Sunscreen Reviews

La di da, I hate wearing sunscreen but I get anxious and worried if I don't. I've been trying out a few new sunscreens for the past couple of months and I thought I'd do some quick reviews on them.

First, the famous Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF55/PA+++! I've been using this the longest, since last fall. I'm not sure if there is an expiration date? My primary concerns with sunscreen are cosmetic elegance and hydration. I find that most sunscreens are not hydrating, so I'm look for ones that are the least drying. Anyhow, this is very liquidy and sinks into your skin quickly, and if you take your time to rub it in, you minimize the white cast. It is also long-lasting and very waterproof. No wonder it is a favorite! Its not particularly hydrating, but I take care to moisturize well beforehand. I think combination/oily will benefit the most from this sunscreen. Another thing, the cap accumulates this gross chunky residue if you're not careful and clean it each time. Its easy to clean though :)

Next, I've been trying Beautymaker's Trans Protection Sun Screen SPF50. It has some great ingredients in it, including ginseng extract, licorice root extract, Vitamin E and Vitamin A. It is supposed to whiten the skin as it protects. Despite the similar watery texture it has with Shiseido, it is hard to blend and takes a longer time to sink into the skin than Shiseido. Packaging is terrible too...there is always sunscreen oozing out when I open the tube. I'm not sure if I would recommend this sunscreen...

I've had really good results with MUFE's UV Prime SPF50/PA+++ which is primer and sun protection in one. I don't know how good the sun protection is, but it is pretty hydrating. It is slightly thicker than Shiseido, but does not feel heavy on the face. I find that it is easy to blend and doesn't take long to sink in. I haven't paid too much attention to the priming abilities, but I do recall noting that my makeup looked fresher than normal at the end of the day. I really like this, and recommend to normal and combo skin. Not sure how it would do on oily skin...

Finally, I tried MAC Prep+Prime SPF50 again. Its a tiny tube and difficult to squeeze, but I thought that it would be hydrating since it is pretty thick. The texture is most similar to typical drugstore sunscreens. I actually tried this some time ago, but found that it clogged my pores! I tried it again this summer, and still the same...its just too heavy on my face. Perhaps better luck in the winter?

Hope that was helpful! I placed a whole bunch of random orders over the past week or so, so I will have posts on the new stuff I get coming soon! I can't wait :)

Blog sale!

Really need to get rid of some stuff...I just don't use them enough to justify keeping them. Here's the list, pictures will be up later this weekend because I don't have time right now. Email me or comment if you are serious about a particular product! Prices are negotiable if you are purchasing 2+ items. Please include $3 for shipping, flat rate :)



Let me know if you have any questions!

My new love...SPANX!

I've been going to quite a few interviews, and I have quite a few more planned. So of course, I want to look my best as I hobble around in my pencil skirt and heels. I was looking for something that was slimming as well as a way to prevent my thighs from chafing in the summer heat. As I was looking to update my OL wardrobe, I wandered into Saks Fifth Avenue and picked up some Spanx's Higher Power High-Waisted Power Panty for $36. I picked up size B in Nude.

I wore them for the first time today under my trusty pencil skirt before heading to an interview, and I love em! I seriously lost 1 inch from my waist, making the top of my skirt looser. My thighs were also more shapely, and since my legs were constantly rubbing against each other in the summer hear, it made my pencil skirt so much more comfortable to wear!

I highly recommend this for ladies who want to look a little bit more svelte and slim, but I think it works best for those of average weight and size. Reason being that it may roll over or under if you're on the large side. It is a just a piece of hosiery after all, not magic.

For reference, I am 5'2" and 125 lbs, with a semi-atheltic build, and find that it fits great! I will try to post before and after pictures later. I can't wait to go back tomorrow and check out other great stuff from Spanx!

Hauling...

Haven't updated in a long time! Graduation was a week ago, and I spent the past week at a beach house in New Jersey. Sadly it was gloomy 5/6 days I was there, but it was still a lot of fun!

I'm staying at a friend's place in Boston at the moment, since its too hard to find a job from where I live. Its just so damn remote, and I don't have a car. God Bless public transportation!

I've been doing some graduation hauling...or more like retail therapy from applying to/interviewing for jobs. I had an interview today and it took me forever to get there since the public transportation in that area was limited. So on my way back, I bought some goodies from good ol' Sephora to cheer myself up...


The view from this place is so awesome!


LOVE HARAJUKU ICE CREAM! I bought a smaller blue one for my sister too :] This is great for my everyday makeup since I don't use that much...


Make Up For Ever!!! This brand gets so many Allure awards, I can't help but try it out to see what all the fuss is about! I got the Lift Concealer in #2, HD Invisible Cover in 150, and the HD powder. I got tan real quickly after spending a day out in the water while the sun was out.


Skincare stuff! Philosophy On A Clear Day spot treatment uses sulfur instead of salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide as its active ingredient. I got the travel Evian facial sprays, so cute! Finally some Merlot! I like so far...I mix it in with some jojoba oil for an extra boost.


Clinique Quick Eyes in Sparkling Nude I think? Fast and easy way to brighten up my eyelid area. And my new HG brow pencil--Milani's Easybrow! I love the automatic pencil, the soft formula, and the brow spoolie! Great stuff :]

I haven't gotten to trying all of them enough to know if I like them or not, so I'll be doing occasional reviews. Blogging relieves stress :] Wish me luck in my job search...hopefully it will end this Friday *crosses fingers*

FINALLY!

