A round up of this month’s favorite beauty, skincare, and wellness products! HUM Nutrition A few months ago I was sent Hum Nutrition’s Vitamin C gummies ( Glow Sweet Glow ) in a press package, and I was intrigued by the brand. I started looking into their other supplements and really wanted to try them, but never purchased. Luckily, I was sent another press package with Flatter Me , Daily Cleanse , and Gut Instinct . The reviews were all amazing, so I started taking them towards the end of December. I have such an issue with being consistent with things, but I’m really trying to be consistent so that I can hopefully see a difference. If you’ve ever taken HUM supplements, would LOVE to know your experience! Murad City Skin Products I promised an update on these blue light/environmental defense products. So far, I’m really loving them. I add the City Skin overnight detox moisturizer before my sleep mask every night. It goes on so smooth and really prevents dry skin. The fact that it also helps detox your skin from blue light and other pollutants is an AMAZING benefit! In the morning, I put on my City Skin SPF . It’s the only thing I wear, and it goes on super light and feels really great on my skin. It’s great for sensitive skin. My skin also runs on the dry side, and this SPF blends in really easily. Skin Laundry I first tried Skin Laundry last year, and really loved it. I stopped going because it’s not exactly super affordable. In September, I noticed small, annoying break outs on my chin. I haven’t had time for full blown facials, so I decided to go back to Skin Laundry. I’m all about efficient, so this 15 minutes laser and light facial is perfect for my lifestyle. Again, I decided that I need to be more consistent when it comes to my skincare, so that I could hopefully avoid the breakouts, I joined the Laundry Club and decided to go to Skin Laundry every two weeks to keep my skin extra clean! I often add the Hydroboost (which is an insanely hydrating serum) to protect my skin from the winter cold here in the city. And there you have it — January’s beauty favorites! I would LOVE to hear about the products you’re loving this month. Leave a comment below!

A round up of this month’s favorite beauty, skincare, and wellness products! This was a great month for me. I’ve found SO many products that I’m just in love with…and I’m so excited to share them with you! La Mer’s The Concentrate JUST NO WORDS FOR THIS PRODUCT . Obviously La Mer is a pretty big investment, but trust me…if you splurge on one beauty product, it NEEDS to be The Concentrate . It’s some kind of magical product that feels like straight up velvet on your face. My skin is INSTANTLY transformed to be super silky and smooth. It’s made with an elixir that calms your skin whether you’ve had a little too much sun or been hit with too much winter wind. I promise anyone will LOVE this product. Ice Roller Gotta admit, this one isn’t my doing. Grace introduced me to the ice roller and I’ve become HOOKED. I try to use it every night, and roll for like 10-15 minutes after my skincare routine. It’s a great way to depuff, drain, and wake your skin up. It also has been helpful when I have a headache. Seriously recommend this! Glossier Detox Mask A few weeks ago I finally made it to the Glossier store in SoHo, and obviously went a little crazy. I picked up this detox mask and have been LOVING it. My skin looks AMAZING after (the first time, my skin was a little agitated, but I gave it another try). This mask removes unnecessary oils and impurities from your skin, and leaves it feeling fresh. I put this on for about 12 minutes (although they recommend 20, but that’s when my skin starts to get pissed off), and my skin is definitely brighter and even! Glossier Boy Brow I bit the bullet and bought the Boy Brow . And LOVE IT. After I went to the Neiman Marcus salon to get my eyebrows shaped and tinted, I knew I wanted to keep up with my brows and be able to fill them in properly. I really love this brow gel because it not only helps me fill them in, but also because it helps keep my brows in place. I use the shade Brown to make it as natural as possible. Laneige Lavender Sleeping Mask You guys know how much I love the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask…and they came out with a lavender version. I LOVE anything lavender, so I just NEEDED this one too . I justified it by telling myself that I’m pretty much finished with my other container. This mask feels so good on your skin and smells SO delicious. It’s a nice way to just relax at the end of the day. PS: It’s a limited edition mask, so don’t miss out! Origins Hello Calm Mask I can’t remember how I found this mask , but once I did, I basically ran to Sephora after work. I’ve been wanting to try more products that infuse CBD. When I looked into this mask a bit more, I love that its main motive is to de-stress your skin and senses. It’s formulated with cannabis sativa seed oil that is rich in omega acids that deeply hydrate your skin. The product is also formulated without parabens, phthlates…and other things that I don’t really know about. But I do want to start paying more attention to what goes into the products I’m wearing. So Origins was a great place to start! Overall, this mask helps my skin feel and look healthier…and the calming scent helps too! photo by allie provost

