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My Current Skincare Routine for Acne-Prone Sensitive Skin

October 21, 2017 Filed Under: beauty

When it comes to skincare, I don’t mess around. I try a lot of products so that I can perfect my routine. Since I live in a state that experiences four distinct seasons, the weather actually drives my skincare routine and it changes frequently. Regardless of the season my focus is using products that combat blemishes, treat dark spots, and help reduce pore size. Some of the items in my current skincare routine are new and some are old favorites! Since I love to share awesome products with you guys, I’m spilling all the details about each product. As always, these are my honest opinions and I only share products that I have thoroughly tested.

Step 1: Remove makeup with Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Melting Cleanser (For 20% off until 10/31, use code Green44)

I’ve tried every type of makeup remover out there and this is truly my favorite. The Farmacy cleanser is slightly reminiscent of your mom’s cold cream, but it’s far easier to use. The consistency is extremely light and smooth so it glides over delicate areas like your eyelids easily. The product melts instantly and removes even my waterproof mascara. It also has the yummiest scent! Reminds me faintly of limes. My favorite part? This product rinses off easily with just water! There’s no wasting tissues and you don’t end up with all the tissue residue all over your face. Farmacy is a brand I’m new to but I love that they do not use parabens, formaldehyde or artificial coloring in their products.

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Step 2: Cleanse face with Clarisonic Mia (purple version)

For years, I wanted to try Clarisonic but I was convinced that my hands alone were enough to wash my face. I am floored by how amazing the Clarisonic Mia has been and will never use anything else to wash my face now. (Really.) This is definitely my new holy grail face product! It’s a common myth that Clarisonic devices exfoliate the skin but they don’t – they sonic cleanse. Since it simply cleanses the skin, it’s gentle enough for me to use both morning and evening. After just the first use, I noticed how soft my skin felt afterwards.

I alternate between the Clarisonic Pore & Blemish Gel Cleanser (with 2% salicylic acid) at night and this super gentle cleanser from Neutrogena in the mornings. I have also been experimenting with the different brush heads. The one I use most often is the Radiance brush head which is what comes with the Mia 1. It’s the most gentle and perfect for everyday. The Deep Pore brush is my second favorite to use just on my nose and chin because these areas have larger pores and are susceptible to blemishes. For my fellow ladies who experience hormonal breakouts, try using the deep pore brush head about a week before that time of the month!

Step 3: Tone skin with Obagi Nu-Derm toner (buy here)

I use a cotton pad saturated with this toner to help restore my skin’s natural pH after cleansing. The good thing about Clarisonic is that although the cleanser is treating my skin, it never dries it out. I still use a toner afterwards because in the fall my skin needs a little extra help in the moisture department.

Step 4: Spot treat dark spots with Obagi #3 “Clear“

If I have any dark spots from past breakouts, I spot treat them with a thin layer of Obagi’s Clear product. This is a product that you have to be diligent and patient with however I’ve found that it does speed along the process of fading spots. For a more in depth review of the whole Obagi line, you can check out this post.

skincare routine for acne prone sensitive skin

Step 5: Mist skin with Whal Myung Skin Elixir

This is one of my favorite products for soothing and moisturizing properties. The spray nozzle has a super fine mist which is fun to use and it has a refreshing scent. I find that daily use at night helps my skin feel moisturized and even helps make it more glowy.

Step 6: Moisturize with Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

As you can tell, this is a well loved product in my skincare routine. I love this gel and have purchased it so many times, I’ve lost count! Since I’m at the end of my bottle, I’m currently using it up before I switch to a heavier moisturizer for the colder months. With the use of the elixir in the previous step, I think this is enough to keep my skin happy.

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Forest Green for Fall

October 16, 2017 Filed Under: style

Hello and happy Monday! I’ve missed you guys. Although I’ve posted three times since October 1st, it feels like I’ve been much more absent than that. With so much tragedy going on around the world lately, I’ve definitely felt wrong writing about the usual topics. (Hence this post.) However – the show must go on, right? Writing this blog is just the creative release that I need and it actually feels like I haven’t caught up with an old friend for a few weeks given my absence of personal posts. I can’t promise this won’t get rambly but I’ll do my best to summarize the past few weeks! First things first, outfit details below!

