Critter rant + Fashion Icon: Mika Nakashima

Today was unusually frustrating...not so peaceful sleeping = lack of sleep, then some coordinating, then spent afternoon waiting for UPS person who never showed up, meaning I couldn't take a nap even if I wanted to...and then my hubby was 15 min late to check-in his bag at stupid LAX so he has to catch the morning flight tomorrow. And then I was panicking about having to park in San Francisco! A series of mishaps! Grr~ Ok not that I wasn't productive at all, just that I wish I could have been MORE productive. I spent some time being a little creative, and then started setting up my makeup brush stand, and vacuumed+swiffered the floor so I can be barefooted all the time upstairs + downstairs. I also went through and collected my fav. Mika Nakashima photos!

Other than Namie Amuro and Olivia, I would say I enjoy looking at Mika's photos tremendously - she's never afraid to try something new or edgy and constantly changes her look. While Namie is very fashionable and classy, she keeps to similar styles while adjusting one thing here and there, but as far as risk taking, Mika can be photographed in some crazy stuff. I might not always be crazy about it, but I always enjoy checking them out! Believe it or not, I heard her voice first and was first drawn to her voice! She worked with Verbal (from M-Flo) and one of his discoveries, Heartsdales, whom I liked, especially their first album, Radioactive. The song "Helpless Game" featured Mika's voice - when I bought their album and on my first listen through I was like: "WHO IS THAT??? Definitely NOT the voice of Rum nor Jewels!!!" Then I went through the lyric book to see who was featured in it and then googled her Japanese name and found her other work. I was hooked onto her music, mostly Stars and Helpless Rain at the time, and then Resistance and Heaven on Earth. Her Kanebo Kate commercials were also awesome. Interesting to note, Olivia used to be the spokesmodel for Kanebo Kate; I guess maybe that's another reason why I love Kate - the style of their ads and the looks really fit my vision of beauty! She is so stunning!! I had a conversation with a friend years back about Olivia's face: a photographer's DREAM. The same with Mika or Namie Amuro. Lol okay let me focus on Mika for now. She does switch around her eye colors a lot - but it always seem to work for the portrait/shoot.

This photo series almost led me to the tattoo parlor~ not that I'd get the same patterns, but I do really like the way she had her tattoos...and I love love her side braid. If only I knew how to french braid, I'd do it on myself all the time...but I'm very bad at french braiding...Sigh I need to work on that! The forest lighting looks so beautiful; so soft.

This was a few years back - her and her boyfriend; i don't know if they are still together. Their spread together was very sensual, and she was fully clothed! (well it was lingerie but nothing was showing and she wasn't popping her booty or arching her back..) I get so uninspired when I see that style (Maxim or FHM import model type) In fact I wanted to cast for models for a concept I had this morning so I browsed.....but I see a lot of that style and it leaves me feeling uninspired. That's my cue to go flip through photos and magazines I like to re-ignite some spark! So there you have it! one of my fav. icon, Mika Nakashima. :)

Unpacking and Organizing is driving me Crazy

It really is! Just piles of junk everywhere...And Ugh...! Well I am going to head over to ikea with Jane to check out some stuff and hopefully the container store to find some stuff to CONTAIN this mess!!! My hubby is in LA working and will return tomorrow night and start his new position here so it's just me and this MESS! The only great part of my day is Skyla sleeping next to me! She resorts to stealing Carobear and Nicobear's blanket now:

Isn't she such a third wheeler? Her lavender blankie is right next to them! but she still wants to steal someone elses' blankie~~! what a weirdo. hehe~ :)

Bad girl diaries [13] + Safe in our new Critterville...or safe-ish?

Last night we arrived in our new place! The moving company said they would come at 8:00 but then showed up at 7:30! we were still asleep and I thought I was hallucinating when I heard knocking! 5 guys packed up our lives in 3 hours, although we did some packing ourselves. They did it too fast! there were some stuff I wanted to toss, so we ended up moving our junk from one place to the next. They say they would arrive tomorrow at 7:00am! Let's hope it's not 6:30!

