HOW TO: TRAVEL IN STYLE

Happy Friday jetsetters!

It’s about that time for many of us to start traveling for spring break and in a couple months—the summer now that the semester is coming to a close (thank God). As for myself, I’m flying to Chicago early tomorrow morning and decided to give you guys a travel guide because I know packing can be stressful, especially if you pack last minute or if you’re like me & have a habit of over packing (oops). But in my defense, I go to sleep with a bomb outfit picked out and wake up wanting to wear a hoodie so ya girl has to be prepared (am I right? Lol). I also make a tentative itinerary of locations and eateries with their address to make the most of my trip which helps me decide what kind of look

STOCK/RE-STOCK

Regardless of where I’m going, I have a basic list of essentials in my notes I need for almost every trip and I adjust it according to where I’m going. A week before I leave, I like to go ahead and stock up on whatever I am running low on that will also be coming with me on my vacay. For example, the past three weeks I’ve been extra low on concealer and moisturizer. Knowing I was going on a trip, I didn’t bother running to the store every time I ran out of a beauty essential this past month and made a trip to Target to stock up on my drugstore favorites on Sunday. Of course, it’s totally optional to restock your skincare and beauty essentials right before a trip but I always have some replacement lying around that I use and I always like to go get everything all at once.

*TIP: Don’t forget to pack a small bag of medication such as painkillers, Zantac and any other medication you may need to toss into your purse. It will save you the hassle of running to the drugstore should you get sick!


 CHECK THE WEATHER!

This is so important and surprisingly—many people forget to check the weather of where they’re going. Oftentimes, they will assume what the weather is like (i.e. Florida is always sunny) but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. As soon as I confirmed my hotel and flight, I checked the weather for Chicago and unfortunately, the windy city has been bipolar, leaving me confused as to what to expect. At first, the 10 day forecast said it would be snowing, a few days later it changed to freezing rain and as of late it’s a mix of light showers and sun in the mid-fifties (talk about roller-coaster!).

READY, SET, STYLE!

Now that you have stocked up on anything you were low/out of and have checked the weather, you can start to plan your outfits. I like to stick to a basic guideline of “types of outfits” when I travel and it has never failed me and leaves me room to pack various options and styles. 

For starters, you need a comfy airport outfit (depending on how long your flight is and whether or not you’ll be able to check into your hotel as soon as you land). This is important because most check-in times are at 3 pm and if you have a red-eye flight (like I do) you want to be comfortable for the flight yet be dressed enough to be able to start site-seeing or going out to eat when you land.

Depending on the number of days you’re on vacation, you want to follow the 1 casual/1 slay rule. You may be doing an adventurous activity yet going to a fancy dinner spot at night so having both options for each day is always helpful. Be careful following this rule in order to avoid over-packing. For example, I’m gone for a total of 4 days and 3 nights so I packed 3 casual outfits (not including my airport one) and 3 dressy outfits with a variety of shoes and tops I can interchange with my casual outfits. After all, wearing an outfit two different ways and folding everything neatly will save space in your suitcase! 

Pack pieces that you can wear alone or layer. Layering with a long cardigan, kimono or trench coat will allow you to take it off/put it on throughout the day should the weather fluctuate and again—add variety to your outfits, allowing you to pack lightly yet stylishly. (#score!)

As you can see, I laid out all my shoes, jeans and blouses in separate piles and made outfits with the appropriate shoe and accessory. If I liked the way it looked, it was lined up on my bed so by the end of all of my outfits—I could see what kind of colors and different styles I had (taking out and adjusting whatever style that was too repetitive). After the first 2-3 outfits, I started using only tops or layering pieces (sometimes a different jean) and matched them to clothes already in the pile I planned on taking. That way, all the clothes could be worn more than one way. I took pictures as I went for the purpose of this blog post, but it actually helped my sister & I coordinate outfits so that her suitcase could be filled with whatever else that didn’t fit in mine. (We wear each others clothes so technically—I had two suitcases to work with ;) although she did pick out some looks only she planned on wearing).  

