May Favorites

I'm going to say this again and again, but this year is really going by too fast. It seems like it was just yesterday that I was graduating college. Anyways. Back to the products. This month I introduced two new skincare products into my routine and it's transformed my skin. My skin is still dehydrated, but it doesn't feel as tight and painful. I'm still looking for a skincare routine that I really love, but onto that later.

First Aid Beauty: Ultra Repair Cream

I only bought the 2 oz. because I wanted to test it before I splurged on the big tub. I've been using this day and night, and even though it's a very thick cream, it does not feel heavy at all. It sinks into your skin completely. The smell is a bit herbally, but not strong and fades away quickly. You can use this everywhere on your body and it just makes your skin so soft. I didn't want to believe the hype, but it's worth it.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

First, do not use this everyday! When I first used this, I got tiny dry patches on the areas I put the cream. The packaging tells you this will happen, but I definitely cut back and used less. This is an acne treatment cream for mild-moderate acne-prone skin. Some people use this all over the face, but I think it's enough to just dab onto the places you have pimples. I use this even if I don't have a full grown pimple, when I feel one coming, I put some on to prevent it. This is supposed to heal your acne scars too. I don't think the US has the Effaclar Duo+ yet, but I'm sure I'll love it just as much as this one.

Tarte LipSurgence Lip Tint in Elite

Another lip crayon?? Yes, another, it's a problem. You can see where I got it from here. This is a pinky coral shade, and it's just so flattering and easy to wear. It's quite sheer, but you can build it up into a super bright color. It's not drying on the lips either and has a very smooth application. This is supposed to be a stain, but I don't think it really left behind much color, especially after eating. Once this tiny one runs out, I just might pick up a full size.

Cover Girl Exact Eyelights

I was looking through all my mascaras, and decided to use this one day. This was the first Cover Girl mascara I ever used and it's still one of my favorites. This mascara is supposed to bring out the colors in your eyes and it has a slight shimmer. I don't see the waterproof one in stores anymore, so I hope it's not discontinued! This is not a volumizing mascara, this is a lengthening and defining one, and it does exactly that. When I'm just out during the day, this is the one I use. The brush is not too fat, so you won't get it all over your lids, and you can get the tiny lashes on your bottom lash line. This makes my lashes sooo long, love it.


What's a favorites post without at least one unfavorite? 
I have not been loving this mascara at all. The L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Waterproof Mascara promises to make your lashes flare out like a butterfly. The wand is so hard to use, especially since I don't switch hands when I apply mascara. I can see how it does lengthen, but it doesn't give any volume at all. Ugh, the wand. I gave this mascara many tries, and I just couldn't find a good way to use it. Maybe other people will have more luck with this.

Any favorite recommendations? :)

TWEET TWEET

I can't believe I did it. I finally made a Twitter account. HASHTAGS EVERYWHERE.
Anyways, follow me @mechelletabelle! *tweet tweet tweet*

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

Here's an extremely easy vanilla chia seed pudding recipe for everyone!
Chia seeds are full of antioxidants, omega-3, protein, and fiber. Once you let the seeds sit in liquid, they expand and have a gooey, gelatinous texture. This is supposed to help you stay full faster and longer. Chia seeds help with digestion, regulate your blood sugar, and overall just help promote a healthier body. I've also added them to smoothies!

Serves 4

Ingredients
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons raw chia seeds
2 cups of vanilla almond milk (my favorite brand is Diamond Breeze)
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Pinch of salt

1. Place the chia seeds in a medium sized bowl.
2. Pour in almond milk, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and salt.
3. Whisk to combine.
4. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.
5. Before serving, stir the pudding in case of lumps.

You can add any toppings you want, such as fruits, granola, and chocolate!

* If you want a thicker pudding, substituting 1 cup of yogurt with the almond milk will do the trick. However, I found that makes the pudding a bit sour, so you would need to add more maple syrup.

*If you wanted to make a chocolate pudding, you can add some cocoa powder to the mixture as well.

*Side note: the texture of chia seeds is something that might need some getting use to :)

everything all whisked together

I experimented with some pandan extract instead of vanilla

2 different flavors. Doesn't it look like a brain??

Enjoy! And let me know if you tried it! 

Music Mondays

I love 3 day weekends. I hope everyone is sleeping in today this Memorial Day. Here's some music for those staying in!

Some new Jason Mraz :)

Such a happy go lucky song! Thank you to my UB for introducing this song to me!

Birdy is an artist I always go back to.

*wiggle wiggle* something funny to share with you guys! it's quite catchy actually HAHA

Fat Line???

Yesterday, I went to SF to meet up with my line! And Jillian of course! :) My little and I were sooo hungry, waiting for the young ones to arrive. We had some San Tung chicken wings and then got some Purple Kow or "紫色牛" like Fanny calls it haha. It was so much food, but we decided to walk it off by going shopping! Yesterday was the longest time I've ever spent with my little line. We don't get to hangout much, but I really do treasure the times we do get to. We all got to know each other a little bit better. Maybe a little too well? But it was worth losing sleep over seeing these kids. 

welcome to the line little fifth! (I'm such a grandma now T_T)

Jillian! You made it into the blog!

