friday five

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Just dropping in the day before Christmas Eve to share my favorites from this week with you all! Hope you have have such a lovely holiday over the next couple of days with your family and loved ones! xo

cruelty free shaving

I thought I would do a quick cruelty-free post today and share some great products related to the glorious task of shaving. It can be a pain in the butt to keep up with...but if you have some great products to use, you can turn your shaving time into a pampering session instead of a chore. 

holiday party looks

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'Tis the season for countless holiday parties and gatherings! I don't know about you, but when the end of November hits, the calendar just fills up every weekend with goings-on for the upcoming holiday season. It seems like there are always an abundance of people to see and events to attend, and one thing is always for certain, you need something festive to wear!

I know that every holiday, at least a couple things on the calendar involve getting dressed up - and I've always thought that the holidays are perfect for breaking out some bold and interesting pieces. Whether it be colorful velvet, statement jewelry, or taking a fashion risk...there's no better time of year to try things out!

first trimester update

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Thank you for all the sweet comments and messages the other day about our baby news! You are all so wonderful and I was so excited to share this with my friends from the blogging community. I wanted to do a quick update on how my first trimester went, since I am already well into my second (will be 17 weeks this Thursday). 

christmas decor // 2016

Happy Holidays! 

Our house has been a bit "in shambles" recently due to a major kitchen renovation, but I was finally able to get some of our Christmas decorations up. Most of the items I purchased are from either Target or Hobby Lobby. Both are great places to get holiday decor, but I just have to sing Target's praises - in the past couple years they have been doing such a great job with home decor, especially seasonal items. If you haven't checked it out, be sure to take a look next time you are in!

The first things I always do is wrap our lovely banister in evergreen garland - and this year I decided to go with a classic red theme, so I added lots of red velvet bows.

Our early Christmas Gift

I didn't think 2016 could be topped - it was one of the best years that I have had yet. I finished graduate school, Aaron and I were married...oh, and Cleveland won one (almost two) national championships ;)

But it looks like 2017 will top it because just like that, Baby Steiner will be here in May 2017 <3

winter skin care routine

I don't know about you, but my skin really takes a turn for the worse in the winter. I have naturally dry skin anyways, but when you add in the cold temps outside and heat blasting all day inside - it makes for a really uncomfortable season. 

Every year I've tried new products or methods to combat the feeling of tight and flaky winter skin, and this year, I think I have finally found some winners to add to my routine.

Thankful

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There are so many things in my life that I am thankful for on a daily basis, but this is the time of year when we really start to give it some thought and reflect on all of our blessings. This past year has been such a wonderful one, it is hard to make a list of everything I am grateful for, but here is a stab at it. Some serious, some more light-hearted....

Christmas Wish List

It's that time of year! Christmas is my favorite - I just love the decorations, the music, and really just everything that goes along with the season. I love picking out and wrapping gifts for my friends and family - there is nothing better than the excitement of your loved one's faces when they open something you put a lot of time and thought into :)

The older I get, the harder it is to come up with things when my family asks what to get me - does that happen to any of you? ...In all honesty Mum, I could use a new dishwasher (lol!) 

Here is a quick run down of things that made it onto my Christmas wish list!

things that made me happy this week

Happy Friday my friends! Hope you've had a lovely week...it has been a good one, but I'm ready for the weekend. I love the fall weather and cooler temps, I don't even mind the rain and wind, but I haven't gotten enough sleep this week so I've been feeling groggy and lazy and need to get to bed early tonight! 

Wanted to pop on to share some of the few things that made me happy this week...

Makeup Geek // Manny MUA Palette

I recently picked up the Manny MUA Palette from Makeup Geek and I had to share it with you guys because I am SO impressed. It is my first experience with the Makeup Geek line, which is a cruelty-free online company started by Marlena, who has an awesome Youtube channel you can find here. 

I heard about MG through the vegan/cruelty free makeup community and loved the look of her products, especially the eye shadows. I really like that you can buy individual pans and make your own palettes. For my first purchase though, I decided on the Manny MUA palette because it had some amazing looking shadows that I really wanted to try out. 

Leeds Farm

Every year, our family takes a trip to Leeds Farm. It is a local family farm in Ostrander, Ohio that is open to the public in the fall and they have tons of fun things to do - hayrides, pumpkin picking, zip lining, and so much more!

