My Ten Fashion and Beauty Must-Haves

Fashion Must-Haves

1. A watch. I've loved watches forever, and I even have video evidence of my 16-year-old self professing my love for watches...and yo-yos. Fun fact (or not). I have to restrain myself from buying more of them. I have four at the moment, but I think I need a new casual one for my Disney trip next month. The cheapo Target one I wore to Orlando last year broke.

2. Giant handbag. I don't know how people can function with small purses. I can do a smaller bag for shopping, or a smaller bag inside a tote or a diaper bag; but for everyday, it's gotta be huge.

3. Ballet flats. There was a time not so long ago when cute low-heeled shoes could not be found. Since they've become popular, ballet flats are another thing I have to resist buying in every color and style whenever I see them.

4. Cardigans. This was starting to look like a big Michael Kors advertisement, so let's move onto something else. Cardigans. Are they the most fashionable thing? Maybe not, but they're definitely a must-have for my business casual attire. Since I wear cardigans so frequently, I don't feel bad about having one in every color. Two of every neutral color even. Come to think of it, the only color I don't have is orange. I may have to remedy that.

5. Anything Yellow. It's my favorite color, and frankly, I think I could use more of it. I tend to hold back because I don't want to look like a crazy lady who only wears yellow. Although I have considered it because that would make an excellent topic for a new blog.

Scarves and blazers narrowly missed the cut.

Beauty Must-Haves

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1. EOS lip balm. I used to be a loyal Carmex user, but I've recently moved onto EOS. It's fun to use, and the spherical shape sometimes acts as a conversation starter when I pull it out.

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2. Clean & Clear Instant Oil-Absorbing Sheets. I think I've been using these off an on for at least 5 years, but I wish I knew about them in high school. They are the most essential thing ever for people who get  shiny throughout the day.

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3. Mask. An anecdote for you. Last summer, I volunteered to participate in a little runway show for a sustainability fair type thing. The Mary Kay lady who was doing our makeup kind of crinkled her nose and was like, “Do you use a mask? You should.” Yikes. Right after that, I bought an exfoliating scrub, but I didn't get around to buying a mask until I had a facial a few months ago. Now I use the blackhead eliminating cleanser mask as a mask once a week. It's a step in the right direction at least. Next, I need to be more diligent about removing my makeup at night.

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4. Dry shampoo. For awhile, I didn't get the concept of not washing my hair every day. I'd be a greaseball if I skipped a day. That was until I finally gave in and tried dry shampoo. I don't have a favorite brand yet, but so far, I've tried Batiste, Suave, and TRESemmé with similar results.

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5. Revlon Lip Butter. These are my new favorite lip colors because they're not sticky like a gloss, and they don't dry out my lips like lip stains and most lipsticks. The colors I have are Tutti Frutti (coral) and Cherry Tart (red). I just turned my friend onto these last week, and I think the one she bought was Brown Sugar, which is a really great sheer, shimmery shade. From the reviews I've read, these do not give you long-lasting color, but for me, the positives outweigh the negative.