February Petit Vour Box

• Ellovi Mint Chocolate Body Butter- This body butter was light and creamy, not as thick as I've experienced with other "Butters". The only complaint I have is that I received Mint Chocolate flavor, which is one of my least favorite scents. Otherwise, this was a great product which I happily passed to my best friend who adores the scent.
• Harvey Prince 
• Damask Rose-This scent is very romantic and "pretty". The prevailing note is rose, but deeper and more sensual than your standard rose scent. 
• Gardenia-A bit stronger and bolder than Damask Rose, this scent is the perfect special occasions or nighttime scent.
• Balanced Guru Scrub Me Body Scrub- This coffee scrub is sure to remove any and all dead skin particles. It's a bit rougher than other scrubs I've used which means it would work perfectly for an at-home manicure or post sunburn scrub! This scrub is perfect for the transitional period we are in, where skin may be a bit rougher than usual.

• Lily Lolo Vegan Mascara-After several blissful months with Petit Vour I can say without a doubt that this mascara is my favorite product that I've received. It wears so nicely, lasts all day and makes my lashes look and feel incredible. For as amazing as it makes my lashes look, the formula is super flexible and enduring. I love that its vegan and most likely really healthy for my lashes. I would absolutely compare the quality of this mascara to Lancome Definicils, which used to be my favorite. 

Lately

I'm generally not a warm weather person, Fall is my favorite, but I could not be more ready for higher temps. I'm sick of hearing everyone discuss how terrible the weather is, myself included. As a way to console myself, I've been shopping like crazy for spring pieces. What are you guys wanting/buying? 

Tote and Sandals

Camisole (Similar) and Bralette

Blush, Necklace, Cuff, Hair Tie, Lip Liner, and Perfume

Sandals, Scarf, and Nail Polish

Fuzz

Just stopping by with a leetle TGIF shopping insight for you.

If like me, you love those Karl Lagerfeld and Fendi furry keychains but cannot justify the price tag (and I am the queen of justification), this adorable owl pouf key chain from Iris Apfel's Rara Avis collection for HSN is just the ticket! It's huge and it's only $10 (and it's totally faux). I almost went with this crossbody bag too but realized the pouf is more versatile.

Skins

About a month ago, a friend (everyone's favorite Brooklyn Blonde) posted about her love for dry brushing. This is not the first time I've read an article extolling the virtues of dry brushing, but I decided it was time to give it a try and I promptly placed an online order for this brush. I've been dry brushing, following Helena's instructions a few times per week and I've definitely noticed a difference in my skin. After brushing, my skin feels silky and revitalized. Dry brushing used in conjunction with my new favorite Body Butter has me feeling really ready for warmer weather.

If you are within 20 miles of a Trader Joe's, I highly recommend stocking up on this body butter, which smells heavenly and leaves skin feeling amazinggg (and I'm fairly certain it retails for under $6).

You guys see that heart, right? 

Wednesday Words

So I've been completely M.I.A. these past 3 or so weeks. Following my near fatal (kidding) bout of bronchitis, I threw my back out. I was bending over in the bath tub giving the pups a bath on 3/8 and my back locked up and then popped and I honestly haven't felt like myself since then. I've been back and forth to my chiropractor 10 times or so (and several hundred dollars later) and I've recently been able to sit comfortably and walk without pain. My chiropractor eventually told me that my back was out of alignment, with my upper spine twisted to the right and my sacral spine flattened out completely, rather than curving towards my belly button. I'm still not bending over at the waist like I'm used to, but I'm definitely on the mend. 

I have to admit that this process was really frustrating and difficult for me. I've never before had a situation where I felt like my body was failing me. I had a few "poor me" moments that led to tears, and I had some really humbling moments like the time when my husband had to help me into and out of my skinny jeans (trust me, this could not have been less sexy!). It was also super annoying to explain to people in my office why I was "walking funny" - Shout out to my BFFs at work for understanding and helping me whenever they could! 

The moral of this story is that I can definitely say that my "broken back" situation provided many opportunities for me to learn and grow. My patience is strengthened, my love for my body and my desire to care for it has increased ten fold, and my gratitude for my loved ones is immeasurable (I definitely whined and talked about my back for what felt like years).

Thanks for sticking with me through some major silence over the past few weeks. I'm so ready to get back on track with Novelty and the rest of my life!

Current Cravings

Right now, I am surviving by looking forward to the warmer weather and purchasing anything that I can to assist with shortening these last few winter days. For me, Spring is shaping up to be all about beauty, minimalist attire, a simple and affordable tote, and a collection of shoes that run the gamut in style. 

Forever 21 white top
forever21.com

Love 21 lightweight jacket
forever21.com

Love 21 white skirt
forever21.com

Love 21 jumpsuits romper
forever21.com

Adidas white shoes
$105 - mytheresa.com

Stuart Weitzman pumps
$600 - harrods.com

Old Navy brown handbag
oldnavy.gap.com

Old Navy pink purse
oldnavy.gap.com

CellPowerCases iphone case
bluefly.com

J Crew lip gloss
jcrew.com

Tatcha beauty product
barneys.com

Various KEYTAGS

A couple weeks ago, my beloved studded Coach keychain kicked the bucket and I've been using a crappy ass black carabiner clip for all of my keys (I had as many a janitor). I came across Various Key Tags while on Instagram and knew that I immediately had to place an order. I loved so many of their keychains, that at one point I had 6 of them in my cart just trying to figure out which one was coming home with me. This one, this one, this one, and this one were all contenders!

January Petit Vour Review

So I'm just a little bit late with this post, I was hoping to have it up in the end of February, but last week had me sidelined with bronchitis, a sinus infection, and an ear infection and earlier this week I pulled a muscle in my back and found myself on the couch with a heating pad for about 48hrs. The only positive light there was that I lost 3 pounds, but they're back now so there is no positive light to my sickness (wah). 

• EVOLvh Smart Start Leave-in Conditioner- I have been a huge fan of EVOLvh products despite my allergy to them. I was using their shampoo and conditioner for the longest time because I loved the way it left my hair feeling, but sadly I had pimples all around my hairline and chin (not that I need any more of those), so I passed my remaining bottles to a friend. So far, this leave-in conditioner hasn't bothered me at all and has really made my hair feel protected and soft after blow drying!
• 100% Pure French Lavender Hand Buttercream- Sometime during my previous incarnation as a Birchbox subscriber, I received 100% Pure's coconut buttercream and have been IN LOVE with it ever since. I was so excited to receive their lavender version and love it just as much-it's perfect for a little "zen moment" at my desk every once in a while!

• Modern Minerals (En Pointe) Mineral Eye Shadow- This is my fourth jar of Modern Minerals eye shadows and it's just as great as the others that I have (see here and here). Every time I use these shadows I am blown away by how beautifully they glide on and STAY on throughout the day. I had never really tried mineral makeup before, but these shadows have me thinking about branching out!

• RawSkinCeuticals Cheek Creme- I have to admit that I haven't given this Cheek Creme a try yet. When I put it on my hand to test it, it came out very bold and paint-like and I keep forgetting to try it on a weeknight or weekend, so more to come on this one. When I visited the Petit Vour site, they stated that this product is highly concentrated and needs to be applied lightly, so I'll report back!