Smile

Darnit… I broke a nail today while trying to lift out suitcases to find my winter clothes… I think they may be in the garage. And I thought I have enough calcium! I drink 2+ glasses of milk every day.

I adore sticker pictures (aka Print Club = Purikura -- プリクラ) – it seems it's like such a waste of money for something so small, but they’re cute and it’s perfect for me ‘cause I’m such a poser (haha!). Decorating them is half the fun! I remember the first sticker picture I took was when I was around 8 or 9 at Aberdeen Centre with my mom and brother. They definitely weren't as high tech as they are now - they came out in rows of the same pic. I picked a rabbit background. And then in Grade 8 and 9, we started taking some more... and then stopped for a while. I don't think I've ever taken a card picture though. B and I took sticker pics in Taiwan.. it’s cheap there! In Taiwan’s Ximen Ding, they have a 4-floor pink building dedicated to JUST sticker pictures! They should have one in Richmond. I want a B&W photo booth and a sticker picture booth in my house haha. It’s sort of like those people who have pinball machines and those stuffed animal claw things in their house.I just realized that I could be totally Jap and write things in Japanese! Next time...

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Oh wow I just found this site called Puricute where you can decorate any picture like a sticker picture! I'm having so much fun!

B and I took this pic in Taiwan on this HUGE ferris wheel @ Miramar.

I'm thinking of dessert lol >>>
I look so orange b/c I forgot to change the settings on my cell...

Here's my cutie-pie, Corey. He's winking at me while eating blueberries.

Yesterday I realized that I’m such a bad friend. I hardly ever initiate things – I always seem to wait for people to tell me that they want to do something with me… and I have been very lucky and I’m very grateful that people always do ask me out to do things and that my weeks are filled with fun times hanging out and trying new things. (I adore my friends!) Now that I realize this, it’ll try to be a better friend.

Anyway, in order to eventually tackle my cream/cleanser collection in an organized manner, I'll do it by brand.

Skin Food

Skin Food (1952) originated in Seoul, Korea. It's a lot like TheFaceShop (1962) in size and types of products, except I don't believe we have Skin Food here in Vancouver. I don't know much about this shop, but most of their products are based on food. Their slogan is: treating your skin with all natural goodness.

In Taiwan, I went shopping for a couple hours by myself at the night market (the largest in Taiwan) 10 minutes away from our campus b/c Bern had to go to dance practice. Actually, this was in the afternoon so the night market wasn't even open yet - only the regular all-day stores were. Skin Food was one of them. The sales associate greeted me warmly with an "anyonghaseyo" - I said "anyong" back to her and she was surprised and asked if I was Korean. I shook my head and then she started speaking to me in Mandarin and I told her I didn't know any.. so she tried in English. She was surprisingly understandable. I just looked around. There were so many products and I've never heard of the brand before I came to Taiwan so I asked the lady which products were the most popular and she directed me to:

Peach Sake Emulsion [approx. $15CDN]
This stuff smells SO GOOD. If you like the smell of peach, definitely take a whiff of this stuff. The lady said it's a great summertime moisturizer as it's an extremely light cream and minimizes large pores that tend to get larger in the summer. On the back of the package, it says "Fresh emulsion with 'sake', traditional Japanese wine brewed with rigidly selected rice, and 'peach' extracts rich in vitamin A and C to remove greasiness due to enlarged pores and excessive sebum". The packaging for this product is definitely not cheap. It's made out of a thick, heavy frosted glass that keeps the product cool all year round... and it just looks pretty on your counter. I'm not disappointed, but I don't think I would repurchase this product because it wasn't anything amazing.. and I don't have large pores to begin with. Also, it's a bit hard to get the cream out without a pump - you have to shake it out.. and only a little comes out at a time. It just smells good and it feels great on for about 10 minutes after you apply.
Lettuce and Cucumber Toner [approx. $15CDN]
I bought this one because (1) it smells really good - fresh.. I can't describe it, and (2) b/c I was looking out for Burt's Bee's Wild Lettuce Toner (which I bought almost a month later in HK because it's discontinued in North America) and this seemed close enough. The packaging is the same as the previous product except the top is made out of a thin metal. On the back of the bottle, it says "This hydro-balancing toner makes your skin clean and clear, and contains vitamin-and-mineral-rich lettuce and cucumber extracts". This stuff is decently good. Not as good as Burt's Bees Wild Lettuce Toner or Mario Badescu's Special Cucumber Lotion (a toner), but pretty decent for its price. It does keep my skin more hydrated than if I didn't apply it and does an good job keeping my skin relatively clear. However, I don't find that it actually takes off all the excess dirt and grime my face has like Mario Badescu's does. It does feel really great and refreshing on for about 10 min (same as the Peach Sake Emulsion).. but again, I know that there are other toners out there that do a better job so I would not purchase this toner again.

