Things I Put on my Face AKA My Makeup & Skincare Essentials

I am, and have always been, and perhaps will always be, a creature of habit. My shopping experience has been an endless process of finding what works for me and praying it is never discontinued (nothing has yet—knock on wood!). It’s a result of my own minimalist tendencies, frugality, and sensitive skin. Though, I think I’ve come to a point in my life where I’ve developed an arsenal of essentials that keep my face happy, moisturized, and clear. And the best part? Most, if not all, of these products price in at your average drugstore for under 20$! Who doesn’t love cheap and convenient? Both the skincare and makeup products have all served me well for quite some time now, and hopefully they will for you as well!

CLEANSE

  • Noxzema Original Cleansing Cream – Finding a cleanser that gets all of your makeup off without drying your face is hard, especially if you’re like me who is particularly prone to dry patches. I find Noxzema brand a perfection solution to this dilemma. It comes in a little tub of cream and a quarter-sized amount in the palms of your hand is more than enough to get the grime out of your face without being too abrasive. Squeaky clean!
  • Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser – I’ve heard miracle stories about Cetaphil for acne-prone individuals but for me it’s just a great, all around facial wash. I use it in the mornings (that is, when I’m not completely brain-dead tired) and when I’m in the shower. Paired with Noxzema, it’s the ultimate cleanliness with the least harshness.
  • Neutrogena Microdermabrasion System – Exfoliating keeps your skin supple, fresh, and most importantly, so soft. Every time I use the brush I have to stop myself from just constantly touching my cheeks! It’s definitely worth the investment (let’s be honest with ourselves, it’s pretty darn affordable), and the refill pads will last you months.

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CARE

  • ArtNaturals Argan Oil – Argan oil. I cannot rave about this stuff enough. Seriously. It’s rocketed itself to the top of my favorites list. I slather some on my face at night and wake up to the best skin of my life. It sounds like a hyperbole, I know, but I promise it’s not too good to be true. It’s moisturizing, natural, not too heavy, absorbs quickly, and works just as great in your hair (I use it to nourish my curls). Do yourself a favor and invest in some, like yesterday.
  • Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner – Admittedly, I’ve shied away from using toner since I added argan oil to my skincare regimen, though I definitely recommend Thayers witch hazel. It’s not too drying, and is great for shrinking pores and getting the last bits of oil and dirt from your skin.
  • Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen (SPF 15) – I used this basically everyday; it’s a must have. Perfect as  primer before I put on my makeup, it keeps my skin hydrated without making my makeup go all slippy-slidey. The SPF is also a plus, you can’t ever be too serious about protecting your skin from the sun.
  • Aveeno Ultra-Calming Nourishing Night Cream – Night cream is another product that’s been replaced by argan oil, but one that I think is integral to any skincare collection. Aveeno’s Ultra-Calming line kept well moisturized with me through my rough, scaly patches, and it sometimes helps supplement whenever the oil needs a bit more help (as you can probably tell by now, my skin gets seriously dry).
  • Blistex Conditioning Lip Serum – Kind of an unconventional addition, but definitely necessary. I usually apply Blistex serum at night for soft, supple lips and let me tell you—I was hooked from the the first use. Highly recommend!

