Highlights of Tokyo food, and an update to the original Tokyo Food Recs page

At long last, I've published some of my highlights of Tokyo food.

I've also updated the original Tokyo Food Recs page so it's a bit more readable. It's going to take a bit more work though!

I leave you with some new music from Nelly Furtado:

Mini Review: CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Hypnotic 220

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Hypnotic 220 is basically a slightly frostier, slightly more brown/beige version of my pigmented lips. I'm glad I took the chance to try out this color! It's a great MLBB for me, as I prefer to play down my natural mauve tones.  I'm not a fan of the scent - vaguely vanilla/sweet? But the formula seems moist and comfortable so far.

From left to right: Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color (f-bomb), Revlon Balm Stain (Crush 005), Rimmel The Only 1 Lipstick (Naughty Nude 700), Revlon Balm Stain (Rendezvous 040), CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick (Hypnotic 220)

Interestingly, the Revlon Balm Stains all appear pretty pigmented on my lips, although the swatches are rather sheer on my arm. The natural pigment in my lips adds quite a bit of color, which is a bit annoying. I'm tempted to try more of the brown colors in this CoverGirl Lip Perfection line, as this one works quite well on me.

I quite like Nas' rap on Madonna's "Veni Vidi Vici":

PSA: THREE Flash Performance Eyeliners being discontinued 8/9 (JST)

Via So Lonely in Gorgeous, THREE Cosmetics is discontinuing their lovely Flash Performance Eyeliners. Guess I will be buying a few more colors (#1, #2, #4, #5, #7).  They last a long time, so I will refrain from buying backups. Annoyingly, the Japanese department stores seem to have already taken the pencils off their online stores, and the THREE site is sold out of #1 and #4 as of the time of writing this post. I can't find #4 for a reasonable price on Rakuten either.

At least INTEGRATE still makes their Kira Wink Gel Liner, although they seem to be moving away from it (I hate their Snipe Gel Liner - hard and unpigmented formula).  Interestingly, these automatic liners are made in Germany.

Guerlain Lingerie de Peau - first impressions, Phoenix by Dawn Richards

Got a sample of Guerlain's Lingerie de Peau in 02 Beige Clair. I love the lightweight texture! It doesn't sink into pores and looks invisible, but smooths out my skin. However, it doesn't really cover my redness, so I still need a good concealer to take care of it. Since I am looking for something that will cover redness too, I don't think I'll purchase this, although the texture is really lovely.

Mini Review: Puma Socks, Santigold - Chasing Shadows

I got some low profile black Puma socks, but they slide off my heels. The Nike socks fit better, although they pill and fade after a while.

Santigold - Chasing Shadows:

Recommendations on feeding newborns, Kyla La Grange - Skin

Recommendations on Improving Hospital Safety to Prevent Newborn Starvation and Injury

I was surprised that this topic hasn't had more publicity or concern, when 1 in 5 women may have delayed lactation or no lactation at all. Teaching women how to confirm whether they're producing breast milk seems like a basic sanity check. And also teaching how to supplement when not producing enough milk seems like a basic precaution, even if it were uncommon.

There also seems to be a widespread misconception that newborns can't drink that much, but the newborn stomach has been measured at 20mL.

One of my favorite singers, Kyla La Grange:

Ameriie's new EP Drive

Famm'in Circle

An unexpected collaboration, but good stuff!

Jazmine Sullivan slaying "Mona Lisa (Masterpiece)" at BET

In case you missed Jazmine Sullivan slaying 'Masterpiece (Mona Lisa)' at #BlackGirlsRock last night:https://t.co/uQj6fe1Yzw

— Thomas Darby. (@ThomasLDarby) April 6, 2016

Egads, May already?!? Poshmark update

Yikes, I cannot believe it's been months since I last posted here.

I thought I'd give you an update on Poshmark, in bullet points.
The tl;dr summary: buying on Poshmark is great if you know the product very well, but be very careful to confirm the things that you care about. Selling is tough though.

