This Love

October (& Some September) Favorites

Hello Lovelies. I'm Jordan Nicole :) This is going to be a longer favorites than I usually post because I dropped the ball last month and didn't post a favorites blog. I wrote one and had it done in time to post but I just felt like my favorites from that month were lacking; as if I hadn't had enough time to accumulate new favorite things. But I didn't want to just leave my favorite things from September out  so I decided to just lump them in with the many new favorites I have from throughout October. So without further ado here are my favorites from the last two months! 

Fashion

Salt Lick T-shirt 

When I was younger I worked at The Salt Lick (it is kind of famous, google it) and recently my friend Clay started working there. He gave me this work shirt after it shrunk in the wash and I have found myself reaching for it a lot in the last month. It's always nice to have a go to t-shirt.

Longhorn V-Neck

As we are in the midst of football season I have been wearing a lot of UT things in support of our team, especially on game days. This is my go to game day shirt :) It is perfectly subtle. HOOK'EM HORNS!

Accessories

Longhorn Hair Bow

This goes along with the team spirit theme from above. I have been wearing this on game days. I basically just adore bows and will take any excuse to wear one. I am a five year old girl and I'm not sorry.

Flower Cartilage Earring 

I wear this almost every day. It was a family members and I love it. It is just a little different than wearing a normal stud in my cartilage piercing. People notice it a lot more with this earring in than they used to with the one I originally pierced it with.

New Phone Case & iPhone 6

My dad was so sweet and bought me the iPhone 6 before I even asked for it. I love it. I personally don't think it is to big. It still fits in my pocket and watching videos on the bigger screen is so nice. My favorite part is how round it is. I got my case off of Etsy. I have been getting personalized cases for a few years now and I adore them. People constantly compliment it too.

Beauty

Garnier Hair Oil 

I have been getting a little lazy with doing my hair, more than usual even, and when I am wearing my hair in my natural curls they can be a bit frizzy and wild. When I just want to leave my hair down without styling it I will just put some of my hair oil in and it helps to keep it under control. It has been so helpful over the last month. When I do take the time to straighten or curl my hair it also helps to make them last longer and look pretty for more days between washes. Just be sure not to put to much close to your roots so that they don't start to look oily between washes :)

Revlon Nail Polish in Posh

I saw this when I was shopping for some new make up and was instantly intrigued. I had been looking for fall nail polish colors and thought that this one would be a good addition for some diversity. I usually only go with deep reds in the fall, I wanted to be a little adventurous. I didn't buy it that first time I saw it though (I chickened out). It stayed with me for a few days though and the next time I saw it I picked it up right away. I figured that if a nail polish can still be on your mind days after you've seen it then you should probably buy it. I was right, I love it. It is actually the nail polish I am wearing in these pictures :)

Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner

I just posted a review of this eyeliner a few days ago so if you want to hear more about it check that out. I have been wearing this a lot. It is definitely a part of my everyday makeup routine. I like that it has a matte finish as opposed to the shinny finish of liquid eyeliner.

Home

Bath & Body Works Fall Candles

Candles are one of my favorite things and one of my favorites brands is Bath & Body Works. Fall is also my favorite season. I don't know if you can tell but all of this adds up to one of my favorite things during the year being stocking up on the fall candles right after they are released. I always have one lit and it just gets me in the fall spirit. The scents I have in the picture are: Autumn Sky, Tailgate, Mahogany Teakwood, Pumpkin Caramel Latte, Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin & Apple Ale (which was a scent from last year and unfortunately didn't get produced again this season, I was really disappointed). They are all great and B & B Works have 2 for $22 sales all of the time (but be sure to wait for one because they are $22.50 each if you don't and thats just not smart).

Fall Pillows

I got these pillows at Ross at the beginning of September and have had them out ever since. They add so much to my apartment and were really affordable. Cushions are the easiest way to completely change the look of a space.

Food

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

This is me being a completely stereotypical girl but I had my first PSL this year right after they came back out in an attempt to get into the fall mood. I was skeptical on how good they could be but I have been loving them since that first sip. If you want to drink fall from a cup then give it a try :)

Thomas Pumpkin Bagels

I have bought anything that incorporated pumpkin in it over the last two months. I have had pumpkin english muffins, muffins, granola bars, kind bars, breads and various other things. I basically love pumpkin. While nothing can beat a good slice of pumpkin bread these bagels come very close. I just put regular cream cheese on them and they are delicious. A great meal.

