Feature: March 2011 Favorites!

Hi loves~! Hope your weeks are ending well! I'm pooped from my day of classes. I need to prioritize my time more though because sleeping at midnight or past midnight is no bueno when waking up at 5:30am. x_x But, yay for 4day weekends!

Since March is my official FULL month of blogging, it's my first "favorites" post! (Thanks to Becky @ Everyday Makeup for the idea. ^^).

ELF Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 in Porcelain - I wasn't expected too much from this product, but it works well on my Tuesdays and Thursdays if ever I run late/lag while getting ready. It doesn't make me breakout either. Woo!

ELF Studio Eyeshadow "C" Brush - I love this brush! It's so soft and so much better than the regular $1 ELF eyeshadow brush.

ELF Glossy Gloss in "Berry Blush" - This natural pink color is great for everyday wear and is so moisturizing~ love it.

Wet 'N Wild Trio in "Sweet as Candy" - I like this trio a lot~ it's very soft and natural for every day. It has great color for the spring too. ^^ (Thanks Dinorah~!)

LA Colors Gloss in "Pink Pearl"- Loving this gloss too. It's a bit more pink, but I like the shimmer it gives. ^^ (Thanks Dinorah~!)

Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush in "Natural" - This blush is so cute and smells so nice too! It really does give a happy, natural glow. I'll definitely be posting a review on this one soon.

Rosebud Salve - This really does live up to all of the positive reviews I came across. It smells nice too. :]

EcoTools brushes - SO GLAD I GOT THIS DEAL! I love these brushes so much. Soft and definitely of great quality.

Not pictured: Phyto hair mask sample (OMG I LOVE THIS AND NEED THE FULL SIZE!) and the My Beauty Diary masks (I'm down to my last 3...need to stock up soon. ^^)

What are some of your guys' favs for this month? I'd love to know. :D

And dude, I can't believe March is over...2011 sure is going by fast...

Deck the Hauls: Excited to try all of these things out!

Hello, loves~! Hope your weeks have been starting off well. I had my first day of spring quarter classes today...meaning 4 lectures since I don't have class MWF. Oh my goodness, I was dying by the end of my second lecture. I'm definitely looking forward to relaxing at home tomorrow. :3

Anyways, over the past two weeks or so I've been doing random mini hauls. I haven't tried out everything yet but, once I do -- I'll hopefully post reviews on everything. ^^

Got myself 3 of the new Wet 'N Wild polishes at Walmart ($1.69)

"Gray's Anatomy", "Part of Five Glitters", and "How I Met Your Magenta"

Last week, all Physician's Formula products were 40% off at CVS~

Happy Booster Blush in "Natural" and ConcealRX in Fair/Light

I'm liking the blush! But...I think the concealer might be too light for me. Will post a review. ^^

Last Saturday I visited a local nail supply store (a different one from our usual) and they had the China Glaze "Anchors Away" collection!! I tried to refrain from getting all of them...lol: "Pelican Gray", "Starboard", "White Cap" (I really wanted this one! :D), and "First Mate". ($3)

All Rimmel products at Walgreens are 50% off this week!!

I picked up: Fix & Fit Perfect foundation primer 001, Lasting Finish 25hr Foundation in 102 Warm Ivory, Lasting Finish Lipstick in 202 "Crush", and Moisture Renew lipgloss in 115 "Rose Cocoon". I tried the primer + foundation today and I'm liking it a lot so far!

Etude House BB Precious Mineral Sheer Flawless Skin BB Compact (from Ebay: $11) and my free HK nail stamping pad from bornpretty. (I don't have the stamping thing though...fail. lol)

Like I said before, I haven't tried most of these out yet but, will let you guys know how they turn out (hopefully for good reviews!).

Welcome new followers! ♥

Oh, and I'm heading to the OC area with some friends on Friday

and one of our stops will be "INGLOT". I'm excited. ^^

じゃね〜！

Reviews/FOTD/NOTD: Few things I'm loving right now. ^^

Hi guys! I have a new header! I wanted to make my blog a bit more customized so, I put some basic photoshop skills to work and tada~ I'm quite a minimalistic person so, I think it works. :]

Ok, on to my post! Here are a few things I'm totally loving right now!

