Monthly Archives: June 2014

Skincare

How To: Sandal-Ready Feet

June 30, 2014

sandal-ready-feet

Long winters with your feet stuffed in socks and boots can lead to some pretty scary toes. Want to know the secret for getting sandal-ready feet? Get your dogs in tip-top shape by trying a foot chemical peel. It’s a Japanese product called Baby Foot (super creepy name…) and it works wonders. Just like a chemical peel for your face, this foot peel gets rid of all (ALL) the old, dead skin on your feet and you’re left with smooth, baby soft feet. However, nothing can prepare you for the intensity of this foot peel. Your skin will peel off in sheets (in a snake-shedding-skin kind of way) for about 7 days. You will wonder why you ever did it, and it may ruin the inside of your shoes, your living room carpet, and your love life. But, be patient… it works better than anything else. A concentrated blend of lactic acid and alcohol gives this foot treatment its one-two punch.

photo 4 (1)Here’s how to do it:

  1. Soak feet in warm water for about 15-20 minutes and wash with soap. Dry feet. Do not skip this step – it is essential for the gel to absorb properly.
  2. Place dried feet into the provided gel-filled plastic booties. Secure booties with tape (provided).
  3. Slide on another pair of socks over the booties and kick back for an hour. Do not attempt to walk around because the gel will ooze out.
  4. After waiting an hour, remove socks and booties. Wash feet with soap and water.
  5. After about 7 days, your feet will start to peel (my toes started peeling first). Resist the urge to peel until you’re at home. You will inevitably get skin everywhere unless you constantly wear socks around the house (probably recommended). It took about 7 days for my feet to finish peeling. In total, it was about a two-week process, so be patient.
  6. Once your feet have completely finished peeling, you’ll be left with soft, smooth soles. I usually have pretty deep heel fissures and they were completely healed after this process. I like to keep my feet looking their best by applying Bag Balm (old school, I know) to my feet every night before bed. This will keep them looking sandal-ready all summer.

photo 4What do you think? Are you willing to try Baby Foot? Let me know in the comments section below!

XO, J

P.S. I didn’t post any pictures of my peeling process because it was pretty gross, but if you’re interested, there are some Amazon reviewers who have! Also, this is my toenail color.

Style

Summer Essential: The Leather Tote

June 26, 2014

I’m all about a fabulous structured bag for most of the year, but summer time calls for something a bit more relaxed. There’s something so organic-yet-polished about a classic leather tote. I recently bought the Cuyana short leather tote in caramel for myself and carry it with me everywhere. It’s perfect for city living, trips to the farmers’ market, and lazy days at the beach. The optional gold foil monogramming adds something extra special and maintains an air of sophistication against the raw-edged leather.

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Cuyana: $150; Baggu: $240; Madewell: $168

cuyana-toteCuyana tote; Madewell flats; H&M skirt

What do you think? Are you going to snag a leather tote for all of your summer adventures?

XO, J

P.S. Made me laugh. :)

Recipes

Thai Yellow Curry

June 23, 2014

thai-yellow-curryThai food is my absolute favorite kind of take-out. Besides Pad Thai (obviously), my go-to dish is yellow curry with chicken. I’ve been enjoying it for years and never stopped to think that I might be able to whip it up at home just as easily as ordering out. I found a recipe online and heavily modified it to my liking. If you’ve never tried yellow curry, I highly recommend it. It has a unique flavor that makes it anything but ordinary!

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Thai Yellow Curry

Serves: 4

  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 3 Tbsp Thai yellow curry paste (I use Mae Ploy)
  • 1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 (14 oz.) cans coconut milk
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
  • 1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained
  • 1 (8 oz.) can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
  • Jasmine rice, cooked
  1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir yellow curry paste into oil. Add chicken; stir to coat each piece and cook thoroughly.
  2. Pour 1 can coconut milk into skillet and stir until curry paste is completely dissolved and the coconut milk begins to bubble (3 to 5 minutes). Pour in remaining coconut milk and chicken stock; stir. Add the sriracha sauce. Add the potatoes, pineapple chunks, and bamboo shoots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 30 to 35 minutes). Remove from heat. Serve over Jasmine rice.

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DSC_0200Enjoy!

XO, J

Hair

Hair Dryer Upgrade

June 20, 2014

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There’s a lot more to great hair than meets the eye. Many women (me, included) struggle with frizzy, unruly hair on a daily basis. It seemed like no matter how many anti-frizz/smoothing/sleek hair products I slathered on, nothing worked. True confessions: up until about a week ago I was still using my old Conair hair dryer from college. I honestly didn’t think that expensive hair dryers were worth the investment and had little overall effect on frizzy hair. As it turns out, I was pretty darn wrong. Your hair should be your crowning jewel, ladies.

