July 24, 2012
July 19, 2012
July 13, 2012
25 things to do before you turn 25
1. Make peace with your parents. Whether you finally recognize that they actually have your best interests in mind or you forgive them for being flawed human beings, you can’t happily enter adulthood with that familial brand of resentment.
2. Kiss someone you think is out of your league; kiss models and med students and entrepreneurs with part-time lives in Dubai and don’t worry about if they’re going to call you afterward.
3. Minimize your passivity.
4. Work a service job to gain some understanding of how tipping works, how to keep your cool around assholes, how a few kind words can change someone’s day.
5. Recognize freedom as a 5:30 a.m. trip to the diner with a bunch of strangers you’ve just met.
6. Try not to beat yourself up over having obtained a ‘useless’ Bachelor’s Degree. Debt is hell, and things didn’t pan out quite like you expected, but you did get to go to college, and having a degree isn’t the worst thing in the world to have. We will figure this mess out, I think, probably; the point is you’re not worth less just because there hasn’t been an immediate pay off for going to school. Be patient, work with what you have, and remember that a lot of us are in this together.
7. If you’re employed in any capacity, open a savings account. You never know when you might be unemployed or in desperate need of getting away for a few days. Even $10 a week is $520 more a year than you would’ve had otherwise.
8. Make a habit of going outside, enjoying the light, relearning your friends, forgetting the internet.
9. Go on a 4-day, brunch-fueled bender.
10. Start a relationship with your crush by telling them that you want them. Directly. Like, look them in the face and say it to them. Say, I want you. I want to be with you.
11. Learn to say ‘no’ — to yourself. Don’t keep wearing high heels if you hate them; don’t keep smoking if you’re disgusted by the way you smell the morning after; stop wasting entire days on your couch if you’re going to complain about missing the sun.
12. Take time to revisit the places that made you who you are: the apartment you grew up in, your middle school, your hometown. These places may or may not be here forever; you definitely won’t be.
13. Find a hobby that makes being alone feel lovely and empowering and like something to look forward to.
14. Think you know yourself until you meet someone better than you.
15. Forget who you are, what your priorities are, and how a person should be.
16. Identify your fears and instead of letting them dictate your every move, find and talk to people who have overcome them. Don’t settle for experiencing .000002% of what the world has to offer because you’re afraid of getting on a plane.
17. Make a habit of cleaning up and letting go. Just because it fit at one point doesn’t mean you need to keep it forever — whether ‘it’ is your favorite pair of pants or your ex.
18. Stop hating yourself.
19. Go out and watch that movie, read that book, listen to that band you already lied about watching, reading, listening to.
20. Take advantage of health insurance while you have it.
21. Make a habit of telling people how you feel, whether it means writing a gushing fan-girl email to someone whose work you love or telling your boss why you deserve a raise.
22. Date someone who says, “I love you” first.
23. Leave the country under the premise of “finding yourself.” This will be unsuccessful. Places do not change people. Instead, do a lot of solo drinking, read a lot of books, have sex in dirty hostels, and come home when you start to miss it.
24. Suck it up and buy a Macbook Pro.
25. Quit that job that’s making you miserable, end the relationship that makes you act like a lunatic, lose the friend whose sole purpose in life is making you feel like you’re perpetually on the verge of vomiting. You’re young, you’re resilient, there are other jobs and relationships and friends if you’re patient and open.
Cleanse My Soul
I am a beauty product whore. There, I've said it and now it's out in the open for all the world to know judge me if you want. I just can't help myself. There is just something about beauty products that make me feel a lot more put together and give me that boost of whatever I'm lacking on any given day. Maybe this all stemmed from the acne that decided to camp out on my face as I hit the stress wall of high school, who knows, but I've invested quite a bit into products. In the past two years, I decided to make a conscious effort to better my addiction habit and I've become a lot smarter about the things I actually shell out for. Lately my focus has been on getting my skin healthier and in better condition. As much as I love me some makeup, the better my skin, the less makeup I have to slap on in the mornings. Here are a few cleansers that I've tried out as well as am looking to possibly give a test run.
Already in my shower:
Ole Henriksen - On the Go Cleanser
I happened upon this cleanser because I was on this major citrus kick. I craved the scent of things like blood orange and satsuma, especially after receiving a gift set of Pacifica's Blood Orange perfume, hand lotion, and shower gel from my friend Samantha as well as purchasing a gigantic tub of The Body Shop's satsuma body butter. This cleanser smells amazing but really isn't anything special. I wish it did so much more for my skin. It has vitamin C which is great, if only I could see it being put into action. It has become the cleanser in my shower that fills in when I run out of what I'm currently using or when I feel a little tired and need a jolt of citrus all up in my face.
