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4 Teas Perfect for a Winter Afternoon

Though winter is wrapping up and spring is quickly approaching (and may have already hit where you live), around here we’re in for a least a few more weeks of chilly days and snow on the ground. Which calls for a good cup of tea on a regular basis.

tea cup with books

There’s nothing quite as comforting as a cup of tea and a good book. It’s one of my favorite ways to spend a stormy afternoon. There’s just something about enjoying a hot cup of tea that helps me relax and regroup. It has a way of bringing balance and perspective. There is a sense of civility and gentility in tea time. There’s no denying it’s a lovely way to pause in the midst of a busy day.

And when you find a flavor of tea you really love, the experience is made even better.

tea cup

I love to try new flavors of tea. One entire drawer in my pantry is devoted to all the different types of tea I like. My daughters each have their own favorite varieties as well. (Apparently, our tea habit is a family affair.)

My favorite place to get tea is The Republic of Tea. Many of the teas they sell rank in my list of all time favorites.

I’d like to share my picks for 4 of the best teas for a late winter afternoon:

1. English Rose Tea

The English Rose Tea is part of the Republic of Tea’s special Downton Abbey themed series of teas. This tea is delicate, fruity, and utterly delicious. It has a sweetness all its own. I find I don’t need to add anything to this tea. It is perfect even without any sweetener or milk of any kind. Plus, there’s a picture of the Crawley sisters on the front of the tin. Ah, lovely! What more could you ask for in a tea?

2.  Almond Coconut Macaroon Tea

As the name implies, this tea tastes like a coconut macaroon (without the calories!). It is a red rooibos tea with a bit of sweetness from the coconut. There’s also a nice hint of almond flavor in this tea. It really is like drinking a cookie. So delicious!

3.  Caramel Vanilla Cuppa Cake Tea

I’m a lover of all things caramel, so this tea is right up my alley. It’s perfect with a nice splash of cream or milk added. The vanilla and caramel flavors of this black tea blend nicely and make for a smooth, dessert-like taste.

(Are you sensing a theme yet? Apparently I really like teas that taste like dessert….)

4.   Earl Greyer Black Tea

What true tea connoisseur doesn’t love a nice Earl Grey? And this is one of the best Earl Greys I’ve tried. This tea is a lovely blend of bergamot, orange, and quality black tea flavors. It is warm and inviting and absolutely perfect for afternoon tea time.

I highly recommend trying any of these teas for your own afternoon tea time. Go ahead. Take out the fine china tea cup, brew one of these teas, and sit down to relax and enjoy a quiet moment this afternoon.

tea cup with flower

(Just as a side note: This post is in no way sponsored by Republic of Tea. I simply love their teas and wanted to share the love with you. So go check them out, and enjoy!)

Modest Fashion Friday: Cheery Blue and Pastels

blue-sweater-pastel-skirt

Though spring is still several weeks away for our area, I’ve had the itch to dress in bright, cheerful colors and pretty pastels. I’ve been searching my closet for items with springtime appeal that are still warm enough for our current wintertime weather. I love a challenge like that.

For church recently, I chose to wear an outfit that featured a beautiful and classically simple sweater. The sweater has a sweet little bow detail at the neckline, giving it an super feminine feel. The periwinkle blue shade is just right for this time of year. Three quarter sleeves help the sweater give the perfect amount of warmth.

I paired the sweater with a coordinating skirt with splashes of pastels in shades of blue, lavender and yellow. The knee length skirt is modest, cute, and easy to wear. It’s from the brand J. Jill. I have many pieces from J. Jill in my closet, and love wearing every one of them.

The skirt was another ThredUp find. i know I mention ThredUp a lot, but it really is my favorite place to shop. I’ve found so many beautiful clothing items at amazing prices from ThredUp. (It’s the only way I could afford high end and designer brand clothing!)

blue-sweater

This simple combination made for a lovely and stylish look. A pair of navy tights and taupe suede boots rounded things out and kept the outfit weather appropriate.

Spring may not be here quite yet, but the colors of my late winter wardrobe can lean in a positive direction, right?

What I Wore

Sweater: Banana Republic (via ThredUp)
Skirt: J. Jill (via ThredUp)
Boots: Nature Breeze (via Zulily)
Headcovering: Garlands of Grace

Please note: This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase something using one of my links.  Note that I only recommend products I believe in. Your support is appreciated!

