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#OOTD Knit Midi Black Dress & Vintage Yankees Cap x Body Positivity

where to start?….

I’m in a plateau in my fitness journey and I think it has to do with the way I’ve been eating. Although I’ve been trying to be very careful with what types of foods I eat, I’m now realizing that it is not enough to truly change the numbers on the scale. But I am happy to say that my weight is finally starting to hover around the number that I was pre-preganancy. For the short period of time that I’ve been a mother, I’ve been going easy with myself by being conscious to not say negative things to myself about my body or how awkward my belly looks hanging over my c-section scar.

I finally got the courage to test my confidence and put on this fitted midi length Forever 21 knit black dress with a scoop neckline and short sleeves that I randomly found as I was sorting through the racks inside a messy Forever 21 store on 34th street in Manhattan. It was the last one that I could see around and sadly, it had some damages but I didn’t care. I was so in love with the silhouette and especially with the versatility of having it closed all the way or leaving room for ventilation lol that I bought it with a little damage discount to knock off some dollas off of the original price. I took it home and it fit right in with the rest of my pieces, an easy comfy dress to mix and match with other pieces effortlessly.

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¿donde empezar?….

Estoy en una meseta en mi viaje de entrenamiento y creo que tiene que ver con la forma en que he estado comiendo. Aunque he estado tratando de ser muy cuidadoso con los tipos de alimentos que como, ahora me estoy dando cuenta de que no es suficiente para cambiar realmente los números en la báscula. Pero estoy feliz de decir que mi peso finalmente está comenzando a rondar el número que era antes de la preganancia. Durante el corto período de tiempo que he sido madre, me he vuelto tranquilo al ser consciente de no decirme cosas negativas acerca de mi cuerpo o de lo incómodo que se ve mi barriga sobre mi cicatriz de cesárea.

Finalmente, tuve el coraje de poner a prueba mi confianza y ponerme este vestido midi 21 color negro Forever equipado con cuello redondo y mangas cortas que encontré al azar mientras clasificaba los estantes dentro de una desordenada tienda Forever 21 en la calle 34 en Manhattan . Fue el último que pude ver y, lamentablemente, tuvo algunos daños, pero no me importó. Estaba tan enamorado de la silueta y especialmente con la versatilidad de tenerla cerrada todo el tiempo o dejar espacio para la ventilación jajaja que compré con un pequeño descuento de descuento para quitar algunas dollas del precio original. Me lo llevé a casa y encaja perfectamente con el resto de mis piezas, un vestido cómodo y fácil de combinar y combinar con otras piezas sin esfuerzo.

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Darphin Revitalizing Oil x Honest Review

The dreaded day finally came when my new favorite Darphin Revitalizing Oil for Face, Hair and Body officially ran out…. #boohoo

I’ve been using the Darphin Revitalizing Oil throughout the year, more so during the fall and winter season because thats when my skin is prone to get extremely dry rather than the summer. I would wear this alone, as a replacement for a face moisturizer in the mornings since the texture of the oil wasn’t so thick and sticky.

The bottle is so cute because it is a small bottle with a gold-ish color tone which made my bathroom shelves look so luxurious and majestic as I lined it up with my other cute fragrance bottles. But the bottle alone wasn’t what attracted me, the oil itself felt lavish on the surface of skin as I would apply it after my morning routine, during the evening and on those occasions where I slept until the afternoon. It added a little bit of a shinny glow dew on the high points of my cheeks but not in a sweaty, out of the gym, kind of way. It smelled amazingly good, not fruity but neither did it have a powerful obnoxious fragrance scent and that made it much more pleasant to apply it frequently. It didn’t absorb into my skin too quickly which I’m not complaining about because from time to time when I would catch my reflection in the mirror, I noticed that beautiful highlight as the daylight caught the oil. I honestly could go on forever talking about the Darphin Revitalizing oil because it really made me feel guilt free about spoiling myself by taking extra care of my skin in one of the best ways available!

