I have to say that I'm a bit of a skincare and skincare product skeptic.  It takes a lot (data, results, etc.) for me to buy-into something.  When I started to hear about dermaplaning, I was more than skeptical and also a little intimidated.  You, of course, can have this done by a professional, but you can also do it at home.  It's important to note here that I am by no means a medical professional.  I'd recommend that you do your research and perhaps consult one prior to doing any of this.

Before I get into all of that, let's take a few steps back and discuss what dermaplaning is.  In it's purest sense, dermaplaning is a method of exfoliation whereby a surgical scalpel is used to gently scrape off of the surface of your face (any peach fuzz is removed in the process as well).  It's garnered a bit of a cult following because the build-up of dead skin cells can lead to break-outs, as well as making your skin appear more dull.  Additionally, it helps with absorption of all of that product that we spend so much on to moisturize and combat aging.  It's been adapted for home use with the use of this tool.  If you are reading between the lines here, dermaplaning is the equivalent to shaving your face.  I know, for years you've been warned of the dangers of this - your hair will grow back more course, etc., etc. - but that's simply not true.


So yes, taking a razor to your face with no real training seems a little intimidating.  But I arrived armed with the help of Jordan Harper.  And more specifically, this video. (As an aside, Jordan is a great person to follow for skincare! If you are vaguely interested or looking for tips, hit her up!) There's a couple keys to this practice: start with a clean, dry face; slow & steady; and follow-up after with a retinol (which promotes skin cell turnover).  I'd recommend that at the most you use the twinkle razors twice.  I could definitely tell a difference the second time I used it though there's a school of thought that you can use them up to 4 times.

The verdict: I'm 100% a convert.  In just the three weeks that I've dermaplaned, I've noticed a significant difference in the appearance of my skin.  It's more radiant, it's more supple (I suspect because it is absorbing product better), and my makeup sits far better on my face than before.  I would say that if you are the very least bit interested, you should try it.  And if you do try it, I'd love to hear your experience and results.

As I have gotten older, I have worked hard to continue to keep a handle on my skin care. To be consistent, to invest in product that will help my skin stay healthy (and ward off the signs of aging) and to wear sunscreen...all of the time.  When you are pregnant, A LOT of what you usually use, you cannot use until after you have had the babies and/or done breast feeding.  And during that time, I feel out of practice.  I got incredibly lazy with my regime.  So now, as I'm reaching my mid-thirties, I feel like I've gotten back into a good practice which I'm sharing with you today.  Hunker down, it's quite the process.




So after all of this, I'm always on the hunt for new or different products.  If you have any you are loving or want to share, please feel free to send them my way.  And head on over to my instastories as I'll be taking you through my morning process.

I actually laughed at the irony of the title of this post.  As anyone with children (or anyone who knows anything about children for that matter) can appreciate, after you have them, you never REALLY are well-rested.  Don't get me wrong, the length of time that you sleep does tend to increase as they age, but it's a different type of rest. In any event, whether people are being incredibly kind or they are being honest, I've heard a lot recently (with a tremendous amount of surprise) that I look well-rested for someone who has a 5 year old & newborn at home, with another newborn in the NICU.  I can assure you, I am NOT well-rested.  Since Lola was so small when she was born (4 lbs 13 oz), we've been adhering to a (quasi) strict every 3 hour feeding scheduling, leaving me up in the middle of the night at midnight, 3 am, and 6 am.  (If anyone needs a texting buddy during that time, holler).  That coupled with my daytime schedule of feedings and NICU visits, doesn't leave me a tremendous amount of time to 'sleep when the baby sleeps' (the go-to advice that every expecting mother receives from everyone they encounter).


In any event, prior to pregnancy, I picked up the NARS radiant creamy concealer.  Of this I attribute 50% of my 'well-rested' look to.  Seriously, I'm confused as to how I didn't make the leap to this before.  The other 50% of my 'well-rested' look I attribute to a healthy mix of caffeine (all.of.the.coffee.) and an awesome highlighter (I use this one too).  And maybe a dash of good genes and the ability to function off of little sleep.

There is nothing more fun to me than a bright, bold lip.  Though I tend to gravitate towards more neutral tones, I feel most refreshed and ready to conquer the world when I have a fun lip color on.  In that vein, I've been collecting bolder lipsticks for sometime, slowly integrating them into my day-to-day and hoping that they stick.  After some time, I think that I've narrowed down some of my favorites and ones that I continue to come back to which I am sharing with you today.

