Every single person has some type of routine, right? Here are a few things I do without fail every morning before I leave for work. Brush my teeth, wash my face, tone, and ice roll. Ya know, the normal “first things you do when you wake up” things. I don’t go through my entire nighttime skincare routine (I’m working on updating this post, but it’s still pretty accurate) because I just don’t feel the need to and I really don’t have that much time. A quick cleanse to get off my sleeping mask and a quick use of toner and that’s pretty much it. I like to do a quick ice roll while I’m picking out my outfit for work. Put on moisturizer + SPF. It took me quite a while to incorporate this into my routine. But I knew I needed to do it. My go to is Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum (SPF 50) . It not only protects you from the sun, but also from pollution and blue light. Another great feature is that it helps even skin tone. Not much more I could ask for in a product! DEODORANT (duh). Ok, so I haven’t made the switch to natural deodorant (yet), but every morning I obviously can never leave the house without my Dove Dry Spray. Ever since I did a sponsored post with Dove a few years back, I haven’t used ANY other deodorant. To be honest, deodorant freaks me out. I’ve always hated the way deodorant felt on my skin, so finding a dry spray that I absolutely loved was incredible. Skim through the news. I’m subscribed to two different newsletters to get my updates throughout the week: The Morning Brew (+ their new retail newsletter) and The Newsette . I used to subscribe to TheSkimm, but I just became over it. The Morning Brew is my favorite way to get caught up on business and tech news that I don’t necessarily seek out or understand fully. The Newsette is a fun-light hearted, easy to read, girly newsletter that I still learn a lot from! Say “I love you” to my parents. I have the luxury of living at home with my mom and dad. While this option might not suit everyone, it’s definitely one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I absolutely love living at home right now. I’m also very close and affectionate with my parents, so I 100000% make sure I’m saying I love you whenever I leave the house to go to work. It’s just a thing we’ve always done. And will continue to do. Now tell me a bit about your morning routine! What do you ALWAYS do before you leave the house? photo by allie provost

A look at the beauty, skincare, and self care products I’ve been loving this month! BROW STYLER EYEBROW PENCIL & POWDER DUO I mentioned in this post that I was loving Benefit for a good eyebrow tint and wax. I went 2 weeks ago and the girl who did my brows introduced me to a new product: The brow styler pencil and powder duo. She filled in my brows with the powder part after tinting my brows…and I knew I immediately needed it. I’ve been loving how easy the powder blends in while filling my brows in. Usually the pencil looks a little harsh, so this is a nice way to easily fill your eyebrows! yoga I used to really enjoy doing yoga in college. I took a yoga class for credit, and then slowly started taking more classes in the DC/Virginia area. I also really enjoyed Bikram. For whatever reason, probably laziness, I stopped practicing. Over the last few months, I’ve been trying to get back into it. I’ve tried Y7 (and I really enjoy it), but I definitely need to continue practicing on my own. MILK lip balm Every night after my skin care routine, I LOVE putting this lip balm on. It hydrates the lips using hemp-derived cannabis seed oil and shea butter. SO soothing and perfect way to get your lips ready for the next day;)

While I’m definitely not a beauty junkie or guru, I’ve really learned to appreciate a good skincare routine. I used to severely complain about my skin being dry, flakey, oily at times, and uneven. And wanna know why that was? Because I was too lazy to invest in a good skincare routine. I literally barely washed my face with soap and water. Uh huh. I’ll admit that. I started getting into a routine in 2018 . Since then, I really tried to find products that worked for my skin. I’ve tried a bunch, loved a bunch, and hated a bunch. A lot of money was spent, but I think it was all for good reason — to keep my skin looking and feeling great. Another honesty moment: I never really cared about clean beauty products. I’ve always just purchased whatever I thought would be good for my skin. Here’s where Beautycounter came in. I think I first heard of Beautycounter from Ashlee. I looked into products, but ultimately never purchased anything. When I went to Nantucket last summer, I stopped by their shop and really took a look at their products. I ended up only purchasing the Dew Skin because I was obsessed with that dewy look. And that was