Hi there! I am Kylee, a former model and current mother who loves the beauty and fashion industry and seeks the best products and value to keep myself current. I blog to share my thoughts, expertise and research with those who follow me. Those who read my blog gain insight into fashion, save money and avoid frustrations on the products they purchase. Learn more about me here!
What's worth the SAVE and what's worth the SPLURGE?! My most popular blog post!
SAVE vs SPLURGE Self Tanners!

January 17, 2020 Leave a Comment

Cleaning Out the Clutter in 2020

The start of a new year and a new decade are upon us. I still can’t believe that it is 2020- where did the time go? I think the new year is a great time to reflect and make goals that you want to accomplish over the next twelve months. There is something about the month of January that makes me want to declutter my life in every way- my house, car, mind and soul. I love to hit refresh and take a deep breath while leaping into the new year with a fresh mind and heart. One of the things that I would like to work on first is cleaning out the clutter in my house. Being a wife, mom of three young kiddos and business owner keeps me really busy. It is easy to put every day tasks to the side while I am busy raising my kids, making meals, running errands, going to church and keeping up with my amazing friends on social media! 😉 I will always be the girl who will trade cleaning my kitchen to snuggles with my hubby and kids. Sometimes that can lead my home to get a bit cluttered. I have been working on ways to keep myself on track and be better organized around the house. Check out some of the things that have helped me so far this year and let me know if you have found some tips and tricks that you find helpful!

1. Donate Old Toys

Getting rid of toys can be a tricky job. I find I am only successful if my kids are in bed or not home. It doesn’t matter how long the toy has been sitting unused- the moment they fear it will be given away is the moment they grow a new attachment to it. Toys can take up a lot of space and be dust collectors, especially stuffed animals! I like to go through and find the ones that have been neglected for months and put them in a box to donate. I would much rather get rid of them and know some other kid is getting enjoyment out of them!

2. Clean Out Your Closets

I admit that I have a hard time letting some of my clothes go. After all, everything makes a comeback eventually in fashion, right? With that said, this year I am going to go through mine and my kids closets to see what I can part with. If the pieces are in good enough shape, I will donate them to someone else who can get some wear out of them. This is also a great opportunity to reach out to a friend who might have the same style as you or kids who can use some new clothes. Hand me downs are always awesome, especially with fast growing children!

3. Organize the Junk Drawer

We all have that one drawer- right? The one that is the catch all for everything random. Don’t know where this thingy should go? Toss it in the junk drawer! It’s all fun and games until you can no longer find anything or get the drawer shut! Take twenty minutes to go through the drawer and organize it or toss things that are no longer used.

4. Recycle Catalogs and Magazines

I definitely enjoy reading most of my articles on the internet now. However, I still find the occasional magazine or catalog creep their way into my house. I find myself saying I will sit down and look at them soon, but soon never comes. Toss those things in the recycle bin and get them out of your way!

5. Toss Expired Food

Anyone else have that old jar that gets pushed to the very back of the fridge and forgotten about? After a few months I find that there are quite a few that join it and start to takeover the space on my shelves. Take a few minutes to go through your refrigerator and pantry to check expiration dates. It’s always a nice help when I get some cleared up shelf space!

6. Scan Paperwork

There are certain things we like to save and store away in our filing drawers. However, I am noticing the drawers are becoming a little full. We live in a much more paperless world and I am going to try to climb on board. Take one hour a week to scan your documents on your computer and then save them to a flash drive or your cloud. This will make more room in your office space and won’t take up space on your computer.

7. Throw Away Expired Prescriptions and Medicine

I have a basket where I like to keep all of our medicines and prescriptions. I am definitely guilty of tossing the bottles into the basket once we are done using them and then forgetting about them. Check with your local health department and see when they are having a prescription take back day. This is the safest way to dispose of any old medicine you may have laying around.

8. Have a Garage Sale

Sometimes I come across items in my house that I no longer need but are in excellent condition. Instead of throwing the items away, place them all aside until you have enough to have a garage sale. This is a great way to make some extra cash and the kids usually love to be a part of helping!

9. Purge Expired Makeup

Unfortunately, makeup products do have an expiration date. It can be hard to part with that beloved shade of eyeshadow that you have had for years and have only used a few times. However, make sure it is not expired or you run the risk of bacteria growing in it. Toss it out and treat yourself to some new shades when Ulta or Sephora are having a good sale!

10. Schedule One Task a Day

Running a household can get overwhelming at times- there is always so much to do! Instead of stressing on trying to get the entire house decluttered and clean in a day or weekend, schedule it out over a month. Write down one thing you want to get organized or clean each day and take your time doing it. This will help you do a thorough job and not get burnt out.

