Review: Lovely ME:EX Nail Polish Remover (01 Pink)

On Monday, my best friend, Sabrina of The Petite Style, and I hung out in the San Jose area. After a long day of shopping our butts off at the Great Mall, we stopped by The Face Shop, which has been on my yelp "to try" list since August 2010. There were a ton of cool Korean products, but unfortunately, most things were just out of my price range.

Lovely ME:EX Nail Polish Remover 100ml, $3

I picked up two face masks and this nail polish remover. Initially, I was drawn to it because of the color and the smell. It doesn't smell like just alcohol, it has a bit of a fruity scent to it. I thought it was lovely at the time.

T H E . G O O D
I removed my Muppets mani from a few days ago since it was chipping. It took off Warm & Fozzie alright but left bits of glitter all over my hand, which may be because of the cotton balls I'm using. I found that it took off Excuse Moi! a bit easier than regular nail polishes, but I don't know if the glitter is less stubborn in this formula or if the nail polish remover actually removes chunky glitter better.

T H E . B A D
I don't really like the packaging. It's cute, but I don't find it functional. It has a medicine type of cap which is supposed to make it harder for children to open it, but it just kind of annoying. It took me a few tries to open it because I didn't realize it was a medicine cap. And even after realizing it, I would forget and try to open it again without pushing down.

Also, the opening for the product is tiny! I'm so used to large openings. I find that if you stick a cotton ball or pad in the normal bottles and do a quick upside down swish, it has enough product to remove a few nail's worth. But this one just slowly drips and because of the light pink color (which is nice) I can't tell how much product is dispensing.

The smell also started to be a turn off. I liked it in the beginning, but the longer I'm exposed to it, I can smell more of the acetone. Then it just smells like bad medicine with this weird fake smell.

I also found the product to be kind of expensive for what you get. It's a tiny bottle. For $3, you don't get much.

I don't think I would buy it again. Disappointed, to be honest. Hopefully, the masks will turn out well because I read some good reviews on it.

HG: EOS Lip Balm

I've been using EOS for a while now. I had bought it on a whim because of its shape and was pleasantly surprised at how great it works. I've already gone four of them: summer fruit, honeysuckle honeydew, and medicated tangerine, and strawberry sorbet [ which was eaten by my boyfriend's sister's dog :( ]. I just bought the sweet mint one today to replace the eaten one.

A little background on me. I tend to lose my lip balms before I can finish them. I would buy lip balms almost once a month and I don't even use lip balms daily sometimes (bad habit, I know). So when I found this product, it was a miracle that I've gone through, not one, not two, but three whole spheres.

I find the texture of the lip balm to be ideal. It's not too heavy so I don't feel like I have a lipstick or salve over my lips and it's not too light so it stays put when I mash my lips together, which I happen to do a lot. I know some people find it waxy and not very smooth, but I really like it. I guess it depends on everyone's own preferences.

I've out of the four I've tried, I actually like the summer fruit the most. I thought honeysuckle honeydew would be my favorite since I love honeydew, but out of them all, summer fruit has the heaviest scent and longest lasting of them all. Honeysuckle honeydew and tangerine have a pretty mild flavor and scent which is great for those who don't really want too much artificial flavor, but I don't think summer fruit is too bad. Strawberry sorbet is a pretty standard strawberry flavor, but it's not too fake tasting, which is nice. I really like the sweet mint one as well. When I saw that it was mint, I was a bit worried, but it tastes a bit like candy canes. It's really nice.

I didn't realize that the tangerine one is medicated. I haven't really noticed any difference between them, but it might be because I didn't use it regularly enough. I just use it if I feel like it.

I've tried plenty of lip balms and this one is basically my holy grail. I always have it on hand. I never lose it. I finish them. It's basically the best thing for my lips. :)

NOTD: The Muppets: Warm & Fozzie, Excuse Moi!

Merry Christmas everyone! :)

I decided to paint my nails today and I couldn't decide on what polishes to use. I was gifted The Muppettes (which are mini bottles of The Muppets Collection from OPI) from my Reddit Secret Santa and I really wanted to try Warm & Fozzie and Excuse Moi!

So I decided to do Excuse Moi! on my ring fingers and Warm and Fozzie on everything else. My god, these polishes are amazing. I couldn't capture some of the brillance of these polishes. Warm & Fozzie just looks like a shimmery brown gold in this picture, but there are a ton of red glitter that's just glimmers when you move your nails. It's so beautiful. I didn't realize there was going to be so much dimension. I definitely want to pick up a full size bottle.