L'Oreal Ballerina Shoes is a lovely soft pink.  It's perfect for a pink lip and/or work appropriate.

NARS Dolce Vita (also love MAC Modesty) are great nude lip colors.  I often use one of these as a base and layer a gloss on top of.

Revlon Pinkissimo is a more playful pink color.  It's still neutral enough that you can wear it to a more conservative event, but also playful enough for a night out.  I wear it both by itself, but also layer it on top of more pink colors for a deeper look.

Laura Mercier Tulip (similar color for less Revlon Pink Pop) is a color that's on the verge if you are more into neutral colors.  It's a beautiful pink/purple and a good gateway color if you are looking to dabble into more bold.  Another bonus, Laura's lippies smell like cake.

Bobbi Brown Hot Berry is definitely a more bold color.  It's bright, pink and oh-so-good. It's also a crayon versus a gloss or stick.  It still goes on just as easy and is buildable.  Meaning if you want to tone it down, put the Revlon Pink Pop on top, or if you want to hype it up, you can layer a similar gloss on top of.

NARS Sixties Fan is a gorgeous deep berry color that is perfect for the fall, but it's also subtle enough that you can rock it year round.  NARS does a great job with pigment and their gloss it just-right in terms of coverage, texture (not too sticky), and longevity.

Chanel Bitter Orange was a little out of my comfort zone as well, but my local Chanel counter contact gave me a sample and I loved it so much I picked it up the next day.  It's a great red-orange mix and with Chanel's new reformulation, it addresses all of my issues I had with their previous mix.

L'Oreal Blake's Red (also love L'Oreal True Red and MAC Ruby Woo) are all all-time favorite quintessential reds.  They are varying shades at varying price points, but nothing is more flirty than a bold, red lip.

If you are looking to integrate a more bold or different shade into your life, I would recommend baby steps.  Try a shade bolder than what you would usually wear and rock it during the day; step up your game for an evening out with your friends with a new or even bolder color (girlfriends tend to be more accepting of a bolder lip than dudes - trust me on this one).  Before you know it, you'll be rocking it all of the time.

I've written before about my perpetual search for the perfect mascara.  That's why when Influenster offered up a chance to try out some of Lancôme's eye make-up, I was excited to give it a whirl.


Here's the break down:

Définicils Mascara
Promises to: provide lavishly long, perfectly defined lashes
Delivered: Just that; It did an excellent job at separating my lashes and lengthening them.  However, it does take several layers (like most mascaras) and doesn't provide the thickening that I also look for in a mascara.  I would definitely continue to use it, but would likely layer with another product to add more volume to my lashes.

Drama Liqui-Pencil Longwear Liner
Promises to: deliver high-intensity, long-wear color; easy to apply, lasts all day.
Delivered: Just that; I usually am not a fan of eye pencils for my top lashline (I swear by Stila for liquid liner) but if you are a little gun-shy on the liquid liner front, this is a great option for you.  I also used it as a highliner (I usually use this) and it got the job done as well.

Visionnaire Yeux Eye Cream
Promises to: visibly correct wrinkles & unevenness around the eye for a smoother contour & diminished dark circles in four weeks.
Delivered: TBD. I like the texture, it went on weightless and allowed for my undereye corrector to go on a smooth surface, but the verdict is still out as to whether or not it diminishes circles in four weeks.  I have quite the task for this one given my lack of sleep, but any improvement is better than nothing.

Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Make-up Remover
Promises to: remove eye makeup leaving your eyes feeling cool and relaxed with no oily residue; ideal for sensitive skin and contact wearers
Delivered: Just that; Usually makeup remover that has a oil mixture component that leaves a residue on my skin - this one absolutely did not.  It removed all of the waterproof eye makeup without a sweat.  I'm a big fan.

Overall, I was a fan of most of the product.  I'd definitely buy the bi-facil eye make-up remover; I have a bear of a time getting my eye makeup off and this does the trick.  In terms of the other items, I think they stack up well with what's on the market (particularly the eye liner), but I don't think that I'll be switching from my tried and true.  And I'm also still on the look out for a mascara.

I am a member of the Influenster group and product was provided to me for purposes of this review; however, opinions herein are my own.  Thank you for supporting brands who support Haute Child in the City.  

