Last Minute Holiday Gifts 2015

Is it just me or does everyone seem cranky around this time of year? Like, more than usual. Well it's understandable- shopping for gifts is difficult and stressful! How much do I spend? Will they use it? What if they don't like it at all? 

Do not fret my friend. I am here to help you (or attempt to, anyway)! This post will be a similar format to my Mother's day gift guide but with a couple extra tips for what to get for men and children. So sit back, grab a cup of tea and have your credit card ready for some online shopping (or if you're brave enough to go to the mall...good luck). 

*Please note these are just my suggestions for last minute gifts...they may not be that thoughtful or personal but hopefully the recipient will still feel special =]

The Simple Sister/Best Friend 

Sometimes the simple gals are the hardest to shop for. Why? Because they don't really need or want anything! How frustrating. This might sound silly but for these ladies I'm going to suggest gifting them with something you know for sure they will use- PANTIES! Didn't see that coming, did you? Obviously this only works if you are a family member and/or a very (very) close friend. Places like Aerie or Vicky's Secret have cute ones for the holidays or if you're feelin' fancy, get her a boxed set like these ones from Hanky Panky. Trust me, fresh undies are the way to go. Another option (for a co-worker or not-as-close-yet friend) is a nice hand cream- this one from Pai is organic and has won a ton of awards.

Pai Fragonia and Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream

Moms and Grandmas (and Aunts oh my!)

I know everyone's moms/grandmas/aunts are different but these are a couple general gifts I think women in that age range would enjoy. I recently went on a trip to Korea and got my mom a sleeping mask from Sulwhasoo that she loves. My grandma in Korea swears by and only uses all Sulwhasoo products. Apparently Sulwhasoo is taking over the world (and our monies). There's a reason why luxury skincare is a good gift- no one wants to spend a ton of money on beauty products (with their own money)! Some Korean ladies I know also enjoy The History of Whoo products. If you want to dabble in organic skincare try the starter kit from Pai. If your mom/grandma/aunt is finicky about skincare, another crowd pleaser is a cashmere scarf- warm, soft, luxurious, and functional. Here's a gift worthy Burberry one or a much more affordable option from Everlane.

Burgundy Cashmere Scarf from Everlane

The Makeup Loving Cousin/Sister-in-Law

These ladies are usually easy to please when it comes to gifts- just get them anything from Sephora and you're good to go! But still, the hunt for a practical but gift-able item can take hours to sort through so I did it for you- If this lady wears eye makeup on the daily, check out this neutral palette from Makeup Forever. If she's more of a lip gal, she'll love this discovery set from Bite Beauty. Does this girl always have perfectly polished nails? I've enjoyed using polish from Butter London back when I used to paint mine. If you're not sure what kind of makeup to get, then a brush set is another option- if you have a bigger budget, Zoeva brushes are a splurge, if you're looking for something nice but still affordable, check out this set from Real Techniques (currently on sale!).

Real Techniques Bold Metals Set (Image: Boots)

Picky Kiddos

You know who I'm talking about...those kids in your life who are pickier than any adult you've ever met. Will anything please these tiny souls?! To be honest, I'm not really sure lol. For these kiddos you can't get them anything too specific- definitely no clothes or shoes. I'd take the safe route and go with a Starbucks or Movie theater gift card. If you really want to take a risk and get an actual gift, go for something simple and practical like a basic black Backpack or Stabilo Pens to use in school.

Stabilo Pens (Image: Amazon)

Oh-so-particular Dude

Have I ever mentioned how difficult it is to buy gifts for my dad? Just mentioning the subject gives me mild traumatic stress. As much as it may seem easier to buy gifts for men, I always have the hardest time finding a good gift for the dudes in my life (mainly the padre). Basically, unless it's expensive or something he needs, there's no point of even wasting time on shopping around. Just get the expensive thing or the thing he needs- the end. A lot of guys shave (or want to heh heh)- The Art of Shaving is fancy and practical. Lately I've been seeing every guy and their grandpop wearing a vest- Penfield, North Face, Patagonia...pick one and be done!

