My May Favourites
Everything I've been wearing, smelling, eating, loving this spring.
Spring is finally here, and as such, colour, motivation, and play have reentered my life. I don’t feel so … dull? and am soaking in the small pleasures of long walks, wearing whatever, breakfasts on my porch, all while soaking up any and every ray of sunshine that reaches me. Here are the things that have accompanied me through this transition into warmth, both on my travels and at home.
Vanilla Powder by Matière Première
I have never, ever been a vanilla perfume person — I find the scent way too sweet (I prefer fresh or spicy). That is, until this perfume arrived on my doorstep and my view on vanilla forever changed. There is such a thing as musky, powdery, sexy vanilla. The Palo Santo and coconut in this particular fragrance make it so much more addictive, mellowing out the sweetness without eliminating it completely. This perfume has shown me a mature side of vanilla I never knew existed. I love wearing this out — it’s masculine and gorgeous on women (I love a unisex scent). It also lasts forever. I’ve gone to bed after a night out and woken up still smelling of it (in a good way). Good if your nights out take you places you didn’t expect (hoping they do).
I tend to thoughtfully select bracelets, necklaces, and rings, and keep them on for a season. When I find a piece I love, it gathers sentimentality with every wear, every shower it remains on, every moment spent fiddling with it while I wander, chat, work, whichever. I rarely wear bold jewelry around my wrist, and yet, whenever I do, I reconsider why not. The Aura Bracelet is one of those pieces that has broken this (boring) cycle for me. The diamonds are bold but not too loud. It’s sooo chic, so elegant, and waterproof (which is imperative given I do not take off my jewelry when I encounter water). I’ve worn this paired with the Naya Ring so much lately that it’s become my signature “stack.”
I’m a year-round cream blush girl — no matter the weather, I gravitate towards creams and oils for a glowy complexion, rain or shine. Tower 28’s dewy blush in a sun-kissed lavender pink is perfect if you enjoy light, creamy, glowy makeup. The purply pink shade is so flattering, especially in daytime, and leaves me with a hot-pink flush on my cheeks that I adore when I have a bit of a tan. Cherry on top: it’s tiny and lightweight (easy to lug around), fits in every purse, and doesn’t eat up my luggage allowance the way most of my other products do.
Clinique Pop Lip + Cheek Oil in Black Honey
On the same theme of glowy blush, this one gives me more of a “kissed-by-the-sun” look — a little more nighttime, a little more sultry, a little more sexy. Dark berry shades are the loveliest.
Step: Your World for City Guides and Recommendations
My biggest peeve when travelling is eating at bad restaurants or missing out on cool spots while visiting a new city. Step helps me avoid this by spotlighting personalities with curated recommendations for cities all over the world. I always prefer getting recs from people I know or whose online taste I trust, so I love this app. I have loads of my own recommendations on there too — I’ve logged every noteworthy place from everywhere I’ve travelled since 2022 and add spots constantly. It’s so fun to browse!!!
I wear these every. single. day. Of course I’m biased (they are my design and part of my collab with Many Many Clothes), but they are by far the comfiest, most flattering jeans I own. Baggy but still structured, the perfect dark wash, and easy to style with absolutely anything. I’ve dressed them down with sweaters and tees, dressed them up with fitted long sleeves and open-back tops… I’ve worn them on walks, on dates, on airplanes — you name it, they’ve seen it.
Hourglass Unlocked Espresso Mascara
I have mixed feelings about brown mascara because, at that point, if I’m wearing something on my lashes, I want to be able to tell. BUT this mascara is incredible. It coats your lashes a perfect amount (not too heavy nor too sparse), is more subtle than a black formula (duh), but does not go undetected, and glides off with just water (um my dream). I judge a mascara by how it comes off (if it stays on my lash line we’re done) and whether my lashes are harmed in the process. This one passes both tests impeccably.
Vichy Capital Soleil Ultra-Light UV Lotion SPF 60
The only reason I don’t wear sunscreen in winter is that it breaks me out (sunscreen on for UV above 3 is my rule, though I know I should wear it all the time, don’t come for me I’m just a girl). So when summer comes and sun protection is non-negotiable, picking the right one is not a task I take lightly. Vichy was the first sunscreen I tried in my adolescence that not only didn’t clog my skin like I’d poured oil all over it, but also didn’t leave a white cast on my face (my mom loves a zinc sunscreen so you can imagine how I grew up relating to SPF). It’s lightweight, sheer, hydrating, and leaves me with a gorgeous glow. My pores can breathe with it on, and I never, ever burn my face.
The newest addition to the Glossier You line and my personal favourite (perhaps because it garners me the most compliments). It’s velvety, creamy, solar, with notes of bergamot, rice milk, jasmine, and the signature You ambrox. I like this one so much more than the OG (controversial?). It’s more mature, salty, sexy. Go smell it if you can.
Two things I love in one: ceremonial matcha and Canadian-owned. Oh, and great packaging. This has been my favourite matcha to drink at home lately. I already wake up for matcha (it’s my reason for getting out of bed in the morning), but I’ve been waking up with a little more pep in my step since this powder has entered the rotation. It’s bright, earthy, and just the right amount of bitter. Plus, they’re Eco-Cert and JAScert certified organic (woo!).
