Labor Day Weekend Sales 2018!

The Best LDW Sales 2018

Hi babes - happy September first! I hope everyone has a fun & safe LDW. Make sure you don't miss out on all the amazing sales either! As always, thanks for stopping by & happy shopping xoxo 

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ANTHROPOLOGIE

extra 40% off sale + 20% off reg. price furniture

love this kitchen table, this bed frame, and  this tank (perfect for layering into fall)


AERIE

40% off the aerie collection now through 9.3

 this sweater is so cozy for fall, love this camo print pullover, these leggings look like a dream to wear, and these undies are my fave (now 10 for $35)


ABERCROMBIE

40% off everything

eyeing this sherpa pullover, these mom jeans, and this sweater for fall 


NORDSTROM SUMMER SALE

up to 40% off through 9.9

 AG jeans from the anniversary sale (see them on me in this blog post), this cozy cardigan AND this cozy cardigan that I also got during the anniversary sale, this pair of black denim that I JUST got in the mail but need a smaller size so I re-ordered in a 27.



Clean Makeup Products That Actually Work

Clean Makeup Products That Actually Work

Making the transition to clean beauty products can be intimidating. Leaving behind products you love & know isn’t the easiet, and neither is finding new products that will work with your skin and meet your expectations. It’s trial and error, but so far I have been lucky to find clean beauty products that actually work & exceed my expectations! It’s so rewarding to know that what I am putting on my skin contains safe ingredients and gives the results I want.

As far as skincare goes, I published a post last week featuring the One Love Organics skincare line. I have been using these products exclusively for the past 6-8 weeks and my skin has never looked better! You can read about all of their products here and use code PINEBARRENBEAUTY10 for 10% off your purchase! 

For makeup, I have been trying cleaner options for products as I run out of them. I haven’t switched everything yet, but all of my face products, except bronzer, are now clean products! I have been loving everything I am using, especially foundation which I was super nervous about! Keep reading to see which clean beauty products I'm obsessed with & why!

Clean Makeup Products That Actually Work | Pine Barren Beauty | Lawless Woke Up Like This Foundation

lawless I woke up like this flawless finish foundation

When I saw that Lawless came out with a foundation I had to get it! I had been considering the beauty counter foundation, but also wanted something that was full coverage and I knew Lawless would deliver. I was nervous about matching my color but as long as you go with the right undertone you'll be good! They also give the MAC equivalents which is convenient if you know your MAC shade. 

First, let's talk about their customer service. I placed my order on a Friday with the free standard shipping option. It shipped that day and was on my doorstep on Monday. I'm all about a company with quick & free shipping, so that definitely started us off on the right foot. Next, the packaging is super chic. The box has all the info you need about the ingredients and the bottle itself is v pretty. 

Now, let's talk about the foundation itself. I am completely in love. The texture is thick and a bit tacky when applied to the skin, but it does dry nicely and using a loose setting powder on top does help. It spreads smoothly and evenly (I apply my foundation with this brush). One pump gives pretty great coverage for daily wear. If I'm wearing it for a night out/wedding/event and want the best coverage I can get, I would probably go with two pumps but apply them in layers, letting the first layer dry before applying the second.

Overall, I am super impressed with this "clean AF" foundation and will definitely be repurchasing once I run out! I just love the entire vibe and branding behind this company, and I love that I can feel confident in using their products on my skin! You can read more about Lawless and their commitment to clean beauty here

Clean Makeup Products That Actually Work | Pine Barren Beauty | Savvy Minerals by Young Living

savvy minerals by young living matte setting powder

If you've been following along for a while, you will know that I started using Young Living back in February. I had always been intrigued with the concept of essential oils and finally decided it was time to see how they could benefit me! One of the many reasons I love Young Living is because they have SO much to offer beyond oils, including a completely non toxic, mineral based makeup line. I have been adding some of their makeup products to my monthly order for the past couple months and have been LOVING it. If you're not feeling the oils at first, you can sign up with the Savvy Minerals starter kit instead of the oils starter kit! Click here to read more about signing up or feel free to send me an email or DM with any questions!

