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

FOTD Tutorial - Chillin` at home with a smokey eye :p

Hiya lovlies! As always, thanks for stopping by :") I've actually started this blog thinking noone would read it, but I've got so many supporters and followers! Thanks once again! :))

Here's my FOTD. It's my first day of spring break, so I just wanted to relax and do nothing :B As a result, I woke up nearly at noon, ate some french bread with brie cheese spread, watched a bit of tv, got bored, and threw on some makeup :)



Here's what I used for my eyes!

-Kate Kanebo Eyeshadow in BR-1
-Lancome Le Crayon Khol in Rasin Noir
-MAC eyeshadow in Satin Taupe
-MAC paint pot in Soft Ochre
-Lancome Hypnose Mascara in Black
-Shiseido Lash Curler
-MAC 217 Brush
-Studio Tools Smudge Brush
-ELF Sponge Smudger

Here's a close-up of my eye:


Here's what I used for my face 8) :

-MAC Studio Fix Powder in NC 30
-MAC Fix Plus
-NARS Blush in Orgasm
-MAC 187 Brush

Here's what i'm wearing on my lips!

-MAC Lipstick in Blankety
-MAC Lipstick in Peachstock

Here's a closeup:


Directions:
1) Apply Soft Ochre PP (or any base) all over the lids; concentrate it on the brow bone and inner tear ducts--if using base instead, just use a light skin-tone shadow to highlight.
2) Place Satin Taupe ES (or any smokey chromatic color) strictly on the lid only--below the crease.
3) Using a clean blending brush, blend out the harsh line, and concentrate the color onto the outer corners of the eyes.
4) Using the lighter brown in the Kate palette (or a neutral brown shade), blend out the edges of the darker lid color into the crease.
5) Using a soft black eyeliner pencil (preferably a kohl liner), rim your top and bottom water lines. Line the top part of your lids closest to the lashline as possible, and apply on the lower lashlines as well.
6) Using a sponge, smudge out the liner to fill in any gaps.
7) Using a smudger brush, dip it into your lid color again, and smudge over the liner on your top and bottom lashlines.
8) Reline your lashlines with your pencil to intensify the black again.
9) Apply Mascara to both upper and lower lashes.
10) Curl lashes! - I do this afterwards because if I do before, it's harder for me to coat my lashes evenly with the mascara; also, if I do this after, it holds the curl longer. It's your preference!
11) Apply Peachstock Lipstick (nude lippy) to the outer edges of the lips very well. Apply Blankety Lipstick (light baby pink) on the inner part of the lips for more color.

I hope you enjoyed this post! :") Leave me comments with your suggestions and requests for the upcomming ones!
See you on the next one!



Sincerely,
Jinna<3

Tutorial: Mac & Cheese (with bacon!) :{D

YO YO YO HOMESLICES! :)) I've FINALLY dealt with my uploading issues with photobucket, so now posts are going to come like no other! I have so many posts that have been pushed back constantly because I couldn't upload any pictures -.-

Here is my previous drugstore post with the pictures uploaded! It looks MUCH more friendly to the eyes... :
http://thejinna.blogspot.com/2010/03/terrific-finds-at-drugstores.html

This time, i've made the classic Mac & Cheese, and added bacon bits just for the hell of it. Whenever I eat Mac & Cheese, the one issue I always have is getting sick of the dish halfway through. It's rather bland! So I figured bacon would add more texture and more PIZAZZ to the taste :")

I'm pretty sure everyone's attempted at making Mac & Cheese, and failed at it-at least once. I've finally figured out the secret to making the best mac n cheese: You have to put in a LOT more milk than you think! As cheese cools down, it dries and sucks up all the moisture. Also, the most important tip for this recipe is--Your Mac & Cheese is only going to be good as the cheese you're using. Meaning, if you use packaged shredded cheese for $2, it's not going to be all that terrific. You want good quality cheddar cheese! Try going to a a delicatessen and personally taking time to pick out the cheese. In the US, most grocery markets like Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons have a deli in the store. If they can't shred it for you, just ask them to make you the thinnest slices possible.

ANYWHOO! Onto the cooking! Let's GOOOOO!!

Ingredients:
-2 cups Any type of pasta (ie. bow-tie, shells, rigatoni, penne... you name it)
-1 Cup of GOOD quality Cheddar cheese
-1 Cup Milk (whole, reduced, doesn't matter)
-1 Cup Cream (in the US, it's just the liquid version of whipping cream that you whip yourself--from the milk formula)--you can always substitute this with Half & Half--yes, the coffee creamer.
-Bacon (doesn't matter what kind)

Serves 2!

I took a picture of all the ingredients, but I accidentally deleted it ;__; Also, my pot picture won't work! -.-^
(The picture won't work, but it's just showing you my pot)
Use a deep body pot to boil the pasta in--lots of water!

While the water is boiling, heat up a pan to cook up the bacon! It's your choice how much you want to put into the dish--I used 3-4 strips.

I'm just using the classic bacon, but bacon without the rhines in it are preferred; like the circular canadian bacon; I can't get my hands on something like that in California! =.=

Cook that bacon!

