September 2012 Favorites!

bareMinerals Prime Time Eyelid Primer

Make Up For Ever HD Primer

MAC Briar Rose Beauty Powder (limited edition - sorry guys!)

EOS Lemon Drop Lip Balm

The Body Shop Brow and Lash Gel

Tarana Tarantino Broken Doll Eye Dream Highlight Hyperliner

Clinique Shy Honey Almost Lipstick

Bath and Body Works Moonlight Path Eau de Toilette

Some of the products here are quite old, such as the BBW Moonlight Path and the brow gel from TBS. Rest assured, they haven't gone bad and are still working as well as ever. I love Moonlight Path for fall/winter because it's one of the few muskier scents that I really enjoy, especially because it's quite light which makes it perfect for day or night. I used to hate the brow gel from the Body Shop because I thought it didn't really help to keep my brows in place at all but I realized at the beginning of the month that that was because I wasn't using it right (whoops). 

I love the Tarana Tarantino liner for my lower waterline because it really helps to open up my eyes and as a high school junior I need all the help I can get to look more awake! The Clinique lipstick is really more like a tinted lip balm, it has less color than the Revlon Lip Butters but is more moisturizing and wears really comfortably. When I'm not wearing that I've been just using my EOS lip balm, an old favorite of mine, to keep my lips hydrated as we move into the colder months. 

I bought the Prime Time eyelid primer a few months ago when bareMinerals first opened a counter here in Hong Kong and I didn't really use it much until last month, but since then I've loved it! It goes on colorless and feels very smooth and velvety on my lids in addition to keeping my shadows in place all day. I don't think it helps as much as other primers in the way of making the shadows pop, though. I've been using my HD primer recently as it gets colder because it gives my skin a little boost of hydration which is much needed in the fall/winter months. I've photographed just a small sample bottle I got when I purchased my Aqua Rouges (reviewed here). Finally, my Briar Rose beauty powder is one of my favorite blushers for fall because it's a bit of a deeper rose color but isn't too dark for my skin tone, so it's a great transition color into the cooler months. 

What were some of your favorite products in September?

September 2012 Empties

I've decided to make this type of post a regular monthly feature on my blog. So every month, in addition to my favorite products of the month, I'll also show you guys what I've used up as a way for you guys to know that I really do use my makeup and also for my own personal record.

I used up more products than I expected to during the month of September, which was a really pleasant surprise for me. I feel like I buy so much, my products just kind of accumulate and then it becomes difficult for me to use things up. This month, however, I managed to use up:

Philip B Scent of Sante Fe Balancing Shampoo

LUSH Yummy Yummy Yummy Shower Cream Wash

Dr. Wu AcneCur Pore Refining Serum with Evermat

Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes

Jill Stuart Sugar Lip Scrub

Agnes b. Volum'Up Curl Mascara

Crazylibellule and the Poppies Vanilla Fruit Sorbet & Shanghaijava Ananas Imperial Perfume Sticks

The reason I was able to use up two shampoos is that I've been using them in conjunction with one another for a while. I use them alternatively, the Moroccanoil shampoo helps my hair feel less dry and I think also prevents it from getting split ends, especially when used with the accompanying conditioner from the same line. The Philip B shampoo gives my hair a lot of volume, on the other hand, and flat hair does not suit me, so this really helps me maintain volume without having to use like twenty products on my hair. 

As for the serum, I don't think it really did much for me. I did notice my pores were less noticeable after using it but it didn't do much to help my acne. I suppose it helped fade some of the hyperpigmentation, actually, but since I break out so much the hyperpigmentation isn't as much of an issue for me right now because more pimples pop up in their space. The LUSH body wash was used up extremely quickly because I feel like I needed so much to wash my entire body, so I kind of regret buying this. I've loved the Neutrogena towelettes for a while, I first tried them over the summer when I was at summer school and they were a much more convenient option than using my cleansing oil. 

