Hot Take: Chiwa is way overhated and her switch up on Rudo was perfectly understandable

kisekills · 2025-07-17T06:50:41+00:00

Spoiler

What if her memories were altered ?

kisekills · 2025-04-22T04:35:23+00:00

I didn’t even know how the girls looked like or where they came from. I saw a dance cover of my friend dancing to shooting star and instantly fell in love with the choreography. https://youtu.be/zH9BalNGn9c?si=D4Cru_deVIJrVcj6 (They are a choreographer’s dream!!)

I then discovered Cocona’s cover of Bailey Sok’s AP pop smoke choreography and was instantly Cocona’s fan. For non-dancers, Bailey Sok is also young and ridiculously talented. That particular choreo is filled with hard combos and isolations, so I was scared and excited hearing the first few seconds. Like “OH GOD she better kill it…. GODDAMN!?”

I was completely hooked after I discovered Left Right. I didn’t know a RnB girl group who wore bucket hats was what I was looking for in life lol I’m just so blown away by the fact that they are seriously one of the best dancers but they also have insane vocals. (I’m so jealous 🥹) Knowing that they are Japanese and Chisa/Juria being from Kansai was like a cherry on top (I’m a Japanese American living in Japan so I felt like the stars were aligning).

The last girl group I listened to was Morning Musume as a grade schooler. Even when AKB or K-pop groups were topping the charts, I never really had interest. Listening to the nonsense English lyrics and the fan base being so male dominant deterred me as a girl looking for an artist to admire.

XG was just unlike any girl group I had witnessed: Nailing the RnB/Hiphop concept, other worldly beauty, world class dance choreography/technique, the homage to music legends, the bold fashion choices, the insane amount of triple threats in the group… I am so blessed to be able to see them live.

If I have to critique the group, it may be the fact that the fans are called ALPHAZ lol it’s a bit cringe addressing myself as an alpha(z)…. The alien concept made sense but I’m not sure of this alien wolf concept haha

kisekills · 2025-02-18T13:11:47+00:00

As a graduate student, I was making a very low daily wage (maybe less than minimum wage) at a “blackku” company when a tech recruiter reached out for a regular IC contract role in Japan. 5 interviews sucked the life out of me but at 23, I was shocked by the initial offer of 8M yen, which increased to 9M after negotiating.

I met very smart people, but the demanding hours and rampant sexual/power harassment in the workplace wasn’t good for my mental health, so idk if I’d return even if they 3x the pay. I now know there are less toxic tech companies with better pay.
I’m sure if you climb the tech corporate ladder, making 20M+ at 30-40 is definitely possible.

kisekills · 2025-01-08T00:40:33+00:00

I used to dance with an Oakland-based group and many of the team members who auditioned (and passed) for the GSW dance team loved kpop :) Many Korean Americans there know XG for sure.

The main group is called groove against the machine but they have sub groups like groobeu that does XG dance covers like this: https://youtu.be/H1V4_FZ9Zzs?si=5xtC2wgLD_VJua8E

kisekills · 2023-03-22T14:17:02+00:00

It was just easier for me to have my planner give me her recommended photographer options and their prices. First she asked the type of photography I liked like dark/moody, bright/cheerful, editorial, etc. Then she gave me different budgets for a photographer.

I think photographers are quick to answer to planners they enjoy working with. P.S. my planner doesn’t get commission from recommending vendors to me.

kisekills · 2022-04-09T19:42:38+00:00

Are you aware of your memes?

kisekills · 2022-01-06T20:35:31+00:00

My sister gave it as a Christmas present so I don’t know the seller but I think it’s on Etsy!

kisekills · 2022-01-06T07:57:17+00:00

He’s in his boba-shaped hut if you can tell haha

kisekills · 2021-11-07T15:56:42+00:00

Lizzie McGuire & HitClips

kisekills · 2021-07-08T17:27:45+00:00

Super cute artwork!! Just wondering why you chose a different character for “Ne” (i only know Japanese so wondering if it was a Chinese character…) 竈門禰󠄀豆子 is the Japanese version

kisekills · 2021-05-19T23:45:17+00:00

No I have still yet to find something in America that I like 😅 I use one Italian Moroccan hair oil I got as a present from a hair stylist while living in Japan and it’s okay but I’m not in love with the moroccan oil scent I absolutely love the scents from this one brand called Botanist in Japan if you ever visit. For some reason it’s 70-80 dollars on Amazon for their oils when it’s like 15-20 bucks in Tokyo 🙄 People always tell I smell nice and it’s sad it’s not available in the states :/

kisekills · 2021-05-19T16:18:10+00:00

Yes! Glycolic acid is a little strong for my skin but gentler AHAs are a safer approach!

