On My Radar No 41

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Happy Friday and happy June! After nearly a week of constant rain, we have sunny skies again here in Charleston and I'm looking forward to spending plenty of time outside this weekend. The humidity has already reached 90% or higher and I know the unbearably hot weather is right around the corner so I'm taking full advantage of these low 80's days.

This week I also upgraded my camera (again) so hopefully we won't have anymore focusing issues. The camera I was using was top of the line but the focus was so bad that it didn't matter. I used my new camera to film my Sunday video and I am already so happy with it! I notice a major improvement and I hope you do too. Now, onto a few of the things I've been loving this week.

NEW WINNIE THE POOH TRAILER | I love Winnie The Pooh and can't be more excited for the new movie all about Pooh. 

VIOLETTE MUSEUM INSPIRED MAKEUP | If you follow the YouTube beauty community I'm sure you're familiar with makeup artist Violette. I love her effortless French girl approach to makeup and come back to this museum inspired tutorial year after year when I want a dose of inspiration and natural makeup tips. 

NEW YOUTUBE FAVORITE | Speaking of the YouTube beauty community, I recently discovered Dr. Sam Bunting and have been binge watching her videos every night this week. Not only is she an incredibly knowledgable dermatologist, but she is also relatable and shares some fantastic tips for looking after your skin. I've recently implemented a few of her pointers and am already seeing positive results.  

YOU CAN OWN CAMERON DIAZ'S HOME FROM THE HOLIDAY | I love anything Nancy Meyers does and "The Holiday" is hands down one of my favorite feel good films of all time. One of the things that make her films so enjoyable is her use of set design to help tell a story, and the houses she creates for her films are pure magic. Now you can own a bit of that magic by purchasing the house used for Cameron Diaz in the film. 

May Favorites

Today I'm sharing a few of the things I've been loving during the month of May. Like always, I have a mix of everything from fashion to beauty to music, and each of these things have been bringing joy and even a little luxury to my life.

SABINA SAVAGE "HARE'S GIFT" SCARF

First up is my new scarf from Sabina Savage. I have been following and admiring Sabina Savage's designs for a little over year since they first came on my radar and have been wanting one of her designs ever since. Based on whimsical tales and folklore, her designs are the perfect blend of classic, masterful and fun and I am endlessly inspired by her designs.

Not only does each design take weeks to illustrate, but each scarf is then completed using the finest silk by some of the best scarf makers in the world. I finally picked up the "Hare's Gift" in wool and silk and I am completely in love.

I also chose the blue and pink color option because I wear and love both of those colors year-round and I know that the other colors will also compliment my closet perfectly. This will look lovely paired with either pink or blue or even black, white, grey or camel for the perfect pop to an otherwise neutral look. With respect to the wool and silk, I selected this blend because I wanted an option that I could drape and wear a variety of ways and the fabric composition of a scarf dictates the versatility in this regard. I have a video all about this coming up so be on the lookout for that, but in the meantime I can't recommend this gorgeous brand enough. I feel so lucky to finally have one of her scarves in my collection and I know that I will cherish it for years to come.  

MY NEW SIGNET RING

Next up is my new signet ring fro Ruff's. For the past few months I've been working with Ruff's as a brand ambassador to make my dreams of a signet ring a reality.

While I have a video coming up that will share all of the ins and outs of the process and my final selection, I also wanted to include the ring in this video because I just received it earlier this month and I am completely in love. 

The final product far exceeded my expectations and I have been wearing it non-stop. My first major outing with it was an impromptu day trip to Savannah earlier this month - that's us at a cute little restaurant soaking up the southern charm. 

Also, the entire Ruff's team is an absolute delight to work with and Ali perfectly assisted me in my decision. Plus, they are incredibly knowledgable when it comes to their craft and offer a level of attention to detail that can be difficult to find on our world of instant gratification. 

My final post and corresponding video all about the process will be live later this month, but in the meantime I recommend popping over to their newly redesigned website and taking in all the beauty.

DAVE BRUBECK PANDORA STATION

I have pretty eclectic taste in music and tend to like just about everything (with a few exceptions) but there's something about the spring that really gets me in the mood for jazz. I don't know if it's the increasing humidity and gentle hum of cicadas, but as spring dips into summer I love to start my mornings with an espresso and the Dave Brubeck Pandora station. The mix that I've carefully curated using the Pandora algorithm rarely misses for me and it's the perfect way to start my morning. If you're under the impression that you don't like jazz. I would wager it's because you've never been exposed to the right kind of jazz and I think that Brubeck is a great neutral starting point. To help point you in the right direction, I've put together a playlist of my favorite Brubeck songs that I hope you enjoy. 

