Hey there

It's been a hot minute since I've last updated this blog.  In the past year, I've graduated university and worked two different jobs...  I guess life just got busy and thus causing me to shove this blog somewhere in the depths of my mind.  Am I back?  I can't promise anything but I've been meaning to share my skincare routine for the longest time so I sat down today to do just that.

I think mid-year last year was when I really amped up my whole skincare routine.  Kbeauty started getting bigger and I started learning more and more about different skincare ingredients.  I'm not a pro at skincare, but I've landed on a mix of asian and western skincare that has been really working for me lately.

So to start off, I've had dry dehydrated skin all my life.  Growing up, I only used Johnsons' baby cream as a face moisturizer.  I know.  I felt that it was enough to keep my skin from having that tight feeling after washing and thought that was good enough.  As I grew older and started learning more about my skin, I realized I had to do much more than that.

I like the concept of layering several products on my face and quite enjoying having multiple steps in my routine, which is why I love asian skincare so much.  I'd say right now, I have an alright amount of steps, as I don't currently have any essences or serums in my routine- just the "basics".  So, I'll take you step by step on what my current skincare routine looks like.

1. Double cleansing
In my opinion, double cleansing is absolutely essential in a skincare routine if you wear makeup like I do.  I believe in order to get a proper and complete clean, you need an oil based emulsifier paired with a foam/gel cleanser to really get everything off your face.  I do this and use a silicon face scrubbing pad to really get a deep clean.

My current choices are Banila Co. Clean It Zero and The Face Shop Mango Seed Cleansing Foam.  I was also using The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Rich Cleansing Oil as a backup when I ran out of Clean It Zero.

I'm aware that Clean It Zero has broken some people out, but it works really well for me and leaves my skin feeling soft after.  I'm also aware that the Mango Seed cleanser has a super high PH level which most people would highly recommend against, however I've been using it for quite a long time and I don't find it drying or giving me that tight feeling after I wash my face.  I've sampled some low PH cleansers which have left my skin feeling super stripped and dry...  I'm not against finding a low PH cleanser but I just haven't found one that I like yet. 

2. Toner
I alternate between two toners that are quite popular: Hadalabo Gojujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion and Pixi Glow Tonic.  My friend recommended me the Hadalabo toner as hyaluronic acid is great for dry skin.  I pour one or two drops onto my palms and pat it into my skin.  If I'm being honest, I'm still not sure how I feel about this.  I've gone without it for some days and haven't noticed much of a difference.  I'm almost done this bottle so next I'm hoping to find a toner to balance my PH levels after cleansing.

During the day, I'll use the hyaluronic acid toner, and during the evening I use Pixi's Glow Tonic.  I picked this up on a whim just to try because of the hype and was interested in the exfoliation factor.  I will say that my skin felt instantly smoother after one use, but I didn't notice my skin "glowing" and I absolutely hate the scent (old grandma perfume, yuck!).  It contains 5% glycolic acid which I've heard is actually kinda low so I won't expect super high exfoliation.  Would I repurchase?  If I'm being honest, the pros are not high enough for me to get over the awful scent so while I'll finish up this bottle, I'm still on the hunt for my HG toner.

3. Exfoliation 
If I'm looking to do an actual exfoliation, I'll use my Cure Natural Aqua Gel before I cleanse on no-makeup days/mornings after I wake up.  I've heard mix reviews about this product now that the hype has slowly died down- some say it's the best, other say it actually doesn't exfoliate but rather the formula tricks you into thinking the beads are your dead skin when it's actually not.  I don't remember the exact explanation but some have said it creates a layer/film on your skin to trick you into thinking it's smooth and exfoliated when in reality, beads start forming even when you test it on metal with rubber gloves.  I haven't tried this experiment myself yet so I can't speak on that but in terms of how I like this product, I do like it when I'm experiencing flakiness on my skin (especially my nose).

As a daily night routine, I apply Herbivore Moon Fruit Superfruit Night Treatment and really rub that into my skin.  From my understanding, this is basically an AHA cream that works to exfoliate by resurfacing dead skin cells and promotes regeneration. It uses fruit enzymes, butters and hyaluronic acid.  Their description of the product is a little vague for me but I've come to understand that it's an AHA product.  Their instructions say to apply this after toner but before all your other skincare products (serums, creams, oils) for best results and advises you to use high SPF if you use this product lightly during the daytime.  AHAs and BHAs will make your skin sensitive to sunlight so this advice is super important to follow.  This is a pricey product but I've come to really love it and seen big results with it.  If I ever feel that I have heavy texture going on my skin (I tend to get closed comedones/whiteheads, between my brows), I apply this and it goes away almost instantly over night.

