MAC Lipstick Collection

Let's flash back to the beginning of the year. I started off with 2 MAC lipsticks and before this year, it was rare for me to wear lipstick! Now, my MAC collection has reached a total of 7 lipsticks! That might not seem like a lot, but considering how I started off the year, it's a significant increase. 

I realized through my collection that I am drawn towards the neutral lip colors. Lately, I have been obsessed with Brave and Twig! I find that these colors really complement my skin tone and the finish is definitely my favorite (Satin)! 

Overall, I love MAC lipsticks. They have a large color selection and have numerous finishes so you can really experiment. I find that satin lipsticks have great color payoff and are moisturizing. I will have to reapply a lipstick throughout the day, but since satin lipsticks aren't drying, I don't have a problem with the application and feel. 

I'm pretty sure my collection won't stop growing, but for now, I'm happy with it! 

1. Bare Again (Sheen Supreme) 2. Twig (Satin) 3. Brave (Satin) 4. Velvet Teddy (Matte)

5. Rebel (Satin) 6. Styled in Sepia (Matte) 7. Viva Glam VI (Lustre)

Styling My Short Hair

I've had long hair for a while now. But, when I decided to make the big "chop", it was surprisingly easy for me. No, I did not break down and cry! Chopping my hair was necessary for a fresh start! 

I thought that styling my hair was going to be tough, especially since I'm really lazy with it! But, I also thought I was going to be limited by the length of my hair. I was so wrong! I found inspiration and the perfect style for my hair.

Step One:

         I usually start off with clean hair. If I have to blow dry my hair (which I usually do), I will apply some Moroccan oil to protect my hair. Protecting my hair from heat is a crucial step in this process. I love Moroccan oil because it makes my hair feel healthy and gives it a beautiful shine. 

Step Two:

         After blow drying, I will start to curl sections of my hair with the Milani Triple Threat curling iron, which comes with 3 interchangeable barrels! I use the 1" barrel to give my hair a wavy texture. When curling the hair, I make sure to curl 1" sections in both directions (away from my face and towards my face) for a natural wavy texture. The Triple Threat curling iron is so convenient because of the three barrels. It also heats up to 430 degrees in less than a minute! Because it's so easy to use, I get my hair curled in 10-15 minutes.

Step Three:

         Once I've finished curling my hair, I take the BigSexyHair "Powder Play" (a volumizing and texturizing powder) and distribute it though the crown of my head. Apply this product where you want volume and texture. This product does make your hair feeling tacky, but it gives you so much volume and texture without teasing the hair! 

I usually won't wash my hair for two days and although the "Powder Play" does leave my hair feeling tacky, I find that it is still really manageable the following day. I usually have to reapply some powder into the root of my hair and I have an instant lift and more texture in my hair! 

Advice To My Teenage Self

I have one last year dedicated to being a teenager and I'm not about to waste it.

I struggled a lot with the conventional teen problems--from my appearance, to boys, to creating new friendships. But, I realize now that all my struggles molded me into the person I am today.

Advice to my teenage self: 

No one is too good to be your friend 
Talk to everyone. Make friends everywhere! Don't be held back by the fear of rejection. 

You can't control the outcome of everything 
You do not have to fix everything. Focus on being a kid. 

Focus on being mentally & physically healthy
Get healthy for yourself and no one else. Do things the healthy way. Don't hurt yourself. 

Don't let anyone tell you how to plan your future 
Don't let anyone manage your life. Follow what you truly want to do. 

Don't get so attached 
Life changes all the time. And it changes without your permission. Cars, houses, friends…They can come and go. 

Friends come and go
Be careful who you trust. Make sure you know who your real friends are.

Growing up isn't all that great
Sure you have more freedoms, but being an adult is tough. You have more responsibilities and you have to think long term. 

Music-Inspired Outfits

There is no doubt in my mind that fashion is inspired by music. After VAGABONDYOUTH created a tag on Youtube dedicated to music inspired outfits, I had to take on this challenge! I like how different this tag is and I was definitely inspired. I based this around bands/singers that I love and bands/singers that I believe have amazing style. 

A$AP Rocky

  A$AP's style is beyond amazing. When I was first planning out this tag, I knew I wanted to recreate an A$AP outfit. His style is heavily inspired by his music, but there are times when he decides to wear something chic and edgy. For my outfit, I decided to recreate one of A$AP's more urban-inspired looks. 

outfit

Jacket: Urban Outfitters (bycorpus) | Jeans: Urban Outfitters (BDG) | T-Shirt: Rag&Bone | Gold Chain: Forever21 | Boots: Timberland 

Photo Courtesy of Pinterest

G-Eazy

I haven't been listening to G-Eazy long, but when I saw him live, his style definitely stuck with me. G-Eazy's style is pretty laid-back, but he adds an old school twist to it (just like his music!). I love how he wears the most simplest outfits, but then throws on a leather or varsity jacket to spice things up a bit! I decided to recreate a classic G-Eazy look with a stripped t-shirt and leather jacket. 