It's that time of year again, when Sephora starts it's coveted Rouge and VIB sales.  If you are lucky enough to be a Rogue member, the discounts are already available to you and VIB starts on Friday.  20% off is a great way to stock up on your favorites, try something new, or start picking up from holiday gifts for the beauty fanatic on your list.  Whatever the reason, it's not to be missed. Today I'm sharing some favorites that I typically keep in my makeup drawer and keep coming back for more.

When it comes to beauty products, I like to try new things.  However, there are some items which I keep going back to time and time again because they work and I love them.  In my opinion, given my penchant for switching up my beauty routine, when something makes it on my repeat offender list, it must wow me.

The change of seasons is always a good time to make changes or add on to your current beauty routine.  As I've recently gone a little lighter than usual, I'm trying to focus on upping my hair product game and I've rounded up some new (to me) items that I want or have already added to my toolkit.

sugar mist: I've been a devotee of Bumble & Bumble's Surf Spray for decades (does that age me?).  Regardless I am not so eager to jump ship from a tried and true, but word on the street is that sugar mist has all of the benefits of the loved salt spray bur less the drying of salt with the moisturizing bonus of sugar.

wella luxe oil:  The smell of this oil alone is enough to make me want to use it all day every day.  But in addition to smell, wella is known for products that are great for color treated hair (hello.) so I'm all in on anything that promises to make my hair more healthy & smells great.

aveda blue malva conditioner: Since I've gone a touch lighter on my hair color as of late, I'm working double time to not only keep my hair healthy, but work on the color in between treatments.  Enter blue malva.  I've worshipped at the shampoo counter of aveda previously, but I use this conditioner once a week (note: I only wash my hair twice a week). I keep it on for the duration of the my shower and it is the last thing I wash off before I get out.

beachwaver: I've held out on a curling wand long enough.  Everyone sings the praises of the beachwaver and I am looking for an easy tool to integrate into my everyday.  Has anyone tried this one yet? Do you have a favorite?

This year I resolve to:

+ Always wash my face before bed: I know, I know, it's one of the first cardinal rules of skincare - ALWAYS WASH YOUR FACE BEFORE BED.  And 99% of the time, I'm usually pretty good about it, but we all have lazy days, don't we? I'm planning on deploying these face wipes to help me get a jump on getting the day off of my face.

+ Use serums religiously: I've fallen out of a nighttime serum routine and I need to get back in it.  Nighttime is the time that your face does the most repair and it's a great opportunity to ensure that it's hydrated and have some uninterrupted repair time.


+ Fill in my brows forever & always:  I shared that I fell in love with this brow pencil and I still am in love with it, just not as diligent as a part of my always routine.  It should be used though, always.

+ Rock a bold lip more often: I am a lover of a good bold lip, but often times I don't rock it as much as I should.  It instantly takes your look to the next level.

+ Use a mask once a week: I am so loving this mask.  After I use it, my skin is so much better - softer, more luminous, and my pores are much clearer.  Totally worth the investment.
+ Get back into the dry brushing routine: I was a devotee of dry brushing for a while, but like many of the items up here, I've fallen off of the wagon.  I loved the benefits I saw when I was more diligent about it (brighter, softer skin) and I'm eager to realize those in 2016.

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is playing around with a new beauty routine.  It's practically the only time of year that I can legitimately wear false eyelashes regularly and red lipstick and people (kinda) get it.  With the holiday season also comes cooler temps and a need to change up the foundation of my skin care routine, so I've rounded up some of my favorite holiday must-haves, as well as some nice add-ons for you to make your beauty routine this year a bit more festive.

+ a killer moisturizer: I love Ole Henrisken's line; not only it is natural ingredients, but it WORKS.  I swear by their truth serum regularly, but during this time of year, the Nurture Me line (though designed for sensitive skin/rosacea) provides a really luxurious coverage (and smell!).

+ a little dewy add-on: I usually use this Laura Mercier illuminating moisturizer for all over coverage during the summer.  It's light weight and gives the right dewy look. In the winter, I like to use it as a highlighter on my cheeks to achieve a natural illuminating look for the winter.

+ an adele-inspired cat-eye: I love a good liquid liner, but struggled for years regarding finding the right one for me.  My girlfriend introduced me to this Stila liquid liner and I have to say I'm never going back.  Now if only I could manage a perfect cat-eye a la Adele.

+ a natural cheek shimmer: The Bobbi Brown Shimmer brick is a heavy hitter in my beauty arsenal (and it's currently on-sale at Nordstrom!).  It's great to use year-round or give you the extra oomph of shimmer for that holiday party.

