Gloria Wandrous

Hair Product Rave

2012-02-13T03:33:00.001-08:00

I'd always been a bit of a hair care snob because my experiences with drugstore brands had left my hair a bit of a frizzy mess. However, as I get older, I've stopped dying/processing my hair and cut down on the frequency with which I use hot tools. Since then, I read some rave reviews by various bloggers/youtubers about Tresemme and figured I'd give it a shot.

I've almost used up this enormous bottle of Tresemme Moisture Rich conditioner now, and I love it! It's one of the cheapest products on the market and has a light scent. But my favorite part about it is that it leaves my hair super soft. And because it's so cheap, I don't feel bad using gobs and gobs of it (which I like to do since my hair is long).

You can read my rave review of the Tresemme volumizing shampoo here as well.

Lazy weekends

2012-02-11T11:08:00.001-08:00

I don't know about you guys but ever since 2012 started, I've felt like I was stuck in the middle of a massive whirlwind - I was always caught in the middle of a torrent of engagements and responsibilities. For the first time this year, I finally feel caught up.

I'm enjoying my newfound freedom today by having a completely lazy, self-indulgent day. It involves lots of coffee in my cute Alice mug, my trustworthy iPhone in its blinged out case, Pinterest, and some pleasure reading that has nothing to do with school.

I'm currently reading and thoroughly enjoying The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova, and The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene. I'm not reading the Art of Seduction for actual tips on seduction, but because I so thoroughly enjoyed his book The 48 Laws of Power. He tells such interesting historical anecdotes in these books that it's hard not to be spellbound by them.

I hope you guys are all enjoying your weekends as well!

Knicks vs Wizards

2012-02-09T06:25:00.001-08:00

I went to the Verizon Center last night to watch some basketball because the Knicks came to town to play against the Wizards. I mainly went to support Jeremy Lin since he's been killing it lately. I ended up having a great time!

Me and my friend (I'm on the left):

NOTD

2012-02-09T06:23:00.001-08:00

OPI Samoan Sand topped with one coat SOPI only gold for me and one coat SOPI flurry up.

I'm obsessed with these SOPI glitter topcoats because they not only add a bit of sparkle to your nails, but they also make your mani last FOREVER. I can't stop using them!

Etsy Love

2012-02-02T17:37:00.000-08:00

I placed my very first order on Etsy for a couple rings and I'm so pleased with my order that I wanted to share it with you guys.

I'm an October baby and so my birthstone is an opal. I've always wanted some ornate opal jewelry but most of the stuff I find is very old-fashioned, and not in the style that I like. So I was ecstatic to find this contemporary gorgeous ring on Etsy for only $25.

I couldn't be happier with my purchase and I can't WAIT to wear it out.

And look at the adorable packaging it came in!

(There are two boxes because I also ordered another ring, but I couldn't get any good pics of it today so I'll save that for another day.)

If you're interested her etsy username is pursesonalstyle.

Sbux valentines cups are here!

2012-02-02T12:57:00.001-08:00

<333

What's your drink of choice at Starbucks? Mine's a cafe americano with splenda or a skinny vanilla latte. Yum!

Downton Abbey

2012-01-31T06:15:00.000-08:00

I, like so many others, am absolutely obsessed with this show. It's a Masterpiece Classic miniseries that I watch on pbs.com, which is fabulous because it has no commercials. It's written by the same writer who did Gosford Park, and you can really feel the similarities as you watch the show - the same intrigue and hint of scandal that wafts through the upper and lower floors of this massive estate amongst the household and its staff. The main difference (and downside) is that there's no Clive Owen in Downton!

If you haven't gotten into this show, I highly recommend it. I watched the entire first season in one weekend months ago, and I'm watching the second season now. It's over in the UK but it's still coming out here in the US.

Packing

2012-01-29T08:48:00.001-08:00

Not doing a very good job!

Notd

2012-01-26T13:38:00.001-08:00

SOPI aha! Moment topped with SOPI only gold for me glitter topcoat. Can you tell I'm obsessed with these glitter topcoats??

Vegas manicure

2012-01-24T17:37:00.001-08:00

Opi I'm not really a waitress with SOPI gold glitter topcoat on just the tips.

Vegas!

2012-01-21T21:06:00.001-08:00

Went to Vegas for a quick little getaway with my girls. Had an absolute blast. We dined on delicious sushi at Nobu and then partied at Vanity nightclub at the Hard Rock. The AVN (porn convention, essentially) had just happened there that day, so there were lots of pornstars around (they were constantly pointed out to me but I didn't recognize any of them.)

Today we had lunch at the patisserie at the Aria, which is where we spent the night. Aren't the desserts gorgeous?? And they tasted as good as they look!

I absolutely adore Vegas and had a wonderful time there. I can't wait to go back!

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-18T01:38:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I'm sorry my blog has been so terribly neglected but I *finally* got a smartphone so I am looking forward to posting a lot more this year! Last year was a big year for me - I got an offer at my dream job and ended a 2.5 year relationship that had to be ended. Now I'm on a mission to make 2012 the best year ever.

I turn 28 this year, graduate law school, take the bar, start work ... all kinds of big things are in store for me!

I recently realized that during law school I completely neglected myself and let my priorities for who *I* am fall to the wayside ... so this year I'm all about reclaiming them and getting back in touch with myself. So my New Year's resolutions are the following:

1) get back in touch with my love of movies and books (I'm determined to get through some Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Kerouac in the next few months)

2) pay attention to current events again (I started a subscription to the Economist and I've been plowing through it)

3) be a productive person (in every sense of the word)

4) stop cursing (this is a big one for me)

5) limit my spending (more on this later)

6) get really really fit while I have the time (always, right?)

7) get back in touch with my love of languages... read more in French, Spanish, and study more Mandarin!

As far as my spending goes, I've decided to force myself to go on a shopping moratorium for beauty products and figured this blog would be the best way of keeping myself accountable. I'm starting my own little Project 10 Pan and I won't be allowed to make any "fun" purchases until I use up 10 makeup or skincare products. "Fun" products are ANY skincare/makeup products that are NOT replacements. Wish me luck!

I've also set this image as the wallpaper for my phone:

It's been very inspirational and helpful for me lately... keeping me motivated!

Will post more very soon.

XOXO

Miami

2011-09-30T04:47:00.000-07:00

I got to visit Miami last week because my friend was down there with her family. It was a lot more humid than I had expected (I didn't even know Miami was known for its humidity) but I had a great time and got to work on my tan a little bit (which was kind of silly given that I haven't had a chance to show it off at all here on the east coast!)

Here are some photos from my trip:

Gorgeous South Beach:

Delicious adorable key lime pie from random beachside bar:

Random mannequin with enormous boobs (there's a surprising # of these in Miami!):

Stunning lobby at the Fontainebleau hotel:

Spa at the Fontainebleau - "Lapis" -

My friend and I got "September specials" which were 50 minute massages for $99. I got the Swedish Rubdown and she got the Hot Stone. I was really happy with my experience with my masseuse Parker - I would highly recommend her to anybody interested in checking out the Lapis Spa! She was so professional and the entire experience was lovely. Also, the $99 gets you access to all of the spa amenities (which are gorgeous) and the pool!

Here are some photos poolside at the hotel:

Delectable looking pastries at the Solo coffeeshop in the hotel (I didn't have any because I was trying to be good!):

Cute little jars of honey the spa has out for your tea:

Overall, I really enjoyed my trip to Miami - it has a very different beachy vibe from LA and the water is bluer - I would love to return sometime!

Europe photo dump

2011-09-17T16:00:00.001-07:00

I took over 1500 photos in Europe but I am terrible at organizing them, so I just thought I'd share a few of the ones I have on my iPhone!

Not surprisingly, most of them are of FOOD.

My friends who are connoisseurs of Paris told me that I just HAD to try the macarons from Pierre Herme, and they were right! I was not disappointed - they were divine and the fillings were perfectly creamy but full of flavor.

The first stop on our road trip was in Reims, France, where we had delicious garlicky steak with the most AMAAAAZING buttery potatoes. I know I was on vacation but they felt so decadent that I had to give half to my bf ... also partially because he devoured his in 2 seconds and then began to eye mine ...

After which we enjoyed some ENORMOUS profiteroles. They were huge!!! And filled with vanilla ice cream.

Then we made our way over to Germany where I was ecstatic to find limited edition flavors of my absolute favorite chocolate bars. If you've never tried Ritter Sport bars, you must. They are divine. I loved the amarena kirsch - it tasted like cherries and had crunchy bits throughout (I think they were supposed to be the cone?)

At an adorable little cafeteria in Amsterdam, we found this fancy little Diet Coke. It came in a metal can that had been designed by Karl Lagerfeld, so of course I had to get it.

And lastly, I'll leave you with this photo of Amsterdam at night with the moon over one of its many canals. Amsterdam was such a gorgeous picturesque city - I can't wait to return to Europe!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Latest Skincare Obsession

2011-09-17T15:51:00.001-07:00

My skin used to be very oily as a teenager, but as I've gotten older, my skin has gotten a lot drier - to the point where it can feel really tight a lot of times even with a moisturizer. So I went out hunting for a good heavy duty moisturizer, and this L'Occitane Ultra Rich Face Cream has been a godsend.

It sinks in quickly, has a very light scent that doesn't bother me at all, and hasn't caused any problems on my skin. Despite the fact that it's quite heavy, it hasn't caused any acne or any adverse reactions at all! Also, it creates a good base for my makeup - I find that a lot of very emollient moisturizers can "eat through" my foundation after a couple hours, but this doesn't do that at all.

I recently visited Vegas, and I brought this cream along because the desert air can really wreak havoc on my skin. I am happy to say that this cream left not only my skin feeling soft and supple but also worked wonders on my pale Romanian friend who suffers from extremely sensitive skin.

If you have dry skin and have been looking for a soothing rich moisturizer, you should definitely give this a try. I call it "face butter" since I consider it the equivalent of body butter for my face!

New toy

2011-09-17T15:45:00.001-07:00

Got this for my upcoming trip to Miami! Should be helpful for blogging.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sorry!

2011-09-05T06:09:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I was completely MIA for the entire summer. It was a completely whirlwind few months - I had an amazing internship back home in LA that kept me intensely busy (but also got me a job for post-graduation!) and then my boyfriend whisked me off to Europe for two weeks! We went to Paris, then road-tripped to Luxembourg, after which we drove along the Mosel River in Germany to visit Trier, Koblenz, and Koln - then we took a train into Amsterdam. I am now back to splitting my time between LA and DC, but with a renewed appreciation for life. Despite how exhausting the summer was, it was also wonderful in the sense that it made me realize that I really need to take advantage of every single day because soon I will be a working woman without nearly as much free time.

Once I return to LA with a job post-graduation, I plan on getting an apt by myself - and it will be the first time I've ever gotten to do that! So I have become completely obsessed with interior design - I can't wait to decorate the place to my liking and throw dinner parties (so I've also gotten a renewed interest in the culinary arts.) If you have any recommendations for cooking/interior design/fashion, please drop me a line.

This year is shaping up to be a lot more relaxed and leisurely than the past two years, so I do plan on blogging more. I hope you guys will accompany me on my final adventure into adulthood!

Fell Off the Wagon

2011-05-03T05:01:00.000-07:00

My weight's plateaued ... I got so frustrated and splurged yesterday - ate a bunch of junk - ramen, chex mix, and pasta!

