♥Oiseau88♥

A Non Sequitor Post: Cooking

2011-11-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

Hello friends :) Again, I have been gone for too long on this blog and I can only ask for your forgiveness~ From school to being ill, my several weeks of absence has not been short of hectic excitement. I have decided to dedicate this blog to more beauty related posts. In doing so, I have created another separate blog, www.aladygirl.com, that I will dedicate more of my style and fashion. I'm really excited about this blog, because I've been wanting to do fashion blogs for so long now! I hope you will check it out and I will be sure to make more frequent updates on it!

Moving back to the main topic, today's post is indeed a non sequitor- it has nothing to do with beauty or fashion. Yet, I wanted to share with you my pasta creation of the day! One of my favorite hobbies to do as a way of relaxing, is cooking. I've been craving pasta for days now and instead of eating it at a restaurant, I made it at home! Here is a step by step guide and pictures of my Spicy Italian Sausage Pasta in Pink Cream and Pesto Sauce! Much healthier to make on your own =) Cheers!

xoxo,
Oiseau88

Spicey Sausage, Ground Beef, Diced Onions, And Garlic

A bowl of pasta :)

Cooking the meat with the garlic and onion in olive oil

Pink Cream Sauce: Garlic Marinara sauce, Alfredo Sauce, and Pesto mixed and stir under low heat

All Mixed in!

Final Product~

Closer look~

Appetizer: Cherry Tomatoes with Fresh Mozzarella in Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil Dressing

Addiction

2011-09-05T01:48:00.000-07:00

Another long delay in post, but I hope you may sympathize with me as I am in that crazy whirlwind of first week of classes, registration, applications, and so forth =)

I'm sure, by the strange single word claiming the title spot of today's post, you are wondering what bad sort of addiction I may have. But like always, there is a twist =) Addictions are not always bad. Sometimes you can see an addiction as a kind of habit, a routine. Both have double meanings, and are done subconsciously, without us really knowing or caring to know why. There is a trend, you see. An initial attraction to something always ignites a form of interest that leads us to return to it again in a continuous pattern. This of course becomes naturally ingrained in our daily schedule and ultimately, in some cases, for a long time- Chocolates, books, clothes, accessories, furniture, art, etc. We can all find something we are attached at the hips to =) And whilst I was doing some light hearted shopping today after studying, I came home to a rather impressive collection of everything golden, auburn, plum, and coral. I've expressed a few times of my love for the Fall seasons but I never knew it extended to the eyeshadows I always tend to wear. I will now admit, I love the entire range of golden shimmers. My hand and eyes immediately pull towards these colors without a moment's rest. You may call it "safe" or the cliche of eyeshadow colors. But to me, they are definitely more than safe and cliche. Standard rule of makeup, we use white shimmers or mattes to highlight the inner corners and upper brown bones of our eyes to brighten up any look. And of course, we cannot forget the friendly darker shades to blend in for a "smokey" finish. For a night time or special occasion, I would gladly done a darker and more dramatic makeup. But the mood that perfectly captures me, myself, and I is the mellow but glistening gold. Golden shades are bright enough to highlight the inner corners and dark enough to intensify one's gaze. The colors are warm and give depth to any pair of eyes without it being overdone. As such, the colors are timeless =)

So what are your healthy addictions? =)

xoxo,

Oiseau88

Looking Through The Looking Glass

2011-08-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I had a long, nostalgic conversation with my best friend from College. Sifting through our mental photo album of memories past, she came to the conclusion that "Ignorance is bliss." I'm sure you have heard this rather simple phrase at one point in time and thought, "Yes, sometimes not knowing everything can be the cure to many of my worries and stresses." How can three simple words put together hold so much meaning and can be applied to almost any situation? I guess there's power to three worded phrases (i.e., I Love You =) ) But ignorance cannot always be bliss can it? I had to partially disagree with my friend, as I believe that nostalgia made our College days seem more fun than the present, when in fact the present is in better focus because of what was learned from the past. In simpler words, both ignorance and knowledge can be bliss; it only depends on how you want to look through the looking glass.

