Baseball Hats: Most Understated Statement Piece

Hello fellow interweb friends!

At first, I was not a baseball hat person whatsoever, but lately, in the past few months, I have fallen in love with them! I don't know what it is, but I think baseball hats is the most underrated accessorizing piece. For some reason, baseball hats are just something you can wear with almost everything, make yourself feel comfortable, and it is cute!

With spring and summer coming around the corner, there will be a whole lot of sunshine, and we are going to need some sun protection, besides the funky smelling sunscreen. Baseball hats are definitely a good form of sun protection and it also shades your eyes too, so it is definitely a very practical, win-win piece of clothing. Not only is it good for protecting yourself against the sun, it is also good for protecting yourself from judging eyes on those days where you didn't feel like putting your face on or may not be feeling your best. 

With baseball hats, it comes in all kinds of colors, so you can pretty much have something for every outfit, but I think the best ones are navy colored hats. Navy goes with everything, from neutral to bright colored outfits, and it is definitely a classic piece to have. If it wasn't a classic piece, then I'm sure Ralph Lauren wouldn't be coming out with a new navy hat each season with just a different color embroidery on it! Besides, what guy wouldn't think a girl in a baseball hat is awesome! It means she can stay class but still get down and dirty with the boys when spring break is here!

Until next time,
Uyen

Battle of the Lip Balms: Malin+Goetz vs. Kiehl's

Hello fellow interweb friends!

As you all may already know, I am quite the lip product freak, especially when it comes to lip balm. If you don't remember, you can check out my previous posts about what I keep in my bag and you will understand the plethora of lip products that I carry around on a daily basis. Anyways, I thought I'd share with you something new that I've tried recently and that is the Kiehl's #1 Lip Balm in Vanilla and the Malin & Goetz Mojito Lip Balm. Both of these have the same consistency and texture, same kind of packaging, and are priced around the same range, making them very comparable, in my opinion. 

The Kiehl's #1 Lip Balm is usually around $9 and the Malin & Goetz one is around $12. They are definitely along the more luxurious of the lip balms since they are over $4, but their results are definitely worth the price tag. Between two though, I do think the formulation and consistency of the Malin & Goetz one is better. Both have that oil, jelly consistency, but the Malin & Goetz one definitely feels a lot smoother and less oily on the lips. When I apply the Kiehl's one, I feel like I have oil dripping from my lips, and that is definitely not cute and does not feel fun either. The only bad thing is that the Malin & Goetz one is not as available as the Kiehl's lip balm, but that's only because Malin & Goetz is mainly east coast based. It is definitely worth ordering online if you really want to try it. 

Now you're probably wondering why you should even spend more than $4 on a lip balm. Trust me, the same question's been through my head and my answer was, I don't feel like I constantly have to reapply! Even though it is more expensive, these lip balms do last longer. Sometimes, with the cheaper lip balms, I notice that it constantly makes me feel like I need to reapply because of that drying feeling it gives once it settles. These ones, yes they are double or even triple the price, but I don't feel like I'm wasting product whenever I put some on my lips!

I was lucky enough to get the Malin & Goetz one free in my Ipsy bag last month, but I am definitely open to ordering another tube for future use once I do run out. 

Until next time,

Uyen

Q&A a Day #2: Lesson Learned

Hello fellow interweb friends!

For this Q&A-a-Day post, being that it's right after Tet/Lunar's New Year/Chinese New Year (whatever you may call it), I wanted to share something that is a bit more self-reflecting. It will be a combination of two questions since I did miss a question last week. 

The first question is: 

"What makes 'you' you?"

My response to that, word for word, is my out-going and very trusting personality, with a touch of vibrant language and clothing choices. Of course I had to add the last bit in there because if you can't tell, I love anything vibrant and alive. As for the first part, with a bit more seriousness, I do believe I have a very trusting personality, too trusting to a fault. My policy for myself is that everyone deserves to be trusted, unless proven otherwise. No one should be questioned by their first impression since it is just not fair to them.

With that said, it brings me to the next question,

"On a scale of one to ten, how sad are you? Why?"

To this, I responded I'm about a 6.5, with 10 being the saddest that I can be. It has been a while since I've felt so betrayed and taken advantage of. Based on the last question, I gave my trust to a friend, who ended up taken advantage of that and ultimately really hurt my feelings. I won't say that it's just this person's fault since it is also partially mine for not question them one bit. However, it makes me sad that someone I trust can just pull the rug right under me like that. With that said, I definitely have a tougher guard against people now, which, to me, is unfortunate because I believe we should give people the benefit of the doubt and give them some trust.

