weird dancing

in MVs, i love it. my current aesthetic is Yonezu Kenshi slip sliding through the city.

check it out

click for good vibes｜breathy vocal jams

For vocal inspiration, some of my favorites in different languages; paying particular attention to phrasing, breath, and tone. Best listened to in peace and quiet; rainy weather optimal but not necessary.

Through the Night – IU | Free – Deniece Williams | Beauty and the Beast [cover] – Aoi Teshima | Can’t Love You Anymore – IU (With. OHHYUK)

 

daily staple | Heimish Aqua Tone Up Cream review

Summer is in full force and I can’t be bothered to wear anything more than sunscreen and Glossier’s boy brow most days. That, and I have declared personal war against foundations. I have dry skin and mild keratosis pilaris—most foundations/concealers just don’t sit well on my skin. I expected that tone up creams would hit a nice middle ground for me by brightening and evening the skin tone while allowing skin to retain a fresh, bare sort of look. Unfortunately, all of the tone up creams I’ve tried so far also do not seem to work very well on dry skin; they are stiff, streaky, and pill endlessly.

But I finally found it! This is tone up cream perfection. It has a smooth, moist texture that’s easy to spread and does not cause pilling. With it, you can achieve a fresh but not overdone look without the fuss of making a product sit right on the skin. Definitely my sort of product.

I was online trying to restock on moisturizer when I came across it. I found myself putting it into my cart after reading ad-copy from the brand that specifically stated that the product adheres well and resists pilling.

I didn’t think much of it after that until my order arrived.

| Heimish Aqua Tone Up Cream |

Product claims/information:

• Brightens and nourishes (multi-function)
• Hydration with a light finish
• Moist texture spreads thinly and easily for a smooth application
• White-based natural tone up can be used for all skin types and genders
• Dewy, water-based glow
• Adheres well to the skin with minimal transfer

Ingredients:

Unfortunately, the full ingredients list is not available online yet, and I was stupid enough to throw away the outer container before taking a picture, thinking I could always look it up later. I’ll update as soon as I can find it. Some of the key ingredients include cactus stem extract and maltodextrin (hydration), glutathione and vitamin tree extract (brightening), and buddleja extract (antioxidant/skin conditioning). It also contains niacinamide and does not contain ethanol, for those who are concerned about sensitivities.

Other notes:

• Has skin care capabilities and can be used in the place of a regular moisturizer.
• Can extend makeup wear if used as a base.
• Can be used at night as brightening care/moisturizer.

On a whim and without much expectation, I applied it one day after my skin care and sunscreen. The silver tube comes in an interesting plastic cylinder case and looks like it should be toothpaste. I squeezed out a dime-sized amount of product, which actually ended up being too much. A little goes a long way.

The texture is slightly more watery than one would expect from a tone up cream. It spread easily across my skin, and though it was slightly streaky at first, blending gently with my fingers gave an even, smooth finish. It seemed to put a veil over redness, discoloration, and pores without looking chalky. In fact, my skin looked hydrated rather than powdery and dry. The skin-feel of the product is moist, but lightweight.

I’ve been using this on a semi-daily basis for almost a month now. I feel like it plumps up my skin whenever I use it, and these plumping effects seem to last until I cleanse my face at night. There is a mild, flowery sort of fragrance, but it has not been irritating in the slightest on my hyper-sensitive skin. Heimish claims that it can replace your day moisturizer, but I think that would depend on skin type. It is more than enough for oily/combination/dehydrated skin types that lack hydration, but it does not have the lipids and occlusive ingredients that are crucial for those with dry skin.

It wears fairly well throughout the day without too much bunching at the sides of my nose, which is crazy because not a day goes by in Japan lately where we’re not all sweating our faces off! I did note that applying too much does encourage the product to settle into creases, so I am careful to apply only a little bit to the eye and nose area.  I also pair this with the (other) love of my life, NARS radiant creamy concealer, when I want a little more coverage. It seems to work well with other foundation/concealer products because it leaves minimum residue on the skin.

Happy camper 🤗

i like to bite | editorial motion piece

My sister is studying graphic design at Art Center and rendered one of my written pieces into a visualized motion piece and zine. I put lipstick on and play with tulle for the majority of it.

