Tween Girl Gift Guide

You asked, so I delivered - The Ultimate Tween Girl Gift Guide! 

I know that not all tween girls are going to be into the same stuff, so I tried adding lots of different kinds of things that my kids already have, want for Christmas or that their friends love!

Hopefully you can get some good ideas off of the things I have listed here, and snag some great gifts for the tween girl in your life. Happy Shopping!

1. BFF Q&A's; A Journal - This is SO cute! Perfect for sisters or best friends! There are questions on each page with cues to draw or write back to each other with your thoughts and feelings.

2. Colorful Super Soft Fluffy Slime - My girls are STILL obsessed with slime, so this seemed perfectly appropriate! Lots of colors and 

3. Jumbo Panda Squishy Toy - I'll be honest, I don't get it. That being said, Aubrielle is OBSESSED with them. These squishy little toys are all the rage, and she can't get enough of them. This time she specifically asked for a panda. lol. (shrug)

4. Animal Cable Bites - My girls asked for these a few months ago. I had NO idea what they were talking about. I finally found them a few and they're pretty dang cute. Plus they help keep their phone cords from bending and then fraying over time. Cute stocking stuffer eh?

5. Bopit Handheld Game - The girls play this with their cousins for HOURS when at my Mom and Dad's house. It's hilarious to watch them try to beat each other on leveling up. Plus it's an interactive game, which I love!

6. Clear Jewelry Holder - Matches any room decor and holds up to 30 necklaces/bracelets, plus it has a little tray for earrings and rings!

7. Sound Activated Disco Ball Party Light Pack - These are just freakin' fun! The remote makes changing the lighting effects easy, and you'll be surprised with how much effect these two little lights give off in a large space. Awesome for dance parties, birthdays, etc!

8. Vegan, Essential Oil, Natural, Fizzy Bath Bombs - organic, luxury bath bombs with shea and cocoa butter to help soften your skin. These are also great, because they don't leave gross residue in the tub afterwards.

9. Hey Girl Hey Mini Dish - Our signature saying on a cute ceramic dish! Great for jewelry or a drop zone for spare change.

10. Five Crowns Score Sheet Book - Must-have partner for the Five Crowns card game that I promise your kids are going to fall in love with!

11. Five Crowns Card Game - A super easy to learn, rummy style-type card game for ages 8+. It's really addicting and fun to play! 

12. Ultimate Slime DIY Recipe Book - If your kids are into the slime tutorials so they can make their own?... this book is awesome!

13. Galaxy Putty Slime - Just some cool lookin' slime that will be perfect inside stockings this year!

14. Pura Vida Bracelets - Waterproof, colorful and can be sized to fit any wrist. There are TONS of options to choose from!

15. Dohm Sound Machine - We have one in each of our rooms. They're the best, most soothing sound machines. They drown out everything and don't collect dust like a fan would. If you have a baby or toddler, this is also the magical machine that will keep them sleeping longer, PROMISE!

16. DOSS Touch Wireless Bluetooth V4.0 Portable Speaker - The perfect wireless, portable speaker with over 10,000 reviews on Amazon and an almost 5-star rating! Great for setting in the bathroom while getting ready each morning! 

17. Bathpack Detangling Brush (Use code "houseofsmiths" for free shipping over $10) - The best $5 you'll ever spend on your hair. It's bristles are longer and closer together than a Wet Brush, and the bottom plastic cushion doesn't collapse as easily - which means it's great for thick hair too!    

18. Chameleon Deluxe Marker Set - The twins asked for this as part of their "big present" this year. They're both REALLY into drawing and coloring, and they've seen these Chameleon markers everywhere and are dying to get their hands on them. 

19. Brooklyn & Bailey Scrunchies (Use code "HOS10" for 10% off!)- In their hair, on their wrists... scrunchies are the old school, hot, new trend for tweens. We have every color, and they're a MUST HAVE accessory for my girlies! These scrunchies also come apart so you can choose to wear them plain or with the cute little bunny ear bow feature!

20. Brooklyn & Bailey Girl Next Door Mascara (Use code "HOS10" for 10% off!)- My girls swear by this mascara. They LOVE it, and it definitely lengthens their natural lash! Plus it lasts quite a while before I have to buy more.

