Helena Quinn // Andrea Racey
Helena Quinn designed by Andrea Racey is our newest clothing favorite. This LA based womenswear brand focuses on silks and sexiness all done with a classic sense of style. Not to mention, she makes the glowiest robes around. Helena Quinn, designed and made in downtown LA, is the creation of #glowgirl Andrea Racey. She creates beauty with simplicity of cut and design-- her line is made mainly of silks, fusing fresh, sexy, and modern silhouettes and fabrications. From dresses, to rompers, to incredibly cut jackets, her line has a full range of staples that everyone needs in their closet. This juxtaposition is just what we love about her clothes, they're classic yet still retain a sexy edge.
Helena Quinn is clothing for the chic it-girl. Along with her outerwear, we've recently become OBSESSED with her newly launched silk robe line. The cut is perfect, the fabric is silky soft, and the prints are beautiful. They've really become our uniforms at home and we just can't take them off! Every glow girl needs one of these.
What we love about Andrea is just how real she is. She loves her green juice and workouts but definitely knows how to end the day right with a glass of wine-- the epitome of GLOW. Not only is she spiritually in tune with herself, but she also has a strong work ethic that inspires us immensely! Her brand is on the up-and-up and we can't wait to see just how Helena Quinn will blow up. Girls, get in on these amazing pieces that will become major staples in your wardrobe.
SHOP our exclusive 100% silk GLOW ROBE!! #HQxHYG
| Helena Quinn // www.helena-quinn.com |
HOW THEY GLOW QUESTIONNAIRE
NAME: Andrea Racey
NICKNAME: Andy, Twig, Pants, Aunt Ta Ta, Ally Mullally
PROFESSION: Designer
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP? Suburbs of Detroit, Mi
WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Los Angeles, CA
WHEN YOU’RE EATING HEALTHY, WHAT IS A TYPICAL… ***I’m going to preface the answers to the next few questions by emphasizing that this would be in a perfect world, when I have total self control, which happens once a year.
BREAKFAST: First thing is a big glass of lemon water (which I try and continuously chug throughout the day), followed by a probiotic, followed by a green smoothie (isn’t that a shocker living in LA;). I mix up the smoothie ingredients, but usually it usually consists of kale, spinach, green apple, cucumber, coconut water and/or vanilla almond milk, and blueberry flaxseed. I also usually make a big batch of steel cut oats in the beginning of the week and keep it in the fridge. If I’m still starving after the smoothie or after a workout, I’ll reheat the oatmeal with vanilla almond milk, cinnamon, and blueberries.
LUNCH: Some sort of salad with lots of greens, beets, tomatoes, pine nuts or walnuts, and avocado. I usually make my own dressing with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, a little spicy mustard, sea salt and pepper. Sometimes I’ll mix tahini or avocado in the dressing to make it a little creamier.
DINNER: I have a little egg scramble concoction that I love. I sauté tomatoes, celery, onions, mushrooms, and cut up pieces of salmon together. And then once thats almost done, I scramble a few eggs in the mix and finish cooking it all together. Then I throw on a little avocado and salsa and call it a night. Is that a weird dinner choice? I love breakfast for dinner.
SNACK: Nuts, all day long. Almonds, pistachios, walnuts, sunflower seeds. I love all nuts;). Also love Rice cakes or ezekiel bread with a little olive oil, avocado, and sea salt. And juice. Juice is the best energizer during the day. I love any green juice, beet juice, watermelon juice, pretty much all of it.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS/RESTAURANTS TO EAT HEALTHY? There are so many good ones in LA! I love Earth Bar. I’m there more than I would like to admit. I love Sweetgreen, Backyard Bowls, Cafe Gratitude, and The Springs in Downtown LA is a new favorite. And of course Erewhon Market, where I once heard a three-year-old American child speaking French, and seriously questioned how much I applied myself in elementary school.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INDULGENCE? Oh God. What isn’t. I sound really healthy in the above questions, but in actuality, the inner glutton in me is alive and well. I have a hard time living without wine, any sort of simple carbohydrate, fries dipped in aioli sauce, Mexican all day every day. And of course, pizza, which usually occurs after the wine…I may or may not have the Dominos delivery tracker app on my phone.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS/RESTAURANTS TO INDULGE? Any restaurant with a bread basket? It’s funny because I’m not the biggest foodie. My old roommate Eli, who is a chef in NY, once told me that I had the pallet of a kindergartener. So I rely on my super foodie friends to take me places, and then I eat whatever they put in front of me. With that said, Republique is pretty incredible…that warm bread with wood pan dripping sauce made me legitimately not be able to speak for 5 minutes. Marvin is always amazing. Gjelina never fails. And Pace. Always Pace. I love a good brunch indulgence also like Cecconi’s, Sqirl, or Huckleberry.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LAST MEAL ON EARTH? Pizza. Hands down. No question. End scene.
WHAT IS THE BEST DISH YOU COOK/ YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE? I’m actually a surprisingly decent baker! I love the process of baking, and I like being able to decorate the finished product. Cakes are my favorite, I think because I can really make something pretty with the end design.
WHERE DO YOU GROCERY SHOP? All over. Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Bristol Farms, and if I feel like treating myself to $12 hummus, Erewhon.
