13 Years of Friendship

So a friend of mine came down from BC last week and I asked if she wanted to come to my 1920s flapper shoot and maybe have one with me! The photog was up for the idea and we had already planned a fashion shoot after the flapper one anyway. This was the result!

Super image heavy! Photos taken by Fang Su Photography.

My outfit was pretty budget:

Flower crop top - clearance F21 $12
Skirt - Urban Planet - $10
Shoes - Call It Spring - $40
Shades - eBay - $4

Would have been super cheap with other shoes!!

Why yes, I did attempt to overnight curl my hair. It was supposed to be much curlier but I'll settle for this. haha

And some sitting down shots.

I absolutely love this skirt. I'm still on the maxi dress and skirt craze but I LOVE the slits in this skirt. The material is super nice for only $10 too! I love showing off my legs so this is a perfect mix of everything I want. I rarely wear crop tops but since the skirt can be high waisted it all came together nicely.

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G is coming down to visit again in July so maybe we can do something else then too. ^^

I hurt the back of my knee (is there an actual official name for that?!) after some yoga.. probably twisted it incorrectly somehow so now whenever I walk for long my leg starts to really hurt! Sucks because it's been SO beautiful here lately all I want to do is walk around!

I've also been working on my cosplay for Anime North this year (started early, hehe!). Anyone here going? Let me know! I'll be there all three days. ^_________^

xox
F

1920s Flapper Costume Review

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS!!! 

I have been planning this in my mind up until the actual photoshoot date and originally I had a more authentic make-up look planned (full with "thin eyebrows" and everything! If I scared you on Instagram... I'm not sorry! :P), I ended up doing a more modern inspired version as the costume is.

 Let me tell you why, I reviewed a navy costume last summer and loved it but this time.. my expectations were blown out of the water. I looked into the background of Flappers before I did this, for the makeup and fashion and it's not 100% authentic but a modern take. Let me premise this post that THERE ARE LOTS OF PHOTOS. I'm sorry to your bandwidth but if you came here I hope you expect pretty pictures because that's a top priority of mine!

I was sent this costume free to review, my opinion is my own.

I had such fun with this costume, they're having a "flap into the ’20s with UNT’s latest fashion exhibition" gathering in Dallas if you're so inclined to dress like a flapper after this post (and I do so hope you do!)

Worked with a new photographer, THANK YOU FANG! He's awesome and hopefully we'll be working together more. ^^ All photos are credit to Fangsu-Photography. Also thanks to Costume Reviewers which, as their names says,  helps bloggers get costumes to review! ^^

 
The material is good quality and really comfortable! It's not transparent nor translucent so you don't have to worry about wearing a slip underneath. Also, it isn't super stretchy so do check your sizes on the site, though I find most costumes run a bit on the big size.
The costume is this short, cute, short black sequined front and fringed bottom dress. It's definitely more on the sexy side because it's so short!! That is my one and only complaint. I'm fairly tall so it might not be AS short on others as it is on me but there was no way I could where these without stockings to cover up my bum!

 
The fringe was really fun, I just kept jumping around to watch them move. The whole skirt portion is fringed while the upper part is only sequined on the front. I though this would bother me but I actually think it made the design work more. The front gold sequined design is really pretty, it separates and drags your eye to its design giving your body more shape.

Now here's a tip, the cigarette holder mouth piece needs to be glued! The mouth piece kept coming off when I was playing around with it. I nearly lost it only about 50 times... haha otherwise it was pretty cool and I didn't even realize it came with the costume. Made it that more authentic.

The headband was fun, black sequined through-out with a black peacock feather attached. The feather is NOT flimsy. It's staying on there, nor did any of the feather pieces fell off (and I was a bit rough with it). Really impressed!

 Overall I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this costume. Ah~ dressing up is so fun, I hope I can do these reviews more often. I actually have some wigs to review but I accidentally left them at my hairdressers... woops! Sorry Regina! haha

 You can grab this costume from Wholesalecostumeclub.

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I have a fashion post coming up next, photos also taken from Fang. Watch out for it! ^^

Drink Your Skin to Good Health; Say Goodbye to Acne!

I really like that photo, ah photoshop and your gradients... you make me happy! Anyway, one of my New Years resolutions was to drink a healthy drink once a day -excluding water. I had been drinking lots of tea but lately I decided to drink some ginger-lemon-honey tea since ginger and lemon are GREAT for you...and I was craving lemonade!

After about a week of drinking this daily though I noticed a difference in my skin! BONUS! So though I'd share with you guys. ^^ While researching it makes complete sense why this drink is popular. Sore throat? Acne due to inflammation or food sensitivities? Bloating? Digestive problems? Don't worry, we got you covered!

This is your super easy list of ingredients.

1. Raw ginger root
2. lemons or lemon juice
3. honey (if you can, try to get raw/unpasteurized honey -no Billy Bee!)

Bam! So first cut out a piece of the ginger root. I decided to just cut off one of the little leg pieces since that was the easiest.

If I plan to make more than one glass I'd double that size. Plop it in the water and boil it in water for 5~10 minutes AFTER the water starts boiling. I think the longer you keep the ginger in, it releases more of the goodness it has inside.

Shut the burner off and while the pot is still on the burner, squeeze lemon juice/put lemon pieces in. A friend once told me it's best to add acidic items to water when it's hot. I'm not sure why, but he's studying to be a nurse so I'm just going to listen to him.

Add as much honey as you'd like, mix and voila! DONE! Alternatively you can just put everything and cold water and drink it like that (or wait for it to cool and add ice cubes) but I don't know if that's as effective.

Drink like you're cool and don't care what awesomeness you have in you glass.

