Hey everyone!

Summer has come to an end already, which is quite unbelievable. After those months of partying with friends, late nights out, and lots and lots of negligence towards our beauty routines, it’s about time to buckle down on it once again. While it’s totally understandable to slack off a bit during the summer, we gotta get back into our routines and show our skin some love. Replenish and refuel it for the coming winter. Where better to start than your nighttime routine? After all, as the summer winds down you will be getting back more time to get ready for bed.

So I’ve never really been big on eye creams before. I do have an extensive and lengthy nighttime skincare routine, but I haven’t found THE eye cream yet. Coincidentally, I recently got the chance to try out an eye cream, and surprisingly I quite like it. Granted, it’s also difficult to tell if a product is truly working, or if it’s just the placebo effect. But, I think it’s actually doing something. This isn’t just a nighttime eye cream, but can be used during the daytime as well. But I mean we all tend to have more time for pampering at night, so it is easier to use eye creams at night. Even though your eyes do need some love during the day too.



This product I’m talking about is the VIIcode the 2nd Oxygen Eye Cream O3. VIIcode is a brand that specializes in luxury skincare for the eyes. They offer a variety of eye masks and eye creams to choose from to help with anti-aging, dark circles, and moisturizing. VIIcode is currently a US based skincare company that originated in Austria.

Before I get into the details about this eye cream, let me give you the rundown on what you need to know about my skin. It doesn’t all apply to my use of the eye cream, but it does explain how my skin reacts to products, and my whole thought process when choosing skincare products.

I have combination sensitive skin. Meaning some areas of my skin are dry, while other parts are oily. Usually the outer edges of my forehead like closer to the hairline will be dry or feel drier, while the center will be a bit shiny. The areas on my cheeks around my nose and near my smile lines will get shiny too. Usually the area that really stands out with shine and oiliness are the areas of my cheeks by my nose. Like it’s a sharp highlight on camera when taking selfies… and not the good kind of highlight that you want either. The areas around my eyes do get a bit dry too throughout the day. Usually right under or near the inner corners. The hard part about wanting to moisturize mid-day is when you got on a full face of makeup that you don’t want to ruin. So I like to spritz on a facial spray to refresh my face when I need it. Truthfully, I used to think those kinds of facial sprays were just a scam and a waste of money (like 8 bucks for a bottle of mostly water? I can grab a spray bottle and fill it with water at home for free). While you can just spritz on some water to freshen up your face, something about facial sprays makes it actually work better than just feeling like you walked too close to the sprinklers in your yard.

I also got sensitive skin, which I’ve had to deal with pretty much all my life. It’s not sensitive to the point where it will break out in hives if I go near something. But, my skin will react to a product. And if there’s no reaction (like nearly no difference if used), then typically it means that it’s working. Basically if it does something it’s usually a negative reaction, and if it doesn’t do anything it’s probably because my skin is okay with it and the benefits are so subtle I can’t tell because angry red allergic reactions are louder than subtle and slow healing. Usually I will know within a day or so if a product isn’t working with my sensitive skin. I have been dealing with eczema my whole life too, so coupled with sensitive skin makes me really wary about trying out new products.

That being said, I was a bit skeptical to try out this product at first. But, after reading the ingredient list, and seeing that it was marketed for all skin types I decided to try it out. My skin isn’t super sensitive to the point where “for all skin types” won’t work; the sensitivity usually has to do with products that have harsher ingredients like acids and such. Also, because it claimed to be moisturizing and to help in repairing skin cells, I figured it would work well with the dry areas around my eyes.

This product in particular claims to:
Instantly feel moisturized and youthful
Minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles
Absorbs well with no residue

As indicated by their website, it offers key ingredients such as elderberries which provide antioxidants to maintain skin cells, jojoba oil to firm and hydrate the skin which will reduce the appearance of skin wrinkles, and evening primrose to boost blood circulation and remove wrinkles.




I received the eye cream quite fast. As it is US based, it only had to be shipped within the country, and was thus faster. That’s something to keep in mind depending on where you live. The eye cream came in a small black drawstring bag, and had an activation strip with it. The black bag the cream was stored in wasn’t of a cheap, disposable material. Rather, it is a convenient yet chic way to travel with and store the cream. To be honest, I might even end up using the bag for other purposes too.

