The Luxi Look | LA based fashion and lifestyle blog

By Amy Zhang February 26, 2017 in Lifestyle, Recipes, Wellness 21 Comments

My Go-To Vegan Post Workout Smoothie

Blueberry Almond Butter Vegan Post Workout Smoothie by The Luxi Look

Lately, I’ve gotten into the habit of grabbing a vegan post workout smoothie after a good workout session. Once I realized how easy they are to make at home, I started whipping up different variations in my kitchen that I can’t wait to share with you guys! There really are so many benefits to eating within an hour of working out and making sure to consume a good balance of protein and carbs.

Why it’s important to eat after a workout

+ Your body needs to replenish the glycogen, electrolytes, and fluids that were depleted in your body after a tough workout.

+ Consuming protein within an hour of working out helps repair and build muscle. (See those guys drinking protein shakes at the gym?)

Why I love drinking vegan post workout smoothie:

+ I like to use vegan protein powder because I’m a little lactose intolerant. And whey protein powder, which is derived from milk, can be hard for my stomach to digest. I’m not vegan, but if you are, know that this variation is safe for you to consume and filled with protein!

+ I love smoothies because they’re so fast to whip up and easy, not to mention if you’re really pressed for time you can make smoothie packs ahead of time by zip locking all of the ingredients for one smoothie into a bag in advance.

+ Smoothies are failproof to make. You can use as much or as little of whatever ingredient you have on hand and chances are it’ll taste good. I also prefer smoothies to juices because you keep the fiber from the pulp of whatever fruits and vegetables you blend. : )

So here’s my current favorite variation. I’ll add or subtract ingredients depending on my mood and what I have in the kitchen.

Blueberry Almond Butter Vegan Protein Smoothie Recipe (inspired by Earth Bar)

1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons raw almond butter
1 scoop vegan vanilla protein powder (I really like Vega)

Blend together, adding more milk or ice until you’ve achieved your desired consistency. For instance, I like mine to be a little thicker. Which is why I like using frozen fruit and adding more ice cubes.

** Extra add-ins if you’re feeling crazy – chia seeds, kale, spinach, greens powder, any superfood powder.

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang February 23, 2017 in Lifestyle, Wellness 32 Comments

Long Weekend Detox: What to Drink and The Ingredients You Should Look For

Weekend Detox - Wellness Drinks by The Luxi Look | Kombucha, Kreation Juices, Infused Water

Almost the weekend!! I’ll be taking this one easy… brunch, maybe a visit to a Korean Spa (dying for a body scrub!!), lots of reading, a weekend detox… what can I say, I’m a grandma : ). If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that I spent last weekend in Mexico City, consuming my fair share of really, really delicious food and too much mezcal to count. It was definitely “letting loose” relative to my typical day to day lifestyle, and while it was totally worth it, I always feel a little sluggish after an indulgent weekend. After a long weekend, I try to be a little more conscious of what I’m putting into my body and focus on eating whole, clean foods and drinking a ton of liquids. I don’t do juice cleanses or extreme detoxes, but I do try to pick out certain ingredients that have detoxifying benefits and help get your body back to normal. Here’s what goes into my mini weekend detox and how it helps you get out of your weekend slump.

Long Weekend Detox: What to Drink and The Ingredients You Should Look For

What I’m sipping on:

+ Kombucha – satisfies my craving for something fizzy, not to mention is so beneficial to your health. Kombucha helps with digestion, boosts your immunity, and is claimed to aid with energy and weight loss.

+ Fresh juices – even though the juicing craze has died down a bit, fresh juices are still a great way to drink more liquid and get more fruits and vegetables easily. Making your own fresh is the best, but it can be time consuming and messy – when I’m on the go, I love Kreation, Beverly Hills Juice, and Juice Served Here in LA.

+ Water – duh! If you’re struggling to get enough water, you absolutely need a water infuser in your life! This one has totally changed my life – it makes water taste SO much better. My favorite combination is cucumber, lemon, and mint, but you can use a variety of fresh fruits and herbs to flavor your water. Water is essential for a weekend detox.

Detoxifying ingredients to look for:

+ Tumeric – anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant, which boosts your immunity. If you haven’t tried a turmeric latte yet, you need to do so!

+ Activated charcoal – flushes toxins out of your system. I love charcoal lemonade, but if you can’t find it nearby you can also take activated charcoal pills. Just be sure to drink lots of water with it!

+ Ginger – also an immune system booster and helps with inflammation and may even help prevent cancer.

+ Lemon – warm water with lemon in the morning has been shown to improve digestion and detoxify the body. None of that master cleanse BS.

+ Cucumber – another hydrating superfood that is full of vitamins and antioxidants. Yum!

+ Apple Cider Vinegar – adding a little bit of ACV in your beverage may help with weight loss and digestion.

Happy detox-ing!

