Kristine is in the house!! If you have been around very long you have heard me mention my sister in law Kristine. She always has the best tips and many of my favorites have been recommendations from her. Kristine is the life of the party, the best hostess, witty, hilarious, knows how to have a good time but can connect with you like no other. I love her to pieces and am so excited to have her join us and share her favorites!!
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It's hard to believe I've known and loved Melissa for nearly 25 years now. We met in our first year at Ricks College and I will always be ETERNALLY grateful for her introducing me to my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE THING -- my husband/her older brother!
I feel so honored to participate in the 10 year anniversary of Melissa’s Favorite Things 2019! I have been cheering Melissa on the sidelines since the creation of this amazing 320 Sycamore blog. I have loved and learned so much from reading through it through the years. Just writing this post gave me new appreciation for the time and effort that goes into creating each post!
I have A LOT of favorite things that I love so I tried to narrow it down into main categories. Here we go!
HAIR/BEAUTY
* L'Oreal Root Touch-Up I started going gray at age 18 and so fighting these bad boys has been a 20 year full time job! Hair coloring isn’t cheap and this is the only thing that gets me and my self esteem through to my next appointment.
* Batiste Divine Dark Dry Shampoo Dry shampoo now that is actually cool to not wash your hair everyday this product is a must! The fact that it comes in brunette and doesn’t leave the usual white residue is perfect—also in hiding the gray hair too!
* Bath Pack Hair Brushes & Hair Oil This brush has replaced my wet brush brand brushes. I like the bristles a lot better and they last longer. You can’t beat the brush and the quality. The oil is a perfect solution to tangles and adding moisture and heat protectant to your hair after washing it and before drying it. It lasts a long time smells like a dream.
* Tweezerman Classic Lash Curler I have fairly long eyelashes, but they are stick straight so this baby is my trick to getting them to show up! I discovered this tool at the age of 9 when I snuck into my sisters makeup bag. I have tried just about every brand and I always come back to this one. A college roommate taught me a trick to heat up the curler with a blow dryer for a few seconds and then curl your lashes and TAH-DAH! Lasting curl, just like a curling iron. Be careful to not get too hot. I test on my lips before I put it on my eye and burn it.
* Nivea Shimmer Chapstick My best friend turned me onto this years ago, and I have had one in every coat pocket since. It’s so pretty and moisturizing and it looks great by itself or on top of any lipstick to add moisture and lighten it up.
* Candy Cane Chapstick This is the best no show universal chapstick. It’s only available during the holiday season, so I stock up for the whole year right now. It makes the perfect stocking stuffer or gift for friends and my boys love it too! Added Bonus it makes your breath smell fresher and who couldn’t use that!:)
* NYX Cream Brulée Butter Gloss
This is the 3rd lip item you will find in all of my coats and purses. It's the perfect nude gloss. It almost has a cult following as it looks good over every lipstick and is a good choice for teens and tweens who don’t like color but like the pretty shine.
* Maybelline Master Prime Eyeshadow Base The secret I have found to buying less expensive eyeshadow is this primer! No more creasing and it stays on all day. It comes in 2 shades so depending on the look, I do matte or shimmer.
* Makeup Revolution Reloaded Palette The primer ^^ makes my favorite palette at ULTA go on like a dream! They have quite a variety of options but this is my favorite Iconic 3.0.
* Mac Phloof Eyeshadow the one expensive eyeshadow I always have in my bag is Mac’s Phloof. It’s the perfect bright base and can be worn alone and looks with any color on top of it.
* Olay Regenerist My dermatologist thinks is the absolute best cream on the market. He even admitted to using it himself as the results have been so successful! I’ve noticed a difference in my skin as well. Purchase this when Costco has it on coupon to make it your best deal.
* Shine BB Cream makeup I have tried about every BB & CC cream on the market and this is by far my favorite. They have a lot of great shades to choose from. It is buildable, so you can decide the coverage you want from it. It is a great makeup for teens not wanting the cakey look. I found it is the perfect makeup to take on beach vacations as it does great in humidity and has SPF. I wear the color empowered.
* Zit patches
I think it's a crime that at the age of 42 I still get acne! These little patches are magic! Place them on top of the zit before you go to bed and when you wake up the zit is flatter and smaller and less red. It even works to camouflage the redness when wearing it and have been known to wear them to my morning exercise class!.
FOOD/TREATS
Coffee Mate Coconut Creamer Drinks with flavored mix ins are all the rage here in Utah, and I can’t stomach the $3.00 price tag every time I get the craving. I have discovered the way I recreate them at home! It tastes great in every beverage Coke or Dr Pepper. I won’t leave home without it! Walmart has their own great value brand of Coconut Creamer that is cheap, but it is hit and miss to find it on the shelves. The Coffee Mate brand is a constant in every store. Some of my family prefers vanilla so I keep both in stock. It tastes great in hot chocolate and oatmeal too!
I even keep a cooler in my car on trips so it can hold this baby and be added on the go!
* Jo-Jo's Guilt Free Chocolate I am a serious sugar addict. A few months ago I went 40 days with only one treat a day and these chocolate bars were the only thing that satisfied all of my cravings with just one piece!
* Fit Crunch Protein Bars This is the best tasting protein bar I have ever found. I have to hold myself back from eating 2 at a time! They are cheaper when purchased at Costco, but you can find them on Amazon in a variety of flavors. They are a great treat/meal replacement.
KITCHEN ITEMS
* Tortilla Holder I LOVE this kitchen item. It holds tortillas, crepes, pancakes, waffles and French toast and keeps them all nice and warm right off the griddle to serve in a buffet line or on the dinner table.
* Cookie Sheet Cover This item has become a complete necessity to me and my baking. I hated covering things with Saran Wrap or tin foil and then having my frosting come off. I make 90% of my food assignments in Cookie sheets, so this topper is the perfect solution to take on the go or to bake sales, or to family parties, or Thanksgiving, or to keep fresh on your counter…..
* IKEA Clips There is nothing more I hate than stale cupboard tasting food. These are a necessity in my kitchen so I can clamp up everything from chocolate chips to regular chips to big costco size bags that go in the freezer. I clamp these suckers on everything to prevent freezer burn and spills in my cupboards and for all my open car snacks on road trips.
MISCELLANEOUS FAVORITES
* Impress Nails I have been getting my nails done with gel for 3 years. On a whim I decided to give these a try and was surprised how long they lasted and how good they looked—and the best part, NO damage to my nails! They have lots of colors to choose from and holiday options too! I get lots of compliments on them. My daughters and her friends have used have used them for weddings, school dances or every day! I did buy a bottle of glue for when one stubborn nail pops off early and it does the trick until they are all ready to come off.
* Continuous Misting Spray Bottle A MUST! I am not an ironer—never have been and never will be. This spray bottle is the only way my kids know how to get wrinkles out of their clothes. They each have one in their rooms to spray down outfits the night before. Another great use is for doing slick hair-do’s and for wetting down hair when giving haircuts!
* Bath & Body Works Sun Washed Citrus Wallflower —It’s my Favorite smell and the Best Blue volcano dupe I’ve found and even more potent than the candle. Whenever I have it plugged in visitors go crazy and ask what it is or assume it is the expensive candle.
Well there you have it -- a few of my favorite things! I can't wait to read all of the others this year and find new ideas to try and new favorites to add to my list. Thanks Melissa for 10+ years of inspiration. ♥ To see all 2019 Favorite Things posts you can click here
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