Tag: Nelliel Approved

Nintendo Switch 2 Review: Featuring Indie Game – “Europa”

Uncategorized

I bought a Nintendo Switch 2 a few months back – and to be pointed, I really enjoy the system. Warning: I am a Nintendo Freak – and by that, I mean, I do not play many other platforms. In my youth, I used to game pretty hard on PC, SEGA, & Nintendo platforms, but as I’ve grown into a woman, I only play Nintendo. I most recently got back into gaming, honestly, due to curiosity of how the games have evolved (not much) and I’d like to mention Lupe Fiasco, so due to this song.

A quick rundown of the Switch 2 – it does not vary enough from the initial release of the initial system, which I now call, the Switch 1. Honestly, I think that the gaming companies should only move their players to new systems when they have made significant changes. As this is primarily a handheld system, I’m also mildly upset that it is so big. I’ve adapted, but I do prefer the size of the Switch 1. Also, I’ve noticed that I might be a little too insular – I’m not taking advantage of the cool online gaming features. I do not have great Internet in my area (WTF Google, no fiber for the Southside of Atlanta, almost 16 years in now), so I’m not doing much online gaming. I do research, however. I’ve spent the last month playing Pokopia and I’m exhausted. Pokopia is amazing, but I doubt that I will be able to take advantage of how cool the game is without a Nintendo Online Membership and some online gameplay to visit the cool isles in the imaginations of others. I’ll do a more in depth review of Pokopia another time – right now, I want to write about a lesser known game, Europa. This game, now sold in the online Nintendo store, was developed, at least in part by NovaDust Entertainment.

Someone mentioned this game on Threads (@prabhjotlamba via Gaming Threads) and I immediately wanted to experience it for myself. After a few days of contemplation, I decided to download it. It is immediately breathtaking visually, with its Ghibli inspired styling – I do not believe there are very many games which look like this on the market. Not only that, it currently has a 15.00 price tag. Whoa! I immediately enjoyed Europa upon first gameplay, however, I do not believe that the game is complete.

I was engrossed in the world of Europa, but I lost interest quickly. The visuals bleed into each other too much, the camera angels are odd at times when gliding and landing, and maneuvering through some of the needed movements for the character can be difficult on the Switch 2 controllers when using handheld play. I also had a lot of confusion after entering into the main part of the game – how do I make progress from the ruined temples? I believe that the free roam doesn’t give enough guidance to move beyond this point. I also think that the soft focus is very difficult to play with.

The game itself is very cute. Lovely, even. I can see the differences between the main development teams at Nintendo, or whomever they may outsource to, and the team behind Europa. I do believe that it is still worth playing, but with realistic expectations.

Midweek Update

Uncategorized

  • Pokemon Pokopia is the ish. NOT better than Legends Arceus, but very interesting and cool. I really like the Switch2, however, I still believe that they should have held off on release. Starting to feel like I can’t wait for Wind + Waves. I’m so thankful for my guide – so helpful with understanding what is going on in the game. I did purchase ZA and my Totodile did become a Pharrelagator (Feraligatr), but I chose not to continue to play, at least right now. I’m not big into battles and after a year of playing the Arcues game, I just had to call it. I needed a BIG BREAK from that format.
  • I permed hair for the first time on Monday. UGH. It is so pretty! I will definitely have to do another round, but I do think that this is the right path to get the kind of curls I was hoping for.
  • Baked Chicken DOES NOT TRUMP OVEN FRIED CHICKEN. DOES NOT.
  • Sauteed Arugala is the move, but not so much the move that I won’t still eat it raw.
  • Change is hard.
  • I started the Data Science program again and I do not feel as though I am soaking very much in, but I definitely know more now than I did before.

Til Next Time.

We will chat soon.

xo.

TikTok RoundUp

Entertainment, NELLIEL Approved, Spanish, Threads, Youtubers

Recently, I’ve really enjoyed tagging some of my favorite artists on TikTok, hoping that I can participate in their creative process as well. I am not sure that any of my comments have gotten to them, however, I have been doing that for a while and I hope that they enjoy it and know that I think about them frequently. They have added so much joy and thought to my life. I aspire to be like them in some ways.

