Skincare regime: I don’t have one. I am really bad about sleeping with my makeup on and thank god I have asian genes because after all these years of falling asleep without washing my face and I’ve never had acne or skin issues. However, when I do decide to take care of my face, I wash it with the Erno Lazslo mud soap bar. Sometimes when I have extra time to fool around in the bathroom, I’ll use this Pacific Amore enzyme scrub to “polish” my face and my skin feels so smooth and radiant afterwards. Lately, I’m really into Embryolisse cream, which I bought from Amazon.com and I pat that on my face and leave to dry. I learned from a facialist never to RUB the moisturizer on your face because in her words, “you’re just pushing the cream around…you’re not letting it absorb”. I also have this rose water that I use as a toner every now and then and it is 100% rose water. It smells fantastic and feels great but it’s so freaking expensive I use it about once a month ha ha. I’m addicted to my Christophe Robin shampoo from France, which is called a “cleansing creme” on the jar. Unlike regular shampoo, you rub this creme onto the roots before showering, leave it on for 5 – 20 minutes, then lather with water. You don’t need conditioner and a little bit goes a long way and WAM, my hair feels so light and bouncy and glossy. My husband always mentions how good my hair looks when I use it. I also swear by Moroccan Oil to moisturize my hair after I wash it because my hair is known for getting its fair share of tangles. To comb it out, I use the Cricket comb. Last but not least is my secret weapon: a small bottle of Thieves Essential Oil, which I use for everything. Got a pimple? Use Thieves and it’s gone in a hour. Got a sore throat? Rub some Thieves along your gumline and sore throat be gone. Got a rash or a bug bite? Hello, Thieves!

I used to wear a ton of makeup but that was back in my early twenties and as I approach my 30s I am loving the fresh, clean and natural look. I normally don’t wear makeup but when I do, it’s basic and simple. BESIDES, LESS IS MORE. I alway start off with a primer I got from YSL…the name has completely rubbed off the packaging but it leaves my skin silky soft and ready for makeup. Koh Gen Do is a really awesome line I discovered at Barneys. I always use their makeup base to even out my skintone, and then I either use the Koh Gen Do foundation (mixed with moisturizer to keep it light) or the YSL Touche Eclat dotted around my face. For concealer, I alternate between Dior (which is great because it is soooo creamy and moisturizing) or the one by Koh Gen Do because it seriously banishes any evidence of bad sleep. For all you asians who have dark brown/black hair…you have to try the Shiseido Brow Pencil in Natural Black. First of all, it’s not a true black but more of a dark grey that blends SO WELL with our brows. And it has wonderful staying power. I also swear by the Bobbi Brown gel liner in black for making the eyes POP. And if I really want extra POP, I add a coat or two of Fresh mascara. Not pictured is a blush by Kevin Aucoin I’ve been using lately and it gives my cheeks just enough color to make me look like the sun kissed me.

And that’s it, my folks. Sure sounds like a lot but in reality, it’s not. Off to wash my face now…I’d be a fool if I didn’t after writing this!

1. What’s a typical day’s worth of eats for you and how do you stay in shape?
I love starting my day with some plain oatmeal and dressing it up with a touch of brown sugar and fresh berries. Not only is it high in fibre and nutrients but it also is a low-calorie food that stabilizes your blood sugar to ward off cravings!

Throughout the day I make smart, healthy meal choices. I make one of my favourite salads which includes fennel, quinoa, avocado and chicken topped with a lemon and olive oil dressing. Super delicious!

I’m the world’s biggest consumer of chicken! When I’m not eating my poultry for dinner I like to mix up my meals with a range of mediterranean dishes whether Lebanese or Italian.

I’ve always had a love of exercising and keeping myself fit from the inside and outside. For cardio blasts you can usually find me in high-impact spin classes or cross-training sessions. For toning, I train with the Pilates reformer to create long, lean muscles.

