Ramblings of an Aging Hot Girl

HOW TO MAKE YOUR HAIR GROW FASTER Fast!! UPDATED TIPS to longer hair, Secret from the East

2013-01-14T11:08:00.001-05:00

Are you still trying to make your short hair grow faster while maintaining the health of your hair? Some of you're thinking - who the hell cares if it's healthy, as long as it "LOOKS" shiny, full and LONG, that's all that matters. I couldn't agree with you more. Haha.

If you're still in the process of growing out your short hair and would like some honest and helpful tips on how to grow it out faster, read my "HOW TO MAKE YOUR HAIR GROW FASTER Fast!! - 5 TIPS to longer hair, Secret from the East," before reading this blog.

I want to share with you the BEST conditioner, IMHO, from Asia, that I've tried in 10 years.. If you're new to my blog, I'm a hair stylist; I work with different hair products constantly, therefor; it is extremely difficult to impress or wow a hair person - me - with a mere conditioner or a shampoo. Why? Because we're completely spoiled rotten, that's why! How I discovered this product will be at the end of the blog so that I can get to the point here..

The conditioner is made by the company, Amore Pacific and the celebrity endorsed hair product line is called RYOE. They're what we would call a VERY high-end cosmetic company and is considered one of the biggest brands in Korea. You can find their skin-care products at Sephora or Norstrom, but I wasn't able to find these hair products on there. Ever heard of Etude House BB cream, it's all over YouTube? This is also within their label but at the low-end in terms of the price range.

Here is a short clip of their RYEO ad. The hair is, of course, Photoshopped to all hell lol, but it's still amusing and beautiful to gawk at, eh? :D

And now, the reason why I added this to my updated "how to make your hair grow faster fast" blog is that this line will help prevent hair fall-outs and thicken the hair strands. It deep-cleanses the scalp and soothes the skin, causing less itchiness. Some even say it "heal" your scalp with Asian herbs, even the conditioners do this.

Less shedding means fuller hair, which will help in growing out your hair faster..

Photo Source: http://eunhye1003.wordpress.com/

Here are some basic facts, I've only tried the conditioner in the Red bottle:

Made from traditional Asian medicine like Ginseng
Smells like Asian herbs - erm earthy, like a dude? Sorta ... Don't make me describe scents!
They call the conditioner, RINSE- this is important to remember when ordering
They call conditioning treatments - conditioner - I learn this while trying to place an order
Been around for years
You need to rub the conditioner into the scalp and ends to get the full benefit, and leave it on for few mins.
Prevents less static electricity in the hair
Prevent loss of hair by 70%
Increase hair density by 50% - they claim it makes your hair strand bigger. - I just know my hair has never looked better.
For people with scalp sensitivity
It has won 2012 Best of Beauty, Allure Magazine Award in Korea

Review of Brown RYEO Shampoo and Conditioner:

Their bottles are color coded for:
RED bottle: Dry hair.
GREEN bottle: (will fill in later)
BROWN bottle: Extremely dry, brittle, damaged hair
BLUE bottle :(will fill in later)
PURPLE: ( UPDATED 1/28/13 ) Scalp therapy /Dandruff control - I recently tried the conditioner and the most memorable thing about this conditioner was the smell was the pungent, Asian medicine-like scent. It made my scalp feel all tingly and cold while I had this in my head but I couldn't tell you if it did anything to my scalp, as I don't have a dandruff issue - I was merely testing out this product. The consistency is a bit like a thick Cola Cola. I loved the way it "felt" on my scalp, but the smell was a bit too over powering while it was on (remember, these are medicine). But it did dissipate after I washed it off.

photo source: http://www.dienanh.net/forums/showthread.php/39395-Photo-Album-Ryeo-Shampoo-CF

Where to BUY:

I looked around and the best place to buy these are at eBay or Amazon and even then usually they're out of stock.   I'm VERY sorry; this is why this blog is so exceedingly late in coming; I've been looking for a good and reliable site all this time..

Try this eBay seller - send him a PM to get a better deal.
Amazon   - Selling the extra damaged version - try sending them a PM as well.

You can also try the Gmartet - but the site is pretty hard to navigate if you don't speak Korean and I personally do not recommend it. Why? Because just 4 weeks ago, I tried buying it from there and ended up disputing my charges... Thank God for PayPal because I got my money back.    You will find that the shipping is OUTRAGEOUS, so do buy more than 1 bottle when you order, send the seller a personal message asking for a "deal", most will opt for that.

Now this is where I ramble on...

When I was in Korea on vacation this summer (2012) visiting my in-laws, I ended up trying this FANTASTIC Ryoe conditioner because I had forgotten to bring the one I've been using in the US (Kerastase) - and thought absolutely nothing of it... I thought the smell was kinda -- odd, in a pleasant way..but still "odd".

On this particular day, I had also over slept, so I couldn't blow out my hair or use a curling iron on my extremely layered hair. Now, if you have layers, with straight hair at that, you know exactly what this means...I expected to look like an old, hot mess.

To my everlasting shock, my hair actually looked great! It was so shiny and it looked like what it used to look like in my "early" 20s!   Full of bounce and vibrancy. If you're in your 20s now, you have no idea what I mean here... For you older gals...you know....

From the very first day, I've felt a difference in my hair and have continued to work well. I've spent HOURS googling a good store so that I could continue to buy this...full price at that. Pro people get pro discounts, I don't even care that I'm actually paying full price for this.

This is how much I adore this product. Regardless of how 'effing pain in the ass this product is to find, DO try this conditioner, it's GOLD!

Remember to subscribe! xo-Tina

Oh, forgot to add: Here is my hair progress... because of my YouTube channel, I'm also trying to grow out my hair as well and have not cut it since the end of may 2012. :)

Updated: 1/22/13

I've been hearing some really wonderful reviews about this "HORSE" shampoo from friends, forums, and reviews... LOL, Which I have every intention of blogging about in few months, after I, of course, try it out and see some results. The shampoo is Mega-Tek, and it, apparently makes your hair grow faster, fall out less, and etc.... It's a miracle shampoo (that doesn't sud up )....FOR HORSES... Well, I'm going to try it.

Try it out with me? :)

PURPLE line: ( UPDATED 1/28/13 ) Scalp therapy /Dandruff control - I recently tried the conditioner and the most memorable thing about this conditioner was the pungent Asian medicine-like scent. It made my scalp feel all tingly and cold while I had this in my head but I couldn't tell you if it did anything to my scalp, as I don't have a dandruff issue - I was merely testing out this product. The consistency is a bit like a thick Cola Cola. I loved the way it "felt" on my scalp, but the smell was a bit too over powering while it was on (remember, these are medicines). However, it did dissipate after I washed it off.

ANGELINA JOLIE INSPIRED: HOW TO FLOWER BUN CHIGNON UPDO HAIRSTYLES/Coiffure ON MEDIUM LONG HAIR TUTORIAL

2012-10-21T19:18:00.001-04:00

Hi girls! In today's easy hairstyles, hair tutorial, I'm going to show you how to make a flower bun/chignon updo on a half-up, half-down formal hairstyle on medium to long hair. Inspired by Angelina Jolie's usual Red Carpet formal half-up upstyle, this elegant and romantic chignon look is a great:

Wedding hairstyles/updos idea
Bridal look
Bride's maids hair
Prom Hair
Homecoming Hair-dos
Party hair
...for any special occasion.

Watch it on my YouTube Channel if you prefer.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel by clicking here

Please thumbs-up this video if you found this tutorial helpful!

PREP:
I started on VERY dirty hair because I filmed another hair tutorial just the day before and didn't want to torture it again with the curling iron.

Thank GOD for dry shampoos! My current favorite and best dry shampoo, IMHO - because it's cheaper than dirt and does exactly what it's suppose to do without making my hair all white and flaky - Give this one a shot! : Psssst Dry Shampoo
If you're doing this half-up updo on fresh hair: hairstyling is always easier on hair that has products in it, like a soft gel, and hair that has some waves (hint: you might want to curl it).

STEP 1:

Tease the crown.
Take a small section of the crown, eyebrow arch to brow arch, and pin it on top of your head.
Alternating sides, take small sections from each side of your head and pin them in a stacking pattern on top. Eventually, your half-up, half-down formal updo crown will look like it's been braided somehow with lot's of texture.
Don't forget to also pin up the hair below the ear on 1 side. Angelina Jolie's half-up hairstyles usually look side swept from the front, and this is the reason. Only pin up a small section in the back though.

STEP 2:

Now to create the small flower buns (AKA Chignon):

Starting with a small strand of hair taken from the back, start twirling them around 1 finger, gradually making them bigger on top of where you had pinned down the crown.
As you're twirling the hair around your finger and pinning them down, trying to create a small flower/rose bun - flatten the hair as you go, so that they look like "flat" rose petals. If your pieces are bunched up, it will end up looking like a normal bun. Watch my video to see what I mean.
Gradually add more hair to the bun to make them bigger.
For this look, taking small sections come out best.

Repeat to create another flower bun. I usually like to add 2 small buns to this hairstyle and on the 2nd flower chignon, I either make them bigger or smaller, fuller or tighter - since uniformity, especially in a hairstyle, is as interesting as vanilla ice cream. Play it up and create something unique and different!

Thank you so much for reading! I usually blog about hairstyles and up-dos on my HairUps blog but since I haven't posted anything here for awhile, I thought I would switch it up.

Have a wonderful week, everyone! xoxo-Tina

(¯`'★♫♪•♥ HAIR PRODUCTS USED ♥ •♫♪★'´¯)
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Sebastian Shaper Plus Hair Spray
Heat Protectant on WET hair: Bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil Dry Oil
Finish Oil/Serum - CHI Enviro Smoothing Serum (hard to find @stores)
Psssst Dry Shampoo

Makeup Used will be listed in my video's description box.

Please friend me on Twitter and Facebook to get future video/blog updates!♥

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MakeupWearables
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TinaStylnator

To see more hair tutorials, please visit my hair blog - MakeupWearables

TEMPORARY TATTOO MAKEUP? Tony Moly 7 Days Tattoo Eyebrow Review Swatch

2012-10-10T20:38:00.001-04:00

So this Korean cosmetic brand, Tony Moly 7 Days Tattoo Eyebrow , written "tatoo" Eyebrow on the pencil (no, that's not a typo on my part), claims to work like a temporary tattoo makeup on the eyebrows and last for 3~7 days, and here is my review/thoughts on that.

I'm just going to get right to the point. Hell, no. This is NOT a temporary tattoo makeup by any stretch, the staying power is actually quite laughable.... With THAT said, shockingly enough, this is still a repurchase item for me and a "must item" in my kit at that. Read on to hear why.

Eyebrows take important place in determining an impression of one’s face. Women always cover their face with makeup and draw beautiful eyebrows on their thin and ugly eyebrows to look neat and clean. However, when makeup is erased, what are you going to do with that half eyebrow or ‘Mona Lisa’s’ eyebrow? ’7 Days Tattoo Eyebrow’ will solve this problem for you. Be an eyebrow beauty by tattoo type eyebrow that you can easily draw without pain and it lasts for a week.

1. Fill the eyebrow with elastic brush of ‘7 Days Tattoo Eyebrow’ on completely dry eyebrow after facial wash. (drawing on makeup does not last long) 2. Draw slightly darker than color you want and fix with a cotton swab before it dries. 3. Drawing 1~2 hours before sleep would be most convenient and after 6 hours, it will completely stuck. Retouch the eyebrow after 3~4 days when color becomes lighter. You can keep the color as if you did semi-permanent eyebrow tattoo.

(source: http://eng.tonymoly.com/)

I went to Gangnam Korea 4 weeks ago on vacation, and as soon as my plane landed, I promptly trotted off to TonyMoly Store just to purchase this item.

You must first understand how eager I was to try this to understand my disappointment. I flew for 13+ hours straight to get to Korea, my ass was flatter than a Korean pancake and I swear, it must've been asleep the last 6 hours of it - but I simply had to go buy this thing, so dragging my poor exhausted hubby along, this was the first purchase from Korea....Needless to say, my hopes for this item was...BEYOND high.

So from that day on, hmm 4 weeks - I've tested and tried using it in many ~~different~~ unique ways.....from following their instructions, to not washing my face for 2 days straight (Yup, I went there..)..to not using a makeup-remover for a week... It all failed. The minute a drop of water hit, the supposed tattoo eyebrows rinsed off. I think they intentionally misspelled the word tattoo.. What bullshit! *sigh*

But anyway, I did end up really loving it for another reason. *smile*

This eyebrow pen must be the most natural looking eyebrow pencil/pen/shadow that I've EVER used. The consistency is like watercolor paint. Sheer and delicate.

These only come in 2 colors. Natural Brown and Dark Brown. I'm wearing the "Dark Brown" below.

Photo taken in front of a window, in direct sun light, no flash (Bloody hell, no idea why I look so blue)

Another no flash photo - this one is kinda fuzzy, sorry! (do you see why I didn't join Instagram? lol)

With Flash (Its my errand day, I'm wearing my 5min makeup look AKA old house wife laundry day look haha!)

Shown as comparison: On another day, wearing my usual Stila Eyebrow "shadow" Duo in Dark with Flash. I'm circle lens'd, with eyes & brows fully dolled up.

As you can see, the TonyMoly 7 Days Eyebrow Pencil leaves behind a very soft hazy, shadowy cast, even more natural than the eyebrow "shadow". It's simply brilliant! However, because it's subtle, you won't be able to create those strong, bold, dark eyebrows (Megan Fox) if that's your thing with this eyebrow pencil.

The tip in this eyebrow pen is so sharp and bendable/flexible that you can easily draw in any size hair to fill in your brows.

No Flash - room lighting - Swatched

No Flash - room lighting swatch

No Flash swatch, in direct sunlight showing off all of my glorious fine lines to the world!

With Flash........................................LOL?

If you squint really, really hard, you might be able to see it!.................................................

PROS:

Does not break me out or irritate my super sensitive skin.
The most natural ashy brown shades.
The MOST natural looking eyebrow pencil/pen - makes you look like your brows are all yours, girls!
Photographs beautifully.
Inexpensive.
Perfect for K-drama makeup looks - AKA no makeup, makeup looks.

CONS:

Every time I read "tatoo" on the pen, I feel irritated.
Only comes in 2 shades. (however, since it's so light and translucent,Natural should work on blondes)
Does not last 3~7 Days as they claim. !@#$
If you like your brows looking more drawn, you might find this just a tad "too natural".