Moral of the story is, I have learned my lesson and know that I will definitely not trust people as easily as I used to. That may be hard for me to get used to since I can be way too optimistic and may not be able to keep  my trust-o-meter in check. Hopefully, my trust won't be taken advantage of again and maybe my trust in humanity may be proven right again one day, but for now, I can honestly say I will be a bit more hesitant when it comes to giving out my trust, even if the person may seem like the most up-right person I'll ever meet.

Until next time,

Uyen

There Are No Rules!

Hello fellow interweb friends!

I don't know about you, but I think there are so many rules and policies when it comes to what we can and cannot wear, whether it be color combinations or certain colors at certain times of year. That, to me, is a bunch of donkey poo! I'm a huge advocate of wearing colors, for whatever time of year and in as many combinations as you want! 

True, there are certain occasions that are a little bit more restricted like a job interview where you want to look professional or any formal events where there's a prescribe set of attire, but it does not mean you can't add your personal touch to the outfit. It is important to maintain your touch of style, whether it be a statement necklace or a bright colored piece of clothing. For me, I'm always dressed very colorfully, sometimes to the point where my friends question what goes through my mind when I look at my closet, but to me, that's ok since it is my personal sense of style. My closet isn't filled with extravagant and intricate pieces, it is a lot of simple but colorful ones, so when I pair some of the things together, I don't think it looks totally and completely blinding, and that is why I love dressing the way I do. Even when I go to interviews, I may be dressed in neutral colors, but I'm not scared to wear a colorful bag or a statement necklace, just so I don't look so bland! There are so many restrictions when it comes to dressing professionally and for formal events that it makes it slightly boring to get all dressed up! 

Kate Spade

Another very confusing rule that I can never understand is the idea that we can't wear white after Labor Day...?!?!? I never understood why or how or where that rule came from, but I think it is slightly ridiculous, especially since Labor Day is still close enough in the summer when it is still hot out and white is a perfect color to wear to repel heat. I'm not sure if it is a certain shade of white or what, but still, I know for myself, I still wear white after Labor Day and it's not like I'm committing some sort of misdemeanor! It may be a bit extreme to say we can't wear a specific color after a certain holiday, especially if it's white since a lot of colors are white! That's like saying kids can't wear their white colored polo uniform shirts to school. 

For me, I believe you should wear whatever is fitting of your style and the occasion and don't be too restricted by all these rules and regulations set up by those fashion magazines or TV shows because frankly, it's your closet, so have fun and go to town with your clothes! The only thing I have to say though is like what I said in my post about accessorizing, just don't overdo it to the point where it looks like your closet vomited on you because at that point, it just looks like you're a hot mess and it ain't cute!

That's all for now and until next time,

Uyen

Monogram Mania

Hello fellow interweb friends!

How are ya'll doing on this beautiful Monday?! I am definitely procrastinating and writing this instead of reading my book for class, but it is ok! I think it is very important to get this post done today since it is Monogram Monday! If you can't tell, I have quite the obsession with monograms. If it was up to me, I'd probably monogram everything in my sight just because I think it makes everything look that much better, giving it a little bit of sass and class. 

For me, monograms are almost like pearls. They are just a classic piece in your jewelry box that can class up any outfit but can still be worn casually. Here are just a few that I have and that I am totally and completely utterly in love with!

These two are off of Etsy from Vitabravo1's shop. I got an amazing deal on these two!

 These two monograms are perfect for everyday use, class up an outfit or casual it a little bit. The tortoise shell color with the gold chain makes it very versatile since you can use it with a dress or just jeans and a t-shirt. The bubble gum pink one is definitely a lot more casual than the other one, but it is super cute and sassy for those summer spring days that are coming up. Unless you are like me and living in Souther California where winter is just pretty much summer, the pink one can be used at any time! 

The bag is from Marley Lilly, unfortunately, it is no longer available on the site, but there are still a lot of other things that you can get on there!

Monogram from Baublebar, 16' chain, large pendant in gold. 

 This monogram, unlike the two that I got from Etsy is a lot better in quality, however, it is also a lot more expensive. I got it off of Baublebar, a jewelry shop based in New York that does an amazing job with all their pieces! They have a variety of jewelry designs that are very high in quality, great price range (especially if you get stuff from the Buried Bauble every Mondays and Fridays). The best part about this jewelry shop is that their pieces are very J.Crew inspired, giving it a classic look. The gold monogram that I got is definitely a little bit more formal than the acrylic ones, but I use it both for casual and business attire! In this photo, I paired it with my white Maison Jules pearl-collared button up top just to make sure I look poised, prepared, profession, but still keeping my style. 

