I'm so disappointed I didn't get to blog tonight, but I'm coming back SOON! Promise! Prepare for some TMI, rants, raves, goodies.. and more :)
June 5, 2012
Wait-- WHAT??! UPPPDATE??! Yes, I didn't keep my promise and left for another couple of months :( My computer and laptop weren't working (they're currently getting fixed now) and it just felt weird to use another device to blog on. And so I didn't. BUT-- I need to vent. I've been feeling so emotional lately. Cried in class the other day, then cried again at home today. What the hell is wrong w/me?? :( We'll figure it out... TO BE CONTINUED.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Happy Valentines Day!
"Love is not about finding the right person, but creating a right relationship. It's not about how much love you have in the beginning but how much love you build till the end." -Unknown.
To all the love birds, and even single ladies and gents.. whether you are happily married, happily dating, or happily single, it's still a day to celebrate love. If you don't have someone to celebrate love with, celebrate love for YOURSELF. Yes, it's true what they say.. you can't love someone else until you learn to love yourself. Be confident, be ambitious, discover your own passions, do what YOU love, so that when you have that special person you are your own individual. You have your head on straight, know what you want, and you go for it. And trust me, that's HOT :)
For the first time, I'm going to make this post as short as possible. I just haven't had time to blog or do anything lately. My valentine's day went like this...
V-day landed in the middle of the week, so husband took me out to eat sushi for our pre-vday dinner on sunday. On tuesday, I came home from class super tired, and a bit grumpy, because the night before, hubby had gotten mad at me for no reason other than me being messy. How long has he lived with me? He should already know I'm messy! He went to bed without kissing me or saying goodnight, can you believe that?? I wasn't really upset, because I knew he was really tired so he was already cranky. The next day (v-day) he texted me while I was in class to say happy valentine's day and that he loves me, but I ignored it. I didn't even call him all day.
Although I tried to play "mad," I ended up getting him a valentine's card during my break. The envelop reads, "To: My grumpy husband," "From: Your sweet lovable wife" lol. The inside of the card reads, "Ready to shell-ebrate?? Haha, I thought it was cute! I quickly wrote in it when I got out of class and hurried home. I walked into our room (with a mean muggin look, even though I wasn't really "mad-mad") and he immediately jumped out of bed, embraced and smothered with a dozen kisses. I tried pushing him off to give him the hint he was in the wrong, so he held me tighter and said, "I'm sorry" with the cutest look on his face. At that point I could no longer resist, so I cheesilly SMILED!
To the left side of me was a dozen large long stem roses in a vase with balloons, and a card. The roses are so pretty, they're almost as big as my face!
Okay, how can I stay pretend mad?? I LOVE cards! I still have the whole collection of cards he's given me since we first started dating all through our 4+ years of marriage. Maybe I'm just too sentimental, but even after our 4th year of being married, his written words still has the power to make me cry (happy tears) of course! Year after year, whether we get on each others' nerves, or we're lovey dovey when happy, I realized that no matter how much I "hate him" when I'm mad sometimes, deep down, I love him so incredibly much. Life just wouldn't be the same without him. I wouldn't be the same without him. Marriage isn't about finding that perfect someone who you'll always mesh with and get along with so well that all your problems just disappear. It's about finding that person you don't want to live without, and loving them despite their flaws and imperfections. After all, there's no such thing as a 'perfect' mate. Life is a roller coaster, so before you buckle down in one ride, make sure the person sitting next to you will be holding you tight through all the curves, bumps, and loopy loops. I know mine is :)
I hope you and your loved ones had another memorable Valentine's day! Wishing you all the best.
XOXO, Melanie
Thursday, February 9, 2012
You know you love your hair when...
you haven't showered for 2 days, woke up, did NOTHING to your hair, and still rock that bed head like it's the greatest thing in the world! Yep, here I am with nasty filthy hair studying in my car like a loser for 3 hours straight. In addition to studying 5 hours the previous night, and averaging 3-4 hours of sleep with about 1-2 meals per day for the past few days. How am I still alive? I don't know! I'm superwoman :P
This superwoman is BEYOND exhausted though! And it's only the beginning. But despite all this mental and physical sacrifice, I'm going to finish strong regardless of the outcome. All the while, doing it with a giant cheesy SMILE on my face :D Taking pics during study break? YES, what else can I do? I have no internet phone, so I thought hmm, maybe I should take this time to capture a more accurate color of my hair. It's definitely a lot lighter as you can see in natural lighting with little sunlight. It was raaaining! >.<
Here is a side shot of my head. Yes, it looks like overgrown roots, lol but that's the look and it's "suppose" to be blended and more gradual. The lady that did my hair didn't do such a great job blending. Why? Because she was like, "oh that's great, you already have previously dyed hair plus your natural black 2 inch roots." So basically, instead of using dye to blend those areas, she left it as is. My new color and old color didn't mesh too well because they have different undertones. Overall, it didn't turn out exactly like how I'd hope it'd be due to this reason, but I still love this trend. It's definitely a head turner!
