Update + Food

Hi guys,

I am so sorry about my lack of updates for the last few weeks. I truly appreciate all my readers who stuck with me and the supportive comments left by fellow blog writers. Thank you all. There were several big changes in my life and an absence from the Internet was necessary. I really missed blogging and communicating with everyone though. I cannot believe it's been more than a month since my last update. I hope to return to a regular posting and commenting schedule as soon as possible, but until then, enjoy the food porn.

Special message for Lulu: Thank you (and your SO) so much for dinner and a wonderful night! I am going to reply to your email soon and we can have another blogger meet-up hopefully. (hugs)

Thanks for visiting my blog. :)

Product Review: Shiseido The Makeup Mascara Base

Hey guys!

I'm going to review the Shiseido The Makeup Mascara Base today. It's so hard to take pictures of one's own eye so I apologize if my pictures are not the best. I think my eyes are a little irritated in some of these pictures because I took them during midterm week when I was severely lacking sleep. I think I'll be lacking sleep for a few more days because I'm moving from my apartment soon too. -_-

Product: Shiseido The Makeup Mascara Base

Price: $23 from Sephora (.25 oz)

Claims: “clear base coat for eyelashes that improves mascara application and wear, as it boosts volume and curl. Adds dramatic definition to the eyes. Contains Multi-Nutrient Factor, an advanced moisturizer. Dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested.”

Scents: None during normal usage, smells like boiled beans if you actually sniff it

Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 (MUA = 4.3 out of 5.0)

Repurchase: Probably not, too much trouble to remove and I don't use mascara very often

I hemmed and hawed over purchasing the Shiseido mascara primer for a long time because it was so pricey. The only other lash primer I've ever used was the Maybelline XXL Curl Power ($11), which was absolutely terrible and the worst mascara I ever used. I strongly recommend avoiding that product!

I'm going to begin the review with a product demonstration. Here are several pictures of my naked lashes:

I curled my lashes with the Shu Uemura eyelash curler very gently.

I applied the Shiseido Mascara Base, notice the immediate lengthening effect.

My lashes after one coat of Max Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme Waterproof Lash Pumper (Blackest Brown) on top of the Shiseido mascara primer.

Here are my lashes after many coats of brown mascara on top of the Shiseido base.

The mascara base definitely delivers on it's promise to boost volume and it adds extra length of the eyelashes as seen in the pictures above. After using the Shiseido primer, the curl in my lashes actually lasts all day with no deflation. My lashes will look the same from 6:30 in the morning to 10:00 at night, it's great! My eyelashes do look a lot better with I use this primer as opposed to applying a mascara alone. I wish it added thickness to my sparse lashes though. It will stop your mascara from flaking or smudging later in the day as well.

The brush head of the primer is quite long but not overly large or thick. It's easy to coat the lashes with the primer in just two strokes. The primer itself is a gray goo glue that goes on clear and it goes on relatively clump free. It's not a very wet substance so smudging or accidently applying the primer on your eyelids is unlikely.

I apply my regular dark mascara as quickly as possible after using the primer as the latter hardens fast. Your lashes won't be soft to the touch or anything when using the primer, your lashes will have a crunchy, delicate texture. I do not recommend curling your lashes again after applying the primer and your choice of mascara because your lashes will be a little sticky and re-curling will likely to result in you pulling out your own lashes. I believe the famous Bobbi Brown also discourages re-curling the eyelashes after mascara in general since it's damaging.

The main bad aspects of the Shiseido Mascara Base are it's high price and the difficulty/work involved in completely removing it at night. I dread taking this industrial strength glue off! I use a q-tip soaked in eye makeup remover to soften the adhesive from my lashes, then I follow with an oil cleanser, and I use a foaming cleanser in the end. I somehow still find black mascara flakes on my upper cheeks in the morning! I've tried gently pressing a cotton pad soaked in eye makeup remover against my mascara for a long time and following with a cleanser but I still woke up with mascara residue. I almost always experience lash fall out when I wash the primer/mascara off too. :( I hardly seeing all lash fall out if I just wash off mascara alone. I know there is a special mascara remover by Kiss Me Heroine ($15) that you brush on like a mascara but it seems like a lot of money to spend (primer, mascara, mascara remover = $$).

Conclusion: I do like the results when I use the Shiseido Mascara Base but I'm honestly not much into mascara anymore so I probably won't be repurchasing it in the future. It does dramatically increase the performance and overall look of your eyelashes when used with any mascara, but I'm so paranoid about the damaging effects that removing the primer has on my lashes. I think if you wear mascara everyday or have very short lashes then the Shiseido primer is worth trying out. It's a very quick and easy step so it won't prolong your morning routine very much.