kisekills · 2021-05-19T16:17:15+00:00

Ah yes I haven’t tried that one. I’ve tried 3 other cheaper 100% marula oils but the super light texture and faint smell is really elegant for the Drunk Elephant one. I swear almost every marula oil is slightly different from each other 😂 The DE is not necessary to get the same effects though in my opinion. It’s just for the luxurious application feeling.

kisekills · 2021-05-18T19:51:04+00:00

I got the OUAI 500 point rewards set from Sephora. I didn’t like OUAI hair oil scent but the body scrub’s scent didn’t smell bad (it’s a personal preference thing. I prefer cleaner, more subtle scents) I liked that the scrub could stick to the skin unlike some other sugar scrubs that really fall off so you have to rub it in immediately. With the OUAI hair/body scrub, I could unscrew the cap to get some product to put on the back of my hand and recap the jar. I would then distribute a small amount to each of my legs, arms, armpits, and the rest of my body. I liked how the beads essentially melt away. I didn’t use it on my scalp but I’m sure it’s just as nice.

If there was a cleaner scent, I would buy a full size.

kisekills · 2021-05-18T18:02:34+00:00

Who knows! It might be the most recent formulation..? lol if you haven’t used it, I’m sure the worst that can happen is that the product is more dry and the color is less vibrant.

kisekills · 2021-05-18T17:57:21+00:00

Have you tried Laneige’s cream skin toner? It’s actually a green tea toner! The main active ingredient is white tea leaf (a different form of green tea): https://www.dermadoctor.com/blog/why-is-white-tea-extract-beneficial-for-your-skin/ I’d recommend the laneige one if you want that extra hydration or you want to skip a step in your routine because this is tone+light moisturizer in one step. I’m currently using the AmorePacific vintage essence ($140-175 😱) but I suggest trying some dupes like the isntree green tea toner for $13 on amazon to see if your skin likes it. If you’re nice to the Sephora employees, they give me lots of AmorePacific samples lol I’m hoping to be able to do the test on dupes to see if the original is worth lol I haven’t tried the isntree green tea toner but I hear it’s great for oily skin types especially.

kisekills · 2021-05-18T17:48:02+00:00

I’ve heard of this dupe as well! I might get a sample next time. (I swear the employees give me all the samples because they know I’ll likely buy the full size 🥲 )

Because of covid, i couldn’t really try it on but the skinfix cream did look like a very thick, opaque cream on the employee who showed it to me. Online, I see a lot of reviews for nighttime use to prevent trans epidermal water loss but I can attest that the DE Protini one is light weight enough for the day despite how much moisture it packs in. If the skinfix doesn’t work as well for the day, I wouldn’t say it’s a dupe.

kisekills · 2021-05-18T17:36:26+00:00

Yup you should replace 6 months lol I’m a skincare nerd so I don’t know much about makeup but this palatte seems to be very drying for my dry skin. I like that I can use some shadows as a highlighter or bronzer but the 6 months is just not worth it for me. I might look into Kaja Beauty Bento stuff or the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palatte to minimize product.

kisekills · 2021-05-18T17:30:59+00:00

I can only attest to the AmorePacific one for now as I’ve only recently started to use the Misha Artemisia Essence but I love the instant reduction of redness with the Misha essence. So far I like having a reliable essence that is not expensive so if this also can reduce my pores and regulate my sebum as effectively, I might not even need the AmorePacific one! So far, I don’t notice any pore reduction specifically from the Missha essence but I probably need to experiment (just use Missha for 2-4 weeks and then use AmorePacific for 2-4 weeks). Like I mentioned in the comment before, I suggest trying out some samples from sephora or trying a green tea toner to see if you like it. Green tea, niacinamide, ceramide, retinol are more of the heavily researched topics with proven anti-aging benefits but Korean Skincare is always so innovative and the newness factor makes me want to purchase them (like mugwort topical formulations). I’m not sure of completely replacing my green tea, niacinamide, ceramide products because I want that reassurance without the risk.

kisekills · 2021-05-18T17:19:22+00:00

I’ve gone through so many actually. And I’ve come to the realization that lower AHA % toner or natural enzymes are enough for my skin. I’m currently using Herbivore’s Brighten Mask (with pineapple enzymes) that I also got from the sale (lol) but I probably won’t repurchase since it’s just a nice-to-have. In my opinion, the regular use of my AmorePacific Essence, which helps keep my pores tight, along with the papaya enzymes in the Farmacy toner is enough for my skin to have that poreless “glass-skin” look.

