A (Winter) Chicago Travel Guide

I always love sharing my home town with the people I love. That's why when Kristen and Joe booked plane tickets I knew I would have to create another travel guide for all of you! Chicago is a huge city with so many things to do. I had a streamlined winter itinerary for them. When there are so many options, it's hard to pick just a few things to do. Kristen and I brainstormed, and we had quite the long weekend! If you followed along on my Instagram Stories you may have already seen most of our adventures but I thought that it would be a good idea to compile another travel guide for an easy way to see the city in a few days in the winter.

Food:

Bombo Bar Attached to Bar Siena is a fun and festive dessert bar! Their deluxe hot chocolates are insane and worth every calorie. You can also spike them which is a little something extra.

Portillo’s THIS is a Chicago classic. One of the few places I’ve ever been that truly has nothing bad on the menu! I love their chopped salad, but I always take my friends here for Italian Beef (dipped, with peppers) or a traditional Chicago Dog (no ketchup)!

Big Star This newer restaurant is across the street from Wrigley Field and their tacos are to die for! I loved every taco I had, definitely try the Walking Taco, that was my favorite.

Lou Malnatti’s Every Chicagoan will have a different opinion. I prefer Lou Malnatti’s deep dish, but honestly you can’t go wrong with any place that serves that type of pie.

Sights:

Chriskindlt Market A Chicago tradition adapted from the original German markets, this little pop up has all of the sights, smells and tastes of Christmas in Germany.

Zoo Lights: The Lincoln Park Zoo is free zoo in the Lincoln Park neighborhood that comes alive at night during the holiday season! Their light displays are fun for the whole family and a fun activity with some hot chocolate in hand. 

The Bean: The Bean is one of the most requested when my friends come visit me! It’s so funny because it is so simple but you can truly see the whole city reflected into this magnificent sculpture. Definitely a Chicago staple! It’s located on the Mag Mile by some many great bars and restaurants. 

Wrigley Field: Located right off the Addison stop on the L, a lot of my friends want to at least see the stadium! The nightlife scene around there is always lively and is easy to walk from bar to bar! If you’re ever in town during the season, do yourself a favor and try to see a game in there! The history and energy of the stadium is electrifying.

The Museum Campus: Located next to Soldier Field, the museum campus offers a lot of different ways to learn. There’s the planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry. I grew up going to there places and like different things about each of them. You can’t really go wrong with any, it just depends what your interests are!

The Chicago Theater sign: Located off the State and Lake L stop, this is one of the more famous theaters in Chicago. The sign is gorgeous and definitely a fun photo opp!

Bars:

Santa Baby: There are a lot of Christmas-themed bars throughout the country for the holiday season! I checked this bar out in Wrigley in early December and we had a blast.

The Hange Uppe: Pronounced: The Hang Up. This is strictly an 80’s music bar that you should check out if you like experiencing joy. If you like dancing and a good time: this is your place. This is a bar my mom used to go to when she was my age!

The Game Room: Located across the street from the Bean in the same building as Cindy’s, this bar is classic Chicago. Nestled in the lobby of the Chicago Athletic Club, which is a hotel, it has full size Booche ball, billiards, chess and other games you can reserve. Their appetizers are delicious and they’re cocktails are unique!

There's always something to appreciate where you are. Sometimes it's easy to glance over details when we're just trying to hustle in our daily lives, but it's so important to celebrate and enjoy the things that make where you live special and great.

I know that this past year after college, I didn't enjoy everything that I could've in the beginning. I was trying to speed through a chapter in my life to get me somewhere else. That is no way to live. You have to life in the moment of your life, don't skip the chapters. You're here for a reason.

Holiday Lookbook 2018

The holidays are fast approaching! Even for me, I've been posting gift guides since before Thanksgiving but here we are, 13 days until Christmas! Although holiday parties can range in dress code, I've assembled some super fun dresses that can be styled for more than one occasion. After all, New Year's is just around the corner.

Here are my picks to wow and excite this holiday season, most are under $100 and from retailers that I know produce quality products. The collage below is shoppable, just click the frock your interested in or each dress is linked below the photography. Happy shopping!

Black High/Low Hem Midi Dress - Click here!

Blue Sequin Sheath Dress - Click here!

Turtleneck Sweater Dress - Click here!

Red One-Shoulder Jumpsuit - Click here!

Sequin Striped Mini Dress - Click here!

Red V-Neck Velvet Shift Dress - Click here!

Floral Long Sleeve Velvet Dress - Click here!

Grey Velvet Wrap Dress - Click here!

Maroon Jumpsuit - Click here!

There are so many ways to celebrate Christmas. Everyone has their own traditions, and that's what makes it such a special time of year. For all the fancier party goers, this lookbook should have you covered! I will also be sharing sweaters that I think are great for holiday events later this week, stay tuned!

