#glitter guide

What have you achieved since lockdown? I’ve managed to work toward my money goal of paying off my credit card debt and repairing the credit score that I undoubtedly trashed during my youth. Frankly, I’ve made a ton of headway and am very close to hitting my previous goals, while deciding on new ones.

For once, I felt good about my finances…so I went on a very illogical shopping spree with all of the ‘extra’ money I was making. I gave myself fully into the ‘treat yourself’ culture, and then some. Maybe you’ve noticed something similar going on as well. While everything was falling apart on the outside, I thought, at least I have my pretty things. It gave me joy to open little ‘gifts’ I’d get myself throughout the weeks. Naturally, I needed almost none of it, but I deserved a little something for a kickass workweek, right?

I found myself surrounded by things, and wondering in a sudden sober fog, how long I could actually sustain this? Have you been spending extra money since the pandemic? You’re definitely not alone. An Ibotta survey found quite a large spike in spending throughout most of the U.S. in the beauty category. Yup, I’m guilty of this as well and hadn’t even noticed until I started organizing my beauty and skincare hauls and saw all of the products that were still in their original packaging just sitting in my office, collecting dust. I knew I needed to change things.

Here’s what I did to try and fix my bad habits.

Gain Financial Literacy

Getting an understanding of my finances, and preparing for my financial future became major long-term goals for me. So, I poured myself into podcasts like “Women & Money,” “The David Bach Show,” “Secrets of Wealthy Women” and “Afford Anything,” and started applying different tactics to curb my lockdown splurging, for good.

I made a list of different topics related to money that I wanted to research on my own time. Continuing this habit of learning, and discovering so many new things about money that I hadn’t known about before eventually lead me to open a retirement account, learn about investing and open a brokerage account. Oh yes, and I actually know what I’m doing most of the time, which has really helped me feel more confident about myself as well as my finances.

The first thing you need to know about money is that you don’t know what you don’t know. Finances can often seem very intimidating, but it’s only because we don’t often confront these terms. You need to get comfortable with learning about money and seeing it in a more positive light.

Make It Difficult

OK, this might sound crazy, but stay with me for a minute. I erased all of my previously saved credit and debit card information from my most shopped stores. I also signed out of my PayPal account and made it so that I would need to go through any annoying amount of authentication to make a single purchase. Why? Because it forced me to actually take time to think about whether or not this specific purchase was worthy of spending my time on. If the purchase was worth it, then I was happy to pull my wallet out and enter my information.

I spent way less money online once I made it harder for myself to shop. If it takes effort, we become a lot more skeptical about the spending decisions we are making. Is getting that chic wallet that just went on sale as important when you realize that you need to fetch your credit card from downstairs at 1 a.m.? No. One-click purchases are so convenient, even dangerously so when you are trying to cut back on spending.

Start Small

When you are just starting to learn about financial wellness, and you’re making these big decisions, it can easily feel overwhelming. This is a money journey, not a race. Don’t feel pressured to meet certain goals or start something new before you’re comfortable. Trust your gut with your money, it’s usually right. At 29 years old, I was just learning about a Roth IRA, and I felt like I was so far behind. Making any kind of significant difference in your finances takes time.

Experiences

These days, it’s very easy for us to find comfort in physical items. Sometimes, it feels like that’s all we have to look forward to. I based so much of my happiness on unveiling new products to add to my stockpile. Instead, I decided that anytime I craved ‘stuff,’ I would think about throwing the money into an experience rather than a product.

Using money toward experiences rather than items leads to more long-term happiness. Plus, you will always have memories to look back on through those experiences. Physical items often make us happy for a few minutes until we turn our attention to the next brightest and newest item.

This post is adapted from an original post that I created for the Glitter Guide. Want to read the original post on GG? Click the button!

As a firm believer in the fact that we can always find progress within ourselves. I’ve found a lot of comfort in the fact that no matter what, I can always reflect on different aspects of my life. I like to learn from my past, and yes, that even includes some questionable beauty habits that I once viewed as essential to my routines.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve taken stock of my routines, and what they’ve currently been shaped into. I was not always so organized, or even knowledgeable about what I was putting on my skin. My skin hasn’t always been combination-type, either. Noted: no one intentionally effs up.

You have to seed out those bad little habits and nip them before they make your beauty routines worse. You’ve got to figure out what those bad beauty habits are, and implement a solution.

