September 2015
Monthly Archive
September 16, 2015
FLOWERS THAT HANG FROM THE CEILING
How can a ceiling covered in flowers not wow you? Crystal chandeliers complete the glamorous effect of this lush indoor inverted garden. Use the same concept over a dance floor, head table or ceremony site.
THE PERFECT FLORAL ARCH
The arch is a focal point of any ceremony, so make it something to stare at. And there’s nothing quite like a flower-covered trellis to do just that. Hanging crystals and cascading vines create a pretty backdrop for photos. Play with color and floral varieties to make it work for any season or setting.
ALL WHITE EVERYTHING
There’s something so timeless about a clean and crisp all-white reception. Use height, texture and lighting in your centerpieces to create depth. This will make your flowers stand out — even against a monochromatic background
OBSESSION WITH OMBRE
The ombre trend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s made its mark on almost every wedding element, from invitations to cakes and even dresses. This look works best on long tables, so you can really see the slight variation between each shade. You can stick to one flower type, like roses or hydrangeas, to really make the colors pop, but feel free to do whatever types of flowers you love!
FLORAL WALLS
Flower-covered walls are the next big thing in wedding flower decor. And why not? This idea pulls double-duty as both a ceremony and photo booth backdrop. It’s also a great way to bring the outdoors in if you’re saying “I do” in a ballroom setting.
HAPPY PLANNING!
xo
September 14, 2015
BEAUTY MUST-HAVE: A CLEAR STICKER THAT MAKES ACNE DISAPPEAR
Spot-treating blemishes has never been a discreet or on-the-go act. The whole process, of having to commit to a night spent with pink or white drying lotion dotting your face and flaking on your pillow just to shrink a pimple in a day’s time, was in desperate need of an upgrade. Thankfully, it’s finally gotten one—in potent sticker form. Tear open a sheet of the treatment dots and peel them off like you would those old-school Candy Buttons, then slap them anywhere you have acne or feel inflammation brewing and leave on for eight hours. The patch locks the salicylic acid, tea tree oil and hyaluronic acid in and delivers it deeper into your skin to fight flare-ups faster than traditional methods.
My only caveat, what makes those ugly pink drying spot treatments so effective is the sulfer and other ingredients that all the other acne shelf products don’t contain. Bottom line, if salicylic acid works for you, this is a genius product. Personally it does nothing for my skin. Everyone is different!
Peter Thomas Roth Acne-Clear Invisible Dots, $30, sephora.com.
BEAUTY MUST-HAVE: AN INTOXICATING FLORAL SUGAR SCRUB
I fall in love with a lot of body scrubs, it’s true, but I’m not being hyperbolic when I call each one “the best.” The thing is, they all satisfy different needs: This one wakes me up in the morning like no other beauty product can, plus its cleansing agents eliminate the need for body wash; This one does the work of a spa-grade service and is my go-to before self-tanner application. And when I want a heady dose of perfume along with my exfoliation, I reach for & Other Stories Floral Memento Body Scrub. “Dusty violets settling among bergamot trees and peony dreams” is the poetic scent description given; to me, it smells like hundreds of delicate flower petals have been muddled into a vat of sugar. It’s so intoxicating that I find myself using it just as much as a calming aromatherapy treatment outside the shower, opening it just to breathe in deeply.
& Other Stories Floral Memento Body Scrub, $15,
stories.com.
BEAUTY MUST-HAVE: THE BEST EXFOLIATOR FOR SOFT, SMOOTH, LINE-FREE LIPS
Dedicated lip scrub—if I had to guess—is not something most people have in their showers or medicine cabinets. Lip exfoliation just isn’t talked about the way body or face exfoliation is; you probably just grab a cheap toothbrush or washcloth and rub it against any flakiness in the winter or when your lipstick isn’t going on smoothly. And that’s fine, but once you find a really great lip scrub—one that has just the right mix of gritty, grainy texture and softening oiliness, plus smells and tastes so good you won’t be able to help eating a little of it (and that will be okay because it’s made with natural ingredients)—you’ll wonder how you ever went without it. Sara Happ’s is that one. I’ve been using her scrubs almost daily for years and every time I run out, I feel anxious, like a key step in my routine has been thrown out of whack. Peony, the newest flavor, is the first that isn’t fruity or sweetly gourmand—it just might be my favorite.
