Green Beauty Cheat Sheet.

/

This is a compilation of the natural beauty, skincare and personal care items that I have discovered and tested during my Green Beauty Trials. I wanted this information to live in a place where it could serve as a quick-reference guide for those of you that are looking to clean up your beauty routine. This way you can see what I've used, my personal rating, and links to any blog posts that features that item or topic. My rating system is simply 1 - 5, 1 being least performing and 5 being best performing! I checked all these products for their clean levels and toxicity on the Think Dirty app and the EWG app/site. You can always reach out to me if you have specific questions about a product, I am happy to share! I hope this is helpful to you :)

** This guide has been updated as of June 2019.

Concealer:
Currently Using: W3LL People Bio Correct Multi-Action Concealer in "Light" 5+++++

I've Tried:
- RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up 4
- Beautycounter Concelear Pen 3

I want to Try:
Nothing! I love what I'm using so much!

* I shared about my concealer here.

Blush:
Currently Using: ILIA Multistick in "A Fine Romance" and "At Last"

I've Tried:
- RMS Lip2Cheek Tint in "Beloved" 4
- Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in "Blossoming" 5+
- ILIA Multistick in "I Put a Spell On You" 3

I want to try:
W3LL People Nudist Cream Stick in "Nude Rose"

*I shared about blush here.

Highlighter:
Currently Using: RMS Beauty Living Luminizer 5

I've Tried:
- Galaxy Milk Illuminate Beauty Oil 4

I want to try:
- Becca Cosmetics in "Champagne Pop"

*I shared about highlighter here.

Personal Care

Hair:
Shampoo & Conditioner:
Currently Using: Innersense Color Radiance Shampoo & Conditioner 5 along with DoTERRA Melaleuca essential oil 5

I've Tried:
- Josh Rosebrook Nourish Shampoo & Balance Conditioner 3
- Rahua Color Full Shampoo & Conditioner 4

Dry Shampoo:
- Little Barn Apothecary Dry Shampoo 5

Style:
- Innersense Refresh Dry Shampoo 3
- Yarok Feed Your Hold Hairspray 5
- Innersense I Create Hold 5

I want to try:
Nothing! I love what I'm using so very much!

*I shared about shampoo & conditioner here

Toothpaste:
Currently Using: DoTERRA OnGuard Natural Whitening Toothpaste 5

I've Tried:
- Toms of Maine Clean Mint Toothpaste 1

I want to try:
- N/A (at the moment, at least!)

This page will continue to be updated as I test products! Please feel free to reach out if you have questions about specific products - I want this to be a helpful resource to you! And also, be on the look out for sun care, nail care & kid's sections coming soon! xx

 

Easter Weekend!!!

/
EASTER2.jpg
EASTER1.jpg
EASTER6.jpg
EASTER8.jpg
EASTER9.jpg
EASTER5.jpg
EASTER7.jpg

I have such intensely vivid memories of hunting Easter eggs. I close my eyes and I am instantly present again, traipsing through the Winters' back yard with my 700 million cousins, and we are all taking this egg hunt as seriously as 8 years old can. IT'S WAR.

Climbing under generations-old azalea bushes, fingers combing the cool grass, tennis shoes fanning out the pine straw, the adrenaline orchestrating the beat of my heart.

Must. Get. Eggs.

Must. Eat. Treasure.

Must. Trade. Candy.

My favorites were always the Starburst and Twix, and then as I got older, into high school, the Starburst Jellybeans. My mom always got me the Starburst Jellybeans, she was still making me up a little Easter basket until a few years ago and she decided to let me grow up.

I kind of hate that she stopped.

I bought the Easter candy too early this year (two weeks too early, who was I fooling?), and I was a bad girl sneaking it every night after the kids went to bed. Those Starburst Jellybeans. Never made it into any Easter eggs this year.

This weekend my kids got to celebrate with their cousins, traipsing through the freshly-laid mulch and pine straw in search of their eggs. I admit, I filled many of them with fruit snacks and yogurt raisins, because I really try to limit candy - because I eat it! - and also because I don't want my kids to get hooked on it like I was as a kid. But lets be honest, Everett had his fair share on Easter and I let him. YOLO.

I love this holiday and I love Jesus and I love my family and I love Starburst Jellybeans and I love my yard and I love my strange-colored green house and all it's 80's quirks that I refer to as "charm" even though let's be honest, they're quirks and it's kind to even call them that. I love that our family gathered at our little green house and celebrated this wonderful sweet day together and I don't take any of it for granted because I know that KIDS REMEMBER EASTER. And I am so so glad. Best holiday ever.

I hope your weekend was dreamy and filled with so much love! He is risen! xx

EASTER3.jpg

P.S. - Wearing a few clothes that I purchased for a summer wardrobe capsule. My shirt here, my shorts here and my shoes here. The boys are wearing this and this and Stevie is wearing this.

10 Ways I Prep My Skin for a Spring Glow.

/

This is post is sponsored by RAW Bronzing Studio. All opinions are my own.

