It has been such a big hit for the HBO hit series, True Blood. I am a big True Blood fan. The plot is incredible. It is a scary and sexy drama.  Like most people, my favorite charactors are Sookie (Anna Paquinn), Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgard).Anna paquin is definitely hot. She looks great in all retro dresses. It is also fun to watch the costumes for all the vampires in their different life time.

Sookie and Bill

Sookie

Lorena

I found that bamboo has been a very popular ingredient or material in many things since the last couple of years. So I think why not review something bamboo that I find in my house.

Product : Fruits & Passion - Human Shower Gel
Price : US$14.00 for 6.7 fl.oz. (200 ml.)
Where to buy : Fruits & Passion Shop
Using period : 4 Months

Why I bought : I love the smell of bamboo. It is very refreshing.

Benefits :

* Great scent of bamboo really calm and refreshing. Its ingredients help soothe my skin pretty well.

Application :

* for daily shower

Satisfaction : 80% Definitely love the bamboo scent of this shower gel. It moisturizes my skin enough for Summer weather.

Re-purchase : 60 % I will definitely buy again next Summer. I will also buy this as a gift. It is a great gift idea for both men and women,

Main ingredients : rosa mosqueta, bamboo scent, aloe vera, olive oil and ivy.

Product : Marc Anthony Strictly Curl - Curl Defining Lotion
Hair Type : Curly hair (thin hair)
Price : US$7.00 - 9.00 for 8.3 fl.oz. (245 ml.)
Where to buy : salon, drugstore
Using period : 2 Months

Why I bought : I have  quite dry so I do not like to set my hair with styling moose. I have been using  Aveda Be Curly , curl enhancer lotion,  for many year since I permed my hair. It works beautifully; however, it is quite expensive so I sometimes mix it with other curl enhancer lotion. Therefore, I bought Marc Anthony Strictly Curl.

Benefits :

• It is lightweight and not sticky at all.
• It makes my hair soft, less frizzy and quite shine. Also, it gives my curls naturally in tact  all day.
• It is alcohol-free so it does not dry out your hair.
• Tips : When I mix it with Aveda Be Curly , the mixture defines my curls better and my hair look shinier and healthier.

Application :

• Rub the lotion on your palm. Apply on damp hair by gently scrunching to pump up the hair.
• Tip - mix Marc Anthony Strictly Curl lotion with Aveda Be Curly lotion together for better result.

Cautions : This product is more suitable for curly thin hair not thick hair.

Satisfaction : 70% I am quite happy with the result.   I give 70% because it does not moisturize  and nourish my hair as Aveda Be Curly does. However, it is worth the money.

Re-purchase : 80 % I will definitely buy again to use together with Aveda be curly.
Main ingredients : Aqua, PVP/VA Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose, Hydrolyzed Silk, Vitamin E

I always use whatever sunblock that my sister uses because she always carefully choose her skincare products. Before I thought sunscreen and sunblock are the same, my sister enlightened me not long time ago that they are actually not the same.

Sunscreen :

Sunscreen contains chemical ingredients that absorb the UV rays.

Sunsblock :

Sunblock usually contains both ingredients that absorb UV rays and ingredients that physically reflect the UV rays.

Sunblock and Sunscreen ingredients are categorized as follow:

• A chemical block has UV absorbent property.
• A physical block  ,unlike chemical block, remains on the skin’s surface and does not have the ability to be absorbed into the skin. Light or UV is either absorbed into the sunblock material or reflected away from the skin.

Good to Know :

SPF (Sun Protection Factor) refers to the amount of time you can stay in the sun without burning. For instance, if your skin normally burn in ten minutes, SPF 15 means you can stay 150 minutes without burning.

I have stopped using cleansing cream makeup remover to wash off my makeup for many years already. Instead, I haved turned to be a big fan of deep cleansing oil. Some people may think that cleansing oil causes acne. On the contrary, it actually helps loosen the plugs in your pores. I also like the makeup free feeling without dryness after cleansing my face with cleansing oil.  I had tried many brands for deep cleansing oil such as Shu Uemura, RMK, Lancome and Neutrogena. All of them are quite good but they are still a little bit too greasy and take long time to dissolve the waterproof  makeup.   Until I found the winner, DHC Deep Cleansing Oil have become my only makeup remover for almost two years already. Although, DHC Deep Cleansing oil is olive oil base, I actually like the smell even thought it reminds me of my salad dressing. The smell gives me the image of how natural it is.  For me, I do not need a second cleanser to apply after using DHC deep celansing oil. However, some people might need to apply a second clanser as recommended by DHC. DHC deep cleansing oil was my first step to DHC products lines.

DHC is a Japanese cosmetics company that has wide selections of skincare items, makeup, and bath and hair products based on the beneficial properties of olive oil. The prices are surprisingly not as high as other Japanese brands sold in North America. I am now using many DHC products. I will review some of them later.

One of my favorite celebrities is the Gossip Girl star, Blake Lively. I have seen her with many different outfits in many magazines and websites. What she wored when attended DKNY MEN Fragrance Launch in Manhattan’s Lower East Side catched my attention. I have always been a big fan of black and white looks. I love her oversized retro print jacket . She nicely paired it with a black DKNY miniskirt, black tights. The oversized belt adorned the outfit beautifully. Donna Karan boots goes really well with the outfit. Not everyone looks good in retro look but she definitely rocked it!

I had been using John Frieda’s Frizz Ease Hair Serum since I permed my hair for the first time. I did try many other products along the way but I always return to John Frieda. Until I tried Aveda Be Curly, curl enhancer, after years of trying products for curly hair, this is the winner. I scrunched it with my head upside down. Instead of blow dry, I left it to dry naturally. It gave me shiny bouncy curls that I have always wanted. What I love most is the  curls looks  more  natural than other products I have tried. The secret ingredients is  the wheat protein. In addition, it also controls frizz and moisturizes my hair better than any other products I’ve used. My first impression at the Aveda store was  Be curly is quite pricey but I was tempted when I overheard other customers in the store talking about the good things about this product. A little bit goes a long way, the bottle last longer than I expected.

Basic Ingredients for a Bath Bomb

• citric acid   2 tablespoons
• baking soda   1/4 cup
• cornstarch   2 tablespoons
• essential oil 2-3 drops ( I choose lavender as my friend is under stress.)
• food coloring 3-4 teaspoons (purple to match with the lavender)
• emolient oil  3 tablesoons (My friend has oily skin so hazelnut oil will be perfect for her.)

Prepare 2 mixing bowls.

1st bowl : Mix citric acid and cornstarch in a small bowl until there is no lumps. Then, add the backing soda.

2nd bowl : Mix  hazelnut oil with food coloring. You can add more color if you prefer richer color.

While blending the dry ingredients, slowly add the oil mixture into the dry ingredients. Then the fun part is forming the mixture into a 1 1/2 inch diameter ball by using your hands. Lay the bath bombs on waxed paper and let it dry. It will be fully dried within 1 - 2 days. I will put it in a paper muffin cup for nice presentation.