Something that I have always been very strict about is washing my face every single night. More importantly, for years I have done my research and used every product that I can to make my face look good. Maybe it’s because I struggled with acne for so long or because I have been trying to be like one of those girls who can go makeup free and still look gorgeous.
I was sent the Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser a while ago by Influenster and I have been including it in my skincare routine. This cleanser claims to do a lot including washing our face so your pores look smaller leaving your skin feel really soft. The cleanser is made with plant based soaps so it is a natural cleanser that purifies the skin and removes makeup as well. It is also specially formulated for sensitive skin because it doesn’t have harsh chemicals. After using it, my skin immediately feels clean and refreshed. Recently, I have been leaving this cleanser at my boyfriends apartment because I only need to use this one product to take my makeup off, wash my face and in the mornings wash the oil off that builds up while I sleep.
Right away I can notice a difference in my skin. I use so many products to keep my skin acne free, soft and looking good. Finally, I found one face wash product that does it all without stripping my skin of necessary hydration.
With our busy work schedules, adult responsibilities, social calendar and everything else on our lap sometimes we forget to put ourselves first. My weekends are filled with items on my to do list and very little time to just relax and unwind after a work week. We may not have the budget to go out of town or head to the spa, but a staycation is the perfect option to recharge when we need it most. Earlier this week, I felt exhausted even though it was only a Monday. Then I realized that the last time I took a day off work was the day after Christmas and I was in desperate need for a day off. I didn’t have anything I wanted to do or go to. I just wanted a day off to sleep without an alarm and lounge around all day while watching Netflix. It’s been a while since I had a lazy day off and it was so nice to recharge my batteries. Below are some ideas you can do on your staycation to help you get the refresh you need.
Take A Long Shower or Bath
Sounds silly, but I love to take a long shower in the morning with no rush to get out the door for work. It’s the perfect time to actually use that 5 minute conditioner or that body exfoliator. Most nights I am rushing to shower as fast as I can so I can quickly make dinner and get into bed at a reasonable time. Having a day with no plans so I can take a long shower is a luxury I don’t often get.
Binge Watch
There are usually not enough hours in the day to catch up on all of your favorite tv shows or watch that documentary that everyone is talking about. Most nights I fall asleep mid episode of something and need to rewatch. Take a day to get comfy on our bed or couch and catch up on your favorite shows. Snacks are mandatory obviously!
Dedicate Time to your Hobby
If there is a book that you have been wanting to read or a craft idea you found on Pinterest, today is the best day to do it. I love a free afternoon that I can get ahead on some blog posts or plan outfits to shoot for the blog. If you don’t have a hobby, I highly encourage you find something that you love or something to challenge you like learning how to run.
Tidy Up
Maybe this is the last thing you want to do on a relaxing day off but tackle that pile of clean clothes sitting on the chair that you have been avoiding all week. It doesn’t have to be a big spring clean because I am sure there is something you haven’t had the time to straighten up or organize something because of a crazy schedule.
Work on that House Project
I recently took twenty minutes to update my coffee table and hang a picture on the wall after procrastinating for months. I’m sure we all have a few projects we would like to get done around our homes but just never have the time. If you are feeling productive on your staycation, it would be the perfect time to check an item off of your to do list.
It’s been a while since I’ve been to a J. Crew Factory and while my wallet is happy, I miss taking advantage of these good deals. Thank goodness for online shopping though! I’ve been trying to be good and be on a shopping freeze to save money but these sales are too good not to shop. My favorites this season are fun dresses, the classic scallop shorts that sell out every year and pajama shorts that come in so many fun prints! Start shopping now to take advantage of their 50% off sale and free shipping.
Oh my goodness, it has been a very busy few weeks! I’m not even sure how to sum up my April so far because so much has been going on in my personal life. Because of privacy reasons, I want to keep the details off the blog but just know that I dread when my phone rings now because this girl cannot take any more bad news! With all of this going on, Jake had a vacation scheduled for 7 days that was booked and paid for more than a year ago so he was out of town. Work was busy, lots of meetings and a lot going on in my personal life so most nights I was eating chips for dinner and going to bed early. Over the weekend, I made an effort to spend as much time as I could outdoors to enjoy the summer-like weather we were having. On Saturday, I grabbed coffee with a coworker and we walked around the city where I’m looking at apartments on Zillow right now. I’m really excited to be moving closer to the downtown area to take advantage of the restaurants and parks but I will miss my little apartment in Fairmount! On Sunday, I had plans to go to the Manayunk Street Food festival but the weather sucked and my friend overslept so we ended up not going. Luckily I was still home when my friend invited me to go on a coffee run and catch up on life. With a lot of Starbs in my body, I was ready to deep clean my apartment and get myself ready for the upcoming week. As much as I hate waking up early on weekends, I love how productive I can be!
