Hello and Happy New Year! I hope you all had a restful holiday. I spent mine in Barbados with my family. It’s not often that we’re all together at the same time, so it always feels special, and this year even more so because we welcomed a new member, my nephew Easton.
My time there is always very low key— long walks, slow lunches, family dinners, a date night or two with Zach, a bit of golf because I’m a good wife, and as much time in the sea as possible.
The Barbados wardrobe is a lot of swimwear paired with linen pants (Doen, Ref, RLT, or Donni), an oversized linen button down (usually one of Zach’s), or a breezy dress thrown over top (Doen or If Only If are my go-tos). My favourite swim is Eres, Matteau, and Hunza G.
Skincare saviours are always the LINNÉ Protect SPF (the only water-resistant sunscreen that doesn’t break me out) Barrier Restore Serum, a good Body Oil, and a daily swim in the ocean.
Quarterly favourites: Onto some of my most loved things from the last quarter of the year.
Top 5 clothing
1. A Good Scarf. I love me a good scarf! It’s an easy, practical way to add interest and warmth to a look. Some options: one, two, three, four, five and six.
2. Flore Flore Maggie longsleeve. The older I get, the less I want to wear things that cling to me. I still love the Max longsleeve, but I’ve found myself reaching for the Maggie most. A staple in my everyday wardrobe.
3. Coats, coats, coats. All I want are coats. Given that I live in a cold winter climate, it may seem somewhat superfluous to include here, but they’ve become my shopping kryptonite. Of all the items worthy of a splurge, this is number 1 for me. The one I’ve worn most frequently, though, is the Jore Belted Coat. My girlfriend actually put me onto it, and we rave about it to each other at least once a month.
4. Gala pants. I think this pant will always crack my lineup because it transcends all seasons, occasions, and dress codes. Potentially the best pant ever.
5. Denim. It’s me talking here, so denim will also likely always be part of this conversation. My two most worn (not including vintage Levi’s) were the Aflalo Orwell Jean and the Totême Low Rise Straight.
Top 5 beauty
1. Red Light Therapy. LED continues to be my all time favourite skincare tool and the one I use most frequently. It can address a variety of concerns but helps particularly with inflammation, brightening, tone and texture. It also feels really calming and helps me to wind down at the end of the day. I love it so much that last year I upgraded to a panel, but a mask is the perfect starting point.
2. VBB everything. Victoria Beckham Beauty has been slowly occupying more and more of my beauty cabinet. I continue to be impressed by every single product I try. My top favourites are the Foundation Drops, Concealer Pen, Blush Tint, and Posh Balm— all of which are a 12/10
3. Merit Flush Balm and Complexion Stick. If I’m wearing makeup during the day, it’s likely just these two products for my complexion. They’re both really beautiful and acne safe, so I can feel good applying them more regularly.
4. Balms and Butters. Naturally, at this time of year I’m reaching for body treatments that are as hydrating as possible. I always like to rotate, but the Agent Nateur Body Treatment Crème, Marie Veronique Body Barrier Emulsion, and the Suzanne Kaufmann Body Butter are top tier. I save them for the end of the day. They feel soo luxe after a hot shower and straight into pajamas. If I’m feeling really dry, I’ll mix the Marie Veronique or the Suzanne Kaufmann with a pump of body oil (this, this or this), and it always does the trick.
5. Hair treatments. I try my very best to be consistent with hair treatments, but I often either forget to apply beforehand or don’t have the patience to wait in the shower for one to sit. This is why the goop beauty Scalp Scrub and the RŌZ Foundation Mask have become my most used. Neither requires any planning or an extra 10 minutes of wait time but are still very effective. I appreciate them just as much for their scent, texture, and overall experience.
Top 5 Misc
Going rogue
1. Soba Cha. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a daily tea drinker. Soba Cha came into the mix for me a while ago, but my recent trip to Japan reminded me just how much I love it. Almost every afternoon.
2. Joolies. These dates go crazyyy. So sweet and soft. I eat them almost daily and love them most with a raw walnut, a little bit of cinnamon, and flaky salt. Yum!
3. Heriloom Tomato Hand and Dish Soap. Ever since first trying these two products, they’ve earned a permanent spot in my kitchen. I think I’m on my fourth or fifth bottle of each.
4. Broiler Salmon. You may be thinking ???, but please let me put you on to this very delicious, easy, and quick cooking method. This recipe explains it best (step 5). The whole dish is fabulous, but you can apply the method to any flavour profile you’d like. It’s also delicious seasoned simply with salt and pepper, then finished with a little lemon, dill, and Maldon out of the oven. I make it weekly and so do all of my friends, because I showed them too.
5. Louis Carmen Notebook. I caved. It’s really good— I love that I can store a couple notebooks in one folio.
6. Bonus! Hatch Alarm Clock. So much better than being jolted awake by my phone.