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang February 21, 2017 in Style 48 Comments

Why You Should Adopt a “Fake it Till You Make It” Attitude

Pros and Cons to "Fake it Till You Make It" | The Luxi Look in Minkpink Sweater, Forever 21 Skirt

We’ve all heard the phrase “fake it till you make it.” Truthfully, it always sounded like a bunch of BS. But when I started thinking about it and read more into it, I came to realize that it might actually be a key to success. Not buying it? Hear me out.

“Fake it till you make it” can be confused with lying, being manipulative, and overall being full of BS. On the one hand, it’s true that you don’t want to be someone you’re not, and you certainly don’t want to be deceitful. On the other hand, sometimes we all need a little boost of confidence that might come in the form of “faking it.”

It turns out that there is some research out there that backs up the psychology of the “fake it till you make it” mindset. Here are my thoughts:

Why you should “fake it till you make it”

You’ll believe in yourself and be more confident.

The way I see it, it’s all about conveying confidence. I wasn’t comfortable calling myself a blogger for a long time. In fact, there are some days when I still don’t feel like I’ve truly earned the title. I work a full-time job and don’t even dedicate the majority of my day to my blog, so it can be tough to identify myself as a blogger, just a part-time blogger. But then I realized that other people won’t take you seriously unless you do, and if you can’t even believe in yourself, you can’t expect anyone else to. After all, what we think, we become.

It can help in social situations.

Socially, it also helps to “fake it till you make it” – especially for us introverts!! As a blogger, it can be hard attending events alone when you don’t know anyone. Over the years, I’ve learned that it’s ok to “fake” being an extrovert in these situations. At work, it can help to fake “it” (confidence) when you’re in meetings or giving a presentation.

You’ll be taken more seriously.

Ever heard the phrase, “dress for the job you want, not the job you have”? There may actually be some truth to that saying. You shouldn’t completely change the way you dress, but it doesn’t hurt to look put together at work or when you’re meeting someone new for the first time. First impressions matter, and oftentimes they last, so why wouldn’t you want to put your best foot forward?

When you should NOT fake it

If you can’t ever be yourself.

If you’re constantly faking it, when are you presenting your true self to the world? Can you truly be honest with yourself?

If you can’t back it up.

As with all things in life, if you want to succeed, you have to be prepared. It doesn’t matter how much you “believe in yourself” or “fake it” – if you don’t do your homework and don’t have the skills to ultimately support your claims, it won’t do you any good.

At the end of the day, the goal is to become the person we are trying to be. There’s a great TED talk on this topic – specifically, the power of our body language in conveying our confidence. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy says: “Fake it till you become it. Do it enough until you actually become it and internalize.”

What are your thoughts on the fake it till you make it attitude?

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang February 20, 2017 in Lifestyle, Recipes 26 Comments

Le Bowl Recipe – One of My Favorite Dishes EVER

Let’s talk food. If you follow me on insta or snap, you probably already know that I LOVE to eat. Living in Los Angeles, there are so many options for food. Every type of cuisine at every price point imaginable. We really are so spoiled. With that being said, there are still a handful of spots that are my go-to’s and I eat at on a regular basis. The place I probably go to the most (aka an embarrassing amount) would be Zinqué,. I am OBSESSED with their “Le Bowl.”

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, girls brunch, date night – you name it, Zinqué is my spot. I love their outdoor patio, wine list – perfect at the end of a long week at work – and their fries. YUM. If we’re friends, chances are I’ve dragged you to Zinqué. If not, let’s go soon.

The thing is – I order the same exact thing every time.

“Le Bowl.”

Sounds fancy, but the “Le Bowl” is really so simple. Brown rice, avocado, tomatoes, arugula, a little cheese, sriracha mayo, and your choice of protein (I usually get chicken or ahi tuna). So. Damn. Good.

I can’t go there every day and I really need to resist the temptation to go overboard by ordering a glass of wine, those damn fries, and dessert (the flourless chocolate cake is to die for) so I make my own at home when the mood strikes. This has become a weekly occurrence in my apartment.

It’s super easy to make and the perfect lunch or dinner if you’re looking to whip something up quick that’s still delicious and good for you.

Here’s what you’ll need – feel free to adjust the recipe accordingly to your taste. Add more of ingredients you love, remove the ones you don’t.

Le Bowl (serves 1)

1/2 cup brown rice
4 oz shredded chicken
(I bake chicken breasts, shred up a rotisserie chicken, or use “Just Chicken” from Trader Joe’s – no weird ingredients)
1/2 avocado, cubed
1/2 tomato, cubed
(If you have time, marinate in red wine vinegar for a day. Makes the tomatoes super plump and juicy)
Handful arugula
Shaved Parmesan cheese
Comte cheese (Trader Joe’s has this, otherwise feel free to sub Emmentaler or Gruyere)
Salt and pepper
Sriracha
Mayo

Mix brown rice, chicken, avocado, tomato, and arugula in a bowl. Add cheese to taste. Season with salt and pepper, and dress with sriracha and mayo.

