Trouvailly

I'm back in action!

2013-08-24T02:42:00.002-07:00

Hello everyone! I'm finally back in action.

I've got lots to share with you guys since I've been mia for such a long long time. Yes Yes... I know I know it happens from time to time so no surprise there. No worries though as I'm committed to write more on a weekly base so lets see how far this can get.... So what exactly have I been doing? Labor.....*awkwardness* Long story short... so at work we are preparing to move and it's been one heck of a time gathering and preparing documents for the new location so it basically sucked all my energy out. I've been just eating, sleeping, working and more eating... hahahha..... sounds like a pig...

Yeah, this is what I turned into....Of course not, its too adorable to be me. Speaking of pig I wanted to get myself a micro pig as a pet.... this pet store around the place I live is only selling these cutie pie for $699 which is not as expensive as I thought....

So cute huh? Wouldn't it be awesome if you see someone on the street walking one of these? It's like screaming.... hey look at me man... I'm so special... I'm walking a pig... hahaha, definitely a good buy if you want attention!

But seriously, don't buy just to look ahem* special but be really committed to feeding and caring for them as pets need a lot of love and care from their owners. I personally haven't made up my mind yet as I don't know if I'll be able to handle them as I already have a few cats to tender to...

Anyways, back to me now. Here's a selfie of myself recently that looks thinner.... well kind of... okay I tried but the angling is damn hard!

Yeah, I've been living quite well feasting off McDonalds just for these monopoly game pieces which at the end I won nothing much..... except a whole lot of weight! Damn you fast food!

So if any of my fellow readers win something... it would be nice to share with that girl up there... *hint* *hint*

Anyways, got to go now so I'll write more on my next blog... bye now!

Cherry Picking at Leona Valley

2013-06-04T01:28:00.000-07:00

I wanted to get a fresh breath of cleaner air out in the farm so I went down to the Leona Valley for cherry picking.

There's actually a lot of cherry picking farm over in the Leona Valley and the one I decided to visit is the Amber Cherry Farm.

Now lets get going and let me show you the way around! Cherry picking yah!

The cherry tree are actually not very tall so it wasn't too difficult to pick them. It was actually very fun picking cherry because it was a lot easier to pick standing up without the need to bend down like picking strawberries.

Wearing a hat and applying sunscreen is a must for these outdoor event!

Love the Rainer Cherries, looks so delicious but I think I went too early on in the season so these cherries are actually pretty tarty tasting.

My sister and I posing next to the cherry trees! There's so many cherries on each branch so I have so many selection to choose from... hahaha...

Wow these cherries grow in bunches it almost look like grapes.

Another type of cherry which I believe is the Bing, which is sweeter than the Rainer Cherries I picked earlier. Look at how cute this baby cherry I found! is so tiny but yet it's pretty sweet.

Mommy and I striking for a photo! My mom was like popping most of the cherries she picked in her mouth rather than placing it in her bucket. My mommy is just too cute.

Another view of the cherry tree, this cherry tree is becoming empty from all the picking!

Look at all the beautiful cherries I picked, yum yum. All the cherries were firm and plump with zero pesticide so at $3.75/lb a pound it was very reasonable.

Here a last picture of me and the cherries before heading home. I will definitely go to more cherry picking places this summer before the season ends because it was a lot of fun and I love eating the fresh cherries!

Food Venture!

2013-05-22T03:44:00.002-07:00

Here's a collection of what I've been doing lately and that's exploring my food options. Yes, fatten but very fun and exciting especially if the food is good!

Haha... all the food is very good and I will definitely go back! Total love my new exploration!

Had brunch with my sister at the Home restaurant. I love the outdoor environment especially when the weather is good.

There's a fountain right in the center of the restaurant so it makes the environment more relaxing.

Sister ordered the crabs benedict and was very good especially the potato!

I ordered a burger which tasted average but the criss cut fries was exceptionally good as it was very crispy and the flavoring was very good.

Another great dessert I tried was a strawberry brick toast. It was very yummy but after a little while it was a little too sweet due to the excessive syrup.

Another one of my favorite dessert is fruit tart... Got to have one once in a while!

Me about to grub this tart. I really want one right now while I'm typing this, hahaha...

Another product I've been loving so much lately is Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookie and Cookie Butter, it is so so good. The cookie butter has been very hard to buy lately as its out of stock at so many trader joes and I can only find it when I get lucky. Trader Joe need to produce more of these products as I really don't want to panic if my jar runs out!

The Speculoos cookie is also very good as it's very flavorful. Sweet cinnamon and caramel makes this cookie very good! In addition, I love how crispy this cookie is... I am addicted!

La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizer Review

2013-05-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

My skin has been quite dry lately for some reason so I really need a very moisturizing lotion with spf to use during the day time and came across this La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizer. Well I decided to give this product a try because it had signs saying that it had won 12 awards along with containing Mexoryl Sx, the only sun filter approved by the FDA in a sunscreen for the past 20 years.

The retail price is $33.99 but since CVS was doing a promo for $10 off I bought it for $23.99, which is not bad as the bottle is 3.4 oz and can use for a long time.

This is how my skin looks like with the moisturizer on. It's a bit greasy for me but it's actually very hydrating and lasts the whole entire day for me.

Texture of the moisturizer is a bit thick, but can easily be spread and a little bit goes a long way.

Here's another view of the moisturizer on my skin. You can see that on the right hand side of my hand that skin is more moisturized and less fine lines can be seen.

Closer view of my skin, you can kind of see the greasiness of the moisturizer from the reflection on my skin. It's kind of greasy for me but is not too much and is bare-able as it really does hydrates my skin a lot. Haha... here's also a picture of how my eye-shadow of the day look like. I created this look using one of the wet and wild pallet. If you guys want more details on that pallet just let me know and i'll create a separate post for it.

Lastly, here's a brief description of what Mexoryl SX is as it's the main selling point of this moisturizer with spf. Anyways, if you guys a looking for a really hydrating morning moisturizer with spf then give this product a try!

Origins Active Charcoal Mask Review

2013-05-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

I know this mask has been out for a while but I never used it until recently and I love it. It's a little pricey as it cost $19.50 for only 3.4 fl oz, but the results were amazing and I did immediately see a difference in pore size.

