bailey bee

beauty, home and lifestyle blog

Shop My Home: Living

It’s not much, but our tiny cube in Raleigh is home for now. I made some design switch-ups when we first moved in but the current layout and design of our living space is likely what we’ll keep until we move out in the spring.

Today I’m sharing links to everything!

Wall art: Target

Couch: IKEA Kalstad with the ‘Coal Herringbone’ couch cover from Comfort Works

Black and white pillow (left): West Elm

Black and white pillow (right): CB2

Blanket: West Elm

Coffee table: Target

Accent chair: Target

Rug: Wayfair

White pillows: CB2

Side Table: Target

Floor lamp: Target

Media console: Wayfair

Oliver’s toy basket: Target

Planter: Anthropologie

Desk: Wayfair

Desk chair: World Market

Mirror: Target

That is everything! I’ve included it all in the shopping widget below as well. If you have any questions about any of the knick-knacks, let me know in the comments below.

If you’d like to read up on some of my other home content, click here!

Freebies (+ Other Goodies!) You Can Get on Your Birthday

I outed myself as freebie queen on Instagram a couple of birthdays ago with this post. Ever since then people have mentioned it to me all throughout the year telling me I was a genius although it feels so normal to me. I’ve been doing this for years and it seems like a no-brainer! Free things are my favorite. My birthday is today (!!!), which makes me a summer baby. I never had to go to school on my birthday and as an adult, I’ve always taken off of work to relax and indulge. This free time has allowed me to bop around all day and take advantage of the below list of generous retailers.

Due to the popularity of that Instagram post even two years after-the–fact, I wanted to share a full compilation of the deals I was able to nab this year. If I didn’t physically get this freebie I at least had the coupon in my email and just chose not to. Many “birthday freebie” lists online are out of date and I wanted to be sure I was sending through up-to-date information as of the time of this post. Please note that you will likely need to prep for all of this well before your birthday by signing up for mailing lists and downloading reward apps. It’s more than worth the 10 minutes it’ll take to do all of that– trust me!

my free birthday drink from starbucks
My free birthday drink go-to.. a venti double shot espresso frappuccino light! 2019 edition

Anthropologie: 20% off one item (in the mail)

Auntie Ann’s: free pretzel (app)

Baskin Robbins: free scoop (app)

Ben & Jerry’s: free scoop + $3 off an ice cream cake (email)

Coldstone: BOGO cups of ice cream (sign up here)

Dairy Queen: free blizzard (email)

Dunkin’ Donuts: free drink (app)

Firehouse Subs: free sub (email)

Kendra Scott: 50% off any piece! In the past, I’ve just had to show my license to get this deal in-store but it seems you now have to sign up for their list here.

Moe’s Southwest Grill: free burrito (app)

P.F. Changs: free appetizer or dessert (email)

Potbelly: Free cookie (app)

Sephora: free gift (through rewards, in-store or online)

Sprinkles Cupcake: free cupcake (email)

South Moon Under: 20% off one item (email)

Starbucks: free drink or food item (app)

Target: 5% off in-store purchase (through TargetCircle, app)

World Market: 15% off purchase (email)

Washington, DC area:

&pizza: free! pizza! ($13.75 value – app)

Please, please let me know if you know of any other awesome birthday freebies! I know there are some out there but they aren’t necessarily at places I frequent often and therefore, haven’t tested their freebie out for myself (so I can’t speak to the validity of the offer.) That being said, I’d love to hear what y’all have gotten and the comments below can be a continuation of the list that I started here. Enjoy!

Sacrificing One Dream for Another

Hey, hey, hey.. today I’m doing a deep-dive into what’s been happening in my life so far in 2019. If you didn’t know, me and my fiancé moved to Raleigh, North Carolina from the DC area at the end of 2018. We are both from the Virginia suburbs up there and wanted to make a change. One of the biggest motivating factors for me was being able to afford the life I have always envisoned for myself (and now us as a family). The Washington metro area is notoroiusly expensive and full of high-earners. Although I had a job and career path that truly fulfilled me, I didn’t see an opportunity to own a home where I wanted to live and potentially be able to be as hands-on of a mom that I want to be down the road.

