Reviews: Face Washes and Seikisho Soap

As part of my skincare routine, I wash my face with a foaming cleanser in the mornings. At night, I use oil cleanser (I'm using Fancl now) to remove makeup, then double-cleanse with a foaming cleanser. I don't need much from the foaming cleanser: As long as it rinses off clean, removes traces of the oil cleansers and doesn't strip my skin dry, I'll be happy. Despite buying many things recently while on holiday, I've ofcourse forgotten to buy foaming cleanser, one of the most basic beauty/skincare items. So, I've been using my stash of samples. Here's my review of some of them. Not pictured: Shiseido Revital Cleansing Foam II: I loved it. It had the ability to clean off the oils and grime of the day yet leave the skin supple and moist. Negative thing is it's expensive here in Singapore. (Silly me, I didn't research Japan's Shiseido Revital prices) If it were not so expensive, I might buy a full tube of it. Pictured (L-R): Shiseido The Skin Care Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam: Not too bad. Slightly more drying than Revital Cleansing Foam. Didn't feel that it helped the skin retain moisture. Just a rather standard, functional and usable cleansing foam. I personally wouldn't buy a full tube of this though. Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Gel: I didn't like this. Didn't foam at all and left an oily film on the skin. It felt like I didn't wash my face! Yuck. I didn't finish this sample. But hang on!! It's supposed to be a makeup remover! I only just found out. I'm sure the SA didn't tell me. :p I've been using it wrongly. :p :p Kanebo Blanchir Clay Wash Conditioner: It doesn't foam but it cleans well by removing the oils. It feels like it does deep cleanse the pores. Although it doesn't strip the skin taut and dry, it does feel a tad too drying, especially when used in the mornings. I'm undecided about whether I will buy a full size of this one. When I was in Japan in April, I saw that Blanchir is being replaced by Blanchir Superior. The Superior range doesn't have a Clay Wash, so it looks like the Clay Wash is also being phased out. I still have a couple more foaming facewash samples to try and I also have a cake of what I call "Silkworm Soap" (haha). But recently, I read about Kose's Seikisho Soap on Daily Beauty Buzz and I wanted to try it out, so I bought it yesterday. I used it and felt it was quite good! It doesn't dry out the skin, cleans well, and it's not too expensive (I looked at the price in yen and I think it's not too much more expensive here in Singapore). I don't really want to spend too much on something that washes away, if you know what I mean. The negative point is it's messy. As you can see from my picture, the soap case gets mucky and etc. That's the thing about soap, but I'm quite used to using bath soaps so it's ok for me. By the way, this good experience with Kose Seikisho Soap tempted me into thinking about Kose Sekkisei products again, even though Kose has a history of causing allergic reactions in me. I was quite keen on Sekkisei Supreme. Logically though, I should buy Revital when my Blanchir supplies finish. In my previous review post, I was saying I've been using my Revital EX Whitening II Moisturiser samples and it is a better moisturiser for me. I think it's because my skin is aging and it needs more "help", which Revital is able to provide. It makes my skin soft and "dewy" (well, in my eyes it does, haha). I did do some research among the whitening ranges for "older"/more mature skin: Kose Sekkisei Supreme, Kanebo Impress and Shiseido Revital. I found that Shiseido Revital seems to have the most "promises". Besides whitening, it is targetted for anti-aging and will "attack" sagging skin, wrinkles and dullness. I asked the Kose SAs and was told Sekkisei Supreme has some anti-aging properties but that is not it's selling point. Similarly for Kanebo Impress IC. However, I just dislike the Shiseido counter SAs so much!! It makes my blood boil sometimes, to just try to ask them about stuff. That's why I haven't bought a bottle of Revital Moisturiser yet. Anyway, I'm still sooooooo undecided. I want to look at Impress a little more (I need to go check it out at upcoming Kanebo discount "event") and I still am soooo tempted by Kose. Ugh. *Skincare addict!* © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Review: Revital Whitening Moisturiser EX II

As long-time readers of my blog already know, I've been using Kanebo's Blanchir skincare line and found it good because it brightened my skin, lightened freckles and spots, and did not irritate my skin. I thought I should stick to it because it's hard to find whitening/brightening skincare that is not irritating for my skin. Unfortunately, Blanchir isn't moisturising enough. As a substitute/backup I have been using my sample bottles of Revital and I think I will be switching over to it. It not only moisturises well but Shiseido's brightening/whitening lines also seem to brighten better (I've tried their White Lucent serum and it worked nicely for me too). I have to get to the Shiseido counter to ask about the different lines but I'm quite happy that the samples have worked well for me, without irritation. Would love to hear your experiences/views if you've tried either Revital or White Lucent. Particularly, I wonder if there's any difference in the formulations in Revital versus Revital Granas? Or is it just a matter of packaging? © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Blogging Habitat Tag

Stomp N' Chomp tagged me.

