Although The Future Is A Little Bit Frightening
Maybe you recognize the title of this post as part of the lyric to 'Kung Fu Fighting'. The Kung Fu Panda's version and not the original one, I mean; I kind of look like I was about to present some martial art chops in this getup - fashionably yet cartoonishly, I mean, since my tolerance for pain is probably lower than my 6-year-old nephew's...
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Shah and I almost, almost got to visit a different country that's going through the end of autumn and into winter this week, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. I was really looking forward to experiencing autumn again, but no matter; it's good to be reminded to count your blessings, and I am aware that I've experienced more autumns than most people in my circle, in different countries, so honest to God I know how incredibly blessed I have been in my life.
Sure, sure, I'm in the middle of a humid and rainy season here in Malaysia but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to channel the vibes of autumn in this khaki green tied kimono top and the earthy shades of my scarf. Brings back good ol' memories of my previously experienced autumns fo sho. I paired the top with these crazy "winged" pants - they have this drapes on the front right and back left - that my older sister bought, which she handed down to my little sister, which have now made their way into my closet.
My older sister Fiza showed me a photo of these pants before she bought them to ask me if I wanted a pair and I said, "Um, NO THANKS", because at the time they looked so weird on the model in that photo. I had forgotten about my smug reply right up until I saw my younger sister Rina wearing it one day and asked her "WHERE did you get those pants - I WANT" and Rina answered, "You said you didn't want them", and I realised my grave mistake, guys.
But thank God for sisters - especially for generous ones who are of about the same size and (occasionally) don't mind sharing clothes.
See: This padded jacket I borrowed from Fiza and blazer I borrowed from Rina
By the way, I still haven't met my second glitter sneakers; turns out they're not the easiest to locate, but of course they're not. It's surprising even to me how versatile a pair of glitter shoes can be; I've worn them with a black maxi skirt and with ripped jeans here.
Wearing: H&M kimono top | "Winged" pants from random online store (I say random because there is no tag) | Aldo glitter sneakers
In Retrospect: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Caramel (a.k.a. Favourite Concealer EVAH)
I had a bad round of breakouts happening a few months ago that left me feeling super insecure about going out with bare skin, which was an outcome that I was very much not enthusiastic about. The "real" Liyana behind Affordorable regularly does a complete 180 degrees during weekdays than how she has portrayed her glamorous-self here; it's all zero makeup and wearing the first things she could reach!
My nasty breakout consisted of huge, painful mountainous cystic acne on my forehead. I wish I could have painted you a prettier picture but when it comes to acne, it's quite the impossible task. Now brace yourself: I had FOUR cystic acne in a row, all horribly visible on my forehead, in the space of about three months.
It was a NIGHTMARE.
PS: Feel free to skip the dramatic story of my breakout and head straight to the review of this concealer!
Since I had maintained the same beauty and makeup routines, nothing from those could have possibly contributed to the breakout, but one thing did change in my daily diet: I started adding multivitamin. Remember that "backpacking" post when I was talking about feeling fatigued?
I've certainly taken multivits in the past but for some reason this particular brand's caused me breakouts. I felt totally betrayed like "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER AND WHOLE AGAIN YOU SONOFA-".
Anyway, the moment I stopped taking them, my cystic acne calmed immediately. Mysteriously, since my GP said multivits don't really cause acne - but I supposed I just went with my guts.
Also, I Googled, because I'm a normal person: certain vitamins and nutrient CAN cause individual body to react negatively and give you acne, so that's that.
I was left with ugly scars from the cystic acnes on my forehead and also from little breakouts that happened around my cheeks-and-nose area. I had relied on my MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW35 to cover up akin imperfections for so long because it was the best one I've tried - that is, until I discovered Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer.
Let's break down the good and the bad of Nars Radiant Creamy concealer; I use the shade Med/Dark2 Caramel for my NC43-44 skintone and I have oily-combination skin:
The Good
- Simplicity of the sleek glass tube
- See-through tube allows easy comparison to skin in store (if you're too lazy to try the shades on, which is actually a no-no)
- It looks SUPER NATURAL on the skin. Literally, like it's your skin.
- Blends out really well
- I can layer and layer without it getting cakey
- Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Caramel is an AHMAYZING colour match for me! It is the teensiest, weensiest bit darker, but it's likely you'll hear kittens roar before you find a foundation / conealer that is the exact match for me.
