Friday Favorites 7.9

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Still finding ways to get a break from this heat wave that is here to stay in Philadelphia. Luckily we got a nice break last weekend and got to enjoy the holiday weekend. While on our way to Old City last Saturday we had to cut our walk short when an unexpected thunderstorm made us seek shelter so we went to brunch at Lou Bird’s. On Sunday, we made our way to Old City again to do some touristy things for the 4th of July. Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and Elfreth’s Alley – all of the classic touristy things which I haven’t done in forever! Couldn’t let the holiday weekend end without a trip to the beach. Spent Monday at Long Beach Island and it was the perfect beach day. I think after last summer when we were inside all day everyday, we have been doing a lot of planning ahead when it comes to weekend plans.

I had a lot of expectations when it came to the Gossip Girl reboot and sat down to watch it waiting to be disappointed. After one episode I was happy to see what direction they are going in and paying tribute to the OG characters.

Loved watching this weeks Real Housewives of New York because it was filmed in Philly.

Retinol is a very important step in your skincare system and the trick is learning how much to use. Especially with my extra time in the sun lately, I need a Retinol that can work for me. Every other night I have been using my Olay Retinol cream that has been a favorite for a long time. I talked more about it in a blog post here. I love that it is effective, easy to use morning and night, and most importantly it’s very affordable.

Made some delicious purchases this week 🙂
Went to the grocery store while hungry and that is never a good idea! Picked up lots of fresh fruit and veggies. I’ve been trying to eat healthy so I stocked up on salad kits for lunches which have been an easy and healthy lunch every day this week. When I need a light snack I’ve been having sliced peaches and blueberries and it’s the perfect summer snack.

Lunch at Campo’s

These mini ice cream cones when I’m craving a sweet treat

Brunch and mimosas at Lou Bird’s was delicious

Exploring Old City

Our beach day to LBI makes me want to plan another one.

Ice cream with sprinkles at Skipper Dipper

Cleansing with Eve Lom

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Do you ever wash your face and still feel like it’s still not clean? I feel this often especially in the summer months because not only am I washing off my makeup, but also a whole day of sweat and grime because of the hot weather. I started washing my face with Eve Lom a few weeks ago and I’ve been enjoying the way my face feels right after and the next morning when I wake up.

The double cleanser is the best way to get rid of grime because it is a double cleanser and the formula gently exfoliates to get deep into the skin. After using the Eve Lom cleanser, my face feels soft and clean while staying hydrated. I just rinse my face with warm water, add a bit of cleanser and rub my face as I watch my face get clean. The cleanser comes with a cloth that really helps clean my face. My face breakouts more often in the summer and I love that the Eve Lom cleanser targets the pores to get them deep cleaned and prevents product buildup so I can wake up with clearer skin. Now it’s so easy and satisfying to wash my face at the end of the day. Great for those with sensitive skin and is formulated with clean ingredients like eucalyptus oil, clove oil, chamomile oil and cocoa butter.

In a PR package, I also received the Eve Lom moisture cream. Since I am in my late twenties, I have been very strict about using a moisturizer at night and in the morning. The main ingredient in the moisture cream are hyaluronic acid which does wonders for your skin to look healthy, hydrated and glowing. I love putting it on in the morning because it doesn’t make my face greasy and I can easily layer makeup on it.

Also, how chic is the packaging?? I love to use new products and I love finding new products that work. This is my first double cleanser and now I understand what all of the hype was!

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double cleanser // moisture cream

*Thank you for BzzAgent for gifting these products

Friday Favorites 7.2

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Happy July! I think July may be my favorite month because summer is in full swing and there is so much fun to be had. I’m looking forward to trips to the beach, getting together with friends and enjoying every second of summer! Right now we are in a heat wave and even in this horrible heat I am loving it compared to the cold winter we just had. This weekend, we are seeing some friends, going to stay in the city most of the weekend and play tourists and then go to the beach hopefully on Monday. Hope you all have a fun and relaxing weekend – we all need it!

Recently stumbled upon the E! tv show, The Royals on Prime. It was a show that I wanted to watch but wasn’t available on demand so I quickly fell behind. It’s been great background noise while I get work done. Jake and I are still watching Dexter together at night. I forgot how many seasons there are LOL!

I talked about this exfoliating facial on the blog earlier this week and I am still loving it! It seriously is a game changer in getting soft, smooth skin. It’s been almost a full week since I used it last and I still am seeing the difference in my skin.

Ordered these toys that look for sushi for Ed and it’s the cutest thing!

Ordered new sandals after doing a big purge of old shoes to make room for new ones. Got some embellished slides that look fancy that are comfy. These pink ruffle slides were too cute not to get!

Loving this look that I shared on the blog for an easy go-to look for summer.

Swapped out some living room decor for summer while I was tidying up the house this week. I recently got some new artwork from Hobby Lobby and some more faux flowers to put in vases around the house.

We hosted a little dinner party last weekend and had so much fun cooking and entertaining! Looking forward to more get togethers with friends this summer.

This $15 Swing Dress is Perfect for Summer

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Over the weekend I shared a photo of a black swing dress on Instagram that has been on repeat lately. I packed it with me to take to North Carolina and wore it after the pool, to dinner with the family and again to do a grocery run. When we got back to Philly, we decided to host a little dinner party for our friends this past weekend who took care of Ed the cat while we were away and our neighbor who kept an eye on our house. Honestly, we were just really excited to host after not being able to have friends over for more than a year! Last minute we realized we didn’t have enough wine or beer so we walked to the store down the street to stock up. One of the great perks of living in a city! I highly suggest making sure you have a dress in your closet this summer that fits great and works for any occasion. After a year of not leaving the house for like a year, I have to admit it’s been a bit of a struggle to put an outfit together. That’s why I love a simple black swing dress because I wear it at least once a week because it’s easy to throw on and I can accessorize it to dress it up or go for a casual look.

