Author: liftbakelove

February 2020 SKINCARE AND MAKEUP FAVORITES

by liftbakelove2 Comments on February 2020 SKINCARE AND MAKEUP FAVORITES

I’m super excited to share my February 2020 favorites! These are 5 things that I either discovered or rediscovered in January that stood out as favorites.

I missed the original launch of the Sonia G. Sky Eye Brush Set and made sure to pre-order when they finally came back, and I’m so happy I did. These are the best eye brushes I’ve ever used, and I have some pretty amazing brushes already. Every eye look I’ve made with them has been perfect, regardless of which eyeshadow formula I’ve used. My eye look have never looked this blended, and I can finally do shadow liner with the mini booster or the flat definer. These are incredibly versatile and high quality, and I cannot recommend these enough.

I learned a great trick from Cate the Great Beauty on YouTube to make the most out of my hyaluronic acid serums. I felt like my The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid wasn’t really doing anything until I started putting it on while my skin was still wet in the shower – total game changer. My skin feels way less dry and the serum is a great base for all my other nighttime skincare. I feel like everything absorbs better on top. I’m going to try this tip with the Good Molecules one when I run out of the The Ordinary version, and I’ll report back if it works just as well!

I traveled in February, and the only color cosmetics I brought were my Salt New York Crème Tint Pros. This is my favorite cream formula, and I love how quickly I can do a natural “my face but better” look with them. They blend out super easily, are super lightweight, and are the perfect shades for me. The highlighter shade in the top right, warm tan, is also one of my favorite eye shadows to use if I want to do something super quick. They just had a presale that ended and will be opening the store back up soon.

As much as I love my Salt New York cream blushes, I discovered a new favorite blush this month. I got the new Mac Glow Play Blush in Grand, and it’s incredible. It brightens up my whole face and blends so easily. The texture is like a cross between a powder and a cream, so it looks super lifelike with a slight sheen like a cream and has great lasting power like a powder. I’m trying so hard to resist buying more colors because the formula is probably the best blush I’ve ever tried.

A skincare discovery this month, also inspired by Cate the Great Beauty, was the Glow Recipe Pineapple-C Brightening Serum. It’s one of the only Vitamin-C serums my skin can tolerate, and it really brightens my skin in the morning. I mix it with my moisturizer before sunscreen, and I think it has really helped keep my skin hydrated and smooth during the day under makeup.

I hauled quite a bit for my birthday so you’ll be seeing some new discoveries next month. There are already some things I can tell are going to earn a spot in my every day routine. I’m also always here to help you find your next favorite things, so let me know in the comments if there’s anything you want me to test out!

Stronger By The Day Workout Program Review – 90 days in

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Update as of 6/24/2023: Stronger by the Day now has a fantastic app that the team put a ton of thought into (which I discuss in this post that I wish they had), and that makes the program even that much better!

Stronger By The Day is a 4 day a week workout program created by MegSquats that is focused on strength and powerlifting movements. It’s $/8 a month and includes an extra workout day, warms up, and access to a Facebook group where you can ask questions and find info from other lifters running the program.

I wanted to give my review now that I’ve been running this program for over 3 months. Some important information up front before I go through my progress and the pros/cons of the program:

  • I’ve been lifting since high school and have been training to compete as a powerlifter in the past.
  • I had a very severe back injury in October 2018 that I spent a year rehabbing and this workout program was my re-entry into powerlifting training.
  • I won a giveway for a free year of this program, but all opinions are my own, not sponsored, and I am trying my best to look at this from the perspective of paying $8/month.

Most importantly for me, this program was exactly what I needed to quickly regain my strength after my injury. These are in pounds and aren’t anywhere near my maxes pre-injury, but for only 3 months, I’m incredibly excited about this progress.

Day 1Day 90
Squat95165
Bench100125
Deadlift125215
And look at these arm gains! This wasn’t even an arm day.

