Beauty. Fashion. Food. Lifestyle.

Monday, December 30, 2019

The Best Of A Very Sweet Blog 2019

Whenever I put together The Best Of A Very Sweet Blog, it always amazes me the number of things I accomplished during the year. I thought this post would be short & sweet. There's a lot! So lets get started ;) Enjoy!

2019 Music Concerts
I went to a lot of music concerts the beginning of this year. I was so excited to see Mariah Carey (Caution Tour). Her show was amazing and her voice is absolutely fabulous. I also got to see The Jacksons. I would always see them on television growing up, so it was great to see them in person. You can tell their work ethic is ingrained in them, because despite being older their moves are still precise. I never saw Michael Jackson in concert, so seeing them was the closest to reliving his songs. They did a great job. A really fun concert was Morris Day and The Time. Again, I never saw Prince in concert. Morris Day not only incorporated his fun music, but also Prince's as well. He's so funny and kept the audience entertained. My mom wanted to see Smokey Robinson in concert. He is simply awesome. He was part of the entire Motown era and has written songs for so many entertainers. It's truly something to be able to sing, play and write music. Not many can. I'm so glad my family (grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles) brought me up to listen to not only different types of music but also multi generational over the years. And a concert that brought tears to my eyes was Sheku Kanneh-Mason. He played Ave Maria at Harry and Meghan's Wedding. He is a GENIUS! He played a selection of songs. They were so beautiful. So glad he came to New Orleans. 2019 was filled with amazing music :)

Mariah Carey Caution Tour

The Jackson's Tour

Morris Day and The Time Concert

Smokey Robinson Concert

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

2019 Fashion Collaborations
I collaborated with some amazing fashion brands during 2019!

Soft Surroundings - Grand Opening in Metairie, Louisiana
I was invited to the grand opening of Soft Surroundings at Lakeside Mall. I'm an online and catalogue shopper. I always ordered things for my mom via Soft Surrounding's catalogue or online. So I was so excited when they invited me to their grand opening. I took my mom and she purchased several outfits. They gave us a great discount as well. It was a really fun time. Thanks Soft Surroundings for inviting us :) Plus its great economically for the State of Louisiana.

Susu Handbags
I was contacted by Susu Handbags to feature one of their clutch/crossbody bags. I've learned about so many brands through blogging. I had fun putting together an outfit to compliment the bag given to me. Thanks Susu Handbags!

Tenth Street Hats
Another brand I collaborated was with Tenth Street Hats! I love cloche style hats. So I was happy to see they had a selection of them and chose this one.  I love the neutral colors! I wear it whenever it gets cold here in New Orleans. It's a great hat and the quality of their hats are superb. Thanks Tenth Street Hats!

2019 Beauty Collaborations
I collaborated with two powerhouse beauty brands this year!

Pixi Beauty
This was my FOURTH YEAR being a Pixi Beauty Brand Ambassador. When I started, I had never tried any of their products. They were very generous and I got to share my honest thoughts with my readers. Thank You Pixi Beauty!

Murad Skincare
I first collaborated with Murad Skincare in 2015, thanks to Dale of Savvy Spice. Over the years, Murad sends me their latest and greatest to try. I've fallen in love with their AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. Thanks Murad! Click on the link above to read all of my Murad Skincare reviews. They have really good skincare products.

2019 Food Collaborations
I've dabbled in the past, but I'm doing more with food brands. Look for more in 2020.

Green Giant Foods
I was so happy when Green Giant asked to collaborate with me. I love their frozen and canned vegetables, so it was nice to try some of their other food products. Thanks Green Giant! They even sent me a bag, pen and mini Green Giant ;)

Welch's
Another brand, where I've purchased a gazillion jars of their concord grape jelly is Welch's. They sent me products TWICE this year (here and here). I love their fruit & gummi snacks. They're delicious! Thanks Welch's!

2019 Technology Collaborations
Elle Brand contacted me :) I got to try their ear phones, charger and lightning cable. I'm a tech girl and these fun accessories WORK and look chic :) Thanks Elle Brand!

2019 Beauty Brand Favorites
You guys know I love buying and trying the latest beauty products. And of course letting YOU know what's Sweet and Not Sweet. Well here are my SWEET & SUPERSWEET picks for 2019!