As I peruse the app for creative inspo, I have found some very entertaining things. I want to share them here, though I cannot say that they will still be active by the time you all find them. Especially this first Creator. I don’t think that many of my readers know this but I have attained fluency in Spanish though I am continuing to strengthen my skills. This Creator is sharing how to speak dirty in Spanish, and he sure is GOOD AT IT.

  • @elniggatino – Wanna learn how to curse or speak more explicitly in Spanish, this is the way to go. He is a cutie and of age! He even has a real explicit Spanish course available for purchase. Just 10 bucks!
  • @Blackbean_cms – What a talented artist. Not only are his paintings amazing but his videos are sooo good! He makes me laugh a lot. In one of his latest vids, he shared how to make paint from clay. Pretty cool if you ask me.
  • @novianwright_ – I really like this guy’s music. It is so vibey. He is BOSTON based and I was trying to share his work with people that I really admire, I’m not sure if it went anywhere. My heart belongs to them, Novian. You Know Who? I really like Sabotage and the feature below, ‘i wonder’.

Nelliel Approved – “Best of”, Awards

Uncategorized

A lot of life occurred in 2025, so much that I cannot blog about it all. I’ve considered vlogging some things, but I think that writing on my blog is truly the best medium for me right now.

I personally support each and every one of these recommendations. I have first hand experience with them. All things mentioned in this post have helped to make this year really great in some way and I want to share the experience with you. I hope that you take some time to either visit, purchase, or listen. Let me know if you feel similarly, have different opinions, or suggestions of your own. I’ve made this post specific to Atlanta as I am Atlanta based, however, most products or media can be found online, if there is something that must be done in person, please consider giving ATL a visit. 🙂

We’re full, but not so full these days.

Without further Ado.

Best of the year Nellielytu – ATLANTA 2025

Hair/Beauty/Skin

Most of my content has centered around this the entire time the website has been up, but I do have a products that I want to spotlight.

Lady Speed Stick Brazilian Mist Leave in Spray – I found this product at DOLLAR TREE of all places. I love the ingredient list, it works very well for my hair, it is super cheap (I go through a lot of this product as I use it as a daily refresh spray, so the price point is amazing. Pro tip: add aloe vera juice for additional moisture.) And the scent! It smells so much like Sol De Janiero (pistachio!) that it is hard to beat. The best, truly. A runner up would be Lola from Rio Rapunzel leave in. Also good but about 15x the price at my local Beauty Master.

Entertainment

Sinners. I know that everyone has been into SINNERS over the last year and I am no different. This movie was truly a treat – not too scary, fun, creative, well shot and acted. I love the use of imagination to create this work. I plan on seeing it again as they have brought it to IMAX for an additional showing. Woah!

Monster Rancher. What a blast from the past. I saw a post about this show mentioned on Threads (my newest social media obsession) and I knew that I had to watch it again. I have not been let down. UPN69 ahead of all the other stations with anime. Definitely worth a new watch.

Lupe Fiasco’s free concert in Boston. Lupe Fiasco and MIT hosted a concert in May with the Orchestra program and it was definitely worth flying in for. Anytime he posts about these types of events, try to check them out.

Interviews

I really love this man.

When I’m working, If I’m not listening to music, I’m listening to interviews/podcasts. I listened to this interview several times throughout the year and it is a good listen every time.

Food

Slim and Huskys. Best pizza on the planet this year! My love of the pizza that they serve is so great. The Rony, Roni, Rone is my go to. As I’m not a tomato eater, their pesto and Alfredo sauce is top tier. Add in that jalapeno cilantro dipping sauce and it is truly a treat.

Music

One Republic. Anything from them or from The Fray is on this list. Their music catalog got me through the workday on days where I’m doing a lot of data work.

Clothes

Rainbow Dresses. I love the simplicity of the standard rainbow dresses and you cannot beat the 10.00 price tag. The look good on everyone with a body con fit – just layer them with some thin heat tech and you are good to go for the winter. I’ve been trying this out during the late fall in ATL and it has served me well without having to pull out the chunky coats. I am just as sad as everyone else that the temps have been hovering around 35-45 degrees, but this combo has kept me well in the early mornings as I walk to work.

House Maintenance

Brookstone heating blanket – I have two of these and they are so helpful in the winter so I’m not running my heating bill through the roof. I have one for my bed and one for my couch.

