I am laying here comfortably in my bed reminiscing on all the fun that I have had so far this summer. It is unbelievably crazy that I will be a senior in high school in about three weeks. Time has sure flown by! It makes me sad that happy times come to an end and even though we are still pretty much in the midst of summer, school starts extremely early (ugh) for me here in Chicago. 

I thought I could recount the amazing things that have happened or I have been doing lately. Sometimes I forget about the great moments I have shared with friends and family during summer. These last couple of weeks I have really tried to live in the moment and just be present because one day my young life will come to an end eventually (sorry to get all deep and stuff). 

01. I always try to push myself to try new things and do more things. I mean, I have like three months to do what ever the heck I want (within my budget of course). A few months back I purchased Adele tickets and Ellie Goulding tickets. Probably two of the best concerts I have ever and will ever see in my entire life. I literally can't explain how amazing it was because you just. Had. To. Be. There. It was so good. 

02. I think on everyone's summer vacation checklist is at least one or two visits to see Grandma and all the other relatives. I know people that have family that live like 20 minutes away, mine live like 7 hours away from my house so it is a pretty lengthy road trip. It's always nice to see my family; we go swimming, fishing, shopping, etc...we do practically everything together and I love the bond I have with all of my little cousins, too.  

03. One thing that I have been a little bad about during this summer is hanging out with my school friends. I get so busy during the summer and it's so hard to meet up and hang sometimes. I have been reconnecting with older friends, though. I have been a little proud of myself for contacting them because they're the same, awesome people they were when we were so close way back when. Rekindling old relationships is good! It's nice to catch up with people; people who have really made a huge impact in your life. I am sorry to any of you (ahem friends who read my blog, God bless you) that feel like I haven't communicated to you during this summer. Work and trips can be overwhelming...

04. If you have been reading a lot of my posts lately then you might already know that I have been doing a ton of yoga. I mentioned that I was doing a yoga challenge at my studio; 40 classes in 90 days and you get a t-shirt and a $40 gift card to all their merch. Just to let you all know, I have only 5 classes to go! I am pretty proud of myself for staying motivated to keep on going to yoga and not decide to ditch and go eat pizza. I know a gift card and a t-shirt might not sound like much but, it's hell of a reward after pushing myself to become stronger and better. That, my friends, is something I will always take a t-shirt for. 

05. One last big SHEBANG. My annual, family camping trip is coming up at the end of the week. I will be camping in a tent (have been since I was a baby) for about 10 days, more or less, next week. I love connecting with the outdoors and just enjoying what nature has to offer. I am an outdoor girl. What can I say, the city is my home but, the forest and the beach are my playground LOL! My family and I camp in northern Michigan and the views are incredible. I highly recommend visiting such a beautiful place. Here is the post of the trip I took last summer. 

Since I will be on a hiatus for a week, there won't really be much going on my blog. However, I think I have decided to write up a couple posts so that you guys can have something to read while I am gone! Everybody needs a break once in a while but, I'll try my best. I also want to take more pictures during my trip so hopefully you guys can see them once I get back. 

What have been some of you summer highlights so far?

Xoxo, Nat

Right now, I would say that I am pretty content with the way my skin is reacting and changing to the hot weather Chicago has been having. That being said, I have experimented and tried out a couple of products that I have been loving and are making a difference to my overall skincare.

I am the type of person to always have face masks, lotions, moisturizers, toners and cleansers on hand and ready to go. Especially during these really hot months, I think it's so important to vamp up your normal skincare routine. It's hot, muggy, and really sunny outside and you don't want clogged pores or burned skin at all! I would say that I have combo-oily skin and the summer is probably the worst time for my skin.

To start, the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Toner does a pretty great job cleaning out my pores and the extra oil that has produced after a long, hot day. You only need a cotton pad or a cotton ball and you're good to go! I have found that this really helps with preventing more acne as well as treating it. 

