Oh my gosh, I loved all your comments and feedback from yesterday’s review of the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer! The social media crowd is especially vocal, and it was so fun to hear your own opinions and experiences with it.
Do you follow me on Instagram or Facebook? I love the conversations and back-and-forth engagement we have other there. I recently opened it up and invited my Instagram readers to ask me anything…and you didn’t hold back! I figured many of you might have the same questions, or be interested in them, so thought I’d share them here. And since I received so many (way too many for one post), I started a new You Ask, I Answer series! (See the first one here.)
So let’s get started with the second batch!
Q. Which moisturizer do you use on your face? Does it contain sunscreen, or do you use sunscreen separately?
That is a whole can of worms, and not a simple one product answer! 😉 Most of you know I’m a devoted Colleen Rothschild fan, and swear by her products. In the evenings, I alternate between the Retinol Supreme Night Oil and Mandelic Acid Radiance Serum, followed by Extreme Recovery Cream. After washing my face with the Cleansing Balm in the morning, I follow up with Vitamin C and Sheer Renewal Cream. It’s an arsenal, but I’m no spring chicken!
The Sheer Renewal Cream is hands-down the best day cream I’ve ever used! It’s light, absorbs quickly, and really brightens my face. As for sunscreen, the iT Cosmetics CC Cream I wear daily has SPF 50! See my full makeup routine here and my best makeup tips for looking younger here.
Q. How do you keep the dog hair under control, especially if they get on the bed and furniture?
Oy, we love our pups…but the dog hair drives me crazy!! And now that we have precious Mollie, it’s double the love and double the hair!! Fortunately, Maggie is the real shedder, and she doesn’t get on the furniture (until we leave the house, but then it’s just one spot!)
We tried a robotic vacuum, but it was constantly getting hung-up on the rugs and under tables…so I basically Swiffer daily (yes, every. single. day!) and run the vacuum a couple of times a week. My obsessive cleaning is a little overkill, but I’m kind of a nut about no hair. #shocker I just use the vacuum attachment or a lint roller for the furniture, and wash the throw blankets weekly.
Gallery Wall post & Room Details
Q. I’m looking for wedge sandals for Summer, do you have any suggestions?
Aaaah Summer, I can hardly wait!! Of course I’ve already been scouring the stores for the best sandals and wedges, and pretty sure these wedges might win Best in Show! They are comfy, especially considering the extra height, and the natural color is not only super-neutral, but leg-lengthening! And the price is great! I also have and love these from last year.
As for flat sandals, I took the plunge and invested in these last Summer, and they quickly became my most-worn pair of shoes for every season but Winter! I’ve probably worn them 100 times already (check my Sugarplum Style posts in warm-weather months for evidence!). They go with everything and make every outfit more chic…from dresses to cut-off shorts. I have the ‘Makeup‘ shade, and sized up half.
Peplum Tee (short-sleeve version) | Necklace (similar) | Distressed Jeans | Sandals | Leather Tote | Sunglasses | Earrings
These platform wedges are wildly popular, too. I found mine on deep discount here, but you can find lots of styles here. This is only the beginning of Spring and Summer shoes though, stay tuned for lots of new style inspiration coming soon.
Tie-Back Romper | Wedges (44% off!) | Pom Bag | Sunglasses | Tassel Earrings
Q. I follow you on Instagram and the blog, and you seem to have everything together! How do you balance kids, husband, work and life?!?!
I get this question a lot, and I’m always surprised. That just goes to show that blogs and social media only represent a tiny snippet of our lives. Granted I prefer to keep things light and positive…we all have crappola in our lives, why would you want to read about someone else’s crappola on the internet!? #amIright?!
But sometimes the darkness of life takes over, and I have to share, and I’m so grateful that I have this encouraging, supportive online community. Y’all amaze me, and I’m so grateful for each of you, and the moments of your life you give up to spend here.
All that’s to say, I certainly do not do it all, and there’s really no such thing as balance when it comes to the roles of wife/mother/daughter/friend. Or at least, I’ve yet to find it. I wrote all about it in this Who’s Doing It All?! Not Me! post.
Q. Do you have any siblings?
Yes ma’am, we’re the modern day Brady Bunch! Hopefully I can explain this right…I am my mom and dad’s only child, and I stayed that way for 16 years. Then my dad remarried and had three kids, giving me two half sisters and a half brother. My mom remarried a few years later to a man that already had three kids, giving me two step brothers and a step sister.