Favorite Things 2018

It's been WAY too long since I posted a favorites thing post - so I've been working hard for the past two days to get this new one up, just in time for you to forward it to all of the people who will be showering you with gifts this Christmas😜
Enjoy!!

1. Shine Makeup Removing Cloths (Use code "HOFS10" for 10% off! Plus free shipping the entire month of December!)

These are magical, and they've saved me from using twice as much cleanser! (that's money in the BANK!) I used to wash my face 2 times every night. Once to get the makeup off, and then another time to REALLY get the makeup off and to actually let all the good skincare properties that my cleanser offered, work into my skin. Now?... I just wet one of these reusable makeup cloths in warm water, wipe it across my face, and the makeup literally melts away!!! I was shocked. It got off my super long-wear lipsticks, waterproof bottom lash mascara, and ALL my full coverage makeup. This is my new, absolute favorite, sensitive skin, non-chemical, eco-friendly skincare find of the year. And you better believe I have my tweens using them too. Because even if they're too lazy to wash, tone and lotion up... at least they can wipe all their makeup off at the end of the day to help alleviate breakouts! 

2. Shine Fiber Brow (Use code "HOFS10" for 10% off + free shipping!)- I've talked about this product a LOT on Instagram, because it's my must-have brow finishing gel. I use it alone when I'm going for a tamed, yet natural brow look. And on top of any other brow pencils or powders when I'm wanting everything to look a tad more dramatic or defined. Either way, this product leaves you with beautiful filled brows that STAY in place all day. 

3. Shine Long Wear Eyeliner (Use code "HOFS10" for 10% off + free shipping!)- My go-to, buttery soft eyeliner that actually stays put in my waterline.

4. Tightline Waterproof Black Mascara Primer - An everyday makeup essential that works wonders on my thin, (basically non-existent) bottom lashes. The formula is waterproof, and the applicator is teeny-tiny, so you can really get to those individual bottom lashes, without making a mess on your skin with those other bulky mascara wands. 

5. MAC Fix+ Spray - The perfect skin refresher and powdery makeup melter. I use this spray after all of my powders are on my face, to help "melt" everything beautifully together so that I have a more skin-like finish, instead of a cakey, powdery mess! It works WONDERS and smells AWESOME.

6. Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray - My holy grail makeup setting spray. If you wear makeup, you NEED a makeup setting spray. A spray of this on your face after ALL of your makeup is on, seals EVERYTHING into place and helps your look you worked so hard on, last ALL DAY.  

7. MaryKay Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover (free shipping on orders over $25) - I have THEE most sensitive eyes, and I could honestly squirt this stuff directly into my eye, and it wouldn't irritate it. (I don't recommend that... I'm just sayin'). If you have itchy, dry or sensitive skin around your eyes - THIS is the makeup remover for you. It's contact wearer friendly, it doesn't leave a gross oily residue behind, and it gets EVERYTHING off! Just soak a cotton pad with a little solution, hold it over your closed eye for a few seconds, and you can swipe away any kind of pesky makeup. I especially love this product for my waterline eyeliner. Because I can get all up in my eye with this solution, and never have a problem with stinging.

8. MaryKay Satin Hands Set - This makes an awesome gift, and it works perfectly on dry hands. The trio includes a super hydrating emollient cream, a gentle scrub and a rich finishing lotion. 

9. MaryKay Satin Lips Duo - It's like the Satin Hands, but for you LIPS! I searched high and low a few months ago for the perfect lip scrub, that didn't feel like sandpaper. THIS is it. It's super fine and gentle on my lips, but totally does the job of scrubbing off any dry skin. Then the thick, creamy lip balm after?... SO GOOD. I use the scrub once a week and keep the lip balm in my purse. 

10. Dose of Color Matte Lipstick - No crumbly, dry lips here. Just really beautiful, soft matte lip color that does a pretty great job in the long-wear department too. They have really great muted, neutral tones as well. 

11. BoxyCharm Beauty Subscription Box - My one and only beauty subscription box (so far) that I think is worth the money; and I'm LOVING it. Full sized items with a complete rundown of what they are and how they work best.

12. Ulta Gift Card - Always a good gift to ask for, or give!!! Satisfaction guaranteed! 

Nectar Mattress Review and Comparison

It's here, it's here, it's here!...... finally, sheesh. All of my thoughts about the Nectar mattress and how it compares to others that I've tried. First I'll show you the process of setting up a mattress like this, and then I'll give you the quick, most important (to me anyway) pros and cons of everything towards the bottom of this post. 

