Eyelash Update

Well, it's been 3 weeks since I've put my eyelash extensions in... and it shows!

I was forewarned that they fall out faster in the first month... and they have been falling out gradually since day 1. However, because they fall out one by one, it's hardly noticeable. In fact, I didn't really notice it until I looked back at my 'day one' pictures to compare... They looked really full back then (like a really good set of false eyelashes) whereas now they look a little bit more natural.

Because each of the extensions are glued on to your own eyelashes, the first day you have them done you have about 2-3 times the amount of hair on your eyelids. As your natural hairs fall out, so do the extensions, so you are actually losing 2 or 3 'eyelashes' at a time. Now I think I'm down to almost the same amount of eyelashes as my natural ones (maybe slightly more) but because some of them are fake and some are real, the overall effect is that my lashes are still really long, just not as full.

I think I am going to hold out until the sparsity looks unnatural, then go back for my refills.

But, for those of you who haven't had them done but are considering, I'd like to point out a couple of things.

First of all they are not completely painless. Especially the first couple of days, when you shower or wash your face they sting a little. The roots of your eyelashes tend to get a little sore (maybe because of the prodding, maybe because of the extra weight) but it really becomes a bother when you try to wash your face. And in the case of the shower, it's really hard to open your eyes in the shower when the eyelashes are wet because they collect more water than your bare lashes do.

So that brings me to my second point. They are a big bother in the mornings too. When your eyes are irritated while you sleep, they tend to produce some... well, eye boogers. (Is there a technical term for this?) And although this is normal for almost everybody, it's a bit tougher to open your eyes in the morning and clean them out when you have a bunch of fake hair glued on. But for me, this only happened the first couple of days or so.

Now that I have a lot less, I can wash my eyes with no problems, use eye make-up remover on cotton pads, rub my eyes.

But when one of those falsies fall into your eyes!? OUCH!

But I don't want to give the impression that everything is bad... I still very much plan to keep these refills coming. The benefits definitely outweigh the pain. :D (Same with any other beauty procedure I guess) I haven't had to use any mascara, eyeliner, or eyelash curlers. They have kept their shape very well and still curl upwards. And given the fact that I go to the gym 3-4 times a week to do strength training, hip hop classes, and boxing... they've held up really well.

Bye-bye Havaianas

The floppy overly-casual look of flip-flops are now expired. By me. My flip-flops are reserved only for the use of trips to the garbage chute or to the nail salon across the street.

I've worn flip-flops everyday since I tried a pair on last summer in Hawaii. The result? Flat, clumsy feet that flop around, stubbing toes here and there. Not to mention the horrid state my skin and toe nails are left in from all that flip-flopping around. But the worst of it all? The irrreversible damage of the heels of my favorite pairs of jeans.

No sirree, no more Havaianas for me.

I am, however, going to allow myself the closest thing to those comfy sandals for the rest of summer... a slight upgrade to a pair of Seychelles' Cha-Chas. I bought a pair in gold last week at Tryst in Studio City. They are comfortable, they stay on, and best of all the hard sole reminds my feet that they are in slightly "dressy" shoes so they don't just flop around carelessly on the sidewalks. I am tempted to buy the green.



But meanwhile, I'd like it recorded in print right now. I will not wear flip-flops this fall or winter. I will not wear flip-flops this fall or winter. I will not wear flip-flops this fall or winter.

Foot Petals

Remember those shoot-me-now heels I just mentioned? Well, I've finally found a way to wear them comfortably for a little longer. Introducing...


I tried them on at their booth in Century City and they really do work! That little bit of cushion makes all the difference. The best part is that they come in a variety of colors and prints to match your shoes... because you do not want a blue Dr. Scholl's cushion showing through your toe cleavage.

... for more information

Pro-Shopping

I'm back! Phew! The last couple of weeks have been pretty dull for me- just work,work, work.

Okay, now all work aside, I had a chance to -finally- do some shopping this weekend. LA Girls- head over to Rodeo Dr. for some serious sales!


First head over to Saks 5th for their pre-sale event before Wednesday... Bags by major designers like Gucci and Marc Jacobs are 40% off... Jimmy Choo, Prada, Louboutin, and other yummy shoes at 30% off... Theory, Juicy, Ya-Ya, Marc Jacobs, Tracy Reese and other summer duds at 40% off. The only catch? You can't take anything home until their official sale starts on Wednesday. On the plus side? They still have a good selection so stop by before everything is gone!


Then head over to Barneys to shop for shoes... My favorites were the white Pucci flats with colorful trim for only $195... unfortunately they were out of my size. Casadei had cute leather mules and pumps in sherbert colors for $240. Another one of my favorites were the peep-toe Manolo Blahniks in beige, purple and olive... only small sizes left though :(

Just because I wasn't able to find anything in my size on sale, I wasn't about to go home empty-handed. I got the closed-toe version of these in beige:

So cute, but more importantly, so comfortable! I was ready to retire my Sergio Rossi sandals on the spot (which were butchering my feet) and switch shoes, but decided against it.

Also don't forget to swing by the usually-neglected lingerie section on the 3rd floor for some really good deals on Cosabella. Talco cami's (regularly $70) are just $29 and soire camis are $19. I'd never try on their talco cami's before... they are perfect for just lounging around the house and sleeping in. They have a built-in lining so you don't have to worry about showing too much when guests come over (or in my case when I run downstairs to let the dogs out) but they are the perfect amoung of snug to sleep in, without twisting around and showing accidental cleavage in the morning.

Other than that I picked up some t-shirts, Generra bermuda-length shorts in pink (I was eyeing them just last week and when they went on sale I immediately snatched them up), and this Generra tank:

Double-Feel-Good

Time for the annual Shoe Frenzy for charity! I'll be honest... I debated whether or not I should post about this event... I don't want that line at 7am any longer than it usually is, but since it is for a good cause I thought I should share :D

Shoe Frenzy is an annual charity event where you can shop for shoes to your heart's content and feel good knowing that the money raised goes to provide low-cost/free women's health care and counseling services. Proceeds go to the Women's Clinic.

ONE DAY ONLY
Saturday, May 21st 2005
8:00 am to 12:00 Noon

Veteran's Memorial Building
4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City 90230
(at the corner of Overland Ave. and Culver Blvd., across from the Sony Studios)

Super Mario

I've heard many good things about this line so as soon as my Kiehl's facial cleanser ran out, I decided to try the famed Mario Badescu line. The pricing is similar to Kiehl's and so is the packaging... but everything is MUCH better smelling!



Botanical Facial Gel- A thorough cleanser for combination/oily skin, this gel removes all face make up and oily debris, while leaving the skin refreshed and residue-free. Botanically enriched with Grapefruit Extract (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) to revitalize and energize. I am normally a foaming cleanser type of girl-- I like to see my products work to believe it. (That's why until now I haven't been able to use the Shu Uemura cleansing oil even though I hear so many good things about it) But immediately after using this face wash, I can really feel how clean my face is. Completely clean. No traces of eye-makeup, no filmy residue, just clean, nourished skin. This really leaves NOTHING behind. Because I am still on my Shu regimen, I didn't buy any other products for my face.

Raspberry Body Scrub- Acts as a loofah to increase circulation, exfoliate, and remove dry skin cells from arms, shoulders, back, etc. Made with delicious fresh Raspberry Extract to refresh your skin and stimulate your senses. At first I was disappointed with the amount of actual scrubbing beads this scrub has... it seems like you are rubbing around a lotion with a few raspberry seeds. The sugar and salt scrubs I'm used to are all scrub and no treatment... but little did I know that salts can leave your skin dryer than it was before rather than exfoliate effectively. Immediately after using this scrub your skin is velvety smooth to the touch. It's a great exfoliator for pre-tanning! Also the large raspberry seeds feel good against the skin, I think because it increases circulation so your skin feels more awake. (Rather than that raw, sore feeling you get after scrubbing with a salt or sugar scrub).

Seaweed Shower Gel- Contains nourishing Seaweed Extract, Sesame Oil, Carnation Oil, and Herbs Extract. Fragranced with stimulating and refreshing Botanical Extract. Again, this shower gel does exactly what it's supposed to- clean your skin without leaving anything behind. Well, except for a light, sweet scent.

Formula -200- Body Lotion- Instantly absorbed body lotion that does not leave the skin greasy. Perfect to use before getting dressed, after shower, or after sun. Okay, I'll be honest. I don't know if it's the raspberry scrub, the shower gel, or this lotion, or maybe even the combination of all three? ... but I swear my skin is smoother and softer than it's ever been. I was pretty happy with Kiehl's Instant Satin before, but this lotion has the same absorption rate but smells much better. The best thing about this lotion is that you can get dressed immediately after application.

Now that I am in love with the line, there are a couple other things that I'd like to pick up from the store and try:
Drying Lotion- World-famous pimple treatment that effectively dries up whiteheads overnight.
Rose Hip Mask- A light moisturizing and nourishing mask. Revitalizes tired skin to radiate a healthy glow.
Super Collagen Mask- Replenishes the skin with Collagen to give it a healthy glow. Collagen, naturally found in the skin, keeps it firm and toned.
Kiwi Face Scrub- Softens and refines dull skin tone and minimize congested pores.
Botanical Firming Lotion- Infused with several stimulating botanicals known for their firming and smoothing benefits.