The Art of Shaving Kit

Okay, who's exhausted just reading this post? I know I am (as I'm writing/editing lol)! As much as the holiday season can be exhausting and stressful with all the parties, shopping, and gift wrapping (this part is the worst, am I right?!), I hope you don't lose sight of what's really important during this season. Gifts may bring temporary happiness but there is true joy in spending time with family and friends BUT even above these things, remembering the real gift that was and is given to us through the birth of Jesus- our forever happiness and unending joy! Thank you to all my readers for supporting my tiny ol' blog- I genuinely hope you and your loved ones have a warm and lovely holiday!

<3yaeinn

(Ecc3:11)  

  

Korean Skincare: Is it worth the hype?

Yesterday after church I took a nap...from 5-7 pm heh heh. All the social interaction plus Viet food for lunch made me shut down once I got home. So I ate a quick dinner, hung out with my mom, then lounged hardcore on our ghetto couch from the 80's (ghetto but comfy!). 500 Days of Summer was on and I decided to watch it since I haven't seen it in a while and also JGL<3 (Joseph Gordon Levitt)...'nuff said. I've heard from some of my guy friends how this film is like the worst movie ever (because in their mind the girl is evil) but the more I watched it, I thought, "wow, this dude (JGL's character) is a dumb dumb...!" If you haven't seen this movie I don't want to give it away but the basic theme is about setting expectations for ourselves, our career, our love life...only to realize there is no picture perfect scenario. People will disappoint us (even betray us), the monotony of work will make us go cray at times, and we'll drag our feet wondering when life will go the way we planned.

Okay, so what does this have to do with Korean beauty products? Nothing lol. Well, let's see if I can make some kind of grand connection- JGL's love interest, Summer, is cute, quirky, and a little mysterious but (spoiler alert) she ended up breaking his heart in the end. He really wanted to make things work but she had already checked out leaving him wondering what happened to his 'perfect' girl. When it comes to Korean beauty I feel like JGL...I had this perfect picture in my mind about how I would go to Korea, find amazing beauty products, and fall completely in love with them and be faithful to the end. Well reality hit and just like Summer, Korean beauty products turned out to be a biatch (let's just say she could've made better choices). Just like Summer, all the products I bought were great in theory- beautiful packaging, smelled nice, so many people like them...but after a while, the ugly side came out and I was no longer infatuated (not a bad analogy, eh?! I tried). I'm not going to review every single thing I bought while I was in Korea, but these are just my general thoughts on Korean beauty and the industry (the good and the bad). Disclaimer: I'm only covering a small aspect of Korean beauty as it's a broad topic. However, this is still a long post lol.

Some affordable Korean products I bought shopping at Co-ex mall (minus the Bioderma, that's from France and it was so overpriced -.-)

1. Korean beauty is all about MARKETING. In the States, we see beautiful models with poreless skin and eyebrows on fleek plastered on billboards and magazines, right? That's nothing compared to Korea. In Korea, the stores and streets are filled with Kpop stars (girl groups, boy groups, etc) and popular actors/actresses advertising the latest trends in makeup and skin care. Especially if you go to the hot tourist spots, 8/10 stores are beauty related, it's madness!! I heard rumors of Chinese girls buying hundreds of sheet masks enough to fill a whole suitcase to take back with them. WHY? Because of smart marketing, adorable packaging, tons of sales (and samples), and the promise of looking like the flawless Kpop celebs that supposedly use all this stuff. I know it sounds like I'm hating on the celebs, I'm not- but you have to realize that most, if not all, celebs go to dermatologists regularly and have a professional hair/makeup posse to make them look the way they do...be a smart consumer, don't be fooled!

