Hi everybody,
Just to let everyone know, I'm changing the layout of this site a little bit. I got some inspiration for this new layout from hannahfyed (Thanks Hannah!) and so now have tabs and stuff. Please be patient as I set up this new system!
Happy New Year's Eve Eve,
Med School Girl
MAC Cremewash Review
Hey guys and gals,
So a few months ago, I went to a local stand-alone MAC store for the first time in my life. Immediately, this really friendly guy named Li came to help me. I wanted to look at waterproof mascaras, but unfortunately I didn't like the ones they had. Then I asked them if Li had any acne-prevention products, but instead he told me that I needed products to make my face more oily! Apparently the fall/winter's weather had been drying up my skin. He gave me a sample of MAC's Cremewash to try out.
Sorry for the quality of the photos - I'm taking these late at night under lamp light :(
The product is listed on the MAC website here.
Here's what the actual product looks like:
Please keep in mind, that when reading this review, to remember that each person has different skin types. My skin type is combination (my T-zone is oily, but the rest of my face is normal).
When I first tried it, I felt like it was very similar to the Origins Checks and Balances facial wash. Yes, it was very refreshing. The scent was pretty overpowering though. I personally don't like a lot of strong scents in my face washes; I prefer them to be rather plain-smelling.
It definitely was very frothy when I applied it to my face, except it didn't have the minty feel of the Origins Checks & Balances wash. (I'll do a review of the Checks & Balances soon).
Thus, the Pros:
-Very creamy, rich feel
-Removes all makeup
Cons:
-Price! It's $24 for 3.4 fl oz. I could get my Neutrogena wash for $7, and that is almost twice the size - 6.1 oz.
-Acne breakout - The next day after I used it, my nose broke out in pimples. Real turn-off.
-Drying - right after I used it, my skin started tightening up. Of course, one must use a moisturizer with this...
Overall? I think that if you have $$ to spend, and you have very oily skin but don't have acne, this might work. This would not be a good product to use if you have dry skin. I personally feel that I would not buy the full-size version of this product though. Sorry MAC, I bet your other cosmetics are good, but for me, I'll rely on my drugstore face washes for now.
Have you guys tried the MAC Cremewash? Or the Origins Checks & Balances? How do you think the high-end, department store skincare products compare to drugstore ones in general? Leave a comment below!
<3
So a few months ago, I went to a local stand-alone MAC store for the first time in my life. Immediately, this really friendly guy named Li came to help me. I wanted to look at waterproof mascaras, but unfortunately I didn't like the ones they had. Then I asked them if Li had any acne-prevention products, but instead he told me that I needed products to make my face more oily! Apparently the fall/winter's weather had been drying up my skin. He gave me a sample of MAC's Cremewash to try out.
The product is listed on the MAC website here.
Here's what the actual product looks like:
Please keep in mind, that when reading this review, to remember that each person has different skin types. My skin type is combination (my T-zone is oily, but the rest of my face is normal).
When I first tried it, I felt like it was very similar to the Origins Checks and Balances facial wash. Yes, it was very refreshing. The scent was pretty overpowering though. I personally don't like a lot of strong scents in my face washes; I prefer them to be rather plain-smelling.
It definitely was very frothy when I applied it to my face, except it didn't have the minty feel of the Origins Checks & Balances wash. (I'll do a review of the Checks & Balances soon).
Thus, the Pros:
-Very creamy, rich feel
-Removes all makeup
Cons:
-Price! It's $24 for 3.4 fl oz. I could get my Neutrogena wash for $7, and that is almost twice the size - 6.1 oz.
-Acne breakout - The next day after I used it, my nose broke out in pimples. Real turn-off.
-Drying - right after I used it, my skin started tightening up. Of course, one must use a moisturizer with this...
Overall? I think that if you have $$ to spend, and you have very oily skin but don't have acne, this might work. This would not be a good product to use if you have dry skin. I personally feel that I would not buy the full-size version of this product though. Sorry MAC, I bet your other cosmetics are good, but for me, I'll rely on my drugstore face washes for now.
