Beauty Bad Habits

I think we all have the best intentions when it comes to our beauty routine but there are always those areas that trip us up. Bad habits that we simply can't kick. Some things I don't even realize I'm doing, but most of my trouble spots can be chocked up to good, old fashioned procrastination. These are my confessions:

Face Touching

Throughout the day I find myself resting my chin on my hand, rubbing my eyes, scratching an itch, etc, etc. This is definitely something I don't' realized I'm doing until I'm doing it. Its just human nature, but its definitely something I need to work on. It not only breaks up your makeup, but it introduces bacteria to your face making you more susceptible to blemishes and sickness.

Pumping the Mascara Wand 

When using mascara, in between dips back into the tube I move the brush in and out and pump it up which forces air into the tube. The extra air causes the mascara to dry up faster. Pumping also overloads the wand with mascara which results in chunky, spidery lashes. This is one of those habits where I have no idea where I picked it up and I do it without even realizing it. To remedy this, try to gently pull out the wand from the tube and if you need to, swipe off excess at the opening of the tube. Also, make sure to screw the cap on tight when you're done and try to dip the brush back in as few times as possible during each application.

Lazy Workday Makeup

I love doing my makeup, its always been enjoyable to me and not something I think of as a chore. With that being said, I also enjoy sleep. When my alarm goes off the snooze button usually looks more appealing to me than applying a full face of makeup. This is a constant struggle for me. I am always scrambling to get out the door in the morning so most days my makeup consists of dabbing on a little foundation, blush and mascara. This is really a time management issue and I need to start waking up earlier or making my lunch the night before so I have enough time to get ready.

Lack of Switching it Up

I have a center drawer in my vanity which is where I keep my most used makeup so that its easily accessible. Problem is I tend to get lazy and just use the same products that are in there and forget to switch it up. I need to make it a point to spend some time once a week changing out products and shopping my stash so I get more use out of my collection.

Chipped Nail Polish

I love nail polish but what I don't love is the chip factor. I usually do my nails on a weekly basis. I'd say they stay looking nice for about 3-4 days and then they start chipping like a mother. This annoys me to no end. Not only does it look ugly but it makes my nails more susceptible to breaking and splitting. This is another example of me just being lazy. When they start chipping I need to at least remove the polish and file them a little bit instead of rocking the chipped nail polish walk of shame until I'm ready to do another manicure.

Brush Washing

This has got to be my worst offense. I have a good sized collection of makeup brushes and while I have the best intentions to keep those babies squeaky clean, it generally falls low on my priority list. Regular brush washing is important to battle product and bacteria build up. I know some people do a weekly brush cleansing of their entire collection and to those people, I bow down to you, but I just don't have the time. I've set a goal for myself to do a deep cleaning every other week with spot cleaning my most used ones as needed in between, this is a good one from Sephora.

I hope this post was helpful and maybe you can relate to a few of my bad habits. I'm a work in progress but becoming more aware of these bad habits has helped me realize what I need to work on and come up with a plan of action to improve my beauty routine for the better.

August Rush

August is always a bittersweet month. Summer is on the downswing and we start to stress a bit about getting everything we wanted to do over the summer packed in before it starts getting cold. So far its been a really busy month, but we wouldn't have it any other way! First up was a trip to the South Shore for my friend Liz's wedding!

The wedding was held at the Nantasket Beach Resort in Hull, MA. Growing up I spent alot of time at Nantasket Beach so I jumped at the chance to bring Mike down and show him my old summer stomping grounds. We made a weekend of it and took Friday off to get a little beach time in. Unfortunately it wasn't the bright sunny day I was hoping for but we did take a nice walk on the boardwalk. Later we had dinner at the Sea Dog Brew Pub. We are all about waterfront dining and craft brews so this place was a must. Both the food and the seasonal brews were delicious and you can't beat the view of the Boston skyline in the distance.

Saturday was the big wedding and Liz was an absolutely radiant bride! The ceremony was beautiful and it was extra special because my friend Meghan, who introduced Liz to her husband David, was the officiant!

The reception was a blast. Some highlights were a photo booth and Liz and her Dad doing karaoke to Pitbull & Kesha's "Timber". Its always so much fun getting together with my friends from high school.

