The Ordinary was a skincare brand I became familiar with through YouTube. I was intrigued by the simplicity and transparency of the active ingredients in some of their products as well as their affordable price point. A couple months ago I decided to bite and ordered some products I could see myself integrating into my daily routine.




The first was the Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution. I didn't become big on toners until I made the choice to stop washing my face in the morning. This might sound crazy to some, but I have found that just rinsing my face with water and then toning in the morning has helped the oil production of my skin tremendously. This may not work for everyone, but I have found that this works for me.

I have tried Pixi's Glow Tonic which has 5% glycolic acid and Ren's Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Toner. Both I think are comparable at different price points to The Ordinary's Glycolic Acid 7% toner. I like that The Ordinary's toner is unscented. Something that can be harsh on sensitive skin like a toner can increase irritation when scented. I can tell a difference in my skin texture straight away after using this. The glycolic acid in this toner is meant to mildly exfoliate and it definitely does. After using this toner, my skin feels soft and smooth and my moisturizer and makeup applies nicely on top. I have been using some reusable cotton pads with this well which has helped reduce my single use waste like regular cotton pads or cotton balls!




The next product I tried was the AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. This product has a cult following, specifically on TikTok and has been compared to Drunk Elephant's T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial™ 25% AHA + 2% BHA Mask. This product is an acid. It contains glycolic, lactic and salicylic acid to promote exfoliation and improve the look of blemishes and pores. Since this is a fairly harsh product I would advise to do a patch test to make sure your skin can handle it. The smell is pretty strong and the color is a vibrant red that makes it easy to see where you have applied the product.

I have been using this peeling solution once a week for about a month and a half now. I use it only at night and for the recommended 10 minutes. IT MAKES MY FACE SO SOFT HOLY COW. I have found that I look forward to using this product every week because I can truly tell with the immediate results, how much it has helped my skin. I have found that my pores appear smaller and the texture of my skin seems smoother the morning after I use this peeling solution. I make sure to also use sunscreen the morning after I use this product as the active ingredients in it can cause increased sun sensitivity.



I think I was most excited to try the Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%. I have been looking to get into a vitamin c serum to help brighten up my skin. The Ordinary has a great vitamin c guide that I followed to pick out a serum that would best meet my needs. I chose to go with this formula as it did not have any silicones in it and I felt like I could mix it in with a face oil or moisturizer.

This serum is pretty grainy and did tingle some when I first applied it. There is no doubt that this is a potent serum. Once I figured out the ratio of mixing it in with my moisturizer, I found that I liked the product quite a bit. I can tell that it has brightened my face some in the past month or so of using it every other night. It does absorb quickly, but I would highly recommend finding a water based moisturizer to mix it in with! This will help with the gritty texture and absorption.



The last product I tried was the Retinol 0.5% in Squalane. Retinol is a very popular active ingredient in anti-aging products. It can help reduce wrinkles and some say it helps with acne. Retinol can take up to 12 weeks to work so it is important to be consistent with application and use. I have been using this product for about 6 weeks. I treat it as a facial oil and apply it on days I do not use the Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%. I apply it after my serums and water based moisturizer. I tap the product into my skin and then go over it with a facial roller. I find that using a facial roller with oily products helps with the absorption into my skin and saves me from feeling like I have product just sitting on my face.




Overall I enjoyed all of The Ordinary products I purchased. They all retail individually under $10 which is great for products with active ingredients like retinol and glycolic acid. I would advise not using too many products at one time and using The Ordinary's FAQ page if you want to combine products.

Six months ago it seemed like every brand was coming out with a cannabis sativa line. The first that comes to mind is Milk Makeup's KUSH line that used cannabis sativa oil for its moisturizing properties. I was intrigued by their mascara, but am still working through so many samples from Sephora Play that I won't need to buy a new mascara until the end of 2020.


However, I did always find myself pausing at target to look at Elf's Cannabis Sativa Collection: Skin Hit Kit. This kit includes a moisturizing cream, facial oil, primer and lip balm. I haven't been wearing much makeup lately so I was primarily drawn to the Happy Hydration Cream and the All the Feels Facial oil. To clarify this line only has cannabis sativa in it, not CBD. There is no THC in both the cream and facial oil.


The Happy Hydration Cream highlights ingredients like hemp seed (cannabis sativa) oil, vitamin B5, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide; all to help with moisturizing and retaining moisture in your skin. It retails for $12.

My first impression of the Happy Hydration Cream was that it was a thick texture. It is thick, but does not apply heavy or feels weighing on the face. I applied this after my water based serums and it soaked in nicely. I found that there is no to little scent with this moisturizer which is always something I count as a plus! I find that some products with heavy scents tend to irritate my skin.



I have been using the the Happy Hydration Cream for about two weeks now and I think it's great! I use it day and night and still find that it is lightweight, but long lasting and moisturizing without being greasy. I have no issues with it applying over my serum at night and no trouble with it pilling underneath my sunscreen during the day.

The All the Feels Facial oil was something new to me. It also retails for $12. My experience with facial oils is limited. I have really only tried Milk Makeup's Sunshine oil. The All the Feels Facial oil has hemp seed oil, squalane, and rosehip seed oil. Elf recommends patting a few drops into your face or adding to your foundation for an extra glow.