Sigh, now I feel like crap AND feel fatter. Getting back on the wagon today ... Gotta eat clean so I can look good for summer!

Sorry for the lack of posts - it's exam season. Just give me 2 weeks and I plan on updating a lot this summer!

Royal Wedding Time!

2011-04-29T04:58:00.001-07:00

Congratulations Will and Kate! It was such a beautiful ceremony and Kate's Alexander McQueen dress was stunning! I can see why she has been dieting for the big day - the dress nipped in at the waist and accentuated her figure in such a beautifully feminine way - you know women will be copying this dress forever! I do agree that it is remniscient of Grace Kelly's wedding dress.

Kate's dress:

Grace Kelly:

I thought it was a beautiful classic dress that was very fitting for the occasion. Also, it seems that she really did end up doing her makeup herself. She was apparently so unhappy with her engagement photo makeup that she has been taking lessons from makeup artist Arabella Preston so that she may do her makeup herself for the big day. Those lessons really paid off, because her makeup looked flawless. I want my makeup to look like that for my big day! I loved that it was a little smoky around the eyes - it really brought out her green eyes.

Also, how amazing did the Beckhams look? I love how amazing and appropriate they always look - Victoria is 5 months pregnant but manages to look simply stunning.

Can we bring hats to the states please? I loved watching all the crazy headwear at the ceremony.

I love weddings in general because I think it's simply beautiful to watch a ceremony that demonstrates love and a lifetime commitment to one's soul mate, and this one really lived up to the hype. Also, it's every little girl's dream to become a princess, and it was fascinating to watch Kate really become one!

So once again, congratulations Will and Kate!

Best Feeling in the World

2011-04-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

The best feeling in the world is working out, working up a good dripping sweat, then showering, scrubbing down, and moisturizing with BBW Twisted Peppermint lotion.

Usually, I just scrub down with a loofah, but today I used my Philosophy Gingerbread Man scrub and it felt and smelled so divine. LOVE.

The BBW lotion is an addiction of mine - it seriously feels amazing, especially after a workout or on a hot summer day. You feel all relaxed from the workout, and the mint in the lotion leaves you feeling all tingly so that it seems like all the body heat you built up in your workout just melts away. It's a Christmas seasonal product, so I always hoard it whenever it comes out.

It always takes me forever to get my butt motivated enough to get in the gym, but I just force myself to pull on my socks and get myself in -- once I'm in, I get it going! The hardest part is always getting started but I feel so good after, it's worth it!

This is my daily routine and it feels so good that I feel like I'm pampering myself. What do you ladies do to pamper yourselves?

Tresemme Healthy Volume Shampoo Review

2011-04-23T09:44:00.001-07:00

I was always intrigued by the Tresemme hair line because they have such cheap prices and I had heard great things about their various products from numerous bloggers. I decided to try it out for myself by getting Tresemme Healthy Volume Shampoo when I was in the market for a new shampoo.

It has a nice light floral scent that isn't too strong or obtrusive and I really like the way it makes my hair feel. It cleans my hair without drying it out (which is a problem I have with some volumizing shampoos) but also doesn't weigh my hair down at all. This is definitely going on my short list for one of my favorite shampoos!

For what it's worth, I have long Asian hair with some layers. I have an oily scalp but my ends can get pretty dry. I generally use cheap shampoos and leave my splurging for conditioners and treatments (since I feel like shampoos generally just get washed down the drain anyway, and I haven't really had AMAZING results from any expensive shampoos.)

If you are on the market for a new volumizing shampoo, I would HIGHLY recommend this.

MAC Quite Cute

2011-04-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

My MAC Quite Cute haul arrived yesterday. I got Playing Koi lipstick and Bubble Tea plushglass. They also sent me some adorable pins along with my lip products.

The pic below shows the lipstick - the pic above actually shows a more accurate representation of the color, as it came out a bit orangey in the pic below. It's a very nude pink. I don't really like nude lips on me so I'll probably only wear it on nights out when I'm wearing quite heavy eye makeup.

I also got the Bubble Tea plushglass, and I think the pic above is fairly accurate. I love this lipglass - it tingles when you apply it, and it's a sheer nude. It doesn't wash me out because it's quite sheer and it leaves my lips looking nice and plump. I can see this quickly becoming a staple.

Did you get anything from this collection?

Sephora VIB

2011-04-14T05:12:00.000-07:00

Don't forget, ladies, Sephora's chic week begins today!

Get 15% off your entire order with the code VIBCHIC.

As always, you get free shipping on orders $50 and over (that's the price BEFORE the discount).

What will you guys be getting? I haven't quite decided yet...

Acadiana and Barrister's Ball

2011-04-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, my school had its Barrister's Ball, which is like law school prom, essentially. My bf flew in from LA for the event, and we went out for a group dinner before the event to a local DC restaurant called Acadiana. Acadiana is well known for its seafood, and I ordered the New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp after seeing that it was voted "USA Today Top 25 Dishes 2005."

Before the food came out, they gave us some biscuits with a sweet and sour sauce/butter mix. The biscuits were nothing spectacular - better than KFC but nothing to write home about. The spread was unique but didn't amaze me either.

We went with a big group, so our food took a while to come out, but the shrimp finally arrived:

I was actually quite disappointed with my dish, as the sauce was much too salty and the food just tasted oversauced. They served a small individual-sized loaf of bread with it, and I think you're supposed to use the bread to sop up some of the sauce. The bread was actually delicious on its own - very soft and tasty without being bland, but the sauce was just too salty and ruined the whole dish.

My friend's duck was much better, and my boyfriend's pork was marginally better. Overall, I'd give this restaurant a B. For the price, I think you could do much better in DC.

Acadiana

901 New York Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20001

202-408-8848

For the ball, I wore a one-shouldered navy evening gown from Ralph Lauren with a jeweled accent on the shoulder. I wore nude bejeweled sandals (not pictured) and carried a small clutch. The ball was held at DC's National Historical Society, which was a gorgeous venue.

It ended up getting REALLY crowded by the end of the night, so I didn't stay that long, but it ended up being a fun night overall.

I actually recycled this outfit the next night when my boyfriend and I went out for a fantastic meal at Adour and to watch a ballet at the Kennedy Center. I'll do another post on that night soon!

Shopaholic

2011-04-08T07:21:00.001-07:00

The other night, I couldn't sleep and ended up doing a midnight haul on F21's website. Of course I had to get the free shipping so I got a plain white v-neck (which I shockingly don't own yet, and the following items:

I think I'll wear the dress for casual weekend brunches and shopping, and I'm hoping to wear the necklaces dressed down with some tee shirts and shorts for my summer back in LA!

Also, MAC's latest collection, Quite Cute, just launched, and I'm such a sucker for marketing that I *had* to get something from it. Honestly, I don't need ANY more nude lip products but I just ordered Playing Koi lipstick (which is a satin finish described as "creamy white peach pink") and Bubble Tea plushglass (described as a creamy pale nude). I just couldn't say no since my parents own a koi pond and I used to drink bubble tea all the time when I was in high school and college! I think it's so fun that MAC is releasing this adorable Asian-inspired collection. I would have totally bought the eyeshadows in Moshi Moshi! and Azuki Bean if they were sold as separates, but I just can't justify another e/s quad that I'll never use. I obviously don't need them but once again, I would have bought it for the names. hehhehe *shrug*

Here are some pics of the collection:

To be honest, I was also really tempted to get the pink Mineralized blush but I KNOW I don't need another blush, so I resisted (plus the fact that none of the names struck me as adorable enough hehe >_<). I am also interested in the green and lavender nail polishes, but I have not had very good luck with MAC nail polishes so I'm now on the hunt for cheaper dupes. Any recs?

Are you getting anything from the collection? MAC is currently offering a free ship code! Use socute at checkout to get free shipping!

Lush hands

2011-04-04T19:26:00.001-07:00

Lately my hands have been so dry because of this crazy dc weather so I've been using a ton of hand cream and cuticle products. Lemony Flutter by Lush is by far my favorite. It keeps my cuticles moisturizer but sinks in so quickly! I find it much more moisturizing than the Burts Bees version and the tub is huge! I also like this much better than oils because oils leave my fingers all shiny. Definitely give this a try next time you're in lush!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Twitter

2011-04-03T14:02:00.000-07:00

I caved! I got a twitter and I've begun to tweet. Please follow me if you're interested in hearing more of my musings and I will follow you back as I am always looking for fellow beauty and fashion fiends~

My username is soosoobean because my Korean name is Soo and that was a nickname one of my friends gave me.

Do you twitter?

Eight Most Worn

2011-03-31T06:08:00.001-07:00

I saw this on my friend MuyBella's blog, and I thought it would be fun.

Untitled by PinkCashmere featuring a louis vuitton tote

Abercrombie Fitch vintage top
$41 - abercrombie.com

Frye boot
$218 - cabelas.com

Louis vuitton tote
$775 - louisvuitton.com

Kate Spade pearl earring
$45 - nordstrom.com

Amazon.com: Paul Mitchell Smoothing Super Skinny Serum: Beauty
$7.50 - amazon.com

THE COSMETIC MARKET :: Makeup :: Nails :: OPI Tutti Frutti Tonga
$8.50 - thecosmeticmarket.com

Amazon.com: OPI NLW42 Lincoln Park after Dark: Beauty
$4.95 - amazon.com

1. Hair Product

Paul Mitchell Super Skinny serum - it smells like green apples and makes my hair silkier while cutting down on frizz. I tried the generic version from Sallys and the original is so much better.

2. Lip Product

Lipbalm! It's been really cold lately here on the east coast, so my lips and hands have been getting really chapped. Nivea's dark blue one is one of my favs because it's so moisturizing. I also love Softlips vanilla and Burt's Bees.

3. Earrings

Pearl studs. They're a little big, so they're fun for everyday while being conservative enough for the legal field.

4. Shirt

I'm obsessed with plaid button-downs lately. I love the ones from Abercrombie because they're so soft but I also got a great deal on an adorable pink one at Old Navy for only $12!

5. Nail Polish

I'm currently loving mannequin hand nail polish! My fav for this look is 3-4 coats of OPI Samoan Sand. On the toes, I'm planning on doing Lincoln Park After Dark this weekend. :)

6. Shoes

The Frye boots I posted about previously. :) They're so sturdily constructed and comfy.

7. Perfume

Creed Spring Flower - it smells so gorgeous and feminine and it's unique enough so that not everybody wears it. I used to wear Chanel Coco Mademoiselle all the time but now I find it too heavy and too ubiquitous!

8. Bag

Louis Vuitton Neverfull. It really never gets full no matter how much stuff I pack into it.

I'd love to hear about your 8 favs!

New boots

2011-03-26T11:11:00.001-07:00

I had a pair of motorcycle boots from f21 that I adored but they were so cheaply constructed that they began to kill my feet. So my sweet bf got these Frye harness 12R boots for me which have almost the exact same style but with fabulous frye construction.

They do run a bit narrow in the toebox but I love them so far. They are very high quality and it is easy to see why Frye has been in the boot business since the Civil War!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dior Summer 2011

2011-03-25T08:55:00.001-07:00

Dior Electric Tropics Collection - Summer 2011

How stunning is this collection? Dior is one of my favorite makeup lines because I think they cover the entire spectrum of makeup so well - face, eyes, and lips. I personally am dying for the darker eyeshadow quint, the lighter face powder, and the nail polish. Orange is one of my favorite colors - it's so underrated and looks amazing with a tan!

