A Mini Obsession

Currently: Loving Mini Handbags
The Harsh Reality: You can't carry much 
Even harsher: She can't hold my phone (iPhone 8 Plus)

But, so what? This Gucci Dionysus has been on my wish list for what seems like an eternity and I finally took the plunge for my 22nd birthday last month!So here she is...

My Gucci Supreme Super Mini Dionysus & all the little things she holds

* Louis Vuitton Key Pouch

* Current lipstick

* Car Keys (Not Pictured)

* Sadly, holding my phone in my hand and potentially forgetting it while shopping

California Autumn

It's autumn here in Southern California, but it never really feels like it here. You can always dress like it though!

Outfit

Shorts: H&M | Top: Brandy Melville | Shoes: Primark | Jacket: BB Dakota | Beret: Forever21 | Bag: Gucci | Belt: Primark | Watch: Rolex

Skincare Favorites Worth the Investment

Skincare has always been a challenge for me. You try to take really good care of your skin, but you end up over exfoliating or drying out your skin with harsh chemicals. Earlier this year, I was struggling with small breakouts and painful hormonal acne. I had left over scarring from previous breakouts and texture all over my chin and forehead.

Like the usual person, I tried to exfoliate my problems away using harsh scrubs. And I realized that these scrubs weren't really doing anything for my skin.

After months of trial and error, I feel like my skincare finally works for me and tackles my main skin concerns. The one thing I can recommend to you is to really invest in your skin. And I know not everyone (me!) can afford to get a luxury facial every month, but investing in products that will last you months can definitely give you similar (sometimes ever better!) results.

Cleanse | This is the most important part of my routine, mainly because I remove all of the makeup, pollution, and oils that have collected on my face throughout the day. I don't really find the need to spend a huge amount of money on a face wash (I can literally use anything). I like to start with a basic cleansing wipe to remove the bulk of my makeup, follow up with a foaming cleanser, and finish off with my Bioderma Micellar Water (which is my all time favorite)!

Layer | After completely cleansing my skin, I like to start layering my serums and emulsions. My current favorite is the Drunk Elephant T.L.C Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, which has completely turned my skin around. I found that after using it in combination with my other Drunk Elephant products, my acne scars has faded away almost completely and I hardly break out. My skin texture has almost completely smoothed out and I couldn't be happier. This serum does cost a pretty penny, but it is completely worth it! 

Moisturize | Out of all the layers I apply on my skin, moisturizer is my favorite part. I like to use the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream because I can use it day and night. It's very lightweight and doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy. Another favorite is the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which I only use at night. This oil is lightweight, but really does moisturize my skin without feeling overly greasy and I find that my skin drinks it right up. 

Mask | I use so many different masks for so many different reasons. I literally mask almost every single night! If I could recommend only one though, it would definitely be the Drunk Elephant TLC Sukari Babyfacial. This mask, in combination with the Framboos Serum, has completely changed the texture of my skin. I only use this once a week for 20 minutes, but every time I wash it off, my face looks glow-y and radiant. After using it once a week for 2 months, my skins texture is smoother and my acne scars have almost completely disappeared. This product is an investment, but I would 100% recommend it.

You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a high-end skincare routine, but investing in a couple key serums and moisturizers could really change your skin. And who knows, you might end up getting addicted to these amazing skincare brands like I have!

Minimalistic Makeup and Why I Love It

If you would have told me months ago that i would be using less than 15 products on my face on a daily basis, I wouldn't have believed you. Earlier this year, I was an advocate of a full "beat" face for everyday wear. You couldn't keep me away from my perfectly shaped brows and my blinding highlight. And I would do this every single day (yes, even for my conservative office job)! Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with this! But recently, within the last 3-4 months, I have fallen in love with a minimal makeup look. And I blame my newfound obsession with Glossier for this.

Makeup for me has now become a way to enhance my natural beauty, not hide it. I have really been focusing on my skin and how to almost "perfect" my base using skincare (that's a topic for another post though!). I focus on evening out my skin instead of masking it with makeup. Light, creamy products have become my best friend!

All in all, I use around 10 products on my face on an everyday basis. It takes me around 15-20 minutes to do my makeup in the morning and this allows me to sleep in a little longer! 

So below are the products I am currently using, loving and would highly recommend! I should warn you though, in an effort to reduce the amount of makeup I hoard, I have not been able to repurchase some of my newfound favorites! But, I will still mention them because I can't recommend them enough!

• Primer | I still have yet to really fall in love with a specific primer. I am currently trying to use up all of my deluxe primer samples, so I haven't really been committed to just one. Some of my favorites have been the Glossier Priming Moisturizer, Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, and the Too Faced Hangover Rx Primer. All of these are pretty moisturizing, but give my face a little grip for the foundation. I'm currently using the Giorgio Armani Fluid Master Primer.
• Foundation | My all time favorite foundation has to be the Too Faced Born This Way Foundation. It gives me the perfect amount of coverage without feeling too heavy or cake-y. It also gives my skin a beautiful radiant glow without making me look too oily! I love this formula so much that I even use it under my eyes as concealer! It doesn't crease under the eyes and covers all the darkness up. I find that using my foundation under my eyes gives my face a more natural look than using a extra brightening concealer does. Unfortunately, I have ran out of this foundation and have yet to repurchase, so I am currently using an old favorite, the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. 
• Brows | My eyebrow routine has become so much easier since discovering this product-Glossier's Boy Brow! This product gives my brows a light, fluffy look that gives them enough tint to look filled in and groomed. Its perfect for everyday and super easy to apply! I highly recommend! 
• Cream Face Products | Cream products have recently become a favorite of mine. They make you look so much more natural and you don't get that powder-y finish. My favorites have been the Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek Stain in Quickie, Milk Face Gloss (for a wet looking glow), Glossier Haloscope in Quartz, and the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Cafe to bronze. All of these products are extremely easy to apply and they instantly look good. I really love cream products because they seamlessly blend in with each other so you don't get obvious streaks and lines. 
• Powder | Because I have oily skin, setting my face with powder is a must. My current favorite is the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder.
• Lips | This option changes every day and is based around my mood, the weather, the amount of coffee I'm having, and the amount of effort I want to put into the day; this basically changes every day for no apparent reason. 
• Face Mist | Lastly, just to make me feel better, I mist a face spray over my skin. This particular one doesn't have any makeup-setting properties in it-- I just like the way it smells :)