http://www.edition01.com/styledotcom/ragandbone

This is the coolest little cork pump I've seen!
I can imagine how comfortable it would feel :3

Nevermind the $850 price tag..........

http://www.style.com/magazine

If Somebody got me the subscription to this I'd be the happiest girl :)

Style.com has always been a fashion/blog website, so their stuff put on a mag is actually pretty interesting.

~*~*~PASSION4FASHION~*~*~

So I'm on Christmas break now....
Haven't updated my blog for a month now, cuz of school

If I have time I'll post some stuff here!

Not that people actually read my blog though, so yeaaaaah. hehehe :)

October Favourites! (Photo Heavy)

Hey hey:) This is my first favourites posts and I'm so excited to share with you. :)

So without further ado, let's start!

Covergirl natureluxe Gloss balm. I've already done a long review on this here. Check it out!

I love this balm and it's so moisturizing for my lips but the only bad thing is that it's expensive! I'm glad I finally tried it though, because ever since I saw the first taylor swift Covergirl ad, I was so curious about the Natureluxe line.

This is the B-Complex I've been taking which has been helping my hair grow fast fast fast! That just makes this bottle so loveable :') Here's the review.

Now the next items are part of the rest of my drugstore haul with Mom recently. (oh the gloss balm was part of it)

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover: $8

Saw a million ads for this so finally bought it.  Funny story, my mom and I were at the drugstore picking out stuff and she put the L'oreal eye makeup remover in her basket and I was like MOM WHY. Because I have been silently trying to finish up that damn bottle for months and she almost bought it again?!? It is not non-comedogenic and it's sooo greasy and I just hate that product. 

Here's the link if you want to see a pic: Don't buy this!

(http://www.lorealparis.ca/cosmetics/eyes/eye-makeup-remover-waterproof.aspx)

Now, back to this. I like this so much more and I definitely think it is somewhat moisturizing.  It lists some sort of Aloe Leaf Juice and Cucumber Extract in the ingredients which makes me happy.  However, it does leave residue (but it is not oily residue).  The only other bad thing about this is that it's made for cotton balls, so the mouth is huge and if you drop it the whole thing will pour out in a millisecond.  I have no choice but to dip my q-tips in there and soak them which I don't prefer.

EverSleek Conditioner - Sunflower

This product is one of my FAVOURITES of the favourites!  I am glad my mom likes this line too but she doesn't know the details of why it's so great.  I've previously used the green one and also the purple one, and simply loved them.  They're just on the expensive side (I got this for $6.99 -which is ON SALE) 

Why is the Ever Sleek line so awesome? It's that there are NO sulphates or Silicones and it's also NOT tested on animals!  I'm going to do a detailed post on the effects of SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulfate) and its prevalence in Skincare and Beauty products.  

So to sum it up, this conditioner smells amazing (like all the other ones in this line), it is very moisturising, and it's formulated without many harmful chemicals.

Softsoap Black Orchid & Velvet Hibiscus Body Wash: (Sale for $4)

haha, so there's a story behind this.  I finished looking at beauty products then found my mom with her shopping cart, and I saw 6, SIX of this body wash in the Pomegranate version.  I said to my mom, "um, why are you buying so many of the same one?" She said, "Because Dad and I used the pomegranate one and we like it." I had no words. My family and I are polar opposites, I slowly discover.  I love variety and trying new things but my family, once they find something they like, they'll stick to it forever and ever and not get bored.

Anyway, after that I exchanged three of the pomegranates for this one (Black Orchid/Hibiscus), a Honey one (i forgot the name), and a Coconut one with scrub beads. I'm so excited to try those, which also smell AH-MAZING but this one I have tried and I can say that I love it. I love the smell and how it's so luxurious and foams up to an amazing lather.  The foaming means there is SLS in it which isn't good but it's my body, not my face, so I can easily compensate by putting on lotion after. (nb: will discuss and explain SLS more later!!)

Olay Total Effects 2 in 1 Anti-Aging Cleanser ($?)

I was going to buy a neutrogena cleanser instead but my mom bought an Olay Day cream which came with this so I just decided to use this one. To make things clear I am actually way too young to be using to be using anti-aging products but I can almost guarantee that all the promises printed on this pretty bottle are LIES, LIES and LIES.  So why is it a favourite? Let me explain.