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PRIMP

  • Covergirl Smoothers Aquasmooth Compact Foundation – Covergirl was the treasure chest at the end of my long journey for the right foundation. When liquid foundations weren’t cutting it for me, I tried several other compacts before settling on Aquasmooth by Covergirl. Something about the formula is so creamy and light, while still managing to even out my complexion. It might not be for everybody, but it works wonders for me.
  • Milani Baked Blush – I picked up this baked blush by Milani on a whim at the drugstore once. I figured it was cheap enough (around 5$), so why not? I was so pleasantly surprised. It’s super, super pigmented, and pretty and pink. Worth every cent you spend on it!
  • Urban Decay Naked Illuminated Shimmering Powder – If there’s anything you need to know about me, it’s that I love to sparkle. Glitter, shine, gloss—it all fills me up with a certain whimsical joy. After I picked this up (and put it down, and walked around Ulta, and picked it back up again) I knew there was no going back. It’s a little on the pricier side, but it’s been also three years and I’ve worked my through just about half of it. Overall, I find that it’s a great investment.
  • BareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipstick –  I rarely use anything other than this liquid lip from BareMinerals. It’s matte but not drying and goes on nice and smooth. I prefer the more neutral color tones, but they offer more than fifteen gorgeous shades!
  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade – A heavenly eyebrow pomade that, paired with a gentle hand, can fill out your brows in the most natural way.
  • Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara – I’ll be honest here, I didn’t even know I had eyelashes before I discovered Smashbox mascara. It’s bold, coats and lengthens each lash, and doesn’t run, even in the humid Hawaii sun. This is staying in my arsenal for sure.

HPU@HIFF Film Reviews

BORN BONE BORN

Born Bone Born directed by Toshiyuki Teruya was a film that exceeded my expectations for a film about family, loss, and coping with death. The Shinjo family became estranged after their mother’s death, but four years later the siblings Yuko and Tsuyoshi, alongside their father Nobutsuna, must perform the traditional “bone-washing” or “senkotsu” ritual that was common in Okinawa. Yet, it is quickly evident that things have changed drastically between the family when Yuko returns to the island pregnant and Tsuyoshi is without his wife and children.

Within the film is an intimate array of characters—an aunt, her daughter and her husband and two children, two local women, and a surprise arrival—yet, they all seem larger than life, as real and profound as could be. Some are outwardly hard to love, whether they are gossips or plain ignorant, but by the end of the film it’s in fact more difficult to not like them all. The characters in this film are nothing short of charming.

As poignant as the subject matter of the film was, Born Bone Born was just as full of laughs. There were moments when the whole theater erupted with laughter, and others when there was silence, save for the occasional sniffle or blowing nose. A tense scene where Yuko’s oba-san thoroughly admonishes some local women for gossip easily shatters into belly-laughter when her nephew screams “SEX!”, from childish misunderstanding of a previous encounter. Teruya masterfully transitions between emotions, making for an exceedingly enriching film. After all, with characters so endearing and heartfelt, it’s difficult not to burst into laughter or shed a tear.

Last, it’s worth mentioning the sheer visual beauty that Born Bone Born possessed. Cast against the beautiful Ryukyu island with breathtaking sights and scenery, it was a spectacular ocular experience with the shore and sky making each shot all the more worthwhile. Even the humble Sinjo abode was portrayed remarkably, its interior both cozy and intimate.

Overall, I would classify Born Bone Born as a mandatory viewing. Beginning with a funeral and ending with a birth, with moments full of humor and sorrow to fill the spaces between the first scene and the last, it was wonderfully made, and just as wonderful to watch.

 

THE THIRD WIFE

Admittedly, the deciding factor of my choosing this movie was the fact that it was in Vietnamese. As a personal challenge, I wanted to see if I could understand it in its entirety, and while the answer was only sort of (darn those regional accents), The Third Wife (2018) by Ash Mayfair itself was well put together. Foregrounded in beautiful rural Vietnam, the narrative follows 14-year-old May, who becomes the third wife of Hung, one of the wealthiest landowners of their village. She learns that in order to be a “true wife,” one must give birth to a male child. Her quick pregnancy gives her hope for this but between forbidden love, lost prayers, and complicated relationships, her life becomes more and more convoluted, with only few means of escape.

In regards to aesthetics, I found the movie quite beautiful. Rich reds, deep blues and greens, crisp white colors decorated the screen between each poignant scene. Images of a cart crawling along a dirt road, birds flying around mountains stretching against the pale sky, a leaf placed on a swollen belly before it’s blown away by the wind—simply genuinely profound footage that propelled every ripple of water, every rustle of the leaves, every breath that was taken throughout the narrative.

