SUMMER ESSENTIALS: Skincare & Beauty

Summer is already upon us, but in case you’ve been holding off on stocking up on beauty and skincare goods for the season, here’s a friendly reminder.

P.S. sunscreen is for every season, not just summer.

SKINCARE

Frank Body Original Coffee Body Scrub — If you’re spending your days sprawled out by the pool or on the sand, you’ll want to make sure your skin is smooth and toned. I love the smell of this scrub, and it works like a dream.
Supergoop Sun-Defying Sunscreen Oil — I know you’ve had nightmares about streaky, white sunscreen that has that distinctly (bad) sunscreen smell. This is the opposite. Lightweight and fresh. No streaks. And made with CLEAN ingredients.
Dr. Jart Focuspot Micro Tip Patches — I tend to break out in the summer from sweat, makeup…all those fun things that come along with the warmer months. Get rid of blemishes overnight with these incredible patches. I use them all the time and can’t recommend them enough.
Beauty Counter Countersun Sunscreen Stick — I love all of Beautycounter’s products, and this lightweight sunscreen stick is easy to travel with, and applies without streaks. Layer it under makeup to keep your skin healthy all summer long.

BEAUTY

Browfood Tinted Brow Enhancing Gel Fix — I like keeping eye makeup minimal during the summer. I love this product for its
easy application and long-staying formula that creates effortless brows, because summer beauty should be easy, and all about enhancing your glow.
Caudalie Beauty Elixir — Perfect to keep in your bag for a refresh throughout the day. Plus, it smells amazing.
Beautycounter Sheer Lipstick — I’m not a huge lipstick person, so I love how sheer and creamy this formula is. The shade ‘twig’ is
perfect on every skin tone — it’s a nude with a touch of peachy pink.
Beautycounter Tint Skin Hydrating Foundation — Can you tell how much I love Beautycounter? Their Tint Skin is lightweight and
made with clean ingredients, showcasing your beautiful summer glow, without the nasties.
Laura Mercier Colour Infusion Powder Blush — I’m not always wearing blush, but when I am I reach for a peachy color like this one.
Slightly shimmery, apply gradually to cheeks for a beautiful, sun-kissed effect.

WEEKEND GETAWAY IN JOSHUA TREE

Weekend trips to Joshua Tree remind me of how much I love living in Southern California. Even though it’s just a couple hours drive from the city, you feel like you’re in a whole new world — there really is something magical about it. A couple weekends ago, some friends and I drove down to Joshua Tree and stayed in an airbnb for a weekend to celebrate one of my best' friend’s birthdays. It was a short, yet sweet, trip, and made me think that weekend getaways should become a regular thing in my life. Here’s to hoping they will.

Mornings at home are usually slow. It’s hard to wake up, and almost impossible to get out of bed. Yet, during this weekend away, I somehow woke up at 7 or 8am, despite the fact that I had gone to bed late the night before. Easy, slow mornings were spent lounging on the couch, catching up on reading for school before anyone else was even up. But it didn’t feel like work. As people started to trickle into the living area, we would brew a Chemex of Joshua Tree Coffee Company’s Breakfast Bliss, which is now officially my favorite coffee. I can drink this coffee black, and I will drink 6 cups of it in one morning, without fail.

One of the things I loved most about this airbnb was the light. I forgot how nice it was to wake up to natural light — living in Downtown, this is unfortunately something I don’t experience very often. To keep my skin hydrated in the cold and wind (the desert doesn’t get warm until March or April, people…) I made sure to bring simple yet effective favorites like Summer Fridays Overtime and Jet Lag masks, my go-to Aesop Elemental Facial Barrier Cream, Glossier’s Balm Dot Com, and Glossier Cloud Paint for a pop of color.

We spent afternoons hiking (or rather, walking) in Joshua Tree National Park, admiring the incredible rock formations and formidable Joshua Trees, and regretting that many of us were not prepared for the blustery conditions of the desert in late January.

In the evenings, we were greeted with a glorious sunset. The kind of sunset you just can’t look away from. The kind of sunset that almost looks fake. These photos? No filter. Just me living my best desert life, wrapped in a warm Levis sherpa jacket and doing my best cowgirl impression in a Brixton hat.

This is my reminder to you: take that weekend vacation. Drive up the coast and stay at a cozy hotel, b&b, or airbnb for even a few days. This is my way to get away from the monotonous, busy weeks of work and school, because a getaway doesn’t have to involve a transatlantic flight. You never know what’s right around your neighborhood.

CURRENT SKINCARE ROUTINE

I'll admit, right here and now, that I've never been great about having a strict skincare routine. For most of my teen years I just used a Neutrogena exfoliating face wash followed by a no-fuss moisturizer. And it worked for a while. But then I got to thinking, "I should probably hop on that anti-aging bandwagon sooner than later..." and after much trial and error I think I'm finally on to something. With this combination of products I've seen brighter and more hydrated skin, with fewer breakouts.

Before washing my face, I remove any makeup or grime from the day with Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water, which I apply (is that even the right word to use here?) with a cotton wipe. To make sure my face is completely clean, I follow up with Glossier's Milky Jelly Face Wash. My skin is sensitive so I'm always careful about which products I use, and I love that Glossier's face wash is effective without drying my skin out. One "problem" I've been trying to address recently is skin texture, and I feel that Kiehl's Calendula Toner does the job. I used to apply this with my hands, patting the product around my face, but I've found that applying it with a cotton pad feels better. Next, I'll use Osea's Blemish Balm to prevent any breakouts that might be popping up. I love the scent of this moisturizer, but it does feel a tad harsh on my skin, so to keep my skin hydrated, I'll use Biossance's Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil — just a few drops that I massage evenly into my face and neck. If my face needs an extra boost of hydration during the day, I spritz SKIN INC's Pure Serum Mist on top of my makeup.