Product Review : Bihada Ichizoku Kurobarakamen Sheet Mask (Brightening)

Mask mask mask. In the end I always have reviews on masks. Why so?! I just like to pamper my skin often and feel like a tai tai. Or at least for my skin to feel like a tai tai's skin anyway. For my non mandarin speaking readers, tai tai means something like a rich lady who can sit at home and do nothing all day. Pardon me if I sound a little eccentric in my post today because I'm feeling woozy from low blood sugar or something. Can't eat at night if you wanna avoid the fatties!

Anyway, today I'm going to be reviewing a mask that I bought quite awhile ago and forgot to blog about :X I have too many folders so I must have missed this one.

Behold, the Bihada Ichizoku Kurobarakamen Sheet Mask! The name's really a mouthful ;) The picture is a little misleading though, initially I thought this was an eye mask. So all, please take note, this is a face mask :D

How can I forget? The description, how-to-use and most importantly, the ingredients list for all sensitive skin babes!

If you are from Singapore and reading this right after I publish it, I shall warn you now about the scary picture you're about to see.

Brace yourself for the impact!

YES IT IS A SHEET MASK THAT IS BLACK! It's not a big deal because Ringo reviewed one HERE too but it's the first time I'm using a sheet mask that's black in color~  Also she took her photo in the day but mine's at night so it's horror factor +10.

Instead of the usual colorless essence you get in a mask, this one's slightly yellow.

Bihada Ichizoku says
The secret behind Kurobara's mysterious, alluring beauty! Sparkle like a gem against the midnight sky with this black sheet mask, formulated with charcoal to hydrate skin and tighten pores. Reveal brighter, fairer, translucent skin.

Bascially, this mask is for brightening. So ya ready to see the effects yet?

L - Before / R - After

The lighting is slight different even though I took both pictures in the same place with the same conditions. No photoshop was used to enhance the effects. No lies. Brightening, it is definitely there. My skin felt more plump and bouncy after the usage of this mask. So if you're talking about results, sure you'll be getting it. This mask also contains hydrolyzed collagen and that makes it easier for your skin to absorb the goodies! It's an awesome ingredient. Honestly though, I'm not an expert in every single ingredient so if you want a really thorough description on each ingredient, I'm afraid google will have to be your best friend.

The down side? I really don't like the smell of this mask. It was a little overwhelming when I had the mask on. Luckily it doesn't linger after I remove the mask so I just have to endure 15minutes of the smell. The mask is also slightly too small as it cannot cover some areas of my forehead. It could just be because I have a big forehead though. Preference of scent differs with everyone so maybe some will like it? It's a strange floral smell that I didn't quite like.

This mask is soaked and dripping wet with essence when you use it. So there will be a lot left on your face after you remove the mask and it takes quite a long time for the essence to be fully absorbed. Your skin will also feel pretty sticky while that is happening. You have to wait for everything to be fully absorbed before you can feel the smoothness of your skin and how plump it is.

This mask is also a little more pricey than most. It costs a whopping $8 per piece and is available at SASA and BHG Bugis/Clementi. The question I will present to you is whether you're willing to spend $8 a sheet of mask. I bought this to review but sadly I will not be purchasing it again. I still love my MBD masks, like the Hello Kitty one, the Chocolate truffle one, those are my favorites because of the lovely scent and the fact that they work well!

Texture : ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (Absorbs really slowly!)

Effectiveness : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (Quite plump and smooth)

Scent : ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ (Me no likey :X)

Overall : ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (One star off for texture, one off for the scent and one off for the price!!!)

Love,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : I bought the mask myself so that I can review it for all of you <3

Product Review : Bioré Marshmallow Whip Facial Wash

I was mega excited about this! I've always loved my Bioré Make up remover so you can imagine my excitement when they brought this Bioré Marshmallow Whip Facial Wash to Singapore's Watsons! I'm a marshmallow lover so you can always spot me roasting them at a BBQ / in my oven! So yea, I quite like their concept of a marshmallow like foam just because I am in love with marshmallow.