I had the pleasure of borrowing Izzi’s loafers while we were in Comporta with Longchamp and was honestly devastated when I had to give them back… that is, before Julia gave me hers (thank you ily). When I tell you I wore these every single day during my three-week stint in Europe, I’m not being hyperbolic. Though they have no arch support (probably isn’t the best given my walking habits (I walk everywhere and all the time)), they are so darn comfortable and effortlessly stylish. They go with everything (I mean, they are black loafers), and, in my experience, are blister-proof.
Jimmy Fairly x Reformation La Flore Sunnies
These are forever my favourites, but they deserve a renewed shout for always making me feel put together, no matter how dishevelled I may be. They’re the perfect shape, yada yada yada, the proof is in the pudding: I have these on in almost every single Instagram post lol.
MAC Dazzlelips Crayon in Grapeful
Shimmer lip crayons, essentially. So fun. The shade Grapeful is stunning: deep grape, but not overly purple — a beautiful burgundy. Long-lasting, too. I love having lip crayons like this around to make my makeup feel more playful, especially heading into summer when I tend to wear less makeup overall and let a fun lip do all the work.
Orseund Iris Basic Atelier Pant
These are my favourite, most-worn black pants. They hug the bod so well, give me curves I don’t have, fit comfortably through the legs, don’t ride up the cooch, just a straight 10/10 fit. They’re stretchy, too, which I require because I detest feeling claustrophobic in my clothing (genuinely, what is worse than jeans you can’t breathe in?). I wear these pretty much every time I’m having an outfit crisis (which is every time I get dressed to go out).
I love a bright tee — bright anything, let’s be honest — and this Amelia one is the newest addition to my t-shirt collection (and my most worn this month). I love the shade of yellow: it somehow avoids washing me out (a rarity when it comes to yellow) and instead brightens my complexion. Sold.
Whenever I wear this jacket, I feel fitted, stylish, chic, put together — I could go on for a while… It’s one of those pieces that makes the outfit, that is the outfit. Animal print done well is an art (it can be so tacky), and this piece does it perfectly. Kudos to the designer. The fit is the cherry on top: snatching, structured but breathable, looks equally good buttoned up or worn open. Fun for nights out, dinners, drinks — any occasion where a dark lip is involved.
Coconut Cloud Matcha
I rediscovered this concoction while in Madrid a few weeks ago (last time I had one was in Copenhagen last summer). I love coconut, so the name alone lures me in. It’s basically coconut water topped with matcha coconut foam (I’m literally salivating are you joking me). I had an exorbitant amount of these over the course of my time in Europe. We’re talking two a day minimum. I hyperfixate. It’s in my DNA (s/o to my father). My favourite iteration is the one from Honest Greens (this feels uncool to admit, but something about the coconut water they use, it’s not too sweet and I can order a large (yeah.)) Hanso in Madrid also makes a delicious one, though it’s wayyy sweeter. If you like coconut, I implore you to order one next time you’re craving a matcha.
I was introduced to Mienne very recently and became an instant fan. Their products have the most sexy, luxurious scents. I promptly emptied their hand cream throughout my travels. It’s one of those creams that leaves a trail of scent (I love this phenomenon — whenever my hand cream acts as perfume, I feel like my mom). It also doesn’t leave you with greasy hands for days. Mienne also has oils and hair products I’m super keen to try out.
Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Hydrating Peptide Lip Treatment
This makes my lips super juicy. It’s thick and hydrating, doesn’t absorb too quickly, and looks super pretty as an alternative to gloss if you’re not into sticky lips (I’m not into sticky lips).
Vintage Magenta Gucci Bag
Took my gorgeous Gucci tote out of the archive for my travels last month and enjoyed every second I got to wear it (apart for when my blue leather jacket stained it, but I’ll fix that somehow). I’m the strongest proponent for bright accessories, and colourful bags are my Achilles’ heel. I think it’s cus I like the idea of having accessories on hand that make the outfit whenever I don’t feel like putting one together myself (which is often).
ARMRA Colostrum Soda Variety 12-Pack
These surprised me with how delicious they are — refreshing, tasty, fun flavours, and most importantly, they do not taste like stevia (I despise stevia-flavoured soda, yes that is a thing). These are meant to support your immune system, which I absolutely given my travel schedule lately.
Kérastase Gloss Absolu High-Shine Anti-Frizz Glaze Styling Cream
I’m always skeptical of products that claim to change the texture of your hair or improve drying patterns because my hair naturally dries so poufy no matter what I put it in after my shower. But I stand corrected!!! I slathered this styling cream all over my freshly washed hair while in Madrid (hot, humid air) and watched my hair dry naturally without frizz, without pouf. I’m not entirely surprised because I love Kérastase and trust their products with my hair (which is basically the same as saying with my life). This might be my greatest haircare discovery ahead of summer.
Valentino Green Embroidered Bag
And for my final fave: my most extravagant piece, but one I must share. I am head over heels for Valentino’s new collection of Devain bags — the embroideries are friggin insane. So chic and so playful (best duo). I wore this green, gilded (AH) beauty out while visiting Mila in Madrid, and she made the outfit every night. A piece of art!!! I also love the black one below — pink and black is one of my favourite colour combos (pink with anything, really).
Can’t wait for even more colour and warmth now that summer is officially here!!! Hope this gave you some inspo x