Happy Friday! It feels like the summer is flying by. This week, my social feeds were filled with my friends’ kids going back to school — I love those cute first day pics — so we’re officially on the downswing of the season. Pumpkin-spice erry’thing is right around the corner, but we still have plenty of sunshine, fresh produce, evening thunderstorms, ice-cold cocktails, poolside reading, weekend-project-tackling and relaxation to enjoy. Here are five summer highlights from my week!
1. Fresh Beauty Picks
I need to hit the reset button on my low-buy, because I’m buying way too many beauty products this summer. This is my favorite season for glowing skin, shimmery eyes and fresh pops of color. You know I’m a longtime fan of the It Cosmetics CC+ Cream, but I recently discovered the Bye Bye Foundation, and you guys, I like it better! It has the same full coverage and SPF 50 protection, but it looks so natural on the skin and wears much longer than the CC cream (which tends to break down on me after about 6-7 hours).
Other new favorites: this iridescent Laura Mercier liquid eye shadow that I bought after my friend, Perry, used it on a bridal editorial shoot we worked on together; and the budget-friendly FLOWER Beauty Blush Bombs, which have a unique liquid formula that adds a natural-looking flush of color to the cheeks when you pat it on with fingers or a brush.
I’m wearing all of the above here! With a coppery cream shadow on my eyes + this NARS matte lipstick pencil in ‘Walkyrie’.
2. Easy Summer Dinners
I love, love, love cooking with the bounty of fresh produce that’s available this time of year. Besides our weekly Hello Fresh shipment (not #spon) I’m roasting lots of veggies, making big salads filled with a variety of chopped fruits and nuts, and snacking on sliced tomatoes and fresh mozarella. Yummm.
Check out this post from two summers ago with some of my favorite updated southern recipes for the season.
3. The Perfect Weekend Belt Bag
If you’re following me on Instagram, you already heard me claim my Cuyana mini circle belt bag as my summer weekend BFF. From farmers markets to shopping trips and evenings out, it’s so nice to carry the essentials (phone, wallet, car key, and lipstick) and be hands-free.
4. A Super-Handy Mini Jar Set
I primed this set of 12 mini glass cosmetic jars on Amazon for $10 this week, and they’re the best for creating on-the-go versions of your favorite makeup and skin care products. Now I can stash a bit of foundation and my cream bronzer in my handbag for the days I get ready in my office, with minimal packaging that won’t leak.
They’re also great if you like to make your own lip balms and/or scrubs, or for decanting the last bit of product in a near-empty container so you can make more room in your skin care/makeup drawer. (A tip I picked up from r/projectpan.)
5. The Cutest Lunch Box Combo
In the latest edition of Things I Stock In My Flower Shop Boutique Because I Want One For Myself: these Corkcicle insulated lunchboxes that are designed to hold their canteens. There’s something about a cute lunch box that gets me excited to pack breakfast, lunch and snacks for work; otherwise, I’ll survive on Chik-fil-a, the bag of Goldfish I always keep in my car (no I don’t have children) and old candy bars I find around the shop.
If you’re not local, you can find these new lunchboxes here, just in time for back to school!
Im also a huge fan of the of the IT cosmetics CC cream, so I have on my shopping list the foundation!