Welcome to Year 2011.

Happy New Year, everyone!  I don't know about you guys, but for me, 2010 was not the best.  But it's 2011 now, so that mean it is going to be a new year with new surprises!  I wish you all great things this year and make it your best.   I'm excited this for 2011 because I am going to graduate from high school, which is a happy and sad thing.  I'm ready, 2011; come at me.

Have you ever wondered when these New Year's party glasses trend will end?  I remember thinking last year, 'How are they going to make 2011 glasses?  There is no way they can make an eye frame for the "1"'.  Psh, I thought wrong...

Oh, for the love of-

And it's equip with LED lights flashing around your face! How flattering.  It's gonna be a rave this year.  Very out of this world.  I wish my grades would be out of this world too...

What is a New Year's post without New Year Resolutions?!  Well, here's mine.

1) Get straight A's.

2) Become emotionally stronger.

3) Only make promises I can keep.

4) Smile more.

5) Lose at least 10 pounds.

6) Get a boyfriend.

I've been craving for some denim cut-off shorts lately (I know it's still winter, but still...).  Especially the ones from Urban Outfitters, but I'm not willing to pay US$50+ for shorts, no matter how brand name it is.  So, obviously I take matters into my own hands and cut up some old Levi 517s I had.  I came up with this baby.

Looks swell, if I say so myself.

They are going to look great with these grey ribbed tights I have from last season.  These are a bit high waisted and loose, but not too loose.  I believe I just saved US$50. :)

I went to the local mall today with my mom because we were planning to kill time and "exercise".  I think regarding to what actually happened, the wallet lost more weight that we did from walking.  Let me explain by means of a picture:

Originally was US$130; ~US$48 after 10% off and $15 discount

I have been looking for a jacket like this for 2 years already, ever since I saw something like this in Japan, but I cannot seem to find it in the States.  I can't believe it took 2 years for America to start carrying jackets like these in stores.  This jacket is super warm with the fur hood and fur insert (both parts are removable).  But you can also wear it during the chilly spring time paired with a cute dress, tights, and nice leather boots.  Honestly, the picture does it no justice. 

Said jacket modeled

And me just being a cam whore; nothing new.

I can't wait to wear this to school.  The mountain breeze won't touch me now.

Of Todays and Yesterdays

Hello again!  I apologize for not posting yesterday, and for my posts (so far, at least) to be less than exciting.  I'm usually either at home sleeping and eating, or at my job documenting, well documents.  But for the mean time, please bare with me and my typical bantering.

So, I decided to change my shampoo and conditioner a couple days ago because what I was using just isn't working for me.  I'll probably do another review later on today on it.  I've stuck to this shampoo and conditioner for at least a year, so trust me when I say I cannot stand using this brand any longer. 

While we are on the topic of hair, I just trimmed my hair last night, because it was getting very unruly and thick like a lions mane.  The shampoo and conditioner with my frizzy thick hair equals chaotic mess! 
This may not seem like a lot of hair to you, but man, if you were there at the moment to witness it, you'd be amazed.  And I didn't even trim that much off for that long...

Picture does this mass of hair no justice.

The end results were better than expected.  Now, at least I can spend less time in the shower washing my hair and less time standing there like an idiot blow-drying it.

I received my paycheck earlier this week and decided to spend it (technically, this would be my Christmas gift, since I did not exactly get anything this year; I planned to treat myself).  I've been searching for floral tights lately, but just could not seem to find them.  I went to Target multiple times and only found floral fish-net-like tights instead of sheer ones.  If I can't find them at stores, go online, right?  I went to eBay and found a fairly decent pair.

Sheer floral pattern and just what I'm looking for; ~US$9, Free shipping.





I don't know if any of you are familiar with the Japanese blogger, Asami Takata, but I loved how she paired her floral tights with a nice maroon-orange skirt and a cream blouse.  Here's a picture of her and what I'm talking about:

You can find her here at Lookbook.nu.

They ship around mid to late January, so I'll be waiting for these babies in the mean time.

I did also ordered an ear cuff.  I have been craving one for God knows how long, and I finally had the opportunity to get one! 

From a seller in Taiwan; US$0.99 + XXX and $5 shipping.



Isn't it pretty?  I wanted one with a feminine touch to it, so it doesn't seem too bad ass.  I'm sure my mother wouldn't approve if it was.  The reason why it is "XXX" is because the auction does not end until later this afternoon.  There is one bidder so far, but I'm planning to strike at the last minute and raise the price by a few cents.  It sounds mean, but that's how eBay works when you bid on items.

In short, this post is kind of a mish-mash of yesterday and today's news.  I'll talk to you guys later.  Have a good one!