R.I.P. Elizabeth Taylor

2011-03-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

I was heartbroken yesterday to find that Elizabeth Taylor had passed. She has always been one of my ultimate fashion icons, with her wit, charm, gracious generosity, glamorous style, and diva attitude. Of course all of this is without even mentioning her stunning good looks - I personally believe she is one of the most beautiful women to have ever lived, rivaled only by perhaps some of the supermodels of the 90s. My blog is actually named after her character in Butterfield 8 because I was so taken by her!

She will be sorely missed.

This is a test

2011-03-19T10:14:00.001-07:00

Testing testing... Using my new mobile blogging app! So excited to use this to post more... For now here's a pic of my dog by the koi pond. Hehe

Currently loving...

2011-02-08T20:29:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely addicted to trashy tv - I love the Rachel Zoe Project, the Real Housewives (esp OC and Beverly Hills), and the newest addition to my obsessions is Gossip Girl. I know I'm super late getting on the bandwagon, but I figured I should figure out what all the hype was about. I just got the first disc from netflix and I love it! Blake Lively and Leighton Meester are absolutely gorgeous and the show fits right into the crazy melodramatic lives I love to read about in Jackie Collins novels. I can't wait to watch more!

I also just recently went to LA to celebrate my 2 year anniversary and Valentine's Day with my bf, and he got me some adorable gifts! One was a book that I've had on my Amazon wishlist for a while:

"Help! A Bear is Eating Me!" is a hilarious, COMPLETELY un-PC book that's supposed to narrate the inner monologue of a guy while he's getting eaten by a bear. One of the reasons the book is so enjoyable is that the guy is a complete jerk, and you kind of want to cheer on the bear for getting rid of such an a-hole! I don't know if he gets redeemed in the end or what, but I can't wait to get there. hehe

Another gift that my amazing bf got for me was from Tiffany's. My heart always starts fluttering a little faster whenever I see that little blue box!

It's a cupcake necklace! It's whimsical and adorable, and reminds me to stay young at heart. I work in a very conservative field, but it's small enough that I think I might be able to get away with wearing it in the office sometimes, but still big enough that you know that it's a cupcake! My bf knows that I'm obsessed with cupcakes - I love them! I'm always hunting down cupcakeries and trying out different flavors (although I have to admit, I think red velvet is overrated!)

This semester's beginning to get absolutely ridiculous with oodles of work, but between my Gossip Girl, my hilarious book, and my cupcake necklace, things are looking a little brighter these days. :)

Anything you're loving lately?

Ins and Outs

2011-01-28T16:19:00.001-08:00

IN:

I always love Starbucks' Skinny Vanilla Lattes, but lately I'm absolutely addicted to them! My schedule this semester is pretty packed, and I'm always running around, so this is my big midday perk that helps get me through the day. It's delicious, filling, and only 130 calories for a grande!

I've also been test driving L'Oreal's Lash Serum lately for the past month or so, and I was extremely skeptical at first, but I figured why not when it costs only $10? Lo and behold, my lashes have actually gotten LONGER! I'm amazed because they're noticeably longer and people have actually commented on the difference. It is not convenient to wear under mascara because it causes my lashes to droop, so I just wear it at night, and I'm lazy so I don't even wear it every night, but it's still been very effective. I highly recommend this product to anyone wanting longer lashes. Of course I still wear falsies for nights out, but this has made me feel a lot more confident with foregoing falsies during the day.

OUT:

Because I'm so busy, I eat a lot of protein/energy bars because I just don't have time to eat proper meals or get nutritious snacks. My favs are EAS Myoplex Lite bars and ThinkThin bars (which are supposed to be Tracy Anderson's fav), but I thought I'd branch out and try Kashi GoLean Crunchy bars in Chocolate Peanut. This bar is NOT GOOD - it's so dry that when I bite into it, the crumbly bits get absolutely everywhere, and it honestly feels like eating peanut flavored styrofoam pasted onto a slab of cardboard with some chocolate. I'm just trying to get rid of these as quickly as possible now.

What are your latest ins and outs?

Mornings and Life update

2011-01-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

My favorite part of day is the morning, when I get to just chill out in my room with no disturbances whatsoever, relaxing with my coffee. I get up extra early just to make sure that I'll have my coffee time of at least an hour! During that time, I like to catch up on emails, blogs, and youtube vids.... the rest of the day is always hectic and filled with other people, but the few hours in the morning are all mine. :)

I know I'm terrible with updating this thing, but the holidays have been absolutely amazing! I got to enjoy some time with my family (including my cousins and grandma), and visited Canada and Vegas. I got to check out the new City Center at Vegas and it's gorgeous! Granted, I can't afford too much of the stuff in that mall yet, but I enjoyed myself thoroughly at the Cosmopolitan's gorgeous new bars - The Chandelier and Bond.

Makeup-wise, I picked up MAC's new Special Reserve Highlight Powder from its Champale collection in "Chez Chez Lame" (the gold shade). It's SO gorgeous - it gives this beautiful candle-lit glow that just makes your skin look amazing without making it look like you're wearing makeup. I highly recommend it although I know it sold out in many locations.

I'm so excited about the new year! I'm taking some really challenging classes this semester, so I'm excited to see how they turn out. I'm not one for new year's resolutions, because I believe in trying to improve myself and my life as it unfolds, but in the spirit of the new year, here are the things I'm currently working on:

1) be nicer! (you know how Sandra Oh's character Christina on Grey's Anatomy is blunt almost to the point of being rude? That's me. -_- I really want to become nicer and more considerate)

2) work out more regularly; eat better - ALWAYS a challenge for me.

3) get out and explore the city more! (this one is HUGE)

My weekends start on Friday so I suppose I should start being productive now... I've just been sitting here enjoying my lazy morning with my cup of coffee so far, but off I go!

XOXO

Currently Obsessed With...

2010-12-05T05:48:00.001-08:00

The Tracy Anderson Method

Tracy Anderson is a celebrity trainer who trained Madonna for a long time, and is responsible for the sleek, tiny physiques of Gwyneth Paltrow, Courtney Cox, and a slew of other celebrities. I became interested in her method when she covered Fitness Rx for Women a while back and read about how she believed that any woman could change her body structure into the "teeny tiny" figure that Hollywood loves.

She's all about doing dance-inspired moves and lots of repetitions with low weights so as to exhaust the main muscles and engage the accessory muscles to create tone without bulking up. I've begun doing some of her exercises I found in various magazines and on youtube, and they've been so effective that I ordered her mat workout dvd on amazon and can't wait to get it. I'll post an update once it arrives and I have a chance to try it out.

You can learn more about her at her website.

Philosophy The Gingerbread Man Scrub

2010-12-04T06:20:00.000-08:00

I've been using this scrub that I got on my birthday a while back, and I love it! It's really hard to resist most of Philosophy's bath and body products because they all smell so divine, and this scrub is no exception.

It doesn't really have a baked good, cookie-type scent, but more of a fresh gingery scent that's amazing to wake you up and put you in a positive mood. The scrub is a bit stiff and not very oily or watery (which I adore, because I prefer a more abrasive scrub... I think it just gets the job done better!) This makes the scrub work great on either dry or wet skin - other scrubs that are more slippery tend to slide off wet skin and get wasted down the drain, but not so with The Gingerbread Man! Also, I love that it's not oily so it doesn't leave my tub a slippery mess.

And of course, what's not to like about the adorable, packaging and name? This is definitely one of the seasonal holiday treats that I look forward to every year, and would make a great gift for any girl in your life that enjoys a bit of pampering. It retails for $25 at sephora.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T06:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm so so thankful for so much in my life these days, with the most important obviously being my family, my boyfriend, and my wonderful friends.

Hope you guys have a great day and get to eat lots of tasty food!

Skincare Product Rave

2010-11-12T05:40:00.001-08:00

Bath and Body Works recently had a sale on their entire website for 20% off, so I decided to spring for the Pat Wexler MD MMPI Skin Regenerating Serum. When the line first debuted several years ago, I was pretty skeptical about it. I had read about Pat Wexler rather often in magazines, and knew that she was a very successful dermatologist, but I still figured, "A skincare line at BBW? eh" Also, given that it was a skincare line sold at BBW, the price point was steeper than I was willing to pay.

However, I've recently been encountering several rave reviews for this serum, so when the coupon rolled around, I figured I would give it a shot.

I got the 1 oz jar, which normally retails for $55:

The product itself is hot pink! It makes me happy every time I open it!

In the past, I've tried various serums and potions that claimed to smooth, brighten, tighten my skin, etc. and none of them worked.

This serum, on the other hand, is amazing! It's fragrance free so it doesn't bother me at all. Texture-wise, it's really interesting. It feels very silicone-y and in that sense, it reminds me a bit of Estee Lauder's Idealist skin refinisher and Biotherm Source Therapie. However, with both the EL and the Biotherm, I felt that the effects were extremely temporary. They made my skin feel smoother and more refined when I applied the product, but when I washed it off at the end of the day, my skin still had the same blotches and bumps.

Not so with the Pat Wexler serum! Upon initial application, it is honestly a bit weird because it feels so silicone-y and even left my skin feeling slightly sticky. However, I followed up with a moisturizer (as recommended), and that got rid of the stickiness. I use it 2x a day - in the morning, I just use the serum + my trusty Aveeno SPF 70 sunblock, and at night, I use the serum with Korres sugar crystal cream.

I've been using it for about 2 weeks now, and I can't say enough good things about it. It has really evened out my skintone (which can be a bit blotchy at times). Also, I've had these tiny bumps on the right side of my face for the past few years that NO exfoliator or cleanser could get rid of, and within 2 weeks of using this serum, they're almost nonexistent. This serum is seriously amazing and it's the first really effective skincare product I've encountered in a LONG time.

The BBW website is currently having a great deal on a giant sized jar (3.4 oz) for only $65. I'm beginning to wish I'd gotten that one instead!

I'm so impressed with this product that I'm beginning to look into the rest of Pat Wexler's line. Have any of you guys had any experiences with it? Any recommendations?

(first image is from the BBW website)

Starbucks red cups are back!

2010-11-07T04:11:00.000-08:00

As I said in my last post, I love everything about the holidays, so I was very excited to find out that Starbucks' red cups and holiday drinks are back!

I look forward to this every year, and I always get one before starting my holiday shopping expeditions. I hate drinking my calories, but I make an exception for Starbucks lattes! My favs are the gingerbread latte and the peppermint mocha latte (skinny, of course). They are such a delightful, creamy way to get the day started (or at any other time of day, really!) that it's practically impossible to resist them.

What are your favorite holiday drinks from Starbucks?

Festive Fingertips

2010-11-06T10:26:00.001-07:00

Anyone will tell you that I'm absolutely obsessed with the holidays and with sparkly things. So when I saw this nail polish in my friend's Sephora FF haul, I just KNEW that I had to have it. Something about gold is just so festive and fun for the holidays, and this particular gold is so glitter-packed and sparkly that it seems perfect for holiday and NYE parties - a fun alternative to the more traditional red, which is what I normally have on my tips all throughout December.

I know it's a bit early to start getting ready for the holidays, but it's never too early in my book! I normally start getting ready in October. hehe Also, the sparkliness is a great pick-me-up for me as I go through the dreariness of preparing for finals. :)

Without flash:

With flash:

With just two coats and flash:

As you can see, it's absolutely opaque. I love that, as most glittery polishes tend to be rather thinly pigmented. The shade is called "Looks Like Rain, Dear," and it retails for $9.

