Music/videos I'm liking right now...

Lately, I've really been liking the "Above All That Is Random" series by YT music artist, Christina Grimmie, and her friend Sarah (I don't know her last name). Basically, this series is making use of Autotune with lyrics from random songs to create awesome new songs.

Here is the latest one, #5:

#4:

#3:

#2:

#1:

Kevjumba's "My Dad Taught Me" video, poking fun at stereotypical Asian dads (lolz!):

A very inspirational video from Bubzbeauty on the importance of being yourself, embracing your inner beauty, accepting and loving yourself for the way you are:

Sam Tsui's cover of "Domino" by Jessie J:

Bubzbeauty's advice on how to deal with negative people:

And now for the nerdy side of me...

And a relatively old vid made by a long-time friend of mine, Oblivious Alsk, about gamers using a program called "Fold-It" to discover the structure of a protein. I actually used the program during my biochemistry class in second year of university! Thus, transitively, I actually helped discover the structure of this protein! (At least sort of, I guess) So cool, huh? Yup!

Those are your 10 vids! Today is definitely a special day because this year, 2012, we actually have a leap year. Hehe, one of my friends was actually born on the 29th. When I asked him in high school how he celebrated his birthday, he said he just had a party every 4 years. According to the Gregorian calendar, he's only 5 years old. However, in my book, he's 20 =D

Ciao, my (male and female) bellas!

<3

Simple NOTD + Current (ok) addiction

Top & bottom coats: Revlon Multi Care Base + Top Coat

Middle coats (2): Revlon Top Speed Hazy

Lately, I've been addicted to black iced tea. Just your average iced tea. I don't like drinking coffee because I usually have to add stuff just to make it drinkable, and even then it tastes bad. Diet coke is pretty bad for you in general, and regular coke/pepsi/dr pepper gets tiring after awhile. For some reason, though, iced tea seems okay. It works on your system more gently, is drinkable without any additives, and still somewhat hydrates me.

What do you guys and gals think? Do you have any addictions that are (at least somewhat) beneficial to your health? Leave a comment below!

<3

Source: 1

February 2012 YT MUA of the Month

Here we go again!

The February 2012 YT MUA of the Month is....

cydangie!

Cydangie is the screen name of a girl named Cydia. She is an interior design student living in New York. I've got to say, she's pretty darn amazing. Cydia focuses mostly on high-end products and also does skincare. She's the one from who I found out about MyGlam.

Cydia does the ordinary YT MUA videos such as:

Best Beauty Products:

Hauls:

Various tutorials:

Basic smokey eye:

School:

Blue eyeliner:

Focus on MAC lipstick:

and etc.

She tends to do a lot of giveaways as well, involving haircare products as well as circle lenses. I don't wear circle lenses but I know they are a major trend in East Asia.

What I really think is cool about her is that she has her own online makeup shop. At Cydangie's Beauty Shop, one can buy eyeshadow palettes, face palettes, brushes, false lashes, jewelry, nail work, phone cases,  purse hangers, etc. She owns this company by herself and ships out to the entire world.

Here are reviews of her shop and some of its products:

All in all, she's a pretty cool girl. And the cool thing is that she responds to comments on her YT vids! Interesting.

She also sent me a PM on YT thanking me for subscribing when I did. Which is something no other YTer has EVER done for me. In my entire history of going on YT.

I personally think she is an amazing, beautiful girl.

If you're interested, go check out her channel!

<3

Sources: 1

Permanent links to old episodes:

Gossmakeupartist

Xteeener
kandeejohnson

daisycheekz

secretlifeofabionerd

DDF's Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer Moisturizing Serum Review

I recently received a sample of Doctor's Dermatologic Formula's Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer Moisturizing Serum  (Gee what a mouthful!) from my mother when she took a trip to Sephora. The formula states that it is supposed to minimize the appearance of fine lines and reduce pores, as well as increase the skin's surface renewal rate.

Now, tell you the truth, I don't have that many wrinkles. Right now, I am 21 years old, and yet still (to most people) look like a 17 or 18-year old. However, I decided to still try this.

When I first put it on, it felt like a light face cream. It was not like one of those liquidy facial serums that you often find in health stores. Instead, it was just a light cream. It actually felt very fine and useful.

Nevertheless, when I put it on that night, I just used it as a night cream for my face.

The next morning, though, I didn't find any pore minimization or decrease in wrinkling. Hmm.

