Max Out Happy

Amazon Finds!

Another round up! I love discovering new and useful things. I have gotten so many great items from random hauls and suggestions from other people! Here’s a bunch of stuff from Amazon – everything is either stuff we have that we love, random stuff I found, or things my friends have recommended recently!

One: Polarized sunglasses for CHEAP (set of 2) – this is what I’m talking about, ladies! Recommended by my friend Kelly (also there are two “my friend Kelly”s so it’ll just be a mystery which one recommended each item!)

Two: Leggings – okay, the price CANNOT BE BEAT. These were recommended to me by an old student who is a new mom and says she lives in these!

Three: Revlon oil-absorbing volcanic face roller – perfect for getting oily throughout the day, melting in the summer heat, etc. My friend Kelly recommended this!

Four: Workout/lounge shorts – the reviews all say these are stretchy, comfortable, sweat-wicking, and basically just ideal. I ordered some and I’m hoping they’ll be good for sweaty baseball games with Davis in the NC smothering heat! While we are on the subject of shorts, these Summer shorts look so lightweight and the reviews are great! They have 2 styles here, one that’s more slinky and swingy (that’s the one I would choose), and one that’s more like linen and more structured.

Five: Rug grippers – we have a kitchen mat that keeps sliding everywhere and it’s so annoying to vacuum around. These are such a good idea.

Six: Flowy, swingy workout tank! I’m telling you, I’m trying to prepare for an NC summer with a toddler! Here’s another good looking short sleeved shirt by Under Armour.

Seven: Clip on silicone strainer – we have one and we love this thing! So much more convenient than a traditional strainer you have to hand wash. We just throw this one in the dishwasher and it can fit beside cups on the top rack!

Eight: While we are on the topic of strainers, this sink basket strainer is SO SMART. Perfect for washing produce, straining pasta, or even putting extra dishes on it to air dry!

Nine: Chom chom roller for pet hair – LIFE CHANGING. Our friend Meghan recommended this to us a couple years ago and now I’m trying to tell everyone I know. It does an amazing job on furniture and I can say this with confidence because we have three dogs who are HAIRY. They all have undercoats and a LOT of fluffy blonde fur. The secret to the chom chom is the back and forth friction. I’m telling you, it makes a big difference.

Ten: Collagen cream for face – I randomly found this and my interest is definitely piqued! (I googled it and it is piqued, not peaked, unless you are so excited that your excitement is literally at max capacity. Just FYI). I spent a long time reading through all of these reviews. Seems worth a try, and I love that it has a push feature so you don’t get any bacteria back into the tube. They have a retinol cream, too! A lot of the reviewers said they used both.

Eleven: Mini hand-held fan – I cannot stress enough that I get sweaty very easily and then I start to panic. Summer is hard for me. This way I don’t have to steal Davis’ stroller fan 🙂

Twelve: These pretty stoneware canisters – I have always been obsessed with things that hold things. Containers are my thing. I love organizing, and containers help you do that! Boxes, jars, canisters, you name it. These are so pretty and come in a few different colors. Great for the kitchen but could also be good for the bathroom for items like bath salts, cotton balls, sheet mask packets, sample size products, etc.

Thirteen: If I put one more water bottle in this house, I will be in trouble, but this one looks really nice and of course I want it! Pretty color options, a big 40-ouncer, fits in the cup holder of your car, HAS A HANDLE, and has 3 different sipping options. SIGN ME UP. I have a problem. (Someone please report back as to whether it actually chills your drink for 34 hours?!)

Fourteen: Ice roller for your face – I am honestly not sure I believe that this makes a huge difference in someone’s looks, but I’ve never used one so I can’t speak to that feature. What I DO know is a nice cool roll on the face would be soothing and calming. Inexpensive and has great reviews!

Fifteen: Screen & lens cleaning wipes – Man, by reading these reviews, I realized that people are really particular about their cleansing wipes! A teacher at my school carries around alcohol prep pads with him everywhere he goes, which I thought was so smart, but these are less concentration of alcohol to be safer on screen materials. These aren’t 60% to kill germs from Covid, but with Davis constantly trying to do the Snapchat dog filter on my phone, I like to make sure it’s clean. Would be great for daily upkeep for phones, keyboards, apple watch screen, computer screens, etc. Even the radio screen in the car that gets so dusty! Maybe I’m one of these particular people now, too!