4. Eye cream
I've been using Belif's Moisturizing and Firming Eye Cream for over a year now and I really like it.  I saw some reviews on this product on Youtube and decided to try it out.  I've got to say, it actually does reduce some of my fine lines around my eyes.  This is why I've repurchased this once already.

5. Moisturizers 
I use not one, but two moisturizers on any given day or night.  Currently I am using Belif's Aqua Bomb first, as it's a gel and thinner so it can be absorbed into my skin easily, and then I layer The Face Shop's Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Lotion after.  I love the Mango Seed lotion and I've repurchased several times already.

I bought the Aqua Bomb cream due to the hype but I really felt like it doesn't do much for my dehydrated skin.  The gel formula is just too light for what I need and I love heavy thick creams, especially for night time.  I'm currently using this only to finish it up.

One that I do love is Innisfree's Orchid Intense Cream.  While it similar to a thicker gel consistency, it's heavy enough that it provides the intense hydration my skin needs.  Typically I'll use this after the Mango Seed lotion as my final step, however I'm all out of this cream and waiting for a new one in the mail.

6. Mask
I'm really lacking in my mask department.  I don't do this every night- actually I don't do this enough during the week.  I just havent found the time and product that I love deeply enough to do it regularly (aka 2-3 times a week).  Currently, I have a jar of L'Oreal Pure Clay mask and while I like putting it on my face, I don't find it does too much for my skin, which is why I'm just trying to use it up and move onto something better.  I'm looking into getting back to using sheet masks as those provide a boost of moisture to my face if anything, but I've been slacking in terms of purchasing those.  This is one area that I need to improve on.

7. SPF
Not pictured here, but I was using Biore's UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel as my sunscreen.  I have a bad habit of not using SPF during the winter months but now that spring and summer is here, I really need to get back into the game.  SPF is super, super, SUPER important, especially in the warmer seasons when the sun is at its peak.  Having SPF in your makeup is just not enough in the summer time (although I somehow convinced myself it's enough for the winter... it's not).  So while I liked the gel version, I think I'm going back to the "milk" version.

So that's pretty much it.  I know it's quite a lengthy post but I wanted to include all the details that I felt was important to mention as skincare is a lot more finicky than makeup.  I take skincare a lot more serious as it has what treats your base, your skin!  While you can cake on as much makeup as you want during the day, it's always important to take care of what's under.  Prevention is key and finding the right products and ingredients is a bit of a journey but I quite enjoy it.

Labels: banilaco, belif, cream, cure, hadalabo, herbivore, innisfree, loreal, lotion, mask, pixi, skincare, thefaceshop, toner

Hey there cutie,

Lush is one of those stores that I go to when I want to treat myself and last year, I bought myself a lip scrub for my birthday!

I've heard wonderful things about Lush like how they use natural ingredients and most, if not all of their products, are vegan.  Their bath bombs are really great but I haven't really ventured off to any of their other products.


A little background information; I have extremely dry, flaky and chapped lips.  I use medicated lip balms throughout the day and even the skin around the outside of my lips flake!  I would usually scrub my lips in the shower under running water when it has had time to soak in warm water.  Not anymore!


So this lip scrub is made up of sugar, sea salt, and a bunch of organic oils that help moisturized your lips.  The best part is that you can totally eat it!  Licking it off my lips and fingers is my favourite part.  I just take a pea sized amount on my finger and scrub my lips all over, even outside of my lips to get all the dead skin.  This stuff lasts for a while!



This was their Valentines Day special lip scrub that has a "sweet mandarin flavor".  I don't taste mandarin but I really can't point out what I'm actually tasting expect sweet, sweet and more sweet.  There's sprinkles in there, isn't that so fun?

The scrub totally changed my life.  Never has my lips been so smooth that actually lasts throughout the day!  Of course my lips require a light scrub every day but for normal people, I'd say a scrub twice a week would be fine.  This is perfect for prepping your lips before applying lipstick.

