May 2017 Stitch Fix Review

I have been so, so excited for this box! It's been four months since my last fix! I normally get a fix every other month, but with our new budget and my LulaRoe obsession, the fix kept getting pushed back. And I waffled a lot on what I wanted.  First it was all pants/bottoms because none of mine were fitting. Then I went shopping with my mom and bought new pants. Then I changed it to dresses for our upcoming weddings, but realized I have plenty in my closet that don't get the wear they deserve. Finally, I landed on cute summer tops and maybe some bottoms. I requested some flirty, open-back tops because I've been working out and my back is looking pretty awesome. By God, I got what I asked for.

If you're familiar with Stitch Fix, scroll right on past this to the items! If you haven't ever heard of Stitch Fix, it's a personal styling service. You fill out a questionnaire that helps the stylists determine your style and how to size you.  My favorite thing about the questionnaire is that it allows you to specify not only the style of clothes you like (preppy, boho, casual, etc), but also the type of clothes you want (professional, casual, date night), how much and often you want each of those, and what you want to show off (cleavage, arms, back, legs, etc). Once you've filled that out, you determine your price points, how often you want a fix and then write your stylist a note. You can also do a Pinterest board to help your stylist get a better idea of your style. I have my fixes set for every other month and most of my price points are in the $50-$100 range.

Once you've scheduled your fix, your stylist will hand select 5 items for you.  A $20 styling fee is charged, but that is applied to any items you decide to purchase. You try the items on at home and mail back what you don't want in a pre-paid envelope.  Even better, you can now choose to exchange sizes! If you keep all five items, you get a 25% discount. If you are interested in trying Stitch Fix, you can use my referral link here.

Now that we're past all that, let's get to the fix itself.  This fix wasn't my best. I've been really spoiled by what Kelly, my stylist, has chosen for me in the past. She's styled two 5/5 fixes and others where I kept 2-3 items. This one? I wasn't even sure I was going to keep anything when I first tried things on! I always try things on twice, though, just to make sure.

Napean Sea Rd Zeni Cold Shoulder Blouse - $48

When I first peeked at my items when they shipped (shame, I know), I didn't know how I felt about this one. I figured it was either going to be really cute or really terrible. I haven't been a huge fan of the cold-shoulder style and wasn't sure how this was going to look. The first time I put it on, I hated it. It's a little shorter than I prefer on my tops and I had on the wrong bra. I'm convinced that half of the success of a top is the bra you're wearing! It can't fix everything, but it can fix a lot. Once I tried it on with a strapless bra and the jeans I would actually wear it with, I realized I actually really like the top!

I'm going to apologize now for my mirror selfie photos. I tried taking non-mirror selfies, but I looked like a fat cow in them. So mirror selfies it is! I ended up really liking this top! Unlike some of the other cold-shoulder tops I've tried, I like the shoulder hole on this one. It's at the top of my shoulder, which is defined, not resting on the fat, meaty part of my arm. I also love the skinny straps at the top. Super flattering.  Even more important, I don't have anything like this in my closet! I normally require my tops to do double duty (work and play), but this one is a total date night top and I love it. It's a keeper!

Crescent Tamber Piping Trim Top - $48

I wanted to love this top. I did! Orange is a great color on me and the piping was adorable. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be.

This top is super boxy on me. It hits my boobs and keeps on going. I look like a big ol' square. Don't get me wrong, I love flowy just like the next person, but I've worked hard for my shape. I like to show that I have one. I think a medium might have fit better, but I wasn't completely sure and didn't want to be stuck with the top if it didn't work. The other negative of this top is the neckline. This became a theme for me with this fix. The thick should straps look matronly on me and make me look broader than I am. Sadly, I sent this one back.

Temple Flower Twaluh Criss-Cross Cutout Knit Top - $48

Remember when I said I asked for open-back and I got it? This is it! The front is cute, looks like a normal navy tee. But the back is all open and twisty!

Yes, that's my bra. It is what it is. My initial thought on this top was that it's cute. I like the front, I could easily wear it under a cardigan or a jacket for work. I have a couple of made-to-be-seen racerback bras that would be cute under it, but it still felt a little naked for me. I think if it had just been the top cut out, I would have been fine and it would have been a definite keeper. Those two lower cutouts though? Put it over my comfort level. I found myself coming up with ways to cover my lower back and realized this shirt probably wasn't for me. But Kelly definitely gave me what I asked for! I sent this one back.

