BrandBacker: Culinary Grade Organic Matcha - Green Tea Powder

Recently I received Kiss Me Organic's Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder. I've always heard wonderful benefits from matcha green tea, such as boosting metabolism and improving skin health, and since I love trying out new tea products, I knew this would be a great opportunity to review this product. Read on to see how I thought of it, and how I made this Organic Matcha Green Tea Latte! 

BrandBacker: InstaNatural Youth Express Eye Serum

I recently received InstaNatural's Youth Express Eye Serum to review, so check out the rest of the blog post for more information!

BrandBacker: InstaNatural Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Eye Gel and Vitamin C Facial Toner

Check out the rest of the blog post to see my review on InstaNatural's Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Eye Gel, and Vitamin C Facial Toner.

Black Friday 2014

November 30, 2014

Sweater: H&M (thrifted) || Moto jacket: Philippines || Scarf: H&M || Skirt: Mom's || Purse: Fossil || Boots: Forever 21 (sister's)

Check out what I purchased on Black Friday and outfit details!

Thanksgiving 2014

November 27, 2014

This Thanksgiving, we had a slumber party with the KELIA girls and then headed to K's house for the party. Check out the rest of the post for outfit details and foodie posts!

Dapper Days

November 25, 2014

This year's FATD's (Filipino American Thanksgiving Dinner) theme was "Dapper Days", so think 1950s! I had a lot of fun with this look. I was contemplating between the typical female outfit with a skirt/dress, or a more androgynous look. So of course I took the unconventional, more fun route! I had this look in my head, so when I put it together I was quite happy with how it turned out! Check out the rest of the blog for the full outfit (and endless Photo Booth selfies).

Shock and Awww

November 15, 2014

Sweater: vintage || Coat: thrifted (sister's) || Jeans: Urban Outfitters || Shoes: Dr. Martens

Photo credits of me: M.M.

My ol' high school friends and I got together to see our friend's performance in one of the acts of an LGBTQ-themed show. His act was "Romeo and Jules", and yes, he was Romeo.

The whole show was wonderfully done and got my laughing the whole time. Despite the unusually small space, the uproarious laughter made me forget about the smaller audience and made me really appreciate live performance. Check out the rest of this post for how the night went!

PEC: Pilipin@ Empowerment Conference 2014

October 31-November 2, 2014

PEC: Pilipin@ Empowerment Conference

This weekend retreat was an incredible journey, discovering myself by learning about my culture's history and getting to know beautiful people with beautiful stories. 

October On Fast Forward

 October 2014

Top: H&M || Pants: American Apparel || Shoes: Forever 21

One day, disco pants, you shall be mine. Check out my October this year, summed up in photos. 

Re:Make 2014

September 13, 2014

One summer's day, I checked my email and one message in particular caught my eye. I almost deleted it, but something about it drew me to read the whole message. It was about a free DIY/crafts convention event in San Francisco called Re:Make by the company Brit+Co., and did I say everything about it was free? So of course I had to go. Check out some of the things I crafted, as well as my incredible stops in SF after Re:Make!

Photo credits of me: Sister and Dad

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

 August 29, 2014

San Francisco, CA

A spontaneous and adventure-filled day well spent with an amazing and even more spontaneous friend. Traveling to new places is a dream, but discovering hidden gems in usual spots are even more exciting because it changes my previous outlook on that place. Due to my unconventional way of payment for a logo design, I had my friend spend a priceless day with me in the city instead of repaying me with money.

Check out our SF-ventures and where we gallivanted from morning 'til dusk.

Photos of me, credits to: L.C.

South Bay Bloggers September Meetup

September 20, 2014

Photo credits: Kate Amunrud

Top: H&M || Kimono: Philippines || Skirt: Topshop || Shoes: Nine West || Necklace: festival

This past September, I was able to meet up with some of the lovely ladies of South Bay Bloggers to get to know the new members and catch up on what has been happening with our respective lives. Like the last time, I was extremely anxious and worried about what I was going to wear, how to present myself, what I was going to say, if I would make a fool of myself, etc. that I almost backed out due to nerves. But no, I told myself whether this would be a waste of time or not, I knew I would regret it if I missed this meet up. And I am so glad I went. Read on to check out how the day went!

BrandBacker: One Direction Makeup - Electro Glam Mascara, Liquilights Glow Gloss & Rock Me Nail Kit

Recently, I received new One Direction makeup kits to review, specifically their new mascara, lip gloss, and nail polishes. Check out the rest of the blog to see how they turned out!

