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By Amy Zhang June 10, 2016 in Beauty, Lifestyle 19 Comments

Summer Ready Legs

Happy Fri-Yay, babes!!! I’m off to Palm Springs this weekend for Splash House. If you haven’t heard of Splash House, it’s a music festival + pool party in the desert that takes place two weekends over the summer (June 10-12 and August 12-14 – it’s not too late to make plans for August, just saying). I went both weekends last summer and it’s safe to say I might have enjoyed it wayyy more than I enjoyed Coachella. The vibes are way more chill, and who doesn’t love a good pool party? BUT for now I want to talk about getting summer ready (we’ve already talked about shopping for one piece suits here), specifically, how to get summer ready legs.

Summer Ready Legs

Chances are you’re showing off those stems this summer – it’s about time, after being covered up all winter! Whether you feel like you did enough squats and lunges (is that ever possible?), there are a few easy things you can do to ensure that no matter what, you’re putting your best foot forward when wearing those short shorts and miniskirts.

Exfoliate

Such a crucial step but often forgotten! Exfoliating is so, so important – it helps your pores open up, allowing for a closer shave, by removing all of the built up dead skin that has accumulated. If you’re ever gone to a Korean Spa and gotten a body scrub… you know what I mean. The amount of dead skin on our bodies is seriously gross.

Use a pre bought scrub or make your own (the most basic version is just sugar and oil!).

Smooth

After exfoliating your skin, it’s time to de-fuzz! When it comes to hair removal, it’s not always clear what the best option is. I’ve tried practically every method of hair removal out there – I’m currently doing laser hair removal on my lower legs and still shave occasionally, but have also waxed in the past. Here’s my take:

If you’re going to shave, use a men’s razor. I steal my boyfriend’s – I’m convinced the blade is better. Pros of shaving: it’s fast, cheap, and you can do it yourself. Cons: shaving can lead to painful ingrown hairs, itchy skin, and hair grows back quickly. You also run the risk of nicking yourself and bleeding everywhere if you’re not careful. Ow.

Waxing is a great option

By removing the hair from the root, hair will grow back more smoothly and finer. I’ve never found waxing to be terribly painful, but everyone’s tolerance for pain is slightly different, so keep that in mind if you’re considering waxing. Other cons: waxing can be pretty expensive and you need to wait for hair to grow a certain length before you can wax again (the hair needs to be long enough so that the wax can stick).

Currently I am loving laser hair removal because I am lazy and hate shaving. It can be expensive, but I found a great deal through Lifebooker that made the price much more reasonable (be sure to look up reviews before purchasing any sessions). The laser shoots highly concentrated light onto your hair follicle, effectively “killing” that hair. I will say the pain level is probably equivalent to if not less than waxing. Laser hair removal won’t remove your hair permanently (after the initial sessions, which are performed 4-6 weeks apart, you will still likely have to go for touchups every few months or so), but it is the closest thing I’ve tried. Highly, highly recommend – feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment below if you have any questions.

Moisturize

Summer weather + the sun can definitely lead to drier skin, especially if you’re shaving. If you have delicate skin, the razor can leave your legs dry and itchy. Obsessively moisturizing helps. I like coconut oil because it’s cheap and smells amazing, but any lotion will work. And remember to wear sunscreen!

Tan

If you can’t tone it, tan it. Almost everyone looks better with a tan. I prefer to get my color artificially from a spray or bottle as opposed to the sun – custom airbrush tans are amazing, but if you’re in a rush your local drugstore or Sephora carry products that will do an amazing job mimicking a spray tan.

My skin bruises easily and I have scars from falling a LOT as a child, as well as from super pesky bug bites that don’t seem to go away (insert crying emoji here). Spray tans and tanning lotions are a godsend as they really help minimize the appearance of any imperfections and help you achieve that airbrushed look you see in magazines.

Some of my favorite products to fake that perfectly smooth and glowing appearance:

Say Hello to Sexy Legs

Apparently, contouring isn’t just for your face (which I still have yet to master), you can do it on your legs as well! They were kind enough to send me their 3 step system and I have to admit I’m pretty impressed. Even I (a contouring novice) was able to apply the products flawlessly.

Here’s a handy YouTube video that shows exactly where to apply the products – you can buy their products at Sephora. I like the tinted glow gel best, but the body contour stick is pretty fun to play with as well.

St. Tropez Self Tanning Mousse

My favorite at home tanning product, and it is absolutely worth the price. A bottle lasts forever, and this stuff does not streak (!!) – PLUS it actually gives you glow that screams “I just spent a week sunbathing in St. Tropez.”

Also, I know every tanning product out there claims to not leave you orange, but this stuff is the real deal. Oh, and if you’re having issues applying, this mitt helps a lot, if you’re having trouble.