I was too excited this morning and didn't sleep too well~ I woke up and felt "TRINKA TRINKA!" We went to Costco and then the internet installation person came - so that and getting the essentials (tissues, liquid soap, cooking condiments, etc, things we had to toss...) took most of our day - although I'm still missing lots of stuff - but not everything you can or should buy in bulk! Drivers are not as crazy here - but I can't believe that places like Target, Costco, Petco etc, are less than a 5 min drive away! Actually Petco is more like a block away! And the gas prices was the greatest pleasant surprise - we were expecting at least a 10% rate increase because we used to live at the cheapest gas location in Los Angeles! WOW! We ended up at Pet Club (next to Costco) to buy a hooded litterbox (skyla LOVES kicking her litter around) and a new bed for Skyla! I think she likes it a lot but I'm worried she might get too big and not fit in it and be upset, and we'd have to get her yet ANOTHER bed!

Skyla was having a great morning, running up and down the stairs and playing fetch, exploring everywhere~~~ We came home from Costco and Skyla was nowhere to be found, but we had to unload all the stuff first. And THEN! I couldn't find her anywhere, not in the rooms or bathroom, or closet...! So I panicked! I thought she ran out!!! I was like: "SKYLA!!!!!!!!!!" and then I heard her bells, so I knew she was somewhere, but WHERE? Turns out she was on the top of the fridge, in the corner, taking a nap. Now ...while it's a nice hiding spot, i'm worried about the radiation!

Anyhoo...our friends Charles & Jane came over and brought their sweetie dog, Buddy. It was our mistake for not introducing them with a leash...! I really didn't have that much experience introducing animals - but when we took her to the vet, she always was on a leash. So Skyla was sleeping in her new abode, when Buddy came over to say hi and sniff her. Skyla freaked out and hissed at Buddy, and Buddy returned to Jane whining but decides to try again by sticking his face inside....This time, Skyla SWIPED him (bad girl!) but it pissed Buddy off - and it all happened so fast~! Buddy chased after her - and Skyla was really really spooked!!! My bad tempered Hubby (Bunny) was scolding Skyla when she was spooked (BAD IDEA) and tried to scruff her but she was still in the "FIGHT-or-FLIGHT" mode and the "DO-or-DIE" situation and probably thought she was still under attack and BIT my hubby's hand hard~! then she ran and hid on her fridge spot~ :( the rest of the night she was there and scared~~ :( she usually is such a people's person kitty! Poor buddy had to go hang out by himself in the car~! I wish we could've started over~! They totally got off on the wrong foot... I still hope that someday they could be friends. Buddy is super sweet! :( and then Bunny and I went to CVS for some Iodine and gauze and stuff. On the car, Bunny said: "Aww how sad. Skyla was so happy today..." even though he was pissed that he got bitten. The bite is pretty deep! A lot of drama! Skyla will feel safe again soon though!

Namie Amuro - Drool

Loves it...loves it~ the red matte lipstick is totally hot~! her hair is cute, but I wouldn't say it'd be my top 5 fav. hairstyles that Namie wears~~! Inspiration for future work~! Okay okay~ I'm going to go back to packing again!

STARS SHINING OUT!

Evil Avex Trax took down Olivia's Music videos on Youtube so this crappy preview clip has to do:

Good things like this certainly doesn't happen to me everyday so when it does happen, you feel like "STAAAAAAAARS Shining OOooUUUUTT" lol...

