Japan Beauty Products

shampoo and face wash

Today, I am going to talk about some beauty products I bought from Japan.  Actually, it's only 2 products as you can see from the picture.  So I went to Japan last summer.  Recently, I used the face wash (I wanted to finish using up my current face wash before using this one) and loved it.  Since both the shampoo and face wash work so well, I decided to make a post about them.  So yeah, anyways let's start with the shampoo.  The shampoo makes your hair so soft and clean.  It's kind of like a 2 in 1 (shampoo and conditioner in 1 bottle), but it's not actually a 2 in 1.  Like if I only use this shampoo, my hair would still be soft.  Time to talk about the face wash.  This face wash makes your face feel so refreshing, and the texture feels very smooth on your face.  It has a green tea scent, which I really like.  Overall, both of these products are simply amazing.  I know that you guys will probably not have a chance to buy it, but I still wanted to share my thoughts with you guys.  Anyways, thanks for reading, and I hope you like this post! :)

My Trip to Anaheim

So I recently went to Anaheim for a band field trip.  Our school band was supposed to compete in the Music in the Parks event, so that's why we went to Anaheim.  And to go to Disneyland, of course!  Anyways, read on if you want to know about my trip to Anaheim, California. 

Day 1: Okay this day was mainly driving to Anaheim.  The bus started driving around 9:00 A.M., and we arrived at 6:00 P.M.  I had to sit in the bus for 7-8 hours (we had 1 rest stop).  And the bus was uncomfortable.  So.....yeah.  Wasn't too happy that day. 

Day 2: In this day, we are so unlucky I swear.  I mean this day was supposed to be sightseeing like going to Venice Beach, Hollywood, and Griffith Observatory.  But we ended up not going to any of those places.  We couldn't go to Venice Beach since it was raining, and I guess you can't go to beaches when it's raining.  Hollywood was closed because people there are preparing for the Oscars, which was that weekend.  We didn't go to Griffith Observatory because apparently there was a mudslide (I saw that on the news).  So we basically just drove around on the bus for idek how many hours, but it was a loooong time.  For dinner, we ate Hometown Buffet, so that was good (for food, the teacher brought the food; we don't eat at a restaurant).  At least I went to Downtown Disney, in which my group's chaperone took us to. :)

Day 3:  Band competition and Disneyland day!  We had to wake up at 5:00 AM.  So early......  We arrived at the competition place around 8:00 AM.  And we got first place, woo hoo ...... cause we were the only middle school band that competed, haha.  Anyways, after that, we went to Disneyland yayyy!  I was so happy that Disneyland didn't close because of the rain.  If that actually happened, this whole trip would be so depressing lol.  Disneyland didn't look as good when it's raining.  I guess I had fun in Disneyland?  But the whole time, both of my shoes were wet.  And do you know how uncomfortable that feels?  Every time I walk, you can hear the squishing of the water.  My feet felt so cold and dirty.  When it was time to leave Disneyland, I was so happy that we finally get to sit on a bus since my legs were sore from walking.  Well, we got even more unluckier because since we left Disneyland so late (around 10- 10:30 PM), the bus driver didn't drive us back to the hotel.  I don't blame him.  So guess what?  We had to walk back to the hotel.  Gosh, I literally could barely stand.  I was sooo tired by the time I finally got back to the hotel.

Day 4:  Driving back to school day!  So this day is the day we leave Anaheim.  Tbh, I was quite happy because home is just so much more comfortable than the hotel.  Our plan was to get back to the school around 4:30 PM, but we ended up arriving around 8:00 PM.  Which is like a big difference.  So it was kinda sad, cause it means more time on the bus.  And the bus is really uncomfortable (like what I said earlier).  So yeah, when I arrived at my house, I was just so happy, cause home sweet home. :)

Overall, I had a pretty good time.  I didn't have the best time, but I still enjoyed it even though we were quite unlucky, haha.  Okay, anyways, thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! :) 

