winter skin beauty roundup

  Morning friends! Even though we had a snow day on Tuesday, I feel like this week has been taking forever!

Maybe it's just being 30, but my skin feels particularly under the weather this winter. I love winter so much, every bit of it, but my skin does an about face halfway through the year - from oily to dry and dull. Every year I'm left scratching my head as to the best products to use, and I feel like this year I have finally figured out a good formula. Here's my daily run down of products (quick disclaimer: I use only cruelty free products, which are more and more easy to find. I highly recommend making the switch!):

MORNING:

1. Gentle Cleanser - I have loved Mario Badescu products for years, and if I need a good scrub, I use this. Otherwise, lately I have been stealing Raven's fash wash, which gets my skin super clean without completely stripping it of its oils. Once a week, I use my Clarisonicto slough off dead skin. It's a miracle product.

2. Anti-Aging Serum - My skin has completely changed since I bought Tata Harper's serum this fall. My skin feels springy and more smooth. It's pricy but it truly works.

3. Eye Cream - I recently just purchased Tata Harper's eye cream and have completely fallen in love. My eyes are so puffy in the morning, and this magical cream sucks out the puff almost instantly.

4. Moisturizer - I love a tinted moisturizer for a more even complexion (and SPF!) but find that it's not enough in the winter for my scaly skin. I've been mixing tinted and regular moisturizer everyday with exciting results.

5. Foundation - You all know my love for tarte products. This is the best foundation I have ever used. Creamy as the day is long! Tip: I tried their BB cream foundation and found that it didn't quite absorb into my skin all the way / wasn't anything special. Stick with tarte's regular foundation, and make sure to invest in a good foundation brush!

I follow these steps with bronzer and the rest of my makeup...which is another post!

Night -

1. Cleansing Cloths - No, I don't wash my face at night. I know, I'm gross, etc, etc, I just don't. I did, however, finally invest in an amazing cleansing cloth that removes my makeup, (thanks for the rec, Cup of Jo!) smells amazing and is cruelty free! After I exhaust one of the wipes, I quickly rinse my face and follow steps 2, 3, and 4 from above. Night night!

Thoughts? Any products I should try? I'm looking to invest in a silky night cream - recs appreciated!

xoxo,

                                                                                                                                                                                       Affiliate links are used in this post, though I truly use each and every one of the aforementioned products. Your support is greatly appreciated.

outfit of the day: the back of your closet

Morning, friends! Before the snow started falling, Raven and I ventured out for a quick shoot. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I wear a lot of black, especially on bottom. Wanting to switch it up a bit, this old sweater caught my eye the other day, and I was inspired to pair it with my trusty pair of boyfriend jeans:

We repeat outfits all the time. We repeat favorite, comfortable pieces over and over, because we know how they make us feel. I can't remember the last time I wore this sweater, but I'm so glad I rediscovered it. In this cold, snowy weather, the print and color are welcome.

One of my biggest tips to my closet makeover clients is to reverse your closet - bring the pieces you don't wear much to the front, right where you can see them, and put your favorites in the back. Make it easier for yourself to get inspired by your existing wardrobe and get a little creative during your morning routine.

This sweater was purchased on La Redoute years ago, but I've outlined a nice alternative below.

// hat made by my SIL (similar) // sweater, sweater // boyfriend jeans // chucks (similar) // braided bracelet, old // gold bracelet //

I'm off to do a little at-home workout and eat some eggs. Enjoy your snow day, New Yorkers!

xoxo,

Affiliate links are included in this post. I greatly appreciate your support!

#LRWstyle

Good morning, friends! Here we are, renewed and refreshed after a weekend away from work and responsibilities, right? Right!?

One of my absolute favorite things in the world is the feeling of joy that I get when a friend, family member or client texts or calls me with a style question. "Can brown boots go with black jeans?" "Should I get sheer or opaque tights?" "Will you help me pick out sunglasses?"

A little background here. LRW was conceived from these very questions. Friends and family have always come to me with their vestiary queries, and during a conversation with Courtney, it was decided that I should turn whatever knowledge I have into a blog and a business. And LRW was born!

My goal as a blogger and a stylist is to help all of you (myself included) make fashion an enjoyable, non-intimidating, approachable part of your life. It's easy, it's fun, and it's not that deep. We all feel less than our best sometimes - tired, frumpy, fed up, bloated, the list goes on. I am a firm believer that sometimes, all you need are the clothes on your back to lift your mood.

So I have an idea...

Today, I'm starting a new Instagram series, and I'd like you all to follow along. Have a question for me? Want to share your newest purchase? Lovin' your outfit hard? Share your picture with the hashtag #LRWstyle. Let's create a community of self-lovin' stylish folks.  I dare you.

I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

xoxo,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           photo by Victoria Gloria for LRW.

picture of the week: alt summit edition

Friends! My most sincere apologies for leaving you high and dry this week. My head is spinning, and speaking of high and dry...I am S-I-C-K sick. Between lack of sleep, the plane ride, and hanging in the dessert, I am fighting a nasty head cold.

Yesterday I took an hour to take myself to the drug store to load up on Mucinex, and was able to get a little tour of SLC on my way. It's so beautiful here, really truly incredible. More beautiful, however, is everything I've learned and all the people I've met in 2 days. The blogging community is a great one, and everyone here is a true creative, hungry for opportunity and relationships. It's awesome.

I wanted to tell you all a little bit about the fashion that I'm seeing here. There is some on point dressing, for sure, and I've noticed a few pieces sticking out that I am loving.

pictured above: // booties // printed blazer // ripped denim // turban headband //

other options: // striped blazer // tan bootie // black ripped denim // hair turban //

Everyone is wearing booties. I mean, everyone. You know I'm a huge fan as well, so this left me tickled. These booties were usually styled with a pair of ankle length ripped jeans, no socks, a structured blazer, and the coup de grace: a hair turban. Essentially, everyone was dressing in a way that I love: add ons (read one of my first posts about this, here). Outfits were basic but stood out because of all the successories - my favorite way to dress!

The other big trend at Alt? The BROWS. Oh, the brows! Dark, filled in, crisp and sharp. I even got into it (you can sort of see below):

Here's a good tutorial I found on Pinterest if you want to give it a whirl!

Friends, I have a new lease on the life of this blog. Expect more from me in 2015.

Have a great weekend!

xoxo,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The use of affiliate links is included in this post. I appreciate your support of LRW!

6 stylish sneaks

If there's one thing I value almost as much as style, it's comfort. Heels, while important to me, are practically a last resort when it comes to getting dressed. Today I've rounded up 6 pairs of sneakers that will keep you chic and ready to run:

Nike Roshe Run - pair with a cashmere sweater and leggings

New Balance for J. Crew - pair with boyfriend jeans and a plaid tee

Nike Women's Free 5.0 - pair with a striped or chambray dress

Converse- pair with anything from jeans to a cocktail dress (no, really)

Nike Vintage for J. Crew - pair with silk harem pants for easy day to night

Nike Women's Air Max 1 - my personal favorite with black skinnies and a leather jacket

Any questions?

xoxo,