Soon to come...
Hair care routine, skin care: Isa Knox review, favorite products and recommendations, target haul, jewelint, healthy living, how to lose weight the right way and keep it off... and more! Those are just random ideas off the top of my head that I'd like to discuss, in no particular order. Until next time!......
XOXO, Melanie
This superwoman is BEYOND exhausted though! And it's only the beginning. But despite all this mental and physical sacrifice, I'm going to finish strong regardless of the outcome. All the while, doing it with a giant cheesy SMILE on my face :D Taking pics during study break? YES, what else can I do? I have no internet phone, so I thought hmm, maybe I should take this time to capture a more accurate color of my hair. It's definitely a lot lighter as you can see in natural lighting with little sunlight. It was raaaining! >.<
Here is a side shot of my head. Yes, it looks like overgrown roots, lol but that's the look and it's "suppose" to be blended and more gradual. The lady that did my hair didn't do such a great job blending. Why? Because she was like, "oh that's great, you already have previously dyed hair plus your natural black 2 inch roots." So basically, instead of using dye to blend those areas, she left it as is. My new color and old color didn't mesh too well because they have different undertones. Overall, it didn't turn out exactly like how I'd hope it'd be due to this reason, but I still love this trend. It's definitely a head turner!
Soon to come...
Hair care routine, skin care: Isa Knox review, favorite products and recommendations, target haul, jewelint, healthy living, how to lose weight the right way and keep it off... and more! Those are just random ideas off the top of my head that I'd like to discuss, in no particular order. Until next time!......
XOXO, Melanie
Sunday, February 5, 2012
My Hair Transformation
As you may already know, hair can drastically change your look. This includes the hair on your scalp, facial hair, and eyebrows. It has the power to convey emotions, and tell a someone a lot about your personality. From timid to daring, sexy to spunky. And in most cases, hair can change your look even more than makeup. Before you read any further, I know what you're thinking. What's all this transformation talk? Omg, what did you do to your hair??! No, don't expect anything "major," because if you know me, you'd know I like to keep things as natural as possible. I'm just one of those girls who unfortunately can't have super short hair (due to my super long face), and I can't do blonde without looking super tacky. Is super overused yet??? Okay, super! Phase one of this transformation was a haircut. I went to my regular stylist that I've been seeing for the past 2 years now. She's a sweet Korean lady who does a pretty good job, and I'm very picky with my hair so that says a lot! I got a much needed overall trim and shorter layers. Without further ado, let me just show you what I mean through pictures. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, and trust me, you don't wanna read a thousand words from me!
As you can see,my layers were so long I could wrap it around my face and be a ninja! These over grown layers had no shape. Layers are suppose to help frame your face, bring it forward, highlight your features, give you volume, etc. So to me, this long flat hair made me look tired and older here as oppose to when I do have shorter layers. I should also add in more "fobby" lol.
NOTE: Makeup was the same in all the before and after pictures, only hair was different.
This picture was taken after I came back from the salon. I wish I had taken more so you can get a better view of the cut and overall layers. It's a bit hard to see from the blurriness and this angle, but the cut alone already seemed to have freshened up my look a bit compared to the before pictures.
