One of my goals this summer was to make a conscious effort to spend more quality time with my girlfriends bonding, catching up and laughing. Since having kids, the is an area of my life that has suffered and lacked. But those friendships are so important to the balance of our every day lives and our well-beings. And after a good girlfriend session - man, you can feel the happiness to your core.
And this summer, I've also been on a kick to do new and different things (at least to me!), moving away from the same ol' dinner, movies and/or happy hours. So, I wanted to share these more unique girlfriend time dates in a series over the next few months (starting with the staycation some friends and I took a couple weeks ago - see that fun here).
And another fun idea is to gather with your friends to try different makeup trends and products to together to find what works the best for you! After all, your girlfriends are your best focus group and should be honest with you! A group of my friends and I gathered different mascaras, eye shadow colors, eye liners and lipsticks from Ulta to test and try. We started with at-home facials and skin prep, and ended with manicures and pedicures... all while sipping drinks and plenty of girl chat.
Since Ulta offers all kinds of brands and products at different price points (from drugstore brands to designer) - they really have something for everyone, including the latest, newest and greatest! The night was so fun - and we all came away with some new make up skills, learned from each other, and products that worked for our individuals skin tones and preferences. Here are a few of our favorite products and why we loved them if you are curious!
Obsessed with the Philosophy brand in general - and this kit offers the perfect at-home facial treatment for a night in. I am also loving this anti-aging infusion duo for the under eye.
We all agreed that the NYX Wonder Stick is a MUST-HAVE! This is the easiest way to highlight and couture your face with one product (I actually love to keep this in my purse for on the go touch ups and after work outs).
Our favorite eye liners actually came in a trio, which is perfect for getting a variety of desired looks. I typically do a slight cat-eye, for day - a thinner one and for night a thicker weight, so Laura Geller's Trio Liquid Liner Kit is perfect to have on hand for whenever.
My favorite eye shadow is a liquid one in a pod! They slide on easier and stay put! And I love these Ulta Color Coat Cream Eye Shadows in a variety of metallic and lightly shimmered colors. They are perfect for day to night.
Ok, mascara is my number one thing. And after a night of chatting with my girlfriends - it's at the top of their priority list, too. We all fell in LOVE with a brand that was new to me and I had somehow never tried yet (I try A LOT of mascaras) - Better Than Sex by Too Faced, and with a name like that - it better be good, right? It was - great length and volume!
Besides mascara, lipstick is a favorite of mine. It's the easiest thing to turn your look into one that's more polished and ready to face the world. I can literally wear barely any other makeup, and swipe on a bold pout and look ready for the day. Plus, it's an instant mood booster! Lipstick Queen has a green lipstick, called Frog Prince, that ends up being a pink color that is different for each person.
An at-home mani and pedi is easy with Ulta's Whim nail polishes that come in bright colors + get a bottom and top coat to make your color last longer. Pick up these manicure grooming sets to complete your at-home experience.
Our favorite products right here:
What are some of your favorite ways to spend time with your girlfriends?
I have more girlfriend happenings to share, showing fun ways to hang out with your friends in unordinary ways!
