The Luxi Look | LA based fashion and lifestyle blog

By Amy Zhang November 21, 2019 in Lifestyle 2 Comments

Holiday Season Wellness with OLLY

This post was made in partnership with OLLY Nutrition.

Wellness With OLLY

With fall in full swing and the holidays rapidly approaching, today’s post is both timely and relevant. I’m excited to be partnering with OLLY again to share some of my go-to wellness tips to stay healthy and grounded over the holidays. It feels like once October hits, it’s full-on madness and a sprint to the end of the year.

The other day I had someone remind me we have only a little over two months left of this decade and my brain went into full-on panic mode. I feel like it was 1999 just a few days ago? Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is it’s totally normal to feel frazzled and all over the place, but that doesn’t mean at the expense of your mental or physical health. Being sick, burned out, tired, stressed – none of these are appealing during what should be the most exciting time of the year!

During the holiday season, I like to ramp up my wellness routine to make sure I’m taking all of the possible steps I can to stay healthy and stress-free.

Tips for Staying Healthy During the Holidays

+ Catch more zzz’s

One of the biggest culprits of health problems is lack of sleep. I’m currently reading Why We Sleep and it’s really opened my eyes to how important sleep is. Almost everyone needs at least 7 hours of sleep, and it’s absolutely critical for mental and physical health. Not getting enough sleep is one of the surest ways to lower your immune system. So while you’re traveling and attending events, be sure to prioritize sleep!

+ Drink up

Water, that is. Load up on water, at least 1L a day. This will improve digestion and flush out toxins (hello, booze!) from your body while keeping your sky hydrated and glowing from within.

+ Stay moving

It’s easy to let your fitness routine fall to the wayside during the holiday season. But I always make a point to stick to my usual workout routine as much as I can. Not only does it keep my mind clear, I don’t feel as guilty indulging over the holidays.

+ Find balance

Of course, sometimes you gotta live! Don’t feel guilty for having a little too much champagne or indulging in holiday treats. As long as you balance it out (salad and green juice during the day, an extra-hot yoga class once a week), it’ll all even itself out. I’m all about the 80/20 rule.

+ Boost your routine with vitamins!

I’ve been taking OLLY gummies for the past year and not only love the taste, but I also love how easy they are to take. I like that I can do something good for my body that is easy to do even when I am always on the go. Their Active Immunity vitamins are tasty little gummies packed with elderberry, echinacea, vitamin C, and zinc. All known immunity-boosting supplements! I used to take all of these supplements separately (yep, I looked like I was taking 10 different medications a day) and couldn’t keep up with my vitamin routine. BUT, now that I can get my entire immunity boost in 3 gummies a day, it’s been so much easier to keep my immune system strong and wellness with OLLY.

How do you stay healthy and stress-free during the holidays? xx

By Amy Zhang November 3, 2019 in Style 2 Comments

Must Have Neon Piece for Fall

In case you haven’t noticed, neon is having a moment. Still. It’s been around for several seasons now, and is still going strong into fall and winter. Who said cold weather style had to be all black or neutrals? A neon sweater is the perfect addition to your fall wardrobe. It adds an unexpected pop of color and brightness to any outfit. I love wearing mine with {faux} leather pants or a leather mini skirt (+ tights if you live in a colder climate) for a relaxed yet stylish office look.

Right now I like neon green and neon pink the most – I have my eye on this sweater for my next purchase. I recommend shopping around a bit to find the right piece for your closet. Sweaters can be tricky because quality is oh so important. At the same time, I’m probably not the first person to admit neon is a trend and you might not wanting to be rocking a neon green turtleneck next winter. How much you want to spend on a sweater is really up to you – I’ve seen more affordable high street versions at H&M and Zara, all the way to high end designer versions for $300. You’re probably best finding something in the middle that is good enough quality (you’ll know when you feel the fabric). Linking some of my favorite neon sweaters under $100 below.

Must-Have Neon Piece for Fall

sweater: lulus | pants: j.o.a. | boots: similar | bag: givenchy

By Amy Zhang October 22, 2019 in Beauty 4 Comments

Joanna Vargas Triple Crown Facial Review

The concept of a “skin gym” had never crossed my mind until I visited Joanna Vargas recently for one of her signature treatments, the Triple Crown Facial. You might have heard of Joanna Vargas before. She’s an esthetician known for her celebrity roster (hello Julianne Moore, Naomi Watts, and Rachel Weisz!) and holistic approach to skincare. That’s right, she’s responsible for some of Hollywood’s most glowing complexions. AND, she believes in a more natural, non-invasive approach to skincare. Her signature Triple Crown facial is known to contour, lift, and sculpt your face – aka, a gym session for your face. When I was invited to try out the Triple Crown Facial, you bet I booked my appointment immediately!