I am confident that with another 3 months before my next competition, I can get my total back to where it was or even higher. Other things I love about this program:

  • There’s a ton of variety week to week and block to block. I never get bored with the workouts.
  • There’s so many substitutions offered for the different movements so if I shouldn’t do something because of my back injury or it’s not available at the gym, it’s super easy to still get the workout done.
  • Beyond the strength gains, I can definitely see a change in my body composition which I’m super exited about.
  • There are multiple exercises included that were given to me from my PT for my back injury (deadbugs, bird dogs, clamshells, etc.), and I’m so thankful that this workout keeps me on track to keep doing them.
  • $8/month is way less than what I was paying for previous programs, and I definitely think it’s worth the price.

Things I don’t love so much:

  • The program is hosted on a website, so I have to copy over everything into the Strong app to track. Since it’s different every week, I need to reenter the workouts every time, which can get frustrating.
  • I don’t always feel like I get to make progress on the accessories because I’m learning new movements instead.
  • There isn’t a good way to transition to a peak for a competition like there was with JTS AI (my last program), so I might need to find an alternative. I believe they’re working on this though!

Did following this program make me happier? Definitely! I love that it’s kept me going 4 times a week every week, and it’s something I look forward to. I highly recommend this program if you’re looking for strength gains and generally getting more jacked!

Did Self Care Sundays make up happier?

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For the past month, I’ve been trying “Self Care Sundays,” which is essentially just taking a few hours for yourself to do whatever self care activities you want on Sunday nights. My goal has been to stay off my computer and phone and do the things that I feel like I don’t have time for during the week.

My list of activities has included:
– reading
– meditating
– Yoga with Adriene
– filling out my bullet journal
– a full body scrub followed with body oil and lotion
– hair masks
– face masks
– foam rolling and stretching

My bullet journal that I spent coloring this past Sunday.

I’ve finished two books already in 2020, emptied out a body scrub and a hair mask, and made a real dent in my sheet mask and body lotion pile. Beyond providing an easy way for me to actually get through what I own, I have loved the dedicated time away from screens. It’s really helped with the “Sunday scaries” and has made me look forward to Sunday night rather than being full of anxiety.

Did self care Sundays make me happier? Absolutely! This was one of the best things I’ve tried so far in 2020. I highly recommend creating time and space for yourself on Sunday night for whatever self care means to you.

January 2020 Skincare and Makeup Favorites

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I’m super excited to share my January 2020 favorites! These are 6 things that I either discovered or rediscovered in January that stood out as favorites.

The Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask has been a skin game changer for me. I got it as a gift with purchase from Sephora and loved it so much I went and got the full size, which I hardly ever do. I have dry, sensitive skin, so I tend to wait before committing, but this is incredible. It’s $34, but you only use it twice a week, and I can tell this jar will last me forever. My skin is less red, smoother, and brighter to the point that I went multiple days in January without foundation and felt like I didn’t even need it.

Speaking of going foundation free, I ran out of my MUFE concealer and needed a replacement, so I picked up the new Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer. I’ve used it sparingly as foundation all over my face, and it looks beautiful. It covers my dark circles without looking cakey, and it blends right into the skin so you can’t even tell you’re wearing makeup. I’m really excited to have this for travel since I can use it as foundation and concealer using a tiny amount and won’t have to bring multiple base products. It is a little drying so I need to make sure to moisturize well first, but I am confident this will be amazing for the spring and summer.

I definitely didn’t need any more eyeshadow, but the Viseart Petite Pro 4 was on sale, and it’s been on my wish list since it launched. I’m so happy I decided to get it. It’s the perfect mix of neutrals, and I love how small this is for travel or to take with my during the day. Like all Viseart shadows, these blend seamlessly with little fallout and aren’t overly glittery, so I can put together a look for work super quickly. It’s also only $30 even when it’s not on sale, which makes this a great option for anyone wanting to try out Viseart eyeshadow.

I fell in love with a new primer in January – the Vichy Mineral 89 Face Serum. As you can see in the photo, I’m still working through the sample size, but I am definitely get the full size when I run out. It provides a hydrating base for anything I put over it, and I love to mix it with my Hangover RX Primer or the Hollywood Flawless Filter to add some extra hydration to those.

