Splurges Splurges...

At this point, I feel nothing inside but guilt about buying yet ANOTHER Aritzia piece, considering my last purchase was oh....YESTERDAY.

Shame on me. I know.

But this was a piece that I had my eyes on for a REALLY LONG TIME...

as I mentioned yesterday: It was the Talula Sleeveless "CNK" Blouse

(ie. The tank top version of this)

I had SO much trouble looking for the actual picture of the top, it was as if it'd never existed! The receipt actually said: "LACE SLVLS CNK BLOUSE" I figured out every short form except for the CNK part...if anyone knows what it actually stands for...PLEASE let me know!

I first saw this back in August-ish, at that time I wasn't in the best financial situation possible...>.> and hence I decide that I was going to force myself to turn away.

But you know the feeling that you get when you find literally the PERFECT piece for you and no matter how long you stay away from it, or try to convince yourself that you don't need it, it will ALWAYS be sitting at the back of your head poking at you and telling you: YOU MUST HAVE IT? 

Well, this was one of those for me. 

I had never even bothered trying it on when I first saw it back a couple months ago, because I knew if I did I would've NOT been able to control my urge to grab this and just RUN! Even then, I knew it would've been perfect. Today I finally decided that I was going to treat myself and make an impulse purchase that I knew I wasn't going to regret. The moment I slipped this on (without having it rub against any of my makeup and lipstick -- success!!) I knew I was right from the start!! Everything fitted PERFECTLY! Every wrinkle, ruffle, curve of the fabric fell into the right places and just looked like it was tailored for me! =))

I did not need to hesitate at all when I had to take out my credit card and make that swipe!

The original price of this was $48 which I would've bought either way. But since it is still Boxing week, Aritzia was kindly enough to have a $4 discount on this...-.- (considering the rip-off nature of the brand, that discount was actually quite...decent...). I still think this was well worth the money and time spent!

I will DEFINITELY have an outfit of the day with this tank, and I cannot WAIT to see how it turns out under either a blazer or just a casual cardigan~!

I am overfilled with JOY right now! 

All my love,

Helen. 

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Boxing Day Treats!

I was kind of glad that I had to work boxing day, that meant I didn't have to be crushed to death by the sea of people that I was drowning in even today... :S So this was my only day off in boxing week and my mom decided that we needed to head down to do some post X'mas shopping!


My first stop was of course at Aritzia. This item is something that I have wanted for a really long time:

This is the T. Babaton Pearce Coat and I got it in black. It was regularly $350CAD, but it was on sale for $325. It is Italian virgin wool and cashmere, and it’s lined with deer skin. It looks SUPER slimming and sophisticated. I love the fact that it does have a hood, which I think is VERY important if you walk in the winter like I do. =) Even though it is wool and cashmere, it’s not too too heavy on the body, and it is very soft to the touch! The only complaint that I have is that it is by dry clean only…so it’s a little bit more work in terms of the coat’s maintenance.

I also got the Talula Ryanne sweater:

This sweater is also made from cashmere, and it’s SUPER SOFT! It hugs the curves very well, and it is a long fit that covers my butt and thighs. :p I think it’s a great piece to have to create both a comfy yet sexy and flirty look with in the winter! I bought this in the Heather Cheval colour, it’s an off white colour that I think would go with many many different colours of accessories and leggings and jeans and etc.

I really wanted the Lambswool Cardigan, which is almost the classic logo of TNA, but unfortunately they only had this in the zipper version and I really wanted the button version so I decided to not settle for any less. xD

After Aritzia, I went to American Eagle for some jeans. I love jeans from AE. I think they are very fairly priced, the quality is great and they’re very durable and lasts for a long time. I wear nothing but jeans on a regular basis, because I think you can both dress up and down with them!

I love the skinnies from AE! I have wide thighs and hips and they are very stretchy and comfortable and flatter my shape very well:

This is the Worn Dark Skinny. I was first very skeptical about these because I hate it when jeans are washed out right in the centre of the thighs, I feel like they only accentuate the bulkiness of my legs and are very unflattering. However, the moment that I put these on, they not only look incredible, but they were the most comfortable pair of jeans that I had put on in a really long time!! They have a great fit too, even though they claim to be low rise, they actually covered the butt very well and just overall did a good job in shaping my legs!