Skies are Blue Loni Open Back Detail Knit Top - $48

When I saw this during my peek, I figured that this would be my favorite of the tops. I liked the blue and white colors and who doesn't love a comfy tank top?

I do like this top. It is very comfy and the back detail is just the right amount. I don't feel naked, but I like knowing that I have the fun detail. The fabric is super soft and I could pair it with all my shorts and capris. But I don't love it. The straps are too thick, making my shoulders and arms appear bigger than they are. The stripes hit weird, half on my boobs and half off, so from the front it has more of a boxy look. When I was modeling all my tops for Aaron, he asked me why I didn't love this one. It's my usual kind of top. I asked him if he would be willing to pay $48 for it and he said no. Stitch Fix is a little expensive sometimes. I don't mind paying $48 for a top. Even for a good basic staple if it's made well. But this is just a fun tank top. I think if it had been $30, I would have kept it. But not at $48. 

DV8 Karene Perforated Bootie - $95

I mentioned in my note that I have been on the hunt for some good perforated booties. There are a couple of pairs that I'm stalking at various stores. Kelly found some for me and included them in my box.

I tried these booties on with the green NSR top. You can see them in the left photo. They are cute on and they are oh so very comfortable. I had two issues with them, though. The first was that I don't really wear black booties in the spring and summer. It just seems a little too harsh for me. However, I also recognize they would be great during the fall and winter. My biggest issue was the price tag. I've been stalking a few pairs at DSW that are around $75-80. I can't bring myself to pay that much for booties, so I know I can't bring myself to pay $95. Maybe if I loved all the other items and was getting the 25% discount. But I don't and I'm not. So, these babies are going back.

Thoughts

I still love Stitch Fix! Not going to lie, I was super bummed when I thought that I had received a 0/5 box, but even then I was still in love with this service. Even Aaron said, "Isn't that the risk you take?" when I told him that I would be out $20. And it is. But when I think about it, the tops are in colors and prints that I love. Kelly gave me what I asked for - tops with some back detail and perforated booties. And if nothing else, I learned from this fix that thick straps on tanks are not my friend! I'm keeping one item, the NSR cold-shoulder top, and I'm really excited for it! Now to think of places to make Aaron take me! What do you think? What were your favorite items?

Measuring Success - 4/28/17 - A Good Place

I think I can finally say that I've found the good place in this journey of mine. Or at least the first big one. I weighed myself once this entire month. It was this past Tuesday just to make sure I hadn't gained like 10 pounds in a month. I actually didn't gain any. Other than that, I really didn't think about it and it was glorious. When I told Aaron that I hadn't weighed myself all month, he told me he felt like I was in a good place. That it wasn't necessarily about the numbers anymore, but how I felt. And I thought about it all week and it's true. I'm in a darn good place.

Normally this post would talk about changes in my weight and my measurements. But today, this time, we're going to talk about the good place. Cause in your journey this is where you want to be.

I'm happier with my body than I have been in years. I don't hate watching myself in the mirror in the gym. I actually like it. I can see my muscles moving and working. I look strong and healthy. It's also really cool to know that I did that. I, with the help of others, transformed my body. That's awesome when you think about it.

I can consistently touch my knee to my elbow in yoga. If you haven't tried to do that, you might think that's nothing. This is huge for me. Some things are just physically not going to happen when you have a large chest, some extra baggage in the tummy and large thighs. But you also can't let that be your excuse. I started taking a Tuesday night yoga class with the owner of my gym. She teaches a yoga class that is basic in moves but anything but basic in strength. I lovingly call it yoga boot camp. I honestly burn more calories in that yoga class than most of my other high-cardio classes. But she pushes you and gives you space to push yourself and play. We've been working on chin stands, among other things. I'm nowhere near a chin stand, but I'm super proud that I can touch my elbow with my knee. It's no joke. And I've started being able to shift my weight forward so that one day (soon, hopefully), I can fly.

Top and bottoms from Fabletics

My skin and makeup are on point. I have finally figured out how to keep eyeliner on all through the day. I have a skin care routine and my skin loves it. My skin was never bad, it's always been great actually, and now it's better.

