Hi, friends! It’s about that time where we go over my favorite things I’ve done and bought the past couple of months!

Here’s everything I loved this past May & June!

But first, one song I’ve been obsessed with recently is:

One Size Lip Gloss

I’ve been eyeing this dual-sided lip gloss for ages, sampling the color on my wrist every time I went inside a Sephora. I’ve been more conscious of my spending habits lately to live more sustainably and save money (another favorite the past couple of months!), but after a few visits, I thought okay I deserve to treat myself to this. The lipstick color is so vibrant and bold, but the lip gloss adds an extra layer of glam and Hollywood sparkle. I love it so much! It perfectly elevates any look, whether you’re going out for dinner or on the town!

Below are some photos of the lippie itself and some swatches. The far left swatch is both colors layered on each other and the right two are the lipstick and gloss swatched separately. The first set of swatches is in natural sunlight and the second set is in direct sunlight.

Neutrogena Age Shield Face SPF 70 Sunscreen

I know Neutrogena has been in the sunscreen game for years, but I never thought to try it. I recently bought their Age Shield Face sunscreen, tempted by their high protection with SPF 70, and I really like it! The texture is super smooth and glides on the face easily. It comes out white but becomes clear as you apply it to the skin. It also doesn’t leave my face feeling slimy or oily. This is a staple at the beach, especially since I burn so quickly on my face.

Clif Bar Minis

During my first visit to NYC a couple of months ago, I survived on Clif Bar Minis to get me through my travels— rushing between airline terminals, a delayed flight (including a 10-hour delay and a hotel stay in Arizona), long walks in the city (I stay active and even I’m not used to all those steps!), endless museum tours, and long drives to and from JFK Airport. These Clif Bars truly got me through it all. The mini size is perfect for my belt bag and carry-on, and I even had room to pack extra to share with my family.

Because I ate these so fast (NYC is go-go-go), I didn’t take a picture of any of the bars! Instead, here’s a photo of me posing in front of the actual, real-life Empire State Building! The Clif Bar Minis fit perfectly inside the lavender belt bag pictured below.

Over-blushing

If I’m not over-blushing my face, I’m not applying makeup correctly. This is a statement I stand by firmly. I have been obsessed with applying a tad bit too much blush on my face lately. It gives the perfect sun-kissed look and rosy glow! I don’t typically apply any foundation (the most I’ll apply is a skin tint and concealer under the eyes), so the focal point of my look is undoubtedly my blushed cheeks.

I make sure to apply plenty of product on my cheeks and along my temple/outer eye area, as well as on my nose. My favorite blushie for the sun-kissed look is Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in “Grateful.” I also mentioned this product in my July 2022 Favorites list :) It’s still a favorite nearly a year later!

Walking Before Work

One morning, I woke up naturally around 5:30 am and felt the need to go on a walk before my 7 am WFH shift. By the time I got out of bed and dressed, I only had about 30 minutes to actually walk, but that was plenty of time to get some steps in around my neighborhood. That small walk set me up for a great shift— I was in a good mood from the endorphins released and it felt great knowing I was able to get some movement in before I even started the work day. While it’s not always possible to do this every morning, I try to incorporate some movement if I have extra time before work.

Cotton candy skies captured on an iPhone 11. Not a sunrise or walk in the neighborhood, but a lovely photo nonetheless.

Hot Oatmeal for Breakfast

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but on those days when I don’t feel like cooking anything but need to eat, I turned to make instant hot oatmeal. I luckily have all the ingredients ready to enhance my oatmeal, including almond slices, pecan pieces, brown sugar, honey, coconut pieces, peanut butter, chocolate chips, strawberries, and bananas. I typically have these ingredients for my overnight oats, but they work just as well with regular hot oatmeal!

Vintage Market & Thrifting

Although I am not new to these activities, I have really enjoyed thrifting and shopping at vintage markets in search of unique clothing pieces, furniture, home decor, trinkets, and more these past couple of months! I’m trying to be more intentional with my shopping and only purchasing items I know I will put to good use, so I don’t always go home with a new item. It’s a great pastime to walk through the aisles and see various tchotchkes lying on each shelf.

Have you tried any of these? Anything you’re going to try soon? Stay tuned to the blog to find out what I try in the next couple of months!

Until next time, friends!

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