02 August 2017

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Naturally, after spending many nights staying up late studying (emphasis on dying), my immune system took a hit. I started coughing a bit here and there accompanied with sniffling. So when I was did my grocery shopping a few days ago in the produce section, the juices called out to me. I wandered over to them and saw Suja's display, something I've been eyeing for a while. I remember I looked them up a while back and discovered that they were a juice cleanse, and that piqued my interest. Anything and everything "healthy" piqued my interest when I started taking care of myself better!!

The thing is, though, I didn't remember that it was a juice cleanse a few days ago.

That said, when I was figuring out which one to get, I decided that I needed one with a lot of vitamin C, one that would cleanse my system. The fact that it has probiotics and the all natural cleanser, lemon, called out to me. I grabbed a bottle of "Pucker Up" and a bottle of a sweet one to chase it with since it has cayenne pepper in it. (Although, I haven't touched the sweet one yet!)

This drink contains water, pineapple, lemon, maple syrup, and cayenne. I love the fact that the naturally acidic fruits didn't cause my stomach to act up! (Especially since the day before I had two-thirds of a litre of lemon water that did a number on my system.) And it wasn't overly sweet; you could taste the sweetness of the maple syrup as it balanced out the acidity in the drink. The cayenne pepper, on the other hand, burned as if it were cleansing my esophagus! Oh my gulay, it was intense and worrisome since I was on the rebound after drinking too much lemon water. In the end, I had to drink it little by little until I finished it.

I'm glad I picked it up and tried it! I definitely feel a wee bit better after drinking it, but I think I would have to drink it consistently in order to stay better in the short-long run. Would I buy this again? I don't think so. A bottle of this cost $3 -- THREE DOLLARS. I could use that money towards my ultimate baeverage, coffee! Yes, it's a baeverage because it keeps me running.

Anyway, have any of you tried this? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!
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Wisconsin Dells, WI, USA
01 August 2017

posted by em: . . .
Hey hey, everyone!

I know I'm supposed to come back with a follow up on my graduation skincare, but the thing is that I can't find the pictures that I took! I've honestly searched through all of my folders multiple times and I cannot find them. This saddens me, but we've gotta move on. (Just know that my skin started healing after I reduced the amount of acne products I was using to just one and combining that with moisturising products.)

As the title says, my family and I spent 24 hours in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. It was a spur of the moment family trip so nothing was planned to us prior to arriving -- not even our hotel was booked. We did the booking when we were halfway to Wisconsin and found an awesome condo at Tamarack Resorts. The condo was a short 5 minute drive from all of the waterparks and had everything and more that we needed for our two night and one day stay. (Except for proper AC in my room, but I was able to go without it since all I did was sleep in there.)

So if you watch my vlog about our 24 hours, you'll see that we did two activities minus eating. The morning was rough since it took us half a day to get up there due to traffic. Our day didn't start until 10 am. We took a two hour boat tour (none of the crazy ones) of the Dells. It was extremely relaxing although just a little chilly, but that was remedied with two stops where we would walk on land to see some points of interest. That and buy food, drinks, and souvenirs.

Let me tell you, water never tasted so good after being on a boat for a while.

Anyways, check out the video down below!


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14 May 2017

posted by em: . . . . . . . . . . .
Oh my gulay, it's been a hot minute since I last posted. Cue the moment of silence for my dead New Year's resolution every single year to make a post on this blog.

Anyway, graduation is around the corner for me -- okay, she's coming in hot and fast in the next 39 hours according to a countdown app I found on Google. That said, your girl needs to look somewhat decent the day of graduation since it's a day of pictures and walking on a stage while praying to God you don't trip since you're a klutz that can trip on anything. Bottom line, your girl needs to have decent looking skin and that means lightening as many dark spots from acne scars as possible.

So I started on a skincare journey last week two weeks ago, telling myself that I will religiously abide by the routine. A little more than a week later, I have broken that routine by not following through at night. Thankfully, I didn't wear makeup last week. The downside, though, is that since my skin is a bit troubled at the moment, that didn't help either. But, ever since I cut back on makeup, my skin has been looking healthier. Let's take a look at my check-ins, shall we?


Morning Routine
+ Klairs Rich Moist Foaming Cleanser
+ Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner
+ Valentia True Glow Eye Cream
+ Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop Serum (Vitamin C)
+ Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer w/ SPF 15
+ Eyebrows


Evening Routine
+ Heimish All Clean Blam
+ Shea Moisture African Black Soap Problem Skin Facial Wash & Scrub
+ Klairs Supple Prep Facial Toner
+ Valentia True Glow Eye Cream
+ Peter Thomas Roth AHA/BHA gel
+ L'Oreal Revitalift cream


 First Day: 30 April 2017







Check in #2: 01 May 2017




I decided to add a hyaluronic acid sheet mask since I was feeling it for some reason? I can't remember, it's been a while.



