Update: Engaged!

It started10 years ago in high school.

 A very, very long journey full of everyday dragons and literal pitfalls later...

We're engaged!

My wonderful fiance and I got engaged in January this year!

We got DISNEYLAND tickets for Christmas and after an amazing and fun first day at Disney together, he proposed to me in front of the Walt & Mickey statue, in front of beautiful Sleeping Beauty Castle, right as the fireworks lit up the night sky and the bubble snow started falling around us.

They call it the most magical place on earth, and now I fully understand why.

A proposal is a wonderful thing, but the things that happened in the park that day, that led up to a perfect moment, are nothing short of a miracle.

(Imagine my panic when I found out later he'd been carrying the ring all day in his pocket....while on Splash Mountain...and Space Mountain..)

We'd been talking about it for a few months beforehand, and we went to pick out the ring together but my hands are quite small so I didn't expect it would have been back from resizing, 

in time for the Disney trip!  So even though I knew what was coming eventually, I was quite surprised and happy - timing is key, guys (and girls)!

I've been busy with wedding planning, organizing, figuring out guest lists and decor and tuxedos and dresses, but it's been incredible good fun.  Especially for cake and food tastings.  

Which are so bomb.  

It's also been incredibly stressful and somewhat panic inducing at times, due to budgeting and scheduling and my tendency to worry about things going wrong.  

He's been beside me through everything, like he always is.  He's also always telling me that things have a way of working out, and that everything will be all right - which has been my saving grace more than once, during wedding planning and through our entire time together.

(I do hope he keeps this mindset for the rest of our lives, and reminds me to keep my head up too).

10 years is a long journey, and we both know it.  Neither of us gave up on the other and I'm so grateful that he was determined and I was patient.  Nobody has ever made me feel so at ease, and so precious & cherished as he has, and I want to stand beside him with all my love and support. 

We're getting married in November so it's still a ways away, but we're very much excited and I can't imagine how much more we'll be as the day gets closer!

~

PS.  I would like to thank the three cast members we met.  You started by taking our photo in front of the castle, and out of a spontaneous act of kindness, you ended up setting in motion something that will always be one of the most magical moments of our life together.  

I hope we meet again at the park someday so I can tell you that you made a miracle happen.  

Please never lose that spirit of fun and being young at heart, and keep sharing it with the people you meet so that maybe someone else's life will be touched the way ours has been.

Review: Dear Beaute Himawari (by Kracie)

UPDATE:  I'm still using Himawari and I have no intention of switching to another brand anytime soon (or at least for as long as HW is offered/available in the US).  My hair's never been this silky-strong and healthy in the last three years, despite piling masks and conditioners and serums into it.  Just goes to show, everyone has a haircare that's just right for THEM out there!

Hello everybody!

The Japanese hair care company KRACIE recently released an all-new hair care line called

DEAR BEAUTE HIMAWARI

The line has a shampoo, conditioner, and hair conditioning treatment/mask!

Formulated to soothe, smooth, and soften dry frizzy hair, the set is infused with premium

sunflower oil and extracts to balance the moisture in your hair.  

Even better, it's sulfate and silicone free!

My local Marukai store happened to stock the value set of all three pieces for $23.95 pre-tax, and

since I was pretty much empty on my Shiseido HEAD SPA set I decided to try a new product.

I have only ever tried Kracie's ICHIKAMI line of hair care, and it worked well for a couple weeks

but eventually made my hair too oily and heavy with residue...

But not Himawari!  This stuff is great!  It really smells like fresh sunflowers in the sunlight, it's a gentle and (to me) unisex scent that lasts all day but is light enough not to be overpowering (to me at least).  My fiance likes the scent, and it doesn't smell as heavily as Ichikami or Shiseido SHINING (red).

I've been using it for about a month now and I've seen much improvement - I have 

a huge problem with split ends, and I'm not visibly developing any more since using this shampoo/conditioner/treatment.  I also am not noticing any residue or heaviness/oiliness in my hair, 

it's just as bouncy and healthy as ever and I think it might be even more volumized at the roots.  I definitely noticed a lot more bounce to my curls, which the Shiseido Head Spa kind of...wilted.

I'm also able to go at maximum 2 days without washing, although typically I wash every other day.
Even after that time, my hair still feels light, soft, and smells good.

