Brooches Are The Tiny Trend Taking Over 2023

What do face mists actually do?

While face mists can make you feel refreshed at face value, they actually have quite a lot of purposes. Some facial sprays offer hydrating and moisturizing ingredients to make sure your skin isn't getting too dry or flaky, while others are great at delivering relief from inflammation and redness. There are even some sprays that can give you a therapeutic, relaxing boost with lavender or other essential oils. The benefits are truly endless with these!

The Best Face Mists To Shop Right Now

Evian Facial Spray

This spray is so multi-purpose, it's crazy. Not only does it moisturize dry skin, but it also restores your skin's pH levels, while setting your makeup so that it stays in tact all day. I like to keep this with me so that I can touch up my makeup and make it look refreshed throughout the day.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

This "elixir" is an all-time fave of mine that I've been using for around a decade! I've probably gone through over 100 bottles of this stuff, so let me just say: It's worth every penny. This spray is so good, my husband won't stop stealing it from me every morning and night. It has the best scent and relaxing peppermint-like feeling — I honestly crave it as soon as I wake up!

Avène Eau Thermale Spray

This spray does a fantastic job at maintaining the PH balance of your skin, while also being the most glorious cold mist I've ever used. During hot summer months, you won't find me without this beauty sitting in my handbag — it's so cold and amazing on the skin. Even in the winter, I find this spray so helpful and necessary, because it makes my skin hydrated and dewy despite the cold, frigid air.

Summer Fridays Jet Lag Soothing Hydration Mist

This incredibly hydrating spray from Summer Fridays will protect your skin from pollutants or exposure to outside factors. Also, this mist is great at keeping your skin barrier in tact and healthy — AKA preventing it from getting too dry, or dehydrated. I've been using this face mist for a few weeks, and love how it feels not my skin.

Tower 28 Rescue Spray

This Tower 28 spray is a Hypochlorous Acid spray, so it's amazing at helping to reduce redness and even prevent breakouts from happening. I take this spray with me anytime I'm traveling, using it constantly to help prevent breakouts and annoying, pesky pimples.

Mario Badescu Aloe Spray

A lot of people are familiar with the Mario Badescu rose spray, but my personal fave is the cucumber, aloe, and green tea spray! It feels like a spa in a bottle! This face mist is so therapeutic — and it's very good for skin that needs help with hydration, redness, or even sensitive skin.

Grace & Stella Spray All Day

Speaking of rose spray, here's this one from Grace & Stella that's ultra-hydrating and has great reviews. It's one of the more popular sprays on Amazon because of how moisturizing it can feel on the skin — plus how amazing the rose scent smells!

e.l.f. Cosmetics Coconut Mist

A new scent has entered the chat... This coconut face mist is so refreshing, and it gets bonus points for also being extra hydrating! In the fall and winter, when the months are getting colder and dryer, you will thank me later for making you buy this incredibly moisturizing facial spray. You're welcome in advance.

Dermalogica Antioxidant Mist

This spray helps firm the skin, and ultimately helps with anti-aging. Don't we all love that? Really though, this face mist helps to reduce fine lines, hydrating them with ceramides to literally fill in the gaps! It will also help shield your skin from outside toxins or factors like free radicals. Def a great product for those with more mature skin!

Curél Japanese Skincare Mist

While this pick is a little bit more pricey at $30 for a mist, it's definitely a popular item amongst the beauty community. From the Japanese company, Curél, this one is made to be an intense moisture mist — which is something I need as an extremely dry and sensitive skin girly, myself! Sign me up!

The Cat in the Hat + Goldfish

This costume was completely DIY for the little goldfish, and the Cat in the Hat was super easy because we purchased the accessory package that made this look come together.

Trolls

We are still in love with Brit's pregnant troll costume — nude body-con dress, YASSS girl! We updated this costume for the whole family — it's pretty simple, and all you'll need is tan colored clothing and wigs for you and your family.

Peter Pan and the Lost Boys

Harness that rebellious spirit as a whole family this Halloween. All you'll need are some PJs , cardboard swords and a Pan getup.

Big Bird and Elmo

We decided to go ALL IN on DIYing Big Bird's costume, so we felt it was best and more realistic to just purchase the Elmo costume for your mini. Real talk: Who has time to make BOTH costumes? :) It's okay, because your mini will lose their minds when they see the life-like Elmo 'fit in person!

Outerspace: If you need an awesome and easy family costume for Halloween — we've got you. ICYMI, the Morin Fam is kind of a big deal around here (obvi), and they never disappoint when it comes to creative Halloween costumes. This year they really hit it out of the park (or rather, the atmosphere)!

