April 2017 Favorites

April2017Favorites April 2017 Favorites MAKEUP SKINCARE
I still can’t believe it’s MAY! I feel as if this year is flying by and I’m almost 25. Here are all my favorites for the month of April.

Book::

This month my favorite read was, “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi. Technically it is a reread since I first finished the book in June. While reading this book, I cried, hoped, and found some peace.
The first time I ate alone in a restaurant was when I was reading this book. I wanted to get out of my apartment, out of the city and kept driving. All I knew was that I wanted to go where I wouldn’t be recognized and left alone. About 1.5 hours later, I ended up in Gilroy. Ironically I drove myself to the very person I was running away from. It was as if fate was toying with me.
Rereading the book in April, allowed me to reflect on where I am going and where I’ll be. I’m healing, reopening old wounds and watching the scars slowly fade, but I am at a good place. In these moments, I realize that I forgive you and I forgive myself.
“What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when the future, no longer a ladder toward your goals in life, flattens out into a perpetual present? What does it mean to have a child, to future a new life as another fades away? These are some of the questions Kalanithi wrestles in this profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir” -excerpt from the  inside front cover
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Beauty & Fashion::

April2017Favorites3 April 2017 Favorites MAKEUP SKINCARE
As I get older, I find myself drawn to the basics. My nude Steve Madden sandals are one of my essentials and favorite pair of shoes. They go with everything and the low heel is super comfortable. Roses de Chloe is one of my favorite scents, it’s a rose based perfume that doesn’t scream grandma perfume. Well even if it did a little, I wouldn’t mind too much since I love roses.
April2017Favorites2 April 2017 Favorites MAKEUP SKINCARE
I always try to apply sunblock daily and one of my favorite sunblocks is made by Shiseido Anessa. Anessa is a sub-brand of Shiseido that is found exclusively in Japan. Instead of a creamy base, it is more of a milky sunblock. This makes it more waterproof and less thick thus I am more likely to reapply over my freckled skin. I would totally recommend this if you live in a hot environment.
In my skincare post, I mentioned this TATCHA moisturizer, a relatively new addition to my skincare. TATCHA’s water cream claims to release a burst of skin-improving Japanese nutrients, powerful botanicals, and optimal hydration for poreless-looking skin. The packaging is super cute as the cream is encased a Tiffany Blue tub with a gold bow on top. The bow holds the tiny gold spatula that I use to scoop out my moisturizer. Inside the blue tub, is a jiggly white cream. I tend to use a cream over a lotion moisturizer as my skin is dry. This helped heal my dry patches caused by allergies and I notice a brightening effect as well. I’ll update with a review specific to this moisturizer soon.
Even though I own a plethora of makeup, I don’t wear a full face of makeup to work every day. Honestly, I’d rather sleep in. I’ll just fill in my eyebrows and use my cushion foundation. I prefer cushion foundations because it allows me to reapply SPF to my face. Dior Capture DreamSkin Perfect Skin Cushion foundation has an SPF of 50 and comes in 4 shades- I use shade 10. This foundation has light coverage so it’s perfect for the no makeup look.

:Items Mentioned:

Paul Kalanithi When Breath Becomes Air
Shiseido Anessa Whitening Skin Protector SPF 32 PA ++ (Pink one discontinued)

 

How I Layer my Skincare

DSC_0141 How I Layer my Skincare MAKEUP SKINCARE
Before I get into how I layer my skincare products, here are some general skincare tips:
1. Wear sunscreen every day and don’t forget to reapply.
2. Make sure to remove all traces of makeup every night.
3. Drink a lot of water.
4. Don’t forget your neck!
I believe that preventative skincare is essential to stop signs of aging. My skin is combination dry and sensitive. Over the years, I have tried several products and ruled out certain ingredients that my skin does not agree with. One of the things that I struggled with was reducing my pore size and not being able to use products with witch hazel. Most products that claim to help reduce pores contain witch hazel. My work around is drinking lots of water and making sure that I layer my skin products and giving time for the products to soak in.

