New Tumblr Blog!

Finally decided to move to TUMBLR! I'll be copying some of my reviews from this blog to my new tumblr blog.

Please follow me there! :D

CLICK: Tofu x Ragdoll: Adrienne's Chronicles

I was kind of slacking off on the whole moving away thing because I wanted to have a catchy blog name haha! But, I decided to plaster all three names I'm known for online and offline so it'll be easier for people to find me and my blog.

See you guys at TUMBLR! ^__________^b

Moving to Tumblr

I'm thinking of migrating to Tumblr.

I don't know, probably because my friends are all there (peer pressure wth hahaha).

If I can't make a new blog post here this week then it means I've moved on from Blogger.

I've been a lazy blogger here at Blogger anyway and I don't know how to make my blog look fancy HAHA!

Anyway, I'll update you all about my Tumblr account if I decide to migrate.

Double Review: Tokyo Love Soap Premium and Original

It took me a while to write this review haha! I've been too busy with school and work that I haven't been able to just sit down and think about what to write.

FIRST: TOKYO LOVE SOAP PREMIUM

I used up the Premium version of TLS for a month or so; once in the morning and once at night. I cut the soap in half so I could use one half on my face and the other half for my body. Here's what I think:

Pros:

• Subtle rose-y scent
• Minimizes pores on my face
• Makes my skin smooth (both face and body) and feel moisturized
• clears away blackheads (temporarily? since I get blackheads again the next day)
• lathers nicely
• doesn't melt easily (is melt even the right term? hahaha) so it lasts a long time

Cons:

• VERY expensive
• after a month of using, it didn't make me a shade (or even half a shade) lighter as promised
• it gave me a little breakout in the first few days of using it

OVERALL: I like the Premium version of the soap. Though it did not make my skin lighter and it gave me a bit of a breakout in the beginning, I am still willing to use it (if I have money for it haha) because it really does stick to its other promises.

SECOND: TOKYO LOVE SOAP ORIGINAL

After I had used up the Premium, I immediately started using the Original version of TLS. I did the same thing; cut the soap in half, 1/2 for my face and the other half for my body.

Pros:

• Subtle generic soap scent (not the floral kind of scent. just that...soap kind of scent)
• clears away blackheads (temporarily? since I get blackheads again the next day)
• lathers nicely
• doesn't melt easily (is melt even the right term? hahaha) so it lasts a long time
• made my skin feel kind of supple like a baby's? (but that's just it. supple; not moisturized)

Cons:

• After using it for only TWO days, it gave me a really really really major breakout! Like, 2-3 big zits on my cheek and another 2-3 big zits on my forehead so I had to stop using it on my face
• VERY expensive
• after a month of using, it didn't make me a shade (or even half a shade) lighter as promised
• it made my skin dry and patchy. I was hoping it'd make me a shade lighter since I'm shedding but nope, no lightening here

OVERALL: I would not want to purchase or use the Original version ever again. But remember, this is just my personal experience, you might want to try it yourself.

For more info on prices and other details, check out Tokyo Love Shop by clicking HERE!

REVIEW: Etude House Precious Mineral BB Compact Bright Fit VS Dream On Pact Slim and Cover

Etude House vs Etude House!

Okay, you may be wondering why I'm mostly reviewing Etude House products... the main reason is because Etude House is a budget brand and I'm a budget barbie hahaha! To be honest, this brand doesn't give high end results (go figure, it's a budget brand so you get budget results as well) but you could say it does the job.

Moving on, I'll be reviewing two different compact powders from EH, the old Dream On Pact Slim and Cover and the recently released Precious Mineral BB Compact Bright Fit. I don't really have fair skin so I opted for the 3rd color swatches (Precious Mineral BB Compact Bright Fit W13 Natural Beige and Dream On Pact Slim and Cover No. 03 True Beige).

Princess-y packaging

Etude House stays true to its princess-y promises with its packaging. Both pacts look very cute but Dream On Pact looks more princess-y for me (not that I'm the princess type; I'm pretty boyish). 

I think the Precious Mineral BB Compact swatch I bought is one shade (or just half a shade?) lighter than my Dream On Pact even though I carefully picked out the third color swatch/shade to make sure they're the same shade.

