First outings this semester!

Uni started this week, but I am sooo totally not ready to get down to business!

It's like, every holiday needs to have at least a week of doing absolutely zilch, and I just haven't had that yet haha

So this week, I've been meeting up with friends here and there and just catching up with everyone and eating way too much QAQ

Warning: much of this post is just food photos! X'D

On Monday, LL and I revisited Sushi Factory on Vulcan Lane (Auckland CBD). They had pink umeshu!!

Ok we didn't buy it because we went at lunch time and we both had to get back to uni in the afternoon. But the bottles are really pretty, no??? Hopefully we can try it another night, but we've planned for a Sake night which will (fingers crossed) go ahead next week. I need hot sake in my life <3

Sushi Factory also had some dodgy as sushi on the conveyor belt when we first got there... Honestly conveyor belt sushi is not that great in NZ. There just aren't enough customers for the sushi to continually be fresh! Not to mention the prices are like, what.

Sketchy as heck black medium-rare beef.

I ordered some kind of fried crumbed chicken katsudon thing which made me miss Japan cause it was (as typically) hella expensive lol

Oh hey it looks good in the photo! XD

We were actually supposed to go to Mamak (a Malaysian restaurant at Chancery) but we got there and it turns out the place is closed on Mondays wtf.

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*

I ended up going there (Mamak) on Tuesday with Tenshi instead, and it's a really nice place!! Super small but absolutely lovely in every way~

The laksa I ordered is really photogenic right? \(//∇//)\

Portion sizes are actually very decent. This bowl was over 1/3 the width of our 1 person wide table so it's really massive and the contents appear small. I could barely finish it, that's how big the bowl was!

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*

Finally found a chance to catch up with VYL this (friday) morning after what feels like forever. We checked out Federal Delicatessen which is possibly the only American Diner-esque eatery in Auckland or New Zealand for that matter. I was really excited for their poutine as it's the first time I have seen poutine in NZ, but unfortunately it failed on many levels. In particular, the chips weren't even done as well as a regular fish and chip shop, and that gravy was just SAD.

The Toasted Reuben that VYL ordered was pretty good, but it's a tad expensive and honestly I don't think it's possible to screw up on a pastrami and swiss sandwich in rye bread with sauerkraut (which I'm pretty sure is canned). 

Surprisingly the place was really packed when we left at noon too! It's probably because the diner is right opposite the sky tower. What a convenient location...

Interiors are pretty cool. The waitresses wear cute little dresses too! And it's nice and clean.

Oh yeah, an uncle sitting at an outside table waved me and asked if I had a good meal .-.

I don't get waved down often, so it was a bit odd. I'm convinced that man is the boss in disguise, but VYL thinks he's just a random hobo. What hobo would be allowed to occupy a table (for hours and hours just to smoke) at a diner that sets such high prices though?? He's definitely the boss! >:|

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*

Also today, Hana Emi Doll members planned for a meetup in the evening, but Pat and AP couldn't make it in the end so it was just me and Roxy ;-;

We went corset shopping as planned, and actually ended up buying corsets! I originally wanted to look and try first, but somehow I got swept away and ordered one lol *no self control*

Roxy's corset was already made, but they didn't have one to the right length for me so I ordered one. It's going to take about 2 months for it to be ready!! 2 long painstaking months to wait </3

I can't wait to start waist training eep!!! >w<

Anyway we were planning to go ktv afterwards, but since it was just the two of us, we decided to go shopping (for lashes at Ippondo), pool (at KISS which is surprisingly in pretty good condition compared to the other pool places around), and dinner at Nol Bu Ne!

Speaking of shopping, on the way to Ippondo we walked past this weird art display on the walkway! When I was in Zurich there was a super awkward and view obstructing crane as an art display in the middle of the city. I was telling Roxy about it when BAM out appears a random art display in NZ wtf

It's a couple of kiwis or ducks under a danbo looking box @-@

I have no idea what it's about, but the entire thing is rock solid. You can find it on Queen St just up the road from the White House, in front of Myers Park.

