July Favorites!

Guess what time it is again? Monthly favorites time!!!! YAY!!! Sorry I haven't posted in so long but hopefully you guys will forgive me >.<

Tea Tree Cool & Creamy Wash from The Body Shop

This face wash only recently came out from The Body Shop and so I had to try it! Everyone knows what a big fan of tea tree I am! The consistency, smell, and appearance is a lot like toothpaste. I liken this product to toothpaste for your face but man does it feel good on your skin! Use some water and a marble sized dollop on your hands for a refreshing, tingly clean that doesn't dry out your skin but leaves it cool and spotless.

Aloe Eye Defense Eye Cream from The Body Shop

More Body Shop goodness and this time, it's for my eyes. I've not ventured too deeply into the world of eye creams yet but out of the hand full I've ever tried, I must say I like this one a lot! It's very gentle and light so it doesn't make my already oily eyelids feel greasier plus it feels lightly cooling as it absorbs into my skin. Definitely a treat for sore eyes at the end of a long day!

NYC Smooth Skin Loose Face Powder in Translucent

This product is amazing at mattifying skin and it has absolutely zero color to it meaning a huge range of people with skin tones ranging from porcelain white to almost black can use it and not worry about looking too dark or washed out! Use it to set your makeup or just to de-slick an oily face and you're good to go. The one thing I really dislike about this product is that it is incredibly messy, if it came in better packaging that could control the amount of product dispensed each time then I would give it a full 10/10!

NYX Stick Blush in Tea Rose

The main thing I worry about with blushes is that they'l make me look sick if I put it on. I associate fevers with red cheeks (not to mention carbon monoxide poisoning also causes red cheeks before it kills you...) but this blush doesn't give you that sickly look, rather it makes you look healthy and the reddish pink color seems quite natural. Wonderful for hot summer days (which aren't quite here yet but I hope soon will be!) because it's cream based meaning it won't flake off and make your cheeks look splotchy over time. Not only is it a great blush color but it's wonderful as lip rouge! Multipurpose is the name of the game!

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original

This is the main primer I've been gravitating towards this month. I've not found a primer that completely prevents creasing or my eyeliner from transferring to above my crease but I've noticed my Hard Candy Primer makes my brushes kind of icky since that primer has a more liquid consistency compared with Urban Decay's. For the summer days, you want your makeup staying in place because nobody wants to look like a sweaty drag queen...even drag queens XD.

Tea Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash from The Body Shop

It has ground up apricot seeds to exfoliate but it's quite a mild exfoliator if I ever tried one! It makes my face feel incredibly smooth after and very cool (since it comes from the tea tree and tamanu oils inside). My issue with this product is that it doesn't lather very well but it does give a gentle clean without stripping all the moisture out of your face! I've noticed my blackheads fading away as well so true to its name, this exfoliating wash does zap away those nasty impurities lying around your nose!

elf Lengthening and Defining Mascara in Black Brown

elf, you are a god of makeup I swear! This mascara has great wear, lengthens, volumizes, and does't clump very much at all. It was also very inexpensive (even though I got it as a gift XP) but nonetheless, some more expensive mascaras I've tried don't give me the same effect as this elf one! My lashes don't flake or sag over time either! Apart from how banging it makes my lashes look, the slim packaging is great for keeping the clutter in your purse minimal when you go out! Kudos to you elf for another amazing product! 

NYX For Your Eyes Only Mysterious Brown Eyes Eyeshadow Palette

My first eyeshadow palette ever and it's up there on the list for one of my favorite palettes too. The pigmentation of most of the colors is phenomenal and the textures are extremely soft and buttery. It's got ten shadows that are great for making everyday looks but it also has a leaf green and some purple shades too if you want to vamp it up a little! The applicator it comes with it's great (I use it to clean the mirror inside and not for putting on makeup XP) but with a good brush or even your fingers, you can make miracles happen with this palette!

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Grape Vine

I was naughty and bought three more Baby Lips lip balms...they're so cute (and not to mention packed with product!) so I had to get more! The color is a deep, purply red that gives lips that need a boost of color life again. It's great for taking out with you because you don't need to carry both lip balm and lipstick when this balm already has some pigmentation! It's not very strong color though so if you want bold lips this probably isn't the thing for you. The moisturizing ability is pretty decent but it does need to be reapplied often to maintain soft lips.

