Amyboo's Adventures!

PAAC Showcase 2012 & FOTD

2012-01-22T00:48:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone! ^_^

Today was Northeastern University's Pan-Asian American Council's First Annual Showcase. They decided to help benefit the Youth Empowerment Project under Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence which is what I'm a part of!!! :D I got to do the introduction and I did a spoken word poem that I wrote myself. If you guys don't know what spoken word poetry is, it's a type of poetry that you perform while reading out loud. In other words, the poem should feel like it's right there in front of your eyes! Haha. :D

Stage getting set up before the show!

Look at me giving the introduction. xD Look so awkward!

I'm really passionate about fighting social injustice so I was really happy to know an NEU club wanted to help out! :) Youth Empowerment Project is pretty much a group of teenagers that get together and have an education about social injustice. After the education is over, we take those words into actions and start doing protests while raising awareness. It's a really serious job, but at the same time, the experience is so rich and I've met the most incredible bunch of people along the way. ~

Here's my FOTD:

^ Close up on the eyes! ;D

Eyes:
UD Sidecar (from Naked Palette)
e.l.f. custom eyes in Moondust
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
Estee Lauder eye pencil in Black
Face:
Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 23
Lips:
Nivea Lip Balm

Linner! (Between Lunch and Dinner LOL!) We ate at Pho & I in Symphony. I ordered the grilled pork Vermicelli. It's definitely one of the classics which I really enjoy. =)

Bubbi HD Flawless Brush Review

2012-01-15T21:21:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone!

I'm pretty excited to write this review. I'm a huge fan of Bubzbeauty on YouTube and was one of the moderators of her old forum. (It's down for maintenance now.) So when she released a line of brushes, I wanted to support and decided to get the HD Flawless brush.

They say:
This brush is handcrafted with high quality synthetic bristles. It's designed for fuller coverage liquid makeup for high definition worthy skin. The brush can reach and blend the 'hard-to-reach' areas at ease. Allows foundation to stretch an extra mile for a flawless finish.
(taken from shopbubbi.com)

My friend ordered this brush for me at the same time she ordered hers so that we could split the price of shipping. ;) In the end, it came down to $12.50 for both of us which is pretty good. Shipping didn't take too long. I believe it was around 2 - 3 weeks for this brush to arrive to me in the US.

The first thing that really attracted me to Bubbi's line is the pretty red and white handle. The colors are so cute that it's just an enjoyment to have in your brush collection in a sea of black handles! The words "bubbi Flawless HD" are engraved in the middle and it hasn't chipped/scraped off yet which makes me happy. :)

As for the bristles, they are very dense, but very soft! Since it is so dense, this brush makes BB Cream a breeze to apply. I know some people prefer using their hands to put on face products, but I think this brush has helped blend the BB Cream much better into my skin! Since Missha Perfect Cover is a really thick BB Cream, it's hard to blend. This brush helps cut down the time and makes a tremendous difference in the appearance. I haven't seen any streak marks while using it. :)

The reason why the bristles kind of bunch up together like in the photos is because after drying it, I squeezed it and it comes out like that. xD If you just set your brushes to dry without squeezing, it will be uniform. This doesn't impact the performance though. It's just preference on how you like your brushes to look. (LOL)

Cleaning this brush (and like all others) is a hassle, but it's no biggie. I have experienced 0 shedding and I've washed it around 3-4 times. Love~! I'm pretty happy with my investment!

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 2.25/5
Would Buy Again? If I had to, yes! :)

GEO Cafe Mimi Lens in Cappuccino Review

2012-01-09T20:13:00.005-05:00

Hello everyone. :)

I feel like this review was definitely long long long overdue! I got these lenses all the way back in October, but I completely forgot all about it until I was browsing through my camera photos. xD

Anyways, I got them from www.eyecandylens.com for a really affordable and cheap price!

The package arrived about 12 days after I sent my order in which is relatively fast. It site's shipping process definitely kept up with its word. :) Upon opening the package, the lenses were carefully wrapped in bubble paper.

Lenses come in the cute GEO packaging. :D

Color: The brown color has little left to be said. Hehe! The unique thing about these lenses is that the thick ring around it is brown so it looks a hinge more natural than a solid black ring surrounding the lenses. The color is very suiting. As for the almost yellow iris for the lens, when placed in, it looks like a blend between brown and yellow. It sounds funny, but I personally like the color especially under sunlight. The yellow shade is warm and not in-your-face so it doesn't seem as unnatural as it sounds!

Design: The pattern of the cappuccino lenses is extremely pretty! I'm pretty much in love with the pattern.~ Is it noticeable? It definitely is when in direct sunlight or under a bright artificial light! I got a lot of compliments wearing these lenses because the pattern is the pop! It's very very pretty and looks great! It shows up very well. The nice thing about these lenses is that the pattern sort of blends into the eye. It's hard to distinguish the lines of where the lenses start and end.

Enlargement: These definitely amp up the eye! At a whopping 15.0 mm diameter, it definitely gives the doll appearance some are looking for. It definitely makes my eyes look biiiig! :D

Comfort: I have to say, absolutely comfortable! I wore these lenses for 8 hours on two separate days and it felt great! :) (In fact, I didn't feel a thing--no dryness, itchiness, pain/irritation etc...)I experience this for all GEO lens though. 8D

Full front shot so you can see.
I was wearing purple for Spirit Day at school! :D Our school colors are purple and black, but since I don't own any purple clothes...I wore it on my eyes hohoho! I'm not wearing any face products though! xD

Eyes:
GEO Cafe Mimi Cappuccino
WetnWild Petal Pusher
Maybelline Great Lash
Lips:
Revlon Lip Balm in Pink Crystal

Overall Review:
9/10

e.l.f. Mineral Infused Face Primer Review

2012-01-05T15:11:00.003-05:00

Hello Lovelies!

Hope you all had a great start to the new year! 2012 is going to be either one of the best years of my life or one of the worst. (Let's pray for a good year!)

Since my last e.l.f. haul (POST), I've been using the Mineral Infused Face Primer. I've heard pretty good things about it, and at it's Christmas sale price, how could I resist? :) Believe it or not, this is the first face primer I've ever used. (I'm quite stingy.)

e.l.f. says:
Transform your face into a flawless and smooth canvas with the Mineral Infused Face Primer. Developed to combat against excess oil, flaky dryness, enlarged pores and fine lines. This clear multipurpose skin primer will prepare your skin so makeup goes on evenly for a long lasting satin finish.
Taken from eyeslipsface.com

It only sounds like it could be a miracle, right?

(Sorry for the poop lighting. Weather is dark today!)
My current BB cream (Missha Perfect Cover) lasts for about 5 - 6 hours before it begins to really wear away. I wanted something that could prolong its disappearance!

Let's talk packaging. The packaging is very sleek and luxe. There is a cap to protect the very convenient and hygienic pump which makes this a great product to travel with. The brand name is right in the center. Overall, it just looks very appealing to the eye!

It takes about 2 pumps to cover my entire face. With this primer, I only need to pump twice on clean fingers and then I spread it out evenly across my face. Do I notice a difference in my skin right then and there? Not really. My face is slightly wet from the primer so I want around 30 seconds. From there, it becomes very matte and my skin feels rather smooth. It feels great! :D

So after applying my BB cream, I really noticed how much easier it was to apply with or without a brush! The BB cream blends out much better than before. The big pores on my nose, usually accentuated by BB cream, were pretty much muted with the primer underneath! Best of all? The BB cream extended it's life to 8 - 10 hours!!! :D~~

Overall, I'm really satisfied with this primer. I don't even know if there are primers that give even better results! This one at full price is $6! It's currently out of stock on e.l.f.'s website, but if you wait it out, this is definitely a product worth trying. At its cheap price, there's no harm! :)

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 1/5
Would Buy Again? Yes! :D

As I mentioned before, my Missha Perfect Cover is almost out! Do you lovelies have any suggestions for BB creams that have similar medium-heavy coverage? :)

New Year's Resolutions...

2011-12-31T00:12:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone. :)

So, the new year is creeping up on us very soon! (Unless you celebrate Chinese/Vietnamese New Year. In that case, you still got 2 months to go haha!)

Every year, I like to do a quick list of new year's resolutions that I can actually achieve! Out of all the ones from last year, I think I actually followed through with one or two. (Does anyone actually complete all their resolutions? ;D)

Even so, making a list is a great way to get to know where you stand and how you would like to change things in your life!

So here's a mixture of my resolutions:
1. Practice piano at least 4 times a week.
Really it should be everyday, but I'm being realistic with myself. 8D I really do love the piano though!
2. Practice singing everyday!
This is an easier resolution...I'm an okay singer, but I'm really looking forward to getting better!
3. Learn how to dance
Like really, dance.
4. Learn the guitar
5. Remember to use masks at least once a week!
I'm always sooo lazy!
6. Clean makeup brushes more often
7. Study for SATs 2 hours per weekend
8. Read one book for fun every month
Sadly, school doesn't let me read as often as I really should. I used to go through 3-4 outside reading books, but school...ugh!
9. Have a spending budget of $60 per month.
(Is that a little steep? I think it is!)
10. Work out at least 20 minutes every other day!

This is an okay list for now. :)

Unfortunately, I'm going to a funeral on New Year's Eve for my aunt whom I am not close to in NEW YORK! That is just CRAZY! :( I'm coming from Boston so it's going to be a 4 hour drive and probably longer just because everyone is driving into the city to see the ball in Time Square...It's so depressing that I will be at the nation's ultimate New Year's Eve celebration for a funeral for a person I don't know! >_<; Family commitment...*sigh*!

but, I hope everyone else has a really awesome New Years!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T18:30:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays to everybody who celebrates anything! =)

Today was a wonderful day! On Christmas Eve, I went to our major family reunion/party. None of us identify as Christian, but we all celebrate the act of getting together and giving out love to all around us! It was a good day.
Today, we went to another party for Christmas day eating Bun Bo Hue. For all who do not know, Bun Bo is a popular soup in the town of Hue which is where my family emigrated from! :D We eat it at most family gatherings haha!
Here is a picture provided by Google for your viewing pleasure:

It really tastes wonderful. :) This looks exactly like what I had eaten earlier!

The best part of the holidays is being able to reconnect with my family, but that doesn't mean I skimp from presents! ;D I was definitely a procrastinator this year and started shopping on Thursday. LOL!...I also picked up stuff for myself. 8D Retail therapy!

Shirts at Rue 21:

;) I am in love with that store.

While I was at Charlotte Russe I got these for 50% off:

Original price: $12.50!
These furry monstrosities are so much fun! LOL. I can say they are pretty effective too at keeping your legs warm! :) For me though, I think the first parts of my body to feel the cold are my thighs...

Bobbi Brown's Makeup Manual! I got this at Home Goods for $14.99 rather than the full $19.99 price! ;DDD So far, this book has definitely given me tips that I didn't know about before. It's definitely helpful and I adore it!

I got these two presents for Christmas:

My cousins are definitely wonderful. =)
My family has really moved their focus of gift giving away. As we kids get older, they give us less stuff and spend their money on gifts for younger kids because, well, we older kids are legible to get jobs! LOL! It makes me nostalgic for the old days, but I'm really happy when I see my 3 year old cousin get a gift instead of me. It makes more sense. :')

Alas! We have another party to go to tomorrow!

I hope all of you are keeping warm and having a great holiday! The New Year is almost here too...! (Prepared to gain 5 more lbs before the week is over...)

Current Shampoo Love

2011-12-21T16:02:00.003-05:00

So for awhile, I used Wen Cleansing Conditioner in Pomegranate which worked amazing, but broke the bank. ($50 is the cheapest you can possibly get it for a 48oz bottle!) Even so, I decided to try out their limited edition autumn scent: Pumpkin Spice about 2 months ago.

(12oz version)

However, Pumpkin Spice didn't work the miracles like Pomegranate did! Sadly, my hair didn't get very much volume and was oilier much quicker! Even so, I decided to keep using up the bottle. (Lasted about 2 months before it all disappeared!) I really wanted to get Pomegranate again, but alas, with Christmas coming up and me still recovering from Black Friday and getting ready for after Christmas sales, buying more WEN would be a bit painful! So, I searched all over for a cheaper alternative...

Not else much needs to be said!

Herbal Essence: Body Envy Shampoo!

At $7 a bottle at Costco, you can get this for a whopping 1.18L (40oz for my fellow Americans). Madness! Shopping at Costco has become #1 alternative. Warehouse stores are the best! :)

Anyways onto Herbal Essences...

I've raved and reviewed a different Herbal Essence shampoo, but I must do the same one for this. Body Envy is incredible! As soon as I squirted out some product from their convenient new squeeze bottle style, the smell was so wonderful and tangy! You might be wondering, "what exactly does that smell like?" The bottle itself says, "with a fusion of passion flower sunrise." Does that not sound amazing? I think that's a great description for what it smells like. ;)
Besides the wonderful scent, when my hair dried, it was incredibly voluminous! I was so surprised to see how voluminous it was! After two months with Pumpkin Spice, I began to lose hope for volume, but Body Envy does live up to what it says it will do! My roots were free from oil for a good three days! What a pleasant surprise!

The major downside of this shampoo is that if you have dry ends from heat damage (like moi) you might want to consider not applying this shampoo to your ends just because it gets rid of oil maybe too well for your dryness! Therefore after using this shampoo, always remember to follow up with a conditioner. (Always always always!)

Herbal Essences is nothing like WEN, I must say. It does not add any shine to my hair, but it gives much better volume than either WEN's Pomegranate or Pumpkin Spice.It's all about preference! It will do before I commit to another bottle of Pomegranate. ;)

Pros:
- Great oil control
- Adds plenty of volume
- Smells terrific
- Very good price
- Convenient packaging (Also comes in normal squeeze bottles)

Cons:
- Can make ends of hair very dry
- Does not add shine

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 1.5/5
Would Buy Again: Yes!

In other news, Christmas is quickly approaching and I still need to figure out what to buy for my family and friends...Such a late shopper, I know! x)

It's been Too Long! & e.l,f. Haul

2011-12-15T21:00:00.004-05:00

Ahhhhh!!!!

I'm sorry for not having posted in 1.5 weeks! Truth is, there's still one more week of school left before winter break so I've been studying my butt off. (8 hours for one test is ridiculous...)

On top of that, I lost my SD card (until 2 days ago!!!) I found it lying on the floor in my bedroom...I have no idea how it ended up there! xDDD but I'm happy that I saved money buying a new one. :3

Anyways, a pretty friend of mine asked if I wanted anything from e.l.f.'s Cyber Monday haul! :D It finally came 2 days ago~!

They have a cute little bag that comes with the purchases.

Starting from far left clockwise:
Custom Eyes in Mocha
Nail polish in Mint Cream
Mineral Infused Face Primer
Cream Eyeliner in Brown & Black
Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Strawberry
Custom Eyes in Driftwood
Super Glossy Lip Shine in Candlelight

It doesn't matter how many neutrals I have...I find myself hording them even after getting NAKED! (which is absolutely gorgeous btw)

I really need to start getting updated with everyone's blogs also! I'm sorry if I haven't commented on your blog for awhile. So so busy! Ahh the life of a student...
Hope you guys have a great weekend! :)

Tags! Yay!

2011-12-02T23:58:00.002-05:00

Thanks to the lovelyRinny for being awesomely sweet and tagging me to do this. :D Doing tags is super duper fun too. Hehe.

Rules:
1. You must post these rules.
2. Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4. You have to choose 11 people to tag and link them on the post.
5. Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.
6. No tag backs.
7. No stuff in the tagging section about 'you are tagged if you are reading this.' You legitimately have to tag 11 people.

11 More Things About Amy!
1. I really like singing out loud to everyone I know...even though I'm just average! (or maybe less than that. Ohohoho!)
2. I get really lazy when it comes to removing my nail polish. During the school year, I don't repaint for 1-2 months! Haha~
3. I have a learner's permit in driving and have been practicing with my bf for awhile now.
4. Social activism really interests me! I'm all about it.
5. When I get a car, I want it lime green.
6. The city is where I belong! Wouldn't want to live/go to college anywhere else!
7. My favorite food consists of a lot of fried goodness.
8. I really like the smell of Abercrombie & Fitch's cologne. Heheh.
9. I'm really obsessed with fruity/sweet scents.
10. I have too many winter hats. All of them are black.

Rinny's Qs:
1. If you could splurge on one, which of these would you pick and why? Designer clothes, designer shoes, designer bags.
Well, since I'm too poor/cheap to buy designer things, I'm not too well versed in my designer knowledge. ;D I can't answer this Q adequately, but I actually really like Coach bags. I don't like the Cs splattered all over, but some of their more creative designs are really eye catching.

2. Which do you buy more of - makeup or skincare products?
I think I buy more makeup. Skincare products last me about an entire year, but makeup is just an obsession that I need to hoard!

3. What are your favorite beauty brands?
I like UD too much. (Who doesn't?) Benefit's line is also really pretty! I also like KAO Essential for their hair products! Absolutely amazing hair masks. :)

4. If you could only use 1 makeup item for the rest of your life, which would you pick?
Taupe eyeshadow. Such a win all year 'round!

5. Name one goal you would like to accomplish in your lifetime.
I want to write a bestselling NY Times novel!

6. What is your occupation (outside of the blogosphere)?
A student & social activist

7. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
1st grade: Doctor.

8. What do you want to be now?
I'd really like to major in English/Sociology or computer science.

9. Do you prefer a few close friends or large groups of friends?
I like few close friends more. It feels like more fun and I always have better conversations with people I know.

10. Why did you start blogging?
I've been blogging since I was 10 when I started off with xanga! Haha! For a while, I did web designing at 12 for fun. Then I resumed blogging back 2 years ago when I felt like I needed to keep a journal of what happens in my life. Now, I make a beauty blog for the beauty aspect of my life! :D

11. Would you rather find true love and be poor for the rest of your life, or make millions and remain single for the rest of your life?
To be honest, it depends how poor. :(
In a perfect world, love comes easy and it should be able to overcome poverty...but if you're living in the conditions where you can't have any free time with your partner because you're too busy working, true love won't trump economic reality. I don't need a huge house and expensive cars. I just need to know when my next meal is...

Those 11 Qs were pretty hard to answer...I couldn't really decide hoohoho!

