Sweet Tea and Hydrangeas

A Lifestyle & Beauty Blog

July 2017 Favorites

 

Each month I love being able to share what products I’ve been raving about with y’all. This month’s favorites will include some things I loved in June as well.  I seriously can’t believe July is over today, just crazy!!! Now let’s get to what I’ve been loving.

Beauty

Pelle Harmony Beauty Oil $58 for (30 ml)// I absolutely love this oil (I also love the Nurture beauty oil as well but I will use that more in the winter time)! I use it several times a week and it has made my face so smooth, soft and moisturized. Read my full review on them here. If you make a purchase use code SWEETTEA for a discount.

Sephora Pearl Sheet Mask $6// For a mask that is so affordable this is one of my favorites. Anytime my skin is feeling dull and needs a little pick me up I grab this one. It makes me look so much more alive on those days were I look like I could use a million cups of coffee.

Jaclyn Hill X Morphe Palette $38// This palette right here is amazing and extremely affordable. You can create several different looks with this palette and it has a little bit of everything as far as shades are concerned. Check out my full review here. Note that this palette is currently out of stock but should be available again next month.

 

LipSense Lipstick in Caramel Apple $25// I recently tried LipSense for the first time a few weeks ago and I’m hooked. This stuff seriously is smudgeproof, waterproof and transfer proof. I love that the Caramel Apple shade is the perfect amount of color without going overboard. So with that being said because I became a believer of the product I decided to become a distributor as well.

Book

Hair Product

It’s A 10 Miracle Five Minute Hair Repair for Blondes $20.58// This hair masque does wonders for my blonde hair! When my hair is feeling damaged this makes me hair look 10 x’s better. I also love that it keeps my hair look fresh and not brassy. Check out more of my favorite products from It’s A 10 here.

 So here’s all my favorites recently. I can’t wait to share some new favorites with y’all next month!

 

What have y’all been loving lately? I’d love to know in the comments below. 

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Ask Mistle

Happy Thursdays Y’all!! How has everyone’s week been so far? Mine has not been too bad but kind of long. I am so ready for this weekend! I have my friends bachelorette party Saturday and I can’t wait! Sometimes a little girl time is just what the doctor ordered after a long work week. Today’s post won’t be too long but I wanted to introduce a potential new series called Ask Mistle.

This series will be all about your questions to me that you’d liked answered. These questions can be anything about blogging, beauty, health,etc. I love reading these types of series on other bloggers blogs, so I thought it would be fun to do as well. Don’t forget to leave your questions in the comments below. I also have some questions for y’all (I’ll be answering them as well below).

Tell me about yourself:

  1. If you’re a blogger, what is your favorite thing(s) about blogging? If you’re not a blogger, what do you love about reading blogs?
  2. What are some of your favorite tv shows to watch (past or current)?
  3. What are five things you always carry in your purse?
  4. What are some of your guilty pleasures?
  5. If you could eat one thing for the rest of your, what would it be?

My response to the questions:

  • My favorite thing about blogging is getting to interact with my readers and build relationships with my fellow bloggers. Getting to know your readers is so important! I also feel that forming relationships with my fellow bloggers is key. The blogging community has been so good to me and I have met some amazing bloggers so far.
  • I have soooooo many tv shows that I love to watch. Some of my favorites are The Bold Type, HTGAWM, This Is Us, The Real Housewives (pretty much all of them), Fixer Upper, Southern Charm, OTH, Jane The Virgin….the list goes on (we’d be here awhile if I listed them all)
  • I always make sure I have chapstick (this girl can’t stand chapped lips), a hair brush, phone charger, phone and a pen in my purse.
  • My guilty pleasures would include buying makeup and skincare, massages, eating sushi and sheet masks.
  • If I could eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be sushi. There are so many different rolls that you can eat so I don’t think it would be too hard. Close second would be crawfish.

Again thank you so much for your support and love!! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it!

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STH Happenings// Vol. 3

Hey Y’all!! Can I just say that I am in awe that July is over in six days. Honestly where is the Summer going?! Not that I really have much of one because I work M-F 9-5…but still. I wouldn’t mind a few days at the beach with a cold margarita in my hand. Besides that life can been quite busy lately so here’s a little update!

Happenings

-Between work and wedding planning life has been crazy busy. I’ve wanted nothing more than to focus on the blog but things keep getting in the way. Hopefully I’ll be back to a consistent posting schedule again.

-I never realized how much thought goes into deciding floral arrangements for a wedding. I’m talking bouquets, arrangements for the ceremony, reception…..you name it…I have several ideas that I like but need to narrow it down (thank god for pinterest and it giving me a million ideas). See some of my the one’s I am loving below.

