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Saturday, December 31, 2016

December Empties


Hey y'all!

I am so excited to be bringing you a big empties post today because I'm sharing so many of my favorite products in this one!

If you don't know what this is, I'm basically going through all of my beauty/candles trash & letting you know what I think of each of them.

I hope y'all enjoy this post & find a product you want to try as well!

Some of the links below are affiliate links-thanks for supporting brands & that support Southern & Style!


Y'all, this is such a good candle & the good news for y'all is that it's in B&BW stores right now!
It's a sweet, light scent that tends to smell more like a mimosa than just regular champagne to me-but that's a good thing in my opinion!

If you want Fall in a candle, this is the one for you.
I picked this one up from Kohl's (so check there for great deals on these candles!) and it smells like a creamy mix of pumpkin & spice.
It was a small size, but it lasted forever & burned very cleanly!

Y'all, this is the closest candle that I've ever smelled to the real food item.
It's sweet and you can totally get the "bakery" note of the doughnut.
I love that it's in a reusable ramekin (they suggest using it as a salt-cellar)

Out of these four candles, this is probably the only one that I wouldn't repurchase.
It's a very sweet, strong candle that smells just like butter and sugar, but the scent is so overpowering to me so I don't think I could burn it again.


Y'all know that I'm a huge fan of Billion Dollar Brows products, to me they're great quality for a great value!
While the Universal Brow Pencil is my favorite, I wanted to use up the Brows on Point pencils they sent & taupe is a great color for me.
If you like a thin brow pencils, then get your hands on this one!

I was sent this sample in an Influenster box, and although it was only once use-it was a great sample!
I have a whole bottle of this at my sink that I love to use on lighter makeup days.
It's gentle on your skin & really cleanses it deeply.

I bought this before I knew highlighters were a trendy thing, so it's definitely not champagne pop or anything like that.
It's a subtle highlighter, so it's nice for everyday, but I don't think I'll buy it again.
The packaging was cheap and broke within having it for a week or two & it's pretty costly for a drugstore product.

I thought I wasn't picky about mascara until I started trying out a lot of different brands, I have really learned to appreciate a good mascara wand.
This mascara has a really good brand with uniform bristles, which helps me to get an even coat on all of my lashes.
Unfortunately it does tend to get under my eyes by the end of the day, so I don't know if I'll pick it up again.
Maybe they'll adjust the formula but keep the wand!

I was sent these in an Influenster box and I'm still not a huge fan of these, even though I'm a huge fan of the cleansing water.
They tend to drag on my skin and they just don't seem to have enough product within them.
I don't use facial wipes as my main method of taking off my makeup, but to clean up after I wash my face-this needed another step to finish taking off any leftover makeup.
I don't recommend these at all.

These are my holy-grail in makeup remover.
Even though I don't use them as my only method of taking off makeup, they do a great job at taking off any leftover makeup & being gentle on my skin.
I buy these in bulk at Sam's club & always keep them on hand.


I love so many things about this conditioner; you can pick it up at Target & it's so inexpensive, it's thick & creamy, it's so moisturizing, & the smell is so, so good.
It hydrates your hair & makes it much more manageable.
I will be picking up some more Hask products when I run out of my back-up products.

Can we just talk for a minute about how I wish B&BW would bring this soap back?!
It's such a bright, sweet lemony scent-it smells just like lemon & confectioners sugar.
The packaging is beautiful & it lasts so long.

This is probably the best smelling Hask product I've ever had & I felt like it worked wonders on my hair.
It didn't cause a lot of build-up & is pretty inexpensive!
Go to your Target & pick this up, you can thank me later!


Once again, another product I'm trying to use up-my huge lotion collection!
This one was okay, not very moisturizing & it had a very strong scent.
If you love peach, this one is for you-just think of it as a hand lotion instead of a hydrating body lotion.

This is officially my last regular deodorant that I had to use up before I transitioned to using just my spray deodorants.
I hated this one so much, the deodorant got everywhere & felt like it never completely dried.
The scent however was really good & fresh.

This is the shave gel that I always go back to; it's easy to find at the drugstore, it's cheap, and the scent is great.
It's got a great lather & helps me get a close shave.
This was my travel size, I wanted to go on & use it up since I know we aren't going on vacation any time soon, I'll just buy a new one before we go again.


These things are SO useful to keep in your bathroom, y'all.
From cleaning out your ears to cleaning up mascara and lipstick messes they come in handy on a daily basis.
I'm not picky about which ones I buy, name brand or store brand-it matters not to me, as long as I always have some in my bathroom!

Once again, this is something else that I never want to be without in my bathroom.
These are great for taking off makeup or even taking off nail polish-they have so many uses, so that's why I don't really care about the brand as long as I have them!