Now Amy's 11 Qs for the Upcoming 11 Tagged:
1. What is your least favorite food?
2. What is your favorite holiday? Why?
3. Who was your biggest role model when you were 10?
4. What do you consider to be one of your talents?
5. What is one fashion trend you'd like to see disappear?
6. If you could like in any time period, which one would you choose? Why?
7. What is one skincare product you swear by?
8. Do you ever sport bold lip colors?
9. What is something you can't leave the house without?
10. Do you believe that it's possible to fall in love multiple times?
11. Do you like your job?
Legitimately having to tag 11 people is a pretty difficult task...xD
Here are the 11!
Mingi
shop n' Chomp
Cominica
Pop Blush
D. Sadie
Lina Kim
Diane
Hevn
Angel
Rainy Days and Lattes
Bebe
Have fun with the tag, ladies! :)
~~~
In other news, I just realized that I lost my SD card!!! =__=;;; Not in my camera...not in my laptop...I have this awful habit of leaving it around the piano when I play because I like to look up sheet music and chords with my laptop. So in order to avoid damaging the SD card (like my first one) I just leave it out...Well, it's not there anymore. T_T Guess I'll just have to buy another one for $16 tomorrow. (cries) Maybe I'm giving up my search too early...

Anyways, have a nice weekend!

Black Friday anyone?

2011-11-26T15:01:00.006-05:00

Hello everyone~!

I hope all of your Thanksgivings were spectacular. :) I feasted throughout the entire day snacking between every minute...Haha! Thanksgiving is definitely my favorite holiday because our family and friends make a big effort to come together which I think is really sweet especially since we only have rare chances to be together.

Of course, after Thanksgiving...there's Black Friday and upcoming Cyber Monday! 8DDDD Let's just say I blew through so much money...Arrrgggh...but I swear, it was all worth it!

From Charlotte Russe (quickly becoming my favorite clothing store...!) I got these two off shoulder sweaters!

This pattern is so winter-y. It's really warm and thick so it's great. :D

CVS had a sale basket LOL!

Maybelline Baby Lips and Maybelline Eye studio. I am really in love with Baby Lips right now...I'll do a better review of them later!

Sally Hansen polish. This color is actually a much brighter orange in real life! It's really pretty (and really cheap compared to original price ohohoho)

30 facial wipes for $2.99! :D

From Victoria Secret, I got this mini perfume. Their PINK fragrance line smells increeedible, but I was too stingy to toss $18 for the full sized bottle and got this travel size for $8. If I reeeaally like it, I'll commit, but for now, I'll satisfy myself with this. (Wasn't on sale by the way LOL!)

And now...

TADAHHH!!! So happy with my ultimate purchase. :D Of course this wasn't on sale, but I still bought it anyway...;; Sephora did have their Black Friday sale, but all the items that were there by the time I got there were no good. =/ Just a bunch of Tokidoki stuff. I like Tokidoki, but I really think their packaging is better than their products!

I think I'll buy some stuff off Coastal Scents...Their website is having a major 50% everything. :'D Yay for sales!

It feels like I've been hauling every week...Alternating between haul posts...Ahhhh *shame*

Hope you guys got some good discounts. :)
I also noticed a surplus in followers. ^_^ Thank you for following! Just 20 more before I am able to give a small giveaway. Heheh. :D

NOTD: OPI

2011-11-19T18:33:00.004-05:00

Hellooooo everyone~

Just wanted to share with you a a NOTD with my new Opi polishes that my wonderful friend got me. ^_^
You can expand the photos if you want a closer look! :D

OPI: Austin-Tatious Turquoise

It takes about 3-4 coats for me to get the color to be super opaque. The color is really difficult to describe. it has a lot of purple micro-shimmer which is gorgeous. The color changes depending on the lighting. :)

OPI: Gold Shatter On Top

That's just one coat of the shatter. It shatters really well--the streaks are and really pretty. =)

hope everyone is having a good weekend~!

Late Birthday Post!

2011-11-13T12:12:00.004-05:00

Ahhh!
It's been like a week since my birthday. (November 6) Throughout the entire week, I had no ounce of time. On Thursday, my laptop was attacked by the blink black screen of death. BBOSD! :( A feature of Windows Vista...So on Saturday, my boyfriend fixed it with his genius prowess! :'D Sorry sorry!

So, I gathered 15 of my awesome friends and we hanged out at my aunt's house playing boardgames and the Wii. Then we went to Yamato in Brighton, MA to eat sushi buffet!

It was ~$27 per person on Saturday night. :) It was delicious! Sushi comes out a little slow, but there's less than 8 chefs to handle the whole restaurant on a busy Saturday night so it makes sense.
I had a wonderful night with my friends. <3 I hope next year will be even more spectacular!

Now onto the presents~!

OPI nail polish in Teenage Dream, Gold Shatter, Austin-Tatious turquoise, the Sephora moisturizer, 3 Bath & Body Works lotions, Tokidoki Lip gloss and a really cute mirror! :D

Really cute beanie babies and a Pikachu paper thing. :'D Friend has so much talent!

Dad got me a huuuge winter coat a movie theatre gift card. The boyfriend got me $50 gift card to Sephora. \(*w*)/ Guess I can get myself a birthday present too, yes? Hehe! (NAKED I'm looking at you...)

Hello!
Hope you guys have a nice week! ^_^

Skin Food Seaweed Cleansing Foam Review

2011-11-03T20:32:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone~!

So, I've been using this cleansing for a good month now and can properly give you a review of its pros & cons!

Skin Food says:
Skin Food Seaweed Cleansing Foam is refreshing cleansing with seaweed nutrients for oily and combination skin. It removes make-up residue with its rich foam, while cleansing deep down to pores. It controls oily shine.
(Taken from sasa.com)

Review:
To get started, I only cleanse my face at night. In the morning, I like to splash my face with cold water five times. This is a personal preference during winter time because washing twice a day really causes my skin to dry out into red patches!

The packaging of the product is in a nice squeeze tube which allows you to control how much you need. Also, it only takes a pea size to take care of your entire face so this product will probably last a super long time!

The liquid itself doesn't really foam up so it is a bit misleading.

Since using the seaweed cleanser, I've noticed a decrease in excess sebum. In fact, for a majority of the day, my face stays rather matte without any makeup. Usually, I will have an oily T-zone by noon, but this product decreases the amount of shine on your face! Therefore, I don't really notice an oily T-zone until around 4 or so. (10 hours! almost half day~!) Of course, it definitely depends on what I'm doing that day, but most days, I'm very sedentary. As a result, I don't get acne as often as long as I remember to cleanse and exfoliate properly! :) Yay!
However, this cleanser is not enough alone to take care of makeup. You have to use a makeup remover prior to this cleanser. I don't really mind though!
There is a smell in all Skin Food products. I'm not bothered by the smell of this cleanser, but this is something you want to be wary of if you don't like / are sensitive to smells.
This Skin Food product is ideal for someone who worries about excess sebum and has mild acne.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Price: 3.25/5
Would Buy Again? Probably!

Laate Update! & Small Haul/Free Stuff

2011-10-29T10:49:00.007-04:00

HI HI EVERYONE!

I'm sorry for updating for quite a while. :( School has been the biggest torment ever. I've been doing tons of volunteering things too.
Anyways, while I was away, I managed to get a few new things. :D

I got these 3 shirts from Rue21. Most amazing store ever. I think I already went on about how awesome this place is. I also bought a hat and a set of bangles...but I can't remember where I put them. T_T The season is getting colder so it's a good idea...Anyways, Rue21 is awesome because they always have stuff on sale. The striped shirt cost $3.99!!! The graphic tees are buy one get the 2nd for 50%. (So a total of ~16 for shirts!) Not to mention, the quality of these shirts are amazing.

Cafe Mimi lenses in Latte! I can't wait to try them on. :'D They look so gorgeous. I'll post a more detailed review of these lenses. I got them from Eyecandylens and the shipping didn't take too long at all. It was around 15 days.

Bubbi HD Brush!!!!!!!! :'DDDDDDDD Happiness!
My friend ordered hers and asked me if I wanted to get anything too. I decided the HD brush because it looked amazing and it does feel great! Bubzbeauty is one of my inspirational people. For those of you who don't know her, she's a beauty guru on youtube and she's incredible. I definitely recommend her videos and her comedy channel.

Free stuff is awesome. I got one of these from a college fair I was attending. The other bag contains free hair and skin samples from Target! They were giving away free beauty bags on their website. I knew this offer through heyitsfree.com. If you're a US resident, this website will definitely hook you up with free samples! I've gotten perfume samples, food, and tons of beauty products. ^_^ My dad is pretty proud of how cheap I've become. Haha;;

I got this shirt from volunteering at BAASIC which is an Asian American event where Asian American activists come together an talk about different aspects of standing for racial equality. I was co-oping a Domestic Violence/ Dating Violence (DV) workshop. The conference was held at Harvard U so we got a small view of the campus. :D It was tons of fun. Got so much free stuff!

I've gotten very passionate in my volunteer service. I really believe in every cause that I support! Volunteering is definitely a lot of fun. It's worth thinking about. :)

Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Review

2011-10-18T16:31:00.004-04:00

Hello beauties! :)

As the season is transitioning and is starting to cool down up here in the northern hemisphere, I was looking for a lip color that would pop! So, I searched for a drugstore coral shade and arrived at Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine in Coral Lustre.

Maybelline Says:
Why You'll Love It
See the sumptuous side of high shine:
• So refined, so sophisticated…it's sensational
• Mirror-like color from micro-mirror pigments
• Creamier feel from nourishing honey nectar
• Now lips flaunt the most spectacular shine
• 10 lush lip shades
maybelline.com

Packaging is very neat. It's made out of plastic, but it looks really sleek and pretty! It's sturdy and locks nicely. The nice thing about Maybelline's packaging is that the top of the lipstick case is clear so that you can look and see the color within. The color of the sticker underneath doesn't actually match the color of the bullet.
First, I was completely surprised at the moisture of this lipstick. I've tried a lot of Revlon cream lip products, but all of them required some sort of lip balm underneath. Color Sensational is great without! That was definitely a win in my book.
Also, the finish of the lip product is just peeerrfect! Who needs lip gloss when you have High Shine?! It has the right amount of shine so that it isn't overpowering.
The color of the product wasn't as bright as I was expecting. In fact, this was better. The color looks like "my-lips-but-better." It takes two swipes to achieve the color of the lip swatch. It takes about 4-5 to achieve the color of the hand swatch!
Within the color itself, there's a lot of shimmer to it. When the color fades away, the shimmer stays. It's also easy to get around your mouth too so if you aren't a fan of shimmery lips, best skip this!

Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Price: 3/5
Would Buy Again? Yes!

My Columbus Day Weekend

2011-10-12T16:51:00.004-04:00

Happy belated Columbus Day! Yay for the founding of the Americas! :D

Anyways, I spent the weekend with my family and my friend in North Conway, NH to experience the new foliage!
We rented a really awesome house that stayed super duper warm through the night. (Too hot they say...I love the heat haha!) Anyways, this place was really awesome and fit all 21 of us. I really hope we get to go there again. ^_^
We went on two hikes and took lots of pictures. My cousin really went all out and bought random corn and apples on the side of the highway. Apparently, New Hampshire and Vermont are pretty rural...The locals had the most beautiful country accent! :D It was so cool to hear it up and close!

Cousin fell asleep in the car. :3

Doodling on the dusty windows. haha!

The scenery of New Hampshire and Vermont is gorgeous during Autumn. If there was ever a time I would recommend going to see the foliage, it would be now! :D
I also bought tons of stuff while I was up in the mountains, but I'll save that for another post. ^_^ I hope everyone has a schweet week.

Haul! Yay!

2011-10-05T16:31:00.005-04:00

Hello everybody~~! :D
I finally received my LUNA goodies that I won from Handmade Reviews. They're just protein bars, but they look yummy. Luna also threw in a lip balm. :) I stuffed it in the middle with all the other things I've gotten this week.
Here's my haul~:

Citre Shine: Anti-Frizz Serum, Aloe drink, CVS Eye Makeup Remover
I got Citre Shine at Ocean Job Lot and so far, it really makes my hair awesome! It doubles up as a heat protectant and it smells very tangy/citrusy which I like. :) I'll do a more proper review later down the road.

I got Aloe drink from my local Asian supermarket. Originally, I was looking to find aloe vera the plant for my skin. (It has CRAZY benefits!) However, I couldn't find where they sold it...So then, I tried to find aloe vera 100% liquid...but they didn't have that. So then, I looked at this regular drink and the ingredients are all very beneficial to the skin. (water, aloe vera crush, sugar, aloe vera gel powder, anhydrous citric acid, calcium lactate, ascorbic acid, honey) Aloe vera gel would also work well, but I already purchased it though so I'm going to taste it on my face. xD I won't stop trying to search for the actual plant though. 100% aloe vera will do miracles! My friend grows an aloe vera plant and she has been using it on her skin. She looks sooo amazing now! Her skin looks so perfect and smooth. It has cleared up considerably! (Envy)

CVS eye makeup remover is amazing. It's a repurchase for me! It's so so so gentle on the eyes and gets rid of the toughest liner/mascara better than WetnWild.

Luna stuff~! :D

Maybelline Great Lash.
I've heard so many good things about this that I wanted to try it. Plus, it's less than $6 at CVS which is a major deciding factor in my purchase. Haha!

Caved and got more WEN. xD The Ginger Pumpkin LE scent!

In other news, I've been breaking out on my face in places I've never broken out before! I never break out anywhere outside of between the eyebrows...but I suddenly got a zit on my cheek, upper lip, and side of my chin! >_< 2/3 have left a scar and 1/3 is still being stubborn and not going away! (Hence my search for aloe vera...) My skin always gets worse when the weather gets colder. :( Do you guys have any tips/tricks on dealing with papules/postules? (The painful kinds of acne underneath the surface. Sometimes without a head?)

Anyways, I hope everyone else has a sweet week!

Best Blog Award!

2011-10-02T15:28:00.009-04:00

Given to me by Lina Kim. She is absolutely gorgeous and her blog is a joy to read. ^_^

Rules:
1. Link back to the person who gave you this award.
2. Share 7 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the "Favorite" questions.
4. Award this to 7 bloggers.

1. I am such a hardcore gamer. I play video games like mad! I looove them so much.
2. I only watch Food/cooking related shows on TV. LOL
3. I am currently learning French in school while learning Japanese on my own! J'aime plus! :D
4. I really like manga/anime a lot. I used to draw a lot, but now I've been leaning towards more realistic art.
5. Writing is my passion.
6. I am a huge foodsie. I love eating and tasting new cuisine!
7. I really like break dancing, but I'm super bad at it!!!

QUESTIONS:
NAME YOUR FAVORITE COLOR: Corrraaaal!!!!
NAME YOUR FAVORITE SONG: It definitely changes every week. Right now, it's Halo by Beyonce. ;D
NAME YOUR FAVORITE DESSERT: I don't think anything can beat a canoli.

Can you beat this?
Img source. Google
WHAT IS ANNOYING YOU: This huge red whelp of a pimple between my eyebrows. :(
WHEN YOU ARE UPSET YOU...: Write in my journal
YOUR FAVORITE PET: I think I really like kittens. Fluffy ones. :3
BLACK OR WHITE: Gray
YOUR BIGGEST FEAR: Failure
MY BEST FEATURE: I can smile!
EVERYDAY ATTITUDE: There's no such as a "set" attitude for everyday!
WHAT IS PERFECTION: What your mind tricks you into believing.
GUILTY PLEASURE: Singing like a loser at the top of my lungs while shattering glass. :)

I've been volunteering a lot lately! I've volunteered for a Rally against Fossil Fuels and Making Strides: A Breast Cancer Walk! ^_^ Volunteering is a lot of fun and it definitely feels great.

Here are the 7 People I'll Tag!
1. KawaiiFreakxXx
2. Whimscial Whatnots and Whatever...
3. Comnica Beauty Blog
4. PopBlush Beauty
5. Rinny's Beauty Diary
6. Shop n' Chomp
7. My Kiss 'n Make-up

There were more ^_^ So I definitely invite anyone who wants to do this to definitely do it! <3

WEN Cleansing Conditioner Review!

2011-09-25T11:00:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone! :D

Today, I wanted to share the product, WEN cleansing conditioner that I have been using for around 2 - 3 months now and there is about 1/8 left in the bottle. This product gets a lot of reviews and there are tons and tons of infommercials advertising this product. Plus, QVC generally does showcases of them too on their channel. My mom caved and bought this in July and we've been sharing the bottle. So let's get down to the review!

(32 oz Pomegranate Version)

What WEN says:
WEN® Cleansing Conditioner is a revolutionary new concept in hair care. A 5-in-1 formula, this one product takes the place of your shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler and leave-in conditioner. It cleanses hair thoroughly but without lathering and all the harsh ingredients that may be found in ordinary shampoos—it is designed so it won't strip your hair and scalp of their natural oils. Your hair is left with sheen, moisture, manageability and better color retention.
(from wenhaircare.com)

Review:

First of all, let's talk packaging. My mom bought the 32 oz(907g). The packaging is in a dark red bottle with a simple sticker that has a gorgeous picture of pomegranate and a really cute font. The back has another sticker giving the claims, ingredients, directions etc. This shampoo uses a pump which I like, but hate at the same time! For the majority of the time, the pump works really magically until you get to 1/6 of the bottle...It can't get the rest of the product because the pump is too short. So then, I have to open up the bottle and shake it out!

Even with that complaint, I think I have to say that...this product does work. WEN claims for it to be a 5-in-1 product and it really is! After using this once, my hair had no split ends even though it was a forest of them before! After the 2nd use, it was super duper soft. Then after around 8 uses, it got really shiny. I'm not sure if I can say that the amount of frizz in my hair decreased, but it did keep my hair moisturized. The best part is that this works even for my oily scalp. My hair doesn't get oily up to 3 days now through the summer heat! ^_^ All in all, this product is actually...amazing. It definitely lives up to the hype and all the wonderful claims! It's magic in a bottle. :D

As for the smell of the product, it has a pomegranate smell, but it's not fruity sweet. It doesn't really excite me in terms of smell, but it doesn't bother me either. There was also a tingly sensation the first time I used it. However, I never got it again.

As for the price...it was $49.50 for 32 oz or you can get it the 16 oz for $28.00 from QVC.com The nice thing about WEN is that there are multiple scents that all do the same thing. So, if pomegranate isn't your thing, try out a different scent like Sweet Almond Mint, Lavender, Tea Tree, and I believe the limited edition Ginger Pumpkin (has the highest 5 star rating according to QVC!)

Overall Rating: 5/5!
Price: 4.25/5
Would Buy Again: Definitely!

Graphic Ts

2011-09-21T16:49:00.004-04:00

Back when I was scene/punk, I used to wear such outrageous clothes that really made me stand out. My behavior was normal, but my fashion sense was all over the place.
I dropped the scene style once I entered high school and the one thing I kept back from the Dark Ages (LOL) were graphic Ts.

A graphic T is loud and says a lot about your personality. The message on the shirt you choose can really pump up your outfit and to me, graphic Ts are the perfect alternative for the lazy girls. You don't need to worry about dressing up or down when you have a graphic T. Put on a pair of jeans and let your shirt do the talking!

CEREAL KILLER. ;D Do you get the pun?
My brother loves it when I wear this shirt. He likes making lots of jokes referring back to it. I got this shirt from Wet Seal 2 years ago when I was still in the "stage." I'm glad it's lasted this long and has been able to smoothly transition into modern Amy.
A good graphic T is a pretty awesome conversation starter too. :)
They're casual and they're playful! They're perfect for a normal relaxed day. :D
What's your favorite T-shirt? Do you prefer your shirts without the loud messages?

NOTD: Cover Girl

2011-09-14T17:45:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone~!

It's only the 3rd day of school and I'm piled in homework, essays, and tests....haha;;

Here we have Cover Girl's Continuous nail polish in powerpink. This nail polish is actually really old. My mom gave it to me the other day and I didn't even realize that Cover Girl even had a nail polish line. I was pleasantly surprised! Along with powerpink, there were a few more bottles of polish that she bestowed upon me and all of them are awesomely opaque and don't chip for days! ^_^ This bright pink makes the day feel so much happier! Hehe.

Anyways, I hope everyone has a nice week! :)

St. Ives Cucumber Melon Body Wash Review

2011-09-08T15:58:00.004-04:00

Hello my lovely readers~!

Well, today was the first day of school. I will be entering junior year in high school (yeah, I'm young!) and therefore, I should probably warn you that updates will not be as frequent as last year. :/ I will definitely update at least once a week, but I'm not sure if it will be anymore than that. Please bear with me! ;;

Anyways, I picked up this body wash from Ocean Job Lot for I believe around $3 which is much cheaper than it normally retails for. Now, I had no idea that St. Ives had a body wash line! I'm a huge fan of the Apricot Scrub. (Who isn't?) Yet, I never knew that they made anything that extended beyond the face! I didn't have too many expectations for this, but it really proved me wrong!

The smell is divine. I absolutely adore the smell. It smells like cucumbers and melons with a lot of sugary pinches thrown into it! The smell is absolutely wonderful. If they made a moisturizer out of that scent, I would eat it up. Not literally, of course...Haha!

This body wash lathers very nicely and it moisturizes very well! My arms and legs felt super duper soft after using this body wash...much softer than when I use Dove branded body wash! Crazy! It feels like such a treat to apply and I'm pretty much now in love.~

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 1/5
Would Buy Again?: Yes!

Check it out--new sneakers! They're such a fun bright coral color haah! My mom practically fainted when she saw I chose this color, but she reluctantly paid for them anyway. xD I <3 coral! I usually hate wearing sneakers because they're always in really plain colors, but the bright colors on this make these fun to wear. :)

Natural Hair Lightening: Honey (Update!)

2011-09-02T11:31:00.006-04:00

'Ello everyone!

Since my last post of Natural Hair Lightening: Honey, I wanted to give everyone an update on how it has been working for me for one month.

Within August, I've used this treatment 6 times! The first time, I kept my treatment in for 3 hours. Then after that, I've kept it in for ~6 - 8 hours. Sometimes, instead of using conditioner and honey, I've switched the conditioner for my hair masks instead.

Here's a reference picture to start off with:

This picture was taken last September...and I was that pale before! Goodness. :'D Very typical Asian-dark hair.

Now:

As you can see, my ends are really brown now.