Since I’m in school I almost never get to wear my collection of heels so I fought the urge to bring them all and settled for a nude, neon & floral heel to bring a little something extra to my casual outfits. I wore my white all-star converses to the airport so my bag only had three pairs of heels. My sister wore my combat boots and since the weather is predicted to be cold-ish – we’re prepared for whatever weather Chicago throws at us. Not to mention, the combat boots will give an edge to any of my casual outfits versus my converses.

GLAM ESSENTIALS

You didn’t think I would skip this section did you? Lol, so I don’t recommend travelling with all your makeup because God forbid your luggage gets lost or worse—if you’re entire glam bag was in your suitcase… ouch. 

Living in the South, I don’t need moisturizer as much as I would in a windy/cold city so my CeraVe lotion was the first thing I threw in my beauty bag followed by a toothbrush and toothpaste. Make sure you have only your needed skincare essentials—do not take your entire vanity with you. A simple face cleanser, makeup remover wipes and some Mario Bidescu Drying lotion will do the trick for a few days. Even a small face mask packet (since airplanes tend to dry you out).

 Take your routine makeup, applicator/brushes and one eye shadow palette that can create multiple looks. Since I shower at night to let my hair naturally dry (and since most hotels have blow dryers) I only packed my straightener and 32 mm NuMe wand to create different looks throughout my trip. If you’re staying somewhere for an extended period of time, I wouldn’t bother lugging a bottle of shampoo and conditioner. I usually drop in the closest drugstore and pick it up in the city I’m vising (some hotels will give you bottles on the daily too).

I took some pictures of how I packed my suitcase below—hopefully this was helpful! I took my big Kate Spade bag to hold my laptop, DSLR, phone chargers, wallet, etc. as well as any small items that could get lost in my suitcase (i.e: extra hair-ties, bobby pins, painkillers, etc.)

xo, Rasmin

My Skincare Secret!

Over the past couple of years, the #1 question I've gotten has been "how is your skin so clear?" 

I smile and begin chatting about the shortened version of my very long skincare journey.

We all know that as you age, your skin will change. The texture, the amount of acne, 

wrinkles, the tone, everything. But I figured I'd share my ongoing skincare journey 

because what I've been doing has worked for my skin. And to be quite honest, I never thought 

I'd see the day of my skin being as clear as it is-- my skin used to be that bad. 

I think I was about 16/17 when I started getting huge acne cysts all over my face. Granted, since about 6th grade I was dealing with acne but the more I aged, the worse it got. Nothing I did was working and eventually my mom took me to a dermatologist to explore further options. I've been on a number of medicines to tame the acne that took over my face, prescription and topical ointments alike. Before I went to a dermatologist, my pediatrician recommended I try birth control first. To sum that experience up, I hated it and would never ever recommend birth control to anyone. I gained so much weight and the hormones made me feel crazy- not to mention, it did absolutely nothing for my acne. So I trashed the birth control pills and went to visit a dermatologist. The first dermatologist I went to put me on doxycycline. & Like all treatments, it takes time to see results- but I was a teenager who desperately wanted clear skin so at the end of that 3-6 month treatment cycle, I was over it (& i honestly hadn't noticed a change). I switched doctors and the next doctor said I should get back on doxycycline, reasoning with me that I wasn't on the course long enough. Frustrated yet determined, I went back on the same medication for another 6 months except this time, he gave me a topical treatment called clindamycin to use all over my face at night before bed. Now this worked on my acne but even with the lotion and prescription antibiotics, my acne never truly went away. It would just get smaller, make me feel like my skin was "getting there" and it would get worse all over again. So one month I marched into his office and told my doctor, "look, I want to try something else, I've been on this before and it's not cutting it." That's when he told me about Accutane. 

Basically, you had to take 1 Accutane pill (once or twice) a day (mine was twice a day at first and later on, once a day) and after a year, your acne would not only be gone but gone forever. I looked at him like why didn't you/anyone give this to me before?! but then he handed me a book of side effects, mentioned I had to get my blood drawn every month to keep tabs on my liver, etc., the cost, and that I had to go back on birth control. You absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, get pregnant while on the medication (or even a year/two after) (i think) because of the harmful birth defects (which is why this treatment is mostly used by teenagers or young adults not planning on having babies anytime soon). 