So I’m an only child with six siblings, and two awesome step parents! 😉 These are my half-siblings, and I only get to see them once or twice a year since they live in California and Montana. My step-siblings (I can’t find a recent pic of just us anywhere!!) all live about an hour away, and I’m so excited about a big trip we’re all taking together later this year (with Mama Sugarplum and my awesome stepdad!).
Q. Can you tell us what a college consultant actually does? We have a high school junior, too, and it’s all so confusing and overwhelming!
Oh mama, Junior year is no joke, right?! So much on their plates, I don’t know how they keep up! I felt like I was constantly dropping the ball when it came to SATs, ACTs, college prep, college visits, essays, etc. It’s A LOT! And we’re only just getting started. I was also worried that I’d spend the next year nagging him about applications and deadlines, and he’d go racing out the door to the first college that accepted him just to escape his mom!
So we found Deidra Fisher of One Up College Consulting, and it’s been amazing!! She meets with my son one-on-one, tracks his deadlines, consults on his class schedule, gives him tools for college searches, works with him on essays and applications…the list goes on and on. I get to sit back and watch the process knowing he has all the tools he needs, and her extensive experience will help guide him to the right place.
Now we get to do the fun stuff together, like visit college campuses, and she gets to be the heavy! She’s also a great resource for finding scholarships and grants.
Q. How do you keep the footbed of your Tori sandals so clean?
This question cracks me up!! And proves that we’re soul sisters, since obviously you notice and appreciate clean sandal footbeds! I probably keep mine cleaner than most, simply because I use them in flatlay pics all the time. But I’ve found that regular cleaning keeps them looking brand new.
I actually shared my trick in this Drugstore Beauty Faves post…makeup wipes!! They remove the grime and dirt, but are soft on the leather.
Crepe Shirtdress (available in 9 colors!) | Earrings | Pom Bag | Sandals in ‘Makeup’
Q. Do you have a strict workout routine?
Well, I wouldn’t call it strict, but I have been working out consistently for the last six months! Like for real working out, not just walking the dogs…I do Orange Theory Fitness classes 2-3 times a week. It’s intense interval training with treadmill, rowing machine and weights.
Funny enough, I think I’ve actually gained weight (or muscle, whatever) in a lot of places, but I feel better and stronger than I have in 10 years!
Q. I’d love to know about your nail routine! It appears you almost always have your nails polished. Do you get them done or do them yourself? Any products you love?
I love how observant y’all are!! And a little nervous, because it means nothing is getting past you! Yes, my nails are painted 99% of the time, and mostly just from a quick at-home manicure! I’ve been taking Collagen Peptides for a few months, so I have to do it more often now (my nails grow so much faster!). I don’t do anything fancy, just polish and a top coat. My faves are Essie ‘Bachelorette Bash’, OPI ‘Cajun Shrimp’, and Sally Hansen Gel in ‘Pink Up’.
I do splurge on pedicures a few times during the Spring and Summer #sandalseason, but now that I’ve discovered Baby Feet, I don’t need to go as often! (Read my review about that horrifyingly amazing product here.)
Q. I would love to know your everyday makeup routine!
Well you’re in luck, I just posted it last week, along with a full video!! Find that post here!
Hoop Earrings | Off the Shoulder Sweatshirt
Q. I love the J.Crew one-piece you wore in Mexico, is it true to size?
I adore that suit, too!! It’s so chic, and subtly sexy while still providing full coverage across the bum. I wouldn’t say it’s an active suit, if you know what I mean! It’s more of a lounging suit while sipping cold beverages! And I’m okay with that.
As for sizing, I always go up one or two in one-pieces for extra length in the torso, and to avoid it riding up too high on my leg (or giving me a wedgie!), so I’m wearing a size 4. I wear a small in their two-pieces. And lucky ducks, most of it’s 40% off right now!
Plunge Neck Swimsuit | Hat | Sunglasses | Hoop Earrings
Whew! I think that’s enough for today! I have a bunch more for another time, but feel free to leave any questions of your own in the comments and I’ll add them to a future You Ask, I Answer post. And I’m an open book, so ask away!