Fantastic Finds

Over the past month or so, I've found four products that have rocked my socks -- one literally did. I've been raving about them to my friends on an individual basis, so it made sense to write a blog post. Here we go!

1. Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

Normally I'm a bit wary about drug store foundations because it's usually a case of hit or miss. In the US, there are never testers, and those transparent card things some companies came our with aren't too helpful because the lighting is usually terrible. Add to that a notoriously difficult skin tone to match, and drug store foundations are almost always a bad idea.

Enter Boots in the UK. The larger Boots stores are kind of like Ulta, Sephora, and a CVS all wrapped in one. They've got high end stuff as well as the usual L'Oreal, Maybelline, etc. A couple of weeks ago, while trying to kick a nasty virus, I went to Boots to get some medicine, but of course got distracted by the make-up. And am I glad I did. Since they have testers out for everything, I tried a bunch of different inexpensive foundations and happened upon the Bourjois stuff. By that point, there were multiple stripes on my face, but this one blended in seamlessly. Not believing my eyes at first sight, I walked away and just got the other stuff in hand, including a ridiculously cheap eyeliner, but that's a different post. On my way home, though, and out in natural light, I took a look, and I was floored. Perfect match! I went back the next day and bought it.

A little bit goes a long way with this stuff, and the key is to use a good foundation brush and then stipple a bit with a good sponge to further blend. It has a thicker consistency than a lot of foundations, so it seems like it's pretty concentrated in terms of pigment. It will look cakey if you use a heavy hand, so blend, blend, blend! I also got the Lilas d'Or blush from Bourjois, which is a very close match to Nars Orgasm. I love Nars, but I don't want to spend $25 on a blush. Funnily enough, it's actually cheaper to buy Bourjois stuff in the UK than in the US right now because of the exchange rate. I have the foundation and blush on in the self-portrait in the previous post.

2. Lush "Big" and "Jumping Juniper" shampoos

I'd passed by Lush stores a lot, especially in San Francisco, but I never actually went in. What piqued my interest were the frequent mentions of Lush products on BubbleGarm, a beauty blog I just started reading (fantastic reads, by the way). Having a bit of time to kill before meeting a friend for lunch on Saturday, I went in to the Newcastle Lush store. After standing bewildered in front of the shampoos for a few minutes, a very helpful associate came by to ask me if I needed help (customer service in the UK! oh my! Also another post...). I told him I was interested in the shampoos and that my hair gets greasy easily yet is also getting, shall we say, "flakey."

He said the Jumping Juniper would be perfect and showed me how to use the solid shampoo, which in and of itself is an interesting concept. You work up a bit of a lather as you would with a bar of soap, and as you work the lather into your hair, it gets sudsier. He also gave me a sample of Big to try and said it works wonders on scalp issues, to the point where it can even soothe eczema.

I tried Big first because my hair had decided to get really grungey, really quickly. It was a bit odd to work with this stuff because it's actually half coarse sea salt, so the bigger salt chunks take a while to dissolve. Also, I don't think I worked up a good lather, and upon reading later reviews realized that had I stuck my head under the water for a couple of seconds then rubbed, it would have been bubbly. Anyway, I washed, didn't use conditioner as per Lush associate's suggestion, and let it air dry for the most part. Even while my hair was wet, I felt a difference. My hair felt clean, scalp scrubbed, ends had their acts together. As it dried, the faint jasmine scent lingered, and my hair felt ridiculously soft. Again, floored. I was in love at first wash!

This morning I tried the Jumping Juniper solid shampoo, and similar, awe-inspiring results. I always thought I needed shampoo, conditioner, then a leave-in product of some sort to tame my mane. Add heat styling to that, and it seemed like my hair had a split personality -- greasy at the roots, a bit frazzled at the ends. I managed to work up a good lather with Jumping Juniper, and I let it sit in my hair for a couple of minutes while I washed the rest of me. This also washed out nicely, and hair behaved while I dried and straightened it.