Since it is labeled as a multipurpose oil, when I looked up some of the benefits of this particular one, one recommendation was to apply it “generously” across stretch marks. Instantly, I became excited for the healing possibilities and all the ways the oil could aid in fading my tiger stripes. But once I gave it a go, quickly I realized that it wouldn’t be sustainable because the bottle only holds 50ml and it won’t be enough to cover a large area covered with stretch marks. Even if I did try, I’d probably run out before I started to notice any improvements. I would gladly go around smelling like the oil’s rich and beautiful aroma but for the price of 80$ for only 1.7 fluid ounces (50mL), its definitely a little luxury and splurge. The oils main purpose is to protect the skin against future moisture loss while leaving the skin silky and nourished. It also helps to prevent hair breakage and restoring brilliance by adding a luxurious healthy shine if its applied to the hair.

Thanks for checking out my post and please let me know if you’ve personally tried this product before. Until next time!

ASOS Shopping Haul Video x Stress Management

Ugh.

I can’t even begin to express to you what I had to sacrifice in order to get this video edited and finished. Lots of dirty dishes pilled up, clutter pilled up like Mount Everest, a grumpy husband who had to be attentive to our baby girl and certain level of stress that equals that of a college term paper due the following morning that hasn’t even been started yet lmfao. yea, you know what feeling I’m talking about…

When I was officially done with the video below, I started the process of exporting it to the Youtube 1080p setting. I decided to stop exporting it because I felt like something was wrong since the time frame displayed on the progress window read “14 hours until file complete”. I kept thinking, “14 hours”, practically a whole day? that doesn’t make a lot of sense so I canceled the progress and as soon as I did, all my hard work had randomly disappeared…

I was shook, pissed, scared and annoyed!

How could my MacBook betray me like this (I kept on thinking to myself) and how is it possible that this amazingly expensive video editing tool program thing deleted my work without having any trace of the completed file stashed away somewhere in my files? could this be the work of the illuminati? whom everyone knows keeps an eye on everyone especially on minorities? anyways, I digress and yes, I’m completely exaggerating (and joking! nothing but jokes here, I’m a real comedian lmfao)

In all honesty, I’m proud of myself for magically scouting out all of the missing files that made up the video and finally getting it exported to upload! I still had to spend some more time re-editing some scenes, but it wasn’t as bad as having to re do the whole darn thing! I’ve been trying to get better at creating content more frequently for my Youtube channel. I’m really trying to build my video editing skills so I can confidently update my LinkedIn profile. Its just a little difficult managing motherhood whilst learning something from scratch.

Which leads me to say that learning to manage your stress and/or intense emotions is also a life skill that many sadly never pay enough attention to. Finding out what works, when suddenly your emotions get so out of hand that it causes you to simply react instead of stopping and thinking is so valuable. Blessed are you if you are one to recognize that as useful and admirable skill to possess. Here are some tips, if you find yourself getting out of control with yourself:

tell yourself its ok and that the moment will pass
step away, step away, step away… you dont want to say or do something that you will regret in the long run
vent to someone, tell someone what just happened and ,perhaps, they might help you sort through it with you.

I’ve listed just a few but by no means are these the only ones. Sometime in the near future, I’ll dive more into this topic in a full blog post. But for now, heres a video on my ASOS haul of knee high black boot shoes and ugly wedding dress options that didn’t look nice on me. Thanks for watching and let me know what you think of my editing skills below!

Essie ‘Wild Nude’ x Nail Update

I mean, can we talk about this color?

its pretty but is it brown or like a medium tone grey?

I purchased this nail polish a few days before my wedding because of how sophisticated the hue looked. I wanted to make sure my nails looked polished as we exchanged our vows and slide the marriage bands onto our fingers.

I hope you enjoy the little nail polish inspiration for the day!

First Week of 2018 Thoughts & Resolutions

New Year’s Eve was small, cute and cheery. Our family stayed home since New York city has been experiencing some of the coldest temperatures in the city’s history and it didn’t help that we all had a bit of the whooping cough. So we stayed up until the ball dropped and even woke up our babygirl so she can feel the excitement of the new year since it is officially her first one.

