March is FINALLY over and I rounded up everything we bought.
No big surprises over here. We shopped easy items to work from home in, supplies to work out from home in and small home items to make our homes a little bit cozier.
1 | Chinese Laundry, Cabella Slingback Pump | 25% off at Nordstrom | These stylish slingback pumps won’t break the bank and are honestly the most comfortable pumps in my closet right now. I know most of us are only getting dressed waist up these days, but the Chinese Laundry Cabella Slingback Pump is a great addition to your wardrobe.
2 | AERIE, Track Jumpsuit | 40% off | If you are stuck at home you might as well be comfy AF. This adult onesie could not be softer and pairs well with the MANGO cardigan ->-> #8
3 | Anthropologie, Capri Blue Diffuser Oil | linked the diffuser too (also on sale) | I am a firm believer that if you have to stay in your house all day you might as well make it look, feel and smell like a spa. Cozy SZN is here my friends and this diffuser situation is a MUST.
4 | Bala, Bangles 1 Lb. Weights | I think we all put together our home gyms in March and this was the first purchase. I am OBSESSED with these ankle weights so far and have found a ton of free workouts online with them.
5 | Abercrombie & Fitch, Twist Strap Slides | 50% off | These sandals are unbelievably comfortable. I am a true size 8 and went with the size 8/9.
6 | Birkenstock, Essentials – Arizona Slide Sandal | full blog post review on them here
7 | Madewell, Cali Demi-Boot Jeans in Fleetwood Wash | $75 today so I linked the new white wash too | I wear a size 28 in them.
8 | MANGO, Pocket knit cardigan | I have it in a M/L. Probably the most asked question of the month!
9 | AERIE, Ribbed Bandeau Swimsuit | 50% off | Love this swimsuit! Easy to wear as a bodysuit too. I have it in a size large.
10 | Pixi, DetoxifEYE Facial Treatment | The best BANG for your buck when it comes to undereye masks. Be sure to throw them into your online cart the next time you are stocking up at Target.
top seller | 10/10 | the only strapless bra you will ever wear again
I am a 36C and wear a size L
bodysuits
I wear a size large
SKIMS Review
Last week I took the plunge and ordered from Kim Kardashian’s highly publicized SKIMS solutionwear collection. I had been eying the collection since it launched and last week the pieces I had my eye on were finally available in my size. The sizing is a little confusing but based on the size guide I went with a L/XL for everything. A L/XL should fit sizes 10,12,14 according to the site and but I am a size 8/10 and found everything to be VERY tight.
All of the pieces in my SKIMS delivery were from the original KIMONO collection so they had the old tags on them. This is what the SKIMS website had to say about it:
So as not to waste our original round of production, a fabric label with the SKIMS logo has been placed inside the garment. This label has been wash and wear-tested to ensure nothing is compromised with quality and feel.
Honestly, I wouldn’t have even noticed the tag issue. I was too busy trying to wrangle this shapewear onto my body. The tags are soft, flat and not an issue!
For my SKIMS review, I wore all three pieces from my order for an hour under multiple outfits. I sat, I danced, and I lived in them…and this is what I thought.
These are by far my favorite. If you are reading this go immediately to the SKIMS website and buy them. Not only are they comfortable (as comfortable as they are going to get), they really work. I tried the sculpting high waist brief on with two form-fitting dresses and honestly could not have looked better. If you taking anything away from this SKIMS review it should be to buy the brief ASAP!
These are the WORST. They do not stay up and they fit like a thong! I ordered the same size in everything and these do not come close to even fitting the same way as the other pieces in my order. They are not shaping my butt because they don’t even come close to covering it! There is also no way this would even come close to being invisible under everything. I am poking out of this from every possible angle like an overstuffed turkey! These are already back in the box with a one-way ticket back to Kim K.
If you are looking for FULL coverage and support like you’ve never felt before then these are your shorts. If you want to eat, breath or talk then these are NOT your shorts. These shorts intentionally run smaller for a compressive look and feel. If you prefer more comfort for everyday wear, SKIMS recommends selecting a size up or just not eating, breathing or talking. While I do not plan on returning these shorts (because honestly, my body looked BANGING in them) I am not quite sure when or how I will wear them.
