Hey y'all,
Currently I'm trying to work on the blog layout and getting rid of its bugs/kinks. For example, I know that the search function doesn't work very well and stuff, and dpod_the_owl and I will be working to correct these problems. Please bear with us as the site changes!
Note - the overall aesthetic of the blog will not change - I think I've settled (finally!) into a blog style that I feel is both minimalistic and classical. It's just working out the technical bugs that my "tech-ness" (or rather, lack thereof) will work on (actually, it'll probably be dpod's tech prowess).
Toodles!
Lucy
Mally Beauty on Hautelook now!!!
Mally Beauty products are on sale at Hautelook now!
In case y'all don't know, Mally Beauty is a medium- to high-end brand of makeup that was created by Mally Roncal, a celebrity makeup artist. Her products are usually sold at Ulta, QVC, and the Mally Beauty website itself.
Mally Beauty products are generally known to be very high quality and are reviewed by Emily Eddington from BeautyBroadcast.
Currently, a lot of stuff is sold at a very good discount (40-60%) on Hautelook. Here's some snapshots of the stuff sold:
If y'all are interested, please use my referral link. (I'd really like a $20 credit - which is what a referral gives me - so I can get more stuff to review for y'all, and allow me to buy stuff despite being on med school loans, gar).
In case y'all don't know, Mally Beauty is a medium- to high-end brand of makeup that was created by Mally Roncal, a celebrity makeup artist. Her products are usually sold at Ulta, QVC, and the Mally Beauty website itself.
Mally Beauty products are generally known to be very high quality and are reviewed by Emily Eddington from BeautyBroadcast.
Currently, a lot of stuff is sold at a very good discount (40-60%) on Hautelook. Here's some snapshots of the stuff sold:
If y'all are interested, please use my referral link. (I'd really like a $20 credit - which is what a referral gives me - so I can get more stuff to review for y'all, and allow me to buy stuff despite being on med school loans, gar).
Swimsuits for the competitive swimmer
One of my favorite hobbies is swimming, and lately, with my new gym subscription (LA Fitness rocks!) I've been getting back into the life of my old swim team life (many many years ago).
Today I'm going to give some advice for people who want to purchase clothing/equipment for competitive swimwear (not going to the beach). This is for people who want to swim on a swim team, swim in a pool several times a week, those who want their body parts covered while swimming (not a two-piece or something).
Here ya go!
In general:
Women's:
Men's:
P.S. In general - remember to size up for swimsuits!
Today I'm going to give some advice for people who want to purchase clothing/equipment for competitive swimwear (not going to the beach). This is for people who want to swim on a swim team, swim in a pool several times a week, those who want their body parts covered while swimming (not a two-piece or something).
Here ya go!
In general:
- The best swimsuits to buy are those that are made with 100% polyester. This is because swimming pools are usually disinfected with tons of chlorine or bromine. The swimming suits sold in most stores are made of lycra, spandex, nylon and polyester. Lycra and spandex suits get eaten up pretty quickly by the chlorine and bromine (trust me, I've ruined several swimsuits this way). The ones that are sold in most stores (e.g. Walmart, Target, even Academy and Sports Authority) are made of lycra/spandex. This is because those made with these fabrics usually feel nicer/softer to the touch, and give a great fit as well.
- The ones that last the longest are usually made of polyester. As this website details, polyester suits are super resistant to chlorine and will last longer. Nylon-Lycra suits are also super popular, but the lycra in those suits will break down/fade more quickly than a polyester suit, and the nylon will break down with sun exposure.
- Cotton swimsuits - these are rare to find nowadays, and they are not form fitting and will weigh a person down. (Think about it - when you're running/exercising, cotton socks and clothing become weighted down with sweat. What about all of that water that the swimsuit becomes drowned in when it is submerged full-on in water?)
- Polyester is a super durable material that will last a long time. Even with prolonged exposure to chlorine or bromine, it will retain its shape and color. It is a good material for everyday training.
- For a very comprehensive comparison of swimwear materials, go to this link.
Women's:
- Speedo Women's Race Endurance+ Polyester Flyback Training Swimsuit - this is an excellent swimsuit that is made of 50% polyester/50% PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). As seen on the Amazon link, it's super awesome for resisting chlorine damage and fading. From personal experience, it also dries super quickly. The only caveat is if you want to order a Speedo suit, you need to order a size up - for some reason, all Speedo suits are known to size smaller than most other brands.
- Speedo Women's Solid Logo Flyback Swimsuit - This is also a good option for those who occasionally swim. It is made of 85% polyester/15% spandex, so keep in mind that the spandex will break down faster than the polyester. Of course, keep in the mind of the sizing up caveat.
- Speedo Women's Geo Diamond Actionback Pro LT Swimsuit - similar to #2 in fabric, this swimsuit offers more patterns for those who may want more of an aesthetic appeal.
- Speedo Women's Quark Splice Pulseback Endurance Lite Swimsuit - similar to #1 with more patterned colors and color blocking.
- Dolfin Aquatard Womens - for those who want more coverage (swimsuit with a "shorts"-like bottom), this suit is made of 100% polyester and is great for competitive swimming.
- TYR Sport Women's Solid Durafast Maxback Swim Suit - made of 53% polyester/47% polyester PBT, this is a great suit with wide straps that fits well and provides lots of support for the chest (high-cut).