Excuse Moi! was surprising for me. I thought it was just a glitter with a clear base, but it's actually glitter suspended in a pink base. It looks almost jelly like on my nail. I was surprised at how opaque it is. It's more of a deep pink, not super bright like a magenta, but not exactly red. It's kind of a hard color to describe actually. I really like it, it's super unique. There's a TON of glitter in it. I think there's some pink glitter as well as silver, but the bigger glitter particles are actually blue and green. I wouldn't have thought it would be a good color combo, but it's really nice. The color is actually lighter than the pic, but it's still really pretty and bright.

I really love these! And I can't wait to try out the other two colors. Maybe for new years!

Bras: The Atlas to Your Boobs

Ladies, let me tell you something that can help you drastically improve your wardrobe. ~*~*~THE BRA~*~*~. It’s surprising how this tiny contraption can change your look.

Unless you have some cute itty-bitty-titties (nothing wrong with that!), bras are essential to a girl’s wardrobe because they provide a basis for clothes to drape on. They can also help with your posture. I’m sure you’ve heard that most girls aren’t wearing the right size bra, right? Well, a lot of girls, even while knowing this, still aren’t wearing the right support. There are tons of bra styles and colors and shapes! It can get a bit overwhelming. Where to even start?


S I Z I N G
The first thing you should do is get measured. I didn’t get my first properly fitted bra until I was 16! Years and years of hiding under ill fitting clothes because I didn’t fit into my bra. :’( There are a ton of resources out there that try and help you decide what bra size you are with a measure tape and some calculations, but I would suggest going to a bra specialist first. They are trained to handle your hooters and help you find something that will make you feel and look better. If you’re nervous about going topless, they can always measure you under your clothes. Just wear something thinner (like a t-shirt, not a sweater) and expect to try on a few bras before you can decide which one fits well.

If you can put more than two fingers facing outwards between your bra and your body. If you can fit more than two, then your band size is too big, if you can’t even fit one, your band size is way too small. If your bra has an underwire, it should be laying flat against your rib cage, not on top of any breast fat. Your boobies should not overflow in the cups, unless you like the quadruple boob look. Also, if you find that you need to adjust your shoulder straps drastically just so that you feel supported, you’re probably wearing the wrong size. Most of the support should be from the back strap.

A common misconception occurs with bra sizing. Most people, *coughGUYScough* think that D cups are much larger than say B cups, but this isn’t necessarily true. The cup size changes according to band size. A bra that is a 34D has about the same cup size (volume-wise) as a 36C. So having a “D-cup” doesn’t really hold much weight. It all depends on your band size, which measures the circumference under your breasts. Confusing right? That’s why I recommend having an expert size you.

Also keep in mind that your breasts might change throughout the menstrual cycle. They tend to get bigger right before your period, which might warrant a different bra size. Gaining or losing weight might also change your bra size since your breasts are basically sacks of fat. :) Fun, fun sacks of fat.

As if bra sizing wasn’t bad and confusing enough, different manufacturers might vary on bra sizes as well. A 34C from Company A might fit you, but you need a 32D from a different company. I suggest that you try on bras in person or if you order online, make sure they have a good return policy. Bras are expensive.


E S S E N T I A L S
There are tons types of bras and I don’t really want to list them all. A quick google search can help. I think every girl should have at least one of these types of bras:

• A basic nude bra. Nude is boring, bland, but it’s an essential piece to have if you want to make sure that your bra isn’t glaring out from your whites or light colors. I would also get a black bra as well.

• A strapless bra. Ah, the ol’ strapless bra. It’s useful for those cute strapless tops or dresses. It’s kind of a love-hate relationship with me since I have larger ta-tas. Most girls with smaller boobs can survive with a strapless bra with two clasps. Oh, how I envy you. With larger boobs, I would suggest that you wear a long-line bra, which is a bra that has a longer supporting back strap so that the weight of the boobs is more evenly distributed, even if they’re a pain to get on.
• A t-shirt bra. These bras are supposed to give you smooth lines so that if you were wearing a t-shirt, the bra lines wouldn’t show.
• For the large chested, full support bra. It’s tough lugging around huge ta-tas all day. Sometimes your back just needs a little help. Full support bras usually have a wider back and shoulder strap.
• For the athletes, sports bra. Boobs are under a lot of stress when you exercise. You don’t want them to go flinging everywhere. If you have a larger chest, it also tends to really hurt. I would invest in a good sports bra if you’re serious about doing anything strenuous. You want the bra to compress your boob so that there’s minimal movement. These bras tend to make your boobs look funny. I’ve seen ones that section off each boob and compresses them. But you’re working out and your primary goal shouldn’t be trying to impress someone with your boobs. Also, I wouldn’t wear sports bras out normally because they give you that uniboob look or weird circle/triangle/any weird shape boobs.
• A feel-good-about-yourself/sexy bra. This is optional, but I’ve found that cute/sexy/pretty bras just seem to brighten my day. I don’t even need to be wearing it for a SO, it just makes me feel prettier. It can be a lace bra, a silky bra, a push-up, anything that’s a little different that makes you just feel good.