Cute foam with wings is always appreciated. Okay honestly, the packaging is clean, simple and cute. However, it's a little too fat for my preference. I'd prefer something I can hold with one hand to pump the foam out instead of resting it on a flat surface. If it has to be placed on a flat surface before we can pump it, I would say that they should extend the neck of the product a bit so I can actually slot my hand in. I'm just anal about getting foam onto my product, if you have this product along with fat hands, you should get what I mean.

The foam is supposed to be ultra fine and enriched with collagen to give you the baby smooth skin we all desire. You can also get 150 pumps out of this bottle but I can't confirm that because ya don't expect me to count do ya xD

A small description!

Let's not forget the how-to-use and the ingredients list!

This is the foam that everyone sees on the advert...

This is the closest I could get. And this is THREE pumps already :/ Let's face it, you're not going to get that perfect fluff of foam unless someone pumps it for you / you use 10 pumps / photoshop it or something.

This is the normal foam you'd get from a regular facial wash. Not that it doesn't foam well, it's just not as soft and air whipped as the Bioré one!

Once again, the advert's take of the foam upside down.

Here's my little lump! But anyway, I've gotten my point over. Remember my post on a certain BB mousse super long ago? Good foam / mousse isn't supposed to just plop off when you turn your hand upside down! What does this mean? SCORE!

See how beautiful she is and how that lovely dense foam is cushioning her skin!

Of course, I can't take a picture if both my hands are occupied with using the foam. So I came up with another idea to show you how bouncy the foam is!

Can you tell? If your foam isn't dense and cushiony like this one is, your fingers will probably just sink in. Look at this :D It has the boing boing kinda feel, like a really soft sponge and you can feel it ever so slightly resisting the pressure from your fingers~

It's not flattened even after my fingers exert pressure on it. SCORE 2!

So. The big question, is this Bioré Marshmallow Whip Facial Wash a yay or a nay?

In thorough cleansing, it's definitely awesome. The creamy foam you see is made out of TONS of bubbles that are even SMALLER than your pores! Because it is that tiny, it can get in all the tiny areas and flush out those dirts. The plus factor is that this foam is collagen enriched so it'll moisturize your skin. It's true for me, my skin doesn't feel tight or dry after using this but I still proceed with my regular skincare after this. Texture wise, this is definitely awesome. As mentioned above, the foam is bouncy and smooth, really feels so luxurious when you slather it all over your face. I like to use two pumps, I know it sounds like it's a lot but since you're already pampering your skin, why not be generous with it? I dot the foam on my cheeks, forehead, chin and nose before spreading it out evenly. Sometimes I let it sit for 5 seconds simply waiting for the bubbles to fizz away!

If you've been reading Domokie, you'll know I'm very sensitive towards the scent of a product. I did not like the scent of this at all. Reminded me of something somewhat unpleasant. That is not a big issue as I can stop breathing while I'm using this and resume after I wash it off. The scent doesn't linger so it's alright. I've also talked about packaging at the beginning of the post.

This product is available from major supermarkets and medical stores, Watsons included, for just $13.90 and this has a refill pack too. So my verdict? Definitely  a YAY because it's affordable and efficient. I love products like that. I don't need a branded facial foam that costs $50 or so, if it works, it's good, it's cheap, I'll use it.

Scent : ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ (Not a fan of the scent)
Texture : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (It's really lovely to use, rich dense foam is <3!)

Cleansing effect : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Clean, moisturized, smooth and plump~)

Overall : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (It's quite a lovely product minus the scent!)

P.S. Remember Ringo mentioned about H&M being in Singapore? You can now win $300 worth of H&M vouchers by playing a game on www.marshmallow.com.sg!

Love,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : This product was sent to me for reviewing purpose by TSS. The review is based on my personal experience with it and is 101% honest.

Product Review : Maybelline Hyper Diamonds Liquid Liner

I've noticed that I have tons of Maybelline products lying around unopened. So I decided to open them and try it out. Recently, I opened the...

I do have colored liners but they're the pencil kind. This is a liquid liner, something that I think does not smudge as easily so I was really excited to try it. I was also a little apprehensive because of THIS GLITTER LINER I tried awhile back. 

