Sunday, February 28, 2016

seventeen social club // spring break box

Recently, I received a very exciting invitation --- I was chosen by Seventeen Magazine to receive boxes of the latest trends to try out! As a member of the Seventeen Social Club, I work alongside the folks over at Seventeen Magazine to bring you reviews of cool products. For my first Seventeen Social Club post, I recently received the spring break box in the mail. Inside the box were two books -- just in time for spring break and some much-needed R&R on a beach somewhere! The books included were:

KILL THE BOY BAND by Goldy Madalvsky// This one looks like it will be a deliciously dark-humored read, which is right up my alley. Madalvsky's novel is about four superfan friends and their obsession with their favorite boyband. I'll be picking up this one to read first, as it seems like it will be a good dark laugh.

TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han // This novel seems to be a bit on the softer side than Madalvsky's, and tells a love tale through a series of love letters. I'll be reading this one for when I'm in the mood for a good sweet romance novel (which, surprisingly, is often the type of book that I pick up!).

I have to admit, I love to read but I don't get to do it as often as I'd like to, especially lately. This is one of the reasons that I was very happy to have received these books in my mailbox! I look forward to delving deeper into them both, and as a none-too-subtle boyband fan myself, Kill the Boy Band in particular looks like it will be right up my alley. Have you read either of these titles? Check 'em out if you've got some time during your spring break, and let me know what you think of both!

xoxo, xtina

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

beauty // my current obsessions

I like to try a lot of different makeup products and brands.. and when I say a lot, I really mean a lot! I'm always testing out new products that I've heard about. Lately, I've tried a few great ones and become pretty obsessed with some of them! Here are my current top 5 products that I've recently added to my collection and exactly why I love each of them so much.

1) josie maran whipped argan oil in creamy vanilla // this stuff is like liquid gold.. for your skin (and I'm not kidding)! The first time I tried this, I absolutely fell in love. Not only does it smell divine, but it's free of harsh chemicals that can harm your skin. A lot of people don't know that many skin-care products, including body lotion, can contain ingredients such as parabens or butylene glycol that are actually very harmful to put on your body. Luckily, Josie Maran is committed to keeping her ingredients all-natural, which is a great plus! This whipped argan oil is a must-have for your skin, especially in the dry winter months. the benefits of Argan Oil also prevent wrinkles and keep skin moisturized and firm, which I especially love for areas like my neck and collarbone area/chest. I'm so in love with it that I use it nearly every day!

2) juice beauty concealer // I never used to care about the ingredients in makeup products, or rather, I never used to notice them. but as I mentioned above, the fact is that there are a lot of ingredients in drug-store makeup brands and even more "sophisticated" brands that are very bad for your skin. however, you can be guilt-free with this Juice Beauty concealer, because it's also composed of entirely natural ingredients! the entire Juice Beauty brand is committed to all-natural products. I love to use this concealer on the dark circles beneath my eyes, because the skin there is very delicate and I don't like putting makeup there that contains harsh chemicals that could cause pre-mature aging.

3) jouer anti-blemish matte primer // wow, this primer is the bomb! This was the first product I'd ever tried from Jouer, and I have to say that I'll be purchasing more. With skin-loving ingredients like aloe, Vitamin E, Ginseng and Gingko Biloba extract (apparently this ingredient protects your skin from free radicals, and I've definitely noticed it giving my skin a pretty glow), this matte primer doesn't only prevent blemishes -- it's also a great treat for your skin and keeps your foundation on all day.

4) arrow beauty ph adjusting chapstick // I got this as a sample in last month's Birchbox, and I immediately fell in love! Who knew that a chapstick exists that changes color on your lips according to your personal pH balance?! it's pretty amazing, I must say. according to the makeup brand, this stuff changes to the most flattering color for you -- mine turns out to be a pretty pink shade. It moisturizes and gives you a pretty color at the same time, and I can't get enough of it.

5) smashbox contour palette // for the longest time I wanted to try contouring but never knew where to begin -- luckily, this contour palette from Smashbox makes it super easy! the palette comes with a guide for your personal face shape and where exactly you need to contour to look your best, and it even includes a handy contour brush. I usually sweep the first shade down the sides of my nose, sides of my forehead, and in the hallows of my cheek; then I sweep on some bronzer on my cheeks and down to my neck a bit. finally, I highlight with the final light shade on my chin, down the center of my nose, beneath my eyes, and on the middle of my forehead. Voilà, contour made easy!

Friday, February 19, 2016

current wishlist // february

My wishlist always seems to be getting longer, only because I always find things online that I fall absolutely in love with! Here are the items I'm currently dreaming of having for myself for the month of February.
feb. wishlist

  • public desire suede ankle boots // ysl dupes, anyone?! these look very similar to the coveted ysl black ankle boots, at about a fraction of the price! I've been loving suede boots lately, and this pair looks perfect for a great price.
  • missguided pj set // what's not to love about a silky, matching pj set? I never used to care about pjs, but now I can't get enough of adorable sets like this one. the long sleeves combined with the shorts make it a perfect set to transition from winter to spring!
  • balance me wonder eye cream // this stuff is great to moisturize that delicate area around the eyes, especially if you're in your early twenties like me and just starting to think about preventing those pesky wrinkles! I got a sample of this stuff in a birchbox once and fell in love.
  • puma x rihanna creeper // I can't help but to get a 90s punk vibe from Rihanna's new collab with puma, and I have to say that I'm loving it. these creepers are the perfect blend of trendy modern-day and punk edge.
  • BLANKNYC blue suede jacket // I love a classic moto jacket, and this spin on it is very cool. taking a classic style and mixing it up with a different color or fabric always seems to catch my eye, and BLANKNYC did a perfect job of doing so with this jacket!
  • Thursday, February 18, 2016

    styling // the alexander mcqueen scarf

    If there's one item that can really enhance an outfit and give it that extra edge that you've been craving, look no further than the Alexander McQueen skull-print scarves. For a while now, stylists and celebrities alike have been spotted sporting McQueen's signature skull scarf in their street style attire. After months of lusting after one myself, I finally received one as a gift about a year ago! And I have to say, whenever I wanna feel like a badass, I just throw on my McQueen and I'm good to go. Here are some ways that I would style the McQueen skull scarf:

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    Until next time,

    xo, xtina

    Wednesday, February 17, 2016

    welcome to my new blog // first post

    Cheers to my first post! I've been wanting to create a lifestyle blog for awhile -- I've had numerous specific blogs on places such as tumblr, but never a general lifestyle one for myself. So here it is: Lifestyle by Christina. Until I come up with a more creative name, of course. ;) Here, I'll be posting product reviews, making style posts, talking about some of my favorite fashion/beauty/etc. items, and much more. As a part of Seventeen Magazine's social club, I'll also be reviewing the products that they send to me here. I've done quite a bit of traveling, so I look forward to sharing my travel experience with all of you.
    Just to tell you a little bit about me, I'm a recent college graduate and I've had numerous jobs in the art, fashion, and creative world. I'm currently applying to graduate schools (and hoping to go abroad!) but in the meantime, you can find me here. If you're reading this, thanks so much for checking out my blog, and I look forward to sharing posts with you!

    xo, xtina