Perhaps I should write about my life

So I was reading over my old xanga (I become strangely nostalgic when I study) and I realized that I was actually a pretty decent write in my early twenties.  Now that I'm reaching the end of my mid-twenties, I find myself missing that introspective, creative, and at times, ignorantly shallow part of myself.

So I guess I should write about how these last three or four years have changed me.  I feel like I'm growing up.  I almost feel like an adult now.

I know that this is a feeling that I probably should have had 8 years ago, but such is the life of a spoiled Chinese girl that is always in school.  I've only worked a full time job for 1 year of my life.  Actually, I think I only made it to 11 months.  I've never paid rent.  I've never paid utility bills.  I have never prepared my own taxes.  I have never paid my phone bill, my car bill, renewed my registration, or performed a whole bevvy of normal housekeeping activities that most of my peers have.

In many ways, I am still a child.  I have been taken care of and supported by my friends and family to an almost unbelievable degree.  I have never suffered any true hardships.  I am untested.

I consider myself very lucky.  I have two parents that would do anything and everything in their power to make sure that I lead a happy and fulfilling life.  I have a boyfriend that loves me, cares for me, and makes me laugh every day that I spend with him.  I have good friends that I can call upon scattered all over the country.  I have a career path in front of me that I cannot wait to walk down.  Honestly, I've never loved my life as much as I have since I started medical school.

The only dark cloud in my sky is my own self-doubt.  I think I am old enough to recognize my flaws now.  I am lazy.  I am a procrastinator.  I have never had any real responsibility.  Ultimately, I have never been tested in a way that physically matters to other people, which is why I am scared.  I'm going to be a doctor in a couple of years.  I'm probably going to be a wife and a mother a few years after that.  The next five years are going to bring about some of the greatest challenges that I will ever face.  I don't know how well I will respond to the pressure.  I'm going to be in charge of people's lives.  My choices will have a direct impact on their physical, mental, and emotional well being.  That's a lot to contemplate and I don't know how I well I would be able to handle accidentally hurting, or even killing someone.  Just because I know I'm a good person doesn't mean that I will become a good doctor, despite the reassurances of most people I talk to about this.

So I guess I shouldn't feel as adult as I do sometimes.  In many ways, I'm still a kid playing doctor while playing house with my boyfriend.  This past year, I've marched through the stages of grief for my childhood.  I've been in denial, I've been angry, I've bargained, I've been sad and now I'm finally started to accept that I am going to be a functioning member of society in a few short years.  I hope I don't let anyone down.

Nails of the week: Matte Black

With the last three weeks of glittery nail polish, I wanted something a little understated and elegant.  Sally Beauty Supply has a buy 2 get 1 free sale on their entire stock this month, so I picked up China Glaze's Matte Magic top coat.  I paired it with Liquid Leather, which is great basic black, and I cut my nails short.

Here is the finished look (excuse my crappy thumb cuticle):

Here is the Matte Magic (0.325 oz instead of their usual 0.5 oz)

And here are all the products I used in order from left to right:
(Strong Adhesion Base Coat, Liquid Leather, Magic Matte, Fast Freeze Quick Dry):

They are all China Glaze, which is probably my favorite brand of nail polish.  They're a little cheaper than OPI, and they dry faster and smoother.  I'm a fan of how matte the top coat got my nails, but it definitely took longer for my polish to dry.  Also, the more top coat you use, the more matte your nails will be.  I'm not sure if you can find this at your local Sally's because I noticed that Matte Magic has been discontinued, though you can find it at Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/China-Glaze-Matte-Magic-Finish/dp/B0033M0BHE

Next week, we're going colorful!
-Cicy

My Top 3: Tinted Lip Balms

Originally, I wanted to do a post on nails first, but since I don't have time to remanicure my nails, I decided to post on my three favorite tinted lip balms instead!

I know a lot of blogs and magazines feature more dramatic lip looks and lipsticks, but I find that I'm just not comfortable with wearing drastic colors outside of my bathroom, especially considering how rarely I see other girls wearing it.  Since I started medical school, it's not practical (or appropriate) for me to wear heavily colored lipsticks.  On the other hand, I don't like thick, sticky glosses, so I tend to stay away from those.  I also have pale lips, so I don't like to wear plain lip balm.  During wintertime, my lips get chapped pretty badly, so I can't just stick to lipstain like I usually do in the summer.  Considering my rather well development requirements for lipcare, I've recently gravitated towards tinted lip balms and lipstains.  These of the three that I'll be reviewing today:

They are the:
1. Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Rose
2. NYX Tinted Linted Spa in Orange Passion
3. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Cherish Devotion

Here are some other views and a swatch test on my hand:

Here is what my lips look like naked (gasp!):

I got the Fresh Sugar Rose tinted lip treatment from Sephora.  You should sign up for their Beauty Insider program if you haven't already!  I got this mini version as part of my free birthday present from the store.  It's the sheerest of the three and is lightly tinted.  Here is what it looks on:

As you can see, the color is pretty light.  You can still see some of the color variation on my lips.  I use this one pretty much all the time.  It smells really good (lemons!) and it's surprisingly creamy.  I feel like it rubs off really quickly because it is a lip balm.  I'd say this is pretty well suited for normal wear, but not so much for parties/social functions because it is a little on the sheer side.  However, it does has SPF 15, which I like.

The NYX Tinted Lip Spa has been the one that I've used the longest.  It's probably the most highly pigmented of the three and it is also the creamiest.  Here is what this one look like:

I love this coral color!  The only complaint I have about this one is the loose fitting cap.  I was much cheaper than the Sugar Rose treatment ($4 vs $22).  You can purchase this one online at CherryCulture.  I also have this one in Vintage, which I also like.  I'd say this one you can probably wear out to parties.  Definitely worth the $4.15, but it is hard to find in a store.

The last one that I purchased very recently is Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Cherish Devotion (Honestly, not crazy about the name.  Sounds like I'm going to church and getting married, but that's really my only complaint).  Here's the picture:

I was looking for a fuchsia lip color, and I stumbled across this one while waiting on the pharmacy in Walgreens.  I thought it would be a bit more pigmented than it was, but I really like the texture of it and it has moisturized my lips pretty well.  Like the Orange Passion, it's subtle without being unnoticeable.  It's a lot harder than the other two (doesn't melt onto your lips as quickly), but it lasts longer.  I don't feel like it stains as well as normal lipstain, but my lips are more colorful than if I had used a tinted lip balm vs. this balm stain.   This one costs $7-9 and you can find it online/in stores just about anywhere (Walmart's is pretty cheap).  

That's my review!  Let me know if you have any questions or if you want to know about similar products.  My next review is going to be a nail one on Sally Hansen's Complete Span Manicure:

(Got these for $1.50 at Walgreens, AWESOME!!)

Now, back to studying for my Genetics and Neoplasm final... >.<

Welcome!

Since this is the inaugural post of my bright and shiny new beauty blog, let me introduce what I am all about!

As a 20-something perpetual student (I double majored in Chinese and Biology in undergrad, got my masters in Dietetics and Nutrition, and I will be starting my medical degree in a few months), I am in need of many distractions. Over the past few years, I've explored a variety of hobbies, including crafting, cooking, knitting, writing, and music. However, I always find myself obsessing over beauty and fashion. Therefore, I have decided to gather the fruits of my endless struggle against studying into this blog!

I'm going to start with things I am more familiar with (hair and nails) and hopefully, I will expand to makeup and fashion as I get back into the swing of things. I have made a hair tutorial before, so I will definitely be putting those up!

Come back often ^^