I had only heard bits and pieces about this medication from two of my friends that were currently doing the treatment. But I saw the results they were getting, negotiated with my doctor about the birth control (he still had prescribed it to me because without it, they won't dispense the medicine, but i just never took it, vowing to not get pregnant and he trusted me). 

Fast-forward 3 months later, my acne was the worst. I knew that with the medicine my skin would be excessively dry & that my acne would get worse, better then disappear. But man did my skin look bad- the worst it has ever been :(. I tried to cover it up with makeup but because my skin was so dry, it did more harm than good. I remember crying during my AP Chem class, regretting and questioning why I decided to get on the medicine, feeling so low about myself. 2 months later (5 months total) it started to go away and I felt relieved. A year later, my skin was flawless. Every now and then when I eat terribly and it's that time of the month, I would get the occasional breakout but it would go away. 

And when I use these skincare products, the little acne I do have, is gone in 1-3 days max. This is the short version of my Accutane struggles, so if you're considering talking to your doctor about it and want info about my side effects and their severity- please feel free to e-mail me, I'd be more than happy to provide more details :). 

Now my daily skincare routine is this simple:

AM: Wash my face with Bioré Cleanser, Apply CeraVe moisturizing lotion.

PM: Wash my face with Bioré Cleanser, Apply CeraVe moisturizing lotion & Olay Regenerist Serum. Apply Mario Bidescu Drying Lotion wherever I have small/big acne bumps on my face (details on how to use: here-- this is a MUST have). Apply Aquaphor to my lips because I'm always using matte lipsticks the next morning.

Disclaimer: Please remember that everyone's skin is different, what works for me may not 

necessarily work for you but I hope this helps nonetheless. I mentioned some of the prescriptions and ointments I've tried to provide a little background but do not try to order them online without speaking to a doctor/dermatologist first. Also- just between you & I, ordering drugs off the internet should strongly be avoided anyways lol.

1 Outfit:2 Ways-NYC Edition

A Day in NYC-1 Outfit:2 Ways

Whenever I go to New York City for a full day, I often struggle to figure out WHAT TO WEAR! Recently when my SIL was visiting, we went to the city for the day to meet up with my brother. The weather was actually pretty perfect but in the evening, it became slightly windy. I wanted to wear something comfortable, causal and stylish (of course!) ;-)

I grabbed my favorite pair of leggings + favorite pair of brown booties. When walking around the city the entire day, you never want to wear super high heels and uncomfortable shoes (In my opinion at least)! These booties from Forever21 were ACTUALLY oh so comfy all day! Ha!...& I threw on this H&M lacy and flirty loose fitted top to give the outfit some chicness. I decided to grab my faux leather sleeve blazer (also H&M) to wear in the evening as it automatically added a sophisticated look to the outfit. During the day, I wore another H&M piece, a long cardigan...which kept me warm & it was super comfy & bohemian! 

Adding bright colored lips with the blazer look added to the evening look. 

All outfit details and links (if available are listed below). If you create a similar look, please share with us and hashtag #TheLipstickPantry :)

xo- nilma

Top: H&M Similar here

Long Cardigan: H&M similar here

Blazer: H&M Similar here

Boots: Forever21 Here

Cozy in Chambray

I swear, the weather in the East Coast has been on the edge of "bipolarism". LOL. But today I was not complaining because it was in the 50's! Nice weather + Sunday called for a cozy brunch down the street with my husband and friends. Lately I haven't been buying a lot casual or fancy clothes due to the fact that all I ever spend money on these days are: gym clothes, airplane tickets, and groceries. Lol.

No new clothes = find your fav pieces in your closet and make it work! When I have no idea what to wear, one thing that I often grab is my jean jacket or chambray shirts. The fun thing about chambray is that you can style it in SO many ways that if you wore it every single day for the entire week, but styled it differently, I bet no one would even know it was on repeat the whole week haha.

