Quick Update

Soo as you can see my blog has been quite dead....
I tried to update more often but its was really difficult since I don't really go online much on weekdays, which leaves weekend for blogging and on weekends I'm usually out...BUT I do have a tumblr which I update pretty frequently, Chyakura.
Its a slight change in topic from this blog since the tumblr is mostly about fitness and health. I will try to keep this blog up as well and more beauty orientated. I am already planning another hair dye post. Hopefully it will be up soon!

Haul: Bloomingdale's

This is just a quick Haul post. I had a couple of Bloomingdale's gift cards lying around and after a hard couple of days at work. I went on a tiny shopping spree...


1. Jo Malone -Amber and Lavender 30ML
Love the smell. Though my sis feel like it kinda smell like a bathroom. Which I can kind of see. I think it has a very warm and spicy scent. A great winter perfume.



2. Jo Malone - White Jasmine and Mint 30ML
This is a very light smell. It reminds me of a spring time foral scent but a bit like a baby?



3. Marc by Marc Jacobs Turndial studs - Gunmetal

This looked a lot better in the stock picture. I like the backing and the fact that you actually use the turn dial to screw the earing in but I dunno I'm on the fence about this. I may return it.

4. House of Harlow 1960: Sunburst black leather (left) and Blacken Metal Arrowhead (right)

I love the sunburst one1 lol These a great for livening up a work outfit or dressing up a weekend outfit. Can't wait to try them out =D I didn't try the arrowhead one since its a gift for a friend.

Here is a size by size comparison

Close ups

Logo engraved at the back

It seem that most of my posting is of shopping even though I'm not much of a shopper lol. I need to diversify my post more =P

Product Review: Palty Foam Pack

I decided to colour my hair...again. I'm slowly trying to bring it down to a more "work appropriate colour". I choose Palty Foam dye in Dark Ganache

Palty Foam Pack: Dark Ganache

side and the back of the box

The box comes with a cute lil cup, the hair mixture, a paddle for the whipping, and the gloves+ Tsubaki conditioner.

The product is still fairly new and everything is in Japanese. The pictures are fairly self explaintory but just in case I wrote down the directions below of what I did.

Directions:

Step1: Line your hair line with vaseline or lotion to prevent staining

Step 2: Put on your gloves

Step 3: Pour in the clear white bottle in the pink cup

Step 4: Add in the product in the pink tube to the cup

Step 5: Use the paddle to whip. Go in one direction.
Keep whipping for like a count of 60/1min
Make sure everything is completely combine!

Step 6: Apply! =D
If you did it correctly there should be on clumps and all you would have is nice foam

Since it was a foam dye it was TONS cleaner and less messy than my previous attempt with the Garnier one.

Hair after the product

The clean up!

Pros:
Not messy at all!
Smells nice
Non-stingy
Close enough to box colour

Cons:
Pricey - $15
Not enough product

Conclusion:
This is a pretty good product and I had a good experience. The only compliant besides the pricey was the amount of product. My hair is just past shoulder length and this product so does not have enough to cover everything. You can kind of tell in the pictures but to me is not that bad since I like the difference but for someone looking to dye their hair completely, you may wanna go for 2 boxes if you have hair past your shoulder or thick hair.

The After Shot. Hair Freshly washed


After Shot. Dried hair

Comparison to Prettia bubble foam:

The new Palty foam hair dye brings to mind the Prettia one. I had previously used the Prettia one (Sweet Pink). They are both different and kind of similar. I think overall if you have above shoulder length hair and have easily dyed hair for PALTY. If you have longer hair and just want a small change go for PRETTIA. I like Palty better but it would be too expensive to dye the amount of hair I have, $30! Hope this help you guys!

Work Out: Starting Off Tips

I'm sure many of you experienced weight gain during college, and if you didn't lucky you. It was not Freshman 15 but more like 15lbs during my 4 year stint in school. There was so much easy access to food ie oreo milkshake, soda, and yummy greasy fried food. Once I began working I put on even MORE weight since I spend most of my time sitting in front of the computer. By the end of my 1st work year I gained another 15+lbs! Thats 30lbs in 5 years!! At that point I said to myself "you need to loose the weight" So I joined a gym.

I joined the gym twice before and it never worked out...haha get it work out as in you the gym and....sorry I'll stop. Anyway as I was saying , the previous attempts sucked. The only thing I lost was money from my wallet. This was going to be my third attempt and I was going to make it work! and that is my first tip.

