BEAUTY: [happy nails | review | bad]

I've been going to Happy Nails for almost 10 years now (on and off of course). Most of the time I've gone to the one in the South Bay Galleria location and found an talented manicurist named Tiffany. When it comes to acrylics, she was the person I went to. She even did my nails for my wedding.

Of course acrylics are awful on your really nails, so I don't really like to do them that often. Well recently they've come out with colored nail gels that aren't as harsh on your nails and last up to two weeks. Of course when I found this out I wanted to try it. Unfortunately when I went into the salon, Tiffany was busy and I was sent to a different lady or should I say two different ladies.

The first lady I was sent to, I had seen many times while Tiffany was working on my nails, her name was Donna and she did my manicure. After Donna was done, I was handed off to a girl named Yuki. Yuki had cute petite hands with full set of acrylics on, so I was excited... if her nails were that well kept, I figured she'd be able to do a good job on mine as well. Boy was i wrong!!

My manicure looked amazing but I think because they were so busy Yuki was bouncing in between clients when she was applying my nail gel. The nail gel uses UV rays to dry each layer/application. It was my first time trying to nail gel that i didn't know what was right or wrong. So i found out the hard way that Yuki didn't know how to put on the nail gel properly.

After Yuki was done, my nails were still dull and sticky so I showed the Salon manager since Yuki was busy with another customer and the manager informers me that it just needs old and puts more cuticle oil on my nails. Needless to say that didn't work but I let it go and went home and applied a top coat over it instead. Two days later the nail color on my right index finger started to peel. Keep in mind this nail gel is suppose to last up to two weeks. Of course I get a little irritated at this but just let it go hoping its just that one finger and it wont peel to badly. By the third day almost my whole right hand's nail color was peeling off. Unfortunately, I was out of town and couldn't get back to the nail salon to have them fix the problem.

Once I got back home a week later I decided to head straight Happy Nails from the airport in order to have them fix my nails. When I arrived at the nail salon, the salon Manager tells me that Yuki couldn't do it that day and made me an appointment 3 days later. Being that Yuki applied them the first time of course I was really hesitant to have her redo them but the Manager wouldn't let anyone else do my nails.

So I went back 3 days later to have Yuki fix my nails. Apparently there was some miscommunication bewteen Yuki and the manager about having my nails fixed. Instead Yuki redid everything as if I wanted to pay for her to apply the nail gel on again. She took off the nail gel on the left hand (since there was no nail gel left on the right hand by that time) and have me a manicure as well as applying the new nail gel. After she was done I was about to just tip her and leave when she tells me I owed her the full amount. Of course I was confused and told her no I came in because my whole right hand peeled off starting after the second day.

Yuki went on to say that I peeled off my right hand and that the nail gel isn't guaranteed to last two weeks. In no way did i expect it to last two weeks, but my WHOLE right hand was peeling/peeled off while my left hand was fine in less than a week?! Also when i told her that it started peeling after two days, she basically implied that I was lying. Let me remind you that the day she applied my nail gel she was going back an forth between me and other clients so she wasn't paying attention to how she was applying the nail gel. In the end I told her that I'd pay but that I will definitely not be coming back ever!!, which didn't seem to matter to Yuki and/or the Salon Manager. At that point I realized that at Happy Nail salons they don't care about the customers happiness, it's all about the money. And even after she redid my nails they were still dull and sticky because she didn't apply them correctly, but I was over the whole situation and had to get out of that nail salon.

I probably don't need to tell you guys but I will NEVER be going back to Happy Nails. After that horrible experience with not just Yuki but also the awful nail gel, I decided to try a different nail salon that I normally go to for pedicures (Bellagio Nails) for the nail gel and let me just tell you.. SO much better! it lasted two weeks no problem. I'm actually going to get them redone this week before I head off to Hawaii.

