Shopaholic Holiday

Merry Christmas all!

I am going to Singapore on tonight (Yes! Christmas night) and will then leave to Hong Kong on the 28th, spend two days with my parents (and my lil bro) and then they'll leave me to meet up with my other friends who will arrive on the 31st, NEW YEAR'S EVE! (Btw, have you guys seen the movie? Pretty average, similar to Valentines Day. Sarah Jessica Parker and that young man was a horrible pairing)

We will stay up on the first night to watch the fireworks for New Years over the Victoria Harbor. My friends and I will be spending 4 days together in HK going to The Peak, Ocean Park and of course shopping!
Basically just shopping, shopping and more shopping really. I hope to be able to share with you my hauls, and maybe even some vlogs, no promise here but it's a thought. Sasa, the famous HK beauty shop is a must go-to place. I have been saving up with so much effort I really hope it will pay off. Been working very hard so I do believe I deserve it. :D

Street flow by Nujabes (DevaintArt)

Sunset from Hong Kong Peak by Nujabes (DeviantArt)

After HK I will go catch a train up to Guangzhou (by myself! I must add) which is 174 km away, equivalent to 108 miles. I will stay with my relatives there and do some more shopping, mainly clothes, not make-up since it's mainland China, you can't trust what they put into the make-up. I'm also really excited about spending Chinese New Year which is on the 23rd of January. It will have such an amazing atmosphere over there, back here in Australia we have only an uncle and so there's not much cheer and crazy family warmth when it's Chinese New Year. Whenever I go to China I can feel the family warmth even when it's not CNY so the fact that I'm going to be spending CNY there is an added bonus, I have never spent CNY there before (at least no memories of such).            

chinese new year 02 by dongdonggadongdong (DeviantArt) 

Bu Bu Jing Xin

步步惊心
The best drama I have ever seen! With so much meaning, a plot with more than just silly teenage love but with added brotherly conflicts towards the royal throne. I highly highly recommend it! The story-line is so sad yet beautiful!

Watch it at viki.com, it has English subs, plus it's free! The only thing making you regret watching it is the sad emotional impact it has on you in the end even thought it's not a super devastating ending. 

The drama costume is really enchanting too! The actresses and actors are all very beautiful and handsome! I really cannot praise this enough!

From Wikipedia

Bubu Jingxin is a Chinese television series based on a novel of the same title by writer Tong Hua (simplified Chinese: 桐华; traditional Chinese: 桐華). Filming for the series started on 6 December 2010 in Shanghai and wrapped up on 22 March 2011. It was first aired in China on HBS on 10 September 2011.

It's about a girl from the modern age getting pulled back into the past during the imperial reign, after a car accident involving lightning.

More from Wikipedia
The producers have reportedly claimed that the television series will remain faithful to the original story by Tong Hua, but with a new ending. In the novel, Ma'ertai Ruoxi is unable to return to her own time and ultimately succumbs to her illness, while the Yongzheng Emperor dies years later in hope of reuniting with Ma'ertai Ruoxi in death. However in the series, after Ruoxi and Yongzheng die, the former's soul returns to her incarnation in the 21st century. While struggling to get over the trauma from her experiences in time traveling, she ultimately meets a man who resembles Yongzheng, possibly a present-day incarnation of the Yinzhen. Despite the fans' anticipation that there will be a romantic involvement between them, they did not fall in love. Instead, Zhang is heartbroken as she realizes that her romance with Yinzhen is truly over, and his appearance merely gives her necessary closure to move on with her life, yet the story has a sad ending.


Must watch! If you are into ancient Chinese dramas this will be the very best of them, or if you're just interested in knowing what ancient China was like this will give you a great insight to it with a modern twist. It's so cute how the main character Ruo Xi does the 'OK' sign and the 13th prince doesn't understand.

Victoria's Secret Hair

(Love this post? Visit The Faceless Style)

Not only are they famous for their gorgeous bodies and of course beautiful faces, but also for the luscious curls.  

Love their hair but look at those beautiful lips! The colour is such a girly pink

Amazing golden curls 

Sexy makeup and hair! Full of volume!

Blast of volume!