January 13, 2020 Leave a Comment

8 Hot Beauty Trends You’ll Want To Look for in 2020

It’s a new year and a new decade and that means exciting new trends in the beauty front. I’ll admit that as a kid, I envisioned the year 2020 with driving flying cars and robot nannies. Even though that hasn’t happened yet, there are still some really fun things to look forward to this year! Here are some of my favorite:

8 Hot Beauty Trends You’ll Want To Look for in 2020

1. Bucket bags

The hot little accessory that you’ll start seeing on every fashionista’s arm is the bucket bag. This drawstring purse is a fun twist on the norm and is fashionable and functional. I like the chick simplicity of this Roxy bucket bag and of course this gorgeous Kate Spade bucket bag.

2. Chunky boots

Hopefully you held onto your Doc Martens after all these years because big chunky boots are coming back. If these chunky sneakers are too much for you, then these Steve Maddens may be more your style.

3. Lip masks

Face masks were so last year, and we’re glad they came along, but now start looking for the newest craze: lip masks. These do amazing things for your kisser and this berry lip sleep mask has impressive reviews.

4. Mini scrunchies

The scrunchie proved itself and for that, we give a nod. But sometimes you just want the soft hug of a scrunchie without the 80s hair baggage. This year, start looking for the kid-sister version of the scrunchie. Lululemon has a fun selection called the “Uplifting Scrunchie.”

5. Sustainable clothing

The fashion world is becoming much more eco-conscientious and sustainable clothing made from recycled materials is blazing to the forefront. New brands like HappyxNature (Kate Hudson’s Earth-friendly fashion line) and prAna are making gorgeous sustainable clothes that make you feel good about what you’re wearing.

6. Electrolytes in your beauty products

Electrolytes aren’t just for hydration after a tough workout; start looking for them in new beauty products. These intense hydrating moisturizers and skincare products are made with minerals that when mixed together and with water, carry electricity to aid your body’s hydration. Try this electrolyte-infused moisturizer or coconut water cream.

7. Free deodorant

Not free-ninety-nine, but aluminum-free aluminum-free deodorantdeodorant. It’s about time. Aluminum in many existing deodorants prevents the body from eliminating harmful toxins, trapping them inside and potentially clogging up the lymph nodes. That’s a breast cancer risk! This year, switch to an .

8. Liquid nose jobs and thread lifts

There always seems to be some new procedure on the forefront and if you haven’t heard about liquid nose jobs and thread lifts yet, you probably will.

Non-surgical rhinoplasty, also nick-named the “liquid nose job” is a temporary filler injection (which is reportedly fairly painless) used to alter the shape of your nose. Much like botox or lip injections, the liquid nose job is temporary and appealing to those who don’t want to commit to surgery.

A thread lift is pretty much a temporary face lift. It’s kind of awesome. Temporary sutures are used to pull or “lift” parts of the skin, like droopy jowls or sagging cheeks. You may see more and more people turning to it this year and beyond.

December 21, 2019 Leave a Comment

How to Keep Your New Years Resolutions

Does anyone else like to come up with a few New Year’s Resolutions every year? During the month of December, I catch myself doing a lot of thinking about what things I would like to set as goals for myself for the upcoming year. I think a lot of people get overwhelmed when someone asks them what their resolutions are going to be, since a lot of us tend to be hard on ourselves and can list plenty of things we want to change or fix. However, this is where I’d like to remind you to show yourself some love and patience. We should never aim for perfection because it is simply not attainable. We are human and still lovable despite whatever our flaws may be. My suggestion to you this year when coming up with resolutions would be to only pick three to five things that mean the most to you and focus on them. When I was younger, it seemed that after the first few weeks of the new year had flown by, I found myself forgetting about the resolutions I had made and they got pushed aside until December rolled around again. I have discovered some things that have helped me keep my focus and achieve my goals as I’ve gotten older. I encourage you to try to see if any of these tips help you have a more successful year in achieving your goals and resolutions. Happy New Year- I hope 2020 is your best year yet!

Plan Ahead:

Try not to wait until January 1st every year to start thinking about the things you’d like to work on for the upcoming year. Give yourself some time to really think about the goals you’d like to accomplish this year and what is most important to your happiness and well being. Jot down things as you think of them and go over it until you decide what are the most important things you will focus on this year.

Be Realistic:

When you are setting goals for yourself for the new year, try to set goals that are realistic in being able to accomplish. If you have a large amount of weight you’d like to lose, try setting a small goal first. It is easy to get overwhelmed if you are focusing on only the end result, instead of the journey you need to take to get yourself there. By keeping goals that are attainable, you will be more likely to have success.

Track Your Progress:

When you have reached progress on one of your goals, write it down . This is a great way to be able to look back at your journey over the next year and see the steps you took to meet your goal. When you are physically able to see the progress you have made, it can be very inspiring and encourage you to keep trying your hardest so you can reach the next step of your goal.