I also have a problem with dry scalp which this cleared up beautifully, and FAST!  Shiseido Head Spa is supposed to work for healthy scalp as well but it worked so slowly, and I didn't notice any real change until the bottle was nearly empty.  After just 3 weeks I don't have any issues with dryness, using HIMAWARI!

The shampoo is lovely and thick, and foams up beautifully.  I read some people have had issues with getting the shampoo to foam up, which may be a case of not using enough product and/or that it has no silicone or sulfate.  My hair's now about touching the small of my back, so two pumps is perf.

Same with the conditioner, two pumps, and I leave it in for a few minutes while I wash my face etc.
^NOTE: 2 pumps is the amount I need after 2 days inbetween washes, but one pump is PLENTY when I wash every other day or every day!  

Twice a week I use the treatment cream - this is VERY thick (and the conditioner is thick as it is!) and is more strongly fragranced than the other two products.  I do concentrate this on the ends of my hair and everywhere else I noticed split ends tend to form, and I think this is really helping!
A dollop about the size of a quarter is plenty, since I don't use this on my scalp.  Even though the shampoo and conditioner don't weigh my hair down, the treatment IS a deep moisturizer so if you use it on your scalp....it stands to reason it will probs affect the volume/lift of your roots.

The only con to this shampoo is it's kind of expensive.  A set of Shiseido HEADSPA runs about $15.99 for shampoo & conditioner, and the HIMAWARI set ran for $23.99 - although it did come with the extra hair mask treatment, and it had a much better impact on my hair (including being sans silicone and sulfate).  It's not something I would have probably purchased piece-by-piece because of the cost, but I'm glad I tried it and this is certainly a case of getting what you pay for!  

RATE:  4.5 STARS!

PROS:

• Softening and smoothing 
• Highly recommended for damaged hair, dry hair, frizzies, and curlies
• Sulfate and silicone free - so it's more gentle on your hair
• Smells lovely and longlasting
• Moisturizes without weighing down (increased volume and curl bounceability for me!)
• Even moisturizes scalp!
• A little goes a LONG way

CONS:

• Price point - but you get what you pay for and this is definitely worth it for what it does! 

DISCLAIMER:  I was not given these products for free to review, I purchased them myself and did the review independently of any sponsorship.

Review: Tervis White Daisy Water Bottle

UPDATE:

I stand corrected!
The TERVIS water bottle IS leakproof.
....but.

YOU MUST PUT THE CAP ON A CERTAIN WAY.
Line the side of the lid with the fliptop part, up with the side of the cup body that has the NUMBERS on it (XXml, etc).

Turn the lid CLOCKWISE until the fliptop tab is exactly OPPOSITE the side of the cup with the numbers on it.

NOW the bottle should be totally waterproof.

HOWEVER - if you don't put the lid on PRECISELY this way....
the video on the bottom is exactly what will happen.

THE CUP IS ONLY LEAKPROOF IF YOU PUT THE LID ON THIS WAY.

I will leave my review up regardless because for what I paid for this bottle - as great as it is now that I FINALLY know how to put the lid on 'properly' - it is unnecessarily weird that the cap has to be put on so specifically in order to be leakproof.
I literally have bottles from Victoria's Secret PINK which don't leak, and are just twist-on-however-you-feel-like, and I toss these in my gymbag and tote all the time.  Still never had an accident with them.  So even though the Tervis bottles DO work, purchase at your own risk.

_________________________________________________________________________________
A NOTE BEFORE YOU READ:

I hardly ever give such negative reviews on a product but not only does this not do what I was told it would, I also had a very bad experience with customer service in the store.

I have the 16oz. Sunflower tumbler with lid, that I'd actually bought last winter!

It's wonderful, doesn't sweat or fog up whether I put hot or cold drinks inside.

This is just a lid (like a thermos w/ a coffee-cup style cover) so it's obviously

not meant to be thrown around or be leakproof.

But I had absolutely no complaints with the lidded tumbler.  I've dropped it,

rolled it, forgotten to clean it out for a while (oops) and it's pristine!

LEFT: White Daisies water bottle

RIGHT: Sunflower tumbler, 16oz

A week ago I went to the Tervis shop in Seaport Village (in Downtown SD for any locals!),

which is the same place I got my Sunflower tumbler last winter. 

I've been looking for a good leakproof waterbottle w/ a flip lid for when I'm at work or driving.

Tervis' water bottles are supposed to be good for both hot and cold drinks, as well as leakproof and unbreakable (the first and last points go for ALL their tumblers btw!)

I picked up a very pretty design called White Daisies!

