Shea Moisture Superfruit Complex: 10-In-1 Renewal System review

Hey everyone, I wanted to take a quick second and tell you about a product that has been making my hair sing to the mountains in joy. As a few of you may know, I am a huge fan of the Shea Moisture hair line. I started off my natural hair journey using their products and have always had amazing results. I used to use their Raw Shea butter line a lot, but even though it's amazing for my hair I got tired of the smell. Back then they didn't have as many lines as they do know. One day I saw a line called Superfruit Complex: 10-In-1 Renewal System and decided to give it a try.

First off let me say that I love the smell which is something that is super important that I didn't consider before. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it has Biotin in it. I've always heard about women taking it to help promote hair growth, so I thought it was great that they added it in.

It lathers really well; you don't have to use much to get your whole head saturated. Also, the shampoo doesn't have any build up so it rinses out pretty easily. Despite this it still gets your hair really clean. Another pro with this shampoo is that it works well even if you aren't using it with the rest of the line. Some natural hair products are notorious for only working if you are using it with everything from the same line or brand. The only other Shea Moisture product I am currently using is the Curl Enhancing Smoothie. I went to BeautyCon NYC this weekend with my homie Alex and visited Shea Moistures booth. I decided to pick up another one of their products since they were having a sale. I was also excited to learn that they had a cosmetics line and picked up one of their lip crayons. I'll fill you in more on Beauty Con in another blog post.

I would def recommend this product. Shea Moisture is known for working on most natural hair types. If you decide to try it, please let me know how it works for you. On a geeky note, if you haven't had the chance to watch the new Star Wars trailer go check it out! I really loved it and thought it was amazing. Boba was able to snag tickets for us and while I was already super excited the trailer has me ridiculously pumped to see it. Good night!

My Last First Kiss Prologue Review

Hello homies, Voltage released their latest app earlier this month. I had a chance to sit down and play the prologue. And as always you'll find a detailed review below the cut. Here's my review! Hope you enjoy it!

September 1, 2015

The prologue opens with the MC dreaming of when she confessed her feelings to her first love only to be rejected. The MC runs into him again on her way to work the night day. To her surprise she finds out that he know works at the same company; they'll also be working on the same project! She wonders if the dream the night before was fate's way of telling her to try again. She returns home to the cafe in her apartment building and learns that her five childhood friends have returned for various reasons. They now reside in the same apartment complex again. Seeing them brings back memories of the fun filled moments of your childhood. She decided to confess to her first love again only to receive more heartbreak. Her childhood friends rally around you to cheer up; one of the guys does something unexpected. Maybe there is someone else out there for her after all.

The Guys of My Last First Kiss

• Ichiya: CEO
• Takamune: Soccer player
• Ayato: Actor
• Riku: Photographer
• Makoto: Grad student
• Hiro: Assistant director

DETAILED REVIEW

Plot: I really loved the prologue of this game! I love the idea of falling in love with a best friend. It really felt well written and was able to build a believable world through its characters. The flow felt realistic even though a lot happened in a short amount of time. 

This is one of Voltage's most realistic plot lines in my opinion. Who hasn't thought back to their first major crush or first love especially when things didn't work out. Sometimes you may wonder what they would think of you if they could see you in present day. I know when I was single I would sometimes think back and wonder about stuff like that. The game also has one of my favorite Voltage elements which is seeing the characters grow up!

The MC: She's like your normal MC. I would say she's a little less annoying when it comes to work. Her emotions made since and she seemed a little more mature than some of Voltage's previous MCs. She was a little dense, but that can be a common Voltage MC trait.

Design: This app is beautiful!!! The color scheme is A+. Voltage really knows how to catch your eye with their apps' designs.

They also brought back the whole profile that additional information and images. They also help give you more insight into each character.

The Guys: The designs! *clutches chest* The guys look amazing! They are all well written too. Typically I cannot stand tsunderes, but even Ichiya was interesting to me. This may be one of those games were I have to buy all of the routes. 

It's interesting that Hiro is still an option considering what he said to the MC. I wonder what his route will be like.

Ugh can we talk about how cute they all are as kids!!!!