I always appreciate when you use my links. Every post takes time, but I love doing them because I know that they help you! I do receive a small commission for purchases made through my links at no extra cost to you. This helps me in turn create more content! Thank you for following along on the Mimosas & Lipstick journey - get ready for more exciting adventures in 2019!

Gifts for Coworkers Under $25

There's so many ideas for what to get for your family and close friends for the holidays but what about the people who you spend Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., what do you get them? They know all about your life, but you're not best friends.

Whether you're shopping for a Secret Santa or just trying to show appreciation for the person who knows your coffee order by heart, I've got just the thing!

That being said, a lot of time goes into these gift guides but I think it's worth it if I can help one person find the perfect gift for someone in their life! I am so excited to brainstorm and create content that my readers enjoy and want to use. I want you to know that I can never thank you enough for using my links for your holiday shopping, it is so appreciated. I do make a small commission from each purchase at NO extra cost to you, and this allows me to continue to make content for you!

This collage has shoppable links attached to it! Just click in the center of the item you wish to learn more about! They are also linked under the photo as well! Happy Shopping!

Capri Blue candle - click here!

Yeti Mug 14 oz. - click here!

White Faux Fur Trimmed Slippers - click here!

Men's Ombre Socks - click here!

Letter Boar - click here!

Black Faux Fur slippers - click here!

La Croix Coffee Mug - click here!

Kiehl's Lotion - click here!

Throw Blanket - click here! It's 50% off.

Long-Stemmed Wine Glass - click here!

These high quality items under $25 are easy ways to cross your coworkers off your shopping list!

His Favorite Color

As the holidays roll around and we spend time with our loved ones it’s hard not to remember loved ones who are no longer with us. We lost my grandfather last January. This time last year there was a lot of in and out of hospitals and that was something we went through together as a family. This weekend, I helped my grandmother go through her closet in the front hall of her house. Going through his things...it was hard not to get emotional. Hard to know what to keep and what to give away to someone in need. I wrote the following earlier this year when we lost him:

 “I wonder what his favorite color was,” I kept thinking to myself as I watched my grandpa in his hospital bed taking breaths with his whole body. It was December–a week until Christmas. My grandmother sent me with some Christmas decorations for his hospital room.

I had just gone to the World War II museum the week before and I felt guilty thinking my grandpa looked as helpless as the people in the exhibits.

My grandfather was so many great things and he never bragged about any of it. I think that’s why I didn’t find out a lot about him until he passed away.

Nothing was ever about him. Every time I called him we talked about my classes, what I was learning or how my jobs and internships were going. I didn’t know my grandpa had a lunch group. I didn’t know he had been a lifeguard. I didn’t know he had a brother who passed away as a child. I didn’t know he swam competitively at the collegiate level.

I did know how much my grandpa loved his garden. And the newspaper. And French toast. I knew how much he loved House Hunters and PBS history specials. He loved saving money on things like pizza in a restaurant and on clothes especially when he was down to 120 pounds. He loved my grandmother. He loved the Wisconsin Badgers and the Packers. And he loved my brother and me very much.

He quizzed me on palindromes because my name is one. He told silly jokes and he treated everyone like a person.

He sat in chairs with one leg crossed over the other, his elbows bent and his hands folded. And he would have his fingers resting against his lips when he was thinking really hard.

He never showed weakness. Nothing was ever about him. He always encouraged us to be the best we could be.

“Grandpa’s moving to hospice. He knows where he’s going, and he’s okay with it.” And then it’s just done. You know you’re dying. My grandfather had been in and out of the hospital for quite some time. There were diets and wardrobes and fixed liquid intakes. Still nothing was ever about him. He still made fart jokes. I still woke up to him in his garden. No matter how bad it got. And now I’d never hear his voice again. The finality of it was too much for me.

I only got to see him twice while he was in hospice. They were brief visits but they meant so much to me. The nurse explained everything perfectly but I only remember bits and pieces. Every time we left I kissed him on the forehead. So if it was the last time it would be okay.

Once I went back to Chicago, I feared getting the call. The call telling me he had passed away. Every time my dad popped up on my phone I was afraid it was time...that the time had come.

“It was okay Hannah. He went peacefully. I found Amazing Grace, the bagpipe version, on iTunes. We all listened and then he was free.”

The following Friday, our family stood in the front of the Town Club and greeted what felt like the whole city. It was amazing. They closed his office early that day so everyone could attend. I couldn’t tell you how many people came through the line to tell me my grandfather gave them their first job or he was the first person to believe in them. That they’d seen my pictures on his desk and they loved his stories about me. The book club..the map society..all of his fellow board members came from near and far and they told us magical things.

When my grandpa was a lifeguard he saved someone’s brother from drowning. He was often more worried about his tan than being a lifeguard and we would all chuckle. My grandfather was always a friendly face to people who felt out of place or lost. There were so many people who came through the line telling me he was the first person who talked to them when they were new in town. He was the first to invite someone to be on his paddle tennis team or the first person to even say hello to them and remember their name.