Vitamin E Hydrating Toner from The Body Shop

I never thought a toner could be this hydrating but true to its name, the Vitamin E Hydrating Toner from The Body Shop delivers skin softening treatment while balancing the pH of your skin. I also love the scent of this product, it's hard to explain but smells lightly of sunscreen and spa...weird right? XD

It's also alcohol free so no worries about your skin drying up there! You also only need a dime sized amount on a cotton pad to sweep or pat all over your face so this product is going to last me ages! Soft skin here I come!

Thanks for sticking around! Sorry I haven't made a post in such a long time, I've been focusing on my artwork which you can find here: http://melody-in-the-air.deviantart.com/

I'll try to post more often my blogging beauties!

Ciao for now!

NYX Eyeshadow Base with Pearl Review

Long time no blog! I return to the blogging world with a review on a new eyeshadow primer I've been trying out.

Low and behold, it's the NYX Eyeshadow Base with Pearl. It comes in a cute white pot with a screw on lid that contains 7 grams of primer. The product promises to give a brightening effect to the eyes and to keep your eyeshadow in place all day. Cute little packaging always entices me, I just had to give this baby a whirl~

Personally, I'm not a fan of pot primers where you need to swirl your finger into it and then place it on your eye; I much prefer squeezy tubes such as how Urban Decay does their Primer Potion packaging. It's difficult to gauge how much you need to swirl on your finger before lightly stroking the pearlescent  product all over your eye but it does indeed lighten the area. 

As for helping your eyeshadows stay in place, it helps to keep it from creasing all day and is actually quite good at bringing out the vibrancy of your shadows! Probably because when you put it on it turns your eyelids a shimmery white and white is a better base color than any tone of skin color. The pearl finish of it helps bring out the life of shimmery or glittery shadows and gives matte ones a nice shimmery look too. If you're a fan of shimmer, this product would be great for you! If you like matte colors more, the primer may take away some of the matte effect of matte shadows but the good news is, NYX does this primer in two other shades that are both matte. 

In general, this primer is very good but at the end of an 8 hour day, I still notice my shadows fading and creasing slightly. I don't have any major complaints though because without primer, my eyes look like I stuck each one in an ink bottle and this pretty pearl product prevents the "inked-eyes" ghoul look. It was only $7 when I bought it but retails anywhere from 7-10 dollars in drugstores. Definitely a steal and it does an amazing job for the price! NYX, you have wowed me once again!

If you're looking for a good primer, I definitely recommend NYX's Eyeshadow Base with Pearl. You can't go wrong when it prevents runny, creased makeup!

Thanks for reading and ciao for now! 

Hauling, Working and Cinema Going: Life Update~!

Hello my fellow bloggers! Sorry I haven't put up a post in so long! I promise to work hard to keep this blog alive! In essence, I'm back and ready to roll!

Many things have happened since I last did a life update. Work has been going smoothly, I'm in three courses for the summer and my nursing application is well on its way! Whenever I log in to view my course info or to check my application status I feel so nervous. I wonder why that is. It's not like I'm falling behind or failing anything! Hopefully that feeling subsides...maybe it's because I'm worried that with a 30-40 hour work week nearly every week; I won't have enough time to write all my essays or do the assigned readings for my courses. I'm also worried about my application to the nursing program...apparently I'm missing requirements, looks like I'll have to call the school in the morning and see why!

With my new income I've been naughty and spent money on things I shouldn't be buying. The Body Shop has been having a spree of sales and you know what happens to me when things are on sale...I go a tad crazy. Most of what I bought are skincare items. The Vitamin C Facial Polish, Vitamin E Hydrating Toner, Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion etc etc. I should have made this entry a Body Shop haul...maybe I'll do that another time with all my new goodies! 

This isn't all the products I bought...I was too lazy to hunt all of them down XD

I also got this beautiful handbag from Aldo but it cost me 50 whopping dollars! The price makes me cry but I wanted a new bag for work (to keep my uniform in) and my old LeSportsac Fifi Lapin bag is starting to look worse for wear. I don't have the heart to donate it or throw it away (for environmental and sentimental reasons) so I'll probably just use it less often. It looks kind of like a robot! The color and structure of the bag is really what drew me in, I don't really like bags that look like a saggy sac hanging off one's arm or shoulder and brown is so neutral it could go with any outfit!

Speaking of which, this is the outfit I wore to the movies tonight with my friends! 

Looks kinda creepy like this...

