Car Shopping!

I HATE CAR SHOPPING. It was literally the worst and most stressful thing I ever had to do. Particularly because I was on a time crunch and my old car had become incredibly unreliable and borderline dangerous. A lot of you guys have been asking me for tips since you're in the car market, so I'll show you what I was considering / my thoughts.

So I wanted a car that was:

• Japanese or Korean (Euros...are headaches.)
• Low mileage- wanted to buy slightly used, cars are one of the worst assets for depreciation
• Preferably leather but could do without
• RELIABLE. This is big
• Could take 24,000 miles a year- which is what I've been driving lately
• Was reasonably priced. I've been saving a lot towards retirement lately and pushing as much to the principal of my school loan so I didn't want something I would heavily finance

So these were the cars I considered:

Volkswagen Jetta

New body style

Pros: 

• The new ones are SO CUTE. Such a clean body that I think will age well (I don't like the last body model but I like the ones from early 2000s). 
• German (only for drivability factor...I drive so much! But I love how responsive German cars are and how they feel
• German paint also tends to age better, which is part of why they look better for longer 

Cons:

• German (unreliable) haha
• Cousins Jetta went out at 80k with perfect maintenance... WHACK. They should be embarrassed. Theyre suckers too so they always brought it to the dealer 
• Last body model had electrical problems and there were numerous reports of cars stalling on the freeway. Just turning off...on a FREEWAY. INCREDIBLY dangerous
• Cheap looking dash/steering wheel that doesn't match the body
• Base doesn't come with air conditioning. Yes. You read that right. A new car with no air, pass.

Honda Civic

(any of the past two body styles)

Pros: 

• Hondas have a reliable history 
• More stylish than comparable cars like a Corolla 
• Great gas mileage (highway is in mid 30s)
• The new ones come standard with a rearview back up camera in the dash

Cons:

• Feels SO light to me, when I brake it feels like a toy. Doesn't have great "feel" to it
• Hondas have fallen off the "Best Cars" list for awhile due to reliability issues with their newer models

Hyundai Elantra Coupe

(2012 and on)

Pros:

• Really sporty look for an entry level car
• Amazing gas mileage 38 MPG! Win
• AMAZING turn radius...try it! You'll be amazed. Crank the wheel as far is it will go and it just turns in the tightest little ball
• Drives heavier than a civic (more like a German but still very light) fairly responsive

Cons:

• The door panels look cheap on the inside, especially the window buttons. A weird thing to notice I know but stare at them and you'll see what I mean
• Has a great powertrain warranty BUT still haven't stood the test of time like Honda/Corolla so you'd be taking a leap of faith
• Don't like the space ship looking dash

2008 TSX

This is the only year I considered since it would be the 'newest'

I'm not very fond of the 2009+ tail lights...weird I know

Pros:

• Reliable entry-level luxury car
• Has the same background as Honda, cheap oil changes, tranny flushes etc.
• Leather, comes stock with HIDs

Cons:

• Would be hard to find without a lot of miles
• Would also be hard to find the color I wanted (black or white)
• Braking power/ brakes SUCK. Absolutely suck
• Doesn't have a whole lot of power to the engine
• (Something I've learned while owning it) the gas mileage is pretty bad for a Japanese car, I'm filling up just as often as I did with a much older German. So sad -_-'

So I ended up getting the TSX...even though it wasn't the color I wanted. I found one with JUST over 40k which is a little high but not so high that it would be something I had to worry about.

Here are my tips for car shopping:

1. Go with a guy. I hate to be sexist, but they will always try to run you around for an idiot if you go by yourself. Also I'm really uncomfortable with bartering, and apparently they thought I was a dumb*** because they all tried to sell it to me for sticker price (you must be joking) but I didn't have the balls to speak up so that's also my fault. 
2. Know what the car is really worth so you have some leverage
3. Put as MUCH down as you possibly can...I had to put a lot aside for tax season so I only put down 5k but if you're a first time car buyer (as I was) with no co-sign your finance rate will be horrible- even with good credit. Talk to a local credit union to see what kind of rate they would finance you for so you have some leverage

and last but not least...
BUY YOUR CAR IN 626. This doesn't help you if you live far away (unless you have some large Asian population nearby) but 626 is the area code and psuedonym for a predominantly Asian populated area of Los Angeles. It includes cities like: Alhambra, West Covina, Pasadena, Monterey Park etc. 

You will literally save thousands if you buy your car here. They will beat any offer you can get anywhere else. 1) because they care more about volume than profit 2) they deal with Asian people all the time and they won't sell a car if they won't move on prices LOL. Even if you have to drive 2 hours or so I think its worth it for how much you'll save.  Literally no one else will even come close to the deal you can get here. 

Hello from my new car :D Did you guys buy a car recently...what did you get? Dying to know :)! Haha

Why I Hate Fad Diets

Do Detox Diets Work? You Tell Me.

I hate fad diets. Hate them all. Which one? In my opinion, whether you're juicing, doing the "master cleanse", or the cabbage soup diet its all the same.

Here's what usually makes up a fad diet:

• Lasts 2-7 days
• Usually made up of a few hundred calories
• Usually lets you have some fruit or veggies

And this is why I hate them.

1) There is NO detox here: I can imagine there is a spiritual aspect to things like juicing etc- I can admit that. When the whole world was gasping at Adriana Lima's pre-Victoria's Secret show diet I agreed it was extreme but I  understood. Modeling, her body, thats her job. If she looked like everyone else wouldn't we all be Victoria's Secret models?