TOP 3 ITEMS YOU ALWAYS HAVE IN YOUR KITCHEN? Coconut water, eggs, avocados.
WHAT IS YOUR FITNESS REGIMEN? (how often & what you do) I might get sh*t for saying this, but I honestly really love working out. Growing up, I played sports much more than I pursued anything creative. And I tend to be very in my head, so the mental clarity that comes with being physical and in my body is very helpful to me. I’m always more creative when I’m active.
In a perfect world I workout 5-6 days a week. The regime that works best for me is a combination of Spin, Pilates, and hiking. Sometimes I’ll throw in a hot 8 yoga class and I really like the boxing classes at Prevail. But I have to do it in the morning. If its after 4pm, I will find every excuse in the world to avoid it and go meet my girlfriends for margaritas.
WHAT IS YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE? (products, facials, etc) I’m a bit of a skin care whore:). I get obsessed with researching products and vitamins and switch it up all the time, but right now I’m super into Eminence products which are all organic. In the morning I wash with their Stone Crop gel wash, spray a bit of their Red Rose Tonique, and then follow that with their Probiotic Moisturizer and a Bio-Restorative Eye Cream by Lumiere. My night routine is basically the same except I add a serum before the moisturizer, and I usually use coconut oil to remove my makeup.
Birchbox has also been so fun in terms of introducing me to products I might not normally use. I got their Liz Earle Cleanser and muslin cloth in one of my boxes, and I LOVE the glow that gives my skin. I also started taking Viviscal and Biotin vitamins, and I think that’s really helped my hair, skin and nails. AND WATER.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE MAKEUP/NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS? I’m a bit of a makeup junkie also. I l love the ritual of getting ready in the morning, its the calmest part of my day, and like a meditation for me. I would say hands down my favorite natural beauty product is coconut oil. I use it for everything. As a makeup remover, a moisturizer, I even put it in baths and mix it with epson salt and lavender to create a hydrating little detox session:).
In terms of actual makeup, I love Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, because my days are usually long and I can go from the factory downtown to dinner without having to stop at home and redo my makeup. Its also super hydrating without being oily. Then I love to mix Make Up forever Uplight Luminizer with my foundation, because it gives this super glowy look. Foundation wise I usually switch between Nars All Day Luminous Foundation and Hello Flawless Oxygenn Wow Foundation by Benefit. I use a brow powder and gel for my eyebrows, and Dior BlackOut for mascara, and call it a day!
IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 PRODUCTS WOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU? I’m going to answer Channing Tatum style, and say a magical thermos that switches between dispersing Coconut Water and Pinot Grigio. Eye brow gel (because if your brows are set, your life is 95% under control). And my sister, who would drink the Pinot Grigio with me, and make me laugh until I peed my pants and forget that I was stranded on a deserted island.
WHAT PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY/HEALTH/FITNESS/SPIRITUAL GURUS DO YOU SWEAR BY? Fitness wise, Diana Newton at Fit Mix Studio in LA is one of the best pilates instructors and motivators that I’ve ever taken class from. She has a wit and a realness that push you, and make you think deeper about what you're doing than just the physicality of it. Health wise, Dr. Elizabeth Fine is an acupuncturist that literally changed my life. She’s just the most calming presence and energy, walking into her office is like getting a big hug. My Spiritual Guru would have to be my Mom. She's a meditation teacher and energy therapist, and one of the wisest, kindest, and most enlightened people I know.
MOST-WATCHED MOVIE? It’s a tie between Somethings Gotta Give, and It’s Complicated. I love Nancy Meyers, and apparently I’m a sucker for love stories between 60 year-olds.
MOST LIFE-CHANGING BOOK? The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley
COOLEST PLACE YOU’VE EVER VISITED? Tie between Big Sur, California, and Lisbon, Portugal.
WHAT IS THE BEST GIFT YOU’VE EVER RECIEVED? The initial loan from my parents to begin Helena Quinn.
MOST PROFOUND HEALING EXPERIENCE YOU’VE EVER HAD? Growing up with my Mom being very esoterically inclined in her philosophies, I had exposure to MANY different kinds of healing experiences, some of them very out there. But I didn’t really fully identify with them at the time. Then about a year ago, I had some pretty serious health complications that knocked me out and in the hospital for a while. Ironically, I think getting sick ultimately turned into the most profound healing experience for me, because it forced me to stop and examine some things that I was pushing aside or ignoring. It also forced me to take charge of my own health and decide what was the best course of healing for me. There’s a power in being left vulnerable by illness, and then building yourself back up through your own course. That experience awakened a lot in me which I’m now very grateful for.
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY. Sleeping in, lazy morning with coffee and family, workout at noon, a few hours doing something outdoors, shower, wine at 4pm, good dinner with friends, bed by 12pm. Am I getting old?
WHAT IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE BEAUTY TIP/SECRET? Water, sleep, and being calm…which does not always come naturally to me:).
FAVORITE QUOTE? Its a tie between, “Stay patient and trust your journey”, and “In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of the things not meant for you.”- Buddha
WHAT MAKES YOU GLOW? Women that put on Helena Quinn and feel confident, being around people who make me laugh really hard, being by or in any large body of water, eating well, being physically active, and my fam
Photography by: Sasha Young