I was severely disappointed however because this bottle leaked like CRAZY! 

The video below is of the 2nd bottle the store exchanged for my first one, and this one was even worse than the first one. :C

That's HOT TEA in that bottle by the way, imagine that spilling in your lap or in your backpack or purse with your phone/laptop/etc.

Overall I'm very disappointed with the Tervis water bottle design.

RATING: 0 STARS

Among the issues with the bottle include:

1. Leaking (where the bottle is advertised as leakproof)
2. The rubber gasket ring around the inside of the 2nd bottle's lid appeared to have *shrunk* after being in contact with hot water...which is what I would have been putting in it for tea, or washing it in.
3. It's incredibly tricky to put the lid on.  It's just a twist lid but I was reading online and I was also told in store that there's only two ways to put it on correctly?

I can't even comment on whether the bottle fulfills its functionality because I 

was too afraid to keep water or other drinks in it for too long, lest it leak and get my things wet

and/or messy.  I do assume that the bottle body itself performs just as well as

my sunflower tumbler in terms of holding hot/cold water and not perspiring or fogging.

Other issues I had:

1. I brought the bottle into the store and told them I had issues with it leaking water.  The employee filled the bottle and demonstrated to me to prove to me that it wasn't leaking  and to test it herself - because she commented constantly that "it wasn't leaking" and that "there were only two ways to close the bottle" so I must've been closing it "wrong".  ...I found that extremely rude.  This is essentially a $25 high-quality water bottle, and I'm not lying about it leaking.  I want to keep this bottle if I can but I don't feel it's worth so much if it doesn't do what it's advertised to. 
• **THIS IS WHY I HAVE THE VIDEO.  I am really really disappointed that I have to have some kind of visible proof to show the employee because I honestly don't think they believed me.  That is just - horrible customer service.
2. I was offered a refund but only after repeatedly explaining that it HAD in fact leaked while I was using it - it actually turned upside down in my bag and I noticed damp spots.  I had my receipt out and I really wasn't looking for an exchange when I went in there, I was planning to return it and purchase a bottle at Macy's (my mother got her Tervis WB there and it doesn't leak *at all*).  
3. I asked for a new lid initially, which I was given, but I didn't appreciate the attitude and the visible looks that the lady helping me was giving her coworker.
4. I came back after the new lid started leaking in the shopping bag that I put it in.... this time the lady was much more friendly and just gave me a new bottle right off the shelf.  

I honestly wish I HAD gotten the refund because now I have to make a special trip, 

just to return the bottle.  Overall the water bottle and my experience going back

rate negative stars, if anything.  I do want to comment though that the day I went in to buy the 

bottle initially, I had really great help from the woman working there that day (different person).

She offered to order the bottle pattern I wanted because it wasn't in stock until later the week,

and she also offered to give me a call and let me know when it came in.

Long story short - if you purchase a WB at this Tervis store, ask if you can have them test it out.

And be firm when you come back if you have the intent of returning it.

REVIEW: Victoria's Secret Hosiery - Classic Stockings in Black

This review is for the Classic Stockings from VS, in Black.

 They're standard black stockings and look to be 15 denier (the package doesn't say though)

They are thigh-high style BUT they do not have the silicone bands on the insides of the welt 

(aka the wide darker band that clings to your leg and helps hold the stockings up).

These stockings have to be used with garter straps or a garterbelt in order to
keep them from sliding all the way down!

RATING:  2 STARS OUT OF 5

Most of the items and lingerie I've purchased so far from VS have been very nice

quality for the price.  I was especially excited to find classic simple garter stockings for 

relatively inexpensive in comparison to couture brands (VS sells theirs for $10, while 

fully fashioned stockings cost $20 and up).  

Lesson learned:  stockings are one of those things where you sacrifice quality for price.

When I took the stockings out of the package I was a little surprised - unlike some other stocking

brands I've had before.  VS's stockings actually look quite matte, and feel almost dry and crepe-y.
I don't wear stockings often, but I have stayups - those are the silicone band type that don't need a garterbelt - from Hanes and they are VERY silky at around 15-20 denier.

