The Sunday Local: Malibu

kimono - TJ Maxx | t-shirt - AA | jeans - topshop | heels - dolce vita

I was lucky enough to spend time with my very good friend Claudette in Malibu this week. I've known her since kindergarten and she's been living in New York for the past year so I cherish any time I get to spend with her. We played in Malibu for two days straight! Hitting up Zuma Beach to get out of the Valley heat and having drinks at Duke's with some awesome hula girls (cue Maui withdrawals!!) Enjoy the results of our impromptu photo shoot!

♫ the waves keep on crashin' on me for some reason ♪ 

sunset at Duke's 

the cahleesi

Check out Claudette's amazing blog about her traveling adventures through Europe and all around North America! How did you spend your Labor Day Weekend, I'd love to know in the comments! Thank you for visiting!

All About the Chemical Peel | Part I

(July 19 - Aug 27)

The chemical peel. Those words can be quite scary for most people, even I was opposed to them for years, I heard horror stories of peels gone wrong and saw my boyfriend have a terrible reaction and get a severe burn from a bad peel. Though I avoided peels, I kept doing my research and I've since become a convert, doing them myself at home every week. I'm a huge fan of chemical exfoliants, they've faded scars that I've had for years and give me a healthy glow.

In the first part of my chemical peel series I'll describe the different types of peels you can use and offer some recommendations on peels and other exfoliants. Let's get into it!

It's important to start slowly with the weakest type of acid at the lowest percentage with the shortest application time. If your iffy on your do-it-yourself skills, go to a professional dermatologist or esthetician first and let them know it's your first time. If you want to dive right in or just want to learn the facts, here's a list of the types of chemicals used in a peel.

Types of Chemical Acids:

Lactic Acid |  A fairly mild chemical exfoliant, it's an awesome beginners AHA and works well for fading hyperpigmentation. Lactic acid is derived from milk and works well on all skin types.

Glycolic Acid |  Stronger than lactic acid, it's next up on the list. Glycolic acid is derived from sugar cane, works best on normal to oily skin, and is also an AHA - exfoliating the surface of the skin.

Mandelic Acid |  The least irritating and mildest exfoliant on the market. Also an AHA, but takes longer to penetrate the skin's surface. Mandelic acid is derived from almonds and is suitable for acne-prone, sensitive, sun-damaged, and/or deeper complexions.

Salicylic Acid |  A beta-hydroxy, BHA, that is oil-soluble - meaning it can penetrate deeper into the oily/acne-prone skin to loosen up blackheads or clear pores.

Trichloreacetic Acid |  Also known as TCA, it is the most intensive acid to use at home. Some use it for fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, or even indented acne scarring. It's not recommended for beginners.

I purchased a 40% lactic acid chemical peel kit from Makeup Artist's Choice. My sample size has lasted for months with weekly peels, and I still have half a bottle left. It comes with a pH balancing toner which you use before and after the peel and some instructions for a safe at home treatment.

If you're still on the fence about peels, I can recommend lower strength exfoliants that you can use once a week or whenever you want some extra deep cleaning.

Paula's Choice | My number one place to get exfoliants. I use two of her products daily, the 2% BHA Liquid (salicylic) and the 8% AHA Gel (glycolic). I can't speak any more highly of PC exfoliants, they're gentle but effective and work great for people who want to dip their feet into chemical exfoliants. The Weekly Resurfacing Treatment (10% glycolic) is also a great first step before diving into chemical peels. (All Paula's Choice exfoliants are 20% off right now!!)

Alpha Hydrox | Though I haven't used any of their products, I've heard nothing but good things about this brand. It's a cheaper alternative to PC but looks like it's just as effective. The Oil-Free Treatment is a 10% glycolic gel and the Swipes are 14% glycolic acid soaked cotton pads. Both can make great weekly treatments.

I hope you enjoyed my recommendations but check back for Part II for a run down of my chemical peel routine and a few more tips and tricks! Thanks again for visiting!!

**This is not a sponsored post. All products mentioned where purchased by me or researched based on effectiveness. I do have a Paula's Choice referral code, like every member account on their website, and you can use it for $10 off your first order. Let me know how you like the products!

Simple Brow Tutorial

It's refreshing to start writing on the blog again. I was in a bit of a rut so I haven't been posting as often as I'd like to, but I'm back with a super simple tutorial on my favorite feature to make up, BROWS! I use only one product for the whole routine so you don't have to shell out on a kit or brow gel. This is what I do everyday, so if you want a more dramatic look you can add darker shades, gel, or concealer to beef it up!