ー

i like biting things.

he’s driving. sometimes he threads his fingers through mine and lifts my hand to his lips. they’re always cold, so he warms them, leaving little kisses trailing down, so i copy him. i pull his arm a little bit until it tucks right under my chin and plant my lips on the fleshy side of his hand opposite his thumb.

my teeth come out. i bite. not hard, but enough to satisfy some stirring within me. i feel at peace.

he snorts a bit, but never really complains, fingers flexing between mine.

he drives beautifully divided, one hand on the steering wheel, half his mind on the road.

hikari.

motion piece by skimarts.

late summer jumpsuiting 🍋

Before I got married and moved to Japan, my lovely bestie and college roomie Ren and I went to a swanky new mall in Buena Park called The Source. The place is still somewhat under construction, but the part that is completed is replete with geometrical architecture, trendy shadows, and lemon yellow walls.

We grabbed a bite to eat—ice cream stuffed taiyaki—and shot some outfits on a whim. My main outfit was decidedly summer-y (OC can get hot!) and I never got a chance to post these before, so I figured now’s as good a time as any. For evening chill or to transition to cooler weather, throwing a lightweight jean jacket on adds some fall sensibility to a summer piece.

I’m still really into this jumpsuit by Reformation. I just wore it on our recent honeymoon trip to the onsen resort town of Shirahama (travel tips and vlog in the works!). Linen in dreamy, muted colors like oatmeal, dried rose, and heather gray are giving me life for the tail-end of summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reformation jumpsuit | Gucci jacket (vintage) | Madewell heels

photos by Ren

march 10th

We got married on a rainy day in March, in a small church located in the suburbs of a fairly affluent—but in more of in the artsy-low-roofed-bungalows vein than business-oriented-American-dream vein—town in LA county. About a month later, we flew out to Japan with three suitcases, still unaccustomed to the feeling of wearing our wedding bands.

We’ve been in Nara for three months now, riding the waves of newlywed life and my visa application process (My husband is a Japanese native; I am a pale SanDiegan). Now that we’ve settled down, my hope is to update this blog more frequently.

Our wedding was a simple, frugal affair. Among the median $30,000 weddings that are the norm in LA, my husband and I wrangled our budget to about $7,000 total. We did almost everything by hand and were lucky enough to have the help of our wonderful church friends and family. From the photography to the decorations, it would not have been possible without them.

And while some say a woman’s wedding is the end of singlehood and therefore necessitates going out with a bang, had I a choice I would do it the exact same way again. As a Christian couple planning on doing an international move with the goal of eventually starting a ministry, we did not have much to spare in terms of finances, and we were able to save quite a bit of money. But more than that, through our wedding, we were able to see how loved and valued we are, and to see how the communities we had been pouring in to were 100% willing to rally around us and bless us.

Also, it rained, but that kind of just lent itself to the overall mood of the day. Rain is chic.

Photo dump below!

photos by Miku M.

just jeans & white tee

If I could, I would probably live in this outfit for about 90% of my life. The rest of it would be spent wearing flouncy, knee-length dresses and pretty bralettes under kimonos. I was watching Vanity Fair’s feature of Matthew Gray Gubler—the one where he shows off his house—and he literally has a kimono closet full of kimonos in different patterns that he just wears around the house. And I was like, that is my goal in life, to have a kimono closet so I can wear kimonos around the house.

Before I get too far off tangent, back to the outfit I would live 90% of my life in. My sister is in graphic design (studying, also freelancing) and she was working on a few summer projects that required some shooting. We set up a little makeshift studio in our 2-bedroom by pulling the IKEA fold-out couch into the bathroom and setting up a white backdrop in the living room. These shots are preliminary shots we shot on my camera goofing around; they seem sufficient for an outfit post.

I literally walked into the shoot without changing. My sister had called me short notice, so I had hi-tailed it home from the eye doctor knowing we were running out of daylight for good natural lighting. I didn’t have any time to change into something a little more editorial-worthy, so you see me here in my natural state; if you catch me on any regular day I’ll probably look like this—awkward, hair a little messy, a bit of lip color, jeans and a white tee. And socks too, I wear socks around the house. Judge me all you want; my feet get cold. PS, Madewell jeans are love.

 

Madewell Perfect Summer Jean in Fitzgerald wash | Theory white tee | Black silk tank |Lively mesh bralette in black | Adidas Superstars

Proverbs 31:25

Art District wandering in heels

Saturday was an i-don’t-want-to-wear-anything sort of day (we all have those, right?) I threw on some white and some black and my trusty heels from Everlane and decided I was good to go. Off to the arts district!

I’ve been living in silk tanks these days. It’s an easy, delicate look, and feels like a breeze on your skin. My jean jacket has “smile” monogrammed on it in navy—a mantra of sorts for the joy of the Lord within me. It’s pretty much slouchy perfection. I got coffee on the inside of the sleeve at Groundworks, but that’s kind of what I love about white denim. It bears all of life’s marks.

