Beauty Tuesday: Double-D Recovery to be Double-D Ready

Double D is for …

Dissertation Defense * Dr. Dispo * BiG Day: December 8 ~ Save the Date!

After I passed my presentation with full faculty on Veterans’ Day, I followed my Bestie Evie‘s advice:

Take a Me QT Day.

While I still worked on revising my paper, I also set aside Spa Time this past weekend!

Facial Mask

Based on Fleur De Force‘s The Glam Guide, I used these ingredients for *acne  and **dark spots:

• Banana*
• Honey*
• Lemon***

Manicure

Then I treated myself to an at-home mani with the following gift sets:

• Mary Kay Satin Hands from María Elena
• four-step nail block from my R.E. student
• buffer and shine sticks from my Tita Susan

and polished my finger nails with my own lacquers:

• starting with Sally Hansen 18K Gold Hardener
• painting red for the season and plaid accents
• finishing off with Sally Hansen Miracle Gel

O•P•I Got the Blues for Red & Sally Hansen 18K Gold Hardener + Revlon Orchid & Silver Screen + Sally Hansen i ♥ Nail Art Striper in black

My top tip to achieving a lasting nail paint job:

Run freshly coated nails in cold water and dodge hot water!

• Cold water seals in moisture, while hot water repels and drys it out
• If I hand wash dishes, I wear special gloves
• I also wear gloves during hands-on activity

Massage

My good †Christian† friend and fellow prayer warrior, Lisa, came through again, introducing me

• previously to the rolling pin technique
• plus post-massage detox mocktails
• and this time to Biblical oils!

Thank GOD for these special gifts of blessings and wonderful company!

Beauty Tuesday: All-Weather Non-Leather

Regardless of the season, we must treat our skin, hair and nails as we would our finest silk and favorite fabrics ~ with the best care!

One of my main go to basics: Eucerin Aquaphor (petroleum-based ointment)

I dig the *NEW* Eucerin Aquaphor “no-touch” applicator ~ with user-friendly sponge surface & plastic cap (sometimes packaging works if it’s functional)

• I started using it several years ago to keep the ink on my tats fresh, but it now goes way beyond my body art
• I apply it under my eyes before bedtime as a safe buffer from those dark circles (especially after pulling all-nighters)
• I lather it on my lips with or without color to keep them soft and moist (and kissable)
• I dab it on any areas that are prone to getting ashy or chaffing ~ its purpose is to soothe dry skin, after all
• I smooth it on my feet, then cover them with socks while I sleep for  the ultimate moisturizer

Now here’s one of my newbies: L’Oréal® Nutri-Gloss Gylco-Silk

You too can score a *FREE* sample of L’Oréal® Advanced HairCare here! Choose among different selections depending on your hair type & needs ~ endorsed by celebrities (such as Ryan Reynolds wifey Blake Lively)

• smells refreshing
• shiny and nourishing
• soft and manageable to comb through
• great for two days between washing
• my first time to gloss my hair since my college grad photos!

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: HK Edition ~ PS is for …

Mad for #Plaid#🏁 & •Polka Dots•👙 again + Skirts & Sandals + Stars & Stripes + ~O–O~specs~O–O~ for Scholar Mode!

Hello Kitty in the House: Fashion Forward with Sanrio HK tops paired with plaid Esprit skirts {camisoles layered underneath by Express} | Still sporting sandals as we transition from the ☼summer: blacks • plaids • solid shades

Now that 🍎school is in session🍏 (never🚫 🚦stopped🚥 for yours truly the professor and scholar), PS also is for …

📅Planning / Scheduling📆

Which keychain should I hook to this Sanrio Keroppi planner zipper? * Dallas Cowboys * Dallas Mavericks * Luke Bryan * Office Depot *Star* Teacher 🎒🔑🏈🏀🌠

Ever since I was in elementary, I enjoyed organizing my planners📒 & came across several agendas from grade school, junior high & h.s. while spring🍀 cleaning & decluttering📦 ~ including 1☝🏽️ worth saving!

Glamming up with pens: animal prints from when I traveled for my doc research (I was giving them away to participants in my survey ~ male athletes didn’t want to keep them)

I’ve already set my 🍁semester🍂 wardrobe👗 (by listing dates & outfits in my iPhone📱 📓notes) ~ yet there’s something about penning✒️ important 🎓events.

My 1st academic month filled up quick… Yikes! Please disregard my birthday age ~ my brain must be fried from my dissertation focus that I actually entered 1yr older than my real age. #smh 📅💡🍳💫🎉

Since I don’t have much time to hand write📝 everything (or fund$💰 to $pend💸 oodles on a planner), I took the liberty🇺🇸 of typing📲 this term’s items (complete with my endearing 😍emojis) to print📇 from my phone📳 + personalizing each month with 📷photos ~ then I’ll color-coordinate with my gel pens to add anything else!

Thanks to our office stores ~ where I used to go when they held the annual Teacher Appreciation Breakfast ~ we have discount$ & reminders! I’ll be sporting my agenda with my *Independence Day* tote that’s appropriate for all seasons ~ especially when school‘s in sesh!

