Reason for MIA

I know it seems I fell out of the blogosphere but I had to take a break from the blog to tend to some personal issues. My granny has not been doing too well in her battle with liver cancer recently. She was going strong for 10 years but recently the cancer has been unwieldy. She's still fired up and she's not about to go down without a good fight or two or three - but that's just how my granny is. She's got spunk. Sorry for the abrupt absence but I'll be returning to the Land of Blog shortly :)

Swarovski USB Robots $180

Look at this bling I've been gazing at all day! They're USB Charms from Swarovski and Philips. I want one so bad but I just can't justify forking over 180 bucks for only 2GB worth of space. They're so darn cute and their little LED ears light up when data is being transferred.

Naughty Raymond


Happy Laura


Dreamy Tina (My fave!)

Clarisonic Plus Malfunction :(

Over the past couple of months I've noticed the number of uses I can get between charges has been steadily decreasing. I thought it was just my imagination and kept using it. I got really suspicious when a couple of days ago I was only able to get 2 uses (2 min each) before the Clarisonic ran out of charge.

After letting my Clarisonic charge a full 24 hours yesterday and I couldn't even get it to turn on. It just keeps beeping at me wanting to be charged. WTF?!?!?! I've combed the web and haven't found any mention of other users with charging problems.

I guess I'm at the mercy of the Clarisonic customer service reps. Wish me luck!

Kinerase C8 Peptide Intensive Treatment $98 Review

Description stolen from Sephora's website:
In a clinical study, Kinerase's revolutionary SNAP-8 neuropeptide was shown to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by 34.9% in 28 days. The added benefits of vitamin C, Kinetin, and green tea form a powerhouse antioxidant complex to provide the ultimate protective and restorative complexion treatment.

I tried this last March at Nordstom on my right hand and the results were immediate! All the little fine lines on the back of my hand were smoothed out and my pores were diminished too. So although I really really wanted to buy the stuff on the spot - I pulled in the reins and restrained myself. O and when I asked the SA to show me this product, she mentioned that my skin was too young to be concerned with wrinkles - I was so flattered! BUT unfortunately she was wrong.

I notice that when I crinkle my forehead, the lines that form take longer to disappear now then before. I took this as a sign that I need to take immediate action. I finally got some of this stuff during a Sephora promotion for 15% off and I've been testing this out to see the results.

The Verdict: B-
I apply this every night underneath my moisturizer on my forehead and neck area. I was tempted to just apply to half my forehead and half my neck so I could see the results and compare but I who wants to have half a wrinkly face? So I talked myself outta that terrible idea.

The consistency of this is a similar to a lotion. There is no greasy or oily feel and it's very fast absorbing. There is a very faint fragrance to it but I can't pinpoint what it is.

I've been using this for about 2 months now and I haven't been seeing the results I'd hope for. Although there was an immediate change in the first week of use, after that initial week I stopped noticing any changes. The changes themselves weren't as dramatic as I'd hoped (or witnessed on my hand) but the wrinkles I saw before were diminished a bit. The lines on my neck are much more diminished than the ones on my forehead. I would re-purchase for use on my neck but I need to look to another product for the baby lines on my forehead. I think this is most effective on deeper set wrinkles and mature skin.

Anticipating Shu Uemura's Tokyo Kamon Girls Collection

I got this teaser in my email yesterday about the upcoming Shu Uemura collection!

The Shu Uemura Powers collaborated with manga artist Moyoco Anno to design the limited edition Tokyo Kamon Girls Collection.


This is Moyoco herself - Isn't she lovely? I love her kimono! The colors and patterns are sooo gorgeous! Reminds me of origami paper.


The main focus of this collection are the Shu Cleansing Oils packaged with the Tokyo Kamon Girls motif. Each bottle is 450ml and represents an individual Kamon Girl with her own personality and an accompanying mini-story. From top to bottom:

TAMAKI(orange)
High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil
Strong willed and energetic, she has straight long hair and a fringe that is reminiscent of traditional images of Japanese female beauty. She lives in a luxurious mansion in one of Tokyo's most exclusive residential areas, Den-en-Chofu.