I also got these, they are the Authentic Light Skinnies. I already owned a pair of these however I made a stupid mistake by buying a pair of jeans without having them fit a little snug at the time of purchase. The most important thing to remember when shopping for jeans (and especially AE jeans) is that they WILL STRETCH OUT when you wash them! Make sure that when you buy them, they are a little tight on you, so that they won’t become too saggy or too large after!! I really liked the colour and feel that these jeans gave, so I decided that I would grab another pair, and this time I made sure that they were a little bit on the tighter side. I have a thing for lighter coloured jeans. They remind me of the 70’s and that wasted artist style: which I think is very expressive and romantic! ^^ These would be GREAT for the summer with sandals or flip flops.

Both pairs of jeans were 40% off which brought them to about 30 bucks a pair. I had them both in size 6 shorts, which I think is the perfect fit for skinnies. (Really don’t like how you have the extra length around the ankles especially with skinnies that are suppose to hug tight around the foot)

That was pretty much everything that I purchased today, however there are still a couple more pieces that I’d like to maybe take a look at tomorrow:

This is the TNA Pomona Raglan T-shirt, it’s a soft cotton V-neck that’s honestly one of the easiest pieces to pull out of your closest if you’re in a rush. I already have this in the colour shown in the picture, but I discovered today that the navy version of this was on sale!! Being me, I can’t live without knowing that this came in a navy colour and not own it…haha…so I’ll be stopping by artzia again tomorrow to see if I can’t find any left!

This isn’t exactly what I want, but rather the tank top version! I love the floral patterning on the fabric, and the fact that it’s actually a very structured piece!! It’s not slouchy on the body so it would give a good shape to the body. I think it would be a perfect basic to have under a blazer or just on its own in the summer!

Other than that, I also bought some wonderful Godiva chocolate (mmmmmmm~they were DELICIOUS)! I got these for the boy I like for Christmas, but he doesn't know that I like him, and hopefully he never finds or reads this post...O.O HAHA! 




Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Love,

Helen

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The MAGIC of Floral Tea~!

 

I was amazed this morning to wake up to soft hydrated lips that neither stung nor peeled!

I had about 2-3 pots of tea yesterday (ok…2-3 coffee pots…>.>) but it REALLY helped improve my dehydrated body…FAST!

My mom also had some of my tea. She has very severe cases of dryness of her eyes from allergies and stuff…but she told me today, that her eyes didn’t itch and she for once didn’t need to use her medication to help sooth out the irritations!!

The tea also really helped with the quality of sleep I got last night! It’s midterm season, and I’m lucky if I can get more than 6 hours of sleep a day. Sleeping at 3, and missing the most important part of the night at midnight doesn’t help the situation either. However, I found out later, that rose is a very good plant to relax and calm your nerves if you’re very stressed and irritated! I had a very restful night of sleep, and when I woke up this morning, I didn’t feel any of the soreness that I usually felt if I was under a lot of pressure and have very bad sleeping or eating habits!

 

The tea really did spectacular things for me! I feel more energized, and just overall a lot more balanced today, not to mention my skin was GLOWING today from all the hydration of the water and the herbs!

This is even more reason for you to try this recipe out!! =))

XXOO,
Helen

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It’s been a while…How to hydrate yourself in the driest season of the year?

 

It seems to always be in the fall going into winter that I get tiny blister on my lips. They not only hurt, but they make my lips extremely dry and rough! No amount of water or lip balm is enough to hydrate it and cure it. So today I’ve decided to turn to my roots and try something traditional: Herbal Tea?

Traditional Chinese medicine has a lot of amazing results. Everything is about Yin and Yang, and so each ingredient is either “warm” or “cool”

Basic Idea: The dryness that’s experienced here is related to an increase in the “heat” element of the body. In order to counterbalance that, you must give yourself “cool” elements. This is how you would restore the balance of the system and everything would go back to normal.
This tea is going to boost your body’s overall homeostasis, hydrate, and will improve your skin conditions too!!