Places to visit

ATL Botanical Garden – This is truly one of the best places to visit in Atlanta. I have been so many times over the last quarter – they have some of the best exhibits bar none (Alice in Wonderland) and the best winter light show in A.

Alibaba Vendors Review – Feather Crochet Hair feat Sexy Lady Hair & HoomyHair

Alibaba, ATL, Atlanta, Beauty, Cosmetics, Hair, NELLIEL Approved, Reviews, Uncategorized, Youtubers

A few years ago, feather crochet hair was alllllll the rage on my Instagram. As a visual person, I LOVE Instagram (and Pinterest), there is SO MUCH inspiration that can be found and studied on these two platforms. I have been trying new things with my hair and I found plenty of new ways of styling my curly hair via Instagram. As someone that does not go to the hairstylist anymore (they always want to cut someone’s hair off), I found that the crochet hair advertised was truly quite appealing. The price tag tho – 5 packs of crochet hair on QVR, or even Elfin, can run upwards of 300 dollars (check out Hotbraids, this hair is giving Curlsqueen quality in terms of fullness.) Plastic crochet hair can be purchased for less than 10! And the plastic crochet, when complete is pretty. I personally think that the straight hair crochet works much better than other styles of plastic hair. I’ve attached mostly straight plastic crochet below, however this YouTuber does have a lot of tutorials on curly crochet styles with plastic hair.

This one was done with human hair cut from their clip INS – I love that she upcycled. I do not like that plastic hair is polluting our land so badly, that is why using human hair is truly an advantage. And when it gets old, you can compost it.

India can some how keep her curly crochet braids nice for 6 weeks plus. Awesome.

The issue with the plastic hair is that it tangles sooo fast. I love curls and this type of plastic hair tangles the most. I had to stop purchasing plastic extension hair. Using it pushes strongly against my ethics. I prefer to recycle and reuse instead of tossing away. These two vendors, Sexy Lady Hair and HoomyHair have some of the most luscious curls available in human crochet.These vendors can make crochet out of any available hair type that they have for sale. All you have to do is ask – these two vendors are so friendly and responsive. I have more of an Indian curly texture naturally, so I bought these textures. DO NOT FORGET – the hair has been washed and set a certain way in the videos but when you style it at home, it will look different as they are set for sale.

Here is what the hair looks like. These pictures and videos convinced me to purchase – this tiktoker seems to sell similar hair.

@_chaneeezy

A lot of people have been asking me what shorter lengths look like in my Indian Curly so I decided to finally install 16, 18, 18 in the texture and so cute! #fyp @TheCurlySource

♬ original sound – Destinee’s Hair ?
@theharelifeofficial

Whewwww our Raw Indian curly doesn’t miss ??‍?? ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Ship out Spring Sale & get $80 OFF of our Raw Indian bundle deals at checkout *No Code Needed* Raw Indian Deep Curly shown 22,24,24,24 •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Don’t forget you can get your Hare NOW?, & Pay LATER ? w/Shop Pay or Sezzle at checkout ? ?Shop Exclusively | www.theharelifeofficial.com (link in bio) #rawhair #rawindianbundles #rawindiancurly #indiancurly #rawcurlyhair #rawindianhairvendor #indiantemplehair #bundledeals #flipoverquickweave #flipoverwig #rawindian #rawindianhairextensions #rawwigs

♬ Strike (Holster) – Lil Yachty

Check em out if you like what you see. I LOVE these two vendors, I got the hair within two days of completion. NELLIEL APPROVED!

Travel Tips – Nelliel Style

ATL, Atlanta, Entertainment, NELLIEL Approved, Travel, Uncategorized

Traveling as a woman on a budget can be so hard. Not only does it have a somewhat dangerous aire to it, but it can be so expensive. I really need to keep my money in check. Here are a few tips that keep me feeling happy and together whilst on the road to distant locations.

Emergen – C: I take my vitamins diligently, however, having some emergen -c on hand has saved me on many ‘o flight. Not only am I able to fend off migraines better (which are very common for me and love to get at me while at the airport) but also, all the nasty germs that can be encountered while traveling no longer stand a chance.