When comparing the ends of my hair to the roots, the ends are dramatically lighter while the roots take a longer time to change color. I believe that the reason why the ends are so much browner is because I tend to focus the hair mask on my ends just because they're more drier than the roots!

Overall, honey as a lightening agent works really well! :) The results are not extremely obvious at this stage, but I'm sure another 6 tries will make even more noticeable differences!

I think it's important to keep in mind that I had really dark hair before this treatment. This treatment works faster for people who have lighter hair. As for me, it's supposed to take a little longer just because it takes more hydrogen peroxide to lighten...but that's okay! I'm going to keep using this treatment and update you guys next month! :)

Essential Ultra Honey & Shea Butter Mask Review

2011-08-27T13:25:00.004-04:00

'Ello everyone!

Throughout this week, I've been having a lot of fun and enjoying the last few days of freedom that I get. Just two more weeks until school starts...It's probably going to be my busiest and most important year yet!

Besides that, I promised to do a review on the Essential Ultra Honey & Shea Butter Hair Mask!

This mask is constantly sold out on sasa.com so I was so excited when I saw it in Chinatown! There's a small Asian beauty store in Chinatown. The price was $15 which is a few dollars more expensive than Sasa (+ shipping to US), but I didn't mind. They also had the pink version of the mask and both lines of shampoo&conditioner! ^_^

The texture of the mask is thick. I know that a lot of people, including Bubzbeauty really likes the smell of this. It smells pretty much like shea butter with hints of honey. I don't love the smell, but I certainly don't hate it. It's pretty neutral, but it's pleasant nonetheless.

Now, does it work well? YES! After applying this mask, my hair is so so so soft! It looks visibly softer and the ends of my hair feel repaired! It, however, does not do very much for the frizziness of my hair.
My hair is almost at the end of my bust. I need a palm size amount of product to cover my entire head. Therefore, one tube would last me about 1.5 - 2 months if I use the mask once a week. That's okay for $15! :D~

Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Price: 3/5
Would Buy Again?: Yes!

I went out to eat with my brother, his girlfriend, and a bunch of my friends because they're going back to New Jersey to start the Fall semester at college. So, I decided to buy them presents with my to-be-bf. (Is it weird to call him that? That's what we are? I'll call him TBBF LOL!)

When we left the store, he surprised me with a really cute phone charm. Seeing as my darn android doesn't have a charm hole, I attached it to my bag. xD

So cute. ^_^ The thought that he gave me anything was sweet!

I changed the background and the colors of my blog! Do you like?
Anyways, have a great weekend! :D

Revamping My Skincare: Skin Food Haul!

2011-08-24T00:01:00.003-04:00

Hello~~~!

So, with my first paycheck from my summer job, I decided to spend a bit of it on something new: Skin Food. My entire skincare routine was actually...not even a routine. To be perfectly honest, I didn't actually have a set routine at all. The products that I were using didn't work for me and so I just got lazy. The only thing that I've actually done is exfoliate every 2 days which, in my case, has kept me alive. Still, surviving on the bare minimum doesn't work well for me and I want to make better improvements/changes to my skin!

Seaweed Cleanser

Black Sesame Heat Mask

Rice Mask (bestseller!)

Peach Sake Serum

My first impression with all four products: They smell wonderful! It feels like such a treat to use them just because the smells are heavenly~! Let's just hope they work good just as well as they smell good. :)
I ordered two different masks because I hear the sesame mask is good for oil control while the rice mask is good for brightening/moisture. Two masks for two different occasions!
For many reasons, I decided against having a toner in my skincare routine. With some research, people say toners aren't really necessary, but I'm still not too sure. What do you ladies think? Do you use a toner? Has it helped? How about an emulsion?

Hair Wax I Love: Gatsby

2011-08-21T18:28:00.003-04:00

Hello lovelies! ^_^ I hope your Sunday is going well.

Today, I wanted to talk about my favorite hair wax in the whole wide world: Gatsby Hair Clay. I have the purple version (Wild Shake) for hair movement. Gatsby is a popular hair wax brand within Japan and have a variety of colors. The colors stand for different kinds of wax.

Personally, I really like Wild Shake the most because it lets your hair move while still keeping it up! The wax has a very smooth texture and a small dime size is enough to get major volume so one tube of Gatsby lasts a very long time. The smell is reminiscent of fruit mixed with a bit of chemical. How to explain this smell? It's not a good smell, but it's not bad. It doesn't overpower your shampoo so it wins in my book! :)

I used to be super duper punk/scene/goth a few years ago back when I thought it was cool, cutting an Asian mullet and having spiky hair. (lol!) I've grown out of it, but I kept this wax because I like to use it on my top layers for a bounce of volume! :) This wax is great for making your hair volumnized on this bad hair days and it stays in for a very long time. Just make sure not to put too much wax as it will weigh the hair down.

While we're on the subject of hair, I'm looking for something really awesome that fights frizz. Do you lovelies have any suggestions? What are your favorite hair waxes/clays?

Steal of the Week!

2011-08-15T18:53:00.004-04:00

Hello my lovely buddies! :)
I haven't updated in almost a week...goodness. My summer job has required a lot of my attention and I haven't been home on most days so I apologize! I need to catch up on reading everyone's blogs.~

Anyways, on Saturday, my coworkers and I traveled to Providence, Rhode Island to check out the Water Fire Festival. It seems to be a Providence thing to set things on fire on their canal. LOL! Anyways, before we went to the canal however, we got to shop at the large Providence mall there!

So, I was ecstatic to see that Charlotte Russe was selling handbags for $10! This bag was originally $28.50, but I got it at $10! :)

I'm so proud of my deal~! This bag is such a gorgeous gray. It matches with practically everything I wear rather than my loud orange Naruto bag! (I should upload a picture of this horrid bag later lol.) It also has tons and tons of pockets so it can fit much more and the straps feel really comfortable...I could sleep on this bag.

I took a picture of this cute Panda bag in Newbury Comics. They sell a lot of controversial/funny stuff. It's a pretty awesome place. :)

I might upload pics of the Water Fire Festival when my friend decides to upload them onto Facebook!

Review: VS Beauty Rush Luminous Shadow

2011-08-09T10:52:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone!

This is kind of a long overdue review seeing as I've had this eyeshadow for months and months, but haven't used it until recently.
Anyways, I have this in the shade Bronze Ambition.

(Pics are kinda fuzzy today...Darn you camera!!!)

The applicator is with a spongy tip inside. To get more product, you kind of either dip it back into the container or shake it! I found this to actually be really annoying because once you shake it, product spews everywhere. :( I also accidentally tipped the container over and product spilled! This always happens with anything loose...but that's just me.

(Left is swatch. Right is blended.)

So, with primer (elf), these shadows can last ~6 hours. Without a primer, they stand no chance over 4! So the lasting power is meh. As for the color, I absolutely love neutrals, coppers, bronzes, and the likes. Color pigmentation is very good. There is a lot of glitter and sparkle which can fall out if you're not careful while applying.
Even though the color is pretty, I've got prettier colors without the hassle and better staying power! :( VS, I think I'll stick to your scents.

Overall: 3/5
Price: 3/5
Would Buy Again: No

FOTD: Soft

2011-08-04T10:20:00.004-04:00

Hello~!
I realize that I haven't actually done a full FOTD before. Odd!

Products Used
Lenses: GEO Xtra Nudy Blue (15mm)
Crease: Claire's LE palette (the Jill Stuart Look-alike)
Waterline: WetnWild eyeliner (white)
Inner corners: e.l.f. shimmer palette
Upper lash line: Estee Lauder Eyeliner (black)
Face: Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 23
Lips: Revlon Lip Balm in Pink Crystal

I decided against wearing mascara because my eyelashes keep bouncing against the lenses of my glasses! :(
I'm thinking of getting big black lenses next from GEO! I'm not totally sure though...It's either that or more nudy colors. xD
Anyways, I hope everyone has a nice rest of the week! =)

Natural Hair Lightening: Honey

2011-07-30T16:12:00.003-04:00

For a long time, I've always wanted to dye my hair! However, my parents were deeply against the idea and still are. They think my hair will fall out early! (We all know this isn't true, but parents will be parents...) So, I've been trying to find a method that would naturally lighten my hair.

We've all heard of lemons for lightening hair, but the acidic acid in lemons is extremely damaging and if that stuff gets on the roots of your hair while you're outside, you could be putting yourself at risk! Not to mention, lemons will lighten Asian hair to a copper/brassy red color. So, lemons were thrown out the window!

So then, I stumbled across honey! Honey has hydrogen peroxide which is the main ingredient that we want to lighten hair without bleach. Add honey with cinnamon, and you have yourself a win-win mixture. Cinnamon and honey both have crazy benefits for not only your hair (great for hair loss), but for everything in your body! (Acne, immune systems, colds, etc.)

Here's an awesome video from AndreasChoice:

As soon as I saw this, I ran to the kitchen and got out everything I needed to make it! With a little more research, adding cinnamon to the mixture will give Asian hair a brownish tint (rather than the dreaded brassy colors!)

Mix mix mix...

I use grade A honey (liquidy version) rather than raw honey and Pantene conditioner. Then, I wait for it to develop and apply to dry hair! Some say it's okay to apply it to damp hair too.

Now, as for the waiting time, the times vary...Andrea suggests 30 - 40 minutes. Others suggest 1 - 2 hours. Even more suggest up to 8 hours!!! So in the end: keep it in for as long as you possibly can stand it. LOL. After 5 times (after 10 for people with jet black hair), you will see some sort of result...

I have natural Asian hair. (Super duper dark brown/borderline black) I'm in the trial process right now, so I will update if my hair actually does lighten or not! =) This method seems promising.

Summer Besties! (Tag)

2011-07-26T20:04:00.005-04:00

Hellooo everyone. I was tagged by the lovelyThe Vain Girl's Palette to do this! :) Check out her blog as she just started this new one!

1.) Best Lip Product: Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Balm in Pink Crystal
Once you open the cap of this magical tube, you're greeted with the smell of watermelons. <3 It can't get any more summery than that. Of course, unless you don't like scented things, then skip this! Besides that, this balm has great lasting power, moisturizes my lips like no other, and has the most gorgeous soft glossy finish that makes it appropriate for work. :)

2.) Best Blush: Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Blush & Highlighter
I really like this specifically for summer because the color is very pink and gives a dolly look while the highlight amps up the face. If you're darker toned, then you will adore this as a highlighter. If you're light skinned - to fair skinned, you'll love it as a blush.

3.) Best Nail Polish: Wet n Wild in Blazed
This color is so very amazing. WetnWild nail polishes stay on for a very long time and take awhile before they begin to chip. This color looks orange, pink, or coral depending on the lighting. All three are perfect summer colors! :)

4.) Best Liquid Face Product: Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 23
To be honest, I think Missha is the best face product all year round haha! However, this is greaaat during summer because of the SPF 45 and the sun protection that it also provides. Not to mention, Missha as such medium to full coverage that I adore it all the time. However, I wouldn't dare wear this in 32C+ weather...because it will melt off. :(

5.) Best Powder Face Product: None!
I'm not sure why, but I still haven't acquired a powder product for myself...I like dewy foundation finishes more. :3 (Of course, this is a problem during summer...haha)

6.) Best Eye Product: Claire's LE Palette
This was a palette I picked up quite awhile ago, but I really like it for this weather because of the summery colors with it's yellows, oranges, and reds! The bottom row is also really great for daytime looks because of the soft colors. (The only color I really dislike is the the color left of the bottom right brown...It looks like green rusted metal!)

7.) Best Hair Product: Essential Ultra Honey & Shea Butter Mask
I will do a more proper review of this later, but right now, I can say that it really makes my hair feel soft and tames my frizz better than most other products! I looove the look of my hair under sunlight now because it looks so soft rather than crazy. :')

8.) Best Tanning Product: None!
I don't really like to use tanning products nor do I like to go out in the sun and tan...I just think doing nothing is the best way to go. :D (Not to say that I haven't gotten a tan anyways...)

9.) Best accessory: Ice cream earrings!
I got this pair at Anime Boston 2011 from one of the tables in the Artist Alley...I sadly, cannot remember which or where I put their card, but they are absolutely amazing. <3 Their table is FILLED with the cutest accessories from hime lolita to gothic to punk. The guy behind the table was also really energetic, didn't pressure me, but made me laugh a lot! Oh yeah, and these are just so cute. :') Nothing like a summer treat hanging from your ears. They aren't too heavy either.

10.) Best Clothing: Off shoulder tees / layering tanks
I think a peek of skin is what makes summer what it is! :) Off shoulder tees are really edgy, flirty, and sweet in one. They're all over American stores at the moment. (PacSun doesn't seem to sell anything in their clearance racks that covers both shoulders anymore. AmIright or amIright?)

As another treat, my most favorite thing to do during summer is apply loose glitter all over my arms and legs. When the sun hits my body, I glow like a goddess! :D This is from Victoria Secret. It's supposed to be a highlighter, but I completely disagree. It's just glitter in a tube. Hehehe.

As for the tagged here you are:
'Cominica Blog - 愛の世界
Handmade Reviews
KawaiifreakxXx
Sara H.
Popblushing
whimsical whatnots and whatever...
J's little place of Girly Heaven
Makeup By Angel
and of course, everyone else who wants to do it! :)

No Heat Waves!

2011-07-23T21:37:00.004-04:00

So for the past few days, Boston has been experiencing some high temperature weather! The days have been climbing from 30C and finally reached 37C the other day! As a result, putting my hair down was a no go...Way too hot! XD Instead, I played with a high bun on top of my head for the entire day. Of course, this method is also awesome at getting pretty waves. Don't worry, my high bun was a lot more neat than in the photo. I fixed it before leaving the house. ;D

Then I slept with it again and by the time my date arrived, my hair was very wavy!

Then the day after:

The strength or longevity of how long the wave will hold depends on your individual hair texture. This method, I think, a lot of people know, but it's so awesome. I haven't used a heat tool all summer! :) I also like how making a high bun on the top of your head also adds a ton of volume! Yay! A spritz of hairspray or a small amount of wax will keep frizziness at bay!

Review: BareMinerals Blemish Therapy

2011-07-20T18:12:00.003-04:00

Hellooo

So, I received the BareMinerals Blemish Therapy through a giveaway by Rainy Days and Lattes a few months ago and have finally decided to do a review of it!

What BareMinerals Claims:

"Conceal and prevent future breakouts with this targeted remedy and brush. The exfoliating properties of our 100% pure ActiveSoil Complex along with the blemish fighting benefits of natural sulfur effectively address blemishes while helping to prevent future breakouts from forming. This non-irritating formula also helps to minimize the appearance of pores, neutralize redness and diffuse imperfections."

Review:

So in this little kit comes a small little tube of their mineral concealer along with a Heal & Conceal brush. As far as packaging goes, the holes in which the product flows through aren't large enough for you to accidentally shake the tube and half the product will fall out! The holes are a smaller size to prevent accidentally spilling the product. (I always do this with all minerals/powders...) The brush is also soft and works extremely well. I personally like to pat the product over my blemishes.

So does it help with the occasional pimple? I say Yes! After patting this product over my acne for ~4 hours and then washing it off before sleep, the next morning I noticed a reduce in redness, swelling, and sometimes, whiteheads completely disappear! This stuff really does work on whiteheads and blackheads.

The biggest challenge that I wanted to put to the test was if it worked on cysts. For those who do not know, cysts are the painful types of acne. If you ever have a pimple that swells really large and feels painful when you press it, that is a cyst. This type of acne is extremely difficult to get rid of because popping is out of the question. It becomes really red and really noticeable! Does Blemish Therapy work? Yes, it does!!! I put this over my cyst and the next day, it wasn't red at all.

You only need a very thin layer of this product for it to work well. Though not everyone will have clear faces by the next day, with repeated/daily use, you will definitely see a difference either in one week or two. If you keep using this stuff, it could help prevent future breakouts. (I personally wait until I have a breakout to use it because my skincare routine takes care of future breakouts anyways! Save product!!!)

The Blemish Therapy does have a few downsides. The color of the powder won't work with everyone. It is about 2 shades lighter than my actual skin tone. It also doesn't blend perfectly around every kind of acne; it looks powdery/cakey. It has a certain smell. I can't exactly describe it, but it doesn't smell all that pleasant! Therefore, I only use this when I'm at home. :)

So, to wrap it up, here is the Pros and Cons:

Pros:
- Works well with all types of acne
- Packaging is very nice and not as messy as others
- The included brush works very well
- Reduces redness/swelling
- May prevent future breakouts

Cons:
- Weird smell
- Not available in many shades
- Does not blend well

Overall Rating: 4.5
Price: 3.5
Would Buy Again: Yes!

Mini Hair Care Haul & The Beach!

2011-07-17T18:42:00.003-04:00

Helloooo!

My mom finally caved after infommercials of WEN shampoo being advertised. Have any of you heard of this brand also? They claim to be your shampoo, conditioner, leave in conditioner, voluminzer, shine booster, pretty much everything you can put in your hair all-in-one. We bought the 46 oz Pomegranate cleansing conditioner...Who knows if it will do what it claims? I've used this about twice and noticed a difference, but I won't post a full review about it until after I use up the whole bottle with my mom! This stuff as 5 stars across the board on QVC's website though so I'm expecting great things!

I finally got my hands on the Essential Ultra Honey & Shea Butter hair mask (yellow). This cute tube is constantly sold out on sasa's website, but it also has great reviews. I found it in a small Chinese beauty store at Boston's Chinatown so if you live in MA, you might want to check this little store out. They also sell the pink version and both Essential shampoo&conditioners. They also sell BB creams, Gatsby hair clay and SKII skin treatments. Though they run a little pricier than buying them straight online, if you think about the cost for shipping, I believe this place is better by a few dollars. The BB cream is definitely a bit more expensive, but this small store has testers so you can test if it will match your skin tone or not! Win! The next time I go, I'll post a picture of what it looks like.

Anyways, the Revere Beach was having a sand sculpture contest on Friday when we went! People from Montreal were there building amazing sculptures...It was incredible!

Personal favorite...a huge castle!!! He was the only one to build a castle however. Everyone else made sea creatures. :) His was definitely the largest and the most traditional. I forgot the name of the sculpture and where he was from though...:(

It was a pretty awesome day. =)

An Update With Likas Papaya Soap...

2011-07-08T10:03:00.004-04:00

(Warning! Following pictures are pretty nasty. Scroll at your own risk!)

So, a month ago, I received Likas from my friend who bought it online for me. If you readers remember, I'm struggling to lighten dark underarms. I had hoped that this soap would help with that problem. After trying it for a month, I think it's a good idea to post pictures of what the soap has been able to accomplish for me!

Compiled pictures on photoshop, but did not edit the actual image; just added text for reference.
I can say that the soap has made a considerable difference for the first 2 weeks that I had used it. For week 3 and 4, the soap's effects start slowing down. Compared to the first week, they definitely have come a long way, but aren't completely "healed."
Lighting changed between 0 trials and 5 trials...Got a new lamp. Haha!
I plan to keep using this soap for another month. Then I'll show you the final results!

As of now, my armpits are still pretty dark, but the darkness looks less or more intensified depending on the lighting. I think it actually looks a lot worse in artificial lighting than natural, but it really depends.
Perhaps being more frequent with the soap would help with faster results. During 14 days, I only used the soap ~ 5 times...It might be a good idea to vigorously soap myself up! As far as sensitivity goes, my undearms are a little more sensitive than they have been before. I scrub scrub srub for 70 seconds each relentlessly!
Still, for anyone who has dark underarms, you should give this a spin. It might not completely get rid of the darkness, but it will take care of some of it.
How much of my bar is left? Still looks like new! I have 2 other bars to run through too!

NOTD: SuR

2011-07-06T18:23:00.004-04:00

Ahhhh! I haven't updated in a week and a half! Sorry! School recently ended last Wednesday so I've been partying it up for the first week. :D My summer job started today so I'll be toning down the absences! Haha! I'll get back into the funk of things soon.

My mom has a large nail polish collection that she never uses so she dumped a few of her more vibrant colors into my makeup drawer. I thought because she had these shades for over 3 years, they must be streaky and dry. However, there was one gem among them all...

Never heard of this nail brand, but the color sure is a vibrant pinkish red called "Brick Red." Looks nothing like bricks though! Brick red is a much more richer and deeper red, but this one has pretty pink undertones that make it seem more juicy.

What I love about this polish is that it takes one coat to have full opaque color! That's incredible! Usually it takes 2-3, but one coat will do the job just fine!
In the picture, the color is chipping away because I was heavy lifting some boxes. Haha!

Anyways, I'll update soon! Have a great rest of the week! :)

I Like Thrift Stores!

2011-06-26T10:22:00.006-04:00

Some people dislike shopping at thrift stores. I thrive in them. Most of my wardrobe is from thrift stores. I have clothes from Wet Seal, F21, and Rue21, but I would never pay full price for anything more than $20! That automatically leaves out the more popular teen brands like Aeropostale, Abercrombie, and PacSun. However, I aaaalways find their clothes in thrift stores and pay $5 compared to the original $40. With that, I always score such uber deals on clothes in thrift stores. Plus, you get introduced to a lot of unheard of brands, vintage style, and thrift stores near my house always have a charity event going on. So, it feels great to shop there.~

The Buffalo Exchange opened at my place a year ago. It's a small store, but they thrive on the most unique clothing. Though I wouldn't pick up a pair of purple shoes with golden flaps that look like Willy Wonka's wife wears them, I would however, pick out this super duper cute dress!

