Hiatus or...

just lazy? Keeping up with a blog is hard. I guess making it a new year's resolution also doomed it to failure. I suppose the nice thing is, that it really isn't a failure if I just pick it up again. I may have lost a few readers (did I really have that many to begin with?) but wasn't this blog more about me and my friends sharing beauty products? Well, certainly, there is never an end to how many products there are out there.

School took over my life last year. It was hard and it kicked my ass. But, can I say that I loved it? Yes! And, I'm going back for one more year. I managed to blog until April and now it's August. Hopefully, this school year will bring me more sanity and clarity.

More to come! Of course, I have been using products (just not blogging).

Cuticle Oil

As a one-time nail biter (although, I'm still prone to bouts of nail-biting at times of stress.), I am consistently ashamed of my nails and the way they look. I had all but given up on them by the time I graduated from college. But after a few rare trips to the nail salon and a couple of manicures and pedicures later, I am convinced that cuticle oil and proper care will salvage my worn and abused fingernails.

On a recent girls only trip to Vegas, my bff Alice introduced me to cuticle oil. I swear it's a miracle for those of us with dry, cracked cuticles! I am currently using Sephora's Nourishing Cuticle Care Pen. The pen's tip is a brush applicator which allows for non-messy application. I go ahead and use it on my entire nail because it's really not "oily" more gel-like in my opinion (this is a plus!). The oil consists of oil of onager, aloe vera gel, and vitamin F. It's compact and easy to carry around with you so whenever you notice dry cuticles, reapplication is convenient! Perusing the Sephora website, I noticed two new cuticle oil products:



Cuticle oil in Eucalyptus or Lavendar!!!

So, dry cuticles BEWARE!!!

Adjustable Heels?!

Check out this link in adjustable heels, brought to you by Shannon.

What will they think of next?

Garnier Fructis

Just bought this deep conditioning masque from Walgreen's. So, I recently got a haircut (a "bob" to be exact) and highlights. Undoubtedly, my hair has a weird wave to it. So, I'm trying this deep conditioner to see if maybe it will keep my hair from drying up and frizzing out. We'll see how it goes. I even got the hubby to try it too! I've used Garnier Fructis' Sleek and Shine Shampoo, Conditioner, and Shine serum, all of which are effective, especially considering their drugstore prices. Although, the shine serum is not as good as John Frieda's frizz-ease which shines and eases the frizz (ha!); it's decent.

Rehash? Recycling?

I've recently come across this link: http://www.rehashclothes.com/.

What an interesting concept?! My friends and I are were discussing something similar after a recent trip to the SwapSF clothing swap where we left sorely disappointed. All the clothes were ratty and harshly used. I think my friends and I brought the nicest stuff there and we even came home with each other's clothing! While I think that swapping books is a GREAT idea, the swapping of clothes needs A LOT of work. I think that we're willing to give it ONE more try (well some of us) but really, we were very sad after the clothing swap in January. After the event, we went through our "goods" and decided that next time we would just gather all our friends and acquaintances and have our own clothing, accessory, and jewelry (I just threw that in here!) in the comfort and cleanliness of someone's home.

What do you think of "rehasing"?

Don't waste your money

I shall be posting more soon. School has derailed many a life and why should mine be any different? Anyways, I've been reading bellasugar.com and I found this entry particularly helpful: http://bellasugar.com/920750

Save your money and buy CoverGirl nail polish!!!

Two Weeks from H*ell

So, I know my last post was a week ago but lots of work and tissues have been piling up. Last weekend, I was sidelined with the school flu (for those who know, it's been called the "GSPP Flu"). Although, I'm pretty sure I didn't get the full blown flu, I ended up sleeping Sunday and Monday in an effor to get well which worked for the most part except for the lingering sniffles and cough that have plagued me all freakin' week. On Friday, I noticed that my head was really "stuffed" up and today, I had major headaches. My self-diagnosis = sinus infection! Gross.