Today I was having a good-bye lunch with my friends, Mimi & Alex. Since Alex couldn't meet us until 12:30, I thought I would return to Naimes to pick up the set bag that I couldn't get last time, even though they didn't call me yet. I have to keep packing so I probably wouldn't have time to go tomorrow and definitely NOT Friday. So I got there, and asked about the set bag and the SA had to ask another SA who was talking to his friend at the time. He told me with regret that they were supposed to get it today and they could call me when it arrives; I then shared the "Oh bummer!" since I am moving out of town this Friday! I asked if they could ship it to me and if I could place my order here; they said OK and I followed the first SA. But then, the second SA walked over with his friend and told me that he bought one for his friend, the ANGEL woman standing next to him, and that it is brand new; she is willing to sell it to me and he would just replace hers when he gets more supplies!!! I was like sooooooooooo thankful! Now I don't have to pay for shipping! I didn't catch her name, but whoever she was, she was an ANGEL.

It's nothing super fancy, but I plan to put my hair stuff in there for work. :) It's super convenient, although I don't know if I'm going to put a tissue box in there...we'll see....! My 4 year old conair ion hairdryer is a bit busted, so I got a little upgrade for my move up north; And to put it in my set bag!!!
Before leaving koreatown, I decided to stock up on these:
I just grabbed this image off of google images so it has a lot of space. These are the most natural falsies - for people who want the more natural look. When I use these, people can barely tell I'm wearing them; they emphasize the right places without looking ... like a tranny~ ^^|| that is just how I personally feel when I was practicing my craft with false lashes; if you are not used to it, it feels very dramatic sometimes! but these are not very dramatic at all, and it suits people who are not used to wearing heavy eye makeup. :) BACK to packing liz, stop procrastinating!

Bad girl diaries [12] and some thoughts!

Sunbathing kitty! 1, 2, 3...Go!!!!

Warming up her face by the window

Rubbing her face on the warm window pane *super cute*

*warm...purrrrr....happy*

*happiness....*

While sunbathing, strikes a pose! Must give it to the paparazzi! lol~

*grooming in the sun~~ mmm~ purrr~ happy!*

*Extremely content face; tooo comfy to open her eyes all the way!*

[End Bad Girl Diaries]

Thanks for reading my last blog entry about the MUFE flash color case~~ I edited the entry and posted a review on MakeupAlley and it shows up when you click "Product Reviews" at the top under Latest Featured Reviews! :) So far 17 out of 17 people have found it helpful, and I am glad that I wrote it - not only because it felt good letting out the frustration, but also sharing the information I spent time finding out (with the help of other artists, of course!) Another reviewer also described her frustration on makeupalley~

I did submit the same thing to Sephora but it's not up yet since they have moderators there, but look what I found on the latest review! S/he probably submitted it the day before I did so it shows up as on the 23rd of November. I am glad to see it, too! It feels less lonely to not be the only person annoyed/frustrated/upset at the misleading product on website. I hope that Sephora also approves my review if it approved this one, but we'll see!
Who doesn't want a dream product~? ...oh boo.... I still love their Aquaeyes liner and camouflage cream concealers~ and will need to continuously purchase those unless I find a replacement~

On another note, I am now excited about moving!! Even though I still have to pack! The gloomy feelings I felt before are slowly fading away...although, I will be feeling sad to be away from my sister, brother-in-law and my baby nephew Jacob~~~! :(

Makeup Forever Flash Colors: Use with caution

As promised, I was going to share some stuff that's been going on. Because so many artist recommended the MUFE Flash Color Case I was sold after feeling the texture of the product at Sephora when I tested it out myself. I love mixing colors, so these grease paints are like a color box, full of possibilities! However, if you read the product description on Sephora,.com you would think you can use all the colors all over your face: "This 12 Flash Color Case is found in the kits of many well-known makeup artists. You can create an array of looks with this palette and it's great for traveling. It can be used on the eyes, cheeks, and lips." Doesn't that sound like a dream product, if you can use it as eyeliner, eyeshadow, blush, lipstick, concealer, and foundation (for color adjustments)? A well-known makeup artist has a website he specifically posts to share his favorite products; honestly, his description also is what made me want the product more - little did I know, he also works for the company! More on that later...

