Ya, so I drank way too much during the winter and spring lockdown in Toronto. I ate too much too. Depression and boredom got the best of me, who else can relate? A lot of people I am sure. It’s something that I admit I’m not too proud of, but it’s been a hard year for me. Being unemployed and single took it’s toll. But since the spring of this year I’ve been trying to take back control of my life and turn things around…the world is finally opening up and a glimpse of normal is in sight. Toronto is now re-opening, I have job and love prospects again, and the summer time is just so beautiful! The flowers, the sun, the birds…the breezes. Can anything be better? I think not. After the horrible year in isolation we’ve had, it’s time to drink not out of sadness or boredom…but let’s lift a glass to celebrate better days ahead!
I created a delicious drink recently that I wanted to share. It’s refreshing and cold for the summer, and a little bit fruity with fizzy bubbles to delight. It’s also very pretty in colour and low calorie too. It only requires 3 ingredients that are pretty easy to find. First of which is sparkling water with a bit of flavour. I like the AHA, or Bubbly brand of sparkling water, and any fruit flavor will work just fine (i.e.. peach honey, pineapple, watermelon..etc.). Then we need frozen mixed berries, find this in any grocery store, and a nice brand of gin! Here it is, my recipe for the best summer drink ever:
Gin Berry Fizz, By Me!
1 can or 355ml of fruit flavoured sparkling water (any fruit flavour or water brand will do!)
1.5 oz. of gin
1 big handful of frozen mixed berries (I use a blackberry, blueberry and cherry mix, yum!)
Put a generous amount of frozen berries in a high ball glass. Add the gin, then fill to the top of glass with the sparkling water. And enjoy! What I like about this drink is that it’s very refreshing, not too sweet, and eating the berries at the end really compliments the herbal botanicals such as juniper in the gin. Try it today!
Over the years I’ve sported many hair colours. As a naturally dark haired Asian woman, I’ve always been fascinated by any hair colour other than black since anything other color was always tricky to acquire. It required chemicals like ammonia and peroxide to lift my dark hair so that other colours could be seen. And even then, black hair generally lifts to a horrendous reddish orange; not an easy colour to cover up. Black hair is beautiful, shiny and deep, but for the me, the desire of having a colour of something else less ordinary was constantly in my mind.
In highschool, it was boxed dyes and over the counter concoctions of brown hair that I aimed for. But the results from boxed dye were barely noticeable, yet rendered my black hair a little bit more fried and red looking,. It wasn’t until much later on in my life that I dared to play with bleach lightener on my hair and take a dabble in “toning”, a part of being blonde. But I felt I always had to go back to black. It was hard to constantly be a different colour. I did have a phase where I sported more fantasy colors like a purple, by lifting my black hair and then adding a sheer purple color on. Over the years I have written many articles about changing hair colours, but it wasn’t until I went to hair college and learned professionally how to lighten hair, that I really dared to go all blonde and stay this way. I now am pretty much permanently sporting a light blonde all over hair colour and touching up my roots every couple of months or so.
Some links to past posts I did about hair colour (I really did like to play around a lot)
I do like being blonde. The saying blondes have more fun may be true…but aesthetically speaking, I feel it suits my pale skin tone and compliments my small eyes, and small face by not being too striking in darkness to compete for attention. Blonde hair has a way of fading away into the background and letting face make-up have a say. Also, I love the way lighter hair can support more delicate shades of colour that on darker hair would be unnoticed. For example silver blonde looks much different than sunny blonde but it is just a few tones clicks away on the scale. Also being blonde and Asian is very unique and lets me escape the mundanity of standard black hair that I was born into. Despite blonde hair being an uber sexualized hair colour in culture, there is power in embracing this beauty ideal when in an attempt to break the negative stereo types that come with it. Blondes are not dumb. I actually feel very smart and accomplished when light haired. It gives me a reason to speak up and project the way I wish to be perceived. I want to express that women are more than the sum of their parts; i.e. the colour of their hair or skin. We should be defined by our character and actions, much more so than our physical appearance. Having control over how one is physically perceived is very powerful because of the freedom of choice it presents.
This is how I maintain a blonde colour at home (I went to hair college, so I don’t actually recommend others to play with lightener):
My roots have grown in. Bleeck. I don’t mind this look, but any longer than an inch of dark hair looks too unkept for me!!! Time to touch up my base.
I don’t recommend doing this at home, but I’m a professional, so it’s ok! It is tricky not overlapping previously lightened hair, especially at the back, which is why I experience breakage from time to time. I have to carefully apply lightener on my base twice to lift it to yellow.
