4-5-2026 MY INSPO: spring cleaning

 this week's inspo: a spring rejuvenated face - how i try to achieve the perfect glow and let the sun bring back some color, a look back at march top 10 looks, and an observation on what was trending among the pews during easter mass.

zen face

still stuck on the zen-x aesthetic i shared about last week, i have been attempting to add that zen minimalism into my life. i realize what's working and what's just - not in my practice. 

zen-x wellness - the yoga, healthy living part - especially skincare, this has been the most appealing part. 

i wanted to share what i use to get the "spring face". warning: my face is still pale, but in a week or so the sun will bring back the blush.

hair: 

- i use drops of rosemary oil (mielle) before washing it. 

face:

- exfoliate using the ordinary aha-bha mask. 

- ziaja olive oil infused cream - got it in cro after mom recommended this brand. absolutely hydrating. i mix it with the cerave spf 50 sunscreen.

lips: 

- first exfoliate with a sephora sugar scrub balm then vaseline

eyes:

- under eye - la roche posay serum

- lash + brow - essence gel

- lash - maybelline sensational lash. sib is loyal to it and now i am too

- brow: covergirl brush + pencil, then essence tinted gel

once a week i'll light an incense during the shower or i'll use a shower mist packet from a collection boyfriend got me for christmas and dim the lights for a spa experience. namaste!

the best of: march

here are top ten of my fave worn looks from last month.

3/29 sightseeing and heading home from columbus

3/28 dinner and drinks in the hotel in columbus

3/28 sightseeing and thrifting thru westerville

3/19 work

3/11 work

3/7 work friend's escape room birthday

3/6 mix: material girl

3/4 karaoke for clients

3/4 work

3/3 work

from the bulletin

easter sunday mass - an hour and some change, packed, visually stunning, but truth be told, during homily i catch myself daydreaming. it's usually my favorite time to observe the church, explore what the women of croatian-american society found worthy of wearing for their easter sunday best. here's some trends caught from the back of the pews.

florals are out - neutrals are so in

sib and i were surprised at the lack of color in church. very few women braved florals and colors in general. could it be the weather got us feeling uninspired, not feeling spring-like? the days leading to easter felt so nice but easter itself was a frigid slap in the face. sib and i too - kept it monochrome and neutral. i chose a forest green asymmetrical dress with black leather jacket and patent heels and sib chose white-tan-silver with cream boots.

it could be too that the florals were there, just hiding beneath the sea of beige peacoats and trenches. 

heel appeal

the ladies knew - fits needed to be adjusted, but the heels got the full shine. ladies - the stiletto is back. no block heel, no sandals, no in between. only sky high, needle point sharp stiletto heels. and if you're not ready to commit to the pain - a sensible designer flat will do. i was victim of this trend with my square toe black patent calvin kleins.

a report from the teen world

the young adults: teens and early 20-somethings (the fake i-d demographic) was an interesting observation.

you had a few girlies that overdressed so hard they actually felt underdressed due to the cold weather, as they kept their pre-planned easter outfit (summer style flowy dress and a cardigan, or some excruciatingly short skirts)

then you had the denim girls with embellished back pockets (side note: is it too woke if i say how strange and kind of gross the back pocket embellishments are targeted toward young girls? like, why am i staring at a young girl's butt?!) and extremely oversized sweaters, and... sneakers. this is a time when many young girls are dealing with remnants of puberty, insecurity, and still developing their style, so i don't blame them for "underdressing" or making fashion faux pas - y'all know how many times i list my own!

the honorable mentions

some looks felt so good - they stood out in the sea of beige. a few pastels were lovely, but most importantly a woman in a tulle skirt looking ballerina chic and reminded me why i want a tulle skirt too. very carrie bradshaw!

a couple dusty rose coats were gorgeous, but a bubble gum pink blazer stood out from the crowd the most.

an older lady who usually has some bright choices, today she wore an almost neon yellow sequin blazer with a lime green dress. she's bringing the sequin trend back to the community.