Today I’ve chosen:

Chrysanthemum
Classical example of a “cool” herb. It’s widely used in desserts, and drinks, and it’s a very popular ingredient for floral tea!
This is typically used in the summer and has a very calming effect on the body. It’s also exceptionally good for your eyes!

Rose Buds
Very aromatic, and is great for visual effects! Rose is a delicate ingredient that really helps to improve skin conditions making them softer and more supple!

Golgi Berries
Dried Golgi berries are another classical ingredient, it’s primary function is actually to boost the function of your kidneys!
Kidneys are the PRIMARY sources of waste excretion, and basically Golgi berry will help regulate the toxicity of your system, and clear any kind of build up out! It’s also great for maintaining weight and can really help improve circulation around the body! It’s a very good ingredient to help hydrate the body with.

 

What I did:
All you need to do, is just to put all the ingredients together (rinse Golgi berries under water since they can accumulate dust) and just soak them in boiling water to create a very aromatic cup of tea!

 

The chrysanthemum is a ingredient that will induce urination, which helps remove waste in the body and will really BOOST and speed up your body’s metabolic process!

This is what I’d like to call BEAUTY FROM WITHIN!

I think doesn’t matter what your ethnicity is, this will be a cup of perfumy goodness that you should definitely try!
All the ingredients are extremely affordable and easy to find, and it’s going to take NO TIME at all to wip up!

I encourage you all to try it, and let me know how it worked for you!!

XXOO,
Helen

P.s. if you’re not accustomed to herbal ingredients, the taste might throw you off a little bit, but all you have to do is to put some honey into it (NOT TOO MUCH!) and it should be good to go!

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I’m neglecting my blog…yet again…

 

I will update tomorrow.

 

I promise…..

 

Have a couple posts planned already:

❤Review of Elizabeth Arden❤
❤my favourite GO-TO lip products of the summer (and winter?)❤
❤favourite nail colours of the season, plus my GO-TO nail products❤
❤recent collective haul….(I THINK)❤

oh…and I really need another hair cut….><

ALL THAT COMING UP!!!

 

 

p.s.!!! CAN YOU GUYS ALL FIND THE “FOLLOW ME” BUTTON????

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Just a Quickie~

 

Just thought I’d share this…

My mom’s organized all the free samples and stuff that we got in the past couple months..and mostly they’re samples and stuff from Lancome (as my mom is a big fan of the brand…)

So basically, she told me that she’s organized all the Lancome BI-Facil makeup remover in the bathroom cupboard for me (since I only use the makeup remover from the samples mainly,) and I go to open the cupboard door and this is what I see…

 

 

I was honestly QUITE shocked and froze for a couple seconds! HAHA

I’d have to say that i wouldn’t be needing to buy makeup remover for a REALLY REALLY long time!!! xD

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Fun little photoshoot + Formal Dinner…

 

Being a student in sciences, it's REALLY difficult to dress up. People go to class in their PJs and messed up bed head. So after exams, Sam and I had this crazy idea that we should just make up a formal dinner event and DRESS UP, and just take lots of pictures!!

Yesterday was the day that we did that, everyone got dressed up and went to the Keg to eat. I know a lot of people are telling me that it's weird to go dress up and eat at The Keg because a steakhouse isn't that formal. But I think, doesn't matter where you go, as long as it's an excuse to dress up it's fine! Plus, I think there are all kinds of reasons to go to restaurants all dressed up, and it's perfectly normal for restaurant waiters to see people like us! xD

Anyway, so after dinner, we had a little mini photoshoot in our dresses and everything here are some samples:

 

 

 

Day light…

 

 

 

LMAO at my community center parking lot…

 

 

 

 

 

very symmetrical pose…xD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Haha! Just a little fooling around with the camera and getting dressed up! XD

 

Dress – H&M
Blazer – Aritzia
Heels – Steve Madden
Bracelet – Aldo
Earrings – Aldo

 

(Blazer appears in my OOTD very often, because it's very versatile!!)