The dry feeling didn't go away and the stockings unfortunately didn't have that

flattering "shine" on the leg that I've had on other brands.  
(-0.5 STAR)

The VS stockings fit wonderfully, however.  The welt at the top doesn't have any patterns or

lace or silicone - it's literally the same material as the leg of the stocking, except sort of folded over (two ply, to use the term).  Personally this was perfect and exactly what I was looking for,

as I wanted a simple black stocking that would be fine for daily use/work under a nice 

dress or longer skirt.  The material (being about 15 denier) is perfect for a garterbelt, it clipped nicely into the little plastic-and-metal slide tab without bunching, and had that attractive "tug" upwards - 

that reverse V created by the stocking edge being pulled up by the garter.  

(+1 STAR)

The sheerness is work appropriate but also probably very bedroom-appropriate (given that this is a

VS item and the stockings are best described as multipurpose).  Regardless it's an elegantly sheer color, very even, and prior to putting the stockings on I didn't see any inconsistencies in the stocking weave.

(+1 STAR)

Here's the kicker - as beautifully simple as these stockings were, I was willing to forgive the dryness and lack of sheen for the cheap price and easy availability.

BUT.  I literally put these on, put on kitten heels, walked down the stairs, rode in a car to work (not even driving), got out the car, and sat in my desk chair.  In the space of about an hour and a half, the entire front and back of my left leg & knee was littered with tiny horizontal runs, and the back of my right calf had the same.

I was super disappointed to say the least, because VS has a strong reputation of high quality things, but either I got a bad batch of stockings or their hosiery doesn't live up to the rest of their lingerie's standards.  Oh well.  Even with perfect sheerness, color, and design, it's way too expensive for me to spend ~$10 on stockings that only last a few hours at most (out of the house/bedroom or at work, I mean).  But I expect if you get these exclusively for the bedroom, however, they should be perfectly good for a very long time.

(-3 stars)

Also of note: the stockings do not have a reinforced toe or heel, they're simple tube stockings w/ a plain welt at the top.  Very basic but classy - I do like the simplicity of the style a lot.
(+ 0.5 star)

++++

On a sidenote, I definitely recommend either getting the Walmart or Target store brand thigh-highs.

These ARE stay-ups so they do have the silicone band on the inside.  They are much thicker than 15-20 denier though so be aware of that if you're looking specifically for finer stockings!

I started looking into garterbelts because (a) I hate pantyhose, and (b) the silicone band

on stay-ups will irritate my skin sometimes, slip down due to sweat,  and/or leave ugly red pressure marks across the tops of my legs (especially in warmer weather or over long wear periods).

Now garterbelts were pretty simple to find, the current one I have is simple 4-panel black stretch satin (reversible leopard), with two garter straps - also a VS product but discontinued.  I went in about a month or so ago to a few of my local Victoria's Secret stores, they don't stock any simple garterbelts currently (aka ones devoid of lace or glitter).  The least frillworthy one they have at present is their strappy trend style, which can be the devil to figure out  - talk about a dressing room horror.

You can find some of the simpler and older VS belts on EBay for much less, probably the sellers picked them up in bulk from the outlets.  I personally am fine with just two straps, since I don't plan to wear any particularly thick/heavy stockings in SoCal - the thickest stay-ups I have are probably 25-30 denier.  Mine was about 6.99USD which was perfect, I didn't want to spend too much what with this being my trial period with the whole garterbelt arrangement.  It's turned out to be lovely and comfortable, just enough stretch to accommodate sitting and stretching, but not so stretchy that it just schloops down my hips.  Plus - reversible, can't go wrong.  If only they made it in nude/peach and white as well!

In regards to garterbelts, I've seen some sites that sell very industrial and day-to-day designs.  They're a bit pricier but if you're a dedicated GB wearer it's worth the investment, these classic and simple belts look like they're definitely made to last.

Onto the stockings - as I mentioned, Walmart/Target brand are good and are a pretty durable denier.  I've never had a problem of runs from day-to-day wear, usually what used to happen was I'd rip the foot/toe area (used to wear them for musical theater performances b/c dancer spanx were annoying).
The current pair of these that I have are black with lace tops, and I've had them for just over a year.

You can also find Hanes/Vassarette/various mid-range stocking brands, also at Target or Walmart. 

These have quite a bit more slip and silkiness/shine than the Target/Walmart brand.  They also range from slightly to a lot more sheer.  Even so I've never had a run problem with these like the issues with the VS stockings, and I do wonder if it's got to do with how silky and slippery the Hanes ones are.  Maybe they're less prone to snagging/catching on things that way?

Hanes/Vassarette, however, are also stay-ups.  I've yet to find that brand in a classic stocking style.