1. Be 100% completely committed!

I know it seem obvious but its the biggest and most important step! If you are not wholly committed then don't bother. You won't do your best work out, you would make excuse as to NOT go to the gym ie sleepy, tired, busy, weather is too cold, and you would not get the results you want. You have to give it your all to see any difference. You have to push yourself to attend the gym even when the weather is horrible out. This is a big factor and I can not stress this enough. I have friends who claim they want to loose weight and go to the gym for one week before excuses start popping up. They then have the aduacity to complain about not seeing a difference! Without committment it pointless to go.

Tip 2: Go Hard!

In the beggining I went 5x a week (Tues-Thurs, and Sat) for 1-2 45 minute class. They were the basic classes such as step and total body. Even though I went to the gym alot my weight lost was slow at best. I could not figure out why. I mean I did it frequent and enough that there should be a difference right? Well, it was not until a friend introduce me to this one class that I found the meaning of "work out" It was a high intensity step class taught by a FANTASTIC teacher name Tammy. 2years of her, I lost 20lbs since after each and everyone one of her class I wake up, unable to move.

Every time I move my body I was pain...and that was good! I realized I was not working hard enough. I did not push myself enough. A work out that leaves you sore the next day is the best since it means that you utilize muscles that you previously did not. Keep in mind there is a difference between PAIN and SORENESS. If you are in pain during your work out or afterwards then you might be doing it wrong and injured yourself. Sore is the feeling that you should aim for. If you do not have that feeling that means you should go harder. I'm not saying that you should feel that you are unable to walk after every work out. But a soreness that you feel in your abs everytime you cough cause of a good ab work is good. So if you are on a treadmill and running on say 5speed increase it to 5.5+ and keep it there for as long as possible. Decrease if you are unable to breathe or need a rest but try your best to keep it up. Push your body out of its comfort zone.

Tip 3: This is a lifestyle change and not just a phase
This is a change that you should hold and have it become your daily activity. Like a regular routine akin to laundry and bathing. I know I sound crazy and I agree but this was the mentality that worked for me. If I did not set up strict rules/borders for myself I would stray and get lazy. I would use excuses to push it off. Thats probably why my previous gym attempt failed. Now its more like something I HAVE to do. ...yeah maybe I'm am too crazy....

Sephora Haul

I know this is late since the Sephora 20% off Sale just happened a month. I have been looking forward to this sale and in turn I did not buy anything from Sephora for months. Unlike most of my friends I did not really have a list. Which can be a goo or bad thing since you are going into it semi-unprepared but I did have an idea of what I wanted. Most of the items I got from this sale is kind of boring.

From Left to Right: Laura Mericer Flawless Face Kit (nude), Clarisonic Mia Sonic Cleanser,
Sephora Professional Kabuki brush, Dual Brush Refill, Lancome Artliner, Opi by Sephora Flurry Up

Inside the Laura Mericer face kit

L to R: tinted moisturizer, primer, cosmetic bag, concealer brush,
another brush, concealer (spot and for overall), setting powder, sponge, and powder sponge

I am actually very happy of this purchase, even though it is kinda pricey. It does help create a flawless face. It is also a very good beginners kit since it has everything you need. The downside is that it over works well if you don't need to do a lot of damage control for your skin ie acne. It gets the job done if your skin is pretty much unblemished since the coverage is sheer. Other than that I love this! And since the tm and primer are all like 1oz so it makes it perfect for travel

As far as liquid liner goes this Lancome is not a bad bet.

It dries fairly quickly and with a a nice precise brush tip its easy to get a define flick as you can see from my horrible webcam photo.


The lasting power is not bad but I do not believe its water proof . When I was testing it at Sephora it was the only one that wipe away easily with the make up remover while the other ones, Hourglass, still lasted. That is like a double edge sword since it means a easy wash off but when it comes to the summer and a sweaty face it may start to melt off. I would definitely test drive it in the summer


I saw OPI's Flurry Up a month before the Sephora Sale and ever since then I could not get it out of my head. I am not one for glittery nail polish since with other nail glitter nail polish you would need to layer it many times to build up a nice glitter effect.

Flurry Up in the middle

I also picked up the Sephora Pro line Kabuki brush (not picture) since I was in need of one. The price was reasonable, especially after the 20% sale and it gets the job done. The bristles are very soft and the brush itself is small which I like since I'm limited on my space. I also have 2 other brush from Sephora, a angle eyeliner brush and a portable blush brush. So far my experience with the line have been pleasant. Would I buy the brush at full price? maybe not but during sales events they are pretty good.

As with the Clarisonic Mia I'm planning on doing a separate post regarding it. Anyway I promise I'll try to update in a more orderly fashion...maybe doing it all at once and schedule them to post on weekdays...

