seraphim’s blog

new products: mavala double lash and dermamed acne kit & no 'poo!

Oct 26, 2009
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I hate how I have such sporadic updates but my program has been sooo busy it's not even funny. I see my team members more than I see my family and spend more than full-time work hours working on these projects for just this ONE class. It's insane and brutal but at the same time, it does feel more rewarding in the end.

So since there has been a lot of stress, there has been a lot of retail therapy...and also lots of break outs! >< I bought the mavala double lash because it was on sale at a local retailer for about $12 CAD. I haven't been using it as consistently as I should so I can't report much back about it. Since I've spent many nights away from home, I haven't applied it those nights, and when I am home I'm so dead tired that I completely forget to apply it. I'm not looking for dramatic growth though...really hope to just strengthen them and maybe have them a bit fuller so that all my mascara and curling won't pull them all out.

Along with the stress, my face has been breaking out TERRIBLY. This is the worst that it has ever been in my life. People keep commenting on it though which makes it even worst...Chinese adults just don't seem to have any tact. Well at least the ones I've encountered (my parents most of all). While browsing through the Whole Foods, I found this natural acne gel and for the first night it seemed to work really well...it calmed down the spots and they were less red and painful. I also loved that I could understand pretty much everything on the ingredient list and there were no parabens or strong chemicals like benzoyl peroxide but instead used lovely tea tree. So I bought that and used it a couple of days and was satisfied enough that I went to look up the brand. It's a Canadian brand which makes it another plus, and I found they have this acne kit with the gel that I have, a acne wash that only has 4 ingredients and they're all natural except for the 2% of salycid acid (but at this point of my acne I think I do need the little bit of medicatedness), as well as a supplement vitamins with more all natural organic properties that I only have to eat twice a day with my meal (I tried other acne supplements but those required like 4 times a day and I could never remember...)

So far I've only tried the kit for two days so I don't have much to report yet. The wash was a bit drying but just using my Lush Eu Roma toner was enough to moisturize it. The supplements are also a bit big but luckily I don't have too much trouble swallowing it down with a glass of water. I know that my lifestyle right now might also ruin the chances of this kit working because I am hardly sleeping, eating junk (but at the same time, my team fortunately tries to make more healthy meals for one another, and while I work, I tend to touch my face without realizing it ><

Oh and I loved the CS of this Dermamed company. I was about to order from their site (prices were better than what other retailers were selling it for...I guess its the whole, get it from the source!) and I noticed that their office is in my city! So I emailed them and asked them if I could come in and pick up the order instead of having them waste package for shipping it 10 minutes away. They agreed and told me to just let them know when I come in and they'll have it ready for me! So I did and they were super nice and it even has a 30 day money back guarantee if this doesn't work out in the end. I'm trying my best to be consistent with this though and not let my schedule wreck havoc on my face....

Last thing...I've started the no'poo regimen! For those who don't know what it is.....it is weaning your body off of using shampoos...all the brand, lab produced shampoos. Our bodies are supposed to be able to naturally generate oil that nourishes our hair but since we've been using shampoos, it strips our scalp of too much oil and so our scalps over-produces and we keep trying to wash it and it becomes a vicious cycle. So instead of washing with shampoo now, as a transition/detox period, I am washing with baking soda and conditioning with apple cider vinegar! Don't you love these two things? Remember my last post about using this stuff for face scrub and toner? It's about the same idea here but for your scalp. I've been doing this for a week now. I still have to wash my hair every day but my hair is so much shinier and full of natural body than with even my favourite lush shampoo! I love lush, but it can get quite pricey and these two ingredients are so affordable. Eventually my scalp is supposed to get used to producing the natural oils and tone down and I'll be able to wash my hair less and less (still washing with just water though) until eventually my hair will only need to be rinsed with water alone! I am really liking it so far. My hair right now is getting a bit oilier faster than usual but that's only as my head starts to get used to it. It happens to everyone this way and it's just a waiting game from here. I have noticed though that the greasyness is not as bad looking as it was before when my head gets greasy and my hair is in so much better health now. Google no 'poo to read up more on how to do this if you're interested!

