July Beauty Favorites

July 31, 2019

Last day of July calls for a monthly roundup of beauty favorites! In today’s post, I’m sharing the latest skincare and makeup products that I deem to be my favorites from this month. This includes a new fragrance brand I have never tried but fell in love with, a colorful orange palette makeup collection that’s extremely affordable, a nourishing oil for face, body and hair, shimmering dry oils, and a Korean beauty starter kit perfect for your holiday travels. Continue reading to learn more about these products along with where you can find them!

PARFUMS DE MARLY ‘CISSILI’ FRAGRANCE

A joyful fragrance with a floral fruity scent on a woody vanilla base--this new creation invites you to indulge into the fresh sweetness of its scent.

KEY NOTES:
- Top notes: red currant, Bulgarian rose, transparent white flowers
- Middle notes: plum accord, mimosa absolute, plumeria, petalia
- Base notes: sandalwood, tonka beans, vanilla pod

COLOURPOP ORANGE YOU SWEET SET

The new neutral in town, and she’s orange. Get the entire orange collection including Colourpop’s newest 9-pan palette and brand new curated sets to match! There’s four super shocks, lip glosses, makeup brushes, blush sticks, lippie sticks and lip gloss, it’s the perfect orange palette set. Here are the 9 shades of the eyeshadow palette:

Zested - matte pale apricot
Squeeze Me - metallic yellow orange with gold flip
Creamsicle - matte peachy orange
Rise N Grind - matte vivid orange
Clementine - orange glitter with a copper flip
Sunkiss’d - matte neon tangerine
Tangerine Dreams - metallic mid tone red orange
Mimosa Mami - matte bright red orange
Ya Peel Me? - matte mid tone rust

DAVINES AUTHENTIC NOURISHING OIL

For all hair and skin types. Authentic Nourishing Oil contains 100% natural origin ingredients and 30% of organically grown safflower oil. The oil is free from artificial colors, silicones and PEG, leaving hair and skin silky and glowing. I even use this oil as a cleansing balm to remove makeup from the day, but my favorite use of this oil is for my hair. Now that I’m trying to grow my hair long, it keeps the ends moisturized and softer. And the subtle smell is incredible.

111SKIN ROSE GOLD RADIANCE BOOSTER

Founded by renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides, 111SKIN combines decades of expertise with the latest ingredients. Formulated with Damask Rose Extract and Gold, this serum is formulated to relieve inflamed skin and enhance natural radiance. This radiance booster is a bit expensive, retailing at $160 at.68 fl oz (!!) but it is well worth the investment. I use this serum for days when I’m utterly exhausted and my face needs an extreme pick-me-up. When that second cup of coffee won’t do, use this immediately and your skin will immediately be revived.

SOL BODY SHIMMERING DRY OIL

It’s that Friday feeling in a bottle. Delivers a shimmering, good-for-the-soul glow that nourishes skin and highlights your highlights. My favorites are a rich, glowing bronze with highlights of copper and gold pearl. The other is a more silvery tint to it called, ‘Platinum’. Comes with a lovely kabuki brush that’s oh so soft. The perfect accessory for summer. Works for all bodies and skin tones.

DR. CURE 7 STARTER KIT

See a drastic improvement to your skin's hydration and melt those fine lines away. This starter kit includes mini-sized versions of their products so you can change your skin routine with one simple kit. It’s perfect for travel. I love all of them but my favorite out of this kit are the teardrops.

Kit includes:

3 Healing Melting Masques

Trial-Sized Collagen Powder Cleanser
0.5g/0.02oz

Trial-Sized Hyaluron Intensive Serum
10ml/0.35oz

Trial-Sized Teardrop Vitamin A or E
8g/0.28oz

Trial-Sized Snow Pearl Cream Mist
30ml/1oz

LOVE & XX’S,

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3 Ways to Wear Tie Dye

July 22, 2019

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY BLUE VANILLA BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

When it comes to elegance and ultimate sophistication in fashion, tie-dye is probably not the type of clothing you’d first consider. The term “tie-dye” first appeared in the United States during the 1960's. Hippies, who were protesting the Vietnam War and promoting peace and love, began wearing clothing with vibrant colors and psychedelic designs. If you wore tie dye you stood for something! And in today’s post, I’m standing up to show you tie-dye can be very chic and stylish. I’m sharing 3 ways to wear the comeback trend; as a top, as a bottom and as a dress! Continue reading to see full visual story.