Final thoughts: Kim is on her way to something great, but the products are not ALL there. The core control brief made me want to CANCEL Thanksgiving and go for a run. I could not put them back in their perfectly merchandised box fast enough! The sizing feels a little off too. If I really want to wear the core control short and LIVE I will most like need to go up to a size 2X/3X or 16,18,20?!?! and that just doesn’t sound right!
Have you shopped the SKIMS collection yet? Let me know in the comments.
SKIMS review | cozy
This week Kim dropped the cozy collection from SKIMS. This collection was designed for lounging in style…a lifestyle choice I can ALWAYS support. The collection dropped on Monday and sold out in minutes! I signed up for notifications on the website so I had a little bit of an early advantage to shop and I knew exactly what I was going for. I snagged the cozy robe and pants in bone and came home to a box the size of ME last night. My original SKIMS order came in a beautiful branded box and this order arrived in a MASSIVE basic brown box. My two items were packaged in clear plastic bags and the invoice was lose thrown into the box. Overall this was a VERY different experience from my original order. While I am all about reducing packaging and going as green as possible (especially this time of the year), this package did NOT feel special and ate my dinner before even trying anything on <- something I NEVER do.
I polled my Instagram audience on whether or not you were interested and another SKIMS review and the answer was an overwhelming 95% YES! So here we go!
I’m just going to be real honest here. At first touch, I was NOT impressed. It may have been the packaging but when I first felt the robe it felt like a mildly bedazzled barefoot dreams blanket. The robe features a tie at the waist and functional patch pockets. Kim calls it the epitome of luxe loungewear and I am slightly annoyed to confirm that she nailed it. I was honestly expecting to ship this giant box back to Calabasas, but I would rather die than take this shit off. I slept in it and I’m about to leave the house in it. The robe is a hard yes. I hope they restock this before Christmas because this would be the BEST gift in the WORLD and it shipped to me VERY quickly.
The pants are another story. Yes, they are soft AF but if you are LIVING with a FUPA I don’t think that these are the pants for you. I tried them on last night and from some angles, I looked like Kim and from others, I looked six months pregnant. Kim says that they are perfect for lounging in style, but I am unsure if I can leave the house in these. I go from snatched to pregnant in a blink of the eye. The stretchy boucle yarn is supremely comfortable and ultra-flattering according to KKW, but I’m still on the fence on the cut and if they are really worth their $88 price tag. If you are going to shop anything from the SKIMS comfy collection make it the robe and snag it the moment it is restocked!
And while I’m at it let’s add a little POOSH to this review post. In the photo above I’m sporting the Aquis x Poosh Rapid Hair Turban and holding the $15 mug Kourt uses every day. How’d I get my paws on both of these? The team from Aquis sent over the hair turban and the mug came in a PR package, so I did not purchase either like I purchased the SKIMS.
The hair turban was NOT new to me. I’ve been using Aquis Hair Turbans for years and I honestly love them. The only difference between the ones that I already own is that the leopard print outer layer of the turban is made of charmeuse. If you wear this turban inside-out (charmeuse against your hair) while you sleep it alleviates bed-head. And apparently it’s the next best thing to sleeping on silk! I just figured this out and am going to give it a try tonight.
Now let’s discuss the $15 mug Kourt uses every day. It’s made with double-wall glass so there’s no condensation, which means no need for a coaster, and the sturdy paneling allows you to hold a hot beverage without burning your hand. The chic, clear glasses are part of Kourt’s morning and evening routine—she drinks our Collagen Vibes first thing in the a.m. and our Collagen Latte to wind down at night. I am just drinking hot water out of it because I’m not that fancy, but this mug is good and I’m honestly annoyed that I like it.
I know I know the last thing we ALL need is another influencer sharing their skincare routine…but here I am with a long list of all my favorite winter beauty products. I was inspired to write this post because they ALL really work and although the majority are on the higher pricepoint side, they are all apart of some kind of sale/promotion/gift set right now.