Look at all that beautiful curly hair!

Behind the scenes of the VS show, getting hair and makeup done

Loving the side fringe, take note: they're all on the left which means they may be perceived as intelligent, in-charge and reliable according to the hair parting theory in one of my previous posts 

Spanish Beauty: Clara Alonso. I love the red lip! The hair is also ultra dreamy

Here are some golden beauties

Love the messy look!

Look at that golden shine!

They're all curls, VS hair style = long, down and curly

                                                             But Asian hair is different to Caucasian hair, not just simply the colour but most importantly the texture. Working with Asian hair is different to working with Caucasian hair. Here are the two Chinese supermodels on 2011's Victoria's Secret Show: Sui He (LEFT)and Lui Wen (RIGHT). Rather disappointing compared to the other VS models, most probably because the hairstylist there don't know how to work with Asian hair. This is also why I never go out to get my hair done at the hairdressers here in Australia, I have long hair, I can wait until I go back to China to get it done. Which is what I am doing, getting it permanently dyed and curled in a air salon in Guangzhou, China. Between the two Asian beauties I do believe Su Hei is the more beautiful model. Their faces may not be the most beautiful Asian faces but their bodies sure are. 

Really really curly hair (ie. beach babe curls) for Asians only look good for fashion shoots and runways. For everyday hair,smaller and lesser curls are better since it's more natural looking. After all, curly hair isn't what any Asian is born with.  The curls below are perfect! I just need to continue growing out my hair!

Here are the two Asian hairstyles, plus the one with the girl in the JB hat, that I really like but requires very long hair. My straight hair is the same length as their hair curled which means when mine will be curled, it will be inevitably shorter than what I desire.

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Official 2011 Graduate

Goal now is to relax, earn some money to spend in HK, and to grow a few more centimetres. So far I have grown an extra centimetre from 166cm to 167cm (max- ie. on morning measurements, since the fact is you shrink during the day).  I want to achieve 168-170cm and since my body still isn't fully developed into a woman's yet I think I just may reach my dream height! My older brother only started growing some more after high school so I hope it'll be the same case with me!!

Here are the graduation photos as promised, and as I said in a previous post, it's the same colour as my ball dress cause I just love the colour. I just received the KOJI DollyWink Liquid Eyeliner in deep black the day before graduation so it was actually perfect timing! It was graduation, not clubbing so I wasn't heavy on make-up, at all. Simple Dr. Jart BB cream and some L'oreal truematch super-blendable powder with Chi-Chi lip gloss and eye-shadow. Showed more 'leg' than I intended at the graduation, a friend walked up to me and I said "nice dress" and she was like "nice legs".

Here's BEFORE and AFTER graduation

 My hair is so long I think curling it won't make it way too short. I really want the VS curls! So sexy and hot!!

Next post will be a spam of pics on VS curls that I love!

Simple Steps to Everyday Glamour

Looking effortlessly glamorous doesn't just happen, even though the very words suggest otherwise. It takes some diligence, but thankfully, not much. These tips will get you there, every day.

1. Don't skip on skin care

The better your skin, the less make-up you need, and the less time it takes to look elegant.Cleansing is the cornerstone of great skin. Cleanse every morning to remove cellular wastes from your skin's overnight repair functions, and twice at night to remove make-up and the day's debris.

Exfoliate between one and three times weekly, and apply a mask suited to your skin type between once and three times a week. Twice daily hydration with a quality cream is important, as is daily application of high SPF sunscreen. (Also, don't forget the toner!) 

2. Work with your hair's natural state

Don't try to fight its curls, or its straightness, as you'll just spend too much time styling, and it will become a frizzy mess. Keep it well hydrated with a weekly (or more) deep conditioning mask, and visit the salon every six weeks for a trim and to keep your style looking chic.

When styling, embrace its movement and curls, or try parting it in the direction of that cowlick — you'll be surprised how well it works! Straight hair? Encourage your strands to smooth down even more and reflect mega-watt shine. The best hair days are the ones when you let your locks behave as they would do naturally.

