Geek in Heels - Page 90

Jun 13, 2011 • In Beauty, Giveaways, Personal, Reviews

BB Creams (And a Giveaway!)

If you are Asian, there’s a very good chance that you already know what BB Creams are — after all, they have been all the rage in Korea, Japan, and China for the past few years. So if you’re familiar with BB Creams, please feel free to skip the next section. 🙂

What is a BB Cream?

BB Cream, or Blemish Balm Cream, first originated in Korea when a famous actress underwent laser skin surgery and used a German formula of concealer+regenerative/protective cream during her recovery…and continued to use it well after her skin had healed because she liked it so much.

Soon, other celebrities began to use it too, and the word spread to the rest of the population as various cosmetic companies adapted the concept and started to produce their own formulas.

The producers of BB Cream claim that it is suitable for all skin types and advertise that a single tube of BB Cream can replace moisturizer, sunscreen, and foundation from your daily beauty routine.

Personally, I like to tell people that BB Cream is a happy medium between a foundation and a tinted moisturizer, with added skin-enhancing benefits.

And since there are sooooo many different types of BB Creams available on the market these days — all with different textures, finishes, and skin-protecting/healing properties — I’m sure that you can find one to fit your needs once you’ve done some research.

Just some of the BB Creams offered by MISSHA, a popular Korean cosmetics company

The only downside to BB Creams? Since all the major manufacturers are East Asian, there is usually only one or two shade available for each line. Sure, as the product oxidizes and settles into your skin it tends to blend in, but you can’t deny that it would not work well with very fair or darker-skinned women.

(BUT, as the rest of the world is finally starting to catch on to the BB Cream trend — with major retailers such as Sephora even carrying a couple of BB Creams now — I can only assume that the cosmetic companies will begin to add more shades to their lineup. In the meantime, if you would like to find out how to add some additional color to your BB Cream, read what my friend Irene had to say over at Korean Beacon.)

For more information on BB Creams, you can check out Squidoo’s “What is BB Cream and why are Asian women crazy about it?” This thread from Soompi also has tons of information on BB Creams, as well as links to reviews from real users. And if you Google “BB Cream” or do a search on YouTube, you can also find tons of reviews, pictures, and videos of the various BB Creams on the market.

My Experience with BB Creams

Remember how I gotten horrible acne when I was pregnant with Claire? Well, when my skin did not immediately clear up after birth (like all pregnancy symptoms, it took a few weeks for my body to recover), my mother got me a tube of BB Cream from our local Korean market, telling me that she had heard great things about BB Creams and that some can help clear up acne.

I had heard about BB Cream before, but I was comfortable with my foundation and so hadn’t thought to give it a try. But once I did, I was hooked.

Like mentioned above, BB Creams provide the user with coverage (some more than others), skincare benefits, and SPF…all with the convenience of a tinted moisturizer.

Once my first tube ran out, I set out to get another, but discovered that the one that my mother had gotten me had since been discontinued. 🙁 I went to the good ol’ interweb to find another BB Cream, but found myself utterly overwhelmed as there were sooooo many different brands, lines, and labels.

I have tried four different BB Creams (all from different companies) since then, and here are my thoughts on them…

MISSHA M Perfect Cover BB Cream

In a nutshell: SPF 42; medium, buildable coverage; brightening and anti-wrinkle properties

Along with Hanskin, MISSHA is one of the top manufacturers of BB Cream in Korea. This particular BB Cream is one of the most popular from the MISSHA brand, and that is what drew me in.

Perhaps the best part about this BB Cream is that it comes in two shades: No. 21 Bright Beige, and No. 23 Natural Beige (the higher number being the darker color). I got the lighter shade because my skin tends to be naturally pale, and the color was perfect on me. Both are available for about $17 on Amazon.

I liked this BB Cream, but I didn’t love it. I know that it is one of the most popular BB Creams for a reason — because most people really seem to LOVE it — but as someone whose T-zone becomes an oil field by the end of the day (especially in the summer), I would have preferred a bit more oil control.

Lioele Beyond Solution BB Cream

In a nutshell: medium, buildable coverage; natural ingredients such as vegetable collagen to help smooth the skin

Another very popular BB Cream that is targeted to the younger crowd who are looking for a healthy glow with a dewy finish.

