Category Archives: beauty

beauty, life, lifestyle, the.B.Law

Clean Teeth, Warm Heart

Hello there!

Want to know a fun fact? I recently celebrated my one year anniversary of getting my braces off 😆. Yes it has been a year and yes I am still a psycho about my teeth (or at least I try to be). I brush, I floss, I whiten… and now I have a new product I love. Did you know, that there are probiotics for your teeth?! I was not aware of this, until my friends at Smile Brilliant reached out to me.

I have had the privilege of working with Smile Brilliant multiple times, and now we are doing our fourth project together! They are a brand and a company I have grown to trust and love, as I literally use their products every day. Their newest addition though, is Dental Probiotics. You chew one a day (at night after brushing your teeth) and you are all set! So quick and easy to add into your routine, and they taste good too (like, for real).

I know we hear about “regular” probiotics all the time, so what are dental probiotics good for? Um a bunch of things. Allow me to enlighten you. They allow healthy bacteria in your mouth AND in your sinuses! Yeah remember? These things are connected. They also help fight plaque build-up and decay, as well as supports good breath. Aside from these great results, the dental probiotics also help build your immunity. YES! These little chewables can help your cold/flu immune support. That is one thing I thought was really great about them. The more to help me not get sick, the better. Also, anything that helps my sinuses, count me in on that too.

One more cool thing, they also have Oral Probiotics for kids! Which is great considering I feel like I only get sick after I have been around my nieces and nephews…

I recommend giving them a try. The bottle is a 30 day supply, so perfect to try out for a month.

But also while I am at it, let me remind you of their other great products I love. LIKE THEIR TEETH WHITENING. This is definitely something I am trying to keep up on since I have my wedding coming up. I love the custom trays, and the results are great and lasting. Which is especially good since I love my coffee. Read up on my latest review of their custom whitening trays here, they are bomb!

But the product I use every day is Smile Brilliant’s CariPro Electric Tooth brush. I even got my fiancé and one of our roommates to start using one too. I just love how it has multiple settings, like SENSITIVE, for my always sensitive teeth. My review of the best tooth brush here.

If you do check Smile Brilliant out, which you should, be sure to use my code THEBLAW20 for 20% off!

Love yous! – B

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A Smile That’s Electric!

My teeth are something that I have been extra into over the last year. I didn’t have bad oral hygiene habits before, but I would say it was just average. I really didn’t floss that much and would mainly focus on making sure I brushed my teeth before bed and in the morning. After I got braces about a year ago, my teeth are on my mind literally all the time. I brush after every meal and even after some snacks depending on what it was. It is my worst fear for these braces, which are the clear brackets, to look gross. When Smile Brilliant reached out to me and asked if I wanted to work with them again, I felt like it was meant to be! I worked with them a couple years ago for their teeth whitening kit and they are so amazing and so nice. This time around I got the chance to try their new electric tooth brush, the CariPRO Ultrasonic, and let me tell you that it did not disappoint.

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I haven’t used an electric toothbrush since I was young, and I can’t even remember what kind it was. All I remember was that my parents bought it for my siblings and I and it didn’t really excite me to brush my teeth. It was just basic and had one setting. When I received the CariPRO I was so excited to get started. It has five different settings so the first time I started off on the first setting “Clean”. I was so surprised at how much it tickled! That passed after a few uses but it was still funny. The CariPRO is timed which is awesome. Your whole brush session is two minutes, four increments of thirty seconds separated by short pauses. At the pause you know it is time to move to a different area of your teeth. I love this feature! This way I know that I am brushing my teeth long enough and well enough every time.

The second mode is “White”. This one sounds a bit more intense, you can hear the bristles moving faster and see the longer ones on the top and bottom are going back and forth very quickly. This mode is exciting because who doesn’t want help whitening their teeth? Especially if you’re trying to keep your braces white like me, or you are a coffee drinker… also like me. Using this toothbrush daily is supposed to help remove more surface stains and get your teeth up to two times whiter, um YES PLEASE!