This mask was so thin and saturated with solution that I was so surprised! Definitely loved it and would use it again. (I think I have another on in the refrigerator...)



Check in #3: 02 May 2017




I'm honestly not sure if anything has lightened... This set of pictures was taken with my DSLR -- the same goes for the first set of pictures. The second were taken with my phone camera. (Stupid Samsung and their cursed beauty filter that even though is on 0 still does some correcting. Amirite?)

That said, the following set was taken with my Samsung so there's some correction due to the camera in order to make my camera look a little flawless -- just a little.



Check in #4: 05 May 2017



See? It looks corrected. Anyway, I'll be back with more recent pictures and hopefully some from graduation!

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22 August 2016

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No, really, my burger from Blind Owl Brewery looked extremely mad when I picked it up off the plate.

Such an angry looking burger...
Side view of my angry Viking Ranch lamb burger.

Look at it's bloodshot eyes! It looks like it when through hell and back. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm sure that's something Sarah would say since she stared at me coolly across the table whilst commenting that I killed a baby lamb. Honestly, I didn't kill the baby lamb for my lamb burger -- but I was eating it. 

Anyway, we're getting off topic. I got the Viking Ranch lamb burger, Jere (brobro) got a crab cake burger, Sarah got the Early Riser with tomato aioli, and Whitney got the classic mushroom and Swiss. Jere's had some pretty good seasoning and overall a great crabby taste -- as in nothing artificial. On the other hand, mine was seasoned rather oddly that I found myself forcing my burger down. I couldn't place what they used to season it with, but whatever it was, it wasn't my cup of tea.

Would I order it again? No. Would I recommend it? Yes only if one is craving lamb that much. Really, I wouldn't though.

Whitney and Sarah's burgers looked splendid in comparison to mine. I don't know if I would pay the price tag for them when I could something similar to them elsewhere at other local restaurants for cheaper. 

On the plus side, the service was fairly good since our server helped us as best as he could. I also received a deduction from my receipt -- a deduction none of us figured out why it was made. Looking back now, maybe they realised I didn't like my burger and knocked a few dollars off our total. I probably should have tipped more....

Anyway, enjoy the rest of the pictures below, and check out their website here for their menu and prices!


View from outside.

I love how the set the brewery up in the restaurant.

The bar.

Overhead view of our food.



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16 August 2016

posted by em: . . . . . . . .
Hello, lovelies!

I'm sorry for being MIA. It's a learning process with Youtube and Blogspot -- as in, learning how to balance the two. I'm trying my best to keep up in my studies as well as creating quality content, but I'm lacking when it comes to blogging --  my first love. I love writing since I can get my thoughts down easily through this method, but I've lost touch since I've been trying to build my YouTube channel. Sometimes, we can't win everything, right? But I'll try better especially since I keep referencing my blog in my videos for further details. (Hehe!)

However, if you guys want to keep up with me or whatever I find interesting, I do have two tumblr accounts that I'm actively on! Look for samijoielikes and caffeinated-silly when you're on Tumblr. The first one is more like an everything goes blog while the second is geared towards anything and everything related to the beautiful hashtags #studyblr and #studyspo. The studyblr is a beautiful community in small doses that reminds you to freaking study your arse off as well as motivates you during hard times. Not everyone who studies is perfect. We all have our low points.

But this is not the topic for today's post! No, no, no!! I'm back with my favourite outfits of July. Let's start with the first outfit of last month!




 



 



Outfit #1
Top: American Rag / Pants: Macy's / Shoes: Converse / Bag: Michael Kors

Outfit #2
Cardigan & Tee: H&M / Pants: Macy's / Shoes: DSW / Bag: Mom's closet before she had me :P

Outfit #3
Top: H&M / Pants: Macy's / Shoes: Converse / Sunnies: Adrienne Vittadini (I think?)

Outfit #4
Top: H&M / Skirt: Macy's / Shoes: Jessica Simpson / Necklace: Macy's / Bag: Michael Kors

Outfit #5
Jersey: Thrift store / Bag: Sakroots / Shoes: Nike

 Outfit #6
Shorts: Macy's / Bag: Michael Kors backpack (not pictured)



I'll get better at these over time! Hopefully? Coming up with names for looks (including makeup looks) is proving to be harder than I thought... I hope you guys enjoyed either way! Can you tell which blouse is my favourite? Lol! I'm loving the off the shoulder look with easy going waves and how you can dress it up or down.

Anyway, see you guys soon!


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04 July 2016

posted by em: . . .
Ah, this is a long awaited post since February of this year. I received this product from BrandBacker and Valentia for my opinion earlier this year but couldn’t formulate one within a week of receiving it because I don’t normally wash my face in the evening.

Yes, I know this is bad, but when I came home from school this last semester I was so exhausted. I’m not used to staying on campus till about 9pm or 10pm. We were there this late for activities that my brother got us into. I was primarily in them because I’m his driver (he’s fresh to driving in the busy city) and then became head photographer for one of the events without knowing until the week before.