Initially, I liked this one a bit better than the MISSHA M Perfect Cover…but I have to say that in my case, the coverage seemed to disappear after about the 5th hour of wear. This BB Cream also does not have an SPF which is a big “con” in my book.

Still, it is another favorite in Asia and you can purchase it for $18 through Amazon.

SKIN79 Super+ Beblesh Balm BB Cream (Pink Label)

In a nutshell: SPF 25; medium coverage; brightening and anti-wrinkle properties

This BB Cream is very popular among the younger crowd for its brightening, dewy finish. The texture is light and refreshing, and comes in a pretty pump packaging as you can see in the picture.

Since I was on the lookout for good oil control, I was not too interested in this one, but my SIL got it for me from Hong Kong and I was grateful for the gift. This BB Cream really does seem to improve your skin’s texture, so if it weren’t for my super-oily T-zone it would have been perfect for me.

This BB cream is also the least expensive of the ones I’ve tried: you can get it for less than $15 on Amazon.

Dr. Jart+ Silver Label Rejuvenating Blemish Base BB Cream

In a nutshell: SPF 35; oil control; brightening and tightening properties

This BB Cream is the priciest of the bunch at $29, but it is by far my favorite. Why? It has fantastic oil control on top of the anti-aging and brightening effects…but it doesn’t dry my skin out.

The texture is a bit thicker than the others, but it’s no thicker than a regular foundation. The smell is a teeny bit medicine-y (while the others were more floral and makeup-like), but it’s not offensive — just different.

As with all BB Creams, what may work best for one person will not always work for another, so you have to do the research and experiment to find the one that’s right for you. I’m not sure if I got lucky or not by finding the best BB Cream for me on the fourth try.

Now, for the giveaway…

Since I like BB Creams so much, I have decided to give one away to one lucky reader!

The best part? The winner gets to choose from the four I’ve reviewed in this post, in addition to two other top BB Creams. This means that you have the chance to win one brand new tube of BB Cream from the following choices:

MISSHA M Perfect Cover (in shade 21 or 23)
Lioele Beyond Solution
SKIN79 Pink Label
Dr. Jart+ Silver Label
SKIN79 Gold Label
Hanskin Super Magic

(Note: there are two SKIN79 BB Creams on the list, with the Gold Label specifically formulated with anti-aging benefits.)

You can enter the giveaway in three different ways:

Leave a comment to this post, telling me which BB Cream you would choose if you won
Tweet (and leave a comment here saying you did so) the following:
I just entered to win a [enter the name of BB Cream you’d like here] at http://bit.ly/kiuqII via @geekinheels and you can too!
“Like” this post using the Facebook “Like” button at the bottom (and leave a comment here saying you did so)

Each method will grant you one separate entry, so you can increase your chances of winning by using all three methods of entry.

Please leave a valid email address (which will not be published or shared) when filling out the comment form so that I can contact you if you win.

The giveaway will end this Friday, June 17th, 2011 at 12:00pm EST. The winner will be chosen by a random number generator and be notified via email. The giveaway is valid only for U.S. residents.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

Every Day Posters Every Day

We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you your Tumblr Site of the Day…

Every Day Posters Every Day aims to bring you every day activities or occurrences, no matter how trivial or mundane, and celebrate them in the form of posters. Readers are encouraged to submit their own should they feel that their favorite chore has not been appropriately represented.

Here are my favorites from the first few pages:

Via Flavorwire.

P.S. — The Dallas Mavericks have won the 2011 NBA Finals! Major kudos on a great win! (Although a part of me kinda wanted Miami to win tonight just so there would be a Game 7. 😛 )

19 Weeks

I feel bad that I haven’t been writing about BebeDeux and this pregnancy as much as I did with Claire. But with the two babies so close in age, I haven’t forgotten much about my pregnancy with Claire, and aside from a few minor differences, this pregnancy is very similar.