Have you guys tried the MAC Cremewash? Or the Origins Checks & Balances? How do you think the high-end, department store skincare products compare to drugstore ones in general? Leave a comment below!
<3
ELF cream eyeliner review
Finally, however, I decided to just go, out of pure instinct, and try these out. I got two of these eyeliners - Plum (purple color) and coffee (brown color).
These eyeliners were $3 each (you can find them either at Target or here).
I have been using these eyeliners for more than 3 months now. At first, these eyeliners were really quite nice. For some reason, the plum one was really dry, whereas the coffee one was much more "creamy" - living up to its purported name. I would apply them with my eyeliner brush from ELF's mineral line's 5 piece brush set (click here for the link). They actually are very easy to apply on and get on.
However, afterwards, it wasn't so good (after ~2 months):
Nevertheless, while they were still good, their staying power was very good. They were super pigmented.
As I had stated before, their staying power is quite great. Here they are after rigorous rubbing with paper towels + alcohol hand sanitizer in a futile effort to remove them:
Overall, what do I think of them? Nice price, great staying power, great pigmentation, great versatility. While it lasted. These eyeliners say that their lasting date is 3 months, and literally it IS ONLY 3 months. Any more, and they literally shrink up, change composition, and don't really work properly anymore. Would I repurchase it? Probably not, because really because I can only use them for 3 months, whereas if I had bought another one, say Maybelline's Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (click here for reviews) I could probably get 12 months of use, and that would be for $8. $8/12 months = 67 cents per month of use, whereas $3/3 months = $1 per month of use. Yeah I know, only 33 cent difference, but still I'd like to try something else after this. Even though I still think ELF is a very good brand to use.
Have you peeps ever tried cream/gel eyeliners? What do ya'll think of them? Leave a comment below!
<3
Christmas day!!! + DERMAdoctor eye balm review
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| http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/christmas-day |
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| http://www.sweetslyrics.com/Christmas%20Songs.html |
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| http://www.allthingschristmas.com/decorations.html |
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| http://www.operationlettertosanta.com/Pages/wallpapers_christmas.htm |
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| http://www.beautylish.com/p/dermadoctor-dermadoctor-wrinkle-revenge-rescue--protect-eye-balm |
I am always searching for the perfect eye cream. I've tried several, but so far either they have (1) not lived up to their purported uses, (2) my eyes are sensitive to it, or (3) they are far too expensive.
I got a sample of the DERMAdoctor wrinkle revenge, rescue & protect eye balm, from a Sephora purchase I made recently (I'll write a blog post about that later).
This eye cream was actually really really nice. It was not as watery as the YES TO CARROTS eye cream, was not very heavily scented, and was light to touch onto my eyes. It was less watery than the Clinique All About Eyes eye cream and was more substance-filled and denser. I actually really liked it.
Unfortunately, I was not able to get a chance to test out whether the eye cream helped out with my dark circles or not. It did help with the puffiness in the morning.
A major con to this product is its price. I know that it is an eye cream, but it runs $48 a pop, and I do not have that $$ to spend. I'm going to medical school next year and I will be shelling out money just trying to do my job as a med student (negative salary; lolz isn't that sad?) and so I cannot afford this luxury. So, as of right now, I cannot repurchase it, although if I had the $$, I would probably seriously consider purchasing it.
What do you guys think? Will you spend $$ for eye creams? Do you think they are worth the investment? Which ones have ya'll tried and liked? Leave a comment below!
<3
Christmas gifts + haul!
Hey guys,
So the holidays are coming up! Yay!!!!!
When I went home, my mom got me some stuff for Christmas as a celebration for finishing my second-to-last semester of college. I'd just like to show you all of this stuff.
Some of this stuff is also what I got over the time as well. All the high-end stuff is from Mommy, I assure you - I have no $$ whatsoever to get any of this stuff.