- Does not settle into fine lines
The Bad
- A tad pricey, but ps: it's worth the money
- It has staying power but won't impress, say, Wonder Woman; it stays on throughout the day on my forehead but for some reason not on my cheeks, but it still stays on fairly long
Final verdict: I would a hundred percent repurchase this when I run out of my current tube, and I definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for a great concealer. Honestly, the good outweighs the bad far more. It looks so natural on my skin that there were two occasions in which my friends complimented my "good skin". It's been such a cult favourite for so many for a long time - I know I know - but better late than never, amiright? I no longer feel the need to use my little pot of MAC concealer.
The salesperson in the Nars store I went to initially insisted (annoyingly, may I add) I get the shade 'Biscuit', but I'm so glad I stuck to my guns and went with Caramel. I get that it's a fad to apply lighter coloured concealer under the eyes and whatnots, but I've always strived towards having my made-up skin looking like my actual skin, if that makes sense.
Whatever it is you're looking for, three tips for you: 1) Bring a friend who knows and understands makeup, 2) KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, so trust your own instincts, and 3) If in doubt, wear the two shades you're see-sawing in between on your skin, get out of the store and go into natural light and decide!
It's been a while since I've blogged about makeup and beauty products, but I'm excited to take my blog into that direction again, so watch out for more beauty-related posts!
Have you tried this concealer? What did you think of it? If you have any recommendations for concealers that could rival this, I'd love to know!
Demure Tent Lady For The Day
As a hijabi I always prioritise modesty over everything else, but I feel like I've always added my own flair when it comes to dressing up. One thing's for sure, though; I dial down that "flair" whenever I'm in the company of my family-in-law - especially my parents-in-law. On this particular day, Shah and I went to the airport to do a little send-off for his family members who were leaving for umrah, and I decided to be a demure human tent for the day.
I actually really prize this poncho-like top and wish I could find something similar. It could possibly look drastically different, depending on how you style it - check out how I made it quirkier in Tokyo earlier this year with denim jacket and added loads of colours on top!
Wearing: H&M poncho/sweater top | H&M t-shirt | Zara flare jeans | Zara lace-up flats | Marc Jacobs bag
I Tried The 7-Day Sheet Mask Challenge and Here's What Happened
I know, I know, I'm SUPER late to this game, but better late than never and all, amiright?
My cousin Ira recently recommended two Korean skincare products to me - both of which I'm still testing out - so I thought I'd give my skin some extra taste of the whole Korean beauty shebang by trying out the 7-Day Sheet Mask Challenge that people were going crazy about a while ago.
My verdict: Eh.
I mean, I know that plenty of people are totally hooked to sheet masks, but I'm not sure if I'm one of them. Sure, I'm still using sheet masks even after the seven days but mostly I just enjoy the process of pampering my skin, which I find relaxing. Not so much for the result, though, which was pretty subpar; I did notice that I woke up with my skin a tad more hydrated than usual but there was nothing magical happening.
At least, not to the naked eyes, so I've transited to a twice-weekly sheet mask routine in the hopes that in the long run it could be beneficial to my skin.
My guess is it does matter what seven sheet masks you'd be using for the duration, but since I tried Googling "best sheet masks" and never did find out definitive answers, I decided to use whatever sheet masks that I already owned and topped them off with a few more that looked promising to me. The Korean beauty tip I learned: Use a sheet mask (don't forget to massage its serum into skin after peeling the mask off!) after cleansing and applying your essence and serum, and before the moisturiser, which is the final "sealing" layer.
The seven masks that I tried (not all are in pics):
- Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet Acai Berry
- Neutrogena Deep Hydrating Mask
- LuLuLun Face Mask 7 Days Whitening (PS: I used this exact mask twice in this challenge.)
- Pure Beauty Pomegranate Antioxidant Facial Mask
- B.liv Absolute Matte Clarifying Mask with Active Charcoal Mask Sheet
- Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet Aloe
I don't even think I have a firm favourite out of the six of them but my least favourite is the Pure Beauty Pomegranate one, simply because of its strong perfume-y fragrance. I liked the smell of Nature Republic Acai Berry and was pleased to have extra serum goodness in the bag after getting the mask out. Another tip I learned from this process: Smooth out extra serum from the bag onto your neck, hands, and whichever part of your skin that needs extra moisturising.
I heard that Innisfree masks are pretty popular, so their masks section is where I'll be headed to next!
Are you a sheet mask fan? If you are, PLEASE do suggest your holy grails to me, because I most definitely want to give them a go!
For Manchester United vs Arsenal
Here's what I wore to see the recent Manchester United vs Arsenal match at TGV Cinema on Saturday. Remember this Adidas x Manchester United sweater?
