NOTD, 9.16.2012

   

At the request of one of my friends and long-time followers, I decided to do a Nails of the Day photo. Lately I haven't really been painting my nails because we're in Gross Anatomy Lab all the time, and well, when you're dissecting and everything, it feels kind of.... "gross"!

Don't get me wrong - I actually really appreciate anatomy lab as a course and have learned a lot from it. I just don't feel that having manicured nails and everything is very helpful during lab. And also, because of lab, the nails chip a lot more.

Apologies for the nail chipping - I've been running around a lot and have to do a lot of random stuffs!

Anyway,

Bottom + top coat: Sephora by OPI Nail Treatment - 3 in 1 Base, Top, & Strengthener

Middle 2 coats: Julep Nail Vernis - Anne

<3

Review: Giovanni 2 chic collection: Shampoo, conditioner, Leave-in Conditioning & Styling Elixir

 

I was fortunate enough to recently receive (usable) samples of these product from my mom. Giovanni is a haircare line that I have always admired but have never really bought for economical reasons.

I use shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner typically every night; and how did I think of these products?

Pros:
-Very smooth and useful
-Did not leave any knots in my hair (conditioner worked well)
-No frizz
-Did not make my scalp feel itchy

Cons:
-The elixir felt kind of sticky and stayed on as if it weighed down my hair
-The cost! Each of these full-sized products costs $9, and that's for 8.5 fl oz shampoo, 8.5 fl oz conditioner, and 4 fl oz leave-in conditioner. Compare that to Tresemme (which I normally use) - $4 for 32 oz. And Tresemme (which is my HG shampoo/conditioner) gives similar results - especially the conditioner.

Overall? If someone really wants nice hair and has $$ to spend, I would say go for it. However, for me, I won't be purchasing the full-sized products. I'll stick to Tresemme and my typical leave-in conditioner (Fruitopia Hair Serum, click here for review) for now.

All right now, enough of this, now back to work for me!

<3

Source: 1

Project X Pan - 2 month update

In one of my previous posts, I listed several products I had wanted to use up (see pics above) in an effort to increase the "turnover rate" of my makeup/skincare supply, so to speak. Here is a ~2 month update:

1. Fresh's Sugar Kisses Mini Lip Duo: Finished about 1/3 of stick, still working on rest.

2. ELF Brightening Eyeliner in Coffee: Currently use as brow pencil, and is shorter than the Wet N' Wild ColorIcon eyeliner. Still working on it.

3. Wet N' Wild ColorIcon Brow & Eyeliner in Dark Brown: No progress, will probably finish after finishing ELF coffee eyeliner (both will be used as brow pencil).

4. Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer in Cream (Light 4-5 shade) - Hit more pan, used more up.

5. CoverGirl's Eye Enhancer's 1-Kit Shadows in Pink Chiffon - Already all finished.

6. Santee’s Shimmer EyeStick in Blue - Haven't made any progress on this.

7. ELF's 27-piece Shimmer Palette: I've hit pan on several eyeshadow shades (on the left side of the palette). Will probably throw away the lipstick shades (they taste pretty nasty and do NOT smell right...)

8. Carmex Moisture Plus stick - done.

9. Fruitopia Hair Serum - still have about 1/7 or 1/8 of bottle left.

10. (Lately added) - Clean & Clear Finishes Even Tone Cleanser - done. Click here for my review on it.

I will retire the finished items - #5, 8, and 10 from the list, and will give updates on the rest of the stuff laterz.

We'll see how this next month of Project X Pan turns out!

DIY natural deodorant

So many articles lately are talking about how toxic aluminum-based deodorants/anti-perspirants can be. I will not go over them, as there are countless articles that go over about it better than I could (these articles are listed at the bottom of this post).

One of the better ways to go around this is to make your own deodorant using other products. I've made a recipe that I think works pretty well so far. Of course, this is not my own recipe that I came up by myself - I've linked below a lot of places I got sources from.

