Friday, February 27, 2015

Ootd #3: Romper Love

What's this? Another post in February?! I am seriously surprised at myself, at how much I'm dedicating my time to this blog, but then again, I have so much fun writing it . (*⌒▽⌒*)θ~♪

Anyways, hello, my favorite people, (^ _ ^)/

This post today will be dedicated to a topic I haven't done for quite some time now, my outfit of the day or the shorten term, OOTD. If there's one thing you need to know about me, is that I love taking pictures of my outfits. If I'm hanging out with friends, I will make sure they will take a picture of my outfit before the hangout has ended or if I'm by myself, I will try to find a nice, long mirror, preferably, a changing room from a store.

And recently, after scrolling through my instagram account, I came to a realization, that I like skirts and dresses a lot, so, I decided to change it up (is it sad to say that this is my first romper, ever?), and show you guys what I had worn a few days ago, hopefully, it's a bit different from what I usually wear and my usual style.

Black, white & gray, so colourful, eh?

Where did I get the items?
Romper, ring & socks: Forever 21
Booties: Urban Planet
Purse: Coach

When I first spotted this romper, it was in a section, which also happened to be my favourite section, at Forever 21 called "Girly Girl" (it was selling during the time I was still working), I knew I wanted it, before it sold out. It's cute and super girly, but the main reason why it appealed to me, was because it had a sense of Japanese fashion to it, (in my opinion) which I loved.

A better frontal view.
The thing that I really liked from the romper piece was the simple fact that I could tie a bow to it. It made the piece really cute and adorable, and as I said previously, it's what made the romper have a Japanese style to it. Although, I wish it did come in different colours, perhaps a light pink? But that's just wishful thinking.

Up close and detailed.
As you can see more clearly in this picture, the thing that bother me about the romper was that it has too many buttons, which is kind of annoying and a hassle, since they're really tiny too! So if you have long nails, it would take you a while to unbutton and button it.

❤ Here are just additional shots for my accessories:

Using my trusty Coach purse.
The socks are very comfortable.. The boots? Not so much.

{Bonus Shots}

I tried taking a picture of my outfit with my dog, Tobi, (he's a Lhasa Apso, in case you were wondering) but every time my sister took a picture of us, either Tobi would look away from the camera or I would look away....LOL :(

Tobi, where are you looking at???
Not my finest hour.
My favourite shot, despite both of us are not looking at the camera.


[[Music Mania]]

Interstellar - Main Theme

So I'm bias, I was watching the Oscars the other day, and I was so sure that Hans Zimmer was going to win the Oscar for "Best Original Score" for Interstellar, and when he didn't I was floored. The main theme for the movie, is such a beautiful, yet haunting piece, and I wanted to share it with you guys, if you haven't watched Interstellar, which by the way, I highly recommend you to!

The Legend of Zelda - Song of Storms

Hehe, for you gamers out there! :D So I take ballet class every week, and the last week, my instructor, who usually plays instrumental pieces for us to dance to, played the "Song of Storms", and I was like it's "Zelda!!!", but nobody understood the reference except me. (✖╭╮✖)  

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness - Cecilia and the Satellite

So if you live in Vancouver, Canada, there's a radio station called 102.7 The Peak which is my favourite station, since it plays rock, folk and indie songs, and they played "Cecilia and the Satellite" one day, and I just love it. It's really catchy, so might as well share with you guys.


Well, this was a short post, considering for me. I would have written more, but I didn't take any new pictures of anything to include.

I know don't do outfit posts a lot, so I hope you enjoyed this one! I'm also looking for new songs as well to add to my playlist when I go to the gym, if you guys have any suggestions, are you able to share some of your favorite songs with me, please? :)

Thanks for reading,
Courtney ♡

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

What's In My Purse? ♡


Hello lovelies ♡,

Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day!

Today, I'm excited to show you guys a post that I wanted to do for the longest time, which is the famous and popular, "What's in my purse/bag?" post. I've  been dying to do this post for a while now, since the topic is what drew me into the beauty community of Youtube and got me interested in reading other people's blogs. 

And due to my neverending curious and nosey nature, I always enjoy reading what kind of items people carry in their purses...I'm weird in that sense, haha. 。◕‿◕。So, I thought to myself, why not share what I have in my purse as well, for other curious people like me?

I just wanted to point out that the items you see are the items that I generally carry, if I go out. If I went to school or the gym, you would see the same items, but, with additional things.

As a fair warning, this post will be picture-heavy. I will also be going through the items that I have in my purse and give description to it, instead of just listing the items, (it's a preference thing).  Also, if you have read my previous posts, primarily due to habit and enjoyment, you can be sure and guarantee it will be long as well.

(But, first some closeups.)




(The purse, itself)


The very thing that drew me to this purse (besides the colour, haha), was the fact it had a huge bow on the front  (^‿^✿). I got this purse from one of my all time favourite stores, Ross Dress for Less, when I was in San Francisco around May of last year with family.