Triple Crown Facial Review

With home bases in New York and Los Angeles, Joanna’s LA salon is located inside the oh so chic Sunset Tower hotel in West Hollywood. If you haven’t been here for dinner, drinks, or a day by the pool, it’s a must-do in the area! Known for celebrity sightings, the hotel is very private and discreet – perfect for a date or catch up session with girlfriends.

The space was clean, minimalist, and relaxing.

I’ve been using Joanna Vargas’s Super Nova Serum (which I’ve raved about before) for almost a year, so I knew her products were natural and of the highest quality. The spa experience also did not disappointment. Before my facial treatment, I first spent 20 minutes in the LED light bed. It looks like a tanning bed, but doesn’t have any of the harmless UV lights a tanning bed does. Joanna swears by LED light therapy. Some of the purported benefits include lowering your blood pressure, improving burns and acne, and minimizing fine lines. The technology is still new and treatments are expensive, but the sessions have already built a cult following.

Next, we moved to the facial treatment itself.

The treated started with microdermabrasion – a painless process of gently exfoliating your skin with a wand that reduces the appearance of fine lines, sun damage, and light acne scars. Essentially it is next level exfoliating that leaves your skin feeling incredible. It’ll feel noticeably smoother which results in better absorption of your skincare products. What’s the point in buying expensive products if they just sit on the top of your skin? After, they cleansed with Joanna Vargas’s Vitamin C Face Wash, which is now at the top of my to buy list. My esthetician Laura (highly recommend!) then used a series of mask – I loved that they used organic Eminence products in addition to Joanna Vargas products – and then began the microcurrent component of the treatment.

I was a little worried about the term microcurrent facial and wasn’t sure if I would be able to feel electricity pulsing through my face. For the most part, I didn’t feel anything more than light buzzing as Laura sculpted areas of my face with her wand. We finished with an oxygen blast and then I was out the door! The entire facial took a little under an hour.

Afterwards, my skin was so unbelievably glowy and soft, and I could have sworn my cheekbones were more pronounced. I wouldn’t say the results were similar to more invasive treatments. If you are looking for a natural boost before an event or a treatment to incorporate into your skin routine, this would be the facial I recommend. I didn’t have to wear any makeup and my skin just glowed. The results lasted over a week, and I’m already planning my next treatment before an event.

I also went home with several of Joanna’s best products.

My favorite Super Nova Serum, the Glow to Go Mask Set, and the Bright Eye Hydration Mask.

Joanna Vargas is known for her masks and known for traveling with them everywhere. Next on my list to buy are her Vitamin C face wash and her Rescue Face Serum. I love Vitamin C in my skincare products. It’s an active ingredient that will actually make a difference on your skin.

The treatments at Joanna Vargas are expensive, but they do offer discounts if you buy them in packages (think of buying packages of gym sessions as opposed to individual sessions – you’re incentivized to come regularly and consistently to see the best results!). As someone who is super results-oriented, I would rather pay more for a facial that gives me results I can’t get at home. As opposed to paying to have someone wash and moisturize my face. If I’m planning on splurging on a facial, it will definitely be on the Triple Crown Facial. I’m looking forward to incorporating it more regularly into my beauty regimen before the wedding.

By Amy Zhang October 11, 2019 in Beauty 4 Comments

New Beauty Products I Love

It’s been a while since I did a beauty roundup! I am constantly testing new products and lines (sometimes my skin loves this, other times it freaks out – all for the sake of research, am I right?) and have to filter out a lot of mediocre or downright bad products to get to the good stuff. Authenticity and transparency are key when you’re giving product recommendations, and I take this very seriously!

With that said, I totally understand skincare is such a personal thing and varies from person to person. But every now and then you come across products that really do work and are worth the price. So today, I wanted to share the ones that are new to me that I absolutely LOVE. See my favorite new beauty products from the past few months below. If you’ve come across anything lately that has been a game-changer, please share! I’m all about helping each other out here.

New Beauty Products I Love

Cle Cosmetics CCC Cream

Although I generally avoid wearing too much makeup during the week (my skin behaves much more when it’s clean), I have found myself reaching for this CCC cream more often lately when I want to even out my skin tone or give the appearance of a slightly more natural glow. I wear the shade “warm medium” and find this formula to be smoothing and hydrating, while providing medium coverage. It also has added SPF, which is a must for me. I think the finish is very natural, but you can definitely layer on if you want more coverage.

Eve Lom Radiance Antioxidant Eye Cream

My love for eye cream is a recent development (thank you, late 20s). I never understood the purpose of eye cream until I met this one by Eve Lom (which is probably my favorite new skin care brand of the year!!). It’s so luxurious and thick, a little really does go a long way. My fine lines and puffiness are dramatically reduced after I use this. This will definitely be a repeat purchase for me.

