There's no feeling in the world like escaping the East Coast winter for warmer pastures. Case in point, my recent fling with the West Coast sunshine in the City of Angels. The smell in the air when I get off the plane is all it takes for my mood to hit the proverbial reboot button, going from grumpy and gloomy to happy and cheery.
Nothing beats warm rays beaming on your face full throttle (don't forget your sunscreen, kids!) after months of frozen cheeks and red noses tips.
Praise the heavens for Lalaland never failing to provide the magic and forever making this Northern girl feel like a bonafide LA lady, if only for a moment.
There comes a time in everyone's life when they're seasonally done with the cold. For me, it starts in January as soon as the holidays are over, but I really reach my limit in March.
These are the horrifying realities (and first world problems) of all north east-coasters. Le sigh.
To remedy to my weather woes, I typically begin channeling spring while still afflicted by winter and start dressing like the season I wish we were in—within reason, of course.
Case in point: I was delighted when I found this tropics-conjuring blouse at Aritzia, and while you're not used to seeing me in bright colors, I can tell you now that 2018 will bring a wind of change in my sartorial inclinations.
I've never been attracted to vivid hues and prints like this. I'm not sure what's happening to me, but everything with bold pigmentation is feeling fresh and modern, which makes it all the more of a natural pivot.
Or perhaps it's the never-ending winter that's got me feeling the brights?
How to travel in both comfort and style? This is an age old question that brings many women much grief. The idea that something comfortable can also be chic is lost on a lot of people, but I'm here to tell you that the two are not mutually exclusive.
There's nothing I hate more than seeing people in their pajamas at airports. Traveling by air does not give you a free pass to look unacceptable in public, sorry not sorry. Surely you don't need to be at a sleepwear level of comfortable.
With that said, you do need to keep a few things in mind that pertain to comfort when flying, such as how long your flight is, what it is you have planned upon landing, as well as the weather at both your departure and arrival locations. My personal trick? The same one I use for everything: layers, layers, layers.
For example, the outfit in these photos: I'm wearing a lightweight long sleeve cotton turtleneck under a denim button down with a super versatile leather jacket to cap things off. That meant that I would be warm enough in NYC when leaving, and I could shed a layer in a hot second should it have been a little warmer where I was headed, Los Angeles.
I strategically chose these jeans for their looseness, softness, and comfort, yet cool and chic aesthetic. I wore these boots because they're too bulky and heavy to put in my suitcase, but they're my favorite so I had to bring them.
See, no need for leggings, joggers, or worse, pj pants. Think about all of the above and put together a look of normal daytime clothes instead of loungewear the next time you're headed for the airport.
Consider this an important public service announcement.
My skincare regimen could typically be described as a yo-yo diet. I tend to introduce new products in my routine every week and I'm not bashful about ditching what doesn't give me instant gratification. As a beauty junkie, I feel it's my responsibility to give everything I come across a try. But the truth is, I wasn't really giving certain products a fair shot because I wasn't using them long enough to see results.
So I figured I would do a little experiment: I decided to be consistent with a roster of items that I would apply both in the morning and at nighttime. It's now been almost two months.
My skin has NEVER LOOKED BETTER.
I figured I should report back. No hocus pocus, no bullshit, only all of the wisdom I've acquire through this little trial. Keep reading to get a full breakdown of the situation and every single step I take in both the AM and PM to see how I was able to achieve the miracle of good skin.
A Lay of the Land: My Skin Type
Let's get one thing straight: I've never had great skin. It's not as awful as what some acne-scar sufferers have lived through, but it's always been problematic.
My skin is insanely sensitive, very breakout-prone, has gargantuan pores that are never not clogged, and this has been the state of affairs for as long as I can remember. Since hitting puberty, there's never been a time when I've found my complexion to be at a satisfactory level.
There was even a time in my early twenties when I went on oral acne medication (nothing super strong) because I was breaking out so much. It didn't even work, although I suspect it wasn't compatible with my body chemistry. Anyway, my only saving grace during this period was salicylic acid face wash. Birth control later helped me steer clear of regular breakouts, but things are far from perfect. Not to mention the added complication of *cough* aging *cough*.