White jean jackets tend to look a little like doctor’s whites on me, so I’m careful to offset this with something a little less starched and more feminine. Loose chinos, block heels, and a silk tank did the trick. Another good tip with white on top is to go casual–jeans and beat-up sneakers are equally as nice.

Walked around arts district. These heels are everything: comfortable, walkable, the perfect balance between boyish and feminine chic. There are always models and bloggers snapping shots around here. Made it to Little Tokyo, grabbed some matcha ice cream and lived in my whites a little bit. I think I’m getting better at this whole “look into the camera without derping” thing.

 

on: Everlane Chinos in black | Brandy Melville cami |Madewell OS jean jacket in Tile White | Everlane day heel in nude

Proverbs 31:25

form & function | Dagne Dover Landon Carryall review

It’s great when pretty things are also functional. I think function has a lot to do with beauty. When God creates, He gives things (including us) specific, unique purpose, and I think this intertwines with the concept of beauty. Form & function, hand-in-hand.

Ever since graduating from uni and starting work, I’ve been looking for a good work bag. My UO tote, while beautiful and rather aesthetically pleasing, was not really cutting it in terms of function because all of my things, both big and small, would get undeniably lost in the Mary-Poppins-bag-like void. I did a lot of fishing for things while carrying it. Half of my time was spent trying to locate my keys at the gate of my apartment complex while angry hordes of people (in my mind) lined up to wait behind me.

I had my eye on the Dagne Dover tote for this reason, but I never ended up buying it purely because it was a little bit too much price-wise before I started working. Recently, after another round of frustration with my UO tote, I took a look at the site and discovered the 365 collection: chic, monotone bags/pouches designed for daily use in a fuss-free neoprene. Without hesitation, I snapped up the medium Landon Carryall in Onyx (black) as well as the large Hunter toiletry pouch in Storm (navy).

This is probably one of the best purchases I’ve made to date. The Hunter pouch is amazing in its own right, but today, I’m sticking to the Landon. Let me explain, using the aforementioned form & function formula.

FORM

The medium Landon Carryall is about the size of a large satchel/duffel, and has a really cute duffel shape that can be unbuttoned for a more tote-like shape. The neoprene fabric and monochromatic details lend to a sporty, sleek look that makes even someone mildly awkward like me look really, really cool. The coolest way to carry this is using the two shorter handles, hooked over the forearm. The two shorter handles or the detachable cross-body strap can also be hooked over the shoulder for a hands-free, comfortable carry. The Landon (& the whole 365 collection) is also wonderfully non-gender specific, meaning that it looks spectacular on both men and women. For size-reference, I’m 5′ 3″ (pictures below)!

This bag goes with just about everything, including my summer uniform (button-up & jeans). This is a must for work bags because, in all honesty, I can’t be bothered trying to think about whether or not my outfit matches my bag every morning.

FUNCTION

Nothing gets lost in this bag. For starters, it has a roomy, slot-like pouch in the back that neatly accommodates my iPhone 6S Plus with room to spare. I also like to slip a lip balm in here for immediate access. The zipper opens easily to reveal a roomy interior (that can also be expanded via the unbuttoning feature!) containing a laptop compartment (up to 13″ in the medium size; my 2016 Macbook Pro 13″ fits snugly), two side compartments, and a front zipper pocket. To top all of this off, it also comes with a key-leash, a small mesh-zip bag for electronics and smaller articles, and even a zippered shoe bag.

I’ve easily fit all of my daily needs into it—laptop, light sweater, makeup bag, notebook, pen case, wallet, phone, keys, glasses, water bottle, extra pair of shoes for walking, lunch (yes, I pack). I’ve even been able to successfully pack it for overnight travel, as it has enough space to hold a change of clothes (although if you want to use it primarily as an overnight bag, I’d recommend the large size). And, of course, since everything has a designated pocket, nothing gets lost. The easy task that comes with owning this bag is remembering which pocket is for which object.

As if that’s not amazing enough, it’s also incredibly light. If you jam pack it with a lot of things, it will have decent heft, but the bag itself is super, super light. Did I mention that it’s neoprene? As in, hand-washable, water-repelling, super flexible? In fact, I just cut some corners and threw it in the wash an hour or so ago (sorry) because I spilled leftover pasta all over it (oops). It came out sparkling and good to go. The website recommends hand-washing though, so I can’t exactly say it’s okay to throw it in the wash like I did (again, sorry). I love that this bag is ready for action. I can toss it around, plop it down on the ground at restaurants or at the office, take it on outdoors-y excursions; it definitely is a 365-days-a-year sort of thing.

