Review: NYC Liquid Lip Shine in Fashion Avenue Fuschia

This was something PDXbeautiful (hi Julie ^^v) sent in the swap we did awhile back.  My experience with drugstore lip products have been on the lukewarm at best so I was really surprised how good this product turned out :D

Purchased at: N/A but you can get it most drugstores.  I've seen these at Walmart :)  According to the NYC website, it's priced somewhere around $2.49.

Packaging: Pretty decent, though nothing to write home about.  One thing I don't like very much is the applicator though:

It's basically....a flat stick. The shape makes it difficult to apply the color evenly on your lips.  All it can be used for is getting the color out of the tube onto your lips - after that you need to find another way to even out the color :\  It's small complaint though, you can rub your lips together and use a Q-tip for the bits that go outside the edges of your lips.

Pigmentation: The pigmentation is insane. It's like lipstick rather than a gloss!  It's great and I love the small purple microglitters in it.

Lasting power: Really good!  It lasts all day for me and through a meal.  The glossiness fades after a few hours but the color stains your lips for rest of the day.

This is my hand after washing it with soap and water - not bad at all yeah?!  And no worries about lingering staining, it comes off after a bit more washing and wiping with a tissue.

Scent: Like artificial vanilla.  It's not bad though and pretty tolerable.  It's definitely not as bad as other drugstore lip products.  People who are strongly adverse to fragranced products may still not like it though.

Formula: The great formula really surprised me!  It's totally non-sticky, smooth, richly pigmented and long-lasting.  The fake vanilla scent isn't very strong so to me it's not a big deal.   This is also remarkably hydrating - it doesn't dry out my lips and the color tends to fill in fine lines rather than emphasize them. Overall, this is a great formula and the best drugstore lip color that I've tried so far.

This is 2nd only to my all time favorite Etude House Dear Darling glosses.  Honestly, it's a bit like comparing apples to oranges though because this one has such crazy pigmentation.  Both are useful for different things - this one is best worn alone I think!

I love how it stains my lips pink all day.  Fyi though - if you don't smooth out the color after you blob it on with the crappy applicator, the color will look goopy (like in the center pic).

Overall
Highly recommended.  I use this quite often as it's easy to apply and and long-lasting.  It's one of my Top 5 favorite lip products and I like how it's easy to get and only $2.49! I would say that this product does everything it claims - great pigmentation and shine, hydration, creamy texture, and non-sticky.  The fact that there are 10 colors available is nice too - a good range of wearable colors.  This is my first NYC product and I am very impressed indeed.

PDXbeautiful's review here.

 

Asians in Commerical Advertising

Asian models have been showing up fairly often on the runway and high end fashion for years (yah!). Unfortunately, it's also quite well known than runway models (generally) need only be 5'7+, thin, and capable of walking the walk - the face is inconsequential since there's makeup and runway models are essentially, I quote, "human coat hangers."

To do commercial work, models need to have more "mass appeal" and be "mainstream pretty" - the "face" is definitely not inconsequential.  That said, it's nothing new to say that there's always been a distinct dearth of Asians in commercial modeling in the US; obviously this is due to (somewhat) equal parts Asians being a minority (thus not worth targeting) and a shortage of Asians that "fit" the look American brands were looking for.

I'm not particularly interested in writing a long-winded essay about the stereotypes of Asians in American society, I just wanted to write this post to say I've been seeing a sudden leap in the number of Asian models in commercial work for some quite well known brands :D!  To see Asians modeling for brands that are targeted towards mainstream American teens/early 20s (not niche markets or high fashion) shows how (forgive my idealism) truly diverse - or rather accepting - America has become.  Maybe 'accepting' is too optimistic a word, but at the very least there is now a need for marketers to to target the Asian demographic and embrace the fact that there are many definitions of beauty.

