Category: Life

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BEST OF WINTER SKINCARE: AM + PM ROUTINE

To be clear – I am by no means a skincare expert. Until I was well into my mid-twenties I used to wash my face with nothing more than water and then slap on whatever CVS brand body lotion I had lying around. That being said, in the past few years (quite frankly because some incredible brands sent help by way of samples) I’ve started to try out a more elevated skincare routine and really in the past year feel like I’ve settled into a rotation of products that work for me. I feel grateful I’ve never had any major skin problems as far as on-going acne, eczema, etc. so I can’t speak to if any of these are miracle workers in those arenas. But as far as being a woman in my early 30s dealing with fine lines, dark circles and a New Yorker winter that feels intent on wreaking havoc on my skin – all of these are really going to battle for me.

MORNING ROUTINE:

  1. I honestly don’t usually wash my face in the morning – but a spritz of this Aloe Rose Water Mist always makes me feel refreshed and awake. You can also mist it onto your face (even over make-up!) throughout the day for a nice little refresher.
  2. Hands down my favorite morning moisturizer – it strikes a perfect balance between being thick enough to really moisturize but still airy enough to not feel super heavy under make-up. Honorable mention to this moisturizer with SPF50 which I’m more prone to use if I’m not planning on wearing make-up since it’s on the thicker side.
  3. If I feel like my eyes are puffy or I’ve got dark circles (aka I didn’t get enough sleep or had more than 2 drinks the night before), I’ll dab this coffee bean cream around my eyes. It has a really smooth consistency and the natural caffeine helps de-puff and make me look more awake.
  4. A few days a week I add a couple of drops of this sunless tanner to my moisturizer. It’s not dramatic, but definitely helps give a little bit of a tinted glow that my face otherwise really lacks in winter months. Bonus points for also acting as an anti-aging serum.
  5. Once all of that soaks in, I use this tinted moisturizer (similar to a bb cream) in place of foundation. It’s a nice, semi-sheer base that smooths out discoloration and uneven skin. Plus it doesn’t dry out or cake throughout the day.

EVENING ROUTINE:

  1. A great drugstore find, I start with these micellar water make-up remover wipes. These are the only ones I’ve found that don’t leave my skin feeling strangely greasy or create a weird stinging sensation (does that happen to anyone else?). These are super gentle and it works well to get off eye make-up or super saturated lipstick.
  2. Next I use this pre-biotic filled Superfood cleanser (it has avocado, pumpkin and broccoli seed oils – like a salad for your face) to give a good clean feeling and add some nutrients to my skin.
  3. Once or twice a week I use this pore exfoliating mask to help keep my pores clear and prevent any minor breakouts. It doesn’t dry out my skin but leaves it feeling really deeply clean and smooth.
  4. After cleansing but pre-moisturizing, I alternate between this hydrating serum and this facial oil. Between the two its a good balance of hydration without adding too much oil that could potentially make me break out. Ideally I don’t even need to moisturize after all of this because my skin is fully hydrated already.
  5. But if it’s been particularly brutal weather-wise or I haven’t drank enough water that day – I lather on this overnight mask moisturizer (which firms and brightens) along with this reviving eye cream.
  6. I finish out the whole routine with this lip treatment meant to moisturize lips and help with fine lines around your mouth. Not only has it ended my chapped lips once and for all, but the metal applicator tip kind of plumps up my lips making them feel nice and full (at least as naturally full as my fairly thin lips can get) and moisturized when I wake up in the morning.

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LET’S CATCH UP 1.27.19

I really need a day between Saturday and Sunday. Most of this weekend was spent catching up on chores/errands, organizing the apartment and generally hitting re-set after last weekend’s staycation uptown and a very busy week at work. Below, a few things on my mind before we head into another week.

