What 2016 Taught Me

Hi friends! Welcome back to my blog and to my last blog post of 2016! I cannot believe we are days away from the new year. While this year has flew by, it also feels like parts were so long ago. Overall, I'd say 2016 was a pretty successful year for me. I certainly went through some things that made me a better person and I am looking forward to what next year has to offer me! Keep on reading to hear about my biggest learnings of 2016.

What I Got For Christmas | 2016

Hi loves! I hope you had a great holiday weekend, I know I did! I still can't believe Christmas has already come and gone. It was so nice to spend time with family and friends as well as eat good food and drink festive drinks!

I wanted to put together a post detailing some of my favorite gifts from this year. I'm sososo thankful for everything I received! My family and friends were way too good to me and I hope they loved their gifts from me as much as I did from them!

The Answer to Your Dry Skin Troubles | LUSH Dream Cream

Hello, hello! Welcome back! It's officially Winter as of this week and my skin sure has been feeling it. It has been so dry thanks to the back and forth in temperature we've been having up in the North East and none of the lotions or creams I had were doing anything. As most of us do, I took to the internet to find a fix!

Holiday Party Essentials | My Most Needed Products

Can you believe we're less than a week to Christmas?! Me neither. I don't know where time goes these days. Anyways! Today, I'm talking about my top 5 must haves for holiday party season! Whether it's a work event, Christmas or New Years Eve, I always have these guys on hand to help me feel great all night.

HUGE Sephora Haul | Winter 2016

So.... I may have went a little crazy at Sephora this month. I was about $150 away from getting VIB (yes, I'm a newbie!) so I figured why not since the perks will last all throughout next year too! I've recently been getting more and more into high end makeup and products, so I figured now was a great time to invest in some new goodies!

My Apartment Christmas Decor | 2016

As you may know, I live just across the Hudson River from NYC (does my blog name make sense now? ;)), which means small living spaces for high prices. Luckily, I love where I live so much I'm totally okay with paying a little too much for a tiny apartment!

With that said, I can't go crazy on Christmas decor just yet since I just don't have the space to showcase everything I could dream of. Today, I decided to put together a post detailing the simple decor I've accumulated over the past 3 Christmas's we've spend in this apartment.

BOXYCHARM Unboxing | December 2016

Is it just me to did our BOXYCHARM boxes get shipped early this month?! I always have this post built into my schedule for around the 20th, but I received this on the 9th, so I just had to bump it up for you guys :) This month's box value clocks in at $110-- all for $21. Keep on reading to see what I got this month!

Blog Makeover | 2016

Happy, happy Friday! My company holiday party was this past Wednesday so I've been waiting for this moment since I woke up quite hungover on Thursday morning. I cannot wait to pass out after posting this ;) Anyways! If you're here reading, you probably noticed the face lift I've given Life Across the Hudson! I am so obsessed with how it turned out.

Most Repurchased Beauty Products | 2016

Hi loves-- Welcome back! Over the past 4 years, I've really gotten into beauty and trying different products. While I lovelovelove trying the newest beauty trends, there are just some things that stick along the way. This post is dedicated to my current ride-or-dies that I have repurchased countless times and cannot live without!

White Elephant Gift Ideas | All Amazon Prime Eligible & Under $20

Now that it's December, it's full blown holiday party season! One of my favorite games/gift exchanges to participate in is the White Elephant Gift Exchange. You can read the full rules here, but it's a fun spinoff of Secret Santa or Grab Bag where everyone brings in a wrapped gift and as each gift gets opened you have the chance to steal a gift that's been opened OR pick an unwrapped gift. It can get really competitive and it's so fun seeing what everyone thinks the best gift is!

November Favorites | 2016

Happy December! Welcome back to my blog :) Today's post is alllll about the things I was loving in November. November and December are probably my favorite months of the year because #holidays and #foodcomas, but they also give me a reason to change up some products because of the changing weather and try out new holiday releases! What more could a girl want?!

How I Edit My Instagram Photos | 2016

Hey guys! Is it just me, or is the slowest week of the year the week after the Thanksgiving 4-day weekend? All day I thought it was Thursday and the rain in NYC is certainly not helping. Anyways! Today, I thought I'd show you guys how I edit my Instagram photos! I've had and Instagram account for this blog for exactly a year now, and I've finally created a consistent look and feel that I'm super happy with!

My New Toy | Canon EOS Rebel T6i

Hi friends! I'm super excited about today's post! A DLSR camera has been on my wish list for years now-- I've enjoyed taking photos ever since I got my first point-and-shoot in 8th grade and once I started this blog, I lusted after a DLSR even more. Once I booked my trip to Iceland, I knew it was time to take the plunge because it wouldn't feel right not having a camera that could capture the beauty of the Northern Lights if I'm lucky enough to see them. I started to do my research and after careful consideration, I decided on the Canon EOS Rebel T6i and I couldn't be happier!