By moving to Raleigh I was essentially giving up my career path in the Federal contracting field that I was completely passionate about. I had a perfect sightline into my future and knew exactly what I could expect for myself. I was making good money but not good enough for the area. In Raleigh, I started out unemployed as I tried to make my way into a new industry: digital marketing. I’m equally as excited about this new field but, as a period of unemployment will do to you, I am nervous that I’m making the wrong decision. Most recently I even considered moving back north but after a deep discussion remembered that we moved here for a reason and I had to find a way to push through.

I started a new job at a fantastic company but in a role that I feel I am overqualified for and am being underpaid for. This is a lesson in humility that I partially expected but not as intensely as it has been served to me. I feel nobody sees my value and that the incredible experience I built in DC over the past three years means nothing. The only thing I have to rely on is my dream down the road of owning a home, starting a family and living a more balanced life away from the craziness back ‘home’.

It is going to be a rocky road for a bit as I won’t be able to save for a home on my new salary and will be digging myself out of the debt that I have accumulated whilst being out of work but I am sincerely hoping that in a few years I will look back on my present situation and feel grateful that I didn’t give up. The sacrifice of giving up on my dream career in order to live out my other dreams in life has been a prickly pain in my heart this year– I guess I can’t go anywhere but up at this point.

I am thankful for the friends we have made in Raleigh in such a short amount of time and I am so, so excited to celebrate our marriage down here next year. When we moved I told everybody, myself included, that I was embracing Carolina as home. I never questioned it until a few weeks ago when the going got really, really tough. I believe all I need to do to get by is to get back to that mindset that this is home now. Once I embrace it again I think everything will get a little bit easier every day.

I used to love that quote “if your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough” but now I have a bit of disdain for it because I am terrified right now and hearing that doesn’t make me feel better. But again– I think in hindsight, this era of my life will shine much brigher than it currently is.

That’s what has been happening with me. I hope to one day be able to take Bailey Bee full-time and THAT is my true dream in my new life. Until then, you can catch me plugging away at my new 8-to-5.

Drunk Elephant: The Littles 3.0

the full Drunk Elephant: The Littles 3.0 line-up

I’m so excited to share my thoughts with you all on the most recent ‘The Littles’ grouping by Drunk Elephant. Priced at $90, this is a solid starting spot if you’re hoping to splurge on a DE product but want to make sure you’re making a sound investment first. Before we begin, I must state that I received these products courtesy of Drunk Elephant. That being said, as always, the below opinions are entirely unbiased and my own!

The Littles 3.0 contains the following:

Let me start with my favorites of the group.. Protini, for which I have raved about in the past, as well as C-Tango. I ran through a full-sized Protini earlier this year and the only reason I didn’t repurchase was because of the price (I was out of work for the first half of this year and was trying to spend responsibly) but rest assured, I still love this stuff! It is nice and thick but doesn’t make you feel weighed down. It also absorbs well, which I think is something I sometimes can take for granted! Speaking of thick, the C-Tango eye cream is soOo luxurious and moisturizing. This was on my “potential buy” list as I am planning my next eye cream purchase. It has now become a “definite next buy” in my book!

The bigger disappointments in the group were C-Firma and Umbra Tinte.

As for C-Firma, I’m seemingly not a fan. I had a full sized version of it a few months ago from a holiday set but never got around to using because I still have a decent amount of my Ole Henriksen Truth Serum left. I ended up selling my C-Firma on Poshmark as it was brand new and thank goodness I did! This is one STICKY product and I dooooo not like it. Honestly, I feel like I may have a wonky formula in mine because I can’t imagine people using this product regularly. It’s sticky and heavy on the skin and I now realize how great my Ole is!

