POSTCARDS FROM OAHU PT.1

he week is here and I'm in Oahu, Hawaii! As I've said before in my previous posts, this is my second visit to Hawaii. The first island was Maui, so this time around the excitement is determining the different between the two, and figuring out which island I enjoy the most. We are staying in Lanikai which is on the lush green side of the island, plus (in my opinion) the more beautiful the ocean is because the waves are calmer (what waves?) and it's definitely more clear. All in all it's absolutely beautiful. When I stayed in Maui we stayed in a resort and for this trip we are renting a house on the water! Both have been perfect and I love experiencing both! The house has such a beachy feel, and the best part is, we share a private beach with one another house right next to us! As you can see in these photos the water is clear, calm, and quiet.

If you've been following my blog for a while now, you might already know that I have a serious fear of the ocean. I;m talking full on panic attacks! Seaweed, sharks, big waves, currents, stingrays, coral, muggy water, sand, and the saltiness are all factors of my fear! Yes, it may seem small to those of you who love the ocean and surf, but to me it's huge and when people don't synthesize this fear of mine, it becomes an even bigger fear. So I have completely strayed away from the ocean, I won't even step foot in the ocean anymore when in Southern California. Hawaii water, ah now that's a completely different story. It may seem silly, but I will get it, and swim in the ocean in these tropical islands! It's not because I'm spoiled, or too stuck up (I only swim in Hawaii) but there's almost no comparison to the ocean here to California. The water is seaweed-free, barely any waves, crystal clear water, and no stingrays chillin out in the sand. Long story short, I love the ocean here, and therefore it's been such an enjoyment to swim and have no panic attacks.

This is just part 1 of my little Hawaii series, so this one is just more photography/editorial photos of Oahu and where I'm staying. These photos is the view I'm able to wake up to every morning! The yellow house is where I'm staying, surrounded with the most gorgeous view! If you can tell, the water is just a few steps away from our patio! So far my favorite thing about Hawaii/Oahu is all the palm trees! Sure I live in California (aka palm tree heaven) but there's something to be said for hawaiian palm trees which is what you can see in all of these photos! Stay tuned for my next post because next we plan on visiting the Dole Pineapple plantation!

MY TRAVEL MAKEUP POUCH

Traveling is my absolute favorite thing to do in life, and I've had many opportunities to explore and travel via plane. As you've probably seen from my last post, I am going to Oahu!!! Since it's a tropical trip my makeup collection is quite small, but when traveling it's best to keep everything minimal as possible. If I was planning to travel to New York, or even Boston, I would pack my Naked palette from Urban Decay, but for the beach I will only pack a few individual products that are most likely travel size.

The best part about packing makeup; is packing it in a cute makeup case/bag. Mine is from Ipsy that came in my monthly subscription service and I love the size of it! Inside my bag I will bring my favorite products and one's I can rely on for everything; humidity, waterproof, travel size, etc. I will first pack whatever product I usually use first, that way I can remember every product I use to complete my makeup routine!

PRODUCTS:

Bronzor // I've never worn foundation, but in the summer I will break out my bronzer. Mine is from BareMinerals and during these golden months the color of mine finally matches my skin tone, haha. I will place this on my forehead (on the sides), a tiny bit on the nose for definition, and on my cheeks.

Eyeshadow Palette // Usually I won't pack a palette when flying to Hawaii or any water vacay, but I purchased this palette from BareMinerals about one week ago, so I just have to take it with me! I love the pink and soft shades which will be perfect for the sun and water!

Eyeliner // This is a staple for me, no matter what I'm wearing, where I'm going, or how little makeup I decide to wear that day! For this trip I'm packing my gel eyeliner from Maybelline. Oh and I have to pack this glitter eyeliner from Urban Decay because it'll be too fun for our nights out!

Mascara // Switching it up this time and choosing my current favorite; Glam Eye's from Rimmel London. I just love how it makes my lashes full and long.

Eyeshadow Primer // This is one item I cannot forget to mention nor pack in my case because I rely on it so much for special occasions! It makes my makeup last all day and I don't need to worry about my eyeshadow creasing on this trip!