My Experience at the Demi Lovato Neon Lights Concert

Gosh, first of all, I am so sorry that I haven't posted for such a long time.  I was busy lately, but I have not forgotten one bit about my blog.  To make it up to you guys, I will publish 6 posts during March (since there was only 2 posts in February, and I plan to have 4 post per month.)  Anyways, wow this post is so overdue......I still wanted to share with you guys my experience at the Demi Lovato Neon Lights Concert at the SAP Center in San Jose on February 11, 2014.  It was such a great concert!  There were pretty lights (well duh its called neon lights after all lol), and Demi Lovato sang amazingly.  She looked so cute with her pink air and adorable smile!  However, I felt as if the opening acts were too long; they were about 2 hours in total, while the actual part when Demi performed was around 1 around or so.  There was 3 opening acts - Fifth Harmony, Collins Key (magician), and Little Mix.  My favorite opening act is Fifth Harmony.  When it was finally Demi's turn to perform, I was so happy.  She sang some songs from her album and some old songs as well.  I love the fact that she didn't "ditch" her old songs.  Demi sang the songs together, like after this song ended she automatically starts the next one without pausing.  The row I was on was okay, I mean I can see her movements but not her facial expression.  Now, I am going to compare her concert with Katy Perry California Dreams Concert.  So I realized Katy Perry's concert is more fun and interesting, well for me at least.  I mean Katy Perry danced and had all these cute props.  I also felt that she talked to her fans more than Demi.  On the other hand, Demi Lovato is more of a stand there and sing type, which I don't mind since she sings so spectacular live.  But personally, I liked the Katy Perry concert better.  Like Katy's concert was honestly the time of my life, literally the best day of my life.  I was dancing the whole time and had SO much fun at Katy's concert.  Which is why I am upset that her Prism concert was sold out. :(  Okay, now back to Demi's concert.  Even though I enjoyed Katy's concert more, Demi's concert is definately worth going to.  It felt so short, and I was bummed when it ended.  So  if you are a Demi Lovato fan, I suggest you to go to her concert! :)

  

Happy Valentines Day + My Top 3 Fave Love Songs

I just wanted to say......

Happy Valentine's Day <3!

So what are your plans for Valentine's Day?

Leave your answer in the comments below!

Since today is Valentine's Day, I decide to tell you guys my top 3 favorite love songs.

1. Almost is Never Enough - Ariana Grande (Yay for Ariana, she is such an AMAZING artist) 

2. Unconditionally - Katy Perry

3. Die in Your Arms - Justin Bieber

So yeah, that concludes this post.  I hope you have a great Valentine's Day! 

- clare xoxo

What I Got from #PLLbyAero Spring Collection 2014

When I found out that there was going to be a Pretty Little Liars spring collection at Aeropostale, I was excited.  I saw this dress from the website, and instantly fell in love.  I bought it the day it came out.  The design is just so cute and the studs just makes it even cuter.  Below is a picture of the dress.

Aria Studded Ponte Dress

The dress may not look appealing to you at first sight, but once you put it on, it looks so much better.  Now, I am going to tell you the ways I would wear this dress.  I would wear this dress with black flats, black combat boots, or black heels (if I had heels).  I'm also planning to buy a belt, which will look amazing when you wear the dress.  I would think that a thick black belt works the best with this dress rather than a brown or thin belt.

Btw, on the day when the Pretty Little Liars spring collection came out, it was also the same day that the Bethany Mota spring collection came out.  I didn't get anything from the Bethany Mota spring collection because there wasn't really anything I particular really liked.  I mean I was planning to get the cardigan, but when I tried it on, it didn't look as good as I thought it would.  And a lot of the clothing items were too cropped for me.  I also watched the promo for the Bethany Mota spring collection on youtube, but there were some clothing items that weren't in the actual collection.  So I was a bit confused.

Anyways, that wraps up my blog post.  Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy seeing what I got from the Pretty Little Liars spring collection! :)

Lush Grease Lightning Review + Update!