I went to a totally random salon to get ombre highlights, because my regular stylist wasn't familiar with the ombre technique. Ombre is a French word for "shading," an expression for a gradient of color from light to dark. Ombre hair, which became really popular among celebrities, refers to having your hair gradually go from dark to light. What I love most about this trend is that it's LOW MAINTENANCE! This means going longer periods without touch ups, so letting your roots grow is a GOOD thing! I also love that you still have variety if you want high contrast, or go low and natural which gives your hair a sun-kissed look. I opted for low and natural of course, since my natural color is black, and black with blonde contrast is too harsh for me. I'm also used to having dark hair, because I've been dying my hair darker and darker for the past couple of years now. I've been dying my hair since the 8th grade, and back then I always had to have my hair medium to light brown, red, purple, or any other shade besides black. I think it's because dark hair always made me feel more "gothic," whereas light hair can really brighten up a face. I've also been told by several people that I look "more Asian" with dark hair, and a bit "mixed" with lighter hair. I have no idea why, because I'm still 100% Asian! Lol. Maybe it's the whole brightening up your face thing? Or looking less fobby? Haha. Anyhow, I wanted to ween myself off of hair dye, which is why I decided to gradually go darker and darker. Overtime I started loving it dark. It just looks more healthier, but again, I was told I look "more Asian" by someone recently, which translates to "more fobby" in my mind. I also wanted to brighten up my face and since I've been itching to dye my hair, I thought, why not ombre? It gives me the best of both worlds, dark and light. I can keep the dark that I've been getting used to and loving more, as well as brighten up my face with lighter ends. Wow, what happened to showing pics right? Haha. See, I can get carried away and ramble on forever :)
Here's phase 2: ombre highlights. Due to the quality of the webcam it's hard to see the actual color here. It's actually lighter in person. I almost freaked out, because it was borderline blonde, so I rushed to Sally's beauty supplies hoping to get something that'll darken it a shade or two. The sales girl pointed out that my hair is actually still in the brown zone, and matched a "light honey brown" in the store almost exactly. I decided to keep it as is and only touched up on a few strands that were blonde. Overall, I thought it was okay for my first attempt with ombre highlights. Nothing too "wow" or major, because I still wanted to keep everything more natural, but as you can see, it definitely gives me a more up to date look, versus just long, dark and blah like the before pics. As everyday passes, I'm starting to like it more and more. Somehow it doesn't seem too light as it initially did. Perhaps because I'm getting used to having lighter colored hair again. In the end, remember.. when it comes to hair, just a little change can go a long way and give you a whole new look. Now go experiment with whatever your heart desires! :)
Time to enjoy some random silly pics of me and the kiddies! <3
XOXO, Melanie and Kayvan
As you can see,my layers were so long I could wrap it around my face and be a ninja! These over grown layers had no shape. Layers are suppose to help frame your face, bring it forward, highlight your features, give you volume, etc. So to me, this long flat hair made me look tired and older here as oppose to when I do have shorter layers. I should also add in more "fobby" lol.
NOTE: Makeup was the same in all the before and after pictures, only hair was different.
This picture was taken after I came back from the salon. I wish I had taken more so you can get a better view of the cut and overall layers. It's a bit hard to see from the blurriness and this angle, but the cut alone already seemed to have freshened up my look a bit compared to the before pictures.
I went to a totally random salon to get ombre highlights, because my regular stylist wasn't familiar with the ombre technique. Ombre is a French word for "shading," an expression for a gradient of color from light to dark. Ombre hair, which became really popular among celebrities, refers to having your hair gradually go from dark to light. What I love most about this trend is that it's LOW MAINTENANCE! This means going longer periods without touch ups, so letting your roots grow is a GOOD thing! I also love that you still have variety if you want high contrast, or go low and natural which gives your hair a sun-kissed look. I opted for low and natural of course, since my natural color is black, and black with blonde contrast is too harsh for me. I'm also used to having dark hair, because I've been dying my hair darker and darker for the past couple of years now. I've been dying my hair since the 8th grade, and back then I always had to have my hair medium to light brown, red, purple, or any other shade besides black. I think it's because dark hair always made me feel more "gothic," whereas light hair can really brighten up a face. I've also been told by several people that I look "more Asian" with dark hair, and a bit "mixed" with lighter hair. I have no idea why, because I'm still 100% Asian! Lol. Maybe it's the whole brightening up your face thing? Or looking less fobby? Haha. Anyhow, I wanted to ween myself off of hair dye, which is why I decided to gradually go darker and darker. Overtime I started loving it dark. It just looks more healthier, but again, I was told I look "more Asian" by someone recently, which translates to "more fobby" in my mind. I also wanted to brighten up my face and since I've been itching to dye my hair, I thought, why not ombre? It gives me the best of both worlds, dark and light. I can keep the dark that I've been getting used to and loving more, as well as brighten up my face with lighter ends. Wow, what happened to showing pics right? Haha. See, I can get carried away and ramble on forever :)
