Lately

Kindle Case

I chuckle every time I post this Kindle, I get so many DMs from people asking for a link to the case. I have an 'old' Kindle, and I think when I ordered this many years ago, it was a Prime Deal or something of that nature, where the case came with the Kindle. They sell it now, for the newer Kindles, just not in this stone color.

We stopped in Bristol, TN/VA again this year, and I just love it. The Bristol Hotel is cute and well-done, and the town is adorable. It's the perfect little, charming small town! Blackbird Bakery is a must-go, and we loved the rooftop, Lumac, at the Bristol Hotel. 

Tote// Tote

Does anyone else pack in a bunch of totes vs a roller bag when they travel by car?! I am unsure as to why I do this, but I prefer it!

2027 calendars are starting to roll out! Crazy!

We are having the best time at the lake, and we popped over to Highlands to celebrate our 5th anniversary! It's just the best to unplug a bit, spend lots of time outside, and be with family and friends. It is a special thing we have been doing for decades! 

Other than that, I'm starting to think ahead to our Italy trip- what restaurants we should go to, what I should pack, and more! We have a packed social calendar in August, which is a bit surprising as I always think of August as a slower-paced month for us. 

Not a lot more to report since we are on vacation, but I'll do a better check-in with you all next week! 

Pink Shirt// White Denim Shorts// Handbag (use code SYDNEY12)// Necklace

Dress// Shoes/ Necklace

Shirt// Shorts

Coverup// Sandals

Pullover (use code SUMMERWIND20)

Swimsuit (my code is SYDNEY15)// Fish Earrings// Sunglasses// Tote

Wearing: Lots of casual outfits this week for travel, being by the water, and relaxing!

You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website! 

Eating: I'm not a big biscuit person, but every year, the frozen Pillsbury biscuits really are a big hit for morning breakfast sandwiches.  

Drinking: I can't tell you the last time I drank lemonade. It's not even something I loved as a child, but I saw this at the grocery store, and something came over me! I had a few sips here and there over a few days, and it was delicious! It tasted so fresh and sweet, but still tart. 

Sale: The Baublebar 25% off sitewide sale goes through 8/9. It is 25% off sitewide and 20% off custom items! 

Watching: Loved seeing my girlfriend highlight her mom's beautiful Christmas stockings! Their mom is an incredibly talented needlepointer. It was always a treat to visit their home during the holidays and see the stockings on display!

Loving: Do you all know about iPrefer? I thought it was well-known, but I was telling a girlfriend about it the other day because she was asking about our most recent Charleston trip and had never heard of it before. It's a free site where you create an account, book through it, and get benefits (this is not sponsored!!). It's often how I find hotels when we are going to a location we have never been to. We found and booked the hotel we stayed in in Lisbon through iPrefer. The more you book through the site, the more points you earn and can eventually use them for a free night. Though it requires a lot of points for a free night, we haven't gotten there yet, but maybe after our next stay! It's somewhat similar to perks you get when booking with certain credit cards. Usually, I compare the credit card deal vs. iPrefer, and iPrefer often comes out on top. Not all hotels are on there; it's more of a curation. Anyway, we use it often. We just used it for Charleston Place and got a room upgrade, which was nice. I actually had to use their customer service for something pertaining to that reservation, and the service was A+. Do you all know about this site?! Old Edward's used to be on it, but sadly, it isn't anymore! 

Striped Case

Loving II: The BB team so kindly gifted me this Striped Case, and I love it! I used it to pack lip products on this trip. It's a smaller size, so it's perfect for daily essentials and fits nicely inside a smaller tote. 

Wanting: I still love certain Vera Bradley pieces! This cosmetic train-style case caught my eye and looks like something from 2006! I love that nostalgia! Celisse is my favorite nail polish brand, specifically because you don't need a bottom coat, and it's self-leveling. Anyway, they just launched three new colors, and I am particularly excited about the red! I cannot bring myself to buy these cowboy boots because, for my lifestyle, they are sooo impractical, but maybe this fall is the time?! I have admired them for years! I love the Western look and get so inspired by Ralph Lauren's Western styling; however, I think it can become costumey quickly, so, as a Pittsburgh gal, I try to weave it in very small doses! I would not call the red boots a 'small dose'!! This is a good Loveshack Fancy look at a Zara price point! Love this vest as a transitional piece. Wear it now with a cute skirt or shorts, and as it gets cooler, with pretty black pants. This bag!! I have always loved a touch of leopard/cheetah print, and that bag is so tastefully done! My code SYDNEY15 should still work. These martini glasses are calling my name! This beaded cardigan is stunning. 

