A Pop of Pattern

outfit of the day

T-shirt: Brandy Melville | Skirt: Zara | Sandals: Tory Burch | Bag: Alexander Wang 'Rocco' | Sunglasses: Michael Kors 'Camilla' | Watch: Oris | Bracelets: Tiffany & Co., Rose Bowl Flea Market, S'Be NYC | Rings: S'Be NYC | Necklace: Tiffany & Co.

A Summer Scent

Recently, I have been obsessed with these two perfumes! I don't usually go out of my way to buy new perfumes, and I stick to what I know. But, I received Philosophy's 'Amazing Grace' about a year ago and I noticed myself reaching for it in the spring and summer months. I was recently gifted Philosophy's 'Summer Grace' and I have fallen in love, once again! Compared to 'Amazing Grace,' 'Summer Grace' has a sweeter and fruitier smell to it. It definitely reminds me of spring and summer. 'Amazing Grace' is a bit more subtle with the fruity smell, but is still sweet. Both perfumes don't last very long (probably because they are considered a spray fragrance), but the scent makes up for that aspect! I definitely recommend this spray for everyday use! 

Amazing Grace  | Summer Grace

Outfit of The Day #2

outfit of the day

T-shirt dress: Brandy Melville | Black Boots: Dr. Martens | Purse: Forever21 | Sunglasses: Michael Kors | Necklace: Tiffany & Co.

San Francisco Through My iPhone

Day One

Alcatraz

Driving down Lombard St.

Day Two

Good Morning San Francisco! 

View from the 16th floor

outfit of the day

 Jeans & White t-shirt: rag&bone | Black boots: Dr. Martens | Beanie: Unknown | Jacket: Brandy Melville | Purse: Forever21 | Sunglasses: Michael Kors | Camera: Fujifilm Mini Instax 8 

Little Italy

Leaving the hotel!

The Five-Product Face

When I started wearing makeup as a teenager, I used a minimum of 4 products. As my skills progressed and after I started experimenting with new products, the list got longer and the pile of makeup got larger! I courageously counted how many makeup products I use on a daily basis and the number was surprising (17!). Do I really need to use that many products in one day? I can't really answer that. So, I decided to narrow down my choices and only choose 5 products to use for a look. 

The Products

* Tinted Moisturizer: I love tinted moisturizer and I use this product every single day. I find that I can wear it on days where I want a small amount of coverage or I can build it up for a medium coverage. Either way, it is a super functional product that I will most likely need for many years. 

* Concealer: Unfortunately, I suffer from dark circles. I CANNOT skip concealer. This product is a must.

* Brow Powder: I chose to use a brow powder instead of a pencil or pomade because I can definitely use this shadow on my eyes as well. Also, brow powder gives my face a more natural look!

*Blush: I remember the days where I wouldn't wear any color on my cheeks. This made me look completely flat and unnatural. So, I chose to add blush into my look to create a natural flush to the cheeks! Also, this blush acts as an eye shadow too! 

*Mascara: This product is a huge necessity! Mascara in general opens up the eyes and enhances them, making you look awake and fresh! Also, you can take a brush and swipe it against the mascara and apply it as eyeliner! 

I think the key to minimal makeup is using products that have more than one purpose. If you can find a cream blush that can also act as a lip cream, or a mascara that can also act as an eyeliner, you're set!

Packing For Vacation: Makeup Essentials

Before packing for a vacation or getaway, I like to plan ahead for any scenario. That being said... I usually over-pack and bring things I don't need. This usually happens with deciding what makeup to bring with me. I love to bring it all! But, with a small getaway coming up for me, I'm making sure to only bring the essentials! 

Organization is key when packing. I recently bought this super bright makeup bag in hopes of organizing my makeup for vacations. It's big enough to take what I need, but small enough to discourage over-packing. 

Face Makeup

* Rimmel 'Stay Matte' Primer: This is my go-to primer! It helps my foundation stay on all day so that I won't need to reapply my makeup later that night.

* L'Oreal 'True Match' Foundation: I'm choosing to bring a full coverage foundation with me because it will last all day and needs few touch-ups.

* Maybelline 'Fit Me' Concealer

* Rimmel 'Stay Matte' Powder

* TheBalm's 'Frat Boy' Blush

* TheBalm's 'Mary-Lou Manizer'

* E.L.F's Baked Bronzer in 'Los Cabos'

Eye Makeup

* Two-Faced 'Better Than Sex' Mascara

* Anastasia Clear Brow Gel: Keeping my eyebrows in place is a definite necessity!

* TheBalm's 'Schwing' Eyeliner: This eyeliner stays on all day, which is perfect for a full day of exploring!

* Clinique Botton Lash Mascara

* TheBalm's 'Brow Pow' Eyebrow Powder

* Lancome's eyeshadow quad in 'Gardenia' 'Moonstruck' 'Bronze' & 'Chocolat Brule': I like to keep my eye makeup simple when on vacation, but I like to have the option of creating a day-time appropriate look or a night-time smokey look. This quad of bronze-y shades is perfect for that!

* Carmex Lipbalm

Makeup Brushes

* Large Powder Brush (Brand Unknown)

* Real Techniques Blush Brush 

* Real Techniques Buffing Brush (for foundation)

* Small Blush Brush (for contouring)

* Real Techniques Contour Brush (for setting powder under the eyes)

* 2 Eyeshadow Brushes 

* Pencil Brush

* Eyeshadow Crease Brush

This is what everything looks like in the makeup bag! I highly recommend a makeup bag like this because it really organizes everything and secures all your products. This ensures that nothing will break open during travel! 

makeup bag from Forever21

Sporty Lace

outfit of the day

Lace T-Shirt Dress: Urban Outfitters | Cotton Slip Dress: Forever21 | Shoes: Nike Roshe Run | Backpack: Urban Outfitters | Watch: Casio (American Apparel) | Beaded Bracelet: DIY | Love Bangle: S'Be NYC | Sunglasses: Michael Kors 'Camila' 

Beauty on a Budget: Nights Out

We all like to put a little more effort into our makeup for nights out! Makeup for these nights doesn't always involve the same routine we use for everyday. We pull out that special glitter eyeliner or that crazy lipstick we have been wanting to wear out! But, makeup for nights out doesn't have to be crazy expensive! 

