a letter to my younger self.

Dear me,

You’re 27 years old now. You have an amazing boyfriend who you’ve been with since you were 13. Yeah, him, that guy. Weird right? You ended up with him (thank goodness). Never would of expected that huh? You even moved in together! Experienced so many firsts together and are happier than ever!! You even have your unborn daughters name picked out for when you’re ready to have kids (32 years old is the aim).

You’re working at a dental office, not very happy but making good money to survive and enjoy life. But you want more. You are following your dreams, you are pursuing what you love and that’s beautiful.

You figured out what your calling is. You want to create content, talk to others online and share your creations and thoughts. You’ve built a really nice community online, cool huh? I know you always dreamed about that and it’s finally here.

Please don’t care what others think, please don’t try to please everyone and be like everyone to “fit in”. Be YOU.

You’re silly, weird, shy, awkward, fun, spontaneous self. People love you for that although you seem to not realize it. Because you don’t love you.

Please be happy with yourself, all those features you hate you will learn to love and admire. Your lips! Your eyes! Your body! Your hair! You will embrace it one day and be proud. You will also be proud of your ethnicity.

Grandma passed away two days ago. Please ask her more questions about her life, learn more about the Japanese culture. Spend more time with her. When mom is talking to her on the phone, ask to speak with her. Thank her for being there for our family and for all the memories and continue to make those memories with her.

Spend time with tawny (little sister) be nice to her and have patience with her. Take advantage of her sweet youthful self and admire her innocence. She’s going to grow up quick. Be there for her.

Be there for yourself as well. Love yourself more and don’t be insecure. Everything will work out. You don’t need to have it all figured out now. It’s okay.

Love mom and tell her that more often, express your feelings more, it’s okay to show emotion. She needs to hear it.

You’re going to have a niece! She’s so sweet and kind. Very sensitive so try and spend as much time with her as possible. Play with her and love her. Make memories with her and again, have more patience with everyone.

Get off your phone once and a while. You’re not missing out on anything important.

Don’t worry about the mean girls. Feel for them. It’s nothing personal.

Take more risks, do things that make you feel uncomfortable! I promise you will grow from it. Be honest with others and with yourself. You’re not alone in any of this and others are going through the same thing.

Remember to never give up and to reach for the stars. You know you have what it takes. Take it.

People are going to look up to you and depend on you.

I love you so much and wish I could give you a long hug right now and just tell you everything will be okay. You’re going to make yourself and so many people proud.

Love,

Kara.

Mejuri

I’ve never been big on jewelry. I only keep the sentimental pieces my Mother has given to me. In fact I’ve actually never purchased any jewelry other than some cheap pieces from Forever 21 and H&M.

When I was contacted by Mejuri to try out a piece from their new vermeil shell collection I was so intrigued! Not only have I seen this brand all over social media but I fell in love with their simplicity and classic taste of design.

One thing I love to do when I am contacted by a brand is I love to research the brand and learn about it and its meaning behind it before I agree to terms and a partnership. One thing that stood out to me when I was reading about Mejuri is that they sell directly to us and that they do not deal with a middle man.

noun: middle-man

1. a person who buys goods from producers and sells them to retailers or consumers.

They also work with top jewelers who commit to ethical practices, exceptional craftsmanship, provide quality essentials, and who share the same values. Stated on their site they quote “It is our mission to have women embrace a daily dose of luxury.” I adored that statement and found it to be so thoughtful and sweet.

Also, compared to traditional retailers who do traditional markups, Mejuri handcrafts their pieces with the same top materials and craftsmanship as other top luxury jewelry brands. So you’re basically getting amazing, beautiful, unique piece for an affordable comfortable price.

They offer a variety of materials, 14k solid gold, sterling silver, gold vermeil, diamonds, gemstones and pearls. Also, when you receive your piece you are provided with a small handout on care instructions and information as well as a soft pouch to keep the piece in.

My piece arrived safe and sound and came very quick! It was packaged beautifully with care.

