Christmas FOTD - Sugar Plum Fairy

 I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and wishing you all a Happy New Year :)

I did this look for xmas dinner at our house. Not too different from my usual smoky eye, just added a berry-hued blush and lipstick and metallic brownbone highlight, which made me think of "Sugar Plum Fairy" ♡

(please ignore messy background and awkward hand poses lol idk what to do with myself sometimes) 

Face

• Cetaphil Oil Control Moisturizer 
• Neutrogena Shine Control Primer
• Dermablend Smooth Indulgence Concealer in Almond
• Revlon Color Stay Whipped Creme Foundation in Nude
• ELF Studio Blush in Berry Merry
• ELF Studio Blush in Gotta Glow

Eyes

• Brows: Maybelline Brow Pencil in Blonde, NYX Eyebrow Marker in Medium
• Too Faced Shadow Insurance
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Yogurt -- Highlight
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Shakedown -- Lid
• Bronze from Stila Eye For Color Palette -- Crease
• Wet N Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow in Trashed -- Outer-V
• NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Cottage Cheese -- Inner corners/below lower lash line
• Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in Black
• NYX Lashes - Review

Lips

• NYX Lipliner in Nude
• Maybelline Baby Lips in Grape Vine
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Violet Frenzy

 I am currently on the hunt for the perfect purple lipstick. I saw Revlon's Violet Frenzy at Long's and decided to pick it up since it looked bright and purple! However, as seen in the pictures, it's much more magenta/fuchsia than purple. I think I'll try Va Va Violet next :) If anyone has recommendations for good drugstore purple lipsticks, please share!

Review: Whipped Cream Silicone from Sophie & Toffee

Price: SGD 12.25 (approx $9.77 USD) 

Availability: buy here

How to use: Cut open the tip of the pack and squeeze all of the silicone into a prepared pastry bag with piping tip attached. It helps to push all the silicone to the tip of the pack BEFORE cutting it open. Then as you squeeze it into the pastry bag, tightly roll the pack from the top down to get as much as you can out of it.

I was so excited to receive this new silicone from S&T to try out! This special silicone is imported from Japan.

⭐ Single-use 60ml, no need for storing
⭐ Enough to make 1 iPhone 4/4s case
⭐ Smell isn’t too strong
⭐ Not sticky or stringy
⭐ Not hard to squeeze out
⭐ Holds the shape well
⭐ Glossy shiny finish
⭐ Dries flexible in 4 hours
⭐ Lightweight, doesn’t make your phone super heavy
⭐ Comes w/ 2 free piping bags

Sophie & Toffee also offers a variety of piping tips! To make this case, I used the 6-point star tip in the top left-hand corner of the 2nd picture. You can get this set of 8 piping tips from S&T here for approximately $2.77usd.

Thoughts: 

I personally am not a fan of GE Silicone II (although a lot of people use it), I do not like how stringy, sticky, messy, and smelly it is. Using GE as a base to compare this to, this Japanese silicone is nowhere near as sticky, it was easy to clean up just by wiping it off my fingers with paper towel. It was not hard to pipe because it wasn’t “stringy” like how GE is. It holds the shape definition of the shells nicely. It dries within 4 hours and has a squishy texture, and is shiny. It is also lightweight which is a plus because most silicone combined with cabs tends to add a noticeable amount of weight to your phone. It has a very strong bond to the cabochons, and is secure and durable, even when I tried gently pulling on the cabs, they didn’t budge.

Initially when I was piping the case, I didn’t notice a strong smell like how GE has. However I should note afterwards, I did notice it has a strong “rubbery” smell up close when it had cured (it is not a “vinegary” smell like some silicones have). So I suggest letting it sit in front of a fan or open window for a few days and the smell will dissipate :)

Overall I would definitely recommend this silicone specifically to hobbyists looking to make cases for themselves! It is convenient because 1 packet is just enough to make one case, so you don’t have to worry about having too much left over, or having to store it and it drying out. It is easy to use for beginners and experts alike.

Have you tried this silicone? What are your thoughts on it?

