My Date Night (GREEN) Makeup Routine.

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Valentines week is upon us! I'm by NO MEANS any kind of makeup expert, but since I've been experimenting with so many new natural beauty products, I thought I would share my little date night makeup routine! As you know, I've been on a mission to swap all my conventional makeup with cleaner, greener products. I have loved discovering so many GOOD for you brands of makeup - especially since I don't feel like I'm sacrificing performance for better ingredients.

Okay, let's get into this date night makeup deal.

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I start with a clean face. I've been toying around with different moisturizers and face oils, but mostly, I just make sure my skin is hydrated and not too flaky/dry before applying foundation.

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Skin.
First up, I apply Beautycounter Tint Skin in "Sand". This is a good option for those of you who like to use BB or CC creams in lieu of thicker foundation. I love using this every day, but on date night, I put on 2 layers for a bit more coverage. I love that this formula is buildable - WIN.

Then I apply W3LL People Bio-Correct Multi-Action Concealer in "Light" under my eyes, around my nose, on my dark spots and on my eye lids. It helps conceal and brighten my skin. And believe me, these eyes could use some brightening magic.

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Eyes.
Next up, I focus on my eyes. First I fill in my brows with Plume Brow Pomade in "Chesnut Decadence". I LOVE this pomade because it fills in my sparse brow spots, helps define and also stimulates growth in the areas that I apply it - such a multi-tasking product!

I don't usually wear eye shadow, but on date night I usually get really wild and throw some color on my lids. SO CRAZY. My sister got me this beautiful Lily Lolo Laid Bare eye palette and the shade I'm wearing in these photos is "Shy Away" - also, I just put it on my lids and blend it a little bit into the crease of my eye. But not too much. Because too much shadow makes me look like I have the plague.

Then I line my eyes with W3LL People Hypnotist liner in "Black" - thicker along the top lash line and smudged underneath my lashes. With the tiniest hint of a wing. P.S. - I'm really pretty terrible at liquid liner and it's one of the things I want to attempt to get good at in 2018. Recommendations are welcome!!

The latest mascara I've been testing is Hynt Beauty Nocturne Mascara in "Black", which is what I applied here. (More of my mascara reviews here).

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Cheeks.
Cheek color is very important for yellow skinned humans like myself. I have found so much love in the ILIA multisticks, and I'm wearing the shade "A Fine Romance" here. I apply it just under my cheekbones, where you would normally contour. Hahahah I thought I could get away with saying "where you normally contour" as if that's a normal thing. I NEVER CONTOUR. But I aspire to. But I aspire to sleep in later more than I aspire to learn how to contour. So yeah.

Then I dust on just a tiny bit of The Honest Company Luminizing Powder in the shade "Dusk Reflection" around the edges of my face - in a sweeping motion from my forehead down to my chin. Suddenly it looks like the sun came out in my bathroom ;)

Then I like to add a bit of RMS Beauty Living Luminizer highlighter, because it makes me feel like some kind of moonlit mermaid. I put it ever so slightly on the tops of my cheekbones, on the ridge of my nose and on the cupid's bow of my upper lip. It just adds a hint of magical-ness.

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Lips.
Lastly, I apply the ILIA multistick in "A Fine Romance" again, this time to my lips! This is such a rosy delicious color and I love the pop of watermelon-y pink, especially in the winter when I feel kind of drab. This color makes me feel confident!

Then I finish by dusting my face with the W3LL People Realist Invisible Setting Powder to set everything and keep my makeup from sliding around.

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There you have it! This is my date night go-to look and the products that I've been playing around with lately.

Why Date Nights MATTER.
One of our New Years resolutions for the year is to be really consistent with weekly date nights. That doesn't always look like getting dressed up and going out - often times it just means setting aside our to-do lists and settling in for an evening of spending time together. We forgo checking our phones and getting on our laptops and instead spend time eating dinner, watching a movie and TALKING.