I also rediscovered two of my long time favorites:

I finally redeemed a voucher I had for the Lancome Monsieur Big Waterproof Mascara, and I realized why this was my favorite mascara for so long. It keeps my lashes curled all day so I look way more awake, it doesn’t flake or smudge, and it comes off super easily even though it’s waterproof.

I also started wearing my Nest Citrine again, and it is my perfect every day scent. I love how fresh it is and how it stays all day despite how light the scent is. I’m trying to work through my perfume collection, but it’s been tough because this is all I’ve been wanting to wear.

I’m trying out a few new things right now that you might see in my February favorites so check back in a month if you want to learn what they are! What was your favorite discovery in January?

Did using a weighted blanket make me happier?

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I’ve always had a lot of trouble falling and staying asleep. I’ve been trying lots of different things to solve my sleeping problems, and one that’s supposed to help a ton is a weighted blanket. My husband bought me one in September last year, and I wanted to wait to review it here until I had a few months to use it.

I have’t used it every night because I toss and turn while I sleep, and the blanket can end up on my husband and wake him up. That said, this blanket has been a life saver when I can’t sleep or wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back asleep. Even just last night, I woke up around 2:30am and couldn’t fall back asleep. After a couple hours of trying to fall asleep with no luck, I finally went and got the blanket and immediately fell asleep. I know I can do the same thing if I’m having trouble falling asleep at night, and it’ll work super quickly.

It’s also been really nice to have on our couch to help us relax when we’re reading or watching a show. It’s hard to explain the feeling of 15 pounds on top of you, but it essentially feels like a breath of relief washes over you. The one we have is a really good size for laying over two people while sitting and as a blanket for one person lying down, which has helped make it more versatile instead of only being used in a “sleep emergency”

Did a weighted blanket make me happier? Absolutely, yes. I’m so happy that we have this blanket, especially when I can’t sleep. It’s meant that I don’t have to rely on medication or supplements to help me sleep as well, which I’m hoping will be healthier and cheaper in the long term.

Did tracking my habits make me happier?

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I’m starting back up my trying internet trends posts in between favorites round-ups (but there are more of those coming!). The first thing I tried in 2020 was tracking my habits in my bullet journal. I tracked 9 changes I wanted to try and change this month.

I can definitely say that habit tracking has helped me, but not in the way I expected. It didn’t motivate me to do things just to check the box every day or even any of the days for some of these habits. What it turned out to be great for was making me realize what was already becoming a habit (yoga, following my RP template, lifting, and reading) and what I really needed to put more effort into (drinking more water, meditating, blogging, and walking). It also made me realize that I was trying to do too much at once.

The 2020 challenge turned out to be something that really didn’t fit in with all my other goals. Between lifting, yoga, and our twice-weekly dance classes, I didn’t need another fitness challenge. Tracking my habits made me see how much I was already doing and how I wasn’t making the 2020 challenge happening, which is totally fine!

Now that I have more information about what’s working and what’s not, I’m planning on spending the rest of January working on the 4 kind-of sort-of there habits and finding what that 9th thing will be for February.

Did tracking my habits make me happier? Not yet, but I’m confident that knowing this information will definitely make me happier as the year goes on!

2019 Skincare and Hair care Favorites

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Best skincare discoveries in 2019:
I have a ton of tried and true favorites that I’ve used every day for years (comment below if you’d like a detailed post on that!), so instead of going through each category, here are my favorite discoveries in skincare this year.

Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner – This toner is my favorite skincare discovery of 2019! It has made my skin clearer, brighter, and less dry. It’s also $14 for a huge bottle. I’m so happy Beautylish sent a free sample to me in one of my orders because this was the #1 product that changed my skin for the better this year.

