Month: July 2017

Mom Mantras to Obey for Better Skin

Hello everyone!

So my skin is so finicky and unpredictable, and certain times of year make it worse. However, when I get into a routine and I make steps to take the best care of my skin, that is when my skin does much better! And, in writing this post, I realized that all of these are basic things that my mom would preach to me as a child. Momma was right! These may seem obvious and mundane, but once I started doing them every day at the beginning of the summer, I saw a definite difference in my skin!

mom and me picture

Drink your water.

This is probably one of the first things out of everyone’s mouth when they’re talking about better skin. Roll your eyes if you will, but I can definitely testify that drinking much more water helped my skin tremendously! I like to keep my water bottle with me all the time, so that I have it there to sip on so that I don’t forget. Also, if you feel super thirsty all of a sudden, chug your water! My mom always told me that’s your body’s way of telling you that it needs that refreshment. So, don’t feed it Coke or sugary drinks when you feel this way, either. That’ll just make you feel even worse.

Wash your face.

 

Another no-brainer, but this is probably the most crucial habit to get into if you want to take good care of your skin. If you can get to the point where you wash your face every night with the same steps, then you’ll form the habit and it’ll be harder to forget. Also, two bonus “mom mantras” that go along with this: ALWAYS moisturize and NEVER sleep in your makeup!

Take Your Vitamins.

I started taking these vitamins from Nature’s Bounty, and after about a month I started feeling and noticing a difference, in both my skin and my hair! I like these as well because since they’re gummies and they taste good, I remember to take them. That was a trick my mom would use with me when I was little… I never forgot to take those Flintstones vitamins because I liked them so much!

Use Your Sunscreen.

Sunscreen is always, always, always a must. But when it comes to my face, sunscreen can either break me out or dry me out, so it can be hard to keep myself protected. So I think that, for your face, it’s important to find a sunscreen that works well for you. I started using this Neutrogina sunscreen and it really works well for me! Also, even if you’re not going out on the beach, it’s good to still use SPF, so I also like this moisturizer, and I use it after I wash my face in the morning. Also, don’t forget about the lips as well! This Pacifica chapstick is pretty good… It’s not my absolute favorite, but I really like how it is tinted.

I hope you guys enjoyed this mom mantra post… Let me know if you liked it and maybe I could make it into a series! Because there are lots of life lessons my mom drilled into my head that I would love to share as well 🙂

XOXO

L

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What’s In My Travel Bag?

Hello everyone!

It’s been about a week since I’ve posted! I decided to take an unplanned break from blogging after I got home from Stone Harbor. Since I was traveling yet again this past weekend to Grand Cayman (where I am now),  I just wanted to rest and be with my family before I traveled again! However, since this is my first post from Cayman, I thought I would share what I have in my travel bag! More specifically, this is what I keep in my personal item bag when I’m on the plane.

Since my carry-on is a bigger carry on and is usually either stowed in the overhead compartment, I need to keep all of my essentials in this bag. So, before I left for California, I hunted for a good tote bag big enough to carry what I need, while not too big. So, as I usually do, I went to Goodwill and Community Aid first. I’m so glad that I did, because I found this gem at Community Aid for $10! It’s originally from Aldo, so I’m hoping that means that it’ll last for a long time.

So inside the bag, I try to keep everything pretty organized for easy access at the airport. I have a computer case holding my iPad and the little keyboard that I use to write my blog posts with (so, if you’ve seen more typos than usual, that’s probably why.. it’s a little more difficult to type with the bluetooth keyboard). I always have a book to read in the airport and on the plane, an I usually just take an easier read like this Sarah Dessen book. I have a book light in case I need it to read with on the plane, as well. I keep a brush and a scrunchie to keep my hair in line and out of my face. In the red “Fifteen Puzzle” case, I keep my earphones, so that they don’t get tangled up with other things in my bag. I also make sure to always have a notebook and a pen with me to write down ideas for blog posts and stories! Then of course, I have my sunglasses in their case and an extra battery charger for my phone if my phone or iPad runs low on energy. I have my wallet for obvious reasons of course, with my ID and money. I have my quart-sized bag of toiletries that I can easily pull out for security.

