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By Amy Zhang March 31, 2017 in Lifestyle, Style 22 Comments

Real Talk: How to Not Compare Yourself to Others

How to Not Compare Yourself to Others | by The Luxi Look

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” This is something I’ve wanted to talk about for a while. I see it all the time – and am totally guilty of doing it. I held off on discussing this because I was looking for the answer myself. Whatever your career is, it’s totally natural to compare yourself to other people. Usually it doesn’t make you feel great about yourself. Honestly, what’s the point of comparing yourself to others?

So, I asked around – my boyfriend, close friends, mentors, and of course, my mom. Because moms always know best. The big takeaway? Kind of obvious, but comparing yourself to other people does – shocker! – absolutely nothing for you.

Real Talk: How to Not Compare Yourself to Others

Here’s the best advice I’ve received on how to not compare yourself to others

Be busy.

When I’m busy and fulfilled in my own life, I don’t have time to think about other people and what they’re doing. It’s easy to compare ourselves to other people when we’re idle. If you have a lot of spare time, maybe pick up a new hobby or lean into your career or family. I’ve found myself doing a lot of comparing when I’m on social media a lot – so I’ve learned to put down the phone more often and appreciate the situation in the present that I’m living in. Ideally, I would like to go on a tech detox for a day or a week. Anyone done this? With a busy weekday work schedule, a new puppy, and trying to balance the blog and a social schedule, there hasn’t been much time for social media or comparison lately.

Practice gratitude.

Instead of focusing on the things that you don’t have, focus on those that you do. As a blogger, I am obviously on social media a lot, constantly seeing images of “the perfect life.” What’s really important to remember here is social media is not real life. Although we’re seeing more and more scenes of “real life” on social media, at the end of the day it’s still incredibly curated.

One of the best quotes I’ve seen about social media: “don’t compare your behind the scenes to someone else’s highlight reel.” Not everything on social media is as it seems, and you’d be surprised to see how different someone’s social media self can be from their actual self.

Being thankful and appreciative for the things you do have makes a huge difference. Whether it’s by keeping a daily gratitude journal or practicing yoga, being grateful for the little things helps tremendously when it comes to comparing yourself to others.

Surround yourself with people that lift you up.

Having a strong support system is everything, especially in those moments when you doubt yourself or just need an ear to listen. Not even ashamed to admit that I call my mom every single day after work. We talk about our days and what’s going on in our lives. Same goes for my close friends – they know everything about me. With that said, my boyfriend always says: choose your friends wisely, because you are the average of your five closest friends.

Look inward.

If you’re constantly comparing yourself to other people, it might be time to take a harder look at yourself. Almost everyone I spoke to talked about the power of meditation. Also, the general consensus seemed to be that the older and more mature you became, the fewer f*cks you tended to give about other people. So in that sense, getting older isn’t such a bad thing. I really love this quote from The Skinny Confidential: “stay in your own lane.”

Who cares what other people are doing in their lane? Stay in your own and focus on yourself. SUCH good advice, and so true – I just had to share. The best way to not compare yourself to others is by being personally fulfilled and finding meaning in your life.

This is some of the best advice I’ve gotten on how to not compare yourself to others. Anyone else have any experiences or advice they want to share??

All right – going to cap off the end of a busy work week with a glass (or two) of wine. Have sooo many goodies for festival season that I can’t wait to share! Thanks so much to the amazing girls at Show Me Your Mumu, B Low the Belt, and Flair the Label for all the fun today : ). If you’re looking for festival outfits, be sure to check them out!!

PS – outfit deets are below. Matching jacket and shorts are from ASTARS – I’ve gotten SO many compliments on the jacket.

jacket: astars | shorts: astars | tee: z supply | shoes: raye | bag: gucci

By Amy Zhang March 29, 2017 in Beauty 17 Comments

A Little Secret, All Natural Beauty Tip: Use AMBER OIL as Perfume.

Here’s the thing. When I find something that’s new (to me) and share-worthy, I’m going to spill the beans. What’s the fun in hoarding tips and tricks? My most recent discovery is amber oil. Specifically, how to use amber oil as perfume. If you’re like WTF is that?! – hear me out. It might just be your new favorite perfume.