Quick Update

I know I have not update in what has been more than a month eek! I just been super busy with work, events, and coughterrariacough....yeah. Plus most of what I do is kind of the same thing every weekend. Anyway, I will try to be better! So here is a quick peek as what's to come =)

Weekend: Hair Dye

I love having red hair. The bad part about it is that its the fastest colour to fall out. I originally dyed my hair red a little over a month ago. Since I was pretty serious about it, I actually went to a salon instead of a DIY kit. So around $100+ less, 2 bleach jobs, and 1 red colour job later I came out with the lovely red hair that I always wanted.

I was going for the K-Pop (Ye-eun from Wonder Girls look)

This only lasted for like 2 weeks. Afterwards my roots started growing out at became very noticable. Not only that but after multiple hair washings a week for more than a month, it is now a coppery red.

Actually its not THAT bad but in comparison to my dark roots, its not that pretty. Since I'm not looking forward to spend more $$$ on a re-dye, I decided this time I will do it myself.

I dyed my hair before using the Japanese hair dye Kao Prettia which is a foam type of dye. I really liked it since its was easy and very NON-messy since its a foam. Its also helped my hair stay up on top of my head without using a clip. Another plus was that the chemical smell was not strong and the dye was gentle that it did not make my hair feel crazy rough afterwards. So I would definitely recommend using Prettia if available. I was aiming for Antique Rose but for some reason it is very hard to find, so I settle for Garnier instead

Kao Prettia Antique Rose

Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color R2 - medium intense red ($9)

This is darker than my original colour since I want to keep my red but not to have my roots noticable when its starts growing out. Apparently this dye is made especially for dark hair. There isn't much review on this though.

From Left to Right: Developer, Oils, Colour Creme, and Conditioner

First off, dear god was the smell strong. I mean when you have the hair hanging over your face all you could smell was the chemicals! I felt like I was about to pass out. Another thing was that instead of putting this all over your head they state to first do 20min ROOTS only and then 5min on the rest of your head. It was kind of hard aiming just for the roots since I have a LOT of hair, I couldn't really see, and did I mention the smell? cause seriously that smell. As I write right now I can still smell it. Actually I think I can taste it....

Me with my roots dyed

This was sooo much more messy than the foam. I got red dye everywhere! It looked like I murdered someone! Even though I used lotion on my forehead and arm (Tip: lotion works just as well as vaseline to protect your skin from the dye) I was a semi-mess when I came out of the bathroom, which faired no better.

As withe the results, I liked how it came out. It may not be as red as my original dye job but that was not what i was going for. I wanted a transitional colour between my coppery red and black roots. You can tell its red but has a warm brown undertone instead of a yellow one. My roots are still dark but not as noticable as before. Its a softer blend of the 2 colours.

Natural light

Without Flash

Comparison

I need to be careful now since i basically dyed my hair 4x in a span of 1.5 months (2 bleach jobs and 2 colour jobs). As I was rinising my hair, a lot of strands fell out. I check some sites and they do say its normal but I don't like it. So now I need to concentrate on washing less to keep the colour and tons of mosituizers/hair mask so my hair don't look and feel like straw.

I don't think I would be dying my hair again till DECEMBER most likely. However I am going to
be getting a haircut either the end of this month or the beginning of the next. I need to get rid of the dead ends plus I want a new hair style. I was hoping to have my hair grow a bit more but considering what I put it through a nice haircut/treatment may be needed. Now what kind of hair cut should I get.....

Wedding work day

So my bestie bride-to-be laid some surprising news to me some days ago. The wedding date has now been changed and finalized. The date is now 12.12.12. Her uncle has calculated that this is the most auspicious date. One that would bring them luck and fortune in the future. What is all bad about the date you may ask, besides it being in December. Well let me tell you. It falls on a Wednesday! Yup smack dab in the middle of a work week. Also this is finals week for grads and undergrads. Can you see what I'm getting here? Basically her guest list which she feared would be around 200 may now get cut by half. So any venue which we were considering up to then will get tossed. Originally bride and groom decided to do church ceremony and then move to a Chinese banquet.

Bride figure it be to much of a hassle to move a wedding party, instead she wants to do a western/American style wedding. The problem with this is the cost. A venue hall is on average double the price of a Chinese banquet! At a budget of 10K, 15k being max. That is the ENTIRE wedding budget (dress, flowers,cake, favors, etc.). More so she wants it in Manhattan. Do you know what's the average cost for a Manhattan wedding is? 10k-15k for just the venue hall. Did I mention that the 10k one is for an outside ceremony, something I doubt her guests would appreciate in the winter.

I try to tell her this but she keeps saying its possible since its off peak aka winter and the middle of the week. I'm not sure if it would make a difference budget wide cause there are tons of little cost ie tip, tax, insurance, decorations, etc. They all add up.