They put on Astro channel 813, which isn't HD, so the quality is pretty crap if I'm being a hundred percent honest. That itself isn't worth the RM 20 ticket but I've got to say, the spirited vibe in the cinema was infectious! I went with Shah, my siblings and cousin (my little brother is a die-hard Gunner) so that made the RM 20 worthwhile, definitely.
Go with a huge crowd of family and friends who support either team - of any live match showing there, that is - and you're guaranteed a good time, for sure.
PS: It was 1-1. A draw. Ah well. At least both parties were happy...? Or equally frustrated, take your pick!
Wearing: Adidas x Manchester United sweater | Kitschen maxi skirt | Adidas Stan Smith | Adidas backpack
A Little Off Your Rocker
It's not every day that I want to go out the door wearing a polka dot cape top over of a long oversized white shirt on top of a pair of culottes, and continue to add polka dot socks and super chunky derby shoes that are not meant for walking, and oh let's not forget that patent black lips clutch.
But when that day comes, and if a similar day comes to YOU - and it doesn't have to be about changing up your outfit, of course; it could be about doing something completely out of the ordinary for you, and going a little off your rocker, like going to a fancy restaurant to eat one huge juicy expensive lobster that you've dreamed about for the past few months, or trying cha cha-dancing for the very first time, or going to see three amazing movies all in that one day -
JUST EMBRACE THAT DAY.
Wearing: Super old cape-top from Asian Avenue, Sunway Pyramid | Sly white shirt | Ciaopanic culottes | Bershka chunky shoes
Men's Plaid Shirt for Women + Ripped Jeans
Have you ever had a morning when your goal was to look cute yet feel comfortable at the same time (and like a pro procrastinator, you didn't plan out the perfect outfit the day before) so you spent one and a half hours trying on about twenty tops, three skirts, four pair of jeans, and mentally combing through your boxes of sneakers, and then still couldn't come up with one decent outfit?
Well, that happened to me on Sunday morning. I reached a point where I had half an hour remaining to dress up, eat, put my makeup on, and drive myself to my parents' house to pick up my mom and my sister - which in my world is quite the impossible feat - so I finally went TO HECK WITH THIS and put on one of Shah's shirts (my favourite trick when I couldn't decide which of MY tops to wear) and a pair of ripped jeans (that was not one of the earlier four jeans I tried on), grabbed a pair of shoes that were not sneakers that kind of match and RESULTS.
PS: I also managed to eat a piece of toast while putting on concealer, brow-gelled my brows, and curled my lashes; the red lipstick was applied in the car.
I mean, I still think I look cute, despite my sister saying "You had 90 minutes and you came up with...this?"
Well, however she feels about it, at least I felt comfortable, which is super important, amiright?
By the way, I picked up my mom and sister a tad late. Told you it's an impossible feat...
Wearing: Polo plaid shirt (men's) | Mitsumaru Emsexcite ripped jeans | Pull & Bear flats | SpRay patched bag | Mango shades
A Little Masculinity + A Whole Lotta Femininity
Basically, the perfect "recipe" for an outfit that's a hundred percent in line with my own personal style.
I started experimenting with androgynous fashion a few years ago. It started with oversized blazers and borrowed jeans from Shah, but obviously it's never been about '50-50'; it's about finding the right balance. I mean, I'm a lady after all, plus I love looking like one, but then I kind of also love borrowing from the boys.
The beauty of androgynous style is it's so easy to find inspirations anywhere and everywhere since it's what we see ubiquitously in the fashion world right now, but how you balance them is completely up to you. Pair and match whatever your heart desires - there is no right and wrong. The perfect amount of femininity with a dash of masculinity. Totally your call. Ruffled tops and ripped jeans. Dresses and sneakers. Sleek tuxedo with stilettos.
Or in my case today, oversized gray sweater with lipsticks-print maxi skirt.
OK, so, I'm a sucker for anything lips-print (some evidences: here, here, here, and here) but lipstick-print I feel is another level. This skirt was originally an off-the-shoulder dress but as a hijabi, I struggled to make the off-shoulder thing work for me so I hacked the top part off (or rather, my regular alteration lady did it) and got a maxi skirt out of it. For some reason, when I came home from the alteration shop, the only thing I wanted to match the skirt with was anything oversized, so once again I "stole" Shah's gray sweater!
By the way, I am uhbsessed with this scarf still. I wore it with my "jammies" to F1 recently, but I'm so ready to keep on mixing and matching it with other outfits, like bring it on, baybeh!