I still love food, but it doesn't rule me. I'm not tied to eating a certain amount of calories. I know when I've eaten like crap during a week and I make slight adjustments, like getting a salad for a working lunch instead of a sandwich and potato salad. I have better choices in my house. I make better choices when I cook. I still eat Cookout, sweet tea and queso and that will never change. Sorry not sorry.

I'm fitting in clothes I haven't seen in years! It's like shopping in your own closet. And I'm fitting in shirts that I bought as motivation. Like this bra top from Athleta. Let me tell you, in a studio gym full of Lululemon and Athleta wearing girls sporting strappy sports bras and back-bearing tops, I have longed for the day to wear one of those fun tops. They aren't really practical with a larger chest and aren't attractive if you have back fat. I bought this blue top from Athleta probably six months ago thinking "oh, it's a large, it'll fit" Yeah, no. It did fit, but I didn't feel comfortable in it.

Now I do. It's actually really supportive, even in spin. Not sure it's up for a boot camp class, but that's okay. My back is pretty awesome these days, so I'm happy to show it off some. Mostly, I just think it's cool that I can now wear some of those trendy tops like the other girls.

Mostly, though, I'm just comfortable in my own skin. I'm not posting any measurements this month. I haven't taken them and I'm okay with it. Plus, I feel like that would ruin this post, which is about everything but my numbers. I will post a comparison shot.

February 2016 and April 2017. And my new awesome top!

If you're on your journey, I hope you get to this point. Where the scale still matters, but doesn't rule you. Where you can truly look back and be darn proud of everything that you've done, no matter how far you still have to go. That, my friends, is the good place.

Sarah Gets a Regimen: My Quick and Easy Skin Care Routine

Last week I did a post reviewing my Origins Voxbox (read about it here).  That was a jumping off point for me in trying to figure out my own skin care regimen. If you're anything like me, you have at least 10 friends that are trying to sell you Rodan + Fields. Add to that the fact that I'm no longer a baby and I sweat like a pig five days a week. So I've actually been thinking about my skin, which is weird for me. I don't want to improve it, it's pretty awesome, but I do want to keep it awesome. So I did some research and came up with my own regimen.

Up until now, my regimen was a face wipe. I have friends and a sister-in-law that probably want to hurt me for that statement.  While I have been blessed with my mother's genes, I also know it's time to start taking care of what God gave me.

My research method was pretty simple: I used samples I had on hand. I didn't do a lot of research and I didn't buy a lot of products. There are probably plenty of products out there that are better, but these are what I tried. Remember, I'm just getting past a face wipe here! I used my Origins samples, some samples Sephora sent me and a Rodan + Fields mini facial my friend gave me at least a year ago (sorry Bridget!).  

Here is what I know to be true about me and skin care for it to work:

• It can't take me long in the morning
• It can't be complicated
• It shouldn't be a ton of products. I have shoes and clothes to buy.

Products I Tried Out

Cleanser

• Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash
• Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Melt Away

Moisturizer

• Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Moisturizer with White Tea
• Origins High Potency Night-a-Mins
• Origins Ginzing Energy Boosting Moisturizer
• Rodan and Fields Night Renewing Serum

Eye Cream 

• Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream
• Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream 

Masks

• Origins Active Charcoal Mask
• Origins Original Skin Mask 
• Rodan and Fields Microderm Abrasion Paste

Thoughts

Cleanser

I've tried cleansers before. And I've always been terrible at them. I've used Mary Kay before, when my mom sold it, and I've tried and really liked the Boots No. 7 line that you can find at Target and Ulta. But most cleaners aren't as easy as I would prefer (hi - I'm lazy) and they tend to leave my skin sticky feeling. Hence why the past few years I've just done face wipes. They're also a lot cheaper! I actually loved both of the cleansers that I tried and have bought both full size! I use the Frothy Face wash in the morning. I use it in the shower and then put on moisturizer.  I use the makeup melt away at night to take off my makeup. Which, by the way, works like a dream. It's $34, which is steep, but it's a bigger tub so I'm hoping it lasts a while! Both routines take me less than 5 minutes, so I can deal. The Frothy Face Wash also doesn't leave my skin sticky. Win win!

