Your girl is back on the sharing of the monthly favorites because that’s love and what I love I hope you’ll love and you know what else I love is a good run on sentence <3
Going for that doe-eyed, bat worthy, voluminous kind of look? Well if you’ve ever debated whether to enhance your lashes with eye lash extensions or elevate them in a more natural way, this article is for you!
I’ve personally been getting eye lash extensions since my wedding last year and I can’t imagine not ‘waking up looking like this’ with bright eyes and curly lashes. It all begins with your lash technician… trusting they have the experience to choose your lash integrity over the trends. I trust my babes over at Iris + West and had the honor of having Corrine introduced to the world of luscious lashes through their lash lift service!
I chose eye lash extensions even though my natural lashes are long and straight because I was tired of always having to curl them throughout the day and wear 18 coats of mascara just to make them visible. Corrine’s lash profile is much like mine, however the upkeep for extensions would be too much for her to invest in. To say she was so excited to learn that Iris + West now offer a lash lift and tint treatment is an understatement! Here you’ll see the step by step process that goes into this kind of service. This is perfect for those of you who have awesome natural lashes but need just a little bit of oomph to make them pop, without having to curl them and apply mascara. For my fellow lash extension babes, who are addicted to volume and curl, have no fear- this could be a wonderful transition for you when you decide to go back to your natural lashes.
Lets go over what the process looks like. The entire treatment takes around 90 minutes and then you’re left with low maintenance beautiful NATURAL lashes. Lash lifts will curl and darken your natural lashes and this effect will last around 8 weeks.
1) An under-eye pad is placed over the bottom lashes to hold them out of the way
2) Using a water based adhesive, curling rods are attached to each eye (the sizes vary depending on what type of curl is is desired)
3) Lashes are attached to the curling rod with a water based adhesive – lashes are then distributed evenly on the rod so that when the treatment is complete, the natural lashes are uniform
4) A curling solution is applied to the base of the lashes
5) A tint is applied to the lashes to darken them and make even the babiest of baby lashes really pop!
6) The curling solution is then removed and finally a setting solution is placed at the base of the lashes to create the perfectly curled lashes!
Wala! Just like that you’re lashes are just how you remembered them, but better! This service costs a fraction of the price in terms of up-keep and in the long run will save you time and energy, on both makeup application and maintenance.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to do your research when it comes to choosing the right lash technician whether that be for eye lash extensions or a lash lift. If you’re in the LA area check out my tried and trusted team of awesome ladies over at Iris + West! Tell them I sent you and you’ll receive $10 off your lash lift! It’s just so nice to know there are options available for every schedule and budget.
Have you heard of a lash lift and tint before? Have you ever considered having it done? How do you feel about transitioning over from lash extensions to a lash lift on your natural lashes?
I hope all my mamas out there had a beautiful mother’s day weekend! So did you take a day to sit in silence? Enjoy breakfast in bed? Squeeze in some well deserved pampering? How about a CAKE?! haha I live for the cake! I think as mothers … as women, often times we’re doing so much for other people that it can be difficult to schedule in our own time. ‘Me’ time is so important and something I’m working on more this year, to practice self-care and take time off from wearing all the hats. I love it because it makes me a better person, a better mother, a better wife- just better.
I had the pleasure of celebrating this Mother’s Day with Joe and Corrine on Catalina Island sponsored by one of my all time favorite brands, OSEA Malibu in partnership with Island Spa Catalina. We were so excited because it’d been a year since our last trip to Catalina with my mother-in-law and came at the perfect time, my birthday AND Mother’s Day!
Our itinerary included a day of island explorations and for Corrine and I to receive special mother/daughter facials featuring the OSEA line. You know you’re officially on vacation when you’re handed a beverage and snack when you board the Catalina Express!
