July 2020 – The Hustlin’ Homemaker

Sally Hansen Pacific Blue | Oldie But Goodie

Hello! Do you have nail colors in your collection that you just can’t get rid of no matter how old they are? I have quite a few…but my oldest one is the original (they have since reformulated it) Sally Hansen Pacific Blue.

I bought this color in 2011. 9 years ago, before I was a MOM!

I can’t bring myself to get rid of it- one, because it’s gorgeous, and two, it is still so smooth and not dried out AT ALL!

I mean, look at it. The creamiest bright royal blue. There’s no other blue like it! Love the brush on this collection, it is thicker than normal and goes opaque in just two coats.

They did reformulate this polish, I haven’t tried out the new(ish) one, but it’s probably really close to the same color- it looks a tad darker, but still so pretty. Get it here for less than $5!

What is the oldest color you have in your collection?

Have a good weekend!

July Faves

Hello! I’ve got some new faves to share! I can’t believe it is the end of July – and life still isn’t back to normal…but at least we have some cool products to distract us with…?

Ok, here they are!

First off, this amazing all-in-one palette! This is the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette in Gorgeous Glowing Beauty. This palette has three eye colors, a bronzer, two blush colors, and a highlight. This has everything you need to get the prettiest glow. Charlotte Tilbury’s products never disappoint.

A few more makeup products – this Pacifica lip gloss in Beach Kiss. This is the prettiest rose gold gloss that is so shimmery! It’s not sticky and it lasts. Love the color!

This brown gel pencil eyeliner from Maybelline is so smooth and STAYS. I love this even more than my beloved UD Demolition pencil. I use this on my lashline and tight line, and it just looks more natural and softer than using a black liner. It is actually really difficult to remove, but makeup remover takes it off. Love it.

Here are some swatches:

You know I had to include a nail color!

This is Essie Model Citizen, the perfect hot pink creme color! So summery and pretty! Love the Gel Couture line. Opaque in just two coats.

Next, a jewelry cleaner, because this thing is SO COOL. It’s like one of those twist up brush tip lip glosses. You twist it up, wet it, and brush it all over your jewelry. I use this on my wedding ring and it makes it look like when the jeweler cleans it!

Lastly, a bubble bath, because we all need some SELF-CARE.

I love this Dr. Teals Foaming Bath, but had never tried this scent. It smells sweet with the almond oil and is so moisturizing. It also makes a ton of bubbles!

So, that is it for the faves! What have you been loving this month?

Follow me on Insta and Goodreads for more!

Thanks for reading! xx

Reading Wrap Up | July

It’s the end of July! I have finished my three books for the month, and they were all good picks. I read two mystery type books, and one historical fiction book. Here are my reviews.

The Dilemma by B.A. Paris

This book was a new release from one of my favorite authors. I pre-ordered it back in February and I was so excited for it to finally arrive.

This book was about a woman who has been planning a huge party for her 40th bday. Her husband wants to surprise her by flying their daughter in to celebrate. The day of the party when she is supposed to be arriving, she doesn’t, and her father doesn’t hear from her. He battles over whether or not to tell his wife, who is also hiding a secret from her husband. The name of the story is The Dilemma because both characters are both facing the dilemma of whether or not to tell the other about their secrets.

This book was really good, but it wasn’t a thriller like I was hoping for. Her other three books are all thrillers, so I thought this one would be too. It was more of a family drama type. It was still good and I would still recommend!

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

I have read a bunch of books from this author, they are usually the mystery drama type, and although this one was a mystery, it was a little bit scary and thriller-like.

This book was about nine people, all strangers, that have chosen to take a retreat to an upscale health resort for 10 days. The book flipped back and forth between all nine perspectives, which I don’t usually like, but it was easy to keep track of them. Each person is there for a different reason, and the lady running the resort is crazy. She asks them to do weird things with a promise that it will help them if they fully immerse themselves in the program.

This book was good, the ending was kind of an open end, and I could totally see this book being made into a movie. Overall it was interesting and I would recommend it!

