Simple Joys | Summer 2019

~ Long walks in Golden Gate Park on a hot day

~ Random trips to get ice cream at night

~ Seeing our plants sprout new leaves

~ Listening to records early in the morning on the weekends

~ Drinking a strong cup of coffee with oat milk in bed

~ Looking out our living room window to a wall of greenery

~ Finishing a book a week, three weeks straight

~ Foggy, early morning walks

~ Spending a Sunday afternoon cooking dinner

~ Getting multiple rolls of film back from the developer

~ Writing in my journal with zero expectations

~ Looking forward and planning for our trips this Fall

Skincare Routine | Summer 2018

Even though we don't have much in the way of seasons in Northern California, I feel the need to switch up my skincare every few months to address the fact that my skin somehow reacts to the changing of the seasons even when those changes aren't all that drastic. Because I'm such a product junkie, switching up my routine every once and awhile just gets me excited and feels like a small act of self-care. I'm always pretty stream-lined about my skincare routine, but during the summer months it generally becomes even more streamlined, mainly because my skin doesn't need as much during the warmer months. 

When it comes to cleansing I generally stick to the same Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser for both morning and night, it's just so easy and basic that I don't see myself needing or wanting to try another cleanser any time soon. For my morning routine, post-cleansing I will do a light spritz of the Heritage Store Rosewater, which feels amazing especially on hotter summer days. I just started using the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Fluide Emulsion, which is a super lightweight but hydrating moisturizer, as I wanted something a tad lighter weight than my usual daily moisturizer: Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich. I like this moisturizer a lot because it's light enough to use under SPF and not end up feeling like your skin is being weighed down by a lot of heavy product. Speaking of SPF, I've been using the Glossier Invisible Shield on a daily basis, mainly because it is so lightweight and comfortable to wear. If I'm having a day where I find myself more in the sun, I use the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid SPF 70, because it's a bit more heavy-duty and the SPF is higher (although I still make sure to reapply constantly!). Last but not least is the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream, which is lightweight enough to be used under makeup. I'm not too sure how well this has been working in terms of brightening my under eye area (mainly because my dark circles are genetic), but it is a nice eye cream in terms of the texture and its ability to moisturize. 

My nighttime routine is still pretty simple, but I add in a couple of extra steps just to make it feel a bit more relaxing. Because I wear SPF on a daily basis, double cleansing is super important in making sure that my skin is clean of any and all product I used during the day. I use the Clinique Take The Day Off Balm and then follow up with the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser as my second, more lightweight cleanse. Depending on how my skin is feeling I will use an array of different products for specific skin concerns I need to address. If I have any active breakouts, my go-to is the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, I've used this solidly for the last four years or so and it works like a charm at clearing most kinds of breakouts. About every other night I will use the Glossier Solution, which is an acid exfoliant. I do like Solution, however I'm not sure if I will repurchase in the future, mainly because it didn't wow me (P50 here I come!). If my skin is feeling at all fragile, or I have residual spots that towards the end of the healing process, I use the Pai Rosehip Regenerate Oil, which is one of the best face oils if you have sensitive skin or are just new to the world of face oils in general. Finally, every night I use the Kiehls Midnight Recovery Eye Treatment under my eyes and the Drunk Elephant La La Retro Whip Face Cream as my evening moisturizer.

What I Want To Be Wearing This Spring

I've been talking about how much the weather has sent me into a wardrobe rut, as I think it does for most people. Now that I can happily say we are fully in spring here in California, I have been re-assessing my wardrobe and taking in lots of inspiration in the hopes that I can perfect my spring/summer wardrobe. Especially since I'm more of a fan of cold-weather clothes, I find it hard to be really inspired by spring/summer collections, but with the winter this year lasting so long, I'm fully committed to having a really good warm-weather wardrobe. 

As part and parcel of not being a huge warm-weather person, I do feel a renewed sense of adding pieces that will get me out of my comfort zone (ahem vintage jeans and a t-shirt) and hopefully get me to experiment more with different shapes and fabrics. One of the most glaring examples of this that I can think of is injecting more non-denim trousers into my wardrobe. I wear denim almost every single day without fail, but that's a habit I want to get out of for spring. I'm definitely not saying I won't be wearing denim full stop, but I do think incorporating different styles of pants will make a huge impact on the kinds of silhouettes I wear.

Whenever it gets to be the spring-time I tend to gravitate towards a much more feminine aesthetic, whereas my fall/winter wardrobe is far more menswear inspired. When I was having a closet clear-out recently, I noticed that there's a big hole in my wardrobe for more feminine tops and shoes. I gravitate a lot towards sweaters and cotton t-shirts for my top half and, for shoes, I love loafers and boots. However, for the spring time that combination can look a little too heavy. I really want to invest more in a few feminine blouses, especially wrap tops, since I think they are one of the most flattering shapes, and still look incredible with a pair of vintage jeans. For shoes, I've been hugely drawn to slingbacks, because even though they're still flats they look far more feminine than a loafer or a basic slide. 

Last, but certainly not least I want to touch on my intense, newfound love of linen. I've been seeing lots of images of linen clothes floating around Instagram and Pinterest and I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something about it that just looks so effortless and cool. I bought this linen shirt from Everlane a couple of weeks ago and it has quickly become one of my favorite shirts. Not only is linen extremely pretty, but it's also easy to take care of, which makes it that much more enticing to wear for the warmer months. I will definitely be keeping an eye on some good linen pieces for the upcoming seasons. Who knows, a pair of linen pants might even be in the cards!