What are you currently wearing on your nails?

Some of my favorite things...

2010-11-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

Blooms: Roses, all colors!

Food: steak and cake (and it even rhymes!)

Drink: water and coffee for everyday, champagne for special occasions

Thing to Wear: jeans and high heels (although not necessarily together) ... also love juicy tracksuits for lounging around the house

Destination: Madrid - I'm seriously craving some churros con chocolate right now. mmmmm....

Season: fall

Musician: Lady Gaga

Book: anything and everything Harry Potter! also love Ayn Rand and Le Petit Prince

Color: red and pink

Scent: in love with lavender. As far as perfumes go, I'm currently being rather fickle and alternating between Viktor and Rolf's Flowerbomb, Hanae Mori Butterfly, and Creed Spring Flower.

Extravagance: I try to incorporate a little bit of extravagance into my everyday life. I consider it to be good motivation for me to continue working hard, so I generally don't feel guilty about splurging on myself and my loved ones.

Quote: "Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe." - Gail Devers

"You can sleep when you're dead"

Birthday Beauty Haul!

2010-10-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

I had an amazing time turning 26 this year. My boyfriend flew across the country to come see me, and we ate lots of great food, did some sightseeing, and then topped it off with a night of fun with some of my best friends.

I wanted to share with you guys some of the fun beauty items that I received!

My boyfriend knows that one of my favorite scents is Bath and Body Works' holiday scent Twisted Peppermint so he got me a ton of goodies from that line, which just recently re-launched this year. It is a gorgeous candy cane scent - peppermint with a hint of sugar and vanilla, so that it just leaves your skin smelling like cotton candy!

I got this adorable hand soap and lotion set:

I haven't had a chance to try the hand soap yet, but I've used their hand soaps before, and love them. I couldn't resist tearing into the hand lotion, though, and it's amazing! I wish they sold this separately - it is smooth and thick, gorgeously scented, and sinks in quickly without leaving any greasy residue. I also like the handy pump packaging - it causes me to moisturize my hands more often (always a good thing as I tend to neglect them).

He also got me the matching body wash and antibacterial foaming hand wash:

I don't know if it's just me but I just love foaming products - there is something so decadent and luxurious about them. I also love that it's antibacterial - nobody likes germs!

My bf also spoiled me by getting me Creed Spring Flowers and Philosophy's Gingerbread Man scrub!

I've been lusting after this perfume forever but always balked at the high price tag. It was designed for Audrey Hepburn's wedding and smells absolutely amazing - the website describes it as having top notes of peach, melon, apple; middle notes of jasmine and rose; and base notes of musk and ambergris. It smells really feminine and gorgeous without smelling too young.

I also really wanted the gingerbread man scrub as I love everything gingerbread cookie related since I love the holidays and love the way gingerbread cookies smell! Philosophy scrubs work really well, so I can't wait to use this sometime soon.

My friend Jo also got me a bunch of goodies - one of which was this adorable mini cupcake lipgloss set! They're just too cute to use - they have different scents and they are just ridiculously cute. I have been wanting to buy something like this for a while but couldn't bring myself to buy it because it seems like such a frivolous item. I love looking at these though - they make me happy!

Overall, it was one of the best birthdays ever, and I couldn't have asked for anything more!

Now I'm just waiting on my Sephora FF package to arrive - it's supposed to get here tomorrow. I only got a Dior e/s quint in Mystic Smokys since I got just about everything else I want at my birthday! I am thinking of making a few more orders to buy some Christmas presents though.

What about you guys? Are you waiting on anything in the mail? I've been going crazy with tons of shopping from F21 lately, but I'm trying to be good now!

(BBW product photos are from their website)

Wishlist!

2010-10-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

from Lush:
* Maple Taffy lipbalm
* Lemony Flutter
* King of Skin body butter
* Satsumo Santa
* Gingerbread House
Korres Wild Rose Foundation in #2
fuzzy slippers
Philosophy Gingerbread Man scrub

Currently loving:
VS body butter - they come in such gorgeous scents and the butter is so silky smooth. The butter itself has a bit of a sheen to it so it leaves a beautiful effect on the skin. My current favorite scent is Pure Seduction.
Agent Provocateur perfume - smells clean and feminine! My current fav. It lasts almost all day and the bottles are so adorable! I often layer this with the VS body butter.
Korres Wild Rose foundation - I've been using a sample of this and I can't wait to buy it! It makes my skin look absolutely flawless and lasts all day. It also doesn't make my face itchy after a few hours, like a lot of other foundations do.
Sally Hansen complete manicure polishes - they have some gorgeous nudes and leave a glossy, long-lasting finish.

I cannot wait for the holidays to get here! Mulled wine, cold weather, Christmas decorations... I'm so excited! Not to mention that I will have a 4 week holiday break, so I am ESPECIALLY excited about that. I'm going to be in LA and Toronto for the holidays, so I'll get my share of gorgeous weather AND the snowy cold!

random rambles

2010-09-23T08:55:00.001-07:00

things that are currently making me happy:
* juicy couture tracksuits and jewelry (I want a charm bracelet although I don't think I'll really wear it because I just want to buy all of their adorable charms!)
* F21
* shearling
* yoga
* pilates
* EGGS (I <3 them! my roommates think it's gross how many eggs I eat)

things that are currently making me UNhappy
* job searching
* my MAC All That Glitters e/s shattering on the plane ride
* raggedy cuticles
* weather that can't make up its mind (hurry up and become fall so I can wear all my cute new things!)

Online Shopping!

2010-02-04T18:50:00.001-08:00

I've been shopping online in the past few weeks to take the edge of having to come back to school. Here's some pics of my recent online haul. :)

I got some NYX lipstuffs from cherryculture.com - from top to bottom, it's round lipgloss in Whipped, Mega Shine lipgloss in Smokey Look, Round lipgloss in Sorbet, and 2 l/l in Natural because they were BOGOF at $2!

I like the formula of the Mega Shine l/g better than the round l/g, but overall, I'm really happy with my purchase. The colors are so pretty and the products are all pretty pigmented. Sorbet is the PERFECT baby pink l/g - it's everything I wanted Underage to be, even though Underage is way too white on me. Whipped is a great nude l/g that kind of reminds me of MAC C-Thru, which I lent my friend one night we went out clubbing and never got back. :( My fav out of the products is Smokey Look l/g - it's a gorgeous natural warm l/g. Love love love it.

Next I took advantage of the 60% off boutique brand sale that they have going on at makeup.com. I got Too Faced diamond gloss in pink diamond and Vincent Longo diamond wet/dry eyeshadow in Dawn Flesh:
I LOVE these! the TF l/g is sooooo smooth and has the prettiest microshimmers that make my lips look fuller! It's brighter than what I wanted, so I'm contemplating getting some more colors. The VL e/s is kind of gritty and sucks when you use it dry, but it's gorgeously shimmery when you apply it wet. It really makes your lids sparkle like diamonds!

I also ordered this awesome Jami Rodriguez necklace off of Hautelook.com because it's originally around $100 and it was on sale for $45. I also had a $10 off coupon, so I got this necklace for only about $35!

MAC has been having a ton of free ship codes lately, so I also got the lipstick in Shy Girl, which I've been wanting for a while but which has been sold out for the longest time at my counters. I love this shade. It's a really pretty almost nudish corally peachy shade.
I can see this working really well with the NYX l/g I got.

And the last item I got is this awesome keyboard protector for my macbook pro! My boyfriend got this for me and I get a ton of compliments on it from my classmates. :) I type really fast so I get self-conscious about my loud typing in class sometimes, so this helps muffle the sounds.

And that's it for now! I also ordered a bunch of stuff at F21 because I needed some layering camis and socks. I can't wait to get that package on Monday!

HAIR

2010-01-25T15:07:00.000-08:00

I have to start off by saying that I love long hair. I think it just embodies femininity and I just love the glamorous look it can give off. I also love big hair, especially with big luscious waves.

I am pretty lazy about my hair but have gotten a little bit better with it lately. I LOVE watching the youtube tutorials by the gorgeous Imogen as I find them super helpful, and she has this really pleasant voice that's nice to listen to as well.

I have long hair to the middle of my back. Most days, it's just wash and go. But when I feel like styling it, I like to play it up with lots of waves.

I am normally a salon brand snob when it comes to hair care products, but have recently started using drugstore products because I am now a poor student! Unfortunately, this has just reminded me why I am so picky with shampoo and conditioner - d/s brands do NOT work on my hair!

For some background info, I have long Asian hair, medium thickness, medium density, that tends to frizz. I find that I have to use at least twice the amount of product when I use drugstore products, and that I end up with a lot more frizzies. I'm currently using Pantene's s&c meant for long hair, and I am not a fan. The search continues!

I remember having good luck with the L'Oreal Nutri Gloss line (light pink) though, so I'm thinking of trying that out again. I normally have really good luck with Shiseido Tsubaki, Healthy Sexy Hair, and Biolage.

As far as styling products go, I mostly use the ones pictured above. I LOVE hot rollers and I have a Conair set that I use, along with some curling irons from Hot Tools.

The products pictured above are some of my mainstay products. I like to always have a spray mousse, like the one pictured above from Big Sexy Hair. I'm not too picky about which brand I get it from, as I've had good luck with this line, but also with Redken Guts and Tigi's Queen for a Day spray mousse (The TIGI one also smells like grape candy!). I like to use some of this product at the roots before blowdrying. It helps to hold my hair better when I backcomb afterwards.

Next in line is the Tigi superstar blowdry lotion. I honestly haven't seen that much of a change in my hair since using it, but a lot of bloggers say it makes their hair look thicker? So I'm still experimenting with this one. This also kind of smells like grape candy (yum!).

Next is Vavoom by Matrix forming gel. "Gel?" you ask? I know, right? It totally reminds me of those spiky haired boys from junior high, but this is one of the best products ever for holding a curl. My hair HATES to hold a curl. I like to emulsify this product in my palms, mix it with some shine serum, and apply it to ends before curling. It works great! it does make my hair a bit crunchy though.

Next up is Kenra's heat protecting spray. This works like the gel, but it's a spray formula. It helps my hair really hold styles but can make it kinda crunchy. Plus it's supposed to protect my hair from the heat, so I guess that's a good thing.

I then have one of my HGs- Paul Mitchell super skinny serum. This serum is awesome! It makes my hair look sleek and smooth and makes it dry at least 10 minutes faster than when I don't use it. It's pretty pricy though, and I go through it pretty fast, so I just bought a generic version at Sally's. I haven't used it yet, though, so I'll report back once I do.

The next two products are heat protectants (boring, but feel free to ask if you're curious).

The last product is Proclaim's hair oil. One of my favorite things to do for my hair (well, not favorite, bc it's pretty annoying, but favorite because it makes my hair look amazing) is douse my hair in oil, pop a shower cap on, and then sleep with it. The next morning, I wash it out, and ta-da! Gorgeous sleek shiny hair. This oil is ok but it has kind of a sickeningly sweet smell. I think I prefer jojoba oil but that can get kind of pricy. For the price, this is a decent product. I'm going to try regular olive oil in my hair next. :)

And now, here are just some random pics I felt like sharing:

Blast from the past:

Did you guys have an American Girl doll when you were growing up? I begged and pleaded for my parents to buy me this doll when I was in the 6th grade, and they finally gave in. She was my fav American Girl because she was the prettiest. (hehe, vanity at such a young age!) But I just found out that they got rid of her!!! How dare they. She had the best clothes!!!