Moisturizer

Whew! There were so many good moisturizers to choose from! I tried the Night-a-Mins and the Ginzing Moisturizers before I attended the A Perfect World event at Origins in Southpoint Mall. I loved them both, but, let's be real. I'm not going to use a thousand products. I don't even use a thousand makeup products, I just own them. While I was at the event, I spoke with one of the sales ladies that recommended the A Perfect World moisturizer. I can use it at night or in the morning and it's great for normal skin, like mine. So I bought that one. And so far, I love it.

I also love the Night-a-Mins. I've been using my sample size of that at night after I take off my make-up. It's a little heavier for night, which I like. I would honestly consider buying it for night-time use once I know that I'm going to keep up a routine. The Ginzing was great, nice and light and smelled heavenly. Like a super light citrus smell. I think it would be great during the summer or months when I don't wear as much makeup. The Rodan and Fields Night Serum was okay. I'm not a fan of serums. I feel like I need a moisturizer with them and that breaks my rules of being complicated. 

Eye Cream

I'm going to be real honest: I don't get eye cream. Maybe it's because I have the face of a teenager. Maybe it's because I have deep set eyes and you don't really see them anyway. Whatever it is, eye cream seems like a waste to me. I tried both the Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream and the Clinique Pep-start Eye Cream. I could tell a little bit of a difference in my eyes/skin under my eyes with the Clinique Pepstart Eye Cream, but I also don't know if that's because I was looking for it or because it was actually there. Here are three comparison shots. First is no eye cream, second is with the Ginzing and third is with Clinique. I honestly can't tell a difference.

Masks
This one slightly goes against my "it can't be complicated" rule. But I tried out three masks. I love the charcoal mask! It doesn't peel (thank you sweet baby Jesus), but rinses off. I've been doing it after my classes on Saturday. The Original Skin mask is nice, but I don't love it as much as the charcoal mask. Plus, I tried it during a mini facial and they used a bunch of other products with it. Daunting. Finally, the Microderm Abrasion from R+F. I liked it. I did. But I'm going to be totally real and say that R+F is outside of my price range. Maybe later when I'm trying to reverse aging and all that. Maybe if I had skin care issues. But now? Nah. Like I said earlier - I have shoes and clothes to buy. And a new car.

The Winners!
Drumroll.....the winners are!

• Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash (Morning Cleanser)
• Origins A Perfect World Moisturizer (Morning and Night moisturizer)
• Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Meltaway (Nighttime cleanser)
• Origins Active Charcoal Mask (once a week)

It's still pretty basic. It's definitely more expensive than face wipes once a day, but I can already tell that my skin is happier. I have less bumps and red areas on my face. Like I said, I don't need much. But I feel like I've grown up a little today. I have a skin care regimen. Like an adult. Woo!

What's your skin care regimen? What are your favorite skin care products?

Life Lately

Guys! It's Tuesday. This week is nutty for us. The week before was nutty, too. But I figure most people's lives are nutty. I attended a blogger event this past week and I was talking with another blogger (Mary Leigh over at Live Well Play Together) about how we tend to show our best selves on social media, our blogs, etc. So today, you get a real live "this is how it goes down in the Zinn life" post. 

One of my favorite parts about being a blogger is the blogger community in the Triangle. I have met some amazing bloggers through our local group, TriFabb.  We have meet-ups every month where we do fun things and hang out with each other. This month we did a sneak peek at the Southern Women's show! We did a scavenger hunt for our free swag. I left loaded down with free stuff and scored a cute top from Interact of Wake County, a local non-profit that works with women fleeing domestic abuse. We also got free tickets to the show, which I used on Saturday!

My free stuff! Not shown - gigantic beach mat from Ovi Hydration! I am super excited about that map!

This past Friday we mulched our yard. By we, I mean Aaron with some help from his friend Josh. I'm going to give Aaron some big kudos for this because this was all him! Last week, he worked a couple of night shifts (4 pm to midnight) and even pulled a double one night (2nd and 3rd shift). He worked last weekend, so he already had Thursday and Friday off. We've been talking for awhile about mulching our beds. The builder just used pine straw. We also talked about connecting our beds, because frankly the way they landscaped was a little strange. Aaron came up with this idea, mapped it out and did about 90% of the work. And it looks amazing!