As you an see from the title, this review will be about Lush Grease Lightning.  So this product is basically an acne treatment.  This is the third acne treatment I tried so far.  The other two were Clean & Clear Acne Spot Treatment (click here for review) and Clearasil Vanishing Acne Treatment Cream.  Out of these 3, Lush Grease Lightning is definitely the best acne treatment I've tried so far.  It really clears up my acne.  Like I had some forehead pimples, and around the next day, it's obvious that the pimple shrank.  This product is gel-like.  When you put it on, the gel will kind of dry on your skin.  Don't worry, it doesn't dry your skin though it just dries ON your skin.  Did that make any sense?  Lol.  I usually put this on the area where I have the acne.  I feel like this works better if you have a group of pimples, whiteheads, etc. rather than a single pimple, whitehead, etc.  I really liked the fact that it's made of natural ingredients.  About the packaging, well it's a pump, so you always get a specific amount of the gel.  Sometimes, the amount of gel that gets pumped out is too much.  Btw, Lush Grease Lightning has an expiration date, so I recommend to buy this only if you will use it often.  For me, the expiration date is around 2 years after the month/year I bought it.  Overall, I give this product a 4 out of 5 stars, since it's not a miracle worker but still works very well.  After I finish using this, I plan to buy the Neutrogena Oil- Free Acne Stress Control 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne treatment. :)

Thanks for reading, and I hope you find this review helpful!


Update: If you didn't realize already, starting from the month of October, I have published 4 or more posts per month.  I decided to make it official that I would be publishing 4 posts per month, most likely 1 post per week.  No promises though, but I would really try my best.  So stay tuned, and check my blog weekly for a new post every week! :D

Book Review + Discussion: Pretty Little Liars #14 Deadly

So I read Deadly about a month ago, and I decided to do a book review on it!  If you don't know what the plot of Pretty Little Liars is about, here is a link to my review of the previous book,Crushed, in the series (click HERE).  Oh, also this review is like the review of Crushed, following the same format which is book review and then discussion.  The discussion contains spoilers, but don't worry!  I will tell you beforehand.  Anyways for Deadly, it's basically about how the liars had enough of A ruining their lives and decided to put an end to it.  It was such an amazing book; it's a must read.  The plot, I would say, is kind of different from the other books in the series.  Like how the story goes it's kinda different, but in a great way.  The pace was also faster in this book, since the liars were actually doing something more effective to put an end to A's game.  In my opinion, what made Deadly more interesting than the other books was how A took it to the next level.  This affects the liars a lot, but it just makes them fight harder.  Btw, in Deadly, it revealed who Alison's helper was.  If you're interested in knowing who Alison's helper was, read the spoilers below.  Overall, I will rate this book a 5/5 stars! With all the intense and suspenseful moments, I had such an enjoyable time reading it.