I have oily/combo skin, which gets even greasier after a day with foundation.  Therefore I need a stronger/harsher cleanser to make sure the makeup comes OFF.  This product has SLS in it, which probably helps dissolve the grease, but unfortunately, the oils on my face as well.  To compensate, I turn to my trusty Laneige Water Sleeping Pack, This product gives my face so much moisture and love it makes me so happy. I suggest everyone to try it! I honestly am not particular about cleansers, I use whatever that will clean my face, but moisturisers, I make sure I get a great one, and this Laneige product is my all-time favourite.

On sale for $5.99? I think

Lastly it's the Live Clean Pink Fire Shampoo. Its for colour protection but I didn't colour my hair; I just picked it because of the smell.  I've already used the blue one before and really liked it, and my mom uses the Argan version (which I tried and smells EVEN better!!)

I love this line of shampoos and conditioners because like the EverSleek line, there are no sulphates, parabens, silicones, or any sort of thing like that, which is great because the less chemicals in your hair the better. Especially when you're like me and I wish my hair every day. (it's so greasy) Overall it's a great product but if you're choosing between EverSleek and this I recommend the Eversleek because it seems to be more moisturizing than this one.

My Yogurt Obsession + Directions

 Happy Friday Saturday!  This past week has been a huge toll on my mind and body, so I decided to treat myself to some yummy and healthy snacks.

This has been how I've been eating my yogurt this week. I love love love Plain Yogurt with Honey drizzled on top, but I decided to try something new this week, because of my skin. 

OK, I have a side story for you about how I came about with this recipe, which is actually my recent acne post.

Basically I tried a yogurt mask with oatmeal and decided, why not eat it? Because Activia yogurt has these oats inside too. By the way, I LOVE Activia yogurt, its my favourite brand. Try those out and make sure you get the ones with the grain inside; the texture and flavour is so much more rich and creamy than without grains.

So I added my usual honey in my plain Balkan style yogurt, then oats, and topped with Almonds because they are amazing and make my snack look good on camera too (hehe).

This combination is just amazing, try it and let me know what you think!

Struggling with Acne - How I am healing my skin!!

This past month, I have been getting very bad breakouts on my face and it was just red, raw, and plain bumpy.  Even makeup couldn't hide the fact that my skin was horrible because of the bumpiness. It was actually so scary when I looked at my forehead up close in the mirror and saw that the edges of my face were not smooth.  Not at all.

Why I've been breaking out:

- Not taking off my makeup right after school because I have so much homework

- Missha bb cream clogging up my pores and leading to pimples

- Stress in school 

- Lack of sleep

- Eating lots of junk food to refuel because of lack of sleep

-Stress --> habit of touching my face

My best friend has been using these masks by My Beauty Diary, which she gave me one to try. It was great, and moisturizing, but did nothing for my acne.  I still want to go out to buy them in the future, because I liked their moisturizing effects. (Future review??)

BUT! I decided I need to do something drastic about my skin which yields fast results, so I googled DIY Masks and then remembered Bubzbeauty's Yogurt Mask, which she raved about it helping her clear her rash and acne breakout. 

I happened to have a tub of plain yogurt at home, so I said, why not? So I mixed a spoonful with oatmeal and put this on my face.  The only annoying part was that the oatmeal bits always threatened to fall off at the slightest touch.  After a 15 minute wait I took it off, and immediately noticed the hydration. My skin was supple and soft, but there wasn't a really significant acne reduction.  I was starting to get disappointed but I decided to sleep on it and see what happens next morning.

It worked!! My pimple spots were reduced by around 30% like she had said and the redness everywhere definitely decreased. What I loved even more was that my skin was starting to smooth out again. I am so happy with the results so I used this mask again three days later and my skin kept healing.  I also kept washing my face diligently and exfoliating with my Olay electronic cleansing brush and I can't believe it but my nose is also starting to lose the blackheads that dotted my nose like a strawberry.  

Missha BB Cream: It's time for me to ditch this product because I can't risk having pimples scar my face any longer.  I did a review on this which you can read here. If you are not concerned with acne then I recommend this product because of the coverage and finish, but if you're like me, try the CoverFx Foundation....which I will detail in my October Favourites. But basically I switched from this to the Missha before (gave my bottle to my mom) and then recently tried it again and got great results.