outfit 

T-Shirt Dress (worn as a shirt): Brandy Melville | Jeans: Urban Outfitters (BDG) | Shoes: Vans | Jacket: Zara 

Photo Courtesy of Pinterest 

Kanye West

This was a no-brainer for me. Kanye West has amazing style, so I had to recreate a look! He incorporates many basic pieces into his style, but then adds an edgy piece to his outfit… Like a basic white t-shirt with some leather pants! There were so many outfits I wanted to recreate, but I really liked this specific outfit. He's wearing basic pieces with this outfit, but he still made it look so chic and stylish. 

outfit

White Blazer: Foreign Exchange | T-shirt: Rag&Bone | Jeans: 7 For All Mankind | Boots: Gucci 

Photo Courtesy of Pinterest 

The Perfect Everyday Bag

I'm not usually picky when it comes to bags. Some days I see them as accessories and other days I really need a functional bag. This oversized tote bag has literally saved me and I can't stop wearing it. It's perfect for school because I can stuff everything in it and it's still comfortable to wear.

The bag has two shoulder straps and it comes with a longer (detachable) strap so you can wear it cross body. It also comes with a smaller pouch inside so you can keep small things together. This tote is also reversible(!!) so you basically get two bags in one! 

This is the most practical bag I own and it was so worth the money. Although it's a bit on the large side, it's so comfortable to wear so you don't feel like your bag is bothering you or overpowering an outfit. 

tote bag | Urban Outfitters 

Outfit of The Day #4

outfit of the day

T-shirt dress: Zara | Tights: Urban Outfitters | Boots: Doc Martens | Purse: Louis Vuitton | Sunglasses: Michael Kors | Watch: Oris | Bracelets: S'be NYC & Rose Bowl Flea Market

Vampy Lace

Since I live in Southern California, it's really easy for me to wear summer pieces in the fall. If you live in colder areas, you can always take a summer dress like I did here and add tights underneath and other layers too. I added a hat, boots, and a vampy lip to make this look more fall appropriate even though its 90 degrees outside! 

outfit

Lace t-shirt dress: Urban Outfitters | Shorts under dress: Urban Outfitters | Halter top under dress: Brandy Melville | Hat: Forever21 | Bag: Urban Outfitters | Shoes: Topshop 'Amelialily' | Bracelets: Nordstroms and S'be NYC | Watch: Oris | Lipstick: Lime Crime Velvetine in 'Wicked' 

September Favorites!

During the month of September, I had a couple of goals for myself. Some that included changing my hair and others that involved trying out new things and places. This month, I accomplished my goals and I am going into October feeling confident and ready for the new season!

Makeup Forever HD Foundation: I have literally fallen in love with this foundation. I was hesitant of purchasing this for a while because I'm not a fan of full coverage foundation (fear of cake face!) so I put this off for a long time. However, the formula is really lightweight and I can customize the coverage without looking cake-y! The color matches me perfectly (thank you Sephora!) and blends flawlessly into my skin. It does a great job of evening out my skin so I don't have to use as much concealer over the top of blemishes. I have oily skin, but this product doesn't enhance any oiliness. I highly recommend this product!

Anastasia #7 Brush: I don't know why I decided to pick this brow tool up, but I'm happy I did! The eyebrow brush is really thin so I can add product to small sections without over doing the pomade or shadow I decide to use in my brows. I really like how there's a spool on the other side as well. It makes the whole process so easy and fast!

E.L.F Mini Eyelash Curler: This tool has been a favorite of mine for a while, but I had gone without it for about 2 months. When I picked this up again at Target, I was amazed at how much it did for my lashes! It reaches even the smallest of lashes (like in the inner corner!) so you really get a nice curl! I definitely prefer a mini eyelash curler over a normal sized one. 

Jerome Russell Punky Color in 'Turquoise': This month, I decided to dye my ombre turquoise! It was a big step for me since I have never dyed my hair an unnatural color before. This color is so fun though and I love it! The dye itself fades pretty fast considering I wash my hair everyday so I had to make some changes to my routine! It also smells amazing (like grapes!).

Brio Restaurant at Irvine Spectrum: I've never included a restaurant in my favorites, but this place was too good! Brio recent opened at the Irvine Spectrum Center in Southern California. I ordered a salmon dish and was so surprised at how amazing it was! The dish was so savory and had an unexpected zest to it. I can honestly say I have never tried anything like it. Since the main dish was so delicious, I decided to indulge in dessert! I ordered a chocolate cake with gelato on top. This dessert definitely did not disappoint! If there is a Brio anywhere near you, I highly recommend checking it out! 

Gossip Girl Season 1-6: I had started watching Gossip Girl the beginning of this year and I was very on and off about it. To me, it was a show I would go back to whenever I was bored. But, once I got to season 6, I realized how much the characters had grown and the final episode was almost bittersweet. I didn't want it all to end! I did not expect the ending, even though I already knew who Gossip Girl was (thanks Tumblr!). This show was something I wouldn't usually watch, but I'm glad I did.