the end of that. I really had a decent skincare routine down. Spending more time at home during COVID, and prioritizing self-care, I realized I wanted to change up my routine, and incorporate safer products. I decided to join as a Beautycounter consultant for 2 reasons: 1. Mainly because I wanted a 25% discount, and 2. Because I share products with my audience anyway, so I figured I could do that too if I liked it. Since there’s zero commitment (and it’s not an icky MLM), I figured there was no risk at all. I’ve since stopped doing the consultant, but still use my Beautycounter products! nightly skincare routine I started my clean skincare journey by purchasing the Countermatch Regimen Set , and some other products that fit within my usual routine. Below is my step-by-step nighttime skincare routine with all of my new Beautycounter products! Countermatch Refresh Foaming Cleanser This foaming cleanser is perfect for removing face and eye make up, washing away impurities, and leaving your skin glowing. Since the FIRST time I washed my face with this cleanser, I knew it was going to become a favorite. My skin was INSTANTLY smoother and it didn’t feel tight or dry. I use this cleanser every night and in the morning! Countermatch Hydra-Gel Radiance Toner If you asked me a year ago what a toner does…I probably wouldn’t have been able to answer. Think of toner as a prep step. Toner removes any last traces of dirt and impurities that are stuck in your pores after cleansing. This is actually the first toner I’ve used that was gel-based, and I really love the way my skin feels after. I use 1-2 pumps on a cotton pad, and apply to my clean, dry face. It doesn’t feel me leaving sticky, and I love that it not only helps with my pores, but also leaves my skin feeling hydrated. I let that sink in for a couple of minutes before moving onto my next step. Countertime Mineral Boost Hydrating Essence Ok so an essence is ALSO another product that I bought on the fly without actually knowing what it does for your skin. I’ve been using essences in my routine for a little over a year, and can definitely say they’re like magic. I don’t know HOW or WHAT they actually do…but my skin feels better. Apparently essences are slightly more beneficial than toners, and provides your skin with vital nutrients — and this one certainly feels instantaneous. The hydrating formula leaves my skin feeling radiant and ready for the next few steps I have in my routine. This particular essence is milky, lightweight, and feels really relaxing on the skin. Dime Hyper Glow Serum Described as an “antioxidant powerhouse”, this serum has Vitamin C and other things that are good for your skin;) There’s also Vitamin E, which helps boost a natural defense against oxidation caused by pollution, toxins, and other environmental stressors (AND HELLOOOOO I NEED THAT IN NEW YORK CITY). I noticed after about two weeks of use that my skin looks brighter and more supple. No, I’m serious — Rob always looks at my skin and says, “You have supple skin”…and now HE started using it! Dime Hyaluronic Acid I didn’t know my skin needed hyaluronic acid until I started using it. This replenishing serum helps quench thirsty skin — and boosts bounce by delivering intense hydration when it’s needed the most. This 100% hyaluronic acid serum tailors itself to fit the hydration needs of ALL skin types! I’ve noticed it plumps my skin almost immediately! Using it with the Hyper Glow serum has done WONDERS for my skin. Countermatch Recovery Sleeping Cream This might be my favorite product. I’m ALL for a good moisturizer. This overnight cream helps create a protective layer to shield skin from moisture loss during sleep. The advanced formula replenishes hydration and revitalizes skin with a blend of hyaluronic acid (one of the most effective hydrating ingredients), squalane (draws moisture into the skins/restores elasticity), and plum oil (provides nutrients for vibrant skin). Countermatch Eye Rescue Cream And finally…an eye cream. I had been neglecting an eye cream for a few months because I had finished one of my previous products. I was really happy that the Countermatch Regimen Set had this eye cream in it! This lightweight cream is perfect for the delicate eye area. AND THAT IS ALL SHE WROTE!!! My simple, yet somewhat lengthy (I mean, it only takes like 10 minutes tops) nighttime skincare routine. I’m SUPER happy with how my skin has been looking and feeling. I also just feel better knowing that I’m using clean beauty products. It also is important to me to share these kinds of products with YOU since I want to make sure you’re also putting good things on your skin. Honestly, my morning routine kind of looks the same, except I add SPF and a lighter moisturizer ! What does your night time beauty routine look like?