 I will be doing a giveaway with the case I made with this silicone, so stay tuned for details :)

 

Shop Review: Sophie & Toffee

I've written about Sophie & Toffee on my blog a couple of times, and they still remain my #1 recommended decoden supply source since I started doing deco in 2009!

I would highly recommend Sophie & Toffee to those new to deco, because you'll find practically everything you need to start here! They have a huge variety of cabochons --  characters, sweets, flowers, hearts, bows, food, and more -- as well as rhinestones and pearls, miniatures, charms, chains, deco toppings, fabric ribbons, beads, polymer clay canes, resin supplies, clay, clay molds, hobby kits, jewelry findings, and crafting tools.

Their site is neatly organized into categories to find exactly what you're looking for. It's easy to navigate and user-friendly. You can sign up and create an account for free, and you can have a wishlist to keep track of all the items you want to buy. I love that now they offer wholesale price options if you want to buy in bulk. You can buy 1 piece at a time, or get better pricing for buying 5, 10, 20 etc.

I have NEVER had a negative experience with Sophie & Toffee. They ship promptly and you can track your order. It usually takes around 2 weeks to get to me (they are based in Singapore). Their customer service is also impeccable! They are very quick to respond to emails and help you resolve any issues with your orders -- I received a broken piece once, and it was replaced free of charge in my next order.

They also have lots of specials and sales! Visit them on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram to keep up to date with their discounts and more.

I recently received some products from them for review:

Tiny black bows and blue stars. Candy sprinkles and pink sweets.

Yummy Korilakkuma desserts! Hello Kitty ice cream, Donuts & cakes. My favorite roses.

 

I love their cabochons because they are very well made and high quality, and they also have many unique pieces that you can't find elsewhere! They just came out with these new Korilakkuma sweets pieces and I just HAD to get them. I have not seen them available anywhere else yet so get them from Sophie & Toffee while you can!

Here is a case that I made with some of their Korilakkuma sweets pieces:

Here is a case that I made with their sprinkles:

I'm proud to say I use Sophie & Toffee products on just about all of my decoden cases in my shop, Kawaii x Couture! I would highly recommend Sophie & Toffee to anyone interested in deco :)

Want 10% OFF from Sophie & Toffee?

CLICK HERE to get a coupon for 10% off your next order with Sophie & Toffee!
Expires August 31, 2013.

FTC Disclaimer: The products mentioned in this post were provided to me for review by S&T.
This is my 100% honest opinion and experience with their business and products.

The Skinny on Naked Juice

Have you heard of Naked Juice? Do you drink it?

I've been drinking a bottle of Naked Juice here and there (Green Machine and Berry Blast) since it's so expensive here (anywhere from $4-8 for a bottle), but only just yesterday found out about the huge controversy surrounding it... I brought home a bottle of Green Machine to my parents' house, and asked them if they wanted to try. Of course, I was met with "Ew, it looks weird." So I happily went on to drink the rest of the bottle myself. Fast forward to a few hours later, I get a text from my Dad saying "I think you better not drink that anymore..." and he proceeds to show me a post from his friend on Facebook, outing Naked Juice for false advertising.

I was horrified to read the claims against Naked Juice. I didn't know these lawsuits went back to 2011. I was skeptical at first but did my own digging on Google and here is what I found out:

• Naked Juice uses false advertising to fraudulently promise that its beverage products are "100% juice," "all natural," and "non-GMO"
• Naked Juice intentionally uses misleading language to give consumers "the false impression that the beverages vitamin content is due to the nutritious fruits and juices, rather than the added synthetic compounds such as calcium pantothenate (synthetically produced from formaldehyde)" and "Fibersol-2 (a proprietary synthetic digestion-resistant fiber produced by Archer Daniels Midland and developed by a Japanese chemical company), fructooligosaccharides (a synthetic fiber and sweetener) and inulin (an artificial and invisible fiber added to foods to ... increase fiber content without the typical fiber mouth-feel)."
• The suit alleges that 11 synthetically derived substances - including niacinamide, d-alpha tocopherol acetate, cyanocobalamin, and pyridoxine hydrochloride - are contained in Naked Juice drinks which it says belie the label's claims that the beverage contains only the "freshest, purest stuff in the world."
• "Even if the synthetic ingredients are safe--or even beneficial--they are still not what consumers consented to ingesting, and they are still not what (Naked Juice) warranted they were providing," the lawsuit says.

