Review || Shellac Nails

Simply put, I am addicted to painting my nails. Sometimes I go through periods where I will paint them as frequently as once a day! The problem with this habit (as any hardcore nail polish addict knows) is that the chemicals in nail polish can turn the surface of the nail yellow. Normally you would use a base coat to prevent this, but if you paint your nails frequently enough, even a base coat can't prevent staining. Over the years I've just accepted the risk of nail yellowing as a side effect of my addiction, but last I discovered something that may revolutionize the way I paint my nails - Shellac!

So here's what happened. I was in the nail salon with my friend and I decided that I was in the mood for a French manicure. The problem was that French manicures often chip off so quickly (waste of money!), plus I was reluctant to expose the true color of my nail surface (ugly!). When I told my manicurist what I wanted, she suggested that I get Shellac (a product by CND), as it lasts much longer than normal nail polish, preventing chipping and yellowing of the nail surface because of too frequent polish application. I decided to go for it, even though the Shellac would cost $35 instead of the normal $15 - and in my opinion, it was worth it.

Here is what my nails looked like about 2 or 3 days after I got the manicure:

And I must say, it was unexpectedly hard to take a picture of my hand with my webcam. Basically, it just looks like I have a French manicure...except that more than a week after I got my manicure, the only difference is that you can see that my nails have grown. It hasn't chipped.

Here are the details on Shellac and why it's better than a normal manicure or fake nails:

• It applies like a normal nail polish but feels like gel nails once it's dried.
• It has a short drying time because you put your hands under a UV light in between the base coat, main coat, and top coat. Once it's dry you don't have to worry that it will smudge. 
• You can keep a short nail length, unlike fake nails. 
• It's long lasting and doesn't damage your nail because you don't have to roughen the surface before application (unlike tips or fake nails).
• There is a range of colors (you don't have to get french). 

The only setback I have found is that the CND website says that you have to get your manicure removed by a professional because they created special "nail wraps" to remove the Shellac. I will probably just try to remove it myself with pure acetone though, and hopefully it should work fine. 

For more information on Shellac nails, visit the CND website, linked here. 

Mini Haul: DSW and TJMaxx

Taking a short detour from my Spring Fashion Week series, here's a little haul of some much needed items that I picked up while shopping yesterday.

So my old purse broke while I was at the Mother Mother concert. I had way too much stuff in it and I (stupidly) decided to grab it by the zipper for a few seconds...the zipper popped off and my purse fell on the floor right in front of the opening act. Awkward. Granted, that purse was more than a year old, so it had performed its duties faithfully and was bound to give out at some point. Anyway, I drove on down to DSW and picked up this purse by Urban Expressions. For those who don't know what DSW is, it advertises itself as a store that sells designer shoes (and purses) at warehouse prices. It's pretty much my go-to store for all things footwear. Oh, and please excuse my running shirt, I just got back from practice. 

I also grabbed these crocheted flats at DSW. The camera on my MacBook isn't as awesome as I wish it was, so the color is turning out a little less cream than the shoes are in real life. They're definitely reminiscent of the Alberta Ferretti Spring show from my last post. The brand is CL by Chinese Laundry. Check out the DSW website for more discounted shoes and accessories.  

This scented oil diffuser was just $5.00 at TJMaxx. I picked it up in the checkout line because it has a really cute bird design on the front and a flower pattern in the back that shows through as a background for the bird. Plus the packaging was really cute with the yellow bows; it struck me as very whimsical. The scent is French Vanilla, which I love. 

I also bought a few other things at TJMaxx, but they were clothes so I couldn't really figure out how to show them with the camera on my laptop. I picked up a pair of very dark wash jeans by Joe's Jeans, a colorful dress by Free People, and a really soft basic white tee by Ellen Tracy. Maybe I can figure out a way to take pictures of some Outfit of the Days wearing what I bought? We'll see. 

S/S '11 Picks: Alberta Ferretti

Continuing on with my series on Spring 2011 Fashion Week is my next pick: Alberta Ferretti. I love this collection because it's girly but not over the top, and boho but not dirty-looking. 