This mask has a thicker mud like texture but is very easy to spread out and I didn't have to use too much product per application so this mask is going to last me a long time!

Oh my, just realized that I have 24 months to use up this baby which is not bad and I should be able to finish it before then.

Here's how the mask look when it's partially dry. You must wait for 15-20 minutes after application and then you can wash it off.

This is how my face looks after the mask. My face seems much more hydrated and my pores seem visibly smaller!

Floral Forever 21 Necklace Turned Bracelet

2013-05-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the process but this bracelet was originally a necklace but I just took it apart and made it into 2 bracelets, one for me and the other for my sister. The reason I decided to take the necklace apart is because the necklace kept flipping over to the back side and is too troublesome to keep flipping the flowers to the right side.

Here's how the bracelet looks on my hand. I think it looks quite unique and different from the other bracelets I have and looks perfect for spring.

Another view of how the bracelet looks.

Since this bracelet was originally a necklace it only had one lobster claw so in order to make 2 bracelets I had to use an extra one I have. Although the color is a little different but overall it looks acceptable in person.

This is a close-up of how the bracelet look. Not bad as this necklace only cost $6.80 and by splitting it into two each bracelet will cost only $3.40! A pretty good steal as you can see that the flower charms are made of heavy sturdy material and has a nice weight to it.

Beauty on the Budget: Lancome Eyeshadow

2013-05-10T23:52:00.002-07:00

Hello! This week's beauty on a budget is this Lancôme eyeshadow pallet I picked up at the designer cosmetic company for $15! I mean its a steal compared to the retail price of $50+ . I know this collection is from a few seasons ago but hey look at the colors... It's just perfect for spring with colors like pink, coral, and cream.... Besides this pallet there's also a few other ones at $15 but since I wanted to keep myself on a budget I forbid myself to buy too many.

The colors are very true to what you see without looking chalky. The only problem I really have us that my skin tone is kind of dark and the ligher colors don't show up as well on my eyelids unless I prime my eyelids with a white base. I did so with just a white eyeliner and it worked out just fine.

Out of the five colors my favorite is actually the burgundy purple one as it looks great on my skin without looking too harsh like a black shadow would do if I apply too much.

Oh, quick reminder... If you guys are looking for the same pallet the stock might vary from store to store so try to call ahead before planing a trip and good luck .

Omg, look at what I found at my local target store... Strawberry flavored tic tac! Orange flavored tic tacs has always been my favor but strawberry is definitely going to be added to my favorite list. I hope this sells well and become a permanent item rather than a limited edition!

The packaging is so cute and attractive. I'm serious but the moment I saw this box of tic tac at the register it was like literally calling me to buy it. Who wouldn't be tempted to try something called strawberry field. Everything about this tic tac is just so creative and different from other brands of mint.

The colors are do pretty!!! Lavender and cream... Now lets try it out

Omg... It taste do good. The lavender one taste like strawberries with a little tartness to it while the cream one taste like sweet cream. The two combined together just taste so wonderful... Love love love! Haha... Now I have got to stock up done more in case they run out. Bye now...

La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen

2013-05-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

My search for a light and non-greasy sunscreen is finally over! woot woot! This La Roche Posay sunscreen works like a charm to keep my face protected and at the same time not causing my face to be oily or breakout. I have already used this product for the last few weeks and so far its a great product that I will keep buying.

There actually quite a lot of sunscreen in each bottle so you can actually use it for at least six months. I bought this at my local CVS store for $19.99 as they had a promotion for $10 off any La Roche-Posay sunscreen product.

I use this product after my moisturizer and you can see in this photo that my face is still very matte.

Drip dispenser allow product to be easily dispense while not pouring out too much.

Most of La Roche-Posay's sunscreen sold at CVS is actually made in USA and this was one of a few that is made in France.

See how watery and workable this sunscreen is?

Applied sunscreen on hand and love the fact that I don't see any white cast on my hand.

This will be part of my everyday skin care routine from now on! I hope you guys can give it a try too!

Beauty Buy: Twisted Crystal Bracelet

2013-05-06T23:06:00.000-07:00

I recently went into a Ross store and saw this $9.99 bracelet that caught my attention. The bracelet is made of strand of crystal wrapped inside many strands of twisted fishing wire. The bracelet looked very unique and is perfect for Spring so I decided to purchase it.

Another great part about this bracelet is that you can easily wear it by yourself as it has an magnetic clasp.

Love the fact of how I can easily wear and take off this bracelet all by myself!

Me with the bracelet. I think the bracelet looks pretty simple alone so I think I'll just wear it with some other bracelets together.

Can you guys see how uniquely this bracelet looks. The fun part about this is that the bracelet is tightly woven that no crystals would ever drop out. It's super fun to look at!

The Lovely Descanso Botanical Garden

2013-05-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

I went to the Descanso Botanical Garden some time ago and never posted it so here it goes. The remember the day was very hot so thankfully I had sunscreen on to prevent me from getting any skin damages. I recently purchased a new sunscreen and it has been working wonders for me so I will talk about it in another post. Luckily, my skin naturally do not get toasted or darkened so a sunscreen is good enough. Yes, I am blessed on that end but I do and will get not one but lots and lots of freckles. Girls, we know how hard it's to conceal freckles so we really don't want that to happen.

The Descanso Garden is filled with beautiful and exotic plants, trees and flowers! It would be such a waste to not pose next to any flowers!

Tada! here's a map of the Descanso Botanical Garden.

A beautiful scenery in the rose garden! Too bad the picture came out a little blurry....

Picture of my beautiful sister posing for me. Total LOVE it!!!

Another picture of my sister by the house inside the garden.

Oh, I like my sister's hair in this picture. I wonder who helped her bleach and dye it? haha... it's me. nice right?

Now that's it for today. If you guys want to go to the Descanso Garden spring is the best time as the weather is not too hot yet. Got to go sleep now! I'll see you guys next time!

