Friday Five : Gehry x Louis Vuitton edition

Keeping things cozy with a wool blanket and a pile of glossies!

            Happy Friday! I've been spending the week spoiled with daily french toast, made from mom's organic home baked bread! In the midst of the work I'm supposed to be doing, I've been watching Season 1 of the Blacklist (on Netflix) and stretching out with a few sun salutations. I thought it was high time for a Friday Five, so here are the five things that have been on my mind as of late:

1. [Recent reads]: Architectural Digest
I've been looking for decoration inspiration as of late. Thankfully, at my mom's house there's a backlog of Architectural Digest issues that I've been working through this past week! My favorite thus far has been the October 2014 feature on Frank Gehry x Louis Vuitton! The Gehry-designed gallery has the most delightful shell of glass sails; the interplay between sky, light, and reflection is portrayed beautifully within the glossy pages! Though that issue is now out of print, you can see photographs of the Fondation de Louis Vuitton from the Architectural Digest Article online!

2. [Shopping Diary] : Nike, mostly
My shopping tends to be thematic, and lately I've been adding athletic pieces to my collection. I suppose its a roundabout way of working on my general fitness resolution! (After all, working out is so much better when there's cute clothes involved). During my past couple trips to Nike, I've picked up a cute racerback (screenprint here on instagram) and a couple of much needed leggings. I'm thinking they'll work out nicely for both yoga and rock climbing (provided I'm on a wooden, not textured wall ... abrasives don't play well with polyester).  As a side note, I also picked up a couple bottles body wash in Pacifica California Jasmine and Pacifica Persian rose from Marshalls. I've seen Pacifica in a couple stores now, so it may be worth a look if you're interested!

I just can't get over the sky shades reflected in the Fondation de Louis Vuitton here. Gehry's work is simply gorgeous!

3. [The Starbucks Situation] : Guatemala Laguna de Ayarza
I'm someone who seems to function better with a cup of Starbucks in hand (even when it comes to touring desert gardens...)! At my east coast home away from home, I've been relying on K-cup versions of the brew. Most recently, we picked up Starbucks Guatemala Laguna de Ayarza, a single origin coffee with citrus and deep chocolate notes. It's a supermarket variety, I think, which must parallel the new Guatemalan blend Starbucks Casi Cielo that's being sold in-café. I was on an African coffee kick, but I'm really loving the smooth South American beans. I may have to pick up a bag of Casi Cielo when I get back to Chicago...

4. [Routine de Soin] : Keeping it Fresh 
I've been sticking to my resolution of using and enjoying items in my stash, especially when it comes to skincare! My current routine involves a full line of Fresh products; I've been exfoliating with Fresh Brown Sugar Scrub, then cleansing with Fresh Soy cleanser, then patting on Fresh Black Tea Toner, and Fresh Black Tea Age Delay Cream (set reviewed here). The combination is wonderfully gentle and hydrating. I'm hooked on the Soy Facial cleanser again, and I'm not sure what I'll do once I run out! I've also been doing daily Fresh Rose Face Mask treatments. Typically this would seem over-indulgent to me, but my new philosophy is to use it before I have to lose it.

5. [Beauty-to-buy list] : Baby Pinks
I feel like I've found great balance in my current collection, and am happy to report that I haven't felt the urge to collect in quite some time. That said, there are a couple things that have caught my eye. First up is NARS Reckless blush (Spring 2015); the sheer silvery pink looks like something that would be right up my alley. I'm glad that NARS has gone lighter this time; it's hard for me to wear the more daring medium to dark shades that seem to more common as of late! I've also been eying CHANEL Rouge Allure in Badine as well; love my light pinks!

         Thanks for reading my little diary of rambles! Hope all is well - I would love to hear about anything from your recent reads, shopping diary, starbucks situation, routine de soin, or beauty-to-buy list!

Love, Dovey.

Fresh Holiday 2014 collection review (Part II)

        Happy Holidays! I've been having a fabulous time at home, in the countryside. After spending so much time in Chicago's concrete jungle, it's nice wade knee deep in dried blades of grass. (There's something very Van Gogh about it, if you know what I mean). I've been able to snap a few more photos, thanks to my new Samsung Galaxy Note 4, so check out my Instagram feed if you're curious!