Just like the memories of my past, I opened my closet of clothes- a random medley of pants, skirts, dresses, and shirts from the past and present. Hanger by hanger, I was oddly recalled by my friend's "Ignorance is Bliss" quote and my murmurs of "why did I ever get this? wow, I still had this? hmm, I can still wear this" were replaced by another looking glass...instead of faded trends or latest trends, I began to see the "trend of mind" that we have while shopping for clothes.

I believe almost everybody has three general shopping trends: 1. Practical Shopping 2. Idealistic Shopping 3. Realistic Shopping ....and this can all be found right in our very own closets! Practical shopping consists of our basic necessities, including solid colored tees, sweats, tank tops, jackets, v-necks, sweaters, etc...But realistic and idealistic shopping are a bit more complex. Have you ever walked by a store window display and loved how a dress or an outfit looked on the mannequin? Or flipping through the latest magazine, passed by billboards on your way to school/work and saw models branded with the "it" trend of the season? This used to happen to me all the time! I would see it one way or another, and want it! Simple as that. You don't step back to think how it would look on you, Rather, you want it for the sake of having it. And so, we end up putting aside a portion of our racks with clothes that make you cringe in the present time and go, "What was I thinking?? such a waste of money!!" That, my friends is what I call Idealistic Shopping. And so we must really focus on the Realistic Shopping aspect of the story. We know more than others the shape of our own bodies. Some people are pear shaped, some people have curves, some people don't have curves, some people have longer torsos, and some people have legs (as my old ballet mistress would put it) "longer than the higher heavens." We are what we are and must foremost embrace the body that we have before thinking about who is wearing what at the moment. I for one have shoulders that are too narrow. I cannot buy shoulder bags, let alone bras/tank tops without the straps falling off my shoulder every few seconds! Jeans are also a problem, as I must resort to skinny jeans to show more shape to my body. I can go on, critiquing what doesn't work on me. But why must we? Channel that energy into what works for you!

As an example, here is an outfit I put together =) I love dark colors for fall~ I find greys and blacks very versatile for cold weather and complements the frosty air. Springs and Summers are my girly seasons and Falls and Winters are all about skinny jeans, oversized sweaters/blouses and statement boots/booties =) Hope some of this was inspiring and never forget to be a bit daring but at the same time, keeping true to the shapes and curves of your beautiful body =)

xoxo,

Oiseau88

"Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress" -Coco Chanel

2011-08-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

However way you may want to read and understand the quote, wisely put by the timeless trendsetter herself, I felt it was appropriate for what we are about to discuss here today. Broadly speaking, elegance lies beyond what you wear or put on. You may see it as a sort of aura or confidence that one must inhibit to make the clothes come alive. And why not add in some nice fragrance to give our personal elegance a little boost? Yes, I am speaking of perfume. Visit any of your local perfume shop and you will see a counter display of dozens upon dozens to choose from. First quickly scanning every name brand you can think of, and recollecting magazine ads you may have seen a week or two ago, you begin the whiffing process. After a couple whiffs of different perfume, your nose starts growing numb and everything starts smelling the same. Has this ever happened to you? I know this happens to me all the time, despite the handful of coffee beans that are supposed to refresh my nasal canals for another whiff. So my question here is, why not trust your own personal taste in what smells good and go from there? Aside from perfume, I'm all about anything light scented, subtle, and floral. Occasionally I love picking flowers up in the mountains and drying a bouquet of wild flowers. I guess you can say I like the smell of potpourri? In any case, that is the scent I prefer-light and floral. So here is a list of perfumes that I have displayed on my counter that defines me and my understanding of personal elegance.