A Day At The Flower Fields

2013-04-29T01:10:00.002-07:00

April is the best month of the year to visit botanical gardens as a lot of flowers are in full bloom. This time I have decided to visit the beautiful Flower Fields located at the Carlsbad Ranch in San Diego. This is my first time waiting The Flower Fields and it was honestly very breathe taking!

50 acres of rainbow colored giant Tecolote Ranunculus! One of the best place for flower site seeing as the garden is very well taken care of and there's also a lot of variety of flowers to look at!

I decided to dress up in a loose and flowy Spring outfit wearing a Esley asymmetric skirt and tank along with a cardigan as the weather was kind of chilly that day. To top everything off, a sun hat is definitely essential for the spring and summer time!

Pictures of more beautiful flowers!

A beautiful bed of flowers with a different color for each section.

The Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flower looks beautiful up close as there's so many layers of petals making this flower very unique.

Alright this is all the pictures for my glamorous Spring day.... I will definitely be back next year!

Dr. Hu's Jalili Face Mask Review

2013-04-28T05:08:00.001-07:00

Dry skin is honestly a girl's worst nightmare as makeup does not stay and skin appears very flaky. Sadly, my face has been super dry lately due to the change of weather so I've been actively using face mask to keep my face moisturized at night so that I can wake up to much more hydrated skin.

I actually have never heard of this brand, Dr. Hu, before until I purchased this face mask at a local street festival a few months ago. The ladies at the stand told me that this line Jalili from Dr. Hu is actually one of the top selling mask in Taiwan and was on sale for $1 a piece so I bought a few to test out.

Dr. Hu's Jalili mask comes in 8 variety each with a different set of benefits. The one I've tested today is made with Ascorbic Acid which is used to help with whitening, firming, and moisturizing.

Direction says to apply the face mask after face is cleaned. Next allow mask to sit for 15-20 mins on face before removing the mask and then lightly pat the excess moisture into face.

The mask is very moist and there is plenty of left over serum in the package!

Sorry to show you guys a picture of me with the mask on but I wanted to show you guys the texture of the mask so here it goes! The mask is very thin with a lot of moisture. Mask sticks very closely to the face and I love the two little flaps that I can pull up to moisturize my eyelids.

Wahhhhhhlaaa.. I super love the results. As you can see in these pictures the before picture of my face looks very oily and my pore are quite enlarged and after using the mask for 20 minutes my face looks much more hydrated, whiter, and pores are a lot smaller. Overall, I am super excited about this product and I will definitely buy more to use! Hope you guys give it a try too!

Picking My Own Strawberries!

2013-04-17T03:06:00.000-07:00

Sometime leaving the city life and going out to the farm land for a fresh breath of air is very relaxing. I'm quite happy that it's currently spring and there's so much stuff to do and the weather in California is perfect for a lot of outdoor activities.

Now looking at the pictures the strawberries look so plump and juicy! Unfortunately, the strawberries were not sweet at all.

Haha... I found my self a big and juicy strawberry!

It was a bunch of fun picking strawberries at the U-Pick Strawberries in Carlsbad, California but it was a lot of hard work too. The rows of strawberry plants are very narrow so I had a hard time walking and bending down looking for strawberries. Man, picking strawberries and really make a person appreciate all the fruits we have at the market as a lot are hand picked by farmers!

Here's an up close picture of the strawberries. You can see a lot of strawberries are still green, white and tiny so I really had to dig real hard to find the big juicy red ones! Since this is a public strawberry picking farm some of the strawberries are damaged do to human abuse so I had to be real careful for not picking a spoiled strawberry!

See... I really have to squat to pick the strawberries as the plant is so low. Picking the strawberries was so expensive, the tiny cup you see in this picture cost $10 and I cannot overflow over the top too. I guess I was paying for the experience and not really the strawberries as a whole basket only cost $1 at my local market.

Eating my hard pick strawberries is very satisfying so I'm definitely going to try apple pickings next time!

Photo Session With My New Nikon 35mm Micro Lens

2013-04-11T04:24:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased a new lens for my Nikon 3100 camera so my first round of testing subjects are of course the beloved pets! The cost of this lens was almost $300 with tax but I think the results are pretty much worth every penny I paid for it!

I realized that the results of the 35mm lens is almost the same as the 40mm so buying this lens I will not have to buy the other one so horray!

This is a picture of using the lens under macro mode. Wow... I can see almost every detail of the flower that I couldn't even see with my naked eye.

Here's a picture of the sweet and gentle MeiMei! I took her out for a stroll and she sure is enjoying the weather. Talking about his picture perfect shot...

Another shot here is my cute kitty fat cat! You can see every inch of his fur so closely.

Oh my my sister's doggie, Porky, looks real cute here. Porky looks like she's drooling while waiting to get a taste of that doggie bone. Yum Yum...

The lens pick up such great color, of course the subject must be beautiful too!

Here's another shot.. this one MeiMei is smelling the flower. OMG... she's just too cute... I just want to hug her right now!

Here's a picture of fat cat at night. The lens picks up a great amount of light even at night.

Side profile of Porky. She looks real good for a 10 years old dog.

I will end this post with a picture of MeiMei strolling down my block. Absolutely stunning... Overall, I like the results of the pictures and there's definitely no regret in buying this lens. It's so easy to use and the outcome are great but the only thing I need to learn is to focus correctly so hopefully I'll get better with practice.

Thanksgiving Dinner + Black Friday Purchases 2012

2012-11-27T03:24:00.001-08:00

Sadly this year I didn't buy a lot of cheap stuff during the Black Friday sale as stores all opened up at 12:00am and I was sleepy plus the lines were 1-2 hours long for the good stores. The only thing I purchased was a black faux leather jacket at Target for only $15! It was quite a good deal as regular price is $39.99 so I figured $25 discount is quite nice.

Here how the jacket looks. Sorry, I'm feeling lazy so not trying it out for you guys. I know the style is rather simply but you really can't go wrong with something that cost less than an entree at Red Lobster. I'll show you guys how I style this piece the next time I wear it out.

Unfortunately, that's all I bought as I didn't get a chance to go to the Abercromie 50% off entire store sale nor the $5 deals finds at H&M. **Sob... next year** Don't worry I have a gut feeling that more deals will come as Christmas is near!

