CYBER WEEK DEALS ( TUESDAY )

 SO many great cyber week deals to share with you all today!!!

GIVENCY LIP BALM

I first saw this lip balm when Liv Tyler talked about it on vogue.

It's a three-in-one. It plumps, moisturizes and enhances your natural lip color.

REGULAR $45 NOW $31

I'm always raving about Benefit Brow Products and I almost never see them on sale.

GIMME BROW is one of my go to's for how easy it is!

On sale for $16 down from $32

SHOP HERE

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FITBITS ARE UP TO 30% OFF TODAY

SHOP HERE

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JOURNEYS up to 30% OFF

WOMENS UGGS - REG $149 NOW $119

DIRTY LAUNDRY CHELSEA BOOTS UNDER $40

DR MARTENS REG $149 NOW $99

NEW BALANCE GLOW - UNDER $60

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OLD NAVY IS 50% OFF EVERYTHING!!!

I shared some of my faves HERE.

You can also find a highlight saved on my INSTAGRAM.

I grabbed myself this winter coat for only $50!!!!

SHOP HERE

Seriously considered grabbing this coat as well! 

This one is on sale for $42!!!!

SHOP HERE

I couldn't resist these fun glittery slippers!!

SHOP HERE

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American Eagle IS 40% OFF STORE WIDE

I grabbed THIS SWEATER last week and I've been living in it.

SEE BELOW.

Seriously considering grabbing it in black and white as well.

You can shop it HERE.

You can see a video of me wearing it HERE 

This mock neck cropped top is a dream! 

I got a small for my daughter and a medium for myself. 

Fits true to size.

It's shorter at the front and longer at the back.

Shop it HERE.

This CLUTCH/MAKEUP Compact is also dropping $55 OFF on 11/27 !!! 

You can SHOP IT HERE on Friday.

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GAP CANADA IS 50% OFF STORE WIDE

OBSESSED with this coat!!

50% off + 10% off at checkout with code: GAPFRIDAY

SHOP HERE

See the highlights on my INSTA for some more of my faves! 

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THE BIRDS PAPAYA X WELL.CA BOX IS 

$32 off

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LINKS

ENDY IS 10% OFF STORE WIDE

OWN YOUR ELEGANCE 25% OFF STORE WIDE 

(Stay tuned for insta stories share later today)

THE PERFECT Holiday Dress

SHOP HERE

** THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS **

OLD NAVY BLACK FRIDAY 50% OFF SALE

Old Navy has and will forever be one of my favourite places to shop for myself and my family. 

They are currently having a HUGE Black Friday Sale where the entire store is 50% off!!! 

I've rounded up some of my faves for you and I'll be adding to this post throughout the day! 

Happy Shopping!! 

 

**post contains affiliate links**

GIFT GUIDE FOR THE BEAUTY INFLUENCER

 

I'm often asked what some of my must have tools are for my job as a "beauty influencer" 

so I did this little round up :)

SELFIE RING LIGHT TRIPOD  - Honestly, I haven't used this yet but I just ordered it because a bunch of my friends in this career love this tripod! Up until now, I've been filming my videos in natural light but I needed to up my game so I could film during the evenings in the long winter months.

BRUSH COLLECTION - These are my absolute favourite brushes EVER. I have and use every single one. 

GRACE & STELLA VANITY  - I had been searching for a light up vanity mirror for MONTHS before finding this mirror. All the other mirrors I found were way too pricey. This one is just as good as the higher priced items and I use it every single day.

PHONE TRIPOD - This phone tripod is a MUST HAVE for filming makeup videos. It's small, so its great for travel. The legs are moveable so they are great for car makeup videos. I wrap the legs around my steering wheel and I'm good to film! 

MAKEUP BRUSH HOLDER -  I didn't want my beautiful double ended brushes to be ruined while storing, so I searched high and low for the perfect solution and found it on amazon!! The brushes lay perfectly on this so the bristles don't get damaged. 

**post contains affiliate links**

TWEEN GIFT GUIDE 2020

 

The gifts under our Christmas Tree look very different than they did a few years ago.