American Eagle Outfitters - heyyy an Asian chick, on the homepage no less :D  I thought that was pretty cool.  And a guy too!  The fact that an Asian guy is modeling for "rugged" style brand in a manly-man way speaks volumes for how far Asian guys have come breaking free of the old stereotypical nerdy/waif-ish/unstylish geek.  He's pretty hot ...too bad he's younger than me (21 :( ).  Oh man, these scamps get younger every year *sigh*

Jarah Mariano (IMG) - She's a reasonably popular commercial model already I think.  Her name has been floating around ever since her stint with Victoria's Secret.  She's pretty smoking hot and done a lot of commercial work with Abercrombie & Fitch, MAC, Armani Exchange, Sephora, Roxy Quiksilver, Redken, H&M, Avon, Old Navy, Dereon, Levi's, Pac Sun and Rock and Republic.... so I'm not surprised she's modeling for AE now.  She looks commercial.  She reminds me of a younger Hyori, with her...bust....tanned, sun-kissed skin tone, and the ability to balance cute with sexy very well so it's no surprise she's picked up quite a following in Korea too - though I bet the fact she's Hawaiian/Korean helps.

Jae Yoo (Major) - WHY HELLO.  6'2, ripped abs, SEXY LIPS - where have you been all my life?  He seems to be really new on the scene but he's already modeled on the runway and done print work for Calvin Klein and Vogue.  This dude has it going for him and I feel like we'll definitely be seeing more of him in the future (YESSS).

Also Hyoni Kang (one of my favorite models, her dimple is so cute) modeled for AE in the Spring/Summer 2010 AND Fall 2008/Winter 2009 campaigns - dost I see a trend?!

Ann Taylor Loft - I don't know the name of the model but her pic shows up a lot on the LOFT site.  She has that mature, professional look Ann Taylor seems to favor...so yeah :) I love Ann Taylor and browse there often and it's nice to see her pic pop up.

Banana Republic - HYONI KANG (Ford) I adore this chick, she has such a cute face.  She catapulted to fame after placing first in the 2008 Ford Super Models of the World competition and has been working busily since.   I honestly think she's one of the first Asian models to regularly do commercial work in America (forgive me if I'm wrong, I say that as a very casual observer of the modeling world).  She has great range in my eyes, she goes from couture to commercial so well ^_^  She's modeled for VS Pink, Lacoste, DKNY, AE, and Tommy Hilfiger.  And Target, you can't get more mainstream than that ahaha.  I've actually seen her campaign in-stores too so she's not being used for just print work in Asia, which is cool to know :)

EDIT --> Estee Lauder - Speak of the devil, I just coasted into the Estee Lauder site to look at some makeup for my mom and Liu Wen (Marilyn) is staring right at me :D!  I dug around a bit and this is for EL's S/S 2011 collection :)  I consider her more of an upper-end commercial model rather than...I dunno "mainstream" than the ones above (if that makes any sense at all).  But I couldn't resist mentioning her because she is so successful.  I distinctly recall the first time I noticed her - she was the first (East) Asian to runway model for Victoria's Secret!  Apparently she is the first Asian to be a face for EL too :}



Anyway, that's all.  Kind of a random post ^_^ Btw a great blog to track Asian models is....Asian Models :)  It's a fun site to browse, so check it out~

Have a good weekend everyone!

A Powerful Message!

I just recently received this email below.  I was so touched by this that I wanted to share it with everyone else.  There is nothing in this world more important than making our kids feel good about themselves.  In "normal" circumstances it is the mother that takes on the roll to teach our kids about hygiene.  This story below goes beyond the normal.  The email is from a single dad and I applaud him for caring about his daughter so much.

Here is the email

My name is Josh and i am a single dad with custody of my 6 year old daughter. I enjoy doing her hair at first i did simple single braids and even curled it almost to perfection which took two and half hours each time, it looked so awesome. I want to thank you for your blog before i found it i ran out of creativity and ideas with what to do with her hair.

