Beauty

Phlur Missing Person:

When it comes to fragrances, it is incredibly rare for me to not only find something that I love, but to find something I love, that doesn’t give me a migraine or make me nauseous. This smell is a rare winner that I wear several days a week. The smell is subtle, but ideal when I want something, but not too much. It’s like clean skin, but better. It’s not a fragrance I’d opt for for going out at night or if I’m getting dolled up, but when it’s 10AM on a Tuesday and I want something, this is it. These days, I will often mix it with Phlur Somebody Wood and my ideal combination is three sprays of Missing Person and 1 spray of Somebody Wood. It also comes in a travel size.

Phlur Somebody Wood:

See last paragraph above. I rarely wear its own, but love it mixed with Missing Person.

Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow Sticks:

U Beauty Super Hydrator:

I pretty much love all of the products from U Beauty, but if I was forced to pick a favorite that I cannot live without, it would be the Super Hydrator. It’s unlike any other Hyaluronic Acid on the market, thicker in consistency, but also melting into the skin. In the colder months, it’s a savior underneath face cream. In the warmer months, it often replaces my moisturizer. It’s pricey, but a little pump goes a long way. If you’re a first time buyer, you can use the code HELENA to save 20% off most U Beauty.

Tatcha Indigo Overnight Repair Serum:

I’ve loved the Dewy cream for years now, but it was only this past winter that I finally tried the Indigo Overnight version. Now, I use and rotate both options. I tend to use the Dewy cream during the day and the Indigo Overnight at night, as the name suggests. It’s a bit richer and exactly what my skin needs most days.

Jordan Samuel Moisture Recovery Cream:

Another favorite that’s also in my rotation is this cream from Jordan Samuel skin. It’s beautifully rich and absorbs so nicely without any greasy residue. It’s one that could easily be used day or night.  I also know Jordan personally and the fact that he’s such a great person, is just icing on the cake.

Hourglass Mascara:

Tubing mascara was one of the best things to happen to me and if I had to pick a favorite from the bunch, it would be this 2022 discovery. It makes my lashes long, a bit dramatic and never smudges.

The color here is gold chrome. Not every place has/does chrome, but worth it to ask.

My nails:

At some point in 2022, I decided I wanted to hop on the longer nail train as a fun way to spice things up. I started out with acrylics and eventually, when my natural nails grew underneath, I switched over to UV-Gel. My nails underneath are real, but also, not really? I say that knowing that if I were to stop getting the UV-gel on top, they’d probably break off. Regardless, I love them and feel like they’ve added some fun to my beauty routine. I will say, having a very convenient place to go to has been key for me. If I had to travel every two weeks to get them done, I’d never do it. The appointment typically takes a little over an hour and I listen to a podcast while getting them done.

Westman Atelier Vital Drops:

Let me preface this by mentioning that I’m by no means a foundation junkie. I’ve come to the realization that there are some people that love foundation so much, they’re always trying and testing and on the hunt for the next best one. That is certainly not me. On the other hand,  I am a skincare junkie and my ideal foundation will look like my skin, but better. This one gives me just that, particularly in the colder months. My skin tends to be combination, with a lot more dryness this time of year and the Vital Drops are what I’ve been reaching the most for. It’s luminous and never settles into the skin in an unflattering way.  I will say, I probably wouldn’t use this in the summer unless I started with a primer first. I also would not use this if my skin was on the oily side. Otherwise, it’s a favorite, especially paired with the contour stick and highlighter.  I wear shade IV.

AmLactin Foot Repair:

Living in NYC and walking quite a lot, my feet need all the TLC they can get. Grace Atwood introduced this to me in 2022 and it’s so great at keeping feet nice and soft. I tend to slather this on my feet at night (even better if you can use a foot file first) and I’ll seal it in with a sock for as long as I can. Personally, I like to alternate this stuff with Aquaphor.

Dining & Entertainment:

White Lotus:

I loved both seasons 1 and 2, but season 2 was one of my favorite shows in a really long time. While I knew how much I was loving it while watching, it’s the fact that I still think about it all the time, that really confirms how much of an impact it’s left on me. The writing, the insane backdrop, the wardrobe, the way it was shot, the fact that my friends and I are still talking about “so what do you think happened here?” I also appreciate not feeling overly sad or depressed after any of the episodes. Just such good, quality television.

MJ The Musical:

I saw this musical twice in 2022 and I’m ready to see it again (and again) because I love it so much. The last time I saw a show that I loved this much was RENT, many many years ago. Everything about it is perfection and watching it bought me so much joy! If you grew up listening to MJ music, it is a must. Quite honestly, even if you didn’t grow up with his music, I’d still recommend it in a heartbeat. The singing, the actors, the travel through such a historic time, the production. I don’t want to hype it up too much, but probably too late for that. I’m also most definitely planning to see it for a third time soon.

The Rockaway Hotel:

A little backstory first: For those who are not familiar, I grew up in the Rockaways (Queens) and lived there for the first 18 years of my life. When I think about a place that I associate with so much of who I am, it’s Rockaway. It’s also where my father still called home before he passed away in July of 2020. During the peak pandemic, we would drive out to him, drop off groceries and wave goodbye. That was also the last time I was there before he got taken to the hospital and passing away within a few weeks. After he passed, I didn’t have the strength to return. I stayed away from Rockaway for two years, not ready to face the memories that came along with the location.

In September of 2020, The Rockaway Hotel opened up. Everyone from the community was buzzing about how incredible it was. I kept hearing about it, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2022 that I visited both the Rockaways and the hotel for the first time since 2020.

That day was emotional, but also such a personal milestone. Keith and I met some of my friends from Junior High and we were beaming with pride that this beautiful hotel was where we grew up! It’s truly an oasis within the five boroughs with a beautiful pool, a very cool vibe and decorated beautifully, both inside and out.

Since then, I’ve been back on several occasions (both with kids and without) and each time, I cannot wait to return.

Ondo Omakase: If you live or are visiting NYC and love Omakase, Ondo has become a quick favorite for the most buttery, freshest, delicious sushi.

Ci Siamo: It’s a hard reservation to snag, but a worthwhile one. Aside from being absolutely stunning inside, both the atmosphere and the food have left me wanting to come back over and over again.