Pour La Victoire Sonya

I LOVE LOVE them! They are from Pour La Victoire bridal and evening collection. When I first saw them, I just had to have them! They are incredibly comfortable for heel this high, and even more beautiful in real life. This pair is not only for weddings, and also is great to wear for going out, too. I'm gonna wear them for my boyfriend's birthday. If you live in the US, I suggest to get them at 6pm.com for a much cheaper price. I bought from Zappo.Canada but it so worth it!

La Roche-Posay Skin Perfecting Anti-Redness Moisturizer

This is a really great cream as long as you know how to use it! When I first started with it, I used it alone like a regular moisturizer. After a few usage, I noticed my excess oil/shine problem was totally fixed but my skin was really dried-out, like peeling dried-out. Now, every time I put this on, I would also use a good moisturizer following to make sure it is not gonna dry out my skin. Just after few weeks of usage, my pores are noticeably smaller, and I had no break out since! I truly love this cream, and would continue purchase it.  

Try or Skip La Roche-Posay Skin Perfecting Anti-Redness Moisturizer?
I recommend everybody I know to try as long as they had the same skin type and problems as I did. For $35, you won't be disappointed! Just remember to use a good lock-in moisture cream combine with it!

Karmaloop Discount Code

Using code "KOKO117", and receiving 20% off on your first purchase!
http://www.karmaloop.com/index.asp?rcode=KOKO117 

Heart On My Sleeve by Michael Johns with lyrics

SALEs

I got tons of promotion emails everyday, and would it be nice to share them so it might be useful for somebody someday? Here are some sales going on now:

Sephora

1 Day free shipping code: "RATEWINSHIP"*US Only

Midsummer sales is on now

* only valid when purchase one or more of the following products: Bare Escentuals bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation, Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion, Dior DiorShow Mascara, SEPHORA by OPI Nail Colour, NARS Blush, Clarisonic Skincare Brush, Philosophy Purity Made Simple, KORRES Wild Rose 24-Hour Moisturizer SPF 6, Smashbox Eye Shadow Trio, Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips, Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio, and Stella McCartney Stella. Not valid in Canada, retail stores, on previous purchases, purchases of eGift certificates or gift cards. Cannot be used in conjunction with other promotion codes. This offer is valid through July 26, 2010, at 11:59 p.m. PST/PDT.

ASOS 

10% Extra off on SALE item code: "ASOSTreats"

American Apparel

A gift with purchase CAD$100.

Beyondtherack 

07/25/2010 11AM EST

Designer Bag: Miu Miu, Jil Sander, Ferre, Coach, Bottega Veneta, Dior, Tods.

Shu Uemura 

07/26/2010 11AM EST                                 

Designer Accessories Events

EditorsCloset

07/26/2010 11AM EST

Movado watches

07/27/2010 11AM EST

Dior sunglasses

07/28/2010 11AM EST

Fragrance boutique

GILT GROUPE *US Only

07/25/2010 9PM EST

Jeweley by Diane Yang

Pour la Victoire

Zachary's smile

07/26/2010 12PM EST

Alexander Wang

Behnaz Sarafpour & Richard Chai

Bill Blass handbags

Frette

Swiss Legend watches

William Rast

Neiman Marcus

Free shipping code:"JULYNM" *US only expires 07/26/10 11:59PM CT

An extra 25% off Last call sale ends Tuesday 07/27

Reverse

Sales on now:

Autumn Cashmere

Rachel Pally

WESC

Clarins HydraQuench Cream Mask

This is my "go-to" mask in winter. It is specifically for dehydrated skin. If you have really really dry peeling skin, this works great. It is sort like a emergency one you only use when in crisis, you know what I mean? Clearly not a everyday mask based on my experience.

The texture is a creamy semi-liquid, and the smell, um...I don't know if it is because of anything they put in, but it does smell bit like medicated as so many of their other products. They don't necessarily smell nice but they do work. When I had it on my face, it didn't have the cooling sensation as of some hydration masks I had tried before. In fact, it didn't even looked like it was absorbed. I left it on for about 10 minutes, then I wiped it off with a toner soaked cotton pad. Yes, you DON'T need to wash it off. My face does look smooth and hydrated just after one use.

