Lunchtime Links for April 8th, 2024

• The Kitchn: Garlic Parmesan chicken bites.  
• The First Year Blog: Banana cake. 
• Buzzfeed: Korean skincare products. 
• Averie Cooks: Chicken and broccoli. 
• Seasons and Suppers: Cinnamon and sugar bread. 

Trader Joe's - Pumpkin Products

I was very happy to see some pumpkin items trickling in to my local Trader Joe's the other day!  While I don't think it's full on pumpkin mode all over the store just yet, there's already a good amount of fun new products to check out!  I'll definitely have to increase my visits over the next few weeks to make sure I don't miss anything, haha :o)

 

Lunchtime Links for August 5th, 2019

• The Kitchn: BLT pasta salad with avocado.
• Damn Delicious: Honey garlic Asian chicken kabobs. 
• How Sweet Eats: July beauty favorites. 
• The Cozy Apron: Mango salsa.
• Cookies and Cups: Vanilla cupcakes.

Lunchtime Links for May 1st, 2019

• Creme de la Crumb: Sheet pan chicken and potatoes.
• Seasons and Suppers: Butter chicken thighs.
• Cookies and Cups: Cinnamon roll cookies.
• SoraNews24: 30 years of Japanese hair and makeup trends.
• Kirbie's Cravings: ChiKo San Diego.

Lunchtime Links for February 12th, 2019

• The Kitchn: Creamy Parmesan shrimp.
• Sora News 24: Kit Kat makeup. 
• Oh Sweet Basil: One pan simple Asian shrimp noodles. 
• Dessert for Two: Lobster mac n' cheese.
• Table for Two: Copycat Trader Joe's pancake bread.

Walmart - February Beauty Box

I've been receiving the $5 Walmart seasonal beauty boxes for a while now, and I have generally been pretty happy with the selection of samples.  The one I just received especially is great!  It has a number of items that I know I'll use very soon, especially the Pantene rescue shots and the Curel moisturizer.  It's a fun way to try out new products, and to have some items on hand that are useful for traveling as well.  Sometimes the other high end beauty boxes wind up having samples that you don't use, but I like that the Walmart one usually has pretty useful items!

Kristin Ess at Target - Wide Tooth Detangling Hair Comb

I'm a big fan of the Kristin Ess line at Target - especially the new scalp care products! - so I was very excited to see that she also recently came out with some hair styling products.  There's a few different varieties of pins and brushes in the collection, but I definitely had my eye on the detangling comb.  The comb and the packaging first of all are so pretty, which definitely made this an easy purchase, haha.  The comb itself is very lightweight, and the wide teeth work well on my long hair without any hard tugging.  I'm very excited to see what else she comes out with in her growing collections!

Briogeo -Superfoods Hair Pack

I bought this Briogeo Be Gentle Be Kind Superfoods Hair Pack from Sephora a while ago, but I wanted to make sure I had used it at least a few times before writing about it.  If you get any of the Sephora Play subscription boxes, you might already be familiar with the Briogeo brand - I think there's been a few times where their haircare samples have been included in the boxes.  That is how I became familiar with the brand myself, from trying out a few of their hair masks and conditioners.   I'm especially a big fan of their Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-in conditioning spray, which leaves your hair super soft!

First off, I'm a sucker for fun packaging, which is what I liked about this Superfoods set to begin with - they're like the green juice bottles that I can't help checking out whenever I'm in Whole Foods or some fancypants juice bar, haha.  Based on the Sephora item description, I think this set is suitable for all hair types if you want some extra hydration (who doesn't?)

"This nutrient-rich duo is formulated to visibly replenish dull and parched locks with a supercharged boost of vitamins and hair healthy ingredients. Be Gentle, Be Kind™ Matcha + Apple Replenishing Superfood Shampoo is a green-juice inspired shampoo, packed with matcha and apple to cleanse and help nourish hair without stripping it of moisture. The Be Gentle, Be Kind™ Kale + Apple Replenishing Superfood Conditioner is a smoothie-textured conditioner that will give your hair a daily dose of kale and apple to nourish and hydrate. By harnessing the power of fruit and vegetable fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, this regimen will support the vibrancy of hair and as the perfect companion to your wellness routine."

You can definitely smell the apple from both bottles - it's such a light and fresh scent, especially welcome in these humid summer days. My hair has been very soft after using these, and doesn't weigh my hair down at all.  As an extra bonus, if you're in the market for some new "clean" products to add to your routine, this definitely fits the bill.  Briogeo products continue to be my go-tos for hair products and I'm very happy that I tried out this set!  

Kristin Ess at Target

Has anyone else tried the Kristin Ess haircare line at Target?  I picked up this travel set when it was on sale after Christmas, and I keep meaning to try out the rest of the products sometime soon.  The Signature shampoo and conditioner that I tried out was lightweight and didn't feel like it was weighing my hair down.  The rose gold temporary tint spray sounds awesome and looks really fun on social media posts I've seen, but unfortunately I wouldn't get anything out of that with my dark hair. 

On a more superficial note, I love the packaging of her products, especially the soft matte feel of the bottles and tubes.  That might sound totally random, but seriously - go check them out on your next Target trip.  I always love trying out new hair products, and the "Spend $20, get a $5 Target gift card" deal on beauty products this week might be just the incentive I need. :o)

Bath and Body Works - Summer Hand Soaps

During Bath and Body Works' recent semi-annual sale, I just couldn't resist picking up these new hand soaps that were all on sale.  I love all of the summery labels, and the descriptions sounded so good! Also, it's not like I'll ever not use hand soap, so... of course I needed these, haha.  If you're a fan of beachy summer scents like melon, peach, ice cream, and citrus scents, be sure to pick some of these up for yourself! 

