What’s In My Bag? With Corrine

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Hello all, Corrine here with a little update with what’s in my bag! I haven’t posted anything in awhile, but it is safe to say I am making  a comeback to the Jess Lizama blog.

With that said, I’d like to start off by giving you the latest peek of what I’m carrying around in my bag these days. With so much adventuring to do, I like to keep my bag simple and light.

Recently, rings and kitschy pins have found their way into my list of obsessions. I like to carry around this little white enamel compact because it’s perfect for corralling bits and bobs. It also comes in handy for storing loose change, Advil, and whatever else you want for safekeeping. I purchased it for $3 at a thrift store, along with the fun heart “Jesus” pin for just $1.

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No matter how cool I try to look without sunnies, I know I just cannot look as cool compared to when I do wear them. If you’re like me and have a solid collection of sunnies to choose from on the daily, then you probably have a few vintage pairs lying around too! They’re a must have.


I don’t know about you, but I cannot leave the house without a pocket journal. There are too many brilliant thoughts, random ideas, and little notes that pass me by everyday. Plus, journals were pretty much invented for flower pressing, and I personally think everyone should press flowers between any set of pages they can get their hands on. I also gather inspiration by talking to my friends and family, and sometimes someone will say something so perfect or inspiring that I just have to write it down and keep it forever. I would recommend everyone keep a journal, even if its as tiny as this one (that I stole from my mom.) It is a way of documenting your magic!

Not photographed here is my tiny travel-sized bottle of Chloe, which has been my favorite scent for years. Something I always carry around besides lipstick is a perfume rollerball or travel-sized one like the tiny Chloe, because smelling great is a priority.

Lastly, I just recently picked up this fabulous baby blue fringed bag by Rebecca Minkoff and would just like to take the opportunity to swoon. The leather fringes add just the right amount of edge to a simple outfit, while the small frame and baby blue color give off a perfectly tailored and effortless vibe.

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That’s all for today, and I hope you liked it! What helps you keep a documentation of inspiration? And what are your top five items that live in your bag?

xx, Corrine

THE PERFECT SMOKEY EYE WITH CIATE’S OLIVIA PALERMO PALETTE!

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This is the easiest and most beautiful ‘smokey eye’ look that can be transformed from day wear to date night! Using the Ciate London’s Olivia Palermo palette – which by the way has the most beautiful textured packaging – and a few of my favorite products you can get this look in just a few minutes!

The eye shadows in this palette are rich and highly pigmented so you can really play with the intensity of whatever look you’re going for.


Since I’m using multiple shadows I want to prime my lids so that the colors don’t crease or fade. I use my fingertips to rub that in from my lash line to my brow bone, and remember that a little goes a long way!


Using a crease brush and #1 in the palette, pack the color on from your lash line up into your crease, creating a wash of color and a nice base with this matted light purple.


Adding dimension now, load up a short dense brush with this darker burgundy/purple #2 color. Start from the middle of your lid and apply the shadow right over that base color, only working the color into the outer half of your lid- from your lash line into your crease.


Using the same brush and the #3 color, a shimmery hunter green, create a cat eye effect drawing the shadow up and out, from your outer lash line up toward your temple. Don’t drag it out to your temple, but use this as a reference of direction, drawing it up like a wing.


Continue to blend that color into your crease, stopping at the halfway point on your lid. I like to focus my darker colors in this outer half of my eye so that you really get that intense ‘cat eye’ effect without going full smokey-eye over your entire lid.



Use your concealer brush to wipe away any fall out and to emphasize that line of color we drew for a clean look.


I like to use a fluffy brush to kind of marry all of the colors together and blend away any harsh lines.

Using an angled brush I dipped it into the #5 shimmery taupe color and applied that below my brows onto my brow bone for a nice highlight.