These are just 8 innocent bad beauty habits that I’ve given up, and I’m never looking back.

Not identifying my needs.

For a long time, I let my beauty routine revolve around the fact of need. I did certain things because I was “supposed to.” I never stopped to think about what was actually important to me to really incorporate into my beauty routines. When crafting your own routines, never forget what is important to you, and address those beauty needs. You need to add elements that make sense to you and hone in on what feels important to you. For example, the pandemic taught me, I am a nails-girl. I type all day, every day, and I feel more productive and inspired when my nails are done to my liking.

An unstable cleansing routine.

I used to use whatever cleansing method I could find nearby. That means I’d even use a bar of soap if it were in reach. I didn’t give much thought to my cleansing routines, but that was a huge mistake. I wasn’t properly taking off my makeup, and it was leading to a lot of skin issues like zits and over-drying. All cleansers are not made alike. When I wear makeup, I follow a double-cleansing routine with a balm or oil to dissolve my makeup, and a gentle gel cleanser to finish up.

Hoarding as much product as possible.

I was a thorough product hoarder for such a long time, and it’s hard to believe that I held on to too many expired products and formulas that just didn’t work for me. I used to think that the more product, the better. But the truth is that it’s easy for everything to get a little out of hand. You don’t need every new product under the sun to develop a good skincare routine, you just need the formulas that work best for you. Less is more, and the more focused your beauty arsenal, the better.

Using too many products at a time.

We’re living during a time of an influx of beauty and skincare brands and products. Everyone has their own beauty line these days. That just means we have tons of more choices, but don’t fall into the “new launch” rabbit hole and feel like you have to try every new product that comes out. I reached a point in my beauty routines where I was just using products because they were in my arsenal, and not necessarily because they were the right product to treat certain skin concerns.

After suffering a chemical burn, I realized I need to pare down my routine and focus on products and formulas that specifically targeted my needs.

Over-exfoliating my skin.

I used to think scrubbing my face equated to clean skin. This was a huge mistake. The skin on your face is delicate and should be treated as such. Piling on exfoliators can really do a lot more bad than good. I’ve toned down on exfoliating, and only using exfoliating products when my skin feels dull.

Never using heat-protecting products in my hair routine.

It took me such a long time to embrace my wavy hair texture. For so long, I stuck a hot iron to it and called it a day. When I immediately noticed a slew of new split ends, I knew what I had done wrong. Too much heat and I wasn’t even trying to protect my strands. The damage was done, and it got to the point where I had to chop an inch or two off just to spare the rest of my strands.

The pandemic gave me time to find preventive and protective hair products, and I took a long break from hot tools. I hardly ever use hot tools in my hair now, but if I do need it, you can bet I’ll never not use a heat protectant again.

Forgetting my daily SPF.

Here I was, running out of the house and sitting in the hot car, waiting for it to cool off. And I promise, every time I would say “whoops, forgot to put on my sunscreen.” What a dangerous mistake. I’ve worked hard to keep SPF all over my home: in my purse, on my office desk, next to my bed, etc. Now, I have no excuse for forgetting my SPF since I’m surrounded by sunscreens. Even if you spend all day indoors, the sun finds a way to peek through your windows, and you need to protect your skin.

Over-treating my stressed-out hair.

Olaplex quickly became my best friend during the pandemic, and then my worst enemy. Did you know you can easily overdo these formulas and quickly dry out your strands and actually damage them further? It’s important to look at natural hair-treatment options (sometimes you just need to peek into your pantry for hair-savers). I’ve been coloring my hair most of my life and keeping a color-safe routine calls for shinier, healthier hair. I use repairing products when my strands feel extra dry and damaged and try to keep my treatments to a minimum.

This post is adapted from an original post that I created for the Glitter Guide. Want to read the original post on GG? Click the button!

It might be time to invest in a little skincare storage. Hear me out, but a simple swipe through almost any beauty editor's Insta Stories, and you'll find that it's not rare for them to keep a refreshing cold cream or two along with some beauty tools tucked away in their fridge. It's just an ordinary thing to do now.

Cold-temp products and tools are best for treating inflammation, decreasing fluid buildup, reducing inflammation, toning down swelling, and more. With a multitude of benefits, it's hard to deny that some of us may be missing out by not having a mini skincare fridge (or at least a little clean fridge space to store items).

