Tips for Creating a Solid Skincare Routine

I know that skincare routines can seem tedious and like a waste of time to some people, but the reality is that we only have one face. It’s important to take care of our skin, but your skincare routine should be specific to you. How do you find the motivation to actually develop a routine that works for you? Follow some of these tips and I think they will help you.

Do your routine when you get home for the night.

This is my number one tip. For some reason, we think we have to do it right before we get in bed. If you struggle with feeling too tired to do your skincare at the end of the day, do it when you get home from work and change into your comfy clothes. This will also give you extra time to do treatments; say a face mask while cooking dinner…Doesn’t that sound nice? As long as you won’t be sweating or going out into the sun again, you can do that skincare as soon as you are in for the night.

Create a soothing environment in your bathroom while doing a skincare routine.

If you look at your skincare as an opportunity for self care, your attitude can change about it. It will no longer feel like a chore, but a fun experience. Create an environment that is relaxing and inviting so that you look forward to taking care of your skin. Soothing music, aromatherapy, lighting a nice candle; all of these things can add to the ambiance and make your skincare routine the best 10 minutes of your night.

Organize a special area of your bathroom as your skincare corner.

If your products are organized and easy to access, you’ll be much more likely to use them. I like to keep mine on a special shelf that is only for skincare so that I see them every time I walk into my bathroom, but they still look clean and neat. This way I am always reminded that I need to spend time on my skin.

Do your research, learn to understand your skin, & meet with an esthetician.

I find that we are less likely to do something when we don’t know why we would be doing it. We know we should be cleansing our faces but do we know why and how to properly do it? Take some time to meet with a licensed esthetician who can help you understand what your skin needs. The reality is that our skin can change day to day and the best thing we can do is learn to understand what our skin needs so we can properly treat it at home. Your esthetician is a great resource for this. I offer beauty therapy appointments to help you discover your skin specifically, so email me if you would like more info on this.

Only try one new product at a time.

This one may surprise you, but this is one of my big beliefs that I am always talking about. I firmly believe that we should only introduce one product at a time into our skincare routines. Here’s why…if you have an allergic reaction, you know exactly what caused it. If you don’t like the effects or oppositely, LOVE the effects, you know exactly what caused them. It also helps keep the cost of amping up your skincare routine spread out over a course of time, instead of having to drop a bunch of money at once. I am all about helping you create a great routine for yourself, but I also want it to be realistic and I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed.

Let me know what you do to make your skincare a part of your daily life! Comment your tips below.

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

11 Things With Andrea #2

Let’s just jump right into it!

  1. I recently tried Fabletics for the first time and overall I loved my first purchase. I got two pairs of cropped leggings, one full length pair, and a sports bra that zipped up the front. I was really hoping to find a sport’s bra that was thick and good quality (the zipper ones usually are for higher impact sports), but unfortunately the fabric is just too thin to be super supportive. I LOVED the leggings though. The trinity high-waisted leggings are amazing. I highly recommend them. I asked you guys on IG your thoughts on Fabletics and most of you said that it’s not really great for sports bra, but the leggings and tops are awesome! While it is a monthly subscription I don’t think I’ll be purchasing every month (you can skip months), because I’m pretty set with leggings for now!

  2. I have been reading a lot recently (I’m on my 6th book for the month if that tells you anything). I did a book post recently (click here to check it out) and I’m excited to have some extra time next week to relax and read because the families I nanny for are on spring break! I picked up ‘The Shape of Water’, ‘Big Little Lies’ and ‘The Devil in the White City’ from the library and you all voted for me to start with ‘Big Little Lies’! I’m excited to read all three of these so make sure to check back in a little while to see my review on them.

  3. I currently have a GIVEAWAY going for a $100 Gift Certificate to JORD watches! If you haven’t entered it yet, CLICK HERE to check out the watch I was gifted for Mikey (my sweet watch obsessed other half). You don’t want to miss out on this awesome chance to win! You also get a 10% off code for entering so what do you have to lose?

  4. Wedding season begins this Saturday. While I had one wedding in January, this weekend starts the doing something almost every weekend for weddings and I AM SO EXCITED! I love my brides! I only have 2 Saturdays left and many Fridays and Sundays available so if you’re a 2019 bride who still needs a makeup artist, please contact me ASAP! (Click the CONTACT tab in the menu on the left).

  5. I’m really excited to be on track to be under $10,000 in debt by my 29th birthday this May (my goal is to be debt free by 30, which I am also on track for)! I know I don’t talk about it a lot on here, but for all of you working your butts off to become debt free, I AM WITH YOU! It’s probably my biggest goal that I’m working towards every day and if you’re also going through it, I know the struggles and tough work it takes. WE CAN DO IT!

  6. Please send all Netflix/Hulu/Prime recommendations my way. Like I mentioned before I have spring break coming up and am going to attempt to watch something since I suck at it. Working on learning how to be comfortable being relaxed and lazy, but it’s a process.

  7. I’m happy to report my anxiety is much lower than it was in January and February. I know I talked about it a lot on my IG and a little here, but if you don’t see me talking about it as much as I was, just know it is always something I am dealing with and working with. You are not alone. Always message me if you want to talk to someone.

  8. I’ve been trying a lot of new to me products from Drunk Elephant, Herbivore Botanicals, Tarte, Mad Hippie, etc and I’m excited to put together a post devoted to what I liked/ didn’t like.

  9. Cookbook writing is still coming along well! Every week I feel like I see the vision of my final cookbook becoming a little stronger which is really exciting. To all of you who consistently ask me how it’s going and are as excited as I am…you will NEVER know how much I truly appreciate your support and love. I am writing this cookbook for you and I think you’re going to love it! If you haven’t already signed up for cookbook updates, please click here to be added to my email list!

