Beauty Tuesday: Quality Colors

If you’ve ever watched Funny Face that starred Audrey Hepburn, then you’ll remember the opening scene when Quality magazine’s editor, Ms. Prescott made time to rhyme:

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I wear pink everyday! {Black & white zig zag chiffon high-low dress + pink houndstooth silk bow blouse both by Kardashian Kollection

Before the iPhone 6s in rose gold was released, I’ve already been on the rose gold fix for over a couple of years ~ including with my watches (except for my Texas Longhorns one ~ that’s in silver with burnt orange detail but I’m showing it to root ’em on this season) #RoseGold #HookEm ^~^

• Think pink [especially for Breast Cancer Awareness]

My M•A•C Hello Kitty limited edition nail lacquers came in handy for my mani!

This Chanel shade from my beautician Auntie from my visit a couple of years ago is sure to be a show-shopper!

• Red is dead
  

  Perfect for the approaching Advent/CHRISTmas season: Pine cones outside my school‘s gazebo that I picked up after I taught speech today! (Fun fact: Last time I scored some was when I went snowboarding with my cousins at Lake Tahoe while I still lived in the Bay Area!)

My polka dotted navy blue fetish has been with me for several decades: as a child (my family portrait) + these Calvin Klein boxers (left) from the ’90s, this Gap cami (right) from the 2000s, & my A’Gaci maxi dress (center) for my dissertation defense if all goes according to plan ~ GOD-willing, †praying✌ & hoping!

DOC the doe can rock these blue gingham & houndstooth numbers on her antlers!

My mini-Fall Haul from CVS consisted of seasonal home fragrances, to-go stain remover & Neutrogena eye make-up with my new find: this Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Liner in Twylight Blue ~ which can counteract the look of redness and enhance the whiteness in our eyes –> just what this almost–Doctor ordered, after investing 12-15h/day☼ & staying up ’til 2-4:30AM lately refining my research (plus can create the purr-fect cat eye), as you can see by these selfies that follow!

• Blue is through [including for my *Dallas Cowboys* plus through blue eyeliner and denim tops]

Gap denim 3/4-sleeves got me through my †Church† duty as photographer for †Confirmation†

My best accessory: this blue-eyed girl, ♥Asia♥ a.k.a. Grad Cat! My Gap denim short-sleeved top is a classic layering piece.

Cheers with my PSL as I focus on tomorrow’s preliminary run-through of my dissertation defense! My Express denim long-sleeved top with snap buttons can go underneath my brand-new Adam Lippes for Target plaid vest special-delivered today!

Mani Monday: 1st paint job this season & still bringing on the ☼sunshine☼ … This teal (Nicole by O•P•I Gum Drops in That’s What I Mint) is a steal (also included Nicole by O•P•I Kardashian Kolor in Disco Dolls for the gold glitter for ☼sun☼ & ☼sunflower)

• Green‘s obscene

Warmly welcoming me home from my vacay getaway (while I wear the teal convertible shawl from my Tita): ♥Sweet Annie♥ my green-eyed girl

Not as warmly welcoming me home from my vacay getaway (while I wear the teal convertible shawl from my Tita): Growl … I mean, Grrrrad Cat ♥Asia♥

• Brown’s too boo

Pine cones to ring in fall & sustain through the winter! Why buy this decor at the store when at work is where I score?

Look what the deer dragged in … Let’s not leave out black & gray + muted tones ~ looking rad in plaid this season: DOC the doe puts on a show with this Adam Lippes for Target plaid sweater vest, my wardrobe’s *NEW* best (and prime photo backdrop for pink nail polish above)!

I beg to differ, Ms. Prescott, because I don’t discriminate against any color … Bring on ALL of the above this season, everyday and always, please!

Bottom line: Fashion rules don’t dictate our lives + we may have pieces in our collection that’ll stay timeless.

TGIF: Fall Perks & Quirks ~ Tacky Sweater Weather Edition

Don’t these *Holy Cow Cats* just warm your ♥heart? Both Belated Bday Girl Stats Cat & almost-decade-old Grad Cat do mine! Almost reaching our ultimate goal: PhD for Dr. D …

To stay in the spirit for this season, I decked out with a little bit of my autumn aesthetics ~ ringing in the old with the new!

My little splurge to bring me cheer this time of year: this rad-in-plaid deer because plaid is on-trend (this one somewhat resembles Burberry) + it’s deer season (not that I’m a hunter) & reindeer season‘s just around the corner ~ so I’ll adorn it with special ornaments! Just to add to my eccentricity, I named this bad boy DOC to keep me motivated as I keep trucking along (more in high-speed) toward my doctoral degree! Along with Doc are A&A‘s *Dallas Cowboys* TD toy for football season & my classic Halloween decor ~ including Badtz-Maru pillow ~ on this plaid spread that accompanies autumn yet also is appropriate for winter as we approach CHRIS†mas in red & green!