The lip scrub wasn't very effective, the sugar granules were very large but dissolved really quickly, so the scrub didn't really have time to do anything for me. The mascara was a sample I received with my purchases of Agnes b. items (which I have reviewed) and I'm glad I didn't buy the full size because it was really clumpy on me, but I used it up anyway so it wouldn't be wasted. The perfume sticks are ones I've had for a while and finally used up this month! While I like the conveniency of these sticks (they're so portable and easy to use for touching up) I don't like the way they apply because I feel like they leave a sticky residue and don't last that long on me because they rub off. They smelled really yummy and I got so many compliments when I wore them, but I wish they were in a different type of packaging because I didn't really enjoy them in stick form. 

Those are all the products I used up during the month of September! Have you done a similar post to this? If so, leave the link below! If not, I'd still love to hear in a comment what you've used up this month!

Take a Bite: New York Grill (Tokyo)

Given my supreme love of food and basically anything edible, I thought this Take a Bite series would be a nice one to feature on my blog. For my first feature (sorry for having so many photos!) I decided to talk about the New York Grill, which is a restaurant in the Park Hyatt Tokyo. It's pretty pricey though, so I would save this one for special occasions when you really want to go all out for your meal.

The food is absolutely incredible and they're known for their amazing selection of steaks. The one I ordered is the Yonezawa Sirloin steak which is very thin and has a higher fat content than most steaks but I think personally it's really delicious and has a lot of flavor. My brother ordered the Omi Tenderloin which he also really enjoyed as it doesn't have much fat and is a very thick piece of meat. My mom doesn't take beef so she ordered something else, and luckily this restaurant also offers an extensive selection of seafood and other grilled meats. It's also common to order a few side dishes to share with the whole table. I highly recommend the duck fat french fries because they're a much classier take on what might otherwise be a fast food meal. The mashed potatoes were also really creamy and had a lot of flavor, and they go really well with the steaks.

Dessert is also such a treat, my mom and I ordered the chocolate pudding to share and it was so delicious and rich. Servings here are quite large so I recommend sharing dishes with the people at your table as it makes it much easier to finish the food and doesn't waste money. The service here is great, I felt like all of the employees really knew the menu well and could recommend good dishes based on your preference. The chef is also very willing to come out and talk to you about the food, so I felt really welcomed and assured that I would enjoy my food.

What are some of your favorite restaurants?

Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge

Make Up For Ever recently added the Aqua Rouge line of liquid lipsticks to their well-loved waterproof makeup line, and the other day I picked up two colors to test out. I'm a huge fan of their Aqua Cream eyeshadows and their Aqua Liners, so this purchase was pretty much a no brainer for me.

I loved the packaging from the get go, it's very classy but simple at the same time. It's functional as well which is what I look for the most in products. On one end there's a liquid lipstick and on the other there's a clear gloss. The lipstick end has a medium sized doefoot applicator while the lip gloss has a brush applicator. Personally I'm not a fan of the brush applicator on the gloss end since it's a bit hard, especially when it's new, and it will scratch off some of the lipstick if you apply it before the lipstick has dried and set. The gloss itself, however, is very shiny and nonsticky, which I love, though it's not very long lasting. I don't really mind though because I bought the product mainly for the lipstick, not the gloss.

As you can see it's very pigmented, just one swipe and your lips will be totally coated in color. I love the two colors I picked because they're so appropriate for the upcoming seasons, though because I did pick darker colors I can't speak to the pigmentation of the Aqua Rouge line as a whole. These two colors, however, are absolutely fantastic. They're so long lasting and feel very comfortable on the lips. Though they're not hydrating, I don't find them drying either, and the lip gloss on the other end helps to keep the lips from feeling dehydrated and uncomfortable. They're shiny at first but dry down to a semi-matte finish, unless you add the gloss on top.