Wearing: Edwin gray sweater (men's) | Mirrorcle lipsticks-print dress-turned-skirt | Adidas Stan Smith | Marc Jacobs bag | Bow & Engel scarf
Draped
If you read the baju kurung outfit post in which I talked a little about the Malay wedding culture, I promised that I would show you guys a picture of the beautiful bride and groom - and I'm going to deliver my promise by giving you this link to a photo of them, which you should totally check out because they're a great example of a good-looking couple.
So a week after the wedding on the bride's side - my side of the family - it was the groom's family turn to host the wedding; the theme this time was a garden wedding, so I went less traditional with my outfit and wore my darling draped caftan dress, which I last wore early last year to a different wedding.
I'll be honest; I wish I had a new outfit to wear (don't I always) but I just didn't have the time to look for an ideal alternative - but anyway I honestly adore this draped dress, primarily because it is SO comfortable on, and it's quite forgiving.
Wearing: Draped caftan dress | Embellished evening bag from Kinji Used Clothing (worn during Eid this year!) | Mango stacked mirror heels
Oversized (and Camera Update!)
I'm very happy that my Samsung camera is fixed! It was just a loose screw that made the shutter get stuck, so I'm really glad it wasn't anything more serious. Shah and I started to get into our stride again with outfit shoots this past weekend, and I can't wait to share them with you!
. . . . . . .
Recently I drove my mom to a routine checkup at the hospital (she's fine, don't worry!), and before we headed back to the car, I spotted this faded, peeling peachy pink wall and immediately saw a photo op. I mean, I was dressed decently enough to warrant some outfit pics, after all (basically the same outfit as the one here, actually!).
It's weird; I was always exclaiming "My mom isn't the best at taking photos" - because she's taken a couple of not-so-great ones previously - and whomever I was speaking to would usually go "My mom is the same, too!", but heck yes my mom proved me wrong that day - she has improved tremendeously!
She took one photo but before I could take a look, she said "Hold it! Your head looks like it's connected to the window behind you, let me take another one."
I was already impressed because she was right; it did look that way. I shuffled backwards again to get another photo taken - et voilà!
It's good, right? Looks like I found another photog to snap me some quick OOTD photos!
Wearing: Zara men's jacket | Zara split-sides top | Uniqlo maxi skirt | Adidas Neo polka dot sneakers | Marc Jacobs bag
*Photo taken with iPhone 5s by my Mommeeyh!
Denim Jacket, Adidas Floral Tee & Layering Pants With Skirt
I'm a gal who first and foremost dresses for herself and for her husband second, but when I was getting ready to go to the Mercedes AMG x Petronas' drivers meet-and-great (Note: Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are baes), I really wanted to look as cute - I mean, as presentable as possible, because I always like to look presentable, of course.
This outfit was really not what I had in mind. I mean, I think I still look nice and all (and comfortable for sure) but if I could have a do-over, I think I'd be in something a little fancier, but yet still casual - you know what I mean? But I had about one hour to get dressed, put makeup on, drive to the train station, and take the train to KLCC, so you can imagine the rush I was in.
But in the end it didn't matter what I wore, because:
1) Shah and I were waiting in line for about an hour when they decided they were done and waved byebye (no hard feelings though; it must be pretty boring to meet and greet a hundred people and pretend to enjoy meeting and greeting Every. Single. Person) so we didn't get to see them in person, but we did have fun watching them race that weekend!
PS: Check out my Formula 1 Sepang outfits for Day 1 and Day 2.
2) On top of me feeling like I look nice and felt totes comfy, Shah thought I looked really cute, and, well, I like looking cute for my husband and all, because I'm normal like that.
I love how the floral t-shirt and the sneakers match although I bought them a whole year apart, which means they couldn't have been from the same collection, right? This denim jacket (last worn here; apparently I like matching it with my pink Bao Bao!) is possibly my most favourite one EVAH but I try not to wear it too often since I worry it would look worn too soon, so it's always a personal treat to wear it! (I can't be the only person who "treats" herself this way, right?)
Since split-side skirt isn't ideal for a hijabi, I layered these striped draped pants underneath it, which gave a peekaboo effect.
So what are you guys up to this weekend? I have two things in my plan but then I could also end up lazing away the entire two days, who knows...
Wearing: Libby Rose denim jacket | Adidas floral t-shirt | Kitschen maxi skirt | Pants from Berjaya Times Square | Adidas x Pharrell Superstar floral sneakers | Issey Miyake Bao Bao bag
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