The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

This book was my favorite of the month! If you like WWII historical fiction, you will love this one! It is inspired by true events.

This book was about a girl named Grace who finds a abandoned suitcase in a train station with a bunch photographs of different women. She finds out that the suitcase belongs to a woman who was the leader of a ring of female secret agents. These women were sent to Europe but mysteriously never came back. She learns all about the women and their stories.

This book was so well written and I loved how the women were portrayed. They were brave and courageous, and the book was not graphic at all like some historical fiction novels are.

That’s it for my picks for the month!

What have you been reading lately?

EAT | Red Sauce

Hello! You guys love pasta right? Pasta is one of my favorite things to eat, and I make pasta dishes all the time for my family. My girls love anything with marinara or “red sauce”, and I have the easiest, most delicious recipe that blows jarred sauce out of the water.

This sauce uses canned tomatoes, and I find that when you’re making red sauce, you need the canned tomatoes. Using fresh tomatoes also makes a great sauce (like for a pomodoro sauce), but the canned tomatoes give it a thickness that you can’t get from using fresh.

Here is the recipe!

What you’ll need:

1 tbsp olive oil
6 or 7 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano

In a large saucepan, heat up your olive oil.

Add in your garlic cloves, and sauté just until fragrant.

Pour in your crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Bring to a boil, and add the salt and oregano.

I usually add ground beef to this sauce, but it is also very good without.

I usually put a lid on and simmer this sauce for about 30 min.

That’s it!

I use this sauce for lasagna, spaghetti, baked ziti, etc. It goes with any pasta.

This night I just boiled some elbow macaroni, mixed it up with the sauce, topped it with some mozzarella, and baked it for a quick meal.

Yum!

More dinner recipes:

Chicken and Dumplings

One Pan Chicken and Asparagus

Crockpot Chili and Cornbread

Chicken Noodle Soup

Pasta Pomodoro

Thanks for reading! xx

Summer Beauty Must Haves

Well, it’s 104 degrees here in south Texas as I write this post, so I would say it is sweet sweet summertime! Summer is my absolute favorite, I love the swimming, playing outside, and I’m always down for a good ol’ barbecue.

I don’t like to wear a ton of makeup in the summer; just something light because it is so hot out. I feel like a pretty face in the summertime is all about the skin, and having that dewy fresh complexion. Most of these faves are for your face!

I like to use a tinted moisturizer type product in the summer, this one by Bare Minerals goes on super easy and smooth, has SPF 30, and provides a light coverage.

For my cheeks, I love a good glow! This is my favorite highlight of all time, the Laura Geller Gilded Honey. The color is a gold champagne and gives the prettiest sheen!

Here’s a swatch:

For my nails, it’s gotta be Bikini So Teeny by Essie! A summer staple. The perfect purpley-blue periwinkle cream.

Can’t forget about gloss! This is the Liptuitive Glow Gloss by Becca. This gloss looks kind of blue in the tube, and it has iridescent shimmer, but on the lips it turns the prettiest natural shade of pink with a subtle shimmer. The formula of this gloss is so smooth, almost like an oil. It’s not sticky and it lasts!

I love a beachy wave, especially for summer! This Sephora Texture Spray gives a light matte hold to the hair, and adds volume. I love to curl my hair and then spray some of this in and scrunch. Perfect beach waves errtime.

My favorite tanning product EVER is this Loving Tan 2 Hr Express in the dark color. I apply this with a tanning mitt and it never streaks or looks orange on me. I love how it develops in only two hours!

I can’t live without this Caudalie Beauty Elixir. This is a toning spray that smells like a spa and feels cool and minty when you spray it on. Sometimes when I start spraying it, I can’t stop!

My last fave is this Sol De Janiero Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. This is a really popular product in the summer, for its smell alone. It is very strong, and very vanilla coconut. It smells like a tropical vacation. I usually don’t like scented lotion, but this is so good for going to the pool or beach. It is a really thick body cream that really moisturizes.

That is it for my summer faves!

What have you been loving this summer?

Do you have Instagram? Let’s be friends!

xx amy