I know that most of the styled posts that are featured here are with full makeup, styled hair and a complete look, but sometimes it’s nice to take it back a few steps and have some real talk. I don’t always have 45 minutes to get ready. In fact, I usually spend about 15 minutes getting ready and it goes a little something like this –
Unstyled hair in a ponytail or top knot with a little bronzer, blush, concealer and lip balm. If I have the time for mascara – awesome, if not, I curl my lashes and grab some cute sunglasses and head out the door. This look was from Sunday when I did just this and pulled out a “hero” piece I wanted to wear – the trench vest (only $40!). From there I decided on a crisp pair of white denim shorts and was torn between a tee or chambray top. Ultimately I chose the chambray (because it’s crazy soft and comfortable), threw on some booties that go with everything and voila! Instant outfit.
A simple beauty routine + choosing a hero piece and dressing around it is almost always how I get dressed day-to-day, and I thought it would be fun to share a more casual (and realistic) post with you guys!
If you guys liked this more casual look – let me know! I’d be happy to share some more dressed down posts if y’all would be into it! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
I’ve been meaning to put a post like this together for you guys for so long (!!!), and I’m so excited to finally share some of my favorite skincare products I’ve been trying lately. I’m fortunate to be sent a lot of beauty products to try – some I love, some I don’t love. I’ve always been more of a clothes girl than a beauty/skincare girl, but I’m trying to expand my knowledge of products, and hopefully I can help any of you who have been looking to expand your regimen too!
This is kind of a novel – so feel free to skip around and see what catches your eye –
First Aid Beauty – I’ve loved this brand for a long time. Nearly every single product I try of theirs I love, and my absolute favorites are their lip therapy (this tube was attacked by my friend’s pug puppy, but nonetheless I’m still using it!), blemish patrol pads (I use them on my back), cleansing body polish (great in the shower!) and their intense hydration cream. Honestly – I love pretty much every single thing they make. Big fan!
Tula – a new brand I’ve been trying lately and I am really loving how gentle their products are. I have pretty sensitive skin, and I can really tell their day/night cream is moisturizing and nourishing while still being mild. The face mask is also really fabulous – and they make a great under eye cream too! You can get 25% off your order on their site with code: kathleen25.
Kate Somerville – I’ve been using Kate Somerville products for quite some time and I definitely have some favorites. The ExfoliKate treatment is an amazing exfoliant and her eye creams (like this one and this one) feel so luxurious, a thick eye cream without being too thick. Clearly I’m not the only one who thinks this because they’ve been winning awards for years! I’ve also been to their clinic on Melrose and it’s gorgeous. You can always know that you’re getting what you’re paying for with this line.
Pixi Beauty – I love the affordable price tag with Pixi, and they have some great products you can easily get at Target on your errand run. This mud cleanser is a great face wash that I keep in my shower, and I also love their toner (I think it smells like rose petals!) and lip polish.
Josie Maran – this line has some great oils, and I’ve been using the Argan cleansing oil in the shower on my arms before I turn off the shower head. I pat dry and it helps keep them smooth and soft. It can also be used as a makeup remover. If you’re into facial oils – this is a great collection to look into! I also really like their powder illuminating highlighter.
Colleen Rothschild – I was recently sent the cleansing balm, dual enzyme polish and extreme recovery cream to try out. The balm is a really gentle cleanser and makeup remover, the enzyme polish is kind of like a face mask (and can also be used as deep hydration for your hands which is pretty awesome). I thought it was really cool that you can also use the cleansing balm and layer a warm cloth over your face, which makes it feel almost like a mini facial (that smells seriously good!). The recovery cream is super thick and a really great hydrating night cream. These products are a splurge, but I can’t deny the high quality of this luxe line.
NUDE – this powder face wash is a great exfoliant in the shower, and is a vegan product which I can appreciate.
Keratin Complex – I don’t put a lot of product in my hair, but this sugar mist is perfect for easy spring and summer wavy texture.
Pop of Color – I’ve gotten to know Kristen Taekman in the past few months, and it must be said that she is even cooler than I thought she’d be. She’s naturally stunning and always dressed to perfection – so it’s no surprise her nail polish collection is spot on. I also shared a peek at some of the colors here, but I’m Pretty, Pajamas and Easy Like Sunday are three of my favorite shades. She’s recently come out with a lip stain lineup that I’ll be sharing with you guys soon!