But I hate when people call these things "cleanses" saying its "detoxifying" their body. According to WebMD and MayoClinic, researchers at Harvard Institute and registered dietitians  they don't work. And you will never find a professional (outside of a extremist group of eaters) that say they do. So I just  wish people would call a spade a spade- its not detoxifyng anything. Stop kidding yourself. You want to detox? Don't go to happy hour every other day after work. Boom. Problem solved.

Your body doesn't need to detox. That's what your kidney and livers are for- and they do a great job at what they do.  Fad diets havent proven to remove toxins from your body.

probably didn't get like this by juicing :P

2) People are kidding themselves. The truth is, the majority of my friends who try fad diets aren't in great shape. Why? Because they do things like fad diets all the time. They haven't accepted the fact that eating well is something you have to implement every single day (or at least 80% of the time).

That being said I always try to stress that it is perfectly OKAY to have "cheat" meals. But you can't eat badly 7 days of the week, every single week, crash diet a weekend before your Vegas trip and expect to look amazing. You know what really happens when you do that? You lose a few pounds (on a scale), still feel bloated, look the same and and then blow up with sodium and water weight the second you have a normal meal. And now you're especially cranky because you were trying to kill your calorie intake. Its a viscous cycle.

Now I agree- juicing is a great way to get vitamins in. But your body can only handle so many vitamins in a day- the rest leaves your body via urine. So if people were to add it as a supplement to their meals? Nothing wrong with that. But I don't like how its become the new "quick fix" that I'm sure will just be replaced by something else in the near future.

You want to look great all the time, then be mindful of what you eat most of the time. I love food- there's no denying it. The fatty stuff, tacos, noodles etc. So its not like I don't like food. But this is I how I think of it- I only go out to eat 3-4 times a week on the weekends. If the food isn't great (and if I made it it won't be LOL) then I'd rather just eat clean. Whats the point of being bloated and tired for some mediocre mac and cheese?

So that's just my two cents. I can understand the spiritual aspect of it for some people- feeling connected to your body and owning it is a wonderful thing. But no more of this "detox" nonsense please. Let's just call a spade a spade, and that is all :)

PS. I'll be uploading a video today about my favorite pasta substitutes for my fellow carb lovers :D Stay tuned!

Bye guys!

All about HOT YOGA :)

So a lot of you have asked me a ton of questions about hot yoga...I'm such a big fan so I wanted to answer all of your questions both on my blog and in this video:


So the main questions.

Is Bikram the same thing as hot yoga?
Bikram is a type of hot yoga- it's a series of 26 postures, no music, 105 degree heat and high humidity over 90 minutes. The classes are the same everywhere and there are rules to be aware of: scheduled water breaks, leaving early is discouraged (even if you're feeling sick) some people may describe Bikram as being militant- but I think it ultimately comes down to preference. Many people ONLY do Bikram and do it their entire life!

PROS of Hot Yoga:

• Your skin will look amaaaazzzing
• Lean, long muscle. But you can get this from regular yoga and pilates
• I (personally) think hot yoga is good for type A personalities that may have a harder time concentrating in vinyasa type of classes
• Therapeutic...and all that good stuff

CONS of Hot Yoga:

• Its expensive, expect to pay $100/month but more in the $130-150 range in a larger city
• You may have scheduling conflicts 

Can Bikram/ Hot yoga help me lose weight?

I have heard stories of people losing 30, 40 or even 50+ pounds with hot yoga. However in my experience, most people I know will never get shredded/super lean off of just yoga. The people I know who have had amazing bodies off of just yoga were people who were already naturally fairly slender and just needed to tone up or lose a few vanity pounds. However I do think yoga makes you more mindful of what you eat- which will of course help you shed weight. However the caloric burn cant compare to a brutal gym session/running. Ive heard people say hot yoga can burn 800+ calories a class...I really think 300-400 is much more accurate. The elevated heat makes your heart pump + burn more calories but 800 is definitely an exaggeration. 

What to wear to a hot yoga class: 

Girls: For bottoms I'd recommend shorts or crops, on the top I like to wear a sports tank top but lots of girls wear only sports bras and thats fine too :)! (If you're brave! ahaha).

Guys: usually shirtless with board shorts or short shorts

Things to know before class:

1. Be well hydrated (drink a TON of water) and no big meals 2 hours before
2. Arrive to your first class 10-15 mins early, never go in late
3. Don't set your mat directly in front of other's mat, manners :)! Make sure to stagger so everyone can see themselves in the mirror

My new Nikes, where to buy athletic shoes for less and why toning shoes are ridiculous

My offending "ugly boy shoe" asics :'[ haha

"Wow babe, those are really, really ugly" 

This post kind of started with a conversation I had with my boyfriend the other day. When we originally started dating over 18 months ago, one thing we both really found common ground on was our love of fitness. Ever since the first time we worked out together I always remembered his comment whenever I looked at my shoes. That and the "those are like little boy shoes" comment that followed. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my asics. Honestly they're the best runner shoes and nothing feels quite like them. But it blew my mind that a man who is incredibly minimalistic and indifferent about worldly goods would comment on something like my shoes being ugly. That being said these little champs served me well for over 5.5 years now. You can't see in the photo but they're starting to get holes so I decided for a bit of an aesthetic upgrade. I chose the black (a little more expensive, paid 130 at the time) since I was doing a lot of outdoors stuff and I didn't want the traditional white colored shoes to get ruined.