Plaid is probably my faaaaaaaavorite pattern and yellow is such a great color for summer season. <3 This was $16, a bit expensive for a thrift store item, but compared to its original marketed price, it's such a steal! I also like this dress because it slightly flares out which gives it a lot of movement when I walk! I'm so happy! I can also wear cargo pants underneath and it will still look gawgeous.

So, the lesson here to learn is don't say no to a thrift store buy! ~

Claire's Quad Review

2011-06-21T15:47:00.004-04:00

Yay! Another Claire's Quad! I think I own a lot of Claire's cosmetics now...Haha!

Claire's packaging of this quad is super unique from its generic black bottom and plastic see through cover. They decided to add a lot of "cute" to this palette with a silver plastic bottom and a really pretty heart design that makes you feel like a princess! It comes with a sponge tip applicator (I never use these). I got it for ~$7.50

With Flash

Without Flash

The farthest shade is a shimmery white which feels soooo creamy. It blends really well and though it is not a super pigmented white, it would add a lot of sparkle to the tear ducts! The 2nd shade doesn't like to show up on camera and kind of blends into my skin, but it is also a glittery pastel pink. The 3rd shade is a very nice pastel purple and the last is a dark chocolate brown shade.

So the initial thing that stood out to me in all four colors is that they all have glitter. If you dislike glitter, you might want to steer clear of this palette, but I don't really mind! They are all powder eye shadows, but the way they blend feels a lot like cream shadows. I've had this experience before with their 54 palette! (which they remade and added $20 to ugggghhh!) The lasting power is very so-so. (5-7 hours w/o primer) However, the colors are soft enough to make it work well for the day despite the glitter!
Overall Rating: 4/5
Price: 2/5
Would Buy Again: Maybe

What I really like about Claire's is that every time I go there, they stock with different palettes because each one is limited edition! It really keeps the excitement going. :) However, I honestly believe their cosmetic line would be more popular if they would just settle down and create a permanent line.

Anyways, I read a super interesting post over at Violet's blog. It's about using Illamasqua's cream pigments as temporary hair dyes! (Read here!) She has such a wonderful and helpful blog. She does so many interesting tutorials. You should check her out if you haven't already!

NOTD: Claire's

2011-06-16T15:06:00.003-04:00

Yay! (Click photo to enlarge)
So, Claire's doesn't have names for any of their cosmetics/varnishes. This is a pretty sparkly blue shade I picked up for half off. $2.50! The shade itself has lots of specks that add a lot of glam to your nails. The only complaint I have about Claire's is that it can be a little streaky, so it'll take more than 2 coats.

In other news, my skin is taking a lot of torture. I spent my May studying for SATIIs and then finals are this and next week. It'll have to bear it for just a little while longer...!

Update on My Week..!

2011-06-11T11:19:00.003-04:00

I don't really do week posts. I usually just toss a paragraph at the bottom of my normal beauty posts, but there's so many fun things that happened this week. :Ｄ

The Scooper Bowl is an event that takes place during the beginning of June for 3 days hosted by the Jimmy Fund. It's an all-you-can-eat ice cream festival from 9 of the most popular brands in America! :) You can imagine the crowd there was on all three days especially since during those 3 days, the weather escalated to 90 degrees. Thursday was the hottest day that Boston had ever seen!
I myself went with a few friends and I ate 14 cups. Aahahaha! There were some normal flavors like super chocolate or orange sorbert...and then there were these ridiculous crazy flavors like key lime pie and firetruck...(both I disliked haha!)

Then on Friday, I watched...X-MEN:FIRST CLASS!!!!

It was SUCH a good movie. I wasn't a hardcore MARVEL fan, but I watched the previous X-Men movies and a few episodes when it was still a cartoon. If you have relatively any interest in MARVEL, you would love this movie. If you don't know anything about MARVEL, but enjoy action films nonetheless, this movie will still blow you off your feet!

Did I mention James McAvoy plays Xavier? Johnny Depp is my favorite male actor, but McAvoy is getting very close to stealing the title...He's so wonderful! Anyone see Becoming Jane or Atonement? BRILLIANT IN BOTH! He's a wonderful actor and if you're into Romantic tragedies, I really do recommend Becoming Jane. I have yet to see Atonement, but I ordered it last night. :)

In other more related news, my Likas Papaya Soap came. I asked my guy-friend to get it for me on ebay and I'd pay him back. I asked for 1, he gave me 3. He also declined any offers of money. AHHHH
I'll give you an update on these babies in a few weeks!

Mini Haul~

2011-06-05T17:58:00.006-04:00

Hello lovelies!

I just got back from the mall. Today was my friend, Wanda's, birthday. We went to the Arsenal Mall and then to Friendly's for Linner...(Lunch/Dinner which reminds me: how come "linner" hasn't caught on, but "brunch" has?)

Anyways, I went to Claire's and Bath & Body Works. Claire's always has a Buy 1 get 1 50% off sale on their Cosmetics. The whole store was having a 50-75% off sale, but I controlled myself and got a really cute shimmery palette and pretty blue nail polish. The packaging made me swooooooon. Bath & Body Works was having a Buy 3 signature fragrances, get 3 more free! Since we were a group of 3, we each got 2. :) I absolutely adore fruity scent. I got Mango and Passionfruit. /in love/

Then we went across the street and got Friendly's. I'm so full now. Haha! However, I'm down to $ - 5.00....Ugh...This week is supposed to be Scooper Bowl and I was going to go see a movie+dinner on Friday! Why does everything cost money?! :(

Anyways, have a schweet week!

Japanese Digital Perm!

2011-05-29T19:10:00.005-04:00

I was watching Bubbi's favorite products of the month video and noticed how beeyoootiful her new perm is. She explained that it was a Japanese digital perm and to be honest, I had not heard of it before then!

A Japanese Digital Perm uses a machine to regulate temperature on your hair creating different sized waves/curls depending on the size of the barrel. It's very popular in South Korea and Japan right now, and is slowly making its way to America. Lots of Japanese / Korean salons are selling digi perm services and they are most trained!
Digi perms usually are more expensive and take more time to do than a normal perm, but the difference in their hairstyle you can get is quite dramatic! This is a great option for girls who are used to curling their hair everyday and would rather have bouncy curls than tight curls.

And of course, the beautiful Bubbi herself!

And not to worry, Digital Perms aren't limited to Asian hair! :)

Revlon Lip Balm Pink Crystal Review

2011-05-24T16:18:00.003-04:00

Yay!
I bought this lip balm at my local CVS for $7.99 + tax for a pretty average sized tube. This is a little pricey for lip balm, but it's worth it!
There are 3 limited edition shades: Clear Crystal, Pink Crystal, and Peach Crystal. I have Pink Crystal which looks like a very in-your-face pink in the tub, but when applied, these lip balms go on very sheer. Though there is a very slight hint of color, it's a natural look that you wouldn't notice otherwise. It also leaves a very nice soft shine which I adore! I also imagine that with the amount of lip balm, it would probably last you awhile too.

The lip balm itself is also very nourishing. I remember I first raved about my Hello Kitty lip balms that were a seasonal Halloween product and I have used them all up now! This Revlon lip balm reminds me exactly of those old Hello Kitty ones because it instantly revitalizes my dry lips. On bad lip days (e.g. chapped, dry, shriveled...) this lip balm has really helped! After 20 minutes, my lips look good as new again! ^_^ The lasting power is around 1 hour.

As for the packaging, I think it's a great idea that Revlon installed a little compartment for the lip brush which works very well too. I know a lot of girls would choose stick balms over tub balms just because it's unsanitary, but Revlon has solved this problem! Now, it would be even nicer if they had a mirror installed too! At first, I was a little confused how to open it haha! If you drop it, no worries--it won't break. Therefore, it's really durable. I keep it in my backpack which gets dropped and thrown all the time...No scratches.

I was wearing this balm the other day and my mum noticed the small shine of my lips. I showed her this product and she immediately went to CVS to buy herself one too! Haha! :') Though the price is a few dollars more than usual lip balms like Burt's Bees, it's much more worth it to buy one good lip balm instead of spending the same amount of money on multiple ones that don't give the same results!

It also seems that this product has either love/hate relationship so use at your own risk!

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 3.75/5
Would Buy Again: Yes!!!

Winning Awesome Stuff Prt. 3

2011-05-21T14:38:00.005-04:00

Oh bless the heavens! My luck soars through the roofs! :')

I won a giveaway from Rainy Days and Lattes about a few weeks ago and my stuff came in last week! If you haven't already followed her, you definitely should! Her blog is such a nice read.

She was super nice to send me all these things...I had originally expected one item, but kablaam! She sent me tea too. :'D
I will make sure to try each and every one of these things!

In other none-related news...
I recently was hired to the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence. I'm a Youth Leader! I'll spending a large portion of my summer learning about what violence is and how to stop it. This job sounds a lot like volunteer service, but I'm getting paid. I think it's great to learn about what violence is so if you ever see it, you know how to stop it!

I will post my review of Revlon's Lip Balm in a few days! ^_^ Have a beautiful weekend!

Curiosity: Likas Papaya Soap

2011-05-15T17:13:00.005-04:00

Likas Papaya Soap has caught my eye for a few years now, and yet, I have still to try it...
Likas claims that it will whiten the skin through exfoliation and also help against mild acne and acne scars. Many testimonials usually have positive reviews about the soap and people see a difference within 2 weeks. (Not 5 shades lighter, but a more brighter and clearer complexion.)
I'm not very picky about my skin tone. It's a satisfying beige, but I do however have a problem: dark underarms. I've had this problem for a few years, but I never really figured out an effective way to go about solving it. I don't shave nor do I use deodorants. It's mainly because of bad hygiene. Now I suffer! Boohoo! In the shower, I scrub the hell out of my underarms, but it really doesn't give me satisfying results. That is why I am seriously considering this soap!

Also, check out this crazy video...Ferona Beauty: It is also a curiosity to me, but it doesn't have a lot of reviews so it hasn't completely convinced me. The video, however, seems to work really well.

In the video, the spray is able to get rid of a large portion of the dark underarms. However, it is not all of it....Nonetheless, it's much more than what other products are able to offer!

This is also the most popular video on YouTube for getting rid of dark underarms. (Though I don't understand the mixed feelings in the comments.) Turmeric powder seems to be a popular spice and aid against our fight!

Anyways, I'm contemplating getting this soap to see if it would help with my underarms. Do any of you also have dark underarms? Did you solve it? What worked and didn't work?

Revlon Fire & Ice Review

2011-05-11T16:36:00.001-04:00

Revlon's Super Lustrous Fire & Ice!
I was searching the internet for a drugstore red that would suit my crazy skin tone, but I decided upon this color instead.
Initially in the tube, it looks like a very pretty classic red. Upon application, you can definitely tell it leans more towards strawberry!

(A little messy, sorry!)

The color doesn't look like a bright red.

When you fade it out, you can definitely see all the pink underneath. In fact, this color would probably be really nice if used as a blush!

In indoor artificial lighting, it leans more towards orange!!! (Hoho, double bags!)

Indoor, natural lighting, you can see more red!

Personally, I think this color looks magnificent on my skin tone. It really contrasts with my light skin and the strawberry color still gives me a youthful glow instead of adding years to my appearance (as some reds can do!) Reading many reviews, people initially pick this color up thinking that it will be a true red. In reality, it's more of a fun strawberry color that lasts for aaaaages! Unlike Nude Attitude, Fire & Ice seem to not dry out my lips at all. It leaves a very pretty stain and lasts for a long time! I do, however, believe this would best be applied with a lip brush than directly from the tube. This is probably one of the only colors I have used that doesn't require a lip balm underneath.
As a previously mentioned, if at first you don't like the color, try using it as a blush. It's still very gorgeous!

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 3.8/5 (1 being the lowest)
Would Buy Again: Yes!

Speaking of lip balm, I also picked up Revlon's new lip balms. ;) I will review it after more testing.

Makeup Expiration Dates

2011-05-05T16:24:00.002-04:00

Do you throw away your makeup after the expiration date has passed?
Most girls know now that makeup has a certain lifespan and cannot be kept forever, but sometimes, we just ignore the shell life and throw them away when we finish them (2 or 3 years later haha!)

Here are the general rules:
Mascara: 3 months
Foundation: 3 - 6 months
Concealer: 6 - 12 months
Blush: 1 year
Eyeshadow: 1 year
Powder: 1 year
Lip gloss/stick: 1 year
Eye/lip pencils: 1 year +
All-natural anything: 6 months

When it comes to throwing away cosmetics, it really depends how often you use something and where it is kept. If you use foundation with your hands or if you're applying mascara constantly, it could reduce the shell life even further. Maybe you get eye infections from certain products! Or, you could apply your makeup with clean brushes every time, extending the shell life! :) Expiration dates can also vary from brand to brand!

In my case, I rarely use...anything, so I completely disregard expiration dates! However, when it comes to mascara, it is much more obvious when to throw it away. Mascara probably has the shortest shell life because of constantly having to apply.
For most girls, mascara is a must and you probably keep the tube in your purse! Therefore, mascara starts to change its smell or formula after using it for a certain amount of time. It starts to dry up much faster than any other product!

For lippies, I've had one lip gloss for 2 years and haven't finished half the tube! Ahaha! You know when you should throw away lip gloss if it ever starts to form weird clumps or instantly makes your lips dry after application! Same goes with lip balm.

While browsing through google, here is an interesting site that can calculate the recommended shell life of a product for you:
http://checkcosmetic.net/

Product I Regret Buying...

2011-04-29T21:18:00.002-04:00

So usually I rave about how awesome/amaaaaazing Claire's cosmetics are, but then, I picked something that surprised me entirely!

I bought the Claire's Makeup Set for 12 USD in Downtown and I thought, "Hmm, this looks nice because of the nudes!" Silly me overestimated the productivity of this item and decided not to swatch it beforehand, bought it, took it home, swatched it finally, and frowned. :(
The packaging is nice and makes you happy, but I can't even swatch anything because it's just so chalky, unpigmented, and a total waste of money. The blush colors are also extremely chalky and the lip colors are a sticky mess that don't even show up on your lips nor have a glossy finish. It's just a battle with glue.
Normally, Claire's is an amazing brand. I adore their 54 palettes, their 8 pan palettes, their eyeshadow sticks, etc, but when it comes to fancy boxes with 9 - 12 eyeshadows, there always seems to be a problem! Remember ladies, swatch first, pay later...Disappointment! (Their nail polish is also a disappointment!)

Anime Boston 2011!

2011-04-25T16:57:00.005-04:00

I haven't updated in awhile because I've been busy with Anime Boston 2011 and it has just passed!!!

For those that don't know, Anime Boston is a large Anime convention held in Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA. "Anime" is short for Japanese Animation and a bunch of fans get together and go buy anime merchandise, sell art, or chill out at anime related panels! It's the best time of the year (next to PAX; a video game convention haha!) It was last weekend, (April 22 - 24 here) and it was the best 3 days of the year!

Anyways, for the past 2 years, I've been a costume gothic lolita. This year, I decided to do a hime lolita. Here are a few pics from the con!

These girls are sooo adorable. I saw them Saturday. They're dressed as Ichigo and Berri from Tokyo Mew Mew. :)

Me with an awesome Kirby cosplay! (The guy is inside!)

Better view of my hime dress! It would've looked better if I had a petticoat, but oh well!

I adooooore Assassin's Creed...I tackled every Ezio I saw. ;D

Digimon!

I had originally wanted to be Tira, but her cosplay is so difficult / expensive...

My friend, Sadia, as Sailor Moon! :) She looks so pretty!

I was also able to go to the Girugamesh concert Friday night...We got out at 11:40 PM which is probably early for a concert, but sooo laaaate for me! I'm just an adolescent! Haha! Anyways, they are pretty incredible live. =) Jrock FTW!
Conventions always get me excited! I can't wait until next year!

1st EOTD: Copper Toned!

2011-04-18T13:08:00.002-04:00

Hehe. EOTDS! :)
I'm very clumsy when it comes to my eyes. (You can see I messed up my mascara a little!) but I really wanted to show off what the Claire's Palette looked like when applied. Flash also makes it look very shimmery and intense, but it's really not as noticeable in real life! It's super pretty and the palette is easy to store in your bag. Click HERE for the review! (Pictures were taken with iTouch. Since I fixed my camera, I can retake the shots so you get a better idea of colors now if you wish!)

Lid: Copper shade
Crease / Outer V: Chocolate brown shade
Tear Duct: e.l.f. Shimmer palette (Beige)
Macara: Covergirl Lash Blast

Eye Trend to Try...

2011-04-12T16:18:00.005-04:00

I remember I saw this in a magazine a few months ago, but then I stumbled across it again while browsing Hard Candy's website.

Tattoo Eyeshadow!

This isn't a very new idea, but it sure hasn't made its way into a normal daily makeup routine.

I personally, have always wondered about these tattoo eyeshadows. They seem like fun, but they also seem...odd! In each of Hard Candy's packages, there are 3 avant-garde designs for $10 at Walmart. Hard Candy claims that they are hypo-allergic, long wearing, and crease proof.
Though these might be a quick and easy way to make an extremely dramatic night time look, it doesn't seem to be the most inexpensive way. I think this method is more for the lazy makeup gal who doesn't want to take the time to do her makeup! At the same time, this innovation seems like a fun idea!

Have you ever tried tattoo eyeshadow? What's your opinion?

Shampoo & Conditioner I heart!

2011-04-09T11:46:00.003-04:00

Right now, I am adoooooring my Herbal Essence None of Your Frizziness shampoo and conditioner! :)
I am an avid fan of Herbal Essence and every product I try from them has failed to disappoint. This was my first shot at the Frizziness version and I am adoring it!

1.) Frizz control!
This combo does exactly what it says it will do. My frizziness has become controlled. In Boston, it can get really humid after rainy weather and though my hair is usually good at resisting, it can have its poofy moments (especially when I leave my hair to air dry!) This has saved me the poofy and instead gives me nice texture. When I sleep overnight with damp hair, without having to braid it or anything, I wake up with soft, natural looking spirals and this lasts for two days!

2.) Oil control!!!
Some girls have dry hair. Some have oily. Either way, we all are cursed (or blessed depending on your POV...) I like to wash my hair every other day to avoid over washing, BUT at the same time, my hair gets oily about halfway through the second day so you can say I'm cursed to have both oily and dry. I noticed with this shampoo, I my hair doesn't get oily at all through the second day and well into the night while the tips of my hair aren't as dry as they were due to the conditioner. In fact, they feel softer than they ever have before haha!...How does this S&C do it?! Beats me, I'm just proud of the results. :D

3.) The smell~~!
The nice thing about Herbal Essence is that their shampoos smell wonderful. I can't really pinpoint it to a floral scent, but it does smell great! :) The scent lasts throughout the day which I can't really say for other shampoos. Normally, the scents will fade after a few hours, but Herbal Essence shampoos give me phenomenal results!

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 1.5/5
Would Buy Again; YESH

Victoria Secret Shimmer All Over Powder in Star

2011-04-05T17:35:00.006-04:00

Yay for Victoria Secret makeup! ;D
I was at the mall with my friends and we were browsing through the Beauty section at VS. My eye immediately caught the pretty sparkles that I got out of this shimmer! VS makes 3 different versions: one pink shimmer (I can't remember name!), star (gold shimmer), and bronze goddess (bronzer). I chose Star just because you can never go wrong with gold! It matches every skin tone. :D Anyways, I am obsessed with all things neutral/golden.

Packaging is rather sturdy. Like any sort of mineral makeup, it can be messy so be careful! It holds a lot of product--.33oz!

A little goes a long way with this powder. I wouldn't say that this is shimmer-more like glitter. :) I find that this powder is a bit too glittery for my face, but it looks absolutely gorgeous on the body! I like to add this to my lotion and my whole body is left glowing for over 6 hours! J'adore! The nice thing about this is you can use your fingers or you can use a brush. Personally, I use my fingers just out of laziness haha! It works well either way. I like to dust this all over my arms, shoulders, chest, legs...pretty much everywhere except for my face! Since I only need a little bit of product to cover a huge area, this will definitely last me a long time.
This retailed for $14 at VS.

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Would Buy Again: Yes!

Bubzbeauty's forum...

2011-04-02T23:41:00.003-04:00

Dear Bubbi fans,

As some of you may know, I am a moderator of her forum (xikunax)...and sadly, just last week, an explosion of spam messages have appeared in every section. There are over 20,000 spam threads and it's overall impossible for me to delete every single one. Even if all the mods combined their strength and deleted every message, it would be too much...
So, I contacted Lindy (Bubbi) on her personal facebook and informed her of this. She told me that she would look at it and see if she could do anything!
I am gathering information that Bubbi will be changing her website very soon--which will include the forum! Hopefully, there will be some change that can prevent spam like this from happening again.
Sometimes, I don't feel like these are spam bots...These are paid people to do dirty work. e_o I noticed at the times when spammers posted, it was always a minute or 2 after the last thread which means they manually did it...for hours.
UGHHHHHHHHH THIS IS SO IRRITATING!!!!
So, please excuse the inconvenience...and wait for us to fix this!

Dragon Age 2 Review

2011-04-01T18:56:00.003-04:00

(Unrelated video game post!)

DRAGON AGE 2

I officially finished Dragon Age 2 a few weeks ago, but I'm playing it one more time to try out new options! However, this game did not blow me away as much as Dragon Age: Origins did. As most of my friends know, I am a complete Dragon Age fangirl. I waited for this game anxiously and anticipated great things...Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. Don't get me wrong; the game is still fun and engaging, but there's a couple of huge elements that would've made it much more enjoyable.

The Plot:
