Whiteboard Ideas

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One of the most anticipated collaborations of the year is finally launching this weekend on the 15 of September. Phliip Lim took the fashion world by storm this year with its iconic Pashli satchel which ranges from $650-$1065 depending on the size and material of the bag. Continuing with this year success, the label is joining forces with another giant in its field, Target, to offer high end yet affordable fashion pieces to the mass. Now, from past experience I know when these fashion labels crossover with retailers like H&M or Target and even though claims to be affordable, the nice pieces can go up to over $100 a pop. So when I saw the prices on these pieces, I couldn't believe my eyes. The Target version of mini Pashli is set to be priced at $34.99 while the original is $650. Also, how cute is that animal printed skirt?! For only $29.99, that is a steal. So, ladies and gents (there are pieces for men) get ready to snag those pieces this weekend!

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Dermaglow Triple Action Eye Lift

I've been having insomnia for the past few weeks, and trust me, nothing good ever comes out of it. The lack of sleep had caused my eyes to become puffier and my dark circles to be darker. I had used many eyerollers in the past, like the Biotherm Aquasource Eye Perfection, but after using a whole tube, nothing seems to have changed. I like the idea of a roller because 1) it's more hygienic and 2) it's great for massaging the eye area to increase circulation.

When I stumbled upon this eyeroller, I thought triple action? Can one eyeroller really do more than one thing? I'm already having difficulty finding an eye care product that would make my dark circles less visible let alone THREE things. So I decided to buy this and give it a try. After my first use, overnight I instantly saw results! No, I'm not kidding you, my puffiness is gone and my dark circles had reduced! On the box it claims that it diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles. I'm not sure about fine lines or wrinkles, since I've yet to have them, but it seems to be working for the other two.

This eye product says it's suitable for all skin types and it really is. Unlike my Biotherm where it is a gel formula, Dermaglow Triple Action Eye Lift is a cooling liquid formula that glides on smoothly with its one ball roller. Making it super fast absorbent and not sticky at all. It retails for $35 CAD, which I believe it's in the middle ground of its playing field. For what it's price is worth, I think this eye roller is doing a great job for my eyes.

Hope this helps!

XOXO

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Shiseido Perfect Watery Oil

I have neglected this blog for far too long, I promise I'll try to post something new here every week. So what I have here today up on the Whiteboard is Shiseido's Perfect Watery Oil. If you're new to using cleansing oil as a makeup remover, let me give you brief info on how it works. Cleansing oil is essentially an oil-based cleanser that is formulated to dissolve into your skin, gently removing any impurities from dirt and heavy makeup without disrupting your skin's natural moisture level.

Personally, I have an oily T-zone and sensitive skin. This helps me to remove any kind of makeup that I have on without any difficulty. What I like about it the most is that I can take this with me in the shower and with 2 pumps or so, I can have all my makeup fully removed. When you pump it out of the bottle it has this warm sensation, but it quickly disappears after a few seconds. So what I tend to do is rub it between my hands and massage the oil onto my face for about 2 minutes followed by my regular daily cleanser. Although it says 'cleansing' oil, I highly recommend washing your face with your daily cleanser right after, this should be used as a makeup remover.

Oppose to other cleansing oil like Shu Umemura (which I also LOVE LOVE LOVE) this is a little bit more on the watery oil, hence the name Watery Oil. On the other hand, this product is from Japan so you can only find this in Asian beauty stores, but this is also a little bit more affordable ($25 CAD for 230mL) compared to the Shu Uemura that starts at $36 CAD for 150mL. Overall, I really like this as a makeup remover because of its watery formula making it gentle yet effective. More importantly, I don't have to use a cotton pad with it and I dislike how cotton pads will tug at my skin while removing my makeup.

I hope this helps! XOXO

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My Favourite Lip Balm.

I'm a very minimalistic person. I rarely use makeup, but for those makeup-less days one thing that MUST be in my purse is lip balm. I hate it when it starts to bleed as you try to bite off that annoying flaking piece of skin on your chapped lips and have someone looking at you telling you that your lips are bleeding, an embarrassing moment and disgusting sight. So I've vowed to always try to keep them nice and moist so I don't ever have to relive that horrifying experience again. I've tried many different brands of lip balm, but none of them were long lasting. I have to keep reapplying them over and over again, until this one came along.

It all started with the C.O. Bigelow Lavender Salve in that my sister gave me. It was definitely a miracle worker, all I need to do is apply a sheer layer of this before I go the bed and the next morning I would be waking up to smooth kissable lips. But one thing bugged me, it was in a tin, meaning I would have to apply it with my fingers or a bursh every time I want to use it. So on I go again for the search of the perfect lip balm.

