Pretty Busy Weekly, 07.27.2020

It’s really almost August, and I hate that my favorite season feels halfway over. To be totally honest, the last week was not great. I landed myself in the ER in the middle of the night this week with a migraine, and have been suffering from headaches for weeks now. I have no idea what it is (I’ve been tested for COVID), but I am guessing it is my anxiety about the lack of concrete answers come September’s start of the school year, the stress of my final weeks of graduate work, or the internal panic as cases across the country continue to creep closer to my NY/NJ bubble.

Bottom line, I really need to find some solutions for myself. I did order these CBD drops that I have seen all over Instagram, and finally tried recently. I really like them on initial use, but I will do a post if I decide they are worth it long-term.

One goal for this week (I post these here for my own personal accountability) is to exercise more. It’s been so hard with the heat, the crowds on the walking paths, and these headaches, but I went for an early morning walk on the beach, and it was so peaceful (and empty). I plan to do this more this week, and really just have some quiet time with myself. I spent the walk listening to the new Taylor Swift album to assess the hype, and I will say- I loved it. It has a very chill vibe, and I think this might be my favorite album since her very first one, before she became a mega-popstar and my best friends and I were blasting her with the windows down driving to the gym after school.

Today, I’m posting late because I took a self-care day and came back to the city. I got my hair highlighted, and even tried out the nail salon experience. I have to say, both were almost empty, and took serious precautions. And I write this as I lay on my couch in Brooklyn, where I haven’t been in almost a month. Even though the shore is my home, there is something so wonderful about being in your own home.

I didn’t really realize how long I had been away from the city, but I started to run out of a lot of the travel size skincare that I took with me when we left before July 4th weekend. I placed some orders this week, but there are still significant delays with USPS, which I feel like everyone is using for shipping right now.

I ran out of my usual exfoliating toner pads, so I decided to try these pads from Pixi. Any pads with an acid component are perfect for my morning routine. I love these from Sephora, but decided to try these for quicker shipping, and because I have really been loving Pixi products lately.

One of my packages got lost in the mail with a refresh on my usual cleansing balm. So I picked up this oldie but goodie from the drug store, while I wait for this new cleansing balm to arrive in my Sephora order. I saw an amazing infographic from @beautydealsbff (a great follow for beauty and skincare sales) that shows the cost per ounce for the top cleaning balms on the market. The Drunk Elephant one is one of the most affordable. I’ll let you know how it compares to my other favorites, and put together a post on those.

Also in my order from Sephora was my favorite eye patches. I got these in a FabFitFun box a long time ago, and truthfully, I haven’t found anything that really compares. They are on the pricier side (only 6 for $25), but in my opinion, are well worth the cost. I leave them on while I take a bath, and they really target those dark circles.

I also ordered a new bottle of this hair oil that I got as a free sample. It lasted me for months (you need such a small amount), and I love it for pre-blow dry, and a refresher to my ends on the days I don’t wash but still style, especially for hydration and shine. I’m long overdue for putting together a post on my favorite hair care items, so I am promising you that post soon.

I am also attempting to branch out where I am buying beauty and skincare products from, and have been wanting to try out Credo beauty (a clean beauty shop) for a long time. After reading about the benefits of hydrating spritzes in my skincare bible, I decided to order this mist (I don’t currently mist, so I am excited to test this out) and this mascara that I have seen rave reviews for.

If you missed my post on masks, definitely check it out here. Today, I wore this gorgeous mask with the orange hearts around Brooklyn, and I got so many compliments. The fabric was also super soft on my face, and I popped a filter easily inside. I also tried this spray to prevent fogging in my sunglasses, and it worked like a charm! I highly recommend.

I had my whole family in town over the last week, and it was a ton of fun. We did a lot of cooking, and the best recipe I tried and love was this one. I am allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, so I opted to use Sunbutter, which is made from sunflower seeds and still has a nutty/salty taste. It was a hit! Definitely try this out with some warm ice cream served over top.

I wasn’t able to get much reading done last week between grad school and babysitting my nephew, but I did start this book by the author of one of my favorite books of all time. I also just got this book in, and I am really eager to jump in- it’s the memoir of a Black female ER doctor.

That’s all I’ve got for you this week. I hope to be on the up and up next week, and I am looking forward to feeling more myself. Maybe this NYC air will recharge my batteries? Let me know what’s keeping you pretty busy this week, and if you try and like any of the things inspiring me!