On top of that, I have two midterms, one paper, one problem set, and a career fair all next week. Exciting. I better be feelin' better by Monday or I'm in trouble.

Enough of me describing how unpretty I feel. So, when I went to Hawaii one year ago, I picked up this stuff called "Surfer's Salve." This stuff is amazing! It soothes and moisturizes, almost as good as tiger balm. I have been diligently applying it to my nose holes, the area around my nose holes, and my lips in order to keep my nose and lips from chapping from all that blowing!


It's made by Island Soap and Candle Works. They have great soap as well. I was able to purchase it from one of their shops on the island of Kauai. Apparently, I read in InStyle magazine that you can use it on your hair as well, kind of like Jonathan's Dirt. Island Soap does mailorder and you might be able to find some of their products on the West coast in some drug stores. I know I've seen them around. East Coasters might have more of a problem but you never know. Online shopping is pretty fun anyways.

Happy Surfing and stay healthy.

Purple is the color of my Valentine

Yes, I know it's Sunday and AFTER Valentine's Day. I would tell you about the arduous week I had but that belongs in another blog...hehe. Academic hazing is SO much "fun." Anyways, On Thursday, Valentine's Day, when my project was done and handed in, I found myself at home writing yet another paper. I wasn't too stressed about this paper, so I decided to try the suggestion posted on one of the beauty blogs I regularly peruse. I recently purchased CoverGirl Boundless Color Nail Polish in Grapevine. As I was brushing on the color, I was so happy! I LOVE the color purple and this shade of grape was making the stress of my entire week melt away. I know it's just nail polish but who cares?! It's such a pretty and fun color. However, I know purple is not for everyone, so check out CoverGirl's website for your favorite color. So far, no chips on my color coat so DJ is very happy about that.

While I was on CoverGirl's website, I noticed a tips section on nails. I'm looking through it for helpful tips on nail care.

Yay for grape!!!

Sunsilk Hair Products

So, who saw Sunsilk's Superbowl ad with Shakira, Madonna, etc.? To view the commercial, click here. Anyways, for the past year or so, they've revamped their image and stepped up their offerings in the way of hair care. I saw on bellasugar's website Sunsilk's Anti-Static Winter care line. This weekend I purchased the shampoo and conditioner and have used it twice.


I love it! My hair is noticeably softer, silkier, and NOT static-y. The shampoo itself has a blue shiny glittery sheen to it and the conditioner is more of an opaque baby blue color. The smell is nothing memorable but the way my hair feels afterwards is wonderful! I think I'm in love with Sunsilk. I quickly perused their wikipedia entry and it's interesting that their market has been "ethnic" women overseas. I'm glad they're stepping up their U.S. marketing campaign. I've found a new shampoo and conditioner. Yippee.

Hotness...male and female telling you to VOTE

Check out this link. As an Asian American female, voting is important to me. I hope it is for you too. Plus, if Russell Wong tells me vote, I am so there.

Voting makes you pretty. Trust me.

Another day, another blog

I had forgotten that my bff Alice recommended a beauty blog to me. So to bonbons...you've been added.

Target rocks it

I love Target and let me tell you why. They seem to know exactly what people want, fashionable clothes that don't make us poor. Sure, I love juicy couture, marc jacobs, etc. but I'm not willing to go bankrupt for a purse. So, since Target got into cahoots with the designers Libertine, Alice Temperley, Erin Fetherston, etc., my love for the that red dot has grown. And now, the new GO designers have been announced: JOVOVICH-HAWK!!! Aah! Here's the news release from Target. Check out some of the images of the fashion.

Mark March 2nd on the fashion calendar and make your way to Target.

Short Like Me?

Are you 5'4" or under? Today I found the blog of Petite Fashionista. How many times have I tried on pants that fit everywhere except the length of the leg? Who has the time or money to get pants altered? Who's sick of fashion ignoring us short girls? ME!!! So check out the blog (link is under Beauty Spots) and see what advice you can glean from a smart blogger.

