Sasa Experience and Haul #1

I've always been eyeing the products from Sasa but I can never justify paying for shipping. Maybe I'm just frugal, but I just don't want to fork out money that I can be spending on something else.. like food! Muahaha...

So this is my first purchase from Sasa. For those that don't know what Sasa is, it's basically an Asian beauty store (much like Sephora), located all over Asia. They're very popular in Asia and ships internationally. It's very easy to order from their website and is in English. They have SO many products to offer, I don't even know where to begin.. I wish it were a tad more organized, but that's fine :)

Since this was my first time purchasing products from Asia online, I didn't know what to expect. I looked all over and couldn't find what people's experience were step-by-step. So here's my experience in short, from beginning to ending: I hope it's useful to you Sasa-Virgins!

06/10 @4:01PM- After choosing and paying for my items through Paypal, I immediately got an invoice confirmation through email.

06/11 @1:11AM- I received an email saying that my order "is currently being processed or packing for shipment".

06/13 @5:04AM- I received another email: "DISPATCH NOTIFICATION (Order deliver outside Hong Kong)". Along with the email, they gave a tracking number and the website to track your order from. I tried tracking my order but I couldn't track it! This was where I started to get worried because I didn't know where my package was! I contacted Sasa through their website, and just got an automated response. 

06/14 @9:12PM- After waiting for an email response, I then decided to contact them through the email they said to contact if you had any questions (it was provided in the Dispatch Notification email). I figured what would be the difference if I emailed them through the website or the email? WRONG! I was wronggg!!!

06/15 @2:31AM- I received an email response (FINALLY!!) from when I emailed them via email. I asked why I wasn't able to track my package, and they basically said that since the package was being shipped internationally, it would take longer for the system to process. So at this time, I was happy they clarified this, I only wish they would have stated that to begin with.

06/18- I was finally able to track my package, by this time, it had already been shipped and UPSP had already received notification of it. By this time, I was able to track it through the UPSP website.
06/25- I received my package today and yes, I had to sign for it since it is a registered mail.


It came in a white box with a lot of those white foams. Each item was individually bubbled wrapped and so everything was secure. Nothing came broken. Since my items were shipped internationally, they said that I would received my package in 14-21 days, and this is with regular and not expedited shipping. My items came within 15 days in perfect condition. :)

Pros:

- They accept PAYPAL!!

- Affordable prices

- Thousands and thousands of Asian beauty products at an affordable price. If I were to buy the same products here in So Cal, I would have to pay double the price.

- They also carry high-end products

- Great customer service. I was impressed that they were able to answer my questions in a timely matter ESPECIALLY in perfect grammatically correct English! None of that Chinglish crap. Another plus is to consider is that they're on a totally different time zone than I am, so to receive a response quickly is impressive!
- Nothing was expired, in fact, all the products won't expire until the year 2014.

Cons:

- Since Sasa is located in Asia, shipping does take a while. But that's expected, right?

Based on this first experience, I would totally repurchase from them! Okay so that was my experience~ Now onto my purchases!! I have wayyy too much makeup and  so I decided to just try out skincare products :) 

Click on the name for the direct link!

Kuan Yuan Lian: Aloe Cooling Moizturizer- $5.80

Kuan Yuan Lian Aloe Cooling Moisturizer is an intensive hydrating product formulated with natural aloe extract, squalane and chamomile, so as to achieve a tri-action of hydrating, nourishing and softening skin. The moisturizer can soften the corneous tissue on epidermis bring nutrients across all skin layers and allow quick penetration and absorption. Its light formula 


ensures smooth application without feeling greasy and sticky.

Kuan Yuan Lian: Aloe Moisturizing Cream- $9.50

Kuan Yuan Lian Aloe Moisturizing Cream is enriched with hydrating and nourishing ingredients such as glycerol, aloe extract, witch hazel, squalane, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. Daily application helps bring out the natural radiance of complexion and maintain your skin moistened, soft and supple.

