Haul: Skincare Products for Acne Prone Skin!

Hiya all~ =) So as you all must know, Sephora recently had a 15% off for Beauty Insiders. I received my package the other day (finally), so here's a couple pics from the unpacking and other random stuffs :)



Here are some samples I got to choose :)

AH~ aren't they just beautiful? hehe :p

Clarifying Cleanser: OH MY GOD! This product seriously deserves its own post. I've finally found my hg cleanser! It's a gel to foam formula, and it smells WONDERFUL. It smells like lemongrass, and feels minty on the skin. My skin feel extremely clean after this! It doesn't dry out my skin too!

Skin Perfecting Lotion: Okay, the consistency is definitely a lot thicker than I imagined--but it's definitely non-oily and hydrates the face. I feel like it's really fighting my acne throughout the day!


Because it is a bit on the thicker side, it does take a little longer for it to set--but once it does, it leaves no sticky residue!

I've been wanting to try Mario Badescu's products for such a long time! So many of their products have great reviews claiming they work! Also.. their PRICES. AMAZING! Products that work AND don't drain your wallet. Now, that's something that interests me. As you all know, I've always had acne in my teen years, but it's never been such a HUGE problem. I've always been able to cover it up with some makeup, but now i'm just tired of even covering it up! The texture of your skin is definitely something makeup CANT cover. I've been trying so many different types of acne treatments, and none have worked so far. IQQU's acne serum has helped me get a head-start, but hasn't treated anything.


Here's the stuff i've picked up!

Okay. The drying lotion lives up to its hype!!!! It's the most powerful and effective spot-treatment I've EVER used. It does sting a bit, but who cares about little things like that if it works! You use a cotton swab to dip it in the bottle to catch some of the pink powder that settles at the bottom; you dab it over any blemish, and overnight, it's dramatically GONE!
As for the Acne Serum, i've been looking for something to replace my IQQU Acne Serum, and this just may be it! I've definitely begun to see some improvement in the overall acne on my face :)

And here are some samples they gave me! :) I think i'm going to purchase the full-sized cellufirm drops! They're amazing.

On a side note, I've been looking for the perfect face primer, but have yet to find it... the local Sephora store I went to gave me some samples of MUFE's, Smashbox's, and Lancome's (this ones from nordstrom's :p)--I don't like any of them... is something just wrong with me? What face primers do you guys recommend?

I know this is random, but i've been wanting to replace my Le Crayon Khol in Chataine by Lancome for awhile, since it's discontinued... I picked up Bobbi Brown's Gel liner in No. 2 Sepia Ink; it looks brown in the jar, but when applied, is just an ashy grey color! :( Anyone know any BROWN liners that work?

And to close this post! I wanted to share this product with all of you guys and gals! :)) I've been using this face brush since elementary school. I've drifted from it just because i've forgotten about it! But recently, i've been looking into the Clarisonic, and wondered if there was a cheaper alternative.. and this is it! I got it for $3 at The Body Shop. The design of the brush has changed over the years (I know, because I've gone through 3 of them!), but I really love the shape of this one. You apply your cleanser as if you would normally, wet the brush, and swirl it all over your face! Once you use it, you won't be able to stop because manual cleansing will leave your face feeling un-clean! It leaves your face smooth everytime. You won't regret getting this! It does take a bit to get used to, because it can be rough sometimes on the skin. But once you do, you'll never let it go!

I've finally found some products that are going to stay within my skin-care regiment for the rest of my life! I'm glad to share these products to you guys :) If you have acne-prone skin, really check these products out!

