June Favorites by S

June 17, 2016June 17, 20162 Comments

Hello summertime. Goodbye real life.

It has been so invigorating relaxing this past week. I have set aside this week, the first week of my summer, to doing what I want. This means not touching my tons of AP summer homework stacked up on my desk and neglecting studying for the SAT’s for just this week. I really wanted to destress and have time for doing the things that I love the most. Anyways, with that being said, this week I have had plenty of time to catch up with old friends, shop, and have a spa day… something that I needed very much after the hectic month of May. How has everyone else been doing?

With that being said, let me get into my June favorites.

Lately, I have been loving the 80s fashion trends. I had such a fun shopping day with my mother on Monday and I picked up a few 80s inspired things from my favorite shop, ZARA.

Here’s a mini haul as to what I purchased, and I can honestly say that they are my current fashion favorites

Bomber Jacket

Don’t hang clothing off of chandeliers , not a very good idea, but you got to do what you got to do for the blog, right? Anyways, what i particularly love about this jacket is that it has the cute green stripe through the sleeves and also the “Don’t grow up” message on the back of the jacket adds extra flair to it. I love the color scheme of the jacket and it can easily be paired with a simple crop top and some jeans. It can also be worn with a light colored dress and I wore this with my baby blue halter maxi dress.

2. Simple tops

I got this sparkly grey crop top with patches on it. Patches were a major trend from the 90s and they are in right now. The patches on this top make it more interesting and fun. I also bought this peachy pink top and I love the material of it and the contrast with the white.

Also, in this shopping trip, I went to Topshop , and picked up some ballerina-esque black tie up heels. They are my ultimate favorite heels right now. I literally could not resist them. I have been loving the Ballerina trends right now from tie up heels/sandals to wrap tops. This trend is by far my favorite.

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Beauty favorites:

I have been loving the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Aquacealer Concealer. This is the best concealer of all time. With dark circles caused by finals and stress, this concealer has been my go to. A little tiny bit goes a long way to cover up the darkness under my eyes and brighten them immediately. Although this is not a permanent solution to getting rid of dark circles, this concealer does an excellent job in concealing them. Definitely worth it. I got mine from Sephora.

2. My second favorite of this month has been the Bath and Body Works Italian Citrus Sun Body lotion. It has a sweet and citrusy scent to it which makes it smell divine. I can’t get enough of this flavor. I have also been loving the perfume , Chance by Chanel, that I recently got. It has an energetic and floral scent which I love.

3. My last but most favorite, beauty favorite of June is the Rosewater Aromatherapy Mist from Target and the California Rose Sea Salt Souffle from Whole foods. The Sea Salt Souffle is a 2 in 1 bath soak and body scrub. It has dried rose petals in it and smells like a rose garden which is incredible to bathe in. The aromatherapy mist is a great facial toner and I love spritzing it all over my body, face, and hair after I shower . Its a great addition to your post-shower routine before putting on lotion. Rose water is an excellent toner and keeps you hydrated.

Miscellaneous Favorites:

Chocolate covered Stawberries are the best fruit and chocolate combination there is. I have been making them so often this month and they are my favorite thing to snack on. It is so simple and easy to make all you have to do is melt some semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler ( a pot filled halfway with water, boiled, and then place a stove proof bowl on top of the pot and let the heat of the water underneath melt the chocolate. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water or you can just melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals until the chocolate melts). It is super easy to make these. Or if you are really lazy, you can always by them from Godiva because Godiva is the best Chocolatier there is. There truffles are my absolute favorite.

2. Room DIY. My cousin got me this cute wooden heart for my room. It was blank and I decided to paint over it in some shades of emerald green and paint the word “live” on it in a cursive font. This has been my favorite room decor item so far and it is so easy to do yet so cute.

That sums up my favorites of the month, so far, considering its only been half the month. Hope you all have an adventurous summer filled with happiness and positivity.

XOXO,

Shiza

5 Things to do on a Sunday @ Home

April 21, 2015April 22, 2015Leave a comment

1) Bake. Nothing is more aesthetically pleasing than baking something delectable that you can devour afterward. I find baking to be relaxing and stress-relieving. I can be having the most chaotic week, but when I put on that apron, I forget everything and drift into a world of sugary dreams.

I made my favorite crispy chocolate chip cookies ( I have a blogpost on the recipe) along with a lovely darjeeling chai.

