I didn’t wake up like this…

Since middle school I have always had bad skin so while some people can just roll out of bed and just start their day I need to commit a few minutes in the morning to make myself presentable. I have figured out how to control my acne and not to dry out my skin because of all the drying products I may use. The most important lesson I have learned in life when it comes to skincare is moisturize, moisturize and moisturize! It really has changed my skin for the better and I know I will thank myself for it later. Some people use expensive products from Sephora for their skin but besides a blemish here and there I am pretty lucky that I can get most products from the drugstore. I will be investing in higher end products soon so please suggest your skincare must haves!

I am not a morning person and will never be a morning person. But now in the real world, I need to get myself out of bed and to a job by 8am. Back in college if you were late to a class it was no big deal, but now I have a boss and being late is a big no no! I try to spend as little time on my face in the morning, especially if I will be wearing makeup that day because time is very limited. Here are my morning essentials that I use every day and can all be found at Target or a CVS.

morning skincare routine
                                                     

Skincare Routine It is called a routine for a reason, because you should do the same thing every day to prevent yourself from becoming lazy. You can become lazy in a lot of things in life, but your skin shows signs of laziness that are difficult to hide! I keep all of my morning products on my sink so I know what I am using when I am half asleep in the morning. My bathroom is filled with a ton of products but I keep my morning routine simple because I am always in a rush. I am not a morning person and back in college it was like no big deal if you were late. Now I have a boss to yell at me if I am  not in the office at 8am.

Wash and Go! At night I spend a lot more time washing my face trying to get makeup, dirt and residue from the day off my face. In the morning I don’t have that time, so I just wash my face with a simple face wash like this one. If I need some help exfoliating some more I just use a wipe like these to  use for scrubbing.

Acne I struggle with acne so in the morning I just dab a little zit cream here and there where it is needed. In the morning I don’t have time to fuss over it and at that point it’s as good as it’s gonna get! I have used prescription medications and stuff you find in a drugstore and find they do the same thing. I usually buy whatever is cheaper and this one keeps coming home with me.

Moisturize I actually use a few types of moisturizes depending on what I need for my skin at that time. I fell in love with the Neutrogena moisturizer because it is not cakey and just feels like water on your face. It is amazing! Most moisturizers make my face oily but with this one my skin absorbs the product. I usually put on moisturizer at my vanity an then blend my makeup with it because I need less foundation and it blends nicely.

Sunscreen Growing up with my mom she has always stressed the importance of sunscreen. She was a beach kid and back then there was no such thing as SPF and no one really cared. Now since I grew up as a beach kid she always lathered me up in sunscreen and my skin now looks great because of it. If I know I will be out in the sun I use a thin layer of sunscreen under my makeup to prevent sun damage to my face. If you want to be tan, go get yourself some Jergens and your skin will thank you later!

 

Nighttime Skincare Routine
                                                        
At night I finally have the time to invest more time in my skincare routine. While it may be a pain to spend time in my bathroom scrubbing my face while  I just want to go straight to bed. I know the next morning (and 40 years down the road) I will thank myself for it!
Wash the day away: I stick with Neutrogena products when it comes to my skin. They are effective enough to get my makeup off and treat my skin problems.
Exfoliate: Once a week I use my Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System to get a deep scrub. I bought mine years ago at Costco and it still works just as well as the day I got it. I see improvements on my face immediately after using it and after a few days I can’t wait to use it again.

Mask Time: In college, I stole a roommates face mask and since then I have been obsessed. Freeman Feeling Beautiful has a ton of them that comes in different scents and treat your skin in many different ways. If I am watching TV at night I just put one on and let it work its magic!

Moisturize: In the morning I use a moisturizer to prevent my skin from drying out because of the heat or freezing temperatures outside. At night I use a moisturizer that treats my skin for some of my skin issues. I have always had splotchy skin and acne fading scars that last forever after a blemish goes away. After using the Olay Regenerist Luminous moisturizer my skin looks so much healthier and  it worked miracles on my skin!
I am always looking for new products to try so let me know what you use! Now that I have some money in the bank for silly spending I want to try a higher end product from Sephora. So please send me your suggestions!
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Weekend To Do List

In college and all of my years of schooling I always had a to do list. Year after year the to do lists only got longer and longer! Now that I am no longer a student (for now) my to do lists have turned into more fun relaxing things to do instead of writing those hundreds of papers or having to finish reading a book in one night. My to do lists are full of errands and my weekends are spent outside of the library and in sunlight which was rare back in school!

When you no longer are in school you lose a lot of structure in your life which was the biggest struggle for me. For years classes and homework assignments told me where to be and what to do. Now on weekends I find I have a lot more free time but if I do not make a to do list it goes by all too quickly!