The lunch group came too. They would tell me how, even at the end, when my grandfather had something to say, the whole room would quiet down and listen to him.

As more and more people came through the line I couldn’t help but feel as though I hadn’t even hit the tip of the iceberg when it came to my grandpa. There were so many things I never knew. So many things I never got to ask. And I wondered if I had made the most of my time with him.

And then I remembered watching him in the mornings through the windows while he tended to his beloved garden. And how he’d tape House Hunters so we could watch them together. Or how, when I was little, we’d all lay on the floor and play pick up sticks for hours.

And then I realized: all of the things that seemed like nothings, meant more to me than so many of the things that seemed like somethings. I always felt like you needed to know certain details about someone to prove you knew them. But all I had left was the feelings. The hugs, the smiles and the mannerisms.

You can find out facts after everything is said and done. I believe that would be my grandfather’s favorite subject: history.

But you can never replace the little things that make someone who they are in that moment and in your heart. You can’t replace the way someone makes you feel. So although I feel like I didn’t know enough about the “facts” of my grandpa, I have time to find those out. The “feeling” of my grandpa while he was here is the most important thing to me.

His favorite color is blue.

Gifts for Her

I am so excited to share my first ever  Ladies Holiday Gift Guide! I wanted to give you an opportunity to shop for the women in your life, or maybe even yourself, before stuff sells out! Since we're so close to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, there have already been great sales popping up, so I will let you know if the item is on sale or a hot item so you can prioritize before it sells out! A lot of these things are staples in my life and some of them are on my list this year as well.

That being said, a lot of time goes into these gift guides but I think it's worth it if I can help one person find the perfect gift for someone in their life! I am so excited to brainstorm and create content that my readers enjoy and want to use. I want you to know that I can never thank you enough for using my links for your holiday shopping, it is so appreciated. I do make a small commission from each purchase at NO extra cost to you, and this allows me to continue to make content for you!

I broke this post into gifts under $50, under $100 and over $100. There are items for everyone lady on your list! Whether they're a beauty lover, a work out machine or a fashionista! As always, if you ever have any questions please feel free to contact me via comment, email, DM, text, whatever helps me help you.

Each of the collages has shoppable links attached to it! Just click in the center of the item you wish to learn more about! They are also linked under the photo as well! Happy Shopping!

My picks for her under $50:

Grey faux fur lined slippers - click here! They're on sale for $20

BH Cosmetics Brush Set - click here!

Living Proof Hydration and Repair Kit - click here!

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick - click here! It's on sale for $13 and so many color options!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Cream Kit - click here!

Capri Blue Candle - click here! They last forever!

Brown faux fur lined slippers - click here! Also on sale for $20!

James Charles Morphe Palette - click here! 

Stila Bare Beauties Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick Set - click here! Here sample size to try new colors!

Glam Glow POWERMUD Dual Cleanse Treatment - click here! 

Brown Plush Throw Blanket- click here!

Winky Lux Cashmere Kitten Palette - click here!

My gift choices for her under $100:

Star Pajamas - click here!

Tula Exfoliating Treatment Mask - Click here!

Gold Hoops - click here! These are my go to earrings!

Faux Fur lined robe - click here! Currently on sale!

Sherpa Pullover - click here! On sale right now!

Ugg Slippers - click here! Everyone needs a pair in their life.

Kiehl's Brighten & Glow Gift Set - Click here!

Faux Fur pom pom throw blanket - click here!

Tula Discovery Kit - click here! A great way to try the products they offer!

Quay Aviators - click here! Seriously my favorite sunnies!

My suggested splurges for her over $100:

Tory Burch Wallet - click here!

True Grit Sherpa pullover - click here!

Adidas Ultra Boosts - click here!

Dyson Hair Dryer - click here! The ultimate goals for hair dryers!

T3 Micro Curling Iron - click here!

Robe - click here! The quality of this brand is amazing!

Rebecca Minkoff purse - click here! Perfect for a girl on the go!

Dry Bar Straightener - click here!

Turtleneck Sweater - click here! My seriously favorite sweater this season and it's 30% off!

Uggs Slippers - click here! Another option for the best slippers! 

I hope that this gift guide helps you make some decisions for the lovely ladies in your life!

My Amazon Finds Under $30

You can find literally anything on Amazon! Whether you need a lawn mower or a curling iron, there your one stop shop. I've compiled some of my favorite fashion items I've purchased on Amazon that won't break the bank.

Brown Wallet, $14 - Click Here!

Pink Peplum Tee, $17 - Click Here!

Front Button Skirt, $15 - Click Here!

Pink Sweater, $27 - Click Here! Comes in 17 colors!

Grey Peplum Tee, $17 - Click Here!

Purse Organizer, $26 - Click Here! I have a Louis Vuitton Neverfull size MM and a size Large purse organizer.

Black Belt, $15 - Click Here!

Oatmeal Sweater, $27 - Click Here! Goes with everything!

Beanie, $12 - Click Here! Comes in over 12 color options!

