Weekend Bliss and Sunday Faves

I'm really loving the long weekend so far. Although I didn't do much, the fact that I have Monday off makes the biggest difference in my work week. But my parents are coming to town and visiting me tomm so I am kind of stressed with cleaning and making my place nice and tidy. My parents are rather fickle and judgmental people so I'm kind of dreading it too =p

Thanks for all your input on my next post poll! Looks like lipstick is winning so far followed by sunscreen comparisons. I plan on doing them all, but this is just to get started :) And thank you for all your sweet comments on my last post. I don't think too much about what people say if they hide under anonymous. I'm pretty comfortable with who I am and am happy to post about whatever I fancy ;) I'm not even more revved up because of all of you! :)

My homemade brunch this morning. It's a ton of food huh? Well, there's a reason they combine breakfast and lunch.  Ridiculous amounts of food =p In my brunches at least. This is a ham and provolone cheese panini with a large side of egg scramble with zucchini, red bell peppers, carrots, diced roma tomatoes and crispy bacon on top. 

Chanel glossimer in Coral Reef - Oldie but a goodie. I fished through many of lip glosses and lipsticks (in preparation for my lipstick post soon) and was happily surprised to still have this. It was one of my first "high end" splurges after the coming of age Smackers lip glosses I so dearly loved. This was truly a rite of passage for me into the big girl stuff. 

This shade is exactly how it's named - a coral peach with gold shimmers. It has a very sheer wash of orange and peach and is the perfect topping for lipsticks. It's sheer and it's good :)

MAC Lip Conditioner in Pink Fish - This moisturizing balm gives the perfect amount of color to my lips. I like the vanilla smell and the pinkish purple tint. 

See's Candy Butterscotch Pops - Always a goodie! These were $.70 at my local See's :) I always have one in my purse in case I get a sugar craving =p

Talk to you guys soon! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

It's one of those days...!

Hey everyone!

I kind of need your help with my next post =p I'm at a whirl with what to post next. I have lots of ideas swirling in my head, but not sure which I should post about first so I did poll to see what you guys would be interested in reading.

What do you want to read? :)

• Favorite Lip Balms
• Sunscreen Comparisons
• Hadamony Collagen Mist
• Naruto Skincare
• Lipstick Collection

View Results
Create a Blog Poll

In some other news, yesterday I got a really nasty email from someone about how ugly and disgusting I look with (and I quote) my huge forehead and moles all over my face, etc and how foolish my blog is at the current moment. It is the first time I'd ever receive hate mail that directed so strongly. Creepy right? The part that disturbed me was the fact that it was a well thought out and well written email =/ I was kind of down for a little bit, but then I realized how much awesome people I've met here and how everyone showed me acceptance through blogging and supported my little piece of space. I'm not letting her nasty email ruin my day or my week for that matter.

Any weird experiences you had with negative people on Blogger?

Sorry to bore you all with this. I just had to get it out! =p Here's to foreheads and moley faces. Cheers.

My FOTD today!





Terrible lighting I know --
I woke up ridiculously early before the sun rose and was playing with the blinds to find better lighting. Complete fail, I know. What was not a fail was that I was dabbling with my Laura Mercier lip stain pot and fell in love with it again. Used it on lips and cheeks.

Have a grreat Friday! Can't wait to read the polls!

Review: Alternative to Micro-Dermabrasion with Dual Action Refinishing Treatment

I've noticed visible improvements since I started using Estee Lauder's Dual Action Refinishing Treatment. It's pretty much a facial scrub you only use once or twice a week, and is jam packed w/stuff that works. They claim to resurface your healthiest skin by scrubbing off dead skin cells so your skin will look instantly brighter, pores will be smaller (after continued usage), and your overall skin texture will be softer and more radiant. I've never done any glycolic peels or micro-dermabrasion because it sounds like a hardcore method =p I'm just a teensy afraid of anything that has "peel" in it when referring to our delicate skin. But to retain your healthiest skin, some sort of exfoliation must take place in your skincare routine to rid away of dead skin. Scrubs are a good way (less hardcore) since they're readily available everywhere. Since I do regular facial scrubs with my Yes to Carrots routine once a week, I decided to swap that for a bit and try the Estee Lauder one since I've heard outstanding reviews.