The first look is all about sporty and feminine pieces together. I love the juxtaposition behind contrasting styles and this is a combination I often go for. The tiered, lace, pleated skirt is actually a dress, but given that I wanted the yellow tie-dye shirt to stand out, I didn’t want to cover up the piece with the dress. So I styled it by tucked the top part of the dress underneath, and resulting in creating a skirt. To pair the feminine details of the skirt, I accessorized with a pearl hair clip and cute orange and white abstract clutch, designed by a friend of mine. To contrast with the pretty details, I went for a pair of chunky trainers to go in the mix.

WEARING: BLACK BELTED BLAZER | TIE DYE JOGGERS | BLACK SANDALS | BLACK BUCKET HAT

Needless to say, getting dressed for work during the summer is not the easiest thing to do. You want to wear something that's going to keep you cool during your commute, warm in your freezing office, plus take you from your desk to al fresco drinks—all while sticking to an office dress code. This black belted blazer has clean cut lines and perfectly tailored shoulders and lapels. It is in a slightly stretchy fabric, giving you a full range of motion and a comfortable fit. This perfect piece will fulfill both the oversized boyfriend blazer trend and the tailored belted blazer trend. Can be worn without the belt as a classic blazer or with the detachable belt for a more trendy look this season. To give it a more boho style, I wore tie-die joggers and a bucket hat. I think this outfit would be best on Casual Friday. And the tie-dye joggers are so cozy, it’ll be like wearing pj’s at the office. :)

WEARING: TIE DYE DRESS | SUMMER TOTE | ROPE SANDALS

The final and third look is a casual weekend outfit. Something that can easily be worn to the beach, the farmer’s market, brunch, and city strolls. I fell in love with the blue color of this tie-dye dress. And apparently many others as well, since it is already sold out! But if you click through the link, there is a way to be notified once the dress is restocked. I styled the dress with neutral toned accessories such as a large tote and rope sandals. Handcrafted in Peru, the Braided Frida Shopper is the perfect accessory for chic summer outings. This easy to carry and relaxed style is handwoven by indigenous female artisans and shaped with an open top that reveals a spacious compartment. Intricate weaving and long twisted braids further elevate this must-have, versatile accessory that comes in a chic olive shade, a lively mustard hue, a soft pink, an ice blue and a classic beige.

LOVE & XX’S,

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White Denim Cycling Shorts with Snakeskin

July 17, 2019

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY NORACORA BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

It’s getting hot out there! One of the biggest trends to hit in fashion the past few years are biker shorts. I never really got on board with this look - that is, until this particular style evolved with different materials that are indeed a fave. I couldn’t resist a pair of denim cycling shorts. And being that I love to wear white during the summer, I really wanted to style one for you guys. But how to style it? I went with a snake print pattern and I ‘made’ the shorts myself! Continue reading to see how I put this look together and where every piece is from with direct links.

The link to the shorts is the only item that is not a direct one. Why? I cut these into shorts as these were originally a pair of white denim jeans. I didn’t want to style this look with a pair of white pants - I have a variety, but really felt a pair of white shorts, longer length, would bring something to the outfit. So instead of cutting them normal-length, I cut the denim biker style. I distressed the hem just a little bit to give it an unpolished, relaxed vibe with the intensity from the major snake print going on in this look.

The snake print blazer is only $15! At first I was a bit hesitant since I couldn’t touch or really see the material, but it’s thin and very moveable, even in the scorching heat! A definite piece that can be easily transitioned into fall. To keep the look edgy yet boho, I accessorized with a large straw tote and some cowrie shell earrings, both super trendy for summer. I paired the blazer with a matching snake print. These western boots fit like a glove and I could walk in them all day long. They are $60 and a really good price for a boot that can be worn well into the winter time. I always love pieces that can be styled in more than one season, how about you?

