Smile Darling

Lifestyle and Fashion Blog

Fashion, Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

The N-Sale 2019- Let’s Prep

The motherlode of all sales is approaching! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (aka #nsale) is right around the corner, yay! I’m here to break it down into basics for all of you babes! This isn’t just a sale for women. Men should definitely get in on the action too!

What Is It

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is Nordstrom’s BIGGEST sale of the year. Why should you care? Well, unlike other sales that usually mark down end of season items, this sale has NEW/JUST LAUNCHED ITEMS! This sale is usually full of pieces for Fall (Fall 2019). This is a great time to get the items you will want with the deals happening now. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale will have brands like Tory Burch, Top Shop, Nike, Madewell, 1.STATE, Rebecca Minkoff and so much more for up to 70% off! That is not a typo! You know I am all about affordable fashion, so this is my opportunity to get well-known brands discounted. The sale will take place both online and in-stores.

When Does It Start

Early Access: Friday, July 12th-Thursday July 18th

Opens To the Public: Friday, July 19th-Sunday. August 4th

Preparation

When I say items will sell out fast, I am not exaggerating. I do not get any sort of commission for telling you how to prepare. I honestly think it’s such a good sale. It’s comparative to Black Friday or Cyber Monday. It’s better than any Christmas in July! Last year was my first time having early access, and thank god I did! In the Early Access phase, items were selling out like nobody’s business. I highly suggest getting Early Access.

To get Early Access, you need to be a Nordstrom card holder. Only card holders will gain access on July 12th.  It is super easy to sign up! Keep in mind, you do not have to use your Nordstrom card to make purchases, you just need it to gain access. There are 2 types of card you can choose from too. I just got the basic rewards card. If you want Early Access, apply for a Nordstrom card NOW!

My next piece of advice is to create a list of items you want to shop for, aka “Wish List”. For me, I know I am looking for fall staples. I always get a nice pair of booties, sweaters, basic t-shirts, and some jeans (distressed & non-distressed, high-waited for sure). I will be on the hunt for a designer purse, everyday tops, leggings and casual dresses. Last year, I hit big with jeans and athleisure wear (Zella).

My last tip for you is act first, think later! Nordstrom has a great return policy. If you don’t know if you will like it, order it. If you are unsure of a size, get both. You can return what you don’t like or need. But if you wait (especially on popular items), they will sell out. Don’t bet on your items being restocked. Random things get restocked but last year I found it was only on a few of my “Wish List” items, and it was mostly due to returns.

Nordstrom has some of the best customer service. They offer free shipping and returns. Last year I was unsure if I would be a small or medium in these leggings and guess what, they SOLD OUT. I snagged a small but I wish I sized up. The rest of the sale I ordered two sizes in items I was only unsure on. I returned what didn’t fit, or both if I didn’t like it. This is another reason why the card comes in handy.

There you have it! You can get a sneak peak at the catalog and start making your list! Click here!

Hair

Upgrade Your Hair- R+Co

Haircare isn’t always just about the product, it’s about the experience. When it comes to R+Co, they definitely embody that. Their packaging and fragrances were designed to enhance that experience and evoke a feeling, place, style or attitude.

I’ll be the first to admit that when it comes to shampoo and conditioner, I definitely “judge a book by it’s cover”. Attractive packaging plays a huge part in my motive to purchase.

When R+Co reached out to me about doing a collaboration, I knew I had to jump on this opportunity. You babes know I am a real one for honest reviews. Here’s mine!

The packaging! It is literally artwork in itself. The sleek bottles give you a luxury experience. My only negative feedback would be the bottles are somewhat small.

When it comes to scent, I typically gravitate toward fruity or perfume tones (think brands like amika and Moroccan Oil). R+Co has such a clean smell. The aroma is consistent with that of earthy tones like green tea, sea grass, lemon and tangerine. When I first used the shampoo and conditioner, I was unsure if I liked it. Once my hair was dry, I found it to smell absolutely amazing!