You are Hawke, one of the few refugees from Lothering, Fereldan, to Kirkwall, The Free Marches. In a span of ten years, you make a name for yourself up until the ending. Along your adventure, you have eight companions, each with different personalities and side quests.
In my opinion, the story is playable. Hey, it's not as epic as saving the world from a world consuming dragon like DA:O, but it does have a strong RPG feeling. The entire game is set in Kirkwall and the mountain outside of it. Though you don't get to see a variety of different places like you did in DA:O, you can still pretend that you're Hawke. As for how Origins affects the game, it really doesn't do much. I only noticed two scenes in which your decisions from before actually did anything...and they were sides quests!

Character Interaction:
DA:2 was designed in a way that is similar to Mass Effect. There is a conversation wheel where you choose what you want to say. To talk to your companions, you will have to go to their "Home" (base) before having private conversations. To pursue love interests, there is a heart icon next to a selection that suggests a further relationship. Characters still have side conversations when you're walking around, but not as often as before.
At first, I thought I would dislike the Mass Effect style of my OC, but I was pleasantly surprised. The male and female voices for Hawke are wonderful and do a good job (unlike Mass Effect!) However, I am completely disappointed by companion interaction. You don't get to know a lot about the characters just because you can't talk to them as often as DA:O. Going to their home base every time is quite the hassle also. Though you can romance every character except for Varric no matter your chosen gender, some characters are harder to romance than others.
My favorite part about Dragon Age: Origins was that I laughed a lot. The game was humorous and the characters were funny. In DA:2, the characters are serious, glum, and whiny...You don't really feel a loving connection with them and none of the characters really knocked my socks off. They had a background, but BioWare didn't expand it to my liking. :(

Game play:
Now this is what makes DA:2 gold. Game play has significantly improved! Many people hated the battle system especially with controlling 4 characters. Now, every class definitely is a lot of fun. Before, mages were probably the weakest class in the game. In DA:2, they've improved so much! Each class is such fun to play. You'll watch the battle and enjoy every moment of it. Not to mention, you run so much faster...I like. The pause game wheel is the same. Another improvement is getting from zone to zone. Instead of having to wait for your red X to move across the screen like DA:O, you click and go! The only disappointment is the lack of variety in equipment. You can only upgrade your companions' armor, but you can't change it! That gets a bit annoying. You also cannot survive on skipping the side quests. The main plot line is so short and skipping your side quests will keep you from getting further continuations in each of the 3 parts. Also, most of your EXP will come from this.

Music:
What can I say? Inon Zur saved DA:2's butt. The songs are amazing and really soothes you. They match the mood of each scene and play an important part in an RPGer's imagination. Kudos!

In conclusion, DA:2 is worth checking out especially if you're a Dragon Age fan. The story is not as good, but still powerful enough to keep you wondering at the end! (Major cliffhanger, that's all I can say...)

Overall Rating: 8/10

Revlon Lipstick Review(s)

2011-03-27T17:37:00.009-04:00

I went to CVS two weeks ago and they were having a Revlon sale! :) (Buy one, get 2nd 50% off.) So off I went and purchased two lipsticks. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Matte 001 Nude Attitude and Revlon Colorburst Lipstick 006 Pink Sugar.

Left: Nude Attitude, Pink Sugar

Nude Attitude

With Flash

Natural Lighting

I find that this lipstick really emphasizes the dry lines on my mouth which is why I must use a lip balm underneath it. The nude color is really intense and does a good job muting my lip color which is great, but I don't think I could ever wear it alone...it makes me look crazy! Haha

Overall Rating: 4/5
Price: 3.5/5 (1 being cheapest)
Would Buy Again: Perhaps in different shade

Pink Sugar

With Flash

Natural Lighting

This lipstick is extremely wearable because of its cute light pink color. It has gold flecks in it which really give it that beautiful look, but this is supposed to be the Colorburst line...and it's actually very sheer! It's suitable for school and does make my lips a little lighter like the color, but it's not totally pigmented. Even the swatch is pretty weak! Even so, because it's so light, I can wear this to school everyday! ^_^ It also has a slightly glossy finish and does not emphasize my dry lips as much as Nude Attitude, but I still prefer a lip balm underneath.

Overall Rating: 4/5
Price: 3.5/5
Would Buy Again: Sure!

Scent I Adore Right Now...

2011-03-24T22:59:00.002-04:00

Victoria Secret's Beauty Rush (Juiced Berry)

Ahhhhh! It smells like berries and sugar candy! I know some people don't really like smelling like fruits, but I actually dislike floral scents and only use fruit/candy scented products. I have the body glimmer swirl cream which looks amazing in the bottle and has a pump at the top which is a sweet addition. :) There are two things I like in lotion. 1.) Scent 2.) Sparkles. This one advertised to be "body glimmer" which promised some luminosity. However, you don't really get very much shimmer and/or glimmer from this. That's okay because it smells WONDERFUL! Besides that, it really is a wonderful body lotion that keeps my skin nice and hydrated!
So, I declare myself to be a Beauty Rush fan! I tried out all the scents at the store and they all really smelled nice, but this one is superb~

Besides that news, did you guys know that I'm president of the Japanese Language and Culture Club at my school? We started a fundraiser along with Anime Club for 3 days (Mon - Wed) collecting money to send to Japan...¥120,000!!!!!!!!!!!! ($1,400!!!) I'm amazed at our progress in just 3 days! Next, we are planning to have a festival and all the proceeds will go to Japan. 8) Please donate where you can. Though Japan may seem like it is well off, any natural disaster of that magnitude will surely need a lot of help from the outside.

NOTD: Wet n Wild

2011-03-20T18:48:00.004-04:00

This is the shade Blazed (437F) that I picked up while I was at Natick's $5 Store! :D I was first attracted to the pink coral tones in this nail polish, but when applied, it doesn't look pink at all--it looks orange! Even in the photo, it looks orange, but I assure you, in real life, it looks between those two shades. This is one of the multidimensional shades that really are beautiful. I wish I grabbed more when I could have! Depending on the lighting, the shade will change. :)

Look at Claire's 10 for $10! Get 10 originally marked less than $10 itself, for $10 altogether~ So most of things that I got were around $6, so I got suuch a good deal.~

Look at these earrings:

So edgy, but they're cute! :)

e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow Primer

2011-03-19T12:01:00.003-04:00

Hello!

Today is the e.l.f. mineral eyeshadow primer that I bought off of their website during my Small Haul post.

You get a lot for the price! It goes on your eyelids very smooth and no rough surface.

So as you can see, it does help the pigmentation really well even with a really bad shadow like the one pictured above! It gives the color more intensity. However, primers are also supposed to make your eye shadows last longer...I noticed no difference in longevity in which I was very disappointed in! :( (Sometimes, I think it even lasts shorter than usual! Ahhh!)

Overall Rating: 2.5/5
Price: 1/5 (1 being cheapest)
Would Buy Again: No

So in other news, I just finished Dragon Age 2. I feel like making a video game review! Bwahahaha

Wet N' Wild Eyeshadow Palette Review(s)

2011-03-16T21:38:00.006-04:00

OH THANK THE HIGH POWERS! My camera--it is fixed! My Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS 8 mp IS FIXED! My brother's amazing friend, David, took it apart and put it back together while he was drunk...I am so thankful to him! You're probably thinking, Amy, this isn't much better than your darn 5.0 MP iTouch, but think about all the pain that my camera went through without me! Think about how scared it must have been to think I had considered to cast it aside...
Anywaaaaaays...
Today, I'm going to review 2 3-eyeshadow palettes that I had received from my wonderful 2 previous giveaway winnings. :')

Both palettes feature a brow bone (highlight), crease, and eyelid color. They each come with their own 2 brushes, but I find using my darn hands works better than those haha! The pigmentation of these shadows are amazing and both highlight colors blend like a dream.
Silent Treatment from GettingCheeky

The palette

The swatch!
The highlight color is difficult to see because the light pink color sort of blends into my skin...but I assure you, when it catches in the light, it is gorgeous! The black also has pink specks--not glitter, more like shimmer! It's compleeeetely gorgeous.

Spoiled Brat from Makeup by Angel

The palette

The swatch!
This black is absolutely gorgeous--it has rainbow specks that really stand out when your eyes catch the light! Ahh must have!

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 1/5 (1 being cheapest)
Would Buy Again: Yes!

MAC Wonder Woman Lip Glass in Emancipation

2011-03-10T17:43:00.006-05:00

I won a MAC Wonder Woman Lip Glass through GettingCheeky's giveaway a week or so ago and ever since, I have been adoring this lip gloss!

First of all, let's talk packaging. I absolutely love the bright and fun Wonder Woman colors! It looks like something a true geek like me would definitely have in their purse. The actual tube is absolutely huge as I'm sure you've heard. These jumbo size ones are twice the size of a normal lip glass!
Next, the formula is tacky, but not exactly sticky. These lip glasses will definitely stay on your lips for hours and hours. I tried eating and drinking and they were still there! This is definitely what sets MAC apart from so many others!

The color "emancipation itself" is a nice sparkly flecked nude pink. The picture is much darker than it actually looks in real life! (Thanks a lot, itouch...) It's absolutely gorgeous and it is one of the few nudes that work well for me! I have been searching so long for a nude color that really complemented my complexion and this one definitely hit the spot. I can see this color working for an array of complexions, not just limited to light - fair.
It retails for 20 USD, but honestly, look at the size of the thing! It's worth every penny.

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 4.5/5 (1 being cheapest)
Would Buy Again: Yes!

Winning Awesome Prt. 2!

2011-03-06T14:09:00.006-05:00

I cannot believe my LUCK lately!!!!
I won Getting Cheeky's 50 follower giveaway and won so many awesome freebies!
Check out her blog: http://gettingcheeky.blogspot.com/ I really love it! :DDDD
So I opened my mailbox and a cuuute pink polka dotted package greeted me!

Then, I tore open the package to reveal more goodies~

- One Wet n' Wild Petal Pusher 8 Pan Palette
- One Wet n' Wild Silent Treatment Palette
- One Essie polish in Merino Cool
- One MAC Wonder Woman Collection jumbo lipgloss in the shade Emancipation
- 3 Stila Samples
- A bracelet from H&M!

I was soooooo ecstatic to see Emancipation in the package. I could only look at it with supreme envy and pride that I own one jumbo lip glass from MAC! :') Merci beaucoup, Jessica! (Nobody knows I take French in school too! haha) Time to do more reviews later XD

In other news, I've been stalking Amazon to try and find a better suited camera...hmmm...

Claire's 8 Palette Review

2011-03-01T17:16:00.007-05:00

(with flash)

(Natural lighting)

(Natural lighting)

Claire's has impressed me before with their small shadow palettes and they all cost $6 at their store usually with a 50% off deal for the 2nd palette you buy. I was first attracted by the warm colors on the bottom and then by the bright sunset colors on top. This palette is great for a fun summery look! It just makes me feel warm haha! I also really like the bold orange, yellow, and vibrant red. You rarely find any palettes that feature a true red.

The packaging is still secure despite its plastic exterior. It stays safe and does not break easily. The amount of eyeshadow you get is also a very good deal! As for the pigmentation of each eyeshadow, they are semi pigmented, but do not last too long without a primer. (~4 hours) therefore, this does not have a good longevity. Besides, that, they are all gorgeous colors.

The number one problem that I have with this palette is the problem with...mixing eyeshadows. Normally when you mix, there really isn't a problem. With your brush, you just dab and go. However, when I mixed the dark brown with the rusted yellow/brown, it became suuuper darker...and it won't come off! I have to peel through the first layer of eyeshadow to get back to its potted color!! Crazy!

Overall, this palette isn't my favorite from the Claire's collection. :( I still prefer their 54 palette!

Overall Rating: 3.5
Price: 1/5 (1 being cheapest)
Would Buy Again: No

Winning Awesome Stuff :D

2011-02-27T11:45:00.005-05:00

So back on Tuesday, I received my winning package from Angel. (http://froggistyle73.blogspot.com/) from her 50 Follower Giveaway! I was super super super excited because being the unlucky person I am, I never won anything before...And now I have! So when I got my box, I was so happy and it included a lovely note from Angel that I have on my mirror right now. ^_^ I tore off the packaging off everything which had bubble wrap (thank you so much for taking the time to individually bubble wrap everything!)

So in the photo it includes:
2 pairs of NYX lashes EL 115 and EL 117 w/ small lash adhesive
2 Sally Girl Sparkle Effects glitter Silver Lining and Pearly White
1 Sally Girl Gel Adhesive for Glitter
1 E.L.F. All Over Cover Stick Pink Lemonade
1 Beauti Control Lip Apeel Lip Balm and Line Peel travel size
1 Studio Tools Eye Contour Brush
1 Wet N Wild Fast and Dry nail color Ebony Hates Chris
1 Wet N Wild Color Icon Shimmer eye pencil Black
1 Wet N Wild Spoiled Brat trio

I haven't been able to try everything here yet, but I definitely will! ~ Super excited!

Makeup Trolls

2011-02-25T11:11:00.004-05:00

I felt very inspired to write this post because reading youtube comments and even reading blog posts, get me very fired when I see one of my favorite gurus being attacked.

For a long time, I have been a die hard fan of Michelle Phan & Bubzbeauty. Both girls are incredible in what they do and both of them have talent. I see them being compared a lot and most of the time, I see them individually attacked.

Michelle Phan started with basic tutorial videos with average cam quality and eventually, she started pulling out more creative looks each time, winning more and more subscribers. She was top guru on Youtube at one time and she as enraptured over a million people--both makeup users and nonmakeup users. So, when she finally has a job, people begin to attack her furiously.
"Oh my goodness, she's only doing this to advertise Lancome."
"Lancome is such a bad brand. The products she is using are crap!"
Even, "Lancome is such a good brand. Michelle as an advertiser sucks."

Just stop.

Can you honestly say these things about a person you don't know? About a brand you never tried? About a brand you don't even use? Have you ever heard that "some products work for others and some don't?" Michelle originally thought Lancome was her favorite brand BEFORE her entire uprising into a host.
Michelle Phan is a brilliant talento. She isn't famous because of the makeup brand she uses. She's famous because she teaches the rest of the world something else: Makeup is not used just for covering up imperfections. Makeup is used to be an inspirational and creative expression. So many people complain that Michelle's looks are something "that isn't wearable." Well, obviously, you aren't going to go out and have Avatar all over your face. Michelle does this because the face is a canvas, and her makeup palettes are her colors to work with.
Now whenever we see a video where Michelle makes a Lancome video like her newest one, Perfect Red Lips, people complain and say she's using Lancome products! Wake up! Can you say that this video was crap just because she uses Lancome? The advice she gave in her video was absolutely perfect and extremely helpful. Tell me, can you do this?

And most of all, she knows that there are many people that don't like her--people she has never met and people she will never know. Yet, she keeps posting videos. Tell me, do you even have the courage to be like her?

I know there will always be people that just don't enjoy Michelle's videos, and that's okay...but you don't tell someone "I don't like you" straight up like that. You phrase it so that it sounds okay. When you spew words of hate about people you never even know, that says plenty about you.

Essence of Beauty Travel Face Kit

2011-02-21T20:28:00.004-05:00

(Image from everythingism.net)

These brushes costed me ~10 USD for 6 so it's not a bad deal at all!
Includes:
Smudge Brush
Concealer Brush
Eyeshadow Brush
Liner
Powder Brush
Blush Brush

Smudge Brush:
I don't really use the smudge brush because I don't really wear pencil liner except for tightlining my eyes rather than making a line, but I have tried it before and it softens the liner up quite nicely!

Concealer Brush:
I normally apply my concealer with my hands, so when I tried this out, I was satisfied with it! it's a good dupe for a high end concealer.

Eyeshadow Brush:
This brush is slightly angled, and it's too big for your crease, but it's a great brush for full lid cover. It picks up plenty of pigment and I adore it!

Liner:
I use this with my eyeshadows to give pops of color all the time! I've started to depend on this brush so much lol! It works just fine even if it's not wet.

Powder Brush:
Very fluffy which is always a win. It takes a few swipes and my whole face is covered!

Blush Brush:
Picks up plenty of pigment. One swipe is all I need for a great glow~

All of these brushes are smaller than their full fledged counterparts, but I think this is still a great deal and every girl should have a travel brush set! For just 10 USD, it's a steal. Essence of Beauty as a whole, is a great CVS brand of brushes. They're very affordable, but their quality is satisfactory!

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 2/5 (1 being lowest)
Would Buy Again: Probably won't need to, but I recommend it!

Dare To Bare!

2011-02-18T19:31:00.003-05:00

This challenge was introduced on Nicoletta's Blog and I decided to participate in this! This picture was taken with my itouch and my bangs are clipped away.

I'm a high school student, so I actually don't wear any makeup at all for most of...well, the year! I actually don't really wear makeup because I don't find it appropriate for school and my parents (especially my old fashioned dad!) don't like me wearing makeup entirely! (So I actually have a secret box where I keep everything I own! Hoohoo my secret's out!) The only thing I wear to school (sometimes when I break out) is Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream to even out my skin tone and to prevent redness. Most days, even with a huge postule pimple on my nose (which is still there btw...), I go out and just deal with it.
When I have bad acne like the one on my nose that takes months and months to go away, for the first few days I stress over it, but then after awhile, I forget about it and it just becomes a part of my skin that I learn to accept. This self accepting lesson was never really taught to me in a formal matter, but more, one day I looked in the mirror and said, "Forget it. What do I care about what other people care!" and the rest followed like so. Even when there are cute guys around, I'm not worried about my acne because I'm very secure in my personality that I know the person will be looking at me, not my face.

I like to wear makeup for costumes and just for fun with natural looks. Makeup was never something that I depended, but more something that I enjoy doing. It's a hobby that I really like! Beauty isn't about looking perfect and we all have heard it before--it honestly is true. Beauty is about being confident without having to worry about yourself at all!
I encourage all of you to join this challenge! It really gets you thinking. hehe. So, why do you wear makeup?

e.l.f. Shimmer Palette & Eyeshadow reviews!

2011-02-12T14:40:00.005-05:00

From top: Celebrity, Golden Golden Glow, Moondust

From top: Moondust, Golden Glow, Celebrity

e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow in Celebrity

e.l.f. Says:
Bring a touch of natural beauty to your eyes with these soft, translucent shades that add subtle highlights for daytime or increased drama for night. With key vitamins A, B, C & E these eyeshadows hydrate and minimize the appearance of fine lines. Available in an array of light-reflecting color options they can be worn wet or dry, together or alone, for countless shimmering styles and trends. The all natural consistency makes them incredibly easy to apply and blend for a flawless finish. All our mineral makeup is 100% mineral based with no parabens, no preservatives and no chemical dyes.

My Thoughts:
I was so surprised when I got this shadow. I opened it up, swatched it, and oozed joy to see a beautiful metallic-shimmery-glittery-color! It is absolutely gorgeous and when it catches the light, I feel like my eyes are twinkling! Ahhh!!! There's no way I could ever pass this shade up. The only problem that I have is that mineral shadows are super duper messy. You'll probably laugh, but I couldn't figure out how to get the holes on top of the case to open up for me...so I just threw it away and take it straight from the container haha! (I accidentally spilled it and cried out in terror, but I got preserved what I could...) The longevity of this shadow is 6+ hours which is affordable considering how much you get and how much it costs!

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 1/5 (1 being cheapest)
Would Buy Again: YES

e.l.f. Custom Eyes in Moondust and Golden Glow

e.l.f. Says:
Luxuriously smooth and silky mineral formula provides eyes with a neutral base and an awakened brightness for a long-lasting wear.

My Thoughts:
These were $1 each so how could I pass these babies up? e.l.f.'s custom line allows you to choose what colors you want and then you can buy their selected palettes so it's like a palette catered to your needs! I, on the other hand, don't really care about the palette and would rather go straight to the colors haha! Moondust is a very pretty taupe brown while Golden Glow has a mac n' cheese feel. I don't necessarily think "gold"...but more like..."cheese." Haha! :D They are both very long wearing and are very easy to blend. I definitely recommend them!

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 1/5
Would Buy Again: YES!

e.l.f. Shimmer Palette

e.l.f. says:
The weightless and creamy shimmers instantly illuminate the eyes, lips, and face. Gives skin a healthy and natural glow. Mix and match colors to create your unique look.

My Thoughts:
This palette is definitely really pretty. I was looking for an affordable highlighter and I thought that I would have to drop some major loot for a good one...but, I came across this and at $3, how could I possibly pass it up?! First of all, the case is really durable. There is a little mirror inside and a small brush which I don't really use just because my fingers are easier, but the brush is great for getting the tear ducts of your eyes These highlighters when blended out, do have a different color shade which is good! (Some highlighters tend to look the same when they're blended) This could probably last 6-8 hours which isn't bad at all! This small palette could probably last you a looooooong time.

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 1/5 (1 being cheapest)
Would Buy Again: Yes!

Thoughts about e.l.f. as a whole:
I ordered these products off of their website and I also ordered a luscious lipstick, and paid my share of 50 cents (back when they were having the V-day sale) and when I received my package 2 weeks later, the luscious lipstick wasn't there! So I checked my online order and I realized they had refunded my 50 cents, but failed to tell me that the luscious lipstick wasn't in the package. :( I was disappointed, but I'm glad I didn't get cheated out of my 50 cents.
Anyways, e.l.f. products AMAZE me! Their prices are so so so low and I got so many awesome things with it. Not to mention, they are constantly having freebies and sales all over their website. If you haven't signed up for e.l.f's newsletters / made an account, I recommend it! The quality of these items are good, but their prices are so low! Wahah! Win!

