Lunar New Year Mani

Happy Lunar New Year! 

Here's my new year mani. The lion head is a recycled look from last year. 

I used "samoan sand" for my index, middle, and ring finger and "hoodoo voodoo" for my thumb and pinky. 

Hope you have a prosperous year of the dragon and get tons of red envelope! =)

Misikko Hana Pro 1" Flat Iron Review

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for review. I am not in any way affiliated with or compensated by the company. These are my honest opinions. 

A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to review Misikko's Hana Pro 1" flat iron. 

I'm pretty impressed with the packaging! They are quite thoughtful. 

From their website: 

Hana Professional Features:

• Advanced Tourmaline Ceramic Plates for Accelerated Ion Generation and Maximum Frizz-Free, Conditioning Shine
• Ceramic is naturally hygienic, protects color & retards fading
• Floating 1" Plates Auto-Adjust To Glide Over Any Hair Texture
• Curved Plate Edges For Versatile Styling - Curl, Flip or Straighten!
• Adjustable Temperature Dial - 5 Settings from 140-450° F for All Hair Types
• Flash Heats in Seconds with Instant Compensation for Heat Loss
• Ergonomic Handle Design with No-Slip Grip
• Smooth Grooves Keep Hair Strands Separate and Snag-Free
• Tangle-Free Salon Quality Cord Swivels 360°; Convenient Hanging Loop
• Energy Efficient at 38 Watts
• Independent On/Off Switch
• Includes Luxe Heat Proof Storage Pouch, Heat Proof Silicone Mat, & Special Edition Tin Case
• Two Year Warranty

I've been using this flat iron for a few weeks now and here are my thoughts:

Straightening with Hana Pro: My hair is naturally stick straight and thin, but I occasionally have some nappy-headed bad hair days. I effortlessly straightened my hair today and it became much more tamed. This only took me a few minutes to do.  (Please excuse my super dry hair! I'm in need of an oil treatment.)

Curling with Hana Pro: As good as an actual curling iron! I've actually been using this for curling more than I have for straightening.

Pros:
-Awesome packaging
-Comes with heat proof mat, travel pouch, and tin case
-Can curl and straighten
-Blinking light to indicate heat achieved
-Heats up fast
-Several different heat settings to choose from
-Safe for damp hair and color treated hair
-No pinching or tugging
-No frizzes
-2 yrs warranty

Cons:
-Pricey (but you get what you pay for)
-The blinking light is not obvious enough. I would much prefer the light to blink and then stabilize after heat is achieved instead.

Price: On sale for $119.98, originally $204.99 (Qualifies for free shipping)

Overall: I like this flat iron. It does the job well and is really a 2-in-1 product since it can function as a straightener or curler. I'm also impressed with Misikko's customer service and their packaging. Check them out! They also carry other brands of flat irons including chi straighteners and curling irons too.

A quick review of Hana Shine Shield Thermal Protectant Serum:
I can massage this product throughout my hair with less than a dime-sized amount . It does make my hair feel smoother and adds shine, which is nice since applying heat dries out my hair. I also like that the serum doesn't weigh my hair down or turn it oily like most products do. You can apply it to your skin too.

Have you tried the Hana Pro 1" flat iron yet? What are your thoughts?

Practically Free Prescription Glasses from Coastal.com

Hey guys! I'm really excited to tell you all about Coastal.com. I heard about this website from HeyyyJune's youtube channel and hopped on the deal right away! Watch her review here. They offer new customers a free pair of prescription glasses with the code FIRSTPAIRFREE. All you pay is shipping and insurance. Not all of the glasses are eligible and you have to choose from their free glasses page.

My sister and I both ordered a pair of glasses and they came in exactly one week! The package came with a glasses case, glasses bag, cleaning cloth, and a key chain screw driver.

I ordered a Derek Cardigan 7008 in smoke. It is a semi-transparent dark gray, but it can look brown depending on the lighting. These are super nerdy! There's a multiplication and division sign on the two corners and equal signs on the hinges. These are a perfect fit for my big face. If you have a small face, then the frame might be too big. I chose the anti-glare/anti-scratch/uv protection bundle which added $15 to my order. Shipping cost me $6.95 and insurance for my frame was $5.27 (insurance cost depends on how much the frame is worth). For a grand total of $27.72 I got me some nice glasses =)

My sister ordered a pair of Derek Cardigan 7004 in green tortoiseshell. They look pretty cute and nerdy on her. She said "I feel like I just jipped this company! These glasses were so cheap!"

I'm not sure when this offer is going to end but apparently they've been advertising this deal for a long time. Check them out! I would love to see what you pick  =)

Essence Stay With Me Longlasting Lipgloss Review & Swatch

L-R: 01 Me & My Ice Cream, 03 Candy Bar, 04 Trendsetter, 05 I Like Cotton Candy

These lip glosses have a glossy finish. First coat can be slightly sheer but opacity can be easily reached with additional coats.

The applicator brush is barbell-shaped so that it is rounded at two ends and skinny in the middle. The design makes application to the outer and inner curves of your lips easier.

L-R: 01 Me & My Ice Cream, 03 Candy Bar, 04 Trendsetter, 05 I Like Cotton Candy (2 coats each)

01 Me & My Ice Cream - pale pink

03 Candy Bar - coral

04 Trendsetter - raspberry hot pink

05 I Like Cotton Candy - mauve (my favorite of the bunch)

Pros:

-super affordable

-nicely pigmented

-comes in 8 colors

-special applicator is great for applying color thoroughly

Cons:

- scented (I don't like scents)

-"me&my icecream" and "trendsetter" don't apply as evenly as the other two

-slightly sticky
-is only sold at Ulta in the states (as far as I know)

Cost:
$2.29 for 4mL of product @ Ulta.

Overall: 7.5/10
For the price, Stay With Me lip glosses aren't bad at all. Although I like these, I don't love them. I was expecting the consistency to be creamier but they're a little too shiny for my liking. I'm not a fan of the smell either.

Winter Nail Art Part I: Glitter Gradient Deer

MERRY LATE XMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The picture above is my failed attempt at bokeh photography featuring a kidrobot Ruffy that I painted. I have been obsessed with deers lately. Don't judge me hehe. My mani came out a tad juvenile and Lisa Frank-like (remember her stickers from elementary? =D).

This design is somewhat winter appropriate so I decided to debut it as part of my winter nail art series. More to come! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday! =)