- TYR Women's Fusion 2 Aeroback Swim Suit - similar to #6, but with 79% polyester/21% lycra.
- TYR Sport Women's Alliance Durafast Splice Diamondback Swim Suit - lots of different color block options, made with 53% polyester/47% polyester PBT.
Men's:
- TYR Sport Men's Solid Durafast Jammer Swim Suit - Made of 53% polyester/47% PBT, this swimsuit is a pair of fitted shorts that will be very durable in chlorinated/"brominated" water.
- Speedo Men's Quark Splice Endurance Lite Jammer Swimsuit - made of 51% PBT textured polyester/49% polyester, this swimsuit will also be very durable and also comes in several colors.
- Nike Team Techno Camo Brief - Competitive Swim - I don't know too much about the stereotypical "Speedo thong" (so-goes the slang) but this brief is made of 81% nylon/19% spandex and comes in lots of patterns.
- Speedo Men's Kinetic Zag Endurance Lite Brief Swimsuit - also a brief but made of 51% PBT/49% polyester, so more resistant against chlorine and bromine.
- Speedo Men's Male Solid Lycra Bathing Suit - again, similar to the two above, made with 78% nylon/22% lycra
- TYR Sport Men's Poly Mesh Trainer Swim Suit - this swim short is made of 100% polyester and is considered to be a drag suit (swimsuit that adds more drag, aka more friction/fluid resistance in the water).
- TYR Sport Men's Square Leg Short Swim Suit - similar to the other swim shorts but made of 80% nylon/20% lycra.
- TYR Sport Men's Alliance Splice Jammer - lots of color blocking options, made of recycled fabric(80% recycled nylon/20% Xtra life Lycra®). Lots of color-blocked options available. This is the eco-friendly choice?
P.S. In general - remember to size up for swimsuits!
I'm back! + Monthly Favorites
I've been gone for quite awhile but I've come back into action!
Yes, it's been awhile, so I'll add in a new post with some of my monthly favorites (of all sorts).
Elta MD sunscreen - goes on super smooth, does not make me break out, and has a high SPF!
Dariya Hair Fringe Grip - super useful for holding onto hair (get those strands out of the way) when applying makeup
Coastal Scents 12 Piece Brush Set - Great for travel and super affordable ($18 for 12 brushes)!. The brush hair is extremely soft. The only downside is that there is some brush fallout (hairs coming out) when washing and that when first opened, the brushes smelled a bit funky (chemical scent). After a wash though, they were fine =D
Hario Chacha Kyusu Maru Tea Pot - Made of glass with a large net to brew tea!
Avalon Organics Vitamin C Renewal Vitality Facial Serum - super awesome facial serum for prepping my face. Also sold at Whole Foods
Etude House Dear My Blooming Lips - #OR204 Bashful Coral - Recently I've been getting into Korean cosmetics, and this is an interesting product I purchased. It's got a beautiful color and the packaging is sooo cute!
Nature's Gate Daily Cleansing Herbal Shampoo - This shampoo is sulfate-free and contains all kinds of goodies to cleanse hair and make it smell good!
Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer SPF 15 - this is an old favorite of mine. It is one of the best sunscreens that has minimal scent and does not give a cakey, thick feeling typical of the stereotypical sunscreen. I've recommended it to several friends and they've all enjoyed using it.
Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub in Coconut Lime - This is also an old favorite of mine. It's a great body scrub for desquamating/exfoliating skin (especially areas that are shaved/epilated) and also has a fantastic smell!
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat - I've tried several top coats and so far this has been my favorite one! It helps dry nails super quickly and also gives them a nice glossy finish. I've noticed that my manicures have lasted 2-3 days longer than usual with this top coat.
So there you go! 10 monthly favorites. See ya around!
Yes, it's been awhile, so I'll add in a new post with some of my monthly favorites (of all sorts).
 |
| Link |
Elta MD sunscreen - goes on super smooth, does not make me break out, and has a high SPF!
 |
| Link |
Dariya Hair Fringe Grip - super useful for holding onto hair (get those strands out of the way) when applying makeup
 |
| Link |
 |
| Link |
 |
| Link |
Avalon Organics Vitamin C Renewal Vitality Facial Serum - super awesome facial serum for prepping my face. Also sold at Whole Foods
 |
| Link |
Etude House Dear My Blooming Lips - #OR204 Bashful Coral - Recently I've been getting into Korean cosmetics, and this is an interesting product I purchased. It's got a beautiful color and the packaging is sooo cute!
 |
| Link |
Nature's Gate Daily Cleansing Herbal Shampoo - This shampoo is sulfate-free and contains all kinds of goodies to cleanse hair and make it smell good!
 |
| Link |
Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer SPF 15 - this is an old favorite of mine. It is one of the best sunscreens that has minimal scent and does not give a cakey, thick feeling typical of the stereotypical sunscreen. I've recommended it to several friends and they've all enjoyed using it.
 |
| Link |
Tree Hut Shea Sugar Scrub in Coconut Lime - This is also an old favorite of mine. It's a great body scrub for desquamating/exfoliating skin (especially areas that are shaved/epilated) and also has a fantastic smell!
 |
| Link |
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat - I've tried several top coats and so far this has been my favorite one! It helps dry nails super quickly and also gives them a nice glossy finish. I've noticed that my manicures have lasted 2-3 days longer than usual with this top coat.
So there you go! 10 monthly favorites. See ya around!
