Review: Fresh High Noon Freshface Glow

Once in a while during the summer I’d really like to have a tan complexion. This doesn’t mean I would go outside and tan from the harsh UV rays from the sun (That will just lead to wrinkles and saggy skin faster!). Getting a tan from using makeup products such as bronzers will give you similar effects without harming your skin J I decided to try using High Noon Freshface Glow because I received a sample from Sephora a while ago, but never came across trying it out. It wasn’t until now that I remembered!

PROS: I like how I could just apply it with my fingers without using a brush. I also liked how I didn’t need a lot of product each time for my face.

CONS: I didn’t like how it felt a little sticky if I didn’t blend the product fast enough. I also didn’t really like the colour after applying it on to my skin. Instead of a bronzed look, it kind of looked more on the orangey side. This gave away the fact that it wasn’t a real tan and didn’t look ‘natural’.

OVERALL: This is not what I thought a bronzer would be like. It might be because of my natural skintone, but I would not purchase the full size of this product. I give this a 2.5/5

Review: Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

I am so happy about the existence of this eyelash curler! OMG it is probably one of the best things I’ve used in my life and I think anybody who uses makeup MUST have this. I can’t believe I didn’t blog about this earlier(what was I thinking?!), but I’m glad I’m doing it now! J

PROS: This eyelash curler is different from all other curlers I’ve tried before. How? It ACTUALLY curls...NOT ‘crimp’, but CURL. That is all I’ve ever wanted from an eyelash curler and this is the ONLY one that was able to do that for me (no exaggeration). Aside from that, I like how it comes with an extra rubber replacement so you don’t use the same one forever.

CONS: None. Well...I don’t like how it has become difficult for me to get a hold of Shu Uemura products because they no longer carry this brand in Sephora. Similar to Bobbi Brown, I will have to find a Holt Renfrew to buy their products, which is quite a trip.

OVERALL: This is a MUST HAVE. It was one of the best discoveries of my life! This product is a 5/5 J

Review: Essie Nail Polishes in Lilacism and Golden Nuggets

I have recently purchased these two colours of Essie nail polishes and I really like them. The Lilacism colour is really opaque and pretty while the Golden Nuggets colour is the perfect sparkly gold colour. I was really excited in trying these colours because I was looking for a nice lilac and sparkly gold for couple of months now. I know its summer and lilac is a spring colour, but I couldn’t help but get it anyways!

PROS: They are very pretty colours and they show up really well. I like how the bottles have the metal ball things in them so the nail polish formula don’t dry out as quickly and are easy to mix when the colours separate in the bottles. I like the opacity of the Lilacism colour and at the same time, I really like the amount of shine the Golden Nuggets colour has.

CONS: There isn’t really anything I don’t like about these nail polishes. The only thing is that for the Golden Nuggets colour, if you want to paint your nails ONLY that colour for an overall gold effect, you will need quite a few layers. Other than that, one or two layers would only show up on top of another base colour, which is still very nice!

OVERALL: I love these two colours and I am so glad I purchased them! I give them a 5/5 J

Review: Murad Acne Spot Treatment

The third step of the Murad Acne Complex Kit is to spot treat your acne with the Acne Spot Treatment. This step is meant to target your acne specifically by using the key medicinal ingredient, Sulfur. This was actually the main reason why I decided to purchase this acne kit and give it a try. Based on my past experiences, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide has been unable or has lost its ability to treat my acne. So I was hoping this would be different.

PROS: I like how this product strips dead skin off my acne, as gross as it may sound, and because of that some of my acne peels right off.

CONS: When using this for the first week or two, it may not be a good idea to go out as the peeling may be quite unattractive. Also, it can give a burning sensation to your skin when you apply it on. In addition, I didn’t like how it only helped some acne go away while others just remained on my skin and continued to grow...

OVERALL: This was an OK product. It wasn’t as effective as benzoyl peroxide for me and will most likely not repurchase this. I give this a 3/5.

Review: Murad Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel

This is the second step of the Murad Acne Complex Kit. It is meant to exfoliate your skin and reduce bacteria. It is a transparent gel that gets absorbed by the skin easily and gives you moisturizer something to stick to which prevents it from rubbing off your skin. This product also has salicylic acid as its medicinal ingredient which helps prevent and target acne.

-sorry for the blurry image lol

PROS: I really like how this makes my skin less oily and goes on to my skin really well. I also like how I only need a small, thin layer for it to do its job. In addition, it really helps make my moisturizer stay on longer while I am sleeping and that it does not rub off my pillow.

CONS: I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I don’t know if it really does exfoliate my skin. To be honest, I’ve become used to using this product after washing my face. It is to the point where it doesn’t matter whether it exfoliates or not. It doesn’t seem to be doing anything “bad” to my skin, so I’m good LOL.

