New Hair + Blogtober!

Hi everybody!

Today we're kicking off the third year of Blogtober! This is technically my fourth year doing this, as the first year was on a previous blog, and I've always looked forward to doing it. Essentially, I'll have a new post up every day for the month of October. It's a really fun challenge for me, and it pushes me to be a bit more creative with my content. I'm really looking forward to it!

Also, I cut my hair. I've been a bit more daring with my hair in the past few years. I realized that, hey, it actually grows back! So last summer, I chopped off over a foot and donated it. I loved the change. The summer before that, I tried my hand at cutting my own hair, and I chopped in some bangs. I also really loved that as well. So, I started cutting my hair some more. A few weeks ago, I snipped off a few inches, and today, I cut my bangs back in. I'm really digging the combo of shorter hair, and bangs. I'd forgotten just how much cuter ponytails and other hairstyles are with a fringe!


Before:

After: 

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

Song of the Day: Hideaway by Kiesza 

Celeb Style Steal: Lorde

Hi everybody!

I'm starting a new series here on my blog, where I recreate celebrity fashions. First up, is the talented Lorde. Her style is very dark and grungy with hints of femininity. Today I'm recreating her outfit from her appearance at the Museum of Modern Art Film Benefit in New York City. To start off, the main piece is her black, long-sleeved dress. I actually combined a black long-sleeved t-shirt with a black babydoll dress for this look. As for accessories, add a silver pendant or choker. Lorde opted for black combat boots to toughen up the dress. I can't blame her, they're certainly more comfortable than heels! As for her crazy, luscious hair, I added in hair extensions and gave them a quick curl. To finish off the look, I added her signature purple lipstick into the mix.

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

black long-sleeved tee - Target || black dress - Brandy Melville || silver pendant - Jewelmint || black combat boots - Target || purple lipstick - MAC cosmetics || extensions - Luxy Hair 

Song of the Day: Million Dollar Bills by Lorde

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Hi everybody!

This weekend my family and I had a little "staycation." We essentially spent the night at a hotel in Abu Dhabi [only an hour's drive from Dubai] and enjoyed what the hotel had to offer. This morning, we toured the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which is something I've wanted to do for years. It's an architectural wonder, and I had a blast taking photos and learning a little about the history.

Construction began in 1996, and the mosque was opened eleven years later, in 2007. The outer architecture is inspired by the Mughal Empire. That's why the domes look very similar to the Taj Mahal. 

We had a very funny and charismatic tour guide who wasn't afraid to add personal anecdotes into his tour! He made the experience lively.

This is a crystal chandelier imported from Germany. In total, there are seven throughout the entire mosque - and this one is the smallest!

This carpet is the largest hand-made tapestry in the world. It's 5,700 square meters and took just a year to complete. 

This wall is filled with words that describe or name Allah, such as "The Almighty One," "The First," "The Last," and so on. 

 

This is the largest chandelier in the mosque, weighing in at around 12 tons. 

There are a total of eighty-two domes of various sizes.

Floral patterns were prevalent throughout the mosque, including in this colorful mosaic!

The Grand Mosque is one of the largest in the world, and can hold up to 50,000 worshipers at a time. It certainly lives up to its name!

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

How to Fix Broken Makeup

Hi everybody!

If you’ve ever broken a beautiful compact or awesome blush, you know how heartbreaking it can be. You may even feel like your favorite makeup item is gone forever. Don’t lose hope! There’s a solution.

Step 1: Retrieve your broken makeup product and cry a little. Here, I lost a beautiful Rimmel London bronzer on the trip back to Dubai.



Step 2: Wipe away your tears and against your better judgement, crush up the makeup even more. It doesn’t have to be super fine, just make sure it’s in a bunch of small pieces.



Step 3: Grab rubbing alcohol. I used ethyl, but you can also use isopropyl. This is your key to fixing up your makeup.