1. Once you are tagged, post a picture of where you blog.
2. Feel free to tell us a little about your space, or explain certain items in more detail. Or not.
3. Link back to Daddy Likey's original post
4. Tag five other bloggers to show their blogspots.
5. If you are tagged and do not participate, you will become allergic to cabbage

Well here's where I blog. On my bed. And that's my big-free-cos-I-won-a-prize-from-Sony-Bravia flat screen TV over there at the back. LOL. I leave it on alot. Gadget-land in my bedroom. I think these are the questions that are linked to the tag?

What are you wearing right now? PJs ^_^ What's the last thing you read/are currently reading? Man in the Dark, by Paul Auster Do you nap a lot? Nope. Who was the last person you hugged? My son. What's your current obsession/addiction? My constant "obsession" is cleaning & organising. They are neck-to-neck as my always-there-"obsessions". What's for dinner? I think it will rice with otah from Malaysia that the hubby brought back on Monday. What was the last thing you bought? Books & magazines (July issues of Mina & Ray, mainly for their freebies haha). What are you listening to right now? 오랜만이야 by 임창정. It's my current fav and I tend to listen to same song on repeat. Take a listen http://bit.ly/1386mn If you could have any super power, what would it be? I want Peter Petrelli's power, before he got hampered by the only-1-power-absorption limitation in the latest season of Heroes. What is your favorite weather, and why? Spring all year long. Cause it's cool but not freezing, the sunlight is clear, bright and cheerful, the flowers are blooming (thank God I can control the hayfever with meds) and it's not humid at all. What time do you usually get up? 530-540am on workdays. What is your most challenging goal right now? Making life changes and breaking negative cycles (so Oprah haha!) Say something to the person who tagged you: I just started reading Stomp N' Chomp's blog recently and I like it alot! I look forward to getting to know you more. If you could have a house- totally paid for, fully furnished- anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? Oh I can't just settle on one! I'd like one in Tokyo, another in Melbourne/Brisbane, another in San Francisco (all places I've visited and loved) and another in Europe. LOL. Favorite vacation spot? Most cities. I'm a city person. What is your favorite item of clothing? Dresses. No-brainer item that doesn't need mixing or matching. Favorite pair of shoes you keep going back to over and over, even though your closet is overflowing with a zillion others? My Clarks mary-janes in red. So comfy and I love the colour. Name one thing you cannot live without: Books/Computer. What time is bed time? Depends on my mood, usually late. If you could wake up anywhere tomorrow morning, where would it be? For the moment, I'd like to be in London and France. But I'm also wanting to be in Tibet. :p

I tag K, Izumi, Blair, -Yu-, and Mag. :D © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Of Creams and More Creams

Who loves BB Creams? I do. Here's my current stash of BB Creams. They are all different colours but either they blend in well or I don't seem to care anymore about matching my face tone to my neck. (Well, actually that's not true, I don't use Legere anymore because it looks too dark on me.) Looking at this, it feels to me I didn't buy enough Hanskin!! I seem to recall I bought more than just these 4 from Hanskin. I read that BB Creams made some people break out or it clogged their pores. I haven't experienced that at all. In fact, BB Cream is the best base ever! LOL. When I use BB Cream, my skin behaves nice and balanced, compared to when I don't use BB Cream. So I'm a full believer in BB Cream's benefits. Though to be honest, I haven't tried many brands. I've only used Legere (in the past), Hanskin and Banila Co. (now). I've not tried the Skin Food Mushroom BB cream yet, but I liked it alot when I tried it at the shop. I've tried a sample of The Face Shop's BB cream but I didn't like it. I think that's about all I've tried. I should continue to show you some other random stuff I discovered on my trip. Today I show you some hand creams. I'm nuts about them. Can never get enough and always game to try more. And anything that says "rich" or "butter" will attract my attention. My hands always feel dry, not just the backs but also the palms, so I go through handcreams very quickly. L-R: Hanskin: This comes highly-recommended by Yumeko. Etude House: This has "Steam Milk" written on it. I wonder if it's something like "Steam Cream". Hanskin: Wait, this isn't a handcream! LOL but it's a blemish cover. I found it rather good for my undereye dark circles actually. Innisfree: Love the smell of this one! Found this one while browsing at the Narita airport. Mayugomori hand cream with sericin, an ingredient extracted from silkworm cocoons! It sounded quite scary to me, but when I used the cream it felt so good, so I just bought it anyway. I bought the face soap too. :D Another random item. This DHC stuff RAWKS. I flew into Tokyo bare-faced. Though I moisturised thoroughly, I still came out of the plane with red blotches and dry skin flaking all over my face! *EEK* I washed my face at the airport and took out the 2 samples that Yumeko gave me: splashed on the lotion then applied the cream. OMG, my face went back to soothed and normal! I'm saving these 2 for when my skin acts hyper sensitive! (Yumeko gave me lotsa stuff!! But I never got round to posting the stuff she gave me! I don't think I can anymore cos I used up alot of the stuff but thank you so much Yumeko!!) © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Bath and Body Products