As I also mentioned it is not a everyday mask, because I tried exactly the same step during summer and got break-outs.

Try or Skip Clarins HydraQuench Cream Mask?
It is a part of my regiment during winter, and costs about $38CAD. I used it twice a week, and lasted about 4 months. It is a very good money value product. If you experience extremely dry skin, it really worth a try.

Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Velet Luminescence Moisturizing Cream

I am a sucker for Givenchy le Prisme eyeshadow palettes! I try to collect them all, and love everything about them. This cream was recommended to me on one of those eyeshadow shopping trips. I never used any skin care products from Givenchy before, and I thought it was a good time to give it a try. You can also get it from Sephora for about $54.

The texture is very light, non-greasy, and very easy to blend in. It makes a excellent base cream for any foundation premiers. As I applying it over my face, I can feel the hydration penetrates my skin which is a big plus for me. For the luminescence part, I don't know if I take it too literally, but my face does look brighter somehow.:)   

It has a flowery fragrance smell which is bit too heavy for my taste. It says this cream is for normal to combination skin. I generally don't believe one-cream-for-all. Skin creams should target specific skin types.That's probably why I do get occasionally break-outs from it.

Try of Skip Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Velet Luminescence Moisturizing Cream?
If you are looking for a decent hydrating moisturizer, it gets the job done, and is also a cheaper alternative to other high-end face creams.

L'Oréal Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

I want to to put them in two separate posts as a comparison, sort like good vs bad. This is eye makeup remover is said to be oil free, and much more gentle even for sensitive eyes. There is just one problem, it doesn't wok since there is no oil in it. The science behind any effective makeup removers is that it mixes oil and grease together so your makeup would come straight off. Unfortunately, this one failed the test for me. The only good aspect is that since it is oil free, you can rub or tug however you want. 

Try o Skip L'Oréal Gentle Eye Makeup Remover?
I would say skip it unless you have very sensitive eyes.

L'Oréal Gentle Waterproof Eye And Lip Makeup Remover

This is maybe the best, most effective and best money value eye makeup remover I ever had. It can instantly remove the toughest mascara, eyeliner, or any eye makeup you had on! I  normally just soak one cotton pad, and cover my lids for 10 seconds, then swipe it off. Voila! Everything come off so easily!

It consists of two layers which one is the mineral oil, and the other is the solution part. Before using it, it needed to be mixed together that can be done by a few shakes. Don't rub it into your eyes because of the mineral oil in it. It may clog pores around your eye areas. The price is a very important factor that I would strongly recommend it to everyone I know. It is only a fraction of the costs of some expensive ones such as Bi Facil, but works just as well.

Try or Skip L'Oréal Gentle Waterproof Eye And Lip Makeup Remover?
Definitely try if by any chance you never used it before, and keep using it if you do!:)

Rimmel Eyeful Eye Glistener - 100 Girls Only!

I had my share of makeup junks. I thought I had learn to avoid disappointment until I run into this one. I bought it out of the recommendation on one of the blog I was following. Yeah, believe it or not, I fall into the trap of marketing sponsored bloggers. I know, I know, I should have checked on MUA. Well, now I'm paying for not doing that.  

Here is a swatch of the Eye Glistener:

It is a golden shimmered light purple-pink. I really do like the color, but not how it performed. Supposedly, it can be used as a shadow/eyeliner. I have slightly oil lids, and it just ceased like crazy!! I wore it on a day out with a friend, what a mistake that was! I had shadow base on, and it ceased into this gross line on my lids and I couldn't even reapply it which just made it worse. Don't even dream about using it as a liner! It is not gonna stay on for even 5 minutes! I had tried shadows from Rimmel, and they worked great but not this one.

Try or Skip Rimmel Eyeful Eye Glistener?
Skip it with a capital "s".

OPI Party In My Cabana

A great summer color! To my eyes it is very similar to OPI Chapel Of Love, but more on the cream side. Chapel of Love is little bit more shimmering than it. It is a solid bright pink from the South Beach collection Summer/Spring 2009. I did only one coat with no top-coat in the picture above, and it was taken the day after just to show you how great the formula is! Gorgeous color!

Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel

I don't get tanned very easily. My skin tone is more on the medium side, and I do want to look a bit bronze in the summer without get fried like a turkey! Based on the humongous number of reviews I read about self tanners, I set my eyes on this one. The gel itself is very easy to apply, like a lighter skin lotion with the distinctive self tanner smell. Some people don't like the smell, for me...let's face it, it is the chemicals that actually change my skin color, so suck it up people! It dries and is absorbed pretty fast, I tried wear my clothes right after and found no stains. About the result, that can get tricky. Whatever skin tones you have, after the first application depends on how much product you apply, you are not going to see a instant bronze. Instead, it would give you a nice natural glow. If you look for a instant result, what I would suggest is apply more product than you normally would.

How do you find the right amount? Everyone has different reactions to self tanners. What I do with every tanning product is, I apply it on my ribs days before to test it out, and to see how much it would take to get the level of darkness I want. The good thing about the Clarins one is that no matter how much you put on, you are not gonna end up orange or streaky. It is very easy to use, great for anyone start experimenting with self tanning.

Try or Skip Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel?
It costs about $35 CAD, and lasts about 5 months so far. I still have a bit left. I say it is definitely worth the money. Just remember the result needs sometime to set in, to achieve what you want try to use it few days earlier.

Snow Patrol - Just Say Yes

Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller

A thumb up to Garnier for coming up with this new concept of applying eye cream. I can't deny the spirit of innovation/good marketing, but does it work? Absolutely NO. I have dark cycles under my eyes, and wake up in the morning with my eyes all puffed up. I have been searching for a good eye cream like a vulture on a scavenging hunt. In my logic, a good eye cream is like liquid gold, well at least some of them cost just like gold. I have failed countless times, and despite my good instinct or could be just self-doubt, I decided to give a shot at a drug store brand. First of all, let me just say that I love drug store brands. I couldn't live without them, literally. It is just certain products I believe the more you pay for them, the better results you get, such as eye creams.:) Garnier face creams are great which I tried before. In my mind, they can be alternatives for any department store moisturizers if dryness is your only problem. I was confident about my choice, but not with the result.

I don't know if it is a design flaw or mine is a piece of junk, there was never a time I could get a right amount of serum out. It was either too much or none. According to the instruction, you need to press the roller ball against your eyes to apply serum. First, I did what I was told, nothing. Then, I decided to press harder. It came out too much and that hurt! After I almost finished half the tube, and nothing had changed. I gave up. Some people told me that they felt refreshed and soothing after using it. You know what, leave two old tea bags in the fridge and put them on the next morning is going to do the same trick, and it is free!

Try or Skip Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller?
Save your money and skip it.

Darphin Purifying Balm

Darphin is always a brand name I associated with Spas. As far as I know, they do have their own. I got a free treatment from one of my lovely friends, and that was the first time I encountered with their products. I bought this purifying balm mostly because the sales rep suggested it would be the best to improve my skin condition at that time. Oh yeah, before I forget, that was almost 2 years ago. That's how long it lasted for me, and some sort justified how much it cost.    

Reviews I read online most people have a love/hate relationship with it. A lot of them don't like it because it gave them break outs like crazy. If you are like me, having a acne prone skin, through my experience/ many many experiments, unclogging pores before applying the balm is a must-do thing to avoid break outs. What I did was just washed my face with a scrub in the shower, and applied a cleansing mask. I normally use it twice a week, overnight. Before apply to face, take out a half-penny size and warm it up in your palms. That's the way it was done in the spa. Really be-careful with the amount you use, because of its wax-like texture any excessive wouldn't get absorbed and causing break-outs.

Try or Skip Darphin Purifying Balm?
Em-mm... I say try. It is a great product if use right for pretty much all the skin types except if you have sensitive skin. The word on the "street" is that it does contains active ingredients which may cause allergic reaction, so you may try out a sample first or just go to a Darphin spa try out a treatment.
 

Neutrogena Wave

I finally get off my ass, decided to do some "work"...