A round up of products (skincare, beauty, wellness) I’m loving this month! Tata Harper Nourishing Makeup Removing Oil Cleanser I bought this off a recommendation from Grace (no surprise there), and I do like it a lot. I don’t use this as my daily cleanser though. I incorporate this into my routine when I need to double cleanse . My skin leans towards the oily side during the summer months, so I like to give my face a good double cleanse 2-3 times a week. This cleanser is super gentle and leaves my skin feeling great. Shiseido Facial Cotton Honestly, I’m just bougie. My sister and I picked up these facial cottons during the Sephora sale, and honestly I REALLY like them. They’re super fluffy and don’t come apart when you’re toning or putting on some moisturizer. Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream Dewy skin is actually my favorite look, so when I stumbled upon this product in Sephora , it was game over. Dewy skin cream? OK FINE, TWIST MY ARM. This lightweight cream is my final step every morning while getting ready for work (after my sunscreen). This cream provides extreme hydration and antioxidant-packed Japanese purple rice (helps skin recover from and protect against stress, pollution, and UV damage for healthier looking skin). What products are you loving this month? Gimmme all the recs!

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;)

The more I think about it, the more I realize just how much I actually smile. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of GLEEM. The opinions and text are all mine. Which is a good thing. Obviously. But much like the movie, Elf, smiling is most definitely my favorite. And smiles are contagious. So let’s smile more, ok? But behind every good smile, is a good toothbrush. Or something like that. Right? That’s why I’m so excited to be partnering with GLEEM ! I’ve been using their power toothbrush for a few weeks and I’m SO happy with the results. So why do I love it so much? Design: The electric toothbrush I was using previously was super bulky and it was kind of annoying. I love the sleek design of GLEEM . ..and how it looks in my bathroom! It’s also battery operated and super lightweight, so you can take on-the-go! Price: At just $25, GLEEM is just an investment for your smile, not from your pocket! Usage: I have really sensitive gums, so I appreciate the gentle sonic vibrations that still create a beaming smile! There’s a built in timer that pulses every 30 seconds for the perfect 2 minute brush. Benefits of using a power toothbrush Encourages longer, more thorough brushing with built-in timers Bristle vibrations help remove biofilm Gets those hard to reach places, which can help prevent gum issues Helps eliminate bad breath with the right toothpaste Do you use a power toothbrush? If not, I highly suggest you check out GLEEM ! I promise your smile will THANK YOU! This post is sponsored by GLEEM. All opinions are my own. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of GLEEM. The opinions and text are all mine.

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!

I’m always surprised when people tell me I have good skin. Who knew that by taking a few simple steps your skin could be great. I’ll preface this by saying two things: I really only got into skincare this year, and I can’t take credit for it. Linda forced me to start getting into a routine. I’ve never really had terrible skin. I’d get a few pimples here and there, but nothing major. Trust me, I know I’m lucky. Like I mentioned above, I started really caring about my skin this year after Linda pretty much yelled at me for not already having one. Now, I’m pretty interested in skincare: whether it’s trying out new products or just looking forward to doing my routine. I know not everyone is super into skincare, but it’s definitely important and just something we have to do. I wanted to share my skincare routine today, and talk a little more in depth about the products I use on a daily basis. Just as a note, I have pretty normal skin; sometimes I’ll go through phases of an oily chin or super dry forehead and cheeks. Nighttime Skincare Routine I start my routine by washing my face using Fresh Soy Face Cleanser . I like this cleanser because it’s super lightweight, doesn’t have a strong scent, and really gentle on my skin. 2-3 times a week I will exfoliate with Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask . If I’m being honest, this is a super intense product. I’m always really careful when I’m exfoliating because I don’t want to irritate my skin. I definitely notice a difference between my skin after exfoliating — way smoother! After I cleanse and exfoliate, I use my Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner. My sister actually introduced me to this product, and once I started using consistently, I fell in love! It’s not thick or greasy, and it’s super hydrating…something that’s super important to me. Okay now my face is all prepped and ready for phase two of my skincare routine. LOL Next, I use my Fresh Black Tea Kombucha Facial Essence . This is a new-er to me product, once again because Linda told me I needed one ( see her post on it here ). I’m still not 100% sold on it, but apparently the benefits of an essence are amazing. It’s a little thicker than water, and while it feels oily to me on my hands, it doesn’t feel oily on my skin. It’s super hydrating so far! Okay, now we’re onto a product that finally isn’t Fresh (I do really just love their products). I alternate between IOPE Live Lift and Tula’s Illuminating Face serum . Both of them have a nice texture, and go on really nicely after using my essence. I recently heard Vitamin C is really good for the skin, so I also picked up Olehenriksen’s Truth Serum . Just for good measure, ya know? Oh. You thought I was done? Nope. Not yet. Next up: IOPE Super Vital Eye Cream. In the past, I’ve used eye gels, but I’m LOVING IOPE’s eye cream. It’s pretty thick for an eye gel, but I love that you don’t have to use a ton. And finalllllllly (well, product wise), I use my Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleep Mask or the Laneige Water Mask . I personally love the amount of hydration my skin gets overnight with either of these masks. So in order to make them last longer, I just switch them on and off. Honorable mention: Sheet masks are fun! I typically use a sheet mask (a hydration one, LOVE these ) 1-2 times a week for 20 minutes. I do my masks after cleansing and toning. I also have used the Sephora sheet masks ( remember this post on Instagram? ), and enjoy them! I’m looking into different kinds of masks, so if you have any recommendations, I’d love to know. Jade roller to help increase circulation and reduce puffiness. This facial wand helps open and close your pores to help absorb products more.and reduce puffiness! AND THERE YOU HAVE IT. Super simple, right? Do you have an extensive skincare routine, or are you more of a wash and go kinda person? photo by allie provost