3. Refine the five-minute make-up

It's easier than you think. Choose a sheer-to-medium foundation formula and apply it as you would a moisturiser. Warm the formula by first massaging it between the palms of your hands and along the lengths of your fingers. Then, simply press your face into your hands to transfer the foundation from your hands to your face. Pat it in gently, and then use your fingertips to blend it seamlessly along the jaw line and down your neck, around your hairline, nostrils and eyes.

Skip powder. Simply let the foundation settle into your skin to leave a luminous finish.

Groom your brows by brushing them into place, then defining with a neutral hued pencil that's one shade lighter or the exact same shade as your brows — never darker.Go easy on eye shadow — less is more. Apply a pale apricot as a base, a creamy-white to highlight under the brow and a neutral tan to contour. 

4. Glam it up girl

Save bold, matte lip hues for when you want all-out, traffic-stopping glamour. For this look, stick with a sheer gloss that you can reapply without a mirror. You can opt for bold shades, but rosy pinks and corals look just as stunning.

5. Nail some sophistication

Well-manicured nails will always smack of sophistication. You don't need a bold polish. For effortless glam, choose a no-colour, high-gloss top coat, or a French pink. Stunning!

Graduation/ Christmas Nails

Christmas is only two weeks away! Man time flew this year! I graduated a few days ago and my friend insisted that we do something with our nails because we're such nail fanatics! I will post pictures of my graduation dress in a few days, it's royal blue which is the same colour as my ball dress. I have to admit, I am subconsciously drawn to the colour! It just makes my skin colour such a gorgeous pearly white. Well here's the tutorial for the nails I did for my graduation to match my glittery  shoes that I wore to the ball. I learnt this from KlairedelysArt's video which I have added to the bottom of this post. I have also included some extra tips and advice from myself. This nail design is so simple to do and so glamorous that I'm sure you'll be falling in love with them too! So many people think I have fake nails but they're natural and I know I am very lucky to have inherited them from my mum.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Metallic Silver Nail Polish- even though I never really liked the BYS brand, I found this nail polish incredibly easy to apply and use. Slightly more expensive than the other BYS nail polish but worth it.
Glitter-I used silver to match my shoes, the colour is optional
Brush-I used a paint brush, you would need this to brush off any excess glitter
Make-up sponge- just get a really cheap one because we'll be dipping this in nail polish
Clear nail polish- I used Maybelline Wet & Shine and a nail polish I bought off the streets in Guangzhou, China, which is has a pink tinge which I really like.
Nail Polish Remover-to remove any errors, I use Cutex which is an awesome brand that I highly recommend
Cotton Tips-to clean up the sides of the nails if you mess up


WHAT YOU DO:                                                                                                                 

Step 1 Paint a clear layer of nail polish and let dry (here I used the one with the pink tinge).

Step 2 To create a silver gradient tip, brush some of the metallic silver nail poish onto a piece of paper and dap the makeup sponge into it. Starting from the very tip of the nail, dab inwards and repeat, this way the tip will be darker than towards the cuticle. The tutorial I found makes the gradient only 1/3 of the way in from the tip but I recommend doing it halfway so that the glitter doesn’t cover the gradient layer entirely. Now let dry.

Step 3 Sprinkle some glitter onto a piece of paper. Meanwhile paint another clear layer of nail polish but do not let dry this time (here I used the one with the pink tinge once more)

Step 4 Immediately roll the tip of the nail in the glitter on the paper and allow to dry.

Step 5 Brush off any excess glitter after dried and paint the final layer of clear nail polish (here I used the Maybelline nail polish because it doesn’t ruin the sparkle of the glitter whilst the pinkish one does so test how the clear nail polish reacts with the glitter beforehand) 

WHAT YOU GET:

WHERE I LEARNT THIS FROM

Hair Inspiration

Going to have a hair makeover when I go to China to mark the start of 2012 and the start of a grown girl having graduated from high school and moving up to uni! Here are some of the Asian hairstyles and colour I have been collecting over the year:

THE FRINGE

Side-Part

Middle-Part

    

My thoughts: Side part... my face isn't slim enough to be able to completely pull off a middle-part. Bangs? You may ask? Well bangs are more suited for the people with longer slimmer faces and since I am complaining that my face isn't slim enough, I will stay away from bangs. 