  10. If you’re in the Midwest, you’ve been experiencing some lovely SUN the last few weeks and it’s been AMAZING! Am I the only one who’s always constantly amazed at how much it affects our mood. We are different people when the sun is out and I love it! Spring is my favorite season so I’m excited to return to running outdoors and stopping to check up on all the blooms.

  11. If you caught Samin Nosrat’s phenomenal Netflix series, ‘Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat’ you might have checked out her cookbook of the same name. If you checked out her cookbook you probably oo’ed and aaah’ed at the beautiful artwork in it. I preordered these TO DIE FOR prints from the cookbook and if you need some extra kitchen art (I’m planning a beautiful kitchen gallery wall) you NEED to order these prints. They are so inexpensive for what beauty they really are!

  12. BONUS: This last one isn’t about me. It’s about you. You’re great. And I hope you’ll keep coming around to read what I write. I still get such amazing messages from you all about how my content is inspiring you and lifting you up and all I can say is, YOU are the one inspiring and lifting me up when you say these things. You are great! Thank you

Have the best weekend you tootie cutie patootie people,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

Unique Wood Watches: A Distinguished Gift For Him

I love a good men’s gift guide to bring me ideas on what to get my boyfriend, friends, dad, etc for birthdays and holidays. Except, I find that the only time I see people sharing them is for the holidays. All of the great men in our lives have birthdays too, so I thought I’d bring you an off-holiday season gift guide to bring you some inspiration for those non-Christmas occasions.

1. Decorative Chess Set:

It can be hard to find decor for men to put in their homes because they don’t usually have the same obsession with boxes, vases, and organization that we do. Haha I love a beautiful chess set because it can be both decorative and functional. Men don’t always seem to want to buy things because they look pretty like we do. This glass chess set is neutral which I love and takes up a good amount of room on a shelf, which can be helpful when trying to fill some spaces in with decor in a new place.

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My boyfriend is obsessed with watches. As you’ll see in a minute, he has quite the collection and really does wear different ones depending on the day and outfit. When the watch company JORD (pronounced Yode) reached out to me to send me a watch, I knew that I wanted to receive one to gift to him. I wear my Apple Watch everyday, so I don’t swap out watches (while they do have really beautiful Apple Watch bands as well, I knew I wanted to center this post around him).

JORD sent us this stunning Frankie Ebony & Gold watch. JORD watches are made with natural wood from around the world. While it is pretty neutral, it is unlike any of the other watches Mikey has. I love the simplistic nature of the design because many of the other watches Mikey has are very detailed. I think this watch will be a classic watch that he reaches for time and time again and can honestly go with almost any outfit.

Some fun facts about JORD watches:

  • Most of the watch backplates can be engraved, which is really special if you want to give a unique and meaningful gift (Hello to all of my brides still needing a wedding day gift for their fiance)!

  • The watches are sized to each recipient.

  • Each watch comes with a one year warranty.

  • You can work with JORD to further customize the watch you are buying!

  • Free worldwide shipping

Read until the end to Enter the AMAZING giveaway I will be offering with JORD watches!!

3. Watch Storage Box:

A watch storage box is a must for any man in your life who loves and collects watches. Not only do they keep things organized, but they protect the watches. Once again they provide great style while sitting on a dresser or in a closet. I like the one Mikey has because it has a glass window that allows you to view your watches while they are being stored.  

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4. Crystal Liquor Decanter:

Mikey has two whiskey decanters of a similar style that again make great decorative pieces, but are still functional (are you sensing a theme here? haha). I love the look of these decanters on a bar car with some beautiful whiskey glasses.

5. Knife Set:

If your guy likes to cook, maybe it’s time you upgraded his knife set. Mikey received this Cuisinart Knife Set for Christmas this past year and I’m amazed by the quality. Each knife is heavy and sharpens so well, that I love cooking at his house!

6. Ice Mold for Cocktails:

If you need a small gift to add on to another present, this is a great gift for any guy, even if they don’t drink alcohol. Ice cube molds are fun regardless of what you’re drinking them with!

7. Codenames:

In case you haven’t heard about Codenames, now you have. This game has been the center of so many friend gatherings in the last year. I highly recommend keeping it on hand because you can play with only 4 people or a huge group. Warning: it can get pretty heated and competitive, but get it ASAP!

8. Dutch Oven:

A dutch oven is a great gift for any man who likes to cook, but especially for those who don’t want 100 gadgets and instruments laying around their kitchen. A dutch oven is great for sauteing, roasting, making soups, searing meat and then finishing it in the oven, etc. You can even bake bread in them. The options are endless. I really like the brand Lodge for my cast iron products, so this one is a great size and option.

9. Book Shelf:

If your guy is a reader, a beautiful bookshelf is a great gift because it allows him to store his important collection. Mikey and I picked out this shelf from IKEA and so far I love how it has really transformed his office into a library.

10. Industrial Style Lamp:

I personally love anything for my house that can be a conversation starter and this lamp is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Mikey has it in his living room and it is so unique. I think a new lamp is a great gift for any guy who loves reading!


Do you have any great gift ideas for the men in your life? Comment below and add them to this list!

Now for the fun part…..the JORD Giveaway!

One of my lovely readers is going to win a $100 giftcard to JORD off any watch!! Everyone who enters will receive 10% off just for trying!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

Entering will still get you something special, even if you don’t win so what do you have to lose?

Good luck to everyone who enters! I will announce the winner when the giveaway is finished.

