August Favourite[s]

Hey guys!

This month has been a blur, from saying goodbye to summer to getting used to the new class schedules. I haven't had much time to take note of favourites these few weeks, but one thing (or is it two?) stood out to me in particular: Guardians of the Galaxy. If you've seen my last post, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Today's post will be dedicated to just that!

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Where to start, where to start? I didn't know much about the Guardians as I had never heard of them or seen a comic with them in it. If you asked me last month about 'The Guardians of the Galaxy' from Marvel, I would be like "Wait, what?". Nonetheless, I knew I would definitely be watching this movie because it's a Marvel movie and I'm a Marvel fan. On an ish-unrelated note, I saw this post on tumblr and found it hilarious.

"Marvel movies are just for guys."

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Khloe's face doe

So blah blah blah, watched the movie, consumed a Starbucks muffin while doing so. Now on to the gushing part. I can honestly say that GOTG is my favourite Marvel movie so far. For me to say this is huge because I vaguely remember watching The Avengers and thinking "That's my favourite." Even out of the movies that came out/I watched over the summer (Life After Beth, TFIOS, Blended, X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past [the X-Men movies don't really count as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe]), I would rank GOTG as number one. 

First thing to mention: Chris Pratt. He is such a cool guy! I admire him so much for his decision to lose 60kg for the role as Peter Quill. In an interview, he said that he wanted to play the role of a superhero right, and he had to work hard for it. Super inspiring and he did not disappoint! 

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BWAHAHAHAHA.

Next is Karen Gillan; she is a total BOSS. I love Nebula so much, even though she's a bad guy. Her makeup fascinates me, with all the hardware embedded into her face. The blue of her skin contrasts the complete black of her eyes, and that's what gives her her evil look. Again, for the actor to play the role they had to make major changes. Karen Gillan could've opted for a bald cap, but instead went all the way and shaved all her hair off. The dedication!

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The movie is a perfect combination of wit, humour, action, and awww-ness (I am Groot!). Rocket Racoon's is-it-geniune-is-it-not laugh had me burst out laughing during that scene, and the ending bit, where Ronan was killed, had me on the edge of my seat. 

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"Twelve percent?" [starts laughing]

"That's a fake laugh.

"It's real!"

"Totally fake!"

"That is the most real, authentic, hysterical laugh of my entire life because THAT IS NOT A PLAN!"

I thought the costumes were on point for this movie. Although the alien-space theme was the focus point, the costumes weren't super cheesy and worn-out; they were bright, fun, and skilfully designed. Same goes to the green screen effects and the spaceships. 

The second half to this post would be on the tracks of Guardians of the Galaxy (haha yep, two things) The music is what made GOTG such a good movie. The 'Awesome Mix, Vol. 1' soundtrack is filled with oldies that gives the movie its vintage charm. I love the contrast of BAM BAM BAM to "He's gonna recommend you to the spirit in the skyyyy"; the result is unique and, to put it bluntly, epic. My two favourites out of the soundtrack are 'Cherry Bomb' by The Runaways, and 'Hooked On a Feeling' by Blue Suede. TBH I had never heard of these songs before the movie, and I have really been missing out! Both tracks were played when the Guardians were all in Kyln, and the way 'Cherry Bomb' is played when they have their group walk (every superhero movie has the obligatory group walk/pose which is always my favourite part) is the best. The lyrics totally match the bad-ass don't-mess-with-us vibe.

There was this absolutely brilliant video of the 'Hooked On a Feeling' scene but YouTube has taken it down *sad face*

To say I enjoyed this movie would be a total understatement. It is hands-down the best movie I've watched this summer, possibly this year. As always, I encourage you to go watch it. Actually, no, I am telling you to watch it, not even asking, because asking in this case is irrelevant. WATCH IT :)

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That's it for today. I now have to go do two things: 1. sleep because I am sick but cannot afford to miss school (so many assignments going on!) and 2. get a jacket like Peter Quill's so I can relive the amazing movie that Guardians of the Galaxy is every time I wear it!

Have a good week and I'll talk to you in the next post xx

Guardians of the Galaxy-Inspired Outfits

Hey guys :)

We are a week into school and I guess you can say I've survived it! This year I've started carrying binders, and let me tell you, binders are hideously annoying. Yes, I understand they are useful but they just take up TOO MUCH ROOM. Everyday is a struggle to see how I can tetris everything into my locker. If you feel the same pain, just know you aren't alone on this one.

Anyways, going back to today's post. Firstly, if you have not watched 'Guardians of the Galaxy' you need to go out right now and grab tickets for the next one playing, because it is honestly one of the best - if not the best - Marvel movies I have ever seen. I would elaborate more on this but you'll see what I have to say in full in my monthly favourites, which so happens to be next week.

