k, byeee! – Beauty. Wellness. Inspiration.

Things I Plan to Keep Doing After COVID is Over

Hello, November! We’ve almost made it through the most insane year of our lifetimes. This year has felt like an entire decade, and it’s still not over. Here’s to hoping things start looking up in 2021!

Even though 2020 has been trash in some ways, it’s been a good year for growth. It’s made our bonds stronger and shown what actually matters to us. It’s also brought along some lifestyle changes that I’m not mad about. Here’s what I plan to keep doing even when the rona is a thing of the past.

NOT WEARING A BRA – This is THE BEST thing to come out of 2020. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but basically no one is wearing regular bras anymore. They are done. We’ve embraced our inner French women and finally said GOOD RIDDANCE! I’ve wanted to do this forever, but now it’s finally happening. On the rare occasion that I do wear a bra, it’s my fave super loose sports bra or nipple covers. Worsham surprised me with some Nippies by Bristols 6, which you can get at Nordstorm. I’d never heard of them before, but they are MAGICAL. They feel like nothing. I forget I have them on 98% of the time.

Barely wearing makeup – I’ve always loved makeup, but I haven’t always had a healthy relationship with it. In high school, you’d never see me without it even at a 6 a.m. pom practice. In fact, you wouldn’t even see me without a smoky eye or lip gloss. Even though makeup was fun for me, the need to constantly look perfect was draining. I felt like I needed it, no matter what the circumstance was. I carried on these habits throughout most of college too, though I gradually adopted a more natural makeup look that didn’t involve eyeliner and smoky eyes on normal days.

It wasn’t until the past couple years that I’ve gotten comfortable going out into public with my “face” not on. A lot of that is thanks to Worsham and my cousin Hayley’s encouragement. Now I usually just wear makeup a few times a week for Zoom meeting for work, or when I feel like being fancy.

Walking/working out at home – I haven’t been to the gym since right before the rona struck in March, and I don’t miss it either. I have no plans to go back. Instead of hitting the gym, Worsham and I have been going on walks all the time. Between that and YouTube, there’s really no reason to pay for a gym membership. I’ve actually lost weight since the pandemic, which wasn’t my goal but it’s nice to see that what I’m doing is working. I do Holly Dolke workout videos almost every day now – sometimes a few a day. They’re short, require no equipment, and still give you a great workout. I’m super impressed with her channel.

Carrying a mask – I’ll say it…the masks have grown on me. Once I got past being convinced I couldn’t breathe in them, I started liking them. I appreciate the fact that you can’t see half my face. If my skin is broken out, I can not wear makeup and still have no one see it. As an introvert, I like that I don’t feel obligated to smile or say hi to anyone I make eye contact with in a store. That probably sounds bad, but let’s be real. It’s a nice break. I’m not sure I’ll wear a mask forever, but I’ll always have one with me just in case. If you still haven’t found a comfy mask, check out the Mighty Company. I have a pink glitter one from them and it’s the best!

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What I Use to Cut & Color My Own Hair at Home

For the past couple years, I’ve been helping my mom color her roots in between salon visits. It’s become part of our routine every time I come home to visit, and it’s actually pretty fun! I’ve gotten really good at it. However, I never seriously considered doing my own until recently. Desperate rona times call for desperate measures. Rona times aside, I got tired of the overall salon experience. I’d rather skip the germs, small talk, and 30-minute drive and fully embrace being a hermit. It’s who I am now!

I would never try a normal “box” color on my hair though. Too risky. I ain’t about that life. One day I came across a video that ellebangs did (a hairstylist on YouTube) about how to color your own roots at home using a company called eSalon. I’d never heard of them, but I trusted her recommendation. You take a quiz, describe your color goals, and submit pictures. An actual colorist reviews them and makes a custom formula designed to meet your needs. It was exactly what I was looking for, and it was under $30. Perfect!

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What I Do to Boost My Immunity & Maintain My Sanity During 2020

Hello and welcome to the summer edition of WTF Is Even Happening: 2020. For those keeping track, this is month 5 of the pandemic…though it’s hard to remember a time when this wasn’t happening at this point. I hope you’re all taking good care of yourselves, spending quality time with your fam, and staying out of the politics of literally everything.

I have multiple immunity posts, but it seems like a good time for a refresher, don’t you think? It’s never too late to start boosting your immunity, and it certainly isn’t going to hurt given…well, everything.

Disclaimer: You already know I’m not a doctor, so don’t even sass me. Do your own research and consult your own doctor like an adult. K, BYEEE!

ALL THE VITAMINS:

Zinc – According to Dr. Axe, zinc has the ability to exert an anti-viral effect by attaching to receptors in nasal epithelial cells, blocking their effects. I won’t pretend like I understand this, but if it can help, why wouldn’t you take it? Some doctors have been using it on COVID patients as well. This is why it’s been sold out pretty much everywhere. Personally, I take it all the time because it helps my skin stay clear, which is a nice perk.

Quercetin – This is another one that’s hot in the streets for rona prevention/treatment apparently. It’s a flavonoid that’s found in onions, green tea, apples, berries, red wine, and more. Early findings are showing that it’s beneficial for airway infections, which is why it’s gained attention right now. However, it’s most commonly used for heart conditions, cancer prevention, bladder infections, and diabetes.

Immune Shroom – This is one of – if not my absolute – favorite vitamins. I hardly get sick anyway other than the occasional sinus headache, but I’ve been taking this consistently for 2 years and have not been sick. I literally haven’t missed a day of work for being sick since 2018. Even my boss has commented on it. Anyway, it’s made by Organic Olivia who is an awesome herbalist out of Brooklyn. She recently did a podcast episode about her parents’ near-death experience with the coronavirus. Highly recommend listening to it!