Here we go!

Okay, first of all, in complete transparency (because that's how I roll), I was contacted by the Nectar team to see if I'd review one of their mattresses and then share my honest thoughts and opinions on it.
#1. Uhhh, yes please #free
#2. My twins needed a bigger bed, because they're obsessed with sleeping together even though they have their own bedrooms and beds (shrug) #itsatwinthing
#3. I was super anxious to see how it compared to other mattresses.

Initially I was going to put the Nectar mattress in with the twins, but I wanted to see first-hand how it compared to my Tuft & Needle mattress that I'd been sleeping on. So I decided to give the Nectar a go for myself.

My Flawless Face Foundation Must Haves!

I've been talking a TON about beauty products I LOVE on Instagram stories, and so like I promised to all of you there who wanted and needed more permanent links to reference, I'm sharing my flawless-face foundation faves here!
They are basically my go-to products that have helped me disguise my active adult acne, previous acne scars and even those stupid age spots😁. Who knew being in your 30's would be soooo glamorous! ugh lol

So here we go! I've listed each product, why I use it and an amazon link to purchase it (amazon prime users UNITE! lol) OR you can get all of these at Ulta, if you'd rather just walk in and buy them!

The BEST Liquid Eyeliner!

Straight across, winged, top, bottom or both... the perfect, waterproof, long-lasting liquid eyeliner is a MUST! And yet, the words "liquid" and "eyeliner" in one sentence, used to leave me more like...

😳 No, but for real. 

I was using a foam tipped applicator, with this little pot that you dip it in.... ugh, it was a mess. I totally gave up. BUT then I came across THIS miracle product a few years ago, and it's the BEST!

My Trader Joe's Favorites - What are Yours!?

Before you ask or think it, NO, this isn't sponsored and YES, I paid for everything myself. 😘 I just wanted to share some favorite food finds of mine!

It's no secret that tons of us are obsessed with Trader Joe's. How can you NOT love their gourmet (yet super affordable) frozen food selections and endless unique, AMAZINGLY delicious snacking options... not to mention their fresh produce, that I swear has the cutest packaging.

If you've never been, it's a MUST. I wouldn't say it's a store where you can do ALL of your shopping... because heaven knows Momma needs Costco's 'bulkness' and Walmart's prices to complete her life's list of necessities. But for GREAT deals on yummy specialty foods (without the "specialty" price) and the BEST selection of flowers, Trader Joe's is SO my jam!

My parents lived in California for a handful of years, and for a long time, it was the only place that I could snag Trader Joe's goodies. But now... they're in Utah! booooyah! (insert happy dance)

So... I figured that I would share my favorite things, because who isn't curious as to what people love from the same stores you shop at!

Am I right!? So here we go!

Pumpkin Butter:

Snag a loaf of super soft cinnamon burst bread from Great Harvest, slather this goodness on, and YUM! Ooo, and if you give your bread a coat of cream cheese before the pumpkin butter (?) Even better :) 

Tree Classics - Our Favorite Find for the BEST Pre-Lit Christmas Trees!!

With all of the questions we had on our faux Christmas tree this year, I knew I had to post about a new favorite find, even if it just helps a handful of desperate tree seekers for the next holiday season!

We were gifted our Christmas tree about 12 years ago, and sadly the company no longer makes it, but this year we DID discover that Tree Classics has an AWESOME option that's even better! Their Hyde Park Pine Snap Tree is SO beautiful AND pre-lit! PLUS, tons of their trees are on super sale & clearance right now!! 

The Tree Classic trees are on easy to position rollers, and assemble and come apart SO easily! They also have a nifty storage bag that makes it easy for putting things away... PIVOTAL when you already don't want to clean up Christmas in the first place. lol

Healthy Hair Favorites!

We've got a PLETHORA of hair in this family, so I'm always testing out LOTS of different hair care products. Like... LOTS. (that's not half of it....yikes!)

Look... don't mock the hair care drawer craziness. There's some DANG GOOD stuff in here!

As a former hair stylist, I'm basically addicted to anything that says, "Smoother, healthier, stronger hair." LOL. Yup, that's pretty much EVERY bottle of ANYTHING nowadays. 