2. Everything has FRAGRANCE. I knew this from the get-go because every Korean product I've seen since I was young has had this ahjooma (old lady) smell- very heavy and floral. It's not a bad smell but is it necessary? Nowadays the ahjooma smell is not as prevalent- now there are 'cute' smells like apple, strawberry, plum, etc. Either way, unless it's a body lotion or perfume, I don't want my face to smell like a field of flowers and/or a basket of fruit! If you've been reading my blog for a while you know fragrance (natural and synthetic) is one of the most irritating ingredients in beauty products- unless you have extremely resilient skin with no sensitivities, many of us will react to fragrance at some point while using a beauty product. I found no brands (high end or drug store) that claimed to have 0 fragrance in their products (maybe a couple items here and there but not a full line). I hope in the future Korean companies will recognize fragrance as an irritant and either use less or get rid of it!

3. There are too many CHOICES. I'm not a wishy washy kind of person. I choose what I like best and I'm loyal to it...but if you live in Korea, this is literally impossible. Like I mentioned earlier, if you go shopping in a tourist area or even a campus town, you are bombarded with so many choices you will either buy everything or nothing lol. If one brand has an item that becomes a huge trend, every brand will come out with a version of the same thing! It's enough to make a shopper go insane! The best way to go about this dilemma is to look up youtube reviews and blogs on items you are interested in first- then make a list and only buy what's on the list...unless you want to go insane and become a hobo whilst in Korea. "Make good choices." (Becca from Pitch Perfect).

4. Although I didn't have the greatest experience with Korean beauty products this time around, there are smaller companies filling the gap of what's missing in the market such as COSRX and CREMORLAB. These companies are not as well known as let's say Innisfree or Nature Republic but they are accessible in Korea as well as the States. What I like about these small brands is their minimal use of ingredients and marketing via word of mouth (which means you're not wasting money on packaging and celeb endorsement). I'm sure there are other small beauty companies out there and I'm going to do my research and trial and error until I find products that work for me at some point- for now I'm very content with my non-Korean beauty products. 

To conclude, I don't think Korean skin care is necessarily better than products from the States or Europe. A sales associate at Sephora once told me how Amore Pacific (a major beauty company) is 17 years ahead when it comes to the technology of skin care...I say rubbish. How does one come up with that stat anyway? I know this sounds like a rant but it's just my honest impression on the whole hype surrounding Korean beauty. Like I always say- just because it doesn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you! I got my mom a sleeping mask from Sulwhasoo and she loves it. Even though I didn't find anything great on my last trip, I'm excited to try products from smaller Indie Korean brands on my next trip!

<3yaeinn
Ecc3:11

Honest Beauty Haul + Swatches

Remember the movie Never Been Kissed? I have a huge weakness for 90's movies- especially the cheesy, romantic comedies! In the movie, Jessica Alba plays a high school mean girl who is obsessed about her looks...flash forward to the present and J Alba is now a momma and co-founder of The Honest Company (she's come a long way since the 90's lol). Last month, the company launched a new branch of natural skin care and beauty products- Honest Beauty. I happened to come across it while searching for a new, natural tinted moisturizer and ordered a couple things to try out. Here's a quick first impression review and swatches!

Everything Cream Foundation ($30)/Everything Tinted Moisturizer ($28) Original and Oil-Free (Sorry about the bad photo, all the products are reflective!)

Everything Cream Foundation in Linen/Everything TM in Cream/Oil-Free Version in Nectar (Taken in natural lighting for accuracy. I'm light, neutral-warm/usually the 2nd or 3rd lightest in most brands)

Everything Cream Foundation in Linen

This medium to full coverage cream foundation comes in 8 shades ranging from fair to dark. I got the third lightest shade in Linen which is described as "vanilla with pale yellow undertones" on the website. It has a slight floral scent but nothing too strong. The compact is sleek with a magnetic closure and a round sponge puff (one downside is the mirrored packaging-finger print city!). I would recommend using your fingers to apply because the texture is quite dry and thick (you could use a puff/brush/beauty blender to blend after warming up the foundation with fingers). The nice thing about a cream foundation is it doubles as a concealer so you don't need multiple products. If you enjoy a full coverage look with semi-matte finish and want to simplify your makeup routine, check this out!

