Shopbop Spring Sale

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         We’ve officially entered the most awkward time of the year. The month of March is like being in the 8^th grade all over again- annoying, uncomfortable and impossible to look good during. Luckily we’ve grown out of our 8^th grade mindset that denim skirts paired with leggings were a good idea, but dressing in Boston for March weather is still just as stressful as those days in front of your closet, wondering which Abercrombie cami to wear.

         When Wednesday is 50° but it’ll be snowing on Friday, getting ready in the morning is even more of a struggle than usual.

     The good news is that the start of March also brings us the Shopbop Spring Sale!

         With discounts of up to 25%, this sale is a great opportunity to grab some pieces for this in-between weather. Stock up on jeans (this is my favorite budget-friendly brand), which work in any season, as well as light jackets and shirts to layer for days when the weather can’t decide. Don’t forget to check out discounts on outerwear if you want to be prepped for next winter (this jacket I’ve been eyeing all winter is now only $65!) Then treat yourself to some spring and summer pieces to remind you that warm weather is just around the corner.

       Check out my picks to wear now and later and shop the sale here (it ends March 5^th)!

Thanks for reading!

Kristine

Dry Skin Necessities

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If you live in a climate that takes no prisoners when it comes to winter, you definitely have experience with dry winter skin. And since Boston can’t get its act together in terms of the temperature, my skin has been battling everything from bitter cold snow days to weirdly humid 65° days mid-winter. All these weather changes take a toll on your skin, and if your number one concern (right after hoping the JoJo will be the next Bachelorette) is preventative skin care, winter is the perfect time to up your game.

           I have “genetically confused” skin, which is my way of wondering how I inherited my grandma’s problematic skin type, while my mom’s healthy, smooth, young-looking skin didn’t make the genetic cut. For as long as I can remember I’ve battled sensitive, dry and itchy skin, especially in winter (which makes me pause and wonder why I moved to Boston?) so I’ve developed an arsenal of products to get me through.

      This is one of my favorite body scrubs, for obvious reasons. It’s made out of coffee grounds, and it sloughs away dead skin while keeping you moisturized. This in-shower lotion is made to be applied then rinsed off, while in the shower. I’ve been using it for several months now and love it.  It’s great if you don’t have the time, or motivation, to apply after-shower lotion, but if you’re like me and your body needs every bit of moisture you can get, I always apply this after showers.

     My lips are the first to show signs of being dry, so when they feel tight I reach for this, but when they’re cracked and need extra care I grab this, which I have been obsessed with since I was 13 and my dermatologist determined it was the only thing that wouldn’t give my skin a bad reaction (every preteen's dream).

       I always try to carry a facial spray in my bag, and was given this one recently and really like it. It’s a running joke in my office when I start misting my face mid-day, but a girl’s gotta keep her skin hydrated!

Thanks for reading!

Kristine

Winter Lips

 I can pinpoint the exact moment I became an adult to the first time I reached for a lipstick instead of a lip gloss. That's a pretty defining moment for a girl who spent a lot of her formative years wearing sparkly blue eye shadow.

Anyway, now that I've grown into a more mature makeup style, lipstick is my #1 go-to when I need to look put together.

A great lipstick is like the LBD of the makeup world- always in style, easy to pull together, and can cover a multitude of sins.

Seriously, swipe on some lipstick and your coworkers will all be commenting on how chic you look and will never suspect you took National Wine Day a little too seriously. 

These are my favorite go-to's right now:

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These colors are deep enough for the winter, but their bright hues can carry you right into spring. This plum lipstick goes on glossy and is moisturizing with a more sheer, but buildable color. I put this on my girlfriend a couple of weekends ago and it made her green eyes POP!

This is my current favorite red lipstick. My skin's naturally pale with cool undertones, and this red-orange shade is super flattering.

Finally this cult-favorite is a great little multitasker. It has blue undertones which means it looks great on fairer skin tones and those blue tones make your teeth look whiter. It's also super pigmented and the shade is deep enough to work regardless of the season. (It is a semi-matte lipstick, which tend to be a little more drying, so double up on the lip balm with this one).

Thanks for reading!

Kristine

2016

Lately

Bracelets | Watch | Sweatshirt: H&M: not currently online | Pillow | Cactus Candle Holders | Prints: Donut Worry; Bless This Mess | Scarf | Ring

       After a lot of midnight breakdowns and revisions of my cover letter, I landed a post-grad job. Any semblance of a lifestyle I may have had quickly deteriorated into a wash, rinse and repeat cycle of coffee, work, wine. Sometimes (often) I’d sneak pizza into the mix.

       Finally I feel like I’ve gotten the handle on the 9-5 lifestyle. (This is a myth. I do not work 9-5. Who tricked us into thinking we would all get to leave work by 5pm??) But it turns out that although landing a job is tough, adjusting to a job might be tougher.

        After a long work week, it’s hard to convince yourself that leaving your sofa is necessary. But it is easy to convince yourself that paying a $15 delivery fee for pizza and wine is reasonable and something that you should definitely do.

        Now that I’ve been thrust into the real world for over a year now, I’m starting to find that balance between work and life, and for me a big part of that is getting back into my hobbies outside of work.

        A hobby sounds like such a weird thing to say; how often do you get asked about your hobbies anymore? (unless you’re at some weird work ice-breaker activity, which we all know are the worst)

So, what are your hobbies?