Sorry I don't remember the exact Etsy shop that I got the hat from, but I know for sure it is from Etsy!

Now, the last piece that I will share with you is this awesome baseball hat that I got monogrammed! This is my go-to hat when I'm having a lazy day and don't want to fuss with my hair or make-up. I just put this little thing on and go on with my day, without a care in the world!

So pretty much, if ya'll can't tell by now, I love me some monogrammed stuff! It is personal and sassy and just wonderful and I believe everyone should have something monogrammed. It is super versatile and always a classic, well unless when you get married, then you'll have to update your monogram, but there's nothing wrong with that! 

That's all for now, but until next time,

Uyen

Grease Free is the Way to Be

Hello interweb friends!

Let's put it out there, I have super oily skin, so when I'm not careful, my face can turn into a huge grease ball and that ain't cute!

I think I have found a way to keep my face from looking like someone took oil and rubbed it all over. It may be a bit extreme, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, right? So to prevent my face from running around, I use primers, not one, but two as well as setting sprays and a setting powder. Now, you probably think that sounds like so much crap on my face, but it really isn't because I use very small amounts of it and I also don't use foundation, so there is actually not much going on my face. 

As crazy as it sounds, after I put on my moisturizer, I put on two layers of primers. The first one is Stila Stay-All-Day-Prime-Anti-Shine-Balm. The formula is a gel-like texture and can be used with or without make-up. You can use it as a primer as well as a setting gel to keep your face from getting greasy. For me, I like to use it as the first layer of primer before I apply my face make up. As for my lazy days, I like putting this on my face just to keep it from looking oily because my face gets crazy oils at times, and honestly, it ain't cute looking all shiny and stuff, make-up or no make-up. This product is super compact and perfect to carry around in your bag to do touch-ups whenever you need. It comes on clear, so you don't have to worry about looking like a cake face. 

After the Stila layer, I will put a lit bit of the Benefit's POREfessional just around my nose and t-zone since those are my trouble areas when it comes to grease. Not only does it help with keeping oils at bay, it also helps minimize pores and make my skin a little bit smoother, and since for me, my pores are more noticeable around those areas, I dab a little bit of this on just to make sure I look decent. Now, I only use this when I do a full-faced make up, and usually that means a little bit of concealer and set it with my Bare Minerals loose-powder matte foundation. This primer does have a little bit of tint, so it does help even out your skin tone just a little bit and it smells like melons, so i really like it. My skin must love it too because it hasn't really broken me out or purge my face either. 

And like I mentioned earlier, my make-up routine consists of just covering up my discoloration and what not with a little bit of concealer, so once I've put that one, I seal up my face with the Urban Decay's De-Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray. I quickly give me face a few sprays, let it dry, and that just seals in everything. I just feel extra secure and ready for the day once I've sealed my face with this, call me crazy lady, but I just gotta do it!

I probably sound like a freak now, but we all have that one skin problem that we want to correct to make sure we look presentable! For me, it is my oily skin. This may seem like I'm using a lot of products that can clog up my pores, which can be bad, but since i don't use a lot of it and I don't wear foundation, everything works out just fine. My skin hasn't reacted too badly to all this and I am able to go all day without having to touch up my make-up and no longer need to powder or dab my face to make sure all the grease is gone!

If any of you guys have the same problem and have any products to recommend, please leave it in the comments below! Like I said, I want to keep all oils at bay, so I love trying new things to fix that very problem.

Until next time,
Uyen

Prioritize When You Accessorize!

Hello fellow interweb friends!

Like all y'all, I love me loads and loads of sparkly and pretty things, and especially for myself, the bigger the better! All that just sounded so convoluted, but I'm really just talking about jewelry and accessories. 

Lately, statement necklaces and jewelry pieces have been my obsession, and knowing me, I love everything to be over the top, big chunky pieces with very distinctive, vibrant colors. However, as much as I want to wear all my jewelry pieces, I think there should definitely be a limit to how much we throw on. As we want to believe more is more, when it comes to statement jewelry, more is not more! To me, the bigger the piece, the chunkier the piece, the more muted other parts of your outfit should be, and that's why I think we should prioritize when we accessorize!

Whenever we pick out an outfit, we want to show off specific pieces, and sometimes, we use our jewelry to accent those pieces. However, when you combine way too many pieces, then it just takes away from the specific piece of clothing or accessory that you want to bring attention to! Not only that, the more you put on, the gaudier you'll look, and that just ain't cute!