long vest outfit ideas for women

I love mixing black and brown together for fall! This forest green sweater from J.Jill has been my favorite top to wear under either a leather jacket or this fun long vest. By the way, the booties I’m wearing are on sale for only $30 right now. They’re comfy and have the cutest pointed toe! If you’re like me and want to buy everything on Amazon Prime for the fast shipping, I also found a similar vest that’s really affordable. I’m actually going to be placing an Amazon fashion order soon. Let me know if you guys would like me to start sharing clothing from Amazon more often! As you know, that’s my latest obsession…

green boatneck sweater jjill outfit long vest outfit for fall seattle fashion blogger ollie quinn sunglasses

These photos were shot before I got my hair done on Friday. It was actually a crazy experience trying to get into Obadiah Salon because Betsy DeVos was speaking in the building that night. Anyway I can’t wait to show you guys how it looks now! I think I did an okay job masking it in these photos, but basically I got a haircut from some random woman on Groupon (ugh) and it was horrible. For several weeks until I could get another hair appointment at a better salon, I had to wear my hair half up like this. I even had to go to a job interview with that haircut! I got a darker balayage and have a shorter, a-line bob now. Not a drastic change but I still feel like it’s better for fall.

Speaking of the job interview…let’s just say in the near future I will be making a career change. I’m super excited about this new opportunity! If you’re wondering, yes I have had quite a few job changes since graduating. Yes, it’s been a bit challenging. I am really looking for the perfect place for me to stay for the foreseeable future though. It took me a little longer than most people to find that place for me I think but hey- we all have our own timeline.

To top off the “updates”, I thought I’d share a few recent finds from around Seattle:

–Knee High Stocking Co: This was my first speakeasy experience and it was pretty fun! I recommend making reservations for a party no larger than 6 people as it’s a super intimate setting. The cocktails are delicious and have the best names. I recommend the Apriscotch or Pear of Lemons if you like sweeter drinks.

–Poke Fresh: My first time trying bingsu! It’s a Korean dessert that’s similar to shave ice but has sweet toppings like condensed milk, matcha, or even cereals. The cuts of fish are pretty big too – I would recommend getting salmon for one of the poke bowl proteins.

–Matcha Man: I went to this pop-up in Bellevue with my friends Sheila and Katrina who are also ice cream lovers. We had so much fun talking over ice cream (typical for us) and of course, we had to get a shot for Instagram. The matcha soft serve was soo yummy and I’m already craving it again! Luckily I have plans to get matcha soft serve again on vacation next week.

This week I’m going to the pre-opening of Saks Off 5th at Westlake Center. I love a good deal so this will be a welcome addition to an area with mostly full price stores. Aside from Nordstrom Rack, there aren’t a lot of places with designer goods for less. I’ll be posting about it on Instagram but if I find some goodies I’ll be sharing them here.

Let me know if you check any of these out or have been to any of them already! Hope you all enjoy the rest of this week.

tinycupofcake blog seattle fashion blog lifestyle beauty blogger

My Favorite Websites to Make Trip Planning Easier

October 11, 2017 Filed Under: travel

I don’t really like trip planning.

There, I said it. I know that’s a privileged statement to make but I’m just being honest here. For someone who likes planning out their daily life so much, I lack the same kind of enthusiasm when it comes to trips. I love to travel but if I could have someone plan out the itinerary for me that would be awesome. The overwhelming amount of options, lack of knowledge of new places, and so on can make it a long process.

Here are some of the best websites I’ve come across that have helped make trip planning easier. It’s worth noting that most of these are useful if you’re like me, a normal person with limited funds. If you have an unlimited travel budget, let’s be friends. Cheers to saving some $$ so you can splurge more on food for the ‘gram.

Websites for Airfare

Skyscanner
If you’re flexible on dates (or even locations) then this is a great resource to search for flights. A quick search will yield a list of all flight options with a summary at the top of the best, cheapest, and fastest routes. You can also set up price alerts for specific destinations and dates. It’s a simple, no frills website that makes deal hunting easy. I also like the homepage where they post deals for popular locations like London or Bangkok (see second picture below). The range of prices are all based on estimates but it’s helpful when you’re trying to figure out when to book a trip.

Route Happy
For the extra nosy travelers like myself, this is your new best friend. How many times have you wondered if your flight has USB outlets or TV screens on the seats? On Route Happy, simply fill out the flight dates/destinations and you’ll get all the information. Below is Jared’s upcoming flight from SEA to FRA (so unlucky, I know) and you can see all this helpful information. Personally I’m most intrigued that the food is served on fine china. HAHAHA. I kid.