Cruelty-free beauty has become really important to me lately. R+Co’s products thankfully fall into this category. They are formulated without parabens, sulfates (SLS or SLES), mineral oil and petrolatum. They are all vegetarian, cruelty-free, gluten-free and color-safe.

The actual shampoo and conditioner work really well. When I first tried the shampoo, my hair felt dry in the shower. Once I used the conditioner though, my hair became so silky smooth! I don’t even need to use detangled once I am out of the shower. My wet brush alone does the trick!

The one thing that I struggle to get on board with is the price. This definitely is a luxury, or salon style brand. The price point is $28-32 per a bottle. The bottles are 8.5 oz. For me, if the product is worth the price, I will spurge. R+Co is worth it!

So, what are you waiting for?! Upgrade your hair today!

*These products were gifted to me by R+Co. The above words are my own opinion.

Skincare

Self-care With Publix & Olay

#Ad As summer begins to be in full swing, taking care of my skin becomes a priority. After all those glorious beach days, my skin definitley needs a little TLC.

My go-to post beach day product is my Olay Whip Body Wash. If you have been following me for a bit, you know I am obsessed with this stuff! The White Strawberry & Mint is the perfect scent for summertime. It smells so delicious, I just want to eat it!

After I’m all clean, I use my Olay Regenerist Whip face lotion. This stuff quenches my skin, while helping to keep wrinkles at bay.

Olay now has some great sunscreen skincare that is perfect to use before even heading out in the sun! I definitely need to get my hands on some Olay Sun! It is a facial sunscreen with antioxidants, and it can be used as a make-up prime. It’s a SPF of 35!

Thanks to Publix and Olay, getting my favorite products on a budget was just made so simple! I now can try this awesome new product and pick up some of my favorites!

There are 3 ways to save on Olay at Publix this week:

  • 5/20-6/30 Rebate: Get $15/When you Spend $50
    (upload receipt for rebate at www.olayrebate.com)
  • 6/1-6/14 Coupon: $5.00 off TWO Olay Whips, Sun Screen, Regenerist, Total Effects, Eyes or Luminous Moisturizer 1.3-2.5oz
    (Grab coupon from Purple flyer at Publix)
  • 6/6-6/12 Weekly Ad: $4 off Olay Whips, Regenerist, Total Effects, Eyes &
    Luminous .5 – 2.5oz and $1 off Olay Facial Cleansers & Cloths

You can save up to $25 on a Olay Skin Care Regimen. So try something new today and take on the summer with your best face forward. Sun Care is Self-Care!

xx

Courtney

This was a paid post with Publix & Olay. All opinions posted are of my own.

Fashion, Hair

Summer 2019 Trends to Know

Hello you ray of sunshine! What’s up? It’s been too long since I last wrote…my bad!

Speaking of sunshine, summer is here (at least in Charleston)! As the heatwave rolls in, I thought it was only necessary to share with you some summer 2019 trends that you need to know!  After all, fashion is all about staying relevant, or is it?

The ninety’s are back, ALRIGHT! (To the beat of Backstreet’s Back)

Summer 2019 has brought back the 90’s. Talk about being nostalgic! Then again, talk about making me feel old, lol. It is so weird to see my childhood wardrobe coming to life in a more adult version, but I’m so obsessed. You will find a mix of your favorite looks with a modern day twist.

There are so many goodies, so let’s dive in!

Accessories

Say SHELLO to puka necklaces! They are back, and better than ever. I’m so in love with the gold chocker versions. It makes for a fun, chic update.

My favorite accessory trend though has to be barrettes. I love the large pearl hair clips! They add a little elegance to any outfit, and help make a bad hair day look better!

Another trend I am on board with is mini/shrunken purses! Although they may not be the most practical, I think they are super cute. They are perfect for going out when you only need your credit cards and phone. While we are on the subject of purses, the woven bags are back for another summer. Yay! They truly make any outfit feel more summer-like. Another purse trend I’m into this season is the translucent look.