My first go around with the All the Feels Facial oil didn't go super well. I definitely used too much and my face ended up quite shiny and greasy. The next time I used it went much better. I applied this face oil after my serum and the Happy Hydration cream. I gently pat the oil into my face avoiding areas like my eyelids. I also pat some down my neck. Applying this face oil with a jade roller would work great as well.

Same as the cream, there wasn't a noticeable smell with the facial oil. Once I used to correct amount (less is more!) I found that it soaked into my skin well and I didn't feel like it was just sitting on top of my face. I used the All the Feels Facial oil day and night for two weeks and found that my skin has remained soft and hydrated. Sometimes when the seasons shift, I tend to get dry patches on my face. I did not feel any dry patches while using the cream or face oil.


Overall I enjoyed these two products, especially at such an affordable price point! I would recommend that those with sensitive skin do a patch test to make sure they are not reactive to the cannabis sativa. Have any of you tried any products with cannabis sativa as an ingredient?

At the end of January I went on a trip. I traveled with my friend Sam to 2 continents, 7 countries, and 13 cities — in 5 weeks. It was the ultimate post-graduation gift to myself. I figured I was in a position where I was not committed to a job or school and decided to use this precious in-between time to do someting for myself. I understand that this is an enormous privilege I have to be able to travel to the other side of the world on my own dime and time. Now I am back in the states living the postgrad dream which is filled with lots of Thai takeout and hours of job searching. Since I have some free time on my hands I am planning to share some of my stories and photos for each of the countries I have been to.


    The first country I went to was Greece. The cities I traveled to were Athens and Santorini. I flew from Kansas City to London and then had a flight to Athens that morning. It was a long 2 days of travel and my phone was stolen within 2 hours of being in the country (more on that in a later post), but I was happy to finally be at my first destination. I met up with my friend Sam in Athens that night.


    Two things you should know. 1) Greek food is my favorite food. 2) I was obsessed with Greek mythology in middle school. You can imagine my excitement to finally visit the land of tzatziki and Percy Jackson. The food in Greece was my favorite I ate the entire trip. I will be dreaming of the vegetarian moussaka I had until the day I die. Sam and I took our time in Greece to educate ourselves by watching Mama Mia 2 and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants on our downtime. We also unsuccessfully tried to find Sam a Kostas (their loss), but made up for it in eating all of the Greek pastries and snacks we could find.  One of my favorite things about Greece was the abundance of stray cats everywhere. They were so well taken care of by the locals since they kill the pests around their homes and shops. I wanted to stop and pet all of them.

Greek Yogurt

    The first day we went to The Acropolis of Athens. It was a big trek uphill and quite rocky.  (shout out to the woman in front of us wearing heels). The view from the top of the hill was incredible and seeing such iconic ruins like The Parthenon made my little Percy Jackson obsessed heart sing. The museum was closed by the time we were done, but we made a trip back to go the next day. There was a small grove of orange trees by the museum Sam and I were obsessed with. There were orange trees scattered along most of the streets as well. We learned from our Air bnb host that they were pretty to look at, but most were bitter tasting and inedible.

The Parthenon

Spot the cat!

    The next day we went to the Laki Agora, an open air market. There was lots of meat, fruit and vegetables. It was interesting to see the vendors and their produce piled high in front of them. We eventually got called over by a vendor and were gifted an orange (this one was edible) and tasted very sweet. If you go, be prepared for an abundance of smells, cat calls and commotion.


    After a few days in Athens, we traveled to Santorini. Since we were traveling during the off season, there wasn't a lot open. A lot of the restaurants we wanted to go to were closed until the weather got warmer. It was a little disappointing, but the great thing about traveling there during the off season was that there were hardly any other tourists there and the temperature was a lot cooler than the typical sizzling summers. The morning after we arrived, Sam and I took a day trip to Oia. Oia is the famous whitewashed town at the northwestern tip of Santorini. When we got there it was almost like a ghost town. I think we saw maybe only a few other tourists there until the late afternoon.



     Oia was beautiful and we even got to visit Atlantis Books, the small bookstore piled ceiling high with books in both Greek and English. There was also a sweet pup inside the store who was our greeter as we walked in.

    Greece was a wonderful first country to start my trip and I hope you enjoyed reading about the few days I got to spend there. The next country we went to was Italy. We spent about 2 weeks there altogether. Let me know if you enjoyed reading about my experience in Greece or if you have ever been! Next up, Naples!

Velour Lashes

When I opened the box and saw a full sized bottle of this perfume I squealed so loud that my cat Eloise ran into the room to see what was happening. I have been wearing Marc Jacobs Daisy fragrance for as long as I can remember, but recently have been wanting to switch up my signature scent. I typically go for bright, fresh, floral scents which is exactly what My Fifth Avenue by Elizabeth Arden is. My Fifth Avenue is meant to celebrate women's successes and achievements, inspired by 5th Avenue in New York City. The scent is quite citrusy with middle notes of Jasmine and Lotus and base notes of Musks and Amber Woods. The bottle is classic, slim and easy to hold when spraying the fragrance on. I have enjoyed using it so far as a break from Daisy!

Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair