fordandelionwine

Yummy meal - Sushi

2012-01-05T22:05:00.000-06:00

Forever 21, Gap, H&M

2012-01-02T22:02:00.000-06:00

Gap sweater for my dad :)

Forever 21:

Black dress

Antique-like black and white picture frames

H&M:

Two skirts: grey, black

Black pants

H&M haul

2011-12-29T22:00:00.000-06:00

Two pairs of sweatpants (so comfortable! My favorite sweats ever)

Mittens

Tank

Yummy meal - Seafood pancake

2011-12-26T21:55:00.000-06:00

Sephora Mini-haul

2011-12-22T14:30:00.000-06:00

Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow Palette in Smoky Design

Pangea Organics Japanese Matcha Tea Mask with Acai and Goji berry

Samples: Givenchy Photo-perfection, Supergoop, MBMJ Lola perfume

Read more for pics of the eyeshadow palette!

Dior Smoky Design

So pretty! I need to try this asap :)

Whole Foods Fruit custard cakes

2011-12-19T21:54:00.000-06:00

Whole Foods has the most amazing, delicious, soft cakes ever. I could eat their cake every day. I have sometimes downed half a cake in one sitting. :(

I've never tried the cakes on the right, but they look pretty delicious too!

Maxwell Brenner's fudge fondue

2011-12-14T21:47:00.000-06:00

White chocolate, caramel, and milk chocolate fondue.

Sides with strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, and cookies.

Marshmallows were my favorite :)

Yummy meal - sushi

2011-12-10T21:49:00.000-06:00

Cucumber wrapped roll & two salmon rolls

gyoza & shrimp sumai

Yummy meal - Mackerel & Rice

2011-12-05T21:45:00.000-06:00

Mackerel & Rice

New watch + Nike running shoes

2011-12-04T21:58:00.000-06:00

I won a $100 giftcard from Kohl's recently, and stopped by Kohl's to pick up a much-needed watch.

I've been lusting after a watch for quite some time, but since I tend to treat my belongings very poorly, and I hate having to buckle my watch every day, I decided to get a budget watch that I can just slip on. The result: Timex T2H351 Easy Reader Gold Expansion watch. I have a tiny wrist so it's quite loose, but I like it that way.

The watch was only around ~$40 so I still had some leftover. I debated getting some Flirt! lipglosses, which are so cute:

The packaging is HUGE but it's so cute...it's a bit pricey though, at $15.50

Eventually, I decided to go for a more exciting purchase: Nike Dual Fusion sneakers. They are HOT. Some seriously sexy running shoes. WOOT!

Yummy meal - Cobb Wrap

2011-12-03T21:50:00.000-06:00

This is my favorite meal to get at one of the restaurants on campus.

Cobb wrap!

It has bits of bacon, guacamole spread, grilled chicken, and lettuce.

Super delicious AND healthy.

Training for a marathon!

2011-12-02T21:52:00.000-06:00

After years of being a potato couch, I've just decided to train for a half-marathon. For me, I need a big goal to make me work hard :P A marathon is 26.2 miles, so too big of a goal for me, but a half-marathon, at 13.1 miles, sounds much more manageable. Actually, I'll probably have to try a 5k first, but whew, wish me luck!

Fun fact: The origin of Marathon came from ancient Greece, during a war in which all the states on the Greek island lined up to stop the formidable Persian empire from taking over. After the Athenians (one of the states of Greece at the time) won a crucial and decisive battle, the Battle of Marathon, against the Persians, they sent a runner named Pheidippides to notify their city of the victory. He ran from Marathon to Athens without stopping, a route that was a total of 22-25 miles. Upon arrival, he exclaimed, "Νενικήκαμεν" (Nenikékamen, 'We have won.') before collapsing and dying of exhaustion. In his honor, they celebrate his run every year by holding marathons of approximately the same route, from Marathon to Athens. Interesting right? The author Haruki Murakami talks about his experience running this route in his autobiography, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (which is excellent).

Anyhow, to help my running, I stopped by Dick's Sporting Goods and picked up some goodies:

Camelbak Better Bottle 24 oz.

Detour Protein Bars

Muscle Milk in Vanilla Creme

Nike wristbands

Nike headband

Read more for reviews and my thoughts on them

Some of these items were more helpful than others. For one, I fell completely in love with the Camelbak Better Bottle. I drink so much more water with it, which I think is because the straw mechanism is super helpful for. Seriously, you NEED this bottle! I got the 24 oz one because I don't want to constantly refill my bottle (aka I'm super lazy).

Muscle Milk in Vanilla Creme. The vanilla creme part makes you think that it'd be delicious, but it's absolutely disgusting. I've tried muscle milk in chocolate before and it was bearable, but this is just extremely disgusting. Maybe if it's chilled and very cold, it will taste better? But gross! I took one sip and couldn't drink anymore. And I eat protein bars daily so I have a high tolerance for the mushy taste of whey protein!

Speaking of protein bars, I eat a Detour protein bar pretty much every day for breakfast. I got a huge pack at Costco with the flavors: Peanut Butter Cream, Caramel Peanut, and Chocolate Chip Caramel. I don't really like chocolate, so I didn't even try the Chocolate Chip Caramel yet. But Peanut Butter Cream is definitely the mushiest so far (it's just mush inside...mush imitating peanut butter). Caramel Peanut is decent because I love the tiny chunks of peanut inside! You gotta have some crunch along with your mush, am I right?

I haven't really used the wristbands so far, but it is very helpful when I'm running for a long time and (sorry, this is gross) I sweat a lot. I have not worn the headband yet because I feel ridiculous wearing it :) Maybe one day...when I'm at the gym at like 1 am.

P.S. I'll probably write some posts on the training food I eat sometime (egg whites, egg omelette, tofu, protein bars, veggie stir-fry, etc). I try to only eat super nutritious, fresh, and low calorie meals so I can keep up my energy but not eat so much trash.

JewelMint Forget Me Not Trio Review

2011-10-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

JewelMint is an online service started by Kate Bosworth and celeb stylist Cher. Every month, they release a new collection of jewelry, and if you sign up for their service, you have the option to buy the new pieces. Each piece of jewelry is priced at $30, but they often have sales and deals, so keep your eye out for them!

I ordered the Forget Me Not trio ring set:

Click for more pictures and review:

It came in a really pretty mint-colored box. Nice touch!

The rings are pretty good quality--they feel heavy and haven't tarnished yet. I really like the bow ring, and the rope ring is a great complement. The yellow-ness of the gold clashes a bit with my skin tone, but I still really like them. The rose ring: the rose is set a little high off the base, so whenever it catches on clothes or anything, I'm terrified the rose will fall off!

Since I used a code for this purchase, I'm very satisfied with these rings, but I wouldn't pay $30 for the set. Still, they're great rings!

New Kate Spade Gold Coast Elody tote bag

2011-10-28T02:29:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to find the perfect bag to carry for classes. I was considering the Michael Kors Hamilton tote, but it was too small to put in a binder/laptop. The Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM is beautiful, but still too pricey. I want to wait until I start working (summer internship) before I get a big purchase. I was resigned to just using the H&M bag I've always been using when my mom gave me this bag!

Kate Spade Gold Coast Elody tote

I actually have a smaller version of this bag that I originally got for interviews. I definitely don't carry it around normally--strictly for interview purposes only (I've interviewed with Goldman Sachs previously, so I need to pull out the big guns).

Kate Spade Gold Coast Maryanne

My mom got the tote while we were getting the smaller one because she saw that I really liked this one as well. We bought this way back in October 2010, but she didn't give it to me until now :) I can't complain :)

Click for more pictures:

Seriously this tote is perfect for classes. Even though I can't fit more than my netbook and a binder, it's definitely enough for me. I even got random compliments from strangers :)

What to Eat for Perfect Skin

2011-10-26T21:50:00.005-05:00

It turns out that while genetics is a major factor in the quality of your skin, diet is also a pretty big factor too. For instance, for most of my life, I was not lactose intolerant. When I went to college though, I started drinking milk again and began breaking out big time. It took me a few weeks to realize my acne was coming from dairy, so don't let that happen to you!

Here's why dairy causes acne:
Milk is produced for young cows, not humans. While that may seem obvious, we also have to realize that because of that, milk contains an insane amount of hormones that are appropriate for growing calves, but not necessarily us. With all these hormones, milk stimulates our bodies to produce more testosterone. Testosterone is a hormone that men have more of, but women also have it. What's bad about this is that testosterone is linked to acne breakouts. Furthermore, there have been numerous studies linking dairy to increasing acne.

Bottom-line: Avoid dairy (this includes cheese, yogurt, and ice cream) and go for soy, almond, or coconut milk instead.

I recently read a fantastic article on great skin food on Harper's Bazaar. I summarized it into a list of food recommendations:

To fight signs of aging (wrinkle, fine lines), eat foods that prevent damage caused by free radicals, such as spinach, broccoli, peppers, blackberries, blueberries, grapes, and strawberries. Green tea and tomatoes are also full of antioxidants.
Essential fatty acids can also improve skin--salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed oil
Avoid alcohol--alcohol dehydrates your skin, and just one drink can cause your body to flush up to a litre of water out with the alcohol
Avoid refined sugar--definitely avoid soda and fruit juices. Not only are they very high in calories (especially those '100% natural' fruit juices), but they contain a TON of sugar. Too much sugar can cause too many spikes in insulin, which triggers acne breakouts.

Link to article: http://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/health-wellness-articles/diet-perfect-skin-1109

Deborah Lippmann "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" Nailpolish review

2011-10-22T17:24:00.000-05:00

Deborah Lippmann's nailpolish color, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", was created with Pat Benatar, who sang the famous song. Described as "glistening gun metal", it did not let me down.

I've been craving a dark grey gunmetal nailpolish for a while now, but completely forgot I had this nailpolish in my collection. I liked it when I first bought it, but was turned off by how streaky it was on the first layer. It wasn't until I tried it again recently that I realized that the first coat was so streaky, but by the third coat, it was completely opaque and gorgeous.

Check out pictures in the link below:

I really love how it's so dark, it looks black, and yet it perfectly encompasses the grey flecks and looks like gun metal :)

Anastasia Beverly Hills "Kisses on My Lips" Review

2011-10-20T11:34:00.000-05:00

I recently got two sets of Anastasia Beverly Hills' limited-edition set of six glosses from Sephora. The set contains 6 Hydrafull lipglosses in Barely (nude beige), Nectar (pale pink shimmer), Lychee (sheer pink with gold shimmer), Sugar Pink (petal pink), Guava (pink nude with opalescent shimmer), Cameo (pearl with silver shimmer). The names correspond with the order in the picture below!

Each set has a $126 value, but they're priced at only $30 at Sephora!

As you can see, they're all pretty sheer/pink/light colors, which will work great for every day. For more pictures and swatches, click the link for more :)

The packaging is so luxurious and pretty. I really like the contrast of pink and gold.

This is one of my favorites of the six! It's the pinkest one of the collection.

In this picture, I'm wearing Nars "Barbarella" with Anastasia Hydrafull "Barely" over it. Barely is a really great nude gloss, and it looks even better over lipstick.

Like the name states, Hydrafull, these glosses ARE really hydrating! Not as hydrating as my favorite lipgloss (Sally Hansen 12 Hour Diamond lip treatment) but they last really long and aren't that sticky. I don't mind sticky lipglosses, and I know that stickier lipglosses last longer, but this one wasn't too sticky, and lasted hours. They especially are great for layering over lipstick.

Each lipgloss is usually $21, so this deal is too good to pass up!

Kiss Me, Heroine Mascara (Volume & Curl, Long & Curl), Mascara Remover Reviews

2011-10-18T17:24:00.000-05:00

While I was interning in China in 2010, I bought Kiss Me Heroine mascaras in Volume & Curl and Long & Curl, as well as their brand of mascara remover. I had heard that these mascaras were the best in volumizing, and that V&C and L&C worked really well together, so I had to get both. As a whim, I also got the mascara remover, which turned out to be a lifesaver.

The final result with both Volume & Curl and Long & Curl

Click through for picture comparisons and reviews.

These mascaras are serious. They have serious length, volume, and curl. Even though one is called Volume & Curl, and the other Long & Curl, they both lengthen really well and volumize too. Volume & Curl is only slightly better at volumizing. Also--they hold curl amazingly well! At the end of the day, my eyelashes looked exactly the same as when I first applied them.

But, because they hold so well, the mascara was incredibly difficult to get off. They simply will not budge, even under make-up remover. You have to use their brand of mascara remover to remove! And even then, I have to copiously put on the mascara remover, wait 10 minutes, wipe it off, and then put more mascara remover on because not all of the mascara was removed. These mascaras mean serious business! But if you don't feel like shelling out ~$18 for the remover, Vaseline will work, although a lot messier.

The packaging is pretty plain, but the fonts/roses on the tube are cute.

Long & Curl has a slightly curved wand, and it's great for combing quickly through your lashes.

Volume & Curl has a fatter wand, and it deposits more mascara/fibers on your lashes. I prefer the Long & Curl wand because it's much easier to apply.

The mascara remover is just a wand with grooves in it that helps deposit the oils in the mascara remover onto your eyelashes. It's really easy to just coat your lashes with this applicator.

Here's what the mascaras looked like on my eyelashes:

On the left, I first put on Kiss Me Heroine Volume & Curl. On the right, I first put on Long & Curl. If you click the picture and view it in a higher resolution, you can sort of tell that the left eyelashes are a little thicker, but they are both really lengthened and defined.

For the second layer, I put L& on the left, which had V& on first. On the right, I put V&C on, with L&C as the first layer. I thought there would be difference, but not really. There is a slight difference with putting V&C on first (left), but I actually preferred the look of the right eyelashes better.

In this picture, you can see that my eyelashes were significantly lengthened and volumized.

In this picture, I'm wearing the mascaras in the earlier photos.

These mascaras are incredibly effective and all, but with how tough it is to remove it, I prefer to stick with L'Oreal Voluminous. Also, I think a little flake of the mascara got into my eye, and it was red for two days :( I'm sure eye make-up in eye = bad, but I've never had any problems with other mascaras before, and this mascara is like....tough as nails. Just a warning!

Lipstick Queen lipstick reviews

2011-10-15T15:55:00.000-05:00

Because she knew I love lipsticks, my friend got me a set of lipsticks by Lipstick Queen for my birthday!

Lipstick Queen is created by Poppy King, who was trying to find the perfect lipstick, but dissatisfied with the options in stores. She decided to create her own line of lipsticks that had beautiful opaque colors and weren't drying or greasy. The result? Her lipsticks are so pretty, yet they really feel like lip balm since they are so moisturizing.

Beautifully packaged by my lovely friend <3

Colors and swatches in full post through link!

These lipsticks go on so smoothly, and are incredibly moisturizing. They are a little sheer, but definitely build-able.

Medieval

Even though this looks like a deep red, it's actually not too pigmented. Like I said earlier, it's so moisturizing! It goes on quite sheer, but it's such a wearable bright red. My second favorite of the three.

Trance

This is a really interesting lipstick--it's a red color but yet it has purple sparkles infused in it! The result is this eye-catching red that's not quite dark but not bright either. This is also really sheer, but so fun to wear!

Saint Nude

My favorite one! This is incredibly wearable, yet adds a lot of color to my face. So moisturizing...I just love it!

I don't really have any favorite lipsticks or colors, but these are definitely convenient for on the go. I hate having to prep for dry lipsticks with scrubs or lip balm, so it's so much easier to just swipe this on and run.

What's your favorite lipstick?

Hunter Rainboots

2011-10-14T15:37:00.000-05:00

My new Hunter rainboots!

I already have a pair of black rainboots, but it's a little tight around the feet and too loose around the calves. The Hunter ones are still somewhat loose around the calves (so I feel like I'm clomping down the street), but my feet feel much more comfortable in these!

And these are prettier :)

Grocery shopping!

2011-10-07T19:55:00.000-05:00

Determined to eat healthy from now on so:

- no more eating out daily! only if I really crave it, and I will not eat the whole thing

- eat until I'm satisfied, and then stop eating

- eat only when I'm hungry

- lots of water + Apple Cider Vinegar + lemon water

- lots of fruits (bananas, strawberries, pears) + veggies (arugula, spinach, eggplants, avocado)

P.S. I finally have kimchi and white rice. So happy.

Groceries from Manna (Korean grocery store), Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's

Snacks so I don't binge eat :)

Kate Spade bag

2011-10-01T04:23:00.000-05:00

New Kate Spade bag <3

Kate Spade Fan Court Finola bag

It came with a flower pin too :)

The bag is so big and roomy! I'm so in love <3

Shopping in New York!

2011-10-01T04:13:00.000-05:00

I did a LOT of shopping in New York. Shopping capital of the world. Here's my loot!

T by Alexander Wang t-shirts

I love how big and comfy they are :) so perfect.

Nordstrom Rack: Juicy Couture necklace, Perricone MD Cold Plasma, Skin Clear Hydrator, Citrus Facial Wash

Cold plasma feels great, skin clear hydrator is light, and citrus facial wash is very gentle.

Sephora: Tarte tinted moisturizer, Josie Maran Argan oil

The Tarte tinted moisturizer does not have enough coverage by far, so I have to return it :( But it's quite nice! Josie Maran argan oil feels nice, but I was afraid it was breaking out so I had to stop it for now.

Nordstrom Rack: Betsey Johnson sunglasses

Aerie: cute panties :)

The Face Shop: Rice eye and lip make-up remover

My HG make-up remover! Removes everything but is so gentle! You don't know how many make-up removers I've gone through...finding this was amazing.

Forever 21: two rings, and pink slippers

Express: two pairs of earrings

Ked's champion sneakers

Filene's Basement: Calvin Klein sweater for my dad's birthday!

Topshop: striped red shirt

Madewell: v-neck shirt

Necessary Clothing: Black shirt

ARITIZIA!!!

It's a Canadian retail store but has recently expanded to the United States. It has it's own in-house brands like Wilfred and Tallulah.

I'm afraid I lost my mind going in and seeing all the beautiful clothes. The only thing that held me back were the extremely pushy yet friendly salesgirls. Terrifying, really.

A really thick TNA zip-up jacket.

THE black blazer I have been looking for! It's so comfy and just perfect for dresses.

H&M leather skirt. LOVE this. I wish I could wear this every day but then everyone would think I was a ho.

How do you rate girls/guys?

2011-09-29T13:45:00.000-05:00

I learned something very interesting a few days ago. Remember in middle school when all the guys would rate girls on a scale of 1-10? It turns out that as guys grow up, they have further developed the theory of the attractiveness of girls. No longer is there just one scale for attractiveness, but it is now broken down into three components--pretty, sexy, and cute. Furthermore, there are clear definitions for if a girl can be pretty, sexy, and/or cute.

A girl is pretty if she looks good in a dress.
A girl is sexy if she looks good in a swimsuit.
A girl is cute if she looks good in summer clothes.

Example #1 = Megan Fox

According to this theory, she's only sexy because while she looks great in a swimsuit, she still looks kind of trashy in a dress and normal clothes. Take note!

Pretty?

Sexy?

Cute?

While I think she's pretty and sexy, ya know, opinions differ, but I get why people would think she looks trashy.

I guess that's why guys all love Jessica Alba! She hits all three out of the ballpark!

Example #2 - Jessica Alba

Pretty?

Sexy?

Cute?

After learning about this, I feel like I understand guys a little bit better.....hopefully this knowledge may be shared with other girls!

Decoration ideas for apartments

2011-09-27T13:35:00.000-05:00

I'm living by myself this year, and I'm so excited to decorate my small apartment! I love clean white-ness and lots and lots of lighting. Unfortunately I don't have any windows, and my balcony opens up to a parking lot so there's not a lot of sunlight from outside at all. I decided to add white Christmas lights all around my apartment, and I'll post up pictures when I finally finish decorating!

This are the pictures I looked at for inspiration in decorating my apartment:

Beautiful clothes & Fashion inspiration

2011-09-25T13:34:00.000-05:00

This is a dream from H&M's Cotton collection in 2011. Natalie Portman wore it to a premiere for Black Swan, and she looked so lovely in it!

Here's another dress from the same collection. It was released April 14th, 2011.

This is a dress from Juan Carlos Obando's spring collection. All the dresses were so ethereal and floaty!

Megan Fox wore a shorter version of the above dress to a movie premier early spring 2011.

Isn't it so lovely?

Here are some more pictures of pretty clothes!

Alexander Wang dress <3 So pretty. This is actually a picture from this blogger.

Love the simplicity of this!

Revlon Peach Petal quick review & pretty picture post

2011-09-20T23:12:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd take a picture of my current nail color! Reblon Peach Petal is a great staple, and is a nice pastel pink that doesn't streak too badly and isn't too much of a pain to put on.

I've tried many, many a pastel pink in search of one that didn't make me want to tear my hair out because of the streakiness. Peach Petal is a solid 3-coater, and you can quickly paint your nails without worrying about clumping, streaking, or anything else!

I type a lot, so I have some tip wear, even when I'm using Seche Vite, but since it's such a light color, it's not noticeable at all.

I can't recommend this highly enough! Five stars :)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Along with random thoughts, I wanted to share some of the finer moments in life--like enjoying macarons (or macaroons...depends on if you're a purist or not) with chai tea, and perfume & make-up.

Rose and violet macarons with chai tea at a cafe. Both are so delicious!

My Anna Sui box holding my perfume: Marc by Marc Jacobs Daisy, Juicy Couture, Dior Pure Poison. Some odds and ends are also in there--ELF mineral primer, Dove energizing mist, Flower by Kenzo perfume sampler, etc.

The nailpolish staples I had brought with me to California for the summer: Sally Hansen Gentle Blossom, Revlon Peach Petal, Sally Hansen Petal Pusher, Essie Lollipop, Seche Vite topcoat.

Some of the lip products I brought: MAC Venetian lustreglass, MAC Cultured lipglass (BB's birthday present to me!), Burt's Bees tinted lip balm in Hibiscus, Dior ultra-gloss glow in 256 (NL's birthday present to me! They obviously know me so well), and Revlon Cherries in the Glow (a wonderful, wonderful red staple that has since sadly been discontinued).

I had a really great summer!

2011-09-19T17:03:00.000-05:00

So my buddy Ran talked about the idea of "that summer" in her latest blog post (btw, she is utterly candid and charming--check out her ramblings! plus she's really cute), which got me thinking. I have also read a plethora of teen fiction in which girls suddenly and miraculously transform from dull weed to beautiful and vivacious rose in the matter of weeks. Life becomes much better, and they have this renewed energy to face high school, get straight As, date the high school quarterback, and become prom queen. BRECK. Anyways, I ate that up in high school!

Now, I like to think that I am at least a tiny bit more mature, and reflecting on the past twenty (shudder) years of my life, I have realized that "that one summer" that I dreamed about was completely wrong. I have always believed that at some point in my life, the switch would suddenly turn on--I would become an adult: confident, nonplussed, mature, and grown-up looking (also maybe have a boyfriend). Now, I have realized that adults have the capability to be just as irresponsible and immature as teenagers, but with huge consequences (take note: rogue trader, Kweku Adoboli, age 31, recently lost an estimated $2 billion for USB. In his case, age did not mean wisdom).

There is no magic switch. You must learn and mature by trying out as many new experiences as possible, and always reflect. Only that way, can you grow.

Stepping off my soapbox now! Here are some pictures of the highlights of my summer:

Cosmopolitan, Mojito (best one EVER), white wine at E Tutto Qua, San Francisco, CA

delicious, tender, fresh scallop appetizer at E Tutto Qua

Rose sashimi

Lavendar-infused toast at Mission Beach Cafe

So so so good. Pumpkin thai curry.

Salmon and strawberry summer rolls at butterfly, San Francisco, CA

Cherry blossom cocktail at butterfly, San Francisco, CA

Crème brûlée at butterfly, San Francisco, CA. Of course, I cracked the burnt sugar top with a spoon!

Beautiful, exquisite novella. South of the Border, East of the Sun by Haruki Murakami. Delicious to the last drop. This page was my favorite.

The best salad of my life! Jamaican chicken jerk salad at Coconuts, Palo Alto, CA

In my office in San Francisco, CA

Forever 21 rings

Express earrings

I discovered Aritzia, a Canadian store, in New York. Lovely clothes!

Fondue at Max Brenner's. :)

The wonders of lemon juice + tips for skin/weight loss

2011-08-06T14:42:00.000-05:00

So I'm in a pretty bad rut right now...bad skin (pimples everywhere, horrendous) + bloating/weight gain. So desperate to start feeling better about my skin and increase energy, I'm focusing on a healthy diet full of greens and lots of water.

This is what I've noticed about my skin in the past:

lots of sleep = glowy skin, less pimples
blasting my skin with acne masks and treatments for more than a few days makes my skin very unhappy (dry, peeling skin is no fun with bb cream/foundation/concealer)
during the summer, when my skin gets oilier, I get a lot more pimples. I try to combat this with powder and face mists, but not sure how well they work.

So the past few days, I've been on a water/lemon juice kick. I've been drinking so much water with lemon juice that I pee every other hour (TMI?). What I do is just put a tall glass of cold water with a lemon wedge in it, and top it off every time I''m done with the glass. Combined with watching my diet so I don't eat after 11 pm (I do cheat with a small snack sometimes), I really do feel like I'm detoxing! Plus, water with lemon juice is so refreshing :)

I've also started using lemon juice on my face to reduce acne, acne scarring, and hyper-pigmentation. While I've only used it last night, my acne has gone down and my face is a lot less oily. Be careful with using lemon juice because being too vigorous with it can lead to pain down the road. Try diluted lemon juice first before applying lemon juice directly to your face. It will definitely itch and burn at first, so see where your tolerance is first before taking the lemon wedge and rubbing it all over your face.

Small steps to improving your skin AND your body:

Drink at least 2 liters of water a day. Bonus if there's lemon juice in it for detoxifying!
Drink green tea to boost your metabolism. Extra plus is that it's great for your skin too.
Take advantage of lemon juice's AHA qualities and use it to exfoliate your skin and reduce scarring at the same time. It may also improve your acne as well.

Shopping is heaven

2011-06-26T03:25:00.000-05:00

After two long weeks of work and pounding out papers, excel spreadsheets, and emails, I was definitely ready for some fun. But since I know almost no one under 25 in the city, it's kind of hard to socialize. But, I was definitely ready to explore the shopping at Union Square!

My adventures took me all throughout the Westfield mall and all around the streets, roaming for beautiful things to spend my ill-gotten money from (not from prostitution!). Next stops: Express, Sephora, H&M!

Express

H&M

Sephora

I seriously love Dandelion and Barbarella. Dandelion adds that subtle color that you never realized you needed! And Barbarella is just a very cute pinky color that really adds a cute color to the lips :) Swatches?

I'm wearing Benefit Dandelion and Burt's Bees tinted chapstick in Hibiscus in here!

New Dior Lipgloss :3

2011-06-06T23:44:00.001-05:00

I'm super fun once you get to know me.

See? I'm FULL OF FUN.

Thanks to my biffle Naoms for the absolutely beautiful lipgloss (that's the shade on my lips). Every woman should experience the wonderosity of a Dior lipgloss. EVERY WOMAN AND GAY MAN!!!

This is not dead!!

2011-05-29T01:24:00.001-05:00

Just a quick update that this blog is not dead!! :)

I have so much stuff to post so keep your eyes out! I just got some beyoootiful stuff (thank you outlet malls) so stay tuned :)

8 Nailpolish Swatches & Reviews

2010-05-25T23:48:00.000-05:00

1) Unknown Asian nailpolish

I got this from a market in Wuhan, China. This is a beautiful deep blue color with sparkles that are actually not obnoxious at all! Very tiny glitter, and it applied beautifully. Chipped easily though, but what can you expect for less than $1?

2) Essie Waltz

Ahhhhh Essie Waltz. The bane of my existence. It was so promising, so beautifully creme white, until I tried in vain to apply it without streaks. It's not possible without caking it out with huge thick layers. I struggled for an hour (well, I was watching Dexter at the same time) to apply it without streaks, and as I triumphantly finished and had to run off to dinner plans, some mother!@#$%^ had knocked my bike to the ground and I had to pull it up. In the process, I dented my nails because the layers were so thick. I literally saw red. I don't think I'll ever use this polish again--far too much pain and disappointment. If you are up for the challenge, go ahead; you are a far stronger man than me.

3) Sephora by OPI Private Access

This was a breath of fresh air. I have always been looking for the perfect creme white, and while Essie Waltz made me want to bang my head on the concrete walls of my tiny dorm room, Private Access almost filled the void created by the absence of THE perfect creme white. Almost. It applied very well, but is not nearly as opaque as I'd like it to be. This is 4 layers, and still not very opaque.

4) OPI Bubble Bath

If my life's mission was to find the perfect creme white, I think I would have settled after finding this. This is the perfect creme pink. It doesn't look very pink in the photo, but it's slightly pinker, and it's so milky and PERFECT! Bubble Bath completes me. :) It applies like a dream, is just opaque enough. If only they had a white version....dun worry OPI, I will find it!!!

5) China Glaze Strawberry Fields

I was seduced by the promises of gold glitter in pink polish, and it's very pretty, but it just doesn't look good with my skin tone. Applies well, is opaque at 2 coats, but I put a third just in case. It's mostly eh.

6) Sephora by OPI Metro Chic

This was SO popular last fall, I just had to get it just to see the hype. It's pretty good, I guess, but doesn't go well with Asian skintones, IMHO. It's a lot more purple than the photo, and looks best with shorter nails. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect grey...

7) Essie Lollipop

Essie Lollipop is just adorable. It might look like an ordinary red, but it's very bright and just plain CUTE. The finish is also different than other polishes. The finish of the polish really reminds me of a candy apple! Or like the really glossy candy apples in Snow White. Anyways, it's just very very adorable.

8) Missha Unknown name

This is a really cute pastel and is more red than in the pictures. This satisfied my pastel nail polish craze. It's aite. Nothing to write home about.

Repeat after me

2010-05-12T00:09:00.001-05:00

I'm going to try this new thing: saying this every morning when I wake up.

"Everyday, think as you wake up, ‘today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.’"

- Dalai Lama

New Haircut

2010-04-09T18:27:00.000-05:00

Okay so maybe you were expecting a review or something. I tell you, I'm working on them!! I'm currently on my 4th one, which is Essie Waltz (which was a BITCH to apply but more on that later).

New haircut:

So I don't hate it as much as I did when I first got it, but still not 100% happy with it. I decided that I am never going to have short hair again (until I'm old haha).

How the Pros Curb Food Cravings

2010-03-30T20:28:00.000-05:00

Here are some helpful tips I found about food cravings! About the 12 days of reviews, I'm working on them :) First up is nail polish! Any requests?

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How the Pros Curb Food Cravings

from Health.com

Plan on giving in

“Depriving a sweet tooth is a recipe for disaster. Don’t cut things out so you binge later. Instead, try allotting up to a fifth of your daily calorie allowance to the sweet of your choice. Every day I have a small package of Paul Newman’s Organic Peanut Butter Cups; they’re 180 calories for the pack—and I don’t feel deprived.”

—Jillian Michaels, trainer and host of the upcoming NBC show Losing It With Jillianand author of Master Your Metabolism

Collect your candy wrappers

"Instead of throwing away a wrapper after you indulge in something sweet, keep it in a jar. It’ll help you be more aware of how much you’re eating."

—Susan Albers, PsyD, author of 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food

Go gourmet

"Sometimes, we keep eating because we don’t get that taste hit we’re looking for; bland store-bought cookies, weak milk chocolate, and dry baked chips are among the worst offenders. Trade up for the gourmet version—a killer cookie, some intense dark chocolate, olive oil potato chips—and you’ll be satisfied with less."

—Janis Jibrin, MS, RD, lead nutritionist atTheBestLife.com

Picture your payoff[MDASH]literally

"Make a collage with pictures that represent you reaching your goal—and look at it when a craving hits. Then ask yourself if having that doughnut will bring you closer to your goals."

—Chris Downie, author ofThe Spark and founder ofSparkPeople.com

Stop checking e-mail

"Cut out distractions. When your attention isn’t diverted, you can truly savor what you’re eating—and that satisfaction will help you control mindless snacking or overeating."

—Lillian Cheung, RD, co-author of Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life

Sneak in some nutrition
"Don’t fight your cravings—become friends with them by trying to sneak in a little nutrition, too. Have what you love and crave, but think of a way to make it a little healthier. I make my hot chocolate with carrot juice to get a little health boost."

—Jennifer Iserloh, author ofSecrets of a Skinny Chef: 100 Decadent, Guilt-Free Recipes
Clean up your act
"Give up artificial sweeteners—they make you crave more sugar. All of my clients who’ve given these up have had more success with their cravings.”

—Keri Glassman, RD, author of 02 Diet and founder of ofNutritiousLife.com
Check it off
"On a 3x5 index card, write a check every time you successfully say no to a craving. You need to do this 15 times in a row before you’ll be able to conquer any craving.On the reverse side of the card, write down some affirmations to remind yourself why you should resist."

—Judith Beck, Ph.D., director of the Beck Institute of Cognitive Therapy and Research

James Dean

2010-03-29T13:40:00.001-05:00

I'm on a James Dean kick right now, and as soon as I can, I'm going to watch Rebel Without A Cause, East of Eden, and Giant. I've never seen any of these except a brief clip of RWaC, but James Dean is such an immortalized icon with such an impact on the rest of the world, that I can't help but be attracted by him (his good looks and his words).

He just oozes charisma, doesn't he?

Erika Sawajiri is BACK, BITCHES!!

2010-03-18T22:46:00.000-05:00

My favorite Japanese actress is back after a 2 year hiatus. A lot of people thought she wouldn't be able to make a comeback, especially after she disrespected (aka dissed) the media and public, abruptly cut ties with her agency, and married a very old man (Tsuyoshi Takashiro).

Seriously, he's old. Check it out.

He's 44 and probably veryyyyy rich, but STILL! Erika's father and brother died when she was young, so maybe that had something to do with it. Just my speculations. She even said this,"He’s very much an adult and I’m a bit of a brat, but I don’t feel the age difference. He’s very open-minded and I feel comfortable when I’m with him.”

Whatever floats her boat. LOL.

But seriously, this woman is BEAUTIFUL. I could go on and on, but you'd have to see for yourself.

My favorite picture of Erika :)

Made my day

2010-03-08T09:11:00.000-06:00

Made my day :)

Getting into Penn was one of my dreams when I was a kid and when I was in high school. Although I still believe that I can succeed wherever I go to college, and don't doubt that I'm 100% as good as any kid there (not being cocky or conceited, but saying that every person is amazing in a different way), I know that seeing this Postsecret card and not feeling any way bitter or angry means that I have completely gotten over the college admissions process. I have moved on and above the ridiculously ridiculous getting-into-college business, even though I've spent so much of my life dreaming of it. Maybe all it took was a change of view and an appreciation for everything that I have and have been given.

(I think I could have survived at Penn, but like what the sender meant, it would have meant sacrificing a lot, and who knows if my "self" could survive that :) )

SHOES

2010-03-08T09:06:00.000-06:00

Ohmygod kill me now.

These are AMAZING.

Checking in

2010-03-05T20:09:00.000-06:00

Hey y'all! Just checking in, it's been awhile! Like the change in the blog? I thought black was getting too depressing...

Currently loving:

- Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Tone Correcting Concentrate Night Serum

If the Ageless Intensives part scared you off, don't be! It's just the repackaged form of the Visibly Even Night Concentrate, and boy, I am loving it! It goes on so nice, smells so good (just like Visibly Even Moisturizer, which I loved), and works. It has only been a week, but I see my scars lightening up, plus some whitening effects. However, use it twice a day to see the best effects.

So tempted to try the moisturizer version now...

- Olay Regenerist UV Defense Regenerating Lotion SPF 50

Holy cow! SPF 50?! SIGN ME UP!! I have actually only used it two times, but for SPF 50, this is niiiice. I expected a very sunscreen feeling and oiliness, but nope! It did feel oily at first when I tried it the second time, but went away. Let's see if it's as good as the Regenerist Daily Serum (which is amazing, folks).

- Yes to Carrots Lip Butter

Lip butter in chapstick form...yum. It is so luxuriously buttery and feels SO GOOD! Discovering this was like drinking water after a long trek in the desert, the end of the journey to finding the perfect moisturizing chapstick. Say ahhhhhhhhhh. By the way, do not get the version with SPF15. Do not get tricked by promises of SPF. The SPF version leaves a white overcast, and does not have HALF the buttery-ness of the original! ONLY $3!!! What are you waiting for?!!! RUN, don't walk, to your nearest drugstore and get your hands on this.

Currently listening to:

U-Kiss - Man Man Ha Ni (Am I That Easy?)

Easy to love? HECK YES. I love my guys in suits and oh boy, they do not disappoint.

Only the best for you guys. LOOK AT THEIR LEGS (and wipe off the drool).

- Jazmine Sullivan - Bust Your Windows

Hate guys? Think they're dumb? Then, THIS IS YOUR SONG!

You tell it, girl!!

- Sam Hart - Mario Kart Love Song

The best love song out there...

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I'm studying like crazy for my 2nd Orgo 2 exam (the bane of my existence...). I better get an A on this!!!

My crazy timeline for the next two weeks:

3/7 - Orgo 2 Exam 2 Review Session at 2PM (MUAHAHAHAHA 2PM)

3/9 - Orgo 2 Exam 2 - 6:15-7:30

3/11 - Ross Info Session - 4 pm @ 701 Tappan R0320

3/12 - Orgo Lab Quiz 2

3/12 - 42 BC starts - 5 pm: kick off @ Kahn Auditorium, 8 pm: teams start

3/13 - 42 BC - Advising Session 1-3 pm

3/14 - 42 BS BC - 2 pm: competition ends, 5 pm: award ceremony @ Rackham Auditorium

3/14 - Orgo Lab Exam 1 Review Session - 6:30-7 pm @ 1800 CHEM

3/16 - Orgo Lab Exam 1 - 6-7:30 pm @ Aud D AH

3/17 - Econ 101 Exam 2 - 8-9:30 @ ?

3/17 - ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!

I need a super smart Orgo 2 and Econ geek. Too bad I probably can't find both in the same person :(

Diet

2010-02-20T15:04:00.000-06:00

You need 1549 calories to maintain your current weight.
You need to eliminate 500 calories a day to lose weight. We recommend you do that by a combination of diet and exercise, e.g., eat 200 fewer calories and burn 300 calories.

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Foods to eat:
Belly fat
- almonds
- avocados
- flaxseed oil - stir 1 tablespoon into a smoothie
- pistachios
- sunflower seeds
- egg whites
- green tea
- walnuts
Healthy Lifestyle
- eat more whole grains
- fibers (plant foods = fruit, vegetables)
- broccoli
- carrots
- cantaloupe
- citrus fruits
- calcium intake - skim milk, low-fat yogurt

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Things to change:
- drink more water
- limit sugar
- drink less pop, fruity drinks
- more exercise
- take the time to chew food
- avoid stress while eating
- eat breakfast

Review: Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

2010-01-08T09:34:00.000-06:00

OVERALL: 4.5/5

DESCRIPTION & CLAIMS

Sephora says:

What it is:
A silky foaming cleanser that instantly sweeps away impurities and makeup.

What it is formulated to do:
Soy Face Cleanser, Fresh's most popular cleanser for all skin types, is an extra gentle, fragrance-free, multi-tasking gel formula that instantly whisks away every day impurities, removes makeup, and is safe to use on the eye area. Safe for use on the eyes, it's face maintenance made easy. Plus, it's soap free and will never leave behind a film or residue.

OVERALL

I completely forget the reason why I bought this, but I think I might have been looking for a gentle cleanser (after experiencing Zapzyt acne wash. But then again, this cleanser doesn't specifically fight acne, so that doesn't make sense. Then again, my reasoning is often flawed when it comes to buying skin products). If so, this is IT. This cleanser is amazingly gentle and leaves my skin feeling moisturized. It does not strip the skin, and even putting it on feels amazing.

You really only need a pea-sized amount of it. Despite how ridiculously expensive it is, just a little bit can go a long way. If you use a lot of it, it'll kind of feel nasty on your face anyway. I read a review on Makeupalley first apologizing for the crudeness of her description, and about how it has a consistency of semen. WELL, I don't know about that, but it does have a sort of cold, slimy texture, exactly why I warn you not to use too much of it.

As for its claims to be extra gentle for the eyes, I don't really know. For moisture, I couldn't really tell, but I swear using this for two months made my bottom lashes grow! I don't know if my upper lashes grew or not, but really, my bottom lashes almost doubled in length, like a couple of centimeters. It also removes eye makeup decently, but I still need to use another make-up remover to remove all of my eye make-up (waterline and smudgies).

It smells like cucumber and that was one of the reasons I fell in love with it at first. It doesn't smell chemical-y at all, it smells very fresh (no pun intended). It's really a great cleanser--gentle, effective, and moisturizing. It was really a treat every day to cleanse with it, and my face felt great after cleansing.

If you want to try this, I recommend buying the "to go" version at Sephora. It's 1.7 fl oz and $15 (pricey for so little, I know), but you can try it out and it lasts forever! I've used it every day, twice a day, for around 2-3 months and I still have 1/3 left of the "to go" version. It's good to switch up cleansers every few months anyway so your skin doesn't get used to the cleanser!

Review: Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15

2010-01-02T20:09:00.000-06:00

OVERALL: 3.5/5

DESCRIPTION & CLAIMS

- Oil-free

- Hypoallergenic

- Noncomedogenic

- leave skin smooth

- visibly even out skin discolorations

- improve skin tone and texture

- improve skin radiance

OVERALL

As a moisturizer, it's too heavy for the summer, but it works fine for winter. I remember using it in September and my face getting oily within a few hours of putting it on, but now it delivers the perfect amount of moisture for my face. It's not very moisturizing though.

It does bring a glow to my face, but it's not very noticeable. It hasn't improved my skin discolorations either. So as for its claims to improve skin texture or reduce scars, it hasn't worked out on me.

It feels kind of like sunscreen, and I like that it has SPF 15, but it also smells like sunscreen and has the same consistency. It feels oily as well, even though it claims to be oil-free. It says that it includes soy in the product and I really like soy products so I was disappointed that I couldn't smell it or feel soy's lightness.

I like it but I don't love it. It's pricey for a drugstore moisturizer ($16) and hasn't impressed me. It hasn't broke me out despite its oily texture, but it doesn't fulfill its claims either. So-so.

Hell weeks aka the week before finals

2009-12-09T15:22:00.000-06:00

You know how in high school, the week before winter break or the week before final exams, the teachers always squeezed in a paper or exam or both? Just because "that's the way the curriculum fell" or really, they couldn't cover it earlier?

It doesn't change in college.

Here are my next two hell weeks. Thank goodness I already survived half this week.

Monday, December 7, 2009

- ENG125 Office hours 11am-12pm (cancelled)

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

- ENG125 Office hours 11am-12pm

- HISTART271 meeting with GSI 11:30am-12pm

- ENG125 Essay revision due

- CHEM210 Exam 6:15pm-7:45pm MLB Aud 3

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

- enrollment starts at 5pm

- HISTART271 section 5pm-6pm, 6pm-7pm

Thursday, December 10, 2009

- HISTART271 exam 1pm-2:30pm

- put Eng essay in self-addressed stamped envelope

Friday, December 11, 2009

- pick up Exam #3 at CHEM 2408 9-12 pm

- HISTART disc 11-12 pm

- ENG125 Essay #4 due at Angell Hall 3161 at 12pm sharp

- deposit all Tree money, meet with VanBlack

Saturday, December 12, 2009

- Ayaka 11am-5pm

Sunday, December 13, 2009

-Ayaka 12pm-5pm

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

- HISTART271 Last day to submit papers

Friday, December 18, 2009

- CHEM210 Final Exam 10:30am-12:30pm

By the way, never take a whole caffeine pill if you've never tried them before. Also, do not take them after 4 pm.

Current (and old) Obsessions

2009-11-18T13:58:00.001-06:00

1. Balmain Fall 2009 Shoulder Pad Jacket

2. Balenciagia Fall 2006 Harness Platform Boots

and the knockoffs from Sam Edelman Zoe Ankle Boots

3. YSL Double Platform Tribute Pumps (but I'm starting to get over them)

4. Balmain Spring 2009 Crystal Embellished Studded Sandals

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And just randomly, doesn't Blake Lively look incredible here?

Not that she doesn't usually anyway!

Tipping

2009-11-11T12:02:00.000-06:00

I was talking with BB and we both agreed that it should be mandatory for EVERY SINGLE PERSON to work at least one month as a waiter/hostess/service industry. Why? It's because there are consistently ignorant people who tip like shit for stupid reasons. And I just really need to rant because I got stiffed 3 times on Sunday for no good reason.

1) The cook/chef messes up your order or makes a mistake, you tip 0%

How the hell is this your server's fault? Did SHE make the food? How is she going to know how spicy your food is since she certainly does not eat off your plate before serving it?

When you are tipping on a restaurant bill, you are tipping for service. Do not take out any personal vendettas on your server. If you have a problem with the establishment or the food, address these problems directly to the owner or chef. Tipping only directly affects your server, and not the chef/owner you are angry at.

2) Your server checks on you only 3 times - once to get your drink order, once to get your order, and once to bring you the check - you tip less than 10%

First, is the restaurant really busy? It's very possible that your server has over 5 tables, and that she is taking 5 different tables' orders all at once. If you get minimal service, most of the time it is because the servers are extremely busy, and NOT because they don't want to give you service!

3) You decide to pay in cash, and leave immediately, and your server finds that you paid the bill to the exact cent and neglected to leave tip

For one, are you an asshole? Why would you do that? Deciding not to tip despite good service only reflects on yourself and how you were brought up. Don't be an asshole.

For example, this guy and his friend did this last Sunday, and to my surprise, he came back Tuesday night with his girlfriend. This time, he did tip (and 20% too), but I could tell he realized that I was the same waitress he stiffed from the look of surprise when he looked up at me.

4) You just don't tip

Then you should know, the whole restaurant will hate you. Again, don't come back. We will treat you nicely and like our tipping customers, but we will hate your guts and hate on you behind the door.

Waiting is actually a very hard job; you have to run around trying to please every single person in the restaurant and you have to negotiate with the chefs too. Servers get around $2 an hour and rely on tips, and sometimes lose money on tables that tip poorly. And let me say plainly, all servers hate bad tippers.

NOTE: If you are black, Asian, or Indian, or whatever race that has a stereotype for tipping poorly, fight the stereotype! Before I was aware of all this tipping business, my dad would tell me to tip well even if I got really bad service to show that not all Chinese people are bad tippers. Waiting is really the only job that relies on the decency of other people.

China Wish List

2009-11-08T00:26:00.001-06:00

So my mom's going back to China for Chinese New Years, and yall know what that means....TAOBAO!!!!!!!!

So here is my wish list for my dear Mother to bring back for me :) :) Shu Uemura and other Asian brands are loads cheaper in Asia, so I hope she agrees to find those stuff and bring it back too!!!

1. Shu Uemura Basic Mascara
2. DHC Cleansing Oil
3. Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil
4. Knockoff YSL Tribute Black Matte Pumps
5. Knockoff YSL Tribute Grey Pumps
- all from either (http://store.taobao.com/shop/view_shop-b11922ac0bd4308f47034915847f5a1c.htm) or (http://store.taobao.com/shop/view_shop-4805a108763ed19ff89f45e3e1482ada.htm) or (http://shop36242534.taobao.com/shop/xshop/wui_page-cat-36242534.htm)
6. Shiseido Majorca Majolica

That's it for now. Mostly because I gotta pee and leave the computer lab! Hehe :)

Tips for Good Skin and Losing Belly fat

2009-11-04T20:30:00.000-06:00

Hello ladies!

I picked up a couple of tips from looking through old magazines, and immediately wrote them down to share with you guys. The two things I am most concerned with in my health and body are 1) facial skincare and 2) belly fat. There used to be a third one, but miraculously, after I went to college and lost weight due to the less-than-satisfactory dorm food, my thighs shrank! Thank you, dorm food. You have one good use.

Without further ado:

For Better Skin

1. Feed your skin a better diet

Some foods can trigger acne, which can be difficult to clear completely. Foods like rice, tofu, soy milk, and green tea will help keep your skin clear and bright.

2. Keep the sun off your face

Sun is the number one cause for aging quickly and wrinkles. Don't be afraid of looking dumb and carry an umbrella with you on those sunny summer days (after all, everybody does it in Asia, and it's known that Asians age better due to their skin habits and different diets). Avoid tanning (again, it cause premature wrinkles), and use a day moisturizer that has at least SPF 15. Women who are wrinkle-less well into their 50s credit using SPF daily. But, don't use the same moisturizer with SPF for the night because SPF is a known comedogen, which can block your pores and cause breakouts.

On a side note, please, for the love of God, do NOT pull your eyelid when applying eyeliner! It will, definitely, absolutely, FOR SURE, create premature wrinkles. I knew this girl who wore this fantastic black eyeliner every day, but she had these huge crinkly crow's eye wrinkles. I asked her how she did her eyeliner, and sure enough, she told me she pulled her eyelid to get the eyeliner in a straight line. She was only 21. Use a liquid liner or a gel liner with an angled brush so you can avoid pulling your eyelid!

3. Even out your tone

Scientists say that the perception of facial beauty is not actually based on how clear one's skin is, but how even the skin tone is. Great, right? Except that unlike Asia's emphasis on white skin and the ensuing whitening products, we have very little whitening products (Shiseido's is ridiculously expensive!). However, it is actually just a marketing trick! The abundance of brightening products are also whitening products, which help even the skin tone. Fade your dark spots and acne scars with products that "brighten" or "whiten."

Suggestions are:

Neutrogena's Visibly Even line (I love their moisturizer with SPF 15)

Aveeno's Positively Radiant line (I use the moisturizer and face wash...I can't say that the face wash visibly works though)

Shisedo's Whitening line

4. Keep skin hydrated

This is an incredibly important biggie. Some Japanese women credit keeping their skin well moisturized as a reason why their skin is so good. Use hydrating products in all parts of your skin regime. For example, use a moisturizing toner, moisturizing cleanser (for me, foam cleansers tend to strip my skin very dry), moisturizing serum, and of course, a moisturizer. Keeping your skin nicely moisturized can help deter wrinkles and of course, makes it feel nice!

Also, notice how much time we spend in AC-controlled and heater-controlled rooms? Well, I live in Michigan, where the weather is constantly PMS-ing, so I have a reason why in the summer, I'm constantly in the AC and in the winter AND FALL (the weather is that crappy), I'm always using the heater. However, both the AC and heater are bad for keeping moisture in the skin. AC dries out your skin because cold air contains less moisture.

Suggestions are:

Nivea Visage Alcohol-free toner

Fresh Soy Cleanser (I currently use this one and it is incredible! It does not leave my face dry like some cleansers and after using it, I don't even feel like I need a moisturizer. Of course, I still moisturize.)

Clean & Clear Night Moisturizer (I love this, it never fails me)

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief (I also absolutely adore this! Never fails to moisturize a dry patch. Except once, but everything failed me then)

5. Massage your face and neck daily

Daily massage after finishing you daily regimen around the temples and between brows keeps the blood flowing well and will lead to healthier skin that of course will look better as well!

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Six Ways to Beat Belly Fat

1. Eat avocados

They contain monosaturated fats, or MUFAs that are shown to reduce belly fat.

2. Eat egg whites

Nix the egg yolk and eat only the egg whites! Egg whites contain protein with almost no added fat. Other foods similar are fish, soy, and whey protein.

3. Drink green tea

Also a good skin food, drinking green tea can help lose belly fat. It's also very healthy.

4. Eat sour cherries

Sour cherries, also known to help the heart, can help reduce stomach fat. This research was conducted by the University of Michigan (GO BLUE!!!!! There. That's as much school spirit I can muster in one day.). Crushed blueberries will also work.

5. Eat whole grains

Whole grains are also good for this, like oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain pasta, and whole wheat tortillas.

6. SLEEP

Get at least 7.5 hrs/night. Sleep is not only helpful for your skin and general well-being, it can also help lower belly fat. Lack of sleep negatively affect the hormones that control your appetite!

Other foods for thought (and for belly fat loss): yogurt (because it's packed with calcium), fiber, water (raises the metabolism, nuts like almonds, avocados and olives (filled with MUFAs) -> pesta and guacamole, and whole grains

Looks like I was right for being obsessed with avocados! :)

I've been a bad, bad girl

2009-10-31T17:56:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry that I have terribly neglected my blog. :(

Needless to say, I have started college at the wonderful University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), and surprisingly...I'm having difficulty with the transition from high school to college. I think it's more that I knew exactly how to manipulate the system in high school and how to put in exactly the amount of effort and care needed to get an A, and now it's very different. Sad :(

----

I also changed jobs! I used to work as a cashier at a pretty high-class Japanese restaurant, and now I'm working at a more casual Japanese restaurant as a waitress. I had no idea waitressing would be so hard! Guys, tip your waitress/waiter ~20%! The work, effort, and multi-tasking needed for this job is no joke, and many times, your waitress/waiter is only getting $2-4 AN HOUR! An extra dollar or two doesn't really make a difference to you, but is the difference between a shitty tip and good one that will make your waitress's day!

I don't really know why I'm working. I applied completely spontaneously when I was walking by and they pretty much hired me on the spot. Yeah, I have no idea why I'm working! I don't need the money or experience (although I've always wanted to try waitressing). Back when I had a huge crush on my coworker, that was the bigggg reason why I continued working there even though I wasn't really getting along with the boss. Now that I don't like him that much anymore (he's still a hottie though), I don't really have a reason! I think it's 1) I'm starting to like everyone there (even the boss! He's actually a softie at heart :) He was concerned that I wasn't eating enough good food so he made the staff lunch something that I like!) and 2) I'm too scared to quit. Haha. Actually I think it's number 2. I had the hardest time quitting at Yotsuba even though I had a very legitimate reason, and I put it off till the absolute last second. I love Yotsuba though!!!! They're the best sushi in Ann Arbor, hands down! And I've tried Sushi.com, Yamato, Miki, and Ayaka. Best quality, best chefs, and moderate pricing!

----

So obviously the shopping ban failed. :) But it's okay....after all, what else am I going to spend my hard-earned Ayaka money at!!!

So I've bought:

- 4 Revlon Super Lustrous lipglosses (I love them so much, especially Cherries in the Glow)

- Fresh Soy Cleanser

- Zirh Fix (awesome awesome acne treatment)

- Prestige eyeliner (awesome awesome awesome. It is so soft and DOES NOT SMUDGE. Well, when combined with the ELF primer. It's kinda hard to take off though)

----

So Miss Queenie is having an AWESOME giveaway!! Head over here to check it out. She's a very cute Canadian blogger, who has a really cool make-up tutorial here.

My Dream Wish List

2009-09-21T23:35:00.000-05:00

1. Yves Saint Laurent Tribute Double Platform Pumps in black, $795

2. Chanel Classic Flap
Small – 9″ x 5.5″ x 2″ – $1,495.00 Caviar + $100.00 more for lambskin
Medium – 10″ x 6″ x 2.5″ – $1,595.00 Caviar + $100.00 more for the lambskin
Jumbo – 12″ x 8″ x 3″ – $1,695.00 Caviar + $100.00 more for the lambskin
(info & pic taken from here)

-----------

So which one should I start saving up for first?

ELF Haul Swatches

2009-08-31T00:53:00.001-05:00

Click pictures for bigger size!

Official Announcement of Shopping Ban

2009-08-31T00:47:00.000-05:00

SHOPPING BAN IN EFFECT NOW!

For every item that I buy that I do not NEED, I shall allow NL to take an article of clothing or nail polish of mine. Every time I crack and go shopping, I must also call up the people I despise and ask them out to dinner every day for a week.

I broke this afternoon and bought a bag from Urban Outfitters, so I owe Naomi a ring. But since it's the first offense, I don't have to have din with *shudder shudder*.

Life is sad, boys and girls.

Taobao saves the day!

2009-08-22T00:45:00.000-05:00

Oh Taobao. This is why I love China. Taobao and its access to designer knockoffs. That and you know, the fact that I'm Chinese and you know, patriotism and all.

Store: goldfever2009

320 元

400 元

350 元

store: pickexclusive

330 元

330 元

330 元

350 元

499 元

330 元

540 元

420 元

480 元

store: 鞋根太高

360 元

310 元

360 元

330 元

360 元

store: 爱尚美008

115 元

Obsessed with YSL Tribute Double Platform Pumps

2009-08-22T00:42:00.000-05:00

Obsessed. OBSESSED!!

(Matte or patent?)

Wholesale-dress Picks!

2009-08-20T16:25:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am ready to shop again.

$24.99

$5.75

$16.25

$24.99

$6.98

$1.72

$19.99

$17.5

$14.99

$4.73

$

I'm back! Upcoming posts

2009-08-18T17:17:00.000-05:00

Oy vey. It's been awhile! I've been in China for the past few weeks, but I came back actually almost a week ago, but only got around to writing this post now. Sheer laziness.

It was not that fun because come on. Traveling around with your mom? Karaoke with your parents? Maybe if you were an orphan discovering your long-lost parents, but no, I have been with my parents for a full 18 years and I'm sure they are as sick of me as I am of them. China would have been so much more fun if I had my girls with me!

That being said, the highlights of my trip were 1) shopping in Hanzhenjie, 2) shopping in Wenduchen, 3) shopping in Wanda, 4) meeting that extremely good-looking guy in Dalian (pity I couldn't stalk him), and 5) my trip to Yichuan.

My skin went into the crapper as I entered the opressively hot air of Wuhan. My forehead is the home of hundreds of pimples of all different sizes, all determined to stay as long as they can. At the same time, my face is covered in dry patches. Currently I'm trying Skin Food Tea tree toner and emulsion, which doesn't work!

----

RANDOM BITS OF WISDOM I SHALL BESTOW UPON YALL THAT I LEARNED:
1) Do not pull off acrylic nails. I know it's really tempting, but please don't. Not only will it pull a substantial amount of the surface of your nail off (more than if you were to remove them with acetone), it may even pull off a part of your nail.
2) Do not get acrylic nails in China. Their glue is like massively strong. It's like superglue, man.
3) Everything you see can be found on Taobao.com for less than half the price they give you.

----

Upcoming posts:

- My Top 10 Favorite Things about China & Top 10 Thing I hate about China
- Guide to Wuhan (shopping mostly)
- Yichuan & touristry in China
- best of all............all of the goodies I managed to bring home with me!!

2009-07-19T12:14:00.001-05:00

"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today." - Dale Carnegie

I feel like that too. I've been realizing that it's true of me for the past few weeks. Only problem is, how do I get started when I have no willpower?

Taobao picks Part 4 (Clothes)

2009-07-17T03:55:00.000-05:00

user: 小葡萄掌柜

12.90 元

user: xixi200901

2 元

142 元

142 元

5 元

user: 心情日记zqq

12.80 元

16 元

user: weekuptoo

19 元

29 元

15 元

29.99 元

29 元

19 元

23 元

15 元

9.9 元

user: lucky壹贰叁

25 元

29 元

32 元

23 元

45 元

39 元

27 元

user: 火凤凰时尚屋888

15 元

35 元

15 元

18 元

user: 知夏子旗舰店

5 元

1 元

95 元

34 元

33 元

52 元

58 元

52 元

45 元

87 元

57 元

50 元

78 元

62 元

66 元

70 元

38 元

35 元

9.9 元

user: 心蓝t透0

98 元

48 元

48 元

55 元

76 元

9.9 元

55 元

元

49.4 元

58 元

38 元

元

Taobao picks Part 3 (Bags)

2009-07-17T02:58:00.000-05:00

http://store.taobao.com/shop/view_shop-4e3cd032e7f7f1a8398d8e2709048409.htm

33 元

26 元

http://store.taobao.com/shop/view_shop-1faca14cee3ce8436dbbc2c8e9537dad.htm

45 元

48 元

49 元

49 元

74 元

http://shop34489791.taobao.com/

49 元

元

42 元

Taobao picks Part 2 (Shoes)

2009-07-17T02:38:00.000-05:00

http://shop33278490.taobao.com/

39.90

49.90

user: hupo琥珀

40 元

88 元

76 元

58 元

user: boris0511

8 元

元

50 元

65 元

40 元

42 元

user: hotwater811010

49.9 元

39.9 元

29.9 元

29.9 元

元

Taobao picks Part 1 (Accessories)

2009-07-16T23:40:00.000-05:00

http://shop34155470.taobao.com

What is this?
http://item.taobao.com/auction/item_detail-0db2-f840c406ff62094463f5a40f7456eeb3.htm

http://shop10771667.taobao.com

2009-07-11T03:04:00.001-05:00

By taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing over it, he is superior. –Francis Bacon

Tiny update

2009-06-29T21:39:00.000-05:00

Hi. I really need to work out, and I also really need to get out of the house and dress up!!!

I'm going to get a YMCA membership and work out every day before I leave for China.

I'm also really extremely frustrated because I am really extremely tempted to order a really extremely obscene amount of clothes from either of these two websites: www.wholesale-dress.net/ or www.asia-fashion-wholesale.com.

My favorites: (please tell me what you think about them! I know that sometimes after hours of looking at clothes, my head doesn't think straight)

Hi my name is Jenny and I need online shopping rehab. Or shopping rehab in general.

New Shoes!

2009-06-26T13:38:00.000-05:00

I think it's a given fact that I love shoes. And that I love high heels even more! Currently, I'm training myself to wear 3-4 inch heels longer for an hour, so I'm taking kitten steps. I wore 1 inch shoes shopping, which hurt really badly after 4 hours! But it wasn't exactly the heels, but the shape of the shoes. I decided to skip right to 3 inch heels (they feel like 4 inches though...), my beloved Banana Republic gold link black heels that BB found in Chicago and graciously gave up to me. >__< Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

Well, within 15 minutes of walking downtown in them, I had a huge open blister on my heel with one more quickly forming. That was ver ver painful. Especially since we went to the lake the next day. That didn't stop me from loving my new heels though, especially since the nice salesman at Parisian gave me 2 pairs of shoe pads and 2 pairs of heel grips. Thank goodness! That means I can wear the BR heels again :)

My new heels include my graduation present from myself to myself! My first pair of Christian Louboutins. (pronounced lu-bu-tahns)

I introduce the CL Moustique in Dark Brown!

They were love at first sight.

I've also had a slight obsession with the YSL platform pumps. Slight is an understatement.

(The platform pumps are the right ones. Duh. hahaha. The left bootie looks pretty good too......)

Let me wipe the drool off my chin before I continue. I was seriously lusting after these but the $795 price tag stopped me cold. Seeing these Jessica Simpson heels in Parisian was like a miracle!

Okay so in retrospect, they're not all that similar, but I'm still one happy camper!

Can you tell that I'm in love?

Bugs

2009-06-17T03:08:00.000-05:00

I am not a very patient gal. Actually, you could probably say that my patience is far from being one of my strong suits. But one thing that I can wait forever in is catching insects.

(I was going to say killing insects, but that sounds too morbid)

You know those nights when you're trying to fall asleep, but your mind is just racing? Yeah, often times in summer, on those nights, you suddenly become aware that there's this buzzing noise. And if you know what I'm talking about, there is a difference between a run-of-the-mill bug, a mosquito, and ........a flying ant.

A flying ant is a queen ant that flies for only one day, known as Flying Ant Day. Lucky for me, it just so happens to be...TODAY.

So I'm watching House MD while writing my thank you cards for my graduation gifts, and there is a monster of an ant that has wings that just landed in front of me. Shocked, I smack it with the side of my hand. I feel triumphant; I have saved the foundations of my house from another house-eating insect. An hour later, another one crawls onto my screen. I spy a napkin on the table and I kill it. This is already hugely unusual. But no, I spy yet another one on the wall behind me, and I proceed to take it out. So at this point, I have taken out 3 of those motherf*cking insects in one night, and I settle in for some more House. You'd think I'd have some peace by now. No. No no no. There's another one landing on my wrapping paper and I'm fresh out of napkins. I rush to the bathroom to get some toilet paper, and what to I see on the wall? I see yet another fucking flying ant! So my kill for tonight is 5, but it may increase because as I speak, a flying ant is crawling on the light right above me.

Getting to the point...the worst thing when you're about to fall asleep is the sound of a mosquito. Because then you have to get up, try and find the location of the mosquito, scare it into a location where you can easily kill it, and then kill it. Cleaning up is also an arduous task because sometimes there is a substantial amount of your blood in its guts. (side note: I am alternating between watching the ant try to climb out of the light above me and typing at the same time) There are very very very bad consequences to letting a mosquito stay in your room for one night. I ended up with two mosquito bites on my face, one somewhere hidden in my HAIR, and one on my wrist! When I killed it the next night, it had a HUGE, unbelievable amount of blood in its guts!

Here are some tips on tracking down mosquitoes. If you have an ceiling fan, utilize it. Turn it on so that the air starts moving in your room and maybe it will stir the mosquito from its hiding spot. If that fails, you want to move around the room with something like a fan or book. I recommend a large-sized notebook or notepad. Then, wave it around so that the air is moving in every corner of the room. Once, a mosquito was hiding in the corner behind the curtain, and I almost didn't catch it. Never, ever give up. This is a fight to the death. Once you have the mosquito pinpointed, you want to continue with the "fanning," so to speak, to corner it somewhere where you can smack it.

Of course, all doors and windows must be shut during this exercise and you must be vigilant, keeping your eyes and ears open for any movement or noise of the bug's flight.

As a second side note, the (hopefully last) flying ant is taking an extraordinarily long time to find a way out of the light. I'm hoping that it'll hit the light sooner or later and die on its own.

I just killed another on that landed on the floor, but false alarm...the one by the light is still struggling and dumb.

Jenny 6. Flying ants 0.

I HATE BUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE ARE THESE ANTS COMING FROM?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

EDIT: OMG I JUST KILLED ANOTHER 2 and picked up a dead spider and a fucking ant on the way!!! Where are these coming from?!!! I am this close to losing it!!!!!!!!!!!!! Am currently researching what is the best insect repellent. The current winner is

Off! Deep Woods Insect Repellent V Spray, Unscented - 23.8% DEET

Hellooooo baby...I want me some 23.8% DEET!!! I'd probably spray the bugs with them though...
Come to think of it...aren't there some bug sprays that you can spray bugs with and they die very quickly?!!!

EDIT2: Okay quick amazon search and I found some very promising sprays that claim to kill ants and roaches and OTHER BUGS!!! I think I'm in love. I'm thinking some Orange Guard or Poison Free sprays should do the trick.

Yep, the ant is still up there by the light. You know, if they were smarter, they'd have evolved into something harder to kill by now.

EDIT3: Oh shit. I think these buggers aren't actually flying ants. I think they're actually termites. AHHH now I'm googling pictures of flying ants and termites to determine a difference. EW this is BEYOND gross!!!!!!

EDIT4: On second thought, I grabbed the 9th one by the wings (obviously with a tissue) and compared it with a picture comparing termites and flying ants, and it might actually be a flying ant. Ought to get the house checked out anyhow!

You'll never believe it.

2009-06-13T01:05:00.000-05:00

I've stopped using skincare products. No, there are no four horsemen, and you needn't expect the fourth seal to knock on your door. Yes, I have stopped using my beloved Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum and eye serum, I have even stopped daily moisturizing my face and using toner! (Of course I still use acne face wash, I haven't gone that far)

What has started this appalling and frightening change in events?

I hate to admit it, but it's because of sheer laziness. It's tiring to wash my face, use toner, apply serum, eye serum, and then moisturizer. Twice a day! Man, I thought I'd never say it, but I'm sick of using skincare products. It's so disappointing because many things don't even work on my skin. I've gotten to the point in which I don't want to try anymore because I know these precious (aka expensive) skincare babies will disappoint me.