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea


DISCLAIMER: JORD sent over the Frankie Ebony & Gold watch as a gift to review and give to my boyfriend. However, all opinions are my own.


Books I've Recently Read #4

I’m back again with my last 10 reads! I love how much you guys love these posts. Reading a lot is one of the many gains I have added to my life since quitting my job and owning my own business. As always, be sure to leave me good recommendations in the comments!

CLICK EACH BOOK TITLE TO BUY ON AMAZON***

HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS (by J.K. Rowling): I started my year off with finishing the Harry Potter series for the first time. In case you missed me talking about it on my Instagram, it truly changed my life. I totally understand why people are so obsessed with it. I cannot recommend enough for you to read the series if you haven’t. I also watched the movies which I obviously loved but not as much as the books. At first I was upset with myself for waiting until 28 to read them, but I really think I was meant to read them at this age. I am excited read them every few years and relive the magic again.

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE (by Anthony Doerr): I have a fascination for the WWII time period (Shout out to everyone else who had Molly the American Girl Doll. I think this is where my fascination started)! When it came time for me to pick the monthly book club book I picked this one because it was rated really well and I love this era. I absolutely adored this book, but everyone else in the group while still liking it, wasn’t quite as obsessed as I was. I will say it does take a good 150 or more pages to get really into it. I was just in awe of how well Doerr was able to write from the perspective of a blind girl in France during WWII. I’m super excited that it is being turned into a Netflix Miniseries, but you know I’m going to tell you to read it first if you want to watch that! The book is ALWAYS better….haha

BREAD AND WINE: A LOVE LETTER TO LIFE AROUND THE TABLE (by Shauna Niequist): One of my best friends put this in my hands and said READ THIS, so I did! I absolutely loved the stories and the format of this book. Every chapter is a story and a recipe that relates to it. I think this book is a must for anyone who treasures a meal around the table with the ones they love, but also any woman from late 20’s to 30’s. It has a lot of great quotes and meaningful stories that hit home. I also picked up Cold Tangerines, by the same author, so read soon.

INTO THE DARKEST CORNER (by Elizabeth Haynes): This was my February Book Club read. This is not a typical genre of book for me to read, but I was really excited to read something that I normally wouldn’t. It’s a thriller and if you like intense page-turners, this book is great. It’s intense until the last page. If you like thrillers this is a must. If you don’t normally read this type, I think it’s a good one to switch it up with.

THE LIBRARY BOOK (by Susan Orlean): If you are a book and library lover, you HAVE to read this one. I was excited to receive it as a gift for Christmas, and was in love with how Orlean formatted and wrote the book. It’s a great mix of history of the LA Public Library, information of the mystery of the LA Public Library Fire of 1986, and look at how the library operates today. My only complaint is that some of the chapters on the history of establishing the library were a little too detailed and long. I preferred the chapters on the fire mystery and what libraries do for us today, more! If you love libraries and want to learn more about the magical buildings they are, pick this one up!

COMMONWEALTH (by Ann Patchett): I stumbled upon this one at my library and since it seemed like I was the only one who hadn’t read it yet, I checked it out. I was really excited to read it, since I’d heard so many people rave about it, but I honestly wasn’t a fan. I felt like many of the chapters went in circles and nothing really happened. I normally love when books cross into different decades, but this one just felt too spaced out and like I wanted to know more. If you’ve read this one, I’m curious to know what you thought of it.

THE CROWNS OF CROSWALD (D. E. Night): I was sent this book by the Publisher for free to review on Goodreads (Let’s be friends on it if we’re not already), but sadly I didn’t love it. I think if I hadn’t just recently finished Harry Potter with details fresh in my head, I would have enjoyed it more. I couldn’t help but compare every character/location/detail, to a Harry Potter equivalent. It felt like the exact same story as Sorcerer’s Stone and that made me sad. I will say the author did a great job describing some magical details that helped them come alive, but I just couldn’t get past the Harry Potter similarities unfortunately.

AM I THERE YET? THE LOOP-DE-LOOP, ZIGZAGGING JOURNEY TO ADULTHOOD (by Mari Andrew): Stop righ there, click the link and go buy this book. It is A MUST. It’s a super quick read (I read it in a day). I think every woman should own a copy and re-read it once a year. The watercolors are beautiful and the content is just so freaking relatable. I think it would be the perfect gift for someone in college or just after graduating, because it talks about the topics of moving to a new city, finding your home, finding yourself, dating, loss, and so much more. It will definitely be a book I leave out on my coffee table for friends to peruse when they are over. Thank you to my best friend Emily for giving this to me for my birthday last year. She just knows me so well.

GO SET A WATCHMAN (by Harper Lee): I reread ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ in my book club in December and loved it so much more than I ever remembered. I was really excited to read this sequel because my good friend Sammy said I needed to read it. I am so grateful that she told me to because so many people HATED it. haha Don’t read the reviews on Goodreads. On it’s own, I don’t think the book is that great, but as a sequel it is awesome. I think it does such a great job of following up with Jean Louis ‘Scout’ Finch after all of those years. I learned that this title is what Harper Lee wanted to originally name ‘TKAM’ so I found that really interesting. If you haven’t read TKAM since high school days, please do yourself a favor and reread it & then read this one just to see how it ends.

Have you read any good books recently that I should add to my Want To Read section of Goodreads? Comment below and let me know!

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

Five Minute Miracle Shower

Friends. I’m about to change your life. This is a routine I started doing a while ago because I don’t always feel like dealing with a bath and sometimes don’t have the time. I find that as I age, I am trying to create small routines that can center, ground, and relax me in a short amount of time. Enter the five minute miracle shower. This is perfect if you don’t have a bathtub, don’t like baths, or simply don’t have the time! I personally like to do these miracle showers on days when I’m not washing my hair because my showers are really short and this doesn’t add in a lot of time. This is extra amazing if you are a night shower-er and can use it to calm down before bed!