This grandma finally decided to come see us. I'm taller! YAY

Plumful

On Sunday, I bought my FIRST EVER MAC PRODUCT. I've been wanting to buy a MAC lipstick for a long time, everytime I go into the stores, I swatch a bunch on my hand. BUT I finally did it. I decided to stick with something that was natural, nothing too bold, since I wanted to wear it a lot. Plumful (MAC) is one of those "my lips but better" colors. Everyone raves about this one too. It's a Lustre, so it doesn't feel heavy on the lips.  The color is quite sheer but buildable, and it's a muted pink with a hint of plum.  I really like it, and now I want to go and get more lippies!

(ignore the no makeup face. this was a work day haha)

Please give me some recommendations for any other MAC products I should check out! :)

Music Mondays

Another Monday, another music post.  I hope everyone had a good Monday!

LOVE the 1975. The lyrics always seem so dark, and the beat is so catchy.

This is my favorite Kodaline song.

Sia's new video is haunting and creeps me out, but the dancer is so good and she's so young!

Some candy and ice cream...

Fanny and I went to the Art Market San Francisco exhibit today. Took us a while to find it, but we finally made it! It's a collection of artwork from exhibits all over the world. I love going to museums and art galleries, and it's been so long since I've been to one. It was a day full of food and interesting art! :)

selfie time!

miniature dancers! this was so beautiful, I loved the details.

up close

a gigantic box of chocolates. some are half eaten! this was definitely my favorite piece today.

We ended the day with some Smitten ice cream. It's ice cream made from liquid nitrogen. We both got strawberry white balsamic. It was the smoothest ice cream I've ever had. If you're ever in the area, you should definitely try it. The line was quite long, so prepare to wait.

A Lazy Saturday...

It's been such a busy week, it was weird sitting at home doing nothing. I've been wanting to try out some new products I bought and I just thought why not play with some makeup right now? Didn't go out afterwards, but it was fun nonetheless. (I washed it all off right after taking some selfies haha) I'm not used to wearing so much makeup, especially liquid foundation.

smile :)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in 22 Beige Rose

Stila Color Balm Lipstick in Sonya

TooFaced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer

theBalm Fratboy blush

Rimmel Scandaleyes in 001 Black

Covergirl LashBlast Volume Mascara in Black

Stila Not So Nude Palette

I used Buff on my browbones, Fawn all over the lids, Mink in the crease, Sugar in the inner corners, then wet an angled brush and used Barefoot to line the upper and lower lash lines. This palette was limited edition I believe, but these colors are all very easy to find and there are many dupes. I like these shadows because the colors were very buildable and there was very little fallout.

Work Drama

I debated whether or not to write about this here, but hey, life isn't all makeup and food pictures right?
I've been dealing with a coworker quite unsuccessfully for the past two weeks. I'm sure everyone has dealt with this before, but it's really the worst when someone who you thought was a friend, just suddenly becomes your enemy. It was definitely a misunderstanding that started it all, but it just helped show her true colors. Never expected someone 5 years older than me to act so immature and unprofessional. I know I shouldn't let her attitude affect me, but I can't help it. When I'm trying to be helpful and friendly, she just ignores me. But when she asks me a question, I answer right away. I already didn't really like this job, but this is just the icing on the cake. Doesn't help that we have to work together closely sometimes. No one in the company knows, or maybe they do, since she's a complainer. I broke down crying this morning, and it was so mortifying, and I knew people around me could hear me. The tension and just the way she acts towards me, no one's ever treated me that way before. Anyways, this was just a rant, sorry for being a downer guys.

Pandan Mochi Cake

Decided to bake something for Mother's Day, and since I had all the ingredients, I made some yummy, chewy mochi cake. This recipe has been adapted by me, since I ran out of vanilla extract, I had to improvise. Pandan flavoring can be found in most Asian supermarkets and is widely used in desserts. It has a strong coconut flavor, so a little goes a long way. The original recipe using vanilla extract is just as good, and I actually prefer using vanilla. I also use less sugar, since the flavoring is already sweet.

here are all the ingredients all laid out

this is what it should look like after you mix everything together

my cake grew a brain in the oven ( I think this happens because there are too many bubbles in the mixture. I'm still trying to figure this part out.)

all done! now your house will smell deliciously of coconut milk! mmmm

the edge pieces are the best! looks kind of green, but it makes these interesting!

Ingredients

Makes one 9x13 pan

2 cans of coconut milk

5 large eggs

1/2  stick of butter (melted and cooled)

1 teaspoon of pandan flavoring (or vanilla extract)

2 cups of sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 teaspoons of baking powder (personally I think this is too much, next time I'm going to just use 1 tsp)

1 lb box of mochiko flour or 3 cups ( tapioca flour is the same thing) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking pan.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.