Small Haul!

2011-02-09T16:31:00.002-05:00

My E.l.f. stuff finally came in the mail yesterday! It took 9 days for it to finally get here. :) I had also ordered their Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Strawberry, but they ran out of stock and refunded my 50 cents. Boo.
OK! So above includes:
Claire's 8 palette
Claire's Makeup Set
e.l.f. Shimmer Palette
e.l.f. custom eyeshadow in Moondust and Golden Glow
e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow in Celebrity
e.l.f. Eyeshadow Primer

Reviews shall come soon. :)

(Unrelated Post) Manga Reviews!

2011-02-05T22:16:00.004-05:00

I finished up 3 aweeeesome mangas over the past week. Haha...I was going through an "I LOVE EUROPE!" month, so I forgot about my Japanese passion until February came rolling around. Now I rejoice in what is Japanese!

This post is completely unrelated to anything beauty/makeup, so please, excuse me, but I wanted to get this off. :3 If you've followed long enough, you would know I don't always post beauty posts...I post a lot of video game reviews too!!!

SUZUKA By Kouji Seo
18 Volumes

Suzuka is a sports manga about Akitsuki, a boy who recently transferred to a Tokyo high school, and watched Suzuka do a high jump. From there, he fell in love with her and joined the track team so that he would have a chance to win her heart.
Throughout the manga, the relationships of Suzuka and Akitsuki change while the relationships of their friends are also very interesting. Each character is depicted in a different light and they all have various personalities. Towards the beginning, I liked Suzuka. Towards the middle, I was getting really excited and then...came...the end. I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED!!! I won't give any spoilers, but ohhhhhhh!! What a let down! :( I do think this is a great romance manga and both genders would probably find this manga interesting. (Just enough sports to get the guy into it, and plenty of romance to get the girl completely entranced!) Overall, I really enjoyed the series, but the ending...THE ENDING!! (The agony is killing me!!!) Besides that, this manga is also comical and will definitely leave you in laughs!
I completely recommend this series and it's a lot of fun.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

Monkey High! by Shouko Akira
Volumes: 8

Monkey High! is about a cold and silent girl named Haruna who transfers to a different school because her politician father had become corrupted by taking bribes. In her new not-so-rich school, she meets a group of friends and the new high school reminds her of "monkey montain" with Masaru (Macharu) as the head monkey. He's childish, clumsy, and dimwitted, but nonetheless, the manga embarks on the relationship of those two through high school and Haruka's struggle to communicate with her father.
This manga is absolutely adorable! There wasn't anything I disliked about it...Akira started the story off strong so that you had a good idea about the environment and the story. The manga reflected just Haruna and Macharu's relationship with all of their classmates, but there was the indepth character conflict within Haruna that really made it awesome! You see Macharu as a child, but in some scenes, Akira makes him suddenly much more mature and I became absolutely smitten by his...what, multiple personalities? This manga is also a romantic comedy.~ Love love love it! If you are absolutely the one to love shoujo for what it is: pure romantic love...this is what it's all about!

Overall Rating: 10/10

Mixed Vegetables by Ayumi Komura
Volumes: 8

Mixed Vegetables is an interesting tale. Hanayu is the daughter of a patisserie, but she wants to become a sushi chef. Hayato is the son of a sushi restaurant, but he wants to become a pastry chef! It's love meets food when the two of them collide in their culinary high school! The two strive to reach their culinary dreams!
I have to be honest, the first two volumes made no sense to me. They were short, funny, and food crazy, but I struggled to find the meaning through all the stuffed scenes. However, when book 3 started, the story finally settled down and I understood the point of the story. As each chapter went on, the plot thickened and solidified, but not without shoujo bliss! There are just so many scenes that made me squeal with joy when I read them and plus, every page is always makes me laugh too! Did I mention, I love cooking? This manga is just a win.

Overall Rating: 9/10

Now something a bit more related. I went to Claire's and picked up a really cute shimmer palette! I'll post a review about that later!

TOTD: Red Eyeliner, Good or Bad?

2011-02-01T21:16:00.007-05:00

This idea has been going around my head ever since I stumbled across one beauty blog. In their FOTD, they had red eyeliner rimming their waterlines, and at first, I thought she had posted a picture of herself with bleeding eyes!!!! Ahahaa! With closer inspection, she had, indeed, used a red eyeliner to rim her waterline...

In my opinion. There is a good way to make red eyeliner work.

Red eyeliner looks very chic replacing your usual thin black cat eye with a nice fat liquid red line. With matching red lips and nails, you can really look polished.

Even a normal sized flick of red is fine and looks like just any other bright pop of color.

But....

...looks like someone has just finished beating you up!!!

In my opinion, red against your waterline or at the tear duct of your eye is a no go. Someone would think that you just walked into the room after having a fight outside! I think red should only be used on the lid and nowhere near the waterline, tear duct, or lower lash line.

Rihanna is our prime example. Her eyeliner is a dark red, but it is a clean thick line therefore, it doesn't look like she's bleeding through one eye. Haha! She also clearly defined her waterline with black eyeliner so that the red would contrast and not melt into her eye look.

My final opinion: Use red eyeliner with caution! Make sure the lines are clean and thick. If they are blended out or too thin, you end up looking like the average goth. (Though, this would be pretty nice for Halloween)
BRIGHT / NEON reds seem to be the exception. Their color could never be mistaken for blood. :D

All of this is my opinion. What do you think about red eyeliner? Is it trendy or is it scary? Do you wear red eyeliner? Would you try it?

Sally Hansen Lip Glosses...

2011-01-27T17:02:00.009-05:00

I have 3 Sally Hansen Lip Glosses total and decided to do a review on each of them. :> I bought the Diamond 12 HR Treatment for full price and I got 2 Lip Inflations as a pack for 1.99 USD at Christmas Tree! Score!

(Starting from top: Lip Infaltion Extreme clear, Lip Inflation Extreme in Sheer Pink, Diamond 12 HR Lip Treatment in Baguette)

Sally Hansen Diamond 12 Hour Shine in Baguette

Sally Hansen claims:
Time-release Lipid Moisture Complex and Retinal treat lips for up to 12 hours. Microfine Diamonds add instant radiance.

My Thoughts:
This gloss is probably the most pink you could get from this range and I do think my lips have a very nice pink. This gloss definitely gives a very nice shine, but as for the color payoff, it doesn't match the color in the tube!!! As for the moisturizing benefits, my lips feel exactly the same and I doubt this gloss could last up to 12 hours! It is very sticky, but is still easy to wipe off! The packaging and color in the tube really got me excited, but it didn't work for me...Perhaps, this gloss will appear much better on someone with less pigmented lips. At CVS, I paid ~8 USD for this...which is a lot of money to be dropping off! Ahh

Overall Rating: 2.5/5
Price: 4/5 (5 being highest)
Would Buy Again: No

Sally Hansen Lip Inflation Extreme in Sheer Pink

(Sorry about lighting! It was getting dark and snowy outside)

Sally Hansen Claims:
Hydro-Collagen Complex with Marine Collagen and Hyaluronic Acid capture and retain moisture contributing to the immediate dramatic effect.

My Thoughts:
This one is definitely much more pigmented than the Diamond 12 HR Treatment version. This gloss has a tingling sensation that doesn't last very long (about 15 seconds?) The color is a very nice light pink and smells strongly of cinnamon! The downside of this gloss is that I don't think this really plumped up my lips, or at least, I didn't notice. It is also sticky. :( The packaging is really nice. It looks so sleek and it doesn't break easy! I would not buy this at full price which is 8.49 USD at CVS.

Overall Rating: 3/5
Price: 1/5 (Discount!)
Would Buy Again: Not at Full Price

Sally Hansen Lip Inflation Extreme in Sheer Clear

My Thoughts:
This was a really great clear gloss that I could probably layer over a lot of things, but the cinnamon smell is even stronger and so is the tingling sensation! Anyways, I still didn't really see a plumping effect. :( However, I thought this gloss was great at keeping my lips moisturized! Interesting...Besides that, I'm a sucker for the packaging of this gloss. It's in a golden colored tube which at first, is a little disappointing since you can't see inside, but it starts to feel so luxurious. Haha!

Overall Rating: 3/5
Price Rating: 1/5 (Sale!)
Would Buy Again: Not at Full Price

My overall feeling about Sally Hansen glosses is that they are all sticky...which is rather a downside because I dislike sticky glosses so much!! =~= I don't really think they do what their main intention is to either, and the color payoff is not too good for someone with pigmented lips. However, if you can get these are a ridiculously low price, you might as well try them. I think Sally Hansen is much...MUCH more famous for its nail products than it's lip products!

Estee Lauder Eyeliner & Mascara review

2011-01-19T21:20:00.006-05:00

Yay!
So I got these two products a pretty long time ago as a present and I'm just now putting a review for it. =w=

First the Artist's Eye Pencil (oooh fancy!)

I have it in 01 Softsmudge Black. This eyeliner goes on very smoothly and it doesn't tug at your eyelids at all. It takes a very soft brief stroke to get a really nice pigmented black line. As for the title, "softsmudge," I wouldn't say that this smudges, but more fades when applied with pressure. (I have the version without the flippy smudger!) As for the longevity, I think it would probably last the entire day. It's not 100% waterproof, but testing it on my hand, I can conclude that it takes several washings for it to completely vanish. All in all, I think this is probably the best black eyeliner that I've used so far!

Left line is a clean stroke. Right line is one after rubbing it.
At the end of the day, I don't think I would really buy this again because it retails for $19!!!! Though it glides on much softer than drugstore eyeliners, I think I will have to stick with a drugstore one because I'm too poor to afford $20 for eyeliner.

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 5/5 (5 being most expensive)
Would Buy Again?: When I'm rich...Until then, no!

Zero smudge Lengthening Mascara & Lash Primer Duo

So this is double ended. One side is the mascara and the other side is the primer. I remember I had been wanting to try a lash primer for the longest time because it was all so new to me so I was really excited to try this one! :D
The lash primer definitely helps make my lashes stand out extra and keeps my mascara on a lot longer. I was really satisfied with it! For the lengthening mascara, I definitely think that it made my lashes appear longer. However, there is zero volume boost, but that didn't bother me. I thought it paid off anyways. :)

(My lighting is hooorrrriiiibbbleeee)
As for the retail price, you could get this for as little as $10 on ebay. :D I think this would be worthy of purchasing again!

Overall Rating: 5/5!
Price: 3/5
Would Buy Again?: Yes!
~~<3

The Versatile Blogger Award!

2011-01-14T20:43:00.002-05:00

I was tagged by KawaiiFreakxXx whom I reeeaaally enjoy reading~
http://kawaiifreakxxx.blogspot.com/
She has such great reviews! :DDD She's also very sweet and nice!

The "Rules":
1. Thank and link back to who gave you the award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Pass it along to 7 blogs you've recently discovered and enjoy
4. Leave your recipient a note, telling them about the award.

7 Things about..MOI!
1.) I was first interested in makeup through ulzzang 2 years ago!
One day, my brother stumbled upon an ulzzang makeup tutorial (probably searching something shady like hawt azn gurlz) and showed me the video. This was an all out ulzzang: lenses, lashes, eyeglue etc. and I was amazed! Then, it led to Michelle Phan, Bubzbeauty and more youtubers.
2.) I'm a hardcore gamer. Fo' realz.
I'm such a geek. I play World of Warcraft on a daily basis. XD My current game obsession is Dragon Age (again!!!)
3.) I looove European accents.
Watching many hollywood movies eventually led to learning a perfect English accent. :'D After that, I'm soooo attracted to other accents, like Italian and Irish. I'm currently learning how to do them too...
4.) I really like cheese & crackers.
Enough said.
5.) I like to bake!
Baking is so much fun! I really enjoy watching my cookies rise (as boring as that sounds.) It's actually a lot of fun and I wish I could do it more often! I'm not very good at it though haha ;;
6.) I type fsst.
120 WPM!!!!
7.) I play piano & clarinet!
I have played piano for 6 years and clarinet for 3 years. I sometimes wish I took cello over clarinet though. :'(

OK! So here are the 7 people that I really really like and that I have only recently discovered!
1.) xwish
2.) LipstickRules
3.) xstrawberrybeauty
4.) Will Work for Makeup
5.) Ari's World
6.) April Athena7
7.) Sarah Hassan

Some of these blogs are already really famous XD but I just discovered them so they qualify!
& thanks again to lovely KawaiifreakxXx. <3

COVERGIRL Lip Perfection Review in Sweetheart

2011-01-12T23:14:00.010-05:00

Yay!
This new line as 44 brand new shades, so there's a lot of room to choose colors. The Queen range is also relatively new in case you might want to check that out. So I have the shade, Sweetheart, and in the tube, it looks like a really pretty light pink, but upon application, it's a lot more frosty than I would've expected!
For packaging, it's very durable and looks so sleek! The COVERGIRL label is on one side, and at the bottom is the color and name of shade. I can say that, for sweetheart, the shade at the bottom of the tube is...a little darker than the shade actually applied. In the tube, the color doesn't look frosty until you actually apply it.
As for the 7 day silk therapy / moisture, I can't say I agree. I definitely need a lip balm underneath it or else it just emphasizes the lines on my lips and they look very chapped. The smell and taste of this lipstick is just as bad as any other so no difference there. Haha! =p However, it only takes one swipe for really pigmented lips! Like!
Pictures~ (If you want better view, click to enlarge!)
Bare lips:

W/ Sweetheart:

Swatch:

I think I would've liked this shade more if it wasn't so...frosty. Me, being a very conservative makeup lover, think this shade just might be a bit..too light for my skin tone. I know the picture looks okay, but my skin tone is actually a light yellow / beige so it looks a little funny IRL. :'D

I do see other shades that I could probably end up loving. This was just a poor color choice! I can see this for cosplay, but not as an everyday thing for me. :(

Overall Rating: 4/5
Price Rating: 3.75/5 (5 being expensive)
Would Buy This Again?: Yes, but in a different shade.

(Side note: I never knew that my upper lip looked so darn huge. lolololol)

Redecorating! ;D

2011-01-11T22:36:00.003-05:00

Woo!
So I finally got around to changing the template of my blog. Grumpy toast was really cute, but I was getting tired of old HTML and it didn't really let people comment on entries. :( The new blogger designer is so so so easy to use that it's possible to make no two blogs look identical. =) I made this background on Photoshop CS7 with various brushes from other websites hehe. Getting backgrounds to fit the space of 300k is such a bummer though! I had to re edit it so many times just so that it would accept! =3=
So today, I finally got my report card back for term 2! All As except for a B+ in world history II ( t_t) and a B in French 3! (TT_____TT) That saddens me...I'm afraid my GPA will only be a B+!!!! Well, I technically have 2.5 years left, but it seems so much shorter...
In other news, Boston is having a huge snowstorm tomorrow with 10 - 18 inches of snow! They canceled school for tomorrow! YES! ;D That means the rest of tonight will be spent with my precious ps3...
I stopped by Walgreens and picked up Covergirl's Lip Perfection lipstick in Sweetheart. I'll do a quickie review on it tomorrow!
Ciao~

Exfoliating Brushes

2011-01-09T22:43:00.003-05:00

I've been using an exfoliating brush for about 4 months now, and I can say, it really does take exfoliation to the next level! I do believe an exfoliating brush is a great thing to have in your skincare routine because it can really delve deeper into your skin without very much work. With a few swerving motions, your skin is transformed!
However, you really do need to be careful about brushing too hard. You want to gently brush the surface of your skin--not rub!
In general, exfoliating is such a big part of my skincare routine! I absolutely think exfoliating properly will help any skin type achieve what they want as long as they are gentle and kind to their skin. =) I've been using the St. Ives Apricot Scrub (that dozens and dozens adore too) and I'm one of them! Woo!

Papule & Postule Acne

2011-01-07T22:56:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I woke up with a really pink nose and I didn't pay much attention. Then today, I woke up with a whelp smacked right in the middle and another on the right of my forehead close to my hairline and this kind of acne is called papule acne.

Papule:An inflammatory comedo that resembles a small, red bump on the skin.
Postule:inflamed, and appears as a red circle with a white or yellow center

Papules aren't super huge pimples, but they're larger than your average blackhead/whitehead and are usually followed with postules. I rarely get papules, but when I do, it's either at the middle of my nose or around my hairline. There's absolutely nothing you can do about it for a few days. So, you can imagine my begrudging horror. You can't pop or squeeze a papule because not only does it resist, but when it does go away, it'll leave a scar from all of your abuse! Usually, papules lead to postules. The one on my forehead as already morphed into that creature while my nose is still a papule. :( When it is at the postule stage, it is much easier to get rid of! Here is where you can start using your acne masks, treatments, etc. ! So until then, wait patiently and stop worrying!

acne.org is a wonderful resource. Here's a list on all types of acne where you can read more about papules, postules, and other kinds of pimples:
http://www.acne.org/types-of-acne.html

Hair Diaries #1

2011-01-05T22:57:00.003-05:00

Changing your part.

Changing your part can change the way your face looks. This is most apparent in people with angled bangs (like myself!) When you're someone with angled bangs and want to do something different without being drastic, changing the part of your bangs can help you!

Left!

Right! (I like my nerd smile)
Heheh, the lighting is different!

Anyways, changing my part isn't a big deal, but it definitely feels different because I'm so much more used to it on the left side than the right. I think my face looks longer with my part to the right because my bangs are longer going that side too. :D So if you want to make a small change, try finding a new part!

2011 Resolutions & Reflections

2011-01-01T17:53:00.002-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

2010 was the best year I've ever had! I met tons of new friends, hugged one of my favorite youtube celebrities (NIGAHIGA OOOOMMMGGGG) and got good grades! I can say I shared a lot of laughs and had some of the most outstanding holidays. I tasted new foods, and went to brand new places! So my expectations for 2011 are even higher. However, you can't do that without setting goals for yourself :)

Beauty Resolutions:

1. CLEANSE. EXFOLIATE. MOISTURIZE. PLEASE!!!
I'm so lazy...I will slug to the bathroom, glance over at my skincare products, and leave. I MUST START DOING IT.
2. Think, "Do I need this?"
Saving money is a big part of my life, but for the past year, I had a beauty explosion! I spent more money than I ever thought I would and whenever I got $20, it would disappear the next day! I need to slow down and go back into the habit of wondering, "how often will I use this?"

3.) Resist Temptation...stop popping
Whenever I get acne, I tend to pop, thinking that "ohh scars are so easy to cover up anyways!" WRONG. Scars are just as bad as acne! Even if they are easier to cover up, they take a much longer time to go away!

4.) Try something new.
I'm such a conservative makeup lover. I looooove golds and neutrals, but I shy away from bright pops of color. I need to try something new with makeup and maybe, I'll find something fun!

Normal Resolutions :D

1.) Go to bed earlier
I sleep pretty late. I used to be really good about it (sleeping at 10:30 or 11!) but then I start getting tempted by my nintendo DS or WoW or itouch or...whatever! Sleeping earlier is overall beneficial for the entire body. Must do!

2.) Study HARDER
I study pretty hard for all of my classes (well, except ELA. How do you study a book?) I think I don't study hard enough in history because I still do well, but deep down, I know I can do even better.

3.) Set instrumental goals
If I have some goals for what I want to get done for my instruments (piano & clarinet) I'll have more to look forward to and I'll get things done twice as fast!

4.) Cook something at least once a month!
Sometimes, I get lazy making food...but I think it's important to know how to cook and if I find something worthwhile, I'll do it!

A Striking Movie & Volunteering!

2010-12-29T16:43:00.004-05:00

This movie was absolutely beautiful.

It's not very easy to please me when it comes to movies and when I was younger, I rarely ever cried. I think it was because I had a colder heart (really! I was a coldblooded creature with no soul!) until I watched Journey From the Fall which was about the Viet Nam War. That movie opened me up to all the heartache, hopeless wishes, and pain that there is when losing someone. From then on, I became much more aware of my surroundings--much more emotional.

So, no surprise when I started crying during Hachi: A Dog's Tale. The movie is based off a true story about a dog named Hachi who waited for his deceased master for 9 straight years at the same time everyday at Shibuya train station. This specific movie does an American version of the same story and it is brilliant.

For one thing, the director really tapped into the emotional needs of the audience. You have a personal view of Parker, the main character and Hachi's owner, and his entire life. Then, you see the struggle to open the dog up to the family and finally, you are concluded with their loving relationship and how faithful this dog really is.
After that comes the heartbreak. When Parker dies (not a spoiler since you know it'll already happen) Hachi continues to wait for his master even though he's dead. The dialogue between all the characters and the persistent struggle is obvious and depicted in such a fashion that creates a heart wrenching mood. Animal fans and softies, you will surely love this movie.
~~~~~
Today, I volunteered for Senior's First Night at the Seaport Trade Center @ Boston! Even though I got up at 7 in the morning, I still had a lot of fun! I went with my friend, Janet, and we were able to serve plates of food to all the senior guests. It was a lot like being a waitress especially since the trays were super heavy! Do you know what it's like to be under pressure of all those people asking you for food?! We were instructed to start serving at the back first, but one person accidentally already served the first front table. So then, we started serving the back which really angered the second table! ha ha!! XDDD Besides that, I made lots of new friends! =) Volunteers also got to have alllllllll the extra foods (turkey w/ gravy, stuffing, and mashed potatoes plus whoopie pies for dessert! haha)
My school requires that every student should have 50 hours of volunteer service by the end of sophomore year and 100 by the end of senior year! I thought this number would be a hassle, but honestly, I had a looooot of fun volunteering and I hopefully look forward to our next volunteer opportunity! :)