Here’s more info on my fall favorites to take yours truly through this sweater weather & before the snow hits our neck of the woods …

☼Sunset☼ Selfie: I’m double-cheesin’ (at least without a double-chin) and have a Kool-Aid smile (without the Kool-Aid) because I had a superb dentist visit & cleaning! Coffee stains: gone! {My 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Paper Floral Shirt Dress works in any season & I ♥adore♥ these Smithsonian Cherry Blossom earrings with Swarovski elements from Mami Aya as the perfect color for Breast Cancer Awareness Month + I’m dolling Dulce Candy‘s fall braid-framed bun}

13 Pre-Howl-o-ween Fave Fall Things

1. What’s the best fall memory you have? ~ football games, both when I was in h.s. & when I’d see my *Dallas Cowboys* live (everything’s BIGGER in TX)
2. What’s your favorite book you’re reading (or have read) this fall?~ Guts Grace & Glory (football devotionals) that I received during Lent & am reading through football season
3. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner?~ both (winged liner above in Exhibit B)
4. Best fragrance for fall? ~ Bath & Body Works Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin (above in Exhibit A)
5. What is autumn weather like where you live? ~ we’re still as ☼sunny☼ as Indian summer but anticipate a cool-down soon
6. Most worn sweater? ~ my tribal cardigan by ♫Maroon 5‘s ♪Adam Levine♪
7. Must-have nail polish this fall? ~ Sally Hansen‘s Miracle Gel to top off color because it seriously lasts a long time (I’m just barely removing my color after 45 days)!
8. Football games or jumping in leaf piles? ~ BOTH! (see No. 1 for football & Exhibit B for leaf piles)
9. Skinny jeans or leggings? ~ either or, as long as I don’t have a muffin top in the denim or camel toe in the tights
10. What is something that nobody knows about you? ~ I don’t mind digging into Ramen even if there’s other food in the panty (especially as comfort food now that we’re entering a colder climate), which I actually ate for lunch this afternoon while watching Wong Fu‘s major cook-off!
11. Combat boots or Uggs? ~ bringing on my Docs, baby!
12. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype?~ ¡Claro que sí!
13. What song really gets you into the fall spirit? ~ oddly enough, ♫Taylor Swift‘s ♪Wildest Dreams♪ because it could describe any desire (i.e., “tall” could be a tall order of Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha), fulfilled or fantasized about

Beauty Tuesday: Drug Store Score & More

As a doc student on a budget, I no longer can invest on high-end cosmetics such as my beloved

• M•A•C (Makeup Art Cosmetics) or
• O•P•I nail lacquers

Yet I don’t mind the beauty products that I find for less at CVS!

Latest Face Craze

I was in search of an eye makeup primer, and Neutrogena has these liquid shadows that already have it built-in with these neutral shades that make for a great *smoky eye* {Neutrogena Crease Proof Eye Shadow in Stay Golden 10 & Lasting Toupe 50} I already dig on Neutrogena products for their skin-protecting features, including their hypoallergenic eye products & SPFs!

Nail $ale

Of course, I can’t resist markdowns, especially on something I’m seeking anyway! {Milani Color Statement in Mint Crush} Close to Tiffany Blue

 

I’m all about the gold … These’ll top nails off! {Sally Hansen 8K Gold Hardener}

Good vibes to yours truly as I meet with my dissertation chair (head honcho professor of my committee) today!

Beauty Tuesday: Spa Days

Happy Belated Dr. MLK Jr. Day!

Tomorrow, my spring semester starts for the speech class that I teach. For the week and-a-half prior, I had my simple spa days:

• got my “hair did” by Geana

Cornrow Care: Bandanas & scarves + dry shampoo ~ including this one from my Birthday/B2S Birchbox and from my fave raves ~ come in handy for my braided hair and Asia!

Mo’ Cornrow Main(tenance) for my Mane: Annie backs me on more bandanas & scarves!

• got my skin care* on

S is for … ☼Sunday☼ Skin Care/Face Mask Selfie ~ Clean in 2015 * NO Makeup * Bare Face * I Woke Up Like This … It also stood for Superbowl-bound ~ until my *DALLAS COWBOYS* were defeated

• got my massage from Lisa
• gave myself a mani-pedi

* Another acne treatment:

Toothpaste!

Both mi comadre y mi amigo suggested this skin care mode for me ~ so I noticed the effectiveness when I spot-treat! When I compared ingredients between my toothpaste and my astringent, it made sense:

Benzoic Acid!

Well, we all need to make time out of our busy schedules to take care of ourselves! In the midst of serving my Church, working on my dissertation, teaching and tutoring, photographing, I must be mindful of my own maintenance in order to keep up my mood and momentum plus stay effective.

CHEERS to ♣Spring♣ 2015!