Isa & Circa, sf

(Mango top, BP pants, Betsey Johnson shoes, Ferragamo Bag)

We had dinner at Isa, a french restaurant located right in the heart of the Marina in SF. The ambiance is adorable in this quaint gem and definitely try the Crushed Truffle Risotto and the Grilled Natural Flat Iron Steak with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc- I love white wine. 

After dinner we headed out to Circa for drinks and this place was super packed. Such a cute venue and the vibe was FUN. I'd definitely recommend this spot for an upper scale, hip, and happening place for a good time.

hair, body, & other services

I'm a chameleon when it comes to color for my hair. I've been blonde- like super pale blonde- not that brassy orange copper kind- although i've been that too, pitch black, the streaks, thin, chunky, peek-a-boo, you name it i've done it- although i would say i haven't done any extreme color like purple pink or blue so i guess maybe not all.

nowadays i've been digging the natural one color no streak look. and this is just me- but i feel more mature and if i do go lighter- blended highlights are more of what i'm all about.

with that said, i used to pay extreme amounts to get my hair done. i used to go this stylist- sunshine in san jose- i LOVE her.. she does great hair. although my love for clothes and shopping has forced me to budget my spending for my hair and so now i go to MOLA- who is just as amazing and is so much closer in burlingame. 

And because I would pay ridiculous amounts of money for my hair, I'm all about maintenance and wanted the blonde to stay pale or the brown not to fade.. so for my shampoo and conditioner- I use Pureology- the purple bottle. 

I love the smell of the conditioner, although I have been commented that it smell's like a grandma and although my scalp is numb to the tingling sensation it once did for me.. i often change it up with Alterna's Caviar.

Never underestimate the wonders of a shine serum. I used the Pureology Shinemax after I get out the shower or if I  want to smooth away any frizziness.. But I've discovered this spray shine by ABBA which smells so good and instantly gives my hair dramatic shine.

If I'm curling my hair- I use an old hot tools 1.5 inch round curler and Bed Head's Hard Head Hairspray. I love this stuff. I always get compliments on how I get my hair to hold my curls.. and I use hairspray. It's light and keeps it bouncy, not too hard yet still moveable. If you're more on a budget I've smelled the Dove hairspray but my habit of using Hard Head has stuck with me for so long.

And here's an interesting tidbit.. I don't own a hairbrush/comb! I never brush my hair.. I own more brushes for my face than i do for my hair. :)

For my body, I just use a bar of dove soap and i'm not a big fan of lotion only bc it interferes with the smell of my perfume and deodorant and that's way too much going on so I like using baby oil gel. This looks great especially in pictures because it makes your legs look real shiny and the moisture stays on real well. 

I only shave my legs and above my knees when it's necessary. lol. I prefer waxing my underarms, eyebrows, lips, and well anything else you can imagine. :) There's a great lady to go to in San Bruno at Da Vi Nails- ask for Nancy, she's the best.

For a manicure & pedicure I go to Modern Nails in Santa Rosa. I know it's a far trek to make it out there but I've also gone to Cindy Pro Nails in San Francisco and they do a good job too- minus the rhinestones :)

And never underestimate the power of what a massage can do for your body :) There are many places that are affordable without all the frills and if I'm local I like going to Calistoga Massage School, again in Santa Rosa. But for a much nicer ambiance in the same area, Coldwater Creek Spa was my go to place during my pregnancy and this place is like an oasis.

MAC up

(forever21 jeans i ripped, LnA top, baker's booties, makeup via carlen)

If clothes look nice on a toned body then makeup looks amazing on flawless skin.

I feel very fortunate to acquire the skill of applying makeup on and so can anyone- just go to a MAC counter and they can teach you step by step and jot everything down on a face chart for you to use as reference when you practice at home.

because honestly i could go on and on about this section bc it's what i've done for so long.. so instead of giving a tutorial here.. you can check these tutorials from the MAC Artistry in Action section, but what I'd recommend is to just make an appointment at a MAC counter and they'd be more than happy to demonstrate and answer questions you have.

And makeup doesn't always have to be full out, I always think makeup looks best when you can't tell you're even wearing it. Working at MAC, I was so used to wearing a full face of makeup almost everyday and believe me, it gets old. I think working there made me appreciate just how much I hate wearing makeup, wait let me clarify, so much makeup so often.

i enjoy looking polished like all the beautiful ladies at MAC but not everyday at the expense of so much product and the amount of time to apply it. So to narrow it down, some of my favorite products I use are hyper real for foundation in the day, studio fix fluid at night. My favorite blushes change through the seasons but I like dame for a soft pink, dollymix for a bright pink, and hipness for a coral. I absolutely love belightful, an amazing highlight powder. And I love blacktrack fluidline eyeliner and graphblack liner. Love nectar lustreglass has always been my thing and i'm absolutely in love with #7's and #35 lashes.

