Biore Pore Cleansing Strips

My blackheads don't come out easily, they're not the kind to be easily rubbed out using exfoliating cleansers. When I first learned of these strips I had doubts that they would work because I'd also tried the mask type of blackhead remover and that didn't help any at all. But then I saw reviews that showed how difficult they were to remove. This intrigued me because I thought, wow these might actually work in pulling the suckers out.

So I tried them, and boy was I happy. It didn't remove all my blackheads, but it got at least half, and that's enough for me. You put the strip on a wet nose, if your hands are dry, the strip won't stick so it's nice. within 10-15 min, the strip gets paper mache hard and you peel it off. It really does hurt like mad when you pull it off because it also gets a number of nose hairs on top (the tiny ones), but I was super happy with the results.

I know some people say they don't want to see it, but then how will you know how effective it is? duh.

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The before:

          

Fish Round III & Sucky Friends

So a post to deviate from the marathon of makeup reviews.

My friends caught me 5 of those feeder fish from a carnival game get together thing. Everything was going so well, and they survived a week which I was super happy about, but then they all died by the 8th day X_X. I have no idea why. It's not even like they died one by one, they just all died in one day. It could be that they ate too much. Every time I go to change the water, they've already eaten their poop, so it's really clean- although I changed it anyways. That on top of the food I feed them killed them I guess.

I just felt a need to blog about sucky friends because I realized more and more that that's what I have, absolutely sucky friends. It makes me want to move to a new place and start over making new friends. Not sure that that's the way to go though, spoil and discard.

My friends don't come through on what they say. Some, it's because they've overextended themselves and can't do everything, so of course my long awaited meeting (planned weeks ahead) gets delayed hours (5+) and shortened from the afternoon to 1 hr while a more recent appointment takes precedence. Others just flat out ditch me for others when the time comes. I'm actually not sure which is worse, them exchanging meeting me for going to another place, them just not wanting to go anywhere that day, or ditching me for other people. Now I know this makes me seem kind of clingy/ needy, but honestly I don't get to see them that much, so really these meetings are like once every 3 months. And it's not so much the not wanting to meet with me that bothers me, it's the making plans and falling through on them. Why don't you just say that you're busy that day? Or that you don't want to? It's because when something "better" comes along, I get thrown away. Sad, really.

Then there are other friends who follow the out of sight out of mind rule. I'm always trying to keep up communication, but it seems like there's no interest on their part. We've just all fallen back to acquaintance status. A relationship takes the work of 2 people. I only have one sided relationships.

I guess I'm really just tired. I used to want to have one really best friend. I was jealous of all those kids who grew up together and have known each other since babies in the crib. My family moved a lot, so I didn't have that kind of opportunity. Up until high school I think it was, I would pray every week for me to find a really good friend, even just one. People who you knew would always have your back. People who if you had a problem, they wouldn't mind coming over to your house just to help you feel better. Yea, that never happened.

All I've learned through life is, don't trust anyone 100%. 50% maybe. I'm always expecting people to fall through, I know people have a tendency to do that. When they come through, I'm insanely happy, when they don't, I've already expected it. That's why if I'm heading a group project, I always remind people what's needed to be done a few days in advance, and the day right before, because I know otherwise they'd forget- and the system works, things get done on time-, I've learned.

I'm really sick of having to deal with all this though. The occasional betrayal? Fine, I'll accept it, but this constant pattern is unacceptable.

I think the absolute most obvious one was the time I was ditched in the middle of NYC alone for 3 hours in the evening/ night. I had planned to meet another friend who lived in NYC, but worried about straying from the group I came with since I have absolute horrid sense of direction. I asked to make a meeting time/ spot with my friend (the other group members were her friends), but to my surprise her response was, "What? We'll just come get you." I was very surprised, because my life with human nature taught me that NOBODY does that. I even asked again to confirm that they would indeed come and pick me up and was met by a hurried YES. So I went off happily. After finishing my meeting, I called up my other friend again to say that I was finished and to come pick me up. She responded with "UH...we're still shopping right now" "Oh ok, then when will you be done?" "I don't know, it looks like it's going to be a while" "Ok, then should I go to you" "...sure if you want" "where are you?" "E. Broadway & XXx street " "wait let me find a map...I don't see it...it's not on here... (I was in the subway station)" "UH, nevermind, this place is really hard to find" "well then how am I going to get back?" "I don't know" "Oh wait I found it, ok..so where exactly are you" "the place is really hard to find"

and it continued like that for 15 minutes with her telling me that the place was impossible to find and not really wanting to tell me. Then she suggested that I meet them at our next destination, so I agreed. I got a bit lost- 1hrs worth- trying to find our next destination because the streets change names halfway through so I was thoroughly confused. After I barely found the place (I had to call her on the phone to try and get directions) she said to me "actually...I don't think I'm going to go there today". WOW. Can you say ditched? That felt like a really sharp slap in the face. In the very beginning you said you would pick me up, I even reconfirmed it with you, and in the end, you still left me to fend for myself in NYC alone in the dark for 3 hrs lost when you know that I have horrible sense of direction. I was pissed, and still am 2 years later, to say the least.

