July 2016 Favorites

Disclaimer: I felt like I completely pigeon-holed myself into my previous format of these posts, so I'm switching it up. Would love to know your thoughts!

MDSolarSciences SPF 50 Mineral Beauty Balm: We recently started carrying this in the boutique at exhale, but Sephora also just began carrying them. This is super lightweight and is perfect for summer because the last thing I want is to layer moisturizer, primer, SPF, and a BB cream or tinted moisturizer. This is super lightweight and provides a light layer of color with the slightest bit of reflecting properties to give you a great glow. Especially if you often forget to put SPF on under your makeup, this is awesome! 

Glossier Cherry Balm Dot Com: Per the recommendation of my friend Jill who used the Coconut Balm Dot Com consistently while we were in France, I knew I needed to try them out. I ordered their Trio of Cherry, Mint and Rose, and this is definitely my favorite and most used of the three so far. You can build the color up a bit or leave it on the sheerer side, it smells and feels amazing. What other Glossier products should I try?

Marc Jacobs Glow Slick Glistening Illuminator: I was super late to the highlighter trend, but this one makes me glad I held off, because it's amazing. It's super easy to swipe onto your cheekbones and isn't overly chunky or glittery. Thanks so much to Influenster for this! 

L'eau de Cassis L'Espirit du Sud Parfum: I bought this in France during a day trip to Cassis (photos from that day here and here) and I'm so happy I did! I knew I wanted to get a perfume during my trip, but something a little more unique than something I could buy at Sephora here (you can order this scent & more online!). Everytime I spray it, it brings me back to that perfect beach day, which included beach drinking, a boat trip around the Calanques, and sorbet. Le sigh.

Gilly & Tarley: Game of Thrones anyone? I'm a huge fan of naming intimate objects (mostly bags & plants), which I'm completely aware is weird. But really, I love these two. My succulent is from Whole Foods and my cactus is from Niche in the South End.

What have you been loving this month? Would love to hear your favorites!

Her Campus Her Conference 2016

This weekend was the 5th Annual Her Conference, presented by Her Campus and my third conference, see 2014 and 2015.

Held again at Convene in the Seaport district, this years line-up of keynotes and panelists was without a doubt their best yet. i.e. Rebecca Minkoff, Andi Dorfman, Joyce Chang, Vanessa K. De Luca, Nastia Liukin, and Samantha Power.

 Dress: Mango // Shoes: Target

One of the best things about Her Conference each year is the amount of girls I get to meet in real life that I've met virtually, whether they're from the InfluenceHer Collective or another chapter!

Juicy Couture's #TrackisBack celebrations with popsicles and prosecco

The panels are consistently spot on with amazing speakers in a variety of stages in their careers, in many different fields. They had more choices and speakers than ever this year, and there was something for everyone!

Shopping party with Rebecca Minkoff

It was back to reality after the conference wrapped on Sunday and I headed back to Boston. Another truly amazing weekend in the books!

HCXO!

Beauty Buzz: Natural Skincare

Essentially, I am a vegan. The only thing holding me back is eating eggs, (they're an awesome source of protein post-workout), but otherwise, I eat an almost strictly plant-based diet. A post on what I've been eating and how I've been working out lately is in the works, but for now, let's stick to skincare.

A new friend asked me recently about my new minimalist makeup and skincare routines (again, post coming soon!), but questioned why if I eat so healthy I use products with harsher chemicals. That night, I couldn't help but think to myself, if I'm putting balanced nutrients that are naturally derived into my body, shouldn't I do the same for my skin?

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask // Tatcha Balanced Pore Perfecting Water Gel // Pacifica Travel Ready Facial Wipes // Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream // Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil // Ole Hendrickson Grease Relief Facial Water // tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment 

I can't justify getting rid of the embarrassingly large stash of skincare and beauty products I currently have, but I have a growing list of products to start adding and incorporating once these finish up, and here are some that I've heard great things about.

Do you have any recommendations for brands in other categories? Hair, beauty, or others? I'd love for you to send them my way to be featured in an upcoming post!

Soft Summer Waves with SASSOON Salon

As you probably know, I've been working with SASSOON for the past few months and my hair is truly better because of it!

Have you been to the Lawn on D yet? So fun in the summer with friends!

Briana Davis, my stylist is the sweetest ever. I always look forward to my bi-weekly blowouts and cuts with her because we always have a great time chatting and catching up, especially because I was away for 5 weeks, my hair and I missed her!

Dress: Aritzia (so comfy, and on sale right now!) // Shoes: Sperry

We never even have to discuss what I want her to do with my hair anymore, because she knows I always go for the same waves that for the life of me I can't recreate at home. After a good wash from one of the salon assistants, Bri starts her magic with a blowdryer before giving me the perfect waves with a straightener. I think my problem at home is the tools, and I could definitely stand for an upgrade to my blowdryer and straightener, but then again, she works magic for a reason! Typically, I go in for a blow-out at the end of the week, since I don't usually have time to workout on the weekends, and my look lasts well past the end of the weekend.