Review: Quench Bath and Body Natural Skincare

Hey everyone! I've been testing out a few products from Quench Bath and Body's natural skincare line (created by Shashi Srikantan. Girl power! Woo!) that includes the facial wash, lotion and masque. It's a fairly new company that specializes in natural skincare without the uses of parabens, SLS and petroleum. They practice fair trade, use ingredients derived from earth and never test on animals. A lot of its influence is from the ingredients in India.

I used all three products for a duration of 2 weeks or so in rotation with  my own. Here is the lineup:

Quench Facial Wash

Tumeric Facial Wash
The facial wash is has a very liquidy texture and uses turmeric as its main ingredient. The cleanser did not foam at all.. maybe a little at most, and goes on like a gel. I massaged it into my skin for a few seconds before rinsing. After I rinsed the cleanser off, my face was extremely tight. I've used it numerous times but the tightness still prevails. Not only was my face tight and dry, but it didn't feel clean. I was really disappointed with this because I kind of had high expectations for it.

Pros:
+Easy to rinse off

Cons:
-Too heavily scented. Strong incense smell.
-Has no lather
-Made my face very dry and tight

Tumeric Facial Lotion
The facial lotion is a very hydrating emulsion type texture that absorbs very nicely into the skin. My face was instantly softer and lasted for hours. I really love how it felt on my face... it just made my skin brighter, supple and pampered. Maybe there is a reason for the cleanser to be so drying? =p I was much impressed with this. Just the texture alone makes it a worthwhile treat for your face :)

Pros:
+Cross between a face cream and emulsion - makes for easy absorption.
+Not greasy whatsoever! Very smooth.
+Tumeric brightens skin

Cons:
- Very strong incense smell that lingers

Almond Sandal Facial Masque
This is probably my favorite of the three. The masque is an orgy of pamperage for your face! I was thoroughly impressed with the texture and the creaminess. The masque literally absorbs into the skin like a cream. I left it on my face for 5 mins before rinsing it off and it was just the smoothest, easiest rinsing masque ever! It wasn't goopy and didn't take long to get off. I just loved the experience - warm, nurturing, soothing. My face looked instantly brighter and rested after use.

Pros:
+Creamy, non grainy
+Highly absorbent, soothing texture
+Feels like a wash off facial cream

Cons:
-Too heavily scented. Incense smell.

Overall, out of the three products I've tried, the facial lotion and masque were the stand out ones. I know I listed the scent as a con in all of the products. I do have a high tolerance for smells but the musky incense smell in the Quench line was overwhelming. I mean, it's okay and it would be fine if it was lighter, but it's way too strong for me not to have a reaction. Because of the strong smell, I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have. But basing on the products themselves, aside from the strong scent, they still have a lot of improving to do. I can see the potential of this brand, and the idea of having a natural skincare line is great, but they still need to amp up the basic items, especially the facial cleanser.

If you want to look more into Quench Bath and Body, you can visit their website here.

Goodnight all! I'll be back very soon with more reviews and bloggie posts :)

Disclaimer: Small samples were given to me by Quench Bath and Body to review.

More NYX Black Label Lipsticks: India and Beige

Hello friends!

I'm back with another post about those NYX Black Label lipsticks! Check out Acapulco and Nude here! Those two are definitely some of the best moisturizing lipsticks I have ever owned! Here are two more! ;) I finally opened them this past week and I am again amazed by how balmy these feel and how moisturizing they are. They really make my lips feel pampered =p

Here are India and Beige!

Both are very soft looking and can be worn right out of the tube.

Beige is a shimmery brown lipstick that is a bit darker than what I had imagined but still a very natural and soft shade for the lips.

