A look at the beauty, skincare, and self care products I’ve been loving this month! elderberry gummies Not only do these taste delicious, they’re also a natural way to support your body’s immune system. Elderberries are packed with antioxidants and potassium , as well as act as an anti-inflammatory. Now that it’s cold and flu season, I’m trying to prevent getting sick at all costs. I’m trying to do less medicines and more natural things to help my body. apple cider vinegar shampoo I mentioned this shampoo briefly in The Friday Edit a few weeks ago, but wanted to circle back to talk about it more in depth. I’m honestly LOVING this shampoo so far. For a while, I’ve been taking a lot of heat to my hair, so I was excited to learn that WOW helps repair damaged hair. Also, winter is upon us here in New York, and this shampoo helps ease dry scalp. Another great thing about WOW is that it really cleans your hair. Since I don’t wash my hair very often, I love the feeling of a super clean scalp after using this shampoo. And one more thing to note: This shampoo helps with slowing down hair loss! Although this isn’t something I personally deal with, I thought it was such a great talking point – in case you’re dealing with that! welly first aid One day I was at Allie’s apartment and desperately (ok, fine, not desperate) needed a bandaid. She handed me these Welly bandaids and said I could keep them. At first, I thought they were kind of weird because they were in a tin and looked funny. I obviously put one on anyway, and was SO impressed by them. The specific bandaids I used were hydrocolloid pads that seal in moisture to promote faster healing (i.e. keeping out germs and dirt). I also swear these bandaids stuck to you LIKE GLUE. Seriously. And they didn’t get that gross “yeah, I’ve been wearing this bandaid for too long” look. So basically, I’m never NOT going to be wearing these bandaids when I get a cut or blister! There are so many kinds of bandaids and kits you can get – and you won’t believe the price!

Never thought I’d write a post about how to prolong your dirty hair. This post is sponsored by Waterl<ss. But here we are. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I’ve been doing the “days without washing your hair” thing since HIGH SCHOOL (I started high school in 2006, by the way). So I’d like to think I’m an expert. Here’s how you can go days without washing your hair. Train Your Hair/Have a Plan I mean I don’t think you can actually “train” your hair, but we’ll just call it that for now. I swear over the last few years, my hair has been less and less oily between my washes. I used to wash my hair every other day, then every two days, and now sometimes I’ll go 3-4-5 days without washing my hair. I remember when I first stopped washing my hair every day, it would be oily on day 2. I always know my hair will look great on days 2 and 3, but by days 4 and 5, I have to get a little creative with what I’m doing with my hair. This usually means low buns, braids, etc. Find Products That Work For You Since I’ve gotten really good at not washing my hair, I’ve tried a ton of different dry shampoos. My latest and greatest? Waterl<ss No Residue Dry Shampoo . I love that just a few sprays of this help to prolong the days between washes. I’ve also been incorporating Waterl<ss’ Weightless Smooth Dry Conditioner as well. I typically use it on days 3/4 when my hair is dull and tangled. My top secret pro tip? Use dry shampoo prior to a workout. This allows for time to absorb the oils. What I really love about Waterl<ss is their origin story! A group of scientists were looking for a way to improve non-wash hair days for a diverse group of hair types. They created products that ACTUALLY clean your hair without using water. Around the same time, Cape Town, South Africa was experiencing a water crisis in 2018. The city of 4 million was just three months away from running out clean water. Waterl<ss tested their products here to give women an option to get clean, fresh hair without using a single drop of water. Make It smell nice I don’t always love washing my hair after a workout (especially if I have plans afterwards). I love that Waterl<ss has these fragrance mists that I easily throw into my gym bag. I’ve actually never thought to use a fragrance mist, but when you think about it…MAKES TOTAL SENSE. Not only does my hair smell awesome even after a few days of not washing it, but it also helps tame frizz and static! photos by allie provost

