Thoughts on Self Care

Hello, friends!

Let’s talk about self care…

Everyone and their mother seems to be talking about self care nowadays. I’m always seeing YouTube videos about the best practices for taking care of yourself, whether that be through taking a bath in the morning, doing yoga, what have you.

Being a busy college student, I don’t always feel like I have the time or resources to indulge in acts of self care that are recommended to me. I don’t have access to a bath and some days, I have way too much work to set aside time to take care of myself. If you’re busy like me (which I’m sure you are), you probably find it selfish to spend time on yourself when there’s so much to be done. I totally get this, and finding the relationship between being a good friend/daughter/sister/student and being good to myself is very tricky. I have found, though, that I am so much more productive if I take care of myself first.

I’m not always indulging in myself.  I definitely place priority on work that’s due for the next day or any meetings I need to go to. However, I do make an effort to find little ways to practice self love, so that my “happy tank” is filled up.  I do this through little things, like making sure I get at least eight hours of sleep a night, filling my body with foods that are good for me, and having thirty minutes or so of relaxation before I get into homework. When I’m really feeling indulgent, I’ll put on a face mask before bed and watch TV with a glass of wine in hand. I look like I should be in “13 Going on 30” when I do this, but you know how it is. When I feel like I have a million things to do, it’s important that I approach these tasks feeling my best.

Even though I’ve listed self care activities that I do on my own, you can also take care of yourself by spending time with people you love. When I know I’m about to have a busy week, I try to again “fill up my happy tank” by spending time with friends. For me, there’s nothing that soothes the soul more than good conversation.  I’m all for coffee dates, making dinner with friends, or just chatting with people on the phone. My recommendation is to find something that works for you and ultimately brings you joy.

You may be thinking, “Leah, you’re saying all these things about self care, but I really don’t feel like there are enough hours in the day”. I completely understand. I’m constantly running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I have to make an active effort to schedule in down time during my day. Scheduling out my commitments through Google Calendar has helped me so much and lets me see when I am busy and when there are pockets of free time. And man, do I relish those moments of free time.

I hope you enjoyed this post, my lovelies! Feel free to let me know any thoughts you have about self care in the comments. I would love to know the things that you do to take care of yourself. Be on the look out for more blog posts soon!

-Love Ling

 

What’s In My Nanny Bag

Hello, friends!

I hope your summer is going well so far. I’m spending this weekend feeling a little under the weather, but I’m enjoying lounging in my pajamas and marathoning Friends. However, when I’m not lounging on the couch, I am spending my week days working as a nanny for a family friend. They have a three year old son that I look after during the day. Our days are filled with trips to the pool, the trampoline park, and any place where he can run around and play with other kids.

Being a nanny has been a great experience so far and has helped me develop skills in patience, creativity, and planning. A big part of making sure the day goes smoothly is being adequately equipped with anything that I or the child I look after needs. Here are some of the things that I keep in my nanny bag. I hope you enjoy this post!

The bag: I have had this Longchamp bag for a good while now and it has served in many capacities. I enjoy using it as my nanny bag, because it’s sturdy, fashionable, and fits absolutely everything that I need.

  • Emergency pack: I have a little striped bag that keeps items that I may need in case of an emergency. I keep hand sanitizer wipes for easy clean ups, bandaids, as well as tissues for runny noses. I also keep a tide pen for any spills and stains and feminine products for, well, you know. In addition to this, I keep a tiny tube of sunscreen for sunny days.
  • Wallet: This is a must have!
  • Phone Charger: I use my phone a lot throughout the day, especially for music and navigation when I’m driving places. It’s really helpful to be able to charge my phone throughout the day, so I know I’ll have a functioning phone.
  • Book/Notepad & Pen: In the rare occasion that I have down time, I like to have something to read. I’m currently reading a play called a number. I also keep a notepad and pen on hand, in case I need to write any phone numbers, WiFi passwords, etc. down.
  • Hand sanitizer: I really don’t like germs and being nanny definitely exposes me to a lot of them. This really helps in a pinch.
  • Sunglasses: These are an obvious pick, but they really come in handy with how much time we spend outside.
  • Chapstick/Lipstick: Another obvious pick.
  • Deodorant: Running around all day and spending lots of time outside in the hot summer heat make deodorant and essential. You’ve gotta keep it fresh, y’all.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post! Being a nanny has been great so far and has taught me a lot about children and myself. What a great summer job!

