A few weeks ago during a trip to Sephora my good friend and beauty guru Jenn convinced me to leave my hot pink lip behind and venture into unknown territory.  I wasn’t feeling red (been there done that), I’m too pale to for a nude (or so I thought but I love this look), and purples were a tad too close to pink.  Then we spied the Pantone Collection and this years big winner Marsala, which I’d say is somewhere between a red, brown, and pink.  We snagged the lip stick, gloss, mascara, and nail polish then headed home to see if it had any chance of beating out my tried and true Tropical Pink.  

Truthfully I felt like I was transported back to the 90’s.  In fact I’m pretty sure this is the color I was obsessed with sophmore year.  It’s just not quite right for my skin tone, a bit too matte, and well not enough pink.  However I did end up loving the mascara (I wear a bordeaux mascara most days) and the nail polish.  So while I don’t think I’ll be wearing Marsala any time soon on my lips, I will say it’s always fun to tip toe outside your comfort zone.  Tell me, have you given the Pantone color of the year a try yet?  Truly, MKR

Photography, Kathryn McCrary  |  Makeup, Jennifer C. Nieman

A few weeks ago I shared a favorite new LBD complete with my very own Frozen braid and a promised tutorial.  Well Loves, here you go.  Ms. Jennifer C. Nieman is taking over today to explain just how easy it is to create what we’re calling a Dutch Braid Crown in four easy steps.  I feel confident that this is a style anyone can pull off whether your hair is long, short, straight, or curly and I hope this is the beginning of many more beauty tutorials to come here WOM.  Enjoy!  Truly, MKR

Step One.  First to add grip, and “dirty” the hair, spray liberally with texture spray.  I suggest using a mix of Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray and Dry Bar’s Triple Sec All In One Volumizer, Texturizer, & Dry Shampoo.

Step Two.  Begin by adding a dramatic part to whichever side you’d like to start your braid on.  It doesn’t matter which side, just choose a side that works best for you.  Once parted start your Dutch braid.  A Dutch braid is simply an “inside out French braid.”  Section the hair into three sections just as you would a French braid, but instead of taking the right and left pieces and braiding over the middle section you will take the right and left pieces and weave it UNDER the middle section.  Repeat, and continue braiding all around the crown of the head.  Once you reach the opposite side and can no longer continue with the Dutch braid (you’ll run out of pieces of hair) finish with a regular braid and tie off the end with a small hair tie.

Step Three.  Spray the braid and hair with hair spray and fluff the braid with your fingers so it gets fatter.  Take the end of the braid and wrap it around towards the beginning of the braid tucking the end under the beginning of the braid (which should be on top of your head) and secure with bobbi pins.  Pull some wisps of hair out around the face and ears.

Step Four.  Tie the remaining hair in a ponytail (you can leave it down for a half up-half down look as well), spray pony and fluff with your fingers to add volume.  Pin some sections up, leaving others down, to create a messy bun look.  Spray again, and voila!

Finding a signature scent is both very personal and very telling of who you are or want to be in that moment.  Do you have a specific perfume based on the time of year?  Or one for work hours and a separate for play hours?  A fragrance that you always wear on a date or evening out?  Or have you been spraying the same scent for so many years you can’t even tell you’re wearing it anymore?  Recently I decided to venture outside my signature fragrance of Hermes Des Merveilles, one I’ve been wearing for a decade now, and test the waters to see if I could find something I loved even half as much.  

Perfumes are a tricky beast as they are completely different from person to person based on our own unique body chemistry, and can be the absolute opposite when worn for a day rather than spritzed in the air at the cosmetic counter.  That was the case with Jo Malone’s Wild Fig & Cassis.  I was obsessed with the scent in store, but it overpowered me so much on I could barley handle it.  Which made for a sad day because I adored the woody earthiness and cozy feeling that fragrance embodies.  I had been dying to try Aerin’s perfumes (mainly because the stone cap is just too gorgeous) for awhile now so when I received two of the bottles for Christmas I was thrilled.  And even better, I love them.  The fresh notes from Ikat Jasmine and warm, almost creamy tones of the Amber Musk compliment my body chemistry perfectly.  They won’t completely replace my Des Merveilles, I don’t think any perfume ever will, but it’s nice to switch it up every now and again.  I’d love to know, what’s your signature scent?  Truly, MKR

*Photography, Kathryn McCrary