Just when we were starting to wonder if the weather was ever going to warm up (or stop raining for that matter), BAM 💥 summer arrived. I have a kind of love/hate relationship with summer. In the dead of winter there's nothing I want more than the sunshine, and then when it finally comes I'm wishing for cooler days. Does that make me an official New Yorker now?! Haha, jokes aside I am looking forward to picnics in Cental Park and rooftop drinks. So today I'm sharing some tips to survive summer in the city without looking like a melted popsicle. Because while I love popsicles, I don't want to look like one.

Use Melt-proof Makeup

Add a little heat + humidity and what do you get? Makeup melt city! I have oily skin to begin with so finding makeup that will actually stay on my face all day is always a struggle. Add that summer factor and it turns into mission impossible. I was recently introduced to the cosmetic brand Paul & Joe though, so I decided I'd put it to the test.

I have to say their Perfect Makeup Primer, Gel Foundation, and Pressed Powder are quickly becoming some of my favorite products in my makeup bag. I've been using the primer and gel foundation as my daily go-to's and these two make a killer combination. Together they've already gotten me through some 90+ degree days. I really like the gel foundation too because it has a different texture than some of the other products I've tried. It's a great combination of feeling light (a must in the summer) while also providing enough coverage. I've also been packing the pressed powder in my purse, which is the perfect addition for touch-ups -- especially after coming out of the subway. With any makeup in the summer, you usually want to tone it down a little and these products have kept my face looking fresh without feeling like it's heavy.

I've also become quite the lipstick addict in the last year. Something about a little lipstick just takes your look up a notch. I'm really into red but have also fallen in love with the Pink Balloon option, also from Paul & Joe. It's very Barbie pink looking, but it actually has more of a sheer look leaving your lips looking dewey. Perfectttt for summer!

Switch up Your Shampoo

Not that your face is under control, let's move onto your hair. Along with oily skin, I also have oily hair.. thanks genetics! So add some extra sweat and my hair can end up being a big 'ol greasy mess. Cute right? If you can relate you may definitely want to consider switching up your shampoo in the summer. Generally what I like to do is alternate between products a couple of times a week because it seems to help with keeping my strands extra clean. Sometimes I like to use a clarifying shampoo, but I'm also someone who colors their hair it's not always great to use it a lot. One brand I've really fallen in love with lately is Evo. It smells absolutely amazing and doesn't have a lot the yucky ingredients that a lot of other products do. Say bye bye sulphate, parabens, and all of that other junk.

Step Away from the Hairdryer

If we're being totally honest here, having long hair in the summer you can pretty much count that my hair is either in a top knot or some sort of braid. My hairdryer definitely goes on vacation for a few months. On those lucky days where the temps stay belong 80 though it's nice to let your hair down.. literally. On those days I have two go-to's. The first is Suave's dry shampoo. I pretty much buy this by the case and it's even more necessary in the summer. One subway trip and your hair can take a beating in the summer so it's nice to perk your hair up a little mid-day or for evening outtings. I've tried just about every dry shampoo on the market and this is one of my favorites and is also one of the cheapest ones. Score! 

Another product I love is Evo's Construction Cream. This product is great when I'm going for a casual beach hair look or soft curls. Normally, I shower in the morning, but in the summer I'll often shower at night and let me hair air dry overnight. The only downfall to that is I can get some pretty crazy kinks in my hair. This product is great though because it gives my hair a little more body so that any crazy kinks look totally intentional.  It really gives the perfect amount of texture without weighing it down! As with the brand's shampoo, this product smells amazing too! Double win!

That Cute Outfit.. it Better be Sweat-proof!

My outfits in the summer are entirely picked based on how sweat-proof they are. It only takes one summer of living in NYC to learn the parts of your body you didn't think it was possible to sweat. Who knew the back of your knees and wrists could sweat 😱 Gross? Oh totally, but also SO true. So if there's one final tip I will share it's that you may want to consider that when you pick out your outfit on those extra hot days. I'm sorry, I don't care how cute that cotton grey or light blue maxi skirt is.. it's not happening on that 95-degree day. I'm all about breathable fabrics and airy dresses. Keeping cool, while styling along the way!

Do you have any other must-know tips for surviving the summer in the city? I'd love to hear them in the comments below!

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**Disclaimer: Paul & Joe and Evo provided me with complimentary samples of their products to test out. This post and all opinions stated are based on my own ideas and honest experience with the product and has not been influenced based upon the sponsorship.

Martha Stewart, Michaels, painting and wine... What more do you need?! In celebration of Michael's expansion of its craft paint offerings, they threw an awesome party where we got to check out the new products. Get this too, not only did we get to learn different painting techniques like using stencils, splattering, and using rollers but we also got to paint the event space. Say what?! Oh yeah, as in painting the styled spaces including the bed, tables, canvases, rug and more. Definitely not something you get to do every day!

Needless to say, we had such a BLAST at the event! It was so much checking out the new products and trying out the paints first-hand. All while sipping on some wine from Martha Stewart Wine Co. (more on that over here)! 

