Being a girl who is constantly coloring, flat ironing, and styling my hair, it’s hard to wash my hair every single day without a struggle. With all of the damage we put our hair through, it isn’t easy on your hair to do it every single day. So yes, it’s definitely more convenient to wash your hair every other day.

Because I use hair products constantly (hair spray, moroccan oil, leave in conditioners, etc.,) I realized that every other day, my unwashed hair gets on my nerves. I used to be okay with it back in high school washing it every other day but now I try to wash my hair 5 out of 7 days of the week. It gets tiresome sometimes and I also put a lot of stress on my hair since I have to style my hair more often.

Then I noticed the increasingly popular idea of a “dry shampoo.” I noticed it a long time ago on Sephora’s website and it always stayed in the back of my mind. It was an interesting concept but I didn’t really believe it and I didn’t understand how it worked. Well I’ve tried a few but there is one that I really like. It’s the Victoria’s Secret Dry Shampoo.

Victoria’s Secret Dry Shampoo: 8/10 Stars

It sprays out in aerosol form and it almost feels like water coming out but the water dries instantly and you’re left with more refreshed hair. I didn’t think it worked but there was a tester to try it out. I was with my cousin and we both noticed a difference. The best part is that I actually felt a difference. I felt better about my hair and wasn’t  paranoid about my hair looking oily or greasy. And I love the smell of it…Victoria’s Secret is usually good about that.

I picked it up for about $14 and I absolutely love it. I used to think it was a waste but it actually works and is a must-have for travel or for those times your hair needs a little pick me up! It’s my dirty little secret!!

xoxo Hunni

I love cell phone covers, laptop cases/covers, and even camera cases! Something about the design of a case makes me appreciate my gadget even more.

Lately I’ve been on a Juicy Couture craze. Their designs fit my taste so well. I just bought a cute cell phone cover which is coming in the mail soon. It looks like this:

I also just got Juicy Couture perfume but the lady at the counter tried to force me to get Viva La Juicy because it’s the more popular one. It just so happens that it was $10 pricier and it just so happens that she works on commission so I kind of didn’t really trust her. I just stuck with the regular Juicy Couture and guess what? Kind of a bad choice.

I mean the fragrance smells great but it’s a little light and fades away quickly. I like the kind of perfume that will make heads turn and wonder “Mmm…I wonder what scent she’s wearing.” I want everyone to get a whiff of my scent. That’s how I roll.

So I kind of wish I agreed with her and got the Viva La Juicy. I guess that’s the last time I buy perfume on a whim and not take the time to research and smell it. I’m still on the search for something strong and pretty.

I went to Sephora recently and the nice lady at the counter offered me a perfume sample. I described to her:
“Something both fruity and floral at the same time. A girly scent yet very exotic and flirtatious at the same time.”

She immediately went straight to Escada Ocean Lounge and said it was exactly what I was looking for. When I smelled the sample, I didn’t think it was that great but I took it anyway to be polite. I used it the next day and my boyfriend was ecstatic! He loved the smell and said it smells like “an attractive female.” EXACTLY what I was going for. =D

So duh, of course I’m going to get it. But I noticed over time that the smell fades a bit fast. Maybe perfumes just fade on me.

Anyway, Sorry I haven’t been blogging too often. I will get better! Oooh and I’m going to update “The Hills” section. yayyy!

xoxo Hunni

Warmer weather has been upon us and before you know it, it’s summertime! Short shorts, bikini bods, strappy sandals and of course, showing off some skin! I don’t know about you but during the winter season, I turn paler than Edward Cullen!

But I have a few juicy secrets that keep me looking healthy than ever with glowing skin.
Here are the products I use on a daily basis…and now that summer’s approaching, I’ll have a beach-ready tan!

1.  Cover Girl Smoothers
 

This is a great tanning primer to wear under powder. I wash my face everyday, then I apply this face cream which triples as a foundation and tanning lotion. These evens out my skin similar to liquid foundation and gives my skin a slight glow, while moisturizing at the same time. I’m hooked; I can’t go a day without this cream; I feel naked!

2. Coppertone Gradual Tan Tanning Lotion

I am rarely religious about products. I tend to switch from one product to the next. For about 4 years, I’ve been using only one tanning lotion and that’s this Coppertone Gradual Tan. It’s the only tanning lotion I use that doesn’t streak and gives me a tan in a short amount of time. After I shower, I put this on and when I wake up the next morning, my legs are golden bronze! I love this lotion but I use so much on my body that I tend to restock fast; even though there is a generous amount in this bottle. I wish it came in a larger bottle.

