Grounded jellies

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These jellyfish spend their lives in a rather pointless dance…

upside down jellies from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

365great Day 21: B.B. Cream

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365great challenge day 21: bb creamYou might have heard about BB creams lately. They’re all the rage! I was thrilled when I was invited to try out the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector as part of a BzzAgent campaign. Free BB cream? Yes please! I’ve loved these from the first time I heard of them – not only do they help with evening out your skin tone, but they’re great as part of your normal skincare regimen. In fact, BB creams are supposed to be able to act in place of five other products: your serum, moisturizer, primer, foundation, and sunblock. I love the idea of putting on one product and getting all those benefits. It’s precisely because putting on multiple products is too much effort that I usually skip all but the moisturizer. Luckily, I can use the BB cream in place of my moisturizer and get so much more out of it!

I’ll write up a full review on the Garnier BB cream I’ve been testing for another post, but for now let’s just say that I wish this product had been around longer. I remember back in college I decided I should at least try to cover up some of my terrible breakouts and acne scars, so I got some foundation and ended up looking like a raccoon in pictures because I had a bit spot around my eyes that I hadn’t covered. That stuff felt cakey and/or greasy to me too, which didn’t help. As college ended I decided I didn’t care so I went au naturel for the next few years. While I still don’t care for full on makeup, I am definitely interested in a versatile product like BB cream that can offer so many benefits in one. If applying just that single product also allows me to cover up some of the acne scars and redness, why not? What a great concept! The convenience and versatility of BB creams makes them pretty great.

Hot desserts

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I wonder what their kid would be called?

cutie pie and stud muffin folders

365great Day 20: packages

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365great challenge day 20: packagesWho doesn’t love receiving a package? (Assuming of course, that you’re not the target of some crazy bomber.) Whether it’s finally getting to open what you ordered or the surprise of a gift from someone, packages have a sort of magical quality. They can make just about anyone smile with anticipation. Gift or not, the process of opening a package always feels like you’re opening a gift and that makes you special. This is probably why I’m enthralled with subscription box services – not only do you get a package every month, but what will be inside is a lovely mystery. It really is like having your birthday every month! (More on those later – they deserve their own 365great day.)

Packages in general, whether mailed to you, handed to you, or discovered by you, are the type of thing that bring a bit of joy. Just think of the delight of a child digging in to a present on a birthday or holiday! Those sparkling eyes, the excitement, and that wide grin before the gasp of “oh my gosh I love it” as they run to hug you. Of course, not all packages are so well-received, but I think secretly, each time we see a package, we can imagine a scene like that. Even with products bought online, there’s joy in finally getting to open up that box, assemble the item (if appropriate), hold it in your hands, and try it out. The potential for that sort of happiness in each package is what makes them great.

Ultra hydrated hair

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When I first got this set of Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge shampoo, conditioner, and “moisture-plenish” treatment to try for free, I didn’t think much of it. I was pretty excited to get them as part of a BzzAgent campaign, but I figured it’d just be a nice way to replenish my hair care supply. Little did I know that I’d be completely wowed by the results!

Let’s start with the basics: the Hydra Recharge line uses superfruits like goji berry, passion fruit, and kiwi – all of which fascinate me! I was really curious about what the combination might smell like and I’m happy to report that it’s wonderful. If you want to understand it too, you’ll just have to pick up a bottle for yourself and give it a whiff next time you’re in the store. This line is meant for dry to normal hair, to make your hair weightlessly silky and hydrated. The shampoo has these cool beads in them that burst as you rub it in your hair – this is the first time I’ve seen this in a shampoo!

collage of garnier fructis hydra recharge hair treatment system from bzzagentThe first thing I noticed when I got the set was the new cap design. I used to struggle with the old Garnier bottles, which had the small round nub to push on. Very cool design, but hard to use when my hands were slippery. With this new cap, I don’t have the problem anymore! It is very easy to open and close no matter how wet your hands may be. They managed to keep the aesthetic appeal of the ball yet improve functionality – bravo! Ok, now that you understand the facts, let’s discuss how these products performed.