We took the trip out of Long Beach and sat on the upper deck to enjoy the beautiful view and our complimentary refreshments in the Commodore Lounge. After a quick 45 minute boat ride we docked at Avalon and made the scenic walk up to The Pavilion Hotel to check in and grabbed lunch on the patio. The Pavilion Hotel is right on the beach, holds a daily wine and cheese hour (ummm yes please), and comes complimentary with a delicious breakfast to start your day. This isn’t your run of the mill ‘muffins and cereal’ kind of breakfast either, it’s a ‘build your own omelet, frothy latte, fancy feast’ kind of breakfast.
After our first night in Catalina we enjoyed breakfast in bed and headed over to Island Spa Catalina for our day of pampering and relaxation. Who was practically sprinting to the spa, hair flying in the wind? THIS MAMA! The spa itself is just breathtaking with its historic architecture and spanning island views, and the experience it offers is unparalleled. From the moment you walk through the entrance you’re surrounded by soothing music, beautiful landscaping, and the most welcoming staff.
We arrived at 9am when all you could hear were waves crashing and birds chirping. You know who was stoked to nap outside, birds chirping and all, before our treatment? THIS MAMA! We got into our robes, enjoyed the complementary fruit infused water and snacks, and bronzed a bit from the spa’s ocean view balcony. While we were soaking up the sun, Joe took the opportunity to dip into the pool and jacuzzi before I put him to work with his photography skills!
Our esthetician Amber guided me into the treatment bungalow where I made myself comfortable and placed all of my jewelry onto this turquoise ceramic starfish. After an hour of soothing music, warmed OSEA products (warm products on your skin during a facial is a GAME CHANGER! So relaxing!), and some information on how to best treat my skin, I wasn’t ready to leave!
Once my customized facial was complete I had so many questions for Amber like, is my skin really dry? What was that miracle mask used? How can I combat the texture I was feeling on my face and the recent bout of breakouts? Even with my 101 questions, she was so patient and explanatory. I learned that I in fact DO NOT have dry skin, I just need to properly cleanse and exfoliate it. I became obsessed with the White Algae Mask that she’d used during the treatment, and she told me that deep hydration would cure me of the texture and annoying breakouts.
I’ve always loved OSEA but this experience ignited a new found love for each of the products, I know that sounds dramatic! Trust me though, just enter the giveaway we’re doing and you’ll see for yourself, promise. How it happened was, I reached out to them after we got home and asked them to send over the White Algae Mask to share with you, that’s how excited I was over it. They generously sent my top 3 favorites just to gift you with! This giveaway includes the White Algae Mask, Ocean Cleanser, and Atmosphere Protection Cream!
I’ll pick a winner at random on Saturday and announce them on my stories so stay tuned!
Good luck and thank you for entering! And a big huge thank you to my handsome partner in crime, my stud-muffin-puffin-husband Joe! He took all of these beautiful photos and followed Corriney and I around taking our pictures and not complaining once! Here he is in his element…an Instagram model LOL! For more JoeNation IG Model poses follow him!
I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day celebrating that special mama in your life and celebrating yourselves. You’re all queens!
How did you spend your weekend and what’s the one thing you do to pamper yourself?
Please enjoy this PSA on my current skincare routine, what I thought my skin was, and what it actually is now 😉
SPRUCING UP YOUR HOME FOR SPRINGTIME – You’d be so proud! I’ve been a DIY queen over here because DIY-not am I right?! Ahem, that is in reference to my series on YouTube where I take a Pinterest idea and do it my way. ‘My way’ usually means that things end up pretty janky, yet surprisingly fun and functional! This week has been all about revamping my space, from my bedroom to my kitchen and the spaces in between. I gave myself a $200 budget, put Pinterest on repeat, and behold, here is the magic that was created!
I combined my favorite color schemes to refresh my bedroom, my vanity area, my kitchen, and my dining room table. I kind of sprinkled pops of color around each nook of mine and put lights on just about anything I could get my hands on! Pastels, yellows, blues, pinks, oranges, you name it, it’s here! And guess what?! I also built a headboard WITH MY OWN HANDS. Yes slightly burned with hot glue hands, but with these bare hands of mine nonetheless! If I can do it, trust me, anyone can! So here’s the sitch …
MY VANITY
I’ve always wanted a space in my bedroom that I could get ready at, film at, and decorate in a way that made me feel organized … ya know, like a real adult! Since I’m borderline hoarder-status over here, my vanity up until this point has always been covered with product and spritzes and sprays, and I never really got a chance to use it. I kind of just sat on the floor NEXT to my vanity and got ready each day. Joe got this set for me a few years ago and I’m happy to say that it is finally being used for all its intended purposes!
