Vancouver in December

 

Vancouver must be one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting, and it was the perfect trip to end 2015. Even though I only went for a weekend, I got a good taste of the city. Everyone I encountered was super friendly and welcoming, just like the people in Portland! I loved the small-town feel and their downtown has got to be the cleanest downtown in the history of downtowns. If you haven’t visited Vancouver yet, I highly recommend adding it to your travel bucket list!

Gloomy Granville Island

They decorate the suspension bridge for the holidays!

 

Best brunch ever @ Medina Cafe

 

This is real life

Let’s Talk About Pretz, Baby

Please excuse my thumb :p

Big shoutout to Trader Joe’s and the holiday snack Gods for bringing these back in stock! It wouldn’t be the most wonderful time of the year without these delicious Peppermint Pretzel Slims.

I’m possibly the least pepperminty person you’ll ever meet but even I can’t resist these. I may or may not have finished a bag in one sitting. No shame, just temporary happiness.

I haven’t developed self-control when it comes to these pretzels, so eat at your own risk.

Happy snacking!

Jenn

Color Me Healthy

Benefit’s Hoola Bronzer and Coralista Blush are definitely “cult favorites” in the beauty world. I purchased these babies quite a couple months ago but they have been sitting pretty in my make-up box ever since – for those who know me, I have pretty fair skin so the thought of bronzer usually lead me to believe that I would end up looking dirty instead of contoured, and a minute under the sun will already give me that dash of sunburn ‘blush’. But for some reason, these two have become a part of my daily makeup routine.

Hoola is matte with no shimmer but strongly pigmented. To avoid looking like I’ve been playing with dirt, I use a super light-hand to give me a dash of contour.

Coralista is a coral-pink with some shimmers, but leaves a super healthy, glow-y sheen on the cheeks that instantly brightens my complexion.

I’ve been having so much fun dabbling with blushes and bronzers that I find myself researching for more. If you know of any products that are impossible to overdo and easy to use on the go, let me know!

xo Jenn

January Secrets

Hello readers, it’s 2015 and my first post is on the 10th of February. Wewps. To be fair, I wanted to include bits of my San Francisco adventure in this post, which conveniently occurred during the last weekend of January. Here are a few random snippets of my first adventure of the year, taken with my new lens.. before my battery died.

What I love most about traveling besides reunions with old friends and making new ones and trying new  eateries, is being able to rediscover the beauty of the world we live in, one destination at a time.

P.S. I ate ice cream at least 2-3 times a day for 3 days and I am not ashamed. If you’re ever in the Bay area, be sure to check out Bi-Rite, Humphry Slocombe, Mitchell’s, Cream, and my personal favorite, Smitten.

Summer Splurge

SUMMER’S FINALLY HERE!!!!

Confession: I actually don’t really like summer at all, but I feel obligated to love it as I am a summer baby. And since the first day of summer marks us half way through the year, I figured it was about time to jazz up my daily routine with some new products.

Dior Addict Lip Stick in Jet Set

There are the lipsticks you have to return, and then there are the ones you need to keep and repurchase. The Dior Addict Lipsticks are definitely the latter. After falling in love with Dior Addict Lipglow, I just had to try another from their Addict line. When I first swiped this beautiful peachy pink on my lips, I literally felt the “how the hell do I not already have this in my makeup bag?!” These lippies have the best consistency – glossy yet creamy, long-lasting and not at all sticky, or stinky! I love that they’re quite sheer, but pigmented enough to make a difference.

Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water

I’m not a face wipe kind of gal, so I opted for the cleansing water over the cleansing wipes.  I always do intensive research before I invest in a product, and a lot of reviews compare this with the legendary Bioderma. They’re similar, but different. Bioderma will always be a staple for me but this comes as a close second. I’m considering getting the face wipes for travel use.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eye Liner ‘Midnight’

Stila makes the best liquid eyeliners (although I may be biased as I haven’t tried too many liquid eyeliners). I am a big fan of the brown and black liner, and now, I am a big fan of the navy blue liner. I rarely wear black eyeliner, as I have always felt that it as way too harsh on my skin tone, and even though the navy blue liner is so dark that it be mistaken for black, it seems to compliment my brown eyes and neutral skin tone. The only issue I have with Stila liners is that they seem to dry out faster.