When I opened it, I thought the purple looked lovely, very luscious and rich.

The brush is a little thick though, it's really hard to line thinly if that's what you're aiming for.

Now I've tried really hard to swatch it as thin as possible but it just didn't work out as well as I wanted it to. For me, that's the downside because it's harder to flick my liner at the end. Here's my attempt.

L - Without flash / R - With flash

L - Without flash / R - With flash

Final shot, looking straight ahead

It looks pretty good right? Except for the fact that my lighting does not do the color any justice. I'm still able to flick my liner out on my first attempt. Now I actually like this liner. Why? As opposed to the Etude House one that has glitters suspended in a clear liquid, this has mostly silver multidimensional color glitters suspended in a rich purple liquid. By multidimensional I mean that the glitters are not flat, they aren't just silver / gold / purple, they can reflect light to produce different colors.

This takes a short time to dry and WILL smudge if you open your eyes then. However once it's dry, it does not budge. Or at least it doesn't smudge but it will flake off a little if you start rubbing at it. I do not think it is waterproof either so beware when it rains!

Other than the fat brush that I think one still can work with, with sufficient practice, I don't see why one wouldn't like it. Unless you don't like purple. On your usual days, you can use this liner to add a little color and funk into your life. Personally I'd recommend for this to be paired with a yellow gold eyeshadow. Both colors will really pop and look beautiful!

I'm sure this is currently still available in Watsons but I'm not sure about the price. You can however ask them about their pricing on their Facebook page!

Texture : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (The glitters can be slightly smoother)

Application : ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (Takes a little bit of getting used to but it's alright for me.)

Lasting power : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (No smudging so far :D)

Overall : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (To me, this is affordable and it works, so why not?)

Cheers,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : I won this from the previous Maybelline BB face of the week! This does not affect the honesty of my review in any way :D

Product Review : Maybelline Full' N Soft Mascara

I haven't really done a non-sponsored review in awhile. That's because of all the deadline I've been showered with =/ I also still owe someone a review for a facial scrub > o < Soon soon, all in due time!

Moving on with my review, today's product will be something from Maybelline BUT it's currently still NA in SG.

The very highly recommended Maybelline Full' N Soft Mascara! Xteeener loves it too :D I actually bought this because of her!

Has quite a big and fat brush.

If you've read my previous post about mascara and their wands, you'll know that this is a number 3 brush except that it's fat all around. Of course if you've forgotten, you can read about it HERE!

Left - Without / Right - With, looking straight ahead

Here's the before and after.Please note that lashes have been curled already. Just from the photo, you can pretty much tell that this mascara weighed my lashes down already. I honestly think that mascaras that are not waterproof tend to be heavier and generally unable to hold curls.

With mascara on, looking straight ahead

Don't be freaked at my eyeball! I'm just trying to show the curls :) As you can see, there's almost no curl. It really weighed my lashes down and they're somewhat as good as non existent.

With mascara on, looking upwards

I have to look up for my lashes to be more visible. But that wouldn't really work because I can't be looking up all the time.

With mascara, eyes closed

This mascara does do what it claims to be able to do. My lashes are indeed fuller and no doubt, they're still soft though I can't let you all touch them. The main thing I don't like about this mascara is that it "uncurls" my lashes because of how heavy the formula is. Then again, it might be just my lashes because this mascara worked well for others. My lashes usually only remain curled IF the mascara is waterproof. This one isn't so those who like waterproof mascara should take note!

The other thing about non waterproof mascara is that they usually smudge. This one is no exception. It gives me panda eyes after a few hours especially when I start getting oily. Personally, I don't like to risk getting panda eyes because I'm just anal about looking like a ghoul. And if you can tell from the way I'm speaking/typing, I'm not going to repurchase this mascara.

In my honest opinion, you can get a better mascara regardless of whether it's waterproof or not. This one gives volume but it's not like a "whoa" kinda effect. It's pretty natural actually so if that's what you want, you can consider this. I still prefer to stick to my FairyDrops or Majolica Majorca one. Waterproof ones are still my favorite because so far, only waterproof ones keep my lashes up.