Then using a pencil brush or liner brush alternate between #3 and #4, the hunter green and burgundy color to line your lower lashes. I used the burgundy along the lower lashes of my inner eye stopping midway, and the hunter green for the other half getting as close to my lower lash line as possible.


With one of my favorite felt liners I lined my upper lash line winging the line out at the end, kind of flicking the line out along that cat eye we drew earlier with the green.


Apply your mascara as you would and then complete your foundation routine per the usual 😀

Tada! That’s the finished look and now you’re ready for date night or girls night! This could easily be turned into a day time look also! To see this tutorial in action here’s my video below, subscribe to my channel for more how-to’s and what-to-do’s like this! <3

Besides the sleek and elegant packaging that this palette offers, the colors can be easily stacked upon one another for more dramatic wear, or used with a lighter hand for a classy day time look.

I layered two lipsticks from this collection, Truffle and Praline, for a rich yet natural looking lip. Truffle is a rich pinky/nude color and Praline compliments it so well with its deep burgundy tones.


Try this look out and TAG me when you do! Have you tried this palette out yet or any other collection from Ciate London? What does your go-to smokey eye look like?

I love that this beauty look lasted all day and all night and the colors stayed vibrant and true throughout!

MY GYM BAG ESSENTIALS!!!

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As I currently find myself in the middle of holiday season ‘feast mode’, I also find myself in the middle of “tis the season-full blown- freak-out-mode”! Anyone else find it difficult to say no to all the holiday food and NOT partake in all the merriment? Seriously, my body doesn’t know what to do with all the extra egg nog and yule log calories that I HAVE to indulge in because, Scrooge.

During this time of year I try to balance out all the holiday feasting with extra strength training and doubling up on HIIT workouts. So here is my number one tip to maintaining your waistline this season … get up and get moving! That’s right, gym time baby! Where’s the motivation you say?!

Well just like when we were younger and the new school year would begin, you’d have a new backpack full of shiny new school supplies, welcome to the adult version of that! Meet your new backpack … Lil Ms. (or Mr.) Totebag! Being fully prepped to hit up a sweat session will have you prepped to hit up the food table for seconds! Here is what’s in my gym bag!

1. The tote – this sleek lil baby will carry your gym essentials in style! It’s the perfect size, not crazy bulky like a duffel, yet spacious enough to hold all of these items AND a change of clothes!

2. A sweatband – oh that sweet sweat, it doesn’t stand a chance with this nylon sweat band. Ladies and long haired gents, you’ll be happy to hear that this also doubles as a hair tie!

3. Headphones – not just any headphones, these are blue tooth ear buds that allow you to lunge and lift without the annoyance of cords. Don’t you just hate that!

4. The kicks – my most recent obsession, these tennis shoes! Like with hand bags, shoes also set the tempo, literally. These are comfortable and classic, and will get you excited to pump some iron!

5. Recovery – this is important if you’re ripping and tearing through your workouts, AND your muscles. These are BCAA’s- branched-chain amino acids, which help to repair and build your muscles. I like this blueberry flavor, it’s like a sports drink meets koolaid! I habitually add this to my water bottle and drink it up during my workout. I’ll also reach for some coconut water during my more intense workouts, which replenish lost electrolytes and aid in hydration.

6. Protein – this is key to building lean muscle and fueling your muscle growth. Remember to have your protein shake or protein + carbohydrate packed meal within 30 minutes after completing your workout. You want to send protein to your muscles as quickly as possible so your body doesn’t eat away at the muscle you just worked so hard for! I love this Perfect Fit Protein because it’s a plant based protein powder that is especially good to bake with, ummm can you say protein waffles every day all day?!

7. Sweat be gone – I love this micro fibre towel because it’s made from a quick dry, anti-bacterial material, and has a grip covered underside. So no matter how crazy I get with my burpees and jumping lunges, this towel stays in place!