I know I seem like a moh-zilla, but I want to make sure she stays within her budget ( Dubai honeymoon and saving for a co-op/ condo). Am I over analyzing? At the end of the day its her wedding. I think what frustrate me is that she has an un realistic expectation and it seem that she disregards all my research. Maybe I'm in over my head. Having a wedding planning burn out -_-

Wedding Planner

Lets talk about weddings! =D


Not my wedding of course but a friend's whom I am the maid of honor for as well as the unofficial wedding planner. I'm not sure if I have enough experience to make this claim as I am not married but it seem to be HELLISHLY harder to help plan someone's else wedding than your own. My friend's wedding will be in November of 2012 and you may think 1 year is more than enough but in actuality its barely making it. Luckily there is the internet to help with all this research. Also this may prove helpful/useful to those who are planning one.

So I want to talk about the dreaded GUEST LIST. This is number #1, well at least to me. Next to picking out a date, a guest list is the most important thing. It is also the most annoying thing to do and takes forever. I gave my friend 2 months to get her guest list done. I even type up a syllabus for her. Yes, a syllabus. I'm like the Monica from friends when it comes to planning....I know I'm kind a crazy.



Basically it ask her to turn in drafts of guest list every 2 weeks, not only from her, but from her hubby-to-be and both their family. I know her wedding is like a year away but never mind getting the names and I mean the FULL names, she also needs to get the contact information. How many of you actually know the addresses of all your friends? Yeah, I don't even know my friends cell phone# by heart let alone an address. Once we get a final guest list panned out we can start venue hunting and being a DIY sweatshop for the bride.

After doing intensive research and learning everything or at least a LOT of things eg, wedding insurance, rentals, venues, wedding dress under $1K, and photos sets. Before getting bogged down with details, get a guest list done since its help sets a price range of how much you be spending. From there you can work on the budget for favors, flowers, decorations, and the like. This post may be a tad boring but its the beginning. I dread how it will become during crunch time. Will keep you guys posted ;)


Helpful sites:
Wedding Bee
A collection of blogs from actual brides-to-be. Has tons of helpful advise. My default site to go.

The Perfect Palette
Ideas for colour palettes if you are stuck. Very organize by colour and season

The Broke Ass Bride
For the bride on the budget

Snippet & Ink
Great ideas/bridal inspiration boards

Style Me Pretty
A popular bridal site. I don't really visit it often but have gorgeous pictures.

Product Review: Face Washes

So I was never one for face wash…to be honest I never really purchased one till a couple
of years ago. I was very much a soap and water type of girl. According to my friend J, I
was apparently very lucky to have good skin eg no breakouts and was able to get away with
just simple soap. It was not until my skin started freaking out, dry patches due to weather
change, that I decided it may be time to get an actual facial cleanser. Below are my top 3
current faves. And yes I do use all of them.

1. Laneige Professional Make-up Remover Cleanser ($27 aro?)



This product have been my default re-purchase. Its not only a facial cleanser but also a make-up remover and a scrub. When I wear make-up I always use this as my cleanser since I do not need to bother with separate one. Its also has micro beads for exfoliation. Even though it has scrubbing, if that makes sense, properties its gentle enough for every day use without aggravating your skin. If you are looking for a all in one then I would recommend getting this one. I just love this cleanser.

2. LUSH Angel on Bare Skin (1/4lb for $13)


Lush is a brand that hand makes all their products. Also each on use organic ingredients such as flowers, essential oils, and fruits. I heard many rave reviews concerning this particular soap and it came HIGHLY recommended. Angel on Bare Skin is also a soap/exfoliator that is gentle enough for daily use. As you can hopefully tell from the picture, the little brown seed looking things are actually lavender. This gives the soap a nice lavender scent. Supposedly its made for oily skin, but I still use it even though I have dry skin. I try not to use it too much as it some times have a tendency to dry the skin out. So if you do use this everyday and have dry skin, have a nice moisturizer on hand. Also I think how you buy this depends on where you are from. I have seen this product come pre-package when I was in Asia (Hong Kong), but in NYC you can purchase how ever much you want. Some one correct me if I am wrong on this.

3. Clean and Clear Continuous Control Acne Wash ($6 aro?)



This is my emergency cleanser. I only use this when I feel like I will or am breaking out. I try to stay away from harsh cleanser as they tend to age your skin, never mind that I do not want my skin to get dependent on this. Also since it help treat acne this is SUPER drying. 1-2 pumps is more than enough. From my personal experience the "acne control" is only applicable if you have light acne. If you happen to be more prone to/having a more serious case this would do nothing for you.

This was my first review. I hope I haven't bored anyone. I will try to work on making this more interesting or at least more informative. Plus this would get me a chance to write about something that is NOT the weekend...which will mostly likely be tomorrow post. Have a great weekend!