I think I'll go back over the weekend and properly investigate Lush's other stuff. Lush definitely has a new fan.

3. Kenneth Cole 925 Technology shoes

Since I'm on Kenneth Cole's email list, I actually found out about these shoes when they were first introduced by the company. I was very intrigued because it always seemed like there was a mutual exclusivity between cuteness and comfort. Cute shoes would kill your feet, and comfortable shoes were mostly ugly. Finding cute + comfortable shoes was like trying to find a legendary creature. Lots of people would claim they'd found that elusive combination, but they were usually hoaxes. These, dear readers, are living legends, if we continue with that analogy. The diagram below is pretty impressive and outlines what went into the shoes -- memory foam, arch support, flexible soles, ultrasoft leather, cork padding in the sole, etc.

I happened to receive a coupon from Kenneth Cole while I was home in California for a visit -- $50 off a $150 purchase. That was definitely incentive enough to go to the store and check out the shoes. Ladies, do yourself a favor, and go try on a pair. You feel the difference just standing in these shoes, and once you start walking, fuggeddaboudit. For my feet, arch support is always an issue, and in fact, they tend to cramp randomly (foot issues seem to be genetic -- my mom and grandmother also get cramps in their feet). The shoes with 925 technology have definite, substantial arch support, which is a welcome innovation in high heels. After lengthy deliberation, I went with a pair with about 3 inch heels that were marked down with an additional 30% off. I've worn them about three times so far, and everytime I wear them, I'm amazed at how comfortable the shoes are. They run about a half size too big, so if, for example you usually wear a 9, try on an 8.5 to compare.

There are a number of heel heights, variations on the pump style, and textures with the 925 Technology at Kenneth Cole. Definitely great as work staples, though it would be great if there were a bit more variety in terms of color and more than pointy toe pumps. There are some open toe and sandal styles with the technology, which is good. In an ideal world, I'd like every shoe to have these kinds of insoles, but for now, Kenneth Cole says that all the women's shoes will have the 925 Technology. God bless you, sir, for saving our soles.

Wow, it's been about 10 months since I last posted, which is no bueno. In my defense, I am much more active on Twitter, but still I left this blog to languish :( It just seems that whenever I sit down to write a post, I can't think of anything to write! Talk about a catch 22...

Anyway, I can at least update you on what's been going on in the past 10 months (assuming anyone is still reading!).

• I took a work assignment in England and am now living in Newcastle upon Tyne, which is about 300 miles north of London. I had the, um, "fortune" of experiencing the coldest winter in the UK in 30 years. Before I moved, I asked people whether winter is bad, and universally everyone said "No, not really." Needless to say, I was not prepared for all that snow, and thought it was nowhere near what the East Coast in the US got, the UK is definitely not prepared to deal with snow. It was tough to leave everyone I know and love, but the good thing is that the assignment ends August 31st. Still, it doesn't get any easier to come back to England after I've been home, and I'm usually a wreck the day I fly out.

• I lost a little bit more weight (about 10 pounds). I credit my trainer back in California and consistency. It helped to have an appointment to keep for four days of the week at 7:30 a.m. No, I'm not a morning person, but yes, I got my ass up and went to work out. Much better to get it done in the morning and not worry about it for the whole day. However, that whole routine inevitably went out the window when I got to England. I'm trying my hardest to get back into a consistent routine after working out off-and-on and then getting sick with two colds. Having my clothes look better on me and being able to fit into smaller sizes is a great feeling. I got rid of a whole bunch of old, now-too-big clothes and had to ask my mom to alter a couple of pants. Woo!

• I met the love of my life, and we want to get married (iA)!! We met back in August a couple of months before I left for England. Talk about timing! However, we both vowed to do everything in our power to make it work, and it is. He's loving, sweet, genuine, hilarious, smart, a hard-worker...everything I'd want in a husband and babydaddy :) He met my parents on one of his visits prior to my departure, and he met the rest of my family when I was home last time in February. Everyone thinks he's great and approves. Yay!