Not done yet. My roots are lifted to my max level, but it’s the wrong tone. Don’t that shade of banana! My next step is toning. I like to wait a few days to let my hair rest. Then I apply a demi permanent hair colour in an ash base to get rid of the warmth. I boost the toning power by adding a violet dye to the forumula! It’s complicated to colour correct properly, so again, leave this to the professionals.
Tada! All done. This photo is actually taken a few shampoos after toning, so some of the excess color has washed off. I like to over tone my blonde hair so that as it washes out, the colour stays even…I think my blonde colour is like a silvery beige. I really like how soft and natural it is. Like maybe I was born with it!
The worldwide lock down has brought my spirits down as well. Physical distancing has bound everyone to their homes hiding or imprisoned; letting one’s appearance go is sadly is the new normal daily life. No hair or nail salons, no spas or gyms…basically no beauty allowed. And with myself being in the beauty industry, I’ve been unemployed for six weeks now. I’m so bored with my inner thoughts and no amount of youtube, disney + or netflix can distract me from myself. I’m trying not to gain a ton of weight during my unemployed home times, and I’m basically living day to day wondering the necessity of pants. This is a dangerous time. I wanted to find a way to make social distancing more bearable. So what better than to share some glamourous full face make-ups suitable for happier days. These make-up looks I have designed are useless during the lock down, but give me something to look forward to wearing post covid, when all eyes may be on myself and the beauty of others!
Plum Smoke Romance:
I originally did this look for valentines, and I liked it a lot for the flirty sultry aspect. Plum is also a lot more inviting and interesting than the usual charcoal/grey smokey eyes.. So here is how to get it…
Prepping the face…for this look, the less shine, the better. everything has to be matte and smokey. That includes the foundation, concealer and powder. I will even do my eye shadow base in a matte nude color.
Define and fill in brows: pretty standard in all make-ups actually.
Find a matte plum eyeshadow and sweep it on the whole lid from eyelash line all the way to the brow bone. Smoke out and deepen the plum with a charcoal violet shadow for a second coat on the entire eye lid.
Using a soft eyeliner, line the top lid and smudge the line with a dark shadow to blend and set the liner. Use that same shade for the bottom lid and line the outer corners of the eyes.
Two coats of mascara always, and falsies if desired. Blush is optional for this look and I kinda prefer without.
Carefree and smokey. I have dark days too.
Playboy Bunny Neutrals:
I made this look one Halloween when I contemplated donning the iconic playboy bunny costume. The elegant body suit with stockings, bow tie, ears and tail. It’s pure feminine prowess at it’s best. The make-up for this look is a glam relies heavily and a retro cat eyeliner and shimmering nudes and taupes and goes well with any going out outfit.
Foundation and concealer as always. Concealer is particularily important for a flawless matte complexion. Add powder generously.
Fill in brows bushy and fluff them up fully!
Matte shadow base all over top and bottom lid. Shimmer eyeshadow just on the bow bone and inner corners.
Dark shimmer taupe shadow in the crease. Shimmer nude in the main center upper lid. Line with black pencil. Set the pencil line with a dark shadow, black or brown…outline the bottom lid with a bit of the same dark shadow (just the outer corners)
Do a dramatic cat’s eye liner with liquid liner.
Add two coats of mascara and falsies of desired.
Use a matte blush on the cheeks.
Finish with a red lipstick matte or gloss.
I do like to be girly sometimes. What better than to don a neutral glam look.
Ice Blush Princess:
If one could be the fairest in all the land! Magical and fancy, pretty yet cool, behold the ice princess make-up. With ice pinks and plenty of dewy glow it’s a grown up way to show off baby doll pink.
Moisturize the face with a non greasy lotion: This looks best when the skin is highly mosturized. Cool shimmery colors show every crack/crease on the face when it is too dry.
Foundation and concealer or brightening serum under and around the eyes is key to achieving that flawless glow; use face powder lightly to set. Finish brows with and filler and fluff aiming for a natural definition.
Shadow work: Neutral non shimmer eye shadow base on top lid. Shimmering highlight shadow on bottom lid and inner eye corner and brow bone under the brow. Blend lightly with a blending brush. Dark mauve pink for the crease, and cool true pink shadow for the main lid area, Blend.
Black eye liner tight lined to the upper lashes. Smudge the pencil line with charcoal gray shadow to widen and smoke up the line. Use the same gray shadow for bottom lid line (just the outer edges)
Double coat of mascara. Falsies if desired! Spray with a dewy setting spray for moisturizing to take away any remaining powdery look!
Ice pinks are so subtle. But hopefully my shiny color palette is visible here.
So which look is the most glam and fitting for me? I like all three and am happy to have been able to try out these looksduring these sad times of having no reason to get dolled up and be glamorous. Hang in there…beauty will reign supreme again some day.
Dreamy Reveries: a journal of make-up and fashion 