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By Amy Zhang August 16, 2016 in Beauty 19 Comments

5 Minute Makeup Routine

I’ve already admitted it, but I’m the laziest person ever when it comes to beauty. Which is why I’ve come up with tricks to make it work for me, like my 5 minute makeup routine.

I’ve been meaning to get better at makeup for a while now. In an age of YouTube Beauty Gurus, I’ve seen high schoolers that put my makeup game to shame. To be honest, usually I just rub products all over my face and hope it works out.

Only half kidding. I’m working on it.

5 Minute Makeup Routine

But in the meantime, my morning makeup routine is as simple as they come. 5 minutes or less and I’m out the door. Every girl needs a 5 minute makeup routine for those days you’re feeling crunched for time. Am I right?

Especially if it’s daytime. I’m all about that fresh faced look. I just don’t feel like myself when I’m wearing tons of makeup. If anything, it makes me feel even more self conscious. I’m all about a solid skincare routine and minimal makeup.

Despite being totally clueless at doing makeup, somehow I’m a product junkie? I could live and die in a Sephora.

I don’t use many products, but the ones I do I’ve tested a million times over. Here are the products I can’t live without (and the ones that get me out the door ASAP in the morning).

+ Tinted Moisturizer

I don’t typically use primer during the day. My skin is on the drier side to begin with, and I prefer a dewy and natural look. I used to HATE foundation, but Nars Tinted Moisturizer is a godsend (I use the shade St. Moritz). Think your skin, but better. Sometimes I’ll use a beauty blender, but I honestly think it looks just fine using your fingers. Plus, SPF!!! This product is amazing. I could sing its praises for days. I also LOVE Armani Luminous Silk foundation if I want more coverage.

+ Brows

a polished brow is key! I seriously cringe when I look at photos of myself from 5 years ago – talk about a HORRIBLE brow. This pencil is the best and the end with the spoolie is a lifesaver – always brush your brows UP and brush out any extra product. Voila! Fool-proof, easy brows.

+ Mascara

my ladies with lash extensions, this is a step you get to skip! For me, I always make sure I curl my lashes first. The trick to your fullest, most voluminous lashes with mascara is to LAYER. Depending on how dramatic I’m trying to go, I’ll use up to 3 (!!!) mascaras. I always use this primer and this mascara. If it’s nighttime or I’m feeling dramatic, I’ll layer on another one. Right now I’m liking this mascara a LOT.

+ Bronzer

I’m not the biggest fan of blush. But I do love adding a swipe of sun-kissed glow across my face. Check out this list of the absolute best bronzers. I typically just use whichever one I’m feeling that day. And um, I don’t contour. No idea how.

Honestly, that is IT. If I have a little extra time or want to add something more, I like this highlighter and this lip pencil. Easy peasy.

What’s your easy daytime look? Especially my beauty product junkies and fellow bloggers – I am always looking for ways to streamline my morning routine!

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang August 12, 2016 in Lifestyle, Wellness 23 Comments

How to Chill the F Out

You know that feeling when there just aren’t enough hours in the day to cross off everything you want to get done on your to-do list? Sometimes that feeling spirals out of control and you end up feeling like a frantic maniac trying to multi-task/be in more than one place at once. If you don’t recalibrate properly, it can be terrible for your mood and health. The real question is: how to manage stress and anxiety?

How to Chill the F Out

Stress SUCKS. Believe it or not, stress and anxiety are two of the worst things for your health. You might as well smoke and drink (jk, don’t actually).

Everyone handles stress in different ways. I aim to maintain a balanced and calm mindset but it doesn’t necessarily always work out that way. I’ve known for years that stress is incredibly harmful to your body. Just a FEW of the terrible side effects of stress:

Weight gain.

Some people lose their appetite when they’re stressed, I’m the complete opposite. I lose all willpower and go to town on the first thing I can get my hands on to eat. Stress eating is real. Oh, and it can also cause nasty problems with your digestive system. Fun, right?

Suppressed immune system = getting sick.

Ever noticed how you get colds or other illnesses more easily when you’re stressed? That’s because stress weakens your immune system, leading you to be more susceptible to both infectious and internal illnesses. Even headaches can be more common when you’re stressed.

Poor sleep.

Having trouble sleeping because of all the thoughts rushing through your head? You’re not alone. Stress can make it so much harder to fall and stay asleep. Which is bad news, because sleep is SO IMPORTANT. I aim for 8 hours a night (yes, really!) – I cannot recommend it enough.

You can honestly trace a lot of health related problems back to stress. It’s horrible for you. At the same time, it can be helpful – a little bit of stress might motivate you to get shit done and be productive. You just don’t want to go overboard. Knowing all of that, how do you manage stress? I’ve gotten a lot better at managing my stress and anxiety over the years,

Treat yourself.