Sally Hansen Airbrush Tan

This stuff is advertised as pantyhose in a can, LOL. But in all seriousness, my girlfriends and I swear by this product. It’s easy to apply and leaves you with flawless legs.

Hopefully this was helpful – I’m off to do all of the steps outlined above now before ~~lots~~ one glass of rosé by the pool this evening. Happy (fake) tanning, and have an amazing weekend, everyone!

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang December 5, 2015 in Beauty 8 Comments

Daily Skincare Routine

Thinking back on my teenage years, I cringe when I think about how much of a slave to the sun I was. I spent every summer at the beach laying out, oftentimes with no sunscreen, and visited a tanning booth a handful of times (to be fair, there is zero sun in Minnesota in the dead of winter, and everyone looks better with a little bit of color, right?) Again, I cringe – my poor skin. Now that I’m in my mid-twenties, things are a little different to say the least. Suddenly I find myself focusing on every bump on my skin and staying up all night googling “what age to begin using Retinol”.

Skincare is just so personal. I love talking skin and makeup products with my girlfriends, but what I’ve found is that everyone’s skin tone and texture is so different and what works for your best friend really might not work for you at all. That being said, I still love reading about skincare regimes and have picked up a few tips and product recommendations over the years that have actually stuck.

I love trying new products and the idea of a comprehensive skincare routine, but ultimately I’m always rushing out of the house in the morning or struggling to just remove my makeup and wash my face some nights.

So, what actually ends up happening is something like this:

Cleanser:

I’ve been using Fresh’s Soy Face Cleanser for a couple of years now and it is the only product that I have multiple of (one in my gym bag, one for traveling, one for the bathroom). I’m not sure if this is the best cleanser for all needs, but I enjoy the smell and find that it is super gentle while removing most of my makeup easily. I remove the rest of my makeup with coconut oil.

Toner:

after many years of trying different toners and speaking to estheticians, I still do not really understand what this does. To be honest, I’m not sure I can tell a difference in my skin from using toner either. Lately I’ve been using one from Nars, but it’s almost empty and I’m not sure what I’ll do after.

Serum:

Vitamin C is great for your skin – it’s an antioxidant that wards off free radical damage (read: helps prevent aging). I use Ole Henriksen’s Truth Serum and while it seems to give my skin an immediate glow, I am crossing my fingers that its benefits will be felt (and seen) years down the line.

Moisturizer:

I’ve been reading about Korean skincare and their 10 step skincare routine seriously amazes me (read more about it here). Their skin is seriously amazing and dewy, I can only dream that one day attain it myself, perhaps with more discipline. For now, I’m easing into it by using some Korean products. I really like this moisturizer from Belif – if you have really dry skin like me, I highly recommend. Before this moisturizer I went through 3 containers of Kiehl’s Rosa Artica Cream which I loved as well (great for snowy winters).

Sunscreen:

this is one that I do every. single. day. Find a great sunscreen that you use only on your face and neck – I love this one by Kiehl’s, it’s SPF 50, super sheer, and a bottle lasts forever (unless you’re like me and spill half a bottle in your purse).

It sounds a little more impressive than it is when it’s all written down, but I often skip the toner and serum because I get lazy. I try not to hoard too many skincare products at once because 1. I like consistency and 2. they often go bad before I can use them up.

So that’s the daily skincare routine, when I have a little extra time and patience I add:

Eye Cream:

I really should be using this more frequently, since the skin around your eyes is so delicate and prone to wrinkles. I picked up Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado – it’s very rich which I love, it feels more substantial that way.

Masks:

I love sheet masks, if for nothing else the amusement I get from startling my boyfriend when I walk out of the bathroom. I’ve been experimenting with different ones and bought the SK-II masks that everyone raves about – they make my skin a little more glow-y and plump, but to be honest I was really expecting more. I love Lush Masks as well, just make sure you keep them in a refrigerator and use within a week because they do expire. Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay is amazing for cleaning your pores, I personally found it a little drying but totally recommend if you have oilier skin or just want a deep cleaning – you cannot beat it for the price!

Water:

Hydration is key. I drink my weight in ounces every day and it is beneficial on so many levels, but I really do see a difference in my skin when I am well hydrated.

Sleep:

So cliche but it’s true, your skin will glow if you get enough sleep on a consistent basis (7-8 hours is ideal).

Nothing crazy (yet), although it continues to change over the years and sometimes even seasonally. Could probably use a good facial more often, but I feel like there are already enough beauty appointments to keep up with – the joys of being a girl! Am I missing anything? Is the 10 step skincare routine really worth it? Would love to hear your thoughts and recs!