To-Do Tip: Treat your schedule like a grocery 📋list✅ on the day/week/month (depending on how far in advance you prefer to plan) of your booked📚 priorities & events ~ DON’T add➕ anything else that’ll allot more time unless

• It has to do with reaching your 🌈goal🏆 &/or
• Involves someone you 💝care💖 about

Now I’m also ready with next year’s creative 📆calendar!

FYI: YES, since I’m so fly, I post photos of yours truly … Can’t help being confident + happy & healthy ~ a beauty! #DISPObustAFlow#FoSho

P & S also are for …

• Purrfect Desk Accessory: *Cowboys* Cats pounce on my mouse!

• Sakroots purse in paisley & peacock print from Mami Aya that promotes Peace✌  as its signature

Earth-friendly & good to the environment

+ is perfect to pair with purple & the whole rainbow + my stars tote bag for school 🙂

I wanna feel the air, I wanna feel the breeze {Treehouse leaf keychain}

• Smithsonian pasalubong (gifts) from Nanay

Cherry Blossom earrings bedazzled with Swarovski crystal elements * lucky♣ jade bracelet * collector’s key chain

• Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat to amp the *Staying Power* ~ to seal & protect nail color

I’m topping off my mani with this Miracle Gel by Sally Hansen ~ there were 2 top coat options (I went w/101: the 1 that didn’t specify same-brand gel color)

• Palm Trees & Posies on my Mani from my Auntie

Thanks to my Titas for the birthday gifts: Auntie Yollie for convertible shawl + Auntie Susan for dinner party & manicure! #MaramingSalamatPo #MagandaKaTalaga #ReyesReunion #BirthdayTrip2015 #pasalubong #BackToSchool #BTSmani #BTSready🎈🎁🎂💝🎀💅🏽💃🏻🍎 🌺🌴

• + Convertible Shawl as pasalubong from my other Auntie!

#BirthdayBrunch #SundayBrunch #SundaySelfie w/my #Bestie #BestieBrunch #BestieSelfie #SelfieSunday #SippySelfie #SippieSelfie ¡Muchas gracias, mi querida! #TrueBlue #ALLweatherFriend #DoubleETeam #EasygoingEvie #ExcitedElaine #EvangelistEvie #EducatorElaine #Fajita #Fiesta #NoSiesta #SeñorFrogs #Mariachi #Mojito #KDivertido #DISPObustAFlow 🎈🎂🎆🎇🎊🎉😍💝🎀🎁🌞🍹👏🏽💋🌠🌎🏆🙆🏻🙅🏻🙋🏻💁🏻🙏🏽☝🏽️✌🏽️🐸🎺🎻🎤

• Sunday Brunch + Sunday & Sippie Selfies with my Bestie who celebrated my Bday w/me! #Salud

†GOD 1st, family 2nd, work 3rd ~ Evie Bruno my #BestieO #DISPObustAFlow My #Bestie baked me #BerryGood #BirthdayCake & showered me w/ #BirthdayGifts + sang #FelizCumplé to complete my bday #BusyBees #BumbleBees #daisies #posies ¡Muchas gracias, mi querida! #TrueBlue #ALLweatherFriend #DoubleETeam #EasygoingEvie #ExcitedElaine #EvangelistEvie #EducatorElaine #SundaySelfie #SelfieSunday She’s doing the #LeadershipPractice from my #DocResearch of #EnablingOthersToAct w/ #PhotoAccessories brand new #TiffanyBlue #BreakfastAtTiffanys #QTforTheseBesties #SnapHappy #CamHappy #FamHappy 🎈🍓🍰🎂🎆🎇🎊🎉😍💝🎀🎁🐝🌼💐👏🏽💋🌠🌎🏆🙆🏻🙅🏻🙋🏻💁🏻🙏🏽☝🏽️✌🏽️🎓📊📉📈📖📲📱📷📹🎥👯

•  MORE Posies on the Strawberry Birthday Cake baked by my Bestie-O & Photo Accessories as her gift to me!!!

+ Sleep!!!

Despite my best efforts to hit the sack early during my sabbatical, I spent the week before my bday/vacay staying up ’til 4am working on my dissertation then awoke at 4am on my flight days.

Time for a new routine … Evie to the rescue with this tip from one of our fave artists:

 

22:22 ~ make a Bday/BTS wish!!! ✌

Beauty Tuesday: Cosmo Mag Tag

🔨Nailed💅🏽 it, thanks to this mo‘s 👛Cosmo!

Tri-Tone Nails💅🏽

  From 🙆🏻head💁🏻 …

I didn’t just score this H&S shampoo for Sofia Vergara … The Peppermint & Tea Tree entice me! 🙅🏻💇🏻💆🏻🍭🌲

… & face …

S is for … Simple * Sample * Smile (: Thanks to my sample & coupon + CVS ExtraCare BeautyBucks$, I scored this Simple cleanser that doesn’t call for water for practically nada! It removes makeup & oil effectively + is simply refreshing! 💸💰🏆💧💦😅☺️😍

➕ all 💐🌷🌺🌸🌼🌻🌹over! 💟💕💞💓💗💖💝❤️💛💚💙💜

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!