Oak Essentials Skincare Review

A little over a year ago I started using the Oak Essentials skincare routine, and I have to say I don’t think I’ll be looking for new products anytime soon. Oak Essentials recently released two new serums, which they sent me to try out. The day serum has vitamin C and is supposed to help with collagen production and balancing discoloration. The night serum has retinol and smooths texture and supports an even tone.

• Cleansing Balm - Of all the products the cleansing balm is the one I reach for the least. While I love an oil cleanser, I prefer washing my face in the shower and this balm isn’t the best for that.

• Balancing Mist - This is my favorite product of the entire line. The scent is divine and I truly feel the toning properties do balance out the pH of my skin.

• Daily Vitamin C Serum - This serum is a new top favorite product. It’s non-sticky and lightweight, it also feels lovely underneath my spf and make-up.

• Ritual Oil - I love love love this oil. I personally have preferred lightweight, vitamin rich face oils and this certainly is that.

• Moisture Rich Balm - Nice, but not may favorite. Personally I prefer using just the ritual oil unless I am suffering from severe dryness.

• Restorative Mask - A lovely moisture retaining mask that always feels like a luxury.

• Nightly Retinol Serum - I haven’t tried the retinol serum as I am expecting, but look forward to adding back to my routine once I pop this baby out!

• Dew Body Oil - I absolutely love this body oil, it’s been a go to for my stretch skin and growing bump since the start of my pregnancy. I even include it in my first trimester favorites!

Oak Essentials First Impressions

For the past few months I have been trying out some new skincare products from Jenni Kayne. Oak Essentials is a cruelty free, non-GMO, and organic product line. Watch the video below for my honest first impressions of the five foundational products, also known as “the routine.”

Shop the Line and get 15% off with my code GINAS15:

• Cleansing Balm

• Balancing Mist

• Daily Vitamin C Serum

• Ritual Oil

• Moisture Rich Balm

• Restorative Mask

• Nightly Retinol Serum

• Dew Body Oil

Our Chill Elopement

Last month my partner and I got married! It was a simple affair (as one would say), and very intimate.

After deciding to get married, it took us a while to land on what would feel the most like “us.” Eventually the stars aligned and we made it happen at one of the few courthouses open in California during this pandemic! I always knew I didn’t want the fuss of a big wedding. Instead we look forward to a time when it is safe to travel and spend quality time with family, in lieu of what could have been one big event. Everything from the linen dress I bought off a mannequin at the mall the day before, to my Whole Foods flower bouquet felt perfect. We spent the morning slowly getting ready together, almost like any other day. It’s these little moments together that I cherish the most, the mundane routine of life and partnership, so it was so fitting that he watched me curl my hair and I helped him iron his shirt on our special day.

After our quick courthouse ceremony, a DIY photoshoot, and a lovely lunch al fresco, we headed to the Hoxton Hotel in DTLA for a staycation to soak it all in.

For a look behind the scenes of our engagement shoot getaway to Joshua Tree las year check out this blog post.

The Smallest Satisfaction

My morning rituals have shifted slightly this season. I still find myself moving from rooms to room opening the windows and letting the daylight in. But I save our patio doors for last because just beyond them is my little self made haven of a patio garden. 

I’ve pretty much always lived in cities (NYC, LA, and even DC for a stint), and the fact that there are parks and green spaces throughout plus my family of houseplants tided over my desire for my own green (or greener) space all these years. But in the midst of lockdowns last year a private sanctuary outside the walls of our apartment became a priority, so we moved.

At first out narrow patio was just a beige stuccoed trough hanging off the outside of our building. But over time with the addition of a couple chairs, some plants, and outdoor tiles it became an urban oasis. Each morning I open the curtains and from behind the glass spy on my plants, trying to identify and changes from the day before. Excited to find new growth or greet the little creatures scampering through the foliage. But before heading outside I put on water to boil and grind coffee beans, still lurking on the potted blooms scattered across the exterior wall, table, and floors. Eventually my morning pour over is ready and I can move on to my most exiting ritual of the day, watering.

Somehow watering my outdoor plants became a routine I love, despite being resistant to it at first. I have been used to weekly or less frequent watering schedules for my houseplants, and even those I held on loosely too. But the cottage style flowers in their terra-cotta planters are not patient enough to be watered on my schedule. If I skipped a day or two they would tell me in their depressed appearance, quickly dropping flowers. And the seeds I was patiently awaited to sprout would remain dormant. So I made it my duty to water them each morning before I treated myself to coffee. Its and intimate thing, watering in the still of the morning, getting to know how much each plant requires, how much sun they likely got the day prior based on how the soil looks and feels today. It’s meditative and slowing. And now I couldn’t imagine a better way prime myself before taking my morning coffee. Sitting quietly in front of bushes of grateful flowers and optimistic seedlings, satisfied that if nothing else happens today I cared for something outside myself but for myself.