Okay so both are a tad too light on my hand (I dunno, I guess my hand is more exposed to the sun than my face) since both do offer "non-darkening" err whatever that means. You know how we Asians go gaga over porcelain skin so I guess that's what "non-darkening" is for. Anyway, I like the Precious Mineral BB Compact more because it gives a more silky touch after application while the Dream On Pact leaves me feeling cake-y and I can actually see that there's powder over my face (like, powder particles are sticking out of my pores hahaha). With the Precious Mineral BB Compact, my face looks more natural after application. 

note: GREEN means pros and RED means cons

Precious Mineral BB Compact Bright Fit:

• has SPF 30
• simple yet cute packaging
• silky finish
• lasts for up to 6-8 hours in my experience with little sebum appearing on my T-zone
• only light coverage
• too light on my light tan skin
• a little expensive..(?) for a budget brand [retails at 848php or 19 USD)

Dream On Pact Slim and Cover:

• has SPF 25
• princess-y gwiyomi (lol) packaging
• VERY matte finish (makes me look cake-y)
• lasts up to 4-6 hours in my experience and makes my T-zone very very oily
• only light coverage
• closer to my skin shade
• still a little expensive but I'm okay with the price (I guess lol) [retails at 648php or 14.52 USD]

Overall, I like the Precious Mineral BB Compact Bright Fit more. This review is based on MY experience with both compacts, so, the results using both on your skin may not be the same as mine. You may like the Dream On Pact better than the Precious Mineral BB Compact.

I'll try to post a photo of me using both pacts on my face, instead of my hand (haha), next time! ^__^b

REVIEW: Tokyo Love Soap Professional

Hey ho! Finally! I'm posting a review on one of  the Tokyo Love soaps I was able to receive a few weeks ago to review.

So I asked my friend who has acne to try out the Professional version since, according to Tokyo Love Shop's website, it's a medicated version and is for people with oily and acne-prone skin. I asked my friend to try it out so I'd know if it really works. Here's her review:

Took me a while to write this down but I finally sat down, stopped procrastinating (just a bit) and wrote my review for TOKYO LOVE SOAP PROFESSIONAL. *APPLAUSE* 

To start off, let me describe the type of skin I have. I have oily and acne-prone skin. It gets worse and it gets better depending on…hmm. I’m not even sure on what. I just know that my face gets oily a few hours after washing it and sleeping late even for just one night means waking up to new acne when the old ones haven’t gone away yet. 

Moving on….Let me just enumerate the Tokyo Love Soap Professional experience based on an 18-day use. 

* SIZE – It was bigger than I expected for a “sample.” I had to cut it in half because it wouldn’t fit in the soap holder I am using and after using only half of it for more than two weeks; it’s still big enough to hold with one hand!

* SCENT – I personally prefer facial washes and soaps that have little to no fragrances at all and I’m happy with this soap’s subtle scent.

* EFFECT ON THE SKIN – I love how this soap is very mild on my skin. Unlike my old soap that dried up my skin, this one leaves my skin soft after a wash and I noticed that my dark spots have turned a tiny bit lighter with this soap. My pores also seem smaller after a wash.

* EFFECT ON ACNE – So far the soap has not aggravated my skin condition and although it has not completely made my acne disappear, since it also lessened the oiliness of my skin, I get less acne than I used to have. 

The downside for me though is it’s not as accessible compared to other soaps since only resellers from other parts of the country sell these and they’re a bit pricey compared to other facial soaps.

For more detailed information on how the Professional version is different from the other version of the soaps, visit Tokyo Love Shop by clicking HERE. 

From Zaki's Gadgets and Gizmos to JV's Camera Hub!

Remember that post I made about my D7000 body? The owner of the online shop I bought it from now has a stall at Centrio Mall, Cagayan de Oro City! The store name is JV's Camera Hub now though.

You can find the post I'm talking about HERE.

The GOOD news: You can still order from them online thru their facebook account and page! 

Here's the link to their active facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006473834491&fref=ts (ADD THEEEEEEM *makes hypnotizing hand gestures*)

THE BEST NEWS: Their prices are still the same as before; prices that can compete with those found in Manila! Sure, they mark up the prices for profit but the mark up is something you'd tend to just ignore and accept because the deals are THAT good considering I live a thousand miles and a number of islands away from Manila (and with the mark up, the store's prices are a bit cheaper or at least at par when you add in the shipping and insurance fees you have to pay if you're ordering from Manila).

Haida Lens Protector

During their opening, I bought my lens a lens protector because my main photographers have been bugging me to buy one hahaha!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANDDDD I just went back today to pick up my lightstand and umbrella bracket/hot shoe holder! YEA!

Me is happy!

They're selling other cool techy stuff aside from photography accessories. They have gopro hero units and accessories, tablets and even portable gaming consoles for sale as well! Just send them a message at their facebook account for inquiries!

Bizarre Flavored Snacks

When you go to Japan, you find these junk food with bizarre flavors (e.g. Pepsi-flavored cheetos, octopus icecream, crunchy dried crabs, and many many more) all over the place. In my country, I haven't seen a lot weird flavored snacks around our grocery stores until recently.

Today, I went to the dry market with my mom and found two uncommon flavored snacks placed on the shelf!