-I’ve been trying really hard to get back into a work out routine of at least 3 x’s a week. Last week I only worked out twice..that’s better than nothing.

-This past weekend my fiancé and I were complete lazy which was so nice because we had not been home in three weekends.

-I’m so excited to be working with two brands that reached out to me recently for collaborations. I never thought that I’d be at this point in blogging.  I’m so very blessed to  be able to work with some amazing brands. I always dreamt of this when I took the chance and started blogging (though it was not the reason why I started blogging but I’ll admit it’s pretty dang awesome). Again I am very blessed and I can not thank all of you for supporting my blog!

In Case You Missed It

–Jaclyn Hill and Morpe Palette Review 

–Summer 2017 Reading List

–July 2017 Goals 

–Play! by Sephora June Review 

 

Insta Lately 

 

Posts I’m Loving Lately

–5 Tips To Purchase A Home

–5 Key Steps to Planning Blog Content 

–7 Ways To Take Care Of Yourself This Week 

 

What has been going on in your life lately? Let me know in the comments below!

Let’s Connect 

Instagram/ Pinterest/ Twitter

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Jaclyn Hill and Morphe Palette Review

Jaclyn Hill is by far one of my favorite beauty youtubers out there. I’ve learned so much more about makeup by watching her videos. When I heard that she was collaborating again with Morphe for a second palette, I knew I had to get my hands on it (it’s the fan girl in me that loves Jaclyn). I will say though that this palette caused a lot of commotion on the internet, seeing it took two years to make it and it sold out in forty five minutes on the first launch. Good thing is that this palette will be back in stock today at 8 AM PST. Now let’s get to the review shall we.

Pricing:

This palette sells for $38 on the Morphe website and the Morphe store in Burbank, CA. I find that the pricing for this palette is a deal considering it has 35 shadows in it, so your paying a little over $1 a shadow. The only bad thing about it is having to pay $7.95 for shipping (if you live in the US) but if you live in other countries, I do believe that shipping cost $22.99 which is completely insane. I think that the shipping costs on both ends is a bit much to be honest. Maybe that is just me though….

Packaging:

Seeing that Jaclyn loves white and silver it’s very fitting for her palette to have these colors on it. I do like the packing because it is very clean; however I do find though that with it being white, it can get extremely dirty very quickly. I don’t know about y’all but when I do my makeup, things tend to get a little messy. I do like that the packaging is cardboard making it slightly sturdier than other Morphe palettes but it is still on the flimsy side. I’m also hoping that these shadows do not pop out like the other palettes which are plastic and not sturdy at all. One thing I do not like about the palette is that the names of the shadows are not on the palette itself. It comes with an insert with the names of the shadows, which to me can easily get lost. I would have thought maybe Jaclyn would have thought of that before finalizing the palette. So overall, I feel that the packing itself could have been a lot better. I typically do not travel with my Morphe palettes because they are not sturdy.

The Shadows: 

I love that Jaclyn picked a range of shades for this palette that include warm, neutral and pops of colors that is perfect for anyone.  I also love that the palette has matte and shimmer finishes. When I swatched the palette I was extremely impressed with how creamy and smooth the shimmer shades went on. However, I did find that the mattes were a little harder to work with seeing that I had to swatch them more than once to get a good swatch. The shadows as a whole are easy to blend overall. I would recommend using a primer when using the shadows.

Swatches:

***All of these swatches were swatched dry and with no primer. Also in natural lighting.***

1st Row (L to R): Enlight, Beam, Silk Cream, M.F.E.O, Faint, Sissy & Little Lady

2nd Row: Creamscicle, Butter, Pooter, Pukey, Hunts, Firework & Queen

3rd Row: Obsessed, S.B.N., Hillster, Roxanne, Jacz, Buns & Cranapple

4th Row: Royalty, Twerk, Hustle, Meeks, 24/7, Chip & Mocha

5th Row: Pool Party, Jada, Diva, Enchanted, Central Park, Soda Pop & Abyss

Overall Opinion of Palette:

I feel that this palette is one of the better palettes from Morphe as far as the formula of the shadows are concerned. I know that Jaclyn was extremely picky with making sure this palette was perfect before she launched it. She did a great job on including shades that everyone could wear which is a huge plus. I’m happy that she included a matte black in the palette because her first palette with Morphe did not have one.  If you’re looking for a palette that has a variety of shades and is affordable, this palette is perfect. Is this a must have palette, I’d say yes if you are a Jaclyn Hill fan but if not then you could find other palettes that are equally just as great. For me, seeing I am a huge Jaclyn fan, I had to have it. I hope this review was helpful!