I don't hate the primer but I don't love it either. The best thing about the primer is how long it makes your lashes stay curled and how it an extra oomph to the eyes. I'm not sure how long one tube last since I only use it once or twice a week. A reviewer on MUA said one tube lasted her two months with daily use though.

I'll review the Max Factor 2000 Calorie Lash Pumper soon so you can see comparison pictures. Thanks for reading my review, please let me know if you have any additional questions. :)

Food Porn and Recent Buys

Good morning!

I hope everyone is doing well. I'm sharing some food porn today. It's been such a long time since I made a food related post. ^^

My bacon avocado omelet with home fries and wheat toast. This restaurant offers red bean pancakes, I need to try them next time.

My fried chicken sandwich with bacon and blue cheese from Magnolia's in San Francisco. It was a terrible dish: the meat was soggy, too much blue cheese, and the fries were limp as can be.

My sister's BLT. Yay for bacon. XD

Appetizer at Dopo in Oakland: (from L to R) fried scallops/onions, mussels, and pork belly. Everything was fantastic!

Spicy anchovy pizza, my favorite topping ever.

Lasagna. It was a little salty that night.

Brunch at the best place in Berkeley: Bette's Oceanview Diner. I got the two egg breakfast with a pumpkin scone and apple sausage.

My sister's soft herb scramble.

My brother got the same thing as me but choose ham and toast instead.

We shared the waffles, they were so good! This place also offers a pancake souffle that it awesome.

Recent Buys

Suave Daily Clairifying Shampoo. I do not recommend using it everyday as it will dry out your hair. I use it once a week to remove residue and build up from my hair. It works wonderfully and it's super cheap!

Nail polish remover tub. You stick your finger in, let it soak in the acetone, and then rub it around on rubber bristles inside... a dream for removing stubborn glitter nail polishes or press on nails.

Sasa haul. The Tina's Dressers masks were buy two, get one free. The Kuan Yuan masks were really cheap too, I hope they work well. I also bought a cuticle cutter/trimmer since these types are hard to find in the U.S.

I'm following the awesome Amy Naree's advice by taking an aloe vera juice supplement everyday. I hope it helps my skin. She was right, the taste is quite tart and unpleasant. XD I think it's very Asian of me to buy so many vitamins/supplements in the hopes that it will better my physical appearance. I picked up the Aqua Glycolic toner at the drugstore too as I just finished my Clinique Mild Toner. I heard great reviews about the product being able to unclog pores. I'm wary of the alcohol content though so I'll only use it a few times a week.

Zoya Indigo nail polish. The sparkles are so pretty!

Yes to Carrots lip balm. I heard many great reviews for this lip care product from bloggers and I finally bought it at Target. I love it too! It's very moisturizing and long lasting.

Burt's Bees Repair Serum. I think this product is being discontinued. I like using the oil under my eyes at night. In the morning, my normally dry under eyes are soft and supple. I'm too scared to use it all over my face for now.

More sheet masks form Sasa.com. I'm really interested in the Bird's Nest and My Beauty Story one.

Lots of cucumber water. I love soaking cotton pads in the toner and leaving it on my face as a quick mask, very hydrating and cooling.

Some free sheet masks from Sasa.com

Some of those daily sheet masks. I hope they work well. The price is right: about $9 for 22 masks.

Powder masks you can mix with water or milk.

I had to get my hands on some of those VOV face masks after seeing them on other beauty blogs. The packaging is so adorable.

My first sleeping mask! It was BOGO. I used it once already and it really brightened up my skin after just one hour of leaving the product on.

Some Crest White Strips. They work really well!

Whew! Thanks for supporting my blog. I'm off to start commenting on everyone's blog updates. I have so much to catch up on. :)

Sasa and Beautykat Packages

Hi guys!

Long time, no blog. I'm sorry for my lack of commenting on all the nice blog updates, I've been really busy with midterms and papers. I plan to play catch up with all the new posts after this coming Tuesday, the day of my last test. I hope everyone is well!

Onto a more fun note, I got my some of my sasa.com packages and my order from beautykat.com. It was my first time ordering from both online retailers so I did not know what to expect. I'll just share my thoughts on these sellers before proceeding.

Everything from sasa.com was extremely well-packed (lots of bubble wrap and padding). Shipping and delivery took about two weeks, a little slower than bobodave (another Hong Kong retailer). I imagine the workers at sasa.com were really overwhelmed with the large influx of orders that were placed because of their free shipping deal though. Bobodave does ship faster but their S&H fees tend to be much higher since they go by weight and they do not package their items as nicely as sasa.com.