PROS of asics shoes:

• Long lasting
• Amazing on the arch of the foot
• Different styles focus on different running habits- it really feels tailored to you. I'd try on as MANY styles as you can until you find one that fits just right

CONS:

• "Ugly"- even by men's standards apparently *roll eyes*
• Very expensive- around $100/pair but I noticed they came out with a more economical version in the 50s range! Can't say much for how the more affordable line works though)

We we're both shopping around and first stepped in to Dick's Sporting Goods...never been in here in my life but it reminded me of a bigger, brighter and slightly more pretentious Big 5 Sporting Good store- which by the way is where I bought my infamous pink pepper spray.

Anyway so we eventually decided to hop skip over to the Famous Footwear next door- now let me tell you this place is SO neat. They had tons of Nikes for men and women, as well as a lot of heels and boots. I also noticed quite a few of the women's footwear was made by Franco Sarto- impressive considering thats mostly a Nordstrom and Department Store brand. I didn't exactly like a lot of the sandals and heels but did notice a few classics among the crowd. The color selection for women was admittedly a bit limited for athletic shoes so I asked the sales associate where I could get the baby blue version on display but was told it was a child's size. I must have looked pretty disappointed because he asked me my size (6) and told me I'd have no problem finding them in that size. I was blown away, most my friends who squeak by with children's sizes have 3.5-4 size feet. I think i'm pretty solidly in the adult sizes but according to the kind folks on Twitter apparently anyone even up to a women's 7.5 can wear children's shoes. I purchased these in a size 5Y.

I settled on these baby blue babies! Lunarglide's are the children's version of the Nike Lunarflys- which is PERFECT because that was the shoe I had been eyeing inside of Dick's. The price was right under $52 before tax, $51.99 I believe. They're an all around running shoe, but can also be used during weight training. They only had two children's options available so thats something to think about as well- but the adult women's shoes were a good 20 bucks cheaper than at Dicks. But of course, Dicks had a much larger selection.

Another place I think you should check out if you're interested in getting asics on sale is Nordstrom Rack- I see a ton of random ones there all the time now. They're really a fantastic runner shoe if you're in to running. I like how these Nikes feel but I've worn the same running shoes for so long that its taking me awhile to form an opinion on them. It definitely feels different when I run- but I can't tell if thats a good or bad different yet.

Anyway while I was running around the store I noticed a somewhat elderly woman trying on those infamous Skechers Shape Ups shoes.  I followed these pretty closely because I thought they were fascinating (read: dumb) but they seemed to be SO embraced by the weight loss community. I almost wanted to warn her- they won't help you lose weight. Save your money- in fact the company is facing a flurry of lawsuits one by the FTC and one mass tort (which you can read about here) but I won't delve in to that. They charged something like $100+ a pair too, ridiculous! Honestly now, I love the Kardashian sister's fashion sense and perfect extensions but after endorsing a company like Quik Trim I would never buy their products outside of their nail polish collections. Besides-in Kim's endless paparazzi photos she's always wearing Nikes. There will definitely be no shortage of fad diets or funny weight loss products. I remember once for kicks and giggles I tried on a friends weight loss belt which starts with smearing a strange sonogram like jelly over your stomach and then turning it on -those little electrical zaps HURT. Of course it doesn't work but it just blows me away how much money is spent on pills and fantastical devices devices each year- but yet America's battle with obesity is one they're constantly losing. There's just no short cuts with weight loss. People will search for the right pill, the right equipment, the perfect answer but there's just no substitute for a healthy diet and exercise.

One thing I read lately was "Sometimes, you just have to go and the motivation will eventually come". That's true- there's countless days I'm tired, feeling lazy and really don't want to go to the gym. I'm sighing on the mat stretching and dragging my feet to the machine but once I get a bit of sweat going then im 110% in. Sometimes you won't be motivated right away, and that's okay because getting yourself there is half the battle. Once I'm there, I just think about how hot ripped abs are and that gives me the energy to push through running when I'm tired. That and sexy songs. Like this music video: has both sexy lyrics and sexy girls (indifferent about the beat though). Very NSFW by the way. ahaha 

So think of whatever makes you feel sexy (or vindictive, that always works for me too) and just embrace it. Even if its a cute new pair of sneakers or a sexy music video.

love,
Jackie

Beautiful nail polish haul

Hi Guys :)

So one of my beauty new years resolutions was to stop being scared of things being ugly- what does that mean? As you guys know i've always been timid of trying bright colors or funky accessories and thats mostly because everytime I have in the past, I always thought it looked ugly on me and so I wouldn't try again for a few years. However lately I kind of realized that in order to find anything really special I'd have to be willing to take risks that I wont like something and thats all part of the learning process and it happens to everyone. Worst comes to worst I can blog sale it right?

PS. Some of these are some fall/winter stragglers. Im sure you guys can tell which ones :)

Orly- Ancient Jade

A rich, milky mint green. 5 days NO significant chips. Ridiculous staying power

Orly's solid gold a matte bronzey gold 

Amazing staying power for a matte polish- 4 days no chips! Very expensive looking too- the gold has a lot of depth

 OPI- Do you Lilac it?

Beautiful creamy light lilac - one of my absolute favorite polishes of all time!

