Luxury Beauty Products & Gift Ideas

I'm a big believer that looking your best doesn't have to cost a fortune. Part of the reason why I continue to blog is because I want to share my experiences using products that actually work. There's no "one size fits all" of course - what works for my skin or hair or coloring may not be the best option for you - but I always do my best to give thoughtful, honest reviews. I've used five dollar cleanser for my face and I've also used much more expensive facial cleanser. And you know what? Both equally worked.

I will admit that there's just something so exciting about treating yourself to luxury beauty, especially this time of year. During the Sephora sale a couple weeks ago, I did just that and I wanted to briefly mention what I bought and what luxury beauty brands I'd absolutely recommend. Keep these in mind for your holiday shopping! You don't have to be a beauty junkie in order to appreciate them either.

1. Jo Malone luscious & lively trio: For me, Jo Malone is the ultimate in luxury fragrance. I remember when I bought myself wood sage and sea salt a few years ago for my birthday. I loved it then and although I consider myself a Kai girl (and most recently, a North Bondi by Ouai girl) I didn't want to pass up this lovely trio of perfume, body wash, and cream. This would make the perfect gift! It's also a great way to try the brand and see if it suits you.

2. Sol de Janeiro set: Unfortunately this little gift set is already sold out, but I've been a fan of their bum bum cream for a long time and highly recommend their other gift sets. If you suffer from the winter blues, these products are sure to serve as a mood boost and transport you to a tropical paradise. I plan on giving jars of the cream to friends and family for Christmas.

3. Ouai treatment masque: This is my second tube and my only complaint is that it doesn't come in a giant tub! Even with my lightening and balayage, my hair has never been healthier and I think this masque is part of the reason why. I use it once per week for nourished, silky soft hair. Bonus - like all of the Ouai products, it smells divine.

4. Tatcha the silk canvas primer: How many times have I raved about the silk canvas primer? Too many to count! I was never big on primer until I discovered Tatcha. I'm still not convinced primers are necessary (a daily moisturizer does the trick) but this one is different. I wear it every single day regardless of what I'm doing or where I'm going. Heck, I wear it on days I don't even leave the house. It conceals the appearance of large pores, evens out my skin tone, and moisturizes without feeling greasy. Wear it under makeup or wear it alone. It's amazing.


Other brands and products I wanted to mention:

Charlotte Tilbury is probably my current favorite makeup line. Her products are so wearable, especially her iconic Pillow Talk lip kit. I feel bad for neglecting all of my traditional holiday plums and reds, but honestly Pillow Talk has been IT ever since Summer with no signs of stopping. Her other products like her eyeshadow palettes, bronzer, and Hollywood flawless filter foundation are perfect for getting holiday ready. I wish I could meet Charlotte Tilbury in person and thank her for these gorgeous products!

As for hair, I have three brand favorites: Aveda, the Ouai, and Oribe. This travel kit from Oribe is what I use on vacations, as well as I keep the anti-humidity spray in my handbag for touch-ups. If you want soft, manageable, tousled hair, then Oribe will surely please.

Overall, I think the holidays are the perfect time to try some new beauty. There are so many limited edition sets that are not only great for gifting, but also a relatively easy way to try some things out for yourself.

Have you tried any of these brands or products?

Linking up with On The Daily Express and Straight A Style

Continue the post

How To Style A Long Duster Cardigan For Petites (Part 2)

Happy Wednesday friends! If you haven't read part one from my Monday style post, you may want to quickly head over and catch up because it's connected to what I'm wearing today. To recap some of those thoughts/tips: petites can definitely wear a long cardigan! There are just a couple simple styling tricks I find helpful for a flattering, elongating look. 1) Stick to loose, drapey knits that skim the body. 2) Also, wearing more slim fitting items underneath the longer layer will help create a streamlined, leg-lengthening appearance.