Pittsburgh: Summer restaurant week begins August 10th through 16th! I haven't done a restaurant week in a while, but I am going to this time around! 

Amazon Rec: So curious about this hand soap that is supposed to cut strong kitchen smells like onion or garlic. 

You can find more of my Amazon favorites, here on my Amazon page where I am constantly updating it with all of my finds and top picks from home, beauty, fashion, and more!

Body Lotion

Smelling: If someone asked me what scents I don't like in perfumes/body lotions/etc. I would explicitly say Vanilla. However, I was sent a PR package from Ontu, and this body lotion is 'vanilla musk'. I thought I would surely not like it. However, it smells lovely. It smells strongly of vanilla, but not like a fake, sickly-sweet smell; it's more of a cozy feeling, almost like almond. It. kind of reminds me of L'Occitaine Almond Shower Oil. I do personally prefer an unscented body lotion, but this scent is lovely. Their schtick is that the ingredients are skincare-level and offer 24-hour hydration. I like the formula; it dries quickly, but I need to use it longer to give it a full review. 

Quoting: 'Kindness costs nothing, yet it is often the rarest thing we offer strangers.' // See more of my favorites, here.

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you). 

My Favorite Costume Jewelry on Sale

Rainbow Necklace (22mm)

Baublebar is having a big sale with 25% off sitewide and 20% off custom items! The discount auto applies at checkout. I love Baublebar for fun jewelry, and most of the time it's well under $100, so I thought I'd share my favorites. Everything in this post is under $100 with the sale!

As a sidenote, if you are looking for something similar to the Baublebar brand and price point, check out Evereve. We have a store in our local Galleria, and I swear, every time I go in, I admire some of their jewelry! It's often fun like Baublebar's and unique, and most pieces are under $100. They also have great sales where lots of pieces are aorund $20-$30ish! 

Beaded necklaces have really been having a moment the last few years. I think it's a fun and easy way to add color to any outfit. Some of these beaded necklaces out there can cost hundreds of dollars. This one comes in many colors and sizes and is on sale for around $50ish. 

Bezel Drop Earrings (gold, 10mm round)

These Bezel Drop Earrings are easily my most-worn piece of Baublebar jewelry. They recently launched other shapes and sizes. Baublebar gifted me the other shapes, but I still wear the round pair most often. I wear the emerald shape the second most. My mom, sister, cousin, girlfeiends, and family friends also have the round pair after they admired mine.  My mom and sister also got the oval, and they actually prefer the oval over the round now, so really, it's all just personal preference. They're simple and work with nearly everything. They're a good alternative to a regular stud since they have a slight drop. I love giving these as gifts because, on sale, they are a great price point around $50ish, and they work with so many different personal styles and tastes. 

Fish Earrings

I think these earrings are amazing and look much higher-end than their price point suggests. They are the perfect vacation earrings and really add something special to outfits. They come in a few colors. My mom and family friend have the pearl 'scales,' and I actually think I prefer those because they are more versatile. The green/blue adds such a nice pop of color to outfits, but I do think they limit what you can wear them with, given that they are already such a novelty to begin with. So I'd suggest maybe going for the pearl option over these, even though they are so pretty! 

Gold Cuff Bracelet

Sometimes you just need something big and chunky to finish off an outfit, and this is what I typically reach for. Not only does it look great on its own, but it pairs well with many other bracelets in my arsenal. It's very shiny and the perfect shade of gold. This is under $40 in the sale! 

Bangle Bracelet Set

I love this set of 5 bangle bracelets. I particularly love them for travel as I swim in them, apply sunscreen, and more, and they still haven't shown any wear. My mom got a set, she loved them so much. They mingle well with fine jewelry. They're nice and lightweight. They are bangles, but they actually separate, so you don't have to shove your hand through a closed bangle.