In conclusion, despite the (hugely effing annoying) false advertisement, I would still repurchase the Tony Moly's "TEMPORARY TATTOO " *rolls eyes* 7 Days Tatoo Eyebrow. The color payoff and how natural it looks on everyone will keep me a repeat buyer.

4 out of 5 stars. Thumbs up from me! :)

You can find/buy this Korean makeup through Korean cosmetic stores/grocery or here on eBay. Hopefully someone will start carrying it on Amazon soon.

Thank you so much for reading!! Please subscribe to see more future reviews and ramblings!

Stay connected with me through Twitter & FB! :D ♥

xo-Tina

Have you seen my "Make your hair grow faster" blog?
Or "Stay looking young on a budget"?

Hair Tutorials?

See my Halloween inspired, Old Hollywood Hairstyle, pin-up girl, hair tutorial by clicking here!

Byeee~ ^_^

HOW TO LOOK YOUNGER ON A BUDGET

2012-09-26T20:35:00.003-04:00

Today's Blog: How to Look Younger on a budget. I see so many mature women around my age (35), wasting a fortune on anti aging skin care products to look younger and thought I would share my own dirt cheap, affordable, but very effective skin care routine. Because honestly, I spend a ridiculously small amount of money on lotions and potions and I feel like most of these ladies, and maybe you, are just getting ripped off ...

If I was willing to blow hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a .025oz cream, I would get botox instead. Serious.

I'm not going to cover nutrition, health of hair, teeth and exercising, because that's pure common sense and it's boring to talk about. Again.

Let me go over my stats, so you know what kind of skin I have, that way, you can adjust my recommendations to your own skin type. I suffer from insanely sensitive and dry skin. If you breath on me, I'm more than likely to get a horrible rash...

Mature, anti aging skin care routine will look something like this:

Cleanse
Vitamin C Serum (unless your serum requires you to use it at night)
Moisturize
Protect - SunBlock
Makeup
~at night~
Cleanse
Night Cream with Retin -A
(Monthly Chemical peel - Optional)

Did you notice that I didn't add a toner to my list? I consider it the biggest "waste of money & time" beauty product (SK ii line do tempt me though to spurge, with all the excessive hype behind it in Asia!)...Toners generally do 1 thing, balances the PH level of your skin (vinegar does the same thing), unless your toner have something like salicylic acids for acne and is used for blackhead control, or is an anti aging miracle tonic like SK-II Facial Treatment Essence (expect bad reviews because of the price, which I also think is ridiculous).

Anyway, here is my - Cheap Anti Aging Skin Care Routine:

Cleanse:
I wash every night but rinse only with water in the morning. (I have dry, sensitive skin remember and I don't do anything dirty at night that requires scrubbing my face in the morning with soap!)

Makeup Remover: Pond's Face Wipe or Nutregena Eye Makeup Remover
Cerave (or you can use Cetaphil) = The only difference is that Cerave doesn't have Sulfate! :)

Protection:
Sunblock I use - I blogged about it on another page - click here.

Vitamin C Serum DIY: This serum will make your skin literally GLOW, I kid you not. But it's a bitch to get used to in the beginning, I still can't use this every day... Google the effects of Vitamin C serums to get more details but THIS IS A ANTI AGING MUST HAVE! Don't buy it, make them fresh yourself!

You apply the serum before lotion - Lotion application is always thinnest consistency to the thickest.

Kassy's Vitamin C Serum DIY Recipe (I'll link where to buy) , watch the YouTube DIY video to learn how to make this Vitamin C serum -- Which is supposedly a Dupe of SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic.

1 tsp L-Ascorbic Acid

3 tsp Distilled water
1 tsp Sea Kelp Bioferment ( Sea Kelp, my precious - this makes your hair grow faster too!)
1 tsp Jojoba Oil

1/4 tsp Vitamin E Oil (Rosehip Seed Oil works too)
1/8 tsp Ferulic Acid
1/4 tsp ice cold Vodka(buy from your local liquor store)

Some kind lady made a Youtube Tutorial for this Vitamin C serum recipe. She's crediting someone else for the recipe though, but from my knowledge this recipe is Kassy's C serum.

Google Kassy's Vitamin C serum for more info!

Retin-A/Tretinoin :
What it is:
Cream or Gel that promotes peeling of affected skin areas and unclogs pores. Ba-bye blackheads and dull skin! (if you have dry skin, get the cream, if your skin is normal to oily, get the gel kind - if your skin is insanely sensitive, you might want to consider getting the micro .04 )

Before Internet, you could only buy this with a doctor's prescription. No longer. With that said, if you're pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, or are breast-feeding, you're not suppose to be on this.. speak to your doctor.

Tretinoin Cream (dry skin) in .025% strength.
Tretinoin Gel Microsphere - if you have extremely sensitive skin.
If you have tough skin .05%.

Make sure you get the weakest strength, which is .025%. or 0.04 in micro. Trust me on this, you're going to FEEL like absolute crap the first few weeks. Do not order it any stronger than .025% initially and do NOT use any other anti aging beauty products, like the Vitamin C serums, toners, just ANY products with alcohol in it (its even in the lotions!) while your skin adjusts to this product - and it will eventually. My skin took 7 months to get used to it. :)

Use it every 3rd~4th night when you start for a month at least
Wait 30mins after you wash your face before you apply.
Only use a pea size amount.

When I used the Retin-A cream for the first time, I felt nothing. No dryness, redness, pain or any other skin problems. So I, of course, promptly started to slather on a THICK layer of this stuff EVERY effing night - and 4 nights in a row at that.

Well, on the 5th morning, I woke up in some SERIOUS pain and my face looked like a lobster's ass. Even water hurt to use... Use a PEA size amount, seriously!

And the only thing that made me feel better was the Aquaphor - which reminds me, you need to order this with Retin-A - this makes a great night cream during the initial Retin-A hell-phase. We all went through it..

Lotion:
Eucerin Q10 Anti Wrinkle. It's super moisturizing and it's made for super sensitive skin. But the best part about this Anti Aging lotion is that it's less than $10!! And works better than some of the most expensive lotions, if all you need is a moisturizer, than this will work.

With that said, this lotion might be too heavy for you oily skin girls.. :)

I've been MIA from blogging (so sorry) but I've been so busy and have been out of the country. However, I've discovered some AWESOME shampoo and conditioner in Korea that I'm completely nuts about and will blog about it as soon as I find someone who sells it in the US. It's annoying and pointless reading about a raved review when you can't even effing buy it, right? LOL...

Anyway, stay tuned for the most awesome shampoo/conditioner that's I've discovered in Asia blog! :)

Thanks for reading as always!! xoxo

6 Must Have Beauty Products in Summer if You Sweat a Lot - Hyperhidrosis

2012-08-16T16:04:00.000-04:00

I thought I would be doing a plain 'ol, "must have beauty product list" today, however, I was inspired to blog about something more meaningful to me and maybe more useful to the 2~3% of the general population who suffer from over heating. So here are my beauty, holy grail items for girls who suffer from excessive sweating problems, a Must Have Beauty Products in Summer if You Sweat a Lot, caused either by physical labor, the weather, stress, a mental disorder (anxiety issues) or from Hyperhidrosis.

I can thoroughly relate. I know how utterly embarrassing and crushing this is to your self esteem, especially if you're a girl who have it because I've had this since my late teens... this isn't a bullshit blog.

Best Antiperspirants / Deodorants for Excessive Sweating:

CERTAIN DRI - Roll on #1!

What it is: Clear, watery liquid you apply under your arms at night right before bed.

Aluminum Chloride 12%.

Pros:

Gradually, you really do stop sweating completely. You can say good bye to any excessive sweating ( Hyperhidrosis) issues good bye with this.
Cheaper than dirt
Do not require a doctor's visit
No scent
Last for days
Scentless

Cons:

Itchy as HELL if you apply more than 1 swipe per arm pit
Can't apply right after a shower because you'll start a World War 3 under your pits
It does not cover odors, so if you have that issue as well, you will need a separate deodorants for day time.
Scentless

I linked a Youtube video about this product below. :)

Arrid Extra Dry:

I used to use Arrid Extra Dry before I switched to Certain DRI. The difference is that I would consider CD a medication while Arrid is more of a deodorant.

Pros:

Compared to other over the counter roll on deodorants, it lasts and protects better
Cheaper than dirt
Because the consistency is so light and creamy, like a heavy night cream, you can rub it into your hands, feet, etc (although it says to apply to your arm pits only) if you sweat a lot in your hands or feet.
Invisible, clear protection

Cons:

The packaging is quite cheap looking
Smells like a minty, baby powder - like medicine
I hate that I have to stick my finger in it to apply - Yuck

Best Water Resistant Foundation:

Cinema Secrets Foundation

I use Cinema Secrets Foundation because it's very water resistant, and was made for people, actor's and actresses, who work under hot, TV/camera lights.

PROS:

Fantastic Pro foundation with a wide range of colors in satin finish.
My clients and I do not break out from using it.
Extremely pigmented so a little goes a LONG way, 1 jar should last you all year
Beautiful skin in photos
Well used in wedding photography

CONS:

Tricky application - you need to make sure that you use a wet sponge (or a damp Beauty Blender ) or it will look too heavy and caked on.

I dislike "waterproof" foundations in general because those tend to break me out horribly and irritate my skin, so if you have sensitive skin, you should avoid any "waterproof" (alcohol based) foundations.

Best Sunblock:

Garnier Ambre Solaire UV Sensitive 50+

You can only buy Garnier Ambre Solaire UV Sensitive 50+ from eBay (er I just checked Amazon, some moron is selling it for far too much - so get it from eBay, I'll link the seller below).

This brilliant, BRILLIANT sunblock is really water resistant but more importantly, it's one of THE best sunblock that I've ever used. Bar none. Therefor, it deserves a spot in my " Must Have Beauty Product in Summer if You Sweat a Lot" list.

I'm on Retin-A, and for those of you who don't know, Retin-A thins out your skin and makes you hideously sensitive to the hot sun. This is the only sunblock that I would ever trust with my aging skin.

I stopped getting freckles altogether when I switched to this brand and that should tell you how fantastic this sunscreen milk, made especially for "sun sensitive" skin really is!

Make sure you get the one that I'm using, the photo above that you see is my own bottle. You need to make certain that it's the "UV Sensitive 50+"version.

I bought mine from this store on eBay. But they're out of stock at the moment, maybe you can send him a message asking if he's going to relist it.

Best Water Resistant Eyeshadow:

Makeup Forever Aqua Cream Shadows - This thing holds up and up, and these come in all color ranges, from every day neutrals to the most vivid colors. Check out their greens! My favorite is the 17 (plum), which I'm wearing in some of my photos and on the Youtube videos.

WAY cheaper price range but still great:
Maybelline Color Tattoo. One thing that I really dislike about this line is that it's too sparkly/glittery but it does hold up all day.

Best Water Resistant Face Powder:

Ben Nye Banana Powder:

Another item that was made for people working under hot, TV/Camera lights.

PROS:

Ben Nye Banana face powder is extremely water resistant AND oil absorbent. If you have very oily skin, this will work brilliantly for you.
Well used in shoots
Utterly long lasting
Dirt cheap
Candle light skin finish
It's not starkly white so it won't wash you out
Universal shade
Photograph's beautifully

Cons:

Cheap packaging
Hard to find in person - will need to order online
Most people look down on products that "look cheap"

Kim Kardashian's makeup artist choice of setting powder on her..

Eyebrows:

I use the Stila eyebrow duo, but that's been discontinued so I won't go into it. I'm currently looking for a great water resistant eyebrow powder (not a liner), if you know any please let me know! :)

Thanks for reading! I hope this list was helpful to at least one person with this issue. I wish you all the best! *BIG HUGS*

Don't forget to Subscribe+Add moi! See you guys next week!

xoxo

Are you damaging your hair unnecessarily by using the wrong straightening or curling irons? Find out from my previous blog - Titanium vs Ceramic Hair Straighteners and Curling Irons.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR HAIR GROW FASTER Fast!! - 5 TIPS to longer hair, Secret from the East

2012-08-08T01:33:00.001-04:00

Do you want to make your short hair grow faster, so that it will look long and shiner than it has ever been within this century? Healthy looking hair full of vibrancy is not impossible, but it does require a lot of patience on your part. I'm going to share with you some Beauty secrets from the East.

Let's start this blog with me contradicting guides that tell you to keep your hair trimmed while growing it out...

If you don't have the patience to go through the UGLY-Cave woman phase, then you'll NEVER have that long sexy mane that you've always dreamed about anytime soon.

This blog was requested by someone on Twitter (name hidden: @only#$%^li* )

. Here you go, sweetie. <3

((Photo source: http://www.somuchtotellyou.co.nz/2011/06/long-haired-child.html))

Five Tips on growing your hair faster:

1) DON'T CUT YOUR HAIR.

Don't trim it, blend it, just don't go anywhere near a hair salon or scissors. Expect to live through some bad hair weeks and months and this means dealing with and putting up with some split ends. I repeat, do not get a trim.

When a client comes in to get their hair trimmed by me and they tell me that they're trying to grow it out, I usually turn them away and talk them out of a "trim". Exception to this rule is if they're going from a boy-short hairstyle to a real long hair look - Victoria Secrets hair anyone?.

Your hair only grows about 1/4 to 1/2 INCH from the roots a month. This is a scientific fact based on your genes, your health, diet and blood circulation. Just imagine how SMALL 1/2 inch really is and consider how scissor happy most hair stylists are ... and you're going to trim it every few weeks? Are you nuts?! Just use your common sense.

Problems with split ends? Read number 2.

2) AVOID GETTING MORE SPLIT ENDS.

During this no-cutting, ugly-phase, you need to take care of your short mane.

This means using some very intense deep conditioners, and if you can afford to spurge, try some of the best in the market like this.
Avoid excessive chemical processes - going from black hair to double platinum is a huge no-no.
Not only minimize your use of heating tools like flat irons and curling irons, but make sure you're using a good heat protectant when you're using them.
Keep your ends moist with good hair oils.

3) CIRCULATE THE BLOOD ON YOUR SCALP.

Every time you shampoo your hair, give yourself a deep scalp tissue massage during conditioner phase to stimulate your hair follicles. If you're using your fingers tips, make sure that you're not scraping your scalp with your nails. You can also try using this handy and cheap shampoo massager and brush.

