A Touch of Southern Grace

Thursday, February 27, 2020

February Favorites On Repeat

I don’t know about you, but every month {new or old} I come across/rediscover different shows, clothing items, movies, beauty products, etc. that I just cannot get enough of. Winter items are always my favorite; I just always love the endless possibilities that come with the option to layer, trying new beauty products in an attempt to prevent dry skin/hair, or simply just staying in and getting caught up in a really good movie.

One// Cableknit Sweater by Tuckernuck

You know something is a great item when you have it in multiple colors. I love this sweater for the simple reason that it is such a classic, great quality, and it is sooo warm {which is key this time of year}

Two// Tory Burch Clara Leather Flats

Love, love, love this flat! Another item I have in multiple colors…I have a pair in the navy velvet, but for some reason I feel like the leather version is more everyday-ish… If something has a bow on it I am basically sold and these shoes are just so famine, comfort, and designed beautifully!

Three// Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM

I have admired these bags for years and years, basically since I was 18, I had a lot going on over the past few months, and I decided to indulge myself and finally treat myself to a Louis Vuitton Neverfull bag. I have been carrying around non-stop; It is a great investment for sure and I am so glad I finally caved and treated myself to one.

Four// Salvator Ferragamo Small Bow Headband

These headbands have a bit of a sticker shock to them, but they are seriously the best. Last year when I was in New York I bought a couple and I have been obsessed with them ever since. There are so comfortable and they actually stay in place through out the day.

Five// You’ve Got Mail

I always find a way to work this movie into every season of the year, it is just such a feel good movie and it always leaves you with such a feeling of hope and happiness. Since it is February I have obviously used Valentine’s as an excuse to watch it multiple times.

Six// Charlotte Tilbury Wonerglow

It took me a while to finally try a Charlotte Tilbury product, and ever since I have officially hopped on the Charlotte Tilbury train. All of her products are just so amazing and beautifully packaged. I love Tilbury’s Wonderglow; it acts as a primer and you can either put it on before or after your primer and it gives your skin such a healthy glow.

Seven// Remington Fuzz-Away Fabric Shaver

Does it make me old that I enjoy using a fabric shaver to get the pills off my sweaters?? It really is so satisfying just to watch the pills disappear. This hand help fabric shaver really is worth every penny of the $8.00 you have to pay for it, plus some

Eight// The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

This show is becoming my most favorite show of all time. I just love the dialog, the clothes, the storyline, the characters, the time period. I seriously want to transport myself back to 1959 and be Midge Maisel’s best friend.

Nine// Wunder Lounge High-Rise Tight 28” Velvet

Fact: These are the most comfortable pair of leggings ever made. The velvet material is so light, warm, and easy to move in; they make for the perfect movie night pants or the perfect pair of leggings for a light yoga class. I honestly wear these every chance I get…

Ten// Generation Love Wilson Buttons Sweater Dress

The Sweater dress is basically the perfect winter outfit for everything. You can dress it up with a nice pair of shoes, clutch, and jewelry or you can style it to be super casual. Either way they are super comfortable and warm!

Eleven// Free People Angellic Sweater

I am almost ashamed to admit this, but I wear this sweater at least three times a week {shameful, I know}. It’s the perfect weight and looks great with either leggings or pants, enough said.

Twelve// Gal Meets Glam Jolie Coat

This has to be the most perfect coat ever made. I have an addiction to outerwear and this is my most favorite coat at the moment. The shade of blue is just perfection, the fit is extremely flattering, and I love the throwback look the design of the coat has about it.

What Are Some Of Your February Favorites?

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

5 Things To Do Before Bed That Make A Difference

One big thing I want to concentrate on this year is just being healthier all around: working out, eating better, and making sure I get the right amount of sleep. It truly is amazing the difference a good night’s rest can make and how it can affect you, both mentally and physically the next day. Here are 5 things that I have started doing before bed that I have found really make a difference!

Drink Water// Maybe it’s in my head, but I’ve noticed if I drink 16oz - 1 liter of water an hour or two before I go to bed my face look more refreshed in the morning and my skin just look all around healthier.

Establish a nighttime beauty routine// Confession: I am kind of obsessed with beauty products, day or night. For me personally, I find it so relaxing after my shower to but on night cream, use a facial roller, and a few times a week either do an eye mask or a face mask. I think just having a nighttime beauty routine helps me relax before bed and get my mind on other things.