We met the sweetest girls from the Atlanta team too who not only taught us how to splatter but also walked us through some of the key features of the new products. I'm certainly no Picasso, but it only took a few brush strokes to see some of the features in action including the quality of the paint. The consistency was much thicker than a lot of paints I've used before so we only needed one coat on our project. Plus it also dried quickly which is always a nice perk! 

The great thing about the expansion of the line too is they offer multi-surface, outdoor, watercolor and weather resistant paints -- so something for everyone. They really took us testing the multi-surface to heart too! Wood, canvas, metal, canvas, and the furniture. You name it, we tried it! I have to say I was really impressed with the application on each too. Now if only I could just start painting everything in my apartment like the event! 😉

If you're looking to get crafty this summer, definitely check out the Martha Stewart line at Michaels. I certainly know I will! Plus they sent us home with some goodies to try out so I'll be getting my DIY on again soon. Be sure to follow me on  Instagram to see what I make! Thanks for a great event Martha Stewart and Michaels!

Some photos courtesy of Getty & Michaels PR Team

The backyard is officially back in business and you know what that means, summer is here! When you have outdoor space in the city, there is one thing you can count on... Your friends are definitely going to want to come over and enjoy the space too! Whether you have outdoor space or not though, summer is prime for entertaining and today I'm going to share some of my tips to make planning your next get together a little bit easier!

Make the Most of Your Space

While having outdoor space definitely makes entertaining a little easier, if you're like most New Yorkers that probably isn't an option. So how do you make the most of your space (which usually isn't a lot)? If you're having 10 or more people over my first tip is to try and declutter and tidy up. Obviously, you want your apartment to be clean, but you may also want to consider putting away knick knacks or things that you normally leave out day-to-day -- coats, hats, shoes, books, etc.. When you're fitting extra people in your apartment the less things that could potentially be knocked over the better. You might not be throwing a rager, but trust me this can help. I did fit 25 people in my 380 sq ft studio after all -- all while not feeling cramped.

If you have a little room to play with, reorganizing your furniture to allow for extra standing space can really help too. When I have a bigger party in the backyard I usually fold up the lounge chair and move some of the chairs out of the way so it's a little bit more open. Again, you don't have to go crazy, but moving things to the edge of your room can make a big difference in the space you'll have.

Keep the Menu Simple

I'm the queen of wanting to try all of the things and am a little guilty of trying to do too much when it comes to entertaining. You know what that leads to too? Oh yeah, that stress thing which is a total buzzkill. One of my biggest pieces of advice when it comes to entertaining is to keep the menu simple! It will make hosting so much more enjoyable and let's get real, who has space for a ton of ingredients anyways. Big city, small fridge!

My suggestion is to pick a couple of main dishes and sides and call it a day. BBQs are perfect for this because you can grill up a few things, make a salad, grab a few bags of chips and some cut up fruit and BAM you're all set! If you want to dazzle your friends with your cooking skills great, but as long as you have enough of the food you select, no one will complain! The more you can prep the night or day before the better too. Simple and stress-free for the day of is the goal!

Make Sure the Drinks are On Point

Now onto another important factor of your party... the drinks! Oh yes! I was introduced to Our/Vodka a few years back and they just launched a brand new product called Our/Infusions that are perfect for summer entertaining. They are DIY vodka infusion kits and I'm not going to lie I had SO much fun trying these out. There are 4 different varieties Our/Juniper, Our/Oak, Our/Citrus, and Our/Tea and each bottle comes with a bag of botanicals, a filter, and sticker to mark when it was infused.

The process is super simple (you can watch the full rundown here). You put the botanicals in the filter, just like you were making tea. Then you roll them up and put them in the bottle. They can take between 8 mins and 15 hours to infuse (depending on the flavor) so I'd suggest doing them the night ahead of your party. 

The cocktails that accompany the selections are SO tasty too and come right on the tag. I've been really big on Moscow Mules this year because 1.) They are so refreshing and delicious and 2.) They are really easy to make (back to that simple factor). If you're a fan like me, this recipe is perfect for your get together:

Our/Oak Infused Mint Mule

Ingredients  

• 2 parts Oak Infused Our/Vodka

• 1/4 part lime

• 5 mint leaves

• Top with ginger beer (My fav is Gosling's)

Another go-to for me are vodka lemonades, which the kits also taste great with. I really like that option too because people who don't drink or kids can enjoy the lemonade separate and then those looking for a boozy treat can add vodka. All about those easy, breezy and totally delicious options. 

Well, now that your space is ready, you've created a simple menu and your drinks are on point, you're all set to partayyyy! Do you have more tips to add? Share your best advice in the comments below.

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**Disclaimer: Our/Vodka provided me with complimentary Our/Infusion kits in exchange for a review for their products. This post and all opinions stated are based on my own ideas and honest experience with the product and has not been influenced based upon the sponsorship.