Inside my toiletries bag, I keep the essentials that I can’t just put in my checked bag. So, here I have mascara, concealer, sunscreen, hand lotion, toothpaste, hand sanitizers, and deodorant. There are a few products, like the face mask and the deodorant, that I probably don’t need to put in with the liquids, but I just like to have them all together for easier storage.

I also have my makeup bag here from Ipsy, which I like to have on beach vacations since it is waterproof. Inside, I put some toiletries for the plane; such as face wipes, eye mask, oil blotting sheets, earplugs, a nail file, and some hair ties. I’ve found all of these to be essentials while I’m traveling on a plane, especially on longer flights where you might like to try to sleep.

I’ve been really enjoying writing about travel-related things on my blog this summer, since it has been such a big part of my life for the last two months! I’m thinking about writing more about my advice for longer flights, since I took a red-eye back from California, and I thought of some extra tips for others who may be taking a red-eye or a longer flight while traveling! If anyone wants to see something in particular on my blog, please feel free to comment any blog post suggestions! I would love to see them 🙂

XOXO

L

June Ipsy: REVIEW

Hello everyone!

I’m sorry that it’s been a little since I’ve posted! After I got back from the shore, I just wanted to relax. I’m also volunteering again this summer, so I’ve been pretty busy doing that again! However, right now I am in the Cayman Islands with my best friend, so expect a recap post about my adventures here next Monday!

So I thought that I would share my Ipsy bag from last month! As an “un-bagging” and as a review, since I’ve been plying around with the products for a couple of weeks since it came. This was a pretty mixed bag (pun intended). There were a couple that I liked, and a couple that I am not particularly a fan of.

The bag this month is pretty cute,  although it’s a little small. So it isn’t really a good makeup case, but I’ve used it for my phone for my beach bag while in Cayman!

City Color Cosmetics Shimmer Shadow in Cheers to Life

I really like this shadow so far! It’s pretty pigmented and sparkly, which I like, but still wearable. The copper color can spice up my more neutral summer makeup looks, which is always good!

NYX Whipped Lip & Cheek Souffle

I’m sort of torn on this one. I love NYX as a brand and I usually love their lipsticks and glosses, but this didn’t wear well as a lip product for me personally. It was too sheer and the lighter pink color doesn’t really look right with my skin tone. However, I do like it as a cream blush! I usually wear lighter pinks like this, so it is a cute color for summer. That, and it blends pretty nicely!

Margaret Dabbs London Nail Polish in Daylily

I’m not super fond of this polish. The color is cute, kind of a dark-ish teal, but it wears so quickly! I painted my nails one night before bed, and the next morning they were chipped after I did some packing and laundry for Cayman. Granted, I didn’t take the time to do a top coat, but I looked this brand up and they’re kind of pricey on their own! So, they shouldn’t be chipping that easily.

BioRepublic SkinCare sheet masks in Aloe Rescue and Green Tea Detox

I’ve used the Green Tea Detox so far and I thought it was nice and refreshing. However, for some reason the scent of the mask didn’t smell like green tea to me… It smells like the wipes we would use on our old cat Jaspurr when he wouldn’t clean himself. So, good mask with a weird scent memory attached to it. Although, if you know me, you know that my sense of my smell is kind of off, so don’t take my word on this as gospel truth xD

TheBalm Balm Springs Blush

I was so excited to see this in my bag! I had been wanting to try it out for a while, but since theBalm is usually pretty pricy I didn’t want to shell out the dollars for it. Honestly, I think if/when I run out I’ll just buy my own, because this blush is super pretty on and it wears well!

COMING UP NEXT MONTH:

NUDESTIX Magnetic Matte Lip Color in Rose

Seraphine Botanicals Lychee+Gold blush

OFRA ‘Gold Rush’ or ‘Victory’ eyeshadow

Hanalei Lip Treatment in Rose

Tarte Amazonian Clay waterproof bronzer (which I am the most excited about, because I love Tarte products!!)

I hope you enjoyed this post and the review! I’ll do the same next month, too, and let you know what I think about the products! I’m pretty excited about next month’s bag, so hopefully it doesn’t disappoint!

I hope you’re all well, have a good night!

XOXO

L