My Neutrogena Wave, I bought it when it first came out, and used everyday for about 2 months with the regular pads when the exfoliating ones hadn't been on the market yet. It was amazing! I had oil skin with huge pores. After used it for couple months, people noticed my skin was radiant, and my pores were less noticeable. Then I discovered whenever I used oil control facial lotion/cream, my face was burning. My skin became really sensitive to anything I applied or just cold weather.  I started to have blemish and redness around my cheeks.

I stopped using Wave. Instead, I switched to a cleaning milk. Things slow went back to normal. I'm not gonna be the judge on whether it got anything to do the device, I'm not a dermatologist. I just wanna throw out something here, and this is just my theory. I think the Wave is a strong cleaning product, with daily use, it kinda "stripe off" my oil layers, aka the layers also protect skin. I would recommend 2-3 times a week, 3 minutes top, and use the exfoliating pad at least once.  FYI, don't leave it in the shower! This is the third one I got because the two previous got totally busted.

Try or Skip?
For the price I paid for, it is a very good product, and definitely worth trying.

Avène Thermal Spring Water

There was a time my skin suffered from blotch, peeling, and redness as a direct result of excessive cleaning which is something I have to talk about in another post. I "tortured" my own face into a super sensitive state. It was red, itchy, and dry but still with a massive oil production! I know, it was like a nightmare. I tried almost everything: soaked in toner, moisture mask, aloe..., nothing really worked until I started to use Avène Thermal Spring Water. It is not a miracle product. It just make sense. I tried to complicate things by adding so many products on my face, in fact all I needed was just back to basics! I started a simple routine with cleaning, applying toner, moisturizing and spraying on water whenever I felt dry. Few weeks later, my skin was back to normal.

What I found is that the spray water is not going to fix any major problems. If you got enlarged pores, acne or uneven skin tones, they still gonna be there. It just gently calms down your skin, and lays the basis to any further treatment.

Le Gourmet Burger

Last night, I had the misfortune to go to this unbelievable boring birthday party. We stopped by Le Gourmet Burger on Bishop St. beforehand. It's kind like a  "make your own burgers" place. They serve beef, chicken and veggie patties. You can choose additional toppings or you can go with the free ones which are tomatoes, lettuce and caramelized onions. For sides, they have salads and fries. I got a chicken burger with mushroom and a half pickle, and R had a beef one with cheese and fries, plus a coke, all for around $25. It tasted pretty good with the smoky flavor you get from the charcoal grill, but it was really small. I had to take some of his fries so I had enough to eat! The buns were the best part of the whole burger. Really fresh, and great tasting brioche buns.

It is a neat place with nice decor, but if you are looking for the best value for money like me, I won't put it as my first choice.

Turkish chicken legs

Last night for dinner, I made the grilled Turkish chicken legs using a recipe I found on Recipezaar. We loved how it turned out!

It didn't mention anything about marination in the recipe, but I did marinated the legs for about 3 hours anyway. Instead of the boneless chicken thighs, I only had skinless chicken legs in my fridge.:) It was super easy to prepare, and tasted really great! R thought it was a little sweet for him, so I am gonna add bit chilly powder next time.

Recipe link:
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Turkish-Chicken-Thighs-400-Winner-141961

Essie-Matte About You

Nowadays, apartment-hunting can literally be a profession. Maybe it already is? It took up most of my free time the last few days, and I still couldn't find an place to live!! But I still manage to do something fun on the side.:)

                                      

OPI France-Parlez Vous OPI? + essie Matte About You finish

I finally received my essie topcoat last Sunday, couldn't wait to put it on! Love this dark creamy lilac on its own, with the matte finish? It's magical!

I waited, waited, and they are here!!

When I heard Trans Design is liquidating its OPI inventory, I didn't have any choice but had to order some!! The shipping cost is always expensive with them, but I could track my package and I always received everything in great conditions. I would say a piece of mind is totally worth the money!  

Left-to-right: Don't Melbourne the Toast; Fair Dinkum Pinkum; Chapel of Love; Chocolate Moose; Bronzed to Perfection.