So that being said, I've got a handful of DEFINITE favorites. And believe me, I'm picky, so I hope you take my word for it when I say you've GOT TO TRY THEM... because this gang of girls LOVES them!

Favorite Shampoo and Conditioners:

MAC Lipstick & Liner Faves!

Guys, I'm obsessed with lipstick... we all know this by now, right?

So with the help of a few cute girls at my work, I wanted to share my top 5 MAC faves with all of you!

These are seriously PERFECT for so many different kinds of hair and skin types, as you can see below... so I don't want to hear any of this, "Oh, but I just could never pull that bold look off" nonsense. 

Why MAC?
I love this brand of lipstick and liners, because even though pricey, they are SUPER great quality. They have a huge color selection, are really concentrated (meaning you only need a little to go a long way, so they last forever!), and they've got lots of different finish options (matte, satin, gloss, etc).

Okay, so here are my faves ... for today ;)

1. Candy Yum-Yum w/ Shock Value liner
2. Ruby Woo w/ Cherry liner
3. Show Orchid w/ More to Love liner
4. Rebel w/ Fashion Boost liner
5. Impassioned w/ Dynamo liner

Application:
When I apply one of these BOLD, awesome lip colors, I always make sure I have a smooth lip to work with first. I recommend doing a lip scrub to get off all of that excess loose, dry skin.
One of my faves is from LUSH. It's an edible lip scrub, and it's called Mint Julips.

Just start with clean lips, apply a little of the scrub with your finger onto your bottom lip, and then rub your lips together. Once you've exfoliated enough, just lick your lips, and you're done!

To get the best, most saturated color for a bold lip, I always apply my chosen liner ALL over my lips first, and then add my lipstick of choice. This guarantees the longest, best wear for you color!

1. Impassioned 2. Show Orchid 3. Rebel

Have fun rockin' those fierce lips!

My Favorite Things - The Must Haves

I've been at it again, jotting down a list the past little while of a few of my favorite things I've been wanting to share with all of you! If you're a regular HofS reader, then you know I do this a lot, but I can't help it! It's these sort of posts that I love the most! Can you blame me? When you find or experience a good thing, big or small, you just have to shout it from the rooftops, right?

Right! So let's get this party started!

I Am Awesomer (my mug says so!) - Aedriel Originals
At the beginning of this year, after doing my Awesomer post, I received an email from Aedriel Moxley. One of the sweetest, prettiest ladies that you ever could meet. Not only that, but she's crazy talented too, and has a shop where she makes amazingly beautiful hand painted plates, mugs and other goodies.
We got chatting, and before you know it, I was a proud owner of a custom "I am Awesomer" mug! I'm in love with this piece more than I probably should be, and you want to know why? Whenever I'm drinking out of it and other people are around, it never fails, they will read the phrase out loud, stating, "I am Awesomer (?)" and EVERY time I get to respond with... "Yes! Yes you ARE!" It's like the worlds most uplifting mug. Not only does it inspire ME but it also gives me the chance to compliment everyone else who reads it!
I hate to ask, because I think I know the answer... but does YOUR favorite mug do all that?
:)

What Fills my Cup - Crio Brü 

I'm not a coffee drinker, but I AM a Crio addict.

Just like coffee, Crio Brü is a brewed drink. The difference, is that it's completely made from premium cocoa beans that are 100% natural, filled with antioxidants, minerals and theobromine (a natural energy stimulate, that unlike caffeine, doesn't make you jittery). It's low in calories, carbs, and has no fat, sugar, sodium or gluten. My favorite flavor so far has been Vega Reál, but I just ordered some Maracaibo Raw to give it a try.

To break it down, essentially, it's like the healthiest form of "hot chocolate" that you can get... and yes, I drink a cup EVERY morning; don't know what I would do without it. For me it works as an appetite suppressant and is about a sixteenth of the calories that my old hot chocolate was. After it's done brewing I just add a tiny amount of unsweetened vanilla almond milk in and a small spoonful of raw coconut crystals (my personal favorite natural sweetener for this drink) to cut some of the bitterness in it... and it's honestly the PERFECT way to start my day.