My Day in Food - Day 1

Today, I decided it is time to start changing my diet and stop worrying about how hard it's going to be and blah blah blah.  I think I need to record what I've been eating, especially when I come home to shock myself.  I have a feeling once I recall all the stuff I've eaten today I would legit start changing my diet for GOOD!

One of my girlfriends and I decided to keep each other accountable in eating a healthy diet.

K so, here we go:

Breakfast:

- 2 Hardboiled eggs, no condiments

Lunch: (served at school)

- Balsamic Vinaigrette salad, Pasta, and a Bun with whipped butter spread, all put on one regular sized paper plate. 

Note: Portion size was good but this meal was not healthy

- Snack: about half of a yogurt Special K bar (wow, shouldn't have done that even though it was good D:)

Snacking (after school):

- 2 mini chocolate dough cookies (FAT RADAR BEEEP I couldn't resist; they were amazing)

- 1/2 an avocado

- about 3/4 cup of Plain yogurt with oatmeal, almonds, and honey (it was good, I should do a post on it)

- 2 pieces of asian lemon sandwich cookies (gap sum beng?)

- The last 2 squares of my dark chocolate bar (-_-")

- Around a handful of Vegetable Thins (WHY)

Note to self: Don't eat while watching TV......

Dinner (eating right now as I type this):

-Two branches/pieces of Kale I chopped up

-Less than a bowl of  bland-ish Chicken broth couscous (made for first time, flavour was great but it's too wet...)

-Leftover asian vegetarian "duck", 5 pcs

My dinner: it was goooood! I think I'm gonna make Quinoa tomorrow :)

I'M MAKING MY PARENTS GET ME A MINI RICE COOKER. Man have I realized how useful that machine is.

Til next time!

REVIEW: CoverGirl Natureluxe Gloss Balm in Hibiscus

Hey! So I made a trip to the drug store yesterday and picked up some stuff.  I wanted to get a lip colour I could wear every day and it would be natural on my face.  After a million swatches I decided this would be my purchase.

Pros:

- Very moisturising like a lip balm should be, yet has very good colour pay off (maybe even a little more than what I needed!) 

- Love the finish. Shine without shimmer.

- I like that the cap is big like a lip stick cap, not like a chapstick because often those tiny caps cut at the lip balm and make a mess which I hate!

- Many colours to choose from and complements different skin tones.

Cons: 

- $$$$$$$! This thin tube was $8. I think it's too expensive because the colour is actually midway between sheet and full coverage.

-You have to beware of which colour you pick because some colours are SHEER! and some have sparkles (if you like them that's fine but I don't prefer them)

Bare Lips

With Hibiscus

*The colour is more like a magenta in real life. I took this photo in sunlight and even tweaked it but it's still not how I want it to show.  No worries, just check it out at the drug store :)

Overall I rate this 8/10! Pretty great but the biggest downside is that it's expensive.

Hair Diary No. 1 - How I make my hair grow FAST

Hey everyone.  This is gonna be a post which I've been waiting to write for a while.  So in my first Hair Diary I talked about how I cut my hair and all that stuff and basically, I want to grow my hair back long again.  Because so much of it was cut, just that makes my scalp and hair so much less strained and it makes it grow faster.  

Also, I will NOT be colouring my hair until it has grown very long, because colouring your hair will damage your scalp and make your hair grow slower!

Other than that, I am such an impatient person so I decided I should start putting more nutrients in my body to help my hair grow.

I take B-Complex, Vitamin C, Omega 3-6-9, and occasionally Zinc and a tablespoon of Flax Seed Oil.

I am not a nutritionist but I did do lots of research and found that your B Vitamins such as B-12 and Biotin will help hair grow faster.  Omega Fish oils is also nutrients for your brain and so why not your scalp? I've also read that it helps people who have thin hair (me!!) to grow hair back.  So far I have not really noticed my thin hair problem fixing itself but I've only started taking vitamins about a month ago.  Vitamin C is basic, everyone should be taking it.  Zinc and Flaxseed oil are to help myself because I am just particularly deprived of nutrients. Haha. 

