Best Eyebrow Maker Ever!

Some people don't realize this but eyebrows literally can make or break your face. When you think about eyebrows, the severity of its importance isn't the first thing that comes to mind because it's there and it always has been. It's hard to value something you can easily take for granted, right? I know tons of people who don't draw in their eyebrows. If you are one of those people, maybe it's time to reconsider.

Personally, I have full eyebrows with a naturally arched shape so I technically don't need to draw them in, but I do anyway because it's fun and it actually does make a difference. Drawing in your eyebrows will help to bring emphasis to your beautiful eyes, making it more dramatic and noticeable. See in the photo below how much of a difference it makes?

To create these brows, I've been using this new Dong Gong Minn Brow Maker that I found while perusing the shelves at Sephora with a friend one day. My friend is absolutely addicted to eyebrow pencils and products so of course she picked one up for herself as well. We both loved it so I wasted no time to talk about it here.

The shape of the stencil is the best part about this product. The tip is pointy like a liner so it's easier to define your shape and the end is shaped like a mascara stick to help you easily comb through your shape while distributing color throughout the rest of your brow. The whole tip is also slightly bent to help you apply your strokes on a perfect angle so it practically does half the work for you!

The best part about this eyebrow maker is that it comes in different shades from dark brown to blonde so almost every girl can try it! I hope you seriously consider my recommendation because I know you'll love it too! If you do get a chance to try it, leave some comments below and let me know what you think.

-Cheers!

Confessions of a Victim of Adult Acne

My phone has an automatic filter for selfies, but my skin was virtually clear in here!

Growing up, I never had acne problems. I mean, sure, there were definitely cases of the occasional Mount Everest with the peaking red tip and oozing white puss, but never consistent everyday acne problems that most teens suffer in high school. My friends would always comment on my clear complexion and when asked what my secret was, I said that I washed my face with the nearest hand soap and moisturized using anything within arm's reach that was labeled "lotion" or "cream". All in all, I didn't care that much about my skin probably because I didn't have to. I was blessed, past tense, WAS.

It wasn't until I turned the age of 27 and moved to New York City that I started getting a very serious, stage one, adult acne. OK fine, that's not actually a thing but it certainly felt like it! For the first few months, I was freaking out like it was the end of the world because I had no idea what it was or how to deal with it. I remember waking up every morning and looking into the mirror feeling sad and horrified about my own face. My friends and family would see me and long gone were the compliments about my good complexion. Instead, they were asking me, "What happened?" as if I knew the answer to my rapidly growing skin condition.

A few months flew by and I started to come to terms with my acne. I realized that it wasn't going to go away on it's own and I need to do something about it ASAP if I ever had any wish for my skin to be normal again. I started to do tons of research on what causes acne and what you can do to help prevent it from happening. It turns out there's a lot of things that can contribute to bad skin. It could be diet, hormones, weather condition, the city's water, lack of moisture, pollution etc. I also consulted very popular sought-after blogs, from beauty guru's like Michelle Phan and Sun Hye Mi, in search for effective products that won't rob me at the register. Here's what I found and my honest reviews so far on this seemingly long journey to great skin:

Here's a pic of some of what I used that night!

1. Wash your face at night and in the morning. At night I start removing my makeup using coconut oil on a cotton pad. Sure, it gets greasy, but it's very effective (especially with my waterproof eye makeup), it's moisturizing, and it's all natural! Afterwards, I use a D'or24K Milk Cleanser to wash away leftover residue and the oil. After gently rubbing that into my skin, I usually jump in the shower to clean off the rest of my body, but that part is totally up to you.

2. After patting my face dry (pat, don't rub!), I use this Skin Food Black Sugar Mask. I absolutely love this mask. It smells great and it makes my skin feel tighter and my pores look smaller! If you are looking for an exfoliating mask, definitely try this one.

3. Follow up with a toner! I'm currently using two different toners depending on how I feel that day. The first one is the D'or24K Toner. It's expensive but I feel like it does nothing for my skin. I actually bought this set with the cleanser mentioned above. The cleanser is good but this toner... not so much. I'm only using it to get through the bottle and not be wasteful. The other toner that I do actually love is the Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner. This thing is great! It cleanses your skin for pH balance, reduces pore size, tones, tightens and so much more. The best part is that it's only about $12 which is a steal in comparison to the other toner I use.