Dress: Maison Jules, Necklace: Christmas gift, Watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Purse: BP Nordstrom 

For me, I love big chunky extravagant pieces like this necklace. However, I want the focus to be on the necklace, therefore, I paired it with a more muted outfit like a faded chambray dress. It definitely keeps the focus on the necklace, but I still get to look cute and put-together with the entire outfit. 

Shirt & Pants: Maison Jules, Necklace: Baublebar, Belt &  Bracelet: J.Crew, Watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Earrings: Forever 21, Shoes: Jessica Simpson 

As for this outfit, I was going to an interview but didn't want the professionalism take away from my sense of style, therefore, I decided to wear this white shirt with pearl detailing on the collar. My focus of this outfit was the shirt's collar since it can be considered an accessory to the outfit as well, so I decided to just pair it with my monogram necklace and very small pave/leather bracelet on my hand along with a simpler leather watch. I tied the whole outfit together with a gold braided belt. There is definitely a lot of gold detail in this outfit, however, it is not a gold overload, I don't feel like a leprechaun because kept it balanced and kept my focus on the shirt. 

In both of these outfits, I had a focus piece that I wanted to bring out. For the first one, I wanted to focus on the extravagantly wonderful necklace and for the second outfit, I wanted to show the details of my shirt. The second definitely had a lot more jewelry and decorating pieces than the first, but it doesn't feel like a gaudy overload, which I think is important. When there is just too much going on, not only will you get tired from wearing all the big pieces for long periods of time, it really hurts other people's eyes too!

So pretty much, whenever I get dressed, in my mind, I pick out a piece of jewelry or clothing item that I want to focus on and then I accessorize or dress around that. I like keeping things simple in what I wear but with a little kick. I'm definitely not afraid to wear big, chunky, gaudy accessories, but I prioritize the pieces I want to wear so that I don't look like some kind of horrifying closet vomited all over me and threw everything ridiculous together.

Now, if you, like myself, enjoy big chunky jewelry pieces that can knock people off their feet, you definitely should check out Baublebar! I'm totally in love and cannot get enough of their stuff! Maybe I'll share with you a little jewelry collection with you guys soon!

Hope you enjoyed!

Until next time,

Uyen

Q&A a Day #1

Hello fellow interweb friends!

One of my favorite presents I received this past Christmas is a gift card to Barnes & Noble. As much as I hate reading at times, since most of the things I have to read are textbooks and school related stuff, I still enjoy a nice trip to the bookstore and browse about to pick out something for myself. Besides actual reading books that I will share with you on another day, I got myself a few journals, not like diary journals but more like a self-exploratory-discovery kind of thing. The first one is just a regular, ruled journal and the other one is the Q&A a Day that has 365 questions for the next five years. 

When I saw the Q&A a Day journal, I was quite intrigued. It was in the self-development section and there were a ton of different kinds, from dieting to appreciation journals, but I chose this one because I felt like it was more all-inclusive of everything that can happen in life. There are both serious and fun questions in here that helps me reflect what's happened in the day and about myself. The cool part is that I will be answering a question a day for the next five years, which will be interesting. I cannot wait to go look at my answers from this year once next year hits and so on and so forth. It will definitely be a growing experience for myself because a lot can happen in  a year, not to mention there will also be something different each day. 

So with this journal, I thought I'd pick out my most favorite question from the week and share it with you guys. For this week, my favorite question was from 3 days ago on January 7. The question is:

You are lucky; how so or not so?

To that, my response was I am very lucky to have an amazingly supportive group of people in my life, from my family to my friends, both those who I've recently gotten close to all the way to those I've known for years. 

Last year in 2013, I had to face some things that weren't all that great and it showed me who will always be consistent in my life versus those who are not. It sucks that sometimes we let things slide and not appreciate those we have around us as much as we should, but with this question, it has helped me realize that though I may not have a lot of people in my life, I have a small group of people that I know I can always rely on. As crazy as it sounds, in a way, my blog is one of those consistent people because you guys are always here to read my posts and let me express how I feel, and to that I am super grateful. Whether you are someone who I interact with on a daily basis or not, it is always nice to know that you are there to share my experiences with.

We can go through this journal together and reflect on it in the near future. I'd love to hear your responses to the questions as well just as a way to get to know you guys better. 

Until next time,

Uyen

New Year, New Adventures

Hello fellow interweb friends!