White Wallet, $14 - Click Here!

Jewelry Organizer, $20 - Click Here! Seriously such a lifesaver and goes with every room!

Gifts for Him

I am so excited to share my first ever Holiday Gift Guide! This was the most requested guide this season, and I wanted to give you an opportunity to shop for the men in your life before stuff sells out! All of the items are Jack Wilson approved and trust me my brother is the first person to tell me if an idea won't work.

That being said, a lot of time goes into these gift guides but I think it's worth it if I can help one person find the perfect gift for someone in their life! I am so excited to brainstorm and create content that my readers enjoy and want to use. I want you to know that I can never thank you enough for using my links for your holiday shopping! It is so appreciated. I do make a small commission from each purchase at NO extra cost to you, and this allows me to continue to make content for you!

I broke this post into gifts under $50, under $100 and over $100. I know that sometimes it can be hard to shop for men and I wanted to break it down as much as I could! As always, if you ever have any questions please feel free to contact me via comment, email, DM, text, whatever helps me help you!

Each of the collages has shoppable links attached to it! Just click in the center of the item you wish to learn more about! They are also linked under the photo as well! Happy Shopping!

All items can be clicked on in the image or the link below! Gifts I recommend for under $50:

Brown Duffel

Squatty Potty

Wireless Headphones

Amazon 4k Firestick

Gaming Headphones

Yeti Tumbler

Graphic Dress Socks

Army Green Travel Kit

Amazon Echo Dot

All items can be clicked on in the image or the link below! Gifts I recommend for under $100:

Flannel Pajamas

Moccasin Slippers

Adidas Backpack

Herschel Duffel

Robe

Joggers

All items can be clicked on in the image or the link below! Gifts I recommend for over $100:

Slippers

Cooler Bag

Patagonia Pullover

Smart Watch

Digital Thermostat

Digital Doorbell

I hope that this gift guide has helped you find something for the men in your life! I know that at the end of the day, they'll be happy to be together for the holidays, but sometimes getting to shop for others is a good feeling!

Thank you again for using my links! It never goes unnoticed! There will be more Holiday Guides to follow!

The Power of Sorry

Think about how many times a day you say sorry. Until it was recently pointed out to me, I didn’t even realize how often I would say sorry, even just to fill space. I would say sorry to friends who were listening to my problems. I would say sorry to people who cut me off in the grocery store. I would say sorry to people just to make them feel better.

 But why?

Why am I taking responsibility for others’ actions? And why am I apologizing for something I didn’t cause? It was becoming something I said proactively so that I didn’t upset anyone or annoy them. 

When Natalie (@themoreyoumerlot) came into my life, a lot of scary and sad events had happened in the recent past. One of the first times we hung out, I opened up like a Pandora’s Box. She was there to listen, and she wanted to be there for me. But I kept saying sorry. She pointed out this habit within the first few times I said it. “You say sorry way too much. You don’t have to apologize for me listening to you. I want to!”

I immediately got self conscious - because she was so right. I was using the “s” word so often to make people feel better or to excuse myself for taking up space in their life. And once she said that, I immediately said - you guessed it - “sorry!”

I realized I was using “sorry” as some use other filler words like “umm,” “like,” etc. I was using it as a way to pause and think in conversation; and the power of my “sorry” had lost its meaning.

By not mindfully utilizing the power of “sorry,” I was making myself accountable for things out of my control. I didn’t even mean it most of the time. The word didn’t have umph. It became a reflex, instead of something I would say that actually had meaning behind it.

Normally, as women, we try to take responsibility for things out of our control. We apologize for extreme emotions. If we get too pumped about something or if someone makes us cry, for example. We say “sorry” because we are afraid we will come off as being “too much.” We don’t want others to find us a pest or too emotional. We’re worried about inconveniencing someone with how we’re feeling. But we must remember that how we feel isn’t always within our control. We surround ourselves with people in our lives who hopefully listen to us because they want to. They have our backs, and we are not an inconvenience to them.

I have personally found that even when people walk into me on the street, or if someone bumps into my cart at the grocery store, I say sorry! It is the craziest habit.

The more we say it, the more we use it as a reflex - the more we take away not only from the power of the word, but the power of ourselves. All we can do is control our own actions and take responsibility for them. We can feel bad for things that happen to others, but we can’t take responsibility for the things we cannot control.

Owning our actions is so important and there is still a place for “sorry” in our vocabulary, but only when we do something wrong. When we hurt someone - unintentionally or otherwise. We need to own our actions and the word “sorry,” and having a sincere emotion attached to the word is a huge part of that.

Top 5 Favorites for Sweater Weather

Happy Wednesday friends! I am travelling all day to see some of my favorite people but I wanted to jump on and share some of my go-to's for the season. With the temperatures dropping in Chicago, sweater weather came fast and it came hard. But luckily with these tops I can be cozy and snuggly all winter long.