It's kind of a dramatic shade for me because I am pretty light skinned and the contrast of the brown creates an almost vampy color. Which I totallllllllllllly freaking love. It gives my boring lips some personality =p A very sultry color by itself and not the "beige" color I really had in mind but I actually like it a lot more than I thought i would when I first saw it in the tube.

India is a shimmery bright pink lipstick that looks especially nice over a shiny clear gloss. On my lips it leans toward a purplish tint but it's such a sweet color :) I really like it so much. The only downside is that this particular shade is not as moisturizing as all my other black label ones. I really like India over Mac's Virgin Kiss Lipglass. 

Virgin Kiss over India. I'm really liking this combo right now. Something about clearish gloss with reflective pink shimmers ;)

Overall, I highly recommend NYX's Black Label lipsticks to anyone, especially people who are have lipstick phobia. They are great starter lipsticks and apply wonderfully. Not the longest lasting lipstick but it lasts a good 3-4 hours when you go out. Be careful when stuffing your face though ;) It won't last long at all that way. I bought them from Cherry Culture and they were around $6 each. Well worth the price for such a versatile range of colors!

Do you gals like Beige or India better? :)

In other news, I'm going to be in Santa Cruz tomorrow for Durbin day! LOL If you are familiar with this season's American Idol, you'll know he was voted off yesterday :( I was so distraught. It's a conspiracy, I tell you. But he'll be performing tomorrow (that's his hometown) and I am suuuper excited. I went to the university over there and haven't visited since 2009.

Here's a random eye look I did during Mother's Day. I'm in love with blue eyeshadows right now.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!!

Deals & Steals: Target Shoes!

 Ah, my beloved Target stores. I found a very cute pair of shoes today on clearance for $9.98 and they seem to be the perfect "girly" pair for the warmer months because of the wedge.

 (Sorry for the grainy last picture)

It is from the brand Xhilaration. It is a total YMMV because I couldn't find the style online, but they are floating around in stores.

I hope you're all enjoying the last bits of Mother's Day. Back to my little festivities. I just couldn't wait to share it w/you all :p

Hair Treatments Pure Argan Oil

Hi everyone! Happy Friday! I hope your work/school week was pleasant.

My hair has always been problematic. Ever since I was young, I grew out very thick and curly hair. Completely unmanageable. My mom swears it was those Hepatitis shots everyone had to get before starting school =p
Both my parents have really straight hair and I recall my grandparents had straight hair too. It's bizarre! Sometimes I feel like the only Asian with naturally very curly hair. I grew up very embarrassed by it since all my friends had no problem walking out the door with shampoo commercial hair =p Yes, that is life. And darn it.
Well, since I've discovered thermal hair straightening, I can better control my hair. Plus, it's softer and silkier if you maintain it well.

If you've read my hair posts, this won't be a new pic.

This was actually partially straightened from the day before! And right before I went to the salon to straighten it. I've never actually done anything to my hair like bleaching or dyeing it, only using a hot iron but not everyday and only with thermal protection. Sadly, it's still crummy.

Well, it's all better now though. It's been about 4 full months since I straightened my hair and the roots are becoming curly again but it's easier to maintain. And it's softer because I try my best to take care of my hair.
I want to share with you some of my "hair savers" that's worked miracles for me.

1. John Frieda Nighttime Creme Serum, $6-10 Target or drugstores
I was browsing around Target one night and found a $3.00 off coupon for any JF hair product and I wasn't planning on using it since I don't buy anything not on sale =p Well, lo and behold! There was a 3 pack of these night serums on sale for $5.74 or something (Target has really weird prices), so I basically got all three for less than $1 each :) Yippee! Works wonders! I've tried other JF serums and they were really crappy x10000! But this one is super light weight (nighttime) and smells pleasant and gives me softer hair in the morning. I usually air dry my hair after washing it and before I head to bed, it's still a bit damp so I do sometimes blow dry quickly and then put this serum all over it and wake up with very relaxed hair. Just awesome! Thumbs up for this! Sadly, this is my last bottle!

