Posts Tagged ‘pictures’

24ClearIt Acne Therapy review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: , , , , , , , ,
10 April 2014
3

In lieu of the April Beauty Box 5, I opted for the 24ClearIt kit that they were offering. I received it today and I’m ready to see if this is a solution that will work for me! I’ve tried a bunch of products before and various things have worked better than others, but none have truly calmed my skin for that long. Part of it might be that I moved on to other products. I’ve never been very good at committing to one set of skincare. I just like variety too much!

Beauty Box 5 is $12 per box (or as discounted as $99 for an entire year, with an option in between) and comes with 5 cosmetic products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. You also have the option of buying it as a gift your box to a friend. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards products or boxes. This was a special promotional box in partnership with 24ClearIt.

24clearit box with beauty box 5 sticker 24clearit instructions including quick start guide, clear facts guide, and product booklet 24clearit kit with exfoliating cleanser, clearing toner, clarifying treatment, recovery treatment, and treatment maskStep 1: Cleanse. Active exfoliating cleanser to be used in AM and PM. This is a more liquidy cleanser than I expected, so I accidentally squeezed out more than I wanted to. I like the scrubbing feeling of the beads – just enough without feeling too rough on my skin or too weak to do any exfoliating. It had the slightest scent that was vaguely medicinal. I massaged it in until it started to get sticky from all the water evaporating.

Step 1a: Target. Advanced treatment mask to be used as spot treatment or full mask. A few times a week, there’s the option to add the mask to the regimen. It is very thick and smells a bit of the sulfur that is in it. I tried a little spot of it and it tingled a bit. It sure feels like it can help zap away trouble spots. I’m going to have to see how the entire face mask feels and I’ll probably only do it once a week.

Step 2: Clear. Essential clearing toner to be used in AM and PM. The toner was very watery as expected and smelled quite nice. Once again just a very light scent and it felt very refreshing on my skin. I patted it over my face and let it dry. It felt really good!

Step 3 AM: Treat. Clarifying treatment to be used in AM. I tried this for the first time at night, so I just tested a little bit of it to see what it was like. It felt tingly and I think this is the harshest of the products and might have the potential of drying out my skin. We’ll see when I apply a full face of it tomorrow morning. It definitely awakens the skin and I feel like bacteria is being killed off right then and there.

Step 3 PM: Restore. Recovery treatment to be used in PM. This is a really nice lotion that is far more soothing and healing than the daytime one. I can see how it would be perfect to restore the skin while you sleep. My skin felt wonderful after this and completely hydrated for the night. I felt no need for any other products, which I like.

So based on first impressions, I am liking this line of products. I took a picture of my skin before and I’ll compare it to how things are looking in a week or two. At the least, these products feel good on my face, which is nice. Only time will tell how effective they are for their purported use. I’m really glad I decided to try this and skip the standard box Beauty Box 5 sent out for April!

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Homegrown Collective March 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
09 April 2014
0

You know, I’ve been wondering about the dry spell in sub boxes lately and I thought this GREENBOX should have arrived awhile ago. Whatever the case, I’m pleased to have received it today. This month’s cheese theme is very intriguing.

The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.

inside of slice 'o cheese homegrown collective box with the info sheets on the inner lid contents of the homegrown collective march 2014 box with slice 'o cheese themethe homegrown collective march 2014 spread the word social media and sharing info card

Project #1, knife sharpening: I love this! I’ve never sharpened my own knives before, but I’m sure I could use them better if I did. It’s also nice to get another knife since sharing one with Panda can get tricky when we’re both trying to cook in the kitchen. I’m going to have fun with this one. For some reason it makes me feel like a Japanese sushi chef. I’m sure the gloves and goggles will also come handy in other work around the house in the future.

the homegrown collective march 2014 project knife sharpening info card the homegrown collective march 2014 products for knife sharpening

Project #2, mozzarella cheese-making: I’m generally not that into cheese, but I’ve been getting into it more. This is a perfect chance to explore that type of food and feel like a scientist in the process. I’m also really glad to have a thermometer I can use for food, so I can check the temperature of meat I cook in the future! I’ve never owned this pen-looking type of food thermometer before and I feel so professional just having it. I also had no idea herbs can go into mozzarella cheese, so I’m curious how that will affect the taste.

the homegrown collective march 2014 project mozzarella cheese-making info card the homegrown collective march 2014 products for mozzarella cheese-making

No third project this time (a first). I wonder if it was because it was hard to keep with the theme or if the costs of all this was already reaching the value they could afford to send. No matter! Onto the info card talking about cheese for this month’s theme:

the homegrown collective march 2014 slice 'o cheese info card

To get your own awesome green projects, subscribe to the Homegrown Collective today. You’ll feel so much craftier!