8. Hydration –  hydration, hydration, hydration!!! It’s crazy to think that we should be drinking half of our body weight in water! Sounds daunting but it can easily be done if you infuse your water with some lemon wedges or some fruit pieces. Just a trick that makes your water delicious and extra beneficial! This water bottle is especially dear to me because proceeds from each water bottle sold goes to support clean water efforts in Africa. Also, it’s BPA-free, dishwasher-safe, reusable, and recyclable! I slip this into the side of my gym tote making it easily accessible, just refilling it at the water fountain. Ahem, Los Angeles tap water is OK to drink now haha!


There you have it! The only sure way to ensure that the only thing you’re spiking this holiday season is the eggnog and not your cholesterol! Share with me your gym and fitness essentials, and I hope you enjoyed this post!

This really is the time of year to indulge in all of your favorite holiday dishes with wild abandonment! No regrets! I’ll be doing the same, so just do it, and I’ll see you later this week with some festive side dish ideas! Yum!!!

 

BRUNCH – CULVER CITY

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That time in-between breakfast and lunch, when you’ve missed all of the good breakfast specials. It’s not quite lunch time but you still want breakfast items … bring on brunch!

I had the most delicious brunch meal with my great friend Meeshel in Culver City at The Wallace on Main Street. We’d searched Yelp high and low for a brunch spot that had reasonable prices with exceptional reviews and we’d finally settled on The Wallace.

Meeshel ordered the fried chicken sandwich with celery slaw and harissa aioli. It took everything in me not to reach over and snag her plate! I’m a sucker for fried chicken and it’s usually my go-to order. I wanted to try something new however, so I got the veggie wrap that was packed full of vegetables, avocado, pistachio, and tarragon chimichurri! Deeeelish!

Brunch just wasn’t complete without our adult beverage, and instead of the usual Bloody Mary or Mimosa, we both set our sights on a Wallace signature drink- Morning Sex. It featured bourbon and passion fruit and it was just as amazing at it sounds! Even the edible flower was beautiful and delicious! It was tangy and sweet without being overpowering at all.

 

True to bourbon beverages, it was chilled with a huge block of ice that kept the drink cold without watering it down. It was easily one of the most delicious drinks I’ve ever had. If you’re into bourbon, or passion fruit for that matter, it’s a must try when you visit! Now for the specs!

PARKING:
There is a ton of street parking! There are a number of parking lots nearby that you pay and park at, making  it convenient to stick around after you’ve eaten to explore the area.

PRICE:
$$  You won’t break the bank indulging in food and drinks.

BRUNCH ITEMS:
With your traditional brunch favorites like chicken and waffles, and biscuits and gravy, each dish has its own Wallace spin to them!

KID FRIENDLY:
Yes! It isn’t advertised as a kid friendly choice, but I believe with its clean and spacious layout you can bring the kiddos! It’s not an anxiety inducing space that us parents would have to worry about making a mess at – with flinging bread crumbs and syrup stickiness.

ATMOSPHERE:
Very clean and modern looking with its decor and structure. Not posh at all, but not a place you’d wear your beach clothes to. I loved that there was a mix of business professionals having brunch alongside moms and best friends catching up over their mid-morning mimosas.

SEATING:
Both indoor and outdoor. On a beautiful day I’d say sit outside!

PET FRIENDLY:
Yes! With its lovely outdoor seating, you can bring your fur baby to enjoy  brunch with you! Yayyy!!!

All in all it’s a wonderful brunch spot to check out the next time you want a special twist on your special breakfast favorites.

Let me know what your favorite brunch menu items are and I hope you have a beautiful week!!!!

Hugs!!!

Jess Lizama

SUMMER MAKEUP FAVORITES: WITH CORRINE

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We all have our everyday essentials that live in our bags, we can’t leave the house without em, and they’re essential to any and every dilemma. For me, my makeup must-haves that can undoubtedly be found at the bottom of my bag are: LIPSTICK (as always), perfume, and blush.