Step 4: Gradually begin adding in the rubbing alcohol to your powder. Do this slowly, you don’t want to drown it.



Step 5: Add more rubbing alcohol as you mix until you get a thick paste. It shouldn’t be too runny. Also, make sure the paste is well mixed to avoid air bubbles or dry clumps.



Step 6: Smooth out the makeup and let it sit overnight. If you want to add an emblem or decoration to the surface, this is the time to do it.



Step 7: Admire your saved powder and wear it proudly. [Note: you may need to scrape off a little of the surface once it dries, because the rubbing alcohol might leave a film.]



I hope you enjoyed, and that all of your future beauty products are saved!
<3 Lucero

Song of the Day: How to Save a Life by The Fray

Rompin' Around

Hi everybody!

I'm back in Dubai again, just in time for the new school year. These photos are from a fun mini-shoot I had with my best friend Daniela just a few weeks before I left. I almost forgot to put them up! What a tragedy that would have been. We trekked out into the wilderness [by the pool] in order to get some nice, nature photos. I really love this floral romper, and I thought it'd be more functional than a dress. It turns out that I was mistaken, and it's still difficult to get around in a romper and sandals. Either way, we both managed to get really awesome shots, and I'm pleased with how the photos turned out.

This is Daniela! She's pretty awesome.

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

floral romper - Urban Outfitters || golden necklace - Anthropologie || black sandals - The Gap || watch - Tag Heuer || bracelet - ACTS retreat

Song of the Day: Rather Be by Clean Bandit

Busy In Boston

Hey everybody!

So I went to Boston this week. I went with my mom and little brother, and we were there for five days and four nights. I took lots of photos while we were there, which makes for the longest blog post I've published to date. Grab a drink or snack, this is going to be a long one.

Princess Diaries

Hi everybody!

There's this dress. It's not an ordinary dress. It's bright pink and covered in beautiful embroidery all along the neck and hemline. It's the kind of dress that demands to be seen, and it makes me feel so fancy. It's such a bold piece that the accessories have to be minimal. Instead, I amped up the hair and makeup. I applied complementary gold shadow and made sure my skin looked flawless. As for the hair, I wore hair extensions for the first time and styled it in a half-up do. I really like these extensions, because they're soft and a bit lighter than my own hair, so it provides the subtle ombré I've always wanted. It also reminded me of how low-maintenance my current hair is. Overall, I just felt so glam taking these pictures, and I wish everyday could feel this amazing!

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

pink embroidered floor-length dress - Anthropologie || black wedges - Ralph Lauren || hair extensions - Luxy Hair || gold bangles - Dubai

Song of the Day: Cool Kids by Echosmith

Show Your Stripes + 2 Year Anniversary

Hi everybody!

Today marks this blog's two year anniversary! Woo! In honor of this milestone, I made a few changes to the blog, including a brand new header. I designed it myself, and included a few of my favorite things, like cupcakes and red lipstick. If I were ever a cartoon, this is what I'd look like - I have to keep the brow game strong, haha!A change was long overdue, considering I've had the same header for the past two years. I'm very proud of my little blog here, and I hope you know that every single post has been a joy to create. I look forward to making many more.

As for today's outfit, I'm totally excited about it. Most of the pieces were on sale at The Gap, and sales make me super happy. I have this navy and white striped top, which is very airy and loose fitting. I love stripes, they're my favorite pattern. Next I have this amazing pair of bright blue jeans. I knew it was meant to be when the last pair were in my exact size - no tailoring needed! Finally, I have these incredibly comfortable black sandals. The grandpa-style straps seem to be very in right now, and I'm not complaining!

I hope you enjoyed!
<3 Lucero

striped black and white tee; blue skinny jeans; black sandals - The Gap || silver head band - Ulta || watch - Tag Heuer || silver bracelet - ACTS retreat || sunglasses - Michael Kors

Song of the Day: Somebody Told Me by The Killers