Bumble Bee

Happy Tuesday! The weather in Seattle has been shockingly nice this summer. I think we've only received one or two days of rain so far after having over a month of sun. That is pretty amazing for us Seattlelites who suffer in perma grey for most of the year. Crop tops and neons have been making a comeback this year. It's a great way to accentuate your waist and add a little edge to your outfits. I'm not a huge fan of the neon, but this yellow/green color has really grown on me.

I know it's a bit late in the summer for this, but I finally got highlights in my hair again after not dyeing it for years. Like a lot of asian girls, I was really nervous that it would turn into the dreaded orange color. I ended up going with a dark blonde color vs. brown to keep the tint on the cooler side and I really like it so far! Once my roots start growing out, I can transition it into a darker balayage look for the winter.   

Top - American Apparel | Skirt - H&M | Sandals - Bakers

It's About the Little Details:

The wallet was a birthday gift from my big sis who is away for med school. I couldn't believe she had taken the time to send me something in the midst of all her studies! The sunglasses were purchased for 650 baht (about $21) at Platinum Fashion Mall in Bangkok when I was living abroad last summer. It is Bangkok's largest wholesale mall, with over two thousand small shops and booths jam packed into seven floors. The mall itself would probably take an entire day to go through, but I couldn't spend more than a few hours at a time there without getting exhausted and dizzy from maneuvering around all the people. The sunglasses were quite inexpensive, but I love the shape & fit and they double as the perfect souvenir! My watch was the first purchase I made on Poshmark. If you're not familiar with it, it is an app on the iPhone for women's fashion. You can sell your old clothing (or those regretted impulse buys) and shop other people's closets. This Fossil watch was a steal at $45 and is the perfect size for my small wrists. 

Wallet - Juicy Couture | Sunglasses - Thailand | Bracelet - Forever 21 | Watch - Poshmark (Fossil Brand)

Green Monster Smoothie

This is my FAVORITE smoothie and a great way to get in a serving of veggies for breakfast! It's easy to make and I promise you won't even be able to taste the spinach. I wish my mom would have thought of this when I was a child :)

It requires very few ingredients. I usually like to make two and save the other one in a mason jar for the next morning. There are many different variations you can make, but I will list the basic ingredients below.

Basic Ingredients:

1 frozen banana 

2 cups of baby spinach 

1 tbsp of peanut butter

3/4 cup of almond milk

1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt

In this particular smoothie, I added a handful of strawberries for a more fruity taste. You can add whichever berry combo you have on hand. I like to use the almond milk from Trader Joe's and Better'n Peanut Butter to cut calories. Adding a scoop of protein powder to this smoothie also makes for a great post-workout snack! 

Current Favorites

I have been using Aveda's line of shampoo and conditioner for years. Currently I am using a pretty basic one that is gentle on treated hair. I have a bit of premature greying that I have to cover up every few months. Before this, I was using their Pure Abundance shampoo to try and give my hair a little more volume. It worked fairly well, however I felt like it was drying out my hair. The woman at the store recommended I try a styling product instead so I took her advice and bought the Pure Abundance Style Prep and Phomollient Styling Foam. I've been using it for a couple months now and love it! 

I can use it right after the shower in the morning or at night to add some volume to my hair before I go out.

The style prep can be spritzed on wet or dry hair to add texture and thickness, while the styling foam can be applied to your roots for volume. The styling foam works better on wet hair so I use a separate spritz bottle to dampen my roots if I'm working with already dry hair. I get the best results with this routine:

1. apply the style prep all over (wet or dry hair)

2. apply the styling foam to your roots (damp hair)

3. blowing dry you hair upside down

4. Finish off with the cool setting on your dryer  

When I first started doing hot yoga, my skin broke out from the sweat. That is when I began searching for a better exfoliator. Having a good exfoliator is an important part of your daily routine. You are constantly shedding and reproducing skin cells and exfoliating helps prevent build ups. Many drug store exfoliators I've used in the past were harsh and dried out my skin. I discovered Dermalogica through talking to an aesthetician at the salon I go to. I use the Daily Microfoliant, which is a cleanser and exfoliator that comes in a powder form. Unlike the traditional exfoliators that use beads, it is a chemical exfoliator. It's a little more expensive than other cleansers I've used, but the bottle lasts forever and its well worth the money.

As for makeup, I'm not a huge foundation person. For special occasions I use bare minerals because it feels lighter on my skin. However, I do love using their bronzer daily! 

A peek at my abode!

My apartment is still in progress even though I have been here for about 9 months now! The hardest part has been decorating the walls. I am still in search of a piece (or pieces) to fill a large wall behind my TV... so if you have any ideas, I would love to hear them!

This is the current state of my dresser -- one of the only areas of my room I am completely satisfied with. I have been trying my best to keep it cluster free! In many cases, less is more. I learned this lesson growing up in a home with parents that hoarded EVERYTHING. 

Tip: Display your favorite pieces and shove all the other stuff into a cute jewelry box - as seen here ;)

We all need a bit of inspiration sometimes, which is why I have this piece right next to my bed. Every single line in this quote is just perfect. 

Holstee Manifesto

Ever since I moved into my own place, I have developed a renewed love for fresh flowers! They are a wonderful way to add some life and color in to your home. Every time I make a grocery run to the local Trader Joe's, I can't help treating myself to a pretty bouquet as well. It can get spendy if you are doing it on a weekly basis, which is why I have synthetic alternatives to fill in the space when I am in-between fresh flower purchases. 

These are some yellow lilies that I purchased from Trader Joe's. Lilies are some of my favorite flowers. They don't last very long (about a week), but they certainly smell amazing! The vase is pretty plain, so I threw on a pink ribbon I had laying around to make it more interesting. :)

Tip: Marshalls and Ross are great places to shop when you are decorating on a budget!   

                   

                   

Thanks for reading! 

xxx

Mary