My new shopping site: iHerb.com

Jul 22, 2009
6 comments

I think some of you may have heard of this site before, but I recently discovered it in my foray into menstrual cups and I have been browsing it madly for other natural alternatives to the things I use. Now that my make-up is natural and pure, I want everything else to be too! haha

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I came on here first to buy refill of Moom sugaring hair removal. I love this stuff! It's completely organic and made of only 5 ingredients (Organic cane sugar, organic Lemon juice, organic Chamomile, organic Tea Tree oil and water.) This stuff is almost painfree (I don't think ripping anything off your skin will ever be "painfree") but much more comfortable than waxing. I love how it's so much easier to handle and washes out with just water too while the strips are re-usable/washable. I heard from another reviewer that they watched the sales person promoting this stuff eat the sugaring "wax". It definitely looks from the ingredients that you could eat it...though I wouldn't try it since this stuff works so well for hair removal that I wouldn't waste it by eating it! Very glad that I've found a natural alternative to hair removal =)

While I was on there, I noticed they sold deodorants too. My mom has been telling me since puberty hit that the aluminum in anti-perspirants is bad for you. My uncle is a cancer researcher and he's been telling us all these years to stay away from it. But as an insecure teen, how do you get away from it if it's all you've found to keep you from smelling? Well, I've been using anti-perspirants since, but since I'm on this natural lifestyle now, I decided it's due time to find something healthier! I finally tried the very well known Crystal deodorant and it really works!! I kept checking myself all day the first time I used it since I was so skeptical and I was so surprised. It has been super hot and I was odorless for the entire day. The only thing is you have to apply it on clean skin and you apply it while it's wet and you have to wait for it to dry, and sometimes that can be bit of a hassle if you're in a rush. Very happy now that I have a natural odor protection ^_^

My face has also been breaking out lots the past few months. I tried to go on the Acne.org regiment that uses like a MASK of benzoyl peroxide, but I just couldn't stand it after awhile. It was working somewhat...but it was drying my skin out SO much (and causing wrinkles in the process) and it was just too strict to follow...it would take me 45 minutes every morning AND night just to wash and "medicate" my face. And it just didn't sit well with me that this cream could BLEACH clothing and I was getting pissed with it bleaching my favourite shirts =P. So I went on iHerb, and bought the best-selling acne wash there and it was this Sulfur soap. The first time I used it I almost gagged from the sulfur smell. But I stayed with it because of all the good reviews, and two weeks later I can say it really works! I use it to wash my face 2-3 times a day. It doesn't dry out my skin but keeps the oil at bay. It's also helped me to rediscover the wonder of emu-oil. I sprits two sprays of Lush Eau Roma Toner into my palm, one half pump of emu oil and mix it together and massage it into my face for about a minute. It feels lovely! I also use Lush Fresh Farmacy cleanser as a spot treatment overnight on the zits. That's probably helping too.

Anyways now I've been looking for natural toothpaste, sunscreen, and even "Advil" alternatives during that time of the month! I also want to try their teas, acai juice, supplements, and even meal replacement shakes. I've been wanting to lose a few pounds (not too much since I am in the healthy BMI zone), I wouldn't mind being able to make some shakes when I get those hunger pains around 4-5pm that won't spoil dinner. I usually grab the closest junk food, so hopefully i can find a healthier snack to curb my appetite =)

It's so fun shopping on there and finding natural alternatives. I'm always surprised with what I can find...and the prices are totally reasonable too! I also love that the shipping is only $4 to Canada for a small BOX of goodies! Up to 3lbs of stuff =]

Does anyone know any other sites like this where I can find good natural stuff?

ETA: get $5 off your first order!! Code: ELE479

overwhelmed

Jul 3, 2009
1 comment

So I decided to go through and organize my mmu stash today after leaving most of it untouched for the majority of the year. It's scary...I'm feeling very overwhelmed right now.....

There's so much here that I didn't even remember having...so much that I haven't even opened...but I'm too attached to let go of them!! *sigh* but then I look at all of it and I feel overwhelmed again!!

There's a wedding tomorrow (where I'm actually a guest and not a photographer! yay!) so I get to dress it up some more.

Ugh, my complexion has been really bad lately too....I think I keep changing my skincare routine and that messes up the whole balance. I'm trying to keep patient and just stay disciplined in keeping one routine going.

A Review: L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes (w/b&a pictures!)

Apr 20, 2009
9 comments

Loreal

I've been intrigued with the concept of mascara tubes since I first heard about tubes (From a gmail ad...haha they actually work sometimes...) but then I couldn't justify the price and so I never got to try it. When I saw that L'Oreal had come out with their own, I was excited to finally be able to try it and get it from my local Shoppers. Well, it was too expensive at Shoppers (15.99?!) and so erm...my mom got it for me from Superstore (at $11 something? oh well) Anyways, even though it is still more pricey than my other favourite mascara (Rimmel Extra Super Lash), I was willing to pay again for a second tube just this week.