So all in all, I'm not amazed by these 2 products and don't think I'll buy from this brand again unless it was something small like nail polish (they made me do this scratch and win thing and I won purple pedicure nailpolish.. but I haven't tried it yet).
(Oh the lady also told me that it's cheaper in Taiwan than HK - Taiwan is 2nd cheapest compared to Korea... I was a little skeptical, but I did check out the prices in HK and they are cheaper in Tw by a little)

"Sleep Well",
N

N's Makeup Collection

I feel so fashionably uninspired.

Here's an Off The Wall coupon for 20% off (thx Nad!) for Oct 26-28th. Click and print away!

I must say that Tuesday and Thursday nights are probably my favourite weekday-days. After I come home from Jap class around 8:15, I can relax for the rest of the night because I know I have the whole day tomorrow to concentrate on whatever needs being done.

I shed so much the last month.. but apparently 100 hairs a day is normal. I can't afford to though! Ppl have also commented that my hair colour has gotten lighter. Here's a pic from today while I was studying in the library. I'm getting a few split ends and having long hair that I can see every time I look down makes me notice them all the time. I need a trim. I think my perm is almost out - probably a couple inches... but I don't want to cut that much!

The past few days, in between studying, I've been watching All About DBSK II with English subs... and it just makes me like them even more. Bern and I both agree that the reason why we love DBSK so much is because they're not like all the other stars - they don't act like them. They act like every one of us... well, because they really are regular people. They're just so great in all aspects: personality, voice, dance, dorky-ness, and looks.. and they're fun-loving, creative, and have a great sense of humour. They're people who you could easily be really really good friends with. I wish I could show you, but I really can't describe how fantastic they are in words... and I have no idea how I'm ever going to get a ticket to their concerts.

I was just brushing my teeth and looking at all of my makeup scattered across my bathroom counter... and decided to show you what I have and what I think of them!

N's Makeup Collection
Now, I love makeup but I still need a LOT of practice putting it on. Even though I basically practiced every day during the latter part of my trip in the summer, I feel like I need a professional to coach me still.

