7 tips for getting ready at the gym {feat. Dove Dry Spray}.

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I’ll be honest - showering and getting ready at the gym (or more often, in a SoulCycle locker room) is kinda sorta when I can turn into a bit of a diva. I’ve just gotten so used to my creature comforts of getting ready at home that I just dread having to do it elsewhere.

But obviously life happens, and if I want to squeeze a workout into a busy day sometimes getting ready at the gym and going right to my next destination is the best bet. So here are some tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years to make getting ready at the gym quicker and easier.

1) Dry shampoo. No surprise there! Depending on how sweaty I got during a workout (sexy, I know) I sometimes can skip washing my hair, and a generous sprinkle/spray of dry shampoo can do the trick.

2) Use a wet (as cold as possible) towel on your face & neck. One of the things I hate most about getting ready directly after working out is that I don’t have as much time as I’d like to let my body cool down. Ideally I like to ice my face to help me cool down (and relieve any puffiness), but a cold towel can help do the trick too.

3) Travel-size everything. You can get just about anything in travel size now - a hair dryer, curling iron, straightener, toiletries, etc. If you’re regularly getting ready at the gym, the less you have to carry around throughout the day can make the process less of a pain.

4) Roll your clothes instead of folding them. This tip is a game changer when it comes to packing in general as it helps avoid wrinkling. It Also saves space in your gym bag.

5) Use a backpack. I know I know, backpacks aren’t exactly the most glamorous accessory. But if you’re going to be walking a lot with your gym/work stuff, it’s much more manageable than carrying everything in a shoulder bag. If you have a car and don’t need to carry much stuff - disregard this (and I envy you ;)).

6) master the top knot. Sometimes despite your best efforts, hair can be the biggest struggle when it comes to getting ready at the gym. So in the event that you either don’t have time to blow it out, or you just can’t get the frizz under control, a great top knot can be a life saver. Paired with a pair of earrings and a bold lip - you can save yourself time and effort.

top knot

7) Dove Dry Spray. I’m pretty picky when it comes to the right deodorant. I want something that does the job, smells great, but also doesn’t leave any weird residue. Right now I’m loving Dove Dry Spray, which was introduced to me by Simply Stylist. It provides all the care of Dove in a dry spray format - a way to experience real skin care benefits from a deodorant.

Dove Dry Spray doesn’t leave behind visible residue and protects from perspiration for 48 hours. It goes on instantly dry for a cleaner feel - the perfect option for when you’re on the go (AKA definitely when getting ready at the gym). Go to Dove.com to learn more!

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dove. All opinions herein are my own. Please note that I was compensated for this post. You can refer to my product review policy here. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

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Do you often get ready at the gym? What are your best tips for doing so?

how i broke up with stress (and how you can too).

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Stress. It’s one of those sneaky things that can actually rule your entire life without you even fully realizing it.

If I’m being honest, stress has been at the forefront of my life for longer than I’d care to admit. As someone who lives in New York City (not the most easygoing city in the world) and has been self-employed for most of my adult life (not exactly the “safest” gig out there) - I don’t really have the cards playing in my favor when it comes to living a stress-free life. And because of that, I’ve kind of given myself the excuse of living with stress without thinking there was anything I could do about it.

But here’s the thing I’ve been learning about stress - it actually has very little to do with your circumstances, and so much more to do with your mindset/attitude.

After a recent resurgence of stress in my life, I had what I’d like to call an “oh HELL no” moment where I decided I just don’t want to live that way anymore. Living under the fog of stress is not what I want for the rest of my adult life (which - let’s be honest - isn’t going to get any easier). I decided that instead of succumbing to stress as a “normal” part of life - I was going to fight it with everything I’ve got.

So here are some things that have helped me exponentially become free from stress, and I think they can help you do the same.

How I Broke Up With Stress

Pray for deliverance.
This is absolutely the first and most important step in becoming free from the grips of stress. God makes it very clear that we are not to worry (Matthew 6) and to seek and pursue peace (Psalm 34:14), and I fully believe that He can deliver us fully from all stress, fear, and anxiety. Oftentimes it’s just a matter of asking Him.

Face the issue when (if) it actually happens.
For me, the main trigger of stress is worrying about something that actually has not even happened. Oftentimes we can dwell on those made up scenarios - no matter how likely or unlikely they may be - that they become a reality in our minds. This is definitely a constant mind shift that has to take place, but I’ve started to make a habit out of telling myself “if/when that scenario ever happens, then you’re allowed to be concerned. But until then…it’s not even a reality.”