Ability to hold curls : ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ (Weighs my lashes down instantly upon application.)

Lasting Power : ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (I really hate mascara that smudges!)

Volume : ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (It's just too subtle in my opinion.)

Overall : ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ (Unfortunately, I really don't like this.)

Cheers,

Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : I bought this with my own money. Just because it didn't work for me does not mean it wouldn't work for you. Xteeener loves it but I don't so who knows, maybe you will too. My review is based on my experience with the product.

Product Review: Living Nature Balancing Night Gel

Hey lovelies, apparently the first H&M in Singapore is opening today, at Orchard Building (1 Grange Road). I don't really shop for clothes in stores much these days, preferring to shop online in the languor of my home, but I've heard that people have queued overnight since Friday, 7.30pm! (The store opens today, 11am.)

Such dedication!

It seems queuing is something of a culture here in Singapore. (refer to: the McDonald's Hello Kitty craze)

But I digress. I'm here to review another Living Nature product! I bought this along with their popular Living Nature Rescue Gel in July, which Chiharu has already reviewed here.

It's the ubiquitous semi-cylindrical packaging again! My opinion on the Rescue Gel is much the same as Chiharu's so I won't be reviewing it again (lest I bore you). But I do want to nitpick on the packaging! Since the Rescue Gel's main active ingredient is Manuka Honey, it tends to coagulate and clogs the dispenser.

And, the packaging is exactly the same as the rest of their bottled products, except for the different words and flower motif. Inevitably I get them mixed up, since I chuck most of my skincare and cosmetics into a box.

I do have to admit I like the simplicity of the design though. I'm a sucker for elegant packaging (and the occasional kitschy cute ones).

The dispenser is the same as usual - a squeeze-type dispenser at the bottom of the bottle (is it considered a bottle at all?). Unlike the Rescue Gel, the Balancing Night Gel is a smooth, milky cream that doesn't coagulate, so no problems with clogging there.

I don't have the outer packaging anymore because it's been months since I bought this product, but fortunately Living Nature has the ingredients list on its website:

Ingredients INCI:

Aqua (water), Mel (manuka honey), Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil**, Sclerotium gum, Glucose (plant sugar), Squalane (vegetable squalane), Triticum vulgare (wheat) germ oil, Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter**, Phormium tenax leaf juice (NZ flax gel), Parfum (natural fragrance)*, Bisabolol (from chamomile), Zingiber officinale (ginger) root extract, Olea europaea (olive) leaf extract, Glucose oxidase (from milk), Lactoperoxidase (from milk), Oenothera biennis (evening primrose) oil, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Leptospermum scoparium (manuka) oil, Limonene*, Linalool*

* From natural essential oils ** Certified organic

And quite evidently, all the ingredients are natural! They even include the common names for those ingredients with confounding scientific names. *double-likes*

It's quite pricey though. The website lists it as S$99.00 for 50ml, but I don't remember how much I paid for mine. I vaguely recall that it was cheaper because Living Nature (at East Point Mall) had a 20% discount for quite a lot of their products at that time.

But is it worth the price?

Overall, my conclusion is YES.

If you have problem skin like mine (acne-prone, oily and sensitive), then this is a good night gel that calms and rejuvenates your skin. I've tried a few night creams here and there, and most of them tend to be too heavy or too oily for me. Living Nature Balancing Night Gel is more soothing on my skin. The dry patch on my right cheek is a lot better nowadays - not as itchy or cracked. (I had some sort of allergic (?) reaction to Benzoyl Peroxide lotion a few years back.)

One bottle, despite its relatively small size, can last for quite long. I've used mine for two months at least and there's still more than half a bottle left, and I use it religiously.

I still think it is rather expensive though, especially if you're a student or not currently employed. So if you have no particular reason to purchase this, perhaps a similar product would serve you better.

Application is simple. Simply massage it into your face with the pads of your fingers slowly. It gets absorbed quite quickly and doesn't leave your face oily/ shiny at all. Fragrance-wise, it smells of milk and flowers and honey. Much more pleasant than the Rescue Gel, definitely.

