Hi there! I am so so so sorry that I've been beyond absent lately. I recently started a brand new job (yay!) and then, on top of that, Matt and I have been spending every spare minute packing, painting our new house, cleaning the old place, and so on and so forth, as moving tends to go. I haven't had a second to even breathe, let alone any extra time to blog. Sadness :( But it's all happy, exciting changes so it's worth it, of course :) I apologize though, and it may still be a bit before I get back on a more normal schedule for the ol' LunaVida, but I promise to be back ASAP. Please don't forget about me -- and be sure to follow along via Instagram in the mean time!

Oversized black infinity scarf (also seen here & here): Target

{Similar $}

Gray v-neck tee (also seen here, here & here): Old Navy $8

Ralph Lauren dark wash skinny jeans (also seen here, here & here): Macy's

{Similar $, $$ or $$$}

Black & white polka dot slip-on sneakers: American Eagle

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I can't wait to get everything all settled, so we can start enjoying our new home (and so I can sleep a normal amount again). I am so ready to be back to my normal sched'!

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InstaNatural Skin Care Routine & Review: Mud Mask, Retinol Serum & Facial Moisturizer

Hey, guys!  I'm back today with another beauty review!  To start this off, you should know that I have suuuper sensitive skin.  Over the course of adolescence all the way through right now into adulthood, I have suffered from everything from eczema to cystic acne to dark bags under my eyes.  Needless to say, my skin is not always the easiest or most low maintenance part of my beauty routine.  Therefore, when InstaNatural offered to let me try out some of their products, I jumped at the chance to see how my finicky skin would react to these cruelty-free, vegan products.  Check out below to see which steps I took to test out this skincare line and my thoughts on each!

1.) I rinsed my face with lukewarm water to get my makeup off of my face.  Then I applied the Dead Sea Mud Mask directly onto my skin with my fingertips, avoiding my eye area.  (It's cold to the touch at first, but once it hit my skin, it was so cool and refreshing!)  I left it on for 15 minutes.  By the end of the timeframe, my skin was tight and itching.  As soon as I rinsed it all off though, those sensations were gone and my skin felt well-hydrated.

2.) After my normal cleansing, I put a few drops of the Age-Defying Retinol Serum in the palm of my hand, rubbed them together, and gently applied it onto my skin.  It feels pretty sticky, so I was extra careful around the more sensitive skin areas.

3.) The last step for my new nightly routine, involved applying a pea-size amount of the Youth Express Night Cream onto my face, which felt silky to the touch.  It left my skin smooth; however, I could still detect the stickiness from the serum.

Overall, my favorite product of these three would have to be the Dead Sea Mud Mask.  Although it didn't make any huge difference in getting rid of my blemishes, the mask did leave my skin glowing and refreshed, without the overly dry feeling so many masks tend to leave behind.  The Age-Defying Retinol Serum was pretty good, but the sticky texture may take some getting used to, as well as more time to see true results.  As for the Youth Express Night Cream, I loved the level of moisture it provided.

Personally, I would recommend this skincare line to anyone who doesn't suffer terribly crazy, unpredictable skin.  If you suffer from acne, my [not professional] personal opinion would be to maybe try something a little more intense with salicylic acid and/or benzoyl peroxide, as well as talk to your dermatologist for guidance.  These three particular InstaNatural products seem to be more ideal for someone who may have more "normal" skin, but I think everyone could benefit from the Mud Mask.

I'll be reviewing three other InstaNatural skincare products in another post on LunaVida soon, so be sure to check back to see it!  While you're here, please feel free to let me know what you think about these newer beauty-centric posts :)

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I was given this product to try, powered by BrandBacker.  All thoughts expressed are 100% my own opinions and text.

Forest [Green] Ranger: Sweater + Skinnies + Moccasins

Hi there!  Today's outfit reminds me of what a park ranger would wear on the job... I mean, if that particular ranger didn't have to wear a uniform and was a little into fashion... No?  Maybe not.  Maybe not even a little? ... Ignore me.  (Insert "Monkey Covering His Face From Embarrassment" emoji.]
[Also, be sure to check out below for more information about a special promo code to Polette.com -- just for LunaVida readers!]

Black marl knit turtleneck sweater: Old Navy $19.97

{Similar $, $$ or $$$}

Use promo code "SHIPFREE" to get free shipping on any purchase over $25 on OldNavy.com through 2/7!

Hunter green layering cami: Old Navy

{Similar $}

Olive green skinny pants with zipper detail (also seen here & here): Old Navy

{Similar $, $$ or $$$}

Minnetonka brown flat moccasins (also seen here & here): DSW

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Rose gold geometric chevron necklace (also seen here): American Eagle

{Similar $$}

Rose gold link bracelet (also seen here & here): c/o Sparkle and Sophistication $20

Black and bamboo wayfarer unisex sunglasses: c/o Polette $19.99

Luckily for you guys, Polette has been kind enough to offer LunaVida readers a special coupon code to save 40% off their Polette.com purchase through February 7th at 11:30 EST!  You can use the code "lunavida" (case sensitive) on the whole website, as long as they are not under the "$6.99" or "E-Polette" categories.  Be sure to take advantage of this amazing deal and stock up on your favorite styles of sunnies before your Spring Break trips!

Sooo... today's outfit was chock-full of Old Navy pieces, eh?  What can I say?  Their clothes are always comfortable, affordable, and they make the best basic pieces to add into your wardrobe.  Count me in!

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Plaid About You: Cardigan + Plaid Shirt + Boyfriend Jeans + Heels

I.  Am.  So.  EXCITED!!!  I have some news to share with you... two pieces of news to be exact!  As always, let me preface these announcements with my typical "No, Matt and I are not getting married," and "No, I am not having a baby."  Now that those customary statements are out of the way, I can tell you: I recently accepted a new job with an amazing nonprofit in town!  I am so psyched for this new position.  I think I will learn a lot while, more importantly, having the opportunity to really impact our community.  I start next week, and I am so ready!
The other announcement has to do with housing (which I previously mentioned was causing us some strife).  The lease for the apartment Matt and I currently live in ends at the end of this month.  We have been trying to look all around Central Phoenix, in hopes that we could find a rental house.  We really wanted to upgrade and we were paying wayyy too much for a one bedroom apartment.  That also means that the houses in the area we live in are generally pretty pricey too, though; however, we hit a serious stroke of luck this past weekend, and we are officially moving into our dream bungalow in just a few weeks!  [I will tell more about the story of how serendipitous this particular situation is in a later post -- and maybe I'll even do a little "home tour" once we're all settled in!]  Hip, hip, HOORAY!

Gray oversized open front knit cardigan (also seen here): Target

{Similar $, $$ or $$$}

Plaid flannel shirt: Old Navy

{Similar $, $$ or $$$}

Use promo code "SAVE" for 20% off your OldNavy.com purchase for a limited time!

Guess light wash distressed boyfriend jeans (also seen here, here & here): Macy's

{Similar $, $$ or $$$}

Burgundy pointed toe heels (also seen here, here & here): Target

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I can't wait for all these big life changes.  I truly feel so fortunate.  These just serve as reminders that anytime I'm getting stressed out over things I cannot handle, that I just need to have faith that it will always work out for the best in the end.  Cliche?  Sure.  But it's the truth.

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