           For those looking for last minute holiday gifts (or indulgences), I have two lovely sets from Fresh Holiday 2014 to share with you today, courtesy of Fresh: the Fresh Black Tea Skincare set ($92) and the Fresh Face Mask Essentials set ($120). 

          The Fresh Face Mask Essentials ($120) highlights the best and brightest masks from the Fresh skincare collection, including the Fresh Rose Face Mask (1 fl. oz.), Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask (3.3 fl. oz.), and Fresh Sugar Face Polish (1 fl. oz.).

          The Fresh Rose Face Mask hydrates and tones with soothing rosewater. The gel mask itself is the color of dark honey, with a comforting light earthy floral aroma that is subtly sweet. The Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask is an antioxidant rich mask with Fresh's relaxing cucumber scent. The consistency is that of a nice cream paste that dries on clear. Fresh Sugar Face Polish is a deliciously lemon cookie scented face polish. The polish contains real brown sugar and strawberry seeds as exfoliants. The polish dissolves away and washes away leaving moisturizing oils in place.

         The Fresh Black Tea Skincare ($92) is a three piece set themed around black tea, the world's most ancient remedy. (Apparently the obsession begain when Fresh founders Lev and Alina, tried Kombucha, a fermented black tea once known as the immortal health elixir.) This antioxidant rich set contains Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask (1.6 oz.), Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Cream (1 oz.), and the new Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Instant Infusion (1 fl. oz.).

            The Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask is a hydrating treatment; the cucumber scented product has a lovely whipped texture. Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Cream is an advanced face cream design to visibly reduce lines and retexturize skin. Like its counterpart, it has same relaxing cucumber scent. Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Instant Infusion is one of the newest additions to the Fresh skincare lineup! A mixture of blackberry, black tea, and lychee extract were added to boost radiance.

            The Fresh Black Tea Skincare set ($92) and Fresh Face Mask Essentials set ($120) are two lovely sets, are two wonderful sets for the skincare enthusiast. Aside from making nice gifts, they're more pocketbook friendly ways to dabble in some of Fresh's higher end products!

          Thanks for reading! What Fresh skincare masks have you tried? What are your must haves from Fresh?

Love, Dovey.
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own. As usual, no ads or affiliate links!

Fresh Holiday 2014 collection review + swatches (Part I)

           I've just returned from a trip to Pittsburgh with mom and our combined three little white dogs in tow. (It's a pet friendly city!) Despite being nearby, this was my first visit to the city ever --- it has this fascinating hilly landscape and steep roads that reminds me somewhat of San Francisco. During my quick stay, I had a fantastic locally sourced meal at The Porch at Schenley : Margherita Pizza, Duck Confit, and Tiramisu (so, so good). Overall, it was a nice trip, finished off with a dusting of snowflakes on our drive back.

         Speaking of inspired ingredients, I've added a couple fresh finds to my skincare and color arsenal as of late! I've been spoiled with festively packaged picks from Fresh Holiday 2014, courtesy of Fresh. I have two lovely gift sets: Fresh Sugar Legends and Fresh Skincare VIPs to share with with you today... shall we take a look?

           The Fresh Skincare VIPs ($70) are a set of great basics from the line, to the theme of Lotus, Soy, Seaberry, and Sugar. The mix of miniature and full sized items is a great way to try fresh skincare favorites without making a full investment. As you know, I've been traveling a lot these past couple of months, so you can bet I'll be slipping a couple of these conveniently sized pieces into my travel case (Lotus eye gel, I'm looking at you!)

          The set contains Fresh Soy Face Cleanser (1.7 fl.oz.), Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil (0.5 fl.oz.), Fresh Lotus Eye Gel (0.25 fl.oz.), Fresh Sugar Face Polish, and Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF15 (full size).