We saw The Great Gatsby and I actually really enjoyed it! I was worried it wouldn't be as good as the book considering it has music from artists like Jay-Z and Lana Del Rey...those aren't exactly songs that come from the 20's but it wasn't overpowering and at times, fit alright with the actual film. I love Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan. They're all wonderful actors and I may have a slight crush on our favorite Titanic star as well as the old Spiderman. The romance between Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan was just...the scene where Nick invites Daisy over to tea and Gatsby gets all shy....WAHH~~ <3

This scene...makes me all warm and fuzzy inside~

After the beautiful movie we went to play in the arcade at the theatre! I played DDR for the first time in AGES and it was really fun! It can be such a workout! Not to mention it's also quite dfficult to play in a dress as form fitting as the one I was wearing! No matter though I was able to play all three the songs through and one of them was no other than Angelus by Hitomi Shimatani from Inuyasha! I got all excited but my three other friends didn't grow up watching the show...so I was the only one humming the tune while dancing for my life!

I wasn't that great at DDR but it was fun nonetheless!

We also played Skee ball, four player Pac-man and a roller coaster like game called Typhoon (which was more of a ride than a game)...all in all, it was really fun! There can't be a better way to end the Monday!

Apart from these events, I've also been indulging in the arts and have found a new love in music by a girl called Priscilla Ahn. It's all so peaceful and pretty...all her songs have some sort of nostalgia attached to them. Here's two of my favorite ones: Rain and Oo La La

I get drawing inspiration from her too! Here's some art pieces I've been working on for the last little while! 

A Study of Arya and her facial expressons

A study as well, this time of Eragon

Trying some perspective work with Arya again, the feet could use a little work!

Eragon looking all pained and sad in this mixed media piece XD

...yes they're all fan art of the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini. I'm such a huge fan of the books! There'd better be a book 5!!!!

I've also hit over 300 watchers on DeviantART! I'm pretty proud of myself, I'm going to work hard to make it to 400 next and maybe beyond that! 

So there you have it folks, a little snippet into what's been going on in my life :)

I'll try to post more often so see you again soon! Also...sorry about the quality of some of these pics, I really need a new camera :(

Thanks for reading and ciao for now!

LUSH: Whoosh Shower Jelly Review

WHOOSH! Review time! The product of interest for today is this electric blue shower jelly from LUSH! I was an orientation leader for my university and honestly, whenever I think of the word "Whoosh" I'm reminded of the countless times we played a game of the same name. I got kind of sick playing it tens of times in training and during the actual event but thankfully, I do not tire of using this awesome product!

This product looks exactly like jello. No joke, it wiggles and jiggles just like jello and smells like a party of citrus fruits. The scent is very invigorating making it perfect to use when you're really tired or just need a pick me up. The best way to use Whoosh is to pinch off a blob about the size of a nickel and lather up really well in a loofah. A little goes a long way, you'll be seeing bubbles till the cows come home with a piece that size! The alternative is taking a chunk off and rubbing that all over your body but it can get really messy...the shower jelly will probably get all over your shower floor and just wash away. I really do recommend you use a loofah for the full shower jelly experience.

In the hot summer months, you can put Whoosh in the freezer/ fridge and use it to cool down in the shower. Believe, it feels great to escape from sweatville with this little baby! What's more, if you find yourself suddenly out of shampoo you can use Whoosh in your hair as well! take a dime sized amount for about medium length hair and crush it into your locks for a citrus infused lather. It's quite strong for a shampoo so remember to follow up with conditioner after to restore moisture to your tresses. 

LUSH has amazing products and Whoosh is definitely in my top ten most amazing inventions they have made. With all it's honey, carrageenan (it's a kind of seaweed), and citrus juices, it's a shower product connoisseur's of bath products like me gravitate towards. At  $6.95 for 100 grams and $11.95 for 240 grams, it doesn't break the bank like most LUSH products do. It'll last a hell of a long time too so don't worry about it disappearing on you in a month!

A definite recommend from me, go try it and love it like I do!

Thanks for reading and ciao for now!

April Favorites!

Looks like I'm on a roll! Here's this month's edition of my beauty favorites :)

I try to change up all the products each month to keep variety in my life, so without further ado, here we go!

Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush in Rose

Ever since I got into makeup I've wanted this product very badly! I finally decided to get it after nearly two years of drooling over these cute little hearts and guess what? I love it! I usually am not a big blush girl...I do wear blush but it's not my favorite part about applying makeup because I feel like a pink face can make a person look like they're running a fever. I tend to associate pink cheeks with sickness and so, blush doesn't appeal to me. This blush tells a different story however; it's on the sheerer side so that you can just have a light flush without giving you that fever'd look and contains euphoryl, a chemical that imitates the body's natural endorphins producing a happy feeling! I don't know if that's a gimmick or not but I do seem to be cheerier when I have this blush on! It also smells lightly of fragrant violets...an absolute delight!

The Body Shop's Vitamin C Facial Cleansing Polish

I have oily, acne ridden skin that can look dull from lack of sleep or stressful days. This facial cleanser really helps me face look like I'm still among the living. I also enjoy how it lathers! Facial cleansers that don't lather aren't necessarily ineffective but I prefer ones that do. I'll keep using this for the month of May and perhaps do a full review on it. So far, so good! It also smells like oranges...mmm refreshing!

Mizon's NBI-5 SCI BB Cream

BB Creams are my go to option for coverage because I find foundations to be a little too heavy these days. This BB Cream is really neat for it dispenses white but as you apply it to your face, it oxidizes to match your skin tone! It gives a dewy finish but on days I don't want to look quite to shiny, I use a powder to mattify as a post step. Lovely BB cream, doesn't give me acne and only need a pea sized squirt to cover my entire face! It smells lovely too...like some sort of sweet soap~

EOS Lip Balm in Strawberry Sorbet 

EOS lips balms are so gosh darn cute! I finally had to get a couple and give them a try and to my delight, they're amazing! The strawberry one tastes pretty good, it's good to apply on dry lips and even when you just want the scent of strawberries wafting about. Application is a breeze with it's ball shaped design, I don't like lip balms you need to stick your finger in to apply, hands free means less germs! I'm really tempted to try more of these! Oh my poor wallet!

Stila Lip Glaze in Loganberry

I call this lip glaze the perfect berry pink! It's pigmented well but sheer enough so that it won't make it look like you just bit into a beet. If you're going for a more natural look or just a sweet shine to your lips, Loganberry is your go to product! Application is precise as well with the design of the lip glaze click pen so you can shape your lips with it too!

Covergirl's Waterproof Lashblast Fusion Mascara in Very Black

If you want natural looking lashes this is the mascara to use! It gives moderate volume and not much length but the trump card of this mascara is how polished it makes your lashes without going overboard! Great for everyday wear but I do have an issue with it's "waterproof" ability. It is NOT waterproof and a little water can get it to start flaking or running. Ahh well, my lashes look beautiful with it on nonetheless!

Tarina Tarantino's Fleur de Lash Mascara in Black Opal

I'm sad that Tarina Tarantino isn't carried at Sephora anymore but her mascara is really good! It's not so much for volumizing as it is for lengthening. It gives you lashes that resembles spider legs. They lengthen my lashes to about twice their normal length but barely do anything for volume. I love the effect it gives me! Makes me feel like a doe eyed princess! Once mine runs out I'll probably cry a little...or a lot XD

The Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion

I'm addicted to tea tree stuff from The Body Shop! The lotion is really great and it causes my skin to heat up and tingle after application. It goes on really smooth and doesn't take ages to soak in like many facial creams do. I have noticed there is less acne on my face after using this for a week or so and I'm excited to see how prolonged use will affect my problem skin!

Bath and Body Works Fragrance Mist in Twilight Woods

Many perfumes are super duper expensive so I opt for cheaper alternatives, cue Bath and Body Works' fragrance mists. Twilight woods is a very sweet scent but it has a light musk to it as well. It reminds me of walking in a forest in autumn while the sun starts to set. I know it's spring and most people are probably going for fresher scents but this one keeps painting that image in my head and I want to keep wearing it!

LUSH's Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub

This is not a product for the faint of heart. When it says scrub it means SCRUB. The salt scrub inside this zingy lime and avocado scrub will polish your face until it's red and shiny but after rinsing it off...I can honestly say my face feels like a baby's bottom. It makes my skin super smooth and soft and smells really citrusy! Almost like a mojito! I recommend only using this product once a week and on a cloudy day or at night because such a strong scrub can leave your skin sensitive to light afterwards. Use a good facial cream after to help your skin absorb even more moisture and believe me you will be feeling the rewards of baby butt soft skin!

 Thanks for reading guys! Check out some of these products for sure and ciao for now~!

