The Daily Medley: February 2014

Lip-ed Over.

A few posts back I did an Ulta haul where I unnecessarily bought a few lipsticks to add to my collection. Forward it to the present, I was able to really test out these babies to give a small/quick review on them.

Read about my Ulta haul here.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Heavenly Berry

Product Rating: 2/5

Maybe I'm a bit harsh on the rating, but I was extremely disappointed with the pigmentation of this lip balm! What is the point of having a variety of color range when one of the darkest lip colors just comes out almost completely sheer? This is not one of the best lip balm either as the moisturizing properties didn't last very long on my lips. If anything, it just feels like I applied a plastic wax on top. I guess the only thing I can truly use this for is probably to top it off with other colored lipsticks to give it a nice gloss.

L'Oreal Colour Caresse in Blushing Sequin

Product Rating: 3.5/5

Same line (and almost similar packaging) to the previous lip balm. If you are looking for something light, moisturizing, yet still colors your lips then this is the ONE. I especially "<3" this color! It looks intimidating and overly baby pink in the packaging, but because it is quite a sheer color when applied, it's completely beautiful. My only complaint is that the longevity of it is probably max 1 hr just because it IS supposed to be a lip balm. Also, because it is not pigmented, the application is uneven.

Maybelline Color Sensational in Ruby Star

Product Rating: 5/5

I've always been a huge huge huuuuugeee and addictive fan of Maybelline's Color Sensational line. SURPRISINGLY, as much of a fan as I am, I only have one other lipstick! LOL, great fan right? Anyways, because I loved the one I had so much (which is the color Born With It), I decided to pick up another one. I'm a huge fan of dark lip colors, especially towards the reds. This is gorgeous gold speckled red that is great for seasonal parties. I give this a 5 because I do not own anything like this in my makeup collection and it is an incredible lipstick that lasts forever on the lips. Honestly, zero complaints towards the Color Sensational line.

Calvin Klein One Pure Color Lipstick in Doll Face

Product Rating: 3.5/5

This product was quite matte on my lips which ended up making this lipstick drying. The color was sort of meh as it did not really capture my attention. I think I really just bought it because of the sleek packaging. :P

So I also really wanted to do an additional review on the blush on bought from Japonesque line as well. What really caught my eye was how well the packaging was designed. I love the splattered artwork on the outside frame of both the lipstick and blush. Catching glimpses of these two whenever I walk by my vanity always makes me so happy because of how much they stand out.

Japonesque Velvet Touch Blush in Shade 01

Product Rating: 4.5/5

I find that if you use this product it's best to not to use a highlighter on top because it's great on its own. Not to mention, I did not expect this light pink to be THIS pigmented. I love the color and truly, a little goes a long way (unless you want to look like a complete porcelain doll). Very velvety and applies like heaven with a blush brush.

Japonesque Pro Performance Lipstick in Shade 09

Product Rating: 5/5

My first Japonesque lipstick and I'm sucked in now. This color. This color. This color. UMPH. Great to wear for my more "darker" days where I dress head-to-toe in black. If not, a nice and colorless outfit needs to be amped and paired with a colorful lipstick.

I hope this review was helpful for you all! :)

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, by Thuy Ngo

asian beauty

NYC Haul.

One thing I generally try to do when I go to New York City is to stop by Chinatown to pick up a few Asian skincare and/or makeup products. Of course there's great substitute websites like Amazon, Ebay, and Sasa.com to do this, but being able to see the items firsthand is usually a lot more enthralling than gazing at a laptop screen. Also, it's nice because when I shop in person, I usually spend less... lol. Buying things online is a dangerous thing you guys. That "Add to Cart" button always gets the best of me. :(

This is what I pulled out from my small venture. One cleansing water/toner, Biore foaming face wash, hand cream, a lip gloss, and two samples given to me by the cashier.

This is the Bifesta Age Care Cleansing Lotion. Probably one of my favorite purchase out of the bunch.

I ran out of my beloved Bioderma and when I saw this, my eyes sparkled. The consistency of this is exactly like a watery toner, even when it's supposed to be a "cleansing lotion". In comparison to most cleansing waters I've used, this has been the most moisturizing. I'll even admit to sometimes substituting this to clean my face on lazy nights rather than properly washing my face with an actual cleanser. I don't need to moisturize afterwards either because the cleansing lotion legit feels as if I slapped on a thin layer lotion already. One thing though--it's does not completely remove waterproof mascara. I believe this was less than $10 which is great when Bioderma is almost close to being over $30.

Product Rating: 4/5

Pros: Moisturizing, cheap, bottle lasts you for a very long time, gets rid of all or most makeup, and has a very light and pleasant smell.