I used to be the girl who NEEDED advice from people. I thrived on listening to others. To be honest, I guess I still kind of am. I’ve come to the realization that I’m just not a decisive person. The only thing I can actually make decisions on are clothes, shoes, and bags. And even then, sometimes I can’t even figure out what my closet truly needs. In my career, I’m always looking to my team for approval, recommendations, etc. In my blog life, any positive comment or praise would lead me to explore a new opportunity or something to create. Or if I saw someone else finding success in doing a certain something, then I would want to do it too. Which I guess is pretty natural. But then, you kind of start feeling like a fraud, no? Sometimes I feel like I’m not speaking my own truth. I think I let my own thoughts get overshadowed by other things, and they don’t end up getting the attention they really deserve. I feel like we’re conditioned to act and behave in a way that the society you’re in “approves”. So that causes us to stop listening to ourselves, and start listening to the noise. Everyone has an opinion. Which, yes, they’re entitled to. But that doesn’t mean you necessarily need to listen to it. Everyone’s opinions are based on their perspective and experience. It’s almost like everyone somehow knows how YOU can achieve YOUR perfect life…but when you look at them, they haven’t achieved theirs. Of course, I think it’s important to listen to the opinions of others WHEN IT IS NECESSARY. But when it comes to yourself, and bettering yourself, only YOU can decide that. I really believe that the only difference between those who succeed and those who get stuck, is their capacity to block out the noise from everyone around them. How do you block out the noise in order to do what’s best for you?

I’ve always been a fan of Botox – even though I’ve never done it. I think people should be able to whatever they want to their face/body…even if that may look different for everyone. Personally, I never thought I truly needed Botox, BUT I started looking into it after I read about the benefits if you have TMJ. It wasn’t until like 2 years ago that I realized I have major jaw issues. I had been seeing a new dentist, and he randomly asked me if my jaw hurt. I didn’t think anything of it until I actually started to think about it. My jaw did REALLY EFFING HURT. It would click when I opened it, and almost feel like it was unhinged. I tried the night guard route, but I’m horrible with being consistent with it, and at this point, it probably wouldn’t even fit my mouth. So when I read that Botox could actually help TMJ, I was definitely interested. It just so happened that recently, a new studio opened in the city, Tonic . They have a modern approach to aging, and provide a guide to formulate a personalized plan for you. What I loved about Tonic is that they’ve partnered with Dr. Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in medical and cosmetic dermatology. She is a highly educated dermatologist, and that was a big selling factor for me. In full disclosure, I partnered with Tonic to create some content for Instagram and their social media channels. But since I had such a great experience, I wanted to write a full blog post about it! Symptoms From My TMJ I learned that TMJ is very much triggered by stress – both physical and emotional. When I’m stressed my jaw muscles are the first to tense up. Some of the symptoms/pain I experience is: Sore jaw Pain around my neck and ears Clicking noise in my jaw when I open and close Clenching Grinding Ringing my my ears Benefits of Botox for TMJ I don’t know if it was all in my head, but once I got Botox in my jaw, I immediately felt relief. Botox literally just relaxes your muscles. I worked with Dr. King to determine what would be best in terms of the number of injections that I would benefit from the most. Over the last month, I noticed a significant decrease in the clenching of my jaw, and I can open/close my mouth with no pain. Since I’ve gotten Botox, I want to make sure my muscles stay as relaxed as possible so here are some tips: Yoga and deep breathing Be cognizant of my posture Recognize when I’m clenching my jaw and work to relax it Focus on keeping teeth apart when not eating Avoid sticky/tough foods. Did you know you can relieve pain from TMJ with Botox?!? If you’re in the NYC area, I highly recommend Dr. Hadley King at Tonic Studio. I know I’ll definitely be back! photos by allie provost

I bought my first yoga mat in college. Okay fine, my mom bought it for me. Through the years, I’ve tried a bunch of different mats. Honestly, if you’re a beginner, I wouldn’t be too concerned with spending all of your money. But don’t just pick up an any ol’ mat. Mats are obviously very important to yoga practices. Of course, you can really do yoga anywhere and on every surface, but there’s something oddly special about stepping onto a mat you love. amazon Price: $20-22 While I cannot speak to this personally, this mat has gotten some good reviews. Honestly, you get what you pay for though. I’ve been reading that you get a few months of good use out of this mat. It’s a thicker mat, which is great for spine, knee, and hand/wrist/elbow support. This mat also comes with a free mat strap! gaiam Price: Start around $21, and goes up based on premium styles My very first yoga mat was from Gaiam. I signed up for a 3-credit course in college because I really wanted to learn the practice. This mat was the one that got me through a year or so of my beginner practice. For