A couple weeks ago, I was standing in the elevator at work next to a girl I didn’t know. Now if I see a dress I love or a pair or shoes I just have to have on someone, I will always ask. Whatever perfume this girl was wearing not only smelled absolutely incredible, it was also unique and unlike any scent I’m familiar with. As much as I love my Le Labo 33, it seems like everyone and their mother is wearing that scent these days.

Naturally, I just had to ask (in the least creepy way possible).

“Hi, excuse me. Do you mind if I ask what perfume you’re wearing?”

Her response: “Amber oil. You need this perfume.”

Not some big name brand of perfume from a department store, but a blend of essential oils that comes in a tiny little bottle. The craziest thing is she said she got it off Amazon.

I had to look it up right away when I got home and immediately ordered a bottle. Look for Nemat brand. While I was at it, I just had to pick up a bottle of the “sandalwood” scent as well.

Here’s the thing about amber oil – it may not be for everyone. But, if you like musk and wood scents, you will love amber oil. The fragrance mixes with your skin and honestly blooms throughout the day.

Oh, and if you’re interested in trying it out – a small bottle is only $15!

After doing additional research, I found out that amber oil is actually Kristin Bell’s favorite perfume (LOVE her!) and she even wore it on the red carpet. Not to mention, amber oil is amazing for aromatherapy and is even said to be an aphrodisiac and help calm the mind and body. Still not sold? Amber oil can be used in some many different ways.

Amber Oil Uses

+ As a perfume

+ Aromatherapy – the scent of amber oil can be incredibly calming and relaxing

+ Added to your skin or haircare products

+ For massage

+ Diffused as a scent around your home

If you’re into natural health and beauty products, definitely check out amber oil. Can’t wait to share more of the posts I’ve been working on with you guys!

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang March 23, 2017 in Recipes 25 Comments

How to Make a Homemade Acai Bowl – Easy Acai Bowl Recipe

Acai bowls have been trending for some time now – it seems like a new acai bowl spot is opening up every other week in LA. If you’ve never had an acai bowl before – you’re missing out. They are so. damn. delicious. My good friend and photographer, Lauren, got me totally hooked on making homemade acai bowls. We made these last weekend and I immediately bought the ingredients (all available at Trader Joe’s!), and have been making them practically every day since then. This really is one easy acai bowl recipe! If you’ve ever been intimidated by the thought of making a homemade acai bowl, trust me when I say it is actually super simple.

How to Make a Homemade Acai Bowl – Easy Acai Bowl Recipe

What is acai?

Acai is a popular tropical fruit from Brazil. In the US it is widely available as a puree, which has led to the popularity of acai bowls. Typically consumed in a smoothie or a bowl, acai makes a delicious, quick, and healthy breakfast or snack.

Are acai bowls healthy?

Acai itself is a superfood – filled to the brim with antioxidants! Acai berries are believed to improve skin, digestion, your heart health, and boost your immune system.

BUT – it is important to note that the actual health factor of acai bowls are somewhat mixed. The acai puree itself can contain sugar (when buying frozen packets, be sure to look for ones with no added sugars or additional ingredients other than acai!), and once you add in all of the fruit, juice, and granola, you’re looking at a breakfast that is very high in sugar. Even if it’s natural sugar, it’s something to be aware of. So while you might think you’re having a “healthy” breakfast, once you load it up with toppings, acai bowls can be high in calories and sugar!

One of my health goals for the year was to consume less sugar – so that is something that I have to be aware of when crafting my bowl. With that said, I still absolutely love acai bowls and am so excited to share Lauren’s recipe with you – she seriously has it down to a science!!

Easy Acai Bowl Ingredients

1 packet frozen acai puree
1 cup all-natural apple juice (make sure apple is the ONLY ingredient! No added sugar or preservatives)
1 cup frozen berries
1 banana
Topping ideas: fresh berries, sliced banana, mango, bee pollen, granola, hemp seed, shaved coconut, honey

Blend frozen acai, frozen fruit, banana, and apple juice together until desired consistency (depends on how thick you like your acai bowls – I like mine thick). Pour into a bowl and top with your favorite toppings. My favorite combination is bananas, strawberries, blueberries, granola, bee pollen, and a little honey drizzle.

