Zits......

Like I've always noted, time and time again, I hate zits.


I always get them at the most inopportune moments. i.e. just before a date, a formal, when I'm going to visit family friends, etc. Usually it happens **around that time of the month**, ladies - u totally understand! XD


http://faithfulservantmagazine.com/?p=11


I usually get zits in my t-zone or on my cheeks. They show up on my skin like little red dots, making an "acne mask" that looks kinda...well, stupid, pitiful, etc.


Are you someone who gets acne at random times?
 http://mrsoslife.blogspot.com/2010/10/one-of-them-was-acne.html


I have a regiment, that, although sounds kinda weird, works, at least on me.
The ingredients are really cheap (trust me, I'm a poor college student, I know how hard budget hits can be!), and they are very easy to make or buy. A lot of the stuff that I use can be found around the home as well.


Me (cartoon sense?):
 http://www.fairloanrate.com/2010/10/09/bankruptcy-on-student-loan/


My acne regiment:
Morning:
1. Wash face with Biore Steam Activated Cleanser
 http://vouchercodes.ca/free-stuff/free-biore-steam-activated-cleanser/
This cleanser is available for $6 at Target, and there are frequently sales and coupons so you might even be able to get one for $3 or $4!


2. DIY Acne toner - I've already talked about this in a previous post, but in case you guys can't find it here it is.
Ingredients:
a. Witch hazel, 2 oz
 http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?ltr=W&t=112482
This was $1.50 at Wal-Mart; you can also get it for $1.77 (~$2) at Target as well. The bottle is actually 16 oz of stuff so you can use it for quite awhile.


b. Aloe vera gel, ~1/2 tsp
 http://tinyurl.com/4xlak9z
This you can use for A LONG time, and it was only $3. You can also use it for sunburns, face masks, etc.


c. Matcha - a pinch
 http://www.drlisawatson.com/matcha-superpowdered-green-tea
This is kind of expensive, but I got 1/2 pound of it for $22 off the internet (Amazon). You can also use it to make teas, ice cream, milkshakes, smoothies, etc etc etc. It has so many benefits for your health - speeding up metabolism, containing catechins that prevent cancer, etc etc etc. Of course you don't have to add it if you don't want to. After all, it is DIY!

You can currently get it here:
Green tea powder, Amazon.com (~$36)
 
http://tinyurl.com/452gjh3

d. Aspirin - uncoated, generic
 http://vitamincgoodness.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html
Mix it all up into a small bottle (~4 ounces), adding in first 10 tablets of aspirin, then 1/2 of the witch hazel, then the matcha, and the aloe vera. Then, add the rest of the witch hazel, and shake it up!!!

When using it, first shake it up. Then, apply with a cotton ball or pad. There will be little aspirin granules on your face, but they can be removed with another cotton pad/ball or a makeup brush (face brush, complexion brush, kabuki brush, etc).

3. Clean & Clear Finishes Pore Perfecting Moisturizer, SPF 15
 http://beautycreams.buyersreviewguideonline.com/clean-clear-finishes-pore-perfecting-moisturizer-spf-15-1-7-oz/


This was $5 online, http://tinyurl.com/3p87mb6. So useful, and contains SPF as well!


Evening routine:
1. Biore Steam Activated Cleanser
2. DIY acne toner
3. Jergen's Sensitive Skin Relief Lotion
http://www.drugstore.com/jergens-sensitive-skin-relief-fragrance-free-daily-moisturizer/qxp223867

I got this at Target for $5, and trust me, it lasts FOREVER. I use mine on my entire body - hands, arms, legs, face, etc - and the bottle lasted for an entire year. 21 ounces in this bottle! It works really well =D

4. Once a week, use apple cider vinegar for spot treatment, applying with a Q-tip:
 http://completelycoupons.net/free-0-65-cent-heinz-vinegar-walmart-publix

This you can get probably somewhere around the house! Or you can get it for around $1 at any supermarket, Target, Wal-Mart, whatever. Very useful for other purposes as well - cooking, cleaning, etc etc etc.

Be sure to use the DIY toner after the vinegar because the vinegar is very stinging though; alternatively you could dilute the vinegar with water to soften it and make it less harsh on your skin =D

Hopefully this will help out!!! Trust me, there's a lot of science that's involved in this, but I won't bother you guys with it since this is really the solution. (No worries, I do know the science - I'm a bio major lolz) Alternatively you could look up the science behind it via googling or something, if you really wanted to find out.

http://www.super-science-fair-projects.com/physics-science-fair-projects.html

That's it for now.... ttyl!
<3, chynagrl

Nikita

So there's a new show on the CW called Nikita.

It's absolutely fantastic.

