VITAMIN SEA

 It's FALL! I loooove summer but there's something about the fall that I'm reeeeeally in love with. Maybe because the weather is perfect most days? Or maybe it's because you can still do things outside and not end up in a puddle? Orrrrrrrrr probably because I'M BASIC, OKAY.

But with great weather come germs so I figured I would let y'all know some of my favorite vitamins that I take - and not just for the fall or winter, but all year 'round.

So here they are -

from left to right ---->

• RAW Iron: If you have rough periods like I do, then this may be what you're looking for. I generally take these due to slight fatigue that I get before and after my period. Personally, I feel that this helps out a ton by keeping my energy up and allowing me to feel somewhat "normal" during that week.
• Womens Once Daily Multi: I take this one for general health. The pill is a little bit on the large side but it's one of the few that doesn't make me sick if I take it on an empty stomach. Although I don't do that often, it's just a good bonus if I do forget. 
• RAW Vitamin D: I need all the vitamin D I can get in the fall/winter since I don't do the tanning thing and I'm covered from head to toe for about 5 to 6 months of the year. #vampirestatus.
• RAW Calcium: Calcium is believed to naturally help with PMS and PMDD symptoms so during my period and for about a week after, I take one pill, 4x's a day. Since I can actually tell a difference when I take these, it makes it easier to remember (for the most part.) 
• RAW B-12: B-12 is good for keeping a healthy metabolism, giving energy, and having good digestion. All good things, y'all!

 So in case you're wondering what does RAW and MyKind mean: The RAW stamp means that they don't use any chemical isolates or synthetic ingredients in their products and are guaranteed not to have binders or fillers in their vitamins. All ingredients are uncooked, untreated and unaltered; Just how vitamins should be. 

As for their MyKind line? They are all USDA certified organic and Non-GMO :)

I hope this helps!! Stay well this season! XO

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Next blog: Sippy cup favorite - I KNOW that I just did one but I promise, this is better - muuuuch better!!! I'll have that posted tomorrow @ 10AM, so stay tuned ;)

All about the Eyeliner.

Happy Monday, y'all! Coffee in hand and listing my absolute favorite eyeliners that have never failed me. I have tried them a.l.l. but always fall back on these babies! And I have to say that I'm a little impressed that I actually love one of each: A liquid, a gel and a pencil. 

So in honor of keeping things short & sweet for y'all today, I'm just going to dive right in, so here ya go XO

#1: Sephora's Waterproof Colored Eyeliner in BLACK LACE $12

the perfect liquid eyeliner that's super easy to apply and actually dries MATTE!

#2 Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in BLACK INK $24

#3 Sonia Kashuk Bent Eyeliner Brush #107 $6

This brush has lasted me for years, even through tons of washes. bought mine at the one and only Target ;) 

#4 Sephora's Retractable Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in MATTE CHARCOAL $13

This is my every day eyeliner that I use when I want a basic, neutral look. It glides on so smooth and stays put through the entire day. Definitely one of my favorites and I LOVE the subtle color of grey.

Mama lifesavers | 9 Months

I haven't done one of these posts in a while so I figured I'm due for an update of things we're currently loving at 9 months -

Bath time is a whole new experience now that we've ditched the infant bath. The 4Moms tub was so worth it while we used it but now the big tub is how we do bath time these days and these little bubble bath packs by Aura Cacia with essentials oils are THE. BEST!!! They smell amazing and I looove essential oils as-is and truly believe that they have calming and healing properties so these are a win-win for us.

      I let P bathe in the Eucalyptus when she was sick and it made her breath so much easier and cleared her out so she could sleep soundly during the night. We also love using the Lavender packet, which I would have taken a picture of if I hadn't thrown it away two nights ago but nonetheless, those two are definitely our favorite scents! There's also a citrus one that I'll try but that would be used for energy etc and usually we do bath time at night so I prefer the Eucalyptus and Lavender in order to help Penelope wind down for the night.

 For starters, Penelope has only been sick ONCE so far - woooo! I am so happy about that!! I got sick first and shortly after, P caught the little flu thing that was going around but thankfully, I had bought some Zarbees cough + cold medicine way beforehand just for this moment, and trust me, I am seriously beyond happy that I did because she went to bed fine and of course woke up with a terrible cough and was completely miserable. This stuff works miracles because she bounced back so fast after I gave her just one dose of the medicine - thank goodness for miracle products!!

Who knew anyone could fall in love with wipes?! I guess babies will make you notice the little things HA.