The third mode is “Massage”. This mode has a significantly different sound, you can hear and feel it pulsing. Now the fourth mode, “Gum Care” has my favorite sound. I don’t even know if I can describe it, it is almost like it goes up and down kind of like an alarm. My six year old niece described it like an alien spaceship! Regardless of the sounds, both of these modes feel great on your teeth and gums. The last mode is “Sensitive”. I probably like this mode the most as I have really sensitive teeth and always have. This mode feels more gentle yet I know my teeth are still getting a good clean.

This brush is super easy to use. It has a power button and you can either use the arrow button below it to pick your mode before turning it on or you can switch through the modes while you have it on, that’s it, so simple. The charger is small, the brush just sits right on top and get this, it stays charged for thirty days! That is so awesome! This way if you go on vacation you don’t have to pack the charger with you. The basic, or “individual”, package also comes with an extra brush head so you and someone else in your house can both benefit, but you can also order additional heads or replacement heads without buying a whole new toothbrush (check out info on the brush heads here). I HIGHLY recommend this toothbrush. I feel like it has totally changed my teeth game and I am even more excited to use it when these braces are off. The feel of clean teeth is already amazing but they feel SO CLEAN after using this brush. I used my normal toothbrush the other night and it just wasn’t the same, I only want to use my CariPRO now.

I have two exciting announcements. One is that you can use promo code theblawtb20 to get 20% off your own CariPRO Ultrasonic electric toothbrush, and two is that WE ARE GIVING ONE AWAY! You heard that right! Click the giveaway link below and enter (super easy, just your first name and email) for a chance to win your own individual set (so one base and two brush heads). I promise you will love it and your teeth will too. Thank me later when you’re sporting your pearly whites!

Giveaway link here!

(I am also linking the frequently asked questions here in case you want to learn more!)

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More VIICode Skin Care!

I got the opportunity to work with VIICode again, and just like last time, I loved it! You can catch up on my previous review of their T2 Oxygen Eye Cream 3.0 here, but this time around I got the chance to test their O2M Oxygen Eye Masks and the O2.0 Oxygen Hydrating Eye Spray and both products work great!

I have never used eye masks before but I have been so curious. I did not know that these were an overnight treatment so I was a little hesitant at first. Something about leaving a product on for that long under your eyes had me worried because 1. I need my eyes so please don’t fall out, and 2. The skin around the eyes is so sensitive. Once I applied the masks under each eye though I was pleasantly surprised. They felt so cool and comforting. I was still able to fall asleep easily, I wasn’t hyper aware they were on my face. The first night I tested them was ideal because it was a late one. In the morning, after being surprised that they didn’t fall off, and again being surprised they did not hurt to peel off, the skin under my eyes looked great! I did not look as sleep deprived as I felt which was exciting. No bags and my eyes looked bright and awake. I was excited to use them again.

They key ingredients in these masks are sodium hyaluronate which boosts skins moisture and reduces inflammation, sodium PCS which helps retain moisture and prevents skin from aging, vitamin E, allantoin which soothes, softens, and protects skin, and aloe barbadensis, algin, which also helps hydrate your skin. Together these ingredients work to make you feel instantly refreshed, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and make your skin bright and moisturized.

The eye spray I liked because application is so quick and easy. A few sprays followed by a few dabs and I was done. This is perfect for me as I prefer a quick routine that will be effective. My one hesitation with the spray was worrying it was going to burn my eyes. I applied as directed (be sure to keep both eyes closed when you spray one eye! This should be obvious but for a split second, I almost kept one open so I could aim and then thought, wait…) and noticed my skin did seem less dry and definitely more bright.

The active ingredients in this are water, nitrogen, active marine ingredient from the Mediterranean Sea, red algae extract, glycerinum, propylene glycol, oligosaccharides, hyaluronic acid, phenoxyethanol, and ethylhexylglycerin. All of which are very big words but the gist is this spray revitalizes the skin around the eyes, and helps to tighten your skin and maintain moisture.