Elderberry – Elderberry has been a staple in natural medicine for centuries, with roots tracing back to ancient Egyptian medications (always ahead of their time with everything!). Elderberries contain rich flavanoids which are known to stimulate your immune system.

Vitamin D – Vitamin D supports the immune and nervous system, brain, and lungs, which makes it a nice addition to your preventative measures. According to Medical News Today, children given 1,200 international units of vitamin D per day for four months reduced their risk of the flu (type A) by over 40 percent. Who knows about the rona, but it’s definitely not going to hurt. Don’t want to pay for it? Go outside.

Vitamin C – You already know. It’s the OG immunity vitamin! If you don’t want to take a pill, at least have a bunch of oranges on deck.

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The Birthday Edit: What I Learned Being 29

Just me being basic at our 2020 Quarantine Prom

Hello from quarantine!! This isn’t how I thought I would spend such a big birthday next month on June 19th, but it’s exciting regardless. Worsham and I originally planned to go to San Diego to celebrate, but ended up canceling earlier this month. It is what it is! We’ll make up for it next year with our 5-year anniversary trip to (most likely) the Bahamas. I’ll probably cry of sheer happiness whenever I’m in an airport again. Who would have thought I’d miss the airport so much? I mean, couldn’t you just cry thinking about the people watching, the smell of Schlotsky’s sandwiches, and knowing that you’re about to escape reality for a while? I could.

Anyway, I’m not having a life crisis like I did when I turned 20 (in Geneva, Switzerland, mind you). Honestly, what was my problem? It is weird to think I’m this old, though. I know in the grand scheme of things it’s really not, but 30 just sounds very adult. It makes me laugh thinking about how far away it sounded when 13 Going on 30 came out, which ironically was when I was literally 13.

Here’s what I’ve learned over this last year of my 20s! And here’s to being 30, flirty, and thriving too.

It’s Okay to be Content – This is something that has really hit home for me this year, especially during quarantine. It’s okay to be content with your life, and it’s okay to be OKAY. I think a lot of us tend to get too in our heads about what life could be. We dwell in the future or the past instead of appreciating the present. We think about the “I’ll be happy when…” or “I really should be doing…” or “I was happier back when…”. Whatever it is. Whatever story society and your own insecurities have driven into your head.

It’s okay to appreciate what you have now. For me, I tend to obsess about what I should or could be doing with my career. I should be writing another book. After all, that’s what I went to school for, isn’t it? I should be trying to “make a name for myself” because that’s what successful writers do, isn’t it?

It’s great to have dreams, but when we “should” all over ourselves, we miss out on the good stuff that’s happening. The truth is I actually like my job, and in a world with an insane unemployment rate I’ve never been more grateful for it. I am writing every day, just not in the way I thought I would. I have made a name for myself there – just not on a global, Insta-famous scale.

And that’s okay. It’s okay to appreciate the journey, while also appreciating what could be. Just don’t dwell on anything that isn’t the now for too long. It’s very against everything our society tells us (a society that’s trying to see who can be the most productive during a literal PANDEMIC), but it’s necessary for our mental stability. Just stay appreciative, people.

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Things That Have Saved My Sanity During Quarantine

Oh, hey! We’re well over a month into quarantine now. How’s everyone holding up? I have to admit, I finally got restless last week. It was bound to happen eventually. I kept finding myself pacing around our house looking for things to clean. I guess there are worse things I could be doing, but still, I felt like a Sim on autopilot.

Overall, though, things have been good here! Worsham and I are still happily working from home (till who knows when) and spending time with our fur children. Our dog, Gretchen, sleeps under my feet most of the day and our cats like to try to type things on our laptops. Really thrilling stuff here, ya know. Anyway, here are a few things that have been keeping me sane (besides talking to friends and family).

Quarantine Prom – I’ve been contemplating throwing a quarantine prom for a while and this past Saturday we finally had it. Honestly, one of the most fun dates we’ve ever had. Highly recommend! Worsham made us a nice dinner and we got all dressed up (luckily, I have all of my prom dresses still). We played music videos through our TV, turned on some strobe lights, and had drinks in between songs. We didn’t meet until I was 21 and Worsham was 24, so we missed out on all the cute high school and college moments. It was fun to recreate our own, and we had more fun than we did at our actual proms!

Kristin Ess Signature Hair Gloss – As we all know, Kristin Ess is a genius. I’ve been eyeing her hair gloss at Target forever, but I finally decided to try it a few weeks ago. It did not disappoint! My highlights tend to get red and brassy after a while, and this really helped tone them down (I used the shade Smoky Topaz). It was really easy to use and made my hair insanely soft too. For $14, I’ll definitely be buying this on the reg even when quarantine is over!

L’Oreal Magic Root Cover Up – The grays are out, people! This root spray is the reason I haven’t lost it yet. It really does cover well. Does it make the top of my head feel a little gunky? Yeah…but I don’t really care. It does the job.

Not Pot CBD Gummies – CBD gummies might be my favorite thing on this earth lately. With all the depressing news and weird anxious energy, it’s nice to just chill out. If you know me, you know I’m not a weed person, but CBD is a whole different story. Give me all of it immediately. I ordered from Not Pot since they’re vegan and have cool flavors, and I love them! I got the Elderberry kind which also has elderberry syrup, zinc, b vitamins, and vitamin C. It’s SO GOOD that I have to remind myself I can’t just eat the whole bottle at once.

Trashy Netflix Shows – We’ve all watched Tiger King at this point, but have you watched Too Hot to Handle? Basically they’re all sex-obsessed, hot people who are on a retreat. They’re not allowed to do anything physical (even kiss) or money gets deducted from their 100k prize. They’re overseen by an AI robot that looks like a giant essential oil diffuser, and naturally they all keep breaking the rules. It’s stupid in the best way.

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