Ok, I'll admit my mom did not get me this. I got it for myself - my old eyelash curler (which is the exact same one) is just about done with its two eyepads and also its handles are chipping. So this is a replacement, but I really like it, thus it was a repurchase. $1!!!
Mommy actually got this for me earlier during the year, but I wanted to show you all this during this collective haul. It's a clutch from a gift set from Clinique.
Also another part of a gift set, except this time from Estee Lauder. It's actually an eyeshadow quad.
Here is the inside of it:
And here is the packaging for it:
Here is an eyeshadow palette of sorts, also from Clinique:
Lip glosses from Estee Lauder: 1) Rose Goddess, 2) Pure Pops, 1007 Fizzy Pear. Estee Lauder Mani-Pedi Body Performance Treatment.
Here is a travel set: eyeshadow applicator, lip brush, foundation/blush/bronzer/etc brush + drawstring bag
She also got me this set of Origins cleanser + Moisturizer! I've been wanting this forever but it was always too expensive to get...
This is the Christmas set.
As you can see, it's the Checks and Balances face wash and the "A Perfect World" facial moisturizer.
And it even came with this complimentary Mini-Facial card!
Thanks so much mom! I love you very very very much and am extremely grateful for all of these gifts. Thank you for supporting me throughout all of these years and for tolerating all of my mistakes, problems, attitudes, discouraging moments, etc. Thank you for celebrating my happiest moments, being there during my concerts, graduations, conferences, for helping me organize my dorm rooms, moving in and moving out of home and into college, helping me understand life, and helping me remember each and every day that things are good and that life is good. I love you so much, from the bottom of my heart.
<3
some of the best junk food America has to offer...
Yes, I know. Junk food is bad for you. It's got tons of carbs, mostly simple and few complex, tons of sugars, tons of fat, little substantial nutrition. I gotcha.
However, isn't it ok to indulge every once in awhile?
I usually can eat a lot of food. Seriously. Once, during a test study period, with about 5 bananas, I downed an entire bottle of Hershey's chocolate syrup. I can eat an entire jar of nutella with lots of peanut butter, nutella, honey, pecans, and banana sandwiches. Ooohhh, yummy.
For my last cell biology test, I ate/drank:
1. An entire family-sized tub of hummus (roasted red pepper flavor)
2. 3 dark chocolate bars
3. 4 Organic yogurts
4. 4 cartons of chocolate milk
5. 2 cups of coffee
6. Lots of crackers
Yeah... you get the picture.
There are definitely some types of junk food that are my all-time favorites, though. These include:
1. Hot cheetos
10. Fried pickles
However, isn't it ok to indulge every once in awhile?
I usually can eat a lot of food. Seriously. Once, during a test study period, with about 5 bananas, I downed an entire bottle of Hershey's chocolate syrup. I can eat an entire jar of nutella with lots of peanut butter, nutella, honey, pecans, and banana sandwiches. Ooohhh, yummy.
For my last cell biology test, I ate/drank:
1. An entire family-sized tub of hummus (roasted red pepper flavor)
2. 3 dark chocolate bars
3. 4 Organic yogurts
4. 4 cartons of chocolate milk
5. 2 cups of coffee
6. Lots of crackers
Yeah... you get the picture.
There are definitely some types of junk food that are my all-time favorites, though. These include:
1. Hot cheetos
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| http://beingindc.blogspot.com/2010/07/hot-cheetos-aka-flaming-hots.html Come to momma. |
2. Nutella:
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| http://blogs.ocweekly.com/stickaforkinit/2010/10/crepes_bonapartes_nutella_eati.php |
3. Hot dogs w/ relish, ketchup, onions, mustard:
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| http://www.free-extras.com/search/1/hot+dogs.htm |
4. Boba tea:
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| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_tea |
5. Almond joy
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| http://tastyislandhawaii.com/2010/06/03/almond-joy-pieces-vs-coconut-mms/ |
6. Italian ice
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| http://j-dogs.com/our.php?screen=3 |
7. Gelato
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| http://www.visitflorence.com/eating-and-drinking-in-florence/gelato-in-florence.html |
8. Sorbet
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| http://www.haagendazs.com/products/product.aspx?id=12 |
9. Froyo
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| http://smartadopter.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/htc-desire-and-android-2-2froyo-a-brief-guide-to-rooting-and-flashing-roms/ |
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| http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/158374/how_to_make_deep_fried_pickles.html?cat=22 |
Yeah. You get the picture.