Just took my last final at Cornell as an undergrad! 

I'll be doing some haul posts and reviews soon, I promise! Stay tuned!! 

My HG Everyday Mascara

For everyday wear, I prefer a mascara that gives moderate length, moderate volumizing, easy to apply/no clumping, and reasonable lasting power. Which is why every morning I reach for my Clinique Naturally Glossy Mascara in Jet Black.

This is a gel-based mascara that subtly enhances the lashes by giving them a little more length and volume, but makes it looks natural and not dramatic. What I absolutely adore about this mascara is that it does not CLUMP! I can apply most mascaras without clumping if I have the time, but I'm often in a rush in the morning time. I have never felt the need to run my lash separator through my lashes after using this baby. Its so incredibly amazing!

Another plus, this can be used as a separating mascara. I had problems with applying Maybelline Lash Stiletto--it clumped terribly and made it unuseable! I was about to toss it when I had the idea, totally on impulse, to apply it over a layer of Clinique Naturally Glossy. Voila! Long lashes like Stiletto promised without the ugly clumps thanks to Clinique!

It's also good for contact lense wearers because it is ophthalmologist-tested. Its a bit pricy for a mascara, but with some drugstore mascaras ringing up at $11-12 (Max Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme), an extra $2-3 dollars won't hurt too much. The slick silver tube packaging is pretty cool too. Definitely go check it out if you want a great everyday lash enhancer, but if you're looking for something more dramatic, then this might not be it. 

Price: $14 on Clinique.com or Clinique counters.

I'll be posting my haul from Sasa and iMomoko/Japanese Products Lover soon! Stay tuned!! :D

Lioele BB Cream + TKD/Senior blurb

I finally got my Lioele Beyond the Solution bb cream last week.  got it from an ebay seller legendeaux who is based in Korea for less than $20 shipped. It took about 23 days to get here. I've been using it pretty much everyday since I got it. I I had a super craaazy weekend, so I was able to put its staying power and oil control to the test! The verdict?

Staying power: After putting it on at 9am on Friday, it was still going strong at 4am Saturday! I set it with Everyday Minerals Finishing Dust, and the coverage faded a tiny bit around my nose. But thats the oiliest part of my face anyway, so I'm not concerned about it. The color is doesn't oxidize or anything. 

Coverage & Color match: Coverage is similar to if not better than Dr. Jart Black Label Detox Healing. I can use one layer for my face, and another layer for my undereyes and look bright and bushy tailed. Many of my friends commented on how wakeful I looked despite drinking into 4am in the morning and getting up at 9am. The color match is amazing too! It is noticeably more yellow than Dr. Jart, so it fits my shade even better than Dr. Jart! NC25 and below are wonderful matches for this bb cream. 

Texture & Blendability: Very light and creamy, and a little really does go a long way! One pump is just enough for me to cover my face and apply a second layer for my undereyes. Its a bit thicker than Dr. Jart, but that's probably due to the higher coverage. 

Overall, I LOVE this BB cream! Its so amazing and I look naturally flawless when I use it! The only thing that I'd improve on is the fact that this has no SPF! I totally recommend this though, and I will definitely rebuy!

Phew, after almost three years of competition, I threw my last kick of my college taekwondo career at Columbia. It was very bittersweet for me...I have a love/hate relationship with competitive taekwondo. Its very hard to keep doing so for three years. Here's a picture of me with my fellow seniors and the seniors from our sister school. I'm so incredibly proud of all of them and I know that the tears and blood we shed together, albeit seperately, will link us forever as one. Can you spot the Vivi?

On the last day of classes, which was Friday, Asher Roth and the Pussycat Dolls came and performed at my school! Asher Roth sucked...people were throwing water bottles at the stage when he was performing, haha! The water got the stage all wet so the PCD only performed for like 30 seconds on stage before walking to the ground level, which sucked cos it was impossible to get close enough to see them. But for the 30 seconds they were on stage, I was stunned by how gorgoeous they were--it was the first time I've seen walking sex appeal on the stage in real life. The main singer who was in the middle, Nicole, had an outrageous bust-waist-hip ratio!

They were personalizing truckah hats, so hubby and I got in line to wait for a hat! We were lucky to be able to grab one! When we went back to our group, half of them left to get one but the hats were all out! Here's hubby trying to be a douchebag, haha!

In korean, a lower ranking member is called a hubae, and a higher ranking member is called a sunbae. Here I'm secretly snuggling with one of my hubaes! Isn't she adorable? I'm wearing Lioele BB cream in this picture. The finish is so natural...

On Saturday, I had a semi-formal after the belt test. Many alumni come back to visit and to eat with us at semi-formal, so it's probably one of my favorite days of the year. 

Here's the beautiful women's team, from the past, present and future. I can honestly say that I love every single one of these girls in their own way. Each one of them have helped shape me into the person I am today. Girls, if  you are reading this, know that it has been a joy and an honor to be able to kick beside you, cry with you, and laugh with (or at) you. Btw, who can spot the Vivi?

Coming up, I'll be reviewing the Missha M Perfect Cover BB cream in #23, as well as the Everyday Minerals Finishing Dust and Rimmel Stay Matte powder. Stay tuned!