Oh... almost forgot that I wanted to share with you guys a picture of me posing in front of our family's Thanksgiving Dinner.

Sorry about the low quality picture as my sister took it with her iPhone very quickly as we were all STARVING and was not in the mood to snap photos!

I hoped you guys had a great Thanksgiving too!

Forever 21 x Hello Kitty Collection Collaboration 2012 Haul

2012-11-26T08:15:00.002-08:00

Lately at my local Forever 21 store they released a limited edition Hello Kitty collection with a lot of super cute home and apparel items. The collection was released on November 15th, today when I went there with my sister a lot of items were sold out, but thankfully I still managed to buy some super duper cute items!

The collection was made up of 6 Sanrio characters(Hello Kitty, Hangyodon, Badtz-Maru, Chococat, Monkichi, and Purin). My favorite is definitely Hangyodon, the comedian fish, that has not been sold in the USA Sanrio store for a long time! Yes, my taste is quite indifferent as I like weird and unique characters...

OMG.... everything is so.... so.. cute! Looking at the way the items are arranged, it's giving me a urge to want to buy everything! Gosh, I should stop that thinking as that would create a lot of damage to my wallet.

Wow, this collaboration is one of the cutest I've ever seen so far! I'm seriously obsessed as you can see... Oh no oh no, I'm even starting to hear voices saying "come take me home, I know you want me". ** hit myselft on the forehead ** I must think straight! cannot buy cannot buy.....

Well, then I'll show you guys what my sister and I picked up then. **drum.... rolling....** I probably shouldn't over hype this as we didn't buy a lot of stuff, but I feel that we did buy most of the cutest items (at least in my eyes they were the best).

Taah...da... a super cute Hangyodon floor mat. I have a gut feeling that this will be a hot item even though I know that he's not a very popular Sanrio character so there's barely any pictures of him on google. Hangyodon is so cute, especially his sausage like lips but why is he not popular? Don't worry Hangyodon, when you become popular again people will regret not buying items of you as by then your items will sell for big bucks on ebay.

Forever 21 must be making big bucks out of this as this mat. This baby cost me $19.80 and honestly its made out of cheap sparsely sewn fabric, but I guess the cuteness will make up for my lost. I showed this to my mom and she said that its very cute but when I told her about the price she was like... I have to be careful not to step on his face because he cost so much... gosh, my mom is so cute.

Of course one is never enough for me so I had to pick up this cute pair of pajama pants in order to satisfy my need! I'm so going to wear this everyday and I don't care if people call me childish.

A good thing about this pair of pants was that it only cost me $10.80 so I didn't have to break the bank to buy it. I'm still in disbelief that I spent $19.80 on a small, cheap quality mat that I'm going to place outside my room. I guess the bright side is that I can see and use this mat everyday to tell myself it is worth every single penny I paid for it! Poor Hangyodon..... I'm going to have to step all over your face soon.

Anyways, when speaking of Sanrio, I'm not sure why but a lot of my favorite Sanrio characters are actually not very popular among the crowd. Since these characters are rare, it's hard for me to buy them anymore so hopefully they will create my items of them in the future. **please let my prayers be heard** I guess my taste is just too different.... :(

Patpatapeppy

I really liked this collection when I was a child because all the characters look so dreamy and cute but unfortunately it was popular so the items are not produced often and is extremely hard to find. It's currently ranked as number 33 on Sanrio's 2012 character ranking chart so hopefully in the near future it'll be in the top 10 category!

Pokopon’s DiaryThis is another one of my favorite character that's not being sold in Sanrio stores anymore due to it's low popularity. Although in real life I don't like raccoon as they are monstrously huge and always scares the beep out of me bypopping out of nowhere when I go outside for a walk. I'm not sure why, but I always imagine that they will bite my precious toes off if they get hungry enough so I always walk out in fear thanks to raccoon KobutanopippoNow here comes the last one for now. This is actually my most favorite character as I was growing up in the 90s. I remember it was Pippo was quite popular too but for some reason it just gradually faded off the market. Pippo is such a cute piggy, but not a lot of people actually remember this character as it's ranked #74 out of 100 Sanrio characters in 2012. That number is just ridiculously low that I think it'll be really hard for Sanrio to produce this character again unless some miracle happen.

Here's a picture of my sister trying on the beanie that was really cute, but we didn't buy it as it's really not that cold here in Cali so no need....

My sister did buy the Kitty inspired jewelry as it's quite classy and pretty looking. In this photo you can see her wearing the pearl necklace. Pretty right? I forgot how much it cost her but it should be around $10 or so.

After shopping my sister and I went to eat at a restaurant known for their organic Hainam chicken. Flavor was average, but I like that fact that they chicken was boneless.

I ordered curry beef with wild rice. Sorry didn't take any pictures of myself that day as I looked pretty messy so next time!Alright this post is super long so I shall end it here. I'll try to update more often instead of cramming a lot of information in one post. Bye bye.... :)

Revlon Sweet Treat Scented Nail Polish Enamel Review

2012-08-15T01:01:00.004-07:00

Today was such a lucky day for me because I bought myself more scented nail polish and luckily I got all the colors I want as it's limited edition! These nail polish are like little treats as it definitely makes your nails smell like it's in sweet heaven. Absoluting loving it regardless of the wear time. There's a total of 8 different scents and all are unique and different then the other scented nail polishes I've encountered so far. It's actually quite impressive that all the scents are based on desserts rather then fruits.

These colors are perfect for the summer time and some shades like the red/ coral colors will continue to be hot colors for the fall! The prices of these polishes are at $4.79 a bottle at Rite Aid but they always have a sale like buy one get one 50% off so you might want to check out the sale for the week.

Here's how the colors look after I painted them on! I love the smooth and streak free formula and the scent lasted for more than a week until I had to take them off.

Overall, I am extremely please with my new favs! This is definitely worth every penny I paid for as it's really nothing like what I had before. I'm definitely praying that Revlon will come out with more scented nail polish. I hope you guys could give these nail polishes a try and you know if it really does not work out must drug store accept returns. If you guys find other scents, please let me know!! Bye for now!

