pick of the month!

sunku eyelashes in KW
you can find these babies @ various korean cosmetics boutiques in LA and OC. they look heavy but they're not. they're feathery and soft. =)


grainy photo, sorry!

VOTD: how to apply false lashes

good video by LASH ROYALTY on lash application. for those of you who already know how to put on lashes, check it out anyway to hear her sexy british accent. lol

Maybelline the Falsies Volume Express Mascara

oh geez, its the notorious phrase again. i REALLY wanted to like this mascara but it didn't quite meet up to my expectations (nor its name... by far)! why?

1) it didn't volume or lengthen enough
2) it dried crispy. EWWW~ this made it very difficult to layer
3) to get noticeable volume, i had to put at least 3 full coats (and still, it didn't give my lashes that plush thick look)

i tried it for 2 days and was going to give it another shot before returning, but it went back today. for those of you who love Dior and Voluminous, don't waste your time and money on this!

Price: $7.49 (more or less)
Where to Buy: drug stores
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
Tip: don't waste your money on this thing.. especially if you're a fan of Dior or Voluminous

update: my lashes *warning, scary close-ups!*

it's not that noticeable but the lashes on my right are a bit longer. (fyi-macbook webcam mirrors images).

i'm also wearing my new HG (but way too expensive) mascara: YSL Mascara Singulier

YSL is really proud of their new "3D" brush design and they even patented it. i was doubtful at first, but i really like this brush. it separates your lashes well but adds lots of volume. if you like Dior, you'll probably like YSL Singulier. something to note: this is the newer, updated version of the Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils. i found out that the Faux Cils (which i reviewed earlier) dries out quicker than this one. if anyone knows of a drugstore brand that's equivalent to YSL Singulier or Dior Blackout, please drop a line! btw - i've already tried L'Oréal Voluminous (my sista's HG) -- too clumpy for me, however.

UH OH. dea bella > revitalash?!!

i think YES.

coming from a person who never wanted to try lash enhancing chemicals, i have to say i was quite impressed by Revitalash when i saw my sister's n mom's lashes grow like non-koreans. lol it worked for me too, but it did take ~3-4 mos to notice a significant difference. HOWEVER, with Dea Bella, i noticed a difference in less than 2 mos.

how i tested:
in November of '09, i took a trip to Singapore and got lash extensions done -- which i absolutely HATED. (i think they used cheap hard lashes.) i ended up removing them myself, along with 50% of my own lashes. yes, it was OUCH! so when i got back from my trip, i was in great need of Revitalash. it was around this time when i found out about Dea Bella. a distant friend of mine had been using it, and her lashes were rumored to be super long. so i thought, why not give it a try?

fast forward ~2 mos and i had my full set of lashes again (or most of them at least)! i later started putting Revitalash on my left eye and Dea Bella on my right, and the lashes on my right eye (Dea Bella) are now longer and more full than my left. the only weird thing is that it hasn't worked so well on the outer corners of my LOWER lashes. can't explain that.

things to note: on application, Dea Bella stings EVERY TIME. i know some ppl who have experienced initial pain/tingling with Revitalash that eventually went away. i never felt any stinging with Revitalash. i have a pretty high tolerance for pain (ask my sister) and Dea Bella still bugs every time when i put it on. (OH the things i do for beauty!) i also worry that it's more harmful (chemically) than Revitalash because it stings so much, but i will continue to use it because i'm VAIN. haha =X price is comparable to Revitalash but i found it on a korean beauty website for approx 1/3 of the cost! (see link below)

i tried to take some close-up shots to show the difference between my left and right lashes but i couldn't get a good picture. i really need to buy one of those SLR cameras with a crazy macro lens. i'll post something for you guys to look @ soon!

i want to try Latisse one day but it's just so darn expensive! $120 for 2 mos (Latisse) vs. $55-$150 for a whole year (Revitalash, Dea Bella). ehhh... maybe one day.

Price: $55.00 - $150.00
Where to Buy: deabella.com, vgjcollection.com (cheap!)
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Tip: if you're not good with pain/stinging, this is not the product for you. (use Revitalash instead.)

YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils

well... let's see. i like this mascara a lot but it's not much better than Dior. here are my thoughts:

PROS: the brush is nice because it's not as bulky as Dior's, and the bristles are shorter and more fine (kind of like Voluminous), so it coats all of your lashes better, even the shorter ones. another plus point is that your lashes stay flexible even after 3 coats! it's a lightweight mascara that lengthens and thickens. it doesn't thicken as well as Dior, but it's better than others. it also holds a curl very well-- better than most! i don't even have to curl my lashes when i'm using this mascara. (well, that's also because after i started using Revitalash and Dea Bella, my lashes have been growing in a curve anyway.) either way, this mascara does not weigh your lashes down. it also has a pretty nice rosy scent. some ppl may not like this, but i find it pleasant.

CONS: the only thing i dislike about this mascara is it's huge price tag! $30 is way too much to spend on something you're only going to use for approx 2 mos. maybe if money wasn't an issue, i'd repurchase. i know Dior isn't much cheaper --and yes, i'm trying to find a cheaper alternative to my HG as well--but $30 is pretty up there. i can buy a whole tube of Laura Mercier primer for that price!

here are a couple pics:

3 coats


overall, this mascara is a keeper but i will not repurchase because of the price. =*(

Price: $30 (boo~!)
Where to Buy: Bloomies, Sephora
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Tip: try it when Sephora has their store-wide promotions (e.g., $15 off $30 coupons, 25% off online purchases, etc.), don't overcurl!

*upcoming review* - YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils

ok, i admit it. i'm a litttttttle obsessed w/ mascara. but part of the reason is -- i'm always looking for something better and more worth my money. i LOVE my Dior Blackout but it dries out so darn quickly (even when i have an ample amount of product left in the tube)! yea yea, i know you're supposed to discard mascara after 2 mos anyway (for hygienic reasons), but hey, i put it on when my face is the cleanest, so i'd like for it to last a little longer while there is still enough product left.

i promised myself (well, kinda sorta) not to spend more than $25 dollars on my mascaras but i broke that promise today with this:


YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils

it's supposed to be just as volumnizing as Dior but more lengthening. (lets see if it actually is!) a couple other reasons why i bought this mascara is that it's supposed to hydrate your lashes (won't leave them dry and brittle after you wash it off), and it's supposed to last longer than Dior -- meaning, the formula won't change consistency and harden as quickly. the only downside is the price - $30. i hope i'm getting what i paid for!

i'm super excited! review to follow.

quickie review: fiberwig mascara

i was so excited to try out this mascara (because it's been out for a while and some ppl are 'believers'), but i have to say that i was a little disappointed. it's supposed to lengthen and thicken, but for me, it didn't thicken enough. 2-3 coats of my HG mascara (Dior Blackout) = 5-7+ coats of Imju Fiberwig. some ppl recommend using another, more volumizing mascara underneath it -- but for $24, i think it should do both!! (BTW- if you buy it from an asian place, e.g., japanese markets or makeup/accessory place, you can get it for $19.99)

overall, i think it's OK. i'll test it out for a couple more days but i think this one's going back. i'm running out of Dior anyway, which is about the same price.

mascara primer

i never really considered buying mascara primer because (1) didn't think i needed it (therefore, considered it a waste of money), and (2) didn't think it did much other than weigh your lashes down while "protecting" them.

boy was i wrong. well, kinda sorta. one of the very few mascara primers i've used in the past was the one by Clinique, which i tried because it was part of a free gift. it did exactly what i thought it would do -- coat my lashes a little and weigh them down. ehh. BUT from time to time, i'd come across a good review on the mascara primer/base by Shiseido which got me interested in giving mascara primers another try.. so i did.

Shiseido: The Makeup - Mascara Base


first of all, the color of the base is an opaque white and you don't see an even coat around the brush, so it LOOKS like it isn't going on to go on well. because of that, you don't even feel like enough is getting on your lashes during application... OH, but it is!

what i found most interesting about this mascara primer is that you DON'T HAVE TO OVERCURL!! this product keeps your mascara from weighing your lashes down even if they normally do. this is an OMFG moment for me because i discarded many mascaras because they couldn't hold a curl (e.g., MAC Zoom Lash, L'oreal Voluminous), and now, i can probably USE them! however, i noticed that my mascaras go on better/smoother without it. maybe i just need more practice..?

here are a few pix from today. i'm wearing the Shiseido mascara base under L'oreal Voluminous on the left and Dior Blackout on the right (click for closeup):


btw- i know my lashes are outta control esp. on the right outer end.


oh, and did i forget to mention...I DID NOT CURL MY LASHES!!

why does L'oreal look better than Dior now?! whoa... (well, Voluminous is the most raved-about drugstore mascaras, but still). i may give Voluminous another try, but ONLY w/ the mascara base and more practice to reduce clumpiness. it doesn't look that clumpy here, but i usually have that problem when using Voluminous. for some reason, Blackout looks just as clumpy in these pics but it's actually less spidery in person.

ok, to wrap it up:
PROS: keeps lashes UP and protects your lashes from getting over-dried (although i didn't really have that problem in the first place -- maybe more noticeable when using waterproof mascara?); provides the extra layer of thickness that allows you to use less of your actual mascara.
CONS: didn't notice a difference in lengthening; creates a slightly rougher surface area for your mascara to go over (because there's another coat of something dried on your lashes); EXPENSIVE!! $25 (i was thinking a mascara base would help me use less mascara, but it's the same price as Dior Blackout!!)

Price: $25
Where to Buy: any department store
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Tip: don't overcurl!

*update* my HG mascara

i finally found one to call my HG! unfortunately, it's one that i've been avoiding due to mixed reviews so i feel like a hypocrite. lol ohhh well. i bought it and absolutely LOVE it. i'll keep you lashfreaks in suspense for a tiddobit. hehehee

***edit: updated**

and the HG is............

DiorShow - Black Out



okay. so i initially avoided buying DiorShow because it had mixed reviews on makeupalley, and i don't like to trust the reviews on sephora.com because i noticed they overrate every product they have on there by at least 1 point (star)... but since i got a gift certificate to Macy's i was trying to waste spend, i decided to try it out.

i opted for the DiorShow - Black Out and not the regular DiorShow mascara because the Black Out version is supposed to be super dark and give you that "false lash look," and i like my lashes to look as dark/thick as possible (since my natural lashes are a JOKE w/o help).

application was very smooth and silky. you don't need layer 10x to achieve the "thick" look either. it also gives you a wet (not dry) look and it doesn't flake throughout the day. you do need to overcurl a bit to keep the lashes up but it definitely beats Voluminous (it BETTER since it costs 4x more!). i know everyone has a different preference of what they want in a mascara, but this one does it for me -- lengthen and thicken w/o having to layer on so much. i'm in LOVE! i had it on the other day and my sister thought i was wearing fakies. wootwoot!

PROS: thickens and lenghtens, doesn't flake. super, super black so even one coat shows. gives you the 'wet' look. =D
CONS: could be cheaper.

not the best pic, but here's an example. this was one of my more natural days (no eye shadow), but i do have eyeliner on.

(btw- the line @ the end of my right eye is my liner. why are my eyes so puffy?! )

Price: $24.00
Where to Buy: almost any department store, sephora
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars!
Tip: for a more natural look, apply only one light coat. for a more dramatic look, layer a few times and remember to overcurl a lil.

*update* review: sana extra large mascara

ohhhhkay. i have to admit that the cute fobby packaging was half of the reason why i decided to try out this mascara. (see why marketing is so important? you win the business of suckers people like ME!)

anyway, here is my impression of sana's EXTRA LARGE MASCARA. btw - this mascara is waterproof, and i have to warn you that my review is a bit biased because i don't really like waterproof mascaras in general, and have not tried too many of them. so this review will be my take on it in comparison to other mascaras i've tried, which includes non-waterproof mascaras.

so the name claims "EXTRA LARGE" lashes. do i agree? ummm... not really, or not as much as the name claims. i didn't find this mascara to be EXTRA thickening or lengthening but it does thicken and lengthen (and the fibers in it seem to help) - just not that much more than some of the others mascaras i've tried. application required multiple strokes to achieve good coverage, and it takes some practice to get the nice full look. overall, it's a pretty good waterproof mascara but i don't think it lives up to its name as far as giving you "EXTRA LARGE" lashes. however, when applied well (meaning, multiple layers with skillful lash separation w/ wand), it does look pretty nice.



PROS: not very clumpy, thickens moderately, keeps lashes curled better than any other mascara i've tried. (NO OVER-CURLING REQUIRED - this is the biggest "PRO" about this mascara.) very good applicator brush that separates lashes. no smudging whatsoever after drying.
CONS: goes on a bit dry - not a thick, wet application (which i actually prefer). requires multiple strokes to achieve the "full" look.

Price: $16.99 - $18.99
Where to Buy: almost any japanese market (or online on various asian cosmetic sites)
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Tip: LAYER it on before it dries; don't over-curl before application

mascara mascara mascara!

i usually don't care much for mascaras because i ALWAYS wear fakies when i got out, but now, i've been on an el naturale phase. i'm on a quest to find the BEST mascara ever and still haven't found one to call my HG (holy grail). maybe there isn't one for my short lashes but i will continue to look until i find one close enough. here are a few that i've tried recently.

Blinc Kiss Me Mascara


blinc's kiss me masara works differently than other mascaras in that it doesn't stick/coat the lashes but it "tubes" the lashes; therefore, removal doesn't involve messy panda eyes. it offers moderate volumnizing and lengthening (i've had better). overall, it's cool to try but not worth repurchasing.

