What Music am I Listening to?

Hello, friends! Here is yet another installment of "What Music am I Listening to Now?", one of my favorite posts to write. 

The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Weber: What can I say? I musicals, and I have recently fallen in love with Phantom. This song is totally dark and scary, but it's got a really cool beat. Not to mention the electric guitar incorporation! 

Skinny Love by Birdy: Recently, I've been obsessed with this song. It's so pretty and very soothing, especially when sung by Birdy.

Lift Your Spirit by Aloe Blacc: This is a great song to listen to in the morning. It has a really fun, uplifting beat. I find myself singing this all the time throughout the day.

Let it Go by Lexi Walker: You guys know about my obsession with "Let it Go". It's seriously the most gorgeous song. My favorite version of the song is the African tribal version on YouTube. I have a blog post about it from an couple days ago. Seriously, go watch it! You will be amazed!

Alrighty guys, that is my blog post for today. Expect to see a lot more posts coming, I know I've been slacking a little bit! Let me know what some of your favorite songs are so we can chat and share music!

-Love Ling

My Day

Hello, friends! Here's another installment of what my day was like:

I first got up, went through my morning routine and went to my daily place of work. On the way there, I may or may not have fallen asleep. I wasn't driving, don't worry. My day was pretty average. Lots of work, brain power, and brain frying. Let's get on to the fun stuff!
  Afterwards, I went to a local nursing home to do some volunteer work. I love going to the nursing home and just hanging out with the people there. They're so inspiring and fun! Today, I got to play Dominoes with a Jamaican man named Mr. Bennet. He's the sweetest man. I was really happy, because he told me that he remembered me from the last time I came! Honestly, volunteering is the most rewarding experience. I always walk out of that nursing home with a smile on my face, as I did today.
  After volunteer work, I dropped my sister off at karate and got coffee at a local coffee house. I switched it up a little today and got a Mocha Frap instead of a Caramel Frap. I was surprised at how much I liked the mocha, but I will always be a caramel girl. I just love coffee, don't you?
  By the request of my dad, me and my sister were commissioned to get him some fried chicken. I picked my sister up from karate and we drove out to the nearest grocery store to find some. No luck. We then drove another 10 miles down the road to another grocery store where we did get him some! Success! Tell me, do you like fried chicken? What's your favorite place to get it at? Leave your answer in the comments below. 
  After our fried chicken adventure, my sister and I came home, had a bit of dinner, and hung out for the rest of the night. I'm trying to work on my opera singing, so I was belting "Phantom of the Opera" for the whole house to hear. I just saw that movie this week. It's so good and the music is absolutely amazing! My only problem is that I have mixed feelings about the phantom. On one hand, I love him to death and sympathize with him. On the other, I'm a little scared of him. I am, however, a wimp. Other people may not be afraid to watch some parts of the movie. If you haven't seen it, I definitely recommend it! It's so much better than "Twilight"!
  I hope you enjoyed this ramble on the aspects of my day. Let me know if you like these "My Day" posts. I just rant on and on, basically. Anyways! I hope you had a good day!

-Love Ling

Healthy Banana Icecream!

Hello, friends! Who loves ice-cream? I know I sure do! A whole lot! Like, a lot. Unfortunately, we all know that this frozen treat isn't at the top of the healthy list. If only there were a way to have healthy ice-cream...oh wait! There is! This blog post is inspired by health blogger, Blogilates. Here's the recipe for healthy ice-cream:

Ingredients

• One frozen banana
• 1 TB of peanut butter
• 1 TB almond milk/dairy milk/soy milk

Directions

1. First, you'll want to go ahead and freeze your banana. I like to put one in a sandwich bag, cut it into slices, then place it in the freezer. That way, it's a lot less messy and is easier over all. 
2. After your banana is sufficiently frozen, get out a blender or food processor and pour your banana chunks into it.
3. Add 1 TB of peanut butter for that extra kick. If you're allergic to it or just don't like it, this can be left out. 
4. Turn on your blending device and blend until the banana chunks are smooth and ice-cream like. If you have trouble getting them to blend, add that tablespoon of milk and blend some more. 
5. Pour your ice-cream into a bowl and enjoy!

This dessert is roughly 100 calories and tastes amazing. I hope you enjoyed it! Add extra fruit or toppings for more pizazz!

-Love Ling

Let it Go- African Version

  Hello, friends! I'm not sure if y'all know this, but I am a huge fan of Disney's new animated movie, "Frozen". This is an absolutely spectacular movie that I think anyone will enjoy. The star song of the whole movie is a powerhouse called "Let it Go", sung by the extraordinary Idina Menzel. If you haven't heard her version of this song, GO LISTEN TO IT. It's amazing. Better, yet! Watch the video for it, then buy the movie, then watch it a thousand times. It's great. 
  My voice teacher actually showed me the video above which is the African Version of "Let it Go". I love it! It's so different from what I'm used to hearing, and it's absolutely gorgeous. I literally want to cry every time I watch it. Every time. Do you want to know a secret? The girl singing is named Lexi Walker, and she's eleven. Eleven! She's incredible, as is Alex Boyé, the African man singing with her. I just wanted to share this video with you if you haven't already seen it. Let me know what you think! 

