Swatched: Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Lips

Hello friends, it's here! It's here!

The Charlotte Tilbury (CT) Hollywood Lips Liquid Lipstick ($34, same price as her lipsticks) is finally here and I'm so excited! It's hard to find liquid lipsticks that are not drying, don't settle in your lines and last a long time. Below, I'll share with you the swatches, how they look on me and my first impressions. If you would like to see my entire CT lipstick collection, you can click here.

Stepping into Fall

Hello friends, can't believe we are already at the end of August! Where did the time go?!

But it also means: Back-to-School season, Labor Day Weekend (and the sales!) right around the corner, NYFW (New York Fashion Week) and Fall Fashion! Even in So-Cal, we are starting to feel the season's changing: Days are getting shorter. Mornings and nights are getting chillier, even though the office AC is still blasting as usual. Things such as: wrapping myself in this HALOGEN Cashmere Wrap (from my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Haul) in the office and trying on this Charlotte Tilbury (CT) Hollywood Matte Liquid Lipstick in "Show Girl" (left), make me look forward to fall.

CT's Hollywood collection will launch at Nordstrom on Thursday. I wore this liquid lipstick for a few hours, it stayed put on my lips and was not drying at all! You can see my entire CT lipstick collection here.

Today, we are talking about fall transitional shoes with four trends I'm currently loving. When it comes to shoe shopping, one of the most important selection criteria for me is leather lining. I find those with leather lining are more comfortable to wear (no blisters!) and breathable (don't stink!), but they are also more pricey. With that in mind, I've included both leather (marked with a *) and non-leather lining at different price points, if you are not picky about the lining. I picked them from Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, and Anthropologie, where I shop the most. But you can certainly find these styles at your favorite stores.

My Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick Collection

Hello friends, finally... Friday! :)

Today, I'm taking you inside my lipstick organizer and sharing with you all my Charlotte Tilbury (CT) lipsticks! I have accumulated quite a collection over the years, which is not surprising, given my obsession with the brand (check out my hauls here and here). Out of everything I've tried and own, this mascara is the only thing CT ever lets me down. It smudges like crazy! Also, have you seen her new Hollywood collection with matte liquid lipsticks, contour and highlight wands etc.? They are available on her US website, but haven't hit Nordstrom yet. Oh boy, my wallet is gonna cry...

“Lipstick is happiness in a tube!” – Charlotte Tilbury

Here's a look at my lipstick organizer and as you can see, CT (rose gold packaging!) certainly dominates my collection. Besides the 8 CT lipsticks, I also have some Tom Ford "Lips and Boys", Urban Decay, YSL, a few limited edition celebrity collaborations and a Dior Lip Glow. I have two more lipsticks not pictured here, which are too big to fit in the organizer. One Givenchy and one Burberry. Is there such a thing as too many lipsticks for a girl? Moving on...

My CT collection includes: 4 Matte Revolution Lipsticks (first row), 4 KISSING Lipsticks (second row), and 2 'Lip Cheat' Lip Liners. I'll show you their swatches side by side as well as how they look on me.

Quick Recipe: Homemade Granola

Hello friends, Happy Wednesday! Two more days until Friday!

Today. I'm sharing with you a quick homemade granola recipe. As much as I love the toasted coconut granola mentioned in my "All Things Coconut-y" and other healthier ones in the market, sometimes I want to control the amount of sugar added and make my own at home.

You can add these to your yogurt or just snack on them alone. I cooked mine in a pan (on the stove top), because it's easier and faster for me. But you can also bake them in the oven.

What I Eat in a Week: Breakfast Edition

Hello friends, today I'm so excited to share with you what I ate for breakfast last week. Can't remember who said, "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper." I certainly believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

As mentioned in my Mid-year update on my 2017 goals, I purchased the Tone It Up bundle, which includes the membership to their Nutrition Plan. Based on this plan, you eat every 2-3 hours, 5 meals a day: breakfast (M1), mid-morning snack (M2), lunch (M3), afternoon snack (M4), and dinner (M5). My M1 and M2 change quite a bit depending on where I'm working or how hungry I feel that day. If I'm working from home, I try to sneak in a workout on an empty stomach, in which case I'll have a post-workout smoothie (M1) and a smaller breakfast (M2). If I'm going to the office, I generally pack a bigger breakfast (M1 + M2) to eat while I'm working. Let's be real, I'd rather sleep in for another 5 min than waking up 5 min early to eat my breakfast at home.

I'll quickly walk you through what I drink in the morning prior to having any solid food. The first thing I drink when I wake up is a glass of water (~8 oz) with lemon. Then I'll have another glass with 1 tsp of Apple Cider Vinegar. Go for unfiltered and with the mother. You can certainly add a little honey or agave, but I've gotten used to the taste without any sweetener. If I'm working from home that day, I'll get creative with the fruits in my fridge and make infused-water to sip on during the day.