For the face, I like to wear a dewy face primer and a medium-to-full coverage foundation. I feel like a flawless face will give me that extra confidence boost I need for a fun night! Concealing my dark circles is a must so I choose to wear one with a creamy consistency that will blend nicely into my skin. I finish off the face with a natural blush, powder and strong eyebrows!

The Face: 

Forever21 Face Primer | L'Oreal 'True Match' Foundation | Maybelline 'Fit Me' Concealer | E.L.F HD Powder (Corrective Yellow) | Pixi Energy Blush in 'Naturally Sunny' | E.L.F Eyebrow Kit

The eyes are the main attraction for this look! This baked eyeshadow from E.L.F is an amazing dark burgundy color! I like to apply it wet on my lids and run a natural brown color into my crease for a nice transition. I also run this color under my lash line and smoke it out a bit. I add dramatic wing eyeliner to my eyes and finish off with multiple coats of mascara! Since the eyes are dramatic, I opt for a pinky-nude lip color!

The Eyes:

E.L.F Baked Eyeshadow in 'Burnt Plum' | NYX Eyeshadow in 'Brown' | Rimmel 'Scandaleyes' Eyeliner | Maybelline 'Lash Stiletto' Mascara

The Lips:

Forever21 Lipstick in 'Nude'

Music On Repeat #2

* Jamie xx - Sleep Sound

*Jamie xx - Girl

* Flume - Star Eyes

* Grimes - Go

* Wekeed - Wild Child

* Haze - Art Gallery

* The xx - Together

theBalm Haul

 TheBalm has been a recent favorite of mine, all thanks to Mom and Aunt for introducing it to me! There hasn't been a single product that I haven't liked from them so I was really excited to be adding these products to my collection!

Schwing Eyeliner | Mary-Lou Manizer | Frat Boy Blush/Shadow | Time Balm Concealer in 'Light/Medium' | Brow Pow Eyebrow Powder in 'Light Brown'

 I have been lusting over the Mary-Lou Manizer for a while now and since I have been on a highlighter craze recently, I had to add this to my collection! 

June Favorites!

E.L.F High Definition Powder (Corrective Yellow): For a while, I was extremely attached to my HD Under Eye Setting Powder by E.L.F, but this month I decided to try something new! And I'm so glad I did! This powder is my new favorite! It's super fine and luxurious feeling. It applies real nicely under the eyes. I don't really see a big difference in terms of correcting and redness, but I love the way it feels and applies. I was worried about this powder leaving a yellow tone to my under eyes, but if you apply the right amount, you shouldn't see any intense yellow color. 

Essence 3D eyeshadow (Irresistible Vanilla Latte): This product looks very similar to MAC's extra dimension eyeshadows, which is why I was so intrigued! Because it is so shimmery, I like to use this as a highlighter, both for my cheekbones and the inner corner of my eyes. When the light hits my cheekbones or eyes, this product just pops out! I absolutely love it! Spray a little Fix+ on a brush and apply this product; you'll get the most beautiful glow! If you aren't a fan of glitter, I would definitely stay away. 

MAC, Urban Decay & Makeup Atelier Paris Pigments: I've been experimenting with a couple of pigments from my makeup collection and I have fallen in love with these three! MAC's 'Tan' pigment and Urban Decay's 'Shag' pigment are extremely similar, but for some reason, they look different! For special occasions, I like to mix pigments. MAC's 'Tan' pigment and Makeup Atelier's 'Sparkle Mauve' pigment are so beautiful together! 'Sparkle Mauve' is so unique (a frosty, lavender, iridescent pigment). You can use these pigments alone, or mix them together for a unique color, which is why I have been loving these!

Miss Dior Cherie Perfume: I can't tell you how many small sample-sized perfumes I own. I also can't tell you have many of those I've actually sampled. But continuing with the theme of experimentation, I decided to try one of those perfumes out and ended up loving Miss Dior Cherie! It reminds me so much of spring and whenever I wear it, I feel like a grown young woman. It smells like a more sophisticated version of Philosophy's 'Amazing Grace.' It has a floral, sweet smell to it, which screams out spring to me! 

Arm Jewelry: My Oris watch is a recent hand-me-down from my mom and I can't stop wearing it! I love how it incorporates both silver and gold so I never have to wear only one metal. I also have been wearing these beaded bracelets non-stop. They are a recent DIY and a cheaper alternative to designer bracelets!

Steve Madden Sandals: I haven't been able to stop wearing these ever since my amazing boyfriend gifted them to me! They are so comfortable, but they also add an edge to any simple outfit. I have been pairing these with black skinny jeans and a simple grey top to really make these shoes stand out!

Christian Louboutin Pigalle in Mango: These Loubs are my first ever pair and I can't cherish them enough. The bright orange color is perfection and the spikes add that extra touch! They are the new styled Pigalle shoe, and compared to the old style, I prefer the new one! They did take some breaking in and pain (maybe some tears!). Also, since this is my first Pigalle shoe, it took some practice to perfect the walk! These shoes are too perfect to not wear and I will probably favorite them for the rest of the year!