August 2004: This used to be my natural hair colour.

March 2006: I coloured my hair a light brown colour. I had previously tried to put in some blonde highlights half a year before without any visible results whatsoever. I wanted a dramatic change without going too dark. The problem with this colour was that it went too orange after a little while.

August 2006: I got tired of the mousy brown that had now become my natural hair colour, and I bleached my hair. It went a bit yellow (I did not know about the genius of shampoo that takes the yellow away back then).

April 2007: I stayed blonde for a long time, but took fewer highlights to make it look more natural.

May 2007: The hairdresser advised me to have a darker base colour and some warmer highlights on top.

December 2007: I went darker than I had ever been. I think this is my favourite. I had discovered that highlights is not really my thing. I still think so.

August 2008: I got tired of colouring my hair, and as the dark brown went out, I went back to mousy brown. It was nice to not worry about the colouring, but it is oh so boring.

May 2009: I was tired of the mousy brown again, and went blonde again. It got more and more blonde as the summer went along.

February 2010: After a short time in Portsmouth I coloured my hair from extremely blonde to dark brown. I think it was in october. It was not easy, but we found a very good colour after colouring it three or four times.

So this is what I look like at the moment. The first time I went to the hairdresser here in Portsmouth, we found a very good colour. It has changed over the times I have been there, which I am not too happy about. It is now a little too red in my opinion (the picture is unfortunately edited to remove the red in the hair, or else you would see it too). Last time I was there I thought they spent too much time on something that should be rather simple. I am now considering doing it myself. Would any of you have any recommendations on which hair colour I could use? I am looking for a dark brown, with not too much red in it.

-Maria

Wikipedia.org:

Static electricity is usually caused when certain materials are rubbed against each other, like wool on plastic or the soles of shoes on carpet. The process causes electrons to be pulled from the surface of one material and relocated on the surface of the other material.
A static shock occurs when the surface of the second material, negatively charged with electrons, touches a positively-charged conductor, or vice-versa.

Apparently, the most common way to get charged is through friction between shoes and the floor. In the winter time we experience much dryer air and the electricity has a harder time “escaping” your body. Our shoes and clothes are better isolated this time of the year. In summer time the electricity escapes more efficiently due to the humidity in the air, and we don’t notice the static electricity as much. As you might have noticed, some materials tend to be easier to charge than others. In this list I found on uio.no’s pages you can see which materials and fabrics that create the most static el. when exposed to each other. The further they are from each other on the scale, the more static el they can produce.

Positive charged

Glass
Human hair
Nylon
Wool
Silk
Viscose
Cotton
Paper
Steel
Hard rubber
Acetate silk
Synthetic rubber
Polyester
Acryl
Polyethylene
Negative charged

How do I avoid being electrically charged all winter? Well, here are some tips I found online:

• Ivory. Rub your wool or cotton sweater with ivory. This is an ancient trick that is suppose to take away some of the static el.

• If you tumble dry different fabrics together, make sure not to dry the fabric completely before taking them out. Let your wash air dry the rest of the time. In fact, it’s better to tumble dry one type of fabric at them time. Synthetic fabrics should be air dried not tumble dried to avoid static el.

• Keep your skin moisturized. If your skin is dry it’s harder for your body to release electricity and you get static shocks.

• Try to avoid mixing clothes with natural and synthetic fabrics. Or you could try putting a cotton layer in between.

• Avoid synthetic rugs in your home. They can charge your body with up to 8000 Volts. In order to get a static chock your body needs to be charged with 2500-4000Volts.

• “Wet your hair slightly before styling, and use a modern hairdryer with a built-in ion emitter (these reduce static build-up).”  (WikiHow.com)

• Like this Satin Hair Brush from Braun. I wonder if it works.

• “You can create an inexpensive anti-static spray by dumping a lot of fabric softener into a spray bottle filled with water. Spray this on carpets and other surfaces to prevent static build-up.” (WikiHow.com)

• Buy a static discharging keychain and let the keychain take the shock. You can also use a regular key or some metal object. You will still feel the shock, but it won’t hurt as much.

I hope you found some of the tips helpful. Good luck people.

Note: If you want something hand made and unique you should definitely check out Etsy.com. I bought a necklace off their site a year ago and I love it.

