Thursday, December 31, 2015

Wishing you a musical 2016




It's already evening of New Year's Eve, and I'm off to celebrate the year end and my grandfather's birthday (New Year's baby!) in a bit with sushi and cake. I decided to test out my new Beats with my Pioneer WEGO and the sound is just fantastic. A HUGE thank you to all of you awesome readers, sponsors and friends for making this blog possible for another year. Wishing you all the best and see you next year! Cheers!


あっという間に大晦日になりましたね!これから、紅白歌合戦を見ながら、祖父母とお寿司とケーキを食べてきます!(祖父は1日の誕生日なんです)その前に、新しく貰ったBeatsをPioneer WEGOのコントローラーと使ってみました。やっぱり音がすごくいい!!

ではでは、読者やスポンサー、そして友達に:今年も本当にサポートありがとうございました!!また一年ブログを続けることができてとても嬉しいです。来年も頑張りますので、どうぞよろしくお願い致します!良いお年を!

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Enzyme masks and face oils from Sephora




I wanted to amp up my skincare routine (yet again), and these are my most recent purchases from Sephora.


The argan oil has been a favorite of mine recently, so I stocked up again - great for combating the dry, cold weather. And I've been reading good things about enzyme masks, so I thought I'd give these a whirl. Something to look forward to for the coming year! 

Saturday, December 26, 2015

A holiday look in navy & red



top: Uniqlo; coat: Forever 21
skirt: Zara; boots: Aldo
sunglasses: ZeroUV; bag: Epoi
necklace: Salvatore Ferragamo 








A bit late, but Merry Christmas & happy holidays ya'll. Christmas really gets me in the mood to dress up a little, and adding a pop of bright red with a simple turtleneck spiced up this holiday look. And fur, whether fake or real, is an easy way to add a luxurious feel to any outfit. These winged ZeroUV sunglasses are so fun! If you're still looking for a late Christmas gift to give (or buy for yourself), head over to ZeroUV!

I was working both Christmas & Christmas Eve, but I had dinner with some of my friends and ate too much cake than I normally do. My real holiday will be in 3 days where I'll have a couple days off to relax and hopefully catch up with my blogging and other things. Did you guys have a nice Christmas holiday? <3


ちょっと遅いですが、メリークリスマス&ハッピーホリデー!クリスマスシーズンはドレスアップしたくなる季節ですよね。こんな風に、さし色で真っ赤なタートルニットを取り入れると、暗い色の多いコーデにスパイスが入ります。そして、本物でもフェイクでも、ファーでどんなコーデもエレガントに仕上がるはずです。このウィングティップのサングラスも可愛い!お手頃で可愛いサングラスは、ZeroUVで購入できますよ〜!

今年のイブとクリスマスは働いていましたが、友人とご飯食べに行ったりはしたので、楽しく過ごせました。ケーキも食べ過ぎた気がする。。あと3日で本当のホリデーがくるので、楽しみです!ブログやその他のことをゆっくりできそう。皆さんのクリスマスはいかがでしたか?♡



Saturday, December 19, 2015

Shinjuku lights




An evening stroll near Shinjuku station. These festive holiday lights remind me of the times my family and I used to walk around then neighborhood to see all the pretty Christmas decorations. 


新宿駅近辺のイルミネーション。こういうクリスマスライトを見てると、子供の頃家族と近所のクリスマスライト&デコレーションを見に回ってた時を思い出す。

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Uniqlo and Lemaire - layering up in black & white


knit: Uniqlo; shirt: Uniqlo
coat: Le Ciel Bleu; pants: Uniqlo
clutch: G.U.M.; shoes: Nike
sunglasses: ZeroUV









Sometimes I like to keep things simple in terms of color, but layer up in different lengths and textures. Uniqlo always does collaborations with different designers, and this season I picked up this cropped knit and wide-legged pant from the Uniqlo and Lemaire collection. To balance the cropped knit and make it wearable during the cold winter days, I layered a white shirt underneath. I finished this minimal outfit off with a clean-cut chester coat and my new Nikes.

I do love wearing color sometimes, don't get me wrong, but a very simple, minimal outfit really suits my mood most of the time. It's easier to create outfits with a minimal-style wardrobe, and you can stand out in an effortlessly chic way. How do you like to dress during the winter months? Let me know in the comments!