Seashell Bracelet

This bracelet is something I wear more than I ever even thought I would. It's SO cute, and any time I wear it, someone asks about it. Since this is a seasonal bracelet, I think snagging this on sale only makes sense. I particularly love that this bracelet comes in different lengths. Many costume jewelry bracelets are so large on my wrist, and this one comes in a 6.15," and it is the perfect size. I think the fact that it fits properly makes it look nicer! I've worn this in the pool, ocean, with sunscreen, etc., and I've had no issues so far. 

Yellow Bezel Drop Earrings

These have a similar vibe to the first earrings, but they feature a bezel-set colored stone dangling from a very small gold hoop. They are supposed to be birthstone earrings, but I really like the yellow shade best (called topaz). I have the aquamarine, too, but don't wear them nearly as often as the yellow. These are the perfect wear-daily style and an easy way to add a subtle touch of color to any outfit. 

You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website! 

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you).

A Favorite Skincare Product: Peel Pads

If you, like me, were a young teenager in the early 2000s, there's a good chance your first 'skincare routine' involved a tub of Stridex pads sitting under the bathroom sink. I can still remember the intense burning sensation that somehow convinced me they had to be working. Back then, the goal was: dry out every blemish as quickly as possible, and the harsher the product felt, the more effective I assumed it was. Thankfully, skincare has evolved quite a bit since those days, and so have I!

Peel pads have been one of the few constants in my routine for nearly two decades, but today's formulas are a far cry from the stripping versions many of us grew up with. Instead of aggressively removing everything in their path, most now rely on balanced blends of AHAs, BHAs, soothing, hydrating ingredients, and barrier-supportive actives that deliver results gradually. Thankfully, not much burning is going on in 2026! 

I never skip peel pads because when I use them consistently, my skin looks clearer. Everyone's skin is different, but in my personal routine, I would argue that they are just as important as vitamin C, moisturizer, etc. 

It is my understanding that skin cells turn over every so many days and that turnover slows as we age. When it slows, the dead skin sits topically for longer, and that's what can create the look of dull skin, and for me, acne. I personally notice that using peel pads helps keep blackheads and clogged pores at bay, smooths uneven texture, and fades acne marks quickly. They're not an overnight miracle, sadly, nothing is, but they're one of the highest-return products in my routine.

If you haven't used a peel pad, it's essentially a cotton round soaked in a serum that usually contains chemical exfoliants, among other ingredients. The goal of a peel pad is to remove dead skin cells, leaving the skin smoother. 

I've tested more peel pads than I can count over the years, and while there are many good options on the market, I've narrowed my favorites to five (in no particular order):

Dr. Dennis Gross (there is a large set on sale in the anniversary sale!)

YSE 

InnBeauty

Elemis

M-61 

Dr. Dennis Gross (there is a large set on sale in the anniversary sale!)

These were among the first peel pads I learned about as an 'adult'. They come in different strengths, and I typically buy the extra strength. It says you can use these daily, though at the extra-strength level, I mostly use them once per week as a 'touch up'. Another way I love to use them is every other day for a week leading up to an important event where I'd like my skin to look its best, and then I return to my daily peel pads. These are expensive, so these are more my 'special occasion' peel pads or when my skin is extra dull, and I really need a big boost. If you are new to peel pads, the extra strength may burn a bit, so it may be better to try a lower strength. Unlike many other peel pads, this is a two-step process: you use the pads with the active ingredients, then a second pad neutralizes and soothes the skin. My code SUMMERWIND may work on these. 

YSE

This is a double-ply peel pad. It comes with 45 pads. I don't think the double-ply design is necessary, so I rip the pad in half and get 90 uses out of one tub. Of all the pads on this list, I like the texture of these the most. They have a little bit of texture but are still very soft, and they soak up the serum without being sopping wet. I think this is the best middle-of-the-road option, as the formula seems strong but well-balanced with hydrating ingredients, so I never feel like my face burns or feels dried out. I think these are effective pretty quickly, too.

InnBeauty

Like YSE, these are also two-ply, but they're much harder to break apart, so I just use them as-is. There are 45 in the tub. The first week or two, I actually did not love these. I felt like they weren't doing much, and they might have been too gentle for my skin, which is very used to a stronger acid product. However, around week two or three, I was blown away by the results. I felt like my skin looked so clear and very hydrated. Out of all of the peel pads on this list, I felt like these were the most gentle on my skin and the most hydrating. I think it took longer to see results, which isn't always a bad thing. I really love how this is slow and steady. This is the perfect kind of thing to use if you are like me and get pretty dry skin during the winter months. These do not at all dry out my skin; in fact, I would go so far as to say they add a boost of hydration.