The last accessory look I’m feeling is all about the sunnies! I like the cat-eye style. It may not look good on me per say, but I love it on others. Sunglasses are always an easy way to jump in on a trend.

Shop my favorite accessory trends below:


Shoes

I am crushing on shoes so hard! The styles this summer are truly amazing. I have to say my faves are the platform sandals, aka Espadrille Sandals! They are a great way to add height, while staying comfortable. Also, I am really feeling the Birkenstock style shoes. I have a foam pair, and they feel heavenly on my feet!


Shop some of my must haves below:

Clothing

There are so many styles I’m obsessed with, I don’t even know where to begin!

For the sake of saving time, I’ll just name them! Tube tops, high neck tanks, animal print, tie dye, graphic tees, bike shorts, puffy/ prominent shoulders, halter tops, girly dresses, buttons, butterflies, cropped tees, and eyelet!

Shop these fashion trends below:

I want it all! I hope you enjoyed these great fashion come backs. I’m outie!

xx

Courtney



Make-up

My “Glam” Make-up Look

Hey chickies! If you watched my stories, you saw I finally posted a make-up routine! I shared my version of a “glam” make-up look, lol. The stories are saved on my Instagram for you to review at your leisure.

I always start with eyeshadow first, to avoid having to wipe off any concealer and foundation if it falls. First, I prime my eyes. I like to use the Urban Decay Primer Potion. Once that is all rubbed in, I do my eyeshadow. I use the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette. I only use 4 colors from it, so I started buying the colors individually to save money and avoid waste. The colors I love are Foxy, Half-baked, Snakebite, and Suspect.

After my eyeshadow, I prime my face. I have a few primers, but I really like the Benefit Pore Professional. Once that is applied, I put on concealer. I love the Tarte Shape Tape! I like a lighter concealer, so I use the colors “Light beige” or “Light-medium honey”. I also really like the Too Faced Born This Way Concealer. The color I have is “Porcelain” but it doesn’t match me well.

From there, I apply my foundation. I use Too Faced Born This Way in the color “Nude”. I use a damp beauty blender to blend it out. I get my beauty blenders from TJMaxx.

Then, I attempted to contour my face. I use the Hoola Contour Stick from Benefit. I apply it in a number 3 formation on each side on my face. Next, use Hoola Bronzer by Benefit to contour my nose. Once that is all blended, I take bronzer and go over what I contoured. I love the Tarte bronzer in “Park Ave Princess”.

We are almost done! I then take highlighter and place it on my upper cheek bones, cupids bow, and my nose. I really like the BECCA “Champagne Pop”.

I then do my brows with Anastasia Brow Pomade, the Anastasia Brow Wiz, and a brow gel. I add a little eyeliner, and mascara. I use It Cosmetics “Superhero”, or Too Faced “Better Than Sex” mascara.

Lastly, I sprits some finishing spray, then boom! I’m done!

Refer to my videos to see how I completed all these step! Shop all the products I use below!

You can shop the below through Sephora:

You can shop these through Ulta:

Places, Travel & Adventure, Skincare

The Invigory: My Cryotherapy Experience

Brrr! It’s cold in here. There must be some Cryo in the atmosphere! Haha, I just had to! A week ago I did my first ever Ice Facial and Cryotherapy treatment. I was invited by The Invigory to try out some services.

The Invigory is a natural wellness studio. They specialize in preventative health and recovery. They use what is found in nature: hot, cold, salt and air. The Invigory has a great variety of treatments that include and are not limited to: Compression Therapy, Cryotherapy, Salt Therapy, Infrared Sauna, Ice Facials, and Spot Cryotherapy. The staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about all their services. I was welcomed by Josh, I received my treatments from Toni, and Brian helped me shoot all my photos and videos.