Sped Up September

September 2014

Check out the crazy (or not so crazy) things I did in September. Once again, my summer consisted of henna (no cultural appropriation here- I did my research and have come to appreciate the origins and art of henna and even made my own according to what various sources recommended. I wear henna not as a fashion accessory, but as a form of self of expression and way of appreciating another culture's practices), Birkenstocks, and FOOD FOOD FOOD with FRIENDS FRIENDS FRIENDS.

August Rush

August 2014

Top: thrifted || Skirt: Top Shop || Shoes: Vans || Purse: Fossil

Check out the rest of this blog post for my August 2014 adventures (mostly outfits, food, friends, and more food. oh and my trusty Birkenstocks).

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Trip Day 18-19

July 28-29, 2014

After an almost full day of traveling and a good night's rest, the day after our vacation away from our vacation was dedicated to celebrating my cousin, Ate A's, birthday! You can admire her family's dog, Tango, and all his adorable self, in the rest of this blog post (as well as what food I ate for my cousin's birthday and how my last day in this great country was)!

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Trip Day 17

July 27, 2014

Ilocos Norte, Vigan, Paoay, Ilocos Sur 

Philippines

This was the last day in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, and the drive back would be even longer than coming here- almost 24 hours. Just because of all the stops we had: the windmills, sand dunes, the Marcos museum/house, and more that I cannot remember the names of. I commend our drivers (my cousin Kuya A and uncle Tito A for driving so long and getting us home safely)! Read on to see even more beautiful sights!

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Trip Day 16

July 26, 2014

Hannah's Resort in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Philippines

This whole day was dedicated to indulging ourselves with everything Hannah's Resort had to offer: numerous pools scattered throughout, the beach activities (zip lining for instance), and of course, the beautiful beach. It was a day of nonstop activity, with times to lounge in the waters, whether man made or natural. And of course, thinking I was invincible, I didn't reapply as much sunblock to my shoulders as I should have. So yes, I did end up with a clear-cut spaghetti strap tan line. But also with the tan I've been wanting, so I came back from my vacation looking not so sickly pale anymore! Read on to see the beautiful sights of my home country~

Youtube

I finally gone and did it! Check out my first ever Youtube video where I review the KISS Instawave hair curler! 

SUBSCRIBE. LIKE. SHARE. REWATCH.

https://www.youtube.com/user/unconventionalbliss

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Trip Day 15

July 25, 2014

Ilocos Sur, Vigan, Ilocos Norte
Philippines

Day 1 of the twelve hour road trip to get from Manila to the very tip of the Philippines, Illocos Norte. Along the way, we had pit stops for bathroom breaks, food, and stretches, as well as to see the main tourist stops. And the whole trip there and back was beautiful. I couldn't stop staring out my window to see the lush greenery and open, vast fields, something I unfortunately take for granted and have no immediate access to back home in America. Read on to see more photos of my last big adventure before the end of my Philippines trip!

BrandBacker: Old Factory Candle

A few days ago I received a set of candles from the company Old Factory. I was able to choose my sample set from a variety of sets, and I chose the set "Coffee Shop" that consisted of three candles in the scents "Coffee", "Hazelnut", and "Chai Tea". Read on to see what I thought about them!

Influenster: Dean's VoxBox

About a month ago, I received my first Influenster VoxBox! I'm new to this, but I discovered that Influenster is a place for bloggers to review products that are sent to them for free, but these bloggers must be eligible for that certain box. As a college student, it was appropriate to have received the "Dean's List" VoxBox, filled with loads of goodies that are apparently appropriate for a college care package. Read on for more about each goodie!

Tea At Sea

If you don't know already, I love tea and am always on the lookout for the best green tea or a uniquely beautiful aromatic blend. When I got this opportunity to be able to try out four different teas from Tea At Sea, I was enthusiastic and excited! Read on to see what I thought!

What Even…?

What has this blog become…it started off with the intention of being a fashion blog, then soon bits of other parts of my life were added, now it's somehow morphed into a travel blog. But no worries! If you're sick of all my travel posts, my fashion posts and hauls will start to come back in regular Unconventional Bliss fashion! I can't wait to share with you what I've done with my summer besides my short three week vacation in the Philippines + Hong Kong!

BrandBacker: Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil Review + Giveaway

Check out a new goodie I received recently in the mail!

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Trip Day 14

July 24, 2014

Food again?! No don't worry, this post isn't as much of a foodie extravaganza as the last one (although like 83% of this post is dedicated to food…), but it was more like a relaxing, chill day before our long twelve hour road trip the next morning.

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Trip Day 13

July 23, 2014

Chicken sandwich/burger at Bonchon Chicken. 

I honestly have no recollection of what happened on this day, except for the moments captured in the following photos. 