Optional add ins to the acai include: protein powder, all natural almond butter, spinach, coconut milk, almond milk, mango, pineapple. Make it your own! Enjoy anytime – breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner : ).

photos by Lauren Alexandra Photography

By Amy Zhang March 10, 2017 in Lifestyle, Style 27 Comments

“Do One Thing a Day That Scares You” – Why You Should Start Today

“Do one thing a day that scares you.” I don’t know where this quote came from and I’m pretty sure I see it on the internet all the time. Cliché or not, it’s really not a bad motto to live by. Not to be dramatic, but if you’re not doing things that scare you, facing your fears, making mistakes, trying new things, are you really living?!

Through blogging and the internet, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with tons of people that I never would have met or known otherwise. They share stories of how they discovered their passion, made leaps into the unknown to chase their dreams, and how they worked endlessly to make those dreams a reality. These stories are insanely inspiring.

Do one thing a day that scares you.

Reading a book or listening to someone else’s story is great, but most of us learn from actually doing and experiencing things for ourselves. There’s only so much you can take away from someone else’s mistake.

I’ve been thinking about all of the things I’ve wanted in the past and present. I’m sure we all have those skills or hobbies that we always meant to pick up but somewhere along the way they got lost. But honestly it’s never too late to start today! My mom started taking Latin dance lessons a couple years ago and is living proof that it’s never too late to start learning something new. I see entrepreneurs on Shark Tank in their 40’s and 50’s leaving behind life long careers to pursue their own business.

The lesson learned? If you think you’re too old to try something new, you’re wrong!

It’s never too late to start today

So with that said, I am off to Utah for the weekend to ski. Minor confession: I am really horrible at skiing. Just dreadful. And I am absolutely terrified of it – I don’t like heights or going fast. I know, I’m a huge baby! I’ve been putting off getting better for years, just assuming that I wouldn’t be in a situation where I would have to ski in the future (totally false) and thinking hey, at least there’s aprés ski!

But I can’t seem to escape it. My boyfriend loves to snowboard, several of my friends are huge skiers, and if I’m not going to learn now, am I just going to sit out while everyone else hits the slopes for the rest of my life?! So it’s lessons and bunny slopes for me this weekend with *fingers crossed* hopefully some improvement after a couple days. Wish me luck!

So if you’ve been wanting to pick up a new hobby, learn a new language, start a jewelry company, start a blog… what are you waiting for?

xx, Amy

outfit deets:

jumpsuit: sold out – similar options HERE | shoes: steve madden (very similar to these chloe wedges)

By Amy Zhang March 5, 2017 in Lifestyle, Style 50 Comments

Side Hustle: Girl on the Go

Millennials are always on the move. Our mentality is “go, go, go” – and it’s not uncommon for us to have a job and a side hustle. We are seeing this everywhere. Most blogs are a side hustle. Maybe you have a jewelry business. Or freelance consult or write on the side. There are so many options and opportunities to have a side hustle these days.

My thoughts on this arrangement? I think self-improvement and growth are totally badass. I love people that are determined, passionate, and persistent. A little grit goes a long way.

I’ve really been trying to read more, tackling a long list of books to read that I recognized had a lot of self-help and self-improvement messages. (Not as boring as it sounds, I promise!!)

The Pros and Cons of Having a Side Hustle

Pros and Cons of Having a Side Hustle

A common theme that came up in the books I read was the idea of a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset. The belief that you can develop talents through hard work and persistence vs. the belief that talent is innate and to a certain extent, “fixed.”

What I found was that I didn’t always have a growth mindset. In fact, I had spent the better part of my life believing that my abilities and skills were “fixed” to a certain extent and out of my control to change. I had always thought of myself as “analytical, numbers oriented” and “not creative.”

This was a major wake-up call, and honestly when the blog was born. I was determined to prove to myself that I was creative and if I wasn’t great at flexing those muscles then, I would get better.

I was letting my mindset and self-perception get in the way of my own success.

So the blog has been my side hustle. I work full time and while sometimes it’s exhausting and overwhelming to do both, for the most part it’s been exciting, stimulating, and immensely rewarding.

Why do I do both? For me, it’s yin and yang. My full-time job works one part of my brain and my blog the other. I get to build two very different skillsets: taking on challenges with the blog that I’m interested in, shaping every aspect of the creative direction, and learning new skills I otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to. I get to interact with different kinds of people and develop a deep understanding of very different industries.

