Hair Rave: Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Conditioner

Hello again! I must tell you about this hair changing product!

Before I begin, I must tell you about my hair. I have naturally straight hair that can get very dry, no matter what products I use. I can get oils,treatments, and shampoo and conditioners that are meant to give moisture and have no results. My hair looks very healthy and soft, but once you touch it, it feels like like hay. Due to the dryness, my hair really started to suffer for about a year and started to poof up a bit.

For a long time, I saw beauty bloggers rave about the Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Conditioner and I just had to try it. I mean, if so many people are getting results, why not me? Let me tell you, it was probably the best thing I have done for my hair! It returned to its natural, straight ways and as an added bonus, it is really soft!If you have thick hair, you have to try this amazing product. i read on some reviews that it also works for textured hair! The smell is great and a little of it goes a long way. my hair is a bit long (ends mid back) and I only need 4 pumps, which is a lot less than what I used to use. On some reviews, it says that the shampoo is not worth the money because the conditioner works just as well with drugstore shampoos in comparison.

If you have thin hair, I do not recommend this product due to its super hydrating qualities. If you still want to try it out, try one or two pumps.

Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Shampoo

• $19.89 (Amazon prices)
• 550ml (about 18.6 oz)
• With Pump
• Refills available for $16.55( Amazon prices for 400ml)

My next post will probably be about the May Glam bag since I got it for the first time. I will tell you if the bags are worth spending your money on. Fingers crossed that it isn't a waste of money!

Thanks for reading! If you have any hair masks that you like, comment below!

Megumi

Obsession: Bold Lips

It has been so long since I last wrote a blog post! I think the last time I made one was either before or in the beginning of fall semester.....DEDICATION RIGHT HURRR!

Anyways, I have fallen in love with a new trend( at least for me!). Bold lips have been gracing my lips for the past month and I can't stop! I especially love matte bold lips because it is not as busy as a satin and gives off a much more chic look.

The colors I have especially liked are:
Wet n' Wild Mega Last Matte Lipsticks in: Smokin' Hot Pink and Purty Persimmon
Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in: Hot

I especially love these because they stain my lips as well! Now don't get me wrong, I do not constantly wear bold lips. I understand they can be overbearing and that may not be your style. If you do want to try out these colors, I suggest tapping it on your lips and smudge with your fingers and build up to your desired pigmentation.

Now, it's picture time!

  

Wet n' Wild Lipstick in in Purty Persimmon. I would say it is an orange-red lipstick that really suits yellow undertones.

Wet n' Wild Lipstick in Smokin' Hot Pink. A dusty rose/cool toned pink that would probably suit a lot of skin tones. This one is my favorite because it is bold, but not as crazy as the others. 

Covergirl Lipstick in Hot. This color is said to be Taylor Swift's lip color and boy, do I like it! It is a pink toned red(if that helps) and is absolutely universal. 

Disclaimer: if you don't like you lips stained, don't try these out because they stain your lips like crazy!

That's all folks! Thank you for reading!

Megumi

Monthly Favorites: August

August came and went, now it's time for September!

These are the products I have used in August!

1. Aveeno Positively Nourishing in Energizing Pomegranate Grapefruit- I apply this after I take a shower and it makes my skin so soft and I love the scent. At first, when I took a quick sniff, it smelt a bit floral, but it really is pomegranate with grapefruit.

2. Dove Style+Care Strength and Shine Extra Hold Hairspray- I use this for my side bangs. Since my hair is naturally straight, the only way to keep it out of my face is to use this hairspray. Now, I am a total hair noob(meaning, I haven't really put any kind of hair product in my hair) and this thing is easy to use, not that hairspray usually isn't...

3. Mark Good Glowing Powder Blush in Golden Glo- Now this blush is definitely a bronze and it is so sheer that it has no point. Or so I thought. It is super shimmery or sparkly that I just use it as a highlighter on my cheekbones, carefully of course. It gives me a wonderful glow. 

4. Orly Nail Lacquer in Rage- Absolutely love this color! It's a metallic rose gold that is a bit bronze and I cannot live without it. Go get it now!!!!

5. Maybelline Ultra Liner Waterproof in Black- This liquid liner is really pigmented and gives me good control and generally stays in place. There is one thing I don't like: it flakes really bad when you take it off. This makes it hard to get off since the flakes go everywhere on your face and if you rub your eyes enough, it flakes quickly. Bleh!

6. NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny- Love this bronzer! The only other bronzer I have used is the ELF blush and bronzer duo and I did not like all that shimmer. This is perfect for me because it isn't overly orange and completely matte while still giving you that glow. 

7. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic- This has been my go to lip color. I just apply a sheer amount onto my lips and it gives me a nice flush of pink to them. If I wanted to go a bit more dramatic, I just apply more layers. 

I actually just added that ankle bracelet to the bottom because I thought it was a good accent for the picture. Ha!

Thank you for reading,

Megumi

PS: Tell me of a really amazing waterproof liquid liner! I really want one!

Hawaii Pics

So back in June I went to Hawaii and I said I was going to show tou guys some pictures, but I got a bit lazy....
anyways, I thought, "Why not do it now?"  So here are some of my pictures. I hope your not hungry because a lot of it is food haha!
Ps. This is the first time I am using my phone to blog. Hopefully it turns out great!

Simple Drugstore Look: Every Day Edition

Today, I am going to show you a look that I have really liked. It is a really easy look and you can adapt it in a way that you like. You can stop after the first step or do every single step and even add more colors. It is a very neutral look so it's not all up in your face. As an added bonus, the look is pretty much all drugstore. Cheap, but awesome at the same time!