Tell you the truth, this product is probably not meant for someone like me. It is probably meant for someone a bit older, perhaps in their late 30s and 40s, and also for people with large pores. I do have large pores around my nose (due to all of the acne and stuff), but the thing is that on the rest of my face, I am ok.

This retails for $85 at Sephora.

Would I purchase this product for realz? Probably not, at least at this stage in my life. I don't really need these types of products, at least yet, and when I do need them, I'll probably buy them (pending I can afford them).

Do you guys and gals buy pore-minimizing and wrinkle-reducing products? If so, what do you think of them? Leave a comment!

<3

Source: 1

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque Review

I recently purchased this from Amazon for about $6.

I had heard a lot of good reviews about it, and after hearing from Hannahfyed about it, I decided to give it a whirl.

Whoa, it was pretty darn cool!

The stuff inside is actually kaolin clay. It has a minty scent and is squeezed out of the tube that is shown in the picture above.

So, first things first: I do not like the packaging. I normally don't comment on packaging, since I am paying for the product and not the actual package, but for this item I think I have to make an exception. The squeezy-tube bottle does not bode well for the product; it makes it really hard to get the product out since the mask itself is very viscous. Since I am basically 1/2 way through the bottle/tube now, it's getting harder and harder to use.

What you're supposed to do is to squeeze out the product and smooth it out onto your skin. Afterwards, you're supposed to wait till it dries, and then wash it off. On my first try, I put on a very thick layer and that was not good for me, because it took WAY too long to wash off. Oh my goodness. Trust me, it was about 45 min.

However, after I used it, I totally noticed a change in my skin: it had become so much more smooth, so refined, as if I was a newborn babe again. My cheeks felt so smooth and silky that I was amazed that such a product could do such a thing.

The next few times I used it, I slathered it onto my face as a whole face mask, and applied just a thin layer. At first, just like on the first try, the mint will tingle and even sting. However, afterwards, the tingling and stinging goes away. When you wash off the mask, it leaves your face feeling extremely clean, smooth, silky, and fresh.

Lately, I've been trying it as a spot treatment. It definitely does help get rid of acne pimples, but not in the case that you would think it would work. It does so by drying out the skin around it so that the pimple shrivels and dries up. It has helped me clear up my acne a bit, but its effects are very gradual and subtle.

I've also used it as a night mask; I would just apply it to my trouble spots at night and sleep with it. However, this was a bother, because I tend to move around a lot when I sleep, and after the mask dried, it would crack and sometimes fall off of my face. Sometimes I would have to wake up at 4 AM just to wash it off of my face and go back to sleep peacefully. I don't think I want to continue doing that, so I'll have to use another night spot treatment. Although I've got to say that it does work, and I think for people who don't move around a lot when they sleep, it will be okay.

The price is definitely very good. I liked it so much that I ordered another 2 bottles of it, in fact. Just for backup use in case the first one runs out.

I've only used this product for ~1 month but I've already used up 1/2 of a tube. Go figure.

Would this product be a repurchase for me? It already has been =D

<3

Sources: 1

The Hunger Games! Trailers, soundtrack, and more

I'm sure most (if not all) of you guys and gals have heard of the Hunger Games.

A game of chicken to see who can go the longest without eating?
A play on the name of a certain central European country, where Olympic-eque games are held?
Just a form of amusement for me to write in a super-long title for a blog post?

Nope.

The Hunger Games is a trilogy by Suzanne Collins. It is an adventure series set in a post-apocalyptic world in the country of Panem, where the capital rules over 12 (if not 13) districts. Alluding to the ancient myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, each year, two children one boy and one girl, from each district are selected to compete in the "Hunger Games" in the capital, where they fight to the death till one is left alive.

And now, I won't spoil anymore, so those of you who haven't read it can enjoy without my spoilers.

The Hunger Games, the first book, is followed by Catching Fire, and Mockingjay.

      

These books have recently become some of the most popular among all age groups of adults, as well as among children. They have gained fame equivalent to the level of (perhaps even) the Harry Potter series, the Twilight saga, and the Inheritance cycle.

The books have become so popular that a movie is being made out of them. The first movie, "The Hunger Games", stars Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson and is based off of the eponymous first book.

   

The movie is coming out on March 23. I can't wait for it to come out! If you guys have not read the series yet, I would highly encourage you to do so. I "accidentally" stumbled upon this book one day while going through the shelves of my brother's room (I was dusting the room). Picked it up, and forgot about the dusting for a 3.5-hour marathon. I could not take my eyes off of the book's pages. Soo good. Soo good.