   I get these wipes from Whole Foods by the case. Literally. I buy them for $16 for a box of 6! They're probably the best wipes I've used and of course they're safe and natural so it's win-win. I also have to be completely honest and say that I actually have fallen in love with them mainly because they double as the perfect face wipe for removing my makeup.... I don't even really bother with traditional face wipes anymore. I'll probably be the person that's still buying wipes even after my kid is out of diapers because I've become accustomed to needing one for every single thing - #momlife.

So, I was in Whole Foods, checking out the baby stuff, P was hungry and I saw these bad boys and thought why not..... Turns out, these are the greatest things ON. THE. ENTIRE. EARTH. I just want to start off by saying that before I had Penelope, I had an entire list of stuff I wasn't going to give my child. These pouches made the list. But after realizing that I need more than 2 arms and hands and sometimes you have to appreciate the convenience of someone else's EXTREMELY smart idea, you learn really fast to NOT knock it before you try it. I always spoon-feed Penelope these pouches, check the expiration date and I ALWAYS taste-test these before I give them to her. I would do that for myself so obviously it doesn't take any extra time to do it for her. These pouches are the best thing OUT! And of course they're organic.... I'm still a psycho about that - somethings never change. Now, don't get me wrong, we BLW and she eats mainly soild foods - basically whatever we eat, she eats - but these are super convenient for when we're out and the picture shows her faves!

      I had mentioned on another blog that we were thinking about switching to a convertible car seat.... She's 9 months and can sit in a highchair and in a cart with absolutely no help from me so we ended up ordering the Maxi Cosi Pria 85 from Nordstrom right before Christmas. If a car seat could be a dream come true, THIS IS IT. Installation was the EASIEST thing ever and every part can easily be taken off in order to be washed without un-installing the car seat - hallelujah! Taking apart her Maxi Cosi Mico infant seat was a nightmare so this new car seat was almost the best thing we've bought - too bad she doesn't spit up any more because I actually wouldn't mind it with this one ;)

I ALWAYS have people ask where I get Penelope's bows from and the ones she's been wearing lately are from Ruby Blue Inc. Check out their instagram [HERE] to get a feel for what they offer. They're the BEST quality and unlike other bows I've bought, these stretch enough to last more than a month. I bought the cream lace one when she was like 5 months and she can still wear it and trust me, her little head has grown. We love em'.

And speaking of fashion, H&M has the cutest baby clothes. Like, ever. If you have a little babe, go check out their stuff. Adult clothes made for small people. Dying at the cuteness!

Products Mentioned:

| 4Moms Infant Bath Tub $50 | 

| Aura Cacia Bubble Bath: Purchased at Whole Foods |

| 365 Baby Wipes: Purchased at Whole Foods |

| Ella's Kitchen Wakey Wakey Baby Cereal &

Organic Food Pouches: Purchased at Whole Foods but

Target carries them as well along with a ton of other grocery stores |

| Maxi Cosi Pria 85 in Black $299 @ Nordstrom |

| RubyBlueInc Bows from Etsy |

ig: @taylorpilk

YSL's #13 LIPLINER DUPE!

 I was at Whole Foods shopping for groceries and I ended up browsing the makeup aisle, as per usual, and came across the Gabriel Cosmetics lipliners and started swatching them and noticed that Nutmeg was IDENTICAL match to YSL's #13 lipliner! If you're familiar with any YSL makeup, it wouldn't surprise you that their #13 lipliner is $30 but the Gabriel Cosmetics lipliner is only $12! They wear the exact same and the color is flawless - This is definitely my go-to color and it pretty much matches any lipstick I want to wear... it's versatile and more than half of the price of the YSL one - eeek!

     I had been searching high and low for a lipliner that was, at the very least, similar to YSL's most popular lipliner and although there are a few, I am SO excited that I found the identical match and even more excited that I can share it with y'all through here! This lipliner is definitely one that everyone should have in their collection - I hope y'all LOVE it (and the price too ;))! XO

Products Mentioned:

| Nutmeg LipLiner by Gabriel Cosmetics $12 | YSL LipLiner #13 $30 |

ig: @taylorpilk

EYE BRIGHTENER | AFTER NYE ESSENTIAL

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Y'ALL!!!

I know that all of us probably stayed up way beyond what we had anticipated to do, as per usual but after reading this blog, you'll be able to fake a good nights sleep from here on out ;)   

BareMinerals STROKE OF LIGHT = The best under-eye and all-over concealer, hands down. This covers up anything and everything.. along with those annoying dark circles that seem to accumulate for absolutely no reason, even without lack of sleep - grrr. I am currently wearing #2, which has more of a yellow undertone than #1 but don't be fooled by the description as I'm normally more of a neutral shade with my other products (pinks & yellows combined) so if you are too, then #2 would probably fit you well and be your best bet as I think it's the most universal.