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Day 12

July 22, 2014

BEWARE: This blog post is quite food-heavy. So if you have not yet had a meal today, I suggest snacking on something or cooking something right after this because you might just get a bit hungry. While vacationing, EVERYDAY is a foodie day, but this day in particular seemed quite spectacular now that I'm looking over these pictures…Click to read more to see all the mouth-watering dishes I had!

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Day 11

July 21, 2014

My beautiful Nanay (my grandmother on my father's side).

Go on a nostalgic journey back in time with me. Click to read more about my groovy grandparents.

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Day 10

July 20, 2014

Pictured above, L-R: Fish ball, Kikiam, cheese sticks.

The day after the wedding was just a day to recuperate and relax, not really doing anything adventurous. I actually don't remember what happened earlier in the day, but after the rain died down and we were left with a sprinkle, my Tita J, Kuya A, mom, sister and I went out to a mall just because my mom never visited this particular mall. Check out the rest of this blog post for more about this day!

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Day 7, 8, 9

July 17-19, 2014

After coming from Hong Kong, back to the Philippines, it was time for all the family to get ready for my cousin's wedding! Matching mani/pedis with the cousins and titas, a.k.a. aunties, were called for. Click to read what else happened the next three days! 

Joyous Journeys: Hong Kong Day 3-4

July 16-17, 2014

Don't get me wrong, I had several helpings of everything for my fuel for my last day in HK ahead of me. And what did my last day in Hong Kong entail? Click to read about my last-day-adventures.

Joyous Journeys: Hong Kong Day 2

July 15, 2014

My view as I had my first breakfast in HK on the nineteenth floor. This second day consisted of a tour then our own self-guided tour around the city. Read on to travel back in time with me as I roamed around HK for a second day.

Joyous Journeys: Hong Kong Day 1

July 14, 2014

After almost twenty years, I returned back to Hong Kong. So obviously, I have no recollection of being in this place, as if I was visiting for the first time. I finally was able to experience the place my dad always spoke of, when he referred to when he used to work in Hong Kong for about two years. It was an incredible(ly humid, hot, and tiring) experience, but a great one that I do not regret. Check out the rest of the blog post for more about my first day! 

Second Year Anniversary

Wow, it's been two years blogging (as of September 14, 2012). It's crazy where I started, and where I am now. This blog has evolved incredibly, and just reflects how much I've grown  within myself. I wonder what's to come for me this year. We'll just have to wait and see, won't we? Hopefully ya'll will continue to support me for the next year to see how much further I can take this personal growth! <3

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Day 5-6

July 12-13, 2014

I made it a goal to visit the hospital I was born in. Mission accomplished. It was quite surreal and the closest I could come to time traveling. It was as if I hopped into a Delorean and was walking through the halls in which my father walked through to get to the Newborn Services Unit to peer into the windows to see my newly born face. It was such a shame when we found out the doctor that birthed me passed away only a few years ago. I wanted to visit the last time we arrived in 2011, but unfortunately I only was able to get around to the church my parents got married in. It was an amazing experience nonetheless. These kinds of trips, along with road trips to provinces, are what I prefer over mall-hopping from clones of glamorous buildings filled with foreign stores (which we ended up doing later that day). However, we also got to travel with my dad's side of the family to a province for an overnight private pool party. 

Click for more details about that!

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Day 4

July 11, 2014

We visited my dad's side of the family the next day for brunch, and they all chatted and caught up over the lost years we have not seen each other. 

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Day 3

July 10, 2014

Food, food, and more food. Exactly what kind? Click to find out (and yes, finally Filipino food galore). 

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Day 2

July 9, 2014

Photo credits: A.L.

Top: Aeropostale || Cardigan: H&M || Shorts: thrifted/DIY || Purse: Fossil (Mom's)

Read on to find out why my photo turned grayscale...

Joyous Journeys: Philippines Day 1

July 6, 2014 - July 8, 2014

(skipped through July 7 because of all that weird time zone stuff)

This day was when my journey began. 

We departed on July 6, 2014 (U.S. time, very, very delayed) and arrived in the Philippines around 7:00AM on July 8, 2014  (from now on, regarding my Philippines and Hong Kong trips, I'll be using their time). It was surreal to be going back to the homeland so soon, the last time being in 2011. Before that we visited in 2004, so imagine how quick it seemed to be visiting so soon. Of course, it would be a dream to travel every summer, but that will just have to wait for another moment in time. 

Click to read on about my first day.

Joyous Journeys

Stay tuned for massive blog posts that wrap up my travels across the sea.

