Autumn Layers | Earth Tones and Leopard

Happy Monday!

Fall is the best time for layers. It's getting cooler every week here in San Jose, but it's still warm enough to wear dresses without tights. I wore this dress to my friend's wedding a couple of months ago when the weather was much warmer. I'm trying to create more looks with this dress, and I was inspired by this picture to pair the dress with a basic button-up shirt for something to wear to work.    

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette

I was so excited when I found out that Hourglass launched their blushes in palette, just like they did with the Ambient lighting palette last year. The individual blush is retail for $35, so the palette is a much better deal for $58, considering. I took advantage of the VIB sale last weekend.

 Sephora website was down for hours on the first day, so I went to the mall during lunch break to make sure the things I had on my list weren't sold out. This is the only sale  I'm looking forward to the whole year, and possibly the only time I really shop at Sephora. Surely enough, there was only one left at the store, so I quickly grabbed it, along with a couple other things.

Things I'd Tell My Teenage Self About Beauty

Stop biting your nails!

Wear sunscreen everyday!

I wish dry shampoo existed at your time.

A little eyeliner and mascara wouldn't hurt

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

Eye cream is not only for old people

Your hair needs some love too - use conditioner!

Eyebrows, meet tweezer.

Lip balm exists, you know.

Weekend Pampering | The Body Shop Honey & Oat 3-in-1 Scrub Mask

Sunday afternoon is the best time to pamper myself. Face mask, hair mask, body mask, you name it!

One of my favorites mask is Honey & Oat 3-in-1 Scrub Mask by The Body Shop. I picked it up several months ago, but didn't really use much of it. My first impression was the scent. It has his rich scent of oatmeal that I find calming. 

The mask has beads that are oatmeal grains, which should act as scrub. It claims to "cleanse, polish and moisture". The scrub isn't the kind that gets dry. It doesn't dry on the skin, which is great especially for dry skin on this colder weather. I put it on and leave it for about 15-20 minutes, sometimes more while I go about doing something else. Then, I rinse it off with lukewarm water. I read that lukewarm water is better for your skin. I use a washcloth to take it off if I don't go take a shower after.

My skin will instantly feel healthier, if that's even possible. It feels not tight, which cold weather does to skin, and smooth. I love this mask. The mixture of honey and oat makes a gentle moisturizing component for the skin. 

I also like The Body Shop Tea Tree face mask  for fighting acne. 

What's your favorite face mask?

Stripes, Squares and Rosy Cheeks ft. It Cosmetics CC Cream

Hi everyone! 

Long time no post! I hope you all are having a wonderful week. I finally finish my second tax season of the year. The weeks had been exhausting. I could even find the energy to just sit down and write. I miss it, for sure.

I am really excited to share my recent newfound love for a CC cream.  It's from It Cosmetics 'Your skin but better' CC cream with SPF 50+.  I have really been loving this lately. It's a good alternative to a heavy straight on foundation. I still think a BB cream or CC cream or tinted moisturizer or whatever they are called nowadays are just gimmicky names the marketing people came up with.

I would never alternate my moisturizer for this or any of the mentioned above, but I am so glad to swap my foundation for this particular one. The coverage is awesome. I could go away with just one well-blended layer. My skin has been acting up a lot with breakouts on my cheeks and forehead. I feel like this gives lighter touch but comparable coverage of a foundation. Whenever I apply it on, I feel like I just wear moisturizer which it should be doing anyway.

Weeked Getaway | Quincy Roadtrip - What's in My Travel Makeup Bag

My Quincy trip was a low-key/relaxing trip with a lot of time spent outdoors. I didn't pack a lot of stuff in makeup bag, just the essentials, most of which you probably are bored of =).

I just wanted to stick with the product I am comfortable with. I do have a couple of new products with me, one of which I have been enjoying for the past month and the other I have been trying out to create different looks with.

Weekend Getaway| Quincy Roadtrip

Hi everyone!

Last weekend, I had a roadtrip with my friends to Quincy, CA. It was my post-tax-season trip which I seem to have annually. Ocep organized the trip, which I really appreciate. I've never heard of the city before, but Ocep said the Fall color is beautiful there, and it certainly was. I saw the prettiest trees I'd ever seen, and it was just uplifting to see how simple things could bring such and joy and excitement. 

Despite hours of driving and occasional nausea due to the winding road, it was a memorable trip. Ocep said the color would be prettier if we would've gone two weeks after, but 

 I'm just happy we went.

I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we did taking them.