Follow these steps and I guarantee you will get out feeling calmer and more centered:

  1. Turn off the lights.

    No candles. No lights. If you have a window this may be a little difficult if you don’t have curtains but try to make the room as dark as possible. I like to crack my bathroom door so I have the smallest amount of hallway light coming through. If you want to turn on some spa music, white noise, waves, etc…feel free!

  2. Get in and sit on the shower floor.

    However is comfortable works, just make sure you are facing away from the water. I like to adjust the shower head and position myself so that the water is hitting my neck and trickling onto my back.

  3. Take 3-5 deep breaths.

    I’m talking the best deep breaths you’ve ever taken. Work on focusing your breathing and breathe a little deeper with each one.

  4. Facial Massage (30 secs to 1 min)

    Make sure your face is a little damp and using your ring and middle fingers, move in slow circles starting at the center of your chin and moving upward and outward across your jawline. Once you reach your ears, move back to the center of your face just above where you started the previous line of circles. Move outward and upward again slowly, repeating this process until you reach your forehead.

  5. Pressure Points (30 secs to 1 min)

    Using your same ring and middle fingers, make even smaller circles, applying pressure to your temples, starting of your brows (orbital bone), and under your cheek bones right where you would contour. Don’t actually lift your fingers off your face while making the circular motion.

  6. Back (1 min)

    Lean forward slowly letting the water massage hit your entire back. Once you reach the lower back slowly lean back into your initial sitting position.

  7. Neck circles (1 min)

    Slowly circle your neck a few times in a circle, letting the water pressure hit your head and massage your scalp. Do the same amount in the opposite direction.

  8. Take 3-5 deep breaths.

    Try to take even slower deep breaths than the beginning and repeat this whole process if you have more time and need more calming.

Remember, this was a practice I invented myself that was born out of what feels good. If you find that something feels good add it to your routine. Leave me a comment below if you try this and let me know what you think!

Have a calm and centered night,

Andrea

Andrea's Pantry Staples

I have wanted to share this list for along time because I believe a well stocked pantry is VERY important to minimize the overwhelm of cooking meals at home. When I say well stocked I don’t mean that you need to have everything under the sun in there either. I simply mean that you have the basic building blocks to create a really great meal at any time. These are the items that can usually be found in my cupboards. What does your pantry look like? Comment below and let me know!

  1. Jasmine or Basmati Rice: These are my favorite two and I always have them on hand because they are a great staple gluten-free item.

  2. Brown Rice: I am not a huge fan of brown rice, but I do like it Chicken Tikka Masala because it’s texture holds up nicely to the sauce, so I keep a little of this on hand.

  3. Almond Flour: I make my own almond flour from the process of making my own almond milk. If you want to see how I do that, CLICK HERE!

  4. Oat Flour: This is another common gluten-free flour that you find in a lot of recipes, so I like to keep it on hand.

  5. Oats: I always have either GF regular oats or quick cooking steel cut oats on hand because I eat oatmeal so often for breakfast. It will always be my go-to breakfast because I love it so much.

  6. Diced Tomatoes: These can be used in so many different styles of cuisines so I always keep them on hand. They are perfect for a super quick tomato sauce too.

  7. Tomato Paste: I love keeping tubes of tomato paste on hand (usually from Trader Joe’s) because they can add an extra dimension of flavor to so many meals. I also need it for homemade tomato sauce, so….duh!

  8. Tubes of Ginger Paste: I love the Trader Joe’s tubes of minced ginger because then you don’t have a knob of ginger going bad in your fridge when you only need a tiny piece for a recipe. I love to season soups, bowls, chicken, etc, with a ginger/garlic combo.

  9. Broths (Veg and Chicken): I loooove to make soups, so these are an obvious must have. I only use chicken and veggie broth in my home so that’s all I stock. I always buy low sodium broths so I can control the salt level.

  10. Great Northern Beans: These are one of my favorite soup beans.

  11. Black Beans: A necessary for any Chipotle inspired burrito bowl or mexican inspired dish.

  12. Kidney Beans: I love how big kidney beans are so they really bulk up a meal.

  13. Nori Sheets: Great for sushi bowls and for making homemade miso soup.

  14. Almond Butter/Peanut Butter: I like to freshly grind mine at my grocery store and choose whatever I’m in the mood for.

  15. Coconut Sugar: I use coconut sugar in place of regular granulated or brown sugar whenever I can. I use it as my sweetener for my oatmeal too.

  16. Chia Seeds: I put chia seeds in my smoothies and in my oatmeal.

  17. Flax Seeds: I put flax in every smoothie I make (technically I store these in the fridge).

  18. Hemp Seeds: These also go in my oatmeal.

  19. Chocolate Chips: I keep them for obvious reasons, but I love to snack on 5-10 when I have a sweet tooth at night.

  20. Arrowroot Powder: I use this in place of cornstarch as a thickening agent, but it’s also found in a lot of GF recipes.

  21. Almonds: I make my own almond milk so I always have a big Costco bag of these on hand.

  22. Salsa Verde (specifically from Trader Joe’s): I love to keep salsa on hand for an easy snack, but I also love pouring a jar over chicken breasts in the crockpot for an easy dinner.

  23. Tomato Sauce (canned): I only keep the little cans of this on hand for when I make Chicken Tikka Masala.

  24. Dry Red Wine: This is my preference when it comes to drinking wine, but I also like to have it on hand to add to the base of my tomato sauces. It adds such a richness to your tomato sauce.