Don't brush and comb your hair too often, and use a wide tooth tomb instead of a brush.
Detangle from bottom strand up.
Don't put your hair up too often, try wearing it down.
Don't yank on your hair

4) GO SULFATE (SLS - Sodium Lauryl Sulfate ) FREE.

Sulfates are harsh cleansing chemicals that creates large amount of lovely but unnecessary bubbles, that companies prefer to use to cut cost. It was first used to cut oil in the motor parts before they started using it in our own soaps.

Not only will SLS irritate your skin and scalp but there are studies now that show that it's the leading cause of premature hair loss in women and can cause other health hazards.

I can tell you, from my own personal experience how this affected my own scalp. I had to go sulfate free last year because of dry flaking scalp from all the garbage ingredients that are in our "normal SLS" shampoo. Since then, my scalp feels quite fantastic, and my hair seems to shed less.

I blogged about my favorite and best SLS free shampoo here. If you're looking to go SLS free, and you don't know where to start, try with Dermorganic shampoo set.

5) SEA KELP/ Sea Kelp Bioferment/ Ferment Extract

Sea Kelps are seaweeds, which are high in iodine content, vitamins, minerals, iron and the essential amino acid l-lycine, which directly affects hair growth.

(( Photo source from :http://theminuteafter.blogspot.com/2011/11/kelp-forest.html))

Furthermore, this amazing ingredient also keeps the skin from sagging and wrinkling. Adding this to your diet if you're deficient will surely make your hair grow.

This ingredient is a staple in most anti aging DIY's and are hugely popular in Asia. I personally use this in my DIY Vitamin C serums so I can vouch how amazing this stuff really is.

You will see this ingredients in many high end, posh, expensive creams like the cult classic La Mere.

I have friends who swear by this Hair Growing Spray and because this info come from reliable, down to earth people that I respect in my work, I believe that this recipe will work for you.

DIY Recipe: Sea Kelp serum or spray:

Make sure you're buying the authentic ingredients and not garbage that are mixed with junk so common online. You need to use the PURE SKB or SK. Check your local Health Stores. I have also linked it to 2 reliable sources that I, personally buy from online for your convenience.

1 part Pure Sea Kelp Bioferment also known as Sea Kelp Ferment OR Some people prefer to use the Sea Kelp Extract instead of SKB.
3 parts Distilled Water

Apply this to the roots of your wet hair every time you shampoo (do not rinse off).. Store this in the fridge when not in use.

Asian hair grows like weed, because we eat LOTS of seaweed and fish in our diet. Likewise, if you'd like to grow your hair faster, make sure you're taking your vitamins, eating a lot of fish, or taking flaxseed or Omega 3 tablets, which are all a foundation of good hair, skin, and nail growth.

Read about my favorite SLS free shampoo here.

Thank you for reading this guide. I hope this was of help to you.

Don't forget to Subscribe and stay in touch with me through Twitter+FB.

Take care!

xo-Tina

Read my 6 Must Have Beauty Products in Summer here!

UPDATE: 11/09/12:

I've discovered the best conditioner that will make your hair shed less in Korea 2 months ago!!

Read the UPDATED blog 1/14/13 --

HOW TO MAKE YOUR HAIR GROW FASTER Fast!! UPDATED TIPS to longer hair, Secret from the East

Updated: 1/22/13 ----- Fast growing shampoo?!

I've been hearing some really wonderful reviews about this "HORSE" shampoo from friends, forums, and reviews... LOL, Which I have every intention of blogging about in few months, after I, of course, try it out and see some results. The shampoo is Mega-Tek, and it, apparently makes your hair grow faster, fall out less, and etc.... It's a miracle shampoo (that doesn't sud up )....FOR HORSES... Well, I'm going to try it.

Try it out with me? :)

Or Watch/Read My " Taylor Swift Hair Tutorial: Formal Side Bun "!

or get this look by watching my Youtube Waterfall French Fishtail Braid Hair Tutorial: :)

Hairstyles Easy Updos 10 Min Hair Tutorial

2012-08-05T06:05:00.000-04:00

Here are two very easy updos that you can do within 5 to 10 minutes. This look is timelessly beautiful and it's one of those pretty and girlie hairstyles that will never go out of style. Moreover, the messier you can manage this hair do, the better and sexier it will look on you. Who wouldn't like a sexily tousled hair updo?

To achieve this bedroom hair, first, if your hair isn't already wavy or curly, you need to curl your hair. I used my favorite 1/2 inch Cortex Titanium Curling Iron. On wet hair, you will want to apply some hair Oil , heat protectant (Kendi Oil ), and a hair gel( Matrix Biolage Gelee ) or mouse of some sorts if your hair can't hold a curl without it, most Asians will need a gel of some sorts.

Tip: Always use a tighter curling iron for updos because it makes managing the hair easier, even if all of your hair will be tucked in, you still need to curl your hair.

You can watch this hair tutorial on my Youtube Channel, which will be posted on the bottom of this page.

1) Tease your hair. Your hair pins need something to hold onto, so tease your roots, and everywhere else too! Especially if you have fine or virgin hair ( hair that has not been chemically processed by color, relaxer, hair perms, etc). To put it bluntly, damaged hair is easier to do updos on.

2) Messily pin up the top - crown area. ( I never realized what bitchy expressions I had without circle lenses on!! ). I look so mean and bitchy, like some spoiled brat omg *cringe*. LOL I'm my own hater ... Ahem anyway.....

3) Start grabbing the hair from the sides of your head, and twist and pin them in the back in a braiding formation/pattern. Make sure you loosen and fluff the twists so that it looks soft and not tight. If you see a bit of frizz, that's perfectly fine. We're going for that mussed bedroom hair, easy updo...

4) You can leave it like this - a simple easy to do, half-up updo or do the whole head. Continue grabbing the side hair in chunks and twist or/and braid them before pinning them down. Make sure you always fluff, tease, and loosen the curls.

5) After you've pinned up all your hair, tease and fluff the hair around your face to make this easy updo softer and wispy looking. If you notice any long stringy hair that you missed, simply twist and twirl them around your fingers before pinning them up as well.

Finish Product Used:

Best Hairspray for Updos: Shaper

Best finishing Oil Serum at the moment - Chi Enviro Smoothing Serum (but hard to find)

I hope you try this easy updo, hairstyles should always be this easy and effortless.

Don't forget to subscribe for more tutorials like this! Thanks for reading! See you guys next week!!

Check out my new Blog dedicated to hair - Hair Ups (not U-P-S - omg what the hell was I thinking naming it Up's lol) .

Forgot to mention: I screwed up my blog's template so until I figure out how to fix it, the comment tab "might" be at the top of this page -- ...

Get this look Boho French Braid with Waterfall braided bangs tutorial on my new blog.

Watch this tutorial on YouTube. :)

Hairstyle with Braid - Wedding Updo, Bridal Hair Idea

2012-07-30T05:23:00.000-04:00

Hairstyles with braids will always be timeless, modern, chic, youthful, romantic and weaving in some pretty white flowers into the braids will instantly turn it into a wedding-bridal updo look.

Please note that my mannequin's hair is quite thin and black, which therefor, does not show hair textures very well in photos, like blonde hair. Moreover, her hair line and is different from our own so her scalp will be more noticeable in the photos.

I ran out of black bobbi pins in the middle of this hair tutorial so you might see a blond bobbi pin here and there, sorry! lol...

I started this blog with the intention of doing it on my own hair....then I realized, I couldnt take photo's with both of my hands busy...And this is why I ended up doing it on my doll. Anyway, if you look at my hair parting in this photo, that's what it should look like.

Doll before photo

I didn't curl my mannequin's hair because she's not going anywhere, but you should always start off by curling your hair with a curling iron (1/2 inch rod - you want the curls tighter) for any updo hairstyles. This will make it easier for you to manage your hair while braiding and pinning.

Section off your hair: Crown, sides.

Grab the back crown area and tease the roots and create a bird nest - (leave the hair in front alone, we will be braiding that into the side later)

After you tease the hell out of the roots, gently comb the top layer and start braiding it very loosely from mid shaft to the ends of the hair. We're going for that "Bohemian braid style". Loose and carefree. Tie it with a rubber band.

Next, you're going to create a french braid on each side of your temple (leave the top alone - we do this last - note my red clip), going towards the back of your hair, stop and pin it up when you get close to the middle braid. When both sides are braided, then you will connect all three braids - meaning, now you're going to use those 3 braids to create 1 fat braid.

For clarity, side temple braid ---- crown braid ---- other temple braid == created one funky looking thick braid. (this adds texture to your updo hairstyle)

Now, grab the lower parts of the front sides and braid that towards the back of your hair - do this on both sides. Try to create a tight braid for this area because it will make your head shape more attractive. Pin it back when you get to the end.

This is where you start creating loops, curls and more texture. Hairstyling is a lot like sculpting, you create shapes piece by piece and pretty much do what looks right.

Mixing into this hairstyle different types of hair braid.

Grab the hair in the back, piece by piece, create different types of braids, and pin them up, down, side ways. Then the last piece will be wrapped around the long tail. That long piece on the side you see is the crown/front hair, which we will do next.

I'm quite fond of Taylor Swift's side swept updo styles, sweep the hair to the side and start braiding it back.

Pin it back into the cluster of braid hairstyle you have going on in the back. You can rope it, tie it, make it as funky as you want. Loose braids look better..

We're done! It's not attractive to have a stick straight, thin looking tail hanging down your back, so either tease that hair and fluff it up (photo below), curl it, or tuck it in if it's too sparse.

The white hair spray that you see in my photos is my Holy Grail item, I've loved it for 10 years.. Sebastian Shaper Hairspray makes your hair feel like hair, and has a matte finish. You can spray the whole effing bottle and your hair will still feel soft and moveable. It's the BEST updo hairspray you'll ever own, because it doesnt make your hair stiff, or shiny as if it's wet. Maybe I notice things like this because I'm a pro, but I hate it when people mess up a perfectly nice updo with a bad hair spray that makes your hair look... well, like you used a whole bottle of gel on wet hair.

Thanks for reading, don't forget to sub, take care! :)

Are you using the correct Straightening or Curling iron for your hair type? Read my post about Hair Irons here -- Ceramic and Titanium and other Irons.

Learn how to do this Chignon Updo at my new hair site.

How to Apply Fake Under Eye Lashes with Individual False Lashes

2012-07-27T20:53:00.001-04:00

If you've ever wondered how you can apply some natural looking fake under eyelashes like those supermodels who wear them so effortlessly , then this blog might pique your interest.

Although there are two kinds of lower eye falsies - Strip & Individual, today, I'm going to discuss the individual kind, because it looks terrific on everyone and anyone can get away with them on - at anywhere, any time, from the most conservative boardrooms to the raunchiest whorehouses, this is one skill worth learning.

Scroll down this page if you would like to watch my "How to Apply Fake Lower Lash Tutorial" on Youtube. :)

(I'm not wearing false lower lashes on the left photo - and Yay for Beauty Shot option - no pores!! Luv my Samsung PL120 xoxo)

Individual fake lower lashes are trickier to learn in the beginning because it's so incredibly time consuming to master. But really, it's all in the wrist movement, my beauties. Once you get it, you got it and it will take you literally 30 secs to get them on in the morning, so have patience! It's well worth the struggle to learn. But first, lets go over some ground rules.

In the following photo, *MY* right eye is done comically wrong (I was quite appalled and horrified at what I had done when I saw myself rofl -- but I refuse to redo it just for a photo..pfft..), but left eye is fine. Life is so funny, in my late teens and early 20s, this is when I was completely self absorbed, I would never have even considered posting a photo that made me look like I had applied my makeup in a drunken stupar.....

This is what happened: I was filming for Youtube and was too busy trying to look cute AND the closest damn mirror was 5 yards away because I had to sit REAL close to the camera - like, look up the nose close distance for the eye shot.. Do you know how SMALL mini lashes are?

It's a freaking miracle that I didn't stab myself in the eye and go completely blind and stupid, seriously - maybe I could have even sued Youtube then! haha ......Watch and sub me <3!

I used a total of 6 individual lashes on each eye, look how natural that ONE eyeball looks (because I finally woke up and grabbed a friggin' hand mirror during filming so I could finally SEE - hallelujah!) muahhaha hehehehe! ^_^

Anyways, the rules:

1) Finish your makeup first - lower lashes always goes on last. This includes mascara too, because you will not apply mascara to false lower lashes, this is one area where you do not want caked on makeup - If you want more drama, then you can apply it to the root area with a light hand.

Please do not apply mascara to the lower lashes (I know I'm being redundant here, but I've seen too many people ruining a perfectly good lash application with mascara), it might turn into ugly spider leg lashes if you don't know what you're doing!.. *shudder*

2) Always try to apply the fake lashes right under your natural lashes, or right next to one. This looks more natural then sticking them on top.

On a shoot, a paying job, you can get all picky and technical by lifting the lower lash hair with a Q-tip and apply it one - -- -- by - -- -------- - one. This is acceptable. Why? Because you're getting paid to be damn perfect, and you better BE perfect. However, at home...C'mon guys, no need to make a huge fuss out of it - it's only lashes, not heart surgery. Just slap it on.

But of course I just told you how you CAN get crazy picky, just use a Q tip to lift the lashes up (I dont like tweezer's near the eyes because accidents CAN happen, y'know..).

3) If you fuck up, and you want to *fix* it, DO NOT apply makeup remover to remove the false lashes. Instead, use an oil based lotion on a Q-tip and gently rub the glue/lash off. Afterwards, gently remove that lotion off with some water, so that it doesn't disrupt your makeup/primer/glue formulation. If you had applied a remover, chances are that your glue and makeup will wear off sooner from the chemical residue from the makeup remover...

4) It's easier when you allow the glue to get REAL sticky.

5) Do not attach it to your waterline. The lashes might end up rubbing on your eyes and cause some serious damage.

APPLICATION:

1) Put on all your makeup.

2) Squirt some Duo glue on something - back of your hand, legs, etc..anything a min or two before you're ready to start applying the lower eye falsies.

2) Grab some false under eye lashes or any lashes that you want - I'm quite fond of Dura Lash by Ardell - Flare Mini Black.

3) Now, how you hold the lash case is key. Look at the photo below - the flare part is at the bottom.
That's how you should hold it in your hand if you're doing the bottom lashes, so that in 1 swing, it lands perfectly on your lash line without you having to juggle.

If however, you were attempting to to apply the top individual lashes, then you will hold it upside down (flare at the top). It's as easy as one, two, three ...

Watch my Youtube video to see my lower lash demonstration.