Spring Glow1.jpg
Spring Glow3.jpg
Spring Glow6.jpg
Spring Glow7.jpg

'Tis the season of events aplenty! Kicking it off with Easter this weekend, the rest of Spring is packed full of weddings, graduations, reunions and, of course, Spring Break! And with these fun soirees comes the need for bathing suits and shorts, dresses and heels! And probably showing more skin than you did in the dead of winter, when you were still convincing yourself that Ugg boots are sort of cute because they are the warmest shoes ever made by man. (Just to be clear, I wear Ugg boots, but I know they aren't really cool anymore.)

I love a good, golden tan as much as the next girl, but as I've gotten older and I've learned that the damage from the sun's powerful UV rays aren't to be ignored or taken lightly. In my family we have particularly sensitive skin, so I try my best to protect it and prepare for this season of warmth and sun exposure. I was thrilled when I learned about RAW Bronzing Studio, a local-to-me organic spray tan that is actually formulated with ingredients that are nourishing for the skin (INGREDIENT LIST HERE). Today I'm partnering with RAW to bring you these 10 tips for how I'm prepping my skin for a healthy glow this spring.

Spring GLow10.jpg
Spring GLow16.jpg

Sun Care

I don't play chicken with the sun anymore. When I'm heading to the beach or pool, I always carry:

1. Sun glasses - Since my kids tend to find mine and play with them, I usually opt for inexpensive ones. But I love these Quays featured above!

2. A hat - Full coverage is best for me, so I often look a little silly with an enormous hat on the beach, but my family has gotten used to it ;)

3. Lots of natural sunscreen - The sunscreen I really liked last year is Goddess Garden SPF 30 for everyday. This summer I'm looking forward to trying out Coola and Bare Republic, two brands I've read a lot of amazing reviews about.

4. A higher-neckline bathing suit - My chest has broken out in the past few years when it gets too much sun exposure, so I'm always on the hunt for a higher bathing suit neckline (not always the easiest to find!) or a really good cover up.

5. A spray tan - Like I mentioned before, the best way to get a good, even glow without the harsh UV ray damage is by getting a spray tan! This way, when I am at the beach, I don't have to worry about tan lines or taking the time to lay out. The RAW bronze allows me to have a healthy glow without "trying" which helps me to be more present with my family and, you know, build sand castles!

Spring Glow15.jpg


Skin Care

Taking care of my skin continues to become more important to me with each year. I'm dealing with cellulite, stretch marks, wrinkles and sun spots - things I didn't have to worry about 10 years ago! I want to take better care of my skin so that I don't have drastic issues to address 10 years from now. To me, this means practicing some daily good habits, including:

6. Taking collagen - This is a new practice for me, but I am loving adding this collagen to my smoothies and shakes. It supports healthy skin, nails, hair and joints.

7. Exfoliating - Sloughing off the dead skin is a key part of taking care of the gentle skin underneath. I like using this one for my face and I've heard this one is amazing for body! Also featured in the photo below ;)

8. Moisturizing - Nourishing the new growth beneath the surface is probably one of the most important things I can do for my skin. I am currently using and loving this face oil, this body oil and this body butter. And this is my little secret weapon for spot treating areas that need extra attention, like scars or wrinkles.

Spring Glow17.jpg
Spring Glow11.jpg

Personal Care

9. Drinking lots of water - Sometimes this is really hard to remember to do, but I find that having a fun water bottle like this one helps!

10. Taking my multivitamin - Again, hard to remember to do everyday, but I feel so much better when I'm consistently taking this vitamin pack, which delivers power-packed nutrients to my entire body.

Spring Glow8.jpg
Spring Glow5.jpg

I hope these tips help you as we head into bathing suit and event season! I am such an advocate for self-care. While I certainly don't have a ton of time to put into endless beauty treatments, I think creating some practices that make you feel put-together and pretty are so important for feeling confident.

Discount & Giveaway!
 

RAW Bronzing Studio is located throughout the metro Atlanta, Georgia area, and the studio local to me (location here) is generously offering my readers 25% off the price of a full-body bronzing service at the RAW South location with the code OYKRISTEN.

This is a crazy good deal and for those of you local to me, I hope you are able to take advantage of it! I recommend adding the "Prep" to your package, because it neutralizes the pH of your skin so that the formula will work better (sometimes the soaps and deodorants we use can throw off the balance in our skin). You can choose between the Original Bronze or the Rapid Bronze - original slowly develops over 8-10 hours, while Rapid develops between 2-4 hours and you can shower between the 3-4 hours mark. FYI Rapid is an awesome option when an unexpected event comes up and you need to look put together fast!

I'm running a giveaway for a few amazing goodies over on my Instagram today - make sure you stop by and take a moment to enter!

Spring Glow4.jpg

P.S. - Wearing: jumpsuit (from last year, similar here), these flatforms, this necklace, these earrings and this lipstick.

On Blogging.