I didn’t start taking my skincare seriously until I was like 26/27. Maybe even a little later than that. But now that I’m in my 30s, I cannot believe how much attention my skin is needing in the winter. I’ve always had some dry patches here and there, but over the last month my skin has been PAINFULLY dry. I was actually so nervous about it because it was so new to me – so I booked a dermatologist appointment. She was very much like “your skin is just super dry”. I wish there was some magic thing to help, but I’m still going through this journey. I decided to share what I’ve been doing and how I’m seeing some results to keeping my skin hydrated. Tips On Keeping Your Skin Hydrated In The Winter I really had to think about things other than just a “great skincare routine” when it came to keeping my skin hydrated. I think I was really caught up in this because my skin was dull. It was SO itchy and started reacting to almost every product I put on. Oh AND I started noticing more fine lines. After doing some research, here’s what I’ve been doing to keep my skin hydrated. Drink More Water Hydration and water go hand in hand. And that seems to be the thing I forget the most. Our skin NEEDS water to give it strength, elasticity, and that healthy appearance we all strive for. Drinking water doesn’t necessarily hydrate your skin BUT obviously it’s important. It helps the body’s overall processes to support general health. Duh. We all learned this in school at some point, right? To be honest, I don’t drink a lot of water. And I know that’s horrible. I’ve tried everything – I LOVE water, but I just find myself too lazy to drink it. But now that I’m getting older, I definitely notice it – whether it’s duller skin or a massive headache. So yeah, I need to be better about this – I did pick this water bottle with a filter so that I can ALWAYS access water, even if it’s tap. Get A Humidifier Obviously in the winter, you can’t really escape the cold. And it’s generally just so dry in the winter. I started researching, and found that humidifiers can help. I didn’t even think of this when it came to my skin. I just assumed my apartment wasn’t dry? Anyway, I bought these two little humidifiers on Amazon – one for my desk when I’m WFH and one for my nightstand . Skip The Scalding Hot Shower I’m the girl that takes a 150 degree shower. It just feels so damn good. And then I get out and my skin is splotchy and itchy. And obviously dry as hell. So I’m learning to skip the absolute burning part of my nighttime routine, and keeping my showers to a lukewarm temperature. I also have been starting to apply a body serum/moisturizer ( I love this one from Iota Body ) immediately after showering. Look At Your Diet I didn’t want to have to go this far into my research, but just throwing moisturizer on wasn’t cutting it. Foods like nuts, seeds, avocados, and oily fish can have a great effect on the overall hydration of your skin. *Adds omega supplement to cart* Foods with vitamins A, C, and D help maintain a healthy skin barrier to lock in moisture. Obviously processed & sugary things DO. NOT. HELP. Know Your Products Did you know there’s a difference between moisturizing and hydrating?! Because I didn’t. Moisturizing is when you’re using products to seal in moisture of your skin cells. Think hyaluronic acid, ceramides, shea butter, and petroleum jelly. These ingredients help repair your skin’s barrier and prevent water loss. But when it comes to keeping your skin hydrated, you need to go beneath your skin’s barrier. Hydration is what “plumps” your skin cells up. A few weeks ago, I woke up and my skin was SO tight, itchy, and blotchy. It almost felt like I had a sunburn on my face. I knew this wasn’t a good sign, so I immediately went to do my skincare routine. And my skin IMMEDIATELY started reacting to every product. There was no smooth or healthy glow. When I googled if dry skin causes increased redness, I found out it does. So by keeping your skin hydrated, you’ll make any inflammation go down (unless you have something else going on, of course!!). After I made a dermatologist appointment, I learned that there are definitely products I’ve been using that are causing dehydration in my skin. As much moisturizer as I’ve used, overusing ingredients like AHAs and retinols/retinoids are always going to cause that dehydration. I’ve completely stopped using them over the last few weeks, but now I’m starting to learn how to find that perfect balance because I do really love the wonders that some acids and retinols do for my skin. Hyaluronic acid is the big ingredient that we all know about. A good hyaluronic acid has amazing hydrating capabilities (I think I saw a stat that it can hold up to ONE THOUSAND TIMES its own weight in water????). While my derm recommended this, she also mentioned glycerin (described it as a “natural” moisturizer), ceramides and niacinamide. So now I’m on the hunt for products with these ingredients to help keep my skin hydrated. And the last product I’ve been using is Squalane – I mix a couple of drops in with my moisturizer and learned that it helps LOCK moisture into your skin rather than letting it evaporate on top of the skin. Here’s what I’ve been using to keep my skin hydrated post-dermatologist appointment: Gentle cleanse with this from Youth To The People Tower28 SOS Mist CeraVe Alcohol-Free Toner Snail Mucin Essence (while toner/mist are still damp) Barrier Support Serum La Roche Posay Double Repair Moisturizer Add 2-3 drops of face oil or Squalane Love hearing any recommendations you might have on how to keep your skin hydrated in the winter – leave a comment below!