FIRST AID BEAUTY, Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration | This cream is THICK and RICH. My skin has been so dry and this fast-absorbing, moisturizer provides instant and long-term hydration. If you are going to buy add anything into your winter beauty regimen make it this cream
ISLE OF PARADISE, Self Tanning Drops | Add these drops to the FAB Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration and you are good to glow!
MARIO BADESCU, Drying Lotion | This award-winning solution helps dry up surface blemishes. I snagged it when I was traveling and suffering from a MAJOR breakout and let me tell you the results are INSTANT and this purchase is necessary
quip, Metal Electric Toothbrush | I polled my Instagram followers for the best travel toothbrush and this was by far the top pick. I’ve had this toothbrush for about a month and I absolutely adore it.
KOSAS, Tinted Face Oil Foundation | My skin is THIRSTY and this hydrating formula is honestly all I can wear right now. I apply it with my fingers and my skin has NEVER looked better. Winter beauty is ALL about hydration and this is by far the best foundation product out there for that
LANEIGE, Lip Glowy Balm | I am the chapped lip queen and honestly, this is the ONLY product works for me. My lips are CONSTANTLY peeling and falling (not cute) the solve -> one of these in every single one of my handbags.
Goop, Enriching Face Oil | Gwyneth Paltrow knows what’s up. I’ve been to her Goop holiday pop-up in San Francisco two years in a row and EVERYTHING she has suggested has been AMAZING (and expensive). Use daily, either alone or in combination with moisturizer. To layer, apply face oil first and allow to absorb; then follow with Revitalizing Day Moisturizer or Replenishing Night Cream. For extra goop Glow, warm several drops of oil between palms, then pat on top of moisturizer or makeup.
FARMACY, Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm | The holiday parties are here and happening and that means that we are piling on the makeup. Name something worse than coming home from a holiday party, your feet are KILLING you and you have to remove a FULL face of makeup. This product is the solution, my friends. A little goes a long way and you will go to bed fresh-faced and fabulous! 25% off EVERYTHING at FARMACY BEAUTY
SkinCeuticals, AOX+ Eye Gel | Does this product work? HARD YES Does it smell awful? HARD YES | This is one of the first SkinCeuticals products I have ever use and boy am I impressed. There is some hard science behind this product and it REALLY works.
OLAPLEX | the holiday hair fix set from above that I have been pushing since it launched is sold out (right now), but I still HIGHLY recommend every OLAPLEX product out there. I love these products SO much that I wrote an entire blog post about how they saved my hair
Aquis, Rapid-Dry Hair Turban | if you watch my Instagram stories than you know that I can NOT live without this hair turban. This magical hair towel is made with exclusive, ultra-lightweight AQUITEX® technology to rapidly dry hair to a damp state with LESS heat and without DAMAGING your hair. It cuts drying time by half while leaving you hands-free, it controls frizz and breakage and your hair holds styles better and looks shinier. If you are looking for a gift for LITERALLY anyone with hair, this is it! | shop my limited edition POOSH leopard turban here | 25% off at Nordstrom
Cuyana, Leather Travel Case Set | This pebbled leather case set is another amazing gift idea. Unzip the large case to stow all your travel-sized toiletries. Save the small case for make-up, jewelry or any other small necessities. While this set is always ready to travel, it’s just as useful and beautiful in your home bathroom, bedroom or office.
I walked into the Joseph Cozza Salon at the end of January this year with broken hair and most likely a broken heart…more on my dating life later.
I had been working with an oh-so-instagramable salon in Walnut Creek for over a year and while my instagram selfies in the salon were fire, the health of my hair was not. I am not naturally blonde (shocker) however, I have been bleaching and toning my hair with minimal damage for years…so I thought.
Flashback to a week before I walked into the Joseph Cozza Salon when I realized that my hair was breaking…everywhere. Remember the movie, The Little Rascals? I WAS ALFALFA and my breakage was standing straight up in the air!