Here are some before photos of the yard. 

Side angle of the house with the pine straw

You can see in the photos above and in the one below that we had two separate beds. Aaron's idea was to connect the two. He used our water hose to outline the new bed. Then he spent most of Friday removing the sod.

Planned bed

And here's the after! I love the red mulch! Looks so good with the colors on the house and the stone!

Finished product!

On Saturday, my friend Jess came up. We did some bridal registry stuff for her wedding. I have a confession - I LOVE china. If I had all the money and the storage in the world, I swear I would have like ten different sets of china. Alas, I do not and have plenty of china of my own, so now I just offer my services in helping others register for their own china, ha! After that we took advantage of my free show tickets and hit up the Southern Women's show!

I had never been to the Southern Women's Show. To be honest, it didn't sound like something I would enjoy. I was wrong! It's a lot like the Holly Day Fair that my mom and I religiously attend in Fayetteville - a bunch of vendors, but with more of a focus on women. There were make-up counters galore, every networking marketing business known to man, clothing, and food! I really loved how many local vendors there were! There was even an Etsy shop. 

I didn't come home with any clothes, but I did come home with some home decor! I found this gorgeous wood sign that I fell in love with and bought immediately from AR Workshop in Raleigh. It's going on my big wall in my living room. 

Ignore the yellow lighting. It's been raining for two days and natural light wasn't my friend!

At the end of the show, I was dragging from carrying my gorgeous sign and some cute guy with a golf cart offered to take us to our cars. We obliged, naturally.

Jess got a makeover at Dior at the show. She probably won't be doing that again!

Sunday we spent with Aaron's family. We missed Easter with them since he had to work, so we did our Easter this weekend. We had lunch and played Pandemic. We died. We always die. Then we did some shopping for workout clothes for Aaron and groceries. I was done by that point. I was peopled out! We got some Chinese for dinner and called it a night. 

This week, Aaron's in wastewater class all week. I've got a class Wednesday night and an appointment on Thursday and we leave Friday for a friend's wedding in New Bern. This weekend starts the madness of three weddings in a month. Thankfully, I've got some Amy's Chili Mac (seriously, amazing) and a crock pot to help me survive this week.

In the interest of full-disclosure and real-real life posts, I might have gotten Little Caesar's last night instead of cooking. Almost running out of gas due to stupid traffic and flooding roads is traumatic. And cooking was just not going to happen after that.  

How's your life going? 

Homemade Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Growing up, we didn't eat fettuccine alfredo at home. It's one of my favorite dishes and we would always get it out at restaurants, but we didn't make it at home. When I started doing my own cooking, I would try and make it with jarred alfredo sauce and it never tasted right! It wasn't until I learned how to make a roux and how to make pan gravy that I finally learned how to make fettuccine alfredo at home. And now, I'm going to share with you how I make it!

Because this is what the leftovers look like!

You're going to need two pots and a pan for this recipe. I don't know how to make it using less pots and pans than that. One pot for the pasta (I like to use my 3.5 quart Analon straining pot so I don't have to use a colander), one smaller pot for the broccoli (I use my 2 quart Calphalon Unison pot) and a large pan for the sauce and chicken (I use my 4 qt Calphalon Unison Saute Pan). You'll also need a slotted spoon, a spatula, and a whisk or wooden spoon for the sauce. I promise it is worth all these dishes!

Start by dicing the chicken. I use whatever chicken or meat is in the house. This time, I used two Italian seasoned Perdue Perfect Portion chicken breasts. Regular chicken breasts, chicken thighs, and shrimp are also great in this.

Melt a tablespoon of butter in your saute pan and then dump the chicken in and heat at medium-high heat. I like to let them lay in the butter and not move them around so they get an awesome brown crust. After about two to three minutes, flip them to the other side. After two minutes on that side, stir them around in the pan to make sure all sides are browned and chicken is cooked through. Remove to a plate, cover and set aside.

At this point, start boiling the water for your pasta. I waited too long to do that and then my sauce was ready way before my pasta. So start the boiling now! I used fettuccine, but really any pasta works. This is one of my favorite clean out your pantry/freezer recipes, in case you couldn't tell. Just use what you have!