WHY IT WORKS:

 
Lemons:

"...lemons and limes contain unique flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties... Several other fascinating research studies on the healing properties of lemons and limes have shown that cell cycles—including the decision a cell makes about whether to divide (called mitosis) or die (apoptosis—are altered by lime juice, as are the activities of special immune cells called monocytes.

In addition to their unique phytonutrient properties, lemons and limes are an excellent source of vitamin C, one of the most important antioxidants in nature. Vitamin C is one of the main antioxidants found in food and the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Vitamin C travels through the body neutralizing any free radicals with which it comes into contact in the aqueous environments in the body both inside and outside cells. Free radicals can interact with the healthy cells of the body, damaging them and their membranes, and also cause a lot of inflammation, or painful swelling, in the body. This is one of the reasons that vitamin C has been shown to be helpful for reducing some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis." WHFoods

Basically, these guys are going to keep your skin (and body) looking -and feeling- younger.

Ginger:

"Ginger contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols.

A study published in the November 2003 issue of Life Sciences suggests that at least one reason for ginger's beneficial effects is the free radical protection afforded by one of its active phenolic constituents, 6-gingero." WHFoods
Ginger’s most well-known medicinal use is as a digestive-aid, to relieve tummy pain, nausea and diarrhoea, as well as morning sickness and travel sickness. This is thought to be because of the spice’s high levels of gingerol; a powerful component that gives it its natural zingy flavour, and which acts as an anti-inflammatory in the body.

The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger are thought to provide pain relief in a number of ways, from halting migraines in their tracks, to easing the aches of arthritis.

Studies have started showing really exciting results on the effect ginger has on ovarian cancer: Although more research is needed, it seems that ginger has the ability to eliminate cancerous ovarian cells. It also seems to dramatically slow the progress of bowel cancer; encouraging news indeed! -- Gnet.org

Ginger is great for many a reasons (WHFoods writes out a great summary of these) but the anti-inflammatory properties is what we're happy about. Acne can be inflammation of the skin and even if you're suffering from hormonal acne, this stuff is going to help.

Honey:

"Daily consumption of honey raises blood levels of protective antioxidant compounds in humans, according to research presented at the 227th meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, CA, March 28, 2004.

In addition to its reputation as Nature's nutritive sweetener, research also indicates that honey's unique composition makes it useful as an antimicrobial agent and antioxidant.
Raw Honey—An Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal Substance" WHFoods

A great natural source of carbohydrates which provide strength and energy to our bodies, honey is known for its effectiveness in instantly boosting the performance, endurance and reduce muscle fatigue of athletes. Its natural sugars play an important role in preventing fatigue during exercise. The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly and gives an immediate energy boost, while the fructose is absorbed more slowly providing sustained energy. It is known that honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar. -- Benefits of Honey

I dealt with hormonal acne for a while and since I have so many food sensitivities, my skin flares up anytime I eat something my body can't digest well. Cod Liver oil has helped me but that is expensive and you also need to be careful of the Vitamin A amount as well as mercury. I stopped taking that since I would get dizzy often so I drastically reduced how much I would intake and after I just stopped taking it.

Your skin is your body's biggest organ, so it's the last to receive all those nutrients you take in. This wont work after a day but if you keep it up you will notice a difference! My skin has a natural glow now and always feels great! Side benefit of drinking more water too. ^^ Try it!

eye-make and a light dusting veil only. :)

Do you drink tea often? What's your favourite? Mine is green and licorice tea! 

xox

Cherry Culture Buy: LA Colors Grafix Liquid Liner Review

I remember seeing these on the front page at Cherry Culture a little while ago and the colours looks amazing -I just had to try them out!

There are ten colours to chose from and are only $2 a pop, inexpensive if I do say so myself.

SMUDGE/TEAR-PROOF
WATER RESISTANT
FOAM-TIP APPLICATOR Graphix liner is the perfect eyeliner to create fine or bold lines. Smudge-proof, tear-proof and water resistant formula dries quickly for long lasting wear. Unique flexible, foam-tip applicator provides precise lining to emphasize eyes beautyifully. 10 magnificent shades to choose from!

LAColors

I actually bought the charcoal as well but completely forgot about it. -_-;; I'll update it with swatches of that one soon too.

This is a swatch of "navy" a delightful electric blue.

Now as you can see... application is HORRIBLE! The felt tip is rock solid and pretty hard to work with, if the formula wasn't so watery this wouldn't be such a huge issue but the combination of the two make it very difficult. You can see precisely where I put pressure on the brush and the part that's most pigmented is actually just parts seeping off the brush from the side.

The colour is so pretty that I'm upset it didn't work out like I was thinking. The first time I used this actually, once the formula dried and it looked more like a watered down navy, I decided to put on another layer and it actually flaked off. Only happened once but still, not desirable.

You can see that it really isn't that pigmented after application. It is water resistant to a certain extent, I wouldn't go swimming and hope for this to stay on. It is however pretty smudge proof! Your eyelids produce their own oil which is why liner has a hard time sticking (especially without primer) but this stuck on the whole day, minus the little wings though that was my fault from scratching.

 

Also, this is after a few layers trying to get it to really stick. That's the hardest part, because it's so watery you have to wait for it to dry to apply another layer and then hope it doesn't flake off.
 

 At $2, even though the colour is pretty, the formal and brush make it passable, I would not re-purchase.

If you'd like to try this out yourself, click here to be brought to the CC product page.

My exams are almost done, wooo!!! I also have a cool costume/cosplay post coming up. Getting together with a new photographer and everything! Super excited and just a little bit nervous. hehe I haven't worked with a new photographer in a while.

xox
F