So the moral of the story is... AVOID happy nails at all cost!

xx
j

BEAUTY: [covergirl outlast lipcolor | review]

Most of you that know me, know that my go-to lip color is natural/nude. I'm just not that type of girl that likes to reapply make-up and when you wear dark lip color you have to keep reapplying unless you want to walk around with a pink/red stained lip. I don't know about you, but that's not exactly the look I'm going for. So the other day i decided to try the Covergirl Outlast all-day lipcolor in burgundy. What's better than having lipcolor that lasts all day, right?!

Well there's a few things you should know before applying the Covergirl Outlast all-day lipcolor. Don't try using any other lip liner besides the ones in the Covergirl Outlast line. If you do, the lipcolor will eventually ball up and peel off. Also, to apply, apply a light even coat of the lipcolor first, let dry and then apply again for a second coat. Be sure not to over apply the lipcolor, it will clump and flake off if you do.

Over all this product works great. It does exactly what it says it will. The only downside is that with the lipcolor on your lips feel dry even when you have the moisturizing topcoat and lipgloss on. Also be sure to reapply the moisturizing topcoat and lipgloss every so often, if the lips get dried out the lipcolor will flake off.

Would i use it again?! Definitely, i just have to get used to the reapplying of the topcoat/lip gloss and the feeling of the dry lips. Oh and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that when you take the lipcolor off with make-up remover your lips aren't color stained at all... that's definitely a plus in my book.

PERSONAL: [internship | coco before chanel]

[image taken w/my bb outside the theater]

The stylist's Assistant & I have been starting work super early and @ times working late as well and it really meant a lot to us when the stylist was nice enough (& we were lucky enough) to let us go to the Coco before Chanel LA premiere yesterday night to watch the movie before it comes drops in theaters.

We were exhausted & had to start work early again the next day, but it was worth it. The movie was AMAZING, we loved it! Audrey Tautou was adorable (in the movie @ at the premiere). I don't normally like foreign films, reading subtitles to me... takes away from the movie, but Coco before Chanel was so well done. Of course to enjoy the film you'd probably have to LOVE Chanel, and/or love fashion because otherwise why would you care about Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel's life before Chanel, right?!

Funny side note/story for you guys. so a while back when I was still a full-time graphic designer looking into getting my foot in the door as a fashion stylist, I received an email from the FIDM alumi department inviting me to a fashion stylist mixer/panel (last year). So of course I went, thought I'd get insight on how to start to become a stylist & where to start. I was also hoping to get inspired and to get guidance but got the complete opposite from this stylist. funniest thing though... Last night I saw the stylist @ the premiere and was seated right next to the stylist. Apart of me wanted to say "My foots in the door Bee-otch! Even though you told me I didn't have a chance with a graphics background. Now what?! AND I'm sitting next to you @ this premiere. Get off your high horse please!!" Ha! But I was mature & did say anything. Lol. This story proves to you that when you keep your head held high, you will forever stay on the up rise! Don't let no one hold you down!

Xoxo

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

MOVIE: [twilight | on demand]

I don't really the have time to look at magazines let alone read a novel. So its very safe to say that I haven't read the Twilight series. Which also means I'm not sure what all the hypes about.

Because I wasn't a fan & did understand the hype, I didn't feel the need to watch the movie in the theaters.... But with the super fast turn around from theaters to DVD now days the movie was released on Saturday to DVD and even better it came out on Time Warner's "On-Demand" so I didn't have to leave my cozy apartment while I was sick and it was just a click away... YAY for convenience!

To be completely honest the first time I watched it with the hubby I didn't hate it, but it wasn't very good. I thought the acting was over the top & the directing was as well.

But sense On-Demand gives you 24 hrs to watch the movie you've paid for, I decided to give it a second chance. Surprisingly the second time around made more sense and the acting & directing didn't seem as over the top as it had the previous time. Maybe because I knew what to expect or maybe it was because after watching it the first time without reading the book I got a better understanding of the story/characters in the movie?!