Organized chaos, that’s what this is! I kind of sectioned out all of my foundations, liners, perfumes, and palettes. I love this place mat that I got from Marshalls because it’s bright and colorful and fits in perfectly with the rest of my color scheme. If you haven’t noticed, I’m all about that bright, poppy, happy kind of feel!
So in a fit of creativity I ran out to TJ Maxx and picked up the double sided area rug, 2 makeup trays, a 3-tiered shelf organizer, and the hanging jewelry display. Marshall’s, just down the street is my go-to for accessories! The candle, photo frame, and planter were all on sale for less than $7 each! Also, IKEA is pretty great for DIY home projects, and from there I purchased the chair, pillow, blanket, shelf, and white planter. I thought the planter was so pretty with it’s lace detail that I used it as a makeup brush holder and filled the inside with beads to hold my brushes in place. You can get the shelf and lights at IKEA or even at Home Depot depending on your location.
MY BED
Why yes, this IS a homemade headboard put together by yours truly! I watched YouTube OF COURSE and made this headboard from two poster boards … a BUTT LOAD of tape and all of my hot glue! You can check out the video I followed for this headboard here! I doubled the stuffing to really give the buttons that ‘pierced’ look. From $500 to $50, this headboard is the way to go! The fairy lights I got from Amazon and the pillows came from both World Market and Marshalls. Any chance I get to add color or lights, I’m all over it! Also, thank you Corrine for letting me steal your foliage, it really completed my whole ‘bo-ho’ theme!
MY KITCHEN
Moving out of the bedroom and in to my kitchen, this space was my favorite to spice up! Yo check out my play on words! *I think I’m so funny sometimes! I hope we’re still friends* Everything here was on sale at Michael’s, 40% off to be exact, and the candles, tea pot, and mason jars were also on sale, at World Market. It’s incredible the things you can find when you sift. Head to the back, it’s the last place people will rummage!
Some paper straws from the Dollar Store, placements of color from one end to the other, and you have a kitchen that’s ready for company! I love hosting dinners and cooking for Corrine’s friends and my kitchen is completely ready now!
There’s something about these bright colors and pastel combinations that make me so so happy. I’m a complete product of my environment and if I’m having a bad day you’ll know it, black is my favorite color but not for home decor. It feels bigger in my kitchen some how, brighter, and more inviting.
If you’re really into DIY, you could probably make this sectioned shelf and paint it whatever color you like. I really loved this distressed vintage blue color and Corrine helped me pick out the tiny arrangements for it. I think with each season I will switch up the items that it holds, and paint it a chalky white so that it’s universal no matter what theme I choose.
MY DINING ROOM TABLE
Last but not least, our dining room table. I have a video and blog post coming soon where I paint this wooden table a white-chalk and distress it with sandpaper and tape. Until then, I decided I wanted a pastel pink runner and I couldn’t pass on these air plants from Trader Joe’s. They were only $2.99 each and I was told that I CAN’T kill these, no matter what! Water them once every two weeks, I think I can handle that!
Sunflowers make me smile and this tray from Marshalls was a nice separation from the plants and the table runner. See how I came full circle with the pastels and color combinations again? … Poor Joe, he gets a corner. ONE corner. Haha!
I’ve never been great at interior design, it takes time and money. It also takes patience and knowing what you want and where to get them without breaking the bank, home improvements can be costly and we’re saving for a wedding over here! Besides the excitement over Spring and all things color pop, a driving force behind all of these modifications was that I didn’t feel confident about my space.