OPI Australia-Fair Dinkum Pinkum
My picture does no justice to this beautiful color! It is creamy pink with glitter. There are streaks with one coat because of the texture, as you can see in my picture.:) It looks great with two coats if apply right. The brush is the wide pro brush, so it may take a few practices to get used to. One more point, it works like a charm as a tip coat for a summer french manicure.

OPI Australia-Don't Melbourne the Toast
It is sort of a coral pink color with shimmer. I hope that helps. Not a easy color to describe, not easy to find a replacement either. That's what caught my eyes at a first glance. I guess I love these colors have a bit uniqueness in them.:) Under daylight, it is more on the coral side. In this picture, it is dark outside and it is more pink somehow.

Chapel of Love
I'm really happy with my purchase this time. All the colors turn out to e exactly what I wanted. I always wear neutral colors at work, but I would definitely wear this one. It is light pink color. Shimmering, not solid or creamy as in the picture. Love it!

Chocolate Moose
My hands are just so dry. :( It looks exactly like light chocolate milk!! Yummy!

L'occitane hand creams

L'occitane hand creams - Shea butter/Lavender

You can get the same quality for a much cheaper price. Any drugstore brand would do the trick. These two I had, my mum gave them to from her set of three for $30. So it comes down to $10 each for 30ml. I think it is bit pricey, well,  because it doesn't really do anything! My hands felt soft when I first put them on, but they didn't change a thing, at least for me. I still have my wrinkles, and dryness around my fingers. The texture of the she butter one is very thick! I had to wait for few minutes whenever I had it on, just to avoid smearing everything I touched. The one with lavender oil is much lighter, and probably better for summer use. Never was a big fan, probably never will be. Of course, if whoever takes one look at my pictures, they will know I'm still in the search for a "miracle" cream!

Jouviance EcoPurifying

Jouviance EcoPurifying Cleansing Gel
Jouviance EcoDefense Antioxidant Emulation 

I got this set of cleaner & lotion before I went on my trip. Oh, I'm glad I did! The cleaner was a gel based, and 3-in-1 for combination to oily skin. It could be used as a make-up remover, cleaner and toner as well. According to their website, the cleaning gel contains calendula, a plant treatment for anti-inflammatory. It was very gentle on my skin, at the same time, strong enough to remove make-ups. The moisturizer lotion was 3-in-1, too. It protected against the pollution, wrinkles and improves skin radiance, and I could use on my eye area! What I discovered was that they were perfect for dry, winter weather, but it was too oil to use for summer. They lasted about 4 weeks, and my skin appearance was noticeable improved! I even got complements from total strangers!:)

OPI Barefoot in barcelona

OPI Espana collection - Barefoot in Barcelona
It is a nude chocolate cream color in my eyes:). If I put on three coats like in the picture, it turned out to be like a pink brown color. The formula is just awesome, and the color is so creamy. I still need sometime to get a hang of the right amount though. Mine turned out to be too thick, and it actually chipped the next day.:) It probably because I had too many coats on, the dry time was insanely long. I like this color for summer, especially if I got a nice tan on!

Clarins HydraQuench Cream

Where I live, we have harsh winter last about for 5 months.:) In my work place they use a central air conditioning system, we have almost none air circulation . The combination is lethal to my skin. I had dry, super sensitive skin with horrible redness! That was before I got this magical face cream!



Clarins HydraQuench Cream

It has a very rich texture that you may have to massage it into your face so it can be completely absorbed. The smell is like a flora perfume kind. I used it as a day/night cream. It still lasted about 2.5 months! I remember I read it somewhere that the ingredients in Clarins aren't as sweet as they claim. Lots lots harsh chemicals, you know what I mean. I have to be honest, whatever works for me I will definitely repurchase.

FYI, if anybody interested of finding out the safety of your cosmetic, here is the link:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

Dan Black - Karate Kid

Nars dual ended lip gloss + Bourjois and Gosh Mascaras

The summer is here, and I need to do some cleanings starting with my makeup. I hate to keep make-ups i no longer use. Compulsively, I've to throw them out, and I figure it would be nice I could keep a record of them.