-Love Ling

March Non-Beauty Favorites

Hello, friends! Another month is about to pass us by. I hope you have enjoyed March as much as I have. I just have to say that it was a pretty solid month for me. I was crazy busy with the musical and all the other stuff going on, but I'm glad that I had a busy month. They're so much fun! Let's get into the non-beauty favorites.

1. Caramel Frappucino: At least once a week, I have taken the liberty of driving my sister to karate. Lucky for me, there's a lovely coffee shop by her dojo that makes the best caramel fraps ever. I love them! I feel like a cool cat sitting in the coffee shop, sipping my coffee, and doing homework.
2. The Carrie Diaries: I just love this show so much! I don't actually have a ton of time to watch TV, but when I do, I love watching this show to put me in a better mood.
3. Burning Bridges by One Republic: Throughout the month of March, I have been obsessed with One Republic. My best friend and I were planning to go see them in concert, but alas, our dreams got cancelled. That didn't stop me from listening to their music. I've been especially obsessed with the song, "Burning Bridges".
4. Slushies: One of my favorite things to do is to go to the local gas station/slushie place with my friends. I love getting the giant, ninety-nine cent orange cream slushies. They're perfect for spring!
5. Anything Goes: I have been crazy busy this month with the musical and I have enjoyed every second of it. Now that it's over, I have to say that the rehearsals leading up to the show were my favorite thing.
6. "Blow, Gabriel, Blow": This is one of my favorite songs from the show. It's lively upbeat, and a fantastic dance number.
7. Buzzfeed: My favorite app this month has been "Buzzfeed". I love reading the articles and finding out quirky information on random things. My favorite feature of the app is the "quiz" section where I can take personality quizzes and discover more about myself. Apparently, if I were in a "Divergent" faction, I would be Abnegation. Hmmm...

Alright guys! Those are my March non beauty favorites! I hope you enjoyed and have a great April!

-Love Ling

Confidence

  

Hello, friends! One of my favorite songs from the Sound of Music is called "Confidence". "I have confidence in sunshine, I have confidence in rain, I have confidence that spring will come again, and I'll make them see I have confidence in me" are the words sung by The Julie Andrews. I love that song. As you guys know, I am currently in a production called "Anything Goes". In this play, I am playing Purity, one of Reno Sweeney's Angels. I'm basically a promiscuous singer/dancer/actor. Since tonight is show night, I was inspired to create a post all about confidence, because that is something that you need onstage as well as in life. 
  I find that in today's society, people are more insecure than ever. I know people that are constantly worrying about what they look like, if their hair is straight enough, or if they're surrounded by enough people to look interesting.No fun! What they need is confidence. Confidence is something that is hard to gain or accept, because people are constantly telling you that you shouldn't be aware of your greatness. It's owning who you are, what you do, and how you do it with no apologies. You have to be brave and have faith in yourself. When I am performing in the musical, yes I get pre-show jitters, but in the theatre, you can't afford to be nervous. You just have to drag your sorry butt onto that stage and pretend like nothing is wrong, because in a play, you are not yourself. Now this leap of faith that you will succeed doesn't come from other people, it comes from confidence. I have to trust that I am going to be great, put all the energy I have into making this show spectacular, and forget about any troubling things.
  Friends, what I am trying to tell you is that confidence is essential to live a fulfilling, happy life. Don't let fear, other people, or your own doubts stop you from doing something amazing. Be amazing. Don't be ordinary. Own up to you abilities. Now, go out and take on today with a smile on your face, love in your heart, and exuding an air of confidence.

-Love Ling

A Few Beauty Tricks

Hello, friends! I've had an interest in all things beauty and makeup for quite some time now, and I've learned a lot over the years. Here are some beauty tricks I've learned that might make a difference in your beauty routine.