The matte setting powder is brand new to the collection. A little bit goes a long way and I love the way it works with the Lawless foundation. I feel like it takes the tackiness away from the foundation and allows for a smooth application of the rest of my face products! It doesn't crease or cause my makeup to look cakey which is always a must for me when it comes to setting powder.

savvy minerals by young living blush

I've been using the Savvy Minerals blush in the shade "I Do Believe You're Blushin" and it's been so perfect for summer. It has just enough color & shimmer to create the perfect glow. There are so many shades to choose from and next on my list is the shade "Smashing." If you use the Savvy Minerals mist on your brush before tapping it in the blush, I will deepen the pigment and give more of a dewy look. It also gives a little more control when applying the blush. I use the blush either way (with or without the mist), depending on what my mood is and what type of look I'm going for!  

savvy minerals by young living highlight

The highlight I've been using by Savvy Minerals is actually their original setting powder called diamond dust. Because it's luminous, I did not prefer it as a setting powder, but as a highlight it is perfect! It's just the right amount of shimmer while also looking natural. A little bit goes a long way with this one as well! 

Clean Makeup Products That Actually Work | Pine Barren Beauty | Savvy Minerals by Young Living

As always, thanks for reading! 

If you have any questions at all, send me an email (megan@pinebarrenbeauty.com) or a DM on insta! 

xoxo


Real Talk No. 4: All The Feels + Life Update

Update!

You guys. These past few weeks, (months actually) my head has legit been in the clouds. Between wedding planning, unexpectedly purchasing and beginning renovations on our home, and just everything else that comes along with life, I have been flying by the seat of my pants for weeks. It's such a weird thing too, because up until all the things started happening, I was pretty diligent with planning my days and being organized. But I guess when you have too much on your plate, you're bound to lose your routine at some point 🤷🏻‍♀️ and for me, losing my routine also means feeling all the emotions, all at once. 

Buying and Renovating a Home

In this blog post, I shared my thoughts on our experience buying our first and forever home. You can check that out for more info on why we ended up buying now instead of building later, etc. One thing I didn't mention, because we hadn't yet started, was the renovation process. O M G. We have so many plans for our home and we came in wanting to do everything right away. Well, reality check, not everything is going to get done right away. And you know what? That's totally fine. It's always going to be a work in progress. 

Even though everything is going to take time, we have been moving at a pretty solid pace. We started by ripping out the floors. Once that was done, we painted the living room, kitchen, and hallways all white (shade Pure White from Sherwin Williams). Then, we put down hardwood floor in the kitchen, living room, and hallways, that way the floor was the same throughout the main parts of the house. We finished up the flooring last weekend and it's so gorgeous! It also feels good to actually have a finished floor instead of plywood 😝

Next up is trim, painting the kitchen cabinets and choosing a new kitchen counter top! Our living room furniture should be here within the next two weeks, and I have my eye on a dining table that I think will go with our space perfectly! Everything else will come together as far as the details go, but we also have plans for the master bedroom & bathroom after the wedding!

Needless to say, I have been a bit distracted from wedding planning! All I want to do is focus on the house and get things done; I even told rob we should have just eloped at this point 😂 (we really did talk about that as a serious option at first). But I know once our wedding day is here it's all going to be worth it for the #bestdayever! 

Wedding Planning

Speaking of wedding planning - in a couple weeks, it will be one year since Rob & I got engaged, and two months until wedding day. LITERALLY WHERE DID THE TIME GO? If someone has an answer or knows how to go back in time, please share in the comments lol. But really, time flies. It's such a cliché but it's so true.