Nars Tinted Moisturizer ‘Finland’

To be honest, I only got this because the Nars Sheer Glow does not come with a free pump. I like this TM, but I don’t love it. The SPF, texture, and finish are very nice, but the color selection is horrible. I was originally matched to Alaska, Light 2, but it was way too yellow and a tad bit dark. The Finland shade is more neutral, it works, but it is just a tad bit light for my skin. For a light-weight, dewy finish that is long lasting, I’d much rather go with my all time favorite, YSL Touche Eclat Foundation.

BBW Stress Relief ‘Eucalyptus Basil’ 

I love the packaging of this lotion – it’s made of glass, and for only $7, these babies sell themselves! There is definitely a scent, though it’s not overpowering. It has a very pleasant scent that some whiffs actually remind me of a faint men’s cologne that smells super fresh. It also makes me feel very  cool and relaxed, and since I’ve been using this, my skin is literally as smooth as a baby’s bum.

If you’ve already used this products or decide to give them a try, please comment below as I’d love to hear your thoughts!

 

Black & White

For those who know me, I collect perfume for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, despite the fact that I rarely ever actually wear the scents – I mostly collect them for the sophisticated packaging. Recently, the Elizabeth and James chic duo has caught my eye.

Sexiness in a Sample

After recently viewing Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s interview on Ellen, and Estée from essiebutton‘s excitement over Fleurdeforce’s Elizabeth and James ‘intoxicating scent’, I was so curious to the point that I was ready to drive myself to Sephora just to get a whiff at the hype. Luckily, I found a sample of the perfume duo that came with my recent Sephora splurge.

I have to admit, as excited as I was, I was very skeptical and hesitant to expose myself to the scent, as I tend to find celebrity involved scents to lack classiness and smell rather cheap. Much to my surprise, both scents were delightfully pleasant. Mary-Kate and Ashley wanted their signature fragrance for their line to embody their partnership and the brand, and they did just that. Though both scents are as different as night and day, the timeless sophistication makes them undeniably connected.

Nirvana White was my first whiff, and the scent is definitely intoxicatingly gorgeous, definitely made for the spring/winter season. It has a very soft, subtle yet distinct floral scent that neither smells too elderly nor too girly. The beautiful blend of peony and lilly of the valley notes almost reminds me of one of my cult favorites, Chloé.

Nirvana Black is a different story. It has a very feminine and woody scent, which reminds me of a vintage, sexy film noir, and very Audrey Hepburn. It is definitely too sophisticated for me, but I can see myself dabbling with this scent when I’m older and going to a fancy night out.

Both liquid goodness’ are housed in the chic-est of packaging would make a beautiful addition to my collection. Dressed in an edgy texture of the simplest of colors, the gold detailing on the sides definitely make a statement. Which one do you prefer? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Enlightenment

Whenever I lose the nasal congestion game, I always re-discover my appreciation of being blessed with life. Not to be overly dramatic, but losing my sense of smell, along with the other four senses, is a very serious condition – I could’ve easily stepped in horse poop and not even know it because for all I know, I smell as heavenly as Chloé or Philosophy’s Amazing Grace (my current favorite daily scents).

Photo Courtesy of Pinterest

As I am gradually overcoming my allergies, I reorganized my room and found some fancy Diptyque candles I received from my aunt Last Christmas. I’m not a candle person, but candles are definitely one of my favorite accents for room decor. They are so simple, yet exquisite enough to make my nightstand and bathroom look and smell extra luxurious – not that I could smell very well.

I also love that their candles can double as a lovely makeup holder or a cute flower vase, (or even a shot glass?) once they finish burning. I don’t prefer to light candles, as I have always felt the burnt tip and half-used look takes away the classy look. However, I am feeling inspired to finish burning my candles so I can reuse the candle containers for redecorating, and take cool pictures like the one on the left, this, this, and this. Pinterest obsessed much? Guilty. I definitely smell a future post on organizing make-up and trinklets when I empty my Diptyques!