With today being the first day of 2014, I just wanted ring in the new year with a positive note and a cute little message for you guys. 

For me, 2013 seemed to be like the year with many obstacles and challenges that I think I have somewhat successfully overcome. I may not be a completely different person than who I was last year but for sure a more improved version of myself. I believe that 2013 has helped build my character, preparing me for what's to come this year. 

For a while, I just thought this blog was just going to be my distraction from all the bad things going on in my life, a place where I share random tidbits with you guys, however, the past few weeks, though I was not active on the blog, I have come to realize that I do very much enjoy this blogging experience and want it to become more of a permanent thing. Because I used my blog as more of a coping mechanism/distraction last year, I only did it whenever it was convenient for me, but that is not fair to those of you who do come and read my posts. With the new year starting, I want to restart on this blog, a clean slate! 

Hope you guys will still stick around to support me!

Thank you,

Uyen

Musical Monday?!?!?

Hello fellow interweb friends!

It has definitely been a while since I've posted something on here and I am so sorry! I promise I still love my little bloggy baby but just haven't had a lot of time. So I thought maybe I can post a song that I've been slightly obsessed with on here for you guys since it's been a while.

Compass - Lady Antebellum

If you guys don't already know, I enjoy country music, quite a bit and this song has definitely been one of my favorites. Whenever it comes on, I always start to sing at the top of my lungs, even though I can't sing even if my life depended on it!

Hope you enjoy,

Until next time...hopefully, not too long!

Uyen

High End Quality Hair Mask Minus the Cost

Hello fellow interweb friends!

With the holiday season around the corner, or just life in general, I'm sure we do a lot of things that are harmful towards our hair and stripping all the nutrients necessary to keep it healthy. Unfortunately, sometimes we don't think of using things like coconut oil for our hair but would rather turn to other serums and things that can cost a fortune just to give a little bit of life back into our hair. As great as macadamia oils and moroccan oils and argan oils are for our hair, the cost to get one of those bottles, at its finest form to give the most benefits to our hair, is just ridiculous because no one needs to spend $30-$50 on a bottle of diluted stuff! Instead, we should all be checking out coconut oil that can go for anything from $4-$10 a tub that can last us just as long as any of those expensive stuff. 

So why coconut oil?

The oil, when put into the hair before you shower, actually penetrates the moisture deeper into your hair shaft and when you wash it, the vitamins will still be in the hair, unlike conventional conditioners that would just wash away with the shampoo. Coconut oil works both for dry and oily hair, so that means everyone can use it, just at different amounts. For me, my hair is thin and slightly oily, so I will use about a dime-sized amount from the tip of my hair to around my ears, and it'll be enough. I use it about 2-3 times a week, depending on how lazy I am as well as how bad I treated my hair in other days of the week.

Coconut oil has been a hair treatment for hundreds of years, so this isn't anything new. The only reason I'm bringing it up now is because I don't think anyone should be paying a fortune just to get nice hair when you can get the same effect for about a tenth of the price! When buying coconut oil, just make sure you are buying the extra virgin because that will give you the purest form of the oil and you'll be able to reap all the benefits of it. 

Here, I'm only talking about coconut oil as a hair mask/deep conditioner, but it can be used for your skin as well, facial cleanser, and of course cooking. If you want to check out more, I'll link this Huffington Post article for you to check out!

Until next time,

Uyen

DIY: Stimulate Your Skin and Senses

Hello fellow interweb friends!

If you remember, about a month, maybe a little less, I shared with you the uses of toners on your face. Well, now, I thought I'd share with you how to make your own toner/facial spray so you can save money as well as use less chemicals on your face!

So, what I did to make my own tea tree oil with rosewater toner spray is I took 10 cap-full to a third of the oil and half of the rosewater bottle. In other words, one bottle or rosewater will give you two bottles of the DIY toner spray. I only used 10 caps of the oil because I didn't want the tea tree oil to be too concentrated, which can cause my skin to dry out. Also, if I really wanted to concentrate the oil onto my skin, I would just use a cotton swab to dab some of the oil directly onto areas on my face that I think needs extra oil attention. 

What are the benefits of tea tree oil you may ask? 

1. it kills bacteria (i.e. helps fight acne)

2. help get rid of dead skin cells 

3. an anti-fungal to help treat eczema, infections, etc.

4. treating dandruff

What are the benefits of rosewater?