Target - Soap Dish Set

If you're a fan of cute home items and the candles that they're always burning at Anthropologie, this is a perfect little set for you!  I saw a fashion blogger post this on Instagram, saying they found a soap set at Target that smelled just like the Capri Blue Volcano candles.  Prior to that, I had actually seen the Mother's Day display area at Target that included this soap, but didn't really think much of it as I passed by it.  On my next visit, I definitely spent some more time looking at the items there, haha.  

This soap is technically a Pineapple Mango soap, but really, really, really, does smell a LOT like the Volcano candles.  I'm basing this on smelling both of them in my apartment - they really do smell very similar to each other, haha.  The wrapping paper for the soap is adorable, and it comes with the cute gold and white colorblock tray that can also be used for jewelry, loose change, office supplies, etc.  This is a great little gift for someone that also loves Volcano candles or pretty soap! 

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

The Urban Decay Naked eyeshadow palettes have long been fan favorites, and there are currently three full-sized sets (plus a smaller set) available.  I own the Naked Basics palette and Naked 3 palette as well, but I find that I keep coming back to this Naked 2 palette above.  I luckily was able to snag this one during a Sephora member sale, and I'm so glad I did!  

Admittedly, I'm not really one to go crazy with eye shadows, but I LOVE every color in this palette and find it to be the perfect day-to-night collection.  They're all based on neutral shades which makes them great for everyday use.  It's a pretty hefty product (compared to carrying one or two pots of shadows), but I guarantee you'll get a lot of use out of these shades, and it's a perfect range of colors to travel with.  If you're in the market for a new set of eye shadows definitely take a look at this one! 

Lunchtime Links for December 18th, 2014

• Brown Eyed Baker: Chocolate crinkle cookies.
• Averie Cooks: Cinnamon-sugar streusel baked French toast.
• Table for Two: Homemade whipped body butter.
• Bake at 350: Mini gingerbread houses.
• The Comfort of Cooking: Soft chocolate chip cookies.

Lunchtime Links for July 1st, 2014

• The Budget Babe: At-home manicure. 
• The Pioneer Woman: Oven BBQ chicken. 
• Love and Olive Oil: Chocolate-dipped s'mores ice cream sandwiches. 
• I Heart Naptime: Cheesy baked Ziti.
• Picky Palate: Graham cracker pizza dough. 

Trader Joe's - Pumpkin Items

Right at the beginning of the pumpkin lineup coming out at Trader Joe's, I made sure to stop in to check out all of the fun goodies.  This visit, I picked up a box of frozen pumpkin waffles, pumpkin Greek yogurt, and pumpkin body butter.  Yes, you read that right, pumpkin body butter, haha.  

As strange as it might sound initially, it's a rich whipped consistency with a lightly spiced scent. The pumpkin waffles and yogurt are delicious, and you can eat them together for that extra pumpkin taste, haha.  I don't always have frozen waffles on hand, but they are convenient for breakfast at work when I'm in a hurry too, since we have a toaster oven available in the office. There are always new pumpkin items at Trader Joe's every year, so it's always fun to see what's out! 

Tarte Cosmetics Haul

Yay for new beauty products! I got a few items from the Tarte Friends and Family sale recently, and also got the oil (2nd photo) through my best friend at a discount as well.

In the top photo we have:

Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Eye Base

Amazonian Clay Creamy Powder Bronzer (with brush)

EmphasEyes High-Definition Eye Pencil

Park Avenue Bronzer + Brazilliance Self Tanner Duo

and a sample of the Double Detox Amazonian Clay Facial

And in the bottom photo we have the famous Pure Maracuja Oil

So far I have tried the eye pencil, Park Avenue bronzer (which is a long-time favorite of mine), and the Maracuja oil.  I don't normally stick with just one brand for cosmetics but I really like everything I've tried from Tarte so far. The oil is even better than I expected, it absorbs quickly, doesn't make me break out, and leaves my skin very soft.  I think it'll be even better in the dry fall/winter months! 

Lunchtime Links for August 28th, 2013

• Cookies & Cups: Devil's food Snickers cheesecake cupcakes. 
• Oh Sweet Basil: Baked Mozzarella bites. 
• Kirbie's Cravings: 5 minute Chinese buns. 
• Table for Two: San Francisco visit. 
• The Budget Babe: Vinegar for longer lasting manicures. 

Sephora/Benefit Birthday Gift

Every year, I look forward to Sephora's birthday gift, which is available to all Sephora members during the month of their birthday.  This year, the birthday freebie was a cute box of 2 mini Benefit products: They're Real! mascara and Watt's Up? highlighter.  These are a great size for traveling with, and I am looking forward to trying them out! 

Tarte Cosmetics - 30% Off Online Sale

Starting today through August 4th, you can get Tarte Cosmetics for 30% off on their online store, woohoo!  Just use the code "TARTEFF" at checkout.

Some of my favorite products from this brand are:

- Amazonian clay 12-hour blush
- Amazonian clay mineral bronzer
- multiplEYE lash enhancing primer

I would definitely recommend checking out their sale if you're in the market for some new makeup!

The Drybar Scavenger Hunt

This past Sunday, I was one of the lucky winners of a Drybar blowout gift card and umbrella!  Their Twitter/Instagram account posted clues to a few different spots in downtown Bethesda throughout the day, and I was able to find the one inside Barnes & Noble. The umbrella is a fun, bright yellow and says "rain blows" on it, haha. I am excited to try out Drybar with my gift card soon!