Summer Clothing Picks: FOREVER 21

Hi guys! Welcome to my new series Summer Clothing Picks! For this series I will show you guys some of my favorite pieces from a variety of places. I hope you guys enjoy and thank you again for all your support! Happy Summer! 

1.) V- Neck Textured Shift Dress $34.90

You can never go wrong with a shift dress. It is simple yet chic and can be worn in so many ways. I love this particular one for the sharp v-neck. It gives the dress a chic edge without adding too much. This dress is an online exclusive so if you want it get it while you can! It can also transition into the fall paired with some dark tights and thigh high boots and of course a nice black leather jacket.

2.) Buttoned Chiffon Cami $14.90

Camis are a great staple in every wardrobe especially during the hot summer days. I love the buttons on this one. I think it adds a little something extra and can be paired with shorts, skirts, pants and denim.

3.) Chiffon Trapeze Dress $29.90

Trapeze dresses have been all the rage this past year and for good reason. Trapeze dresses offer comfort and versatility. But at the same time are delicate and beautiful. 

4.) Hooded Open Front Cardigan $32.90

This cardigan is great for those cool summer nights at the beach in front of a bonfire. It is easy to throw onto any outfit and also a great transition piece into the fall. 

5.) Strappy Cutout Crop Top $14.90

Of course it wouldn't be summer without a crop top. This one adds a little edge and a touch of sexiness to your summer wardrobe. It pairs with pretty much anything high waisted and can be dressed up or down. 

NEW!!! Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation/Concealer

Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin 

PACKAGING:

-Foundation comes in a glass bottle w/a pump (Contains 1 fl oz of product)

-Concealer comes in a plastic tube with a doe shape wand (Contains 0.25 fl oz of product)

Foundation is available in 9 shades (not every place will carry all the colors)

Concealer is available in 5 shades

So far I have only seen this product at Wal-Mart and Target. You can also purchase it online from Ulta.

Depending on where you purchase these products prices will vary

Foundation $9-$11

Concealer $7-$9

FORMULATION:

I have been waiting for quite some time now for this product to be released in the States (this product has already been released in the UK). Maybelline foundations are some of the best drugstore foundations on the market today and this one is no exception.

The SuperStay Foundation not only gives you coverage (medium/medium full) but also helps improve the quality of your skin as you use it. It contains Actyl C and SPF 20 that helps dull uneven skin become radiant and glowing. The texture isn't too thin or too thick and blends flawlessly. It is great for dry skin providing a layer of hydration. It also works well with oily skin.

The staying power of this foundation is pretty impressive as well. I have wore this foundation almost all day and it still looked fresh.

I don't have too much to say about the concealer. It is decent enough and offers a reasonable amount of coverage nothing heavy. It is very light and blends effortlessly into the skin. It's perfect for days where you don't want to wear a lot of makeup but just enough to keep you from looking rachet.I personally prefer Maybelline's Master Conceal concealer. 

OVERALL

Foundation

5/5

Concealer

3/5

Si's Life: My Best Feature

"Don't get caught up in the 'look' thing. Sometimes, we as men and women, the first thing that attracts us to someone is their physical appearance, and that's not always a good thing because what's good on the outside is not always good on the inside." - Keith Sweat

In grade school we were taught to never judge a book by its cover. What our teachers had failed to mention about this lesson is that it is much easier said than done. 

Take a look at the photo above. At first glance most people would cringe and say something like ewwww that's so disgusting and gnarly looking or WTF is that THING? It definitely isn't something people would describe as beautiful. But what is it exactly?

That  gnarly looking "thing" is my scar from my second kidney transplant (bet you guys didn't guess that). The transplant itself was a huge success however due to different techniques used by different surgeons the scar didn't end up disappearing and ended up like this. For the longest time I couldn't stand to look at it and was terribly embarrassed by it. Hiding it with clothes was easy enough but not enough for me to forget it was there. I guess the main reason I was so ashamed of it was because I was afraid what other people would think of it. I thought that people would find me repulsive and that I would probably never meet someone. 

