Friday, March 28, 2014

lightning striking agaaaaiin! Review flash

HAPPY FRIDAY!

 

inspired by the incredibly aesthetic and inspiring Jenny's blog,
here is a lightning round of mini beauty reviews!
i've tried a bajillion products in the past year and a half or so and was itching to talk about them somehow, but it didn't occur to me to put them in one post. a wave of relief is washing over me!!
 (づ。◕‿‿◕。)づ



Etude House Dear My Blooming Eyes #OR201 Coral
I love the girly/sparkly colors and princess motif, but unfortunately this fella showed up to my house somewhat broken -- the inner eye corner 'sparkle panel' broke apart and SPARKLEVISION-dusted all of the other panels. (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ From what I have been able to salvage, the colors are relatively subtle on their own after 1 application, so layering is key if you don't want more than a little bit of shimmer. Cute and great for 'everyday' makeup!

 Etude House Eraser Show Line Remover Stick
This 'roll-up' stick contains argan oil and aloe vera leaf extract
 and comes in a waxy, chapstick-like form that's good for spot removal if you're like me and screw up your eyeliner constantly (famous black spots on the bridge of the nose, etc.,) For best results sweep it on gently and then finish cleanup with a Q-tip. I've found it's easier to use it on small screw-ups that need a quick fix than overall eye make removal.
Etude House Eraser Show Mascara Cleaner
Yep, #2 in the Eraser Show series! The barrel is full of makeup remover, and the wand is just like a mascara wand that you can jiggle through your lashes to remove those pesky clumps so you don't have to rip out your lashes. I don't have to use this all the time but it's pretty efficient for disintegrating waterproof mascara. I worry a little about the hygiene aspect when returning the wand to the bottle, but I do try to keep it as clean as possible before replacing it.




Etude House Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base #1 Mint Choux
I was eager to try this version, since they switched the packaging from gross germ pot to tube! I am super pale with pinky undertones and was hoping this base would downplay the inevitable winter redness a bit. Unfortunately, it's a bit too light to have much of an effect other than giving me a slightly ghostly sheen.


 Etude House Shini Star Clear Pact - #1 Peach
An OK, peachy pressed powder that's supposed to help with color correction. Doesn't wear for very long, though.









Etude House Tear Drop Liner #1 White Tear
Fine point, shimmery eyeliner for your inner corners for that brightening effect. A bit too shimmery for me, and peels off easily. I think I prefer a white matte pencil to this guy.


Etude House Lash Perm 3 step Volumecara (Brown)
Fun and gimmicky 3-step mascara -- you turn the dial to control the amount of product, coat 1, coat 2, coat 3! I haven't branched out into using brown mascara until recently but I've been enjoying this a lot, it's easy to apply, and definitely gives my eyelashes some oomph.
Holika Holika Aqua Petit jelly BB Cream 40ml #1 
IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE ??? No, seriously, the jelly-like consistency is a bit off-putting at first if you're used to pedestrian bb creams, but it's kind of neat at the same time. It's heavier and does have a glossy sheen, and unfortunately is not as matte as I usually prefer. You do have to be careful not to overapply because it will peel off your face in weird rolls if you do, and I've noticed it resists some products like concealers, etc.


Kiss My Face Peaches & Cream Moisturizer
This is too heavy for my face purposes -- I have sensitive/combination skin that doesn't like moisture products --  but it smells AMAZING and just super real best tastiest peachy. Not overpowering, but delicious. I like to grossly slather myself with it when I get out of the shower. Great if you want to smell somewhat edible! Watch out for bees??




Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara (Brown-Black)
Illegal Length... but not a misdemeanor, nor a felony. Advertises '4 mm of measurable extensions ... break every law of lengthening!' the mascara goop itself is kind of fibrous and clumpy looking, but the results are pretty meh in my experience. I have to apply another mascara over one coat and then curl to get the look I usually like. OK for separating lashes because of the fine brush, but other than that, eeeehhhh.


Max Factor 2000 Calorie Dramatic Look Mascara (Black)
Not as dramatic as I hoped, and tends to melt off with just a couple of stray laughter-tears (sad clown!) I guess my lashes need moar calories.


Mommy Makeup Brow Tint (Blonde)
Great, non-clumpy, natural brow tint, and I much prefer this to Etude House's overly orange-y version of similar substance, though I'm clearly not part of the target demographic??