If you've been reading along for a while, you know that I'm a big believer in taking your daily vitamins-I always take mine every single day!
This particular vitamin was supposed to boost your skin, hair, and nails.
I do think taking biotin helps my hair and nails grow-but I don't think this one is much more special than the Target brand Biotin vitamins you can get.

You've seen this many times on my Empties posts & unless my dentist bans me from it or they stop selling it, I'll keep using it!
I love the gel texture and the cool mint flavoring.


When it's cold outside & you're a teacher, you can basically expect to get sick.
I didn't want to keep all of the boxes I went through-but I did want to show you my favorite brand of tissues!
The Puffs Plus Lotion keep my nose from getting too raw & irritated, it's really soft!
If you might possibly ever need to blow your nose, pick these up-they'll save your life :)

I got this in a Target Beauty Box & unfortunately I wasn't impressed with it.
I really do like the minimalistic packaging, but the scent seemed weird & it was really thin to be considered a body butter.
I probably won't repurchase.

B&BW Tail Gate Candle
Unfortunately y'all, this one is gone & isn't even on Amazon anymore!
It's a warm, manly scent though so I would recommend trying out Chestnut & Clove as they seem to share a lot of the same notes.
And Bath & Body Works-if you're reading this, bring back Tail Gate!


I'm on a mission to use up all of my lotions & potions, I managed to use this bottle up by keeping it by my bed & slathering it on every night before I go to sleep.
This is one of my old favorites, it's a very sweet berry scent.
This isn't a very moisturizing lotion, so if you just want this for your hands I recommend it.
But if you're looking for something really hydrating, you should just get a body cream from B&BW.

I only have one complaint about this product...it just wasn't big enough!
I loved how creamy and rich this serum was, it really hydrated my face & I truly feel as though Tula's probiotic technology does keep your skin well balanced.
It's a splurge item as well, but I've said it many times-I think skincare is worth splurging on it!

I love, love, love the formula of this foundation so much & I'm so glad they changed the packaging to have a pump!
It's such full coverage without looking cakey, which is hard to find in a drugstore foundation.
It's pretty expensive (in my opinion) for a drugstore foundation, but it also lasts a really long time.

I love serum & this one is really, really nice.
The scent is a fresh citrus scent & it soaked into the skin really nicely-I recommend it if you need a hydrating serum that isn't too costly!


As far as my makeup, I always have to set my foundation-as a teacher my days are too long to not set it!
This is a great drugstore option that sets your makeup without looking cakey-I've already repurchase a Covergirl loose powder, so I highly recommend this one.

This is a really, really nice lip product.
It has a great smell (lightly vanilla), has an SPF of 30, & is water resistant up to 80 minutes.
If you love to spend time outdoors, I would pick this up!
It would make a great stocking stuffer for any person (guy or girl) in your life!

I used this foundation as well & while it was good, it wasn't the best concealer I've tried.
It does have good coverage & is brightening, but it tended to crease under my eyes & I just hate how that looks.


If you read my last post about products I recommend for taking care of yourself during the Christmas season then you'll recognize the Exuviance product.
I've ben using this for a couple of weeks now & it's totally changed my skin texture-I'm obsessed.
It's pricey, but totally worth it. I suggest investing in your skincare!

I received these from Influenster & actually really enjoyed the reverse wash (conditioner first, then shampoo).
I would consider purchasing these when I finally make it through all of my back-up's of conditioner & shampoos!

I've said it before & I'll say it again, I really like this cleanser.
I have too many cleansers to get through right now, but I want to buy it in the future.
It really gets down in your pores & leaves your face tingling clean (in the best way possible!)


Well, what do y'all think?
Do you like any of these same products? Am I missing out on something great that I need to be using?

Let me know down below!

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 




Friday, December 23, 2016

Christmas Home Tour 2016


Hey y'all!

Welcome back to Southern & Style for my 2016 Christmas Home Tour.

This post is going to be picture heavy, but I hope y'all love my home-I am so excited to share it with y'all!



Our front porch area is still under-going some work (it needs paint, new door handles, etc.) but I love our "U" hangers. I looked for some new wreaths, but never found any I liked so I just added some white and red ribbon to our letters and re-hung them.

Our trees are hand-me-downs from neighbors, but I recently repainted the bases and they look good as new!


Coming in our front entrance we have a pre-lit battery powered garland that I hung gold and red ornaments on this year.
When the lights hit the ornaments it's absolutely magical!


This is one of my favorite areas in our home (I might say that a lot!) 
 I love using rustic accents in our home, since we do live in Alabama and we own a farm.
Most of our decor comes from Target, Hobby Lobby, and Kirkland's-they all have such affordable decor!


I dried some hydrangea from our yard this year and somehow it still looks beautiful with our Christmas decor. Our engagement pictures look great in the cream frames as well.