たまには、色合いがすごくシンプルな服を着るのが好きです。でも、その場合は服の丈感や素材をミックスしながらコーディネートを組みます。ユニクロは毎シーズン、様々なデザイナーとコラボレーションしていて、今期のUniqlo and Lemaireのコレクションからこのクロップ丈のニットとワイドパンツを購入しました。冬の日にクロップニットのみを着るのはさすがに寒いので、白シャツをインしました。このコーデは、シンプルな黒コートに白黒のNikeのスニーカーで更にミニマル度をアップ!


色が華やかな服装ももちろん好きですが、やはりシンプルでミニマルなコーディネートはいつでも着れる気がします。ミニマルなワードローブを持っていれば、コーデを組むのも簡単だし、楽なのにシックなイメージになれますよ!冬はどういう服装が好きですか?コメントで教えてね!



Wednesday, December 16, 2015

PARCO Renewal featuring Samantha Mariko



My very first large-scale ad for PARCO department store in Chofu, Tokyo. I am so honored to be the image model for their store renewal, and to have worked with an amazing team who believed in my skills as a model. And so weird to be posing in front of my own photo... but hey, I'm probably never going to do something like this again. I enjoyed every minute of this project, and I hope you like what you see. Thank you PARCO! You can view the ad on their website here.


調布PARCOリニューアルの広告モデルをやらせて頂きました!こんなスケールの大きいお仕事ができて、本当に光栄です。そして、素晴らしい制作チームとクリエイティブな作業ができて、嬉しかった!私のモデルとしてのスキルを信じてくれて、嬉しかった。自分の写真の前でポーズするのは変わって体験でしたが。。他ではできない仕事だったので、良い経験でした。すごく楽しい撮影でした!調布PARCO、ありがとうございました!







Monday, December 14, 2015

My evening skincare routine







A couple weeks ago, I went into detail about my morning skincare routine with Kiehl's, so this time I will go through my evening skincare step by step. If you are someone that wants to finish your skincare in 5-10 minutes, then this isn't the routine for you. My whole process takes about an hour each evening ( I know, crazy, but I know others who spend longer than that every night!). So without further ado...

After a long day of work, it is so crucial for me to get rid of all my makeup, 100%. Clinique take the day off cleansing balm does exactly that. I've used cleansing waters and oils, but I believe cleansing balms are the best at cleansing your skin of all the makeup and dirt that accumulates during the day (I do use a makeup remover for my eye makeup first though!). Then, I use an exfoliator. I'm currently trying out a pumpkin enzyme mask, and so far it's proving to be a fantastic exfoliator. I'll probably do a separate post for this. After exfoliating, I apply my first mask of the night while I'm taking a bath. Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque is a must every single night for me - the air in Tokyo is so dirty that I need something strong enough to get rid of all the dirt and debris from my skin, and clay masks always do the trick. Sometimes I alternate with Caudalie Instant Detox Mask, which is also a great clay mask for instant purification. After washing off the clay mask and stepping out of my bath, it's time to moisturize, moisturize, and then moisturize. As in my morning skincare routine, I spray my face with Avene Thermal Water, then with a cotton pad, apply Kiehl's Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence, the best toner for even sensitive skin like mine. It preps the skin well for application of serums and moisturizers to come after. At this point, I apply yet another mask, this time a moisturizing sheet mask. I was using Korean sheet masks for a while, but Lululun sheet masks are affordable and also do the job well. Sheet masks are so necessary during the drier seasons to prevent flaky, dry skin. After leaving that on for 20-30 minutes, I apply my serums and moisturizers. First, the Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, a powerful serum with continuous delivery of 10.5% pure vitamin C. I've also been using face oils recently, and they seem to be working well. I'll either use Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate or Josie Maran's Argan Oil. When using a face oil, make sure you only take a few drops, rub it between the palms of your hands to warm it, then apply until it sinks into your skin. Last but not least, moisturizer and/or creams. I use an eye cream by Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Bright Dark Circle Minimizer to, of course, get rid of the dark circles and puffiness underneath my eyes. My final step is face cream. My favorite right now is Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream, which is one of the best creams I've ever used. By the time I've finished with this last step, my skin is feeling very soft, supple and clean. 