Shopping Trip: Beauty and Fashion Haul!

Hello lovelies! I recently had some shopping fun with my lovely friend Resha and picked up some things when I should be saving money for Disneyland (and tuition...*cough cough*). I haven't spent a good day with her in years! You see, we had a big fight back when we were both in high school and 3 years or so have passed before we were able to forgive each other. I'm glad we were able to put all that trouble behind us because I couldn't be happier to see the girl!

We met up early in the morning just before the mall opened and went to nearly every store browsing shoes, clothes, and makeup! I tried on a lot of dresses H&M and places like the Montreal based store called Garage while Rehsa tried on next to nothing! Her excuse was she was losing weight so she shouldn't buy clothes if her size was in the middle of changing. I wish she'd try some more clothes on with me, it's always fun to play dress up together! 

Makeup-wise, Sephora was near the top of our list for places to hit but all the price tags made us faint. Pricey pricey...and it was the day after their Chic Week sale...*sob*. Next time they send me a coupon I'm definitely going to pick up some treats from there! 

We also stopped at the MAC counter in a department store called The Bay. Here's a shocker for you big makeup fans...I don't own a single thing from MAC! We perused the shelves filled with all sorts of goodies and swatched things on our hands until we looked like glittering disco balls. I was extremely tempted to get one of their paint pots since I hear people like Estee or Essiebutton on Youtube rave about them so much! The one I loved most when swatched on my hand was Rubenesque....it wasn't too glittery but felt so smooth on my hand! With an eyeshadow layered over it, the color was amazing! Though cheaper than most Sephora products, we walked away without purchasing anything.

Of course we just had to go to The Body Shop! They have body butters for $10 right now which is a pretty good bargain. I still have a ton of my coconut and mango body butter left though so I didn't get a new one. They have a Leona Lewis makeup collection there right now and the bronzer with an elk design on it made me fall in love. I wanted to get it pretty bad but Resha and I were so distracted...we kept spraying scents on ourselves and testing everything out. The satsuma/ clementine scent they have is lovely; dreamily citrus but like sweet candy at the same time! At this point neither of us had still purchased anything! Probably because we had shopping ADD being distracted by one lovely item after the next and because we were catching up on 3 years of missed gossip.

Getting nothing from the mall, we went to two stores I believe we only have in Canada called Shopper's Drugmart and Winners.

I couldn't believe it, the Physician's Formula Happy Booster Blush was on offer for only $12! Of course we have extremely high tax here in Canada (12%...ughh) so it ended up being more like a $15 dollar purchase but still! I was so happy!

I've been dying to try this cute little blush for ages now and I didn't know that it had euphoryl in it that imitates the mood brightnening effect of endorphins! I wore it to work and definitely felt pretty happy after using it. Maybe it was the blush or maybe I was just in a good mood but either way, it gives me cheeks a beautiful flush and smells lovely!

Winners is a store I've only been to once and I thought it was only full of overpriced clothing. I was so wrong. It has everything from food to shoes to makeup to haircare to skincare and toys etc! It may seem overpriced, but that's because nearly all the stuff they sell is marked down brand name items! You can find Steve Madden, Ralph Lauren, Nine West, and other high end brands there. I'm not really one to buy things just for the brand but the quality of most brand name goods are better than places like Blue Notes or Old Navy. 

I picked up this lovely floral printed top by ONLY for a whopping $24. I know that may not seem like a lot to many of you but I rarely spend over $20 on any type of clothing EVER. As a poor student, this buy has burnt a small hole in my wallet but I love it! It fits like a glove and the spiked detailing with floral print makes me drool. I Love love love it and will probably be wearing this often in the Spring!

For cosmetics, I picked up this elf palette in the makeup section of Winners. I thought elf cosmetics were only in the States but it looks like Canada has them too! The best thing is that this 100 piece eyeshadow palette only cost me $13! I almost cried with excitement...they even had a Smashbox palette for only $25!!! That's unheard of! Affordability is great but again, as a student I didn't have the money to buy both palettes and ended up only getting the elf one. Still amazing! I am extremely happy! 

Wahhhh all them colors!!! *drool*

I can't wait to play around with different looks using this palette!

Resha is the kind of girl you can shop with and end up spending your life savings since she doesn't tell you to stop and and since both her and I are impulsive buyers. Ahh well, I may have spent well over $50 that day but I really enjoyed her company! If you're reading this girl we need to do that again sometime!

