10 Favorite 4th of July Sales

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In this issue:

• Playing hooky/how we make money on big sales days

• Fourth of July Sales Picks (and a giveaway of my top pick!)

The business of influencing

This is my SIXTH July as an influencer¹ and I always dread the month. Due to the high volume of sales, it becomes one of our highest sales months, which is why your inbox will be seeing a lot of us with Amazon Prime Day and the Nordstrom sale coming up this week! And when you are essentially in sales, you have to lean into the higher-volume months and learn to take time off during lower-volume months. I have had this experience in other jobs I have held, especially since working in the pharmacy industry, where January is an absolute nightmare, but it's January. No one wants to be doing fun things in January.

How we make money on big sales days

I try to constantly remind myself of why I left my full-time job - it all started because I wanted to spend the summer with Rebecca. I was a little misguided then because I forgot that doing this full-time is still a…full-time job - just one with ultimate flexibility. This summer’s weather has been miserable - constantly raining, storming, or way too hot to even sit outside - until this week. It was finally time to enjoy a pool (or, in our case, water park) day.

I woke up early and went to my office to start preparing for some sales, as I had not even begun. I worked for a few hours, then left to pick up Rebecca and her friend, and told myself I would work at the waterpark. I lugged my laptop into the park, rented a locker where I stored it, and that’s where it stayed for the entire day. I spent a lot of time on my phone yesterday (my email inbox is a mess), but then Rebecca asked me to help her with her favorite slide because they needed another person. And then the slide was fun, so I wanted to do another one. And then it was so hot outside that I found myself in the wave pool. I don’t think I realized how much I needed that adrenaline rush.

Side Note: Motion Sickness

I have been using the iPhone Motion Sickness feature for the past six months, thanks to

Courtney

. It works so well for me, I think it even helps with my actual motion sickness. I didn't get as sick on the slides this year as I did last year. I posted a reel about it this week and had several followers say it has helped decrease their motion sickness, even when not using it.

Fourth of July Sales Picks

I curated my favorite top ten sales below, but you can always check out our complete list, here.

Just a few of the Sleep Crown testimonials I have received over the years

1. Sleep Crown - 10% off - I did not think we would get another discount for this, but unexpected circumstances arose. ²

   1. It is hard to put into words how great this pillow is. Muffles sound and blocks light, but also applies just the right amount of pressure to your face, making it calming. If you were a blankie kid, you would be obsessed. My favorite size is the classic size. And recommend the charcoal color if you regularly use self or spray tan. We created a reel to showcase the different sizes and demonstrate how it works. I am a side sleeper, so I still use it as a pillow, but it also serves as a blocker.

   2. I'm giving away a Sleep Crown just for email subscribers! Just like and comment on this post to be entered to win your choice of a Classic or Travel size! I will draw a winner on Sunday, July 6th, and reach out via Substack messages.

2. This toothbrush is 40% off for Prime Day

   1. However, there is an additional $10 off coupon available for the black and blue colors right now. The coupons do sell out, though! I have never seen it at this low of a price! I talk about this toothbrush all the time, but I have over 100 messages from followers agreeing - this does make a significant difference! I was even using a Sonicare before this - there is no comparison.

      

3. Hotel Lobby Candles - 20% off

   1. They rarely offer discounts or sales, except for their annual sale during the Fourth of July—a great time to stock up on gifts. Check out our reel to see that they already come packaged, ready to gift.

   2. You can check out the details of all of our favorite scents here. Or try out five different scents with their votive collection. Each single wick candle burns for 65 hours, and each votive lasts around 16 hours. However, the best bang for your buck is the reed diffusters.

      1. If you love the Mrs Meyers cleaning spray and hand soap in Tomato Vine, you will love Hamptons and vice versa. The cleaning spray is seasonal and one of my favorite things because it makes your house smell so good, but is also a great cleaning spray!

4. Earlybird CBD 20% off - my recommendations and dosing instructions

   1. A recommendation from

      Sarah
      that I am forever grateful for. It was three years ago that we met up for our first girls trip and she gave us all a sample of the gummy. I did not feel anything, so I took another. Whew!! Did I feel high. Each gummy is made up of 2.5 mg of THC³ and 12.5 mg of CBD, which is the PERFECT ratio for feeling relaxed and sleeping well. Take 2 hours before bedtime and you will be ready to go.

      1. Unless you are on a GLP like Ozempic or Mounjaro. I have been on one for 2.5 years and noticed edibles are way too unpredictabe for me now because these drugs slow down your gastic emptying. So I am now a tincture convert and use one dropperful under the tongue and feel the effects quickly.

5. Stylest Shaping Swimwear - 20% off w/code SISTER20

   1. Stylest gave us a 20% off code for the month since we have a sponsored IG story with them. I am sharing now because I know lots of people have vacation plans, and this suit makes you feel so confident! Missy tried this brand this year and loves it. It is shaping without being restrictive, and you can buy different accessories to make your suit look polished and chic. Missy is a DDD and loves the strapless swim bra you can wear with any suit. All of the sizing details are in the link, along with a picture!

