Twenty Goals for 2020

I have decided to compile a list of goals for the new year, both personally and for Andrea Fontana Beauty and I’ve decided to share them with you for accountability! Share yours below in a comment so we can support one another.

1. Continue Cycling weekly and purchase a spin bike for myself for my 30th birthday.

2. Read 50 books.

3. Master making homemade sourdough bread.

4. Launch my online thrifted store!

5. Publish my first cookbook.

6. Do various 10x10 and 20x20 capsule wardrobe challenges throughout the year to stretch my creativity.

7. Visit 2 state capitals with Mikey.

8. Only buy thrifted clothing (with the exception of certain things like under garments, workout pants, etc. and special events that I need specific clothing for).

9. Book at least 32 weddings/big special events!

10. Go to Brazil with Mikey in October.

11. Be more consistent with my blogging each month.

12. Make more money through my blog (affiliate links, etc.)

13. Take more time off to travel and spend time with family.

14. Fully embrace turning 30 in May.

15. Continue switching my everyday products into reusable ones.

16. Take periodic social media breaks.

17. Keep growing and connecting with my amazing community on Facebook and Instagram.

18. Keep some form of soup nights going throughout the entire year.

19. Qualify for Amazon Influencer.

20. Run my first half marathon and start my 30’s off with a bang!

What are you looking to accomplish this year? Tell me below!

Have a great week,

Andrea

An Afternoon in Chicago

I love Chicago and this past weekend I visited it for some fun with friends who live in the city. I wanted to share my Saturday afternoon activities with you in a post because I highly recommend recreating it yourself! It was the perfect amount of fun, food and relaxation.

I headed into the city from Lansing on the Amtrak. If you’ve never traveled by train and this is an option in your area, I highly recommend it. Mainly because I love having the entire 3.5 to 4 hours to read, watch Netflix, listen to music etc. I love it because you arrive right downtown. It would take me about the same amount of time to drive it but Michigan winters are too unpredictable for me to trust that the roads will be safe and clean to drive on. Plus I hate having to deal with a car in the city. While I arrive Friday, I want to highlight Saturday afternoon because my good friend Nick killed it when it came to planning a run day.

First off, we headed to Bar Pastoral in Lakeview for brunch. It was a cozy space decorated for Christmas and we got to sit in a little bench nook in one of the front windows which is my absolute favorite. When the grapefruit mimosas arrived, I knew we were off to a great start to our day.

We split this beautiful charcuterie board of meats, cheese, spreads, and bread and boy was it delicious! Next door to the restaurant is Pastoral, where you can buy wine, meats, cheeses, spreads and more which was fun to visit after our meal. For my meal I chose the Biscuit BLTA which was divine! It was a turkey, bacon, avocado crema, & tomato sandwich on a biscuit with amazing potatoes on the side. The sriracha mayo that the potatoes came in was unreal too. I was in heaven. (In case you’re wondering “Wait a minute Andrea. I thought you couldn’t eat Gluten…?”, you are not wrong! Haha! I have medicine I can take to be able to tolerate gluten and not get sick, but I only use it in situations like this when I’m not at home and want to enjoy a meal out). Highly suggest having brunch at Bar Pastoral, and I’d even gamble and say their dinners are amazing too! Everything that came to our table was so delicious!

After brunch, we walked down to the grocery store Mariano’s where I got an espresso shot to negate my after-brunch coma I was starting to sink into. The espresso was awesome and my friend Nick mentioned that he prefers their coffee to Starbucks. Once I was refueled we headed over to the wine bar for a glass of wine. They offer a wine of the month and you can get a glass of the special for $3! It was a really delicious Pinot Noir. I wish I had remembered to get the name of the wine, but I completely forgot. Blame the brunch.

Next, we hopped in an Uber and went to a location I had been DREAMING of. Nick just knows me so well and planned for us to head into the amazing Restoration Hardware location in the Gold Coast neighborhood. I cannot even tell you how long I have wanted to go here, so I basically screamed when I found out that’s what we were doing. Walking through the beautifully renovated old building with a glass of wine in hand is a complete experience. There are 5 floors of stunning rooms and it doesn’t feel like a store. I can’t wait to go back in the summer and go out on the rooftop too! I especially loved the atrium in the center that has extremely high ceilings, a beautiful fountain and so much greenery. Next, I think I’l definitely eat a meal at the cafe.