E.L.F. studio blush in #83133 "Candid Coral" ($3.00)

Coral is definitely the "it" color for spring so I think this blush fits perfectly. It gives a pretty nice color to the cheeks without being too overbearing. It's definitely buildable if desired. I love how it has subtle gold shimmers mixed in, too since it makes the blush even more sheen. ♥ I definitely want to try some of the other colors next time, but this definitely will be added to my "repurchase" list AND I'd recommend this to a friend as well. ^^ 10/10

A nice, subtle peachy pink color.

E.L.F. studio "Glossy Gloss" in #00908 "Berry Blush" ($3.00)

I LOVE THIS LIP GLOSS! It's not sticky at all and it surprisingly has quite a long lasting power (maybe around 5-6hrs?). It's pretty pigmented too, giving the lips a soft, natural pink color. This gloss also feels very moisturizing on my lips (which tend to be super chapped), so that's a major plus for me. I'd definitely repurchase this again. This gloss isn't found on the E.L.F. website any more...so hopefully, if ever, they'll continue to carry these in my local Target stores. 10/10

This gloss has a soft brush applicator, which is another reason why I like it. It makes application very easy and spreadable for just the right amount of color and gloss.

Here are swatches from the E.L.F. items:

And, I used both "Candid Coral" and "Berry Blush" today...so here's my FOTD!

I tried a pink/purple look today using my E.L.F basics palette and I like how it turned out. ^^

I've also been collecting a whole bunch of new polishes recently, so I tried my China Glaze "China Rain" and I looove it. It's a bit sheer, but the color is sooo lovely. A mix of coral//orange with gold sparkles. ♥

----Alrighty, I really should head to bed. First day of spring quarter begins in 8hrs. Oh man. I need to readjust my sleeping patterns again. Aish. Until next time..じゃね〜！

Feature: Japan Relief Run with Josh Duhamel

Hello lovelys~! Hope you all enjoyed your weekends! I have another feature blog post for today -- I attended the relief run/walk hosted by Josh Duhamel! Maybe you haven't heard of him, but he's an actor that's been in movies such as the "Transformers" movies, "When In Rome", "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton", and more. I first saw him advertising about this event on "The Ellen Show" last Thursday and was definitely set on going today. :] Josh Duhamel and tokidoki designer, Simone Legno, collaborated in designing the shirts specifically made in support of all of the victims of the tsunami and earthquake in Japan.

It was raining pretty hard when we first arrived, but it was all well worth it. In the end, the rain had stopped once we started walking while the sun shined through! :D

Here are some pictures from the event!

Waiting in line to register and to get the cute shirts/totes.

My sister and I; the "drowned rat" look. Attractive, no? :P

JOSH DUHAMEL! This guy is great (and handsome too!) :]

2mile walk/run by the beach. Loved it.

Had to get my picture with the Power Rangers! hahah...but my mom cut off the blue ranger... :3

There so many awesome sponsors there too from Coke, Gatorade, Powerade, Nickelodeon, and more! (Yayy free stuff!). According to recent articles from today, 4,000+ people came to show their support along with various new stations and press to document the event. Other celebrities that were there: Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas, Dianna Aragon from "Glee", and Paris & Nicky Hilton! I didn't see any of them...boo...but it's great that they came out to support as well. ^^ (See article here.)

The American Red Cross has done wonders for Japan along with all of the other types of aid going towards the Japan relief. It disheartens me when I hear or read comments about people criticizing the US's aid for Japan... saying "Japan's too advanced and prosperous already...they don't need our help. Let them fend for themselves." Right now, Japan is trying to pull through on their own with their high, humble spirits...but at this point, any little donation/contribution helps.

I wasn't going to get the tote, but when I saw it while it was still raining, I had to get it. ^^

がばれ日本！ ♥

Thanks for reading!

Random: Suckerpunch!

Hello ladies! First and foremost, I want to thank all of you that commented on my last post. I can't emphasize enough how awesome you guys are. ♥ No worries, I'm not going anywhere. ^^

Anyways~ I just came back from watching "Suckerpunch"! Though I didn't TOTALLY love it, the effects were awesome and all the girls were definitely hot. They're all so striking in their own way, but "BABYDOLL" definitely stood out to me. Why? Because now I'm thinking about if I bleached my hair and turned into "BABYDOLL." LOL. Yes, just a thought. She'd be a fun cosplay though. ^^

See!!