Ok back to dinner! I ordered fish roe soup thingy which is supposed to be spicy but I think I've developed an immunity to chemical chilli </3 

Perhaps BT chicken (super super spicy BBQ chicken wings) killed my tastebuds last semester after all lol

Their potato is just as sweet and perfect as ever. I usually visit the place just for the purpose of having their sweet potato lol. It's the first side dish on the left and doesn't look great, but tastes delicioussssss!

After dinner, we made a quick trip to daiso for my cheap but really good to use daiso eyelashes haha. I buy the really sparse long lashes with a thick band from Daiso as a base, to get my lashes to face up (and create a round eye shape). It saves me having to curl my lashes hehe. Although the effect isn't quite the same, but at 8am on the way to uni with very little sleep I honestly don't care~

We thought really really hard about what we could do after that, but apart from drinking and/or clubbing there was nothing else to do. The weather today was also ridiculously typical of NZ with sun showers, sudden downpours and random gusts of massive winds so we couldn't even venture out on to the viaduct. I can't wait till shops start opening to 9pm as a regular thing. We need it in NZ. Need it bad.

I haven't done much uni work this week, so I'll be really busy next week putting my life back together. Hopefully I can start releasing my travel posts soon though! They're going to be hella long with wayy too many photos~

Don't worry, not many photos will have my face xD

=^.^=

Review: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream for Oily & Combination Skin

Hi everyone!

I had typed up half of this before leaving for vacation, but just didn't get around to releasing the post, so here it is now, before I start on my travel posts! >.<

This is my second product review on a product sent for trial by BeautyReview. Roxy actually received her one (read her review here) a day before and I was really worried I wouldn't receive mine before I leave! Thanfully I did get it the day after I saw Roxy's review, pheww ~

As it is, I don't have time to try it on my face anyway, so you'll just see the massive color contrast on the back of my hand hahaha (you will see. It's pretty dramatic.)

First, some photos of the packaging~

Listed benefits:

1. Hydrates for 24hrs
2. Evens tone
3. Corrects blemishes
4. Boosts healthy glow
5. UV Protection SPF 15

There is a lot of room in the box for the tube to roll around in: -1

I quite like this long thin tube style. It's a lot easier to carry in a small makeup pouch compare to the big blocky tubes. Strange that mine not only came in a different kind of packaging to Roxy's, but mine is 40mL- less than her 50mL tube! I wonder if the prices are different too?? It's clearly the same line of product...

And also, when I found the product on Garnier USA's site, it's 60mL. Feeling a bit ripped off right about now.

I squeezed some before realising I need to shake it lol. Why do bb creams and makeup base look so gross if you don't shake it every time OTL

As you can see, the tone is a bit pinker than my skin tone. I like it though!

My lovely tan ❤

The product covers all the way from my forearm to the knuckles at the end of my metacarpels (you can see the difference right??) the color is very even: +1!!!

The lines on my hands are quite visible, but that may be due to the tanner skin tone. I haven't tanned in a while but when I observe tanned people their skin seems to be quite liney. My skin feels silky after applying, though a little dusty too! As usual, BB cream isn't as sticky or absorbing as well as foundation does on my skin.

That color difference. Lol.

Does it do what it says it will do? I don't think it's hydrating at all, but it definitely does even my skin tone, correct blemishes (though you can still see my little mole or freckle thing), and gives my skin a healthy glow. It glow very well in fact, to the point where it almost looks a bit shiny. But that's what people call dewy skin, no?

Anyway, with regards to the SPF 15, I think it's always good to have SPF protection in all your products and even SPF 15 is better than no SPF protection!

Of the product effectiveness tests that Garnier conducted, it was also hydration that failed a bit compared to the other stats (read here).

Final Ratings!