I left Restoration Hardware feeling an immense sense of motivation and inspiration. While I currently can’t afford anything from the showroom, you can’t but help to dream of what the future could look like with hard work and perseverance. I cannot wait to buy something from there some day. I highly recommend visiting a place of inspiration like this because I think it’s important to see goals right before your eyes. It makes anything feel possible and I’m so grateful we went.

Lastly, we walked over to The Goddess and the Grocer where I had a yummy little Italian Sandwich that was super tasty. If you need a quick bite, this is a great little stop on State St.

While this was only a slice of the fun I had in Chicago, I highly recommend checking these places out! The best part was that I honestly didn’t really spend that much money either. What are some of your favorite spots in Chicago? I am always adding to my list for future visits. Comment below and let me know!

Have a wonderful day,

Andrea

February Favorites

Hello I'm back! 

In case you missed all of the sunsets, head over to my Instagram to see all of the fun I had on my Florida vacay!

I'm back with some favorites from February that I can't wait to share. Originally I was going to include some book favorites because I have been reading a lot, but I polled you guys on Instagram and you decided you wanted a Quarterly Book Post instead, so look for that at the end of March. I feel like I mention this in every post, but if you want to have a say on the content I create, follow me on Instagram and vote in those polls!!

If links below are Amazon links, they are affiliate links. If you choose to use them, I earn a commission off of your purchase. This in no way affects the price that you pay, but supports me as a blogger and I so appreciate you if you choose to use them! If the link in this post isn't for Amazon, then it is not an affiliated link. I just like to be upfront with you! Anyways, now onto the faves!

I have been driving a lot recently and love to listen to podcasts during this time. One of my all time favorite bloggers Sydney from The Daybook, recently started a podcast with her business partner and I knew I had to listen. No shocker, I am absolutely obsessed. It's called What The Eff Podcast and it's about going after your dreams and figuring it out as you go along. I cannot recommend it enough. Sometimes they have guests, sometimes they interview each other, but every episode is amazing. Check it out here!

I can't remember how I found out this Newsletter but I love it. It's called the Girl's Night In Newsletter and you get an email every Friday morning (as if Friday wasn't exciting enough) and it's full of recommendations; recipes to make, things to do, books to read, articles to read, etc. As I get older and spend less time out on a Friday night, I really like the ideas it gives. Click this link here to sign up for it!

Next, let's talk some products. First up we have the Pacifica Rose Flower Hydro Mist. I bought this in a rush at Target when I was picking up last minute things for my vacation and I became obsessed. It has that amazing rose scent, but I used it constantly whenever I wanted to refresh and cool off my face, especially at the beach. I loved it. It also has Kombucha and essential oils in it which I find pretty cool (Side note, I'm learning how to make Kombucha Tuesday night and could not be more excited!!) It's 100% vegan and cruelty free and also formulated without SLS, petroleum, parabens, and sulfates!

I always use a lip treatment with an SPF when I am on vacation or in the sun, so I went back to this amazing one for my Florida trip that I've loved for a long time. The Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Tulip has a berry pink tint to it, which I love to give my lips moisture, color, and protection in the easiest way! I can't recommend this line of lip products enough for warm days!

Let me be a broken record and say I LOVE SHEET MASKS! haha that probably comes at no surprised, especially if you read my last post on Travel Tips. I have been using them so much recently and again I think they are great to have on hand. Here's a great set to get you started if you want to try some out. 

I want to mention my SPF that I have been using for awhile and was my go to in Florida. The Algenist Ultra Lightweight UV Defense Fluid SPF 50 doesn't smell like traditional SPF, doesn't feel like traditional SPF and I love it. It protects so well and I can't recommend it enough. I am all about formula and finish when it comes to the SPF for my face and I love how this one doesn't feel greasy at all but still nourishing. 