In separate bowl, beat eggs, then add coconut milk, melted butter and pandan extract.

Pour wet ingredients over dry mixture. Whisk until mixture is smooth. There will be quite a few lumps, just be patient and they will dissolve.

Pour batter into greased pan.

Bake for 90 minutes,, until top is golden brown and cake starts to pull away from the sides.

Take it out of the oven and let it cool for at least 30 min.

Cut into pieces and enjoy! :)

This can be stored for at least 3 days. I like microwaving it the next day, so it's warm and chewy. 

Music Mondays

Discovered a new artist this weekend. This song is so catchy and I've been blasting it the past few days!

Something to get you guys excited about The Fault in our Stars. Ed Sheeran's voice is just so soothing.

Another song to get you all worked up and teary about the movie! :P

Happy Mother's Day

throwback to summer of 2011 and repping UCD!

This picture was taken at Mount Rushmore. I spent a whole week on a bus with both my parents. It definitely tested my nerves, especially since my sister wasn't there for me to talk to.

Personally I feel like Mother's Day is overrated. If you only appreciate your mom one day a year, it doesn't seem very good. My mom and I have a very dysfunctional relationship. I'm not good with showing affection, complete opposite to my younger sister, so to my parents, it seems I don't love them. I just show it in different ways I guess.  Anyways, I hope everyone had a good weekend hanging out with your mommies and family! :)

Food Adventures: Yojimbo's

I wish you guys could see how big the portions were. This place is definitely a hole in the wall restaurant. It's quite small, but I like how there are painting of anime and animated films all over the walls. None of us could finish our food. It was like a small mountain on each of our dishes.

ootd #3

Another day, another outfit. I actually tried today, instead of throwing on whatever was closest to me. I mean there's no one to impress at work anyways. :P This shirt from H&M was only $1. HAHA. But my favorite piece is my necklace from Baublebar.

Music Mondays

A fun, catchy song. I love blasting this in the car.

I always go to this song when I'm feeling sad. It's not necessarily a sad song, but it sounds so emotional. Just sit back and close your eyes.

Jetta has a great voice and I just love this song.

a trip to the ER

My dad woke me up this morning at 6:30 saying he was in a lot of pain and needed me to take him to the emergency room. It's the first time I've ever seen my dad like that, and I seriously didn't know what to do. When we got to Kaiser, I was surprised by how many people were there in the emergency rooms already. The moment we left the waiting room and walked into the back, I just got this overwhelming feeling of sickness and sadness. I know people aren't dying or anything, but seeing all those patients unable to move, looking so helpless, was saddening. I couldn't help it and started tearing up waiting for my dad. I felt bad for crying in front of my mom, because I know she was more scared than I was. I wasn't crying because of my dad, because I knew he would be ok, but it was kind of like life just hit me right then. You never know what's going to happen. Take care of your body, we're young now, but it's not going to stay that way forever. Everything is fine now, and they didn't find anything serious with my dad, but I really hope to never go into the emergency room again. Sorry about this super depressing post.

Food Adventures: Homeroom

Finally got to hangout with Deanna, Janet, and Lance. We never see each other, even though we live in the same city. But it was really nice to catch up and eat some mac and cheese. YUM. Enjoy!

Macximus (spinach, artichoke, feta and jack cheese) with breadcrumbs

Gilroy Garlic with cauliflowers

Classic Mac with bacon and fried egg

Classic Mac with hotdog, chips, and breadcrumbs

Sephora Favorites: Meet Your Match

Couldn't help myself and bought this set from Sephora. I know I shouldn't have, but it just looked too cute! :(

I also bought something for the mom for Mothers Day coming up. The set was only $25 and you can still buy it here and in the stores. These are all minis of some of Sephora's most popular colors for this season, they're corresponding nail polishes with lippies. Overall, I think it's a really good deal to try out lots of products for a small price.

left to right:

Lipsurgence Lip Tint in Elite. 

Hourglass Cosmetics Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss in Child.

Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Strangefruit.

My favorite has to be the Tarte Lip Tint. The color is gorgeous and perfect for my skin tone. I don't tend to wear nude lips, but maybe I could wear the Hourglass gloss over lipstick. Bite's lip gloss is extremely bright, but quite sheer, so it should be very wearable.

left to right:

Deborah Lippman Nail Lacquer in Girls Just Want to Have Fun (2 coats)

Formula X Nail Color in Invincible (2 coats)

Nails Inc. Devonshire Row Nail Polish (1 coat)

Is it any surprise that my favorite color here is Girls Just Want to Have Fun? It has an almost gel finish, and the color is a bright, reddish coral. The other two polishes are just typical colors.

Don't they look so cute and tiny?!

some samples that came with the order