/
IMG_9857.JPG

REAL TALK.
I’ve been blogging for 5 years now.

I started when Stevie and I relocated from Atlanta to Boston for a big adventure (he was going back to school), and I wanted to blog and share the stories about our experience in New England (which I did - lots HERE). I was also exiting college at the time and needed a fresh way to continue writing, something I’ve always always loved.

From Boston to NYC we went, for new jobs (remember when I was working as an actor? I’m still stressed from all that auditioning.) Then from NYC back to Atlanta because our baby boy Everett was coming around the mountain (maybe don’t move across the country when you’re more than 30 weeks pregnant? Just saying.) Then came Daxton not long after and here we are on the south side of Atlanta, feeling very settled in our suburban life (though I admit, for fun I play the game where I dream of picking up a moving to a random country - who cares if we don’t speak the language?!)


I say all this because this blog of mine has changed A LOT in the past five years, because I’ve changed a lot. I spend time each year asking myself what I’m doing in the blogging world. Am I making an impact? Does my blog matter? Does it uplift, inspire, motivate? Because every good blog should. But sometimes, friends, I’m fresh out of ideas. Sometimes I wonder if what I shared was good, or cheesy, or purposeful. Blogging can be isolating. And sometimes I have things to share, but I don’t want to overexpose my family by sharing certain parenting or marriage stories (which I know is the struggle of our generation with all this social media at our fingertips- sometimes my kids do the funniest things but I don’t want them mad at me in twenty years because I posted all those bathtub shots 😆).

It's easy for me to share this with you today, because honestly, I’m having a lot of fun blogging these days. I feel better with my camera (even though GOSH it's getting old), I’ve carved out more time in my week to write, and I’ve started pitching to companies that I love about collaborating on content. It’s been obviously great to monetize this little shindig of mine, when it really truly makes good sense and it’s something I actually want to spend my time promoting. At the end of the day though, my barometer for why I’m still what I’m doing is, “Am I having fun?” and “Are the people reading this feeling loved, inspired, challenged and humored?” and most importantly - “AM I KEEPING IT REAL.” Such important messages for me.

One thing I've realized since I've had kids is that my content here on the blog is more planned and less spontaneous. I used to sit down, right something, and post it immediately. I rarely do this anymore. I usually have a monthly content plan, and then take time writing the posts, taking the pictures, editing, and then post it on or around the date I had planned on the calendar. However, I do miss the frequency of spontaneous posts, because those raw thoughts are often some of my favorite memories. This is something that I want to incorporate back in the blog. 


I hope you hear my heart today. I am still blogging because I love it and I love sharing and connecting with YOU. I hope it creates an attitude of joy and rest in your heart when you visit my blog and read. Thank you so much for reading and interacting and being my friends. And for all of you who have been hanging out here with me on the Internet since back in the old days before Instagram - thank you!!! Your support and input have made this venture such a delicious joy!!!


P.S. - This photo is from a few months back when I went to Serenbe with my sisters for my bday. They were all running ahead of me (because I suck at running), and I stopped for a moment and just took in the view. Their running into the sun flare was too beautiful not to photograph. These are the girls who always give me honest feedback (sometimes painful, sometimes funny) about my blog, and I am SO THANKFUL for it and for them.

Love to you all, friends! xx

Exercise Power Hour!

/
Yandy2.jpg

The weather around here has been whack. It warmed up about a month ago, and then the temperatures decided to plummet back into the 30's like a big fat April Fools trick. It's almost Easter and I fear my grass shall never been green again.

So even though it's been stupid cold (sorry, my New England friends, but seriously, people live in the South to be able to enjoy spring temperatures when it's actually spring, which it is now, so I have no idea what's going on) - but, we've been going outside anyway. Every day after the boys wake up from their afternoon nap, sometime in the 4 o'clock hour, we high tail it outside and move our bodies. I've started calling this exercise power hour, because even though it's not exactly enjoyable temperatures (and my flowers haven't bloomed so there's no yard decor going on), it's still so important to move and play and get some fresh air. For their sanity and mine - cabin fever has gotten real around here these last few weeks and we all need the sunshine, even if it is still bathed in winter's chilly breath.

Yandy4.jpg
Yandy3.jpg
Yandy4.jpg
Yandy5.jpg
Workout Plank2.jpg
Yandy6.jpg
Yandy12.jpg
Yandy13.jpg

I decided to start giving Everett some exercise pointers. I taught him how to do squats, lunges, push ups and planks. And since he loves to run, we sprint in between these sets and really get our blood pumping. And it's been SO much fun! Daxton just toddles around and watches us, but I actually picked him up the other day and squatted with him for extra weight and GOOD LORD. I could only do 3. That kid is hoss.

Yandy14.jpg

My activewear was sent to me by Yandy.com and I chatted about the line over on 5 Minutes for Mom. Check out the post I wrote about why moms should never apologize for living in their activewear! Because for real you guys. It's my mom uniform.

Happy Friday to you, friends! xx