I totally recommend both products. They not only feel great but they work great. Eyes are such an important part of us, it is what people are looking at constantly. We want to make sure we take care of them and the surrounding skin so we look bright and awake. This is also where signs of aging come so any help in that department is definitely a plus! Check out VIICode here!

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beauty, the.B.Law

Formulate

I got the opportunity to try Formulate, a company that makes shampoos and conditioners unique for your personal hair needs and goals, and to be honest I was a little hesitant at first. My sister does my hair, so for the past I don’t even know how many years, I have been using the products from her salon to help keep my color, hydration, all of that. Trying something new was scary to me, but I decided to give it a shot (check out my Formulate highlight on my Instagram here!)

You start this journey off with a quiz. All simple questions pertaining to your hair and your goals. These answers will determine your specific formula. My hair goals I expressed were color protection (obviously), mend split ends because I style my hair a lot, lengthen, and strengthen. The quiz didn’t take long at all, I was even surprised I got to pick my preferred fragrance and even the strength of it! I loved that because I am picky with scents so obviously I went with the more floral smell, called Verdant which smells like grass, lilies, and eucalyptus, and OBVIOUSLY I wanted it strong. 

That was it! I filled out my quiz and information and the next step was to wait for my personal shampoo and conditoner to be shipped. They didn’t take very long and I was surprised at the size of the bottles for the fact that they were full size AND came with pumps! I loved that. The first thing I did was open them and smell them, OH MY GOSH they smelled amazing! 

After the first time I gave them a try my hair felt different, which I was warned of. I was advised due to the fact that they were sulfate free (also paraben free, cruelty-free, and made in the USA, just an FYI) my hair might seem greasy super fast. My hair did feel softer for sure, but a tad oily. After the first day I was already dry shampooing for work. The other thing I noticed was my scalp looked a little dry. 

I assumed I would need some getting used to so a couple days later I used it again. Before my hair was even dry I could see the dryness of my scalp. It was getting so bad and flakey I immediately emailed my contact at Formulate. I remembered them saying that sometimes formulas need to be adjusted a few times to fine tune them and get them right. They were so nice, I told them my issues of the dryness and they immediately put in for a new formal. 

About a week or so after I received my new batch and tried it again. My formal now had the goal “Deep Conditioning” added. Even after the first use of the new formula things seemed better. I was worried if they added ingredients to moisturize my scalp that is was going to make the rest of my hair oily. I was still a little oily after the first new wash, but with each coming wash my hair felt better and better. Not to mention you can smell the amazing scent even the day after washing it! 

I am loving how my hair is feeling and looking after using Formulate. It is shinier, less frizzy, I can actually brush it wet without it being super tangly, and let me tell you, I can usually NEVER do that! It also did not strip my color at all, which I (and my sister) were very happy about. I can safely say all my reserves about trying this new shampoo and conditioner are gone. I felt very taken care of when Formulate immediately helped me to get the right formula when the one I had wasn’t working. They didn’t make any excuses like try it again and see what happens, I could tell they wanted to get it right. They were also SO NICE! I loved working with them. I took before and after photos of my hair. I know the difference may not look huge in the photo but you can still see it. The difference is totally in person and to the touch, it is just sooo soft all the time! The below or during a two month period which includes both my formulas:

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Before! (my 6 year old niece totally took this for me, she is the cutest!)

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After!

Now for something fun! I get the chance to give away one free custom set from Formulate! Click on the link below to enter, I promise you won’t be sorry. How cool is it to know that a haircare system is being formulated just for your hair?! We are all unique so sometimes we need unique products just for us! Enter below 🙂

https://www.formulate.co/u/theblaw

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VIIcode’s T2 Oxygen Eye Cream

I got the opportunity to try VIIcode’s T2 Oxygen Eye Cream and I really like it! I have been using it for the last three weeks and totally see a difference in the skin around my eyes. I’ve never really used an eye cream consistently and I do not know why I’ve never added one to my skin routine sooner. Eyes are so prominent, people look at them all day so why shouldn’t they get specialty products?

