August 14 
Sunshine and summer breeze, I just can’t get enough of this city. I went through my first winter, and this time, my first full summer in NYC. Through every bone-chilling winter bite to every hot sticky summer air, I still love every minute of it.
And what I really appreciate about New York is that it teaches me to have tougher skin. Just the other day within the span of 5 minutes, I got yelled at my a street vendor one minute (we had a verbal fighting match for a few seconds over flowers), and literally 10 steps down, I had the most pleasant conversation with a barista at a coffee shop. By providing a nonjudgemental environment, this city encourages me to be free… free to speak up whenever I see something that is unjust, free to fully embrace myself, and free to work on my insecurities. And my insecurities run deep. Through the years, I’ve been actively working on feeling more confident with my bare skin. From the first moment when I was introduced to make-up till now, I rarely go outside without coverup. It’s been a goal of mine to work on my self-esteem and to work on my skin, so that one day I’ll have the freedom to choose whether I’d like to go sans make-up and feel confident in doing so. In other words, it’s my personal #OneBottleAwayFrom feeling confident in my bare skin challenge. And I’m making progress.
You probably already notice that when it comes to skincare I have a pretty short list. And I’m very slow at growing it. I really need to love, and I mean love it, before it can stay permanently. The latest addition to my list is this SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. With over 90% Pitera, a natural by-product derived from a fermentation process containing amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and organic acids, this essence is super moisturizing, helps diminish dark spots, and penetrates deep into the skin’s surface to improve skin texture and firmness. After adding this miracle water to my daily beauty routine, I notice that my skin retained a dewy glow and is brighter and firmer. It also soothed and reduced any redness and blotchiness I had. The most significant change I’ve seen is that the texture of my skin is smoother and that my skin tone is much more even. And more importantly, this Essence pushed me towards my goal of feeling confident with my bare skin. I have rest days now, twice a week when I go without face make-up (I just have my brows and eyeliner on). It’s a work in progress, but little by little, I feel more hopeful and confident in my bare skin.
All of my favorites in one picture. This city, this view, flowy summer dresses, and my latest skincare love. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my skincare journey. And a very special thank you to SK-II for creating this miracle water and for partnering on this post!
Thank you so much for reading!