As befitting of this post, I will start with Coco Mademoiselle Chanel. This perfume is as timeless and classic as Chanel herself. Just a little bit of this dabbed behind your ears and wrists will surely give you compliments. The price for a 1.7 oz bottle (smaller of the two choices) is about 85.00 USD. Yes, it is a very steep price for such a small perfume. But a Chanel perfume, you can have for a lifetime. True, perfume should not be kept for so long. The smell changes over a year. But Chanel perfumes are different. It's like a nice aged wine, the older the better. The glass bottle is well made and holds true to the classic Chanel logo and style. The liquid is a light pink and the scent is a fresh floral. I use this upon special occasions and I know I will have this small, timeless bottle for a very long time. A fun fact to add, the perfume is called "Mademoiselle" because Chanel never married in her lifetime, and preferred to be addressed as "Mademoiselle" rather than a "Madame." Forever young and youthful, why not channel Mademoiselle Chanel?

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If you take a closer look at the background of my Youtube channel on the left side, you'll see my display of D&G's L'Imperatice. This perfume is from a collection of five different scents and out of the five, I resort to L'Imperatrice as my daily use =) Again, the perfume is a light pink and the scent is a lot lighter than the Coco Mademoiselle perfume. The bottle comes in one size and it is of a very generous quantity, 3.3 oz. (about twice the quantity of the Chanel). It is marketed at 69 USD but worth every penny. The scent is both floral and a touch of melon but not too overpoweringly sweet. After a nice, fresh shower and a spritz of the L'Imperatrice will put a happy start to your day! A fun fact about this perfume? L'Imperatrice is French for "The Empress."

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My final pink perfume I promise! And this one, Dior Addict 2, holds a special place in my heart. About 4 years ago in College, I remember running to my nearest Sephora store, in desparate need for a perfume. I never wore perfume until I was 19! And this was my very first one. I ran out of my last bottle maybe about three months ago and I can assure you it is the most appropriate first date or girlfriends night out perfume! Sephora describes it as, "alluring burst of fresh femininity." And I can't have said it in better words. The Dior Addict 2 comes in three sizes, 0.67 oz ( 49 USD), 1.7 oz (69 USD), and 3.4 oz (90 USD). I usually get this in the smallest, 0.67 oz because like the Chanel, a little goes a long way. The bottle is a convenient "pump" and readily fits in your purse. It is any age appropriate and great for my young viewers who want to add a touch of girly elegance to their everyday style =)

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And lastly, I introduce you to the Dolce & Gabbana "Light Blue." This is another old classic you cannot go wrong. Since this line is available for both men and women, the scent is very daring, yet fresh, and makes you think of the the wide, open sea (as the picture depicts). I also get the feeling of androgyny, again as the fragrance is unisex. This comes in three sizes as well as in Body cream, shower gel, and for men, aftershave. The 0.8 oz is 47 USD, 1.6 oz is 64 USD, and the 3.3 oz is 87 USD. Have a significant other? or want to make a confident statement? I suggest the "Light Blue."

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So there we have it- a couple fragrances that can add a touch of elegance to your fashion =) Be as unique with your style as your personal scent. And beyond everything else, stay true to yourself and that is elegance enough =) So tell me, what is your personal scent?

xoxo,

Oiseau88

Time Travel With Me

2011-08-04T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I am long overdue for a blog post and finally able to share a few, simple tips with you today! I've always wondered about the long history of women and makeup. Close your eyes and time travel thousands of years back to 1st century Egypt with me. Now imagine the hieroglyphic paintings you once studied in history class...you are essentially seeing one of the first documented history of makeup. Egyptians had the same interest for skincare as we still do today. Natural ingredients like unguent (a hydrating ingredient), kohl, and soot were some of many indigenous products used to soften the skin and enhance the eyes. Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, comes into mind. Now open your eyes and come back to our present day. What has changed? If you ask me, nothing more than fancy gadgets and packaging. Sure, we can do elaborate tricks and contours with our makeup now and apply more synthetic colors to our face. But does that mean we get prettier? What it comes down to is makeup is supposed to enhance our natural beauty, rather than suffocating it. So why not open our eyes to the originators of makeup and listen to the wise words of the Egyptians? A clean, hydrated face and beautiful eyes are just that...nothing more, nothing less.