I do not consider this pregnancy any less special than the one with Claire; I just feel redundant writing the same thing over again. 🙁

That being said, I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M ALMOST HALFWAY THROUGH. Holy crap. Where did the time go? Here are the few differences that I have noticed:

No round ligament pains with this pregnancy! If you can remember, my round ligament pains with Claire were more painful than labor pains. Not surprisingly, this is one welcome change.
A bit more nausea. Luckily, my morning sickness is literal morning sickness — I am almost always only nauseous in the morning and regularly puke while brushing my teeth. (And a few times while walking Comang, when his poop was extra nasty/smelly and I couldn’t help but hurl. Sorry, neighbors whose sidewalks I have thrown up on.)
No acne. Yay!
Pregnancy migraines. My OB has written me a prescription for Fioricet (a combination of butalbital, acetaminophen, and caffeine) and it has helped somewhat.
Worse insomnia than I had with Claire. And sleeplessness is a major trigger for migraines. And migraines definitely don’t help with the insomnia. It’s a vicious cycle.

And, as reported by most women, your tummy certainly gets bigger a lot faster with subsequent pregnancies. Here are my 19 week belly shots — the one on the left is from a year ago when I was pregnant with Claire, and the one on the right was taken today.

I plan on continuing to take weekly belly shots, but I will not post them regularly. Rather, I will share them in bunches as major pregnancy milestones occur.

Oh, one last thing. J was able to start feeling BebeDeux’s movements from the outside earlier this week, at 18 weeks. 🙂 He was not able to feel Claire until 21 weeks.

Peaked Too Early

Lately I have been plagued with a nagging uncertainty that makes me wonder if I had peaked too early in life.

Allow me to explain.

Before the age of 20, I was a Little Miss Overachiever: straight ‘A’s in school, tons of extracurricular activities, numerous awards, distinctions, and merits. My accomplishments included the following:

Not only did I qualify for the regional orchestra made up of 50 high schools in the lower NY area, I wrangled solo performances.

I was accepted to the über-prestigious Cooper Union School of Art’s Saturday Program (which has since divided into the Saturday Program and the Outreach Program) which allowed me to take art classes — for free — every Saturday for an entire summer from some of the nation’s most respected instructors in visual arts. I was one of the 40 students chosen out of more than 350 who applied…and I was one of the two high school sophomores (of the mostly juniors and seniors) who made the cut.

I held an internship — a paid internship — at one of the most famous and most respected art museums in the country: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I did not think too highly of these honors at the time, because all I had done is to do the work, apply, and get in. Only do I realize now that these were BIG FRIGGIN’ DEALS. Even my own sister, who is currently a PhD candidate in Art History, has recently asked me, “How in the world did you manage to land that Met internship?”

Post-college, I’ve only held two long-term jobs. While they were fairly respectable and paid well, they were nothing to brag about.

I am now a SAHM with an 8-month-old daughter and another kid on the way. I have not contributed to the household income for the past couple of years, and my life is, frankly, not very exciting.

Did I “peak” too early?

I’m writing this on my phone while in the car so I don’t have any
relevent pictures for this post. You’ll have to make do with this
old picture of Claire’s first bath.

When I brought up these concerns with J, he assured me that while the accomplishments of my youth are great to be sure, they are worldy accomplishments, or ones that may seem to matter most to society. Meanwhile, having children and raising them, being a good mother and a wife and a daughter — that is what is more important to him and to our family, and that they far outweigh whatever I may have done in the past.

I know that many mothers consider their children to be their greatest accomplishments, but I do not feel this way. I consider nabbing my husband to be my #1 achievement. 🙂

Do you ever have fears that you may have peaked too early? How do you deal with the doubts?

The Little Sith

An mashup of Star Wars and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince by illustrator Fabian Gonzales. I personally love the idea of Vader caring for the Death Star and its lone rose.

Via Neatorma.

A Book to Keep You Cool This Summer

I don’t know about the rest of the country, but we are absolutely SWELTERING here in the NYC area. Our nanny actually got a call from her son earlier today because all the local schools were closing early due to the intense heat. As I vastly prefer the cold over the heat, I usually stay indoors when the weather is like this, thankful for the wonderful invention that is central air, gorging on cool, fresh fruit and (if I have the time) reading a good book.

And what better way to stay cool in the summer than with a scary tale that chills your bones?

I am sure that every avid reader has at least one book that they can read over and over again. I have many such books, some of which are so dog-eared that I need to take extra care when re-reading them. But my all-time favorite horror/thriller book has to be Christopher Pike’s The Season of Passage — my personal copy has been read so many times that it’s practically become a part of me.