Pros: Medium to full coverage/Doubles as concealer/Easy to travel with/Light scent

Cons: Have to use fingers to warm up/Mirrored packaging/Can get cakey if you use too much 

Everything Tinted Moisturizer in Cream and Oil-Free in Nectar

I bought the original TM for myself because I have combination-dry skin in the cooler months. I gave my mom the oil-free one because she has oily skin. Ironically, the original TM had a very matte finish and wasn't moisturizing while my mom said the oil-free version made her oilier than usual. Unfortunately, both TM had a strong floral scent that didn't fade until hours later. Additionally, the texture of the TM is extremely thick and can take extra time to work into the skin- I'm too lazy with my makeup to deal with that on the daily. One upside is the coverage has a true medium finish that lasts all day without touch ups (my mom was also impressed with the coverage).  I recommend this to those of you who like a medium, matte coverage and don't mind floral scents. Both TM come in 7 shades and has a physical, non-nano SPF of 20.

Pros: Medium coverage for a TM/Physical SPF for everyday use/Good staying power

Cons: Strong smell/Not very moisturizing/Thick consistency/Feels a bit tacky on the skin

Overall, I'm impressed with the natural ingredients and range of products (they also have a full skin care line!). Although the TM didn't work out for me, I'm looking forward to trying their other items. If you go on their website they have a "bundle" option where you can choose 3 full-sized products for $50 to be sent to you every 4-12 weeks (you can customize how often and cancel the subscription easily)! It's a great way to try natural skin care and makeup without breaking the bank (plus they have a great return policy in case something doesn't work out for you). Let me know if you end up ordering anything, I'd love to hear your thoughts!  

<3yaeinn

Ecc3:11 

Take control of your breakouts

Hi all, it's been awhile since I wrote a post- I recently came back from a 3 week trip to Seoul! I'll blog on all things Korean beauty related soon, but I wanted to try out the products I purchased for a little longer =]. Instead, I decided to address a topic many of us struggle with- breakouts. When the seasons change, our immune system weakens and especially when it gets cold, the use of indoor heat and lack of sunshine wreak havoc on our skin. Through my years of struggling with acne breakouts and reading a ton of medical and personal blogs, I've come up with some tips to identify and control specific breakouts on the face- I hope this helps some of you!

*Disclaimer- I'm not an expert and obviously not a dermatologist, I just have many different skin related issues and most products don't work for me. I really think the key is to research ingredients and be aware of how your skin is- be a smart consumer!

I have 0 makeup on and it's okay! I don't have perfect skin and it's okay! =D P.S the lighting was especially good when I took this pic lol my skin is not as clear as it seems here

Hairline/Around the forehead and temples
If you find that you only breakout around the hairline and the area around your forehead and temples, it's most likely your shampoo and/or hair products are causing those breakouts. Look at the ingredients before you buy your hair products- it could be that you're sensitive to SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) which is super common in shampoos. Another possibility is you're sensitive/allergic to fragrances added to hair products- make sure fragrance is the last ingredient and you should be fine. Remember even 'natural' scents can irritate especially if you have allergies from flowers and plants. As for hair styling products, just try not to get it on the skin- maybe style your hair first then rinse your face afterward and apply face products.

Jawline
Us ladies deal with these breakouts every month (cries) and it sucks! Obviously most of us know why we breakout in this area- hormones, boo. Personally, I find the best way to deal with it is to start using spot treatments ahead of time before that time of the month comes around. Pay extra attention to your skin, be gentle, and drink lots of water to flush out toxins! If you struggle with severe breakouts around the jawline consistently, it might be a good idea to go to your doctor and check your hormone levels- it could be a bigger medical issue that has to be resolved, first.

One side of the cheek
Some people have decently clear skin but tend to break out on just one side of the face- how annoying! The culprit could be a couple things- 1. Your phone: It rolls around in your bag/car and your hands are all over it...you get a phone call and all the nasty germs goes right to the face. Keep it clean by wiping it down with an alcohol wipe at the end of the day. 2. How often do you wash your pillow? Unless you sleep on your back, I'm guessing you tend to sleep on one side. The oils and dirt from your hair can easily transfer to your pillow and on your face- just toss your pillowcase in the wash whenever you do laundry.