I can personally say that it HAS helped my hair grow because I have been taking weekly pictures to track my hair growth for the past month and I can literally tell a difference in length every week.  My estimation is that my health practices has made my hair grow about an inch every 6 weeks, when normally hair grows 1cm every month.

In addition, I ALWAYS massage my scalp when I'm in the shower.  It feels great and it helps distribute the oils on your scalp and it stimulates it.

This is the B complex that I take.  It says you should take two capsules a day but I only take one because if I take two I get more than 200% the daily intake for most of the vitamins in the complex so I'm only going to pee all the extra out.  This is actually quite expensive so it's up to you whether you want it or not.  This bottle of 60 capsules costed around $22. (I bought it at my local organic food store)  I don't know how much the Omega 369 was but I think it`s definitely cheaper.

Best of luck for your hair aspirations!  I will post up the photos soon, maybe if I get some response? :)

Eyecandy: Versace Spring/Summer 2012 Collection

Here are my favourite pieces in the collection:

This dress right here^ IS MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE! Just look at the amount of gold detail on this dress.  This gold completely compliments the pale green-blue of the dress. 

I feel like this collection was very much inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean movie, with Gemma Ward as one of the main mermaids (alluding to her supermodel status as well, haha!)

The yellow lighting used on the runway is just beautiful.  This stage is one of my favourites ever.  It made this whole show so surreal and gorgeous and totally makes me want to be a mermaid.  The natural makeup, innocent pink blush, and naturally flowing  hair on the models was perfect for the showy dresses. I swear, after I watched this movie I honestly wanted to be the mermaid who fell in love with the priest.

<3

Healthy Indulgence - Dark Chocolate

One day, I went on a Walmart trip with my mom and we saw these huge chocolate bars with different varieties which sold for $4, which is an amazing deal if you think about it.

We got milk chocolate with hazelnut and Dark chocolate 54%.

I love the dark chocolate because it tastes not too sweet yet sweet enough to satisfy a chocolate-lover.  Dark chocolate is also loved for its health benefits.

It contains flavonoids which are pigments found in plants which have antioxidants.  Antioxidants help rid the body of free radicals.  A small amount eaten daily can even help reduce heart disease (Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels)

That is, please don't start eating dark chocolate like crazy because at the end of the day, it is chocolate and everything should be taken in moderation.

I read that 70% should be eaten but I'm happy with my 54%, hahaha.

Source: http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongnutrition/p/chocolate.htm

REVIEW: Olay Professional Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System

Hey Everyone! Time for another review. I had the hardest time trying to decide how I should write this, whether I should have included eye makeup removal stuff from the K-Palette review here. But here is my review on the Olay Cleansing Brush.

As you can see, it's a dupe for the Clarisonic.  I had a huge concern about my skin after I started using the Missha BB Cream. (Click for my review on that) This BB was very long lasting but its problem was that it doesn't come off easily.  I would clean my face with my hands and afterward I would still feel greasiness on my face, which wasn't right.  So I started to consider the Clarisonic Mia, but even this mini version is around $100, way above my budget.  The other option is this Olay Brush, but the very fact that it's only $30 made me doubtful whether it will be useless and a waste of my money.

It turned out to not be a waste of my money, and I use it every time I take off foundation!  

The brush is very very soft and will not damage your face.  It also has two settings.  The top button controls on/off, while the bottom button switches between the Higher and Lower settings. If you have a fragile or sensitive face, you should use the lower setting.  But I always use the higher setting in order to get rid of my make up properly.

 The package comes with an exfoliating gel, which isn't a big deal, but it's better than nothing :)

 

I use the olay brush with this cleansing lotion.  I recommend using cleansing milk or cleansers with similar consistencies because gel does not spread well and give you a good, rich, lather.

After using this you will see that your brush has turned brown.  No biggie, I just use a little soap and clean the brush and all the grime comes off like a dream.

After this cleanser, I use Cetaphil (with my hands) and sometimes an exfoliating cleanser before or after it.  So usually 3 times to do the trick.

There's still grime on your face which you can help remove with your toner and a cotton pad.  ^That particular time I was in a hurry and rushed so there's more brown on it.  Usually there is less; actually don't expect to have much grime on your cotton pad after cleaning with this brush!