The green one is from Jack and Jill; a sake sushi (or salmon sushi) flavored pack of potato chips with a small pack of wasabi powder you can sprinkle on the chips for that spicy flavaaaaah. The smaller one is from Oishi; it's Kimchi flavored potato chips!

Kimchi and sushi are two of my favorite Asian food to munch on and  it's a given that I'll definitely try these out haha!

Product of the Philippines

The phrases "Cooked in Sun Flower Oil" and "No added MSG" won't fool me. Junk food is junk food no matter how you put it. :p

HOW DOES IT TASTE?

I dunno. It tastes like Kimchi for one second, then it doesn't the next second. Seriously weird. It's spicy tho but the sourness is kind of like that of vinegar instead of kimchi-sourness...? I don't know, it tastes weird. It doesn't smell like Kimchi too.

Instructions on before eating! Open, sprinkle, shake, eat!

Product of Guangzhou, China

So it has two separate packets inside the ziplock bag: 1 big plastic bag for the chips and 1 tiny one for the wasabi powder. All you do is transfer the chips in the zip lock bag, sprinkle with the wasabi powder, close the zip lock, shake shake shake,  and EAT!

HOW DOES IT TASTE?

asldkjfljaflfkj it tastes like SAKE SUSHI. I'm eating Salmon. :)) IT TASTES LIKE SALMON. HAHAHA But the wasabi doesn't taste like wasabi. It just smells like it but it's as if I never sprinkled any. Too bad. This one is certainly weird because it tastes like SUSHI!! :D

Okay, I'm done with this nonsensical post. 

By the way, I haven't reviewed Tokyo Love Soap yet but I will soon-ish. Stay tuned!

Surprise! With Love from Tokyo Love Shop~

So, a package arrived today from Tokyo Love Shop!

They sent me 3 pieces of Tokyo Love Soap (the Original, Premium, and Professional) to try out and review. I am seriously ecstatic because when I opened the package, I certainly did not expect that they'd give me a full bar (err should it be called bar? full round/circle thingy then?) of soap instead of a teeny sampler!

And did I tell you that they ship real fast? Like, after 3 days, poof! They've arrived at my doorstep!

I've heard a lot of good reviews about Tokyo Love Soap from other bloggers and I am definitely going to try all of these out ASAP.

What is Tokyo Love Shop and Tokyo Love Soap by the way?

According to their FAQs page (verbatim):

Tokyo Love Shop line exclusively sells Medical Grade items that are not possible to sold commercially since they are labeled “For Professional Use”. 

xxxx Tokyo Love Shop line has our amazing Blue Peel, TCA Peel, Stem Cell Cream, Snail Cream and other high quality, professional grade products.

Tokyo Love Soap is one of the website's best selling products which promises the following:

-Powerful natural and organic skin whitening complex

-Lightens the skin as early as the first use

-Refines body hair for a smoother look (Only affects fine hairs. Does not affect the hair, eyebrows and eyelashes.)

-Remove discolorations, freckles, melasma, age spots and dark spots

-Even out skin tone

-Make pores smaller

-Clarify and tone the pores

-Soften and smoothen skin

-Help reduce fine lines, wrinkles and scars

-Mild enough even for use on the intimate areas 

Tokyo Love Soap Original - Premium - Professional

More or less 3 inches by height and 1 inch thickness :D

I'll be posting follow-up reviews after a week or so! Stay tuned!

Visit Tokyo Love Shop by clicking HERE.

EDIT: 
I've already posted reviews of the Professional, Premium and Original versions HERE and HERE.

REVIEW: Etude House Drawing Show Brush Liner Pen vs IN2IT Brush Liner Pen

It's a battle of eyeliner pens!!!!

For me, the eyeliner is the most handy and useful type of make-up. Putting on eyeliner can change your look in an instant!

So far, from all the "affordable" eyeliner pens I've come across, I like the Drawing Show Brush Liner Pen from Etude House the most. A few months ago, I just discovered that IN2IT also carried brush liner pens and I was kind of curious since it was cheaper than the one from Etude House. By the way, IN2IT is a cosmetic brand based in Hong Kong and owned by Asia Pacific Cosmetics Corporation (but they claim that all their products are made in Japan).

Since my EH brush liner was running out of ink, I decided yesterday (I sneaked out while I was shooting a bridal show with my local photographers' league heehee!) that I'd buy myself an IN2IT brush liner! Hence, this battle! 

Let's start!

ROUND 1: PACKAGING

Photo not mine! I threw out the box ages ago :p

Plastic box from IN2IT

Tadaaaaaaa~ 

Verdict: ETUDE HOUSE DRAWING SHOW BRUSH LINER PEN WINS THE FIRST ROUND!

Reason: The box looks really adorable and the pen looks simple yet sleek. IN2IT's packaging is tacky and just.. cheap-looking.