This was the first look in the collection that really caught my eye. I think it was the delicious deep green of the skirt that did it, with that understated leaf print. And the flowy-ness. The way the skirt moves as the model walks is so luxurious. This outfit is a good representation of the collection as a whole, which I think looks like an English garden mixed with a Ancient Greek goddess. 

This pic really shows off the fresh but fun makeup in Alberta Ferretti's spring collection. The cloud of green around the eyes paired with a pinky-pink cheek and natural lips totally screams spring. Other loves include the gray-purple color of the dress the super low-maintenance hair and the hat! I'm one of those people who always wants to wear hats but never does. There's something so mysterious about them though...I am definitely buying a wide-brimmed hat for hanging out by the pool this summer. 

Notice the flats sandals, not heels, that the model is wearing. Flat shoes were definitely all over the runways, including flat wooden platforms (or "flatforms"), a trend that I will personally not be rocking. Another great spring trend and the reason I love this outfit is the lace. This lace on this dress kind of looks like it was made out of someone's grandma's lace tablecloth, but in really good way. I saw a lace vest in a Macy's ad that I want to buy, since it will be an easy way to throw some lace into a lot of different outfits. 

S/S '11 Picks: ADAM

So...Fashion Week. Pretty much the epitome of every girl's dream. Alas, as I am neither an A-list celeb nor a model, that dream will remain a dream. Anyway, since all of those famous fashionistas, bloggers, and buyers just went to Fall Fashion Week, I decided to pick some of my favorite collections and looks and do a little series - almost as fun as being there, right? Except since it's still March and I'm getting into a spring-y mood I'm going back to the Spring/Summer Fashion Weeks. Maybe I'll get some inspiration for a shopping spree?

My first pick from S/S Fashion Week is kind of minimalist with an edge...or a pop...or something that makes it cool: ADAM.

I love the lace trend for spring, and the great thing about this flowy, innocent-looking lace top is what it's paired with; the little peek of shiny black leather on bottom and the sunglasses balance out softness of the  shirt. I'm also a sucker for neutrals.

I absolutely love something about the orangey-reddy-coraly color of these pants, which is weird for me... I normally don't gravitate towards bright pops of color. Something about these pants though, is bright yet subdued. I was also drawn the beautiful, glowy skin the model has in this picture, apparent even with the glasses. This look makes me crave sun and spring and flowers (but, you know, in a mature way)!

I am in love with Japan, so naturally I'm a fan of Tao Okamoto. But even though I would probably like anything she wears, I think this dress is really cute and wearable. The top part kind of follows the crop top trend that's coming back around, but without showing skin. The grainy look of the fabric, though, keeps the dress looking really organic and natural. Also, those red shoes are just amazing. 

Spring Beauty Trend: Neon!

All you fashionistas and makeup addicts out there in the blog-o-sphere (is that a word?) surely already know about the biggest beauty trend that has been popping up for spring and summer: neon eyes and lips! The look, worn with a matte finish, was all over the runways at the S/S 2011 fashion weeks. The key colors were red, fuchsia, and a great tangerine orange which is definitely the IT color this season.

I'm admittedly a little late to the game, but I'm excited to try this trend out during the warmer months. I don't usually go for a lot of color in my day-to-day wardrobe, but I think incorporating color through makeup is a great way to add a bit of fun to your look without going too extreme. TIP: If you're a little wary to rock the orange lip look, you could always paint your nails a neon color to pull off this trend in a wearable way. Right now I'm wearing the China Glaze color Shocking Pink.

Sweaty...But Cute?

Here's a tiny haul and some tips for looking cute (or as cute as possible) and comfortable while running! 

I had a fundraiser for my track team a few days ago at a store called Roadrunner Sports. We got a discount and if 50 people came the store was going to give my team $500, which we need to enter invitationals, buy uniforms, etc. I got a new pair of spikes, which was really exciting. Last year I used my cross country spikes for outdoor track, which worked pretty well, but these new ones are specifically meant for long distance track races. I learned that sprint spikes don't have a heel, mid distance spikes have a small heel, and long distance spikes have the most heel. Distance spikes also have less plastic on the bottom. This is really important because my shins and calves would really hurt if I tried to race a mile (or two) in sprint spikes, so I need shoes with a little more cushion and support. 