It ended up down quite a few days this school year which she likes but it is so fun when i do her hair because of her excitement and how proud she is to tell everyone i did it for her. As much as i would like to curl her hair everyday it is just not feasible with the time not to mention the damage it would do. Your site has given me so many ideas and concepts to do her hair.

Thank you,

Review: My Beauty Diary Cooling Mask

I actually first tried this mask in a swap I did with Elisa and I'm so glad that she sent me this one to try  because I really liked it!  I got another box of 10 because I liked it so much and it's absolutely perfect for summer.

Purchased at: BonjourHK

Price: $9.70/10 masks

Description: My Beauty Diary Cooling Mask is enriched with cooling ingredient to wake up fatigued skin and restore skin radiance by boosting metabolism.  Marigold Extract is an ideal soothing treatment for skin damaged by UV rays. Skin is comforted and refreshed.  Perfect blend of green tea extract and ginkgo extract works to leave skin watery and translucent, while Hyaluronic Acid and elder extract intensively pour moisture into skin. 

Suitable for: For all skin types, particularly for fatigued skin or skin damaged by UV rays.

Experience: Scent was a little stronger than usual (not that strong though) and had the sharp edge of witch hazel and calendula (both are pretty pungent in their natural form).  Even though this mask does have menthol and peppermint in it, it smells more like witch hazel and calendula.  When I first put it on my face, it wasn't that cool but after 1-2 minutes it got suddenly much cooler.  I haven't had such an extreme cooling effect since the Skinfood Vita-A Gel Mask (still one of my fav masks).   It lasted for over 10 minutes and felt really, really good.  When I removed the mask my face was brighter, smoother, and refreshed.  It also made me feel more awake ^_^  I wouldn't say it was the most hydrating mask ever but my skin was still decently moisturized.  I have no complaints and my face felt very plumper, smoother, and awake.  Fyi calendula and witch hazel are great for acne-prone skin (though witch hazel can be a bit drying).

Overall
Fit: Quite good, like all post-2010 MBD masks :)  Perfect for me.

Scent: Witch hazel-calendula-ish with a hint of peppermint.  Very fresh and clean smelling.

Mask texture: Silky, thin, and smooth.

Excess serum: A little nickel-sized scoop.

Claims:

Soothes skin <-- Yep. Especially if you have slight sunburn. Fyi, if you get a BAD sunburn (ei your skin is peeling) this might sting a bit - I don't know for sure but witch hazel can sting if your skin sometimes.  In any case, for mild sunburns, blotchy skin, and skin irritations will be soothed beautifully.

Lowers skin temperature <-- YES.  Works like a charm.

Softens skin <-- Face feels plumper.

Nourishes and moisturizes skin <-- It's not the most moisturizing mask ever but then this is a cooling mask not a moisturizing one necessarily.  It's not drying and that's the important thing.  

Overall Results: With summer right around the corner, this mask is going to be perfect.  I really like this mask because it's so refreshing. The scent isn't absolutely amazing but it's tolerable and not bad at all.  I highly recommend this mask especially with summer coming up and I've already repurchased a whole box so you know where I stand :)

Korea Trip 2010, Part 14: Seoul Food P0rn

This is a continuation of Part 13: Emergency Road Services + Samsung AnyCall MVs
To start from the beginning go to Part 1: Flying to Tokyo

So this really just a mashup of some of the food I ate in Korea...yum :}  Not much reading to do for a change ;)

This is a Japanese sushi restaurant on the top floor (6th I think) of Seoul Shinsaegae.   The whole 6th floor is a food court, if I recall correctly.

A little salad that seems to accompany most meals in Korea - Korean or non-Korean.

It's an amusing nod to Western salads but with a light vinaigrette and composed of mostly just iceberg lettuce, carrots, and other "mild" tasting veggies.

 Lunch special: Bento Box

We also ate at this place called Hana Restaurant, which specializes in dol-sot bap (rice cooked in a stone pot) dishes and tongkatsu (the Japanese fried pork cutlet).

