KITA skincare

Winter is here and so are the ugly skincare issues that come with it. Dry skin, turtleneck rashes (now that I think about it - maybe I’m allergic to wool?) and chapped lips. It’s all getting too real.

Thankfully, with a newly revamped skincare routine, things are really improving for my skin this year, even with the dropping temps. Thanks to my Schon Skincare products, NUDE skincare essential oils, Kiehls face wash and my latest addition, KITA Skincare. Here’s the lowdown on my latest obsession, the KITA moisturizing serum complex.

KITA personalizes their skincare to you
Just like Chinese philosophy (my favorite topic in my college psychology class), KITA focuses on what natural element you are to bring you the best results. I took this short quiz and learned my natural element is wood. Which totally makes sense given my love for being out in nature, choosing birchwood for our wedding centerpieces (the SAME ONES featured in this post) and the overarching theme of my Instagram page…

It helps you relax
Can I just say how much I love this function of the serum. In the box, it includes a massage/pressure point routine (and an online face map) for helping you relax. And YES it works. I do this nightly to help my mind wind down from all the craziness of the day. To me, it’s so cool that KITA is so much more than just about the product - it’s about your overall well-being. Remember, it’s is all about balance.

It’s also a primer
Hello, beautiful product that also helps my makeup stay on. What’s the point of having makeup if it’s gone by mid-morning?

It has a smooth, silky texture
This is not like any facial lotion or product I’ve used before - goes on silky to my skin, leaving it nice and smooth. Plus, it doesn’t have a strong scent, and the one it does have is pleasantly and subtly earthy.

It has the most amazing ingredients
This is one of the biggest reasons I love KITA. The ingredients are amazing - my wood serum is infused with organic cactus elixir, Lake Klamath algae, acai oil, gotu kola, and jade micro gems (YES, GEMS.)

Aside from those things, KITA's serum also re-balances your energy, receives stress, restores natural collagen, improves skin elasticity, and renews your skin cells. They don’t currently carry at any US stores, but you can order online here if you want to check it out for yourself! XO!

That Scarf Life

Something I’m learning with short hair is that DANG IT SUCKS WHEN IT’S COLD. When the and blows, I feel this coldness in the back of my neck and I”m like WTF is happening right now?! Why do I feel that? WHY DO I NOT LIVE IN FLORIDA?!

My severe case of CNS (cold neck syndrome) has lead me to invest in quite a few pair of scarves this winter. The one I’m wearing here is almost identical to the Zara one that sold out EVERYWHERE after being spread around like wildfire on Pinterest. Best part? It’s SUPER SUPER soft and affordable! I got it for Christmas from Goodnight Macaroon, a super cute little online boutique (where I got this dress, this military-style jacket and the sweater I’m wearing today!)

Funny story - I had put this scarf on my gift guide and 3 of my family members bought it for me! THREE. I also bought it for my sister if that shows you how much I love it. (AND HER!)

If you have any scarves you’re obsessing with this season, please share them in the comments below! My neck will be hibernating in scarves like these until Spring - might as well look cute while doing it! XO!

Wearing Free People jeans, Goodnight Macaroon scarf (similar) and sweater, Maison Martin Margiela boots (similar), Calvin Klein jacket (similar), Angela Roi bag

Fleece-Lined Leather

My latest obsession? Fleece-lined EVERYTHING. I wear fleece tights every single day to work. It essentially feels like I’m wearing out-in-public-appropriate sweatpants - is there anything better than that? No, there is not.

While fleece tights can be a great way of staying warm, I don’t want to wear tights all the time. So you can guess how thrilled I was to find another fleece-lined staple at one of my favorite local shops, Take 5 Boutique! Fleece lined faux leather pants. YESSS.

You know how something is a staple? When you don’t know how you ever lived without it. And these, my friends, are my winter staple. With these 30-degree days (and it’s only getting colder, folks) they’ve been the most fashionable godsend. Ever.

Wearing faux leather pants via Take 5 Boutique c/o, Vince Camuto top, Sophie Blake necklace, Via Spiga booties

Brrr

Winter is here. This became painfully evident to me last night as I walked to my bus in what felt like 20-degree wind gusts. I immediately was filled with ALL THE REGRET about not wearing fleece tights and a hat. This is my first winter with short hair too - so I feel like I'm at a bit of a learning curve over here. Hats and scarves every day from now on!

This scarf is handmade by a local DC designer, Betsy, CEO and founder of Zophia. I love the frayed edges yet classic pattern is has. Betsy is MAD talented when it comes to designing clothing. She designed the tropical crop top I’m wearing here and here. Who knew that such a statement top would be such a staple in my closet?!

Most times when I’m getting dressed, I plan it around a certain item and then use the process of elimination to help decide the rest. I wore my favorite navy shift dress from another local designer, Erika Schrieber (you can find her stuff at the Sophie Blake Pop Up in Mosaic District) and my FAVORITE marble sneakers from Anthom.

I wore this out for a lunch date with Betsy at my go-to spot, Malmaison in Georgetown. If you haven’t been (see photos here!), I highly recommend it!!

Wearing Zophia scarf, Erika Schrieber dress, Halogen leather jacket, Veja sneakers via Anthom
Photos by Betsy

From the Farmer

Ever since starting my journey with clean eating last year, I’ve been a changed person. My energy levels are higher than ever, I actually CRAVE vegetables, and my skin has become so much more vibrant. Combined with working out, I’ve never felt better about myself.

But the holidays were rough on me. While I still stuck to the core of clean eating, I definitely indulged quite a bit. When it’s cold, out come the creamy mashed potatoes and crock pot mac and cheese. Old habits die hard…and to be honest, I was getting a bit bored of making the same 10 recipes over and over again…

When From the Farmer, a weekly farm-fresh delivery service reached out, I knew they’d be instrumental in helping my break out of my comfort foods rut. Even though you can go online to choose what veggies and fruits you want in your next bag, I wanted to try a little bit of everything they were offering! So in my bag, I got spinach, apples, beets (YES!), potatoes, apple cider (SCORE), oranges, lettuce, stir fry greens, brussels sprouts and sunchokes. Not only that, but they sent the sweetest welcome box with tons of goodies inside like locally made cookies, hand-packed granola (from my good friends over at Greenheart Organic!) and the tastiest jams!

I couldn’t wait to dive into the bag and start playing around with new recipes! Luckily for me, they send out a list of tasty recipes in their weekly emails that include the fruits and veggies of that week! I roasted up some beets with goat cheese and sautéed greens, drizzled some honey on my roasted brussel sprouts and ACTUALLY ate an apple a day (they were the best apples I’ve ever eaten, BTW.)

Aside from the regular delivery, you can do add-ons like fresh meat, eggs and other specialty produce! We ordered the Maple Sage Breakfast Sausage around New Year’s since we were having guests stay at our home and they were FLOORED with how tasty they were (I didn’t get to try any unfortunately since I’m vegetarian, but they smelled so good I almost caved!)

Another thing that really sets this service apart is their huge delivery area. I mean, they deliver ALL THE WAY out to the outskirts of Loudoun County! I don’t know of any other companies who do that.

If you want to try From the Farmer, you can get 20% off your first four deliveries! Just use code:
itsjulien2016

From the Farmer sent me four weeks of produce to try, but all opinions are my own.