OPI- I don't give a rotterdam

It looks nice from far away and sometimes in photos, but in person its very flat and dull. Some of the people on instagram mentioned this as well

 OPI- Meet me on the star ferry

Looks nice in photos but in person is a metallic plum that doesn't really excite me. Not bad but easily overlooked

Chanel- May

Bright bubblegum pink :) Very cute but admittedly not too special. Still a favorite for me though

Basically a large haul of all the polishes I've been trying lately! I have a newfound love and respect for Orly polishes- they can really take a beating. I won't go in to depth here so if you're interested in my thoughts please watch my video!

Random things I'm really liking

So yay! Finally came back from Norcal but am super exhausted. We drove since it was a holiday and figured it'd be some good bonding time. But let me tell you, driving for 17 hours in 2 days is no fun! I'm fairly tired still but I still wanted to share some of the random things I've been liking lately before I put up a "real post". I like random blog posts anyway :)

Trader Joe's Chinese Chicken Salad $3.99

GAH, This is so effing good. However I stopped buying them for awhile because if I wanted to eat something that was 650 calories, I wouldn't be eating a salad. I tried the low fat one and its just not as good since the dressing is so artificial tasting, so for awhile I started just halving the dressing since that alone is 300(!) calories. I'm not in to calorie counting but come on...so I thought of a better solution.

Look! 300 calories. JUST FOR DRESSING. So I thought...this is a sesame oil dressing. A lot of oils have 100 cals or so per tbsp. (which is why I avoid cooking with oil as much as I can) so I figured...why not just scrape off the oil? So I carefully scrape off the majority of the oil and boom. Much lower calorically and even without the majority of the oil there's more than enough dressing for the rest of the salad!

 So. Much. Oil.

You can also omit the wonton chips (but I eat them separately because I love fried wonton skin!) and you bring it all down to 350ish anyway :) Without sacrificing any of the taste! Its so amazingly good. The dressing is just so perfectly tart and I love that the salad has whole snow peas, bean sprouts and cabbage to give it a nice crunch.  It really is one of my favorite asian style salads. I take out the water chestnut though since im not a big fan, unless its chopped up in my lettuce wraps! If you don't know what water chestnut is its the little white hard disk you'll find inside. Its kind of like a sweeter crunchier daikon? :x

Spiritual Gangster Magic Carpet hot yoga towels

Here's another admittedly sort of random thing I've been liking- Spiritual Gangster's Magic Carpet yoga towels. As a lot of you already know I've been very in to hot yoga lately, and I don't like sweating all over my mat so I always use a towel for class. These don't have any plastic nubs on it- instead the microfiber is SUPER dense and short, which is what helps it stay in place. Its very heavy weight and sits down nicely on the mat. The only complaint I have is that these are a bit too big for a standard yoga mat, maybe 1 inch or so longer across each border.

It doesn't really bother me now but if I did yoga in a carpeted (aka smelly yellowed sweaty old carpet) studio then I wouldn't want any part of the towel touching the floor. I refuse to pay 40-45 bucks just for a towel so I actually found these at Marshalls! Another place i've started really liking lately. They have SO many knick knacks, most of the time you won't find anything but when you do it's a steal. They were only $16 compared to the MSRP of $55-58. 

So that is all :) Norcal foodie post soon! Hope you guys had a wonderful new year and I'll be announcing the giveaway winner to this video very shortly!

love,
Jackie

Dupe for Butter London's Teddy Girl

So I was prancing around in Target today because I was traveling and forgot to bring an eyeliner. That's my one thing I can't do without- no eyeliner and there is NO WAY you are dragging my butt outside the house. Because I can't hide in a room all day I headed over to Target to get my favorite drugstore liner- Milani's Infinite liner in 'everlast'. Heavily armed with oversized shades I was glancing at all the drugstore polishes when I found this on the shelves:

Last night I painted my nails in Butter London's Teddy Girl. It's one of my favorite pinks! But if you look...its pretty much a perfect dupe. I'll probably need to buy it later to know for sure but here's another bloggers picture of Covergirl's Outlast Stay Brilliant polish in 'Pink-finity'

I found this picture via a Google search on justporciuncula's blog. Doesn't it make you excited for the day I can give you photos like this? So if her photo is the true color then this polish is a bit more cool toned and pinky, a la Essie's French Affair. But apparently its a great 1 coat formula. I actually hate Butter London's formula AND brush. Its skinny and goopy, a lot like Essie's. Its just easier for me to use a wider brush such as Chanel or OPI.

But I thought it was interesting that inside the bottle it looks practically the same. But lighting can play a HUGE factor in to how something looks on camera so perhaps it truly is closer to BL's Teddy Girl.  I was hesitant to buy it because its $4.99 which is hitting the OPI range and expensive for a Covergirl polish in my opinion. However if the formula really is nicer then I suppose it'd be worth it. She said 6 days no chips (which means 2 in my world hah!) and I've noticed many companies are now imitating the Chanel bottle. So has ELF if you've checked out their newer stuff. So I thought i'd share just for the curious to know :) I'll probably buy a bottle soon as my Teddy Girl is quickly drying up -____- never buying a BL polish again. Even though they have some great colors.

Take care!

Love,
Jackie

OH HAI! New Camera soon...so more blogging?

Hi guys.

So I know. Yell. Scream at me. I am a freaking terrible blogger and I apologize for it. However...because I recently (or not so recently) surpassed the 100,000 subscriber mark this may soon change. Apparently this means I get free stuff from Youtube. YAY! Free stuff. My Chinese side rejoices.

