Essential Beauty Tips That People Don't Usually Mention

New year, new us. Here I’ve compiled a list of essential beauty tips that people don’t usually mention but every girl should know. I’ve bolded the important parts of this blogpost for your viewing pleasure. I also included some products that I use for the tips that I mentioned. Thanks for reading!

1. Replace cotton facial towels with disposable dry cloth. This prevents bacterias to build up that could cause break out. The facial towels that I'm currently using are from Medline. I bought them from Amazon, which costs less than $20 per 500 wipes. The cloths are listed as "Medline Ultra-Soft Disposable Dry Cleansing Cloth." The seller has the 10’’ x 15’’ type, which is fifty wipes per pack, and 10 pack per box. The packs are in individual plastic wraps; however, the plastic wraps are very fragile, so I use ziploc bags to repack them to keep them save from dust and other unfriendly substances for the facial skin.

2. Minimize skin care products. This is not really stressed enough due to the amount of commercial products that are in drug and department stores. Keep in mind that too much skin care products could clog your pores and could have effects that you don’t want. Know your skin, and buy the products that are worthy for your skin. You don’t need to follow every single skin care routine out there. Also, some products might not work for someone else because we all have different skin types. I would recommend to use moisturizer, sunscreen, exfoliator, anti-aging cream, and a treatment for acne / other skin problems, if necessary.

3. Exfoliate your skin. Exfoliating your skin regularly can prevent acne and blackheads. Personally, I’ve been struggling with acne and blackheads for as long as I can remember. Well, it’s a long time for sure! However, every since I’ve started to exfoliate my skin, it really reduced my acne and blackhead problems. I started with a chemical exfoliator: SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA LIQUID EXFOLIANT by Paula’s Choice. This really helps, but the dead skins kind of clung to my face, so I also got a mechanical exfoliator by Clarisonic, the Clarisonic Mia 1.  I use the chemical exfoliator about twice a week and Clarisonic Mia whenever I feel the need to. Keep in mind that you should not experience a period of breakouts when you start with Clarisonic Mia because skin are not supposed to get worse before it gets better.

4. Stay away from the sun. The sun is one of the major causes of wrinkles and discoloration on your skin. I would recommend daily sunscreen that has SPF 15 or higher when you will be exposed to the sun. I use the “Olay Total Effects 7 in One Anti-Aging Moisturizer, SPF 15” because I feel that higher SPF kind of give my face a shiny finish after a few hours. Also, if you live in a super sunny and dry climate, I would recommend you guys to install car window films and UV ray proved curtains.

5. Add tea to your diet. Tea could help you “cleanse” your digestive system. It also has anti aging effects. I just boil water with a tea bag inside in the morning and drink it up throughout the day to keep myself hydrated while having some flavor in my drinks.

6. Add starch to your diet. This adds to a healthier diet that keeps you looking young.

This is quite hard for most people, especially when you are not used to have food such as rice in your diet. A good idea is to replace your dessert with rice cakes, etc.

7. Braids/updo instead of heat. Curling or straining your hair could cause a lot of damage to your hair. So why not accept the real you with your beautiful hair and style it up with some braids? Braids/updo could give you a relaxed or classy look depending on how you wear them. It is also a way to show off your creativity.

8. Drink coffee/tea with a straw. This minimizes the coffee stain on your teeth that you could have overtime.

9. Wear gloves when you are doing the dishes. This keeps your hands away from those harmful chemicals in the soap. Any rubber gloves work, just remember to hold on to those dishes tight!

10. Wear moisturizer. If you choose the right one, it will prevent over drying or excessive oil on your face. Also, don’t forget about your hands and your lips. I have oily skin, but I find “Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel” by Clinique work. However, on some days my face still likes to shine, crazily, so I apply Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Pressed Powder, which has antioxidant blend, to keep my shine-free.

Watch the Youtube summary video at http://youtu.be/cgPn9NKg3zM

Cool Home Decor Shops

A lot of fashion stores carry home decor items that are quite unique and fashionable (see what I did there?). For example, Ross carry various home decor including the infamous mason jars that could beat the price of other stores. The store also includes a variety of furniture collections and kitchen tools, like mixing bowls, glass, etc. Similar to Ross, Marshall also carry items that could be very useful at home.

A unique find of home decor item would be a Typo gumball machine at Cotton On. The Cotton On gumball machine is in a light greenish tone and it’s a fun decoration to have at your home and keep your selection of candy organized and safe. Modcloth also carries very unique selection of home goods. For example, they have these cool bedding that would just make your bedroom pop and heart shaped plates that could make your meal extra sweet.