ROUND 2: BRUSH TIP AND PACK SIZE (WEIGHT?)

Brush tips for both pens~

VERDICT: TIE!

Reason: I think they both have the same fine brush tip and both have a pack size of 0.55ml-0.6ml.

ROUND 3: PRICE, QUALITY AND PROMISES (lol like being waterproof and smudge-free)!

I patted my hand with a piece of wet tissue and smudged it lightly with my thumb

VERDICT: IN2IT WINS THIS ROUND!

Reason: As to price, Etude House's Drawing Show Brush Liner is locally sold at 498php (11.50USD) while IN2IT's brush liner is sold at 399.75php (9.23USD); no doubt IN2IT wins the price challenge. Regarding quality, I prefer EH over IN2IT because it's more solid, a bit thicker and more black (blacker, blackier, blackiest? HAHA). As to being waterproof, both are resistant to water, however, EH smudges more easily than IN2IT's (edit: I just learned  that EH's Brush Liner is not waterproof).

OVERALL CHAMPION: BOTH? 

But if I had to choose, I'd go for Etude House because it's thicker even though it's pricier and not waterproof.

I got a new TOY from Zaki's Gadgets and Gizmos!

WARNING: LOW QUALITY PHONE PHOTOS & UBER LONG REVIEW COMING YOUR WAY :P

Okay okay it's pretty obvious I'm into online shopping (I own two online shops). For the past 5 years, I have had this sin hehe! This wonderful experience started way back in 2007 at Multiply, then moved to Ebay, and finally to Facebook.

These're my online shops by the way:

Tofu's Ulzzang Shoppe - this one is mainly for preorders; we cater to Korean and Japanese fashion items.

The Ragdoll Chronicles - this one is my bargain page; kinda like a virtual garage sale. 

Moving on, I will be reviewing my online shopping experience with Zaki's Gadgets and Gizmos! It's an online shop that, well... (the shop's name says it all) that sells gadgets and gizmos (lol) like DSLR units and accessories, Apple products, Samsung products and many more. Check out their facebook page to browse their catalogue.

I ordered a Nikon D7000 body to replace my old entry-level DSLR, a D3100.

At first, I had wanted to buy the unit at the mall. I know, mall prices are pretty jacked up but I was gonna chew and swallow that ugly fact because I only wanted security. The mall price for a D7000 body only is at 49,990php with a free 8gb SD card. Hard to swallow (HAHA). I was really really certain on buying it when I remembered Zaki's Gadgets and Gizmo's. I checked their price and I was like, "SERIOUSLY?! WTF?! 34,500php?!" Too good to be true right?! But I personally know one of the owners and I instantly knew this shit was for real (I'm cursing to show you all how serious I am, like, movie-serious). Their price is pretty normal for people in Manila but for someone like me who always has a hard time getting awesome deals which can compete with Manila prices here and now in my city, it's a real catch!

Ordering gadgets online isn't usually my thing. I get so paranoid with a lot of "what if" questions when it comes to that. I mean, gadgets do COST a lot. A LOT (unless you're a billionaire, which I am not. Boohoo.).

What if it gets damaged when it's shipped out?

What if the gadget's not as it was described?

WHAT IF I GET SCAMMED?

So why did I push thru with this transaction? 1. The owners are actually based in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental (this is where I live. Hooray!), so I can meet up with them; 2. I am already acquainted with one of the owners; and 3. The shop owners only let me pay half of the full amount first to order the unit then I'll pay the balance when it's arrived and when I'll be able to pick it up.

Tada! My order with its etc etc and my freebiiiiiieeeeeeessssss!

The shop was promoting a 5% discount on all Nikon and Canon DSLRs when I ordered (and they currently still are! Order now! :P). Unfortunately, there's a catch. Either you avail the discount or ignore it to get freebies. I chose the latter because I needed a bag and a new SD card.

Our transaction went smoothly. I sent my first payment by depositing it to one of the owner's bank accounts, they then ordered from their supplier in Manila. I waited for 1 day and poof! Surprise mother father! The unit's here! Nyahahaha! I kept spazzing! I actually just met up with the owners this afternoon to get the unit and pay the balance.

AND GUESS WHAT??? Not only did I get freebies, Zaki's Gadgets and Gizmos was able to give me the 5% discount as well! *spazzing* I love them to bits!!!