I've been able to clip the stay-up bands to my garterbelt, which still works for getting that 

garter-and-stockings look, but it isn't as comfortable as the non-silicone banded type.

I guess my search will have to go on (that or I eventually save up/can splurge on a good pair

of fully fashioned stockings).

San Diego Night Market Adventure

A couple weeks ago on Saturday (10/04) was the SD Night Market over in Kearny Mesa!

This is a yearly event in San Diego, CA,

basically a big culture/street fair of Asian food & performances.

Here's a link to their webpage for more info about this year's meetup,

as well as future info about next year's event.

http://www.sdnightmarket.com/

There's a good mix of different Asian street foods  - Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Korean, as well as other types of food - there was a waffle stand, and a sandwich stand as well.  Grilled squid is my favorite but the line was nearly halfway across the lot. :c

There are desserts and sweets EVERYWHERE - the shaved ice is highly popular, as well as

baked goods/sweets, soft serve yogurt, and different drinks including bubble tea/milk tea and coffee.

(Note: It CAN be a bit expensive depending on what you order.  I recommend coming

here to snack on different things or taste something unique, the plates aren't large so if you're

very hungry when you stop by you won't be full from just one order.  Unless you get pho like I did.)

Eggrolls with sweet & sour sauce!

Had to get these, classic tasty snackfood. <3

Cherry shaved ice/snowcone. (about ~$3 for a small, which was already big...

the large was HUGE and definitely more than I could've finished)

(I also had pho and shared a crepe, but I forgot to take photos of those.  So here's photos

of the booths & my friends instead!)

There was also a booth for UTOPIA (a discount gift certificate service) that gave away gift

certificates for local restaurants, and SD zoo daypasses (!!!!) for signing up for their website!

A lot of promotional booths showed up, as well as different local organizations.

Also plenty of minishops selling jewelry, music, dvds, anime figures, and clothing/accessories.

They also have quite a few performing acts, different musical acts as well as

dancing, bands, traditional performances, etc.

(My sister went earlier in the day and saw a maid cafe club dancing onstage.)

I went from about 9:30pm-midnight and it was still pretty full.

If you take the shuttle from the free parking lot, you can get in the express line!  That only took maybe 10 minutes, but I could see the non-express line stretching from the other gate, all the way around the corner of the block...

There's been a streak of 70-80 degree weather in San Diego recently, so at night it wasn't 

too chilly - I was still cold but I get cold pretty easily.  I def recommend having a light

sweater or jacket with you.  (It was also weirdly foggy that night, which didn't help me!)

This is definitely an event to go to with friends, so you can have fun standing in lines

(and not be very bored just standing around waiting).  Which you'll do a lot, but it works 

out because you'll be all done with your previous food by the time you get through the line, 

so you'll be ready to order and eat your next treat!

Also so you can share food with friends and get a chance to taste lots of different fare.

REVIEW: Fjallraven Kanken Classic in Graphite

This is a review for the Fjallraven Kanken pack in the Classic size, Graphite color.

++++

I've wanted one of these packs for over a year, after I found out about them while researching

a backpack that wouldn't make me feel like a turtle stretching my neck out (Jansport I love you

but I'm looking right at you).

Most students in the states have the good old Jansport backpack, I actually still have the one I used throughout high school.  They come w/ a nifty lifetime guarantee and they're weather resistant, etc. and they are VERY hardy - there's only one tiny hole at the bottom of my red JS, and that's

because I was a bit careless on a school trip & scraped it on various rocky surfaces 

(fyi we went to Death Valley so rocky surfaces were a given).

Overall a good backpack but personally I wanted something with a boxier, smaller appearance that would maintain its shape (Jansports tend to really bag and sag when you put something in them).

++++

The Fjallraven Kanken is like the Swedish version of the Jansport.

Little kids get them for school & they're designed to last forever - the cute little nametag on the inside

of mine says that some of the original Kanken from 1978 are STILL in use today!

They're made of a special material that makes the pack VERY lightweight - therefore avoiding any 

unnecessary extra weight, as well as being rain-proof (not that we need that in San Diego).

They're not very common in SD - at least the area I live in, but there are quite a lot of

bloggers/photographers/travelers who've written reviews online as well.

I was able to find it on AMAZON for 54.00 USD (pre-tax) for this specific color.

Different colors cost more or less on Ebay and Amazon as I've noticed.

(All colors cost the same on the Fjallraven site but they're often soldout of the more popular ones.)

