Sunday, August 23, 2015

Skincare Favorites

So it's no secret that I am absolutely in love with all things makeup. [You can check out my all time favorite products here and, while you're at it, definitely add the Naked palette to that list.] However, this post is not about makeup. Instead, It's about one of my favorite life lessons from my fabulous mother which is "you have got to take care of your skin," and more specifically "you better wash your face every night." 

Turns out, mom is 100% right on this one. While I don't have terrible skin to begin with (credit to mom once again for solid genes), I can definitely feel a difference on days when, for some reason, I skipped my skincare routine the night before. Not only do I think a skincare routine is crucial, but I also swear by the products I use.  

So today I'm sharing with you my five favorites for flawless skin! I'm especially excited to introduce you to my bf Mario Badescu because we're absolutely in love and never breaking up.


In order of routine: 

[Enzyme Cleansing Gel by Mario Badescu] I start with this face wash after removing my eye makeup. It's really cooling and perfect for removing dirt, oil and makeup. It also smells really good which is always a plus. 

[Cucumber Cleansing Lotion by Mario Badescu] I apply this with a cotton ball after washing my face with the cleansing gel. The consistency is more like water than gel and it's amazing at preventing breakouts.

[Face Polish by Laura Mercier] This. smells. incredible. I have only been using a sample size for a few weeks now but it has seriously changed my life. I use this scrub every few days and it makes my skin feel so unbelievably smooth.

[Chapstick] Nothing like good old classic chapstick for hydrated lips. I put it on every night before bed and am especially regimented about it in the winter. 

[Aloe Moisturizer by Mario Badescu] I always put moisturizer on my face before going to bed. I love how hydrated it makes my skin feel in the morning. I especially love this moisturizer because it's not too heavy and it's really gentle on sensitive skin.


Andddd, that's about it. It might sound like a lot, but it takes less than 5 minutes at night and in the morning. Also if you're interested this awesome Ulta kit comes with all three of the Mario Badescu products I use in mini! 

So thanks, Mom, for the life lesson, and also for the sold genetics. You're the best.

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Friday, August 14, 2015

Note to Self

Recently, I cleaned my room. Now, this is amazing because when I say "cleaned" I mean really cleaned. I actually organized all of my drawers and my closet. I promise this is amazing because usually when I say "cleaned," I mean "haphazardly threw things in drawers until there's a path to my bed." This time, however, it is for real clean. It seriously looks beautiful and has for almost an entire week. You have my full permission to ask anyone in my family if you don't believe me.  

The point of all of this is not to tell the world my room is clean for once. No, I'm still getting to the point. You see, I have a small piece of furniture by my door that I wasn't sure how I wanted to style after all of the organizing went down. It used to have a ton of hair and beauty products on top that collectively didn't scream "style," so once they were moved I thought: what about note cards?



I have something of a note card obsession, which isn't the best because I most definitely collect more than I send. My collection isn't crazy, I mostly just love to look at all of the cards while I'm shopping, but truthfully the cards I do love enough to buy stay with me for a while. So instead of hiding them away in a drawer, I recently decided to put them on display! 



These Hello cards were only $1 for the pack from that crazy $1 section of Target when you first walk in. That section is literally my life. Apparently my friend Kelly once said "if you walk by the $1 section at the entrance of Target without stopping, then we can't be friends." I think those are wise words to live by. 



At this point you've probably noticed my lovely gold whale box. It's a rare occasion when whale related content makes it's way onto Whale & Wishbone, so I hope you enjoy it. This little number happened to be a graduation gift from my wonderful Godmother. Fun Fact: name your blog Whale & Wishbone and I assure you the number of whale and or wishbone related presents you'll receive will increase exponentially. It's actually pretty exciting. If you want further evidence, see this post



I thought it was cute to leave a single note card out of the stack as if I were about to write a card... also it covers up a very large chip in the paint I made from nail polish remover, but lets not talk about that (sorry mom). I also hope that by putting this magnifying glass out people will get confused and think their in Nancy Drew's room for a quick second. 


These note cards happen to be from an adorable set called Paris in Color. Each card features a different colorful scene from everyday life in Paris. 

If I'm being totally honest here, I haven't sent a single one to anyone yet. I keep thinking maybe I'll do something artsy with all of them, but let's face it that's never going to happen. So, I really just need to get the ball rolling and send the first one somewhere and then I feel like it won't be so hard to send the rest. << That whole paragraph was ridiculous, Natalie. Just send them. 


Oh my God, this Parisian cafe one is so cute. 


These cards are from Walmart, guys. WALMART. Are you dead? Because I am. "just a note." It's a music note!!! These might be the best purchase I have ever made from Walmart. 



Anyway, Note to Self: Stop buying note cards. Although, I'm not going to lie, I'm 100% obsessed with these and might buy them. Someone stop me. Seriously. 
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Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Brunch and Such at Freemans

It's no secret that I am absolutely obsessed with brunch. I mean, what's not to love? It's the weekend, you get to sleep in, it's acceptable to drink in the morning... basically it's where the boundaries of breakfast and lunch collide to form perfection -- am I overselling it? I don't think so.

Anyway, today I want to share with you a new favorite brunch spot of mine. You can also find a list of all of my favorite NYC restaurants here that includes a specific tab just for brunch!


So, I've wanted to try Freemans for a while now, but given they don't take reservations for small parties, usually the obsessive planner in me will opt for a guaranteed table elsewhere. However, on Saturday, a no reservations option was ideal for a last minute brunch plan with some friends and I was blown away by how absolutely amazing Freemans is.


Everything about this restaurant feels like a beautiful secret, starting with the fact that you have to wander down this graffitied alleyway to find the entrance. 


What was great about this particular brunch, was that it happened to be my friend Kaitlyn's first ever brunch experience. I was originally shocked to learn this, but of course, now that I'm aware, I will make sure it's her first of many.... she basically has no choice in the matter. 


The interior of Freemans can be described as cozy hunting lodge chic. We were seated upstairs for brunch and I absolutely loved all of the old upholstered couches. With the vintage books and wooden accents, the decor was like being in someone's cozy living room in the mountains. 


Oh my goodness, the food was so good. My egg white crepe was beyond amazing, and in fact, everything that passed by our table from the kitchen smelled absolutely fantastic. 



We debated whether that book under the table was an adorable design detail or simply a necessity. 


I think these postcard cats are creepy but Kaitlyn loved them, which was perfect because I made her keep it as a memento of her first of many brunches. 


This is honestly one of my new favorite brunch spots to date, and I can't wait to visit it again possibly for dinner. I bet the alleyway at night is beautiful... which is weird because, in any other situation, I would find a nighttime alleyway incredibly creepy. Anyway, the point is you should probably wander down Freemans Alley yourself sometime soon for a lovely brunch. 
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