Fine Shine

I was so fortunate to shoot with my beautiful friend Nicole Busch again. She is immensely talented so definitely go and check out her work here. Anyway, I thought I would post a dressier look which happens to feature a lot of my favorite pieces from my wardrobe currently. The skirt that I am wearing is actually a midi skirt that I purchased around this time last year. For this look, I rolled it up at the top to make it the length that I wanted. I am really loving turtleneck sweaters at the moment and this little black number is from Urban Outfitters. That pink furry bag I am wearing pretty much explains itself. I mean, what is not to love about a fluffy baby pink cross body? Black pointed pumps are such a closet staple and the ones I am wearing here are from Steve Madden. I just got my hair cut again and I am still absolutely loving the shorter length! The vampy lips can be attributed to Rebel by MAC. 

As this year is coming to a close, I just want to thank anyone who has ever read or viewed my blog! This site is such a positive outlet for me and it is always so nice to receive nice feedback about it. I really look forward to seeing where Life on Lotus takes me in the new year and I am already so inspired to post a lot of exciting content. This year, I started putting a lot more of myself into these posts and some of my thoughts come directly out of my journal. I have enjoyed sharing more of my opinions and feelings on here and I think this blog has slowly started to become a more accurate depiction of who I am. Here is a final thank you for reading and further inspiring me to do this and I will see you in the new year. Have fun and stay safe. 

xx Michelle

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A quote to guide you into the new year ~

"And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." - recently read in The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 

Cleansing with oil?

Oil cleansers always seems a little contradictory to me. I mean, you typically cleanse your skin to remove the oil your skin has built up so the concept of using oil to remove oil seemed a little odd. I am always dabbling into new skin care products and I have now developed a decent understanding of cleansing oils. I stuck with some lower end options, but both higher and lower end brands offer similar products. The two I tried were from The Body Shop and Garnier. Both look and feel like an oil, but they smell lovely and lather up slightly when you rub the oil between your hands. The oil consistency really helps remove all the makeup on your skin and I even use it gently to remove my eye makeup, including my waterproof eyeliner. From what I have gathered, cleansing oil is just a very nourishing alternative to cleansing. It cleanses your skin and leaves your skin supple once you're done. I still like to do a quick wash with a normal gel cleanser once I finish with this, because it does leave an oil residue on my skin after. Because of that, it does seem like just an extra, unnecessary step sometimes. But when my skin feels irritated or dry, it is nice to remove my makeup with something more nourishing opposed to just using a gel cleanser or makeup remover. I think cleansing oil is great for the winter months or for anyone who experiences dry skin - it will clean your skin while the oil puts moisture back into your skin. I recommend both the Garnier Nourishing Cleansing Oil and The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil. Both are great quality and affordable, especially if cleansing oil is new to your skincare regimen. 

 I am still very much a beauty product junkie, so I am definitely making a mental note to write more of these types of posts. 

Hope you enjoyed.

xx Michelle

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Grey

The world is not simply black and white - it's extremely grey.

I just keep running into this idea when there is no right or wrong answer to anything. What is the "right" way to go about dating someone? Grey. What is the answer to social justice issues? Grey. What is the solution to all the material covered in my women studies class? Grey. This is sometimes really frustrating for me when I am looking for a particular answer, yet I also find it somewhat comforting. These "grey areas" are open for interpretation and there is always a different, perhaps better way to approach something. It is also quite comforting to know that there isn't really a wrong way to do something, you just attempted one of the methods possible in this vast "grey area" and you can always try again. 

In regards to this outfit, I think this look directly parallels my thoughts and feelings as of lately. I also dressed this way in response to the cold and rainy weather we have finally been given in Southern California! I think we all needed it...the lakes and riverbeds, our over-worn sandals, and our sanity. The grey chunky knit is from Urban Outfitters. We have been given sweater weather, and Urban Outfitters has responded people. The dark wash denim is my new favorite pair from Zara and the hat was thrown on because I didn't feel like washing my hair. The glorious boots are by Stuart Weitzman, which I have already featured here and here. 

I have learned so much in 2014 and I look forward to more lessons and experiences in 2015. You will be reading a lot more from me in the new year as well! Hold me to it. 

xx Michelle

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Songs on repeat lately: Afterlife - Arcade Fire. All of nostalgia, ULTRA by Frank Ocean. I Forget Where We Were - Ben Howard. Dreams - Fleetwood Mac. 

Pajama Pants

Finally, pajama pants are now acceptable for everyday wear. I have been crazy about printed pants for a while now but finding the right fit, feel, and print is key. I was graciously given these pants by eShakti.com, a website that offers customizable clothing. Finally, all of us who feel we are the in between with sizes can confidently order something off the internet. Regarding the fit and quality of the pants, I have no complaints. They are not see through in the slightest - aka I can wear my bright pink underwear proudly, like the obnoxious nineteen year old I am. I customized the height to fit me perfectly and the drawstring detailing at the top is nicely done and makes the pants immensely more flattering. The pants are definitely a statement piece so I paired them with staples: a basic black crop top, my typical black structured bag, and my leather mules that still confuse some people. The sunglasses made me feel cool, which is one of the most important qualities I look for in a pair. 