A lot of friends have recently graduated from college (congrats) or are home from college and I see them posting that they are so bored. What I would do to trade lives with them! I would love to not have to work and be “bored”! No matter where you are in life a to do list is always a good idea because “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Things To Do This Weekend

  1. Go to Trader Joe’s

Or Costco, or Wegmans or to Whole Foods… Find a reason to get out of the house this weekend and be productive while you are out. Food shopping has turned into one of my favorite things to do now because I can pick up food for the week and I know what I am eating for dinner or lunch that week. I also like to get fresh flowers while I am out because it just makes a room so inviting. I do not have funds for silly spending but I try to have flowers (or fake flowers) around me as much as possible. Something I think I picked up from my mom.

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2. Wash your sheets and make your bed!

I wash my sheets every week and put in Downy Unstopable Scent because it lasts all week. It gives me a whole week of a fresh scent and makes going to bed so relaxing. Also, you are an adult. You should be washing your sheets yourself more often now that mom isn’t around to remind you! Your room looks so much cleaner even with a pile of clothes on the floor if your bed is made. FACT!

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3. Start a new book

While I love my Netflix I need to start cutting off my dependence of technology. In the summer I read a lot more books so this weekend is a great time to pick up a new book to read. Right now I am starting the Game of Thrones books so that will take me all summer to read since each book is like 800 pages long. I found the original copies of the books at Goodwill for a quarter! I love the show so I want to see what the books are like since the book is usually almost always better.  Me Before You is about to be a movie so I need to read it before I see it.  I have a whole stack of books by my bed just waiting to be read so I cannot wait to sit on the beach or by the pool and just read for fun!

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4.  Buy a new scented candle

I have started an obsession with candles and I feel like whenever I am home I have one lit. Bath and Body Works is where I get mine because they last forever and the smell fills the whole house. During Christmas time you could smell our Christmas tree candle throughout the whole house and even a block away. Now I plan to make my house smell like a summer resort! Go out and buy a candle, I promise you will not regret it!

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5. Organize Something

Every weekend I pick a new project or space to organize. Once a month I reorganize and purge my closet because it is a space used often and becomes chaos quickly! I also try to organize my pantry or linen closet when I get a chance. If done regularly it does not take long but can be so rewarding after. I have slight OCD so I love to see things where they should be and in order. I like to have my closet and vanity cleaned and organized so I can start off the week in a good mood.

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6. Put away winter clothes

Even though it feels like summer will never come it is time to start switching out my closets from winter to spring. My sweaters and Uggs will be packed away and hopefully I will be able to wear one of my dresses someday if this weather ever changes! My closet is slowly changing from my black wardrobe to fun summer colors!

7. Nameste

It has been a while but i want to start going to my Sunday morning yoga class again. It is at 10am and being forced to wake up early and do some stretching helps me fully enjoy my Sunday. I usually just sleep the whole day away but when forced to put on some leggings and leave the house I get so much done before noon! I try to reward myself with Starbs on my way home to congratulate myself for getting out of bed. Very little gets me out of bed in the morning but coffee will do it!

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graduation (friends forever)

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Today I was reminiscing on my final days as a senior at SJU and my graduation.
It is so hard to think it has been a year since my life has changed forever. After I walked across that stage and accepted a piece of paper my life was over as I knew it. I have enjoyed the good times and struggled through the Post Grad Life. I have made a lot of mistakes and have grown as a person. But I would never change one thing!

I started this Post Grad Life blog to be an outlet for my ideas and adventures. In college I was ALWAYS writing a paper and I did not like idle hands. I like to share my interests and PGL journey with you hoping I am not alone out there struggling. This little blog of mine is a little hobby I hope to continue in my second year of Post Grad Life. Stay tuned for more adventures and continue to live life to the fullest!

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Hello, April

March was a busy month with two holidays, spring weather one week and snow the next day and lots of fun jammed into one month. March is always a confusing month because you can never plan for the weather. I last minute was invited on a ski trip and there was no snow and it was chilly on Easter ruining any energy I had to put on a dress for the occasion. Once again I am sharing this months favorite things. 🙂 Header 1

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how to sneak in alone time

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On Sunday night I told myself I was going to go to the gym every night this week preparing for my trip to Texas. It is now Friday and I have only gone on Monday and Thursday….
I start my work day a bit earlier than others at 8am and get out of the office (on a good day) at 4:30. You would think I have hours to go have fun and do the things that actually need to get done. But nope, by the time I get home or have a minute to stop it is time for shower and bed! I feel like my life revolves around my job and that is no way to live! Continue reading “how to sneak in alone time”

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