Don’t Give Up:

Changing habits that you have done for years can be really hard and take time. Studies have shown that it can take at least three weeks to get yourself into a new routine. If you have an off day, don’t beat yourself up. Again, perfection is simply not an attainable goal. We are going to have hard days and busy days that might steer us off track a little bit. The important thing is to not give up or beat yourself up. Tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start. Move past the hiccup and keep going!

Share Your Goals:

If you have someone in your life you trust, let them be a part of your journey. Each of you can sit down and share your goals for the upcoming year. Just like having a workout buddy, a goal buddy can also help. You can have someone to celebrate your victories with, lean on when you need some extra support and help keep you accountable.

December 6, 2019 Leave a Comment

10 Things To Always Keep in Your Purse

I have said it before and I will say it again- I LOVE purses. Not only are they a must have accessory to me that complete my outfit, but they hold me, my kids and my life together when I am out of the house. I would love to think I could be one of those ladies who grabs a cute clutch or wristlet and heads out the door. However, being a Mama of three, I always need to grab a large tote unless I am on a solo outing or date night. If I am being honest though, I still find myself gravitating towards larger bags because I like feeling prepared for any situation when I am out. I try my best not to weigh my purses down with unnecessary stuff because it gets uncomfortable to hold a lot of weight for extended periods of time. Over the years, I have come up with a few go to items that I try to make sure I always have on hand and have proven to be a lifesaver more than once. I have also found an amazing purse organizer which is perfect when carrying around a tote bag. You can find these items at a lot of different stores and in so many options. However, I linked some of my tried and true finds below to help you save some time!

1. Folding Hair Brush

This brush is the perfect size to throw in your purse. It also has a small mirror which comes in handy when you are trying to fix yourself up on the go. I love the three different colors it comes in and the price!

2. Notebook and Pen

This pocket sized notebook and pen are one of my all time favorite Amazon finds. The metal case keeps the paper from getting ripped when it is thrown into your purse, but it is still slim and light weight. You can also buy refills for the paper once you have run out. This is perfect when I need to jot down a quick note or when I want to keep my kids busy doodling when I am in the middle of something!

3. Hand Wipes

My three kiddos can turn pretty much anything into a sticky mess. Having a small pack of hand wipes are always an essential for us. Hand wipes can be found pretty much anywhere- target, dollar store, pharmacies, etc. I tend to lean towards this brand that I find for super cheap on Amazon. They work well and are also antibacterial.

4. Refillable Water Bottle

I always try to stay hydrated throughout the day. One way I am able to achieve that is by always carrying a refillable water bottle in my purse. I am a big fan of the Yeti brand ones which can be found through their stores online or at a Dick’s Sporting Goods store or website. They come in so many pretty colors and are well worth the splurge!

5. Snack In a Reusable Ziplock Bag

Snacks are another thing I always make sure I have on hand because they keep my kids and I from getting hangry. It also helps me to make healthier choices when I am on the go. I love these reusable ziplock bags. They have a leakproof design which is essential when throwing something in my purse. They will also save money from having to replace them every time and are better for the environment.

6. Wallet That Doubles as a Wristlet

This Michael Kors wallet from Macy’s is so cute! I love a wallet that includes a strap on it for your wrist. It comes in handy when I want to run into a store quickly and not lug around a big bag. Plus, it is under $60 and comes in two different colors.

7. Pill Box

I always carry around Tylenol in case of a headache emergency. I don’t like to carry around the bottles that it comes in because they take up a lot of space. These pill containers come in a pack of two and are under $2.00!

8. Mini First Aid Kit

This first aid kit is a perfect size to throw into your bag and go. I have also found that I can squeeze in a small ointment, too. I like to be prepared for any bumps or bruises that we might encounter on a day out.

9. Makeup Bag With Essentials

I definitely do not carry around all of my makeup when I am out and about. However, I do like to carry a small makeup bag with me and fill it with some of the essentials. My go to items are usually a feminine product, travel size nail file/pack of tissues/deodorant, an elastic hair tie, a small sanitizer and a lip balm. I love this cute and perfect size bag that can be found on Amazon.

10. Purse Organizer

This purse organizer is an Amazon favorite. It comes in a soft felt material and multiple colors and sizes. It has been such an important addition to my tote bags and makes it much easier for me to find what I need quickly.