The picture above is a clickable, shoppable photo, feel free to click on any of the sweaters to check them out.

My purple crew neck sweater was found on Amazon! So random but it's under $30 and the quality for the price is amazing. I just ordered it in an oatmeal color because it's a steal! It is one size fits all, so it looks different on me than someone who is an extra small per say, but I'm excited to have this pop of color in the cold, dark winter months!

I shared the black sweater last week when it was on sale! I ordered it and I love it! It's on the thinner side so it will be great for layering. It comes in other color options as well. I am loving the green and pink options.

The pink cardigan and the striped pullover are from one of my go-to brands. They can be a little pricey but their neutral staples that will last you for seasons to come.

The grey striped cardigan is SO SOFT and a must-have this season. I feel like I'm wearing cashmere when I have it on! The stripes might infer that it's not versatile, but that is not the case! I have found so many good outfits with this staple, and y'all went crazy over it when I linked it last week on LikeToKnowIt! All my looks can always be found there or my Shop My Instagram page.

Before I catch this flight, I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how grateful I am for each and every one of you. With everything that's been going on lately in my personal life, I cannot thank all of you enough for the nice messages, texts, phone calls, everything! I am so lucky to have such a great community of people to learn from and lean on.

I hope that the rest of your week is filled with happiness and relaxation. Only you can decide how you will let the day affect you. I can't wait to show you around the place that gave me so many amazing people and experiences this next week. GEAUX TIGERS!

On The Sidelines

When my dad told my brother and me that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer, I admittedly thought it wasn't going to be a big deal.

Tons of people we knew had experienced skin cancer. It was just little things you got cut off or out of your skin, right? We would soon discover that although cancer comes in many shapes and sizes, it all sucks.

My dad went in for a biopsy and the net thing we knew he was scheduling surgery to get the tumor removed. Malignant Melanoma. The bad kind. Nodular Melanoma, 5.5 mm deep.

I had already been experiencing a lot of emotionally draining news having been dumped within a ten-day time frame.

My dad was still positive and it still seemed minor. So many people had this procedure. He would have had that surgery that Wednesday and we would head up to northern Wisconsin for the Labor Day weekend. Easy, breezy right?

The surgery was put off until the next day so the doctor's could be 100% sure my dad's body could handle it. The surgery went well-they removed the tumor and biopsied three lymph nodes to check the spread. But the post-operation complications were so troubling we ended up calling our Labor Day trip off to stay in Milwaukee. It was nice to be with my grandmother, aunt and uncle, but it was still a very stressful time.

My dad wasn't getting enough oxygen into his body on his own so he was hooked up to a bi-bap respirator machine that was pumping 100% oxygen into his lungs. He was in great hands in the Respiratory ICU. Even when I was my most upset and scared, I knew we were probably the luckiest people in there. My dad's room was right by the entrance and I could see all the people coming through the doors. Many of them were being briefed that they had to say goodbye to their granddaughter, their friend or the love of their life. I felt guilty for being scared and sad. How could I be so upset when I knew the people walking past our door were in a much tougher spot?

As we get older we see other sides of our parents. But sitting there and seeing how helpless he was...was something very hard to swallow. I felt exhausted from speaking with nurses and doctors and calling my family with what felt like just sitting and waiting for the other shoe to drop––how could this be happening? It was such a weird feeling like my mind was burning out of my body.
My dad was discharged a few days later when they knew he could breathe on his own. I felt we were out of the woods. But then we got some more news.

My dad’s biopsy revealed 50 melanoma cells in his sentinel lymph node. It could have been worse but it was still very scary. It was one lymph node. He had stage 3C Melanoma. Even now typing that out seems surreal.

As I was updating friends and family, I kept repeating the same medical terms (that I didn’t even know how to spell), the same story line and the same fears. I felt numb to it. One of my friends asked -- “How’re you doing with all of this?”, “I’m really okay, it’s going to be okay, I’m not the one fighting.” And she responded, “Hannah, it’s okay not to be okay.”

 Upon doing a little soul searching, I realized maybe I wasn’t okay. But with all of the emotionally tolling situations, I had kind of shut off. I was running on autopilot to avoid completely having a meltdown. Which is something I feel like I’m still doing.

I am not a doctor. I am not an expert. I am not the one fighting cancer right now. This is very much a new experience and feeling for my family. What I figured out though are two very important things. Number 1: We have to take it one day at a time. Number 2: We have to maintain an overall positive attitude.
I think it’s also important to remember it’s okay to not be okay...like my friend said. There are good days and bad days. Since my dad lives in Wisconsin it can be really hard. Hard to communicate..hard to feel like we’re being supportive...hard to feel like we’re helping. I feel like I push it down a lot. I don’t want to unleash all these terrible feelings of sadness because it’s not my cancer. I know being scared won’t change the outcome and it doesn’t help my dad when he’s the one dealing with these treatment plans head on.

Once we knew he had stage 3C Melanoma there were more tests to be done. We did find out his PET scan and brain MRI came back clear which was amazing, uplifting news.