A great trick to prevent the bacon blowing up in your face is to blot the excess oils with a paper towel! It's PAINFUL to cook bacon! LOL. We don't need to eat any more fat than we're already eating from the cheese~!

By now, the pasta water should be at a rolling boil.

You can use any pasta you want--think of this as a guideline; 1 cup = one serving.

Go ahead and add a pinch of salt into the water if you'd like.

By now, the bacon should be done! Remove from heat, blot excess oils!

And cut em up into itty bitty peices! I did mine with a scissor. Go figure on the size!

Make sure you're stirring the pasta so it doesn't stick!

Once that's ready, drain! Don't merge the pot into the water though! We still need it!

Pour back the pasta into the pot! I forgot to take a picture for this part, but add your milk!

Go ahead and start adding in the cheese too!

This part is all taste & preference; if you want it thicker, add more cheese, and if you want it a bit more watery, add less! You may not use all 1 cup, or you may use more!

Add in your cream...

Stir, and keep adding cheese until your desired ratio between the milk/cream and cheese!

Add in your bacon, along with salt & pepper for seasoning! Stir very well!

and.. WE'RE FINISHED! =) Yummy easy to make mac & cheese!

Hope you enjoyed the post! :") I'm starting to run out of cooking ideas, so throw me your input! The tutorials put out so far are the recipes I've always wanted to learn, but had noone to teach me in the past.
There's going to be an open house in an hour at MY house, so I've gotta jet it outta here! :p
See you later homefries!


Sincerely,
Jinna

Terrific Finds at Drugstores?! :))

Hiya all! Sorry for being away so long! I was finishing up my last round of auditions for college :) Stopped by Chicago for Northwestern, and New York for Manhattan School of Music and NYU. The professor at Northwestern, Hans Jensen is super nice~ he even gave me a lesson after my audition! As for MSM, sadly, my first choice teacher, David Soyer, passed away on Thursday, 2/25/10--just the day after her turned 87. He was my teacher's teacher as well, and not to mention, a definite renowned cellist in the world. He will be terribly missed. NYU, everyone was so friendly! And... NO ONE is going to believe this, but... THE GREAT Itzhak Perlman was in my audition, and commented "brava" to me! :)) Too bad I didn't realize it was him till as I was walking out! I just kept thinking--"wow. that guy seriously looks like Perlman..." GG me.

ANYWHO!! Onto the long-awaited post! This post is dedicated to all those drugstore queens ;) Everyone loves a great deal. I've listed everything I could think of (at the moment) that I buy from the drugstore. All these items mentioned are terrific, and are department store worthy. Enjoy!

NOTE: Photobucket is being REALLY annoying atm, and won't let me upload any pics... so this post will looks a lot more friendlier once the pictures come up!