The services I chose were the Ice Facial and Cryotherapy. Ice Facials are an amazing way to achieve healthier and more vibrant skin. A controlled beam of vaporized nitrogen chills areas on the face, scalp, and neck. An Ice Facial is cold, but in a refreshing way. At no point did I think it was too much. The health benefits are fabulous. An Ice Facial stimulates collagen production, reduces wrinkles and fine lines, reduces inflammation, and offers relief for those who suffer from headaches and migraines. The facial was painless, and it honestly just felt like cold air was being blown on my face. I would definitely recommend trying this out. It is a great alternative to Botox, for those who do not want to use needles.

You may be wondering what the heck Cryotherapy is. I am sure you have seen it on social media before. You may have seen one of your favorite athletes or celebrities standing in a tube filled with cold air. Cryotherapy literally means “cold therapy”. It is a technique where the body is exposed to extremely cold temperatures for only a few minutes. Think of it as the new generation of ice baths. This “cold treatment” helps to heal and invigorate. You stand in a tube/sauna and a platform raises you up so only your shoulders and head are peeking out. Your body is then exposed to temperatures as low as -250° Fahrenheit for three minutes.

Before I went in, they gave me a pair of tube socks and some huge gloves. When I stepped into the tube, I took off my robe (you do this naked, wee) and I was raised up so my head stuck out. Since it was my first time, they set it at -170°. At first, I was like I got this! It was really cold, but in a fun way.

I started singing “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande, did some dancing around, and let out some laughter. After about 2 minutes in I thought, “Fuck! This is cold”. My buttcheeks felt numb, my arm hair was creating baby icicles, and I was having a difficult time trying to talk because my teeth were chattering. I would compare the coldness to laying naked in the snow for an hour. When my time was up and I stepped out, I felt a wave of warmth. I was feeling restored, energized, and revitalized. I wanted to do it again!

The benefits of Cryotherapy include: reduces inflammation, boosts metabolism, and accelerates injury recovery. A lot of athletes do this to help their muscles recover.

If you live in the Charlotte area, I highly suggest checking out The Invigory to learn more about the treatments and ways to help heal your body in a more natural way!

Places, Travel & Adventure

Celebrate We Will!

Hi babes! Today is SUCH a good day, eek! March 19th marks a special place in my heart for a few reasons. One of them being my birthday! My 29th to be exact. The last year of my 20’s! Not only is it my birthday, but it’s also my blogaversary! SMILE DARLING IS ONE YEAR OLD! Like, what?! How could my baby grow up this fast?! I seriously cannot believe I have been a blogger for a year.

This year has been absolutely incredible blogging wise! I have learned so many new things, met so many fabulous individuals, and experienced so many new places & opportunities. To say I feel blessed is an understatement!

At the end of the day though, Smile Darling would actually be nothing without all of YOU! You make me thrive! You make me work harder! You make me question myself. You make me feel like I actually have a purpose in life. You help me share my personal stories. You help me experience new products and places. You help me pick up the pieces when I feel broken inside. I love all my followers more than you know! I love when you message me and we interact. I care about your questions and what you have to say. You make me laugh! You make me cry (in a good/relatable way). I wouldn’t be celebrating 1 without all of you! At the end of the day, this is a team effort!

To commemorate this special day and in honor of my birthday, I want to share 29 + 1 (29 for my birthday and 1 for the blogaversary) things I have learned and discovered about blogging this first year! So, yes that means 30 things haha!