NATURE REPUBLIC By Flower BB cream SPF35PA++ #1 bright BB
A smaller-size bb I got for travel purposes that goes on sheer but gradually mattifies. Very gentle with a soft fragrance, and good for cooler light skin tones.


Olay Wet Cleansing Towelette - Sensitive
The first pre-moistened face clothes that haven't broken me out like a mother, so cause for celebration!! Other supposedly similarly gentle products have all caused weird flare-ups on my face after continued use (Burt's Bees, Say Yes To) Non-scented and very gentle.

Skinfood Platinum Grape Cell Essential Bb Cream Spf45/pa+++ #1
I haven't been able to get ahold of my favorite mushroom bb, so I decided to try this from Skinfood instead. Good coverage, love the extra SPF, but the large cylindrical pump packaging makes it kind of difficult to travel with and the smell is a bit baby-powdery, which I don't like so much.


TONYMOLY Cats Wink Clear Pact - #1 Clear Skin
Cutest powder! Nice and mattifying.


TONYMOLY Latte Art Milk-Tea Morning Pack

This goes on under makeup, and you have to pat/smack it on your face. It supposedly helps 'wake up' skin, but I'm starting to wonder if it's the patting that's really facilitating that... the best part is that it's a great base primer for whatever you're going to put on top! Kind of grossly shiny if left to its own devices, so definitely meant to be a base base.

Monday, March 24, 2014

harvest moon ladies got the fashions (i like)

And now for something completely different? Well... not quite?
There are still rabbits involved.
And clothing!


I'm really excited about the release of 牧場物語 つながる新天地 (Harvest Moon: Connect to a New Land) for 3DS!

 It JUST came out on February 27th in Japan, so looks like I'm just going to have to wait. Harvest Moon: A New Beginning came out in Japan in February 2012 and was released in mid-October of the same year in the U.S., so... that is a wee bit heartening, at least (ó㉨ò)ノ♡


I'm a latecomer to the series, but I love the attention paid to the clothing design of the villagers in recent iterations of HM. Of course, the rustic countryside is the backdrop and farming is always the main theme, but I like how the protagonists and villagers alike are often wearing something more sartorially challenging than the tried-and-true Old MacDonald flannel and denim overalls combination, hahaha -- not that there's anything wrong with that, but I love that there are mori, steampunk, ethnically inspired, and lolita elements present!

I want to be a fashionable farmer too... ((begin escapist fantasy))

Harvest Moon: Connect to a New Land (2014), 3DS
Connect to a New Land is the second game in the series where you can customize your main character's look -- eye color, hair color, skin color, etc -- and outfits, but I really love the default design for the female protagonist, "a kindhearted girl who loves animals... and always wears a smile no matter how tough things get."









Harvest Moon: A New Beginning (2012)




ANB is the first game that allowed you to customize your main character's physical characteristics, and you can also make a variety of outfits by collecting materials and taking them to the town tailor, some cuter than others, which is nice, since I don't favor the look of the female protagonist so much, nor her cow-print hat. Her design is definitely reminiscent of the HM DS "For Girl" MC.






Harvest Moon: A Tale of Two Towns (2010)


In ToTT you can choose which village you're going to live in -- the idyllic European themed, animal focused ranching town of Bluebell,  or the pan-Asian agriculture focused Konohana. Your outfit changes depending on which you choose, and you can go back and forth between towns if you wish. Depending on the materials you collect, you can even gather a collection of alternative ensembles over the course of the game.








Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar (2008)
A very cute game with a European folky wooden shoes n' windmills "Sound of Music" aesthetic. It's interesting how even the bachelors and bachelorettes -- supposedly all of marriageable age -- look like elementary school kids. Then again, so to the male and female protagonists, both. This was actually my first HM game, where I was awakened to the harsh reality of having my first child within a month of marriage and then heading back to the fields the same day to work D:


Sunday, March 23, 2014

it's a 3 shop moriism taobao haul!

i'm still working on posting my japan photos, but in the meantime---!!!!!

this package was a gift from mr. bun, even though i picked out the items. it was a bit delayed, understandably, due to the lunar new year holiday, so this was long awaited and i was super happy to receive it (read: biting nails and camping out next to the mailbox(=´∇`=)




from 蝶希部落日系森女森系 - Rare Butterfly Tribe
This was my first time purchasing from this shop -- they seem to carry items that have been on sale at Cawaii Onepiece Specialty Shop (shop here on Rakuten) previously, or replicas of their items at around the same price point, and also various accessories like mittens, headbands, legwear, and so on, but like Cawaii the main draw is the various onepieces and layered sets. They have a nice variety of slips and long skirts for layering as well.