Or click here.

The Miracle of Life?

Why am I up on a Saturday morning at 8:23am? I don't know. Mental programming, I guess. So, there's a product near and dear to my heart and I can't believe I didn't blog about it sooner. It's rarely talked about in non-Chinese circles but I truly believe in its powers. What am I talking about? TIGER BALM, of course. I used it for practically everything. I use it for itchy spots, dry spots, sore muscles, chapped lips, headaches, blemishes, etc. The power of it's minty goodness can't be matched! My favorite is this brand:



I think you can find it in any of those supermarket/drug stores in Chinatown. Honestly, it's pretty amazing stuff and makes my life a lot better having it. Seriously, try it and let me know if it works for you.

Additions to beautychi

I added "Beauty Spots" which is a list of beauty links that I have been frequenting. I can't get enough of these blogs and websites!!! I'm addicted like I'm addicted to beauty products. These sites offer great info, advice, products, etc. I'll be updating the list as I find more and more procrastination tools. If only I could somehow merge my policy interests with beauty products. Now that would be a perfect career.

Bite my lips

I saw Revlon's "Just Bitten" Lip Stain advertised in a recent issue of Lucky Magazine. It took me a couple of tries to find it but I finally got one for $11.99 at Long's Drugs.


My say on the product is that it's definitely NOT WORTH the $11.99 I shelled out for it. It is...in a word...w-e-i-r-d. At first, you're like, ooh, it looks like a vial of blood, which I thought was kinda cool in a science-y kind of way. But, then I discovered it has a cheapo roller ball applicator that doesn't really work well. The gloss itself is too "wet" for a roller ball applicator so it goes on kind of messy. It's not horrible but I'm expecting me if I have to pay double-digits for lip stains. If you're looking for a great lip stain, try Benefit's pocketpal benetint + gloss. That's totally worth double digits in money.



The brush applicator is perfect and the gloss on the other end highlights the "just bitten" look that I really want.

Conclusion: If you're looking for a quality lip stain, skip Revlon's and buy Benefit's benetint pocket pal for $20.00. It's totally worth the extra dollars.

Spring Semester begins...and so does dry skin

It's funny how it's called Spring Semester since it's freezing cold outside! I have a pretty long commute, so long that if I start off with sunny skies, I end up with rainy clouds. Alas, the dry, bitter cold air is wreaking havoc on my pretty (ugly!) hands. I've tried many hand creams in my lifetime and VERY FEW work. Some are too perfumey (irritation city!), some are too oily (can't get a grip!), and others just don't absorb into my skin (i.e. they don't work). One that I have found to be consistently GREAT is L'Occitane's Hand Cream. Sure, it's a bit expensive but totally worth it. You don't need a lot for it to work. There's no slippery, oily residue, and...surprise, it actually moisturizes my hands for longer than 30 minutes! I love it and it smells nice too...like a light cream breeze with a hint of flower.



Try it! You'll like it. Even my 31 year old brother swears by it.

Caffeine is not evil, despite the article

Below is an article that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle today. Another reason why women shouldn't drink so much caffeine. I refuse to believe this insignificant study. However, too much of anything may kill you (or make you fat, i.e. too much chocolate cake).

Best evidence yet of caffeine-miscarriage link

Erin Allday, Chronicle Staff Writer

Monday, January 21, 2008
Comparing caffeine. Chronicle Graphic

Women in early pregnancy who drink a cup and a half of coffee every day are at greater risk of miscarriage than those who stay away from caffeine, according to a Kaiser Permanente study out of Oakland.

The study, published today in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is one of the largest to look at the connection between caffeine and miscarriage, and the first to interview women about their caffeine habits before they've actually suffered a miscarriage.