I’ve been using this haircare regimen for four weeks now and I’m still pleased with the way my hair has responded. The first couple of days I immediately noticed my hair felt much, much silkier. It was so much fun to swish it around! I tried to capture the newfound glossiness, but my camera didn’t seem to pick it up very well. Once I got more used to the shine my hair had gained, I remembered that the results were supposed to last two days. I hadn’t really gotten a chance to test that since I was showering daily, but when I did skip a day here and there, it definitely held up. My hair tends to get very oily very fast if I don’t shower on a daily basis, so this was really good news!

Then came the real test – I was going on a flight and whenever I do, I always get uncomfortably dry, static-y hair. Would my newly hydrated locks hold up to this kind of pressure? My plane ride was a cross-country ordeal that lasted 5 1/2 hours and (did you guess it?) my hair came out just fine! It was amazing. This had never happened before. Now I’m just sad I couldn’t bring my new regimen with me, because I’m going to be here awhile.

Even nearly a month in, I’m pleased to say that my hair hasn’t gotten “tired” of the shampoo like it has with some previous products. You know that feeling, right? You get a new product that works great at first but then your body gets used to it or something and performance goes on a steep decline… this is what happened to me with Proactiv. Happily, I can report that Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge has continued to perform well. I might just need to get a set to use in my new location.

365great Day 19: cupcake in a jar

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365great challenge day 19: cupcake in a jarOk, so if you love cupcakes and you travel, what better than a portable cupcake? Cupcakes in jars are an excellent way to bring along a delicious treat without taking up that space. Plus, eating it is a whole lot less messy. Another great benefit is that one jar contains about two cupcakes so you get twice as much! Don’t be fooled by the small containers – these guys are denser so you get a lot more than it looks.

I brought these along for my flight and the lasted me two sessions. What a great way to bring along the flavors of one of my favorite cupcakeries (Bake You Happy). If you can’t eat them fast enough, just refrigerate them upon arrival and they’ll last a good two weeks or more. Tasty and convenient? That sure is great!

Weird Custom

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At the Custom Hotel, there’s this strange light… was it meant to be a nightlight??

color-changing nightlight from Mary Qin on Vimeo.

365great Day 18: dust plugs

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365great challenge day 18: dust plugsDust plugs are pretty popular in Asia, probably because they love to bedazzle and bling out their devices. They’re a fun and creative way to add some personal flair to your phone, tablet, or miscellaneous device with a headphone jack. You can get everything from really large, flamboyant, dangling ones to small, cute, “barely there” ones (or something in between). Whether you want to add a subtle accent to your device or you want to be noticed, there’s probably a style for you. Just check out some of the examples I have: little gems, adorable plastic animals, super shiny dangly ones…

These accessories take advantage of an often-ignored part of the phone that sits empty a lot (except for those of you who listen to music incessantly). And since they’re really easy to interchange, you can update them frequently based on your mood. If you’re interested, I’ve started to list some for sale over on DeckMyPhone.com so you can join in on this newest craze!

Freshly grown

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While we sit here hoping that spring is finally on its way for real this time, let’s enjoy some of the great things that will grow…

giant mushrooms the size of a fist

Massive mushrooms that grew on their own on the UCLA campus!

a homegrown eggplant from our garden

This cute little eggplant was all my mother’s hard work.

freshly picked avocado, lemon, and lime

So many wonderful fruits all freshly picked from one yard.

young orange tree with one orange fruit

This little orange tree is barely waist high but it’s already producing a nice big orange!

365great Day 17: photo challenges

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365great challenge day 17: photo challengesToday marks the end of the March photo challenge! I chose to participate (mainly on Instagram) in #FMSPhotoADay, the one by Chantelle of FatMumSlim. Granted, I only joined in partway through the month, but I’ve been enjoying it and I think I’ll keep going through April. I like the challenge of taking a picture each day based on a single word, phrase, or idea. It keeps us alert to what’s going on around us and helps train us to see an opportunity for a cool shot in just about anything. I think it definitely makes creativity more accessible and fun; I’m a huge fan of trying to interpret the prompts in a unique way.

If you want to get better at anything, you should practice, so this is an excellent first step for amateur photographers. Get your feet wet, keep on doing & trying , and I bet you’ll improve! A nice side benefit of all of this is that you join a community of others working towards the same goal. It’s a lot of fun to share neat photos and see what others have to share as well. Maybe you’ll even make a friend! Plus, the feeling of successfully completing a month-long challenge is pretty rewarding too. Challenge yourself to a photo contest of some sort, join the community, and learn along the way! I bet you’ll feel pretty great next month.

 

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