I’m also including a picture of the makeup that I did on myself~~ ^^:

(In daylight…)

(With flash…)

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Belated OOTD from last week…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just an ordinary day to CHILL with my buddies! It's both relaxed but structured. =) Can be dressed up or down with different accessories!

Blazer – Aritzia
Top – Forever 21
Shorts – Aritzia
Flats – Costa Blanca X
Bag – H&M

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Let’s talk….healthy comfort food?!

 

Are we deviating from beauty today?? NO! I promise not! Comfort food can have its benefits for the way we look as well~!

Today, we’re going to take a look at a classic:

 

 

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP!

 

 

 

Chicken noodle soup is very balanced in terms of the nutrients that you get: you’ll have your carbs, your veggies and of course your fluids! You may include proteins depending on your likings!

Ingredients:

1) 1 zucchini
2) 1 carrot
3) 3-4 celery stocks
4) pasta (as much as you like)
5) 1 box of chicken stock

 

Most of the ingredients are plant based. Celery is an excellent source of fibre! It’s essential in helping to promote digestion, and very important in CLEANING out your stomach and intestines and will result in the clearing of toxins in your body!! This is the reason why fibres will help CLEAR YOUR SKIN and refine your pores!!

Carrots are extremely rich in Vitamin A, and everyone knows that Vitamin A is crucial for clear vision! However, what most people don’t know is that the sub form of Vitamin A – retinoic acid – is EXTREMELY beneficial in terms of skin conditioning! Retinoic acid will prevent inflammation and swellings that occur around the body but it will ultimately control and reduce the production of sebum; which is basically what will produce the excess oil that causes the inflammation of the skin due to accumulation of bacteria. In other words, it will reduce oiliness of the skin and decrease the chances of breakouts and benefit acne prone skin!

I included zucchinis for the sake of the high content of Vitamin A, potassium and folate! Potassium is very important for those that tend to have redness in the skin, individuals with potential rosacea, and skin hyper-pigmentation and discolouration.

I made sure that I bought chicken stock that was cut in sodium content. Excess sodium in the body will cause swellings and make you look bloated! It is also bad for your health…=(

 

Chicken noodle soup is therefore not only a very TASTY comfort food, but also a VERY effective BEAUTY TREATMENT!

 

 

Steps:

1) Diced and cut up all the veggies into small cubes and pieces.

2) Boiled celery and carrots first in water, then put in zucchinis a little later because they’re easier to boil and the previous two items. Drained the water when they became soft.

3) Boiled pasta in salted water until they’re about 80% cooked. Drained water.

4) Heated and boiled chicken stock, added veggies and pasta. Simmer until pasta is fully cooked! =)

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OOTD – Exam Edition.

 

It’s interesting how I would do an outfit of the day post on a day that most would be the least concerned with how they look. But I for one, am actually very picky about what I wear especially on exam days. Mainly, I need to be in something comfy and relaxed so that I’m not constrained, and have to worry about being uncomfortable when I need all of my attention focused on the paper in front of me.

Top: V-neck sweater from Aritzia
Super super SUPER soft, and very flowy and very breezy

Shorts: Aritzia
Button on the sides, soft cotton and very flexible

Bag: H&M
light weight, versatile and LOVE the colour

Hair: pined up
I always need my hair out of my face! I’m sure all of you know exactly how annoying it is to have ahri falling all over your face when you’re writing an exam~?

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Joe Fresh…Fresh and Simple.

 

I just happened to come across a new brand called Joe Fresh and decided to check it out. Upon Googling and finding their website, I was pleasantly surprised with the appearance of the brand and wanted to do some further investigation. Being the university student that I am, I Wiki-ed (as always, the ultimate bible to anything you’ll ever want to know,) the band.

Turns out, Joe Fresh not only offers simple apparel for women and kids, they have a whole complete cosmetics line as well!! The company, I believe, is actually a Canadian company, and it is launched as a sub-brand of Loblaws and the Real Canadian Superstore! I took a look at some of their products, and let’s just say that the brand has left me with a VERY good first impression!

