Dark Red Lips for Fall - Makeup Tutorial

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When fall comes, I just can't help but wear lipsticks that are darker than usual. YSL recently released the new Vinyl Cream Lip Stain. The shade that caught my eye was Shade 409 Burgundy Vibes, a dark neutral, cool bordeaux. The lip stain is very creamy, and not very drying. The staining power on this is fantastic and can easily last 4hours +. Unlike the Glossy Stains, Vinyl Cream is opaque, and stains much more. Additionally, the color seems to make people's teeth look whiter... ;D

On top of the YSL I used the Chanel Coco Shine lipstick in 112  TEMPERAIRE. This colour is a bit warmer and has a satin finish that leans a bit plum. 

* Special thank you to Sophie for the palette <3 




Product List: 

Base: 
Primavista Sofina  primer
Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer
HERA Long Stay BB Cushion Compact C23
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 04 Sand

Eye: 

Essence I Heart Stage Primer 
Smashbox Full Exposure Mini Palette
Maybelline Colour Tattoo - Bad to the Bronze
Cover Girl Liquiline Blast Eyeliner - Brown 
Kat von D Tattoo Liquid Liner - Black
Shiseido Eyelash Curler
Missha 4D Mascara - Black
Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner - Peach
Clinique Blush - (?) Peachy nude
Nars Bronzing Powder - Laguna 
Dior DIORSKIN NUDE AIR LUMINIZER

Lips: 
Lip Balm: 
YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stain- 409 Burgundy Vibes
Chanel Coco Shine - 112  TEMPERAIRE







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Hair Dye Experience at Shachu

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So, as you probably know, I went pink! I don't quite remember when the last time I had my natural hair colour, but I can tell you that this is the first time I've dyed it this bright of a colour. And it was quite scary to be completely honest. I've been wanting pink hair for awhile but kept doubting myself on whether I could pull it off or not...but with a slight push and encouraging words from my friends, I decided to go for it! Honestly, I am so glad I went through with it. I dyed my hair in Shibuya, Tokyo at a salon called Shachu. I decided on Japan because I've heard from multiple sources that hair dyeing is a lot less expensive there and they do just as amazing of a job for the lower price. I chose this specific hair salon because my friend actually got her hair done there before and she recommended it to me. And, of course, I creeped their Instagram and I fell in love with their showcase of brightly coloured hair. Unlike the well known salons in Toronto, and across North America, booking an appointment doesn't take months. I was able to book an appointment just 2 weeks prior! 


I'm sad I forgot to take a photo of the interior of the salon because it was so cute (but here's a photo I found on the Internet).  The stylists were all very kind. If you don't speak Japanese, the language barrier might be a little challenging, but I don't think that should stop you from visiting them. They are so hard working and try their best to overcome this language barrier! I had the chance to chat with all of them, and they're actually all so friendly and cute. 
As for the actual hair cut/bleach/dye process, they did a wonderful job. It took about 5-6 hours, so thank goodness the chairs were comfy! I consulted them on what shade of pink I should choose, and I couldn't be happier with the result. I am in love with it!



When it comes to bright hair, as rewarding as it is visually, it also takes a lot of maintenance. I used to use Moroccan Oil once a week, but now I use it every second day because my hair needs that extra treatment. If you're looking for a hair treatment, I highly recommend Moroccan Oil! It really helps nourish the dry bleached hair. At the salon, I bought a pink shampoo that's supposed to help maintain the colour longer. Because I haven't used regular shampoo on my coloured hair, I can't really tell you if it works well or not since I have no comparison point, but I do think my colour is lasting! It's been 3 weeks and the colour is still quite bright.


Lighting actually makes a huge difference in how my hair looks! When it's dark, my hair looks more purple/pink. 


I think the biggest struggle when it comes to my hair is that it dyes my white shirts pink when I wear it for too long, or when it rains. When it rains and I have no umbrella, it's basically RIP to my shirt LOL. But all this high maintenance is soso worth it, in my opinion! I hope you guys like it as well :) 

If you have any questions regarding hair dyeing or Shachu, please do ask!! I'll try my best to help out :)

Love, Lena 



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Summer 2016 Travel Diary

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First Stop: Thailand

      My 2016 summer started off under the blazing hot sun of Thailand. Thailand had been on my go-to list for quite some time and it did not disappoint. I spent most of my time in Bangkok because I was actually interning there. To be honest, Bangkok was a little different from what I thought it would be. When I thought of Thailand, I thought it'd be a tropical paradise but Bangkok was actually more of a very modern busy city filled with tall buildings and huge shopping malls. Despite it being not what I expected, the shopping and nightlife scene was amazing and definitely one-of-a-kind. Downtown's Siam Square was busy no matter what time of the day, and showcased a variety of shopping spots--from your high-end boutiques to the cute outdoor stalls in the streets. 