Take Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizing Lotion! I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT!!!!! AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS STOPPED WITHIN MONTHS!!! The first month was so nice...pimples healed without scars, the delightful soft soy scent, my skin felt so nice and soft, it had SPF, and even better, the SPF didn't cause the ghostly paleness with flash cameras. What am I going to do now?! I have to shop around for a new moisturizer. THANKS FOR NOTHING, NEUTROGENA!

Take Biore Gel Cleanser! It claims to "[not] disturb your skin's natural moisture balances, and [leave] it feeling nourished, clean, and beautiful". NOT DISTURB MY SKIN'S NATURAL MOISTURE BALANCE, MY ASS!!!!! I tried this ONCE about 2 weeks before prom. It completely EFFED up my skin! It dried out my skin so badly, I panicked like crazy, and carried moisturizer around with me for a week.

Take Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser!!!!! I also fell in love with it! It seemed to do absolutely nothing at all, but I loved the gardenia and floral scent! Washing my face was so nice because the scent was so wonderful! But no. Within a week or two, I noticed pimples popping out from the strangest places. I have never had pimples on my left cheek. At all. And suddenly, those heinous red dots came out of nowhere, in multitudes! I was in denial for another few days before I finally kicked it to the curb.

TAKE MERLOT GRAPESEED MOISTURIZER!!!! It had so many promises! After a glowing review from Nessasarymakeup.com, I was so excited to buy it even though it had a hefty pricetag ($16). Not only does the SPF in it cause an absolutely disgusting ghostly paleness with flash cameras, but it also broke me out! It took awhile to figure it out because I was trying out other products at the same time so I wrongfully blamed Clinique Moisture Surge (which I love love love). But nope. This breaks me out like crazy. Oh grapeseed. I had so much hope for you and your antiaging properties.

Why even try anymore?

SOBBBBBBBBBBBBB.

Okay there have been some jewels. 1) Clinique Moisture surge, 2) Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Cream Cleanser, 3) Neutrogena Visibly Even Daily Moisturizing Lotion (for the Honeymoon months), and 4) Bag Balm (laugh if you will. I love this stuff!). This is sad how I can only come up with 4. Never fret, my fellow journeyers! We shall persevere in this quest!

Moving onto a more cheery subject, my skin hasn't really changed since I've gone off skincare. I still moisturize after using a scrub on my face (I'm testing out Clean & Clear Steam facial) and I use facial cleanser (the aforementioned Neutrogena Cream Cleanser), but my skin feels pretty much the same. I expect this to change in the winter, but for the summer, my skin is enjoying its vacation!

"Clothes & Shoes" wallpaper

2009-05-24T02:05:00.000-05:00

Whenever I come across a picture of an outfit or shoes or clothes that I really like, I save it. I made a collage in Picasa out of all of these pictures and this is the result!

This is wallpaper sized, so feel free to yank it and use it as a desktop as well like me! Want a numbers-free version? Scroll to the end!

1. From Lookbook. Love the way she wraps her scarf around and kudos to her for wearing that in the middle of winter.

2. From Lookbook. She looks SO sophisticated with her monogram YSL shirt and high-waisted skirt. Plus she has AWESOME legs.

3. From a manga. I really love the body position. You know, long and lanky, and leaning slightly back?

4. From Chictopia. Sorry, I had to blur the girl's face out because it bothered me a lot. However, I really like her ensemble of black skinnies with black boots and a long oxford shirt.

5. I love this photograph! The composition, colors, model, and most of all: her sunglasses!

6. From Lookbook. I love the juxtaposition of colors on the right girl, of the pink and grey. Plus that grey skirt is really cute.

7. Who can resist a pair of oxfords?

8. Lovely photo from Urban Outfitters.

9. From American Apparel. Forget the subtly sexual position, I like the idea of a form-fitting black sweater with a high-waist skirt with black tights.

10. From Lookbook. Not only does this girl have some seriously skinny legs, but I like her thigh-highs and her BEAUTIFUL coat.

11. Aragaki Yui has really pretty hair.

12. From American Apparel. I'm a sucker for bows.

13. I really love Sandara Park's look in this because the braid is really pretty but not cute or pretentious (you know what I'm talking about...those models who are like, bleh I'm better than you because I'm tall and gorgeous).

14. Really pretty photo with really pretty hair.

15. From Lookbook. Isn't this cute?! Also, I wish I had leggings that were actually really long for me and were a jersey material.

16. These are, handsdown, the most beautiful oxfords I have ever seen.

17. Love her hair!

18. From Chictopia. Fab fab fab.

19. Major hair envy. I would kill to have even half of her hair's volume!!

20. From Chictopia. Can you believe she's only 14? Cute photo.

21. Pretty hair.

22. I've run out of adjectives. Really pretty china lace blouse with cute boots.

My Forever 21 (Love 21) Picks

2009-05-20T00:22:00.000-05:00

So instead of studying for my Lit final, I'm on blogger. What else is new?

So Love 21 is Forever 21's new contemporary line. In translation, it's a more modest version of F21's cheap clothes and targeted to 30 year olds and beyond. Taking a look at it, I rather like it! The pictures make the clothes look really classy and elegant, but then again, who knows what it looks like in person!

(Anecdote: I was in Emery (my newspaper class) the other day and with nothing to do, I was browsing Forever21.com. The substitute teacher came over and literally looked over my shoulder for 10 minutes while I awkwardly continued to click through the websites as she commented on everything. She kept calling F21 clothes tacky, which can be true, so maybe she should take a look at Love 21. I'm telling you, that encounter with the sub was so weird. I mean, if it was a teacher I knew well, it'd be fun but some random lady?)

Pinstripe Shirt $11.50
There are few things in life better than the Fabulous Finds section of Forever 21. I religiously stalk that page on the website and get enraged when I cannot find it in the physical store at Briarwood. This is why I hate living in Ann Arbor! Tiny selection and everything's gone so quickly. The Chicago store is SO much better.
Fab Hairband Elastic Ball $3.50
If you're like me and you constantly lose hairbands (and bobby pins), this is fantastic!

Love 21: Satin Floral Paint Dress $17.80
Wow, how pretty and elegant is that? I can totally imagine it as a dress worn to a cocktail party (or graduation since I'm currently on that mindset!).

Love 21: Mid Summer Maxi Dress $24.80
What a pretty floral print! I've always had a thing for Maxi dresses (ever since I first saw one on the cover of a Delia's catalogue) but I don't think I'm tall enough or have the right body to pull it off. The not-quite-pastel violets and soft muted reds really go well together.

Love 21: Colorblock Woven Dress $19.80
Okay this is just gorgeous. It has a beautiful high-waist skirt that is just slightly pleated, and the combination of dark blue and white is simple and sweet.

Love 21: Linen Side Swept Skirt $24.80
Love the bright color and I'm currently shopping for a high-waisted skirt, but the material looks gauzy and cheap.

Love 21: Satin Babydoll Top $22.80
I have a weakness for polka dots, soft pink, and bows. There's no way I could not like this one!

Just on another note: Forever 21 added a little something underneath some of their clothes that say "exclusively ours." Um, excuse me? What are they implying by that? That everything that doesn't have an "exclusively ours" tag is not a design by Forever 21? F21 is infamous for copying many designers and has been sued quite a few times like by Gwen Stefani and Diane von Furstenburg but hasn't gone to trial yet until now in its most current lawsuit filed by Trovota. Check out the evidence below.

Top row is Forever 21 and bottom row is Trovota.

On the other hand, how does Love 21 measure up to you? Great idea or failure?

Covergirl Eyeshadow Palette review

2009-05-15T21:19:00.000-05:00

This palette includes 8 colors (2 shades of purple, 1 white, 1 pink, 1 silver, and 3 blues) of matte, pearl, and shimmer finish. It claims to be 8 hours of crease-free and was $8. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the palette and I can't find it online, but I'll upload a picture soon.

Disclaimer: My mascara is definitely not perfect or applied well in the following pics. I did it in a rush, along with the eyeshadow so please forgive any messiness.

Here's pink eyeshadow on the upper lid and blue eyeshadow on the bottom with CoverGirl Lash Blash mascara:

Here's blue eyeshadow on the top and purple eyeshadow on the bottom with Rimmel GlamEyes mascara:

Here's a comparison. Right is Blue on top/Purple on bottom with Rimmel GlamEyes, Left is Pink on top/Blue on bottom with CoverGirl Lash Blast.

It's been 4 hours and has only creased a little at the corners of my eyes. It's holding up pretty darn well! Since I got this for Prom, I'm really glad it's doing so well. The blue, lilac purple, and pink shades are veryyyy pretty.

Upcoming reviews

WetnWild Eye Expressions Eyeshadow Palette

Chanel Levres Scientillantes in Mirage

Feelre Seaweed Mask

SUMMER 2009 plans :)

2009-05-10T01:27:00.000-05:00

- POOL!
- Gallup Park. Every week. Chasing geese/duck/gooduck (mutant duck geese).
- Picnics at the Diag or Gallup or Arb
- Tea party :)
- Sex and the City marathons
- Girl Spa Day (facials)
- Pokemon marathon
- Sleepovers to the MAX
- ROADTRIP UP NORTH
- online shopping rehab
- begin work as waitress
- wear all of the clothes in my closet, wear all of my shoes
- run everyday! (I'm on my way to a healthier me! syke...as if this is going to work out haha [PUNNN])
- late night ice cream/Denny's runs
- mosquito bites (not a voluntary part of summer)
- Back-to-school office supplies shopping with Em!
- U OF M ORIENTATION JULY 13 :)
- Moving into my dorm (hopefully central campus...)

most of all..........

- hanging out every freaking day with my girls BB, YM, Junie, Naoms, and RNA!!!!

Any suggestions for this list?!

Dainty Design Aloe Mask Review

2009-04-20T21:52:00.000-05:00

My mom ordered a whole bunch of Dainty Design masks, so I tried one, the aloe mask.

OVERALL: 4/5

*** I love before & after pictures just as much as the next person, and I did take before & after, but since there is not a visible difference, I didn't upload them. Tell me if you want to see them anyway.

DESCRIPTION & CLAIMS

daintydesign.com says, "For Moisturizing, soothing and sebaceou secretion balance. Natural aloe has a cooling ad calming effect on the skin. To be used after waxing, sun exposure or when skin shows signs of irritation."

Another spree site says,
" Effects:
1. To get a firm & elastic skin.
2. To restore skin structure & makes your skin soften & radiant.
3. Retains & replenishes moisture in the skin.
4. Prevent wrinkle from forming and maintains a youthful appearance.
5. Reducing signs of ageing.
Suitable for all skin types especially those with dry skin. "

DIRECTIONS

It's a face mask, so you just unfold it and stick it on your face. Keep it on for 20-30 minutes.

THE GOOD STUFF

It does moisturize! It feels nice and when you peel it off, you can feel that it has dried a bit. My skin feels very soft right afterward, but the feeling doesn't last all that long. It did firm my skin and my skin looked whiter, brighter, and more radiant afterward.

THE BAD STUFF

The mask is kind of a pain to put on because it's very large and it kept falling off my chin. Also, although it moisturized, I still had some dry patches on my face that remained.

OVERALL

The smell is not very noticeable and is neither good nor bad.

I kept this mask on for the allotted 3o minutes, but the mask was still very wet at the end of the 30 minutes, which makes me feel like I either wasted the product or it isn't working enough.

I recommend using this in the summer because it's not strong enough to completely moisturize skin in the winter. But it's very cheap (less than a dollar and RMB 5) and it does work, so I recommend this!

My Spring Break 2009: Part 1 - Chicago!