My lashes are dull...they are short, straight, and sparse. Probably the worst kind of lashes you could get (but I am thankful they grow outwards...one of my friends has lashes that grow INward that irritate her eyes and she has to PLUCK her poor lashes! She said it hurts like crazy...I can imagine that it would....)

Anyways, here are photos of the unexciting lashes:

Lookit those tiny things....please excuse the unruly brows!

Might as well throw in a review of the Shiseido curler! This is by far my best curler. I've got a bunch of cheap ones that all fail compared to the Shiseido. I think it generally works better for Asian eyes because we have a "flatter" lash line and the shiseido has that only slight curve that fits our slightly curved eyes.

DSC_3927

If you look closely, you can see that it has a grip on all of my lashes from the left to the right.

The curled lashes naked is nothing exciting either, since my lashes are still short...they still just look just as short curled without mascara...they are just too sparse and fine that you can't see anything.

DSC_3931

So here is a photo of both my eyes, one without mascara and the one of the right with L'Loreal Double Extend. See they are much more visible now and you can see the outer lashes are really lengthened. But the real difference is from open-eyed shots!

Ta-da! Look at the difference! sorry one eye is a bit blurry... but I finally have lashes that frame my eyes!! It makes such a huge difference in my appearance!

Mind you, I do have to re-curl after the mascara dries...but it's very easy with the shiseido, I don't have to clamp down as hard and it doesn't stick to the curler or pull out any of my lashes like other mascaras have. Ignore the little specks of black though....that was when I totally forgot I had mascara on one eye and rubbed it....haha but at least they're not smudges! it's easy to remove those specks...and they really weren't visible until I took a picture with my super sharp macro/micro lens.

I give it 8 out of 10! It could still work on it's volumizing category and maybe take out both steps and just make it a one-step mascara. But otherwise, it's my HG mascara now~

Campus Open House/Project Display

Mar 4, 2009
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OPENHOUSE2009-97, originally uploaded by helenchanchan.

This was one of the projects that was displayed at my school open house. I was volunteer photographer for the event!

RAVE rave for Kim's Foxy Minerals!

Feb 3, 2009
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I know I've already reviewed Foxy Minerals but felt that it was time for another that includes swatches!

I emailed Kim and asked her to do a custom mix for me and she whipped it up quickly, and threw in several samples as well =)

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She even gave me the extra from doing the custom mix!

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I love the label with my name!! =D Made me feel special! haha

Here are the swatches from the samples, including a few from the samples I got from my first order.

Foxyminerals swatches

I really liked Deep, Princess and the Pea (such a cute name!), and 65 Mustang, mainly because they were very soft pearl shades! Chikadee and glam were very glittery. Pixie looks just like what it sounds like...pixie dust with iridescent purple and pink glitter.

I was going to try Moulin Rouge and some of the other shadows for a full FOXY MINERALS FOTD...but this is what happened....><

I tried my new foundation mix, and it turned out SO DARK!!! I was so shocked since I gave Kim my formula that I had mixed several times from the two foundation shades that I purchased from her the first time. I did it heavy coverage the first time and it looked like I just got back from somewhere tropical in the middle of winter, so SUPER TAN. I thought maybe I just applied too much, so I washed it off (MAN it's hard to wash off freshly applied mineral foundation!) and then applied a really light layer, then ran out the door to grab some lunch with the BF. But then I kept checking the mirror and it still looked too dark...and even my BF noticed and he NEVER notices colour subtleties! (I once took all my pink nail polish shades and put a different shade on each finger, and he thought I just used one colour....but other girls noticed the difference!)

I was so bummed after that...I didn't know how the mix could have gone wrong. So I got home and went to email Kim about it. While I was emailing her, I was telling her how I always mixed the formula of.......and then it hit me! I checked my emails again, then ran over to what I ordered from Kim before...and realized that I asked for a mix of 1.5 & 1.0 Asian INSTEAD of 1.0 and 0.5 Asian! So that's why it came out so dark! I was so mad at myself!! I couldn't believe I could mix that up since I didn't even purchase 1.5 last time!! GAHHHHhh I was so upset since I was so excited about getting this new mix.