Pros:

• An extensive variety of items for sale, some extremely unique
• One-stop shopping from your phone has never been so easy!
• Discontinued items for sale
• I can often find discontinued versions of a product that I can't get anywhere else. For example, I like Eddie Bauer wrinkle-free shirts in bright striped patterns, but for the most part they don't make them in those patterns any more.  However, on Poshmark, I've found quite a few of these shirts in like-new and sometimes brand-new condition. Similarly for Under Armour cold gear shirts. The new versions of the shirt have an itchier seam, but the old versions of the shirt are great. I live in these shirts in the winter, and I've stocked up on a few basics via Poshmark already.
• Prices are low
• A corollary to the fact that selling is hard, the abundance of items means that prices go low if the sellers really want to sell. So Poshmark is an excellent place to buy jeans, dresses, and purses, as American women seem to have an excess of both! Also, high end items can be had for quite reasonable prices.
• Unique items sell well
• Simply because they stand out from the mass of similar items. However, I've seen beautiful dresses sell for super low prices - great for the buyer, not as great for the seller.
• Comments cannot be erased
• This can be a source of useful information about a seller/buyer

Cons:

• No returns
• Since individual sellers are shipping the items, they would also have to process the returns, and this is super tedious for individuals, so Poshmark has sensibly decided not to allow returns. However, it is disappointing to receive an item and realize that it doesn't fit. The only solution is to donate or "re-posh" sell the item on Poshmark.
• Sellers omit information
• Whether deliberately or because they don't have time, sellers may leave out information that is important to the buyer. As a buyer, you have to be careful to ask any questions that are important to you, which can be irritating to the seller. However, since you can't return anything, it's a necessary evil. I've stopped buying items that I don't already know well, as it's too tiring to try think of every possible issue.
• Technically, if the item is not as expected, you could probably open a case and ask to return the item, but errors of omission are a bit borderline. I received a sweater that had pilling, which wasn't mentioned. I didn't ask in advance, so I chose to accept the item, rather than challenge it. Similarly, I bought a coat that fit well, but turned out to be rather rough to the touch. Since I neglected to ask this in advance, I chose not to open a case.
• Sizing is difficult
• It's hard to measure a 3D item like a dress, and even if you ask for measurements, it's difficult to know if an item fits until you actually try it on. There are all sorts of wonderful shoes for sale, but I've given up on judging whether shoes fit me, unless I already know the item.
• Seller ratings are not visible
• Seller's can post a screenshot of their rating, but they're not publicly accessible to buyers. So a careful buyer needs to check the "Love Notes" from other buyers, to make sure that there are no issues with the seller.  This is pretty time consuming, and often there isn't much information.  Sellers can also choose not to display a particular "Love Note" so buyers cannot access that information
• Selling is hard
• There are so many sellers that it is really hard to find buyers for your items
• Shipping is $6
• It makes it hard to justify buying an item unless you can bundle to save on shipping.
• You only get notified of a comment if tagged
• Unless it is your own listing, users need to tag you in order for you to notice a comment that they have left. Often users forget this, so I have missed comments/replies as a result.
• Only women's and unisex clothing allowed
• I would love to buy items for my husband, as clothing manufacturers have stopped producing loose fit pants, but the Poshmark platform can't handle men's or children's clothing yet. They just came out with Plus, Petites, and Juniors sizing, so maybe this will change eventually.

I leave you with the latest song from Kiley Dean, "Long Gone":

Tweet

These 美鹿山荘 cheddar and gouda cheese curry rice crackers are surprisingly good!


New song and video from Tweet! Won't Hurt Me

Popped buckwheat

Old photo, but popped buckwheat is surprisingly tasty.

Kiley Dean has a new ep!

black tea-flavored soymilk from Kikkoman

Most of their flavors are delicious, but this is probably my absolute favorite. The matcha and pear flavors are good too.