Here she is, my HG brow product, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz pencil in Brunette. It's the perfect color for me right now and it has a grooming brush on the other end that's really convenient and better than my stand alone brow spoolies. The formula is hard enough so that you don't apply too much but smooth enough to easily brush over if you do. You can always use a cheaper alternative but make sure that you have a spoolie handy, it's just as important of a tool as your pencil!

The Sunday Local: Cheat Week

I have a confession to make, I cheated...

....on my diet and it never felt so good! As of last week, my boyfriend and I finished our Whole30, a very strict no grain no dairy no sugar diet consisting of only veggies, meat, fruits and nuts. We needed a jump start to a healthier lifestyle after our trip to Hawaii and having done Whole30 and Paleo before, we decided it'd be a good idea to build better eating habits again. Though I felt amazing during my month of healthy eating exclusively at home, it was absolute torture for the little foodie fiend living inside me. But she finally saw the light of day this week when I went H.A.M. on some of my favorite dishes.

photo credit

I'll have me one of those! No, this beauty is literally called "One of Those", the lovechild of a croissant & donut filled with yummy pastry cream from Lulu's Bread and Breakfast in Las Vegas, NV. While visiting some family in Sin City, we decided to end our Whole30 by having our fill of sugary goodness over breakfast. I probably have the biggest sweet tooth out of everyone I know, so this baby had to find it's way into my mouth after a month of sugar free torture. 

The Terrible Two of DIY Beauty

I can't tell you how many times I've gotten DIY beauty advice from friends, family, and customers from my old jobs. When you suffer from acne or bad skin, it's somehow a green light for strangers to tout all of their beauty knowledge on you, even if they're not necessarily right. One of my regulars at Pinkberry back in the day told me to cut a lime in half, bake it in an oven, and rub it all over my face while it's still hot. Instinct told me not to squeeze a searing hot fruit over any open wound, especially spots on my face! Even though I didn't take her advice home with me, I was't aware of the dangers of some DIY beauty ingredients until I really started my research on skincare. It's all about keeping your skin in balance and maintaining your skin's most natural pH level, or problems like acne or dehydration can wreak havoc. Here are two DIY ingredients you should stay away from to keep your skin healthy and balanced.

Lemon and Citrus Fruits
Lemon is often recommended for its brightening and astringent properties, which should be helpful for acne and dark spots. But that “hurts so good” sting you feel from lemon hitting an open acne spot is actually irritation and can cause more inflammation and redness. The brightening effect of citrus juice is from its high acidity levels (pH 2), which is far too high to be regularly applying on the skin. Have you heard of a chemical peel? That’s essentially what citrus juice is, so you must be careful with application or you risk getting a serious chemical burn. Excessive use of citrus juice on the skin can also lead to photosensitivity, or sensitivity to sun exposure. If you insist on using citrus juice in your routine, consider diluting the juice with water and avoid using it daily. And if you aren't using it already (like you should be!), sunscreen will be your new best friend.

Baking Soda
Baking soda is commonly recommended as an inexpensive alternative to scrubs. It’s said to be gentle on sensitive skin and can also be mixed with other ingredients to make a mask. The danger in baking soda is its pH of 8.5, making it highly alkaline, the opposite of acidic lemon juice. Now, what’s the harm in a scrub or mask that’s too alkaline? The natural pH of skin (4.5-5.5) leans more on the acidic side to fight harmful bacteria in the environment. But when we cleanse skin with an alkaline product, it changes the skin’s pH making it a breeding ground for bacteria (Korting HC, 1990). High pH levels can also lead to moisture loss, irritation, and skin aging.

It’s important to find a gentle facial cleanser with a pH that closely resembles your skin's natural balance. The delicate balance your skin needs to be healthy can be easily damaged but is much harder to heal, sometimes taking up to 2 weeks to go back to it's normal state! Now that you know to steer clear of DIY projects using lemons and baking soda, you can confidently say "No thanks, I'm trying to watch my pH figure" to any stranger giving you bad beauty advice.

Bold Lip Love

Feeling bold? These are five of my favorite bold lippies that can be worn day, night, or whenever you need a little umph! There's a good mix of drugstore and mid-end products as well as different colors. Enjoy! Excuse the hair, it was 90℉!!