My ghetto rendition of "BABYDOLL" at 11PM. :P

I was loving all the dramatic eye make-up and costumes though, These girls were definitely KICK ASS! Go watch it if you have time. If I had to describe it in as few words as possible..."twisted fun". I'm going to try and do a real "BABYDOLL" look though..I'm determined!!

Feature: Happy One Month!

I'm a day late but yesterday marked my blog's one month anniversary!

It's not that big of a "milestone", but I've come to really love the blogger community even if it's only been a short time. As cliche as this may sound, I really didn't think any one would read my little blog as I barely knew how to make a post. But now, it feels wonderful to know that what I write here has some kind of connection and following with my fellow readers. To my followers/commenters and even the silent readers - I love blogging and I think I've come to find a communal space as well as a private one to call my own. ^^

Niles, our new kitten (I think he's 6-8 weeks old?) and I THANK YOU VERY KAMSA!

Until next time, じゃね〜！！

(I can't believe my spring break's practically over...wahh.)

Enjoy your weekends, loves!

Feature: My (slight) fetish for Japanese magazines.

Hi guys ♥ I had a pretty productive day today~ went to Walmart with my mom!! Got a few things there, but my mom paid. heh.

For today's post, I wanted to write about something different; something that interests me.

I LOVE JAPANESE FASHION MAGAZINES!!

Their fashion and make-up spreads make me go all oogly eyed because everything is so kawaii! My style is no where near as fashionable as these girls', but I love getting ideas and seeing how their fashion world revolves. Another reason why I love Japanese magazines is that they often come with a cute little freebie - little tote or coin purse..one time I got a Coach poppy journal and another time I got a slippers. They really cater to their readers, and I love that!

I was able to visit Japan during the summer of 2009, and I got to experience how amazing the fashion areas of Tokyo (Ginza, Shibuya) and Osaka were. Department stores with 3,4,5 levels, and within them, tons of smaller boutique type stores. SUGOI! And, the summer time actually turns out to be one of their biggest sale seasons of the year. SCORE. I wish I would've done more shopping though...but there's always next time. ♥

I remember during my junior high/high school days, I would love reading and subscribing to ELLE girl, Seventeen Magazine, TEEN magazine, etc. I was pretty much a magazine junkie. haha. Now that I'm in my 20s, I haven't really gotten into VOGUE, ELLE, or other American magazines since their style doesn't seem to fit me as much...so I have drifted and stuck to my Japanese mags. Don't get me wrong though, the fashion spreads and ads I see in those mags are flipping gorgeous!

But yes, with my limited Japanese (4 quarters in college), I can get by in reading here and there if I really try. hehe. Yes, I'm half Japanese but, I fail with the language. :3

Anyways, my magazine collection has ceased at the moment since I'm not as close to a Japanese market that carries these types of magazine, but honestly...I always find something new when flipping through the ones I currently have, so it's all good. :]

So, I'm curious...Do you guys read any fashion magazines? Or even online?

The world of journalism and fashion is exciting and endless

with new trends forming and old trends retrending.

But, you know, it's not always about what's "in", but what interests you

and makes you, you. Now THAT is style (or swag if you'd prefer!)

Thank you for reading!!

I'm off to watch "The Adjustment Bureau." Hopefully it's good?

(my comments from previous post ^^)

Review/FOTD: Getting "Wet 'N Wild"!!

Before I get into my post, I just want to let you guys know that you can comment without trouble now! I had no idea a lot of you guys were having trouble commenting due to my layout, but thank you to those who pointing that out to me. ♥ I love reading every single one of the comments. Seriously~ all of you are awesome and it makes me happy in commenting back too. (Check previous post here.)

I love playing on words! Anyways, the rain storms are upon us yet again here in LA. -sigh- I think my spring break has really left me "rained in". Oh well. I haven't been TOTALLY unproductive.

Didn't go out today, but I had some fun with my two new Wet 'N Wild Mega Last Lip Colors and another Wet 'N Wild palette that I won from Dinorah's giveaway in "GREED."

MEGA SHINE LIP COLORS:

Price: 10/10; regular $2.99 - Not bad at all for a lipstick since most go for $7-$9. Picked these two up from Rite Aid at BOGO 50% off.

Packaging: 8/10; They're super simple, which I like a lot. They're easy to twist up and down as well. The only two "dislikes" I have about the packaging is how the name of the colors were only on the plastic wrapping (boo), since I like the names that companies come up for their products, AND how even though the packaging is secure, I do have to be careful with taking the caps off to be sure not to nick it.

L-R: Rose Bud & In the Flesh

And yes, that's Koda Kumi at the bottom if you guys were wondering. ♥

Wear: 9/10; Some key points: Great wear. Lasted enough through dinner. Not at all drying. Finish is very matte, but with enough shine to go out without lipgloss. Good pigmentation.

For the price, these lipsticks are great. At first, I was hesitant in getting these two colors since they seemed so similar from the outside and from the color swatches they give at the bottom...BUT, I figured why not try 'em! (BTW, I tried to do swatches but, my camera wasn't working with them. Lame.)

Gomen, this comparison picture isn't the greatest...but you can see the difference in tint/color.

TOP: In the Nude: Very peachy and slightly orange.

I like this color, though it kind of blends into my skin tone.

It's a neutral, but I like it a lot.

BOTTOM: Rose Bud: Oh! PINK! I'm liking this color!

A bit more on the fuchsia side, but I like, I like!

Here's why it looks like on with my full FOTD;

Again, L-R: In the Nude, Rose Bud

(T/N: My mom said I looked like some kind of geisha w/Rose Bud, lol)

Would I recommend this to a friend?: YES!

OVERALL: 9/10 - I'm very pleased with these lipsticks. I had some expectations from them...but now I want more!! (especially if they have a sale again~) Hopefully the next time I'm at Rite Aid, they'll stock up. :D


OH OH! And I was feeling "GREED"y today. (lol) I'm still a noob, but I'm liking this one a lot.

Yup, still sporting the OPI "Do you think I'm Tex-y".

I'll probably change it soon. ^^

Eyes:

• UDPP
• Wet 'N Wild "GREED" palette
• jane gliding eyeliner: top lash line - 'blackest ice'; bottom last line - 'scuba' (will be reviewing these soon!)
• CG lastexact waterproof mascara in 'very black'

Face:

• Skin79 BB Cream "The Prestige Beblesh Balm" from their Diamond Collection
• ELF tinted moisturizer in "Porcelain"
• ELF Studio Complexion Perfection
• ELF Studio blush in "Candid Coral"

Lips:

• 'moist Lip' lipbalm (Japanese)
• Wet 'N Wild Mega Shine Lip Color in "In the Nude" (for above picture.)

What do you guys think? It definitely brings out my beady (yes, I have small eyes~) eyes out. Yay. ^^

Alrighty, those of you experiencing the rain, stay warm and stay dry! For those of you in warmer, more sunny, pleasant areas...care to send 10 degrees? :D

Deck the Hauls: I am a very happy camper. :D

Hi guys! ♥ Hope you all had a great day/are having a great day! My mom let me go out and do my thing with her car after she got back from work (as long as I filled up her gas tank). But...before doing so, my Sephora package came! I was surprised since my Hauteloook and PLNDR UPS deliveries all came at night. But anyways, not complaining..^^

I'll get to my Sephora stuff after I show you guys what I got at Rite Aid! Just a quick fact, CVS has always been my "go-to" drug store since it's down the hill from my house and it's in the same plaza as my bank (CONVENIENCE!). But, after reading the deals on G's ♥ Nouveau Cheap, I had to stop by.

I technically only went for the EcoTools BOGO free brushes...but I walked out with all of this:

jordan cosmestics: 75% off everything!; eyeshadow palettes, & gliding liners

Wet'N'Wild: BOGO 50% off; Mega Last Lip Color

Rimmel: $1 coupon; Lasting Finish PRO nail polish

EcoTools: BOGO Free; Bamboo Powder Brush & 5 piece bamboo brush set

jordan cosmetics:

(sunset and earth tones = $1.37; greens and violets = $1.24)

My mom's birthday's coming up ♥ so I've been trying to think of stuff to get her. She's always asking me for eyeshadows if ever she sees me with new ones so, I figured these are perfect! I also ordered some stuff from He Qi Crystal Designs and HOPEFULLY everything will come by this week/next week.

'Gliding Liner' eye pencils: (Only 97 cents!)

L-R: Ice Breaker, Molten, Forest, Blackest Ice, and Scuba

'One Liners' eye liner: Coffeeline (This was 97 cents too!)

