Beauty Chat with Claire Burke, Co-Founder of Goby

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OK, so walk me through your morning beauty routine. I hop in the shower -- with Goby in hand, I’m a shower brusher! -- starting with hot water and decreasing the temperature until it’s very cold. I’ve heard this is very good for your skin, and it also has the added benefit of really waking me up! Next, I freshen up with Clarins face wash, followed by Embryolisse moisturizer. As for makeup, I stick to a pretty natural look so like to keep it simple with Glossier skin tint, stretch concealer and boy brow and Dior mascara. When I’m feeling fancy, I’ll use Anastasia’s contour kit.

What time do you wake up? Any rituals like meditation? I roll out of bed at around 7 am. I’ve been working on incorporating meditation into my routine. I downloaded Headspace a few weeks ago (a bit late to the game, I know), and I love it. It amazes me how those few minutes of mindfulness can travel far into the rest of your day. I try to drink hot water with lemon after meditating.

In the morning, what products do you use? DIY, indie, drugstore finds? Beyond the ones mentioned above, I’m a huge fan of Not Your Mother’s dry shampoo for days where I don’t wash my hair. I’m a Harry’s user, too.

Do you have a favorite toothpaste or mouthwash? I’ve been on a toothpaste craze recently -- trying to find the perfect product that keeps my mouth feeling clean for more than just the 15 minutes after I brush. Most recently I’ve been using Marvis, which has a nice balance of foam and flavor.

I have to ask. Afternoon brush? Is this something you do? I read you should just rinse with water after each meal vs. brush. Thoughts? Having been called Cavity Claire as a kid, I grew to be hyper conscious about my brushing routine. I definitely am one of those people you see carrying their toothbrush to lunch so they can sneak in an afternoon brush.

Any daytime beauty routine? Lip balm. Lip balm. Lip balm. Dior’s Creme de Rose is my favorite.

Tell me about your night time routine. Any special products? After using Clarins face wash and toner, I use Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery. I also try to do a face mask a few times a week. My favorite is Origins with active charcoal. Once I’m done brushing with my Goby, I also floss at night. 

SHOP THE STORY

Bath Products and Big News

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Today, I have two fun things to share. Numero uno - can we talk about how fancy this soap brand is? I first spotted these gorgeous bars at the Phipps Conservatory gift shop, oddly enough, and fell in love with the packaging. Our paths crossed again at a craft fair this weekend called Handmade Arcade. My husband and I picked out three different scents:

Arcadian Driftwood | Smells Like: Bonfire. Charred Cedar. Musk. Marshmallow. Celebrating freedom by shooting Roman candles into the night sky. 

Dapper Dan | Smells Like: Exotic Woods. Musk. Oakmoss. Rose. Getting your hair expertly coifed in a prohibition era barbershop.

Lavender | Smells Like: French Lavender. A relaxing stroll through the French countryside's fields of vibrant lavender.

All of their products are 100% vegan and free of sulfates, phthalates, parabens, and synthetic dyes. They also make candles, bath salts and soaks (this one sounds intriguing.) 

If you're looking for a Secret Santa gift or a stocking stuffer, this is perfect and oh so pretty!

Now for my next big announcement. Dreamcatchers is making a comeback! Remember that series that I launched last year and devoted a nice little link to on the right? Well, life got in the way and the logistics to pull off coordinating interview subjects and shoots was just too overwhelming...until now! I'm so excited to share that I'll be introducing a contributor to the blog. My good friend Dina has come to the rescue. We used to work together to create this little event called Lucky FABB - maybe you've heard about it - and we clicked right away. She's funny and bright. She's emotional and continues to push me to show a little emotion on this blog. She also lives in Brooklyn and as I evolve this blog to coincide with my new life - it's nice to have a little piece of home :) So check back tomorrow for the new and improved Dreamcatchers. We have high hopes that it will inspire you to take the plunge, follow your heart and do what makes you happy. It's a tough job and we're on the hunt to give these gals the spotlight they deserve.

Until then, have a stress-free rest of your day and consider taking a bath!

Fresh Face

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I would usually say Happy Monday, but are Mondays ever happy? Eh. They are actually kind of a drag, which is why I like to keep Sundays as chill as possible. For me, it makes the day feel longer and calms my mind for the week ahead. When night rolls around, I put myself in relaxation mode by lighting my favorite candle, treating myself to a little DIY facial and flipping on the Kardashians. 

Lately, I've been hooked on the Rosé collection from Fresh. I purchased a gift set from Sephora a few months back because my skin was super dry and rose was the perfect solution - it's packed with nutrients that help to hydrate, soothe, tone, and restore the skin.

The set came with a face mask, infused with rose petals, which leaves my skin feeling soft and subtle, an alcoholic-free toner for a glowing, toned complexion, an eye gel cream that's super cooling to the touch and a tinted sugar lip treatment, to instantly soothe chapped lips. I can definitely say it's helping and much needed this time of year. To prep my skin before the mask, I use my Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and Soy Face Exfoliant. To say I'm a Fresh fan is a major understatement and I highly recommend you give their products a try!

Now that you know my Sunday ritual, I would love to hear yours in the comments below. Let's be friends!

P.S. I'm now on Bloglovin'! Follow me here to stay up-to-date on my posts, plus follow all of your favorite bloggers in one place!

Love Wins

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Hooray for love and hooray for this wedding-themed Birchbox in partnership with Style Me Pretty - the ultimate wedding blog. This collab is seriously a match made in Heaven. When you mix the most amazing curators of wedding inspiration with the best in beauty, only good things can come. 

Gifting a Birchbox subscription is a great way to help not only brides, but bridesmaids and serial wedding guests like myself (35 weddings and counting) discover new products and stay looking fly all season long! The sample-size products are also perfect for traveling since weddings mean worldwide tours these days. 

To subscribe today and up your beauty game, visit Birchbox.com/StyleMePretty

This box includes: Kerastase Elixer Ultime, LA FRESH Waterproof Makeup Remover, Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator, Laura Geller Beauty Baked Color True Blush, Marcelle BB Cream Golden Glow, Deepa Gurnani Embellished Hair Tie