Mary Kay – I have shared with you guys here that I am all about Mary Kay’s skincare and fragrance collections. Their Cityscape line smells intoxicating, so I was extra excited to try out their Into the Garden lineup. These soaps smell so good – a combo of lemongrass and grapefruit – and I like a body wash but I love a great bar of soap for a serious lather. Yum!
Vanity Planet – I’ve used white strips in the past, and recently I used a pack thinking it would brighten my teeth (obviously). I was surprised when at the end of the 14 days, I felt like my smile looked the same. So I was open to trying something different and I have to say, this set from Vanity Planet is the real deal. It felt a little crazy having all of the pieces in my mouth, making me feel like Mike Tyson or something (you can watch a video tutorial here), but I could really tell my teeth were much whiter. You can get 75% off with code xoKathleen!
If you guys have tried any of these products, I’d love to hear your thoughts! OR if you have a new product you’ve tried and loved, share the goodness! Thanks so much for reading – XO –
– the new “one-and-done” product from Urban Decay, which is about to be my everyday beauty staple –
Hey Friday! I’m so excited to have a sweet weekend with C. I think when I was in Atlanta with so many of my college friends and acquaintances and their partners, I really realized how much more fun I have when he’s with me. I know that I adore him, but absence makes the heart grow fonder and he’s my favorite arm candy of all! We’ve both been working so much that I think our one-on-one quality time needs some TLC, so we’ve planned an all day date on Saturday that we’ve both looked forward to all week.
As for my favorite picks of this week, I received the new summer lineup from Urban Decay this week and let me just say, this complexion perfector is all the hype and more. With more coverage than a beauty balm and less than a foundation, it’s the exact coverage I need for glowing skin that looks natural, effortless and even. Plus it has SPF! Next level obsessed. They have also come out with a new line of bronzers and highlighters which are also amazing, but this one-and-done is a shining star in my book.
We also watched the movie The Hundred Foot Journey this week, and I loved it. Christian works with several Indian guys in his residency, and I literally texted one of them after watching the movie and asked if we could all go eat Indian food together. It’s now a craving I can’t quit! SO GOOD.
I hope you guys have a beautiful weekend, and thank you so much for reading. Love you mean it! XO –
I shared this look a few weeks back on Instagram (photos here, here and here), and I loved the response from you guys so I thought I’d throw it up on the blog! I’d seen some of these cute Cali babes rockin’ overalls and I loved how it looked on them, but I wasn’t sure how it would look on me. Flash forward to finding this pair for $30 at Forever21 and I thought…. whatever, I’m just going to go for it!
It definitely takes me back to jr. high, I think all I’m missing is my GAP hooded sweatshirt… right? When you wear overalls as a grown adult, you just have to have fun with it.
overalls – I found this pair in the F21 store and I still can’t seem to find them online, but I love these and these! Additional black pairs above in thumbnail slider.| tank | similar heels | bag – Forever21, old, similar bag here and here | sunnies | similar earrings here and here | chambray top
If you guys are like me, I’m full force into spring favorites – pastels, floral, off the shoulder everything and mint blue. Today’s picks are all under $60, so you can add some fresh pieces to your wardrobe without going overboard.
Thanks to daylight savings time we have a little more sunshine, and I feel so thankful for spring flowers, fresh air and a new beginning (in a way). Sometimes you just need a little change in nature to inspire an internal change – whether that be finally tackling that new skill or hobby you’ve been looking to learn (like taking a photography class or picking up your tennis racquet) or setting small goals to better yourself or your home (like cooking for Christian at least 4x a week and making the bed every morning).
With all of this also comes spring cleaning and refreshing your closet – out with the old, in with the new! OR challenge yourself to go through your closet one day a month until you weed through everything to nail down the pieces you loved last spring and shed the things you never wore.
Happy mid-week hump day guys – thanks so much for reading! Tell me what’s on your spring wish list – XO –
A few weeks ago when I was in New York, Christian texted me and asked if I would be interested in going with him to Palm Springs the day after I returned home. He had some medical conferences to attend in the morning, and then we could play in the afternoon and have dinner before returning home.
Little did we know that my returning flight would be delayed 7 hours, and I would end up getting home at 4:30AM to sleep for three hours before we needed to leave for Palm Springs! BUT I was so excited to spend a random weekday with Christian that I was determined to go. I barely put on any makeup, clearly did nothing with my hair and went along for the ride.