3. Coppertone Continuous Spray Mist

My friend introduced me to this tanning spray. I never really believed in tanning sprays because I thought it wasn’t comparable to a lotion. This tanning mist is awesome! I use it over my gradual tan lotion or when I want touch-ups and it gives an amazing tan. It’s so fun and easy to use…it’s like giving yourself a spray tan. I highly recommend this product.

4. Ulta Sunless Mitt

I haven’t tried this yet but I’m definitely going to pick one up soon after reading good reviews about it. It’s meant to help you apply tanning lotion evenly without any streaks and without any leftover gunk left on your hands. One of my pet peeves with tanning lotions is I have to wash my hands extra thoroughly with soap and a sponge. I feel like I literally have to scrub my hands clean or else I’ll get tanning streaks in between my fingers. I definitely need all the help I can get so I’m looking forward to picking one of these up.

If I find any cool tanning products, I’ll be sure to do another review.

xoxo Hunni

I recently added honey-caramel highlights to my dark brown hair because it’s almost springtime and I needed some oomph in my hair. Being Asian and having stubborn hair, it came out a little more golden/yellow than I wanted. YUCK! So I invested in Clairol Shimmer Lights which promises to get rid of brassiness and help give your hair an ashy color.

I left it on for a good 10 minutes and rinsed it out with a sulfate free shampoo. It worked! Here are my reviews:

Clairol Shimmer Lights Shampoo: 8/10

This product does exactly what it claims to do. I put this on my hair and leave it on for 10 minutes while I shower. This shampoo is hard to rinse out fully so I rinse it off with a sulfate-free shampoo. (Tip: I use sulfate-free because sulfate is the ingredient that strips your hair color, so since I’m using a color-enhancing product, it wouldn’t make sense to undo it with a sulfate shampoo)

After I use this product, I immediately see the difference in my hair color. The only reason I’m giving this product an 8 and not a 9 is that it dries out your hair like crazy. So after I rinse it out with shampoo, I immediately lather on an intense conditioner.

Schwarzkopf Color Save Duo (Sulfate-Free) 9/10

Huge fan of Schwarzkopf products! The shampoo is amazing and really does preserve my color! The conditioner is very moisturizing and the entire duo is lightweight, not overly moisturizing and heavy. I definitely see a difference in my hair color combining these products.

One last tip I can give you is to protect your hair from the sun. The sun is a major factor in making your hair more brassy. I’m still on the lookout for a good color protector but once I find it, I will def. review it here. I never used a color protector and I forgot how stripping chlorine water can be. I def. need a color protector, esp. since the past couple of days have been getting warmer. =/ eek!

Hope my tips helped!

xoxo Hunni

I am absolutely in love with a few products from the Bumble & Bumble line, as well as a few from Schwarzkopf. I nabbed a few products a few days ago and wanted to let you in on some goodies:

(P.S. I have really dry, coarse, thick, wavy, damaged, colored hair, so any hair products that actually work on me is AMAZING!)

Bumble & Bumble “Does It All” Styling Spray

Stars: 9/10

This is a MUST-HAVE! I can’t stress this enough. Listen to this:

I first saw this product when I was at a hair salon and I saw another girl straightening her own hair with, in my opinion, the best flat iron ever, the HAI Convertable. Her hair looked straight but damaged and fried. A stylist stepped in and offered some of this B&B Styling Spray. It comes in aerosol form, kinda like a hairspray and with the can held 10 inches away, you literally spray it all over your hair. (You can never spray too much which is a definite plus.)

She sprayed it and then straightened her hair and it was like magic. Her hair was smooth, frizz-free, and really straight. It was like a whole new head of hair! I asked the stylist to try some on me. And GEEZUS, my hair had the same outcome. If you’ve seen my natural hair, you would know that it takes a miracle for my hair to look even remotely healthy. I was so impressed, I grabbed one right away.

You basically use it before you use a heat styling product, so it’s good whether you want to curl your hair or straighten your hair. It’s 10 ounces and about $25. IT IS WORTH IT! (I’m sure you can find it cheaper somewhere online) I’m the best bargain shopper ever but sometimes when I see a brilliant product every now and then, I have to have it! It’s such a rare gem!

Schwarzkopf Bonacure Q10 Treatment

Stars: 7/10

This is a deep conditioner that you can use in place of your regular conditioner. I use it once a week since it’s stronger than regular conditioner. After you shampoo, you just put a generous amount on your damp hair and leave it in for about 10-20 minutes. I leave it in for about 5 minutes since I take really quick showers. It’s a really light, creamy formula and it feels great. Really leaves your hair soft and light, so it still gives your hair body and movement. 