SAKURAKO(pink)
High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Fresh
She is a blossom of charm and purity. She sits in Tokyo's Ueno Park on her way back from her frend's wedding dressed in her best kimono and enjoying the stylish springtime tradition of viewing bursts of cherry blossoms at night. Moyocco Anno designed her to encapsulate all that is cute.

MATSUNO(green)
Cleansing Beauty Oil Premium A/O
Reserved and elegant, she represents the subtle power of this design. A mature Japanese woman, she adores nature but is shy.

KATSURA(purple)
White Recovery EX+ Brightening Cleansing Oil
A coquettish women with side parted hair, she is flirtatious and is intent on stealing hearts from inside the kamon. She is mysterious and alluring.

TSURUHA(golden bottle)
High Performance Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula
A serene girl with bobbed hair, she represents happiness and fulfillment. She sparkles as she drifts through the streets of Tokyo attending a Kabuki performance with her mother and enjoying an afternoon of shopping in the Ginza district.


Personally, I could care less how these are packaged. The brush set and the train case are what I'm really looking forward to in this collection - Scroll down to take a peek!



I love the brushes themselves but I'm not feeling the color on the outside of the case or the lining on the inside. Now if they had designed the case with the lotus/gold foil look on the background of the teaser email and if they had lined it with the magenta-accent on Moyoco's kimono - I'd be drooling all over it.



What a beautiful train case~ I'm so addicted to them but it's so hard for me to commit to purchasing one. I'm always let down either by the look of the case, the construction quality, or how the shelves are on the inside. O and how could I forget the price. Train cases are hella-expensive!

I'm not feeling the way the shelves are only on 1-side of this train and I'm on the fence about the overall look of the case. I love the white on the outside - no problem with that, but white again on the inside? I wish there was more color. More color! Again I'm gonna have to see this baby in person.

MAC Sumo Savings 25% Off

Wahoo! From 06/16 - 06/18, save 25% off your entire online MAC Cosmetics purchase with code SAVE25.

Plus get free shipping if you spend $60 or more!

Epilation by Threading

I confess - I'm a hairy beast. I'm a hairy beast with thick eyebrows! Since 8th grade I've always plucked my eyebrows with my trusty Tweezerman tweezers. I've always stayed away from overplucking and I was pretty smug about my handiwork. Afterall I did get compliments and asked where I get my brows done.

The first time I saw "threading" being performed was at a mall kiosk. At the time, I really wasn't impressed by it and I didn't think it was for me. For some reason, the hypochondriac in me got to thinking it was unsanitary and I just never would give it a shot.

The Verdict: A-
Well, after growing into an open-minded and educated beauty addict I was curious and eager to give threading another shot. I went with a couple friends to Heena Salon in Richardson and now I'm a believer! I got my brows and upper lip done ($7 total) and the results are fantastic! It just makes my overall appearance look fresh and clean.

I'm not gonna lie - pain was involved but it certainly wasn't unbearable. It feels exactly like getting a bunch of little hairs pulled out but it's nowhere near the pain of plucking. The threads snatch up the hair so fast the pain was there and gone lightening quick. Some areas of my skin were irritated and had little pink raised bumps the next day, but it wasn't bad and they went away that night. My favorite part was the fact that it didn't require an appointment and I was in and out in 5 min flat!

Shu Uemura Custom Palette

I love the idea of a custom palette but all the compacts out there seem to be basic black. Black is just fine, but I love color! The colors on Shu Uemura's new custom palette is just perfect for summer!



At the Shu website, you can customize your palette and get the limited edition compact for free (no coupon code needed)! You can choose a palette that will fit:
4 eyeshadows
2 blushes
2 eyeshadows + 1 blush

I wish the compact came in a bigger size to fit more and I wish they had an option for lipcolors too...regardless I'm fighting the urge to purchase this!

Just click on the image above to go directly to the Shu website!

The Man Post - AHAVA Men and Molton Brown Cassia Energy Sport

I remember my mother using Ahava products when I was a child (and when they were still by mail order only) so when I saw this on the shelves at Bath&Body Works for 50% off I couldn't resist! I didn't want anything for myself because I have literally enough skincare stuff to last me until eternity but as a beauty addict, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't lavish my Schmoopy with fantastic skincare products as well? Schmoopy is a metro-man but he could care less about fancy skincare products. Before me, he was quite satisfied with drugstore brands but I made him see the Matrix :)

I got him this small sampling of Ahava Men shaving products. The smell of the products is really nice. It does not smell like Old Spice but it is manly and it's not overpowering (i.e. I didn't smell Schmoopy coming down the hall from half a mile away).