+ a pop of red: Red is one of the quintessential holiday colors and the best way to integrate it into your holiday look is with a red lip.  Mac lipstick is my go-to: both ruby woo and lady danger are my faves.

+ get a little winky: I love any excuse to strap on some fake eyelashes.  It gives you an instant wow-factor with very little work.  They key with fake eyelashes is to apply the glue and let it dry a little before you apply the lashes to the lashline.  After it's attached (and the glue is fully dried), apply your eyeliner and a coat of mascara.  When it comes to which brand/type of fake eyelashes to purchase, I recommend investing a little.  The drugstore variety work well, but often times not re-usable beyond their first application.  Because I get a little more wear out of my fake eyelashes, I tend to purchase either Mac or Sephora's line.

+ dazzling eye shadow: If it's not obvious to you by now, I'm all about the shimmer for the holiday season.  The Naked Palette is a tried and true palette year-round, but their more sparkly selections come in handy particularly this holiday season to make your eyes pop.

After I shared my weekly hair care routine, I received a lot of follow-up asking for shampoo/conditioner recommendations.  The truth is I'm slightly shampoo/conditioner ADD; I don't have a tried and true brand that I swear by or I stick to.  Like mascara, I'm constantly searching for the holy grail of hair care.  I have come into brands which I do truly like so I thought that I'd share what I've tried and stay in my rotation:

I'll read you in on a little secret, more often than not these days more and more women aren't washing their hair everyday.  Depending on your hair type, there's a lot of literature out there that says washing your hair everyday strips it of healthy oils and actually dries your hair out more over time making it less healthy (And yes, there is actually literature on hair care).  Or maybe that's just my excuse for not washing and drying my hair everyday.  I had started this washing my hair two times a week thing while I was out on maternity leave - it was easier to get away with greasier hair when you had the valid excuse of an infant, but hadn't found my holy grail of dry shampoo until a little over a year ago.  Here's the trick with not washing your hair, dry shampoo.  Live it. Love it. Own it.  As proof that this not washing your hair everyday thing actually works, I thought I'd offer up some photographic proof, as well as my hair care regime.

Sunday Night - Wash my hair, put in 'It's a 10' Leave-in Conditioner, and let air dry overnight

Monday Morning - Hot style hair with either curling iron or straight iron

Tuesday Morning - Spritz Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray in hair and curl

Wednesday Morning - Spray DryBar Dry Shampoo (for Brunettes here) at hairline, and at several points underneath hair around crown of head.  Let sit for a few minutes and comb through.

Wednesday Night - Lather, rinse, repeat.


So basically, under the best circumstances, I wash my hair on Sunday and Wednesday nights.  Depending upon my level of activity and what else we are up to, I might alter the schedule a little (e.g., using dry shampoo earlier in the process), but generally speaking the schedule works for me.

A few other tips for keeping you hair as healthy as possible:
- I use a wide tooth comb to brush my hair at all times. It tends to pull out the tangles a little more gentler and I have found less breakage
- Use a good shampoo/conditioner; I haven't found a favorite yet, but I bounce around between several options
- Limit heat to your hair as much as possible.
- Vitamins; at least a multi-vitamin, if not a biotin supplement

So let me know, is this something you'd want to give a go? Do you wash your hair everyday? What are your favorite products?

It's that time of year in the Carolina's - Spring has officially sprung.  And with the official start of Spring on the calendar, along with the warming temps, I'm starting to get the itch to revamp some of my habits and start anew.

+ I started dry brushing.  So far, so good - I'll keep you posted on how it goes, but I'd recommend you give it a whirl if you are in the least bit intrigued.

+ I usually start my morning with a huge cup of coffee.  However, after reading about the benefits of hot lemon water first thing in the morning, I've starting gulping that down as the house is getting ready for the day.

+ I'm looking for a bit of a closet refresh - I am currently loving this & this & this (as seen on Becky) - apparently refresh to me means white.

+ I love a good skincare routine and though I am thinking of changing up some of it, I'm sticking by this tried and true.  I love the citrus scent.

+ Being a rule follower, I love the idea of implementing some house rules to live by.  I think that these are simple & very implementable and plan to do so ASAP in our household.

Are you doing any spring cleaning in your life, either metaphorical or literal? I'd love to hear what you are up to with the change of the seasons.