Elemis

There are 60 pads in this tub, all single-ply. These contain lactic acid, which is generally gentler than glycolic. The different acids have different sized molecules which penetrate skin differently. These are very lightly fragranced, which I wanted to note in case that may bother you. Scent doesn't bother me, but I think there is no reason any skincare product needs to be scented. It does drive me crazy when a lip product is scented! I tolerate it, but I truly think every lip product should be unscented! I think these are similar to the InnBeauty in that they are gentler, hydrating, but still very effective. I find these to be a touch less hydrating than the Innbeauty on my skin. My code SUMMERWIND may work on these. 

M-61 

To me, the M-61 and Dennis Gross are the most similar in 'feel' both of the actual pad (it's more like a cloth) and the serum that the pad is soaked with. This is a single-ply pad and comes in different strengths. This one just has glycolic and salicylic acid, whereas Dennis Gross includes a few more acids. They're individually wrapped. I typically prefer the tubs, but I think the individually wrapped pads are great for travel. These go on sale quite a bit, so if you don't want to shell out for Dennis Gross, I think this is a competitive alternative! 

I also have my eye on SkinMedica's Brightening Pads, which have good reviews and are generally a top-notch brand, and I'm currently testing the Dr. Loretta Resurfacing Peptide Pads, so I'll report back once I've used them long enough to form a solid opinion.

As for how I use peel pads, I reach for them in the evening after cleansing and before serums or moisturizer. I also make sure my face is completely dry before moving on to the next skincare step. 

This is not medical advice. This is my personal experience with these products and what I've learned over the years. Every person's skin is different. Consult your dermatologist for recommendations specific to your skin!

You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website! 

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you).

Weekend Wish List

Green Ring// Vegetable Shift Dress// Etched Glassware// Printed Pants

Striped Wrap Skirt// Mini Olive Earrings// Printed Quilted Pouch// Silver Shell Clutch

Fleece Pullover// Stitched Tennis Shoes// Equestrian Dress

Some items of note... 

- This Green Ring is so fun and inexpensive. There are several fun colors to choose from, and it's 25% off right now. 

- Love this Fleece Pullover sooo much, but can't bring myself to buy fleece just yet. 

- I love all of the printed pants that have been released over the past several months, including these Printed Pants. I love the colors and the print. However, they're $450! I think I draw the line around $250 for something like this. So I'm the wrong audience for these pants, but I just love love them. 

- This Silver Shell Clutch is SO fun! Silver and tassels are really having a moment lately, and this one actually looks like it would hold a decent amount of stuff! 

- We are thinking about going to Keeneland this fall, and this Equestrian Dress would be perfect with boots! The coolest part of this dress is its detachable cape. 

- These Mini Olive Earrings are adorable and would make a cute gift for a martini lover. They are 25% off.

Printed Dress// Western Buckle Belt// Blue Printed Pasmina// Fringed Scarf

Jade Clover Charm// Green Ballet Flats// Denim Shirt

Vegetable Plates// Printed Pants// Handbag

Some items of note... 

- I've had this Printed Dress tab open for a very long time. It's so cute. It also comes in solid colors. 

- This Handbag is timeless and elegant. It comes in a classic brown shade, but I think this green hue, while not as versatile as brown, is really something special. 

- Speaking of green, how perfect are these Green Ballet Flats?! I love seeing ballet flats with an actual heel instead of being completely flat. I find a small heel much more comfortable. 

- Now these Printed Pants are cute and much less costly than the pair up top! I ordered them and will share once I get them! 

- This Fringed Scarf is a good La Double J look for less! 

See last week's Weekend Wish List, here!

For your weekend reading, here are blog posts you may have missed from this week:

- Recipe: Roasted Tomatoes with Cottage Cheese

- 5 Things I Don't Leave Home Without

- Lately

You can find me on ShopMy, where I link all of my outfits, favorite finds, home decor, beauty, and more! I am constantly updating it with the latest! You can also follow me on the LTK app. Plus, you are able to access all of my posts, here, on my website! 

This content may contain affiliate links; when you click the link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you).