Truthfully, lately we have been in a really busy stage of life - he's traveling and commuting with his job and I have taken on this new venture with DoTERRA along with my freelance writing and this blog! (!), so doing anything outside of raising our kids takes some serious intention. Planning. And commitment. Taking time to date is SO special and necessary to remaining connected, and I'm grateful that Stevie is as committed to our date nights as I am. Just tonight he came to me about our upcoming Valentines date (which I planned this year!), to confirm our plans. It means so much that he cares to make us a priority, even after 10 years of marriage and two kids! Whew. Our life is busy but I seriously wouldn't trade this life of mine for anything or anyone else's life.

I hope this little makeup chat is helpful to you as you investigate natural beauty options and plan ahead for a romantic date night! I hope everyone has the happiest Valentines Day, whether you're spending it with your significant other or your girls or your mom!! P.S. - My mom and I have some wicked good V-Day plans. Just sayin. xx

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A Birthday Date & A Bump That Doesn't Lie.

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It was on this day that I realized just how very pregnant I am - and just how long I still have to go. 11 weeks til the due date, friends.

I was supposed to be at Disney World on my birthday, joshin' around with Cinderella at the Be Our Guest restaurant and having a few laughs with my sister-in-laws. I'm actually really grateful that we decided to cancel our trip (the rest of the family soldiered on without us), because I was having some pretty painful Braxton Hicks on my actual birthday, and the choking Orlando heat combined with miles of walking would have probably been miserable. For me, and for everyone who would have had to listen to me. And for the kankles that would have most definitely taken on a life of their own and probably heaved-ho away from me as fast as they could klunk-klunk-klunk. So I actually felt really at peace about that decision. But still. Disney is the happiest place on Earth, right? I think I'm allowed a good 5 minutes of pouting about that one.

The best thing about my birthday this year was being with Stevie and Everett. Stevie is the most positive person I know, and he really made an effort to do all the things I wanted on my day. He planted my fall garden for me, and then we went to dinner at The Hil at Serenbe, which was very delicious and very smashing. Get the lamb risotto! It was also my last meal having sugar, so we reeeeeeally enjoyed the chocolate souffle for dessert. Being the good, kind man that he is, Stevie is going to cut back with me (so that I don't grow an extra large giant inside of me), so pray for our saccharine-loving souls. The panicky memories of doing the disciplined Whole30 program haven't eluded us. I am actually searching for some recipes that feel like treats but don't have any added sugar. A few of you have already emailed me with awesome recipes to try - thank you so much! I am open to your suggestions, friends!

Turning 29 feels really good. I have no problem rolling into the final year of my twenties, because I have felt like an old person for a long time. I got married young, and even though I didn't start having babies too, too young, I've definitely been adulting for a good solid decade. It's nice that my age finally matches my life. Although I am compiling a little pre-30 bucket list of things I want to do/see/eat/visit before my next birthday, and I think dancing on a table or two wouldn't be the worst thing to happen within the next year. :) It's good to have goals, right?

I am 29. Very pregnant, a little pouty, but absolutely, perfectly content.

Outfit Details:
ASOS Top (clearly not maternity, similar here), Free People Bralette, ASOS Maternity Skirt, Anthropologie Shoes (sold out similar here on sale!), Anthropologie Kimono (similar here), Pulicati Leather Tote (similar here), Urban Decay Lip Color in Disturbed

Fish & Chips in Neal's Yard + Wandering Southbank.

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If you aren't looking, you could miss it.

Neal's Yard can barely be described as an alley. It's a cozy triangular cove, off a quiet side street near Covent Garden, with every square inch of brick, stone and window pane painted in vibrant hues of happy. It's almost hard to photograph, because it's such a tight space and the beauty is really found in looking up. There are a bevy of pizza and cocktail options (seems like the perfect place for happy hour), along with an assortment of organic skincare and spa/massage therapy joints. We would have sat to stay a while, but we were on the hunt for some good London fish and chips, and by golly, we found it.