OAHU PACKING LIST

ahu, Hawaii! I'm here to announce that I will be taking a trip to Oahu for one week after my graduation with my close friend and her family. I'm so excited, and I plan on vlogging the whole trip (as much as I can). We have a lot planned already, so I know there will be lots of photos to share here on the blog. I have decided to label all the Hawaii posts "Postcards from Oahu," and my goal is to only have 3 parts (maybe;). I've been to Hawaii before, when I went to Maui last year with my family and Alex from Into the Woods! I LOVED Maui and the experience of Hawaii culture + blue water. I'm really not a beach girl, but the water in Maui was my favorite and I enjoyed every minute of it.

By the time this post goes up I'll be packing and getting ready to leave, so I decided to share a little guide of what I'm definitely going to be packing. Not everything in the collage are my items exactly, but some are pretty dang close! I leave the day after my highschool graduation, so it's going to be a busy packing, and preparing for my trip and grad night! Looking forward to my summer, and exciting trip to Oahu! If you have been to Oahu and have any travel guide tips or places you loved seeing...leave them in the comments below because I'd love to check it out when I'm there! Keep your eye out for some Hawaii photos and be sure to follow me via Instagram (jennaleigh_0) so I can spam your feed with Oahu photos!

1. A Good Book - I'm taking along "Beauty" from Lauren Conrad, and I've so excited to finally open it and learn some tips! I'm hoping to get in a lot of reading while soaking up some sun! Gotta crank out my summer reading list!

2. Floppy Hat - In the collage I displayed a roxy beach hat, which will most likely be my go-to instead of a floppy hat, but I'm going to pack both just in case. My scalp is the first thing that gets burned so I plan on wearing it 24/7.

3. Body Spray & Lotion - Oahu! Yes, this is the lotion I will be taking with me to Hawaii...literally one of my favorite summer scents from Bath & Body!

4. Sunglasses - Obviously these are a must have, and I've bringing along my aviators that I actually purchased in Maui when I lost mine!

5. Beach Towel - Okay this one is kinda self explanatory...but I just picked up a really cute one from HomeGoods a few days ago. Plus bringing your own items from home makes me feel more comfortable while traveling.

6. Swim Suit - I'm bringing three, because I hate wearing a wet bathing suit! I barely wear swimsuits because I'm not a water person so mine are super old, yet look brand new! Excited to pull them out for the trip.

7. Shorts - Yes I know, everyone wears shorts...but I had to include it because it's a must for me when walking on the beach and to throw over when wearing my swimsuit!

8. Flip Flops - My absolute favorite are from Roxy, and it doesn't matter which pair! I could wear flip flops in the rain, or sunshine. Even though I love Roxy, I'm probably going to have to find a cheaper pair just so I won't ruin them, but we'll see!

I'M BACK + BLOG MAKEOVER

So happy to be back blogging again!! Writing this post feels so good, and I'm so excited to share with you all the exciting content I've worked so hard on all summer long! To kick things off, I am re-launching the blog with a new blog design! One of the reasons why my blog was lacking some love, was because I hated the way it looked. To me a blog design is everything, because it can enhance your content in a different light. Now my site is clean + fresh, and most importantly organized! I've gone through about five different blog layouts over the past three (almost) years, and I've never felt like they were complete so it always left me wishing I could re-do it! So finally my dream is happening and it's real; my blog has a beautiful makeover!

Of course I cannot leave this post without mentioning the Etsy shop that provided me with this design; Chelsea's work is amazing! Etsy is just one of those places I love to browse through, because helping a local/small business is always the best! I'm absolutely in love with the way it turned out, and how she was so willing to work with me to make sure everything was to my liking! I couldn't ask for a more beautiful layout + design! If you're looking for a blog makeover please go check out her page, and for updates follow her Facebook page!

Also please feel free to leave a comment below with suggestions or ideas for future blog content...I always enjoy reading what you have to say regarding ABH! Thanks so much to all who participated in the little survey I had on my last post. It really gave me a focus and idea of where my blog is heading; especially since this is the last summer I have that won't be filled with school work! Hope you are excited for this summer's content! Grab a nice refreshing glass of lemonade, put your feet up, and follow along!