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Now that school's out, I made it my summer goal (it was originally my 2019 goal, but it didn't work out) to blog regularly. This is an old post I made in February but never got the time to edit and publish it. And some of the products I mentioned in here I already used them up, so I will provide an updated makeup routine in the next couple of months with new products!

So my daily makeup routine is heavily inspired by K-Beauty, with most of the products from Korean brands. I will let you know the benefits of each product and where you can purchase them as well! (Along with a few tips for those who are new to makeup.)

Before we begin, I want to let you know my skin type. I have very dry skin, sometimes combination (usually only in the summer), so my tips will cater towards people with dry skin. However, I will try my best to include suggestions for those with oily skin as well.

++ Disclaimer: I am not a professional makeup artist, but I have been practicing putting on makeup since freshman year of high school (so almost six years now?). Practice is really the key!!! (& loads of YouTube videos LOL.)

Let's get started!

••━━━━━ •• ☆ •• ━━━━━••

(I will ignore my skincare routine because I would rather do a separate post. But in summary, the most important part is to moisturize, especially in the winter time!! Since I have very dry skin, I tend to use lotion that is more on the thick/oily side.)


Step #1: Apply chapstick!! My lips tend to get dry very easily, so I apply a generous amount.
(lip balm: @innisfree canola honey)

Step #2: Shake foundation and squirt one pump onto the back of your hand. Then use the tips of your fingers to tap "spots" on your face. Make sure you cover evenly.
(foundation: @giorgio armani luminous silk foundation in shade #4)

Tip: When using a beauty blender or sponge, spray mist so that it is a little damp! I find this extremely useful in preventing my skin from flaking out. Also, this foundation is GREAT for dry skin. I've only started using foundation last year, but this is the best out of all the ones I bought which tend to make my skin look too cakey or dry. I received many compliments when I wear this because it has such a natural finish! (I actually convinced some of my coworkers to purchase this. giorgio armani pls sponsor me.) This product is a bit expensive, but I purchased the small size and have been using it for three months daily and there's still a lot of product left. It's definitely worth it!

Step #3: Conceal! I use the liquid conceal and apply it to blemishes, dark spots and under eyes. Use the same method with the beauty blender and mist. It will make your face look dewy! If a liquid concealer is not enough, I use the pot concealer for tiny spots such as pimples or under my nose.
(concealers: @thesaem –– the holy grail of concealers. They work SO well and last all day. I first bought them when I was in Korea and fell in love with them, so I stocked up from Yesstyle.)


Step #4: Eyebrows. I use two products: 1) @innisfree Auto Eyebrow Pencil in shade #7; 2) @benefit Precisely My Eyebrow shade #4. I use the Innisfree pencil to generally shape my eyebrows because it's not very pigmented & I also use the spooly to brush out my eyebrow hairs, so that they are all facing the same direction. The Benefit pencil is for finer details and allows me to create sharp ends at the edge of my eyebrows and I like drawing fake little hairs at the front to give it a little length.

Step #5: Contour. This is still quite a new concept for me because I typically don't contour often, but I recently started shading my nose slightly to give it a little dimension.
(contour powder: @toocoolforschool art class by rodin)

Tip: Use the sides of a brush to contour in order to get a more natural blend. I usually just shade the sides of nose, under my nose and below my lip. I also do my hairline and jaw if I have time but nothing too drastic.



Step #6: Eyeshadow –– my favorite part! I have tons of eyeshadows and various palettes but I LOVE @tarte Tartelette in Bloom. The colors are super pretty and these apply so well!

How to Apply: I use "flower child" or "sweetheart" as my base color. Apply widely. Then I use "funny girl" for under my eyes to brighten it up a little. Lastly, I use the shade "rebel" and apply it to the outer crease of my eyes to give off a subtle smoky effect. You can use darker colors for more depth. Make sure to blend well!


Optional: I've been using dark eyeshadow instead of eyeliner lately. I typically use "activist" from the Tarte palette, which is a chocolate brown. To apply, use a thin and flat brush and draw a straight line from the edge of your eye. The colors are much more gentler, which is great if you're going for a soft eye makeup look.



Step #7: Curl eyelashes and apply mascara! I highly recommend this product: @kissmeheroine Volume & Curl Mascara. This is the holy grail of mascaras!!! It doesn't clump or fall under my eyes + it lasts the whole day. A lot of people think I wear falsies, but it's actually thanks to this product. I bought mine from Yesstyle!

Tip: Apply mascara before eyeliner (if you are using one). If you apply eyeliner first, the eyelash curler might smudge it away. Plus, it is much easier for me to tightline my eyes after my eyelashes have been curled. But if you are applying eyeliner afterwards, make sure the mascara has dried!

