Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone! Especially my fellow Red Sox fans! What a series!
And so begins another work week- the repetition thankfully being broken up by Halloween and kicking off November in style. While I’ll divulge the details of my wild and fun weekend a little later on this week (as well as re-cap the month of October overall in my scheduled “In a Nutshell” post)– I thought I’d take time in-between catching up on work at my office and recovering from one of twelve flus/nanoviruses going around New England like wildfire as of late and share some of my favorite products, items, odds & ends from this past month.
Despite my current sniffle and scratchy throat- which is thankfully improving after some much-needed rest and relaxation last night (and some NyQuil)– October was a month I tried to practice more self care. That included drinking more water, getting more fresh air, and updating my skincare products/regimen to make sure I was staying hydrated from head to toe. Many of this month’s favorites are items that reflect those efforts!
As always, I’ll start with the things I was able to photograph before I jump into some of the miscellaneous things that were a little trickier to capture with my camera!
When Bath & Body Works had their buy three- get three free sale this past month, I took the opportunity to stock up on some of their Fall-inspired skincare line- including pumpkin/apple/cinnamon-scented scrubs, lotions, creams and perfumes.
I’ve been using these products daily and my skin has never looked or felt better- which is definitely appreciated since it’s been chilly and rainy these past few weeks and I’ve been able to avoid letting my skin get dull or dry as we gradually transition from the Fall to the Winter.
Also? Smelling like a pumpkin pie? I’m loving that!
Bath & Body Works have recently started promoting their holiday line- and the buy three-get three free sale is presently up and running if anyone is looking for some good deals or gifts for family/friends!
If I’m going to indulge my skin in some serious care- then I wanted to make sure my hair was being well taken care of, as well. Lately I’ve been loving all sorts of products from Kevin Murphy– but this detoxifying shampoo might be one of my favorites. I use this once a week, massaging it into my scalp and down to the ends of my curls and letting it sit for a minute or two before I rinse- and my hair feels squeaky clean without dryness or frizz. The non-lathering formula melts away product and chemical buildup at the root, while softening and conditioning the ends.
Of course, not every day can be a good hair day- and while I’ve been seeing a lot of beanies and knitwear around lately- I’ve opted for this navy blue beret, embellished with tiny gold stars, instead. It easily matches most of the pieces in my Fall wardrobe- especially my flannel shirts and sweaters- and it’s just so cute!
Finally, I love boot season- and with a couple of Fall weddings coming up over the next few weeks- I’ve wanted to stay seasonal and comfortable on and off the dance floor. I’ve been loving these tan, suede booties with a wooden block heel from Primark lately- which are also super easy to incorporate into both my casual AND dressy wardrobe- and are insanely comfy, too!
And that’s it for the photogenic products/items- but I’ve got a couple of other things that made this month’s list, too!
– MUSIC/MOVIES/TELEVISION –
‘Halloween’ – Of course the holiday itself is one of my favorites, but I’m talking about the sequel to the horror-movie of the same name. As a kid, the only horror movie “baddie” who ever truly scared me was Michael Myers. He didn’t have corny one-liners like Freddy Krueger and he didn’t get blasted off into space ala Jason Voorhees.
No, Michael has always stayed the same- silent and ruthless- even through some questionable sequels/re-makes. But, thankfully, the most recent installment in the film franchise brings things back around full circle in a truly terrifying way. It’s just so damned good!
– GAMES/TECH/APPS –
‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ – Even though this game has only been out for a couple of days, my friends and I have been having a free-for-all of a good time playing it. I don’t think we’ve accomplished any of the missions successfully since we keep getting sidetracked- but the graphics and the gameplay thus far are pretty incredible and it was well worth the wait for it to finally be released!
– MISCELLANEOUS –
Idle Hands Brewing: Undead Red – I first tasted this bright red sour this past Saturday at Indie617’s ‘Boos & Brews’ party at Idle Hands‘ place in Malden- and I was hooked. Infused with fruit and with a cherry aftertaste, this beer was delicious- paired wonderfully with chocolate- and wasn’t too potent for a lightweight like me. I’m a big fan, and will more than likely dropping by this weekend at some point to have a bit more.
And I think that does it for my October favorites! I’ll have a recap of this past month up and running on Wednesday morning before I pass out candy to the Trick-Or-Treaters and get ready to jump-start November!
Until then, though- I’ve got to get some work done. Here’s wishing you all a wonderful start to your week!
xx
– Ashley –
Blondie Birdie 