--------------------------------------------------DISCUSSION : SPOILER ALERT-----------------------------------------------
Answer to Who is Helper A? : A is Nick, alias Tripp, Phineas, Jackson, Olaf, and Derrick.
Okay so in the beginning, it tells us Alison escaping from the Poconos in her perspective, which makes it more interesting.  When the book revealed that Noel was alive, I was relieved.  Once the liars decided to explain A to the cops, I felt like why didn't they do that earlier?  When Agent Fuji said there would be secret agents protecting them at all times, I was really hoping that the liars were safe from A at last.  Also, when Agent Fuji said she will investigate about the "A situation", I was kind of positive that she will solve the mystery.  Turns out, Agent Fuji accused the liars of sending the A notes to themselves to get attention, which I thought was illogical.  I mean seriously why would you send A text to yourself JUST to get attention?  Like, really?  When Emily's mom didn't believe in Emily when Emily said she wasn't the one in the "Tabitha video", I was like why wouldn't you believe in your own daughter?  Idk, I don't get it.  When Emily's family shunned Emily, I felt so bad for Emily.  Besides the liars, she has no one else to rely on.  Furthermore, when Emily attempted suicide, I thought she might actually suicide, but thankfully, the other liars got there in time to stop her.  I love how strong the friendship between the liars are.  In addition, I didn't like the characters Isabelle and Hanna's dad in the book, since they treated Hanna like crap.  Kate, on the other hand, was decent in this book.  On Arraignment day, a part of me thought that they have no hope left, but a part of me wonders if somehow, they manage to get out of the situation.  When the liars got a voice mail from Alison that had the chanting and Hanna figured out where it was from (her dad's office), I was like wow Hanna has such good memory and observes really well.  I probably wouldn't remember.  The liars arrive at a house behind the office, greeted by Nick, otherwise known as Tripp, Phineas, Jackson, Olaf, Derrick.  Wow, I never thought of that.  Alison appears with a gun, and I wonder if she will really get her wish.  The room where both Alison and Nick led the liars had this poison air, and I was scared for a second that all of them might actually die, and Ali will win.  When Alison tried to get Emily on her side, Emily refused, responding with "I hate you."  Good job Emily, way to show Alison how you really think of her.  Once the book described that "All she [Emily] saw was darkness", I thought that she was actually dead.  But it was later revealed she wasn't, and the rest of the liars weren't dead.  At the end, Agent Fuji figured out it was Nick who was helper A, saving the liars in time.  Everything is perfect timing like always for all the Pretty Little Liars books.  In those intense moments, someone will always save them somehow.  Which I guess you can say it's a good thing, but it can be quite predictable.  Not that I'm complaining or anything.  When Nick was arrested, I kinda felt sorry for him because like Alison obviously did a lot more bad things than Nick, but Nick was the one who got caught instead of Ali.  In the last few pages, it was revealed that Ali escaped AGAIN.  Honestly, I wonder how there can be this girl who is so clever with her plans.  This girl is so meticulous with her plans, that even FBI agents can't figure it out.  I really don't know how the liars can defeat her, honestly idek.
-----------------------------------------------------------END OF SPOILER----------------------------------------------------------

Sorry if this post was a bit too long.  I didn't expect it to be that long.  Btw, for those of you who think that PLL series is too long, I kind of understand how you feel.  Some parts are getting predictable.  Since I'm such a big fan, I don't mind.  Anyways, thanks for reading this book review and discussion.  I hope this helped! =]  Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.  So yeah!

What I Got from #PLLbyAero Winter Collection 2014

If you are wondering about the title, yes it is twitter inspired.  I thought it will be shorter and kinda different from my other blog titles.  Anyways, this post will be about what I got from the Pretty Little Liars Collection at Aeropostale.  If you didn't know already, I am a HUGE Pretty Little Liars fan, so when I found out that there was going to be a clothing line, I was beyond excited.  The fashion on the show is simply amazing, and I always wanted some clothing items the characters wore on the show.  Basically, this clothing line has clothes inspired by the style of Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer on the PLL TV show.  So I went to Aeropostale on January 7, the day it was released, since I was worried the size I wanted would be sold out quickly.  When I got there, I was surprised to see that there wasn't much selection, like there were only 13 pieces.  The Bethany Mota had so many selection; I thought PLL would be like that too.  Below is what I got from #PLLbyAero!

Hanna Lace Dress, $34 ; Liars Unite, Free

The dress was part of the Hanna category in the PLL collection.  I thought it was super pretty, and I always wanted a dress like this.  I'm planning to wear it for special events, and maybe casually too.  The "Liars Unite" shirt was free, since there was a promotion of if you buy anything from the PLL collection, you get that shirt for free.  And the card in the middle is just like advertising the collection.  I am planning to pair this dress with my white flats with a bow and small polka dots. 

Overall, I think the Pretty Little Liars collection is amAzing!  (Haha, see what I did there?)  The quality is awesome, and the clothes designed for each character is great.  The price might be a bit expensive for the other items, but other than that, I think it's worth the buy.  If you are a big fan of Pretty Little Liars or not, make sure to check this collection out!  So yeah, that was my what I got from the Pretty Little Liars collection at Aeropostale!  Thanks for reading! :)

Happy New Year!

Wow, I can't believe it's 2014 already.  2013 was such a great year for me!  I hope 2014 will be not only the best year for me, but the best year for you as well.  Ya'll know what they say, a new year means new beginnings.  Happy New Year! :)