I love hosting parties but when you aren’t happy with how things look it detours you from inviting people in. At least for me. See, I like everything, and I love color and I love print, so we really didn’t have a cohesive theme in our apartment and I was okay with that. Until Pinterest happened! Then I got all motivated to do our ‘Pinterest DIY-not’ series and it pushed me to try some DIY projects for myself to see how expensive or inexpensive these kinds of ventures would be.
I’m happy to say that you can take on these tasks and complete them in an affordable way. If you set a budget for yourself you can do just about anything within those boarders. What once gave me grief and seemed to be an eye sore I am now most proud of. I kind of just sit back these days and stare at each room the way a five year old stares at a bouncy house … with excitement and awe. Sounds crazy because it’s just an addition of color here or an accessory there, but for me, I’m so proud of these changes and this kind of thing is necessary. It makes me feel so refreshed.
Do you have any particular plans for your home and this next season? What are your favorite color schemes and where are your go-to places to find the things you create with?
I love updating our areas surrounding the different seasons of the year and I can’t wait to show you what I have in mind for Summer! Thank you for indulging my DIY side and all things bright, blinding, and beautiful!
I don’t usually do much before a workout besides skincare, prep for the day, and pack my meals. I also know though that ‘sweaty selfie or it didn’t happen’ is a thing so this is for you out there that wants a 2 minute skincare routine (that actually works) and a lil juj-ing so you don’t look like Shrek. Hey no judgements here, I’ve been known to fluff the hair if I know a photo is involved, no shame! This is fast, fun, and effective haha *que 80’s aerobics music and the Flashdance final scene … umm the only scene that matters imo*
It’s just a little something extra, emphasis on LITTLE … we don’t want to melt our faces off at the gym and come out looking like a raccoon 😀
FRE is a skincare system that was especially formulated for skin that sweats! Ummm yassss helloooo thank youuu this is for meeee! And you!
Enjoy this video (excuse me if it’s out of focus… this is what happens when you’re a one woman team lols sad face lols) where I cleanse, serum, hydrate and protect, and then add that LITTLE bit of juj-ing we talked about earlier 😉
My friends at FRE were so kind to give my readers 30% off your first set, just use the code JESSLIZAMA at checkout baby! Let me know what you think of it when you try it for a few weeks, I stand behind the fact that your skin will glow and not burn when you sweat into your eyeballs.
Lastly, since we’re on the topic, I’d love to share with you one of my favorite fitness blogs because of their “Top 5” articles! You can find it all- from workouts and fueling your body properly, to vitamins and supplements to fuel you from the inside out! Check them out and let me know which post you love best! …. psst I really love supplement talk so!
Have you heard of FRE before? Are you a simple morning lady or an eff it give me a full face of makeup kinda gal?
Morning rituals, I got em! I’ve really been trying to practice more self care these days because I’m a pro at caring for others and leaving nothing for myself. Skincare though I’ve never let go no matter how tired, busy, or rushed I feel and I wanted to share with you my go-to 3 minute (maybe even less) morning routine.
CLEANSE! Can’t live without my Ocean Cleansing Milk it’s creamy, cleanses without stripping, and removes dirt and oil easily.
TONE! This Lumion skin oxygen mist is infused with hypochlorous acid which cleanses and soothes the skin and I love using this mist as an overall toner before my serum.
SERUM! I’ve said it before but I swear by serums. They’re the gateway to your skin absorbing – truly absorbing the rest of your skincare application. I like to apply this while my skin is still dewy from my toner and this Hyaluronic Sea Serum is the bees knees!
PROTECT! The title’s in the name, I adore this FRE Protect Me SPF. It’s especially formulated for skin that sweats! HEY! ME! EVERY DAY! And I love love that it doesn’t burn my eyes when I sweat buckets into them during a workout and no white cast. PS if you use JESSLIZAMA at checkout you’ll receive 15% off your order <333
ALL ABOUT THE EYES! Eye cream eye cream eye cream babes! I’ve used eye cream since my 20’s and now moving into my 40’s (hey one day!) I habitually use eye cream twice a day. The skin around our eyes is the thinnest of all our face so we age there the quickest. Help yourself help you by moisturizing there daily and being gentle <3 Use that ring finger to pat/hold the product around your eyes- always inward towards your nose. My hands down, all time favorite, is this Shiseido eye cream, it’s thick, creamy, hydrating, luminescent, but never sticky. Worth the whopping $60 😉
I can honesty tell you that this process takes all of 3 minutes to do, get it on there and get out the door. No one has time to spend 19 hours in front of the sink applying skincare, it should be simple, effective, and fun. Yes skincare is fun folks, because beauty shit 😀
What’s your morning ritual? Go-to beauty routine? Coffee outside in crisp air wrapped in a blanket and reflecting with a good book? <—– damn that sounds beautiful.