To make the roux, in the same pan that you browned the chicken in, melt two tablespoons of butter. When the butter is melted (make sure not to burn it), sprinkle three teaspoons of flour on top. Now, if you're me, you will eyeball all of this. I hardly measure any of this anymore. Stir the flour and butter mixture to make a paste that easily leaves the pan when you stir it. If it's not making a paste, add more flour. If it's too much of a paste (like straight up flour), add some more butter. It's all about fat versus flour.

Since you browned the meat in butter, your sauce isn't going to be a creamy, white sauce. It's probably going to be a little brown. But for flavor wise, I prefer that. If you want a clean, white sauce, use a different pan for the meat. But you'll miss all the amazing flavor! Anyways, once the flour butter paste is made, add in the milk and half and half mixture. Stir around with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring until it starts to thicken, about three minutes. Add in the parmesan cheese and stir some more. Remove from heat and set aside or move to a keep warm eye on the stove, if you have one.

This is the consistency I like my sauce to be with the parmesan added. 

At this point, start boiling the water for the broccoli. You want it at a full rolling boil. You're going to blanch the broccoli. I used to cook the broccoli with the chicken, but then it got soggy in the sauce. Blanching is a technique where you flash cook a fruit or vegetable, preserving it's color and texture. I do this a lot in canning, so it made sense to try it in this recipe and it works! To blanch the broccoli, put about half the broccoli in the pot (or all if you're using a larger pot). Cook for one minute once it starts to boil again. At the end of the minute, pull the pieces out with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining broccoli.

Blanching broccoli

Set the broccoli aside in a separate dish and cover until ready to add. Finish up the pasta.

Blanched broccoli. Look how green it is!

At this point, if your alfredo sauce looks like a nasty paste like this, no worries. This is what happens when you make your sauce before you boil the pasta, haha.

There's this magical thing called pasta water.  Once the pasta is done, add about 3/4 cup or a ladle spoon of pasta water to the sauce. Stir it around to mix in. You should now have a nice, creamy sauce that isn't too thick or too runny.

Perfect!

Drain the pasta. Add in the broccoli and chicken and serve.

Your sauce will stick to the noodles. Your chicken will be brown, beautiful and flavorful. And your broccoli will be bright green with the right crispness. It's a masterpiece and worth every stinkin' piece of dish you have to wash.

To reheat, because we live off of leftovers in this house, cook in the microwave at 70% power for 3 minutes. The sauce will have separated some, but not too much, and the broccoli will still be crisp (that's why you blanch!).  The recipe without all my rambling is below. Also, fun fact, once you get a roux down, you're 80% of the way to making pan sausage gravy, which is the holy grail of food to cook in my book.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Ingredients:
2 crowns of broccoli, cut up and stems removed
1 lb of chicken, cut up
fettuccine noodles (I use about half a 1 lb box)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup half and half
3 tsp flour
3/4 cup parmesan cheese.

1. Melt 1 tbsp of butter. Brown the chicken. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Prepare the pasta using directions on the box.
3. Melt 2 tbsp of butter. Sprinkle 3 tsp of flour over the butter and mix with a wooden spoon into a paste.
4. Start boiling water to blanch the broccoli. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add in half the broccoli. Once the water begins to boil again, boil for one minute and remove. Continue with the rest of the broccoli.
5. Add in the milk and half and half. Stir until thickened, about three minutes.
6. Add in the parmesan cheese and stir.
7. Add in the browned chicken and broccoli. Stir and serve!

Bathings Suits I Don't Hate

Other bloggers might have titled this, "My Favorite Bathing Suits!" but let's be real, I hate them. I hate shopping for them. I hate that dread of pulling dozens of suits just to find one that you don't feel like a fat whale in. Or, worse, to not find one at all. I've had both happen. So, for me, Bathing Suits I Don't Hate is just a more fitting title.

As much as I hate buying bathing suits, I end up buying a new one, or part of one, every year. This year, I had to buy a new one because I needed to size down. I have suits that fit on the bottom, but now the smaller ones don't fit on top.

For years, Target was one of my go-to stores for bathing suits. They are decent quality and not ridiculously expensive. I stopped shopping there for suits, though, when I, um, outgrew the tops. This year, they have a new brand called Shade and Shore that has cra cup sizing. And all the girls over a C-cup rejoiced! I picked up this cute halter top. No added padding, and it ties in the back so your band size can be adjustable if needed.

