Summer is in full swing, which means you should make sure your beauty routine is in tune with the season! 

In the hotter months, I like to switch to a more sheer tinted moisturizer (1) that corrects redness without leaving my face feeling caked up and heavy. For an extra dewy effect, wet a Beautyblender sponge before applying. If you are in a humid region or are just prone to some extra glistening in the heat, make sure to carry around blotting pads (2) to dab away any unwanted perspiration. You want to be glowing, not melting!

Skin protection should really be a year-long thing, but make sure you are extra vigilant about applying sunscreen (3) in the summertime! A fresh tan is lovely, but believe me when I say you would much rather have to deal with pale skin than skin cancer. If you have sensitive skin like mine, it's okay to splurge on a skincare-line sunscreen. Normally I use Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer for my face and the classic Banana Boat for the rest of my body. Make sure you are purchasing a sunscreen that is above SPF 30, and reapply often! 

Your lips need extra love too! I am a die-hard fan of Burt's Bees chapstick (partial to the mango flavor) but this tinted lip balm (4) is another awesome pick because it provides moisture and nourishment to your lips while also giving them a subtle hint of color. 

It doesn't matter if you spend every day at the beach this summer or are stuck miles from shore throughout - you can get beach-worthy waves with this surf spray (5). I love applying it to soft curls to add some crunchy texture. It also comes in handy when trying to create updos with my naturally stick-straight hair, as it provides texture so strands can stay in place. 

Update your mani/pedi with a vibrant coral nail polish (6). Dior polishes are gorgeous and easy, and this color is the perfect way to give yourself an instant tan - no harmful sun rays necessary!

The best summer looks are almost makeup-free, but if you are looking to add a bit of sparkle this nude eyeshadow palette (7) is the perfect way to add a glow. Bonus points: this duo palette can also be used as a makeshift bronzer palette! 

What are your must-have summer beauty essentials?

Band of Outsiders is a staple amongst all the cool girls, so wouldn't it make sense that the resort lookbook resembled the style of the classic cool lady, Holly Golightly of Breakfast at Tiffany's fame? 

Think of the collection as Holly Golightly with an iPhone - headscarves, black silk jumpsuits, sleek trenchcoats perfect for hunting down lost cats, and so on. Holly has plenty of quirk to her, and her classic pieces with playful touches go perfectly with the Band of Outsiders aesthetic.

The classic LBD gets a modern twist with a cross back and ankle boots

Looking for cat in a chic trenchcoat dress

images via style.com and Breakfast At Tiffany's

Wow, Valentino. Just wow.

Under the reigns of design duo of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, Valentino has become the go-to brand for luxurious and romantic bohemian clothing, full of lace maxi skirts, earthy suedes, and models in milkmaid braids. There's no doubt that Chiuri and Piccioli have succeeded in making the Valentino brand all their own, but in the process I have sometimes felt as if their collections have become repetitive, all variations on the same theme, and together not as all inventive as the presentations that Valentino Garavani designed for his namesake brand.

The 2015 resort presentation was not a departure from the aesthetic that Chiuri and Piccioli have established as staples of the present-day Valentino, but rather a revitalization. 

With some inspiration from an archival print from a 1973 collection, as well as the works of the iconic artist Frida Kahlo, Valentino delivered a truly extensive collection full of clothes for the fashionable, adventurous woman.

The clothes were not only beautiful but practical. They aren't just for sitting around and looking pretty, they are for exploring jungles both urban and exotic, for traipsing through cobblestone streets in seldom-visited villages, for seeing all that this world has to offer in fabulous style.


The first half of the collection was full of these practical but fascinating looks, with army jackets decorated with butterfly motifs (another staple of the Chiuri-Piccioli-run Valentino), comfortable gladiators and flat espadrilles, and billowy fabrics and shapes perfectly made for moving around.

Then the earthy tones and Khalo-esque touches quickly transformed into technicolor, geometric print dresses that recalled the pop art of the 60s and 70s. These were the looks that were inspired by that archival 1973 print, which was considered quite "visually disruptive" and continued to be so here, but in the best of ways.

If there's anything that modern fashion has taught us, it is that the rules were meant to be broken. Patterns can clash for the ultimate effect, for example, and in general things that are supposedly visually displeasing can make for great sartorial statements. The highly-saturated looks are sure to land on magazine pages and make statements on the red carpets. They may even find themselves on a bold street style star or two. Surely they are the standout pieces from the collection, if only because the colorful patterns are so clearly attention-grabbing.

In a season of resort shows continuing to demonstrate the increasing importance of the pre-season collections, Valentino delivered a knock-out presentation that was just as strong as any major ready-to-wear collection. I sincerely hope these magnificent clothes get the attention they deserve come winter.