Because here’s the thing - most of the time, dealing with the ACTUAL situation when it happens is much more manageable and not as painful as we make it up in our minds to be. So why not just face the issue when it comes, rather than let it paralyze us in fear and stress before it’s even a reality?

Don’t verbally affirm that you’re stressed.
The words we speak over our lives have more power than we realize. Instead of coming into agreement with stress, speak out AGAINST it! When I feel stress creeping in, one of the first things I do is open my journal and write down all of the things I’m thankful for. The power of gratitude beats the grips of stress every time.

Break the idea that stress is normal.
The lie that stress is a “normal” part of life - or even worse that it means we’re being RESPONSIBLE - is one of the biggest and easiest lies to believe. Especially as someone who is self-employed, I constantly find myself feeling like I’m not working hard enough if I’m not completely overwhelmed with stress.

A practical thing that has helped with this is tracking my daily tasks (I use Toggl.com). I can look back at the end of the day and see that I did in fact accomplish a lot, and stress doesn’t have to be a part of that equation.

Take one day at a time.
Of course life will always have times that you have to consider the future. But as much as you can, try to finish each day and be done with it. As previously mentioned - God tells us not to worry - but He specifically says not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). His grace is sufficient for THIS day.

Unplug from technology when you can.
This is something I definitely need to work on 😉 It’s still a struggle, but I’d love to get to the point where I’m off my phone/computer for an hour or two in the morning and before going to bed at night.

Repeat those things every. Single. Day.
Here’s the thing about all of those tips/tools - they only work if you constantly remember and implement them in your life! Make it a daily habit to FIGHT stress before it creeps in. Be on the offense.

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Which of these tips resonate with you most? Anything to add?

a perfect girls’ day out in NYC | Everybody Rise event + book giveaway.

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Even after living in NYC for 5 years, those days still come along that feel like a New York fairytale. They’re the days that I literally dreamed of as a little girl. And a few weeks ago, I got to experience one of those days while celebrating the release of the new novel Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford.

The day started when I headed uptown to DryBar in the Le Parker Meridien. I had heard rave reviews about DryBar before but had yet to try it myself, so I was excited for the experience. A handful of other bloggers (including Jessi, yay!) and I were greeted with cookies, coffee and mimosas, followed by being pampered with a great hair wash and blowout.

DryBar

I loved DryBar and would definitely recommend it, especially before a special event or night out.

After DryBar we all headed around the corner to The Plaza Hotel. Yes…THEE Plaza Hotel.

I had only been to The Plaza twice before but only for their spa, so I was pretty thrilled when I found out we’d be doing the classic tea/lunch there.

The Plaza NYC

The Plaza NYC

It was pretty much a girly girl’s (AKA me) dream. Adorable tea sandwiches, mini desserts, and of course delicious tea.

The Plaza NYC

The Plaza NYC

The Plaza NYC

We were joined by author Stephanie Clifford, and it was such a pleasure to get the opportunity to talk to her about the new book. It was casual and relaxed, and she was so easygoing and fun to talk to. We asked her more questions about the book (which we had all previously read) as well as her inspiration, her background (as a NY Times reporter!), etc.

The Plaza NYC / Everybody Rise review

To give you a brief idea of the story, here’s a synopsis in author Stephanie Clifford’s own words from our lunch.

Everybody Rise is a book about fitting in and figuring out who you are…it follows a 26-year-old named Evelyn. She’s from Maryland, she moves to New York and is trying to find her place here. She ends up thinking she’s found it when she falls in with this old, money-set driven job. In order to fit in there, she begins lying-she changes the way she dresses, she changes the makeup she wears, she changes her hair. The lies quickly get bigger and bigger until she has to reckon with the sort of made-up life she’s come up with.

It was important to me have a heroine who wasn’t redeemed or rescued by a man. She gets herself into a ton of trouble, and she’s the one who has to scrape herself out of it in the end. It’s also a story of mothers and daughters. It’s sort of fitting with having tea at the plaza because one of my favorite scenes in the book is Evelyn at age 10 visiting New York with her mom for the first time. Her mom is there to revisit her own glory days, and at tea Evelyn can’t do anything right. Her mom is like, “No. No. No. No lemon in there. Cream in there. Don’t hold it like that, Evelyn.” That sort of anxiousness in wanting to please her mom builds a lot of what happens later on, 16 years later when she’s a young woman in New York. She’s still trying to gain acceptance, still trying to be seen because she was never quite seen by her mom.