Okay so not so free. I get a $500 gift card to an electronics shop which is better than nothing right? Although I'm tempted to buy myself tablet or a new PC, I think it is best to heed your cries and finally buy a DSLR. So this is the DSLR I'm getting- it's a Canon Rebel T3i. From my understanding most of the Youtubers have this these days. The footage is really high quality, even in low lighting which will be nice for the CRAZY amount of rain SoCal has been having. It's been raining for 4-5 days at a time, really unusual but at least we won't have all those ridiculous drought warnings and water shortages again. I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to see around the bulky casing...but we'll see! Haha

So what does this mean for you? Hopefully more frequent blog posts, more frequent and higher quality videos. I think that honestly, when I first started Youtube everyone shared my video quality. Most people started off with the 1. something megapixel camera built in to their laptops. But I think where my video quality didn't bug me before where it bugs me now. So thank you guys for all your patience, I see your point and will try very hard to make sure my videos are easy to watch :) I'm also going to try to make a DIY light box so I can take some more high quality product photos to go with these new reviews! It doesn't look very hard...but I'm not always the best at DIY so we'll see LOL.

So what has been going on with me?

I'm sorry I've been so quiet. I know I've always gone so in and out of Youtube but I never wanted to identify myself as just being a Youtube personality. At $5,000 dollars a quarter on my education I couldn't focus on something that as many of you know would be transient. There are times I think about what "could have been" but I am honestly happy with the size i'm at now social media wise and really can't ask for more. I've been incredibly blessed and I'm also really happy with where I am now, so I can't say that I regret anything I've done either.

Life after school

So the economy in the United States has been difficult, as many of you may know. But thankfully I was blessed to receive a few job offers right out of school. I almost didn't believe all the news stories about high unemployment, underemployment and lost jobs but as I was applying for jobs thats kind of when it hit me. There would be 2-300 applications per position, minimum. CRAZY. I think I'm fortunate though in that as of yet, I haven't had any friends be unable to find employment. For the most part all of us also got in to the fields that we wanted, so there's a lot to be thankful for. So that has been my life: work, hot yoga, gym and more work. I tried to figure out where Youtube and my blog would fit in this as I don't work a job thats repetitive, so sometimes I need to bring things home. But I realized it was one of those take-your-own-advice times and that I needed to make time for it. So I have been setting time aside every week :) And hopefully the blog will save me on the days the sun isn't having it.

So I tried to decide, what is reasonable?

I would LIKE to have: A video every 4 days and a blog weekly

But I will...probably only be able to do a video a week and post whenever I do something interesting (which is almost never ;D) haha but I figure once I have a sweet light box and camera I can also do shorter posts here. 

This is probably the only thing that's exciting that has happened in the past few months. It was my birthday and now I'm 23, yay? We decided to have dinner at George's at the Cove in La Jolla, CA as it used to be a favorite of mine. The quality has definitely gone down...and despite the fact that we waited an hour for food I found it to be just okay. I was really sad but apparently where George's now fails to impress Eddie V's right next door now picks up. It still has the same spectacular view of La Jolla Cove though. 

This view. So serene. We had to wait by the bar as they opened the dinner area. It directly overlooks the cove so you can drink your martini as the winds from the beach gently brush against your face. Seeing everyone relax after work (or a vigorous shopping spree) was so therapeutic- definitely reminds you of the good life. It was nice to slow things down for awhile.

 I have to say this was the first year I felt *old*. I almost PANICKED. I just want so much more for myself. I think women are serial planners, we try to set dates and ages for everything we want in our lives. But everyone keeps telling me that I'm still young so I try to believe them. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't have this panging voice in the back of my head that's silently freaking out every day.

So now I must ask my NorCal readers. I'll be visiting the Bay area soon- we have a ton of friends there and wanted to spend time with them before the year is over. So you have to tell me, what do I need to eat?! We'll be in the Union Square, Chinatown and Financial district area a lot so anything in those areas that's a must try please let me know!

And I have to finish this blog with some cuteness. Meet Cece! She's a two year old pom. I've known her since she fit in the palm of my hand! I hadn't seen my friends in awhile and a few of them came down from San Francisco for the weekend. As we were getting ready to go out she kept hopping in my bag and wouldn't get out -_- Not sure why. But she's cute anyway so its okay

Also here's my latest video if you haven't seen it. I decided to show my foundation routine :x Which I really like and I think gives great coverage while looking pretty natural both in real life and on camera. Enjoy!

love,

Jackie 

The Two Things I've Learned in Life

Something strange that I’ve noticed about Youtube is that for some reason, people have imagined us to be role models. Not sure why this is, but let me tell you – I would never profess or pretend to have lived a perfect life or that I was a perfect person. But despite the fact that I keep my channel to very surface level things like makeup and skincare, I still get tons of messages from the younger population about the future and their happiness. I’m glad that you think I’m happy, and I must say that I’m much happier than I can remember being, but it was a long and slow journey for me. But as I’ve stumbled along life, I can really only share these two pieces of “wisdom” with you, that I think are actually true, and can apply to everyone.

