Fall 2016 Favorites

AHHH. Happy New Year!! I know this post is way overdue. I had started this post right before Fall ended and am now posting it in 2017. I guess that is life! It moves quick!

I feel like every year zooms on by quicker and quicker. Like chillax time. Why you such in a rush?

I'm 30 now. Slow down. LOL.

Just as with every season, we fall in love with new things and old things. Sometimes, all things. LOL.

Here are what stole my heart this Fall:

TARTE: LIGHTS, CAMERA, LASHES

I had hauled this in a post in early October. I purchased it during Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty. It was originally $24 and sold as beauty steal at $10. GAH! I hate that I love it. Mascara should not be more than $10. Ugh. 

I really love how it makes my lashes look. I naturally have long,curled lashes (don't hate me). The mascara helps my lashes to fan out. Love it. 

TOO FACED: NATURAL EYES

I got this beauty as a birthday gift this past May. I didn't really use it until this Fall. I don't know why I waited so long. I love it! I love playing with eye shadow looks and using fun colors from time to time, but I do love a natural smokey eye. You can never go wrong with neutral colors. You can go natural or va va voom!

The packaging is pretty with a sturdy tin case. The only down fall is that the product itself is pretty heavy. Small, compact size for traveling but it definitely has some weight to it.

e.l.f. ANGLED BLUSH BRUSH

When I went to Las Vegas on Thankgiving, I realized I had left my makeup brushes at home. The first time I didn't make a packing list, I forgot something. That's why lists work! >_< I did not want to spend loads of money on brushes because I had perfectly find brushes at home. 

I went to the drugstore CVS to hunt for some cheapie finds. AND DANG! They were expensive. Why are they in the drugstore?! Brushes were $12-15/piece. I decided to bite the bullet and grabbed the essentials - foundation brush, powder brush, and blush/contour brush. Oy my wallet. 

I walked towards that cashier register and found e.l.f. Oh thank the Lord! We all know e.l.f. is affordable. I grabbed the essentials I needed from the studio line which was $5/piece. This angled blush brush was my favorite. It is the best for contouring. It's so much better than my expensive Sigma contouring brush. 

I will use this brush now for contouring. It really just adds that chiseled affect to my super found shapeless face. 

CHINA GLAZE EVER GLAZE ACTIVE TOP COAT

Holy freakin' cow! This is the best top coat I have ever experienced. This is something I would have never purchased if it was not for a sale. This retails for $10. Ugh excuse me? No.

Ulta had a sale on China Glaze for 2 for $12 and decided to give it a go.

I hope I don't jinx it by saying this, but that picture was taken on day 6 of having those nails. DAY 6. There is no chippiness anywhere!! The only downside is the very very strong chemical smell. Yeek. 

I am probably going to end up splurging on this top coat from now on. It is amazing. Amazing! Amazing!!!

FARMERS MARKET DELIGHTS

This a random favorite, but I just had to share! In Mar Vista Los Angeles, there is a farmers market every Sunday that a friend and I attend as often as we can. She lives a lucky two blocks from there. The market is very family friendly with fresh produce, baked goods, flowers and lots of great eats to choose from.

All summer, I've been eyeing this half load of roasted garlic bread and finally decided to pick it up. It's not the garlic bread that has been buttered up. The bread has garlic pieces baked into it. AH! DELICIOUS. If you know me and know how I cook, I LOVE LOVE LOVE me some garlic. Recipe asks for 2 cloves of garlic, I'll put 4 or 5. Yeah, that's how I do. No shame in my game ;)

After I purchased the bread I walked by this stand with samples of pesto on small pieces of bread. I tried several. HA. And I loved the pesto habanero. I do love my spicy. I knew right then and there that the spicy pesto would go so well with the garlic bread. AND LET ME TELL YOU. The taste was a match made in heaven <3 I also tried the pesto on pasta. Delicious too.

BATH AND BODY WORKS PUMPKIN SPICED CHEESECAKE CANDLE

Fall is not fall without pumpkin. This smells like sweet (but not overly) sweet deliciousness.