Texture: 3 (dusty)
Scent: 4 (no distinctive scent, so it's good!)
Absorption:2 (doesn't feel like I absorbed anything at all, so I don't think it hydrates as claimed)
Effectiveness: 3 (looks pretty good when applied, but doesn't last long)
Overall: 3

I look forward to using the rest of this product for kurogal photoshoots, but otherwise I'm not tan enough to go outside wearing this lol. If the product is really cheap in your country, then it may be worth giving a go but in NZ, Garnier is a little more expensive than a typical 'drugstore brand' so I personally won't be repurchasing.


=^.^=

Review: GEO Olive Brown Circle Lens

Hiya!

Every year I will open a smaller diameter lens for uni use, as 14.5mm is really really bad for my eyes (though 14.00mm is not really that much smaller actually...). Late last year I realised how much I use circle lenses, so I have decided it's best to do a half year / 1/3 year rotation of lenses since my lenses seem to feel dry far before their year is up.

Anyway, My dedicated uni/formal occasion lenses for A/W 2014 are GEO Olive brown!

I've had my eyes set on trying these lenses since high school or something! A long time ago, GEO had a circle lens series named Wing, which may or may not have had a slighter more solid black ring than these olive lenses. The wing lenses were discontinued eventually for some reason unbeknownst to me, and they released Olive as the 'revamped verson'. I've been looking to these lenses since the days of GEO wing haha~ (I feel so old!)

Let's start with the basics-

Specs

Power: 0.00 ~ -10.00

Diameter : 14.2mm

Water Content : 38~42%

Base Curve : 8.60mm

1 Year Disposable

First of all, I don't know why the listings for these lenses say 38-42% water content. Like, is it actually 38, but you think it could go up to 42% so that number is just chucked in there?? Make up your mind GEO! >:l

Actually the truth is, I have no idea how water content in contact lenses is measured or anything. This is just the first time I've seen a label that didn't clearly state the water content % as one number .-.

Again, like my EOS Ice Brown review, I've lost the photo of the lens in its bottle so...here's another stock photo of the lens :D

pixelated as heeeeeeck x'D

The ring around the edge isn't black, but a dark brown. The dark brown isn't actually that dark, so it looks quite convincing on my brown eyes. I generally avoid lenses that have a rather solid ring around the centre where the color ends, instead I prefer lenses that have rays, so it blends better with my iris, but I trusted these would be okay....and they are! Also, the amount of space they leave in the centre is really nice.

I've bought lenses in the past where that space for the pupil is so tiny that i often saw color when i look around. Obviously there's something wrong with the fact that my lenses weren't following my eye movement entirely, but still, not leaving enough space for the iris is an error in design too.

The color of the lens has more red than my iris, so sometimes it looks a bit odd. Especially when I use flash. In fact I think the entire lens color is slightly darker than my iris....

Ratings

Design: 5/5 - the design is perfect for a 14.2mm lens

Comfort: 5/5 - can be worn from early morning to late evening comfortably. NOT RECOMMENDED THOUGH

Enlargement: 3/5 - I live on 14.5mm+ lenses. For a 14.2, these are pretty good though.

Overall: 4/5 - would purchase again.

I may try other series for 'uni-lenses' but these are definitely a safe option if you don't want to look around and try a whole bunch for yourself :)

How they look on me -

It's really dark, right?

The size is nice and natural!

The tiny flecks of color add to the natural look ~

=^.^=

EOS Ice Violet Circle Lens Review [Confetti]

Hiya!


Today I will begin reviewing the four lenses I wore through 2013!

Since I am doing the roundup of my 2013 lenses all together, here are the links to the other 3 reviews:

Part 2 - EOS Max Pure Blue

Part 3 - GEO Bambi (aka Princess Mimi) Almond

Part 4 - Vassen Crystal Blue


Now let’s get to the review!


With my lenses from last year, some were opened a little earlier in the year, some a little later. I didn’t take many selfies last year that show my lenses well, so I don’t actually have many photos for all of them.

(read more)