Though it was in the 50s, the sun wasn't out so I knew I had to dress cool yet slightly warm too. I decided to be casual with a hint of feminine. I paired my shirt with a loose fitted skinny belt and some light faux stretch leggings. Since my mind-set is still in winter mode, I wore some ankle boots. I threw on my favorite jcrew necklace to give the outfit some life. All outfit details and links are down below! Share what looks you create with your Chambray and tag us on Instagram #thelipstickpantry

xo, nilma

Necklace: Jcrew. here 

Chambray button down shirt: Target. Similar here and here

Skinny Belt: HM

Boots: Forever21. Here

Bag: Steve Madden from TJ Maxx 

Leggings: HM 

2015 Beauty Favorites!

Hi beauties! As we leave 2015 behind us and embark on a new journey of adventures in 2016, Nilma & I wanted to share our top beauty products, makeup and skincare alike. Finding products that really work and are worth the investment can be frustrating, especially in a vast market with so many new products to try. Personally, as someone who previously struggled a lot with acne, I am picky about what I will put onto my skin; whether that is makeup or my daily skincare routine, because I worked hard to get the skin I have now and it took me years to get here. Now, my skin isn't perfect, I still get the occasional breakout and have acne scars (the worst) but nonetheless I hope this is helpful for you all when you're deciding what products you have heard about-- but aren't sure if they're worth it.

-rasmin & nilma

Rasmin's skin type: I have dry combination skin. In the winter, my skin gets so dry 

(which sucks because dry skin = faster aging) yet during the summer I will get slightly oily around my forehead and cheekbones. Also- what you eat will have a huge impact on your skin and where you will break out! Personally, when I don't drink enough water and eat horribly / late at night :(

examples of what NOT to eat: Excess sugar (candy, ice cream, chocolate)

 Caffeine (coca-cola, coffee)

Greasy foods (french fries, pizza- the good stuff lol) 

Junk food (hot cheetos, nachos)

*When I feed my body all that good bad stuff, my chin, my cheeks, nose- they retaliate. So if you are struggling with acne constantly or even every now & then- avoiding these "trigger"foods will help tremendously!

Nilma's skin type: I have mildly oily combo skin. Many times I have to use "oil free" products on my face...otherwise I'll have clogged pores. By the end of the day the areas that get the most oily for me is my forehead & side of my nose. And as Rasmin stated above, what I also eat play a HUGE role on how my skin looks weekly. Dairy for me causes dullness + breakouts (do I still eat it sometimes? Of course lol). I struggle a lot with hormonal imbalances which effect my menstrual cycle as well as my skin & hair...so for me, it is very important to eat whole/real foods. I drink about 2.2 liters of water per day and I don't drink coffee or soda..never have so I guess the habit or cravings never set in.

examples of what to eat:

Protein (fish, chicken, lean meat)

Unprocessed/Whole foods: (Spinach, Arugula, Kale, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, olives... etc.)

Lots of water throughout the day (This bottle HERE keeps my water intake on track daily)

Fruits (berries, bananas, oranges--my favortie are the little Halos lol)

Complex (aka "good") Crabs (Brown rice, Quinoa, Sweet Potato, Beans, Ezekiel Wholegrain Bread, Barilla Protein Plus pasta)

*I also try to avoid eating deep fried foods, which often cause cystic type of acne on my face. Stove top, pan frying, or baking are the methods I often cook my meals.

Rasmin's Favorites:

Skincare: 

CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion (here)

   - Oil-free, dermatologist recommended, super moisturizing for all skin types. I've used this since high school and 

Panoxyl Foaming Acne Face Wash (here)

  - Used to require a prescription & is now over-the-counter; has 10% benzyl peroxide for fighting acne however it will dry your skin since it is strong so moisturize with the CeraVe! I only use it when my acne is terrible and needs an extra dose of medicine.

Bioré Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser (here)

            - Love. This. It smells good & lathers perfectly. Contains 2% salicylic acid to fight acne but I  wouldn't use just this to combat acne. I use this morning/night. If I have makeup on, I use this the first time to remove my makeup and another 1/2 pump to cleanse my face. It's never  irritated my skin either.