The net net about my skin type is that it's normal (versus oily, combination, or dry) but über sensitive and extremely temperamental, resulting in a pretty uneven skin tone. Every product I use has to be really gentle, or else my face lets me know the hard way.
The great thing about my line of work is that I get to try a lot of different products of all types: cleansers, mists, toners, oils, acne treatments, serums, moisturizers, eye creams, you name it. The disadvantage of having a lot to choose from is that I can never really tell if something works since I never use anything for long enough to really understand if it's doing what it's supposed to be doing.
I finally decided that I was going to pick some products and stick with them for a while, and then things started to get really good. It's now been almost 2 months and I've come to report on why I'm finally feeling good about my face.
The Ritual
This involves a total of 20 products. Gasp, I know. I kind of had an OMG moment when I realized that my body absorbs 20 different potions every single day. I mean, that's a lot. I'm likely going against the secret to longevity, but what the hell. Now before you start thinking about how insanely excessive that is, at least they are split up between my morning and nighttime rituals.
I went into this asking myself if keeping things up on a daily basis would prove to be all that it took for a clearer complexion. As it turns out, it did. My skin has literally never looked better.
It's soft, it's brighter than it's ever been, my tone is more even, and I rarely breakout (although my pores are still giant). I'm so impressed with the results and often can't believe that the reflexion I see in the mirror is my own. I've never known what it's like look at myself and be impressed with what my skin looks like.
So because I started my blog and Instagram to share my findings with a community of like-minded women, I decided to make a step-by-step guide so that you, too, can benefit from my experiment.
Below I'll be breaking down every single step of my morning and evening skincare routines, how each product is applied, and where you can get them.
Let's first take a look at what the ensemble cast looks like. Here are all of the products that I've been applying on my face every single day for almost two months:
M O R N I N G
The morning is a really important time to take care of your skin. It's doing something good for yourself as you get going for the day, while also arming it for protection against the elements. An AM regimen serves to prep your skin for makeup application, ensuring that your face is the best canvas it can be.
Here are all of my morning products:
Step 1: Bioderma Micellar Water
I don't like to wash my face in the morning. I have a fear of stripping my skin of its natural flora and to me, a morning wash is overkill. Instead, I first splash my face with water (typically done in my shower), and then give it a swipe with a cotton pad imbibed with Bioderma Micellar Water, which is simply magical. For those who don't know about micellar water, it's essentially a deeply cleansing liquid that can be used as a makeup remover or a toner, or as a cleansing step like I do in the morning. More importantly, it's incredibly gentle and works for every skin type.
Step 2: Lierac Hydragenist Mioisturizing Oxygenation Plumping Morning mist
This is a cool product because it comes out as a mist but it's almost halfway between a liquid and a gel. It's meant to wake up, energize, and plump the skin, which I find to be accurate. I do 2-3 sprays on my face and then gently pat it in, and it dries almost instantly. It also smells divine, so there's that.
Step 3: Fig & Yarrow Day Nutrient Booster Serum
Once my face is dry from the Lierac mist, I do about a pump and a half of the Fig & Yarrow morning serum. It's got tons of really great vitamins in there that help your skin stay in good health. I blend it in gently in upward motions and then pat the rest in lightly to make sure it's well penetrated before the next step.
Step 4: Glossier Super Pure Serum
If I'm breaking out or notice problematic zones, or if I just went to town on my pores (this happens a little more often than I'd like to admit), I use the Glossier Super Pure serum as a spot treatment on those areas. It is super gentle, reduces redness, and makes blemishes disappear. It's absolutely magical and I cannot live without this product.
Step 5: Ole Henriksen Truth Serum
This vitamin c serum is everything your skin is dying for: it's thirst-quenching and will make you glow, hard. Plus it smells like heavenly oranges. I do one pump and start with gentle massaging motions, and end with patting the rest in for complete absorption. This is one of my holy grail products and I can't recommend it enough.
Step 6: Ren Clean Skincare Instant Firming Beauty Shot
I admit that I was skeptical when I started using this product. I first received a sample of it and quickly became addicted. In fact, it was so good that I invested in the full size, which is something that I rarely do—a product really has to wow me to garner a commitment. I apply one drop on my forehead and one on each cheek, and then I dab the serum in all over with my fingertips. It's for plumping and skin prepping, and somehow has helped clear my face. I love this product.