St. Ives Apricot Scrub in Blemish & Blackhead Control: This is supposed to be in random order... but this one is an exception. This has got to be my number one drugstore product. This is my HG daily cleanser. I use it 4-5 times a week, and use a foaming cleanser when my skin randomly gets sensitive. When I don't, I just use it everyday. Some people use it just as an exfoliator, but it's gentle enough to be a daily scrub. This seriously does what it claims to do! Keeps blackheads away, and skin blemish free. If I switch cleansers, but maintain the rest of my skincare routine, I'll still break out. This product is one of my key items for maintaining clear skin! I give this a 5/5. Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque: You've heard the reviews and raves about this product! I've written a detailed review and demo on a previous post. It's basically a clay mask that dries up hard as a rock. As it dries, it dries up your acne pimples along with it! Also, the product claims to remove blackheads--at first, I didn't think it'd happen; just one of those false flashy statements, ya noe? But boy, was I wrong! This seriously gets RID of blackheads so well, it's scary! I use this about twice a week, and it keeps me from breaking out :)) Revlon Colorstay Foundation SPF 6: If you have oily type skin, "Drugstore foundation? Gross!" is the most common thought that comes to mind. Drugstore foundations tend to have only one formula for "all skin types" how on earth does that even work out the slightest bit...? Well, Revlon has the solution for oily/combination skin types! Alright. Even for the dry/normal skin folks too. This foundation is part of their Colorstay line, and boy, it does what it says! Once you apply it, it really sticks to your skin! It's nearly impossible to blend because it sticks so quickly! The key is to stipple it on the face. If you wear it alone, it'll eventually slip and slide, but if you set it with some powder... I guarantee, your face will stay on the ENTIRE day, along with some occasional blotting/powdering. This truly is a department worthy product. L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara: This is, by far, the best volumizing mascara out there! (well, under $10) This mascara seriously gives you the effect of false-like lashes that fan out. With just the first coat, you can automatically see your lashes have become 4x thicker and fuller. It does have a tendency to clump a bit, but that's what makes your lashes even more voluminous! This mascara is the perfect compliment to smokey eyes. The one pictured is the original one, but it also comes in a Carbon Black shade, which is the ultimate black color for a seriously intense look. Go for the waterproof version since it has more wax. It'll flake less and hold a curl longer. Almay Moisturizing Eye Makeup Remover Pads: The only product that was ever able to remove ALL of my waterproof mascara + liner was Pond's Cold Cream (which is amazing, but a little messy/non portable to use!). I was introduced to this product by a fellow blogger! She used this on one of her posts, and I noticed how it seriously got ALL of her intense eye makeup off (I can't remember her name! =.=;;). This makeup remover is absolutely fantastic. It gets off ALL of my eye makeup (which consists of a TON of waterproof mascara that tends to run on my eyes for the next 2 days even after removing it). Inside the container, there are pre-moistened circular pads. I use one pad--each side for each eye. The version I use is the moisturizing one, but Almay also makes one oil free. It comes in a purple container. I recommend this, tons! I've heard fantastic reviews about the Boots No. 7 Botanics eye makeup remover as well, but that requires you to use your own cotton pads! :p [cheapo here] ROC Retinol Correction Deep Wrinkle Night Cream: This is my current night cream, and let me tell you... it actually works! In the morning, my skin seriously feels more tight and firm. I don't have wrinkles now, but I definitely want to prevent any from happening! It's non-greasy, but moisturizing. It smells nice too! ROC even guarantees that your skin will transform after the first week of use, and I can't agree more. A great night cream that suits anyone from beginners to mature skin! ROC Retinol Correction Deep Wrinkle Eye Cream: My current eye cream as well! Both the night cream and eye cream have been selected for Allure's Beauty Choice Award, and they deserve it! I never liked eye cream because they were always too oily and would clog up the pores right below my eye area, giving me blackheads. I'd been using Shiseido's Benefiance Eye Cream, and that SERIOUSLY clogs up the pores around my eye area! As for Clinique's All About Eyes, it does NOTHING. Don't even bother to purchase that. Anywho! This product is definitely oil-free, and glides on smoothly. It's really hydrating without that nasty greasy feeling. Definitely reduces puffiness! L'Oreal Elnette Hairspray: I have tried COUNTLESS amounts of hairsprays, and NONE can compare to this one. This hairspray comes from L'Oreal's professional line, and it's utterly magnificent. I have pin straight hair that NEVER wants to hold curls more than 10 minutes--after that mark, it becomes wavy. I've tried nearly all drugstore brands--Aussie, Tresseme, Pantene, Garnier Fructis, Bed Head, L'Oreal (their normal hairsprays), Finesse--and they all weigh my hair down, make it greasy, and don't do their jobs. I've even tried higher end brands, like Sebastian, and Redken. This hairspray is non-sticky, and ever so light. It holds hair very well, but still allows hair to look natural and remain flexible. You can purchase this hairspray in some CVS & Target (for sure), or other drugstores, if you're lucky. The full sized cans cost a bit over $20, but it's definitely worth it. Revlon Colorburst Lipsticks: This is Revlon's most recent line, and I have to say, it's fantastic so far. These lipsticks are super creamy and long lasting. I cannot believe how pretty and wearable the shades are! They're very well pigmented, and the colors are very simple. Revlon offers colors from light pinks to dark, to fuschia, a classic red, to a more modern red. They even offer the most perfect shade of nude (which is by far my fav). These lipsticks are very comparable to MAC's lipsticks. You seriously can't put on MAC lipsticks without moisturizing your lips before, or your lips with be flakey and gross. These lipsticks by Revlon are so moisturizing and creamy, you don't necessarily have to! LOVE the formula. The finishes are satiny, and have a glossy look to it. Revlon Matte Lipsticks: Finally, the last one! And surprise surprise, it's another Revlon product. Revlon launched their Matte collection last year, along with some matte eyeshadows and liners. The lipstick line brought to the market, the infamous shade, "Nude Attitude." These lipsticks are very pigmented, and are truly matte lipsticks. They're very similar to MAC's matte lipsticks. You have to moisturize your lips ahead of time, since after all, they are matte. The line offers fantastic shades of pink, nude, red, coral, and orange. Probably the only matte lipstick you can find at a drugstore!

At the drugstore, I also purchase my CVS cotton pads :)) which I use daily for my toner. I also use qtips! Besides those, i've named all the drugstore products I use. I don't usually like to buy eyeshadow from the drugstore because they're usually really big misses. But out of all the drugstore companies, Maybelline has the best pigmentation in their eyeshadows, hands down. Also, a lot of people like Revlon's Colorstay Retractable Liner, but that smears like no other on my eyes. Oh! I almost forgot to mention--L'Oreal's Carbon Black Lineur Intense (liquid liner) is amazing! The felt tip is long and very easy to use. It's a perfect dupe for Lancome's.

I have SOOO many pictures from my audition trips to San Fran, Cleveland, Chicago, and New York! I'll upload them as soon as I get them sorted and resized! :)) I've changed my skincare routine a bit, and my skin has been absolutely terrific. I'll share those as well! Also, i've been playing around with different foundations and powders, so i'll keep you guys posted on that too!

Stay tuned for all those updates! Now that my auditions are over, I have time to blog! :) <3
later homefries~


UPDATE: WHOO! PICTURES AGAIN!!


Best,
Jinna