As if that weren't enough, she tried to deny it later with the most ridiculous story ever saying how I couldn't find a map. I WAS STARING AT THE FRIGGIN HUGE MAP IN THE SUBWAYS STATION!!! Are you really going to lie like this?! If it was a small detail then yes, I would say maybe I remembered it wrong, but something as big as this? Please.

I think it's safe to say that I no longer consider her a good friend. It's not just that one instance. Today it's the same thing.

Yesterday I convinced her to go to this school event that she originally didn't want to go to because she didn't think it would be fun. I rattled off all these interesting things that were going to be happening, so eventually she also became excited about it. She told me to call her after 12 pm today, so I did. Only to be met with "Some of my other friends are going at 2, so I don't think I'm going this early, I'm going with them later, and besides I'm still a little hung over." That to me was just unacceptable. So I just said "Ok fine". She of course never wants to sound like the bad guy so she responded with "well you can come too." right, a 3rd wheel so to speak when it was my idea in the first place. She probably told them about it and they all decided to go. I replied with how awkward that would be, me there with her other friends that I don't even know. It's not even one friend, it's a whole group. Before she was complaining to me about how her roommate dragged her off to the roommate's old boss's house and how she felt strange because she didn't know them. It's the same exact thing that you're doing to me, except it's worse, because you made plans with me first and didn't even come through on them.

She's not the only one though, seems like all my friends ditch me more or less. I'm just sooo sick of it all. I just want to throw them all away. Well maybe not all of them. I think I only have a handful of friends who've even ever done anything for me, I don't mean like a mutual dinner or something, but I mean actually done something for me alone. I always treat my friends like the most special people, making sure to get them gifts on their birthdays and doing other various things for them, but I feel like it's never really returned. In three years, I haven't gotten a single birthday present from my friends. Not even one. How sad is that? really. It's not even like they don't know when my birthday is. There's facebook now, everybody knows and posts the obligatory Happy Birthday. But who really means it? Who even really cares? Christmas presents are the same, I give out about 10-20 presents (some for friends, some for people who I feel like I've been in their care the during the year) every year (mass made, but handmade and I spent many hours in the weeks before preparing nontheless), I think I've only gotten...maybe 5 presents back total in the past 3 years. I'm starting to think that I should stop doing anything. It doesn't seem worth it. I love giving people things, it just makes me so happy, but I don't feel like I'm even appreciated for what I do. I don't really care about getting a tangible gift in return, but it would be nice to at least spend some time with these people. At this point I don't even really feel like their my friends, instead I feel like I'm bribing them for something.

Sorry that this kind of turned into a self pity post, but where else can I vent my feelings? I have no friends who care, remember? I'm not even sure how I became friends with them.

Now all I do really is just talk to God, I've realized that there is no one really good friend out there for me. Well maybe there is, but I sure as heck haven't met them.

For anyone else who feels this way, you're not alone!

Nude Lipsticks

So I didn't really want a nude lipstick nor did I see the use in one. I like having pink lips and thought I wouldn't want to change that. Well, that is until I had a heavy eye look and decided to also use blush,...and then just realized that my pigmented lips were too much and needed toning down.

Thus, I poked around all over the internet to find a decent drugstore nude lipstick. Drugstore because I know it won't be using it often, so I really just wanted something cheap for the occasional. I came across three that were mentioned a lot, Revlon's Nude Attitude, and L'oreal's Fairest Nude, and Rimmel's Airy Fairy. When I got to my Rite Aid, they didn't have any Rimmel there, so that was out, even though it seemed like a favorite. I was browsing all along the L'oreal racks and the entire line that they called Nude would not be anything near what I consider nude. I think of nude as kind of a skin tone color, maybe just a bit more pink or brown to distinguish it from your skin, but just barely. The colors there were all way too dark!! At least 3 shades darker than my skin. So I poked around and I think I also saw the Fairest Nude, but that looked a bit too much like a pink lipstick to me (if I remember correctly). I found this one called Golden Splendor, which is a yellow pink, I would kind of describe it as being like a dusty rose, but lighter.

Then I went to the Revlon section and found the Nude Attitude. Let me tell you, Nude Attitude and Golden Splendor look like the exact same shade. The only difference is that Nude Attitude is matte, and Golden Splendor is shimmery. So I thought I might as well as buy them both and see what I liked better.

I didn't want a lipstick that was too matte, because a nude matte sometimes looks a bit funny, but I wasn't sure that the Golden Splendor would have enough coverage. My lips are pretty pigmented and they need a lot of coverage.

Then right before I left, a found a similar color, but one that was a bit more pink, just a hint, but also shimmery. It's called Champagne Ice, also by Revlon. So I decided to pick that up too.

And now for the individual reviews/ breakdown.

L'OREAL GOLDEN SPLENDOR:

I tried this color on first and was sorely disappointed. I picked it up because I thought the shimmer would add a little somethin something to the lip, but it has absolutely horrid coverage and is very shimmery. It's a sheer lipstick really, but very Golden and shiny, so I guess in that way it does block out the natural color X_X. The texture is very creamy, it slides around and I doubt the last will be that long, although I can't say for sure because I haven't tested it for longevity yet at this point. It actually has a pleasant gentle smell, I noticed that.