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Here I’m sharing with you some of my favorite products by my favorite brands:

1. Nars Lipstick in the shade “Audrey”

The perfect rosy red for any night out.

2. Bobbi Brown Blush in the shade “Pretty Pink”

Creates the perfect flush.

3. “Daisy Dream” by Marc Jacobs Rollerball

smells like a real life DREAM.

4. Too Faced Candlelight Glow Highlighter

YOU NEED THIS. apply lightly to the cheekbones and down the center of your nose. you’re on fire.

xo, Corrine

CourtyardYums

HOW TO SURVIVE FESTIVAL SEASON!

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We’re experiencing some kind of heat wave out here in Los Angeles with our 90 degree plus weather. I can say with much excitement that the only nice thing that comes with warmer temperatures is the desire to be outside more. I’m a total Island Girl. . . ocean, beach, sun, hiking, all of the outside activities that we’re able to enjoy in the summer months, I’m ALL about it!

I’ve grown so fond of the events that L.A. offers to it’s Angelenos like art walks, open parks, and festivals! Corrine and I are still recovering from post Coachella blues, missing the music filled days and dance filled nights, and I’m so happy to have shared a first Coachella experience with my most favorite person. Today I’m going to tell you the top 5 things you’ll need to survive Coachella…. and any other festival you’ll attend this year.

Corrine Coachillin

1) Sunscreen: most festivals and art walks happen outdoors, where it’s warm and encourages people to walk around….and where the sun beats down on you. Even if you hate putting creams on your skin, opt for some fast aborbing sunscreen like THIS so that you’re not a glowing lobster tomorrow.

2) Ear plugs: they never tell you in pre-festival prep that earplugs are a necessity but they are. Unless you’re stading far from the speakers (where’s the fun in that?!) than your ears will be ringing for days, and they say every time your ears ring… an angel gets it’s wing….errrr that your cochlea hairs are dying. Sounds awful right? No pun intended. So with loud noise happening around you for an extended period of time, you’ll want to protect your ears, you can get them at your local drug store or click HERE .

Courtyard yumminess
3) A relaxing getaway: with loud noise happening around you all day and night, massive crowds, and sticky climates, you’ll want to be able to get away from all of the chaos so that you’re recharged to take on another day of the festivities. If you live close enough to the venue than you can drive or cab it up to and from home each day, lucky you!!! If you’re not, than I don’t suggest camping out (unless you’ve never done it, in which case you have to do it atleast once in your festival life), instead get a hotel room! You’ll be so happy to enjoy a cold shower after the day’s events, a cozy bed to recharge your tired feet, and a quiet place away from all of the noise and crowds. Corrine and I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in Palm Springs during weekend 2 of Coachella, and we could not have been more grateful to have a quiet and cool place to unwind after the day. We all know that festival food is always so heavy and greasy, it was nice to have the option of ordering real food from a full kitchen. We enjoyed both breakfast and dinner at the Bistro at Courtyard and it was SO good! They have hearty breakfast options (pictured above featuring my “if Mondays had a face” face) for morning refueling, and pizza options for night time cravings. To see our full room tour and Coachella experience click HERE for the video! Huge thank you to Courtyard for it’s hospitality and most amazing coffee breaks! You can click here to see what locations they have near you to book a stay during your next festival outing!

4) Water: water water water! Staying hydrated is key to having an enjoyable experience but it’s the hardest thing to do in a festival atmosphere. There were 90,000+ people at Coachella this year and everyone was either in line at the water stations, or crowding around the food court to purchase water. The best thing to do is tote around at least 2 watter bottles per person and when one is empty, fill it up at a water station or fountain. The worst thing to do is to wait until you’re so parched that you feel like you’re going to pass out….and then you do and that’s definitely not an enjoyable experience. So pack that H2O!