1. Surround yourself with good people

Growing up my mom used to always chide me that “birds of a feather flock together”. Although I think there’s a lot of old school Asian elitism built in there, I can’t help but say that there’s a lot of truth to this statement. [Admittedly a lot of what my mother told me ended up being true- but that’s a whole ‘nother story and not one I want to admit to anytime soon lulz]

There’s a saying that you are the middle of the five people you spend the most time with. When I reflect on my own life, this has always proved to be true. When I spent time with people who were selfish, self absorbed, lazy, insatiably materialistic, etc. I was much of the same. But now that I spend a lot of time focused on my career and studies, I find that my group has unconsciously changed. It wasn’t even a conscious going of ways- we simply stopped having things in common when I didn’t want to go out partying every night of the week anymore.

I think its just natural for us to be influenced by those around us. Its very hard to be unmotivated when you’re watching everyone else around you chase their dreams, and its also hard to care when everyone around you is indifferent about their future. This isn’t to say this is a blanket statement and there aren’t exceptions to the rule- but it even applies to fitness. People who like to work out like people who work out- and it'd be harder (but not impossible) to “let go” of one’s self so to speak. Surrounding yourself with good people may not "fix" your life, but it will dispel all of the silly, self-pitying excuses you give yourself to not get the things you want.

Surrounding yourself with good people doesn’t just affect things like your career though, I truly think it greatly affects your overall happiness and well being. Happy, successful people, unlike bitter people, are eager to share their happiness and success with the people around them. I don’t think you’ll completely avoid terrible events or your own slip and falls along the way, but your chances at happiness are much higher with people who love you around you. As far as friends go, quality > quantity, always. You'll make better life choices, which will almost certainly lead to a much happier life, filled with more opportunities and good memories. 

2. Know what you want

Because the largest demographic of Youtube is the under 18 crowd, I get tons of emails daily asking about my career, how I chose it, how they should choose their major etc. Let me just tell you that I can’t tell you whether to take the solid medical field route or to try your luck at whatever your niche passion is- but one of the best things you can do is know what you want in life.

This applies to your friendships and relationships as well. It’s HARD to hit the ground running if you don’t even know where you’re running towards. And it’s even harder to be competitive with people your age who have fully immersed themselves in this career for the past 5 years- and have 5 years of solid experience in front of you.

So how do you know what you want? Some (aggravating) people seem to know what they want from the moment they come out of their mother’s womb and stick unwaveringly to it their entire life. I think the majority of us will have to stumble along- until we find what makes us happy. So how do you start “trying out” different fields? Get a volunteer job, an internship, a part-time, or even ask to shadow a doctor or whatever it is that you want to do. Jump in to that field, and it’ll help you decide if you could stick with it for life.  You could attend networking meet ups in that industry (search for these online, I promise there’s tons), or even start a blog or channel about the said topic. I also suggest that you find a mentor. Hell, even take a seemingly irrelevant-to-your-major class in college. You’ll gain experience, as well as real world knowledge that you can then apply to your career. Even if you don’t go with this said career track I promise you almost every bit of work experience you have will help build you up for your future career/job- even if they’re in different niches.

At the end of the day different things make different people happy- some need money, some need fulfillment, others need routine and security. So I could, quite frankly, never really answer any of your questions. But these are the two tips that have remained true throughout my life, and that I think will truly bring you long term happiness, and all that happy wonderful stuff. Oh. And pet puppies. That works too :) 

This is my friend's dog Kona :) she's a lab rescue- but she's INCREDIBLY timid. I worked with rescues for years and have never met a dog that was so scared. She's also not food motivated- so food and bribes aren't working. Any tips on getting her to open up? :[ I know you should take it at their pace and let them initiate the interaction but its been a few weeks now and she's still having a hard time and we really want her to be well socialized due to the owner's career and lifestyle. Any suggestions would be welcome :)

Until next time!
Jackie

Review: Canmake's Peach Cream, Butter London Teddy Girl and Etude House Jelly Pop top coat

Hi guys :)

So as you guys already know I've been a bit on a nail kick lately. I just wanted to share some swatches of the polishes and top coats I've been trying out for the past few weeks.

As far as my review of Butter London Polish "Teddy Girl" its described as a "bubblegum pink". I think of it more as a Barbie doll pink, as you can see it leans pretty strongly towards white. It takes 3 coats to become opaque. As far as chipping goes it usually lasts 2-3 days without chipping, but after that its chip city! It looks a lot better after you paint all the coats and then add a top coat. I'm not a fan of the brush or formula however. It can be a bit thick and has a skinny brush much like Essie (and I'm an OPI fan)

So here is a picture of Canmake #46 Peach Cream polish with Etude House Jelly Pop top coat.

Canmake Peach Cream review: I LOVE the color of this polish. Its a beautiful almost jelly like coral. Its a bit lighter than Chanel's distraction, which I mentioned that I loved before! It takes 4 coats until its acceptably opaque...but if you look closely you can still see through the polish. It lasts about 3 days without chipping, but doesn't seem to chip off in huge chunks. Its also a bit annoying to apply because it can get very thick and the brush is skinny. Gorgeous color and great formula, horrendous application.

As far as the Etude house jelly pop top coat...this has to be one of my favorite top coats ever! It applies quickly and easily and is a bit thicker than seche vite...BUT it doesn't have as strong fumes and doesn't tend to thicken in the bottle as seche vite does. It has the same chip-resistance as seche vite but I will admit that I think seche vite is a tad bit shinier.

And thats all for now :)

Sorry I've been so out of touch...I've been moving, attended many friends graduations and went on a very small trip to Catalina Island recently. OH! And I've been swimming :) Which takes up a lot of time (and energy) hahaha.

PS. Please ignore the stupid horribly outdated timestamp...my camera is being stupid since I dropped it and I haven't fixed it yet -_- My apologies!