           I was most excited about the Fresh Sugar Face Polish. I left my usual exfoliating cleanser at home, and have been feeling the need for a good scrub. The face polish contains real brown sugar to soften and smoothen. It has a nice sugar + lemon too, to boot. Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil (0.5 fl.oz.) is a relatively new item to the line. The blend of pure oils has a nice herbal aroma; a couple drops apply comfortably to the face! Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF15 (full size) is a fan favorite lip balm, containing a blend of sugar, meadowfoam, black currant seed oils. This applies clear (i.e. isn't tinted), which makes it nice for everyday use alone or under a lip color.

Can everything smell like Fresh cucumber, please?

           I've used up a couple tubes of Fresh Soy Face Cleanser (1.7 fl.oz.) in the past, so I'm always happy to have another one in hand. The gentle cleanser has such a relaxing cucumber scent, as well as smooth, almost slippery texture when applied to the face. I'm new to the Fresh Lotus Eye Gel (0.25 fl.oz.), but am liking it thus far! It has that same relaxing cucumber scent, and a gel-like feel.

          The Fresh Sugar Legends ($55) set is a gorgeous, gorgeous set of seven mini tinted lip treatment favorites (including the new Fresh Sugar Tulip shade). Fresh has a comparable set every year, and they tend to go quickly, so if you're interested grab one while you can!

        The shades within the collection include: Fresh Sugar Petal, Tulip, Rosé, Honey, Cherry, Passion, and Berry.

I can't get over how cute and colorful these little tubes are!

          I've swatched all seven shades of Fresh Tinted Lip Treatments below. Fresh Sugar Petal is an easy to wear pink blossom. Fresh Sugar Tulip is a sheer hot pink. (Its probably my favorite of the bunch!) Fresh Sugar Rosé is a sheer rose.  Fresh Sugar Honey is a warm nude. Fresh Sugar Cherry is a sheer sunny red. It's a nice tint for the holiday season! Fresh Sugar Passion is a vibrant sheer mauve. Fresh Sugar Berry is, well, a pretty berry!

          At this point, I have a feeling that both the Fresh Sugar Legends and Fresh Skincare VIP sets speak for themselves. I adore the spa-like feel of Fresh products, so I have nothing but good things to say about these gifts. Both are great ways to try a variety of items, without breaking the bank. Plus, the mini sizes will come in handy during my travels. They'll go quickly (if they're not gone already), so be sure to grab one to gift (and for yourself) while they're still around! You'll find Fresh gift sets at Fresh cosmetics online, Sephora, and other fine retailers!

         Thanks for reading! What are some of your Fresh favorites? What is your favorite shade of Fresh Sugar lip treatment?

Love, Dovey.

P.S. I have more Fresh sets on the way, so stay tuned...
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own. As usual, no ads or affiliate links!

fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Eau de Parfum Rollerball Ornament (Holiday 2012) review

           For Holiday 2012, fresh has put together a brightly packaged burst of candied citrus to warm our spirits. The fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Eau de Parfum Rollerball ornament is a classic Fresh scent packaged in a festive holiday cardboard case with an ornamental loop. The vintage colorburst pattern was inspired by a vintage French champagne catalog.

           In Greek Mythology, the Hesperides are nymphs that tend to the blissful garden where the golden apples of immortality grow. Drawing from its inspiration, fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Eau de Parfum bottles an eternally optimistic sentiment.The intended notes include: mandarin, Italian lemon, grapefruit, bergamot, lotus flower, transparent jasmine, rhubarb, musk, and peach. Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit opens with a burst of freshly washed and zested citrus. Sweet grapefruit seems to be the dominant scent. It is closely backed up by candied lemon rind and the juice of mandarin. The combinations of different citrus fruits add more depth than just one alone. The scent is rounded off with a hint of warmth, femininity, and smoothness from the jasmine and musk. Those who like Clinique Happy, will definitely be fans of fresh Hesperides Grapefruit; the two fragrances are similar, but the latter has a bit more sugar and complexity due to the mixed fruits and flowers. Like any top-heavy scent, fresh Hesperides grapefruit does have a relatively short life when worn, however you can take and reapply the rollerball wherever you go.