Have you purchased this palette already, if so what are your thoughts? If not will you be purchasing it?

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Summer 2017 Reading List

One thing I have been trying to do more of is read over the past few months. I’ve always enjoyed reading but have not taken the time to sit down and dive into a good book until recently. Today I am sharing my reading list for this Summer.

The Couple Next Door// I’ve been eyeing this book for a while now, so I figured I needed to add it to my list. It has been highly recommended if you enjoyed Girl on the Train and Gone Girl.

The Perfect Stranger// I just finished reading All The Missing Girls by this author and loved it. So I am hoping this does not disappoint. It seems like another book that is going to keep you guessing.

The Woman In Cabin 10// I’ve heard so many great things about this book but have yet to read it. This book is about a woman who believes that someone has been murdered but everyone thinks she’s crazy.

What Alice Forgot// I have read several of Liane Moriarty’s other books and she does not disappoint as an author. I have a feeling if it’s anything like her other books, it will have lots of twists and turns.

Indefensible// If you watched Making a Murder on Netflix this is all about the details that were left out of the show. I know there is supposed to be a sequel to the first part of the show. I am addicted to watching crime shows.

The People We Hate at the Wedding// So, seeing that I am in the process of planning my wedding, I thought this would be an interesting read. Let’s face it…we have all seen certain people at wedding that make us think what is going on?

I have a little bit of a mixture of books on my list to read as you can see. What are you currently reading?

Do you have any good book suggestions? 

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July 2017 Goals

I honestly can not believe that I am already sharing my goals for July. Was it not just January? This year is flying by! Soon we will be celebrating Christmas again (which I’m totally okay with but…..I feel like I don’t know where 2017 has went).  Today I’m going to be recapping my June goals and share what I want to accomplish this month.

 

June Goals Revisited: Blog & Personal

–Start looking into wedding photographers// I booked my wedding photographer!! I am so excited! I researched a ton of photographers and I finally found one who’s photos had me in awe. I also love that this photographer has taken several photos at our wedding venue.

-Start looking into makeup artist// I have narrowed it down to two makeup artist. I have a lot of time to pick the one I will be going with.

-Write two beauty posts// So I only wrote one beauty post last month. You can read it here.

-Continue to work out// I have been working out but not as much as I should be. I will say though I wore a pair of shorts in May that were a little snug on me yesterday and they were literally falling off. So that’s a sign in the right direction.

-Eat healthier// Yes! I have been trying to make way better eating choices  which had been going fairly well. I have been eating a lot of salads, and drinking a ton of smoothies. Don’t get me wrong though, if I am craving something that isn’t exactly healthy I eat it but with moderation.

-Learn how to better pitch myself to brands through BossPitch// I’ haven’t quite finished BossPitch yet but so far I am loving it.

-Start finalizing my blog series with Leslie// With Leslie moving into her new house and I with wedding planning, my job and life in general, this has not happened. We have had great things happening for us though, so I’m okay with it not being finalized. 🙂

5.5/7- Not bad at all considering last month was crazy busy! I’ll take that!

July Goals: Blog & Personal

-Save money for the wedding// Our wedding is about 1.5 years away, so I have time but I really want to be able to put a substantial amount away each month. I do not have a set amount that I want to put away just yet but as long as I put something away, I will be happy.

-Continue to pay of some of my debt// I have been doing very well with paying of my debt each month. I want to continue to pay off as much as I can.

-Work out at least 2 x’s a week// Two days of working out seems very attainable. If I can work out more than that, that’s a plus.

-Finish writing PR posts// I have had so many great products sent to me to try out and I can not wait to share them with you. I will admit that I am a little being on writing them though. Life has been a little hectic lately.

-Write four beauty posts// With my goals last month, I stated that I really wanted to get back to the whole purpose of why I started this blog. I love all things beauty (skin care, makeup,etc), so I want to share more of my opinions on beauty products I try out.

-Finish reading The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda// I just finished her book All The Missing Girls and I loved it! So I am hoping this will be the same.

Hit 900 Followers On Instagram // I have been working really hard on trying to posting and interacting more with my followers. I have seen a significant growth over the last month, so I hope I continue this growth. Right now I am sitting at 871 followers. I am so close! If we aren’t friends on Instagram follow me @sweetteaandhydrangeas

 

 What are your goals for July? Let me know in the comments below.   