For now, my dad is going through immunotherapy every two weeks for the next year. Unlike regular chemotherapy drugs, immunotherapy drugs make your immune system go into overdrive and attack cancer cells with your immune system. The biggest benefit of immunotherapy is you do not have all the normal side effects from chemotherapy. It was the best option for my dad and so far he has been following all the steps and doing everything he’s supposed to do.

I went back and forth a lot of times trying to decide if I should share this. If it was too personal–too personal for me to share that my readers wouldn’t be able to relate? But just like many things in life, cancer affects more than just the person fighting it. I know so many of you who have supported me through this hard time have had similar experiences. If I can help one person going through a similar experience then I’ve accomplished something. My dad always talks about how he could never get through this without the love and support of his family and friends. Watching someone you love go through something so unthinkable affects you––whether I wanted to admit it or not in the heat of the tests and the back and forth.

I want people who are supporting loved ones battling unimaginable hardships to know that it’s okay to feel emotional. It’s okay to feel beaten down. It’s okay to take it personally. You’re not alone and never feel like you can’t share.

My Shiny Teeth and Me

They always say you can't redo a first impression. Lately, I had felt that my teeth weren't the brightest they could be and that I wasn't able to clean my gums thoroughly, and that was something that kept me from making my best first impression whether it was on dates or with clients.

That's why when Smile Brilliant wanted to team up again and review their new cariPRO Ultrasonic electric toothbrush, I knew it was a good chance to see if my smile could be brighter! I was also really interested that the brush has five settings for what feels like a more crisp clean.

Whether you're looking for a regular clean, whitening, gum care, massaging and even a sensitive setting, the cariPRO Ultrasonic electric toothbrush has all five settings. I have found in the past that my gums need different attention than my teeth, so I'm happy that there's a setting just for that, to ensure my overall mouth health for years to come.

It's super easy to switch between the five settings on this toothbrush, so you can achieve many different kinds of clean without a lot of pausing to change the cleaning setting.

I love the design, weight and color coordination of the brush as well. Grey is one of my favorite colors and it really meshes well with my bathroom decor! It's always more fun when things go together. All you have to do is attach the electric toothbrush head to the base of the toothbrush, put it on the easy to use charger, and once it's charged up you are ready to go. It's super easy to travel with and use everyday! The charging station isn't bulky either, which is a huge plus for me!

I'm also so excited that I get to share this experience with you! Smile Brilliant and I have teamed up to put together a giveaway for all of you beautiful readers! Click here to enter, and one lucky winner will with their own cariPRO Ultrasonic electric toothbrush kit!

You can also click here and use my discount code mimosasandlipstick20 for 20% off your own electric toothbrush!

My Fall Skin Care Must-Haves

I am so excited to finally be putting something like this together! I admittedly never was really into investing my skin in college. I always went for cheaper creams, and didn't look into ingredients or benefits. But as I begin to age and life sets in, I have felt the need to begin a more regimented skincare routine! With the help of amazing bloggers like my friend Natalie I have started to introduce more skin friendly items into my everyday routine!

First of: Witch Hazel. It's a simple, natural and cost effective item to add to your skin routine. I ended up picking out this mist, but you can get it in any drug store by the first aid area for about $3. The one I picked is a mist with lavender, so it was a little more but still within your budget since it lasts forever and has so any uses! You can use it to remove make up, as a double cleanser and even to take off eye make up!

Mario Badescu has become my world thanks to my dear pal Olivia. She recommended the drying lotion as a way to help under-the-skin blemishes and I am so happy I listened to my sweet girl! This cream is such an easy step in your skincare! Just dap it onto the problem area with a q-tip and go to bed! Literally.

After loving the drying lotion, I branched out to the rose water! This is another great spray that will last you forever! This spray can help set make up or refresh your skin mid day when you start to feel oily. I even spray it in my hair.

Another great Mario Badescu product I am loving is the Seaweed Night Cream. Honestly, I was just looking for a night cream, and was intrigued by the idea of seaweed. It's great for hydration, anti-aging and an anti-inflammatory.

I feel like I see everyone and their mother raving about Tula. I figured with some of my birthday money, I could give it a go. This day and night cream is around $50 - which can be out of price range. However, a lot of bloggers have discount codes! So I suggest looking at people's Instagram pages and saving some $$$. I like this cream because I was looking for something a little more nourishing and thicker than a regular drug store moisturizer, especially with the cold winter months coming!

I have always loved Aveeno products. They're always gentle but effective on my skin and I cannot say enough good things about this line! Their lotions, cleansers and creams are all budget friendly and effective!

My Clarisonic definitely was one of the bigger products I introduced into my skincare routine that made me realize the value of investing into my skin at such a young age! I have talked about it on the blog before, and cannot recommend it enough!