New year, new lifestyle? I really didn’t want to say that because I very much dislike the “new year, new…” phrase. But hey, if a new year is what I need to give myself a kick in the ass, then so be it. This year, I’m really committing to live an overall healthier lifestyle. I wouldn’t consider myself unhealthy, but I definitely don’t implement many healthy practices. I’m actually fairly lucky to have my genetics in that case, but now that I’m in my 30s, I want to take it more seriously. I took some time to think about what kind of lifestyle I want to life, and then took even MORE time to think about how I’m going to achieve that lifestyle. 7 Ways To Live A Healthier Lifestyle MORE. WATER. This is something I’m trying to be SO mindful of. Before I started being mindful of actually drinking water, I was only mindful of just how LITTLE water I was drinking. Some days I would only drink 1 coffee and a 1 soda. Since I’ve been drinking more water – my skin has felt better, I actually FEEL thirsty so I can drink more (vs. being used to being so dehydrated that I didn’t feel like I needed water). Last week, I took a hot yoga class and didn’t drink a ton of water that day…I felt like CRAP in the class. Two days later, I felt HYDRATED AF…and felt great during the class! So wow, it’s almost like water works;) More yoga Speaking of yoga…we’re getting back into it. During COVID, I was practicing 5 days a week, sometimes more. I was actually in the best shape of my life during that time. While I don’t think I’ll get back to practicing 5-6 days a week, I’m really trying to stick to a schedule of Monday, Wednesday, Saturday. I feel SO incredible (mentally and physically) after a class, so I just need to make sure I’m finding an hour on these days to get to a class. Hot yoga is my absolute favorite – I love sweating more than I would in a regular-temp class! It also feels really great to be part of a little community again. Care/Of Okay this is VERY new to me. I don’t think I’ve consistently taken vitamins ever in my life. Now that I’m an aging 30 year old (*slight sarcasm), I need to take matters into my own hand. I’ve see Care/Of vitamins before, and then I saw Krystal promote them, so I jumped on ordering! I’m a sucker for great packaging and I love that EACH daily packet is personalized. HOW CUTE?! I also love that you take a quiz to figure out just what kind of vitamins you need. For me, I wanted to focus primarily on gut health and digestion (with other factors like living in a city, overall health, and skin coming into play). So I have a pack of 10 vitamins a day that I started taking over the weekend (lol). I will say — they are NOT cheap. I’m not working with them, but they do have a referral program, so you can get 50% off your first order ! Will absolutely report back over the next few weeks and months! Meditation I’ve talked about this app a few times on Instagram and in my newsletter. The Superhuman app is, in my opinion, one of the easiest ways to live a healthier lifestyle. The concept of meditation was really hard for me. I thought you needed to be 10000% completely tuned in and transform your thoughts. And it’s kind of the opposite — it’s just another way of thinking, another way to be mindful, and I love that! So even when your mind wanders, that’s okay! As long as you can find the way back to the meditation, that means you’re doing it! I’m currently doing the 21 Day Challenge and it’s really been helping me stay on top of my intentions for the year. Less consumption I recently read an article that described the information we consume as an IV drip directly to the back of my brain. And when you put it like that, it makes so much sense…and not in a good way. I used to turn the news on as soon as I woke up because I 1. Liked to stay informed and 2. Liked the background noise. But let’s face it, the news is depressing. I’m always the person who thinks the worst case scenario. So to constantly consume the news cycle just isn’t what I should be doing. I feel like I would know if something major or important happened…but I feel like today’s society has really gotten us used to ALWAYS CONSUMING SOMETHING. I’m trying to keep up with sources like Mosheh and The Morning Brew to get SOME kind of daily update, but it’s not something I’m constantly looking for anymore. Reaching for my book over my phone I am ATTACHED to my phone. I pick it up more than I pick up anything else in my life. And I kind of hate