Lancome Definicils Pro Mascara and Sad Family News

Hey girls, I used my Lancome Definicils Pro Mascara (my go to mascara before I purchased the YSL Faux Cils Mascara). I felt it was a good idea to take and post some photos of my natural lashes with a few coats of the Definicils Pro mascara. Note, I put the same amount of effort and detail in coating my lashes with both mascaras.

As you can see, it does not "fan" out (spread out) my lashes as the YSL mascara does ever so kindly. The Definicils is definitely a beautiful black (noir), but so is the YSL. I feel that it has a tendency to clump the lashes together. Mascara of choice really depends on what kind of look you're going for on a particular day. Definicils is flexible, but not as flexible as YSL. Definicils is also very drying on the lashes. You can feel the stiffness/flakeyness at the end of the day (right now as I blog at 1:45AM).

The price tag on the Lancome Definicils Pro Mascara is $24.50

YSL Faux Cils Mascara is $30

For a couple bucks more, I personally feel that you get more "bang for your buck" if you buy the YSL.

Out of all the Lancome mascaras (I've tried most of them, I feel that the "original" Definicils is the best).

A closer look. It does not have much of a dramatic effect on my lower lashes.

To remind you of what the YSL Faux Cils looks like on my natural lashes,
These two photos were taken on two different days using the same YSL Faux Cils Mascara.
I'm still wearing the same pair of contacts. I need to open a new pair and change it up!
I feel so boring when I do not rotate things. I have the tendency of wearing the same clothes over and over...b/c they just came out from the dryer and into my laundry basket. lol
I barely ever reach into my closet unless it's a special occasion...b/c I'm that lazy!
I think I'll have to get my mom a tube of YSL, she's always used Lancome her whole life.
I think I will be able to convert her to my new holy grail "HG" mascara, YSL Faux Cils.
If only they came buy 1, get 1 free, life would be better than it is right now.

And Now The Sad News

My Aunt arrived tonight to Seattle from Michigan (she lives half the year in Paris and half in Michigan) at 8:09pm. She said to us (Minh and I) that the whole purpose of her visit is to spoil us. She's such a sweet old lady, but completely health obsessed and kept telling us not to eat things with MSG in it. lol We went to dinner in Chinatown. I just had to take her to Honey Court where they have such wonderful peking duck, honey walnut prawns, and other tasty dishes. They gave us a complimentary soup...and my aunt goes (in Viet) to the waitress as she's serving us soup..."is there MSG in this soup?" The waitress said...yes...and then quickly left our table lol.. and my Aunt gave her a mean look. Minh and I were SO EMBARRASSED. Little Viet lady...we took you to CHINATOWN for dinner..of course there's going to be at least some MSG in the food!
It's my Aunt's first time visiting Seattle...and I was telling her...be nice!
Everyone here is super friendly! Plus, the soup was free! The waitress was just being nice because she saw that we were Viet!

But just as we were walking to our car... I get a phone call from my Mom who's in Boston right now around 9:40pm Seattle time.
She told me my Grandpa, Ong Noi (Dad's Dad) in California had just passed away around 9:24pm California time.

My Grandpa had been in and out of the hospital these past 2 years, and he passed away from old age. He had suffered from dementia (which is similar to Alzheimer's disease) for years prior. The last time I saw my Grandpa was March of last year when my Grandma, Ba Noi, his wife passed away. Grandma's death was the first death in the family. I was only 21 years old, almost 22. It may sound weird but I was asked to tape my Grandma Ba Noi's funeral and with the help of Minh created a DVD of her whole funeral, from day 1 to day 3. I made copies of the DVD and it was sent to those who were not able to attend, such as those in Vietnam.

Now I'm 23, and I just lost my Ong Noi. I feel that one part of growing up is losing loved ones. You know that day will come, but you don't really know what it feels like until that day arrives.
Your emotions don't fully slap you in the face until a few hours after...after you really just spend all your time thinking about your loved one. It makes me wonder what's after death.
I grew up in a Buddhist family, and my sister and I are not religious.
It's kind of puts you in a weird place when you don't know what's next.

I just reflect on all the times I saw my Grandpa. It wasn't often because we lived far away. We could only visit him once or twice a year. But we did spend a 3 fun months with my Grandma and Grandpa in California when I was 5 years old.