1. Shave with conditioner: I find that I get a really smooth, long lasting shave when I use conditioner rather than shaving cream. Shaving with conditioner works best for me, and it also is more cost effective. Have you ever noticed that when you buy a shampoo and conditioner from the same line that you run out of shampoo first, leaving you with hair care awkwardness? If you use conditioner for hair and shaving, then you'll have a higher chance of finishing both products at the same time.
2. Rinse your hair with cold water: I love hot showers, but the hot water isn't always good for your hair. I'm not saying you should take cold showers (Hades), but rinsing your hair with cold water after showering makes it shinier and locks in the nutrients.
3. Use baby wipes: I have been using baby wipes to remove face makeup for years. Not once have they broken me out, and they do the same job as normal makeup wipes. Also, you get about 64 in a pack for $2, whereas normal makeup wipes come with 30 and cost $4. You can do the math. Choose the cheaper alternative.
4. Eye makeup remover, then baby wipes: In conjunction with my last tip, remove your eye makeup before taking off your face makeup. When you use eye makeup remover, traces of residue can be left around your eye area. If you use that first then follow up with wipes, you can take off foundation/powder/concealer and the residue.
5. Use cheap clear coat: Essentially, all clear coats do the same thing. They're a base and top coat. Your nail polish is going to chip no matter what. Why does it matter if you have an expensive clear coat? I just buy the 99 cent one from Wet n Wild and it does the job fine.
6. Heat your eyelash curler: If you want full, curled lashes then I suggest heating up your eyelash curler with a blowdryer before curling your lashes. Only hold the dryer on the tool for about 10 seconds and then curl.
7. Lipstick as blush: In a pinch? Apply your lipstick on the apples of your cheeks and blend for quick color when you're on the go. If you have a little extra time, set it with powder.
8. Starbucks napkins: The next time you're at Starbucks, trap a handful of napkins. It doesn't have to be at Starbucks, even. Those cheap, brown napkins are amazing oil blotting sheets.
9. Moisturize and wait: Your foundation or any face product will stay longer on a dry, hydrated face. After applying your moisturizer in the morning, wait about 5-10 minutes for the product to dry before applying foundation.
10. Clean face makeup brushes at least once a week: If you find yourself breaking out often, try cleaning your makeup brushes, especially sponges. They are breeding grounds for bacteria and using them everyday is equivalent to applying dirt on your face. Ew. Clean them.

I hope you enjoyed these beauty tips and that you found them helpful! Let me know in the comments if you have any beauty questions that want to be answered. We'll have a Q&A sesh! You can also email me, my link is somewhere on my page. 

-Love Ling

Top 5 Reasons Why I Love Blogging

Hello, friends! I know we've only been friends for a month, but I have really gotten into this whole blogging obsession. It's a hobby that has become a part of me, and I really love doing it. I work really hard to give you guys new material to read and enjoy, and it really pays off for me when I see the views that I get. Some of my views are from other countries, which is totally crazy! If you actually take time to read my blog, thank you so much. I really appreciate it and love you for it. I think that y'all deserve the best and it's my goal to be a sparkle in your life.  Today, I'm going to share with you the top five reasons why I love giving you a little piece of me everyday.

1.  I feel like I'm making a difference: When I look at the views and the places where these views come from, I feel an overwhelming sensation of love. I love the idea that someone in the world has read my material and it has affected them in some way. I once got a comment on one of my posts that said my post made them really happy. I almost cried in joy! All I want is for my writing to influence someone's life in a positive way. Even if one post can bring a smile to someone's face, I'll be happy. 
2.  It's a creative outlet: Blogging allows me to be free in what I do and explore different aspects of myself through writing. I am able to try new things, be who I am, and share that with the world.
3.  Feedback: I love getting feedback on my blog. Looking at comments and the views makes me really happy inside. Someone's actually reading and enjoying what I have to say? That's crazy! I'm so grateful!
4.  It's mine: I love blogging, because I can write about anything I want to. I have the freedom to express my feelings about things and share them with you.
5. Blogging has made me a better writer: Posting almost everyday is great practice for developing writing skills. I've notice a drastic improvement on the way words flow when I'm writing ,and my writing style has gotten better.

Thank you so much for coming back and looking at what I write! It means the world to me. I know I'm not a famous blogger or anything, but I really am grateful for every single reader I have. Thank you, friends.

-Love Ling

My Day

  Hello, friends! This is the third edition of my "What I Did Today" series. I love doing these posts, because they're a perfect way to end the day: Self Reflection. I'm sure y'all are on the edge of your seats in suspense as to knowing what my exciting life has brought for me today. Well, here's what happened:

  I woke up this morning in a relatively good mood. I did a simple makeup look, put on a cute outfit and went downstairs for breakfast. I tried to avoid to coffee this morning to test my endurance and mental strength. It was a bit of a challenge to resist the urge pick up that coffee pot, but I ended up coffee less, with only a mere bowl of cereal in my belly.
  After breakfast, I drove my dad out of town to return a truck we rented to tote a new couch to our house. It was pretty uneventful, except for the fact that I had to drive through the pouring rain.
  Following my driving adventure, I went to church and did my weekly church activities. I'm not going to go into detail about the service.
  After church, my dad and I went out to lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant where I tried bubble tea for the first time. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I like the smoothie/tea part, but I'm not so sure about the boba. They're a little iffy. As for my meal, I had a bowl of pho with meatballs. If you have never had pho before, you are missing out. It's basically soup with noodles, meat,and veggies. A Vietnamese specialty. It really hit the spot on the rainy day today. 
  Following lunch, my dad dragged me to look at furniture at the furniture store next door. BORING.
  When I got home, I did a bit of homework and got ready for my plans with my best friend in the whoooole entire world, Savannah. You know her from the Yours Truly blog. Love her. Anyways, we dropped some clothes off at a little anomaly that is Plato's Closet. If you aren't familiar with this franchise, people bring in clothes hoping that the store with give them some cash for it and you can also browse the store. We found some cute clothes...and some very interesting clothes. I ended up getting $12 for a whole bag of my clothes, and I spent eight of that amount to buy this gorgeous bohemian dress I found at the store.
  After Plato's Sav and I went to do hipster things. Meaning a homework/study/do nothing sesh at a local coffee house. We felt like total cool kids. Enough said. 
  I dropped Sav off at her house and then commenced into finishing up some homework at home. The End.
  
