Why We Adore Pinterest

We’re quickly making our way onto the Pinterest scene one board at a time. Quite accurately coined the “tumblr for ladies,” it’s the ultimate outlet for quotes, funny quips, inspiration, recipes, fashion, beauty (there really isn’t enough space in this post to share everything, but you get the idea). These are precisely all the reasons for our complete obsession; we just can’t get enough of this visual mood board.

As a boutique we especially love developing our own identity through things like interior design, musings, fashion and, who could forget, the Cerato Ladies. It’s like the visual version of our blog: an array of pins displaying things we find inspiring, delightful, funny and representative of ourselves.

Though it may not have the tangibility of layered magazine clippings and patterned swatches we became all too familiar with at a young age, it does have a far-reaching audience, and quite an inspiring one at that! Such an idea couldn’t be more fitting for a boutique whose enduring objective is to inspire inner confidence in women. We’re so excited for you all to join us on this photographic journey as we (hopefully) pin our way into your hearts.

Check our boards regularly for Cerato’s latest pieces, words of wisdom, design ideas and coveted items, here!

How To: Spa Week

Today marks the beginning of spa week (or should we say our favorite week next to fashion week) and as an ode to its brilliance we’ve dedicated this post to everything Zen-like. From dresses with hues that instantly send us into swirls of relaxation, to products that spoil your skin with soft luminosity, we couldn’t be more excited to think and write about the pampering we all deserve.

Suspending our busy lives for the selfish pleasure of a calm euphoria isn’t exactly something we’re used to. However, we see the importance in (occasionally) treating ourselves, and what’s more convincing than a week when pampering doesn’t come at the expense of our purse strings?  Yeah, we can’t argue with that either, so here’s some spa-like favorites we’ve found that will surely appease your tranquil appetites.

Spa Week Prep List:

This Robbi & Nikki maxi exudes ease and effortlessness, the perfect match for your post-massage easygoing attitude. Its radiant color will pair well with your beaming smile as you gracefully glide down the glittering sidewalk (we imagine you’ll be transported into a state of such bliss that even gray will look more like gold).

If you opt for a facial (though we think you should get one of everything), these skin care lines by Comfort Zone and Benefit are the ultimate in upkeep.

Comfort Zone offers organic scrubs and body butters to relieve your youthful glow of dead, dry skin while retaining moisture and keeping the silky smoothness of a body wrap treatment. We also love when products are created without all the harmful chemicals, so we couldn’t pass an opportunity to feature one of the best.

Also within the Comfort Zone family is the Renight facial line, featuring moisture boosting creams and derma-fillers. Talk about products that will keep you from ever walking into a plastic surgeons office. With the help of these essentials you’ll be able to put off that follow-up facial for months at a time!

Benefit is also on the skin savvy train with products like this B.right six-piece starter set, the ideal kit for testing their most beloved in skin care maintenance. Their focus is keeping your face looking young and vibrant, allowing your makeup to be less of a cover-up and more of a means for enhancement. We love a makeup company that keeps our skin’s health at the top of their list, even when we may not.

These are our must-haves for kicking off (and maintaining the radiance of) spa week! We can’t wait to pamper ourselves rotten this week, and we can only hope you do the same—we know you deserve it!

*Robbi & Nikki maxi is available at Cerato Boutique, or online. Comfort Zone skin care lines are available at Fuga Salon & Spa (ask for advice from their Estheticians, not only are they wonderful, but incredibly knowledgeable!)

Get Inspired: Matthew Hoffman

In need of some serious inspiration, we Cerato ladies decided to spend our Friday night perusing the local art scene. The work of Matthew Hoffman was on display at Public Works gallery and Sarah (Cerato’s Manager) is a serious fan. So began our quest, a Friday night spent doing something other than the usual cocktail hour-turned-dancing circuit.

The very essence of Cerato comes from its origin as a remedial flower used to instill intuition and self-confidence, which we instantly found connections to in Matthew Hoffman’s pieces.

We love anything with a good message or an inspirational thread and Hoffman’s work certainly fulfilled our longing for both. Much of the beauty in his work wasn’t so much in the treatment of materials, but in the message relayed through them. The narration, carved with a laser cutter, included brief witticisms and pleasant, reassuring thoughts. As Public Works put it:

“Working primarily in his wood shop, Hoffman uses his most recent work to form a tide break against the waves of negativity in the world around him.”

Sometimes we forget not to dwell on the menial, negative things in our lives, which Hoffman makes a point to address through words and repetition carved in fluid, bulbous gestures. Aside from the meanings themselves, Hoffman uses self-made typeface to aesthetically add strokes of positivity to our everyday.

Moving from piece to piece we laughed, related and in the end, felt a bit somber. Not somber in the depressive sense, but in one of hope and reflection. Below are some of the pieces we really enjoyed from his show. We hope you enjoy him as much as we did, and be sure to check out his artists’ website: Matthew Hoffman!

*”Hey” Smiley courtesy of Matthew Hoffman