With tweens,  there's a lot less toys and a lot more gadgets. 

I've put together this gift guide for tweens for those of you in this same season of parenting.

 

APPLE AIRPODS  | Okay, what tween wouldn't want these? 

They are an expensive gift though & I'd want to make sure the tween I gift this to is pretty responsible for his/her belongings. 

FUNKO POP STRATEGY GAME  | This one is for the comic book/action movie lovers.

ECHO DOT SMART SPEAKER | One of my favourite parts about having tweens is that they FINALLY love to sleep after years of sleep deprivation. This is great to use to listen to their favourite music and an alarm clock. 

THROW THROW BURRITO  | Does this one even need an explanation? You can never go wrong with a super silly game.

FRIENDS LEGO SET | My tween and her friends all love FRIENDS as much as I did back in the 90s. This lego set is so fun! 

ROLLER SKATES | Aren't these retro skates SO fun? My tween has had them on her Wishlist for MONTHS.

NINTENDO SWITCH LITE | We are HUGE Nintendo fans in this house and we think your tween will be as well! Really though, any age group will love this.

LED LIGHTS | I think the trend with LED lights started on TIKTOK and it is all the rage ( does this make me sound old? haha) with tweens!!! String them along their bedroom for a super fun tween room! 

SMARTPHONE PRINTER | Remember when we were kids and we loved polaroid cameras? This is basically the equivalent for this generation of tweens/teens. 

THE CHILD DEVICE HOLDER | THE CUTEST DEVICE HOLDER EVER!!!

ANIMAL CROSSING | This made the list because I want to play it with my tweens hahahahaha 

**post contains affiliate links**

GIFT GUIDE FOR HUSBANDS { OR ANY MAN ON YOUR LIST} 2020

 

          I polled my audience on IG yesterday to see what kind of Gift Guides everyone wanted to see this year and 95% of you wanted a Gift Guide for the men in your life. 

I usually love the idea of experience gifts but this has proved to be challenging in 2020 so 

I enlisted in the help of my husband to put this Gift Guide together for you. 

My husbands #1 pick in this guide is the Leatherman Wave

He spent MONTHS researching the best multi-tool and is pretty obsessed with this. 

1. Beard Balm | 2. Star Wars Tee | 3. Nintendo Switch Lite | 4. Beanie | 5. Beverage Holster

6. Versace Eros  | 7. Leatherman Tool  8. Yeti Waterbottle | 9. Apple Watch | 10. Stocking

11. Canon Camera | 12. Reebok 1985 TV model | 13. Portable Campfire | 14. Bulldog GiftSet | 

15. Star Wars Ice Maker

There you go :)

Some of Louis fave items and some on his wish list!

Hopefully this can help you shop for the man in your life.

Kelsey

oxoxox

**post contains affiliate links**

How To Use Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels: A new feature on Instagram that allows you to create and discover 

15 second videos on Instagram. 

You can create in app with audio, effects, and creative tools, or upload previously recorded videos. 

You can share to your profile grid and make them available to ALL of Instagram through the explore space, which is a really effective way to get your content viewed by a bigger audience. 

If you include original or pre-recorded audio, it is attributed to you, and other users can recreate reels using your audio. 

How to Use Reels

To create a reel, open the Instagram camera icon just as you would to use Instagram Stories. 

Scroll over to REELS on the bottom slidebar.

All the editing tools are on the left side of the screen. 

Use the record button to create a series of clips, or select the photo icon in lower left hand side of screen to upload pre-recorded video.

Why Are Reels So Great? 

People have short attention spans y’all! 

These videos are quick & fun and I highly suggest utilizing them if you want to grow a following on Instagram or get eyes on your business.

I’ve noticed I get significantly more views on my reels than my Instagram worries or IGTVS & have gained many new followers in the last week from the Reels feature.

Content Ideas for Reels

+ before & afters

makeup, home diys, clean with me etc.

+ OOTD (outfit of the day)

create a fun reel with different ways to wear a piece of clothing

ex: leather jacket 3 ways

+ cooking videos

+ travel

+ makeup videos

+ tips

social media tips, parenting hacks etc.

