It was nice to finally go back after visiting almost 2 years ago.

On a little getaway

Mentioned getting this from a recent beauty haul at Yesstyle. SANA’s Hadanomy Collagen line is pretty popular these days. Especially the mist! And from the Girl’s Talk section this product line seems targeted toward all women from teens to 30’s!

I’m always a bit wary of trying new facial products because I break out easily. But lately I think my eye makeup remover is too drying or I wonder if another could do a better job. So when I saw this Makeup Cleanser from the Hadanomy line I really wanted to try it! It’s a gel wash instead of the usual liquid soap or cleanser with cotton ball remover I usually use.

I’ve used it for a few weeks now and I must say I’m pretty happy with it! I tend to only use it on my eye makeup but have used it all over a few times without any pimples cropping up. It removes eye makeup pretty well. Heavy waterproof black liner might take a little extra wash time and gel though but it eventually removes it without harsh cotton balls having to be used. The gel feels cool and soothing when you apply it. My eyes feel instantly moisturized! Usually they feel dry after cleaning off my makeup and I rush to put eye cream on them, but they don’t feel this way after using the Hadanomy Collagen Cleanser. And the scent is very relaxing. It’s like a rose meets citrus type of scent. It’s light and bubbly smelling. I really enjoy that! I don’t know if it’s a holy grail of makeup removers but I am happy to get to try it & would consider buying it again at least for winter skincare! I’m a sucker for collagen products after all. It’s really gentle and that’s what I was hoping for.

Limited Edition Photo Zine - “Towards Spring City”
From Maps and Fragments

I know it’s been a while since I did one of these entries but I’m ready to get back to it

These were all printed on matte paper. Sort of like a special “booklet” insert. They don’t scan in as lovely as glossy pages but I included some high res versions that should hopefully help.

Bonus Alexa Chung Look!

New sweater dress purchased on sale at Madewell Saturday.
It’s warm and cozy and perfect for PMS and has a giant single pocket on the front. I’ve worn it out 3 times already

I realized that in recent months I’ve only purchased clothing from Madewell and no where else.

Then I remembered I did buy this amazing top from Zara on sale a little over a month ago. It has button-snaps all down the back. It’s better suited for spring but I’ve worn it a few times this winter already.

Then the last non-Madewell clothing item I purchased was during Black Friday when I bought a red coat, plaid scarf, deer print dress, and brown cardigan from H&M.

It’s not really interesting. It was that I just noticed when shopping this weekend I sorta skip most other clothing stores now. Though today I was struck with the dreadful thought of summer and no longer being able to wear sweaters. What will I do? What. Will. I. Do? … I felt the same about this winter though too, bwahahahaha~

Picked up this thinner sweater at Madewell too when I bought the knit dress. It’s a simple navy blue brushed knit. Will make a lot of use of it layered right now with blouses but come spring I can wear it solo as it warms up.

It’s about time I wrapped up some final thoughts on my
Clarisonic Mia 2!

I got mine back in December. I’ve been using it for 2 months now. Let me get to the point and say I love it! I’m happy with the results and plan on using it as part of my daily routine, twice a day, from here on out.

Can I live without it? Yes. Do I want to? No.

I was using the Sensitive Brush head at first but replaced it with the Deep Pore Cleansing one last week. I think I might like the deep-pore head better since my skin has oily zones and my pores are rather large. Since using it I’ve seen my already shrunken pores get even smaller so I’m happy my kit included both heads!

When I first got it I was actually having the usual Thanksgiving holiday break-out. I’m very acne prone but you can read about my skin type here instead.

After I started using the Mia 2 it began to clear right away! I didn’t experience much “purging.” Had a few deep clogged pores finally come to surface and heal quickly. During the first month the most common occurrence was blackheads would turning into slight but small red bumps. I’d treat them with acne cream and the next day they’d be clear and the pores would be smaller! After the first month I stopped getting zits altogether.

My regular routine changed a bit too. Where I used to have to wash my face after work due to excessive oily skin, now my makeup is still fresh at 5pm! Actually now I rarely wash my face after work because it isn’t as oily as it used to be and skipping doesn’t cause me zits like it used to either! My pores on my forehead and nose have decreased dramatically. So much so that I no longer see a use for buying Benefit’s Pore Professional! This is really what I was hoping to achieve! The few fine lines I was developing have now softened as well. My makeup goes on smoother. Oh and I’ve been asked if I’m wearing makeup (when I wasn’t) because my skin was looking “so fresh!” I don’t have as many “blotchy days” and I skip wearing BB Cream some days and just wear Benefit Get Even powder. I’m having to apply less concealer these days and, yes, I’ve gone without wearing any makeup on a few days again too without feeling like an ugly hag.

