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I get A TON of questions on how I take care of my hair since I get it done so often. My hair has gone through a lot and I really try to make sure I take care of it. Hence, I’m always searching and trying products new products for my hair in the hopes of finding what actually works for me. And in todays blog post, I’ll be sharing a step-by-step of my current hair care routine: what’s been helping my hair to combat damage and breakage.

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Here are the steps:

STEP 1: CLEANSE

Look for a shampoo and conditioner that both strengthens and moisturizes hair

Matrix Total Results The Re-bond 3-Step System

I’ve been using Matrix Total Results The Rebond 3-Step System Shampoo, Pre-Conditioner and Conditioner for the past 6 months now and it has helped my damaged hair tremendously! This line not only repairs damaged hair but it also brings it back to life by making it stronger and smoother. What I love about this 3-step routine is the extra step of pre-conditioner—I find that it really helped moisturize my extremely dry and damaged hair. The shampoo cleanses build up without striping out the color of your hair, then the pre-conditioner builds resilience and shine, and lastly, the conditioner seals in moisture and protects the hair from inside-out! It’s perfect for anyone who colors or chemically treats their hair.

STEP 2: MOISTURIZE

Look for leave-in treatments that will help with damage/breakage.

Matrix Oil Wonders Indian Amla

I always apply an oil treatment after washing my hair to prevent it from getting dry and damaged! I’ve been using the Matrix Oil Wonders Indian Amla Strengthening Oil and I just really love how my hair feels so soft and healthy after applying it. This product is formulated with Indian Amla Oil that renews fragile weakened hair and restores its strength. It smells amazing too!

STEP 3: PROTECT

Look for a heat protectant spray to avoid heat/styling damage

Matrix Stylelink Heat Buffer

I make sure to apply a heat protectant spray on my damp or towel dried hair before I start styling. Lately I’ve been using the Style Link Heat Buffer Styling Spray by matrix! It has a lightweight, fine mist formula that can be applied to dry or damp hair (I prefer damp). It leaves my hair feeling less damaged and feeling smooth and shiny!

SHOP THE PRODUCTS:

I find this step-by-step process very helpful especially with overly processed hair! I tend to switch things up every now and then since I love discovering new products, but I use this step-by-step process as a foundation on how I look for new products to try. It’s so important to really know how to take care of your hair and find products that work best for you. I hope you that you find this hair care routine helpful, and I’ll keep you updated when this routine changes.

This post is in partnership with Matrix, but all opinions are my own!

It’s time to switch things up! I love warm and copper tones but I’ve been playing around with mattes and neutral tones lately. I’m all about a good balanced look and nothing could be more perfect than a good smoky eye and nude lip combo. This look is also perfect on my on-the-go days where I can create a day-to-night look: starting the day with a lighter smoky eye that’s more appropriate for everyday, then I add darker shades for a bolder look (for when I have dinner plans or a night out with friends). I’ve been really into this look lately and I wanted to share with you the products I used. If you’d like to recreate this look, I linked all the products below!

Skin Prep:

• Pixi Glow Tonic
• Pixi Glow Mist
• Pixi Jasmine Oil Blend

Eyes:

• Smashbox Cover Shot Eye Palette (Matte)
• Maybelline Curvitude Liner
• Urban Decay Eye Pencil
• Origins GinZing Brightening Mascara

Primer:

• Stila One Step Illuminate

Foundation:

• Nars Velvet Matte Tint (Cuzco)

Concealer:

• Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer (SX8)

Powder:

• Laura Mercier Translucent Powder

Contour:

• Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Highlight:

• Lime Crime Hi-Lite Palette

Bronzer/Blush/Highlight:

• Becca x Chrissy Teigen Palette

Lips:

• Purlisse Daily Lip Nourisher
• Colourpop "WYD" Ultra Matte Lip

Set:

• Urban Decay "All Nighter" Setting Spray

New Year's Eve is just around the corner and I'll be ringing in the new year in coppers and reds! I love these colors because they flatter pretty much every skin tone, and warms up the skin during the winter season. I've been playing around with my Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette and I love the variety of warm colors it has to offer. Each color is very creamy and pigmented that makes it so easy to work with! I paired it with the latest colourpop x iluvsarahii's ultra matte lip in softii and it's the perfect deep rose shade. I'm kinda obsessed with muted red colors because they flatter my skin really well.