Nike Zoom Rival D V in White/Black-Voltage Cherry $60

I really like the pink stripes and laces and the green accents. Also if you look closely, they're a little shimmery. Cute!

I also bought a new pullover jacket-thing because I don't like the heavy sleeves on hoodies. I can wear them for warming up or if it's really cold, but since it's March now I need something a little lighter. So I found this jacket at the fundraiser, except I bought it in bright pink. They also have yellow and purple which were cute. 

Nike Element Half-Zip Running Top $55

When it comes to cute running clothes, though, the brand or the price or where you buy your clothes really isn't that important. Basically, you just need to have:

• clothes that are slim-fitting, but not tight.
• I've noticed that shirts or jackets that are too tight tend to ride up, which is so SO annoying. Running clothes should not fit like normal clothes. This probably seems pretty obvious, but a lot of times I see girls who have just started running wearing normal, tight T-shirts or hoodies. I guess it works for some people, but I find that I have to spend a lot of time yanking down my shirt if it's too tight. On the other hand, really baggy shirts or pants bounce around a lot and are almost worse than clothes that are too tight! They also weigh you down, which you clearly don't want when you're trying to move fast. 
• color!
• My normal clothes aren't super colorful but when I'm running, wearing bright colors just cheers me up. I normally go for vibrant blues or hot pinks. Bright socks or hair ribbons are an easy and cute way to add some color to your running wardrobe. 

Translation: Galileo Galilei's 僕から君へ

A couple weeks ago I translated this song, pronounced Boku kara Kimi e, from Japanese to English because I loved it so much. I couldn't find another translation anywhere else, so I just did it myself. The song is from Galileo Galilei's new CD, Parade, which was released only a few weeks ago, on February 16th (the single itself was released on New Year's). All the members of Galileo Galilei are really young, about 18 and 19.

 Here is my English translation. It's not perfect but it's the best I could do:
*Note* Since I wrote this blog post, somebody has put subtitles in the music video, and those subtitles are a more accurate translation than mine. I changed the video to the one with subtitles.*

The end of things

Becomes unexpectedly delayed and

So do our beliefs.

They grow, wilt, and end so…

Everyone wants the feeling of walking and to stop turning around.

They are checking what’s piled up.

We can’t become adults.

We can’t give up the train that children rode on.

Well, dreams come and go.

We understand and agree easily and we aren’t able to put that thing into words. Using every trick we begin walking, but the train is the tall sky above me.

Run and go

I wonder where we’ll go…

The untold reason is that we don’t have sturdy boots so we never become used to it. 

Will the theory grow? 

It’s regrettable, and I become barefoot and stand on tiptoes.

They’re stronger than I thought.

With these legs I will try to walk.

In a cloud of dust I found the footprints you left.

From the train car window, the thing we vowed on that day fell.

If that’s the only dream hanging down, we don’t need it.

We are able to stop walking and to stop our excuses.

Walking back to back, the sky above is the same cold...

Continue and go

I can hear the song of our vow.

Fast even faster

My legs move toward the horizon.

You can hear doubt, longing, hope, and complaints that are being sung under the same sky.

As for your far-away back, strongly and largely, it became our belief.

If you turn around you’ll be able to see that you, and I won’t aim for my horizon.

No, we don’t sympathize and agree.

I don’t do what I freely understood.

Somewhere, the train whistle sounded and we casually looked up at the future in the sky above.

I can hear the song of our vow.

Japanese Dramas List

So it's past midnight and I should be sleeping because I'm exhausted...but who needs beauty rest when there's concealer, right? Anyway, this is a list of the Japanese dramas and movies that I've seen so far and what I thought of them:

Dramas

• Hana Yori Dango (花より男子/ Boys Over Flowers）

           This was the first drama I ever watched, so I'll probably always really love it. The story is basically about a poor girl who goes to a school full of rich kids that's ruled by this group of four guys. The group calls themselves Flower 4 (F4) and if they don't like you you're pretty much screwed and everyone bullies you. So the main girl is having a difficult time and going up against the whole school - and then it becomes even more complicated when a few members of F4 start falling in love with her. Hana Yori Dango is based on a manga and its one of the most popular dramas out there. I liked that it was both funny, dark, and had a really cute love story.

