Top 3 Favorite Face Masks

My Favorite mask brands.

Self Care is a term introduced to me by the Netxflix show Queer Eye. Before this series, although I applied face masks, painted my nails and cared for my well being, I didn’t think of it as such. They were frivolous actions of a girl, when I learned about self care I thought, “Oh that's what that is.” Although I have always bought face masks, I did it for “fun,” not results. But learning about self care gave these actions value.

Now with shelter in place I have been more consistent with applying face masks weekly and appreciating the activity as self care. So far I have tried mud masks and sheet masks. I have to say I prefer mud masks unanimously. I like how I can feel my skin tighten as the mud hardens and the cooling effect on the skin after. My favorite brands in order are GlamGlow, Que Bella, and Pink by Victoria Secret. 

This is the best mask for results.

1.Glam Glamglow

For Results

I only found this brand of mud face masks about two years ago and wish I had known of it sooner! I see the most immediate improvement in my skin after using this mask such as diminished pimples, smoother and healthier glowing skin. It also leaves a cooling effect after which is why I prefer this consistency of mask. I use this one sparingly because of the price tag and have already repurched. I buy the $39 Glow Essentials Mask and Moisture set. So Far my favorite in the set is the clearing version.

$25-100+ 

This brand was my introduction to face masks.

2. Que Bella

For Fun

This brand holds a special place in my heart because it was my introduction to face masks. My sisters and I liked to purchase these on our trips to target and then apply them together. They offer mud and sheet masks but I prefer the mud masks. I use these more for fun but I do notice healthier looking and smoother skin. My favorite masks of theirs include the Coffee Mud Mask (Might have been special edition), Relaxing Lavender Mud Mask and Professional Detoxifying Intense Black Peel Off Mask. I repurchase these regularly.

$1-3

This is a great mask for just having fun.

3. Detox Mask Charcoal Clay Face And Body Mask Pink By Victoria Secret

For Fun 

I bought this one because it was on sale and to preserve my GlamGlow. I like using it for when my skin is dull or I want to relax. I like its clean smell and notice healthier tighter skin as with the Que Bella brand. I was drawn to it because of the bigger quantity. I plan on repurchasing but would like to try a different product like their avocado mask. 

$14.50

What are your favorite masks?

Happy Earth Day!

My hometown beach, Sunset Beach.

What I love about the earth the most is the ocean, especially the beach. I love the unapologetic power of the waves crashing on the shore. The beaches near me have strong, rough waves especially the earlier you go. I would regularly run at the beach in the mornings, around 7 or 8am, with my fiance. Before the shelter in place we had grown our endurance to 6 miles. 

An Earth Day shirt I designed for my Graphic Design Website. Click Here to see it.

Now, although we are allowed outside for exercise I don’t feel comfortable staying out that long so we run 3 miles. I think this is a great way to connect with the earth that will at the same time increase your happiness and confidence. Running has helped me develop these traits, which to be honest I was lacking.

I had fun painting marker stones for my garden.

Since the beginning of shelter in place, being confined in my home has made me seek other ways to enjoy the outdoors in my yard. One of these has been attempting to garden. I planted carrots, bell pepper, cucumber and broccoli. I’m not sure if anything will grow since this is my first time but I had fun planting and painting my marker stones.

Last weeks free paint party image. 

Painting the outdoors is a common theme now that I am stuck inside. Last week my fiance who is an artist, collaborated with another artist to do an Instagram virtual paint party with the theme being a wave. This Friday at 6pm join us as we paint the California state flower, Poppies. Click here for the link to the free paint party! Or search for @gi.zambrano on instagram. 

Free Facebook Paint Party

What do you love about the earth?

Thank you,

Perla

Best Elf Products Under $10

These are my favorite Elf products that I use daily.

Elf is one of the most affordable makeup brands available. Unfortunately, I feel many associate affordable with lower quality. This is sometimes true but I have found hidden gems in many affordable makeup brands. My three favorite products from Elf in order of most used include the Eyebrow Duo Brush, Contour Palette and the 16 HR Cameo Concealer. 

My favorite eyebrow brush.

Eyebrow Duo Brush

I use this brush everyday! It features an angled brush for filling in your eyebrows and a spoolie brush for styling. I had it for about three years before having to replace it recently. I highly recommend it and will keep repurchasing. $4

I especially like to use this when I travel or doing my makeup on the go.