For this month’s Beauty Edit, I wanted to talk more about something I’ve been researching (and worrying about) lately: BLUE LIGHT. A little over a year ago, I was introduced to a term called “blue light” (I believe it was Krista’s blog where I first read about it). I had been getting really awful migraines, and once I started wearing blue light lenses, it was all fixed. I was shocked at how my eyesight and motor skills were being impacted by all of the screen time. I even wrote a post about it here . I’m so reliant on my blue light lenses that I have pairs at my office, my home office, and at Matt’s! I highly recommend for anyone that is constantly on their phones and computers! About a week ago, I was looking through Instagram Stories and stumbled upon Helena’s post about HEV (the fancy term for blue light) light, and I instantly started freaking out. Why you might ask? Because blue light not only affects your eyes, but also your SKIN . I’ve been making a conscious effort to take really good care of my skin this year, so when I read this, I started to panic and read more about it. I obviously know just how much time we spend on our phones (thanks to the new Screen Time feature -_-), but I didn’t realize that spending four eight-hour workdays in front of a computer exposes you to the same amount of energy as 20 minutes in the mid-day sun . SAY WHAT?! So how does blue light affect your skin exactly? Ages your skin faster Pigmentation Disrupts sleep Dark circles under eyes UM. THANK U, NEXT. Am I right? So…how can we help reverse damage that blue light does to our skin? Get. Off. The. Devices. Okay, that’s never going to happen. But it’ll be the easiest way to help protect your eyes AND your skin. Use night mode on both your phone and laptop Ever been in bed, ready to go to sleep, but then you pick up your phone? And suddenly you’re awake for 3 more hours AND don’t get a good night’s sleep? Yup. Thanks phone. For a while, I only had my night mode going on my iPhone at 10PM. Now, I pretty much have it on at all times. I also recently discovered that my laptop has a night mode…so I keep that on 24/7 as well! Most devices have this feature now (which goes to show you that there’s obviously a REASON for it), but if it doesn’t, Amazon has some screen filters. And yes, I still wear my blue light lenses too! Defense beauty products When I saw Helena’s post (up above), I realized I really needed to do more research on things for my skin. There are a few products I’m looking at right now, but it’s looking like Murad products are going to be the winner. Their City Skin products have active ingredients that block blue light from affecting your skin. Topical antioxidants are an absolute must when it comes to protecting our skin from blue light — that’s why a good nighttime topical cream needs to make its way into your bathroom! When it comes to the daytime, you must apply an SPF with antioxidant-rich ingredients as well. This will help put up the barrier when environmental pollutants find your skin. So there you have it — WOOF. Maybe I’m blowing it out of proportion, but I ain’t taking any chances! Did you have any idea about blue light affecting your skin?! Or even blue light at all?