This past week, I have been getting back to my usual schedule but still taking it slow. After busy days at work, I need to remind myself that I can take it easy and don’t have to do a million things. I’m looking forward to this weekend because Jake’s mom is visiting for the weekend so I love any excuse to be a tourist in my own city! Also, does anyone have any advice on how to meet your significant others mom for the first time? Is a fruit basket too extra?! LMK!
What I’m Watching
I’ve been watching a few shows the last few weeks on top of my usual weekly tv shows. On Thursdays, I usually catch up on This Is Us, Grey’s, Very Cavallari and others. At night while eating dinner or doing stuff around the apartment, I have been watching Blindspot and The Blacklist from the beginning. Of course, Game of Thrones is back on to mess up our sleep schedules the next few weeks so that is something to look forward to on Sundays now.
What I’m Wearing
I recently bought new pants for Spring because my office is sooo cold with the AC blasting and I can only wear tights with dresses for a few more weeks. I have been meaning to take more outfit photos lately but life is getting in the way. Oops.
Highly recommend these pink gingham pants, I sized up so they fit me better.
These black gingham pantswere a last minute impulse buy while in the store and I am so happy I bought them. They are on clearance right now so scoop them up while you can!
I love the color lavender right now so I needed to have these pants with an adorable bow.
What I’m Loving
While watching Insta Stories this week, I stumbled upon Kim Kardashian giving a tour of her house. What was really fascinating was the explanation of her bathroom sinks work because there is no bowl part to the sink, just a faucet. I think I watched the Insta Story a dozen times because somehow the sink is designed to have all of the water drain in a tiny hole that just doesn’t seem practical. Check out the article on it here.
Baby watch!! Meghan and Harry decided that they will keep the birth of their child out of the news. Some predictions are saying that she may give birth this weekend so all of the Royal Fan Instagrams are on baby watch! This is one of my favorites for all things royal.
These shorts sell out before summer every year so buy them now while they are on sale!
The Gal Meets Glam collection is part of Nordstrom’s spring sale so be sure to pick up one of the dresses included in the sale while you can.
I remember my first week living in Philadelphia like it was yesterday. It was similar to that first night in my new dorm room each year at college. Lots of unknowns and a lot of what ifs with that feeling that something magical was about to happen. I can remember going to bed my first night and just smiling because I did it. For years I told myself and others that I would move back to Philly one day and I finally did it. In a two week span, I quit my job, signed a lease on an apartment and got the call that I got a job at a law firm in Philly. My life changed so quickly in just a few weeks that I remember having an out of the body experience with it all.
I barely slept the night before the move while sleeping in a guest bedroom because my bedroom was completely empty. At 3am I was still awake making to do lists and designing my apartment. Movers came to my childhood home on April 15th and in less than two hours all of my belongings and some furniture was put into a truck heading to Philly. My parents and I stood by the front door in the living room for a really long hug because this was the last time I would be calling this house home. My parents and I drove to my apartment in different cars and I remember being nervous, excited and so ready to start this new adventure on my drive down to Philly. For years, I had driven to Philly to see friends that I could do this drive with my eyes closed. For years, I would drive to Philly after work on a Saturday and be up early Sunday so I could get to work on time. Finally, I could call Philly home again and not have to drive back to Jersey. After two years of retail, I would have my weekends back working a normal Monday-Friday job. Having movers was the best decision we made because in less than 2 hours, they had my furniture set up and all of my boxes were in my living room. My mom and I had fun playing house unpacking boxes for my kitchen. Once they set up my bed, my mom immediately put sheets and decorative pillows on my bed so I could get a good nights sleep. I still had a hard time believing that this was my own home because it had been a dream for so long. After the movers finished up and were on their way, my parents and I went out to dinner to toast my new adventure. As we walked back to my apartment and to their car to go back to Jersey, we hugged one more time knowing that this is where I was supposed to be heading in life and that this was the right decision. It was hard to close the book on one chapter, but I am so happy I was brave to move to a new city on my own. As my parents headed back to Jersey, I went back up to my apartment and started to unpack some more boxes because I was excited to make this place my home.
I took some time recently to look back at some blog posts from this time last year and wow, a lot has changed in one year. Those first few months I struggled with being lonely, boredom , creating a routine and needing some help to build some furniture… Instead of worrying about what could go wrong, I put all of my energy into making Philly feel like home. I explored my new city, walked a lot of miles, decorated my new apartment, worked on blog collaborations and started to talk to a boy.
I spent my first few months learning how to live on my own, who I was and how to live in a city. I’m thankful for this blog because I can go back to old blog posts and read how I was feeling and growing as a person. I grew up a lot in the last year and learned a lot. My first few months here I was a little bored and now I have to plan a weekend to do absolutely nothing! I love being able to come home from work to my own apartment, sit on the couch in my matching pajamas and eat dinner. It’s those little moments that make me realize that I am really living in a city by myself. For some, that would be scary but to me this is a really big accomplishment.
This year has flown by and my life looks completely different than it did on April 14th of last year. I’m still exploring and trying new places here in Philly. There is always so much to do and never enough time. I cannot wait to see what this second year in Philly brings me.
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