Sources:
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/health/food-and-nutrition/naked-juice-not-naked-advertised#
http://monrovia.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/monrovia-s-naked-juice-sued-again-for-false-advertising
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/26/pepsi-co-naked-juice-not-natural/2589717/

The latest news says "PepsiCo Inc. will no longer label its Naked juices as being "all natural," after a lawsuit complained that the drinks contain ingredients that don't fit that bill... The case highlights the confusion around the use of the word "natural" in in the industry. The Food and Drug Administration doesn't currently have a definition for what constitutes a natural product... Notably, the FDA says it's difficult to define a food product that is natural, since it has likely been processed and is no longer a "product of the earth."

Needless to say, I won't be drinking any more Naked Juice. This is terribly disturbing to me because I've been trying to eat healthier. Things labeled "all natural" instantly catch my eye. It's disgusting to know how marketing and advertising can be used in such deceptive ways... how are we as consumers who are trying to be healthier; know what is REALLY "good for you" and what is just false advertising???

Kawaii x Couture Instagram Giveaway!

Hi everyone! So I know I promised this giveaway ages ago lol, sorry! But here it is! Open to international entries too!

✨ KxC GIVEAWAY✨
There will be TWO winners! One for prize pack #1 and one for prize pack #2. You will get a pair of KxC exclusive drippy heart earrings, rilakkuma mini notepad, crown ring, and kawaii chocolate mirror

✨ TO ENTER ✨
1. Follow @kawaiixcouture
2. Screenshot & repost this pic
3. Tag @kawaiixcouture AND #kxcgiveaway
4. Say which prize pack you want to win, #1 OR #2. You can only choose one!
5. Optional: For one extra entry, follow my personal account, @ectini

✨ RULES ✨
- Must do everything above to qualify, I will check!
- Only 1 repost per person
- Profile must be public or else I can’t see your entry!
- No giveaway accounts!

✨ DEADLINE TO ENTER ✨
8/1/13

I will tally up all the entries and pick the winners via random number generator. I will then tag the winners in a post and they will need to contact me within 48 hours to claim their prize, or a new winner(s) will be chosen!

 

Thank you everyone for your support! Stay tuned for more giveaways!
www.KawaiixCoutureDecoden.com

Does spicy food increase your metabolism?

Have you ever heard of this claim? I honestly haven't heard of it until recently. I also recently started craving spicy food for the past couple of months (no, not pregnant :P). So now I have a newfound love for spicy food flavors, especially kimchi! Yum. Nong Shim Kimchi flavor saimin is my weakness right now:

So I was wondering, does this claim have any evidence behind it? If so, I would gladly eat spicy food ALL THE TIME... :P But here is what I found out:

• Over the years, various studies have examined the claim and suggested that certain spices can in fact increase metabolic rate by raising body temperature, though to what extent and for how long is unclear. 
• Capsaicin is the primary molecule responsible for the hot, burning sensation you get when you come into contact with spicy chilies. It is a member of a family of compounds called capsaicinoids, which have many beneficial effects including analgesia (pain relief), antioxidant potential and thermogenesis (calorie burning).
• Studies have shown that on average a meal containing a spicy dish can temporarily increase metabolism by about 8 percent over a person’s normal rate, an amount considered fairly negligible. 
• But besides a slight uptick in metabolism, spicy foods may also increase feelings of satiety. The researchers suggested that capsaicin may work as an appetite suppressant.
• In sum, while humans may get a modest boost in calorie burning immediately after a spicy meal, the effect is unlikely to be meaningful for long-term weight loss.

Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/28/health/nutrition/28real.html
http://blog.zocdoc.com/can-spicy-foods-boost-your-metabolism-fact-vs-myth/

So overall, spicy foods MAY have some effect on metabolism, but not a significant amount. It MAY help you eat less because it makes you feel fuller faster. Either way, I'll continue eating spicy food just 'cause I love it! Even a fairly negligible boost in metabolism is still something too ;P

I've made it through 1 week of Figurerobics!