You might not think of make up as skincare, but making sure you know the ingredients can be a huge component of how your complexion looks when you're make up free. I try not to wear make up most week days (I clearly have a low key job) but my go to when I have break out's is Tarte Shape Tape Concealer! I have never found a concealer that can actually hide my bags and doesn't irritate my skin! Can't recommend enough. I wear share Light-Neutral.

I am in no way a Cosmetologist, but if you see me on my Instagram stories, I do not shy away from showing when I have blemishes. I know that we all feel pressure to put our "best face forward" and that, that should mean we're flawless, but that's not real life! I have implemented these products into my routine within the last month slowly to invest in my skin long term. Most of these can be found at Ulta, Nordstrom or Target and are pretty budget friendly. (If anything is a higher end price, chances are it will last you longer than you think!) A lot of these products also have smaller sample options for you to test and see if you like, so definitely look into that if you're not ready for the commitment! Happy experimenting!

Singleness is Not a Negative

Everything happens the way it's supposed to.

Ask anyone who knows me personally, this is my answer for almost everything. It's not always the most comforting, but it is the truth. It can be so discouraging when we feel like we're behind all our friends. Seeing engagement after wedding after baby announcement, it's hard not to compare yourself.

It is so easy to get down on yourself when you're single for what may feel like a very lengthy period of time. Before my last relationship, I hadn't been in a relationship in over six years! I was so discouraged. I felt undateable, and that everything I was doing was wrong.

Although life is trial and error, I truly wasn't doing anything that out there. Did I send a few texts after a drink or two? Yes. Did I stick around, waiting around for someone longer than I should have? You bet. But that's how you learn. I learned about myself through these trials and errors.

But, we have have to trust the journey we're on. I have recently found myself single, again. Not something I had really planned, actually, I was blindsided. However, this is the journey I am meant to be on. There is nothing wrong with being in a relationship, not being in a relationship, or being on the fence about a relationship; it's just that at this moment, that is where your journey has led you. Being single does not define you. It doesn't decide how the rest of your life goes.

When I found myself upset and torn after my last relationship, a friend shared something really important with me. It was a random post she had found, that asked if love was a feeling or a choice.

Young people who were asked, said of course it was a feeling. It was a powerful emotion. However, when they asked people who had been married for decades, those individuals share that it was a choice. Love is in no way easy, they wake up every morning and choose to still love all the things about their partner that they found endearing in the beginning of their relationship.

When I read that, I began to cry. I cried because I realized that maybe my relationship was something that he chose not to love anymore. That was a hard pill to swallow. It also made me realize that I should be with someone who does chose to love me. Who chooses to stick out life events no matter how dramatic and disheartening they are. In time, I will find that love.

Not only did this post help me conclude what happened in my relationship, but it made me realize that you have to apply this to yourself as well. I had always thought that if my hair was altered this way or if I lost this much weight or if my legs looked a certain way I would wake up and love myself. I would just feel it. It would be a powerful emotion.

Something else that I realized, was that we choose to love the things we love in our lives. You choose to love your friends, your pets, food, clothes, music, books, all of it. I think yourself should be included. I truly believe that once you realize that, so many more doors will open.

Just because you are single, does not mean that you are hopeless. It doesn't mean you're loveless. It just means that now isn't the time for you to be in a relationship. Now isn't our time. I am in the same boat with you. And that sounds like something your friends in relationships tell you to try and make you feel better, but I promise it's the truth. Unfortunately, so are things like 'it'll happen when it happens' and 'it'll happen when you least expect it' but those phrases don't really provide any comfort. Even if they are the truth.

For awhile, I was really anxious with alone time when my relationship ended. When there wasn't anyone to text or call or check in on. Then I realized, that this is just another part of finding myself again. I know for my personally, there were so many daily things that had changed for me while being in a relationship. Having time to realign yourself; whether it's going from a run, diving into a good book or organizing your living space, helps you learn more about you.

On your journey, at this time, you are meant to go out there. You are meant to experience things for yourself and learn from it. You are meant to fall in love with yourself and choose to wake up everyday and love yourself. All of it! Your quirks, your personality and all your bring to the table.

Once you make peace with yourself, I feel like the positives in life will help you realize your value. We always want what we can't have. When I was at my lowest this past month, another friend asked a really important question. He asked, "would you want to be with someone who wants to be with you, or someone that you have to make be with you?" When you read that question, you're obviously thinking, "well, duh! The person who wants to be with me!"

It's so important to remember your worth, your values, and what makes you, you. Once you're completely yourself, the right people will come into your life, I promise.

Bring On 24!

I'm not one to make my birthday celebration a whole month or anything, but there is something special about the start of a new year. Another year older and, hopefully, another year wiser.

On M&L's Instagram last week, I asked if you guys preferred to learn 24 things about me, or if you would prefer to read about 24 things I've learned. It seemed like y'all preferred 24 facts about me and I'm all for giving the people what they want; so without further ado:

24. I grew up in the near west suburbs of Chicago, I live probably 20 minutes from downtown.

23. I LOVE dogs. From the moment I could speak, my parents said all I could talk about was getting a dog.

22. I have one younger brother. His name is Jack and we're 18 months apart in age. He is way smarter and more level headed than I am.