Adding the gloss helps the color to look more smooth and prevent it from seeming like it's sinking into your lip lines. Even after the gloss wears off though the color will still be there and it will stay for a very long time. When I was testing these out they lasted through most of the day, including a meal! These swatches on my hand also took a long time to come off, even though I was scrubbing at my hand with soap and water. Even though these are a bit more pricey I say that they're definitely worth it for the color and for the wear time. I haven't tried too many other liquid lipsticks besides the Yves Saint Laurent one, though I do have the Guerlain ones set aside to be reviewed at a later date, but I think that fans of the YSL Rouge Pur Couture lip products will really enjoy these (for a cheaper price).

What do you think of the MUFE Aqua Rouges? Were you a fan? What other liquid lipsticks do you like?

Live While We're Young (Playlist #2)

Is it lame of me to add a One Direction song to this week's playlist? I don't usually listen to a lot of their songs but I've been really obsessed with this one - it's just so catchy and fun! Plus, how cute does Harry look in this video? ;)



Aaaaand my Imagine Dragons obsession continues. I've loved this song for a while and can't believe it's not on iTunes, I want to have it on my iPod so badly! I can't stop listening to it and this song just proves to me how amazing this band is. Is it even possible for them to come out with a bad song?



Corey Gray is an independent (I think?) YouTube artist and I'm in love with this song. It's beautiful and the music video is just too cute! I've been listening to this nonstop and I really think it was about time for me to officially declare my love for Corey.



I found this song through a Lookbook-esque video that I saw, and since I watched that video I'm obsessed with this song! It's not usually the type of song that I would deem as being my type, but it's very catchy and fun. Plus, they all look absolutely stunning! I'm crazy obsessed with their makeup, and Jade's hair.



This song reminds me a bit of Ed Sheeran's music, and I think Nina Nesbitt was actually featured in one of his songs so it's funny that I think that. I love her makeup in this video, she's absolutely gorgeous and this song is so addicting. The music video is adorable! I'll definitely be keeping up with Nina's music from now on.

That's it for this playlist! I'm getting the feeling that these will be a really common feature here on this blog, since I'm always finding/becoming obsessed with new music. I hope you guys are enjoying these!

What songs have you been listening to lately? Seriously, tell me! I'd love some recommendations. :)

Japan Day 2: Food + Shopping!

So I suppose the recaps of my Japan trip continue with this second post! Hopefully you guys don't get tired of me posting about my trip and all the things I'm eating and buying, but I'll have some reviews up in a bit so my page won't be completely covered in all things Japan-related.

Today my mom and I spent most of our time shopping along Omotesando, which is a really big street in Tokyo that has a lot of adorable boutiques and small restaurants that are really yummy! Omotesando is also the area that boasts a lot of the American name brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci, and it has a massive MAC store that had so many things I had never even heard of before! The first place we stopped by was the Samantha Thavasa store, which I believe is their flagship store here in Tokyo.

My mom and I first discovered the brand about five years ago when we visited Tokyo and have loved their bags ever since! They're definitely not cheap but I think they're really worth it - they're very well made and they last for ages. I remember buying one back in 2007 and it's still in fantastic condition and I use it for nights out! I bought one bag this time and I can't wait to show you guys what it looks like - it's my new baby for sure!

For lunch we picked a random restaurant that turned out to have really yummy udon noodles! My brother ordered miso ramen with tempura while my mom and I decided to order the ramen with spicy miso and ground beef. Too delicious! I wish I could tell you guys the name of this place but unfortunately I can't read/type Japanese, so I can't :(

 

After eating my brother wanted to go look at shoes, since he's a huge Jordans fanatic. If you're looking for sneakers (limited edition or otherwise) and are willing to spend a little more money on them, I highly recommend Kicks Lab or Undefeated, which are the two shops we went into and they both had a great selection of sneakers, mainly for men. Undefeated also has a nice selection of t-shirts that my brother really liked, I think they'd make great gifts if you're in need of some! As for department stores, my mom and I had a really nice time looking around La Foret, which is a medium sized department store that hosts a bunch of cute little boutiques. The style is a little quirky so it might not suit everyone, but they do have a Kitson store there that has a lot of more typical clothing as well.