D7000 body, viewfinder cap, battery, charger, and charger plug

Freebie: 4gb SD card ||| Sling strap, charger cord, HDMI cord, tether cord

Freebie: Camera bag ||| Manual, Warranty card, ViewNX2 CD installer

*spazzing* COMPARTMEEEEENTSSSSSSS

Freebie: Nikon brand clip-on protector *spazzing over and over again*

 ABOUT THE UNIT:

• It's as described by the shop
• Brand new, sealed, and well-packed
• AFFORDABLE!
• FREEBIES!!!! Aside from the 4gb SD card and bag, I got a free clip-on screen protector! An original Nikon branded clip-on screen protector at that!!
• All the freebies are brand new too (in case you were all wondering lol)
• It has a one-year store warranty

ABOUT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE:

• 10/10 service! They update me constantly, transactions are done in a jiffy!
• The owners are a couple by the way and are one of the coolest couples I know! They're witty, knowledgeable on every item they sell and very accommodating (heck, they even ordered a frappé for me when I picked up my order this afternoon). They're the kind of people I'd bask with sweets and party invitations ever so often if we were neighbours!
• The owners are willing to teach you the basic how-to's in using the gadget/gizmo you ordered
• They feel for their buyers; they know how to price an item right and are willing to go the extra mile for the satisfaction of their buyers (like the surprise discount I got!).
• They're honest and open about how they price and market their items! You don't always find gadgets sellers like that!
• Aside from meet ups, they can also ship your orders via LBC

All in all, I absolutely love my shopping experience with Zaki's Gadgets and Gizmos! In fact, I am already planning what to buy from them next when I have extra moolah for my expensive hobby hehehe!

If you're planning on buying gadgets, make sure to visit their online shop first before you run to the mall with your fat wallet! They'll surely save you from being officially broke and will even make you smile from ear to ear when you get your order!

Zaki's Gadgets and Gizmos:
https://www.facebook.com/ZakisGamesGadgetsAndGizmos?fref=ts

HUEHUEHUE!

OOTD: My Koibito's Cardigan

Word of the day: Koibito (恋人) - Japanese for sweetheart/lover/boyfriend/girlfriend.

I went out today but the weather was playing guessing games with me aslkjddflhflasd! t(=_=t)

Every time I check outside the window, it's so gloomy and I see the tree branches being harassed by the wind (my room is on the 2nd floor of the house) but when I finally get out of the house, BAM! Instant sunlight with perfect UV rays that make me feel like the sun is sending these invisible micro-creatures biting on my skin. DAHELL! So, to play it safe, I just wore an oversized cardigan that's not too thick for that end-of-summer temperature.

I got the cardigan from the Men's Dept. at Zara hahahaha! :))) Let's just pretend it's from my imaginary boyfriend (koibito) and he lent it to me. I really like it when cardigans and sweaters are oversized. I like the feeling and the look of my hands being covered because what I'm wearing is too big! o(^3^)o 

Oh and say hello again to my favorite maroon creepers from New Look SG! :p

My black tights are from Payless (that Minicci something brand; forgot, didn't pay much attention). 

I also added a photo of the print on my shirt from Artwork because I think it's cool. ^__________^b

REVIEW: Milk Essence Whitening Beauty Series Lotion

Nyaro! I'm back with another random review! ^_______________^b

This time, I'll be reviewing the lotion from the Milk Essence Whitening Beauty Series which I bought from NekoMimi Place. This is commonly known as "Magic Milk Lotion". I have actually encountered this product back in 2009 (or was it early 2010?) when Multiply (google!) was still a blossoming shopping community. If I remember correctly, it was being sold at 900php per 100ml bottle. Now, it's being sold at 200php per 100ml bottle. AMAZING. I congratulate myself for being disinterested about the product during those days hahahaha! 

Anyway, this type of lotion has been the talk of the town, especially for cosplayers, models, and Korean wannabes (No offense! Take it as a compliment! :D). The lotion promises to give you INSTANT PORCELAIN WHITE SKIN in a matter of seconds.

Packaging! I kinda like how simple it is.

It has English at the back! Okay-English at that! o_oa

I am the type of person who is skeptical about products that have bad English translations (especially with Chinese products. No offense, I'm part Chinese but you know how shady some stuff from China are), and by bad I mean, incorrect use of grammar. It kinda turns me off and it's like telling me this thing is not safe for my body/health/face/etc. Fortunately, this lotion's english translation at the back of its packaging was A-Okay so it made me feel a bit more at ease trying it out! ^u^

Behold! The lotion's bottle!

I actually find the bottle cute hahaha! XD Kinda reminds me of the old wine bottles my dad collects butttttt.... that's irrelevant to the review. Let's get back to the main topic now.

Left photo: Lotion |||||||| Right photo: left side: with lotion || right side: without lotion

Ha! I was stupid enough to forget to put captions on the photo so you'd be able to clearly distinguish the difference in color; I am also lazy enough NOT to edit the photo and place the captions HAHA. I think you can see the difference without me pointing it out anyway.

So, does it make you instantly white? YES, yes it does. Btw, what you see on the left photo is the only amount I used on the left side of the right photo; the right side of the right photo didn't have any lotion spread on it (there! I pointed it out!)