Krave Beauty Kale-lalu-yAHA – After trying a bunch of other chemical exfoliants, this is the one my skin responds the best to. It keeps my skin from getting congested, and it always looks so much brighter and glowy the morning after I use it. I only use it twice a week, but I can tell a huge difference if I forget to use it when I travel.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion – I wasn’t expecting anything too crazy for something under $10, but this has done great things for my skin. I was having trouble with wrinkles forming on my forehead and around my mouth and using this twice a week has totally gotten rid of them. It didn’t cause any purging or redness either, so I’m super excited to have found this.

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Night Cream – My friend Vera recommended this to me when I was looking to replace the reformulated Clinique Moisture Surge (which I had used for ten years!). She was right in that it was exactly what I was looking for. It’s incredibly moisturizing without being oily, and it smells amazing. I’ve already gone through a full jar in 2019 and repurchased another and can say for sure that this will be a staple for me for many years to come.

Krave Beauty The Beet Shield – My favorite sunscreen was discontinued earlier this year, so I had to look for a replacement. Since I already loved the Kale-lalu-yAHA and had heard great things about the Beet Shield for dry skin, I decided to try it. This sunscreen blends in so quickly, leaves no whitecast, and doesn’t dry out my skin like many others do. I can also confirm it works – I used it for a week in Las Vegas and two in Florida without getting any color on my face.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil – This is hands down the best body moisturizer I have ever found, and I have tried dozens at this point. It sinks in so fast, is lightweight and not greasy, and keeps my skin moisturized for days. I can also mix it in to my other moisturizers super easily if I want an extra boost. I usually get incredibly dry skin in the winter to the point of being itchy all over, but haven’t had that problem at all this year thanks to this dry oil.

Best hair care discoveries in 2019:
In 2019, I bought a few too many Sephora Favorites Hair sets and got a bunch of hair related gifts with purchase. This led to me having over 50 hair products to try this year. My favorites of the bunch are:

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Shampoo, Conditioner, and Primer and the While You Sleep Damage Repair Masque – This line and the mask are magic for my hair. Together, they keep it looking shiny, soft, and frizz-free without weighing it down. Plus, it smells amazing and compliments all the perfumes I own vs overpowering them (like DryBar products can do). I only use the mask about once every 3 weeks, and that’s been more than enough to keep my hair feeling great.

Ouai Wave Spray – I had decluttered this years ago for feeling sticky and not doing much for my hair, but now that I have it back in my collection, I have no idea what I was thinking. It works incredibly well after I curl my hair to give it some texture and beachiness without making anything crunchy. I do think it works much better because I now have shorter hair, but I can definitely say it works better than the other wave sprays I tried this year.

dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse – When dry shampoo and other products have built up in my hair, this rinse does such a great job getting it clean again. It doesn’t leave my hair dry or overly stripped. It was particularly useful after my engagement shoot and wedding when I had what felt like gallons of hair spray in my hair. It got it all out super quickly, and my hair felt exactly the same as before.

Tangle Teezer – I own a ton of hair brushes at this point, and I thought that it didn’t make a huge difference what you used. This brush totally changed my mind. I love how compact it is and how it fits in my hand, and I can use it with wet or dry hair with limited breakage. The best part for me is that I have some waviness in my hair when it airs dries, and this brush doesn’t straighten them out at all.

Next up – brushes and lifestyle favorites!


2019 Makeup Favorites!

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I get frequently asked for makeup and skincare recommendations, and I’m super excited to put them all in one place. I’ll be doing a separate skincare/haircare post and a lifestyle favorites next for books, clothes, movies, etc. so this doesn’t get too long. I would love see your favorites and recommendations for 2020 in the comments!

2019 Makeup favorites:
Some quick notes before I get into it – I have dry skin, wear shade 4 in Luminous Silk, and I tend towards a glowy, natural look. I didn’t find a mascara or brow favorite this year, so those won’t be listed.

Primer: Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face primer
I tried a bunch of different primers this year, but nothing overtook my long time favorite – the. It’s definitely more of a moisturizer but I do find that it helps makeup last longer as well. A close second is the Smashbox Primerizer but I found it didn’t hydrate as well as the Hangover primer does.