For most of the New Year’s Eve day, I spend it planning, planning and more planning. I feel so much more confident overall and secure knowing that I’m not wasting my time because I have a better sense of what to anticipate next. I’ve grown to dislike spending time just pondering on what needs to be done next or wondering if I’m missing something. It such a annoying mental road block when your just sitting there confused about what to do with yourself or, on the other hand, when you have too many plans that it feels overwhelming. Unlike 2017, I’m planning on taking more control in all areas of my life throughout 2018. Here are some of my personal resolutions for 2018:

Don’t overwhelm yourself. To much too fast, halts creativity & that’s no bueno if your trying to create content.
Stop over eating! Portion control will be a waist saver or waist killer.
Go to the gym more! Cause you know your booty is not going to build itself and like Elle Woods said, “endorphins make you happy” lol
Patience will be your greatest gift to yourself and others. Embrace that shit! Lol
Learn to simplify things. Not everything needs more than a day to complete.
Grow a YouTube channel & learn what it means to add value to others.

I purposefully left my list short because each one can be broken down into smaller and more manageable tasks. I believe that resolutions should be goals that turn into habits. A skillful habit that will help guide you into your greater self.

I hope this post sparked some idea or thought that you’d like to further explore. Thanks for reading along and I hope you enjoy the pictures.

You can catch up with me on instagram And twitter

Lust’n For Sally LaPointe Pre-Fall 2017

Favorite looks from the collection

The first time Sally LaPointe was brought to my attention was when the fashion and lifestyle influencer, Daniella of @weworewhat, posted up a deliciously elegant metallic motto leather jacket on her Instagram for a little #fashioninspo. As I decided to skim through Sally LePointes Pre-Fall 2017 collection, which hits stores in June, I noticed a range of styles from simple polished silhouettes to sporty with a touch of athleisure without going over board (hello #minimalism lol). Most of her pieces have trims of fox fur from Finland, albeit, I’m pro faux fur but my goodness, does it look so luxurious as it juxtaposes the easy and comfort of a boxy silk cashmere hoodie.

It immediately answered my need and desire for items that look one of a kind with elements of luxuriousness and casualness, finding this balance could be really tricky, especially with the abundance of designers in the fashion industry. As I was reading through an interview the designer did for Fashionista.com, she describes her line as being “Powerfully feminine. Tough and elegant — again kind of that fine line thing.”

Yes, yes, yes & I couldn’t agree more. Here are some of my favorite complete looks from her collection for Pre-Fall 2017 that I’m currently lusting over. Also, some key pieces that I would love to rework with other items for a cool #ootd for a Brooklyn gal. She’s one designer who I’ll be definitely looking towards as a source of fashion inspiration for the exciting new year ahead because of her unparalleled eye for design and I hope you will too!

#ootd for Sunday brunch!

#ootd for School!

#ootd for Work!

Thank you for reading along && let me know what you think about the collection in the comments below. Have a blessed day & Happy New Year lovelies!

Facts && Hacks About Mascara!

Recently, I’ve been wondering if theres a method of picking the right mascara… I don’t believe I’m the only one who’s asked this question before but I’m curious to know if theres a true, straight forward answer to this important beauty question.

I’ve had this longing to learn about this topic for a few weeks and it sparked from a very recent disappointing purchase of one of my all time favorite classic mascaras. One I believed would never let me down when the going got tough but, sadly, the formula felt dry on my lashes. Then, about an hour later, I started to notice mascara flakes around my eyes.

I’ve always been very weary about purchasing items influenced by ads or marketing, simply because, I can’t determine if its just hype or the real thing. Our eyes are one of the most sensitive parts our outer skin, therefore I strongly believe that what ever we decide to place on them should feel like an investment into the greater good of the health of our eyes. Below I’ve listed a few mascara insights from varies sources, so here we go:

1. Familiarity

The best way to make a better or rather more informed purchase without running the risk of losing money is by becoming intimately acquainted with your lash type. Not all things work for every person and you can thank your DNA for that!

If your curious to know what might your lash type be, here are four of the most common lashes;

Follow the link below for specific tips about each of these lash types; http://www.eonline.com/news/632094/tricks-to-lengthen-short-sparse-or-straight-eyelash-types

2. Different wands for unique results!

Small wands are typically better for small eyelashes because the bristles can grab each lash with more control and touch up corners easily.
Long, comb like bristles that are evenly spaced are often used for separating, defining and lengthen lashes, but it doesn’t do much to add volume.
For maximum volume, many wands are large and round with densely packed bristles that grab and coat each lash.
If you want a more precise application, its best to use a wand with bristles that have different lengths so it’ll grab each lash individually.
Rubber wands with moderately spaced bristles are perfect for a more natural look!