To start off with, I took a peek at their apparel line. The feel that it left me with is probably along the lines of it being equal to something from Target in the States? They’re simple basic pieces that look very well made for the prices that they were marked at.

 

 

 

Here are a few examples of what you can find on their website: Summer Dress - $39
Good for day at work or perhaps a relaxing evening with girlfriends perhaps?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Shoulder Dress - $49
Excellent for date night, or just a night out in town look. Best part – It’s silk!

 

 

 

 

 

But the thing that excited me the MOST has to be their extensive cosmetics line! Let’s just take a quick look:

 

 

 

 

 

From cream shadows, to pressed shadows, to brow powders and cream shadow sticks…everything is marked in the rand of $4-$6 a piece! They also have a very wide range of colour selections! Pressed powder shadows alone offers 26 different shades!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and then, there are the face products! They look just absolutely AMAZING! the colour selection and the simplicity of the packaging all make the products look very promising!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I must admit that I’m deeply in love with how simple and CLEAN the packaging looks and I’m really looking forward to getting me hands on some of these products!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They also offer: nail polishes,

 

 

 

individual brushes or brush sets,  

 

 

 

and of course cosmetic accessories! All of which are priced in similar ranges!

 

 

 

 

I’m just really really excited to see some of these products and maybe try them out!!! I believe the brand has just opened 3 new store in Ontario, and they’re available at most Loblaws, No Frills, or the Real Canadian Superstore locations!

 

For more information, you can visit the website: http://www.joefresh.com/en/ or you can keep updated with their blog too: http://joefreshlife.com/

I’m super excited, and I should definitely keep the blog updated about any near future purchases that I can sense coming!

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Wish List 2011 – The Ultimate Gift Guide…;) [on going]

I think this dress is by a brand called Fluo. I first saw this dress at Style Exchange for 80 bucks, except it was in a nude pink colour instead of this lovely royal blue. It was love at first sight with this dress! It hugged my curves really well, and made my legs look extremely long. It was sexy, but still retains the feminine and sophisticated touch that I’m always obsessed with. I was sold, almost instantly, on the idea that I MUST own this dress, but the price point made it difficult for me to decide whether I should get it.
Sam introduced me to this dress again on Ruche. This time, it’s marked at HALF the original price and in this STUNNING royal blue shade!
I am in LOVE! =)
$38.99USFound at: http://www.shopruche.com/debonair-wear-ruffle-dress-in-royal-blue-p-8179.html





It’s interesting to see 2 blue pieces appear at the top of my wish-list (considering the fact that I’m probably not the biggest fan of the colour in the world,) but I was captured the second I saw this dress. I’m not the slimmest girl in the world (heck! I’m not even close,) but I’ve always loved the feel of maxi dresses! I searched high and low this summer for the perfect maxi dress, but was no where near finding something that even raised my interest in the slightest way…Until this of course!
I loved the fact that this dress is more of an empire waist (sort of,) and it drapes STRAIGHT down without any cinches or gatherings, that would possibly emphasize the curviness of mine in a dress that shoots to avoid any kind of roundness on the body. It’s really flowy, and kind of reminds me of an ancient Greek Goddess robe maybe???
Very impressed!
$42.99USFound at: http://www.shopruche.com/knot-giving-up-maxi-dress-in-cobalt-p-6608.html
p.s. check out the details of the shoulder straps gathering at the back! =D





This would be the result of my lately developed strange obsession with Aritzia. Not that I didn’t like the brand before, but it hard to like it very much when it honestly is quite expensive! However, I’ve just not been able to stay away. I have, lately, been very found of the quality, and style of their clothing and what it does to my body!
This particular shirt is a very good example of the struggle that I have between loving the stuff, and not wanting to buy. This is a piece that could make anybody look soft and sophisticated. It will pretty much match and go with anything you throw together with it. It is 100% silk, and hence the incredible price of almost $100!!
$98.00CADFound at: any Aritzia store or (http://aritzia.com/fashion/tops/becca-blouse)