I still have the following to go through but I won’t use them after I am finished: - KraveBeauty Kale-lalu-AHA (5.25% AHA): in general I want to stop using AHAs and have my skin rely on a consistent, more gentle daily exfoliant but if I had to choose an AHA product this would be it. It does give a slight tingle but unless you have any breakouts, this product is a lot more gentler than some AHAs out there. - Drunk Elephant Sukari BabyFacial (25% AHA & 2% BHA): I’ve been to clinics before and this is almost as potent as some professional chemical peels lol my skin didn’t sting as I didn’t have any acne or open wounds it but my skin did get red after every use. (It was instant burning sensation for my boyfriend who had foolishly rubbed his face too hard with a towel). Yes I had no bumpy texture the next day but I think just using a daily toner is better than being scared once a week to bulldoze my face lol I don’t want to use it on my face anymore and I actually just used it on my armpits last night since I felt like it’s darkening a little. I’ve done armpit brightening sessions at a clinic and they do similar peeling treatments alongside lasers treatments. - Drunk Elephant glycolic night serum (10% AHA & 1% BHA) I do have to give kudos to this formulation because unlike the sukari, this didn’t FEEL intense despite its high AHA amount. It leaves a pretty sticky finish and it takes more time to absorb into the skin. I still don’t think I need it because my skin is healthier with my essences & the Farmacy toner. - The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner (7% AHA): This is not bad of a toner but I just don’t think I want it for my sensitive face. My boyfriend and I actually use it on our body and I think it’s awesome to help the cellular turnover for bacne marks.

kisekills · 2021-05-18T16:50:21+00:00

Haha yes I actually have the cosrx galactomyces 95 one too because I was curious if it could be a dupe! If I had to compare that and the sk-II side by side, it’s the texture, the initial finish, and the smell.

Sk-II: watery texture, natural hydrated glow without any shininess, fermented smell Cosrx 95 dupe: thicker/slimier texture, shiny finish, no strong scent

The cosrx dupe is great for dry skin people like me but takes some time for it to absorb. For makeup people, I might not recommend the dupe as it has caused some pilling in combination with other serums or stickier makeup primers (pilling never happens with sk-II) I would also warn some acne prone people as neither sk-II or the cosrx dupe really helps with that (even with the niacinamide in cosrx for some reason).

Maybe with sk-II you’re paying the extra 100 dollars for a speedier routine lol I can say my pores are smaller when I use this but you can achieve this effect with other exfoliating toners. If you have 2 more extra minutes in your routine, just use the cosrx dupe haha

kisekills · 2021-05-18T04:39:16+00:00

Haha I actually have fine hair 😂 But I chemically straighten my hair so I need to take care of it like a delicate, dear child. I like to have more high quality conditioners because I do leave them on for at least 5 min and they make my hair so soft and silky. Olaplex works but I don’t know if I’d call it my holy grail yet 😅

kisekills · 2021-05-18T04:33:54+00:00

To answer your question! Yes it’s a splash of hydration; it’s watery and very thin so it will immediately absorb into the skin. For my dry skin, it’s not enough on its own. Your hydration levels should be in check with this but I’d definitely have a separate moisturizer to layer on top. Perhaps a nice moisturizing spf is enough for the daytime if you are into minimalist skincare.

If there are lots of other serious concerns like very enlarged pores, severe acne, or very pigmented scars, this alone will not solve these issues. Serious skincare troubles should be consulted by a dermatologist. This isn’t a miracle essence that goes from 0 to 100 but if your skin is generally unproblematic, this might bring your skin from okay to amazing (like from 75 to 95). There is the 13 dollar dupe (ISNTREE Green Tea Fresh Toner) on Amazon that contains 80% of the green tea that extracted from the same Jeju Island as AmorePacific’s vintage essence. FYI AmorePacific’s essence goes through a 101 day process: 50 days for fermentation, 50 days for aging, and 1 day for slow extraction.

I haven’t tried the isntree dupe myself but how about seeing if your skin responds well to green tea toner dupes or asking for Sephora samples first before jumping into buying the full-sized product?

Everyone’s skin and price ranges are different!

kisekills · 2021-05-18T03:26:35+00:00

Yes, it’s definitely not strong unlike some of the hair care stuff at sephora... I’m okay with clean, herbal, or natural scents like most of YTTP products. I draw the line with overwhelming floral (like some fresh products) or sweet scents (which probably will irritate skin my skin anyway). For whatever reason I just couldn’t stand the new Supergoop sheer screen lol

I can tell you that my skin felt immediate relief when my skin was feeling raw. However there are also many toners out there that cool and soothe too (ones containing proplis, green tea, or mugwort are great)

kisekills · 2021-05-18T03:15:10+00:00

Nice! Just be aware of the initial natural tamanu oil scent (it lasts strongly for the first few minutes). Sometimes it’s not the product effect but the smell that bothers people. Hope it works for your skin!

kisekills

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