From left to right: Lolita II, Double Dare & Lolita

Step #8: Lip product. While waiting for the mascara to dry, I move onto the lips. I have a huge range of lip products, but the ones I use consistently are the @katvond's Everlasting Liquid Lipstick. I liked it so much that I got it in three shades. These are such great #MLBB colors, which suit people who tend to wear darker clothes or have darker hair. The three shades I own are Lolita, Double Dare and Lolita II. I use Double Dare the most but lately I've been switching to Lolita II. Caution: these products are a bit sticky, so I would refrain from applying too much at once.

How to Apply: spread a light layer onto your lips, mostly at the inner corners. Use the tip of your finger to smudge the edges and to give your entire lips some color. Once that's dry, apply a second layer ONLY on the inner part of your lips. This will produce a slight gradient effect. If you want a more noticeable difference, just wait for the product to dry and apply another layer on top of the previous one.


Step #9: Eyeliner. I only wing out a small line, so it looks very natural. I love using brown eyeliners, so that the overall look is softer.
(eyeliner: @holikaholika wonder drawing auto 24)

(Optional) Step #10: To add some extra pizzazz, you can apply blush (@tonymoly crystal blusher in shade #pleasure peach) or take your highlighter and dab some on the tip of your nose, the top of your eyebrows, the top of your lip, on your cheekbones or anywhere you want to emphasize. I use @missha's italprism in shade #lace shirring for subtle shine.

+ finishing touches:
For dry skin: spray mist onto your face! I use the @innisfree aloe vera face mist but the @evian works well, too! Only spritz a little, so that your makeup doesn't run.
For oily skin: set powder! Some great ones are @muji's translucent powder & @unt's perfectly matte powder. If you have super oily skin, a tip would be to bring blotting sheets with you.

••━━━━━ •• ☆ •• ━━━━━••

the finished look!

It seems like quite a lot of steps, but this takes me about 20 minutes in the morning. Once you establish a routine, you will get faster. I hope this helped everyone from beauty fans to beginners alike! If you want to know any additional information or if you have questions, please let me know.


Thanks for reading!!


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Hello! Merry Christmas! I originally planned to post way before Christmas Eve, but I have been sacked with tons of shifts at my part-time job because they know it's my winter break. So, unfortunately, I am way behind in my posts and reviews.

Anyway, I was syncing photos from my camera to my laptop, and I found several photos I took earlier in the year (February to March) which I never shared. Enjoy~

These are some minimalistic shots I got from an Aritaum gift box purchase.






I have thought about creating a YouTube channel for awhile, but never actually went through with the plan. Partly because I don't want to create one and half-heartedly post since I literally don't have time :( School takes up all my time on the weekdays, and then I have to go to work on the weekends. But if I did make a YouTube channel, it would mostly focus on lookbooks. I'm not very comfortable communicating with the camera (awkward potato forever), which is why I prefer a blog.

This outfit picture was taken as an attempt in creating a lookbook, but I only got one outfit LOL. I'm not really sure what the concept for my lookbook was though.

Outfit Details:
- Gray Mockneck T-shirt: Uniqlo
- Checkered Ring Skirt: Store Meng
- Black Knee High Socks: Uniqlo

I definitely want to post more lookbook ideas in the future months ahead, once I find time to take some nice shots. A YouTube video will be taken into consideration. The lookbooks will mostly be K-POP inspired and try-on hauls for any purchases I make. Please look forward to it!

Oops, did not mean to ramble that long. As always, thanks for visiting and happy holidays!!

(P.S. The ice cream dessert picture was taken at Tbaar in Chinatown!)

Thanks for reading!!


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Hello, long time no blog! To be honest, I kind of forgot that I had a blog and after the end of spring semester, I was working 7 days a week, so there wasn't any time for that.

But there are a few exciting life updates I wanted to share from June of this year until now. One: I went on an Asia trip - from Zhongshan, Guangzhou, Macau, Taiwan to South Korea - I have lots of photos and tips that I can't wait to write about. I know, a little too late, but hopefully this will inspire you for next summer.

Also, I studied abroad in South Korea for four weeks, so I'd like to offer my insight on that! (Upcoming details to be posted.)

Besides that, I also got a puppy so expect to see some pup pics in 一天一天. (He may look cute but he's a biter and a troublemaker. Sigh.)

I decided that I want to become a more active blogger, so I have been brainstorming ideas, and I'm really excited to show you guys my new content!

Anyway, I'm rambling on. I have a whole series of photos that I edited using SNOW Cam to get those aesthetic filters, so enjoy Pt. I.
   

The Starbucks buildings look so much cooler! And *peep* my sister basking in the highway scenery.


Although Shanghai is so picturesque, I only got to spend a day here before going to neighboring cities :( I would want to go back with some friends and explore!




The photos are all centered on my Shanghai trip in 2016. Ignore the date stamp; it was the day I edited it.



