Royal (Baby) Blues

Welcome to the world little Prince George Alexander Louis! The world has definitely been watching and waiting for your arrival.

To celebrate, I won't inundate you with any more photos of the Royal Baby's big reveal, or of Kate's unbelievably flawless hair after giving birth (seriously, some things in life are not fair, and her hair falls into that category!) but I thought I'd celebrate with some fun beauty and fashion in shades of Royal (Baby) Blues! And polka dots too, to honor this amazing moment: 

I mean, honestly, what a touching and beautiful little nod to Diana.
(via ABC news)

Polish/Liner/Shorts/Candle/Dress

Have you been watching all the coverage?

And what did you think of the name?! 

Hope y'all are happy and healthy and enjoying this Wednesday! 

About Face: Fresh Start on Skin Care

We all went through an awkward phase with acne in middle and high school, but for most of us it never got to a point where we took our skin care "seriously". Personally, I struggled with a few different face washes and bought fancy concealer now and then, but that's about it.
I'll admit to being a girl who has always had pretty "good" skin. If you can call being as pale as a ghost year round good, that is. But lack of a tan aside, my skin had pretty much never been truly problematic, and I always take good care of it in terms of of making sure not to get burnt.
 Up until recently, my routine has been very simple and has involved a basic cleanser and heavy moisturizer. That's it. I've always toyed with the idea of buying a Clarisonic, but basically never did because there was no serious need.

About 4 months ago, I was put on a new immunosuppressant for my Crohn's, and as a result my skin has a been a total mess. I've taken this as an opportunity to get serious about skincare, because I do think it's more important than I had realized. Today I'll outline my plan, and I'm going to update in about a month and then again in 3-4 months to review how my skin is coming along! I'm mostly doing this so that I can review the Clarisonic, but I'll be reviewing the line of skincare that I'm using too!

One/Two/Three/Four/Five

My routine is really simple! In the morning I use the Neutrogena Naturals Purifying facial cleanser to wash my face and the Garnier Moisture Renew Gel-Cream as a Daily Moisturizer before I put on my makeup.
Then before bed, I use the same Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Cleanser (which I just decided to buy because I've really liked the Neutrogena Naturals Acne Spot Treatment and I've been using that for a while) and then I turn on my Clarisonic Mia, and do the full minute, making sure to wash my cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead well. Then I use the amazing Neutrogena Naturals Multivitamin Nourishing night cream all over my face and neck. I am in love with this cream! It smells faintly like almonds, and it is so soft! Finally, I touch up any problem areas with the Neutrogena Naturals Acne Spot treatment.

I do want to point out that while I used a lot of products from one brand, it is only because I was enjoying the spot treatment and I've had good experiences with Neutrogena skincare in the past. So far I am very happy with all the Neutrogena Naturals products I've bought and would buy them all again in a heartbeat!

 My thoughts so far on the Clarisonic, after about 4-5 uses: I really enjoy using it! It's fun to have a little nighttime ritual, even if it is a little hectic with our bathroom renovation, haha! I am noticing softer skin and that my moisturizer seems to soak in better. So far nothing else super noticeable, but I also haven't had that "purge" that other people have talked about!

I'll keep y'all posted on how my skin care overhaul is going! Have you ever totally shaken up your skincare regimen though? Any favorite products I need to know about? Do you have and love a Clarisonic Mia?

Hope y'all are happy and healthy!

Monday Motivation- On Getting Back Up.

I'm back. Again!
Cue the fanfare, hopefully! Just kidding, y'all. I have no delusions of grandeur about this blog. However, I am hoping to get back into seriously blogging as I get back into real life and college.

Which brings me to Monday Motivation, of course! This graphic was an experiment for me with Chalk art on photoshop, so let me know what you think, ok?

This quote really spoke to me on so many levels. We can always start over. We can always come back. Choose now! I also love the idea that failure is only in staying down, not just falling down. Falling down happens. We're human. We make mistakes and life is messy and complicated. But if you can get back up when you fall down, you will never be a failure.
This is so relevant for me right now as I pick everything back up and prepare to go back to school after a year of medical leave. Has life been messy and difficult? Of course. I've taken more hits than I would have liked this year. But I'm getting up and moving on now that I can. I am hopeful and ready.