Routes I Want to Purchase: All

That's it for my review! I highly suggest you give the prologue a try. Voltage is really trying to take all my money, but I ain't mad at em. I woulda cracked and bought some routes today, but I'll be getting my first iphone soon and the purchases won't be able to go over. So, I'll just have to wait >_< I'm heading to Houston for a work trip tomorrow and then I'll be spending a day with my friend in Austin. I've never been to Texas before, so I'm excited. Have a goodnight!

Kiss Me on Clover Hill Prologue Review

Hey everyone! This month has been a little crazy so far. I've been working to prepare my cosplay for Waku Waku and NYCC. So far so good! I'm wondering whether or not I should start a cosplay page for Facebook. Tiff and I are thinking about starting on together.

Anywho, today I'll be reviewing Voltage's app they released earlier this month, Kiss Me on Clover Hill. Enjoy!

July 2, 2015

It's your first day of college and you're excited and nervous. You're in the Design Department in Mukaigaoka College of Art. You quickly make two friends and head to the entrance ceremony. After the ceremony, you head to the house where you a renting a room to meet your new roommate. After a misunderstanding you find yourself without lodging. Wandering the streets you see a home that feels warm and inviting that somehow draws you to it and made an offer.

The Guys of Kiss Me on Clover Hill

• Shokichi
• Yusuke
• Soichi
• Bunta
• Chihiro
• Kazuto

Sakura Amidst Chaos: Prologue Review

Hello lovely bunnies! I'm here with my review of Voltage's latest release Sakura Amidst Chaos. This prologue was available prior to yesterday's release through Sweet Cafe. I decided to wait until the official release to give it a go. Hope you enjoy!

June 2nd, 2015

The prologue starts with you as a thirteen year old that has been separated from her mother during an attack. You are saved by a red-eyed samurai and reunited with your mother. The story picks up where you awaken from a dream reminiscing about being saved by red-eyed man. You and your mother live with your mean aunt and cousin and are forced to do hard labor everyday. On your way to start your day's chores, you hear the women in your village talking about the handsome samurai fighting against each other. You by chance happen to meet all five that same fated day. A few days later you receive a letter from them...

The Guys of Sakura Amidst Chaos

• Oda Nobunaga: Bold and strong
• Uesugi Kenshin: Beautiful and kind
• Tokugawa Ieyasu: Smart and sincere
• Sanada Yukimura: Cold, but fair
• Date Masamune: Cool and reserved

My Wedding and 7 Rings Prologue Review

Evenin^^ Warm weather seems to be making it's way over to us. Voltage's released their newest game My Wedding and 7 Rings. I really enjoyed this game's prologue and was delighted to see that they brought back two characters from My Forged Wedding. Yamato and Ren can't seem to escape marriages of conveniences, sorry guys! I swear Voltage is pushing out these release, and I ain't even mad at them. As always you'll find spoilers underneath the cut, enjoy!

 February 2, 2014

The prologue starts off with you being informed that you have to marry one of seven men that works at your company, and you have to do it within one year. The prologue goes to the beginning and explains how you find yourself in such a predicament. You day starts like a normal day at work; you have a lunch break with two of your girlfriends. Two of your high school friends, Yamato and Ren from My Forged Wedding, join the three of you. Through your banter with them, you reflect on how they were there for you after your parent's death. An announcement interrupts your thought and summons all employees for an important announcement.

The Guys of My Wedding and 7 Rings

• Yamato: Bad tempered, but supportive 
• Ren: Shy and endearing
• Asahi: Conceited and arrogant
• Seiichirou: Cool and hard to read
• Hiroto: Flirt
• Junta: Mysterious and young
• Kai: Aloof and cold

Scandal in the Spotlight Prologue Review

Voltage has done it again with it's latest release Scandal in the Spotlight. I was excited for this game because I have a soft spot in my heart for boy bands from New Edition and Boys 2 Men to KAT-TUN and Backstreet Boys. Here are my thoughts^^

March 2, 2015

You are attending a concert for Japan's hottest boy band Revance. You received the tickets from a friend. The last song of the concert sounds similar to something you wrote. You discover that the band needs a new ghostwriter for their songs, and they want you!