Here's phase 2: ombre highlights. Due to the quality of the webcam it's hard to see the actual color here. It's actually lighter in person. I almost freaked out, because it was borderline blonde, so I rushed to Sally's beauty supplies hoping to get something that'll darken it a shade or two. The sales girl pointed out that my hair is actually still in the brown zone, and matched a "light honey brown" in the store almost exactly. I decided to keep it as is and only touched up on a few strands that were blonde. Overall, I thought it was okay for my first attempt with ombre highlights. Nothing too "wow" or major, because I still wanted to keep everything more natural, but as you can see, it definitely gives me a more up to date look, versus just long, dark and blah like the before pics. As everyday passes, I'm starting to like it more and more. Somehow it doesn't seem too light as it initially did. Perhaps because I'm getting used to having lighter colored hair again. In the end, remember.. when it comes to hair, just a little change can go a long way and give you a whole new look. Now go experiment with whatever your heart desires! :)
Time to enjoy some random silly pics of me and the kiddies! <3
XOXO, Melanie and Kayvan
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Julep Maven Review
I've been wanting to share and review Julep, because their ONE PENNY deal was too good to be true. Alas, it really only cost 1 hot cent for an introductory box. Yes, that INCLUDES shipping! Basically that's like them sending you full sized products to try for FREE. But what's the catch you ask? There must be a catch right? Nothing can be free in this world is what you're thinking. Yes, and no. The tiny catch is that you have to sign up to be a monthly member, BUT it's cancel ANYTIME, which means you can cancel your membership as soon as you receive your introductory box. However, if you choose to keep your membership, it's 19.99 a month to receive a new set of polishes based on your style profile. Lets say there's a month where you don't like any of the colors they're offering, you can choose to "skip the month" for any month between the 20th to 24th. This means you will not be charged or receiving anything for that month. And if you don't like the colors from your style profile, you can switch to a new style to get a different set of colors for that specific style. For example, I'm "Classic With a Twist" but, for my introductory box, I wanted colors from "Boho Glam" so I manually selected that style instead. Basically with Julep, there's NO OBLIGATION, so it's a win-win situation!
Another benefit of being a member and not canceling right after your introductory box is their referral program. For every 2 referrals, you get a FREE MONTH. However, the people you refer must remain a member for at least 30 days. If they cancel before 30 days, that referral will not count towards your free box. My advice is to take advantage of their one penny deal, because it won't last forever. Sign up immediately, try out their products for a PENNY, and get as many people as you can to sign up under your referral link. That way, you'll accumulate more free months, and never have to pay a dime! Maybe a penny for the first box, but nothing after that if you rack up referrals, and freebies are always a GOOD thing. So what have you got to lose besides a fresh penny? Or a nasty grimey one? Hehe. Here's my referral link if you choose to sign up under me. And if you do, thank you so much, I'll love you forever! Haha, seriously.. I will :D SIGN UP HERE take the style quiz, go with their recommended style, or choose a different one of your liking, and make sure you include the code: COLOR2012 during checkout. That code will make your total go from 19.99 to 0.01!
Warning: Julep is quite addicting! This is my latest addiction. Below are pictures of what I've received so far from this awesome company. And to prove how addicting it can be, I just ordered their valentine mystery box for 19.99 with the code: VALENTINE I usually don't like "mysteries" because I'm scared of getting something I won't like. But for only 19.99 you are guaranteed to receive anywhere from 60-200 dollars worth of their products. They had several mystery boxes in the past, and I've seen some people get 6 to 12 polishes along with other goodies! Even if I only get 4 polishes, it's still a good deal because their monthly boxes only consist of 2 colors plus a bonus, with the exception of "It Girl." The It Girl style usually has 3 polishes. Enough of my gibberish, time for some pics!
I LOVE the packaging, it's so beautiful! If you ask me, packaging alone is worth wayyy more than that 'expensive' penny! This was the January introductory box for "Boho Glam."
Inside this introductory box were the colors, "Heather" and "Blake." In addition, I received a full size "Age Defying Hand Brightener." I love it so far. My hand does feel MUCH SOFTER, and younger looking. However, it doesn't last so I do have to re-apply often throughout the day. My package also included a sample of their SPF. I haven't used it yet, but I did try a sample of their hand scrub, and let me tell you, that stuff works! It makes my hand feel silky soft and smells wonderful. So if you're getting an introductory box, make sure you get one with a full sized hand scrub!