Many of my readers who have grown up in the United States should be familiar with the name Christopher Pike, as he was one of the most popular writers of young adult thrillers in the 1990s (along with the likes of R.L. Stine and Lois Duncan). I personally favored Christopher Pike above all the other authors in the genre because his style of writing is simply spectacular.

Most Christopher Pike fans are surprised to discover that he has written a few adult fiction titles as well. The Season of Passage is one such book and remains my favorite of all his books — young adult and adult — because the story is just so well-spun and well-told, and it combines two of my favorite genres: science fiction and vampires.

I prefer this older book cover design over the new one.

Here is a description of the book, from its Amazon page:

In 1996, the first unmanned space probe to land on Mars sent back sensational analyses (including secret pictures of huge footprints) before going dead. Four years later, the Russian crew of the manned Lenin loses contact in midmission. When the first American crew, which includes Dr. Lauren Wagner as medical officer, lands there in 2002, the mysteries expand rather than resolve, and author Pike hits top suspense with the American team discovering a Russian cosmonaut still alive in his bed in the orbiting Lenin, despite a freezing temperature in the ship. To be sure, he seemingly has no pulse and answers all questions with a fixed zombie grin that never wavers. When he leads the Americans below to comb the Martian surface by jeep and by foot, and then into a dark cave where they discover something very much like water, the reluctant reader begins shouting warnings. Meanwhile, back on earth, Lauren’s sister, 13-year-old Jennifer, begins writing a fantasy tale about her life as the Princess Chaneen, a goddess among the Asurians, which somehow ties in with the vampires of Mars and for a while takes up alternate chapters with the sf/horror tale, though sf folks may not willingly accept the fantasy novel interwoven with the main text. Only Lauren and fellow astronaut Gary “survive” the Martian ordeal and return to earth where Jennifer has killed herself–or has she? At least she’s been buried. But is the Princess Chaneen still around, to fight the vampire infection sent back to earth in the two astronauts called Lauren and Gary? Not without its ups and downs but, at its best, both riveting and a back-prickler.

If you read through the reviews on Amazon, one thing is clear: even a full 20 years after the books initial release, readers still LOVE this book and many consider count it as one of their favorite reads. As reviewer Russ writes,

What can I say that isn’t said in the fact that 147 (out of 155) reviews have given this title a 5 star rating?
And that most of the remaining reviews are 4 stars.

This is probably one of the best paperback books you’ll ever read.

I’m still surprised that the mainstream literary community has not picked up on this gem of a novel. I personally think that it would make a fantastic movie (any Hollywood execs reading this?), one that I would pay good money to see even if the screenwriter/director has butchered it to pieces.

Has any of you read this book? What do you think of it?

Can you recommend any other scary books to keep me cool in the summer heat?

Working With Nature

A few weeks ago, I was shocked to discover some tan spots on Claire’s scalp. They varied in size from a eighth of an inch to half an inch in diameter. The coloring looked similar to how one’s skin looks as a cut/scrape heals, so I immediately checked to see if they were results of injuries. They were not.

The spots are flat and do not wash out with water and soap. They do not seem to bother her at all, so I am pretty certain that they are birthmarks — café au lait spots, to be more specific — which I did not notice prior to that day due to her hair. (I will be bringing them up at her next pediatrician appointment, just to be certain.) I suspect that I was only able to see them this time because we were out in the sun. Even then, they’re hard to spot unless you’re actually seeking them out.

The spots are hardly noticeable, especially with her dark hair covering them.

My first thought at discovering these birthmarks was, ‘Thank goodness they’re on her scalp and covered by her hair!’

…And I immediately felt guilty for having this thought. Because as a mother, aren’t I supposed to love and accept my daughter exactly how she is, imperfections and all?

But the more I thought about it, the more complicated the issue seemed to become.

At what point does a parent intervene with nature, i.e. the way you were born, to help ensure the best possible life and opportunities for your children?

Because as much as I hate to admit it, we live in a world where one’s looks count a lot more than we would like. We also live in an unjust world where more attractive people are generally treated better and afforded greater opportunities.

There’s also the fact that kids can be extra cruel. I myself endured tons of teasing growing up and would wish nothing but the opposite for my children.

So if those spots were someplace more conspicuous, like on her face, I would not be opposed to having them treated and/or removed later on in her life (but only if she wished to do so).

