My Morning Skincare Routine - 100% Pure

Hey guys, today I want to talk about my current skincare routine. Before I get started, let me tell you a little about my skin history. I have oily acne prone skin and growing up I was so clueless as to what products I should be using so I just went out and grabbed products from the drugstore that was for oily skin and acne treatments. Only problem about using those products is that it stripped all the oils therefore it made my skin even worse. So fast foward from then to now, I have changed skincare products quite frequently because I never found the right stuff for my skin. I still am looking but for now I think I found the right brand for my skin type.

I have been on the search for an all natural brand and tried some that claims it's 100% natural. Well, when I look at the ingredient list and I see things I can't even pronounce or have no idea what it is, then I don't consider that to be 100% natural. And I really didn't see any difference using those so I ended up throwing them away because 1) I couldn't return them and 2) it either broke me out or it wasn't doing anything for my skin. So let's just say I spent a lot of $$$ trying different brands.

About 8 months ago, a client of mine told me to try 100% Pure. She said it helped her cystic acne tremendously and that it's 100% natural, cruelty-free, organic, free of artificial colors, artificial fragrances, synthetic chemical preservatives and all other toxins. She switched over to their skincare and makeup and was amazed how much it helped her skin. She sold me right then and there. On my day off I headed to the store in San Diego and ended up purchasing a shit ton of skincare products and makeup.

I've been using it for 8 months now and haven't looked back so that's a good sign. I love the way they smell and none of the products broke me out. I love that I know whats in each item and what I'm putting on my face. Their makeup are fruit pigmented so no artificial dyes but it is a little difficult to choose the right color when ordering online. Okay this post is getting a little too long haha, so just go check out their website.

I switch between this and the Kiwi & Pineapple Brightening Cleanser. No particular reason, just like to switch it up. 

I use ACV as a toner because I read that it's great for oily skin. It contains alpha-hydroxy acid which helps break down sebum plugs. Hydroxys remove & dissolve top layers of old dead skin so that helps with a fast cell turnover. ACV has antiseptic properties that reach deep inside pores to kill acne bacteria at the root. It also helps to restore and balance your skin's pH. I use the BRAGG Organic ACV, I think I purchased mine at Trader Joes but you can also click on that link to purchase it from Amazon.

Vitamin C will help brighten skin tone, stimulate cellular renewal and encourage collagen production.

Perfect for dark circles and puffy eyes.

It is moisturizing and helps with my mild case of eczema and it also helps calm the redness on my face.

I rotate between the two. The everywhere stick is thicker and hard to rub into the skin so I put it on right after my moisturizer and it helps break it down a bit. No particular reason why I rotate these two but the stick is great for traveling.

Alright guys, thanks for reading!

[Unboxing & First Impression] Dagne Dover Tiny Tote

I finally received my Dagne Dover Tiny Tote and I am in LOVE with it! They have 4 classic colors (Black, Deep Royal Blue, Blush, and Deep Burgundy) and I really wanted the blush but I didn't want to pay full price so I settled for the Nova Pink because it was on sale. I really wasn't sure if I was gonna love it or not. I've been wanting a small tote style with a long strap to wear it as a crossbody but everything I looked at was just way too pricey until I found Dagne Dover. :D

Comes in this white box and it comes with a card and the bag inside the pretty camo dust bag.

It's more of a fuchsia than a pink but I love this color! Very bright and will add a pop of color to any outfit.

Look at the details! It has 100% genuine leather trim, 14K Gold-plated zinc-allow hardware, their name engraved and printed on the zipper and straps and very easy and nice clasp. I love how it has a zipper so nothing can fall out.

One of the reasons why I love this one is because it comes with a detachable keystrap with 3 pocket card case. 

The inside comes with 3 pen/lipgloss compartments, zip pocket, magnetic closer large pocket, phone sleeve (not sure what phone can fit in there because its kind of small) and an id/metrocard pocket.

Dimensions: 7"L x 3.4"W x 6.7"H

4" Handle Drop

1.2lbs

Don't be fooled by the size, you can fit a lot in there for how tiny this tote is. I am SO happy with my purchase and that I was able to get it on sale and also used a 10% coupon code "INNERCIRCLE". I can't wait to use this for my next trip to SF/NAPA!

DIY Passport Holder & Card Holder [WARNING: PICTURE OVERLOAD]

I LOVE DIYs and Crafts! Haven't made anything in awhile tho but I'm back! :D

I decided to make a passport holder because I swear I'm always misplacing my passport somewhere in my room. This way I think it'll be easier to find and plus the BF and I want to travel a lot in the future.

Materials Needed:

*Piece of material 

*cutting mat

*scissors

*exacto knife or utility knife

*paper or cardstock

*pencil

*needle

*thread

*E6000 or some sort of adhesive

*ruler

*paper cutter (optional)

*sharpie (optional)

First I measured how I big I wanted this, then I cut out each piece on a piece of paper. I also marked dots so I can hand sew this in a straight line. I used my paper cutter to get nice clean straight lines but it's not as sharp as it use to be haha.