Entertainment

Zoe Sugg's September (& Some Of October) Vlogs 

Zoe Sugg (Zoella) decided to vlog her September and I could not have been more thrilled. It is such a treat to sit and watch Zoe's day. She is always so lovely and has the most soothing voice. If you have never seen any of Zoe's main channel videos I highly recommend them and I recommend her vlogs just as highly. Her written blog is also wonderful. I will leave all of her links at the end of this post :)
*She also decided to carry on vlogging into October, so there are plenty to watch if you head over there!

Taylor Swift's 1989

I am not going to go on and on in this post because I am sure I will be doing a post completely dedicated to this album soon, but I will say that it is amazing and everything it was promised to be. My favorite tracks so far are All You Had To Do Was Stay, Style, Blank Space, Wildest Dreams, I Know Places, This Love & Out Of The Woods. I just named half of the songs... I love them all alright! They are all amazing. Just go get the album. It is worth it. If you buy it at Target you also get 3 bonus tracks and 3 original voice memos of Taylor creating the songs. It is only $13 and also comes with 13 polaroid pictures of Taylor. Do it. 

Stalker & American Horror Story: Freak Show

I have a ton of new favorite shows but seeing as this is an October favorites I am just going to name these two super creepy ones. Stalker is very much a thriller and I have screamed at least once watching it. If you live alone I would recommend not watching it after dark, it can really mess with your mind. AHS has been a staple in my TV schedule for a few years so of course I have been looking forward to this season. It hasn't gotten as scary as it is weird yet but it has had its moments. It is twisted and if you enjoy that sort of thing then you will love it. I will be doing a post on all of my fall shows really soon but these two both air on Wednesday evenings.

Well that is it! I know this was a long one but I really do love all of the things included. I also added the home category this month because I have found that because I'm living alone I am constantly having to think about those types of things. I hope that you enjoyed this post and as always let me know what your favorite things this month were in the comments! Enjoy your November & have a lovely Thanksgiving (yes it is nearly here, crazy)!

*Links*
The Salt Lick: http://www.saltlickbbq.com
Etsy Phone Case Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/simplymonogram
Garnier Hair Oil: http://www.garnierusa.com/products/haircare/sleek-and-shine/Treatment/Sleek-and-Shine-Moroccan-Sleek-Oil-Treatment.aspx
Revlon Posh Nail Polish: http://www.target.com/p/revlon-nail-color/-/A-14047760
Bath & Body Works Candles: http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=4147333
Thomas Pumpkin Spice Bagels: http://www.thomasbreads.com/products/pumpkin-spice-bagels-0
Zoe Sugg: www.youtube.com/zoella & www.youtube.com/morezoella & http://www.zoella.co.uk
Taylor Swift 1989: http://smarturl.it/TS1989

This Is What Makes Us Girls

My Haircare Routine 

Hello Lovelies. I'm Jordan Nicole :) I wanted to do a blog post about my haircare routine because I have spent the past three years focused on my hair and settling on products. I'm going to name the things I use, how I use them and how often I use them. I have been growing out my hair for two years now and these products have helped me along the way :)

Before I get started naming the products I use, I think its important to say that many of them are for color treated hair. Earlier this year I decided to do something that I had wanted to do since I was a little girl, go blonde. Now I know that not everyone would understand this desire but my natural hair color is red (my hair is auburn, which some people argue isn't red) and I grew up being teased about this by my peers. I always resented my hair color and hated that my mother wouldn't let me color it. She claimed that I had been blessed with a color many woman pay a lot of money to get and that she was doing me a favor. As I have gotten older I have come to realize she was right but that didn't take away my desire to have blonde hair. I went to a salon and was told that the only way for me to go blonde was to do multiple rounds of highlights. I got through two before I changed my mind and decided the upkeep was going to be to expensive. After my first round I went straight to Target and bought products that I thought would stop my hair from being dry and damaged. A lot of the products I am going to mention were purchased on that trip.

Shampoo & Conditioner

Pantene Color Preserve Shine 

Though I didn't go completely blonde, I still have a lot of highlights. Going blonde from red is really hard because your hair naturally wants to turn to a brassy color. I have gone through a few shampoos & conditioners trying to keep the brassy color from coming through but none have done as well at keeping my highlights blonde as this Pantene combo. Not only does this keep my hair from getting brassy but it also conditions my hair, keeping it soft and healthy. On top of all of that it also smells wonderful! I wash my hair about every 2 to 3 days to keep it from getting to dried out.  