Foundation: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation
This one is expensive, but Luminous Silk has just the right amount of coverage (medium), looks glowy but not oily, and lasts all day. For me, it is definitely worth the splurge. Some other foundations I discovered this year and may outrank Luminous Silk in 2020 are Clinique Even Better Refresh Hydrating and Repairing Foundation and Glossier Skin Tint.

Concealer: Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector
This was a game changer for me. I have very dark and noticeable under eye circles and have been searching for something to help correct them for years. This corrector does the trick and puts way less pressure on having the perfect concealer to go on top.

I’ve been loving the Glossier Stretch Concealer for the rest of my face so far, but am still on the hunt for my perfect concealer in 2020.

Powder: Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder
As someone with very dry skin, I’ve had trouble finding the perfect powder that will set my makeup, blend everything together nicely, and not look cakey. The veil powder does all of that and even though the full size is $46, the travel size is still going strong even though I got it at the end of 2018 and use it ever day. I decided to pick up the full size this year because the packaging is way easier to use, but I’m sure it will last for me for the next few years based on the travel size.

Contour: Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder (powder) and Fenty Match Stix Matte Skinstick in Amber (cream)
Both of these give me the perfect natural looking contour quickly and easily. I have considered trying others to see if they’re better, but I have yet to see a need to switch it up from these.

Bronzer: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer (powder) and Nudestix Nudies Matte Blush & Bronzer in Bondi Bae (cream)
Like my contour favorites, both of these give a natural warmth and blend out easily. They both give a subtle radiance that is especially great in the winter when my skin needs a little extra help. The Hourglass is one of my favorite powder formulas because it’s not that pigmented, so I can slowly build it up depending on what kind of look I’m going for. I have a few other bronzers but don’t find myself reaching for them as much because I pick up way too much color too quickly, and they aren’t as easy to blend as the Hourglass.

Highlight: Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle (powder) and Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (liquid)
The makeup artist for my wedding used the Mac powder on me, and it looked so amazing in the pictures that I went out and bought it as soon as I found out what it was. It gives the perfect amount of sheen without being glittery, and I find that it’s very hard for me to use too much.

The HFF had been on my wishlist for a long time before I finally decided I should just get it. I’m so happy I did because it is one of the most amazing products I’ve ever tried. I mix it into my primer or foundation for an all-over glow, put it under my eyes under my corrector/concealer if I need more brightening and coverage there, and use it on as a liquid highlighter. It works well in every way I’ve tried, and I get tons of compliments every time I use it.

Blush: Nars Blush (powder) and Glossier Cloud Paints (liquid)
Once I found the right brushes to use with my Nars blush (more on that in my brush post!), it became my go-to powder blush. It makes me look healthy and awake without overdoing it, and although it being hard pressed can make it harder to use, I find that it means I don’t end up with a giant splotchy mess that’s hard to blend out.

The Glossier cloud paints give a natural flush to the cheeks that lasts all day and blends well with my other cream products. The one thing I dislike about these is the packaging. I always end up squeezing out way too much, but it’s worth it for the effect they give.

Eyeshadow: Natasha Denona Biba Palette
This was a gift from my husband (thank you!), and I’m not sure I could have convinced myself to spend this much on a palette. Now that I’ve had the chance to use it almost every day, I absolutely would buy it again. It is the perfect mix of warm, neutral, and cool tones with the right amount of shimmers. The formula is amazing, and if I could only have one palette, it would be this one.

Lip liner: Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil in Wherever Walnut
The Bite liners were a close second, but given that they are discontinued and no longer available, my choice for this year is this Make Up For Ever pencil. The formula is creamy without being slippery and helps define my lips without drying them out. I particularly like this color because it adds depth to my lighter colors and helps retain the shape for darker colors.