Available at Fred Segal's, Kitson and Nordstrom, or on www.mariobadescu.com.

Wow!

I am nothing but impressed. (Compare the top lashes to my bottom lashes, which is what my top lashes originally looked like!)

My friend recommended me a salon to get my eyelash extensions done. I'd never actually seem a full set on anyone before so I was very nervous. Also, the eyelash lady doesn't speak much English (it was in Koreatown) so that made me even MORE nervous. But after some online research I learned that the Asian method of eyelash extensions are the best- they take a long time to apply but they are clean and look very natural. They also last longer. And they're a bit more expensive.

My extensions cost $250. This cost includes the initial application and 2 refills, so this should last me about 3 months. Every refill after that is $50 and it should be around every 2 months.

I wish there was more that I could say about the procedure... I basically went in and lay down in the chair. She then taped my bottom eyelids to my cheeks and told me to close my eyes. I really don't know what went on those 1 1/2 hours... My guess is they glue each hair individually to your hairs. Then they use really pointy tweezers to set the glue and to pick off any excess glue. (The glue is black, the same color as the fake lashes). Then she used another tool to curl the lashes together to set the glue into a curled up position. And that was it!

My eyelashes are incredibly full and 2x its normal length. I wish I had a "before" picture to show but I forgot. I did search through all of my pictures on my computer and I noticed that I could not see ANY eyelashes in my pictures whether I'm using mascara or not... so I guess it is a big difference!

The pros... they look VERY natural. I don't feel them at all. (Except for the first hour) I can swim, go to a sauna, use eye-makeup remover, etc. in them. I don't have to use as much make-up... just swiping a little color over the lid is enough. And did I mention they look VERY natural!?

The cons... definitely the price! You can't use mascara or eyelash curlers anymore... so after a few weeks if they get droopy you can't do much about it until you get a refill. Not for sensitive eyes.

Also another thing I noticed... they really accent your original lashes. Before the extensions, my left eye was a little bit droopier so I only had half a double-eyelid and the eyelashes point more downwards than my right eye. Now after the extensions, the left eye has a full double-eyelid and the lashes stick straight out before they slightly curl up. My RIGHT eye however... the double-eyelid folds over completely (so it kind of "disappeared") and the lashes curl up higher than the left eye. So I'm still left with asymmetrical eyes. :(

But now my eyelashes look like my Lulu's! (Yes, hers are real)


edit: I've received a lot of questions, so here are some answers.
1. What happens if you leave them in longer than the two months?
Your eyelashes grow out in cycles. So as they naturally fall out, the extension glued on to them falls out too. So in about 2 months, your eyelashes will look sparse because a fraction of them have fallen out, and some baby ones have grown. You go in for the refill to get new extensions on the new eyelashes that have grown out over the past 2 months. Since everybody's lashes grow at a different rate, the 2 months is just a guideline. I have a friend who goes every 3 weeks and one that goes every 9 weeks. Also it depends how natural you get them done too, the more natural they look, probably the longer you can go without a refill.

2. Do they affect the growth of your natural lashes?
As far as I know, not at all. However, I've heard that the first time you get them done you need to come back in 3 weeks-1 month because your lashes are still getting used to the weight so more tend to fall out the first month. The longer you refill and maintain the lashes, the longer it will last in between refills.

3. Do you have to have them professionally removed?
YES! You can go back to have them professionally removed, or you can just wait until they all fall out naturally (which can take a really long time).

4. Does the $250 include the insertion of the two refills?
$250 includes the first two refills. Each additional refill is $50.

5. Would you ever do the bottoms?
Because of my eyeshape, I've never had the need to do my bottoms. I never put mascara on my bottom lashes. But, I never asked. My guess though is that bottom lashes are too thin and fragile to put extensions on.

6. Where in Northern California can I have this done?
I would search online or ask around. They usually do this in Asian towns like Japanese or Chinese salons. However, it is very IMPORTANT that you see first an example of eyelashes that they have done. I have had friends who've done this at mediocre places and the extensions are messy and do not look natural at all.

7. Is it $500 for bottoms and tops?
Again- not sure about the bottoms. I'm sure if you add them on it will be just a fraction added on, not doubled.

8. Do they fall out naturally?
Yes, refer to question 1.

9. Would you mind sharing where you had them done?
Sure, I went to Marquise Salon in KoreaTown... it's on Western & Olympic and the lady's name is Yeana.

The end of an era

Promises of no more mascara... no more eyelash curlers...

I have been sucked in.

Going in for my eyelash extension appointment in about an hour.