(just FYI, med flares are very LONG - I wouldn't apply this under the eye unless you're a camel)

You hold the box in one hand and your tweezers should be held horizontally (note red tweezer photo), and in this position you will remove the lashes from the case, then apply it to your eye. If you've done it correctly, your hand position will align perfectly to your lower lash.

4) Grab a lash from the case. Now, THIS is the hardest part.. these are some tough suckers to pull out...serious

5) Dip the lashes in glue, make sure that the lash glue is not runny and watery. I can't stress enough how much easier this is if the glue is tacky.. like thick, rubbery consistency. I would take a photo to show you but knowing MY skill in photography...er..

6) Apply as many as you like, and start from anywhere. I personally always start in the middle. 4~6 is enough for me, because I like it light but if you like drama, feel free to add more. Moreover, you can always mix and match by adding the longest to the middle (round eye) to shorter on the edge. Additionally, you can also add lots of short pieces in the lower wing area to create more drama and cat like sex appeal.

My fav lashes are Ardell and Gypsy Indivisuals, usually knot-free. And my nails are chipping already, applied it new two friggin days ago!

7) When the glue has completely dried, you can touch up/apply shadow liner, liner, or mascara to the roots. I used some dark shadow to darken the lashes on my Youtube video, and to draw more lashes manually with my R&L brush so that my false lashes will blend in better.

Products Mentioned:
Dura Lash by Ardell in Flare Mini Black (what I used on my Youtube)
or buy in bulk Dura Lash by Ardell in Flare Mini Black.

Go to their Twitter for discount code + Add FREEBIE in the "MESSAGE BOX" if you spend more than $20 for one free lashes.

Good Tweezerman.
Or La Cross Tweezer

Duo Glue
Samsung EC-PL120 My Digital Camera with beauty shot
Gypsy Lashes
R&L Brushes

Learn a makeup trick from my previous blog," How to Make Your Eyes BIGGER ".

MAC Lipstick GOTTA DASH Swatched, Reviewed with Photos. Best Peachy Coral Lipstick!!

2012-07-25T17:41:00.004-04:00

I have a new favorite Peachy Coral Lipstick that I want to review for you and it's called GOTTA DASH from Mac's Sheen Supreme line. I had hoped that my swatches and photo's that I took for this review could have shown some of the freshness and prettiness of this color, but alas, it didn't even come close.

This is a big rave review and I want to nominate it to being the best peachy-coral lipstick shade of 2012. Do you have a favorite peachy lipstick?

Mac's Gotta Dash Supreme Lipstick ($14.50 - 0.12 oz.), which looks as rich and soft and as shiny as a lip gloss has the lasting staying power of a regular lipstick. Not only does it last a long time, but it also feels amazingly smooth on and remarkably moisturizing and all this without the aggravating stickiness of a lip gloss.

This has always been my biggest pet peeve about lip glosses in general. You can NOT even consider going outside when it's windy with it on because all of your freaking hair will end up on your lips, then your hair will get all gooey and tacky... Argh! It's just nasty and you end up looking plain silly while it's happening, try looking sexy with 10000 hairs stuck on your lips...No.

Gotta Dash is a medium pigmented, semi Opaque Peachy NUDE, tangerine shade. In case you wondered, it won't make you look like a corpse, the color is simply too vibrant "in person" for it to look pasty on a person. I find that most death-like nude lipsticks tend to look like skin color, and no one on the planet has tangerine color skin tone. Go to the MAC counter and just test it out (isn't shopping for makeup a lot of fun? I can spend hours just swatching at a makeup counter - and this is so off topic lol).

I've heard about this color before and have seen the swatches in the past but I've never been truly impressed. And I will tell you right now that you wont be impressed with my photo's either.

But listen to me, this color looks 10000 times better in person. It's one of those unfortunate shades that doesn't show well in photos.

I don't mean that it looks bad or ugly, but that it looks like your typical nude shade with a hint of peach *snore*. This is the MAIN reason why I've been mostly "meh" about this lipstick in the past, but in reality it's phenomenal!

I've chosen to use a dark brownish nude lip pencil - Stila Contour 4 - with this lipstick because it makes my lips look fuller and I feel that it create more of a dimension to the lips with a shade like Gotta Dash. I applied it using my favorite lip brush - Royal & Langickel c601.

Photo's below: I'm not wearing my circle lens (color contacts), or fake lashes, and most of my foundation has worn off...

With FLASH -- top: Stila Contour 4 Lip liner - Bottom - Gotta Dash Mac Lipstick <3

Surprisingly, this photo with flash is more of a true match than the photos I took in room lighting.

No Flash with bad room lighting - top: Stila Contour 4 Lip Liner - Bottom - Gotta Dash Mac Lipstick

Packaging

The grimace on my face is from all the fail photos I took tonight.

Out of focus look

Look at my fucking ARM here..it's HUGE!! And in this photo I'm BALDING and could use some Rogaine for women, talk about a HORRIBLE, horrible photo haha...Y'know you're an old fart when things like this no longer bother you (as much) and you find it funny instead...

Lip Pucker - No flash

None of these photo's showed the true beauty of this color *sigh*, and I seriously should have blended my lip liner better..

Color: 5

Texture: 5

Longevity: 4

Price: 3

Packaging: 3

Pigmentation:3

Repeat Buy: Yes

Thanks for reading!! Go buy this lipstick!!

Don't forget to sub, add me to everything and comment with your blog/youtube so I can visit!

xoxo

Products Mentioned:

Mac Lipstick Sheen Supreme Gotta Dash

Stila Contour 4 Lip Liner

Royal & Langickel c601.

Find out what my "Best and favorite Lip Plumper" is, because it works!!!

Titanium or Ceramic Hair Straighteners and Curling Irons, Tips on Choosing the BEST

2012-07-22T19:22:00.002-04:00

Titanium or Ceramic Hair Straighteners and Curling Irons,
what the heck are the differences? Ceramic, Titanium, Basic, and Tourmaline.. blah blah?... Read on for some tips on choosing the best plate type for your hair.

Does the types of plates used in Straightening Irons make a big difference?

You probably never figured out all the minor differences. Merely that that it's "better" than the oh so-boring and plain metal plate irons from the past because some Youtube "guru" said so and she had a discount code.

Well, today I'll tell you what the differences are, straight out of the Professional and licensed Hair Stylist's mouth, who's been doing hair for the past 10+ years.

Not much. The difference is THAT small, but your hair will be a tad shiner. The Hair Product companies claim that their irons are "healthier" - which is is debatable...

What you really need is just one solidly made hair iron that gets REAL fucking HOT, and something with a life time warrant - you don't need to buy one every year like they want you to believe.

A Flat iron or a curling iron like this will keep you happy for many years - you can freely leave it on your will for your great-grand daughter.

Every year, the big companies like CHI, GHD, T3, Cortex and etc, come out with the next "new" plate of curling irons that we all MUST go out straight away, right this second to buy, or we'll just go COMPLETELY frizzy - then of course, we need to grab another gallon or two of the strongest heat protectants hair gel in the market , because they keep making the curling irons hotter than lava .... I'm waiting for these hair styling companies to come out with a hair primer next....

I will take some photos of my new fancy-spancy curling iron that I bought this year for work from the International Beauty Show in NYC down below.

I, of course, buy them up because clients like to see their stylist using the latest, which I completely understand. Moreover, I want to test them out foe myself, because it's my job to test out new trends and playing with toys like these do keep things fresh.

But honestly, guys, my clients all leave my chair looking pretty much the same, fabulous .. I never see any profound reason to push anyone to buy a new iron when they already have 1-2.

I do notice that the hair being a little smoother without the hair serum ( Moroccan Oil). But I think that has more to do with my Twin-Turbo Ceramic-Ionic Pro Blow-Dryer that kills static in the hair than the iron itself...

The BEST Hair Dryer. Bar None.

Rule of Thumb

If you have fine to normal hair, especially if you have hi-lighted/chemically processed hair , then you're perfectly fine using a hot straightening and curling iron like GHD that heats up to around 375 degrees. You do NOT need a 450 degrees curl killer! You will seriously damage your hair if you don't know what you're doing.

Most Asian hair (unless it's very chemically processed from too much Ombre and highlights!), anyone with kinky hair, or coarse unruly curly hair: An iron that can get HOT (around 450), like the Cortex and T3 will work brilliantly. Just make sure you go slowly. I use this heat settings on my own hair...

The key to a fiercely smooth hair has more to do with how hot the iron gets than all the fancy-spancy spin they put on a piece of metal.

Let me just recommend this Hair Protectant I discovered few months ago and am now am completely obsessed over before I forget - you might have seen it in some of my photos -- Alterna

Bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil Dry Oil Mist - You spray it on WET hair and your hair is going to SHINE after you flat iron straighten or curl it on DRY hair. Thank me later /nod.

Knowing your hair texture,

Making sure that your iron is heating up evenly and distributing the heat correctly,

Knowing what temperature to use for your hair type,

What products to apply before and after is what gets you that smooth, silky Victoria Secret's model's sexy mane.

Lets go over the different types of irons out in the market right now.

If I mention an hair iron here, please believe me when I say it's a great iron because I've either personally used it or a close colleague have raved about it among our circles.

Basic Curling or Flat Irons

Special tricks: None - It gets hot.
Price Range: Dirt cheap ($20~30)
CONS: Don't buy the FLAT irons. These will promptly start pulling on your hair as you run it through. Still, it gets HOT and it's cheaper than dirt.

I still have Gold N Hot Tools Curling iron that I bought when I wa in the friggin MIDDLE school, people!! I'm in my mid 30s now! It's still works great (taped up and all haha) and it's only $20, what could you possibly complain about?...

I'm gonna take a photo of this. It's like my "blankie"... it's completely falling apart, my clients laugh at it when I whip it out but I refuse to let it go... ~~Ok, just looked, it's at the salon. I'll take a pic later!~~ No, wait, I found it. I'll post it below!

Ionic Curling or Flat Irons

Special tricks: Simply put, it kills static.

Price Range: $100
CONS: Price.
IMHO - Go buy a great Ionic & Ceramic blow dryer like mine. It will cut down on your drying time by half and no static in the hair to worry about when you're ready to curl or flat iron your hair.

Ceramic Curling or Flat Iron

Special tricks: A non-metallic material which is baked onto the plates in thin layers. Most Ceramic Plates are made out of Aluminum plates coated in Ceramic.

They HEATS UP SUPER fast (GHD Flat Irons), distributes heat more evenly, it kills static, makes your hair shiner than your traditional curling iron. They "claim" it's healthy for the hair, which I call complete bullshit lol. I think it's more accurate to say, looks healthier. Anytime you apply intense heat to your hair, its bad - don't be a sucker.

Price Range: $100~200.
CONS: Price
IMHO If you're going to spend 100~200 on a iron, get Titanium.

Tourmaline Flat Iron or Curling Iron

Special tricks: Made out of crystals that is finely grounded and applied over the plates. It is believed that the crystals allow the hair to be straightened faster, thus producing less heat damage to the hair. To me this sounds very logical. Less heat always means less damage to the hair shaft.

Price Range: $100~300
CONS: Price.   PRICE.

IMHO If I was willing to spend $100+ on a iron, I would grab something like this or Titanium.

Titanium Flat Irons Or Curling Irons

Special tricks: This is the Bentley of all Flat Irons as of 2012. It gets hottest, shiniest, heats up the fastest, the plates are more lightweight, its more durable so it's great for the Pro, distributes heat more evenly, straightens hair faster, thereby cutting down heat used on the hair cuticles (LESS damage) - If only it would cook and clean out my toilet for me....

   I've been quite happy with my irons.

Price Range: $100~300
CONS: Price.   PRICE. Price. Price.

IMHO It's worth it *if* you curl or flat iron your hair almost everyday, other wise, I would suggest you look into getting the Ceramic or Gold and Hot hair irons.

Do you see that taped up curling iron at the top? I was aiming at it but apparently, my aim was off...

The silver irons are my new Cortex Professional Digital 4-in-1 Titanium Clipless Curling Iron - I LOVE them. I'll do a few tutorials later with those...

My irons are pretty expensive but it's also some of the best in the market right now...and I see that prices have gone down by a lot! Completely worth the money.

I'm so God awful at taking photos...

I have to put my name on all my gear like I am in Pre-school because walk-in clients keep stealing it!.

My Recommendations Below

I'm only listing the hair irons that I have either personally used or a real life Hair Pro friend has raved about below.

GHD Flat Irons (I'm not 100% sure but I think GHD only goes up about 375 degrees)

T3 73522 Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron - 450 degrees! ( Great for people with COARSE hair)

T3 SinglePass Professional Straightening & Styling Iron

Tools Professional Curling Iron with Multi-Heat Control

Hot Tools Hot Tools Professional Curling Iron with Multi-Heat Control

Gold N Hot Professional Ceramic Spring Curling Iron

Cortex 4 in One Curling Iron Set

http://www.folica.com/tools/curling-irons/cortex-professional-digital-4-in-1-titanium-clipless-curling-iron ( My irons from the photo above)

And as usual blogging has taken way longer than I expected...

Thanks for reading! I hope you had a good weekend, and make sure to Sub, leave behind your blog/youtube site! xox

You might want to check out my blog about Cutting Your Own Bangs at Home, or the DIY Ombre Dip Dye extension next ...

How to Make Your Lips Look Bigger Without Surgery - Before and After Photos

2012-07-20T19:37:00.003-04:00

How to Make Your Lips Look Bigger Without Surgery, you ask? With makeup that actually works - Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Plumping Lip Gloss - and I can show you the before and after photos. Mind you, my pictures were taken without any makeup ( I didn't even bother slapping on some foundation, lip liner, Adobe photoshop, nothing to pretty myself up) .

The lip plumper will most definitely irritate you and sting your lips depending on your skin sensitivity.

It's an annoying kind of pain than a "OMG! ouch ouch get if off me" type of torture... Don't be a wuss~! :)

With that said, your skin does gradually adept to the irritation like any other strong beauty miracle lotions and potions like Retin-A or Vitamin C Serums, and over time you will build tougher immunity to the plumper.

 Moreover, the effect from the plumping lip gloss, from my experience, only last a few hours 
anyways, so expect to use it just a few times a week at the most....  

That's tragic. Truly... Because it means it will stop plumping my lips eventually if I over use it. Damn.

Lip Pumpers causes your lips to swell from an allergic reaction from ingredients like - menthol, cinnamon, or mint, niacin, ginger--or even from the chili pepper ( I should go slap on some KIMCHEE).