PURSE

This purse! I have no been in love with a purse for a really long time. I have purses and use them daily but I am not really in love with a purse. I buy cheapies because I get sick of them quickly and just kind of throw them around.

I was in search of a new weekend purse. Something small but yet big enough to hold my essentials - wallet, phone, hand sanitizer, lotion, mints, chapstick and lipstick. 

I found this bad boy which is simple yet edgy at the same time. It's black with gold studs lining the edges. It has a metal tassel that makes noise when I walk. I sometimes think someone is following me and realize it's just me. LOL. Sometimes it's annoying when I am in a rush. It's easily removable but I do love it.

The best thing about this purse is the price. $16.99 at Ross. Oh yeaaaaah...

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

( credit : www.goodhousekeeping.com )

I am not a big TV watcher at all and I wasn't a Netflix watcher until I found out Fuller House was coming out on Netflix. I borrowed my brother's account just so I can watch it. LOL.

Then in early November, I got reallllly sick. I was sick for 2.5 weeks with a upper respiratory infection. The first week I was on and off work. The second week, I was bed-ridden. And in my sick days, I decided to watch shows that were popular.

I found myself watching Orange is the New Black and holy freakin' cow! ADDICTION.

I was trying to finish all four seasons by the time Fuller House 2 started on December 9. LOL. 

AND I DID IT!!!

At the expense of my sleep though. Whomp. My addiction and race against the clock had me sleeping at 2 in the morning. I would come to work dysfunctional and groggy. It was awful. Eventually I learned to better manage my Netflix time. LOL.



Well, those were my favorites of the fall 2016 season which came and gone.

Now that it is winter, I am already falling in love with new products. 

I hope you have a wonderful 2017 filled with love, hope, health and all kinds of wealth.

Blessings be with you.

Xoxox

Haul: Mally Beauty + NYX Liners

Aloha everyone!

In the last few weeks I purchased a few pencil liners as I ran out of my purple and black liners. 

I don't really buy pencil liners as I am more of a liquid liner girl. The two pencil liners I had were from birthday freebies from Ulta or Sephora. 

I went to Ulta not knowing where to start. I was not sure which was good. The samples that I had were from Urban Decay which I loved but they were $22 each. NO THANK YOU!

I asked the beauty representative if there were any eyeliner sets that included a black and a fun color (hopefully purple). She led me to Mally Beauty where they had a trio set of eyeliners for $20, each individual piece costs $18. They were the Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Eyeliner Trio.

Colors left to right: Milk Chocolate, Sailor, Midnight

( photo credit : www.ulta.com )

The set didn't have any purple which is an essential for my lower lash line when I do wear eye liner there. I found my way to the NYX Section searching for a vibrant purple. I found the NYX Slide On Eye Pencil in Pretty Violet.

Colors in different lighting:

From top to bottom: NYX Pretty Violet, MB Sailor, MB Milk Chocolate, MB Midnight)

From top to bottom: NYX Pretty Violet, MB Sailor, MB Midnight, MB Milk Chocolate)

From top to bottom: NYX Pretty Violet, MB Sailor, MB Milk Chocolate, MB Midnight)

THE VERDICT:

As you can see, the blue doesn't look totally blue. It's more of a midnight blue almost black.  The purple is gorgeous, but the true stars are the black and brown, especially the brown. The lasting power of the Mally Beauty is amazing. It's practically water proof.

THE CONS:

I wish the blue really showed up as a blue as I am sure it would be a beautiful color. Also, the lasting power of the Mally Beauty liners is so strong that I need 2-3 little cotton pads to take it off. I typically take off my make up with just face wash in the shower, but this does not totally come off in the shower. I need to cleanse my eyes before or after the shower. 

Overall, I am happy with my purchase. Although it's annoying to take an extra step to remove the Mally Beauty liners, I do love the lasting power.

May you all have a wonderful holiday season and happy shopping!

xoxoxo

Monday Sayings: A "Me" Day

Last week was a toughie for me. I was really stressed out and overwhelmed and people just seemed to irritate me. I was feeling as though I was giving so much to others and not receiving the same love in return.