Now, I've gotta say, there are some corny parts. The killed lover, mysterious stranger, themes of revenge and romance, deception and manipulation, all come into play. Typically, Nikita is about a teenage girl who is either homeless or a drug addict, and kills a cop or is framed for doing so. She then gets sent to jail, is sentenced to death, and one day, wakes up in a mysterious room. A guy named Michael tells her that an organization has recruited her to do things, and has decided to give her a new chance at life. Now, I'm not gonna spoil the rest of the story for you, but it's been shown in several forms before.

The original movie, which was French, was called "Nikita":
 http://www.hecklerspray.com/top-sexiest-20-movie-babes-that-could-kick-the-crap-out-of-you/201052735.php

Then, the US created a movie in 1993 called the "Point of No Return":
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_No_Return_(film)
Later it was turned into a show called "La Femme Nikita":
 http://bishsbeat.blogspot.com/2009/11/spy-girls-la-femme-nikita-iii-series.html

The latest one, on the CW, in season 1, is my favorite. Here, Nikita has gotten out of the organization she is in (which basically trains her to be an assassin) and is fighting against them. Along with many other interesting characters.
 http://www.poptower.com/nikita-cw-2010-tv-show-picture-32110.htm

I've watched every episode of the series, and I seriously think that it's pretty good. It's definitely worth watching, even though there might be some cheesy moments. Look up times on the internet to find out when it airs in your area. Have fun!

Fave songs update

Here are some of my favorite songs from recent times...

1. "If we ever meet again" - Timbaland ft. Katy Perry



2. "September" - Earth, Wind, Fire



3. Marjaani - Billu Barber


4. Hella Decalé - Dj Mam's feat Doukali & Soldat Jahman


5. 2Gether 4Ever - NDS vs Tom E
**Disclaimer: This song added to my sorrow during my breakup days, but now that things have smoothed over, and we are friends, it's all good ^_^


6. Alina Puscau - When You Leave (Numa Numa) Basshunter radio mix
*Awesome song!!!*



7. Wiz Khalifa - Black And Yellow
Song I heard on the dance floor the other night


8. FearFM - Space (HeadHunterz remix)
Skip to 0:43 for the really good stuff


9. SHINee(샤이니) _ LUCIFER
One of the best dancing MVs I've seen before


10. Hey Juliet - LMNT



That's all for now guys!!!

<3, chynagrl

Stereotypes about Asians

I hate being stereotyped.

When most people see me in this world, what they see is what I am on the outside: an East Asian girl, short, petite, studious, intelligent, cares about parents and parents' expectations, lacks adequate driving skills, opposed to laziness, gets through with merit and diligence.

Granted, I'm taking things from this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotypes_of_East_Asians_in_the_Western_world

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_minority

I hate this. Barely anyone sees past this bare surface, even people that I've known for a long time. It's absolutely terrible. Why can't people see beyond the obvious? Most people place me in a schema when they meet me - young, innocent, stereotypical Asian. That's it. They don't want to know about my personality, my thirst and need for intellectually-stimulating conversations, my passion for writing, my love of biology, my need to connect with people and my mission to help save the world. All it is is some stereotypical dragon lady or Geisha girl. Terrible.

I wish that people could just look past this barrier. This was what intrigued me about my ex; he was willing to look beyond the obvious and see me for something more, or at least my intellectual side. But ultimately he too placed me in a Dragon Lady/exotic Geisha girl category. Which is why it ended.

Why can't people just look beyond stereotypes and get to know the real person? Why can't they see what is really going on, what I really am, for my self? I spent so much of college trying to find my identity, especially since in HS I was so under the influence of my parents, family, cultural expectations, community expectations, worries about getting into college, and everything. Now that I'm in college, I finally for the first time have an outlet through which I can truly express myself. But ultimately, hardly anyone sees beyond that.

If only I could find someone, someone, a friend who would really look beyond that, beyond what appears on the surface.... that would truly be beautiful....

Dating scene in college....?

Hi guys,

This post is going to be different from other posts I've done; it's going to be more.... personal, I guess, in a way, not (really) beauty-related, more about life.

From what you guys have gathered from my previous posts, you can probably tell I'm a college student. Yes, I'm a college student, and I'm a double-majoring pre-med at what many people would classify to be a pretty prestigious university. My grades are all right (my GPA is above a 3.8), I live in a dorm, I've finished most of my pre-med requirements and stuff, and I'm pretty much) squared away for med school.

So, now onto the stuff in my personal life. The dating scene at my college... basically sucks. Usually, I would describe the dating scene at any school to be a continuum:

<------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------>
Hook-ups              Casual Dating               Exclusive Dating         Engaged         Married

Now, some people might think this scale is silly, but this is basically what it's like in my mind. Different schools have different styles. At my college, it's mostly one of the extremes; people either go to random parties to find others to hook up with, or others are exclusively, steadily dating, in very serious relationships, and I have quite a few friends that are engaged, getting married soon (congratulations! I'm going to their weddings soon).

http://www.adayforyouweddings.com/

Where does that leave for people who want to try to get into the dating scene, and dislike hook-ups? Not really anything.