Anyway, next time your flight doesn’t have an outlet for your laptop or doesn’t provide in-flight entertainment you don’t have to be unpleasantly surprised.

Scott’s Cheap Flights
I LOVE Scott’s Cheap Flights. This is a free email subscription where Scott emails out flight deals from various regions/airports as he finds them. There is a premium version that sounds amazing – my friend Sam got it after I recommended her check out the free version and she says it’s great! (Not to toot my own horn but I’ve referred so many people to Scott’s Cheap Flights. I get nothing but the satisfaction of helping my friends book awesome, cheap flights.) The website boasts cheap international flights but I’ve actually booked domestic flights from Scott before. West coasters, if you like going to Hawaii then I’d subscribe asap because there are frequent Hawaii deals! Even when I don’t book the flights, I love seeing the deals for all regions and destinations.

Below is an example email I received for nonstop flights to Reykjavik. I like how Scott gives an overview for general flight availability, the normal price, what airlines are offering the deal, and when you should buy tickets by.

Websites for Accommodations

Everyone has their preferences when it comes to hotels but I think everyone would prefer to book efficiently so you can get the best deal for your choice. The type of hotel I pick varies on the destination. If I know I’m going to be out exploring a city all day and just need a clean place to sleep at night, I will almost always book a room that’s budget friendly. I usually pick something based on proximity to the places I will be exploring. On the other hand, for a destination that’s going to be more chill and relaxing I would spend more to stay in a higher end resort. I think most people default to websites like Expedia however I’ve never had great success there.

Costco Travel

Jared and I are Executive members at Costco because Costco is the BEST. (Seriously, I’m a cheap date and would be content being taken out to dinner at Costco. This is not a joke.) One of the perks of Costco is their amazing travel site that has stellar customer service. They have really helpful and dedicated people ready to assist you with booking, questions, and any issues you might run into. If you like a travel agent type of experience, booking an entire vacation package through Costco can be really rewarding. There are often perks for Executive members too! We booked our hotel package for our next trip through Costco because it included a complimentary airport pickup/dropoff service and we got a $50 room service credit. Other perks often include free cash cards or Costco gift cards. The only downside is you can’t book just flights through Costco Travel.

Momondo

Scott’s Cheap Flights is actually where I learned about Momondo. This is a really user-friendly search engine to search for the best flights, hotels, etc. Since you can’t book directly through Momondo you can trust that they aren’t inflating the prices. It’s simply a way to display options and then you book through a third-party site from your search. I usually default to Google Flights if I’m looking for the cheapest flights but recently discovered that this is a great option for hotels too. Below is an example search where I looked up the famous Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort on Momondo. It might not show the cheapest of all the Internet but it’s a good starter. I like to use it as a first stop then I shop around.

Google Trip Planner

My entire life is on Google so another Google product just makes sense when it comes to trip planning. I am new to this app actually, so there are probably more features that I will discover as I travel more in the next few months. Basically it’s an app that can store all of your reservations, itineraries, offer discounts, and suggest attractions. What I don’t like is that it’s only an app so far and the list of attractions is fairly limited. For frequent travelers, it’s nice because it stores all of your reservations in one place and you can even browse old trips you’ve taken. I just downloaded the app recently and I found tons of trips I’ve taken years ago.

Airbnb

For those that prefer to rent a room or a treehouse or an entire house, sometimes Airbnb is the way to go. I think my favorite thing about Airbnb is that there are so many unique accommodations to fit all your needs. Be careful to check the cleaning fees or minimum stays for certain properties. For $40 off your first stay using Airbnb, click here!

Have you used any of these sites? One that I’m not mentioning is actually something that I frequently use for travel but it’s related to credit cards. I don’t know if there would be any interest in me writing about my travel card but let me know! Jared and I have loved having our Chase Sapphire reserve card. It’s not for everyone since it comes with a hefty annual fee but in our experience, it’s totally worth it.

If you’re wondering what types of sites I use for planning the itineraries, I have to be honest – I don’t have a good system! I usually just rely on social media like Instagram, Pinterest, and blogs. The lists I build when researching for trips are always dominated by restaurants I want to try, of course.

I have a lot of travel posts coming up in the next few months and cannot wait to share them with you all!
tinycupofcake blog seattle fashion blog lifestyle beauty blogger