My Skincare Routine

August 20, 2018

Hi! It's time to talk about skincare! I have super dry skin so my routine will not be for everyone, but if you have desert skin as well: welcome. Settle in. Let me tell you a tale of hydration, nourishment, and taking time to take care of ourselves.

I have a four-step routine that I do in the morning before putting on makeup. It keeps my foundation looking more like skin and it's nice to take some time out for myself! As Jonathan of Queer Eye tells us: "it's not selfish it's self-care and there's a difference".

Taking the time (and money) out to have a skincare routine is not practical for everyone, but no matter the time or budget constraints you may be faced with, it's still worth finding products that work for you!

cleanser.fa cia l.moisturizer.s pray

I'm going to describe the steps in order going clockwise from the top left!

A delightfully delicate cleanser from Lancer. I used to use makeup remover wipes to clean my face but it was wasteful and using good ol' soap and water twice a day makes me feel like I'm in a commercial. A tiny spot of this stuff cleans my whole face. I feel fresh without my skin dying out which is monumental!
Next step is to clear away the dead skin! I don't use these facials every day, more like once or twice a week. The two-step process from Dr. Dennis Gross smooths and clears the skin to keep it fresh and healthy.
Moisturizer! The main event! Just like the cleanser a tiny bit of this Lancer moisturizer really does the damn thing. I'm left feelin' super moisturized without feeling greasy.
Lastly, I set and refresh with The Organic Pharmacy Rose Facial Spray. It's made with real-ass-roses and it smells. so. good! I'll spray this before and after foundation and also later in the day if my makeup feels a little stale and needs a hydrating boost.

Taking the time out of your day to spend a little while pampering yourself, even if it's just two minutes, will remind you of how important it is to take care of your needs! It reminds me every day that I care about myself and I am worthy of care. It helps me manifest that in other parts of my life as well. 10/10 would recommend :)

What's your skincare routine? Tell me on Facebook or Instagram!

FACE MASKS! (An Introduction)

June 04, 2018

It's time to talk about my truest love: Face Masks. The millennial treat. Pop a mask on and take 15-20 minutes to yourself to relax and pretend that you're fancy. Face masks are my favorite form of self-care for many reasons and the skin benefits with the right mask aren't too shabby either. Let's chat about 'em!

My favorite face mask, you ask? Thank you for asking! My favorite face masks are from Kocostar. I will be doing a full post about my all-time favorite masks from many different brands in the future, but for now, let's talk slices and petals!

I've linked a few of my favorite flavors ;)

lemon.rose.tulip.sunflower.cucumber

Here are the reasons to love these masks: 1) The mask is not one large sheet that doesn't totally fit your face but instead is made up of small sheets that you can place around your face/body and focus in specific areas. 2) They legit look like flower petals!!!!!! Or slices of fruits!!! It's a true treat and it feels like you're in a fancy and romantic spa. It's fun when a mask is pretty enough to selfie in. 3) They make my skin feel amazing. The formulas are great and I really feel like they do what they say they're going to do!

Taking time out of your week to do a little something nice for yourself is important! And if you need more of an excuse to do one, it's scientifically proven that putting wet things on a face calms us down. It's called "Mammalian Diving Response" and it's why we love swimming and showering and bathing and those flotation pod things! It's necessary for your mental health as a human being tbh.

Lemme know if you'd like to read about more mask recommendations from me, and tag me in your petal mask selfies if you try them! I'd love to see!

What's In My Bag?

April 02, 2018

Hey! Today I wanted to share the essentials I carry with me that help me get through the day! It's a "What's In My Bag Challenge" post. You ready? Leggo:

Wallet. I have three wallets of various sizes that I circle through depending on the day and what I'll be doing. First is this giant Kate Spade with a zipper all the way around. The exact wallet I own is a few years old so the exact color isn't available now, but the style is called Cameron Street Lacey. There's tons of space for everything I would ever need and then some!

Next is another Kate Spade, the Cameron Street Stacy. It's open all the way around with just one snap to keep it closed. Stacey is a little sleeker and smaller, but still has more space than I need.

Then there's this little baby I picked up at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale last year. It's a small card holder that fits the few cards I need in a day, my ID, and some cash. Perf for going out or running to the store and slipping it in a pocket.

Lippies. Carmex is my number one holy grail product. I have about eight floating around my house and bags at any given time. I like the Strawberry flavor in Carmex, but classic is always nice too. I love the two balms pictured above as well. The Burt's Bees Flavor Crystals and the Kiehl's Lip Balm #1. The Burt's Bees balm has sugar crystals so it's like a lip scrub in a tube! The Kiehl's is super moisturizing and smells amazing. My favorite lipstick if I want some true color is the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Amazing Grace. I'll dive deeper into lip products and makeup in general in a different post. :) Stay tuned!

Keys. I got this keychain at a Toss store in San Francisco a million years ago and I LOVE it, but they don't offer it anymore. I couldn't find my cablecar design on the company's website either, but this heart is a cutie!

Phone. For cases, I always go with a Sonix. Sonix cases have always done a great job of protecting my phone from any damage (knock on wood) and they're super cute. The rose-gold phone grip is by PopSockets.

Mints. Trader Joe's Ginger Mints. You're welcome.

Notes. I always keep paper and a pen with me, you never know when you'll need them! I like to keep my Liberty London planner, but when my purse isn't big enough I keep tiny pretty notebooks at hand. My Liberty planner is actually from the Liberty store in London, but Anthropologie has a similar one! I couldn't find my exact current small notebook on the Paper Source website (it was from a local Paper Source store in Chicago), but here are some other cute ones!

Mist. I was introduced to this Mario Badescu Facial Spray by Valeria Lipovetsky and it's honestly amazing. The spray is so refreshing and wonderful. I love to keep it in my bag as a refresher throughout the day. (Also I'm going to link Valeria's YouTube because she is inspiring and lovely.) I also love The Organic Pharmacy Rose Facial Spritz as mists go.

Clean. These Moist Towlettes by Herban Essentials are so insanely useful. Keep them around for your hands, your face, a dirty bus handle...anything. You never know when you will need one, they smell heavenly, and they're all natural.

Sunnies. I always like to keep a pair of sunglasses handy. This pair is by Diff and I'm in love with the vibes.

So what did you think? Let me know on Instagram or Facebook the essentials you loved and what you thinking I'm missing! I love to try what you all recommend for me.