Everybody Rise

I must admit that I’m typically not the biggest fan of fiction novels. But I’ve got to say that I seriously loved Everybody Rise. It was a fun summer read, which was much-needed since I’ve been traveling so much over the past few months. I loved the storyline, especially since I could relate to the whole “newbie in NYC” aspect of it.

If you’re looking for a new read, you should definitely check it out. You can also enter to win a copy of Everybody Rise of your own by leaving a comment below! Tell me the best book you’ve read lately. I’ll choose a winner on Monday 8/31 at 5pm EST and contact them directly. Open to U.S. residents only, ages 18+.

Good luck! :)

*** Congrats Janel - you’re the winner! I just emailed you for your mailing address :) ***

beauty: Redken Blonde Idol review.

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I have a serious girl dilemma to share with you. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to have blonde (colored) hair, while keeping it looking long and healthy at the same time? Considering I keep wanting to be blonder and blonder, this is not an easy feat.

So when I got the opportunity yesterday to visit to Cutler Salon in Soho and try out some new products for blonde hair by Redken, I was all about it.

I met up with Redken colorist Chiala, and right away I knew I could trust her with my hair (which is a rarity, ha). She recommended the Redken Blonde Idol Blue Oil Lightening System for my hair.

Redken Blonde Idol

The color turned out to be the perfect match for my hair and skin tone. It was cool and bright with just a touch of golden glow, which is perfect for the summer. It couldn’t have come at a better time, since I’m leaving for a mini beach vacation in a few days. Roots = non-existent!

I was really happy to hear that the Blonde Idol Blue Oil Lightening System is a coloring option that will keep my hair looking and feeling healthy.

Chiala also used Redken Extreme Anti-Snap treatment on my hair, which made it look and feel extra healthy and shiny. I kid you not - this stuff made my hair look like it was 2 inches longer.

Redken Extreme Anti Snap

I must say I’m very impressed with Redken products, and really will continue using them. I love how the products give great color, but also focus on keeping hair healthy. It’s a win-win, and exactly what I need in hair product.

Redken Blonde Idol Products

I went out for Monica’s birthday after the salon visit, and I must admit I did feel like quite the Blonde Idol with my new hair 😉

Monica and Gracie

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Redken through Condé Nast. All opinions herein are my own. Please note that I was compensated for this post. You can refer to my product review policy here. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Redken Blonde Idol | Gracie Gordon

What’s the most important thing you look for in a hair product(s)?

from working remotely to fashion advice - how I use Skype.

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As someone who has worked from home for most of my adult career, there are certain resources I use that I absolutely could not live without. Working remotely is a tricky thing - in some ways it can be even more productive than working in a “normal” office, but in other ways you face certain difficulties - especially when it comes to communicating with colleagues and clients. For me, that’s where Skype comes in. I honestly don’t know how I would be able to work remotely all these years if it weren’t for Skype! Whether it’s doing interviews with a new client who lives in Los Angeles, or even jumping on a quick call with my partner Jessi who lives just 20 blocks away, Skype makes it so easy and convenient to instantly communicate with others no matter where I am. skype2 I’ve actually been able to form professional relationships with people I’ve never met in person through Skype. There’s just something so much more personal about being able to see someone face-to-face, and it makes working relationships that much more beneficial because I feel like I actually know the people I’m communicating with, rather than just hearing a voice on the other line or reading their email. Skype has also proved useful in other areas of my life that I didn’t expect. A little known “side job” of mine that I gladly do for free is give fashion advice to my friends and family. My mom and sister especially love my opinion on what clothes to buy and the latest trends, but it’s not always easy considering we live far away from each other. So what we’ve started doing is communicating by Skype so I can visually help them put outfits together! We even sometimes mobile communicate via Skype so it’s almost like I’m right there shopping with them. skype In my life, Skype has proven to be more than just a tool I use - it has changed the way I’m able to communicate with others, schedule my workday, and as I mentioned before - even build new relationships. I honestly don’t know what I would do without it! Are you a Skype user? What’s your reason to communicate with others via Skype?

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