And one last random pic. My bf's family, my bf, and I are all obsessed with the Showtime tv show "Dexter". So here's a gingerbread cookie my bf made for that show: Not bad huh? But I think he should still stick with his day job. ;)

Guilty Pleasures

2010-01-18T15:57:00.001-08:00

So lately, I've been indulging myself a lot and began wondering about guilty pleasures. Everyone has them. For me, they include:

* watching HSN or QVC for over an hour while they sell cosmetics... my fav is Adrien Arpel. I always cringe as she slaps her 80s makeup on the poor models faces. WHY does she never put makeup on their nose??? For the love of god, COVER THEIR NOSE!

* plowing through a tub of ice cream or a chocolate bar (LOVE Godiva, Sees, and Cadbury) by myself

* reading cheesy chick lit (pretty much everything by Jane Green) or cheesy books in general (I'm reading Twilight right now)

* watching Saturday morning cartoons that I'm WAY too old for (what can I say? Ninja Turtles still rock. Although they no longer have that sweet van that shoots pizzas anymore.)

and sometimes they can be as simple as enjoying a really great cup of coffee or tea and indulging in a two hour long phone conversation with a friend, or just zoning out and forgetting about responsibilities for a while. Like they say, it's the little things in life that count.

What are some of your guilty pleasures?

Ten Products I'm Loving Right Now

2010-01-16T10:31:00.001-08:00

Here are some products that I'm just loving and using everyday lately:

1. TF bronzer in Chocolate Soleil: my FAV. I don't really use bronzer to look more tan; I just use it for contouring. This product is perfect for that because it's matte and brown with no red tones. It's pretty dark but you can really sheer it out using a fluffy brush and a light application. Plus it smells like coco pebbles and tastes sweet if you get some in your mouth by accident! (makes me want to eat it hehehe). I'm a MAC C3 and it's absolutely perfect on me for contouring.

2. Ardell lashes in #101: I have Asian eyes, and I need a fuller lash to make my eyes look really defined; those spiky lashes don't really work on me. These lashes are perfect and really work for just about any occasion. I do like to wear some longer lashes for a night out, but this lash works for just about anything, so it's a great standby. It's quickly become my new fav.

3. MAC eyeshadow in Naked Lunch: this is PERFECT for everyday on my C3 skintone; it's a great MLidsBB. It is just slightly lighter than my skintone and has a great shimmer that brightens up my eye area.

4. DDF Glycolic 10% Toning Complex: I've been having a lot of problems lately with my skin; it's been breaking out in weird bumps and stuff. This product has really helped to clear up my problems; I've noticed that my skin has become a lot smoother and softer since I've begun using this (it's been about 3 weeks). It smells like crap and kind of tingles when I use this, but it's so worth it!

5. MAC l/l in Subculture: the perfect MLBB. It really helps make y lips look slightly fuller because it's light and lip-colored.

6. Coastal Scents Pink Semi Firm Pointed Crease Brush: this brush is amazing and only $3.95! It's very firm and has a fine point at the end. I can use the wider side of the brush for wider application of eyeshadow, and then I use the pointed side of the brush to line my lower lashline.

7. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk: This is my favorite pencil for lining my inner lower lashline for that bright-eyed effect. I know a lot of people don't like using a white eyeliner on the lower lashline but I love it because I think it really opens my eyes up. This creamy pencil lasts all day. It's also a good backup eyeshadow base - the white color really brings out all the colors of the eyeshadows I apply over it.

8. NARS blush in Deep Throat: this has been kind of languishing in my collection, but I began wearing it everyday lately. It's the perfect shimmery peach that brings out my cheekbones.

9. Scott Barnes eyeshadow in Lily: So sad that tbe Scott Barnes line is no longer around! This is the PERFECT highlight shade: it's a shimmery creamy off-white that doesn't look too obvious when you use it to highlight. If you can still get your hands on his line, he makes really amazing eyeshadows and blushes.

10. MAC eyeshadow in Mulch: I've been using this eyeshadow absolutely everyday. It's a shimmery bronze with slight red undertones that is great for contouring the eye area. You can use it lightly for a very natural contour, or darker for a smokier look.

20 Questions!

2010-01-13T10:12:00.000-08:00

1. Things you cannot leave the house without: keys, cell phone, wallet

2. Favorite brand of makeup: MAC, NARS, Dior

3. Favorite clothing store: Abercrombie, F21, Club Monaco, Guess, J Crew

4. Favorite flower: Orchids, roses, lilies

5. Favorite perfume: changes all the time but currently chanel coco mlle

6. Heels or flats: Heels!

7. Do you make good grades: I find out in a week! squee!

8. Favorite colors: red and pink

9. Do you drink energy drinks: not really. Only when I'm having a vodka red bull.

10. Do you drink juice: rarely. I mainly drink only water and coffee.

11. Do you like swimming: I used to love it but it's been a while!

12. Do you eat fries with a fork? Wat? NO.

13. Favorite moisturizer: for face, right now I'm liking Korres sugar crystal cream and L'Oreal hydrafresh gel-creme. For body, I really like Jergens Skin Firming and TBS Vitamin E body butter.

14. Do you want to get married later on in life: Yes.

15. Do you get mad easily: Yes, but I'm working on controlling it!

16. Are you into ghost hunting: oh hell no. I can't even go to Knott's Scary Farm.

17. Any phobias: I'm scared of heights.

18. Do you bite your nails: Only when I'm super nervous or super bored.

19. Have you ever had a near death experience: I almost drowned when I was little, if that counts?

20. Do you drink coffee: too much of it, probably.

first blog award!

2010-01-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

I got my first award today from the gorgeous Chloe! Now I have to say 7 facts about myself and then give the award to 7 other bloggers.

My 7 facts....

1. When I was little, I used to think that monsters would come out of the center of the earth when construction people drilled roads. I would get really worried if they drilled for too long.

2. I can't watch scary movies. They give me nightmares. I'm a big scaredy cat!

3. On a similar note, I get surprised really easily. It's really embarrassing because sometimes I get surprised by the dumbest things, like I'll be waiting for an elevator, and there will be a person inside that I didn't expect, and that will make me jump. *sigh* Lame.

4. I hate the taste of lamb. HATE IT.

5. I love pbj sandwiches. Like, I lived off of them for a month once. YUM.

6. I used to never cry watching movies and now I cry a lot! The first ten minutes of "Up" always get to me. *sniffle*

7. I have the worst immune system EVER. Airborne has been helping me a lot but if there's someone within 10 feet of me that's sick, chances are that I'll get sick too. Like, right now, I think I'm coming down with a cold because my brother's been sick. Boo.

And those are my 7 facts! Now I give the award to my favorite bloggers:

Imogen - imogenfoxylocks.blogspot.com

Desiree - luvgiambattista.blogspot.com

Crystal - makeupbycrystals.blogspot.com

ShopNChomp - shopnchomp.blogspot.com

Diane - orange2la.blogspot.com

Miss P - missp-princess-life.blogspot.com

Lina - www.thebeautylookbook.com

I saw Jessica Alba today!

2010-01-06T21:45:00.000-08:00

I was on my way to LA Live to grab some drinks at the Yard House there with some girlfriends when I noticed there was an inordinate amount of traffic in the area. I began seeing a lot of people with Lakers jerseys on, and assumed the traffic was for the game, and started walking to the bar when I turned and saw a GORGEOUS woman in a silver dress... I stared because she looked like a walking goddess and it was JESSICA ALBA. I have a major girlcrush on her and it got MUCH WORSE because she is even HOTTER in person. She is super thin, taller than expected, and has a tiny but hourglass shaped figure with a gorgeous face. I'd say she's around 5'6" because I'm 5'8" and was in 4" heels, and she was just a smidge shorter than I in her giant heels. She looks much taller though, because she's so thin and statuesque.

It turns out the People Choice Awards were going on tonight at the Nokia theater. *shrug* who knew?

I can't seem to get any good pics of her online yet but justjared.com has some.

I've seen a lot of celebs but rarely do I see a celeb that's so hot in person that s/he just makes my jaw drop. Granted, most celebs I see are just out for a day's grocery shopping or whatever and so are not all dolled up like Jessica Alba was today, but still.

Jessica Alba is hot. She has newly motivated me to work out, now.

My bf and I are planning on hitting up Hawaii for my spring break ... I should find a pic of Jessica Alba from tonight and post it on my wall or something for inspiration!

Perfume collection

2010-01-05T21:20:00.001-08:00

I decided to do a post on my perfume collection because I'm newly falling in love with smelling nice this year. (hopefully I'll get used to it, because, as you can see, I own a ton of perfume but always forget to wear it!)

This is my collection: (I'm sorry my vanity is so dirty! This is the vanity at my parents' home and I haven't been here in 3 months!)

My collection consists of: VS Dream Angels Heavenly, Comptoir Sud Pacifique vanille abricot, EA True Love (OMG this is so old, I should throw this away), Clinique Happy, EL Pleasures, DKNY DKNY, Lolita Lempicka, CK Euphoria Blossom, Burberry and Burberry Weekend, Gucci II, Ferragamo Incanto Dream, Dior Addict 2, Ralph Lauren Rocks, Chanel Coco Mlle, Amarige by Givenchy, and CK In2U.

Like I mentioned previously, the Chanel Coco Mlle is my fav winter scent and probably my fav scent overall. However, I'm thinking of varying my scents a bit more, because there's just so many gorgeous scents out there and I want to wear more of them!

The fragrances I wear the most often are:

(from L-R: Gucci II, Ferragamo Incanto Dream, Dior Addict 2, RL Rocks, Chanel Coco Mlle, VS heavenly, CSP vanille abricot, and CK In2U.)

I'm thinking of pulling out the Happy and Pleasures and wearing them more for spring, though, since they're also such pretty scents.

I'll go through the ones I wear most often first, since I'm more familiar with them. I love the Gucci II year round because it's a very sweet floral scent - a lot of sweet scents smell too teeny bopperish in my opinion, but this one seems like a more mature sweet scent that's not too sweet.

The Ferragamo Incanto Dream is a young scent that I only like wearing in the spring or summer. It's a fruity floral that's also rather sweet and light. It's too light of a scent for fall or winter for me, but I do love it for warmer weather.

Dior Addict 2 is my fav spring scent. It's also a fruity floral but not as sweet as the Ferragamo, and more floral. It smells more sophisticated and grown-up in my opinion.

Ralph Lauren Rocks is a scent I like more for outdoorsy activities or the summer. It's a very light floral scent but it smells a little too green for my taste. I got it as a gift and it's pleasant enough, and I don't love it, but I don't hate it either.

Chanel Coco Mlle is my fav for winter and fall because it's a heavier scent, and such a gorgeous sophisticated oriental scent that's still not too heavy. I want to get Chanel No. 5 next.

VS Dream Angels Heavenly is more of a powdery scent that I only wear in the winter. It has a pretty strong vanilla base that makes it a gorgeous warm scent perfect for wintertime.

Next is my Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Abricot - this one's a very sweet vanilla scent. It's too sweet for me to wear on its own but I love to layer it with some of my oriental fragrances, and even some of my floral perfumes to deepen them for nighttime.

Another scent that I received as a gift is CK In2U. This is a warm milky scent that I haven't really found a perfect occasion for, but it's a nice pleasant scent that I like for more casual events.