Unfortunately, I cannot remember what brand this purse is from because I threw the tag away a while ago. Weirdly, there is no label inside the purse as well. I do, however, remember that it was made from a small independent company as I looked up the purse brand/company before I threw the tag away.

► I have to point out that I don't use this purse daily. In fact, I don't have a regular purse that I use at all, because I change my purses in order to match with my outfit. ◄

What the purse looks like with the flap off.
Inside view.
So the pattern inside the purse is black and white stripes going in the vertical direction, which is different, from what I was expecting, when I opened up the purse.

The purse itself has two zippers inside, one at the back, that can carry small items and one in the middle which serves a long pouch and a divider for the front and back space of the purse.

A thing that bugs me about the purse, is that from the outside, it looks very roomy, but it's really not. I can generally fit the items I carry usually, but when it comes to school supplies, notebooks & textbooks, I cannot carry that many things, and it becomes very bulky.
((╬ಠิ﹏ಠิ))
What the purse looks like, standing upright.
(Electronics)


So the electronic items that I mainly carry with me are my Samsung S2 phone, pink 3ds XL & my plain iPod headphones. I have to say my phone has been pretty loyal, despite me throwing it around my purse, ._. as it hasn't completely broke, yet. I have my phone for obvious communication reasons and it also serves as my music player and backup camera if I don't bring my own camera out.

I also bring my pink 3ds XL out with me, so I can streetpass other ds players and if I get bored travelling on the bus, I whip it out to kill time. I mostly play Super Smash Bros at the moment!

Closeup and angled.
(Essentials)


 I call these items my "essentials" due to the fact that if I truly only needed a minimum of items, it would be these and my phone. For obvious reasons, I need my wallet to pay for things, but as well it also carries my ID cards. I got my mirror from Forever 21 (the design was so cute), but I have my mirror with me just to check if I look presentable

The perfume you see there is Dior's J'adore perfume, which I absolutely adore, (bad pun intended) (๑•̀ㅂ•́)وI have it with me so if I can dab it on myself to smell nice, and it's needed especially after I head to the gym. And finally, my hand sanitizer will always be tucked in my purse because I'm really paranoid if I touch hand railings in the public or buttons from machines, etc. so when I put this on, I don't feel as bad.

Closeup, sanitizer is from Bath and Body Works, while the mirror is from Forever 21. 

I'm well aware of how badly used and beat up my wallet is....since I did have it for a few years now (and a friend of mine likes to point it out). But it still functions well and properly, so I don't think I'm going to buy a new one for a while. If you were wondering where it's from, I got it from Fossil
✿ヾ╲(。◕‿◕。)╱✿ 

The design of the mirror is so cute and girly.

(Makeup)


If I have time to put makeup on when I go out, the only items that is related to beauty products would be my two lip balms you see on the right, which is from Blistex and Eos. I also carry backup hair ties and bobby pins, just in case my hair gets in the way.

However, if I don't have time to put on makeup, these are the makeup products that I usually carry:

By going clockwise direction, the makeup products I carry with me are:
1. Colour Whisper Lip Butter in "Bare to be Bold"
2. L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara
3. Sephora's Vip Pass Eyeshadow Palette
4. Sephora's Eyelash Curler
5. Rimmel Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Eyeliner
6. Joe's Fresh Eyebrow Pencil in Ash Brown 

✿ I highly recommend the liquid eyeliner, it's bold, precise and best of all it's cheap!!! Oh and if you're wondering where I got the makeup case, of course, it's from Daiso.✿
(Mints)


I like gum and mints, which is why you'll always find them in my purse, plus, just in case if I eat something that has a strong smell, such as fish, it will keep my breath smelling nice. I don't have a favourite brand of gum, but I highly recommend the Starbucks after coffee mints, they are really strong, but at least it keeps your breath fresh and minty smelling.

(Organization)


When it comes to organizing anything for me, I'm the worse. I can admit that I am a disorganized person, This year, I've been trying to break that bad habit, so I've been using this planner schedule to help me keep in track of what I need to do, so it's with me in my purse all the time. I got this schedule, believe it or not, at a dollar store from Surrey's Guildford Mall and heh, surprisingly the pen I carry is not pink, but blue.


Due to the fact that I have multiple midterms in the upcoming week, I don't believe I can do another post in February, ._. which sucks, because I already planned what I was going to do. However, I will try my best to squeeze in one more post for this month.

And because I'm a nosey bugger xD I would love to see/read your guys "What's in my bag/purse?" post, link it below in the comment section, or if you haven't done it yet, then I tag you guys to do so!

And also:
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!


Thanks for reading,
Courtney ♡

Monday, February 9, 2015

[Review]: The Face Shop Black Label Lipstick in No.11 Lovely Pink



Hello everyone~!