A while back I bought this kawaii ice cream necklace from South Korea on Ebay. It’s perfect over a plain t-shirt or tank top. The ice cream looks kind of realistic as well, don’t you think? Faux food or plastic food is a big thing in Asia. It’s mainly used in restaurants and shops to give people an idea of what the real food (dishes) looks like. Some people also collect plastic food or display them at home. Faux food is almost a form of art. Just look at how they make these tings:

Culinary Asia: Plastic Food Phenomenon Video at YourDiscovery.com.

You will need something to add volume (mousse, spray whatever, personally I prefer Tigi S-Factor Body Booster Pump Spray), some sort of hair clips to hold your hair up and hair spray (I use Work It from Tigi). Hair accessories are optional.

Step 1:
Gather the hair on the top of your head. Tease the section, but make sure that the top layer is not too heavily teased. If you have gone wild with the comb; brush it out a little. Add some hairspray while making a a little bump on top of your head (this is only go create some volume, and not make it too tight. Use a hairclip to gather the section in the back of your head. Let it be quite loose. Comb lightly on top to make it a bit more even.
Step 2: Twist sections of your hair to the back of your head. Curl around your finger to make tiny circles. Pin or clip these circles randomly. Make sure to leave out some in the front to avoid the ballerina look. When you have pinned every circle down, you can rearrange them a bit to make it more comfortable and see which clips you can loose. If this is done correctly (practice practice practice) you will have a loose hairdo that will be comfortable for hours. Don’t worry about loose ends. I like this look a bit more casual. The twisting is a bit easier and the loose ends will look prettier if you have curled your hair a little bit before putting it up.
Step 3: Shape the loose  ends in the front (bangs etc) by using a straightening iron to create a slightly curled look.

If you have done it correctly your hair might look like this:

Very easy (despite of a very long and stupid explanation) and very quick. Sorry about not having a picure from the front. I tried getting it from facebook, but the photos are unavailable at the moment. Excuses.. Well. Later!

———————

Addition:

I finally got the picture from facebook. I look stupid though. It was late at night and I was in the middle of a conversation. Haha.

Step one: foundation
I use foundation all over my face, but only use a little bit on the brush. That way I get the appropriate amount of coverage. Preferably, you want to use circular motions while applying, as this blends the powder better into your skin. I am not that thorough though.

Step two: concealer
I use concealer on the areas where my skin tends to get red through the day. Since I am so pale, my nose can get very red. I spend time thoroughly working the concealer into the skin on and around my nose. The t-sone is the problem area for me (as for everyone), which means that there is where I want to use more concealer. I also have a scar on my chin which I would want to cover up. Remove any darkness around the eyes with a little concealer too.

Step three: blush
I only use a cheap blush, as this is one of the products that you can save on. There are many different ways to put on blush, and you should consider your face shape when choosing which one to use. I use a big brush and a light blush. I smile to make it easier to find the right spot. I work the blush from the middle of my cheek up towards my ears. This is only to make my face less flat (since I’ve flattened it out with the foundation).

Step four: eyebrows
Since I am not really a brunette (more like a dark blonde), my eyebrows are a little too light. I use a eyebrow pencil from H&M to fill in gaps and make a clearer shape. And add some colour. Make sure you don’t draw too harsh lines, only soft, short lines and brush them out afterwards to create a soft look. For an evening look, use a bit more pressure, and a clearer line. Be careful though. You can go very wrong with too much eyebrow pencil.

Step five: eyeliner
I use a black eyeliner from H&M (in lack of a better one at the moment). I apply the eyeliner roughly from the outer corner. The amount I use depends on the occasion. I apply more for an evening than for a day at school. Don’t worry about making a clear line, use a brush to make a soft look. If you want a clearer line; use a sharp eyeliner after putting on the eyeshadow.

Step six: eye shadow
I use a four colour palette with a light beige, silvery white, medium grey and a dark purple-ish brown. These are the colours that work best with my skin tone, but you can switch the grey and brown with colours that suit you. I apply the beige as a base from the crease and up. I then highlight beneath the eyebrow with the white. Then I apply the grey in the crease and smooth out up towards the eyebrow and on the eyelid. With a small brush, apply the brown over the eyeliner. Start as close to the lashes as possible and work your way up and down to make sure you get subtle lines. Remember the outer corner and apply a little extra there. For an evening look, use more of the brown and cover the entire lid.

Step seven: curl eye lashes
This is a very important step. It does not matter how long your lashes are if you’re not curling them. It won’t show. Work with the curler to make a nice curl. Press it down on different places on the lashes, as you wan’t it to look natural.

Step eight: mascara
Each mascara is different, and how you apply it is very up to you. Make sure you get the entire eyelash, not only the outer part. Apply a little extra on the outer corner of the eye for longer lashes.