Contour Palette in Dark/Deep

What I love most about this palette is the convenience of the bronzer with the large mirror. I use it as a bronzer palette not as a contour palette. It serves as my makeup mirror when I’m away and as my bronzer. It has four colors that blend well. This means less items in my bag. I recommend this if you travel constantly and need to make room in your bag. $8

I like to use this concealer when I don't want to wear foundation.

16 HR Cameo Concealer in Medium Beige

This concealer is great for when you want a “no makeup look.” I like using this concealer when I don’t want to put on a full face of makeup. I like using it on my trouble areas like my hyper pigmentation and just blend it out a bit. It works great alone but I have noticed it shows in the creases. $6

What are your favorite affordable makeup items? 

Thank you,

Perla

March Empties

These are the items I used up in March.

Hello,

Today I’m sharing with you beauty products I have used up and which ones I will repurchase. I like this series because I feel it better represents what my favorite products are based on the ones I use consistently. The items I used up last month include moisturizer, face soap, concealer and wrinkle cream.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer

Hands down this is my favorite moisturizer! I like how it feels lightweight when applied but at the same time is very moisturizing. It also has a very slight natural shimmer which I think adds a nice glow to the skin. Another plus is the SPF 15 to protect from sun damage. I will be repurchasing this item for sure!

Shea Moisture African Black Soap with Shea Butter

This is my favorite face soap for cleansing my face morning and night. I don’t get acne very often but when I do, this always stops it in place. I notice any acne is minimized or gone by the following day. Although I have used this brand for years, I recently learned that there are other more natural brands of black soap. I am very interested in trying a more natural, raw version of this soap so I might not repurchase this exact brand.

Revolution Fast Base Foundation in F10

This is my favorite everyday affordable foundation. It goes on smooth and has the right amount of coverage if you have a bit of hyperpigmentation like me. I also felt like this shade matched mine perfectly. However, I am not sure I can repurchase since it seems they are not restocking this item in United States stores. I have not been able to find this shade in any Ulta stores even online. Do you have any medium coverage foundation recommendations?

ROC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum

Last year I became aware of my skin changing. I began to show signs of aging and felt I should start using a wrinkle serum. I bought this one and it showed great results right away, minimizing wrinkles. The only issue is that I think it was too strong for my skin. When I put too much my skin reacted with acne. I will not be repurchasing this specific product but want to explore other options from this brand.  

Have you tried any of these products? What medium coverage foundation do you recommend?

Thank you,

Perla

Top 5 Shelter In Place Activities

Our shelter in place activities.

Last week shelter in place began in California and similar responses to COVID19 have been implemented in other countries as well. The first few days it felt like a staycation but by the third day of not being able to go outside, I was losing my mind trying to think of other activities to occupy my time, besides cleaning and Netflix. Here are my top five favorite activities for passing the time at home:

Our arts and crafts table.

1. Painting

My fiance enjoys painting and can do it for hours at a time, so I decided to give it a try. I found it to be a very relaxing way to pass the time! You can decide how much detail you add, this can help make the activity last longer. What is great about painting is the variety of surfaces to paint on. We painted on canvas, plant pots and will be painting egg shells next.

2. Coloring

I could not remember the last time I colored but once I began I quickly found a rhythm. Like painting it was relaxing and helped ease my anxiety. I found a cute Disney Princess coloring book along with many of the other items pictured here at the DollarTree.

3. Board Games

When playing Monopoly was suggested by my sisters, I have to admit I was less than excited. I have never cared much for Monopoly in particular but it ended up leading to many laughs! My all time favorite board games include UNO, Sorry!, Cards Against Humanity and Jenga. A surprising new favorite was BLINK, a matching game by the creators of UNO.

Here are some of the postcards I made for my cousins.

4. Making Postcards

This activity has become my new obsession. I really like making postcards to send to my family. I use cardstock and cut it to 4x6in. I then draw and color an image of a celebrity or game they like.

5. Workout

I was very reluctant to workout at home because I love running at the beach. I had to force myself to workout for one hour and thirty minutes at home. It was definitely worth it in the end, I felt accomplished and it pulled me out of my couch potato routine.

How are you keeping busy during COVID19? Any fun new hobbies?