Another dud for me was the Umbra Tinte sunscreen. Although there is a sheer version of this product, The Littles 3.0 included the tinted variety that is far too dark for my skin tone. I let my fiancé use it once or twice but just threw it away after that— such a waste! I think this tinted version should at least come in three shades; including, at a minimum, a lighter and deeper option. Can’t speak much to the sun protection as I didn’t try this on myself.

I used up all of the Beste Jelly Cleanser and it acted as a nice cleanser option. Nothing in particular to rave nor rant about on it. Additionally, B-Hydra is a product that I have tried a sample of in the past and am indifferent on. It’s a very lightweight “serum” that I don’t hate but also don’t love. It absorbs quickly but I don’t feel it moisturizes enough for me to recommend it highly. Lastly, I have been pairing the Virgin Marula Oil with the T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Serum (as advised to do by the directions that come with the kit) and I’ve had good results. My first time trying out T.L.C. Framboos was great because it erased all of the texture on my forehead but this go-around wasn’t as drastic. I assume it is still doing good work– just nothing that really stood out to me.

I am SO happy I was able to try out the Drunk Elephant “The Littles 3.0” kit because I’m such a huge of DE’s products and am always wanting to buy new things by them. Getting a kit like this is a great way to dip your toe in before buying the more expensive full-sized counterparts to your faves.

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My Favorite Products from Trader Joe’s

my grocery cart at trader joe's

Yeeee HAW my friends! We are talking FOOD today! Happy happy Foodie Friday.

I was running low on my staples from Trader Joe’s and thought I would make a post about them after I went back to stock up over the weekend. It’s important to mention that Trader Joe’s is not my main grocery store. I use it to supplement trips to my main store because they have some products that are simply just too good to be without. That being said, these are not things that I have to have every week but I love having them as often as I can (and feel like driving to TJ’s for). I used to live a mere mile away from my local Trader Joe’s! Now, I feel like I’m embarking on a journey traveling *all* the way across downtown Raleigh. It’s not far– it’s just not very convenient.

a close-up of my grocery cart at trader joe's

We’ll go in order of this photo of my cart. First up is their brown rice. Anytime I have to buy brown rice that is not this exact brown rice I am disappointed. This rice is so nutty and sticky and has set the bar for what brown rice should be. Three minutes in the microwave sets you up with a great base for almost any dish.

To the right of that is my literal favorite food on this earth. I’m not being dramatic. I. Love. Trader. Joe’s. Mac. and. Cheese. I could eat it all day, every day. I cook mine for 6 minutes and 33 seconds (yes, really) in the microwave and that allows this mac to cook perfectly and even get some crusty pieces around the edges. Omg. It’s INCREDIBLE. Anytime I need to bring a dish for an event I literally buy a bunch of boxes and put them in a serving dish. You shouldn’t live your life eating mediocre mac and cheese. Eat THIS STUFF instead. Not fully pictured: the fact that there were seven boxes of this mac and cheese in my cart in this photo.

Next up is ‘Gnocchi alla Sorrentino’ with tomato sauce and mozz cheese. Listen, I LOVE gnocchi. That being said, I have never attempted to make it before and don’t really have the desire to, either. Additionally, the prepackaged gnocchi that you can buy at most places just isn’t good in my opinion. It’s too gummy and not pillowy enough for my liking. The ONLY gnocc I will eat outside of a restaurant is this stuff. You empty it into a pan with a splash of water and in eight minutes you have yourself perfectly done gnocchi with a delicious red sauce and stringy mozzarella cheese. It’s so good.

Two of my favorite toppings for my famous avocado toast are TJ’s hemp seeds and super seed/ancient grain blend. Hemp seeds are hearty and delicious while adding not much texture or flavor to the toast while the seed blend brings an amazing crunch.

I like to pick up these lil‘ chocolate bars whenever I’m checking out as a last minute buy. They’re thin and snappy and instantly melt in your mouth. I almost never feel guilty after eating one and they make a really good dash of sweetness after dinner to cure any dessert cravings.