I love wearing cardigans over dresses, so I decided to see if the proportions would still work with a breezy mini dress. This dress is one of my favorites from Summer, and I wanted to bring it into the Fall season with just a few small changes. I swapped sandals for suede ankle boots, and then added this gorgeous orange duster. I guess it's more bohemian than I usually dress this time of year, but I was surprised at how effortless it felt. I'm all for ease!

Wearing // Target duster cardigan, MinkPink dress (last seen here), Similar booties, Madewell bag, Stella & Dot necklace

Beauty // Tarte blush and Milani highlighter

I think the length of the dress pairs well and even compliments the length of the duster. Showing a little leg ensures you don't disappear in all the flowing fabric. I liked the effect so much that I plan on trying it with a Leith bodycon dress next. 

Do you ladies enjoy this type of styling post? I know not all of you are petite so I sometimes refrain from posting specifically for petites, but some things can be fairly universal. These days I repeat and rewear everything! Even when I don't mention it on here, I hope you'll notice that I have well-loved and well-worn items. I'd love to create more of these posts if they're helpful. 

How would you style this cardigan? Which outfit do you like more, part 1 or 2? Linking up with On The Daily Express and Straight A Style.

Continue the post

How To Style A Long Duster Cardigan For Petites (Part 1)

Long duster cardigans have been trendy for a few seasons, but I wasn't really certain if the length would work on my petite frame (and when I say petite, I mean that only in height as I'm 5'2). I've admired the look on other, mostly taller women, which made me curious. When I saw this beautiful burnt orange duster at Target, I decided to give it a try. The color sold me but the question remained; Can long layers work for petites?

Wearing // Target duster cardigan, LOFT jeans, Target mules, Madewell bag

The short answer is yes! Petites absolutely can participate in the trend and actually look really great. I think there are just a few key styling tips to keep in mind, 

1. The fabric and construction of the garment really matters. For example, knits have a flattering drape to them and will flow beautifully as you walk and move. They skim the body nicely without adding extra bulk. A more structured long coat in a heavier fabric is trickier to pull off which is why I prefer those to be shorter in length. 

2. Make sure that whatever you wear underneath the duster is more slim fitting. like a crisp pair of skinny jeans or a dress that still shows off some of your curves. This way you won't feel like you're swimming in it. 

3. Choose your shoes wisely. I almost wore this outfit with my favorite heeled sandals, but I opted for flat mules instead and I actually like the look. Just make sure that your shoes are fairly sleek. 

Long duster cardigans aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I've surprised myself with just how often I've been reaching for one in these weird transitional weather days. It's fun playing with proportions and seeing what works versus what doesn't. I always thought that long layers were meant for tall women, but I'm finding that short ladies like myself can have fun with length too!  

Would you wear this duster? I'll show you one more way to wear it on Wednesday so I hope you'll stop by!

Continue the post

Postcards - Autumn In New Jersey & New York

Ah, the east coast. I hear it's decidedly more beautiful in the Fall, with all its changing leaves in fiery shades of red, orange, yellow, and some leftover green. I've been to New York in June, and I distinctly remember how sticky and humid it felt to walk around the hustle and bustle of the city. This trip, in contrast, was an absolute pleasure to walk around in. And walk we did. My feet are still recovering one week later.

In putting these photos together (and this isn't even half of them), I realized that doing a travel guide would be much too daunting. I feel like I'm not the best at them anyway because when I travel, all I want to do is wander around to wherever my heart takes me, stop in to places that look like they offer good food and drinks, peek into little shops, and when I'm being hosted by friends, I like to surrender and let them take me where they want to go. I don't think I've ever done a guided tour...maybe in college? Frankly, getting lost is my favorite way to explore a new place and New York City is no exception. I actually think it was made for that.