Please note that I painted the julep colors ON TOP of a color called Pink Diamond from Essie. I wanted to pointed that out because as you can see, I did a pretty crappy job because it was quick and I was too lazy to remove my old polish! Lol. Please excuse the mess. The yellow one is Blake, which I actually really like. I was afraid of trying light bright yellow on my already light skin, but it worked out really well. Adds a fun splash of color to any outfit! My only gripe is that the formula in this one was a bit 'milky,' so it was hard for me to get a nice streak-free even coat unless I added a thick second layer. Heather on the other hand, has a perfect application. Even if you're not a pro like me,it can make you look like a pro! It glides on beautifully and effortlessly. My only gripe is it's actually more gray than brown. If you love neutrals, it's a great color!
This was my February box. The best part about this box is it's FREE! Thanks to 2 referrals :)
This was from the "It Girl" style. The colors from left to right are: Oscar, Rachael, and Elizabeth. They are inspired by the Oscar awards. In a store, I would normally not buy these colors, but I ended up loving them, especially Oscar and Elizabeth :) They also included a nice surprise, which was a dark chocolate bar shaped like an Oscar award (the little golden statue guy). I thought that was cute and goes perfect with their theme for this month!
Again, these colors were painted on top of my old polish, so excuse the mess. I absolutely LOVE Elizabeth! It's a super dark blue that looks black in dim lighting, but under light, you can see it's a lovely navy blue with a gorgeous sheen. The photo does no justice! But what I love most about it is the application was FLAWLESS and EFFORTLESS! I cannot paint nails to save my life, but with this polish, painting is so easy, and streak-free. LOVE IT! It's also glossy, no top coat in any of these pics. I would say this color is comparable and even better than some OPI, ESSIE, and other high end brands. On my ring finger is Rachael, which was poorly painted on thanks to my old chipped polish that was underneath it. It also paints on well like Heather and is a bronzey brown with a hint of orange. It's actually very wearable. I was afraid of not liking this color, but I can definitely rock it. It doesn't however, have a glossy finish like Elizabeth. Last but not least, Oscar is a clear polish with gold glitter. I'm not a glitter nail person, but I LOVE this polish! The glitter specs are pretty fine so it's not tacky and the color is yellowish gold, super gorgeous in person. I love wearing it on top of my Pink Diamond polish from Essie. In fact, that's what I'm wearing today. One coat of Pink Diamond and one coat of Oscar. Looks wayyy better in person. LOVE this combo!
One more photo because so many people have been asking me about the color on my index finger. It's called Helena, and it's actually purple NOT pink! I'm not sure why it's showing up pink on my camera, but in person it's definitely more purple. It was from the December Introductory box of "It Girl." It's definitely bold and so gorgeous in person. I swear, people are like, what are you wearing? It's so pretty! The texture and application is also FLAWLESS and streak-free. If you're like me and make tons of streaks and boo-boos, you'll LOVE this polish! When it dries, it looks kinda dull so you'll definitely need a clear coat over this one. But for some reason, this particular polish dries within SECONDS. Too good to be true. And according to Julep, Helena was named color of the year!
Overall, I want to say a few final things about this company and their products. They are still fairly new, but so far they're doing an impressive job keeping their customers happy, and offering AMAZINGGGG deals. Again, I would advise to take advantage of this opportunity to TRY their products, because once they grow and get on their feet, you can bet there will be no such thing as a penny box! How they're making any money off of that is beyond me. I've sent an email to them once, and received a reply the next day. They are very generous and professional. Most of their polishes have a streak-free smooth and even consistency when applied. Some of the colors can chip easily if you're doing a lot of labor with your hands. But I've been only going to school and the color usually lasts 3-4 days without chipping noticeably. Perhaps the best thing about this company though, is their ability to entice customers like me to try new colors that we'd never wear in a million years. In doing so, it has tremendously helped expand my style.
I remember back then, my mom's friend who does nails said to me, "all you like are pale neutral colors. Pick something bright and bold, because the colors you like are for old people!" Lol. Looking back, I think she has a point. There's nothing wrong with loving neutrals, I still do, but I love a variety of colors now. Dark, light, and everything in between. Tell me to wear red a few years ago and I would've been like, "ewww yuck!" But after trying it now, I can see that it definitely adds a beautiful pop of color to any neutral outfit. Your nails essentially become an accessory, so utilize it and don't be afraid to venture out of the norm, and try new things. The possibilities are endless, and you'll be surprised at what you might like and have been missing out all this time. So if you're like me and wear a lot of neutral colored clothes, adding bold colors to your nails will give your outfit a gorgeous fun pop!