What are some of your fave types of junk food? Leave a comment!
<3
OOTD
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Tuesday, December 20, 2011 /
Posted in
OOTD
This was from awhile ago, but I decided to post it just in case.
Please pardon the mess - it's finals season!!!!
Cardigan: Personal identity, don't remember price
Scarf: Steve Madden (Dillards), $40
Strapless shirt: Ebay, $8
Tight jeans: Outlet, $15
Loafers: Famous Footwear, $45
Once again, apologies for lack of face, I'm holding up the mirror as I'm taking the pic, so no hands can make the camera go right!
<3
How to make the best use of your holidays (mainly geared towards college students)
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Saturday, December 17, 2011 /
Posted in
Random
Now that my semester of university is officially "done", I've been at home just doing random things. Since I can't really go anywhere (no car, parents with both cars and always working), I just find ways to entertain myself at home.
Thus, here are also some ways you can entertain yourself at home, college-age appropriate.
1. Cracked.com - this is a site that has a bunch of sarcastic, humorous articles ranging anywhere from current events to videos on controversial topics to sex and beyond. This is a really interesting site that is definitely very interesting to look at.
2. xkcd.com - this is a site that posts humorous nerd comics I believe 3X/week. Really interesting. Comics from this site often include allusions to computer science, hard science, math, etc. You get what I mean. I actually don't understand some of the comic strips, since I am not in those fields, but I understand most of them. Yeah, pretty interesting.
3. phdcomics.com - this is also a site that posts humorous nerd comics, once a week. This is geared more towards hard sciences (especially biology/chemistry) and focuses on graduate students, of course, like the URL of the site says, Ph.D students. Very humorous for nerds. I also understand the stuff.
4. all of the beauty blogs! of course, this is for girls and guys who are interested in these topics. For a list of them, look at the list of beauty blogs I'm subscribed to. There's like a bagillion of them (or rather, more like 50). You can find new looks, new ideas, new trends, etc on them. Always there are new looks to try.
5. news.google.com - this is the site I usually go to to get my daily dose of news. The site can be personalized to whatever YOU want to read. It's always good to keep up with the current news and know about what is going on in the world outside.
6. Take up new hobbies - recently, I started knitting. Granted, this makes me sound like a grandma, but the thing is that it is definitely a good way to pass the time while you are watching TV or something. Also, it builds the dexterity of your hands, which I will definitely need for medical school when handling cadavers and stuff. (Yeah, sorry for that graphic piece of info). Some people do other things, like ice fishing, painting, writing, etc. I also write as well - of course, with part of that on this blog :)
7. Try new recipes for cooking. Or, if you've never cooked before, try cooking. Whether you're a guy or a gal, it's always good to learn this important skill. After all, on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, food and shelter are the main basic things needed for survival. After all, one cannot survive for more than 30 days without food. Whether it's learning to make simply eggs or put together a sandwich or making foie gras and lemon-seared salmon, it's always good to try and learn.
8. Catch up on all of your favorite TV shows. And watch television for the heck of it. Basically, a lot of kids forget about watching television once they go to college. There are so many other things to do on campus; why do this? During my first year in college, when I was not at home, I literally spent at most 30 minutes the entire year watching television. Of course, the only TV screen that was available at my dorm was my roommate's tiny 1.5 ft screen. At home, there's the 42'' plasma. Of course it is more accessible/easier to watch.