My Paul & Joe pressed powder has hit the pan! The beginning of the End! So soon??!!! I'm shocked. I bought it not too long ago. Ok, it doesn't rhyme totally, but I think it makes a good modern poem. :p (Kinda.) The Body Shop has started on the Great Singapore Sale (yearly tourism gimmick?) with a preview sale. A sale before a sale? How weird can things get, here in Singapore? My whipped soaps from Etsy are all gone, and I need to restock on bath products, so I was eyeing some more bath and body products last weekend at The Body Shop. I'm glad I resisted buying them then, because with this pre-sale sale, I managed to get more for my money. In total I spent about S$130, whereas, on a non-sale day, to get all that I got, I'd have spent about twice that amount? Here's the haul. I just used the Papaya scrub. It's goooood. And some member gifts for nett purchases above S$100. (Supposed to be worth S$60+. For real? I don't know.) The SA was so funny. She said, "The bag is nice and big, but the best thing is, there's no Body Shop logo!" LOL. I recently bought some instant coffee from Marks & Spencer (also on sale ... there's sales everywhere!) I just drank a cup today. I haven't decided if I like how it tastes. Very interesting though, that they also included a sachet of chocolate topping. I bought Cappucino (pictured) and Mocha (not pictured). © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Masks, Masks, Masks.

I tried to do a spending freeze on non-essentials till June, but I got bored and went to the shops yesterday. Broke my spending freeze by buying masks, shoes & handbags.

I got a 20% discount, so bought some masks from The Body Shop. Too bad I missed the warehouse sale. I like paper masks for convenience but like to use wash off masks too, especially those that exfoliate/deep cleanse or smell great. I think I'm really easy to please? I tried and like the Blue Corn 3-in-1 scrub mask alot.

How to use it: Remove your makeup, (I also washed my face with my face wash but the SA said it's optional), dry it, then put on the mask. Let it dry sufficiently, then wet it and scrub your face.

It's refreshing (minty) and the scrub granules are not rough. I found it abit drying, so I'm keeping it for PMS periods when my T-zone produces abit more oil. I don't advise using this more than once a week. It feels like it did clear out the gunk in my pores. I've not tried the other 2 masks yet, but the SA said they're good for dry skin. I'll let you know how I feel about them after I've used them. I'm sure I'll like the Honey one too, cause it smells so good. The Aloe one is supposed to replenish moisture and enhance the sensitive skin's resilience. Since I'm on the topic of masks, I'll share more hauls I got when I was in Korea and Japan: When I was in Korea, Bittenbefore gave me a Caviar mask from Skin Food to try. I found it really made my skin moist and supple, when my skin was quite dry and stressed from all the flying and the weather. So when I hit the shops, I bought a few more and some others. A sample of what I got. These are the whitening ones which I bought. I haven't tried the Skin Food, which are patches for the cheek area. The Fancl and Blanchir are mild, but brighten the skin tone. An aside, I scrapbook for my hobby and haul stuff for scrapbooking too and lately, I've found myself having too much scrapbooking stuff. A friend suggested that I pack my extras into kits for ebay sale, and I tried packing last night.

Does this look interesting enough to you, have enough stuff to make you interested in buying? The large circle with words are raw chipboard that you can decorate and the oblong item below the photo are stamps.

The photography is lacking, I admit that. I need to find new angles, better arrangement and better light for photographing the items. I seem to think I need to add more stuff. I also don't know how to price them. And I need to figure out the text for the ebay sale. :p

It's bothersome, isn't it? It seems like too much work, LOL, I'm on the verge of calling it quits before I've even properly started. :p © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Review: Fancl Sun Guard 30

This is the sunblock I use for my face, Fancl Sun Guard 30. I only just realised it's different from the standard one from Fancl. It's a "Crystal Pearl" version. Initially I thought it was simply a different packaging. Because it's a very small bottle I only used it for my face, but it can also be used for the body. I went digging in my cupboard and realised to my dismay, that I only bought ONE bottle of this! It came with the special whitening/suncare set I bought in Japan. As noted in my previous post, it's a good sunblock. My face remained fair after going into the sun, even though I didn't reapply the sunblock. The same cannot be said for sunblock I used for my arms. My arms became darker during the short walk to the bus stop or car, even though the sunblocks were PA+++ or UVA+UVB protected. The body sunblock had to be reapplied every 2-3 hours to work (I tried it the past couple of days, it worked to prevent my arms from darkening) so it's very troublesome. Now I am feeling even worse, because I realised I also forgot to buy DHC's sunblock! I hope that the 2 small tubes of Orbis sunblock I bought are good. Otherwise, I'm going to be very sad. © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Award and Friendly Bloggers