I was also working on a state hospital job application that I was able to reapply to as I was deemed ineligible 3 months ago.My application was rejected in September. It is a high paying job that I am qualified for and it comes with great hours, flexibility, and of course BENEFITS both present and future. I need this job or something of the like. I didn't get my masters degree to get paid shit. Well, yes, I picked a mostly shitty paying career, but still. I am worth more. 

This weekend, I decided to just clock out and take a time out from obligation, family and friends. 

On Saturday, I decided to have a "Me" day. Just be on my own. At the end of the day, we make ourselves happy. We make ourselves successful. We make ourselves whatever we want. No one can do this for us but us.

So I took a day off to do what I want. And it was amazing.

At 12pm, I took a dance fusion class at the local YMCA. It was amazing. If you really knew me, gymming on a weekend is not what I do, or at least, not consistently. It was really thrilling and not as crowded as the weekday schedules. 

After my dance fusion class, I did some strength and conditioning to get my muscles nice and toned. Again, it was really nice because the gym was practically empty. Whatever machine I wanted to use was available whenever I wanted it.

And another amazing thing? When I started working out on the hip abductor, I started off at 70, now I am at 100!! YASSS!

I mailed in my application after my gym workout. How convenient that the post office is across the street. It was meant to be a good day!

I had a late brunch at this trendy [and expen$ive!! gah!] brunch spot at Go Get 'Em Tiger in the quaint little Larchmont Village. I grew up going there and have such fond memories. In many ways, it is my happy place.

I ordered the popular avocado toast, almond macadamia latte, and the Filipino style bacon. 

WAY TO REPRESENT!! So random too. Go Philippines! <3

I came home, rested, lit my delicious smelling Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake candle from Bath & Body works.There's something so soothing and de-stressing about a candle burning. Then I binged on Fuller House season 2 on Netflix.

This day was a reminder that we all need a day to ourselves, to be by ourselves, to honor ourselves and treat ourselves, to be happy and comfortable with ourselves. 

So please, when you're having a bad week, a bad day, or whatnot, owe to yourself to take a day off for yourself. 

It's the greatest feeling. It really really is.

Xoxox

Almond Shaped Nails

It finally happened and I am really excited and happy with them :D

I've been itching for almond shaped nails for some time now. I knew for sure I did not want to get acrylics or tips.

I grew out my nails and had my nail lady shape them and apply gel polish.

Color is Melody by DND. 

AHHH. 

I LOVE IT.

I can't stop staring.

There is just something about them that screams feminine and fierce at the same time. 


Xoxox

TBT: Nails of the Week

Aloha everyone!

I wanted to do a quick throwback to a few weeks ago when I did my nails. I have not done a nail design on my nails in a really longtime as I spent the majority of 2016 studying for two board exams. It was so liberating and comforting. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know doing my nails is one of my biggest hobbies, passions and methods of self-care

These were my nails in early October in honor of fall. I only wore them for a few days because I ended up getting my nails done with girlfriends on a mini trip to Ventura.

The nails were inspired by the teal and black design in +cutepolish No Tool Nail Art: 5 Easy & Cute Designs. I shared the video below:

Hope you enjoyed <3


Xoxoxoxoxo

Monday Sayings: HealthIER Living

( from Thea.Livewell on IG )

As you may know from a previous post, I am on this trek to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. 

I know I've for sure gained some weight when my fiance noticed. LOL. 

He did not notice when my hair went from this dark to...

...this light

In early October, a few friends and I drove up to Ventura to visit and surprise a friend who was just rediagnosed with ovarian cancer (a major f*ck you to cancer!). Of  course, we took pictures. When my fiance saw them, he said, "Hey, did you gain some weight?"

That was totally a reality check for me. I knew I had been gaining weight, but once my boo notices, then dang, it has gotten out of hand. 

I started my journey of losing weight. I started watching what I ate, but often fell off the bandwagon. I take Zumba classes about 3 - 5 days week. The difficult part was controlling what I ate when I got home from Zumba. I would eat double what I usually ate. I always felt shitty about myself afterwards. 

I attended a case management conference in early October where Dr. Mark Hyman presented. He was an amazing speaker and I must shamelessly admit, my new doctor crush. LOL <3 Before I entered his workshop, I texted a friend something along the lines of "Here I go. Another boring workshop. Daydreaming time." I was proven wrong.

