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

The Sheer Blouse

 

 

Jeans - Target (Old), Floral Blouse - Target, Cardigan - Express, Belt - American Eagle, Boots - Aldo (similar here and here)

I wish I were the kind of person that plans out their outfits for work the night before but truth be told, I'm not.  And while I like to dress up for work, some days the best I can do is not show up in my PJs! When I'm rushing to get out the door, my morning consists of frantically trying to figure out what to do with my hair, scrambling to pack a decent lunch and staring at the clock wondering how in the heck I have only 5 min to get out the door! All the while my dogs are playing an endless game of chase and chewing on some form of furniture (or expensive throw pillows) sooo I usually wind up in a combination of jeans, a sheer blouse, flat shoes and any sweater/cardigan I can find. Sheer, flowy blouses are essential to me because they can dress up your jeans and are just plain comfy.  And I usually find a lot of my sheer blouses at Target or H&M for great prices.  Hope you enjoyed and thank you for stopping by!

xoxo, Grace 

Delicious & Easy Green Smoothie

Today I'm sharing one of my favorite green smoothies because I think we should all start our mornings with a healthy dose of green :).  I know some people are put off by the thought of adding spinach, kale or any greens to a smoothie but this one is a good introductory green smoothie...if that makes sense. Basically even if you hate spinach, you will LOVE this because you can't taste the spinach at all.  It is deliciously sweet and creamy! So I'll stop rambling and get on with the recipe--if I can even call it that since it is so ridiculously easy. 

Ingredients:
- 2 Handfuls of Organic Baby Spinach
- 1 Cup of Frozen Mango Chunks
- 1/3 Cup of Low Fat Strawberry Kefir
- 1 Banana (frozen if you like your smoothie really cold)
- 1 Tsp. of Flax seed (optional)
- 1/2 Cup of water 

Add in the spinach, mango, banana, kefir and water into your blender. I'm using my Nutri Bullet, which I highly recommend! When all ingredients are in, I give it a shake, put the blades on and blast away!

See how creamy it is? Enjoy!

Benefits of Spinach
*Heart healthy vegetable due to its high concentration of Vitamins C & A which help reduce free radical amounts in our bodies
*Rich in mineral iron which is an essential nutrient especially for young children who are still developing
*Helps maintain your brain's health (as do many leafy, green veggies)

Benefits of Mango
*Fights Cancer (high in antioxidants)
* Can aid in lowering your cholesterol
*Alkalises your body

Leather and Blue

Leather Jacket - Victoria's Secret (Old), Silk Blouse - Victoria Secret (Summer 2013), Pumps - Calvin Klein (Old)

I love the contrast of the dark, heavy leather with the light, breezy silk blouse--an odd mix maybe, but it works.  There are so many different kinds of leather jackets out there, it is hard to choose which one is best for you but I would go with one that has a nice cut and is fitted to your body (you're probably thinking, well no duh!)  If you're looking to splurge on a leather jacket this season, I would definitely recommend this one--the style and cut is to die for and a little different than your conventional leather jacket.  If you're on a budget like me look no further than Asos! They have tons of options, like this one that has a similar style but at a much better price!  Hope you found this helpful and thank you for stopping by!

xoxo, Grace

Fall Wish List

 

 My wish list for fall items is perpetually growing! I have been on the hunt for the perfect fall booties and these BCBG Paris Catina Booties are exactly what I've been looking for! The Michael Kors Selma with Jewel Trim is a jewel in itself--classic, functional and oh-so-pretty! Mr.Kors knows his stuff when it comes to making women drool and swoon over handbags. And need I say more about the skirt and belt? This AE belt is almost identical and at a better cost! I've been wanting to try red lipstick for forever but I always chicken out--opting for a nude lip instead, but this color is perfect and I will definitely be trying it out.  What is on your fall wish list?

xoxo, Grace