Adin very kindly gave me this award! Thank you so much! Terms & Conditions For the Award Recipient: 1. Paste the Award Logo in your blog 2. Give out the award to 10 Blogs that you feels the most inspired and most friendly. 3. Make sure u back linked the recipients' blogs to your blog. 4. Inform the recipients about the award by leaving them comments on their blog 5. Give some love to the person who give you this award. Can I be fair and nominate all my blog followers? So far, I've all the beauty bloggers I've encountered have been very friendly and inspiring, I can't bear to leave anyone out. :D Take for example many commented in my previous post, leaving good advice and helpful tips. In particular, there was Cacaopack who left a very detailed and informative comment for me on sunscreens. I hope Cacaopack doesn't mind if I reproduce it here for everyone's benefit. Thank you, Cacaopack! Now I know why my face remain fair without needing reapplication of sunscreen. I use Fancl Sunguard for my face. It is one of the stable sunscreens you recommended! I guess now, I should use it on my body too, so that my arms will remain fair and I don't need to reapply every 2-3 hours. :D

"Hi there, may I share with you a little bit more on sunscreen? :)

Get one that is stable, meaning the protection is good for at least 8 hours thus no need to reapply. Recommended stable sunscreen in this aspect is Avene Very High Protection series, they have 3 version cater to different skin type: cream , emulsion and lotion spray.

Another good ones are Heliocare Gel and Fancl Sunguard. Many sunscreen brands out there are not stable, meaning the ingredients do not interact well with each other thus causing unstability and protection loses its effect in 3 hours or so. this is usually why some people find themselves getting darker and having spots although they do slather sunscreen. And yes for unstable sunscreen you would need to reapply every 3-4 hours to prevent it produce free radical which is even more harmful to skin. so to save the hassle, just grab a stable sunscreen :)

Check the ingredients stated, AVOID avobenzone also known as butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, at all costs. Minimum SPF 30PA+++, for Japanese/Korean formulation. PPD15 and above, for European formulation. Broad Spectrum Protection, the wording printed on the bottle/tube. Hypo-Allergenique – Non Comedogene, the wording printed on the bottle/tube.

*pai-say* for the long post, just wanna share with what i learnt, if only i know earlier, i have the brown spots... :(

Oh ya, for swimming is definitely another story, confirm need to reapply, frequency depends on the sunscreen used whether is water-resistent or water-proof.

Cheers,

From Cacaopack"

Thank you so much, Cacaopack! © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Of A Small Cake, Nails and Whitening

This is a cake I ate on Mothers' Day for lunch. It's quite tasty but why do I get the feeling that it's something that I might be able to buy at the supermarket? I got a box of nail blingbling that was packed together with one of the makeup items (I forget which) that I bought from Matsumoto Kiyoshi. I used it together with an Etude House nail polish and nail sticker I bought in Seoul to create this look. One thing I'll never get used to is long nails though, so I'll have to be content with painted nails that are short. (Darned those 10 years of Christian school upbringing!) I think it's quite simple (and amateurish keke), but I actually had fun doing it! I used to think it's troublesome to add bling bling or even to paint my nails, but lately I've changed my mind. I'm fighting a losing battle with evening out my skin tone. My arms keep getting dark, when I go out into the sun, even if it's just a short walk to lunch or the bus-stop. I 've been using these sunscreen/sunblock and body whitening lotions, but I still can't get my arms as fair as my neck or my face. So weird. These are what I use for the body. So far, the best body whitening lotion is Fancl's. I bought Orbis' but haven't tried it yet. The other 2 lotions from Nivea and White Rose don't work. I don't see any whitening effects at all when I use them. I also suspect my sunscreens/sunblock don't work? Even if I slather them on before I go out, eg. before lunch, I still get dark arms ... :( I've been using the Biore on my arms because I'm now using the other sunscreen/sunblock from Fancl for the face. Edit: just after I read K's comment, I see this on my Google Reader. Good tips on sun-protection. K, you're right, I should be reapplying more often! Every 2-3 hours? Gosh! © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Random Hairband Haul & Mag Scans

I bought a bunch of cheap hairbands at Diva today. My hair is irritating me! I'd love to cut a short pixie type hairstyle but hairdressers always tell me my face is too broad for that style. I picked up these 2 free mags at Gloria Jean's while buying coffee (where you can buy a regular latte for S$2.50 from 9am-1pm). Interesting, isn't it? There's a local Korean-English Lifestyle magazine! Korean wave must be really big in Singapore for such a magazine to exist? And I want to know where can I get this ice cream? I want to eat it! Cos it's strawberry and it's got a funny face and looks like a pile of poo. LOL! Is it a real ice cream? I wonder. There's a DIY feature in the mag for reworking your old tee into a bag. Apologies, blurry pics taken during free-bored time with my handphone. Not the best hp camera! Need to buy a new phone. © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Current Beauty Reading & Seoul Shopping Experience

Currently I'm reading this fashion book called The Little Black Book of Style. I like Nina Garcia's style alot, especially her always windswept hair (secretly I'm happy that not everyone has stick straight hair, because I don't). For those who might not be familiar with her, she's one of the judges on Project Runway.