So I finished my email to Kim about it and she emailed back, chuckling..hehe, and said she'd redo the batch! And without charging too! I was FLOORED! I was all prepared to have to purchase my new shade again and then waste the one that she already made..... talk about awesome customer service! She even suggested taking some base and lightening this batch so that it won't go to waste! Any other place would have just told me that it was MY mistake and not do anything about it! Kim's sooo awesome!

Next time I really will have a complete Foxy Minerals FOTD! It's mainly all I use nowadays anyways =)

Can I rave some more about how much I love the foundation? I remember when i first started to use mmu, I'd get irritation but I didn't notice that it was irritated skin because I'd never used any other mmu before. So I kept using brand after brand that would make my face itch or give me little bumps (which I thought was just from my skin overproducing sebum). BUT now I don't get any itches on my face, and no more outbreaks of little bumps! Oil control is better now too...not completely dry, but that's good too because my skin has never flaked either with Foxy foundation because its not drying either. I'm so glad I found my HG foundation =)

Off topic note, Jon and Kate plus 8 is finally on iTUNES!! YAY!! That's my favourite show! I love Alexis and Collin =) I have seasons 1-3 on DVD already but iTunes has season 4 pass! Love it! I'm watching it now actually xD

Lifeblog post

Nov 30, 2008
3 comments

Testing out my new phone camera with the blog option. School is finished soon so hopefully i can blog some more, especially post reviews on ethereal/foxy minerals! Got lots of good things to say about it! Back to studying now...

School Campus...built on top of a mall

Hot Rollers/Hair Setters

Jul 7, 2008
8 comments

We all refer to them as hot rollers, but I've noticed in my search for reviews and products that most companies call them hair-setters now...I think since the term 'hot' attributes to fried hair...hehe marketing~

Conair_jumbo

I was originally going to get the Conair Jumbo Rollers Instant Heat Hairsetter for $39.99, since I only wanted soft curls and the jumbo ones would ensure that...but when I got to the store, I noticed that there was a wide range of sets ranging from $24 to $70, and I opted to get somewhere in the lower end...so I settled for the Revlon Ionic Hairsetter selling for $29.99.

I figured that since I had never used hair setters before...and this was essentially the first time that I venture into curly hair for daily use, that I should make sure that I want and know how to use them before I invest in a set that was more expensive. I was also swayed by Angelliz's advice to find them at goodwill stores for practicing on first...but since there are very few in my city (my municipality is Asian majority...and so goodwill stores aren't so popular here), I decided to go for a cheaper product for practicing on so that I don't regret it if I decide that curls aren't for me!

Revlon_ion

The set is cute...it's a lot smaller than I imagined (good thing, I thought it was going to be this giant thing that would take up all of my counter space), and it's not ugly or anything so it looks nice in my bathroom. It has a stupid lid design though...one that comes right off instead of staying in hinges...and there's an on/off switch, but no indicator for when they're heated...so that's a little troublesome. The box said fast heat, but the instruction tells you to heat for 15 mins...which is a lot more than the Conair 2 minute claim. I read reviews that this can get overly hot, so I decided to try to heat it at just 7 or so minutes, and tried the rollers then. They felt warm to hot enough at this time frame, but I had trouble getting the hang of it at first, so I think most of it cooled down while I was trying to figure it out (one of the youtube tutorials suggested to turn it off once they're heated so that they don't keep getting hotter as you work). I will try to heat them for 10 minutes tomorrow morning. I'll brush my teeth, wash my face, and pick out clothes during this time while waiting.

Once I got the hang of putting them in, after the 3rd roller or so, it got relatively easy and I finished the rest of my head pretty quickly. I didn't have trouble with the pins, but I'd like to get those clips eventually, since they look much easier, and I don't have to pick out which size for which roller. I took out the curlers after 15 minutes or so (when they cooled) and I got very nice wavy hair =D I was very pleased with the result! I've always struggled with curling my hair cause I didn't like the tight curl look (not for me) and I really just wanted soft beachy waves. I smoothed pomade into my hair, and clipped up the top half...but within an hour or so, most of my curls were gone =( most likely because they weren't hot enough to start with...so I shall try again tomorrow! I like the fact that I can just apply my mmu while I'm waiting for this to set though! And it is much easier to curl since you are clipping your hair up as you go, instead of having strands of hair all over the place as you curl with an iron, which is what I really struggle with =\