I went into the film not knowing what to expect from storyline, and was quite a bit shocked by its contents, in the best way. A forbidden romance between Hung’s second wife and his son born to his first wife was among the surprises, but the truest surprise was the brief sapphic encounter between May and her companion-wife. Two women, the third and the second wife, find themselves connected through their inability to bear a male heir. Though the second wife quickly shuts down May’s advances, it was certainly implicated that she returned some of the same feelings (we are talking about at least a thirty second kiss here, after all). An unexpected turn, but a welcome one.

My one critique of the film is its heavy-handedness on the symbolism. A virile husband enters his underage wife before abruptly cutting to dozens of silkworms dancing under the moon, followed by their subsequent cocooning and birthing as May advances through her pregnancy; a pained bovine dies through nightshade consumption as it’s heavily hinted that May might kill her and her newborn baby girl at the end; one of the youngest daughters of the second wife haphazardly cuts her hair off, throwing the tendrils into the flowing river as a defiant act against the constraints of womanly expectation and maternal necessity.

Beyond that, I found it an excellent movie. Chilling to the bone, sensual, and excitedly provocative.

 

THE HUNGRY LION

The Hungry Lion (2018) by Takaomi Ogata was, if nothing else, an insightful viewing. Based around real life events, it follows the life of popular social media user and Japanese school girl Hitomi as rumors start spreading. The downward spiral begins when Hitomi’s homeroom teacher is arrested and speculation asserts that he has been carrying on an illicit affair with a student at their school. When a sexual video is released, her peers contend that the girl in the video looks quite similar to Hitomi, before the girl becomes Hitomi herself. Despite her denial of the claim, Hitomi faces incessant bullying and ridicule, forcing her to drop out of school altogether. Before long, her peers, her school administration, her boyfriend, and even her own sister seem to avoid her. With nothing left to live for, Hitomi commits suicide by stepping into a moving train and the rest of the film follows the aftermath of her death. Highlighting the cruel, vicious, and unsympathetic world of high school, The Hungry Lion cautions the use of social media and asks individuals to question who it is that they can truly trust.

The film is truly a postmodern invention when the ending scene depicts Hitomi’s selfmade video with her boyfriend on a browser window, before a director calls for a cut. Crew members and makeup artists begin to fret over the girl, adjusting her hair and the scenery, before the camera turns onto itself, projecting the image of a Nikon camera. Again, the view cuts, this time to a chilling image of Hitomi staring into the audience itself, drawing into question what was the truth, and what constitutes reality.

The film was not a particular favorite of mine. The narrative felt overdone and a bit generic. I could feel what to expect before it happened (which is saying a lot even for me, who is not the most avid moviegoer, and quite oblivious at that) and it seemed to have been done before. The final minute or so of the film breaking the fourth wall was not enough to convince me of its uniqueness, but I do contend that The Hungry Lion plays an important part in the discourse that surrounds social media, mob mentality, and the lives of teenagers worldwide.

A Matter of (DIS)Respect: President Trump’s Hypocrisy Rears Its Head Once Again

I’m a libertarian with some left-leaning values—I believe gun control should be carefully and rigorously mandated, only because it’s not realistically possible for the American people to be without their right to bear arms. I believe one’s body, male or female, and decisions about said body are not a matter of legislature enacted by the government, but of personal choice. I believe in proper education, welfare programs, and universal healthcare. And most of all, I believe it’s important for me to get that out of the way first. Considering how party affiliation and identity politics have become so ingrained into America’s political landscape, it is increasingly difficult hard to have a conversation that isn’t republican versus democrat, right versus left, conservative versus liberal. Constructive criticism of present issues have been reduced to you against me, rather than us against the problem. Clearly stating political affiliation and intent, I find, are the stepping stones to productive dialogue, and the object of discussion today is Trump canceling his visit to a memorial service in Paris due to rain.