We also visited a lot of historic sites, such as this old village. This pretty much concludes Pt. I since I don't want to spoil too much ~

As always, thanks for visiting and please stay tuned! 

I recently added a "follow" button on the sidebar if you'd like to receive updates.

That's all for now. P.S. Happy Halloween!




Thanks for reading!!

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How my bedside table looks.
The best thing about university is its month-long winter break. Sadly, it's ending soon, which has sent me in slight panic mode over all the things I have yet to accomplish. So, here are a few tips of what you can do to prep yourself over the last few days.


  1. Make sure your schedule is ready to go! Obviously you'll need to know what classes you're taking to get all your supplies. Which brings me to the next point...
  2. Search for your textbooks. More often than not, campus bookstores will sell your books at a ridiculously high price, so look for other options whether it be Half Price Books, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc. If you're not too sure if you need the textbook yet, hold off on the purchases and wait until the first day of class.
  3. Get your supplies. Backpack? Planner (if needed)? Notebooks? Pencil case? School ID? 


Although it's important to get ready for the impending semester, it's also great to blow off some steam whether it be finishing binge-watching your favorite TV shows or doing all the things you put off aside. You want to be well-rested before getting back on the grind.



Shots of me bowling last Saturday

You got this!
Thanks for reading!!


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Like promised, I'm back with another chuu review! My package came today, and I immediately started photographing all the items. These are the few things I picked up during their New Year sale.

Note: everything was purchased with my own money; I was not sponsored to write this.



Thick Rubber Slip-Ons (Herringbone Size 245mm)
★★★★★

I actually really like slip-ons, but I only have one from H&M and it's all beat-up from all the wear-and-tear. These looked cute, so I decided to take a chance and buy one. I was a bit worried since I'm normally a size 7 in U.S. which is 240mm, but they only had 245mm. Luckily, these fit well although slightly roomy, but I tried them on without socks, so I think it'll be fine. I think these are about 1 or 1.5 inch (?) platforms. I don't really need the extra height, but these are such comfortable shoes that I don't mind. Can't wait to wear these once it gets warmer!

The fabric is not that sturdy, so they can become misshaped. Be careful not to crush these!


Floral Trimmed Intimate Set (Beige/90)
★★★★★

The reason why I can't rate this yet is because this is supposed to be part of a set with the bra and panty together, but they only sent me the panty. I contacted chuu already and am waiting for their response. I'll keep you updated -- The panty is a lot more sheer than I thought it would be, but it has so many cute details and is definitely the fanciest undergarment I own. I don't remember the last time I bought bras and underwear...like three/four years ago?
Edit: Turns out it was a translation error and it was only supposed to be the panty. To repay for the confusion, I was credited $5.25 into my account. Super satisfied!





-5kg Jeans Vol. 3 (Size 26)
★★★★★

After purchasing Vol. 36 last time, I wanted to pick up another one in a different style. Luckily, these were on sale, and I fell in love with the knee rips. Like last time, I also sized up to a 26 (definitely recommend for anyone purchasing a -5kg jean!) for a comfier fit. This was just what I expected, and I already know I'll be wearing these a lot. The only thing to be mindful is that the rips fray easily, so my holes actually got bigger after wearing these around.








Long One-Button Coat
★★★★★

The original price for this coat was $115 and it was on sale for $57. At first, I was a little iffy on it because in my past experience, whenever I order these type of coats, they don't really turn out so well. But I needed $200 to get free shipping, so I decided to get it on a whim. SO glad I did. This is the coat I've been looking for. Ever see celebrities wear those long black overcoats? This is a great substitute! Although it's not very thick, it's perfect for the spring/autumn. There's no full-on shoulder pads, but I can feel that they inserted something so that the ends of the shoulders look very sharp once it's on a body. This is much more structured than the 66girls overcoat and looks very neat. I can't wait to wear this more often!! 




Quality
★★★★★

Chuu offers pretty high-quality items. It's somewhat on Zara level, but it's much cheaper than Zara. I don't think you'll be disappointed with their products!

Shipping
★★★★★

Their legendary shipping strikes again. I placed the order on January 5th and received the notification that it was shipped out on January 9th. It arrived the next day (January 10th), so it only took five days!! Highly satisfied in this area.

Overall
★★★★★

Chuu still remains as one of the top Korean brands for me. Super happy with all the things I picked up. Will definitely keep shopping here in the future! Now I'm curious how their stores in Asia are like. If you're looking for somewhere to buy Korean fashion, I would recommend chuu!

Visit chuu here.
Thanks for reading!!


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hello

Vivian Gao, University Student

Welcome to my blog where I'll focus on exploring my deep interest in fashion and beauty. I hope you enjoy reading my content and become inspired to try out new looks.

Thanks for visiting!

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