Just like with the brown rice, this parmesan is just about the only parm that can sit at my table. It’s so nutty while balancing the right amount of sweetness and umami. I simply won’t make a dish requiring parm if I don’t have any of this stuff on-hand.

If you really, really want to impress somebody for breakfast then you’re gonna need to buy these chocolate croissants. Let ’em rise overnight and in the morning you will bake up some of the most insane “homemade” croissants ever. The chocolate-to-pastry ratio is superb and the outer edge gets to the most incredible golden brown crispy crust after just a handful of minutes in the oven. These bake up to be just as good as a fancy French bakery and you don’t even have to leave your house.. it just takes a bit of foresight/prep work the night before.

I love the teeny tiny potatoes sold at Trader Joe’s because you just have to cut them in half once and roast them and they’ll turn so crispy and delicious because of their small size. The only annoying part is scrubbing each and every little potato but. ..that’s just a part of being a responsible adult. It ain’t that bad for the product you get at the end!

Lastly, it wouldn’t be a trip to Trader Joe’s without them being sold out of one of your favorites. My go-to pasta is the vegetable radiatore that I am certain is also sold at Target. I like this pasta because it’s rainbow (pretty and has some kind of veggie situation going on) and pairs well with sauce and cheese (see: TJ’s parm) because of all the little grooves in this pasta shape. Unfortunately, they were sold out on this last trip of mine but that just means I’ll have to stock up TRIPLE next time I see it!

Some honorable mentions of things I like at Trader Joe’s but don’t consider true “staples” just yet are their Simpler Times Lager (so good and a high percentage! I appreciate that), their mini peanut butter cups (the PB in the middle is ooey and gooey), their frozen falafel (a bit dry as falafel can be but paired with a fun sauce and over their brown rice is yummy) and of course, their fresh FLOWER selection! You can’t beat peony season in particular.

Trader Joe’s is a mecca to so many Americans and I love hearing what everybody’s favorite products are. It seems they are never the same ones from person-to-person. Let me know your favorite Trader Joe’s goodies down below so I can try ’em out!

June 2019 Home, Beauty + Fashion Lust List

June 2019 lust list of things I want to buy
A. Tai Gold Alphabet Necklace / B. Ripple Gold Hammered Champagne Bucket / C. Huda Beauty Neon Obsessions Palette in ‘Neon Green’ / D. Bungalow Cat Eye Sunglasses / E. Daphne Cami / F. Confetti Candles / G. Fringed Zora Journal in Taupe

I’m a shopaholic but I’m trying to be much better with my product consumption and my spending so whenever I see something that I want, I add it as a bookmark into my ‘want’ folder in my browser. Every so often I’ll rifle through that folder to see what has gone on sale and to see if I even want half of it anymore. It’s a really solid way to shop smarter without feeling like you’re missing out on cool and/or exciting things.

This month’s lust list involves some goodies that I have had my eye on over the past few weeks. From a cute summer cami to one of the hottest beauty releases so far this season, these are some of the first things I’d nab if I were to win a few hundred bucks on a scratcher this week! Haha

I definitely don’t “need” a champagne bucket but wouldn’t that be the greatest showstopper at the next event you host? Also, that fringed journal is just screaming to become my new wedding notebook. I’m waiting for it to go on sale and then it’ll be all mine!

As for that B necklace and the candles? My birthday is next month and I want to treat myself to the cute necklace before throwing those candles onto whatever flavored birthday cake I decide to make for myself.

Lastly, those tortoise sunnies. I am a SUCKER for creamy/beige tortoise and I have been patiently, so patiently waiting for these to be available on a 30% off or higher deal so I can grab ’em.

Normally this is where I’d ask y’all to let ME know what you’re lusting over but honestly, I can’t handle it. I want so much. Heaven help me! Instead, I’m curious how you guys make yourselves shop smarter. I can use all the help I can get. Have a great weekend!

