Dieppa Restrepo

Dieppa Restrepo is the label to watch. Pushing the boundaries of the traditional brogue design with new textures and colours, it has become very popular amongst fashionistas. The designs are simple and elegant but modern as well, and -no doubt- they have come to revolutionize the world of unisex shoes.

Jonathan Levitt

These Jonathan Levitt photos make me want to leave for the country and live like a hermit even more.

Éstas fotos de Jonathan Levitt me reafirman en mi idea de irme al campo a vivir la vida ermitaña.

Summer dressing

Yaeca shirt-dress, Illesteva Sunglasses, VDC bag, Phillip Lim sandals.

It's been so hot theses days that the only thing I can bear are white light dresses.

Hace tanto calor estos días que lo único que me apetece ponerme son vestidos blancos y ligeros.

Habillées pour l'hiver 2011/2012

As a big fan of Mademoiselle Agnès, I am glad a kind soul uploaded her Habillées for next season on Vimeo. Enjoy it!*

Como gran fan de Mademoiselle Agnès que soy, me alegro de que un alma caritativa haya subido a Vimeo su Habillées de la próxima temporada. ¡Disfrutadlo!*

Listography

I find it so hard to stay creative most of the time, that's why I use lists. I'm a bit like Rob Fleming in High Fidelity, I end up doing lists for everything, even the most absurd things. Listography is just about that: writing together ideas and thoughts in just one book. As its creators say "through list making, you can shape an autobiography. A listography is a perpetual work in progress, a time capsule, and a map of your life for friends and family."

Uniform Wares

If you are like me you've probably grown tired of all the hype around big gold watches. Personally, I feel drawn to a simpler aesthetic. The Cartier tank americaine has always been one of my favourite watches, unfortunately, is way out of my budget. But I found a great alternative at Uniform Wares where they make modern and practical timepieces.The only problem I see is to choose only one, I like them all!

Kramer vs. Kramer

Lewis Baltz

Concrete walls won't let light go through. Doors won't let you move forward. Suddenly, you can see the beauty in the midst of desolation.

Muros de hormigón que no dejan pasar la luz. Puertas que te impiden avanzar. Y de repente, eres consciente de la belleza en medio de la desolación.


Source: Lewis Baltz from geh.org

Acne: part II

In this second post I would like to explain my daily routine. In the morning, I start using Dermalogica's Dermal Clay Cleanser. Some people think that oily skin shouldn't be cleaned in the morning because it destroys the lipid bilayer, stimulating the secretion of oil and therefore, breakouts. However, I can't not wash my face in the morning.

After cleaning comes moisturizing. Acne treatments usually dry the skin. Oily skin with imperfections is sensitive by definition, moreover dry skin can lead to breakouts. So, be careful because oily skin needs a good moisturizer. I have had problems finding a good  and non-greasy moisturizer but I finally found it. It's Effaclar H by La Roche-Posay and it's recommended for oily skin weakened by drying skin care products. Honestly, I can't recommend it enough. 

Next I put my sunscreen on. At this point, I'd like to clarify something. Most people think the sun is the best ally against acne. False. The sun only makes everything worst in the long term, "in the summer, its slight anti-inflammatory effect temporarily improves the appereance of imperfections. Yet UV rays greatly stimulate sebum production and thicken the skin leading to bloked pores. In the autumn the opposite happens: the imperfections reappear in even greater numbers." If in general, everybody should wear sunscreen, people with acne need it even more. I use Anthelios AC 30 from La Roche-Posay which is suitable for oily skin. 

At night I clean my face with the extremely gentle cleanser for intolerant skin from Avène. A good cleanser should be as mild and as natural as possible and this one match this criteria perfectly. Right after that, on alternate days, I use the isotretinoin.

I also recommend the use of exfoliators at least one or twice per week to get rid of dead skins. I really like REN's Multimineral Pore Minimising mask, which I already mentioned in this post.

To sum up, we all need time to discover our skin needs. Along the way, you'll learn from your mistakes and you'll eventually find the products that suit you well. You should bear in mind that to have a good skin you must cleanse thoroughly, moisturize and protect it from the sun. These three steps work for everyone.

Source: La Roche-Posay, me.

Acne: part I

It's been a time since I wanted to share my experience with acne but I didn't dare to do it. Many people think it is only a teenage problem, but there are many adults that have to face it as well and the stress is usually one of its causes.

I actually didn't experience big problems with acne during my teenage years, however when I reached the 20's the situation got worst, especially because I started to have cysts. I tried many things until I grew tired of it and I made an appointment with the dermatologist. That's honestly the best thing I could do and that's also the most importance advice I can give you: the first thing you have to do is visit your doctor.

The first recommendation he gave me was to use oil-free products. It's quite obvious, but, some brands don't specify this and you have to be careful. It is also important not to touch your pimples. After all, they are infections and if you touch them they will get worst and the scars will remain longer. The treatment he prescribed me was compound of antibiotics, a cream to fight acne and an AHA enhanced cream for treating scars. I won't give names* because I don't want anyone to buy them without visiting the dermatologist first. For instance, in my case, the antibiotics didn't do me any good and I had to stop taking them after two days. That's why the medical tracking is so important.

My acne got better but it persisted in certain areas and it got worst during my period. The dermatologist proposed me a new treatment based on isotretinoin. This medicine is being used for more than twenty years and it is very effective but its side effects are quite severe. Moreover, if you are a woman you can't get pregnant, because the isotretinoin has teratogenic effects. In fact, you must take pregnancy tests periodically and you must commit to take contraceptive pills.

After all, the pill controlled my acne. In the end, the dermatologist didn't prescribed me the isotretinoin orally, only for external use which is less aggressive. My skin looks way better and the breakouts only appear occasionally.

*If anyone is interested you can send me an email.

Source: Dermalogica

ln-cc

LN-CC is a London based concept store with one of the coolest online shops I've ever seen. They stock both men and women wear and they sell brands like Maison Martin Margiela or Jil Sander which they mix with small Japanese labels such as Wacko Maria. They also have a sensationally curated selection of music and books. But the whole thing goes beyond all that with a physical store that is divided in three concept rooms each with its own theme. It also includes a club space and a working photography studio. If you like what you've read so far I've got great news for you because LN-CC is giving away a 15.000 pounds store spend, plus flight and a 3 night stay in London. Good luck!

Summertime inspirations

This is my summer inspiration board. Straw accessories, light colours, bare legs, polka dots, leather sandals, and everything that's simple and uncomplicated.

Éstas son algunas de las cosas que me inspiran para este verano: los complementos de paja, los tonos claros, las piernas al aire, los lunares, las sandalias de cuero y todo aquello que sea sencillo y sin complicaciones. 


Sources: topshop, zara, tfs, oysho, nitty gritty, refinery29, tumblr, yestadt millinery, brooklyn tailors. 

Back very soon

Next monday I'll start posting again. I don't feel prepared to talk about everything that has happened these past two months but I am ready to blog. I am making a few changes as well because I want the blog to be more interactive. That's why I've finally succumbed to twitter, you can find me here.

El próximo lunes empezaré a postear de nuevo. No me siento preparada para hablar de todo lo que ha pasado estos dos últimos meses pero sí para bloguear. Voy a hacer algunos cambios porque quiero que todo sea más interactivo. Por eso he sucumbido finalmente a twitter, podeis encontrarme aquí.