Update: Where Have I Been & Hiatus?

Hey guys! I apologize for being away for so long. I have been battling some health issues that I thought had been already resolved. I have a condition where the cornea tends to stick to my eyelids and "scratch" itself. It is super painful and unpredictable. The doctors have not found a definitive cause for this and unfortunately I have to undergo another surgical procedure in about a week. For the time being I will be taking a little hiatus to relax on a family vacation (Will post about this later on, follow me on Instagram for travel pics) and prepare for my surgery and recovery. I will keep you guys updated through Twitter as much as I can. I apologize again for this and hope to return soon!

xoxo,

Sisi

Weekly Playlist: (SPECIAL EDITION) Favorite Covers

Do you guys ever love a song but not so much the singer? Then this playlist is for you! Here are a few of my favorite covers covered by not the artists themselves but people who are just as equally if not more talented. 

1. Bad Blood

Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar

Cover by Jason Chen & Megan Nicole

2. Iris

Goo Goo Dolls

Cover by Boyce Avenue

3. Tenerife Sea

Ed Sheeran

Cover by Joseph Vincent

4. Classic

MKTO

Cover by Corey Gray

5. This I Promise You

NSYNC

Cover by Jason Chen & Joseph Vincent

6. Super Bass

Nicki Minaj

Cover by Drew Tabor

7. Torn

Natalie Imbruglia

Cover by Cassadee Pope

8. I Try

Macy Gray

Cover by Fernanda Bosch

Save or Splurge? Lulu Lemon Boogie Shorts

Boogie Shorts in Black

My sister got me into Lulu Lemon a couple months ago. I have always known about the brand but never really cared for it due to their outrageous prices. For those of you who are not familiar with Lulu Lemon, Lulu Lemon is a "high-end" active clothing brand. Unlike Nike, Adidas, Filas, and so forth Lulu Lemon markets towards the average person rather than just athletes. I didn't understand what the hype was all about until I received my first pair of cropped pants from them. OMG it is life changing. The material was soft but at the same time very sturdy. They are comfortable to wear working out or just lounging around the house. They also washed very well. Even after like 10 washes they still looked brand new. I was hooked however I still cautioned myself and didn't go splurging as much as I wanted.

I am going on vacation soon and I needed some shorts for hiking. I have a bunch of running shorts from various brands however I wanted something a little more fitted. So I decided to go into Lulu Lemon to check out their shorts. I ended up leaving with 2 pairs and my wallet hating me. One of the pairs of shorts I got were their Boogie Shorts (I love their names). Boogie shorts are a cross between compression shorts and yoga shorts. They are made with a sturdy spandex material. These fit so well and yes are considered "booty shorts" but nothing raunchy like. These make your butt look great or if you are like me and don't have a butt they will make you look like you do. They are higher on the waist but you can roll it down if you prefer. They are VERY SHORT so if you are not comfortable with showing a little leg I don't recommend these. They are great for working out and you don't have to worry about them falling down, sagging, or just looking plain stupid while you work out.

Now are they worth it? It depends... these shorts run for $42 and are never really on sale. So I do consider these an investment. I tend to wear workout gear almost everyday regardless if I'm working out or not so if you are like me or you do workout a lot I highly suggest you splurge If you want to try something like this but are hesitant with the price there are many brands out there that make shorts very similar (they will be more on the yoga side). It really comes down to how much use you think you will get out of them.

You can get them in stores or online. They do tend to run a little small so definitely consider going up a size or two. There are also many different color and design choices.

PURCHASE

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream (Review)

PACKAGING:

-Comes in a hard plastic container

-Contains 1.7 oz of product

-Available @ drugstores as well as Walmart and Target

-Retail $15-$20 depending on the place of purchase

FORMULATION:

During the hot summer months it can get pretty tedious to put on a moisturizer (even though you really need it). None of us want that heavy feeling on our skin. The solution a gel moisturizer! Neuttogena Hydro Gel Cream gives you just the perfect amount of moisture without the heavy feeling. The texture is a cross between a gel and a cream. It has the gel like feeling but the texture of a cream. It absorbs very quickly into the skin and doesn't leave any unwanted residue. This moisturizer contains hyaluronic acid which is a naturally occurring product in our bodies. Hyaluronic acid has many uses but it is known for keeping the skin hydrated. As we age our bodies tend to produce less and less of hyaluronic acid. It has a nice fresh scent that lingers but nothing too strong that would make you want to puke. While this product is designed for dry skin because of the gel texture those with oily skin can also use it. 

OVERALL 

5/5

Summer Clothing Picks: ASOS

Welcome back to my Summer Clothing Picks series. Today I want to share with you guys my top picks from ASOS. ASOS is an online British clothing company that has become quite popular here in the states over the last 2 years or so. The clothing styles are very comparable to things you would find at TopShop, Urban Outfitters and Forever21. Their stuff is a bit on the expensive side but the quality of their pieces is no joke. Plus they offer unique pieces you can't find anywhere else.

1.) Adolescent Clothing Boyfriend T-Shirt With Weekday WTF Print $33

ASOS has a great selection of graphic print tees that have fun and snarky sayings. They are also really comfortable to wear and easy to wash.