Shade and Shore Halter Bikini Top

This is the first year in a long time that I actually feel comfortable in a bikini. Am I the smallest? Nope. But do I hate how I look? Nope. And I'm good with that! I was actually pretty surprised when I tried this on and liked it. I'm pairing it with some of my older bottoms that are hot pink and another pair that is black with a fold-down band with bright colors.

If you aren't a fan of the bikini, then you should try my favorite tankini top. Anne Cole became my go-to bathing suit brand when my boobs didn't fit in the Target bathing suits and I needed bra cup sizing.

Anne Cole Bandeau Tankini Top

I literally have this top in two sizes I love it that much. It's ruched on the sides, which helps camouflage any areas you aren't too comfortable with and the sweetheart neckline is super flattering. It comes with a detachable strap that you can wear to make it into a halter. This top also comes in a ton of different colors and prints, not just this one.  Sometimes, you can find them cheaper on Zulily. Or just wait for a sale at Macy's.

Athleta now also carries bra top swimsuits. I haven't tried their suits yet, but those that have love them!

The bottoms to this tankini are also some of my favorites. The bikini bottoms with the fold-down band I mentioned above are like these.

Anne Cole Foldover Bikini Bottoms

In case you can't tell, I'm weird and don't buy bathing suits together. I don't love Target's bottoms and Anne Cole is expensive and I can't afford to buy both the tops and bottoms together. I'm also a big fan of buying black or navy bottoms and lots of fun tops. Victoria's Secret had my favorite bikini bottoms, but then they stopped selling bathing suits. Weirdos. Old Navy was my second favorite and is back to the top spot in the world of bathing suit bottoms. They have great plain bikini bottoms and they aren't expensive.

Old Navy Bikini Bottoms

There is nothing super exciting about them. They aren't fancy, but they are great basics. 

In my many years of body-hating-swim-suit-shopping, this is what I have learned about bathing suit shopping when you aren't small:

• Less is more. I'm not saying wear a string bikini, but I'm also saying that a regular bikini bottom is going to more flattering on you than high waisted bottoms (at least in my experience)
• Straps are your friend. This is more for girls with bigger girls. That mess gets heavy. Also, straps reduce the possibility of your girls exiting the top during waves. That is all.
• If you have a larger bottom/thighs, dark solid colors are your friends. I have gigantic thunder thighs. I can tone them and they have actually gotten smaller, but they're still thunder thighs. Thanks, Dad. A dark, solid bottom is going to draw less attention to that area. I like to wear dark solid bottoms with bright tops. Brings the eye up to your face, away from problem areas. You can also reverse it if you want to detract attention from your top and you like your bottom half better. 
• Tie closures all day long. They make things adjustable. On your bottoms, they allow to adjust the fit without having to go up a size. Same thing for tops. The bikini top above is great because it has a substantial band, which you need for support, but then has the tie in the back for adjustment.
• Be nice to yourself. It's just a bathing suit. It's not the end of the world. And in the wise, wise words of my mother, "There are going to be people that look better than you and people that look worse. Find the ones that look worse and sit beside them." Just kidding, kind of. Find something that you feel comfortable in and go on with life. The summer is just around the corner and life is too short to not have fun because of a stupid bathing suit. 

Green Skin Care: Origins Voxbox Review!

Let's start this off by saying that I am the least skin caring person known to man. Except maybe my friend Sarah, but not the Sarah that stopped eating dairy for her skin. She's the most skin caring person known to me. I have too many Sarahs. I digress. For most of my adult life my skin care regimen has been a face wipe. Not even at night, just in the morning before I put new makeup on. Terrible. I know. I figured that now that I'm not in my 20s and I'm exposing my face to ridiculous amounts of sweat most days, I should probably do more. Then Influenster chose me (and a bunch of other people) to get an Origins Voxbox. Perfect timing!

In case you aren't familiar with Influenster, it's a company that works with people that like to try free products. They send complimentary products for you to try out and then give your review.  The larger the social media presence you have, the more likely you are to receive the products. It's totally free. This is my second voxbox and I love getting them. Who doesn't love trying free products?