Get a massage, a blowout, or a manicure. Buy yourself that dress you’ve been eyeing. If you’ve been working extra hard, reward yourself. Retail therapy isn’t the answer to long term happiness, but when you’re having a particularly rough week, it can help a little ; ).

Exercise.

This is honestly my favorite. When have you ever felt bad after a workout? I personally love workout classes, my go-tos are Barry’s Bootcamp and pilates. A run outside also does wonders for your mood (the runner’s high is real!), or take a spin class to kickass music. I guarantee you’ll feel better.

Boost your immune system.

If I’m having a busy week, I make sure to load up on fruits and veggies (fresh juices are great on the go!!) to give my immune system an extra boost. Most juice bars also have immunity shots that I swear by, but I sometimes make my own. If I’m feeling a little week, I like to get a B12 shot as well.

Meditate.

This means something different to everyone. Some days it’s a guided meditation through a podcast or app, other days it’s just sitting still, closing my eyes, and calming my breath and thoughts for 5 minutes.

Get outside.

Whether that’s outside as in actually being in nature or just leaving your house to spend time with friends, getting out is sometimes all it takes to gain a little perspective that our problems actually aren’t that big and everything is going to be okay.

Speaking of managing stress… one of my favorite things to do is get out of town. SO, I’m off to Palm Springs for the weekend for Splash House (yes, again). Be sure to follow along on Instagram and Instagram stories/Snapchat (username: amylzhang) to watch all the fun!

While I’ve gotten a lot better at managing my stress and anxiety over the years, I still struggle with it at times. How do you deal with stress and anxiety? Do you have a favorite way to wind down and de-stress?

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang August 10, 2016 in Lifestyle, Style, Wellness 22 Comments

No Whining Update

Last week, I challenged myself to stop complaining. For some reason, I hadn’t been feeling like myself. I was getting bothered more than normal by little things and not always in the best mood. Personally, I hate being moody and feeling like I’m in a funk. No likes a Negative Nancy, so I took matters into my hands.

SO I made a point to challenge myself to not complain, at all, for an entire week.

To be honest, it wasn’t easy. Giving up anything cold turkey is tough. Even complaining.

(I realize now that I may sound like I’m complaining about not complaining, so I’ll stop.)

How to Stop Complaining

Basically, I learned that we complain a lot more than we think. Usually about really small, insignificant things. In LA, it’s the traffic (always). Or the weather, or something someone said to you. Or the way they looked at you, or a million and one other things.

Cutting down on that wasn’t easy, but I felt myself catching the words before they came out of my mouth and stopping myself.

The week didn’t go without a hitch. I still complained. BUT – I complained much less than usual. Especially when it came to sweating the small stuff. I found that letting go of negative thoughts and feelings is a lot easier when you don’t indulge yourself by becoming fixated on the issue and spending hours thinking/talking about it.

I checked myself before I wrecked myself.

And I became more aware of what I was about to say, before I said it. A lot of times, we complain to make conversation. Giving that up was easy and forced me to make more meaningful conversation with the people around me. For example, when I get home from work I always recap my day with my boyfriend. Instead of griping about the small negative things that happened to me that day, we were able to have more substantial conversations on things that went well or what interested us that day.

It was also interesting how my behavior influenced those around me. I really do believe in positivity and the light it brings on others. If people around me were complaining, I did my best to say something positive and help them see the bright side, whereas in the past I would probably add to the complaining with a personal anecdote to be relatable.

Although I challenged myself to only a week of no complaining, I definitely want to keep practicing this habit. It’s definitely a practice I want to continue incorporating in my everyday life.

ALSO – as you might be able to tell, I colored my hair (!!).

It was my first time EVER getting my hair colored. I put myself into the most capable hands I could find (my LA ladies, Bianca at Andy LeCompte salon is your girl – check out her work on Instagram here) and was not disappointed. Only time will tell, but maybe blondes do have more fun…

More posts on my hair coloring experience and maintenance tips to come. Oh, and how fun is this dress by Faithfull the Brand? Lately I’ve been drawn more and more to the color RED. This dress has a deep V in the front and open back that is spicy enough for any date night/party but still conservative enough so you don’t feel TOO scandalous.

Thanks for coming by, hope you made yourself at home ; ) talk to you all soon!

xx, Amy

dress: faithfull the brand | shoes: topshop (similar)

photos: lauren miller

By Amy Zhang August 5, 2016 in Beauty 12 Comments

Is Laser Hair Removal Worth It?

It’s officially August, and I realized last week that I haven’t worn pants in what feels like FOREVER. Obviously, summer means bare legs and bare legs mean… hair removal. I touched upon laser hair removal briefly in a previous post, but wanted to do a deeper dive on the topic.

I’ve been getting laser hair removal treatments for over a year and wanted to share my experience. I remember having SO many questions before my first session and being slightly nervous. The process has been surprisingly easy and pain-free, and the results have been completely worth it!