Here I am with bright orangey red nails. I love how it pops out of this picture like how I was trying to explain earlier. The color is Clambake from Essie, and if you like this, you'll LOVE January from Julep, which is a bit more red like a bright tomato red and was generously gifted to me by Hasanah. Thank you hun! :D
I know I've been neglecting my blog due to school, motherly duties, and all other aspects of my life, but I hope this review was somewhat helpful to anyone who's been on the fence about becoming a Julep Maven. Until next time... (surely hope there will be a shorter next time!)
XOXO, Melanie
Another benefit of being a member and not canceling right after your introductory box is their referral program. For every 2 referrals, you get a FREE MONTH. However, the people you refer must remain a member for at least 30 days. If they cancel before 30 days, that referral will not count towards your free box. My advice is to take advantage of their one penny deal, because it won't last forever. Sign up immediately, try out their products for a PENNY, and get as many people as you can to sign up under your referral link. That way, you'll accumulate more free months, and never have to pay a dime! Maybe a penny for the first box, but nothing after that if you rack up referrals, and freebies are always a GOOD thing. So what have you got to lose besides a fresh penny? Or a nasty grimey one? Hehe. Here's my referral link if you choose to sign up under me. And if you do, thank you so much, I'll love you forever! Haha, seriously.. I will :D SIGN UP HERE take the style quiz, go with their recommended style, or choose a different one of your liking, and make sure you include the code: COLOR2012 during checkout. That code will make your total go from 19.99 to 0.01!
Warning: Julep is quite addicting! This is my latest addiction. Below are pictures of what I've received so far from this awesome company. And to prove how addicting it can be, I just ordered their valentine mystery box for 19.99 with the code: VALENTINE I usually don't like "mysteries" because I'm scared of getting something I won't like. But for only 19.99 you are guaranteed to receive anywhere from 60-200 dollars worth of their products. They had several mystery boxes in the past, and I've seen some people get 6 to 12 polishes along with other goodies! Even if I only get 4 polishes, it's still a good deal because their monthly boxes only consist of 2 colors plus a bonus, with the exception of "It Girl." The It Girl style usually has 3 polishes. Enough of my gibberish, time for some pics!
I LOVE the packaging, it's so beautiful! If you ask me, packaging alone is worth wayyy more than that 'expensive' penny! This was the January introductory box for "Boho Glam."
Inside this introductory box were the colors, "Heather" and "Blake." In addition, I received a full size "Age Defying Hand Brightener." I love it so far. My hand does feel MUCH SOFTER, and younger looking. However, it doesn't last so I do have to re-apply often throughout the day. My package also included a sample of their SPF. I haven't used it yet, but I did try a sample of their hand scrub, and let me tell you, that stuff works! It makes my hand feel silky soft and smells wonderful. So if you're getting an introductory box, make sure you get one with a full sized hand scrub!
Please note that I painted the julep colors ON TOP of a color called Pink Diamond from Essie. I wanted to pointed that out because as you can see, I did a pretty crappy job because it was quick and I was too lazy to remove my old polish! Lol. Please excuse the mess. The yellow one is Blake, which I actually really like. I was afraid of trying light bright yellow on my already light skin, but it worked out really well. Adds a fun splash of color to any outfit! My only gripe is that the formula in this one was a bit 'milky,' so it was hard for me to get a nice streak-free even coat unless I added a thick second layer. Heather on the other hand, has a perfect application. Even if you're not a pro like me,it can make you look like a pro! It glides on beautifully and effortlessly. My only gripe is it's actually more gray than brown. If you love neutrals, it's a great color!
This was my February box. The best part about this box is it's FREE! Thanks to 2 referrals :)
This was from the "It Girl" style. The colors from left to right are: Oscar, Rachael, and Elizabeth. They are inspired by the Oscar awards. In a store, I would normally not buy these colors, but I ended up loving them, especially Oscar and Elizabeth :) They also included a nice surprise, which was a dark chocolate bar shaped like an Oscar award (the little golden statue guy). I thought that was cute and goes perfect with their theme for this month!