Here are the trailers:

The soundtrack (or at least a part of it) was recently released as well! Here's a song by Taylor Swift, called "Safe and sound". So beautiful.

Have you guys read the Hunger Games series yet? If so, what is your opinion of it? Do you guys intend to watch the movie? Leave a comment!

P.S. I'm trying out this new system for citing my sources, as I saw from Hannahfyed's style (Thank you Hannah!). Do you guys like it?

Sources: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

MyGlam February Bag....

Disclaimer: The words in this post that I might use might or might not be very pretty. Be prepared for anything.

All right, I just got my February MyGlam bag in the mail.

You all know what it looks like! There's a bagillion pics and reviews of stuff already out there.



No, sadly, this is not my bag. I was kind of too saddened by the contents of this bag to even put a picture up. I got basically exactly what this lady (and I) got:
1. X-out Shine control
2. NYX Roll on Shimmer
3. Goji Berry Mask
4. Dead Sea Premier Mask + Serum
5. Gift card for a NuMe hair styling tool

What was I sad about?
1. I got my tracking number waay later than most of the rest of the community got theirs
2. This bag was a big let-down compared to December and January's
3. That it was a gift card and not an actual product. I looked on the website and it looks like I have to spend at least another $25 if I want to get anything, which I kinda really don't want to do.

Overall, I think I'll try MyGlam one more month and see what happens. 3 strikes and you're out. That's that. Unless someone convinces me otherwise.

You're out!

Sources: 1 / 2

Sibu Beauty Seabuckthorn Hydrating Serum + Night creme review

My mother was able to procure me a sample of Sibu's famed Hydrating Serum and Replenishing Night Cream from Whole Foods Market.

The Serum is a liquidy-substance that you put on your face right after you wash it at night. It is supposed to help get rid of wrinkles and renew your skin. When I first put it on, it was as if I was squeezing peach juice onto my face. Very rich and oozy. Very interesting. I felt as if my skin was being very renewed actually. Afterwards, my skin felt very nice and cool. It did take awhile for it to dry though.

Afterwards, the Night cream took its trial. It is also soothing, but is very thick and creamy. It was very difficult for it to absorb fully into my skin, probably especially after the Hydrating Serum. Interesting. For me, it was extremely difficult for both products to be absorbed completely onto my skin.

Overall, I think this is a very rich product that definitely would help people with dry skin. Unfortunately, the price definitely bites: the Hydrating Serum is $31.29 for 1 oz, and the Night Cream is $27.39 for 1 oz. Would I purchase this full product? Probably not. It's not meant for my skin type (combination) and also it's way out of my budget.

Would you guys and gals buy this? Do you think these types of products are worth the price? Leave a comment!

<3

Sources: 1 / 2

Happy Valentine's Day! NOTD (Toes) + Review on Essie Sexy Divide

Base + top Coat: Revlon Multi Care Base+Top Coat

Purple: Essie Sexy Divide

Stripe base: Essie One Day Without Blues

Stripe top: Julep Nail Polish, in Maya

Here is the Essie Sexy Divide individually (not my pic):

The Essie Sexy Divide is a really nice, creamy, purple-ish nail polish with a slight purple-pink glitter. It glides on really nicely and is really pretty.

Thank you to Hannah from hannahfyed for the Essie Sexy Divide nail polish!

Source: 1

Bumble and Bumble Creme De Coco Masque Review

http://www.amazon.com/Creme-Masque-Unisex-Bumble-Ounce/dp/B001CRVFWM

Recently, my mom gave me a sample of Bumble and bumble's Creme de Coco Masque. When I first put this product on, I felt as if I was coating my hair in chocolate. Pure milk chocolate. I know, it sounds kind of weird, but it actually felt really really nice. The inside material is actually a white thick, opaque goo that you can just meld onto your hair, kind of like molding wax, except much less viscous. I was able to spread it to the roots of my hair and let it sit for about 10 minutes (it says "7 minutes or more" on the instructions but I just let it be).

Afterwards, I just rinsed out my hair.

How was it afterwards? Well, it felt very nice. My hair smelled very nice and felt nice as well. It wasn't anything remarkable - it didn't really super-smooth out my hair or anything, but it was decent.

This stuff is sold at Sephora for $27 for 5 oz.