LOVE & XX’S,

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Coral and Ivory Look

July 7, 2019

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY H&M AND SHEIN BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

One of the hottest colors trending this summer is the lovely coral pink. But what colors go best with this bold, vibrant hue? And in a modest, elegant way? Sure, colors like gold, teal, turquoise, even navy are great combinations to perfectly blend more rich colors. But I’m not a wedding table top. Ha ha! Loud colors together can be too much sometimes, which is why I chose to style a white shade that I think goes so well with coral. Meet ivory. It’s another color that’s currently happening, which you’ll also see a lot of this fall. Continue on to see how I styled this particular summer look, accessorized with trendy styles while still remaining true to my style.

While ivory is still part of the mix to the coral shade in this look, with the cargo skirt and marble statement earrings, any other white shade even the color, white, is a great color combination with the pink hue of coral. One trendy shoe style this summer? Anything platform. I love these white summer sandals because of this reason. The cute buckle detailing as well plays nicely with the other colors as well as bringing a contrast with the delicate cami top.

Another trend in accessories this summer are straw handbags. To be honest, they are always on point during this season. They complement with many summer looks - and I have nothing but love for them. This bag is a combination between two different brands. The straw crossbody is from Teddy Ondo Ella, when I had attended their show a couple of years ago during NYMFW and received the bag as a gift. They no longer make them, which is something I also love because it feels more like one of a kind. The chain strap is from a Korean handbag brand, Gu De. I styled the chain with the straw bag to give it a nice mixture amongst everything else. Here is a link to the most similar straw bag I came across - very boho and still you can style it with different kind of straps as I did.

LOVE & XX’S,

SHOP THE LOOK

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June Beauty Favorites

July 1, 2019

June’s Beauty Favorites addresses a ton of different serums, toners and cleansers in the world of skincare. To me, everyone’s skincare journey is different and especially during the warmer season like the summertime, everybody’s skin will have different reactions to different things. Which is why I’m reviewing more than one type of skincare regiment, to give you guys a better idea of what you might chose for yourself. We even have two different eyeshadow palettes, one that is mostly yellow & gold based and another that provides more definition to certain types of eye looks such as smoky and others. Continue reading to learn more about my monthly beauty choices along with where to find and shop the products.

COLOURPOP UH-HUH HONEY SHADOW PALETTE

This yellow 9-pan palette has every shade of yellow under the sun in 5 mattes, 3 metallics, and 1 Pressed Glitter. Literally, all yellow, the entire What's in ColourPop's Yellow Collection

Stinger: matte buttery yellow
Sunburst: metallic lemon yellow with blue glitter
Sweet Spot: matte primary yellow
Dandy: metallic vibrant yellow gold
Palooza: bright yellow with a copper duochrome shift
Queen B: metallic dandelion
Totally Buggin': matte butterscotch yellow
Oh Beehave: matte mustard
Buzz Kill: matte yellow brown

CAUDALIE LIMITED EDITION BEAUTY ELIXIR

A natural, innovative toning mist that sets makeup, provides an instant burst of radiance, and tightens the appearance of pores, featuring the same bestselling formula with a new, improved pump to finely and evenly distribute the lightweight mist. Inspired by Queen Isabelle of Hungary's famous elixir of youth, Beauty Elixir is formulated with grape extracts and clarifying ingredients to provide an immediate burst of radiance. The complexion treatment reduces dullness and is infused with toning rosemary, astringent mint, and soothing rose essential oil to prepare your skin for further treatments. Beloved by celebrities and makeup artists worldwide, the Beauty Elixir is the ideal priming base and setting spray between layers of makeup for a long-lasting and smooth finish. Perfect as an aftershave for men too!

LIME CRIME FRECKLE PEN

The Lime Crime Freckle Pen give ‘em blessings on blessings, babe. You’re a lil cutie in this long-lasting freckle pen that has a super soft felt tip pen applicator and is smudged proof for endless summer glamour. I don’t have any speckle of natural freckles and voila! Look what this magical pen can do?! I think I’ll be doing this beauty look a ton more often this season. Are you a fan of freckles? Yay or nay?

SON & PARK

BEAUTY WATER

A multitasking toner and cleansing water that creates a clean base for any skin care and makeup that follows. Solutions for:- Dullness and uneven texture- Dryness- Uneven skin tone If you want to know more… This multiuse product can be used as a toner and gentle exfoliant in the morning to prep for skin care and to create a smoother surface for makeup. At night, Beauty Water can be used as a cleansing water to thoroughly remove makeup, dirt, and oil. Lavender water, rosewater, and orange fruit extract hydrate the skin, while willow bark and papaya extract sweep away dead skin cells revealing a brighter skin tone and smoother texture.