Adore: NARS blush [$25] in Orgasm
I really like it - I requested it for last year's Secret Santa and got it from Jamie =). It's a really refined pigment blush that gives you a very natural glow if used lightly. Orgasm is light pink and has a tinge of gold sparkle to it which gives you a more healthy look. This colour is a well known "universally flattering" colour, suiting all skin types. The container is matte black and is made out of this good quality grippy material so the blush will never slip out of your hands. This blush also won a lot of awards and is a favourite among a lot of make up artists.
Adore: Shiseido Powdery Foundation [$35]
I don't remember which colour I use... I think it might be 040 Natural Fair Ochre. I'm a pretty big fan of this foundation. It gives great coverage and is velvety and applies well and reduces shine without making you look the least bit cakey. If you pick the right shade, it looks very natural and definitely softens your imperfections. The case actually costs $7 and all refills are around $28. I've bought 2 or 3 refills since I've first purchased this. If you're Asian, Shiseido is a great company that creates perfect cosmetics that suit Asian skin tones. The added bonus of this foundation is that it has UV ray protection with SPF 14-17. For normal-oily skin types.
Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara [$7] in Blackest Black
Ok this is THE mascara many celebrities swear by... and that's why I thought I'd give it a try (for $7, why not?). Mascara is probably the one thing I'm more confident in applying. I've had this mascara for about a year (I forgot when the expiration date for mascara is... 6 months? oops). I've had a couple other mascaras I've divorced before this one (Revlon prime and coat (not bad - my eyelashes felt soft after because of the primer) and Clinique (sucky). So far, I think it's definitely worth what you pay for it. If you apply it correctly, it definitely coats and separates your lashes and even lengthens if you apply multiple layers (wait for them to dry in between). This mascara is not waterproof as waterproof mascara thins out your eyelashes and should only be used sometimes. I would like to try a different mascara after I run out of this one.
Adore: Shiseido Eyelash Curler [$16]
Eyelash Curlers aren't scary! Don't be intimidated. I cannot live without one - I'd rather have an excellent eyelash curler than mascara and eyeliner any day. Fantastic investment. Like I've said before, Shiseido makes for Asians so this curler fits my eye perfectly and gets every single eyelash. I've tried ones from Lancome and Estee Lauder... which were probably made for caucasions with deep eye sockets because those ones hardly curled the ends of my eyelashes. I've also used no-name eyelash curlers in the past and the pads of the curler become indented so quickly... oh and Tweezerman curlers are the worst EVER (so expensive too!!!).
Cover Girl Perfect Point Eye Pencil [under $8]
I bought this eyeliner so long ago... I think in Grade 11! I've always been a bit apprehensive about pencil eyeliners (you know, the ones that you have to sharpen and look like an actual pencil? Those HURT) but this one is great because it's crayon and glides on really smoothly and easily!! You can twist it and more will come out too. Only thing is that it smudges easily and if it mixes with the oils on your eyelid, it can come off so it may require some touch-ups throughout the day. I have weird-shaped eyes when it comes to how to apply eyeliner. I have to apply a thick line or you don't notice any difference. This eyeliner is great to make my line thick super quickly!
MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack [$18]
It doesn't get any blacker than this. Fluidline is definitely one smooth eyeliner. You need to buy a special brush to apply this.. and you definitely need a LOT of practice. I still haven't mastered it and have had to have ppl (ie Bern and Artemis) to help me apply it haha Hopefully I'll get it by the time I finish the tiny pot (which might be forever because you use SO little every time). Although it's hard to apply (for me), this eyeliner does not budge on your eyes no matter how much oil you have or how much you've been crying. I only use it when I have time and when I go to places where I cannot be bothered to keep re-touching. I do recommend this though if you have a steady hand! A lot of people seem to use MAC's angle brush to apply it, but basically anything that's not flimsy is good. I use an eyeliner brush I got from the Sephora Line in Malaysia, but you can probably find it in any Sephora (in the States).
MAC Studio Fix [$32 incl. tax] N35
I only bought this because I had a gift cert and have heard rave reviews. Honestly, I don't notice hardly any difference when I apply this. When I told the MAC lady, she says it's because I have such good skin that I don't need it (I beg to differ). I tried applying it sheer (which actually looks very natural)... and layering it on (which made my skin look very cakey). It's best to use a fat blush-like brush for this instead of the sponge it includes. I've only used it a couple times and it doesn't look like it's going to deplete anytime soon. BUT from what I've tried so far, I don't think I'll be re-purchasing this.
Almay Skin Smoothing Concealer with Kinetin [$8]
Concealers can be handy for those surprises on your face. This one has SPF 10 and is hypoallergenic. This one is alright.. it does the job but it sort of dries out my skin. I've had it for a long time. I think it's time for it to go bye bye. If you want to learn more about Kinetin, go HERE. I just need a better liquid concealer.
Adore: Pond's Dry Skin Cream [$8-10]
Bern says "PONDS CREAM//Best Stuff Ever Invented". Yea Ponds is pretty darn good. It's dermatologist-tested, it won't clog pores, it's hypoallergenic, and it's great for all types of skin. I needed a night cream so I decided on this one because I heard Jennifer Lopez slathers this stuff on every night (haha yes I can be influenced that way). It unfortunately smells like a grandma (I do believe it's made for older women with aged skin but it doesn't indicate any of the sort on the label), but other than that, it's perfect. So every night, I apply a thin layer of this all over my face and when I wake up, I have the best moisturized skin I've ever had! This stuff lasts forever too - there's so much in that pot and you never use a lot everytime. My only complaint is that having it in a pot is not very hygenic as you always have to dip your finger in there... and what happens when I reach the bottom? Are my fingers long enough? They should provide spoons like Origins does. Pond's is also known to be a great makeup remover and I can definitely contest to that. When I ran out of eye makeup remover, I used Ponds and it worked wonders. It's a very rich cream so it's perfect for the winter nippiness. Highly recommended!
Adore: Fake Eyelashes from Daiso [$1.50USD/pair]
Oh Daiso... so cheap!! Daiso in the states is a lot cheaper here at $1.50 per item... and with tax, it's still cheaper. Who thought I'd be one for false lashes? They're really fun, though. They're actually not that hard to apply and Artemis showed me how you can use one lash for both eyes for a much more natural look - just fit them, cut them, and place them on the outer ends of your eye. The selection at Daiso is also pretty impressive. It's ridiculous how expensive the ones at MAC are.. at almost $15/pair! You can only use false lashes a couple of times before you should dispose of them. So yea - pick up a pair next time you're at a Daiso!