That’s it for this roundup of Amazon finds! I’ll keep looking for useful, functional, and good-looking items you can add to your cart 🙂

This post contains affiliate links to Amazon products that I might make a commission on if you directly purchase from the link. I would not steer you wrong! All opinions are my own.

When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip

all my tools for an at-home dip powder manicure

Are you singing the song in your head now? (“Da’ Dip” – a 1996 classic).

I started using the Revel Nail at home dip powder system about a year ago (I got the starter kit and added on colors from there). We had been sheltering in place for over a month, we were home all day every day with a brand new baby, and I needed something that was just for me to make me feel a little more put together. My friend Kelly had been doing her own nails at home here and there, so she recommended the Revel kit. I have always loved getting my nails done, and I keep them painted all the time – so I figured I would take a stab at it!

Of course, shipping times were delayed because everyone had decided to start doing their nails at home since salons were closed – so I joined the Revel Nail Facebook group, where I scoured posts daily while I waited for my kit to arrive. I googled, pinned, and watched tutorials (I found this one to be most helpful for when I did my first manicure). My first manicure took me almost 3 hours – insane – but now I’ve been dipping at home for over a year and a manicure takes me about an hour or an hour and a half from start to finish, including prep time. I still use it as my “me” time, and typically my manicures last at least 10-14 days without any issues. My favorite thing is that when I’m done with my top coat, a few minutes later my nails are just totally dry with no issues. No UV lights, no drills, and so many pretty colors to choose from. Some of my favorite at-home manicures are below!

This is absolutely NOT a sponsored post – Revel Nail has no clue who I am and I am not legit enough for brands to reach out to me. I am just a really satisfied customer who wants everyone to feel confident to try this for themselves if they’re interested! It’s not for everyone, but I have loved it and will continue to keep doing my own! I have a few girlfriends who are all obsessed with Revel’s products, and I have told everyone I know about it. The company has great customer service, and their loyalty program is great for collecting points and rewards.

If you’re interested in getting started, I would suggest the Revel Nail Starter Kit, and the following items from Amazon or wherever else you can find them (Revel sells some of these things, too):

  1. Acetone to remove your manicure when you’re ready or when it starts to lift or chip. Use some acetone in a gallon size baggie with a dish scrubber square and some olive oil to help protect your skin. Put the baggie – with your hands in it – inside a bowl with water as hot as you can stand it to help the acetone do its job better. Scrub scrub! The most annoying part of the whole thing.
  2. Blue Cross cuticle remover – Before you start your manicure, you want to prep your nails and cuticles! You’ll also need a cuticle trimmer and cuticle pusher for this step. I use my cuticle trimmer throughout the manicure to make corrections, too!
  3. Mini block files – to buff your nails after you use step 2 of the system. You will need to buff everything to one smooth layer. These are perfect to use for one manicure or even two, and you’ll never run out!
  4. A powder brush to dust off excess powder, dust hands after buffing, etc. Also get a cheap toothbrush – I use the toothbrush after the powder brush to brush off my nails between dip layers (I usually do 3 layers on average). The toothbrush cleans it up a bit better and keeps my nails smoother so I don’t have to do as much buffing.
  5. Cuticle oil to keep your cuticles healthy and moisturized. Use after your manicure and daily! This is the one I have and it will last FOREVER. It smells amazing!
  6. Nail files – you’ll need one finer grit and one medium grit. I recently bought the ones on Revel’s site and I really like the curve and the way they work.
  7. You’ll also need lots of toothpicks! Toothpicks are THE SECRET to perfect cuticle lines. Run the tip of the toothpick around your cuticle immediately after you dip on each nail. Have a paper towel to the side to wipe the toothpick off between fingers.
this color is Julia, which is a really light pink with a hint of sparkle. classic with a twist, if you will

For the French manicure, or if you’re interested in doing any color marbling, etc., you’ll need the french manicure mold – I was intimidated to use it, but it was so easy! The Revel site and Facebook group have great tutorials you can watch first. Make sure you have good light, a surface to work on, and some paper towels underneath for all the powder that will get everywhere! I like to set up a little work station before every manicure.

Happy dipping! I would love to see your at home manicures if you end up trying the Revel system. I’m a believer!