Perhaps in my state of deliriousness I didn’t realized that the lemon I grabbed from the bottom of a lemon tree was in my hand for nearly every photo we snapped while spending the day at The Parker… but whatevs! We always love having lunch at this hotel and hanging around for a pretty afternoon lying around in the hammocks and enjoying the sunshine.
And of course… a quick visit to #thatpinkdoor before dinner! More photos of this pretty home from a previous visit here.
Have you guys been to Palm Springs? Do you have favorite spots? I keep wanting to try Cheeky’s brunch but have never made it! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
Spring blooms are in full force right now, and I’m mesmerized by all of the beauty in our little neighborhood! I’ve started walking Bailey more often, and I had forgotten how much I enjoy being able to walk her more during the day. While listening to a podcast, we walked over to this little street with the most beautiful, overflowing blooms. I knew I’d be back!
I’m all about that romper/jumpsuit life (insert praise hands). I love the wider leg on this one, not to mention that the back is super cute and it’s $45. I think this would also look so cute with a denim jacket or chambray shirt. Plus it’s so comfortable!
I’m excited to team up with OC Style Report for their monthly blogger series and share some photos from our day together at the Montage Laguna Beach! It was so much fun to work together to select these pieces styled, and at the end of the day I was so sad to leave after so much pampering at the resort – talk about a dreamy location.
From the gorgeous rooms to the pool overlooking the ocean, I was like… can I just come here during the day with my laptop to work and hang out? Gorgeousness. Maybe it was all of the fancy clothes that had me feeling like a queen – but it was such a fun day and I have to thank the incredible team at the Montage, OC Style Report, Candace Rock Photography and Nicci for such a memorable day!
Thank you so much for reading, and a huge thank you to the OC Style Report team for this super fun feature! There’s another Q&A with Best Friends For Frosting about how I began full-time blogging, so be sure to check that out here!
I’m heading to LAX to go to my college girlfriend’s Atlanta wedding. I’m so excited to see my sorority girlfriends and have a “date” weekend with my bff who was a bridesmaid in our wedding. She lives in DC and I never see her enough!
I mean… is this not the most fun dress you’ve ever seen? HOW did I not have this beauty before our trip to Hawaii (travel posts here and here)!? I’m so excited to rock some of the seriously adorable spring dresses I recently snagged at Zappos, including this backless beauty (check out the other two dresses I got at the bottom of the post!).
When I first saw this tassel bag a few months ago in the clutch version, and I was like…. stop. I don’t need it, but I want it, and if you guys don’t remember the parade of tassel earrings I wore all summer long, I knew I would find a million ways to wear it! I’m a sucker for colorful tassels, and here we are. This entire look – head to toe – is available at Zappos and their spring selection is on another level! Plus, you guys might already know they have free shipping (always a big plus for me), but I didn’t realize until now that they have a 365-day return policy… which is amazing. I’m a lover of dresses and they have everything from beachy to formal to casual and in between.
Last summer we rearranged our den with an upgraded sofa (more about that here) and added the Ikea Ektorp chair and ottoman to our den. Christian always starts out sitting on the sofa, following by halfway lying down, inevitably followed by fully lying down with limbs over my lap or something equally… frustrating. After a while I knew I wanted to add something just as comfortable so that when the Sunday football + nap ensued, I had somewhere to sit and work or read.
This chair and ottoman is so comfortable and a great price, and we’ve had the white cotton Ektorp slipcover on it since we purchased it. So when Comfort Works reached out about working together to design a custom slipcover for the set, it was music to my ears (check out all their Ektorp varieties)! Each slipcover is made to order, allowing so many unique, customized options. They actually specialize in current and discontinued Ikea models, but also create slipcovers for any brand – if you send a picture, they’ll work with you to figure out what will work best for your piece.
I wanted to have some pleats on the chair skirt, and I am still over-the-top in love with how it turned out! After receiving multiple swatches to choose from (I shared a sneak peek of this here), I chose Liege Biscuit and am beyond pleased. The fabric is nano-coated which means liquid and dirt run off the service because of the coating of the material (demo with red wine here). With two pets and lots of red wine in my life, it’s a no-brainer.