4. Next I use the Missha Essence Spray Time Revolution. I'm not sure exactly what difference this makes yet, but apparently, according to beauty guru's, the essence spray or liquid is very essential to your skin care regime. Since I'm only a beauty grasshopper, I've headed their advice and incorporated it into my daily routine as well. So far it's been serving me well!

5. After I'm done tapping the essence into my skin, I apply a nice moisturizer on top. It's important to remember that you need a DAY and NIGHT cream. The day cream will usually have SPF and the night cream will usually have components that work harder to restore your skin while you are sleeping. There are two different creams that I use and love. The first one is the KNU Anit-aging Day Cream which I sometimes use for both day and night. It doesn't have SPF so I usually add a SPF layer before applying if I'm using this in the morning. I love this cream because it smells great and leaves my skin feeling tighter and looking more clear. The other creams I use are the D'or24K Day and Night Cream. No, I did not pay $500 for this. I actually caught a deal on Nordstrom Rack and ended up only paying less then half the price. Although it's pricier then the KNU cream, I think it's less effective. In general, it's great for moisture, but other then that, it doesn't make me skin feel different. This line is living proof that not everything expensive is better for you!

6. On days when I'm feeling very spa'esque (usually once or twice a week), I'll use masks for my eyes and face. Of all the masks I've tried, the one that leaves my skin feeling most dramatically different after one use is the SK-II Mask. It's a little pricey but it really works. I personally don't buy this mask because my rent won't allow me to, but it's great for those who aren't constricted by their lifestyle. Masks that I do buy include Etude House Face Masks and the Collagen Eye Patches. If you're new to masks, I would try the Etude line first and then work my way up to the more advanced masks with more age-defying properties.

7. Finally, one last thing that I sometimes (usually three times a week) use before going to bed is the Lioele Waterdrop Sleeping Pack. I first read about this on PeachandLily.com and wanted to try it out since it does this cool thing where water drops form on your skin after you apply. Apparently it's supposed to lock in moisture and leave your skin feeling soft by morning time but I haven't noticed too much of a difference since using it. I guess I use it because it's more fun then anything to watch the water magically appear on your skin without using water. It's pretty cool!

There you have it! My new skin care regime. It sounds like a lot but it's so worth it. So far in the past month, I've noticed a reduction in red spots and sebum (pimples) and my pores have significantly reduced in size and number! My skin feels and looks more energized and moisturized as well. Although I'm pretty happy with most of my products so far, I'll definitely continue to try out new products to tell you all about it. I know that struggling with skin is a really stressful ordeal for many adults so I'm hoping this helps other readers out there to cope with their skin and find the right products that will work. Remember that great skin is choice and it depends on you.

-Cheers!

Let's Talk Friends With Benefits

(Photo courtesy of intimacy-project.org)

Every once in a while I hear someone tell me about her "friends with benefits" situation and I always think, "Why? Why would you do that to yourself?"

Now I'm not a prune when it comes to sex. In fact, I think every one should have sex. Lots of it! The more, the merrier. One sex a day keeps the doctors away. Well, except for the one doctor, but you get the point! Have sex! It's good for you if nothing else is.

At first, it's like really good. You get pounded, it's exciting, it's new, you get the horny out of your system, and everything is great. That is until you wake up one day and you either 1. grow an attachment for the other person who has no attachment for you or 2. you finally come to your senses and you realize that you have been sharing something, which is supposed to be very beautiful, in the most undeserving way... yes, I can get soppy sometimes, but it's the truth. Sex without meaning or feelings may as well be as pointless as throwing a hot dog down a hallway.

Don't believe me? Go watch that movie with Justin Timberlake and the hottie from that 70's show... EXACTLY!

My advice for anyone out there who might be looking for friends with benefits? Don't do it! If you really must have sex with someone, get a meaningful one-night-stand. If that's not enough, turn on some porn and start masterbating. BOOM! Problem solved.

-Cheers and good night everyone

Is There a Right Way to Approach Someone You Like?

On my way to work this morning, a Russian man on the subway introduced himself to me and started to spark a conversation. I was a little thrown off as it had been a while since someone tried to "hit on" me, for a lack of better words. After the first few seconds of not knowing what to say, he went straight to the point and asked, "Is it possible if we could exchange numbers?" to which I responded, "No, I'm sorry."