Living Nature doesn't test their products on animals, and is certified 100% natural (look out for the logos to ensure if a product is certified). A lot of products may claim that they are natural, but may only be perhaps 70% natural, or not certified at all, so Living Nature has an edge over them.

The texture is kind of milky-creamy, and it makes me hungry for no particular reason.

And of course, to end this off, a pointless shot of my fingernails. It's a somewhat messy attempt on a french manicure, following the tutorial of thebeautydepartment.com. Enjoy~!

Ratings

Scent : ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (Pleasant. A floral-milky scent with a hint of honey. Floral ain't really my thing though, but it's non-offensive.)

Texture : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (Creamy, milky, absorbs fast. A bit runny though.)

Effectiveness : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (Definitely effective! But results tend to bottom out after a while, though at least it is maintained~)

Overall : ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (Try it if you have the money! I think it's definitely worth the price, and if in doubt, they have testers as well.)

Thanks for reading~

Love,
Ringo

Product Review : Maybelline Eyebrow Pencil By Eyestudio in Brown

You all have to love me for being so punctual in posting nowadays! Okay in all honesty it's just because I blog during midnight and  schedule for 10am so everyone can read when they're awake! I've not blogged about brow products for a really long time because I like to stick to the same brow stuff :D

HOWEVER, FEW DAYS AGO, my brow pencil died. It ran out of juice so I had to get a new one. Then it struck me, I had a Maybelline one stashed somewhere! So I dug it out and here it is!

Ta da! It's like a color pencil :X Kinda retro but cute.

Can you imagine yourself doodling on brows with this pencil? :D

Top - Swatched Lightly

Middle - Swatched with Zig Zag Motions

Bottom - Swatched heavily

Swatches! As you can see, it's a pretty dark chocolate brown. Once again, this had a slight reddish tint to it, similar to my previous Lioele Artist Auto Eyebrow in Natural / Light Brown. On hand, this seemed like a pretty blah brow pencil. It didn't look very pigmented so I thought that was good because I am safe to doodle as I please on my brows without worrying about becoming...

Image taken from google.images

UNFORTUNATELY, I was very wrong. I tried to be light handed already but this is what it looks like...

L - With / R - Without

See the huge difference? I swear I tried my best being light handed but I might be a lil too used to my less pigmented brow pencil. Heed my warning, you need to be super light handed with this on your brows. This can be a good or bad thing depending on your own preference as there are also people out there that love a good pigmented brow pencil. This pencil glides on super smoothly which is why some of us might go overboard with it. A light touch will do the trick and define your brows nicely.

Now what do I not like about this product? The fact that it does not come with a spoolie attached to the other end! If you can see from my naked brow picture, I have quite a lot of brow hair. Is that what you call it? So basically, I really need a spoolie to comb through my brows and tame them. It's like my ESSENTIAL. Luckily I had a spare one at home so it isn't much of a problem. Those who are spoolie-less, please take note :)

All in all, it's a product that's really quick and easy to use IF you can be light handed with it. However my brown hair no longer has any red in it. So I rarely use this now. I might pass it on to Ringo though cause her hair is still the same color. This product is very easily available from any Watsons / Guardians near you. I'm not sure how much it costs though but you can ask Maybelline on their Facebook Page!

Pigmentation: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Super uber pigmented, be careful with it!)

Application: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (A little too easy to overdo.)

Lasting power: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (It will smudge if your brows get oily. Remember to blot gently!)

Overall: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (It's not a bad product but it's not the right one for my hair color now~)

Cheers,
Chiharu ❤

Disclaimer : I won this for being Maybelline's BB face of the week!

FOTD : Coral Look For A Coral Dress

It has been SOOOOOOOOOOOO long since I did a FOTD. This time round it's not the usual neutral kinda colors, I added a coral red to it to match my pretty dress :D I know some people don't recommend for your eyeshadows to match your outfit but... Heck, I like to do that! The other reason for a coral red shadow was because I was heading to Underwater World the other day and it was pretty sunny. So something bright and cheerful will really be fit for the day~

Sorry it's a little blurry! That's how it looks like when I keep my eyes open~

And closed! I sweat the coral red is brighter in RL but it got totally washed out by my florescent lighting.