Comparisons for Happiness

This year I have been reflecting on how the life I am living now was once just a dream for me. It’s a simple life, but when compared to other phases in my past it astonishes me how far I have come. This is a new perspective for me though…

A few months ago I became so fed up with my constant rumination on goals and ambitions that it was muddling my mind to the point of depression. I had become so focused on the future, in part because of the pandemic, that I could not appreciate where I am right now. My restlessness had become too much, I was constantly feeling rushed to get further in my life, speeding past this present phase. Fortunately, I recognized this feeling was making me unhappy and started the inner work that was needed.

While achievement is such a large part of my personality and life motivation, I recognize there is a dark side of it for me. Years ago I began practicing mindfulness because I can get so fixated on the future that I miss current life. And once I reach that future, I am yet again overlooking it to get to the next stage. I’ve never wanted to fall into the trap of never being satisfied with life. Instead I want to live a life full of appreciation for where I am at every stage and not simple when I’ve “made it.”

The way I cultivate this is by actively and intentional looking around me a speaking (often out loud) the things I am grateful for. At times it is simple the way the light is reflecting on the walls or the blossoming tree just outside the window. Other times it’s the peace and quiet of my home, or a beautiful piece of furniture I use daily. Or maybe it’s a meal I’ve prepared or the person in sharing my time with. When I stop and look around there are endless things that are right in front of me that I am so appreciative of. And the beauty of this practice is before long it happens subconsciously, my mind has quickly become accustomed to seeing what I have as opposed to what I don’t.

And when the gratitude doesn’t come so easily I compare my present, not to my future self or others, but instead to my own past self. I have so much that I have accomplished, and when I stop to think about it I can physically feel the pride well up in my body. I feel proud that I, as a Black mixed-raced woman worked my way through college, eventually and unconventionally received a graduate degree from an Ivy League university, built a fulfilling career and later bootstrapped a business, created stability for myself, found a healthy partner to build a life with, created safe home filled with laughter and love, and done the years of inner work to heal past traumas and manage my anxiety. These things, and more, when listed out are far more impressive than the bigger house or early retirement my mind may be focused on.

When I compare where I am today to me one year, 5 years, 10 years ago and more I can’t help but look around and realize I am enough just as I am.

Glimpses

Seven photos that are a quiet reminder of the little joys of life.

Luxury is a feeling more than anything

We are all at home and the days are probably blurring together. I think it is very important these days to create little moments each day that differentiate one day from the next. When I don't I find myself getting bored and my thoughts drift toward being "stuck" at home instead of "safe" at home.

The little moments I am carving out for myself are what I am calling little luxuries. I think of luxury as something that is not necessary but gives me great comfort, and in my opinion, it doesn't have to cost a lot or anything at all.

So in that spirit here are some of the little luxuries I am using to make each day special:

• Sleep in. The easiest of them all for many of us. If you can, try it next weekend. Maybe be lavish about it and don't get out of bed until hunger forces you to. Bring a book, notebook, or something to bed with you the night before and after you wake-up (late) stay in bed even longer and read, journal, just hang out.

• Make a special breakfast. Last week I shared some recipes I have been loving, and in addition to these I just tried making a dutch baby this weekend, and boy was it easy and delicious!

• Schedule in hours of nothing time. We (read I) often underestimate the importance of rest. It is essential for our minds and bodies to function properly. And it is particularly important during times of unusual stress. Good sleep is essential, but I also find periods of active rest during my week where I am not responsible for doing anything, in particular, is so comforting. I like to block off time for me to relax, like having a long lunch where I can read or watch tv. Or an entire weekend afternoon that is not filled with housework or work work.

• Go for a long walk without your phone. Wow, what a difference disconnecting without my phone makes. I like to take my daily neighborhood walks without my phone now and again so I am not tempted to check emails, call someone, take photos, or be distracted in some other way. Having my phone in hand creates this urgency that I should be doing something else but when I don't have it I am able to immerse myself in the moment... what a luxury being present truly is.

• Take a long bath or shower and play some music. Such a simple thing, but it turns a daily "to do" into such a treat. Once in a while, I even like to get the diffuser going for some aromatherapy before I hope into the shower. It just reminds me to slow down to take care of myself. 

• And speaking of, do aromatherapy while you're working, cleaning, or just chilling. Light a candle, burn incense or run a diffuser. The extrasensory indulgence makes everyday activities feel special and more enjoyable. I really love eucalyptus oil and I am obsessed with Lait candles because their scents are very delicate and not overpowering while still filling the room (I actually was anti scented candles before I started using these!).

