Summer Vacation Essentials.

The summer solstice is coming up, everybody...it's in 5 days! I know you are all getting ready for summer and planning your weekend getaways or even bigger trips. I, for instance, am getting ready to go on a vacation to Spain in a couple weeks, and I've been planning the essential things I need to take with me for weeks. Whether its an international trip or a weekend getaway, there is always a way to travel in style and I'm here to tell you how!

I've gathered 9 products that are perfect for vacationing smart as well as in style. I'm sure you know that sunscreen is important to take with you on vacation, but do you know which one has the most protection and the least amount of oil? Airports give you paper luggage tags, but wouldn't a stylish luggage tag do a better job of lasting and standing out among a sea of luggage? That's what this post is for...

Without further ado, let's begin our holiday!

1. Do Not Disturb Hat: This hat is the perfect way to lay by the beach and get lost reading a book without being interrupted. The floppy brim is also a good protector from the sun! This hat is a bit of a splurge, but you can make your own DIY version by reading this tutorial here. Or buy the hat here.

Eugenia Kim Do Not Disturb Hat. $219.95

2. Tortoise Shell Sunglasses: When packing for a vacation, space is key! There is no room to take 3 different pairs of sunglasses, nor should you try to find room. Tortoise shell sunglasses flatter every outfit, every color you wear. They are a universal accessory that looks good on almost everyone and matches with literally anything you wear. They are the perfect accessory to take on vacation. Get the pair pictured here.

H&M Sunglasses, $12.99

3. Comfortable Sandals: Let's face it, when you're off to go on new adventures in a new place, its going to be hot and you're going to do a lot of walking so you need to perfect shoe that is ventilated and also comfortable. These Birkenstock sandals are both of those things. I used to think they were really manly shoes, but there are a bunch of new colors incorporated now that make them more feminine and stylish. The arch support on them are also great for those touristy days where you'll be walking a lot. Get them here.

Birkenstock Madrid Birko-Flor Sandal, $69.95

4. One Piece Swimsuit: Bikinis are great for laying by the beach and getting a great tan, but if you're going to a place where a lot of swim activities are available, you're going to want a swimsuit that you won't have to worry about falling off or having an accidental, unwanted body exposure. Get your adventure on with the peace of mind a one piece swimsuit gives. And it doesn't have to be a boring, sporty one piece. This swimsuit's scallop detailing gives it a girly look, while still covering the right parts. Get it here.

Everything But Water One Piece High Neck Halter, $319.00

5. Rose Bud Salve Lip Balm: The summer, in general is really hot and it dries out your skin, including the skin on your lips! Being in airplanes also dries them out. So to remedy this, Rose Bud Salve is one of my favorite lip balms that gives your lips a ton of moisture and shine when you want that dewy summer look. Get it here.

Rose Bud Salve, $6.00

6. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen: Don't learn the hard way...take sunscreen from home when you're going on vacation because everywhere else you go will sell it to you for an insane markup! This Neutrogena sunscreen goes on super light, but protects like crazy. It has Helioplex technology, which protects from UVA and UVB rays, is water resistant, and doesn't clog your pores. Find it in stores here.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 70, $11.49

7. Long Kaftain: Kaftains are the perfect thing to wear over your swimsuit to cover up when you're on your way to or leaving the beach or the pool. This H&M kaftain's print is Middle East inspired and so cute. Get it here.

H&M Patterned Kaftain, $34.99

8. Large Tote Bag: When you are on vacation, you are going to want to have a lot of things on hand. A large tote bag carries a lot of items, perfect for the beach. It can even double as a carry on bag, if it is big enough. This striped tote bag from Forever 21 is a large enough bag with a bunch of tiny compartments inside of it as well. Get it here. 

Forever 21 Striped Canvas Bag, $22.90

9. Colorful Luggage Tag: Have you ever mistaken someone's luggage for yours on the carousel because they all look the same? With a bright, unique, and colorful luggage tag, you'll be able to spot your suitcase right away. This bright Kate Spade luggage tag cannot be missed in a sea of suitcases. Get it here. 

Kate Spade Petula Stripe Luggage Tag, $14.00


Happy Summer!!

NYX Beauty Haul.

Growing up, I was never really taught how to do my own makeup, so I wasn't really into it and my standard go to brand was MAC. Recently, however, I've been experimenting more with my makeup and different brands and I've been watching makeup tutorial videos to learn as much as I can. One brand that has stood out to me is NYX, and it's slowly becoming one of my favorite makeup brands in the business!