3. Formula & Texture

According to Cindy Lin, Albea’s Director of Product Development, Beauty Solutions in NYC, mascara formulas haven’t changed much the past 50 years. They’re basically a combination of;

Wax: which is best known for its volume, separating, and blackest black capabilities. Hard waxes — found in low-quality and expired mascaras — can stiffen your lashes and cause breakage.
Pigments: the most recent innovation was made in 2004 when the FDA approved a carbon-black pigment, which gives users the darkest, blackest lashes possible
Film Formers: film-forming agents are groups of chemicals that leave a pliable, cohesive and continuous covering over the hair or the skin when applied to their surface

Most mascaras you’ll see in stores are oil-and-wax-based, which are the easiest to find because their the most traditional. “When it comes to formula claims, if you see “contains vitamin this, vitamin that,” argan oil, botanical extracts, etc., it’s usually just promotional and at low percentages—the bulk of the formula is still the basic wax-pigment combo,” says Cindy Lin.

4. Mastering Layers

Makeup artist often use the art of layering to make mascara last longer while also making it easier to remove at the end of the day. The trick is to use a waterproof mascara on top of your regular formula. You’ll first need to apply your normal mascara and then finish it with a single coat of a waterproof formula. The convenience of waterproof mascaras (besides the very obvious) is that it holds curled lashes beautifully and keeps mascara from smearing throughout the day. But because it’s so difficult to remove, another trick is to put on one coat of a regular mascara and then a clear coat afterwards so it’ll create the same long lasting effect!

5. Innovation is NOT easy

Launching a breakthrough mascara formula isn’t easy. A beauty necessity like mascara can take years to produce because of the different channels of research & development, testing, FDA approvals, patents, etc. It’s actually easier and cheaper for companies to create a breakthrough brush and patent that, then creating a new breakthrough formula. The combined effort of three important components working together is what creates the magic: the brush, the wiper (this part is found at the tip of the tube and controls how much formula is left on the wand), and the formula.

When I jumped into the research, I was expecting to find a straight, cut throat answer with a bit of digging to validate the statements. All the articles I read answered one question but then it would lead me to another question. The conclusions a bit bitter sweet one because there’s no clear answer to towards buying decisions. Like mascaras, it’s a combination of what you’ll like and what would work best. It’s back to trial & error and just in time for the holiday season!

Thanks for reading along and I hope this article has helped you or given you some more insight. Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are of these facts or hacks of mascara! lol

references:

http://www.refinery29.com/eyelash-products-guide#slide

https://www.consumerhealthdigest.com/eyelash-care/lash-care-faqs/how-to-curl-stubbornly-straight-eyelashes.html

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/makeup/a34064/mascara-tips-facts-history/

http://mentalfloss.com/article/68932/10-facts-about-mascara-help-you-lash-out

https://intothegloss.com/2013/09/best-mascara-2013-expert-tips/

Pantone: Fall 2016 Fashion Report!

It’s that time of year again where all the top fashion editors, influencers and elite are preparing themselves for the crazy schedule that’ll be Fashion week. The month long journey of the Spring 2017 collections beginning in New York City and traveling through the major fashion capitals of the world like; London, Paris & Milan.

Albeit the media will be all over what the runway shows will display for next season, currently I’m more interesting in what colors and hues and shades will emerge this Fall season until next year. Almost all summer I was wearing blacks or greys and now that the fall is here, undoubtedly, black will be one of the dominant colors throughout many new yorker’s closets and theres no better time then the change of a season.

Pantone, the authorities on color that provide color systems and leading technology for accurate communication of colors for a wide range of industries including the fashion, has available a list of colors that’ll be dominant throughout Fall 2016.