On the packaging itself there is a downside. What I don’t like about the container is how the words barely show up. It was a bit difficult to read the jar itself due to the way the jar was made. Because I was able to find the information online, that wasn’t too much of a burden to me to not be able to read it.




The activation strip is what set it apart for me. I didn’t expect it to come with an activation strip, and I didn’t really know what to make of it at first. It came in a small plastic bag, and I wasn’t sure how to use it. I was confused if it was a single use thing, or what. To save you guys the trouble of figuring it out, it’s something you use prior to applying the eye cream in order to help with activating your skin cells and massage the area. I honestly had no idea what it was at first. I thought it was one of those anti-moisture packets that come in bags sometimes, or that it was some kind of wipe or whatnot. Thank god I didn’t just toss it.

According to the instructions, you take the activation strip and run it along the curvature of your eyes to basically massage that area and activate it. As the description details, it will help your eyes to be better prepped for the eye cream.

I haven’t gotten to use the eye cream during the day yet, mostly because in the morning I don’t have a ton of time. I’m usually scrambling to get ready and out the door on time. However, I’ve really enjoyed using it at night. I like to pamper myself a bit when I get ready for the night, and really take the time to allow products to absorb. A couple times I also tried putting it on in the afternoon because I wasn’t wearing makeup that day, but my face really need a pick-me-up. I liked how that helped to perk up my skin once more.






When you first apply it, it feels very cool and creamy to the touch. It’s lightweight, and not super watery. With it being a creamier consistency, I was worried about it being too heavy. But, just a small little dab was enough. Like barely even a dab, as once you smooth it in one little dab proves to be enough. A little goes a long way. I’m not sure if it was just me, but when I first put it on it almost tingled just the slightest bit. Barely even noticeable. It went away once I massaged it in.

So far I don’t know if it’s really anti-aging or not because lucky me I’m barely in my 20’s so that’s not super evident for me yet. But, I have really noticed it helping with the dryness under my eyes. Perhaps it could be due to the placebo effect as well, but when I applied it at night the following morning my skin still felt quite hydrated.