The first outfit is inspired by Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord. His outfits have this retro, laid-back vibe, and he is never seen without his trademark red leather jacket or headphones and walkman.

Bag, Boots, Headphones, Skirt, Shirt, Earrings, Jacket

Inspired by

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Next up on the list is Gamora: adopted daughter of Thanos, killer assassin, and gorgeous in green. Her suit consists of all black leather, but we are sadly not living in the Galaxy and full leather is impractical *sad face*

Shirt, Shoes, Pants, Necklace

Maybelline Baby Lips Electro in Berry Bomb and Pink Shock, available at Dudes HK

Kevin Murphy Colour Bug hair chalk, available at iPrivatei Salon

Inspired by

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Lastly, Nebula. Although she's a bad guy, she is a seriously kick-ass bad guy. One of the things I was most inspired by was her makeup, and all the layers to it. Looking from her face makeup, there are a lot of hardware components of which the origins are unknown. Oooh, a mystery!

Skirt, Boots, Bag, Chain Bracelet, Ear Cuff, Cuff Bracelet, Tank

Inspired by

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And I am done! All clothing items and accessories are available in Hong Kong (I made sure of it!), or online on websites that ship to Hong Kong. To check for more info on each piece, click the words below each collage. For some reason my blogger template gives me no option to make the click- through links more visible; now you now that they actually are there. Have fun creating these outfits and you can totally change any component if you don't find the exact one :)

That's all for today and I'll talk to you next week xx

The Body Shop Foundation - Dragon Fruit Lip Butter

Hey guys!

School starts in a few days. Eeeeeep.

Today's post is a review on The Body Shop Foundation's Dragon Fruit Lip Butter, as you can see from the title. I picked this little guy up a few weeks ago and I'm here to tell you my thoughts on it!

First things first [I'm the realest]: details. This product is a project The Body Shop is working on to raise money for select charities around the world in the categories of human rights, animal protection, and environmental protection. The list of ingredients is long, but the main thing is that the lip butter includes plenty of natural oils and Shea butter, which works wonders on the lips. For the full description of the product, click HERE (linking the Canadian site because the Hong Kong site is currently down and the description is the same). For more details on the project, click HERE.

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So it is imperative that I highlight/praise/gush about the packaging. As said before, I am the biggest sucker for packaging, and this lip butter instantly caught my eye. I don't even remember what I was doing in The Body Shop, as I rarely go in! Anyways, the colours are supposed to resemble the colours of a dragon fruit. It reminds me a lot of a pop art piece of work, the colour palette something Andy Warhol would have worked with. It's fun, it's bright, and the pair of lips on the front gives it some sass. I am definitely loving the packaging! The size of it is convenient; I can easily throw it into my bag and find it amidst the junk everything else.

The smell is absolutely divine. It has a strong dragon fruit fragrance with hints of mango and peach mixed in; the combination results in fruity, summer-y goodness. Some people may not like the smell as it can be quite heavy, but it's a winner for me.

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reminds me of this scene!

The consistency of the lip butter resembles what it is named after: butter. Personally it feels like melting butter, the kind that you would leave out of the fridge to use for baking. Then again, lip butters and balms tend to 'melt' slightly in hotter climates, and Hong Kong summers definitely count as one. To prevent this the lip butter could be chilled in the fridge, but it's not that much of a bother to me. The creamy, rich formula feels great on the lips. 

Although it comes off quite opaque on the lips, it turns clear when you rub it in well. I prefer to apply this at night to let it properly sink in. The outcome in the morning is a pair of soft, hydrated lips.

Admittedly, the price of this lip butter was a little bit steep ($79). I normally try to stick under $50 as the Burt's Bees lip balms have kept me satisfied and my lips moisturised for $49. Nonetheless, 100% of the $79 goes to charity. They have set it up in a system where when you pay at the counter, you get to vote for which charity you would like to donate your money to. The selection of charities differ around the world, and in the HK stores they include Half The Sky Foundation, Lifelong Animal Protection Charity, and Clean Air Limited Network. The winning charity, out of three charities, will get 50% of all that The Body Shop receive from selling the lip butters. The second will receive 30%, then 20% for the third. I thought it was a pretty good concept, and I handed over my money guilt-free :) 

all from google images

I voted for Half The Sky in case you were wondering!

Overall, I am really enjoying this product. The price is a little high, but aside from that it's something you should definitely consider buying. The smell is yummy, the packaging rocks, it is moisturising, and it's all for a good cause. Plus, these lip butters only come out during certain times of the year so make sure you snap one up before they are gone!

That's it from me today, and I'll see you next week xx

DIY: Chain Handpiece

Happy Sunday!

Today's post is a DIY on a trend that I have seen so much of and am in love with: handpieces. There are so many different styles, ranging from delicate to edgy. Handpieces are such unique pieces of jewellery; you can wear one as a focal point of your outfit, or layer with matching bracelets and rings.