• Speaking of February, that's my birthday month, and I hit the big 3-o! Contrary to most people having mini-meltdowns upon turning 30, I, for one, was thrilled to enter my third decade of life. My twenties were hard and confusing and just generally blech. I feel like I have a much better sense of self and how to deal with life's challenges, which leads to a more mature presence. Twenty-something Robo was very prone to "Woe is me!" thinking, which doesn't do any good.

• After having lived in the United States since I was five years old, I'm finally in the process of becoming an American citizen. My parents were naturalized when I was 13 or 14 years old, but I kept my British citizenship. Funnily enough, it took living in England again for me to realize that, really, America is home. I grew up there, went to school there, and have reaped the benefits of living in America, so I should become a part of its citizenry. This isn't to say I'll be a flag-waving, gung-ho patriot because I do have issues with a lot of American policies, but hey, at least I'll be able to vote!

Here's very recent photo of me for reference purposes:

I'll do my best to keep writing, even if they're short posts. Chat soon, lovelies!

Robo minus 10 pounds...

I've mentioned my struggle with my weight before in this blog, and Lord knows I've tried all sorts of stuff to lose weight. However, the scale never really moved definitively in the negative direction; I kind of just fluctuated between the same ten pounds (+/- five pounds in either direction from a base weight).

Lately, though, I tried a couple of new tactic in terms of eating: lots of portion control and not eating after 7 p.m. or so. Those little bowls from Ikea are great for doling out the actual serving sizes for a lot of stuff -- cereal, rice, pasta, etc. I know the not-eating-in-the-evening is a bit controversial in that some say it makes a difference whereas others say it doesn't matter when you eat, it's what you eat. Regardless, I gave it a shot. It takes a lot of discipline to not eat after a certain time because you inevitably get hungry, but I find that by the time I do get hungry, it's time to sleep anyway :)

Exercise-wise, I actually didn't do as much as I did in previous months just due to my work schedule and my trainer's availability. I did keep going to my fencing class twice a week, and it's actually quite demanding. Fencing is very much interval cardio because everything is in short bursts, but it also requires control, focus, and sharp reflexes. It's lots of fun, so try it if you get a chance.

I felt the difference in my clothes for sure because stuff that used to be tight or uncomfortable or needed Spanx underneath to look decent now fits or is loose. I started feeling this difference about a month ago, but my scale said otherwise, and the numbers were the same. To it I said, "F*** you, scale. You lie." Recently, I even went down a size in H&M stuff, and lots of you will know how wonky their sizing can be. I couldn't find my scale this morning, so after my workout with my trainer this morning (the first workout in a few weeks), I weighed myself in the gym.

Ten. Pounds. Lost. And confirmed.

My reaction? "SWEET!!" I cannot tell you how thrilled I was to see the scale definitively indicate I'd lost weight as opposed to me just relying on how my clothes fit. THRILLED!

Here's a picture I took for fun in my office yesterday, and I think there's a definite difference in my face from February when I last posted photos.

Right then, on to the next ten pounds :)

Cute + Comfortable

So as my feet screamed bloody murder while I walked the streets of San Francisco (my heart is still there), I kept wondering why cute and comfortable are mutually exclusive, especially when it comes to shoes.

Let me back up for a second: I was in SF for a conference (the Game Developers Conference), and I brought what I thought would be relatively comfortable low-mid heels. I also packed a pair of Royal Elastics flats. Make that superflats. However, by the middle of day two, my feet...oi. So on day three, I switched to the RE flats, which were fine for the first couple of hours. But then I started feeling friction on my right pinky toe (= telltale forewarning of a blister) and developed an odd limp because my calves/Achilles tendons were sore. Might I add that those flats looked slightly silly with a pencil skirt and nice top. I ended up running to Walgreens to take preventive measures and got those J&J blister bandaids and Kushy Foot socks .