Overall, I think that this eye cream was pretty good. I do plan on continuing to use up the rest of the container. Will I buy it again? Maybe not. It is on the pricier side. Perhaps in the future once I am settled with a good job, and not just a part-time job, I might consider it. For the time being I don’t see myself repurchasing it. Mostly because of the cost, and as a university student that is not in my budget! However, that is not to say I didn’t think it was was good. I definitely recommend giving it a try yourself, perhaps it could turn into one of your holy grail skincare items.

~~~

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!! 

Haha did I sound like some kind of late-night commercial? If that caught your eye and made you stay, then I did my job.

Before you scroll and click away from this page after reading an intensive review about a product you may or may not purchase, I wanted to let you guys know I have a giveaway to share!

Sunglasses and magazine not included in giveaway (I just added them to make the photo more interesting haha)

I wanted to clarify that the winner will be chosen based on how detailed and well thought out the answer is. Not whether the tip is truly the best effective tip. Just wanted to clarify that part. 

If you want another chance to enter the giveaway, head on over to my Instagram and comment on THIS post! Same rules apply! What is your favorite beauty tip for eye skin care? 

This giveaway will end on September 18th! 

Have you ever tried out this eye cream before? What is your favorite kind of eye cream! Lemme know what you think in the comments below! 

Thank you for reading! I hope you are all having a great start in September so far!


Til next time,
~A

Hey everyone!

One thing that always will ring true is that beauty starts from within. That being said, no matter how much makeup you pile on your face, you will look your best if you start instead by taking care of your skin. One product that has fascinated me immensely, and has become quite trendy lately, is activated charcoal as a beauty product.

Today I've got a guest post to share with you all by Zara, a writer who I've featured here on my blog in the past with a guest post other skincare tips. Keep on reading to gain more tips on how to integrate activated charcoal into your beauty routine!

Is Activated Charcoal the New Black in Beauty?

Chances are you’ve heard of or even used activated charcoal in some form or another. Famous for its detoxifying properties, it has been prescribed for ages as a go-to dietary supplement to “trap” and prevent toxins from entering your bloodstream. It has also been used for cleansing in everything from water filters, soaps and gas masks to toothpaste and exfoliating facial scrubs.

This strange, all-around substance definitely has its perks as a beauty-enhancing tool, but has it earned the reputation of being the latest trend to take over the beauty world, much like the coconut oil craze before it? Let’s take a look at some of the useful applications of activated charcoal as a beauty ingredient, and why it might soon become the new black in beauty trends!

Youthful radiance

What country first comes to mind when you think of sun-kissed women of untamed beauty and their absolute devotion to a holistic, healthy lifestyle? Australia, of course! Absolute goddesses of DIY, all-natural beauty tricks, these ladies know a healthy ingredient when they see one. No matter if you opt for a pure home-made solution such as a facemask of nothing but water and activated charcoal, or a store-bought product such as Buddy Scrub, you’ll reap the rewards in no time.

As Australian women know well, caring for your skin requires nothing more than a simple touch of nature to nourish your complexion. So for best results, introduce a facemask or a scrub with activated charcoal, and you will be able to simplify your routine while increasing its impact. It will cleanse your pores, keep away that pesky acne, pimples, and other imperfections, while at the same time detoxing it from daily exposure to harmful elements.

A dashing smile

Charcoal as a teeth-whitening tool? As contradictory as it may sound, activated charcoal can do wonders for your dental hygiene, and not just from a cleansing point of view, but also in terms of beautifying your smile. Add a pinch of powdered activated charcoal to your regular toothpaste and voila! You have a healthy, whitening paste to cleanse your teeth and protect your wonderful inner flora.

However, since some people have exceptionally sensitive gums and enamel, we once again turn to the experts from Down Under for health advice. According to some eminent dental specialists, a safe, effective alternative to this is a technique called internal bleaching, which takes about two weeks to show results and keeps your teeth healthy. This is why lots of Aussies turn to Australian Dental Specialists and some other clinics to get the best possible results. Also, it would be wise to consult your dentist if it is okay to use an activated charcoal toothpaste after the treatment, to maintain the desired results.

Lush hair

Instead of shampoos with harmful chemicals or heavy oils that supposedly nourish your hair and scalp, you can actually find hair products that are based on this wonder-substance, combined with other natural minerals and ingredients that will give you a deep cleanse, detox your hair, rid you of dandruff and restore your skin’s natural pH value.