Write it down// I’ve started keeping a journal for moments like these… if I had a day where I either accomplished something I was really proud of or had something happen/said to me that rubbed me wrong I have started to write it down. Before I started doing this I would toss and turn for a couple hours till I reached the level of exhaustion where I could no longer keep my eyes open… Writing things down and just getting it out helps so much, which leads to a more productive nights rest.

Read// Every now and then I will give in and watch Netflix before I go to bed, but if I do I always make a point to either watch a history related show or a show that I have already seen {aka a show/movie that’s easy to turn off}. However, for the most part I try to read a chapter or two of a book right before I go to bed and just having that little time disconnect for my computer and phone makes a huge difference. I am able to fall asleep so much faster and have a deeper sleep than I would other wise.

Get 8 hours// This is probably an obvious one, but it’s easy to over look and stay up a little later to complete one more task, read the last few pages of a book, answer one more email, etc. Whenever I get stressed I do not get the amount of sleep I need and I end up staying up and just doing different things to stay busy, and I can tell you from experience the amount of sleep you get affects your productive the next day, your temperament, and how you interact with people and different situations. So be sure to get those eight hours in!

Monday, February 24, 2020

Blue: It's The Color of The Year

Blue is pretty much my favorite color out there and I am so excited that it’s the color of the year for 2020 and that means we are about to get a healthy does of all shades of blue through out this year. It’s basically the next thing to a neutral; I honestly can’t think of a color off the top of my heard that it doesn’t go with.

{Via}

Blue symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, trust, and heaven, and is considered to be a ‘calming’ color. After 2019 I can definitely use a little calmness in my life and all the positive that are associated with the color blue.

In my heart, blue is always my color of the year; hi, blonde with fair skin, it’s basically one of the few colors that is garneted not to wash me out. Plus, blue always seems to remind me of the ocean and Chicago – both great things in my book! Here are a few of my favorite blue items that I am kind of obsessed with at the moment.

Gal Meets Glam Josie Coat

Tory Burch Robinson Chain Wallet {can be found here}

Tell Me Everything

Line & Dot Bea Sweater {can be found here}

Vince Clark Loafers {can be found here}

Poplin Piped Pants Set in Dream

Oliver Peoples O’Malley Sunglasses {can be found here}

Gal Meets Glam Allie Dress

Via

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Sunday Night Thought

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Gourmet Makes

Don’t ask me why, but I automatically get super sucked into any cooking or baking show that happens to be on TV. There is just something oddly relaxing about watching things come together and other people cooking.

Via

A few years ago Bon Appétit popped up in my YouTube suggestions {worst combination ever: YouTube + Cooking Show = Black Hole} needless to say I was an instant fan. I especially love Gourmet Makes; the whole premise of the show is that Claire Saffitz tries to recreate a food item like Oreos, Pop-Tarts, Twinkies, and so on. All the videos are so fun to watch and some of them give you total childhood nostalgia when you see foods pop up like Hot Pockets or Warheads. And sorry to say this Clair, but the videos where she struggles a little are so fun to watch just because everyone in the test kitchen gets super involved and seeing her finally reach the end result is all that more exciting.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

New (To Me) Beauty Favorites

I have such a weakness for makeup and beauty products; the amount of makeup palettes I own is borderline ridiculous. What is it about makeup that just makes you feel better when you’re having a bad day? I kid you not, a new tube of lipstick is basically my adult equivalent of buying a Hello Kitty pencil when I was 5; equally excited about both and can’t wait to try it out. My skin tends to get a bit dry during the winter months so I get a little bit more into beauty products this time of year. I have recently come across a few new-to-me products that I just couldn’t help but share with you all!

One// Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Luxury Eyeshadow Palette

Okay, so… I have officially hopped on the Charlotte Tilbury wagon; all of her products that I have tried so far have been completely amazing! I love how natural her eyeshadow palettes are and the fact that when you are applying her eyeshadow it doesn’t flake off and land on your skin. Added bonus, the packaging and colors are just beautiful!

Two// Shiseido Facial Cotton

How have I not heard about Shiseido Facial Cotton Pads before? I used to just buy the cotton rounds from the grocery store, and I never realized how scratchy and abrasive those are until I tried Shiseido cotton pads. The feel and you can get like a pack of 100 pads for $12 – better product and better deal, for sure!

Three// Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream

This is my new favorite facial cream! You get really great surface coverage out of it and it doesn’t have that greasy quality to it that most face creams have, and I kind of love the fact that there is a special Charlotte Tilbury tap method to go along with this product!