+++
Lightweight
Pleasant Smelling
Non Greasy
Great price

2. Kerastase Lumiere Nutri-Sculpt 

Kerastase is probably my favorite hair brand so far. They've proven to me that their hair serums mean real business. My good friend introduced me to this brand and she's got the most beautiful lush hair ever. She told me that she's gone through bottles and bottles of this stuff and brought me a sample to try one day. I was intrigued and  went and tried it for myself. Needless to say, I will be repurchasing this for a looong time. You apply a dime sized amount and distribute it around your hair when it's still damp (nearly dry) and it just leaves my hair smelling really fresh for hours and incredibly soft and manageable. I haven't had a bad hair day since using this =p It's a bit on the pricey side ($27.00 for 1.7oz/50ml) but it's worth every penny for my hair. I use it pretty sparingly though... like 2 or 3x max =p I imagine it'll last me another 3 or so months. They are from the Loreal company.


3. Kerastase Serum Nutri-Sculpt (below)

Another hair serum! Yipee! This one is the newest edition to my hair family. This serum is supposed to be repairing for sensitized and damaged hair. Since I have my hair layered now, it's really important it looking healthy otherwise it'll look frizzy and bad.

I use this for that extra luster when I go out. It evens out the surface of the hair cuticles and adds a protective micro film to prevent damage. It feels very silky and so special when I leave it on. The silkiness, the scent and how a little bit goes a long way really makes me feel like a million bucks. It really is nothing compared to Fekkai's Glossing Cream or anything I've ever used. I've tried them all! Everything pales in comparison to this serum. The one setback though is the crazy price. It's $50.00 for only 1oz/30ml. Outrageous. I'd love to repurchase but I'd have to rethink it. I hope i find another serum like this for half the price.


And finally... my miracle worker! Morrocan Argan Oil

I have no idea where it's been all my life. I've had this now for a few months and it's been a lifesaver in ever way. It's the perfect fix for dry hair and adds the right amount of shine to it without making it look greasy. I also apply a layer of this to my face before bed and my skin looks well rested in the morning. I hate waking up with sallow, tired skin. There is nothing worse than caking all sorts of moisturizers and stuff in the morning besides your daily SPF. Also, there are many articles that talk about how argan oil can smooth out wrinkles and get rid of crow's feet. They say since this oil penetrates quickly into skin, it balances your skin epidermis (as skin food) and keeps your complexion radiant and young.

Their official website claims:


Moroccan Argan Oil is very rich in:

• Vitamin F (omega 6): anti-aging and anti-dryness of skin
• Vitamin E: A powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory for sensitive skin, UV protection, and aids in cutaneous micro-circulation. Also neutralizes free radicals
• Phenols: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, powerful against fungus and bacteria, activates blood circulation and activates Vitamin C
• Triterpens: restructure cells, is anti-inflammatory and slows down cell aging
• Squalene: suggested to prevent against skin cancer

This Argan Oil will def be a repurchase for me. I love everything about it! I'm starting to see a lot of makeup with Argan Oil infused in it and I see a lot of skincare products with this stuff in it too. Why not get it in the purest form? :) Median priced at $30.00 for 2.2oz/65ml and $18 for 1oz/30ml. Best purchase I have ever made! =p

What are your hair needs? Thoughts on Argan Oil? Do share! ^_^

Here is a FOTD I took a few days ago. I was experimenting with bronzer... I feel like I over bronzed or something =p



I look really strange =p You can even the mark from my glasses. I hardly wear contacts since I'm too lazy. Sorry about my weird expression... couldn't really see the camera. I'm really blind! I need Lasik!!
I used Smashbox's Glow blush and a random NYC bronzer I found in my drawer. Lipstick in Revlon's Nude Attitude. I probably shouldn't have gone nude with bronzer. Oh well!

Here's the easy eye I did in 3 mins.



I used Maybelline's gel liner, Mayelline Colassal mascara and a smidgen of blue eyeshadow from my Wet N Wild Blue palette.