2) Read or Watch a Good Movie
Most of us have busy schedules and our fridays and saturdays are packed with parties and fun. We often don’t have time to do things as simple as watch a movie or catch up on reading. I believe that Sundays were made to do the things you love and most of all relax. Curl up with a good book or put on an old hollywood movie on netflix and have fun!

This is an excerpt from one of the cutest books on style by Nina Garcia, “The Little Black Book of Style”. This is one of my favorite quotes❤️.

3) Go for a long walk
Long walks are always fun. I love going on a walk and taking pictures of the beauty of nature and perhaps doing a mini-photoshoot while I am walking… It depends on my outfit / mood. But it is honestly so fun and adveturous.

Here are some flowers , I picked up from my front yard after the walk. I love fresh flowers. It looks so rustic and crisp. Placing flowers in a mason jar or cute bottle makes your floral arrangement look vintage and unique.

4) Take a bubble bath
A hot bath with some good music, “spa water” or tea , and a fizzing bath bomb or bubble solution is all you need for a pleasant bath. Baths are calming to the body and often require alot of time. That is why I prefer to take long bubble baths on Sundays. I love addig some essential oils to my bath for a calming aroma and some bath salts.

This is my all time favorite bubble solution. I have been using it ever since I was a little kid and still love it! You can find in the baby section of Target. It smells like berries and last forever. I also love using this lemon sugar scrub. Its exfoliating and has a lovely citrus scent that lingers on your skin throughout the day. I am not exactly sure where its from, but bath & body works sells great scrubs. A combination of these two make for a luxurious and relaxing bath.

5) Exercise
This means do anything athletic. It can be anything from yoga to playing dance games on the x-box or just going for a run. My definition of a workout is jumping on the trampoline. It is a great workout for the lymphatic system. I also love doing yoga. It relaxes me. I think sunday’s are a perfect day to do fun workouts if you get lazy during the week! Make sure your playing some of your favorite music while doing so. Music radiates energy and motivating vibes during workouts.

Xoxo,
Shiza

LAFW : Style Fashion Week

March 20, 2015April 25, 2015Leave a comment

Hey guys! So yesterday I went to my first fashion show. It was at Style Fashion Week in LA. I viewed shows by Ophelia Song, Coco Johnson, and Tatiana Shabelnik. Unfortunately , I couldn’t stay for the grand finale which was a Red Dress show with dresses by designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Monique Lhuillier. However, I did get to see the dresses backstage and was stunned. Everything felt so surreal. I think the best part about it was that I go to experience both perspectives of a fashion show ; The ramp walk and Backstage where all the action happens. Backstage was so chaotic and productive. Every inch of space was being put to use and everyone was busy. There were hairdressers, make-up artists, designers, photographers, models all preparing for the show. Its astonishing how it takes hours and days to prepare for a 1 hour or less show. You truly gain a sense of respect for all the people who work backstage to make the show possible. However, My favorite aspect of the evening was the ramp walk. It felt like dream come true. I was so honored to be a part of such an event. It was such an exhilarating experience. To sit there, amongst designers and such affluent people to the fashion industry, was an unforgettable experience.

Backstage:

In the pink is designer Tatiana Shabelnik.

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Ophelia Song
This show showcased clothing that were very soft and elegant. There were many aqua/blue shades, whites, and specks of black in the collection. It gave me a mermaid-y vibe .

(This picture is not mine)

Coco Johnson
This show was very edgy and outgoing, The collection was bold and dark colors such as red and black were prominent throughout the show. I love the cuts and eccentric styles of the jumpsuits and dresses that were a part of this collection.

Tatiana Shabelnik:
This show was the most whimsical and fun . The collection was colorful and vibrant . It began with a model dancing onto the stage wearing a stunning dress. Then, a man model joined her and they performed a lovely dance/walk. The music was energizing yet traditional. This collection had ensembles with different textures, patterns, and colors. All of it coherently worked well with each other. Some of the looks were a little bit medieval/fairytale looking. Overall, I loved the uniqueness to this show.

All of the pictures were taken by me on my iPhone 5s unless otherwise stated.

Xoxo,
Shiza❤️

DIY Dressing Table Decór

March 1, 2015March 1, 2015Leave a comment

Aloha💓 Today I am going to be sharing with you guys my dressing table and give you guys cute diy ideas on how to glam your dressing table.

So this is my dressing table. It is a dark mahogany color and I have an enormous circular mirror above it , which I adore. I am not particularly sure where its from , my parents bought it when I re-decorated my room. Anways, alot of the stuff on my dressing table are diys, art pieces, or random things such as my polaroid that just add a dimension to my dresser. I recommend adding vintage/memorable pieces or things you love to your dresser. It seriously makes it vibrant and really fun. Items such as statement accesories can be put on display on your dresser. These add a whimsical vibe to your dresser.

