Christmas Gift Shopping Tips

For this post I want to focus on a topic that I always seem to struggle with during the cooler months. Setting up a Christmas shopping budget without going in debt. We all want to purchase gifts for family members (and of course our best friends), but the hardest part is making sure you have money to pay your monthly bills. Here are some of my tips I’m using this year for Christmas shopping and avoiding going into debt.

1. Start Shopping Early, Like today.
Shopping early for Christmas isn’t a bad thing. In fact it’s a smart and good thing. In fact, I try to start doing small gift shopping as early as July for family that I know will want and keep the gift I purchase. 

2. When you see something on sale, get it.
This is something I enjoy doing on items for my girlfriends. For example, when Bath and Body Works does a special promo on travel size hand sanitizers I will do the promo and grab up some for my girls stocking stuffers. Another Example: When I see some nice prints in American Eagle Boxers and their 50% off promo is going on I’ll grab up a pair for my husband.

3. Write a List and keep it in your wallet.
A list is perfect for making sure you know what to get for who and having it in your wallet for easy access. In my cars dashboard I have a pen so when I do purchase something off the list I strike it out.

4. Set a FIRM budget per person and stick to it.
I cant stress this enough. A budget is a must for buying gifts and sticking to it. With my family we all talk about how much we plan to spend on each person. My girlfriends its a bit all over the place so I try to stick with a odd number like “3 small items ranging from $25-30” that I can wrap or place in a gift box. 

5. All else fails, gift cards.
I like to do gift cards as a last resort. I enjoy wrapping items and I enjoy getting the ‘perfect item’ for someone. But at times if you have a hard person to shop for getting a gift card to a specific store must do

6. Under $10 homemade gifts for those you’re not aquatinted to
I also enjoy the homemade gifts for family friends I’m not too familiar with. I spark ideas from Pinterest and try to stick with a super low budget. A fun homemade gift is the hot cocoa mug set (you can buy most of the items from the dollar store). 

******* What about Regifting?***** 

I’m NOT a big fan of regifting. I’ve seen moms regift their kids toys to others (for Christmas and Baby Showers) and it’s OBVIOUSLY clear it was an item they didn’t want. I personally think its rude and lacks the thoughtfulness and individuality of the receiver. If you’re regifting; make sure its an item the person will want and appreciate (Example: someone says they want a wine glass set. AND you received an extra set as a wedding gift, win win). But regifting is a touchy subject and during the holidays I feel you should think more about the person you’re giving the gift to instead of trying to hand off something you don’t want. 

Beauty Review Shiseido Essential Energy Moisturizing Cream

Another review for a Christmas Stocking Stuffer! And this one is a great read. 

Today’s beauty review is a skincare product I used for a solid 3 months. And this product in particular I also used during my wedding.

Details: This cream moisturizes skin while targeting dullness and the look of fine, dry lines. Using the special ReNeura Technology, which helps boost skin's sensors so your skin can detect damage. Ashitaba, a plant that naturally grows on coastal lands in Hachijo-jima, Japan, is known to support mitochondria to maintain their energy production. Unshiu peel extract is in this moisturizer and supports skin's inner moisture-generating power.

Sephora Star Rating: 16 reviews. 9 = 5 Star. 0 = 1 Star. 88% recommended. 
Price: $48.00 1.7oz 

My Review: In all honesty, this is the FIRST skin moisturizer that I used the ENTIRE product. In fact when the container was empty, I wanted to cry. This moisturizer is going to have a forever home in my beauty bag. I noticed my skin looked healthier, felt silky smooth each morning (I always applied at night), and this product helped create a smooth base for makeup application.

The smell wasn’t too overpowering. I remember the first 3-5 uses I had to get used to the scent but that’s natural with any new product. A little bit went a LONG way too. I always used a pea size amount. 

Pros: A little goes a long way, results were noticeable almost immediately, cost isn’t bad.

Cons: I honestly can’t think of any.

Pomp and Palms Star Rating: I have to give this product the highest Star rating! I loved the packaging, the product, the results, EVERYTHING. I highly recommend getting a small sample of this product during your next shopping trip because I promise you’ll be amazed as much as I was. 

Product Review: Charlotte Tilbury Wonder Glow Primer

With Christmas coming soon and I want to start tackling “stocking stuffer” ideas and products worthy (or not worthy) of being on your Christmas Wishlist. 

When I think about ‘Charlotte Tilbury Makeup + Skincare', the factors I think is: 

- Costly. 

- Makeup Celebrities wear. 

- Jeffree Star youtube videos.

- Charlotte who?  

All is true. Her beauty line is recommended high-end. She’s known to do countless Celebrity Red Carpet looks and should thank A-list stars for making her so exclusive (her entire makeup collection is themed Old Hollywood Red Carpet). Jeffree Star reviews her beauty products on his YouTube channel often. And well, she’s a bit unknown to most cause she’s not sold everywhere. 