** Healthy substitutions: swap the mayo for greek yogurt and replace the rice with cauliflower rice if you’re trying to go low-carb. You won’t miss them. Vegan? Remove the cheese, chicken, and mayo. Vegetarian? Sub roasted vegetables or egg whites in place of the chicken.

Voila! Tasty, easy, healthy meal. And it goes perfectly with a glass of rosé ; ).

Bon appétit!

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang February 17, 2017 in Style 65 Comments

Blogger Tips: 5 Ways to Get Noticed by Brands

One of the questions I get asked a lot is how to work with brands. Blogger tips on this topic can be hard to find, but they’re seriously important. Getting noticed by brands and building a working relationship with them takes a lot of time and energy. While there’s no right or wrong approach and I’m by no means an expert (I’m still learning about blogging + life every single day!), I wanted to share some “blogger tips” I’ve learned along the way, beginning with how to get noticed by brands.

What are collaborations?

Let’s start with the basics. Bloggers are constantly talking about collaborations or special projects they’re working on. Before I started blogging, I never knew exactly what that meant, but it’s really just a somewhat cryptic way of describing a partnership between two parties. The brand may offer the blogger free product or even payment, in exchange the blogger may promote or feature the product/brand.

Collaborations are really the bread and butter of many bloggers/social influencers, especially those that work on a full time basis. Securing consistent collaborations is key to their success and while sometimes a brand may reach out to you directly, often times you may need to do a little leg work in advance to get noticed by them.

Blogger Tips: 5 Ways to Get Noticed by Brands

Content is king.

Always. At the end of the day, your images and quality of work have to speak for you. While your media kit may be more of your resume, your social channels highlight your portfolio. If you’re mostly active on Instagram, it’s important to make sure your photos are of high quality, in line with a brand’s aesthetic (and yours!), and tells a cohesive story using your voice in the copy.

Be proactive.

Instead of waiting to get noticed, take the initiative and reach out to them! Think about your own inbox and the amount of emails you get a day – it can be SO overwhelming. Bigger brands especially receive countless messages a day and have people lining up to work with them. If you don’t reach out to them, they may never even realize you exist! Besides, who doesn’t love a self starter?! You might be scared to reach out – I know I was and that held me back – but once you do, what’s the worst thing that could happen? Maybe they say no, or they’ll more likely just ignore your message (again: overwhelmed in the digital age!). There’s nothing to lose in reaching out to a brand you love directly.

Do your homework.

When you do reach out to a brand, do your homework. You wouldn’t go into a job interview without knowing anything about the company you’re interviewing for, would you? Same thing with brands. A little knowledge goes a long way. You also want to target brands that you already love, or are a good fit for your audience and aesthetic. You never want to work with a brand that doesn’t fit your image – there’s no faster way to lose your credibility and the trust of your followers.

Be willing to do favors.

I’m a huge believer in giving more than you receive. It may be a the taboo thing to say, but I think you should be okay with doing things for free – especially for brands you really love and want to work with – because you never know what that might lead to. I totally get it – a girl’s gotta eat, and free shoes and clothes don’t pay rent. We’ll talk about payment in another post, but I really, really believe that sometimes you have to be okay with doing things for free. Of course, there’s always the chance that a brand will take advantage of you, but you live and you learn, and you move on. I’m not saying you should do everything for free – it’s up to your judgment when to do so.

Be persistent.

Okay, so maybe don’t send them an email every single day. You know that annoying guy that won’t stop texting you? Don’t be that! Unless it works for you? In all seriousness, when it comes to qualities I admire, a little persistence isn’t such a bad thing. If you want to get noticed by a brand, it might take more than 1, 2, or even 10 tries. If you’re absolutely hellbent on collaborating with someone, it’ll be worth the wait. Be patient and be persistent. I featured one brand on my Instagram consistently for over a year before they reached out. They were so appreciative and grateful for my continued support and loyalty, and now we have a working relationship!

Show brands that you know and love them. Follow and engage with their social media accounts. Give them a tag or a shout out in your social feeds – if they like what they see, they may even reach out! As with any relationship, good ones take time and hard work. Be patient and let them grow organically.

By the way – how cute is this dress from Tularosa?!

I’m jumping the gun a bit, but I can’t help it – the arrival of spring and summer collections makes me so excited for warmer weather! I pretty much want everything from Tularosa right now!! I always like to keep a light layer with me to throw on when the temperatures dip at night, so this suede moto is a perfect lightweight option to keep on you when you’re on the go. It’s also on sale : ).

I hope this was helpful! I know when I started blogging, I struggled to find good blogger tips or resources to show me the way. With that said, I would LOVE to hear how you secured your first brand collaborations, and if you have any other blogger tips or advice for getting noticed by brands.

xx, Amy

dress: tularosa | jacket: lovers + friends