  1. Blogging is harder than it seems/ you think
  2. Instagram is a highlight reel for sure
  3. You need to stay consistent with posting
  4. A preset is a must
  5. The blogging community is a welcoming, beautiful, and supportive group
  6. Some of these women have become my best friends that I can talk about anything with
  7. Writing content is actually hard
  8. Trying to make yourself unique/ trying to find your own niche is difficult
  9. It takes at least 45 minutes-2 hours to get a photo ready for instagram (editing photos, coming up with captions, linking clothes on LikeToKnow.it and 21 buttons)
  10. Not everyone in your family and friend group will be supportive
  11. Bouncing off #10, you find out who your friends are
  12. The people who follow you are very interactive and will freely give you feedback
  13. Trolls exist
  14. Writing vulnerable posts will open up doors for others to be vulnerable and share their stories too
  15. Constructive criticism will make you thrive
  16. Giveaways are not just for giving back to your followers. They help you gain more followers and reach markets/ people you otherwise wouldn’t have
  17. Blogging has made me become a better public speaker (instagram stories, I’m looking at you)
  18. Being an influencer has helped me gain confidence in myself and my abilities
  19. It’s okay to be transparent, honest, and emotional
  20. It’s okay to change your aesthetic
  21. I never knew I could have a relationship with people I never met! Blogger friends in all countries!
  22. I never knew how fortunate I would be to work with so many big brands and to try new products
  23. It’s harder to grow your following and readership than it seems
  24. Women supporting women would become my new mantra
  25. It’s okay to not post for a few days! You make your own schedule and deadlines (except when you are working with brands)
  26. I have experienced so many different cities because of being an influencer
  27. My followers are fu**ing AMAZING
  28. Hashtags don’t always matter
  29. You don’t always have control over certain situations
  30. Your posting times will change based on your followers interactions

I have learned so much this past year and I continue to learn new things on a daily basis, as the influencer community and social media are always changing! Thank you to all my OG’s that have been there since the start! Thank you to my new followers and readers who saw something in me!

I am excited to see what the last year of my twenties brings me! Can’t wait to share it with all of you!

Love you all the most!

xx Courtney Fabiano

Skincare

My Current Skincare Routine

Hey little chicks! The wait is finally over! My most requested post everrr is here… MY SKINCARE ROUTINE! First, let me just say how flattered I am that you babes think I have beautiful skin. Like, thank you!

For this post, I have decided to include both my morning and night skincare steps. I will also list some products I occasionally use at the end!

I just want to make clear that none of these products are sponsored. I have bought everything myself, and I have been using these products on my own for a year or longer. In no way, shape or form have any of these companies reached out or influenced me using them. *This post does contain some affiliate links through LikeToKnowIt, where I have potential to make a small commission at NO extra cost to you.

So without further ado, let’s dive in!

Morning Routine

Most mornings I am usually still half asleep. I try to keep my skincare routine simple and effective. I take a dime size amount of my Tula Purifying Face Cleanser and massage it into my face with warm water. Once I rinse off and pat dry, I then will apply a serum all over my face.

I have a few favorite serum brands, and alternate buying different ones. I am a big fan of affordable serum! One of my favorite serums is by Measurable Difference. I love their Vitamin C Serum, Collagen & Retinol Serum and Hyaluronic Acid. Another brand I am a big fan of is, The Ordinary. They have a really good and inexpensive Retinol Serum, and I am also currently using the Ethylated Absorbic Acid 15% (direct acting form of Vitamin C). I will say that the Vitamin C by The Ordinary is more of an oil texture than serum. The last brand of serum I really like is by Valjean Labs. The Revive and Hydrate options are two of the best.

After serum is applied, I go ahead and moisturize my eye area. A clean beauty option I use is Dr Roebuck’s Down Under Collagen Boosting Eye Treatment. Although it is $38, the container size is pretty abundant and double the size of a lot of eye creams on the market. I do not use this often though, because I do find it to be a thick moisturizer. I would recommend it more for the dryer months. Another under eye cream I am actually obsessed with is SkinLab’s Lift & Firm Eye Gel. This gel is so lightweight and cooling. It rubs in quickly too. I found this gem at Marshall’s for only $6.99! If you are unable to find it at your local Tjmaxx or Marshall’s, I have found some links for you! If you are more of a drugstore type of gal, Olay Eyes Deep Hydrating Eye Gel is a great choice too!