RUTLEDGE CAB CO CAPE CODE REUBEN | CHARLESTON, SC

Rutledge Cab Co here in Charleston is a spot that Jason and I have been wanting to try since we moved here and finally got around to it earlier this month. The food is incredibly tasty, the decor is adorable and the wait staff is wonderful - just what I look for in a restaurant. What really set them apart for me though, and why I'm including them in this month's favorites, is that they were able to make a me a Cape Cod Reuben and it was AMAZING. I can't recommend them enough and if you ever go and want the Cape Code Reuben, all you do is order the Reuben and have them swap the beef for fried fish. 

BASTIDE ROSE & OLIVE PERFUME

Last but not least is a new beauty discovery from Bastide. Bastide is a new personal care brand based out of Provence, France and they make the most delicious products.

After discovering them a few months ago I ordered the fragrance sample set and was immediately smitten with the rose and olive perfume - unsurprisingly because I love rose.

The scent is well-rounded and sophisticated, lasts a very long time on my skin and most importantly, doesn't exacerbate my asthma. Not only is the entire brand beautiful, but they're also free of countless "nasties" and work with skilled craftsman to create each of their signature products. 

And there you have it! Those are a few of the thing I've been loving this month and you can watch my corresponding video to the right or here. Thanks so much for stopping

On My Radar No 40

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Happy Friday and start to Memorial Day Weekend! As we head into the long weekend, I'm looking forward to unofficially kicking off summer with some long walks around our beautiful city, maybe a trip to the beach and plenty of relaxing. In the meantime though, here are a few of the things that I've been loving this week.

IS MOISTURIZER AGING OUR SKIN | You know that I'm a minimalist in many respects, one of them being my skincare, and my routine typically consists of cleanser, toner and serum. no moisturizer. This omission of moisturizer happened organically as I experimented with hydrating serums over the years and my normal to oily skin responded so well to it that I never really looked back. It wasn't until I recently ran out of one of my favorite serums that I tried adding a light moisturizer back into my routine and my skin didn't seem to love it so I did some research and found some interesting opinions that moisturizer may actually not be necessary. Definitely some food for thought and something I'm researching more.  

VOTARY SKIN CARE | Speaking of skin care, I recently discovered new skin care brand Votary and can't stop watching their YouTube channel full of tips and tutorials. I love their gorgeous green packaging and the fact that their products seem to really work (according to customer testimonials). I would love to know if you've tried any of their products before and what you thought. 

AN INSPIRING VIDEO | Inspiration is so important to me both creatively and motivationally and this video by Eileen Fisher is a perfect dose of inspiration. Wrapped in a neat little package of 4 minutes and 38 seconds we're given everything from an old New England home to career advise, cute dogs and a supportive, loving marriage. Even though I've seen it before, I like to rewatch it when I'm in a creative funk and need a quick helping of inspiration. 

SHEKU KANNEH-MASON | One of my favorite parts of the royal wedding was the incredible performance by cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Despite being only 19, he has an incredible amount of talent that has clearly been honed through rigorous practice and understanding of his instrument and his musicality perfectly compliments his skill.

My Wedding Makeup

In light of the royal wedding and Meghan Markle's natural bridal makeup, today I want to share the look I wore for my own wedding.

When Jason and I got married in 2015, we were very hands on and did everything ourselves (with help from our friends and family of course!). The fact that event planning was a major part of my job and that we agreed on everything, made the whole process stress-free, but when it came to my makeup I didn't know where to start, and quickly became overwhelmed.

As you know, I don't wear a lot of makeup in my everyday life and for my wedding I wanted to look and feel like me, just one step up. That meant no contouring, very little eyeshadow and liner, and a low-maintenance lip. A few months before our outdoor wedding in Maine, I took to YouTube for some guidance on how to do my makeup so that I would look polished in pictures but not overdone in real life. I watched video after video and nearly every tutorial felt too over the top for me and my personal makeup style.

So, to come up with a look that felt right for me, and wouldn't wear off in an hour or two, I took a little bit of everything I already knew and did a ton of experimentation leading up to the big day. After weeks of product trials and side-by-side comparisons I narrowed in on a look that was easy and photogenic, but not over the top, and today I want to share that look with you. Like I mentioned, this look was very easy to do and some of the tips I learned were critical in ensuring my makeup stayed put. For example, one of the tips I share in the below video helped my shadow and liner stay put all day and night which is normally impossible with my small lid space and deep crease that runs through where my shadow goes. All-in-all, I hope you find this tutorial helpful if you're looking for a natural bridal look you can easily do yourself, or if you just want a pretty, polished face that's appropriate for work or an evening out. I've embedded some more pictures below along with my video tutorial and a widget of everything I used - exact shades are listed in the description box of the video. Thanks so much for watching and happy wedding season!