January 2013 Going, Going, Gone!

When you are practicing the "buy less and use what you got more" strategy that I am currently, it only seems fitting to start back with my Going, Going, Gone series. Here are the products that I used up for the month of January.


Lush Almond & Coconut Smoothie:
This was purchsed last winter in hopes that it would help soothe my dry skin on my legs. While I really enjoyed the smell of this product (as did my hubby), it didn't do much for my dry skin. I also didn't feel very clean after using it in the shower. I love Lush products, but this is not one I am likely to purchase again.


Lush Veganese Conditioner:
I purchased this conditioner earlier last year, thinking that if I went "all natural" it would be better for my hair. Sadly while going "all natural" might be good for your hair, this product didn't moisturize my dry hair at all! Needless to say I am still on the hunt for the "perfect" hair product, is there one??


Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque:
A patient in the office I work in, who is a hair dresser suggested I use a masque on my highly color-treated hair to improve the shine and overall look of my hair. She told me I could find one for cheap in the drugstore. I went to Target in hopes of finding such a cheap deep conditioner and found this one, which was actually targeted for African-American women. I have to say the smell of this product wasn't the greatest, but it covered all my needs otherwise. This was actually my third tub of the product, I haven't repurchased another only because I am trying a new deep conditioner at the moment.


Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturizing Emulsion:
I recieved this sample in a nice sample package the lovely ladies at the Torrance Mitsuwa Shiseido counter gave me. When I worked in Mitsuwa I used to chat with these ladies often and so they give me samples from time to time. During that time they matched me to their "White Lucent" skincare line. I really liked this product, used with the softener and other products from the line. I just wish the line wasn't so pricey. I plan to purchase fullsize items when I can.


Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Balancing Softener:
As with the Emulsion, I really enjoyed this product and when used together they helped to keep my skin soft and moist without being oily. I hope to purchase this with the full line of White Lucent items when I can.


ROC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum:
While I don't have much in the case of wrinkles yet, but it's never too early to start in preventing them right? I used this item as part of my night-time routine. While the smell is nothing to write home about, I do feel that is made a difference in the area around my eyes. And whats nice about this product is that a little goes a long way. I plan to repurchase this and I'm glad to find that its one of those items that is definitely cheaper here in the USA.

What are some of the products you have been using up?

Warm Bodies Advance Screening

Anyone who knows me or my husband knows that we really love movies. One of the biggest perks of living stateside again is that we are able to see movies shortly after they are released and not wait months later.
A few weeks ago I received an email from AMC (a large cinema chain in the US) inviting me to an advanced screening of the movie Warm Bodies as part of their stubs card perks. In all honesty I'd not heard anything about the movie prior to this email, but I could not pass up the offer of seeing a movie for free.
Last Wednesday we saw the film at our local AMC theater and I have to say it was really a fun movie! It's a zombie movie, but rather than being scary, its funny and even has some romance. There were many hilarious lines and the cast was great. I liked it so much that I am actually considering paying to see this movie again. This movie is actually based on a novel by the same name, which I'm planning to read soon.
If you check out Warm Bodies, let me know what you think!

Happy New Year!!!!

明けましておめでとうございます！今年も宜しくお願いします！
It's definitely been a while since I posted anything here, but there is nothing like a new year to get one in the mood to start blogging again. I did lots of thinking in my time away from blogging and am motivated to try even harder in the new year. I hope everyone had a great 2012 and that 2013 will be an excellent year for all of us!

My Glam Bag December

After watching so many videos about Birch Box while I was in Japan, I became really curious about sample subscription services. Sadly by the time I moved back to the US, Birch Box was no longer appealing to me as it seemed like the products they were sending out were more like rejected items rather than items people would actually like to use. I recently watched a couple of videos by Michelle Phan and Andreas Choice, which spoke about this new subscription service called My Glam. I checked out the website and saw what they had planned to include in the December bag and decided to take their profile quiz and subscribe. I figured for $10 it seemed like a good deal. Here is what I got in my December Glam Bag:



*The Bag*
Its not the best beauty bag, its definitely cheaply made but for $10 its not bad. And I would rather them spend the money on what is inside, so this doesn't bother me at all!