Pros:

• makes you instantly white
• has this generic perfume smell usually found in lotions (i actually like it)
• you only need a little bit to rub on your skin (unless you wanna look like a ghost, go rub a handful over your whole body)
• dries quickly
• long-lasting (kinda like 6-8 hours from my experience?)
• good for photoshoots
• I can understand the English translation found at the back of the packaging! :D

Cons:

• when your skin gets wet and you wipe it with a towel or tissue, say bye bye to your temporary fair complexion
• the lotion's runny and feels sticky when you apply it
• E-F-F-O-R-T. You need to make sure you've spread the lotion evenly all over the skin.
• It doesn't give you a pinkish-glow which is always an after effect of having fair skin, so i don't think it would look too well on really dark-skinned people.
• If you have un-waxed arms (I mean, there are hairs visible on 'em), this lotion would make the pores look visible. VERY visible.
• may make you feel sticky when it's really hot and humid.
• it doesn't have a list of ingredients printed on it (scary, but i'll give the product the benefit of the doubt)

Contrary to popular belief, the lotion doesn't instantly go away when you get wet or when you wash it out. Your fair skin only disappears when you rub on your skin after it gets wet so I recommend lightly (very very lightly) patting it dry to avoid any scary discoloration when you're out for a shoot, a cosplay event or just a casual stroll in the mall.

Do I recommend this product? Yep! But just make sure to keep in mind the cons I've shared so you won't have a hard time. ^3^

You can buy the same product HERE. The owner was nice to me and even sent my a jar of nourishing cream for FREE (i bought the foundation+lotion set) even though I wasn't supposed to get any hahaha! XD

Now I am off to play videogames and look for some other random thing to review! Till next post! :3

OOTD: Sunday Hearts and Horses

I went out to the mall with my family (from my Mother's side) last Sunday (May 26, 2013) and yep, you guessed it! I was the only one from our pack sticking out like a sore thumb hahaha! 

Blurry pixel-y photo sorry! Ipod's camera is sucky D:

With my short copper-colored hair, I wore a purple polo blouse that had these weird galloping horse prints from Odille, a spiked cuff from Dark Sweet Soul, a pair of denim tattered shorts, a pair of tattoo tights that had "tattoo hearts" above the faux thigh socks parts (baaah I don't know how to explain it) from my online shop, Tofu's Ulzzang Shoppe, a small black Prada backpack, and a pair of maroon creepers from New Look SG (which you can buy at a much much much cheaper price in Taobao, btw).

Oh and here's a bonus: a photo of me with my sister who doesn't look like she's my sister at all! :D

Taobao Mini Wishlist #1

Taobao is the Chinese equivalent of Ebay. While Ebay caters to almost everyone in the whole wide world, Taobao on the other hand likes to keep itself to its motherland, China. It doesn't have an English version and majority of the sellers there accept the Chinese version of Paypal which is AliPay (aside from accepting deposits to their Chinese bank accounts). People who don't live in China still have other options if they really want to buy from Taobao (like me!!). You can use a reliable Taobao agent to buy the items for you.

Why is Taobao trendy these days? It's because they sell China-made stuff at DIRT-CHEAP PRICES. If you buy the same China-made stuff in your country or other countries, they jack up the prices, sometimes outlandishly.

Anyway, I will be featuring items from Taobao which I plan on buying within the next few months once I have extra moolah~ >w<

Green Dolly Platform Shoes

Price: 34CNY (5.54USD/230php)

Colors: Green, Pink, Beige, Black

You can check the listing HERE. 

Kyaaaaaaaaaan I want all colors! o>w<o 

Red Kitty Platform Shoes

Price: 59CNY (9.62USD/395.70php)

Colors: Black, Red, Green

You can check the listing HERE. 

I really want a pair of red kitty platforms ^3^

Apricot Bow Platform Shoes

Price: 50CNY (8.15USD/336php)

Colors: Blue, Apricot, Pink

You can check the listing HERE. 

I'm torn between apricot and pink </3

Avant Garde Paper Lashes

Price: 12CNY (1.96USD/80.48php)

You can check the listing HERE. 

I want a pair for my creative photography shoots O:

Green Peter Pan Collared Blouse

Price: 23.75CNY (3.87USD/159.29php)

Colors: Green and White

You can check the listing HERE.

Blue Sailor Mori Dress

Price: 79CNY (12.88USD/529.33php)

You can check the listing HERE.

This one is pricey but I really want it ;^;

Grey Laced Sleevless Mori Dress

Price: 79CNY (12.88USD/529.33php)

You can check the listing HERE. 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH THIS JUST SCREAMS "BUY ME!!!!" TO ME DX

That about wraps up my mini wishlist AKA selfish material wants. >_>

By the way, if you don't know how to use taobao, you can google how; there're tons of tutorials on the internet now teaching you how to navigate taobao on your own.