To be honest, I like the combination and challenges of both.

Pros and Cons of Having a Side Hustle

The pros of having a side hustle:

+ A new challenge and something to learn from.

You never know what opportunities might come out of it.

+ Learning new skills.

Social media, digital marketing, content strategy, writing were all new to me before I started the blog. I’m learning so much every day, and it’s even helped shape my perspective on where I want my career to go in the long run.

+ Perspective.

Having a side hustle has really opened my eyes in a way that working in a corporate environment never did (in a good way!).

+ Flexibility in the projects you take on and the kind of work you do.

A lot of people dream of turning their side hustle into their job. What they fail to recognize is that doing something for fun vs. doing it for work/your main source of income is very different. When you have a side hustle, it’s purely a passion project that allows you to express yourself.

+ Extra income.

The cons of having a side hustle:

– Say goodbye to your social life/sleep/other hobbies.

I’d be lying if I said I was able to have and do it all. Social media is not reality. For every picture of me in an outfit drinking iced coffee, there are countless hours behind a desk in an office and working on a laptop at home. Not that glamorous! But having a side hustle requires some sort of sacrifice. There are only so many hours in the day.

– It can be distracting.

Contrary to popular belief, multi-tasking really isn’t that great. In fact, it can be downright awful. When your brain is constantly jumping from one thought to another it can be next to impossible to do any one thing well. Staying focused through time blocking and prioritizing daily tasks has been essential for me.

– All of this can lead to emotional ups and downs.

It’s hard not to compare yourself to other people and feel like you’re not doing enough in either job. The best advice I’ve come across is to just focus on yourself.

As for how I balance a job and a side hustle?

I try to do as much as I can, when I can. And I don’t beat myself up when I can’t.

Specifically: I’ll wake up an hour earlier or go to bed an hour later. I make my workouts more intense so I don’t have to go to the gym as often (think: high-intensity bootcamp or pilates on the megaformer 2-3x a week vs. the elliptical for an hour every day). I don’t say yes to every party, event, or happy hour invite. Some days I’ll get a lot done, other days I won’t do anything for my blog.

A little bit of effort goes a long way. Growing up, my parents would always tell me the Chinese saying, “constant dripping of water wears away the stone.” I’ve finally come to appreciate it. If you pour a bunch of water on a stone, it won’t change. But if you consistently drip water on it, over time, the stone will wear away. That’s what I’m going for.

The key word here really is “balance.”

I never want to feel like I’m overwhelmed and stressed for prolonged periods of time. What I try to remind myself is that I’m in it for the long game. My career is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, and I have to pace myself if I want to make it all the way.

Eating well, getting enough sleep, yoga, and lots of “me time” are key for me to staying grounded and balanced.

I also have an amazing support system – which I really think is key! Behind every successful person, there’s a team. It really does take a village ; ).

The Luxi Look wearing Botkier Quincy Bag for Spring

Pros and Cons of Having a Side Hustle

And of course, blogging has forced me to be more put together (with the exception of mornings when I take my pup out at 6 am and some weekends when my style can be described in no other way than derelict) and conscious of my appearance. When I have more than 5 seconds to get dressed, I still try to keep it simple. Think: out the door in 5 minutes.

For spring, I am all about a white bag. Kinda risky, but I can’t help it – white is my absolute favorite color and nothing screams SPRING (or bridal) more than the color white.

Botkier has been a long time favorite brand of mine.

I don’t have the budget for a closet full of Chanel but a good mid-range bag (think: between $100-$500) can be hard to find.

Botkier keeps is clean, simple, and chic. This crossbody is perfect for a girl on the go. Maybe a girl with a side hustle? Ha!

And, they just launched SHOES this spring! I am digging every pair in the new collection. Although I am absolutely horrible in heels, two things make them more bearable – a chunky heel and an ankle strap. This pair has both and I am in love.

This look is perfect for brunch, no? Speaking of which – I’m off to make some avocado toast. Trying to make some changes to my diet, one of which is more healthy fats! You don’t have to ask me twice if I want more guacamole. Happy Sunday babes!

xx, Amy

two piece set: similar (more options below) | bag: botkier | shoes: botkier

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