Toxin purge - cleaning up my beauty routine

On my journey to live a healthier life this year, I'm tackling my makeup bag. I am a sample junkie and have collected way too many samples over the years. Birchbox, Sephora, gifts with purchase. You name it, I've probably purchased just to get free samples. It's fun to try new products out but you never get enough of an item for you to see the effects of the product. So I've decided to do more research and purchase products that will work well with my skin and are not riddled with harmful chemicals.

Step 1 - Identify bad ingredients

My cousin's wife is a consultant for Beautycounter, a new cosmetic company that offers great products without the harmful chemicals. The products are sold direct online or through a consultant. I was invited to a party at my Aunts's house to sample the products. But I had a baby 2 days before the party, so I had to miss it. I ended up having the consultant over a few weeks ago to see the products for myself. I was also give The Never List.

The Never List

This is a list of chemicals that you should avoid when purchasing any type of beauty product, skincare, hair, makeup, nails, etc. It's hard to find a list of ingredients for a product if they are not listed on a bottle. Sometimes you can find them online though the manufacturer's site, sometimes not. If they can't be located, is it because they don't want you to know what's in the product?

Step 2 - Purge!!

It pained me to have to discard so many products I've been using. It's a pile of money I've spent that is being thrown away, but for the right reasons. There's a couple items I haven't opened and plan to return. The rest I'll use up, then switch over to organic products and read the labels.

Here's a small sample of products that contain harmful ingredients that I need to use up. (Methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone)

Step 3 - Shop conscientiously

Educate yourself on the products you are purchasing and what ingredients go into them. There's a great website that you can use as a reference offered by the Environmental Working Group called Skin Deep. You can lookup products to see if they contain chemicals from The Never List. It's helpful and there's also an app for when you are on-the-go.

I ordered some new makeup and skincare are products from BeautyCounter and will review them once I receive and have some time to try. Hope this helps you start your journey to living a cleaner life.

StitchFix - Fix #3 review

A day I look forward to each month, the day my StitchFix box arrives. If you haven't heard of StitchFix before, check out one of my earlier posts that gives an overview of the service. This is my third box and I peeked to see what was coming ahead of time:) I was excited for what was coming my way. Last month I only kept the necklace, so I hope this fix will add a few more pieces to my wardrobe. I specifically asked for no accessories or pants, only tops, dresses or skirts.

When I first opened the box, I was excited about the color combination.  

After trying them all on I'm sad to say I'm sending all but one back. I initially loved the colors and patterns, but after trying them on, they just weren't what I was looking for.

First up the 41Hawthorn Lace Sleeve Blouse. It's a cute top, but sheer and I don't think I would want to wear a cami under. Kinda blah too.

41HAWTHORN #5559-013 McQue Solid Lace Sleeve Blouse - Small

Next is the THML Kahlo top. I really like this top and have the sleeveless version pinned on Pintrest. I feel like the cut of it makes me look like I'm wearing a maternity top (something I want to get far away from at this point). Plus it's a size too small and tight across the shoulders.

THML #4565-413 Kahlo Knit Top - Small

I also have this jacket pinned on my Pintrest board and had I not purchased a similar style jacket from Gap two weeks ago, I probably would have kept this. The material is a little thicker and it fits great. 

MYSTREE #4204-502 Jackie Striped French Terry Asymmetrical Jacket - Small

I decided to keep this top. At first I thought I didn't like the sleeves, but after trying it on, I was surprised. I like the pattern and color.

19 COOPER #3857-740 Astair Abstract Print Blouse - Small

This dress really missed the mark. I had nothing like it pinned to my Pintrest board. Plus it looks like one of those bomb popsicles! Sending back!!!

41HAWTHORN #1384-654 Dita Colorblock Sleeveless Ponte Dress - Small

Overall this fix was 100% better than the past one. Now I have to wait another month before I can get another fix in the mail. Use this link to sign up and try the service out. 