I took this photo for size comparison. It's quite small compared to the MAC lipstick or the Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Peek-A-Boo Lip Gloss ( a pretty shimmery cool pink, flattering on everyone) , which is another "minty" plumper.

Faced Glamour Gloss in Peek-A-Boo Lip Gloss Peek-A-Boo Swatched

Therefor, you will come across many types of Lip Plumpers:

Ones that will make your lips feel cold (which I can honestly tell you, didnt do jack shit for my lips plumping wise ( Too Faced Glamour Gloss - gave me a slight puffiness but wasn't painful at all. It was kinda pleasant)

Or hot and stingy ( Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme). This type WILL work and sting like a bitch if it goes outside of your lips, which I do purposely because it makes your lips bigger yet! *cackle*

The intent of the lip plumpers are to makes the blood vessels dilate, which increases the blood flow to the lips, so you may experience a rash like reaction - red, blotchy, deep swelling, etc. Yup.. as you will see below.

Before and After using the Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme

"BEFORE" with Flash

Photo to the right is "AFTER" with flash

As you can see, it's pink and red and there are some areas of blotchiness from the irritation.

You're NOT suppose to apply it outside of the lips, but I do slightly, because it does makes it bigger (theres a tip! ).

I am not wearing any makeup here ....

Before with NO flash

AFTER with NO Flash

Some things you need to be mindful of:

Applying any type of gloss on your lips will instantly make it look bigger, therefor although in some photos they do seem like it was enlarged by a lot, it's a slight enlargement.
Don't expect to look like the next Angelina Jolie. The plumping is pretty slight and it will gradually go down... The surgical way of enlargement is still the most effective. This way is just safer.
I use this not merely to get bigger lips but to plump up my aging lips from the loss of collagen. I'm in my mid 30s, the aging process has started with a vengeance many years ago, so if you're someone who's also in your 30s, consider using a plumper not just to make your lips bigger but just so that your lips will look NORMAL again!

I feel your pain *HUGS* ! <3

It DOES, hands down, WORK. But it does not last and it's not a miracle lip plumper. Be rational in your expectations...

Products mentioned:

Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme

Too Faced Glamour Gloss

Retin-A

One of the best Anti- Aging: Skinceuticals Vitamin C Serum in the market.( Dont get this near the eye, I got a rash that lasted a good 2 weeks from it, because its so potent).

Thanks for stopping by.  Sub, follow, etc etc.. Leave behind a site addy that I can go visit too. byeee~ :)  

What Youtube Video editing software, programs and Digital Camera I used, Beauty Guru Diary

2012-07-18T16:56:00.000-04:00

Hi!

Today, I joined the Youtube Beauty Guru bandwagon like other ba-gazillion other girls in the world. My efforts thus far have been nothing but comically wrong in so many way... dang.

First my camera, Samsung PL120, flat out refused to focus on my face - but instead, found my messy book shelf and a stack of grubby boxes more fascinating than my moi....

Lighting drama. My video ended up looking like a very bad 70's porno film (I didn't read the reader's manual, so I didnt know how to adjust the settings ...).

Then I lost hours of work on the Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 9.0 because I forgot to save it before loading up another project (why? because I didnt read this manual too ).

I hate reading the reader's manual, leave me alone...

My Samsung PL120 takes astonishingly sharp pictures with crystal clear details (which showed off all my wrinkly flaws and pores in my previous blogs ), I couldnt be happier with it, especially since I'm a complete techie noobie. Point and shoot is all I know and this camera is that easy to use.

I had a humongous duh moment earlier, when I read about the "Beauty Shot" option - this setting blurs out your flaws - you won't need to Photoshop your pores away, girls!!

I was utterly clueless of this fact until 2 hours ago, and I came to the realization that, I really should read the damn reader's manual more often! *cringe*

Are you a none techie girl too? ...

You can't simply point and shoot a film, as I learned..

I know how to apply the makeup to look great in films, but not how to make my camera record perfectly without me having to mess with all the gazillion settings, and better the camera , more options you're gonna deal with as I learned... le sigh...

Good lighting is key, anyone who has ever work on the set knows it's more about the lighting than how good your makeup looks.

Bad lighting will cause ugly wrinkles, saggy skin and even bags under your eyes, while good lighting can make you look younger.. Ever stand under a direct light, did you take a look in the mirror during it? Go try it...

If you're new or someone merely considering joining the Youtubing community, and I think that everyone should join, read up on YOUR camera specifics and how to adjust your settings accordingly.

Next is to use the Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum to edit your films.

I used the version 9, which is an older version, so you should get the newest copy of the Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum .

I've tried a few other programs before my friend took pity on me and gave me her copy because I was struggling with the complexity of these other softwares. I found Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum by far the easiest to understand , and IMHO, since more people use it, there are more tutorials on using this software than any other. Consequently, more helpful video guides on Youtube for you to learn from ..

Here are the most Popular YouTube Video Editing Software/Program

Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum HD (my choice and a personal fav) **

Sony Vegas Pro (always a great option) *

CyborLink PowerDirector -- (this has a very good reputation ) *

Camtasia

Windows Movie Maker ( popular and FREE - but features are limited)*

Adobe Premier Elements

ShowBiz DVD

Roxio Video Lab

Roxio Creator

Movie Edit Pro

Awesome Font Site that I found!!

DaFont.Com

Don't forget to Subscribe and Like my Youtube video!

Thanks for reading, make sure you add your blog or your video down below so that I can visit!!

Stay positive! <3

xo-Tina

My Brank-spankin' - New Youtube Video

Just to show you what my camera quality should have looked like...

How to make SMALL Eyes BIGGER with makeup: Kim Kardashian's Smoky Eye using Urban Decay Naked Palette

2012-07-15T19:34:00.000-04:00

Hi!!

I'm not particularly fond of Kim Kardashian - I'm admittedly quite envious of her no-talent fame *ashamed*, but I do think that she's quite divinely beautiful.

So today, I thought I would create one of her classic bronzy smoky eye makeup looks for people with small, hooded eyes - minus the overly drag-queen'ish contouring, spider-legs fake lashes, or boobs and ass out to.......

I'll be using the Urban Decay Naked Palette, because everyone and their mother already has one in their makeup kit, so I figured this would be quite convenient and easy for people to follow.

Silly face: so that you can see what it looks like at the end

Or watch me do this on Youtube.

(( This was my first video with lots of comical mistakes - like my camera NEVER focusing on me but on my messy background (my storage/book room - also where I do my makeup) - Anyone know why this is happening? Ugh...) -- Subscribe! :)

Here I am, looking quite stoned.

If you see any black makeup on my waterline, that's from before...and my poor excuse for lashes have been curled already.

I generally skip eye primers. Only time that I ever bother with them is for vivid eye color looks, weddings or photo shoots under hot lights. I hate caking on products so I generally skip it when possible.

Apply a creamy but sheer white eyeliner to the inner rim and the waterline. I'm using the e.l.f Shadow Stick in .... erm, damn ... I'll link it at the bottom. The writings rubbed off so I need to google it for you guys.

Yes, it's time to do my nails again, ignore it! ...

Pat on "Toasted" across your whole lid, but do NOT blend yet. I used my Royal & Langnickel makeup brush Eye Shader MD C410 to apply it. The brush is quite large so it's easy to pack on dry eye shadow. You can be as messy as you want here, I like to drag out my eyeshadows far out towards the ears because my small eyes are pretty close-set.

I'm constantly trying to make them appear wider by elongating them way past my eyeball socket. But you don't have to do this if you were fortunate enough to have been born with normal or even blessed with wide set eyes...lucky b*tch. :D

Now we start layering different shades on the lid. Contour the outer V with "Hustle" and start blending to just the middle of the eye balls. I used the SILK ANGLE SHADER C500 brush to do this. For small eyes, I always avoid closing them up completely with dark shadows but make sure you're blending them so that you don't get harsh lines.

Blend, blend, blend..... No, you haven't blended it enough..be a pro and blend some more... I'm using my LG Smudger C445

I did a Glycolic acid Peel at home last night because my skins been looking so congested lately. What you see is my skin hardening over today because it's dead, why it's looking so dry and gross. It should look quite horrifically scary by tomorrow morning ....

A dab of "Darkhorse" to the outer V to intensify the color.

Apply Half Baked to the inner V and the outer wing area (photo below) . This light gold shade will make your eye color pop , especially if you have blue eyes. I'm using this light shade at the corners to lift my eyes upwards like Kim Kardashian. I used the R&L Lip Brush C600 to apply the shadow. If you're wondering why I'm using a lip brush for the eye.. follow this link to my previous blog -- my favorite makeup brushes for small eyes.

Contour the lower eye lid (squint your eyes, so that you can see the contour area more clearly). If you'd like to know more about how to do this - look at my other blog, how to make small eyes bigger entry. I used the DarkHorse to contour with the R&L Smudger C420.

Blend that lower eye contour - do not cake on products. Apply bits by bits..

Eyeline your eyes with "DarkHorse". For small eyes, avoid lining your inner V, keep them bright and open. if you have large eyes, feel free to turn yourself into a panda.

Eyeliner + Tightline - I used the Stila Smudge Pot in Black with the R & L Revolution BX 130 brush, which is an eyeBROW brush but I wanted to test out the new Revolution brush line and this was the only one that I had in this line. I'm quite fond of this makeup brush company if you can't tell.. :)

Should look something like this......actually..

Made it smokier by adding more of the

DarkHorse and Creep to the outer V.

If you decide against going the bronze route, then I would dab on some light shade on your eyebrows bones now - Urban Decay Naked palette Eyeshadow shade in Virgin would work brilliantly.

Lashes & Loreal Voluminous Mascara. It makes such a fucking difference! I used the individual lashes in Med + Short length, which were all knot-free today, but if I was going out somewhere, I would've used the demi wispie by Ardell WITH the Individual lashes.

I then used way too much of the Too Faced Poolside Primping Sun Bunny Bronze powder (*sigh*) with the R&L C141 makeup brush all over my face, Nose, Cheeks, forehead, wherever the sun would have hit, then blended the hell out of that.

Blush - Too Faced Avant-Garde Blush with my blusher R&L blush makeup brush C110.

Lip liner is Too Faced in Perfect Lips (my holy grail - it matches everyone's lips - BUY THIS!)

Lip Stick - my current fav nude - Loreal in Nude 862.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope this post was helpful!
:)

Take care, keep smiling! <3

xo- Tina

Products mentioned:

e.l.f. Studio Eyeliner & Shadow Stick

Stila Smudge pot

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Loreal Voluminous Mascara - Top lashes

demi wispie by Ardell

Individual lashes or Gypsy Lashes I used the GL today.

Too Faced Poolside Primping Sun Bunny Bronze powder

Too Faced Avant-Garde Blush

Too Faced in Perfect Lips

Loreal in Nude 862.

Too Faced Lashgasm Mascara - For Lower Lashes

Make Your SMALL eyes BIGGER with these Makeup Tricks and Brushes!

2012-07-13T14:35:00.000-04:00

It's 4 AM on a dreary Friday morning. I can't go back to sleep, and looking in the mirror at my SMALL, aging, and sleep swollen eyes, I am inspired to blog about some of my best makeup brushes and makeup tricks that I use to make small eyes BIGGER.

I'm sure some of you're dealing with the same issues that I face everyday - making aging, drippy eyes look brighter. God knows, I'm becoming an expert on getting old...I would love to hear what you've been using too...

I want a sexy, smoky eyes, so although generally speaking, smoky eyes aren't as brightening or opening as starkly white rimmed eyes, that's what I'm going to do...

All the brushes that you see below were purchased by me. I did not decide to go out one day to buy all Royal & Langickel brushes, haha. The whole process was gradual and unintentional and it took about 2 years. When I see quality and affordability I promptly buy it up. This doesnt mean I *only* use Royal & Langickel makeup brushes, like any other brush company, they have a few that I'm not crazy about.

But for now, lets go over my - Best Makeup Brushes for Small Eyes. I'm not going to bother including the basics like the shader brush... because they're just so common ...

From Left to Right (ignore the label, I use these on the eyes) - Lip Brush C600, Eyebrow C490, Angle Shader C500, LG Smudger C445, Smudger C420 - Top Coastal Scents Blending Fluff 250 (which is a complete DUPE of Mac 217, another fav brush of mine - only difference is that MAC's brush is tad softer but cost a LOT more).

Consider getting yourself some really natural looking circle lens and some long individual lashes. I'm wearing NEO Queen Honey color contacts. It enlarges your eyes without making you look like an alien dolly freak.

I'm going to make my small eyes BIGGER & Smoky on 1 eye only, guess which eye ...

Wow, my camera is simply AWESOME, look at all those adorable pores... damn HD .. I need to learn Photoshop ASAP or buy a crappier camera so that people will think that I'm perfect!
I'm using my favorite Royal & Langnickel LIP brush C600 to hi-light my inner rim AND the whole under eye crease area to brighten my small eyes. This makeup brush simply fits perfectly here, and I know it says "LIP brush", but you can use it anywhere - even on your ass hole if you want! I like Stila's Kitten Smudge Pot in the inner rim, especially for photos and weddings.

Create a strong contour line with the Royal & Langnickel's Silk Smudger C420. Pat some pigment or eye shadow onto the brush and draw a line around the lower eye. You can also use a brown eyeliner, then blend with this brush. I'm going to make another blog about all the shapes that you can create with this method, but that's for another day ..

The brush is softly pointed, so your shadow will diffuse as you apply. Make sure you don't cake on too much products here, or you will end up looking haggard and old. You're trying to make your small eyes bigger not older!

Compare Left and Right eye - Diffuse and blend any harsh lines with Royal & Langnickel Silk LG Smudger C445 - also slightly pointed so it's wonderful for the small eye makeup tricks!

LG Smudger C445 and Makeup brush C420 = WIN

Apply some eyeshadow of your choice under the eye while staying within the contour line. Pay close attention to where I did NOT apply the dark shadow.. the inner corner will stay bright, do not apply shadow there. I used the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pomegrante (just a lovely texture and color, incredible quality and value for the price, truly). I used the Coastal Scents Blending Fluff 250 - DUPE of MAC 217. I love this cream eyeshadow on the lower eye, especially for aging eyes because it really does not crease.

With that said, if you have a lot of wrinkles under the eyes, I would avoid this shade or any colors with shimmer and go for satin or matte colors.