I hope you like this makeup look! And if you wanna recreate this look for yourself, I listed all the details with direct links below :)

Skin Prep:

• Kate Somerville Hydrating Mist
• Dr. Jart Cicapair Serum
• Kate Somerville Glow Moisturizer

Eyes:

• Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette
• Stila Stay All Day Eyeliner
• Urban Decay Eye Pencil
• Kevyn Aucoin Expert Mascara

Primer:

• Hourglass Veil Primer

Foundation:

• Nars All Day Luminous Foundation

Concealer:

• Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

Powder:

• Laura Mercier Translucent Powder

Contour:

• Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Highlight:

• Colourpop Amber Crystal Collection

Bronzer/Blush/Highlight:

• Becca x Chrissy Teigen Palette

Lips:

• Purlisse Daily Lip Nourisher
• Colourpop x iluvsarahii Ultra Matte Lip

Set:

• MAC Prep + Prime Fix Setting Spray

This past NYFW, I had the opportunity to work with Bumble and Bumble to give you backstage and front row looks on a few amazing shows! Keep scrolling down as I give you styling tricks from the experts, telling us how we can recreate some NYFW hairstyles this season.

TANYA TAYLOR

Tanya Taylor's Fall 2017 presentation was filled with rich autumn colors, ranging from bold prints and different textures. Inspired by the 70's waves, Bb.Global Artistic Director Laurent Philippon wanted to give the models effortless soft curls. This hairstyle definitely won me over!

Styling Methods: Spray De Mode hairspray for a strong yet flexible hold, and Does It All hairspray to give a soft, touchable finish while controlling flyaways.

CLUB MONACO

“The hair for Club Monaco is very laid back, and we’re adapting the look to every girl’s hair texture in the lineup. It’s about finding the right recipe of product for each hair type to help embrace and accentuate their natural texture.”

— Laurent Philippon, Bb.Global Artistic Director

“The key is to make it look like they’ve done it themselves and that a hairdresser wasn’t there doing it.”

Styling Methods: Spray damp hair with Prep, and then apply Surf Foam Spray to break up the texture. Blowdry with fingers, using the Dyson Supersonic. Mist Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Dry Oil Finishing Spray throughout to add a light veil of oil and added texture. For longer lengths, use a hair tie and create a loose ponytail at the base of the head, pulling it halfway through to create a messy, looped bun.

LACOSTE

“The hair this season is about embracing your natural texture, with a gritty, messy look and feel”

— Laurent Philippon, Bb.Global Artistic Director

"We are toughening up the look by tucking the hair behind the ears, which we've never done before at Lacoste. While it's a laid back look, it's not as easy as it looks because as a hairdresser, you need to be super light-handed and incredibly precise."

Styling Methods: Make a deep center part and spray Prep throughout. Apply Surf Foam Spray Blow Dry and blow dry. Tuck hair behind ears and apply a small amount of Surf Foam Spray Blow Dry to hairline, just above ears to keep in place and to help push back bangs or fringe. 

CREATURES OF THE WIND

“It’s a little 70s, a little dirty. When they are walking, we want it to stay close to the head and still look natural at the bottom.”

— Holli Smith

 “There’s already a lot of diversity in the casting so we left the girls’ haircuts. It’s something simple and easy-looking that they could achieve on their own and I think that easiness is really important – it’s intentional as a hairdresser,”

Styling Methods: On dry hair, liberally spray Thickening Hairspray throughout, with an emphasis on the part line and less on the ends, so hair stays close to the head. Use hands to slightly break up the hair. For curly textures, stretch out the curls with hands, heating them up with a blow dryer. When the curl is released, it will stay close to the body.

SELF PORTRAIT

“The inspiration is a sexy London girl going out. The look is all about individuality, and accentuating each girl’s haircut with a ropey, natural texture.”

— Jimmy Paul, Bb.Editorial Stylist

Styling Methods: On curls, start with damp hair and apply Curl Conditioning Mousse throughout. Diffuse or let air dry. On damp hair, make a side part and create a cocktail by spraying Prep and Thickening Hairspray throughout lengths. Blow dry or let air-dry. Tuck one side behind the ear and leave the other side loose.

“I’m asking each model things like what side part she thinks looks best on her. The look is meant to feel a bit homemade, like they’re doing their own hair at the show.”

GYPSY SPORT

“This season, in this crazy world, they wanted to send a message of love and they understand that fashion can be a platform to send such a message.”

— Laurent Philippon, Bb.Global Artistic Director

“We are working with such a diverse casting, without gender boundaries, so we are respecting this, working with this, and having fun. We have some very exaggerated styles including beehives – for those, we are doing a lot of backcombing and shaping them with the help of Strong Finish Hairspray."

I hope you enjoyed these looks as much as I did! Which one was your favorite? Comment down below! x

Photography by Virisa Yong; Images from Bumble and Bumble

The past couple weeks have been crazy hectic: finishing work deadlines, spending time with family and attending holiday parties all in between. The list goes on. The holidays is a busy time and that’s why I’ve partnered with Dove and joined the Dove Hair #SkipAWash Challenge to keep my hair in perfect shape while jumping between all the madness! I’m actually an avid user of dry shampoo for a couple of reasons: it helps you save time AND keeps your hair in good shape.

