Nerding Alone | Striped Midi Dress and Chambray

Have you ever gotten into a book or show but no one else you know is into it? I'm obsessed with Doctor Who but my roommates and boyfriend don't watch it so I have all these feelings about new developments in the show but I don't know what to do with them -_-

Currently... (Vol. 22)

Whew, another week has gone by and we're almost in July! 

I am currently dealing with a cold (summer colds are the worst) but I've been keeping myself hydrated and eating warm soup. I even went out for Pho on Saturday night so hopefully I'll make a speedy recovery. 

Enough about my cold though, onto the list:

Ball Prep | Army Ball Makeup

Preparing for the Army Birthday Ball came as a challenge to me. I'm not exactly a makeup expert but luckily, I have had a few chances to figure out what does and doesn't work for me.

The dress I wore was bright red, obviously so I knew that I wanted to do a red lips look. When it comes to bold lip color, I tend to go minimal with the eye makeup to balance out the look. This made my life easier because less eye makeup means less work for me! Below are the products I used for my makeup look that night:

Army Ball | Cut-Out Gown and Strappy Shoes

As I mentioned on Sunday, I had the good fortune of being invited to the Army Birthday Ball this year! I've never attended a military formal event before so I wasn't quite sure what to wear. Neither my date nor I are servicemen and I had very little experience with dressing for such a setting. Luckily Google knew what I should wear and even equipped me with a few tips on Army Ball etiquette. 

Currently... (Vol. 21)

I had one crazy weekend - I attended the 241st Army Birthday ball last night, on top of a birthday party for my roommate on Friday! And of course, I spent Father's day with my family. To say I'm tired would be an understatement! The lack of sleep has been taking its toll but I'm going to try my best to get my posts up this week! 

In any case, on to the things I've enjoyed this week:

Summer 2016 Reading List

Every summer I make a list of books I want get around to. Ideally, I'd be spending every day by the pool or beach with a good book while getting my tan on. Unfortunately, a working schedule prevents me from creating a 100 book list like I used to in the good ol' days! This year, I'll keep it short and sweet:

Flesh Colored Undergarments | Striped Peplum and White Shorts

I personally love a crisp pair of white shorts in the summer but it wasn't until I went to a baseball game last week with some friends I started having some reservations about them. 

Currently... (Vol.20)

I had a whirlwind of a week - I met my boyfriend's family for the first time and went to my first baseball game (thus fulfilling an item on my June bucket list) and I hosted a pool party this weekend! To say my social life is on fleek would be an understatement! Now, onto my list of things I'm enjoying currently:

Summer Whites | White Mesh Dress and Elastic Sandals

Although I don't believe that we can only wear white after Memorial Day, there is something about wearing it now that it's "acceptable." I pulled out this dress for brunch with my friends last weekend and I noticed I wasn't the only one who had been waiting for the weather to be warm and dry - at least three other women walked in wearing their little white dresses!

Snapchat Emoticode

Hello lovelies! I have a quick post for you today about my Snapchat account!
For those of you who don't know, my Snapchat is @deborahyi08 and sometimes I like to snap about the fun stuff going on in my life outside of the blog. Case in point:

Health Nut | Pom Pom Shorts and Chambray

I’ve been on a healthy eating kick lately - I went and bought myself a ton of tofu and I’ve been trying to figure out new ways to incorporate it into my meals (I’ve even found a tofu smoothie recipe - could be either amazing or a disaster). I think going to the pool all the time has made me more self-conscious of my eating habits, combined with the fact that apparently Washington, DC is apparently the second healthiest city in America after Minneapolis that brought about this change.

Currently... (Vol. 19)

Ahh, summer! I had such a great summery week and I'm excited to share a snippet of it with you guys! Since Memorial Day, many pools in the area have opened for business and I've taken advantage! A lot of apartment buildings even have rooftop grills and I hung out with friends this week for a chill barbecue and pooltime fun!

Now, onto the list!

Product Review: Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule

Last winter, I really got into Korean beauty products and Korean skincare routines in general. One thing I learned I should be using to keep my skin from drying out. As many of you know, I have eczema and a constant struggle is preventing dry flakes from appearing on my skin, especially my face. I found out that a great hydrating solution is to use ampoules - supercharged and highly potent versions of serums. Ampoules are very concentrated in active ingredients that are meant to boost your skin, retain hydration, and help minimize acne scars and fine lines. Because of their concentration, you only need to use them once or twice a week. I found a great affordable version from Mizon called "Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule." Initially, the thought of putting anything with snail mucus in it grossed me out but if you want to know my thoughts, keep reading!

Costs of Running a Blog

As someone who's been blogging for three years, I've figured out what works for me and what doesn't. It took a few tries getting the right camera, finding the right server, scoring the right computer programs, etc. but after a lot of trial and error, I think I can finally dish out some blogging advice.
Something I noticed that bloggers never seemed to discuss much was the actual cost of blogging. New bloggers tend to get swept up with the end result of making money but like any business (and it is a business), you have to put in the time and the money in order to make some.
In the interest of transparency, I put together a list of things that I consider to be essential to my blogging process and how much each item goes for in the market. Some of the items I paid full retail price while some I scored a deal on. Please keep in mind that these are my essentials and what is important to me may not be important to your blogging process. I would also like to note that I'm putting the retail prices, not what I actually paid.

4 Ways to Update Your Makeup Bag For Summer

I'm not a beauty blogger by any means! I have stuck to the same beauty routine for the past two years while maybe changing up my lipstick game once in a while. That said I think there are little things you can do to change up your routine to get ready for summer besides the "add sunscreen" - that just goes without saying in my book. Here are four things I did:

Tourist Season | Romper Dress and Strappy Shoes

I had been looking for any excuse to wear this romper - and it is a romper, not a dress! It’s so bold and quite different from my usual aesthetic but I like the cut out details (that’s something I’ve been really into lately), and the classic stripes. The material is a heavy-ish twill material that I find elevates the look! It was the perfect outfit for a sunny day in the District.