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Beauty Focus: Lips

A nude eye with bold lips is one of my favorite daytime looks because it naturally enhances the two features that demand the most attention. And mostly because it’s the easiest, quickest looks to wear for someone who is a victim of the snooze

(left to right)

button (Anyone else?). Because I am pretty pale, a pop of lip color is often enough to make me instantly put together, with or without makeup. As I have mentioned, collecting lip products has become an uncontrollable guilty pleasure. Here are some of my current favorite fool-proof lipsticks to use on a daily basis to go with a basic nude eye. (Fool-proof meaning I can apply it half-asleep).

As you guys can see, I am mostly into natural looking, rosy-pink colors. I just realized that they all pretty much look the same but I double pinky swear that they are all different!

1. YSL Volupté Sheer Candy – If I had to pick two, they would be No2 Dewy Papaya and No7 Sweet Fig. These glide on super easy, leaving behind a fruity mango scent and a sexy tint. No2 Dewy Papaya gives a peachy hue, perfect for summer and No7 Sweet Fig’s sheer red gives the perfect sexy red tint during the winter season.
2. Dior Addict ‘Lip Glow’ – This is my favorite lip balm/stick to grab when I don’t have a mirror but in need of an instant pop of color. I love that it has some SPF and brings out my natural lip color to transform my entire look.
3. NARS ‘Dolce Vita’ – I can’t say this enough – this is the definition of love at first sight swipe. This is seriously so natural, pretty, and truly moisturizing! Doesn’t dry out my lips at all. If I am only allowed one lipstick for rest of my life, it would most definitely be this one.
4. Revlon SuperLustrous – I have a lot of lipsticks in this line, but my current favorites are 683 Demure and 423 Pink Velvet. Demure is one of my favorite MLBB’s and Pink Velvet is my go to when I am feeling bold.
5. Jack Black ‘Natural Mint’ – Even though this is found in the men’s section at Nordstrom (I’m not a man, I promise!), this is my absolute must-have. I put this on every night and wake up with super soft lips. Also, I find it reassuring to know that I can kiss people without having my lips peeling everywhere.
6. EOS Lipbalm – I have a problem with collecting these babies and never using them up. My current favorite is Raspberry Pomegranate. I like to use this throughout the day, and the scent helps mask my hungry cravings.

If I had the magical ability to wake up without the urge to snooze, I would definitely play with the smokey eyes with a soft, subtle lip look more often, as eyeshadow is so much fun to play with.

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OC Restaurant Week

My college roommates and I went to Gyu-kaku for OC Restaurant Week 2014. We chose Gyu-kaku because it was one of the few restaurants on the list that would allow us to feast like royalty without spending more than $20 per person. The interior decor and atmosphere of the restaurant was impressively nice and modern, and I really enjoyed the fact that this place didn’t stain my hair and clothes with an overwhelming meat scent.

Sukiyaki Beef Bibimbap

Main Course

Us, hard at work

Green Tea Mochi Ice Cream

Afterwards, we went to Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour for some more dessert. Luckily, Ice brought with her a DSLR to capture some sweet moments in HD, and Victoria brought along her polaroid camera to capture cute, wallet-sized memories. Thanks girls, for the memories!

Ice Cream Nachos

Friends Forever

Pucker Up

For those of you who know me, collecting lip products is one of my many (healthy) guilty pleasures. Because I like to snooze, I’m frequently on the go, so here are some of my favorites to use when I don’t have time for a mirror.

1. NARS ‘Dolce Vita’ – Love at first sight swipe. Such a pretty, natural color.
2. YSL Volupté Sheer Candy – I have this in No2 Dewy Papaya and No7 Sweet Fig. These glide on super easy, leaving behind a fruity scent and a sexy tint.
3. Soap & Glory ‘A Great Kisser’ – I’m not usually a fan of lip balms with a thick consistency, but the peachy hue and fragrance of this one won me over.
4. Jack Black ‘Natural Mint’ – This is my must-have. I put this on every night and wake up with super soft lips. In the mornings, the minty scent definitely wakes me up.
5. Dior Addict ‘Lip Glow’ – My favorite daily lip balm/stick. This is perfect for a natural pop of color when I’m running super late.