The lecture turned out to be phenomenal. He was inspiring, motivating and so freaking hilarious. There was never a dull moment. 

From Dr. Hyman's talk, I took on a greater lesson. It is not just about losing weight. It's about being healthy all around, about being mindful of what we put into our bodies and knowing where our food comes from. I don't just want to look "good" but I also want to feel good and be healthy. 

Dr. Hyman recommended a documentary he worked on called "Fed Up." I was really happy to find it on Netflix so definitely get on it if you can. 

The film was really inspiring. It showed me how much bad stuff I put into my body including processed foods, sugar, and fat. "Reduced fat" means nothing really. It barely makes a change. And to alter food, it has to be processed. So an already processed food has to be reprocessed to be made healthier? It just does not sound right. He also talked about solutions to living healthier lives. Just being more conscious of what we put into our body is key. 

One of the greatest takeaways is when he said, "Junk is still junk even if it is less junky."

I would be lying to myself if I were to say I am never going to eat processed foods again. Xxtra Hot Cheetos are my winter weakness but they are soooo bad for you. I eat a bag about 2x/mo. How about I just have them 1x/mo? I can deal with that. Eating less cookies, less chips, less things that were not naturally made to be such. 

There was a woman in the film who said something along the lines of  "If there is a food with an expiration date that exceeds my lifetime then I know it can't be good for me." 

AHHH I just went on a long excited rant about health. 

I am really looking forward to healthier lifestyle. Just like everyone says, it's not about deprivation but moderation. Also, getting active.

I am so happy my coworkers and I are on the same train. Six of us with Fitbits have started a challenge to get healthier and fitter!

I have the Fitbit Charge 2 which I named "Fitty Wap" after Fetty Wap. LOL. I know. I'm a goon. 

( credit : www.macys.com )

So far, I am really digging it. The app allows me to track my water as well. Since it is a competition, it has motivated me to actually drink more water. I have met my water goal once. I know that does not seem like a lot, but I am the worst water drinker. A cup of coffee in the morning and water to take my meds at night. Zumba definitely helps me drink water.

ANYWAYS! I babbled throughout this whole post only because I am so excited about my life to come. Healthy living. Healthy me. Win win.

( credit : I can't remember. Sorry. Facebook? )

Xoxoxo

UCLA Homecoming 2016

Hello everyone,

I am not sure if I have mentioned this already, but October 1 was my last day at my second job. I worked every Saturday night in a hospital ER from 3:30pm - midnight. I did this every Saturday for one year with the exception of 3 Saturdays. 

In that year, I have missed so many events and opportunities for social events, birthdays, adventures and of course, relaxation.

After my last day, I felt like I emerged from social hibernation.

On October 22, I went to my alma mater's UCLA Homecoming game tailgate with friends. That day, UCLA played the Utah Utes. Unfortunately, we lost 52 to 45. But that's okay! I love love love my Bruins win or lose!

And you know what! I HAD THE BEST TIME! 

It felt so good to not have to worry about going to work.

Also, if anyone went to college where football was a big deal, you would understand the culture of tailgates, especially a homecoming game.

Kickoff was at 1pm. I was up at 4:20am to be able to leave my house at 5am to meet my friend by 6am to arrive at the Rosebowl Stadium by 7am. You think that's early? Well, there was a long looooong line ahead of us!

My friends and I had the best time sipping on mimosas, having burgers, and chips and cookies. This was definitely not a day to be watching what we eat!

I am so happy I work just one job now. I look forward to enjoying my life again.  I look forward to being less tired and making more memories outside work. 

I am still living on the adrenaline of that day that I wanted to share some pictures. And sorry they are awkwardly cropped. I wanted to respect my friends' choice to not be published online. 

Mimosas

I wish I took a picture of my eye makeup. Definitely had some blue liner in honor of my school colors.

  

Found some Filipino Bruins two tailgates away! 

Special thanks to my sorority sister Michelle for the invite! And for making sure I always had shade due to Lupus.

It was such a great day! Still living in the moment <3

Xoxoxox