From the other scents in my collection, I don't wear DKNY DKNY, Givenchy Amarige, EA True Love, or CK Euphoria Blossom (they're all gifts that just aren't quite "me").

However, I do like to occasionally wear the rest.

I love Burberry Classic for the fall. It's a gorgeous oriental that kind of reminds me of fall foliage and crisp weather.

Burberry Weekend, which is now discontinued, is a lighter oriental. It's a very pretty scent but I don't wear it very often because it doesn't work with my body chemistry. It starts to smell kind of musty?

Clinique Happy is a fairly well known citrusy scent that really lives up to its name - it really does uplift your mood and make you happy! I like this scent when I need a pick me up.

EL Pleasures is another gorgeous floral scent that I'm rediscovering. It's an amazing sophisticated feminine scent that I like to wear when I feel more girly.

The last one in my collection is Lolita Lempicka, which is a woody oriental with a strong vanilla base. I used to ADORE this scent but it's becoming a little too sweet for my tastes and I just found out that my bf's not a very big fan of this one, so I'm not sure what to do with this one at this point. Maybe it'll grow on him? LOL, we'll see.

I'm hoping to use up at least ONE bottle before I make another fragrance purchase! Other perfumes I'm eyeing are Versace Bright Crystal, Nina by Nina Ricci, Fracas, Chanel No. 5, and Marc Jacobs Perfume. What are your perfume favs? Any you hate?

Winter Vacation

2010-01-02T10:55:00.000-08:00

Winter vacation is flying by, as it always does.

I had an amazing Christmas at my bf's family's place in Hamilton, Canada (about an hour outside of Toronto). It was rainy on Christmas day but it snowed on and off during my stay, so it was nice to see the white snow covering everything for winter break (although it wasn't as nice to walk around in the freezing cold!) Here are some pics from my stay there:

the tree:

Gifts to be opened!

the Xmas dinner table setting:

gingerbread peoples we painted (I painted the top 2!):

I got soooo spoiled for Christmas - I received some spending cash, and a great haul:

Some DVDs, books, adorable pink stripy Ralph Lauren pajamas, various accessories, and even a Tiffany's box! My bf got me an Elsa Peretti diamonds by the yard bracelet to match the necklace he got me earlier last year. <3

I've been shopping my butt off all vacation. My only purchases in Canada were the:

Lush tea tree spray toner

L'Oreal Hydrafresh gel-creme for normal-oily skin (d/c in the states)

I really liked this when it used to be out here, so I was super excited to find it again. It's really light and creates a great base for makeup too.

and I also got some SUPER cheap DVDs at Wal Mart in Canada. Did we have this deal in the states this year? Boxing Day in Canada is like Black Friday here so I got these two dvds for only $5 CAD each:

I'm so excited to watch these; I've heard great reviews for both.

And with that, I had to leave Canada. :( I had such an amazing time, I was pretty sad to leave but I did manage to get some Tim Hortons coffee to soften the blow. (It's like their Starbucks or Dunkin... it's a coffeeshop on every corner and it's so good!)

Now I'm back in southern California, and I've been shopping like crazy! I got a bunch of clothes from all the post-holiday sales, and we even hit up the outlets, where I got a skirt suit from Anne Klein and a big haul from J Crew. I was too lazy to take pics of everything but here is the sweater and tank I got from Abercrombie

lol, you can see my toes. It was only $50 for both!

I also picked up some gorgeous lingerie at VS, and this shimmer powder.

Unfortunately, though, this product completely sucks. It's hard to get any product out, and when you get it out, the shimmer just goes everywhere but where you want it to go. It does smell really pretty but the product itself is terrible, so I returned it.

I also managed to score this amazing pair of Michael Kors heels from the Kitson outlet store in Santa Monica. Doesn't it kind of look like the golden pair of Christian Louboutins that I posted about earlier?

They're originally $248 but I got them for only $74!

I also had a little d/s haul at Sally's and Target:

This shampoo and conditioner is a knockoff of Redken, but I don't love it. It's supposed to be their moisturizing line, but it leaves my hair feeling kind of dry. I would not recommend or repurchase this product. It may be because the Redken line itself doesn't work for me either, though, so I'm not ruling out other Sally's generic products yet. The Redken All Soft line actually completely dried my hair out too, so I ended up throwing it out when I had it.

I also had to get the Boots cuticle oil just bc it's sooooo adorable.

Isn't it so cute? It works well but it doesn't smell very good (kind of like nail polish remover). Thankfully, it fades fairly quickly though, so it's not too bad. I wanted to get some Soap and Glory stuff because of the raves from the gorgeous UK bloggers but the Target I went to didn't have any. :(

I'm so excited for 2010! 2009 was fun but I'm ready for another fresh start! I hope you guys are all having a wonderful holiday season!

Current obsessions and loves:

* Earl Grey Tea (I was not normally a big tea drinker, but I'm currently obsessed with having tea with some milk and sugar. LOVE it)

* bobby pins (OMG - WHERE have you been all my life.)

* Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (my longstanding fav but I always fall in love with it all over again over the winter)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T09:11:00.000-08:00

Resolutions:

1. lose weight (as always) - get healthy! stop eating so much digiorno pizza and the like.

2. be more patient and understanding

3. get good grades!

MAC face makeup review

2009-12-30T14:25:00.000-08:00

This is a review of the MAC face products that I have tried.

First is MAC Prep and Prime SPF 50. This primer is AMAZING and an absolute godsend in the summer. Summer always aggravates oily skin, which is really annoying in light of the fact that summer is also the time when you need to be extra careful about your sun protection: you end up looking like a shiny greaseball but still need to make sure that you have your sun protection. This product is the answer. It's the best mattifying primer that I've ever tried. When I use this with my EL DW foundation, I have to blot maybe once all day. It's really amazing.

My only complaint with this product is that, for $30, the product is quite small - only 1 oz., which is why I normally just reserve it for the summertime (also bc it's sooo mattifying that I don't need it in most of the other seasons). I would highly recommend this product if you are an oily skinned girl who wants a good primer with SPF.

Next is MAC Studio Fix Fluid, which retails for $26. It has SPF 15 and is a medium thickness liquid foundation that comes in a wide range of colors and provides medium-full coverage. This foundation did not break me out but also did not wow me.

I found it extremely comparable to Revlon Colorstay liquid foundation for normal/oily skin but not as good for twice the price. The Revlon provides fuller coverage and wears off more evenly throughout the day. I felt that the Studio Fix Fluid provided just medium coverage and wore off rather unevenly throughout the day and had a tendency to settle into my pores.

Overall, I wouldn't repurchase this and would recommend Revlon colorstay over this foundation. If you do choose to buy this foundation, though, keep in mind that the colors run dark. I am a C3 in their powder foundation and had to get a NC20 in the SFF.

The next product is their Studio Fix Powder foundation. This foundation did not work for me at ALL, which was extremely disappointing since I have a couple friends who swear by it. It makes their skin look FLAWLESS. On me, however, it oxidized really quickly and left me looking orangey, and clumped terribly when I tried to reapply. I returned this product quickly and would not repurchase. However, since I do know some women on whom it works so well, I would say that this foundation is just one of those you have to try for yourself before you decide.

The next product I've tried is their Hyper Real foundation. It's a pro item but it may have been discontinued - it was really hard for me to find even in pro stores. The MAC MAs explained to me that it was because it was being reformulated but I'm not sure if it's been reformulated yet. The South Coast MAC Pro store in Costa Mesa, California was all out when I asked last year and I had to get this one in the Vegas Pro Store. I use shade 200 but 300 would also work for someone with my skintone.

The foundation is very shimmery - it gives the effect you would get from mixing a medium coverage foundation with a shimmery highlighter lotion. It's not very good if you have a lot of acne or anything like that because it will highlight all the bumps and rough imperfections in your skin. It also doesn't have very heavy coverage so it's not that good if you need a lot of coverage. Generally, it's good if you already have pretty good skin and just want a foundation to even out your skintone and add a glow. I find it can be too shimmery sometimes so I always powder over it. It's wayyy more shimmery than the Revlon PR though, so if you think that's too shimmery, you don't even have to bother looking at this one. It doesn't last that long on oily skintones, but its lasting power is not bad. It's the 2nd to the left in the pic below:

The last product I have tried is the MAC full coverage foundation, which is the one in the middle in the pic below.
It has a hole in the bottom because the plastic insert on the cover fell out and got stuck in the product and I had to gouge it out with a pen. Pretty violent, huh? So the plastic insert is now scotch-taped to my case and, needless to say, my makeup case looks pretty homeless. However, the product itself is amazing. I use this product everyday as an undereye concealer since I think the pinkish shade (NW20) combats the blueness of the undereye circles and also because I personally am a big fan of using a lighter color underneath the eyes as a kind of highlight (Kim K style). I also use this as a foundation when I'm really pale and want SERIOUS coverage. It's great for photo shoots and a great way to apply it is to dab it on everywhere with the foundation brush, then use a stippling brush (like the MAC 187) to blend it into your skin. My friend used to work at MAC and told me this was one of the MA's secrets to a flawless complexion. If you want an enormous pot of concealer or a heavy duty foundation, this is a great place to look, and I would highly recommend this.

(first 3 photos are from MAC's website - maccosmetics.com)

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T05:45:00.001-08:00

I'm in Toronto freezing my buns off and meeting my bf's family. I hope everyone has a wonderful safe holiday season and fills up on lots of cookies and treats!

What's Inside YOUR bag?

2009-12-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

I'M SNOWED IN!!!!! FML - I was supposed to fly out today but since the east coast is being bombarded with the worst snowstorm in a decade (or whatever it is), I'm STUCK. Guh.

So here's a post I've been wanting to do for a while: what's in my purse!

I always love these posts. I think women are just born snoops; I get such a thrill when I get to peek into other women's purses! It feels like I'm getting an insider's peek at their private lives.... so here's mine!

My everyday purse is a LV Damier Neverfull in Medium - I love it because it really lives up to its name - it NEVER gets full. I can throw everything in there and the kitchen sink and it still manages to carry everything around stylishly. The straps are thin but they are very sturdy.

The contents of my purse:

(That wonderbread case houses my craptastic digicam. I have a sucky one because I had 3 nice Nikon coolpixes.... but I broke them all! -_____-)

The little gold mesh case houses my rosebud salve (which I use on my cuticles and lips) and eye drops.

The red satin case carries the MAC travel brushes that I use for touch-ups:
It has a 129, 219, and a 239 brush.

The bigger red case holds the rest of my makeup:
I carry with me the following:

* NARS laguna/orgasm duo

* blotting sheets

* MAC Angel l/s (HG)

* MAC l/g in Flusterose and Prrr (Prrr is a total HG for me)

* Rimmel l/l in addiction, Maybelline l/l in toast (I don't like this one... I should throw it away!), and Ulta l/l in Flesh (great d/s dupe for MAC subculture)

* Etude powder compact

* UD e/s in Midnight Cowgirl and Oil Slick (one to darken, one to lighten)

* Japonesque travel lash curler (I'm obsessed with full fluffy lashes - this lash curler is petite and works amazingly well)

Etude is a Korean makeup brand that has very cute packaging that seems to be heavily inspired by Anna Sui. I got this pressed powder because it is adorable and the powder has little shimmers in it! Here are some close-ups of the powder:

As you can see, the mirror is small and not very useful, but thankfully my NARS compact has a nice large mirror for when I need one. Etude is a very cheap brand in Korea and seems to be mainly used by teenagers and young college students, but I just had to get this for the adorable packaging.