Nose and/or Chin
A lot of people have combination skin type (dry cheeks and oily t-zone). If you struggle with enlarged pores and blackheads on your t-zone, you're more likely to breakout in those areas as well. There's nothing worse than a big ol' pimple right in the middle of your nose or chin- they tend to hurt and be deep under the skin. These type of breakouts don't go away easily and scars can last a long time. The best way to handle this type of acne is to purify the pores by using a chemical and/or physical exfoliant (depending on how stubborn your pores are, you may need both). Bha exfoliants work by penetrating the pore and breaking apart oil from the inside out. Physical exfoliants (scrubs) work by buffing off the dead skin cells on the top layer of the skin. There are a ton of exfoliants on the market so do your research and see what is appropriate for your level of severity.

Around the mouth
As much as breakouts on the nose and chin can be uncomfortable, nothing is as embarrassing and inconvenient as a breakout around the mouth, am I right?! Recently I had this happen to me for the first time and after doing some research, I found the culprit to be my new lip balm and/or toothpaste. I'm not positive what ingredient(s) triggered the breakout, but I'm pretty sure it was fragrance or SLS related (most toothpastes have SLS). Usually, I use a non-SLS, natural toothpaste and a fragrance free, organic lip balm- not everyone will be as sensitive as me, but if you tend to breakout in this area, try switching to products without SLS and fragrances.

Eye/Eyebrows
Have you ever had those tiny, white dots by your eyes that never seem to go away? It's called Milia and though technically it's not a breakout, the best way to prevent them is to exfoliate properly and not use harsh acne products on them. If you tend to breakout around the eyebrows, it's most likely because of waxing/threading/plucking or your eyebrow product (pencils, powders, mascara, etc).

Around the neck
As if your face isn't giving you enough trouble, some of us breakout on the neck, too! Ugh. Well it makes sense because the neck also has pores that can clog and cause acne. I found the best way to prevent breakouts on this particular area is to cleanse thoroughly (just like your face!). Recently I've been trying out Bioderma (a micellar water- basically a cleanser in water form) and I'm not sure if I like it for the face, but I've been really liking it to cleanse the neck area. For guys who breakout around the neck, it's probably because of shaving- make sure to exfoliate well and keep your razor sharp! Also, aftershave (high alcohol content + fragrance) is probably the equivalent of splashing rubbing alcohol on your face so...stop lol.

Everywhere
If you usually have good skin and suddenly had a breakout on your whole face, the culprit could be your makeup. Now, cosmetics have a ton of ingredients both chemical and natural, but it really depends on how sensitive you are. Like I said, not everyone will be as sensitive as me, but I tend to breakout from almost all face makeup which is why I use minimal products. Some triggers for me are- talc, fragrances, certain essential oils, and silicones (so basically everything lol). Talc is a hit or miss- I've read that talc has low to high grade levels so a lot of times cheap cosmetics will use cheap talc and many people find it irritating. High grade talc is supposedly not bad for the skin but that's a case by case situation. The best way to see if a product is breaking you out or not is to stop using it- if your breakout goes away after a few days or so, you'll know it's that product. If not, then it may be a skin care item you're using that is causing it- just use the process of elimination until the breakout subsides!
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I know this post wasn't very fun or entertaining, but my hope is that you become a smarter consumer because of it! Even though I read a bunch of articles on skin and beauty, I'm still learning and going through my own trial and error with products, so don't be discouraged if you're having a bad skin day/week/month/year. That pimple or breakout won't last forever so relax and go about your day- do your research and be good to your skin and body, you'll be fine! =] As always, if you have any questions or suggestions feel free to send them my way- I love helping y'all out and hearing about your product recommendations as well =D

<3yaeinn
Ecc3:11

review: maybelline concealers

I was sick with a stomach bug for a week and ate only bananas and naan- it wasn't fun. Since I wasn't getting enough nutrients, I developed some pretty dark circles under my eyes. Normally, I use one concealer for my whole face (the nyx hd), but I wanted to check out a couple brightening ones specifically made for the under-eye area. Ulta was having their 'buy one, get one half off' sale on Maybelline products so I bought two new concealers for ~$10 (use those $3.50 coupons, ladies!). Keep reading below for a quick review on these affordable drugstore options! (I already own the fit me concealer so decided to include it, too).  