Beauty on a Budget: Hello Kitty Mon Amour Pallete & Mirror & Sephora Lip Brush Haul For $21

2012-06-22T04:11:00.001-07:00

While visiting the mall today I actually came across some beauty items that I have wanted for a while and finally brought them home today. I actually had a pretty amazing deal since the original prices of these items were $52 added together but overall I paid $21 for everything. Hummm.... that makes it almost 60% off. WOW.... If you guys are visiting the mall and is interested in these items you can pick them up at Sephora located inside JCPenny. I'm pretty sure these items are all discounted at Sephora inside JCPenny but I know for sure that it's still for full prices at the regular Sephora store and on their website. Anyways, I know that this deal is not going to last very long so if you guys are interested please check it out before they run out!

Well, this item was always on my "I want list" after swatching it but at $21 I just didn't want to pay so much for it but when I saw it on sale at $13 I literally jumped on the deal. Common, 8 eyeshadows and 2 blushes at $13 makes them $1.3 a shade, how cheap can that be? I totally cannot wait to use it! ♥

I also picked up one of these double sided Hello Kitty mirror form the Mon Amour collection for myself. The best thing about this mirror is that one of the side is an enlarging mirror so it'll be perfect if you want a closer look at yourself while touching up your makeup. It's so cute right? Haha and it only cost me $5! Regular price is $17 and it's considered a hard to find item too!

I really needed another lip brush because one is not enough for creating the popular gradient lip effects so luckily I ran into this $3 deal instead of going to the store and buying one for $10+. I believe the original price was $12 but I really can't complain too much as I'm paid so little for it. Overall, I'm liking it so far as it picks up the color well and hasn't lost any hair even after a quick wash!

I'll probably add some swatches and demo later on when I get a chance so say tuned! Good Luck finding these products!

TIP: Call before you go and ask them to reserve so you can conserve gas and not disappoint yourself! ♥

Beauty on a Budget: 6/17/12 - 6/23/12

2012-06-17T05:45:00.002-07:00

Alright nothing is always free in this world so sometimes getting things for cheap is really great way to help us save money and look beautiful at the same time. I really have not been buying a lot of items lately because I have too much at home and would like to clear up the stock before venturing out again, but from now on I'll be more consistent with my beauty on a budget post so you guys could benefit from it! I actually like find ways to buy a lot of items on good deals other than beauty related so if you guys are interested then please let me know!

Item 1: Colgate Toothpaste for FREE @ Rite Aid & Walgreens or $0.24 @ CVS

RITE AID DEAL

Here's how it works:
1. Product will cost $2.99
2. Give cashier $0.75 off coupon

internet coupon link
If above link do not work then sign up here to get coupon
cut coupon from 6/03/12 smartsource phamplet

3. $2.50 UP bucks will be printed for next purchase
4. Total price after all discount is -$0.26 which is a money maker, hooray! (remember it's limit 3 per household)

WALGREENS DEAL

Here's how it works:
1. Product will cost $3
2. Give cashier $0.75 off coupon

printable internet coupon link
If above link do not work then sign up here to get coupon
cut coupon from 6/03/12 smartsource pamphlet

3. $2.50 register rewards will be printed for next purchase
4. Total price after all discount is -$0.25 which is a money maker, hooray! (remember there's no limit for this item so stock as many as you need!)

CVS DEAL

Here's how it works:
1. Product will cost $2.49
2. Give cashier $0.75 off coupon

internet coupon link
If above link do not work then sign up here to get coupon
cut coupon from 6/03/12 smartsource phamplet

3. $1.50 extra bucks will be printed for next purchase

4. Total price after all discount is $0.24 (remember it's limit 2 per household)

Item 2: Wet n Wild Cosmetic @ 40% off then $3 off $8 (prices varies) @ Rite Aid

Here's how it works:
1. Product will cost 40% off retail value
2. Buy up to $8 value after 40% off price and earn $3 up bucks valid for next purchase (remember it's limit 2 per household)
3. Total price varies

Item 3: Reach Dental Care Floss for FREE @ Walgreens

Here's how it works:
1. Product will cost $2.99

2. Give cashier $1 off coupon found on Walgreens self display

3. $2 register rewards will be printed for next purchase
4. Total price after all discount is -$0.01 (remember there's no limit so buy as many as you need)

Item 4: Tom's of Maine Naturally Dry Antiperspirant Deodorant for $0.49 @ Walgreens

Here's how it works:
1. Product will cost $2.99

2. Give cashier $2.50 off coupon

cut coupon from 6/17/12 smartsource pamphlet

3. $1 register rewards will be printed for next purchase
4. Total price after all discount is $0.49 (remember there's no limit so buy as many as you need)

Hope you guys enjoy it and buy only when you know you need it! I'll see you guys next time!

My Biweekly Facial Mask Routine

2012-06-17T04:21:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! sorry that I have not updated my blog for quite some time! I actually took the pictures weeks ago but never got a chance to sit down and write the description for these pictures along with editing my pictures. I guess today's the perfect day for me to catch up and now that I have most of my personal matter taken care of I would have more time to dedicate to my blog and my fellow readers. (Oh yes, you guys must be happy).

Here's a little bonus for your guys...... a cute picture of my cat! His name is fluffy (aka fat cat). Isn't he just adorable........

Today I wanted to show you guys what I usually do every other week to keep my skin looking smooth and youthful. Yes, I am quite confident about my skin that I can go out without foundation or powder and feel like I'm worth a million bucks. Haha, I'm not that cocky it's just that I don't like the feeling of a weighed down face so I try harder on not having to conceal my face. Honestly, good skin don't blossom overnight, you have to maintain it on a daily base and I've been doing it for the past 12 years! Of course, I'm not perfect and I do have some slightly larger pores and freckles but it's really not that obvious unless you stare really close to my face. (whoops just spilled my secret...)

Here's a head shot of me taken and all I have on my face is sunblock and moisturizer. Eyes and lips do not count because off course I couldn't keep them bare. Sorry couldn't find a better picture but this was taken with my sony 10mp camera.