Hair Mask

Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil Intensive Moisture Mask

This mask was one of the things I picked up on my Target trip. I had never used one before but I now love having this as part of my routine. I do it once a week, usually on the weekends, and it really makes my hair feel softer and less brittle. I just put it in my hair while I'm in the shower (after I have used my shampoo and conditioner) and keep it on while I shave. You just leave it in for a few minutes and then wash it out. It is such an easy addition to any routine.

Detangling Spray & Brush

Johnson's Buddies Easy Comb Detangler Spray & Tangle Teaser

I have had a problem with tangles since I was a little girl. If you saw my July favorites I mentioned this as one of my favs for the month :) The combination of this Johnson's detangle spray and my tangle teaser have made brushing my hair the simplest task, which is crazy for someone who could spend ten minutes trying to brush their hair without it. I just spray this in my wet hair generously after a shower and then brush through with my tangle teaser. It doesn't leave my hair feeling like there is product in it and makes it feel soft and look shiny.

Heat Protectant

Organix Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Flat Iron Spray

I have been wearing my hair naturally more often out of sheer laziness but when you are growing out your hair they do say to avoid heat, so I suppose it has worked out for me! When I do decide to straighten my hair or touch up my natural curls with my wand I use heat protectant to try and minimize damage. I never blow dry my hair because it takes up to 45 minutes (my hair just holds onto water like crazy!) and I am not willing to take the time. I admittedly never used a heat protectant before I got my highlights but I got this when I made the Target run I mentioned before and am glad I did. The bleach took a toll on my hair and this spray has really helped to keep it healthier. It smells amazing too :)

Straightener

Chi Ceramic Hairstyling Iron 

I have had this straightener for about four years now and you can definitely tell that it has been well loved. I have rubbed off the Chi even. If there is one heat tool that I use the most it is my straightener. My hair is naturally curly/wavy so if I want it to be straight I am dependent on it. In high school I used it all the time and when my hair was shorter I had to use it every day to style it. Now that it is longer I am not as willing to take the time (it can take more than 30 minutes) but for anyone in the market for a straightener I still stand by my Chi as the best one I have ever owned.

Curling Wand

Conair Infiniti Curling Wand 

This Conair wand is so inexpensive and it has lasted me well through four years. It was a great investment. It produces a nice spiral curl and is really simple to use.

Hair Oil
Garnier Fructis Marvelous Oil Color Illuminate 5-Action Hair Elixir

I bought this Garnier oil on my Target trip to try and keep some moisture in my hair. I mainly apply it after I have straightened my hair and want to keep the ends from being frizzy and dry. As long as I don't apply to much it doesn't make my hair look greasy and it smells really nice. It gives me a good shine on my ends. I only apply it there and not near the root, to stop my hair from getting greasy between washes.

Dry Shampoo 

TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo Volumizing for Fine/Oily Hair

I didn't have dry shampoo in my routine until recently, when I found it for those days between washes and to add some texture to my hair when it has been freshly washed. My hair is very smooth when it is clean and that can make styling difficult. I will spray some of this into my clean, dry hair so that I can braid it or curl it easier. It can also add volume at the root if you spray it in when it is dry. The one problem I have had with it is that if you don't massage it in with your fingers quickly enough it can leave a gray coloring in your hair.

Hairspray 
Not Your Mother's She's A Tease Volumizing Hairspray 

For those rare occasion where I completely curl all of my hair or try and be fancy with an up-do, I love this hairspray. It works really well without making my hair stiff or hard. I don't use it for any major things so I can't say how long it lasts but I have enjoyed it for my simple uses :)

Texturizing Sea Salt Spray 
Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

I have used this sea salt spray for years and really like the texture it gives my hair. I have a natural wave to my hair so I love that this spray gives me more of a beach-y vibe to my hair, like when I swim in the ocean. I just put this on my hair when it is wet and then go. So simple to use and such a cute hairstyle.

That is my haircare routine :) I am now at a length where I look in the mirror and finally think my hair is long and healthy. I hope you found some of this post helpful. Let me know in the comments what products you use!

Side Note: By the title of this blog I am not implying that having long hair is what makes us girls. I love pixie cuts! I was merely alluding to us girls caring about our haircare routines :)