Now on the second day I was in SF, I stopped at the giant DSW on Powell Street on my way to the Moscone Center, and I saw that they had a few Faryl Robin and Corso Como shoes. I knew the Faryl Robins were supposed to be comfortable, but it was a pair of Corso Comos that caught my eye:

The ankle strap is slightly different in that it just goes around the ankle instead of criss-crossing. Anyhow, I put my achy feet into those shoes, and it was as if an angel choir descended from the heavens to sing its praises. Okay maybe it was just my feet breathing a sigh of relief, but the point is that these were seriously comfortable with a good, very walkable heel height. They were also $130. So I made a note of them and went on to the conference. I went back later that night to take another look...suffice it to say these babies were on my mind for a few days.

So finally on the last day I was in SF, I shelled out the $130 and bought them. After resting my feet all weekend and letting them recover, I wore them to work today. All I can say is I'm in love and really wish I'd gotten them sooner. Corso Como actually made the effort to include cushiony, soft footbeds with great quality leather. There is no need to break them in because the shoes are already so soft. No toe pokeage or seams cutting into the foot anywhere. In addition, the company also takes pains to be an ethical, eco-friendly manufacturer. There's a whole pamphlet included in every shoebox.

Anyway, I <3>

I'm also wondering if my mission in life is to make cute and comfortable shoes so that the women of the world can rejoice. Things that make you go hmm...

S-H-O-P in the UK! Kind of...

In my last post, I promised to show you the stuff I got from Asos, and smart me, I cleared out my temporary internet files, cookies, and history before I could do that. However, lucky for me, Asos keeps your order history in your account, complete with links to what you ordered! So, here we go:

I got this cape/tunic thing in grey with silver beading, and that's what I wore on my birthday (photos in last post). It's very glam earth mother, non?




















This clutch, though oversized, is a very useful size. I managed to fit my big wallet, phone, and camera in here along with lipstick and gloss quite comfortably. With most small clutches, even though you don't take that much stuff, it ends up getting messy, and you dig around for your things. The closure is fun, too, and there's a backup zip top underneath the fold.

















Okay, so I know a lot of people are all "EEEWWW harem pants!!" But really these are so freaking soft and comfortable, not to mention actually flattering, that I could live in them. Also, the other thing that made me love them is that I ordered an XL to be on the safe side, but they were TOO BIG! Thrilling, I tell you. No giant poopy crotch either.

For the record, though, I cannot get behind the cropped harem pants or dhoti pants (featured in the March issue of Elle). That's just asking for stuff to be out of proportion and look like you've got room to take a dump. Also, close fitting, structured tops look much better with these kinds of pants, but of course you knew that.








Classic white pencil skirt. Really I should live in pencil skirts. However, on me, this sits way higher (like under my boobs higher) because I have much wider hips than the moddle. Perhaps by summer, the skirt will sit where it's supposed to.


















Very cool, funky ring. I wore that with the grey cape/tunic. Just enough bling, y'know?

These earrings are fun because they're two of my favourite colours, but if you look closely, it's also a peacock! They're also superlight, so a breeze to wear.

Super cool statement ring that looks like something you'd find at an ancient archaeological dig. I think that's probably why I was drawn to it because I'm the geek who watches stuff on Egypt, Rome, etc. on the History, Discovery, and National Geographic Channels any chance I get. I haven't worn this ring yet though.

Unfortunately, I lost this ring the first night I wore it. It was a little big big, and I had to adjust my hair, so I took it off while in my friend's car. I forgot it was on my lap, stood up and walked into the restaurant, but noticed much later that my ring was gone. I tried calling the place to see if they found it in the lot, but alas, no luck.

I loved the colour of this dress, and usually I don't do strapless dresses because of bra issues. However, at the time I purchased this, the price was too reasonable for me to let it go. It was orignally one of the potential dresses for my birthday, but I didn't have the time to get a really good strapless bra with it, plus it seemed a bit too fancy just for a dinner out. It's living quietly in my closet for now. Oh, also, I think they styled that side strap wrong in the photo. It should really go across the chest, so from under the right boob to the left shoulder.