That is when I encounter this beauty. On the label it says My Favorite Night Balm. Now typically I don't fall for these things that labelled themselves as "Favourite", I mean don't I have a say before you tell me that it should be my favourite? Anyways, I picked this up thinking that since it was from the same brand as the salve, C.O. Bigelow, it couldn't be as bad as those Chapstick ones that can't moisturize anything even if your life depends on it. So the moment I paid and walked out the store, I broke the seal and apply a sheer coat over my lips. It was a little sticky at first, but as the day went on, I felt that my lips stayed moist and did not see any flaky skin on my lips. Most of all I love that it's in a little tube so I can just pop it in my little coin bag and I'm good to go. If you live in a place with humid weathers and hot climates, this product might not be what you're looking for. Hope you guys find this helpful!

XOXO

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Zara: Culotte skort Saint Laurent: Petite Cabas bag, Arty ring Target: Mossimo blazer Chieftan tank See by Chloé: leather & canvas wedge Chanel: Vintage earrings & ring, nail vernis (L-R: Blue Satin, Sky Line, Emprise), Rouge Coco Shine lipstick Marc Jacob: body lotion.

Floral prints are been spotted here and there this season, especially among high fashion labels like 3.1 Phillip Lim and style brands like Zara. What took me by surprise is the blazer from Target. I know, like Miranda Priestly said in "The Devil Wears Prada", after a few fashion labels starts flaunting something everywhere it's going to eventually be filtered down to the department stores. What I'm actually surprise is not that Target carried a floral printed blazer, but the quality of the blazer. For $35, it's not too shabby at all. If I weren't to tell you that this blazer was from Target, you would have thought this piece was from a designer label that you might not be able to afford. Well, I guess you don't always have to spend big bucks to get the look you want.

XOXO

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Daily Cleansing Tools

Today, I'm going to just share with you some of the cleansing tools that I use on a daily bases. I have oily skin, so it's really important that I keep my skin clean at all time so I don't break out. Pores is another issue of mine and I do try to use different products to minimize the amount of pores around my nose.

I'm sure many of you had heard about the Clarisonic and the many great things about. Personally, I do find the Clarisonic does help with controlling the amount of oil on my face, especially around the areas of my forehead. Before I couldn't last half a day without blotting my T-zone area, but with the Clarisonic I can carry on my day only blotting it during the night if I'm out all day. After using it for 3 years, I can see a slight difference on my blackheads and pores, but not significantly enough that it disappears. Although, fighting blackheads and pores is and always will be a long and consistent battle.

With that being said, the Clarisonic can be a hefty investment considering that it retails for around $120 - $229 depending on whether you get the Mia or the Clarisonic Plus. The one I have is a Plus, which has three speed settings and is slightly bigger. Honestly, I love my Clarisonic, but with the price of the system and the replacement brush heads, it can be quite expensive. If you don't want to spend that kind of money or on a limited budget, there are other ways to enhance your cleansing routine.

This little pink thing is actually a facial cleansing tool that I use quite often when I want to take a break from my Clarisonic. As you can see, it has small little silicone bristles that can help get into the pores as you massage it over your face with your daily cleanser. To me, it does a great job at enhancing your cleansing routine and it's better at getting deeper into the nose area than your fingers. You can find it at Sephora for $5 or at Walmart for $2.

I know this isn't really a cleansing tool, but I do find this St. Ives mineral clay mask amazing at keeping my face feeling clean and fresh. Although, it says it's a firming mask, mineral clay can actually help absorb the unwanted oil on your face. I can't tell you how much I love St. Ives products and how effective they are for the price that I'm paying for them. You can essentially find all the St. Ives product at your local drug store for around $6. I'm always a strong believer that it's not always the price you pay for a skincare product that determines it's effectiveness, but the right product for your skin and the ingredients it contains.

Hope this helps! XOXO

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The Milky Way

Stayed up late? Got puffy eyes? Dark circles? Well no worries, I got just the recipe for you to depuff those eyes and remove those dark circles. All you need is 3 minutes to prepare for this eye mask. So let the countdown begin!

You will need:

1 ziploc bag 1 small bowl of milk (approx. 1 cup) few cotton pads

1) Put the cotton pads into the bowl and soak them for a few seconds.

2) Squeeze out the excess milk.

3) Make sure you unravel and flatten the cotton pad again.

4) Then, put the cotton pads into the baggy. Pop it into the refrigerator and you're done!

After a nice shower or cleaning your face, take it out of the refrigerator and put it over your eyes for a few minutes. Sit back and relax as you depuff those eyes! Hope this helps!