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Free cone day

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses，Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
08 April 2014
0

I’m getting a little antsy with no new box recently. I do have some on the way though! I ordered a Julep spring mystery box (I had skipped March, but it looks like I got sucked in to getting something anyway :-P) and I got a notification that my Beauty Box 5 is on its way. In the mean time…

Today was free cone day at Ben & Jerry’s locations across the nation! For lunch, a bunch of my coworkers and I went to claim a freebie and I donated $5 to the charity that was there – apparently each location has a local charity for the day. I got a scoop of Liz Lemon, which is a lemon frozen Greek yogurt with blueberry swirl. I think I’ve found a refreshing fav! I really enjoyed the slight tartness and lightness of this flavor.

ben and jerry's ice cream free cone day april 8th 2014 sign

hands holding ice cream cones from ben and jerry's

“Hurry up with the picture, I want to eat my cone!!”

No more date nights

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , , , , , ,
07 April 2014
0

Tonight, Panda had a Groupon that was expiring and needed to be used, so we arranged to have a date night dinner. As I headed home, I let him know to get ready and when I arrived, we eagerly headed out. We were both hungry and looking forward to the meal. When we got on the on ramp, Panda commented that he hoped he brought his wallet… and when he went to check, he found he didn’t have it!

plates of dishes from california pizza kitchenWe were instantly brought back to the night when he forgot his wallet on one of the earlier “date nights” we had out here. So there we were, waiting for our food at CPK when Panda realized he hadn’t brought his wallet. At that point, I wasn’t carrying around any sort of purse or wallet with me, so all I had was my phone. We stared at each other in disbelief as it dawned on us that he’d have to drive back to the apartment to retrieve said wallet. I then sat at the table as dish after dish came out. Pretty soon, the waiter started to look at me funny. Where was my dinner partner? Had he just left me?

It was a good 40 minutes before he finally made it back. I’d eaten some of the food, trying to go slow and wait for him. Meanwhile, our date night had become a singles night as we had to spend it apart. So this time when he forgot his wallet again, we were glad that at least I brought mine. Still, I’m never having a date night again. It always seems to mean a missing wallet. 😛

Cherry Blossom Festival

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog，Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
06 April 2014
0

Rather last-minute, Panda and I decided to go check out the Cherry Blossom Festival today. Most of the trees aren’t quite ready yet, but a few early bloomers were there to greet visitors and it was a lovely day out to walk around. We got stuck in traffic all the way around the Tidal Basin and eventually got a parking spot at West Potomac Park. It was so crowded there were even a line of cars parking on the shoulder of an on ramp. Luckily, we were able to find a spot to park in legally. We then walked from the FDR Memorial all the way to the booths set up for the festival and then kept going to the MLK Memorial and back to the car. It’s the first time I’ve worn sneakers this year, after the crazy winter weather we’ve been hit with. I’m ready for the warmer months to finally kick in!

electronic traffic sign sharing message with drivers

We arrived to blocked off roads and I noticed that the dots on these signs are actually three dots in a triangular configuration. Never knew that before!

police k9 canine car parked on grass by cherry blossoms as lady stops to ask question

As we were stuck in traffic, I got to see this K9 police car complete with fan in the back window for the dog.

view of washington monument from across tidal basin with reflection in water

I don’t come to the Tidal Basin much, so it was a treat.

looking into interior of hollowed out tree trunk

A random tree trunk had been hollowed out from two sides.

tiny purple flowers growing in grass

Before we really even saw cherry blossoms, I stopped to admire these flowers.

edge of tidal basin by jefferson memorial

A ton of people were out enjoying the day.

view of cherry blossom festival booths and washington monument across tidal basin

Across the way were all the booths for the festival.

police patrol on horseback near tidal basin

Patrolling on horses. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon.

white blossoms on tree near tidal basin

One of the few trees that was a-blooming.

dozens of people on paddle boats in tidal basin

Every single paddle boat was out on the water.

cherry blossom buds on tree

Most trees looked like this.

bloomed cherry blossoms on tree by tidal basin

Some of the cherry blossoms had opened up. Spectacular.