Luckily, I got a lot of things done and all of my vendors secured right away. Now it's just finalizing invites & mailing them out, meeting with our dj to go over our playlist, figuring out the set up of the tables so we have a definite game plan for flowers, getting the guys suits picked out, and choosing our wedding bands. Now, I say that's it but it's a pretty long list once it's written out, huh? I know it's all going to get done but I better get to work 😝

More than all of that, here's what I have learned: even though I'm a perfectionist and details absolutely matter, what matters most is what you feel in your heart. It's your day and everything should be how you want it to be. Don't be afraid of what others might say or think. If you want to allow a ton of money in your budget for flowers because you LOVE them, then do it even though you're well aware they will die. The last thing you want to do is regret not doing this or that because you felt like you were being judged. Reality check - no one has the right to judge the decisions you make for YOUR wedding. I'm sure you have always envisioned how your wedding would be and you should do everything you can to make that vision come to life. 

On the flip side, that does not mean to be a bridezilla! You still need to take into account the feelings of your fiancé, parents, wedding party, etc. because they are a part of this process and want to see everything go smoothly for you! I feel like I've been pretty chill for the most part. Naturally, I've had moments of stress & tears, but who doesn't feel overwhelmed at some point when planning a wedding?  I'm just lucky that everyone involved in our wedding day has been on my good side so far hahah. But really, everyone has been great and I can't wait to see everything come together over the next couple months!! After all, it is going to be the best day ever! 

Blog Life

Between the house & the wedding planning, I've been slacking a bit as far as the blog goes. This little corner of the internet requires so much time & attention. There's nothing else I would rather be doing, but I'm also not going to post just to post. I don't want to get in that habit because then I feel like I'm not being true to you guys. With that said, I've also been thinking about rebranding and taking my blog in a new direction - but more on that later - it still needs time to come together! 

I've also cut back as far as buying clothes goes because let's be real, I'm on a budget til our wedding is over! I have my bachelorette party & shower (which means outfits outfits outfits), three other weddings before ours & one after that is a destination wedding so that requires more outfits, and makeup & hair appointments 🙃 I'm not mad about it, but my priorities are a little different right now compared to a few months ago which I'm sure you can understand and relate to. Isn't it crazy how life just happens and our priorities change according to what's going on? Just some food for thought! 

As always, thanks for reading! If you have any thoughts you want to share, leave a comment!

xo


Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2018: Best of Beauty

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2018: Best of Beauty

Hi ladies! Happy Monday! Due to popular demand, today I am sharing my top picks from this year's beauty exclusives for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! As you may or may not know, I am in the process of switching over to clean beauty products, so this is HARD for me to share. There are so many things I would have added to my cart in the past, but at the same time I know I want to be conscious of the ingredients in the products I'm putting on my skin every day. 

With that said, I know not everyone is on the clean beauty train and that's totally okay! These picks are everything I would have wanted to add to my cart last year, clean or not. There are a couple great clean brands included in the sale, like rms, kopari, and supergoop, but I do wish there were more!!

If you're interested in reading more about my switch to clean beauty, read this post. Also know that I am taking it step by step, starting with skincare & makeup. I still use my usual haircare brands - living proof, moroccanoil, and dry bar. I am doing the best I can for me at the moment and that's all that matters! xoxo

this post contains affiliate links 


check out my other Nordstrom anniversary sale blog posts here:

what I purchased

buy now, wear now 

early access top picks



Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2018: Best of Home

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2018: Best of Home

Hi babes! Due to popular demand via insta story polls, today I'm sharing my home picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! If you've been following along for the past few weeks, you will know that we just purchased our first and forever home, so naturally I'm craving all the home items. (read more about our home buying experience here) While I want to buy everything, I am holding off until our furniture arrives. I am going to have to pick out rugs, light fixtures, and then accessories last. However, all of these pieces are totally my vibe and I wish I was ready to add them to my cart!

xoxo 

this post contains affiliate links


check out my other Nordstrom anniversary sale blog posts here:

what I purchased

buy now, wear now 

early access top picks