I bought it during the Friends & Family sale and excitedly opened the package...and SURPRISE! On the back of the package that was previously unavailable for the consumers since it was stuck to the display, was an FDA warning label that states you cannot use any of the red colors - I apologize I already packed this away so I cannot tell you or show you exactly what it says - but essentially, the coral, red and fuchsia colors cannot be used on the eyes and cannot be mixed with other colors around the eye area! This means it limits my usage significantly because I love purple and jewel tones...Some colors cannot be used on the lips, but this was less important to me since I wasn't planning on mixing odd lipstick colors with it anyways. The reason why you cannot use it around the eye area is due to the source of the pigment; it is derived from a red beetle called Cochineal to extract the red pigment known as Carmine.

Anyways - I didn't know the exact details above and was educated by other artist on the forum where I sought help from, but previously I knew that certain pigments were unsafe to use in certain areas due to allergies or anaphylactic shock. That is why I always avoid buying pigments that were not safe to use in one area and also, surveying my clients about allergies carefully beforehand. If you are very allergic to Carmine, you would most likely know since it is also found in the red food dye. The only reason why I didn't suspect that you cannot mix the reds in the beginning (well, other than there were no other ways I could have found out about this BEFORE I bought it...) was that MUFE has a popular red eyeshadow, that is safe to use around the eyes. I thought, well, there are other ways to get the red dye that is not from the cochineal beetle...but actually, if individuals have severe allergies, you should also avoid purples, since many purple eyeshadows also has the pigment!

I had called the NYC boutique about the warning label before seeking help from other artists, and the lady on the phone told me that it is safe to use it all around your face and it is due to some FDA regulation that they must put it on the label. I thought that was strange and sought help from other artists on the forum; they suggested I also wrote them, and I received the same response, adding that a lot of special effects makeup uses red to create bruises. So in my frustration, I had written on a public forum and said: "Well, if anything happens, they will be liable, for telling me I can use it all over" even though I did not have intention to use it,around the eyes because come on, do I really have time and money for a lawsuit? The thread that I started about the safety of the Flash Colors got passed on to the makeup artist, mentioned earlier, who happens to represent Makeup Forever in the U.S., and wrote me a separate email, stating the company's official position, and that he as well as the company DO NOT condone using the product (in the U.S.) any other way than directed, and if individual consumers choose to do so, they are liable themselves. It was a very "legal" email, and while I know I can be equally liable for saying something on a public forum, it was still expressing my frustration and not targeting them or their reputation. What was upsetting was on the website written by him, he also described the product as "super pigmented cream colors that glide flawlessly over the skin, eyes, lips...anywhere!" - clearly, contradicting the official email. So if they weren't "officially" representing the company legally, 3 artists from the company have shared that you can use the product "anywhere," "to your hearts desires."

While Makeup Forever still remains one of my favorite makeup brands, I am personally choosing to not buy more of their products unless it is essential/irreplaceable. It is a great brand, but I cannot accept that 1) they are misleading their consumers by neglecting to tell the consumers the reds are not approved by the FDA to use around the eyes and 2) the company did not responsibly train their employees to explain or clarify their official position and why there's an FDA regulation; etc. I politely suggested that as a response to the email, and I feel it is a fair request/wish. Yes, it is the consumer's responsibility to read the labels and instructions, but is it responsible behavior to advertise it without the warning labels or require the sales associate know about proper usage recommendations? This is just my personal opinion and choice; it's not as if I am trying to start a boycott or a movement or anything - but I do feel like people who buy it should know and be aware of it...so in the end of this long post, I'd like to say the following:

1) Please use the MUFE Flash Color Case product with caution and as directed; (It is still a great, versatile product; just not as great as I thought before I bought it!)

2) If you know you are allergic to the red food dyes, also be cautious about using purple eyeshadow, especially the ones that are red/pinkish, because they are likely to contain the red pigment as well