I have raved about this Holika Holika Face2Change BB roller and I think it's the best BB cream out there that provides amazing, natural coverage. This handy roller comes with an extra set of rolling sponge for you to replace. But you don't have to move onto the replacement for a long time because you can always clean the old one and reuse! The main ingredients include Argan Oil, which is the quintessential beauty secret of Morroco. Argan Oil is rich with Vitamin E and supposedly anti-aging. Another noted ingredient of this BB cream is the deep ocean waters from Hawaii. The correct term for this water is 'Desalinated Hawaiian Deep Ocean Water' that is as clean as you can get. The waters are unsoiled by the Earth's toxic surface environment and it is the healthiest drinking water found today. So you can imagine how this BB cream could be amazing for your skin :) The dual function of coverage and skincare lies within this BB cream and I highly recommend it! And the plus of not getting your fingers dirty with excess BB cream can't hurt either!

You can purchase this BB cream in the States for around 27 USD in either 01Light Beige (which I use) or 02 Natural Beige.

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Next up, is this wonderfully pretty lipstick from Lancome. My review for this? Two words: "Love It" ! The Love It lipstick gives the right amount of matted pretty/rosy pink to your lips that moisturizes and will surely give you daily compliments. It's an effortless color that can be used for every day makeup as well as night time use. The color is just as you see here, and as I like to call it, timeless. If you have seen Julia Roberts in the movie, "Eat, Pray, Love" the makeup artist used this exact lipstick for her lips. How cool is that? Sephora and other Lancome cosmetic counters sell this for around 22 USD. I hope you love it as much as I love it! ^.^

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And finally, I'd like to introduce Etude House Mini SizeU line! I cannot praise this line of skincare enough! The set of three includes a generous size of Smoother Serum (as depicted on the left), and two travel sizes of the Powder Toner, and 25mL of Pore Control Emulsion. The kit is quite small but a little bit goes a long way! I cannot live without this line of skincare. Ingredients include Rice Wine Sediment that truly tightens the size of your pores. To prove this? I used to squeeze my blemishes around my nose and cheek area when I was very young (which you should NEVER do!). And so much of those areas were damaged by large pores. I tried everything but nothing helped. My BB cream would sink into the pores and made them more visible! But after using the Mini SizeU, it was like, pores? what pores? :) The scent is very light and feels so refreshing on your skin once applied. The serum, toner, and emulsion sink so well into the skin and I feel instantly rejuvenated! I can go on and on about this but I will leave it to you now to try it out! But to add one more information, it does not dry your skin out at all and leaves it hydrated/blemish free! What more can you ask for? :) It is priced at around $19.99 USD for this set of three.

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I hope you found this long post useful today and remember, keep it simple, keep it fresh, and remember the culture of makeup and its intended purpose :)

xoxo,

Oiseau88

Red, Hot, Summer

2011-07-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

Hello, fellow readers!~ I have definitely lagged a bit in updating my blog but I am back! Recently, I have been wondering what direction I want to take this blog. Many bloggers with youtube channels have linked the two, sharing their recent videos along with a more elaborate description of their looks and tutorials. But for me, I want my blog to be sort of distinct from my channel. Of course the two will share common themes and concepts. But I want this blog to hold a more deeper substance of my thoughts and ideas. What do you think? I will definitely be uploading my videos as well and even provide more step by step written tutorials. At the same time, I want to include things that will be unique to this blog. Anyway, enough rambling and on with the theme of this entry! =)

In my previous posts, I have emphasized my love for white colors for the summer. But recently, the color RED has caught my eyes. Since long before, I have always loved the color red. Actually, red always reminded me of red roses =) I loved buying red accessories-red clutches, red shoes, red earrings. But have you ever thought red was too "rich" a color that could not really be dressed down? When I say "rich" I have red lipstick in mind. I imagine girls wear red lipstick for a night out, or to capture a more glamorous look. But today I thought nothing could better complement a simple and casual red sweater from Forever21 better than a bright red lipstick/gloss. The lips and the sweater complement each other very well and you will definitely look both intriguing and fun this Summer. I guarantee it =)

xoxo,

Oiseau88

A Ballet Soirée

2011-07-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

For those of you who follow me on youtube will know that I made a first attempt at vlogging my way through a ballet performance that I saw last night at The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion =) I need to emphasize how amazing the entire production was and it was certainly a treat for the eyes after studying so much until last week! Although I love American Ballet Theatre (ABT) I was skeptic of how they would interpret this Russian ballet, The Bright Stream. Years ago, I saw The Bright Stream performed by their original owners, Russia's Bolshoi Ballet. Who could interpret the motions and gestures of Russian villagers better than Russian artists themselves? I didn't think ABT could execute the same caliber of "Russian" expression. But I was proven wrong last night, as it was indeed as equal of a performance to that of the Bolshoi!