I will say that this 5 day vacation was enlightening for me in many ways. I discovered that I don't hate sneakers as much as I once did. Nate was thankful because the amount of complaining I would have done otherwise...I also loved New Jersey much, much more than I expected I would - it truly is a gorgeous state.  Another thing, I can get by on very little sleep (two nights we didn't sleep at all because we had to commute from Jersey to the city when our friend went in to work). It was nonstop go, go, go from the moment we got off the plane in Newark. Oh, and I rode on the subway which I totally dreaded because you know, social anxiety and all that. My old dark friend was no match for the overwhelming excitement I felt. There really was no time to be anxious. We crammed in as much as we could in those 5 days. It was a complete whirlwind.

The first half of our trip was spent with friends who graciously let us stay with them in their home and who showed us New Jersey and the countryside of New York state. The second half they had to work so that's when Nate and I spent time on our own in NYC.

These photos, or postcards if you will, are all in chronological order so you can get a real sense of what we did and saw each day of the trip. I hope you enjoy!

Seaside Heights (Jersey Shore)

It rained all day until serendipitiously as we set foot on the beach, the rain let up.

We took the train to Cold Spring New York 

Central Park

The Met Museum

We walked the first floor for 3 hours. So much to see!

Chelsea Market

The High Line area was one of my favorites.

The Oculus and WTC 

So incredibly moving. Our friend works close by so we rode into the city with him and got to watch the sun come up over the 9/11 memorial.

Brooklyn, probably my number one favorite area 

Sezane where I bought a little black wallet I'll share in another post.

Overall it was an A+ vacation and all of my Autumn dreams have been satisfied. The only real question remaining is...when can we do it again? But if you have any questions for me, feel free to ask!

Linking up with On The Daily Express and Straight A Style.

Continue the post

The Monthly Edit // October

"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go."

Unknown

I keep saying this to everyone I've spoken to lately, and I'll say it again to you; this month has been epic! I didn't think October could top the excitement of this Summer, but after our whirlwind trip to New Jersey and New York, I take back what I said last month regarding Fall. It may not be a thing here in California, but if you live in a state that actually gets to experience the beauty of it then I completely understand the allure. October on the east coast is just magical. 

I'll have a complete photo diary of the trip next week so I don't want to be repetitive in this post. I'll admit that I'm still trying to catch up on sleep and everything else, so let's just dive right in!

Visiting NYC this time of year was an absolute pleasure. Nate and I sat at the Highline Hotel for about an hour taking in the sights and sounds of the city. 

Camping at Vail Lake with friends at the beginning of the month was the perfect way to kick start Fall. We enjoyed the mild weather, watched our friends' kids dress up and go trick or treating throughout the campgrounds at night, and grabbed some of Vail's famous bloody Mary's at the cafe in the morning. This camping trip is a tradition so we look forward to it all year long! 

Eating my fair share of soup now that it's cool enough to do so. My favorite is French onion (look at all that cheese). I've never made it myself but now I'm on a mission to see if I can attempt at least a decent one! If you have a recipe, please share it with me. 

Packing for our trip proved to be pretty successful. I will say that we did such an extraordinary amount of walking that I wore my Nike sneakers the whole trip. I've never been a sneakers girl, but who has time for blisters when there's so much to see! Plus, I like how sleek this particular pair looks so you may be seeing them on me in a proper outfit post. I did wear some slip-ons on the plane and for the first day, but I'm just happy I'm at a point in my life where I'm not a slave to uncomfortable shoes anymore. 

Watching Peaky Blinders season 5. In my opinion, best season yet! There are only 6 episodes though so we went through it pretty quickly and I'm a bit annoyed by that. I could watch Cillian Murphy all.damn.day. Here's the trailer if you want to catch up.

Thing(s) I Liked In October: 

 I finished personal training sessions at an athletic sports club that Nate goes to. Man oh man was it tough, but I pushed myself and realized that yes, I can do hard things despite the fact that I'm not athletic at all. I still have yet to start taking the group classes with Nate, but I'm challenging myself to begin next week. After all the food we ate on our trip, my jeans are tight.