When I opened my package I was amazed by the detail on my piece. They were smaller than I expected which was actually great! The detail on the shell itself was unreal I could easily see the attention of detail that was placed on creating this.

They felt light but not too light. The simplicity of them provide such a great everyday piece.

All of their pieces have such a great everyday style to them; you can either dress them up or dress them down. However, regardless on how you intend to wear it you are given such a timeless class once it is on you. I could literally be wearing sweats and a hoodie and wear these earrings and it will look trendy.

I am so interested in trying out more from this brand. I am a very simple person so having a piece that is simple and elegant allows me to express myself and my style.

I now want to wear more jewelry! After styling this piece I was pleasantly surprised with how much a simple accessory can change an outfit. I instantly felt more put together.

If you are interested in this brand, I say go for it! You will be provided with quality and care.

I want to thank the Mejuri team for believing in me enough to send me one of their pieces from this collection. They did not ask that I review it but I felt like I wanted to as I was so proud to have received it.

Kara

How my skin changed with Curology.

So I have been battling “acne” since I was a young teenager. I think almost everyone can agree they have struggled with it at one point in their life. As a teen it was mild. I got a few hormonal ones on my chin and my forehead. As I grew into a young adult it was more my cheeks and continued on my chin and forehead. I used the usual advertised products on the market like Oxy Wipes, Noxema Cream, Neutrogena Acne Wash, etc. Nothing seemed to work “long term”. These products helped to dry out my acne and provide a temporary relief of it for a short time.

What happens with these advertised products is they basically dry out your skin/acne and kill the bacteria. However, it doesn’t help long term. Once your skin is dry it wants to produce more oil to help basically moisturize it. So what happens is we produce more oil on our skin which then leads to blocked sebum.

“What causes an overproduction of sebum?

Sebaceous glands secrete an oily substance called sebum. … Too much sebum can contribute to several problems, including acne, oily skin, or an oily scalp. Sebum can also become trapped inside the gland, causing it to swell and form a bump under the skin.”

So my skin was fluctuating from extremely dry to extremely oily which really f@#$ked up my skin. As a young teen/adult you’re not really educated with the problems that come with popping your pimples, so I was left with tons of scars and tons of skin discoloration that left me feeling so insecure.

Im sure a lot of you can relate. So fast forward, I am 26 years old. My skincare routine has gotten better. I know more about skincare and what works for me and what doesn’t but I am still breaking out. I almost ALWAYS had at least one pimple. I was tired of it. I wanted to feel confident in my skin and with it being bare.

I kept seeing all over Youtube and Instagram this website called Curology. It intrigued me but also made me extremely hesitant. Usually with advertised skincare stuff they are either trying to take your money with the promise of clear skin in the future as long as you stick to their routine for however long..or they just don’t work at all. So I was very skeptical as most would be.

I did a lot of research. I read a bunch of forums/reddit posts/YouTube videos, you name it I read/watched it. I saw a good amount of people who truly trusted in this brand and its services and I saw a small percentage of people who hated it and saw absolutely NO difference. I was stuck in between a rock and a hard place.

So I took the plunge. I saw that you could get your first bottle FREE, you only had to pay shipping and handling which came out to be under $5. You got the option to try it out and see for yourself if it worked but they did mention in order to see results you had to use the product for 6-8 weeks which definitely isn’t a months worth but whatever.

On their site they make it very easy to order your first bottle. It’s all customized to what your skin needs. You basically take a test and answer a few questions in relation to your skincare needs and wants. Then you take some photos…this was the hardest part to be honest. The thing I am most insecure about I now have to take photos of?! AND send them to some stranger online!? It was scary but I was dedicated and in it full speed.

Sooo…I took some before and after photos.