This is a cute idea for storing your perfumes and mists. I keep mine on a white cake stand. You can find cake stands like these at stores that sell home goods such as Crate & Barrel, Target, or TJ-Maxx . I think it looks so pretty and is a good way to keep all of your fragrances in one place.

This is an inexpensive yet chic way to store your jewelry. All you need is two small plates that are printed/fun, and a thin candle to put in between them. I recommend buying the plates from a vintage/thrift shop or getting them from the kitchen. Voilà you have a tiered jewelry stand!

This is a piece of artwork that I painted. I placed it behind the jewelry as a backsplash. It adds a pop of color.

These are the three diys. The rest of the stuff were all purchased by shops. My black dress form necklace stand is from forever 21. The glass bottle on the far right has decorative colorful crystals on the bottom of it , and stores my hair brushes. I don’t know where he pink lamp is from because I got it as a gift.

XOXO,
Shiza
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New York Fashion Week 2015

February 23, 2015February 23, 2015Leave a comment

Hi guys! So as many of you know, it’s officially fashion week time! New York is done and now it’s London’s turn. I adored a plethora of looks on the New York runway, but here’s a few of my favorites. Obviously, I’m into all the sparkles and pretty designs, haha. I just need an Elie Saab dress in my life. Looks by Elie Saab, Anna Sui, Marc Jacobs, and more.

XOXO,
Firda

Love this Anna Sui hippy, carefree dress

The contrasting colors are so edgy!

Stunning, great for red carpet affairs.

Obsessed with the coat pattern.

The golds give it a beautiful medieval look.

No words. I need!

Love this warrior princess look. And how pretty is Taylor Hill?!

Simple yet classy.

Beautiful!

The blues are mesmerizing.

*All pictures found on Tumblr

Holy Grail Makeup Trio

February 2, 2015February 2, 2015Leave a comment

The Benefit They’re Real Mascara is one of my favorite all time mascaras and is a product that has changed my definition of a good mascara. I was at ulta with my mom and the lady introduced me to it and I fell in love. It makes sparse, thin lashes appear voluminous, vibrant, and can drastically lenghthen your lashes. I am not exaggerating at all, its seriously does everything a mascara should and its beacause of the design of the brush and formula of mascara. This is the small version of it is 4g and costs $12, buts its worth it and lasts a while. There is also a larger kind that is $23. I bought the small one because I wanted to test out the product, but I am definitely going to purchase the larger one when I am finished.

My second makeup must have is the L’oréal Telescopic Precision liquid eyeliner in carbon black. I have tested out numerous eyeliners but this seems to be the one I always come back to. It applies easily , has a dark bold black color, and its formula is simply amazing. Also, I love the applicator tip and can help make the most perfect wings. The product costs only $7.49 and can be found in most drugstores. It honestly works just as great as a high end liquid eyeliner and lasts forever.

My last holy grail makeup product is the BM cosmetics Auto eyebrow pencil in Black 195. My mother bought this from her hairstylist at a Korean hair salon and I kinda “borrowed” it from my mom’s dressing table and never gave it back .I have never used the pencil part of this eyebrow product because I get my eyebrows threaded and do not need to fill mine in. However, I do like to brush through my eyebrows when doing my makeup in order to keep them in shape. The bristles in the brush make your eyebrows look shaped. The products brush is all that I use, but it works great and I have been using it for more than a year now and still like it.

Xoxo
-Shiza

Bag Essentials:

January 27, 2015January 31, 2015Leave a comment

Hey Dolls💗,
Today I’m going to inform you on some of my everyday bag essentials.
Having a bag isn’t just enough, in my opinion the type of bag you have should reflect your personality and your style. The bag I am currently using is a Michael Kors mini satchel in black, I adore my bag, it easily styles up a causal outfit into a chic look.

Non- beauty products that I carry:
• Glasses from Aldo (case from target)
• BVLGARI notebook
• Last kings wristlet
Beauty Products that I carry:
• Lo’real Extra-Intense Eyeliner
• Benefit they’re real mascara
• Smashbox brush
• NAKED Urban Decay Basics Eyeshadow Palette
• Drug store Liquid Liner
• Marc Jacob’s Daisy rollerball

Hope you all like it.
XOXO
-Zaina S.

Sapphires in Paradise

the little things in life

Category: Beauty