Lastly, I want to share a drugstore foundation you've probably heard me talk about but I've been loving for awhile now. The L'Oreal Pro Glow Foundation is medium coverage and build-able and gives a really nice glowy finish. I'm normally a NARS foundation girl all the time, but I am happy to have found a great drugstore foundation to have as an affordable option.

So that's it for February! What were your favorites this month? If you've fallen in love with something be sure to leave it in a comment below!

I hope you have a great start to the new month! I'm starting my March off with a Launch Party tonight for a Beauty Bar I did makeup for! Then I'm headed for a weekend away visiting my best friend.

Enjoy your weekend loves,

Andrea

Skincare Tips for Travel

As I write this I am three sleeps away from being on a beach with a drink in my hand. I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to this vacation. That being said, this past week has been filled with packing and getting things together for my trip which brings us to this post.

Your skin can change and become imbalanced when you go on vacation and change climates. Today I'm going to share with you my tips for avoiding common issues and keeping your skin feeling happy and glowing all vacation long! The more prepared you are the less likely you will be to have issues.

1. Prep your skin the week before you leave. I make sure that I am extra consistent when it comes to my skin before I travel so that it is the healthiest for my trip. Follow your routines and do some masks beforehand to really make sure your skin is happiest before your trip.

2. Prep your skin for your flight. I cannot recommend this one enough. If flying dries your skin out, wear a heavy moisturizer, overnight mask or sheet mask on the plane! I know this might seem crazy, but if you go on the plane nourished and hydrated, you won't be able to dry out as much from that gross airplane air. Then you'll get to your destination with glowing and happy skin!

3. Bring a SPF 50. You probably are not shocked that this is next. I wear a SPF everyday anyways, but I cannot stress how important this is especially if you are traveling somewhere with more sun. More sun means you will probably spend more time outdoors so DO NOT skip the SPF. 

4. Bring sheet masks. Sheet masks are a great way to bring many kinds of masks with you that won't take up much space in your luggage since they are one time use. Depending on your vacation and skin type you could need to combat all sorts of issues. If you'll be in the sun and sweating, make sure you have a good pore cleansing mask. At the same time, if you are getting sun, hydrating masks are vital. These sheet masks come in a gift set and give you many options for your next trip!

5. Bring an overnight mask for dehydration. Whether it's the plane or the sun you can almost guarantee that your skin will become dehydrated at some point. I think it's great to have a mask like this one from Laneige that will hydrate you while you are sleeping. It's light and helps draw moisture into your skin which is perfect after long beach days!

6. Bring a spot treatment. I tend to breakout when I am in more humid environments so I make sure to bring my spot treatment with me just in case I acquire some blemishes while traveling. I love this one by La Roche Posay and have been using it for years. I like to apply it in areas where I'm prone to breakouts as more of a preventative measure. 

7. Watch your diet. Especially if we are traveling for vacation, we are more likely to let loose and eat a little unhealthier than we would at home. If you know that certain types of food can affect your skin, stay away from them to lessen the likelihood of problems arising. I personally know that dairy makes me break out more. Knowing this, I'm less likely to get ice cream every night of vacation like I would normally want to. I'm not saying to not relax and enjoy food on vacation, just be aware of the consequences of what you are consuming.

8. Lighten up on makeup. Personally, I love to use traveling as a time to lighten up on my makeup routine and give my skin a break. I tend to rely on a bright lipstick as the star of the look and lighten up when it comes to the products I'm applying to my skin. 

9. Drink your water. You had to have known that this was coming, but the changes of traveling can change your body and create a little imbalance, so keeping up with your hydration is key, especially if you will be in the sun. I know I'll be enjoying a few extra glasses of wine than I normally do, so drinking extra water is key. I like to use this Origins Hydrating Mask at night when I've had a few drinks of been in the sun to combat the dehydration! 

10. Use up samples. While I'm not the biggest fan of Sephora's point system, I do like taking advantage of the small sizes of free product to take on vacation with me. Just be careful if you have sensitive skin. If this is the case, only take products that you've tried before so you don't have any sort of reaction while traveling. 

Let me know below if you're traveling soon and where you're headed! If you have any travel tips of your own let me know!

Happy travels,

Andrea