The Essentials: July 2015

Decluttering like crazy but it seems like I've exchanged one vice for another.

That vice being skincare & haircare if you couldn't tell by my favorite picks for July. I signed up for a few beauty courses via Sephora and may start including my favorite beauty products soon. FYI, I am so pumped to learn the correct way to prime and contour (YASSS). Their classes are free so I encourage all of you to sign up for at least one.

Before we dive into makeup, here are the picks that stood out to me during a month-long trial in June. Let's call that trial the essentials test. So if you're wondering... YES, I try lots of different things and go through everything so quickly. My skin is pretty tough but still susceptible to aging, so you'll notice an anti-aging trend here. It's never to early to start using these sorts of products.

I also finished filming another YouTube video covering my PM routine - hope it get posted before the summer ends :).

Shop my essentials below:
1. MDSolarSciences Daily Eye Repair Emulsion, 2. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo 3. TONYMOLY I'm real mask sheet, 4. Vaseline Intensive Care™ Advance Relief Healing Serum, 5. ADIDAS ORIGINALS printed T-shirt, 6. Beautiful Textures Tangle Taming Leave-in Conditioner, 7. Curly Twirls Twirl Tamer, 8. vbeauté Buying Time Everyday Crème, 9. Biore UV Aqua Rich Smooth Watery Gel Spf50 + / Pa ++++, 10. skyn ICELAND Fresh Start Face Mask, 11. philosophy Miracle Worker™ Miraculous Anti-Aging Moisturizer, 12. Devera Naturals Multi-Vitamin Serum, 13. Murad Essential-C Cleanser, 14. Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind™ Avocado + Quinoa Co–Was, 15. Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt Gel-To-Oil Cleanser

Anything new you want to try this month? Tell me in the comments below.

The Essentials: June 2015

An FYI before we indulge, I went heavy on the skincare this month and am loving every second of it!

I reduced my aimless and frivolous spending on clothing to purchases that round out my closet and replaced basics I've worn to bits. Trying to live life outside of Zara's has definitely helped shape me into a conscious shopper but at the same time I refocused my efforts on skincare and beauty, like whoa. It's like I transferred one addiction (Zara.com) to another (Sephora.com) but I digress. It is what is and in the end a lot cheaper and the core of this month's essentials.

This all started when I ventured into the world of reddit, more specifically their Asian Skincare subreddit - so many amazing fascinating discoveries (!!) I would have never found on my own. I even developed a very specific AM + PM regime with remarkable results - a post for another day.

Shop my wants below:
1. Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream, 2. Patricia Nash Dante Crossbody, 3. Hallmark Signature Cards (so cute!), 4. Madewell Striped Tee, 5. Vanity Fair July Issue, 6. Hada-Labo Goku-jun Hyaluronic Milky Lotion, 7. Svelta Tanner, 8. PocketDerm, 9. Molton Brown Rhubarb Rose Collection, 10. Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator, 11. Warby Parker York Eyeglasses, 12. skyn ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, 13. Beautiful Textures Rapid Repair Deep Conditioner, 14. Smith's Mandarin & Rose Lip Balm Tube

Share your essentials in the comments below!

Being Basic

Sometimes it's okay to be a basics bitch. In fact, I'm all about it right now. 

I've been trying to reduce and scale back on all fronts: product, lipgloss, bedding, clothes, and shoes (holy crap the shoes). But, I've also been diligent in getting things to the tailor (my best friend essentially) and replacing my well-worn basics, from undies to the classic striped tee, for more substantial basics.

That means better well made pieces to go the extra mile, and if my bank account can afford it - something a bit on the luxurious side (my bank account called and said no way jose). So instead of spending $10 on a white tee every season, spend $30 for one with better fabric that will last all year and maybe the next. By the way Everlane has some of the best tees around.

Yep, let's get rid of the crap + clutter and replace it with fewer amazing pieces. Basically my mantra for the year if you haven't noticed.  

Here are a few other basics that I've been detoxing then upgrading. It might be a good starting block for you too (if we're on this same decluttering kick together):

- socks: we're on our feet all day long, its only wise we treat our feet to scratchy-free material that also allows for breathability. I got my socks down to about 18 pairs.

- underwear (also known as panties): I actually went through my underwear drawer and realized I owned too many. I couldn't even remember the last time I purged them. To the trash went the lace thongs, overworn, and faded pairs, and in came cotton or seamless pairs. I've pared this down to 16 pairs, all mostly from the Calvin Klein (never fails) line. Panty lines have been MIA ever since. 

- bras: one thing I learned while working in bloomingdale's intimates section is to never skip on support. Did you know that 4 out of 5 women wear the wrong bra size? An ill-fitting bra can cause back-pain and ruin an outfit - with that being said get fitted next time you go bra shopping. If this is a little foreign, this article has lots of more bra knowledge. I have a good set of bras (5 pairs to be exact) all from Calvin yet my t-shirt bra was in desperate need of a replacement. Which, of course I did.

- cami/white tee/black tee/striped tee: Find the best quality your money can get you for each (or whichever fits your life) and donate/sell the others. Like I said, Everlane and Marine Layer are great contenders to keep in mind. Both produce shirts in small batches and only with the finest materials while staying aware of their carbon footprint.

- sweatpants: told ya I was basic. But in all honesty, we all need a pair of lush sweatpants that can take our Sundays from 1 to 100 real quick. I found this pair from Nike and have never ever looked back.

- This might be a good time to revisit your "uniform" and replace any pieces you've worn to bits with a few higher quality items that can hopefully stand the test of time.

Feel free to chime in and add your basics (and where from) in the comments. 

P.s. Keep in mind, Rome wasn't built in a day and neither should your wardrobe. Take your time (and budget into consideration) when building your closet.