I should get a hand cream with SPF for my bag. Any recs?

Anyway, I hope more bloggers do this because I absolutely LOVE seeing what other girls carry around. :)

Shiseido Pureness Foaming Cleansing Fluid Review

2009-12-14T20:40:00.000-08:00

I got this face wash at the Sephora FF sale and have been using it for about 2 weeks now. Shiseido skincare does not always agree with me, which is weird because it works amazingly well for my mother. Their white lucent line doesn't work for me at all. This Pureness line, however, is targeted at younger, acne-prone skintypes. I figured I would give this face wash a try since most foaming face washes feel too drying and harsh on me.

I have to say that this face wash is really nice. I have oily, acne-prone skin that gets very dehydrated and flaky during the wintertime. This face wash is a pearly liquid that foams up quickly and rinses off easily. It's great for my skintype and I think it's gentle enough for normal skin as well since it doesn't leave my skin feeling dry or tight - just soft and smooth. It is a little pricy at $21 but a little goes a long way (you only need one pump for your whole face) and it works so well that I would recommend this product.

lash haul!

2009-12-10T21:00:00.003-08:00

Final exams suck.

So to relieve my stress, I hauled some lashes from madamemadeline.com. (my haul pic sucks). I've ordered from them numerous times and they've always been superfast. Their prices have slowly been rising on the Ardell lashes though. :(

I got the Ardell lashes in 103 because i'm obsessed with thick fluffy lashes and I can't find these in any stores. I also got some Elise lashes because they're made by the same people who make MAC and Shu lashes, and Elise lashes were on sale for only $2.50 each. The thing that sucks about Elise is that they don't put the # of the lashes on the box, and I threw away my receipt so I'm not sure which I got... but I'll try to look them up on website. One of the criss-cross ones has sparkles on the lash band... but you can't see it here. :( I'll try to post some FOTDs with these over winter break. :)

And here's a comparison pic of the Ardell 103s (top right) with the Ardell 101 (top left) and Andrea 33. It's a tiny bit longer and denser than the 101 and like a mini version of the Andrea 33.

MAC

2009-12-10T14:44:00.000-08:00

Am I the only person who finds MAC's baroque boudoir collection ugly? I think the packaging is kind of nast. It looks like vines growing all over the lipgloss. No thank you!

The Face Shop

2009-12-07T17:25:00.000-08:00

The Face Shop is another Korean boutique brand of skincare and makeup. A large percentage of their products are premised on using ingredients from flowers, so their products tend to be fairly heavily scented with flower scents.

This brand opened up a boutique in Koreatown (in Los Angeles) in the 6th Street Center Plaza (or whatever it's called... the newer one across the street from Bleu Cafe), which is why I started buying it, and I also purchased some more of its products in Korea. The consensus in Korea seems to be that this brand is not that popular, though, as most of the girls I talked to much preferred Skin Food over The Face Shop.

For what it's worth, though, here's my review on a few of their products.

This is the Flebeaute Collagenic rich Skin Toner and Emulsion:

I have a very sad story about this product. I started using samples of it and fell in love because they left my skin feeling very moist and soft, so of course I bought the full-size set for approximately $30 USD and I hate it! It feels sticky upon application and it's been breaking me out!! I have tiny pimples all over my face from this product. I don't know if it's because the product is too rich for me since it is marketed towards more mature skintypes, but I've never had such problems from using other lines targeted at more mature skintypes (like Shiseido's) so I think the product is just not compatible with me. So this line gets a thumbs-down.

The next product I got is "The Flower Loose Powder in NB23." Once again, I got suckered in because of the adorable packaging:
It looks like a giant peach and the puff is so cute! The powder itself is supposed to have flower-based ingredients, so it has a fairly strong floral scent, but it doesn't linger after application. It has a nice texture and is finely milled, and is a good match for my C3 skintone. It doesn't control oil as well as the Ben Nye powders I use but I really like this powder overall.

I also have their Recovery BB cream, which is the leftmost product here:

As most of you know, BB creams are all the rage in Korea because they're like skincare that also provides coverage and evens out your skintone. They were originally created for after-care for laser or burn patients, so they're meant to be very soothing. The variety of bb creams in Korea is mind-boggling but I got this one because it has SPF 25 and was attractively priced (about $15USD). I really like this product because it has a light gel-like texture. It looks whitish when it's first applied but kind of melds to my skintone, making it look really even while covering up most imperfections. I wear this on my "no-makeup" day when I still want to look presentable, and it always gets me compliments on my skin. This is a great bb cream for people who need a little more coverage.

The last product that I've tried from the line their Honey and Black Sugar scrub:

I really like this scrub. Like I mentioned in my post about Skin Food, I find this scrub preferable to Skin Food's scrub. It's very gentle and smells delicious - like brown sugar mixed with honey! I always get tempted to lick it off when I'm washing my face with it. The scrub particles are grainy and kind of "melt" as you scrub along - my only complaint is that sometimes I wish the scrubby particles would last longer because they melt kind of fast. Other than that, though, it's a great gentle scrub that gets the job done without being too abrasive.

Have any of you ladies tried/liked anything from The Face Shop? I'd love to hear!

are you a Sephora VIB?

2009-12-03T10:49:00.000-08:00

I got the $20 off $35 purchase coupon today for being a Sephora VIB and of course I *had* to give in. I got the Too Faced neutral eye palette that I've been lusting after for months and a Clinique pencil sharpener, and got to use my beauty insider points for a mini deluxe sample of dior miss cherie perfume, which I love. So excited to get this soon! I'm going to go broke from all the crazy Internet hauling I've done lately, but I'm soooo excited. :D

Link to swatches of the palette from the always helpful Karlasugar: http://karlasugar.blogspot.com/search/label/Too%20Faced

How pathetic... I don't even know how to link things on here. I'm SO bad at technology!

RAVE for Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy!

2009-12-02T20:36:00.000-08:00

I don't have too much time these days so this post is very bare with no photos or anything, but I just *had* to post to share my latest find with you guys. If you like vibrant eyeshadow, you MUST get Fyrinnae's pixie epoxy. They are an Internet-based site that sells loose eyeshadows an they made Pixie Epoxy so that you could get the effect of "foiling" your e/s (applying it wet) without going through the hassle of it. I use this primarily with pressed shadows, and it majorly intensifies all the colors, AND the BEST PART OF ALL - it keeps the glitter from my UD e/s ON MY EYELIDS! If you like glittery e/s, you MUST get this base! This is definitely a new HG for me.

I'm not affiliated with the website in any way. I'm just a new fan!

The Skin Food goodies!

2009-12-01T03:08:00.000-08:00

The Skin Food is a hugely popular low-end skincare line in South Korea. I was just in Korea this a few months ago and all my cousins and friends who are in their early 20s swore by this line. The line is very cheap by American standards and has some really great products. It's also very easy to find in Korea because the boutiques are everywhere.

I have to admit that I'm a huge sucker for cute packaging which is part of the reason I LOVE Korean and Japanese beauty lines. They are just sooooo adorable to look at! Thankfully, with the Skin Food, their products are affordable and actually work well too! Another thing I love about this line is that they really take their name to heart. The products all smell DELICIOUS and live up to their names. I didn't get to try out too many products but just about all the ones I've tried have ended up being winners.

Below is a pic of the peach sake toner:

I got this because of the reviews that said it was good for oily, acne-prone skin, which pretty much sums mine up. I was worried it might smell alcoholic, but it just smells like tasty peaches. It has a pleasant toning effect that leaves my skin feeling tightened and toned but not uncomfortable at all. During the humid Korean summer, I would swipe this on my face to freshen up. It smells delicious and works great and costs only 9000won, which is around $8USD.

Next is The Skin Food's most popular product, their Black Sugar scrub:
They call it a mask, but everyone I know uses it primarily as a scrub. It's a knockoff of Fresh's brown sugar scrub but it's so wildly popular in Korea that a lot of Koreans think it's the original. I was personally kind of underwhelmed with this product (the only item that I don't love from this line, actually) because I felt that the scrubbing pieces were too sharp and that were scratching my skin. It smells delicious (like brown sugar) but I much prefer The Face Shop's black sugar scrub to this one (which I will be reviewing soon). This item is also very attractively priced, at only 7700won (approximately $7USD.) If you like a harsher scrub, you'd probably like this one.

Next is one of my favs - their Black Sesame Hot Mask:
This stuff is awesome! You apply it on your damp face and leave it on for about 10-15 minutes, then wash it off. It heats up and feels really nice on your skin, and leaves your skin feeling healthy and moist when you wash it off. This is another one of those masks I like to use when my skin is acting up or getting dry patches. It smells like toasted seeds (really warm and delicious). My only complaint is that it can get a bit drippy, which is really obnoxious, but I'm willing to put up with that for softer skin. This product is super cheap too, only 8600won, making it about $8USD.

The last product I got (which I use religiously) is their salmon brightening eye cream:

I got this cream because I need a nice basic eye cream that won't give me milia (heavier, richer eye creams all give me milia, which grosses me out). My friend raved about this one's ability to wipe out undereye circles, so I decided to give it a go. Honestly, I have not noticed that big of a difference in my undereye circles, but it is a nice, light eye cream that creates a good base for eye makeup and concealer. It's 17,000won (about $16 USD) and it's pretty big (30g), so it will last me a loooong time. All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with it because it moisturizes my eye area without giving me milia (ew).

All in all, if you can get your hands on some of this stuff, definitely try it out. At these prices, you can't go wrong - the products smell delicious, look adorable on your dresser, and actually work! Of course, the only problem with this line is that it's so hard to find in the US. Have any of you ladies tried anything else from this line? I'm dying to get my hands on some more!

(all photos from www.theskinfood.co.kr)

Fitness Shoes

2009-11-29T08:42:00.000-08:00

Has anybody tried the new fitness shoes? Like the Fit Flop, Skecher Shape Ups, or Reebok Easytone? I know they look super dorky but I recently read an article in Elle about how they really work and now I want to get a pair! I don't know which would be best though.

Thanksgiving haul!

2009-11-28T09:39:00.000-08:00

I didn't go out for Black Friday but I have been taking advantage of the Thanksgiving sales online all week. Here's what I'm waiting for in the mail:

Korres Sugar Crystal Cream

I remember using this a few years back and it was really nice. I got 30% off and free shipping using the code TEMPTALIA (I'm pretty sure it still works). I've been having some skin problems lately so I'm really excited to try this again.

From Forever 21:

These are called fairytale earrings. They remind me of Disney princess stuff (which I have a huge weakness for) so of course I had to get them!

I got this cardigan in black because it was only $7!

Isn't this tee the cutest?!! My bf is an enginerd so I love this shirt.

I also got a pair of black bootcut jeans for only $6 but they didn't have a pic of it anymore. It must have sold out.

My next purchase was at Guess, which was having 25% off their full priced merchandise:

I love the fit and cut of Guess clothes and I love clothes that have lots of accessories/detailing in the back, so I had to get this sweater.

squeee, I'm so excited to get my haul! Did you guys get anything?