it. For a while, I wasn’t even mindful of how much I was reaching for it. But once I noticed, I REALLY NOTICED. And I started really hating that I was just constantly going for my phone. When I think of it like this: There’s absolutely NOTHING urgent on my phone that I NEED to be picking it up that much. But I still do. I fall into the mindless scrolling/checking notifications hole, and it takes This is a habit that is HARD to kick. I’ve been trying to keep my book next to my bed so I can pick that up instead of my phone. Less spending I’ve always been an impulse buyer. If I want something, I’ll buy it. Even if I don’t need it. And I really want to try to do the opposite. For instance, I started making my coffee at home every week day and only buying it on the weekends. I was notorious for skipping Hello Fresh meals and just ordering DoorDash…and I cannot believe how quickly that adds up. So I’m trying to get more into that and cooking 3-4 times a week. I also OVERDID it over the holidays — I was buying anything and everything during the really awesome J.Crew sale. So I’m trying to not buy anything for January because there’s just no need. Plus, everything is Spring forward and I’m not ready to give up my sweaters. I really want to check back in on this post every few months to get myself reacquainted with these actions. What are some ways you’re trying to do to live a healthier lifestyle?!

In more ways than one, living through a pandemic has certainly brought a shift in pretty much all aspects of my life. We all know 2020 was one of the shittiest years OF. ALL. TIME. A global pandemic, racial injustice, a crazy important election year, the list goes on. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t caught up in personal battles as well as the global battles we were all dealing with. I used to be so obsessed with controlling situations, having the highest expectations for those around me, thinking about how others perceived me, etc. And 2020 proved that I just couldn’t keep up with it anymore. I was constantly feeling stressed over things I really couldn’t control. Plus, the uncertainty of the world was enough to send me into a miserable hole. I realized it was time to change my attitude: towards people, places, relationships, friendships, and life in general. Changing your mindset doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice, patience, and a whole lot of trial and error. I’ve found that a few things work for me when I literally need to snap out of my bad attitude/habits and start fresh. A few ways to change your attitude Breathe — there’s really something to be said about what a few deep breaths can do. Ever since I started doing yoga, I’ve learned the importance of breathwork, and in stressful situations, I always come back to the breathe. CBD — On days where I’m just REALLY lacking a good attitude (mainly due to anxiety), I reach for my Equilibria CBD drops. They are, what I like to call, my instant dose of calm. Taking a drop full of CBD instantly helps calm me down, and allows me to refocus my attention (and attitude) elsewhere. PS: If you’re interested in Equilibria, you can shop here — my code danamannarino will get you 15% off your purchase! Daily Gratitude — When I get home from my morning walk, I sit at my desk and write down one thing I’m grateful for in that very moment. Whether it’s big or small, it always brings a smile to my face. Thinking about things that make you GRATEFUL really helps put life into perspective. Once I write that down, it helps set the tone for a positive attitude. Move your body — If I’m feeling down, I try to get a workout in of some sort. Whether it’s yoga or a full body class, getting your heart rate up reminds you of YOUR POWER, YOUR STRENGTH. Get inspired — Living on the Upper East Side has really brought so much joy and inspiration into my life. Thanks to my daily walks, I’m generally just a happier person thanks to the people I see walking around the neighborhood. Plus, there’s too many cute restaurants and shops — SO MUCH CUTE LIL INSPO!!! Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or just have a bad effing attitude, I try to go back to these tactics that pull me out of my funk immediately. Even though they usually don’t change the actual situation or what I can control, I feel a sense of calm…almost like a little reset button. So I hope they help you too, and at the end of the day: YOU GOT THIS!!! photo by allie provost