The Guys of Scandal in the Spotlight

• Kyohei Rikudoh: Charistmatic and domineering
• Iori Enjo: Sadistic and cold
• Kota Igarashi: Ornery
• Nagito Aoshima: Flirty
• Takashi Ninagawa: Stand offish
• Ryo Chibana (Makoto): The secret sixth member of Revance; Kind and cheerful 

Sweet Cafe by Voltage

Hey love bugs! Voltage has released a new app called Sweet Cafe that I am absolutely in love with. Released earlier this week, the app is a that contains unreleased Voltage stories. You use Voltage tickets to obtain these stories. The app's designs is freakin adorable and it thoroughly explains how to get Voltage tickets and play a mini game called Coin Drop. Coin Drop allows you to win images, avatars of the guys, and outfits. I tried to play the Coin Drop game, but I gave up after a while. I think it's a good feature, I just happen to suck at games like that.

There are three different ways to obtain tickets. The first is to purchase stories from the other apps. Here's the chart below detailing how many tickets you get for purchases you make on their story routes.

You can also obtain get a Voltage ticket if you visit the app each day for 5 days or you can purchase them. I've linked all of the apps that I will most likely by routes for. If it takes a minute for the news window to open, you can always tap on the i icon on the top page of each app to make it come up. You should see the message below once you've linked Sweet Cafe and the app.

I thought it was a really cute idea to feature some of Voltage's most popular guys and showcasing their personalities. You can even set a few of them (Ichigo, Yamato, Takuto) to be on your to page. They will make different remarks and facial expressions. I was quite impressed!

Of course my first story had to be the bae, Kippei❤︎ And believe me when I say his story was UHmazing! It didn't disappoint^^ I loved everything about it from the plot, to the setting, and especially the storyline.

If you love Voltage games, I definitely think you'll love this app. Thanks for reading♥︎

Star Crossed Myth Prologue Review

What's poppin! NYC's weather has been kicking my butt this week. Warm weather please come soon! In the meantime, I had the chance to play Voltage's newest release. Voltage allowed us to get a sneak peek of the prologue before the apps release by buying one of the newer sub stories in Love Letter From Thief X, Kissed by the Baddest Bidder, Class Trip Crush, Enchanted in the Moonlight, and My Forged Wedding.

February 1, 2015

The prologue opens with the MC praying for clear whether for the next day because her job is hsoting a Star Festival. A light rushes towards her and six men appear in her room.  The men mention something about being exiled by a king. They notice that the MC "has stars in her eyes". One of them ends up taking you up to view the stars, but you think it's a dream until they show up at your job the next day and save you from a fatal accident!

The Guys of Star Crossed Myth

• Leon (Leo): Arrogant, has a white armband
• Scorpio (Scorpio): Abrasive and Brash, has a black armband
• Teorus (Taurus): Flirt, has a white armband
• Dui (Gemini): Romantic, has a black armband
• Huedhaut (Aquarius): Intuitive and Smart, has a white armband
• Icthys (Pisces): Sweet and Chill, has a black armband

Her Love in the Force Prologue Review

Hey ladies and gents^^ The holiday season has been kicking my butt. I went upstate for Thanksgiving with Boba and spent the holiday with my wifey and her girlfriend, Rae. It was lots of fun and it was Boba's first time visiting them at their new apartment. I am SO not looking to go to work tomorrow after being off since Thursday and Friday. My inbox is going to be a mess lol I can't believe that it'll be Christmas soon!

November 19, 2014

The prologue opens with the MC on a crowded train on her way to attend a police academy and reflecting on her journey to become a detective. Your thoughts are interrupted by a man attempting to rob a fellow passenger on the train. You attempt to catch the man but he pulls a knife. Things are about to get bad for you, but a man saves you; it's Goto from My Sweet Bodyguard and Ishigami joins him shortly. When you arrive at the academy you discover that there are no facilities for women at the academy! To make matters worse there is only one other female besides you attending the academy. Things seem to get more hectic for you when you realize that people are selected for this academy and usually it involves those with really good connections. You also learn that it's meant to train elite public safety detectives. The Public Safety Division is an elite group with the police force, so it's a really big deal that you've been selected. You meet your instructors at the opening ceremony and to your shock realize you meet each one of them earlier. You later go over to thank Ishigami for earlier on the train and end up being scolded and learning that you hindered an investigation with your actions. You run off to change and begin the first round of training. You discover that you are number one in ranking and get to select your instructor first.