So, I love my Clarisonic. Yes, they have cheaper non-sonic facial brushes out there. Yes, those would probably do you better than not using one at all. But no, I haven’t tried them personally. But there are articles out there comparing the Clarisonic to the drugstore equivalents if you’re interested! In the end it seems anything beyond just using your fingers is good. It depends on just how good you want it and what investment you’re willing to make. I don’t think at age 20 I could -

1: afford a Clarisonic,
2: needed it as much as I do now. My skin was just different at that age. Who knew a few years later it would betray me completely.

But as I got older I started taking skin care more seriously.
(I used to sleep in my makeup while in college ok, something I would NEVER. DO. TODAY!)

So I’m not saying run out and buy one or that you shouldn’t try a cheaper version like the OLAY one. For me Clarisonic was a great investment, and if you’re on the fence about trying one maybe look into taking the plunge preferably from a place that allows you returns, no questions asked. (For instance QVC where I bought mine.)

I should note I haven’t switched my daily cleansers at all. I’m using everything I did before and instead of using my hands to wash my face I use my Clarisonic. Simple change. Only complaint is how long it takes to charge. I’m forced to skip 1 of 2 uses about once every 3 weeks when I charge it but it’s not so bad.

Something new I picked up combines my love for the company “Bison” and my love for all things rose. Bison’s Rose Honey Lip Cream. It’s a part of their はんなり小町 [Elegant Beauty] lip line. It’s a clear light pink cream stick containing rose extract, honey, and royal jelly extract plus moisturizing vitamins C, E, and A. It’s rose scented and meant to create lips with “elegant shine.”

Though it’s a clear stick I think it adds a tiny subtle hint of pink when applied. The shine is perfect too. Not overly super glossy like a sticky gloss but not a dull matte shine like a chapstick. The fragrance is subtle. It reminds me a lot of the fragrance of my Chanel lipstick actually. It’s a slightly perfumed rose but also a little sweet smelling with a slightly sweet, but very subtle, taste. If you’ve ever drank pure rose flavored black tea this will probably remind you of that! The only sort of complaint I’d have is that it needs reapplying often. It wears away quickly but it does leave lips feeling super soft and moisturized. I think it’s a great “chapstick” replacement. It’s not fancy but it’s useful and let’s you enjoy a burst of fragrance.

This line has 5 items in total. The Rose Honey, Peach Honey, Citrus Honey, and Strawberry Honey. There’s also a deep conditioning cream in Apple Honey. I got mine at Yesstyle where they have quite a few from this line. I also so it at my local Japanese market a few weeks ago as well. Seems fairly popular. There are reviews on most of the items at cosme.net

A few weeks ago I made my first denim purchase at Madewell. I had checked them out before but nothing really caught my eye until I tried on a pair of their Rail Straight in Western Wash. The denim was super soft like a pair you’ve owned for years.

I’ve been looking for a new pair of jeans for a while now. I only ever wear these that I bought nearly 2 years ago. Cheap $15 pair from Forever 21. It’s time for an upgrade. I figure if I’m only gonna own 1 pair of jeans they could at least be a nice pair. I wanted something more relaxed fit too. Not super skinny tight; fitted but comfortable! These from Madewell are exactly that. A nicer denim to wear into work on Casual Fridays.

I used Madewell’s denim hemming service as well. Now, I had thought their denim hemming was free. Others commented that they had thought this as well or had actually used this service for free. When I asked the staff they seemed sorta surprised I had thought that! I did see that their denim hemming is sometimes free during their “Denim After Dark” sale! I might have gotten the idea from that since they are always doing sales. Either way it wasn’t too bad. $20 for “original hem.” Cheaper than the last hemming I had done elsewhere.
They came back looking great too!
It took little over a week. Though a salesperson apologized saying it shouldn’t have taken “so long.”. I appreciated hearing that though I didn’t really mind waiting a few extra days.