A Rainy California

I woke up this morning feeling like poop after looking out my window and seeing a satin sheet of grey covering the sky.  The weather usually determines my mood, so it's somewhat obvious how I'm feeling today. 

I'm still on winter break, and strangely enough, I'm really craving school at the moment.  It's just what when I'm stuck at home, I don't dress up, do my hair or makeup.  I feel ridiculously muddled and lazy.  But gosh, I can really count on my neighbors to cheer me up with this!

Obnoxiously huge macaroons!

Thank you, Mr. Neighbor!  These babies are bigger than my palm and are so, so delicious.  I've never actually tried a macaroon before, so I was very excited.  I've tried the brown and pink ones so far, and the brown is chocolate (like a brownie) and the pink is strawberry.  I'm hoping that the green one is green tea?  Cross your fingers!

Have you ever tried macaroons?  Readers, which color/flavor is your favorite?

I've also have a new favorite Jpop group, AAA.  I really recommend 負けない心 or "Heart Beat".  Loving the vocals and even just the music itself.  AAA's PV style relies heavily on digital graphics as well as the group's dance routine.  AAA also has frequest aesthetic shoots in their PVs, which I rather like.  Did I mention that the boys and girls in this group are gorgeous?  Mhm. Definitely worth checking out if you like Japanese pop music and an interesting use of graphics in music videos.

AAA 負けない心 PV

KAO Essential Rich Premier Ultra Honey Mask Review

I've had this product for a while.  This mask claims to tend and heal the last 15cm of your hair, because hey, It's the oldest part of your hair that is still on your head and has probably endured heat products, damage, etc.  Wouldn't it be obvious to care for the last 15cm then? 

I purchased my Essential rich premier mask over Ebay.  It costs around US$7 on Sasa.com .

Original Packaging; US$7

Very cute packaging, glitter and the works.  It kind of reminds me of a queen bee for some reason, I'm not really sure myself.  

Product; creamy, lotion-like feel

It feels like a hair mask, really.  The smell is not too strong, but I have a high tolerance for fragranced products, so I'm not exactly one to judge.  It has a sweet, almost fruity smell to it.  A good consistancy.

How to use this product:

1. After washing hair, gently dry it with a towel.
2. Apply an appropriate amount to hair (it is recommended to apply a table-tennis ball-sized portion to medium-length to long hair).
3. Leave on for 5 minutes before rinsing with water.

I use my hands to rub the product in, but if you prefer, you can use a bowl and comb for a more even distribution of the mask. 

Once I washed out the mask, my hair feels instantly smoother and less frizzy (I am an Asian blessed with very frizzy and thick hair).  It is also easier to manage a few days after, which is always a good thing. 



KOJI dolly wink liquid eyeliner review

Many people have been raving about this product lately, and I've had my eye on it for a while.  Earlier today I went to a local Asian supermarket and purchased Koji's Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner, a collaboration from the Popteen model, Tsubasa Masuwaka and Koji.    I purchased this eyeliner in "Deep Black".

Original Packaging; US$16



I really like the packaging for this product, especially the bow part on top where you open to take the eyeliner out.  The packaging really has that gyaru kind of feel to it.

The eyeliner in its pink and purple glory.

Felt tip eyeliner

Again, very cute and "dolly-like" hence the brand, Dolly Wink.  Typical eyeliner size.  This eyeliner has a felt tip, which I absolutely love, as it allows for easy application.  It's very much like the VOX liquid pen eyeliner (Korean brand) I currently use, except for this eyeliner, it's more concentrated and doesn't run as easily as the VOX one.

Koji's Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner claims to have :

"ultra fine yet flexible point tip, which allow greater precision with a easy to handle eyelining experience [...] This eyeliner is waterproof, sweat proof and with the quick dry formula, the eyeliner can stay on for hours without a smudge. Your look will be long wearing and gorgeous even without touch-up. " - Sasa.com

From my experience, I found that their claims are pretty much true to an extent.  The felt tip is very fine and flexible so it's easy to use, even for a beginner like myself. 
Waterproof? Yes, but to an extent.  I'm sure that if you ran under a sprinkler, it wouldn't wash off, but if you rub at it under water, it will. 
I'm not sure about being sweat proof, since I don't really sweat that much during the winter.  I'll probably update this when time comes.
Dries very quickly.

In short, I am pretty impressed with this product, and I'm sure I will buy this again in the future.

so this is the fifth time i tried blogging

I'm going to try extremely hard to actually maintain a blog for once, because quite frankly, I suck at this. 
Boring first post, but this blog will mainly contain the following:

• personal musings
• photography, maybe
• a log of things I buy, both fashion and cosmetics
• reviews for products or services
• other

So, thanks for following if you followed.  Stay tuned for some pretty extreme blogging. Just saying.