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Wow, Check Out My Parents!

I think every little girl goes through a phase when she believes her father to be the most handsome man in the world, and her mother to be the most beautiful. No? If not, I must have been a weirdo. :-P But in all seriousness, I really did think this for a long time. Perhaps it's because I had such great role models who always made me feel secure and loved? Or is it because my parents really were great-looking? See for yourself. Here they are, on their wedding day 33 years ago: (Names blurred out to protect their privacy.) One of my father's favorite stories to tell brag about is how when he was in his early twenties performing his mandatory military service, he...

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Lightening the Mood with a Giveaway

I've been in a bit of a funk lately, and it clearly shows by the lack of posts here on this blog. :-|  There are just so many things going on, the girls are driving me crazy (and keeping me plenty busy on top of my other obligations), and I'm so tired all the time that I have fallen asleep while playing with C&A — on more than one occasion, I might add! Last week, when I saw this Someecard, I let out an exasperated "HA!" because it's exactly how I've been feeling, and I couldn't decide if the situation was funny or sad. J even canceled a business trip to Palo Alto because he's been concerned about me...

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Immortalize Yourself with a Doll Clone

So apparently, getting a mini-me made of yourself is a thing in Japan. A company in Akihabara called Clone Factory urges women to preserve that special moment in life (e.g., your wedding day) with your own special Jibun-san [自分さん], which roughly translates to "Me." The dolls are modeled after not only your face, but also your makeup, hair, and dress! The dolls, which cost around ¥138,000 each ($1,350 in USD as of this writing), are created by first obtaining a 3D scan of yourself with the help of a few strategically-placed digital cameras. Blogger Danny Choo was able to get a first-hand experience: A computer then creates a rendering of your face, and a 3D printer carves out the head. In Danny's case, he chose to have his head planted...

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When Did (Or Will) Your Looks Peak?

I came across an interesting infographic BuzzFeed published yesterday with the title "Men Believe Female Beauty Peaks At Age 29." The infographic includes interesting age-related beauty factoids and survey results in addition to the obviously-designed-for-bait post title, so I thought it would be worth a mention here. As mentioned previously on this blog, I probably looked my best when I was 20-21 years of age. However, I probably felt the best about my appearance last summer-fall, when — after having two kids just 13 months apart — I was starting to become more confident in my personhood, my abilities as a mom, and my body (as I was regularly working out). And I was 31 then: EXACTLY the age at which most...

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My 3 Minute Makeup Routine

Are you one of those people who likes to get decked out when you’re not feeling well (emotionally or physically)?

I know that I am, along with many of my girlfriends. Improving how I look on the outside really helps me feel better, whether I am recovering from a cold, having a woe-is-me moment, or even suffering from a raging hangover. 😉

This past year, being the primary caretaker of two kids — and thus often being afflicted with fatigue, frustration, and weariness — I have found myself putting on makeup more often than not.

And I’ve gotten pretty good at doing it quickly and efficiently, the whole routine within just 3 minutes. What’s more, the products I use have been tested by yours truly to last the entire day, so this routine is ideal for anyone who’s short on time, lazy, or both, like me. 😛

First, the before-and-after shots, so you can see the difference:

geek_in_heels_3_minute_makeup

Before I start slapping any makeup on my face, I cleanse with Shiseido Pureness Deep Cleansing Foam and moisturize with Philosophy Hope in a Jar. Just recently, I have also started to dab some Philosophy Total Matteness Mattifying Pore Eraser serum on my t-zone after moisturizing, and I love it! It’s been savior for my combination skin as the heat and humidity continues to rise. 🙂

(You will see that most of the products mentioned in this post were listed among my fav beauty products last year. And OOPS! I had forgotten to factor in the cleansing and moisturizing part of the routine in the total time — they would add another minute or two.)