*Mai Couture** Salicylic Acid Blemish Control blotting paper (full size) valued at $20USD*
In my quiz I had mentioned that I have oily skin and sometimes get blemishes, so I believe that is why I got these blotting sheets. I haven't tried them out yet, but will review them when I do.

*NYX Soft Matte lip cream in the color Istanbul (full size) valued at $6USD*
I just started getting into lip products so I was excited to see this, however I am not sure about the color as I think it may be too pink for my pale skin at the moment.

*Tart Lights, Camera, Action Mascara sample size*
I saw this and was excited as I had been wanting to try it out!

*Urban Decay Original Primer Potion sample*
I love this stuff and was happy to see it, even if it is in the old packaging.

*Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Sin (full Size) valued at $17USD*
One of my favorite shadows in my Naked palette, so I was glad to get this for when I run out....I am almost hitting pan!

Overall I would have to say this service is off to a great start. I hope that next months bag continues with this standard and is as much a value as December's. Has anyone else subscribed to this service? If so what did you get in your bag?

Hope you are all having a wonderful week! I hope this post starts me back on regular blog posting!

Happy November!

It's been a rough couple of months here in the city of angels! It seems as though all of my free moments have been spent either supporting my husbands career or with family. Both of these are great, but I also have come to the realization that I need some time just for me and the things I like to do. One of those being to write this blog, which has been pretty neglected lately.

So with the start of the new month, I thought I would share one of my newest changes in recent days. That change being my hair color! I'm now a brunette. For the past few months I had been playing with the idea of dying my hair dark, so this past weekend I finally decided to go for it. I used a L'Oreal cream color hair dye in dark brown. It's one that gradually fades in 28 washes, so I am able to try being a brunette for a while without committing to the color if I want to go back to blonder hair.

How do I feel about this new, dramatic, and somewhat out of my comfort-zone look? It's going to take some getting used to, but overall I am pleased with how it turned out. After being a blonder girl for at least the past six years, it's been fun experimenting with make as it now looks a bit different.

Have any of you ever tried a hair color (or anything) that was out of your comfort zone? If not what are things you would love to try, but haven't?

2011 Fashions Night Out, LA!

Last year was my first time attending the Vogue Fashion's Night Out event, I went in Tokyo and you can read about it here. I had such a wonderful time so I was very much so looking forward to this years event. It took place on September 8th this year and due to the fact that I am now living in Los Angeles, there was a plethora of places that I could go to participate in the event. I however chose to go to the Beverly Center and The Grove which are in West LA. Here are some of the pictures that my husband (bless him for being so patient) and I took of the evening.

The opening ceremony at the Beverly Center, we saw Randy Jackson and Nicole Richie there.




The fashion show that took place at the Beverly Center.


I got to meet Lauren Conrad at The Grove's Nordstrom, she was there promoting her new clothing line Paper Moon. She very sweet in person!


Some of the models from ANTM's current cycle at Express.


Some of the cute cupcakes given out at Bloomingdales.



I only purchased one this that night (despite being tempted to buy many things I wanted), I picked up a top at Banana Republic for 40% that night only.

Did anyone else participate in Fashion's Night Out this year? If so where, I would love to hear about your experience! Also if you are in Japan, you still have a chance to go as its been pushed back to 11/5/2011 this year because they want to conserve energy there.

NOTD: Essie Carry On

Hello ladies (and gentleman?), long time no blog! For the last month I have spent most of my time trying to learn the ropes at not only one new job, but two! I have to say it hasn't been easy, but I am finally feeling comfortable at both and hope that in my free time I am more motivated to blog again rather than just sleeping. Despite my absence on this blog for about a month, I have managed to acquire some new items through purchases and friends.
One of these items is this new nail polish by Essie in the color Carry On. With all of the warm weather and sunshine we are having here in Los Angeles, it is hard to believe that autumn is actually here. I don't mind the warm weather, but I wouldn't mind some cooler weather so I can breakout some of my autumn clothes and boots. I think this desire for autumn also lead me to this color polish.


Carry On is a reddish eggplant color, which at times reads brown in various lighting.
When I first applied this polish, I wasn't sure if I liked it as I am not used to seeing my nails so dark. It has since grown on me and I am looking for more darker colors to try out. I am open to suggestions if anyone has any they think I need to try out!