In any case it was entertaining for me to watch and I think it was a little too sappy for the hubby's personal taste. As for the future, will I watch the second or third movie in theaters... Ehh probably not, but you never know!

Xoxo

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

REVIEW//: [blackberry | bold 900]

The day I FINALLY joined the crackberry nation (aka addicted blackberry users) was on November 4, 2008. The very day the new blackberry bold was released by AT&T to the USA. The second day I got the Bold I wrote a small short/early review and I said i'd write another one once i've used it a little longer. Today's that day!

Let me just first off say I'M IN LOVE and with any love it's not perfect but I'm willing to look past the imperfections (for the most part at least ha). I've now had the Bold for over 2 months now and I believe I'm able to give a pretty accurate review about it at this point.

• VISUALLY (exterior): its sleek, clean, the screen is vibrant and I love the faux leather backing. It's easier to grip and a nice texture vs the BB Curve's slippery plastic one, etc., the only thing that's a draw back is the silver border is black plastic painted silver. So when you drop the phone and it dents/chips/scratches the plastic is shows the black.

• GUTS: the new OS is nice and the icons are clean they reminds me of a Mac's. As for applications it seems that BB devices only are allotted a certain amount of space and you can't use the Slot memory card to add to it. Also the OS freezes once in a while and you'll have to do a hard restart which is taking out the battery and putting it back in. the Bold has wifi and bluetooth and it's also 3G. one thing the iPhone has over the BB Bold is that the iPhone 3G you're able to turn off the 3G if you'd like, while on the BB Bold you stuck to using it unless it drops on you and go to the EDGE network.

• SOUND/PLAYBACK: this is one of the things the BB Bold trumps on the iPhone... the speaker on this bad boy is amazingly loud and clear. As for the music playback it now has a previous song/next song button (vs the old curve). The only thing I don't like is that it can't play music I buy from itunes (but I think I read some where now you can... but I'm not sure) which I blame itunes for more than RIM for this flaw.

• EMAIL: this feature is what BB is known for and yet another feature that trumps the iPhone over. Out of all the devices i've owned (which tech only my sidekick and iphone had email) the BBs email system is AMAZING. It's extremely reliable and fast. On the sidekick and iPhone you can wait up to 30 mins to 24 hrs to receive an email. The blackberry works on its own emailing system so it's able to shot you your email right away. LOVE IT!

• MESSENGER: aka BBM aka Blackberry Messenger. Oh how I love thee. for those of you who don't know BBM is I AIM for BB user to other BB users. I never knew how many people I know owned a BB until now. The great part about it is its FREE to BBM unlike AIM for BB thats actually considered text messages. I'm trying to convert all my friend that aren't BB users to do so mainly for BBM reasons and because it's so reliable ha.

• WEB BROWSER: one thing that I loved about the iPhone was it's internet browser and how you are about to control it with the touch screen. But to be honest the BB Bolds browser isn't to shabby. When it comes to mobile browsing to be honest I don't do much of it either way it takes too long to load (iphone and/or bb bold)... I can wait until I get to my laptop or desktop for most things.

• CAMERA/VIDEO: the pixel in the camera is lacking a little (iphones resolution is a tad better), but at least theres a flash (unlike the iphone). I'm still trying to figure out the setting for the camera. The flash is a little harsh on the photos and washes things out at times. the video is also at a tiny qlty, but what do you expect its a mobile phone right?! at least there's a video. yay! (even tho i'll hardly ever use it ever heehee.. just nice to have)

All in all I love the phone. I wouldn't go back to the iphone for nothing (until they come up with a solution for all the things i hate about it now... then we'll see). Personally, its well worth the money. But then again I am a tech geek in a way. It'll be hard to sway me away from being a crackberry addict now! Look even president select Obama can't resist it. haha

COME JOIN THE CRACKBERRY NATION TODAY!!!! lol