Stitch Fix - Fix #2 review

As I've mentioned before, I'm looking to makeover my life this year, which includes my closet. I've seen so many ads come across my Facebook feed and friends are pinning items to their StitchFix Pintrest board, might as well try it out. I like to think I have good fashion sense. I shop at trendy stores and boutiques. I try to throw in a new color or fun pattern every now and then. Being pregnant for most of last year and wanting to only wear solid, dark colors has left my closet looking really blah. When you see mostly black, grey and navy, time to purge and refresh.

For those of you that haven't heard about StitchFix, it's an online service that sends you clothes based on the style profile you fill out. You pay a $20 styling fee each time you request a box and are sent 5 items. Decide which ones you want to keep and return the ones you don't want using the prepaid shipping label. The $20 styling fee goes towards the purchase of any items. Purchase all 5 items and get 25% off. You have usually a week to decide what you want to keep and can also add comments about what you like/don't like about a particular item. They also suggest you create a Pintrest board and pin styles or pieces you like. I recommend doing this to help your stylist pick pieces you will like. Here's an example of my board I am starting.

I received my first box back in January and it was like Christmas morning! I love the idea of not knowing in advance what you are going to receive. You can get a sneak peek once you receive the email from StitchFix with the tracking number. If you click on the link to checkout, you can search the Internet for the items that are in your box. It's nice that a lot of women pin their items on Pintrest for others to see. I'm going to start doing the same.

Fix #1 Kept the shirt I posted in my Valentines day post.

Fix #2
I was excited to receive my second fix, but was somewhat disappointed. I decided to include a note to the stylist before the box was sent to give them an idea of what I was looking for and overall my fix missed the mark. I asked for skirt in black, olive or denim and receive a hounds tooth skirt that was too long and the material was horrible.

I wanted a blazer or jacket for spring. The one that was sent was a nice style, but I would have preferred one that I could wear all day at work.

Mo-Ka Korbin Jacket

The striped shirt was cute and fit well, but the stripe pattern along the shoulders was not lining up correctly and it looked weird.

Laila Jayne Hinsdale Stripe shirt

I asked for a spring sweater and really liked the one they sent. But the material was 100% acrylic and felt cheap. Plus is was hand wash only.

Skies are Blue Galla Mesh Sweater

I did keep the necklace. I love the style and happen to have a couple similar styles pinned on my Pintrest board. I have been wanting a necklace in this color too. Perfect for spring!

Bay of Baubles Christy necklace

I suggest at least trying it once. I shared my referral link with a lot of my friends who have signed up, so I have a nice little credit in my account for future fixes. If you have friends that you think would also like this service, it's worth signing up and sharing your experience. So my styling fee wasn't a total loss. I probably need to be a little more direct when request my next box on what I want and don't want. I'll continue to post my Fixes as I receive them.

10 processed foods to never feed kids

I came across this post on my Facebook feed and quickly read it to see if anything I feed my kids is on list. Luckily I only need to cut out the first one. Which is a shame, I love those gold fish crackers. I think most of these items should be discontinued all together, since they have no real nutritional value and are just full of additives and preservatives. We all know that eating organic can be better for you, yet I still see people pulling the well-known, name brand items off the shelf. For only a few cents more, you can get a healthier version of yogurt, applesauce, and cereal.

http://www.mamavation.com/2015/02/10-processed-foods-never-feed-kids.html

My family pretty much shops at Trader Joe's exclusively and we are careful about checking the labels. Many of you might not have access to a Trader Joe's or can afford to shop at Whole Foods, but taking a minute to check the labels for hydrogenated oils and high levels of sugar will put you in the right step towards eating healthier.

Valentine Date Night Style

I mentioned in an earlier post that I was going to try StitchFix to see what a stylist would select for me. Well I ordered a box last month and received my first five items. I didn't take the time to document what came but I did keep one of the shirts. I'm scheduled to get another box next week, so I'll take some more time to write about the service and my experience. In the mean time if you want to check it out, here's a link to sign up.

