Thursday, July 25, 2019
*This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx.com.

Hey babes! How are you guys doing this summer? Connecticut just got hit with an insane heat wave last week and let's just say it had this chick yearning for apple picking, a wide brim hat and a blanket scarf. Did your state get hit with a heat wave recently or do you always have a hot summer? Let me know in the comments how hot it is where you are (and also how the heck do you survive this heat)?!

How do I survive? By hiding in the AC until pumpkin spice lattes are being served at Starbucks. I'm kidding (kind of). I survive with a little help from my friends. From beauty faves to sunglasses recommendations to what I like to drink, I'm sharing all of my summer essentials in today's blog post!


1. SUNGLASSES.


I don't know if it's because I'm getting older (*ahem* 31 next month *ahem*) but my absolute need to wear sunglasses every time I go out as become pretty dang serious. Which I'm okay with because I know I'm protecting my eyes from the sun's rays. And also, I look pretty dang cool in them. I've been loving these Rose Gold Aviators from Zenni Optical. They fit my face perfectly and have a nice, dark tint to them!

Zenni eyewear is all over IG and has one of the largest selections of prescription glasses (and sunglasses!) for men, women and children. Just order them online from the convenience of your own home (if you're doing so while braless, we are one in the same) and have them delivered straight to your door! 




2. SWEET TEA.

Hydration is KEY, especially in this hot weather and while water is best, some times a girl has to change it up. Normally, I'm not a tea kind of girl. Unless it's like the super fake tea stuff, y'know? But recently, I tried the Sweetened Tea from Straight Up Teas and now I understand why country songs talk about this stuff all the time. My kids actually loved these as well!

3. A GOOD SKINCARE ROUTINE.

I give everyone who can go out in 80 degree weather with a full face on major kudos because I just can't. The summer is when I like to let my skin breath and wear little to no makeup! Here's my faves:

I like to cleanse with the Colleen Rothschild Radiant Cleansing Balm ($65). I like to call this the foundation of makeup removal. If you have a great cleanser/makeup remover, the rest of the skincare routine is just the icing on the cake. What I like about this particular balm, is that it melts off even the most stubborn of mascara and lipsticks. It smells amazing, like a spa day in a tub, and the consistency is balm that melts into a lightweight oil. I think this is, hands down, one of the best cleansing balms I've ever used. I use this in the AM to just gently cleanse before makeup and at night for makeup removal!


After cleansing my skin, I like to go in with the Colleen Rothschild Matcha Tea Treatment Toner ($32). Okay, I lied. I do like one other kind of tea besides the teas from Straight Up Tea. It's  Matcha. But that's it. 😏 Have ya'll ever had matcha ice cream? Ummm, yum. Okay. Back to this toner. It's Matcha Tea + Kombucha Black Tea + Japanese Green Tea = one powerful treatment toner to help detoxify your skin and reduce the appearance of pores. My fave part? It's antispetic powers! It helps fight off any blemishes thinking about popping up on ya and minimizes redness.


Next, I use the Colleen Rothschild Sheer Renewal Cream ($55). The Sheer Renewal Cream is an oil-free lightweight cream with a powder (say what?!) finish. After it soaks in, it kind of makes your skin feel like you just applied your favorite deep moisturizer. Like, it has that much power to hydrate your skin. This cream comes packed with hydration and promotes new cell turnover which in turns minimizes wrinkles.


❤ Use the code BOXX20 for 20% off your purchase at Colleen Rothschild! Valid between 7/8/19 and 7/31/19 for regular priced items. Cannot be combined with additional offers, sales or promotions.

Lastly, I use the OzeaDerma Anti-Aging Sunscreen ($39) all over my face, chest - anywhere that will be exposed to the sun and then apply my make up. If I could go back and tell 18 year old me to slather on that sunscreen instead of laying out and roasting for hours, I would. OzeaDerma is known for their unique fruity scent (this sunscreen smells like oranges!) and their formulas being predominately fruit-based. It's super lightweight but packs a punch with a SPF of 35. My kids actually get excited because it smells so yummy when I put this on them so that's a win in my book!

❤ Use the code SUNNY for 10% off your purchase at OzeaDerma. Valid between 7/8/19 - 7/31/19.

4. A HYDRATING SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER.

The summer is always tough on my hair. You've got the heat from the sun, the extra dry shampoo applied from being sweaty, the chlorine from the pools. There's a lot of temp and permanent damage going on which is why I always go for a hydrating, smoothing shampoo - and never skip the conditioner! Hask Unwined Gloss Boss White Wine Shampoo & Conditioner ($8.99) has been my go-to! Taking all the good benefits of wine and adding it into a shampoo and conditioner. I'm so cool with this. These contain some good ol' Resveratol, a stilbenoid (yeah, I Googled it) found in grape skins, that kind of acts like an antioxidant and helps protect and restore your hair. It all has some grapeseed oil to help prevent frizz and smooth the hair cuticle. And can we talk about the scent? Talk about summer in a bottle! It's lemon, pear, apple and watermelon mixed together! PS. You can find these at ULTA Beauty and Walmart!

WHAT IS ONE PRODUCT YOU BEAT THE HEAT WITH?