However over time I begun to feel better both physically and mentally. This second kidney transplant had truly worked and I felt better than ever. Now every time I look at my scar, I think about the obstacles that I had gone through to get to where I am today and the challenges I had to face for a second time. It also serves as a symbol of strength and to never take anything for granted. A couple years ago if someone asked me to show them my scar I would probably have said no and ran away but ask me today I would proudly show it to anyone. It's easy to judge based on outward appearances because we have easy access to it. But outward appearances don't tell us anything about the person themselves. We all have flaws about ourselves both outward and inward that we don't necessarily like about ourselves, the important thing is to accept those flaws and turn them into something positive. Besides if everyone was perfect how boring would the world be?

Weekly Playlist 6/23/15

Come Jam w/ME

1. Figure 8- Maliibu N Helene

2. Flex- Rich Homie Quan

3. Justin Timberlake Medley- Kurt & Max Schneider + Victoria Justice

4. Carried Away- Passion Pit

5. Mercy- Musse

6. Love Like That- Jason Derulo ft. K. Michelle

7. Bright- Echosmith

8. Serve It Up- Trey Songz

9. Ukiyo- Hermitude

10. I'm Yours- Ron Pope

ChefSisi: Ways To Cook Chicken For Meal Prep

What is meal prep?

Cooking FULL meals to have them available whenever you need a quick meal

Benefits of meal prep

-Quick to go meals whenever you are having a busy day

-Having meals prepped decreases the chances of you reaching for something unhealthy

-Keeps your calories and nutritional intake on track

Downsides to meal prep

-Cooking a bunch of meals all at once takes a bit of time, so if you are going to meal prep set aside a couple hours once a week to grocery shop and prep your meals

-Food can tend to get a bit boring since it is easier to cook a bunch of the same dishes rather than different ones throughout the week

-Each type of food has their own expiration date so it is crucial to eat your meals before they go bad

Chicken recipes 

I chose chicken because it is one of the fastest and easiest proteins to cook for meal prep. It is very versatile when it comes to seasoning and works in a variety of dishes. Here are some of my favorite ways to cook chicken for meal preps. There are no exact measurements just because we all eat different amounts so just experiment to your liking and needs. Each recipe can be made in large quantities for multiple meals throughout the week. 

1.) Coco Chicken

Inspired by the beautiful country of Thailand and my love for coconuts

- In a large pot sautéed cut up chicken breasts in some garlic and coconut oil 

-Once the chicken is browned but not fully cooked pour in some coconut milk (just enough to cover the chicken) and add a stick of lemongrass (be very careful with this as it is pretty potent)

-Add salt and white pepper to taste

-Cook on low until the chicken is fully cooked through 

*For the meals: pack the chicken with some brown rice or quinoa and a side of raw red bell peppers

Good in the fridge for 3 days no more

2.) Sparrow Chicken

Inspired by Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean

-In a slow cooker put your chicken breasts in 

-To your chicken breasts season with salt and black pepper

-For the sauce, pour canned pineapple over the chicken then add 1/2 part rum to every 1 cup of chicken broth

-Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours

*For the meals: pack the chicken with some coconut rice (white rice & coconut milk mixed together) and a side of pinto beans lightly seasoned with some garlic and onion powder

Good in the fridge for 2 days no more

3.) Oven Baked Mexican Chicken

-Season your chicken breasts with lime juice, salt, black pepper, paprika and Mrs. Dash's Chipotle seasoning

-Depending on the amount you cook and your oven strength bake your chicken in the oven (usually 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes)

*For meals: pack the chicken with some yellow corn tortillas and a side of black bean hummus (black beans, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin all pureed in a blender)



All of these recipes (the chicken alone) are around 200-350 calories with less than 10 g of fat. Eating healthy doesn't have to be hard.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY: A SPECIAL DEDICATION

Happy Father's Day to all you dads and dad-like figures out there! Today we honor you for you all you do for us. 

I want to give a special dedication to my grandfather who has been my father since the day I was born. 

Thank you for always being there for me no matter what and for loving me just the way I am. 

Thank you for being the one consistent role male model in my life and for teaching me all of life's important little lessons.

Thank you for protecting me and always making me feel safe.

Thank you for your service to your country.