While there has been much research into caffeine and miscarriage - some of it dating back to the 1960s - no studies have been definitive, and the effect of caffeine, and coffee in particular, on miscarriage has been a subject of controversy.

But the Kaiser study, said doctors who were not involved in the research, makes a fairly solid case against drinking coffee, or any kind of caffeinated beverage, early in pregnancy.

"I would probably not even recommend a cup a day, based on this. It's not a huge risk, but it's a real effect," said Dr. Aaron Caughey, a perinatologist at UCSF.

Despite the new findings, Caughey said it's important to note that the majority of miscarriages - up to 80 percent - happen due to chromosomal abnormalities that have nothing to do with the mother's behavior. The last thing women who have had miscarriages need to do is blame themselves, he said.

Researchers interviewed 1,063 pregnant women; 16 percent of the women had miscarriages. Women who had 200 mg of caffeine a day - roughly equivalent to a cup and a half of coffee - were twice as likely to have a miscarriage as those who had less than 200 mg or those who had no caffeine at all.

The difference in risk was most noticeable in miscarriages that happened after eight weeks of pregnancy. The study did not look at the effects of caffeine on pregnancies past 20 weeks.

Even when researchers took into account age, alcohol consumption, smoking and other factors related to miscarriage, the risk remained.

"The data has been consistent, but the question has been whether this is a real effect or not," said De-Kun Li, a research scientist in Kaiser's Northern California division and an author of the paper. "Our study has addressed that issue. Hopefully that relationship is much more firmly established now."

Doctors have long theorized that caffeine is not healthy for fetuses - a dilemma for pregnant women who may be suffering from fatigue and hate to give up the energy boost from caffeine. But because it is considered unethical in most cases to do randomized studies of pregnant women, it's been difficult to research just how unhealthy caffeine is.

The theory is that caffeine passes easily from the mother through the placenta and into the fetus, which is unable to metabolize the drug in a healthy way. Some doctors think that later in the pregnancy, as the baby's metabolic system matures, caffeine is safe.

Even now, no one knows for sure how much caffeine is too much. The Kaiser study showed a small and statistically insignificant increase in risk for women who had less than 200 mg of caffeine every day. But that includes a wide group of caffeine drinkers, doctors noted, and it's possible the women who drink, say, a cup of coffee - with roughly 150 mg of caffeine - increase their risk of miscarriage while those who drink one soda - with 30 to 50 mg of caffeine - do not. "This is a little bit like the alcohol studies, where we are unable to say that any alcohol is safe," Caughey said.

Tammy Plotkin-Oren of El Cerrito suffered a miscarriage during her first pregnancy, even after she took every precaution she could think of to protect herself and her child, including quitting caffeine. She's since had three children and continued to cut out caffeine during all of her pregnancies, even if her doctor wasn't insisting on it.

"This isn't a willpower thing. It's not like saying you're going to exercise more. This is more the guilt. I know I have a baby growing inside me, so it's affecting someone other than myself," Plotkin-Oren said. "The mornings are the hardest, and midday, when you start to get tired. I drank a ton of herbal tea through my pregnancies."
What the study found

-- Women in early pregnancy who drank 200 mg or more of caffeine every day - the equivalent of about 1 1/2 cups of coffee - had roughly twice the risk of miscarriage as women who drank less caffeine or none at all.

-- The greatest risk from caffeine was in the second eight weeks of pregnancy.

-- Where the caffeine came from - coffee, tea, soda or some other beverage - did not make a difference in the risk.

E-mail Erin Allday at eallday@sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/21/MNIUUHS4F.DTL

This article appeared on page A - 1

Essie for your nails

Everytime I get a manicure, I find myself drawn to Essie nail polish. I love their colors! I currently own Vintage Wine and Virgin Orchid, shown above. I used Virgin Orchid when I got married and love the girly pink finish. If your looking for something sexier and darker, vintage wine is a portly red. The polish lasts a long time and hardly chips. Essie can be purchased at almost any salon or beauty supply shop. It's a pretty ubiquitous brand.