When used regularly, activated charcoal can help your hair regain its volume and lush look, without excessive use of styling products. As opposed to other all-natural DIY shampoos and masks that tend to be time-consuming and easy to spend quickly, you can browse through a selection of shampoo bars and soaps that are designed to thoroughly cleanse your hair and scalp without depriving it of natural oils.

Eliminate toxins

Til next time,
~A

Hey everyone!

Selfies are all the rage these days. When you pose for a picture, do you smile with your teeth showing or with your mouth closed? I personally use Snapchat so much that it really depends on the filter I’m using. But, for most pictures I generally like to go for a toothy grin, as a closed-mouth smile can sometimes come off looking a bit forced and constipated. Which is your go-to way of smiling?

Do you like showing your teeth when you smile in photos, or in general? Because...

It’s getting to be that time of year again when we relax a bit on our healthy diet rules, and indulge more on rich, warm foods. Coffee, hot chocolate, chai lattes, apple pie, maple pecan bars, pumpkin pie... I don’t know, I’m starting to ramble on food now. Point is, all this food will scare your dentist the next time you go in for a cleaning. Because, to be honest, how often do you guys actually brush your teeth, or even just drink some clear water after eating these teeth-staining goodies?

(Okay, I do, but it’s because I can get pretty anal about preventing cavities and tooth decay and yellowing. But anyways…)

Would you guys like to know how to get whiter teeth? I hope the answer is yes, otherwise I will assume you like a set resembling candy corn rather than pearly whites.

Today, I wanted to share with you all a way to rid your teeth of those disgusting stains and discolorations through a home teeth whitening kit by Smile Brilliant. This will help remove stains from your teeth using a professional teeth whitening kit! But you don’t have to actually get dressed and go to the dentist. You can do it at home in your pajamas with Netflix running in the background. Such a great option for lazy hermits like me.

Smile Brilliant kindly offered to send me a kit to try out and review! I actually had one of my good friends try it out because she can be pretty brutally honest when it comes to her likes and dislikes. It was quite fun doing this little project with my friend because it gave her a second opinion on whether or not this product actually made a difference. It can be hard to tell if your teeth actually got whiter if you are staring at your teeth every day. Unlike other at home teeth-whitening products, you can get these custom-fit trays for your teeth with the Smile Brilliant teeth whitening kit. My friend has complained in the past about her crooked teeth, as she still hasn’t gotten braces yet. So having her try out this product definitely gave me a better idea of how this product was.

Okay, as all beauty gurus on YouTube say “Let’s get into it!”

Ugh that was so cringe-worthy. Forget I said that.

Photo of all the stuff the kit includes

When she first received the kit, she had to create a dental impression of her teeth. It was really easy to do. There’s really no way for you to mess it up. Unless you remove it from your mouth and then crush it with your foot, but why would you?

Anyways, after making the dental impressions, she sent it back to the company. They then made teeth whitening trays that fit her mouth perfectly, using the dental impressions to make them custom-fit. As I said before, her teeth aren’t perfectly positioned and straight, BUT with the whole dental impressions thing, this ensured that her teeth whitening trays actually fit her teeth!

The teeth whitening kit we got had four syringes each of whitening and desensitizing gel. What’s great about this kit is that it also works for people with sensitive teeth. The desensitizing gel actually came in really handy for most of the teeth whitening process. With every new product you try, there’s a chance that you will experience sensitivity. Different products use different ingredients, so it’s really great that Smile Brilliant took into account that a lot of people have sensitive teeth.

To use this kit, all she had to do was apply the desensitizing gel before using the whitening stuff. This helps prep her teeth for the whole thing. The directions that came with the kit were very clear and easy to follow. It wasn’t too difficult for her to do the whole process.

When it comes to using the whitening product, you apply it on the tray, and you keep it in for 1-3 hours. 3 hours. It sounds crazy but that’s actually how long you can leave it in for. Then you follow that up with the desensitizing gel for about a half hour.

The kit came with enough for about 18-24 treatments. It comes with that much so that you can do it consistently for a couple weeks. With 6 syringes it has enough for 18-24 because each syringe is good for about 3-4 sessions of whitening. It’s totally fine to skip a few days here and there, but the results will take a bit longer! With this teeth whitening kit, the treatments create a gradual whitening so that you don't go blinding people with your unnaturally white teeth. It ends up with a more subtle transition to whiter teeth, that ends up looking more natural and flattering too.

That’s pretty much it! It’s super easy and there are actual noticeable results.

Before Photo