Personally, I don't like hook-ups. I want emotional commitment, I don't do hook-ups, that sort of thing. Then again, I'm barely in my 20s, and I don't want to get engaged/married, especially since I have all of med school, residency, fellowship, etc to do that. I want just some dating or something in-between. Unfortunately, that kind-of doesn't happen that often at my school. People are always incredibly busy, have tons of tests and stuff, and that doesn't leave time for extra stuff like this. I dated a guy at the beginning of this semester, and unfortunately, it didn't work out. I have this construct in my head of what guys and girls look for; predominately, guys look for the physical aspect (at least in the beginning), girls look for the emotional aspect, and gradually, for a relationship to work, it needs to come through to a nice happy medium in the middle.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen in my case. I wanted my (ex-) dude to be more emotionally committed; he (at least in my opinion) wanted body. I couldn't give (that much) to him, at least as of that time. It was really sad, but the break-up was mutual. We felt like it couldn't work out. So I'm back to square one....

 http://dealingwithabreakupadvice.com/

What do you guys/gals look for in a relationship? Do college relationships truly work out? What qualities do you look for in a guy/girl? Do you think the continuum on relationships that I posted above is legit, or real?

Oh yeah, btw, one of my friends and underclassman that I counsel (I'm a counselor as well) showed me this link about guys and girls' thoughts on dating, relationships; it's called ladder theory (the link below will describe it better than I can): http://www.laddertheory.com/

Do you guys/gals think the ladder theory is correct? At least for the general population?

All right, this was a pretty serious post, now time to get back to classes.

<3, chynagrl

Awesome DIY Tutorials!

Cucumber + Papaya Soap:



Lip gloss (peppermint + cinnamon):



Skin whitening products:



How to take care of hair:



Hair removal:



Skincare routine:



Acne scar removing masks:



Wavy hair with Epsom Salt:



Enjoy!

My DIY acne toner + other skincare remedies

Hiya guys!


Updated skincare routine!!! I have now added a homemade toner, modified with slight editions from different sources + advice. My skin has never been clearer =D


Every night, I use a homemade DIY acne toner. This toner was originally inspired by secretlifeofabionerd's Youtube video on an aspirin toner:





I've modified this to adapt to what I like best, and added some other stuff.


My ingredients:
1. Witch Hazel, CVS Generic (~$3)
 http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/cvs-witch-hazel


2. Uncoated Aspirin, CVS Generic ($1)
 http://tinyurl.com/3ecsx45


3. Aloe Vera (100%), CVS Generic (~$3)
 http://tinyurl.com/44g6w22


4. Small container (preferrably screw-top; I used an old vitamins bottle that I had finished) - free! (or you can buy one from Wal-Mart or Target or any other generic store for ~$1)


5. Green tea powder, Amazon.com (~$36)
 
http://tinyurl.com/452gjh3


I know this last ingredient is really expensive guys, but trust me, it's TOTALLY worth it. Currently, it's the most cost-efficient green tea powder (matcha) available on Amazon, and is much cheaper per ounce than what you would find at a health food shop such as Whole Foods or GNC. In addition, it's really versatile - you can make green tea with it, or green tea ice cream, green tea smoothies, green tea popsicles, everything! And this lasts you a LONG time - I've used my bag (10 oz) for about 1 year and I'm not even halfway through. And that's coming from a person who drinks at least 4 cups of green tea a day. Such a great buy!


Anyways, here's the procedure:
1. Inside the bottle, add 5 - 10 aspirin pills, depending on how strong you want the toner to be.
2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of green tea powder.
3. Add 2 ounces of witch hazel.
4. Add 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel.


Close up the bottle and shake it up! Soon, the aspirin will dissolve, and the green tea powder, aloe vera, and all of the other goodies will be there for your use.


To use: Get a cotton ball, and soak it with the toner solution (be sure to shake up the toner before using!) Gently pad your face with the cotton ball, making sure to get any acne spots. Allow the toner to dry. You will find some grains of aspirin left over on your face, which you can get rid of using another cotton ball or by brushing off using a large makeup brush.


I use this once a night, and trust me, it's made my skin SO much better. In fact, one of my mom's friends saw me the other day and asked me for "the secret ingredients" to how my skin became this way. It definitely works.


Oh yeah, here's a tutorial I found just today on another aloe vera gel mask by secretlifeofabionerd:





Enjoy guys and gals!


<3, chynagrl