Meanwhile, I've cleaned out my make-up drawer and will (hopefully soon) dispose of these:

Bye-bye Shu Uemura curler that's stuck by my side for over a year (even though the recommended use is 6 months).

Bye-bye Vincent Longo pro lash set with its cute tube of lash-glue and brown set of lashes that I never used.

Bye-bye stupid Stila mascara that I got duped into buying during a makeover event, preventing me from buying a new Shu Uemura basic black mascara because all of a sudden I felt the need to try to finish one tube of mascara before buying another.

Good-bye Paula Dorf eyelash conditioner or primer or extender or whatever it is that I thought I'd figure out after I bought it but until today, I still have no idea what it does.

I'll be back soon with all the details of my 2+ hour-long eyelash appointment!

A poor effort

Since I posted the little blurb about the Planet Lulu sample sale, I thought I should give a follow-up.

It was a complete waste of my 20 minutes. Sorry to those that went and actually enjoyed the bland selection, the horrid floor plan, and the poor planning.

First of all this sale was really a bad attempt of following the example of billion dollar babes. Clothes were organized by brand (one brand = one rack) but the racks were raised too high and scattered throughout the room in such a way that made it feel like maze. There was no way of keeping track of where the hell you were in the room.

Actually, the poor selection of clothes should have been my "first of all"... there were a couple of well-known brands (like Ella Moss, Rock & Republic) but they were priced too steeply for a sample sale. (Not too mention all the R&R's were damaged irregulars). All the other brands that they carried there were crap. Or if the brand wasn't crap, then it was the crap leftovers of that brand. Pretty sad.

And THEN, everything was sold at a flat price... for example for brand x it was $20 for a top, $30 for bottoms, and $40 for a dress... etc. Except every brand was different. And all the prices were just written down on a piece of paper at the top of the rack. The price of their laziness to pricetag each item? A super-long line and disorganized cashier that discouraged any new-comers from shopping, just to avoid that check-out line.

Also, since when was it a good idea to set up a raffle with a gift that only about 7% of the population can use? That Not Rational diaper bag was cute, but not cute enough for a $30 raffle ticket. How many of us were actually pregnant there? Hello? You weren't selling maternity clothes???

So I promise, this is the last you'll hear of Planet Lulu on my site.

Jackets for Spring

I love the feel of Frankie B's new vintage denim (wait- is that an oxymoron?) Anyhow, especially in washes like 'worn vintage' and 'california' ... however, the super-soft fabric tends to be unforgiving for my thighs. They are definitely cut for shapeless women.



But now they make light denim jackets to match all of their jeans... the same broken-in denim in a flattering cut, fitted around the shoulders and the waist for a feminine look. They even boast the same pocket details as their jeans counter-parts. I've always had trouble looking for the perfect denim jacket- they tend to be super-stiff when you first buy them and takes about 20 washings to get them broken-in just right. The Frankie B jackets are so soft you can wear them immediately... and I love the vertical hatching, doesn't look too good on the thighs but it does wonders to slim the upper arm.

My favorites are the heart breaker (in a dark wash with the double hearts embroidered on the front) and the angeleno shirt jacket. They are great paired with this Summer's feminine a-line skirts, bermuda shorts, and baggy short-shorts a la Marc Jacobs.

Planet Lulu

No plans for Saturday morning? Drop by the Planet Lulu Sample Sale, May 7th in Hollywood.

I haven't been to one of these yet, so this Saturday will be my first time. Click below for more information:

Vendors include: Rock & Republic, Ella Moss, Park Vogel, Cosabella, Not Rational, Capital Tailors, Grass, & more..

It's confirmed!

For years and years I've been searching for the perfect thong to replace my regular panties... and I thought it really might have been a futile search, as by definition a thong shouldn't be as comfortable as a regular pair of undies... until these!



So after my last post I headed to Lisa Norman (Lingerie etc) to search for a pair. I bought low-rise thongs in both the all-lace and half-cotton versions. Although the cotton version is slightly softer, both are equally comfortable to wear all day. I think the secret is that the lace itself is very elastic so the entire thing fits very loosely around the hips and all over, thus eliminating the "riding up" feeling most thongs give.

The nude (or in my case, 'honey') is a great color to wear underneath white- it virtually disappears. I also got a darker blue to wear under denim. They normally retail online for $18, but at the Lisa Norman store they were $16 each. But since they *are* an investment (vs. Victoria Secret's 5 for $20) you should always take special care in washing them. My suggestion is to soak them overnight in a bucket of water mixed with a capful of Tocca's Delicate Laundry detergent (in the Cleopatra scent, my favorite!. Then the next day just lay them out to dry.