We also ended up stopping for crepes, which were so yummy and unique! They boasted a wide range of crepes, from chocolate banana crepes to cobb salad crepes. I opted for a matcha cheesecake crepe that was super filling but totally worth the binge.

We then dropped our stuff off at the hotel and headed over to Takashimaya, which is one of the largest chain department stores in Japan. We had a really nice time shopping around the cosmetics counters since a lot of the brands were either cheaper here or not available in Hong Kong, so I ended up buying a lot of things that aren't available back home.

The two items in the picture above are probably the strangest out of all these purchases. I bought the squeezy bottle for my brush cleanser because I think it's easier to apply with a tube like that, and I'm familiar with it since it's what we use in AP Chemistry to hold distilled water when we're doing titrations (if that didn't make any sense to you, I'm sorry!), and I just think it'd be really convenient for cleaning my brushes. As for the spray bottle, I just felt like I could use one just in case. You never know when one might come in handy! As always, reviews will be posted soon. Most of these items are already out of their packaging because I'm really excited to try them out already!

Okay, that's all I have to say for now. Sorry if this post completely bored you out of your mind, I'll be posting something non-Japan related very soon! Hope you guys are having/have had a fabulous Saturday, see you soon :)

Japan Day 1: Recap + Haul!

I'm very happy to say that I'm now officially on fall break and I'm so lucky to be spending it in Tokyo, Japan! Of course, I won't get to spend the whole week here since I have to go back to Hong Kong and prepare for my first time taking the SAT - wish me luck! Japan isn't very conducive to studying, but it IS extremely encouraging of eating and shopping :) I just wanted to share a few things with you guys from today.

My family and I arrived in Tokyo quite late, it was around five o'clock by the time we reached the hotel and about six when we had all freshened up and started to head out for dinner. We're staying at the Peninsula which is an absolutely gorgeous hotel - I'll try to get some photos to post tomorrow. It's also very conveniently located near Ginza, which is a district here in Tokyo known for its little boutiques and large shopping malls.

 

We had a really lovely sushi dinner and walked around for a little bit before heading into Lumine, one of the larger shopping malls in Ginza. Japan's streets are really unique, at least in my opinion. The back alleys don't seem like alleys at all, and everything here is so pristine and just has a very Japanese feel to it, I think. The culture is infused in so many different things and places, it's really such a calming experience to just walk around and look. At Lumine, I ducked into Skin Food and LUSH and bought some really nice things that I've been wanting to try!

LUSH came out with a makeup line just a short while ago and since I first heard about it I'd been dying to try the lip colors and the eyeliner! I've heard so much about their gold liquid liner so it was the first thing I picked up when we were there. I also had my eye on this bright pink lipstick so I got that too! I love the packaging, it's so quirky and reminds me a lot of a science lab which I think is really cute.
I also got the Argan Oil from Skin Food, which I haven't really heard much about but I absolutely love argan oil and it seems to be the only thing that works to hydrate my dry ends, so hopefully this works out as well as my beloved Moroccanoil.

I got really caught up in the skincare area of Skin Food so I also bought their Black Sugar Mask, which the lady at the counter recommended to even out my rough, problematic skin. It smells delicious and feels really nice on the skin, not too abrasive but not so gentle that I can't feel it doing anything, so that's really nice. I also bought the Black Raspberry Su Serum, which she also recommended to me, and it felt really nice and smooth on my hand and sunk in quite quickly, so I have high expectations for this. But in addition to skincare I also bought a cream eyeshadow palette from them, which has three colors inside that I picked myself, and their All Over Muffin Cake Finish in #4. It's a really pretty pink and white baked powder and when I swatched it in the store it turned out to be a really gorgeous highlight color! I'm very excited to try this out on my face.

That's all I wanted to say for now! I'll have reviews of all these products up soon hopefully, and I'll be sure to keep you guys updated on my next few days here. I have so much I want to share with all of you and I hope you enjoy reading these! Hope you're having a fabulous weekend so far :)