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

2010-12-26T10:38:00.003-05:00

This is soooooooooooo long overdue! I meant to make this review awhile ago, but I wasn't able to since I didn't finish it until yesterday. -_-''' School became a really big hassle since I had a lot to study for (and I studied 4 whopping hours for my Latin term final! What!)
Well anyways, if you were a huge fan of AC series then you will LOVE AC:Brotherhood. (and if you do love it, why haven't you bought it yet?!) The multiplayer function is absolutely wonderful and the story has only gotten better.

The Story Line:
It picks up right where AC:2 left off with Desmond Miles + the gang trying to find a way to finish their memories with Ezio. They eventually end up at Monteriggioni present day. When he gets into the Animus, Ezio has just returned to Monteriggioni and after a night with Caterina Sforza, the villa is attacked and the apple he had worked to acquire--stolen to the Borgia.
The story line is extremely accurate, as goes with all of ubisoft's games, because they have such a wide team across the entire globe and dozens of historians working with them to produce a lifelike game that players may even learn from. (The funniest part was with the DLC with Copernicus. I had just taken a history test about him the same day and their description of him was highly accurate.) Besides that, there are dozens of side quests you can do to delve into other parts of Ezio's memories. Old friends like Le Volpe, Michiavelli, and Leonardo da Vinci become big players still in this version & still, the voice acting is beautiful and completely lifelike.

The Environment:
You are mainly centralized in Roma, but it is one huge city! You are also traveling along the countryside of Roma which gives you a vast area to explore. Also, this city is gorgeous. You get to visit a famous place like the Colosseum and absolutely everything in this game--100% accurate.
The Game Play:
Don't worry--jumping, attacking, and running around are still at your disposal along with a horse for handy dandy traveling and your own Assassin's Guild. You can summon 2 assassins at a time (with a max of 6 at one time) The pigeon coops are now used for your assassin guild where you send them across Europe to level them up. Interaction is still all the same and the dungeons / puzzles have gotten a tad harder so they're a challenge, but they're still bearable!
To increase your revenue, you can buy stores (banks, blacksmiths, tailors etc.) along with landmarks and tunnels for shortcuts. To expand, however, you will need to destroy Borgia influence towers which then unlock the stores you are allowed to buy in that area surrounding the tower! Did I mention only 24 viewpoints? YES.

Multiplayer:
AH-MAZING. People doubted that multiplayer wouldn't be very much fun, but they were wrong. You can choose from a free-for-all or a team battle to assassinate the other team. What it really takes is good observation skills to tell players from NPCs. I can't really say much about this because it's just so much fun! Of course, it's difficult, but there is a strategy depending which character you want to use!

Overall Verdict:
Must have for ANY KIND of gamer. You will enjoy the assassin's killing moves, the story, the sidequests, and the history that goes into this game. (a little of a spoiler: the ending will be even MORE of a cliffhanger!!!)

Rating: 10/10
Platform: PS3, Xbox360
Company: Ubisoft

Joyeux Noel!

2010-12-25T15:07:00.005-05:00

Well, it's Christmas time!
My family had a Christmas Eve party at my aunt's house yesterday night and all of my cousins collapsed into one room. We spent the night playing Resident Evil 5, Zombie Apocalypse and Super Street Fighter IV! We also spent a lot of time playing Apples to Apples which I recommend, is the perfect ice breaker / party game that every reunion needs.
This year, I wanted to do something special that my large family usually never bothers with. I took some old Christmas lights and decorated her living room while she was away and finished just before the first guests arrived!
As for presents, I received cute knitted slippers with mouses sewed into them! I also got an awesome Pillsbury calender that has a new food recipe for each month of 2011! I plan to try each one. :) I also received a Harajuku necklace from my cousin which was insanely sweet of her! She was really nice to get this and the retail price is probably insanely high! The necklace is so large, I could double its use as a belt! All in all, I was more excited to give my presents to my little cousins whom deserve gifts much more than me. It made me happy to see their faces light up when they would get something new! Ahhh. In this sort of economy, it should make me feel bad for spending so much, but it's so worth it to see them smile!
Next year, I'm planning on getting a tree too! Christmas was never about all the material things that are needed--but for some reason, it adds Christmas warmth and cheer that I so dearly crave for our family. It's so rare to gather this large group of people into one house. That's why I do my best to make the evening wonderful!
Besides that, let me taunt you with a dress...

