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More Fall Favorites!

So I can’t believe I forgot to mention these two things yesterday as I don’t think I could survive the month without them!

1. Say Yes to Cucumber facial towelettes: These are fantastic! I am the worst at washing my face at night before I go to bed, like seriously the worst, I never ever do it. These make me feel a little less guilty about it. With the winter months approaching it is very important to keep your skin hydrated and these really get the job done. You can find them at pretty much any drug store so grab a pack for yourself. They smell just divine as well!

2. Sally Hansen Vita-E sticks: When I was growing up my mother’s cure-all was vitamin E. Much like the dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Any time I complained about anything her response was “want some vitamin E?” After I grew up and moved out I stopped using it all together. A few weeks ago I was wandering through the aisles of CVS and stumbled upon this new and improved form of vitamin-e; a chapstick! It’s perfect for me considering I have a slight crack-like addiction to chapstick. I bought two; one to keep in my apartment and one to keep in my bag at all times. It keeps my lips soft and healthy and you can use it on dry skin as well. Sounds gross, but it works!

These are just a couple more things I cannot live without this month. I’m sure as more pop in my memory I’ll be posting them for you guys. Anywho! Fashion Night Out tonight baby! Where are you guys celebrating this fabulous event? I’ll be at Neiman Marcus in Short Hills! woo!

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Fall Favorites: September

Well the seasons are changing and so is my mind. I am a very fickle person when it comes to style and things I like, so it only seems appropriate to give updates monthly. These are a few of my favorite things so far for the month of September.

1. Infinity scarf from Ann Taylor Loft: I love, love, love scarves and there is something about infinity scarves that I just cannot get enough of. They are so chic and stylish and yet still get the job done. The animal print? An added bonus.

2. Sweater from Banana Republic: They just opened up a new Banana in the Short Hills Mall and I almost died when I first walked in there. Everything is gorgeous and they make the most comfortable clothes. I love the details on this sweater, cardigans can look so alike after a while.

3. Leather jacket from Express: Every BAMF needs a leather jacket. End of story.

4. Leggings from Express: I live in Express leggings. They are super comfortable and don’t give you that awkward camel toe that everyone is petrified of. Grab yourself a pair if you haven’t already.

5. Jimmy Choo ‘Biker’ Boot: Along with the leather jacket, every BAMF needs a pair of these bad boys too. Matt got me a pair as an anniversary present and I haven’t taken them off since. They are durable and lined with the softest rabbit fur on the inside which keeps your foot snug and comfy!

6. Urban Decay eyeshadow in Baked and Blunt: Gold is an amazing color for fall, jewelry and makeup alike. These are two of my absolute favorite shades for fall. I shade the lighter color (blunt) all over the lid and work baked into the creases and corners. I usually line my eyes with a deep brown liner to pull the look together.

7. Coconut Oil: I know what you’re thinking… um Rachel.. this is a cooking ingredient? But oh no friends, it’s so much more! Did you know you can use coconut oil for your skin and hair? Because ya can. So try it. This particular brand in general has directions right on the label. And it works fabulously. My skin and hair had really never felt better.

8. Yankee Candle; Home Sweet Home: Ok, this, unlike the coconut oil, is not a product that is a jack of all trades, so please do not melt the wax and rub it in your hair thinking it’s the next new Moroccan hair oil. I do not want to be responsible for that. This literally is just an amazing candle and I adore the way it smells. Home Sweet Home is the perfect name for this scent… it makes me want to pick up an Iced Passion Tea from Starbucks and go pumpkin picking. Fantastic. Take a whiff.

So! These are a few of my favorite things in September so far. I’m not quite ready to part ways with my shorts and my flip flops… but when I think about all of the things I love about Fall I’m starting to cope. What are your favorite things for Fall?

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The truth about your skin.

This past weekend Matt set up a spa day for me in lieu of our one year anniversary coming up and it was beyond amazing. It took place at Depasquale and it was my first time ever visiting this spa/salon. On one side it’s a full service salon and on the other side of the building a full service spa complete with “womens’ relaxation rooms” and “steam rooms.” Basically, it was love at first sight. They set you up with your own towel, slippers, and a warm robe. It’s heavenly and if you’re ever in the area it’s DEFINITELY worth paying a visit to.

So anyway, the point of this blog is to let everyone in on something I found out while getting my facial. Now, I just want to start off by saying that I’m probably the only idiot that was unaware of this, but in the event that there is someone else out there who didn’t know they were harming their skin more than helping it, I’d like to share.

I am a big fan of exfoliating. I’ll buy anything with the little micro-scrubber beads in it. I have been using a Clearasil face wash for probably over a year because I loved the results I saw when I used it. It is VERY strong and not really useable for people with sensitive skin (like Matt, he hates it). I, however, was addicted to it. I used it every day. So while getting my first ever facial I was asking the aesthetician about my skin. I generally feel like I have oily skin, not over oily, but just enough to bug me, so I asked her what I could do about it. Believe or not, I actually found out I was making my skin oily! My love for exfoliating came around to bite me in the ass. What I was doing, (which is what I think everyone probably already knows, but I didn’t!) is that I was over exfoliating my skin. I was scrubbing off new layers of skin every day so my skin never had a chance to protect itself. The over exfoliating and lack of newness was making my skin super oily. Who knew? (Aside from everyone and their mothers). SO ladies and gents! If you’re exfoliating every day, STOP! Once or twice a week is fine, apparently. Stick to a cream rinse wash for those in between days. Also, I would strongly suggest giving yourself a spa day and getting a facial. The aesthetician can tell you a lot about your skin and your daily skin care regiment and if it’s helping or hurting, just general things that you might not know. She can also suggest how many times on average you should see an aesthetician or dermatologist to keep your skin at its healthiest. Also, if you’re not wearing sun screen every day, START. Even on those overcast days where you can’t feel the sun on your face, those are actually the worst days for your skin. On cloudy days the sun works extra harder to break through, however, only harmful rays are strong enough to penetrate the clouds and you are more susceptible to sun burn from those harmful rays. I suggest investing in a face lotion with built in SPF so you don’t have to worry about it, you can never go wrong with that! (my personal fav, Olay complete all day moisture lotion SPF 15; about $6 or $7 at drug stores).