5) Backpack or fanny pack: yes I really did just tell you to carry along a fanny pack. What can I say, I love those things! They keep your personal items close and aren’t bulky enough to get it the way of all of your groovy dance moves! If you’re totally against 80’s fashion than go with whatever backpack or bag you choose, but have a bag of some sort on hand – you’ll want a place to stick your water, sunscreen, ear plugs, room keys, and id, without over stuffing your pockets! Again, more room for your groovy dance skills!  You can get a backpack like the one in our DSW posts HERE, but I think you should sport the fanny pack so everyone knows just how fun you are.

we were sad to leave our oasis at Courtyard but ready for the final day of Coachella
we were sad to leave our oasis at Courtyard but ready for the final day of Coachella

So those are our 5 top things you’ll need to survive any festival, and let me know what your go to items are and if you’re attending any festivals this summer! Corrine and I love checking out new venues so share with us!

Hope your weekend is wonderful!

xoxo- Jess

beauty faves

Beauty: Favorite Cruelty Free Drugstore Lipsticks by Corrine

by with One Comment beautylifestylereviews

beauty faves

I am the type of person who, when enters a drugstore heads straight for the makeup section. I start with the blushes, scanning the aisles stocked with their new, sparkly shiny array of soft pinks, burnt reds and peachy colors that will give just the right amount of health to any bare cheek. Then I move onto the mascara’s, eyeliners, deep blacks, browns and various brights that make eyes pop and come alive. And if you’re like me…your eyes light up at the sight of any lipstick section, searching for your favorite shade, that shade that you look for everytime, and happen to own about a dozen different lipsticks in. For me, this shade is a deep, rich, beautifully evil blood red. I always seek and destroy, I always know how to find it because it’s the darkest of them all, it’s at the end of the spectrum, waiting for me.  That, is my reason for being at any drugstore, of course. At my recent trip to my local drugstore, I stumbled upon this sought out shade when I discovered a cosmetic brand called Milani. When I saw it my hand immediately reached for it, and naturally, it was love. The name? Black Cherry.

 

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Black Cherry led me to gazing at the other shades Milani had to offer, and I came across a unique sort of pinky-purple, a perfect blend between the two that I had to have. It was called Matte Glam, and I knew it was great too, because I had never tried out a matte lipstick and was excited to try. So my endeavor began. As soon as I got home, I looked up Milani Cosmetics. If you weren’t aware already, I am always extremely concerned in knowing which brands are cruelty free, do not test on animals and have good morals. Whenever I buy a product I use on my face or body, I want to know if any animals were harmed in the process and if the brand uses humane techniques to form their products. So of course I was amazed and impressed to discover Milani is completely cruelty free, and some of their products are even vegan. In fact, Matte Glam is vegan. Yay!! This was a successful trip in my book.

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Aren’t they glorious? The third lipstick you see probably comes off as a little mysterious, as I didn’t address it at first. It’s by a brand called Nuance, which was created by Salma Hayek. I read up on her testimonials, and absolutely fell in love with her beliefs on health + beauty and consciousness of the environment. Nuance is cruelty free. The shade of lipstick that I found myself drawn to is called My Favorite Color, and there’s even a matching nail color to go with it (uh…of course I own it). The best way to describe this color is like a sheer, rose with orangey undertones, and grants a healthy glow that only the sun could give. It’s feminine, youthful yet mature, versatile.

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“65 Matte Glam” by Milani

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“24 Black Cherry” by Milani

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Lastly, Nuance Salma Hayek Color Vibrance Lipstick Terra Cotta (link is not the color shown above but will lead you to the brand and series of lipstick)

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Swatches of all three. (From left to right): My Favorite Color by Nuance, Black Cherry by Milani, Matte Glam by Milani

lighting set up

TECH: LIGHTING AND VIDEO

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As a video creator, a lot of my videos are done with me sitting in front of my window in my bedroom while I talk to my camera….by myself ha! And on typical merry-weather LA days, no additional lighting is required since my camera picks up a ton of light, and natural lighting is awesome! But for days when it’s gloomy out, the light changes, or a bird flies by, I have to bring in the big guns so today I wanted to share with you my go-to lighting set up!