Below are the list of colors:

My personal favorites are the Potters Clay, Dusty Cedar, Warm Taupe, Sharkskin and Airy Blue. Let me know in the comments which colors are your favorite. Thanks for reading!

references:

Featured Image Ilustration from Rubin Singer

http://www.pantone.com/fashion-color-report-fall-2016?from=hpSlider#hero

http://www.refinery29.com/2016/02/102969/pantone-fall-2016-color-report#slide-14

4th Of July 2016 x RECAP

Bless the 3 day weekends! lol My 4th of July was spend with a lot of family quality time along with great cooking, smokey bbq, some fireworks but sadly a lot of rain towards the end. Countless number of people around the neighborhood were lighting their own firework rockets. The #ootd for the nations celebration of independence was something airy & comfortable, just to feel the slight breeze that managed to travel through even with the hot sun steaming.

A funny moment that occurred during the middle of our 4th of July bbq was when we almost lost our pet rabbit.

(Found this beauty in a local thrift shop..)

Most of my family attended the bbq & when I mean everyone, I’m also talking about our house pets, Chocolate the rabbit and Dardy our Shiht Zhu. Our rabbit is a short eared, solid black, mini rabbit. She’s always kept indoors but my father decided to give her a vacation by bringing her to the grassy areas of the backyard where we were having the bbq. When we looked at her, she seemed like she was in nirvana as the the sun was shinning on her. But for her protection, we kept the top of her cage on her so they’ll be no risk of losing her.

Without realizing, the door to Chocolates cage opened because my youngest brother had fallen on top of it! No one noticed that her cage popped open and when my dad went to check up on her, she was GONE! We were frantically looking for her all over the the backyard and we were worried that she had wondered off into our neighbors yard or worst, that the local owl took her for dinner! 😱

Eventually (20 minutes later) we found her grazing the grass under the family car. Leisurely, hopping from one patch to another. We all started laughing at the coincide that at all of times we could have lost Chocolate, imagine it being on the 4th of July of 2016!

Thank you for reading & checking out my blog!

cardigans: Target & Forever 21, top: H&M, shorts: Forever 21, bag: Local Thrift store, sunglasses: unknown

4 Summer 16′ Trends

And here we go, lets start our summer engines to dive into the sunny, humid days ahead for the remaining two months. Winter wasn’t as brutal as winters a la past, but it feels amazing to know that the heavy layers are now tucked away until the fall.

For summer 2016, certain summer styles and trends are really exciting and refreshing to see amongst the buzz of the streets in city that never sleeps. The following are just some highlights of those trends starting from the runway and embodied in street style, that made an effortless transition to summer from spring.

Updated Classic: T-shirt Dress

For the ultimate lazy girl at heart, this look is bliss. Not only can you find an effortless oversized, long t-shirt in almost any store (aim for two sizes larger), but with some cool accessories its an effortlessly chic daytime look.

Sleeve Details

Off the shoulder (aka cold shoulder) look, brought into focus a hidden gem to the surface through showing exposing shoulders, the neckline and occasionally maybe a bit of décolletage. But for 2016, it seems to be not enough because the emphasis is aimed at the sleeves. They’ll range from wide and voluminous pieces that vaguely reference those from the 17th century’s.

Prairie Boho

“And so, this part cowboy, part angel was born.” -Ella Alexander, GlamourMag

This look ties in elements of femininity and workmanship with high necklines, low waistlines and ditzy floral patterns. The style embodies functionality, since the original prairie women led more of an active, free spirited, outdoorsy lifestyle. As your assembling your style, beware because it can potentially fall into fancy dressing or sickly sweet butterscotch, therefore balancing is key. By adding touches of edgier accessories for a modern look.

Patches & Pins

Street style has a new accessory that adds a little fun (a bit of nostalgia) to any piece of item that needs a bit of tune up. Although you can purchase already made pieces with patches or pins attached on them, sadly it takes away most of the fun of customizing your pieces. With so many choices available, the biggest challenge will be to stick to a theme, a particular size and the sense of direction to each patch or pin.

These are just some of my personal few but there are many more floating around. Thanks so much for reading through it and let me know if any of these are your personal favorites too!

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1. Familiarity

Follow the link below for specific tips about each of these lash types; http://www.eonline.com/news/632094/tricks-to-lengthen-short-sparse-or-straight-eyelash-types

2. Different wands for unique results!

3. Formula & Texture

4. Mastering Layers

5. Innovation is NOT easy

references:

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references:

Featured Image Ilustration from Rubin Singer

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Updated Classic: T-shirt Dress

Sleeve Details

Prairie Boho

Patches & Pins

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