It still amazes me how cheap food is in Korea. And no tipping is required either ^_^ To get an idea of the prices, just move the decimal three places (aka 5,000W = ~$5.00...actually less, more like $4.50).  So whole entrees are $5-7 :D

I adore stone-pot rice, it tastes so good compared to rice made in a rice cooker!  It tastes deeper and at the bottom and edges the rice is crackly (like a cracker) and after you eat all the rice, a waitress pours some water into the pot to lift off the slightly burnt/scorched rice making nu-rung-gi (누룽지)!  Asians eat scorched rice as a snack too - the Western equivalent is essentially a rice cracker.  Good stuff!  Scorched rice-flavored candy is really good btw - check it out next time you are in an Asian market ^_^

They also sell one-person (and bigger) sized stone pots at market places.  They are mad heavy but totally worth lugging home if you eat rice every day.  You can cook the rice in it on the stove just like a regular metal pot :)

Tong-kat-su (pork cutlets).  I'm not a huge fan of tonkatsu and this one was fried out of its mind (I like mine a little softer).  But the taste itself was pretty good :)

I forgot where I ate this but it was good stuff :) I love fat noodles, it's such a comfort food ^_^ I went to Busan after this for a few weeks and went around to a lot of museums/landmarks and took SO many pictures...I kind of dread picking through them ><

Review: SkinFood Aloe Vera Foaming Cleanser

Shops are pretty generous with their samples in Korea, especially SkinFood (or is it Skin Food or Skinfood?).  I've had this since Summer 2010 ^^ but I just started using it in February with my Youthful Essence brush (basically an ancient version of the Clarisonic Mia, which my mom bought in the 90s).  It works just great btw ;)  I'm glad I didn't buy the Clarisonic ^^  Anyway, I use this cleanser with the brush because it's a "foaming" cleanser and it's fun to watch it bubble up as I massage my face with the brush ^^

Purchased at: N/A. It was a free sample.

Cost: N/A.

A picture of the full size bottle.

Description: A fresh foaming cleanser with Aloe Extracts to soothe and hydrate the skin. Keeps the skin soft and calm after cleansing. Apply an adequate amount to damp hands. After making sufficient lather, massage your face gently following the skin’s own texture. Wash off with lukewarm water.

Scent: Kind of an artificial, clean soap scent.  The aloe plant doesn't have much a scent so I'm not surprised this cleanser has a very difficult scent to pinpoint ^^  But it's mild, fresh and subtle.

Appearance: The appearance is an opalescent cream with a tinge of green.  It's very pretty actually ^^ I'd love to see a nail polish color in that shade ehehe

Texture: The texture is very creamy and smooth.  One thing I like about this cleanser is that it actually foams and it's not drying :)  I wouldn't say it's a hydrating cleanser but it doesn't strip the oils from my face and dry it out either.  I love how this creamy cleanser foams so nicely, especially with a brush!  It's very satisfying to see and feels very nice ^_^

Effectiveness: Though it seems to be a very gentle product, it does seem to clean quite well.  Once I used it without the brush and my face still felt very clean afterward.   BUT I have never used this cleanser alone to remove makeup so I'm not sure how this would work as a makeup removing cleanser.

Overall: This seems to be a decent cleanser.  I'd probably never buy the full size purely on the fact that I'm pretty happy with the cleanser I currently use (Boscia Purifying Gel Cleanser), but I can see this being used as a daily cleanser for people who don't use much makeup.  I also believe it's not very expensive online.   Overall, it seems to be a slightly above average product.  Not amazing but does exactly what it promises: a gentle cleansing with lots of foam :)

Also check out Mischievous Mack's review of this product.

Korea Trip 2010, Part 13: Emergency Road Services + Samsung AnyCall MVs

This is a continuation of Part 12: A Buddhist Temple in Seoul
To start from the beginning go to Part 1: Flying to Tokyo

This was originally a food post....but I got carried away (you'll see what I mean) so this post mutated into a short anecdote with a massively long tangent about Samsung's AnyCall commercials.