10 year old Kristine: “Reading, dancing, gymnastics, drawing, arts and crafts, riding my bike, playing with dolls, Neopets, writing, chain-emails, shopping… ”

24 year old Kristine: “Mostly just eating and thinking about my next meal. Oh and I also watch the Bachelor”

But I want to get back into my hobbies. For me it’s easy to get into a slump of just getting though my days, but I’m a lot happier when I take the time to get back into the things I love to do. So I’m making an effort to do just that, which means I’ll update this blog instead of going home and watching Jeopardy in my yoga pants. Or maybe I’ll find the balance to do both.

big girl bag

Now that I'm a graduate I think it's probably time to invest in some grown up purchases. Of course my very first big girl purchase ended poorly (I'm still not over the loss of the cutest bicycle ever. Don't steal. Come on.) So now I'm turing to what I do best: online shopping. Today is a great day for binge shopping because:

A. It's gross and rainy outside and 

B. Kate Spade

I'm stocking up on a couple of grown up bags; perfect for carting around all of your necessities (wallet, phone, snacks, etc) while looking put together and mature. 

I picked up these two cuties and I can't wait for them to arrive! 

 

Go check out the sale and grab some seriously discounted accessories!

Happy shopping :)

beach bag essentials

Looking at the calendar and seeing that it's almost halfway through August gives me the same kind of emotions as when you realize there's only one slice of pizza left in the Dominos box, or as when Starbucks tells you they've run out of chai. But lucky for us, summer isn't quite over, and there are still enough sunny days left to hit the beach. (They're interspersed with just enough rainy days to hide in your bed and finish binge watching that Netflix series, too) So anyway, since I'm a bonafide expert on lounging, I thought I'd share my essentials for a relaxing beach day.

1. Sephora Perfection Mist Airbrush Foundation | 2. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | 3. Evian Mineral Water Spray | 4. Sunscreen: Neutrogena | 5. Apple Earpods | 6. Ray-Ban Sunnies | 7. Cosmetic Bag | 8. Beach Blanket | 9. Silky scarf | 10. Wide Tooth Comb | 11. Moroccan Hair Oil | 12. Cheek Stain | 13. Baby Powder

Start out with a beach bag (mine's from Target, and I love it, but it's not in stock anymore; I love this one and this one). Get one that's unlined so the sand doesn't get stuck at the bottom of the bag. Bring a book because it's good for you and reading is sexy. I just finished reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and it was gothic and weird and awesome. Any suggestions for my next summer reading?! I've got a dusty library card that's begging to be used. 

Obviously grab sunscreen. If you're a diva like me, you'll have three different kinds in your bag. Get one for specifically for your face if you're prone to breakouts because most are oil free and won't clog your pores. 

I know that it's probably revealing of how high maintenance I am that I'm about to advise you about what kind of makeup to bring to the beach, BUT hear me out. This Sephora Foundation sprays on so evenly that you don't even need a mirror, and it's buildable, so you can control your coverage. It stays on in the heat if you've got any uneven skin to cover, and it doesn't feel heavy if you want to apply it post-beach lounging and pre-bar hopping. The cheek stain gives you a super sheer and natural blush that you'll need if you've been good and have been applying your sunscreen correctly :) (which I am very guilty of not doing…)

The baby powder is probably the weirdest thing I carry with me, and sometimes I get looked at like I've got three heads when I pull it out at the beach, but it is an absolute necessity. If you shake some baby powder on your skin any sand stuck to you falls right off like magic. It also doubles as dry shampoo if you're that kind of girl (which we know I am.)

Finally, every single one of you needs to go buy that blanket. It's handwoven, enormous and only $32. I bought two. They work as an outdoor blanket (an can just be tossed in the wash) but you can bet that this guy is going to be at the foot of my bed all winter for stylish and snuggly warmth. 

Seriously, go grab your beach essentials and as much beer as you can carry and get to the beach asap. 

Boston Beach Bummin'

Boston is cold. No one really prepared me for this when I moved to Boston from sunny Alabama. I have a college degree, but I'm telling you that I didn't know Boston was in New England until my dad called me during the 2012 Superbowl to see if Boston was pumped that the New England Patriots were playing. So not only am I apparently geographically challenged, but I was also unprepared for the weather that is typical of New England– which is apparently where I live. While there's something to be said for those (loooooong) months of hibernating under a winter coat and eating mac and cheese for every meal to pack on those insulating pounds, there's honestly nothing better than Boston in the summer. 

I've been loving exploring beaches this summer, and one of my new favorite beaches is Long Beach in Nahant, MA. It's the perfect place for day trips because it's only about 30 minutes away from Boston so you feel like you've escaped the city without going too far. If you like to spend your beach trips laying in the sun, there's a huge shoreline for that, with packed sand for running around and playing soccer, and soft sand for lounging in. If you like to spend your beach trips hunting for little critters (like I do) there's an abundance of snails, baby hermit crabs and other creatures that you can check out on the giant rocks at the edge of the shoreline. 

Long Beach parking is only $5 (but I think it may be free on weekdays?!) which is a bargain for Boston area beaches, which usually can run up to $25 for day parking. Before you park, stock up on snacks at one of the various convenience stores around the area, and grab take out lunch at Seaside Pizza , a local eatery that has awesome sandwiches, subs and pizza.

If you don't have access to a car (you can take public transit to Nahant, but it's a little tricky) you can hit the beach at the Boston Harbor Islands instead. The ferry runs from Long Wharf for about $15, and you can hop around the Harbor Islands. Spectacle Island is the closest, and it's only about a 20 minute ferry ride. BONUS: the ferry sells beer. Stock up during those 20 minutes. There's a lifeguarded swimming section, acres to explore, a snack shack and a rocky beach to lounge on. You can see the Boston skyline from the beach, which is so beautiful, and you don't get the enormous crowds that you usually see at a typical beach. 

These two places are super beautiful and fun areas to enjoy summer and take advantage of the warm weather while it's here!

Exploring Boston is one of my favorite things to do, and I'd love to hear if any of you have any favorite outdoor summer spots!