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Play! by Sephora June 2017 Review

I am so excited to be sharing my love for this box again with y’all. I have not done a post on my Play! boxes since last year. So it’s long overdue! If you’re not familiar with what Play! by Sephora is , it’s their monthly subscription service in which they send you five beauty products and one perfume sample. It’s only $10 which is a steal because you get all types of products to try out that they sell in stores and  it’s a great way to be able to see if some items are really worth buying. I love how each month they send you a pamphlet with information on the products and tips on how to use them.

For June the theme is: “Your Summer Starters” which contains products geared for the warm weather. Here’s what I received in my box.

Benefit POREfessional Face Primer (Full Size $31)// This is one of my go to primers especially for the summer time. I love that it’s not sticky and very light weight. It applies smoothly and helps minimize my pores and keeps my make up in place. So if you’re looking for a primer to keep your makeup intact this is one I highly recommend!

Coola Makeup Setting Spray SPF 30  (Full Size $36) //have not used this product yet but I have used other products from Coola and loved them. I feel like this would be perfect if you’re the type of person who likes to wear a little bit of makeup to the beach or pool. Even if you’re not looking to wear any makeup to the pool, I have read amazing reviews on this product. I can’t wait to try it out! A few great things about this product is that it does contain SPF 30 which protects you from the sun, aloe vera and cucumber extract to soothe skin and calm any irritation that is caused by the sun.

Kat Von D Everylasting Liquid Lipstick in Lovesick (Full Size $20) //I have never tried any of Kat Von D’s liquid lipsticks but I must say I really love the formula! It’s not overly drying for a liquid lipstick which is really nice because I hate having dry cracked lips. The color is perfect for me because I tend to go towards the mauve shade range. If you’re looking for a more high end liquid lipstick this one would be perfect to try out!

Verb Sea Salt Spray  (Full Size $14) //I really enjoy the smell of this spray! Some sea salt sprays smell too much like chemicals but this one has a very pleasant scent. I used this on my hair once (sorry I did not take any pictures) and it gave me the perfect look for beachy/mermaid waves. It did not leave my hair feeling dry or crunchy like some sprays have that I’ve used in the past. It contains quinoa protein and hydrating seaweed.

Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oak Milk (Full Size $20) //I tried this shampoo out awhile ago when I received it in an Ipsy bag and really enjoyed it. I do not use dry shampoo a lot because I’d prefer to wash my hair every morning but if I needed a dry shampoo this one is a great choice. It contains oat milk which helped add some volume to my hair and also took the grease away and left a healthy shine to my hair.

BVLGARI Omnia Crystalline Perfume (Full Size $66// Y’all I love the smell of this perfume! It’s sweet but not overly sweet which is really nice. It has hints of lotus flower. I have seriously thought about purchasing the full size for myself.

 

Have you tried out Play! by Sephora? What subscription services do you subscribe to? Let me know in the comments below. 

 

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My Summer Hair Care Essentials

*I received free products in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own*.

Hey Y’all!! I am so excited that Summer has officially started! One of my favorite things about Summer time is having fun in the sun and laying out by the pool. When it comes to Summer I also have to make sure that my hair stays hydrated and protected. Today, I am sharing three of my favorite Summer hair care essentials from It’s A 10 Hair Care.

Seeing that I have color treated hair, spending time in the pool can really do damage on my hair with all the chlorine and chemicals. One way I make sure my blonde hair stays vibrant and hydrated is using the Miracle Five Minute Hair Repair for Blondes. This mask is jammed packed with some great ingredients such as: hydrolyzed collagen, magnolia bark/leaf/flower extract and linalool. I love that this mask leaves my hair feeling extremely soft, hydrated and protects my hair from getting brassy.

Another way I keep my hair from drying out is using the Miracle Daily Conditioner. This conditioner helps lock in moisture which is a huge plus because I hate having dry hair. It also helps repair any damage that is caused, which my hair needs after spending too much time in the sun. This conditioner has made my hair much stronger, silkier and smoother.

Last but not least is the Miracle Leave in Plus Keratin. This helps prevent heat damage, which is a good thing because I tend to blow dry, straighten and curl my hair a lot. Another great thing about this product is that it reduces frizz which is much needed because I live in the south. I swear anytime I go outside during the summer my hair gets extremely poofy but when I use this my hair stays in place.

 

Have you tried any of these products before?

What are some of your hair care essentials for the Summer? 

