for the serum to absorb I use a dab of moisturizer.
step 2
SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer or STEM CELLULAR CC Cream
Once the moisturizer has absorbed I either use the sp30 moisturizer or the cc cream. If it’s a casual day where I’m running errands or staying at home I’ll use the non-tinted spf 30 moisturizer. Or if I’ll be going to a meet up or mixer I’ll need more coverage so I’ll opt for the cc cream. I’ve even started dropping the cover up and powder when using make-up because the cc cream works wonders!
STEP 3
GREEN APPLE BRIGHTENING GEL CLEANSER
STEM CELLULAR Anti-Wrinkle Overnight Cream
STEM CELLULAR Eye Treatment
At night I’ll use the cleanser again and pat dry. Then I’ll use the heavier overnight moisturizer and eye cream.
REICHEL
And now let’s talk about the amazing giveaway we have lined up for you! One lucky reader is going to win a complete set up ($250 value) of their most popular line:
stem cellular cleanser
stem cellular serum
stem cellular moisturizer
STEM CELLULAR eye algae mask
You can enter below using the rafflecopter widget!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Shop the post
Easter Basket Time
What do you guys think? Will they love it? I think Arden and Conrad will be pretty happy 😉 And don’t worry we’re still doing an Easter egg hunt. Just instead of candy filled eggs, I’ll use hard-boiled eggs and plastic eggs filled with bunny tails.
I found this fun sweater for Conrad, isn’t the bunny just too cute? And the jeans and suspender set is from H&M, I couldn’t resist 🙂
How to Decorate a Party for $50
THIS POST is sponsored by target
one | decorations
First things first, good decorations are a key. You want your space to look a little more special than just your average day. I like to invest in a lots of neutral and versatile serving pieces that will work for any occasion. That way you don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of expensive specially-themed items just for one event. Then I buy smaller inexpensive decor items to pair with it, like fun napkins, straws and paper products. That way you have a festive set-up without spending an arm and a leg. I went with a natural and neutral theme for the decor. It all started with this great garland.
two | food
I like to serve finger food at most of my parties. If it’s a daytime party I go with easy to make sandwiches. Morning? Bagels. Dinner = fancy appetizers and small plates. Silverware is one less thing you have to worry about. And if you use disposable plates, you have barely any clean-up! For this party, I went with easy to make sandwiches, fresh berries, veggies, chips and my favorite dill dip. I found all the groceries I needed at Target, which really made my day 😉
I used a wood platter that I already had to display the sandwiches. This one would work nicely too!
For the veggies and dip I had to get this great piece. I’ll definitely get a lot of use out of it, since I do veggies and dip at every party!
My local Target has the best price on organic berries too. I’ve price-checked. You should check your’s. Seriously. I bought strawberries and black berries and put them in this ceramic colander.
three | fresh greens
A party isn’t a party at my house without fresh flowers or greenery around. It elevates any setup. period. I also like to have fresh flowers in the bathroom – it really adds to your guests’ impression of your hostess capabilities 😉 *random tip* If you’re having a lot of guests over, opt for paper guest towels in the bathroom – hand towels get grimy and damp.
For today’s party I wanted to add some texture and green, so I used a pot of succulents (you could easily use these faux succulents) and put it in this copper pot. What’s even better? It’s not going to die like cut flowers will. The fun lives on 😉
four | signature drink
Okay this is a fun one. Having a unique drink option makes a party stand out. It’s something to talk about and it’s an easy way to take a little risk. Go all out with a crazy concoction or just take it easy with an old favorite. We decided to bring back an oldie but a goodie, the Moscow Mule. We already had copper mugs, but these ones would work just as well. I also had to get these fun straws to go with them.
five | something sweet
Let’s face it, cakes are messy and cupcakes are expensive, so when I spotted these adorable cheesecake bites in the freezer section at Target, I was sold. They met my criteria: easy with no fork required and I don’t have to bake or pay like each bite is made of gold 😉 They’re fun and unique and look great displayed on a wood and marble cutting board (this one would look great too). Other desserts I’ve used in the past are mini-doughnuts and mini-pies and of course cupcakes (better for the bottom-line when they’re made by a friend!).
So all together I spent around $50 for the all of the party decor (not including pieces I already had). Which is the way I like it 😉 and if you order online you can use the coupon code SHAMROCK for an extra 10% off (valid until 3/21), which definitely helps with that $50 price tag.
What are some of your easy entertaining tips? Any tricks on saving money? We’d love to hear them! Leave us a comment 🙂
Find your style @targetstyle