Once my serum has absorbed into my skin and I have applied my eye cream, it is now time for my final step…moisturizing my face! I have a few face creams that I loveeee at different price points. I usually use my Tula Hydrating Day & Night Cream. I love this cream because it is light feeling, while delivering deep hydration. My little sister is obsessed with it too. On days where I want a lighter feeling moisturizer, I use the Tula Aqua Infusion Oil-Free Gel Cream. I love the gel feeling and it’s really great as a summer time skincare product.

I completely understand Tula is more of a higher end skincare line when it comes to price point. There are two other face creams that I love, and they are about $10-15 cheaper. If you have not tried Olay Whips yet, like what are you waiting for?! It is seriously the best! I use the Olay Regenerist Whip. It is so light and fluffy! It smells amazing and leaves my face feeling soft as a baby’s tooshie! I also really like the True Cream Aqua Bomb by Belif.

As a recap: I wash my face with cleanser, use serum, moistures my eye area, then moisturize my whole face! In this exact order! Simple as that!


Night Routine

My nighttime skincare regimen is very similar to the morning, but a few things vary.

Before I begin, I just wanted to share some honesty. I know a lot of bloggers use and share Tula products. When I first bought Tula in November 2017, I HATED it. I thought it made my skin look worse. I was legit like what the actual fuck?! I decided to stick it out for a few more weeks, and something amazing happened. My skin cleared completely. My skin has never been better, and I am an official believer in this brand. It was one of those things where results did not happen over night. I needed to use the products for a full month. Tula is probiotic skincare and I think my skin cells just needed to get used to it.

Unfortunately, I do not have a promo code for Tula, but one of my good blogger friends Natalie Kennedy does! She is kindly letting me share it with you! To get 20% OFF your purchase with Tula use code “NATALIEK”.

Back to my skincare! At night, the first thing I do is take off my make-up. I use the Ultra Compact Make-up Remover Wipes from Amazon. I love these! Not only do they smell amazing and effectively take off your make-up, but they come in a pack of three for under $14! That is cheaper than other brands, like Neutrogena. They go out of stock all the time, so be sure to order yours ASAP! After I use my little wipe, I then take some liquid eye make-up remover and put it on a clean corner of the wipe I just used. I take off any excess eye make-up that did not already come off. I really like the Sephora Collection Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover.

Once my make-up is off, I wash my face. I take my Clarisonic and a dime size amount of my Tula Purifying Cleanser. I only use my Clarisonic at night, but you can use it twice a day if you’d like. If you want a cheaper brush option, Olay makes a really good cleansing brush. I still have mine, and I use it in the shower. After washing my face, I will occasionally use a toner. I use toner about 3-4 nights a week. The toner I use is Problem Solution Toner by Belif. This toner contains tea tree and helps with blemishes. Another great toner is by Tula. It is the Pro-glycolic Resurfacing Gel. It works well, but I like using a liquid toner better.

After my toner drys, I apply serum. At night, I am currently using the Tula Aqua Infusion Power Liquid. When it’s gone I will continue to use the serums in my morning routine, because the Tula is a little expensive for me. While the serum absorbs into my skin, I moisturize my eye area. I then moisturize my face with one of the creams I listed in my morning routine. The final part of my skincare routine does not happen until I go to bed. Right before bed, I apply my Curology. Curology is custom skincare made just for you! I use a cream that was created for me before bed, and only on areas that may need it. If you want to learn more, check out my previous post on Curology!

To recap: I take off my make-up, wash my face with my Clarisonic, use toner, serum, moisture under my eyes, moisture my face, and then use Curology before bed.

On Occasion

There are times when I need to use certain products that are not apart of my everyday skincare routine.

Let’s say I have a blemish or two lol, my go-to pimple fighting solution is the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. This stuff is your golden ticket, your get out of jail free card when it comes to zits! I leave it on overnight, and when I wake up in the morning my pimple is usually a lot smaller or drying up.

Another product I really like when I am suffering from breakouts is GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment. This is a mud mask that you leave on for about 10 minutes. It definitely helps when my little guys need to be gone in a short time frame.