BOXYCHARM Unboxing | November 2016

Hi loves! Happy belated Thanksgiving and Black Friday! I hope you're all recovering from your well-deserved food comas and cashing in on some amazing deals :) Lucky for me (and anyone who subscribes to BoxyCharm!) every month feels like I'm getting Black Friday-like deals from this box. This month's box is worth $134 dollars and we only paid $21 :O Keep on reading to find out how to subscribe and what I got this month!

YouTube Made Me Buy It | What Was Worth the Hype

Hey guys!! I saw this tag going around YouTube and I knew I had to jump on the bandwagon. YouTube has 100% created and continues to feed my makeup addiction (as I'm sure it has for most of us!) These are the top products I think of when I hear YouTube Made Me Buy It - Keep on reading to see what I actually found worth it!

Fall 2016 Haul | Affordable Staple Pieces!

In my opinion, there is nothing like the fall. Autumn is probably my favorite season of the year, and even though it is usually short-lived, I love buying new clothes that I can transition into winter as well. I'm a sucker for chunky sweaters and flannels so you can bet I go a little crazy this time of year! I've found a lot of great pieces from stores like H&M and Aeropostale (yeah...) so please keep on reading to find out more!!

#AnytimeSpa | Travel Edition

Hey guys! Welcome back :) If you've been following me for a while, you know I take a ton of weekend trips throughout New Jersey and the East Coast. Almost every weekend of the summer I was at the shore or traveling somewhere else on public transportation.

Living outside of the city, I don't have a car so I'm thankful for public transportation, BUT, it kind of sucks the life out of you. Weather your sitting on a 10-minute PATH train, 3-hour NJ Transit train or flying across the country, these close quarters can wreak havoc on your skin. These products are my top 3 products to take with me on the go to ensure I'm good to go as soon as I arrive where I'm going!

NEW Kenra Platinum Snail CC Crème | Review

Hello, hello-- Welcome back! Today's post is all about this brand new product from the brand Kenra. I was lucky enough to try out their Platinum Snail CC Crème.. yes, you read that right. This product is enriched with snap essence which is a highly concentrated blend of proteins to help bring out the youth in your hair.

October Favorites | 2016

Happy November, friends! I can't believe it's already November. This is definitely one of my favorite months of the year filled with my birthday, crisp weather, Thanksgiving and so much more! Rewinding a few days, today I'm going to walk you through my top 5 favorite products that I used to death in October!

365 Days Later | One Year of Trying to be More Inspired

Some of you may remember my post a year back, 365 Days to a More Inspired You. A little riff off of  the 101 in 1001 challenge, I wanted a little bucket list of things written out for me to try to complete within a year. I certainly didn't hit all of these, but this did help me go out and do something things I've always wanted to but were out of my comfort zone.

I Think I've Found It | The BEST Liquid Lipstick

Okay-- You hear it each time a new product is released, "this is the BEST liquid lipstick," but this time, I think we've hit the jackpot!

Lorac has been a favorite of my for years, it was one of the first high end beauty brands I owned makeup from and has definitely help fuel my makeup addiction. When I saw they were set to release their own line of liquid lipsticks, I knew I had to get my hands on them asap and I'm SO happy I did.

BOXYCHARM Unboxing | October 2016

Hey guys! I'm so excited for today's post because I am obsessed with this month's BoxyCharm! They have been absolutely killing it lately. This box was worth $128 :O Keep on reading to see what I got!

Affordable Home Decor | Autumn 2016

There's nothing quite like fall in the North East. It's easily my favorite season and I swear it comes and goes so quick-- which is why I love to make it feel like fall in my apartment. Like most young twenty-somethings living in and around NYC, I don't have funds to be redecorating every single season, but luckily some of my favorite home stores have such cute decor for amazing prices this year!

Exciting News for a Favorite Brand | Derma·E

Hello friends! Derma·E has been in my life for almost two years now and I'm still unsure how I lived without them so long. Some of my favorite skin care products come from this all natural brand and they have some exciting news to share with all of you!

Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad | 4 Weight Watchers SmartPoints!

As I've mentioned before, I've been trying to eat healthier and live a more healthy lifestyle (I'd be lying to say if I said I'd been successful, but I'm still trying lol) so I've been looking for delicious meals that are good for you. I've mentioned I've loosely followed Weight Watchers for a while now and this salad is perfect because it's so low in points and also really filling!