I know this was a rushed post, but I'll make sure to do another one before the week ends! I've been so sick, i'm missing so much school and cello! ugh. Also, I think i'll do a giveaway once I hit 100 followers! What do you guys think? :)

Have a great Friday!
Best,
Jinna<3

A Mini Haul and a long awaited post! [pic heavy]

Hi everyone :) I've been so busy recently, I haven't even had the time to stop by my own blog at all! AP (advanced placement) exams are coming up, and I have no idea what the hell is going on in my head with Microeconomics. -Sigh- besides that, I have a HUGE research paper thats due in a week and half, and mines not lookin so hott. I haven't finished any of the books that my author wrote, because I just don't have the time to read them! T^T

On a side note, for those of you who've read in my previous post(s), I had that concerto competition--turns out I didn't place... :( I was pretty happy with the way I played too! Talk about a big disappointment. The first place went to a pianist who played some Liszt, and the runner-up was a violinist who played a Sibelius piece (I think). There's always next time :/

anywho! I've been so busy, but whenever I drove by the mall, I took those chances and looked around for goodies :) It's not much, but a couple things I picked up!
I've been watching a little too much "What Not to Wear" on TLC recently... LOL. The most helpful advice that I picked up from the show was, go shopping for outfits, not pieces. It doesn't matter how many cute items you have, if they don't match, you can't wear anything with them! So this time, I went shopping for an outfit. :3

Here's what I picked up from Forever21:

Sorry for the crappy lighting!

A short pink cardigan with some accents

A simple white boho tank to match anything

And some headbands :) ..don't they look like underwear? LOL.

Here's what I picked up from Sephora:

The Smashbox primers were only $9 each! Great deals :) I picked up one for my mom too!

I also bought one of YSL's Rouge Volupte--talk about pricy!

Mines in #30, or in Peche Faubourg. All of them smell like candy o.o

A swatch in the nasty yellow lighting!

Taken in my bathroom :p under florescent lighting.

My bare lips--they're so pigmented, it's not even funny. It does lipsticks no justice! I usually use a lip erase, or lip concealer before :) This pic makes it look pretty neutral, but they're seriously red.

Here's with it on--no concealer under; not even moisturizer! As for the color, it's actually an orange-pink lipstick! The picture does not justice on the lovely color.

Also, within my busy and hectic week, one of my new and great friends, Jurang, came to sleep over! She's in one of the orchestras I do, but because she lives so far away, and her parents are out of the country, she stayed at my place for our concert :) We were super hungry after our rehearsal and decided to make some kimchi bocceumbap~

Here she is! She's going into a music major too :) she plays violin! we're the same age :p

yum yum yum. maybe I should put up a tutorial for this? what do you guys think? are you guys interested in korean food?

Here's a closeup! +_+ i'm getting hungry looking at this... we were so hungry we added the minimal amount of ingredients and chowed down ;D

Jurang fried the eggs :)

..and here she is!

camwhoring it in the kitchen X)

I'll miss her so much! She's going to Boston for school--I'm still deciding between Boston and and New York!

Oh man. This is a really long post... not to mention ultra pic heavy!
Anywho, might as well make it even longer :p Here's just some random pics I took with my friends~

My BFFL Erik! :) Who says only the same gender can be bffls?

And his stand partner Tiffany! :) or I like to call her... T CHI!

Here's a pic of them playing together at school :)

I realized I forgot to take a picture of my other bff (who is also in that class LOL)! So i'll just throw this one in here :) This is walking to orchestra at school!


And to close this post:
Recently, i've been so exhausted I can't make it through the day without at least 2 hrs of a nap... I go to sleep around midnight-1am, and wake up around 6 30. Is that lacking sleep? Everyone else seems to pull it off fine... I can't do anything during the day because I have to sleep! o.o any suggestions? I know once you get in the hang of sleeping, it's hard to come out.. but maybe I need some exercise or something(?).
On the other hand, besides the stresses from school, my relationships with my friends as well as my prince charming have been great :p Ah~ young love. Man, I sound like some old lady saying that. LOL.