If you want to be extra creative, you could craft your own items by using supplies purchased from Michael’s or Hobby Lobby. There, you could find a wide selection of plain wooden crafting pieces, glitter, cutting tools, etc. for your own projects. However, these crafts stores usually thins out your wallet, so be on the look for their promotion during Holidays or just their regular weekly promotions.

Top Cute Anime Girls (Part I)

Here is a list of cute anime girls that have made our list, with both their character and their looks. Feel free to nominate any cuties out there to us!

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Ayumi Yoshida

Anime: Detective Conan (Case Closed)

Ayumi is a little first grader who is full of life and adventurous minds. In the very first episode, she has shown her spirit by playing with Mitsuhiko and Genta without adult supervision in Tropical Island. She is also very nice toward her classmates and is willing to brighten people’s days with her adorable smile. Her bravery is also shown because despite witnessing numerous crime scenes, she still seems fine and happy. (I guess that’s everyone, almost, in Detective Conan.) And, she is sometimes quite mischievous, as seen from a screenshot of Conan OVA above! xD

Yasuko Takasu

Anime: Toradora!

As a thirty-three-year-old mother who still looks like a young lady in her 20s, Yasuko Takasu has a kind heart that took the responsibility of her son and her family. She kept the fact that Ryuuji’s father abandoned her and Ryuuji before they were born hidden and told Ryuuji a white lie that could keep him growing up without the shame of knowing that they were abandoned. As a mother, she is also supportive of Ryuuji in his studies and his love life. She is a mother who took the role of parents that raised Ryuuji to be a responsible young man who fell in love with Taiga Aisaka.

Petra Ral

Anime: Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)

A member of the military branch that took the frontline in the struggle between humankind and titans, Petra was a powerful soldier that had numerous titan kills to her credit, and the physical beauty to complement her immense combat prowess of course. With a solo kill of 10 and team kill of 48, Petra holds the record of possessing one of the highest titan kills revealed in the series thus far. Although Petra’s twin blades of steely vengeance was unable to avenge her fallen comrades when clashed against the grotesquely crafty Female Type Titan, Petra proved that her physical beauty was one capable of transcending even the limits of death.

Yuni

Anime: Reborn!

Yuni is a Sky Arcobaleno whose gestures levels with her status as a princess. She has bright navy blue eyes and very kawaii hairstyle that matches her outfits very well. She has shown the traits of her mother and class through her way of speaking and discipline. Even in the midst of war with Byakuran, Yuni remembers to show Tsuna the events to come with her Flame of Life to guide Tsuna with his own future. Her altruistic act of sacrificing herself to revive all the other Arcobalenos has once again exemplify her beauty from the inside out.

Historia Reiss (Krista Lenz)

Anime: Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan)

An illegitimate child born out of wedlock, Historia was raised on an estate administered by the Reiss household where she proceeds to suffer neglect from her biological mother and abuse from the other childrens on the estate. Shortly after the fall of Wall Maria, an event transpired that forced Historia adopting a new name and new identity, as well as enlist into the military.  Though despite the traumas that she suffered at a young age, which includes constant abuse from his biological mother and witnessing the murder of her mother at the hands of Kenny Ackerman, Krista managed to charm his fellow trainees with her beauty and her equipped altruism, earning herself the nickname of “goddess” in the process.

Kuronuma Sawako

Anime: Kimi ni Todoke

Kuronuma Sawako is a shy and awkward girl that many teenage girls could relate to. She wasn’t very social but as story progresses, you could tell that she is a very kind and a very appreciative girl. You could say that she being naive is a disadvantage in this cruel world, or you could say that she being naive is a symbol that she is unaffected by the cruelty of this world. It’s her characters that captivated Kazehaya Shouta, her love interest, and her friends: Sanada Ryuu, Yano Ayane, Chizuru Yoshida and many more!

Case Closed Manga Chapters 913-915 The Kawanakajima Murder Case (Woodpecker)

Case Closed Manga Chapters 913-915 The Kawanakajima Murder Case (Woodpecker)

Summary, Analysis, & Deduction

Timeline

Disclaimer: The summaries are written based on the facts in the manga, but the analysis and the deduction are all based on opinions and prior knowledge. Feel free to correct and comment to make this post better. Thank you!