  I hope you enjoyed this totally random post about my day. Let me know if you want more posts like these and I will provide. Anyways! Here's my message for you as you start the new week: PUSH THROUGH. I know you just want the weekend to come again and not have to deal with all the he**ish things ahead, but keep on going and face the week with a smile. Love you!
  
-Love Ling

Spring Time Favorites!

Hello, friends! It's springtime! Yay! Take off that wool sweater and those riding boots and break out the sandals! I love spring, because everything is new, vibrant, and colorful. I try to have my makeup and beauty items reflect this season of awakening and rebirth with bright colors and fresh shades. Here are some of my beauty favorites specifically for the spring time:

Wet n Wild Nail Polish in "Private Viewing": I love lighter color nail polishes in the spring. It's a nude color that looks like my nails but better, and gives a look of sophistication to the nails.

Benefit Coralista: Not only does this blush make the face look fresh and bright with its shimmery coral color, but it smells like sugar. I love this for every day wear.

Milani Baked Blush in "Dolce Pink": Like I said before, I love pink blushes in the spring. This one is a gorgeous rosy pink color with a touch of shimmer. Don't worry, the shimmer gives a blowy appearance to the face, not a sparkly one.

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eu so Fresh: This blush is a very light, floral scent, perfect for spring time. It's not too heavy on the floral and is perfect for everyday wear. I also am in love with the bottle.

Rosebud Lip Salve: This multipurpose product can be used anywhere on the body, but is especially wonderful for lip moisterizaiton. It has a hint of a rosy tint and smells like roses. Straight up roses. The salve also makes my lips feel like butter.

NYX Butter Gloss in "Tiramisu": I love this nude-pink color and the formula of the gloss.  It goes on slightly sticky but has a smooth, shiny finish. It's lighter color is perfect for spring.

PINK Beach Beach Babe Body Mist: This will forever be my favorite spring scent. It smells like coconuts, hibiscus, and a tropical resort. Literally. It's the most amazing, refreshing, beachy scent and I love it.

CG Palette in "Shimmering Sands": As for my eyes, in the spring time, I keep it very natural. I usually do a shimmery color all over the lid, and these shades are perfect for that. They're super pigmented and have a beautiful shimmery finish.

Pure Seduction Body Mist: You guys know how much I love this body mist. It smells like passion fruit and peaches. That's all I can tell you other than to TRY IT.

China Glaze Nail Polish in "Flip Flop Fantasy": This color is the perfect neon coral color. It really pops against any skin tone and is a nice break from the dark reds I usually wear throughout the winter. 

UD 24/7 Liner in Ransom: My eyes are brown so this metallic purple color really makes them pop. Again, I like to experiment with color in the spring and this allows me to do that without going crazy. It's also water proof and will last me through the warm spring days.

I hope you found this post helpful for some things to try during the spring season! Talk to you later!

-Love Ling

Shamrock Shake Recipe

Hello, friends! I'm sure you're familiar with the amazing, once a year milkshake at McDonald's: The Shamrock Shake. Not only is this drink delicious in its sweet mint flavor, it's festive green color is awesome. Today, I'm going to teach you how to save some money and trips to McDonald's by giving you my Shamrock Shake recipe. 

Ingredients: About one pint, a small in McDonald's sizing

1. 2 big scoops of vanilla ice-cream
2. 1/2 c of milk
3. 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
4. 1-2 drops of green food coloring
5. Whipped cream (optional)
6. Green sprinkles (totally necessary, but optional)

How To

1. Get out a blender and scoop two big scoops of ice-cream into it.
2. Pour in 1/2 c of milk. Add more or less depending on how thick you want the drink.
3. Add in a teensy weensy 1/4 tsp of peppermint extract. This stuff is STRONG, so use sparingly.
4. Squeeze out a couple drops of green food coloring. This step has no effect on the flavor, but increases the authenticity of the shake.
5. Blend until thoroughly mixed
6. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream and sprinkles. 
7. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this super easy recipe and that it was helpful. Now you can have Shamrock Shakes year round! 

