I am by no means a beauty or skincare expert nor do I have flawless skin (who does? Let's talk!). I just thought I'd share the skincare routine that has been working for me so far. Who knows, maybe one of you may find it useful if you have combination skin like me.

As you can see, they're not at all from the same brand as I'm a rebel like that. Lol. No, not really, it just happened to be that the products that worked best on my combination skin are from different brands. So let's get on with my reviews of these and why they worked for me. Be warned that this post will be long!

of coconut oil coffee and why i strive to drink it daily

The first time I've encountered an article about coconut oil coffee, I admit I was a little bit skeptical. I've gone from adding cream and sugar to drinking it all black but I've never heard of any type of oil being added to coffee. But I was willing to try as I've gone to believe that coconut is one of the superfoods out there, besides kale. But still, oil in coffee?

But as they say, don't knock it till you try it. I try anything that claims health benefits (after much research, of course) so when articles started popping up about the benefits of adding coconut oil to coffee, I was ready to give it a shot.

week 11/52: fancy lights

Last week, I posted about eating at this dainty Vietnamese cafe in Richmond. I was so amazed at their interior that I went to town taking instax photos of the place with my Mini 90. This, of course, is one of them.

of the happy planner essentials for the planner girl in me

Long before planners became a trend or cute and girly planners even existed, I remember getting my very first organizer (as planners were called then) and feeling so well-organized and put together in school. I loved the feel of that soft red and blue faux leather bound organizer, I treasured it and actually have it up to this day.  Though I treasured it, it frustrated me that it looked too formal inside. And so I actually measured the pages, designed and printed a set of weekly pages for it. I should've known then that seeing as a teenage girl like me enjoyed it, others would surely see the beauty there is in planning. I probably could've made myself a fortune!

week 10/52: one cold night

This was taken on a very chill Saturday, spent much at home. Nick and I literally bummed it out the entire day until I had enough of it and asked to be taken out.

Now, if you don't know it yet, Nick is a pro at looking for restaurants to eat at. Discovering early on in our dating days that we are both foodies made being together easier, as long as we have great food to enjoy. Okay, I know it isn't a real skill to be a pro at but in a city (any city really) where there are literally hundreds of places to eat at, I tend to always just pick the place I've been going to for ages. I know I should be more adventurous, but that's why Nick is in my life.

week 9/52: the golden hour

We finally found the time to do a photo shoot. We've been meaning to since Fall but life and adulting got in the way.

Last Monday saw a sunny day so off we went with Nick's studio lighting gear to the park closest to our aunt's home. We couldn't go far because we didn't want to leave our little cousin and Lola alone too long. Fortunately, amidst the vast green, there was a walkway lined with trees that gave us the right shade we needed.

of our intimate DIY wedding on a budget

A day late but two years ago, on March 1, 2015, Nick and I had our civil wedding. It was actually a very intimate affair attended by our close family and friends. Our situation may not have been ideal at that time but our union is. And yes, we've been married twice!

Given that we only had a week's time to prepare everything, we had to move fast to create an affair that though was done fast, would still be quite an intimate one to remember (at least for Nick and me). But this also meant that we had to forego a long guest list and ask for help from our friends and family so we could do everything on our own. And they pulled through for us! Our gratitude and appreciation to these people will forever be with us.