REVLON NUDE ATTITUDE:

From the reviews, people didn't like Nude Attitude as much, it was ok for a quick fix, but eventually they all move on, so I wasn't really expecting much from it at all. I tried this on after the Golden Splendor and was pleased that it gave slightly more coverage than the L'oreal Golden Splendor. The only thing that had me..eh on it was that although this is a matte lipstick, its still very creamy. While you might think this is a good thing, it's too creamy. The product slips and slides and ends up in the cracks, so you end up with a strange milky look on your lips with the lipstick concentrated in the cracks. Kind of unflattering. I would say definitely layer gloss over it to help diffuse it.

I didn't try the Revlon Champage Ice because I was thinking that I might like to return it, there's just no sense in me keeping all these lippies when I won't get around to using them all. I have to say though, I wish I had opened this instead of using the Golden Splendor first. I think it would've been a much better color. The formula for the Revlon seems to provide more coverage, so it would've probably worked better than the Golden Spendor. If I had to do it over, I would just have tried on the two Revlon ones first.

Should I find the Rimmel then I will try it. Meanwhile I think I'll try giving the Golden Splendor to a friend. She likes Nude lipsticks and well, I figured, it's the least I can do after she gave me the Revlon Infatuation. Granted, mine cost more, but better her using it than just sitting in my basket to die.


CLICK TO ENLARGE.

Top, Revlon Nude Attitude. Bottom left: Revlon Champagne Ice. Right: Golden Splendor

Left: L'oreal Golden Spendor, Right: Revlon Nude Attitude

Nude Attitude on the left, normal lips on the right

Nude Attitude with Golden Splendor Layered on top on the left, Normal Lips on the right

Nude attitude on the left, Golden Splendor on the right.

Tony Moly Lip Tint: Green Apple and Strawberry

Haha, it's been another while since I've made another post. I think now it's more of, "Is anybody even reading this? Should I bother?" So I've gotten kind of lazy. But I have to keep reminding myself that I'm blogging for me, and only me, haha.

Onwards! Today, I think I'm finishing off the last of the GMarket haul's Lip products. The Tony Moly Lip Tint comes in three flavors, Grape, Green Apple, and Strawberry. I'd always wondered if they give different shades or something, so I wanted to get all 3 just to see. I saw one measly post though that showed that all three produce the same result, so it's really more about what flavor you like best. Most people have the Strawberry one, but I think it might also be because the clearness of the gloss is more appealing.

The gloss is kind of bouncy? It's hard to describe the texture, but it gives resistance when  pushed. It's also a bit sticky but since it's not 100% a true gloss it's fine. It's like half gloss half matte if that makes sense.

I tried all different tests to see what makes it change color. Obviously it's not temperature, or it'd be changing colors all over the place between summer and winter or when in someone's hands. So I also tried acid/ base via baking powder and vinegar...strange none of it worked. So I guess it must be some other component of the skin that makes it change.

The color is a hot pink, but on the lips it's a beautiful cool color.
The color change is instantaneous, but the longer you leave it on, the more the color will stain your lips. I love using this because I don't have to worry about it rubbing off like lipstick does. At first I regretted buying both the Green Apple and the Strawberry because I thought it was too much, but I surprisingly use it a lot.

I like to apply this with a brush since it is a bit sticky so I can get a more precise application, and you know, with the whole tinting color thing.

I think they were around $6 each or something, definitely something I think is worth picking up. I took the pic right after I applied it so it didn't have time to fully change and tint. The left part of the lips is the part that I applied on, can you see how it's pinker a little though?

Banila Co. Tokyo Scandal: Annie Lipstick

It's been awhile since my last post, I've been unimaginably busy trying to keep my life straight.

Today, I have a lipstick by Banila Co. to share with you. I saw their Tokyo Scandal line and thought, "how cute", so I just had to get it. The packaging is adorable.

The lipstick itself is creamy. To me the texture feels like it has a lot of oil, so although it feels creamy, after about 30 min out in the cold, it does feel a bit dry (if you're in a warm inside or a really humid place you should be ok though). Like how oil would dry out something- a preserved feeling. Still if your lips are chap, if you put this on, they won't hurt. It is a creamy lipstick, though, so it doesn't last more than 2 hours max. It's not hard to keep such a small thing in your purse and to reapply once in a while.

The color of Annie is a sheer red coral, with flecks of gold. I LOVE the gold part. I've worn this around a few times, and really like the effect of this paired with Banila Co.' s Love Letter Blush (review to come later). It's not a glaring red either, so people don't look at you strange if it's your first red.

The smell is a little sweet, I kind of want to think of a sweet beeswax or something.

The packaging, as I said before is SUPER cute, whoever was the artist did a good job. The only thing that I don't really like so much is that the tube is made of aluminum. To me this kind of aluminum is soo cheap looking. It's like seeing those cheap aluminum umbrellas.

^^ I definitely like this lipstick though, and I wear it, bonus!