Four// Bioderma Micellar Cleansing Water and Makeup Removing Solution For Sensitive Skin

This is the best makeup remover I have ever come across! It just melts makeup away, leaves your face feeling clean and fresh, and it does not leave behind that oily sensation that almost all makeup removers do. Plus it is such a great product at such a great deal; you can get a 16oz bottle off of amazon for $14! I used to pay $40 per bottle for the makeup remover I used to use, and Bioderma is 20 times better than my old makeup remover.

Five// Slip Silk Scrunchies 6 Pack {can be found here}

My hair is such a head ache to wash and dry, it’s thick and curly, and on days when I have to wash my hair it is an 1.5 – 2 process start to finish depending on the humidity. That said I try to get as many days out of my hair as I can. To help do that I usually sleep with my hair in a super lose bun and touch it up in the morning. The Slip Scrunchies are so great to use if you sleep with your hair up at night. They don’t leave line or break your hair, and they are very comfortable to sleep in.

Six// Kitsch Rose Quartz Roller {can be found here}

It took me a while to catch onto the whole facial roller thing, but now that I have I think they are completely wonderful! Everyone seriously needs to add facial rolling into their beauty routine. There are different methods for using the roller depending if you want to detox your skin or roll to firm – both ways fell great and it’s so relaxing.

Seven// Kitsch Jade Roller {can be found here}

The Jade Roller basically does the same thing as the Rose Quartz Roller. I’m not a 100% sure what the difference is between the two, but the jade roller feels a little more abrasive than the rose quartz. Both are great, but if I had to choose one I would pick the Rose Quartz Roller. It is nice to have both thought, just for the sake of mixing it up every now and then.

Eight// Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

This is the first time in my entire life that I have ever owned a foundation product. I have just always hated how the ones I tried seemed to just feel heavy. A couple weeks ago at Nordstrom there was a makeup artist there doing makeup, so why not get your makeup done when you have nowhere else to go? Anyhow, she used the Giorgio Armani foundation and I fell in love with the product; its sheer so it still looks very natural, feels extremely light, and gives your skin just a polished healthy glow

Nine// Grace & Stella Anti Wrinkle + Energizing Under Eye Masks

I love, love, love this product! Try it, you will not regret it – the product’s results speak for itself.

Ten// Besame American Beauty Lipstick

I stumbled across Besame’s website a few years ago and I was completely sold just looking at their packing – their products are just so beautiful. Their lipsticks are my absolute favorite; they have so many beautiful colors to choose from and they will stay on for a long time. I just recently tried the American Beauty Lipstick and it looks wonderful with every single clothing and eyeshadow color I have worn it with so far.

Eleven// Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Face Primer

I cannot speak highly enough of this product. It is one of the few things that I use every day. It is so great if you are running and don’t have a lot of time to spend on makeup because it gives your skin a nice flawless, rested glow that really bumps up the other products you are wearing.

Twelve// FRESH Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash

I have always had a hard time finding exfoliators that aren’t too rough on my skin. A couple weeks ago waiting in line at Sephora I grabbed a small travel size of this product just to try and it’s my new favorite exfoliating face wash. The fineness of the sugar is fells really gentle on my skin and it’s so easy to use because all you do is gently rub a little on your face till the sugar has dissolved and then you just rinse it off!

What Are Some of Your Favorite Beauty Products?

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Links I'm Loving

It has been awhile since I have done one of these post, which is crazy because they are my favorite to do. It is always so fun coming across links throughout the week to share with you all and wrap the week up! Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend {if they had one} and are ready to hop back into the week!

One// 2020 Whitney English Planners

Call me old fashioned, but I have never jumped on the train when it has come to using the calendar on my phone…I have just always preferred one you can pick up and play around with. Whitney English has some absoutly adorable planner {blue and white} on her website right now, and bonus, they are half off with code HALFOFF

Two// Perfect Attendance Pencil

Seriously, how does Ellen find the cutest children with the best personalities to be on her talk show? This Perfect Attendance video is too adorable and the little girl is just so matter of fact – the whole thing is just precious

Three// ASTR the Label Melba Sweater {found here}

Okay I love the slight puff sleeve detail on this sweater, the length of the sleeves, and the cute polka dot print; it’s basically the perfect transitional sweater and it is marked at such a great price!

Four// Jennifer Garner Instagram Post

Just when I thought I couldn’t love Jennifer Garner anymore she goes and does ballet in an airport, on a walk way

Five// Gal Meets Glam Allie Dress

I am completely loving the new collection, but this dress has caught my eye. The shade of blue is just so perfect for spring and summer, the print is perfection, and I love the fact that you can dress it down with a pair of sneakers or dress it up with a wedge or heel