So back to Valentine's day. I've been wanting to wear the shirt I purchased and thought his night would be the perfect occasion. It's a cute chevron print shirt. I paired it with a new pair of Gap Always Skinny jeans, booties and a clutch. I have been holding off on buying any new pants in hope that soon enough I will fit back into my pre-pregnancy pants. Well it seems like it's going to take a little more time. I bought this pair at Gap Outlet, but you can find a similar pair from Gap.

Chevron print shirt - Pixley

Gap Always Skinny Pants

Me Too Grey Booties - no longer available

Marc by Marc Jacobs clutch (similar one, but I have this for sale in my Poshmark Closet)

My husband I celebrated with dinner at a new Italian restaurant in a suburb we have never been to. This is our first dinner date out by with no children in 3 months! The last time was the week before Lucy was born. Now that she's on a schedule, we'll be able to enjoy some more nights out like this one. Guess that means I need to invest in some new pieces for my wardrobe. 

Online consignments - ThredUp review

I've taken a lot of my clothes to local consignment stores and had good success selling items. I received a postcard in the mail a few months back for thredUP offering 40% off your purchase and decided to check it out. thredUP is an online consignment/resale site. They accept nicer brands in good condition and will pay upfront for your items. They also will consign items with a varying payout. Currently they are taking Designer Handbags thru 3/31 with 100% payout to the seller.

Before I decided to purchase anything with my 40% off, I requested a Clean Out bag. If I could get some cash for my clothes, that money could go towards my purchase. Once you receive the bag in the mail, it takes 7-10 days to arrive, fill the bag with clothes from your closet and drop off at USPS or Fedex. Make sure to take a picture of the label before you mail, in case you want to track or if it gets lost. You can also enter the tracking number into the site for their reference. I think this allows them to process faster.

I ordered my first bag back in November and it took them 30 days to process. You can choose Return Assurance to have any items they don't decide to buy returned to you. They do charge $12.95 for shipping. Otherwise any items they don't want will be donated. I was a little leery about sending some nicer items for fear they wouldn't be accepted and they would be donated. I didn't want to pay the return assurance fee either on this first bag. I received about $25 and used that towards the purchase of two tops. You can see the contents of you bag and what's sold from your account. Here's what was in my bag.

I ordered a second bag in early January, since I had a couple purses I wanted to sell. I received an email telling me to expect a 30 day turnaround. Much to my surprise, I received an email a few days later telling me my bag had been processed and I was receiving $120! Super excited, plus my Marc Jacobs purse was going on consignment.

For consignment items, thredUP will set the prices and you can change them within 7 days. An item will be on consignment for 84 days. You can then reclaim your item, or it will be donated.

Payout
After 14 days the funds are ready for your withdraw via PayPal. You can also use the funds towards purchases.

Pros
- Cash payout upfront
- Nice quality items in good condition to purchase
- Easier to search for brands and styles than shopping at a local consignment store
- Purchase items at a decent price

Cons
- Payouts can be low on items. Recommend Poshmark if you want to set your own price
- Turnaround time for processing long, but they are starting to ramp up
- iPhone and iPad app search functionality not very good, search from a computer

Overall, I like having this option and find it easy to use and easy to shop. I will definitely continue to use thredUp to sell my clothes.

For more info, check out their FAQ site.

So what is a "kittycatmonkey"?

You might wonder how I came up with the name of my blog. Some may think I've lost my mind or couldn't think of anything and just put a bunch of words together. Both are true. I recently had another baby, Lucy, who's my second. My older daughter Isla was in her room one day and was playing with the stuffed animals on Lucy's shelf. There was a pink dog she picked up and kept insisting it was a cat. Lucy was meowing like a cat at the time too and Isla was talking to her and said "Lucy, you're a Kitty-Cat-Monkey". Somehow that stuck and she continued to call her that for a couple more weeks. Since then I keep thinking about how silly it was at the time, but has turned into a reality. Lucy still meows and makes cat noises, and Isla is definitely a monkey.

Why not name this blog after them, since I started it in the first place as a way to track a lot of the mommy ideas I come across. (Plus I had a hard time coming up with a name).