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Global leaders across the world attended ceremonies honoring fallen veterans of World War I while the US President stayed in his hotel room, supposedly watching TV. He was, however, able to visit the Suresnes-American Cemetery and offers troops a moment of silence after the ceremony before carrying on with his weekend. Despite his minor appearance, Trump still faced criticism which ushered in a rash of images of previous presidents, including Barack Obama and George W. Bush, braving the rain on Veteran’s Day in the past. Many people condemned Trump’s actions, active duty, retired servicemen, and civilians alike.

For me, this matter is partially a personal one. My husband serves in the military under Commander-In-Chief Trump, and many of our companions are active duty service members. These men and women are sacrificing not only their physical health, their mental health, and their youth for the protection of this country, but their lives too. Regardless of one’s personal connection to them or not, these men and women, and those after them, and especially those before them, are individuals who deserve the utmost reverence or, in the very least, an appearance at a remembrance service for one of the most devastating wars in world history.

Trump’s abject disrespect and hypocrisy would almost be surprising, if not for his long history of it (as archived here on this extensive Reddit community). There are, then, distinct parallels between Trump’s choice to not honor the troops, and his underscored rejection of NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, which he thought of as a blight to America.

A number of veterans themselves were in support of Colin Kaepernick and his decision to take a knee, citing that the very reason they served was to protect Americans’ right to free speech and their choice to stand, or not, during the national anthem. Trump was vocal and took to Twitter to air his frustrations about the atrocities to the flag these football players were committing.

For a man so deeply connected to upholding the prestige and reputation of the US flag and the troops that march below it, it is so very hypocritical and callous for him to cancel his trip to the World War I ceremony honoring fallen soldiers. He abhors a lack of honor, yet performs the biggest dishonor there is.

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Now, the underlying factors as to why President Donald Trump found it so easy to claim disrespect when it came to kneeling football players (perhaps just as as easy as it was for him to cancel an appearance at a Veteran’s Day ceremony) are not what I intend to explore, because I find them to rooted in race, marginalization, and where power falls in US society—a matter that is beyond me and this article. Rather, my intention was to call attention to the basic levels of respect, deference, and recognition that must be accorded to our troops by not only our president, but all American citizens. Blind Trump supporters and raging alt-righters will try to make excuses, or displace the issue, or ignore it altogether—but the truth is, those who served and have served deserve honor and esteem. They always have, and they always will. What then, is a spot of inclement weather?

If not our faces are wet with tears in remembering our fallen, then let them be wet with rain. It is the very least we could do for them.

Lest we forget.

Fall 2018 Fashion Trends: What’s in & What to look for

The last days of summer have faded away, replaced by pumpkin spice everything and plastic Halloween decorations, not that I’m complaining. Autumn is one of my favorite seasons because of the muted color schemes and nippy weather, but the season is a bit more difficult to discern here in Hawaii. While masses on the mainland are hanging up their swimsuits and tossing their sandals in the closet to tout around thick jackets and fuzzy scarves, we’re still left with a plenitude of sun and temperatures that rarely stray below 80 degrees. That doesn’t mean we won’t be able to participate in the latest fashion fun, though! In fact, this season promises trends that are fun, versatile, and surprisingly light—just perfect for islands.

Insofar as colors we can expect to see a rather rich color palette. Deep army green, mustard yellow, bruised maroon, and navy blue are sure to be familiar tones this fall. That being said, I love pastels year round. I see no danger in pairing a pale pink handbag or a pale blue purse with a darker outfit, so long as you have a staple black or white to complement it.

For prints, I recommend plaid (Who doesn’t like a nice flannel?) or checkered styles. And let’s be honest, do stripes ever really go out? If you’re feeling particularly feisty, a daring jaguar print might be the way to go.