Not only was this awful and upsetting, but it was also a week before I was scheduled to fly to New York for Fashion Week! Lucky for me I had already come into the Joseph Cozza Salon for an event and met one of the owners, Blake. I sent him an emergency SAVE MY HAIR message and before I knew it I was sitting in Lee’s chair and my hair was on the road to a healthy recovery.
Meet Lee Brock – Color Expert at The Joseph Cozza Salon
I’ve always loved playing with hair. I loved brushing my mom’s and my grandma’s hair. One
day, when I was 9 years old, I sat in the bathroom with my mom while she colored her
hair with Clairol Nice & Easy Light Auburn. What magic! I was hooked. My grandma taught me
how to set her hair in pin curls because it was becoming difficult for her to do it
herself.
Then she got me doing her perms and color.
In school, I was a theater geek. I loved to sing and perform. Offstage, they always had me do
the hair and makeup. I used to do all my girlfriends’ hair. I loved doing makeovers. In beauty
school they gave used to give me the tough hair coloring clients–they said I had the
knack.
I kept hearing that if I wanted to really get anywhere in the business, I needed to go
through a high-end salon training program. I had a connection with someone at Vidal Sassoon
Salon in Beverly Hills and I got an interview. Two of the toughest years of my life were spent in
that apprenticeship for hair coloring. I stayed with VS for another 5 years, working in London,
Germany and finally San Francisco. From there I went to DiPietro Todd in SF for four years in
SF before coming to Joseph Cozza Salon where I have been for the past 10 years.
Kat (and her damaged hair) From Lee’s Perspective
When I met Kat, I knew instantly that this beautiful bubbly girl would be fun to work with. But I was a little afraid to do her color. Her hair was in rough shape from so much bleaching. She was sent to me at the Joseph Cozza Salon to try to rescue her breaking hair while keeping her silver platinum blonde. Kat makes a stunning blonde and it was worth a try.
At our first session, I immediately clarified Kat’s hair with Malibu C Crystal Gel Normalizer to remove any mineral, metallic, and medication buildup to avoid any further breakage which can occur when lightener or color interacts with these elements hidden in the hair. Next, we did an Olaplex No.1 in-salon treatment to start building the bonds that add strength to the hair structure. The last step of her pretreatment was a Malibu C Miracle Repair Hair Reconstructor to boost protein for structure and Vitamin B5 for elasticity and malleability, all to prevent further breakage.
Then we very carefully touched up her regrowth with lightener but did not lift it as pale as previously done. I strongly suggested Kat wear a softer warmer creamy blonde tone so we wouldn’t have to bleach her hair as much as we would for the silver platinum. We finished with Olaplex No. 2. And of course, she looked gorgeous. I got her on Olaplex home care which–she can attest–has made a huge difference.
Even with all the TLC, when she came back for her next retouch, I could see that her previous hair damage was really too far gone to maintain full bleach-outs any further. We decided to only highlight her regrowth to let some of her darker base grow back in to reestablish substance and density while still keeping her quite blonde. And now you can see that after embracing a bit of ‘root shadow’ her hair is growing back, getting fuller and longer. Root shadow is both on trend and yet classic.
KatWalkSF Q & A
KatWalkSF readers have been following on my hair journey and submitted their questions for Lee.
Feel free to add your question in the comments and we will keep updating this post.
What’s the best at-home hair mask?
I wish there were a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Each head of hair is unique. There is such an assortment of hair conditioners for all hair types from curly hair, dry hair, oily hair, natural hair, colored hair, damaged hair. One of my favorites for ‘all hair textures’ designed specifically for color protection and shine is the Shu Uemura Color Lustre Hair Mask–not too heavy and provides excellent conditioning and beautiful shine.
If your hair is in a delicate state, then, yes, I’m told the reduced friction from silk pillowcases can be a benefit. Personally, I don’t like the feel of silk, too slippery for a pillowcase.
What is the number one mistake people make with their hair?