This Saturday, we were celebrating Aubrey's 10th birthday with a day filled of her favorite things. She always loves our trips to Leeds Farm, so we added it to our list for the day and headed there after lunch. It was pretty cold, but the sun came out and it turned out to be the perfect fall day. 

friday favorites

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 This chilly fall weather has me wanting to curl up in a chunky sweater with a cup of tea and just read a book or watch Netflix all day :)

We have lots of fun plans this weekend to celebrate Aubrey's 10th birthday. Saturday is going to be a full day of her favorite things, including our family's traditional trip to Leed's Farm for hot cider and pumpkin picking!

Here are some of my favorite things from this past week...

current makeup routine

Happy Wednesday lovies!
Hope you are all having a good week...mine seems to be dragging at a snail's pace, but after today we are over the hump, right?!

I wanted to pop on and share some of the new cruelty free makeup items I have picked up over the past month. Some I love, some I won't be repurchasing. For my breakdown and review on each of them, keep reading!

fall decor // Target

Smith & Hawkens Wreath

I love when the seasons change and I can get some new decorations up around the house! I didn't really have much as far as the transition from summer to fall - but thankfully, Target came to the rescue (doesn't that always seem to be the case?)

It all started with the wreath...then I couldn't stop. 

I decided to do more of a fall-theme so it will last through Thanksgiving, rather than doing Halloween first and then changing it for Thanksgiving.

things that made me happy this week

1 // All the amazing and thoughtful well-wishes from our friends and family after our wedding last week.

2 // This mid-century inspired wall hanging that I think will go perfectly in our living room. 

3 // Looking through pictures from our mini-honeymoon. I think our favorite had to be visiting The Biltmore. 

4 // The new HBO series, West World. So crazy, but Aaron and I are already hooked. 

5 // Opening wedding gifts from our generous loved ones - look at these adorable mugs!

6 // For once in a long time, there are two movies out in theaters that I really want to go see! The Girl on the Train and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

7 // Fall decor - I went a little buck wild at Target the other day and I'll be sharing all my new home decor items in a post soon!

8 // The Cleveland Indians - how amazing would it be if Cleveland won two championships in one year?!

9 // Although it was really nice to get away for a few days and spend time alone with Aaron in North Carolina, we missed our dogs SO much! It was so exciting to pick them up from the doggie hotel when we got back and they've been getting tons of extra cuddles <3

10 // So many new beauty finds that I will be sharing my thoughts and reviews on in a post soon! xx 

our mountain wedding // october 3

Hi lovelies!

Sorry I've been MIA for a few weeks, but I think I have a pretty good excuse - our wedding was last week! I was totally immersed in making final plans, getting confirmations, and sorting out our travel...so much so that I didn't find time to post in the days leading up to it. 

We were married on Monday, October 3rd in Hot Springs, North Carolina at Mountain Magnolia Inn. We had about 30 of our closest friends and family there with us, and it was just absolutely magical. The best day of my life...I just keep thinking back and smiling. It went by so quickly, but couldn't have been more perfect.

We don't have all the official pictures yet, but I thought I'd share some sneak peeks and snaps we took with our phones :)

things i'm eyeing // beauty edition

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Lately, I've been screenshoting (is this a word yet?) and making lists of so many things that are on my radar to purchase and try out...so I thought I would share some of them!

First up, I am in desperate need of a new concealer. I've heard good things about both of these, so I think they are what I am going to try next. If you have any suggestions, let me know! (Must be cruelty-free)

Pacifica  //  Sonia Kashuk 

 

I'm also on the look out for a new setting powder - I really am not a huge fan of the elf one I have been using. Since I love Too Faced products so much, I thought about picking up their Primed and Poreless Pressed Powder. 

Too Faced

If you read my recent skin care post, you know that I'm looking for a few new products to add/replace in my routine. Here are a few items that I'm really interested in after recommendation from other beauty bloggers and YouTube videos. 

The Pacifica Cactus Water can work as a makeup remover (and toner, I believe). 

The ice roller is recommended for early morning and before bed - it reduces redness and irriation and is said to help prevent wrinkles.

The Derma E Hydrating Night Cream seems like the perfect fit for a high-intensity evening moisturizer, just what I was looking for! 

Pacifica // Hansderma Skincool // Derma E

Speaking of makeup removal - has anyone used the Makeup Eraser? It claims to remove any makeup with just water - which I find so hard to believe, but I'm intrigued! It's sitting in my Amazon shopping cart as we speak...