I also couldn't resist getting him a sport body wash from Molton Brown - it smells so good! I'll review this after the AHAVA products.

About AHAVA
Products from Ahava are all derived from plants and minerals found in the Dead Sea. Yea, that's right - THE Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is considered nature's natural spa and it's waters contain the highest concentration of minerals in the world – an astounding 32%. The mineral mud of the sea bed yield extraordinary concentrations (ten times more than ocean water) of natural elements – such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, strontium, boron and iron – all of which are essential to maintaining healthy, supple skin. Even its water is unique, infused with useful proteins created by fossils and algae. Using scientific research they've studied the therapeutic effects of the Dead Sea minerals when applied to the skin and found them to be revitalising and effective. Ahava is also an environmentally-friendly brand. They utilize non-polluting and environmentally conscious manufacturing processes. They do not use animals in any product testing phase and all of Ahava product containers are recyclable plastic.

AHAVA Deep Cleansing Gel for Men $18

Micro-peeling, foaming gel eliminates impurities and deep cleans skin without drying. Prepares skin for shaving. Invigorating. Gently massage micro-peeling cleansing gel onto wet face in a circular motion. Rinse with lukewarm water.

AHAVA Foam-free Silk Shave $19

This luxurious foamless shaving cream is enriched with Dead Sea minerals, vitamin E, Provitamin B5, and plant extracts including ginseng, ginger, ginkgo and dates. Specially designed to lift up, soften and condition individual hairs to achieve a comfortably close, even shave, and to leave skin soft, smooth and moisturized. Approved for Sensitive Skin. Hypoallergenic. Free of Parabens, SLS and Alcohol . Apply onto dampen skin and shave.

AHAVA Soothing After Shave Moisturizer $28

Dead Sea Minerals enrich this daily moisturizing cream. Alcohol free, it instantly addresses discomfort and irritation while smoothing fine lines. Antibacterial. Smooth onto clean, dry, shaven skin for instant absorption and relief. Avoid eye area.

The Verdict - AHAVA Men : A
Schmoopy was happy with all 4 items, not that he had a lot to compare to. He was impressed with the Soothing After Shave Moisturizer since it was alcohol free and did not sting his skin. He also liked the Foam-free Silk Shave because there was no foam, his skin was visible as he was shaving so he could see where he was placing his razor. The products did aid in shaving by softening his hairs and his skin was not irritated one bit. They also have a pleasant spicy scent that isn't overpowering.

Molton Brown Cassia Energy Sport Hair & Body Wash $24

This is just a simple body wash from Molton Brown. I know a lot of guys really like the scent Black Pepper, but I'm really not a fan and neither is Schmoopy. I really like this smell for a guy because it's refreshing and not floral or fruity.

This product is great for atheletic guys as it's a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner that can be easily taken to the gym. Cassia is a spice related to cinnamon and it's scent helps relax muscles and has antiseptic properties making it the ideal natural deodoriser.

The Verdict - Molton Brown Cassia Energy Sport: A+
He loves this body wash! I think a lot of guys out there hate body washes because body washes usualy leave a filmy feeling. My Schmoopy loves this body wash because there is absolutely NO filmy feeling at all. In fact, he says he feels squeaky clean just like if he used a bar soap but his skin isn't dried out. He also says wash's deodorant effect really works. He has that "I just showered" smell for most of the day. This body wash is highly recommended by Schmoopy!

Dior Addict High Shine $26

This is the Dior Addict High Shine in #222 Casual Beige. Like all of the Dior High Shine lipcolors, this one goes on sheer and gives just a hint of color.


I used a flash here, so it's not quite this pink in real life.

The Verdict: A
I love this super moisturizing lipstick! As my lips have a naturally dark pigment to them, I have to choose lipcolors carefully or I'll end up looking like a little girl with lipstick smudged all over her face. Becuase of this, I have a tendency to lean towards sheer lipcolors for daily use. I love throwing this on for en everyday, casual look.


Swatch with no flash - see how sheer?