Let’s Hide in Ojai

The arches leading to the park. 

Ojai was our next stop, I kept pronouncing it Ogai and my fiancé would laugh. I began to mispronounce it on purpose, as we drove up the winding road. I didn’t think it would be anything special, after all, our destination was Disneyland. Of course I Googled it but in no way did I expect how serene this mountain town would be. As I got out of the car the architecture took me by surprise. A motif of the town were it’s tall white arches reminiscent of Spanish style homes.

Fig was a unique outdoor store.

We walked through the arches by the park and then through the park to a beautiful fountain in the center. It felt good to be be on two legs again and we decided to keep walking downtown. We noticed many art galleries and shops. One such store was Fig, it was an outdoor decor store that had swings and lawn chairs. My favorite product there was a whimsical hanging acorn floral arrangement.

Inside Fig I found these cute acorn ornaments.

By the time we were done walking down one side of the street I realized the main downtown had no traffic lights. This gave it an old town feel, and reminded me of the small town in Gilmore Girls. In that show it always looked like there were no crosswalks and they would cross anywhere.

Trying to capture the pink moment was more difficult than I thought.

During the evening we began to scout a spot to watch Ojai’s Pink Moment. It is a pink sunset that happens during the winter months. We should have done this earlier because we couldn’t get a clear view of it and my photos don’t give it justice.

The arches leading to the shops across the street.

Crossing to the other side of the street to see the shops, we explored more art galleries and shops. We tried Casa Barranca Organic Winery and the wine was sweet. After sipping our wine we searched for a place to have our dinner. We found a cute little Italian place with good appetizers and the best pesto pasta. I regret not remembering their name! If you’re ever in Southern California and looking for a slower pace where you can unwind, you can always hid in Ojai.

Little shops, art galleries and restaurants lined the streets.

This Rumi quote a cool find.

Solvang In The Winter

In the Solvang Gazebo

A piece of Europe in California. That is Solvang in a sentence. This hidden small southern California town can be found in the Santa Ynez Valley. I can’t express my delight, just by walking down the streets in this small town, I felt the holiday spirit. We were told tales about it by my fiancé’s aunt and decided to stop on our way back from Disneyland. I’m so happy we made this pit stop.

One of the many windmills.

This small village has a Danish heritage that is kept alive by the scandinavian inspired architecture, bakeries and museums. The architecture features repurposed windmills and brown painted trim lines on the buildings. The Danish style buildings along with the Christmas decorations made me feel like I was in a Christmas Town. The crisp wind didn’t bother me one bit, as we peeped through bakery windows. I felt so happy just to be in such a cute town. 

This town has so many cute bakeries!

From the old world to the modern, this place has bit of everything. We found a hip little winery, Calilove. It offered refreshing wine and Nintendo?! Yes, you heard right, in fact that is why we walked in. Ivan heard the music from across the street and we noticed the sign on the window advertising Nintendo. It’s safe to say we were there at least an hour as he hogged the console. But I had a delicious rose to sip on.

Calilove was a cute, trendy winery.

We ended our trip with the bookstore but sadly the Hans Christian Andersen museum was closed by the time we walked in. However, we still explored the bookstore and found some interesting books. How did we end our taste of Europe? As you’d expect, dining at the Chinese restaurant around the corner. It was a perfect night. 

A cute phonebooth.

Thank you,

Perla

New Blog & Disneyland!

Our first Disneyland trip together!

Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve written. I finally feel ready to begin again but this blog will be changing a bit. I want to shift focus more on traveling and lifestyle for now. I will do product reviews now and then. Today’s destination is Disneyland!

Birthdays in December are easily forgotten! I have experienced this first hand with myself and my fiancé. Both of us are December babies and it is always difficult to get together with family for traditional birthday celebrations. Instead we have begun a tradition, since last year, of traveling for our birthdays. This year we decided to go to Disneyland!

Sleeping Beauty's Castle was the most beautiful at night.

I think winter is one of the best times to go to Disneyland. Christmas decorations can be found on every corner, putting everyone in festive spirits. Even in the heat! It’s funny, I had envisioned hot chocolate and churros for our snacks of choice. However, we ended up buying many ice tea refills.