GRAPHITE looks a lot darker and more grey in the photo from the website (see top of post).

In reality it's much more of a deep blue-grey, very attractive & universal.  I was looking for this one

specifically to avoid dirt showing up, and it goes well with my outfits/style.

The little fox circular label on the front doubles as a light reflector (probs for kids crossing streets).

This pack looks small but that's hardly the case!

I was able to cram a ton of things in there, and it STILL zipped up well and kept

a nice, boxlike shape (exactly what I wanted).

It also has a sitting pad - a thick square of foam padding that's in a pocket inside

the back of the bag.  That helps it keep shape, and I suppose it's also

good for picnics or if you want to sit somewhere that's not exactly the cleanest.

I was able to fit:  sunglasses, 1" width hair straightener, makeup pouch, pencil pouch, mac n' cheese cup, 14" laptop (had to take that out to make this post though), laptop cord, mouse, phone charger cord & wallplug, 3DS XL, headphones, wallet, sportsbra, Nook ebook, Moleskine blk notebook, Moleskin dayplanner, 2 bananas, breakfast bagel, grapes in a ziplock, my phone, and my Tervis cup.

....and there was STILL room left at the top.

Note though that a 14" laptop is probably the largest size laptop you can carry in this; it fit nearly exactly, with just enough wiggle room at the top that it wasn't hard to get my laptop out later.

Granted these things are quite heavy and in a totebag they do make my shoulder sore, but

I carried my pack around for 30 mins as a testrun (and a donut/snacks run).

The straps ARE thin and so I expected it might hurt (even though the pack's supposed to be 

designed to prevent that).... and it didn't hurt, like it said it wouldn't.

In my opinion it's on par with the Longchamp bag's handle design - I don't really understand how the Kanken's straps are less straining than the padded, thick Jansport straps but I'll go with it!

RATING: 4.5/5 STARS!

The only reason I took .5 off is because I wish these were made in leather, or with leather straps,

not necessarily for the sake of lasting long (the bag's already designed to do that!) but more

for the appearance/contrast of leather with the bag's main cloth.

REVIEW: As I Am Coconut Cleansing CoWash

As I Am Coconut Cleansing CoWash at As I Am Naturally

My hair tends to get very crispy at the ends, sadly.

I don't dye it or straighten anything other than my bangs, I use a cold-air blowdry setting/dry off with a fan, and maybe once a month (not in the last month though) I'll use a heat iron to "clamp" my curls and make them set - special occasion, twindrills-style.  

So it does confuse me about how dry and crispy it gets at the ends, and on some of the back layers.  Overall it's kind of rough, except for my bangs and the underlayer... (Maybe it's the hard water in SD?)

I got a haircut recently however, and I didn't want to waste my nice fresh new ends!

So I had asked friends for recommendations on moisturizing slightly curly, thin hair.

Among them were to not wash my hair as often, to wash only with water, wash with water and sun-dry, use hot coconut oil treatments, and to use "cowash".

Given that I've tried the water-only and every-other-day methods before, and I have heard about coconut oil making your hair fall out, I decided to test out cowash first.

(My scalp tends to get greasy and have that "hair" smell if I use water only, or if I wash every other day...which also gives me hairline zits.  Yikes.)

"CoWash" is a cleansing cream/conditioner, that's coconut based.

Often you can find this in an organic version - AsIAm is not, but there are options.

I picked this particular cowash because it was the best-smelling (AKA no oily sunscreen coconutty scent, which I don't like but which my mom and bf both actively hate).  AsIAm has a nice, rich, slightly tropical perfume-y smell, very exotic but clean.  It's also pretty thick and creamy-beige colored.
The instructions say to use conditioner after washing with the CoWash, but I find it's already really moisturizing - instead, I'll use it the same way I use shampoo.  I take a clump of it and massage my scalp & hair from top to ends, then I'll leave it in for about 5 minutes so it doubles as a conditioner.

REVIEW:

I've been using this for about 3 weeks, every day, coupled w/ my normal cold-blowdry and bangs straightening routine.

(+1)

It definitely does NOT make my hair greasy after washing (like it did when I tried using normal conditioner as a cowash).  I was pretty worried about this.  It's really crucial to rub it into your scalp like it was a normal shampoo, and comb through to the rest of your hair.