Mario Bidescu Drying Lotion (here)

             -Holy Grail this has changed my life- the top contains salicylic acid and the bottom pink is camomile lotion. Do not shake. Take a Q-Tip and dip it straight into the jar and dot wherever there is acne (even if you "feel" a bump coming) and leave it on overnight. Within 1-3 days depending on the size, it will be gone. 

Olay Regenerating Serum (here)

             -I stole this from my mom and my skin is so so soft after using this, the pores near my nose have minimized significantly. I use a dime size before bed, after my moisturizing lotion. I also have started using it as a "primer" before my makeup because it makes my skin soft and haven't noticed my makeup looking differently/oily. Oh & it has a good "clean" scent!        

Glam: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit (here)

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in "Sand, 20" (here)

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Stromboli (here)

MAC "Soft and Gentle" Highlight (here)

MAC "Give Me Sun" Bronzer (here)

MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ (here)

Nilma's Favorites:

Skincare: L'Oreal Paris Go 360 Clean Anti-Breakout Face Wash (here)

-This face wash has been my go-to wash for so many years now! I don't use the scrublet that is comes with. It is so light on your skin but yet cleans your face so well. The anti-breakout one DOES have silicic acid in it to prevent breakouts. 

             

 Clarisonic Mia 2 Skin Care Brush using sensitive skin brush knob (here)
-My holy grail. I have used this brush for a few years now. We've had a love/hate relationship in the past but now it's nothing but love once I realized how much my skin loved it. I only use it on days I wear makeup. It deep cleans my face to prevent any pores from being clogged. I use the sensitive skin brush with it. 

Boscia Make-up Break-up cleansing oil for removal of eye makeup (here)
-I don't like to use makeup removing wipes for some reason (unless I'm traveling). This amazing stuff removed my mascara and eyeliner in a zap! 

Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer (here)
-I used to not use SPF on my face until recently (I know..I know...that's bad). My skin will get clogged so quickly with SPF lotions so that is why I never used it...until I found this little gem that has SPF AND is OIL FREE! Perfect for my skin type!

             

Glam: Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in "Honey" (here)

  Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in "5.5" (here)

Ben Nye MediaPro Compact Powder in "Banana" (here)

Too faced Endless Summer 16-hour long Bronzer (here)

Dose of Colors Review!

Colors: Desert Suede, Mood, Cork

happy saturday beauties! 

i haven't done a makeup review in forevs so i'm pretty excited to rave about this new brand i've wanted to try for awhile now. Dose of Colors started off with matte liquid lipsticks and eventually branched into lip glosses, highlighters, lashes etc. I just ordered 3 of their matte latest liquid lipsticks: Desert Suede, Cork & Mood. Desert Suede is a mauvy nude whereas Cork is a red undertone brown (so many brands are releasing browns like this lately- I can't complain because i love the color!) Mood is the perfect vampy color, I don't need to layer a lip liner or a another lipstick to get a deep maroon stain on my lips. Basically I'm in love. They are a vegan, cruelty free brand. The packaging is sleek, the colors are gorgeous (& pigmented) and more importantly, they are comfortable. I've sampled some liquid lipsticks that swatch beautifully but half an hour into wearing them- I find myself reaching for chapstick or a napkin to wipe it off because its beyond drying.  I understand "beauty is pain" but my lips feeling like a dehydrated desert- not cute. However, I barely feel these Dose of Colors Liquid Matte Lipsticks on my lips. They glide on easily, dry within minutes and look amazing. They retail for $18 so they're little on the high end but quality makeup is worth it (also i haven't found a low-end liquid lipstick that i've loved yet). 