My recommended taobao agents?

• Taobaoring
• Pruany

Both are okay but be aware of slight chances of miscommunication. They're based in China, all customer representatives are not too fluent with English and sometimes they will annoy the hell out of you because they will do stuff without your reply to finish the orders faster (but that happens once in a blue moon only though).

Looking for fashion related stuff in Taobao? Leave a comment and maybe I can help you. ^_^

Defrizzing and Detangling a Wig

Note: THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO FIX A FRIZZY AND TANGLED WIG BY MYSELF.

It took me 3 days to get the wig to its condition now (which is 75% back to perfect condition).

Look at that tangle monster ;A;

I actually got the wig from a trade and boy, was I in for a big surprise! I didn't have extra cha-ching to spend on hiring someone to fix the wig for me since it's summer and all, so I decided I'd try to fix it by myself and prayed to all the Gods I could call out to that I don't ruin it even more!

What I used:

• Bowl/Bucket
• Water
• Fabric Conditioner
• Hairclips
• Lotion
• Spray bottle
• metal toothed comb
• wig brush
• hair iron

What I did:

1. I flipped the wig, lace cap seen outside, and dipped the wig in a big bowl (i have no extra buckets, i used a big fish bowl XD)  filled with at least 500-600mL water mixed with 1 cup fabric conditioner
2. Let it stay for 3-5 days (people recommend 5 days; I let mine sit in the bowl for 3 days only since I was getting grumpy haha)
3. Take it out, hang the wig and leave it to air-dry for the next 12 hours or so
4. Make your homemade wig conditioner! It can either be the 1/6 lotion (any kind) + 5/6 water or you can just use what's left over of the water+fabric conditioner concoction you used to dip the wig in
5. Get your hair straightener, turn it on and set it to the lowest possible temperature, leave it for a few minutes to heat up (but keep an eye on it PLEASE)
6. Start spritzing the wig with your wig conditioner and slowly finger comb it from the bottom going up to the crown of the wig
7. Spritz with wig conditioner again and slowly and gently comb it with the metal toothed comb (or any large-toothed comb you have) from the bottom going up. Once you're done detangling, you can start defrizzing the frizzed up parts
8. Time to section the wig! Separate the wig fibers into 3 major parts using the hair clips: BOTTOM, MIDDLE, TOP; start with the bottom and start doing little sections
9. Spritz the wig with wig conditoner and with a quick and light movement, slide the hair iron starting from the part you spritzed with conditioner down to the tip. Make sure to do this with the frizzy parts! You'll know if you're doing it right when you hear the hair iron hiss when it touches the wig fibers and the frizzy fibers straighten
10. Do this until you reach the top part and leave the wig to dry
11. Use the wig brush and slowly brush the wig from bottom to top
12. You're done!

I was only focusing on the frizzy parts, so the wig not being straight-straight-straight wasn't much of an issue. The wig was supposed to be curly/wavy in the first place.

It's still mediocre but at least the wig's back in good condition! XD

WIG REVIEW! TSN, VRC, Kyouko brands

Yep, I am not a stranger to wigs. Wanna see me wearing wigs? Hahaha! XP

(WARNING: Photo-heavy post)

During a promotional shoot for my shop~

Meh. Just bored at home.

Just... alskddhslkfhalhr;L

OKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Enough of my face. Let's continue with the review.

I will be reviewing 3 different wig brands in one post. Why? I'm too lazy to create one post for each brand. I mean, I have to think of sassy awesome lines for you to read so you won't get bored. You know it's true!

I will be reviewing 3 wig brands, namely, VRC, Kyouko and TSN. For VRC, I have a 100cm black wig; for Kyouko, I have a 60cm 3-toned fashion wig; and for TSN, a 100cm grey wig.

Because I'm awesome, I give you photos! XD

lookie teh colorzhzhz~

FIRST WIG BRAND: VRC

VRC stands for VOGUE ROYAL COSPLAY. This brand is based in the Philippines. It has the same supplier as Alice/Ywailisi from taobao. They offer wigs that are good for cosplay, gyaru, harajuku, lolita and ulzzang. They also sell Lolita and Punk apparel.

 Here's a collage of the stock photo with close-up photos I personally took of the 100cm black wig; 2nd photo without flash, 3rd photo with flash.