From left to right: 

Fit Me Concealer- ~$7

The Maybelline fit me line is comparable to L'oreal's true match and Covergirl's trublend- it's intended to 'fit' a lot of different skin colors and types. This concealer has been compared to the cult favorite Nars creamy concealer; I've tried the Nars one but I like this better. The fit me concealer has a creamy texture that's easy to blend and is light-weight on the skin. The coverage is light to medium so it's great for everyday wear. If you have decently good skin, you could just use sunscreen and a little of this concealer on the areas you need it instead of wearing a full face of makeup. Some tips- I recommend this for those of you with normal to dry skin types, it has quite a dewy finish. Also, make sure to set this with a powder or setting spray because it tends to crease since it's a creamy formula. If you need full coverage, I'd skip this- it'll get cakey if you layer too much on.

Instant Age Rewind- ~$9

If you google or youtube search this product, you'll find a ton of rave reviews. This is my first time purchasing this but I have to admit, part of me was curious what the hype was all about! This concealer is intended for brightening dark circles but I personally think you can use it on the face as well. The formula of this is different from the fit me- it's much thinner and not as easy to blend. However, since it's a thin consistency, it's easy to apply without overdoing it- great for makeup beginners and noobs! It's also about a medium coverage but you can build it to almost a full coverage if you need it. Some tips- once you apply this, make sure to blend it right away before it dries down. Unless you have very oily skin, you don't need to set with powder because the formula dries and sticks to the skin right away. If you find this doesn't cover enough, try using a salmon colored corrector first, then a thin layer of this on top. I recommend this for everyone except those of you with dry under eyes- it might emphasize dry patches. Lastly, many reviews on this complained about the packaging- you need to click it quite a lot when you first use it to get the product out! I've also seen some people just completely cut off the sponge tip to get to the actual concealer lol.

Dream Lumi- ~$8

I've always wanted to try the YSL touche eclat but it's like, $40 so I opted for this affordable option. Unfortunately, I'm not that impressed with the dream lumi, here's why: the packaging sucks- this comes in a pen/brush form where you click the pen and use the brush tip to apply the product. I found the brush to be quite difficult to manage because once the product builds up on the brush, it dries it out. Aside from the packaging, the concealer itself isn't too bad but it didn't do much in terms of coverage or brightening in my opinion. The consistency is gel-like but unlike the fit me, it's not very creamy and it's not thin/buildable like the age rewind either. It feels tacky and doesn't blend very well even when I applied it without the brush tip. In any case, I'm going to use it up and try different methods to make it work, but honestly, who has time/energy to do that! I'd say skip this one unless you really enjoy trying different types of concealers.

Hope this post was helpful for those of you looking for affordable drugstore concealers! After I use these up, I plan to try a couple high-end ones to see if they are worth the extra $$ so keep an eye out for that in the near future =]

On a side note, I can't believe it's already September! Who's excited for FALL?! WHOO! =D

<3yaeinn

Ecc3:11  

current favorites

Hello! It's been a while since my last post (I haven't given up on this blog just yet hah).

Let me catch y'all up a bit on my life- over the summer I was quite busy nannying and editing my resume/job hunting/interviewing, but right now I'm taking a short break to figure out the next step career-wise (thinking of pursuing a more creative path perhaps!).
Summer went by fast and I'm already looking forward to the chilly days of autumn ahead. I think we have this mental fantasy that 'summer=break', but for me, I was sleep deprived and exhausted for the past couple months. Since I had little time to take care of myself, my skin started breaking out and now I'm dealing with the consequences =[. Here are a couple products I've been using the past month to get my skin back to normal!