My style has left the building

My maternity leave is about to end and I need to start thinking about going back to work, which means I'll have to leave my sweatpants at home. I tried on my "skinny" jeans and I only have 1 pair that fits (aka buttons but could burst at any moment). My maternity jeans are way to big, so I'm stuck in limbo. I've been working out for the past month 3-4 times a week doing Stroller Strides and can see some progress in regaining my shape. But I refuse to go out and buy all new pants when I'm sooo close. At least that's what I tell myself to stay motivated.

So like any normal woman, trying a few things on in your closet morphs into trying everything on and then you just hate your whole wardrobe. So you set out to buy all new, which can be expensive, unless you sell your clothes like I do on Poshmark (as previously posted). This helps me justify buying new clothes :) So I signed up for StichFix to see what ideas they can give me to freshen up my wardrobe. I should be receiving my first box next week, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Cleaning out the closet

At a loss with what to do with a closet full of gently worn clothes that you've grown out of love with or the season has changed? Hate to give them away when there's still some value there? Try selling them on Poshmark. This is a site that allows you to post clothes in a closet and have people follow your closet. Name your price, post pics and share with your followers. Buyers pay $4.99, 2-day Priority Shipping, which is added to the final price. Poshmark keeps 20% of the final sale for items over $15. You can only post items through the app on your phone or tablet.

I've bought and sold numerous items over the past year and its a great way to find items you liked but maybe couldn't find in your size. You can shop my closet to get an idea how it works or read more about Poshmark here.

I'll review Thredup at a later date, since I've only started using that site, but here's a referral link that will get you $10 towards your purchase.

Online garage sales changed my life

I can't exactly remember how I came across the first Facebook group I joined, but I am now a part of over 10 local online garage sale groups on Facebook. I couldn't believe I hadn't found them sooner. They are almost better than an actual garage sale since you can shop anytime, anywhere. Members post items they want to sell and all you have to do it comment that you want the item and it's yours. Seems to easy right? Just search for Buy/Sell/Swap/Resale and include the name of your town and I'm sure some will pop-up. Most of them are private and you have to be accepted in order to start selling. Make sure to read the rules for each group you join or you risk getting kicked out for not posting a picture or agreeing to buy something and then not show up. Some of the group admins don't take any crap and one misstep could get you booted.

Here's a list of some of the items I've sold on Facebook:
Coffee Table
Headboard
Bed Frame
Kids Clothes
Appliances
Electronics

I've purchased some nice things from people as well. You won't believe how many people sell items with tags still on. Sometime I'll tell you how I've taken items I purchased from these groups and doubled and tripled my money.

My husband asked me if I have been keeping track of how much I've sold. I hadn't, but started a spreadsheet for 2015. I've even got my mom selling her stuff online as well. I know they exist in the Chicago area, so hopefully they are also available wherever you are located. Happy Buying/Selling!

New Year's Resolution

The start of a new year means time to make resolutions. This year I want to expand upon lifestyle changes I made last year. I committed to working out twice a week while pregnant with my 2nd child and felt great during and after. I had less time to do my hair and makeup while on maternity leave, so I went day after day without of makeup or doing my hair. I've learned to like my natural look and want to find ways to enhance my natural beauty, rather than covering it up.

I also got on a kick with purging junk around the house last summer. It's amazing how much crap one accumulates over the years! Between garage sales, online consignment sites, ebay and craigslist, I've gotten rid of a ton of crap and make some nice cash on the side.

Over the past few years I've morphed from being a spontaneous spender to a thoughtful shopper. I use this in every aspect of my life and take an extra minute to decide if I really need to but that a cute shirt on sale or the newest gimmick for my daughters. Even splurging on a Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte sometimes has to take a back seat. At over $4.00 a drink, it can add up during the week.

This blog is meant to help me remember new ideas I come across that center around the things that matter most to me, as well as way for me to share these ideas with you. Hope you enjoy a peek into my mind and world.