Fantasy Shoes

2009-11-27T08:51:00.001-08:00

Occasionally, when I get down and am not feeling too good, I like to peruse Christian Louboutin's collection. These are my current obsessions that I drool over whenever I get bored:

Lolo Ballerinas:

I have an obsession with ballerina shoes but I personally hate flats. I don't like the way they look on me. I'm 5'8" but I love 4-5" heels, so I always end up looking like a giant. Thankfully, my boyfriend is 6'3" so it's not that big of a problem. These shoes are perfect for me since they combine the look of a ballet flat with Mr. Louboutin's gorgeously sexy heel. The only problem? It's $795! eep!

The next shoes, Christian Louboutin's glitter pumps, are marginally more affordable at $595:

I LOVE these!!! I gasped when I first saw them. I want to wear these for my wedding (whenever that may be). I love sparkly stuff, I love nude colored shoes, and I love high heels, so these were practically made for me!

Anyway, I just wanted to share my most recent obsessions. Do you have any fantasy shoes you like to stare at?

I'm off to study now so I can go make that money to buy all these gorgeous shoes in 5 years!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2009-11-26T09:37:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful for...

1. my wonderful family, for always supporting me and being behind me no matter what.

2. my awesome bf, who's always so understanding.

3. the opportunity to be in school, furthering my education

4. my roommate, without whom school would be much more lonely and boring

5. COFFEE

6. makeup, for pulling me out of my funks and cheering me up

7. my friends, for being there for me when I need someone to talk to

I hope you guys all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and eat lots of tasty treats!

concealers and full coverage foundations

2009-11-25T21:15:00.000-08:00

Having dabbled in freelance makeup artistry, I have an obsession with professional cream foundations, like the ones by Joe Blasco, RCMA, Cinema Secrets, Ben Nye, etc. All my friends who are working professionally as MAs swear by them for photo shoots so I'm always on the hunt to get them all. Like Pokemon!

For the most part, however, I've been disappointed since they tend to be oil-based and do not work on my oily skin. They look great when freshly applied but tend to slip and slide around as the day wears on (even with a good primer and powder). I mostly just save them for occasions when I will be photographed a lot since they do photograph really well.

The latest foundation that I tried is RCMA. I had read on MUA that it had coverage comparable to KA SSE but that was NOT the case on me. I wear a MAC C3 in their studio fix and got the RCMA foundation in KO-2 which was a great match. It has medium-full coverage in my opinion. One of the advantages of these cream foundations is that they can be layered for heavier coverage but I still didn't find that I could get the kind of coverage with RCMA that I could get with any of the 3 concealer/full coverage foundations listed below. Compared to Cinema Secrets, it transfers a lot less (which was my main complaint with CS) and doesn't oxidize as much as CS did. It also imparts a more natural finish than my Ben Nye matte cream foundation. It is also not as greasy feeling as Joe Blasco's Ultrabase, so of these theatrical brands, I have to say that RCMA is my favorite but it's definitely not something I reach for everyday.

I've had no problems with breakouts from it, though, which is nice. The coverage is not enough for my under-eye circles during my hellish weeks of reading and library-ing, though, so I would still recommend a stronger full-coverage concealer if you have things to cover up (like I do). Below is a pic of the RCMA:

As you can see, it is very simple, no bells or whistles, just nice and practical.

The next products I'll be reviewing are pictured below:
L-R: CoverFX foundation in M30, MAC concealer in NW20, and KA SSE in SX07. Why is my MAC soooooo light? I use that almost exclusively for my undereye circles and I like using a cooler-toned, lighter concealer there because it not only counteracts my dark undereye circles but the lighter color also helps brighten the face/bring out my undereye area, which in turn makes my face look more "sculpted," especially when combined with contouring.

I purchased the CoverFX foundation on the recommendation of a Canadian professional MA who swore by it for all her photoshoots. Sadly, however, it has not quite worked out for me for everyday use. The color is a good match for me and it looks great upon initial application, but it tends to settle into pores and wears off unevely as the day wears on, so that I end up looking rather speckled by the end of the day. NOT a good look! Since this one is close to my actual skincolor, I use this as a normal concealer if I get a blemish or if I have a bruise or something on my body (I'm clumsy and run into things a lot!)

I actually purchased the MAC full coverage foundation on the recommendation of my old roommate, who was a MAC MA, and she told me that this foundation is the secret to a lot of the MAC MA's FLAWLESS looking skin. I am actually contemplating getting this in a darker shade for days when I want FULL full coverage but I have not had occasion to need such heavy coverage yet. If you want a truly flawless look with maximum coverage, I'd say this foundation is the best of the bunch. This compact will last you FOREVER too, since a little goes a long way.

My last one, KA Sensual Skin Enhancer, is also great for that purpose but it's a lot pricier at around $45 for that tiny jar. For that reason, I only use it as a concealer. It is a LIFESAVER when I get a really nasty blemish or have insane undereye circles. It has the most coverage out of any face product I've ever seen. People complain that the texture is too stiff, and yes, it is stiff if you're planning on using this as a foundation. But for a concealer, the stiffer texture is great since it keeps the product from sliding around your face and ending up in places other than where you meant it to be. The color is actually a little bit light on me, as this line runs VERY light. I love that the yellow tones run really yellow (since I'm really yellow) but I think it may be too yellow for girls who wear a NC something in MAC.

Overall, I'd say you can skip the CoverFX, get the MAC Full coverage for a great, cost-effective concealer/full coverage foundation, and get the KA SSE for occasions when you might need hardcore FULL coverage.

Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Pack

2009-11-25T21:07:00.000-08:00

This is a review for the Laneige strawberry yogurt pack. I've had it for over a year now and use it when my skin is feeling dried and stressed out and needs a little pick me up.

The main thing I love about it is the SMELL. It smells JUST like strawberry yogurt - I seriously get tempted to eat it! The pack itself is a light cream texture with small red beads - you're supposed to apply a generous amount to your face and massage the cream into your skin until the little red beads disappear, then wash it off after 10-15 minutes.

When I wash it off, my skin looks and feels a lot dewier and just "healthier" overall. It's a good mask for all skin types in my opinion, because it doesn't aggravate my oily skin or break me out while imparting moisture. (A lot of products break me out so that's a big deal to me). It's moderately priced (about $20 for a jar) but it lasts you a long time. If you can get your hands on this, I'd definitely recommend it!

some of my makeup favs!

2009-11-24T11:23:00.000-08:00

so... the all day at the library thing is not nearly as exciting as I had hoped. Here are some makeup pictures. These are my current favs for face makeup. I'm going to wait for some sunlight before I post more. :)

This isn't my entire collection btw. This is only part of the small percentage that I brought with me to school. :)

This is a closeup of the NYX Lake Moss trio. I used it over the weekend and it was ok - not as smooth as the Runway palettes.

My face makeup brushes:

L-R: Sephora angled blush brush, MAC 129, MAC 109, MAC 190, Sephora small blush brush (I think it's d/c now), EOB concealer and foundation brushes

Eye makeup brushes:

L-R: NARS #16 (HG, use this everyday), cheapo round brush, Scott Barnes crease brush (similar to MAC 224 but smaller), Sonia Kashuk small e/s brush, Sephora large e/s brush, MAC SE #266, fine e/l brush from the art store, Sephora round crease brush, MAC 217, MAC 219
My HG blushes!

clockwise from top left: (OMG this pic is so orange - I'll try to take a better pic soon) - NARS Torrid, MAC Fleur Power, Taupe (great for contour), Trace Gold, Dame; NARS Orgasm, Angelika, Madly, Outlaw, Sin, and Deep Throat
HG highlighters:

Shu P Gold 93D blusher (it just looks like glowy skin - Shu F&F is supposed to start next week!), WnW All over shimmer (I think it's d/c/), MAC Perfect Topping MSF

My Rock and Republic blush in Kinky!

LOVE the hot pink shade and the luxurious packaging. I keep the box because it's so cute!

Concealer/full coverage foundations:

CoverFX cream foundation in M30, MAC full coverage foundation in NW20 (only use this under eyes), Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX07 - amazing pigmentation

everyday face makeup (L-R):

The Face Shop BB cream (good for everyday)

MAC hyper real foundation in NC200 (imparts a really lovely finish but has only sheer coverage so I can only wear this on good skin days)

DHC Q10 cream foundation in yellow ocher (comparable to Revlon colorstay but better IMO)

EL Doublewear foundation in Sand (my workhorse foundation - lasts all day on my oily skin.)

Chanel glossimers! I ended up giving a lot of these away because I'm not in love with glossimers anymore (too thick) but I just love this pic because they are so pretty! You can click to enlarge to see the names of the colors.

an old pic of my UD e/s collection: I have a few more now, but this is still the bulk of it. My favs are blunt, midnight cowboy, and midnight cowgirl:

a better pic of some of my NARS. I got rid of that NARS e/s duo because it was really chalky but I still use everything else. My favs from here are the blushes, Night Clubbing e/s, and Thunderball e/s.

Hard Candy eyeshadow quads! (before they went to Wal Mart). These were really underrated and great quality for the price. My favs are the bottom 3. :)

2009-11-22T18:46:00.000-08:00

I've decided to start posting again. Hopefully with pictures. I think it will be a good source of stress relief from law school.

I tried to tone down the makeup for school, but it's not working. I get depressed when I am not groomed! I do have to admit that I don't bother during the week, though - my only outing is either gym or class so I feel like it's a waste of makeup to do my hair and makeup everyday. I just spent a weekend in LA, though, and had an awesome time getting all dolled up. I need to do it more! The main thing holding me back right now is that my eyes can't really handle wearing contacts anymore and get all dry when I wear them and I hate doing my makeup when I'm in my glasses. :(

I really want a pair of black round-toe ankle boots that are about 4" high. Any recs?

bleh, I need to start my diet tomorrow, but it's thanksgiving week! hrmph.

2009-07-23T09:51:00.001-07:00

my baby has arrived!!!! So excited. Here are some pics of my computer and its adorable packaging! YAY!

2009-07-21T18:54:00.000-07:00

I need to start being more productive! I'm soooo lazy these days since I have no job and nothing I *have* to do. I wake up around 11AM, watch NCIS and CSI and E!, try to read (normally doesn't last longer than an hour), eat, nap, and play. It's kind of nice but I feel like such a slob.

I have to put myself on boot camp mode starting tomorrow. Wake up at 8AM, workout, study my languages, read my books, and get moving!

I hope my macbook arrives manana!~

2 rando photos of Kim Kardashian from her blog. I LOVE the makeup in the first and I think the 2nd one is funny - it shows how weird the makeup process can be for women to look beautiful!

INTRO

2009-07-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

Hello! I am starting this blog to get back into the habit of writing regularly. I am a 24 year old Korean American; grew up in southern California, starting school on the east coast in the fall, obsessed with beauty, glamour, LA, traveling, languages, and success. I speak English, Korean, Spanish, French, and I'm learning Mandarin Chinese. I just recently quit my job as a legal assistant/paralegal and left on a 6-week vacation to Asia, where I visited Seoul, Pusan, Tokyo, and Beijing.

I also love Harry Potter and collect it in all the languages I speak. I like to read them to brush up on my languages as I find it's very easy to fall behind on a language once you stop using it.

I wanted to be a makeup artist all throughout high school and college and therefore own a LOT of makeup. I have single-lidded Asian eyelids with no crease, so it was all trial and error for me to figure out what worked. I am now trying to learn how to do my hair (I have long hair that I like to infuse a lot of volume into), but it is hard!

I have absolutely no plans this summer other than to have the best time of my life.

Goals:
Lose weight for school - STAT
Brush up on Chinese
Learn how to do my hair!!!

Currently loving ...
my wonderful boyfriend <3