6. Bioeffect - 20% off sitewide, plus free gift worth $50 w/$100 purchase - all of my detailed reviews + product favorites here

   

   

   The serum that changed my skin. I noticed when I turned 38 and started to lose weight, that my skin looked saggier and just did not look as plump. I know we start to lose collagen as we age, so I decided to throw all of the collagen/skin cell repair ingredients at it as I could (LED mask, growth factors, peptides, tretinoin, Defanage). I had used SkinMedica TNS serum in the past and loved it, but it was too expensive for me to reguarly use. I asked

   Vanessa
   and she mentioned she loved the Bioeffect Power Serum (the silver bottle, the clear one is a lot stickier). I liked that it was cheaper and I could usually find a sale on it multiple times a year.

   1. I ended up using just a few tiny dots every morning and evening on damp skin in November of 2023 and six weeks in, I started to get the compliments on my skin. It contains growth factors derived from barley that help your skin cells work harder and contains NAG, an ingredient that also helps with hyperpigmentation. I could not believe how good of a job it did, so I bought it for two of my best friends - and they agreed. And even said they did not have to get botox as frequently. The small bottle ends up lasting 3 months for me - even at twice a day - you only need the tiniest dots.

7. Sephora 4th of July Sale

   1. A lot of things have already sold out since it has been going on since last week. Some notable sales - Moisturizers are 20% off.⁴ 25% off the famous depuffing mask. 50% off this concealer.⁵

      1. Innbeauty Extreme Cream - This is a reverse emulsion moisturizer (oil suspended in water), which gives it it’s unique, smoothing finish. It is great for a day moisturizer because it is BEAUTIFUL under makeup, but I need something more moisturizing at night. It is very similar to the Augustinus Bader Rich Cream finish. You can try the small size at the discount, too.

      2. Sophie Pavitt Moisturizer - Another reverse emulsion moisturizer that leaves the best finish! Sophie Pavitt is a NYC acne specialist that I discovered through

         Devan Jesmer
         . Everything she makes is good for acne prone skin, so when I started to have issues with breakouts, I switched my nighttime moisturizer to this one. I LOVE IT. If you like InnBeauty Extreme Cream but want something thicker for night time, this is it. My only complaint is that it is too thin to be in a jar, so I decanted to an airless pump.

      3. Dieux Instant Angel Moisturizer (rarely on sale) - This is a great moisturizer that repairs and heals skin. The regular moisturizer is a little heavy and not good for acne prone skin, so I would recommend the Air version for summer time or oily skin. If you know you love and regularly use this, you can buy a jumbo size for even better value.

8. Madewell - extra 30% off sale for up to 70% off

   1. My top recommendation is this scoopneck tee. The neckline is SO flattering. True to size. This tank is minimal and chic. I always get asked about these flats - perfect summer statement flat - can be worn as mary jane or worn wear over the strap.

   2. This is sold out on Madewell, but the tote is 25% off on Amazon. I have the cream and love it, but also love this dark brown color.

9. J. Crew - up to Extra 70% off sale items (70% off 3 items; 60% off 2; 50% off 1), our picks here.

   

   

   1. Missy’s sweater tank

   2. My favorite kind of dress.

   3. I love these pants. They are a *smidge* too short on me - 5’10, but I wear anyways. True to size. Missy liked the print version of them.

   4. This mini dress is so cute on me. A little short, but so flattering. Great for apple shapes.

10. Mignonne Gavigan - 30% off sitewide use code SPARKS30

    

    This is a fashion/statement jewelry brand. I received this necklace last year in gifting and it is one of my most complimented necklaces. A great staple for button downs and even looks good with crew neck necklines, too.

11. Farm Rio - 50% off - I don’t have any curated picks for the brand because it only goes up to XL. However, I was just going to list this in our shelf because it is 30% off, but I went to check and it is now half off everything until the end of today. It is final sale, so if you don’t know your sizing, I would buy with a return protection credit card or measure according to chart.

I hope you all have a great weekend! Don’t forget to like and comment for a chance to win a Sleep Crown

XX Sarah

1. I am trying to reclaim the word. It has such a negative connotation, but saying I am a “creator” gives me impostor syndrome. And I cannot say blogger because I barely update our blog!

2. The affiliate platform they use (the only one they use) is shutting down. I linked to this pillow when I didn't make a dime, and I will continue to link to it because I love the owner, and every pillow is hand-sewn. And my entire family is addicted - even Jonny. It is just so soft.

3. derived from hemp so it is legal. Although a lot of states are trying to restrict this, like Ohio. Even though we have legalized marijuana Ohio ruins everything.

4. If you have Amazon Prime, I would avoid buying Tatcha or Laneige because they usually have a better discount on Amazon Prime Day.

5. I wonder if they are discontinuing this? This is a great concealer for when you do not want to wear a bunch of makeup. It is thin and buildable, but can also be used as a base on your face.