I decided to give it a shot and started looking at new hair dryers on Amazon (because nothing else I was doing was working). After browsing around, I decided to order the BaByliss Pro BABP2800 porcelain ceramic 2000-watt dryer. However, even at $52.99 (which is very reasonable for a professional-grade dryer), I was hesitant to pull the trigger and it sat in my cart for a month and a half. About a week ago I decided to take the plunge and order it, along with a new round brush (more on that later…).

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DSC_0166Rockin’ the second day blowout.

This hairdryer BLEW all of my expectations out of the water (pun intended). With my old hair dryer, I would spend a sweaty hour rough drying, sectioning, and blasting my poor hair with lukewarm air. It would start to frizz and curl the moment I walked outside.

With this new dryer, it was the next best thing to a professional blowout. My hair felt like it had been washed with angel tears and was drenched in shine. Remember what I said before about hot heat being the key to a sleek blowout? This dryer reaffirms that notion; this dryer gets HOT. I think that the warm setting is plenty hot enough and that you should proceed with caution should you decide to use the hottest setting (it may damage color-treated/weak hair).

This dryer has a lower pitch than my last dryer which, while not necessarily quieter, is less irritating. It also came with a precision nozzle for extra-concentrated air flow, which amplifies the sleekness of my strands (it’s about as powerful as a jet engine, too). Remember what I said about the hot getting hot? The cold shot on this dryer gets cold. Like, air conditioning cold. Perfect for sealing those cuticles and locking in shine.

Quit fooling around with cheap hair dryers. If you have long, thick, curly or frizzy hair, get this dryer. It will make your life.

Sadly, the same cannot be said for the new Olivia Garden round brush I bought. I really like the size and it seemed like a nice quality, but it couldn’t withstand the heat of my new dryer and the bristles have already started to melt! Do you have any recommendations for ceramic round brushes that can withstand blazing hot heat?

XO, J

P.S. How to blow dry your hair (the right way)!

Style

Where to Shop For: Wardrobe Basics

June 16, 2014

No matter how many peplum tops or printed pants you may have, the foundation of every wardrobe rests on quality basics. Good-fitting, quality basics can be hard to find, however. Cheap fabrics can unravel or shrink in the wash, leaving you with misshapen, lumpy or frayed tanks and tees. Here are some of my favorite places to shop for the wardrobe basics that get you through every day and make your outfits look complete. Hover over each image to shop!

ASOS has a little bit of everything, but I especially like their casual tee dresses. So effortlessly cozy and perfect paired with ankle boots for running errands on sunny days.

I love to supplement my wardrobe with everyday basics from H&M. They have a great selection of affordable, easy-to-accessorize dresses appropriate for work. Their loose tanks are also crazy-cheap and look great with jean shorts.

My latest obsession (Sawyer loves them too!) is Uniqlo. They didn’t have a storefront anywhere in New England, so the store was new to me when I moved to SF. They have so many great basics, but I especially love their button-down oxfords (high-quality cotton and fits so well) and AIRism camisoles. I recommend ordering a size down so they’re snug and can double as shapewear.

I’m not sure if it’s possible to have too many of these Forever 21 jersey pencil skirts (I have 4… 5 maybe?). So easy to dress up or down and insanely affordable. For the best classic v-neck tee, I love Madewell (obviously). It has the perfect weight, draping, and never shrinks or stretches out no matter how many times you wash it.

What are some of your can’t-live-without wardrobe basics?

XO, J

Life

Summer Reading List

June 12, 2014

summer-reading-list

With summer officially upon us, it’s time to dive head-first into your summer reading list. Whether you’re lounging on the beach, by the pool, or taking a cross-country road trip, these titles won’t let you down. Let’s get started!

is everyone hanging out without meIs Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling: Mindy Kaling is one funny lady. Her hilariously girly narration makes it feel like you’re hanging with your bestie. I laughed out loud so.many.times. It’s a feel-good read for any girl.

the goldfinchThe Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: This book may be 700+ pages but it sure didn’t feel like it. I ripped through this book in record time because it was so gripping. Donna Tartt is an incredible writer and every character was twisty and complex – a magnetic novel about a tragic loss. I highly recommend.

dad is fatDad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan: It’s no secret that I have a serious soft spot (bordering on obsession) for Jim Gaffigan. What more can I say? The man is hilarious. Even people without kids will appreciate the hilarity of this book.

never have i everNever Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date by Katie Heaney: Oh, Katie. We’ve all almost been in your shoes. In a different life, all of us could have been in your shoes. This book felt like reading the voice of girls of our generation. Refreshingly honest and spot-on – I couldn’t put it down.

gone girlGone Girl by Gillian Flynn: I’m only about halfway through this book (so I don’t know how it ends) but I’m so enraptured. It’s a sneaky and viperish thriller. Read it.

What are some of your favorite summer reads?

XO, J