Filling up the home

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses，Tags: , , , , , ,
05 April 2014
0

Today we received our new furniture! Last weekend, we bought a set of couches and tables from hhgregg. We scheduled to have them delivered today and our home is finally feeling homey. For two months now we’ve been living here with a completely empty living room. It was big and cold and empty, so there was no reason to hang out there. Now with the couches, it’s a fantastic place to spend more time in.

large white truck filled with furniture stopping for couch delivery

I heard the truck as soon as it arrived. Here come our couches!

couch wrapped up in cardboard and plastic

The loveseat took careful maneuvering to get upstairs without hitting the hall lights.

assembling three pieces of couch

The larger sofa had to be disassembled to get it up.

boxes of end tables and coffeetable with two guys assembling the pieces

I hadn’t realized the tables needed to be put together!

new couch set with two couches, coffee table, two end tables, and pillows

Our new couch set, currently on cardboard until we get those felt pads.

I’m very happy with this couch set! It’s not the prettiest, but the material is so soft and I love how cushy it is. All four of the end units recline, so I have plenty of options. The matching pillows are a fabulous addition since I enjoy hugging a pillow or using it as a cushion for my laptop. Plus, we discovered that the coffee table is actually on wheels so we can slide it around. How fun!

Our cat and us

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog，Tags: , , , , , , ,
04 April 2014
0

Smokey has been great at night, though hard to get warmed up again when we get home from work. When we come home, she’s all skittish, probably from a day being alone with scary construction and airplane noises. When we finally coax her out from her hiding place, she’s quick to run back under the bed at anything that frightens her. A few hours into the night, she’s rubbing all over the place and jumping on the bed to hang out with us. By the time we sleep, she’s happily finding various spots on the bed where there are no blankets. In the morning, she follows us around as we get ready for work and then who knows what happens while we’re away. Tomorrow will be the first day we’re home during the daytime! I think she’s learning that when we leave, we aren’t abandoning her. She’s really starting to make this place her home now. 🙂

cat laying on blanket on top of person's legs

She chills on my legs.

person laying on bed smiling at cat sleeping

She rests on the bed.

person watching cat looking out window

She peers outside.

The right wallet/purse/clutch fit

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , , ,
03 April 2014
0

iphone wallet and clutchesFor the past couple of months, I’ve been trying out different wallet solutions. I’ve been bored of the standard purse for a long time and I hardly need it since I sit at work all day. I’d been using little bags like the black one pictured (which is my favorite Ipsy bag), but then I decided to downsize to the bare minimum. I switched to the brown iPhone wallet, which holds my phone and a few cards. There was barely even room for cash. I liked that everything was rather consolidated and I always had my most important things connected to each other. However, after awhile I started to get tired of having a bulky phone every time I wanted to speak on the phone.

When I was in China doing my shopping, I came across some wallet clutches that I liked, but got too ambitious with bargaining and didn’t end up getting one. Luckily, I found that Target has a decent selection of the style I like and I recently got this fun coral bag. I like that it zips around, is large enough for plenty of cards and bills, and easily fits my phone. Now I can just drop my phone in and off I go with all my necessary items. When I need to make a phone call, I can still use the phone separately and not be weighted down by a case. I just need to get used to carrying it around – the very first day I brought it to work, I accidentally left it at my desk. Oops!

I’m sure as time wears on, I will get sick of stuffing my phone in each time I want to zip it up and go, so I’ll be on to the next solution. Needs change and along with them, so too will my choice in wallets, purses, or clutches.

Our very own cat

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog，Tags: , , , , , , ,
02 April 2014
0

It’s been quite a long time coming and it only took three tries, but we finally got a cat! We first went to the shelter on Saturday, ready to bring home a cat. Little did we realize how long furniture-shopping would take. By the time we got to the shelter, we only had an hour left before they closed adoptions for the day. The time flew by as we got to know Kaotix (who is kind of like a male version of Missy) and then Bella. Both had just arrived that very day, so they were scared and confused. After we missed the adoption window, we stayed a little longer to hang out with Smokey. She didn’t come out of her cat “condo” to the visiting room, so it was hard to tell how she’d be, but things seemed quite promising.

smokey the cat sitting on shelf in visitation room at shelter

Yesterday, Smokey climbed on the shelves, ever the curious one.

The shelter was closed Sunday and Monday and after nearly three agonizing days, I happily went back yesterday to go adopt a cat. I was pretty sure I’d go with Smokey, but then I noticed Isis, who had been in a public room the other day. I only briefly went in the room before, so now that Isis was on her own I thought I’d see how she was. After spending some time with her, I then went back to Smokey. By that time, Panda had arrived and we hung out with Smokey for awhile. I wanted Panda to also see Isis, so we went back to the room with her. As we were spending time watching her, I suddenly thought about the time – turns out it was 6:35 and they wouldn’t allow us to adopt anymore! I was so upset, but that did give us a chance to spend enough time with Isis to decide that she was too vocal for our styles.