JUJU Cosmetics: AQUAMOIST Hyaluronic Acid Washing Foam- $6.30

'Hyaluronic acid' can constantly rehydrate and moisturize skin even in any condition of humidity.AQUAMOIST has the best deliver system to fulfill your dehydrated skin with an excellent hydro-maintain ingredient of hyaluronic acid.Hyaluronic acid and AQUAMOIST refines the dried,as well as matured skin with building up one's own barrier structure.

Acid Washing Foam is rich and creamy lather with moisturizing benefit of Hyaluronic Acid that leaves your skin dewy and silky without stripping skin's own moisture. The delicate lather gives your smooth and fresh finish while surely washing off the impurities in pores and gently removes excess oil.

Kose: SOFTYMO Medicated White Cleansing Wash- $6.00

Medicated White Cleansing Wash could remove corneum which contains melanin and makeup residue. It helps to make your skin to become transparent and soft. 

And for my mommy because she has disgustingly dry cracked feet......

SAM TIM: Cracked Heal Cream- $3.00

Sam Tin Cracked Heel Cream contains the whitening ingredient of tranexamic acid, the repairing ingredient of shea butter and the softening ingredient of urea to supplement physiologic lipids and nutrients by taking into account the features of the foot skin. It instantly strengthens hydration and forms a protective layer, preventing chapped feet and chapped heels. 

Reviews to come after I try them all out thoroughly :)

Review: e.l.f. Zip Zapper

What: "This special clear formula helps to fight and prevent acne, reduce redness and swelling, minimize pore size and clear skin. Zap zits away with the unique blend of Salicylic Acid, Tea Tree Oil, Witch Hazel and Camphor."

ACTIVE INGREDIENT: Salicylic Acid 1%

OTHER INGREDIENTS: Water, Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) Distillate, Alcohol, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphor) Bark Oil

... Natural ingredients! :)

Where: I purchased mine at my local Target, but you can also purchase this online.

Price: An unbelievable price of only $1.

Application: I just roll it onto areas that have pimples after I cleanse my face (morning & night). It only takes a few seconds to dry; afterwards, I just go on with my routine.

Pros:

- The application process only takes a few seconds as all you have to do so roll it on. So it's great if you're always in a rush or do not want to hassle with an hour skincare routine.

- Works fast! My pimples were noticeably reduced in swelling and redness after the first use. It takes 2-4 days for my pimples to go away now! Without products, it would take over a week!

- Since it's so inexpensive, you won't be losing much if it doesn't work out for you.

- Packaging is as thick as a fat highlighter, so it takes little room to carry around.

Cons:

- The first time I used it, it stung my skin for a few seconds, but it didn't sting my little brother when he first used it. So I guess it depends on your skin. (It doesn't sting now)

- It does have a smell to it but I don't personally mind it at all.

- As you can see on the left picture, I noticed that there was these brown stuff below the rims of the applicator. I have NO idea what it is.. it was there when I opened the package. But I washed it so it's clean now... I took the risk and used it anyway, and.. well.. no bad side-effects here! Hehe.
- Since this contains some alchohol, it tends to be a bit drying or makes your face tighter. So moisturize afterwards (even though you should already be doing that).

*I noticed that it ONLY works on pimples and does nothing for blemishes.. Boo! But it's fine since it doesn't claim to do anything for blemishes ;o I like this product so much that I bought some backups of it just in case Target decides to not carry it anymore ;)

Urban Decay Primer Potion vs. e.l.f Mineral Eyeshadow Primer

The cult favorite Urban Decay Primer Potion versus the cheap elf Mineral Eyeshadow Primer. Who will be the victor? 

The differences between the two:

- Price. UDPP is $18 while the elf primer is $3. Now, I don't know about you guys, but that is a HUGE price difference. 

- Packaging. UDPP is bulkier while elf is a slim lipgloss. I forgot to take a picture of the wands, but elf's is like a regular lipgloss wand, and UDPP is a slanted wand. A lot of people complain about UDPP's packaging because you would have to cut it open to use up all the product in this vial shaped package (but of course that's why UD came up with a squeeze tube which costs a tad bit more).