When my skin is dry, peeling, or flaky from a sun burn I turn to my Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil by Drunk Elephant. It helps nourish and heal my dry skin. It also makes for a smoother make-up application.

When I get far less than my 8 hours of sleep, my holy grail product for puffy, tired eyes is NO MORE BAGGAGE by Dr Brandt Skincare. The gel helps de-puff and refresh my eye area. Literally, a miracle worker.

About once every three weeks, I use a tingle toner. If you have never used a tingle product before, this is your fair warning! Tingle products don’t tingle per say. They actually sting or burn. The light burning sensation is TOTALLY normal. You may experience flushed or red coloring of the skin. This is fine too and will go away within 20-30 minutes. I use the Tarte Knockout Tingle Toner. The tingle toner helps resurface the skin, improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles, and it helps reduce pores. The toner gently exfoliates and supports new cell growth. Some people use this multiple times a week, but I do not.

The last product I occasionally use is really fun! I only use it after wearing a lot of make-up for a long period of time. If that is the case, I would use a BUBBLESHEET by GlamGlow. It is a face mask that is oxygenating, and will literally bubble up. It helps remove make-up and dissolve dirt. It will leave your skin feeling purified and will reveal a nice glow.

We are now at the end of this post! Stay tuned for a video on my Instagram stories that will show you how I complete these steps! You will also be able to shop these products via the LikeToKnowIt app, but all products are linked multiple times throughout this post!

I hope this was informative and everything you wanted it to be!

Love you the most!

xx Courtney

Places, Travel & Adventure

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue- Valentine’s Day

Hi babes! Been a min.

This is my first post of 2019! Like whatttt?! Sorry I’ve been MIA. I have been suffering from writers block, lack of creativity, and working out a new aesthetic.

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! With big V-Day coming up, I wanted to share my personal take on it. I have been celebrating Valentines’s Day my own special way for about 9 years.

V-Day can be one of those days that is either an awesome day well spent with your lover, or a day where you’re like WHAT THE FRIG this is kind of sad.

Since Valentine’s Day tends to be a very upsetting holiday (at least for us folks who are single AF), I am here with this post to make it better! Or, to at least give you a new perspective.

Valentine’s Day/ Galentine’s Day/ Singles Awareness Day, whatever you prefer to call it is up to you. This day is a different type of day to me. Let’s dive right in.

When I was in high school, Valentine’s Day was always so hyped up. I fell for the “Hallmark Holiday”. I had a boyfriend at the time, and my expectations were all around never met. Each year, I always seemed to be let down. We never went to dinner, or had anything special planned. If we did go to dinner, we argued the whole time (thanks for sucking, Kevin). Since I couldn’t find joy on Valentine’s Day from my bf, I always hoped to find it through my friends. My high school would let students purchase carnations with little notes for their friends. Which at the time may have seemed stupid or like a popularity contest, but I always wanted to collect them. Each year my count of carnations from my friends would get less and less. LIKE, THANKS FOR THINKING OF ME GUYS, lol! JK.

When I entered college and was states away from where I grew up (MA → LA), Valentine’s Day took on a whole new meaning. This meaning lives on to this day!

Life got busy, and still does. Sometimes we forget to connect with our friends and family as much as we should.

Valentine’s Day by definition is the day of love (don’t really look that up lol). For me, this day is a 24-hour period where I have the opportunity to remind the people I care about the most that I love them. I use Valentine’s Day as a day to reach out to my friends and family to say hello, see how they are, and wish them a good day! I think sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own lives, and with social media so prevalent we forget to connect offline.

I use this day to literally tell people I love them! It’s as simple as that.

I also celebrate V-Day a second way. You can have a great day spending Valentine’s Day with yourself! Relationships come and go, but you are stuck with yourself forever haha, so LOVE YOURSELF! We are so willing to give and share our love with others, that we forget to really provide it to ourselves.