Step 1: Clean face with cleanser

I wrote a review about my current favorite cleanser by Origins so if you guys would like to check it out please take a look at http://trouvailly.blogspot.com/2012/05/origins-checks-and-balances-face-wash.html
You guys do not have to use the exact one. You could always use your favorite cleanser.

Step 2: Remove old & dead skin cell on face.

This is product works kind of like a scrub except it's much more gentle and removes more dead skin cell. Basically this product is like a gel with many micro beads in it and you are suppose to rub it all over on damp or dry skin until the gel turns into little dry pieces of particle and then you could wash off. The exfoliating enzyme (beads) helps to gently remove dead cells buried deeply in the skin to create smoother and clearer skin.

Here's a picture of how the product looks like. It smells really nice too exactly like strawberry!

There's actually a lot of similar products out in the Asian cosmetic market but this is one of my favorite because it works really well and the bottle has a lot more product then companies with similar product. This whole bottle only cost me $20! You can also use it on your body!

Step 3: Open up your pores

You can always use warm water to open up your pore but I usually like to use a self heating mask like this one from The Body Shop for $17 to help open pores and using ginger, cinnamon oil, and kaolin clan to help clean out my pores at the same time.

The texture of the mask is very creamy and the instant you squeeze it out of the tube you will feel it warming up. Don't worry you will never burn yourself with this mask as after 5 minutes of a warm temperature it will start cooling down. Very cool right?

Here's a link to the product in case you guys want to check it out:
http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/skin-care/facial-masks/warming-mineral-mask.aspx
There's actually a buy one get one 50% off promo going out so if you guys are interested then you can check it out.

Step 4: Cleaning out blackheads!

This is one my favorite product to clean out blackhead from pores. (I bought mine for $20) For this process I would only use step 1 and 2 and save step 3 for the very end when we finish our whole mask treatment process. I wrote a review on this before and you could check it out at:
http://trouvailly.blogspot.com/2011/08/woot-savior-for-my-clogged-pores.html

Consistency of this product is very thick and you have to quickly apply on face before it dries!

Step 5: Manually remove stubborn blackhead

Alright no product is ever going to be 100% perfect so if you guys find one please let me know. Since the product only cleaned out 80 % of my pores I would have to go right in and remove the remaining ones with my pore extractor. Although this products works really well but it also does a lot of damage to the skin as you have to press your skin and drag it so try to use it as little as possible.

Step 6: Shrink your pores!

This is one of my all time favorite mask product that works really well to help shrink pore while giving you a clean, smooth, and refresh face all for $6-$7. Since I have just opened up my pore I would need something to help minimize them so this is the perfect product to get the work done. I usually take a little break in between this step and the previous one because I like to let my skin relax before putting stuff on it.

This make is very cooling when you put it on your face and the texture is very clay like so you would need to use a cloth to remove this product. Remember to wash your face with cold water afterwards!

Alright now! I am finally done with my biweekly mask routine. Hope you guys find it helpful and you should give it a try as it has done miracles for my skin. Good luck!

Beauty Food: Sweet Potato

2012-05-21T01:56:00.002-07:00

Hello everyone! Today I want to talk to you guys about my favorite vegetable, the sweet potatoes! Who doesn't love their sweetness...... drooling... I want some now but the market is closed. First off I would like my readers to understand that sweet potatoes and yams are actually different and not related although they are both considered flowering plants. Sweet potatoes are related to the morning glory family while yams are related to grass and lilies. I hope that that's informative and you guys won't mix them up!

Sweet potato (left) & yam (right)
Looks super similar to me but if you get the chance to eat both, yam will taste sweeter and contain more water.

Now back to the beauty part of this goody, sweet potatoes contains a strong dose of beta-carotene, cooper, and manganese that will bring miracles to your skin inside out! The beta-carotene helps improve rough, flaky skin while helping your skin shield out damages caused by the harmful UV rays.

Yes I know when you think of beta-carotene you guys will think of carrots but the thing you guys have to understand is that carrots are not as tasty as sweet potatoes. Carrots have this weird raw taste to it even if you cook it. (you can tell that I'm not a major fan of carrots) How many of you guys can really chug down 3 or 4 sticks of carrots without any sauce? hard right? I knew it.

Alright, I wanted to look smart so I actually did some research to back myself up. I found out that beta carotene is actually very good for balancing ph levels and promoting growth of new skin cell. In addition, since this little baby is rich in vitamin c it will also help me fight against aging and dryness! Yah! forever youth! woot.... Oh gosh, I must stop this, I'm praising sweet potatoes as if it is gold.

I usually eat it steamed or baked without any sauce or else it'll ruin it natural sweetness. Now remember to eat more sweet potatoes! Yum!

Look at what I found at my local market....... hahaha...can you guys tell that there's something different about this sweet potato? (ignore the sign... this is a sweet potato, not a yam and I'm sure)

Haha... It's a gigantic sweet potato. See how big it is compared to a regular sized sweet potato? Almost like 10 times it's size. Yeah I know I'm lame but so cute right? Humm.. since a medium sized sweet potato is 117 calories... I wonder how many calories is this little baby. Omg...see how heavy it was? my veins are popping out.. eww... now remember to eat your veggies!

Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color Polish Review

2012-05-13T07:06:00.004-07:00

I'm back again! Yes, there's a lot of new products released lately that sparked my attention so I'm going to try it out and give you guys my take on it. I guess the nail polish craze is hitting a lot of brands and Sally Hansen is finally coming out with their version of a magnetic nail polish. So far I've only seen this Sally Magnetic polish at Target but I've pretty sure it'll be available elsewhere soon.

Price of this polish is $9.44 which is quite expensive as it's not even half the cost of another famous brand that sells magnetic nail polish, Nails Inc. Nail Inc's magnetic nail polish cost a lot more at at $16 a bottle and the colors are very limited in the United States. Therefore, Sally's magnetic nail polish is a cheaper alternative with a lot more color selections so that's why I decided to pick up one bottle to test it out! (Honestly I think this product is too much of a copy cat because their bottles are almost exactly the same shape and size, but again cash is king so cheap is better.)

The formula painted on fairly smooth and did not streak. The brush is kind of big so I had to paint very carefully because my nails are very small.