Happy polishing!

New Haircut, courtesty of Mike

I love my mac. So easy to take pics and upload them to my blog. Anyways, I got a haircut today from Mike at Lynn's Designer Salon in Milpitas, CA on 61 Serra Way, Suite #112. What do you all think? I've been going to Mike for a year now and he's great! I bring in pictures and he cuts my hair exactly the way I want it. A match made in heaven! And he's reasonably prices as well. How do you think it compares with what I was trying to copy? The photo is from John Frieda's website. I realize that it's a bit hard to see the full hairstyle but if you head over to www.johnfrieda.com, there's some more pics of the blonde model. If you want to see mine better, well maybe you should come visit me (hehe). I really wish that John Frieda would do an Asian/straight BLACK hair line. Not everyone classifies themself as a blonde, brunette, or redhead. Don't forget about us black haired folks.

Why I'm falling in love with Christina Aguilera...

She's so pretty. sigh

JOJOBA - HOHOBA

So, it's pronounced ho-ho-ba. I've always enjoyed referring to it by its improper name, jo-jo-ba. No matter though, this oil is wonderful for your skin, scalp, and even hair! There's no scent so no nasty smell emanating from your head or hands. Yes, it's an oil but it's light and does not leave a filmy residue. I read about this oil originally in Lucky magazine (I think) and hadn't really given it another thought until I found myself in the personal hygiene section of a Whole Foods. I decided to buy it because my sig-o is afflicted with dandruff and jojoba oil helps with itchy, dry scalps. So, I wouldn't call it a miracle oil but it's pretty darn close. It's a moisturizer that works for men and women, dandruff or not. The oil leaves my hair shiny and moisturized. The only thing I would say about using it on your hair is to go easy on the scalp area if you have long hair. It can give you an "oily" look that may be construed as "greasy" or "dirty." Just a little warning. It relatively inexpensive at less than $10 and very versatile. If you want to check out the one I bought, here's the website: www.desertessence.com.

Ringin' in the new year with jojoba (ho-ho-ba).

Smells like Juicy

Whenever I tell folks I like Juicy Couture, I get two reactions. One is, "that teeny bopper trend whore of a store" or "that slutty, hootchy (did I even spell that right?) whore of a store." I think it's interesting that there's this dichotomy. Overly cute and overly sexy at the same time. Anyways, I am not afraid to admit that I like Juicy. Not all their stuff is ridiculous. They're actually known for their two piece designer sweatsuit in velour, terry, or cashmere. I own a plum velour suit, courtesy of my friends for my birthday last year. What this post is really about is the perfume. I'm pretty picky about my scents. I don't like very many and most make me nauseous. So far, I've been able to find two to my satisfaction. One is my trusty Issey Miyake for women; the other I'm very proud to say is Juicy Couture. One of my friends once said that it smelled like grape juice. Well, I happen to like grape juice. But, she has a point. The perfume has a nice fruity smell that is not overwhelming with hints of floral. Try it out at Sephora or a department store. Or you can smell me sometime; I'll only let you if you're nice.

Don't knock the juicy. Give J.C. a chance.

Soap in my Coffee? Ugh.

So, I got a medium nonfat vanilla latte from Peet's this afternoon in downtown SF. It was SOAPY. Why oh why do you do this to me Peet's? After all the chances I've given you, yet you continue to "wash my mouth out with soap." Grossness. What did I ever do to you?! You tease me with your Fair Trade whole coffee beans but deny my taste buds coffee happiness. I vow to not get your lattes but continue to buy your beans. I think this is a fair compromise.

I do not feel pretty after drinking Peet's soapy latte.