Picked up some Happy Socks while there getting my jeans.
Figured they’d look nice paired together with my oxfords!

Some of the shop staff out together, I just loved how pretty their makeup looked in this picture.

It’s a nice beige colored cotton blend pad you place on top the sofa cushions. They have a few styles available but this one matched my living room best. It’s easily washable and durable. I’ve already ran it through the washer & dryer without a problem! It comes out nice, clean and cushy. It’s nice for the cold winter days to sit at home on an even more comfortable couch now with a warm quilt and watch some TV!

At New Year’s I ordered a restock of a ton of sweat baths plus some of the new Bison bath salts. Got them at imomoko.

Reordered a lot of my favorites plus a few new ones to try.

Also wanted to share what I did with that IKEA stuff I bought for my cubicle. Keep in mind I work in an older government building where the main colors include maroon, brown, and gray. The stuff I got helped spruce it up a bit I think. I’m really happy with it and if I ever get tired of it this stuff will fit into my home decor easily!

I wish the photos had come out better but florescent lighting just sorta kills everything. Mostly my work materials are on the top shelf and in the magazine files. I now have my tea in the rose containers. I cleared away a lot of old work documents and put them into proper drawers leaving room for photo frames and a bit more open space. Seeing a stack of papers all the time was really a downer. Clutter can feel like such bad energy sometimes. So putting them up, away in file cabinets, was long overdue.

Lastly, these Emi-Jay hair ties!

I bought these over a month ago… I LOVE THEM. I got them at South Moon Under. They’re perfect. They don’t pull my hair when removing but still stay in place for high ponytail looks. I usually get headaches quickly from having my hair pulled back, these don’t give me bad headaches at all. Not to mention they’re lovely aesthetics. They’re sweet to wear around the wrist as an emergency hair fix!

I picked up the “METALLIC COLLECTION” version. I would actually purchase another pack. So far they really last. The ends are fraying just a little on the silver one which I wear the most but they’re secure and wouldn’t need replacing very often. I felt sorta stupid at first spending $12 on hair ties but looking back it was totally worth it and I’d do it again. Actually I’ll probably pick up more eventually!

So I picked up these three from SANA-

• Esteny Body Massage Gel
• Esteny Hip & Leg Power Tight
• Esteny Peel Tight Gel

A few other things I got include -

• SANA Hadanomy Collagen Cleansing Gel (makeup removal)

  I wanted something more gentle for removing my eye makeup lately and this line gets amazing reviews so I’m finally trying it out!

• Skinfood Carrot Collagen Eye Sheet

  Skinfood! I have a bunch of free skinfood samples to try too. I love eye masks for days I don’t want to do a full face mask. The packaging was really sweet and natural looking as well. Peaceful almost.

• Kose Happy Bath Day Precious Rose Rose Enrich Lip Essence

  I talked about Happy Bath Day items before! Ready to try this lip essence!

• Shiseido Majolica Majorca Glass Drop Gel Coat

  I heard this gives a nice “gel nail” look to simple manicures and I’m always looking to try new top coats. Lately my nails have weakened due to stress so they are so ugly right now despite my nail supplements and strengthening products.

I still have a lot to try from Christmas too.
I’m sorta on a beauty goods binge lately but it makes me happy so I’m not going to chastise myself over it right now Instead I’m off to try my Hadanomy cleansing gel!

This post had a lot of butts in it

Fits “Love Switch” Pink Brown Mascara

Recently I finally purchased this Pink Brown mascara from imomoko on clearance! I had mentioned a loooong time ago I was interested in trying it. I was restocking my bath salts when I saw it was on clearance so I figured, “why not?!” This is the official website for it. Love Switch is a whole line of pink brown products.

“Dolly Long” type mascara. It’s aim is to create a sweeter look. The mascara itself is fiber based and waterproof. Incredibly easy to remove with warm water and your fingers. The color is subtle but definitely less harsh looking compared to typical black mascara.

I’m actually really happy to finally pick this up!

The color is a bit darker than expected, but I think it might look lighter if you used a white mascara base like that available through Lancome or L’Oreal. I’m unfortunately out so I couldn’t try it but I think this mascara would be better paired with a lash booster either way. That said, the color is definitely sweet.