  1. I’ve become completely consumed with researching art to buy for the apartment. Up until now we’ve mainly had a few personal photos framed and some travel memorabilia but I really want to diversify our walls and start building a collection of art. Thinking of sharing a full post of (affordable) sources once I finally pull the trigger and start purchasing.
  2. I’m on a mission to watch a few more Oscar contenders before the big show – ‘A Star is Born’, ‘Beautiful Boy’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ are all on my list. See the full list of nominations here.
  3. I’m planning a winter skincare post this week including 5 morning products and 5 evening products I really love. This facial oil is a stand-out right now for my increasingly dry skin.
  4. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain was one of the best books, hands down, that I read in 2018 (see my full review here). I loved this series of interviews with the people that knew him best.
  5. If I wasn’t on a self-imposed shopping ban this month, I’d be hitting up the Mango end of season sale. So many good classic coats and sweaters. Because let’s be honest, winter isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
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THE STEELE MAIDEN BOOK CLUB: CHAPTER SIX

It’s been since September since my last #SteeleMaidenBook Club post (where did October, November and December even go?!), but I’m back and planning to be able to stick to a more regular, monthly schedule for these posts in 2019. If you want to see everything I reviewed in 2018 – you can find those posts here. Below, what I read this Fall (hint, some of the best 4 books I read all year) plus what I’ve got on my shelf for January. Happy reading!

The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer: This novel follows the life of a young, millennial woman throughout college and the beginning years of her building a career in New York. Touches on the complexities of relationships (both female friendship and romantic involvements) and the ultimately what kind of drive, motivation and sacrifice it takes to rise to the top in any given industry. I really liked this overall, however I will say that I didn’t love it as much as I loved Wolitzer’s earlier work The Interestings. Maybe it was because I never really connected with the main character? Either way there were some interesting side stories here and I think it’s worth a read for sure.

Calypso by David Sedaris: Consistently one of my favorite authors, Calypso felt a bit different than some of Sedaris’ earlier memoirs in that he’s middle-aged now and has been dealing with some of the messier bits of life (his mother’s death, sister’s suicide, the hurdles of being in a multi-decade relationship). He handled the topics with his signature mix of bizarre hilarity and self-depricating honesty. Highly recommend.

Marlena by Julie Buntin: I picked this book up on a whim from one of my favorite little bookstores back home in PA and was so pleasantly surprised. The novel focuses on the life-shifting friendship of two young high school aged girls – and while the specifics of the storyline are likely not one many of us can relate to (I hope, as things get fairly dark), the feelings of the magic of those types of friendships are really universal in my opinion. Also just really beautifully written. Totally exceeded my expectations which is the best kind of book to me.

Educated by Tara Westover: I had high hopes for this book after reading so much great press and it didn’t disappoint. Tara shares her real life story of growing up in rural Idaho to a family of extreme Mormon preppers (meaning they feared the government, banned modern medicine and forbid the children from receiving a formal education as they prepped for a Y2K-like fall-out of society). Not only are the specifics of this story unbelievable but it’s also an incredible tale of one woman’s bravery to fight for the education that she deserved. Everyone should read this book.

SHOP THIS MONTH’S BOOK CLUB:

For the month ahead I’m tackling Little Women by Lousia May Alcott (a classic I somehow never got around to and feels like a good winter read), A Wild Swan by Michael Cunningham (a collection of re-imagined fairy tales from the author of The Hours), The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena (a popular thriller that I hear is going to be made into a TV series) and I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon (historical fiction recommended to me by a dear friend and fellow book lover).

SHOP NEXT MONTH’S BOOK CLUB:

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GOALS FOR 2019

As tough as much of 2018 turned out to be (read more about that here), when I look at my ‘goals for 2018’ post – I still managed to achieve a few. Mainly, a better work life balance (life kind of forced my hand there but I cut way back on blog related work and really took time to just be still and rest). And I also took some strides towards better health. After years I went to the dentist and eye doctor, I drastically reduced dairy from my diet (due to stomach pains that I had just kind of been grinning and bearing for several years) and in the second half of the year I got back into a solid workout routine.

In 2019? I want to not just focus on the basics but really push myself to get out of my comfort zone. Here – a few actionable goals for the coming year.