Dressing "professional"

What the hell does that mean?! No open toe shoes. Power skirt suit (apparently, pantsuit is more "casual.) Check out this description (copied from an e-mail from career services at school):

Professional Attire for Women:

* A business suit in a classic style. Pant suits and skirt suits are acceptable, but pant suits are considered more casual, so wear a skirt suit if interviewing for more conservative organizations. A "suit" means that the jacket and skirt or pants are made from the same material. Women have more flexibility with suit color, but avoid colors that are very trendy; stick to a more classic color.
* Under your suit jacket, wear a collared blouse or conservative shell, in a color that complements your suit.
* Shoes should be black or brown, whichever complements your suit color. Wear shoes with closed toes; avoid wearing a shoe that could be considered a sandal. Boots are fine with a pant suit, especially when interviewing in cool weather.
* Wear nylons that match your skin color.

So, realizing that after almost four years of working at a nonprofit, I own zero professional clothing. Thank God I invested in some suit jackets years ago. Last night as I was trying to fall asleep, I kept thinking about all the shoes that I had and not a pair was "professional." In fact, most are either sandals or sneakers. Ack. So two and half hours later, I now own a pair of Nine West pumps (closed toe, thank you very much), a Banana Republic black skirt (that fits and is outlet priced), a classic white Brooks Brothers button shirt (again from the outlet), and pantyhose from Kohl's (of the Hanes variety). And, I splurged and bought Juicy Couture perfume from Kohl's; I've been mulling over the perfume for months now (or has it been a year?!) and finally figured out that Kohl's has a smaller bottle for cheaper ($45 beats $85 anyday, I really don't need that much perfume). I am so ready to be professional for the networking event tomorrow.

Important lesson of the day: Dressing professionally can be done affordably at the Great Mall in Milpitas. When I (or my sugar daddy) make the big bux, I will shop at Barneys New York. But really, no one can tell the difference unless you tell them.

Ode to Coffee all the time

So, not exactly a beauty product but I must profess my love for coffee on this blog because yes, on some days it does make me feel good, if not pretty. My favorite all time drink is the grande nonfat caramel macchiato from Starbucks. I realize that there are those that believe that Starbux is the devil reincarnated (did I get that right?) but I just can't help but love this drink. Generally, it's a hard drink to f*ck up thus there is some general consistency among the multitude of starbux stores around the world. It's caramel-y, sweet, warm, and has a lovely coffee flavor that makes me so happy.

Besides the caramel macchiato, I do love my coffee. Some might call it an addiction (i.e. my sig o), but I would just say that I'm dedicated and I know what I want. I love the roasted flavor with notes of chocolate sometimes or some inexplicable sweetness. Sometimes it's got this woody smell to it that makes me feel like cuddling up on the couch with my Hello Kitty blanket, Gwen the cat, and watching a favorite movie (currently Ratatouille on repeat...I love Remy.).

Coffee, I'm sure, will be a recurring theme in this blog. Oh yes.

Juice Beauty $29 Organics to Go

On a recent trip to Vegas, I purchased the Juice Beauty Organics to GO back from the gigantic Sephora at the Venetian. I figured it was time to try this brand after hearing so many things about it and being from the Bay Area. Of the five products, I've tried three things (four if you count the free eco facecloth). So far, I pretty much like what I feel. The Cleansing Milk and Oil-Free moisturizer work well together. I can't say that it smells particularly good at first. Perhaps a bit medicine-y rather than fruity. But, I think that after a couple days of use, I kind of like that. It cleanses well, nothing hugely spectacular and the moisturizer is really oil-free. I like products that don't lie to me. The antioxidant serum is decent enough. Since I am now in my late 20's, I think I need to start using some of that anti-aging crap. Argh, the joys of getting older. So this is my first product that has "anti-aging" power. I will say that it helps my face from drying up during the day. My old face lotion had this bad habit of drying up sometime after lunch. So far, the Juice Beauty trio that I have been using hasn't failed me. Can't say that I can recommend this product yet, still at the drawing board. I'll let you know after a month of use.