  25. Rice Paper Sheets: These are a quick easy dinner or lunch if you have lots of veggies on hand to use up. You can simply wet them and make spring rolls in no time at all.

  26. Konjac Noodles: These are a new favorite of mine. They are almost calorie-less, gluten-free and I really like the texture. They are not as sticky as a rice noodle and have a little bit more of a bite, so I prefer them to rice noodles.

  27. Red Lentil/ Other Gluten Free Pastas: Pasta will always be my go-to easiest meal to make for dinner, so I like to keep some good GF options on hand. I love red lentil pasta the most, but chickpea is also tasty!

  28. Lentils: These are an easy way to bulk up a soup, so I love having a big jar of them to throw in vegetarian soup.

  29. Polenta: Another GF alternative to eating a wheat product with your meal. The Italian in me wishes I could easy cheesy polenta every night.

If you made it to the end of this, GREAT JOB! I hope you enjoyed getting a peak into my pantry. What are your staples? If it’s not on my list, tell me what it is!

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

The Routines I Use to Minimize My Anxiety

If you've been following me for a while, you probably know that I have anxiety. I’ve had it ever since I was a kid, and share my story on IG and on here every so often. I think talking about mental health on my blog is really important for two main reasons. First, it is very therapeutic for me to process my anxiety and really reflect on it by writing and constructing thoughts that make sense. The second reason is that it shows my readers that if they are dealing with similar situations, they are not alone. I cannot tell you how much it means when I get messages from you telling me how much they understand what I’m going through and how grateful they are for me sharing my story because they can relate to it.

It has been no secret that I have been really struggling with my anxiety in the last two months. It’s probably the worst that it has ever been, but I feel like I’m finally turning the corner. While I know that anxiety is something that I will likely have to deal with for the rest of my life, there are definitely moments of highs and lows. My goal with this post is to share what has helped me in the last few weeks in hopes that it will help even one reader. Even if you already know everything I’m writing, I hope you just recognize that this is something I deal with. I don’t ever, for even one moment, want you to think my life is completely put together and stress-free. I want you to recognize me as a safe space and open person who’s willing to talk to you if you need it.

  1. Find your person to vent to.

    I find that when I’m anxious, I need to word vomit everything out of me, as if to hear out loud what I’m thinking, recognize it as completely irrational and not true, and call it what it is; my anxiety talking. Whether you say it out loud to someone, or you write it out, I think finding someone that is a safe space to say things is important. Knowing that they won’t hold it against you, the thoughts you need to get out in the moment, is a great feeling. For me this person has been my boyfriend, but it can be anyone you feel like you can trust.

  2. Eat a good breakfast.

    What I eat really affects my thoughts when I’m anxious, so I always make sure to not skip breakfast because it starts my day off on the right foot. When I have a good breakfast, I seem to make healthier choices throughout the rest of the day in regards to my diet, and it’s crazy how much what I eat can affect my mood.

  3. Move your body everyday.

    When I hurt my tailbone and had to drop my entire workout regimen, my anxiety skyrocketed. I knew that I needed to rest and let my body heal, but it really messed with my head. You don’t have to have intense workouts every day, but focusing on moving my body every day is really important for me to lessen my anxiety. Now that my injury is healed, I am working out almost every day (some days it’s just a walk though so don’t be intimidated) and it’s the thing that I think is helping me the most to get back on track.

  4. Get more sleep.

    I have been sleeping so well ironically through this time of anxiety and I think it’s because I’m emotionally exhausted at the end of the day. Allowing myself to say, “I’m tired…I need to go to bed early tonight” has been really important in this journey. However, my anxiety seems to strike midday from about 11 am to 5 pm, so I think this also might be why. I usually wake up less anxious and go to bed the same way, but this could be different for you. My point is to really push yourself to get the rest your body needs during this time.

  5. Make a list of happy activities.

    This is something I find really useful for days when I am really struggling. I have a list of activities that make me really happy, that lives in my purse. These are things I can easily do so that if I feel anxiety growing, I can pull the list out, pick an activity and shift my focus somewhere else. My list has things like watch my favorite Netflix show, read a book, call a family member or friend, do yoga, or cook a meal. I typically carry a book with me always because I love escaping into a good story for a moment, but regardless of what your happy activities are, writing them out really helps you in the moment when you can read it.

  6. Re-evaluate your goals.

    In the last few months, I’ve had to reevaluate my goals and decide what’s important in this time when I’m going through some tougher times. It’s ok to say, I don’t have the mental capacity for this right now, and make it a goal for later on. I know it can feel defeating to do this sometimes, but your mental health needs to be a priority and that goal can wait.

  7. Work on setting boundaries.

    This one can be really hard and I am definitely working on it. I’m proud of excusing myself from conversations and just flat out saying no to things that I can’t entertain while I’m working on myself right now. You are allowed to say “I have too much on my plate right now”. You don’t have to explain yourself to people if you don’t want to. Those who love and support you will understand.

Overall, I hope this post helps you feel less alone if you are also dealing with anxiety or any mental health issue. Go follow my Instagram here if you are wanting to read more about my posts on my anxiety. This is a topic that I will continue to talk about and I hope you know how loved and beautiful you are.

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Amazon Favorites

Am I the only one who is curious what other people buy on Amazon? Haha I’m so curious because you can find absolutely everything on there these days! Today I’m sharing some of my favorite products that I have found on Amazon that are not beauty related. If you’re curious about those, you can always click on the ‘My Favorite Things’ tab and most of the items there can be found on Amazon.

Uni-Ball Vision Needle Rollerball Pens:

These are my favorite pens and I love this pack because of the variety of colors. I love to organize things in my planner based on color and these are great for that!