Because I had my friend do the treatments, I didn’t see her every single day after every treatment. I saw her for the first several and then the last ones. But there were a couple days here and there that I didn’t see. Despite the desensitizing gel, my friend did experience some sensitivity. Because of that, she ended up skipping a few days, and spreading out her sessions a bit to recover first. HOWEVER, that was easily fixed! She ended up using more desensitizing gel per session, and did not floss prior to the sessions. Flossing can sometimes cut your gums and cause open wounds, which makes your gums and teeth more sensitive to the whitening stuff. But, without flossing before it really helped cut down on the sensitivity. Another tip to reduce teeth sensitivity is to line your gums with Vaseline prior to the treatment, but make sure to not get it on your teeth or else those teeth would be covered and not whitened.

My friend did the treatments for an hour at a time because it can be a bit time consuming. Up to three hours of your mouth being occupied. But even with only one hour sessions, her teeth looked really different from before!

Results after 1/3 of the treatments (this was when she was consistently doing the treatments every couple days)

Results after 2/3 of treatments (she started taking longer pauses between treatments because of the slight sensitivity experienced. But later on with a few adjustments they went away)

Here’s some feedback from my friend on the overall teeth whitening kit:



I didn’t change anything that she said, only a few grammar bits here and there because I was literally typing it up as she talked. So if there are run-on sentences ignore them. You aren’t an English teacher, and this isn’t a term paper.

Check out the photos to compare the results! She even asked her mom if she saw a difference, and her mom agreed that her teeth did look whiter.

Final results! Ignore the awkward and weird face here. My friend thought this would help get a better view of her teeth. Like at the dentist.

After ALL treatments!!

After reading the title, this is probably the part you are all waiting for. I HAVE A GIVEAWAY FOR YOU GUYS!! (cue the applause to fill the awkward silence and accompany those jazz hands)

The winner of this Smile Brilliant giveaway will receive $139.95 in credit. This equates to 1 tray creation kit + 6 gel syringes of your choice (meaning like 3 whitening and 3 desensitizing OR 6 whitening)

If you want to enter the giveaway to win this awesome deal so that you can try it out yourself, click on the link below and enter your name and email!


I’ve ALSO got for you a 5% discount coupon code using the code:

Check out the Smile Brilliant website for more information on the teeth whitening trays, or their products in general! Here’s also more information on sensitive teeth, if that’s the one thing holding you back. I have a tendency to experience sensitivity to new products too, so I get that fear. But they’ve actually found some ways to prevent sensitivity; so don’t let that hold you back! Check out more info on teeth sensitivity here!

Here’s a YouTube video as well about someone else’s experience with Smile Brilliant. It might provide more info on how to use the kit, if what I said was a bit confusing. Check it out here!

This is great timing because I bet you will all be or have already been feasting on a bunch of delectable yet teeth staining goodies. So here’s a chance for you all to get your teeth whitened! Now you can go to holiday parties and not worry about your nosy relative asking if you’ve got leftover Halloween makeup on your teeth or if that’s just your teeth looking stained and yellow.

Please do lemme know in the comments below what you thought!! Have you tried out Smile Brilliant before? How do you prevent your teeth from getting stained and yellow?

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway! It closes after TWO WEEKS!!

By the way... I recently made a Twitter so go follow me! You can find me here, or scroll up to the top bar and click on the link too. Just letting you guys know because I'm finally joining in on this social media thing. So yeah...

Thank you very much for reading! I wish you all a fantastic week!!


Til next time,
~A

Professional Teeth Whitening

Finding the Perfect Skincare Products: 5 Things You Should Consider

Determine your skin type 

Mind the seasonal change

Ingredients and potential allergies

Beauty habits and your age

Ethical aspects

Hey everyone!

Every once in awhile, there are those wonderful weekends where my friends' and my own schedules align and we get the chance to go out. On spur of the moment occasions, I prefer to dress like I do on the daily, meaning a bit more casual and laid-back. But when it comes to going out, whether it be to celebrate or just for the heck of it, we like to get a bit dressy. This look I am sharing with you today is perfect for those occasions: dressy and falling slightly on the formal side, but casual enough to not look like you are crashing a school prom.

This was created in collaboration with one of my fellow blogger friends, Emily. We really wanted to both create a look that we tend to lean towards when it comes to a night out. Her resulting look is very girly and romantic, whereas mine leaned more on the edgy, street side not completely formal. We wanted to provide you all with some inspiration. As prom season is here for those of you in high school, the hair and makeup we chose to go along with our looks could potentially inspire you. Or perhaps it is the color dresses we chose. Either way, it's nice to get dressed up every once in awhile.

Check out Emily's post for her version of her go-to look!