The first that comes to mind is using rubber bands, especially on wet hair and super-especially on bleached hair. No no NO!
Heat protectant: Do you really need to use it?
That’s a good question.
Debated.
Client feedback says yes, it helps. My fave, an oldie but goodie, is Kerastase Ciment Thermique for fine and highly processed hair. But no amount of protection is going to help if you are constantly frying your hair.
Seriously, I think everyone needs to calm TF down with all the heat styling. K? The optimum temperature of heat styling tools to prevent most damage is 365ºF. The next flat iron I buy will be the ghd® Platinum + which has sophisticated heat regulation, among other benefits. I almost want to ‘accidentally’ break my current flatiron.
How many times do you need to wash your hair per week?
That really depends on your scalp and hair type. Some people with very curly hair use shampoo only once a month. It’s fine to power-rinse your hair instead of shampooing sometimes, or to scrub with your conditioner to cleanse very gently. If you have colored hair, shampoo with cooler water and as seldom as you can stand it. Generally, shampoo twice a week for normal healthy colored hair.
If you could use only one product line for the rest of your life what would it be?
Oh! That’s tough. There’s always so much new stuff coming out!No single line ticks all the boxes. But particularly for color brilliance and longevity, I could narrow it down to two:The Malibu C line for its purity and clarifying (which is half the battle) and the Olaplex line for its strengthening and surface care. They are not as “cosmetic” as others, but they address the core issues with maintaining beautiful colored hair which is our primary objective.
What is a hair myth that drives you crazy?
“Dry hair needs moisture!”This myth is perpetuated by marketing. We all fall into this trap. Moisture is water which is not conditioning at all. Before you can restore “moisture” to your hair you first need to gently remove what’s hiding in your hair that’s causing it to feel dry. Hard water deposits and styling product buildup are usually the causes. That, together with a proper balance of proteins, lipids, and smoothing conditioners, makes the hair feel “moisturized.”
What do you tell clients when they come in with an unrealistic photo of what they want?
Ooh, great question!
Tricky.
I hate telling anyone “no.”But social media has really set us up with the difficult task of helping clients get a reality check. This is why I always try to have my new referrals come for a consultation before the day of the actual color appointment. That can also give us time to do any required prep work, for example, strand tests or clarifying.
The consultation is first a listening session where I gather information about their lifestyle, hair history, natural hair color (as a child, teen, and adult) and where I hear their wants and needs. Second, it’s an analysis of their hair, their natural coloring (hair, skin, eyes) and what colors they wear best. Most importantly, we need to determine if their current hair can withstand the process and still look beautiful and healthy.
Lastly, I give a breakdown of what they are requesting, to help them understand what their desired result would require in terms of, A) time–how many hours and how many sessions; B) cost, and C) maintenance. At that point, it becomes clear if their expectations are unrealistic for their personal situation. And if that’s the case, I always have suggestions for alternate options.
Book Lee Brock at the Joseph Cozza Salon here or call (415)433-3030
Every Memorial Day Weekend I pack my bags and head up to Napa for BottleRock. BottleRock is probably the only summer music festival where you can watch Morimoto break a world record on the culinary stage for slicing 100 pieces of 3.5 ounces of tuna from a 205-pound fish in 12 minutes and 49 seconds, spend $60 on a bottle of Decoy Rose (multiple times) and snag a selfie with Antoni from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
But the driving force bringing me to Napa year after year is the food and the food at BottleRock Napa 2019 did NOT disappoint…even if it did leave me with an empty wallet.
Spicy tuna handrolls from one of my favorite spots in Napa, Morimoto Napa. I could have easily had 5 of these, but at $14 a pop, only one was in my budget (the other was for a friend)!
This year is the first time Thomas Keller’s Yountville restaurant Ad Hoc has offered a bucket full of its moist yet crispy fried chicken. Finished with a sprinkling of fresh rosemary and salt this was a MAJOR highlight for me at BottleRock…
However, the famed Ad Hoc buttermilk fried chicken was one of the most expensive meals at the festival’s Culinary Garden at $60 a bucket!