In typical Gosho Aoyama fashion, the famed Mangaka grabbed his loyal readers’ attention with a murder scene that leaves the readers’ mind full of questions. In the middle of the seemingly tranquil Mt. Saijo of the Nagano prefecture, a man in casual wear was threatened by another man whose physical appearances we do not know yet, but we do know that he was wielding a bladed weapon. The casual dresser pleaded for missing from the man depicted in a human-like silhouette, claiming that he is sorry and told the man, and I quote, “If this gets out, you won’t be able to live normally anymore either...Your life will be over…Please consider this carefully.” To which the man depicted with dark silhouette responded with “Those who desire life will die...And those who desire death will live…” The quote that the man recited is attributed to Uesugi Kenshin, a daimyo who ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. What followed was a merciless slaughter where the man in casual wear was beheaded, not before having what looked like a bird’s leg forced onto his forehead. Afterwards, the killer stood over the lifeless body of his prey, thinking silently to himself: “I am Bishamonten. The god of war who will destroy the woodpecker…”

As you progress through the pages you learned that the man that was killed in the beginning of the chapter was a man named Takeda Shibaru, and was in charge of a squad consisting of policemen from the Nagano Police force. We were also granted some insights on the Battles of Kawanakajima, where Uesugi Kenshin (daimyo) and Takeda Shingen (another daimyo) fought. While staring at the statues depicting the infamous battle, a strategy that Takeda’s army employed during his conflict with Uesugi Kenshin was brought up; a strategy with the curious name of the “woodpecker”. Members of the Nagano police force that Takeda was put in charge of started to show up. First, Saegusa  Mamoru, the inspector of the Nagano police, popped up. Followed by Akiyama Shinsuke, a 26 year old police sergeant of the Nagano police that have just recently adopted his mother’s surname after his parents went through a divorce. Finally, Kano Shouji, assistant inspector of the Nagano police, showed up to inform everyone that he has not been able to get to in contact with the leader of their squad. Though he hasn’t shown up yet, a “chief” was mentioned and was described to have a liking towards black tea.

As inspector Yamato Kansuke casually leans over the bridge of the “Red River,” he spotted Takeda Shibaru’s head floating on the river amongst a trail of blood. In addition, a burnt and beheaded body was found on the bank of the “Red River.” By inspecting the scorch marks on the corpse, Yamato Kansuke concluded that Takeda had died a few days earlier but the fact that Takeda’s head has just recently flowed into their sight with massive amount of blood is quite suspicious. However, Conan points out, probably in his cute and innocent child’s voice, that the rope attached on the bridge is an indicator that the head along with artificial blood was placed in a plastic bag that hangs on a rope that will break over time. When the forensics team arrived, an “x” shaped mark was shown on Takeda’s head after luminol has applied. (This indicates that the culprit must have a basic knowledge of forensics.) What Yui revealed is that the “x” shaped mark, which is similar to the footprints of a woodpecker, could be related to the Woodpecker Organization that Takeda Shibaru was in. The forensics team also commented on the fact that the beheaded body’s right toe wasn’t affected by the fire. Therefore, a DNA test could be done to confirm whether the body is Takeda’s or not.

Later on, it was revealed that Takeda have killed two men on two separate occasions. Once was 9 years ago, when he shot a man that was shooting randomly on the streets. The second occasion occurred half a year ago, when Takeda killed a man who held hostages in a bank. This lead the members of the police force to suspect that the murder of Takeda was done out of vengeance for one of the two men that Takeda killed during his career as a police. An interesting plot twist was thrown in when Kansuke Yamato was revealed to be childhood friends with the men that Takeda shot 9 years ago. Kansuke then proceeds to exit the building and headed towards an unknown location.

The next major event that transpired was the murder of Kano Shouji. The circumstance surrounding Kano’s death is one that calls for suspicion. Moments before Kano’s death he was looking through the files of the case that happened 9 years ago at his home. However before he separated from the remnants of Takeda’s squad, he alerted four individual members of his destination. Namely, Hyoue Kuroda, Kansuke Yamato, Saegusa Mamoru and Akiyama Shinsuke. Based on the fact that Kano was killed when he was alone in his house, an opportune moment to kill, the the culprit must be one of the members that knew about Kano’s whereabouts. From the manga panels, it can be safely assumed that Kano found some vital information about the case that transpired ago, but was silenced before he could relay the information. (The person he was trying to contact could be Kansuke Yamato, due to the 10 unanswered call notifications that Kansuke received).  

When Kano was found he was hung onto the ceiling, with the cause of death most likely be strangulation. The group that arrived at the scene of the crime deduced that the trick could be that the culprit placed Kano on the chair that was on the table to be hung to the ceiling, which is an act that even a disabled person like Kansuke Yamato can manage. The group then talked about the weird text messages stating something along the lines of “woodpeckers… three left”, implying that the culprit intends on killing 5 people in total.