21. I'm really close with my family. We spend a lot of time together and I grew up going to the same schools as most of my cousins.

20. I also LOVE chicken fingers. Probably more than the average person.

19. Another thing I really love: coleslaw! All my friend's in college would make fun of me for picking coleslaw over Texas Toast at Cane's!

18. I have been running Mimosas & Lipstick for about 7 months now! It may be one of the more time consuming and rewarding things I've ever done.

17. I was a cheerleader in high school but I didn't know anything about football.

16. I completely, 100% winged it when it came to picking a college. I visited LSU's campus, didn't know anyone, and that excited me. It was the best decision I've ever made.

15. In college, I joined Kappa Kappa Gamma fraternity for women. I think that going through sorority recruitment is great for meeting new people and also for your professional networking skills.

14. I've recently lost 18 pounds with Weight Watchers. I used to feel like Weight Watchers was only for one kind of person. So when my mom asked me to do it with her, I was hesitant. But I'm so happy that she asked me to. It has changed my life!

13. I grew up spending my summers in northern Wisconsin at Camp Manito-wish YMCA. No phones, no iPods, no social media. Just girls empowering girls without even trying. Reconnecting with nature and valuing face-to-face interaction is something that I feel was huge in my development.

12. I hate feet - they are my least favorite thing!

11. Since I was a sophomore in high school, I have always had an outlet to write. I was apart of Spoken Word club, which is similar to poetry club, in high school. It helped me with my writing, leadership and communication skills.

10. I wear glasses. My prescription isn't that strong so I mostly just wear them at work.

9. I fell in love with New Orleans from a young age. I hope by my next birthday I will be living there! It's far away from my family, but I know that if I don't at least try, I never will.

8. I am almost always wearing my Apple Watch. I swear by it.

7. I drink 4-5 liters of water a day! Whenever I'm at a restaurant with my friends I'm always that girl that's asking for more water - almost to an embarrassing point.

6. I rarely have the attention span to watch an entire movie.

5. Mardi Gras and Thanksgiving are my favorite holidays.

4. Going to Trader Joe's is an unique kind of joy for me. I have tried almost everything and can't complain!

3. I have been to 15 states. I'm trying to see more of the country!

2. I am addicted to sparkling water! I was trying to kick my Diet Coke habit last summer, and my office at the time had free La Croix. Boom! An addiction was born.

1. I believe my sense of style comes from my mom. I always had matching dresses, shoes, bows and socks for every outfit and she would blow my hair dry!

I have had 24 trips around the sun. Although not all my experiences have been easy or happy, most of my life has been filled with love and support from my family and friends. And I think that's what really matters.

I lover getting to wake up every day and connect with all of you amazing people, so thank you for giving me this platform for my voice to be heard. Thank you for interacting, reaching out and sharing your stories with me. I wouldn't be here without all of you!

Raising The Barre

If you've been following along with Mimosas and Lipstick, you may remember that I joined Weight Watchers about two months ago and have lost about 17 pounds! It has literally changed my life. But these last few weeks with a lot of family troubles popping up, I haven't really felt motivated to work out like I once was. And, obviously haven't really been seeing positive results because of this. My anxiety has been really high these last few weeks. Although, overall, it has been manageable, I tend to let all that stress go when I work out. So by not working out, my anxiety stays, and it's a cycle! Anyone with me?

I have been feeling like I'm in a workout rut. I haven't been as excited as I sued to be to find time in the day to work out. I wasn't looking forward to it anymore. So I knew I needed to spice it up!

When the Barre Code Oak Park and I decided to team up, I have no idea that when September hit I would be feeling this way - I guess everything works out how it's supposed to! Barre is a mix of pilates, yoga and ballet. The Barre Code was founded in Chicago by Jillian Lorenz and Arianna Chernin in 2010.

This past Tuesday I was tired, irritable, and not in the mood to work out. But I signed up for the BRAWL class and made myself go.

I was blown away! It was my first class of the month and just walking into the studio, I knew it was an atmosphere I wanted to be a part of. Everyone was so nice and friendly. they made me feel right at home.

The studio is on Lake Street in Downtown Oak Park. It's crisp, clean, and the perfect vibe to sweat your butt off. There are four types of classes. BRAWL happens to be a high cardio, kickboxing workout. I can't remember the last time I did that many squat jumps of burpees! But the instructor made it fun. The music is fast-paced, and the movements are spread out into combos.

I definitely was tapping out, and not completing every movement to the best of my ability. The planks and squat jumps could have been better on my end. I'm excited to see how I progress throughout this month-long journey.

I am also taking part in the Back To Sweat, which is an 18-class challenge in only 21 days! It's going to be tough, but I'm excited to see how Barre will change my body. Make sure you check out their website or the app for more information!