Monday Musings- Centella Asiatica and Whimsical Accessories

This Monday, I am musing about some summer wardrobe essentials, whimsical accessories, and why I added Centella Asiatica to my skincare regime. Have you tried it yet?

My new sunhat arrived, and it is impressive. It comes equipped with three different colors of interchangeable grosgrain ribbons, which is a good thing because, without one, it would have never stayed on my head Sunday.

I wore it with my new lightweight dress and navy espadrilles. Hats and espadrilles are wardrobe basics for me throughout the summer. My dress is straight with no puffy sleeves, no tiers, and no excess fullness in the body. I will likely belt it the next time because that’s how I roll. It has buttons up the side you can unbutton as high as you’re comfortable with. It comes in misses and petite. I am wearing 6 misses which I turned up on hem length. I prefer the deeper armhole on the misses than the petite.

Whimsical Accessories

I did feel a bit Little Bo Peepish in this hat, so its next outing will be with jeans and a simple tee. Because I love a touch of whimsey in my accessories, my outfits can easily cross over to costumey which can be fun, but is not always my plan 🙂

My wicker handbag is decades old and a favorite for many reasons, not the least because it was designed by Kate Spade early in her career. The silver snake print handle and top flap add a bit of edgy interest. I continue to love Kate Spade accessories because the brand retained her vision after she sold it to Neiman Marcus in 2006. It then went on to be owned by Liz Claiborne and now Tapestry, the parent company of Coach.

Kate Spade’s niece, Rachel Brosnanahn, played tribute to her aunt by becoming the face of the campaign for Frances Valentine, which is the brand Kate started two years before her death. Rachel is the Emmy award-winning star of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The bag she’s carrying in this ad is a ringer for my bag with a different handle/

MORE WICKER BUCKET BAGS

Why You Need Asiatica Centella in Your skincare

Centella Asiatica is also known as Gotu kola, or tiger grass has a long history in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine and is gaining popularity as an ingredient in skincare. It’s rich in amino acids, beta carotene, and fatty acids and has been found to calm inflammation, speed wound healing, stimulate new cell growth, build collagen, and improve circulation.

This government study ” found that “Centella Asiatica extract is an effective ingredient not only in antiaging cosmetics but also for improving skin hydration.” In addition, numerous other studies have shown its antioxidant properties can help revitalize the skin barrier and is great for wound healing.

As with any gee-whiz skincare ingredient, you can spend a little or a lot on the products and cost is no indication of quality. Since I’m already a big fan of the affordable Purito brand, I thought I would try their creams. Purito is a Korean skincare brand that makes eco-friendly formulations that are 100% cruelty-free, vegan, hypoallergenic, and incredibly affordable. ` I’ve used their Fermenting Complex 94  for several years and I love how it brightens and soothes my sensitive skin.

I layer the sleeping pack over my serums and Retin A at night. It feels like I am bathing my skin in moisture which it needs because I’ve bumped up to the strongest Retin A and my skin is flaking like mad. It’s loaded with lots of beneficial ingredients and leaves my skin incredibly hydrated. In the morning, I apply a lima-bean-sized amount of the recovery cream right before my sunscreen. As much as I love essential oils, these don’t include them or other irritating ingredients.

Do you like whimsey in your accessories? Have you tried Centella Asiatica in your skincare?

Thanks for reading and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.