Brief discussion of some thoughts~

I do not think I am compatible with accounting. 

I recently realized that the full body mirror I have hanging in my room is slightly warped and makes my body appear thinner than it actually is. This is my first finding of blissful ignorance, because I do not need to know the actual appearance of my body because all that matters is how I feel about it. It's easier to write that out than to actually convince myself of it. 

"If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do." If I am so incredibly insignificant, then there is validity in what I do just because that's what I do. I have to believe this. 

That is all for now. Hope you enjoy! 

xx Michelle

Use the coupon code "lifeonlotus" for 10% off your order on eShakti.com

Photos by Justine Solan.

Smock Like

I am finally catching my breath and posting these photos. This school year, I am finding it difficult to even organize my thoughts. I know challenges force you to grow, but I feel like every time I get my head above water a new wave comes over and forces me under again. For everyone who actually knows my life, I am probably just being dramatic. But I am trying to really add more of my thoughts and opinions into these posts. I know it may just seem like I take some photos of my outfits, but standing in front of a camera showcasing my very insecurities makes me feel so incredibly vulnerable. Yes, this blog is an outlet for me to express myself, but it is also another challenge for me to grow and accept my body and mind. Moving on from that rather lengthly introduction, let's discuss my new university style must-have.

In busy times, the smock dress prospers. On my college campus, I have seen so many girls sporting this seasons Brandy Melville hit, the t-shirt dress. These types of dresses - the shapeless, patterned dress that you just throw on and don't have to think about, are the best thing for class. Do you know why? They are so simple to style and it makes it look like you tried to plan your outfit for the day. The reality is, I woke up 10 minutes before class and threw on a dress and a pair of booties. To subsidize for the lack of fall weather, I have been sporting a darker fall lip color. This dress I have been rambling on and on about was purchased from Urban Outfitters. My boots are the infamous Jeffrey Campbell Everly booties that I overwore last fall.

Now I am sharing some of my inspirations through internet links - content I have really enjoyed watching, listening, or reading. My beautiful friend, Hannah Renee, released her very own album recently and this is one of my favorite songs of hers. With fashion month having recently come to a close, check out this Paris Fashion Week Travel Diary by Chriselle Lim. It's a dream. Clueless is one of my favorite movies and Lisa Eldridge is one of the most admirable women in the make-up industry, so of course I was excited to see her do a "Make Up Moment" on Alan Friedman's work for the film.

That is all I would like to discuss for this one! Hope to talk to you soon. Thanks for reading.
xx Michelle

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Photos by Justine Solan.

Repurchased Beauty Items No. 2

This will be my second post in the "Repurchased" series. If you missed the last one and want a little briefing of what exactly I am discussing, check out "Repurchased Beauty Items No. 1" here. 

The first product I would like to discuss is the Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil bronzer, emphasis on the shade Milk Chocolate. This has been my go-to bronzer for a while now, more preferable than NARS Laguna and Benefit Hoola in my opinion. This bronzer is matte; I much prefer matte bronzers opposed to ones with shimmer. Another preferable quality is the consistency of this bronzer - it is so easy to blend and is the least bit "muddy".  However, the real reason why I claim such love for this product is because Too Faced took us pale girls into account when creating  a "Milk Chocolate" shade in the range. For pale skin tones, bronzer can sometimes be too difficult to wear everyday. Since purchasing this, I have not gone a day without adding some subtle definition to my face. The Milk Chocolate shade is perfect for paler skin tones because it is not as dramatic of a contrast than others. I also think this would be a nice bronzer for newbies to the contouring world. With the lighter shade, you can get just as nice definition, it is just more fool-proof. Did I also mention this bronzer actually smells like chocolate?

Next, I would like to proclaim my love for the Anastasia Brow Wiz. I know I sound dramatic over here, but seriously this brow pencil has changed my eyebrows indefinitely. I actually had the pleasure of getting my eyebrows done by Anastasia Soare this past spring and she had used the brow wiz along with an excellent brow shaping to transform my face. Your eyebrows truly do frame the face so I think it is important to give them some definition and make them stand out a bit. Because the brow wiz has such a thin point, I find I am able to mimic actual hairs when I am filling them in and I am able to go around the edges to give them more natural definition. 

The last product I am not going to take too much time to explain because I am sure I have previously raved about it in multiple posts. To sum it up, Jack Black's Intense Therapy Lip Balm is one of my favorite lip products ever. It technically is men's lip balm but I have been using it for years. The consistency is so smooth and leaves my lips moisturized and soft. My favorites are the Black Tea & Blackberry, Shea Butter & Vitamin E, and the Mango & Mandarin scents. These have been a favorite of mine for years and I cannot recommend them enough. 

These products truly do hold a special place in my make-up bag. Hope you enjoyed. 

xx Michelle

Till Next Summer

Just as a little update,  a new outfit and beauty post will be up here shortly. For now, I am leaving you with some photos of this past summer. You treated me well, but I have already moved onto the next season. Till next summer.

Photos taken in Chicago, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and San Diego. 

xx Michelle

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