 

 

Linking up with: Modest Mondays| Hello Monday| Classy Monday | Start the Week Stylish | Watch What I am Wearing | Style Sessions | Style Swap Tuesdays | On Trend Tuesdays | Turning Heads Tuesday | What I Wore | What I Wore Wednesday | Style Me Wednesday | Color and Grace | Who’s Wearing What Wednesday |  Style Spotlight | What Wives Wear | Thursday ModaNo Rules Weekend Blog Party | Friday’s Fab Favorites | Fun Fashion  | Fancy Friday | Fabulous Friday | Fashion Friday | Weekend Wear Linkup

How to Cover Melasma and Skin Discolorations

how-to-cover-melasma

I’ve struggled with melanoma (an area of dark skin on the forehead or around the eyes, also known as the mask of pregnancy) for several years now. It came about as a result of hormonal changes related to pregnancy and was exacerbated by a case of adrenal fatigue. In many people, it clears up after pregnancy, but I’ve had a hard time getting rid of mine. I’ve had to become creative in how to cover it up.

If you have melasma, dark spots, discolorations, or hyper pigmentation, these tips can help cover the discoloration and even out your overall skin tone. It’s a fool proof method I’ve used with great effectiveness for quite a while.

Here I’ll share with you the products I use to cover my melasma and how I apply them.

Concealer

I’ve tried several concealers over the past couple of years to cover my melasma. Some have worked better than others. The two concealers I have found most effective concealers are Benefit Erase Paste and Maybelline Instant Rewind Concealer.

Generally, I dot the concealer over the darkest spots, then blend it lightly onto the skin with my finger. The Benefit Erase Paste is a peach-toned color correcting concealer that evens out darker skin discolorations. It’s perfect for wearing underneath foundation. It does a very effective job of covering melasma, especially on the forehead. I do find that it tends to crease a bit on the under eye area, but setting it with a translucent powder helps keep it from creasing a lot.

For the under eye area, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind is very effective. It’s a lighter formula than Erase Paste, so it doesn’t have the same tendency to crease. The applicator makes applying and blending super easy. Plus, because it’s a drugstore product, it is fairly inexpensive.

Foundation

My all time favorite foundation also happens to have the best coverage for skin discoloration issues. It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ is the foundation I wear nearly everyday. it has amazing coverage and it so easy to apply, blend, and wear. The staying power is impressive and the look it gives is flawless. Its formulation is perfectly suited to covering up skin discoloration issues. I highly recommend it.

For a drugstore foundation option, Covergirl Outlast 3-in-1 Foundation is a great choice. The coverage is excellent and it’s very build able. It’s creamy and easy to apply.

Setting Powder

It’s always a good idea to set the T-zone and under eye areas with some powder, especially when covering discolorations in those areas. I like to set my foundation with a translucent pressed powder. My favorite powder to use for this purpose is Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless translucent powder. it is inexpensive and extremely effective. It’s nice and light, so it won’t settle into fine lines like a heavier powder might.

Ultimately, I realize that finding ways to deal with the root cause of my melasma will be the most effective way of dealing with it. However, until I find a way to clear it up, I know that I have found a method that works to smooth out my skin tone and make the discoloration less noticeable.

This method can work for several types of skin discoloration issues, including hyperpigmentation, age spots, and even dark circles. Hopefully, these tips and recommendations are helpful if you are dealing with the same sorts of skin discoloration issues such as I am with my melasma.

Do you struggle with skin discoloration issues? Do have any additional suggestions on how to deal with it? Please share in the comments.

 

Please note: This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase something using one of my links.  Note that I only recommend products I believe in. Your support is appreciated!

Modest Fashion: Mid Winter Musings

Here in New England, we are currently buried in the midst of what is proving to be the most snowy winter in recent years. And when I say buried, I mean buried. Literally. There is snot piled up to the top third of the windows on our first floor. A couple more storms and those windows will be covered completely. It’s a little depressing.

Every year around this time, I start getting a case of cabin fever. Some years it’s worse than others. Surprisingly, this year’s cabin fever isn’t too bad yet. Maybe it’s because I’ve been keeping myself busy. My kids are so happy about all the snow, they’ve spent most of their afternoons outside, digging tunnels in the snow banks, sliding down the hill in the pasture, and having snowball fights to their hearts’ content.

Meanwhile, I’ve been huddled by the fire, sipping tea and reading. That’s exactly how I like to spend a snowing winter afternoon.