A must-see when you're in Bangkok is the Grand Palace. It is huge, and absolutely breathtaking. Although I would advise you to avoid coming here on the hotter days, because you need to walk around quite a bit and the dress code is strict...no shorts and shirts must cover shoulders! But this architecture is worth every sweat drop. The gold detailing and white walls made this place so beautiful. 


Something I was pretty worried about for Thailand was the food. If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I can't eat spicy. At all. However, after spending almost 2 months in Thailand, I actually improved my spice tolerance and I now love Thai food (although I still ask for less spicy haha). My top favourites were ka prao, massaman curry, khao soi, and tom yum soup. You NEED to give those a try if you ever hit up Thailand! 

After my intern ended, I was finally able to explore more of Thailand. And that is when I experienced the Thailand that I had imagined. First, I went to Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is a city in the northern mountainous areas of Thailand. It was a nice break from the constant 35°C I was experiencing in Bangkok. I spent 3 days in this city. On one day, we went to Doi Inthanon National Park. We drove up to the highest point in Thailand! It was so high that the temperature dropped to about 16°C!! How crazy is that? Not going to lie, I was pretty cold in this outfit LOL. 


Two of my favourite things in this park were the pagodas (which I couldn't get a nice photo of because it was so foggy) and the waterfalls. I've never seen so many waterfalls in one park! 


On another day, I went ziplining! I've been wanting to zipline for so long, and what better place to give it a try than in the beautiful mountains of Chiang Mai. And let me tell you, it was such an amazing experience. I did it with a company called Flight of the Gibbons and our guides were wonderful. They were so friendly and fun to be around! 



Chiang Mai is known for its mountains and nature scenery, but don't forget to explore its downtown as well! We spent a night walking around downtown and found so many little gems. We came across this lit up alley lined with small shops--a fun spot to eat and shop around! 

My second vacation spot in Thailand was Koh Tao. Now this was a tropical paradise. I mean, just look at that beach! 


We stayed here for 4 days, and it was so jam packed with activities. We went snorkelling, island hopping on a boat, cliff jumping, rappelling, and hiking. And of course, some relaxation time on the beach. 


 The waters were clear and filled with marine life! 


 Here, I'm on a cliff looking out onto the famous Nang Yuan island. 


So that pretty much sums up the highlights of my Thailand trip! Check out this video that my friend made for more bits and pieces of my trip :) And if you're looking for a place to go, I definitely 100% recommend Thailand. It was such an unforgettable experience. 


Second Stop: Singapore



Singapore was also one of the places I really wanted to go, and I feel so lucky to have been able to knock off both Singapore and Thailand from my go-to list. I wasn't able to spend a long time here so I didn't have time to explore the little streets of Singapore, but I did go to the larger touristic spots. Universal Studios was a must for me, because I absolutely love amusement parks!  


Before heading to Singapore, I remember my Singaporean friend telling me that I need to check out the Supertrees...and I'm glad I did. These electric, brightly lit up "trees" were so tall and there were so many of them, it looked like a magical forest. Despite the humidity and crowds of people, I just stood there looking up in awe for a good 30 minutes. A lot of people had blankets out and just sat there appreciating the scenery. It was quite an experience!


If you're in Singapore, you need to go up to the top of Marina Bay Sands. The view from the observation deck was breathtaking. 


Third Stop: Tokyo

Ah, Tokyo. No better place to spend the last week of summer in. Tokyo is a city I call my second home. I visit every year, but I never get sick of it. The food, the culture, the architecture, the language, the people, everything--I love pretty much everything about Japan. Normally, I spend a much longer time in Japan (at least 2 months) but because of my intern in Thailand this summer, I was only able to stay in Japan for a week. Therefore, I didn't get to go around too much, but I still had lots of fun. I spent most of my time just hanging out with friends and family.


Despite only having a week, I made sure I didn't miss my annual trip to Disney! I'm such a little kid at heart. 


I've always wanted to go to Kyoto to see the famous thousands of torii gates, but I found myself a mini version of it here in Tokyo in the Hie Shrine! 


And of course, I can't forget Harajuku and Shibuya. I just love how every corner, every street is so cute and picturesque. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, that pretty much sums up my entire summer! I know it was a long post, but thank you if you read up to this point! If you have any travel questions, or questions about my time here in these 3 locations, please do ask!! Hope you guys all had a wonderful summer as well <3

Love, Lena

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