9. Hang out with your friends from high school. During the summer holidays, a lot of my friends go across the country or even world to go to their internships and volunteer work, missions work, etc. However, the winter break is really short, and people generally can't go on internships (or at least for my university). Thus, it's a time when most people just go home for the holidays. Visiting old friends from high school is a great way to keep in contact. Meet each other at a restaurant or go to a bowling game together or something. It'll be really fun, I promise!
10. Of course, sleep. During the semester, we're always working and working, and during finals season, our lives are in total havoc with all of our final tests/projects/papers/psets/etc/whatnot. We WILL burn out eventually. The winter holidays are a great opportunity for catching up on all of those lost zzzz's.
So there you go, 10 good ways to spend your winter vacation without really going too far from home. Hope this holiday season is a great one for all of ya'll, and have fun!
<3
Thus, here are also some ways you can entertain yourself at home, college-age appropriate.
1. Cracked.com - this is a site that has a bunch of sarcastic, humorous articles ranging anywhere from current events to videos on controversial topics to sex and beyond. This is a really interesting site that is definitely very interesting to look at.
2. xkcd.com - this is a site that posts humorous nerd comics I believe 3X/week. Really interesting. Comics from this site often include allusions to computer science, hard science, math, etc. You get what I mean. I actually don't understand some of the comic strips, since I am not in those fields, but I understand most of them. Yeah, pretty interesting.
3. phdcomics.com - this is also a site that posts humorous nerd comics, once a week. This is geared more towards hard sciences (especially biology/chemistry) and focuses on graduate students, of course, like the URL of the site says, Ph.D students. Very humorous for nerds. I also understand the stuff.
4. all of the beauty blogs! of course, this is for girls and guys who are interested in these topics. For a list of them, look at the list of beauty blogs I'm subscribed to. There's like a bagillion of them (or rather, more like 50). You can find new looks, new ideas, new trends, etc on them. Always there are new looks to try.
5. news.google.com - this is the site I usually go to to get my daily dose of news. The site can be personalized to whatever YOU want to read. It's always good to keep up with the current news and know about what is going on in the world outside.
6. Take up new hobbies - recently, I started knitting. Granted, this makes me sound like a grandma, but the thing is that it is definitely a good way to pass the time while you are watching TV or something. Also, it builds the dexterity of your hands, which I will definitely need for medical school when handling cadavers and stuff. (Yeah, sorry for that graphic piece of info). Some people do other things, like ice fishing, painting, writing, etc. I also write as well - of course, with part of that on this blog :)
7. Try new recipes for cooking. Or, if you've never cooked before, try cooking. Whether you're a guy or a gal, it's always good to learn this important skill. After all, on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, food and shelter are the main basic things needed for survival. After all, one cannot survive for more than 30 days without food. Whether it's learning to make simply eggs or put together a sandwich or making foie gras and lemon-seared salmon, it's always good to try and learn.
8. Catch up on all of your favorite TV shows. And watch television for the heck of it. Basically, a lot of kids forget about watching television once they go to college. There are so many other things to do on campus; why do this? During my first year in college, when I was not at home, I literally spent at most 30 minutes the entire year watching television. Of course, the only TV screen that was available at my dorm was my roommate's tiny 1.5 ft screen. At home, there's the 42'' plasma. Of course it is more accessible/easier to watch.
9. Hang out with your friends from high school. During the summer holidays, a lot of my friends go across the country or even world to go to their internships and volunteer work, missions work, etc. However, the winter break is really short, and people generally can't go on internships (or at least for my university). Thus, it's a time when most people just go home for the holidays. Visiting old friends from high school is a great way to keep in contact. Meet each other at a restaurant or go to a bowling game together or something. It'll be really fun, I promise!
10. Of course, sleep. During the semester, we're always working and working, and during finals season, our lives are in total havoc with all of our final tests/projects/papers/psets/etc/whatnot. We WILL burn out eventually. The winter holidays are a great opportunity for catching up on all of those lost zzzz's.
So there you go, 10 good ways to spend your winter vacation without really going too far from home. Hope this holiday season is a great one for all of ya'll, and have fun!
<3
Haul (random times)