I remember clearly the last real conversation I had with both Ong Noi and Ba Noi was over the phone when I was in about to graduate from high school. They asked me what I wanted to study, and I said business. I remember them not liking the idea of me studying business! lol
Viet Grandparents, gotta love them. They probably only wanted to hear medical doctor.
I still pursued business in college, and proved myself. I just wish their memory of me didn't fade so soon. It was sad when he got dementia and didn't know who we were anymore.

The last time I was in California,
I just remember Grandpa sitting across from me in his blue pajamas with his snow white hair just mumbling to himself and smiling at random. I remember I just kept looking at him & his nose; everyone says out of all his Grandchildren, I take after him the most.
I got his big Asian frame, nose, and ears. I remember showing Minh my Grandpa's picture and he definitely saw the similarities. I think Grandpa's nose is the biggest, then my dad and uncles, then me and my sisters! I must be proud of my family's signature big round nose!

This is my Dad..and his nose... me and my nose...can you imagine what Ong Noi's nose looks like? I'll have to find a jolly picture of him to update this post. That's how I would have described my Grandpa in his better days, jolly. He had the most fun laugh, and the best smile.

They always say I should have been a boy since I'm my Dad's oldest, and my Dad is Grandpa's oldest son.
My Grandpa does not officially have any male Grandchildren that will carry his last name, "Nguyen Khoa." We have a double last name. "Khoa" is the "K" in DSK
I was 5 years old in this picture, and I stayed with my Ong Noi and Ba Noi that summer for a full 3 months with my mom and little sister.
There's my little sister, cousin Vy, myself, and cousin Peter.
We were having fun on the swing at my Grandpa's neighbor Cherry's house.
I still keep in touch with Cherry, she's my pen pal for the past 18 years.
She's a very friendly, animal loving lady.
I guess that's something that you never knew about me. I have had a pen pal for the last 18 years. I saw her last when I was 5 years old and we still keep in touch.

I had such a wonderful summer that year staying with Grandma and Grandpa. It's still so memorable to this very day. I lost a tooth on that red swing set, I learned to ride a bike, I discovered what snails were...and I almost drowned in their community pool 0_0. I was knocked out! ..underwater...until Grandpa and his neighbor saved me.

Ong Noi used to jog everyday when I was 5 years old. He would take my little 9 month old little sister Julia (pictured above) in a stroller and go running with her around their neighborhood in Southern California. lol
Maybe that's why Julia is a runner! That just came to me. Julia did you ever think about that?
I obviously did not get that trait...but at least one of us did :D
My Grandpa was close to 6 foot tall, that's really tall for a Vietnamese man.

My Dad is also his first born son so he will have a more important role at Grandpa's funeral procession. Vietnamese Funerals are quite interesting. The funeral itself is about 3 days long. And I think it is believed that the spirit or soul does not move on until after 100 days. I also recall that the spirit of the person who had just passed would bring luck to their loved ones and family. I honestly believe my Grandma has brought me a lot of good fortune even through this year of the Tiger.

I did a research project on Vietnamese Funerals while I was in college because I was so curious in knowing more than what my Mom or relatives would tell me. It seems as if many Vietnamese are very superstitious and follows a distinct set of procedure during a funeral. The immediate family wears white gowns, and relatives and Grandchildren tie a white pieces of cloth over their forehead. Almost like a bandanna.

I would show you photos, but I don't think anyone really wants to see that here. But I know you can google "Vietnamese Funeral Procession" and you will see what I'm referring to with the white gowns and white bandanna.

The odd thing about Grandpa's passing is the fact that he opened his eyes and talked yesterday (last night) after not being awake for the past week. They all predicted that he would pass away the way he had been, asleep. My Mom told me that my Dad was able to talk to him a few hours before his passing tonight.
My Mom and Aunt both told me tonight that it usually happens before someone passes away. It is rumored that they wake up to say their goodbyes and be at peace. It's so sad and I can't help but tear up telling you this.

My Mom, Dad, and sister are all in Cambridge moving my sister into her Harvard dorm room (all the way on the East Coast). My little sister starts her life as a college freshman this coming week, and my parents and her just arrived the other day. I tremble just thinking about how sad everyone is right now in the family.

We are just waiting for our family in California to let us know what's going on with his funeral arrangement. I most likely will be out of town next week. I'll will talk to you all soon.
I appreciate your visit. I thank you for listening. Sometimes I just rather type everything out than talk to someone. I don't like to let other see me teary and sad.

As all things come to an end like this blog post.... thank you so much bloggers, blogspot, and the blog community. I will be back soon.

RIP Ong Noi, I'll think of you every time I look at my nose and ears.
08-27-10