Neewer 18-inch Dimmable Ring Light with Stand and Carrying Bag:

I get asked all the time which ring light I use and this is it! It’s pretty adorable for what it is, and has already been to a lot of places with me in one year! I would recommend it if you’re looking for a good light that isn’t going to break the bank.

OontZ Angle 3 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker:

I got my boyfriend this speaker for Christmas just as an extra to have and I was pleasantly surprised with how good of quality the sound is for the price! If you need an inexpensive speaker, check this one out.

Gift Republic Bucket List Movie Poster:

This was another gift that I highly recommend for any movie, music, etc. buffs. I really love how you can frame it and use it as art when you’re done because the graphics are beautiful for each item after you scratch them off!

Stainless Steal Loop Apple Watch Band:

I wanted to have an apple watch band that looked a little nicer for when I have special events and dress up. I like this watch band for that purpose but prefer the one below for every day and working out use!

Nylon Sport Loop Apple Watch Band:

I can’t wear the silicone apple watch bands that most people use for working out because I developed a bad allergic reaction to them. However, I don’t like wearing the stainless steel one above when running because I don’t like feeling the watch move around. I prefer to not be able to notice my watch. Therefore I tested out this nylon one and I love it. It has a Velcro closure that is really solid and secure and this one is my favorite apple watch band.

Organic Miso Paste:

This is my favorite white Miso Paste to have on hand for when I want to make a quick miso soup!

ALINK Clear Straight Glass Drinking Straws:

These are my favorite reusable straws because you can see through them to make sure they are clean. Also they come with a little brush to clean them which is really important and useful!

Youdgee Meat Digital Thermometer:

If you want to make sure your meat turns out perfectly, this is a really important tool to have in your kitchen! I use this thing every time I make meat to make sure I am not over or undercooking anything.

Lodge Cast Iron Pan:

I love the Lodge cast iron pans (I also have the cast iron grill pan) and they are amazing for the price. Such good quality and are so great for searing something on the stove and finishing it in the oven.

Sea Team 6 Pc Multicolored Portable Travel Toiletry Bags:

I bought this 6 pack for my makeup kit, to organize products, but I’ve found great uses for these besides in my kit. It’s just really useful to have many bags like this for traveling, purse organization and so much more! I love the mesh because then if I add any brushes or sponges that are still a bit damp, they can air out and dry.

Moulin Ladies Pastel Color Jelly Digital Watch:

Before I got my apple watch, I needed something to get me through bridal season that was inexpensive. I have never gotten so many compliments on a watch before! Haha I still can’t believe how great this watch was for how little it cost me. It did not look cheap and worked really well! Highly recommend, even if you just want a pop of color on your wrist in the spring.

What are some of your favorites from Amazon? Comment below and let me know!

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

11 Things With Andrea

This is by no means my idea. I admit to have stolen this from one of my favorite blogs to read "The Middle Edit”. I absolutely love Allison and Shannon and if you don’t follow their blog and IG, you NEED to! They are what I’d consider a true lifestyle blog because they cover everything from health & fitness, to money, food, & more! Every month they share 11 things that are currently going on in their lives and I love this idea, because it allows you to learn a little bit more about them and read about certain topics that might not need a whole blog post devoted to them! So here I am stealing this idea from them because I LOVE it!

11 Things with Andrea:

  1. I recently got back into running after a 6 week break due to a really bad tailbone injury. I was so scared to get back on the treadmill because I didn’t want to face all of the progress I’ve lost, but I’m happy to say I wasn’t as slow as I thought I’d be. It felt like a ripping off a huge Band-aid, but I’m so happy to have had that first run and be back on track. If there’s something in your life that you need to rip the band-aid off for, DO IT! It’s scary, but worth it.

  2. I’ve been dealing with a lot of anxiety in my day to day life and I’m working on making some changes and getting back into my routine. I’ll keep you updated on how things go, but let me know if you want to see a post devoted to this.

  3. I don’t normally read crime books but this month’s book club pick is in this genre and I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. I don’t think I’ll be reading too many in this category at once, because they still spook me a little bit, but it’s nice to be reminded to switch things up and get out of your comfort zone with even things like reading!

  4. Today’s my dad’s birthday and I’m feeling really grateful to have such a source of support and inspiration in my life. He’s always one phone call away and never misses a moment to teach me something useful. My blog and business wouldn’t be anywhere near where they are today without him.

  5. Bridal season is booking up! I am over halfway booked for the year, so if you or something you know needs a bridal makeup artist, make sure you contact me ASAP to get on my books!

  6. I watched ‘You’ on Netflix, but never really gave an update as to what I thought about it. I think I’m in a small category of people that didn’t end up liking it. I think they went too far with it and I just felt icky when I’d finish an episode. I just ended up feeling like I could have been doing something more enjoyable with my time, so I don’t think I’ll end up watching the second season.

  7. I’m getting a massage at the end of the month and I’m so excited for it. If you don’t know, I really struggle with relaxation and learning when to stop and take care of myself. I’m excited to incorporate this into my life every other month or so.

  8. Did you know my name is actually pronounced, ON-DRAY-UH? Don’t fret if you’ve called me 'ANN-DREE-UH’, I really don’t care. Haha, I just find a lot of people don’t know how it’s pronounced so I figured I’d teach you.

  9. I’m co-hosting an event in Jackson, MI on the evening of February 25th that I’m super excited about. I am in a monthly women’s mastermind group that I adore and this event is going to be a little taste into what we do and how to cultivate a community of entrepreneurs in your life that you can look to for support and guidance. If you or someone you know is a female entrepreneur in the Jackson or Lansing, MI areas, PLEASE visit this link to learn more and join us!