After the wedding we walked next door to Daddy's Beach Club for the after party. Pizza, beer and a live band, whats better than that? Sorry, these grainy iPhone pics could be better but you get the idea!

Other than the wedding, Mike and I spent most of the weekend freaking out. Why? Because we bought a new Camper! We'd spent the last few weeks searching and finally found one that was absolutely perfect for us. We checked it out on Friday before heading to the wedding, mulled it over and then went back and bought it that Sunday.

Why the reason for the upgrade, you ask? Our current trailer didn't fair too well last winter and has been having some water issues this season. Its actually in great condition other than that for its age (its from the early 90's, we inherited from Mike's grandparents) and was well taken care of. We were hoping it would last a few more seasons but we just decided to upgrade now rather than worry about further problems down the road.

We're taking delivery of the new trailer this weekend and are beyond excited! I'll share more once we get settled in.

Speaking of camping, last weekend we partook in some tent camping. We meet up with our friends Lindsay, Bart and their new baby, Pearse, and camped at Horton's Campground in Truro, MA on the Cape. Lindsay and Bart moved to NYC a few years ago so we don't get to see them that much and its always so nice to catch up. We brought Dale and they also brought their dog, Elby.

The best thing about this campground is that its right down the street from the most amazing beach! Beaches with Sand Dunes are my favorite, it doesn't get any more Cape Cod than this!

Another nice thing about Truro is that its right next door to Provincetown. We love P-Town, its so much fun. On Saturday night we headed down for dinner and ate at our favorite restaurant, Patio. They have great outdoor dining, so you can hang out outside and watch all the Commercial Street action as you eat. P-Town is very dog friendly, you can bring your dogs into most of the shops and Patio even has a few dog friendly tables. 

After a great evening in P-Town we returned to the campground for drinks and S'mores. I especially love their fire pits! The design reminds me of Mickey's hat in the Sorcerer's Apprentice, Fantasia anyone? 

Well that's it for now. Hope August is treating you well!

A Kiss of Sun

One of the first things I think about when summer rolls around each year is getting that beautiful sun kissed glow. Growing up in a beach town I spent every spare moment at the beach and would have a beautiful tan all summer long. As I got older, not only did I not have as much time to get to the beach but I also started to take the dangers of the sun more seriously. 

I don't deprive myself from the sun altogether but when I do indulge in a little sun I use a much higher SPF than I used to. I protect my face with an even higher SPF so it typically ends up being lighter than the rest of my body. Adding a bronzer is an easy way to bring some color back into the skin. 

Here are my top 5:

Too Faced Sun Bunny Natural Bronzer

This is a great bronzer if you're looking for a glowing summer complexion. It has a slight shimmer but its not chunky or glittery. The shimmer, blended into the skin, gives off a beautiful golden glow that actually looks quite natural. It contains two shades that you can use on their own or mix together so its really 3 colors in 1. The swatch is of the two colors mixed together.

Laura Mercier Bronzed Pressed Powder in Dune Bronze

This is my old tried and true. I've had this for a few years and I've hardly even made a dent in it, you can still see the wave pattern in product. The color really mimics a natural tan by warming up the skin without being too orange. The consistency is silky smooth and long wearing.

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Golden Light

This is a beautiful matte bronzer. Its not at all orange or red in tone, I'd describe it as golden brown. Its very natural looking and blends beautifully into the skin. It gives a nice, natural summer glow that doesn't oxidize or change color throughout the day.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Hoola is another tried and true bronzer that you can't go wrong with. Its the lightest of the bunch so it makes it easy to wear in all seasons and its great for fairer skin tones. It is totally matte and the color is buildable is you want a deeper look. 

Smashbox Bronze Lights in Suntan Matte

This is my most recent bronzer purchase and its actually the darkest of the bunch. Although its dark, on the skin it doesn't come off dirty or muddy as some darker bronzers do. The color is buildable so you can start off with just a touch and then build it to your desired darkness. Its buttery soft and blends like a dream.

I apply bronzer with a fluffy brush under my cheekbones, across my forehead into my hairline, under my chin and down my neck to slightly contour and add warmth to my face. I've never been a fan of self tanners so I rely on bronzer to give my face that "kiss of sun".