Last weekend, I ventured to the Santa Anita Mall in Los Angeles where there is an NYX store. I used to only see NYX as a drugstore makeup brand, but it has been growing globally and fortunately still being sold at drugstore prices! During my visit, I stocked up on different products that I want to share with you all. All of these products have great formulas and really hold their own against department store brands like MAC and Urban Decay.

Here's what I got on my haul!

Strobe Genius Illuminating Palette: Contouring is (apparently) out and strobing is in! What is strobing? Think Jennifer Lopez's beautiful glowing and illuminated face (strobing) vs. Kim Kardashian's sculpted cheekbones and other facial features (contouring). Strobing is creating a glowing look on your face by illuminating the parts of your face that get the most light, like your cheekbones, forehead, and bridge of your nose, and this Strobe Genius palette is the perfect product to do it. I love that it comes with different shades, which can be used for different skin tones. With summer coming, skin tones change in the sun and having the different shades in the palette can keep up with your busy summer lifestyle.

Strobe of Genius Illuminating Palette, $19.00

Here I am rocking the strobe look by highlighting my cheekbones for a wedding.

Prismatic Eye Shadow in Fireball: I've been seeing this copper look everywhere on the red carpet and on celebrities so I really wanted to try it out. I think the bold color would pair well with my fair skin. It's super pigmented so the color remains bold on your face and doesn't go on lightly. It stays all night too! This look on Khloe Kardashian is what inspired me to try out this copper color.

Fireball Prismatic Shadow, $6

Soft Matte Lip Cream in Cannes and Amsterdam: With the recent craze for matte lips, possibly fueled by Kylie Jenner, these lip creams have really pretty matte colors that stay on for hours. The names of the lip creams are of different cities around the world. I like this red color cream called Amsterdam and this pinkish beige color called Cannes.

Soft Matte Lip Cream, $6

Intense Butter Gloss in Black Cherry Tart: Sometimes when I'm putting makeup on, I like to go for a gothic and rebellious look and this Black Cherry Tart color is the perfect compliment to that look. It's a deep purple color that goes on glossy and stays that way. It's more hydrating than the soft matte lip creams too.

Intense Butter Gloss, $6

All these products and more are of great quality and reasonable price. They can be found at drugstores and makeup stores like Ulta, but the most variety can be found at the NYX stores in the Santa Anita Mall and the Sherman Oaks Mall or on their website, www.nyxcosmetics.com!

All'acqua.

Have you ever gone to a Dodger game or a concert at the Greek Theater and came out starving and wondering where you can grab a bite? All'acqua is the perfect place! It's located in the up and coming Atwater Village on the Glendale Boulevard strip, and its Italian name, All'acqua translates to Atwater.

The menu offers Pan-Italian dishes including wood fired pizzas and house made pastas. I went with my girl friend and we love to order a few things from the menu and share them all. It's a great way to experience different things restaurants offer. All'acqua also has a large variety Californian and Italian wines that make this place also great for date nights.

We started off with grilled country bread, which was drizzled with garlic and olive oil. This bread is one of the best breads I've eaten at a restaurant! It isn't complimentary, but for $3, it's a good appetizer.

Next, we ordered the charred asparagus egg fried in bread crumbs and topped with shaved Parmesan cheese. This was by far my favorite item on the menu! The asparagus gives the dish a fresh taste and the cheese and bread crumbs give it a comfort food feel. I couldn't get enough of this.

I'm a huge pasta lover, in fact it's probably my favorite thing to eat, so I had to try one of the house made pasta dishes. We decided to try the spinach and mushroom pasta. The sauce on the pasta was really light, which was nice since we were eating so much. You can taste the freshness of the pasta, which was cooked perfectly al dente.

All the wood fired pizzas on the menu looked so delicious. My girl friend is a little picky with what she eats, so we had to compromise by ordering the prosciutto and arugula pizza. The pizza was fairly large and since we ordered so much food, I was only able to eat one slice. That one slice, however, was amazing. Somehow cooking pizza in a wood fired oven gives it a certain flavor that can't be beat.

We couldn't end the meal without dessert, of course, so we ordered the Bombolini. They were Italian donut holes covered in a Nutella sauce and paired with vanilla gelato. The gelato was super creamy and the juxtaposition of it with the warm donut holes was perefection. It's the most popular dessert on All'acqua's menu, so it's a must have!

Next time you are looking for a night out at a local trendy spot, check out All'acqua in Atwater Village and make a night of it by visiting one of the many surrounding bars after your dinner!