Note: I’ve once bought a minimizer bra and I really didn’t like it. It just smushed my boobs and made it harder to breathe. Your breast fat doesn’t really have anywhere to go, so a minimizer bra just pushes it to the side in an attempt to make you smaller in profile. I might just be a personal thing, but I don’t know.

B R A C A R E
I used to just throw my bras into the washer and dryer because I was too lazy to take care of my bras. This damages the elasticity of your bra and makes it wear out quicker. Try to hand wash your bras because that’s the best way to ensure that your bras aren’t damaged or roughly handled. If you must wash your bra in the washer, then try and purchase a lingerie bag so that it won’t get tangled with the rest of your clothes. You should shape your bras so that the cups are nice and full (if it’s lined) and air-dry it. I find that if I don’t shape and air dry my bras, they get this weird extra material on the inside, like it was supposed to be flipped inside out. 

I would also try to store it the same way you dry it, with the cups puffed out. You can stack them on top of each other like how Victoria’s Secret does it. It helps keep its shape. Also, avoid wearing the same bra two days in a row because you need to give the elastic some time to contract back. You gotta give it a break, it’s been working very hard.

Fun fact: Bras do not prevent sagging. They might make sagging worse. Your breast tissue will get weaker if your boobies are held up all the time. So, try taking it off once you get home and let your girls rest. They won’t droop lower because of it!


Disclaimer: I am by no means a bra expert. I’ve just pieced this together from what I’ve learned. I want to say everything is accurate, but it may or may not be a lie. (Just like the cake!) This is all really basic, so I would love suggestions and comments!

Also, love your boobs! There are so many insecurities surrounding them, but they don’t define you. Boobs come in all shapes and sizes and nipples can be large, small, dark, barely there. They are a part of you and you should love them!

Haul: Grocery Outlet

Lately, I've been toying with the idea of finding good deals on cosmetics and clothing. Yesterday, I went to Grocery Outlet, which is a grocery store that sells at a discount. Personally, I don't mind stores like these, but I don't think I would buy generic goods or produce from these places. Maybe I'm a bit of a snob, but I've been kind of pampered after going shopping at Nugget Markets.

But anything goes for packaged, name-brand goods. And I found some good deals. Here's what I got:

[Please excuse the iPhone pictures. My camera is out of juice and I can seem to find that darn charger. :( ]

Sally Hansen Salon Nail Color Set, $5.99

From the looks of these bottles, they're part of an older set. I think Sally Hansen changed their bottle design sometime around late 2009, but don't quote me on it. I actually really like the shape of these bottles, they remind me of the Rimmel ones that I love. I thought it was a steal at 5.99 since bottles of Sally Hansen can go up to 8 bucks or so and I got 5 whole bottles at 6 bucks, which puts them at 1.20 each + tax. Not bad, I say. I don't know what I'm going to do with the clear one, but the other colors are very wearable.

Revlon Assorted Nail Polish Stick, 4.99

I don't think this is an official stick that Revlon would put out. There were about 3 sticks left and there were two different combinations, but inside those combinations, there were duplicates so that there were only like 2 bottles difference between the two. I just picked up one since who needs two bottles of the same polish? At $5 dollars, each of these polishes put me back $1 dollar each. I think I might have some of these shades, but I can always give them away if that was the case. Who can say no to a bargain like that?

L'oréal Hip Duo in Moon Goddess 35, $2.99

I haven't bought any of the L'oréal Hip collection, but I'm always reading about how great they are. This was the only one of the shelf so I just couldn't say no to it. I haven't opened it yet, but it looks like a kind of purpley taupe and a charcoaly black. I figured these colors were pretty wearable and I don't think I have anything like the purpley taupe color.

TRESsemmé Curl Activator Spray, $2.99

I really like curling my hair, but I've been too lazy to do it lately. It never seems to come out great. I have like 4 curling irons and some hair straighteners, but my curls never seem to hold for more like a few hours, and even during those few hours, the curls are droopy and lifeless. I've been searching for a product to help create curls and keep them for a while now. I decided to give this one a try. Hopefully, it won't disappoint.

Overall, I'm happy with my purchase. :) I wish the cosmetic section of Grocery Outlet was bigger. It was the size of those end shelves that you see at the end of an aisle and there were many good name-brand products. I only go with names that I know because I don't know if I can trust any knock off items and my body is extremely sensitive to products. There was an elf palette too, but I decided against it because I have so many palettes now.