Step 7: Fig & Yarrow Eyebright Coffee Bean Eyecream
The first of my two morning eye creams, this Fig & Yarrow product's main beneficial ingredient is caffeine, which helps to wake up the eyes. I'm prone to dark circles and puffiness if I don't get enough sleep (aka most of the time), and I like to think that this helps me. I dispense a small pump of it for each eye and then lightly rub with my ring fingers, followed by gentle dabs.
Step 8: Marula Beauty Oil 3-in-1 Rejuvenating Eye Treatment
I like making sure that my eye are is well moisturized to be the least welcoming to fine lines, so I follow things up with this rich Marula Beauty treatment. It's great for daytime because it's thick and creamy without being oily and absorbs really well in the skin. I squeeze a little bit out for each eye, dab it in around the area, and then transfer the excess to my forehead or my laugh lines.
Step 9: Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer
Once everything has set (each product has to be absorbed before going to the next step), I rub in some of this cream. I like how lightweight it is, but it can easily flake if you use too much of it. I like to pat it in with my hands to avoid that.
Step 10: Velvet Plush Hydrating Melt
Don't forget your necks, ladies! This balm-like lotion by Velvet is everything my neck has ever wanted. It's super thick yet doesn't leave a weird residue. I scoop a dime-sized dollop and spread it in upward motions all over my neck.
Step 11: Glossier Invisible Shield Sunscreen
Once my moisturizer has been fully absorbed, I grab 2 or 3 pumps of Glossier's sunscreen and apply it all over my face and neck. This is a super important step, especially if you use acid or chemical treatments, even periodically like I do. Sun damage isn't cute.
Here's the ensemble cast once more for the daytime shift:
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E V E N I N G
There's no arguing the importance of a nighttime skincare routine. It's literally what will help you keep your looks as you get older. It's a break for your face from all the environmental attacks it gets during the day, like pollution, smoke, UV rays, your food, etc. While you're catching some zees, your skin makes all of your expensive products work without any distractions. Now that's a powerful thought.
Needless to say there is no skipping this. When I hear about girls going to sleep with their makeup on, I get a knot in my stomach. I cannot stress how important your PM skincare game is.
Without further ado, here's how mine goes:
Step 1: Georgette Klinger Coconut Cleansing Milk
I'm obsessed with the entire Georgette Klinger line, but the coconut cleanser is especially magical. It's soooo gentle and it allows you to skip the makeup remover step, eyes included. Plus the smell makes the heavens part. This product goes on DRY: I use about a quarter size dollop and spread it slightly in my hands, then massage it onto my face. I start with the cheeks and nose, then move to my chin and up to my forehead. I end with my eye area because it becomes black from all the mascara being ousted. I do a gentle rub on my eyes and around there to make sure everything is washed off, and then I rinse with water.
Step 2: Alchemy Holistics In Bloom Hydrating Mist
I use this in lieu of a toner—2 or 3 spritzes of this marvelous mist makes my skin happy. I either let it air dry or pat it in with my hands. The smell is what I imagine is waiting for me in paradise.
Step 3: Fig & Yarrow Night Nutrient Booster Serum
This is the night version of my morning serum. Again, it has all kinds of great properties in there that help boost the health of your complexion. Approximately one and a half pumps gets spread at first, and patted in to finish for full absorption.
Step 4: Glossier Super Pure Serum
Hello again, mythical Super Pure serum. This works especially well overnight, so spot-treatmenting on problem areas before bed will have you waking up clearer, promise.
Step 5: Glossier Super Glow Serum
The Glossier Super Glow serum is my nighttime vitamin c serum, which I quite like. I add about a half dropper in my hand and then rub them both together before patting the liquid into my skin. No rubbing, just patting. It absorbs fairly quickly and will help with anti-oxidation for glowy morning skin.
Step 6: Goldfaden MD Needle-Less Line Smoothing Concentrate with Hyaluronic Acid
My skin cannot get enough of Hyaluronic acid. It's the apex of thirst-quenching. If you have aging skin, Hyaluronic acid is a must for hydration and keeping things plump and healthy-looking. I dispense approximately one and a half pumps of this serum in my hand, rub them both gently together and then pat it all over my face.