Step nine: fix
I always spill something. But this can easily be fixed with a q-tip (dry) and more concealer. Don’t use water or make up remover unless it is absolutely necessary, as it is not as easy to fix afterwards with the concealer.

My verdict:

+ Moisturized my lips pretty well.
+ Nice smell
+ Fun design
+ Almost a 100% organic
+ No Parabens.
+ Not tested on animals

- The design can make it hard to carry in a pocket.
- A bit expensive (80kr=13.50$)
- Didn’t moisturize my lips enough.

My lips feel way better. I actually like this lip balm, but right now it doesn’t moisturize my lips enough. Maybe it will work better when the weather gets warmer?

My lips are very, very dry, but if you don’t need as much moisture as me, this lip balm will suit you just fine. EOS seems to be a lot better that the stuff you get at the grocery stores though. As for me, the hunt for the perfect lip balm continues.

-Sara

Ninja: Welcome Tage-san!
Tage-san: Thank you, thank you.

Ninja: How are you doing?
Tage-san: I’m doing great. Thanks for asking.

Ninja: Tell me, how is it like living with a ninja?
Tage-san: Hahaha.. Is that supposed to be you? In that case.. It’s a blast, as you never know what happens next.

Ninja: How old are you Tage-san?
Tage-san: Uhm. I’m 23 autumns old.

Ninja: Is it true that you got an anti-age serum for Christmas?
Tage-san: Well, depends on how you see it. You might look at it as a beauty product, but in my eyes it’s a product that might help me increase my masculinity… What?

Ninja: You’re saying you haven’t tried it?
Tage-san: That’s right. There is a time and place for everything. Now is not the time for this product. It will lurk in my bathroom cupboard for 20 years.

Ninja: True, but now you have the upper hand on your skin. It’s all about preventing and obviating efforts. Prevent, prevent, prevent!
Tage-san: You have now reached the dividing line between boys and girls. For the time being, give me soap, and I’m clean. Savvy?

Ninja: Does that mean that you don’t use any other “beauty” products?
Tage-san: Damn right.

Ninja: What do you think of all these girly beauty products then?
Tage-san: Well, some of them might not me necessary. Maybe those products are more helpful for the mind than the actual skin. Capice?

Ninja: Yes, yes, I can relate. So, what is the most useless beauty product you can think of?
Tage-san: Hemorrhoid cream in your face. I have heard rumors..

Ninja: They are true. I don’t know what’s worse. Hemorrhoid cream in your ass or hemorrhoid cream in your face? You know?
Tage-san: …Change the subject…

Ninja: Do you have any secrets?
Tage-san: None whatsoever.

Ninja: Come on!! Give us something juicy.
Tage-san: I prefer Mac over PC.

Ninja:….. Let’s try this one more time. What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
Tage-san: Once I was out riding a bike. As I passed a bus stop a girl said something to me. I pushed on the breaks, but they were squeaking. So I didn’t push them down hard. As a result, the bike didn’t stop for about 5 meters. I started backing up with my feet towards the bus stop, which took a good 20 sec. Then I said: “What?” Then she said: “Do you have the time?” And I said: “Well….no I don’t have a watch.” Then she said: “Oh….ok…” And I was like: “…Bye.”

Ninja: That’s it? You made me write all this down, for what? Where’s the embarrassing part?
Tage-san: Well, there was the awkward pause as I was backing up.

Ninja: I was thinking more along the lines of, I don’t know, farting loudly in class..
Tage-san: No comment.

Ninja: Last, but not least. Where’s your favorite place in this world?
Tage-san: Japan! I can’t wait to go back.

Ninja: Aren’t you happy your girlfriend is a ninja then?
Tage-san: Absolutely thrilled;)

Konbanwa gozaimasu and thanks for the talk Tage-san!

-Sara

5. Face Cleanser a la Poop

This cream/ cleanser contains poop from Nightingales. Bird poop is obviously super healthy for your skin and many Japanese swear by it.

4.  Mouth Slimmer

A slim mouth makes the rest of the face seem smaller. And Japanese people like small.

3.  Eyelid Glue

If you have Asian looking eyelids, but want a more Western look, you can create a crease by using glue.

2. Breast Enhancing Cookies

Do you want bigger breasts? All righty then. Have a cookie!

1.  Face Slimmer Mask

This mask is suppose to mould your face slimmer. The only thing you’ll accomplish by wearing this is looking like a crazy killer.