We were allowed to “reserve” her for the next 24 hours, so we had to return today no later than 6:30 to claim her. I had Panda head over first since I wasn’t sure I could make the time, so at least he could get the paperwork started. I definitely wanted to be the one to drive her home though!

pink piece of paper indicating cat adoption pending and reserved

We left last night with a note that Smokey was pending adoption.

She came to greet me when I arrived!

She came to greet me when I arrived!

We played in the room as the adoption paperwork was being processed.

We played in the room as the adoption paperwork was being processed.

Choosing a tag for her.

Choosing a tag for her.

Wow, all kinds of free goodies for new pet owners!

Wow, all kinds of free goodies for new pet owners!

Smokey, you're going to your new home!

Smokey, you’re going to your new home!

One last look at the adoption center.

One last look at the adoption center.

During the drive, she managed to claw a massive hole.

During the drive, she managed to claw a massive hole.

Out came the head (and when the head can fit, soon the body follows).

Out came the head (and when the head can fit, soon the body follows).

She pushed her way out and started climbing around.

She pushed her way out and started climbing around.

I think she liked being able to see her surroundings.

I think she liked being able to see her surroundings.

She even took a backseat for awhile.

She even took a backseat for awhile.

When we arrived at home, she took over the dash.

When we arrived at home, she took over the dash.

As soon as the car door opened, she perked up.

As soon as the car door opened, she perked up.

I carried her in and let her explore. Of course she loved the closets.

I carried her in and let her explore. Of course she loved the closets.

She briefly sat on the bed before deciding she liked it better underneath.

She briefly sat on the bed before deciding she liked it better underneath.

The free items we took from the shelter's offerings.

The free items we took from the shelter’s offerings.

Can you spot her? She's starting to stake her claim.

Can you spot her? She’s starting to stake her claim.

I discovered that she likes to lay out with her legs straight behind her.

I discovered that she likes to lay out with her legs straight behind her.

Ah yes, more confident by the minute.

Ah yes, more confident by the minute.

By now she’s explored the whole place many times over, enjoys laying down on the hardwood, and even started purring. She is quite the curious one and doesn’t really sit still. She loves nudging us and being pet, but won’t stay long. She’ll hop on the bed, make a round, and then jump right off again. She discovered some paper on the ground that crinkles wonderfully when she steps on it. For a brief moment, she did start massaging the blanket like Missy does before she settles in to sleep. For now she’s still far too alert to sleep though! I can’t wait to spend a good portion of the weekend with her and see if she’s the type to snuggle. We’ll be getting our couches Saturday and hopefully she’ll like lying on those too.

Oh, and I’m pretty sure I want to rename her even though we had her tag made with “Smokey” on it. I’ve called her Smoka/S’mocha, Silky [Smooth], and a number of other “S” names. Panda even called her Shadow at one point. I find myself calling her little girl a lot, so maybe she doesn’t need a name. 😛

Cleaning ears

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses，Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
31 March 2014
0

How do you clean your ears? (Or do you?)

The way I understand it, the Western style is to use Q-tips. This probably happens after a shower when the interior of the ears have been nice and moist for awhile, softening any sort of earwax you might have built up. Some rubbing around catches that stuff and whisks it out. Or something like that… I can’t actually vouch for it since I don’t clean my ears that way. What I’m used to is the Eastern way, which I’m sure Eastern Asians in particular are familiar with, if not our more southern counterparts too.

tools used to clean ears including flashlight, ear scooper, tweezers, and q-tip

Tools of the trade.

Cleaning your ears becomes a bonding event since it requires the assistance of someone else. They take an ear scooper – sometimes metal, sometimes bamboo – and gently make their way down your ear canal as you lay on your side and they shine a light in your ear. Your earlobe gets pulled this way and that to help straighten out your ear canal for easier viewing. When a bit of earwax is targeted, the cleaner gently lowers the ear scooper in, using the little spoon-like curve to try to scoop out the piece. This may take a little gentle scratching around the area to loosen the earwax if you have the dry kind, or quite a few scoops to get the sticky wet kind. Either way, it’s a practice in patience, determination, and trust. Both sides have to remain relatively steady and slowly maneuver to get the earwax. I’ll even incorporate tweezers when a piece can be pinched away from the wall of the ear. It’s a delicate procedure that requires quite a bit of care. After all, you don’t want to cause any bleeding or pain in the dainty skin of the ear canal. You could very well create hearing impairment!

I quite enjoy having my ears cleaned and sometimes I ask for them to get a little bit of scratching even if there’s nothing to clear. Sometimes my ear canals just itch for a little bit of attention. It must be something born of the habit of cleaning my ears that way. It’s a part of the Chinese culture that definitely stayed with me.

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