(+1)

It smells very pleasant but subtle after it's rinsed out.  The smell fades away completely after a few hours and leaves nothing but the scent of clean fresh hair!  I've not yet gotten a comment about a coconut-smell from anyone.  I don't mind fragrance that stays around for a while, but this is REALLY nice, especially recommending this for people w/ sensitive noses.  Very unisex as well, both the scent and the fact that it fades.

(+1)

The crown of my head & my bangs are lovely and glossy, and still maintain volume/fluffy factor!  There isn't a single bit of grease or residue up there, which I'm thankful for.  The clean feeling lasts through the day (and even after a workout!).

(-1)

However, I haven't noticed much of a change in the ends/back of my hair.  It might just need more time, or maybe is more damaged than I thought.  I haven't tried not blowdrying my hair, simply because I feel really uncomfy going out w/ wet or damp hair.... that may be the factor that helps the cowash succeed.

I did notice that the ends actually clump together more often than before, and if I don't braid my hair at bedtime I'll wake up with baby dreads at the tips.

(neutral 0)

I read a lot of reviews wishing this came in a pump, and I definitely agree.  It doesn't seem very sanitary to stick my damp hand into the tin every day, and leave traces of water in there...although I may use it up fast enough that it won't matter.  Anyway I don't think it's worth knocking off a point, I can just get a pump and put it in myself (I'm not THAT lazy).

____

After three weeks I definitely do see a change in  my hair!
It's not drastic but it's noticeable, it's much softer and I have less greasiness issues.
I can still usually go a day between washes, it's still a bit greasy but that's natural.
Ends have been well maintained since having my haircut (back in mid-September), it's
definitely a long cry from how choppy they were pre-cut.
(For reference my hair is darkbrown, but the ends had gone dirty/dark blonde from being dried.)

Note that this is a gentle cleanser - as in, a VERY gentle cleanser.
So if you use hairspray, gels, mousse, waxes etc....basically anything that likes to stick
around, it might be a good idea to shampoo before using CoWash.  Or you could
wash twice with CoWash which is usually what I do (I don't use sprays or gels as a rule, but
sometimes I have a little more buildup post-workout or after a couple warm days).
I also used shampoo & conditioner once a week (BODY SHOP's Banana shampoo and conditioner),
to clean out any buildup or grease when CoWash couldn't do it.

Cat Cafe San Diego in Downtown - opening soon! (Fall/October 2015!)

Cat Cafes are extremely popular overseas, particularly in Asia.

They originated in Taiwan and quickly spread, they're quite the popular trend in Japan right now!

Last time I was looking for one, the closest was up in San Francisco and LA (?).

But it looks like we're going to be getting one much closer to home pretty soon.

CAT CAFE SAN DIEGO

Cat Cafe SD homepage

(you can subscribe for email updates at the main site)

Cat Cafe SD Twitter (@CatCafeSanDiego) for updates!

(it also shows up on Wikipedia under "cat cafe")

Cat cafes are popular with folks who come to enjoy a cup of coffee, but mostly of course to enjoy the company of the cute cats that live there.  CatCafeSD has a great mission as well - it's aiming to promote its "cat employees" for adoption, and help them find loving homes!

It was slated to open on July 1 this year in time for Comic-Con season but the owner had to push back the date...  Now they have confirmed a space & the lease has been signed for the cafe, and the owner's currently working on getting the space ready for cats and people.

This article from August 21 says the cafe's soft opening is expected in late October 2014.

Here's a cat cafe that opened in Montreal just this month!

I'm looking forward to visiting CatCafeSD once it's open. c:  

I'll make a photo-post when it happens!

UPDATE:
As of NOVEMBER 6 the Cat Cafe didn't pass its occupancy permit, due to the building not passing certain codes... so unfortunately the cafe is still not open.  The owner plans to repair and meet the building codes etc. before the cafe is open to the public!  You can read more here.  

Hello again friends!

After a few months hiatus I've returned!

A lot of changes have happened - I was asked back to work at SeaWorld for a few months for their new summer season, and then I found a position w/ a company in Downtown SD.
So I've been working at my office for about 5 months (since May).

It's a small place but very relaxed, and the people I work with are mostly pretty interesting.

It's been really fun working here, I've gotten to go out and try LOTS of different food places in Downtown!
(My dept coworkers are big foodies.  The place across the street has really good chicken tortilla soup, which I'd never had before they introduced me to it. A little spicy but good!)