The Q10 is the same used in skincare products. The ingredients in Q10 will bring back elasticity making your hair healthier and soft.

Schwarzkopf Moisture Kick Shampoo

Stars: 6.5/10

Let me remind you again how damaged my hair is. This shampoo is so moisturizing, that you won’t even need a conditioner. It doesn’t really lather like normal shampoo and it’s more milky than soapy. It almost feels like a conditioner in the sense that it doesn’t sud up, but it is still cleansing and feels great.

I recommend this just to have on the side when you’re in a hurry for work or school or whatever and just want to clean your hair really quick. I like this because it’s moisturizing but if you have greasy or oily hair, I can see why you wouldn’t like this. You can use it once a week whenever your hair’s lacking moisture.

Schwarzkopf Bonacure Smooth Control Shampoo and Conditioner Duo

Stars: 9/10

This is my favorite out of all the products. Not only does it come in a 2 pack but they are 33 ounces each! This can easily last me around 5 months at least.  

What I like about these two products is that it doesn’t just moisturize like most shampoos and conditioners claim to do. It targets frizz and basically doubles as a styling product too. Once you use this shampoo and conditioner, you will see a difference in you hair. 

Once your hair dries, you’ll see less frizz, a smoother appearance, and easier maintenance. My hair looked amazingly healthy after I used this combination.

Okay folks, that’s all I have for now. I will update once I find some more goodies. =)
P.S. If I’m MIA, I’ll be working on a whole new site with more content and goodies. I’m excited too because I’ll have a new cute layout too. I’ll still be around here and there, but I’m really excited to work on the new site.

xoxo Hunni

Hopefully you all had a great New Year’s! I sure had fun watching all the happy people in time square, and watching Jersey Shore re-runs. I didn’t think I would like that show but shoot, it’s entertaining. 
So do you have a New Year’s resolution?

I normally don’t have one but I figured it’s the perfect time. My resolution is to not be so hard on myself. I don’t seem to appreciate anything about myself and I just realized lately that I DO have a lot of good things going on for me and I DO have many accomplishments. I just have to learn to treat myself a little better this year. It can really change my outlook on life and really boost my self-confidence!

[EDITED ON FEB. 15, 2010]

SO it’s my favorite part of the blog now!!!

**MAKEUP TIME!!!***

hahahaa

Yesterday, I went to Ulta, which is one of my favorite beauty stores because I like a lot of their products and I especially like the PRICING of the products. Can you say AMAZINGLY affordable?! 
They had a special deal going on yesterday. Buy 2 Ulta cosmetics, get 2 free! So of course, I jumped at the chance to get their mascaras. They have a variety of choices and you can choose any one mascara for $10 max. I have tried nearly all drugstore mascaras and some high-end ones, but Ulta mascaras really have me won over. I currently use these 3:

AMPED LASHES MASCARA: From left to right, the one on the left is good for a natural look. It’s called Amped Lashes. The short spikes in the brush really separate my lashes and coat them evenly without any clumps. It’s clump-proof! If you care about lengthening more than thickening, then this is a really good one for you. You can create either a natural look or dramatic look because if you coat your lashes more than once, it will really lengthen and separate them. 

LASH EXTENSION MASCARA: The 2nd mascara in the middle is very different from any other mascara i’ve ever tried. It’s called Lash Extension Lengthening Mascara. First of all, there is no actual brush or comb, it’s literally just a wand with a few ridges. I don’t know if that even qualifies as a mascara. It’s more like a “Mascara Aid.” There’s nothing to separate your lashes. But what you want to do is either use a lash comb to separate your lashes before and after using this mascara, OR you can use a different mascara with this one and alternate the two. I actually use Amped Lashes with this Lengthening mascara and they work WONDERS together… and they can even look like falsies. 

SHOWSTOPPER LASHES MASCARA: The third tube on the very right is a really cute, trendy mascara. Not only the name Showstopper Lashes, but also the tube is really attractive. The brush is a thick mascara brush that’s curved and that supposedly helps with curling. I say “supposedly” because I don’t believe any mascara will actually “curl” your lashes (that comes from either a tool or genetics), so I always suggest a good curler. But this one is great to help give your lashes a little oomph. It definitely lengthens and thickens which is what it claims to do. (This is my current obsession)

Well, there you go. Go try them out guys, they really are worth the money. I am always trying out new mascaras so chances are, I’ll still experiment with other ones. But for now, these are my faves! You can trust me…

xoxo Hunni

So someone in my comments asked for my top 10 fave facial skincare products and I’ve come across quite a lot of affordable/drugstore products that have worked wonders for me! 
FYI, I have combination dry/oily skin with some patches of redness.