2.) Rare London Plunge Mini Dress With Asymmetric Neckline $77

ASOS has probably one of the best selections of dresses compared to all other online clothing stores. I am in love with this mini dress. The cut is unique and offers the perfect combination of edgy and sexy. A great dress for a girls night or for that special someone in your life. 

3.) Warehouse Vintage Printed Kimono $87

Kimonos have been all the rage these last few years. This particular one can be dressed up or down. It can also be used as a bathing suit cover up. This is a bit on the pricey side but it is so versatile you can wear it with practically anything.

4.) ASOS Cropped V Neck Kimono Blouse $40

A twist on your classic tee. This flowy top flatters many types of figures and is very easy to wear. You can pair with jeans, shorts, skirts and so on. The possibilities are endless.

5.) Glamorous Embellished Festival Short $91

As much as I love my denim shorts during the hot summer months I can't stand to wear them. I have been into the cloth shorts that have been in every store. They are easy and comfortable to wear and come in so many different prints. I love this particular one not only for the print but also the structure. It is high waisted and a bit on the longer side but still short enough to show off your legs.

Tips for Long Lasting Eyeliner

Tip #1

Waterproof vs. Water Resistant

Always pay attention and read the labels! Waterproof means the product can be submerged in water for long periods of time. Water resistant means the product can shed water however they don't tend to last very long. Whether you are at the beach/pool this summer or just live in a hot area your best bet for long lasting eyeliner is to go for something waterproof rather than water resistant. 

Tip #2

Gel Liner

Gel liner compared to liquid and pencil linersl tends to have a longer wear time. And it can be used for the upper and lower lash line as well as your waterline (inside the bottom and upper lash line). Use a paintbrush with a long thin tip for easy application on your upper lash line. For your bottom lash line and your waterlines take one of your soft pencil liners and dip it into the gel liner and apply. This method gives you not only precision but more control. 

Tip #3

Set With Eyeshadow

No matter what type of liner you use anything with a liquid, gel or crayon consistency set it with a matching eyeshadow. Simply after you apply your eyeliner take a thin slanted eyebrow brush and dip it in a matching color eyeshadow and apply over the line. This can be done anywhere where you apply your eyeliner. 

Tip #4

Use a Primer

Primers are wonderful when it comes to keeping your makeup in place and eye primers are no exception. Apply primer before any eye product. Just make sure you buy a primer that works with your skin type. There are primers designed for dry and oily lids. 

Favorite Eye Primers:

Urban Decay Primer Potion 

Lorac Behind The Scenes



My Favorite Waterproof Eyeliners:

TARTE Clay Waterproof Liner

STILA Stay All Day 

MAKEUP FOREVER Aqua Eyes

MAYBELLINE Unstoppable 

RIMMEL Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer Eyeliner

Review: Shiseido IBUKI Softening Concentrate Lotion

Shisedio IBUKI Softening Concentrate Lotion

PACKAGING:

The product comes in a hard plastic see through bottle with a plastic pump. The bottle is very simple and beautiful like with most Shisedio products. I wasn't a fan of the pump. It isn't very sturdy and pumps out way too much product.

-Contains 2.5 fl oz of product (one size)

-Available at Shisedio counters and Sephora

-Retails for $24 (However depending on where you are and where you purchase this product prices are subject to change)

FORMULATION:

I have always been a huge fan of Shisedo skincare products (my favorite product from them is their sunscreen). They create beautiful and pure products that work with pretty much every skin type out there. 

The Softening Concentrate Lotion is designed to help moisture the skin for a softer and smoother feel. This is what I like to call a "supplement product" meaning that it is meant to be worn with other products. I have super dry skin and when I wore this alone without a moisturizer it felt a little too dry for my taste but worn with it gave my moisturizer an extra kick (works with oily skin as well). As per the instructions this product works best applied right after your cleanse your skin (I highly recommend you follow this instruction, do not apply anything else until after you put this on otherwise the product will not sink in as fast and won't work its maximum potential). It is a serum like consistency that sinks super fast into your skin. My skin immediately felt softer and smoother. It does have a very strong floral perfume scent but does fade (not completely) as you wear it. If you are sensitive to scents I don't recommend this product. This product isn't designed to replace your daily moisturizer or serum. It is best worn in the evening before bed to help it work properly.

OVERALL

4.8/6

Review: NYX The Go-To Palette in Wanderlust

NYX The Go To Palette

PACKAGING:

-Comes in a black plastic case

-Palette contains 6 eyeshadows, a highlighter, a blush, and a bronzer

-$16.99 each @ ULTA (Comes in 3 other color combinations)

FORMULATION:

The Wanderlust palette offers a nice variety of neutral shades that work with every eye color. The shadows are nicely pigmented and easy to blend. You can mix and match to create tons of different looks. I wasn't a big fan of the blush and highlighter. They were a bit too powdery for my taste although both had good pigmentation. The bronzer is good for a nice all over the face color but maybe a little too light for contouring unless you are very fair. 

This is a great palette for traveling. It contains all your eyeshadows and face products in one. It is also super light and takes up no room in your bag. This is also a great alternative to the Urban Decay Naked on the Go Palette which is about $50. 

EYESHADOWS

From left to right:

Highlighter, blush, bronzer

URBAN DECAY NAKED ON THE GO PALETTE