What are some other fun outdoor activities on your summer bucket list?

I love my long locks, but I think it's time for a summer change, right? Bri and I have been discussing a change, because with the humidity in Boston, I just can't deal with how heavy my hair feels despite the layers. I haven't had "short" hair since I was 12 (almost 10 years!), so we'll see how short I can comfortably cut it. 

{NOW CLOSED}

If you can't make it into a salon to have your hair styled to perfection, no fear! I'm running a giveaway on my Instagram for a product pack from SASSOON Salons, filled with tons of fun hair goodies that they use in the salon on me. Whoever wins will be all set for fab hair all summer long for sure! Enter now through July 20th for your chance to win!

Whippin my #SassoonStyle back and forth thanks to the oh-so talented @brianahelenedavis 💁🏻 {CLOSED} Want to win a Sassoon product package so you can create your own #MySassoonStyle? 1. Follow me & @sassoonsalonnorthamerica. 2. Comment with your favorite hairstyle for summer. Winner announced in 7 days, good luck!

A video posted by Jacqueline Weiss (@jacquelineaweiss) on Jul 12, 2016 at 3:09pm PDT

Products I've Used Up #16

This is absolutely one of my favorite series that I try to get up every two months or so. Lately, I've been trying harder than usual to use up as many products as I can before purchasing anything else. I have a massive stash of beauty products that I often spread amongst my friends, and yet, the "collection" continues to grow. I'm putting a stop to it, and unless I'm absolutely out of something and have no alternative backups, it's not getting purchased.

For now, here's what I've used up lately:

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara // Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mscara // Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer // Maybelline Baby Lips // L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier B.B. Cream // NYX HD Studio Finish Powder

Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Body Lotion // Soap & Glory Heel Genius Foot Cream // Neutrogena T-Gel Therapeutic Shampoo // Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel // Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter // Colgate Optic White Toothpaste 

Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser // Simple Cleansing Micellar Water // Actifirm Renovation Serum // Fresh Rose Face Mask // Origins GinZing Eye Cream // Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer // Kirkland Daily Facial Towelettes // Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes

My Trip to France 2016

Bonjour! Very sorry for the longer than expected blog hiatus, but between getting back to work, starting a new internship, and lots of summer fun, blogging has taken a bit of a back-burner position over the past month since I've been home.

Hands down, I had the best 5 weeks of my entire life. I don't regret a single choice I made, place I saw, or penny I spent the entire time I was in France. (Then again, if I did, you would be completely in the right to call me crazy.)

My time started in Aix-en-Provence, the most charming town that I grew to call home over the first 3 weeks of my time in France. My mornings were spent studying, afternoons exploring, and evenings powering through exhaustion to go out.

Weekend trips took us to an assortment of cities and towns, big and small. We enjoyed star-sightings in Cannes for the film festival (Blake Lively!), sailing around the Calanques in Cassis, and the Sunday markets in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.

It truly amazed me how quickly I adapted to French culture and how much of the French I studied for 5 years during high school came back to me just listening to it every day. Obviously, I was studying in school so a lot did come back because of my class, but learning how to speak in a conversational manner is crucial to getting by.

By the end of my three weeks, it was time to head out on my own, my first time making a big trip by myself! I spent the first four days of my two week holiday in Nice, a beautiful Mediterranean town that was perfect for lazy beach days after three weeks of non-stop activity.

My Airbnb was fantastic, and right by the Port, and a fast walk to the beach and shopping. It was a little strange to walk around by myself everywhere after living in a homestay and studying with fellow students , but after the first day, I adjusted to the silence.

 

A three day stay in Monaco was next, a place I've dreamed of visiting ever since the first time I was told about Grace Kelly, so being from Philadelphia, this was especially exciting for me.Following Grace's trail around the city, and staying right near the casino made for an exciting few days, despite sweltering heat.

 

My mom was in Monaco when she was 21 with her best friend who has since passed away, making this a bittersweet visit, reflecting on what my mom and Gina experienced together.

 

Paris. How do I even begin to explain how I feel about Paris? Words really can't describe how it was to spend a week alone in Paris. This is something I had dreamed of doing for as long as I can remember, and the fact that I got to experience Paris for the first time by myself was unbelievable. Everything was so exciting, fresh, and new, and what I dreamed of and 100 times more. After a miserable day of traveling thanks to a day-of canceled train and an overpriced flight, I made it, exhausted but intact.

Needless to say, I cried. Especially when I saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time through foggy skies thanks to floods that left the Seine rushing loud & proud for a majority of my trip. I ended up experiencing great weather the entire time, with not a drop of rain while I was in Paris, and I'd like to think that the skies cleared for me.

I took a day trip to Versailles, another place I had only dreamed of, and boy was it better than what I dreamed. The gilded gold, stunning fabrics and design left me speechless, and as I sat in the garden eating an overpriced salad, I couldn't believe that I was experiencing this.

If you can, travel alone. I've had three very different travel experiences in my life so far (Israel on birthright with 40 strangers in 2014, London with my sister in 2015), and I can't wait for what's to come in the future!