I can't believe it's already February, time goes so fast, doesn't it?( ゚ Д゚)It's kind of surreal, since it means I'm almost halfway done the semester of school (T▽T). Anyways, since it's the month of February, I decided that during the entire month, I will dedicate my posts that is something related to pink, red, and things that are (or I considered, haha) girly. ❤ 

So, if you must know, I absolutely love lip products, they are my favorite type of makeup products I like to use and buy. And as you may have seen, I posted pictures of a lipstick that I had bought a while ago, from my previous post, about my small collective haul of January.

And as of today, I present you guys, with the review of The Face Shop's Black Label Lipstick in No.11 Lovely Pink.

Packaging of the lipstick.
Due to the lighting of the photo, the packaging may look like its gold, but it's actually not. The lipstick is held in a gray-silver, gunmetal package. The packaging is like any typical lipstick, however, I like the fact that, despite dropping it on the hard floor a couple of times, it didn't crack, showing me that it's very sturdy. Although, the case is not immune to scratches, as I have a very bad habit of throwing my lip products in my bag, which in turn, my lipsticks get banged around a lot in my purse.

No. 11 Lovely Pink.
I bought the shade in No.11 Lovely Pink, the colour is a neutral, opaque rose-pink. It's perfect for the natural look. Even with one swipe of the lipstick, the colour is noticeable. Though, with two swipes, you have a slightly darker pink, which still makes it great for a natural look. There is also a light scent, which is pleasant since some lipsticks and lipglosses I owe, do not have a nice smell to it.

It's a very sweet  & natural colour.
Applying the lipstick is easy, as it is very smooth. The texture was another plus as well, since the product has a very creamy texture. Even better, the lipstick is very moisturizing, and it didn't dry my lips at all, which I found great, since I have experienced with other lipsticks, that make my lips really dry and chapped.

Closeup of the lipstick.
There were a lot of positive things about the lipstick, but I did find a few things that I didn't like about it. First, the duration is average at best. If you don't eat or drink or make your lips touch anything, it lasts up until 2-3 hours at max. However, if you do eat or drink, the lipstick colour comes off quite quickly, so you do have to reapply a bit. Another thing that I didn't like about it was the fact that it smudges easily.

You may have notice that the lipstick is dented at the top corner, T_T, don't worry about it, mines is just like that because I accidently moved the lipstick onto the cap, when I was trying take a picture of my collective haul.

Gotta add the swatches!
Here, I just swatched the lipstick to show the colour and what it looks like. To the left, is one swipe of the product and to the right, is two swipes.

(Here are pictures of what the lipstick colour looks like, when worn.)
Headband from Forever 21 & Top from American Eagle.
In better lighting.
What are the Pros & Cons?
Pros:
- smooth application
-creamy & moisturizing texture
-scent is very light
-nice neutral pink
-pigmented
Cons:
-not long lasting
-smudges quite easily
❊❊❊
Would I recommend this product?
Yes I would recommend this product and the line of the lipstick, it does it's job, and it gives you a nice colour, and a big one for me is that it doesn't dry your lips.
Would I buy it again?
Yep! But in different shades, of course. You can get it online or if you live in Vancouver, from The Face Shop either at Metrotown or Richmond Centre. Last time I checked, the one in Metrotown was having a 20% of sale for cosmetics.
 
[Overall Thoughts]

The packaging is sturdy and simple, but is still susceptible to scratches.
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ 
The application is easy, very smooth gliding.
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ 
The colour is a neutral, opaque rose-pink, very girly and pigmented.
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ 
The texture  is light, creamy and moisturizing.
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ 
The duration is average, it depends if you eat or drink.
❤ ❤ ❤ ♡ 
The overall results are:
❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ♡

{Food Snaps}
(Cause I haven't done these for a while, and knowing me, I don't like writing short blog posts, so I have to find a way to make it long.) 
(ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧
Salmon & Tuna Don from Sekai Udon Bar.
Closeup.
"The High Tea", a 3 tier stand of  sweets and desserts from La Petite Cuillere.
"The Afternoon Tea", a 2 tier stand. The plating and dishes are so girly. :)
Entire view of the tier stands and the numerous desserts & sweets.
Any time is good, when it's tea time!

I know I have been doing reviews only, lately, (I do enjoy writing them though :p) but I will be doing different posts later on. I want my blog to have variation to it! Plus, this post was actually suppose to be a post about "Lazy Makeup/Lazy Hair Tutorial", but I didn't think it went well with the theme of February, which is why I decided to change the post topic.

Anyways, knowing that I don't have a good track record of updating on the actual day,  I will say it now:

❤ HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! ❤
Cake for you!
I hope you guys have a great one!

And to end this post, I will leave you a music video/audio of my new favourite song that I just discovered. It's called "Rollercoaster" by Bleachers. Hope you enjoy it!

Bleachers - Rollercoaster

Thanks for reading,
Courtney ♡