Best of Beauty 2016: Skin, Hair, Nails & More

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Hey friends! This week we're saying goodbye to 2016 by taking a look back at some of the best beauty launches and discoveries from the past year. We've already covered the best of the best in makeup, and today we're chatting skincare, haircare, bath, body and more! Curious to find out what products made the cut? Keep on reading!

What I'm Thankful For: Beauty Edition

So, this post comes along with a bit of a funny story. Maybe funny not funny in the "ha ha" sense, but funny in the "I see what you're doing there, universe" kind of way. I woke up yesterday morning feeling energized and productive, which was fortunate because my to-do list for the day was pretty ambitious. I had hoped to get my Thursday video done earlier this week, but between life and sheer exhaustion, it just never happened. That left me Thanksgiving morning to shop a few sales, beautify myself, film, edit, and make Deviled eggs all in time to meet my parents at 1:00. I was a little nervous that I would end up scrambling around at the last second, but I actually was making great time all day. There I am, feeling like a boss, putting on my eyeshadow with hours to spare and BAM.

The power goes out.

March 2016 Favorites

Here we meet again for another monthly favorites post. As I've gotten older I think time seems to pass faster than ever. How has the first quarter of 2016 already gotten past us? Anyway, I've got a nice little collection of products to share with you all this month. For the most part my beauty routine hasn't changed a ton. Most of the products I shared in January and February are still part of my daily rotation. I've done some serious beauty shopping in the last month (Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty may be partially responsible), so I expect that April will bring lots of new and exciting things to share. Anywho, let's move on to this month's faves!

Spring 2016 Wish List

Friends, its time to celebrate. Winter is finally, officially OVER! Apparently the changing seasons find me infected with Spring Cleaning fever. I've been organizing and decluttering like a madwoman, culminating this weekend with a ruthless clean out of my closet. Seriously. Every shoe, purse, and article of clothing came out, and only the most worthy pieces went back in. While I haven't gone to the extreme of creating a Capsule Wardrobe, I've definitely downsized significantly. Anything old, battered, or unworn is being consigned, donated, or trashed. Period. I was actually surprised at how easy it was for me to say goodbye to things I've had for ages. Perhaps its just that as we grow and our styles change and become more refined, we become less attached to the things that are no longer relevant to our tastes.

Makeup, on the other hand, is always more difficult to part ways with. I know anything old or unloved needs to go, but the process is sometimes a painful one. I may have been a bit less ruthless with decluttering my beauty stash, but I've definitely cleaned it up and made some room for new and fun things. Speaking of which, spring has got me lusting after all kinds of lovely products that are hitting the shelves. So to ring in this fresh, new season, let's swoon at these beautiful sights together.

Nails with Nude-itude: Neutral Polishes to Love

From nude, to blush, to off-white - if you want a timeless mani, a neutral polish will never do you wrong. Not only are they incredibly chic, but they are also way more forgiving when a chip appears. They'll go with just about any outfit, are appropriate for just about any occasion, and can be rocked the whole year round.

As much as I absolutely adore all of the candy colored pastel shades of spring time, sometimes a girl just wants to keep it classy. Trust, I have no qualms about wearing a robin's egg blue mani to work, but if I'm feeling like I want to seriously channel my inner #girlboss I'll reach for a posh neutral shade instead. Which brings us to today's post! I've rummaged through my collection to bring you my all-time favorite polishes with nude-itude. Not only are the colors lovely, but the formulas of all of these polishes are seriously spot-on.

Why Not...Stay In? LE Birchbox Review

Ladies, it's time to get excited, because another Limited Edition Birchbox is here! These beautiful little collections are an absolutely fantastic value, so whether you want to #treatyoself to some new beauty products, or are in need of an easy gift idea, I'd highly recommend checking them out. This newest box is appropriately titled "Why Not...Stay In?" and is packed full of super luxurious, pampering products for the ultimate me-time experience. Want to see everything inside? Let's take a look together!

Limited Edition Lovely Day Birchbox

Mother's Day is right around the corner, and Birchbox has released another amazing Limited Edition collection that would make a perfect gift for a hardworking mom in your life (or even a special treat for yourself). The Lovely Day Birchbox has a lovely assortment of pampering goodies guaranteed to make even the most stressful of days feel a little brighter. Let me show you a closer look!

Empties: Starting Fresh for a New Year

2015! I'm not always this invigorated by the prospect of a new year, but this one has got me rearing and ready to go. There is so much I want to accomplish, both on the blog and off, and I can't wait to get started. One of the things I'm hoping to do in the coming months is to make a huge dent in my beauty stash by using up half finished and neglected products, while writing up reviews and tutorials about them along the way. Some time last year I realized that I've never written an empties post (despite the fact that I love reading and watching that kind of stuff from other bloggers) and decided it was about time that I start hoarding away my unused products. In the spirit of the new year (and also hoping to make this a more regular thing) I'm emptying out the bag and starting fresh for 2015! So join me as I say adieu to the products of 2014 with a few final thoughts on my end of the year empties.