Evening Skincare::

Layering%2BSkincare%2B1 How I Layer my Skincare MAKEUP SKINCARE

Step 1: Makeup Remover 
My evening routine starts off with removing makeup. If I am wearing a full face of makeup, I cleanse my face first with a cleansing oil and then a second time with a cleanser. Then I go back with a q-tip dipped in a dual phase makeup remover and remove any leftover mascara on my lashes. This is to ensure that I remove all traces of makeup especially since I usually use a waterproof mascara.

Step 2: Cleanse
I usually use a lightly foaming cleanser that I dispense on my Clarisonic.

Optional Step: Mask


Step 3: Toner/Softener
After I lightly pat my skin dry, I use one pump of my lotion toner that is alcohol-free. This step makes my skin more receptive to absorbing the rest of my skincare. Most American toners contain alcohol and tighten pores while Asian toners are typically called softeners that prep pores for more moisturizers.

Step 4: Eye Cream
At night, I use a richer anti-aging eye cream that I apply gently with my ring fingers.

Step 5: Essence
I pour my essence directly into my hands and pat it on my face- cheeks, forehead and chin, and lastly on my neck using upward motions.

Step 6: Serum
I use a serum that boosts the effectiveness of the ingredients subsequently applied skincare. If my skin is dry I also apply a moisturizing serum.

Step 7: Spot Corrector
I apply this where I have hyperpigmentation/scarring.

Step 8: Night Cream 
Finish off with a night cream.

Morning Skincare::

Layering%2BSkincare How I Layer my Skincare MAKEUP SKINCARE
Step 1: Exfoliate
In the morning I splash my face with warm water and exfoliate. I use a gentle enzyme peel that is in powder form when dry and when wet it forms a foamy lather.
Step 2:Toner/Softener
Prepping skin to absorb the rest of my skincare products.
Step 3: Essence
Step 4: Eye Cream
In the morning, I use a lighter brightening eye cream.
Step 5: Serum
Step 6: Spot Corrector
Step 7: Emulsion
An emulsion is like a pre-moisturizer. If you have oily skin this is the only moisturizing step you will need, if you have dry I would recommend layering two moisturizers afterward.
Step 8: Moisturizer
I apply a brightening light moisturizer.
Step 9: Cream
Creams are thicker than moisturizers and usually come in a jar. This step can be skipped but if you have dry skin like I do then it helps add another layer of moisture. I only apply this to where I am dry and avoid spots where I get oily like my t-zone.
 
Step 10: Sunscreen
One of the most important steps!  

:Holy Grail Skincare Products:

 

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Trip to SoCal

For my birthday, I decided to take a trip to Southern California to do a little exploring. The Last Bookstore was a treasure trove. I could spend hours looking for books.  We stayed at cute little loft in Downtown Los Angeles. I didn’t check the weather and was stuck wearing a turtleneck in 90 degree weather…
IMG_6362 Trip to SoCal OUTFITS TRAVEL
H&M Turtle Neck (old) 0, Kimchi Blue Skater Skirt (old) XS & Steve Madden Stecy 5
IMG_6368 Trip to SoCal OUTFITS TRAVEL

After the Last Bookstore, we made a trip to Komodo. They are known for making the phorrito, which is basically pho wrapped in a tortilla. It was surprisingly really good, and I can’t wait to try to make it myself at home. It’s been a while since I actually experimented in the kitchen.

IMG_7055 Trip to SoCal OUTFITS TRAVEL IMG_7054 Trip to SoCal OUTFITS TRAVEL
Topshop Slip Dress (old) 0 & Dior Nail Vernis in Rouge 999
IMG_7053 Trip to SoCal OUTFITS TRAVEL

For a night out, I picked out this hunter green slip dress from Topshop. The lace adds a delicate touch and I wore my vegan leather jacket to make it more edgy. Leather and lace is one of my favorite combinations.

IMG_6373 Trip to SoCal OUTFITS TRAVEL