• Hana Yori Dango 2

          Japanese dramas very rarely have second seasons, so the fact that this does really speaks to how popular it was. I was honestly kind of pissed when I started watching it and it took place a year later (opening in NY) and the main characters weren't together anymore, but it turned out well in the end. Also, I really liked the opening songs for both Hana Yori Dango 1 and 2 (they're both by Arashi, the band that Matsumoto Jun, the main guy, is in).

• Kimi wa Petto (君はペット/ You Are My Pet)

          I watched this drama because MatsuJun was in it and I like him. It's really different from Hana Yori Dango in that it's not a school drama at all. I liked it, but not as much as Hana Yori Dango. Also, the whole idea of the drama is really strange: An icy, standoffish career woman finds this beat up guy in a box outside her house and takes care of him. He becomes enamored with her and wants to stay at her house but she'll only let him if he agrees to take on the role of a dog. So she names him Momo. Obviously, various issues both comical and serious ensue as people obviously aren't dogs. Duh. 

• Itazura Na Kiss　(イタズラなKiss / Teasing Kiss)

          This drama is actually from the late '90s, but I liked it a lot (more than Kimi wa Petto). The plot is basically about a girl who runs into a guy on the first day of highschool and accidentally kisses him. He's in the same grade as her, but a different homeroom, and she has a huge crush on him all throughout highschool but he thinks she is an annoying idiot. He's even more unobtainable because he's the smartest and cutest and all around most coveted boy in the school. The girl finally gets her chance with him when her house burns down and she moves into his house because their parents were friends in highschool.

• Smile　(スマイル / Smile)

          Another drama that I clearly watched for my love of MastsuJun. A half Philipino, half Japanese man has a troubled life because of the social stigma against him; he faces prejudice because he's not fully Japanese. He meets a girl who can't talk because of emotional trauma in her past, but she falls in love with him because of his beautiful smile and his optimistic viewpoint of life. They go through many serious problems before they are able to lead a happy, peaceful life. This ultimately has a happy ending, but there are many ups and downs throughout. It's pretty good.

• Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (or Hana Kimi)　(花ざかりの君たちへ / For You In Full Blossom)

          An absolutely hilarious school drama with a romantic plotline. A girl who had been raised in California (Maki Horikita) disguises herself as a boy and enters an exclusive all boys school in Japan to try to make a talented high jumper (Shun Oguri) who she idolizes, but who quit jumping, take up the sport again. They become roommates and she falls in love with him, which is an issue since she's pretending to be a boy. BUT she doesn't know that he actually knows she's a girl and he secretly falls in love with her as well...kind of confusing to explain. Watch it. 

• Stand Up!

          This drama is a classic coming-of-age tale with a lot of humor and embarrassing moments that all teens go through. It takes place the summer before 4 friends' senior year of highschool (if I recall correctly), when everyone around them seems to be dating or in a relationship or just having sex. The 4 friends want to get in on the action (pun intended) but their perspective changes over the course of the summer as they reconnect with a childhood friend who comes back to visit. There was a little bit of a love story, but mostly it was just funny and enjoyable to watch. Also has Ninomiya from the band Arashi and the movie Letters from Iwojima. Recommended.

• Nobuta wo Produce　(野ブタをプロデュース / Producing Nobuta)

          I would say that Nobuta wo Produce is definitely one of my favorite dramas; it's up there with Hanazakari no Kimitachi e and Hana Yori Dango. Two school enemies secretly unite to "produce" an unpopular girl and transform her into a popular girl. The unusual circumstances brings together people who wouldn't have been friends otherwise. Themes of friendship and happiness. It's also hilarious and it made me cry. Anyone who hasn't seen this drama is really really missing out. Okay maybe it's my favorite?

Not the official pic for the drama (which is a cartoon of pigs),
but this has Yamashita and Kamenari in it.