Washing your hair means having to dry it out and style to finish, which may take up to an hour. Now, I say #SkipAWash and instantly refresh your day two hair by spraying Dove Dry Shampoo onto your roots! The weightless formula of the new Detox + Purify line removes oil and leaves no residue, which leaves your hair feeling nice and cleansed. Now all you have to worry about before heading out is your make-up and outfit, and you’re good to go!

For extremely processed hair like mine, one of my hair secrets is skipping not only two—but a few days of washing my hair. My hair has been bleached numerous times to maintain its silver color. It is extremely fragile and dry so I try to be as gentle with it as possible. All that tugging, pulling and heat from styling may do more damage to your hair. And that’s where the Dove Dry Shampoo comes to the rescue! It not only refreshes, but it also revives by adding volume to limp and weighed down hair. With minimal effort needed, you can have beautiful hair in seconds!

With just moments away from New Year’s Eve, I’m challenging you to join the Dove Hair #SkipAWash Challenge with me! Are you in?

My favorite hairstyle and my go-to look:

The Tousled Waves

Tousled hair stays in style because it gives off that effortless cool-girl vibe to any look! My Asian hair is naturally fine and straight, and I absolutely dislike how it gets flat really easily. After trying different hairstyles, I discovered tousled waves and became obsessed. If I had to describe it, I'd say it's something in between beach hair and bed hair. Fun and effortless.

So get ready to channel your inner Beyoncé and look like you "woke up like this" because on today's post, I'll be sharing you how I get my everyday tousled waves! Simply follow the three easy steps below.

Bit first, you’ll need:

• Jose Eber’s Curling Wand
• Dry Shampoo
• Sea Salt Spray 

Step 1: Prep + Section

Spray heat protectant all over your hair and section it. Start curling from the bottom section and work your way up.

Tip: Day-two hair is usually the best to work with because it holds your curls better!

Step 2: Wrap + Wave

Wrap each section of your hair with a curling wand for 10-15 seconds to create waves.

Tip: Don’t leave it on for too long to avoid stiff-looking curls

Step 3: Shake + Shape

Use your fingers and shake your hair from the roots. This technique will separate and loosen your waves for that effortless, tousled look! Spray dry shampoo to add texture and sea salt spray to set the waves. Then, scrunch up parts of your hair to give it more shape.

Tip: Do an upside down hair flip to add more volume

Hair by Niki Nguyen

How I style my hair on-the-go.

With the short 'do, I simply use a flat iron to style it. First, I prime my hair with a heat protector spray (I do this before using any hot tool on my hair). I concentrate on the ends to straighten out my hair. The trick is to make an inward C motion to tame the fly-aways and give your face a great frame. I'm currently using José Eber's Petite Series Flat Iron—it's so compact that I can literally bring it anywhere I go! It's the most convenient travel companion, and great for quick touch-ups as well. I finish it off with a texturizing spray to add volume!

Short hair don't care, thanks to Bellami Extensions!

I've decided to chop my hair off on a whim, and there's no regrets here. Now my hair feels lighter and healthier since all the split ends are gone. I'll be honest, I've been brutal to my hair; dyeing and bleaching it every month so that I can get it to the perfect silver color that I've always wanted. The result? Damaged locks with so. much. breakage.

Thanks to my Bellami Extensions, I'm able to go from my short 'do to mermaid hair anytime! It's crazy how Samantha's Sterling Silver line perfectly matches my silver hair that there was no dyeing or toning needed! I simply popped it right off the box and clipped it to my hair. It has the perfect silver color that I absolutely love. Get ANY set of hair extensions for $5 off when you use my code "PAU"!

Special thanks to my hairstylists, Niki and Linh for my hair color and cut! :)

Shop the look below:

"To all my ladies in the place with style (and nails!)" ♫

If you’re looking for a place to get pampered during your “me time,” you should definitely check out Black File located in Fountain Valley, CA. 

Black File prides itself as a “nail social”—a place where you can bring the girls and have a fun time. It’s definitely not your typical nail salon. Right when you walk in, you’re greeted with a friendly staff and incredibly chic interior.

There's a small boutique by the entrance where you can shop (yes, you heard that right!), which makes the experience more delightful. Where else can you get your nails done and shop at the same time?! You can spoil yourself two ways in one place!

