Summertime Skincare Routine

I absolutely love talking about my skincare routine. Why? My skincare routine is my favorite part of the day. It is my favorite way to relax after a long day and just pamper myself. Now obviously, life happens and I cant do this LONG routine everyday but for the most part I try to get in at least two steps!

Lets talk about some of the products I use before we get into the steps.

My two absolutely necessary products are toner and moisturizer. Toner helps me feel that my skin is the absolute cleanest it can be and helps even out the redness on my face. My skin is so absolutely DRY that without moisturizer its a desert. I switch out my moisturizers all the time, but I can guarantee there will always be some sort of hydrating on my face. If I am being lazy or just got home really late I will take off my makeup and only use these two products until the next morning.

Here are my current favorites:

The first step begins in the shower. I feel like washing my face while I am in the shower neutrogena hydroboost facewashas  opposed to the sink just saves me the hassle of water getting everywhere. I try to switch my face wash every two to three weeks so my face doesn’t get used to the product and stop working. I am completely in LOVE with using the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser.

Next, about twice times a week a I use a more intense exfoliate. Using a physical exfoliate keeps my skin smooth and removes all of the dead skin cells. I truly feel that this step has changed my skin texture completely. Recently my favorite has been the Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub.

Derma-E-Microdermabrasion-ScrubAnother exfoliate I love using is the Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel. I use this about once a week as a face mask and I swear itenzyme peel makes my face so soft. I am OBSSESED with it. A little bit goes a LONG way so this product last forever which is amazing.

 

As soon as I get out of the however I always pat my face dry. Then, if I am not using a face mask that get, I use my toner on a cotton pad all over my face. Let’s be honest, I use a face mask almost every night LOL. Explain which face masks I use would take forever, so if you want to see a whole post on that please let me know in the comments.

After my toner I use my Elf Hydrating Water Essence. This step is great because it has a lot of hydration but still feels very light on the skin. That’s why I use it morning and night. Especially in the summer, it’s important toelf water essence me to use lighter products.  Personally I use it on a cotton pad and just spread it all over my face. I know some people use it with their fingers but I feel extra clean for some reason with a cotton pad.

SERUMS SERUMS SERUMS. I love this part of my skincare routine. It’s so much fun, light, and adds “glowyness” to my skin. It’s that little extra boost that my skin loves. I am constantly testing out new serums and seeing what works

hey honey serum

well for me. In the summer I don’t really focus too much on makeup but that means skincare has to be spectacular. I am all about that healthy natural glow. I don’t have any set in stone favorites other than the Hey Honey Good Morning Serum. Not only does this look great alone but under makeup its beautiful.

Finally, we get to the moisturizer. Then, I get to bed and sleep. Sleep is so important in skincare. I try to get at least 7 hours a night so I can wake up completely rested and with hydrated skin.

Thanks so much for reading and see you next time!

 

 

 

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Daycation: Miami

Miami is the party capital of Florida and last weekend we explored it just a little bit more. I’ve never been big on birthdays but this weekend I wanted to celebrate a little extra for my birthday. Instead of completely going away for the weekend, which can get expensive, we decided to get a day pass to a resort in Miami Beach. I had never done this before but let me tell you it was amazing!

What is a day pass?

Pretty much you can do exactly what you would if you rented a room, but you’re only there until a certain time. You have access to the pool, hot tub, spa, etc. You can rent the cabanas, go in the pool, visit the bar, and at the end of the day you get to go home. The best is that you can get a day pass at a hotel you other wise wouldn’t be able to afford. I’m talking luxury hotels and beaches. It definitely a win in my book.

The Confidante

We stayed in Miami Beach for the day because we wanted something local. Personally I had never heard of the hotel but man is it beautiful. The service was amazing, the drinks were great, and the pool was awesome. It definitely isn’t a “party hotel” but if you wanna lay back and relax this is the place for you. It’snot huge, but definitely big enough. Anther thing I loved about it was the beach access. They offered complimentary towels, beach chairs, and umbrellas. They had a private beach access so it felt more exclusive and luxurious. Another plus for me was definitely the Adult Pool and Family Pool separation. There was no splashing, kids running around, etc. on the adult side and it made for a more relaxed experience. I love kids but when you’re trying to relax it helps a lot!DSC_1114

Food

DSC_1119The food was amazing! It was a little pricey and we did have to pay for that it wasn’t included of course. I had the shrimp tacos  (pictured here) and my boyfriend had a hot dog. One thing that is definitely a must have is the waffle fries! In my opinion, they’re better than Chick-Fil-A (which says a lot lol). We didn’t have to wait too long for our food which was great. Overall, even with the price, the food was pretty good and it looked appealing which is a major plus!

Drinks

The first drink we had was a Painkiller (on the right) and boy was it strong. A painkiller consists of 95d111c1-bb47-4665-a7ba-886afeff18f1dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cinnamon. It wasn’t bad if you like strong drinks, but if not stay clear of this one. They garnished it with a whole cinnamon stick which added a lot of cinnamon which I love! It almost made up for the intense alcohol taste.

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The next drink we both had was your standard Pina Colada . It was really good! Not too strong but I could still taste the alcohol. It was pretty refreshing for a day at the pool. That was pretty much all I drank for the rest of the day but I was loving them!

Our experience at the bar was lovely. The bartender was so nice and all the waitresses were helpful and kept coming by to check up on us!