This sign is my absolute favorite & I love pairing it with antler sheds that my dad and I found together when I was younger. 


The copper mercury glass & the red faux lamps go together so well (especially with the plaid runner!)


This is the only bathroom area that we decorate because it's our guest bath.
I kept things simple with the apothecary jar filled with pine cones & ornaments and the Christmas towel that was a gift to Chris before we were married.


This is our Christmas card display this year on the shelf in our dining area.
We have been blessed with so many friends & family who love us, we treasure all of our cards!


This is (another) of my favorite pieces in our entire house, I'm obsessed with it!
We had this piece re-done (it's made out of barn wood) and I love using it to display my Gran's china and other special pieces.

For the Winter season I tried to keep my palette white and clean & I love it!


The "Farmhouse Rules" sign is from Priester's Pecans which we picked up on our way back from the beach & I love it!
It totally defines everything that we want to live by here; Gather at our table, be hospitable, love your family, enjoy each day. I love it!

The cross up top is our Unity cross from the wedding and the plant is from my mentor who gave it to me as a graduation gift.


I added another dried hydrangea for a pop of gentle color and I love my antler tray.


The two plates were originally from Target, but I got them for $1 a piece at a local discount store that gets left-overs from Target. They added the perfect Christmas-y touch to my cabinet & matched so perfectly with my original china.


The bottom shelf is really simple, but I love displaying our wedding photos here.


Y'all, I fretted for days over how to arrange our coffee table-I thought I wanted to go more traditional, but then I placed our trees & candle sticks there to get them out of the way while I decorated other places, but I ended up loving how they looked!


I added some more dried hydrangeas, another large antler shed, and of course my very favorite Christmas candle from Bath & Body Works...Fresh Balsam!

We don't have a real Christmas tree, but this candle makes it smell like we do.


These candlesticks were clearance finds from Hobby Lobby last year after Christmas & I love how they add a little sparkle and shine to the living room.

The tray is a wedding gift and I've displayed our wedding guest book and another Shutterfly photo book I created.


And of course, the tree!


Our tree is definitely rustic & we love having ornaments with special meaning behind each one.


This year I added some special additions, feathers and cotton stalks-they add a really rustic element to the tree.
I love the added texture as well.


Each year we purchase Christmas ornaments for each other, this was Chris' ornament to me this year, a little cowgirl.


I added one of our leftover wedding invites to the tree, it's such a fond memory and I love the classic look of our invites.


I also add our yearly Christmas card to our tree every year-Merry Christmas, y'all!


This little ornament reminds me of my dachshund, Coco.
She lives with my parents still, but I love her dearly!


This was my Christmas ornament to Chris this year, a vintage John Deere ornament.


A lab puppy with a Santa hat to represent our pup, Forrest.


And a handmade piece that was a wedding gift from a dear friend!


This little corner is so cozy & I love each part of it.

The blankets in the wicker basket to keep us warm, wine bottles saved from some of my favorite nights spent with friends, each piece has meaning.


The bar cart is another Target piece that I found at that discount shop, it retailed for almost $200 and I got it for less than $70 in almost perfect condition!

The chair is another estate sale find, I plan on recovering it one day-but the champagne seat cover fits well with our Christmas decor this year.


My bar cart is topped with a mis-matched set of some of my favorite things.
A set of pretty matches, a large iron key, a beautiful (Target from the discount store) wing dish, a cotton stalk, a wedding photo, a beautifully scented candle, and a rustic sign from Kirkland's!


This little fainting sofa is another favorite antique find; I love covering it with my fur throw and lots of cozy pillows.


My cedar chest (from an estate sale!) is covered in a burlap & lace runner from Target and displays a very simple set of photographs, ornaments, and preserved boxwood.


In case you missed it, Chris and I adopted a pup about six months ago from our local animal shelter. 
He's a lab mix, but mostly lab-and he's the light of our life!

He's so friendly and calm, I just adore him and so does everyone who meets him.


I hope you guys enjoyed my home tour this year, it's not much...but it's ours!

Merry Christmas to y'all & best wishes for a happy new year!

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 




Monday, December 12, 2016

Taking Care of Yourself Christmas

Some of the links below are affiliate links-thank you for supporting Southern & Style by using these links at no additional cost to you!

Hey y'all!

Is anyone else loving this season?

I absolutely am!
The hustle & bustle, the picking out of gifts, the glitter & lights-I love every single bit of it.

But y'all, it makes this teacher tired.

Today I've gathered a few of my favorite things to take care of myself during this busy Christmas season...bonus, these work as great gifts for your bestie, sister, mom, or secret santa! 

Some of the links below are affiliate links that support this blog, thanks for supporting Southern & Style!

I'm going to go through & tell you a little about why I love or recommend each item. . . 

