Live from New York!!

a little re-introduction + skincare routine

Hi! I’m in New York this week taking a few meetings in the city for 24 hours, before grabbing the train upstate to visit my best friend and her new baby (MY new niece!)

I have been writing just a splash for two months and I feel so fortunate to now have a few subscribers who are new to me! Welcome, and thank you so much for being here.

Given that I’m traveling this week, I thought I’d keep this letter fairly straightforward and start it out with a glorified “about me.” I personally always enjoy learning more about the people behind the newsletters I follow, and maybe you do too.

So here we go, a few things about me:

• It’s “R-E-On” or like “Ariana Grande” without the “a” at the end.

• I live in Michigan with my husband, our two young kids, and our Boston Terrier rescue.

• I married my high school boyfriend. Our first date was 2005, which is insane to me!

• Our house is 100+ years old and we’re always dreaming up a new project. Next up: making the basement “junk room” into a more functional and enjoyable playroom, primarily to house our five-year-old son’s never-ending Lego collection.

• I was recently laid off for the second time in three years and am figuring out what’s next for me career-wise. Until then, I’m enjoying spending time here, in addition to extra time with my kids and family this summer. Sometimes I get into a “wtf am I doing in my career” spiral. But mostly, I feel really lucky to have the time to slow down in this season of parenting young kids. My daughter recently turned one and is not in a preschool program quite yet — I feel really fortunate to soak up this extra time with her for however long it lasts.

• I’m working to write here twice a week: On Tuesdays I share whatever I’m thinking about (that might be a short essay, random musings, or a Father’s Day Gift Guide). On Thursdays I interview women in creative fields that inspire me.

• I’m a horse girl. One of my favorite dinner party questions is, “What would your racehorse’s name be?” Mine would be “Just a Splash,” which is where I got the name for this newsletter’s title. What’s yours?

• I try to move my body in an intentional way every day, as much for the physicality of it as for the mental release. Whether it’s a walk, a run, pilates, or yoga, movement is an important part of my day that I prioritize. I also have my 200hr yoga teacher training, though I don’t currently teach.

• I love being outside, another thing I do each day, even in negative degree Michigan winters.

• I’m obsessed with the perinatal phase of life. Trying to conceive, pregnancy, fertility struggles, loss, birth, postpartum, parenting, you name it. I’m super passionate about all of it and am considering going back to school to become a therapist specializing in perinatal health. Stay tuned!

• My family and friends are extremely important to me. I’m lucky to be very close with my siblings and parents, as well as my in-laws.

• I love nice things. There, I said it!! I love to shop and obsess over the latest styles as much as the next gal. I will share links here when I feel compelled (for example, shop Father’s Day here).

• I love to read, but only if it’s a page-turner. I don’t finish books I don’t like.

• I watch a lot of TV and I’m not ashamed! Bravo lover. Some of my all-time favorites: Offspring, The Empress, Game of Thrones, Mad Men, The Queen’s Gambit.

• If you’re into this stuff like I am: a Leo, Virgo rising. Enneagram is 3w2. I’m a Generator energy type :)

• Community is what fuels me in all aspects of my life, and now you’re a part of it too. Thank you — I’m so happy you’re here!

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Skincare

Erika Veurink is one of my favorite people on here (and frankly now in general). When she says she wants your skincare routine in the Long Live chat, you first die from the compliment (HELLO, have you seen that girl’s skin?!) and then do as she says.

I don’t do Botox, etc (yet) but I am pretty serious about my skin and kind of always have been (thank you, Mom, for your genetics and always insisting I exfoliate and wear sunblock + a hat).

But really that’s just it: I’m not serious about skincare in the sense that I have a ton of fancy products and a 10-step routine. More so, I’ve just been consistent for… 20 years? And I always wear sunblock, often a hat, and I drink a lot of water each day. Also, I try to sleep when I can and I’ve never been a big drinker (I do a couple glasses of wine a week and that’s it).

Here’s a realistic look at my medicine cabinet — I tidied up slightly for you and arranged the products so you could see the labels, but this is what I use each day.

My tried & true’s:

• I love these eye patches that my friend Emily Schoen gifted me for Christmas and have since purchased for myself. I’ve used this eye cream for years (morning + night).

• The Supergoop Glow Screen in Sunrise has SPF, but also gives me a dewey glow. I am wearing it in the screenshot above! I wear this almost every day and if not, the Ilia tinted serum (as I write, they’re having a 20% off sale!)

• My main splurge is the SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic. I typically wait for a sale and then buy two at a time, which lasts me about a year. I use it in the morning without fail, after cleansing, before moisturizing.

• I’ve used expensive moisturizers, but I really just like La Roche-Posay’s Triple Repair that I buy on Amazon.

• For cleansers, I rotate between a few: Avene’s Foaming Cleanser (I keep it in the shower), Fresh’s Soy Hydrating Cleanser (the mini size for travel), and pictured above is a new One Love Botanical B Cleansing Oil that I’m trying and liking (specifically for the evenings).

• Katie Westgate at K.West (if you’re in Ann Arbor) turned me onto Laurel products. I love the Elixir and the Antioxidant Serum for nighttime. It’s all the cleanest of clean, organic ingredients and smells amazing.

• Finally, I recently got a script for a Tretinoin from my derm now that I’m done breastfeeding. I use it about 2-3 times a week right now at night, when I remember. Then I lather on my moisturizer above because it definitely dries out your skin! (I avoid putting it on my undereyes for that reason)

• Oh and I do have a red light mask that my husband very sweetly got me for Christmas, but I probably remember to use it once every two weeks. I want to get better about just meditating for 10 minutes, but haven’t gotten there!!

See you Thursday!

xx Ariane

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