Would I actually purchase this? No! I don't have $27 to shell out for something that I don't think is remarkably interesting like this. Oh well.

What hair masks do you guys recommend? Are there any that stand out in your mind? Have you ever tried this product? If so, how did you find it? Leave a comment!

<3

RIP Whitney Houston, 2.11.2012

Today, a musical great died.

Whitney Houston died at age 48.

Thank you for all of your contributions to the world. May you rest in peace.

<3

Music/videos I'm liking right now...

Here are 10 music pieces/videos that I'm liking right now:

"International Love" by Pitbull, Chris Brown

"The City is Ours", Big Time Rush

"Only If", Enya

"Ridin" by Chamillionaire

An old favorite - "Stronger", Britney Spears

"Moon Girl" by Inna

From the popular YT series - "s&^t broke college students say"

From the popular YT series - "s&^t Asian Dads say"

(Reminds me of how different my dad is from the stereotypical Asian dad.... ^_^)

"Shake It Up" MV on Good Morning America by the Shake It Up Cast/Crew

"Say It Right" - Nelly Furtado

Happy Friday Everyone! <3

Products I regret buying

All right guys and gals,

This is just going to be a post about products I regret buying, plus little explanations. Not much else to talk about here.

http://makeupfu.madtofu.com/2010/08/elf-at-target-back-to-school-haul/

ELF Zit Zapper, $1: I don't like the rolly-ball mechanism, as it can help spread acne and bacteria and stuff, despite its purpose as a "zit zapper". I'm actually using it in my skin routine, really, in an effort to try to finish it.

http://www.drugstore.com/almay-one-coat-nourishing-thickening-mascara-blackbrown-403/qxp21827

Almay's One Coat Nourishing Thickening Mascara, Waterproof - it didn't do very much as a mascara, even though it was hypoallergenic, which I guess was nice.

http://sunshinebeauty.com/2in1Search.asp?productcode1=2028&PN=Kohl%20Kajal%20Eyeliner

Jordana's Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Iridescent blue (the 4th eyeliner down, from the top). This eyeliner smears a lot, and does not have long-lasting power.

http://www.vampyvarnish.com/2011/08/wet-wild-color-icon-brow-eye-liner-pencils-swatches-photos-review/

Wet N' Wild Coloricon Eye & Brow Eyeliner in Dark Brown and White: These smeared A LOT, more than the Jordana Kohl Kajal Eyeliner, and did not have any staying power whatsoever. Sorry, kind of a fail for Wet N' Wild, in my opinion....

http://watchestyle.livejournal.com/

EyesLipsFace 27-piece palette: This was a total fail for me. The eyeshadows crumbled or were extremely chalky, the eyeshadow smeared over all of the lip shades, the spongy eye applicator didn't work very well, the lip balm was very hard, etc. At one point I was almost afraid to use this because I was afraid it would cause me to break out. Fail.

http://lacqueredpaintedpolished.blogspot.com/2011/09/milani-baked-blush-in-terra-sole.html

Milani Baked Blush in Terra Sole - I don't like this because of the packaging. The container literally BROKE and cracked, and I had to take the blush out. It fell out in chunks. I can't keep the container anymore because the cap literally fell off. It was really bad and I got it over everything. The product is really good but the actually packaging is terrible. I usually don't mind cheap packaging as long as it can stay sturdy and not hurt the product, but in this case it DEFINITELY was a fail.

http://punkphatz.blogspot.com/2009/06/maybelline-unstoppable-eyeliner.html

Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner in Onyx - this is supposed to be a waterproof eyeliner, black eyeliner, that is supposed to be really good. However, for me, it's either because I have Asian double eyelids or something, but it DEFINITELY did not work for me. It smeared, it creased, it was quite terrible. Ugh, just ugly.

http://frappelattes.com/mini-haul-revlon-matte-kohl-eyeliner-fotd/

Revlon's Matte Luxurious Color Kohl Eyeliner in Black Truffle - sorry guys, I think I'm just smashing drugstore eyeliners, but these were definitely fails for me. This eyeliner also smudged and smeared a lot (I know it's kohl but still I've heard rave reviews about it) and it creased and did not work for me at all. And the worst thing was I almost paid $10 for this because I heard it was so good. Fail on my part...

http://www.ftbbeauty.ca/

ELF Nail block - I know that I only paid $1 for this, but still I was disappointed. It did not really buff my nails properly that well, and took a long time to buff them even though the end result was not that good.

http://tinyurl.com/6pa7m3b

Estee Lauder MagnaScopic Maximum Volume Mascara in Black - I know I've mentioned this mascara in a previous post, but seriously I must emphasize how bad this experience was. It clumped, smudged, smeared, and left me looking like a very weird Asian clown. Because of this, and because of the fact that it was the first mascara I ever tried, and because I thought all mascaras would be like this, I did not use mascara for many years (~5-6 years) after I first started this, because of my experiences with my first one. And the worst thing was that it cost over $20 for this mascara! Fail on my part.