I've attached some selfies of each lipstick as well as swatches so you can see how they swatch as well as how they look on my skin tone. I only need to apply one coat because like I mentioned earlier, they're pigmented and creamy however they take about a minute to dry. No lip liners were used.

p.s: I only have swatches of Desert Suede, not a selfie because the photo had poor lighting but will take one soon and update it on here so you guys can see how it looks :)

-rasmin, xo

"Cork"

"Mood" 

"Desert Suede"

(from left to right) Mood, Cork, Desert Suede
taken in natural light with no flash/edits

(from top to bottom) Desert Suede, Cork, Mood

Cork, Dose of Colors

Cork, Dose of Colors

Mood, Dose of Colors

Mood, Dose of Colors

Jaclyn Hill Palette x Giveaway! (closed)

happy humpday beauties! I've had this drafted for awhile and it's The Lipstick Pantry's first ever giveaway and we are so excited! Across all of Nilma & I's various social medias, we have an outreach of about 2,000 of you lovely people and are forever grateful for each person that has supported our journey! I just got off the phone with Nilma and we both admitted to a blogging/YouTube dream back in 2010 but were always too nervous to make it a concrete reality.

Four years later... ;) #betterlatethannever right?

As some of you may have heard, Jaclyn Hill and Morphe teamed together to release a palette with 28 of Jaclyn's favorite shadows from Morphe Brushes. We are also throwing in a Kiko contour kit! There will be two winners. The first winner will receive the Jaclyn x Morphe eyeshadow palette, second winner will receive a Kiko Contour Kit. 

the rules are simple:
1. like our Facebook page
2. follow our Instagram
3. repost the photo below on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter with the hashtag #TLPgiveaway
(if you don't have 1 or more of these social medias, it's okay. instagram is preferable since posts are easier to find)



there is no limit as to how many times you may enter
all rules (1, 2, & 3) must be followed to qualify as one entry (repeat rules 1-3 for more chances)
a winner will be selected on Jan. 31, 2016 using random.org.

A mini review on the Jaclyn x Morphe palette: Some, not all, the eyeshadows are pigmented. For the most part, the shimmer and matte shades are the prettiest. Although with a primer and fix+ spritz, the colors come out beautifully. I have attached some swatches as well as a selfie of the makeup look using this palette. I apologize if the swatches weren't as sharp and in focus as they could've been but it was pretty difficult to swatch and hold a DSLR at a decent distance to take these lol.
These are completely unedited so that you can see the natural colors.

^ this warm shimmery orange... love

^this purple though.. yasssssss

^ this orange/gold matte & shimmery shade right next to it = life

KIKO mini contour kit, 2nd prize

products used:

eyes: various shades from the Jaclyn x Morphe palette
lashes: Ardell (wispies)
liner: Mayeblline Gel Liner
lips: MAC Whirl
brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills
contour: Anastasia Beverly Hills
concelear: NARS (custard)
foundation: NARS Sheer Glow (stromboli)

Crispy Brussel Sprouts

Four words you don’t often see together: mouth-watering BRUSSEL SPROUTS (haha). 

After having multiple failed attempts at wanting to love Brussel sprouts, I finally discovered an amazing & delicious recipe! The secret ingredient: Coconut Oil. If you are not a fan of coconut, don't let this scare you away. Give these mouth watering crispy sprouts a try and I promise you that you'll add these babies to your next family dinner!! 

-1 bag of Brussels Sprouts

-Any type of garlic seasoning (I use Flavor God Garlic Lovers seasoning) 

-Garlic Salt (optional---I skip it sometimes)

-Unrefined Coconut oil 

-Oilvr oil cooking spray 

-Red chili flakes (optional)

-Large mixing bowl 

-Largr oven safe trey 

-Oven pre heated at 400 Degrees

STEP 1: Wash, dry & cut the Brussels Sprouts in half

STEP 2: Throw in large bowl and add about 1-2 tablespoon of coconut oil

STEP 3: Sprinkle in your garlic seasoning as well as others that you might be adding (optional garlic salt & red chili flakes) 

STEP 4: Use your hands to mix! This will allow the thick pasty coconut oil to mix well. (My oil had melted because of the stove heat while I was cooking other stuff so I just used a wooden spoon to mix)

STEP 5: Spread on to a aluminum covered (Lightly sprayed w/olive oil) oven trey

STEP 6: Bake on top trey for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.

*Let some pieces on to brown to add some crispiness! You won't regret it! Enjoy & please tag us if you give this recipe a try! 

Xoxx--Nilma