Yet another simple, plain piece of art! I know, I know, I’ve been stuck in the realm of pinks and nudes and everything neutral, but lets face it: neutrals are the way to go in this busy hectic time of ours. Just because they’re so easy to pair and so easy to throw together, you can never go wrong with them! With people these days being so demanding and judgemental about how their peers or even strangers on the street dresses, neutrals definitely provide the easy way out!
I really like how lose this shirt is. It’s very structured and versatile. I can just picture wearing this in the summer as a plain tank, or in the winter matching it with a cardigan or a blazer!
Killing 2 birds with the same stone!
$35.99USFound at: http://www.shopruche.com/blushing-oasis-sleeveless-top-p-8304.html





I used to not believe in this blasted culture of NARS products and their provocative names, that seem suggest anything BUT makeup…well I used to anyway…until the day I got my hands on my first NARS blush. It was all downhill from there.
I wanted, for the longest time, to find a substitute that would void me from the need to admit defeat to this cult product. After discovering the wonderfulness of the brand though, I’ve just realized and accepted the fact that it’s probably just going to be MUCH easier to close my eyes and hand over the money.  This way, I’ll get EXACTLY what I want, and at the same time, in return I’ll get a product that’s worth my money!

$38.00CADFound at: any Sephora store or (http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P12790&categoryId=C10476)







This. This right here, is suppose to be my bible. This is suppose to be my life saver, and this is suppose to be THE product that would solve ALL of my skin concerns ever! This is the new Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator.
Despite the fact that the Advanced Night Repair that the whole world was crazy over didn’t really do much of what I wanted it to do for my skin, I still would like to try this supposed “miracle” product. I was told that it should visibly reduce sun damage, unevenness, blotchiness, redness and everything uneven with the skin in just a matter of TWO weeks! (EVERYTHING that’s wrong with my skin!!) It’s at a reasonable price of $100 for about 1.7oz. (trust me, this is reasonable compared to some of the other things out there *ahem Lancome and Guerlain!*)
Hard to believe…I know. But worth a try!
$100.00CAD
Found at: The Bay, Sears or(http://www.esteelauder.com/evenskintone/face.tmpl)

For the longest time, I thought this baby here was a waste of money. Until that one night, at Sam's apartment, when I'd actually dipped a finger into it and used it on myself, had I realized how WRONG I was...

The shadows were CREAMY and SMOOTH and so easily blendable! Not to mention my undying love for the 24/7 pencils!! Even though the Canadian pricing of these are completely RIDICULOUS I'd still like to think that it's all worth it =)

$58.00CAD
Found at: Sephora or http://www.sephora.com


to be continued…

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I got a HAIRCUT!!!

I was SOO annoyed with my hair because it was getting SO damaged, tangled and thick!!! There are no layers left and no shape to my head what so ever, so I needed a trim!!!

I went to Chin-Generation at Pacific Mall which is the place that I usually go to. Out of every hair salon I went to I think this one offers me the most in terms the quality of their cut and customer service!! I also love the fact that most of their stylist can give me a hair cut according to what I want, and create a style that suits my face shape, my features and everything else. It’s simple enough that you can just tell them what you want, and they are very understanding will offer you something very close to what you were looking for.

I’ve had a side part for the LONGEST time, and this time, I felt like I wanted to try a center part for a change.

It was a risky choice because it’s very hard to work a center part, because you have to be very symmetrical to look flattering with it. It is also a HECK LOAD of maintenance involved EVERYDAY…

My stylist was Perry Pak and he did a GREAT job on my hair layering it and keeping the length that I want..and giving me the EXACT look that I wanted!!! ^^ *so happy!!*

 

 

It’s a VERY romantic look!! All I did was taking a curling iron and curled my bangs BACKWARDS on the top of my head…and when it falls, it will fall away from your face in a very lose and voluminous way!!

 

I LOOOVED how sleek my hair looked but it took FOREVER for him to blow-dry it straight!! >< I certainly don’t have the skills to do it myself…and I don’t think that a flat iron would make it look as SMOOTH it is!!! That’s one thing that I hate coming back from the hair salon~~ you can never make it look as nice as the way that they made it for you!! TT^TT

 

That’s about it! Hope you guys enjoyed it!

 

Thanks for reading!

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