Apply some of that same eye shadow to the outer V to the top parts of your eyes so that the whole look appears uniform. This will create a big round eye effect. If you do not apply some on the top, it will drag your eyes down ( I have a long scar on my left eye that I got when I was a little girl from getting run over by a motorcycle in Korea, this spot doesnt blend eye shadows at all and my eyes are more crooked because of it)..You can see the faint scar on this photo because of my AWESOME camera that likes to shows every flaw that I have tot he world! HD is very bad, BAD, BAD for the old! :-) )

I used the same cream shadow on the top but usually if I use a powder shadow, I would then use the makeup brush C500, which is also my all time favorite #1 nose contour brush. Ever. Put it this way, If I was to get stranded on a island and could only keep 1 brush, it would be the C500. I'll blog about nose contouring on another time .. Anyone else's nose getting bigger with age? Mine seems to be growing wider and longer, I hope it stops soon... next I might start growing hair out of my ears, or does that only happen to men...

Apply some purple/brown/green, etc eyeliner and diffuse/blend with Smudger C420 - I find colorful liners more eye brightening than plain black, although that has it's use too. I used the e.l.f. liner here.

I look like someone punched me in the eye.. haha

And this is what it looks like on both eyes. I attached some fake lashes on the bottom for fun, which i hated instantly hah..

Tip: turn on your fan full blast when you take photos! -- it will make your hair full of sexy!~ and how funny is it that all of my " final" photos came out kinda blurry like this or like complete shit... It's going to be one of those days... I can tell *sigh*

AND I forgot to mention this brush altogether...

I didn't use it today because now I'm running late for work.

Although the brush is labeled with Brow C490, this is by far my most favorite brush for fine detailing on any parts of the eye. I use this when I want to manually draw bottom lashes (fantastic for small Asian eyes ) or if I want to create super thin top liner. If you're wondering what I use for eyebrows instead - I prefer R&L brush essentials BBE10 because it's wider and a bit thicker ...

Brushes Discussed: Use the Discount Code - SILKTS50 to get 50% OFF!

LG Smudger C445 - Natural Hair. Blend shadow in the crease of the eye or ad that smoky effect with this firm pointed brush.
SILK ANGLE SHADER C500 - Natural Hair. Use to apply and blend eye shadow. Soft natural hairs make this brush ideal for powder shadows.
Smudger C420 - Natural Smudger. Firm, gently pointed natural hair makes this ideal for smudging colors together.
Lip Brush C600 - Natural Hair. Small flat brush with a rounded tip makes this brush perfect for lip application.
Eyebrow C490 - Synthetic Filament. Small synthetic angular brush makes adding color to brows a snap. This brush is also great for creating a dramatic line at the base of the lashes.
Coastal Scents Blending Fluff 250 - Apply both powder and cream shadows with this brush.
R&L brush essentials BBE10 - Synthetic Filament. Everyone's favorite brow brush is also perfect to create a dramatic line at the base of the lash.

Products mentioned:

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pomegrante

I used both the black(click photo) and the Kitten Smudge pot on this blog.
My color contacts Neo Queen - my blog.

Here is the e.l.f purple eyeliner (click the photo). Use code: BDFRIENDS to get 30% OFF by 7/16

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to sub, like and add me to everything (Twitter!) ! I love hearing from you guys, so comment and make sure to leave your blog address as well so I can visit.

Take care!
xo-Tina

The Youtube Video relates to my next Blog:

Next Read - How to make SMALL Eyes BIGGER and get Kim Kardashian's Smoky Eye using Urban Decay Naked Palette

My First Youtube Video. Please Subscribe. :)

Best Latisse Dupe Careprost Lash Growing Serum,and Without a Doctor's Prescription

2012-07-11T00:41:00.001-04:00

If you've landed on this page through search then you probably know what Latisse is already and how absolutely phenomenal and effective it really is, because it will most definitely give you those silly camel eyelashes. Serious. It's no lie. And if you have never heard of Careprost, the Latisse dupe, then read on.

The before and after photos that you will see below are photo's taken off the web with the proper credits listed below. My lashes are still laughably short and flimsy to bother showing because of my Asian genes...

Before and After

(Photo source credited to medicalcosmeticsct.com)

On Asian lashes, sorry, we're still fucked, it won't get as camel'ish. No matter what lash growing serums we slap-on, it simply won't be as thick or as long. And I've tried quite a few of them to know. It's just in our genes (the best hair, but the worst lashes *sigh* IMHO). Well, might as well get the cheapest and the most effective, I say, and embrace what we got.

The biggest plus from using this for me is that my flimsy Asian lashes has started to curl, and it no longer grows straight out or downwards. I noticed this phenomenon after about 6 months of use. :)

(Before and 3 months after Regular Latisse use - source: realself.com)

Yes, this serum will most definitely and without a doubt - grow your lashes longer, curlier, darker, and somewhat thicker, and even grow hair that stopped growing for many years from over plucking. However, it won't compare to falsie. No, falsies will always give you the best lashes. So if your plan was to use this and stop using fake lashes, then I don't think you will be as happy with the results. I'm telling you this from a personal experience of using it nightly for a year. If someone or some company tells you other wise, they're fucking lying.

She is obviously wearing mascara here but holy shit, look at those lashes!! (Source: meierplasticsurgery.com)

The only horrible down side of using this for me is that, it's more painful to pluck my eyebrows now, in fact I stopped altogether and started shaving it. I guess the serum that I apply to my eyebrows migrated down so that all my pesky little hairs got rooted down a bit firmer... Whatever, it hurts like a bitch to pluck!...

We know that it's a brilliant little product and that it's the only FDA-approved prescription treatment that grow lashes, but gosh it's so damn expensive at $140+ a bottle and requires a doctor's visit on top of that. With today's drowning economy who can afford to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a lash serum...

Thank God for Careprost, the Latisse's Dupe, which has the exact same ingredients (0.03% bimatoprost) and cost about $12 (with $25ship) and without a doctor's prescription at that. What? Uh huh... But there is a catch (what doesnt), read on -

If you don't want to read this review fully and merely want to know where to buy it - buy Careprost here .

What is Lattise growth serum? I don't want to get redundant, so please read this blog about lashes in general that I had posted previously to get the basic facts.

Little over a year ago, when I discovered Careprost, there really wasn't many sites or companies that sold this product, it was mostly unknown. And the companies that did sell them were all over seas, like in India/China, or was sold by weird looking sites that sold things like Viagra pills, sex drugs, how to stay erect for hours serums - and God knows what other strange vitamins. It made me feel like I was druggie buying a hardcore, illegal drug on the black market. haha.

(Source: http://aboutfaceskincare.com)

It didn't help that the most common and the cheapest site - All Day Chemist - located in India, was going through a credit card scam scandal, with numerous bad reviews from unhappy buyers. Even now there are people complaining bitterly about this website on numerous cosmetic forums.

I encourage you to Google and do your research BEFORE ordering from this particular web site, and I'm sure you will be tempted to because they're still the cheapest site on the internet.

These days, gosh how words have spread, they're pretty much sold on any pharmacy sites. If you google Careprost - they're even sold on Amazon (usually the cheapest and the most secure buyouts) which is just astonishing to me. Personally, I would gladly spend a few more bucks knowing that my personal info is safe and sound than save $5~10 to get my credit card possibly hacked, my identity stolen from using a site that even PayPal kicked off their program, and there are numerous sites like these on the web, you've been warned.

Funny story - when I first purchased this, I thought I had discovered a reputable web site in Canada that sold these for just few dollars more($3), so I placed an order without much thought put in it. Well, it ended up being the All Day Chemist's sister site. AND I had used my real credit card info on it, you can't imagine the stress I went through for couple of months after that ...

There are ways around it of course, you can buy a prepaid credit card, but make sure that it's international prepaid credit card.

I would buy this from sites that accepted PayPal ONLY and you should too. Do your research, don't get scammed - and avoid ADC or their sister sites all together, no matter how much they're trying to do some PR patching right now... I've read too many bad reviews of credit card scams by this company to EVER use them. Why, when there are other options out there now. Peace of mind is worth more than saving a couple of bucks.

Where to buy:

Click here to Find more info about Careprost

If the seller is sold out then use this store, but ultimately, try buying it from Amazon.

How to Use:

One drop of the serum on the bottle's cap (shown above) will cover both eyes. Will need a drop per each eyebrows.

You can buy a piece of shit brush for a $1 from these companies that sell the serum but I use the $3 e.l.f. Studio Small Smudge Brush to apply nightly. It has been the best brush for me because it fits my lash line to perfection and it absorbs the perfect amount of the serum per application so none is ever wasted.
Contact wearers. It's advised that you not wear your contacts until the serum has dried completely (15mins after use) before putting it in.

Again, please read my Lash Blog to get the bare minimum facts of possible side effects before trying it.

Thank you so much for reading! Dont forget to sub, add me. I love hearing from you, so comment!

Take care! <3

xo-Tina

AMAZON Out-Of-Stock Reply:

<< UPDATE: 10/27/12 >> ( New Supplier)

Hello, ladies! Thank you for your patience.

Ok, so I've been looking online, reading reviews, speaking to other bloggers and forums to find us a reliable source of the Careprost since Amazon seems to be out of stock at the moment.

What I found was that, I think it's a safe bet to use the site that I've used once before ( the one I *think* is linked to All Day Chemist ).

reliablerxpharmacy - Careprost

After using this company last year, it completely stressed me out for months worrying, I will not lie, but ultimately, my experience with them was good over all so I'll be ordering from them again if Amazon doesn't stock up. And yes, I most def, DEF did read up on our options..... I won't BS or mislead you.

They (reliablerxpharmacy.com):

Sent me a confirmation email promptly
Gave me a Tracking #
I received my mail within few days.
And I had NO problems with my Credit Card.
Have no bad reviews what-so-ever online or among friends.
Not well known at all surprisingly.
Are very cheap ( few bucks more than ADC but cheaper shipping)
will send your shipment from India
Will not accept Paypal.

If you order from them, please, PLEASE do us a HUGE favor and come back here and let us know what your experience was like with this company. This would help us all so much. *hugs*

xo-Tina

UPDATE 11/09/12

I caution you to be weary of the suggested links and stores posted in the comment section. Some of them are just spammers/sellers trying to make a sell by any means (and making ridiculous claims at that). I do delete them when I see it but in case I don't see it in time, please be careful!

UPDATE: 11/12/12

Here is a screen shot of the checkout. "how to use a credit card" is circled in my awesome Paint skills. ha ha

Click on Careprost
Add in how many you'd like to order ( you will want to order a lot (I order about 5) to save on shipping and the drama and stress of ordering lol, believe me, this stuff DOES work )
Click check out
Log in / Make an account
Then you will see this page ( it's a LONG page, this only shows the top)

Any further problems, please don't hesitate to ask. I love to help. <3 xo-Tina

In case you didn't know, I've been meaning to blog about a special (AMAZING) conditioner that I discovered in Korea this summer.. stay tuned..

Best Cheap Mint Nail Polish - Wet n Wild MegaLast Swatched I Need A Refresh / 218A

2012-07-08T03:07:00.003-04:00

Cheap Thrills : Wet n Wild Nail Polish Mint / 218A

My first time trying out this brand of nail polish. Because ~~I am~~ I was a bit of a snob in the past when it came to makeup brands. But that's the old me, these days, I find myself being shocked constantly by how truly FANTASTIC some of the cheaper grocery brands are... how times have changed.

With that said, the first clumpy mess of a coat of polish was a disaster and I was fully prepared to write a horrible review on it...

The above photos show the first coat of this, Wet n Wild MegaLast Nail Polish in I Need A Refresh , also known as 218A, I just call it the cheap mint shade.

It was a struggle to use the brush, and I can't imagine how annoying this is going to be for someone with a small nail bed, because the brush is gigantic.

In no way is this comparable to the OPI 's big nail polish brush, it is in fact twice as big. Moreover, the brush isn't soft like OPI 's or any other higher end polish brands so expect more streaks. The people who work there must have some enormous fingers or this was made for drag-queens in general...

After all that grumbling, I became very pleasantly surprised at how even it looked after just 2 coats.

Hey, for few bucks, this is well worth the hassle of dealing with the gigantic brush.... er, I just had a thought... OMG, how in the world am I gonna use that thing on my pinkie toe..ugh.

I would give this 4 stars out of 5. Yep, def buy it. I used the Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat , which has been my fav brand for the last 10 years.

I'm wearing my new colored contacts, new Ombre clip-in weave and Polish .

Thank you for reading, don't forget to sub! Have a terrific day, guys!! <3

xo-Tina

DIY Ombre Hair Color Extensions Dip Dye Tutorial - Part 2

2012-07-07T23:04:00.000-04:00

Ombre, also known as Dip Dye Hair Color, Clip-Ins attached (I used my mannequin's head)

Before Ombre Clip-Ins

I'll post more photos at the end of this tutorial.

PART 2 : Attaching the Wig Clips

Part 2, which is merely attaching the Wig Clips and Sewing . Part 1 is here (dying process).

You will need:

Wig Clips ( in the color of your natural hair color/ or root color)

100% Human weave/hair

Weave Needle for Hair Extensions or Sewing Needles

Thick Weaving Thread (but you can use any thread, no need to get all pro)

Sewing Know-how

Scissors

Fold the extension strips over once and sew it shut (layering it to make it thicker).

(I hope no professional tailor is reading this *embarrassed*)

Next, we attach the wig clips. Make sure to get it in your natural hair shade, and if they don't have it in yours, simply use a nail polish in your color to cover the clips with. :-)

We're going to attach one on each end of the extensions. On small pieces you would sew 2, on the wider ones, at least 3, or even 4, depending on how firmly you want them to stay on. Just remember, the more you add, more bulkier it will feel.

Finally, we're all done!

Ideally, you would use the same color (Wig Clips ), but the sales woman who mailed these made a mistake (or she was color blind).

I hope you found this tutorial helpful, please subscribe, and comment! I love to hear from you!

Take care, guys~ <3

More Photos, if you'd like to see it on a real person, I'm wearing it in my photo here (part 1 of this tutorial)! :-)

without flash

with flash

You might want to consider checking out this blog next. Grow your lashes super long with a Latisse Dupe! :)

I'm wearing the Ombre Clip-ons in this tutorial. ;)

DIY Ombre Hair Color Extensions Dip Dye Tutorial - Part 1

2012-07-06T21:38:00.001-04:00

Hi guys and girls, I hope you all had a terrific 4th of July!

