Lady in Red (Stripes)

The thing that I love about wrap dresses is how they allow you to expand or tighten the fit of the dress to your own liking. I did have to safety pin the top of my dress, however, to prevent from a massive eyeful of cleavage, (sometimes too much really is too much). I tried to be serious during this quick shoot, but anyone who knows me, knows this is practically impossible. My great friend and photographer for the day, Cristeen, cracked me up the entire time, and I love her for that.

Dress: www.ShopTheRunway.com
Shoes: JustFab
Bracelets: Forever21

Week 18: I am WOMAN, hear me roar

We've all heard this saying, and it wasn't until this point in my life that I truly grasp the veracity of this statement. Preparation for motherhood may have something to do with it. OK, it has a LOT to do with it; think about it. We are baby making machines, pretty much the closest thing to a real life super hero. I have been experiencing a plethora of changes to my body, and I'll spare you the gory details, but really, the changes our bodies go through, from creating a life from scratch, to delivery (gasp!) are nothing short of miraculous. Mothers, give yourself a nice pat on the back. You are amazing!
When I found out that I was expecting, no one could be more surprised than myself, for the simple fact that I never knew I was capable of creating and growing another human being. I had initially planned to keep my pregnancy hidden for as long as possible, but as time passed by, and my baby bump grew, no one could stop me from shouting from the roof tops, "I'm having a baby!". I wear my little belly with pride, and savor every moment, especially the kicks that I'm finally blessed to start feeling. Last night, I was reading a book in bed, and my little one must have thought it was a great time to try out gymnastics, doing somersaults, and letting me know, "I'm with you, Mommy." It truly made my night.  I know this is just the beginning, and it's only getting better.

From Drab to Fab

From Drab...

                                                                         To Fab!

Check out my step by step tutorial here

Cristeen brought me to a beautiful park with a lake and plenty of ducks walking around, and I fell in love with the peacefulness of this place. In honor of Coachella, which is currently taking place, I felt like dressing up for this special event (even if I wasn't attending) and threw on my old vintage shorts. Being four months pregnant, and growing each day, I knew this would be my last opportunity to fit into them. I actually had trouble buttoning the top button, so Cristeen taught me a trick of using an elastic band on my button, which allows my jeans to appear buttoned; genius!

Booties: Haute Look
Shorts: Vintage shop
Top: Asphalt Yacht Club
Kimono: TheWeekendWardrobe.com
Hat & necklace: Forever 21

False Lashes for every occasion and how to apply them

There are different types of false lashes which are suitable for any occasion.

• For a subtle, natural, daytime look: Apply individual lashes to the lash line, from the middle to the outer corner.
• For a night time look: My favorite lashes are called Wipsies, or Demi Wispies. These lashes have a natural look to them, but have added length and pumped up volume. Ardell makes my favorite Wispie lashes.
• For a dramatic GLAM look: For the ultimate lashes, apply any kind of false lashes. Then, for the extra vavoom, apply individual lashes to the middle to outer corner of the eyes. Or, you could double stack any pair of your favorite false lashes.

How to Apply False Lashes:
Once I have a pair of false lashes, I place them over my lash line to measure the length with my actual eye. Most times, the false lashes are a bit too long for my eyes, so I will trim the corners. Once they are the right size, I simply apply lash glue to the band of the lashes, wait 20 seconds for the glue to get tacky, and then place them as closely to my lash line as possible. The best method for me, is to place the lashes on the middle of my lashline, and then secure the outer corners. Then I close my eyes, and gently press my top lashes toward my browbone for a few seconds. This allows the glue to dry with the lashes to curl upwards.

 xoxo

Can BB Creams live up to all the hype?

BB creams, also known as a beauty balm, or a blemish base, originated in East and Southeast Asia, and have recently made their way to the Western market. They are praised for being able to act as a multi-purpose moisturizer, base, and foundation, to hide blemishes and tint the skin, all in one bottle. Though often used for its' skin whitening properties by Koreans, in the US, I have often heard BB creams being called 'tinted moisturisers on steroids', with a range of shades to choose from. 
*Tip: If you have naturally oily skin, I recommend setting the bb cream with setting powder to prevent any greasiness.
With so many companies creating their own bb concoction, I decided to try my first one, and tried Stilas' version. My first reaction was that it did not give my face the color that I was expecting, in fact, hardly any color at all. However, I soon discovered the silky finish that this cream left on my face. My face was very very matte, and more importantly, my pores disappeared! My skin looked flawless, like porcelain. This product is perfect for summer. I like to let my skin breathe as much as possible during the hot months, so I will apply the Stila BB cream all over my face, conceal my undereyes, add bronzer for some color, and I'm out the door. I love this product, and will repurchase it, while trying out more BB creams!

Daycation in Malibu

I was invited to a retreat by my friend HonestlyJamie, and I had no idea what to expect, but It has become such a memorable and special day. My day began with a driver picking me up from my home and taking me on a relaxing and scenic drive up the southern California coast, up to the Malibu Hills. Once I arrived, I was greeted by fellow beauty/style bloggers, chit chatted and snacked on fruit & champagne. Once all the bloggers arrived, we were greeted by Kate Shaw, the director of marketing for Urban Remedy, an organic juice cleansing brand. She expressed to us the importance of cleansing our bodies of toxins, as well as cleansing our minds of negative energy. We then spent an intense hour in a real life teepee with a circle leader, Andrea Bendewald, where we cried, laughed, and all left feeling refreshed and inspired to conquer the world! That being said, we worked up quite an appetite, and walked out of the teepee to find blankets on the grass, perfectly set up for a peaceful afternoon picnic. We chowed down on healthy and delicious salad, and pressed juices, which were equally as satisfying. I even got to bring some home!

My Blessing

God has blessed me with the most miraculous gift, my beautiful baby. My bundle of love is due this September. Here is my 12 week ultrasound.

Feeling Blue

I did a fun collaboration with JustFab, and as I sure you can guess, the theme was Blue. We had a blast, shooting all around West LA while sporting some seriously cute outfits.