In case you want to watch my video review you guys can see it below:

I also talked about the Urban Decay All Nighter Spray, Benefit's Hervana blush and an awful top coat called "Hong Kong Girl"...yes that was really the name. Hahaha!

Take care :) 

Jackie

Babyliss Pro vs. Hot Tools curling irons

Hi guys! So I know a lot of you guys love curling your hair. I, for one, can only muster up enough energy to curl it on rare occasions but Flat Iron Experts approached me recently asking me to do a video for them. I didn't want to do yet another curling hair video (and lets admit it you can only watch so many "how to curl your hair with a flat iron" videos before you want to slap yourself) so I thought it'd be interesting to talk about some good high and low end models. I'm all for investing in your hot tools, but sometimes you just don't need something quite as expensive. 

If you curl your hair very rarely and have particularly resilient hair, then maybe a more economical curling iron will suffice! Technology has come a long way and even though I still don't like curling irons made by brands like Revlon etc I wanted to showcase some more inexpensive products that don't get quite as much love.

Conversely maybe you curl your hair all the time, and investing in a good curling iron will pay off in the long run. To make it easier to compare the two irons that I reviewed here's a chart I made below:

 Hot Tools Professional Spring Curling Iron vs.  Babyliss Pro Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron

Links to the products mentioned:

Hot Tools Professional Spring Curling Iron 1 1/4 inch

Babyliss Pro Tourmaline Ceramic Curling Iron 1 1/4 inch

5% off with the code: JACKIE5OFF
FIE also offers a 30 day warranty on all their items. If you don't like it, send it back!

Some FAQ:
What's the difference between ceramic vs metal (non ceramic) hot tools?

Ceramic tools emit negative ions that make your hair sleeker and shinier, they are also less damaging. They also minimize heat loss while styling hair and can help remove hair odor. They heat up faster and age much better than more inexpensive irons.

What is a ceramic tourmaline iron?

A ceramic tourmaline iron is essentially the same thing as a ceramic iron, with the exception that it has the added benefits of tourmaline. This mineral emits 6 times more negative ions than a traditional ceramic iron.


So thats it! I hope that was helpful. And this is the video if you guys didn't get a chance to see it:

I also have a contest going on where the winner will win one of the two irons! One will win the Babyliss and one will win the Hot Tools iron. Winner will be chosen in 2 weeks
To enter: You must be a subscriber. Visit Flat Iron Expert's website and choose an item you like from the site. Enter the items name as a comment and enter as many times as you like.

Acne skincare tips

Hi everyone,

I promised I'd make an effort to blog more, so here I am :) I want to talk about skincare and acne tips today because I think having healthy skin is far more important than any makeup or foundation routine.

As I mentioned I'd give you guys an update on my Bikram yoga! I am 110% sure its helped me bring my skin back to its original state. Ever since I tried BB creams 18 months ago my skin has never been the same. To be quite honest I've harbored a bit of resentment towards Asian makeup and skincare since then. My skin tone wasn't as even and I still had a bit of scarring left. Bikram has REALLY helped, its been a long time since my mother's complimented my skin- she has a very critical eye! So I know that I'm not imagining the improvement. So here are some things that I know help to improve skin's appearance and texture.

1. Sweat- a LOT! I really think working up a sweat helps to open up congested pores. Just make sure to wash your face after and don't work out with face makeup on

2. Improve your diet- I feel like a broken record saying this but even my friends with very severe acne noticed significant improvement in the appearance and frequency of their breakouts. It can't hurt to try, and it'll help you shed stubborn belly fat and improve your hair, nails and skin.

3. Remove dairy from your diet- so this is one I don't personally follow because I have no adverse side effects from it. However a lot of people will actually break out from the hormones in dairy products.  I notice this is mostly a problem with my friends who struggle with moderate-severe acne. Try cutting out dairy products completely and see if this helps you. All the nutrients of dairy can be found in other products as well :) so its not necessary by any means

4. Clean the surfaces that touch your face. Pillow cases, cell phones etc harbor hoards of bacteria. Did you know that about 70% of cell phones have traces of fecal matter on them? I have a clear protector screen on mine and clean it every few days with hand sanitizer or windex sprayed on to a piece of paper and then rubbed on. Don't put it directly on to the device, put a small amount on paper so that you're not drenching your phone.

5. Drink lots of water! This really truly helps your skin be more vibrant and gives you great energy. It also helps you be LESS bloated. How much water should you drink a day? Don't go by the 8 cups of water rule, this is way too general. Multiply your weight in kg by .033 to find a good amount and drink more if you're particularly active.

So that's it! I'm confident that making these simple changes truly help to improve the appearance of your skin. Also remember to wear sunscreen religiously if you're acne prone, sun damage inhibits the skins ability to regenerate and encourages scarring. So wear sunscreen to help prevent scars from being too severe.

Take care and see you ladies next week :D

My Experience with Bikram Yoga

So for a long time now I've wanted to try Bikram yoga. Bikram yoga is an intensive yoga class that is 90 minutes long in a 105 degree room with 40% humidity. Let me first explain why this class (which sounds like torture) really appealed to me: it seemed to promise the “inner peace” yogis profess in their lives while simultaneously being a strenuous mental and physical exercise. One of my friends (a Corepower yoga devotee) explained to me that she really didn’t like Bikram- that it was too strict and unfriendly. There’s no talking, drinking water at will etc. People who leave early are often chastised, but honestly I like this kind of demanding workout and I’m used to there being structure in the class setting.