++++

My boyfriend has also graduated (congratulations love!) as of June, & currently he works Downtown as well.  It's been really nice getting to see each other every evening after work.  We've been playing new games, and recently we started a workout routine together since we both have desk jobs.
He gave me LoZ: A Link Between Worlds for my birthday and I've been playing it but getting horribly stuck....puzzle games are hard, and the wall aspect makes it harder, but FUN.
I'm looking forward to our 3rd anniversary this month!

+++

Recently I got a new laptop, the screen turns and becomes a drawing tablet.  It's been a big motivation to draw digitally.  It's quite nice to be able to draw on a tablet and not be struggling to coordinate my hand movements to what's on the monitor. 10/10 do recommend!  (I also gathered up a few traditional sketchbooks and art supplies a couple months back, so I could hopefully start using the fancy art markers and pens that Austin gave me last birthday.)

I'm thinking of whether to continue posting art on my art blogspot or just moving everything to one solid blog.

+++

I'll make a photo post of recent events soon.
I also have a small stack of new makeup, games, and other items to review.
It's been much too hot lately (peaking at 80-90 degrees midday, every day) so I haven't tried much new bath stuff.  Bubble baths just wouldn't feel that great, especially not my current favorite kind, hot pepper-germa baths.  Hopefully the cooler weather comes on so I can try some more relaxing baths.

REVIEW: Bandai Lum Urusei Yatsura Bath Powder - Hot Pepper & Germa Ver.

Happy late St. Patrick's day everyone!
I live a few minutes away from several Asian markets, and I'd

wanted to try some of their bath-powder packets for a while now!

As spring rolls in, it's slowly getting to be a bit warm

for baths, so I'm going to review as many of these as I can before
it gets too hot for soaking baths.

Today I'm reviewing BANDAI'S Lum Hot Pepper & Germa bath!

Featuring the alien princess Lum from the Urusei Yatsura manga.

(this is the cutest packaging I've ever seen, Lum is the best!)

List of ingredients.

This is a "Hot Pepper and Germa bath" - I wasn't quite sure what that meant, but

it's very strong smelling.  I could smell it through the package!

(I tried to look up GERMA, but it thought I meant "German"....)

I don't have allergies to any of the ingredients so I figured it was worth a try.

WARNING:  If you're allergic to SOY this contains SOYMILK FERMENT.

(I'm assuming this is a skin-softening component.)

The powder is bright light yellow, and turns the water a matching color!

Not gonna lie it was a little bit offputting to be bathing in yellow water... oh well.

There's a noticeable citrus/spicy smell almost like lemon soda (think Sprite or 7-UP).  It's

not offensively strong but definitely noticeable, I think it's actually the smell from the

pepper - but to me it smells like soda!  Very nice. -u-

I noticed my skin started tingling a bit after about 10 minutes in the fresh bath.

The pepper is supposed to increase circulation (not sure what the germa does, but

I figure it's along the same lines), and I definitely felt the heat of the water much more

than with other bath powders / bombs I've used.

I don't really feel like my skin got much softer from this, although it does contain collagen.

That plus the soymilk ferment (????) made it very lightly moisturizing, but nothing that stuck 

around after a good towel rubdown.

However after getting out, my skin felt VERY warm and tingly, not to mention I was

REALLY PINK.  My skin also seemed a lot smoother when applying lotion, which

I think is the result of getting heated up by the pepper and germa (?).

The tingly feeling made me a little bit nervous for a while, I thought it might be allergies.

But it seems to be normal for "heating" baths, so no worries here!

It does last for a while, my skin kept tingling for about 30 minutes after I'd gotten out

(even after rinsing with cool water).

I really liked how there was no residue in the tub afterwards, but the smell does stick around 

for quite a while.  Not a problem for me because I enjoyed it, but it might be

if you don't enjoy the spicy citrus scent.

OVERALL RATING:

4 1/2 stars!

I really enjoyed this bath!  As someone who has a low body temperature, 

I'm usually really cold as soon as I get out of a bath or shower.

I was ridiculously happy to feel warmed up and relaxed, and it lasted

for about a good hour AFTER I'd gotten out!

The only downside is availability - I tried to Google this and it's hard to get online.

Also I don't think this is a highly popular product, so like most low-popularity

products at my local Asian market it will probably not be restocked

once all the packets sell out.  (Probably because of me, heh.)

BANDAI makes several different hot pepper bath packets though, so if

they run out of the Lum version I'll probably try another kind.

I would absolutely recommend this, particularly as a winter/cold weather bath!

I popped a snuggly sweater and socks on afterwards, and it was heaven.