September Favorites | 2016

Hey guys-- I wanted to quickly throw together this post since I have been loving a ton of new products recently! I discovered most of these products this month (with the exception of one) and I love that two of them came from BoxyCharm since it really proves this box will help you find new favs ;) Keep on reading to see what I've been loving!

Get the Look: Modern Minimal Living Room | Guest Post by Luxe Decor

Hello everyone! I’m very excited to bring you this post. I mentioned I’m in the process of looking for a new apartment, so I was super excited when the ladies at LuxeDecor reached out to me. Today’s post is by Amy at LuxeDecor and she’s bringing us ways to help living rooms everywhere look minimal yet elegant all in one.

Mellow Cosmetics Liquid Lip Paint | Review

Hello, friends! Welcome back :) There's nothing I love more than finding a new brand of makeup. I was watching one of Carli Bybel's videos two weeks ago when she finished off a tutorial with the Mellow Cosmetics Liquid Lip Paint in Shanghai and I immediately ordered it. I got this in the mail last week and put it to the test!

We Booked a Bucket List Trip | Iceland, London & Ireland

Hi loves! The title says it all, but I've officially booked my dream trip to Iceland! Iceland has been on the top of my short-term bucket list for over a year now (Bora Bora & Australia are my top two bucket list destinations, but those are on the more long-term list lol), and I'm so happy I finally booked the trip.

Photo Credit: AroundDeGlobe.com

BOXYCHARM Unboxing! | September 2016

Time must really be flying because I swear I just received last month's box! There's nothing I love more than coming home to my BOXYCHARM, so I'm very okay with that :P Keep on reading to see what we got this month!

Valentia Pure Glow Brightening Moisturizer | Review

Nothing like one of your favorite brands releasing a new product to bring you back to blogging! Hi, yes, it's been a while. Promise I will be better now that summer is over :P

Keeping that short and sweet, let's get onto the point of this post. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know I love Valentia products. They recently released a new brightening moisturizer that I was so excited to test out!

BOXYCHARM Unboxing | August 2016

It's the best time of the month... My BoxyCharm unboxing! Keep on reading to see what I got and how you can get the same products (worth over $100) for just $21/month!

Relaxing Travel/Commute Playlist | 2016

Hey guys! I'm super excited about today's post. I recently jumped on the Spotify bandwagon (it's about time, am I right?!) I always put off downloading music and never have anything new to listen to so I figured what the heck, it's less than $10/month! I finally put together my first playlist and I love it so much I just had to share.

I call this my "chill" playlist. It's full of acoustic and slow versions of popular songs we all know and love. This makes me want to go on a long drive by myself and use my singing skills (I'll spare you all there.) But seriously, this playlist is so relaxing but fun at the same time. I usually listen to it at my desk, but this is the perfect commute/travel playlist in my opinion. Keep on reading to give it a listen!

My Current Favorites | July 2016

Hello and welcome back! I'm back again with another favorites post. I'm sorry it's a little delayed-- I've had it almost ready on the 3rd but then life happened and here we are. Enough with the excuses! Keep on reading to see what I've been loving :)

The BEST Green Smoothie | Peanut Butter Banana

Hi guys! Super excited to bring you another recipe post today :) I've started working out "more intensely" recently, so I was on the hunt for the perfect post-workout shake/smoothie. I wanted something substantial enough that I could use it as a breakfast replacement since I usually work out in the morning, but also tasty enough to actually look forward to drinking it. After a little bit of experimenting, I found this combo was my favorite!

BOXYCHARM Unboxing | July 2016

Here we are again, my BoxyCharm unboxing post! I'm so sad I missed posting this the past two months so I was sure to get this up (even if it's a bit late.. sorry!) I was really excited when I started to see spoilers of this box, I couldn't wait to get it in the mail!

Current Wish List | H&M Home

Hey guys! I'm currently gearing up for a move, so home decor and furniture have really been on my mind lately. We're not positive when we're moving out, but we know in the next 3 months we'll be be moving into a new (bigger!) place, so I've been searching all over Pinterest for inspiration.

June 2016 Favorites!

Okay, it's been a hot minute since I've been on here-- So to start this off, I'm sorry! As most people say when they've been gone for a bit, life has just been busy and I haven't had time to keep up with blogging :( In coming weeks I think things will clear up as I'm now fully on boarded at my new job. But enough excuses, let's get into this!

May 2016 BoxyCharm Unboxing!

Hi friends-- welcome back! This is probably my favorite post each month, my BoxyCharm unboxing! I can't say enough how much I love this subscription service. It's so inexpensive and you get a huge range of full sized products. From trending brands to innovative products, BoxyCharm never fails to impress me. Find out what we got this month & how you can start your subscription today!