All this snowy weather calls for warm but pretty fashions that keep me cozy while still looking pretty. This outfit fits those requirements perfectly.

lavendar-blouse-gray-skirt

The outfit features a pretty lavender blouse that brightens up the look. The crocheted beret adds a feminine touch to the outfit as well. You know how I love hats—this one is different than the type I usually wear. It has a delicate, lace-like pattern in a gray and purple variegated knit that perfectly compliments the rest of this outfit. And the subtle pinstripe on the gray skirt that adds some interest to an otherwise simple a-line style.

lavender-gray

If I have to be buried by snow for the winter, I might as well do it in style!

What I Wore

Blouse: Old Navy
Skirt: Chadwicks
Beret: (similar)
Boots: Lauren by Ralph Lauren

Please note: This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase something using one of my links.  Note that I only recommend products I believe in. Your support is appreciated!

 

 

Linking up with: Modest Mondays| Hello Monday| Classy Monday | Start the Week Stylish | Watch What I am Wearing | Style Sessions | Style Swap Tuesdays | On Trend Tuesdays | Turning Heads Tuesday | What I Wore | What I Wore Wednesday | Style Me Wednesday | Color and Grace | Who’s Wearing What Wednesday |  Style Spotlight | What Wives Wear | Thursday ModaNo Rules Weekend Blog Party | Friday’s Fab Favorites | Fun Fashion  | Fancy Friday | Fabulous Friday | Fashion Friday | Weekend Wear Linkup

Winter Lifestyle Favorites

Winter is quickly passing by (yay!) and spring will be here before we know it. While it’s still winter, I thought I’d share some of my favorite things from over the winter months. I’ve group each of the items into categories.

Fashion

Floppy wool hats

floppy wool hat

I’ve always been a hat person. Typically, I wear hats to church each Sunday. This winter, I’ve developed a love of floppy brimmed wool hats. I just can’t help myself. They’re so stylish and fun to wear. So, I’ve been wearing them…a lot! I have a lovely blush pink one with a lace band that I especially love to wear.

Books

Whatever the Cost by David and Jason Benham

book cover

My family and I had the privilege of hearing the Benham brothers speak last summer. It was inspiring and entertaining and challenging. I immediately bought their books. In Whatever the Cost, David and Jason Benham recount the events that took place surrounding the cancellation of their HGTV show. They explain the choices they made, the reasons for the stands they took, and their response to the media firestorm that resulted. They discuss the importance of being willing to stand up for what we believe in, no matter the cost. I’m really enjoying this powerful book.

Personal Care

Spongelle Bath gel infused sponge

bath sponge

These lovely little bath gel infused sponges are perfect for anyone who loves shower gel but hates to see any get wasted. When you get these sponges wet, they suds up nicely and smell wonderful. They’re perfectly designed to only use the amount of gel you actually need, so no wasting any precious suds.

Beauty

Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Color Balm

blush stick

Cream blush is perfect for the winter months, when skin tends to be on the dry side. Lately, I’ve been using and loving the Clinique Chubby Stick Blush in the shade Amp’d Up Apple. It has the tiniest hint of shimmer to it, giving a lovely healthy glow to the cheeks. It is a very natural and dewy look. I can’t stop using this blush.

Health & fitness

Sunny Health & Fitness stationary bike

stationary exercise bike

I’ve been riding an exercise bike at least 5 times a week consistently for the past year and a half. A month or so ago, however, my bike decided to quit (one month after the warranty ended, of course) and I’ve been without one. I find I’m much more faithful to my workouts with the bike than without, so my husband bought me a new one. I actually like this one much better. It is chain driven and has the feel of a real bike. It’s designed for spinning, which I haven’t done yet, but I’m inspired to try. I’ve found a couple of spin class videos on Youtube I’m planning to try out sometime. In the meantime, though, I’m back to riding every morning and it’s making me very happy!

Berrywell

elderberry syrup

This stuff is like liquid gold in our house during cold and flu season. It’s made of elderberry syrup, along with a bunch of other immune boosting ingredients. It’s truly amazing stuff. My husband takes it faithfully and hardly ever gets sick. (I wish I could say I’ve been as consistent in taking it—or as healthy.) Plus, it’s 20% off right now. Get some for yourself and stay healthy this winter.

Home

Canvas Factory photo print

canvas photo print

If you saw the giveaway I hosted last week, you’ll know what a lovely job Canvas Factory did on the canvas photo print I ordered from them. Our family portrait for this year looks beautiful printed on a large canvas and hanging in our living room.

Those are just a few of the things I’ve been loving and using over this winter. Do you have any favorite items you’ve been loving lately? Please leave a comment and tell me what they are. I’d love to hear from you!

Please note: This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase something using one of my links.  Note that I only recommend products I believe in. Your support is appreciated!

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