For my makeup here, I used the Maybelline Blushed Nudes palette to create the softly smokey eye look. I also added highlight from the Benefit Girl Meets Pearl highlight. I finished it off with a nude lip. After taking all these photos and looking back, I think that a dark and dramatic lip would work as well. What do you think?

Of course I wouldn't recommend you to wear this to prom or some other fancy formal event as such. But, I do think that this look would be perfect for a night out. Worn with the right attitude and it will work. Either way, I hope this provided some inspiration for you, and how to style your hair and makeup based on the cut, color, and print of your dress and such.

Emily created a really amazing look as well! Go check out her post for some more inspiration!

I really hope you enjoyed this post, and lemme know in the comments below what you think! What is your version of your go-to formal look for a night out?

Thanks for reading! I hope you are all having a wonderful start to the week!


Til next time,
~A

Hey everyone!

The Lip Product Tag has been circulating for awhile now, and I got tagged awhile back. I'm finally getting around to doing it! The lovely Kay from shoesandglitter had kindly tagged me eons ago. And I deeply apologize that I haven't gotten around to it until now. Do me a favor, and go check out her blog. She is amazing, and her posts are a great read! I love reading about her reviews on perfumes in particular because I admit I know nearly nothing about perfumes, while she is pretty much an expert.

Quick update on my life. Spring is finally here. The weather is getting warmer out. The sun is shining (on the rare days when it isn't storming out because Seattle likes to constantly rain). Best of all, I am on break! Only for a week, but it is still better than nothing. After a hectic, stressful quarter, nothing feels better than to be able to lie around at home guilt-free.

Remember how I was worried about my finals? Yeah, there was more to the story than that. As I've mentioned before, I was taking a ceramics class, art history, and nutrition. However, it was the ceramics class that caused the most stress for me. I am an art major, but I also thought that ceramics would be a nice, relaxing class I could take that would require little brainwork. I was way off. Ceramics is a fickle medium to work with; the many complicated projects we were assigned left me staying really late many nights, and constantly worried about the state of my clay. Luckily, I had some previous experience working with clay because I took some classes back in high school. But, it was still a struggle.

I feel like a lot of times, professors don't realize that as college students, we have other things going on in our lives besides their one class. Add onto that my desire to seek perfection, and you can see why I was so stressed out. For our final project, we had to create a work to perform a ritual that involves three or more people. I came up with a great idea. I had it all down and nearly finished, when it broke. Not just a few minor cracks here and there. No. It was broken to the point where I just had to restart. Once I had FINALLY finished redoing 30 hours of meticulous work, it broke again. But in a different spot. I literally felt so frustrated, I was tempted to just throw it all out a third-story window and break down in tears. That last part (the crying) did happen... But I did manage to salvage what I had in the end! Thank the lord, or else I would have reconsidered my choice in major, which would lead to me rethinking going to college, and then contemplating becoming a hermit who never leaves her parents' house. Ever. Am I exaggerating? No... Maybe.. Okay fine yes. But if you were in my position, you would have felt the same!

Other than that, my finals went well! I aced my other tests. I'm now happily enjoying break knowing that the quarter was stressful, but worth it. Relaxing is nice, but it feels weird to not have something to worry about. Stress can be kind of addicting. Or is that just me?

Anyways, onto the Lip Product Tag! (Man, it feels really nice to be talking about a topic as such, rather than frantically reading articles about drip painting, Cage's obsession on the excellence of everyday life, Greenberg's theories on medium specificity, and other complicated topics.) Comment down below if you actually know what I just mentioned! 

Okay enough babbling about random stuff! Without further adieu..the questions for the LIP PRODUCT TAG are as follows:


I may have more lip products that I like, but those are all the ones I can think of at the moment. Comment down below if you have ever tried any of those that I mentioned!!

I'd like to tag the following to do this post as well!
Aisha from aishettina.blogspot.com
Roberta from milleunrossetto.blogspot.com
Gabrielle from aglassofice.com
Julia Kaylee from jkdawn.blogspot.com
Jasmine from thesixthdisneyprincess.blogspot.com
Nathaliya from potsofsmiles.blogspot.com

Those of you whom I didn't tag feel free to answer these questions too! I would LOVE to read your responses! I like trying out new products, and I also am curious if you guys like the ones I use too.

I hope you guys are having an amazing week! Break is almost over for me sadly enough. But it has been very relaxing and nice. I'm really hoping this coming quarter will be just as enriching and exciting as the past one has been. Fingers crossed! If not though, at least I got summer to look forward to.

Thank you for reading! And I wish you all a wonderful day!


Til next time,
~A