Just a Thought

I haven't blogged in months. Lately I've been doing lots of introspecting on my goals and the direction that life has taken me in the past few years. I have changed my mind about many things in the past three years, but ultimately, even with many detours and obstacles in the way, my goals have remained the same. Though it may be cliche to say, "Don't give up," it is something that should be followed by anyone with a dream, no matter how big or small. It may take weeks, months, years, even decades, but if you really want something, it is worth a try. If not, you will look back and regret not even trying. Though I don't have time at the moment to get into details, my life events since graduating college have not been what I expected - and I have learned and grown so much because of it. So I wrap up this short "blurb" post with the words of encouragement: Never give up.

NYC and Wet & Wild Mascara Review

I am going to do a quick review of a couple of drugstore mascaras that I picked up at Walgreens recently. The first one is NYC's City Curls mascara, which comes in a thin, pink tube and retails roughly about $2.70. I was fairly impressed! To be honest, I was not expecting much from this because of the low price, but it proved me wrong. I feel that it lifts my lashes while adding some volume, which is a bonus as usually (in my experience) curling mascaras lift but fail to add any thickness to my lashes. I definitely recommend this as an everyday-use mascara; you will get a steal with that price!

The second mascara I tried is Wet n Wild's Mega Volume. I think this retailed between $3-4, and it is not worth it. This mascara, instead of adding mega volume, seems to thin out my lashes. It separates my lashes, but not in a good way. There seem to be gaps in my lashes when I apply this, making my eyelid feel naked. At first, I thought it might be my application. But after trying different methods with this wand, it does not do much to amplify my lashes. Maybe my thin lashes are to blame, but the product fails to provide any volume. For that reason, I won't be purchasing this one again.   

That liner....

I came across this picture on Pinterest.. Definitely had to save the picture as a reference when doing my liner ;) It's flawless!

RunDisney: My First 1/2 Marathon

This gold shiny thing is what I trained for months for.... On Sunday morning of Labor Day weekend, I ran my first half marathon at Disneyland. RunDisney is a half marathon which begins at Downtown Disney, runs through Disneyland and California Adventure, through Anaheim and also through Angels stadium. I really had doubts about going through this journey. I have never been much of a runner, but my brother and cousins run it every year so they kind of gave me the push I needed. I first thought there is no way I can run 13.1 miles, NO way! But thought I would register in order to force myself to at least train for it. When I signed up in February, I figured I had months to train so I was not worried about it.. But as time flew and the day grew closer, I was starting to dread the big day. I thought, "What if I pass out?" "What if I don't maintain my pace?" "What if my legs are too weak to finish?" I basically thought of every bad scenario you could think of. But once I was out there with my brother, as we were able to start in the same corral, I was pumped up and so excited to finally go through with it. It was an incredible experience. I think all the runners and the atmosphere with Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse giving us the green light to start really gave me the motivation to keep running. I was able to run through the sixth mile straight without walking. From there I tried to be aware of my pace and I ended up finishing in 2 hours, 39 minutes, which is a lot better than I expected for myself. All in all, it was a great experience and the feeling of accomplishment once I crossed the finish line is something I could never forget. I think I have felt that feeling on very few occasions, my college graduation being one of them.I am definitely hoping to run more marathons.I wish my boyfriend was able to run it with us but he had knee surgery this year, so it was out of the question. He was there to support me though, and seeing him and my dad at the finish was very uplifting. My mom, aunt and cousins all ran this one with me and the experience of having so much family there was really special to me. I feel like it has brought us all closer together because we all pushed each other and really kept each other inspired through it all. I really recommend signing up for something like this with people you care about because it is a unique journey that you can experience together. 

Nars Andy Warhol Collection

I just heard that Nars will be releasing an Andy Warhol Collection this October. Details won't be out until next week but I am so excited to see all the products when they arrive! I have read that some items will be sold exclusively in Sephora stores, while others will be also in department stores. Can't wait!

Shade of the Week: Splash of Grenadine

Essie - Splash of Grenadine

Wet n Wild Megalast

Of all the inexpensive, drugstore brand nail polishes, Wet n Wild's Megalast has quickly become my favorite. For $1.99 per bottle, the polishes really superceded my expectations. I love that I am able to swipe on two coats of this polish, without being too thick or too thin, and the polish dries within minutes. I don't have to watch what I do with my hands for a few hours, as with so many other nail polish brands. I also really like the thickness of the brush because I am able to cover more of my nail with less strokes. My two favorite shades of the moment are Wet Cement and I Need a Refresh-Mint (pictured second and third above). Wet Cement is a perfect taupe, in my opinion. I Need a Refresh-Mint was a good change for me. When I saw it at Walgreens it reminded me of a Tiffany's blue. I had several mint shades already, but this shade seemed more Tiffany's-ish because it is more on the blue side than on the mint green side. All in all, I would definitely recommend this brand if you are a fan of quick-drying polish.

To sum it up here are my likes about Megalast:

* Thick brush for faster, more efficient painting

* Large selection of matte shades

* Polish dries within minutes

* Polish lasts for days without chipping, sometimes weeks (especially on toes)

* Only $1.99 per bottle, sometimes cheaper when on sale

I Need a Refresh-Mint (flash above, no flash below)

Wet Cement (no flash)