I submitted them and basically what happens is they have actual Dermatologists review your images and your answers to the questions and they will prescribe you the recommended ingredients for your Super Bottle. They got back to me in I believe two days which was great! She recommended (some of the percentages have changed but the ingredients have stayed the same)

Azelaic Acid4%

Clindamycin1%

Niacinamide4%

She recommended that I use this one time a day at night. Once I received the bottle I was so excited but also so scared because of all the things I’ve read about people purging (tons of breakouts with their new bottle) before things got better. I read that some people broke out MORE than before even! But I was ready. I tried one pump everyday until it was gone. My skin dramatically changed. My breakouts completely went away. Scarring lightened up and my confidence was back. I decided to continue my monthly prescription ($39.99 – delivers one bottle every two months, lasts so long!)

I will admit, I did have breakouts still. Hormonal ones and just here and there ones. BUT I have more days where I do not have a single blemish on my skin and that was my ultimate goal. Also, by my skin clearing I decided to not wear a lot of face makeup which also helped with the clearing of my skin.

All in all, I would actually recommend Curology. I trust in it and this company so much. They have changed my life. I feel more confident and more aware of what ingredients are going on my skin. I feel safe knowing I have a personal Dermatologist who I can contact ANYTIME with concerns. They can alter your prescription and change percentages etc. for what is necessary. They are there for YOU.

Have you guys tried Curology? If so, what results did you get? I am interested in hearing about your experience.

If you are interested in trying Curology for Free (just pay shipping and handling) you can use this link below!

https://share.curology.com/x/X7tdJl

I do get $10 credit by you guys using this link, you absolutely do not need to use it but if you wanna help a girl out that would be cool too.

Hope you enjoyed this. I’m sure I left tons of information out but hey, I’m human. Email me if you have any questions!! I will answer asap.

See you next time.

Kara

how to become inspired when you’ve lost all creativity

I think we are all safe to say, we’ve been there.

When it comes to content creating we have our good days and of course our bad. Now what I’m about to teach you is how to stay inspired when you’ve reached a breaking point.

•Remember your “why”.
Why do you create? Why do you want to provide content for others? Why does it make you happy? Why do you do it?
By remembering your “why” will remind you of the entire reason you do what you do. It will spark a little moment in your mind that will bring you back to the beginning when you were so inspired! It will reassure you to not give up.
•Go on Pinterest.
This sounds blunt and I’ll be honest, it is. Pinterest may not even be a platform you’re with or a platform you enjoy. I was that person. I honestly didn’t care for it and had no clue how to use it and why I needed it. But once I did I was provided with assorted amounts of relevant photos, quotes, recipes, etc. of things I am interested in. Pinterest basically collects all the things you look up and provides similar recommendations to you on your home page that refreshes with every swipe.I want you to go on Pinterest and look up motivational quotes. I want you to look up whatever it is that you create or what sparks your interest whether it’s beauty related, fashion related, food related, anything. I want you to spend a good time in there just becoming involved in all its recommendations and saving things to your board and categorizing everything. Think of Pinterest as your virtual vision board.
I guarantee you will find some inspiration and ideas.
•Stay off of social media.
Yes, I said it. The shameful cliché response.
But really. Sometimes we become so involved in others lives and comparison that we lose sight of who we are and our blessings. Just maybe put your phone down for an hour and go outside, go for a drive, listen to your favorite songs. Just take a break from it all and have some me time.
•Drink coffee.
Caffeine is known to boost your serotonin (aka happy chemical in your body). Yes it may come with a downfall once it’s worn off but it does give you that little push. I always find myself most creative and inspired and ready for the world in the AM while I’m having my coffee.
You become focused and more alert to inspirations and creativity as well. Now if you’re not a coffee drinker then I suggest you have your favorite beverage of choice.
•Find the person/people that inspire you.
You must have someone you look up to or someone who is an inspiration.
Spend some time admiring their work and creativity and allow that to give you hope and determination to stay focused and on track. Don’t look at it as you’re comparing but rather a little voice saying don’t give up.

I hope this helped you. These are a few things I like to do when I am feeling that way and they work and they’ve helped a lot.

What do you guys do when you’re feeling uninspired?