- UDPP is thicker and more yellow while elf is runny and light in color, but they both come out sheer once blended. Although I do find that elf blended more easily than UDPP.

- UDPP is more accessible than elf, since you can buy it at Sephora, Ulta, Macys, or their website. The only place (that I know of) where you can buy elf products is at Target or their website (eyeslipsface.com). FYI, I ordered mine online.

*I threw away the package for e.l.f so I have no idea how much the e.l.f product contains :P Woops.

 I applied the same amount on both eyes, and you can clearly see the difference in texture and color by the picture above. *I applied my foundation (Revlon ColorStay) and setting powder (Coty Airspun) over my eyes before I used the primers*

*Remember, you can always click to enlarge to enlarge the pictures*

 Once blended, you wouldn't be able to tell which was which if it weren't for the labels.

I finished my eye makeup at exactly 1:00PM; using the same products and the same amount.

 

 Here's the makeup at exactly 7:00PM; exactly 6 hours later. I went to school in 75F degree weather, sat in an air conditioned room for hours and about an hour out doors. I did NO touch ups. You can see that there is NO creasing and the colors did not fade at all.

My verdict: They are both winners, but since elf is cheaper by $15, elf is more of a winner in my eyes, haha! I really regret buying UDPP since this cheaper product works exactly the same as a *high end* product. I feel jipped! I could have used that $15 on food or clothes or more makeup! I'm especially impressed by e.l.f's primer because my eyelids and overall face gets very oily throughout the day, and for it to withstand is all is amazing.

And here's my... EOTD (Eye of the Day), hehe :) Something neutral for school and going out to dinner with my girls.

Review: Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder

Front

Back

I don't have the money to spend on high-end products as other girls do, so I'm always on the look out for a good quality setting powder for my make-up since my face is like an oil spill in just hours, even if I retouch. I looked high and low, and found a bunch of great reviews on this product, so I decided to give it a try :) If I don't like it, I can always return it, right?

Price: The cost ranges from $5~7 dollars.. depending on where you purchase it. I got mine for $6.xx.

What: This loose powder has been around since 1935-- that's almost a century! If they have been around this long, they must be doing something right. This loose powder claims to "hide tiny lines, wrinkles, and blemishes and gives a new softness to your skin". There are two kinds of packaging~ I have the new one. I have no idea what the old one looked like.

Where: You can find it at just about every drugstores, Amazon, or at major retailers like Target and Walmart. I purchased mine at Walmart.

Blended into the skin with the puff that came with the product.

Pros:
- Absorbs my oil and mattifies my face. I have super oily skin so I do have to reapply once or twice more during the day.
- I have a lot of acne scars and blemishes, and this powder just smooths everything out.
- Doesn't leave a *white cast* as you can see from the picture after I blended it into my skin.
- Affordable!
- Has a puff that you can use on the go.
- The container is sturdy and plastic.

- They have a wide range of colors to match your skin~ You can buy translucent just to be safe as I did :)


Cons:
- It does have a kind of fragrance that reminds me of old-school makeup that my grandma uses. It might be bothersome to others, but it's nostalgic to me. To give an idea, it reminds me of baby powder.
- Might get messy since it's in a sifter packaging--but what loose powder isn't messy?
- The packaging is a bit bulky, so it might take up a lot of room when on-the-go.
- I'd have to reapply after a couple hours

Hair Dye: Revlon Colorsilk in Dark Soft Brown

Click to Purchase

I'm the type of person that likes change. I annoy myself to the point where I piss myself off if I stay the same for too long. I have this need to always be different; to stand out from the crowd. I'm always changing. I would dye my hair a different color--the craziest color I've ever done was pink, and girllll, I loved it! I would change my fashion style, hairstyle, my nail polish color changes every week, and how drastic I would do my make-up. It wasn't long ago that I decided to chop off 14inches of my hair into an A-line Bob. *I donated the hair to Locks of Love btw, it's a good cause :)* Now I'm growing out my hair to chop it off all over again, haha! 