• Order in. If you are tired of cooking, just order in. Just take the proper precautions (contactless pick-up, removing all packaging from your home & cleaning, etc). I still find it to be such a gift that we can order in food amidst a pandemic and taking the responsibility of cooking off my partner and myself once in a while is the ultimate luxury.

How to make Dalgona coffee (aka whipped coffee)

You've probably seen it all over the internet already, but in case you haven't, I am going to share how I am making Dalgona coffee these days!

Ingredients:

• instant coffee

• sugar (cane seems to work best for me)

• water

• milk or milk alternative

Combine in a bowl:

2 tablespoons of instant coffee

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of hot water

Now mix together and beat.

You're going to want to beat it until it becomes a light brown color and your arm feels like falling off!

Now spoon on top of however much milk you like!

Enjoy, but beware of how much caffeine is in there! I made the mistake of having a full serving to myself but now I split it into two servings (which still seems to be more caffeine than a regular coffee!)

For more info check out this video tutorial 

Work from home hacks (from someone who has been doing it for years)

Many of us are heading into week three of working from home and I’m hearing a lot about how it is not as easy as it seems. Creating healthy boundaries and breaking up the day is essential to not feeling like a blob at the end of the workday, take it from someone who has been working from home (and loving it!) for 3 years.

Here are some of my tips for creating a healthy work-from-home lifestyle:

• Wake-up with enough time to have your morning routine before reporting to work. I like to feel like I have had time for myself before logging on and diving into emails and slack messages. It allows my brain to wake up and for me to proactively set my mood for the day instead of starting work and being reactive to whatever comes up on my screen if I were to roll out of bed and logon. 

• Create a schedule and stick to it. If you say you'll be online at 8:30 every day make sure you logon ready to work at that time. Communicate your schedule to your colleagues and try not to do work things outside of these hours. Setting good boundaries is key to not feeling like your home-life is being overrun by your work duties.

• Create a logon routine. I have a routine when I logon, much like you would when you walk into the office. I like to turn on my favorite morning podcasts (Up First, Today, Explained, and The Daily), check-in on slack, scan my emails for urgent items,  and then open up my calendar to plan my day and block off my schedule with meetings and tasks. Spending the first hour-ish of most days with this routine gets me out of "home mode" and into "work mode."

• Keep work-issued and personal devices separate, if possible. Having a digital boundary between work and home has helped me not think about work on my off-hours and just keep files where they need to be.

• Have a specific work area you report to, free of distractions and clutter. Best of it is well lit too if you’ll be doing video conferences. Going to the same spot each day, at least at the start of your day, will help make working from home feel more "official."

• Invest in good headphones (with a mic) if you are co-working from home or are working from a noisy environment. Noise is such an easy distraction that can be eliminated easily.

• Similarly, invest in a comfortable chair. It will make all the difference, I promise.

• Keep a bottle of water within reach. It is so easy for me to forget to drink water when I am home all day, but staying hydrated helps you not feel fatigued throughout the day and be more productive.

• Take regular breaks and try not to eat meals at your desk while you work. And what I find works well for me is having set breaks that I can look forward to a create a rhythm to my day.

• If you have a hard time focusing, try the Pomodoro Method. It's a great way to work in sprints and incentivize getting things done. Essentially you set a timer to work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. I use the Tide app's focus function to time myself.

• Turn off notifications (Slack, email, etc.) during non-working hours. This goes back to keeping a strict work schedule where possible. Even if you don't respond to incoming messages, but you get the notifications, you will have work on your mind when you're in your off-hours creating dormant anxiety.

• Have an end of day transition routine for when you log off. I like to go for a walk then take a shower before starting my evening at home. These activities just break the day up and let my mind ease out of the workday.

I hope some of these suggestions are helpful in making your work-from-home life more enjoyable!

How I Hygge Up My Home, Tips for Surviving Social Distancing

When I first learned about the Danish concept hygge I was ecstatic to know there is not only a word but also a whole culture around something I already love to do. Hygge ("hue-guh ") is essentially the feeling or a moment of cozy, calm contentment. 

These are some of the little details to create moments of hygge:

• Light a candle. This is the easiest way to create ambiance and if it's a scent you love double win.

• Dim the lights and stick with lamps, not overhead lighting. The right lighting can completely transform a spaces' atmosphere.

• Pour a hot drink. A tea, coffee, hot cocoa, no matter what you choose it will give you an instant cozy feeling.

• Bake something tasty. Not only can the act of baking be a calming experience, but the smell of baked goods wafting and then sharing your treats with loved ones is a majorly hygge.

• Put on some instrumental music in the background. I am currently obsessed with the Lush Lofi playlist on Spotify.

• Soft furnishings everywhere. A throw here, a few cushions there. Just enough so you can cuddle up comfortably.

• Fewer devices. Instead of scrolling on your phone try picking up a book or writing instead. It immediately slows you down and creates a more hygge experience.