Anyway, I'm sure many of you have heard of (or experienced) the miseries of dealing with road-side emergency auto repair services....having to wait several hours by a high way in the middle of the night for a tow truck to come, the expenses, the unfriendly service people etc.  Consequently, I would to share this story with you....

Stupid camera :(! So blurry...

My aunt's car wouldn't start in the parking garage.  It had been fine a couple hours ago but since she might have left the lights on or something, the car had completely died.  So my aunt called her car service on her cell and literally within 10 minutes the Samsung AnyCar arrived.

Massive Tangent: And yes, Samsung AnyCar as in the famous Samsung AnyCall AnyMotion, AnyClub, AnyStar, and AnyBand music videos.  I quite enjoyed these infamously long "commercials" (crazy long MVs) so here they all are :D Oh man, Hyori was is so hot....  It's no wonder Samsung phones got so popular xD These were my favorite MVs back in the day~  So fun to watch!  And oh boy does Hyori bring out all my body image insecurities xD~  Btw sorry about not being able to find subbed versions of all of them, but they're all pretty self-explanatory.

The first 3 are all one storyline arch - mostly about making it in the dance world and lurve~   AnyBand was a project group (BoA, Tablo, Junsu, Jin Bora) using music to break free of a dystopian world.

Part 1: AnyMotion
Feat: Hyori, Eric Mun

Oh Eric, why so cute ^_^?

Part 2: AnyClub, Part 1 (2005)

Feat: Hyori, Eric Mun, Kwon Song Woo (lookin' all sleezy if you ask me xD)

Part 2: AnyClub, Part 2 (2005)
Feat: Hyori, Eric Mun, Kwon Song Woo



Part 3: AnyStar (2006)
Feat: Hyori, Park Bom (2NE1), Lee Junki

I love Park Bom either way...but PB looked SO much better before she went nuts with the collagen injections :( She looks so fresh, spunky, and can show actual facial expressions in this MV.  *sigh*

AnyBand (2007)
Songs: Talk Play Love (TPL), Promise U, Daydream
Feat: BoA, Tablo (Epik High), Jin Bora, Junsu (DBSK *sigh*)

I forgot how good Tablo's lyrics are "music she saved my life, so I'm loving her both day and night" :} I always thought AnyBand could've done with a sequel (what with BoA and Tablo doing the whole "staring at each other longingly thing") but oh wellz.   Jin Bora is a jazz pianist for those who don't know who she is btw.

That's got to have been the world's longest tangent ever...

So to continue: Even with crazy Seoul traffic, the Samsung AnyCar dude was there in 10 minutes.  Apparently he used some sort of GPS device to find my aunt's car so there was no need for her to even say where she was.  This dude drove up, took a look in the car, fiddled around, and the car was working in 5 minutes flat.  He also brought us bottles of ice cold water as a service - yeah, I don't this would even occur to American auto services - WITH NAPKINS (to wipe off the condensation) to drink while we waited since it was a summer day.  My aunt told me during the winter they bring tea since it's cold -_-;;   While my mind was busy processing the bottle of water that the car dude was telling my aunt that her car was fixed and commented that he was glad we didn't need a battery replacement although he had brought an extra battery just in case.   My aunt tried to give him a tip for coming so fast but he turned it down and said that it all a part of the company philosophy (hear that, that's the sound of my mind being blown), thanked US for being so patient (cuz we waited for a grand total of 15 minutes from start to finish), hopped in his car, and that was it.   As we drove away I commented to my aunt that I was very impressed by the service, to which my aunt replied that the kind of impeccable emergency repair service I had just witnessed came free with her car for as long as she owns the car.  Maybe it was just me but my mind was boggled by the whole event.  I feel like you'd have to pay a small fortune for that kind of auto service in the States.

Anyway.  That's my story ^_^ I hope this post wasn't too random xD

Continue to Part 14: Seoul Food P0rn