As said above, I have seen them from many sources. They aren't exactly huge in Hong Kong, but they are being sold in Nasty Gal, Urban Outfitters, Free People, Accessorize, and Forever 21. That said, they are not available in HK, and are well over my budget!

From left to right: Urban Outfitters, Nasty Gal, Free People

Earlier this week, I went to Sham Shui Po in search for charms and jewellery-making supplies. I found my charm hidden in a container of lobster clasps, and the idea for this handpiece instantly popped into my head.

Let's get started!

You will need:

1. pliers

2. jump rings - I used 2.5mm ones

3. around 70cm of chain that matches the width of your jump rings

4. a charm of which you can attach chain to on the top and bottom

5. a bigger jump ring (I used a 5mm one) and a lobster clasp

6. scissors

7. a ruler *optional*

1. First, you've got to know the layout of you handpiece. A basic handpiece is basically a chain ring, a chain bracelet, and a chain connecting the two.

a basic handpiece I made a while ago, good for layering jewellery

The plan for this handpiece DIY looks a little something like this:

not the best representation but you get the gist of it

2. Create your bracelet by wrapping the chain around your wrist and cutting the appropriate length. Attach the big jump ring and lobster clasp on either end of the chain.

3. Create your ring with the same method, but instead of adding a clasp, join the two ends with a small jump ring.

4. Attach 9cm of chain to both top and bottom of the charm. Wear your bracelet and ring, then lay the charm on top of your hand in the position you would like it to be. The chains attached to the charm need to be straight and match up to the middle of the bracelet and ring.

5. Cut where the chains intersect and join them with jump rings.

If you want, you can finish your handpiece here.

I decided to carry on adding the chain extra lengths of chain to fully complete the handpiece.

6. With your handpiece on, lay a 9cm length of chain across your hand. The top should meet one of the loops on the chain besides the centre one, and the bottom should lie between the centre of the bracelet and the clasp. 

7. And you're done!

how it looks on

I have to admit, this was not the easiest DIY. It took many trials to get the right lengths of chain needed (that's why I suggest you have 70cm of chain, in case you were wondering). If you struggle with it, don't worry! Persevere and you will eventually have a unique, beautiful handpiece. 

The total cost of the materials ended up below $30 (HK dollars!). That is a huge comparison to the $500 handpieces you can find in Free People :)

Have a great day and I'll see you soon xx

The Fault In Our Stars

Hey guys :)

Summer is almost over for me, and I go back to school in two weeks. I'm the type of person that likes going school supply shopping, but isn't too keen on the school section of this. Am I the only one?

Anyways, yesterday I finally paused The Sims 3 (my couple recently turned into vampires!), got out of my sweatpants, and, with a friend, watched The Fault In Our Stars.

*moment of fangirl-ness*

First off, I have read the book. I've probably read it twice since I bought it who-knows-when; it may seem few, but the story just stuck to me. It's not an average teens-in-love kind of story, which I see too many of every time I walk into Page One. The characters are witty, open-minded, and grasp the sense of reality.

I thought the movie was brilliant. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort really captured the spirit of Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters. The chemistry between them was genuine, which I must applaud them on, considering they played siblings in Divergent! They share many awwww moments such as:

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Another thing that made the movie so enjoyable is that actual quotes from the book were slipped into the script. Throughout the movie I perked up whenever a quote was said because I could really relate the scene to the book. I like how it stayed true to the book, because the book is beautifully written.

Additionally, little touches made this love story a modern one, such as the little text bubbles that appeared on screen, or the gmail popups.

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The first half of the movie contained all of those cute, couple-y moments. However towards the end, I COULD NOT STOP CRYING. Similar to Gwen Stacy's death in TASM2, I knew Augustus' death was coming, but only when that scene played out could I comprehend the situation. It just isn't fair to Hazel to go through more pain, even through her sickness, but as Peter Van Houten wrote, "Pain demands to be felt." Scenes like:

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I wanted to sob out loud, but you know, dignity, dignity.

A few other things worth mentioning:

• the scenery in Amsterdam was stunning

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• the soundtrack is addictive, especially Ed Sheeran's 'All Of The Stars' and Charli XCX's 'Boom Clap'

Last thing before I wrap it up: Isaac is such an under-rated character. People mainly focus on Hazel and Gus, but I keep thinking about the relationship between Isaac and Gus. Isaac has it pretty tough: he loses his sight, his girlfriend, then his best friend :(

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Well, there you have it: what I think about the "The Fault In Our Stars" movie. If the message isn't clear, I love it and you should watch it (with at least a pack of tissues in an easily-accessible place so you can reach for one during the movie)!

Before I start crying about the movie again, I'm going to end with one of my favourite quotes from the book:

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Have a good day and I'll see you soon x