OVERALL: I really do like the product whether it actually exfoliates or not and I really love using it during the night time. I give this a 4/5 J

Review: Murad Clarifying Cleanser for Acne

I was very desperate for an acne system after using Proactiv for about 5 years. Proactiv worked for me for the first 2 years and when I thought my skin was well enough to be good without it, I stopped using it. Unfortunately, all my acne returned L I was very upset because I had pretty bad acne. Then, I decided to then use something else that didn’t use the same key ingredient. The key ingredient to Proactive was Benzoyl Peroxide and my friend suggested I try Murad. She told me their key ingredient was Sulfur instead and should be gentler to my skin.

After that I purchased Murad’s acne kit. I decided to review each items separately because there were items I liked more than others.

The first step of the Murad Acne Complex Kit was to clean your face with the Clarifying Cleanser. It came in a rather large tube compared to the rest of the items in the kit. It was definitely different from Proactiv’s cleanser because this one did not contain little beads inside to exfoliate. Instead, it was a transparent, soap-like, liquid that foams when massaged on the face with water.

PROS: I liked how it removed dirt and oil off my face like how a cleanser should. My face feels refreshed after using it. It also had Salicylic acid in it, which is another ingredient that targets acne (in a milder way).

-it contains salicylic acid as a medicinal ingredient

CONS: I tend to prefer cleansers with beads because I feel like they are more “powerful” in terms of getting rid of (exfoliating) dry, dead skin. I also noticed that this cleanser was not meant for people with dry skin. Similar to any “foaming” cleansers, it tends to dry out people’s skin. It wasn’t a big problem for me because I have oily skin, but I can tell that if I used this cleanser in the long run, it will dry it out as well.

OVERALL: It was a pretty decent cleanser, nothing too special though. I suppose it was made that way for acne specifically which tends to be people with oily skin like me. I give this a 3.5/5 J

Review: Dr. G Hydra Intensive Blemish Balm SPF 30

A relative of mine was kind enough to bring me back some Dr.G minis from Hong Kong. I was really excited to test it out because I’ve seen great reviews on it. If I really liked it myself, I would definitely purchase the full size. It has SPF 30 which is pretty good because, based on what I have been told, anything over SPF 30 doesn’t really mean it protects you from the sun better or that it really lasts that much longer. Keep in mind that even if it says SPF 100, you have to reapply sunscreen every so often ANYWAYS.

PROS: I really liked the texture of this BB cream, it felt very light, creamy and was easy to apply. The colour also matched my skin really nicely so I didn’t look too light like a ghost. I also didn’t need to apply a lot to my face. A small amount was sufficient.

CONS: I noticed that as the day goes by, my face becomes oily faster than usual. This means that the BB cream is more of the oily type which is meant for people with dry skin. When I read the name “Hydra Intensive” I was hoping for a water based formula (because to me Hydra=hydration=water!), but I guess I misunderstood.

OVERALL: This would be a good BB cream for the winter when my skin feels drier. At the moment, this is NOT my favourite BB cream. I would say the one by Missha is still my fav, but I still think this is not bad! I give this a 3.5/5 J

Review: GOSH Eye Liner Pen

I purchased this eyeliner by default when I was browsing at Shoppers Drug Mart. I was desperate for eyeliner at the time because my other one had completely dried up. After that purchase, this is the eyeliner that I’ve been using ever since!

PROS: I really like the felt tip of this eyeliner and it helps create thick or thin lines. If I wanted the colours to be more opaque, I can easily layer it and it would be perfectly fine. To be honest, I never liked synthetic, flexible brushes because I find them difficult to control, so this liner was great for me. I also like how this eyeliner lasts all day and does not smudge. Another thing is that I’ve been using this product for a LONG time and have not run out yet. A little goes a long way with this eyeliner and I think this is the perfect everyday liquid liner J

CONS: This product is not water resistant or waterproof. I remembered crying A LOT and the liner smudged to a point where it completely disappeared. This is not so great for rainy days for intense snowstorms.

OVERALL: I love this eyeliner. It can create natural or dramatic lines on my eyelids. I use this every day and will probably continue to do so even when I use it up. I give this a 4.5/5 J

Review: Make Up For Ever Sculpting Blush (#16)

This was actually the first blush I purchased-YES my VERY firstJ. I purchased it because I liked the packaging and the pretty peachy/pink colour. To be honest at the time I didn’t have anything to compare it to because I never wore blush previously (I didn’t even have a blush brush that time!). Now that I’ve tried other ones, I can properly do a review J

PROS: I love the packaging as I mentioned before. It looks very chic and modern. I also love how instead of the usual “snapping” the compact, its magnetic and easy to open and close. I also love how light the actual product is and goes nicely onto my cheeks. The colour is also very natural and has a very subtle matte glow-which was what I wanted at the time.

CONS: I don’t know if it is because I don’t apply enough, but I’ve noticed that by the end of the day, about a quarter (or more) of the blush rubs off. Other than that, the blush is pretty goodJ

OVERALL: It is a very nice blush and very good for starters. However, the price was a little high for first time. I give this a 4/5 J

Wisdom Teeth Removal

WORST. THING. EVER. Holy crap I’d rather have crooked teeth!