-Love Ling

Revealed Palette Review

Hello, friends! This is a long promised post, and I'm finally posting it! The Revealed Palette Review! You have heard me talk about this palette so much on this blog and I can't wait to jump into reviewing this amazing product for you!

General Information

• Retails for $19.95 on the Coastal Scents Website:http://www.coastalscents.com/revealed-palette.html
• 20 shades
• Slim palette

Packaging

• I really like that the packaging is clean, slim, and easy to travel with. The eyeshadows are quite large, so you're getting a nice amount of product. I do, however, wish that the Revealed Palette came with a mirror.

     Formula

• The formula of the shadows are amazing. They're über pigmented and velvety smooth. With a good primer, they last throughout the day,even with my oily lids. 
• Beautiful shades, all of them are very wearable. You have every shade you could ever need for a neutral look, whether it be smoky or natural.

**Since there's not much to talk about as far as a palette goes, I'm going to jump right in to my over all thoughts.

  I really like this palette. There are endless looks to create with the variety of shades provided. A lot of the shades (17/20) are actually dupes of colors from the Naked 1 and 2 Palettes. I will link the dupe list bellow, but I not only like the color selection but the formula, as well. I love how velvety smooth the colors are and the pigmentation is unreal. The shades are so pigmented! I do like the packaging and how simple and easy it is, though I must express my desire for a built in mirror. This characteristic, however, does not take from the fact that this palette is definitely one to invest in. I didn't pay $20 for my palette, because I waited until it went on sale. I only payed $13 for it, which is an amazing price considering the amount of shadows you're receiving and the quality of them. You'll honestly have every shade you could possibly need for an everyday look, which I know is good for a lot of women and men out there that like to go on the natural side. Definitely check out this palette, because I think it's absolutely incredible.

Here's a link to the blogpost describing the dupes

http://www.beautybroadcast.net/2013/12/coastal-scents-revealed-palette-naked.html

-Love Ling

Makeup of the Day

Hello, friends! Let's take a refreshing break from the deeper, heavier material I have been posting lately. While I do strive to give advice on daily life and dealing with it, I sometimes forget that this is a beauty blog! Today, I am starting a new series called "Makeup of the Day". A lot of people use social networking sites to share their "Outfit of the Day", but I don't find fashion to be as enjoyable as beauty. These posts will show you strictly the products I used that day, not pictures of myself. Here's the makeup I used today:

First I applied the Garnier BB Cream for Oily/Combo skin to add a bit of coverage, but give a breathable feeling. I find that this product is a tad orangier than my skin tone. I might have to look for a new product.

I set my face product with my Loreal Super Blendable Powder. This product is amazing, because it applies smoothly and doesn't cake up. It also gives a tad of coverage.

I always fill in my eyebrows when I do my makeup. They frame the face and make me look more defined. For this, I used my Milani Browfix Brow Kit. What I love about this kit is that it has two brow shades. I put the lighter one towards the front and the darker one towards the back for a more natural appearance. Even if your eyebrows are pretty thick already, filling in your brows makes a world of a difference, and depending on where you fill them in, can change the appearance of your face.

After brows, I moved on to the eye makeup. I have really oily eyelids ,and I find that applying a primer before shadow helps it stay on longer and be more vibrant. My favorite primer is the NYX HD Eye Primer. It keeps my shadows on for about 8 hours on my ridiculously oily eyelids.

For eyeshadow, I used the amazing Revealed Palette by Coastal Scents. I'm telling you, a review on it is coming soon! For right now, I can tell you that the majority of the shades are dupes for the Naked 1 and 2 palette and are crazy beautiful and pigmented. I wanted to go for a simple, natural eye look. I applied a cream-colored shade all over the lid and then a light taupe color in the crease for added definition. I took this bronze-pink color and applied it to the lower lashing for a bit of "oomph".  

I then applied my Loreal Laquer Liner in a thin line on my top lash line. This liner is long lasting and waterproof.

After gel liner, I applied a regular crayon liner by Almay in black on my tight line. This makes your lashes look thicker.

After curling my lashes, I applied a couple coats Benefit "They're Real". This mascara is amazing, because it volumes and lengthens my lashes beautifully. 

For cheeks, I applied a sample of Benefit's Coralista, a light coral shade. I love this blush for the springtime, because it makes my face look fresh and bright. Not to mention, it's amazing scent. Yes, this blush smells like sugar.

I don't typically apply lip products, so this is the end of my makeup for today. It does sound like a lot, but believe me, I don't look like a clown. I hope you enjoyed this post. Comment and let me know what you think of this series and any other posts you would like to see. 