Infiniti_tourmaline

If I get really into these rollers, and get relatively good at doing them, I'm going to eventually upgrade to the Infinti Ceramic Hair Setter, which is the $70 set...I know I know...it's pricey...but I can vouch for the tourmaline technology being good and gentle for your hair, and how the styles can last even without any products. I have a tourmaline ceramic straightening iron and I never have to use any heavy duty products with that...maybe just some light smoothing cream to get rid of the flyaways that i have because of my layers. It also COMES with the clips instead of the pins, and also has a temperature dial and indicator light for when they're heated. It also has a retractable cord...it just pretty much has all those things that mine is lacking now, and you can tell that they've thought about the design of it (which, being a design student, is a big factor for me). Maybe I can sell my current set to a friend, or just give it to my sister or something later on....haha Like I said, mine is not bad, and I will use it for quite some time before I upgrade. Hopefully this Infiniti set will be cheaper by then!

I'll be sure to post photos when I get good results! Yay another toy to play with~

Intervention!!!

Jul 3, 2008
12 comments

AHHh girls!! I need help!! I'm soooo tempted to break my no-buy right now xD I've been bad and sitting at work watching youtube videos of the coastal scents palettes! Right now, I have the 78 piece in my cart, just waiting for me to input my cc info! eek!

I vowed to be on a no-buy for...who knows how long...until I actually RUN OUT of stuff! And I even made it harder for myself by banning myself from my paypal (got the bf to change the pw) and I repeatedly tell myself that I DON'T NEED THIS or THAT. I've already been strong for the latest MOAC wave off SN....luckily, I can say that it's summer, so I don't need the heavier coverage foundation...and my face is doing relatively well with my new regime of Lush Coalface and emu oil...but but...I keep watching these reviews on the palettes, and I WANNA PLAY!!! There's so much to play with! And so many colours that I probably don't have...hahahaha

I have many reasons not to buy this though.......

Number 1, I need to buy a flash unit for my SLR camera...that comes to about $250! Mind you, I will be making that back with the wedding shoot...and that purchase is more important...as it can help me MAKE money...haha

And 2, I am starting a phase of wanting wavy hair (kinda like Sue's natural wave that I cannot get naturally!) so I am wanting jumbo hot rollers to play with! That will come to about $45 after tax...

hot rollers or palette?!??! Or...neither? ...or BOTH? hahahahaa no, I can't have both....

anyways, writing this has helped...i sound so pathetic though...haha

Review: L'Oreal Volume Shocking Mascara

Jun 19, 2008
4 comments

I know I said I would do the L'Oreal Voluminous Naturale mascara review next but since I had this one sitting around unopened for longer, I decided to give this one a try first. I first bought this...MONTHS ago after reading reviews on Spectra. I think that generally the reviews were: great primer, crappy wand - and that is basically what my review of it is.

This is a two-step mascara. One is a base for volumizing and the second step is the black mascara for defining and lengthening. First, the primer. I love it! It really does add more volume to my lashes and it's super lightweight and easy to apply. It spreads my lashes out so that it's not just a flat layer of lashes, but a nice fan with many layers that gives it the illusion of being very full. I don't like most volumizing mascaras because to me, they just create clumps more than volume, since they are made to "pump" up each strand, to make them thicker, but that just makes clumps in my experiences. Since this formula is lightweight but waxy, it spreads the lashes apart and creates real volume and there are no clumps whatsoever.

The second step, the stupid black mascara...is...stupid. You can't blame it though, it's the wand. This has got to be the worst mascara wand I've ever seen (not that I've used many). It's comb wand, with two rows of teeth, and they're spaced pretty far apart and each tooth is like a triangle of sorts, so I don't see how that would help seperate my lashes. After the awesome primer, I was so excited to put this one, but one swipe, and imagine 4 lashes clumped into one giant lash. NOT PRETTY. I kept trying to comb it through to clean it up and they seperate a bit but it was still chunky.

I was sad...but I didn't give up, wiped off the mascara, applied the base again, and then used my Lancome L'Extreme, and voila! Finally lengthening AND volume! yaaay! Today I tried the Rimmel Extra Super Lash with it, but it kind of gets rid of the volume, since it is not as "soft" as Lancome's formula.

Oh, how I wish they made the base in black...it would make an awesome mascara...The black mascara forumla is not bad in itself, I may try replacing the comb to see if it does any better =)

Bottom line: great primer, crappy wand