So why did I want to start yoga? For a lot of reasons. The first was obvious: for de-stressing and for finding “inner peace”. Lame, I know, but sometimes I have a temper that is UGLY and mean. It almost never comes out, but when it does and if you ever see it you surely won’t forget it (ask my roommates who got my car towed right before I had a final…NOT a happy camper! Lol). It doesn’t happen often or to most people, but I think I tend to pent up a lot of my frustrations and then it comes spewing out at once -_-

The next reason I wanted to try it was for the body. I don’t expect to lose a ton of weight- but I’m excited to get my sweat on! I get bloated easily- super easily. I think a lot of it stems from my IBS and being very sensitive to any food I eat. On top of the bloating I’ve started getting a lot of pain in my shoulder and upper back- I’m not a believer in pain medications of any kind. I’m hoping this will help to naturally ease some of the sharp pains I’ve been feeling near my trapezoidal muscle. Its been getting almost unbearable these past few weeks, and its made finishing my workout really hard to do. On top of that I’ve been having a lot of sleep issues. I haven’t been able to stay asleep a full night for a few months now, and I’m always tired and groggy which makes me a bit careless in day to day life.

On top of all this there are some days I want to get a bit of a workout without spending time in the gym. I loved dance because it’s the same thing over and over, but no one is ever perfect. You’re constantly improving, and I think Bikram will be much of the same.

After my First Class:

WOW. That was hot haha! My first thought walking in was “Hmm…not too bad”. When class started I realized that’s because the studio had had 30 minutes to air out and the heater and humidifier weren’t on. The heat didn’t feel intense until about 30-45 minutes in. We laid down and I felt all the blood rush to my head. An older man nearby was moaning asking when could we leave- and that was the first time the thought of leaving even seemed like an option. It made the end drag on, so now I understand the stories of why instructors are upset when people leave. That first seed of negativity can really implant itself in to your hand. It wasn’t nearly as bad until he was endlessly moaning and groaning and causing a scene. I’ve read a lot of stories about people considering leaving and having a hard time finishing, and now I understand why. It is seriously vigorous- even regulars had to take breaks at time. Me being the stubborn mule I am refused to take a break and sit down- but I hit a point where I got pretty dizzy and nervous for a second but I just told myself to calm down and keep going.

If you can, try and bring an absorbent towel for your mat. I was totally unaware that I could sweat so much. It was actually pretty disgusting. Anytime my head was upside down after the 20 minute mark I’d start not being able to see because the sweat kept getting in my eyes. But I guess that’s what happens when you’re in a 105 degree room with high humidity. My towel was thin enough to where it really started to get slippery- so just try for something a bit more absorbent!

I’ve realized this post is getting WAY too long…so let me list the pros and cons as I see them:

PROS:

1. It's a great workout without going to the gym- they say you can burn 800-1000 calories, but I think anywhere around the 3-500 mark is much more accurate. This would of course also depend on your weight and how hard you work

2. Your skin will look better. Look around you in class, everyone has great skin and I can’t help but think the yoga helps. You sweat so much that it really helps to de-clog your pores and I’ve noticed that even the skin on my body feels more supple

3. Inner peace…or something like that! Haha

CONS:

1.     It is HOT. I really like it now, but I’ve seen enough people nearly pass out where I think I can safely say this isn’t for everyone. They say its for everyone of all ages and skill levels, but many people (older or out of shape) tend to get pretty sick in class. If you’re mentally strong I think you’d be able to tough it out, but just be careful if you faint easily

2.     Its expensive- any class with instruction will be costly. Thankfully a lot of studios run Groupon deals so look for those in your area! Also you’ll want to buy a mat and towels, sports bras, shorts etc...it adds up pretty quickly

3.     It takes up a lot of time. The class is 90 minutes, and most studios ask that you get there 10-15 minutes before. On top of that you can’t eat heavy meals 2 hours before and you’ll absolutely need to shower after. You pretty much have to revolve your entire day around this class, so days I’m short on time I find it hard to go

UPDATE - After my second class

My second time was way easier! I agree with everyone who says the first class is the hardest. I’ve heard of Bikram being described as the “Yoga for Athletes” because of its strength training and discipline, I can’t help but agree. Also it focuses on stretching and healing- and most athletes or people that regularly work out are usually nursing some kind of injury anyway. Hopefully I’ll update you guys in the future about my shoulder pain and hopefully it’ll be much improved

Hi guys! A quick blog post on a cool promotion going on.

Sorry I haven't been faithfully blogging, I promise that this will change shortly ;] But as I'm in that strange *transition* phase in my life each and every day seems to be filled with surprises. Anyways I just wanted to pass this along to you ladies in case you haven't seen it.

Right now Zoya is offering a buy three, get three free deal on their blog

You can check out the offer HERE for more information

Its open from now until the end of Wednesday

I may pick up some myself :) I've been on a bit of a nail kick lately. For those of you who have never tried Zoya, it tends to get awesome reviews in the nail community! My sister (a recent nail junkie) is a huge fan of their formulas!

Also Cherry Culture is also hosting their own sale for 20% off everything in store with the code "MMM2012"

Cherry culture is a site that sells NYX, the Beauty Blender, Milani etc for very affordable prices

You can visit their site here

So thats it! Talk to you guys soon :)

xo, Jackie