• Wear cute and cozy socks. Just the act of seeing them on your feet will make you feel content.

What are your quick tips for feeling content at home?

Tips for making the perfect espresso at home

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I love a good cup of coffee. And after a few years of making it espresso in my Moka pot, I have picked up a few tricks along the way.

• Clean the pot. Some people say to leave the upper part of the pot unwashed to get a buildup of espresso for more flavor. This can actually make your espresso bitter so I like to wash my pot after every use. No need to wash with soap every time as it can be cumbersome to thoroughly get all the soap out, but a good rinse and wipe will do.

• Use purified, room temperature water. Some people say to use boiled water to speed up the heating process and prevent the coffee from burning, but I find it works better for me to just use filter water. And filtered or distilled is key because depending on where you live your water may be harder or softer and that affects the taste of your espresso as well as the metal of your Moka pot. 

• Use the right amount of water. Another major key is to add the right amount of water, never fill the bottom past the vent. And if you like super strong coffee you can play with using even less water than usual to get a stronger flavor.

• Find the right grind, and use good quality coffee beans. I like experimenting with local roasters' darker blends. The grind should be close the that of a traditional espresso machine. Fine, but not too fine. You are looking for something like table salt and less coarse than powdered sugar.

• Don't overpack the coffee pod. The water in the bottom of the pot needs to be able to percolate up through the coffee grinds to you don't want to press down on the grinds firmly like you would with other espresso machines. Filling the pod and giving it a light press will do fine.

• Heat low and slow, and remove from the heat as so as the coffee starts making a gurgling sound. I find making it this way avoids overheating the coffee avoiding that burnt taste you can get when you do.

• Store your pot assembled but not tightly screwed on. This might seem like a trivial thing but by storing it this way your rubber gasket will last longer giving you a better seal and overall better espresso. 

• Practice because you'll only figure out just how you like it by doing!

Do you have any tips or tricks for the perfect espresso? Let me know!! 

And for all of the tools I use (plus some cute mugs), I have an amazon list here (I encourage you to also not buy them on Amazon, it's just the most convenient way for me to make lists at the moment).

Our 14G: a minimalist New York City studio apartment

I recently realized that I can no longer tell people I have been living in Los Angeles for "about 6 months." For some reason 6 months made me feel like I was still new here, fresh off the plane. But it has been 9 months, and pretty soon it will be a year! It's crazy to me how at home I feel here but also how new it all still seems. I still remember my commute to and from my lovely little apartment, the long waits for an elevator, and the casual conversations with our doormen like it was yesterday. 

Probably needless to say (because if you've followed along for a while you know how neurotic I can be) but I panicked a little about our new home still having so many unfinished projects. This past weekend I decided to start honing in on them which led me down memory lane (aka my camera roll) looking for inspiration. Thats when I decided to put my numerous photos of our old place to use. 

Our apartment was a ~525 square foot studio on the 14th floor of a high rise in Battery Park City. Despite having only one window in the entire apartment it was very light, and despite being a studio we had little issue with storage space. But that could have been a product of both my partner being pretty minimalist and strategic with our belongings.

Bedroom

I loved our bed "room" and never had an issue with not having a wall or door, even when we had guests for extended stays. I think I just appreciated how minimal it forced us to keep the space, and how open and airy it felt. We had a high bed frame (where suitcases could fit beneath) and a king sized mattress that probably wouldn't fit inside most 1 bedrooms in NYC. We each had matching side tables and side table lamps and a long dresser facing the bed. The dresser was actually 2 ikea pieces we each had before moving in together (thats why his is more yellow-ish than mine!), but we didn't really care and I kind of like the sentimentality of the two coming together in our first home together. Lastly, at some point we added a small armchair and runner to this area to warm it up and give us an extra seat to gaze out onto the river from.

Undoubtedly the best part of this apartment was the view onto the Hudson. It's what sold us on this space and it created our refuge from the business of the city.

Our mostly white minimalist spot didn't need much more decoration than it's single large window. Just look at how much the view would change from day to day and day to night.

living space

Our living space was where we worked, relaxed and entertained (yes we entertained!). Along one side of the room was out couch and oversized ottoman, separated from the bedroom by a low bookshelf and plants. On the opposite wall were our desks and desktop computers that also served as netflix players.

Above is a similar floor plan to ours, the kitchen and closets are slightly different, but you get the gist. Adjacent to our entry way and kitchen we kept a small cafe table that was rarely used for eating and more for serving and collecting mail. We mainly ate at the bar or (admittedly) on the couch. I also included a gratutious bathroom pic, I think I took this when we first toured the apartment which is why the sole decorative item which I was obsessed with is missing, a mudcloth print shower curtain from Target. 

And with that this walk down memory lane comes to an end. So many sweet memories from this home, now off to continue nesting in our new one!