And — because I make it no secret that I myself have had cosmetic surgery and am not ashamed of it — I would not be opposed to her having the same surgery if she wishes, as long as she is past the age of 18 and is certain that she wants it.

Let’s make one thing clear: I do not love my daughter any less for having the spots, not having a double eyelid, etc. Nor would I love her any more if she did not have the spots or had double eyelids. I would merely not be opposed to her getting these cosmetic procedures done if it would make her happier, more confident, and may lead to an easier life.

J, on the other hand, is vehemently against altering your natural self. I still remember asking him, right before Claire was born, if he would be against her getting reconstructive surgery to correct a cleft palate (should she be born with one). Even then, he says that he would hesitate.

But then again, J was always popular in school, well-liked with tons of friends and was rarely teased. He would not know the emotional trauma that can result from bullying and teasing. (Would this even make a difference?)

What do you think? Should we all just be proud of what nature gave us, no matter what? Would you ever physically change anything about your children if it meant that it could give them a better life? If so, where would you draw the line? A large mole? Braces? Ear piercings?

Harry Potter Math

With the final HP film just a month away, how can any self-respectable fan not crack a smile at this?

Via BuzzFeed.

Our Very Own Mary Poppins

Weeks after placing “part-time nanny wanted” ads, I was still getting tons of applications and found myself only lazily skimming through them.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want the help. Rather, I was literally receiving hundreds of applications, most of which I knew to be were from people I wouldn’t trust to prepare my coffee, nevermind watch my precious daughter.

There were also more than a few qualified applicants whom I was having heckuva time emailing, calling, and struggling to set up interviews.

“I wish I could hire someone to help me hire someone,” I complained to my sister. (Yes, I am that lazy.)

“Why don’t I help you?” she volunteered.

I almost slapped myself right then and there. My sister had experience working as a nanny, so she knows what to look for and which warning signs to watch out for. And as soon as I agreed, she helped me edit my ad, set up a new email address which she could access, and promised me to start phoning and interviewing people asap.

And that’s how we found Cindy. Cindy lives in the next town over, has experience working with infants, does not need to work but would like some time away from her house and wouldn’t mind the extra money. Not only does she have great references, she has a charming, bubbly personality which I knew would work great with Claire. Her schedule is flexible enough that we could rely on her three times a week (for 5 hours at a time) but also change the days and times around when needed.

I knew that we had found our nanny after just the first interview. And Cindy’s first day is today.

After spending the first couple of hours with her and Claire, and making sure that Claire seemed comfortable with her, I retreated to my room. I am now writing this post with one ear at the door, and am happy to report that I hear Claire’s giggles emanating from the other room.

Here’s to hoping that Cindy works out, and that our household will be a happier and smoother one with her help!

The Preggo Chop

Being pregnant, it is not uncommon to have days when you feel utterly unattractive. Even if you have been through it before like I have, the insane amount of changes to your body makes you feel out of control and continually self-conscious.

Perhaps that is why so many pregnant women choose to make drastic changes to their appearance (mainly, in the form of their hair)?

Last weekend I visited my favorite salon for a trim…and found myself asking my stylist to chop 6 inches off my long mane.

I chattered away nervously as she make the first few cuts. I was both horrified and devastated to see the long locks falling to the floor, but knew that it was too late to ask her to stop. When she was finally finished…

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, only to discover that loved my new haircut.

I haven’t had my hair this short since college, so even after a full week I still get startled to see myself in the mirror every morning. But there is now so much more movement and manageability, not to mention the (literal) extra weight off my head.

Since the pictures I have up on my internet life (including this blog) are old ones, I slathered on some extra makeup today and asked J for an impromptu photoshoot.

I am now thinking of dying my hair too — again, something I haven’t done since college. I’ve read that the ombre look is popular now, and when I asked my stylist about it she told me that not only would look great with my new haircut, it would give it some extra texture too.

What do you think? Should I go for the color change too?

P.S. — Notice anything different about my header? You’ve asked for it…Comang is now included too!

BB Creams (And a Giveaway!)

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Every Day Posters Every Day

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19 Weeks

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Peaked Too Early

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The Little Sith

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A Book to Keep You Cool This Summer

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Working With Nature

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Harry Potter Math

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Our Very Own Mary Poppins

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The Preggo Chop

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