Have an awesome rest of your summer!

-Love Ling

French Beauty Haul/Review

Hello, friends! I was fortunate to be able to spend a week in Paris with my dad at the beginning of this summer. We had a great time exploring the city, trying out different restaurants, and getting our steps in from all the walking! This was the second time I had traveled to Paris, so I wanted to visit places that we had not been to the first time. I also wanted to try out some French beauty products, as I had done some research on French beauty before taking this trip.

French beauty is known to be minimalistic, emphasizing one’s natural beauty in an effortless way. Many of the French beauty products I encountered are intended to be simple, yet effective, helping women to feel comfortable in their own skin. In my travels, I visited a few drugstores and picked up some new products to try out.

Nuxe Reve De Miel: This is a cult French beauty staple and was frequently recommended in my research on French beauty products. This is an ultra hydrating lip balm made from honey and other natural ingredients. I love the frosted glass packaging–it makes the product look and feel so luxurious. I also appreciate that you get a good amount of product. This lip balm is going to last me a long time.

As for the actual product, it smells like honey! The formula is thick and sometimes needs to be warmed up a bit in order to apply it to the lips. However, it is extremely hydrating and makes your lips feel oh so smooth. Since this product isn’t too glossy or shiny, it’s great to use under other lip products.

Embryolisse Secret de  Maquilleurs-Eclat du Regard (Artist Secret Radiant Eye): This  is a refreshing and cooling eye product that is intended to wake up the under eye area and prep it for makeup. It’s a twist balm product that you apply right under your eyes. I love it, because it’s extremely cooling and feels like you’re rubbing an ice cube on your face. It just feels so freaking good under the eyes. I frequently use under eye concealer and I like that this product smooths this area for better application.

 

Bioderma Kit:

The four products on the right of the picture came from a Bioderma kit that I picked up from the drugstore. I was pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive this kit was, especially since it included so many great items.

The kit includes the famous Bioderma Crealine H20 (micellar water), Atoderm Gel Douche (a gentle shower gel),  Hydrabio Serum (a moisturizing concentrate), and Atoderm Intensive Baume (an ultra soothing balm). The kit also includes a clear plastic case to keep everything in–score! I have tried out all of these items except for the shower gel, though I’m sure it’s great.

Bioderma Crealine: I love the Bioderma Crealine for removing makeup and cleansing the skin. The solution is incredibly gentle, yet removes everything from your face. I am amazed at how effective it is at cleansing. This came in really handy when traveling in Paris, as I was able to clean off all the sweat and pollution from the day.

Atoderm Gel Douche: I have not used this product yet, but I really appreciate that the kit gives you a hefty bottle of this. It has a fresh scent and claims to cleanse and soften the skin, as well being good for dry, sensitive skin.

Hydrabio Serum: I have used this product quite a few times and I love it. The formula is light and feels like water, yet hydrates and plumps up the skin as soon as it is applied. It feels super lightweight and can be applied alone or under a moisturizer. I enjoy applying this at night for days when I want a bit more in my skin, then layer a light moisturizer over it. When I wake up in the morning, my skin feels so refreshed and glowy. This product is great, you guys.

Atoderm Intensive Baume: This balm is super thick and is supposed to remedy dry, irritated skin. Since it’s so thick, I have only used it on my hands, but I think it would be great to use in the winter time when my skins gets super dry. Though the formula is thick and moisturizing, it doesn’t feel greasy. This is a great product to have in your kit, though my skin has more use for it in the winter.

 

 

 

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and got some good recommendations for French beauty products. I believe that you can buy some of these items online, as well if you want to try them out.

Let me know in the comments if you have tried any of these products and if you have any recommendations for other French beauty products. Thanks for reading this post, you guys!

-Love Ling