After using it for about a mouth, I noticed that my lips have healed a lot more than it ever has in the past.  My lip balms have been absorbing a lot better so the medication is really healing them well and I'm experiencing less and less flaking lately.  I'm hoping they will heal completely so I will no longer suffer from extreme chapped lips.

Rating: ★★★★★  5/5

I absolutely love this product!  I will be repurchasing this after I'm done this jar even if this particular flavour is not available anymore.  I really urge you to go try this lip scrub if you're like me and have super chapped lips.

Labels: cosmetics, lipscrub, lush, review, skincare

Hi!

I'm back with another review for The Face Shop's mango seed line.  This is the final product I have from this line and it's my favourite one out of all of them.  It's the Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Facial Butter.

First of all, what is a "facial butter"?  This is the first time I've ever heard of that term too.  Don't Asians just come up with the darnest names?  Well, this product got it's name because of it's texture.  This is a thick cream for your face that actually feels like butter.









Like the other packaging from this line, there is also a printed "toy" inside the box that you can cut out and build.  I haven't done this yet but I think it's cute and fun.  I feel like it adds a little extra to the product you paid for.  You get your skincare item AND a toy, haha.  

Labels: cosmetics, cream, korean, review, skincare, thefaceshop

Hihi,

This year, I received The Face Shop Mild Papaya Peeling Gel as a birthday present and I've used it enough times to finally do a review on it.



So this is what the packaging looks like when you first get it.  There's some french on the back probably because I'm from Canada but whatever.  The back says:
 

A mild peeling product that contains natural enzymes from papaya removes the dead skin cells.
Directions: After drying face, pump the product 1~2 times and apply it on the entire face, avoiding the eye and mouth area.  Massage for 30 seconds and wash off when the dead skin cells come off.

This product is the same concept as the Cure Natural Aqua Peeling Gel.  The product is a clear gel consistency and when you rub it onto your face, you can start to see the dead skin cells balling up together which is what these white particles are.

The bottle says the strength is 2/5 while the moisturizing level (not sure if that's what it means, I don't read Korean) is 4/5.  It's meant for all skin types but I think it's especially good for sensitive skin because it's such a milk exfoliator.

After using this product, I can definitely tell that my skin feels more refreshed and smooth.  It really gets rid of that top dead layer of skin that you don't realize it's making you feel so gross until you remove it and remember how fresh skin feels like hahaha.  It's important to exfoliate your skin at least once or twice a week, especially if you wear a lot of make up, just so you don't get a massive build up and end up clogging pores and breaking out. a

They claim that this item is a 5 free formula (free from paraben, alcohol, animal ingredients, mineral oil, artificial coloring).

Rating: ★★★☆☆  3/5

I'm only giving this a 3/5 because I'm the type of person that loves a really intense exfoliator.  This one gets the job done but I personally don't like how it's so mild.  The scent is alright, it's sort of a fruity scent but if scents bother you, this might be a problem for you.  I recommend this for anyone that wants a gentle exfoliation for their sensitive skin.

Labels: cosmetics, exfoliate, gel, korean, peeling, review, skincare, thefaceshop

Hihi,

This is going to be a quick review on The Face Shop's Floral Water Mist.  I got this as one of my birthday presents this year.  There's not much to say about it, so this is going to be short and simple!

Labels: cosmetics, korean, review, skincare, thefaceshop

Hi you!

If you remember way back in November, I did a mini review on some samples I got of The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Toner and Lotion.  Well, a month later, I actually went and got the full sized version.






This is what the box for the lotion looks like.  Inside each box from this line is a printed "toy" that you can cut out and assemble together.  I haven't done that yet but I think I will do that when I get bored with nothing to do.





The lotion comes in a glass bottle with a pump that has a clear cap to go with it.  There's 125mL in the bottle and I find that one pump is enough for my whole face.  The texture is thin, perfect for day time use.



 


I went and bought the toner a week or so after because I realized I liked it more than I thought.  Originally I figured I didn't need the toner because I don't usually use toners anyway, but this toner is different from the rest.  It really does add that extra hydration that my skin loves.

As you can see, the product separates, so you have to shake it up really good before using.  It also comes in a glass jar with a pump and a cap.  The toner, however, has 145mL of product.  I assume that is because this is more liquid than the lotion which means you will end up using more.  I use about one and a half pumps of the toner, which conveniently makes both products equal in amount so I won't run out of one product before the other.