Beautykat.com, on the other hand, is based in Oklahoma, U.S.A and this modest online shop sells Asian skin care products. They offer samples and full sized items from the more high end and expensive brands from Kose, Shiseido, SK-11, and Fancl. Their shipping charge is very low and reasonable though (only $2.50). The best part is that my package only took a day to get to my door! I would probably order from them again since they also sell my HG sunscreen; however, the company was not as careful with package protection as sasa.com. The cardboard box of my Kose cleanser was all bent upon arrival since they just shipped it in a padded envelope with some bubble wrap. Not a real big deal since the actual product was in perfect condition but I would have been upset had the face wash been a gift for someone. Beautykat is also very prompt in answering any questions one may have about their policies or products over email.

Haul time! I'm not going to write out everything I ordered (time crunch), but let's just say that I'm well stocked up on oil blotting films and cotton pads for the next year. I have several more boxes from sasa.com in the mail still, they probably hate me since I'm taking advantage of the free shipping promotion. Some of the things I bought will be gifts to friends or family as well.

I got even more facial puffs in the mail today. XD I use two to three a day so usually I go through cotton pad packages quickly. Thanks for reading and visiting my blog! I hope to return to regular updates and reviews soon. :) Enjoy these pictures of Brody until then! Look at how he goes from innocently sweet to lewd!

Product Review: MBD Black Pearl Mask + Recent Buys

Hello!

I know I said I was going to do mini reviews on all the My Beauty Diary masks I owned, but I was really bored (procrastinating) this time around so I snapped a bunch of demonstrative pictures for a full product review.

Product: My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask

Price: I got some free for a really nice friend ($1.30 each in mixed value packs, $18.10 for 10 sheets at sasa.com)

Claims: “My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask whitens skin and restores elasticity for skin. It is ideal for all skin types, especially dull and loose skin. Ultimate whitened skin: Ultimate whitening complex composed by black pearl extracts is a beauty ingredient containing amino acid and microelements. Blended with marine and botanical essences, it activates skin’s natural hydrating and whitening mechanism, leaving skin silky and radiant. Amazing Nanospheres Technology: Structured with plenty of tiny holes, it enhances absorption of nourishment, leaving skin moisturized. “

Scents: I can't remember, nothing too profound or offensive

Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0

Repurchase: Yes, it's a new love

I was a little worried that MBD Black Pearl Mask would not perform so well because many other bloggers only deemed this particular variety mediocre but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. All MBD masks are packaged with a generous amount of essence in them, which is nice considering they are expensive. I always apply any extra essence within the empty package on my neck. My skin was quite oily and swallow looking prior to application of the mask.

The size of the mask fits my face well enough after some initial adjusting. The large presence of essence keeps the mask firmly situated on the face without any slipping or movement problems. The mask dries out in about 35 minutes and you're supposed to rub in the leftover liquid into your skin (do not wash your face after).

I was quite pleased at the reduction of oil on my face after the mask. My pores looked smaller and less visible as well. My skin definitely felt more hydrated, bouncy, and very soft to the touch as promised. At first, my skin looked a little red and somewhat blotchy immediately after removing the mask but the extra color faded away soon enough.

Lastly the mask certainty delivers on its promise to whiten the skin, which I am sure many you will be pleased about. I was happy the mask really toned down the yellowness in my skin and brightened it overall. You can click on the picture below to enlarge it.

Conclusions : I would buy the My Beauty Diary Black Pearl mask again and recommend this flavor to friends/readers as well. I'm totally loving the results from this mask. The leftover essence did not feel sticky or unpleasant on my skin later in the night. My skin retained a new level of brightness and smoothness in the morning as well. I'm excited to explore the other masks this company offers now.

Recent Buys

Cargo Matte Bronzer in Medium and free samples. Cargo powders only go for $21 at my local beauty store as opposed to $24-28 at Sephora. The small discount is somehow incentive enough to make me want to buy more soon. XD

HTF (hard to find) Revlon nail polish in Star Vibe

My Bay Area and awesome blogger buddy Lulu of Luluchinadoll came to visit me yesterday! I was embarrassed about my college apartment so I cleaned it up before she and her significant other came over. ^^ Sorry for being my in workout clothes Lulu, you know how bum college students are like. She was so kind to bring me cool cat treats as well, thank you Lulu! I will repay you with goodies once my sasa packages arrive. Lulu had fun trying to get Brody to warm up to her but he's quite the shy tease! The two of us had went in on a Zoya order together last week because they were having a BOGO sale, it was shipped to my house. Yay for good deals and sales!

I got Pasha, Miley, Yasmeen, Lulu ( in honor of one of my best blogger buddies), Anthea and Indigo (not pictured). Zoya did not ship Indigo and one of Lulu's polishes, they included Piper (far right) for some reason though. I need to call them though because they charged my card for the full amount. -_-

It's always great meeting up with ever sweet Lulu. I can't wait until we both have more free time so we can hang out longer next time!

Thanks for reading my blog and have a nice day. :)