the friday happy list: the beauty edition

It's been a while since I've done a Friday happy list. There is a lot to be happy about right now - football is back, the Nats are in first place, fall is just around the corner, and all kinds of fun things are happening around the house. But this week I wanted to focus on a few beauty products that I can't seem to get enough of lately, which may not be saying much. Just last night Jon asked me: "Do you wear makeup anymore?" It was right after we noticed someone on TV (a Kardashian, probably) wearing a ton of makeup so I think he was trying to be nice and say that it's great that I don't do that.....but...still. I guess I should step up my game even though I'm home by myself most of the day.

Here are all the beauty products I currently love...and should probably be using more according to the Ginger.

Oribe dry texturizing spray - My stylist introduced me to this product and I can't live without it now. It's a dry shampoo and texturizing spray in one. It absorbs oil, but also gives her hair a nice boost. It's perfect for in between washings and it smells ridiculously good. I've been known to use it on clean hair just because I'm addicted to the scent.

Ole Henriksen cleansing cloths - I'll admit it, I can be pretty lazy. I hate washing my face at night. Hate it. I use cleansing wipes while I'm traveling, but they never made my face feel as clean as the water/cleanser method. Until I found these. The textured side is great for buffing and they make your face actually feel completely clean. I love splashing on cold water after using them for a nice tingly sensation.

Bite BB for Lips - Goes on like a chapstick, nourishes like a balm, colors like a lipstick, Enough said.

Hourglass mineral veil primer - Primer works wonders - especially if you have oily skin or live in an area with high humidity - like the swamp that is D.C. I've tried and hated a lot of primers in my day. This one is light and silky, but most importantly, it keeps oil at bay without making my skin feel tight.

Hermes Un Jardin Sur Le Nil - when Megan was in town we went to our (errrr, everyone's) new favorite restaurant, Rose's Luxury and had a dessert that tasted like a meadow. Who knew you wanted to eat things that tasted like meadows? Well, you do. And you probably want to smell like a meadow too because that's exactly how I would describe this perfume. Bright, happy, fresh, clean. I loved this scent for spring and summer. I'll probably retire it soon for something more fall-ish, but I'm sure I'll still pull it out on those gloomy winter days when I need a boost of something cheery.

Fresh Life body oil - I'm a big fan of the Fresh line of products - I love that their interesting scents are soft, natural and not over-powering. (Can you tell how important the smell of my beauty products is to me?!) Like a lot of products on this list, I made the mistake of testing this out at Sephora before looking at the price. Thus, I use it sparingly only on days when I need some pampering. It will be nice to have on hand as the weather turns colder and drier. It's over-priced and the bottle is completely impractical, but it smells so good and makes my skin so soft that I don't even care.

L'Occitane Creme Divine - This stuff is a true miracle worker. Again, tried it as a free sample from Nordstrom before I saw the price tag. I can be a product junkie so it's rare for me to buy a skincare product more than once - especially one this steep - but I'm on my third or fourth jar of this miracle product. I've tried a few other things in between, but I keep coming back to this moisturizer. It just melts into my skin unlike anything else. It's pretty moisturizing so I don't always use it during the day in the summer, but it's perfect for night and those dry winter days. Your skin will thank you and then you can thank me.

eight & twenty

Birthdays aren't nearly as much fun as they used to be, but they're still pretty fun. :)

One of my interns made me this lovely little tart. It was almost too pretty to eat, but I managed.

My co-workers gave me flowers, a card, and took my out to lunch. They're a swell bunch.

Jon made me an apple cake (under my supervision, but I didn't even have to help *that* much). He actually made it the night before my birthday, and I'm glad he did because I wouldn't have had any room after my birthday dinner. He did a great job, and I appreciated his effort because I know baking isn't his favorite. It tasted like a cross between a bread pudding and apple dumpling/cobbler. It was warm, spongy and pretty much perfect with a scoop of homemade vanilla on top.

Speaking of being full, Jon surprised me with a reservation at Komi for my birthday dinner! We've been talking about going there forever so my little foodie heart almost died once I realized where we were headed. The dinner was fantastic. I lost count of the number of courses, but my favorite was the olive oil and chocolate pudding. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it was, hands down, the best dessert I've ever had. Ever. I would trade my firstborn for another bite.