BEAUTY GEL

What the heck is this, you might ask? It’s a light-weight gel moisturizer that would quickly absorb into your skin and provide the right amount of hydration in order to prep your face for base makeup. It sounds like it's a primer but it's not like your typical makeup primer where it will fill in lines/uneven skin. It will simply help to give light hydration to prevent dry spots/patches since that will make your base makeup look patchy or flaky. It also has little capsules filled with hydrolyzed collagen that will burst upon application; this capsule technology keeps the ingredients fresh until use.

BEAUTY PRIMER CREAM GLOW

A lightweight, quick-absorbing cream that provides coverage, brightens the skin tone, and primes skin for makeup application. This base cream that's packed with flower extracts you'll love, including lily, rose, and jasmine also contains pearl to illuminate the complexion and rosa damascena flower to help control sebum production. After using the filter cream, your skin will look brighter, smoother, and more even, as if you actually put a real life filter on it. I put this on days where makeup calls for more coverage. Literally the best primer I’ve ever tried!

BEAUTY FACE MASK CLEAN TYPE

This moisturizing mask contains hyaluronic acid and a blend of AHA from flower extract to help renew dull skin. The unique shape of the mask prevents essence from touching the hairline and weighing down hair. It’s a quick five-minute mask but with immediate results. My face looks fresh and clean every time I use these, and I use these often!

DERMALOGICA AGE BRIGHT CLEARING SERUM

This highly concentrated serum exfoliates to help prevent acne and supports natural cell turnover to reduce visible signs of skin aging. Phytoactives hydrate and smooth skin, while niacinamide and white shiitake mushroom promote a brighter and more even skin tone.

DERMALOGICA AGE BRIGHT SPOT FADER

This spot fader is a two-in-one brightening spot treatment that reduces the appearance of active breakouts and post-acne marks. Salicylic acid works to clear breakouts, while niacinamide and hexylresorcinol work synergistically to fade post-acne marks and improve uneven skin tone. AGE Bright Complex reduces visible skin aging and helps prevent over-drying.

KEVYN AUCOIN EMPHASIZE EYE DESIGN PALETTE

Unleash your makeup artistry through a range of eye-catching looks with the Emphasize Eye Design Palette from Kevyn Aucoin in ‘As Seen In’; a versatile eyeshadow palette presented within a sleek mirrored compact, that combines five matte, chrome and satin eyeshadow shades with a creamy metallic-effect color. Applied with an innovative ‘lemon drop’ felt tip for dual-purpose precision lining and color application, the Cream Foil Eyeshadow adds drama and dimension for a high impact finish. Experiment by layering the powder and cream shadows to create customised hues, or simply wear it alone for a reflective mirror-like shine. Shades Include (L>R): Ballet (matte) Blush (satin) Rose (chrome) Amethyst (matte) Sangria (matte) Rose Gold (cream foil)

FRESH BEAUTY SUGAR HYDRATING LIP BALMS

Sugar Lemon Hydrating Lip Balm locks in moisture for soft, supple, healthy-looking lips. The rich, cushiony formula coats lips with a protective veil that smooths and comforts on contact while delivering a velvety sheen and addictive flavor inspired by lemon meringue or peach. I can’t decide which one is my favorite, but they’ve been on heavy rotation this summer. I’m definitely obsessed with the flavors.

PURITO CENTELLA GREEN LEVEL CALMING TONER

A skin calming toner infused with 10% of Centella Asiatica extract, panthenol, witch hazel extract, and other EWG-class ingredients to instantly soothe and hydrate your skin. Contains sodium hyaluronate acid to prevent moisture evaporation while strengthening the moisture barrier of the skin. Free from harsh chemicals and preservatives.

PURITO CENTELLA GREEN LEVEL BUFFET SERUM

Formulated with EWG verified ingredients, this cica cream is packed with effective ingredients so skin will be protected, smooth, clean and vibrant. This versatile serum helps improve the appearance of your skin. Infused with 49% of centella asiatica extract, collagen, ceramide, and other EWG-verified ingredients to strengthen skin barrier while leaving the skin moisturized and supple.