I’ve compiled components from some of my favorite fashion brands, all along the spectrum of affordability and accessibility:

  • American Eagle Outfitters – has three locations on Oahu and is full of fashionable and high quality clothes (I’m in love with the the clothes in their Soft & Sexy line). The looks here are more on the youthful side, but that doesn’t detract from how stylish they are!
  • Forever 21 – is a store full of hidden gems. Usually hit-or-miss as far as quality, you’ll have to really rifle through those racks to find top-notch pieces, but no feeling is better than finding a closet classic worth keeping.
  • LOFT – was my go-to store when I lived on the mainland so I couldn’t help but put it on the list. While LOFT doesn’t have a physical location here in Hawaii, its shipping options are a perfect compromise. Most of the time you’ll be able to snag free shipping on the brand’s delicate and professional array of clothes.
  • MANGO – is another limited-access store, but the quality of their clothes is just so amazing! Not to mention they are always on top of the latest trends. A bit on the pricier side, but a sound investment if anything else.
  • Target – is stylish, affordable, and decent quality if you shop around hard enough. With four stores dotted all around the island, Target is a great option for keeping up with the latest trends at a price that won’t hurt your wallet.
  • Zara – has just one store open here in Oahu at Ala Moana mall, but just as with every other store in this lineup the clothes are stylish and up-to-date with the latest changes in the fashion world. Another pricier option, but who can say no to fresh new looks?

 

JACKETS

A fall essential to keep you cozy when the weather turns (or when the AC is blasting too hard in these buildings).

  • Corduroy Trucker Jacket – American Eagle (80$)
  • Floral Lined Trench Coat – LOFT (148$)

 

TOPS

These shirts are light, cute, and functional. Pair them with a skirt or a pair of tailored pants and you have a look that’s perfect for the new season.

  • Wrap Peplum Tee – LOFT (35$)
  • Ahh-mazingly Soft Tie Front Button Up Shirt – American Eagle (45$)
  • Tie-Cuff Crop Top – Forever 21 (22$)

 

BOTTOMS

Wide, loose, and free—the palazzo pant is in this season. A fresh look when paired with a simple t-shirt, or if you prefer, a patterned tailor pant.

  • Paperbag Palazzo Pant – American Eagle (45$)
  • Check Cotton Trousers – MANGO (80$)
  • Textured Weave Pants with Side Stripe – Zara (50$)

 

SKIRTS

Asymmetrical skirts with or without pockets would be a great addition to your closet, especially these two in a perfect autumnal ochre tone.

  • Pocket Shift Skirt – LOFT (70$)
  • Asymmetrical Wrap Skirt – Target (25$)

 

SHOES

The Holy Trinity of Fall shoes: Ankle boots, loafers, and mules. All comfortable and chic, available in a whole array of styles, colors, and materials.

  • Ankle Boots
    • Ellie Chelsea Boots – Target (30$)
    • V-Cut Bootie – American Eagle (60$)
  • Loafers
    • Modern Loafers – LOFT (90$)
    • Printed Leather Loafers – Zara (80$)
  • Mules
    • Jen Patch Pointed Toe Mules – Target (25$)
    • Pointed-Toe Knotted Mule – American Eagle (35$)

 

ACCESSORIES

What you pair with your closet staples is all up to you, depending on your tastes, but an accessory that is both practical and popular this fall is the fashion backpack. Perfect for students that wanna look good and do good in their education!

  • Transparent Faux Leather Backpack – Forever 21 (30$)
  • Trapunto Backpack – Target (35$)

Darin Rolark: Makings of an Artist

Darin Rolark is a 19-year-old HPU student who is an avid artist. Born and raised in Ewa Beach, he started drawing around the second grade. Using simple pencil and paper, Rolark etched the likeness of stick figures and self-created cartoon characters into his notebooks. His love of drawing, and his childhood methodology, was not lost as he continues to draw to this day. Now in his sophomore year of college, he sticks to doodling with pencil and paper but has also welcomed the addition of Photoshop to his creative process. He learned how to use the software in high school and primarily uses it to clean up his sketches. He hopes to expand his medium experience into digital drawing with furtive plans to invest in a stylus tablet in the future. His dream job is designing graphics for shirts, logos, and decals. He loves watching Rooster Teeth and Fine Bros Entertainment, stating that he watches them daily and that he is a fan of the staff’s high energy and helpfulness. He hopes to get a job with them someday.