I walked away feeling really bad for a moment. After all, he riled up the courage to approach a woman he found attractive and then he was immediately shot down even before he spoke two sentences. As I let that waive of guilt wash over me, a new feeling started to creep inside. It was the feeling of being pleasantly surprised that someone found me attractive. Is there one word for that? I'm not sure but as soon as that feeling touched home, it quickly dissipated just as fast as it came. Immediately, my mind rushed to conclusions as I thought, maybe he tried to hit on me because he is a perv and I look like an easy target with blonde hair! Or maybe, he just has bad taste...

This stream of ever changing emotions made me realize how hard it is for men these days to actually approach a girl without her getting annoyed or thinking, as in my case, he was an easy-target-picking perv. What is the difference between a non-perv who asks you out and a perv who asks you out? It's a really thin line between both since a man is not likely to hit on a woman if he didn't find her attractive enough to have sex to begin with.

The way I see it is that the reason why a man even approaches a woman is because he initially finds her attractive and subconsciously could see a potentially sexual relationship. But how does said man approach a woman, whom he could potentially want to have sex with, without being accused of of being a perv or wanting to have sex? If you are a female reader, how would you like to be approached? If you are a male reader, how do you prefer to approach woman? Is there a right and wrong way? I'd like to know, so if you have a minute, drop a comment below!

-Cheers!

4 Valentine's Day Ideas for the Broke but Beautiful

Quick! It's Valentine's Day. Did you get your significant other anything yet? If you're broke but beautiful and you need ideas, here are four good ones just under $10 or even FREE!

1. Cook a meal - It doesn't have to be spectacular or expensive. In fact, it could be made from anything that you already have in the fridge as long as you remember to set a romantic table complete with utensils wrapped in folded napkins and candles.

2. At-home Spa Certificates - Get some colorful paper and make spa coupons for your lover from yours truly. Light some candles and make sure to buy a soothing massage oil to complete your spa experience.

3. Cupcakes - Make a batch of cupcakes and use them to write a loving message for your lover. They probably won't be as pretty as the ones on Pinterest, but at least your lover will know you put a lot of effort into it.

4. Homemade Card - Rummage around your house for anything crafty like magazines, stickers, and old jewelry you'll never use again. Then use what you have and put together a card. If you're feeling extra creative, try your hand at 3-D or pop-up cards.

I hope these ideas are helpful for you guys and if you have some good suggestions, don't forget to slip them in the comment box! Happy Valentine's Day and I hope you all enjoy the beautiful photos from photographer, Carolyn Luu. We went out of our box this time and did something a little sexier for today :)

-Cheers!

Where Do You Find Your Inspiration?

Inspiration comes in many different forms. For some it's in the ambiance, for others its in people, but me... it's all about the details. 

For a long time I didn't have the inspiration to write. I guess I've been so busy moving and starting my new job in NYC that I didn't have the time to look at the little details in my bigger picture. Each time I looked for inspiration, my mind was blurred with the things directly in front of me and the tasks directly ahead of me. 

As days passed on to weeks, and weeks passed on to months, I had started to think I lost all inspiration. Finally, my friend and photographer asked me if I wanted to do a fashion photo shoot. We had talked about it for a very long time, but we both just had little to no time to really work on anything. However, today was a different day.

First, I slipped into sheer black silk tights, layered with thickly knit thigh highs. The reaction to these two items alone was instantaneous. Immediately, I felt sexy, cool and fashionable. The rest of my outfit came like a breeze––a high-waisted leather skater skirt, a long sleeve cropped top low v-neck shirt, my favorite fur vest, a gold watch, lace-up leather boots, topped with fingerless leather gloves. I know, a lot of details, right? That's exactly what gave me inspiration for today's blog. 

Check out these detailed photos taken by Carolyn Luu :) and then tell me what inspires you! I'd love to know what drives the mind of all readers out there.

-Cheers!

The Best Type of Revenge...

Glitter!

Image credit: http://shipyourenemiesglitter.com/

You'd never think about it, but once the idea is proposed, there's nothing more clever!

A friend of mine posted this on on her Facebook today and I admit, I'm kind of upset I didn't think of this myself sooner. Check it out HERE.

The website and wording is hilarious so if you do have the chance, please do yourself a favor and read it. Seriously though, would you send someone glitter? Let me know what you think.

-Cheers!