Anywho, today was the hump of the week, so it'll only go down from here! :"))
Goodluck everyone, and stay strong! (easier said than done)

Love,
Jinna

Random Reviews of Foundations/Powder

Hiya everyone :) I've been wanting to make this post for awhile now, but really wanted to wait until I used up most of the product to give a really good review. Here are my thoughts on Bobbi Brown's Oil Free Cream Foundation, Lancome's Teint Idole Ultra Foundation, and Laura Mercier's Translucent Loose Powder! ;) Enjoy~


Bobbi Brown Oil-Free Cream Foundation This is the first product that I purchased among these three! I had wanted to try this for SO long. This was my first experience with cream foundation. I love Bobbi Brown's Color Correctors, so why not try this? Okay, first off, the oil control is fantastic. I have super oily skin--nowhere near combination skin homies. This really does the job on controlling oil production! But now here's the huge downfall. The staying power is absolutely TERRIBLE! It disappears into my skin after only the second hour. I've tried setting it with translucent powder, pressed powder foundation, mineral foundation, using a brush, using a puff... you name it. I couldn't do ANYTHING to get it to stay on my face longer! But I really love the finish and everything about the texture... It's really a shame. I had to reapply this foundation everytime I had a chance! (So about 2-3 times a day) And let me tell you--the amount they give you is really unfair. The pan is ridiculously shallow and thin. I've hit pan on the product after 2 weeks of usage. This was $40 USD folks. That's damn expensive for 2 weeks of foundation. I'm never re-purchasing it again just because of the price and staying power. If you need minimal coverage, I say go for it! It's very buildable; it can be applied sheer, or built up to full coverage. If you want to try a cream foundation, and are willing to pay a decent amount for it, try it out! :p Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder This is the first translucent powder i've ever purchased. So many people swear by this product on Sephora's reviews, so I decided to give it a try. Well, the first thing I noticed is... It's staying power is not all that great. I've tried using it with both a puff and powder brush. But on the other hand, it really gives you that 'natural' powdered face! It doesn't look cakey if you use the correct method. The powder has to be evenly spread out on the face! Another thing I really like about this is that it really covers up the appearance of large pores. It doesn't settle into my pores all day. You do have re-touch on this powder throughout the day. This was $34 USD. I say it is worth it's price. But on those random days when foundation doesn't want to look natural and just sits on your skin, this powder can look REALLY chalky. This is definitely a product you have to get used to. I would repurchase this! Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Foundation This is.. an AMAZING liquid foundation. If you hate your current liquid foundation, go for this. This is seriously the bomb. It's oil-free, so it does control the oil production throughout the day. I LOVE it has a pump with a cap! It's really easy to control how much you want. If worn alone, it gives a dewy finish, and set with powder, is a super fine HD matte face for pictures. It claims it stays on for 14-hours, but I think that's a bit exaggerated. It does indeed stay on longer than most liquid foundations, but I can definitely see my blemishes on full show halfway through the day. I get the BEST results when using my MAC 187 stippling brush. I've been having some bad acne recently, and this seriously gives me full coverage. It doesn't cake no matter how much I put on. I purchased this for $42 USD. DEFINITELY worth it's price. This is my favorite out of these three products. I will definitely repurchase.

I hope this mini review of random things answered some people's questions! :))
Overall, I do really like all three of the products; it's just i'm a broke student, so I can't always purchase expensive high-end brands.

See you on the next one! :)
Off to rehearsal... -sigh- Beethoven 5....
Sincerely,
Jinna

A Quick FOTD and HOTD

Hi all! :") so today, I had a concerto competition (yes yes, I play cello, if you haven't been able to figure that one out just yet...)! I played very well, but since I wasn't able to hear anyone else except the girl who went before me, I guess I'll never know what I was up against! :/ Winners are going to be announced on Tues! I'm so excited/nervous...! I really hope I win! >_<

Anywho! So today, I did have to dress up a bit, since it's an audition. I have to tie up my hair and pin back my bangs (which is NOT attractive whatsoever + the sweat from playing for 15 min straight -.-"). But because I have naturally straight hair, my hair always falls flat when I tie it up--which makes it even more horrendous. So to pizazz up my hair-do today, I just added a bit of texture by using a 1 1/4 inch (32 mm) curling iron without using the clamp. I'll have a detailed post next time about that! It creates waves instead of curls :)

As for make-up... people in the music industry most often tend to be on the older side, and not to mention traditional; so having a caked face and intense eyeliner is going to create the worst possible image of you for them (party animal?). But recently, my acne has been working up again!!!!! T^T so I HAD to wear a full coverage foundation today, and JUST enough eyemakeup to look polished :")
here's the results!