Love,

Kelsey oxoxox

Maskcara Beauty Unboxing

Who loves free makeup?! 

I know that I sure do! 

I just received hundreds of dollars worth of free makeup, makeup brushes, skin care, compact and accessories from Masckcara Beauty and made a little unboxing video to show you all the goodies!

Enjoy! 

Oh, & if you want to find out how you can get all these goodies for FREE too. 

Send me an email at hello@kelseydianeblog.com with the subject line : 

FREE MAKEUP and I will help hook you up! 

oxoxo, 

Kelsey

How to Add Multiple Photos to Your Instagram Stories

Have you ever wondered how people put multiple images inside an Instagram story?

It's actually super easy to do and I'll show you how in this post.

(shop this makeup brush HERE)

How to Add Multiple Photos 

to 

Your Instagram Stories

(This will work in a video or photo story)

1. Record Instagram Story

2. Leave app and go to your phone's photos.

3. Click the small square box with arrow in it on bottom left hand corner.

4. Click Copy. 

5. Go back to your story and photo will appear for you to paste. You can do this multiple times to add multiple photos!

Hope this helps! 

Jalepeno Cheddar Cheetos Cheese Sticks

A few years ago, we took our oldest daughter to a cooking class where she learned to bake pie.

Ever since, she has LOVED baking and creating recipes!
This is her latest recipe.

Jalepeno Cheddar Cheetos Cheese Sticks

1 snack size bag of Jalepeno Cheddar Cheetos
(flaming hot Cheetos would also be really good)
2 eggs

1 1/2 cups of flour 

16 cheese strings cut in half
olive oil to drizzle 

Grind the Cheetos in a food processor.
Dip halved cheese strings in flour with a fork one by one until coated.
Do the same in the egg wash.
Repeat both steps one more time.
Finish off by dipping cheese strings in Cheetos until well covered.
Line a baking sheet with foil and place cheese sticks evenly making sure not to overlap.
Drizzle olive oil on top and bake in a 450 degree oven for 5 minutes. 

Enjoy!

The Return of Money Smart Mom & Baby Step One

If you've been following my blog from the start, you'll remember when I used to talk a lot about saving money.

We were a young family on one income and talking money was my jam!

Somewhere along the way, I stopped talking about money.

Maybe if I had continued talking about money, I wouldn't be in the situation I am now:

in debt and no emergency fund whatsoever. 

I guess I got swept up in the world of Instagram and thinking I needed ALL the things presented to ne in that app.

I'm ready to make a change. 

So here's to talking about money again and taking you on my debt free journey with me. 

Will I still talk about fashion & beauty & travel?

Absolutely! 

I love all of those things and just because I'm on a debt free journey, doesn't mean you are! 

Maybe you are sitting comfy financially and have some wiggle room in your budget to splurge on clothes, I'll still occasionally share my favourite pieces and deals with you!

So what does this change look like? 

First of all, I'm going to be (for the most part) following Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps.

If you haven't heard of him and are looking to get on track financially, I highly suggest you look him up!

You can find his youtube channel HERE.

I'm currently reading his book "Total Money Makeover"

which you can look for at your local library or if you're like me and like to highlight your books and refer back to them, you can purchase it HERE. 

I actually found mine at a thrift store.

He has helped THOUSANDS of people get out of debt and build wealth by going through the baby steps.

Right now, I am on baby step one.

Building a 1,000 Emergency Fund.

This is not meant to be a substantial fund.

It's just to create a cushion should an emergency arise as your paying off debt (in baby step 2) so that you don't have to use a credit card to pay for it.

In baby step three, you create an emergency fund totaling 3-6 months of your income.

I've created the visual chart for myself below to help encourage me in the process.

If you're looking to get back on track financially as well, I'd love for you to join me in baby step one!

I'll be sharing updates on my Instagram account using the hashtag #moneysmartmom

If you share your progress, I'd love for you to tag me @kelseydianeblog so I can share and inspire others.

