Beauty Battle: BLUSH

It's no secret that NARS blush is the darling of the beauty blogosphere, and for good reason. The formula comes in some amazingly potent colors, and the Orgasm collection is flattering on almost every skin tone. However, after using "Orgasm" for a year and then switching to the "Deepthroat" shade for another year, I grew tired of the shimmer and frustrated when the color faded mid-day.

In my search for an alternative, I remembered a convincing post from a while back on A Piece of Toast, in which Sally tried tarte Amazonian Clay blush and raved about its long-lasting wear. I decided to try it for myself in the "Blissful" shade, and I've been nothing short of blown away. The color is perfect for me and lacks the shimmer I felt I had outgrown. Best of all, the color really does stay on for the advertised 12 hours- I still have a nice flush after a long day running around NYC in this tricky transition weather. I also love the range of colors it comes it; I think I'll try "Charisma" later in the summer once I've developed a (safe!) tan.

Travel Essentials

I popped into J.Crew on my way home from work today and stopped dead in my tracks upon seeing this set of travel accessories. J.Crew has always been amazing add mixing neons and neutrals, and I love the electric lemon/lime of this pouch, passport cover, and luggage tag. They're all in classics with a bright twist that would help you spot them at the bottom of your bag or from afar on the baggage carousel. I think I definitely need this set for my upcoming summer abroad!

beauty battle: fragrance

When Jess moved to Paris over the winter, I stopped by Dyptique to get her the parfait going-away present. With my purchase came a small sample of the Tam Dao fragrance, and I instantly fell in love with the scent. I used it sparingly all winter, dying to make it last as long as possible. It's such an interesting unisex fragrance by Daniel Moliere- mostly sandalwood but a little spicy.

I visited Jess in Paris last month, and when she gave me a big hug upon meeting me at the Eiffel Tower, I immediately remarked, "You're wearing Dyptique!" But she wasn't! She said she had just purchased Le Labo Santal 33 and had been wearing it endlessly. We stopped by the Le Labo store alter that day (I was only in Paris for 24 hours...) and I tried some of the scent myself. It smelled so similar to the Tam Dao, but was subtly sweeter. I was torn.

When I got back to the US, I got sample sizes of both fragrances and have been wearing them alternately for the past month. The Le Labo stays on much longer than the Dyptique does, but I can't stay away from the more poignant Tam Dao scent. It just has a little extra oomph that I'm looking for in a signature scent (plus, it costs about $50 less than Santal!).

domaine home

Did you guys ever read Domino Magazine? It was one of my favorite books before it folded a few years ago. I loved the combination of dreamy decor inspiration and practical design advice. Of course, I was way too young to apply these tips to my own space, but I tore out my favorite pages and saved them in a "someday" binder.

Now, there's a new interior mecca on the interwebs, and it seems like the perfect way to evolve my decor inspiration. Domaine Home is the brainchild of WhoWhatWear editors (and ultimate entrepreneurial inspirations of mine) and takes home design to a chic new level. The site is well-organized, and its Pinterest makes saving my favorites way easier than my old tear-and-store method.

all images via Domaine Pinterest

Summer Plans

I am so, so happy to say that I will be spending the majority of the summer living in Tel Aviv! It was a long planning process, and a decision that I was not always 100% sure about, but now that the details are finalized, I couldn't be more excited! 

I've taken a few trips to Israel, most recently this past January, and it continues to be an interesting and importantly place for me. The thought of living in the Middle East for two months sounds a little scary, but I've lived on my own in a foreign country before, and I will have a strong safety and support system with me in Israel. 

The most exciting part is that I will be interning at- surprise, surprise- a skin care company while I'm there. Obviously, beauty and skin care is a world I'm really passionate about, and the company for which I'll be working uses Dead Sea minerals and tons of healthy, natural ingredient in their products. I'm really looking forward to learning about their approach to healthy skin while helping them in the office. 

I'll be leaving for Israel in June and staying until the end of the summer. Senior year/school/the real world will be waiting for me when I return, so I'm focused on getting the most out of this experience as I possibly can, by pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and opening my mind to rewarding experiences in the making!

If you have any suggestions at all for making the most of a summer spent abroad, living in the Middle East, or assimilating to Israeli culture in general, I'd love to hear! Thank you!

Peter Thomas Roth: Instant Mineral SPF

Behold: the answer to my prayers. 

My skin has been going through some changes lately- all through adolescence I had dry, painfully sensitive skin, but now I can't go through half a day without blotting the oil from my t-zone. I have also become much more conscious of protecting my skin from the sun over the past two years, which has resulted in the complicated procedure of reapplying SPF throughout the day. I needed a way to reduce the shine and reinforce sun protection, but I couldn't figure out a way to do so without completely rewashing my face and reapplying sunscreen. Nope, not about that life.

Enter Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 30. It's a translucent sun protectant powder that combats both UVA and UVB rays and soaks up any shine I may get throughout the day. Even better: the brush is small enough to fit in my regular "catch all" cosmetic bag that holds hand sanitizer, a mirror, mints, etc. I couldn't think of a more perfect product to welcome summer with!

** On an unrelated note, it has come to my attention that my online identity has recently been compromised. If you have received any uncharacteristic comments from my email or IP address, please rest assured that they were not created by me. I am looking into a solution to this problem, but I hope those who read this blog know that I have nothing but the best intentions as a part of this blogging community, and would never do or say anything to bring someone else down. Thank you. **

image via 

Beauty Battle: Serum

When it comes to skincare, the product I am always most interested in is serum. I was first introduced to the extra step through my dermatologist, when he suggested Rhonda Allison Drops of Essence. Since then, I have seriously enjoyed experimenting with serums of different ingredients, viscosities, fragrances, and touted benefits. That's why I was so pumped when Clarins introduced their Double Serum, which combines two different formulas to supposedly halt the aging process. The insane online media coverage didn't hurt my enthusiasm, either.

However, when I finally bit the bullet and dropped the $90 for the supposed wonder-serum, I was seriously disappointed. The packaging is super misleading, and the product actually made me breakout soon after I started using it. Also, it's important to me that my serum leaves me skin feeling quenched even before I apply my moisturizer, but the Double Serum seemed to make my skin feel oddly dryer.

Once I run out of the Double Serum, I plan to return to a product I used most of last year- Aesop's Parsley Seed Serum. This serum is full of vitamins and antioxidants, and leaves my skin dewey after application. The dropper allows me to use the perfect amount without wasting (something I've never sure of with the Double Serum), and- super importantly- it lasted me about six whole months. So, if you're looking for a serum that delivers excellent skincare benefits and is worth the (not even ridiculous) price tag, I strongly suggest Aesop over Clarins.