Church of Birch

P L A Y I N G T H I S….

W E A R I N G T H I S…

source: www.1stdibs.com

T O R S O - S A N F R A N C I S C O

P A R I S I L O V E Y O U

awesome vintage shop in the Marais….found an amazing floor length Ann Demeulemeester black wrap leather skirt. yippeee!

D R E A M L A N D

couldn’t resist these Dries Van Noten boots from L’Eclaireur!

making faces at Kenzo Party & NY/NY-La Regine

motorcycle rides…

we danced thru the streets everyday!

V E R S A I L L E S-  First time I had a chance to visit this place and it was in my dreams every day as an 18th century obsessed teen! It was the most magical day with my dear fairy girlfriends!  we danced thru the rooms, sang, blew dandelions, made wishes, frolicked thru the gardens and even managed to sneak into an opera in Napolean’s private Opera theater! Of course we all had to wear red lipstick! 

Descending the stairs in chez Marie Antoinette.  

We found the Queen Bee herself.  Marie….is that you?

we left a petit memento of our experience in the gardens…

We ended more than a few nights at the wonderful Chez Janou drinking Pastis Violette and (me mostly) eating chocolate mousse in their big huge debaucherous bowls

One night we kept it casual and made a little feast at home

This holiday will be in my heart forever!

My supremely talented friend Erik just released his beautiful new book

source: www.maisondesprit.com

M Y B E A U T Y B I B L E

Anyone who knows me well or even slightly well knows that I’m a product junkie to the core.  I have scoured far and wide for my collection and so I wanted to share a few of my faithful favorites, tried and true that come with not just pretty packaging (which is very important to me) but a wonderful result! 

F A C E

-NUDE Replenishing NIght Oil-  I love face oils and have tried many but this one takes the cake.  Paraben, Sulfates, mineral oil free etc,… it leaves my skin super radiant and soft and the fragrance reminds me of Caron’s Parfum Sacre! In winter I use a few drops during the day too.

-NUDE Cleansing Oil- This is by far my favorite facial cleanser ever.  It takes off even the most stubborn eye makeup without drying out your skin, but doesn’t leave any greasy residue at all either.  It smells amazing too as do all the Nude products.

-ARCONA Golden Grain Grommage- This is a really great face exfoliator..gentle yet really delivers results.  

-HERITAGE Rosewater Face Mist- I spray this face mist on all day long. whenever I need a refresher.  It helps to set makeup as well as tone my skin just before I apply my creams and oils.  It’s also cheap! You can find it at any health food store.

-JURLIQUE Face Lotion SPF 30- I use sunscreen every day and love this one so much.  It’s a really light and non greasy formula yet is very hydrtaing!

-ESTEE LAUDER Advanced Night Repair Serum- This classic is a miracle plain and simple!  I don’t go a night without it.

-CREME DE LA MER Moisturizing Creme- Simply the best.  Can’t fight the winter in New York without this.  Also amazing for travel as it’s one of the only things that keeps moisture in my skin after lots of flying.

-AESOP Parsley Seed Antioxidant Extract-  I put a couple drops of this under my daytime moisturizer.  Great for giving and extra layer of protection against free-radicals etc,..

-ARCONA Triad Pads- These toning pads are incredible and really help to get rid of dirt and build up in the skin.  The raspberry divine smell alone is a reason to get them.

-KIMIA Precious Eye Serum- I finally found an oil for around the eye area and this one is truly wonderful.  Super hydrating and packed with really high quality ingredients.  

-SMITH’S Strawberry lip salve- An alternate to my favorite rose bud salve but works just as well.  A little difficult to resist eating it sometimes.

-Forgot to add a mask to the photo- I really love DARPHIN Masque Eclat Jeunesse Au Camelia.  This is an amazing hydrating mask and perfect for traveling.  It leaves my skin supple and glowing afterwards.

B O D Y

-CHANEL NO. 5 Body Oil Spray- I spray this on after the shower when i really want to feel like a queen.  

-JO MALONE Vitamin E Body Treatment Scrub- This is a very luxurious body scrub.  The smell is amazing and the way your skin feels afterwards is ridiculous(as in good).