  10. I’m thinking about learning to make my own sourdough bread, starter and all because it seems to be the only gluten I can tolerate. Any amazing bread makers out there reading this and know a great recipe or cookbook to reference? Let me know!

  11. I know I kind of bashed the idea of goal setting for January but I decided I do have one change I want to make for 2019 (Thanks to Chelsea for asking this question in my IG stories post). I decided that this year I’m only going to say yes to things that ripple down positively into multiple areas of my life. If something can benefit more than just one category ( i.e. my business, my mental health, my physical health, my relationships, etc…) then it is worth my time. If something only strengthens one area but takes a lot of work, it’s not worth my time. This is all about my journey to finding a healthy work/life balance that works well for me.


What do you guys think about this kind of update? I like it so much and I hope you did to. Thanks again to Allison and Shannon for creating this fun way for me to brain dump the things I want to tell you, neatly in one post that makes more sense! Seriously check them out if you haven’t already!

Have a great day,

Andrea

Happimess Eyeshadow & Lipstick Review

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I was scrolling through Instagram one day and discovered the launch of a cosmetics brand that I had never heard of; Happimess.

I was intrigued by their packaging and products to click further and check it out! I was super excited to find how inexpensive their items are. After discovering how much I love the Maybelline Soda Pop and Lemonade Craze palettes, I’ve recently been on the hunt for other inexpensive but good quality palettes. I was really interested in Happimess palettes because I find that glitter and matte formulas tend to be the hardest to find inexpensively and the palette I ordered came with both!

I had a launch coupon code so I decided to try out some lipsticks and an eyeshadow duo, on top of the ‘Next to Me’ palette. Here my thoughts…

‘Next to Me’ Eyeshadow Palette ($12):

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I was really happy with the quality of this palette for the amazing price of $12 (I got it even cheaper)! I loved how in this palette there is a good balance of matte and metallic shadows and even a glitter. The matte shades are not chalky and blend very well and the metallic shades are stunning! I love using the halographic glitter shade as a topper to give extra dimension. It’s so pretty. Overall I’m really impressed with this palette.

Accompanied Eyeshadow Duo in ‘Love Lay Here’ ($5):

I got this duo because I love really warm matte shadows to quickly swipe on my lid and blend out when I’m in a hurry. I loved that it was tiny and easy to pop in my makeup bag for the gym and that it had the two colors in one pan. What’s cool about their single and duo eyeshadows is that if you have multiple you can connect them into one unit which would be nice to create your own palette of shades! I again am impressed with the quality of matte shadows for the price.

High Class Lipsticks in ‘Deep Lilac’ & ‘Plum Red’ ($10):

High Class Lipstick in Deep Lilac

High Class Lipstick in Deep Lilac

High Class Lipstick in Plum Red

High Class Lipstick in Plum Red

High Class Lipstick in Plum Red but applied with my finger as a stain.

High Class Lipstick in Plum Red but applied with my finger as a stain.

I haven’t tried many lipsticks recently, so I was excited to give these a try. They have another formula but it seemed glossier and since I'm more of a matte girl I went with this satin formula. I have been obsessed with applying these with my finger to give my lips more of a stained look. I find this helps the lipstick stay on longer and I love the subtle pop of color it gives to a makeup look. I love how the satin formula keeps my lips from feeling dried out too. Overall I’m really happy with this lipstick.

As you can tell, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Happimess. I love everything I purchased and I still can’t believe how inexpensive the prices are for the quality you get. I should also mention that the products are overall more natural than most and if you click on each product it will tell you in the description all of the nasty ingredients it is free from!

What new brands have you tried recently? What should I try next? Comment below and let me know!

Have a great day,

Andrea

Disclosure: All products were purchased with my own money and all opinions are my own.

January Schmanuary

I’m sure you’ve all seen the memes joking about how January has felt like it’s lasted a year (I just posted one to my own stories…so I’m with you). I knew at the beginning of the month I wanted to reflect on January when it was over because first off, I’m big on self reflection, but secondly, I was curious to see how it compared to January 2018. So here we go. While these reasons might not apply to you specifically, the purpose of this post is to get you to think and self reflect about your own first month of the year. Self reflection is my greatest tool for making changes in my life and learning how to grow.

This month threw me for a freaking loop. I started it off feeling refreshed from extra time off around the holidays, spending much of it with family and generally feeling ready to tackle the new year. I’m not one to set new years resolutions, but I have always been excited to jump into new goals and get going again.

So I went on my merry way, creating timelines and ideas for Andrea Fontana Beauty, announcing my cookbook, and overall feeling really good about where I was heading. I was blessed enough to welcome a new niece into the world within the first week and things were really looking great! But then the next morning, I slipped on ice and bruised my tailbone terribly by falling down concrete stairs. At that moment the energy changed for the whole month. I thankfully had a mastermind weekend full of inspiration the following weekend, and while I thought this would prevent me from feeling low, it didn’t.

I spent the majority of it feeling frustrated, lazy, and mad at myself. But, if I could pick one way to describe how I felt at the end of January 2018: anxiety. If I could sum up how I felt at the end of January 2019: anxiety.

Anyone else sensing a pattern here besides me? Haha I’ve noticed on social media that this seems to be a common trend for others, so let’s dig in here a little bit. Why do I feel so anxious when I start the year off?

Goals are great, don’t get me wrong, but I struggle with the constant ‘DON’T EVER STOP WORKING’ mentality that you can find among the entrepreneurship community. Que the ‘Beyonce has the same number of hours in a day as you do’ memes. The ideal that there is always something you can be working on is great, but honestly poses a real threat for me because I’m a person who doesn’t know how to shut off sometimes. I can get going, full steam ahead, and forget about how to care for myself and to simply just sit and be.