Anyway.. so I went to MAC as a customer (notice the non black attire) haha.. and got my makeup done as if I were a regular custie. And yes i know all the horrible experiences customers may have had in getting a hideous makeover and wiping it off immediately after purchasing the products from guilt or embarassment with the intentions of returning it as a priority the very next day or feeling the aloofness of some artists and never wanting to come back (but try to forgive them and give them some slack- remember these girls prepared a lot to get ready to be work on time, stand in heels all day and answer almost the same repetitive questions, which of course is their job, but like all humans can become tiresome- so try not to take offense) but anyway, there are definitely ways to make your experience better so don't let one artist affect the way you feel about the entire company. And if you didn't like how things went one time, just ask people who loved their makeup and get a recommendation from them next time. :)

This is considered a more dramatic look for most people, including myself, but I wanted to step out of my everyday look and I present to you plum eyeshadows and the lips... wow, snob lipstick is hot.

So when you go, here are some tips to getting the most out of your appointment:

• don't be afraid to speak up if you're uncomfortable with how something looks, although at the same time, it's important not to become so closed minded. it may feel like a lot but sometimes trusting the artist's opinion helps and waiting for the finish product can change your opinion completely.

• to save time, off hand you can tell them your budget or be specific like what you want to focus on- your eyes, skin, lips etc.

• don't feel pressured to buy everything. although note the key specific items that you love and write it down and although it's not necessary, it's always nice to come back to that same person who did your makeup, they'll appreciate it.

• if you're already familiar with what looks good on you let them know- you don't like a light eyelid and prefer a dark lid.. you have asian eyes and hate when people try to create a false crease.. you're not into red lipsticks.. you prefer a natural look.. even bringing in a picture is a great idea so that way you both are on the same page. being too vague by saying you want to try something new might not get you the results you were going after. and a customer's definition of a smoky eye can be completely different from a MAC artist-believe me.

• and not only because it's my old work- but really check out Macys* Union Square in San Francisco. 4th floor is usually less busy making it more inviting and not as intimidating but it's one of the largest stores and theyre used to getting ALL types of customers. Some of my favorite artists to go to are Carlen. Plus you can also go shopping and there's so much to look at other than makeup. Try the 2nd floor, they have a large selections of beautiful shoes and go up to the 3rd and see the impulse section :) Anyway, I digress.

• There's also MAC PRO on Union which offers items you can't get anywhere else but parking can be such a hassle.. and if you do go there- Alicia is amazing.

• And definitely check out the events they have when they release new products. They offer seminars where the trainers who trained us how to apply makeup can actually teach you how to do it in a class/seminar setting and you'll be so inspired by how everyone is just so well groomed and put together. Daniel Belena is such a sweetheart and Kimmy is dope. So GO if you can get a chance.

Even if you're against wearing makeup, this company is really great not only because of it's wonderful products but because it has numerous programs where it gives back. There's the VIVA GLAM, KHK, and B2M. To date, MAC has raised over $130 million through the sale of a Viva Glam lipstick, donating 100% of the sale price to the fight of HIV and AIDS. And if that isn't impressive, check what else make up can do... 

MAC Chinese Dress Event in San Francisco.

enough with the skinny.. it's all about SKIN :)

Skin is my favorite feature on any person, including myself :) which is why i like taking care of it. Here are my skin care products I use for my face.

• I'm an Estee Lauder junkie- only bc I used it since I was 12 (using my mom's things) but this stuff has been working on me well and I'm a creature of habit and like to stick with what works.
  
• The Shiseido cotton pads are by far the softest I've ever felt.
• The idealist is a serum you apply before your moisturizer.. i can't really tell you if it's improved my skin but I use it for kicks and if you put it on the back of your hand you can instantly feel the difference so I figure it must be doing something to my face.
• I recently started using eye cream bc I now suffer from eye bags, I guess it comes with age but ill just blame maverick for the interruptions of my sleep :)
• MAC wipes are like a facial in a bag- I use these when I'm lazy or have a full face of makeup. It removes it off with ease so it's quick after a long night out when you're tired.