Overall, I like this product, and I would buy (the replacement brush heads).

The thing which sucks about this is that you HAVE to buy the brush heads from them, and it's 2 for around $9, which is quite pricey.  What I also don't like is that it uses AA batteries. Come on, doesn't everything these days use a charger and lithium-ion battery?

TIPS: 

1. DO NOT USE THIS ON/NEAR YOUR EYE. you will destroy the skin there

2. If you are wearing eyeshadow with some sort of shimmer or glittery bits, try to take it off separately before washing your face, because the cleansing brush will transfer the glitter all around your face and then it'll be a pain to get rid of them.

One of my favourite songs: Coldplay - Fix You

<3 

Vintage Clothes I Love - Part 1

Hey everyone! 

These clothes all belong to my mom, actually.  It's amazing what you can find, so definitely check out your mom's closet too! She's had these clothes for many years now, and some of the blouses are almost 20 years old!  I love them very much because you can't find these styles any more and the quality is honestly much better than clothes I find these days.

This is a peachy, semi see through blouse with flared sleeves and a flowery-like collar.  It's quite big on me and long so I like to wear it with a belt or tuck it under jeans.

This is one of my favourite items. It's a white blouse that my mom had for at least two decades, and it fits amazingly on me. It's just a tad big and the sleeve holes are too wide but that's the fun thing about vintage clothes; they aren't tailored for your body but they definitely tell a story.  I was looking at my childhood photos and my mom was wearing the black version of this blouse! 

So this is the black version, and it's the same as the white.  What I love about these two blouses is that they are lined so when you wear it you won't look awkward with a layering tank under.

This next item is a sweater which was amongst the stack of old clothes my mom keeps in the linen closet.  I took it out one day and fell in love. It's so comfy and oversized and it's great :) The sleeves are a bit short on me though, but again, I don't mind.

This is another item my mom hasn't worn in a long time, and I recently wore it to a wedding reception, over a simple shift dress from Forever21 I had, which I didn't like but I loved the round neckline. 

I love this skirt very much and it reminds me of Coco Chanel! :$

The last item is a sea green/blue tank with a simple silhouette. It's so very feminine.

The detail on this is just amazing, and it's lined with a silky material.

So that's it for Part 1! Stay tuned for part 2, which is the accessories edition :)

Bye!

REVIEW: K-Palette 24 Hour Tattoo Real Lasting Liquid Eyeliner

Hey!

This is going to be my review of the all-popular K-Palette Eyeliner :)

First of all, let me say that this is my HOLY GRAIL EYELINER.

I have oily/combo skin, and sadly, that includes oily eyelids. Oily Eyelids are a real bummer, let me tell you.  Before I tried this product, I used to use pencil and gel, and there was no way to stop it from smudging to the crease and bottom lid.  It was embarrassing and annoying, but I wanted to wear eyeliner!

So I read reviews online and watched videos on this product and the Dolly Wink eye liner, which both had very positive reviews.  However, I decided to get this one, only cause it promised very good staying power.

The price was $15, when I bought it through my friend who visited Hong Kong in the summer.  You can get it around that price on eBay, but in Asian malls, they are ridiculously overpriced, like $25 or something.

To me who likes to pay sub-$10 for makeup products (except skincare and foundation), the KPalette was sort of steep.  But when I used it and got AMAZING results, I don't regret it at all!

What I Love:

It dries quickly and the tip was not difficult to draw sharp lines.  It stays on literally all day with hardly any smudges (the only imperfection is caused by me rubbing my eyes during the day).  By the end of the day my eyelids would be very oily but the eyeliner stays put!  

Taking off this product won me over.  In the shower or with a little water, I just use my ring finger to gently wipe away the eyeliner, and up to 80% of it is gone!  Even when you wash it off with water, the smudging is tiny and manageable compared to gel or pencil, trust me. 

Before taking it off:

After washing with water; as you can see, there is some residue but hardly any smudging!!

Then I go in with my q-tip to clean off the remaining eyeliner.

All clean!

What I do not like:

The price- I am very willing to pay it but still ..........

The line is not super black and you need to go over it for pigmentation, but it really isn't a problem.

It's hard to find this product in North America.