The voxbox came with five samples:

• Origins Ginzing Energizing Moisturizer
• Origins High Potency Night-a-Mins Moisturizer
• Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash
• Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream
• Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

I've been using the products for the past two weeks. Some much more than others. 

Origins Ginzing Energizing Moisturizer

This is a light moisturizer. It's not as heavy as their Perfect World moisturizer. I think it would be great during the summer when I don't wear as much makeup or do much to my face period. The one thing that I truly love about both moisturizers in this box is their smell. It's a very light citrus fragrance. It's not knock-you-in-the-face strong, but just a nice whiff as you're putting it on. I haven't decided if I love this enough to buy full size, mostly because it's not something I would wear year round.

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Moisturizer

Night-A-Mins might be my favorite product in this box. Again, the smell is fabulous. I've been using this at night for about two weeks. I love that it's a heavier moisturizer, perfect for nighttime. I take my makeup off first, then put this on before heading to bed. In the morning, my skin isn't dry and angry, which is used to be once in a while. Not often, just sometimes. I have noticed that sometimes my eyes water at night when I put this on. At first I thought it was the cleansing balm I was using, but when I use my other moisturizer with the same cleansing balm, they don't water. I still love the product, though, and how it makes my skin feel. 

Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash

This is probably my second favorite product. I've also been using this for two weeks. I use it in the shower every morning. I started out using it after my shower, decided that was too much effort and annoying, and took it in the shower. A little bit goes a long way with this cleanser. Just put a little dab in your hand, mix in some hot water and then put on your face. I let it sit for a few minutes before washing off. That's usually during my "wake up the brain cells" time anyway. I like that it doesn't leave my face feeling sticky, which other face washes have done in the past. 

Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream

I don't get eye cream. Maybe it's because I've been blessed with my mom's genes and still look like I'm in college, but eye cream is lost on me. I tried it though! Twice! I put this on after my moisturizer (I put it on, go eat breakfast, and then go get ready) and before my primer. I guess that's what you're supposed to do? My face didn't look any different. I really wasn't expecting it to, though. Again, it's got a really nice smell to it. Past that, though, there isn't much I can tell you. Sorry. 

Origins Clear Improvements Active Charcoal Mask

Funny story - when I first got this, Aaron was super excited thinking that this was the peeling charcoal mask that's been making its way around the internet. When I attended the Origins event, he encouraged me to buy a full size, so I did. I didn't tell him that it wasn't the peeling kind because when else does your husband say, "Go, buy this product!" Never, people. Never. I haven't used this product as much, mostly because you aren't supposed to use it every day. I've only used it once, actually. I used it after a workout, when my face was most disgusting. I followed the directions, used a hot wash cloth to open my pores and then smeared it on.

I didn't do above my lips because I've been super sneezy lately and didn't want to chance it!

I've never really done a mask, so I'm sure I didn't do it as thoroughly as others might have. That's okay. I personally appreciated that it wasn't a peel off mask. I've watched enough of those videos with women screaming "Jesus take the wheel" and other entertaining remarks that I really don't feel the need to do it myself. I preferred just rinsing it off. Much better!

Oh look, I can move my face to smile now!

I loved how my skin felt after! So soft and smooth. It's a good thing I like it because I already own a full size!

This voxbox was fun! I loved getting to try all these products and attending the Origins event at Southpoint mall. I even had my tea leaf reading. I don't really believe in that stuff, but it was fun! And I will say that she was on point, I was surprised. My favorite part was when she told me I was surrounded by angels and had lots of people watching over me. All the feels.

Back to the topic. Of the five products, the Frothy Face Wash, Night-A-Mins and the Charcoal mask are the products I'm most likely to buy. I decided to take this opportunity to try out these products along with some other sample skin care items to decide what my new regimen would be. That's another post, though! I'm almost through most of them and am pretty close to deciding my favorites and my new regimen!

I'm going to close this out by saying that while I love the products, I also think Origins as a company is really cool. Going to the event allowed me to spend time inside, talk to some of the sales ladies and see what they are all about. I love that they use natural ingredients and they recycle cosmetic bottles. From anywhere! They'll even give you points towards products for bringing in the recyclables. That's just kind of cool. You can also get mini facials each month. Yes, please.  Definitely check them out if you haven't. 

Have you tried Origins? If so, what are your favorites?