1. hydrate skin without leaving it oily

2. high in vitamins A, B3, C, D, E, which can help improve overall skin health

3. resolve skin inflammation and irritation 

4. maintain skin's natural pH to help treat eczema

Now that you know some of the benefits of tea tree oil and rosewater, imagine the synergetic effects that can happen when you combine the two together? For me, I've seen an improvement in my skin and I've been using it for about a month now. I spray it in the morning, after I shower, or just anytime I feel like I want a little spritz to wake my senses as well as my skin up. That's another benefit of this little concoction. Both of these ingredients are great for aromatherapy as well, so when you want to calm your nerves or invigorate your senses, just a few sprays will make you feel like you just walked out of the spa and ready to take on the day!

Until next time,

Uyen

Caudalie Beauty Elixir: Ridiculously Magical

Hello fellow interweb friends!

It has definitely been a long time since I've posted something for you guys and I apologize! I feel like from now until December, I won't be able to post as much as I used to just because of my school scheduling and workload and what not. In other words, I won't be able to post as much of the fun and random stuff, but I will for sure pop in every once in a while to share something cool with you guys!

Lately, ever since I started school, I have been super stressed out to the max and it definitely showed up on my skin because I started breaking out like nobody's business! Literally, I think my skin went on a purge and zits were just popping up all over the place. Anyways, so to deal with that, I washed my face and exfoliated more than I usually did just to get all the dirty and dead stuff out of my skin. However, the one major thing that I've changed is I sprayed my face with Caudalie's Beauty Elixir as a toner afterwards everyday for the past two weeks and definitely saw an improvement in my skin. 

Ingredients: Water, Alcohol Denat, Glycerin, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Rosemary leaf Oil, Potassium Alum, Bitter Orange Flower Water, Orange Flower Oil, Peppermint Oil, Commiphora Myrrha Extract, Styrax Benzoin Resin Extract, Balm Mint Leaf Oil, Grape Fruit Extract, Citral, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonen, Linalool

So why use a toner? And why this one?

Well, first off, I'd like to emphasize the importance of using a toner after we wash our face. Toner is important to neutralize your skin's pH and bring it back to equilibrium after we wash our face, which means we've demolished the top layer of our skin, especially when we exfoliate. When we wash our face, we clean the upper most layer. The point of using a toner after is to bring the cleansing components deeper into our skin. And if you're like me and you also use a moisturizer after, toners actually act as a helping agent to bring the moisturizer deep into your skin. Just imagine, when you put on lotions or hand creams, after you wash it, the moisture goes away, but if you were to put a toner on it first, the moisture will remain even after washing it. 

Now, why this specific one? Well, the main reason why I am ridiculously in love with this is because of the smell! Yes, I know that doesn't sound super professional, but for some reason, this little thing smells like the spa and just totally relaxes me on top of its skin-healing ingredients. As you can see on the ingredients list I posted under the picture, this elixir is really just made up of a lot of natural oils, from fruits to plants. Now, glycerine is one of the main ingredients and its purpose is to bring moisture into the skin. As for the rose oils, that helps clarify the pores. The mint oils are used as an aromatherapy ingredient to help calm your senses as well as your skin. When sprayed on, you feel a cooling feeling and a tingly sensation on your skin. I am totally in love with the feeling and scent that the elixir gives off. I can honestly say that my skin condition and acne scarring has improved within the past two weeks that I've started to use the elixir religiously again. 

I really think this can be used for all skin tones, minus the sensitive one because of all the natural ingredients. I'm not saying you cannot experience the magical effects of it, but maybe you can try using it every once in a while. It won't do much harm to your skin since the ingredients are all natural oils that our skin can adapt to. 

So pretty much, I've been spoiling my skin and my senses with this. It is a perfect spray to use before bed to calm yourself as well as treat your skin. The elixir comes in 2 sizes, the small travel sized one goes for $18 and the large one goes for $49. I've been using the travel sized one just because that's the one that I've had since I went to Vietnam, so obviously it lasts you for quite some time. I will definitely be purchasing the large one soon because I think skin care is a long-term investment and it's always better to have long-lasting healthy skin since I'm super lazy when it comes to make-up.

What kinds of toners do you use? And what are your thoughts on tea tree oil and rose water because that's the next thing that I'll be posting about soon!

Until next time,

Uyen

UPDATED: Manic Madness Management

Hello fellow interweb friends!

With the school year finally starting and what not, I know we're getting tempted to put things off, especially school-related things, so we can try to hang on to whatever is left of summer. Unfortunately, that's a really bad idea, unless you have an organized way to procrastinate. As weird as that sounds, being organized is actually helpful when you want to procrastinate. How does that make sense, I have no idea, but here's a little video that can go more into detail about it!