It doesn't contain alot of new information, because it basically repeats alot of standard advice such as style is more important than trends and spending on good quality basics like shoes, handbags and a good coat etc. But there are beautiful illustrations and Nina Garcia's witty tone of voice that makes for good entertainment.

On a separate note, a well-meaning anonymous person left some advice in my comment box that I thought was misleading. I gave myself a day to think if I should just let it go, but decided I should try to address it, so that other travellers can avoid benefit from my experience. Anoymous commented that it's embarrassing to bargain in Korea at the department stores and advised, "u totally cant do . its rare to discount in migliore...... iono alotta krn ppl were saying "wow....that should be embarrasing." dont discount too much next time in those stores". You can read the full comment here.

I don't know if Anonymous is a Korean or just a well-meaning person who read some information and wanted to share. However, from my personal experience as a tourist in Seoul, I'd still advise travellers to Seoul to ask for a discount at Migliore, even at the Myeong Dong branch. I think that Migliore is not at all like Lotte. I wouldn't and didn't ask for discounts at Lotte department stores because merchandise had tags and they were like normal department stores I'm used to, like Isetan or Takashimaya.

Migliore on the other hand, consisted of small stores and had the air of something like Chinatown (for those in Singapore, it's something like Chinatown "department" stores in People's Park Plaza etc). There were also no tags on merchandise, and I had the feeling that once the store owners knew I wasn't a Korean, they jacked up the asking price. So, I had no fear asking for a discount. In fact, I had the feeling that the discount they gave me ended with me paying more than a Korean anyway.

So, I just wanted to share this tip and experience with other foreigners going to Seoul: Go with your gut instinct. I wouldn't say that Anonymous is completely wrong but I think that as a tourist in Seoul, just keep your wits about you. Seoul isn't like Tokyo, it's abit more rough and tumble. That's just how I feel from my personal experience. Most importantly, have a good time and don't fear embarrassment! There is no harm asking whether you can be given a discount. I did, and no one ever gave me any scolding or dirty looks. I just avoided haggling too much or being rude, after all I'm on holiday and just want to enjoy myself.

Hope this helps, and have a good week ahead!

© Copyright. All rights reserved.

Friendship Award!

Sweet Fuz nominated me for this award, thanks, girl! The rules are: 1. Take your award here 2. Put the logo on your post 3. Link the person who awarded you 4. Nominate at least 7 other bloggers 5. Add the links of those bloggers on yours 6. Leave a message for your nominees I'd like to nominate MiuMiu, -Yu-, Val Chante, Beauty Snap, Ning, Pinky, Yumeko, Jamilla, Miracle, Dreamer. If I weren't rushing out the door to get to a Muji sale, I'd list more peeps! My message to everyone, including Fuz, is: Thank you all for your regular comments, for your interesting blogs that I read daily on my google reader, and for making beauty blogging so much fun! :D © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Review: Orbis Pore Zone Control Essence

Jamilla just reviewed Kevin Maker Trans Pore Smoother and it reminded me of something that I bought recently and should review. It's Orbis' Pore Zone Control Essence. Like Jamilla, I have large pores on my nose. Bittenbefore recommended this product to me for addressing problems with my pores and I find that it is great! I liked it so much, I bought a second tube in Seoul, where there was a 20% or 30% (I can't recall) discount on Orbis products (*grin* Thanks to Miu Miu for alerting me to it!). It works differently from Kevin Maker Trans Pore Smoother. If I understand it correctly, Trans Pore Smoother fills up the pores in order to give a smooth look. On the other hand, the SA in Seoul explained to me (she spoke Chinese! how cool is that?) that Pore Zone Control Essence works by giving the skin 弹性 (resilience/elasticity/spring) so that the pores close up. It really works for me. I find that my nose looks and feels smoother and the effect lasts through the day. It is a whitish cream that absorbs into the skin without a trace, and like all Orbis products, is oil-free. The great thing is that, unlike most pore products, it doesn't dry out the skin. I experienced no irritation at all. I highly recommend this! Wish I could get Orbis products in Singapore! © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Hanskin Love