Beekeeper + Bees

Keep it light and sweet this year with an adorable beekeeper-themed costume.

Monster Family

Take a little inspiration from the famous Munster family this Hallows' Eve. We're sure your little mummy and bat will approve.

Sriracha and Taco

This one is a show-stopper! The popular hot sauce will give you an excuse to turn your mini into a teeny tiny taco!

Disneyland Tourist

Okay, this one might be a little confusing to the kiddos, but just tell them you are just practicing for that trip later this year ;).

Superheroes

Let your little ones choose their favorite superhero for this year's costume. They'll be full of all kinds of powers and fun once they get into character.

Pac Man

Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, and the cutest little ghost you ever did see? Yes please. This retro family Halloween costume is colorful, fun, and super affordable to DIY.

Finding Dory

Delight your little Dory fans with this family favorite.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

It's never too early to break out those Christmas socks. Whoville won't know what hit it with this family costume.

Toy Story

Get ready to go to infinity and beyond this Halloween. Feel free to add more characters depending on your family size.

Circus Family

Everything about this costume just screams cuteness. We can't decide which we like better: the cute lion or the super strong little man.

Labyrinth

Okay, to be fair, this isn't a full tutorial, but take this fam costume as some seriously adorable inspo.

Princess Peach and Toad

Forget Mario and Luigi. We all know *these* were the fastest characters in Mario Kart.

Paw Patrol

Kiddos love PAW Patrol? This is the cutest group costume for you, paws down! Click to learn how to DIY costumes for everyone — like firedog Marshall, high-flying Skye, recycling Rocky, and police pup Chase.

Care Bears

Perfect for busy moms and dads, this tutorial is even no-sew, so you won't be up all night before trick-or-treating.

Pirate Family

Excuse us while we try to get over how adorable this baby parrot is with his pirate dad.

Queen Bey[oncé] and Blue Ivy

Go for a punny pop culture costume with this playful look at the Queen and her kin.

Addams Family

Get creepy and spooky with your favorite scary family this Halloween. “Thing" required.

Raggedy Ann Dolls

Dressing up like your mom is one of the best parts of being little. Plus, making these yarn wigs is an activity you can do together. Feel free to add another parent to the mix with a short (or long!) wig.

Simpsons

Believe it or not, your fave dysfunctional family can be achieved with yellow long underwear and lots of foam.

Robbers

Steal everyone's hearts with this sweet + sneaky costume.

Clowns

Any costume with pom poms is a winner. Give your family the carnival-chic vibe with this amazing costume.

Shark Attack

The kiddos will definitely be into this under-the-sea-inspired costume.

Incredibles

Not only is this one super easy, but it's also perfect for all those Pixar fans.

Goldilocks

There's nothing scary about the bears in this costume.

Minecraft

A little Minecraft action never hurt anyone. This costume would be a fun DIY with the little ones.

King Kong and Empire State Building

How hilarious is this costume? Monkey costumes are pretty easy to find for kids, and you can make the Empire State Building from cardboard boxes.

Ninja Turtles

Two words: turtle power!

Beetlejuice

Throw it back with this '80s classic. While this costume costs $3000 on Etsy, you could probably DIY something just as rad with foam.

Root Beer Float

A sweet costume for your favorite sweetie.

Monsters Inc.

What family member doesn't love Monsters Inc.? Not only do you get to dress up as one of your favorite Disney characters, but you get to dress up as a monster too!

The LEGO Movie

Everything about this LEGO cast is awesome.

Nightmare Before Christmas

No wonder this was a costume contest winner! The attention to detail here is totally on point.

Rainbow Brite and Twink

One of the '80s best BFFs also make an amazing family costume.

Top Gun

Looking for an easyfamily Halloween costume that works for years to come? Yeah, we thought so. '80s babes, we have you covered with a simple holiday look that works for you, your boo, and your little one too.

Russian Nesting Dolls

A group of Russian nesting dolls is the perfect group Halloween costume for families of all sizes. The key is to dress every member of the family the same and include a piece with an intricate pattern.

The Moments That Sparked My Body Insecurity

I can't remember how old I was, but the first time I heard variations of, "She's so little. Are you sure you're feeding her," was from church and family members. Meant as harmless jokes, they caused me to become hyper aware of my body in a way I'd never been before.

I knew people looked different, but my innocence made me believe it didn't matter. Adults were the ones who taught me it did, and if you didn't look 'just right'? Well, you'd eventually hear hushed whispers about it. From that point on, I stopped being picky with my food and tried to eat more than I usually did. But, guess whose body remained the same?