Without further ado, here's what I ate for breakfast last week:

Monday was a work-from-home day. I wasn't too hungry after my smoothie, so I went straight to lunch.

My Fashion Pet Peeves

Hello friends, Happy Friday!

As a fashion lover, I'm so excited to share with you my fashion pet peeves today. I understand we have different tastes and styles, this is meant to be lighthearted, not to offend anyone. I'm focusing on women's fashion here, so clothing, shoes and handbags. I had so much fun putting this together that I'm considering writing one on my beauty pet peeves! I would love to hear if you agree or disagree with me on any of them and let me know what yours are!

So here are my 12 Fashion Pet Peeves (all that I can think of right now):

1. Crop tops that show off the entire midriff (even worse with mini skirt or shorts). This trend should have just stayed in the 90's and early 2000's. Sorry Britney Spears! Karrueche Tran surely has some nice abs, but I don't need to see your entire midriff AND bralette! Did you cut that top?! 

   

   Credit: Children of the 90s, Mirror

   Here's how to keep it tasteful showing a little skin, with high-waisted wide-leg pants or a midi skirt:

   

   Credit: Viraltrends, Popsugar
   

My Vitamin Routine

Hello friends, I thought it would be interesting to show you my vitamin routine today.

In addition to eating healthier, exercising daily (most of the time), I also take vitamins. I would like to share with you what vitamins I'm taking and how I take them. I'm not implying if you need vitamins or what vitamins. If you want to learn more about vitamins and what they do for you, I recommend Dr. Low Dog's Fortify Your Life: Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and More (previously mentioned in Mother's Day Gift Guide), which I find very informative and helpful. Here's everything I'm taking at a glance:

• I go for the NatureMade brand, not only because it's easy to get from Costco. I had my first internship was at their packaging site and met many wonderful people I still keep in touch with today. I occasionally get them at a discount from my contacts, but there are so many brands out there you can choose from.
• NatureMade vitamins contain non-vegan ingredients (such as gelatin), something to note if you are vegan or vegetarian.
• I take most of them with a meal. If I'm eating out or traveling, I'll carry them with me in these humangear GoTubb containers ($6.95).
  

Closet Update: Nordstrom Anniversary Sale & Clear the Rack

Hello friends, Happy Friday!

Today, I'm sharing with you a few more pieces I got from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, which ends this Sunday 8/6 (See my shopping haul here) as well as a few of my favorite finds from Clear the Rack last weekend. I know I've done so much shopping this month and I promise I won't shop again... until the next Clear the Rack (Labor Day weekend I assume ?) :P Anyways, onto the goodies!


1. PLEIONE Tiered Bell Sleeve Knit Top ($42.90, After Sale: $65):
Material: 49% polyester, 48% rayon, 3% spandex; Size: XS

I can't wait to wear this top when it gets colder! The material is soft, yet still holds its shape. It would look great with jeans for work. For a night out, add a pop of color, a statement necklace, a fun clutch (a sushi clutch if having sushi) and some strappy sandals!

Necklace: J Crew Factory; Clutch: Clare V (left), Kate Spade (right); Sandal: Joie

Bargain Buy: Big Churn Chardonnay

Hello friends, Happy Wednesday!

As a bonus post this week, I'm sharing with you my current favorite Chardonnay, which is a total bargain from Trader Joe's. It's $6.99 with a ABV of 14.5%. I'm very simple when it comes to wine, Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is so incredibly creamy and smooth! I'm a huge fan, as I've shown it multiple times on my Insta Story and currently on my 3rd bottle :P. I'm not good at describing wine, but you can read more about it here.

I'm thinking about doing "Bargain Buy" as a series, showing you all the hidden treasures as I find them. On Friday, I will update you on the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (See my shopping haul here) and show you some of my favorite finds from Clear the Rack last weekend!

Thank you for stopping by and have a nice day! :)

Handbag Reveal: Gucci Circus Embroidered GG Supreme Clutch

Hello friends, happy first day of August! I can't believe how fast July flew by!

Today, I'm sharing with you my latest Gucci addition: Circus Embroided GG Supreme Clutch. Alessandro Michele is really shaking things up with Gucci, which is killing it at the moment! You can still get this exact one at TJ Maxx ($449.99, retail: $650)! It also comes in a Wallet on a Chain ($699.99). Below, I will talk you through my purchasing story, details of this clutch, what fits inside and how it looks on me.

BTW: In case you didn't know, TJ Maxx carries quite a collection of designer pieces online, called "The Runway" (Check out their designer handbags here).