a stormy picnic.

During spring break, I set a few personal goals for myself. I realized that I was spending most of my energy on my job and wasn't leaving time for much else. The result was me becoming a skeleton of myself, which served absolutely no one — in my work or in my personal life. So upon returning from spring break, I told myself that I needed to do some more things just for enjoyment.

We're lucky to live in an extremely beautiful place and yet we're so quick to take it for granted. One night, Jeffrey prepared our dinner to-go and we ate it at the waterfront park at the end of our street. Perhaps our favorite part was that a storm was rolling in and we had (perfectly safe) front row seats. xo

my favorite face wash.

Hello, friends! Let's talk face wash today. I've always found myself a bit in love with beauty products and I can spend hours (truly!) researching this stuff. When I found EWG's Skin Deep database, it was like a holy grail for me. Believe it or not, many beauty products are full of cancer-causing agents and toxins that could hurt an unborn child. What's more, manufacturers aren't required to write all ingredients on their labels, which means some pretty scary stuff could be making its way into your products (I've spoken a little bit about that here). Something seems wrong with that picture. That's why it was such a dream when I found Skin Deep. It provides its users with a scale from not hazardous to hazardous, tells you what exactly is in your product, and rates it on a numerical scale (for your reference, it's best when a product gets a zero).

I dealt with moderate acne for the entirety of my college career and I spent countless hours wishing it away. I thought the only answer to better skin was slathering on doctor-prescribed creams, but it turns out that just taking care of my body is what truly changed my skin. It wasn't until I started healing my body from the inside out that I noticed a big difference (and I ditched those creams ASAP, by the way). That certainly doesn't mean I don't use a product or two on my face. I do, but I've simplified everything and my skin's never been happier.

I found Acure Sensitive Facial Cleanser on a whim and I love it! It's gentle and you only need a pea-sized amount to get a foamy lather. The brand Acure gets a great rating on Skin Deep (although I haven't found a rating for my actual face wash). I use an organic facial sponge about three times a week and just use my hands on the other nights. Plus, I use good old coconut oil to remove my makeup. Works like a charm!

I'd love nothing more than to chat beauty products with you! Let me know what products you use (and love!) on your face! xo

back in the saddle.

Hi, Friends!

It's been awhile, hasn't it?

My blogging hiatus and time away from this space was completely unexpected and unplanned. I've loved blogging from the moment I started nearly 6 years ago (back when I still blogged at this space).

I've been pretty open about the struggles I experienced when I entered the working world at the end of Augut 2013. I wrote about it here, too. I think the newness of all of that kind of made me resistant, but the truth is that writing soothes my soul, whether I'm rambling on about our wedding (and how to get married on a very small budget) or sharing the shocking truth about what's in our makeup. I've been constantly pulled back to this space, and yet I've been hesitant to write anything here. Why? It's my space and I make the rules here! :)

With that said, I've got some ideas for this blog and I hope you'll join me in this imperfect journey of fun and honesty. I'll continue to write about the things that matter to me most, which might be a trip to a local burger joint or an honest post about my simple (but difficult) new year's resolution. I hope you'll stick around! xo