Thing(s) I Didn't Like In October: 

There were many times that I didn't feel like blogging, so I didn't. Which is fine, but it can also be frustrating. I find that I've been self-censoring a lot lately, meaning I have things to write about but I've seen such an increase in people sharing way too much on the internet that it's honestly embarrassing. There's a fine line. I don't know, maybe I'm being a prude and overreacting but sometimes it seems like nothing is private anymore and I just can't wrap my head around that. 

That's it for now but I'll be back next week. Happy Friday!

Continue the post

Fall Beauty Edit

I'm so excited because as you are reading this, I'm on a plane en route to New York! I can't think of a better way to celebrate Fall than with a trip to the east coast! We don't have any set plans, but I'll be sure to share everything we did once we get back next week.

In the meantime, I wanted to put together a round-up of all the beauty products and treatments I've been using for the last month (some products I've been in love with for much longer than that). I think a lot of people switch up their beauty routines for the changing season, and Fall is the time where I really like to focus on hydration to combat dryness and dullness, as well as a more sophisticated and polished makeup look. In the Summer I just wing it and often go without much makeup at all!

Let's start with nails though. I've always loved doing my own. Growing up, my mom was a manicurist and I learned a lot by watching her do her clients' nails. A couple years ago, I decided to try gel polish for the first time and I enjoyed the results so much that I unintentionally turned it into a bi-monthly habit. I never experienced any issues or had any concerns until my nails started breaking more frequently over the Summer and they even became sore to the touch. The last time I got the gel polish removed was painful, so I knew it was time to give my poor nails a break. It's been exactly one month and I'm just now beginning to polish them myself again (just regular polish). They look fine, but I'm keeping them very short and applying this nail strengthener a few times a week to get them back into good condition. Honestly, it's been fun rediscovering all the lovely colors I'd been neglecting. I'm sticking to light, neutral shades until I feel confident wearing darker colors again. I will probably do gel nails at some point, maybe for Christmas, but letting my natural nails breathe is my focus this season.

Normally around this time, I like to start wearing bolder lips in shades of plum and wine. Since buying the Charlotte Tilbury pillow talk kit during the Nordstrom anniversary sale, I haven't had any desire to put anything else on my lips! It truly is the most wearable, sexy, flattering shade I've ever worn, and it lasts long too. That's not to say I won't pull out some of my other Fall favorites, but it's not going to be easy! I keep the liner, lipstick, and gloss in my bag so they're always on hand. You really need to try pillow talk if you haven't already!

As for hair, as soon as I discovered the Ouai this year, I have been completely hooked on their products. I really don't put much in my hair, but their leave-in conditioner is a must before blow drying. It leaves my hair soft and manageable, and the smell is incredible. So much so that I bought the corresponding perfume last month and have been wearing it daily. I also wanted to mention these hair ties called invisibobbles. Have you guys seen these? I put my hair up a lot now when I'm at home, and these hold it all in place without leaving any kinks or marks afterward. I keep one in my bag and the rest are scattered throughout my house! I just hope I don't end up losing them all, which is inevitably what happens.

Lastly, I know you've probably seen these products before on the blog in some capacity, but these are hands-down my must-haves in my makeup collection. I use them daily!

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD foundation: full to medium buildable coverage that looks natural and beautiful especially in photos. I've been wearing it for years.

Tarte Shape Tape concealer: The only concealer you need! I dot some under my eyes, as well as on any spots I may have going on in the chin area.

Tatcha The Silk Canvas primer: I use this with or without makeup for an even complexion and less noticeable pores. It glides on so smoothly and feels very moisturizing. Clearly I need another one asap!

Fenty Pro Filtr Powder in lavender: I'm convinced this is why my makeup lasts much longer than it used to. Just a few swipes to set everything in place and I'm good to go. Also, don't let the shade fool you - it's translucent.

Does your beauty routine change in the Fall? What are some of your favorites?

I'll be back later next week with another post. See you here!

Continue the post