Random Post: Nails, Alexander Wang, Paul Mitchell, and Kate Somerville

Hi Everyone! No real trend to where today's post is going but I wanted to share a few things...

Above, we have my nails for the past 2 weeks. On the left I have Nicole by OPI's Nothing Kimpares to Blue as a base and Sephora by OPI's "Indigo With the Flow" on my ring finger. I think this was such a fun and bright pairing! I quite enjoyed having a touch of pastel on my hands.

On the right we have a DIY french manicure which is a lot easier than you would expect. All you need is a bottle of acetone, white nail polish, a flat brush, and top coat! Step 1 is to apply 2 coats of white polish to the tips of your nails. Let them dry a little. Then dip your brush into the acetone and carefully remove the white polish, shaping it to the curve of your nails. The good thing here is that you can make the whites of your nails as thick or thin as you want. When you're done, simply apply your favorite top coat. I know this can be challenging and extremely time consuming at first but practice makes perfect!

Above we have my latest shampoo and conditioner purchase: Paul Mitchell's Moisture! My hairstylist uses this on me every time I pop in for a visit. Not only does it have a pleasant salon-like smell, it also gets the job done! My hair feels soft and silky smooth after every wash.

For those who are picky with this type of detail: this shampoo is a thin, clearish white formula and the conditioner treatment is cream-like. So if clear shampoos aren't your thing,go ahead and pass.

On an honest note, of the dozens of shampoo and conditioner duos I've tried in the past few months, this is perhaps the first that truly agrees with my hair (sad). If Pantene Pro-V is a shampoo/conditioner that works with your hair, consider trying this one (if you're bored). Both formulas work great on me!

Have any of you tried Kate Somerville's ExfoliKate? Maybe some of you had a different experience but I honestly can't believe it reviewed at 4.5 stars on Sephora. At $19, this product is meant to be used as an "at-home facial" of sorts but it definitely isn't for those with sensitive skin. The fact that the product squeezes out green isn't what bombed it for me but the fact that my skin burned within seconds of use. And then I debated. "Should I tough it out?" Eventually, some rational voice in my head reasoned that anything "burning" isn't a good sign so I quickly washed it off. Then I found my skin red and irritated. The only "glow" I received from this product wasn't a "healthy" one but one that looks to have stayed too long in a tanning bed. This might have worked for the majority of the 876 reviewers but sadly, not for me.

Now, Chanel's Perfection Lumiere Foundation. I had two samples in shade #60 Beige and #32 Beige Rose (sorry for the glare in the pic). There's something super classy and upscale about anything Chanel but with that, comes great expectations. I tested #32 Beige Rose to conclude that it provides light to medium coverage that's buildable (like many foundations). It blended nicely into my skin and lasted throughout the duration of my work day (8 hours give or take). I don't have any realqualms with this product but I think you can find a foundation that's comparable for less. My top recommendations for drug store would be: Revlon's Photoready Foundation. For higher-end, YSL's Teint Resist or Makeup Forever's Matte Velvet.

Lastly, we have my Alexander Wang "Rocco" Duffel with Rose Gold hardware. A birthday gift to myself and worth every penny. Pictures online don't do this justice. It doesn't wear like the non-impressive, horizontal cylinder that most websites promote it to look like. The shape of this bag quite closely resembles Louis Vuitton's Speedy but if you're interested in the Rocco bag, do your research! It wears extremely heavy due to the hardware but it's worth it to me.

Whew. Here's a ridiculously long post! And congrats if you made it through. :)

Birthday Love from My Sista!

I feel the need to share this because I'm so flattered by the gesture. My "sista," dear friend, and fellow blogger sent me a fabulously decorated package for my birthday! In addition, she also gave me a shout out on her blog. Beyond the written love fest, you can see how amazingly talented she is with her DIY jewelry! I always admire people who are so crafty and clever; maybe because I'm no where close to that. Regardless, thanks C! <3

Mitsuwa Haul!

Hi Everyone!

I was visiting California about a month ago and while meeting up with a friend in San Gabriel, I spotted a Mitsuwa! From the outside, Mitsuwa is an asian grocery store but what you may or may not know is that they have a huge selection of asian beauty products! So I went a little a crazy, bought of ton of things, and here's my review:



Mitsuwa Products :: Skipping the review on SARA's Exfoliant bc I gave it to my Mom :)


Beginning from the top, I bought the White Line facial cleanser, eye cream, and moisturizer from Cosmo Products. The facial cleanser is unscented and the product squeezes out opaque. Your skin also feels tight after washing; similar to Shiseido's White Lucent Line or Ponds Whitening Wash. Not a bad cleanser for a drug store price point but the only downside is that it doesn't remove makeup (unlike my beloved Aveeno face wash...).

Moving onto the eye cream that I've used on/off for a month now. Given that I use it more for preventative purposes and not looking for any miraculous results, it's decent. I haven't experienced irritation, nor have I seen my under eye area become any whiter or brighter. This is one of those middle of the road products -- not bad, but not great either.

Of Cosmo's White Line, my favorite product would be the moisturizer. I feel the need to throw caution to the wind because this is not your typical moisturizer. This moisturizer is extremely thick and creamy. The texture is almost glue-like and it can leave white residues on your skin due to it's whitening properties. Given that this doesn't sound pleasant at all, it's brilliant for very dry sky (especially during the winter); Just be sure to rub in the product, blending it into your skin

The remaining products are almost not worth mentioning. The brow pencil didn't glide on well, nor did it provide any color. The actual pencil was hard as if aged and overall not worth the effort. I should know by now to never deviate from my Smash Box Brow Tech....

The last two products are a jumbo shadow pencil and a "tattoo" liquid liner. The shadow pencil came in a very forgettable coppery brown shade. In addition, it's not the easiest item to maintain. The pencil is too large to fit in a regular sharpener so you would need a larger one. That compounded with "so so" color payout makes this item a fail. Now that I think of it, I'm not sure if I even know where it is anymore...

The "Tattoo" liquid liner is worth the buy though. It's extremely similar to my current favorite: Physician's Formula's Eye Booster Liquid Liner. Within a week, I alternate between the two liners which is testament to how much I like it!

Finally, I picked up the 600 mL shampoo and conditioner from Shiseido. Ironically, I almost purchased both of these on Amazon the week before our California vacation so I was super excited to try these out. Both shampoo and conditioner have a very clean scent. I have no issues with the shampoo. I don't think it's better or worse than the Pantene Pro-V I was using prior to this but unfortunately, the conditioner falls short. I find the conditioner to not be as moisturizing as I need it to be; leaving my hair to be dry and brittle. I think this shampoo/conditioner duo is better suited for those with fine or oily hair.

Well, there's my review! Hope you enjoyed and I'll be back soon!