Dermarolling! You’ve probably heard of dermarolling like you’ve heard of bullet proof coffee- which was met with the same sentiment …. “say what?”. Yes, I am telling you that I roll tiny needles all over my face all in the name of YOUTHFUL SKIN! 😉 (and also that I put BUTTER in my coffee!)
I’m usually pretty chill, pretty simple- I live for comfort, top knots, and cozy clothes … but when it comes to my skin care routine I go all out! 19 steps, 23 hours later, and 37 peculiar treatments tried – I’m all about it! I mean, if you told me that manure would keep my skin glowy and dewy, I’d dip my entire body in it HAHA Jokes aside, we’re all going to age and I’m cool with that because Asian don’t raisin y’all, but one day I too will be all Freddy Krueger-ed out 😉 But until then, I’m doing all the preventative crazy ass measures I can so that my skin looks as young and vibrant on the outside as I feel on the inside <3
Disclosure, I’m no skin professional so do your own research before including any new treatment into your routine, but I really love sharing with you what I do and what works for me. Enjoy this lil video of me rolling my face 😀
So dermarolling, lets talk about it! It’s the act of rolling hundreds of tiny needles across your face- personally microneedling your way into the future. Okay not really but you feel me. It signals to your skin that there’s been a minor injury which triggers your cells to send collagen and elastin production into hyperdrive! Both of which we lose as we get older. Hallelu tiny dancer needles. Think of collagen like grapes and as we get older they shrivel up to raisins. Ya, what a fun visual right? So plump em up why dontcha! After I dermaroll my skin is always dewy, glowy, and soft … and a teeny bit red tbh.
Method:
Disinfect your dermaroller before and after use, cleanse your skin, apply a serum, dermaroll horizontally and vertically (be gentle, avoid your eye area, don’t go nuts on your nose, and roll don’t press), apply another layer of serum, I seal with a moisturizer, and then go to sleep to wake up looking like a damn queen.
I started with a 0.5mm dermaroller once a week (my skin can tolerate that) and then I moved up to 1.0. I personally think that anything larger than that needs to be performed by an esthetician. I’m just not trying to put my face through a meat tenderizing session ja feel! So check out dermarolling, and tell me what other treatments I should try, I’m an open book!
Have you heard of dermarolling? Do you do it at home? Have you seen a difference in your skin since doing it or having it performed on your face?
Happy New Year! Can you believe it’s 2018? By July I’ll just be getting used to writing 2018 instead of 2017 – just in time for a new year to roll around 😉 With each first day of the new year comes just that, the newness of it all and you’ve got to admit, there’s something magical about starting anew and setting resolutions.
It just feels like you’re really adulting when you set a goal and accomplish it! This year I’ve created new practices and synchronized myself and my family on a morning routine that’s the foundation of our BIG goal for this year. If you followed along in 2017 than you know I participated in monthly bootcamps and daily workouts. For 2018 my goal is to maintain that activity level, get stronger, and be healthier overall.
I’m not one to get sick often but when Joe and I got back from our Honeymoon I got severely ill, unlike anything I’ve experienced. What concerned me was that I was so weak due to my inability to keep down any food or water and that I had to ramp up to travel for Thanksgiving AND a bootcamp I had scheduled in December. With the shingles, the flu, and a terrible reaction to the antibiotics prescribed to me, I was knocked down and laid out for a few weeks. Not fun! I was resting a ton and following doctors orders with little results and I couldn’t understand why.