The Guys of Her Love in the Force

• Kaga: Moody, short-tempered, arrogant
• Ishigami: Cold
• Goto: Calm and cool
• Soma: Sweet and smiles ofent
• Ayumu: Flirty

True Love Sweet Lies Prologue Review

Hi everyone! I hope you all have been well. I've been pretty draggy lately, but I think it's due to the time change. I wanted to take the time to review Voltage's newest release, True Love Sweet Lies. As always you'll find a detailed review under the cut, enjoy!

                                                         October 28, 2014

You're a freelance photographer than ends up taking a photo of a secret meeting. Suddenly you're being texted from an unknown number asking for the SD card with the photos you took. You come to realize that you're in far greater danger and unknowingly end up involved with the underworld. You meet a few guys that offer your protection if you give them the photos and promise that it should all be over in three months.

The Guys of True Love Sweet Lies

• Kiyoharu- Arrogant
• Sakuya- Quiet and calm
• Rui- Flirty
• Naomasa- Megane guy
• Nozomu- Nice boss

I thought that each was interesting and unique. For once there wasn't an overly tsundere character which I am super thankful for.

Finally, In Love Again Prologue Review

Hi loves! Happy hump day^ ^ I hope you week has been going well. I'm personally super ready for the weekend. I wanted to take the chance to review the prologue of Voltage's new game that came out. Detailed review under the cut!

 September 9, 2014

You suffer an unfortunate accident and end up getting fired to make matters worse it's your birthday. While moping in bed your receive an invitation delivered by an attractive, younger mailman. Your mother sends you an invitation for a singles event. Your younger ex-coworker attempts to embarrass you in front of everyone by commenting on your termination and your age. To your surprise, five of the hottest guys are interested in you.

The Guys of Finally, In Love Again

• Aki: Nice and polite
• Syuichiro: Slightly cranky and arrogant. Has a smart mouth
• Yoh: Flirty and energetic 
• Sousuke: Calm and cool
• Kikuchi: Thoughtful

I am happy to say that it was a little more difficult to pull key traits for some of the guys, and that's not a bad thing. It shows that Voltage is creating complexity with their characters. I can tell that each guy has a different side without it being too obvious what that other side is. Go, Voltage!

First Love Diaries: A Kiss On the Beach| Prologue Review

Hi! I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend. I don't have any major plans; I'll be spending most of my time relaxing with Boba. I wanted to take a quick second and review Voltage's new game. You'll find a detailed review under the cut. Enjoy!

August 12, 2014

The prologue follows a girl on her first day of school. The MC reflects on how much more fun high school would be if she had a boyfriend. Your best friend has you "train" and asks if you would date various guys that you meet throughout the day. 

The Guys of First Love Diaries: A Kiss On the Beach

• Nao: Shy and cute
• Yuya: Friendly and popular
• Mahiro: Flirty
• Sota: Tough and silent
• Mitsuru: Smart and a little stuck up

I hope that the teacher will be available. I know that he is in the Japanese version, so maybe Voltage will hook us up.

My Thoughts on Voltage Inc. Games

Hey home skillets! This is my last post in my Voltage Inc. review; you can check out the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th posts to see a more in depth review of the prologue of each game. I wanted to take the time to talk about my impressions of their games. I'm super happy that I decided to do this review. I really got to know Voltage's work by playing each game. I would really excited when I would notice the same scenery in different games. It seems that most Voltage characters live in Tokyo.

Common Themes
There are definitely a few common themes that pop up in a Voltage game e.g. new job, super rich dudes meet common girl, new living situation, and forced pairing. One thing I love about Voltage is that regardless of how often these themes are used, it still doesn't get boring. I feel like they try really hard to bring creativity and originality to their games and characters. I played the prologue of each game back to back and can distinctly remember which prologue goes with what game. Of course there will be similarities, but Voltage really creates a different feel to each game.

I also wanted to highlight stories that had unique plots.

• My Forged Wedding, Pirates in Love, In Your Arms Tonight, Love Letter from Thief X, 10 Days with My Devil, Kiss of Revenge, Dreamy Days in West Tokyo, and Kissed by the Baddest Bidder

I made that list with non-generic romantic plots in mind. That's a lot of stories where they are thinking out of the box!