Thank you so much for reading! If any of you are looking to expand your Ikea sofas or chairs, Comfort Works can definitely fix you up and transform your piece. I am still so in love with how ours turned out! XO –
I had so much fun sharing our first Kauai recap post last week here (most of the outfit items in this post can be found there), and today I want to take you on a little Hawaii journey outside of the hotel where we stayed on the southern side of the island.
We usually split our vacations up into one part relaxation and one part exploring. In Kauai, we spent an afternoon at Old Koloa Town, getting Hawaiian shaved ice and eating the most amazing fresh poke at Koloa Fish Market.
We spent an entire day exploring the North Shore, visiting three different beaches. First (pictured above), we visited was Tunnels Beach. This beach is really easy to get to and has an incredible view of the mountains. We stopped on the road for smoothies and fresh coconut water – the best!
Another big activity we did that was truly breathtaking was a helicopter tour of the island. We didn’t get around to doing this in Maui, but it was at the top of the list for this trip and definitely did not disappoint. So much of this island is featured in the first Jurassic Park film (as well as many other movies, but seriously, watch this), so it was really incredible to see Waimea Canyon and the Nå Pali Coast from above. So many waterfalls… you can’t even keep count! I didn’t take photos with my camera because I really wanted to take it all in, but I shared a peek on Instagram here.
Restaurants that we ate at that we ate at and I would recommend –
Lunch:
Da Crack – fish tacos and burritos = 100
Makai Sushi – little hut in a grocery store, but so good!
Tiki Tacos – we actually had dinner here, but it would be great for lunch too. This may have been the best meal we ate the whole trip.
Savage Shrimp – tacos, rice bowls, burritos – if it’s served with shrimp they’ve got you covered.
Dinner:
As I shared in this post, we had dinner at the St. Regis Princeville on the North Shore so we could enjoy the sunset, and the meal and view was worth every bit of the splurge. If you can get to the St. Regis for sunset, I highly recommend it!
The Beach House – another great restaurant with beautiful sunset. Breathtaking!
Keoki’s Paradise – if you want a great meal and an umbrella in your Mai Tai, this is your spot. We loved Mama’s Fish House in Maui, and this place had a similar vibe.
Bangkok Thai Bistro – we ordered several things here and shared and it was so delicious! There was live music and it was a easy, laid-back dinner.
One of the most magical moments of the trip was visiting the absolutely jaw-dropping Ke’e Beach. I don’t even know how to describe it! It’s right next to the well-known 11-mile hike, Kalalau Trail. When Christian and I walked up, we started walking along the shore and chatting. Something made me turn around to see the absolutely gorgeous mountainous Nå Pali Coast and tapped Christian’s shoulder lightly saying, “Christian, turn around.” His reaction was one I will never forget! Bliss.
We also visited the well known lighthouse on the island. I thought this was a little underwhelming… but it is an iconic landmark of the island. The third beach we visited was Hanalei Bay Beach and we walked along the pier (this beach is pictured above). It was a little busier than the other beaches, but still absolutely beautiful, and it was fun to see everyone snorkeling and paddleboarding.
A few other notable landmarks we visited and loved, the Maluhia Road Tree Tunnel, National Tropical Botanical Garden and Queens Bath.
SO, that’s my spill! Thank you guys SO much for sharing all of your recommendations in the comments and on social media – we read all of them and appreciated your help and guidance so much! I hope these recommendations might help any of you looking to make the trip. Thanks so much for reading – XO –
I’m all about that vest life. I snapchatted (CBLied) some of the Who What Wear collection for Target, but I knew I had to have this trench vest when I saw it in the store! I find that a lot of times when I’m putting together an outfit, I’m looking for that final something. Sometimes it’s a chambray shirt tied around my waist (like in this post), other times it’s the right accessory, but I find that a vest can really pull everything together. That could be a long classic trench vest (like in this post) or a sleek one (like in this post). I’m excited to throw a long military vest in the mix!
When it comes to the right accessory, I find it hard to leave the house without a watch. I love not having to pull out my phone to check the time, and an oversized watch is something I’ve been into for years. This Daniel Wellington watch is actually a mens watch (so the face is a little larger than the womens) trimmed in rose gold and displays the date. It’s so lightweight and comfortable, and Christian has a brown version he’s been wearing for years. Scroll down for a 15% off discount code!
