Updated Night Time Skincare Routine

Hello Everyone,

I have been trying different facial products and I think I am getting close to what works best for my skin. I believe taking care of you skin at an early age is important. Any preventive care is good. These are just some of the products that I use almost on a daily basis. Some more than others. I will go in more detail about the ones that I NEED versus the ones that I can alternate/replace.

It looks a bit scary because there are so many products, but once you start getting into a routine, it's not so bad.

At the end of the day, I usually wash my makeup off in the shower first. In the shower, I have my Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Pore scrubs. I would squeeze a drop of this onto the rubber facial scrub and rub it all over my face. This is one of my new favorite face scrubs that I love and need in the shower. It smells so good and the beads are small which provides a gentle scrub to your face. There are no harsh chemicals, parabens, dyes, etc....  Rate: A

Also in my shower I have my Clarisonic which is an awesome investment. It takes away any makeup or dirt. I don't recommend anyone to use it everyday because it can be a bit harsh. I would use this every other day or every two days.  Rate: A+

Sometimes if I feel like using a stronger facial scrub, I would use this in addition to my Neutrogena. The beads are bigger, but I like the smell of citrus and ginseng.  Rate: B

Once I am out of the shower, I use my Forever 21 makeup cleansing tissue to take off any makeup residuals that are left. This is very cheap to buy at Forever 21: $2.80 for 30 towelettes. I think this is comparable to Yes to Cucumbers. Rate: A

With my face so fresh and clean, sometimes I would like to use a facial mask such as My Beauty Diary or Kose Mask white. Most of the time, I tend to skip this part because I am lazy. When I do use them, my skin feels very good after.  Rate: B

The next step is the toner. It refreshes your skin, makes it soft, and creates a clean base so when you apply any serum or cream on top it helps absorb the product into your skin. I always love using Lancome toner, but you can use any toner to help freshen up. Lancome Tonique Douceur is alcohol-free which helps prevent your skin from drying. Rate: B because there are cheaper toners out there that work the same.

One of the important steps to my updated facial routine is the Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate Serum. It is expensive, but it makes your skin look radiant. The result is to see visibly younger skin in just 7 days which I do feel it is working but not dramatically. I still like the product and I feel it is a good buy.... Sephora VIBs go get it with the 15% discount this week!!!  Rate: A-/B+ because of the price.

Now that the serum is absorbed into my skin, I apply some face lotion from Laneige- Love!!!  Rate: A

Next, to prevent wrinkles around the eyes. I have been using Laneige eye designer cream every night and it works wonders! Rate: A

I have discovered another eye product from Naruko which also works great. So now, I alternate between the two products at night. You can pick up this product at SUNE or at any Asian facial product stores. It is called Job's Tears Night Gelly. I like the texture and feels very refreshing when you apply it around the eye. Rate: A

Yes, that is it for my face..... now for my body. I cannot stand dry skin so when I get out of the shower, i need to apply some sort of lotion. The two lotions that I am currently using are: Nivea and Skinnygirl. Both are great for moisturizing and firming up your skin.  Rate: B

It is important to pamper your skin at night because that is when you body is resting and is able to absorb moisture, especially if you do take showers at night it helps also.

Have a great night and keep those skin looking healthy! Drink lots of fluid too!

<3 <3 <3

Japanese Hair Color Product: Palty

Hello Everyone,

Ever since my last blog about my hair cut, I have not done anything special to take care of it. My roots were going out, the color was fading, and I was just too busy. I always find myself going back to my original color which is black. It is so much easier to take care of and I can be as lazy as I want.

To get back my natural roots, I used a Japanese hair color called Palty in number 48 Natural Black. Be careful because it is super dark. I did spill a little on the floor and I couldn't even wipe it off!! Damn!

I like this brand because it gives me exactly what I want, however, the bottle is so little that sometimes it doesn't cover my whole head. I would have to buy two boxes..... they are not cheap either.

I leave the product in for 30-45 minutes and then washed it out. My hair feels super soft like I just went to a salon.  Rate: B+ mainly because there wasn't enough product in there for my whole head.
They should have a Costco size of this!!!