Boscia Willow Bark Spot Treatment- $15
Unlike most spot treatments that use salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to combat acne, this Boscia one uses willow bark and plant derived extracts to calm redness and reduce spots. This is actually the second time I've purchased this- the first time I felt like it did nothing because it's so gentle, but since I have super sensitive skin, I decided to try it out again. The consistency is a watery gel-like formula that has zero fragrance or color (it kind of reminds me of spit to be honest lol but it absorbs immediately and doesn't leave any residue!). For spots that have come to a head, I love using the hydrocolloid dressing, but for those spots that are under the skin and sore, the willow bark helps to calm inflammation without irritating or drying out the skin. For me, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide are too harsh, so if you have sensitive skin check this out! My only issue with it is the packaging- it comes in a twist up pen which makes it nice for travel but I can't tell how much I'm using or when it's almost out! They used to carry a larger size with a pump, but it's been discontinued, boo~ You can find Boscia products at Sephora and Boscia.com.

Clinique Cleansing Balm- $29
This is another product I repurchased because it's gentle but effective for sensitive skin. In my last skin care post I talked about the basics of cleansing and highly suggested makeup removers for those of you who wear makeup on the daily. Since I was nannying I stayed indoors most of the time and wore makeup maybe 2-3 times/week max. I was using makeup removing wipes from Koh Gen Do and they were decent but since my skin's been more sensitive and breaking out, I went back to the Clinique balm and have been enjoying it all over again. Basically what this does is it breaks down all the makeup and sunscreen on your face thoroughly without disturbing your skin. It comes in a jar as a solid balm- take a tiny scoop (about a quarter size) and warm it between your fingers and massage all over the face. I like to start on the cheeks and move outward and lastly use the remaining oil to remove any eye makeup (I only wear non-waterproof mascara so you may need more product depending on how much eye makeup you wear). After massaging for about a minute, take warm water and gently rinse off the balm (at this point, it dissolves into a milk). Once the balm is removed, your skin is left clean but not stripped! I recommend this product for everyone because if you don't remove the makeup, sunscreen, and grime off the top layer of your skin, your pores can get clogged and that's when breakouts happen. It is a tad pricey but it lasts forever (I think one jar lasted me about 6-8 months); you can buy this anywhere Clinique is sold- Sephora, Macy's, Nordy's, etc.

Tweezerman Nail Clippers- $13  
My last favorite is super rando but I decided to include it anyway because they are awesome! In my younger days, I enjoyed growing out my nails, filing them, and painting them pretty colors. Those days are long gone lol. Recently I've been enjoying just short, clean looking nails with no polish and these nail clippers achieve that for me. You know those 99 cent nail clippers rolling around the house (probably 4-5 of them) that barely cut nails and leave you with jagged, sharp edges that can cut into a rock? I absolutely hated that feeling and would file and file until my nails were somewhat manageable. I bought these clippers a couple years ago and it's probably the best purchase I've made in a long time. Tweezerman is known for their great tweezers because of how sharp and precise they are and these clippers are the same- the blade is really thin and sharp so when you cut your nails, it's very clean and precise. I don't even use a nail file anymore. Plus, it's pink. Done and done! They are much pricier than your crap 99 cent clippers, but seriously, how many clippers do you need?! Just buy this one and you're set =D I bought mine off drugstore.com but Ulta carries it as well (use those coupons you get in the mail for a discount!).


Now that summer is almost over, I'm really looking forward to the upcoming months (autumn is my fave season and I actually like cold weather =]). I hope everyone is doing well physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually... remember to take care of yourself- eat, sleep, pray, wear sunscreen! ;]

<3yaeinn
Ecc 3:11

shop with me: blush pink

Those of you who know me know that my wardrobe basically consists of whites and greys. I'm not anti-colors I just don't look good in them! In any case, I've been playing around with colors via accessories and makeup and am currently obsessing over blush pink everything. It's a feminine color that goes well with neutrals and isn't too trendy for it to go out of style in a couple years. Blush nude shoes give the illusion of longer legs and even blush nail polishes make your hands look slimmer. For a little lady with chubby fingers, this might be my new fave color lol ;]

Zara

Nails INC

                       

Coach

                                     

L.A.M.B

<3yaeinn
(Ecc3:11)