Wet 'n Wild:

BOGO 50% off - reg. $2.99

Mega Last Lip Colors! I actually saw these on one of my mutual follower's blog ♥ (Everyday Makeup) and I loved her review so when I looked at the WnW section, I had to get me some! All of the lighter pink colors were wiped out, so I settled for 904B Rose Bud and 912C In the Flesh. So excited to try these out! I'll post swatches next time. :]

Rimmel:

Ok, so I wasn't planning on getting any polishes but, I saw the $1 off coupon on the display and saw the little crown design on top...aigoo...I caved and picked one for myself.

350 - Violet Metal

See, isn't the crown cute??

EcoTools:

(set = $9.99, getting the reg. $7.99 powder brush free)

YES, the brushes that made me drive over to Rite Aid in the first place. I couldn't find the section at first (hence why I picked up so many other random things..lol) but when I did, there was only one 5 piece set left! That made my day. :D There were around 3-4 of the regular sized bamboo brushes, so I took one as my "free" brush. Everything else was wiped out. D:

I'm actually most excited about these brushes. I've read reviews on them and when this deal for BOGO free came out for this week, I had to jump at the offer. They're soo soft and cute. Can't wait to use them. :]

And onto my Sephora haul!:

My freebies: D&G fragrance sample "rose the one", Sephora's instant moisturizer, Phyto Paris Anti-Aging hair mask, and Too Faced "Primed and Poreless" Bronze Tint SPF 20

Urban Decay: Naked palette (!!) ♥♥

Smith's: Rosebud Salve

The Too Faced bronzer was a special freebie for Beauty Insiders on Sephora so, I figured I'd try it out since it hasn't been released in its full size yet. Excited for this. :]

My lips are super dry and chapped and I've read good reviews on the rosebud salve ($6) soo, I got this too (and since I needed $50 for free shipping..^^)

NAKED PALETTE! Super super psyched to start using this! I first saw it on Jen's "from head to toe" youtube channel and fell in love with it instantly. I then added my name to the emailing list on both UD and Sephora AND I even went to my local Sephora and left my name and phone number. Yes, I was a bit manic and impulsive...hehe. But yay! I finally have mine.

Such pretty neutrals! I think I'm good with the eye shadows for a very very VERY long time. :D

And last but not least, my FOTD. Since I only went to run errands...not really a FULL FOTD...but yeah. ^^ I'm really liking the WnW palette I got from Dinorah ♥. :D It suites my perfect everyday make-up. :D

And yes, I have a pimple. Ew. T_T

PHEW, that was long. Congrats if you got through reading all of that. heh heh.
Have you guys tried any of these products? How are you liking/not liking them?
I'd love to know. ♥

Review: Kao Biore Face Scrub & Olay Daily Facials Wipes

Hello! The rain's been pretty heavy here, but off and on. One of the tires on my car is almost flat so, I'm pretty much stuck at home until we get some air in it. -sigh- It feels good to be at home though and just..relax. :]

Anyways, here are two short reviews on facial products that I've recently finished in the past week or so.

Biore Face Scrub & Olay Daily Facial Wipes

Biore Face Scrub:

Price: I think I probably got this for $9? Not too bad. A little more expensive than the typical American drugstore face scrubs but, this is Biore Japan, so I think it's alright. Got this at Marukai. (Japanese market)

Use: A creamy scrub with very small pink beads. It was a bit drying on my skin as I would use a good amount of product and it still wouldn't spread as easily on my face. I found that it broke me out at times, hence why I stopped using it for a while.

Would I buy this again?: Nah, there's so many other Japanese face scrubs out there that I want to try. This one didn't "wow" me or..really do anything for me. I guess that's what I get for getting this after seeing a fellow shopper reach for it. heh.

Olay Daily Facials Cleansing Cloths:

"Lifts away dirt, oil and make-up and locks it in the cloth for clean,, beautiful skin." All skin types.

• 1. Thoroughly cleanses dirt and make-up. Even removes waterproof mascara.
• 2. Conditions your skin to leave it feeling soft and comfortable.
• 3. Special formula contains Olay moisture and vitamin E.

Price: There were probably around..$6? $5? They are the express wipes so, they were a little cheaper than the regular sized ones.

Use: I didn't like these at all! I use facial wipes to take off my first layer of makeup (follower by a cleanser after) and I found that these stung me eyes!! No bueno!! I still used them since they were fine for my skin, but if ever they made contact with my eyes, it just burned. =[

Would I buy this again?: NOPE. Didn't like these at all.

Hope ya'll are having a great week so far! :]