the cheaper options, I do find they are a little less supportive (I like a medium-thickness with my mats). I know their mats have good non-slip surfaces, and also come with a lifetime guarantee. Bonus points for being made with sustainable materials (latex free, no harmful phthalates). manduka Price:$44-146 I was introduced to Manduka when I started dating Nick. He absolutely LOVES Manduka, and I’ve learned to love their products as well. The two mats I am a BIG fan of are the eKO series and the GRP series. Their great for different reasons, but seriously cannot go wrong with any of them! GRP: This lightweight mat is still heavy duty. I originally purchased this mat because I went to a lot of hot yoga classes, and hated feeling like I was slipping if I didn’t bring my own mat. The “lite” version is better for travel, and it is designed to have no-slip grips no matter how much you’re sweating. They use a charcoal-infused rubber technology to absorb sweat and eliminate odor. Even though I’m not going to hot yoga classes (UGH, can’t wait), I still use this mat for daily practice and yoga sculpt classes. eKO: As I started brainstorming for this post, I acutally purchsed the eKO Lite mat for my at home practice — it’s the mat I’m using above! This mat feels naturally grippy, and I really do enjoy practicing on this mat and I don’t lose grip at all. Another great selling point of this mat is that it’s eco-friendly and biodegradable. If you’re looking to (eventually) lug your mat around, the SUPER LIGHT 1.5MM is probably your best option. The main difference between these mats are basically how they’re made. The main benefit of the GRP mat is the stickiness capability. The mat stays in place and I can definitely vouch for that. jade Price:$40-179 I’ve never owned a Jade mat, but I’ve used them at different studios. I enjoy these mats a lot , but never looked into buying. I find a lot of stability with these mats, so if you’re looking for something on the higher end — these are for you! They’re also eco-friendly. And for every mat sold, they plant one free! Yoga mats are personal preference, and you definitely need to find one that makes YOU excited to get on your mat and practice.

If there’s one thing we can do while self-quarantining, it’s moving our bodies. I’ve always considered myself a fairly active human. During this time, I’ve really loved hearing and seeing more and more people working out at home. It’s really great to see all of our favorite gyms, yoga studios, and cycling work outs trying to help us flatten the curve by providing online work outs. I know a lot of people are sick of other sharing time lapses of their at-home work outs (I admit it’s not the greatest way to show what you’re doing), but I love that people are JUST BEING ACTIVE. I think now more than ever, working out is a complete mental game. Many of us are trying to find our “new normal”. To be completely honest, HIIT work outs have been put on the back burner for me. Why? Because I’m trying to navigate this whole working from home situation. I’m not used to this. I plan on writing a complete post with how I’m feeling about all of this, but it’s kind of hard to put into words. The one thing I’ve been doing 5-6 days out of the week is yoga. It’s been such a game changer for me in the sense that it’s just something we’re doing every day at 5:30PM. It’s basically been part of the routine since we started self-quarantining. After sitting on the couch all day working my 9-to-5, it’s nice to know I have something to look forward to. Yoga REALLY helps open your body up, and it’s SO SO SO helpful in getting out of your head during this time of uncertainty. I also look forward to putting on work out clothes. It’s just a nice change of pace and means it’s time to really kick my butt into gear. I wanted to share a few of my favorite work out gear with you today! gapfit I didn’t have work out clothes one evening, so I popped into Gap after work (OH THE LITTLE THINGS). I just needed pants and a top, but ended up walking out with a few extra goodies. Specifically loved this funnel neck pullover for to/from a class! Right now, Gap is SUPER promotional (as is most of the retail space), so I’d definitely take advantage of what they have to offer. Everything is UP TO 60% off (and some product is even AN ADDITIONAL 20% off). Turn on your JavaScript to view content lululemon I know lululemon is a pretty expensive brand, but I do love their products. Ever since I learned of the brand in college, I remember instantly falling in love with their yoga products and bags. Most recently, I’ve been OBSESSED with their Align pant. I know they don’t really ever have discounts, so I raided the sale section for you guys! I think I’m going to place an order today for the below things! Turn on your JavaScript to view content beyond yoga This brand was pretty new to me, but I found it thanks to the Nordstrom sale a few years back. I got this awesome, flowy off the shoulder long sleeve to wear to and from SoulCycle. I still where it till this day! While I do like their leggings, I mostly shop this brand for to from pieces. Turn on your JavaScript to view content fp movement Obviously when I worked for Free People, I wore a lot of Free People LOL. I didn’t work on the FP Movement brand, but I learned to love the pieces. I own A LOT of FP Movement. I think they do a great job at to/from pieces – can you sense a theme here? I’m really all about the athleisure wear;) Turn on your JavaScript to view content What workouts have you been doing during this time?