You may even find that some of your favorite products include certain ingredients that benefit from cold storage. A skincare fridge may not necessarily be considered a must-have or essential, but it is a nice luxurious touch to your routine.

When shopping for a beauty fridge, keep the size and your budget in mind at all times.

It can be easy to fall for certain aesthetically pleasing designs like that of Cooluli Beauty and Vanity Planet's Fria. Thanks to its rising popularity among beauty professionals and enthusiasts alike, you can find a skincare fridge for around $50. They mostly all work the same, bringing the real difference down to design preferences.

If you're looking for what to store in your skincare fridge, look into water-based formulas. Vitamin C and retinol are also common ingredients to store in your fridge. You can add in tools, sheet masks, creams, toners and so much more. Most fridges are on the small side, so be sure to store your everyday and most-used products first.

Here are some top products you should add to your skincare fridge.

COOLA Reawakening Rosewater Mist

Pack Your Bags Face Globe

Pacifica After Sun Cool & Glow Chest Area Sheet Mask

Therawell Soothing Gel Eye Mask

Pixi by Petra BeautifEYE

Vacation Super Spritzer

Jenny Patinkin Rose on Rose Pop & Roll

Discover Night Anti-Jet Lag Cream

Volition Beauty Snow Mushroom Water Serum

Rawkanvas Lustre Renewing Decolletage Lotion

KNOW Beauty Balancing Day Moisturizer

InnBeauty Project Green Machine Oily Jelly Serum

Be The Skin Purifying White Waterful Toner

Loops Beauty Spring Refresh Masks

Beautycounter Countertime Mineral Boost Hydrating Essence

Hot Mess Ice Roller

This post is adapted from an original post that I created for the Glitter Guide. Want to read the original post on GG? Click the button!

I have to admit that I've been ready for fall since like June. It's my favorite season, things get a little colder and so much better. The trees match the sunsets, and I add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to pretty much everything. I swear the season is so revitalizing to me.

A major part of this process for me is preparing my home for the new season. That means new décor, incorporating fall scents and getting rid of things that no longer serve me. Use this new season to carve out your own renewal process, and finally get yourself organized.

Here are some of my favorite ways to prepare my home for fall.

I have to admit that I've been ready for fall since like June. It's my favorite season, things get a little colder and so much better. The trees match the sunsets, and I add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to pretty much everything. I swear the season is so revitalizing to me.

A major part of this process for me is preparing my home for the new season. That means new décor, incorporating fall scents and getting rid of things that no longer serve me. Use this new season to carve out your own renewal process, and finally get yourself organized.

Here are some of my favorite ways to prepare my home for fall.

Deal with Fall Allergies

Yay, a new kind of allergy season, said no one, ever. The new season brings new allergens, so you'll have to get a handle on those indoor and outdoor allergies. Consider using a personal air humidifier or try a new kind of treatment. I'm actually a big fan of using air purifiers. I like to turn it on at night in our room while we sleep so I don't wake up with an annoying scratchy throat.

Create Your "Mud Spot"

This area should usually be by the most-used door to get in and out of your home. Get a shoe tray, and remove your boots before entering your home. Trust me, otherwise, all of that fall mud will get tracked in your home, and you'll be working harder than necessary to keep your home tidy.

Get Rid of Non-Essentials

Sure, summer was great, but you need to eventually pack it all back up and store the things you won't be using again until next spring or summer. Shift out your seasonal clothing, but be sure to keep some pieces to help you through transitional weather instead.

Everything Pumpkin Spice

Fine, this is a much more personal thing, but switching the scent around my home keeps things feeling fresh. Even if I'm not making crisp apple pies every day, it's nice to be surrounded by the scents. I like to stock up on spicy- and masculine-scented candles and plug-ins to shift the mood in each room.

Layer Up

This is possibly my favorite part about fall. I love layering my clothes, and my home décor. I like to add chunky knit throws to the couch and create pretty, little scapes on my coffee table and entertainment center using fall colors.

Get Your Head in the Gutters

That's right, it's time to check your home for drafts, and clean out your gutters. You should use this time to ensure your home is prepped for any odd weather patterns and a harsh winter.

This post is adapted from an original post that I created for the Glitter Guide. Want to read the original post on GG? Click the button!