Friday Favorites: Favorites under $10

Yay, Friday!  We have a weekend full of birthday parties and plans with friends - I can't wait!  This Friday I'm sharing some of my favorite recent purchases under $10...

Belvita Breakfast Biscuits

Normally, I eat breakfast at work, since my company provides a free cafeteria with hot breakfast and lunch.  Since I'm home on maternity leave, I've had to figure out a quick and easy breakfast option to keep on hand.  I first tried these Belvita breakfast biscuits when they were included in the hotel "welcome bag" for my brother's wedding; now, I'm addicted and have tried 4 different flavors.  (My favorite are the cranberry orange and coconut; the blueberry are good too.  I like the cinnamon brown sugar the least so far).  There are 4 biscuits in each package, which makes them perfect for on-the-go (or one-handed while nursing) breakfasts.  Grocery stores generally sell them in a 5-pack, but Amazon has them at a better price in a 12-pack.

Gain Scent Booster

I am a sucker for good-smelling laundry, and I love these scent boosters that you add to the washing machine - the laundry comes out smelling great!  I'd been using the Dreft scent booster for a while and wanted something new.  The Gain scent booster smells amazing!

Love Unending devotional

I was looking for a new devotional and came across this Love Unending: Rediscovering Your Marriage in the Midst of Motherhood book.  I am loving it!  This book has 21 days of "challenges", reflections, and prayers to strengthen your marriage - simple things, such as greeting your spouse when they come home, forgiving your spouse quickly, and being intentional about thanking your spouse.  The focus of the book is on doing the things that came naturally at the beginning of your relationship (i.e., before kids) that sometimes fall by the wayside when we are stressed/busy/overwhelmed with raising a family.  I mostly love how "real" the author is in describing her own experiences.  I think it has definitely helped me change my attitude and my actions!

Braided 10-foot iPhone Charging Cord

Technically, these are more than $10, but that's for 3...so they come out to less than $10 each :) This seems ridiculous, but this thing makes my life SO much easier.  The charging cord that comes with the iPhone 1) falls apart too quickly and 2) is not nearly long enough!  My phone is almost always on super low battery, and these 10 foot cords mean that I can have it plugged in AND still comfortably use it sitting on the couch or laying in bed.  I think the braided cord is a lot more durable, too.  I have one of these in almost every room of the house!

OPI Passion nail polish

OPI "Passion" is my go-to color right now - it goes on super sheer, so you can't tell how bad I am at painting my own nails or how chipped they are from constant dish and bottle washing.  I feel more like a human when my nails are painted (and I pick at them less), so I slap on a coat or 2 of this once a week and feel much more polished (pun intended).

Ozark Trail (aka fake Yeti) Cup

I have a real Yeti cup and this Walmart knock-off brand is IDENTICAL - in size and how effective it is at keeping drinks cold/hot.  I love all the color choices and mostly that it's LESS THAN $8.  This way, I can justify having several since I have a 3-year-old who likes to drink out of my cup, so it's almost always in the dishwasher (which I think is technically not recommended but, again, 8 dollars.)

Favorite Things: Favorite Nail Polish

Today I'm linking up with Erika and Andrea to share my favorite things!  Today, the topic is favorite nail polish.

I am partial to Essie nail polishes.   I usually pick them up at Target or CVS.  I used to be a big fan of OPI, but I find that the brushes are too large for my fingernails (although they work OK for my toes).  Essie brushes are thinner, giving me more control; I also think that the consistency of Essie polish is thinner.  While this sometimes requires an extra coat, it means that it goes on more smoothly (less globs), dries faster, and shows my poor painting skills less :)

Here are some of my Essie favorites. 

Essie's Good to Go Fast Dry High Gloss Top Coat does exactly what it claims to - it helps nail polish dry super fast and is really shiny.  It's the perfect top coat.  I've tried lots of other brands, but this one is by far the fastest drying and the shiniest.

Essie's Chinchilly is one of my favorites for any time of year, but especially the colder seasons - it's a gray that has undertones of purple and taupe, depending on the light.  It's one of those nail polishes that people will always ask you what color you're wearing, but at the same time is tame enough to wear on an everyday basis to work.  Love!

I love Essie's Bahama Mama for the fall/winter season!  It is a great plum color that isn't too dark (sometimes I'm not in the mood for one of those almost-black dark polishes).

Essie's Mademoiselle has become my go-to nail polish.  This color is great - it's super sheer, so it doesn't show smudges or chips at all; it is truly one of those "your nails but better" colors that makes it look like you just happen to have very shiny and healthy-looking natural nails.  It's a must for busy moms!

Essie's Cute as a Button is a fave for spring/summer - it is a bright coral color; the perfect balance of orange and pink.  

Essie's Turquoise and Caicos is one of my favorite pedicure colors for sping/summer - a perfect blue-green!  

Favorite Things Under $10 - Drugstore Beauty Edition

Today I'm linking up with Momfessionals and A Little Bit of Everything to share my favorite things under $10!

This month, my favorites under $10 are all beauty products you can find at your local drugstore.