Since everyone except the main characters and recurring characters are viable suspects in this serial murder case (with the rare exception of Kansuke Yamato on this occasion) , this is the suspect pool that we have assembled so far:

(Suspect Pool: Kansuke Yamato, Saegusa Mamoru, Akiyama Shinsuke, Hyoue Kuroda, Kano Shouji (deceased))

Later on Akiyame Shinsuke went to Mt. Saijo in his car with undisclosed motive. When he was found, his neck was tied to the back of the car. Akiyama desperately cried out for help and started to shout things concerning his cell phone before the car drove off the cliff, with Akiyama seemingly beheaded in the process.

(Suspect Pool: Kansuke Yamato, Saegusa, Mamoru, Akiyama Shinsuke (death not confirmed), Hyoue Kuroda,  Kano Shouji (deceased))

As a continuation from the previous chapters, Rum, a member from the Black Organization has one artificial eye. In this case (#pun), the two characters that match the description are Yamato Kansuke and Kuroda. Since Yamato Kansuke has been a character that was introduced a long time ago, but reappeared recently, this coincidence could be a trick to lure the readers into thinking that he is Rum. As for Kuroda, if he were Rum, then he wouldn’t be the culprit of this case because an almost-boss level in the Black Organization wouldn’t risk to kill so closely with Mori Kokoro involved. If Kuroda were the culprit, then he would very unlikely be Rum because if Rum were to be put into jail, then the excitement of introducing Rum in such a mysterious way is in vain.

The message, which stated  “Woodpecker...three more,” that was sent might indicate there will be a total of five people getting killed.

Akiyama Shinsuke’s body was beheaded when he fell down the cliff, and the parts of his body would likely be involved within the explosion of the car. From the explosion, Akiyama could easily devise a trick that could fake the corpse of himself by burning the corpses and escaping the fire. With the time that he had, alone, up in Mt. Saijo, he could easily set up the trick and gather attention by screaming from the inspectors when they arrive at Mr. Saijo. This could explain why he had just started to scream when the inspectors was in sight. The trick could involve the body another person who was not killed on screen but also a part of the Woodpecker Organization. Since the body was going to be burned by the car explosion, the owner of the body could be indeterminate. Conclusively, Akiyama Shinsuke could definitely be alive and could remain one of the prime suspects.

Somethings About Naruto

Somethings About Naruto - What I learned from Naruto

Anime are not just for fun. I believe there are details that the authors/illustrators purposely carved on their masterpieces to convey a thought to the viewers. Below are just some of our own interpretations of the anime, Naruto.

1. Solitude ignites dreams, and with the moral support of trusted comrades, you can achieve your dreams.

This is the story of Naruto, who was ostracized by his classmates, his teachers, the youth, the senior. But he did not turn to the dark side to devise a plan to destroy the ones who hated him, but instead opted to earn the acknowledgement of those who hated him through hard work and determination. He proved that even as a Jinchuriki that many distanced themselves from in question of Naruto’s stability as the vessel of the demon fox, he can still protect everyone (which was evident when he defeated the Six Paths of Pain). With the help of his “Nakama” in many adventures, Naruto has gathered valuable experience and knowledge to achieve his initiative, to become the Hokage.

 

2. People are judgmental, but you can prove them wrong.

Naruto was disapproved by, basically, everyone in his village. People in the village was not able to overlook the Nine-Tails sealed within Naruto, and judged Naruto as if he was an incarnate of the demon fox himself. Progress was made in Naruto’s quest for acknowledgment when he impressed the Chuunin-level Academy instructor, Umino Iruka, with his mastering of the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique (in spite of failing to even create a regular clone just hours prior). Even Sasuke, an Uchiha member who was regarded as a genius by the peers and cherished greatly by the villagers due to his status as the “survivor of the Uchiha Massacre,” had never taken Naruto seriously during their one-sided rivalry that began in the ninja academy was surprised by Naruto’s growth over the course of the blonde’s tenure as a member of Team Seven. His nonplussed attitude towards Konoha’s Orange Hokage faded completely when Sasuke witnessed the amount of damage Naruto’s Rasengan did to the water tower compared to his own Chidori. In summation, although Naruto was viewed as more of a threat to the village’s well-being rather than a valuable asset that could help the village further assert its dominance, and thus was neglected by the villagers, he managed to earn the villagers respect through hard work and determination, which eventually lead to him obtaining the role of the Seventh Hokage.

3. True friends are hard to come across, but if you ever find one, you guys will stick together, at least emotionally, for sure because that's what true friends are.

I'm pretty sure you guys will know what I mean just by the pictures below.

Also, feel free to leave opinions of your own; either on this page or on our instagram account @fashionandanime. Thank you for reading and we will continue to post on this page!