XOXO

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Coral Me White

Alexander Wang: Aline low heels, sheer stripe shorts, top. Miu Miu: sunglasses, 3.1 Phillip Lim: medium Pashli satchel in coral, Chanel: Joues Contraste powder blush, YSL: Rouge Volupte.

Honestly, I've never been a fan of pink. The only exception would be for makeup like blush, lipstick and nail polish. Never had I own a top, dress, bottom or even shoes that are remotely pink. So I was kind of shock when I realize I had fallen in love with the 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Satchel. Being the first pink item in my closet, I think this was being a little too adventurous. I mean, this bag is not SMALL at all. It measures in 11" by 15", enough to fit my laptop, daily essentials and some more. Yes, I am aware that they have a mini version of this cutie, but I want to be able to use it as work bag as well. It's great to have a big bag when you're trying to catch the train and putting stuff in your bag at the same time. So, it's decision time. Do you think I should get this bag?

XOXO

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Run With The Trends

It's time to put those stilettos away and pull out your sneakers! Yes, that's right, sneakers. Not wedge sneakers, but training sneakers. No longer are they the perserved choice of footwear among athletes but for fashion bunnies, bloggers, and big house brands as well. From street wear to high fashion, sneakers had been seen on this year's catwalk of Moschino and on the feet of popular fashion bloggers like Chiara from The Blonde Salad.

Chiara from The Blonde Salad

Although performance sneakers are what's in right now, not all sneakers make it to the trending list. Of course, the most valuable sports brand Nike gets to be on the top of the list. Actually, I would understand why Nike is the most popular among the bunch. They house the ever so sought-after Jordans that men everywhere crave for, except now they have grown their market among women as well. Though, the release of Nike Free 5.0 V5 runners created a hype that bumped them up from an athlete training sneaker to a desirable fashion accessory. Just look that these bloggers wear them walking up and down the streets.

Aimee from Song Of Style Lucy from Lovely By Lucy Camille from Camille Over The Rainbow

If Nike isn't what you're looking for, you can give a try New Balance as well. More popular in Europe than North America, New Balance helps add a dash colour to any minimalistic look with it's clean and simple design. Slightly different from the Nikes with their neon colours, New Balance was able to make it on the streets among fashion icons by it's low maintenance approach.

Lucy from Lovely By Lucy Christine from Fash-N-Chips

As for me, I've been stocking up on my own sneaker collection. I gotta say, it made my life a lot easier now I don't have to worry about bringing an extra pair of footwear when I hit the gym.

XOXO

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Homemade Summer Masks

Hello my lovelies! Summer is coming and I'm sure all of you want to be looking your best during those hot sunny days. Today I'm going to share with you some homemade facial masks recipes with ingredients that you can just find in your refrigerator. So not only will it save you money, it is convenient as well! Let's get started shall we?

Lemon Juice & Egg Mask (for anti-acne) This mask is good for reducing the dark spots and brightening your skin tone.

Ingredients: 1 egg white Juice from 1/2 a lemon

In a bowl, whisk the egg white together with lemon juice until completely binded. Then, apply a thin layer over a freshly clean and dry face. You may use a clean brush to apply it onto your face if you like. Leave it on for 10 mins. Rinse with cool water and continue on with regular skincare routine.

Cucumber & Yogurt Face Mask (for hydrating skin) Cool down and hydrate your skin with this mask on a hot summer day!

Ingredients: 1/2 a cucumber 1 tablespoon of regular yogurt

In a blender, blend the two ingredients together and massage onto a thoroughly dry and clean face. Leave it on for 15 mins. Rinse with cool water and follow up with regular skincare routine.

Banana & Sugar Facial Scrub (for exfoliating skin) Nourish and exfoliate your skin to reduce the appearance of blackheads.

Ingredients: 1 ripe and peeled banana 1/4 cup of granulated sugar 1/4 cup of brown sugar

Use a spoon and mash the banana in a bowl until smooth. Add the granulated and brown sugar into the mix and stir until it is well incorporated with the banana. Slightly dampen your skin and massage the mixture over it. If you like, you can leave it on your face for 5-10 minutes then rinse with warm water.

Like any skincare product, I HIGHLY recommend you to test a small area of your skin before applying it onto the rest of your face to avoid irritation or any allergic reaction. Everyone's skin type is different and will react differently. The recipes provided are all made with natural ingredients for the most optimal results!

So good luck & I hope this helps! XOXO

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All The Right Type (part 2)

Okay, are you ready for part deux to this typography crash course? If you haven't seen part one yet, you can take a look at it here. There are so much to learn about in typography that it would typically take years to master, but I'm going to try to simply this so it can be a basic framework to those who are just starting out or those who just want to know more about type.