One thing that I noticed about the toner and the bottle is that when you shake it up and open the bottle to look at the straw, the product trapped in the straw doesn't actually mix.  Therefore, if you want an even mixture, you'd have to pump the remaining product in the straw, shake, then re-pump to get a good mixture.  This gets rather annoying and I wish they had thought about this problem while creating the packaging for this toner.

Other than that, my opinion for these products don't change at all.  I still love this line and would give it a 5 out of 5.  Look out for my review on the facial butter from the same time!

Labels: cosmetics, cream, korean, lotion, review, skincare, thefaceshop, toner

Hello cuties,

I hope everyone is doing well.  I've been a little better, but you know how things go.  Life is sometimes such a struggle, isn't it?  But we will all make it through eventually :)  I hope everyone enjoyed the eye tutorial I posted a couple of days ago.  I had fun doing it and I look forward to doing more in the future.

I never got to do a birthday haul, so here's what I got beauty wise!  My friends are the best and really know how to treat me^^


I was gifted the Kat Von D Spellbinding Eyeshadow book, The Face Shop's Floral Water Mist, and the Mild Papaya Peeling Gel.  I will have tutorials for all of these items as well!  So far, I love all of these products, especially the eyeshadow book.  The colours are amazing!  A big THANK YOU to all my friends for gifting me these presents.

Yesterday, I went to the drugstore and picked up some things that were on sale.  I was feeling a bit sad but once started picking up items in the store, I felt a lot better ;)  Retail therapy is seriously a girl's best solution, don't you think?


So I picked up some nail stuff and a lipstick I've been wanting for a while.  One thing that you must know about me is that I love matte.  All matte everything.  I don't know what it is about it that I love so much, but I've always loved matte things.  (Matte cars, matte eyeshadows, matte printing paper)  What's better than a matte red lip and matte nails?  NOTHING, that's what!  Also, I saw this mini nail kit on sale so I figured I'd pick it up and see if it's any good.  I've never heard of this "Witchcraft" brand and when I tried to Google this set for a review, nothing popped up.  So I'll surely be doing a review on it once I've used it a couple of times.  Come to think of it, I've never really put that much effort in taking care of my nails, but I have been lately.  I'm totally okay with that.

I celebrated my birthday a couple of days after because it landed in the middle of the week.  Everyone was too busy on a Wednesday night, so we all went to karaoke on the Saturday of.  We drank and sang our hearts out which was much needed for me.  I really enjoyed the night and got quite tipsy.


Half the group had to leave early so the rest of us went to get food and more alcohol.  If you can't tell, I absolutely love to drink.  Need a drinking partner?  Right here, baby!



This week has been a very design-filled week for me. Projects were due and my design textbooks came in.  Have you ever seen someone so excited for textbooks?  They're quite pretty, aren't they?  I was more excited for the HTML&CSS one more than the research one (which was the mandatory one), but you know. 



I spent the rest of the day in bed watching a movie while devouring a Whopper, and doing some sketching.  Sometimes it's so nice to get lost in some art.  It's something that I don't do often enough.  But I guess that's a good thing because when I do, it's a very refreshing feeling.




Today, I went to the bookstore because my brother needed to pick up a book for school.  He chose Oliver Twist, and I really liked the design of the cover.  There goes my design side of me again, huh?  Like I said, it has been a design-filled week for me and I'm loving every bit of it.

Exploring the bookstore really made me want to pick up a bunch of books and read them all.  I really want to find a good sappy romance book, so if there's any recommendations out there, send it my way!  Please nothing that is already made into a movie or is going to be made into a movie, because there's a high chance that I'll just watch the movie instead of reading the book.  I saw books like The Fault In Our Stars, The Notebook, Dear John, etc.  As much as I love those stories (and these are the type of romance books I'm aiming for!), I've already or will see the movie so there's no point in me reading the book.




I also finally picked up a portable charger.  I've wanted one for soooo long and Charming was going to give me one but you know, situations, and such.  So, I just went and bought one for myself and I'm glad I did.  It has 5200mAh and two outputs so you can charge two devices at once.  It also comes with several adapters for Apple, Samsung, and Sony products, and also two sizes of USB plugs.