I saw it on http://www.handmadereviews.net/ (a blog that I follow!) and I have to say, I really like it! What is your opinion on dresses with just one sleeve? I find them to be extremely edgy and it's a great way to stand out from the crowd, but the warm yellow color still makes you look playful. Even if you didn't like having different sized sleeves, you could still cover this up with a cardigan and it would be gorgeous! Ahhh.

Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Blush & Highlighter

2010-12-12T14:29:00.008-05:00

Woo!
So, I was really tempted to find an awesome highlighter / blush, so I remembered seeing a few reviews about PF's products. I went looking for a few reviews and decided to stop by CVS whenever I had time to pick it up.
At first, I was a little skeptical to buy it because it was 14 USD which is pretty expensive for a drugstore product and waaay more expensive than I'm used to dropping for beauty products. (I'm pretty cheap) However, I decided to give it a go!
For one thing, this is a powder blush & highlighter so it does make a mess, but that doesn't bother me. It just leaves my entire hand glittery! When applied to my face, it does a great job giving that really pinky flush and I could see myself using this for both cosplay and normal day looks. It's very faint and not very in-your-face-pink which I like! However, I don't think this is a brilliant highlighter. The blush part is great, but the lightest color on my face is still very pink!

See, not very pigmented, but gives very glimmery sheer color.

Blended all out!

I, however, would not recommend this to a medium to dark tone skin if they were looking for a blush. The pink would probably not show up at all, but it would be a pretty good highlight since all you will get will be lots and lots of shimmer! (I personally loove glitter :D )

So, overall, this product really wins for a blush, but fails for a highlighter. The main reason why I wouldn't buy this again is because of the discouraging price. I could probably find this color for cheaper. :'( There are different blushes from other drugstore brands that will probably give me the same results. You do have to take into consideration though that PF is an organic brand that is really environmentally friendly, so if you're big on going green, the price will not faze you! xD

Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Price: 4.6/5 (5 being the highest)
Would Buy Again: No

I also recently got a super pwnagy 4G iTouch (with the camera and facetime! I used it to take these photos! Prettty good quality, eh? I'm pleased! =) )

Black Friday Sales...

2010-11-28T17:12:00.002-05:00

Sadly, I didn't get to snag any clothing sales. (I was too lazy to wake up and get someone to drive me places!) Instead, I just went to TJ Maxx and grabbed a pair of Skullcandy Headphones for $20. I got them in the pink/red shade and they're really great. Not only do they have a cute and edgy design, they are also very good sound quality. Not to mention, headphones are healthier than earphones. With earphones, you're sticking buds into your ear and although you get good sound quality and block off of the rest of your surroundings, it is dangerous and unsanitary. I, for one, am very prone to ear infections! So with earphones, I feel that my ear infection got even worse!

I also got $34 worth of fabric so that my awesome friend can sew me a cosplay costume for Anime Boston 2011!!! I plan to be Fang from Final Fantasy XIII! It's going to be a lot of fun! My club also got lucky and has a table reserved for selling our artwork/creations. So now, I need to figure out exactly what we are planning to sell. Anyways, I'm going to have a lot of fun with this idea! I can't wait to finish off the Fang cosplay! Also, her makeup is really easy to do and so is her bed head hair! I set her has my desktop wallpaper to empower me to be like her: strong, powerful, and caring. Do you ever set your wallpapers to something that you want to achieve? x)

Rambling...

2010-11-20T23:18:00.005-05:00

Finally, today I got to play Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood while my parents weren't home!!! I haven't tried multiplayer just yet, but I can definitely tell you that story mode is just as amazing as AC:2 and probably better! Gosh, when I was playing AC:2, I had straight 5 days assassins filling my dreams. FOR REALS. XDDD My mind works in really mysterious ways...I even drew fan art today!

You can view that same image on my deviantart which I finally decided to use. XD (Added it to the side w/ links hehe.) Can't wait to play more!
Besides that, Janet got around to giving me my birthday present which surprisingly was filled with brand name cosmetics!!!! I will certainly do reviews on them later! (I accidentally left them in my locker at school!)

CoverGirl's Lip Perfection!

2010-11-14T15:56:00.002-05:00

So CoverGirl has been advertising this new line on their facebook page for a long time and they have 8 shades available right now, but on Dec. 6, their full line of 44 shades will be released! That's crazy. I'm actually a big fan of CoverGirl's lip products and mascara so I'm definitely looking at the shade, "Kiss" which looks like a gorgeous nude! Gosh, I can't wait to see their entire line! I wonder where the drugstores will find a place to store 44 shades next to each other...Anyways, excitement is brewing!

In other news, I suddenly had an affinity towards nude lipstick. I really like the nude look because it's an understated classic and dramatic way to neutralize your palette! I hear Revlon's coverburst soft nude is a win along with it's nude attitude. (Checking makeupalley however, soft nude wins!) I think I'll drop by CVS tomorrow and check it out. :)

Hello Kitty Lip Balms!

2010-11-13T14:48:00.001-05:00

(Picture shows the strawberry one!)
These are in such cute packages and I got a set of 5 for my birthday...but they're the best lip balms I've ever tried!
My friend got them from Claire's while it it was Halloween and they're the best ones ever! This beats Burt's Bees or Nivea altogether and I got to say, since it comes in a pack of 5, I got much more worth my money. I always had trouble looking for a lip balm that would actually help prevent dryness and to be honest, after taking a closer look at my Burt's bee's lip balm, it actually didn't help prevent dryness of my lips during colder seasons so I was a little disappointed. When my friend got me these cute ones, I was so happy to find pleasant results!
They come in 5 different fabulous scents and they give a nice glossy look after applying, but they're wonderful moisture boosters!!! I can't say that they help already chapped lips, but they do help when my lips are dry. Before, I was considering getting the $8 Body Shop lip balms, but these are exactly comparable and probably better since they're cheaper. If you ever come across them, get at them quickly because I do think they're rare! ~

Overall Rating: 5/5
Price: 1/5 (1 being the cheapest)
Would Buy Again: Of course~~ <3

Like Water For Chocolate

2010-11-11T13:28:00.003-05:00

Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

Worst. Book. Ever.

Tita, youngest of three sisters, lives on a Mexican farm upholding to the family tradition where the youngest daughter must take care of her mother until the day her mother passes on. Mama Elena refuses to let Tita marry her beau, Pedro, and instead, Pedro marries Tita's oldest sister, Rosaura, in order to be closer to Tita. Throughout the novel, each chapter is introduced with a different Mexican recipe that Tita cooks. As a child, she had a strong affinity with the kitchen, and is closest to her happiness while she is cooking.

First of all, Esquivel's writing style is juvenile. She writes a complex sentence just about once a chapter and really, there is no imagery. What do the characters look like? What does the setting look like? Only at the very last chapter did I even know that one of the characters had blue eyes. Seriously, what a great time to give me a description! Instead, I have to rely on my own imagination or the damn book cover which isn't really a good source. Besides that, when Esquivel talks about the emotions of the characters, they sound like whiny teenagers even though they're aging through the book by 20 years.

At the end, Esquivel tells us that this entire novel was a fairy tale passed down from her parents about her great aunt. Well, once you actually read this book, you will most definitely think, "what the hell?" So many random things will happen. At the end, Pedro marries Tita after Rosaura dies and after all the wedding guests eat Tita's food, they all go out and have massive group orgies--just have sex everywhere they are. Tita has sex with Pedro at the end and he dies because his climax was too good. Then she eats candles and thinks about Pedro, but she dies and when she dies, she has sex with him again. This book is just full of hobag moments.

Of course, this plot is just not my cup of tea, and some people actually do enjoy reading about prostitutes and scandals, but I have some decency. Besides plot, I did point out all the issues with her overall writing style which was just boring and tasteless. I don't understand how this book ended up a best seller and how its movie did so well. It makes no sense and the writing itself is just bland! Read with caution.

Happy Birthday!

2010-11-08T17:39:00.003-05:00

My 16th birthday was on Saturday (November 6) and I had such a blast~~~!
I gathered my 20 friends and we first all met up at the park where we chilled out in the playground like true adults! LOL. Then we went back to my aunt's house and set up the Wii to get some Super Smash Bros Brawl! While some of the men were brawling, my other friends and I got together and played Apples to Apples which I totally recommend as the best party game created to men--especially when you have college friends playing. (Oh you silly college friends! x) ) Man!
Then we walked alllll the way to Old Country Buffet in the DARK! We took a short cut through a park and went through a hole in the fence while it was PITCH DARK!!!! We eventually made it to the buffet in one piece. I stuffed my face with food. <3 It was absolutely delicious. American food is wonderful every once in awhile especially when you've been particularly healthy before. I piled on David Fong's plate full of food because I'm his "fitness trainer" to help him gain weight! Wahahahhaha. He was only able to finish half the plate. x) Can't blame him...I really did stuff a lot of junk! Haha! Afterward, we walked through the park the same way, but now it was even DARKER, so I linked arms with Henry Ta and David Fong so we could walk in a tri-formation lol! Walking home with full bellies is pretty difficult...but gosh, we had so much fun! When we came back, we had small slices of cake since everyone was still stuffed and played some scrabble. It was a really fun day and I even got Sims 3 for PC!!!
Sims 3 is my addiction right now. I got the collector's edition from Christi which I'm so grateful to! It's AMAAAAAAAZING. ;D

The Beauty Game!

2010-11-04T21:53:00.003-04:00

Go ahead and fill yourself a version too! =) This was fun to answer.

SKINCARE
-How many times do you wash your face daily?
Morning, I splash my face with cold water. I only was my face with a cleanser at night!
-What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
Combo. :( Dry cheeks and an oily T-zone
-What is your current facial wash?
Body Shop Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial wash
-Do you exfoliate?
Yep! ~
-What brand do you use?
St. Ives Apricot Scrub
-What moisturizer do you use?
I completely HEART Vanicream. =)
-Do you have freckles?
No =p
-Do you use eye cream?
Nope!
-Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
I do. My forehead and T-zone are prone to breaking out. Sometimes, I'll get it on my nose or my chin (but very rare!)
-Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?
I tried it for 3 days, but it really didn't do anything for me.

MAKE-UP
-What foundation do you use?
None! =) I use Missha BB Cream whenever I remember to lol
-How about concealer?
^^
-Do you know your undertone color?
I think I'm a neutral tone...lol
-What do you think of fake eyelashes?
They're really great! The lash thickness really emphasizes your eyes! I do, however, dislike the spidery lashes.
-Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months?
Yeah...but I don't use it often enough to throw it away every 3 months!
-What brand of mascara do you use?
Currently, CoverGirl
-Sephora or MAC?
I like Sephora stuff and some of MAC's things are brillllliant! Can't choose!
-Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
No
-What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
I use my hands to put on BB cream. For eyeshadow, I have Essence of Beauty Duo Brushes from CVS. =P
-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
Vaseline. =)
-For the face?
Nope! Though, I'm very sure it probably helps.
-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
Oh gosh, I absolutely adore champagne colors.
-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
I usually use pencil because I tight line my eyes more, but for special occasions, liquid eyeliner wins!
-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
Never. I go too slowly. XD
-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
They're okay, but they do make a mess!
-Do you use mineral makeup?
I don't really have a problem with mineral makeup except for the big mess it makes.
-What is your favorite lipstick?
I love neutral shades, but I haven't found a lipstick that caters to that correctly!
-How about lipgloss?
Sally Hansen lip Plumpers. :)
-What is your favorite blush to use?
I don't use blush!
-Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
My BB creams are all online. =p I think I'll resort to buying a lot of things online...
-Do you like drugstore makeup?
It's the place to get everything! 8D I'm only just starting to try brand names.
-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
Where is that?!
-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
Yes, I did. Oh gosh, I'd love it if I could take a makeup class just for fun! I wonder if a professional makeup artist makes enough money to live...Not everyone is a Michelle Phan!
-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
Pretty much. =p
-Name a makeup crime that you hate?
STOP BRONZING.
-Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
I like both. Neutral has a really pretty undertoned feeling to it, but colorful shades really make makeup fun!
-Which celebrity always has great make up?
MICHELLE PHAN. 8D
-If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
BB Cream!
-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
Yep! I normally do.
-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
I think I look fine. Makeup is just for fun!
-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
Omg. HOW IS ANYONE SUPPOSED TO CHOOOOOOOSE
-What do you think of Makeup??
Makeup is a way of expression--it's art. Sure, people use it to enhance their features, but I use it as my painting tools while the face is my canvas.

2 Quick & Easy Reviews...

2010-10-30T14:42:00.004-04:00

(Picture is not mine. Credits to google image search)
Essence of Beauty: Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

I used to use vaseline as makeup remover, but I realized that it was a bad idea since Vaseline can really clog your pores! I picked this up at CVS for ~$4 for 4 Floz and I use it for my eyes and my face! lol! You know what, it works really well! =) I'm very satisfied with this purchase. The only problem is that it has a cooling sensation when it gets into my eye. It doesn't sting--it's just cold! I wonder if that's good or bad...Otherwise, this is really cheap compared to the other ones I saw at the drugstore, so it's a win!

Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Price: 3/5 (5 being dirt cheap)
Would Buy Again: Yes!

Milani Bronzer in "Baked"

This bronzer really did the trick to achieve the Ganguro look. Milani is probably one of the better drugstore brands and they have a variety of bronzing products and I picked this one for $9. The box comes with another compartment which has a mirror and their factory made brush. Though this brush isn't the best in world, it can still get the job done! It's normally suggested to get your own brush however. Anyways, it lasted from 6 AM to 2 PM without needing any touch up. Not to mention, this little contain comes with A LOT of product. Even so, it is a powder bronzer, so it gets REALLY messy. In the bathroom, I noticed that there were red streaks in the sink and it was so difficult to wash off! It was pretty annoying...Since this was my first bronzer and for costume practice at that, I don't know if this is supposed to be a trend through bronzers. So, I suggest you cover your bathroom sinks or do this over a wooden surface instead!

Overall Rating: 3/5
Price: 4/5
Would Buy Again: No

Pre-Halloween

2010-10-29T21:49:00.003-04:00

Today, we got to dress up in our costumes to school. Everyone was so freaked out to see me XDDD It was a looot of fun. It was like dressing up as a ganguro gave me extra strength to do well on tests. I hope I got A- on my history test at least! All my teachers were shocked to see me which was even better; it made the costume much more worth it. Haha!
Afterwords, I had the guts to just hang out around with my costume! I went to Coolidge Corner and chilled out at Gamestop, Friendly's, and The Body Shop! I'm surprised the Body Shop ladies could keep a straight face when I walked in (them being makeup experts and all lol!) I was so happy. 8D I even ran into an old ex of mine who's face turned super red to see me. No surprise there--I was a pretty shocking sight, but by this time approx. 5:30, my bronzer was fading at the corners around my face so I looked super cheap & I forgot to bring it with me in case of needing touch ups lol! I had a good time today. =)
Anyways, The Body Shop had a really good sale going on-- Buy 2 items, get the 3rd one for 79 cents. There was also an entire brush set sale for $15! I was debating on buying it, but I decided against it until maybe next week. If I'm still thinking about it for next week, I'll buy it. Body Shop also has SHIMMERING BODY LOTION OMG. I have never heard of this before! lololol. It smells so nice too--citrus is probably the only smell that can get away with smelling strong and still nice! Definitely going back there later.

How to Be Ganguro w/ Amy!

2010-10-28T20:12:00.001-04:00

Materials Used:
-NYC Black eyeliner
-Claire's 54 Eyeshadow Palette
-Essence of BEAUTY eyeshadow brushes
-Vaseline
-Stickers! (Not shown in photo)
-Milani face Bronzer in "Baked"
-Lash Curler
-Covergirl Lashblast Mascara

1.) BAKE YOUR FACE.
Milani comes with a small little brush and a compact mirror. This brush, I found, works really well even though it's flimsy! Milani's "Baked" is an amazing bronzer! It glides really well and you only need a little of it to cover your entire face. Beware: it's really messy! Don't forget your neck too and wherever else that needs "baking."

2.) Vaseline = Eyeshadow primer
You might be surprised, but vaseline works really well as an eyeshadow primer. Apply a very thin layer of vaseline to the desired area! Vaseline is known to clog pores, so be careful. I, however, have not noticed a single difference since I have used it as a primer.

3.) Apply eyeshadows
Load up your brush with white eyeshadow and pound it all over your lids, brow bone, and halfway down your cheeks! Apply one long thick strip of eyeshadow down your nose as the super highlight! If you want, you can go over your eyebrows and later draw in thinner strips. For the lips, apply a thin coat of vaseline and then with your fingers, dot your lips with white eyeshadow! Afterwards, take the smaller eyeshadow brush and pat in the black just up to the crease.

4.) Curl your eyelashes & mascara
If you want, you can use fake lashes on the top or the bottom! The easier method would be to draw fake eyelashes for the bottom instead of having to buy 2 pairs! =)

5.) If you want, add stickers to make the look more pwnagy!

For clothes: Choose a skirt and big chunky boots! Accessorize like crazy and aim for neon & girly colors--nothing dark! =)

Ganguro is so much fun~~ ;D

YouTube YourStory

2010-10-17T11:48:00.004-04:00

OH.
MY.
GOODNESS.

Yesterday, I went to Northeastern University, and saw YouTube YourStory: David Choi, WongFu Productions, Kevjumba, Nigahiga, and After School Project were ALL THERE!!!!! You can IMAGINE my super excitement and my perseverance to get a ticket!!!!

I have to say, they are absolutely AMAZING in person. When I heard David Choi sing, I was amazed by just how professional he really was. His emotion was all there and his voice was beautiful--just like his CD! I was...just...wow.
Seeing Ryan Higa on stage was GREAT. I got to take a picture with all of them! Oh gosh, I really thought I was going to faint...Yesterday just seemed like a dream. I just started crying out of happiness. I KNOW, I'M A DORK!!!!!! I got to hug David Choi, Wesley, and Ryan!!!

The best part was probably how inspirational they were. Breaking into mainstream American media is extremely difficult, but steadily, little by little, all of these amazing men were able to keep going forward and they're eventually taking their place alongside big shots of media...They inspired us that Youtube has helped make them do that and it might be difficult to move, but eventually, you'll get there. =)