Overall, I’m a person who enjoys schedules. I like to plan and know where I’m going to be one month, or even 3 months out. A lot of that is because the nature of the wedding industry involves planning so far out in advance, but I can be shaken by large changes to my schedule. Last January and this January both posed the same threats to my anxiety. Two situations, completely out of my control.

I’m hoping tomorrow when the calendar changes from January to February, I’m able to shake off the guilt of losing my entire workout regimen that I had cultivated for months and also not really working much this past week with the polar vortex. I was able to start fresh last February and look at it as a new month, so I’m hoping to see a similar trend this year.

So what have I learned?

My new theme of January is going to be GRACE. Give myself grace with the fact that January just is not, and maybe will never be my month, and THAT IS OK! I will probably not work as much as every other month and that is ok. It will likely include snow days and cancelled plans, and that is ok. I may fall on ice and not be able to visit my gym for a whole month, and that is ok. I might not put out as many blog posts as I wanted to, and that is ok.

Because here’s the thing. It’s going to be ok. Anxiety has this weird ability to trickle down into every category of your life and make you feel like you are a failure. But guess what, you are not. I am not.

I’m personally trying to view my life in a more seasonal way, as opposed to needing every month to look the same all year. I may run more in the summer than in the winter, but that’s just what life is. Seasons of success and seasons of rest. Both can exist at the same time. Sometimes resting is succeeding. Sometimes running too fast is failing you. Regardless, GIVE yourself grace when it comes to goals and do not let yourself think for a second that you are not doing a good enough job.

You are enough and I am here for you if you want to talk about this more.

I hope February is kind to you, regardless of what January looked like.

Andrea

How to Combat Winter Skin Blues

This post goes out to all my readers who are currently suffering through the negative temperatures with me. I heard a stat yesterday that said that today 85% of the US would be at or below freezing temps, so I’m going to guess this will be useful for you no matter where you’re reading from! Winter has certainly arrived in the Midwest and I’m here to give you some tips on how you can give your skin the extra little bit of TLC that it’s probably craving right about now.

Layer on the moisturizer before you leave the house, whether or not you are wearing makeup. I cannot explain how important it is to go out into the cold moisturized. You need the protective barrier as you go in and out of varying temperature extremes to make sure you don’t end up drier.

If you are wearing makeup, try skipping the primer, applying a heavy layer of moisturizer and not waiting for it to completely absorb before blending your foundation in. I know this might sound crazy, but if you are dry, foundation can sometimes accentuate your fine lines, dry patches, and texture. If you have a good thick layer of moisturizer on instead of primer, you can blend your foundation into your skin better and it’s less likely to catch on the texture. The moisturizer I like to use for this and for the previous tip is the Weleda Skin Food. It is amazing for both of these purposes and smells so good!

Even if you’re oily, you need to be moisturizing. Even if you are using a gel cream ( I like this one from Belif), please do not think that because you are oily you can skip the moisturizer, even in the dead of winter. While we may need differing levels of hydration during this time of year, you need to at least be protecting from water loss in your skin.

If you’re worried about clogging your pores from heavier creams, exfoliate and purify first! I love to use my Herbivore Botanicals Blue Tansy mask before hydrating. This way my skin is exfoliated, purified, and calmed before I hydrate it. It also lessens the likelihood that I will break out. After I exfoliate, if I want to do more than just moisturize, I will throw on my Farmacy Honey Potion Mask because it is hydrating, calming, and anti-bacterial. I highly recommend this combo of masks for those of you who are struggling with acne-prone but dry skin right now!

AMP up your Hylauronic acid. Make sure that you are using a hyaluronic acid serum right now. Simply press it into your skin all over your face before you moisturize and it will help you retain water. This is especially important with the dry heat we are experiencing indoors. I really like the one from Trader Joe’s. While I couldn’t find the link for you, there are many cleaner options for you out there.

Hydrate with rose water sprays. I love spraying my face during my routine with rose water spray because it helps drawn in more moisture. These little steps are key in keeping your skin happy during this weather. Just be sure you are doing them in the right order. Click here to read my previous post about a common beauty mistake I see people making online that has to do with rose water sprays. I like this spray from Trader Joe’s and this one from Pacifica.

Consistently exfoliate. Whether it’s daily with a subtle toner or every few days with a mask, it’s vital right now to continue exfoliating so that when we apply our other products, they aren’t being blocked by dead skin cells. You can add the most expensive and effective moisturizer on your skin, but it still will not hydrate dead skin cells. Make the most of your money and be consistent with exfoliating and the rest of your products will be that much more effective. WARNING: do a test patch before you use your normal face masks, even if it is a mask you have used before. Sometimes due to the cold we can be more sensitive than normal. If this is the case, rely on a gentler exfoliating toner instead.

Get that humidifier for you bedroom. If you don’t already have one and experience really dry skin in the winter, you NEED to invest in one for while you are sleeping. I have bought this one from Vicks twice because it’s just a good one. I know you can probably find a higher quality humidifier but here’s my thought process. I’d rather buy one more inexpensively and toss it every few years because of the maintenance it requires. One thing that is vital with humidifiers is making sure you are being proactive with cleaning them. I would use a humidifier cleanser with it every few days and clean it out completely every so often (and then pitch it every other year). With moisture comes a perfect environment for mold so just be aware of that.

I hope this tips help you stay afloat in this nasty Polar Vortex. Stay warm, stay hydrated, and stay moisturized!

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.