I have to thank Simon & Schuster for sending this book for review.  As always, I only feature things on this blog that I love.  All opinions are entirely my own.  Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog!

Today is another installment of Rebecca Reads, the series of book reviews, recommendations, and book lists here on my blog.  Today's book is none other than When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger.

I wanted to read this based on the title alone, never mind that it's part of the A Devil Wears Prada world.  A Devil Wears Prada was such a fave of mine back when it came out.  I am definitely one of those types that prefer a book over a movie, but the movie was absolutely a close second to the book.

All that being said, this newest book is a standalone.  You do not need to read the A Devil Wears Prada books to understand this one.


Written in Lauren Weisberger's witty tone, this story brings together three unlikely ladies.  Emily, Miranda Priestley's first assistant, has made a name for herself in the consulting world.  She does PR for celebrities, but she's slowly losing clients because of her resistance to social media.

Emily's friend from camp, Miranda, was once a lawyer for a larger firm.  She has since traded in the city for the 'burbs with her husband and their children. 

Karolina, one of Miranda's acquaintances and the former face of L'Oreal, has come under weird and hard times.  She is framed in a DUI charge while driving her stepson and his friends home.  It's immediately obvious that it's a set-up.  She is married a presidential hopeful that is very reminiscent of the Kennedy era. 

Miranda brings Emily and Karolina together to fix Karolina's image, and along the way they uncover a more lies and deceit than they imagine.  I hate to give anything away about the ending, of course!

This book is a page turner.  Even if you aren't familiar with the A Devil Wears Prada characters, you will easily fall in love with each lady in this story.  Each one has resilience in the trials she faces, and they come together in solidarity to make things right.

Have you read this yet?  It was just realized this summer & I'm so glad I was given the chance to read it.  I don't say this often, but this would definitely be a re-read for me!

Every time I get my Petit Vour box in the mail, I get so excited to share it with you all.  Discovering new cruelty free and natural brands is so much fun, and my goal is to build my Petit Vour box reviews to help other people navigate the world of cruelty free and natural skincare and beauty.  It can be daunting to switch over your entire beauty routine, but I feel pretty confident about it now!



lilah b. Divine Duo Lip & Cheek, $46 full-size

This has been on my radar for quite some time.  This brand is so pricey, it's hard to shell out the cash to try it blindly.  This multi-purpose cream product can be used on your lips or cheeks.  You can also use it as a cream eye shadow in a pinch (they have some more neutral colors in the range).  So far, I like it as a lip product.  Cream blush isn't my fave, so it's not much of a loss to me.  That being said, $46 is pretty pricey for just a lip product.  I can't see paying that much for a lipstick.



Ursa Major Essential Face Wipes, $24 full size

I tested these wipes on a full face of makeup, and I can say that they remove everything.  They have a wonderful herbal scent, too, which was really soothing.  They come individually-wrapped, which is perfect for travel.  The size was perfect for removing all of my makeup.  They claim to cleanse, exfoliate, soothe, and hydrate, and I can confirm they do all of those things.


Little Barn Apothecary Aloe + Rosewater Balancing Mist, $32 full-size

There is little I love more than a rose facial mist.  Most of them smell kind of fake and perfumey, but this one has the perfect, natural rose scent.  Combined with soothing aloe, it's been perfect right after cleansing.  It's a little pricey for a toning mist, especially since I have a really great one from the drugstore.  If this is your price range, it's a really great option!


Osea Essential Hydrating Oil, $32 for .34 ounces

This is the hero product of this box.  The full size comes in a standard 1 ounce, but you can purchase this smaller size for $32.  This is a roller ball of soothing, natural oils for your face.  It has a refreshing, herbal scent and the roller ball rolls very smoothly.  If you've ever had a roller ball that drug across your skin, you know how nice it is to have a roller ball that actually works properly.  It feels amazing on my skin.  The price is comparable to other facial oils I've used of this same quality, and it's wonderful that you can buy the small size before you commit to the 1 ounce size.

Do you get Petit Vour?  What did you think of this month's box?

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Today's Foundation Friday is definitely the most interesting product I've tried in a while.  We've all probably heard about BB cream, but have you ever heard of BB Powder.  While I was shopping on Ulta's site, I came across this foundation from Physician's Formula.  I've literally never heard of a BB Powder.  The novelty alone was enough for me to try it.  And that's what led me to try the Physicians Formula Super BB All-in-One Beauty Balm Powder.

CLAIMS

According to the PF website, this powder claims to even out imperfections and skin tone and minimize the appearance of pores.  It claims to be weightless protection from UV rays and moisture loss throughout the day.  It contains SPF 30, and you can use this powder with concealer and cream products.

SHADE RANGE


Ahhh.. the shade range.  There two, count them, TWO shades. You have the option of Light/Medium and Medium/Deep.  I know this powder will not work for me during the fall/winter, because it only matches me with a tan.  This is not for very pale or very dark people, which is disappointing.

For shade comparisons, here are foundations that match me:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Foundation in Porcelain
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Foundation in 100 (first impressions video here) 
rms beauty Un Cover-Up Foundation/Concealer in 000 (review here)
Wet n Wild MegaCushion Foundation in 106A (review here)
Wet n Wild PhotoFocus Foundation in Soft Ivory (review here) 
NYX Matte Not Flat in Ivory (review here)


HOW TO APPLY

As you can see in the pictures below, this comes with a small plastic brush that fits into the bottom portion of the compact.  Don't use it.  It's awful.  The bristles are so stiff, it kicks up so much powder.  It made a mess on my vanity.  I have been using my Real Techniques powder brush, and I've been very happy with it.


One light layer is more than enough.  I tried this over foundation, over primer, on bare (moisturized) skin, and I've built it up to the point of looking cakey.  The only way this BB powder looks good is in a light layer.  This makes it perfect for hot summer days and getting ready quickly.  This is perfect for anyone who doesn't want a lot of makeup during the summer and moms who are just trying to get ready quickly.  I love the ease of application.



MY REVIEW

The idea behind this foundation is pretty cool.  I am a huge fan of BB creams and CC creams, so what I expected from this powder was radiant skin and light coverage.  My skin looked amazing with this powder, aside from the areas of large pores.  My skin looked more radiant as the day went on.  I suspect it was my natural face oils melding with the powder and they somehow look good together.

That being said, my trouble areas (in between my eyes and fronts of my cheeks) have large pores and this powder accentuated them.  This powder claims to minimize pores, but  my large pores were not minimized.

In my opinion, this is a medium coverage and it totally surprised me.  I didn't expect anything above light coverage, but I really love the texture and coverage level.  Overall, my skin looks smooth and doesn't feel oily at all throughout the day.  Aside from the obvious issues of shade range and pore issues, I love this.  It was a very pleasant surprise to finally find a base that looks good in the summer.

Please tell me I'm not the only one new to BB Powder?!

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Happy Friday!!  I hope you had an amazing week.  We are going to start off the weekend with a very exciting giveaway.  In August, the VirginiaInternational Raceway is holding their annual racing event.  This is their biggest and most exciting event of the year, and I have TWO tickets to giveaway to one lucky winner.

The event sounds amazing.  There's literally something for everyone.  The major events are the races, of course.  The event, the Michelin GT Challenge, features high-end sports cars competing in action-packed races at the track.  VIR’s property also features onsite lodging, a spa, an NRA approved shooting range, karting circuit, several dining options, and much more.  It sounds like so much fun!

I was so surprised when I saw pictures of the VIR property.  It's so huge, I don't know how we could pack everything into one day.  The event runs from August 17-19, so you definitely have time to get the full experience over the weekend.




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