Turtleneck Kinda Gal

 

Turtle Neck - H&M (get it here), Skirt - H&M (here), Shoes Mango (similar here), Clutch - Forever 21, Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch (here)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I spent mine in LA with my family and friends and it was absolutely amazing--I even learned how to make my mom's famous turkey! Since we were in LA, I wanted to take the opportunity to take some pictures at the beautiful Los Encinos State Historic Park, it is a little gem hidden in the middle of a residential neighborhood. We strolled around the park and took some pictures before heading to dinner. It was a beautiful day, a little chilly but not enough to need a coat. Ever since I was little, I've been kinda obsessed with turtlenecks and at one point I had a pretty extensive collection. I still love them but it is getting harder to find the right fit and fabric, but the one I'm wearing is from H&M and is so comfy, perfect for chilly nights. Hope you enjoyed the outfit and happy December! I love this time of year, I pretty much sing Christmas music all the way up until Christmas and it drives everyone around me crazy...does anyone else do this?

xoxo,Grace

The Perfect Fall Booties

Red Sweater - Gap, Floral Dress - Gossip Boutique (similar here), Booties - BCBG Aries Boot (on sale now!), Crossbody Bag - Lucky Brand

I finally found my perfect pair of fall booties and the best part? They were on sale! You can still get them online at Nordstrom's (click the link above if you're interested).  I wore them out for my weekend errands and I can safely say that these boots are pretty darn comfy. I love pairing cozy bright sweaters over little summer dresses for the fall as I think they perfectly compliment each other. And since the weather hasn't gotten too cold, I can still manage to wear dresses and skirts, but probably not for a whole lot longer :(.   I can't believe in a few days it will be Thanksgiving! My husband and I (and our doggies) will be heading down to LA to be with our families and I seriously cannot wait. My mom's turkey, grandma's mashed potatoes, my green beans and bacon, pumpkin pie...is it sad that I'm already daydreaming about stuffing my face? 

What are your Thanksgiving favorites?

Hope you enjoyed!

xoxo, Grace

The Best Skin Care Products for Glowing Skin--The Natural Way

Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub // Caudalie Beatuy Elixir // Caudalie Radiance Serum // Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre // Josie Maran Argan Oil // Algenist Eye Cream // Dr.Bronner's Lavender Soap Bar // Strawberry Rosebud Salve // EOS Lip Balm // Aveeno Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 // Weleda Skin Food // Organic Coconut Oil

My take on skin care is simple, easy and I do my best to use natural products. I try to stay away from parabens, phthalates, PEG's, fragrances, silicones, etc. I used to think that slathering a ton of different products was going to achieve the best results but boy was I wrong!  Not only did it end up clogging my pores, but all the harmful ingredients in today's skin care products was wreaking havoc on my skin. So I decided to stop buying a lot of the the harmful products out there, and replace them with natural, skin nourishing ingredients that actually worked.  A good resource for finding out about natural brands and products would be Paige Padgett, she really knows her stuff! Read on to find out more about the products mentioned above and why I love them. 

 A good scrub to exfoliate dead skin cells off is absolutely necessary and I found this facial scrub to be a life saver--it plumps your skin, leaves it super soft and-- bonus point: it smells like pumpkin pie! I always see the Caudalie Beauty Elixir mentioned in magazines and being hailed by models and make-up artists as a "must have," and they're not kidding, you can spray it directly on your face as a toner.  I have some old acne scarring and I found that this radiance serum is light, natural, and effective, without the scary ingredient: hydroquinone that is in a lot of lightening and scar fading creams/serums.  Also seen in countless magazines and backstage fashion shows, is the classic and beloved facial moisturizer--Embryolisse Lait Creme, which is massively used by French women (and we know the French know their stuff when it comes to skincare), smells incredible and leaves your skin feeling smooth, silky and dare I say--like buttaa. Seriously, you will be a convert for life. Josie Maran Argan Oil is amazing to use not only on your skin but also on your hair, lips and cuticles. My favorite eye cream is not the most natural, but it is formulated without parabens (and that is very important to me) and it is the ONLY one I've found that actually helps with dark circles. Dr.Bronner's soap bar is a classic and as pure as you can get with the ingredient list--did I mention it smells amazing? Rosebud salve in strawberry and the EOS lip balms are my go to's for soft, smooth lips. I've been using this daily moisturizer for day time since my college days--it just works for my skin and its cheap. This body cream is the best! It hydrates, nourishes, leaves a sexy sheen, and smells incredible--not so cheap but it is amazing and you need it in your life, trust me. And last but not least--coconut oil (organic, unrefined) I won't go into all of its uses since there are so many, but I use it as a hair mask, body moisturizer and face moisturizer--it leaves your skin so supple and glowing.
Hope you found this helpful and let me know if you have any questions!
xoxo, Grace

Leopard

My little Lucy, she's a Bichon Frise and is just about the cutest fluff ball you'll ever see.  She's seriously so funny and makes us laugh every day!

Leopard Romper - Forever21 (this one is super cute too!), Blazer - Banana Republic (similar here), Shoes - Franco Sarto (almost the exact pair), Bag - Lucky Brand 

This weekend my husband and I headed down to a little town called Solvang for some browsing and good food.  Solvang is a popular tourist destination and with good reason since it is basically a  tiny slice of Europe nestled into the hills of the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley. The town is full of little shops, bakeries wine tasting and is super dog-friendly, with beautiful parks, walking areas and even dog-friendly restaurants.  We had a delicious lunch at one of my favorite places,  Fresco Valley Cafe. They even have a doggy menu! We ordered a grilled (unseasoned) chicken breast for our dogs and needless to say they were ecstatic.  Anyways, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to wear this leopard romper considering the weather was sunny and warm.  Rompers are ideal for summer more so than fall, but you can still wear them comfortably with a little blazer or jacket to keep warm from the cool breeze at night. You could even pair them with tights, add a scarf and some cute flats and you're set to go! Hope you enjoyed!

xoxo, Grace