Two days ago I had my wisdom teeth removed, all 4. It was short, but freaking painful. I remember arriving to the office at the scheduled time with my sister (she was getting it done as well) and was called in maybe half an hour later. I walked in and a nurse told me to sit down and asked me to sign a piece of paper. I remember it saying how I am aware of the risks and that they are not responsible if things such as DEATH occur.....blablabla. So I sign away and she tells me to remove my glasses and tie back my hair. Then she sticks on 3 squared shaped stickers to my body with a wire attached to each one, 2 on my chest and 1 on my arm. I believe it measure my heart rate because I saw a screen behind me with squiggly lines. After that she attaches a clip to my finger, and because I had nail polish on, there was a possibility that it wouldn’t read whatever they wanted it to. But luckily it read. I sat there for another good 10 minutes for my surgeon to come in and when he walked in, he had a HUGE smile on his face and talked with enthusiasm. He was like, “How are you today? I see that you are the brave one out of you and your sister”, I laughed awkwardly cuz I wanted it to be over lol. And then it begins.....

He places a mask-like thing that goes across my face with a section that is to be placed on top of my nose. They told me laughing gas would be released out of it through my nose. I didn’t laugh at all...was I suppose to?.....Then he ties a plastic blue strap onto my left arm VERY tightly. I ‘eeeeked’ a little bit and he says “OHH IM SORRY!!! :D”........>.>”  Right after that he tells me to make a fist and he injected a needle into the mid section of my arm. He tells me that “the worst part is over and you should be falling asleep”. Haha at that moment I purposely opened my eyes widely and looked around (don’t ask why I did that...). To be honest I don’t even remember closing my eyes and then BAMMMMMMMMMM a nurse wakes me up and tells me that the surgery is over...My hair is untied, my glasses are on, I have a bandage where the needle was place and I have 2 gauss in my mouth to stop bleeding.

The nurse tells me to get up and walks me to a room with 2 beds. I lie down on one of them and she places a blanket over me. I look over beside me and see another guy with his mom. He looked at me and waved, so I waved back. He looked PERFECTLY fine and happy...like WTF!!!!! I felt like crap. Then he leaves and waved goodbye to me and in comes my sister LOL. We both looked at each other and took a nap for about 10-15 minutes. Then our mother comes in with the nurse and she instructs us on what we can eat, she names and few and the surgeon comes in and says “and don’t forget the congee :D” (the surgeon was Asian as well). To be honest, the nurse said a bunch of things after wards too, but I was in no mood to listen.

We slowly left the office and both my sister and I slept the entire way home......I felt like passing out and tasted blood the entire time. FML.

It has been 2 days since the surgery and I have lost about 7 pounds (keep in mind that all I’ve been eating is congee and soup). I wasn’t able to sleep properly and it SUCKS L. In addition, I look like a freaking pumpkin and is speaking like a man with unclear English. My sister, on the other hand, speaks PERFECTLY fine and looks normal. RAGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I mean she looks like this J while I look like this <(    ‘.’    )>. I hope I recover soon because this is getting on my nerves.

Rage Moment

Okay, so at this moment RIGHT NOW I am at RAGE. Honestly, I am very annoyed and is about to burst a, not a bubble, but a volcano.

I understand that everybody defines “annoying” differently. Some people have more patience than others and at the same time, some people have more nerves than others. So this is the story.....

I woke up this morning feeling like crap. I make my OWN food after EVERYBODY ELSE (so therefore, everybody’s hunger level is satisfied and anything related to me making my own food should not affect them whatsoever). Normally on a weekday, I do whatever I want because I am usually at home by myself. Today, for some reason, EVERYONE is home. So there are a few “obstacles” and things go less smoothly.

I finish eating my OWN cooked food and decide to do the dishes afterwards. “Afterwards” means whenever I feel like it. I made my own food so I will do my own dishes. They WILL be done, but it will be when I feel like it. Obviously I won’t leave it until dinnertime to clean it, but it would surely be done before anyone else will need the utensils, equipment etc.

SOMEBODY then comes along and says “why haven’t you cleaned them? What’s wrong with you? Go clean them NOW”.......

Excuse me but, do they need the utensils, equipment etc? NO. Is anything BLOCKING their pathway/sight? NO. Were there bugs forming on them? NO. Is it making loud sounds that irritate them? NO. Does it offend them in any way, shape or form? NO. Does it affect their health in any way? NO. WILL THEY LOSE AN ARM OR LEG? NOOOOOOOO. So why does it matter to them?????

Honestly, it was my SMALL mess and I will clean it. But for the time being, why is it anybody’s business? If it has pretty much NOTHING to do with them, why do they have to “step their feet into everything”?! I just don`t get it. It`s like the same as somebody asking you “What time do you work next week?” and you answer “I don’t know” and they start saying things like “What’s wrong with you? How can you not know?”.....OMG it’s not like they’re either a) driving me there, b) picking me up, c) working there, or d) have ANYTHING to do with the subject whatsoever.

I feel so much better now J it feels good being able to express your feelings in SOME way.