2009-04-17T13:06:00.000-05:00

So my wonderful spring break included a FANTASTIC trip to Chicago with the girls (NT and BB) and a paid trip to Washington University in St. Louis.

NT, BB, and I met up at 7:45ish at the Amtrak train station (my parents were the only ones who didn't come in to see me off...I feel unloved! But I guess it's also because BB and NT need parental guidance to get into the Amtrak station and I don't :) ), and the train was took around 4.5 hrs to get to Chicago.

After some misdirection (NT!!!) and some encounters with a cute hustler/drug dealer, we gave up trying to get to Greektown and ate at Arturo Expresso! It was okay.

Let me tell you something. Do not take the nickname, "the Windy City," lightly. Do not. Do not. Do not show up to Chicago without an umbrella, do not show up to Chicago without spandex/leggings/shorts to wear under a dress, do NOT show up to Chicago without comfortable shoes.

The first day in Chicago (Monday), it was so rainy and windy! It took us probably half an hour to walk 10 blocks to the Chicago Institute of Art, and we stopped 3 times because we couldn't take the cold and wind!

The Institute of Art was very cool, as expected :)

We then met up with Ken and ate at Joy Yee's, which was amazing. Our bill was $70!

the humongous mango bubble tea that BB and I shared :)

hahahaha BB drank most of it :)

The next morning, we got ready to head out to the Magnificent Mile.

We ate dessert at the Cheesecake Factory! It was pretty good, and BB LOVED the cheesecake and ate ample portions from all and basically ate 2 slices.

The interior of the Cheesecake Factory was pretty crazy. Ken told us he heard it was supposed to resemble the inside of a pie, which is a bit of a stretch. To be honest, I felt like I was in a stomach or intestine or extremely warped mushroom.

NT's Chocolate Raspberry Truffle

My White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle!

BB's Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake!

Ken's 30th Anniversary Cheesecake!

BB and me in our signature creeper smiles

Next, we went to our AMAZING and CHEAP hotel.

Really cool hotel lobby

We actually just got into the room 5 minutes prior and it already looks like we've been there for a few days.

After we showered and watched part of a Harrison Ford movie (What Lies Beneath), we got ready to go out and SHOP!

We all bought a ton of stuff. I got a pair of black heels from Banana Republic, 5 scarves from H&M (some are for my sister's 19th birthday), a cardigan from H&M, a jacket from H&M, and the almost-perfect gladiators from Filene's Basement. [will be next next post]

I found this at Saks Fifth Avenue and OMGG it was beautiful in person! Although the fabric was not as rich and silky and well-made as I thought and expected from such an expensive brand, it was very pretty. It would have been silly to spend so much on a dress.

We ate dinner at the Grand Luxe Cafe. Besides the awesome view, there was nothing that great about it. Nothing to write home about.

NT's chicken dish

BB's Salisbury steak

My gross pasta thing

We went back to the hotel to get ready to go to the Navy Pier. But it turned out it would close in 20 minutes so we went to 7-11 to get some loot.

The next morning, we did some more damage to our wallets by going to the HUGE Forever 21.

All green lights!

I got the cutest, most perfectest bag EVER!!! It's the perfect bag for me and I am so happy I found it. I just may buy another one in case my current one falls apart :) I also got metallic leggings (gold and silver) and a really adorable necklace (it reminds me of wedge wood). [in next next post]

This bag is SO big! Remember my obsession with big shoulder bags that can hold a lot of stuff? THIS IS THE PERFECT ONE!

By the time we were done with Forever 21, it was around 11:30. We ate some chow at Dunkin' Donuts (which are ubiquitous in Chicago) and then rushed to the hotel to get our bags and check out. We got to the station at 12:05, and arrived at the gate while running and sprinting (a guy had to dodge me and NT as we almost ran into him) at 12:10 and the bitch lady wouldn't let us on the train (which had a departure time at 12:15). They close the gate 5 minutes before the train is supposed to leave, but we arrived RIGHT in the nick of time and they wouldn't let us on. I'm sure it has to do with policy, but the lady was so rude and mean. I ran there first and I was running full speed and she put her pudgy hand almost at my chest to stop me and nastily said, "Stop running. I said stop running. Stop running," as I tried to say that we had our tickets. And I STOPPED RUNNING while she was still being nasty and mean and telling me to stop. She then used her walkie talkie to call someone and then told us they just closed it. SERIOUSLY! Lady could use something to get that stick out of her butt. :(

So we went to Millenium Park instead.

On the train home, we took a few videos highlighting some moments in Chicago.

First up: BB and J's most stupid moments in Chicago

Second: Story of a guy who ate 5 dangerously hot peppers

We arrived home at around 11:30 and I had to stay up until 3 repacking for St. Louis (Part 2) and just doing nothing :)

Prom Dress and Graduation Dress

2009-04-10T18:28:00.000-05:00

I went shopping with Angela today at Twelve Oaks, and we had a blast! Angela has a thing for Club Monaco and the sales girls were so nice to us, we just felt terrible when we had to leave without buying anything.

So places we hit up were Macy's (dress section was lacking. the dresses were nice enough, but not BAM-worthy. they also didn't have the shoes I wanted), Nordstroms (the dress section was even worse! I didn't look at the shoes section because I'm not that masochistic!), Lord & Taylor's (they didn't have many dresses as well), Guess (fantastic shoes as usual), Sephora (where Angela got her much-needed white eyeliner (Sephora jumbo eyepencil, which is absolutely fantastic...stays on forever!) and black eyeliner (Sephora retractable black eyeliner, I tried on the silver one, and it's been 6 hours and it is STILL on my waterline...another winner for Sephora!)), Forever 21, Club Monaco (they have the prettiest and most expensive scarves :( ), Wet Seal (they have a buy one get one 50% off right now), Charlotte Russe, Jessica McClintock (hit-or-miss selection as always), and Cache (home to one of the most beautiful dresses in the world).

Okay, enough rambling, ON TO THE PICTURES!!!!!

One of the most beautiful dress in the world. (Cache)

Failure!!! (Cache)

Adorable yellow sundress at Club Monaco that broke my heart with its pricetag.

Graduation dress! (Forever 21)

And now.......my prom dress!

Okay okay...so that was anticlimatic. It's not the FABULOUS dress I wanted, but I pretty much gave up on finding the perfect fabulous dress after I went to almost every dress store in Twelve Oaks and found nothing but conventional dresses.

I found this cool shirt at Wet Seal! Love it :)

The bracelet on the left is going to be part of my prom jewelry. It doesn't really match, but it's so pretty!

I'm going to use this as a pencil bag :)

------------------------------------------

So what was my dream prom dress? Well, I have many :)

Sigh. Jill Stuart's Spring 09 ready-to-wear collection.

Marc by Marc Jacob's Spring 09 ready-to-wear collection. Won't be out till June.

A Korean designer, Lee Sang-bong.

DKNY Corset Colorblock Dress. Sold out in my size EVERYWHERE. I searched (online) Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales; it is very very sad.

Alice + Olivia Talulah tank dress with ruffles. Scrumptious!

So, I wanted a really contemporary edgy avant-garde-ish dress for prom, but damnit, STUPID MALLS!! Here's to hoping Chicago's Magnificent Mile will have something better!

I'm leaving for Chicago this Monday, and returning Wednesday night. Then I'm off to St. Louis to visit Washington University of St. Louis and will be back bright and early Sunday morning, just in time to do my homework! FUN!!!!

I hate school! "Second semester seniors don't do anything," MY ASS! Whoever said that should be shot.

Giveaway winner......

2009-04-05T23:26:00.000-05:00

I did it by numbering the person who correctly entered in order:

1. RNA
2. JP
3. NL
4. MS

AND OMG the winner is RNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RNA wins a pencil, notebook, sample of Clinique Moisture Surge, Avon Moisture Therapy Lippie, Avon Raspberry chapstick, earrings, and stickers!!!!

I'll bring your yummy prize to school hopefully by Wednesday!

My lovely new planner courtesy of Alisa

2009-04-03T20:41:00.000-05:00

The giveaway ends April 5th, so hurry and enter if you haven't done so already! :) Enter here!

WARNING: major spammage of cute pictures

So the ever adorable, wonderful, CUTEST-GIRL-ALIVE-BESIDES-RNA, amazing, duck-butt Alisa gave me this adorable, wonderful, amazing little planner. It's not JUST a planner, but an ASIAN planner, which means it is REALLY CUTE!

Alisa saw me going through Gmarket, moping about how expensive shipping is to the States, listening to me whine about how cute the planners are, and the next day, gave me this:

HOW CUTE IS THAT?! >.<

The pages are absolutely darling. So darling that you will see many more pictures of the pages and the illustrations.

This cracks me up. Be skinny!

You know. Just in case you forget the weird names for sizes at Starbucks.

Inner back cover

I've already started using it :)

It even has a calendar thing for dates! So if you do not find your birthday on this page, you better leave your birthday in a comment so I can write it on the calendar!

Coffee Prince, anyone?!

The end. :)

Thank you, Alisa!!

Giveaway #1

2009-03-27T20:24:00.000-05:00

Giveaway!

So I think it's high time for some excitement, and what better than a giveaway?!

There will be 2 giveaways, so don't worry if you didn't win the first one. Here are the prizes!!

They include my staples: a sample of Clinique Moisture Surge, Avon Moisture Therapy, Avon Raspberry lip balm, a pencil, a pair of earrings, a cute notebook, and stickers.

Clinique Moisture Surge, how I love thee. If you have dry skin, this is THE product for you. I absolutely adore this product because it makes my skin feel SO good. It feels plump, firm, and above all, absolutely, deliciously moisturized. I stopped using it daily because I was afraid it was breaking me out, but I still use it on occasions when my skin is dry and it is a life saver. In one dose, almost cures the dryness.

(Note: I am only giving away ample samples of this. A little goes a long way with this one.)

Rating: * * * * *

Moisture Therapy. It lives up to its name and never fails to moisturize. I was perfectly happy with this moisturizer until the itch started and I went to look for greener pastures. I wandered past Lipsmackers, Neutrogena lip moisturizer, Smith's Rosebud salve, Carmex, and more, but I have since returned to Avon's Moisture Therapy. Why did I stray from perfection? That being said, its texture is somewhat like vaseline, kind of oily greasy feeling. It doesn't bother me because it sinks into your lips after you apply. However, it is very annoying to apply because you have to squeeze the moisturizer through this tiny hole in the tube, so you basically have to apply it with your fingers. I recommend this as a good lip moisturizer, not as a good lip gloss for going out. It only adds shine.

Rating: * * * *

I love this lip balm because of how good it smells. Despite its flavor being raspberry, it reminds me a lot of cotton candy. I am addicted to the smell and can never get enough of it. It's not very moisturizing, but as I said, I love it for the smell. It adds a shine and a slight pink color.

Rating: * * 1/2

(close-up)

To participate, please follow these:

1) Sorry, but you have to be in the US to participate. I promise, there will be an international giveaway, but not this one. [Shipping is such a pain!]

2) Follow my blog (there's a box on the tool bar on the right, all the way down, under the blog archive)

3) Leave a comment telling me what kind of posts you'd like to see more on my blog!

Please leave me some way of contacting you, whether it is an email or Soompi ID (with a link to your profile...I still don't understand how to find users on Soompi!). If you choose to leave an anonymous comment, please leave your email so I can contact you in the case you win.

The giveaway closes April 5 at 9 pm EST, so don't forget to leave a comment! I will choose the winner through a random number generator and contact the winner that night!