There’s also a lounge area in case you brought your boyfriend with you ;)

When it came to my nails, Jordan always kept them looking flawless. For my previous visits I’ve gotten my nails done with her, I had broken nails left and right. However, she managed to fix them up no matter what state they were in and I never have to worry!  She was extremely delicate with my hands compared to the past salons I’ve been to. She’s also very meticulous on getting the design right. And being the perfectionist that I am, I loved that about her.

The boss lady, Laurie, always checked in on her clients and offered drinks like water, juice or coffee. She’s also very helpful when it came to nail designs, etc. at the times I was being indecisive.

Pictured below (dress + top) are a couple of items I snagged at their boutique!

Body Chain by Stinnys

I don’t think I’m going anywhere else for the main reason that my experience was nothing short of amazing. They’re currently only taking appointments so go to their website here and book yours today!

I wasn’t the type to take care of my skin because for 1) I didn’t see the need to 2) I was lazy 3) I never had any problems with my skin. However, this past year, I felt the need to take care of my skin because my face broke out more than ever! It was unusual to me because I never had to really do any routines because it never seemed necessary to me.

Honey Belle came into my life at the right time, all thanks to my long-time and best friend who started her vision for a natural, healthy beauty. All Honey Belle products are natural, pure and handcrafted with only the finest quality ingredients. I’ve seen her dedicate countless hours for her vision to come to life and I couldn’t be happier and proud of how far she has come.

So for today’s blog post, I want to present to you my #lifeofaBelle experience by sharing my morning and night routine, as well as my experience for each product:

Morning Routine

Step 1: Refresh

I wash my face with Tea Tree Lemongrass Foaming Facial Soap right when I get out of bed. The freshness of the scent never fails to wake me up in the morning! I wet my face with lukewarm water and lather one pump of the foaming soap in upward circular motions, then rinse with cold water. My face feels real soft and clean afterwards!

Step 2: Hydrate

I spray the Facial Tonic soon after, about 3 sprays to cover all areas of my face. My skin immediately feels refreshed and hydrated! It’s the effortless alternative to the harsher toners out there.

Step 3: Moisturize

I put a layer of the Day Crème to keep my face moisturized and protected from any damage or aging. I make sure to evenly spread it on my skin before I start putting my makeup on! I love consistency because it's non-greasy and works well underneath my daily makeup.

Step 4: Protect

I apply the “Kissable Lips” Lip Butter on my lips to keep it protected throughout the day! I wear lipstick everyday and it makes my lips dry, so the lip butter keeps my lips soft and smooth.

Step 5: Soothe

I lather the Lavender Chamomile Body Lotion on my skin to keep it silky! My favorite scent is the Lavender Chamomile because the scent is so soothing and relaxing; I can’t get enough of it! The consistency is light and east to wear on a hot or cold day.

Night Routine

Step 1: Cleanse

I use a cotton ball with the “Take it off!” Gentle Makeup Remover to wipe all my makeup off, and it removes any impurities without question. And of course, the product is all-natural so I don’t have a problem using it even in the inner corners of my eye (this is so necessary for me since I use waterproof eyeliner, and a lot of it!). Lastly, I wash my face with the Tea Tree Lemongrass Foaming Facial Soap.

Step 2: Detoxify

My favorite part of my night routine is the Matcha Mint Masque because I love how it exfoliates and detoxifies my skin! I love anything matcha so it made me love this product even more. Who knew matcha can taste good AND be good for your skin?! Anyways, I store it in the fridge so the cold temperature and minty sensation goes hand in hand. I rinse with lukewarm water and it leaves my skin feeling completely nourished.

Step 3: Restore

I put a layer of the Night Crème to moisturize and restore my skin from any damages. I especially love the scent on this crème because it has a light floral smell that’s very refreshing!

Step 4: Relieve

I apply the Acne Relief to remove any pimples and/or blemishes! Although it doesn’t immediately remove acne, it reduces any kind of inflammation overnight. It usually takes a couple days or so to remove my pimples, but it definitely works for my skin! Note that I normally have dry skin with an oily T-zone.

Step 5: Pamper

Last but not least, I massage the Mango Papaya Butter Bar all over my body to deeply moisturize my skin. My skin is really dry so I like to leave it on overnight to have buttery smooth skin the next day!

It's been a wonderful #lifeofaBelle experience so far, and I would love for you to join this journey with me!

This week, my best friend from @honeybelleshop & I have partnered up for a giveaway for all you ladies (and gents) out there! I'm really thankful for my readers/followers and I want to show my appreciation by sharing my #lifeofaBelle experience with gifting a bundle of my favorites (all products mentioned above) worth over $80!! Head on over to my Instagram at noon today to enter.

The winner will be announced on Wednesday, May 20th at 5pm Pacific time.

Til my next post!

xo, Pau