For lips, I just use naturally/more neutral coloured lip glosses or shines. I used to have such a big collection of those too but I've finally weeded out most of them. Actually, Nad got me Rimmel's Underground Light Beam After Darkness Lipgloss for my birthday! It's neat because there's a mirror on one end and when you press the button on the top, there's this light that lights up the whole gloss so you can apply this anywhere (like underground! haha)! I got the clear one with sparkles. Usually I'm not a big sparkle fan, but this one is very subtle and the gloss glides on amazingly smooth and almost feels moisturizing! Olga has a huge Rimmel lip gloss collection - same gloss in different shades! That's how much she loves them.

I do not use eye shadows as I think they make me look like a clown and I prefer the more natural look on myself. I would, one day, like to see what a smoky-eye would look on me.

OK so that's my basic makeup collection. I haven't even touched all the other creams, tools, hair products, accessories, and cleansers I use. That's for another day.
(Sry if there are spelling/grammatical mistakes.. I'm tired and it's 2AM)
That was fun.

Btw, I'm always looking out for new makeup. Which cosmetics do you use and like?? Tell me! I want to know =D

Young Fabulous & Broke

My title is a name of a brand sold on ShopBop.
I'm Young and Broke... but not fabulous... yet hehehe
Daaang.. TV has gotten hella smart. OH I SO just sounded like I'm from NorCal & SoCal*. They have soo many shows on the three things I love watching/learning about: fashion, interior design, and weddings! I guess they just produce to target viewers like me! And then there's Gossip Girl.. and those trashy, shallow shows like "The Real Housewives of Orange County" .. and others I can't remember the name of right now. (Oh I want to watch Kimora Lee Simmon's show but I never know when it's on)

Anyway, I was watching some lottery show in TLC and granny bought an Escalade. Usually, I'm quite indifferent when it comes to cars. I still view them as something that gets me from point A to point B. But after watching MTV Cribs in 2001...I love Escalades (the classic $60,000USD SUV version). I've always liked sitting high up, overlooking all the other cars when in traffic than being so low to the ground. I sometimes feel a little claustrophobic if the back window is so slanted and small. I also love strong things that are sturdy and have that heavy thud when I slam the doors. Escalade interiors are divine and roomy. Yea I know they have a lot of disadvantages too.. being hard to park, bad for the environment, not as fuel efficient etc. BUT their 2008 model is a hybrid (25% increase in fuel economy).

Well the past two days were a bit weird emotion-wise. It was all ups and downs and it changed so frequently too. Don't worry, the downs aren't anything significant. I just felt a little crappy and then I'd forget about it (so there IS something good about having a bad memory!) and then I'd feel fine again. I'm totally fine now though.
Totally need to get more sleep... I finally went to my Kin110 class today (I haven't gone since my last Kin110 midterm which was a couple weeks ago)... and I was exhausted. In GIS, I fought SO hard to keep my eyes open but I just couldn't. I kept on nodding off and it's a small class so I'm sure Dr. Hedley noticed. I just needed a 5 minute nap... but I couldn't... not in front of him! I snuck a pic of him today (lolll he looks so funny in that pic). He has quite a few chili peppers in RateMyProfessors.ca... I don't really see it but he's a Brit so it's probably his accent.