My recipe:


1 tablespoon arrowroot powder ($0.28)
1 tablespoon baking soda ($1.50)
20 drops tea tree oil ($10)
10 drops orange oil ($8)
3-4 tablespoons coconut oil ($8)

Mix it all together thoroughly, and put it in the fridge to set (the melting point of coconut oil is 77 deg F).

End result:



And guess what? It really does work well! Now I don't have that bad stuff and don't feel guilty about putting on deodorant anymore. And it's really cheap too - can make batches after batches for a very low price! (See the prices I listed for the full-sized products above. Overall, per batch, it's cheaper than any natural deodorant from stores, comparable to drugstore priced, aluminum-containing deodorant).

Hurray! If you try this, lemme know how it works out =D

Aluminum-based deodorants/anti-perspirants:
http://chemistry.about.com/b/2011/07/02/antiperspirant-health-hazards.htm
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/6-alternatives-to-toxic-deodorants.html
http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/underarm-care/tips/is-antiperspirant-toxic.htm
http://www.futurederm.com/2008/09/30/does-it-work-secret-clinical-strength-anti-perspirant/
http://www.futurederm.com/2009/03/20/deodorant-parabens-good-aluminum-bad/
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/skintype/deodorant-and-anti-perspirant-ingredients/
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-health-risks-behind-antiperspirants-deodorants-14097.html?cat=69

DIY deodorant links:
http://lanapurcell.tumblr.com/post/5065222525/why-i-heart-coconut-oil-diy-deodorant
http://www.vintagesavoirfaire.com/2012/04/diy-coconut-lime-deodorant/
http://www.good.is/post/strong-enough-for-a-hippie-diy-deodorant-to-handle-the-sweaty-season/

Get to know me tag...

1. Is it cute when guys kiss you on your forehead? yes!
2. A big poofy dress or a short party dress? Usually a short party dress; I'm pretty short so if I wear a big poofy dress it looks disproportional.
3. Are diamonds a girl's best friend? Perhaps? I would like to think rubies and sapphires are in there too.
4. Is your hair up or down today? Up. I'm always on the go!
5. Do you straighten your hair? Maybe at most 5x/year. My hair is naturally straight so I straighten it only if I want to... paralyze the strands.
6. Favorite mascara? I'm still searching for a HG mascara but currently Maybelline Falsies Black Drama Waterproof
7. Do you get your nails done? No - I've always done them myself, even for my HS prom and college formals!
8. Small or large purses? medium and large
9. Jeans or sweats? jeans
10. Do you wear clothes/shoes/jewelry that's uncomfortable?  Only if it only has to be for a short while, and there's a really good reason
11. Do you text message a lot? It really hones into the person who I'm calling/texting and his/her preferences
12. Whats your favorite color? purple, pink, light green, black, red
13. Heels or flats? flats! though short heels if they're comfortable
14. Would you ever leave the house without makeup on? Mhm. especially if I'm going to the gym
15. Walmart or Target? Target
16. Do you think lip gloss is the best! I think they're ok, depending on the situation.
17. Do you own any big sunglasses? Yes!
18. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? about 30 minutes
19. Gold or silver? Silver I guess.
20. Do you like to wear dresses? yes, but for utility purposes I stay with... jeans and scrubs ^_^;
21. In the last 48 hours have you hung out with a guy? no. yes, if you count the guys in my study group?
22. Do you like to hold hands? mhm =D
23. What do you notice when you first meet a guy? eyes, smile
24. Do you like making eye contact? I try, though I'm not always good at it... shy/nervous anyone?
25. Would you kill for chocolate? YES.. I'm always craving chocolate!
26. On a scale from 1-10 how fun is shopping? Depends on what I'm shopping for, groceries, clothes, etc.
27. Do you yell a lot? nope
28. Do you wear sweatpants/pajamas to school/work? Do scrubs count?
29. Have you ever dressed unlike yourself to impress a guy? Maybe during parties or something? I usually dress in the way that makes me comfortable.
30. What makeup could you not live without? eyeliner + concealer
31. Do you fall in love easily? No.
32. Do you have cramps? No. (Why was this asked?!?!)