Look out for full reviews of the makeup products in the future!

Thanks for reading and ciao for now~!

The Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner Review

I've only tried 3 toners in my life. One from Lancome, one from Biore and this one, from The Body Shop but I have to say, The Body Shop's Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner has got to be the best one I've ever used!

I have oily, acne prone skin that needs lots of help to keep my breakouts under control! The tea tree and tamanu oils have antibacterial properties and act like antiseptics that kill bacteria on your face before it can cause any trouble on your skin. It's a green liquid with a second, solid phase that lies at the bottom of the bottle. To us the product, you must shake it very well so that you at least have some of the underlying solid homogenized into the watery party. Simply take a cotton pad and squirt about a dime's worth of product onto it and pat or lightly stroke all over your face to use it and BAM! You're probably going to be hit with a tingling sensation that will heat up your face but cool the surface of your skin at the same time. The product smells very fresh and almost minty thanks to these oils, after using the product your face just feels clean and best of all, oil free! Personally I find this feeling to be quite nice but it doesn't linger long for those of you that may find it uncomfortable. After prolonged use, I have noticed a visible difference in my skin where I used to get a new pimple or spot everyday but now, all that happens is my current spots fading and new ones not popping up as often.

The Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner promises to mattify the skin by banishing impurities for clearing looking skin which it delivers 100%! It's not super expensive too at $11 for 250 mL. If you have skin like mine, I definitely recommend trying this! It's a life saver! Drier skins may not have the same positive effects as those of us with oil control problems so avert yourselves from this product in that case to prevent further drying out of your skin! A+! I don't know what else to say! It's cheap, effective and amazing~!!!! 

Disneyland, Gaming Binge, and Mini Fashion Haul: a Life Update!

It's been a while since I've done a post about what's going on in my life! So I'm going to take a short break from reviewing beauty products in order to update about happenings in my world.

This summer, I might be going to Disneyland with a couple of my friends! Things seem pretty messy at the moment; we're still planning what kind of ticket to buy, finding the cheapest hotels etc etc. We're pretty new to travelling on our own so even though we've not completely figured everything out yet, it's a fun experience to be doing it ourselves.

I love Disneyland. No let me correct myself, I LOVE Disneyland!!! It'll cost a lot to go but I'm saving up money to make this trip a reality! Hopefully things go smoothly!

As for saving up...I'm trying hard to not spend money on random stuff but it's pretty difficult when you work at the mall! I got some new clothes from H&M and Bootlegger.

This pretty floral dress looks amazing on! The peplum design on the hips really accentuates my figure and best of all, I don't look fat in it! A win if you ask me! It's from H&M.

This top cost me $2.50 at Bootlegger. That justifies me spending money on it and not saving for tuition and Disneyland right?

Last but not least, this green sweater/ dress thingy, also from Bootlegger. It's long enough to cover my bum and be like a dress but it looks like a hoodie! Pretty cool and cheap too, only $12.50~

I can't wait to rock these pieces in Spring and Summer! If only the weather would cooperate so I could put my parka away!

 I've been extra naughty and spent money on a DS game too. I love everything from classics for consoles like N64, PS1, and even Game Boy, to newer games for the Wii and PS3 etc. Even so, out of all the games I've ever played, Suikoden has got to be my favorite series...EVER!

 I own Suikoden 1 and 2 for the PS1 but unfortunately, 3 to 5 are for PS2. I've never owned a PS2...that means many awesome games (including those 3) I have never gotten the chance to play! In order to satisfy my thirst for Suikoden, I searched near and far for their DS spin off game called Suikoden Tierkreis. I called EB Games, little stores in my area that sell old video games, and even checked online sellers from amazon.ca to obscure British gaming sites! The thing is, Tierkreis is a rare DS game...finding it is no easy task (at least for cheap!) In the end, after making many phone calls and getting some friends to search for me too, I caved in and decided to buy it on ebay for 31 bucks. I guess that's not too bad but if I really had no choice, I might have spent the 80 bucks it was listed for on amazon! 

I have been warned that Tierkreis is nothing like the Suikodens from the main series, there are no recurring characters, the world is set somewhere completely different but still, as a die hard fan of Suikoden, I must try it! It's been a couple days since I ordered it! I'm practically checking the mailbox every 5 minutes to see if it arrived yet! 