Note – I am not an esthetician or an expert on laser hair removal. I am only speaking from my own experience.

Laser hair removal: Is it worth it?

First things first – what is laser hair removal and how does it work?

Laser hair removal is a hair removal process in which a powerful laser is used to destroy hair at the root in order to permanently “kill” and remove the hair. Essentially, the laser targets your hair follicle and zaps it to make sure the hair does not grow back.

Can anyone get laser hair removal?

Long story short, yes. You can do it on any part of the body where there is hair, although I would recommend avoiding your face. Apparently laser hair removal works best on dark hair (the laser is attracted to the pigment in your hair) against lighter skin (so the laser can differentiate between the hair and skin). HOWEVER, apparently there are special lasers that can better target blonde hair or darker skin, so make sure you do your research in advance!

How do I prepare for my first session?

Shave (yes, SHAVE) the night before – this was hard for me as I was a waxing devotee before laser, but the laser needs to have a hair follicle to zap!

No plucking or waxing the hair.

Avoid tanning in the sun or in a tanning bed (gross) two weeks before hand.

Also inform your esthetician of any medication you are on, as that might impact your skin’s sensitivity to the laser.

Does it hurt?

Not terribly, but it does sting a little. The most common comparison I heard was that it feels like a rubber band snapping against your skin. It was a liiiiittttle more painful than that for me, but if you’re used to waxing it isn’t that much different. If you’re really worried about pain, popping an Advil half an hour before usually does the trick.

How often do you have to go?

It’s recommended that you go every 4-6 weeks in order to target every hair until the hair thins out completely (hairs tend to grow back in cycles). I went every month for half a year until the hair in the areas I was zapping was essentially gone. As someone who used to go in for regular waxing sessions or shave, I can say that laser hair removal is SO much faster. I’m in and out in 15 minutes, and only have to go in 3-4 times a year now for touch ups.

How long do the results last?

I was actually shocked when I learned laser hair removal isn’t permanent. Yes, your hair will grow back eventually. More in some areas than others. As I mentioned, I still go in a couple times a year for maintenance. On the whole, it lasts much, much longer than any other hair removal method (for me). I started laser hair removal over a year ago and for me it has been absolutely worth it!!

Is it expensive?

As if being a girl wasn’t already expensive enough – laser hair removal can get pricey depending on where you go! I was lucky to find a great deal on session packages in LA – I would definitely recommend checking out deal sites for packages (just make sure the place you choose has good reviews), otherwise sometimes you can find seasonal deals or sales by calling your local medical spa.

So there you have it – not such a scary experience after all! When it comes to beauty, I’m probably one of the laziest people ever. Saying buh-bye to my razor was the best, and it’s been even better during summer months when you’re most likely wearing a skirt or shorts 24/7.

If you have anyyyy questions at all, let me know in the comments below! Have you tried laser hair removal? If so, how were your results? Hopefully all good! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang August 2, 2016 in Lifestyle, Style, Wellness 25 Comments

Self-Improvement

Self-Improvement Challenge

Although I originally started The Luxi Look as a style blog, I knew it could evolve over time. I’ve always wanted to incorporate aspects of wellness along with style and outfits. I like writing posts on topics such as motivation, positivity, and productivity. Not because I’m an expert in these fields or perfect in these areas. But because I think wanting to become a better person is one of the best qualities to have.

Last week, I woke up one morning and began my usual routine of checking my emails and scrolling through my phone. I came across an email from Noah Kagan that immediately caught my eye with the subject line – “How I stopped whining.”

I first came across Noah’s blog, OkDork a couple years ago. And was blown away by his posts on marketing, blogging, building an online brand, and more. I’ve gotten a lot out of his emails – he hits topics such as productivity, organization, and self-improvement. Mixed in with some funny anecdotes and life recommendations.

To sum up the email:

Noah realized he was on a major complain train and decided to challenge himself to go an entire day without complaining. This email then sparked a conversation between me and my boyfriend that led us to agree we also wanted to work on improving this particular bad habit.

So, we challenged each other to go a week without complaining to start.

In fact, we decided we want to do a month (or more) of our self-improvement challenge.

The goal is to give up one bad habit for a week. We’re starting with complaining – NO complaining for a week. Instead of complaining about the traffic or weather or whatever is bothering us, we are going to try and brush it off and focus on something more positive.

On that note, I’m lucky to be with someone that not only supports me in everything I do but isn’t afraid to call out my flaws and encourage me to be a better person. It also helps that he happens to work in the self-improvement space and lives and breathes what he teaches. Stay tuned this month for lots of fun posts (fashion, lifestyle, wellness, and more!) to come.

xx, Amy

matching set: luna b | shoes: similar | sunnies: karen walker

photos: tavio valencia