I’ve been wearing it to work and on more natural makeup days (like the picture below.) It adds some lengthening but not extreme. They make a curl version I’d love to try next actually! The wand is a bit old school. I’m not so great with the straight wands, I prefer curled. I have to be careful not to accidentally touch my eyelid when applying the mascara due to the long narrow wand. That said, this mascara is pretty good for multiple coats which some fiber mascaras don’t handle well.

I’m happy, I’ve been using this mascara a lot! AND it doesn’t smear. Like, AT ALL. Even my Fiberwig smears on me (oily eye type) but I haven’t noticed any flaking or smearing with this pink brown mascara. Quite happy!

This is a luxurious hand cream. Instantly moisturizes with a strong wonderful rose & violette fragrance. The violette notes definitely take center stage. Rose is there but more subtle. The scent actually reminds me of those violet candies Bloomzy sent me a few months ago!! Almost exact! It’s a very, very sweet smell like candy!

I enjoy keeping hand creams like this at work. Not only is it a must because of dry winter skin and the ultra-drying hand soap kept in the office restrooms, but it’s also something I can put on before a meeting. It’s more subtle than freshening up my perfume, but also still a nice surprise. I actually put some on before a meeting today and a coworker commented on my “perfume” and how wonderful it smelled. She was surprised when I told her it was just a hand lotion!

The little finger bowls are perfect for emptying my 100 calorie packs into. Makes the snack seem to last longer than just eating them out of the bag like an uncontrollable cookie monster. The KNUBBIG is a small table lamp. I plugged it in today on my desk. It gives it such a cozier atmosphere and it’s nice having some extra light that isn’t from giant overhead florescent bulbs. And the faux greenery… greenery is so good to have surrounding you even if it’s fake, haha.

Monday the contractors finished with the repairs. Now my house smells like new paint but that should air out soon. It’s actually so mild tonight I have the window open for ventilation!

I spent the 8 hours they were here to gather items for a donation drive ran by the Lupus Foundation! They accept nearly everything! From clothing to housewares. You then schedule a pickup (I did it online) and they’ll pick it up for donation. It’s wonderful and a great excuse to finally let go of things you know are still in great condition but you have no use for it. They take the items and sell them raising funds for the foundation. For more information you can visit LupusPickup.org

The new bag is similar to my other favorite satchel but it’s smaller and lighter and was a Christmas gift from a friend! It’s also a 3 way bag and can transform into a rucksack I’ve enjoyed using it lately when I don’t want a full heavy purse on me.

Sweater - Madewell
Dress - Yesstyle
Tights - S-LEG
Flats - Payless
Belt - Target
Bag - ~Japan

Cardigan - Madewell
Blouse - H&M
Jeans - F21)
Flats - Payless
Bag - ~Japan
Earrings - Marc by Marc Jacobs, Majorica

Sweatercoat - Madewell
Dress - Yesstyle
Tights - TRAIN (imomoko)
Boots - Old Navy
Belt - Target
Bag - ~Japan

I’m going to organize my closet a bit tomorrow. Though I have the day off I have to be home all day because some contractors are going to be repairing a ton of damage that’s left over from some plumbing work. It’ll probably take at least half the day for them to finish.

First, Lucky Magazine released the Madewell Spring 2012 Lookbook images. Some of these items are already in stores now! I love the new collection and much of it feels reminiscent of Kastane’s autumn items which I love. It’s got me really excited to think about warmer weather. Here are my 8 favoriye looks. You can see all 30+ looks at Lucky.

My other current obsession are rings from Catbird. I love them! I love simple classic items but with creative or quirky twists. It reminds me I need to get my ring sizes again. I only know my ring fingers size

My absolute favorites are the stack-able rings. I’ve been in love with Tiffany’s Sugar Stacks though the prices are … well let’s just say it’s a luxury for when I’m a little older since I’d want to buy a few to stack! Many of Catbird’s stack rings are reasonably affordable and delicately lovely with lots of styling options.

Love to get lost in inspiration~~

This morning the rain was still pouring and beating against the windows. It was so gloomy.

Then later around 9am I saw the brightest day through my office windows. I couldn’t believe it. It was like the morning storm never even happened.

Then all those cheesy comparisons of how “in life” there are storms but sun will eventually “follow” came to mind. Yes. It’s cheesy. But just because it’s a downpour now doesn’t mean the sun will never shine again. And yes. I’m feeling optimistic today.

I got tired of waiting for roses… so I bought them myself!