Sol de Janiero travel kit: I’m am a true Sol de Janiero lover! These kits keep me up lifted and smelling good while traveling without having to lug around my expensive smell goods. You can find these in store or at Ulta/Sephora/Amazon.com. The parent website has them, too.

Dollar Tree for other upkeep essentials: toothbrushes, toothpaste, body wipes (the lady speed stick is soo good) and snacks. They always have great knick knacks that aid with traveling (poopurri).

Other notes:

A lot of people like to travel with their expensive shizz, but I don’t. Take your cheaper items that you won’t be as angry if they are left behind. For example, an older set of headphones, a water bottle that costs a dollar, the older model console instead of the latest drop. Not only is this less eye catching to thieves, but I’m not as concerned about my goods as the latest is safely at home.

I keep my wardrobe minimal. Rewearing items, traveling with a well paired capsule, travel sized satchets of detergent, and a gain refresh spray are really great. Wearing basics really makes it very easy to pack light – in fact, I’m known to be someone that just has a book bag most of the time.

As I’m growing my hair, crochet styles are the best way to still look great without much effort. Who wants to spend hours in the mirror doing their hair when they can be out in the sun. Ygwigs has great crochet hair of all styles. I highly recommend.

Nelliel Nail Potion

Beauty, Cosmetics, Data Science, Hair, NELLIEL Approved, Recipes, Skincare

UPDATE – 5/12/26 The recipe has been removed but you can still read the blog post. If you’re interested, please place an order with me. ♥️

I’ve been on a “crunchy” beauty kick for most of my life. Face masks made from Avocados, lemons, and blueberries were an important part of my childhood. Honey and egg hair masks were always my thing.

As I’ve gotten older, I have purchased from many big name beauty brands but still have a heart for homemade products. The efficacy is questionable but I’m pretty sure that this combination works. Maybe not quite as well as I would like, but I think it is the start of something quite good. Nail health and skin health combine here: – instead of my nails being short and stubby, they now grow out to medium length without much breakage. Please note, eating healthy and being healthy is also very important when it comes to beauty maintenance. When I was younger, my nails were so thick and my playmates used to complain about me scratching them on the playground. How my nails transformed into such brittle little things, I don’t know. Give this recipe a try if you are having similar issues. This works well as a hair serum, too, with a few modifications.

Same thumb, after a week and a half/two weeks of growth – 11/25/25

My sweet kitty loves snuggles!

Gimmick or the real deal? Face Sculpting/Wrapping

Alibaba, Atlanta, Beauty, Cosmetics, Data Science, Enhancements, Entertainment, Etsy, NELLIEL Approved, Reviews, Shein, Uncategorized

I think it is real. I say this from personal experience and use. There are a number of ways to do face sculpting – face yoga, gua sha, lymphatic drainage, which generally includes fingers and oil, and one of my favorites, just because of the ease, face wrapping. I think that this trend started in Korea, but I am not really sure. There is evidence that this is mostly related to post-op care, and Korea is VERY big into plastic surgery, but I’m all for anything that makes taking care of myself (both internally and externally, easy).

Reusable face wraps went so viral when SKIMS released their version earlier this year, but I found mine at Marshalls many years ago. I’m gonna be honest, doesn’t seem like many doctors are in favor of these. I like the one I have, however, the wrap has loosened over the years from hasty application prior to bed. I think that when combined with eating healthy, working out, and lymphatic drainage, it has great benefit.

What do you all think? Trendy accessory or beneficial? I got mine for about 4 dollars – I think it is time for a new one as it has stretched out over the years. I don’t want to spend 50+ dollars on this type of item, so I’ll do more research before a splurge like this one. One thing that I really like about the Kardashians is that they do their best to make parts of their lifestyles more accessible to the public when it comes to the beauty arena. There are similar ones on Alibaba and Shein. I’ll probably give this one a try soon.

I’m going to give this a thumbs up as a Nelliel Approved beauty tool.

Friday Listen!

ATL, Atlanta, Google, Lupe Fiasco, NELLIEL Approved, Pharrell Williams

I’m sharing Lupe Fiasco’s latest work – Samurai. He now has a deluxe version – hard to find the work as a whole together so I am just linking to the original released in 2024.

Take a look at his insta to see what he has been up to. Loved the images and video captured of him running the 5k through Japan with the ASAP crew. Check it out here.