Beautiful sky

2:22 PM
Taken on my iPhone this morning.

magic. asian girl make up

4:54 PM

freaky, huh?

{for sale} My Tiffany's is your treasure

11:38 PM
Was cleaning the other day and found these two lovelies. I still have the dust bag for each and am getting them polished by Tiffany's this weekend. In excellent/like new condition. Hardly ever wore the necklace.


Selling for $150 each (+shipping). Last time I checked the site, the lock charm alone is $175. These are authentic, but I no longer have any use for them.

Email me at seasonal.lust@gmail.com. First come first serve. PayPal only.

Let's talk about Primers; Nepoleon Perdis Calming Pre-Foundation Primer

4:25 PM

I've heard the gushings around me about primers, specifically how it smooths out lines and helps prolong foundation and make-up. I've heard you all rave about Make Up Forever's life saving formula and so I decided to venture into the mysterious world of primers, knowing little to nothing about it. I tried the purple one (sorry, that's not very specific) from Make Up Forever, with disastrous peely results, and the one with SPF which made me break out. Their primers are silicone based, which is known to clog pores.

So I ran away fast and haven't looked back. Primers, I was fine before without them, why do I need to risk more heartache (and blemishes) for this supposed magical thing?

And then this past weekend, as I was getting touch-ups on my hair, flipping through an issue of Cosmo (I swear, I never read that trash), I see a feature on Nepolean Perdis' Set Calming Pre-Foundation Primer ($29 at Target). They said it was ideal for sensitive skin (which means it's safe for most skin types) and contains extracts of aloe, cucumber, and peppermint. It is also important to note that it is not silicone based, nor does it contain any parabens (as inferred from my amateur reading of the ingredients list).

Let's just say that I never knew how good this stuff was because I've never had a good primer before. I've been wearing this every day, since Saturday. Pros: My skin feels extremely soft and smooth. I feel like there is a buffer between my skin and my foundation, which keeps the foundation from sinking into my pores. Cons: There isn't much to be said in terms of oil control, unfortunately (which doesn't change much from before because I combat that with loose powder). But other than that, I have no complaints and welcome the addition of a new product into my make up routine since I enjoy the way it makes my skin fee.

For a second opinion, and fellow primer-convert, check out Le Belle Lumiere's post on this item.


cheer up

8:52 PM


had an especially tough day today. But these images make me smile.


follow me follow me; insta.gr

12:36 AM


full disclosure: unabashedly narcissistic. 


work for it

3:44 PM

A night among the stars...

10:10 PM
...was the theme for the evening's ball.

Things they never tell you: Do not apologize first

12:34 PM

Should we always apologize first or are we better off standing our ground?


We have always been taught, mostly by adults, that when it comes to altercations, it is always better to be the bigger person and apologize first in order to facilitate resolution. Ironically, this rule doesn't seem to always apply in the realms of adulthood. Sometimes apologizing first and accepting blame can actually hurt your credibility and your chance to be heard.

A recent intense spat (which escalated into a yelling match) between a friend who was a few years my senior taught me that age does not equate maturity, in which my willingness to concede to an apology only further validated his personal attacks. I have always been a believer that ego has no place in apologies and I am very quick to drop mines in exchange for understanding and resolution. I also am adverse to confrontations, contrary to popular belief. In a world where our peers are becoming increasingly self-centered and skeptical of everyone but themselves, my honest concessions are hard to swallow and are interpreted as superficial or mocking, instead. Funny how apologizing can rear the very opposite of a resolution.

When you are the prosecutor/instigator of an argument, you start off feeling justly provoked in your accusations from the beginning. In conceding to apologize first, the prosecuted unwittingly accepts blame and gives credence to the prosecutor's argument. But we all know that it takes two to tango, and the prosecutor can be just as guilty in their method of attack, in jumping to conclusions before proper discussion, or for missing the point altogether and escalating a neutral incident based on outside factors (they had a rough day) or prejudices. This does not mean that their emotions of hurt or betrayal aren't valid; it is, and very much so, but to apologize for this when the accused is not in the wrong will only hurt you in the end. In apologizing, you will never get the opportunity to point out the attacker's logical fallacies and explain yourself. You have just granted them permission to vilify you further. Any counter arguments that you may have had is rendered pointless.

In the end, the friend took my apology as mockery and admittance of guilt. It strengthened his attack to using ad hominem. Nothing was resolved. No apology was reciprocated.