brown & cream 3 piece mori coordinate
(asymmetrical dress + cardigan + shawl)
WOO this set has everything I need to acheive my dream of looking like a Harvest Moon protagonist, ahaha. i like the angled, asymmetric hems and the versatility of the pieces! i am trying to figure out a creative way to take in or at least mitigate the wideness in the waist area, though -- i really love the oversized look but since i have broad shoulders for a lady, this makes me look really, really wide. creative suggestions welcome?? (。•ˇ‸ˇ•。) i tried belting it in a bit but the belts i have currently don't quite work with the overall ensemble as it is, so no luck with that.

Cream OP (piece 1)


Neck detail. You can kind of make out the leafy pattern on the fabric here.



Ruffled lace hem detail
Chocolate one-button long cardigan (piece 2)


Lace shawl (piece 3)








false layer sweater
a lot more colorful than i expected in the knitted area? but nice! it's a camel-brown colored thick knit with flecks of color that are much brighter in person, and the tartan collar area is very soft too. i think i'm on a plaid kick, helpppp! it doesn't help that it's super cozy...

false layer sweater, ready for snugglin'

gray long-sleeve lace hem tee
good basic for an under layer-- just a soft long sleeve with lace at the hem and around the bottom of the sleeves. not sure i would wear it by itself, though. i wish the neck was a little less wide, but it looks nice with the lace neck forestgirlfans tank underneath.

The lace is long enough to peek out of your outer layer's sleeves!!



sailor shawl collar blouse
very cute/ethereal take on a sailor top. in this case, that also means see-through, but it's made for layering anyway. it's not overly nautical or seifuku-looking -- this is great for me, because i love the look of sailor-styled clothing, but i don't want to look like i'm cosplaying when i'm wearing them normally. i like the yellowish, tea-stained color. definitely suitable for warmer spring or summer weather since it's so light and airy. 

Front
Back -- the back is just as cute!!
warm warm warm! puffy! and very thick knit. i should have gotten a pair of these earlier on in the winter, though fortunately (or unfortunately) to me, we still have at least 2 months of tights-needed weather left...
Look at how the little flowers pop out, though!!!!!! So cute.

from 鲜格格美衣平价店 (Fresh Princess Attire Discount Shop lol)
This is my first time buying from this shop as well, which I stumbled upon looking for a dress that was sold out elsewhere. They cater to mori and natural styles.


green plaid onepiece
kind of huge, and also long for this short person!!! the hem hits right between mid-calf and ankle on me. and the dress buttons down all the way, so you can wear it as an open outer layer or jacket if you'd like, too!!

My cell camera doesn't pick up the color, but it's true green like the shop photo.
Collar detail
 it's soft and comfy and good for snuggling up and/or hiding in. the waist is cut a bit low and wide for me, so i've been following the styling suggestion above and cinching it with a belt. i like the feminine rounded collar a lot! the one thing that bothered me was it was musty-smelling when i received it, like it had been sitting for a long time. it took a few washes to get the smell out, but mr. bun said he couldn't smell it, so maybe i'm just extra sensitive to musty moldy odors (°ヘ°)



big gingham check onepiece
picnic time! this is cut similarly to the plaid OP (rather big on me, long too!) but there is a waist tie in the back to help mitigate that. unfortunately, though, when you tie it up, it does take in the skirt a bit and make it straighter and less "A" shaped, like in the photo there. pannier needed, perhaps. it's a bit more frumpier han i was expecting worn on its own, but i'm hoping some styling will solve this. or maybe i am just frumpy and the problem is without solution. DUN DUN DUN.

Who invited the ants?!



  森女部落甜美可爱原创 (Forest Girl Fans)
very cute and versatile, though it is on the lighter side, so there's not much to keep it from ballooning up in the wind or something. it has a stretchy elastic waist with waistband, and the inner layer falls below the pleats with the attached lace hem. the pleats are great. i would like this even better if it were culottes/shorts, though!

The pleats stay in place very well, too.

khaki crazy warm leggings
these leggings... have a lot going on. so warm too! i guess they're more like tights, since they do have feet. really fun!? they're completely opaque, about as warm as wearing a pair of pants, and thicker than most of the leggings i do have.
One does not simply take good legwear pictures! Haven't mastered this...

A very good item-as-described experience, all in all!! tb can be tough, because you can never know what you'll really be getting, but the more i order, the more i know what to look for each time.