After increasing my water intake, discontinuing antibiotics, and implementing a probiotic into my daily routine I could feel myself feel more like … myself! Water is the elixir of life and Florastor Probiotics brought me back to life. I’m so dramatic I know, but it’s exactly what my immune and digestive systems needed to function efficiently again. I was prescribed an antibiotic and as you know antibiotics kill both the bad and the GOOD bacteria in your stomach, which was a contributing factor to all my gut problems.
Florastor however is resistant to all antibiotics so it not only supported my immune and digestive systems, but it’s also the only probiotic brand with Saccharomyces boulardii lyo CNCM I-745 which helps restore your natural flora – win win for someone with major tummy issues.
I was able to eat again and not experience raging stomach pains, my bloating subsided, and I was no longer perpetually dehydrated. But it’s no wonder I was feeling better, Florastor helps to break down undigested carbs and sugar and aids in water and nutrient absorption- like my gut was back to doing what it was supposed to do. It all comes back to gut health I tell ya, it even comes down to the water you drink! Hydration promotes healthy digestion, faster recovery, and for me personally, less headaches and more glowy skin.
So staying active, staying hydrated, maintaining a healthy gut, and making sure I’m getting enough rest and family time this year – those are my big goals for 2018. It makes me so happy to know that my family is on board too, you know what they say … the family that routines together stays together <3 Stay biotic and bionic babes- you’ve got this!
I believe that beauty begins from within, what do you do daily to take time out for yourself? What vitamins do you take and do you take a daily probiotic? What are your personal goals for 2018? Share with me all the things! Happy New Year babes!
Florastor Probiotics were sent to us for review, however all opinions expressed are my own. I love sharing companies and products with you that I love and use myself. This will never change nor be affected by my partnerships. Thank you for always supporting us! xo
This post was sponsored by Britney Spears Fragrances as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Can you believe the holiday season has gone by so quickly! In only SEVEN more sleeps it’ll be Christmas morning, and believe it or not, a lot of people (myself included) have not begun gift shopping yet! I mean, it kind of just crept up on us this year am I right?!
Since I don’t want any of us to end up on YouTube as one of those crazy-last-minute-cart-pushing-bahhumbuggy holiday shoppers, I want to share with you what I’m gifting my Corriney, my bestie from college, and my niece who’s 16!
For starters, hands in the air if you were like me in the 90’s and lived all things Britney Spears! I mean, I made my mom crochet me that infamous crop top she wore in “Don’t Let Me Be The Last To Know“, you know the one! The beach scene! Ugh I swooned for love stories and her songs were LOVE STORIES! And then she came out with her own fragrances and I knew what all my girlfriends were wearing because I was wearing it too! Can I get a hayyyoooo from everyone who wore Fantasy?! It’s sultry and sweet, you knew instantly when someone walked by with it on … it’s sexy!
So of course I’m gifting my Corriney (and fellow Britney obsessed babe) with the Britney Spears holiday fragrance gift set <3 Since she loves options, I’m gifting her the Fantasy + VIP Private Show scents. Girl loves her options! It’ll also be nostalgic for her to smell it since I wore it when it released in 2014 haha ohhh for my daughter to consider anything I do nostalgic! They’re both so different that if when I steal them from her, I’ll wear the Fantasy during the day and VIP Private Show at night. Just a personal preference on occasion, but to me Fantasy is unexpected and charming and VIP Private Show says glamourous and sexy!
Am I the only one who wears a different scent for different occasions, seasons, moods?! I love sharing products I’m excited about with the people I love, gets them excited with me! I hope this inspires you to take something you’ve enjoyed and regift the fun because, tis the season! But wait there’s more! To one-up the last minute madness, I’m gifting THREE readers this holiday set each including a set of two (2) Britney Spears fragrances and a $50 Kohl’s gift card! The dates to enter are December 8th through December 22nd, 2017! I-C will randomly select 3 winners from all qualifying program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes. Good luck!
If you feel so inspired to gift someone this holiday season with this beautiful gift set, you can find the Britney Spears Fragrances here at Kohls.com!