• Proposal Daisakusen　(プロポーズ大作戦 / Operation Love)  

          Another drama with Tomohisa. The character he plays has been in love with his childhood friend all of his life but has never been able to confess his true feelings to her. Which sucks, because then she got engaged to another man. At the wedding ceremony, a fairy came up to the guy and started giving him chances to go back in time, fix his mistakes, and hopefully win her over. This was pretty cute, but not the best thing I've ever seen, as the episodes get pretty repetitive in structure and can be frustrating as Tomohisa repeatedly fails to confess his love to his friend. The ending made me happy though. 

• Kurosagi　(クロサギ / The Black Swindler) 

          I wrote an earlier post about this drama because I finished it recently. I liked it because I have a huge celebrity crush on Tomohisa Yamashita (pretty much just like every girl in Japan and tons of Americans too, sigh). I also think that Maki Horikita is such a sweetie...so anyway you can check out my other post for more info.

Movies

• Densha Otoko　(電車男 / Train Man)

         I actually watched this movie about 2 years ago. It's about an awkward, nerdy guy who defends a woman on the train from some creepy man. He, of course, falls in love with her and enlists the help of a few of his nerdy internet friends in order to woo her. The movie has a lot in it about otaku (お宅) culture; an otaku is a type of person who stays in their house all the time and lives on their computer, video games, etc.

• Ping Pong　(ピンポン)

          I watched this movie in school, oddly enough. It was absolutely amazing, and my teacher told me it was very popular in Japan as well. A movie about ping pong that is funny, entertaining, action-packed...also makes you think about friendship, dedication, sacrifice. That's all I'm going to say, but out of these few movies it was definitely the best, by far. 

• Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru　(ただ、君を愛してる / Just Loving You) 

          Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru was recommended to me by a friend. It's cute but has a pretty sad ending, which was disappointing at the time. Synopsis: Guy becomes friends with a weirdo girl in college who falls in love with him. She tries to convince him that she just looks childish because she hasn't fully matured yet. There's photography. There are nature scenes.

• Yuuki　(ユウキ)

          Honestly, this movie was a little disappointing. I didn't dislike it, but it just didn't capture my interest the way that some other dramas/movies have. Which sucks, since I love Oguri Shun and Kamenari Kazuya. Based on the true story of a guy with a very very rare disease where the bones surrounding his brain disintegrate. Not a happy ending, but inspiring nonetheless. 

• Kurosagi　(クロサギ / The Black Swindler)

          This movie is just an elaboration of the Kurosagi drama, and kind of answers some questions about Kurosaki's future. As a hopeless romantic, however, the fact that the love story between Kurosaki and Tsurara was barely addressed really annoyed me. So beware if you're looking for some kind of conclusion to the love story.

Review || Jewelmint

I feel like Jewelmint has been getting a lot of press lately and a couple of Youtubers have talked about it too (namely juicystar07 and allthatglitters21) but for those of you that don't know, jewelmint.com is a new jewelry-of-the-month type jewelry line. It's a collaboration between Kate Bosworth and her stylist Cher Coulter, so buying jewelry from Jewelmint means that you're are buying something really unique that has been meticulously designed by a celebrity fashionista and her award-winning stylist! So cool!

Kate Bosworth (left) and Cher Coulter (right), the designers

More details can be found on the website, but this is basically how it works:

When you sign up, you take a style quiz, and then Jewelmint takes you to your "Showroom" where there are recommendations for pieces that you might like according to the results of your quiz. All the pieces are $30, and after you start buying jewelry the website starts adapting and getting a better idea of what you like and don't like, which is   awesome in my opinion. If you don't like anything that they recommend, you can click the "Show Me More" button and it will show you a lot of other options that you can add to your Showroom. If, after that, you still don't like anything, you don't have to buy any jewelry that month. The website works on a credit system that charges your credit card after the 5th day of the month, so if you don't want to buy anything you just have to log on and pass for that month and you won't get charged. Also, shipping is free. 