2. What are your favorite go-to beauty products?
Being in the beauty industry for over 15 years, I’ve had the privilege to work with the formulator masterminds and test hundreds of products. Some of my go-to products include:

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair to hydrate and keep my skin fresh day and night with its key ingredient of hyaluronic acid.

Liz Earle Naturally Active Cleanse & Polish is the ultimate cleanser to remove dirt, makeup and grime. It comes with a muslin cloth that sloughs away dead skin cells and polishes skin immediately – I can’t live without it!

I love to dress up my lips with different lip glosses. I rotate through many brands from Chanel to Clinique, but my latest fascination has been with an Australian brand, Lanolips. Their Lipointment with Colour SPF in Rose adds a perfect touch of colour!

3. Who are some of your favorite designers and what is a typical outfit for you?
I typically mix and match designer with high street brands. I buy simples pieces from J.Crew and mix them with statement pieces from Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel and Prada. I’m a curvy girl and these brands are extremely flattering.

4. Best investment piece ever made? Or an investment piece you want to purchase?
I have a stellar designer handbag collection. The best investment pieces is a black Chanel 2.55 shoulder bag with a gold strap. It’s the perfect piece to use wearing jeans and going out in the evening.

5. What are three things you cannot live without?
Three things I can’t live without include my Blackberry 9900 because it’s my calendar, correspondence, phone and of course clock! I’ve always been obsessed with the art of stationery and I never go without a mini notebook from Smythson in my bag – you never know when you need to jot down a fab idea. Flip cameras are becoming extinct, but I still like to use mine and capture every cute moment with my son.

Visit Little BU here.

We poached thick cuts of fresh swordfish in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and whipped up a bed of parpadelle and spinach (cooked in the leftover juices and liquids from the poached fish.) Light, fresh and tasty.

How did you spend your Saturday night?

…speaking of Chinese bowl cut bangs, look at this matching hair cut my mom and I shared! Yikes!

The morning of our elopement I went to Whole Foods for coffee and flowers. They didn’t have a large selection of blooms but these brightly hued dahlias stood out to me. I liked that their stems were clean as I planned on wrapping the flowers with a piece of lace from an old Gryphon jacket I had (I’m resourceful ha ha!) Using a step-by-step tutorial from Flower Girl NYC, I cut the stems a little shorter and tied them tightly together with the lace. I wanted it to look casual and non-fussy.

Here is what they looked like on our special day. I am so glad I made this little bouquet…even if it was for an elopement. Jill Thomas, our photographer, captured this beautifully in the 3pm warm sunlight that we were so blessed with that day.

It was just us and the photographer…no friends, no family (we did get their blessings, though!), no dogs (wahhh!) Chris and I wanted it to be simple and sweet; a celebration of our union. The best part of eloping is that you’re not in debt afterward, it’s super low-stress and it’s just so darn romantic.

http://www.intothegloss.com

http://www.melissaclark.net

http://www.thecoveteur.com

But what a bummer that the Broncos lost. I was really rooting for them.

I was so bummed I decided to make banana muffins.

Which turned out absolutely delicious…

Banana Muffins recipe (makes 6)

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 large bananas, mashed
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 egg, beaten
• 1/6 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat muffin pans with non-stick spray, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Combine bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Scoop into muffin pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven. Bake mini muffins for 10 to 15 minutes, and large muffins for 25 to 30 minutes. Muffins will spring back when lightly tapped.

Thought I’d whip up a good breakfast this morning. Eggs + cream + spinach + sausage + cheese + leftover avocado sauce from a Mexican meal we had a couple nights ago. Cook on the stovetop as you would any omelette, but finish it off in the oven set at 425 degrees. I used convection bake for a quicker blast of heat and left it in there for about 4 minutes.

…and this thing We spend Sundays snuggling on the couch together.

Look what one of my clients sent me today! A beautiful silver frame from Tiffany’s and a lovely heartfelt note thanking me for all my work. Sorry for not showing the frame…we know it’s all about the Tiffany’s blue anyway

We eloped. Last month. And it was fabulous.

Pictures to follow soon!