You have to place the magnetic activator immediately after you paint your nail or it will not work! ( I messed up on one nail because I was taking picture and left it on for 1 minute and afterwards it would not move.) Remember to leave a gap between the magnet and nail to not ruin your nail.

Oh no just ruined my nails! Watch out and not touch your nails or you will stain this magnet like me.

Yes the final result! Looks pretty awesome right? The results are very similar to Nails Inc so I do like it. The only problem I have is that it's very hard to control the after effects of how the magnetic polish moves so it makes my nail not very united looking. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing but I personally prefer creating marbled swirl nails by dipping them in water instead because the results are more obvious.

Enjoy and show me your results! Bye Bye

Ardell Double Up False Eyelashes Review

2012-05-11T04:07:00.001-07:00

I have another lash review today again! I purchased this from my local drug store, CVS, for $4.99. This Double Up line from Ardell came out a few months ago but didn't get my hands on it till now. I absolutely love the idea of double lashes especially they are extreme time saver and are perfect for more dramatic occasions. Since I bought this item in a hurry I really didn't a chance to take a close look at it, but when I examined it at home I really did't like it.

A lot of people glue 2 pairs of different style lashes together in order to create a more dramatic effect such as making the band longer to elongate eyes or variation in lash length for different types of look that original lashes couldn't create. Gluing lashes together is slightly problematic when you are new to this and don't know how to combine lashes together for the best results. Therefore, I think this is the reason why Ardell created this line. I mean if there's a demand then there's a market. You guys know... business is always business..

Sounds like a great idea so far right? The idea sounds simple and easy, but you guys are probably wondering why I don't like these lashes. I'm not a perfectionist, but I do expect greater quality when I'm whipping out 5 whole dollars to buy these lashes.

Front view! Looking nice and full!

Honestly, I really didn't like the fact that Ardell glued together 2 pairs of exactly the same style lashes. It only makes the lashes look fuller but it didn't create any sort of variation in lash length to create different wearable looks.

This is an example of how a few pairs of different style lashes are glued together to create more emphasis towards the end of the eyes and at the same time elongating the band of the lashes. This is really something that you can't buy outside that requires a little imagination and crafty hands.

Basically I'm trying to say that these Ardell eyelashes are boring and have no creativity. There's really no need to stack to pairs of lashes together for more volume when I can buy a pair of fuller lashes to begin with. I think it's all a gimmick to lure customer's attention.

I know that some of your guys might really love the idea of fuller lashes and I do too but these lashes are pretty poorly made. The company basically glued together 2 pairs of lashes instead of making 2 sets of lashes on one band to make it more natural looking that consumers can't do at home. Sucks right? I can do it myself so why do I have to spend the extra 5 bucks on you? Ardell, why waste so much time on advertisements and packaging if you are not planning to create better quality?

Look I didn't even use it yet and it's already peeling off! Oh... no... that's very bad! I have to glue them back together before I get to use it or it would be very embarrassing if one pair came off.

Now coming to the worse part......

The layers of the lashes are not clipped together! aww... I would literally have 3 layers of eyelashes if I were to put these on my eyes! Yes, that would look very creepy and disgusting at the the same time. I really wished that these lashes can look like one piece after gluing them together NOT letting people know I have double layers of lashes!

Overall, it's not worth the money at all! If something is going to make you look uglier then why do it? Why take the risk? Why wasting your time of finding a way to fix these lashes? It's really not worth it at all and if there's someone to blame then it's Ardell product designer. Designer, you disappointed me because I have always loved Ardell's lashes but definitely not this one. Hope this review helped you guys!

Origins Checks and Balances Face Wash Cleanser Review

2012-05-09T04:26:00.003-07:00

Recently I've changed my facial cleanser to Origins because I've used up my Loreal's 360 cleanser. I had this sitting in my room for a year as I've got this free last Earth Day for giving them a empty container. Yeah they usually have free products on Earth Day. Don't be too jealous, I just always keep myself updated with ways to save! This year Origins gave out a free moisturizer for Earth Day but I didn't need it so didn't go get it.

Current favorite cleanser as after using this product my face feels clean and does not strip away my a lot of my natural oil making my face dry. This face wash also works really well in taking light makeup off. I feel like using this cleanser with my Clarisonic brush is making my pore look slightly smaller. woohoo!

I think this cleanser is going to last me a long time because I use it twice a day and a dime size is more then enough for my face. There's actually a lot in this bottle as I've used it for a month now and it still looks like the bottle is full. You can purchase this product online at Origin's website for $19.50. My packaging is different from their website because mine is released for Earth Day.

Cleanser is in a creamy frosty texture and lathers up a little when you use.

Here's a test I did to show you guys how well this product works for cleaning makeup.

I applied 3 different brands of eyeliners on my hand then I'll go wash it off using Origin's cleanser. I chose to test with eyeliner because the results are more obvious then foundation and usually eyeliners are very stubborn and hard to wash off.

There's so many times I had black residue stuck under my eyes that wouldn't come off without makeup remover so it makes my life more complicated. Haha... yeah that's when I kind of look like I haven't slept for a week with such a heavy eye bag. If you guys think of the bright side, the residue made me look like a panda... awww.. isn't that cute (Yeah, that was meant to compliment myself).

Now thanks to this cleanser, a lazy person can put less stuff on my face.

Oh yeah, that's me but minus the size. so cute!!!

This is not related to my post but I just came across it and it's so cute! It's a panda dog! It's actually a dog but his owner dressed him up to look like a panda. Although, it might sound weird but I heard that its quite a trend in China now. I guess people are trying to seek alternatives in owning a pet panda by making their dog look like other animal. Sorry little fella, I can't tell that you're a dog.

Here's a another one. OMG... this one I really really like. Sooo....... cute!

Alright enough of the obsession and back to the testing. Now let me wash my hand.

After 2 seconds of scrubbing, everything came off! I didn't even rub my skin and it just came off by gently using this Clarisonic brush. Wow it was way to quick for me show you guys how amazing this combo works.

You could see in this picture that the Origins cleanser does lather but but very little. If you guys don't have a brush like I do, using your hand will work the same way. No hard rubbing is needed to remove makeup.