So I extended my time so I could actually use it consistently for at least a week. Unfortunately, I didn’t take pictures, but my face really didn’t change when using the serum. It did improve but that’s because I changed from a Korean acne regimen to Murad because the Korean one caused some nasty outbreaks about halfway through. (I used it from February to the beginning of May when Jere and I came home from uni.)

Despite that, I’d like to believe that it did help calm my skin down when I used it night, the only time you’re supposed to use it. It had a faint rosy scent and is made of 98% natural ingredients. I’m fine with the scent being faint since strong floral scents give me headaches. When applied to the face, it absorbed after about a minute or less. I lose time whenever waiting; I’m usually impatient! I’m tired and want to go to bed haha!

I stopped using it recently since I’m monitoring my face for now while using Murad and only that until my skin is somewhat normal. I’ll probably go back to using it sometime in the near future. Supposedly, serums are good for summertime since they’re lightweight.

For those of you who are curious, according to Valentia, this serum is nourishing and will
  • deeply moisturize skin
  • provide antioxidant protection
  • soothe & nourish dry skin
  • smooth skin tone and texture
  • boost skin resilience.

It goes on to list the important ingredients that contribute to the results listed above:

  • Rose Damascene: One of the most nourishing and skin friendly natural oils, providing balance, moisture, and a variety of vitamins and minerals to the skin.
  • Niacin amide (Vitamin B): This potent vitamin has been clinically prove to fade away hyper pigmentation, sun spots, and acne .
  • Rosehip Seed Oil: Naturally rich in Vitamins C & A, these essential fatty acids work quickly to lock in skin’s moisture.
  • Evening Primrose Oil: Provides light, non-oily moisture to the skin, never clogging or irritating the skin.
  • Bearberry: Reduces melanin production, thereby lightening the skin, revealing a brighter complexion.
  • Lavender: Heals the skin, treating pimples, wounds, and sores.

I’m familiar with all of the ingredients except for bearberry. That’s truly a first for me to hear. I must say, this tiny bottle comes packed with everything good for your skin at any age. It’s moisturizing and nourishing at the same time, helps with acne and scarring as well as fine lines. It’s a little army that works while you rest. If you’re interested in the product and/or would like to learn more follow the links below! 

If you’ve heard of this before and/or have tried it, curious, ask away in the comments! I’d love to hear what’s up!


L I N K S
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AHVGZNMhttp://valentia.com
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27 June 2016

posted by em: . . . .
Day 2: Wednesday 15 June 2016, Savannah, Georgia

Happy birthday to me!! Ah, I’m feeling old at 23 with adulthood looming ahead of me. I’ve the victory lap ahead of me at uni since I transferred so adulthood is put off for another year — and I am a-okay with that!

Anyways, I washed my hair, yet again, with the set and moisturized it with the oil. My hair is just as soft if not softer than the first use. I’ve noticed that my hair doesn’t get oily by the next day like it does with other shampoos and conditioners! Another plus for Hask!


Day 3: Friday 17 June 2016, Isles of Palm, South Carolina

FINDING DORY COMES OUT TODAY! And it’s the day we went to the beach. Dory versus the beach. The beach won since we came this far and there isn’t a beach close to us back home.

I’LL SEE YOU SOON, DORY! I LOVE YOU! *tears*

Dad was giddy like a school boy holding a puppy that we were able to swim in the Atlantic. The days leading up to this trip and our arrival at Isles of Palm, he would make mention of swimming in the Atlantic almost every few hours while confusing it with the Pacific. 

We had a great time at the beach, spending a good two hours in the water. Mom and Dad would switch out to watch our things on the beach while my brother and I jumped through some waves. We played with how far our parents would let us go out, noticing how the water changed in temperature quickly and their concerned looks. (Only Dad dared to go out as far as Jere and I did.) It was all good and fun until my throat started hurting from the salt water that got into my mouth on the few occasions I slipped underwater after getting caught by a wave.

That was about 10 minutes in.

*sigh* 

As you can tell, it’s been a while since we last went to the beach. Actually, I haven’t swam since elementary school, but that’s a story for another time.

About halfway through playtime, I felt my hair. It was chunky and weighed down by the water. The texture completely changed. It dawned on me that I should have read up on how to take care of color treated hair at the beach.

I so should have. Once we got out of the water, I tried my best to separate my hair with my hands careful to not pull anything out. That was a chore that became worse with a proper hair brush. Ugh. My hair felt nasty.

And I had to sit with it through lunch and the 30 minute drive back to the hotel.


I showered after my brother and Dad, relieved that the Hask set was able to restore my hair to a more normal state. I think after another round of shampooing my hair will be back to the softness that I’m familiar with when I first started using this set.

See ya, guys, soon!

Sponsored
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