Yes to Tomatoes - Clear Skin Acne Control Gel Cleanser
I really like this cleanser. It's easy to get, easy to use, free of harsh chemicals, and not a hazard to my wallet. The first time I ever used it, my skin cleared up pretty significantly and helped to keep it that way. The second time I repurchased it, I got the same results. It can be a little drying but nothing a good moisturizer can't fix. The downfall: packaging SUCKS. It's so SO horrible that it makes me really think before I consider repurchasing. It leaks no matter which way you have the bottle and you end up wasting a good third of the product.
Philosophy - Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser
I've always heard so much about this cleanser but never really got around to trying it until a sample size was a part of my Cynthia Rowley edition Birchbox. Over all this is a very gentle cleanser which I like. It's perfect for those days when I felt like my face took a beating from the Hawaii sun or when I wear a bit more makeup than usual. It does feel a bit heavy when I use it consistently on my combination/oily skin but I deal with it by following up with my Breath of Fresh Air toner from Lush.
New candidates for my shower:
Amore Pacific - Treatment Cleansing Foam
I first heard about this brand on a shopping trip with my friend Sarah. We popped in a Sephora to browse and ended up in the skincare section. A rep from the brand was there and enticed us with demos. Amore Pacific is a Korean brand that specializes in bringing back the skin to peak condition. The rep did a fantastic job at selling me the product, especially with her own skin because let me tell you it was flawless. It would have been a done deal had it not been for the price tag and the fact that it really doesn't work the best unless you use it in the treatment set it is meant to be with.
DERMAdoctor - Ain't Misbehavin' Medicated AHA/BHA Acne Cleanser
Geez that's a mouth full! I was introduced to this cleanser by a lady at Sephora. I was browsing, yet again, one day and decided to ask her for her opinions on the best cleansers in the place to target and treat acne. She told me this was a good choice, especially for acne that is triggered by hormones and stress. It's supposed to be all pH balanced, whatever that means, and help your skin adjust and heal. I got a little sample of this but it was hard to try out because of the consistency. The product really didn't like being put into a jar-type sample container and wouldn't really come out in the amount I needed to really try it out. It didn't have the greatest smell either but I'd be willing to give it a go if it helped to heal my skin.
Boscia - Detoxifying Black Cleanser
I am dying to try this. I've read so much about charcoal in cleansers being great for people who have oily skin like me. It draws out the dirt and oils while all the other fantastic fancy ingredients like artichoke leaf extract and willowherb improve pore walls and calm redness and irritation. Boscia also has a really good reputation of being preservative-free which I appreciate as well as just making products that work. It isn't cheap but I feel like it will definitely be worth the investment. Goodbye next paycheck, hello happy skin!
Photos courtesy of Sephora and Yes to Carrots
July 6, 2012
Daisy
I know, I know, Daisy is old news. Julie and I were obsessed with it when it first came out and are still obsessed. When Julie brought it home from Boston with her as my birthday present, it's all I've been wearing. It's so light and refreshing, effortless if you must label it. A no brainer, slap (or in this case spritz) it on, and go type of ordeal. Not to mention it looks damn good on your dresser.
July 4, 2012
July 2, 2012
Summer Fun No. 1
This beach day at Waimea was quite a while ago as Julie is now back in Boston, but it was such a good day that I thought what the hell and decided to share. The weather was a bit overcast but good enough to relax in! Definitely looking forward to a sunnier day so that the underwater shots come out better!
July 1, 2012
Heat Wave: Twelve for '12 Summer Playlist
The Library is on Fire || They Don't Know You (Like I Do)
Right On Dynamite || Outta Here
Michael Rault || Lay Right Down and Die
Beyonce || Countdown
Shout Out Louds || Show Me Something
Datarock || I Will Always Remember You
Lily M || Loving Universe
Purity Ring || Lofticries
Jake Bugg || Lightning Bolt
Rooney || Blueside
Gold Motel || Summer House
Citizen Cope || One Lovely Day
I've been home sick this weekend, unable to enjoy summer's official arrival. So in the hopes of being proactive and waiting for my body to recover, I made a playlist to enjoy when I can finally soak up the sun.
Photo from my Instagram: @kiyanananana
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