Sweet, yet Organic Indulgence - Cupcakes by Kasthuri

Alright, so if I'm gonna save ALL those calories by not having my regular ol' hot chocolate, then I get to reward myself by having a sweet treat every now and then, right? :)

I know you're probably thinking... "Yeah, so it's a cupcake, big deal." Well... it's not JUST a cupcake, this is a C.U.P.C.A.K.E. Probably one of the best that I've had in a REALLY long time (and in case you haven't noticed, I'm not the kind of girl who has shied away from many cupcakes in her lifetime. eehhmm).

My Mom first told me about these super specialty cupcakes because she knows that our family has tried really hard lately to not buy or eat much of anything that is processed or has artificial ingredients in it, and Kasthuri cupcakes are only made with natural or organic ingredients (cage-free eggs, organic sweet cream butter from pasture raised cows, evaporated cane sugar, unbleached flour and natural fruit, etc...). They don't include artificial flavorings, preservatives, coloring or shortenings and have about half the sugar of a typical cupcake, making them so much more flavorful.

Truth be told, their intense, deep flavor and higher price point definitely make them an indulgence... but oh baby, it's SO worth it.

A Few of My Favorite Things - Midyear Mashup

I've noticed lately that I have a bunch of favorite things piling up that I want to tell you all about, and to be honest, I just don't want to wait till the end of the year when I typically do my "favorite things" post because I'm afraid I'll forget half of them!

There are quite a few, so I'll keep explanations short and sweet. I tried to section them off into categories of some sort, but really, they're just a random gathering of things I think are cool or fun that I would like to know about if I already didn't! 

Cents of Style
Shoes, bags, hair accessories and jewelry at a great price. They only have an online shop, so YES, anyone can purchase from them. Something to keep in mind is that their styles move fast because they're always carrying the trendiest fashions, so if you want something, snag it up quick... especially shoes, I swear EVERYONE is a size 8! ack!

Wrist Soiree
Lakeitha not only has an amazing eye for home decorating, but awesome, one of a kind jewelry too! Her shop, Wrist Soiree, has become one of my favorites! She's always coming up with new designs and even takes polls from people on Instagram asking what they want to see in her store, I love that! One of my favorite "everyday" gold chain necklaces is from her, and this new blingy Amelia bracelet is TO DIE FOR! ... yes, she sells it in PINK too! thankyouverymuch.

NS Minerals Makeup
Just a few days ago I had a little guest spot on our local morning show where I talked about some of my favorite home decor trends for this year. The same day I met Janelle, who did a segment on her awesome NS minerals makeup, and she was nice enough to give me some to try at home. Typically I veer away from powder only foundation, because I have dry skin, but I actually really liked this brand. You'll have to watch her segment to see why it's different, and I should have taken a picture so you could see what it looked like on me, but I totally forgot. Just know that it was super quick, easy and had a lot better coverage (I thought) compared to a few other mineral foundations I've tried in the past.
Right now, through the end of the month you can get a voucher for 50% off of anything in her store by going through And Ruby and making a purchase there.

Style Lately 
I know I mentioned them before in one of my other favorite things round-ups, but I just had to give them another shout out real quick, because recently they've also been carrying some home decor awesomeness as WELL as clothing and jewelry. Pillows, prints, planters and other fun things are what I'd keep an eye out for if I were you.

My Favorite Things Giveaway + Blog Hop!

I'm so excited for today's post. It's been in the works for a few weeks and now I'm FINALLY able to share it! MY favorite things PLUS 19 more of my cute blogging friends' favorites too!

Last year around Christmas time there were some bloggers who got together and each gave away a basket of their own personal favorite things that they love. I thought it was such a cute and clever idea; a great way for readers to get to know them a little better, so I was TOTALLY on board when I was asked to get involved with the same type of giveaway this Summer!

If you've been reading our blog for a while, then you already know that we compile lists of our favorite things at the end of each year, so this was quite an easy task for me

:)

Our Favorite Things: 2010, 2011, 2012

I really have SO MANY favorite things that it's hard for me to pick just an armful that will fit into a small mailing box, but alas... I forged ahead and selected a few of my current faves and came up with the following:

The Journal of Awesome - Sharpie Pen - House of Smiths Instagram tip card - Trinkets and Butterflies simple white earrings - Bake it Pretty party supplies - Ice Breakers Cubes - Mentos fruit chews - Emerald sweet and salty nut mix