Jojo has a new mixtape out:

Ciara videos

Ciara looks great in her latest song Dance Like We're Making Love (especially the rose dress!) but I think my favorite Ciara video in recent years is Got Me Good:

Musically, I am currently in love with her cover of Paint it Black.

Overall, my favorite video is still her classic "Like a Boy":

Teedra Moses' Cognac & Conversation! And Other Notes

I just got Teedra Moses' long-awaited new album Cognac & Conversation. In a way I can't believe it's actually out (like D'Angelo's latest album) but after she released her fabulous EP California Vibes last December, I had a feeling the album would be coming along soon.

Today I'm wearing Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain in #5 Crush, inspired by Ameriie.  I'm really enjoying her new YouTube channel Books Beauty Ameriie.

In other news, I've been on a no-buy for cosmetics.  Just shopping my stash.  I still have unopened cosmetics!  I did buy some Japanese cosmetic brushes though.  I will review them later.

Bary-san

Highly amused by the unofficial barysan.tumblr.com - good for people who've been to Japan, or even people who haven't been to Japan yet.

Tamia - Stuck with Me:

Leona Lewis "I Am"

Leona Lewis "I Am"

Tokyo Food Recommendations: Afternoon Tea Top 3 (by Rie)

Of Toys and Co. asked me about afternoon tea in Tokyo. Sadly, I have never personally visited the many afternoon tea places in Tokyo yet.

Fortunately, I have a friend who is an expert, and she kindly allowed me to post her top 3:

Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Nihonbashi:
My favorite place with delicious scones. ;q Outstanding service with stylish and unique oriental tea sets.  Very comfortable and I always end up staying there from 5 hours straight (12pm through 5pm)!

Park Hyatt Hotel in Shinjuku:
Modern, classy atmosphere with nice view. Great selection of tea, and all-you-can-eat style sweets. (It's not a buffet; hotel staff will deliver varieties of sweets to your table.)

Palace Hotel in Marunouchi area:
They have a cozy terrace by the water of the imperial palace moats, and their sweets are very unique with some Japanese touches. They even offer Maccha as a part of the afternoon tea set. They do not accept reservations however, so it's better go early before tea time at 2pm.

 Let me know if you have any favorites!

I can't find any afternoon tea music, so I leave you with a British singer, Kyla La Grange:

Profusion Feline Lip Luster in Purr

Profusion Luxy Lips in a strong red (L) and Feline Lip Luster in PURR (r)

Pigmented and opaque, Purr is a pinky beige that will probably suit ladies with less pale lips, but personally it washes my pigmented lips out in a very unflattering, chalky manner. 

It makes a pretty good concealer, probably thanks to a decent amount of white pigment.  It acts like my Shu Uemura WH 001 lipstick.  The Feline Lip Luster cream formula is pretty flat - there's not really any shine, although it isn't matte or drying.  The color visibly sinks into lines a bit, but since it isn't too emollient, as a concealer it works pretty well.

One of the more standard pinks probably would have been a better choice for a wearable color, but I prefer beiges to pinks.  I will be using this to tone down my strong lip colors, including the red Profusion Luxy Lips, which is a lot of fun.  Look for these products at the beauty bins in Walgreens - $1 plus tax is hard to beat.  I believe this product is made in China.

I'm going to start ending posts with music videos.  I'll start with my current favorite, the new song from Ameriie, "OUT LOUD":

You may remember Ameriie from when she spelled her name Amerie.

Elle Varner performs "Cold Case" live

Elle Varner put on an amazing performance at BET's 106&Park.

I'm also enjoying:

• Ayumi Hamasaki "XOXO"
• Teyana Taylor "Maybe"
• Jessie Ware "Tough Love"
• Marsha Ambrosius "Stronger"
• Michelle Williams "Say Yes"

And to think I used to think songs about love were boring...