1When asked about his inspirations, Rolark named Andy Goldsworthy who is known for his elegant and liminal nature sculptures. While Goldsworthy’s medium is quite different from his own, Rolark states that he enjoys “the precision he does, because he has to take stuff he finds in nature and make something out of it even though he doesn’t know what he’s going to make; he just makes.” Artists similar in style to Rolark that influenced his work the most are the animators that worked on the cartoons Adventure Time and Gravity Falls. Though, when asked about who some of his favorite works were done by, Rolark named Dali for his innate surrealism.

Most of Rolark’s art is created outside because he doesn’t “feel like staying inside, cooped up.” His most frequented spots are along the array of outdoor restaurant seating on Fort Street mall and his backyard, inside a tent to escape the Hawaiian heat. He often listens to rock music or soft instrumentals. “Completely opposite” genres, he remarked with a smile. His favorite bands are The Beatles, Metallica, Fall Out Boy, and Imagine Dragons.

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In his partings words, Rolark told me, “What my art means to me is that it’s my own and no one can replicate it, and it means that each design I make reminds me of a memory I’ve had back then, so it has close meaning to me.” In fact, some of his favorite memories stem from long days and nights of trying to make his art perfect.

Reaction to Act of War: The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation (1993)

I have lived in Hawaii for nearly two years now, completely ignorant of the history that surrounds the islands, in part due to my distaste in the subject and my general complacency for not knowing. I received no choice in the matter though, when assigned Act of War as an in-class viewing. Not that I had any qualms with being educated — ignorance is a dangerous state to reside in, after all.

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The 1993 documentary, Act of War: The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation, retells the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy under Queen Lili’uokalani in 1893. The film weaves together reenactments, historical photos, political cartoons, and interviews with Hawaiian scholars to offer a native perspective of the events that transpired.

The film opens with poignant images of the land, sky, and sea. Lava bursting from earth, the moon shrouded by clouds, and waves crashing against the shoreline. The images begin to contrast, flashes of trees and flowers are juxtaposed against skyscrapers and bright neon lights. The idyllic scenes wash away to Hawaiians being handcuffed and thrown into the back of state police cars as “Blue Hawaii” drones on in the background. Men and women are resolute in their protests yet anguished by their stolen land — so begins the story of plight and privilege.

The quality of the of the film was what one would expect from a production from the 90s, low budget as it were. There’s still sentimental value in such an information-driven narrative: flashes of statistics, political documents, and newspaper headlines across the screen; zooming in on stationary photos of buildings and antiquated portraits; reenactments of men marching in sync. The bits and pieces culminated into a documentary that showcased western colonization and the devastating effects of religion, power, and capitalism.

Despite it all, the film ends with a note of determination, of hope and resilience. Though their bloodlines were all but squelched, their voices would not be. There’s something admirable in that, isn’t there?

I dare say so. And I might even say that Act of War itself is quite a biased recounting of Hawaiian history. A cathartic experience for the native peoples whose land was taken and raped, no doubt, whose population dwindled down to a mere minority in a place they first called home, to paint the image of missionaries and militants as conquerors and vanquishers.

As such, the film is evidently partial to one side over the other, and while that may be unjust to some, I believe there is some value in that fact. Perhaps I would not recommend this documentary to someone who wishes to find a completely “honest” retelling of history. “Honest” in the way of fair and impartial, but that’s a flawed notion in itself. The sincere truth is that history is biased. We make it our own. We write it and revise it until we see fit. We create history, even after it has been laid to rest, and we cannot deny this fact.

We must view this film, then, within the overarching tapestry of narratives and fit it where it may belong. I cannot dispute the fact of bias in this film, but I’d be mistaken to say it didn’t carry any substantial worth in the chronicles of history.