I try to not use cleansing wipes, however, there are times when a girl may need some emergency wipes on hand for those long and tiring nights. The Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes are great to use to remove eye makeup, refresh your face, or even touch up and fix makeup mishaps. Something I don't use often but, have on hand for who knows what! 

I love pore strips so much; they're so helpful when you're too lazy to do a mask and when your body craves a deep cleanse on your nose, chin, or forehead (the T-Zone to be specific). The Biore Face and Nose Deep Cleansing Strips do that job so well. They're so easy to use and it is so satisfying (and a little gross let me be honest) to pull off that strip and know that your face is cleaner than ever. 

When I do feel in the mood to do a nice mask, I love using this Freeman Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask to really purify my skin and to help with excess oil on my trouble areas. I really like the formula of this mask and it really leaves your skin feeling smooth and clean. 

While this mask is not as fresh as say, a Lush mask, it is a very great mask to use for a couple months and is very easy to travel with. Freeman also has different types of masks like this one depending on your skin type.

Some people forget how important it is to make sure you are treating your eyes right. And that means moisturizing your under eyes. I found that the CeraVe Eye Repair Cream was great to use at night and bring back moisture under my eyes so they never felt dry or puffy in the morning. If you want to prevent dry and puffy eyes, this is the cream for you.

Every morning, I have been using the Garnier Skinactive Micellar Cleansing Water and I really like it. I'm impressed by Garnier! To my surprise, this cleanser does great and removes all the dirt and oil that builds up during the day and over night. I know a lot of people like this across the blogger world and I am so glad I tried it out. It also does a wonderful job removing makeup. All you do is take a cotton pad and wipe away your troubles! No water necessary because it is water. So hassle-free! 

If you are susceptible to sunburns, using lotion and a great lip balm can help soothe and repair your delicate skin. The Body Shop Mango Body Butter smells so delicious and is great to use for all-over moisturize. I love the Body Shop's range of butters and gels so much. Even when oil and sweat can be more prominent during the summer, it is still important to keep hydrating your parched skin. 

I have been obsessed with EOS lip balms this year. I have one in like every nook and cranny. They smell great and are super moisturizing on the lips and they leave my lips super smooth. 

What products are in your summer skincare routine?

Xoxo, Nat

Something I have been seeing a lot lately around my town and on some other blogs were a ton of suede hats and ripped jean shorts. I initially thought that suede hats were mean't for the Fall and only the Fall. Was I wrong! Since Lollapalooza is going to begin towards the end of the month, I feel like suede hats as well as ripped jeans are the trends for this music festival weekend. 

I have always loved the look of ripped and distressed jeans. I think they are so cute paired with a flowy top and a lace bralette. I am obsessed with the frayed edges and they're pretty much versatile with any other outfit combination. I wouldn't say that you could wear these out to a formal event, obviously but, these would look great out to a party or a bar paired with wedges and a nice blouse, as well. 

American Eagle Outfitter's jeans are the best jeans I have ever owned. They are high quality and are very reliable. They have many different types of jeans to choose from and a massive selection of sizes. Their summer shorts sale is going on right now and you get buy one get one half off! Many of their summer styles are also 40-60% off right now and I have to say that I have gone about five times in a row now to the sale. It's just a great deal for tops, pants, and pretty much everything else they have. 

The Hi-Rise Festival Shortie is a great light washed short and I love the look of these so much. I wear these so often with pretty much anything. I also love the black Denim X4 Hi-Rise Shortie, too. I think these are a bit toned down and aren't as distressed as the other pair. Everyone could use a blue and a black pair of really nice denim shorts. It's a necessity during these hot months and they really give off festival vibes! 

I wouldn't say that I am an avid hat wearer but, I do want to try and wear my Charlotte Russe hat that I bought last Fall. I really think it could work this summer and would look great at any type of festival or just out and about with friends on a sunny day!

What have been some trends you guys have seen around this summer?

Xoxo, Nat