Are you starting over with anything this fall? Or ready to move on and have your fresh start? Now is the time!

Oh and as a blogging note before I go- I finally got a blog button to work, so let me know if you're interested in doing a button swap!

Hope y'all are happy and healthy!

An App To Make You Happier?

I stumbled upon this little app the other day and while I'm still getting the hang of it, I'm in LOVE with the concept. It's simple: throughout your day you take a minute or two to document the little things that make you Happier. 

So whether that be in a photo, a sentence, or a little blurb about what's going on in your day, you can  talk about the great thing that makes you happy. Then you can categorize it (things like animals, friends, little things, nature, etc) and post it.
Focusing on happy moments is a great way to center your life around gratitude. This is always hard to do, but Happier has simplified the process by making it fun, and even allowing you to set a reminder to post about the things that make you happier. It's like keeping a gratitude journal combined with instagram and twitter--- genius!

My favorite part of the app is being able to go to the discover page and look through everyone else's Happy moments. It's awesome to see the little things making other people's days. It's such a positive app, and you can click a little smiley if you like someone's post, or comment to congratulate or encourage others.   I smiled a ton seeing pictures of a delicious lunch, a first ultrasound, an acceptance letter to college... it's awesome to witness even a stranger's happy moment.

So I'm still figuring things out and I think I'd love this app all that much more if I had lots of friends on it! Come join me? Let's all get Happier!


Check out Happier on their website and download the app!
If we're Facebook friends you can find me on the app already, but if not I'm on there under Hannah Baartmans :)

Hope y'all are having a very happy weekend!
All my love,
Hannah

Recharge Your Hair With Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge

If y'all didn't know, I am a BzzAgent, which means that I do surveys, test and review some great products. Recently I was sent three products from the new Garnier Hydra Recharge line.

My Garnier Hydra Recharge Package from BzzAgent- 3 FULL Size Products! 

This shipment timed out perfectly because I've been struggling with my hair a ton lately. As y'all know, my health is far from perfect, and it tends to impact just about every part of my body. I've been so sick that I had started to notice thinner, dryer hair--- so not ok. I had even been struggling with a super dry scalp, and using awful, smelly medicated shampoos to try and remedy my hair problems.

Enter the Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge line of products. Let me start by saying that it smells amazing. All of the products are packed with superfruits like goji berry, kiwi, and passion fruit.  I feel like I'm on vacation when I shower.
But the best benefit of the Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge line? My hair feels healthier. My scalp feels healthier.  My hair looks better too! It's not as dry or brittle, and it's back on the way to looking like my hair did when I was healthy. Seriously y'all, it's a miracle!

Now that I've told you how much I love using the products as a system, let me tell you a little bit more about each individual product:

Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Shampoo: 
I really enjoyed this because it has a gel-like texture with moisture beads (similar to the Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer beads if you've ever used those!) and it smells incredible. It's a really refreshing, bright scent, and it doesn't feel like it strips my hair of moisture like some shampoos do.

Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Conditioner:  
This smells a little more mild than the shampoo because of the creamy, traditional conditioner texture. It's still got that great superfruit blend smell, and is incredibly moisturizing! I love that it's super moisturizing without being heavy and weighing down my short hair.

Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge 1-Minute Moisture Plenish Treatment:
This is my favorite part of the set. I use it at least once a week, but it's what really turned my hair around from being lifeless and dry to being healthy and happy again. It smells super fantastic, has a creamy texture, and is a great deep conditioner. I also love that it's a 1-minute conditioner instead of the usual 5 to 10 minute treatments. I hate standing in the shower and wondering if I've let some high-priced goop sit on my head for long enough to have it work. With the Garnier 1- Minute Moisture Plenish Treatment, you can put deep condition while you shave your legs! It's easy and fast when you've got better things to do! I've been using it lots lately after I go in the hot tub, since the chlorine is bad for my hair, and it helps my hair bounce right back.  This is definitely a new holy grail product for me because it's an affordable deep conditioner that actually works, which is so hard to find!