Hope you guys enjoy! What are some of your organizational tips?!?! Please leave it as a comment down below and follow & subscribe for more!

Until next time,

Uyen

Foodie Tues-dee On a Wednesday?!?! Sure!

Hello fellow interweb friends!

Now, I know I haven't posted one of these in a long time, but that's just because I haven't gone out to eat that much and if I did, it wasn't great enough for me to share. But then again, maybe I should share things I don't like as well...I don't know! Thoughts, comments, leave them down below and help a girl out, please and thank you!

Anyways, for this one, I wanted to share with you my thoughts on Starbucks' Bistro Boxes/Sandwiches/Salads. Now, I know the prices for these things are ridiculous, but when you're an avid Starbucks-goer like myself, then most of the time, they wouldn't cost a thing because you'd just use your free item to redeem it. Anyways, I love their chicken caesar salad as well as the roasted tomato and mozzarella panini. Both of these have one thing in common that just makes them extremely delicious and that is: roasted tomatoes!!! Good lord, I love me some roasted tomatoes because they just smell amazing and tastes delicious!

Now, does that not look delicious or what?!?!? So this is the panini and I just had it last night before my horrible 3 hour long night class. The sandwich was toasted to perfection because it had just the right amount of crispiness to it and everything blended so well together in the sandwich. The taste, texture, and coloration of it just makes me so happy and pleased, so much that I had to share it with you guys!

Gosh, looking at the picture now and see this all over again makes me want to go out and get one right now. If any of you guys are hungry from this, please do go try it out! The best part is all this gloryness and deliciousness is only like 380 calories! Ya, that is not bad at all, especially since you are more than likely to burn more calories than that in a day just by doing everyday activities like breathing and laughing. 

Until next time,

Uyen

Musical Monday #4

Hello fellow interweb friends!

It's been a while since I've done a Musical Monday, but here it is! The song I picked out this week is a pretty sad, but decently good one. As we all know, the song "Wrecking Ball" from Miley Cyrus has decently lyrics and meaning, however, since her video was a little too much, it brought down the value of the song. The video that made her song worse than what is really is is not the only version; after seeing the director's cut version of the song, I have a whole new respect for her. In the director's cut, she is a lot more raw with her emotions, giving the song a little bit more meaning. Here's the director's cut, hope you enjoy!

And here is my most favorite cover of the song. This one is done by Landon Austin, a YouTuber musician that I completely adore. He is talented in terms of performing as well as songwriting. He is currently on tour now and if you guys enjoy this cover, do check out his other songs.

Until next time,

Uyen

Uyen's Weekly Watches #1

Hello fellow interweb friends!

As we already know, this is a new "series" kind of thing on my blog where I talk to you about the shows I've been watching, hoping you've seen it too or also watch the various series! Pretty much, once a week, I will post up a review/reaction/response to various shows that I enjoy during the week for you guys to read, and hopefully, respond back. If we have similar taste in TV then this can be very much fun. Since this is the first post, I will mainly focus on the shows that were on today, Sunday, September 29, and those are: Downtown Abbey, Revenge, and Once Upon a Time. 

Downton Abbey: Season 4 - Episode 2

This is a British show and it takes place during King George V's reign at Downton Abbey, a country house in Yorkshire. The Abbey is owned by the Earl and Countess of Grantham, who are the head of household for the Crawley family. The show pretty much portrays the struggle that the aristocrats go through when the lines between the social hierarchies are being blurred. The three seasons was amazing and introduced us to all the main characters and their background story and relations with each other. A lot happened in the first three seasons, so if you can, definitely look them up and have a look! 

As for today's episode, it was the second episode of the forth season. The main events that happened are: Mary being granted 50% of ownership of Downton, Rose getting involved (kind of, sort of) with a servant from another family, and Thomas Barrow starting drama between a new lady's maid and Anna. Now, the thing that gets my blood boiling is Thomas Barrow not knowing his place and starting issues all over the Abbey. It is not the first time that he's done this, but yet he never learns! The bad part is that the new lady's maid actually believes his intentions are to help her, despite the fact that she's worked there before and knows he can be very conniving! And if I remember correctly, this new lady's maid is actually the same one that seduced Lord Grantham a few seasons back, causing her to leave the Abbey in the first place! Pretty much, Barrow and the new lady's maid is just a storm waiting to erupt because nothing good ever comes out of Barrow's actions. Other than that, nothing huge happens, but I'm excited to see how things go now that Lord Grantham has come to realize that Mary legally has 50% of the estate and he has to slowly get used to the idea of her, being his daughter and a female, run the Abbey, which was always a man's job. 