Then cut out the pieces on your material (I'm using a faux leather) using your template with your exacto knife.

As you can see, this material is really thin and flimsy. 

That's why I cut out two of these to glue together. I used E6000 to glue it together. I went back in and applied more glue to the edges.

Glue the card holder piece to one of the rectangle piece.

Just like this. Then take the template and needle and poke holes where each dot is. If you're using a sewing machine then you don't need to do this part but since I am sewing it by hand, I wanted a clean line.

Use a thicker thread but this is all I had at home so I just doubled it up.

Not a perfect line but still better than free handing it. 

Next using the template for the big piece, poke holes where the dots are using a needle. This will help you see where you're sewing through the back.

Glue all the pieces together. I forgot to take a picture of the next step but use the template again and poke holes on the top layers. 

Sew everything together either by hand or a machine and cut off the excess thread. I like cutting corners so I cut off a little bit to round it. 

And VIOLA! You are finished with your own passport holder! :D

This step is OPTIONAL but I took a black sharpie and colored in the edges to give it a darker look. I wasn't feeling that reddish brown color.

I hope you enjoyed my step by step instruction and if you made one, I want to see the finished product. Leave a comment with a picture of it :)

Psoriasis on scalp -- MG217 Medicated Conditioning Coal Tar Formula Shampoo REVIEW

Hello everyone, Happy Hump Day!

Today I will be doing a review on the MG217 Medicated Conditioning Coal Tar Formula Shampoo -- what a long name!

Quick story.....or at least I'll try to make it quick :)
I'm not quite sure when it started but out of nowhere I noticed my scalp was getting super dry, especially during colder months. So I thought it was my skin changing as I age because I have noticed I went from super oily to combination skin. I didn't pay much attention to it and let it be. It was very embarrassing to have white flakes all over my top--and I basically only wear black so it stood out even more. I let years go by because like I said it was only seasonal so it was on and off.

Fast forward to beginning of this year --- 
I've noticed that since I've moved to the west coast, the water and air changed my skin tremendously. It's drying me out! My scalp was getting so itchy that I would scratch it so hard, it was causing me pain. The flakes were no joke! You could see huge chunks of dead skin lifted off my scalp, all stuck in between the hairs. I would wake up in the morning to see flakes all over my pillow and bed--imagine sleeping over at your boyfriends...yeah very embarrassing! I even covered my head in coconut oil and slept with it in but nothing worked. After doing some googling, that's when I realized that it wasn't just dandruff (well I realized when I saw the humongous flakes) and it was something more serious, psoriasis.

[image taken from web]

I went to my local CVS and checked out their tiny section of psoriasis shampoos. I picked this one because it said maximum strength on the front. I didn't notice much after the first time but I think the 2nd or 3rd time I noticed it wasn't as itchy. I've been using this for about 2 months or maybe a little more and let me tell you.....THIS THING WORKS! It says to use it at least twice a week but I use it every time I wash my hair, which is every other day. I always do 2 shampoos, the 1st one I scrub quickly to get rid of any oil, dirt, pollution, etc and rinse. Then I do the 2nd shampoo and really scrub my scalp with my fingertips (not your nails) and clip it up so the shampoo can sit for a few minutes. Now it does say it's conditioning so I usually don't apply any conditioner but I will spray a leave-in conditioner when I get out. If you want more softness, you can always condition it. It does have a strong coal smell but you get use to it. 

I did switch over to a regular shampoo in the middle to see if maybe I can alternate the two but my psoriasis is so bad that the day after I used it the pain, redness, itchiness and flakes all returned! So looks like, I'll be using this for the rest of my life. 

I got mine at my local CVS for like $11 but I can't find it on their website. Walgreens also sell it for $9.99 on their website so you can check out your local store or purchase it online. 

I will do a review on the MG217 Eczema Body Cream after I test it out. Just my luck, I have bad eczema on my arms :(

Summer Accessories - Henri Bendel Sale

Happy Monday!

Henri Bendel is still having their semi-annual sale and the timing was perfect because I was in search for a new summer bag and card holder.

West 57th Crossbody : I wasn't really sold on the yellow at first but it grew on me and I am loving the bright yellow for the summer. I like to wear a lot of neutral colors so it's nice to add a pop of color to my outfits. And I love how much I can fit in this bag. (Yellow is sold out but Med Pink is still available)

West 57th Card Case : I've been wanting a card case for traveling and they had the matching color to my crossbody bag so I had to get it. Also, you can't beat the price tag of $19!! 

West 57th Kangaroo Wallet : I really didnt need a wallet but this one caught my eyes because it comes with a removable pouch which I can always use for traveling. And the bright orange really stood out. 

I've been buying so many black everything that I needed some color back in my life. I'm very happy with my purchases and I've been carrying the bag and the pink removable pouch on my travels.