Hi guys! I don't have photos of my haul for you today, because I'm darned lazy about gathering all the Hanskin stuff I got from Seoul! But I wanted to give you a report on how much I loved their stuff, so I found the Hanskin website and will be linking to it. :D First off, I tried a Glossy BB Cream sample from Hanskin that Bittenbefore gave me, and I was completely sold! So once I got to Seoul, I bought one each of almost all the Hanskin BB cream. I got the Super Magic, Premium, Caviar Gold Glossy, Control, etc. I forget what else. I think the ones I didn't get were the Night and the Basic BB Cream. There was a set with a powder and concealor too that I bought (got tne same set for Pinky too). LOL. Very value for money, that set. :D (I don't see it on the website though). Here's the link to all of Hanskin BB Creams. I like their BB Cream because it really forms a protective layer for the skin and the colour is not too dark for me. I've told some of you before, I'm first a skincare person then a makeup person. Meaning, I believe in skincare first, as good skin is the foundation for beautiful appearance. ^__^;; So, BB cream which combines skincare benefits and makeup is kind of an obsession of mine. I thank God for the invention of BB Cream. It is because of BB Cream that I started to take a second look into makeup! One of the other things I got was their shampoo. Excellent stuff! I got a huge set consisting of 3 shampoos and 2 hair mask packs. It makes my hair less oily, more fluffy, the scalp less irritated, the hair more obedient, etc. Good price too! *gleeful* (But it was sooooo heavy, even though I didn't bring home the box!!) I also got a 2 each of this most excellent thing called Blemish Patch. I got for the chin (which always breaks out during PMS) and the dots one (for individual pimples, that for me, also appear on the chin during PMS). I am regretful that I didn't purchase more! These stuff are great because my skin is sensitive and tends to get overdry and painful when I use conventional pimple creams or gels. These patches form Hanskin do a great job of shrinking the pimples but not harming the skin! Besides that I got their handcream, after trying some from Bittenbefore. Good stuff. And goodness knows what else I bought, I can't recall, as I'm typing from my office computer. :p And my goodness Hanskin SA were very generous, they also gifted me with a fullsize body wash, fullsize cleanser, and sampels etc. Probably because I bought so much from them? LOL. If you look at their website, they have a tonne of other things, including skincare and vitamins. I wish I could have brought home the entire shop. Hahaha. Maybe next trip. :D They have an outlet shop!?? © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Contest and Swatches: 2 BB Creams and DHC Primer

Beauty for a Living is hosting a give-away and I was really excited to see the very generous prizes! I had to join in for fun and also blog about it to promote her site. :D I bought alot of bases and BB creams recently, particularly from my trip, so I wanted to show you some of them as I go along. Oh and Korea Tourism Board should sponsor my next trip to Korea! Seems like I'm helping them promote shopping in Korea and many people are keen to go there now! LOL.

Since, I received many samples during my trip, I used them first (not sure why I'm doing that though, cause I think I should be giving them away or saving them for travel purposes). So far I've used them according to my mood. And I've used them several times. Each sample sachet seems to provide me alot of cream! I can use them for multiple times. I was telling Pinky that I've bought too much stuff and need to stop buying already or else I think I can't finish using them all! Now that I've seen how little BB cream I actually need each day, I think I have purchased enough BB cream to last me for a year or two at least! Not to mention the other stuff that I still have yet to use! LOL. But I'm still lemming for alot of stuff, eg. more Mac Dazzleglass, Chanel Glossimer, I regret not picking up the Hello Kitty powder with the blingbling case, etc. But I think I need to be virtuous and restrain myself from more spending!

OK, on to the swatches. I'm just showing you 3 today, that I've used this week. Although I'm showing you a photo of sample sachets for the BB Cream, I actually did buy a tube of each BB Cream. The DHC Primer is the full bottle size (it's rather small). Hanskin Caviar Gold BB Cream is numbered 1 in the swatch. Banila Co. Let Me Bebe (Nude), numbered 2 DHC Q10 Rose Beauty (beige), numbered 3 (a sort of primer) I squeezed out a bit too much, hence the thickness in the 2nd pic, but it helps you see how the colours look. The consistency of both BB Creams are quite thick and can be hard to blend, but I overcome that by moisturising well. Coverage is excellent. It also looks like they aren't good matches for my skin tone, but somehow, it doesn't seem obvious when I wear it on my face. Maybe it's because I don't use a thick layer. I did realise it was good to fly with BB cream instead of bare skin. The BB cream seem to protect the facial skin from the dry air in the airplane.

Consistency of the DHC Primer is runny. It's the best match for my skin tone. I just noticed that even though it's called beige, it has a more pinkish tone. It's moisturising and provides a shimmery finish for me, but not very obvious. I foresee it's possible for me to use just this base and a powder for a lightweight finish. Fuz reviewed this and she didn't like the one she bought in pink. For me, this one in beige actually does provide a light dewy coverage. Maybe my face is slightly drier than hers so this primer doesn't feel too oily for me. © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Accessories from Seoul

I love these accessories I bought in Seoul. They are what you can call FREAKING CHEAP! They are of varying prices but range from S$3 to S$6 each. The quality actually looks quite good for something so cheap. LOL! I like their unique designs. Singapore has nice accessories but there's a tendency for designs to look similar. It's like all the buyers in Singapore are friends who have similar tastes and went shopping together in the same places. Though, by my limited experience in Seoul, I realise that what is so-called "freaking cheap" to me, could actually really be even cheaper. For example, I purchased a top in Migilore, Myeong Dong by bargaining it down to what I thought was a good price. Then about half-an-hour later, walked over to a free-standing store in Myeong Dong and found the same top at an even cheaper price! I almost bought the same top in another colour, but the store is cash-only, so I just bought something else instead (I didn't bring enough cash! <<< *dumbo* Haha!) I would have bought more accessories if I brought more cash. I also would have bought all the yummy cheap earrings (they have tonnes!!!) if only I didn't have bad allergic reactions to costume jewellery (my ears and cheeks itch, turn red and swell into huge lumps with some metals if I'm not careful). © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Random Haul Stuff and Junk in My Bag