November 19, 2019 Leave a Comment

My Top 15 Favorite Giving Experiences

The countdown to Christmas is in full swing. I have slowly started to make my shopping lists and start to grab things when I find them out. I have always been someone who loves to give to others. I thoroughly enjoy watching my children’s faces when they open up that one present that was on the top of their wish list that year. However, as I was making my shopping lists, I couldn’t help but think of how many times my child actually ends up playing with most of the toys Santa delivers. They always seem to have their favorite couple of presents that they cling to more than others, but most of them are inevitably thrown to the bottom of the toy chest or closet by the end of winter break. While I still want them to have the experience of opening presents on Christmas morning, I also know I want to cut back on how many presents will eventually get ignored. I decided this year I want to try gifting my children with experiences in addition to a few special gifts. This also made me realize that instead of putting pressure on myself to find other loved ones the perfect gift, I could pass along experiences to them as well. I feel like we lose the magic of Christmas when we are stressing over the perfect gift for everyone. I also love that when giving someone an experience, you can often share the moment together. The gift ends up being enjoyable for everyone and will create memories to last a lifetime. Check out some of my favorite experiences I thought of and heard about from other folks. Let me know if you decide to participate in any of them with your own family this year!

1. Have a “Yes” Day

I totally stole this idea from Jennifer Garner. She has revealed in interviews that she has one day a year where she says yes to any of her kids requests (obviously, she sets boundaries beforehand). However, for the most part, she says yes to her kids all day long. How fun could it be to have one day a year to have ice cream for breakfast and go do all of the fun and goofy things your kids love to do? I am sure you would be one tired Mama at the end of the day, but I think it sounds worth it!

2. Theatre or Movie Tickets

We love to go to the movies, but it can get quite pricey as a family of five. However, it would be more affordable if we cut out on a few toys this year and replaced it with a fun night out. If you want to give the experience to the adults in your life, try seeing if there are any fun theatre shows nearby instead of a movie. It can be fun to switch things up!

3. Sporting Event

There are always sporting events all year round in most major cities. Even if you do not live close enough to go to a professional team event, see what is going on at your local high schools or colleges. Sporting events are always a great way to kick back and show some team spirit, no matter what the sport or team is!

4. Paint Night

Paint nights can be a fun girls night out. Not only do you get to spend time being silly and catching up with your friends, you also get to take your artwork home with you. With this gift you are getting the best of both worlds- an experience and something to hold onto forever!

5. Cooking Class

Cooking class can be a great gift for adults or children, depending on the age restrictions of the class. Check out what your area has to offer online. You can sometimes find these types of classes being offered at your local community college, library or restaurants.

6.Spa Day

Spa days are a great gift to give someone who needs some R & R time. Depending on how much money you are looking to spend, there are a ton of different options to choose from. If an entire day is out of budget, look into a mani/pedi option or an express facial or massage. I personally love getting pampered for any amount of time and with any service!

7. Movie Night In

A movie night can be just as fun from the comfort of your own home! Check out what popular movies are trending or grab one of your favorites that you already own. If you’re able to, take time to splurge and do a few extra things to make this movie night stand out from others. You could build a blanket fort, make a popcorn and hot chocolate bar, order pizza, or make huge ice cream sundaes with all of the toppings!If you are feeling extra creative, you could even set up a fake concession area and create fake tickets for admission!

8. College Non Credit Class

Most community colleges offer non credit classes each semester. These classes are usually way more affordable than credited classes and don’t require books. I have seen some really fun things being advertised and open to the public to sign up for like photography, cooking, second languages, fitness and dance classes. See if anything in your area would be a good fit for one of your loved ones!

9. Comedy Show

The gift of laughter is one of my favorite gifts to give! What better way than to get tickets to a comedy show? Get online and see who’s coming to your area and grab some tickets for a fun date night out with your loved ones!

10. Skating

Skating always makes me nostalgic, no matter what kind it is! Pick a night and take the whole family to a local ice rink or roller rink for a fun night of laughing, falling and silliness.

11. Monthly Yoga Pass

A lot of yoga studios offer one month passes which can be a great way to see if it is something you enjoy doing before fully committing. If you have someone in your life who could use a little “Me” time, think about giving them a pass to try yoga. It could help them relax and feel better after the stresses of the holiday.

12. Dinner Date

I know that dinner out can really add up as well, especially when it is a family going. If you have a fun new restaurant in your area, think about getting a gift card for a family or couple that are on your gift list. It can be a missed experience for someone who doesn’t get to enjoy going out very often.

13. Amusement Park Tickets

Amusement parks are fun for the entire family. There is always something that can be found at an amusement park for any age! Check out Groupon or other sites online to see if you can score a good deal on tickets. Once the weather gets warmer outside, head to your local park to soak up some sun and fun with your family!

14. Concert Tickets

Any music lovers in your life? I always love going to a good concert and enjoying a night out listening to my favorite tunes. There are also a lot of local kid concerts that are offered in most cities. It is a great way to introduce music to your kiddos and have an excuse to break out your dancing shoes!

15. Photo Shoot

A fun photo shoot is probably my favorite experience idea of all! I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t love to get pictures taken with their families. Check out local photographers and see what kind of holiday specials they are offering. You can often find someone who offers mini sessions at affordable prices. It’s a great way to grab a few awesome pictures that your family will be sure to cherish for years to come!