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
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 😉
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?
Bali bound baby!!! In just a few hours we’ll be boarding a two part, nearly 24 hour long flight to Bali in celebration of our honeymoon! Two weeks of blissfulness and my face may just fall off from all the excessive smiling, also my hair may just fall out from all the stress. You know the drill, with packing and preparing to leave your home for a few weeks- the laundry, the cleaning, and did I mention the packing?
As you know, the air on an airplane is not the best for your skin and as you also know I really really care about skin care lol So I’ve packed some of my all time favorite skin soothing, healing, and hydrating products so that when we land, I may be tired but my skin will look rested, refreshed, and ready to party! I wanted to share with you here my travel skin care routine – for the long haul. It’s a long one so jot these down and lets do this!
Body care: first, I showered like it would be my last shower for a few days because it would be, and I splurged on the Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Scrub. It’s super luxurious and will make your skin feel like silk. Just put it on your Christmas wish list 😀 Then I moisturized by mixing a bit of Shea Moisture Argan Oil with shea butter body lotion and guys my skin was pure satin I tell you.
Skincare: I can’t express enough how important clean, hydrated skin is for your every day routine yet alone your travel routine. The air at 30K+ feet is cold and doesn’t hold moisture so here’s to making sure that your skin does <3
Ocean Cleansing Milk-Travel Size + Ocean Cleanser-Travel Size: one of my all time favorite brands, OSEA Malibu was the only skin care I packed because it’s organic, pure, and hydrating at its ultimate. They both cleanse your skin and leave it feeling hydrated without leaving behind any kind of residue. I couldn’t choose between the two so I packed them both! Pro-tip: you don’t need water with these, I simply rub a few pumps in between my fingertips and onto my face and then remove with a cotton round- super helpful when you don’t want to wash your face in the lavatory.
Sea Vitamin Boost-Travel Size: the perfect toner after cleansing it’s full of antioxidants, refreshing and hydrating. I just spritz my face 3-5 times in a clockwise kind of motion and boom you’re misty.
Hyaluronic Sea Serum: remember how I said you should move through your products from thinnest to thickest in formula … here we are 😀 This serum is everything, it protects and strengthens your skin’s moisture barrier for that dewy youthful glow! I pat a few pumps around my face and move on to my moisturizer.
Atmosphere Protection Cream + Undaria Argan Oil: a staple in my skin care routine, I roll the argan oil around my palm and then mix in a few pumps of the cream for legit deep moisture. The upside to mixing these two products (and using any product from this line for that matter) is that your skin won’t feel greasy or heavy afterwards. They absorb into your skin quickly leaving only behind that velvety feeling.
Undaria Algae Oil: I love to use this oil as an eye cream, lip moisturizer, and overall hydrating oil for any dryness I have i.e. cuticles and elbows! It’s smooth and full of antioxidants- also in my makeup bag at all times.
Red Algae Mask: I packed this baby right here because my skin is prone to breakouts during travel and also gets finicky, so this mask is perfect. It’s purifying and non-drying yet perfect for blemishes and the tea tree oil smells refreshing and kicks up the cleansing properties.
Lumion oxygen mist + Nano atomization facial mister: game changer! I’m such drama and if I can kick hydration up from a 10 to a 12 – you know I will! I fill the facial mister with the Lumion oxygen mist and use it throughout the day. The BEST for travel because it’s super refreshing and cooling. Also a must have for post workouts as it kills bacteria, hydrates, and illuminates! You’ll thank me for this one.
Oil free protein remover and primer: for all my eyelash extension babes this one’s for you, with lash extensions you have to avoid oil based products. The way you care for them and also environmental elements (aka Bali humidity) have an effect on the lifetime of our expensive habit. This primer is awesome to remove oil throughout the day and cleanse your lashes of any makeup residue. I just dip a qtip into the primer and allow the opening to remove excess product and then swipe it along my lash line. I got my lashes done for the wedding … on through the honeymoon … and honestly I don’t know that I can live without them now!
I think it goes without saying that I will be packing snacks, lots and lots of snacks! For me, raw almonds, toasted coconut chips, chocolate, and oats-to- go are my favorites! They’re protein packed (chocolate is like a veggie in my book) and satiating enough to tie you over until the food cart comes around haha.
Ok babes, now that your skin is all silky, smooth, clean, and most importantly- hydrated, you’re ready for the long haul! Oh yes and drink water, lots and lots of water <333
What’s your go-to for travel skin care routine? Do you up the hydration? The exfoliation?
Coming up- packing body care products, my honeymoon hair care routine, and how to travel comfortably and cute-ly! 😀
I have to pinch myself every time I tell someone that my baby girl Corrine is going to be 20 next month! Like what?! I get asked all the time how I take care of my skin having a full grown adult over here and so I thought today I’d share! This is my every day 5 minute skin care routine and I promise that if you adopt some sort of regimen like this, you will see and feel a difference and soon everyone will be asking you what YOUR secret is!
Also I hope you enjoy this stop motion Mary Poppins skin care bag I created for you haha legit this is how I fit snacks into my purse too! pro tip: go through your skin care bag from thinnest to thickest formula- so cleanser, toner, serums, and moisturizers <3
Five Minutes To The Best Skin Of Your Life
OSEA MalibuOcean Cleanser – this cleanser is my favorite! It’s creamy, hydrating, and doesn’t leave behind any residue. I use it both in the morning and at night to cleanse my skin and then twice a week I use it with my Clarasonic, so so good!
Mario Badescu cucumber cleansing lotion – time to tone! I saturate a cotton round with this toner and use it after cleansing. Now your skin is ready for some skincare products!
OSEA Malibu Brightening Serum– s e r u m s! I live for serums. They are the gate keepers for your skin to receive the benefits of your other skincare products and they’re a staple in my routine. This brightening serum has helped with the discoloration I’ve experienced due to sun damage. It absorbs quickly and never leaves you feeling greasy or oily.
Circ-Cell rejuvenation eye gel: eye cream eye cream eye cream! It’s all about the eyes! Did you know the skin around your eyes is the thinnest of all your face so we age there the quickest! So start that eye cream now baby! Use your ring finger- it’s the most padded of all your fingertips and the weakest finger so you’re less likely to tug or pull on that area. Pat, roll, hold.
OSEA Malibu Atmosphere Protection Cream: sounds weird but a lot of lotions don’t necessarily provide moisture to your skin (i.e. a lot of SPFs protect but don’t hydrate) hence use a moisturizer daily and this is one of my favorites! A barrier between your skin and the elements, you’ll want to remember this step.
Coola classic sunscreen SPF 50: please never ever leave the house without sunscreen. The sun is your skin’s number 1 aging contributor. I love this one because it’s silky, absorbs quickly, and doesn’t interfere with my makeup.
Murad retinol youth renewal night cream: advertised as a night cream, I use this both day and night on my neck and decollete. It’s a richer cream but doesn’t leave your sticky or greasy and for me it’s important to keep that area hydrated to avoid turkey neck! Retinol gets a bad rep sometimes but my skin tolerates it well.
So there you have it babes! Five minutes in the morning before you start the day and you’re on your way to a brighter, dewy, more youthful appearance <3 Next week I’ll share my nighttime routine!
Do you have a skincare routine that you perform each day? Share it with me I love trying new products!
