I'm Glowing | Comparing Face Masks

Working 75 hours a week in an office with no windows does horrors to my skin.  The over exhaustion leaves my face gray and dull.  The lack of sun and vitamin D leaves my skin pale and I have noticed that my skin breaks out more than normal.  Also the added stress definitely doesn't help.

My normal skin care routine doesn't quite cut it anymore so Ive been searching for the product that will bring my skin back to life!  Over the past few weeks Ive been trying different masks, from drugstore to high end brands.  Ive found a few that I love so far, and depending on how I am feeling or what my skin needs I change them up every week.

This cucumber mask is perfect when I'm looking for something simple and low maintenance.  It dries quickly and it super easy to peel off!  You just have to make sure to apply it evenly so it dries all over.  I love how it feels cool on my skin as it dries and my skin always feels super soft after I have rinsed it off.  Ill usually do it on a Sunday afternoon and leave it on while I'm doing laundry or cleaning my room.  Quick and easy pick me up before Monday morning starts the week again.

The charcoal and black sugar mask is probably my favorite so far.  It works as a mask to get out the gross stuff and a scrub to wipe it all away.  It warms up when you put it on so it feels like it is working and it makes me feel refreshed and awake once Ive washed it off.  This is the most time consuming of the masks because you have to let it sit and then exfoliate your face before washing it off.  But it brightens my complexion and leaves a noticeable difference in just one use.

The bliss mask is the most expensive of the three but definitely the most fun!  Just like the bottle says, this mask gives instant results.  Once you put it on it starts foaming immediately, sort of feels like pop rocks on your face (but in a good way).  I don't feel like I'm getting a deep clean when I use it but you can feel it working its magic.  My face feels awake and energized after every use and its perfect for those days when you didn't get enough sleep the night before.

Going into the colder months when dry skin is everyone's worst nightmare masks are the way to go. If you don't use one already I highly recommend it! Whether its drug store, high end, or even homemade, they do the trick.

My Bookshelf.

I love my room.   For me, my room is my sanctuary and it is so important for it to be cozy and welcoming and an expression of who I am.  I have lived in my current apartment for almost a year now and it is still a work in progress (I have a feeling it always will be...).  The focal point of my room and the thing I love the most is my bookshelf.  Its funny that I call it this considering the only books that are actually in it are tucked away in the far upper corner of the topmost shelf...

I think every room should have a bookshelf. They are so versatile!  It can be used as a place to display keepsakes, store your clutter, organize your life, and add some decoration.  Personally I think the best way to design a bookshelf is to mix personal items with decorative pieces.  I love displaying jewelry and perfume as decoration.  All those random pieces or paper or photos that you just cant throw away can be hidden away in colorful boxes.  Tucking hair or makeup products into cute baskets keeps everything looking organized.  It is the perfect balance between personality and design.

Designer on a Dime | Never Pay Full Price

I admit it. I have a problem.

I have an obsession with bags and necklaces. Not just any bags and necklaces, more specifically I have an obsession with Kate Spade, Michael Kors, and J Crew. Not cheap. But you can pretty much guarantee that every other week, sometime after payday, there is a new bag on my arm and a shiny new necklace hanging around my neck.  Now let me be clear, I am NOT made of money.  I still have bills to pay, meals to eat, a car to drive...but I have learned how to get the things I want on a budget.

• Don't pay full price - There are tons of sales out there if you know where to look.  You'll kick yourself when you pay full price for something that is suddenly half off the next week. Trust me.

• Sign up for emails - I always sign up to get emails from my favorite brands, you'll never miss out on a sale.  And a lot of companies run private sales designed specifically for their email lists.

• Wait - Even if you think you cant live without something don't buy it right away, chances are it will go on sale and if it doesn't? Lets be honest, there will always be something else.

• Set limits - Don't go crazy just because the prices are amazing! Limit yourself to one or two things that you really must have.  Treat it like a present to yourself for getting through another crazy week at work.

• Check out flash sale websites - Sites like Hautelook and Gilt are awesome for finding designer goods at discount prices.  And they are reputable companies so you know what you are getting is genuine.

• Shop at outlets - You can get the same things for half the price.  I shop almost exclusively at J Crew Factory. Their products are identical to J Crew and they have a website which is perfect for a busy girl like me who does most of her shopping online.  

Hello | A little explanation...

As a young professional my life pretty much consists of the daily grind: wake up. drink coffee. go to work. drink coffee. come home. go to bed. wake up.  As much as I love what I do for a living, it is taking its toll.  I am in my mid 20s and work 70 to 75 hours a week. This leaves ohhh, about zero hours for myself.  I suddenly had an epiphany the other day: "what the heck am I doing with my life?!?". Something needed to change.  I needed an escape.


So thus this blog was born.  This is a place for me to just store little ideas or thoughts or inspirations.  I have so many interests and passions that just don't have a place in my life.  So I have created one!  I warn you now: there will most likely be no rhyme or reason to this. There is just no time for that.  Purely my imagination spat out into words and pictures and other such things.  It is inspiration and motivation for me to remember that there is much more to my life outside the office.

Soooooo here goes nothing!

me