Bam... the final product, a clean hand! There's absolutely no residue left on my hand and I just realized it look more moisturized. Yah! another good product I found for my skincare routine that cost me NOTHING!

Beauty On A Budget 5/7/12 - 5/13/12 + The Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream & Mask Review

2012-05-09T02:54:00.003-07:00

Hi Guys! I'm back with some pretty awesome budget deals! This time it's for the brand "The Body Shop". I"m pretty sure a lot of you guys have heard of this brand, but in case you guys haven't, it's actually an international beauty chain store that carries a lot of products for your face or body that are derived from natural ingredients. My favorite product from this brand is actually their infamous award-winning body butter, but today I decided to venture into their face products. After long consideration I bought 2 skincare product from their best seller line, Vitamin E.

Alright, must not side track and get back to the point. Today's deal is actually a bargain because I there's a $10 off $20 coupon!!! Ahahaha... I LOVE coupons... and I can't lie! The mask was originally $22 and cream was $20 but after the coupons I purchased them for $12 & $10 respectively which is like half off! The current deals they have is either the buy one get one 50% off or buy 2 get 1 free and could be used in conjunction with this coupon. woohoo!!! I tried to force myself to purchase 2 items to get the 3rd one free but I really only needed 2 items so this deal was out of the picture. Therefore, I used the 50% off second item deal and only spent $22. Wahaha... so cheap considering its half off then half off that. Wait that doesn't sound right.... you guys get the point.

Anyways, you guys should really go try out their products now that they have this coupon circulating around as it's a blue moon to have such a good good coupon. Here's the linky:

http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/coupon-landing-pages/pdf/TheBodyShopCoupon-10Off20-LikeACoupon.pdf

Product 1: Vitamine E Sink-in Moisture Mask Review

Finally got my hands on a Vitamin E packed moisture mask that's suppose to bring some moisture back on my dry face. I have always love love loooove.... vitamin e.. it's like a miracle product. I used to put vitamin e oil all over my face and it just makes my skin so soft and supple but kind of stopped because its too oily and my hair gets all over my face.

A really good thing about vitamin e oil is that it's super super amazing at healing scar. Believe me on this one! I had chicken box when I was 18 and like there was literally 100+ bumps on my face that turned into ugly scabs that took forever to peel off but applying vitamin e made it heal 3 times faster. (you guys could never image how ugly i looked during that phase... i sat in front of a mirror everyday counting the chicken box on my face. Seriously I had over 100 bumps on my face and only had 7 on my legs!!!!) Thanks to vitamin e oil, my skin had healed successfully with absolutely no scarring! Lucky me....

Back to this product...First off it smells so much like baby powder so it's a little overpowering. The texture reminded me so much of hair conditioner, very light. It's kind of like pudding but less dense. I spread on a thin layer all over face and neck and let it sit for around 30 minutes then wash off. After application, face feels very moistured but after 20 minutes or so the mask gets absorbed into face and feels oily. Yeah, looked like I just poured some oil on my face which is not pleasant looking at all!

After washing off the product, my face those feel a little smoother and more hydrated by not too noticeable. Honestly, it didn't do much for my skin and selling at a retail price of $22 is just ridiculous. It's totally wasted my $12 and my precious time! I showed my face to my sister and she said the same thing... no difference. That made me sour because it's sad that this product claims to be "intense" when the affects are so minimal! Sorry Body Shop, you guys totally ruin that miraculous image of Vitamin E for me.

If you guys want a good moisture mask go for paper mask because it's very hydrating and easy to use, apply on face and remove so there's no need to wash. Here are some of my current favorite! (I'll probably do a post for paper facial mask later on so keep following)

Etude House Collagen Mask. Smells fresh and makes me skin whiter and more hydrated. Around $2-3/piece but its much cheaper in Asia. (ask your friend/ relative to buy you some or stock up if you travel)

Oh yes, we want more collagen on our mask and here's caviar. Picture and thought of putting this black looking stuff on my face is gross but works like a charm! Yeah, Missha should have picked a better image for the packaging. Yeah, it just led me to image myself putting fish eggs on my face... so disgusting!

Ok ok, the sheet is white and smells very fresh so that helps to know right? Nonetheless, this stuff is pretty darn good at restoring moisture! Thank you Missha for being so creative... caviar... I didn't know I can use you beside eating you.

Last favorite is Beauty Diary's mask. This mask is super cheap at $1+ a sheet and is very effective. My current favorite is the cherry blossom one because it smells so sweet. It also works very well in alleviating, refreshing, and whitening my dark and dull skin. If you guys are interested and what to buy this product I have it on my website. I'm not trying to sell you this product but it really does work! You could always buy on ebay too if you like! Here's linky if interested:

http://trouvailly.com/product_info.php?products_id=206

2nd Product: Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream Review

Again this night cream smells too much like baby powder. I really don't like baby powder scented products. Why? isn't it obvious... it makes me feel bad because my skin is no longer soft like a baby's butt. Oh no, I shouldn't compare my face to a butt... it should say it's no longer soft like a baby's skin. Anyways, this products claims to replenish and revitalize skin while you sleep using rich wheat germ oil. It's suppose to nourish my skin overnight and wake up to soft silky skin so lets see how well it works...

Texture of this product is very dense, kind of like body butter but not that oily. Skin feels hydrated immediately after application.

Now 8 hours later, skin feels pretty soft and hydrated. The dry patchy area around my cheeks seems like it improved. Overall, pretty good product for $10 and I'll give it a 8 out of 10 stars. Definitely a much better product than a lot of drug store branded night cream. Overall, I would buy again because it works and does not break out my skin. The only problem I have is that I feel like it still cannot replace my favorite moisture cream, Clinique's moisture surge because it doesn't make my skin as soft and dewy as the moisture surge would. However, the moisture surge is like $40 and this is $10 so if I'm on a budge I'll get this one instead.

Alright, this post is much longer then what I intended to write so sorry that it's so long! Remember to go check out the store if you guys get a chance and please use the coupon! Saving up is the key to having more money to buy more products. Bye now