Again, these colors were painted on top of my old polish, so excuse the mess. I absolutely LOVE Elizabeth! It's a super dark blue that looks black in dim lighting, but under light, you can see it's a lovely navy blue with a gorgeous sheen. The photo does no justice! But what I love most about it is the application was FLAWLESS and EFFORTLESS! I cannot paint nails to save my life, but with this polish, painting is so easy, and streak-free. LOVE IT! It's also glossy, no top coat in any of these pics. I would say this color is comparable and even better than some OPI, ESSIE, and other high end brands. On my ring finger is Rachael, which was poorly painted on thanks to my old chipped polish that was underneath it. It also paints on well like Heather and is a bronzey brown with a hint of orange. It's actually very wearable. I was afraid of not liking this color, but I can definitely rock it. It doesn't however, have a glossy finish like Elizabeth. Last but not least, Oscar is a clear polish with gold glitter. I'm not a glitter nail person, but I LOVE this polish! The glitter specs are pretty fine so it's not tacky and the color is yellowish gold, super gorgeous in person. I love wearing it on top of my Pink Diamond polish from Essie. In fact, that's what I'm wearing today. One coat of Pink Diamond and one coat of Oscar. Looks wayyy better in person. LOVE this combo!
One more photo because so many people have been asking me about the color on my index finger. It's called Helena, and it's actually purple NOT pink! I'm not sure why it's showing up pink on my camera, but in person it's definitely more purple. It was from the December Introductory box of "It Girl." It's definitely bold and so gorgeous in person. I swear, people are like, what are you wearing? It's so pretty! The texture and application is also FLAWLESS and streak-free. If you're like me and make tons of streaks and boo-boos, you'll LOVE this polish! When it dries, it looks kinda dull so you'll definitely need a clear coat over this one. But for some reason, this particular polish dries within SECONDS. Too good to be true. And according to Julep, Helena was named color of the year!
Overall, I want to say a few final things about this company and their products. They are still fairly new, but so far they're doing an impressive job keeping their customers happy, and offering AMAZINGGGG deals. Again, I would advise to take advantage of this opportunity to TRY their products, because once they grow and get on their feet, you can bet there will be no such thing as a penny box! How they're making any money off of that is beyond me. I've sent an email to them once, and received a reply the next day. They are very generous and professional. Most of their polishes have a streak-free smooth and even consistency when applied. Some of the colors can chip easily if you're doing a lot of labor with your hands. But I've been only going to school and the color usually lasts 3-4 days without chipping noticeably. Perhaps the best thing about this company though, is their ability to entice customers like me to try new colors that we'd never wear in a million years. In doing so, it has tremendously helped expand my style.
I remember back then, my mom's friend who does nails said to me, "all you like are pale neutral colors. Pick something bright and bold, because the colors you like are for old people!" Lol. Looking back, I think she has a point. There's nothing wrong with loving neutrals, I still do, but I love a variety of colors now. Dark, light, and everything in between. Tell me to wear red a few years ago and I would've been like, "ewww yuck!" But after trying it now, I can see that it definitely adds a beautiful pop of color to any neutral outfit. Your nails essentially become an accessory, so utilize it and don't be afraid to venture out of the norm, and try new things. The possibilities are endless, and you'll be surprised at what you might like and have been missing out all this time. So if you're like me and wear a lot of neutral colored clothes, adding bold colors to your nails will give your outfit a gorgeous fun pop!
Here I am with bright orangey red nails. I love how it pops out of this picture like how I was trying to explain earlier. The color is Clambake from Essie, and if you like this, you'll LOVE January from Julep, which is a bit more red like a bright tomato red and was generously gifted to me by Hasanah. Thank you hun! :D
I know I've been neglecting my blog due to school, motherly duties, and all other aspects of my life, but I hope this review was somewhat helpful to anyone who's been on the fence about becoming a Julep Maven. Until next time... (surely hope there will be a shorter next time!)
XOXO, Melanie
Friday, January 20, 2012
Every song has a CODA..
a final movement. Whether it fades out or crashes away. Every song ends. Is that any reason not to enjoy the music? The truth is, there is nothing to be afraid of. It's just life.