Today, I thought I would show you, how you can make your own Ombre, also known as a Dip-Dye, hair clip extensions at home. Ombre hair is hot and it's everywhere in one form or another.

Clip-on extensions are most particularly wonderful for the people who worry endlessly about damaging their hair with chemicals but still want to experiment with their looks - Which is practically everyone in the whole world.

I'm going to do this in 2 parts because the steps are far too many to do it all in a single blog. In addition, I'm going to see if I can Youtube it to make it easier on poeple (I just tried and I look like a complete hag on Youtube - yuck), so check back to see if I had uploaded a video.

Let's start, shall we! :-)

I'm wearing the Ombre, Dip Dye Clip-Ons that I made in this tutorial. :)

Part 1: Buying the hair, Cutting them up, and Dying/Ombre'ing it. (If you already have hair clips extensions at home, then you can just use that)

Part 2: DIY: Making the Ombre Hair Clip Extensions

Due to the flash or no flash, the color of the hair pieces, in almost every photo, do not show properly. The hair is quite warm/copper/honey/strawberry blonde in real life and not at all mousy- like that you see in this photo.

~ PART 1~

What you will need:

One Pack of 100% Human Hair

1 oz Dark Hair Dye(same or similar shade to your root color)

1 oz 20% Volume Peroxide

Hair Coloring Brush

Peroxide Measuring Cup/Bottle

A Mixing Bowl

Gloves

Big Trash Bag to cover the floor with

Timer

And if you're messy = some Saran wrap, plastic or foils

Comb

shampoo

Conditioner
Scissors

When buying the hair, order it in the shade that you want your ombre to be and make sure that they are 100% human hair and not some POS fake that cost about $10. I must warn you that a lot of these companies will lie straight to your face and blatantly say it's real when it's NOT. You know you've been majorly screwed if your hair melts when you try to curling iron it or if your color/dye won't absorb...If it's too good to be true, it's not true!

If your hair is at least decent, then it will cost you at the bare minium $55+ depending on the length, no ifs or buts.

Furthermore, make sure to order the hair in your own natural texture and not the texture that you wish you had. Example, if you have pin-straight hair and wear it curly every single day, then you will still need to order a straight 100% human hair. I know some of you're thinking..."but I straighten it everyday..I dont see the point of, bleh bleh.."....

Well, what do you think will happen if you get caught out in the rain or if it gets really humid out? Your natural hair will frizz, curl or straighten...while your clip-ons remain the same.... this screams to everyone that, "I'm wearing FAKE" real loud, doesnt it? So don't do it! :-)

The hair that you buy from the store will look all shiny, soft and slippery but that thing is coated to high heavens with plastic. Consequently, it's going to be a real pain in the ass to color, and this is why we're using a 20% vol peroxide today instead of 10. They will also take a lot longer to process and usually will not absorbs as much pigments as it would've your own natural hair. Keep that in mind.

What lengths to order:

When you're picking out your hair, you will see that they come in all sorts of different lengths and density(weight). I suggest that you get it a tad longer than what you think you want, because its human nature to want more... same goes for boob jobs (so I hear... hah - this is so off topic..). *cough*

My hair is pretty long - not talking Kim Kardashian long here, but mine is about 14inch. If you want Kim's length then I'd suggest that you get em at 20~24inches, and at least 26" if you want it curly AND super long.

Preparing the Hair - Cutting

When you unpack the hair, it will come in 1 endless piece, and you will need to cut them . We're gonna be making 6 clip-ons. However, some people use more, especially if you want them thicker or more striking and noticeable. It is mostly up to you. With 1 bundle you can make around 8 clip-ons so you decide how many you will make. :)

1) Measure the size of your hairline on your nape area. It should be around 2~3 inches, if its 3 inches then you're going to cut 3 pieces that are 6 inches wide because we're going to fold over once to sew. Measure your nape and make sure that it will fit and not stick out from the sides. One piece will be used on your nape, little below the bottoms of your ears, and the other 2 small clip-ons will be used on your temple/side area.

2) You will then need to cut 3 more pieces that are twice as wide as the nape piece (as shown on the photo). These will be used for your back. (cut 1~2 more, if you want the blonde to be more noticeable)

For clarity: If your smallest pieces were cut 6 inches wide, then your big pieces should be cut 12 inches wide.

You should now have a total of 6 pieces in 2 different sizes. Make sure that you fold them over once to measure it against your scalp.

What Hair Dye to Buy

You can buy ANY hair color to Ombre - green, orange, pink, purple, zebra, etc - but they must be permanent hair color.

The guide lines that I'm going to list below are for the people who're looking for normal ombre hair in the color ranges that God gave them (yea, streaky California highlights were God given, I dont want to discuss it!).

In my pic, I used a #27/30 mix Human Hair in 14". If you buy shades that are mixed like mine - 27&30, they tend to look more natural

If you bought a # 30 (this is quite warm) - then buy a Medium Chestnut Brown and mix it with some of Medium Brown , or you can use something like this to ombre.

You could also use the Medium Brown straight on #30 extensions (that is the shade that I used on my pieces personally) but sometimes these are more of a headache to use on lighter hair because if you make the smallest mistake, it will leave a green cast on blondest pieces, so yes, you can use it but be cautious or just do not use this if your piece is very blonde...

If you bought the Light Blonde (#27), then you must stay away from any shades that says N, A, Beige, V. It will turn your clip-ons too ashy = green/greyish/mousy = yucky. Ashy blondes are tough to carry off on most people..

N, stands for Neutral

A, Ash

B, Beige

V Violet

If any of these words are used on your tube of color then don't buy them. Reach for shades like Light Golden Brown/ 6G , Dark HONEY Blonde, Light Honey Brown, Med Chestnut Brown, etc. You're gonna buy whatever is warm but about 4~5 ranges darker than the color of your hair and being mindful of the fact that the color will never be as dark as it says on the box because they never do on extension hair.

FINALLY Let's Color

1. Organize your work area, cover the floor with the trash bag.

2. Put on gloves.

3. Mix 1 oz hair dye with 1 oz 20% Volume Peroxide, or if you bought the coloring kit/box, mix what's in it.

What we're going to do is dye the root area of the hair extensions one by one as if we're putting icing on a cake, layer by layer. If you're messy (dripping dye all over the place) then cover the ends/tips of the hair with plastic/foil/saran wrap.

Step 1.

We're going to dye the first 4 inches and leave it on for a good 1 hr and 10mins.

Step 2.

After an hr and 10mins, comb the color down the hair shaft for another 2 inchs for additional 20mins so that the lightening effect is gradual. You can add a bit of water to the dye to emulsify and to make it easier for you to push the dye down..

Step 3.

Wash out the dye - making sure that the COLOR DO NOT RUN INTO THE HAIR THAT WAS NOT COLORED. We're trying to protect the lightest part of the extensions , flip the hair so that the water runs down, --- AWAY from the uncolored hair.

Step 4.

Give it a light shampoo and rinse thoroughly (of course use Conditioner as well). The dye can get stuck in the threading, so do rinse well and make sure that you're being careful not to tangle the hair needlessly.

Step 5.

Lay flat to dry or dry with a Blow Dryer .

If you bought the extensions with the clips already installed then you're done. Dry and use it as you normally would.

Hair extensions I recommend:

For Blondes :
22" COLOR 613 (light blonde)
22" Another great shade for blondes
18" great for warm blondes, Red Heads

If you have very Dark Hair: (I couldnt find my brand/length/color- but it's Milkyway Pure Yaky 14" 27/30 if you want to check your local beauty supply)

18" #27/30 - this is the color of my own clips except by a different brand
18" Slightly darker than my own clips but it's another 27/30
14" 27/30 my color and in my hair length which is 14"
22" great for dark hair if you want lots of contrast
18" Warm Caremel shade, great for dark hair

**** 20 Inch - I wish I had bought this instead but they didnt sell it at the store. I really love the color ****

Fun Colors -

18 Inch Blue Hair!
18 Inch Bright Pink Hair!

Just have a lot of fun! :-)

Final Results: Ombre Weaves are all dry and ready for part 2(clip-ons.). The Ends are lighter than the roots..

(I need to do my nails, I mean seriously... )

Don't forget to Subscribe, add me to Twitter, and Like my Facebook! Any questions, comments or requests, feel free to let me know, I'm very happy to hear from you.

Thanks for reading! Take care!!

xo, Tina

Click Here for DIY Ombre Hair Color Extensions Dip Dye Tutoria Part 2

Privacy Policy

2012-07-06T05:19:00.000-04:00

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Color Contact Lens, NEO Queen 4 Tone Series in HONEY - Circle Lens

2012-07-02T23:26:00.000-04:00

*I'm wearing my new lenses here*

I fondly recall my last pair of colored contact lenses.... It made me look like a crossed eyed, bug-eyed alien on crack. I tried every makeup trick in the book to see if I'd look any better... but no, the bug-eyed alien look didn't suit my eyebrows and I was getting sick of my hub laughing at my face.. *sigh*.

I've gone through maybe 7 pairs in my life, and have never ended up liking one, not a single pair. They've either made me look cross eyed, bug-eyed, fake, doll like, and/or made me look like a white wannabe ... All I've ever wanted was to look like me but with different colored eyes...

This review is quite unexpected and is something that I had absolutely not planned on doing. However, when my new contacts came today - the one that I had ordered 3 weeks ago, although 3 years previously, I had promised myself that I would never order another pair again, yep, it arrived (hah!) and I just had to blog about it because I'm BEYOND pleased.

This, I swear to you, is the MOST comfortable and the most natural looking contact lenses that you'll ever own.

I took these photos tonight, as soon as I came back from running errands all day in New York City and it's effing 90+ degrees, hot and humid as all hell here, so my foundation and etc is pretty much all melted off. I'm sweaty, its not oiliness, and I have no fake lashes on *gasp* - this is as natural as I'll ever get online. I really should have reapplied and gotten all dolled up for this blog, especially since I'm few years away from being 40 and could use all the help that I can get- but whatever - I'm going to keep it real. (and if Asian girls are curious, because it seems we're endlessly fascinated by double eyelids in other Asian girls, I've had no surgery on my face. I get my eyes and freckles from my Irish grandpa) :)

First photo is me with my natural eyes. *waves hello* (Oh my Lord, I look like a grease ball haha~)

No Lenses - Natural

Lenses with Flash

Lenses with NO Flash.

Ok, I actually have fake lashes here, as you can see it still looks incredibly natural. :)

Brand: NEO
Origin: South Korea
Water content: 45%
Diameter: 14.2 mm
Base Curve: 8.6
Duration: 1 year disposable

Personal review:

5 - 5 for comfort ( 45% water content) Damn~! I wore them today, and 6 hours later It was still very comfortable.

5 - 5 for looks - Tell me it looks natural! I love them!

I recommend this 100%.

4 - 5 Seller. I only wish that the shipping was a tad faster, but it's understandable being how they're over seas.

I bought them here, for $24.99 + Free Ship. It took 3 weeks for it to get to me, so I did end up sending them a email asking where the hell my lenses were (hah) and they were very prompt with the reply and was very helpful.

I use the this cleanser and this rewetting drops.

I would love to hear your experience with circle lenses, please comment and share what you've tried and/or is using at the moment.

I hope this review was helpful to someone! Don't forget to sub/ add me on here, twitter/facebook, tumblr.. and etc! :-)

blog upcoming, stay tuned!
DYI Ombre hair clip on (next)
DYI Vitamin C serum
Careprost Lash Serum Drop

Take care!!

Sun Hats, Summer Trends and Some Bargain Finds 2012

2012-06-29T21:41:00.000-04:00

Top Trends That I Love: Bold Vivid Colors, High Waisted Bottoms, Cool Braids and Looking Effortless.

Lindsay_Ellingson_Allure Magazine

Similar find - Tan White 8" Wide Large Brim Straw Beach Sun Floppy Hat,

Chanel flies high

Spring/Summer Collection 2012

Shades all from the wide open sky, ranging from Sky Line azure blue nail varnish, to navy blue waterproof pen eyeliner via a Pantone swatch card of blue and grey shadows - Vogue

Gold Strappy Heals

Pour La Victoire Women's Tifara Platform Sandal

Anja Rubik, a Polish model, rocking a skin-tight leather skinny pants with a loose neon blue shirt, which seems to be the new "mint". ( I'm looking for a dupe/similar now, I'm completely obsessed.)

Josephine Skriver

The Form Fitting Red Boyfriend Jacket and the beat-up Bag

Similar: Andre Badi Women's Cotton Blazer Jacket

Vogue Russia June 2012

Wispy and Soft Chiffon Fabrics

Being Original

Similar: J Hat Deluxe Straw Hat-Natural

BCBGeneration Mint Charlie Medium Satchel

Colorful Skinny Pants - Elliott Sapphire Leopard

Similar find - Plast Leopard Print Skinny Pants

Wallaroo Hat Company - 'Frankie' Fedora-Styled Hat - White with Black Ribbon

Jeisa Chiminazzo in leather pants with military inspired boots.

High Waisted Skirts

High Waisted Short-Shorts

Serpent Set Jewelry

Mulberry Editorial

Vogue Editorial - lovely high waisted, soft chiffon dresses

Valentino's stud necklace

LUST: Natalya Sergeyevna Polevshchikova's side tussled side braid.

Salvatore Ferragamo's Vintage Earrings - Vogue

The Horsebit Cocktail earrings by Gucci Joaillerie

Best shampoo without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate review. Get healthier skin and scalp.

2012-06-26T21:08:00.001-04:00

Do you notice your hair thinning? Are you suffering from dry, itchy scalp? Dry dandruff perhaps? Which is caused by excessive dryness to the scalp.

You probably didn't know that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) could be the cause of most of your skin irritations, and not just on your scalp but everywhere else on your body. In fact, the LEADING cause of hair loss in women is SLS - aha!

To give you a clearer picture of how harsh this chemical really is, this stuff is used in the auto shops to cut the oil from the motor parts. And the main reason why the companies are using it is that it's cheap to produce and the lovely bubbles are very pretty. But completely unnecessary.

Wow, this certainly is starting to sound like a TV commercial, doesnt it lol? I could discuss this much further here but then this blog would become endless and I wanted to share what my favorite SLS free shampoo is in the market and not what SLS is......

From my personal experience as a hair stylist AND a user of this product, the best Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) FREE shampoo in the market right now, IMHO, is the DermOrganic Sulfate-Free Conditioning Shampoo

LET'S GO OVER WHAT *THEY* CLAIM

Gentle sulfate-free formula
Safe for Color Treated Hair
DermOrganic Sulfate-Free Conditioning Shampoo provide a rich, luxurious lather that makes other sulfate-free shampoos jealous!