The more I ate and the more my body didn't change, the more I started to resent it for not looking the way I thought a well-fed child's body should look.

Introduction To Puberty

By the time I'd reached 3rd grade, I started hearing whispers about girls who were going through puberty. There was a ton of excitement about getting your period, but mostly everyone talked about how bodies started to 'fill out.' I was disappointed when 'the change' didn't happen for me that year, but I kept hope alive. Needless to say, I didn't gain weight in elementary school even though my friends' bodies were changing.The only signs of puberty I had were the first signs of underarm and pubic hair.

I didn't get my period until after the first day of sixth grade. It was relatively uneventful because I wasn't in pain and didn't see the second one until months later. As the months passed, my periods came and went. But, my body still looked unappealing to me. It didn't help that the guys in school were looking at girls who were more curvaceous either. I had major side character energy in school (or so I thought) and it was awful IMO. It's not that I wasn't liked, but the guys I thought were worth going after had their sights set on girls who didn't look like me.

By the time I made it to my junior year in high school, I stopped worrying about my appearance as much. I'd stopped really focusing on boys and started having fun with new friends. That was the best year in high school because my elective was a journalism class where I became the entertainment editor for the school newspaper. As far as my body insecurity? I barely thought twice about it because I felt I had more to offer than looks.

The Slow Journey To Accepting My Body

By the time I was in my early twenties, it was beyond clear that the body I had was the one given to me. I was tired of wishing I wasn't so slender and decided to start accepting my body for how it looked. I wish I could say I was 100% okay with my body after writing down a ton of affirmations to look at daily, but I wasn't.

I didn't start making peace with being slender until after I turned 28 (right after this photo was taken), and it started to feel good to stop worrying about why I wasn't a certain size. I'd wake up and be more concerned about wearing things that made me feel good instead of fixating on why my body was so small. Honestly, I didn't even flinch the day I found out I was pregnant because I figured I wouldn't gain much weight.

Pregnancy + Postpartum Body Changes

I should've prefaced that last sentence by saying I was convinced I'd still be small during pregnancy because my mom was small — like me — until her second pregnancy. Along with other people, I thought I'd have a round basketball in my stomach and that would be it. But, the day my stepdad rushed my fiancé and I to the hospital so I could give birth is the day I realized I'd gone from 117 pounds to 157.

I was blissfully unaware that my body had changed that much, and it was shocking because I couldn't fit into my carefully curated pre-pregnancy wardrobe. Not only was my postpartum body sore, but it also felt like I'd sprouted extra inches around my waist, hips, and thighs. I went from wanting those things to hating them when they started showing up.

I was devastated because I felt like I'd just learned how to accept my body, only to find new changes waiting for me to welcome into the picture. Also, everything was so soft and squishy — unlike the days where my slender frame felt like it had just enough to cover my bones.

Sadly, I lashed out at my fiancé a ton because I felt uncomfortable in my body — even though he couldn't see anything wrong with it. I was convinced he was trying to do damage control every time he tried to reassure me because I was dealing with major body insecurity.

I didn't start to truly see myself until I started going back to therapy and chose to accept my body as it is. This didn't happen overnight either. I wrote a ton of affirmations on sticky notes to place on my bathroom mirror, and recounted all the miraculous changes my body's gone through over the years. I also started giving myself grace for all the times I wasn't so kind to my body and made myself live in that space until it didn't feel like I had imposter syndrome anymore.

At the time of writing this, my son is three and I'm finally able to look in the mirror without criticizing myself — and I have the fourth trimester to thank for that. My postpartum body expanded in ways I never thought was possible, and it's shown me that change is only bad when I try to hold tight to other people's expectations.

How I Maintain Love For My Postpartum Body

Technically I haven't been postpartum in a while, but I always refer to my body this way because it serves as a reminder that it's been a long journey towards acceptance. The ways I continue to pour into myself vary from day to day, but here's the gist of what helps:

1. Daily Affirmations
2. Words Of Encouragement From My Partner
3. Reminders That My Body Knew What To Do To Carry A Child For 9 Months
4. Wearing Clothes I Genuinely Feel Good In
5. Replacing Negative Thoughts With Positive Ones
6. Giving Myself Grace For All The Moments I Hated My Body
7. Daily Gratitude Practice
8. Accepting That My Body Will Ebb & Flow Over The Years
9. Solo Dance Parties In My Bra & Underwear (I'm so serious, ha!)
10. Touching The Expanded Parts Of My Body & Saying "Hi")