Lately I have felt so busy, I am always trying to cram a million things into my day. Not only does this cause me to go to bed late and still have to get up early, but with my mind constantly running I don’t always feel rested when I sleep. This bad combination was leaving me looking extra tired in the mornings, under my eyes were looking dark and puffy. It was the perfect time to try a new eye cream. 

Now the bottle looks small but I want to point out how such a small application goes such a long way. I barely dabbed my finger on the surface and that tiny bit was enough for one eye. I did the same amount for my other eye and gently applied it all underneath my eyes and over my lids. The cream feels smooth and non-greasy. One of the things I like best is that it barely has a scent. I don’t like when creams/lotions have a strong scent. I prefer more of the clean/powdery smells but ones that are not overpowering, especially when it is going on your face and is so close to your nose. 

First off after using this cream, I noticed that my eyes were starting to look brighter in the mornings, I wasn’t looking so sleep deprived. Brighter eyes makes such a difference. Aside from that fact that you look more awake, they also require less make up to cover up any dark circles. It was a welcomed change for me. 

After a few more days (note that you can use this in the mornings and at night) I noticed my eyes were getting less puffy in the morning. This was an amazing change. Dark circles can be covered with make up, bags on the other hand are a little harder to conceal. I have big eyes so I feel like bags or swollen eyes look more noticeable on me (that could just be me being completely crazy but that is how I feel). 

I am happy with the results of this product and look forward to continuing to use it, but what makes it work? VIIcode uses a very effective “T2” stone mortar extraction process to infuse large amounts of essential elements and natural hand picked ingredients that are fresh, as in flown in within 8 hours of harvesting fresh. These include evening primrose which helps boost blood circulation and smooth wrinkles around the eyes, avocado for antioxidants carotenoids (part of the antioxidant defense system), elderberry for antioxidants for glowing younger skin, and chamomilla recutita to reduce dry flaking. Sounds pretty good huh?

If you are in the market for a new eye cream I recommend checking this one out! You can find it here and use code “Brittany” for $5 off your purchase (code expired 11/30/18!

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Holistic Beauties’ BFF!

I got the chance to try Holistic Beauties’ BFF, their Best Face Friend, and I really do love it! It is so small and portable, and comes in pink so duh I wanted it (don’t worry, it comes in blue too). It is made of antibacterial silicon and that got me really interested in more. I am always worried that I am going to think I am doing something good for my face and not realize I am putting more germs on it. The BFF also has three different bristle textures AND fifteen adjustable intensities so you can find exactly what works for you. My face feels so soft after using it. I am excited to see how much it improves after using the BFF consistently.

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I think one of my favorite things is how easily you can take it with you. You can get so into the groove of getting a good skincare routine down at home but when you travel it kind of falls apart. The BFF is small and light so throwing it in your overnight bag is easy. I have also been strangely concerned with fine lines (I will have another blog about that later) but the vibration of the BFF increases blood flow and collagen production AND renews elasticity and prevents aging by massaging your face muscles.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this product. It is just so simple yet does so much, what’s not to love? If you want to see it in action watch my very awkward video here HAHA! It is my first video attempt like this and I think I need some practice so don’t judge too hard. Click here to get 30% off your own BFF, you won’t regret it!

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Smiling Bright with Smile Brilliant

I got the opportunity to use the custom whitening kit from Smile Brilliant and I have to say I am impressed. To be honest I was a little nervous to try it. One because my teeth are not all that straight and I was worried the whiting gel wouldn’t be even on my teeth. Two, every time I’ve ever tried to whiten my teeth, which has only been with either the strips or the mouthwash, I got shooting pains up my teeth and gums (mostly from the strips). I have really sensitive teeth. I can’t bite into ice cream and I prefer cool or room temperature water to ice water because I can’t handle the cold. I was determined to try it though, I am a coffee drinker and we all know how great that is on your teeth. With Smile Brilliant I ended up being pleasantly surprised on both of my concerns.