Kara

growth

I recently read a quote “A seed grows with no sound but a tree falls with huge noise. Destruction has noise, but creation is quite. This is power of silence…Grow silently.”

Something about this quote made me feel content in a way. I felt reassured. I felt that all my hard work and strategizing is going to pay off. I wanted to share this with you all because although you may not be seeing results you are on the right direction.

Good things take time, I think we all are aware of that. It’s hard not to feel impatient when you see others doing the same thing as you and succeeding whether it’s brand deals or collabs, etc. We often find ourselves comparing our lives to others, at least I do. It’s hard not to and its okay. I take it as motivation and inspiration to continue what I am doing and to not give up.

If you find yourself feeling like you are not getting any growth just remember that quote. Eventually you will blossom and become successful in what you love and what you are passionate about.

Kara

feeling good

I’ve realized that in order to achieve a positive life you have to start envisioning and setting your mind set in a positive way.

How you perceive things, situations, blessings, failures and more, will ultimately give you the outcome.

For example, if you have a moment of failure and you are thinking negative and taking it the wrong way than the situation will be bad. But, if you look at the situation as a blessing or as a positive thing than it will become positive.

I used to take the negative negatively.

Now I take it with positivity and I think to myself, this is happening for a reason.

This simple mind set has allowed me to live a more positive life and have a more positive outlook.

I hope this helps if you’re feeling down.

jump.

The thing we are most scared to do is the thing we have to do in order to grow.

Do you want to be stuck at your miserable job forever until you’re ready to retire? Or do you want to do something about it and change your life?

It’s ultimately up to you to work hard at giving yourself the best life possible. Take that jump and give yourself the life you deserve.

Are you obsessed with your life?

It’s a simple yes or no question.

Are you? Because if you’re not, that needs to change.

You see we get this one life to live. This is not our practice life we just get one.

And how we choose to live it is entirely up to us. We are told growing up that we can be anything we want. They almost give us some false belief that we can actually be an astronaut or a pop star when in reality we are pushed in directions steered away from our dreams.

We end up pursuing something to make others proud and doing things for them and not for us. Which then lead us to either be content and happy with what we’ve decided on or miserable and tired.

We go through this one life serving others like modern slaves and helping others grow while we grow tired. We come home to not work on ourselves our dreams and end up just living for the free time we have.

We need to stop and break this routine in society and start living for us.

Start doing what we want.

Start growing and building our empire.

We need to be obsessed with our life.

Cause it’s the only one we’ve got.

kara

9-5

I always knew at a young age I was not meant to be an “ordinary person”, and by ordinary I mean; live a normal 9-5 life.

A 9-5 life to me is defined by:

-helping other people grow and succeed in their business by working your ass off for them.

-living for the weekends

-only being able to travel once a year when you’ve accrued time off

-living for others and not yourself

-having boundaries to how you live your life.

I could go on, but the more I write about it the more frustrated I get.

I refuse to live a life like that. Although, currently that is my situation now I am in the process of changing that and so could you.

Now I know a lot of people feel comfortable with the “9-5” because it comes with security and consistency.

But does it come with happiness?

I will further this conversation in regards to what comes from the “9-5” in the next post.

I want you all to really sit and think about what I’ve written and let me know if you are tired of the “9-5”.

Until next time babes.

kara

& so it begins.

Thanks for stopping by.

I am excited to share with you all my inner true passions, thoughts, ideas, creations. I will warn you, I do have have the power to inspire and motivate you if you stay. So lets get to know each other a bit more.

My name is Kara
I love coffee and I love lipliner
I am 27 years young
I am currently on a mission of pursuing my dream life
I live in California
I am new to this blogging thing.
I enjoy skincare, beauty, fashion, style, DIY, raw honesty.

I am both nervous and excited for this journey and where it may take me.

Now, how do you like your coffee?

kara

•Remember your “why”.

•Go on Pinterest.

•Stay off of social media.

•Drink coffee.

•Find the person/people that inspire you.