What we enjoyed the most on this trip were the rides and fireworks. I was very worried about the lines because when I bought the tickets the website stated the date I had chosen was a Peak day. On a recommendation of a friend I bought the MaxPass and it was well worth it! It allowed me to get FastPasses for rides right from my phone. This saved us a lot of time walking between the different FastPass stations.

I loved the lights of the arcade.

It also sent right to my phone, any pictures of us that were taken by the photographers there. I made us pose for many pictures! I just wish more locations in the park had photographers. 

My tips for a Disney trip include buying the MaxPass and packing 4-5 water bottles. Having water with us meant we didn’t have to get in line for drinks until we had our meals. If it’s your birthday, you can walk in almost any store and request a birthday button! I had no idea, so I got mine at night because I noticed other birthday Disney guests.

My favorite rides had to be Indiana Jones and the Haunted Mansion. Indiana Jones is a classic ride that I always look forward too. I don't like roller coaster and this one is as close as I get to one! The Haunted Mansion is great because they change the decor for Christmas! I liked seeing Jack and Sally’s version of Christmas.

One of our favorite rides.

Happy New Year!

-Perla 

Wet N Wild Ultimate Eyebrow Kit & Brow Pencil

 
 Hello wonderful readers! I know I have previously made a post about my eyebrow routine but in this post I wanted to give you a full blown review of my two favorite eyebrow products. They are both from the very affordable brand Wet N Wild. These two products are the Wet N Wild Color Icon Brow Pencil in Brunettes Do It Better and the Wet N Wild Ultimate Eyebrow Kit in Ash Brown. Both of these products have been my go to brow products for some time now, to the point that I even buy back ups! If that doesn’t say obsession I don’t know what does! Keep reading for my full review or click here to see my step by step brow routine.

¡Hola maravillosos lectores! Se que ya he hecho un post sobre mi rutina de ceja pero en el post de hoy les quería dar una revisión de mis dos favoritos productos para la ceja. Estos dos productos son de la marca muy economica, Wet N Wild. Los dos productos son Wet N Wild Color Icon Brow Pencil en Brunettes Do It Better y el Wet N Wild Ultimate Eyebrow Kit en Ash Brown. Los dos products han sido mis favoritos por mucho tiempo, ¡hasta compro extras! Si esto no es obsession, ¡no se que lo es! Sigue leyendo para ver mi revision completa o has click aqui para ver mi rutina de ceja. 

Pinto Lake Park Altar

A wide picture of the altar.

Hello everyone! It’s been awhile since I’ve put up a new post but finally I’ll be posting regularly again. In today’s post I’ll be sharing with you a few images from my photography portfolio. I took a photography class this semester and for my final project I chose to photograph a local alter in a park, where a women had visions of La Virgen de Guadalupe. Well I hope you enjoy the pictures!

¡Hola! Ha sido mucho tiempo desde que hice un nuevo post pero finalmente voy a tener posts mas regulares. En el post de hoy, voy a compartir con ustedes unas imagenes de mi portafolio fotográfico. Tome una clase de fotografía este semestre y para mi proyecto final escogí fotografiar un altar local en un parque, donde un mujer tuvo visiones de La Virgen de Guadalupe. ¡Ojala disfruten de los fotos!

How To Plan A Blog Post

Hello everyone! I hope all of you are having a great day. I don’t know if you have noticed but lately I have been posting a lot of my planner spreads on Twitter (@perlasancheza). Well ever since Elle Fowler reintroduced me to planners, I have been obsessed! I’m really enjoying the planner decoration trend. I just love decorating and writing out my weekly To Do list or Goals. I have tried many ways of planning my blog from writing lists only, to using a digital calendar and now I have finally found what works for me. Having a physical planner has really changed the way I plan my blog posts and today I will share with you my process!

¡Hola todos! Ojala han están teniendo un día maravilloso. No se si han notado pero últimamente he estado poniendo fotos de mi planner en Twitter (@perlasancheza). Desde que Elle Fowler me introdujo otra vez a planificadores, ¡estoy obsesionada! Estoy disfrutando de la tendencia de decorar planificadores. Me encanta decorarlos y escribir mis Listas o Metas. He tratado muchas diferentes maneras de planear mi blog desde escribiendo listas solamente, ha usando un calendario digital y ahora finalmente encontré lo que sirve para mi. Teniendo un planificador physico ha cambiado como planeo mis blog posts ¡y hoy voy a compartir con ustedes mi processo!