PROS: not very clumpy, doesn't uncurl the lashes to straight pieces of nothing like the other mascaras.
CONS: pieces of the "tube" flake off and may fall into your eyes during the day - very annoying. i could use more volume and length too.

Price: $24.00
Where to Buy: amazon.com, sephora, and random cosmetic stores
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars (it's OK. it gets 3 for the no-mess cleanup)

L'Oréal voluminous

I decided to try this drugstore-brand mascara out because my sister LOVES it. well, i can't say i LOVE it, but i can't say that i hate it either.

PROS: it definitely volumizes and lengthens, and it's CHEAP! ($7.50 or less)
CONS: very clumpy! i guess if you have a good lash comb, you can comb out all of the clumps. removal is also messy because of the clumps (you have so much mascara on your lashes).

Price: $7.50
Where to Buy: any drug store and almost any market.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Tip: use a good lash brush to remove the clumps after application.


MAC zoom lash



i got suckered into buying this when i was exchanging my eyeshadow base (oh, that reminds me... i need to post a review of eyeshadow bases!). i was told that it was their "best-selling mascara" and that it lengthens and volumizes just like the L'Oréal voluminous (yes, i asked the MA to compare it to the volmuminous and she even told me she used to use it!), but without the clumps. overall impression... it's O-K. i think i will return. =X

PROS: not very clumpy, volumizes and lengthens (however, not impressive).
CONS: completely straigthens your curled lashes! whoa - worse than the voluminous.

Price: $13.00 (not bad)
Where to Buy: you know where
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars
Tip: this mascara might be good if you already have curly lashes (i.e., if you're not asian! lol)

revitalash update!

my lashes grew!! (sorry, i didn't take a before pic because it was too embarrassing... although now, i wish i had.) believe me, they used to be a lot shorter n more sparce!

currently testing: revitalash

ok, so i gave in.

i'm VERY happy using fakies but decided to try Revitalash out because my sister and mom have had great results. DUDE, their lashes are as long as my natural-looking fakies (which are still quite long). lol

i'm trying this product out on both my lashes and BROWS! if you remember, i was trying to grow my eyebrows to k-spec (korean popstar brows), which are nice, thick and natural-looking. i eventually gave up because one side never grew out.

first impressions: application was smooth; didn't sting like it does for some people. no side effects so far.

i'll update in 3 weeks, then in 8. i heard you're supposed to begin to see results in 3 weeks, but dramatic results in 8.

i just hope that there are no long-term side effects since this isn't an all natural product like Talika Lipocils (which didn't work for me).

eyelash shedding?

(request per Stella -- hope this helps!)



my eyelashes shed quite a bit but i don't mind (that much) since i love wearing fakies. however, there is a great number of girls that do rely on their stock lashes to do the batting. (what's "batting?" think Betty Boop's eyes in action!) anyway, here are some tips from various sources about how to preserve and/or regrow your lashes:

* avoid using old (slightly crusted) mascara
* avoid wearing waterproof mascara - it takes so much rubbing to remove even w/ the best makeup removers
* avoid doing a lot of rubbing when removing eye makeup - in my opinion, oil-based (or partly oil-based) makeup removers work the best to remove all kinds of makeup.. even eyelash glue!
* have patience when removing fake eyelashes (if you're like me, you get impatient and want to yank them off when they're half off -- not good!) a good way to remove them is to douse a fatty q-tip (not the cheapy brand q-tips w/ very little cotton) and gently rub over the base of your lash line, back-n-forth, back-n-forth until they loosen up. then position the q-tip horizontally (from your lash line) and roll outwards continuously from the base of your lashes out. this will gently pull the fakies off your lids.
* protect your lashes w/ vaseline - a lot of ppl put vaseline on the roots of their lashes AND on the lashes themselves to condition and protect (and some ppl even use vaseline instead of mascara(!!) but i'm sure they're the borrriqua chicks who already have thick, long lashes to begin with.)
*try talika lipocils - a product that's receive great reviews on eyelash growth. many ppl say that it helps make eyelashes thicker, but not necessarily longer... which is still good if you're mostly concerned about shedding. (they should have it @ sephora so you can probably buy it and return it if it doesn't work.)
**i think i'm going to order the eyebrow version of this product today. i'm determined to get the korean popstar eyebrows sooner than later -- this require LOTS of regrowth on my part.**

**update** talika didn't work for me! boo~ good thing sephora accepts returns. hehe i guess if you want to go with a product that definitely works (or works for most, shall i say), you have to dish out $150 and buy Revitalash. just don't use more than recommended because it can be harmful for you.