I wore my new sandals that I just got in this week that are very quickly selling out and I can see why because they are VERY comfortable. This dress is easy to dress up (thank goodness for little black dresses!) with some jewelry. I wore my Kate Middleton inspired J Crew earrings that look good with every outfit. Linking this years version here. Last summer I purchased a few things from Uncommon James when they were having a big sale and I love this simple layering piece necklace. It’s delicate and so chic! Since it’s been so long since I got to dress up for a dinner, I stacked my J Crew bracelet and a new gold bracelet set from Target. Clutch is old from J Crew Factory and I hope they bring it back because it’s one of my favorites!

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dress old Madewell (similar) // clutch (similar ) // earrings // necklace // sandals

At Home Microdermabrasion with Murad Vitamin C Triple Exfoliating Facial

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If the last year taught us anything is that we can get amazing skincare treatments that work right in our own home. Murad has made it easy to get the benefits of a professional microdermabrasion at home and get results after one use. A microdermabrasion is a fancy word for a treatment that renews overall skin tone and texture. Mostly used to improve the appearance of sun damage, wrinkles and fine lines. The Murad Environmental Shield Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial works quickly to remove dead surface cells, dissolve oil and debris and then a chemical exfoliant to brighten the skin. The vitamin C ingredient helps add antioxidants in your skin while brightening dark spots.

I use it once or twice a week when I have 10 minutes to myself for a little at home spa treatment. Great for when my face is looking dull and needs a little refresh. Gentle for sensitive skin and has exfoliant reviews for removing signs of sun damage. I used it this last week after two weeks on vacation in the sun and my face started to show signs of sweat, sunscreen and time in the sun.

PS Do not forget to use sunscreen! The Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum goes on easy and can be layered under makeup to keep your face protected from sun rays!

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Vita-C Exfoliating Facial // Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum

*Thank you to BzzAgent for gifting this product for review.

Friday Favorites 6.25

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Hi Friends! After a vacation to North Carolina to spend a few weeks with my parents, I am excited to be back to work in Philly. It was so nice to be in warm weather and lay out by the pool, reading magazines and doing some laps in the pool. We had cousin camp so every day was a new theme of meals and activities to do with my family. We were all joking that by the end, we all needed a vacation because we were tired from so much fun. Summer is in full swing here in the city and Jake and I are busy scheduling some fun things to do in the next few weeks. I love summer and the warm weather so so much! We were only gone for two weeks but the weeds took over our backyard, so I spent a few days getting the yard back in shape. I love our backyard and I try to lay out and read on the grass everyday. I’m sure we will have dinner outside at least once this weekend. Happy weekend! Hope you all have some fun and enjoy the nice weather.

After two weeks with no time to watch tv, I’ve been trying to catch up on my shows. This week during lunch, I’ll watch an episode of the Real Housewives. I am so behind so it’s a nice excuse to get cozy on the couch and catch up with all of the drama.

Last night while Jake was playing video games, I watched the Kardashian reunion with Andy Cohen.  I have to say I wish we had more of these reunions during the Kardashian franchise. I loved his questions and the insight on the series after all of these years. Finally sat down and watched Housewife and the Hustler yesterday and was texting my friend the whole time because the show was full of very interesting information we did not know before.

Jake and I just finished season 4 of Dexter and since I already saw this show a few times, it was interesting to watch Jake watch that very dramatic season finale. I swear he just sat there in shock with big eyes because he did not see that coming!

When I was packing my suitcase for two weeks at my parents house, I had to be very intentional about what I was going to bring with me. With a shorter trip, I can just bring the basics and sometimes my skincare routine will be lacking but it’s only for a few days. But with two weeks away from all of my products, I knew I needed to bring the right products to keep my hair and skin healthy. 

I picked ups some more faux florals to use in vases around my house. Buy them once and they look good forever!

I saw this wood tray all over Instagram and I just needed to have it! I’m still working on styling it in the kitchen but it is great for decorating on my kitchen counter and then for serving at a dinner party.

Hobby Lobby’s spring shop is 50% off so I went to just browse and walked out with such pretty artwork under $10 for the house. We also picked up some cute new plastic plates for outside and some hand towels because I can never have enough!

Ordered this new bikini for our cruise in August and wore it around the pool last week. It’s a bit itsy bitsy but will be fun to wear on our trip!

I’ve had these books in my shopping cart since forever and finally hit the check out button when I saw them on sale.

Now that our social calendars are getting a little busy, now is the time to pick up a few dresses for easy outfits. Rounded up a few cute options here.

Picked up Chipotle for dinner on Tuesday night while running errands and got the veggie bowl. I’m trying to eat healthy after being on vacation for two weeks and eating non stop.

Highly recommend this shampoo and conditioner line if you plan on doing a lot of swimming and washing your hair this summer. I used it while on vacation and I swear it saved my hair from getting dry and brittle with all of the chlorine and washing.

Miss having my morning coffee by the pool every morning but now i get to have it with Ed in the backyard. It’s fun to watch him chase the birds.