If you’re looking for a hotel in Miami Beach, I definitely recommend this place. Whether it be for a day pass or a whole weekend they will definitely accommodate all your needs! Next time I definitely want to check out that spa! I heard such great things about it from the employees and also from other guests staying on the property. We had a great time and will definitely be coming back!

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Summer Sunburn Remedies

It’s finally that time of year again! Summer and sunshine is back in town and skin care becomes EXTRA important. I am absolutely obsessed with skincare as you guys already know, but sun care is usually lacking a bit for me. I know, I know, sunscreen is super important but with how carefree we are its easy to forget. So, if you’re like me or you just have very sensitive skin, you’ll get a few sunburns here and there. They suck, that’s the truth. They hurt, you’re hot, uncomfortable, and some times this feeling could last for days. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to make this a lot less painful and get rid of that burn in half the time. If you have any other tricks please let me know in the comments. DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor this is only what works for ME. If allergic to any of these please do not use them.

Apple Cider Vinegar & Coconut Oil

This is always my go to when I get a sunburn. Usually I always have these two on hand img_9045which makes it easier. I even bring them on vacation, they’re that good. What happens with the apple cider vinegar is it cools down the skin. So, it removes the heat of the sunburn. Still leaves it a little red but it begins immediately taking away the burn. The coconut oil heals the skin and prevents peeling. My LEAST favorite thing in the world is peeling away my tan. Its gross and makes my tan disappear.

What you need:

Apple Cider Vinegar

Cotton Pads

Coconut oil

Here are the steps I follow:

  1.        Grab a few cotton pads and soak them in apple cider vinegar. (The smell wont           be pleasant but the results will.
  2.        Rub the cotton pads all over your sunburn.
  3.        Let it sit for a least 5 minutes.
  4.        Hop in the shower. COLD water only. Let it rinse off the smell and then lightly           exfoliate your skin.
  5.        When you’re done pat the towel over the sunburn. DO NOT RUB. I promise it             will  hurt.
  6.        Warm up the coconut oil between your fingers and spread over the sunburn.             Try to rub it in as much as you can.
  7.        Let the oil dry and soak up into your skin before you put on clothes.
  8.        Do this for the next couple days until the sunburn is gone for best results and             little to no peeling.

Drink Water!

Drinking water is extremely important but especially when you have a sunburn! It rehydrates your skin and trust me you need it. You need to rehydrate from the inside out, if not it won’t matter what ointments or treatments you use because you won’t be hydrated enough. Water keeps your skin supple and reduces the inflammation and irritation of your skin.

Wear Loose Clothing

Obviously this won’t make your sunburn completely go away but tight clothing can increase the irritation. It will hurt and burn to even wear tight clothing so it’s better to just stay away from it for a few day. It lets your skin heal itself without further irritating it.

Cold Milk Compress

Trust me when I say that I didn’t think this would work at all, until I tried it. The same way that milk helps when you eat something spicy, it helps your skin when it’s red and burning. Any milk will do just make sure it is chilled. Not only will it feel amazing but the redness will begin to calm down. Soak the compress in cold milk and apply to the sunburn.

What you need:

Milk

Cotton Pads

Aloe Vera

This by no means is anything new and I’m sure you have used this before. Aloe calms and soothes the skin but personally instead of the bottled product I like to use it straight from the leaf. You can buy the whole aloe vera leaf at Publix or Winn Dixie. You can cut it along the side and open up the leaf to get to the product. Applying it straight from there will intensify the healing of our skin.

June Goals

Happy June everyone! So I know we all set goals for the new year, and then they basically get put off and never happen. That’s okay! Personally what works for me is to go month by month and see what I need to change or make better. June is definitely my favorite month of the year. June is my birthday month which of course makes it extra special but I also absolutely LOVE summer time. Emotionally, this is the happiest time of the year for me. Everything feels more easy going, fun, and all around less stressful. This is the month where I try to make the most improvements to my emotional health. Whether it be something stressing me out the last couple of months, or just not feeling like myself. Summer always makes me feel just a little bit better.

This month I want to show you guys my “June Goals” or “June Intentions”. I picked this up about two months ago from a blogger named Lee From America. You guys should really check her out (after you finish this post of course LOL). I feel like this really helps me visualize my month, my goals, and where I am right now. Reflecting on this at least once a month has really calmed my anxiety and given me a more positive outlook. I hope you guys enjoy! (If you try this out for yourself let me know in the comments!)

1. More Matcha, Less Coffee. 

This is definitely important as I am trying to focus more on my health journey lately. I66684a70-6c19-43ce-9ea8-99e317c8ee25 personally feel almost addicted to coffee. Like I NEED it to start my day. Green tea is so much more beneficial and way less calories. I already talked about my favorite matcha recipe so if you wanna check that out just click this link (My Matcha Latte Recipe).

2. Let things go.

The past couple months have been very stressful for me and this month I want to focus on being positive. I want to let go of negative energy and bring happy well minded people around me. I will always be an over thinker. It’s just in my nature, but not every thing is important to stress over.

3. Make more meals at home. 

I’ve literally been trying to do this forever. My boyfriend and I literally eat out EVERY DAY. Honestly, most of the time I just feel lazy and too tired but I want to push myself a little extra this month. I want to make easy, quick, but healthy meals.

4. Wake up earlier.

Recently I have started waking up before my alarm clock and on those days I feel 100x more productive. It puts an amazing start to my day and I need to start doing more of it. I can get work done, laundry, pretty much anything. I’ll even have plenty of time to make my matcha (; .