Here's how it looks like complete with a coral pink blush and coral pink gloss! *Check out my pretty dress!* Will be blogging on that soon too ;)

Here's when I clip up my fringe. Do I look better this way? Feel free to leave your feedback in the comments section or on our Facebook Page!

I think it makes me look younger but my forehead makes me resemble a Flowerhorn fish?! That's not very good I think... Let me know your opinions :)

FACE :

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream
Candydoll Mineral Loose Powder

Bihada Ichizoku Cheek (Pink)

Skinfood Gold Caviar Moist Brightening Powder Ball

EYES :

Mac Paintpot in Painterly

Coastal Scents Original 88 Palette

Dollywink Eyeshadow in #1 Sweet Brown

Dollywink Liquid eyeliner in Black

Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamour Neo mascara

Random eyelash curler

Dollywink Lashes in #01 Dolly Sweet (Upper Lashes)

Dollywink Lashes in #05 Real Nude (Lower Lashes)

Etude House Brow Mascara

Lioele Artist Auto Eyebrow in Light Brown

LIPS :

Bihada Ichizoku Sexy Gloss in Shimmery Pink

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How to get this look ?

Before I begin, let me emphasize again that you don't have to use what I use. I usually go with my mood and work with that I have. I used a BB cream that day because I thought it would be pretty warm that day and I didn't want to have a foundation on? (I didn't know how cold underwater world actually is) I didn't use sunscreen because I went out in the late afternoon so I don't need that much sun protection? SPF30 PA++ was good enough for me. Once again, it's like a ritual, I will religiously set my BB cream with my Candydoll Mineral Face Powder.

I will be using a coral red color today so I want it to really pop. Not that it succeeded in photos but it worked in RL. For that reason, I primed my eyes with the Mac's Painterly Paintpot. I chose a nice coral red color from my Coastal Scents Original 88 palette packed it onto my eyelids. Once you reach your crease, take a blending brush and smoke it out nicely. To add depth and dimension, contour your eyes with a dark brown shade of your choice. You can go with black but I'm more of a brown eyeshadow person. The brown should be darkest at the outer corner of your eyes and fade inwards gradually for a soft look. I used my favorite Dollywink Eyeshadow in #1 Sweet Brown. To give you brighter eyes, highlight your inner corners with a champagne color. I do not recommend silver as it'd clash with the coral. Line your eyes the way you prefer. Mine's a hybrid, it's neither a cat eye nor the gyaru droopy liner. It's a mixture of both. Line whichever way flatters your eyes best. Once again, I still kept to my most beloved Dollywink Liquid eyeliner in Black.

Curl lashes and apply mascara. Stick on your favorite upper and lower lash. For something more dramatic, you can always use thicker lashes or darken your crease further. Line along the bottom falsies with the same brown shadow used in crease. Make sure that your falsies have adhered properly before proceeding to the your brows! Also, only line with shadow about 1/2 or 3/4 way in. You don't want to completely encase your eyes in the liner/shadow.

Coat brows evenly with brow mascara if needed. Use the brow pencil to further shape and add definition to the brows. Use any spoolie or if your brow liner comes with one, to comb through brows and blend the colors.

To make yourself look cuter, apply a nice and bright coral pink blush. I used the Bihada Ichizoku Cheek (Pink) on the apples of my cheeks. Do NOT make your blush round. Do it the Nike shape. Start from your apples then brush outwards and upwards. Just like the Nike logo! Contour / highlight if you prefer. I did not do so that day.

To match my cute coral pink blush, I used the Bihada Ichizoku Sexy Gloss in Shimmery Pink to add that pop of color to my lips. You can choose to apply a lipbalm of your choice beforehand if you have extremely dry lips.

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That's all folks! Hope ya'all like this look I did :) Let me know if there's any request for different looks and I'll try my best to come up with it!



Love,
Chiharu ❤