Be My Nude-y Valentine

Nude (adj): a hue of unveiled beauty that illuminates in natural light. 

-VerbalClouds

I find extraordinary beauty in things that are raw and genuine. Nudes don't conceal; they enhance, soften, and have a soft shimmer. Being extremely pale, I used to think that I would look like a zombie-girl before I started discovering my own selection of nude hues. Nudes have various shades from flat beiges to delicate peaches. Being on the cool-toned end of the pale flesh spectrum, my skin naturally blushes when I wear peachy nudes or soft orange pinks.

Soooo if you were scared of nudes till now, I think I just saved your life. If you're pale but cool-toned try something with a touch of peach and soon, you'll find your skin falling in love with nudes (and I'd be the genius match-maker). Of course, here are some of the things my picky hands gravitate toward on a daily basis:

Benefit High Beam
Benefit Cream Shadow - R.S.V.P
Innisfree Gloss - Natural Nude
Etude House Nail Polish
Dior Creme de Rose
The Face Shop - Nude palette

Luv, 

Christy with a Y.

Cozy Textures

My ultimate survival tip for the winter : Layer up in cozy fabrics that make you feel like you're still in bed. 

As you may know, I am obsessed with placebo effects (def. feeding your mind spoonfuls of pixie dust).  I know it's incredibly hard to drag yourself out of your sheets to get dressed during the winter time. It's always in the morning when you realize that your bed is the perfect temperature for another deep sleep. I used to wish that there would be a snow apocalypse or something so that I didn't have to leave my den. So as always, I came up with a negotiable resolution.

Layer up with cotton, sweaters, knits, and faux fur. Start with the softest, thinnest materials first so you don't end up looking like a snowman once you've layered up. Uniqlo has these insanely silky thermal skin tight tees that will maintain your body temperature. Then, the knits or sweaters. You won't feel the itchiness since you already have the silky thin layer beneath. Top it off with a sturdy jacket that still has some shape. Make sure that you're still in your element; you need to feel comfortable, practical, but - this is going to be cliche -  stylish in your own special way. Once you've mastered the layering, you'll feel like you've never left bed this morning.

Cheers to placebos.

Winter Lips

Can we just stop and stare at my tulips for a second? I never knew they faded into such a perfect orange -ish yellow color at the tips! They remind me of the berry-orange cream popsicles I went crazy over as a child. 

I'm loving the gentle nude and berry hues for a polished and delicate look on a daily basis. Every morning, you'll find me mulling over which lip I want for the day. If I feel particularly bold, I put on the dark raspberry color from Tony Moly and you can do some serious layering on with this if you want an intense look. The Lancome Rouge in Love in 220M is probably my most used casual nude lippy because of its soothing and hydrating texture (NARS- Biscayne Park is more of pamper lip for me). Party Proof in the shade Dusk till Dawn is the perfect hazy don't-care nude with more of a brown base. Really good for complimenting both dark and light skin tones! 

What are your go-to lips colors? 

Color-Fully Positive

So I have this weird thing about me when it comes to getting ready on a rainy or gloomy day. I gravitate towards more colors the gloomier it is. In other words, I wear my solid whites and blacks on a nice sunny day and then when it rains, I take the rainbow out of my closet. I guess it's a way of tricking my mind into thinking that I'm happy despite the oh-come-on-mother-nature kind of weather.

Now I never, I repeat n-e-v-e-r used to wear any yellows. In fact, I was actually scared of wearing any yellows because I thought it made me look like a lemon head. But long behold this sleeveless velour sweater was the first one to make it into the yellow category in my drawers. I think it was the material that intrigued my anti-yellow senses. I also love the way that it has both a pastel yellow and a bright strong yellow mixed together. The structured shoulders were also pleasing details. 

 I mean, even though it's probably is a mind trick, why not use it to pump in some endorphins into a muggy day? I know that it's been working for me ever since I decided to make up this crazy placebo. 

So why not be the happy one? After all, happiness is contagious.