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On Wednesdays We Confess Vol 58


Happy Wednesday Y’all!! I hope everyone is having an amazing week so far! Mine has been…well let’s just say overwhelming and stressful to say the least. Despite being stressed to the max, I am happy to be sharing a little bit of my week with y’all through my confessions. So, thank you all who take time to read about my crazy life each week. Let’s get to my confessions…

I confess that work has been so exhausting lately. This has caused much of my stress recently. I am a recruiter who oversee’s 13 branches on one side of our company and another 11 branches on a different side of the company. I have done this job for almost five years now and it’s really starting to take a toll on me. Last Summer was the same situation, it’s usually when I hate my job because I am so burnt out. I have been thinking of leaving and changing back to my previous career but in a little bit of a different sitting. A lot is up in the air for me now. I just hate the idea of having to start all over again with a company but if it’s a little less stressful, it may just be worth it. Fingers crossed I figure out what is best for me. Tomorrow I have a meeting with my supervisor.

I confess that wedding planning has been a breeze so far. Typically it can be stressful but I’ve been on top of things as much as possible. If I could I would only do wedding planning items until my wedding date. Unfortunately that is not an option because this girl has bills to pay.

I confess that I can not wait till my two hour deep tissue massage next weekend. My body is completely knotted which is causing me some pain. No fun!

I confess that we are getting ready to deal with some very crazy weather these next few days. I will admit that I would not be upset if we did not have to come to work because of it….that’s wishful thinking. I just could really use a break for a few days.

I confess that I booked my wedding photographer and I could not be more excited! I looked at over 30+ photographers and I finally found the one who’s work I just could not pass up. This photographer has taken photos at the venue we are getting married at and it’s what I’ve wanted in my photos.

I confess that I have been feeling really dizzy and off balance lately. Not quit so much lately but I still get that way a little bit. I am not sure if it’s vertigo or if it could be increased blood pressure…if it gets bad again…I’ll be going to get it checked out.

I confess that I mentioned awhile back about doing a series on face masks that I love. I will be getting that series started very soon!

I confess that I really want to get back to doing more beauty posts. I have slacked a lot on this lately and I hope to be able to provide more reviews soon.

I confess that I have been so behind on posting about my subscription services. I’m still thinking about doing reviews on them anyway…Would y’all still like me to post my boxes even if they are a few months old?

Thanks again for reading my confessions for this week! How has life been going for you? Any confessions to share this week?

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June 2017 Goals

Happy June y’all (yes I know we are already 9 days into it)!  Can you believe that we are half way through 2017? I’m not quite sure that I’m okay with this. Though, I will admit that these next few months or should I say year and a half will be filled with wedding planning. So that’s one exciting thing to look forward to with the year being almost half way over. Today I’m going to be recapping my May goals and share what I want to accomplish this month.

May Goals Revisited: Blog & Personal 

-Write two beauty posts// I only wrote one last month. I shared my May Favorites here.

-Finish reading “Talking As Fast As I Can” by Lauren Graham// Done! I loved this book. I will have my review coming soon.

-Get my skin in check// Yes! My skin has calmed down significantly when it came to my forehead breaking out like crazy. I have been using some old products and new products that have helped make that happen. I will have my review of some of those new products coming soon.

-Continue to reach out to brands for collaborations// Yes!! I completed one of those collaborations so far, which you can read about here. I also have several others in the works.

-Continue getting ideas together for my series collaboration// This is still in the works but it’s been started. Hopefully myself and Leslie will be able to get it going soon.

-Get back to working out 3 x’s a week// Yes and no. Some weeks I worked out 3 x’s a week and other’s just no.

4.5/6 goals accomplished. I gave myself .5 for half way completing some of my goals.

June Goals: Blog & Personal

–Start looking into wedding photographers// I have started looking into photographers but I am being very picky. I don’t want just any photographer. I’m getting married at night time outside, so I need someone who can take beautiful photos during the night.

-Start looking into makeup artist// Again I have started to do this already but I am super picky about my makeup. I want to look beautiful that day, so not just any artist will do.

-Write three beauty posts// I am determined to meet this goal, since I’ve been slacking. I have been wanting to get back to one of the reasons why I started blogging, which was to do beauty reviews.

-Continue to work out// With my wedding coming up in a year in a half I really want to get into better shape. Gotta look good in that wedding dress! I want to strive for working out at least 3 x’s a week but I’m going to try for four.

-Eat healthier// Y’all I love food. Sometimes I got on a complete health kick and other days…not so much (I like a little bit of some balance). So of course with wanting to look good in the wedding dress also, comes healthier eating. I have been eating a lot of protein, smoothies and salads lately. I plan on cooking healthier meals as well for me and my future hubby to be.

-Learn how to better pitch myself to brands through BossPitch// I’ve already started this some and I can’t wait to see everything I learn.

-Start finalizing my blog series with Leslie// We have some great ideas underway but we need to get it altogether. Stayed tuned because I am excited! I love working with other bloggers.

 What are your goals for June?  

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