-Love Ling

Best of Both Worlds Tag

Hello, friends! Today's post is going to be about friendship...again! I am doing the Best of Both Worlds Tag with my best friend in the whole wide world: Savannah. Here are the questions, we are going to answer them all!
When is your birthday? What's the age difference?
S: 3/3
L:11/5
Our age difference is about 5 months
Who are your siblings?
S: Sister
L: Sister
Are you single or in a relationship?
L&S: Single Pringles!
What's your favorite music?
S: Indie folk
L: Indie and showtunes
What do you see your future career being?
S: Pharmacist
L: A general practitioner or an actress
What is your ethnicity/nationality?
S: White 
L: Chinese American
What is your favorite color?
S: Orange
L: Coral
Do you fight a lot?
L&S: Of course! She gave me a black eye the other day! Just kidding! No, we don't fight ever. 
Describe each other using three words?
S: Sunshiney, caring, friendly
L: Funny, real, kind
Who takes the most amount of time to get ready?
L&S: About the same... 15 minutes
Favorite movies?
S: A Walk to Remember
L: Les Miserables, Ferris Bueler's Day Off
What do you like to do together?
L&S: Blog, watching movies, eating, etc.
What is one thing that you have learned from each other?
S: How to be more accepting
L: How to survive this crazy world
What videos/youtubers do you enjoy watching?
L&S: Michelle Phan
Do you miss each other when you don't see each other for a while?
L&S: YESSS
Favorite snacks?
S: Leah's pumpkin cookies and peanut butter
L: Anything chocolate, and Savannah's mom's meatballs 
Do you live together? If not, how far away from each other do you live?
L&S: No, but we live like 15 minutes away from each other
Do you share clothes and/or makeup?
L&S: Definitely makeup, but not clothes
Do you like to go shopping together?
L&S: Absolutely
Favorite TV shows?
S: The Fosters, Twisted, Gossip Girl, and New Girl
L: Gossip Girl, New Girl, and Carrie Diaries
Team Edward or Team Jacob?
S: Jacob
L: Edward
Do you have any nicknames that you call each other by?
S: I call her Lele
L: Savvy/ Sav
How would you describe each other's style?
S: Sweet and flirty
L: Classic and Sweet

**I hope you enjoyed this tag! Make sure to answer these questions with your friend, sister, mother, or personal assistant.

-Love Ling

My Day

  Hello, friends! I'm sure that you're ecstatic for the weekend ahead. This has been the craziest, most hectic week. Today was no less hectic. Here's how it went...
 I went through the normal motions: waking up, doing the things I needed to get done that day, going to rehearsal for the musical I'm in and going home. I swear! This musical is putting my stress level at a fever pitch! I'm literally so busy learning lines, dances, blocking, and putting it all together. If you want a post on the musical I'm currently in, let me know. Anyways! I pushed through the crazy rehearsal and finally got home. Once I was home, I had to run out the door once more to quickly go to the store and get my sister a birthday gift.
  The first place I went to was Starbucks. I needed my jiggle juice. Today I tried the Hazelnut Frappucino and I had pretty good results. It's nothing like my normal caramel frap, but it wasn't bad. After Starbucks, I made my way over to the wonderful world of Target. Raise your hand if it's your favorite store! Oh! Oh! Pick me! Whilst at Target, I gathered up some necessities for the musical. There were some costume pieces that needed to be bought. Unfortunately, my resistance to the new and shiny things around me was waning ,and I got distracted from my initial goal of shopping for my sister. I did get her a small gift there. For the sake of her expert spy skills, I won't mention what it is, because she will probably read this post. By the way, make sure you don't scream out something hilariously and slightly racist in the middle of a store. I have no filter sometimes. I apologize. Towards the end of the Target spree, I picked up a $3 skirt from the Clearance section that I seriously can't wait to wear! I'm not going to post a picture, but know that it's a circle skirt and it's green. Haha! 
  After Target, I made my way over to one of the greatest treasures in the beauty community: Ulta. I love that store. I should have you know that I'm trying to limit the amount of money I spend on beauty products. It's not easy, though, being the avid shopper I am. At Ulta, I picked up some other gifts for my sister, fake eyelashes for the musical, and a face mask. After Ulta, I made a short trip into World Market and left with yet another present for my darling sissy dear.
  By this point, I was basically starving. I indulged on the epitome of health foods: burger and fries. They just get me. After finishing up my delicious and "nutritious" meal, I commenced to the grocery store to get some ice-cream and icing. Yummalicious.
  I hope you had an slightly less chaotic day than I had! Meaning: I hope you had a good day today! Let me know if you enjoy these rants about my daily life, because it's interesting what my unfiltered brain wants my fingers to type. 
- Love Ling

Makeup for Beginners: Face

  Hello, friends! Makeup has always been a hobby of mine. When I was little, I was obsessed with watching "Extreme Makeover", and I always played with the makeup my mom gave me. Now, I avidly watch makeup tutorials and have learned quite a lot about beauty over the years. With this knowledge, today I am going to give you a few tips on makeup application and the right products for your age and skin. Know that makeup should not be used as a supplement. It is a compliment to the beauty that you already have. Don't feel like you need makeup to look beautiful. Beauty comes from the confidence and light that you have inside you. These tips should just help you be more knowledgable of what to do when you want to feel extra special.

