Hello, everyone! What a break it has been. I am making a comeback, rejuvenated refreshed and ready to create content after becoming a licensed esthetician! It has been a long journey and an evolution, to be a bit dramatic, but I'm proud to have made it back here here. This post took me an entire week from start to finish as I'm rusty beyond belief.
It feels a bit unfamiliar since this is my first foray into blogging in over a year, and I'm learning everything all over again with a new camera among other aspects, so I decided to start with what is essentially a list of the products I've loved this year and am continuing to use into the Fall season.
Grab that cup of coffee or tea and let's get started!
My first video back from abroad was naturally a favorites episode! I spent a lot of time in the humid climate of Asia so many of my picks are great for those of you with oily skin and flat hair. More importantly, though, I was finally able to share a big project that I've been working on. On October 5th, I'll be releasing my very first jewelry collection!
Please download the Motif app so you can be notified first if you're interested in any of the pieces below. The collection launches October 5th, 2016!
Now that I'm in my own element and nearly done settling in, I'm back on a roll and so happy to be! My office space isn't perfectly organized and it's by no means picture perfect just yet, but I hope you enjoy this sneak peek into my new apartment. I have some fun interior design videos in the works, but in the meantime, stay tuned for my upcoming weight loss update and meal plan video! xo
I am so incredibly excited to share this Favorites episode with you because I have some big news. Starting tomorrow, my blog and youtube will be dedicated to ASIA WEEK! I will post daily content (yes, for an entire week) dedicated to best of Japanese and Korean beauty. Stay tuned!!
And although I've rekindled my relationship with primers and have discovered a new "hair bestie" aka the best curling iron set-up, I did run into 2 powder compacts that really failed to impress me. I also reveal top Korean makeup artists' secret to beautifully groomed brows.. Please watch the video below to hear about the best and the worst of September Beauty!
If you've watched my August vlog, you'll know I've had quite a month! I had to take a two-week break from makeup due to my chemical peel and wisdom tooth extraction, so I wasn't able to try as much makeup as I wanted, but what I tried was very impressive!
I'm most excited for the Burberry launch at Sephora because they're stocking a slew of brand new releases all at once. The Fresh Glow Compact has been my Holy Grail powder foundation for nearly a year, but it was a UK exclusive, so I'm glad that everyone can try it now. The Ochre Nude No.12 shade matches my coloring to a T. It performs beautifully on all skin types!
Contouring is still a big trend, so I'm glad to see that Burberry was able to create a cream product that looks natural and is easy to blend. It's — by far — the best cream contour product I've tried. Most are way too high maintenance (too slippery or too drying) and don't look smooth on the skin (especially when you see the makeup in real life). Burberry's Contour Stick in Dark No.2 can be used on all light-medium to dark skin tones! If you're alabaster to light or simply want more subtle results, try Medium No.1 instead.
Now for the YSL Kiss and Love Lipsticks.. a review with lip swatches is coming soon because this is my favorite lipstick launch for Fall. I wasn't a fan of the Rouge Pur Couture formula until now. These limited edition beauties are incredibly rich in pigmentation, and the packaging design is adorable. If you're looking for a new mascara to try, make it MAC's Upward Lash. I'm very picky with mascaras, but this one really stood out because its formula is water-resistant without crumbling!
I finished up with my top 3 skin care picks this month because my skin has been ultra sensitive. A lot of products can sting or burn after a deep peel, so you must use extra gentle products and take precautions. I didn't use the Lancome Aqua Gel toner during the peeling process, but I've tested it for a total of four weeks now, and it's amazing! I love how velvety yet comfortable my skin feels after using it.
Skin Savers for a Luminous, Radiant Complexion!
The Sulwhasoo Skin Finisher is like a skin care booster that makes your skin glow without looking greasy. Some alternatives are Burberry's Fresh Glow and SK-II's Cellumination Day Surge, but Burberry's is a primer while SK-II's has sunscreen. This means that Sulwhasoo's is the most versatile and can be incorporated into anyone's beauty routine. Use it day or night! If you have very oily skin, try using a few pumps in lieu of your moisturizer.