Step 7: Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes Dark Circle Radiance Concentrate
Like I mentioned above, I'm prone to dark circles and have a puffy under-eye problem. Such is life, and I absolutely hate it. This Goldfaden MD product is meant to reduce the darkness and I like to think that it's actually helping. I divide about one full pump for both under eyes and dab in the cream with my ring fingers on each side. Side note: using your ring fingers for under-eye application is kind of a big deal because they're your digits with the least strength. That area has the most sensitive and thin skin, and will age the fastest. Treat it like it's tissue paper.
Step 8: Keihl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado
My second eye step is another one of my all-time favorite products: the Kiehl's avocado eye cream. It's soooo rich and creamy, and serves up all of the properties of an avocado: softening, plumping, moisturizing. A few dabs go under each eye, plus a little on my forehead and laugh lines. It's a miracle product.
Step 9: Ole Henriksen Nurture Me Moisturizing Crème
Once all the serums and eye treatments have been administrated, it's time for moisturizing. This is my favorite Ole Henriksen cream. I love it way more than the daytime one. It's thick and creamy without being oily at all, it smells outstanding, and has all of the anti-inflammatory benefits of rose and hibiscus. As soon as it hits your cheeks, you can tell that it's doing great things. I do one dollop on each cheek, on my forehead and chin, and then I gently massage it in. You'll feel how soft it's making your skin as you're applying it.
Step 10: Velvet Plush Hydrating Melt
Back at it again with my neck balm. Same exact process as the morning's step 10.
Step 11: Alchemy Holistics Pumpkin & Carrot Antioxidant Oil
Right before bed and once my cream has been fully absorbed, I dispense about half the dropper of this product in my hand, rub them both together, and pat the oil onto my face. The results are magical. My skin looks 100 times better in the mornings where I've used this oil the night before. It literally makes it radiant. A major game-changer.
Here's the ensemble cast once more for the night shift:
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What I've learned through this process is that consistency is key. I guess it's something I've always suspected, as it's only logical, but now I've proven it to myself: to truly see the benefits of a product, you have to use it on a daily basis for a significant amount of time. If not, you'll never really understand its full potential.
I used to dread going through my skincare routines, especially in the evening. But I've actually learned to take great pleasure in it because it makes me feel like I'm doing something good for myself. Plus once you actually start seeing results, it's doubly encouraging.
Another thing I'd like to add is that to keep my skin healthy and clear, I also get monthly facials, which helps tremendously. I'm a big proponent for masking as well, which I do several times a week. Having good skin is a lot of work for most women (unless you're, like, Kaia Gerber, or have won the genetic lottery), but to me it's an investment that is well worth it. Not to say that things are perfect, though—far from it. I still would never go anywhere important without any BB cream or concealer, although I feel much better than I used to about picking things up at my local bodega on a Saturday morning.
This whole ritual will undoubtedly change as I add new products to my roster, and I already have a lineup of replacements waiting in the wings. People respond differently to certain formulas and it's important to find the ones that work best for you. That said, I wholeheartedly recommend all of the products featured here. They've actually changed my skin for the better.
If you have any questions about skincare, hit me up! I could talk about this stuff all day long.
As we all know, there's nothing groundbreaking about florals for spring, but there's something charming about blooms smack dab in the middle of winter when you're trying to summon spring.
It's strangely uplifting to see petals on pants prior to Mother Nature gracing us with warmer days. It makes me feel good, anyway.
And because we all know my feelings about winter (loathe it), I'm thinking that maybe I should wear florals more often.
If there ever was one good thing about getting older, it's that you get more unapologetic about who you are. You inevitably begin to hone a signature style and no longer become concerned about trends or what others are wearing. Your priority is what you feel best in, what you're most at ease wearing, outfits in which you feel comfortable in your own skin.
I'm sure everyone's experience is different, but this has very much been the case for me. That doesn't mean I don't still have fun with my style and consistently incorporate seasonal updates, but there is a particular silhouette that will forever be my go-to: a loose button-down paired with jeans.
The rest is fair game, like choice of accessories and shoes, but the main event is all about a roomy top for a laissez-faire attitude. I've been at it for most of my adult life and show no signs of giving it up. Even better when it's vintage (this one being from fav Davis Tisdale Vintage).