The Amazon links in this post are affiliate links that I can earn commission from – but I have purchased all of these things previously (some repeatedly), so I am backing them up honestly!

The FriYAY Series

written while waiting for the weekend (photo by Whitney)

FriYAY! Some of you OG readers may remember this series simply as “FriYAY Feels,” but I am a sophisticated 30-something now and I needed to keep things on brand.

This is the first weekend that we haven’t had a football game in a while! The sports seasons are crazy this year because of Covid, and Andrew had to go right into baseball as football was ending. I have plans to hang out with some girlfriends tonight, which I’m so thankful for! Those times have been few and far between the last year or so because of the pandemic. Also, does anyone else have trouble with the saying, “few and far between” and have to walk yourself through it every time? No? Just me? I always want to reverse it and say, “far and few between.” Anyway, let’s get back to it. Here are a few “things” for your FriYAY.

Things I am waiting on: This salt lamp. Make fun of me for being basic if you will, but I have it on good authority that they are calming, and I just love the warm orange glow! Perfect for blogging late into the night while the baby sleeps, right? And by late into the night I mean like 7pm-9pm because I can’t hang like I used to. I also ordered this workout box because I am pleased to announce absolutely dreading the fact that I committed to working out on Tuesdays and Thursdays before school (4:15am wakeup call). I figure this will give me a lot of versatility in my garage workouts! We got a great deal on a treadmill recently, so I have been loving having that option.

Things I have my eye on: These cognac wedges for spring and summer…and also well into fall if you live in North Carolina like me, where we get to melt through 90 degree heat until October. They are not back in stock until JULY but I am still considering it because I just love the simplicity of them. I am SUPER picky about things being just right, and these fit the bill to me. These shorts were recommended by Caralyn Mirand, an influencer I LOVE following. I figure if she loves them, then I might, too! That’s how it works, right? I am also considering getting the Loving Tan self tanner that everyone raves about. Does anyone have it? Do we love it? Are we able to apply it without looking like a splotchy oompa loompa? Asking for a friend who shaves, exfoliates, moisturizes, follows all the directions, and still looks like a splotchy oompa loompa with self tanning products.

It’s me. I’m the oompa loompa.

Things I need to re-order: These are items that I already have that I love enough to get them again! I am a big believer of sticking with something if it hasn’t done you wrong. These are some of my tried and trues that I’m almost out of:

  1. This Colleen Rothschild hair serum. It is SO GOOD. It really smooths my hair, makes it look sleek and chic, tames the humidity and heat flyaways, and the smell is so divine.
  2. My favorite gentle PM moisturizer. I have been using this for years on the recommendation of my dermatologist, and it hasn’t let me and my sensitive skin down yet!
  3. These mint flossers. Don’t sleep on a simple life hack like this. We keep a pretty glass jar of these in our bathroom and it has helped me immensely with stepping up my flossing game. Plus, my dental hygienist suggested them so I’m not cheating.
  4. My favorite affordable dry shampoo. Living Proof is the best ever, but it’s pricey, so this is my next favorite and what I use regularly. I buy them in this bulk pack because let’s be honest, it gives the peace of mind you need when you hear that last empty pfffft of the can. The price has gone up a bit since I started buying these, but it still comes out to about $2 less per bottle than if you bought them individually.
  5. These Kirkland’s brand face wipes. Such a great deal for the price and even my sensitive skin doesn’t mind them! I love that they are a little bit textured to exfoliate, too. This link takes you to Costco’s website, but Amazon has them, too.

In other news, I have been absolutely loving the new HGTV show No Demo Reno from @theramblingredhead on Instagram. Her design choices are so lovely. Whitney has done some sessions for Elizabeth Burns, who is a designer in the Raleigh area; I keep telling Whitney that once I win the lottery I’m going to bring Elizabeth over to redo the whole house! I think she’s so talented. I would love to get some new light fixtures, hardware, and make some other small changes that really make over a space without emptying the wallet. In the meantime, I will just be over here making my long lists of ideas for when the time comes!

That’s it from me for this FriYAY series. I hope everyone enjoys the weekend!

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links through the Amazon Associates program. I can be compensated if purchases are made through these direct links. All opinions are my own – I would never steer you wrong!

Recently on Instagram!

@maxouthappy