Revenge: Season 3 - Episode 1

UMMMM...O MY GOSH! THE ENDING...TOTAL CLIFF HANGER...AND I'M DYING OF EXCITEMENT FOR NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE!!!

If you have not seen this series, it is about a girl, Amanda Clarke, who now goes by Emily Thorne tries to seek revenge for her father's death. He was blamed for the falling of a plane that was actually caused by a group in the government called the Initiative and financed by Grayson Global. To get the whole backdrop of the story, you should just go watch the first two seasons.

Anyways, for today's episode, so many things happened and I have so many feelings and reactions to it all that I'm a typing maniac right now! Emily has decided on a date to marry Daniel, but the same day also means the end of the Grayson family's reign over the Hamptons. Throughout the episode, Emily has managed to get rid of Ashley and demolish any chances of Conrad staying in office. However, she was given an ultimatum by her childhood friend/lost-lover, Jack, who told her to get out of the Hamptons by the end of summer or else he will reveal her true ideantity. Today's episode was focused around fear, fear of the unknown, fear of the past, etc. And as fear goes, Emily has a lot to fear for, especially when Aiden has returned with the intentions of working with Victoria to "bring down the girl next door."

Once Upon A Time: Season 3 - Episode 1 
"filet the bitch" - says the Evil Queen to the captured mermaid

As for this series, if you have not seen it before, it is very interesting. The concept of the show is based on fairytale stories, all strewn together to make a very intriguing take on how the stories should progress. I can't tell you everything that's happened, so if you are interested, I'd definitely recommend you watch this, especially if you enjoy fairytale stories like I do.

As for today's episode, Emma and the crew are trying to save Neil and Henry. Unfortunately, Neil is in the Enchanted Forest and Henry is in Neverland where he's being chased down by Peter Pan. Unlike the Peter Pan we read about, in the series, Peter Pan goes after young boys and capture their shadows to keep them hostage forever. Since he never captured Neil's his target will be Henry, Neil's son. So far, Emma and the crew has battled mermaids and are currently weathering a storm brought onto them when they captured one of the mermaids who attacked the ship. Anyways, they were able to calm the store and got onto Neverland. Little did they know, Henry has already been captured by Peter Pan, as for how, you should watch because that part was good! The end of it was Henry being held hostage by Peter Pan and the Lost Boy, fearing for his life. Ah, so much emotions and excitement!

Can't wait for next week's episodes!

Until next time,
Uyen

Thoughts On Balm Stains and Lip Lacquers?!?!

Hello fellow interweb friends!

Now, with the holidays coming and we'll all be out at special events where we want to always look amazing and glammed out, so that means we are going to want to have some amazing lip products! I thought I'd share with you some of my recent finds at the drugstore, mainly Walgreens, so you guys can have an idea of what is out there?!?!

All in all, I would suggest you getting the Rimmel London Show Off and the Jordana Twist and Shine over the Revlon ones just because the pigmentation is better and it is more affordable. With products like these, it can be used as a staple product in your bag for wherever you may go. If anything bad does happen to it, like it melts or you losing it, it won't be as painful since it's dirt cheap! I'm sure, just like me, no one wants to lose their more expensive lipsticks that you've saved up to buy or got as a special present!

Hope you enjoyed!

Until next time,

Uyen

Are You Caught Up?!?!

Hello fellow interweb friends!

If you haven't noticed, I do also have YouTube videos where I kind of do a bunch of random things and say awkward phrases to show you my life and share with you what I do in terms of beauty and just everyday life stuff. Here are a few videos that I've posted recently that I may not have done a blog post for, so enjoy!

Princess Tag Video

Daytime Skin Routine

Please like and subscribe if you like my videos! I will post about one video per week and maybe even start vlogging again, but then I'm mainly at school or work, so nothing too interesting is happening in my life right now. If there are certain videos/topics/stuff that you'd like to see, please leave comments and suggestions both on here and my channel!

Until next time,

Uyen

September Favorites and Blehs

Hello fellow interweb friends!

With September coming to an end, I wanted to share with you what products I've been loving this past month! I must say, September was the month for drugstore products because the majority of my favorites were from the drug store.

What were some of your favorite products this month? It doesn't have to be just make-up. Please do share away, I get super excited whenever I get a notification that I have a comment or response on my blog or YouTube. And if you like what you see, please follow and subscribe for more goodies!

Until next time,

Uyen