Products Used:

Face

Skin79 Oriental Gold BB Cream

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Sand

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny

Eyes

Wet n' Wild Eyeshadow Palette in Comfort Zone

Maybelline Ultra Liner in Black

Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara(Waterproof)

For tools, I pretty much only use ELF so there is nothing really specific that you should use.

For the face products, this is just what I use. I love these products, but you may have products you prefer.

This is the only eyeshadow palette I am using. It is super cheap ($4.99) and really amazing. You can find this at Walgreens. I labeled each side as Side 1 or Side 2.

Apply the browbone color on your browbone and the eyelid color up to your crease from Side 1. Don't go past the crease.

Add the crease color from Side 1. Make sure you blend it in really well.

Add the define color from Side 1 to the outer v. For me, I like it a bit subtle, so I did it with a very light hand.

This is what the look open so far.

For some added drama, I added the gorgeous( and I mean gorgeous!) define eyeshadow from Side 2 to the middle of my eyelid. The color is simply gorgeous!

So I finished it off with eyeliner and mascara. Voila! We are done! Easy-peasy lemon squeazy! 

Now even though this is not exactly part of the tutorial, I just really wanted to show you this color. It is the Revlon Just Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic. I have a very sheer layer, but it can definitely be made to be more opaque. Love it!

The format I used was inspired by Urban Babe. She posts about makeup, life, and it is all really interesting/helpful. You should definitely check her out!

Anyways, I hope this was at least slightly interesting.

Thanks for reading!

Megumi

Things NOT to Buy

Now, we live in a time were money can be tight, but we still want to look our best. I mean, if we didn't what's the point of the countless hours spent browsing on the internet and looking up all the product reviews. Here is a list of things I think you should NOT spend a huge amount of your money on.

#1 Facial Sprays
I think Facial sprays are a HUGE waste of money. I mean, a majority of women only buy them so that they can spray something nice and refreshing on the face. If you just buy a spray bottle in the travel section at your local store and put in water with some rose essence( or any essence) then you can have the same effect. The mist will be finely sprayed and you can still have the refreshing feeling that you were looking for without shelling out as much money. If you are the type of person who wants the benefits of a facial spray, then here is a DIY from another blogger.

#2 Lip Balms
Now when I say lip balms, I'm not talking about the chapsticks, tinted lip balms(well maybe I am for this one), or any of those kinds of things. I mean a lip product whose sole purpose is to save your lips from dehydration. I love chapsticks, they are easy and convenient. I am talking about products like Rose Bud Salve. Now this product is supposed to re-hydrate your lips, but why spend $8, when you can buy something for probably half the price, maybe even less? I suggest instead to buy petroleum jelly, like Vaseline, or products that contain petroleum jelly, like Aquaphor. They don't cost as much, have the same feel(or similar to) as the Rose Bud Salve, and are really effective. Plus, many people are attracted to the color of the salve, believing that it will give them I nice tint. Sorry to say, but it is so sheer that there is literally no point. Plus, if you wanted to make a tinted lip balm, just mix your petroleum jelly with pink eyeshadow or any color that you desire. No need to shell out so much money ladies!

#3 Lipstick
Now this one may or may not hurt me, but their are some great alternatives to some expensive lipsticks in the drugstore. I am not talking about colors that are hard to find or the texture is different, I am talking about the basic colors. When some people say, "I just want a basic red, let's go to MAC!" that makes me think 'don't they know that they could get a really great red at the drugstore?' Honestly, there is only a limited amount of different reds in the world and most people can find their lipstick at the drugstore. The drugstore companies have really stepped it up people so go check it out! If you want a sheer red, matte red, or even a super shimmery red, just go look at the drugstore!

I'm not saying all makeup should be bought at the drugstore or condemning some products for being creative. I just think people should spend their money wisely and not just blindly head over to a makeup counter without checking their drugstore or trying to find an alternative. If you have been eyeing a certain product, then save your money to buy it by looking for alternatives!

Hopefully this was a bit of an eye-opener for some people.
Thank you for reading!
Megumi

CVS Deal:Garnier Hair Products

It's that time of year again where school begins. WOOHOO! To be honest, I am completely excited to go back to school. I get to see all of my friends and roommates again! Anyways, I have to start buying personal care items because I live in a dorm, story of a college student.

Are you ready for a great deal? If you buy 3 Garnier Hair products, not only will it cost $10, but you will also get 3 Extra Care Bucks. If you don't have a CVS card, well, you should. Not only is it free, but you get the benefits of awesome deals and boy do they have great deals!

The products I bought were:
Daily Care Shampoo and Conditioner
Brilliantine Shine Gloss Spray

I have never tried them before, but I never hated anything from Garnier, so I don't think it is going to start anytime soon.

With the 3 Extra care Bucks, I was able to finally buy the NYC Bronzer in Sunny. Guess what? It only cost me 21 cents! How crazy is that? I mean, this is definitely worth the deal, even exceeds it!

It was hard to take a picture. I wanted to have the picture with all three products, but my hands just aren't big enough. Gahhhh, small hand girl problems!

I wanted to try this because my friend is absolutely in love with it. 

Sunny Bronzer is in my life! Now, I can contour or at least put on some color that my BB cream takes away.

I hope this post was at least a little bit helpful! Now my next hunt is to find a waterproof liquid eyeliner from the drugstore. Wish me luck!

Thank you for reading!

Megumi