Now, my hair looks health and shiny.

Have a great night! 

<3 <3 <3

Skinnygirl Face and Body product Review

Hello Everyone,

Anyone heard of Bethenny Frankel? Besides being a food chef and a mixologists, she is the obnoxious woman on the reality TV show called "The Real Housewives of New York."

There was a moment where her Skinnygirl Cocktails were just selling off the shelves. The most popular one is the Skinnygirl Sangria and coming in close second is the Skinnygirl Margarita.

Not only has Bethenny expanded her cocktail line, she also went into developing her makeup line for Walmart.

At Walmart, the prices are decent so I thought why not give this brand a try. So, here are the items that I have picked up to review.

First, the red and white packaging is very cute. Very eye catching!
I got the Skinnygirl Cleansing Facial Cloths- $5.47
There are 25 towelettes in a packet. It helps wipe away dirt, oil, and makeup while conditioning your skin. I can feel my skin feeling soft after using it, but I still prefer to use the makeup wipes from Forever 21 for $2.80 (30 towelettes). Rate: B-

The next thing I got is the tinted daily moisturizer: $10.97 in the color beige. It has vitamin E with broad spectrum of SPF 15. Rate: C

The product is not bad, but it's not a holy grail. The color is a bit too orange for me. If you look at the left hand corner you can see the difference in my natural skin tone and the tint.

I find myself having to mix it with my BB cream that is a bit too light for me. After mixing both products, the color turns out better. I will still continue to use it on days that I do not feel like packing on a lot of makeup. I wouldn't buy it again because I would always have to mix it with a lighter BB cream to make it work and that is just too many steps.
I do like the brush that it came with even though I still need to use a stippling brush to smooth it out at the end.  Rate: C

Skinnygirl Face Solution: $14.97.
It came with Instantly smooth line filler (aka primer), detox face mask, and a small tube of energizing lip shine. The only thing I like from this set is the detox face mask which has cucumber and sweet almond oil. This is a good size to carry for traveling and again, very cute packaging. The other two products are decent and I will continue to use it until it is gone, but will not re=purchase. Rate: C+

This last item I got is the one I like the most- Skinnygirl Firming Night Cream-$14.88
Anytime it says "firming" it works similar to products that have Coenzyme Q10. The scent is not very strong and I like the thickness of the cream. It contains sweet almond oil and linseed extract. I haven't see much difference after a week of use, but it does claim to lift and firm skin while you sleep. Hmmmm..... I just hope it is working. Rate: B+

Well, my overall impression is..... you can skip on it. Maybe just stick with the Sangria.  There are other products out there that are cheaper and that works better. The only thing I would re-purchase is the Skinnygirl night firming cream because I don't feel it is too greasy and the consistency is just right.

Have a nice night!
<3 <3 <3

5 Best Drugstore Lip Balms

Hello Everyone,

Whether if it is cold or hot, everyone uses lip balm. I don't like having my lips feeling dry or chapped. In my bag, I always have 2-3 different types of lip balms. After trying different brands, here are my top 5 drugstore favorites

Starting from #5:  Carmex- I always find myself picking one up when I go to the drugstore, but I lose them all the time. This is the heavy duty stuff that works great!

#4: Soft Lips- love the way it feels on my lips... it tingles and it smells so good. I also like the fact that it comes in so many different flavors. I hate to admit but I have a whole collection of these.

#3: Burt's Bee- It's 100% natural and they have also come out with lip balms for different purposes. Inside the tin below there is a lip balm for nourishing (Mango butter), replenishing (Pomegranate oil), rejuvenating (Acai Berry), and a regular one for all purposes. They also have a bit of a tint.

#2: Nivea- very moisturizing and has a bit of everything. Inside the essential set there is A Kiss of Shimmer Radiant lip Care, A Kiss of Smoothness Hydrating lip care, and A Kiss of Milk and Honey Soothing lip care. Who wouldn't want shimmer on their lips? Don't worry it's not too noticeable. It just adds a little oomph!