Labels: charming, cosmetics, eyeshadow, food, gift, kat von d, life, lipstick, makeup, nail polish, personal, sally hansen, skincare, thefaceshop

Hey there

It's been a hot minute since I've last updated this blog.  In the past year, I've graduated university and worked two different jobs...  I guess life just got busy and thus causing me to shove this blog somewhere in the depths of my mind.  Am I back?  I can't promise anything but I've been meaning to share my skincare routine for the longest time so I sat down today to do just that.

I think mid-year last year was when I really amped up my whole skincare routine.  Kbeauty started getting bigger and I started learning more and more about different skincare ingredients.  I'm not a pro at skincare, but I've landed on a mix of asian and western skincare that has been really working for me lately.

So to start off, I've had dry dehydrated skin all my life.  Growing up, I only used Johnsons' baby cream as a face moisturizer.  I know.  I felt that it was enough to keep my skin from having that tight feeling after washing and thought that was good enough.  As I grew older and started learning more about my skin, I realized I had to do much more than that.

I like the concept of layering several products on my face and quite enjoying having multiple steps in my routine, which is why I love asian skincare so much.  I'd say right now, I have an alright amount of steps, as I don't currently have any essences or serums in my routine- just the "basics".  So, I'll take you step by step on what my current skincare routine looks like.

1. Double cleansing
In my opinion, double cleansing is absolutely essential in a skincare routine if you wear makeup like I do.  I believe in order to get a proper and complete clean, you need an oil based emulsifier paired with a foam/gel cleanser to really get everything off your face.  I do this and use a silicon face scrubbing pad to really get a deep clean.

My current choices are Banila Co. Clean It Zero and The Face Shop Mango Seed Cleansing Foam.  I was also using The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Rich Cleansing Oil as a backup when I ran out of Clean It Zero.

I'm aware that Clean It Zero has broken some people out, but it works really well for me and leaves my skin feeling soft after.  I'm also aware that the Mango Seed cleanser has a super high PH level which most people would highly recommend against, however I've been using it for quite a long time and I don't find it drying or giving me that tight feeling after I wash my face.  I've sampled some low PH cleansers which have left my skin feeling super stripped and dry...  I'm not against finding a low PH cleanser but I just haven't found one that I like yet. 

2. Toner
I alternate between two toners that are quite popular: Hadalabo Gojujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion and Pixi Glow Tonic.  My friend recommended me the Hadalabo toner as hyaluronic acid is great for dry skin.  I pour one or two drops onto my palms and pat it into my skin.  If I'm being honest, I'm still not sure how I feel about this.  I've gone without it for some days and haven't noticed much of a difference.  I'm almost done this bottle so next I'm hoping to find a toner to balance my PH levels after cleansing.

During the day, I'll use the hyaluronic acid toner, and during the evening I use Pixi's Glow Tonic.  I picked this up on a whim just to try because of the hype and was interested in the exfoliation factor.  I will say that my skin felt instantly smoother after one use, but I didn't notice my skin "glowing" and I absolutely hate the scent (old grandma perfume, yuck!).  It contains 5% glycolic acid which I've heard is actually kinda low so I won't expect super high exfoliation.  Would I repurchase?  If I'm being honest, the pros are not high enough for me to get over the awful scent so while I'll finish up this bottle, I'm still on the hunt for my HG toner.

3. Exfoliation 
If I'm looking to do an actual exfoliation, I'll use my Cure Natural Aqua Gel before I cleanse on no-makeup days/mornings after I wake up.  I've heard mix reviews about this product now that the hype has slowly died down- some say it's the best, other say it actually doesn't exfoliate but rather the formula tricks you into thinking the beads are your dead skin when it's actually not.  I don't remember the exact explanation but some have said it creates a layer/film on your skin to trick you into thinking it's smooth and exfoliated when in reality, beads start forming even when you test it on metal with rubber gloves.  I haven't tried this experiment myself yet so I can't speak on that but in terms of how I like this product, I do like it when I'm experiencing flakiness on my skin (especially my nose).