What makes it so good? Hair and skin rely on important nutrients such as Essential Fatty Lipids (EFAs) and Amino Acids.DermOrganic Sulfate-Free Conditioning Shampoo ^® is the only shampoo made with a proprietary blend of EFA Lipid and Amino-Acid based skin cleansers. That means it is the only shampoo to moisturize, strengthen and rebuild the hair every time you clean your hair!
Whether your hair is colored, permed, heat styled or sun drenched, DermOrganic Sulfate-Free Conditioning Shampoo ^® has what it takes to impress stressed tresses.
So gentle, this shampoo is ideal for color treated hair and is superb as an all-over cleanser that leaves skin soft and supple. So healthy for your hair that you’ll never have to switch shampoos again.
Further enriched with Argan Oil with Omega-6 and Linoleic Acid, Vitamin E, Panthenol, Rice Amino Acids, and anti-oxidant plant extracts to preserve the life of hair color.

Ingredients: Aqua/Eau/D.Water, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate(1), Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate(2), Decyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Glucoside, Methyl Gluceth-20, Infusion of Argan Oil & Sunflower Seed Extract & Grape Seed Extract & Rice Amino Acid & Sodium PCA & Panthenol & Tocopheral Acetate (Vitamin E), Glycereth-2 Cocoate/Benzoic Acid (natural preservative), Fragrance.
(1) Amino-Acid based, plant derived cleanser
(2) Essential Lipid based, plant derived cleanser

AND HERE IS MY TAKE

Let me first assure you that, I've never been so utterly happy with a shampoo product in many a year.

For sure, you can find something that makes your hair feel and look as good as this, but also Sulfate Free? HELL NO. Just look at the ingredients there, they're all very good for you (except for the silicone - but a vinegar rinse twice a month will clear that right up - and without it, your hair will look like a bush).

This is a rave review but nothing is ever perfect. Consequently, I had 2 3 issues with this product. JUST three and that's amazing in itself.

1) I didn't find it very color safe on my hair. However, I must then admit that my clients didn't notice it.
2) It's advertised as a CONDITIONING shampoo - like it's one of those 2 in 1 deal (Pert Plus anyone?). Its NOT. You def need a separate conditioner, folks.
3) The scent doesnt last!

OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW

WHAT DOES IT SMELL LIKE?

Like all the beach oils poured into a jar of goodness. Coconuts, bananas, etc - it smells like the beach. Serious.

WILL IT LATHER UP?

This is a serious complaint with so many people when it comes to Sulfate Free Shampoos because 90% of the SLS shampoos in the market do not sud.

Therefor, I'm happy to report that, YES, it does lather up. HOWEVER, the suds doesnt look like your average shampoo bubbles. I spent a good 40 mins merely looking for a photo of what a SLS free suds look like for this blog.

Please look at the photo to the left. It looks just like that - barely there. Kinda cute.

And as a comparison, look at what a normal shampoo suds look like. Nice fluffy cloud of sulfate there, mister...ahem.

FIRST TIME

My first comical reaction in the shower, quite butt naked and rambling on:

"What the HELL is this, crap, ugh !@#$!" - because it barely lathered up like they claimed.   So I shampooed again and this time it did sud up, and I started noticing the heavenly smell...

But wait, the second the water hit my head to rinse, and let me tell you, my hair has never rinsed off so fast in my entire life, my hair started to squeak, no seriously - it squeaked!! Because it was so effing CLEAN.   UGH!!

This had me entirely worried because usually, for my hair type, which is long, thick, color treated and coarse - very clean hair equals a very dry, brittle hair when its completely dry. If you have long hair, you know exactly what I mean.

By this time, I'm bitterly mumbling to myself about another crap SLS free shampoo that I wasted money on... but wait... wait

My hair started to dry and I rediscovered Jesus, and fell so deeply in love with DermOrganic Sulfate-Free Conditioning Shampoo that I went and told all my clients and am now blogging about it.

My hair has never been as fluffy, soft and shiny in my whole life. In addition, my scalp no longer flakes (unless I wash it twice a day) - this was my sole reason for looking into SLS free shampoos.    This stuff is entirely brilliant!!

This shampoo gets a 4.5 Amazon Stars from me.

If you've found this review helpful, please sub, add, comment, share, and like my page.   It would mean a lot to me. :)

Finally, I just had to share this cute pic with you haha... Thanks for reading, take care, everyone !! :-)

UPDATED: 1/14/13: Click below !

I've discovered the best conditioner that will make your hair shed less in Korea 2 months ago!!

It's truly one of the BEST conditioner that I've run across in... 7 years!

Lush Lash - is it a scam?

2012-06-25T15:15:00.000-04:00

Nothing impacts the face like full lashes.

Do you fantasize about lashes so big, curly and thick that it creates an alluring shadows on your cheeks? Marilyn Monroe was famous for creating this look. Or are you merely looking for ways to look better in the morning without any makeup? God knows, I've been needing more help in that department lately...

This subject - lashes - must be one of the most googled searches in Asia, and no, I'm not being a racist or sarcastic. I can say this wholeheartedly and with the up most sincerity because I am an Asian-American, who suffer from weak lashes.

I've tried them ALL, girls - from ridiculous claims of Vaseline, Olive Oils, and some Youtube sensation - Bee Wax Egyptian ~~CRAP~~ lotion growing your lashes longer, to praying to Jesus Christ... these don't work. They were mostly nonsense.
Read on ....

FOUR WAYS TO BIGGER LASHES.

I'm not going to make you suffer through a wall of text, therefor, I'm going to make this list short and to the point and write a more detailed review of some of the products discussed here later.

1. Lash Drops

WHAT IT IS:

LASH Treatment which is applied to the base of the upper eyelashes with a clean synthetic brush, to grow longer, fuller and darker eyelashes in as little as eight weeks, with full results in 16 weeks.
Can also be used on the eyebrows. (more of this on another blog)

Lastisse - FDA approved - bimatoprost ophthalmic 0.03% solution - Requires a Prescription and money to burn. $120 ~ $150 + a bottle
Careprost - bimatoprost ophthalmic 0.03% solution - The generic version of Lastiss with the same *exact* ingredients as Lastiss ( $ 30 ~ $ 55)
RapidLash - It worked great and in fact, seemed to make my lashes thicker (but shorter) than the 2 drops above. HOWEVER, I've heard recently that they've changed the formula so that it doesnt work as it did in the past. ($ 35~ $45)

There are of course other brands, many in fact, but since I have not personally used them to verify, I will not list them here.

I'm currently using Careprost and am on my 3rd bottle, and it has worked brilliantly for me. I cant recommend this enough.

Something I'd like to mention, I like to spend my money wisely, so I've forgone using Lastisse altogether. But I'd suggest that you at least call your doctor and *ask* if it would be right for you.

With that said, since Careprost is simply the generic brand and have the exact same ingredients, I repeat, the same EXACT ingredient, I'm assuming I'd get the same results from it.

Side effects:

Cost
May cause darkening of the eyelid skin which may be reversible.
Although not reported in clinical studies, it may also cause increased brown pigmentation of the colored part of the eye which is likely to be permanent.
Itching sensation in the eyes and/or eye redness. This was reported in approximately 4% of patients.

I have used this for 2 years and have not had any ill effects. In fact, I do not know anyone in person or on the beauty forums, review boards with these side effects. Theses are very rare cases.

Before and After photos:

2. Eyelash Extensions Invented by - *gasp* Asians (Korea in fact) ! :)

WHAT IT IS:

Simply put, these are hair extensions for your lashes or a long lasting temporary false lashes that stays on for few days to weeks depending on the type of glue used, the technician's skill in the application and how you take care of it at home.

Getting this done may take up to 1~3 hours and will need a touch up every 2 weeks.

SIDE EFFECTS:

Cost ($100~$500 in US)
Itchy
Thins out your natural lashes.
Time consuming

If you don't have time for your nails, then you definitely won't have time for this...

3. False Lashes
also known as Falsie

WHAT IT IS:

Designed to add length, thickness and fullness to natural eyelashes - temporarily. I feel like everyone already know what this is, so I'm merely going to add my recommendations.

For Drama:
Ardell Fashion Lashes - Wispies They're quite long, and full but "wispy" so that you dont look like a drag queen. Moreover, I like that it gives me mega drama without making me look like a showgirl wannabe.

Double up with another shorter set of lashes and watch your eyes go va-va-boom!

Ardell False Eyelashes DuraLash Naturals Short knot-free Individual Lashes I use this the most every day because they're the most natural. Make sure to get them knot-free.

Ardell Duo: Best lash glue

4. Finally, the good 'ol tube of some Mascara.

They're actually quite good these days because some of them have fibers..

WHAT IT IS:

Again, you know what it is, so I'll simply link my cult favorites and call it a day.

My Holy Grail:

L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara

I've been using this for many years and have always come back to using it. It's a bit of a clumpy mess, I kid you not, yea. But works quite effectively on flimsy lashes. This one doesnt have any fiber.

Fiberwig -

These are HUGE in Asia because we're lash obsessed and they have fibers in them that clings to your natural lashes. It makes you look like you're wearing Falsies.

I have yet to see a non Asian brand that works as well as an Asian Fiber Mascaras. This is a MUST, girls!

I would love to hear and SEE what you've been using and trying yourself! Please comment, share and add me. Thanks for reading, take care!! =)

Cut and Trim Your Bangs: Guide to Cutting Heavy, Blunt Bangs

2012-06-23T13:34:00.000-04:00

Look Great and Sexy, Not Fat - rock Carly Rae Jepsen's bangs!

So you've been gazing soulfully at the celebrities with the heavy bangs lately, and wondered if it would look as bold and edgy on you. Because lets face it, nothing screams "high fashion" , "rich bi*ch" and utter "Class" like those bangs, but in real life, they look absolutely horrendous on the people that you personally know AND make them look... fat! *gasp*

This guide will give you some insight and inspiration into how you can costume design the perfect heavy fringe to fit YOU. These are my own personal rules as a Pro Hair Stylist in New York City, and not set in stone by any means. We all have our own ideas of what Beauty is, therefor, it is logical that not everyone will agree. :)

Read on...

First, if you're one of those people with ~~sickenly~~ a perfect face shape with a small oval head shapes (think Halle Berry), then don't bother with this guide. This guide doesn't apply to you, because you look great no matter what... lucky bi*ch. :)

But for the rest of us:

Know your face shape.
Is your hair on the crown thick enough to create a heavy fringe?
Is your hair too curly? Because heavy fringe should lay flat and not look like a brillo pad. Also, do you have a cowlick in that general are?
Finally, what do you wish to cover up with your hair. This is so important. Always keep this in mind, it is what's left behind that impacts your face, and NOT what's been cut off! :-)

Now that we got that out of the way, let me show you what *I* consider beautiful and see if you can find a pattern in these photos. I'm, of course including the photo of Carly Rae Jepsen's bangs at the very top of this list. :)

It is my firm belief that any type of heavy bangs will automatically make your face appear slightly fuller and the farther you cut away from the center of your face will then make your face wider. It sounds most dreadful but there is a fix!

Sometimes heavy bangs, when done correctly, will actually make you not only look slimmer but sexier and edgier and younger! I'm going to use the lovely Katie Holm's photo as an example here, because no words are needed to show my point.

read on ..

THE rules to rock'in heavy bangs:

( I will be using a mannequin's head for photo's, understand that their hair lines and the hair density greatly differs from humans).

1. Always consider what's being left behind and not whats being cut off. Take small cuts, you can always cut more. Try using a razor instead of shears.

2. Section off , and clip back the hair that you want to keep. How much to clip back? Usually all the hair in front of your ears on the crown of your head is drawn forward for bangs, but this depends on how thick your hair is. If your hair isn't thick enough then you will need to draw more hair from the back.

CROWN section - in a soft, rounded V, you can use your nose as a guide for the highest peak.

3. NEVER cut your bangs past the outer corners of your eyes. The farther you cut away from the center of your face, the wider your face will appear. If you look above, all the photos that I've posted follow this rule.

HOWEVER : You CAN cut farther back if you're creating a graduating effect - from short to long, like the KATE MOSS's photo that you will see in the next page. This is a far more advance way of cutting but it will create a more softer look.

Read more ....

4. Very blunt bangs only look great on models with perfect features, on everyone else - it looks like a wig. Razor cutting the edges will soften, modernize AND make you look thinner. This is especially important for anyone over 30+...

I'm holding a camera with 1 hand, but this is about where you want to start point-cutting, or razoring your hair - DRY HAIR. ALWAYS cut tiny bits at a time, so you can cut more if it's too long. =)

5. Long shaggy, piecey, heavy bangs that hits "just" on the top of the nose (for clarity - between your eyes, where your nose starts to slope up - Kate Moss's bangs) is the most flattering on normal human beings. The KEY here is to create soft and shaggy edges for a wearable blunt bangs.

6. Attitude. Your personality should reflect this bold style. Just sayin'. =)

Now, here are the "bang tragedy photos". These, IMHO, do not enhance the beauty of the person's face but exaggerate's the negative for the sake of fashion - that is, if small, oval face is your ideal.

You apply make up to enhance what you have, your hair should do the same, since it's your greatest and best the accessory.

To show this more clearly, let's take the beauteous Olivia Wilde here, look at the photo's side by side. The one on the left, you can clearly see how far the bangs have been cut ( and far past the outer eyes) and then the one on the right. The bangs were cut correctly here for her square face (the shortest bangs ending at the outer eye and the edge's kept soft and wispy), this style suits her to perfection.

Finally, how to style it once you've achieved your perfect fringe.

1. Use a oil serum or a heat protectant on damp hair.
2. Dry your bangs flat against your forehead, and please, I beg you, do not use a big round brush or it will give you that mushroom look, unless that's your thing. A flat paddle brush, the fingers God gave you or a vent brush works beautifully.
3. This is optional because not everyone owns a flat iron. But if you do, I suggest you use it here.
4. Apply some soft wax when your hair is completely dry to give you that shaggy, sexy, piecey look. Not too heavily, otherwise you'll end up looking like a oily heroine addict - unless that's your thing. :)

I hope this guide was helpful. Please sub, add, comment for future guides and requests.

Thanks!! :)

Speaking of hair, try my popular Do It Yourself Ombre Dip Dye Hair Color Tutorial next ... :)