After dinner, we came home and I immediately changed into sweatpants with an elastic waistband. Jon was kind enough to bring the cards & presents upstairs for me to open because I just didn't think I could survive a trip back down the stairs. Have I mentioned how full I was?

i'm pretty spoiled. 

oops! we forgot to use these on the cake. we'll have to reprise our cake eating tonight. :)

best card of the night. 

slippers from megan. i almost wore them to work today.  

remember the pogs story? mom found some in a desk drawer and sent them to me. 

jon gave me the owl hat, which i had to wear immediately. i suppose this is my owl face.
mom gave me some navy striped towels for the kate spade bathroom.

It was a great day, but let's not do it again for a year. Deal? 

my ginger valentine

I know it's annoying to see Valentine's Day stuff invade stores right after Christmas. And I know pink & red hearts and flowers aren't for everyone, but I've never met an excuse to celebrate that I didn't like...even the silly holidays promulgated by greeting card companies. Not to mention that I do love pink, hearts, and flowers.

We like to keep Valentines low-key. Rather than fight the crowds at restaurants, we enjoy staying in and cooking something tasty at home. We usually make something fun that we normally wouldn't tackle on a typical weeknight - risotto has been a go-to in the past, but this year we grilled steaks & watched a few episodes of House of Cards. It was a very DC Valentine's Day.

Part of the fun of celebrations are the presents. I know it sounds shallow, but I really enjoy gifts. To me, they are a physical expression of love & appreciation. It really has nothing to do with the actual gift, but the thought behind it. Some of my favorite gifts cost nothing at all. I love shopping for & giving gifts even more than receiving them.

This year, my valentine really outdid himself (with a little help from my sister :). A while back I featured Rifle Paper Co. on my Friday happy list. I'm obsessed with their floral paper products, and I've been thinking of ways I could incorporate their pretty prints in our house. I've also been toying with the idea of using coral as an accent color to the minty green/blue we have in the master bedroom. After hanging the sunburst mirror & some wedding photos in the bedroom a few weeks ago, we had one blank spot left that was begging for something pretty. When I stumbled on this over-sized coral frame from Pottery Barn, it all just made sense. Rifle Paper Co. print + coral frame + blank minty blue wall = perfection.

I told Megan how much I loved this combination, and she took it from there. I was only a little surprised, but a lot thrilled when I opened this sweet gift last Friday:

Per usual, my pictures don't do it any favors, but it far exceeded my already high expectations! I'm so happy with how it all turned out.

As a true surprise, Jon produced this adorable salt & pepper shaker right before we sat down for dinner. It's taken up residence on our kitchen table as the perfect little red accent.

As a sweet reminder not just on Valentine's Day, but every day of the year: "We love because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:19. The love of others is a wonderful blessing in this life, but nothing compares to the eternal love of our Heavenly Father.

The Friday Happy List

The Way Way Back. This was the highlight of last weekend. We spent most of the weekend purging the house of everything we didn't want to pack and move. We aren't pack rats & our apartment is only 980 sq. ft., but it's amazing how much "junk" we managed to accumulate in 4 years. Our biggest find was $20 that my mom sent in a card several months ago. That's about all the encouragement we needed to quit organizing and go to a movie. The Way Way Back is a sweet coming-of-age story, heartwarming and funny. I particularly enjoyed Allison Janney's character, but I always love her so that's no surprise.



Starbucks Refreshers. Have you tried these yet? They are amazing. I don't like coffee - it's too hot for coffee right now anyway - so this is my go-to drink. It's refreshing (duh), low in calories, and has just enough caffeine to keep me awake in the afternoon. I recommend the cool lime flavor with added berries.





Sun Chips Sweet & Spicy BBQ Chips. I bought these at the store during a moment of weakness (I blame all impulse purchases on the stress of home buying), but I'm glad I did because they are pretty darn tasty. Do yourself a favor and buy them for your next cookout.






 Rifle Paper Co. Thank You Postcards. I love Rifle Paper Co. They have the best stationery. You never know when you'll need to send a thank you note so I always like to have some pretty ones on hand. These are my current favorites.