Rock and Sole Plaice was just around the corner, boasting a long history in London's Fish & Chip hall of fame. We sat outside and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. It was so peaceful, finding a shady corner of a side street to take in our vinegar (with a side of cod, can you tell I'm pregnant?)

We wandered through Covent Garden quickly, because it was super crowded and touristy, and managed to grab a shot of the gorgeous Savoy Hotel (above), where we attended a wedding the day before (also where I pretended to dress like Kate Middleton), and kept walking until we crossed the Thames on the Waterloo Bridge. It was that delicious time of night, the twilight hour where the sun turns everything soft gold and the water looks like molten charcoal, swiftly moving along. I love this stretch of Southbank, from the London Eye to the Globe Theater. There are restaurants lining the water, offering everything from coffee and tea to cocktails and popsicles, with lots of bikers, strollers and skateboarders weaving their way through the fray. We took in a show at the Globe Theater the last time we were in London, and it was one of my all-time favorite life experiences (they offer standing-room tickets for less than $10, and those spots are the best "seats" in the house!) However, this time around, I wasn't really up for being on my feet that long, so after the sun set we cabbed over to The Wosley for a late-night treat. I heard this place had an amazing high tea, and yes it's quite fancy, but there is a special seating area for people dressed down (like, not in coat tails), so we camped out there and took in some late night eats. We were proud of ourselves, for staying out late like grownups.

I loved this evening. It was quiet and we wandered at such a laid-back pace that it really felt like a break from the real world. It was a special time, just being the two of us in this romantic city. London, I love you.

Those Summer Neutrals.

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Summer, where have you gone? It's like I blinked twice, swam three times and suddenly August is here. Does anyone else feel this way? Our little family has kept busy in this Georgia heat, swimming and golf carting and playing at the park. I've been growing this little tummy of mine and have been busily preparing for our trip to London :) I guess it's no wonder the summer has flown by.

I assembled this airy outfit of denim, white and cream for our date night last week. I love this combination of neutral shades and textured accents - adding this Banana Republic small stud-suede zip pouch and Delise Woven-Strap D'Orsay Pumps were the perfect sassy "pop" for this otherwise simple look. The zip-pouch is great because it's not too fancy but it's really sleek with those studs. And it smells like that yummy Italian leather - you know that scent that makes you want to eat a bag or shoes? Yep, this has that going on. And of course, need I say anything about those shoes? I mean seriously. Banana, I wish you would make cuter clothes. #kidding #iwantmore #clothesnotcandy

Outfit Details:
Motherhood Maternity Top, Gap Maternity Jeggings, Knox Rose Cardigan (sold out but similar here and here), Banana Republic Clutch (c/o), Banana Republic Pumps (c/o), Michael Kors Watch

Is it lame to admit that even though I was feeling all fancy because I had just gotten my hair done that day (shout out to Susan at Shane Buffkin Salon!) and I was wearing my super fly shoes - we totally ditched our date night. I mean, we tried. We went to the restaurant, sat down to look at the menu, moved tables twice, and I just wasn't feeling it. The menu looked gross (its a great place, but I was just repulsed for some reason), and the air conditioning was too cold, and then they sat us at one of those tables where you're supposed to sit next to each other. I don't understand why those tables even exist. So yes, I guess I was having a temperamental, high-maintenance pregnant lady moment. We apologized to the hostess, grabbed our favorite Thai takeout, and went home to eat and watch reruns of The Office. I know - we are so cool. I'm really lucky that I found my soulmate early in life. I would suck at the single-and-dating game.

Even though we bailed on last week's date night, summer is seriously the perfect time to get out and about with the one you love. And wear reeeeeeally cute shoes while doing so :) What are some of your favorite summertime date ideas?

Many thanks to Banana Republic for sponsoring this post and sending me products. All opinions expressed are my own.