Lip gloss: Em Cosmetics Morning Dew Crystal Lip Gloss
I have tried so many lip gloss formulas this year, and my favorite is absolutely this one. It is incredibly moisturizing and makes my lips look great even why they are incredibly dry. I tend not to go for clear glosses since I like one and done products, but I have come to appreciate that I can put this over any lip color to add shine and moisture. And it’s not sticky at all!

Lipstick: Bite Beauty Lip Lap Custom Lipsticks
While I am obsessed with the Lisa Eldridge Velvet Mattes that I got this year, my pick has to be my Bite custom lipsticks. I went to the Lip Lab for my bachelorette party and made my perfect red, my wedding lip color, and a replicate of my favorite but now discontinued lipstick. All 3 look amazing on me, and I loved the experience of making my perfect shades with my bridesmaids.

Setting spray: Cover FX Dewy Finish Setting Spray
I was dedicated to Urban Decay All Nighter as my setting spray of choice for years, but the Cover FX knocked it out of my top setting spray spot for keeping my makeup looking great all day without drying out my skin. It’s alcohol-free, and I find that has helped a ton with my skin feeling less dry throughout the day.

I can’t wait to keep using these products and the new things I found in 2019 – looking forward to seeing how different my 2020 favorites are from my 2019 list!

Did watching ASMR videos make me happier?

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ASMR, which stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, has gotten incredibly popular over the last couple of years. The videos are supposedly a great way to wind down and relax, according to articles like this one. I had never considered watching them until recently one of my favorite YouTube channels, Bon Appetit, posted an April Fool’s joke of the test kitchen folks trying to make an ASMR video.

I was surprised that I really loved the video and was definitely more relaxed and in a better mood afterwards. So, this week, I decided to watch an ASMR video every day. This was a better way to clear my mind and relax than meditating every day, although I’m aware they aren’t at all the same thing. It was easier for me to just turn a video on in the background without it needing to be a focused activity when I didn’t feel like I had the time or space. It was also something that my fiance didn’t mind having to watch while he was doing something else, since I usually fell asleep pretty quickly.

Did watching ASMR videos make me happier? Yes. The videos made it so easy to fall asleep, and it was a great and relaxing way to end my day. I’m definitely going to turn to them when I need a calming moment or am having trouble falling asleep.

Did writing in the Five Minute Journal make me happier?

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The full name of this journal is “The Five Minute Journal: A Happier You in 5 Minutes a Day,” so this felt like the perfect thing to try; “a happier you” is promised up front for this product. The premise of this journal is that it helps you focus on the good in your life and cultivate gratitude, which has been shown to decrease stress and improve mental resilience, among other benefits. Each day you start with what you’re grateful for and what you want to focus on for the day and end the day with what went well and how it could have been better. Some pages have inspirational quotes and others have a weekly challenge.

I bought this product in August last year and have been writing in it off and on since then. This week, I attempted to write every single morning and night, and while I was able to write every morning, I missed a couple of nights. I have had a very consistent nighttime routine for a long time now, and it was more difficult than I realized to add something to it. Reflecting back on the week, it would have made a huge difference if I had put the journal and a pen on my bedside table so I could have written when I woke up and right before I went to sleep.

My favorite aspect about the journal is writing the three things that would make today great. I noticed that I would remind myself to do whatever it was when I was in the situation I had written it down for. For example, I wrote down “listen more than you speak” for an event I had to go to, and I reminded myself of that during the event when I felt like I wasn’t listening enough or asking enough questions. This made a huge difference in how that went.

I didn’t really notice any differences from the gratitude/amazing things sections of the journal. It was definitely nice in the moment to reflect but they didn’t seem to have a lasting impression on my day or mood in the same way that setting an intention for the day did. Once I finish this journal, my plan is to add a section in my bullet journal for a daily intention so I can carry that through rather than forcing myself to do all the steps in the journal, which felt repetitive over time.

Did writing in the Five Minute Journal make me happier? A little bit. There are aspects that made a difference for me that I will definitely keep doing, but I don’t think it’s necessary to spend the money on this journal, and it didn’t make a huge difference for me like it seems to have done for those who reviewed the journal on Amazon.