I received my kit in the mail and was a little intimidated by it! The kit comes with the material (two part) to make your custom tray fittings, the holders, the whitening gel and desensitizing gel, and I was just thinking what do I do?! Before I completely worried I read the directions, which were simple and made me feel better. First step before anything was molding my teeth so I could mail in my impressions to get my custom trays. You have to make a top and a bottom impression (obviously) but you get three containers of the impression material. I understood why after my first impression came out wrong. There is a blue and a white material. You have to mix them together within one minute until you see no more white. I was frantically mixing until I realized how easily they mix. Then you roll it “hotdog style” and lay it in the tray. You put the tray in your mouth and bite down being careful not to scrape the front, not to bite down too hard but also making sure you bite down enough. The mold and tray stays in for three minutes, yes you will drool! I did my top first and when I got it out I noticed I bit too hard in the front because my front tooth broke through the mold and there was a hole in it. I did the bottom next and those came out perfect, then I used the third and last set of material and redid my top. Thank you Smile Brilliant for thinking about people like me who sometimes need a second chance because they overthink. Molds were complete! Next step was to send them in the prepaid envelope to Smile Brilliant so they could make my custom trays.

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The turnaround on the trays wasn’t long at all. I got a notification that my impressions were received and not long after, maybe a week give or take, my trays arrived in the mail. Now I was ready to try it out. I read the directions again to be sure. First you brush your teeth with just water, then put the whitening gel in the trays (1/4-1/3 of the syringe), dry your teeth and put them on. It was pretty simple and the trays were surprisingly comfortable. You can leave them on for 45 minutes up to 3 hours. I started off with 45 minutes as 3 hours seemed a bit ambitious for my first time. After your timer goes off you take off the trays, rinse them well with cold water, then brush your teeth with toothpaste. After that you dry your trays, then put the desensitizing gel in, dry your teeth, and do it again. This part is only 15-20 minutes. The desensitizing gel is to help with tooth sensitivity and help prevent re-staining. It was recommended to do this whole process at night that way after you finish the desensitizing gel you can just go to bed. When you take the trays out that time you just rinse them and leave your teeth alone, no need to brush. You also don’t drink anything after. That was it, so simple! I noticed a slight difference even after my first round!

I started whitening every other day, or I attempted every other day, there were a few longer gaps, as my teeth probably couldn’t handle every day. Towards the end my teeth were getting a little more sensitive but still bearable. I was actually able to up my whitening time to an hour! So proud. Now I have whitened I think 10 times and I am so happy with the results! I smile in the mirror a lot to see the difference. I have even gotten a few compliments that my teeth were white. That has totally helped with my confidence as I have always been self conscious about my teeth because they are not straight. I am happy to say though that in the next month or two I am getting braces and you can bet when I get them off I will be using Smile Brilliant again! I totally recommend them. Once you have your trays you can always buy refills of the gel later so this is a system you can keep and use for a long time. I love that I will be able to keep it for when special events are coming up or just to maintain a white smile. I am smiling bright now!

GIVEAWAY!! —> Click the link to enter to win a whitening kit of your own from Smile Brilliant! www.smilebrilliant.com/g/theblaw or use my code theblaw15 for 15% off your order!

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Before and After

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Purify Sauna Lounge

This past Thursday I got the opportunity to try out the Purify Sauna Lounge in Anaheim, a friend of mine invited me. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, I just knew it was a sauna. When I got there to be honest I was nervous. That seems so silly but I had only ever been in a sauna once and I wasn’t too sure about it, I am not always that great in the heat. As soon as I walked into Purify though I felt better just for the fact of how friendly the staff was. They helped me get signed in, offered me water, took my picture, and showed me how everything worked. It turns out my friend that invited me owns the place! She and her family are such good people so from that moment I knew it was going to be a great place.

