don't tan and drive

I have read multiple times that a woman's age can most accurately be revealed by her hands and neck. 

This is because women often neglect these areas when applying skin care products, especially anti-aging ones. Despite the number of wrinkle creams a woman slabs on her face to keep herself looking young, if she ignores her neck and hands then there is no appearing "younger." The reason why a woman's hands and neck tend to show age is because the skin in these areas (as well as one's face) is thinner and therefore more prone to damage.

Since your hands are often exposed and are an area of skin that is seen often, it is important to keep them looking beautiful. Whether you're handing money to the Starbucks barrista, instagramming your new manicure or shaking an interviewer's hand, your hands are constantly out in the open for anyone to notice.

I have been starting to pay more attention to my hands and religiously applying hand cream in the winter in order to keep them well-moisturized and taken care of. Whenever I'm in the sun I also apply sunscreen to them. 

Protect your skin during long periods of driving to avoid aged hands.

Lately, I have also been applying sunscreen on my hands while I'm in the car. It's a bit ironic to be preaching about protecting your hands from sun damage since I am a self-proclaimed sun worshipper, but I am trying to be smarter about it. If I'm going to be driving more than 20 minutes, such as a 4-hour drive back from the beach, it's so important to apply sunscreen because you don't realize the damage sun can do to your hands while you're in the car! I keep a little tube of non-greasy sunscreen in my car so I can apply a thin layer to the tops of my hands and fingers. If you choose a non-scented and non-greasy sunscreen you won't even be able to tell you have sunscreen on your hands but your older self will thank you.

I'm sure plenty of people think this is super weird, but I'll be the one laughing in 40 years when my hands don't look as old!

travel favorites

I have an obsession with any product that is travel-sized. Not only are the miniature-sized products cute, they are ideal for any trip!

Whether you're celebrating Memorial day with a "staycation" or flying somewhere with a carry-on, these TSA-approved products are my go-to's for traveling:

Herbal Essences Shampoo- I'm lucky and can get away without conditioner, but this shampoo leaves your hair feeling soft and is so much better than hotel shampoos!

Tarte BB Primer- Even though it's a primer, I always wear this BB cream by itself. It feels absolutely amazing on my skin (like silk), and provides the perfect amount of coverage! It also contains SPF 30 Sunscreen and lasts for 12-hours (no, really) so it's ideal for day-long Memorial weekend festivities. Can you say cookout?

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel- I like to switch up my moisturizer in Summer because my skin is oily and doesn't need as thick of a moisturizer. This one is perfect because it mattifies shine AND works as a primer.

The Body Shop Body Butter- I currently have this travel-sized body butter in 6 different scents - this one is Mango. I love it because it's more moisturizing than a lotion (perfect for after-sun) and won't melt in your bag. And it smells delicious!

Aquage Sea Salt Texturizing Spray- I don't like to travel with a blowdryer or straightener to warm destinations because they take up extra space in my bag, and not to mention fry your hair! I use this spray after the shower without brushing my hair, then scrunch and let it air dry. It gives a natural, beachy look and will make your boyfriend happy when it cuts your getting ready time down in half ;)

These are my favorite travel-sized products! Blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara tend to be small anyway so I always bring my regular ones but limit the amount. I stick to neutral shades - a black or brown eyeliner, plus gold and bronze eyeshadows and one lip color. Whether you're staying at home or going somewhere fun for Memorial Day Weekend, these are great products to have!

glitter is for adults

Anyone who knows me well knows I am completely obsessed with glitter. I tend to leave it out of my beauty routine to avoid looking like a 90's tween with glitter eyeshadow, but when it comes to nails I think it's fabulous!

fun!

My mom understands my girly love of glitter and gave me this Sally Hansen nail polish in 'Rockstar Pink'. Needless to say I'm in love!

You can layer glitter polish on top of regular polish, but I prefer to do 2 coats of just the glitter. If you're shy about glitter, try just one coat because it will be super subtle.

'Rockstar Pink' won't be coming off my nails any time soon...

the sunless tanning industry boom

splurge vs. steal: mascara

As much as I love buying expensive beauty products because of the luxury associated with them, there are some amazing, cheap drugstore options.

The one thing that deters me from trying a new product at a drugstore is that you can't test out the product before purchasing because everything is sealed in its package. However, Walgreens will allow you to return a used cosmetic product if you're unsatisfied with it. 

Some times I stumble upon amazing drugstore products when I'm traveling and forget to pack something important, like eyeliner or concealer. Most of the time when I purchase a drugstore cosmetic it's because it was recommended to me personally, was mentioned on a blog or mentioned in an article.

I have two favorite mascaras: one is They're Real by Benefit and the other is L'Oreal Voluminous. They both make my eyelashes look longer and thicker, but L'Oreal is less than half the price (and maybe even better). I don't usually purchase They're Real - it's given to me as a gift about once a year but I wouldn't buy it myself because it's not better than some drugstore options.

battle of the wands

It's more difficult to justify buying expensive mascara because mascara is something that you should throw out about every three months, so it doesn't last long. For now I'm loyal to my drugstore L'Oreal mascara, but then again, I haven't tried DiorShow yet.

dior lip glow

I had been lusting after Dior Addict Lip Glow for months years. A couple of my friends had the original pink color, and the classy-looking balm seemed like something Audrey Hepburn would wear so naturally I had to have it.

According to Sephora, Dior Lip Glow is "formulated with color reviver technology" which basically means it's magic (no, really). The color of this sheer balm turns into a unique shade based on the chemistry of your lips so it looks slightly different on everyone.

The balm has SPF 10 and feels incredible - like finely crushed pearls (if that's the smoothest thing ever).

so damn *chic*

I got the Coral Lip Glow instead of pink because it was supposedly a limited edition version at Sephora when I went, which was perfect because I gravitate toward corals over pinks with regards to blush and lip colors. The color is super sheer and delivers the perfect amount of color that looks so natural and pretty - other people will probably think you're wearing a clear balm and your lips are just that good.

The only downside to this balm is that it costs $32. I'm embarrassed to admit I spent that much on a lip balm because I know it's absurd. But, treat yoself? 

bronzing for beginners

I bit the bullet and decided to try a beauty video. It's my first one, so it can only get better from here (right?)! Hopefully this video is helpful - let me know if you have any feedback!