It's liquid so it's going to dry out. When that happens I'll cry..

-M

Healthy, Quick and Easy Snack - Seasoned Tomato Slices

Happy Friday!

So these tomato slices are one of my favourite snacks and they're virtually guilt-free.

The funny thing is, before my mom showed me this way of eating them, I have always disliked tomatoes because they were sour.  After though, I got addicted!

Directions:

Rinse your tomato.  Slice, dice, or cut into chunks, however you like it.  Then, drizzle olive oil onto the slices. Then sprinkle sea salt and a little pepper.  (I recommend putting on the olive oil first just because it will help the salt and pepper stick better.)

Enjoy!

These three ingredients add flavour to the tomato and the salt brings out the sweetness. :)

Review: Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 23

Hey :)

This is my first BB Cream and currently my only one haha.  Ok Basics about my skin:

Oily/Combo with some scars, light-medium skin tone, very acne-prone, and I have some fine lines ( weep weep)

I bought this BB cream on eBay and I completely recommend everyone to get their BBs there because Asian malls sell them so overpriced.  It's totally safe and MUCH cheaper but the only drawback is that shipping takes forever!  Also just make sure you buy off sellers who have gotten many and good reviews.

I didn't know if I'll like it or not so I bought a small size, 20ml for about $7

My Thoughts:

It will break you out because this BB will block pores.

However I love the finish; it is very good and coverage is Sheer to Medium-High, depending on how much you apply.  I don't even use a lot, just a tiny dollop will cover my whole face, and a bit more for extra coverage of blemishes.  

This BB has SPF 30 or something like that, so your skin WILL look lighter and so if you don't want a white cast in flash photos don't use this!  This is also because this is a BB, so it's supposed to adapt to one's skintone and it doesn't have a whole range of shades a foundation will have.  It makes me a little paler than my bare skin but in a good, polished way (if that makes sense :P) 

Blendability is good but it is best blended on your face with a foundation brush.  I do NOT recommend anyone to blend their foundation with their fingers because you are going to get wrinkles from all the rubbing, no matter how lightly you do it.

If you have acne or are worried about blocked pores, you can either get this product or not.  I'm saying it this way because as long you clean your face thoroughly, you won't suffer from breakouts.  But here's the problem, it's not easy to clean this off!  When I first used this I cleansed with my cleansing milk and Cetaphil but I knew my face was still not clean.  Then about a month ago I bought the Olay sonic cleansing brush (Clarisonic Dupe- I will review this for another day!) and I've been using it to clean my makeup off and the Missha comes off MUCH better!  However, I still need to clean my face off around 3-4 times with first a makeup remover cleansing milk, then a harsher cleanser with exfoliator beads, then Cetaphil! 

A vue d'oeil, I rate this 6/10 and I wouldn't buy again because I like switching products and because I don't like how it's so hard to clean it off and don't want it to cause me to break out.

Bye bye:0

Hair Diary No. 0 (Intro)

Hello :)
So this post is the first of a series I'm hoping to post up, of me attempting to grow my hair back. I'll be putting up pics to track my progress!

  In January 2011 I cut it to the Tao Okamoto style, which I loved, then it grew out and I cut it again in March 2011.   Then it grew out AGAIN and I cut it finally to an even shorter pixie style in June/July 2011.  Since then I've been trying to grow it back into a nice medium length bob and then back to my long hair before!

The Pains of Growing out Short Hair

If you've had short SHORT hair, you would know what I am going through.  Carey Mulligan had to go through the same thing too; it is the dreaded Mullet phase.

Basically what this is is that when you have a short haircut, your sides are shorter than the back, exposing your ears.  So when your hair is growing out, the back lengthens while the sides are still short which makes a mullet appearance.  What people have to do is keep trimming the back while letting the sides and front grow so eventually they will become even once more.  

Currently my sides are almost at the tip of my earlobe which I am grateful for,  but it still needs to grow faster!!!

In the next post I will post a picture of my current progress and vitamins and all that good stuff which makes my hair grow faster (hopefully)

Bye bye!

My First Post

Hey readers :)

This is my first post.........lol generic, I know.

But hopefully I'll be posting up reviews, pics, beauty related stuff, fashion, things I like, or anything else random in the future.

Bye for now!