For anyone following my fitness/health-improvement journey, I started doing Figurerobics one week ago. What is Figurerobics you ask? It is a workout routine developed by 46 year old Korean mom of 2, Jung Da Yeon. And she looks pretty much half her age. This is a huge motivation for me, as I would like to age gracefully! *cries* Figurerobics is geared towards Asian bodies, for slimming and toning, rather than muscle/curve-building.  This is perfect for me because I'm not looking to build muscle, get abs, etc. I just want to be trim, with a flat stomach and toned arms/legs.

I have been doing this workout for the past week:

And today I have also added in this workout:

What I like about Figurerobics is that it's simple! You don't need to go to the gym to do it. I do it right in my house. You don't need any special equipment either. I didn't have dumbbells for the 2nd routine so I just used food cans. It's easy to follow along with their movements. AND you will sweat and feel the burn!! I am in the "extremely out of shape" category so I would classify this workout as "brutal" in my book :P Well, it started out that way, at least. At the end of this week I definitely have less of a struggle getting through the entire routine. Today I was able to do the above TWO 30 minute workouts! That is an accomplishment for me lol XD

I've also been trying hard to eat healthier. I cut out rice from my diet (or only minimal portions once in a great while), drink more water, and don't snack throughout the day like I used to. I don't have a scale, so I'm not actually sure if I'm losing weight. But today I found out I could finally fit a pair of pants that I couldn't button a month ago! So I'm looking to keep up this 1-or-2-a-day workout routine and hope I can shed some pounds in the next few months :)

OOTD: Summer Fun

Took an impromptu roadtrip to the other side of the island (Kona) yesterday. Thought I should wear something a little summery since it's exceptionally hot & humid right now! Ironically it actually did end up raining on the way :P

I put the yellow lace-back top in the dyer too long on accident and it ended up shrinking into somewhat of a crop top. Initially I was mortified because I don't wear crop tops (don't feel like it's very flattering on my figure), but I guess it looks okay with this outfit! This was also day 4 of Figurerobics, and my legs are killing me! Hoping to really trim my thighs and arms. The white scalloped lace shorts are a size 5, which I hate to admit :'( I'm aiming to get back into 3's, or hopefully 1's!

Top: American Rag

Shorts: Bongo, from Sears
Shoes: "Forever" brand, from Jeans Warehouse

Review: Platform Ankle Boots from Syndrome

Jeffrey Campbell Lita's seem to be all the rage now but I personally can't justify shelling out hundreds of dollars for shoes (other than Tory Burch, my one shoe-related weakness :P). So I was on the hunt for some cute lookalikes at a good price. I came across the store Syndrome while browsing on Storenvy. They specialize in cute Asian fashion and accessories!

I ordered a pair of Spiked Ankle Boots in black faux leather (available here) and a pair of white Floral Lace Platform Ankle Boots (available here).

Black Faux Leather Spiked Ankle Boots
Size 6

White Floral Lace Platform Ankle Boots
Size 5.5

Product Pictures

(click to enlarge)

Price: 5/5

The black boots were $40 and the white boots were $45. Shipping was $10 so my total was $95. Consider this is 2 PAIRS for still LESS than the price of ONE pair of Jeffrey Campbell Litas, which go from $160-200+ I was also looking at other shops offering similar lookalikes, and Syndrome's were easily the best price.

Quality: 5/5

I absolutely adore these ankle boots because they really do look just like the product pictures! They came in two separate shipments and the boxes were pretty beat up, but the shoes were perfectly fine. They look and feel well-made, there was nothing falling off or coming apart, no loose threads, etc. They don't feel or look cheapy at all. Shipping took about 2 weeks to get here.

I honestly haven't worn them anywhere yet because 1) there's nowhere in Hilo to wear them and 2) they are just beautiful and for now I'll just admire them on my shoe rack lol. So I can't speak for their durability or long-wear comfort at the moment :P I did break them in a bit and walked around my house in them, and they were comfortable for me! I really don't do well with really high heels so I was a bit intimidated by these (Heel: 4.5 in, Platform: 1.8 in) but they were actually not hard to walk around in!