-ALAFFIA Shea Butter Hand & Body Balm in Rose/Geranium- I put this balm on before I go to bed.  It smells incredible and is amazing for your skin.  It’s natural, handmade and fairtrade.  You can get it at Whole Foods.

-IN FIORE Decollete balm- This essential oil blend of divinity is almost like wearing a perfume.  It is super hydrating and luxurious and the smell is out of control!

-AROMOTHERAPY ASSOCIATES Relax Bath & Shower Oil- I LOVE taking baths and a capful of this lavender/ylang ylang oil blend is my favorite way to take them.

-WELEDA Wild Rose Body Oil- After taking a bath, a coat of this chemical-free rose oil all over is seriously luxurious.  Another amazing line you can find at Whole Foods or any other health food spot.  

-GOE All Over Body Oil- I picked this stuff up in Paris last year and keep the tube in my bag.  It’s an beautiful 100% natural blend of plant, fruit and flower oils that you can apply everywhere from hands to body to hair.  

H A I R

-FREDERIC FEKKAI Summer Hair Beach Waves Spray-  I’ve seriously tried them all and this surf spray is the only one that seems to really do what the beach does.

-JEROME RUSSELL B Wild Temporary Color Spray- Yeah I love pink hair a la Todd Rundgren but don’t really want to commit to manic panic so this spray-in color is the perfect way to explore my inner rainbow without making a commitment.  They have loads of other colors and it washes/brushes out easily!

-PHYTO Volume Actif Spray- A stylist used this on me at a shoot once and I was hooked ever after.  Give’s great volume without any gross buildup and smells great too!

-SACHAJUAN Volume Powder- This stuff is like a miracle powder!  Makes my hair feel 100 times thicker.  I spray it in at the roots sometimes when I don’t want to wash my hair and it acts like a dry shampoo but also gives insane amounts of texture and volume.

-RODIN Luxury Hair Oil- A lovely blend of high quality essential oils that make my hair super silky and shiny.  Sometimes a put a few drops on my ends before I blow dry or a few drops during the day to keep it smooth.

-DAVINES Alchemic Conditioner in Silver- For any of you folks with dip dye’s or highlights, this stuff is perfect for getting rid of the yellow and orange tones in the blonde bits.  I personally don’t wanna drop a bunch of cash getting a toner all the time so this stuff keeps my colored ends the perfect honey color!

A R O M A S

-BYREDO Green- I got this in Milan last year and am still obsessed!  It’s the perfect blend of clean and fresh with warm and sexy.

-L’ARTISAN Passage D’Enfer- This smell is intoxicatingly mysterious with dark woodsy notes with a powder finish.  It makes me feel like I’m in a massive cathedral listening to monks chanting.  

-CHRISTIAN DIOR Bois D’Argent- I once smelled this on a lady in Paris and was immediately obsessed with finding it.  It’s got a classic sophisticated smell that’s slightly masculine, and very much woman.

-SERGE LUTENS Fleurs D’Oranger- This is the best orange blossom fragrance I’ve smelled.  It’s ultra feminine and makes you feel like you’re in a garden!

-DIPTYQUE L’Eau- This scent is really spicy and playful.  It’s great on a really cold day when you’e all layered up.  The mixture with a crisp wind is perfection!

-MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA Untitled- Everytime I wear this perfume, guys tell me I smell amazing.  It’s super sexy and woodsy and blends with the skin perfectly! I once left my bottle in a hotel room and went to the ends of the earth to get it back.

-LE LABO Patchouli- I am generally not a fan of patchouli but this one is superb.  It’s a very dark smell, slightly like burning wood with a whisper of an autumn wind.

-SANDALWOOD YLANG YLANG Blend Essential Oil- I made up this blend when I was in Oregon at Essential Oils and I keep this little tube in my bag.  It’s a perfect base for layering.

-EGYPTIAN MUSK- A friend of mine just gave me this little bottle of Egyptian musk oil he gets from North Carolina.  It’s all he ever wears and every time I see him I can’t stop sniffing him.  I’m generally not a huge fan of this scent either but when it’s on the skin it becomes totally different.  It also has to be a really high quality blend as oils tend to reveal their quality really quickly once they’re on the skin.

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