You can also use the hashtag #moneysmartcommunity

 

I'm also gearing up for another NO SPEND month in March.

You can read all about a NO SPEND month HERE.

Valentine's Day Gift Guide - For Her 2020

this post contains affiliate links

Want to spoil a special girl in your life?
Whether it's your mom, sister, BFF, cousin, girlfriend .... this Gift Guide has you covered!

One ||  Instax Camera in Pink : What girl wouldn't want this in their life? Instant cameras never go out of style.

Two || Sprocket : Not into carrying around a camera? Print photos right off your phone with this adorable portable printer.

Three || Rifle Paper Co Air Pod Cover:| I'm a huge fan of Rifle Paper Co and this Air Pod Cover is just adorable!

Four || Charlie Brown Valentine Shirt : I'm a huge Charlie Brown fan and this shirt is so adorable, I would wear it year round!

Five || Hanson Heart Pins : Everyone that knows me online or off, knows that I'm a HUGE Hanson Fan. These Isaac, Taylor & Zac pins from DTOM Stitches on Etsy are #1 on my Valentine's Day Wish list this year.

Six || Smart Sweets Candy: Y'all, this candy is just as delicious as the real stuff without all the sugar and calrories! 

Seven || Fotini Mug: I'm a sucker for an interesting mug and I love love love this one and think the special girl in yoru life will too!

Eight || Pink Grapefruit Lip + Cheek : Ya'll know I love my Maskcara makeup! This is one of my absolute favourite lip + cheek colours we carry! It's the perfect pink! 

Nine || Heart Shell Stash Box : How cute is this heart shell stash box?!? Perfect for storing your rings beside your bedside table or stashing some of those smart sweets at your desk. 

Everything You Need To Know About Psoriasis #KnowPSO

I have vivid memories of my dad scratching the palms of his hand to the point of blood being drawn.

I didn’t know what it was at the time but when I started getting patches of red on my elbows as a kid, I knew it was the same “rash” that my dad had on the palms of his hands. Except, it wasn’t a rash. It was psoriasis, a skin disorder that causes the skin cells to multiply up to 10 times faster than normal. 

Psoriasis can not only be uncomfortable but can impact one’s life dramatically. I recall wearing long sleeves in blistering heat as a kid because I was worried what my friends might thing of the psoriasis on my arms. My psoriasis flares on my lower legs/feet area as an adult and in the summer months you can usually find me wearing jeans because I don’t want others to see the patches of red, flaky skin. 

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending an event all about psoriasis hosted by Abbvie  with Dr. Melinda Gooderham – Medical Director at The Skin Centre For Dermatology and the Skin Research Centre.

As someone who suffers from psoriasis herself, I wanted to learn more, I also wanted to educate those who may not know about Psoriasis. A lot of times when people see psoriasis on someone’s body, they’re scared it’s contagious. That’s not the case at all.  

Who Suffers from Psoriasis?

One Million Canadians suffer from psoriasis. It can affect both men and women at any age. Because psoriasis is a disorder of the immune system, someone can carry the gene but never have a flare up. It is a genetic, systemic, inflammatory, chronic disorder. 

What is Psoriasis linked to?

Psoriasis is linked to depression/anxiety, sleep disturbance, psoriatic arthritis, vascular inflammation, heart disease, Chron’s disease and diabetes.

What Can Trigger Psoriasis?

Stress, strep throat and getting a tattoo are all things that can trigger Psoriasis.

How is Psoriasis treated?

Psoriasis can be treated multiple ways depending on the severity. 

For less severe cases it can be treated with ointments and creams that help subside the itching and redness.

Other ways to treat psoriasis include:

Systemic Therapy, Phototherapy (for larger areas) and biologics that can help by blocking the pain, and swelling in the joints. Ask your doctor about Skyrizi, a treatment option that blocks IL-23.

You don’t have to suffer alone! Millions suffer in silence out of embarrassment and I am writing this post and sharing my story with psoriasis because I want to bring light to this skin disorder. Early intervention is key with psoriasis, so please don’t wait to contact your Dr like I did many years ago.