Energy Emission Type can be seen as a moving object. Like any form of communication, it carries a form of message and energy to viewers. Each stroke of lines transmit a feeling and moves with the words to convey a cohesive message to the person reading it. Similar to any artwork, it prompts movement, emotions, and intuitive reaction.

Font Selection Hence, font selection is an important process of tying the whole piece together, but there aren’t any formula to ensure that it works every time. Although, there are some guidelines that I tend to follow each time I'm conjuring up some sort of recipe for a layout. Start with a bowl of current and past trends, then add a dash of target audience, a tablespoon of brand personality, a cup of font conveyance and perception, sprinkle some designer's own style and mix until a font is ready to use. Make sure it's in the right consistency of typeface, font style, size, and colour.

Visual Hierarchy When creating a layout, you have to keep in mind of what you want to focus on, what would draw people's attention. Remember, people now live a busy lifestyle and have lots of distractions around them. What I mean by distractions is that people now don't just do one thing at a time. They can be watching TV while Facebooking on their tablet and Instagraming on their phone all at the same time. So essentially you only have mere seconds to stop what they are doing and focus on your work. For a visual hierarchy, create a totem pole. Think what is the order of importance and what should be on top, this is typically a headline or a visual that lures the audience in. Then establish the hierarchy by using various methods of visual impact such as increasing the font size, the weight, the amount of white space around the type, or an alternative font that demands more attention.

Combining Fonts Combining fonts can be another way of establishing visual hierarchy, but it can also be a tricky thing. You have to ask yourself, is everything in harmony? Are all the fonts singing the same song? Do they compliment each other or they are fighting against one another? When using multiple fonts, it's better to avoid pairing typefaces that have similar weight and size or fonts that are singing the same song but in a different language.

There are so much more to learn in typography that this is merely just the tip of the iceberg. As time goes on, I might continue making other parts of this post, so stay toon!

Hope this helps! XOXO

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Skin Food

Although there aren't any magical potion that can make us look forever 21, but there are some things that are close to it. I'm sure many of you had heard that beauty starts from the inside and that's more accurate than you think. There are some food that can help you eat your years away, or you can eat your years away, oh, you know what I mean. So today I'll share with you 8 types of food that I find beneficial for my skin. Just to let you know I'm no specialist, but these are just some ways I find useful on my skin.

1) Pomegranates Whether you drink a glass of pomegranate juice or eat it by itself, It can help smooth fine lines and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. This magnificent fruit helps regulate blood flow so you can get a nice rosy glow.

2) Almonds I always have these on hand, they are great for snacking and it's full of vitamin E. While it can reduce black circles around the eyes, it can also cleanse and eliminate the toxins in your body. Since it keeps our digestive system in check, almonds can also contribute to weight loss.

3) Oatmeals It may taste bland, but when you know what it does for your skin you'll be eating spoonful of these everyday. Oatmeal helps regulate blood sugar and prevents an increasing level of androgen, which is a hormone that causes wrinkles.

4) Tomatoes When you spend most of your time out in the sun, it's best that you eat tomatoes. It contains lycopene which can reduces the risk of sunburns and helps produce more collagen, so that you can have younger and firmer looking skin.

5) Strawberries The most popular berry in the world and I would understand why. Not only they can help reduce the appearance of fine lines, it can also eliminates problems with dry skin. They are packed with antioxidant like vitamin C that plays a key role in producing collagen.

6) Dark Chocolate Yup, you read it correctly, dark chocolate. It helps rejuvenate your complexion and reduce stress hormones that causes collagen breakdown. The less stress hormones, the less collagen breakdown, and fewer the wrinkles. So the next time you hesitate on grabbing a chocolate bar, tell yourself it's for the benefit of your own skin!

7) Lemons It's inexpensive, it's always in your refrigerator, and it's good for you skin. Lemons can act as a whitening agent, which can diminish acne scars and remove dark spots. Either rub half a lemon directly onto the skin of your body or squeeze it in a nice tall glass of water.

8) Papaya Many skincare products have been using papaya for skin rejuvenation for many decades. They rich in antioxidants and contains a special enzyme called papain that remove dead cells and cure skin impurities. There are many home-made papaya skin care recipes such as masks that can help moisturizes your skin, keeping it soft and healthy looking!

Hope this helps! XOXO

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All The Right Type (part 1)

As an art director, I believe typography is not just the simple matter of adding design to words, but a tool. It's one of a designer's ultimate tool for captivating the audiences' attention by using and choosing fonts creatively. Before I go into the details of how type can be use as a powerful weapon to any design and ads, I think it's best that we go back to the basics. So let's get started, shall we?