BEAUTY MUST-HAVE: THE BEST-SMELLING TEXTURE SPRAY
For the last few months, I’ve been on a quest to get those perfectly gritty, textured, model off-duty waves without ever taking a curling wand to my head. For a while, I was going to sleep with two pigtails and unwinding them in the morning, but too often it led to weird kinks and cowlicks. Sleeping in a French braid gave better results, but a little too much volume up top. Then, I made the breakthrough tweak: Instead of pulling my hair back and beginning to braid back from the top, I part it down the center and start the French braid at ear level, mist it with Oribe Thick Dry Finishing Spray and wake up to rumpled waves that start at just the right place and hold all day. It sounds like nothing, but I’ve never gotten so many compliments on my hair.
The thing with Oribe is this: Editors rave about it constantly for a reason—it really is one of the best. And though the signature scent alone has a cult following, so much that there’s a perfume version, it’s just too overwhelming for me. So when I ran out of it recently, I decided to hold off on replacing it and instead try every other dry shampoo and texture spray in the beauty closet. The clear winner was Toni & Guy’s Matt Texture Dry Shampoo. First, it sprays on 100% clear—something many promise, few deliver. Second, it does the oil-absorbing, hair-refreshing work of a dry shampoo, but also creates the tousled, messy texture you get from a great salt spray. Finally, the scent is so clean and light and citrus-y that it really, truly does make your hair smell freshly washed days later. The true sign? I spray it on like crazy at the office and instead of complaining of headaches, everyone comes over to borrow it.
Toni & Guy Casual Matt Texture Dry Shampoo, $15, target.com. -MarieClaire
September 10, 2015
. . . another week and so far, my thoughts are filled with romance, soft pastel colors, bundles of tulle, billowy clouds and late-summer rain. Evenings spent with family and friends while we say our bittersweet farewells to the last days of summer . . .
Wishing you an enchanting week, overflowing with beautiful things, before inspirations of fall abound.
xo
September 8, 2015
Posted by Katy Davis under
Life,
Makes me smile
1 Comment
I hope that your holiday weekend was filled to the brim with celebration and tons of laughter. Mine was spent with my beautiful twin cousins, Angii and Mandy. There was talk about the past, the present, and so many other lovely things; beautiful late night dinners and early morning breakfasts, there were in-depth makeup lessons, followed by a cool, sunlit shopping experience and a stop by my favorite restaurant for lunch and frozen gelato — just to name a few of our fabulous weekend activities!
“Let us read and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world”
– Voltaire
Saturday night was dancing – in our prettiest dresses and highest heels – under a chandelier lit canopy of lights that illuminated grass-covered walls and gorgeous decor… We danced the night away, amongst smiles and laughter; a feeling of magic in the air, as we were swept away by the music, new friends and the most spectacular rooftop garden. It was an unforgettable night! A special thank you to my cousins, who are both newly married and chose to leave their men at home to come wing-man this single girl! Now that’s true love! 😉
Remember, there is always time to put on your prettiest skirt and twirl around to your favorite song. Even if you’re all alone. Never stop dancing, it keeps you young!
xo
September 4, 2015
Today’s gorgeous images swept me away and inspired me to put them all together in one beautiful and romantic post. Inspired by my favorite color combination — soft blush and striking black — it includes all things feminine, black and white polka dots, sweet and sexy lingerie, as well as flower embellished martinis; almost too beautiful to drink.
“Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak” – Rachel Zoe
“To create something exceptional, your mindset must be relentlessly focused on the smallest detail.” – Giorgio Armani
This weekend marks the last holiday of summer, from swimming pools and days at the beach to dinners outdoors, we say goodbye to sunlit days and warm summer nights. And so, before we wrap ourselves in cosy knits and search for tall leather boots hidden in the back of the closet, may your weekend be a beautiful whirl of celebration, for the end of summer is upon us. Wishing you a perfect one.
xo
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