Meagan Michaelis

So it seems I won’t be making it back to the beach this summer…WTF 😔 Might as well tell you about what was in my summer bag as I wrap it up and put it away. I’ll miss you, Vitamin D. ☀️🌅🌞

I don’t need to do a full beat to the beach, but I like a little color and glow. Makeup is fun! These are all the things in my bag as of rn. I love multi use simple products. SORRY there’s no mascara. I haven’t found a waterproof one I really like, so put me on if you have one you love! Also, I don’t really care about setting my face when I’m going swimming, but I’ll link some setting sprays in case you care!

I’ve had sensitive skin and acne all my life. I thought that in my 30s that I’d finally be free from it, but we’re half way in and I can’t even let a little sweat sit on my skin for too long. WTF. I’ve thought about acutane and spirolactalone???? LOL (does that even help fungal acne?). But, if I get the side effects of depression and restlessness, I’m going to be pissed, so for now I keep it at bay with these products and a healthy as possible diet (as always). These are great, that’s why I’m recommending them, but sometimes what an irritated fungal acne break needs is a gentle cleanser and a non comedogenic moisturizer and time. Use your wisdom. Be gentle and patient! I hope this helps!

I actually have grown to love my period. IS THAT CRAZY?! Society may have not allowed our period to be a good enough excuse to slow down and indulge in self care but I said and will continue to say eff that. It’s a time where I can actually relax and get the best sleep of my life. The PMDD wave has passed and I’m on a steady shore under a hut with a smart tv and access to internet. A sexy local (my husband) brings me treats I didn’t have to ask for and my cats are fanning me with banana leaves. I deserve this. So, if you want to know how to do it right. Keep reading.

PMDD is no joke. If you’re here, you probably already know that or you’re here trying to understand how to help those with PMDD in your life. There’s many ways to potentially find relief, but the most important thing you can do is implement lifestyle changes that help you get the sleep you need, and the right amount of exercise and nutrition. With those changes I promise things will start to shift into the positive and the lows will get less low over time. I am currently making lots of changes like that for myself, and it can be difficult, but I really have seen things change. Though I’m still affected by my PMDD, it isn’t wrecking my life on the regular, like it used to.So here’s hoping that you find the courage and discipline to do the same. This list is of all the things that have helped me on my PMDD journey. I am praying you find freedom & empowerment from it, too.

I’ve always had troubled skin. My high school days were filled with drug store face washes that unfortunately never seemed to work for me. They would promise to give me less acne, but somehow gave me more?? I realized years later that I was using the wrong stuff for my skin because I didn’t understand what type of skin I had. Many articles, google photos, and experimentions based on strangers advice on the internet later, I now know it’s sensitive combination skin, and does really well with lots of moisture and a good exfoliator. These products are all in my current routine and are ones that made me say— “wow, my skin actually looks good.”

When I invested in my first slow fashion piece I almost passed ahwhey…dropping $100+ dollars on one shirt felt like a tragedy when you’re recovering from fast fashion. Buying differently has been my mission ever since I started my sustainable fashion journey. Investing in better quality clothing was important to me, and doing it with brands that care about their employees and the planet. There’s a scale of affordability for sure, and for the sake of my finances— when I want to invest I look at the sales, shop on Black Friday, or try to find pieces from the brands I love secondhand on the internet. There’s lots of ways to go about building your dream closet. But you need to know where to look first!

I spent my first big girl money on Glossier. They were honestly the first brand that ever made me feel seen. I always loved makeup, but I wasn’t into ‘beating’ my face like it was cool to do back then…I hated the way any drug store foundation made my face feel heavy, and never really looked like my skin. They opened up my world to the possibilities of makeup that was used to enhance my features & my skin, not cover it up. From texture to color options, they made makeup I could live in and feel beautiful and free in. Since then, they’ve expanded their makeup line ALOT, and even added fragrances and more skincare options. And while they have a special place in my heart, these are my honest to God reviews of each of their products I’ve used.

The fast fashion industry is one of the biggest waste contributors… Last year I did the 75 Hard Style Challenge, so my mind and my heart have been very focused on how to be a baddie with a clean conscious. I’ve always loved fashion, but I haven’t always cared about being responsible with my money or my impact on the earth, and honestly when I heard that fact, it broke my heart. I had a closet full of new-ish clothes, and some hand-me-downs, that I didn’t wear much. I associated my lack of style with the lack of what was or wasn’t hanging up in my closet. I didn’t give my clothes much thought beyond that they were in season and if I really needed something else, I could just go and buy it. And then donate the clothes I hate— rinse & repeat. It was wanting to be more responsible with my money that first led me to thrift and consignment shops, learning about the magnitude of the waste my shopping habits were contributing to made me take more consideration in the hand-me-downs, the slow fashion brands, Depop & Thred Up. I’m now slow in my buying. Creative in my styling. And see opportunity in all pieces of clothing. Anything can be an accessory. And the most practical thing you can do to create longevity is take really good care of what you already own. This list is of the tools that helped me start creating a wardrobe I love, and that has lasted through many seasons and trend cycles.

I’m traveling quickly down the interior decorator pipeline and I’m at the “Be Obsessed With Lamps” stage. The way my space feels is so important to me, but I live in a small apartment, and so saving space is also important to me. I’ve been enlightened to the power of the lamp, and a lamp can be a piece of decor that can really change a space without taking up too much of it. I feel so lucky to be alive around a time where design in the home can be so interesting. My apartment is kind of a mix of contemporary, post modern & vintage—so that’s what I’ll be serving up today.

YOU CHANGE IT UP 💕 I switched to matcha a few years ago because it truly IS better for the anxiety, but I rarely want it straight up. I usually have one every day and the frequency in which I partake along with my foodie nature pushed me to explore some unique flavor combos and these are my ✨favorite✨ *my go to is an iced matcha, so that’s how I’d enjoy each of these but most of them could be enjoyed hot, too!

ICE CREAM & SORBET RECS As a foodie, a wack culinary experience can really make or break a moment, right? I’m recommending these so that never happens to you or your perfect summer day 💕 For years I’ve been in search of ice cream I really like—even LOVE—because If I don’t like it I’m probably not spending the calories on it. What inspired these flavor choices is how they made me feel when I tasted them. Most of them. Some I still haven’t had yet, but…they’re on my list. You see what I did there? 😏