Below are two photos taken (untouched), one with no fill light, using only my Ring Light. The second photo features the ring light that I use in front (as in photo 1), but also features the additional fill light you see behind me.

photolightoff
No fill light used above, just my circle light was used. If you’re happy with this kind of look than you’ll be fine just using the circle light.

lightinglightON
Here in this second photo, you can see the fill light behind me, from my Flo Light and what a difference it makes. The ‘fill’ light brightens up the space behind me, gives me a nice shoulder glow from the additional light, brightens up my hair, and evens out the light overall on my face. It even appears that it’s made my face look slimmer with the even lighting all around me.

Below are the lights and the placement of them to achieve this kind of look:

My circle light is placed pretty close to my face while I film, I can reach out and adjust the brightness it’s that close. I love that it has an adjustment dial so that you can control how much light you want. It also has a place to attach your camera directly to the body of the circle light for the convenience of sticking to one rig.

The light that you see on the left side of the photo is my flo light. It is placed behind me, and just off to the side so that it spills light into the room and covers the space behind me. This light allows not only the space behind me to be brightened up, but again – gives me that hair light and shoulder pop, and really does add to the even tone of the overall lighting set up. I love that you can adjust the height with this light, and how much light you want with the flaps on the flo light. From a dim look to a bright look, this light has you covered.

light setup
I’ve linked you to the set up that I have, I use a tripod instead of the attachment that the circle light comes with just because I love having stability beneath my rig. And below is just me being silly with the lighting, right before I started filming…beacause you can’t take selfies too seriously!

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I hope this post was helpful for those of you asking about my lighting equipment and what kind of set up I have. For an even easier set up, if you’re looking for something more user-friendly when it comes to working with lighting systems and being new to it all, here is the first Soft Box Lighting Kit system that I used when I started doing video for YouTube. It’s super easy to set up and figure out!

Let me know in the comments what lighting set up you have, or if you have nay other questions, or if you use something different – I love trying out new set ups, playing with techy things, and giving my reviews of them, so share away!

 

Hugs,

 

Jess xoxo

Snookie's Cookies

BEST DESSERT ON THE NORTHSIDE – LOS ANGELES

by with No Comment adventurefoodreviews

It’s up for debate what the best pizza spots are, where your favorite burger joint is . . . to list in categories all of your ‘favorites’ when it comes to the city you live in. In today’s post I’m giving you my favorite dessert on the northside. Are you sweet or savory? Do you grab or ice cream or chocolate chip cookies? Personally, I grab for sweet, warm, baked, homemade cookies!

best cookies ever
If you love chocolate chip cookies the way mom used to make them AND nostalgia, you’ll love Snookie’s Cookies! Serving up warm homemade cookies for over 30 years, Snookie’s is charming and delicious!Snookie's Cookies
When you go in, ask for Denise, she is the warmest and most inviting person you’ll ever meet! She knows everything about this city and we bonded immediately over our love for macadamia nut cookies! I had one of each to be exact and the peanut butter, macadamia nut, and snickerdoodles continue to be my favorites.

Dessert Menu
Snookie’s is best known for their famous giant hot air balloon baskets, where you can mix and match your favorite sweets, from cookies to cupcakes, and they now carry the New Orleans Sno-Ball! This island girl opted for ‘Tiger’s Blood’, a strawberry coconut flavor and it did not disappoint!

Tiger's Blood
Whether you’re craving a fresh homemade style of treat, or a refreshing sno-ball to cool down your day, check out Snookie’s in Glendale, and give Denise a hug from me!

Love Snookies!

Leave me a sweet comment and tell me what your favorite dessert spot is so I can go try them out! I love desserts, I’m a ‘dessert before meals’ kinda girl 😉

Have a beautiful week sweets!

xoxo- Jess