Among all this hub bub, finals season is among us once again! I've been spending days locked in my room reading, taking notes, and sitting in one position just studying! It's painful I say, I'm writing this post right after I came from the gym and all that moving has got me feeling less sickly now. Both my finals are on the weekend though...just who plans these things! I wish it was on a weekday so that I wouldn't need to sacrifice my two days off to do those tests but hey! You gotta do what you gotta do! 

My brother and I attempted to make homemade potato chips not too long ago (the exercise won't get me anywhere at this rate XD) and this is how they turned out. We used mini, russet potatoes and by god they were delicious! Mini but delicious!

When I get really bored of studying ( and baking chips), I draw or practice piano. Here's a couple pieces I've done recently. 

Candy inspired OC Girl

Chris Lightfellow Fan Art from Suikoden III

Arya from The Inheritance Cycle Books by Christopher Paolini

There's more stuff from me like this on DeviantART so I'll link you to my page here. Once finals are over I'll have a lot more time to draw (yippee!). I have confidence that I'll pass my exams, I just need to keep hitting the books! Wish me luck!

To end this post, here's a picture of what my hair looks like now. It't gone through quite a few transformations and is now, kind of ombre. The hair is blonde on the surface but black underneath, makes for really cool looking ponytails and braids! I can't wait till it gets longer!

Thanks for reading and ciao for now~!

March Beauty Favorites

Hello my fellow blog readers! Let's continue the trend from February with my March Beauty Favorites! 

2012 Sephora Blockbuster

Sephora does a new one of these blockbusters annually, mine is from 2012 but each year they contain about the same kinds of stuff with about the same quality as well. This box of beauty has everything you'll need to create your makeup look and it's great for experimentation! The quality is good, I especially love the gel liners they give you and the many colors of eyeshadow; if you're not into color, maybe try a different pallet with more nudes. My only qualm is that there are too many lip products. To me, lip products are for easy, on the go application...I definitely can't bring this gigantic block with me when I'm out so the glosses tend to be neglected. If you want to get one they come out around Christmas but variations of it are available all year round, keep your eyes peeled!

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tenacious Teal

I use this product as an eyeliner more than anything and boy do I love it! It's crease proof and lasts all day while making my brown eyes pop like no other! I've wanted this product ever since it came out. The first time I swatched it on my hand...lordy lord have mercy because I almost fainted seeing the most beautiful blue color in the world! It reminds me of the sea but sparkles like stars or some cosmic cloud in space. GET IT, you won't regret it!

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Pink Punch

At first I wasn't too impressed with this product even after all the hype but after prolonged use, I can say that it has made my lips softer and more supple while supplying moisture to them as well! They smell delightful and tint your lips a shade pinker than your natural color, this subtly brightens up the face giving you a fresh faced look. Perfect for spring and it's easy to carry with you! The packaging is super cute with tons of product packed inside. 

Hello Kitty Nail Polish in Minty

I've been searching for a minty, almost robin's egg bluey-green polish for ages and I'm quite satisfied with this cute number. I wore it at the beginning or March but I'll probably not be able to wear it again for a long time because of my job. Spring is pretty much pastel season so why not rock this dainty shade on your finger tips. It's an alright quality but still chips within a week...the bottle is so cute though, I'll probably keep it when it's gone just to decorate my dresser with!

Aussie Moist Shampoo

Bleaching my hair fried it, I already had frizzy and dry hair before the bleach job but this shampoo has really been helping me keep my hair soft and silky despite the trauma it's been through! I never believed any of the shampoo commercial gimmicks that say you'll have beautiful shiny hair after one use but Aussie may prove me wrong. I have tons of shampoos in my shower but I find myself continually reaching for this one because of the softness it gives my hair. It's cheap too! You could probably find it in any drugstore for 3 bucks or less! Just a quarter sized dollop on your palm to lather with and you'll have yourself a mop to be proud of!

Got2b Smooth Operator Smoothing Lustre Lotion

My hair needs all the help it can get! A friend of mine introduced this product to me to tame frizzy hair and I must say, it helps! You must make sure your hair is dry before applying and with a single pump from the bottle, you can smooth out any flyaways while adding softness and shine! It can also be used as a pre-heat styling serum to prevent your curled or straightened hair from turning frizzy as the day wears on! 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner

Did I ever mention my skin is an oily mess? I've never tried a better toner...EVER. I shake the bottle and squirt a little bit of this fluid into a cotton pad then smooth it out all over my face. Afterwards, your face will feel really hot and even tingly but that's just the tea tree and tamanu oils working to control your over active sebaceous glands! It has single handedly reduced the redness and size of spots on my face while controlling breakouts. Use it once a day so that you don't completely dry out your skin and you can enjoy your day having a fresh, blemish free face!