As for the outfit that I wore to the performance, it was a beautiful, laced Summer dress that I recently purchased from Urban Outfitters. It was hanging in the front display one day and I couldn't leave without it! The lace detailing, especially at the hem and the sleeves were both delicate and well designed. It reminded me so much of a dress that I once saw on a Victorian doll in a vintage toy shop long ago. Yes, lace can make something look TOO old fashioned or just not "age appropriate." But keep a close eye out for detailing and how it can complement what could have been just a simple, plain white dress. So look out for some laced dresses, everyone!! It is sure to be one of my Summer favorites =)

xoxo,

Oiseau88

A Cup of Coffee for Two, Some Ideas To Share from Me to You

2011-07-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

What better way to spur on that human imagination of yours than sitting at a nice coffee shop, sipping on some coffee, and listening to the mellow tone rhythms of jazz music? I did simply that today while jotting down ideas, flipping through some magazines, and watching passerbys. I once showed on my youtube channel this lovely notebook that I got a week ago and I wanted to fill it with ideas, up and coming styles, trends, and more. Here is the first page of it in a glance. So far, I have filled a couple of pages with designs and pictures that drew my attention. Lately, I am loving accessory pieces-anything from decorative rings, studded earrings, and creme colored dresses. Colors really do the trick in bringing the right amount of sparkle to a simple outfit. For a long time, I tried so hard to wear whatever that was out on the racks at the moment. Whatever that people wore, I wanted to wear as well. But nowadays, I want to show "me" in the outfits that I wear. Anything from casual to a dress-up, I try to keep it simple. I like timeless pieces, your basic blacks, whites, greys, etc. A simple but at the same time, structured pieces of clothing can go a long way in your closets. What is your personal style? =)

xoxo,
Oiseau88

The Little White Dress

2011-07-12T18:02:00.001-07:00

This is my first outfit of the day post and I have to share with you my all time Summer obsession-The Little White Dress that I know all of you have somewhere in your closets =) I always liked white dresses but it's so hard wearing it around casually when you know you are bound to spill something on it during the day. I seem to always spill food especially when I wear all white!! But hey, nothing celebrates summers more than a pretty white dress. Here, I'm wearing a simple eyelet dress from a New York shop I bought years ago. And since you never know when you can get cold, I paired it with a nice burgundy jacket with gold shoulder embroidery on top. I bought the jacket from Zipia.net, a Korean online wholesales store 2 years ago =) So take out that little white dress everyone and celebrate Summer =)

xoxo,

Oiseau88

First Entry, First Hellos =)

2011-07-11T23:26:00.000-07:00

Helloo Everyone ^.^ I'm Oiseau88 from my Korean beauty channel and this first entry sadly has no pictures TT... But don't worry, cause I will be filling this blog with lots and lots of fashion pictures, outfits of the day, makeup, hauls, etc. I just wanted to spend this first entry expressing my gratitude towards all of you so far for being supportive of my channel and videos. You know, it took me about 4 years before I decided to make my videos. Before last week, I used to be a viewer/reader of all the fashion blogs, youtube gurus that were out there. I always thought, hmm...I really want to try this out to show people a cute and simple way of dressing and applying makeup. If you are anything like me, you will know how difficult it is to put together an outfit, hairdo, and makeup on a limited time frame and $$. So that is basically the reason for my channel. I want to show you guys that simple makeup, tutorials, beauty/fashion tips can go a long way =) So please follow me on this blog and I will share with you my thoughts on life, fashion, shopping, makeup, and more! <3

xoxo,

Oiseau88