These pictures were shot on a whim while randomly wandering around Pasadena. I was kind of like, “Eh, why not?” and my Landon was like, “I’m ready whenever, and fabulous always.”

 

 

 

On: 

H&M shorts // Cotton On button up

Dagne Dover Medium Landon Carryall in Onyx

Steve Madden sandals

This review (rant?) is not endorsed by Dagne Dover in any way. I simply really, really love this bag! 

– HIKARI

Warm-weather Skin Care Favorites

When I think of the summer aesthetic, the word “glow” immediately comes to mind. SoCal residents are known for a beautiful, bronzed beach glow, but a healthy glow looks great on every skin tone. The Korean term for this lit-up look is 광 “gwang.” The most covetable glow (속광 “sokgwang”) is created from keeping the skin healthy. I’ve grown into this approach to skin care as a Korean American, and I’ve realized it’s purely foundational. Like, makeup is optional (fun, self-expressive), instead of necessary (covering flaws, dependency). In my own experience of it, skin care is more in the realm of health and well-being than enhancement. Also, I’m um, minimalist (read: lazy), so I like things that are not fussy but still effective.

Here are my three summer loves! Well-suited for warmth and sunshine.

1. Exfoliate! Dr. G Brightening Peeling Gel
   
   Peeling gels are all the rage in Asian skincare, and for good reason—gommage peels have all the non-abrasive qualities of a chemical exfoliant but tend to be a little less heavy-handed in terms of exfoliation. Exfoliating increases skin turnover, lifting away dead skin cells that make your skin look dull and interfere with proper skin balance. Exfoliating well (but not overdoing it!) helps skin regulate itself and also aids in better absorption for a healthy glow.
   I have absurdly sensitive skin, and I have no problems with this gel from Dr G. Dermatologist developed, this gel has a slightly medicinal, tea tree scent and is soothing and refreshing on the skin. Rubbing gently onto damp skin unglues dead skin cells, helping skin turnover. This gel does not increase photo-sensitivity like some other chemical exfoliants may. (Recommended use once a week for dry/sensitive skin, 2-3x a week for oilier skin).
2. Super glow-charging nutrition. LJH Vita Propolis Ampoule
   
   Okay, this stuff is legit. It lives up to the hype and more, despite being extremely expensive. It’s an extra-potent ampoule (skin care with super concentrated ingredients) that contains over 40% pure propolis—antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant rich—and other amazing things like sea buckthorn extract, niacinamide, and 3 types of vitamins. It’s incredibly versatile and not at all finicky; it absorbs quickly with minimal tackiness and also mixes extremely well with essences and creams. The bottle is tiny, but two drops either under or mixed with my moisturizer goes a long way. It not only keeps irritation and acne at bay, but it also quickly fills my skin up with much-needed nutrition. My skin isn’t absolutely 100% flawless because of this (let’s face it, I think this is an unrealistic goal), but it’s smooth, healthy, and radiant. Other ways I love to use this (courtesy of glowrecipe tips): mixed into sunscreen or BB cream, or dabbed onto cheekbones and eyelids for a natural looking highlight.
3. Hydrate often! Benton Honest TT mist
   
   Hydrating/moisturizing is key to keeping skin balanced and healthy, but the last thing I want to do in the summer is weigh my skin down with heavy layers or oils. I don’t even want to wear my cushion on most days. Mists are my best friend in the summer! Benton’s TT mist is great (aside from reminding me of an overplayed K-pop song) because it’s non-irritating and has no fragrance—it’s just a cooling, hydrating boost that’s easily applied throughout the day, even over makeup. It contains a safe concentration of tea tree water (also antibacterial) to soothe. This one travels with me everywhere. Tip to using a mist well: Spritz and pat. Dampen the skin, then gently pat/press until it’s all absorbed.

The last thing, which kind of goes without saying for someone who grew up in a Korean family like me, is to wear sunscreen! Even if you prefer a little color via the sun in the summertime or already have beautiful, richly toned skin, protecting the skin before seeing the sun is crucial for preventing spots and premature wrinkles from collagen breakdown. Sunscreen that is marked PA+++ actually inhibits skin darkening. For those who are after that gorgeous, bronzed look, I recommend a PA++ sunscreen.

Easy-peasy glowy! Here comes my lazy-ass summer. Hehe.