Last but not least for August's power lineup is the new life-changing Cle de Peau Brightening Mask. This mask is special because of the perfect fit and rejuvenating formula. My skin feels so happy after I've used this! I start by cleansing and toning with Equitance, then I apply this two-piece mask. The cotton is so plush and luxurious. It really is a splurge when compared to SK-II and Sulwhasoo prices, but I've already ordered another box because these Brightening Masks are that good! Actually, all the Fall 2015 color and skin releases from Cle de Peau have stepped it up a notch.. more to come soon xo
July has been an interesting beauty month! I have focusing on trying to rehabilitate my skin from traveling and finish unpacking my apartment. I have redone my entire living room thus far, which I am very happy about! I did not underestimate the redecorating, but the dream interior design process has been even slower than I had anticipated. I think a realistic goal for the completion is by Christmas. Until then, I am just happy to be able to display my beautiful Diptyque collection to elevate my apartment's decor! I featured the Tomas Maier candle that I have been enjoying all of July. No, it is not new, but it is new to me since it was sold out almost immediately after the first launch!
In this Favorites episode, I also covered my new set of go-to everyday makeup staples. I discovered a new Holy Grail lipstick and reviewed my vlogging camera, which many of you requested to know more about! I also reveal what skin care I have been using, as I had to switch up my routine a bit due to its travel-weary, dehydrated state. I have a morning routine video coming soon, but until then, I hope you find these quick updates helpful! xo
March has been a fabulous month on all counts! I'm steadily maintaing my weight of 105 pounds, hitting the gym 3x a week and eating as healthy as possible. I only eat red meat 2x a week or less and fill up on seafood and brown rice and zucchini noodles. I am truly enjoying the lifestyle change and am optimistic for my progress this year. Oftentimes, however, I find myself wishing for more hours in a day because my puppy Beau is growing up too fast. I posted more photos of him on Instagram, and he actually made a cameo in one of my videos earlier this month! I'm also creeping nearer and nearer to my 26th birthday, which feels nerve-racking yet exciting all at once. I was told time after time that the mid to late-twenties years would fly by, but I never anticipated how true that would be! Anyway, I hope you will enjoy discovering new products with this Hits & Misses episode because there are so many incredible releases to discuss.
Beautylish brought in the phenomenal Saikoho white goat Takumi brush series, and it may very well become my favorite collection for daily use. If you are a working professional in the beauty industry often, the Takumi series is a must-have! They're also ideal for those who travel a lot. I only reviewed my top 3 picks from the lineup, but I will work on a comprehensive blog review in the next couple weeks. Since the episode was getting a little too long, I had to cut out the MAC x Nordstrom Naturals Eyeshadow Palette (worn below), Shu Uemura Blanc Chroma Cleansing Oil and the Marc by Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Crème, but I will be sure to include the latter two in my April Haul video! Have fun but stay out of trouble on April Fool's! xo
The month of February has been one of the most tiring yet inspiring of my life! I discovered a blemish gel that actually works (OMG!), and I traveled to two cities for Fashion Week. It was brutally cold and a whole lot of hustlin' through sleep deprivation was involved, but it was truly a beauty blogger's dream come true! I attended several shows and captured some behind-the-scenes footage with Christian Louboutin Beauté at Cushnie et Ochs in NYC and now have these beautiful moments from Burberry A/W 2015 Backstage in London to reveal! It can be rather difficult to capture the intensity of the backstage atmosphere, but I hope you'll enjoy my February 2015 Hits & Misses and London Photo Diary!
Welcome back, everyone! I hope you've all had a wonderful start to 2015. I am very much looking forward to this new year, but December was a long and memorable month. I leaned on excuses like stress and work, and as happy as my taste buds and tummy were, I was definitely paying for it with my poor health. I weighed in at 117 pounds and officially decided it was time to turn my life back around. I have been eating very healthy (no Christmas gorging) and trying to get exercise whenever possible. Unfortunately, I was very sick for nearly a week due to the insane bug that's going around, which derailed all my video plans, but I am back and feeling more motivated than ever! I experienced an adrenaline rush while filming, though sadly, I totally crashed with exhaustion after filming this episode. Still, I hope you enjoy the last Favorites episode of 2014 and hope you look forward to the Best of 2014 reviews! xo