I started incorporating self-care into my Valentine’s Day routine last year. The purpose of this was to make myself feel beautiful and special. To have a dedicated day where I love me, myself & I.

Last year, I said Happy Valentine’s Day to myself by getting Botox! It was something I had reallyyy been wanting, and I felt like that was the perfect day to do it. Now, I am not saying everyone go out and get Botox, it’s V-day! There are other ways to self-care and show self-love on this day.

You can get a manicure or pedicure, you can get that massage or facial you’ve been wanting, you can sit down and read some of that book you bought 6 months ago and never looked at again, you can take a yoga class, you can take a nap, you can eat a cupcake or three, you can look at the clouds, and you can buy yourself fresh flowers. The list really could go on, but I’ll stop haha.

Your relationship status doesn’t matter. Whether you’re single, married, dating, friends with benefits, divorced, separated, or whatever it is you are; loving yourself can apply to anyone!

Well, there you have it. My personal take on Valentine’s Day! I hope you all have a great day, and I love you the most! <3

xx Courtney


Places, Travel & Adventure, Real Talk

My Top Posts of 2018

Hi Smile Darlings! I can’t believe the end of 2018 is upon us. I feel like this year flew by in the blink of an eye.

Before I dive into today’s post, I wanted to take a moment to thank ALL of you. Smile Darling started just 9 months ago. I feel I was given this platform for a purpose. My blog would truly not be possible with the support and love of my readers (aka, you babes). Your messages push me to work harder, and they remind me I am on the right path.

The year of 2018 really has challenged me in the best way. I was able to take the leap of faith and start my blog, which was something I only ever envisioned. I met so many new people along the way, whom I am happy to call some of my closest friends to this day. I traveled and attended my first Create & Cultivate conference in Chicago, I attended Greensboro and Charlotte Fashion Week, I spoke on a panel with a few other local bloggers (like sayyy what), and I changed my whole feed aesthetic. So many great things have happened that really help outweigh the negativity I have felt in my life.

Today’s post is really only made possible because of you. To cap off the year of 2018, I wanted to reflect on the work I’ve created thus far. Today I am sharing my MOST READ blog posts of twenty eighteen! YAY!

For time sake, I will be sharing my top 5 most read articles.

Coming in at #5 on the list is was my experience at Create & Cultivate Chi. So many people wanted to know what I was up to, and what it was all about. This was probably my favorite day of this year. I had an amazing time. Check out my experience here!

Next on the list at #4 was my post called “Do More Things That Make You Forget To Check Your Phone”. This post shared some of my favorite self-help books at the time. It was a way to remind us all that sometimes we just need a break from social media and our phones. You can read it here!

Jumping to #3 on the list, this post caused a lot of DM’s and comments. It was my first “controversial” post I had written. I was fed up with how I was treated while waking to work each day by gross men, so I decided to put it all in a post. Read, “Where You Goin’ Beautiful” here!

We have made it to my top two posts! Coming in at #2 is a VERY personal post that I really struggled to share with you all. Sharing this post, meant opening up wounds of my past that I really thought I was over and have tried not to remember. I feel like I was a different person back then. I made a decision to share this post, to help so many other women and men out there who could be dealing with this situation. I wanted my readers to know it’s not all roses and sunshine for me, and just because I am a “blogger” I have endured real things. With this platform, I have the ability to help others. This post is it. It is definitely not for the kiddos to read. You can read this top post, here!

The most read post on the blog is another personal post. You guys seem to like when I share real life struggles and my personal thoughts. Coming in hot at #1 is a post that was shared over 600 times. It was shared all over America and read by readers around the world. This is my favorite post I have shared thus far, and is still something I battle daily. So many people can relate. I got sooo many DM’s, messages and comments about this post and your struggle with it as well. This blog piece really started a conversation. Read my number one, the big numero uno post here! Breaking The Stigma.

There you have it! My top five posts of 2018! Thank you for an amazing 9 months! I can’t wait to see where 2019 takes us!

xx Courtney