Pepper Design Blog

What’s Your Morning Routine?

A bit of an off-topic post today, but in lieu of a wardrobe style board I thought I would share a little sneak peek into my morning face routine (mmm, there has to be a better way to say that?) – and essentially my very favoritist make-up bag contents. In the cosmetic world it’s kind of sparse (I think?? at least compared to my sister’s!) – but it’s basically my prep for the day be it at home or when traveling. Except that I take the mini little plastic jars with me for luggage purposes when on the go.

I always find that the best products to try are those from personal recommendations, no? If you have a love in your life feel free to share it as well!

1. Time Balm concealer in Medium: for the eyes, nose, you know…

2. BareMinerals in Medium Beige: still very much a fan of this product – perfect as an allover (light) coverup for everyday use.

3. Stila One Step in Pop of Pink: this stuff is fantastic! Maybe my favorite item in the bag. Perfect for travel (brought it all over Europe) as it’s a great primer/shadow for the eyelids, lovely cream blush and adds a little color to the lips.

4. Mac Eyeshadow in Sable: if I must choose an all around perfect eye shadow, this is it. I imagine it goes beautifully on any skin color and can be dressed up or down depending on quantity applied and eye liner.

5. Benefit, Big Beautiful Eyes: bought this for traveling and have found it’s perfect for everyday. A little color for the eyes and a darker liner or eyebrow filler for fancy occasions.

6. Blinc Mascara: I have a relationship 8 years strong with this magical mascara. I really hate make up remover… and this particular brand comes off in cone shapes (basically the covering of each individual eye lash) without any assistance except for your face wash. NO red eyes, NO rubbing off of black paste – it’s seriously perfect.

7. Cover FX Skin Prep Serum: this primer is on the pricey end but I use the smallest dab in the mornings to prep my eyes for concealer and the tube lasts me a life time. It’s my favorite primer – and if you’ve never applied concealer or eye shadow with a primer, you are in for a treat.

8. I love Sephora’s generic line of brushes (the ones with the silver handles? Couldn’t find a link online) and I ended up making my own set of brush covers so that I could toss the brushes in my bag on the go (and switch them from briefcase to diaper bag to drawer cleanly). Hmmm… maybe I should market them.

9. Garnier, Skin Renew Daily Moisture Lotion & Sunscreen: I’ve tried a variety of brands but I keep coming back to the affordable, light weight sunscreen that is this guy. Love it.

10. Murad Clarifying Cleanser: Best face wash ever for my very problematic skin. Nuff said.

What do you think? Any favorites that you love and want to share? Could you survive with just a few eye shadows (I have a bigger stash in my drawer that I need to part with…) or are you a lip gloss-only girl anyhow?

Happy weekend!!

PS Apparently ‘Rice Krispy’ is actually spelled ‘Rice Krispie’ – oops! Previous post corrected .

Wardrobe Style Boards: Inspired by Spain

Rather than share a few of my favorite packing list items for Spain as I did for Ireland, I thought I’d share two style boards inspired by what I saw, loved and wished I had brought with me! (PS a round up of all style boards can be found right here, including detailed info on sources).

Just as expected, Spanish women dazzled. They wore unforgivingly beautiful clothing on an everyday basis – the same ones that we might reserve for special occasions. They are unabashed about their jewelry selections and their shoes made you wonder ‘oooh, I wonder how she does that?’. Even Kevin remarked on how nice everyone always looked. And for someone not so concerned with appearances, that’s an observation.

I came with a stash of cotton dresses, braided belts, staple cardigans, a bright skirt and a few sets of earrings to switch out over our ten days, and I thought I’d do well in my one pair of very comfortable Seychelles sandals and grey Toms to troll the city in (left my beloved rainbow flops in SD by accident). When we arrived in Spain after Ireland though (more on the full adventure here), those beautifully warm days and nights that we had planned for soon turned cool and chilly (and some days really wet), unexpected weather that left me reaching for my Ireland pile! It all worked out perfectly, but if I could repack a late-September suitcase of must-haves for the beautiful cities of Spain, here’s what I’d take:

Brightly colored pants are all over the place! Much like here, but with a more free flowing harem twist. I loved the ruched, formal (70′s!) pleated pant waists that narrowed down to a tight cuff on the calf. They looked incredibly comfortable, and when paired with a flowy floral tank, cardigan and wooden heels – awesome. I might not trot around Spain in heels like this, but I am surely impressed by the Spanish women who do!

My second favorite Spanish trend were the beautiful three-quarter length silk blouses that women casually and effortlessly wore everywhere. They’d sit on the patio at a local cafe with a glass of wine watching their kids play at the little park (there’s at least one every two blocks), their silk blouses rolled to their elbows, stacks of bracelets casually clinking as they chatted and laughed with one another. I wanted to bottle it up and bring it home.

White blouse found here. And with a blue blouse? Can’t help myself.

I managed to find one silk blouse, one set of skinny cords and a thin red beaded bracelet to bring home as my own Spanish wardrobe contributions. Perhaps those fabulous silk blouses will make their way to playgrounds here? I’m not sure I could master the everyday European flair that these women embody (oh that polished, unafraid-of-overdoing-it confidence!) but next time, maybe I’ll pack a few comfy cropped trousers. They might actually be perfect for travel.

The entire wardrobe style boards section + links to the above can be found right here.

7 Finds to Bring to Ireland

Hello from Ireland! The weather has treated us so nicely these past few days – nearly every morning the grey skies have cleared to let the soft sunshine pour through by early afternoon. We’re still carrying that umbrella though because it’s that unpredictable! but for the most part it has been absolutely beautiful!

Thought I’d share with you a little Ireland inspiration board:

1. Umbrellas are priceless here! I’ll admit that I would probably spend about 1/10th of the price of this one, but it sure is pretty. 2. Love me a thick, warm sweater (even though some days require a thin jacket on top!). I brought my favorite oversized cardigan that is super cozy and it’s been my everyday wrap (this one is similar). 3. Also brought along my favorite jeans for tucking into boots or wearing with Toms. 4. A small messenger bag has been invaluable. I still have mine from our trip to New Zealand a couple of years ago, but this is a similar size. Fits my Rebel camera, a diaper + small pack of wipes, my wallet and phone! 5. Scarves! Adds a pop of color and in a jiffy keeps the neck warm when the next breeze comes through. 6. Tees for layering and more layering. 7. Boots might not be practical for heritage sites or hiking, but they’re super for exploring cities and tucking jeans into. Found mine years ago and could walk all over town, keeps those ankles nice and toasty (these guys pictured here are on my list).

Hope you are having a great start to your week and see you all soon!