For whatever reason hitting publish on this post makes me feel nervous. But hey, I guess that’s what happens when you’re dealing with your mental health. I wrote this post on Instagram last week about how I believe I’m dealing with anxiety. On the outside, I’m a totally “normal” human being that leads a normal and great life. On the inside, my thoughts and fears get the best of me. a little background When I really look back on my life, even from a young age, I think I’ve always been an anxious and sensitive person. When I was a baby, my mom said I would cry at songs that had sad melodies (like a Chase Bank commercial). When I was a little older, I remember seeing something on an episode of the show “ER” that had to do with 2 younger kids losing their parents in a car accident. I swear from that moment on, I’ve always been VERY anxious about losing my parents. As I got older, I realized that even though I loved being social, I didn’t like to do ANYTHING by myself. I wouldn’t even walk to the vending machine by myself. It made me super uncomfortable. nothing was wrong I never took the time to truly address my thoughts and feelings. I always thought that since I have and always had an amazing life, that I was fine. Nothing was wrong, and these were just normal thoughts. I didn’t realize the IMPACT these thoughts were having in my life over the years. always thinking I believe my anxiety comes from all of the unwarranted thoughts. Sure, everyone goes through their shit. We’ve ALL had bad things happen to us. We’ve ALL been through ups and downs, break ups, make ups, tragedies, etc. But looking back on it, I don’t think I do a good job at addressing or coping with situations. I’m ALWAYS thinking. Or should I say OVERTHINKING. It’s something I’ve always done. I always think I’m doing something wrong — at work, at home, in my relationships/friendships. When the slightest thing, issue, fight, etc. happens, I can’t shake the feeling that it’s the absolute end of the world. Or that I’m not doing enough. Or that whoever is involved in the situation hates me. Although I admit I’m fairly selfish, I still am a huge people pleaser at the end of the day. So when I think something is wrong, it kills me. Even if I didn’t necessarily do anything. when did i realize i had anxiety? I think over the last few months. A goal of mine is to be more aware, and I’ve definitely been more aware that my thoughts have been affecting my every day life. So then I started noticing things that trigger these thoughts and, therefore, my anxiety. In the past, I don’t think I wanted to believe I could be dealing with mental health issues. Like how could I have issues? I have a lot of really great things going for me. I have a lot of great people in my life, people that I WANT around. But I don’t think that’s how mental health issues work. For me, that’s the first step in figuring this whole thing out. Breathing has been a big helper in this. Just a couple of techniques and deep breaths have helped tremendously. I’m working on realizing that my thoughts are not facts. That it’s OK to be anxious, as long as I can control it. That I need to take things one step at a time. why i want to talk now? In keeping up with transparency, this is something that’s part of my life. So I’m going to tell you about it. I also want to continue to talk to you about things. Maybe you’re also dealing with anxiety. Maybe you have been for a very long time. Maybe you have amazing things that have worked for you that might work for me. I’ve always had a thing for mental health. I’ve always been fascinated by the mind, mental diseases, and how society plays a role in it. Social media is a blessing and a curse. While I don’t think it was the CAUSE of my anxiety, it certainly plays a role in it. While I know it’s just a highlight reel for most people, sometimes my thoughts get the best of me while looking through my feed…which makes me want to throw my phone. But on the other hand, I LOVE sharing with you. And I love sharing REAL things with you. The stigma around mental health needs to be broken. Just because I believe I have anxiety, doesn’t mean I’m not a happy person. So why wouldn’t I talk about it? Too many of us refuse to talk about our feelings and what is impacting our mental health out of fear. Fear of being judged. Fear of being not normal. Fear of having to get help. But for me, that fear “ends” here. And I hope this post encourages it to end for you too. *I’m in no way a doctor, and cannot give any medical advice. If you’re experiencing some of the same things I’m talking about, please reach out to a medical professional.*