This might be a handful for some, but was this helpful for any of you? Do you use any of these brands or products in your routine? Let me know in the comments!

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Colors of Shinjuku with Yuky Lutz



sweater: Okami Kultskirt: Zara
beanie: Salz-Tokyo; scarf: Azul by Moussy
coat: Le Ciel Bleu
shoes: Zara; clutch: Farfetch




Every time I meet and work with a new photographer, I am always amazed at their skill at capturing the model and atmosphere of the location with their unique vision. And Spanish photographer Yuky Lutz is no exception. Not until I saw the first photograph did I realize how beautiful a crazy city like Shinjuku can be. Yuky's high contrast and bright colors are truly captivating, and I am so lucky to have been able to shoot with him this time around. Thank you for the beautiful photographs. 


撮影する度に、新しいカメラマンとの出会いはいつも刺激的です。カメラマンの個性は毎回違うし、その人のレンズに写るモデルや景色はとてもユニークに見える。スペインのカメラマン、Yuky Lutzさんはまさに個性的なカメラマンだと思います。最初の画像を目にしたときは、感動しました。見慣れている新宿の街が、こんなにカラフルで綺麗に見えるなんて。Yukyさんとこんな素晴らしい撮影ができて、光栄でした。ありがとうございます!


All photos by Yuky Lutz

Friday, December 11, 2015

CITIZEN xC with Peltier Cafe Omotesando




CITIZEN xC is holding a collaboration event with Peltier Cafe Omotesando for the next 2 days, and I visited today to try out the sweets and to check out the new Happy Flight series. This watch weighs the same as 2 macarons. I know, it sounds crazy but it's true. 3 beautiful new designs, and I want them all.

The mousse chocolat we tried was seriously delicious - it took me a while to finally force the fork through the delicate chocolate coating. There was also a talk show with author & lyricist LiLy, who was one of the most entertaining women I've ever encountered in Tokyo (outrageously witty humor, I tell you). I didn't get a photo with her, but I did get snapped with the J-WAVE radio DJ, who was super gorgeous. If you live in or are in Tokyo, this is worth checking out!


CITIZEN クロスシーは、只今ペルティエカフェ表参道本店とコラボレーションイベントを開催しています!今夜は特別にハッピーフライトシリーズを見ることができました。マカロン2個分の軽さにはすごくびっくりしました!しかも、デザインがとてもお洒落で、デイリーにもつけれます。新作全部欲しくなりました。

イベントでは、「アンブロワジー」という、洋菓子ワールドカップでNo.1で輝いたスイーツを試食することができました。食べるのがもったいないくらい見た目も綺麗で、ものすごく美味しかった!あと、J−WAVEで後ほど放送されるトークがあり、作家のLiLyさんの生トークを楽しむことができました。本当に面白い方!素敵な女性です。東京にいる方は、是非ペルティエカフェへ足を運んで下さい!13日までやってます!

Epoi genuine leather bags




Epoi is a fairly new genuine leather bag brand made in Japan. Last night, I had the pleasure of attending their reception party with some of the girls in my agency. We all received matching square leather bags in different colors. I just recently featured my black bag in my last outfit post here, and let me tell you, I absolutely adore this bag. Perfect for daily or for a night out, these bags are of high quality and extremely useful. Thank you Epoi for a lovely reception party!


Epoiは、日本の高級レザーバッグのブランド。昨夜は、事務所のガールズたちとレセプションパーティーに行ってきました!お揃いの四角いレザーバッグを色違いでいただいちゃいました♡私の黒バッグは、最近のコーデに活用しました(詳しくはこちら)。このバッグは本当に使いやすいし、パーフェクトサイズ!シンプルだけど、見た目も高級感溢れていて、必要なものが全部入るから嬉しい。素敵なバッグとレセプション、ありがとうございました!

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Blue Books Cafe with 2FACE Photograph


A collection of contemplative photography, shot by talented twin photographers Masaru & Yutaka Akiyama, aka 2FACE Photography. Many thanks to Blue Books Cafe for allowing us to shoot in this beautiful space. 



photos: 2FACE Photograph
venue: Blue Books Cafe
model: Samantha Mariko