What products do you guys regret buying? Leave a comment!

<3

Ole Henriksen "3 Little Wonders" Review

http://tinyurl.com/7w5okxs

Ole Henriksen's "3 Little Wonders" Set is sold in various stores for about $70. This includes 3 things -

1. AM Step 1 Truth Serum Collagen Booster

2. PM Step 1 Invigorating Night Gel

3. Am/PM Step 2 Sheer Transformation

My mom was able to procure a sample of this for me from a Sephora order recently.

The AM Step Truth Serum is a light serum that hydrates the skin with vitamin C. When I tried it, it was just the slightest bit sticky, but the stickiness soon wore away. It did not tingle my skin at all (and I have sensitive skin) and smelled citrus-ey, kind of like a light orange scent. Felt very nice on my skin and definitely brightened it a bit. I was, in fact, in kind of a "happy" mood afterwards.

The AM/PM Step 2 Sheer Transformation functions as a day cream and a night cream. Its texture is a milky white color, yet it glides onto my skin very smoothly and lightly. I could feel my skin literally soaking it up. My skin felt very soothed and yet energized after the application.

The PM Step 1 is a night gel that is supposed to be put on before the Sheer Transformation. It is supposed to help prevent and get rid of wrinkles. It is a clear, viscous gel. Sadly, it stung my face as soon as I put it on; the stinging did not subside for about 10 minutes after I put it on. It took a long time for it to dry. Afterwards, I put on the Sheer Transformation, and naturally I felt the same sensation as I did when I put it on in the morning.

Overall, how do I think of it? I think it is an excellent product that definitely merits some consideration. Unfortunately, it won't be a repurchase for me. How could I spend $70 for so little, when I can get probably 4X as much product for the same price at the drugstore.

Yup. That's that.

What do you guys think about this? Do you think these expensive products are worth the price you pay for them? What skin products or serums do you recommend? Leave a comment!

<3

Updated skincare routine

Morning:
1. To wash my face and get rid of any oil that had accumulated during the night:

Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser, $6
http://tinyurl.com/7afmmlj

2. To moisturize my eyes (and dark circles, which happen a lot now that I am back at university):

Yes To Carrots Moisturizing Eye Cream, $15
http://tinyurl.com/7zduoow

3. To moisturize my face and give it some spf protection from the hot Southern US sun:

Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer, SPF 15, $9
http://tinyurl.com/6mlhmm6

Night time:

1. To get rid of any makeup on my face:

Sephora Waterproof eye makeup remover, $9.50
http://tinyurl.com/78p2c8m

2. To wash my face to get rid of excess oils, and also clean up the stuff the makeup remover didn't get off:

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash, $7
http://tinyurl.com/7g4re5b

3.To get rid of stuff that the oil-free acne wash didn't get rid of:

Origins Checks & Balances Wash, $19.50 (gift from mother)
http://tinyurl.com/8y57fyf

4. To tone my face:

Witch hazel astringent, $3
http://tinyurl.com/86r7l3c

5. To moisturize my eyes:

Yes To Carrots Moisturizing Eye Cream, $15
http://tinyurl.com/7zduoow

6. To moisturize my face:

Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturizer w/ 0.5% salicylic acid, $6
http://tinyurl.com/83kmgb4

7. For spot treatment:

ELF Zit Zapper, $1
http://tinyurl.com/7af9xay

8. For mass spot treatment:

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque, $4
http://tinyurl.com/8yn2y4d

Hope this was informative! Have a happy Saturday everyone =D

<3

OOTD (Happy Groundhog Day!)

Purple hoodie: New York & Company, $20

Shirt: Style & Co, Petite, $15

Belt: Unbranded, (don't remember price)

Jeans: American Rag CIE, $35 (sale)

Socks: Forever 21, $1

Taken while listening to iPod