From a handwritten childhood diary, to Asian Avenue, Friendster, Xanga, Myspace, and Facebook, bits and pieces of my life has always been documented. Whether I grew up, grew bored, or lost touch with myself and others around me, after one platform ended, another began; life goes on. It's nice though to look back, see how much of a dork you were, and how much you've grown over the years. My desire to blog again was inspired by a few friends who have their own personal sites. And after facebook became so "stalkerish" and incorporated what my little sis calls a "stalker bar," I thought I needed my own space where I can freely write without my every move being alerted to the mass majority who could probably care less. And to those who do care, want to know my constant whereabouts, read what I have to say, and basically STALK me lol, you can still lovingly do that here. Moving my posts from 'stalker paradise facebook' to blogger will allow me the freedom to make as many important or useless posts as I want, without the need to feel that people are going to judge or question my every action. I can even talk to myself here, and no one will care or think insanely of me. Okay, maybe not entirely the last part, but you get my point! Either way, it's a win-win situation :)
I could not think of a title for my blog to save my life. Kayvan-Lae was something I came up with awhile back for an email account. It's basically a fusion of my daughter's name, "Kayla" with my son's name, "Evan." Yes, I made their names 'mate' in a non-sickingly way lol. If you personally know me, you know they are my life, and my world lovingly revolves around them. And what better way to express the world in which I live in than to do it through them? I wanted to rearrange and synchronize the first and second half of their names, to represent their interchangeable and everlasting love for one another. As well as to show that they are one and the same, because my love for them is both unconditional and equal. I'd like to keep my personal area "drama free," that means NONE of my posts will be negatively directed towards anyone, so please don't ASSUME when you're reading my entries. But if you're ever brought up, rest assure, it will be a in positive light. Most of what I write will be opinionated. I will talk about the things I enjoy, review products and discuss; makeup, beauty, fashion, health; make announcements, rant, rave, share personal stories, and bring up random and or weird things of interest. If you're a friend of mine, this will be a great way to see exactly what's going on with me, around me, and inside my head if we seldom talk or see each other. But If you're a hater, thank you for investing so much time trying to keep up with my life. I'm glad that I can spark such great interest in even the most bitter people in the world. For everyone else, please enjoy your stay! I hope that at one point or another, something I write will become of relevance to you, and perhaps can possibly help better your life in some kind of way.
XOXO, Melanie
PS. Yes, that's my unofficial alias folks! I use it whenever I'm tired of people butchering my name in public lol. And yes, I do write a LOT. Get use to it. Try it too, it's very therapeutic haha :)
From a handwritten childhood diary, to Asian Avenue, Friendster, Xanga, Myspace, and Facebook, bits and pieces of my life has always been documented. Whether I grew up, grew bored, or lost touch with myself and others around me, after one platform ended, another began; life goes on. It's nice though to look back, see how much of a dork you were, and how much you've grown over the years. My desire to blog again was inspired by a few friends who have their own personal sites. And after facebook became so "stalkerish" and incorporated what my little sis calls a "stalker bar," I thought I needed my own space where I can freely write without my every move being alerted to the mass majority who could probably care less. And to those who do care, want to know my constant whereabouts, read what I have to say, and basically STALK me lol, you can still lovingly do that here. Moving my posts from 'stalker paradise facebook' to blogger will allow me the freedom to make as many important or useless posts as I want, without the need to feel that people are going to judge or question my every action. I can even talk to myself here, and no one will care or think insanely of me. Okay, maybe not entirely the last part, but you get my point! Either way, it's a win-win situation :)
I could not think of a title for my blog to save my life. Kayvan-Lae was something I came up with awhile back for an email account. It's basically a fusion of my daughter's name, "Kayla" with my son's name, "Evan." Yes, I made their names 'mate' in a non-sickingly way lol. If you personally know me, you know they are my life, and my world lovingly revolves around them. And what better way to express the world in which I live in than to do it through them? I wanted to rearrange and synchronize the first and second half of their names, to represent their interchangeable and everlasting love for one another. As well as to show that they are one and the same, because my love for them is both unconditional and equal. I'd like to keep my personal area "drama free," that means NONE of my posts will be negatively directed towards anyone, so please don't ASSUME when you're reading my entries. But if you're ever brought up, rest assure, it will be a in positive light. Most of what I write will be opinionated. I will talk about the things I enjoy, review products and discuss; makeup, beauty, fashion, health; make announcements, rant, rave, share personal stories, and bring up random and or weird things of interest. If you're a friend of mine, this will be a great way to see exactly what's going on with me, around me, and inside my head if we seldom talk or see each other. But If you're a hater, thank you for investing so much time trying to keep up with my life. I'm glad that I can spark such great interest in even the most bitter people in the world. For everyone else, please enjoy your stay! I hope that at one point or another, something I write will become of relevance to you, and perhaps can possibly help better your life in some kind of way.
XOXO, Melanie
PS. Yes, that's my unofficial alias folks! I use it whenever I'm tired of people butchering my name in public lol. And yes, I do write a LOT. Get use to it. Try it too, it's very therapeutic haha :)
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