The rundown, you get your own personal room with an individual sized sauna. It is almost set up like a tanning salon (there is one room that can accommodate two people if you prefer to go in with a friend, I think that could be fun). In your personal room you have the sauna which has glass walls and doors. There is also a TV so you can watch to pass the time. Before you go in you get your pick of either a peppermint or eucalyptus cold wet towel. You get two, one for while you’re in there, and one for afterwards. I definitely recommend keeping the second for after. You also want to make sure you bring a water in with you, I drank almost a whole 33 oz bottle. You undress, wrap in a towel, and relax in the sauna for 40 minutes! The saunas are on all day so there is a timer for you to know when to get out. The temperatures for these babies are set to 150 degrees. That sounds mostly crazy to sit in 150 degrees for 40 minutes, but believe me, if I can do it, almost anyone can. I told you, I am terrible in the heat but this I handled. Probably because it is mostly a dry heat, there is no steam involved. After about the first 10-15 minutes you will just start dumping out sweat. My friend told me you will sweat in places you didn’t even know you could, well she was right!

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Now I didn’t realize the benefits of a sauna. Purify has all infrared saunas so the lights have a lot to do with it. The colors all have different benefits from relaxing to energizing. Using these saunas help you boost your metabolism, burn calories and loose weight, helps with muscle and joint pain, removes toxins, helps the appearance of cellulite, reduces stress and fatigue, improves your skin, and helps your immune system! I slept SO WELL that night. By the time I got home I was so relaxed it was really amazing. Someone at work the next day even commented on my skin. I was surprised with the results after just one session so you can assume I cannot wait to go back! The lounge offers various memberships that I am really interested in and I even have my boyfriend wanting to give it a try. If you live local you should really check it out!

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beauty, Style Panel, the.B.Law

Introducing the.B.Law Style Panel: Nicole!

Next up on the.B.Law Style Panel I would like to introduce Nicole! Her job on the panel is unique from the others because she is my beauty expert! Nicole is the best hair and makeup doer I know, and I am not just biased because she is my older sister! She truly does great work, I ALWAYS get compliments on my hair color. What is also so great about her work is that you can tell how passionate she is. It is so easy to see that she loves what she does and wants you to love the outcome of her work. A little background, I have known Nicole my entire life, that is all. HA! Just kidding, she is my big sissy and I love her. We are only a year and a half apart so you can bet we used to fight and bicker like no other, but she is one of my best friends and I would be lost without her.


I am so excited for her to be a part of the panel, not just for you readers but for myself! I know only the basics of hair and makeup so I will be learning just as much as you will be! I totally want to get her into doing tutorials and all of that stuff. AWW! Sorry I am just so excited about this. Check her out!

  • Describe your personal style in 3-5 words: Basic, dark, boho
  • Your go to outfit/piece of clothing: Black leggings, flowy black top, and booties
  • Favorite place to shop: Target, G-Stage, and small boutiques
  • Favorite shoe brand: Steve Madden, New Balance, and Free People
  • Favorite current trend: Half up hair with a top knot
  • Style preference: Dressy
  • Where do you get most of your style inspiration: Instagram, Pinterest, and my sister
  • One piece of makeup you cannot live without: Anatasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow
  • Connect:

 

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Valentine’s Countdown: Day 5

In my day 3 post I mentioned how I had one more lip color to talk about (catch up here) and here it is! Along with the ‘True Love’ color I bought, I also got this one called ‘Beet it’. You can probably guess the shade by the name right? Yep it is a beet/berry color and is soooo pretty! It is bold like the bright pink/red of ‘True Love’ but in a different way. I think this dark lip is a little more sexy and great for going out at night, it just pops so much, especially if you do not wear dark lipstick that often. This darker shade would be super cute with blush pink for a Valentine’s Day date. Again this is from Lime Crime and is another matte liquid lipstick, or what they call their Velvetines.

Can you also witness how cute this Valentine’s Day mug is? I got it from Target (of course) and I made myself throw an old mug away to get this one because my cupboard is so full. It would make a super cute little V-day gift to fill with candy or whatever other little things and tie a ribbon around the handle. Tomorrow I am posting the the little candy gift I am making for my boyfriend so be sure to come back! If you missed any of the previous days find them here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4.

Kiss me I’m Caffeinated

Find these two here:

‘Beet It’ Berry Red Lipstick – Lime Crime (ON SALE!) beet-it

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 “Kiss me, i’m caffeinated” Coffee Mug – Target

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