  This post is more centered towards a younger audience, but can be applied to older people as well. Not calling you old, by the way. 



Things to Know

• How to pick your color: Your skin is unique and it can sometimes be difficult to pick a shade when buying face makeup. When picking a shade in the store, pick up the product and dab a little bit on your jaw and see  how it matches up. If the product is wrapped in plastic and is hard to access, a lot of times the product will list warm, cool, or neutral. Check the undertones of the product. If the makeup is pinker and you have more peachy skin, try that end of the spectrum. If you have olive toned skin or have bluer undertones,you're cool toned. If your skin is neither and more yellow, you're neutral.
• Everyone has different skin types. Some people have dry skin, some has sensitive, some have oily or acne prone skin. Try to pick products that will benefit your specific skin type. I will help you with that along the way.

  Age Group: 12-13

  Honestly, at this age your skin should be virally perfect still. You may see a little bit of acne popping up, but other than that, you shouldn't need more than the bare minimum. Stick to lightweight makeup that won't clog your pores and will give a natural appearance. 
 For face makeup, I suggest just a tad of concealer. This should be placed on any blemishes or discoloration on the face. This includes redness around the nose of dark circles under the eyes. Just dab it around these areas and blend with your ring finger (for under your gentle eye area) or your index finger. Here are some suggestions for concealers.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer: This concealer is about $5 at Target, has great coverage, and comes in a wide range of colors. It's a really great, basic concealer.

 

Loreal Super Blendable Concealer: This concealer also has good coverage and won't cake up. I love that it comes with a brush applicator, so you get more product payoff and can blend it easier with other products. Loreal has an amazing color classification system in which you pick concealer colors based on your skin undertone: warm, cool, or neutral. It's about $7 at the drugstore.

NYX Concealer in a Jar: This product is as it says, in a jar. It comes in a wide range of colors, including green for canceling out redness, purple for greenish skin, orange for dark circles, and yellow for brightening. It blends well and applies smoothly. As for pricing, it's about $5 and is similar to the famous Benefit Boing Concealer.

Em Cosmetics Great Coverup Concealer: This is the priciest of concealers in this post, it's $17 on the Em Cosmetics website. One of my favorite makeup gurus on YouTube, Michelle Phan started this line. I absolutely love this product. It's a little bit thicker, but has amazing coverage and lasts throughout the day. It also has the warm, cool, neutral classification on the website and it's very easy to find the right color for you. 

**If concealing imperfections isn't a concern of yours, but a shiny face is, I suggest buying oil absorbing sheets. You can find these at any drugstore and they're good to keep in your bag to blot your face with. You can also buy face powder to absorb excess oil on your face. You can get a translucent powder that has no color payoff or a powder with pigment so that you are getting a bit of coverage, as well. Here are some powders I suggest:

Rimmel Stay Matte: This powder is extremely inexpensive, ranging from about $3-5. It blends very well and keeps your face shine-free for a good amount of time. The only thing I don't like about it is the packaging. It's pretty flimsy. Be careful, because it's easy to drop it. 

NYX HD Powder: This is a loose powder, so it's a little bit messier, but the results are amazing. 

Age Group: 14-16: At this age, you might find a bit more acne and a whole lot of oil on your face. Wearing a light foundation or BB cream is appropriate. If you don't know what a BB cream is, it's basically a product that has all in one qualities. Most of them provide light coverage and sun protection, along with other skin benefitting qualities. You shouldn't need anything too heavy, but everyone's skin is different so just use what will enhance your natural beauty. Here are some products I recommend: 

Garnier Fructis BB Cream for Oily/Combination Skin:

This is about $12 and has medium coverage. It's really good for oily-combination skin, because it's long lasting and your face will have coverage all day. My only problem with this product is that it's a bit runny out of the packaging. It doesn't take away from the actual product, though.

Loreal BB Cream: 

This retails for $7 dollars and is great for oily skin. The actual product has a white/gray formula with gritty beads in it. When blended, the BB cream adjusts to match your skin tone. If you can get past the grit of the product, you'll love it. It's long lasting, has medium coverage, and is mattifies the skin. 

Maybelline Fit Me: If you are someone with dryer skin, Maybelline Fit Me Foundation is the one for you! It's got medium coverage without being too heavy and leaves your skin with a dewy finish. The color selection is pretty good and it retails for about $6. 

Revlon Nearly Naked: I tried this foundation last year and I found that it had light coverage and felt very lightweight on my face. It's definitely for people with normal to dry skin types, unfortunately, it was no match against my crazy oily skin. I did ,however, like the product before it slipped off of my face. It retails for nearly $8. 