THE COLOUR

I am in love with this look. It's sooo Victoria Secret! I wish to have this look: the type of curls, colour and length! (JB?)

Other versions of dark brown

There's a tinge of red in this look, maybe it's just the sunlight

Trying to grow my hair as long as possible to achieve that VS look I am wanting.Cut my hair after the ball but my hair grows back extremely fast, it's already reaching midway down my back. But then again I still have the baby-face so pulling off the VS look won't be easy. People think I'm still 13 or 14... I guess this is good when you are older and don't want to age. Both my brothers and I have my parents' genes, the anti-aging gene :D

Keeping an eye out for female hairstyles on TV and magazines I have actually noticed many do not have their partings on the right like me. So then I thought maybe I am unusual so today I decided to do some research on hair partings. Amazing enough I have come across an actual theory dedicated to hair partings! 

THE HAIR THEORY

"John Walter was a self-professed computer nerd who instantly gained about 150 friends and an active social life with the "in" crowd after changing his hair part from the right to the left." Is it believable?? 

The Hair Part Theory states: The way a person parts their hair is related to many subconscious associations when assessed by others. Each hair part type initiates cycles of behavior toward, and response from, the individual. Over time, these cycles affect personality development, perpetuating a system of cumulative and interactional continuity.

Men W/Left Part: Natural for men, usually works well for them. Perceived as popular, successful, strong, traditional. Can be out of touch with the feminine side of themselves. Examples: John Wayne, Tom Brokaw, John F. Kennedy, Edward M. Kennedy

Women W/Left Part: Usually ok, especially for women interested in making it in business and politics. Perceived as intelligent, in-charge, reliable. Can sometimes be perceived as too "masculine", and/or can create difficulties with fulfilling traditionally feminine roles. Examples: Hillary Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, Christine Todd Whitman

Men W/Right Part: Usually unnatural for men. Can create an uncomfortable image; can cause social shunning, sometimes leading to unusual or eccentric behavior. Perceived as atypical, open, radical. Can work ok if the man is very confident, attractive, or striving to be respected in a non-traditional male role. Examples: Al Gore, Rush Limbaugh, Robert F. Kennedy, Charlie Rose, Tom Snyder

Women W/Right Part: Natural for women. Usually works ok. Perceived as very feminine, gentle, caring. Can cause problems of not being taken seriously. Examples: Martha Stewart, Jane Pauley, Betsy McCaughey Ross, Geraldine Ferraro

Princess Rania

Men + Women W/No Part: Natural for men and women. Perceived as balanced, trustworthy and wise. Can lack the flair associated with

Center Part or Bald: the other types. Examples: U.S. Presidents 1-9, Joseph P. Kennedy II, Sean Connery

A theory floating around the internet that one of the main reasons Al Gore lost the presidential election in 2000 was because he parts his hair on the right and was hence perceived to be a weak leader whilst George W. Bush parts his hair on the left and gave people the impression he was better suited to be a leader                                                                                                                                               .

Queen Rania

The article also sites Superman as an example. When Christopher Reeves plays the nerdy Clark Kent in the movie, he parts his hair on the right. But when he turns into Superman, he parts his hair on the left. Search it up, you will be amazed!

Before King Abdullah assumed the throne as King of Jordan, Queen Rania used to part her hair on the left.

After she went from being an outspoken Princess to becoming Queen of Jordan, she changed her part to the right, perhaps to send a subtle message that she is the feminine side of the power couple, and to let her husband shine as King. 

                                           

Hearing this I might change my parting to the left since I am going to be studying Finance, Business Law and Law. Also, for my high school graduation in two days I might do a right parting for the Year 12 Breakfast and a left parting for the Graduation Night. From typical girl to strong woman! This is the same concept I have decided to use with my dresses. Pink for day and royal blue for night.

Find out more here: The Effects of Hair Parting on Social Appraisal and Personal Development By John Walter and Catherine Walter

Some Celebrity examples I found: Your hair part reflects your personality

THE MAGIC OF MAKEUP!

Why go through the pain and burden of plastic surgery when makeup is good enough?