Honestly, there’s few stores that sell her products which gives that ‘exclusive’ vibe. When I talk about Charlotte Tilbury either I get the “OH to DIE for” or the “Wait? Where is that sold at?” question. 

I’m becoming a big fan of the brand and felt the Wonder Glow was intriguing enough to make it into my shopping cart on night; below is my review.

Details: 

Wonderglow is a skin primer with anti-aging properties and once applied gives off a soft focus glow. You can wear this under foundation, alone, or a quick pick me up highlight. Like many of Charlottes products the Wonderglow has the collagen supported properties and anti-wrinkle ingredients to help reverse skin damage and bring life to dull, tired and stressed skin. This primer is told to give a dewy look while making skin look flawless and poreless. 

Sephora Star Ratings: 22 reviews. 5 stars = 12. 1 star = 2. The low reviews complain about the shimmer properties in the primer.
Price: $44.00

My Review: I’ll admit, at first I didn’t like it and was a bit nervous about it. The product itself is a tan like color and had some shimmer-like look to it which really bothered me. Once I fully applied this onto my skin I noticed it blends REALLY well and the shimmer isn’t overpowering; its very subtle and gives that ‘glow blur’ look. You can use this many ways. As a primer before foundation, as a quick touch up highlight, or alone all over. I purchased this to try around my wedding time and loved it. And I’m still using because I love it so much! A little goes a LONG way. For about a month now I’ve been using this almost daily and the bottle still looks full. 

Pros: Does exactly what the product is supposed to do. Good texture, smooth application, little goes a long way.
Cons:  Retails for $44.00 and bit costly for a primer. Hard to find in-store and have to online order. 

Pomp and Palm star rating: 5 Stars! I really do love this product. I think its a great tool for your beauty bag and its so versatile you can wear it so many different ways. 

How to Un-Shrink Clothing

Today is a major lifestyle hack I’ve been doing since my college days. The easy way to Un-Shrink clothes. This only takes 35 minutes!
The backstory as to why this post is on the blog is the other night my husband added some of my whites to his laundry. When I was placing all the clean whites into the closet I noticed one of my tops went from a 'boyfriend style' tank to a short tank. Below you’ll see steps and photos! Enjoy.

Here’s the tank and the tank next to another so you can see how much shorter the top is:

I love this tank. It’s from American Eagle and perfect tucked into High waist shorts or jeans. Sadly, didn’t know how easy it shrinks in the wash.

Here’s a comparison to a similar tank top. As you can see the top shrunk A LOT at the bottom but also the sides and arm area tighten up.

Step One: Collect the items you’ll need. The garment, a conditioner of your choice, a tablespoon used for measuring, a bowl or bucket, and lukewarm water. 

Step Two: Measure out 1 tablespoon of conditioner and put it into the lukewarm water. Mix the contents with your hands and/or the spoon till the water has a thick milky like texture from the conditioner. *You can use any brand of conditioner* *You can use a bowl, bucket, or sink!*

I selected my conditioner from the shower and grabbed my spoons to measure.

Measure out 1 whole tablespoon. I filled it to the top and then pressed it down to make sure it was exactly 1 TBS.

With lukewarm water in a bowl I pour the conditioner in and start to stir with the spoon and my hand to break down some of the lumps of conditioner.

Once you mix for few seconds -1 minute and you can tell the conditioner is broken down (less clumpy) and the water looks thick you’re set for step 3!

Step 3: With your hands press the garment into the lukewarm conditioner water. Make sure the garment is FULLY submerged into the water. Then set an alarm for 30 minutes! *If you accidentally go over 30 minutes its okay! I’ve went 2 hours before.*

My fully submerged top in the lukewarm water. I mash it once or twice to make sure the entire garment is wet.

Setting the alarm for 30 minutes on my phone. While the top is soaking this is a good time to start prepping an area for your top to dry at and a clean sink or tub to wash the garment.

Step Four: Times up! Take the garment to the area you plan to stretch and wash. Once you remove the garment from the lukewarm water start stretching to your desired goals. If you only want to focus on one area just stretch that spot. For me, I stretched all around. Simply pull on the garment (your arms might get tired after a bit) 

*there’s no time limit on how long or how much to stretch, its up to you. I spent about 5 minutes working my top to make sure its back to the relaxed boyfriend fit*

Step Five: Once stretched wash out all the conditioner by hand (no need to use soap). Then hang the garment wherever is best for you so it can HANG DRY. 

I decided to stretch and hand wash my top in the special wash tub our washing machine has.

After stretched and washed I decided to hang the top over my sink so the extra water can drip out naturally. As you can see the top already looks longer than the first photo!

FINAL RESULTS! 

As you can see my top is not nearly as short fitting as the first photo at the top!

Here’s a comparison to the tank top in the beginning. The white tank is back to the longer “boyfriend” style fit it was when I purchased!

Hope this helps anyone who had a garment shrink in the wash!

- Pomp and Palms