Overall, I've been super impressed with the Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge line. I have used lots of  high end shampoos and conditioners in hopes of protecting my hair, but this has really helped to keep my hair healthy and happy while my body is struggling. And that's something to smile about for sure! I would recommend this to anyone who likes fruity smelling hair products (um, who doesn't?) and anyone who feels like their hair needs a little boost. I feel like the best word to describe this line of products is nourishing. My hair feels healthier having used these products for more than a month, and for that I am so grateful!

Out and enjoying happier hair at aTaylor Swift concert with my mom. She has also used some of the Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge products I was sent, and she loves them too! 

I did receive all three of these full-size products for free through BzzAgent, a Word-of-Mouth marketing program, which I am proud to represent. However, all opinions on this blog are my own and I will never review a product dishonestly or tell you about something that I am not excited about. These products truly did help my hair and I would absolutely recommend them to friends, family, or a total stranger at the store!

Have y'all tried these products? What do you think of them?

Hope y'all are doing well today!

All my love,
Hannah

March Favorites- Beauty

Y'all I am so sorry I'm behind in blogging! Obviously these favorites are belated, but better late then never, right? I wrote these up right at the end of the month too, so they're all things I was loving in March.

Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer: I bought this through one of my favorite beauty sites, Beautylish. I had a $20 credit to Beautylish, so I got the bronzer for an amazing price ($15 total with shipping, it's regularly $30) and I was really excited to try this out. It's a great bronzer for fair skin because it's not too dark, and it's perfect for contouring because it's matte. Overall, I've LOVED it. It smells like chocolate, is smooth, blendable, and flattering for my fair skin. Also worth mentioning is Beautylish's awesome customer service. Each order comes with a handwritten note. How sweet is that?
L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Mascara:  An oldie but a goodie. I ran out of mascara and hadn't liked my last few purchases, so I went back to something tried and true. This is a great mascara  to give you jet black lashes with great volume. 'Nuff said.
Maybelline Babylips in Quenched: I kept this by my beside a lot this month. Even in the hospital, I reached for this constantly. It's just a great staple lip balm!
Illamasqua Nail Polish in Cameo: It's no secret that I LOVE nail polish. I had been coveting this polish for months and after my hospital stay I had to treat myself a little bit. Let me just say, I have a new favorite splurge brand. Oh my goodness, this polish has a gorgeous formula. The color is vibrant, the polish went on smoothly and evenly... no complaints. It's perfection.
Benefit High Beam: This has become a holy grail product for me. I pat it on under my eyes for an instant pick me up (which- let me tell you, I often need) and on my cheekbones for a little lift. It's gorgeous. It's a no brainer product and I'm in loooove.
Maybelline Master Precise Eye Studio Eyeliner in Black: This is the finest tip liquid eyeliner pen I've found and it's awesome. It's perfect for a quick little swipe of liner at the lashline, which is my go-to look. Definitely recommend this for anyone who likes the look of liquid liner but wants a little more control.

What did you love this month? Any great beauty recommendations?
Hope you're doing well!
Love,
Hannah

Monday Motivation-A Little Grey's Anatomy Wisdom

Glad to be rejoining the blogging world. It's been a difficult few weeks for me in terms of my health, so I apologize for my absence. I'm working with my doctors to make some tough choices,  and hopefully I'll know soon what the next few months will look like for me.
Until then, I'm just hanging in there and trying to find some comfort wherever I can. It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Grey's Anatomy. The show is one of my biggest comforts when I'm sick,  and I'll admit to watching it too often. The other night I was really struggling with how much I've been going through and how sick I've been and I ended up watching an old episode from Season 3. Right after the big ferry boat accident where Meredith almost drowns, all the rest of the interns are standing in the hallway, and Izzie Stevens gives this great speech. Izzie was always one of my favorite characters because she's so hopeful. This one line hit me hard and I knew I had to share it today.

I made this laptop background size so that I could use it for my laptop, so comment if you want me to e-mail it to you! 

I love that.  So for now, I'm going to keep on going because I believe that BELIEVING I'll get through is what will get me through. Keeping my faith in God, leaning on friends and family, and remembering that it'll all work out in the end.
I think sometimes we forget how powerful our beliefs are. So take a minute today to remind yourself that no matter what you're going through, you'll get through it because you believe you can.

With all my love,
Hannah