#1: EOS- 100% natural, 95% organic, gluten free, and most importantly easy to find if you have a big bag like mine. If you carry a flat or small bag, this may not be something you want to have because it definitely will take up a lot of room or your bag wouldn't even close. What I really like about these are: the scent is not over powering, it hydrates my lips, looks cute, and easy to find in my bag.

All great ways to keep your lips moist and kissable!

Have a great night!
<3 <3 <3

Sleek Makeup review

Hello Everyone,

It's nice to be back and blogging again. Currently, I am enjoying the 12 eyeshadow I-Divine palette from Sleek Makeup. It is very popular in the UK and the price is extremely reasonable. They do not sell this in US but can be purchased online at their website. The case is well made and great for traveling.

Inside the palette is a mix of matte and shimmer eyeshadows that can be used for any occasion. If I have to compare this to another makeup brand, it has to be the Wet n' Wild eyeshadows that I also adore. Sleek Makeup is just a step higher than Wet n' Wild because of it's nice packaging and it does not crumble as easily, however, the pigmentation is very similar.

Ok, here is the infamous Sleek Makeup palette! Hello, you can see me in the mirror.....

Storm: $10.00- majority of the colors in this palette have shimmer except for 3 that are matte. This is good for creating a natural look.

Oh So Special: $10.50- is a palette that can be worn during the day and transition to a sultry look at night. These colors suit all skin tones.

Swatches: most of the colors came out really well, just a few of them are a hit or miss.

I also am digging the tinted lip conditioner. These gloss reminds me of the MAC Tendertones in terms of the consistency, but the MAC Tendertone does smell a bit better than the Sleek Pout Polish. It is half the price of the MAC Tendertones so that makes up for it. I like the fact that the packaging is thin and light.
$6.50 each

The colors that I got are: Pink Cadillac(Top), Peach Perfection(Left), and Frosting(Right)

They feel very moist and adds a bit of tint to your lips. The lighter colors do not show up, but the darker colors do.

I also heard the blushes were better than NARS so that is the next product I would like to try from this brand.
Have a great night!
<3 <3 <3

Ahead of the Fashion Event SF

Hello Everyone,

Busy, busy, busy! I am glad I was able to attend Ahead of the Fashion in SF. It is an "accelerator program for technology start-ups in the consumer, fashion, and retail industries." One of the guest speaker is Kenneth Klopp who is the founder of The North Face. There were other representatives on the panel just to name a few, Ken Ansin, who is the President of Ansin Consulting Group and was a former owner of Cole Haan Shoes Companies. Joan Barnes, Founder of Gymboree and Yoga Studios. Barry Gilbert, former President of The Sharper Image.

After the Introduction of the panelists, there were six presentations from starting companies that talked about how they got started and to get advice from the panelists.The panelists will then judge each presentation by ranking them from 1 being the lowest and 5 being very good. Whoever gets the highest total will be rewarded at the end. It was interesting to hear everyone's passion and unique ideas.

After the presentations, is the fashion show, which I have been waiting for. There are 4 designers with very different styles.
The first Fashion Designer is Daniel Sudar who makes clothes for men and women. However, during this fashion show he only displayed his clothing line for men.

The fashion designer Daniel Sudar is in white from the left. Next to him on the right is one of the start up companies that did well in his presentation to the panelists and on the end to the right is the winner from the last Ahead of the Fashion Event, Yuliana Candra.

One of the Fashion Designer is a friend name Wen Guo who is the Designer of Boditecture. Her dresses are amazing! It is all about convertible fashion line where each design can be transformed into many different styles. You just have to see it in action. Pictures will not do it justice.

I was also impressed with the former winner of the first Ahead of the Fashion Event. She has beautiful designs and I can see myself wearing every single piece.

In the end, the winner of this Ahead of the Fashion Event is my friend Wen Guo for her creativity and impressive designs. Congratulations!!! 

Overall, it was a great night and I was able to meet some awesome folks in the industry. 

Have a great night!

<3 <3 <3