Quite natural lookin` for a caked-face, eh?

My bangs are getting so long!

Like the wavy hair? :3 I'm new to it... it's a completely diff feeling from curly!


Sadly, this is about the only picture I have of a close-up on my face! You can see the eye make-up decently :p
Here's what I have on:
Face-
-Lancome Teint Idole Oil-free Foundation
-Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder
-MAC Powder Blush in Peaches
Eyes-
-Too Faced Natural Eye Palette
-"Silk Teddy" in crease/inner tear-ducts, "Push-up" on lid, "Erotica" smudged on the lashlines, "Heaven" used as a highlight on browbone
-Lancome Le Crayon Khol in Chataine
-L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Black
-Shiseido Lash Curler
Lips-
-MAC Blankety (my fav lippy!)

I know this is COMPLETELY random... but I really wanted to share with everyone--If you're not familiar with him, Joshua Bell is an amazing (not to mention good looking!) world-class violinist. I have heard countless people play the same pieces as he does, but none resonates in my heart DAYS after listening to it but Bell's. This particular CD is my favorite one of his; they're the typical stereo-type classical songs, but this is... different. You have to give this a listen. I can have this CD looping ALL day without getting tired of it. Do you guys know what I mean?

And to close this post...
I want to thank Vanessa AKA Jhoy for awarding me with my first blog award! ^__^ Thank you so much for reading my blog! I hope you all enjoy your stay while here! I hope you all enjoy reading my posts as much as I love to write them!


Also, check out her amazing blog!
http://oh-jhoy.blogspot.com/

Hope you enjoyed this quick post! I've been so busy lately.. I have no many delayed posts! My desktop is just overcrowded with pictures for them!
See you on the next one! :")
Sincerely,
Jinna

Spring break + OOTD!

Hello everyone! Sadly, today is pretty much my last day of Spring break T^T It was a great week of sleeping... eating.. and uhh, sleeping. 8D Yesterday, after my cello lessons, I got to hang out with my amazing friend Sophia! It was my first time meeting her in person, and we clicked so well--it was as if we've known eachother for YEARS. She is just the sweetest, craziest, VIOLENT (LOLL), girly girl you'll ever meet :)) I was introduced to her through a couple of my friends--who would've known she would end up being one of my best? ;) life throws you unexpected things! Here's a couple pics from yesterday :)






http://dahay1105.blogspot.com/
Check out Sophia's blog! She's new to blogging, but she'll be inspired to do more when more people read it! :)

Also, here's my first OOTD! :"3 I've never done one, so let's hope it isn't too terrible... this was my outfit to go to the grocery store LOL. It's supposed to be a zebra, but my hair is covering it -.-; F A I L.

Paired it up with some leggings!

... and my hair :p

Camwhoring 1

Camwhoring 2

The other day, I decided to put up a new cooking tutorial for FUDGE! :)) I was really excited; too excited that I put the ingredients in the wrong order, and put in the wrong measurements for them too. It was such a crash and burn type of fail. I ended up putting WAY too much sugar--so much that the fudge CRUNCHES with the sugar crystals. =_=;; i'll redo this one asap, so stick tight for another cooking tut!


And to close this post... Sophia and I took some sticker pix, but the machine glitched on us and didn't give us any time to deco them!! I couldn't believe it. The pictures still look nice without the deco :p Sophia managed to get one in!



Now.. i'm outta here! There's an open house in half an hour, and my room is still a mess! @_@

Thank you for reading! :")
Sincerely,
Jinna