Olay 4 in 1 Daily Facial Cloths

I used to just use these wipes to wash my face but recently, I discovered that these wipes can take off makeup too! I used to use makeup remover oil to take it off but that could be quite a hassle with all the dispensing, wiping then dispensing again. All I need to do is wet the sheet and gently wipe off the foundation and mascara. It's simple but as a warning, it can be drying. If you use this often your eyes will need some help from an eye cream. The sheet is so big I cut it into quadrants for for times of use. Saves money and resources :)

A Touch of Africa Shea Butter

A multipurpose product that's truly amazing! I've mostly been using it for my hands but it works well as an all over moisturizer. My hands have never felt softer or smoother! It can smell a little funny but the smell does not linger on the skin. It's 100% unrefined too so I know all of the nutritious properties have been retained in the butter; the more refined she butter is, the less of its benefits remain in the oils.

The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter

It smells so good and it works so well! My go to moisturizer after showering. I must admit it does not soak in as fast as I would like it to but it does a very good job softening the skin and keeping it hydrated. The scent is just amazing! Like a delicious coconut cream that I almost need to stop myself from eating. The Body Shop has an amazing variety of these butters for different skin types, all with different scents! The pot is so adorable! I'll definitely find a use for it after I use it all up!

Thanks for sticking around and checking out my favorite friends! Ciao for now!

Shea Butter, the Miracle Product!

Recently I purchased an 8 oz tub of 100% unrefined shea butter from a little shop in downtown Vancouver called Touch of Africa. Shea butter has been raved about in the beauty world for a long long time now and I wanted to see why.

It is very thick, but melts with your body heat. Shea butter can be yellow or beige depending on which part of Africa it's from; people there call it "Women's Gold" since it generates income for the villages and women living in Africa.  Promising softer skin, wrinkle repair, rash or even bug bite relief, it's a multipurpose butter you can improve your skin with and even eat! It comes in different forms, the best kind is unrefined shea butter that's just been taken from the fruit of the karite tree with no filtering or processing done to it. The more processing it has had, the less good stuff the butter will keep.

I bought it originally to use as a leave in hair conditioner for my bleached and fried hair. It's VERY thick. I put a little it in my hair and it made my normally fluffy waves look like professor Snape's mop! My hair looked too greasy to even tell if my condition had improved! It was quite difficult to wash out but with a lot of shampoo and a little rough work it eventually came out. I don't recommend that you use pure shea butter for hair care,  however,whipping the butter can make it light enough to use in your mane. I'm going to try that next time so I don't become a greaseball!

What shea butter looks like post whipping

Since my original purpose was shot down, I started using it as a body & hand moisturizer. HOLY COW...I've never, ever, EVER had a better hand cream! It can be a little greasy at first but give it a minute or two to sink in and my hands felt like a baby's bottom! They were smooth, firm, and beautifully soft. It works the same way for my body too but I noticed the biggest difference in my hands. The man who sold it to me also said I can ingest the butter by mixing a small spoonful into hot water or tea. I don't remember what the benefits are from drinking it but it has to do with prevention of some gastric problems.

Even though it's an amazing moisturizer, I have some issues with the smell...it's rank man! If I were to describe the scent to you it'd be that it smells like faint cow manure; good thing once you apply it to your skin or hair it doesn't have a scent anymore!  I learned that shea butter can smell a little stinky because some people that make it ferment the shea seeds before extracting the butter or because dirty water was used to make it. The scent is starting to fade now into a more woodsy smell, the natural smell of unrefined shea butter.

It was about 21 CAD including tax (which is a little steep considering a whole pound, 16 oz, of shea butter online costs around 8 dollars...but...I didn't know that when I was buying it :(...)  Hey, at least I was able to help an independently owned shop out and find the most amazing hand cream in the world! I'm so grateful there are karite trees, it's also women's gold here in North America where we benefit from its amazing healing, softening, and beautifying properties!

If you ever decide to try an all natural product or do a DIY that needs a moisturizing butter. Opt for shea butter because it truly does wonders for the skin!

Thanks for reading and ciao for now!