Nars dual ended lip gloss - Giza/Boogie Nights

I hate it! I hardly ever used it. It didn't smell nice, the colors looked horrible, and it is just way overpriced for its sticky quality. Giza is a soft pale color. It has no shimmer, just sheer. In other words, it has no color! Boogie Nights is a metallic berry color. Same thing as Giza, very very sticky and stinks.



Bourjois Mascara - Volume Clubbing Ultra Black

As the name suggested, wearing it at night! It smudges on me, but I haven't found anything not. It does truly gives volume, but the thick formula makes it clumpy. All in all, with a lash comb in hand, it's not too bad.

Gosh Mascara - Amazing Length'n Build

It does nothing more than a $8 one from any drugstore brand. I bought it in a fun color, like the jet-blue. I mostly wear with my fake lashes for some drama.:) Buyers beware! I just find out this product has been RECALLED in Europe in 2009!!

Here is the link:
http://recalledproducts.org/recall/view/gosh-mascara-amazing-lengthn-build

KoKo restaurant + bar

Last Saturday, we had dinner at KoKo restaurant + bar with a group of our friends. Personally, I love the layout of this restaurant. Half private dinning area, half lounge & club. The reservation I made through opentable.com which is really convenient, especially when I couldn't get anybody on the phone.:)

We arrived 8:45 sharp, and didn't get our food until finishing two bottle of wines. It didn't really bother us, but anyone who is going should be aware they have this "sharing concept" which they served everything ordered at once. So you would want to at least have some crackers handy in your clutch!:)

For starter, I had "Asian pear and watercress salad" with yuzu vinaigrette which is a lemon, orange flavored dressing. It was fine. The pear was bit too soft, and the dressing was bit too light. R had "Vegetable samosas with yogurt dip", and "Grilled angus beef steak". They were just fine, nothing special; but I really want to talk about the "Tuna tartar" and "Unagi and sockeye salmon roll" I had for my main dishes. They were excellent! The tartar was served with potato chips. It was crisp and fresh. My sushi was wonderfully delicious with right amount of sweetness. For dessert, I shared a "Pineapple crumble with coconut ice cream" with R. The ice cream was great, but the pineapple was too sweet for me. All in all, the menu is plenty of choice. You can come up with different sides with any main dishes.

Everything was supposedly be pretty good except R found his credit card was being charged $10 more today. We don't really know what happened exactly. It could be just a honest mistake which I'm hoping for. He is gonna call them, and let's see how things sort out.

Toronto

I was in the city for a weekend with R. I hadn't been to Toronto for two years. It was even stranger than before. I never liked the downtown area, the huge blocks and the "threw together" restaurants. But I always enjoy the street cars, especially the one goes through Queen street. R wants to move, and I would probably be better-off if I do, too. It's not easy when I have so many attachments here. I don't really know what's gonna happen. At the mean time, he hasn't find a job in Toronto yet.

Back from vacation

I can't believe the last post was in February.

Until March this year, I hadn't had any sort of vacation for almost three years. It's just very refreshing to finally take a "break" lasted about two months.:) I went away, and literally away. No facebook, no youtube, no blogs, and most impressively no balckberry! I'm not gonna lie, and it wasn't that convenient at first (some of my friends even thought I went m.i.a.:). I made it through the entire trip.

It was totally in relax-nation when I got home, but did I have any new perspectives and insights on my life? I guess it wasn't that kind of "zen".:)

OPI Baguette Me Not

I got this nail polish with other three different colors as a set on my birthday last year. Baguette Me Not is part of OPI France Collection. Click to see Scrangie swatch, it's insanely gorgeous! This is my favorite out of the whole set. I was never a big fan of anything orange until I got this polish. It has a creamy pinkish orange color. The color is so unique, and yet it gives me a pop without being too conspicuous. It is a color I can wear all year-round, especially in winter time, it brightens up my totally dark wardrobe.

The picture was taken in day light after 2 coats with a base and top coat. For base and top coat, I used Sally Hansen Complete Care 4-in-1 Treatment.

Let's get it started!

The first post will be dedicated to the day I realize I should stop hoping and waiting for things to change! I come to terms with the fact that I'm not perfect and not everybody likes who and what I am, and I'm OK with it. From today, I take a stand and begin to live my life as best as I can!:)

Long live my Fatty boy~