So far, I've purchased 3 things from Jewelmint (one of them I bought like 5 minutes ago, so I don't actually have it, but I really like the other two I have). This is what they look like : 

Krishna Diamond Earrings

Sweetheart Ring

Mystic Fall Earrings

Mother Mother Tour

     One of my favorite bands, Mother Mother, is doing  a tour for the release of their new CD, EUREKA. The band is Canadian so the tour is going to be mostly in Canada, but they are doing a few shows on the east coast of the US. I don't know how to describe them, except...amazing. I've seen them live before, and I am definitely not missing their show in DC this time because they are so good live. I also have a picture with a member of the band, Molly (girl with the blunt bangs), and she was so nice. I went with a group of friends last time they were in the States, but their DC show is at The Red Palace and it's an 18+ show...which made me realize that most of my friends are 17. The concert is on March 6th, so fingers crossed that I find a concert buddy before then or I am totally screwed. I mean, I would probably go anyway...but The Red Palace sounds pretty sketchy and I feel a bit like I would be putting myself at risk of awkward conversations with drunk strangers. It would so be worth it though. Check out Mother Mother at their website: www.mothermothersite.com, or watch this vid of their song, O My Heart.

Stolen Uggs!

Just a quick post: I was at practice today and left my chestnut Uggs in the locker room...they weren't there when I came back after practice. I would never steal something of someone else's and I always just assume that nobody else would steal either. Maybe it's bad that I'm so naive? I really do want to think the best of people though...so the only thing that's holding me over until the first of the month when I can buy a new pair is the thought that maybe the person who stole them was really poor and couldn't afford new shoes and they needed my Uggs to keep their feet from getting frostbite. Even though, let's get real, it's not that cold in Virginia at the end of February.

First Day of Outdoor and クロサギ

Outdoor track started today, and since I decided to focus on college apps/Japanese/school/having a life instead of doing Indoor track I was considerably out of shape. I mean, I am still considerably out of shape, because you obviously can't get in shape in one day, but you know. Hopefully I will get back to normal quickly because my school's new coaches are really intense. I normally do the mile or the 800 in Outdoor, and this season will definitely have less cross-country-esque distance runs and more speed workouts on the track. Which I hate. But if it works...

Switching gears, I finally finished the Japanese drama クロサギ(Kurosagi) and watched the movie クロサギ today, which was exciting. The story is basically about a guy named 黒崎(Kurosaki) whose dad was conned when Kurosaki was 15. His dad then proceeded to kill Kurosaki's mother and sister, and then committed suicide. In order to exact his revenge, Kurosaki becomes a swindler named Kurosagi who is a "swindler of swindlers", vowing not to stop until he has conned all of the swindlers in the world. It sounds really dramatic, but there are a lot of funny parts and a bit of romance provided by the beautiful　堀北真希 (Horikita Maki), who plays 吉川氷柱 (Yoshikawa Tsurara). I was very unsatisfied with the ending from a romantic perspective, though. Which is generally my main perspective, admittedly. I think the title is really clever because くろ(kuro) means black and さぎ (sagi) is a heron, like the bird, but it also means a con artist (or a swindler, as the people who did the English subs translated it). So Kurosaki is the Black Swindler, and there is a lot of bird imagery and such in the drama. 

Horikita Maki, who plays Yoshikawa Tsurara.
She also appeared with Yamashita in Nobuta wo Produce.

Yamashita Tomohisa, who plays Kurosagi.
I got this pic from a Japanese magazine, AnAn.

1st Post!

I'm not in the mood to start my homework yet, so I decided to start this blog instead! I've wanted to start a youtube channel for a really long time (to do makeup/hair tutorials and such) but I'm too lazy and just never got around to it, so I decided to try blogging instead. Literally, I decided like 5 minutes ago after looking at Blair Fowler's blog (juicystar07 on youtube). Also, I think another benefit of having a blog is that I can have more variety in my posts; they don't have to be just about makeup or any one thing, and I can include my other interests (homework is clearly not one though...).

Anyway, if I end up continuing this blog, the posts will most likely be about makeup, fashion, Japan and Japanese dramas/music, my school life, running, and maybe other things. We'll see.