Okay everyone. I hope you have a wonderful Mothers Day weekend!!! :) I'm flying out first thing in the morning to see my mother in LA. She's gonna be thrilled =)

Oh! I also wanted to mention that my blog was featured on the homepage of Bloggers.com as an "editor's pick". =p I thought that was kind of interesting in my very uninteresting life! o_o

Screenshot!

LOL, Goodnight!

bareMinerals Giveaway Winner

Congrats, Amy!! :) I'll be contacting her now. Thank you all for your participation and your blogger support! ^_^

Sorry the image is crap. I didn't have access to a photo editor besides Paint =p
Hope you're all having a good Tuesday!

April Faves! ^_^

Goshness, April just came and went. Happy May! I kind of lost track of time because, well, I just do =p I'll be flying out of town next weekend to visit my parents and brother and I've been deliriously shopping for them (Mother's Day and brother's birthday) and I'm pretty content with things. Here are some of my April favorites :)


Edit: I don't know why I wrote NYC palettes. Major brain fart =p I changed it!

Wet N' Wild Eyeshadow palette in Greed - I've been really into their eyeshadow palettes lately. After seeing it buzzed around in tons of beauty blogs, I am really glad to have gotten into them. They are very pigmented and long lasting. The only thing I don't like about this palette is the name! Other than that, it makes for pretty eye accents :)

Wet N' Wild Blue Had Me at Hello - My current favorite at the moment. I tend to gravitate toward blues and jewel colors in eyeshadows. I think they suit me the best and the combinations are endless. I love the sheen, the shimmers and the all around versatile colors. They are also fabulous as standalone colors too :) I hope Wet N' Wild continues to bring good quality eyeshadows like this. I'm in search of their holiday 2010 ones still... =p

Edit: Wet N' Wild Cool As A Cucumber. 

Not NYC, =p

Wet N' Wild Cool As a Cucumber - These colors are so soft! The only reason I wanted this was because of the purple but I ended up liking them all. Simple, soft and elegant! :)

Another favorite this month! NYC Creme Blush in Plaza Pink. I know I'm kind of late with their creme blushes but I was really hesitant to try it at first but I'm glad I did!! This blush is amazing. It applies "dry", as in not too creamy or streaky. It's just like a nice sheen of pink! I usually pat a bit of powder blush over this and that's it. Definite rebuy and possibly one of the most versatile color sticks ever. I've used it as a lip color before as well over clear gloss.

Clarins Toning Lotion - I've been using this pretty frequently. I know it says that it's a toner but it's really like a liquid lotion :) Very calming and sans alcohol. Yay! It really calms redness down a lot and I use it for that reason. The one thing I don't really like is the musky old lady scent. It's kind of like that weird warm smell of vanilla. Actually, it's not that bad. Once you pat the toner on your face, the smell is gone. Since it helps with redness, I can handle the scent =p

DHC Rose Facial Treatment Oil - I use a lot of different oils for my face, like rose, argan, vitamin E... I know a lot of people must think I'm crazy, but I really don't feel complete without my facial oils (lol!). I use this rose oil every other day to supplement my moisturizer because I think it really helps my skin a lot to make it look radiant in the morning. Actually, I think this oil is now discontinued (see it on their website.) I got this awhile ago when they had it on sale and now I went to look for it and it says to be discontinued now :( I wonder why?!

And lastly, my most overused powder blushes in April - NYX Natural and Peach! I use this over the NYC creme blush. These two really create the most natural flush. They are silky feeling and medium pigmented. You definitely have to build it up, but when you do it looks really nice and cheeky. Both are matte so that's a plus for being on the natural side.

This is spicy Korean beef soup - Yook Gae Jang (육개장). I had this for dinner tonight... leftovers from Saturday night's dinner. YUM! It's a spicy broth of Korean chilis and various veggies and beef. Really delish and one of my favorites!! :) I'm salivating just looking at it now =p


Alrighty, I cannot wait to read all your monthly favorites! ^_^ If you want me to review something more in depth, do tell me in the comments! Goodnight all!! :)