So the question is, should you always be the first one to lay down the peace pipe? Sadly, human nature has taught me that the answer is no. Not at first. When someone is coming at you with guns flaring, the best solution is to acknowledge that they are upset (not apologize for it) and inform them that you would love to discuss this at a calmer time because you want to resolve the issue.

The silver lining to every altercation is that there is always a few lessons to be had. I know now how this person likes to argue (they let things build up), and that the root of the matter is not personal (due to the disproportionate degree in which this person reacted to the cause).

Relationships dissolve every day, and in this case, I'm glad it had to happen.


my turn at ombre hair

7:38 PM
I know, I know.... its so two/three seasons ago, but your girl isn't one to jump on trends as soon as they come out. I say I'm a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to these things. I am always aware of new trends, and when its a major one, like ombre hair, I like to wait it out to see if it has lasting powers beyond trend status before I adopt it as my own. Maybe it's because I've been watching too much Hart of Dixie lately (the one with Rachel Bilson) or I am in desperate need of a change as my hair is currently in that strange transitioning phase between short and long hair (It's not quite short, but not quite long yet.) but I definitely think ombre hair is here to stay. It's a great highlighting technique that really brightens up your face.

I'm a control freak, so I hate leaving the fate of my hair in a stranger's hand. Did this at home with Loreal's Frost & Design (make sure you pick the one compatible with your current hair color, ie for dark to light brown, etc). I split the mix in half and used the first half to highlight half of my ends, waited about half an hour, mixed the second half and applied to the lower half of my the already highlighted ends (if that makes any sense) to obtain a brighter blonde towards the bottom. The top image looks brassy due to the yellow lighting of my bedroom, but the package came with a purple toner, which is supposed to counter-act brassiness, and it did the trick. I'm so happy with the results, considering that I was pretty haphazard in my application. The whole process took me less than an hour.

It's a quick, effective and almost non-committal change because you can always dye your hair again. So far, I've been loving it! You can always send me an email or hit me up on formspring if you have any further questions.

xo




look at the skies

3:39 PM


“You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing and dance and write and read and suffer and understand, for all that is life.”


- J. Krishnamurti


Monday Dreaming

10:24 AM


Happy Monday, everyone.

tis the season

9:14 PM

cheers! I hope you all had a great thanksgiving weekend.



yes please

1:39 AM

Make your own damn bloody mary

1:19 AM














Barbuzzo

10:22 PM









Barbuzzo
110 South 13th Street  Philadelphia, PA 19107-4532
(215) 546-9300
3 out of 5 stars

Hipsters Paradise; Warby Parker Returns to Philadelphia!

2:04 PM











Been meaning to try out their glasses in their NYC showroom, but I never got around to it. So when I heard they were returning to Philidelphia, I had to drag the lover with me. I've known about Warby Parker, for a while now, but the lover was absolutely impressed when he found out that their glasses were only $95, including prescription. Not to mention they have 1) an awesome home try on program that's free of charge and 2) for every pair that you buy, they give one to someone in need. I had a blast the the party and even found a great new pair for myself. As for the lover, he couldn't get enough and may be getting more than a few pairs.


Glamour picture; Taiwanese edition

7:22 PM
Whenever my girl friends return from Asia, they always bring back a barrage of glamour shots. Some are ridiculously dated (hello track pants and newsboy hats) and some are just breathtaking. To get the latter, you have to do your research and be willing to fork over more dough and half of an entire day. I had seen a bunch of places in China that we're fairly affordable, but I knew the aesthetic that I wanted (extreme glam, but maybe still acceptable to look at in 10 years) and China wasn't going to deliver. So when I got to Taipei, knowing their rich entertainment industry and Japanese cultural influence, not to mention non-third world status, I pounced on my first foray into the world of Asian glamour shots.

Where did I go? A place called "White Ladder." it's my understanding that they have many locations throughout Taiwan and each vary slightly in quality. If you stick to Taipei, you get the more modern looks and wider selections.

My experience was amazing! I arrived bare faced and hideous and sat helplessly in my make up chair, watching my unassuming make up artist transform me into a oiran, from the movie Sakuran (highly recommended movie!).

Below is my take of Kiyoha (the protagonist) and Anna Tsuchiya's Kiyoha from the movie's poster.

Shoe dilemma

7:07 PM
Cannot decide between these two pairs for this winter. :(