HASK Charcoal Purifying Hair Care Collection | Review

Hi friends! Today I'm brining you a review on an interesting new product, the HASK Charcoal Purifying Hair Care Collection! I've heard about the benefits of charcoal for your skin and love my charcoal face washes, but I had never really thought of it for my hair (which is silly to think about now!) Charcoal acts as a magnet and draws impurities and built up product aka every girls dream when it comes to skin and hair! I was so excited to try this out.

Do We Have A Dupe? Valentia Skin Detoxifying Mask vs. Palmetto Derma Antioxidant Mask

Hey, hey! Today's post is the newest in my series "Do We Have A Dupe?" and I'm really excited about it! This post will be focusing on detoxifying face masks. I fell in love with my Palmetto Derma mask when I got it in a BoxyCharm, but I didn't fall in love with the price ($64). I love how it makes my skin feel, but I've been dreading finishing it up because I know I can't afford a $64 face mask. 

This is where the Valentia Detoxifying Clay Mask comes in! I knew I had to compare these two, as this one is cheaper, but they both have similar promises and ingredients that will help detoxify and rejuvenate your skin.

April 2016 Favorites!

Hello, hello! Welcome back. In today's post, I will be sharing my most used products during the month of April! I will say, I was pretty conscious with my spending this month so I didn't acquire too many new products, but I did find myself reaching for somethings more often than others, so that's what I have for you today!

Monthly Moments | April 2016

It's that time again for me to open a blog post with "how in the world is it already May?!" But really, time has been moving so fast! April was a great month for me and I'm looking forward to what's to come with summer right around the corner!

Need It or Leave It? When Masks

Hey guys! Today's post is going to be a Need It or Leave It on When Masks! I was super excited to try these out when I received them. The packaging is so cute and eye-catching and the claims seemed promising so I was excited to dive right in!

How To Land Your Dream Job Right Out Of College | My Top Tips

Hello, friends-- Happy Friday! As some of you may know, I recently landed a fabulous new job in NYC. Throughout the process, I realized how much I learned since the first time I was applying to jobs out of college and how much I wish I knew all this stuff the first time around! 

Landing a job certainly isn't easy-- It takes a lot of time, work and some disappointment, but once you find the perfect fit it will all be worth it! I wanted to write out my top tips for recent college grads (or those looking to leave their current jobs) since I think my experience can help others! Keep on reading to find out how to land your dream job!

The Best Self Tanner Routine | Beautifully Bronzed in 8 Hours!

Hi friends! I'm really excited about today's post! I've been pretty pale my entire life and in high school/early college I thought it was appropriate to go tanning in a tanning bed fairly often (SO NOT WORTH IT PEOPLE) since I was too scared to try spray tans and self tans from some of my friends horror stories.

Eventually, I realized tanning beds are SO bad for you and stopped going BUT I was still pale AF and liked how I looked better tan (that's not just me right??), so I was on the search for the perfect self tan routine. It took a few trial and errors, but I think I finally have it down pat! Keep on reading to find out the products I've been using :)

365 Days to a More Inspired You | Half Year Update

Hi guys! Welcome back :) Six months back, I created a post called 356 Days to a More Inspired You to help me keep track and actually achieve some short-ish term goals. A riff off the 101 in 1001, I wanted to shorten up the timeframe so I could set yearly goals and also challenge my readers to start doing stuff they always wanted to!

I was feeling super uninspired at the time and I felt that this would help keep me accountable. I definitely thought I had more checked off than I actually did, so I'm happy I planned out this 6 month update to re-inspire me :)

April BoxyCharm Unboxing!

Hi guys! Today's post is one of my favorite types of posts, my BoxyCharm unboxing! I know I mentioned last month I was a little bummed since we got some repeat products and they didn't include a card with prices (may have just been my box, but I didn't get one!) but this month's box certainly redeemed itself :) Keep on reading to see what I got!

Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum | Review

Hey guys - Welcome back! Today's post is going to be a review on the newest Valentia product-- The Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum. I'm super excited to be brining you guys this post since I already loooove the Royal Rose Hydrating Serum also by Valentia. Keep on reading to find out my opinion on this product!

Need It or Leave It? Palladio Beauty

Hi loves! So today's post is another Need It or Leave It and I'm super excited about it. I first heard of Palladio Beauty from Instagram back in November (The brand liked a few of my photos when I first started so I started following them right away!) Once I was following them, I became more interested in their makeup but didn't really know where to get it. But then one day when I was getting my hair done at a local hair salon/beauty store, I saw a huuuuge display and knew I had to give it a shot!