1.  St. Ives Timeless Skin Collagen Elastin Moisturizer

I love this St. Ives collagen facial moisturizer.  I have oily skin, so it is hard to find a good moisturizer that doesn't just make my face look and feel greasy.  I also hate spending $30 on a bottle of moisturizer that I'll go through in a month.  This comes in a giant tub (I've had the same one for at least 6 months), absorbs quickly, and isn't too thick and heavy.  Does the collagen actually do anything? Who knows.  But I like the way it makes my face feel.

2.  Pond's Evening Soothe Makeup Remover Wipes

These Pond's makeup remover wipes in the "Evening Soothe" chamomile and white tea scent are the best.  I've never been a huge fan of makeup remover wipes, but I had a travel sized pack of these that I took to the hospital when Carter was born, and they are the BEST.  They seriously smell SO GOOD.  I definitely got addicted to using makeup remover wipes based on the scent alone....and they're good at taking off makeup too.

3.  NYX Blush in "Pinched"

I bought this NYX blush in the "Pinched" shade this summer based on reviews I'd read online that said it was a pretty close match for the infamous NARS 'orgasm' blush.  I'm too frugal to spend $30 on NARS blush so I can't say whether it's actually a close match, but I do really like this blush. 

4.  Essie Good to Go Top Coat

Essie's Good to Go Fast Dry High Gloss Top Coat does exactly what it claims to - it helps nail polish dry super fast and is really shiny.  It's the perfect top coat.  I've tried lots of other brands, but this one is by far the fastest drying and the shiniest.

Favorite Things Under $10 - September

Today I'm linking up with Momfessionals and A Little Bit of Everything to share my favorite things under $10!

1.  Ikea Scarf Hanger

No matter the season, I love a scarf!  I used to keep my scarves in bins on a shelf in my closet, but I ended up never wearing the scarves at the bottom because they weren't visible (out of sight, out of mind).  I love this scarf hanger from Ikea because it allows me to hang up my scarves and see them all at once!  It's only $7.99 and can hold 28 scarves.

2. Microplane Pedicure Foot Rasp

So, this isn't the most glamorous product in the world...but it is amazing.  You know how the foot files you buy at Target to do an at-home pedicure never seem to get the bottom of your feet as smooth as they are after a nail salon pedicure?  You need this microplane foot rasp!  It's the same one they use at the nail salon, and it works SO much better than the flimsy Sally Hansen version - it's made by Microplane, so it's essentially a cheese grater for your feet (gross, but effective).  It has over 1,500 5-star reviews on Amazon...I love it!

3.  Old Navy Vintage V-neck Tees

I love Old Navy's vintage v-neck short-sleeve tees - I own at least 6-8 in both solid colors and stripes.  They're super inexpensive (they go on sale for about $6 all the time), soft, comfortable, and the perfect long length (key for tall girls like me).  These have become part of my mom uniform - they are casual and comfy enough to wear around the house, but when I leave the house, I can throw on some fun earrings, a statement necklace, or a scarf to turn it into an "outfit".  Although they're super casual, sometimes I'll wear one under a blazer to dress it up for work.

4.  Essie Chinchilly Nail Polish

Now that it's fall, I've switched over to what I consider "cold weather" nail polish colors.  Essie's Chinchilly is one of my favorites - it's a gray that has undertones of purple and taupe, depending on the light.  It's one of those nail polishes that people will always ask you what color you're wearing, but at the same time is tame enough to wear on an everyday basis to work.  Love!

Favorite Things Under $10 - August

I'm linking up with Momfessionals and A Little Bit of Everything to share my favorite things under $10!

Here are a few products I'm loving right now....

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1. Batiste Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair

I love this dry shampoo! I have tried a bunch of different drugstore brands (I'm too cheap to pay for the expensive salon brands - for that much money, I'll just shampoo my hair!), and this is by far the best!  Suave, Tresemme, and the others just don't compare.  This is the only dry shampoo that doesn't make my hair feel cakey and sticky; other brands have given me the look I wanted (non-greasy hair), but I have to put up with my hair feeling disgusting to the touch all day.  Not with Batiste!  Additionally, this dry shampoo is tinted for people with dark hair -- other brands always leave a powdery haze in my brown hair, but this one blends right in.  Give it a try!  You can order it online or find it at Ulta.

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2. Essie nail polish in Mademoiselle

This has become my go-to nail polish; with a newborn, I certainly don't have time for the nail salon, nor do I have time to painstakingly paint my nails a bright color, avoiding smudges and chips.  This color is great - it's super sheer, so it doesn't show smudges or chips at all; it is truly one of those "your nails but better" colors that makes it look like you just happen to have very shiny and healthy-looking natural nails.  It's a must for busy moms!

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3.  Boots Almond Body Butter

My friend Michelle recently introduced me to this body butter; I've never been a big fan of body butters because they're either too greasy, or they're no different from normal lotion.  This one is great -- it has a slight almond scent (nothing too overpowering), and it moisturizes SO well.  My legs feel amazing after slathering on this body butter!  You can order it online or find it at Target in the Beauty section.