Vogue Royal Cosplay 100cm Black Wig

Softness: 8.5/10
Thickness: 6.5/10
Anti-shine: 8/10 (LOL I don't know what word to use. I'm actually rating it's non-shiny-ness)
Manageability: 9/10

Overall Quality:  8/10

Comments:

• The first thing I noticed was how not-so-thick the wig was. It's not thick but it's enough to cover the lace net inside. Plus a super long wig with average thickness can be more manageable than a thicker one. 
• It's shiny but not SUPER shiny; like, commercial shampoo and conditioner shiny. I mean, it's black so I guess it's supposed to give off a natural kind of shine. If it wasn't shiny, people would say your hair/wig is dead lol!
• They said it was 100cm. It's only 95cm actually (I MEASURED IT!!!). :)))))
• The wig looks thicker in the stock photo
• The wig is cheap and affordable. Normally, very long wigs tend to reach around 1,500+php (35+USD) but I bought this one for 950php only ^3^
• Customer Service is good, they respond very quickly and they ship items ASAP.
• Anyhoo, I like VRC hahaha! ^_________________^b

If you want to check VRC out, you can take a look at their available designs at Vogue Royal Cosplay.

SECOND WIG BRAND: KYOUKO

Kyouko is a budding wig shop in taobao. It currently offers harajuku and lolita wigs and is slowly adding more cosplay wigs to their list of for sale items.

Here's a collage of the 60cm 3-toned wig's stock photo and the close-up photos i personally took; 3rd photo without flash, 4th photo with flash.

Kyouko 60cm 3-toned Harajuku Wig

Softness: 9/10

Thickness: 8/10

Anti-shine: 7.5/10 (LOL I don't know what word to use. I'm actually rating it's non-shiny-ness)

Manageability: 9/10

Overall Quality:  8.4/10

Comments:

• First and foremost, they don't accept paypal payments. Well, they did, for me because I insisted. But that was a HUGE mistake on my part because the transaction was such a hassle. I had to wait for more than two months to get my wigs from them (because they kept moving the date of shipment) and one of the wigs was out of stock (which I didn't know about until the package arrived). They can't speak English and I kept relying on google's Chinese translator.
• The wig's bangs part has less of the blonde fibers and more of the brown (yes, i'm particular with stock photo designs hahahaha! I want to get what I paid for; who doesn't right?)
• Fortunately, it's soft!
• It looks very natural in natural lighting but it has the HQ wig shine when it's hit with flash and when it's hit with indoor lighting at night :<
• The price for this wig is around 1400php (33USD), international shipping and tax included. 
• I'd still want to buy another wig from Kyouko but I think I'll stick to buying via taobao agent instead of personally going thru a transaction with them again.

Check out their Taobao Shop, Kyouko Wigs.

THIRD WIG BRAND: TSN

TSN stands for The Second Nachname. For Spongebob's sake, what does Nachname mean??? Is this some kind of german word for something sweet? I don't get the brand name. Because I am a technical freak, I googled it and YES IT IS GERMAN! It's German for "surname/last name." THE SECOND LAST NAME. So it's your middle name. I still don't get it. They mostly offer cosplay wigs, wig tools and a few small cosplay props. Anywaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, here's the stock photo of the wig I recently and personally bought from them and close-up photos I took; 2nd photo without flash, 3rd photo, with flash.

TSN 100cm Grey Wig

Softness: 7.5/10
Thickness: 9/10
Anti-shine: 9/10 (LOL I don't know what word to use. I'm actually rating it's non-shiny-ness)
Manageability: 8/10

Overall Quality:  8.4/10

Comments:

• THE COLOR. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY SENT ME THE WRONG COLOR OR THE STOCK PHOTO IS JUST TOO CONTRASTED. I know, I know, there's what you call "different monitor settings" but man. The one that arrived is just a tad too light than the one in the stock photo. It's more of a silver-white rather than a silver-grey. Not what I expected. SAD.
• It's VERY thick. Seriously. It weighed about 1.1kg and I had to pay for shipment which was almost the same price as the wig.
• It's not shiny at all! Well, except when you point your camera's flash closely at the fibers then it would show shiny-ness.
• You can comb it easily however, I'm having a bit of trouble because it's really long and really thick.
• It's not as soft as the other brands. ;3;
• It's not 100cm. It's 105cm! (YES, I MEASURED THIS ONE TOO) :)))
• Customer service representative was nice and helpful. ^u^ Oh and they accept direct paypal payments! Hooray! \^_____________^/
• The price. Ugh. This brand is expensive but the quality is worth the price though (and it may have been expensive because I paid for express shipping for 1 wig only). It cost me around 1,900php (45USD) for just ONE wig, shipping and tax included. But then again, local resellers of this brand place this at the 2200php-2600php (52-62USD) price range.

If you wanna check their wigs out, you can visit their Taobao shop, The Second Nachname.

WOOT! This post is alarmingly long. ;A; I hope I helped you guys in one way or two with this mashed-up reviews of VRC, TSN and Kyouko wigs!