Makeup Eraser

I've never used many face masks before, but I'm starting to become more interested. Which ones are you favorites? Since I love Pacifica products so much, I thought there line might be a good place to start. The deep hydration one sounds amazing.

Pacifica

The last two are a little random, but still beauty-related. The first is deodorant. I'm back on the search again :( After some time, Schmidt's didn't end up working for me. Right now I'm using a Tom's of Maine antiperspirant, but it's technically for men, so it has a really strong "manly" smell - which I am not particularly fond of. It's fine on Aaron, but I'd rather not smell like it. 

Has anyone used Piper Wai? If so, please let me know how your experience was. I have had such a hard time with this category, but this product seems to get good reviews. 

Lastly, I've been hearing that collagen supplements are so good for your skin...but when I started looking into it, turns out they are made from cows - so that was a big old nope. I was able to find a few vegetarian/pescatarian versions though...I wonder if they are worth trying? 

Piper Wai // Vital Proteins

life lately

// National Dog Day
It is impossible to get pictures of Deedee, but this doofus doesn't mind the camera at all.  If you think you've seen a picture of him like this before, you'd be correct. I catch him "relaxing" like this multiple times a day.

// Snapchat
I'm finally getting the hang of Snapchat...but only thanks to my best friend who so kindly explained all of it to me when I couldn't figure it out myself ;) I didn't think I would like it, but the filters are really fun and I love the little photo/video compliations that people can make and share every day. (Follow me: emiliestorey)

// Summery Drinks
Even though we are nearing the end of summer (thank God - bring on the fall temperatures!)...I'm still enjoying whipping up some summery cocktails. This rose spritzer is delicious, and I added a few fresh strawberries, just for fun!
 

// Pinrose Scents
I found out about this brand thanks to Rhian from Wife Life. It is a cruelty free and vegan company with tons of interesting perfumes! I recently used Rhian's offer code (WIFELIFE) for 20% off of this Parfume A-Go-Go Kit. It has two perfume wipes for ten of their , which I thought would be a great way to try them out before buying the full size of any. The cute zipper pouch is also a bonus :) 

If you visit their website, they have also created a really fun scent personality quiz. It takes your preferences in certain images and visuals to help you select the right perfume fit!

// Organized
I scooped up a new wallet and planner recently. I downsized my purse (will share in its own post coming up soon!) and wanted a much smaller wallet - so this Free People Vegan Keyring was perfect. While at Target the other day, this Sugar Paper LA planner caught my eye - obviously, look at the color of it! It's perfect because it covers the second half of this year, and into the first 6 months of 2017.

cruelty free // skin care routine

Good morning! Hope you are all having a nice week - mine has been crazy busy...one of the reasons why this post is going up on Wednesday morning instead of Monday, like I had originally planned ;)

I wanted to share my current skin care routine (all cruelty free). It isn't perfect yet - there are some products I won't be repurchasing...and a few I still want to pick up, but I thought I would still share for the time being!

Cleanser // Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream 
This is a really nice product. It is thick, so you don't need a lot of product for each use, and the smell is very mild. My favorite part about it is that if you let it sit on your face for a couple minutes, it gives you the fresh, cool, tingly sensation - which just makes my skin feel like it is really getting cleaned ;)

Despite how much I like the product, I am going to be trying something different once this runs out. While Burt's Bees is cruelty free, they are a subsidiary of Clorox - who definitely are NOT...so I'm going to try out a cleanser from Acure next time that claims to do the same "tingly" things this one does! 

Tonic // Pixi Glow Tonic
I really like this product...not sure what difference it is making, but if anything, it cleans any remaining lingering makeup off my face (especially nose area) and makes everything feel fresh and "clean slate". I will definitely be repurchasing this one. 

Eye Oil // Hana Organic Skin Care
This came with one of my Petit Vour monthly subscription boxes. I like it, but I'm looking for something a bit more powerful, so I think I'm going to be trying Acure's Eye Cream next.

Serum // Juice Beauty STEM CELLULAR Booster Serum
So amazing. This was a sample size from another Petit Vour box, and I can't get enough of it. I want to try more of Juice Beauty's skin care line, and I think I'll be purchasing their Anti-Wrinkle Solutions Kit next because it comes with a good sized version of the serum in addition to a couple other products! 