**For this age group, you can still apply powder to mattify the skin. If you find that no foundations or face products are to your liking, try applying a primer underneath your makeup. The primer will act as a barrier between your skin and the makeup, creating a smoother surface and helping your makeup last longer. 

***If you find that you need more coverage on your face, try applying another layer of face makeup to problem areas. It will double as a concealer. 

Alright guys! So there's the foundations of what you need to know about face makeup. The pun was totally intended. If you have any further questions or need more explanation, feel free to email or comment. I hope that this helped give you a basis on what to do with face makeup.

-Love Ling

Things That Make Me Happy

 

Hello, friends! Oftentimes, I forget that I have a beauty blog and post many philosophical questions and stories. I apologize for that, but this is a post that I really want to do. A lot of people my age are really negative. They complain that they're tired, hungry, stressed, etc. A lot of the times we, as human beings, find a lot of comfort is wallowing in all the things going wrong in our lives. It's healthy to reflect on what is happening, but we don't always look on the sunny side of life. We don't take time to reflect on things we love or things that we are really thankful for. The most important thing in life to me is happiness. I just want to be happy and I want others to be happy. Today, I am going to tell you twenty things that make me happy, in attempt to bring some joy into your life. Isn't that what this blog is about? Anyways! Here are some things that make me happy: 

1. My friends- I love my friends to death! Sometimes after a really good day, I just thank God for the love they give me. They make me so happy and I'm so thankful for them.
2. Family- Obviously my family makes me happy! They love me because they have to! I really love my family, because they're fun and love me for me. Cute, right?
3. Hot Showers- I'm sure you can agree with me here. Hot showers are the bomb dot com. Can I get an "Amen"?! Seriously though, I love taking showers because it's very relaxing and I like feeling all warm and cozy.
4. The Feeling After a Good Workout- I really like working out, especially cardio. When I'm done with a run or a dance workout, believe me I am breathing hard. However, I love the feeling when I finish a workout, because I know that I am helping my body and that I accomplished something amazing. 
5. Coffee- I basically drink coffee everyday. I love the taste, look, and smell of those tiny little brown coffee beans. Yum! A good cup o' Joe in the morning is the best thing ever.
6. Playing a G on the Flute- This may sound weird, but I love playing a "G" on the flute. I love the way it sounds, and it's the only note I play really well every time. 
7. Perfect Nails- Nothing is worse than painting your nails and messing them up. Also, can we all agree that chipping is the worst? When I have a nice manicure going on, I feel like my life is in check.
8. Brightening People's Day- Nothing gives me more joy than making someone happy, especially strangers. I love going into Target and making the cashier laugh. The feeling of being a light in someone's life, no matter who it is, is irreplaceable. 
9. Musicals- I love musicals! They're so over the top and happy! I feel so happy when I'm watching a bunch of people on TV or onstage singing their hearts out. The feels are real.
10. Making Collages- Sometimes I have these random bursts of creativity when I want to craft a lot. One of my favorite things to do is spend hours cutting out pictures from magazines and pasting them into a collage. 
11. Pasta- I don't care what kind of pasta it is, I'll eat it. I just love pasta. No matter what restaurant I'm at, if there's pasta on the menu, I'll take two.
12. Shopping- One thing that I really love is shopping. I love going to the mall and looking at all the things for sale. Browsing through the aisles just makes me really happy and when I go through my purchases when I get home, I'm just like "Oh to the yeah". 
13. Watching Netflix in Bed- There's nothing greater than just having a lazy day and sitting in bed with my laptop catching up on Gossip Girl. I'm sure you agree/
14. German- I have no idea why, but German is my favorite language. It's harsh, yes, but I love the way it sounds.
15. Opera- Along with musicals, I love opera. I love singing opera, listening to it, and whatever else you do with it. The way it sounds is beautiful and the power behind it is incredible.
16. Classical Music- I play piano and my favorite genre to play is classical. I love how linear it is and that it's very clean and balanced. My favorite composer is Bach, because his pieces are always moving and playing the crazy runs are really fun.
17. Soft Lips- I absolutely hate having chapped, gross lips. When my lips are smooth and moisturized by my Rose Bud Lip Salve, I feel on point.
18. Compliments- Who doesn't love compliments? I feel very happy when someone says something nice about the way I look or the way I act. 
19. Makeup- I have a beauty blog (sorta) for goodness sakes! I love makeup! Buying new products and just sitting in the mirror and applying it is really fun. But of course, makeup is just an enhancer to the natural beauty God has given you.
20. Hugs- I love hugging people and receiving hugs. Hugs are just very comforting being able to comfort someone is something that makes me happy.

I hope you enjoyed this super long post and that it inspired you to be thankful for the little things in life. Also, please don't be offended by my references to God in this post. Know that "God" can apply to any religion and I'm not trying to convert anyone. I love you!

-Love Ling