I have been using this for a couple of weeks now & y'all this is so good.
I have noticed a visible change in the texture of my skin most of all-which is something that I've struggled with my whole life.
It's a little pricy, coming in at $77-but you only use it twice weekly & honestly, I'm going to splurge on skincare because my skin has to last me my entire life.
Exuviance is one of my favorite brands that always treats my skin well.

This sugar scrub is deliciously good-it's the perfect price for a gift & a great size as well.
The scent is maple-sugary, but not too overwhelming & it leaves your body feeling soft & smooth.

This is the product that made me fall in love with Soap & Glory, it's seriously that good.
This body butter is rich & creamy, the scent is absolutely divine-it lingers on your scent all day in the best way.
Given with the sugar scrub above, this would be an awesome pampering gift.

Masks are great for relaxing & this one is amazing at drawing all the impurities out of your skin.
I love gifting masks as well because they almost force someone to take a few minutes for themselves, which is what all you hard-working people need this time of year!

Everyone needs a good pair of Christmas socks! These are a cute and affordable option from Forever 21 that would make such a fun stocking stuffer.

Along the same lines as the eye mask and the performance peel, under eye sheet masks are awesome for relaxing and recharging.
I don't know about y'all, but anything I can do to help hydrate my skin during the harsh cold weather, I do-these are key to keeping the dry under-eye & dark circles away.

A great facial spray is a must for helping me take care of myself during wintertime.
I love how refreshing this one is along with the light rose scent.

In the past few weeks I've been using a sleeping mask & my sleep has never been better.
If you're struggling with waking up during the middle of the night or just not resting as well as you should-I really recommend picking one of these up!
This would also be a fun small thing to add to a stocking or gift basket :)

Y'all know it wouldn't be any kind of gift guide on my blog if I didn't include a candle.
I love the floral jar, it's so so pretty.
Plus candles are so relaxing-I love that you can soak in the bathtub with the gentle flickering or light one while you lay down on the couch with a face mask on. . .
They're just the perfect way to end the day!


Guys, I hope this helped you find a few things to relax this holiday season. . .
I know it's all about giving to others, but we have to remember to take care of ourselves too!


Until next time . . .

xoxo, 



A big thank you to Exuviance for providing me with product in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Thank you for supporting brands who support Southern & Style.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Christmas Gift Guide: For Him

When I'm reading through gift guides, the ones that I find most helpful are the ones that help me find gifts for those in my life that are impossible to buy for.

My husband (& the men in my life in general) are often the ones that get gifts last because they are so, so hard to pick out presents for!

Today I (with my husband's help) rounded up several gifts that any man in your life would be happy, happy, happy to get this holiday season whether it's your best friend, boyfriend, father or father-in-law, or any guy that you're gifting to!

Some of the links used are affiliate links-thank you for supporting Southern & Style by using these links at no additional cost to you!
Some links are affiliate, thank you for supporting Southern & Style!


Y'all, this gift guide is so good.

My husband has three of these things himself & uses them all the time & versions of the other three items-they're tried and true around our house!

Polo Ralph Lauren Billfold
I don't know about y'all, but my guy is hard on his wallet.
It's used every single day and taken in and out...and let's be honest, sat on.
This one is genuine leather and will stand the test of time.
It's classic & I think it would make a great gift.

 Yeti Stainless Steel Tumbler
I'm drinking water out of mine as I type this, that's how much we love these around our house.
They keep ice/beverages cold for days (not joking) and are really tough, so if your guy is in a habit of dropping things or throwing things around then this is the cup for him.

Rugged Vest
My husband loves to wear a vest, but he definitely doesn't want to wear a sweater vest.
Fortunately for him, there are tons of vests that are more "manly".
He really likes the Drake brand, but also wears Columbia, Patagonia, and Carhartt so there are lots of options for any price point.

Nixon "Time Teller" Watch
I am crazy about how sleek this watch is.
It can be worn anywhere, anytime & it makes a subtle statement.
I gave my husband a very similar watch on our wedding day-it makes an awesome gift and it's a great price as well.

Monogram Wood Handle Pocket Knife
Every guy needs a pocket knife; they come in handy for opening packages, opening letters, cutting tags of clothes, and a lot more manly things that manly men do.
I love the classic look of the wooden handle and the monogram (& the price at under $50!) and my guy loves the shape blade and handle with grip.

Lifeproof Waterproof Phone Case
This case is one that I think anyone that has an iPhone & does stuff outside should own.
The case is sleek and totally waterproof and tried and true & tested for durability.






I hope y'all enjoyed the second part of my "Gift Guide" series and are ready for me to come back with gift guides for her & stocking stuffers-let's take on the holiday season!

Let me know below what you're gifting to the guys in your life this Christmas!

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 


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