     Another thing that's great about this stuff: It doesn't cake up underneath nor does it crease - this is huge for anything that goes on underneath the eye because if you've ever had anything that does crease or cake up, you'd know how useless a product like that can be, especially when you NEED it to do its job. ;)

The applicator of this is really my favorite thing because a lot of the other ones come with a pump that you end up getting all over your hands, something I can't staaaand. With this, you unscrew the applicator and dab the tip underneath the eye and use a beauty blender to blend it in and you're done - the 2 easiest steps to faking a good nights sleep! Really, if I could only have two makeup products, it would probably be this and mascara. I can't live without it.

I hope every one is able to rest up today and enjoy the first day of 2015! Page 1 of 365 - make it a good one! XOX

PRODUCTS:

Stroke of Light by BareMinerals $22

New Wave by MARC JACOBS nail polish $18

ig link: @taylorpilk

Christmas Vacation | Sanibel Island

    If you follow me on basically any social network, you would be well-aware that we just took our annual family vacay and this year we traveled to Sanibel Island, right near the Gulf and it is definitely the cutest place I have ever seen!! Here are a few pictures of our trip from - I shared a lot on my personal Facebook Page and Instagram but I had so many that I wanted to post but most of them were landscape photos and I didn't want to overload pics on everyone so I've waited to share them on my blog, I hope y'all enjoy! And if you ever get a chance to go to Sanibel, some of our fav spots were: George and Wendy's & Taquita's for the chicken tacos - AMAZING,  Zebra Frozen Yogurt to get the frozen hot chocolate!!, Pinnochios for the seriously amazing ice cream and Over Easy for the BEST pancakes and breakfast! If you're in need of a good coffee-fix, make sure you get a coffee from The Sanibel Bean and try their the White Mocha latte - SO GOOD!  Also make sure you go shelling on the beach and to rent bikes to be able to ride along the bike paths to explore the island :) Really thankful that sunny Florida was so good to us ;)

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| The cure for dry hair during the winter |

Recently, I have seen SO many posts by girls needing a remedy for dry hair so I decided that it would be worth another blog! Almost 2 years ago I posted a DIY Hot Oil Hair Treatment [HERE] and it was so popular and had a lot of good feedback and reviews! Since then, I've updated a few things but of course,  if you've used the previous one beforehand and loved that, it never hurts to stick with what you know ;) But for those of you wanting something a little bit different, here's one for you XO

Coconut Oil Hair Mask

Ingredients:

2-4tbs Organic Coconut Oil

1tbs Organic Almond Oil (optional)

1tbs Organic Honey
*Amount depending on hair needs
*The best coconut oil to use is the one sold at Trader Joes Organic Coconut Oil - it smells the beach, coconuts and summer all in one jar - LOOVE!

Add all ingredients into a glass mixing bowl,

place the bowl in the microwave and heat until the coconut oil is semi-melted, about 30-45seconds

(You can also heat over a stove but this can get extremely hot so make sure you use this method with EXTREME caution. NEVER apply oil that has been bubbling or heated for a very long time.)

Once the coconut oil is semi-melted, mix all of the ingredients together to create an almost watery paste. Once mixed, apply coconut oil mixture all over your head/hair, being sure to start at the ends,  and finish up by massaging product into the roots. Make sure your entire scalp and hair are covered by the coconut mixture and then put your hair in a bun (try to use a clip rather than using an elastic) and then place a shower cap over you hair and let it sit for 1hr-1.5hrs. You can also sleep in this mask for the absolute best results.
After the wait time is over, jump in the shower and wash/condition (depending on personal preference) and dry and style as usual.

This is how I did mine with the length and thickness of my hair:
I used 3 1/2tbs coconut oil, and 1 1/2tbs honey. Heated it in the microwave for 30 seconds, mixed up the product, let it cool for just a minute while stirring and then I placed the bowl into my sink and I dipped my hair in the bowl and slowly worked my way to my roots, adding a little more hair with each dip and massaged the remaining oil into my roots and scalp. I then kept my coconut oil mask on for 1hr and then jumped into the shower. I did my normal shower routine and left the shampoo job for last to let the humidity from the shower sort of make sure I let this thing work its magic 100%. I also had to wash my hair with shampoo twice to make sure the oil was completely rinsed out.
Since I typically do a deep conditioning treatment once a week (which I'll go into shortly), I didn't feel that I needed to sleep in the coconut oil and I only left it on for 1hr, which I felt was plenty for the current needs of my hair.
I have to finish it with the fact that my hair is SOO shiny, smells amazing and is beyond soft. This is saying A LOT since for the last few months I have slowly started adding blonde back into my hair that was originally colored dark brown. You can imagine the damage it caused and I recently cut about 3 inches off as well because my ends had completely had it. I haven't done a hot oil treatment in FOREVER so this was a good jump-start for the holidays ;)

The second thing that I do rather often and have a huge obsession with are deep conditioning hair masks. I cut and color my hair regularly so this helps ensure that my hair lays somewhat flat throughout the day - it's DEFINITELY something I do regularly in the summer because I have super curly hair so I NEED that extra bit of moisture or my hair is a frizzy mess the entire day.