Voltage Inc. Otome Game Day and Personal Review Pt. 1

Hey homies! This is gonna be my first post in my Voltage otome game review. My trip down the slippery slope of dating sims/otome games started with Harvest Moon. For those that don't know otome games are romance game targeted towards the ladies. You play as a main character (aka MC) that you don't see and make choices that affect the story's outcome. From Harvest Moon I fell further into the abyss by playing otome games on my computer. I also have a post talking about my anticipation for the next game. I first heard of Voltage through a tumblr I follow called English Otome Games; the first game I saw was In Your Arms Tonight. I thought the plot sounded amazing. I finally bought my first smartphone, played the prologue of In Your Arms Tonight, and hit rock bottom in Voltage's world haha I decided that should give their other titles a chance.

I will be playing all the prologues in order. I decided to play in order to see if there's any changes or advancements in their style, writing, characterizations, etc. I might play the first chapter of characters I like and/or newly released characters that are not in the prologue. This post will review the first five Voltage games. At the end of the reviews, I'll have one final post where I briefly analyze Voltage's games as a whole. Let's get started!

1. Pirates in Love

July 29, 2011

Some meanie pirates attack the bar that you work at and two pirates save you. You flee the bar and decide to hid in a barrel, but before you can get out it's loaded onto a ship. You hit your head and lose consciousness in the barrel. When you awake you are still in the barrel and aboard a ship. A pirate from the same crew as the two pirates that saved you before lets you out and then mayhem ensues. You learn that you have to share a room with one of the men. Luckily, you get to pick which one.

This prologue starts with a bang, and I like the pirate slang. Eduardo and Russell were SOOO not funny with joking about throwing me off the boat. I kinda liked Nathan even though he was rough with the MC when he picked her up.

The MC: I like her so far. She is smart and sarcastic which I like. Girl's got some spunk!

The Guys of Pirates in Love

• Russell: He's impulsive and isn't afraid to start a fight. He's also a little scatterbrained lol
• Eduardo: The smart ass, kinky one. He says a mean things about the MC. He also makes really dirty comments. I can't tell if he's a sadist or just a douche.
• Christopher: The really nice, gentle ship doctor. He's very caring and polite. He actually introduces you to everyone.
• Nathan: Super tsundere to the rescue. He doesn't smile at all; he picks the MC up and throws her over his shoulder. I think there is sweet side there because he immediately takes you to the doctor when he realizes you hit your head.
• Thomas: He's a little naive and super sweet.
• Morgan: The captain of the crew. He's super jovial and easygoing. 
• Alan: He isn't in the prologue : (
• Leonardo: He isn't in the prologue either.

Thoughts

Attractive: Eduardo, Morgan, Alan, Leonardo

Intriguing Character Description: Alan and Thomas

Routes I Want to Purchase: Eduardo, Nathan, Morgan

Guys I Didn't Care For: Russell

Note: Alan and Leonardo weren't in the prologue, so I couldn't get a sense of their character outside of the description.

Memorable lines

Really bruh? Nobody asked you how you felt. Since you're an option in this game, I know I have to be some kind of cute.

Some of them hooligans coulda fooled me!

Review of Footprints Recruiting

I finally have time to write a review about Footprints Recruiting. This company is one of the well known recruiting agencies for ESL jobs. My experiences with them were in 2012, but I figured I might as well right a review because it may aid others.

When I began my ESL journey in I remember one thing I continually read on message boards: be wary with recruiting companies, especially big ones. I'm glad I kept that advice in mine. I was accepted by Footprints in July 2012. They were very prompt with their responses in the beginning and setting up an interview with me.

The interview went fine, and I found out shortly after that I was accepted. I worked with a woman named Katrin for documentation, and then my application was forwarded to Luna for placement. I emailed her a few jobs that I was interested in. I had a few questions about the process which I emailed her. I never heard back from her on those questions. I even waited a week, but still no response. I tried calling as well, no one picked up anytime I called. So, I emailed another woman named Tamara. I got an out of office response, but she didn't even email when she came back from being out. 

At that point one of my good friends advised me to find a job on my own and go through another agency to have different options. So, I did both. I scoured the China job board on Dave's ESL Cafe and found the job that I would later take in Shandong Province. 

Tamara emailed me back a few days after I landed my new job with a separate email that didn't address my original email. I sent her an email basically stating that I wouldn't ever recommend anyone to work with them due to their extreme lack of communication. Luckily, I didn't rely on them and didn't allow them to waste my time. I would recommend going with another recruiter and looking for jobs on your own. And if you do decide to still go with them (or any recruiter for that matter) don't fully rely on them especially if you have a specific departure time in mind.