(these are in no particular order)

1. Biore SkinPreservation Nourishing Gel Cleanser - $8
This is definitely one of my fave cleansers. It dispenses as a gel which is pretty unique to me since my usual cleansers are foamy or creamy. I like how it feels against my skin right away and just one or two pumps will be enough to lather your entire face. The light cucumber-esque smell is really invigorating and after you wash your face, this cleanser leaves it feeling squeaky clean. I currently use this in the shower and it even takes off all my makeup.

2. Clean & Clear Deep Cream Cleanser, Sensitive – $5
A really great cream cleanser! I have used this cleanser for a few years now and it feels so nice and thick to lather all over your face. It doesn’t really remove all of my makeup (since I use a lot of tough waterproof stuff) but it leaves my face baby-soft. I don’t even need a moisturizer afterward!

3. St. Ives Apricot Scrub – $4
This is a GREAT one to use every once in a while. I like using it in the shower or maybe when I’m feeling a bit oily or need a good deep mini-facial. It basically has a grainy, rough, sandpaper-like texture to it which some people think gets messy. (Use it in the shower if you think it’s too much) You rub it into your skin; I rub roughly because I have tough skin but if you have sensitive skin, use very little and be gentle. You will truly see a difference with this product. I feel like I’ve uncovered a new layer of skin! Definitely a must-have!

4. Clean & Clear Soft Day/Night Moisturizer – $7
So I’m bummed because this has been discontinued. It was literally MY FAVORITE moisturizer because of the amazing price and the texture was simply unbelievably perfect!  This is the only moisturizer so far that moisturizes my skin, yet doesn’t cause me to break out with oil the rest of the day. I loved the scent, although a lot of people said it was too strong. I wish this was back; IT’S WONDERFUL! I guess I’m just going to have to stock up online!

5. Clean & Clear Morning Burst – $6
I guess you can tell I’m a fan of Clean & Clear. lol So this product didn’t do anything to improve my skin per se, but considering that I am NOT a morning person, this really helped in waking me up and invigorating me! I stuck by this cleanser religiously throughout college. It was so helpful in waking me up. It has small beads that disperse immediately onto your skin.

6. Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Exfoliating Cleanser – $10
If you want something like the St. Ives Apricot Cleanser mixed with an anti-aging formula, then this is it! It’s a very good cleanser with slightly rough granules like the St. Ives one and it’s a definite good-buy! I don’t know if the anti-aging part totally works but I can say, I saw a minor improvement in my skin’s texture.

7. Pond’s Clean Sweep Wet Cleansing Towelettes – $6
I don’t know how I’ve ever lived without these! Thanks to my roommate Lil for giving me a box of these a year ago; I haven’t gone without them ever since. I basically live all around Southern California at my friend’s houses and travel from house to house so these are nice to leave around for a fast makeup remover. These towelettes are gentle and don’t irritate my skin at all, which is rare for towelettes. I love how quick and easy these are to use because sometimes I’m in a hurry and need my makeup off QUICK!

8. CoverGirl Smoothers Tinted Coverage, light to medium $8
This is such a cool moisturizer slash light foundation. It not only softens my skin but adds color! I am obsessed with this during the winter season when I’m feeling a little vampire-pale and need some color. I definitely stock up on this as soon as I see a sale!

9. Clean & Clear Acne Moisturizer – $6
I liked this a lot and when I discovered Clean & Clear discontinued their Day/Night Moisturizer, I tried this out. I really liked it and it’s very light, although I prefer a heavier moisturizer. But this comes to a close second and I didn’t get to use it long enough to notice if it treated acne, but I did notice that my skin was a lot softer afterward.

10. Curel Ultra Healing Intensive Lotion – $8
Yes I know this is a body lotion but it works so well at making my body feel like silk, so I sometimes use this on my face when I run out of moisturizers. It’s the BEST lotion I’ve ever used for the price and I have used nearly every drugstore lotion. This is by far the best! Trust me and go try it!

And please please please, let me know in the comments if you guys use anything good! I’ll try anything and everything…because you never know which products could be the gems.

Wow, I should be sleeping! I will catch you guys later!
xoxo Hunni