Innis Free Orchid Youth-Enriched Cream

I love how lightweight yet moisturizing this cream is. It has almost a jelly like consistency that makes it feel incredibly light and fluffy, but doesn’t just sit on top of your skin. I learned that Innis Free is the top selling skincare brand in South Korea (part of the AmorePacific family) and I can see why – their products are geared towards younger women who may not be able to afford a high end 10 step skincare routine, but still want quality products they can use daily to maintain their skin.

Drunk Elephant C-Firma Vitamin C Serum

If you aren’t using a vitamin C serum yet you really need to be. Vitamin C is an active ingredient (meaning it will actually do something to your skin) that hydrates and brightens the skin. This particular product is fairly concentrated and does oxidize after 6 months or so. I don’t usually use up full size products this quickly so a small tip: I actually buy the smaller travel size to ensure I use up all of the product before it oxidizes.

Eve Lom Cleansing Oil Capsules

A lot of people have issues with cleansing oil. I traditionally have in the past despite having the driest, most dehydrated skin ever. However, this Eve Lom cleansing oil is gold (consistently shows up in “Best of Beauty” lists) and the capsules are perfect for traveling or if you don’t know how much to use.

Joanna Vargas Supernova Serum

Yes, this is pricey, but if you’re looking for a quality retinol product, I really can’t recommend it enough. The nice thing about high-end serums is they actually last forever. If you’re going to spend on one thing, I would start with your face. If you’re new to retinol, you won’t even need to use it every night, which will further help extend its shelf life. Start with once a week and work your way up to every other night if you aren’t sure how your skin will react to retinol. I see a noticeable difference in my skin when I use this consistently.

Hum Nutrition Red Carpet Supplement

Not a skincare product per se, but vitamins are technically part of a beauty regimen! I am really terrible at taking vitamins but have noticed a difference in my hair and nails when I actively take these. Being a very results driven person, that is enough motivation to keep going!

By Amy Zhang October 8, 2019 in Style 4 Comments

Fall Essential: Combat Boots

If you’re looking to add only one pair of shoes this year, I suggest looking into a pair of combat boots. Before you say anything, hear me out. Combat boots are surprisingly versatile and the right pair can actually look sleek and elevate any outfit. Depending on your lifestyle and work environment, they can work for almost any situation – even the office. There are so many different pairs available now at every price point, the key is finding the one that is right for you.

I wouldn’t say you need to go overboard and buy every pair you find, for most people one pair is more than enough. I bought mine last year and have been surprised by how many times I’ve reached for them when getting dressed. Even if you don’t think you can rock a combat boot, chances are you can! I’ve rounded up some of my favorite combat boots and the easiest ways to style them below.

The Best Combat Boots for Every Budget

Save:

Steve Madden – for on trend shoes on a budget, my go to is DSW. I love this pair from Steve Madden – you get the look for under $100 and the quality will last at least a few seasons. I have a pair from last year from DSW and they’ve held up well.

Spend:

Dr. Martens – this platform version is a twist on the classic version. Love or hate them, Dr. Martens have come in and out of style over the years – proving their longevity. I’ve seen high schoolers and adults alike rock them, it’s all about how you style them. Keep in mind they do take a while to break in and are very comfortable – but once you do so (wear extra thick socks!) they will make any outfit edgier.

Frye – if you’re not convinced on Dr. Martens, I love this sleeker look from Frye that is (in my opinion) much more classic and timeless. Frye boots also only get better with age, so don’t be afraid to wear them in and get them dirty.

Splurge:

Stuart Weitzman – if you are looking for a high quality boot that lasts, look no further than Stuart Weitzman. As far as widely popular luxury boots go, Stuart Weitzman shoes are made to last and more important are actually comfortable. I’ve had some of my boots for almost a decade and still wear them regularly. If you are looking to invest in a higher quality pair of combat boots, I like this pair from Stuart Weitzman.

Prada – in a similar vein, if you want high quality leather combat boots that you plan on wearing forever, this pair is will last forever and always look incredible.

How to Wear Combat Boots

+ With a dress – at the risk of sounding too obvious, pairing edgy combat boots with a feminine dress or mini skirt adds balance to your look. If your closet is usually more feminine or romantic, try wearing these boots with a ruffled or floral dress.

+ With leggings – I love how sleek combat boots look when leggings are tucked in. Now that it’s fall, I highly recommend topping with a long black coat or slim sweater.

+ With leather – pair with a leather jacket or leggings if all black is your look, as long as you mix in other details and textures it won’t be leather overload. Here I wore mine with leather shorts and a graphic tee.

+ With denim – I love how combat boots look when paired with cropped or slightly wider leg denim. Super casual and easy for the weekend.

What are your thoughts on combat boots?