           The fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Rollerball ornament would be a very sweet citrus surprise to pluck off a tree come Christmas morning. Hesperides grapefruit is a crisp and sugary scent that's sure to add a whiff of addictive optimism whenever worn. As an added plus, the holiday version of the protective cardboard packaging is a fun accent that can add some bright color to a purse year-round. Thanks for reading! Have you tried fresh Hesperides Grapefruit? Have you tried any other fresh scents? What are your favorite citrus scents?

Love, Dovey.

P.S. For more Holiday 2012 offerings from fresh, check out my review of the fresh Sugar Addiction mini lip collection (reviewed here).
Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.

Fresh Sugar Addiction Mini Lip Collection review + swatches

          For Holiday 2012, fresh has a number of colorfully packaged gift sets to brighten up the season. The whimsical packaging design was inspired by vintage Champagne catalogues in France and is meant to embody a spirit of merrymaking and cheer. I have the fresh Sugar Addiction Mini Lip Collection to share with you today!

         The fresh Sugar Addiction Mini Lip collection contains six miniature lip treatments. The fresh tinted lip treatments include: Sugar Rose, Sugar Honey, Sugar Coral, Sugar Berry, and Sugar Passion. There classic fresh Sugar Lip Treatment is also included. Each lip treatment has SPF15 and is 0.08oz. (full sized fresh lip treatments are 0.15oz.) The tubes are constructed from the typical fresh plastic coated with metal. The caps to these mini lip treatments should be twisted (as opposed to pulled) off.

          The swatches of each fresh Lip Treatment is shown below. Each lip treatment is sheer as one would expect of tinted lip balm. Sugar Rose is a light sheer pink. Sugar Honey is a warm nude. Sugar Coral is a pink coral. Sugar Berry is a sheer pink mauve. Sugar Passion is a red-pink. Sugar is a clear lip treatment.

          The fresh Sugar Addiction Mini Lip Collection ($48) is a festive and practical set to give or get this season. The sets are a great way to try a variety of the popular fresh lip treatments without breaking the bank. The set I have has six fresh lip treatments, however other sets are available in three, five, and eight tube sizes. Thanks for reading! Have you tried fresh lip treatments? Which is your favorite? Have you tried any other products from fresh?

Love, Dovey.

Disclosure: This post contains product(s) sent to Cute and Mundane for consideration by PR. The ideas and opinions in this post are genuine and my own.

Little luxuries for stress relief

  
           I should be tooling away on my project, but I have an itchy trigger finger when it comes to photographs. I decided to oblige myself with a couple of camera phone pics. Today I'm sharing some of the products that give me some stress relief. When I'm busy, I gravitate towards bath and body products with scents, textures, and fragrances. These little luxuries for the senses are more keenly appreciated during these times.

Some of the things I've been reaching for are:

1. Dior Addict 2 - This is my most used fragrance. It's a strong feminine, floral, sweet, and very optimistic scent. It's young, but I think it still represents my personality quite well.
2. DKNY Be Delicious - I've spritzed this once in a while since it's apple season. It's more of a simple fruity tomboy type scent. Not my usual MO, but it's good to mix things up.
3. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser - I rediscovered this from my skincare stash. It's a very gentle cleanser with a lot of slip and a clean cucumber scent. The slip allows me to massage my face longer without tugging. I really like the scent too. This cleanser is not a heavy duty cleanser though! I only use it after my makeup has been completely removed or in the mornings.
4. LUSH Tea Tree Water - This is an astringent spray with tea tree and juniper. I'm not sure how effective its blemish fighting capacity is, however the smell and feeling is relaxing. A spritz on my face is a nice picker-upper while I'm working.
5. LUSH Ocean Salt - I love this salt and lime scrub. It's clarifying, and massaging. I love it.
6. Shu eyelash curler - I'm obsessed with my lashes. No matter what, I need to curl them and apply tons of mascara. Then I feel ready to tackle whatever comes my way!

          Thanks for reading! I've got to get back work, but I'll check back to see if there are comments =). Do you go scent and spa crazy during tough times too? I'm fascinated to know what scents people like. It says so much about their personality. I'm obviously a pink bottle type girl. Mr. Lovey is a woodsy type guy. What about you?

Love, Dovey.