And mostly just thank you for being my Baba (dad in Chinese).

I love you Lao Ye (maternal grandpa in Chinese)

NEW!!! Maybeliine Eyeshadow Palettes

Maybelline The Blushed Nudes (top) & Maybelline The Smokes (bottom) Eyeshadow Palettes

PACKAGING:

Much like Maybelline's The Nudes palette (1st one released), both of these new releases come in the same plastic case with a clear top. It isn't the most sturdiest of cases so beware if you are traveling with them.

The eyeshadows in the palette are placed in a way that allows you to use them as duos, trios, or quads. All the colors mix and match pretty well together.

Each palette retails for around $9-$12 depending on where you purchase it. These particular ones can be a little bit difficult to find and may not be available everywhere just yet.

I have seen these palettes at...

Walgreens

Walmart

Target

Ulta

FORMULATION:

I was quite disappointed with these two palettes compared to the first one that Maybelline released awhile back (The Nudes Palette). The eyeshadows in both palettes did not have consistent pigmentation and some were a bit on the powdery side. I found myself really having to dig into some of the lighter colors just to get enough color. 

But overall for the price, these palettes are pretty decent and great palettes for starters or for those of you who are looking for a bang for their buck.

The blushed nudes palette contains beautiful pink and rosy hues while the smokes palette contains dark and sultry hues. The blushed nudes is a more affordable alternative to the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette which retails for about $50.

The Blushed Nudes

TOP ROW

BOTTOM ROW

The Smokes

TOP ROW

BOTTOM ROW

Si's Life: Why am I REALLY SINGLE?

I can't tell you guys how many times I get asked on a daily basis about my love life. If I had a nickel for every time I am asked, I would be filthy rich like Angelina Jolie. These days it is apparently  taboo to be a single lady especially in her 20s and while I know my family and friends only want the best for me it can get EXTREMELY annoying and even more irritating when strangers start to but in.

I'm not some crazy feminist bashing men everywhere I go. I to have my moments where I wished I was in a relationship. Growing up, I didn't have the best examples when it came to romantic relationships. In my Asian culture, the men ran the house and as women we had to obey them. For years I watched the women in my family did everything for their men with very little reciprocation from them. I vowed to myself that when I find my prince charming I was not going to go through what the women in my family have.

My relationship history has been sort of a struggle. My dating experiences don't fill up a book much less a notebook. I have had great relationships with great men and some crappy relationships with really crappy men. And sadly I have to report I have not found my prince yet. My last so called relationship ended up with him cheating on me. After it was over I was devastated and gave up on any hope of ever finding anyone #foreveralone. Looking back now I realize how dramatic I was being after all I am only 23. Through the pain I discovered how much I took being single for granted. I had a great independence to do what I want and spend time with the people who meant the most to me. Being single has made me stronger and in turn helped me grow up... a lot. It has taught me to rely on myself more to get the things I want and actually somewhat achieve my life goals. Right now in the present when people ask me about my love life I tell them that I am exactly where I want to be. I have a job that I love, I am going to grad school to pursue my dream career to become a trauma/transplant counselor and have the love and support from some of the best people ever and all without A MAN. I am not going to take this time for granted and just going along for the ride. When the time comes I will meet the right person.

Tarte Poppy Picnic Palette (NEW!!!) LIMITED EDITION

TARTE POPPY PICNIC

PACKAGING:

-Comes in a pretty small hard plastic case w/poppy flower print

-Contains 6 eyeshadows (1.7 g each)  and 1 Blush (5.6 g)

-Comes with a little instructional pamphlet that showcases 2 looks using the palette

-Retails for $38

-Available at 

ULTA

SEPHORA

TARTE ONLINE

-LIMITED EDITION!!!

FORMULATION:

The eyeshadows in this palette are all in the neutral family. All the shadows are matte in terms of their finish. The texture is soft but easy to blend. The pigmentation of these shadows are on point but not overpowering. The color combination is great for everyday where and perfect for travel. The palette also comes with a blush in a beautiful pinky coral color with a hint of shimmer just enough to balance out the matte eyeshadows.

OVERALL 5/5