I also got this dress as a potential birthday dress, but I didn't realise how short it would be. And tight (whoops sizing). I'd have to either lose weight or wear my Spanx to look decent in the dress, but even so, it's the length of the skirt that I'm not too fond of. It stops and mid thigh, and all my other stuff is knee length. I'm debating whether to just detach that skirt and wear it with a regular black pencil skirt.

So what do you think? Good loot, yes? Shipping to the US is also $6-7, which is a lot cheaper than some of the US-based sites. Orders take about a week to 10 days to arrive, which is also reasonable, and they cannot expedite shipping to the US, but whatever.

Please also excuse the wonky layout. I couldn't get the spacing right (help from veteran bloggers will be much appreciated!).

Guess who's back...back again?

Thank you so much for all your kind compliments on the last haircut :) However, I was a bit horrified to see that that post was from December. I haven't written anything in three months?? Bad, bad Robo.

So, the past three months haven't been very eventful, which is both a good and bad thing. I rang in the New Year uneventfully by keeping my friend Liz in Michigan company as she wrote up a paper to present at a conference. The perk of doing that celebrating the New Year in two different time zones. I also went to Atlanta for the first time in January for work, and it was far from "Hotlanta" -- 20 degrees + windy = BRRRR! The plus side was that we got to stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead (Bulgari toiletries?? Score!).

February is always a busy month because of a bunch of birthdays and anniversaries. My sister's birthday was on the 9th, my parents' anniversary is on the 10th, and mine is on the 19th. I managed to find some cute stuff to give my sister for her birthday, all from the fabulous UK site http://www.asos.com/. Seriously, there are some great deals in their clearance section, even with the pound/dollar exchange rate. There was a cute, sort of bling guitar necklace and an "I <3>

My parents were much harder to get something for, and it was their 30th anniversary to boot. They went to Vegas for the weekend, and in the end, with the help of my friend Amierah, I decided to get them tickets to Mama Mia! when it comes to town. They seemed to enjoy Rent when they saw it in New York, and they love songs from their college days.

And then my birthday rolled around. It was actually a really good one, and I just found it funny how everyone was like "OMG you're one step closer to 30!! Isn't that terrible?!?!" No, it isn't terrible actually, because my 20s were HARD. I say bring on 30. It's the new 20 anyway, isn't it? My parents took me out for lunch and dinner on my birthday and then that Saturday, I went out with the boyfriend and friends to dinner in LA. We went to Katsuya, which has some of the best sushi I've ever, ever had. On top of that, my friend Reshma, who organised the festivities, managed to get us a sectioned off, private dining area. Sadly, she couldn't make it to the party because she became very ill that day, but homegirl did good.

AND I feel compelled to tell you all, especially the ones who loved my last haircut, that I cut my hair again on Saturday. This time I went for the Pob/Katie Holmes first foray into short hair. What's funny/ironic is that Jonathan Antin (of Bravo TV's "Blow Out" fame) happened to be at Katsuya, and I was dying to ask him what he thought of my hair. But he was with a bunch of friends, and that would've just been a country bumpkin thing to do.

A picture (probably the only one where I don't have crazy red eye, but unfortunately, no one got the side or back view):

That top is also from Asos, and it's a cross between a tunic and poncho, but very pretty. They may be sold out of it now though...sorry! I'll show you all the stuff I got from Asos in the next post.

Oh, I'm also on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/rabzz), so feel free to follow. I'm usually better about updating that than my blog :)

I did it!

D-day was today for the haircut, and here are the before and after photos:

Wet-haired "before" -- not the most flattering of photos, but you can get an idea of how long my hair was.

A side view.

The final result!

I'm pretty pleased with it, but it will take some getting used to after having long hair for a while. It feels much lighter and freer, though, so that's a good thing. I also feel very old, '30s Hollywood glam. What's your verdict? Yay or nay?