Fresh Beauty
Fresh Beauty was a HIT this year! I'm on my second bottle of their Black Tea Kombucha you guys. This stuff does a great job plumping my skin. It's now a staple in my skincare routine. I love their Vitamin Nectar Collection. Their Vitamin Nectar Glow Juice is superb. Their Vitamin Nectar Glow Water is also superb. Click on the links to hear my thoughts on both. Fresh makes superb lip balms. They collaborated with influencer Ingrid Nilsen, and it's the prettiest berry colored lip balm. You can read ALL of my Fresh reviews by clicking here.

REN Skincare
My skincare of choice is REN skincare. My skin loves it. It's my primary skincare. Not everything has worked and so I use other brands for that, but everytime they come out with a new product, I give it a whirl. I've fallen in love with their Perfect Canvas Primer. Their Vitamin C Radiance Perfection Serum is superb. And if you need a calming and moisturizing mask, then their Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask is for you. I have both dry, sensitive and reactive skin so these along with many of their other products has worked for me.

The Cottage Greenhouse
I've tried a lot of Indie makeup & skincare brands and I was very impressed with The Cottage Greenhouse. They are from the same brand that makes my favorite perfume. I was extremely impressed with their Grapefruit & Blood Orange Lotion, Cucumber and Carrot Body Wash, and their Orange Blossom & Honey Mask is absolutely delightful.

Too Faced Cosmetics
I showcase Too Faced every single year. But I was worried this year! It wasn't until they released their Christmas Collection that I took notice. I love their Gingerbread collection. So their Gingerbread Extra Spicy Eye Shadow Palette, Hot Buttered Rum Eye Shadow Palette and Kissable Body Sugar were WIN WINS in my book. I love the limited edition Tutti Frutti packaging of their Better Than Sex Mascara.

T3 Hair Dryer, Flat Iron, Curling Iron and Hair Ties
My hair dryer and flat iron conked out this year, so I invested in T3 products (here and here). My hair is making headway you guys. Hopefully I'll be able to talk about it in 2020. So I showcase my mom's beautiful head of hair in the meantime. I love hair ties and felt these by Cricket had the cutest artistry on the package.






2019 Home Blog Topics
Since remodeling my home, I'm enjoying showcasing and writing about such topics.
For 2019, I posted about closet organization, Google Nest Hub and minimalist bedroom.

2019 Holiday Home Decor
Also since remodeling my home, I'm enjoying decorating for the holidays!!!
I showcased my home for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas here on the blog.
Grandin Road really loved how I styled the products I purchased from them and asked to use them :)

2019 Restaurants
I plan on visiting more restaurants in 2020, but a real stand-out and fun one was the Sugar Factory in Biloxi, Mississippi. I went to the one in Vegas. So it was nice to see one closer to Louisiana ;)

Sugar Factory Biloxi, Mississippi

2019 Movies & TV (Entertainment)
All I can say is Joaquin Phoenix better win a SAG, Golden Globe and Oscar for his performance in Joker. It's hard to watch, but so brilliant. He's an absolute MASTERPIECE of an actor. As a fan of Downtown Abbey, I truly enjoyed seeing Downton Abbey The Movie. It brought back so many wonderful memories. I was a little disappointed in Game of Thrones. I just felt it went too fast in the last season. I like to savor things and the story felt rushed. But its such a brilliant series, that I had to include it. I love Documentaries and Netflix had some really good ones. I loved Marie Kondo's Does It Spark Joy?, Floyd Norman An Animated Life, Quincy, I Am Bolt, Kevyn Aucoin and Ella Brennan and Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of our Lives (who retweeted my tweet). I went through the entire plethora of Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas Movies. I'm looking forward to the new Victoria in 2020.

Joker

Downton Abbey The Movie

Game of Thrones

2019 Topics & Exhibitions
Another thing I plan on doing in 2020 is writing from my own personal experience. I enjoyed writing about Activities To Beat The Winter Blues, Nextdoor App, New Year Social Media Clean Up. I also enjoyed showcasing exhibitions around the world (even though I couldn't get to them) such as the Christian Dior Designer of Dreams, Christian Dior Pret A Portea, Musee Yves Saint Laurent, Tim Burton. So as you can see, I covered A LOT on A Very Sweet Blog this year. I'm even amazed! LOL Another year, where I learned so many things. Have a SAFE & BLESSED New Year! See you in 2020.


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