Wintertime Skincare Swap-out

With the change of seasons, comes the change of skincare. The cooler drier climate of winter can be harsh on skin, but with the right products its the perfect time to nourish it. I love to use oils, balms and heavier lotions to seal in moisture during the dry season. My absolute essentials for winter include the Face Oil from Little Barn Apothecary and Weleda's Skin Food. I also like to do a weekly mask (which I sleep in overnight) with a serum underneath (both from Tracie Martyn). Not neglecting eyes or lips, I use products specific to their delicate skin to keep them supple and happy. I'm loving the eye cream from Circ Cell and BeautyCoutner's Lip Balm. Finally, I consciously up my water intake and make hot water with fresh lemon throughout the day to stay warm and hydrated. What changes do you make moving into winter?

Book & Beauty Review: Euphoria by Lily King

When checking out at my local book store, the sales attendant said that Euphoria was a great escape. I liked the sound of that. I often read novels to escape into other worlds- letting my imagination take over and paint a picture to the corresponding words on the page. Not only is Euphoria set in a different time period (the early 1930s) but it was also cast in a completely foreign (to me) part of the world... the secluded tribal lands of New Guinea. Definitely all the makings for an escapism novel. Clap. Clap. 

BOOK REVIEW: EUPHORIA BY LILY KING

When you first step into the world of Euphoria, it is hard to know who is guiding you. Who is speaking? From what view are you being introduced to the characters you will soon know so intimately? This becomes one of the things I like most about Euphoria. You gain perspective about personalities and events through multiple narrators, and it adds depth to the story. 

You also fall in love with the lady lead, Nell Stone, almost immediately. A self-made woman who has had a successful start to her career as an anthropologist with a best-selling book and enough grant money to fund her expeditions. Smart, beautiful and American, Nell has built a reputation that proceeds her. Her only downfall is that she married an idiot. Enter Schyuler Fenwick, an Aussie anthropologist who is severely jealous of his wife's success and exhibits his inferiority by overpowering her across all areas. He's an ass, and as the story unfolds there are no redeeming qualities. 

Luckily, there is one more anthropologist in their relative area. A gentleman named Andrew Bankson from Liverpool. Bankson brings sensitivity, intelligence and relatable humanness to the story. 

In an isolated area with three anthropologist dedicated to work that at times feels crucial and then questionable at best, we escape into the intricacies of human relations (both between the Westerners and the tribal people) with poetic conversation at times and profound realizations that can't help but touch the reader. The result is a deeply satisfying read that stays with you days after you've read the last sentence. Proof of a true escape. 

beauty review

Most of the book takes place on the remote island of New Guinea, casting a tropical radiance of dew and heat. Living amongst the indigenous tribes, life is simple and boiled down to Western luxuries as common as a cup of tea or a cigarette. Leading lady Nell Stone seems to have a subtle beauty that grows as you get to know her. Unconcerned with makeup or even the scary-looking wounds from a recent expedition, she is relaxed and any glow she gives off is her own. 

Inspired by our fearless anthropologist, we can construct a look that captures an innate luminosity with balanced enhancement. For this look, less is more. 

1. Start with a clean face. Mix face oil with foundation and apply evenly to face (including the eyelids). Use a touch more foundation where needed to cover spots or any redness. The oil helps hydrate the face and gives off a slightly dewy effect.

2. Using a goldish- coppery shadow, blend onto eyelids from lashline up to socket crease. Use a brush to blend away any lines.

3. Apply a creme blush to apples of cheeks and blend outward towards ears, and down into the hallow of the cheek. 

4. Apply a light layer of lip stain to lips in an imperfect way (going slightly outside the natural edges of the lips) for a more full effect. Blot off with a tissue, and add a layer of clear lip balm for shine and moisture.

5. Finally, apply a light layer of mascara to lashes- taking care to separate lashes for a more natural and bright-eyed look.

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ECO EDITORIAL: A GREEN BEAUTY MAGAZINE

For those who are actively engaged in the eco beauty and fashion scene, you will recall the emergence of A Green Beauty... first as a blog, then an online e-zine. But now, we have the luxury of thumbing through the recycled pages of A Green Beauty the print magazine (available online and at your local Whole Foods). Amazing! As an author with a book out there, something shifted inside me, and instead of devouring everything in a digital medium, I found a new respect and love for print. I was beyond thrilled when the Editor in Chief of A Green Beauty, Mara Schiavetti, asked me to pose for a feature in her first print edition. 

As you can tell, I am a fan! And, I am a HUGE fan of this publication existing in print- where I can collect each edition and stack them in my archives for future reference (like Nat Geo for eco fashion!).

For the full feature on Wear No Evil in this edition of A Green Beauty  or order a print copy online. 

(photo credit: the amazing Jason Lasswell)

ECO OUTFIT: BLACK ON BLACK ON BLACK (WITH A SIDE OR PURPLE)

No matter how hard I try, I always seem to end up with quite a lot of black in my wardrobe. Maybe it is the after effects of having lived in NYC for over five years, or just what comes with the territory when you have to live out of a suitcase for more than three weeks... Either way, I stumble upon completely black ensembles and feel pretty darn good in them! Luckily, a new wardrobe investment in the form of shoes from Tokyo provided a hint of color of the purple/ maroon variety. 

SWEATSHIRT TEE (similar to this sweatshirt), Reformation #upcycled

MOTTO JACKET, The Sway NYC #upcycled

WIDE BRIM FEDORA, Rag & Bone #madeinUSA #naturalfibers

AMERICANA DECK FOLK SHOES, Visvim #handmade

ECO OUTFIT: OUT AND ABOUT IN OSAKA

With just one day in Osaka, we toured the various neighborhoods and discovered that Osaka is the secondhand fashion capital of the world! Never have I seen so many re-sale shops with racks and shelves of designer goods all in pristine condition, available for a fraction of their original retail price. The Japanese are way ahead of the rest of us in this area. They take such good care of their items and have no negative stigma around buying designer goods secondhand. I can't recommend enough a stopover in Osaka for some secondhand shopping. Plus, they just opened Harry Potter World there too!  Oh- and the Osaka Aquarium is an absolute must!

TOP & SHERRY SHORTS (worn as a romper), Amour Vert  #madeinUSA #naturalfibers 

CHAMBRAY SHIRT (similar to one shown), Chinti & Parker, $215 #ethicallymade #naturalfibers #CO2neutral 

TOCCI SANDAL (similar to ones shown), Calleen Cordero, $255 #vegetabledyed #madeinUSA 

ST LUIS BAG, Goyard #investmentpiece