Meaning, I'll be blogging about my recent trip to the Philippines and Hong Kong very soon! I'm super excited to go on memory lane and get all nostalgic while sifting through the thousands of photos I took during these three weeks this past July.

Firecrackin'

July 4, 2014

Photo credits: A.B.

Tank top: thrifted || Top: Old Navy || Jeans: PacSun

This was the last gathering before we headed off to the Philippines on July 6! We celebrated the U.S.'s Independence Day as usual: going over to a friend's house, gorged on the potluck dinner, walked over to the fireworks, and walked back to her house to eat some more and chill. Click to read more! vvv

Haul: Aeropostale

June 27, 2014

Photo credits: A.B.

Top: thrifted || Shorts: thrifted/DIY || Creepers: Nordstrom Rack

Today was a successful haul, and ended up coming from Aeropostale. Surprisingly, they had very simple yet fashionable crop tops that have been popular this summer. Most people I've seen get their tops from Brandy Melville, or if they were really splurging, American Apparel. Fortunately for my sister and me, they were on sale, our favorite word. Each top was only $3.99, so I ended up with three, along with some basic black workout shorts (that can double as swimming shorts). Thank goodness we waited it out and did not buy crop tops from the first store we checked out, which was at Abercrombie & Fitch.

All's Fair in Living Life

June 28, 2014

Photo credits: E.M.

It was the first time for me to attend a huge county fair (my church has its annual festival for charity, but it's much more intimate and the same local people attend every year). It was great to be let loose and run around with some of the childhood friends while the parents rested up and chatted around their overpriced festival food. Read on to see what we ended up doing the rest of the day...

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Be prepared for an onslaught of blog posts (as you can already tell, I've been QUITE behind). But don't worry, lots to share (if you are vaguely interested in my life, then here ya go)! 

Rewind, Relax, Refresh

June 24, 2014

Movie: Pumpkin

Throughout the summer, especially the first third, I spent most of it doing the things I wanted during the hectic school year: give myself countless manicures while watching one of the many films on my list, read one of the many unread books on my bookshelf, doodle, blog, take evening strolls around the park, and just breathe.  

Look Ma, I'm Famous!

June 21, 2014

Today was the only day all of the Trio+ came together and hung out (wow, the only time?!), and we had a lot of fun, in part due to helping out our friend with his Youtube video (unfortunately it's not as active as he wanted, but definitely check it out: https://www.youtube.com/user/jayrmolina)

Read on for behind the scenes of his video and our very rare hang out!

Start of the Food Trips

June 20, 2014

Just sayin', this was my life the first third of the summer. I kid you not, I probably had this everyday for a week (or two). Chipotle who?

Driving on In

June 17, 2014

I can finally check off "go to a drive-in movie" from my list of summer things to do. Guess what we watched? (Hint…the most talked about movie among teen girls). The Fault in Our Stars you say? Ding ding ding, you're the winner (the second movie was Blended)! I read the book several months before, so I was interested in seeing how the film would play out (especially since John Green played a big part on the screenwriting process). Unfortunately, we had some EXTREMELY annoying neighbors…making comments every 5 seconds throughout the WHOLE movie, and another car that blasted another theater's audio, overpowering our own audio for this movie…All that made me just turned off from drive-in movies, but I suppose I'll give this experience another try. Because of that, I definitely need to re-watch this movie because there were several moments of dialogue I could not hear, but at least the visuals weren't affected. 

At least with friends, we were able to giggle over the funny comments annoyingly coming from our neighbor.

Stuffed Sushi Stomachs

June 15, 2014

Wow, I didn't think I would ever get sick of sushi, but during this dinner, I was definitely tested. And my stomach lost. It was a very cool experience to eat sushi the more traditional way, in a closed off environment, with the table closer to the ground and shoes outside. The ambience was definitely different from eating in a regular restaurant, more like an at-home dinner experience. 

Official Taste of the Summer Days

June 14, 2014

Photo credits: L.P.

Top: school shirt || Kimono: H&M || High waisted shorts: thrifted/DIY || Shoes: Vans || Socks: Cotton On

BrandBacker: Makeup by One Direction Giveaway

Honestly, when I first heard about the new One Direction makeup line, I was skeptical. I wondered, what could they possibly sell to their beloved teen-girl-majority-fan-base? Bright pink lipstick, crazy colored eyeliner, neon eyeshadows? However, when I got my sample in the mail, I was instantly surprised and impressed with the packaging and the contents. Read on to find out what's inside and how to enter a giveaway to win your own One Direction makeup...

Chill Chats

June 6, 2014

Photo credits: A.A.
Romper: Urban Outfitters || Cardigan: Forever 21 || Sandals: Nordstrom Rack || Backpack: vintage