Moroccan Oil Weightless Mask with the travel-size mask.

My absolute favorite products are ANYTHING by Moroccan Oil. You will probably have to get them from a salon but this stuff is SO worth it. Pricey, but it lasts a LONG time! I love both the Weightless and Intense Hydrating Masks, depending on my hair needs. If you have thin hair or hair that doesn't particularly take well to lots of oil, I'd suggest the weightless mask. You'll still get the same results, I promise!

I hope this has been helpful - let me know if you try either of these methods and let me know how it worked out for you :) Xox

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JOSIE MARAN | ARGAN OIL

Just a quick picture of my favorite Josie Maran Argan Oil products! These will last you MONTHS and are so amazing for your skin. I have oily skin and even though it seems quite opposite of what you would think you would need for oily skin, it actually really helps maintain oil production and helps keep skin clear because breakouts sometimes happen because of a lack of oil rather than having too much. 

| 100% ARGAN OIL |

I use this at night after I wash my face. I even use this as an under-eye moisturizer.

| PURE ARGAN MILK |

I absolutely LOVE this one. I use Milk after I wash my face in the morning and before I put on my makeup. It's definitely a lighter version of the regular 100% Argan Oil and it has just the right amount of shimmer to make your skin glowy, but not highlighted or over done - definitely something you can use all over your face, any time.

| ILLUMINIZER |

This illuminizer is so functional and has a variety of uses. I particularly like to mix a small amount with either my primer, foundation, tinted moisturizer or BB cream - it all depends on the look I'm going for. This looks so bronzy and shimmery in the bottle but it really can be toned down to add a smooth, dewy look to your face/body. I think this is the most versatile of the three because it can be added with your regular moisturizer, body lotion etc - it really is perfect for everything and made with no limits for use!

Most importantly, I love that all of JM products don't contain any of the chemicals that a lot of high-end products have and are currently formulated WITHOUT:

- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan 

XO!

Tis' the season for RED LIPS!

      It's amazing how a good red lip can be the easiest accessory for any event or holiday party and I currently can't get over how gorgeous [MAC All Fired Up] is. It's the perfect matte lip that can EASILY be applied as a bold color or a sheer color for the perfect daytime look! 

(Of course it'll depend on how you apply it - swipe for bold, dab for light ;))

      It didn't make my lips dry in the slightest and it was still moisturizing after I had worn it for awhile - SO GOOD! I totally get that not everyone wants to pay $16 for a lipstick they might wear a handful of times so I hunted down a drugstore brand and a mid-price range brand so everyone can experience this look this upcoming holiday season!

Here are the two lipsticks that I'd suggest if you're wanting to try this color out:

|NYX's|

In [Bloody Mary] $6

Which can probably be found in any store that sells NYX, 

the link I'm giving you is to ULTA

&

|SEPHORA BRAND|

In [Valentine] $13

I actually have this one and didn't even realize they were the same color until I was wanting to wear a red lip and started comparing the two and that's when realized they were identical, lol

& of course here's the link again for the actual 

lipstick that I'm wearing in the pic above:

|MAC|

[All Fired Up] $16

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instagram/twitter [@taylorpilk] XO

CASUAL BLUSH PICKS | NARS

     Blush is one of my absolute FAVORITE things to wear, even when I'm not really wearing any makeup at all. Blush is always the one thing I don't leave the house without because you can go from "I just rolled outta bed" to looking like you've already had 3 cups of coffee in just 2 quick brush strokes and that's why these two shades are the perfect, neutral colors that can easily be worn day or night, keeping you vibrant ;) The colors are [Deep Throat] and [Luster]. DT is a really gorgeous goldeny-pink color that's described as a pink-peach on the Sephora's website and LUSTER is a golden-apricot color that I actually used OVER the DT blush and as a highlighter and it looked so good applied that way -such a warm hue for a fall day. 

So if you're wanting something a little bit different than the norm and don't want anything too drastic, then these two blushes are the ones for you!

If you purchase them or already have them, PLEASE let me know how much you love them! XO

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