Well anyway, it's been a been two months since I last dyed my hair, so I decided to go *normal*. My go-to hairdye brand has always (9 years) been Revlon Colorsilk (if I do it at home and not at a salon). 

Pros:

- Affordable~ it costs $3~4. Which is great for me since I dye my hair so much.

- Easily accessible- found in all drugstores, Walmart, Target, Amazon

- Large range of colors

- Has a collection made specifically for darker hair (purple box)

- Works great!

Con:

- Smells... but what hair dye doesn't?

Anyway.. no more chatter. Here's the before:

Before- My hair was bright orange-red

and....... AFTERRR! dundundundunnnnnn!

After! It's a dark rich brown.
The hint of red is expected since my hair was so bright before ;)

One box of hair dye is enough for my "thin" shoulder length hair. I quoted "thin" because my hairstylist thinned out my hair :P Mmm.. the color looks.. normal right? Haha~ well, I'm not used to it. I think darker hair makes people look more pale ;o. Full profile picture coming soon... when I have makeup on, eheh ;)

My Roots- Before

My Roots- After

DIY: Braided Bracelet

I take no credit for the image* I just wanted to share this DIY since it's so unique :)

Soy Fashion: Nana Couple Ring

Experience with SoyFashion.com : It was my first time ordering from this website and I was a bit skeptical at first, but after asking a fellow soompier about her experience, she said not to worry! I fell in love with the Nana ring and I just had to get it--so I jumped the gun. I made my purchase! I submitted my order on February 6th at 7:56PM and received a confirmation about a minute later. At 8:15PM on the same day, I received a email saying that my order has been shipped ( O_O Whatt?!?! Shipped already?! It hasn't even been a day yet and what surprised me even more, was that it was on a Sunday night). I was so pleasantly surprised! Haha. Anyway.. It was shipped within less than 30 minutes. I received my package on February 8th--meaning I got my order in two days! And everything was intact :)

Price: $15 for the ring + $1.39 shipping - 10% off entire order = $14.89.

Side note*: The placed it was shipped in was situated in California, which is where I live. So maybe that's why my order came so quickly :) For those of you that don't know what or who Nana is.. she's an anime character from the anime Nana. I haven't personally watched it but it's on my to-do list :D

The ring came as pictures on the website which is already a fabulous thing! I really have nothing to complain about. The box that the ring came in is sturdy too--not just some cheapo cardboard box.

This website had just earned my trust--they also accept paypal! :) OH one more thing! Use this coupon code to get 10% off your entire order: SF10RMN2010

Here's the link if you wanna purchase the ring! https://www.soyfashion.com/products-page/jewelry/nana-lock-key-lovers-ring/

SEPHORA COLLECTION Color Slim Palette - Eyes

Purchased for $6 (Originally $10)--Can be found online or instores. The pictures really do no justice for the colors :( But that's what you get with a regular digi-cam.

Pros:

- This palette is SUPER DUPER SLIM, making it perfect for on the go. For reference, it's just about the same size as regular business card and slim just like an iPhone.

- The price! HELLO! 6 bucks is like drugstore price!

- Great pigmentation; I played with all the colors and every shadow has great payoff. For some reason, the color shows best on the eyes, but not when swatched on my arm ;o

- Very versatile! You can go for an all natural look with the soft browns in the morning, and at night, put some of the black on for a smokey night out :)

Cons:

- The colors don't have names :( I personally want to repurchase number 2 :(

- The mirror is wack! It warps my face! It's like those cheapo mirrors you get with any little girl's makeup play set.

- The black and green eyeshadow has like CHUNKS of glitter-- I'm scared it might get into my eyes.. especially since I wear contact lenses

Here's the link if you want to purchase the palette: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P272314&categoryId=S6300&shouldPaginate=true

Valentine's Day Sweets

Okay so Valentine's day is coming quickly and I don't know about you but, I love making goodies-- either for my family, friends, or boyfriend :) Nothing makes people smile more than receiving something yummy to munch on! I take no credit for these pictures, I'm just posting them.. hopefully to inspire and give you all some ideas on what to make for your loved ones :D