Month in Review | March 2019


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The highlight of March this year was definitely our little trip to Turks & Caicos! I highly recommend it if you have never been! The gorgeous natural beauty and colors there were truly unparalleled. I felt the effect of the vacation even more than usual because…BURNOUT! Burnout is a real thing y'all and I honestly didn't realize how burned out I was until I noticed how relaxed I was on vacation. It's funny how you sort of get used to working all of the time and suddenly when you're not working all of the time, you realize how nice it is! 🙈🙈

This has really motivated me to try to take more intentional "vacation-ish" breaks. I'm not always going to be able to take a full-blown tropical vacation (I wish!) but I'm hoping to incorporate more breaks into my regular programming. I found that our trip to Turks & Caicos was immensely helpful in allowing me to reset and reconnect with why I do the work I do rather than just getting overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it all.

I'm hoping to incorporate more long weekend-y trips throughout the year so I can get that rest and recharge feel with a shorter amount of time! Do you have any suggestions for how you incorporate more rest and relaxation into your regular schedule? I'd love to hear about your experience and your ideas!

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BeautyFix February & March Review!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!


BeautyFix is a monthly skincare, makeup, and haircare subscription box created by DermStore. A monthly subscription is $24.95 per box and a one-time box purchase is $34.95. Most items in the box are either full or deluxe sample size products. I'd highly recommend the BeautyFix subscription box if you're looking to try high-end skincare and haircare products!

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February Box

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Box Fave:

Lancer Skincare Primer: This might've been the only thing I really liked about this box! I'm not super picky about primers but I do find that some primers dry up quickly and don't provide much moisture to my skin. While it's not stellar enough that I'd consider it a personal favorite, I'm enjoying this primer and do find that it provides enough hydration for my skin.  

Box Flop:

Ora Lip Plumping Roller: At first I wasn't quite sure how to feel about this product but after trying it out, I just really don't think it's necessary!! I have a dermaroller (also courtesy of an old beautyfix box) that I've enjoyed trying out but I just don't think it's necessary for me to have both a dermaroller and what is essentially a second dermaroller for my lips. It seems like it's just another way in which a brand is trying to expand their line of dermarollers by just varying the size of the roller itself and marketing it as a different product. Clearly, I'm not here for it - sorry!

I was so underwhelmed by the February BeautyFix :(  - While I normally feel like they provide good value in their boxes, this month was a giant miss for me because there weren't any products or brands I was excited about trying nor any products I was really excited about after I'd tried them - gah!


March Box

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Box Faves:

I'm a big fan of all things eye creams, serums, anti-wrinkle creams so I loved that the March box included a lot of creams and serums!

Box Flop: 

This isn't a knock against the product itself, but since my hair isn't currently colored, I don't really have a use for the Color Wow shampoo. I wish that BeautyFix had chosen a shampoo that was a little more applicable to everyone since not everyone chooses to color their hair!

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While February was a bit of a miss for me, the March box made up for it with all of the classic serums and moisturizers and creams galore that I love to receive from Beautyfix. What did you think of your BeautyFix box this month? Let me know! I'd love to hear from you!

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Smile Brilliant: cariPRO Electric Toothbrush Review


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One of the things I've been focusing on a lot this year is my teeth! Last year, I finally developed the habit of flossing every day after getting my 1st and 2nd cavity in the same year (EEK!) and this year, I hope to continue incorporating good habits into my routine that keep my teeth around and healthy for as long as possible! I'm partnering with Smile Brilliant again today to share a review of their new cariPRO toothbrush. I previously shared my thoughts on their whitening system and enjoyed the process (check out my review here!) so I’m happy to share my thoughts on another product of theirs.

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Just a little background on me, I'm already an electric toothbrush user and currently have a Philips Sonicare toothbrush that I've been using for about a year and half. I truly think its made my teeth so much cleaner and would highly recommend an electric toothbrush. I'm also an avid coffee and wine drinker (aka things that ruin your teeth) so an electric toothbrush + looots of preventative care has become an essential part of my everyday routine.

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cariPRO Features:

My favorite feature on the cariPRO is all the different settings! This is something I think is very unique to the cariPRO and a feature that I don't currently have on my electric toothbrush. The cariPRo has Sensitive, Gum Care, Massage, White, and Clean settings. I've really enjoyed trying all of the different settings and trying to figure out which ones work best for me! I love a good clean so I've really gravitated towards the Whitening setting since this one is the most vigorous and makes me feel like I'm getting the best clean.

Another feature I enjoy is the tongue scraper included on the backs of the toothbrush heads. While a lot of manual toothbrushes actual have this, I find that not all electric toothbrush heads include this so I enjoyed the fact that they incorporated this small, but important, feature!

The cariPRO also has a two minute timer that pauses every 30 seconds to remind you to switch to a different part of your mouth and automatically shuts off after 2 minutes. My Philips Sonicare toothbrush also has this feature and honestly, I think it's an essential part of having an electric toothbrush - it saves you so much time and mental energy!

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Battery Life:

Although I might come across as a productive human being, deep inside, I am a lazy bum and as a result of this, all of my electronics are constantly running out of charge because I'm too lazy to go to the other side of the room to plug them in!  (Someone tell me I'm not the only one!) Since I received the cariPRO, I haven't had to charge it at all.

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Price:

I think the one drawback of the cariPRO is that, like most electric toothbrushes out there, it can be a bit expensive. Of course, electric toothbrushes are going to be more expensive than manual toothbrushes so it's more a matter of what you prefer! For me, I definitely think electric toothbrushes are worth the investment, especially since

In comparison to the Philips Sonicare brush I already own, the cariPRO is a little more expensive, however, I think in terms of value, it's worth more. My Philips Sonicare would have been around $70-80 full price (although I bought it on sale for about $50). The toothbrush I have is on the cheaper side of their line as the price for a single toothbrush can range from $40 to over $200 depending on what features you want! At $119 with two toothbrush heads and all of the different settings on the toothbrush, I think the cariPRO price is very comparable if not more affordable than the electric toothbrushes out there when you consider its value.

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Verdict:

Overall, I am really happy with my cariPRO electric toothbrush and I will definitely be buying replacement heads in the future so I can continue to use it! I think an electric toothbrush is a great thing to invest in if you care about the health of your teeth because they are so simple to use and really make such a big difference.

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Last but definitely not least, I've partnered with Smile Brilliant to give one of my readers their own carPRO electric toothbrush! If you'd like to win your own cariPRO enter the giveaway at the link below! Or, if you’re interested in buying your own cariPRO use the code “ellayvonnetb20” to get 20% off your purchase :)

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!

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