I was rushing to work this morning and I didn't have time to finish doing my make-up at home so I brought the needed items in my bag. I'm always told I don't look like I put on any makeup - I guess I really just go for the simple and "natural look". However, I was amazed at the amount of stuff I brought to work, in order to complete my supposedly simple make-up! I unceremoniously dumped out my makeup pouch and took a photo of the contents. Here's the list (the rest are regular items I bring along in my bag): 2 eyeliners 1 mascara 1 pot of eye colour (I bought Aube!) 2 powders 1 blush 1 eyebrow pencil 3 lipsticks (I couldn't decide which colour to use) 1 gloss OMG, I have so much junk and crap!! I carry so much in my bag, including cards, notebooks, umbrella, books to read (now reading Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro) ... I lost my train card today! Boohoo. I can't find it at all. :( (EDIT: Ah it fell in the husband's car when I got off this morning! Woot! He brought it home for me. :D) I'm also such a shopping queen. Yesterday, while walking to a coffee joint to get my afternoon coffee, I spotted a "SALE" and bought these at S$3 each. Cute huh? I don't know which bags put them on though. The pin, I'm going to put on a jacket I bought recently. :D And here's a pic of some items I got from Banila Co. in Seoul. I like their packaging. I'm a sucker for packaging. I actually bought their lipstick trio set because I liked how it was all packaged together! LOL. *SUCKER!* Turns out their lip colours are really sweet and I like them! Yeah me! I also fell for their Luminisers and bought 2 of them (I think 1 is from their new range), plus 1 of their new BB Creams. 1 Luminiser has a pinkish tint and the other is pearly. I tried it at the store and figured they'll be good for use on areas where I want to highlight, eg. cheek bones etc. and give a glow. I got Orbis' powder in Tokyo - it's the pink shiny case. Pretty right? Love the casing. (Thanks to Bittenbefore for helping me choose). It's supposed to be specially formulated for heat and humidity? I find it too dry and cakey for me though. It's like, a few minutes after I apply it, I find it settles into my lines and pores ... :( I still like it. Why? Because I find it is good for moping up the sticky hot feeling I get when I come indoors from the heat. :P The purple stick at the bottom of the photo? It's a cuticle stick filled with natural oils and etc from Innisfree. It's working well on my dry cuticles. Very nifty product! These are the nail polishes I bought in Seoul. :D There was someone next to me singing like a bird, telling me, "What the hay, they're cheeap cheeap cheeap", when I was choosing it. Hahaaha. :D Met up with Bittenbefore, Haru, Pinky and Mag today! I couldn't stay for long. Hope to see them again. They're really cool ladies. :D © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Review: Cure Natural Aqua Gel

Here's a review of Cure. I used it on Sunday and so far, after 2 days, my skin has been good, no eczema or contact dermatitis, which means it hasn't reacted to the ingredients in the product! Thumbs up! I did get some small pimples. I think it's both a combination of readjusting to the local heat and humidity, plus the underlying dirt/clogged pores "purging" when I exfoliated. After a couple of days, the pimples are gone. Cure is an exfoliant, if I understand it correctly, that does not contain harsh chemicals, so it is good for even sensitive skins. My friend just passed it to me without much introduction to the product, and I actually didn't pay attention to it before, so I had to google it. I found the website http://www.japalang.sg/cure/About_Cure.html, where you can read more about it. The instructions state to use it on dry, just-cleaned skin. When the gel is applied, you are instructed to gently massage it on the skin. Slowly, white particles, which I assume are the dead skin, gets sloughed off. Then you rinse off. I did an experiment, to see if Cure produces the white particles. After exfoliating, I used it again on my chin, but no white particles were formed! So, I believe it is really the product exfoliating the skin, and it doesn't exfoliate any further than is needed to remove the unwanted dead skin. My skin was not dried out after use and there were no stinging sensations, unlike other chemical "peeling" lotions which I've used before, like those from Shills and Face Shop. So I feel this is a better product than those which use harsh chemicals. Also, my skin felt soft, rough patches were gone and was squeaky clean after I rinse off the product. It doesn't leave an oily residue. Overall, I feel this is a good product. And I might buy more for myself when I'm finished with this generous huge full-sized bottle, if I'm not distracted by other new products to try.

© Copyright. All rights reserved.