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NABLA Cosmetics Secret Palette Review + Swatches

It has been a VERY long time since I have been excited about an eyeshadow palette release AND actually purchased upon debut. The Italian makeup brand NABLA is fairly well-received and once I saw the swatches for this palette I had myself creating a calendar reminder to buy it ASAP. The Secret palette is full of color and allows you to utilize different color stories for endless amounts of looks. This assortment of shades paired with the solid formulas NABLA is known for has made this palette a surefire winner in my book.

Just look at those shades! Each horizontal row complements itself well but I really like the funky combos that the vertical columns make, too.

Let’s get into the most important aspect of this palette— the formula and wearability of each shade.

All shades swatched well on the arm except for Hypersensual and Nablack. To be honest, I’m not sure why Hypersensual performed so lackluster-ly. It’s a seemingly easy shade to make. As for Nablack, I bet we all have better black eyeshadows that we’re loyal to anyway so it’s not a huge deal to me. It still performed just fine on the lashline to create a smokey vibe.

The standout shades in terms of formula were Giulietta, Fantasize and Ghibli. You barely have to even touch these shades to get them to provide pigment and all blend out effortlessly.

As for my sleeper pick, I Promise ended up being REALLY pretty on the lid. It wasn’t a strong swatcher but is a very dimensional shade that works well paired with a crease color blended out as well as on its own across the lid.

Just serving a warning– Rosemary is a stainer. I’m not really that surprised as that has been my experience with pigmented teal shades in the past and it’s not necessarily even a negative thing. But still a thing to mention.

Again, I have not been this excited over a palette release in freaking years. I’m so excited to dive deeper with these shades and get so much more use out of them! If you’re wary of purchasing from an international seller (if you’re from the US, of course) then fret not. NABLA is the real deal and they shipped this palette to me within a week! If you’re as into this as I was then there is absolutely no reason not to pick it up. Enjoy!

If you wanna see some other palettes I have reviewed, check ’em out here.

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Fenty Beauty Poutsicle Juicy Satin Lipstick in ‘Sun Snatched’

Fenty Beauty 'Sun Snatched' Poutsicle lipstick

Fenty Beauty has released another seasonal collection! I am tempted to buy almost every new release from Fenty– eSPeCiALLY the seasonal collections. They are usually even more whimsical and bright than their regular line of products (which are already tons of fun!) This Getting Hotter release was no different.

Y’all know I am a sucker for an orange lip and Fenty Beauty always seems to do them right. Once I saw these Poutsicle lipsticks announced, I knew I was gonna need this shade: Sun Snatched. The formula and finish of these Poutsicle lipsticks are satin as opposed to the line’s main lippie, the Mattemoiselles, which are very matte. This makes for comfortable wear with an approachable sheen– the perfect combo for summer.

“Sun Drenched” is a red-leaning orange that wears evenly and for a good handful of hours. If you’re drinking or eating while wearing these lipsticks, be warned they won’t last as long but that’s to be expected with any non-matte lip product.

before/after on-lip swatch of Fenty Beauty 'Sun Snatched' Poutsicle lipstick

I like this shade because although it definitely leans red, it is still most definitely an orange. I love, LOVE orange lips and this rounds out my collection very nicely. When Fenty released the second grouping of their Mattemoiselle lipsticks, I compared two of them alongside another favorite orange lippie of mine. If you want to read that post, click here. Those two Fenty shades were ‘Pumpkin Rose’ and ‘Saw-C’. I swatched them below to compare to ‘Sun Snatched’.

Fenty Beauty Orange Lipsticks in 'Sun Snatched', 'Pumpkin Rose' and 'Saw-C'

Almost every time Fenty drops a seasonal collection I try to tell myself to hold back and almost every time I have regretted not picking up the items that initially caught my eye. Unlike other brands that fake you out with limited edition releases, Fenty don’t play. These products won’t return once they have left. If you have your eyes on any of the super poppy Poutsicle Juicy Satin lipsticks, I recommend grabbing ’em now. The formula is ideal for warmer weather and I’m sure you won’t regret it!

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