WORK:

I’ve had a personal project swimming around in my head for a couple of years now and all the usual excuses (fear of failure, that I’m not being ready, lack of time…) have stopped me. It would be a fashion story-telling sort of website.. and maybe podcast? Regardless, this year I’m going to just start. Even if it doesn’t become some smashing success. Even if it’s just for me. A failure is better than never even trying, right?

In terms of the blog – I think I’d like to find some sort of consistency that I can maintain. I used to post really regularly and then this past year that kind of went out the window. I’m hoping for 3 solid posts per week this year. And sharing more home decor, more everyday outfit snaps and more personal posts that hopefully connect with all of you. Anything else you want to see? Let me know in the comments!

HEALTH:

I’m planning on putting my health as another big focus this year – mental, physical and financial. Prioritizing things like rest and reading that make me feel mentally healthy. Pushing myself to maintain my 5 day/week workout routine and get back to a place where I feel really strong. And focusing on better spending habits in the short term as well as working hard on a long-term financial plan.

EXPLORATION:

I’d like to continue to explore New York, pushing myself to look beyond my favorite places and handful of favorite restaurants and make the most out of living in this amazing place.

Also – if I can get my ducks in a row and my pennies in a jar, I’d really love to do some more traveling this year. I’ve made a “wander-list” of places I’d like to get to this year and figure – if I put it out there the universe just may bring it back to me, right?

HOME:

This applies to both my relationships at home (and fostering them to be the best they can possibly be) as well as making my home a place that feels like a reflection of my personal style and a respite from the often craziness of the outside world. Also – I hope there are plenty more home projects (like this one) to share with all of you.

Here’s to a happy, healthy and exciting new year!

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2018: A YEAR IN REVIEW

It’s almost funny to me now when I look back at my 2017 recap post that I thought it had been a somewhat trying year. I guess 2018 figured I still had a few more lessons to learn…

A lot of people choose one word/phrase mantras for their years instead of a list of resolutions. If I look back at 2017 I’d say my phrase was “treading water” – I didn’t really get where that I wanted to (in my career life or personal life) and if I look at that year really critically (as I’ve been known to do) it’s because I was so busy just keeping my head above water trying to balance work, blog, freelance, relationships that I didn’t have a chance to dig deeper and do the work that would have resulted in real changes.

If I look back at 2018 I’d say my phrase was “drowning”. Like a slow culmination, early into the start of this year – my life began to slowly break down. My company downsized and went through multiple rounds of lay-offs. My position was spared but seeing colleagues that had become friends pack their things was not easy nor was living with the fear that I could be next. I struggled with health – emotional, physical and financial. One of my closest relationships shattered in ways I hadn’t thought possible and left me unsure of how to move forward without it. I spent my birthday at my grandfather’s funeral for god sakes. For the first time in my adult life I felt really truly lost. There were a lot of days that just getting up and going to work felt unsurmountable. And a lot of nights that ended in tears.

As I look ahead to 2019 I’d like to think my word will be “swimming”. I’m not going to be arrogant enough to set a goal of where I’m swimming towards (although I’m hoping it’s a sunny little island called happiness) – but the point is that I’ll have my head above water and I won’t be doing the backstroke. 2018 taught me that I have zero control over a lot of factors in life, but it also reminded me that I have complete control of myself. In the second half of 2018 I joined a gym again. I started writing just for fun. I devoured books again the way I used to before I let my life get too busy for it. I posted less on my blog (turns out the world didn’t come to a screeching halt). I had the difficult conversations I’d been avoiding since 2017. I loosened my grip on the past and opened my arms (just a little) to embrace the unknown of the future. In the second half of 2018 I came to the realization that at the end of the day – even if my life turns out absolutely nothing like I had imagined – I’ll be able to keep going. I know how to swim.

While I hope that your year didn’t have quite as much heartache as mine did at times – I also hope that you were able to garner some valuable lessons from it regardless. One of my favorite quotes this time of year:

“There are years that ask questions, and years that answer.” – Zora Neale Hurston

I feel ready to write in a few of my own answers in 2019.