Moisturizer // Pacifica Dreamy Youth Day & Night Face Cream
This is wonderful - light, mild smelling, and very moisturizing. I love it for day time before makeup application. I would like something a bit more heavy-duty for the evening, though, so I'm still searching. Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Vitamin E Oil // Jason
For the extra dry bits - sometimes around the nose, sometimes on the lips. This stuff is a must have for all skin care collections!

Ointment // Burt's Bees Baby Multipurpose Ointment
This is a replacement for Vaseline - it is 100% petroleum free. I stopped using the Sonia Kashuk eye makeup remover because it was giving my eyelids an ugly allergic reaction - which is something I've dealt with from liquid makeup removers for years (I just need to give it up, none of them are going to work for me)...so this is helpful in removing the last little stubborn bit of mascara or brow pencil from my face. 

Like I mentioned before though, I'm trying to get away from Burt's Bees, so I will be trying the Alba  "All Better Balm" instead. 

What are your skin care routine favorites??

philadelphia

I'm back :)

After graduation, I just wanted to take a little time to decompress...plus we had a couple really busy weekends planned...so I took a little hiatus from blog-land. But I'm back at it to share some pictures from our mini trip to Philadelphia at the beginning of August. It's gonna be a long one folks...

Packed and ready to go with my new CalPak carry on!

Aaron was already in Philadelphia for work, and I flew out Friday morning to meet him.  After dropping our stuff off at the hotel, the first thing we did was grab lunch. We ate at a little hole-in-the-wall brewpub that he loves called Monk's Cafe. I had the Seitan Cheese Steak, which was basically a vegetarian version of a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. It was made with tons of mushrooms, onions, and nectarine cheese - delicious!

After lunch, we walked down to the historic part of Philly to do a little tourist-y stuff. There were so many pretty buildings and interesting statues. We thought about going in Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed), but the line was huge and you needed tickets...which were sold out. So we head over to see the Liberty Bell. It was fun doing some sight-seeing, but it was blistering hot, so we head back to the hotel for a bit.

Independence Hall

Liberty Bell

 We also found time to grab some ice cream, of course. There is an interesting little place called Sweet Charlie's over by the historic area. They have a unique way of making and packaging your order...it is all made to order and then combined on a super cold surface, then rolled into little spirals. Aaron loved his, I wasn't to keen on mine, but it might just have been the flavors I picked.

After a quick rest and outfit change, we head out for dinner - this time to a different part of the city. Aaron had heard good things about a brew cafe called Tired Hands in Ardmore, PA...and I am so glad we went. The food was amazing - my favorite meal of the trip! I had the grilled cheese with smoked cheddar on house-made bread, and vegan potato salad (to die for). Aaron also had the grilled cheese, but got spicy kimchi with his meal.

{PS. as you can probably tell, all diet related ongoing went out the window during this long weekend ha!}

   

Grilled cheese with dijon

House Fermented Kimchi and Vegan Potato Salad

Saturday morning started out with sleeping in... in a major way ;) We are usually woken up by the dogs bright and early - even on weekends - at home...so even though I really missed them, it was nice to just sleep to my heart's content. 

We head back downtown for some lunch around midday - this time to a little Mexican place called Lolita. Again, amazing food. If there is one thing I can say about Philadelphia, the food is awesome! I had fish tacos, a watermelon margarita, and Aaron and I split chips and salsa.

We head back to the hotel after lunch because it was SO DAMN HOT. I wanted to shower and have time to cool off before the Coldplay concert later that night. We took a nap (or at least I did lol - the heat makes me so tired!) and then got ready. I put a lot of effort into it...which was honestly all a waste of time haha. The heat and humidity were so nasty that all hairdos and makeup were sweated off in no time. 

Once we arrived at Lincoln Financial Field, none of it mattered though! The sun set, it cooled off (slightly) and Aaron and I - along with like 60,000 other people - got to see the most amazing band in the most amazing concert. The place was totally packed, I've never seen anything like it.

I cannot describe how incredible it was. I'm sure you all know, or can imagine, how it feels to see the one band/singer/songwriter you love the most perform live. Let's just put it this way, two of the songs for our wedding are Coldplay songs. I held it together and only cried once during "Fix You", which is our wedding processional song (happy overwhelmed tears haha!). 

Basically, they were amazing, their music is beyond - just the best, and every single person was happy, dancing, and singing along. The energy was indescribable. Such as perfect way to end the trip and my weekend in Philly! <3

Sweaty AF (Snapchat filters help ;)