It was a really nice day up at SFU today. So many people were sitting around the pond in their tees and shorts. Comfortable temperature.
I was thinking of what I could blog about fashion-wise today.. and all I could think about was the trench coat I've been eyeing from YesStyle (left).. I posted it in the "collage" a couple posts ago....






Here are a couple photos from Changmin's (from DBSK) first photoshoot without the members on Pinky Magazine. Changmin has grown up so much since that radio clip I had on my Xanga almost 2 years ago! I like the feel of them.
Darn girl stole my pose. Hm let me try to romanize the caption... "hmm... egamuga//ki?-...iidesu"

Pretty girl. I want a Polaroid.... and an dSLR...

AE just came out with their Holiday Collection. I've been quite disappointed in AE's stock... but I quite like this coat - such a classic. I sort of wish it came in red.
I love toggle (the loopy button-type things)... but I already have it on my A&F coat. Oh well - still love it. This one is $139.50USD and also comes in charcoal.


I'm home all day tomorrow... studying Nutrition.. and doing some accounting questions... and studying Japanese... hai.
Sleep well,
N

Standing: 12calories/10 min

Isn't Fall gorgeous? I took this picture on my cellphone. I'm so happy the colour turned out the way it did. If I didn't change the functions, it would look like THIS.

So yesterday, I was catching up on my weekly dose of Japanese Street Fashion and again noticed how amazingly girlie so many Japanese guys can look! And then I came to an epiphany.. if you can call it that. Don’t you find it so unfair (from a guy’s point of view) that girls can wear basically everything guys can wear and more? Especially how menswear is so trendy, girls can wear suits, ties, and button-up dress shirts just like a guy does (and it's totally socially acceptable)… AND they can choose to wear skirts, dresses, BAGS and jewelry! Girls (lucky us) just have so many more options to choose from. I think that guys (more specifically Asian guys) realize this and want to show us that it can work the other way around too… without looking like someone who does drag loll

The guy on the right Here’s the guy that made me think of this.. he was found walking in the Harajuku District. I swear.. if he was wearing a more fitted white shirt, he could totally pass for a girl... and even now...

GGs definitely take getting used to. I remember when I was first introduced to DBSK, I was shocked at how girlie they looked. Now, I hardly notice... I'm trying to find a picture of them to show you but they all appear so masculine to me. Well the picture on the left is Micky Yoochun when he had longer hair - I guess it looks a little girlie. I guess there aren't very many Koreans that look girlie b/c they seem to like masculine guys (as Dong says anyway). Japanese guys, on the other hand, are definitely a lot more feminine! Take Kame (from the Japanese band KAT-TUN), for instance (right). This guy even shapes his own eyebrows and says he can shape yours too! I don't know how I feel about that...

Oooo I picked a good day to come to work (I'm at work right now). It's one of the secretary's birthday today so we got her a giant cheesecake from the CactusClub which came with individual containers of fresh strawberries and real whipped cream for each slice... and strawberry compote and extra whipped cream tubs on the side. Not bad!
I just found out from LookBook (Fashion Blog) that Forever 21 has a Canadian site and if you order $50+, you get 20% off your whole order. If you order $75+, you get free standard shipping! Unfortunately, they don't have the whole Forever21 collection... if they had their Heritage collection, it'd really consider buying. (Jamie confirmed that you can use both 20% off AND the free S&H!)

Btw, if any of you plan to buy from YesStyle.com in the future, let me know! I'll definitely try to help you purchase over $200 for some fabulous free shipping.

I've said it before, but I still think Suri Holmes-Cruise is seriously the cutest (not to mention most well-dressed) celebrity-baby I've ever seen. She's precious. I don't think they can get cuter than her!
I adore her red pea coat! Kids have the nicest clothes... Her mom is looking fantastic too... and her dad is packing on some pounds.

My dad told me that I'm stressful to work for....

I'm going home in a few minutes, so I have to pack up,
N
(Horribly-spaced post...)