My Autumn/Winter Inspiration

I have to be honest, it hasn’t really felt much like Fall the past couple of months in California, and I’m beyond ready for sweater weather. Despite Fall and Winter being my favorite seasons, mainly because they involve lots of family time, cozying up at home and celebrating my favorite holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas), I also far prefer Fall fashion to Summer fashion. A big part of that comes down to the fact that we never have particularly hot summers in San Francisco, and I have never had to become accustomed to dressing for the heat, and therefore I have always found my groove when I’m dressing for the cold, it just comes far more naturally to me. So much of what is inspiring me this Fall/Winter is pretty standard, that is to say I don’t see myself straying too far from sweater/jeans combo most days, but I am finding that I have been drawn to different textures and colors this year more than ever. As soon as October rolls around, I’m usually the first person to start wearing all-black outfits, however this year, I’ve been much more drawn to the lighter side of the color spectrum, but still keeping things autumnal. Shades of beige and burnt orange are definitely what I find myself gravitating towards this season. Also incorporating more “winter whites” or mores- “winter beiges” based looks with really nice, luxe-looking textures have been far more interesting to me than the all-black outfits I’m usually drawn to.

Things I'm Looking Forward To This Autumn

If you couldn’t tell by now, I’m incredibly excited for the upcoming change of seasons.There are, of course, all the really clichéd things about autumn that I’m beyond excited for like going to a pumpkin patch, drinking cider, and crisp weather, but more than anything I’m excited about the mental shift that I always have during fall. I just feel so much more in my element from September to November, way more than I do during the summer. I always feel as though the fall and winter are my most productive times of the year because I can really hunker down and get shit done.

Higher Productivity ~ As I’ve mentioned before, I am always so much more productive during the autumn. Part of it has to do with the fact that I have spent the better part of my life in school and my brain is so used to being on vacation mode during summer and being ready to get down to business come September. My productivity is also hugely effected by the weather; whenever it is sunny, my productivity goes completely out the window, mostly because I feel inclined to be outside and soak up some Vitamin D. However, when it’s cold and gloomy, I am far more inclined to put my head down and get to work. I also have a lot of seasonally-based content that I am planning for the fall and winter, especially focused around outfits and fashion, which I am so much more excited about than summer-based content.

A Staycation ~ I haven’t been on a proper break all summer long and I really haven’t had more than a few days here and there to really switch off. Luckily, I have a family stay-cation planned later in October, which I am so excited about, especially because it’s going to be exactly what I need before the insanity of the holiday season begins. A bunch of my family is going to Monterey, which is a place very near and dear to me, for a long weekend and I’m so excited to be around my favorite people and just relax. It’s not going to be like some luxury vacation in Europe, but I would take family time over some extravagant vacation any day. It’ll be so nice to get away from San Francisco and my day-to-day routine for just a few days.

Evenings In with Friends ~ With the days getting shorter and shorter, I feel less inclined to go out with friends after work for drinks and instead opt for more casual evenings in just drinking wine at someone’s apartment. It just so happens that a lot of my friends either just have moved or are about to move, so everyone is very much in the nesting mindset and want to spend time at home. I’ve already had so many fun nights just hanging out with friends in our own apartments, and there’s something about it that just feels so adult and grown-up. As much as I will always love a good dive bar, there’s something about hanging out with your friends at your home that always feels so much nicer and more relaxed than going out.

Halloween & Thanksgiving ~ One of the major reasons why I love autumn so much is because my favorite holidays fall during the season, namely Halloween and Thanksgiving. They’ve been my favorite holidays for as long as I can remember, and I think that’s mainly because my family has always had very solid traditions around both days. My parent’s neighborhood always is packed with Trick-or-Treaters, and one of the best things about Halloween is seeing all of the decorations on the surrounding houses and giving out candy to all the adorable little kids dressed up in their costumes! I’m also incredibly excited for Thanksgiving this year for two reasons. First off, my friends and I have planned to do our first Friendsgiving, which will hopefully the first of many! Secondly, Brad and I are going to be spending Thanksgiving with his family this year, which I am very excited for! We spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family last year, and it will be so nice to get to visit more with his family over the holidays this year!

Skincare Products I'm Switching Into My Routine For A/W 2017

Every Autumn without fail my skin does a nose dive into serious dryness and sensitivity. Not only is this odd because I generally have very well behaved skin the rest of the year, besides the odd hormonal breakout, but also because I don't live in a particularly cold or harsh climate. It's as if my skin has an internal clock, realizes its October and decides to deplete itself of all moisture. I jest, I jest. I know there is nothing scientifically accurate about that statement, but because my skin tends to freak out from October through February I have to insert extra products into my routine in order to keep my skin in check. 

The most recent addition to my Autumn/Winter skincare routine is the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, which is an exfoliating mask that you leave on the skin for 3-5 minutes to get rid of any dull or dead skin. Not only does this mask smell like you're slathering a pumpkin pie on your face (I don't know about you but that sounds incredible to me), but it is extremely effective at removing dead skin without irritating. The mask does make my face sting a bit when I first apply it, which is totally normal since that is the acid doing it's job. (I always follow the Caroline Hirons rule: burning is bad, stinging is good). My skin does look a bit red after using this, but that calms down pretty fast. I always do this mask at night, and without fail, whenever I wake up the next morning my skin looks and feels pretty incredible (if I do say so myself). 

Glossier's Super Bounce Serum is in my skincare rotation year-round but come October, it becomes my most-used serums. The hyaluronic acid in the serum really helps my skin absorb moisture better and just generally look and feel less dry and dehydrated. I love using this in the morning underneath my daily moisturizer just to give an added boost of hydration. I am definitely curious to try The Ordinary's version of this serum, since it is a fraction of the price, but for now I'll be sticking with the Glossier offering since I know that it works so incredibly well. 

The ultimate "comforter" in my A/W skincare routine is by far the Pai Rosehip Seed Regenerate Oil. This oil seriously does everything, from helping with hyperpigmentation, to hydrating, to calming down aggravated skin. I use this oil almost every night during the winter because it always "resets" my skin. No matter how awful it is feeling or looks, this oil always makes my skin feel and look much healthier and hydrated. I would definitely recommend this to those who suffer with acne-prone skin (who often have oily skin) as well, because it really helps to heal existing breakouts. 

Last but certainly not least is the La Roche Posay Cicablast Baume B5, which is definitely the meatiest "skin fixer" in my routine. This stuff works on both the face and the body to repair really dry, irritated skin. I usually have a few instances over the course of the colder month where I have small patches of eczema on my face and this stuff works great to soothe the irritation as well as hydrate the effected area. If my lips are extremely dry and cracked I will also use this on them to get them back to normal. 

What are your skincare essentials for Autumn and Winter?