Cons: You will have a hard time removing waterproof makeup--specifically mascara.

Original Price: $10-$15 (when I bought in NYC)

Where to Purchase: Ebay, Amazon

Biore Bubble Foaming Face Wash.

Unfortunately I cannot read Japanese, but based on my online research, this line of foaming face wash has different types that target a variety of skin care problems. I apologize as I am not sure which one I chose. I fell culprit to the pink pump, lol.

When you shake the bottle, you'll hear the content slushing inside which means that it's more water-based. I love to use this as my morning face wash as it is very light and gentle enough to clean off any dirt that clung onto my pores in the middle of the night. It's often recommended by skin care experts to not to use abrasive products both morning and night. This foaming face wash is absolutely perfect for following such a rule! It doesn't leave my skin dry, but just clean like a baby's bottom for me to proceed with my everyday makeup routine. To be honest, I'm not sure what else to rave when it comes to this product as I think facial cleansers either work or they don't.

Product Rating: 4.5/5

Pros: Simple face wash for the mornings. Lightweight and beautiful scent.

Cons: You can use this at night as well, but I'm not too sure if it can truly remove heavy makeup.

Original Price: $10-$15 (when I bought in NYC)

Where to Purchase: I tried looking online, but could not find the same type. Here are a few other options for different skin problems--Ebay.

And now to my one makeup purchase...

Like I don't already have enough lip glosses to raid my makeup drawers... lol. Anyways, this is the Liole Enamel Lip Gloss in Tangerine Peach.

Beautiful, beautiful color. If anyone has the Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Coral Reef then you will know that this color is the exact dupe of it. It is very thick in consistency and pigmented enough to color your whole lips without needing a lipstick. I'm not a huge fan of the applicator just because the shape really made it hard for me to apply. The negatives start to pile from there... I'm not sure why, but this is one of the first lip gloss that actually made my lips look patchy and stuck to the lines. I've never experienced that before! It's also quite misleading because the lip gloss itself is very creamy so you wouldn't think it would make your lips look more dry. It makes me so sad because I was really hoping this would be my new coral lover. You'll see it here in this swatch example on my lips (please ignore the nastiness that is my dry/un-exfoliated lips):

Doesn't look too shabby from a distance!

Product Rating: 2.5/5

Pros: Excellent color and pigmentation.

Cons: Not great for dry/chapped lips.

Original Price: $8 (when I bought in NYC)

Where to Purchase: Ebay, Amazon

I decided to not do a review on the hand cream from Liole (I got the Carry Me Hand Cream in Blueberry) because it was not that great of a product. Actually, the smell turned me off A LOT... I initially thought I put in Coconut in my basket, but I guess I must have mis-grabbed it and walked away with Blueberry scent instead. It's an average hand cream... You can do much better by sticking to your local Bath & Body Works lotion products.

Japanese skin scare is definitely my favorite! I can't wait to restock some more on my next trip to the city. :) It saves the trouble from waiting on online orders to ship.

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, by Thuy Ngo

food

NYC Fat Trip

If you used to follow me on my old blogs, you'd know that I pretty much go to New York City at least 8-10 times a year. It's like an addiction that I can't tame. NYC is amazing for everything (obviously), but I looooveee traveling for delicious food and taking a 4-5 hr drive up there each time is worth every single ass-painful car ride! I usually call my trips "Fat Trips" because that's what it really is for--getting fat. My guilty conscience usually nags at me every time, but my belly loves the attention, lol.

Be warned. Lots of food approaching you... If you are hungry, I suggest you visit my blog another time. :P

Road trip guilty pleasures--- Iced Caramel Macchiato and anything oily/salty/fried. YUM.

This welcoming sight <3

Love Chatime's Red Bean Milk Tea... I didn't know this had a hot version which was so ridonkously yummy.

Upon arriving, my group of friends and I decided to get dinner at a Japanese restaurant called Zutto to celebrate John's birthday surprise.

Trips to NYC wouldn't be perfect unless Soup Dumplings are involved. Of course Joe's Shanghai was a must (should I say, more like a NEED) for our first stop the morning after.

If you love mangos then holy crap, I have found you mango heaven: Mango Mango Dessert. Courtesy of John and Lize for introducing me to this place. This dessert shop is solely dedicated to mango desserts/snacks. Anything you can think up of as a dessert, this shop will probably have had it mango-fied on the menu already for you.

The drink in these pictures is called Mango Milk Tea. Probably one of the most interesting milk teas I've ever had... There were tiny bits of mango chunks floating inside and this with the creamy taste of the milk was a PERFECT combination.