Seoul Pow Wow & Other Random Stuff

You know sometimes, people make rude comments and you wonder why they say such hurtful things? Especially when you take care not to hurt their feelings or say anything rude to them, even though they live a lifestyle or pursue an activity that is different from yours? I came to the conclusion that these people are so rude, because I'm really NOTHING to them actually! They really don't think they need to care, spare a thought for my feelings or take time to understand me at all. And so, you know what? If I'm nothing to them, they are also nothing to me. I've learnt recently that besides letting these remarks go, sometimes, I should just also give it back as good as I get them. Recently, I received some rude comments from some people about my hobbies, just like those random remarks from people who say I am "aunty". I know now after much self-examination and assurances from friends, that I am not what they say I am. And even if they are right, these people and remarks do not deserve my attention or concern and I don't have to care! I'm just glad that despite these people I still have good friends who do care and make an effort to understand my point of view, and that is what is most important. And I will only listen to these friends when they say something out of concern for me. Well, moving on to nicer topics. On one of the days when I was in Seoul, I met up with sweet MiuMiu and beautiful Beauty Addict. It was a lovely day out, even though it was raining, because it was really nice chatting with them. They brought me to the Makeup Forever counter in Lotte department store. Even though the store is right opposite my hotel, I didn't find the counter! LOL. Thanks to them, I got to try the Makeup Forever eyeliner, which I used that night and then went back to buy more the next day. It's now my go-to eyeliner for tight-lining. Very smooth, very rich, intense and doesn't smudge on me at all. This is my loot! One thing: No wonder the SA kept asking me if I needed a sharpener. My sharpeners don't work well with the pencils at all! Miumiu and Beauty Addict also showed me where Kosney was. I walked past it several times but didn't realise it was there, because I saw the big Zara sign and thought it was only Zara there. I bought a bunch of stuff from Kosney like journals and stickers. I love Alice stuff so much it's not funny. I had been eyeing those journals on Gmarket and I'm glad I got them finally! And stickers which I'm going to use for journaling and scrapbooking. I don't know and don't care if they are not acid-free, haha they are lovely and cheap! MiuMiu also brought us some gifts. Thank you so much!! I can't wait to try those masks out! In my hurry to leave the hotel, I forgot to bring my gifts for them! So sorry! These were the food we ate that day. Yummsss. I tried looking for that mandoo-noodle shop again, but I couldn't find it. I wanted to eat those cold noodles and wanted to try some mandoo too. Maybe next time when I return to Seoul for another visit. Beware of their kimchee though, they are lovely but very very spicy! Which means something because I can eat very spicy things. Some random hotel talk. I love the views from my hotels during my trip. This is the view from my second stay in Tokyo at Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku. It started to get sunnier and warmer in the last few days of my trip in Tokyo. I was given the top floor on both of my stays in Tokyo, and the rooms were very clean, well-lit and rather spacious for Japanese business hotel rooms. The non-smoking rooms really had no smoke smells at all and the hotel is directly opposite Takashimaya Square, so I highly recommend it to anyone. It's very close to Shinjuku station, several other subway lines and there's a combini nearby too, to pick up your bottled water and other combini stuff you might need. The hotel also provides coffee at the business centre, free printing, free internet both in the room and at the business centre. :D That are all real plus points for me. In Seoul, I stayed at Hotel Ibis Myeong Dong. It's directly opposite Lotte department stores. Also, I just walk out and turn left, it's Myeong Dong already! Right outside the hotel are the subway lines 1 & 2. So it's a really convenient hotel. It has free internet in the rooms and free internet at the business centre but I was kind of pissed I had to pay for paper to print my boarding pass after doing internet check-in for my plane tickets. I'd go back there to stay next time too, though it is not as nice as my hotel in Tokyo. There's a public hotbath in the hotel, but I didn't dare use it! LOL. I know some of you are curious about the stuff I bought during my holiday. I'm slowly taking them out to use them, little by little so rest assured I'll randomly post about some of those items in the next few posts. ^__^ © Copyright. All rights reserved.

Food Accessories & Beautiful Food

I've been obsessing abit about charms and food-related accessories and I got to satisfy my desires on my trip! I made this charm myself, using items I chose from a shop called Parts Club I chanced upon in Lumine department store at Shinjuku. And this too. Also with items from Parts Club. Have not decided which bag this will go on. Parts Club has a website http://www.partsclub.jp/. I got this cupcake necklace from Paris Kids in Harajuku. I'd have bought more stuff, except the store only accepts cash, and I didn't bring enough cash. *booo me* In Myeong Dong, I made myself a charm bracelet at a shop called Cottiny. I decided it is too cute and used it as a bag charm. You basically choose your parts and then fit them together yourself at the shop. So cute huh? This is the packaging for my DIY charm. It's so cute, but I had to discard it. I don't want to have too much clutter. Need moawrrr cute foodie charms. Hahaaha. I like those that look realistic but are also jewel-like at the same time. If you know what I mean? I love food in Singapore, but there's something special about food in Japan. Look at this cake I ate. Isn't it so pretty and almost too beautiful to eat? That's the sort attribute that I like for food charms too. :D © Copyright. All rights reserved.