I was hesitant to get the black ones because the smallest size available was 6, and I usually fit a 5 or 5.5. But the 6 actually fit okay and I think it would be good with some shoe inserts. The white ones were 5.5 and fit fine!

Customer Service: 5/5

I had messaged Syndrome before I bought the boots because I was concerned about the size and wanted to know if they fit true to size or ran small. I got a very speedy reply from them and was told that a size 6 should fit okay if you are between 5-5.5 (which it did). I also emailed them again because I had lost the tracking info for one of the shipments and wanted to check the status of the package. Again I got a very speedy reply with the tracking info! Syndrome's customer service is very friendly, professional, and fast.

Overall: 5/5

I would definitely order from Syndrome again. They have a wide selection of adorable asian fashion products like tights, dresses, heels, bags, even wigs. From my experience, their products are of good quality, shipping was quick and their business is very reputable. Two thumbs up!

I want to look like Jung Da Yeon when I'm 46 with 2 kids, please!!!

 

Trying Figurerobics after reading this article! Just did this 30min session and I am pooped. I’ve been trying (obviously not very hard) to get into shape but unfortunately, I hate anything that has to do with exercise -_- but this workout is simple, you just follow along and you don’t need any special equipment to do it! Aiming to do a session of Figurerobics once a day and see how it goes.

I don’t consider myself “overweight" but in the past few years I have definitely put on some pounds. I don’t fit a lot of my clothes (mostly shorts and pants) anymore and I would like to change that because… I’m not willing to get rid of my cute shorts and pants lol. I would like to lose at least 5 pounds through exercise and eating healthy, and see where I can go from there. Will update on my progress as I go along!

What do you think of Figurerobics?
Know of some simple & easy workouts to share?

So I have a Mexican Walking Fish and he is pretty cool

I have this (possibly weird?) obsession with cute squishy aquatic creatures like squid, octopi, cuttlefish, and especially jellyfish... And one more interesting animal I've been super fascinated by is the axolotl. If you've never heard of an axolotl (pronounced ACK-suh-LAH-tuhl) before, read on!

It is pretty much a real-life Pokemon XD I only just recently found that they are actually NOT illegal in Hawaii! Our friend that owns a pet store here brought some in for me, so now I have one!

This is "Kiwi" when we first got him:

He is a Green Florescent Pigmented Axolotl and glows under black light.

I'm not sure how old he is but I've had him for 8 weeks now. He is surprisingly uncomplicated to care for, and is very entertaining to watch. I post videos & pics of him swimming n stuff on my Instagram.

Here's some facts about axolotls:

• It is a species of salamander (not to be confused with the waterdog aka tiger salamander)
• It remains in a larval stage throughout its adult life
• Lives permanently in water, up to 15 years
• It is carnivorous. Eats worms, shrimp/fish-based pellets, etc.
• They exist in the wild in only one place, the lake complex of Xochimilco near Mexico City
• Wild types are typically black or mottled brown. Other colors exist such as albino and white varieties, particularly among captive specimens. Wild populations are in decline due to habitat loss and pollution. Wild axolotls are considered a critically endangered species :(
• Can be quite large, reaching up to a foot in length, although the average size is closer to half that.
• Rather than forming scar tissue when wounded, tissues at the wound site convert to a stem cell-like state, meaning that they are able to re-grow missing tissue in its entirety, even a whole limb (HOW COOL IS THAT?!)

Sources:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/axolotl/

http://www.arkive.org/axolotl/ambystoma-mexicanum/#speciesFactFile

Kiwi more recently:

He is now about 3.5in long. In the first picture you could see he was missing most of his toes. They have since grown back :) The frilly things coming from his head are gills.

Axolotls have poor eyesight, so he relies on smell to find his food (I feed him sinking shrimp fish food pellets). Axolotls are messy eaters and make a lot of waste, so the tank collects particles. I siphon out the junk and do a water change once a week. Axolotls need to be kept in cool, de-chlorinated water, the optimum range is 60-64 °F. Apparently if they get heat-sick, it's a good idea to put them in the fridge (I've never had to do this so far). All in all, a very cool creature and I am glad to have him! Expect to see more of this little guy on my blog :)

Have you heard of axolotls before? What do you think?
Cute, cool, creepy?