As a daily night routine, I apply Herbivore Moon Fruit Superfruit Night Treatment and really rub that into my skin.  From my understanding, this is basically an AHA cream that works to exfoliate by resurfacing dead skin cells and promotes regeneration. It uses fruit enzymes, butters and hyaluronic acid.  Their description of the product is a little vague for me but I've come to understand that it's an AHA product.  Their instructions say to apply this after toner but before all your other skincare products (serums, creams, oils) for best results and advises you to use high SPF if you use this product lightly during the daytime.  AHAs and BHAs will make your skin sensitive to sunlight so this advice is super important to follow.  This is a pricey product but I've come to really love it and seen big results with it.  If I ever feel that I have heavy texture going on my skin (I tend to get closed comedones/whiteheads, between my brows), I apply this and it goes away almost instantly over night.

4. Eye cream
I've been using Belif's Moisturizing and Firming Eye Cream for over a year now and I really like it.  I saw some reviews on this product on Youtube and decided to try it out.  I've got to say, it actually does reduce some of my fine lines around my eyes.  This is why I've repurchased this once already.

5. Moisturizers 
I use not one, but two moisturizers on any given day or night.  Currently I am using Belif's Aqua Bomb first, as it's a gel and thinner so it can be absorbed into my skin easily, and then I layer The Face Shop's Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Lotion after.  I love the Mango Seed lotion and I've repurchased several times already.

I bought the Aqua Bomb cream due to the hype but I really felt like it doesn't do much for my dehydrated skin.  The gel formula is just too light for what I need and I love heavy thick creams, especially for night time.  I'm currently using this only to finish it up.

One that I do love is Innisfree's Orchid Intense Cream.  While it similar to a thicker gel consistency, it's heavy enough that it provides the intense hydration my skin needs.  Typically I'll use this after the Mango Seed lotion as my final step, however I'm all out of this cream and waiting for a new one in the mail.

6. Mask
I'm really lacking in my mask department.  I don't do this every night- actually I don't do this enough during the week.  I just havent found the time and product that I love deeply enough to do it regularly (aka 2-3 times a week).  Currently, I have a jar of L'Oreal Pure Clay mask and while I like putting it on my face, I don't find it does too much for my skin, which is why I'm just trying to use it up and move onto something better.  I'm looking into getting back to using sheet masks as those provide a boost of moisture to my face if anything, but I've been slacking in terms of purchasing those.  This is one area that I need to improve on.

7. SPF
Not pictured here, but I was using Biore's UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel as my sunscreen.  I have a bad habit of not using SPF during the winter months but now that spring and summer is here, I really need to get back into the game.  SPF is super, super, SUPER important, especially in the warmer seasons when the sun is at its peak.  Having SPF in your makeup is just not enough in the summer time (although I somehow convinced myself it's enough for the winter... it's not).  So while I liked the gel version, I think I'm going back to the "milk" version.

So that's pretty much it.  I know it's quite a lengthy post but I wanted to include all the details that I felt was important to mention as skincare is a lot more finicky than makeup.  I take skincare a lot more serious as it has what treats your base, your skin!  While you can cake on as much makeup as you want during the day, it's always important to take care of what's under.  Prevention is key and finding the right products and ingredients is a bit of a journey but I quite enjoy it.

Labels: banilaco, belif, cream, cure, hadalabo, herbivore, innisfree, loreal, lotion, mask, pixi, skincare, thefaceshop, toner

Hey there cutie,

Lush is one of those stores that I go to when I want to treat myself and last year, I bought myself a lip scrub for my birthday!

I've heard wonderful things about Lush like how they use natural ingredients and most, if not all of their products, are vegan.  Their bath bombs are really great but I haven't really ventured off to any of their other products.


A little background information; I have extremely dry, flaky and chapped lips.  I use medicated lip balms throughout the day and even the skin around the outside of my lips flake!  I would usually scrub my lips in the shower under running water when it has had time to soak in warm water.  Not anymore!


So this lip scrub is made up of sugar, sea salt, and a bunch of organic oils that help moisturized your lips.  The best part is that you can totally eat it!  Licking it off my lips and fingers is my favourite part.  I just take a pea sized amount on my finger and scrub my lips all over, even outside of my lips to get all the dead skin.  This stuff lasts for a while!



This was their Valentines Day special lip scrub that has a "sweet mandarin flavor".  I don't taste mandarin but I really can't point out what I'm actually tasting expect sweet, sweet and more sweet.  There's sprinkles in there, isn't that so fun?

The scrub totally changed my life.  Never has my lips been so smooth that actually lasts throughout the day!  Of course my lips require a light scrub every day but for normal people, I'd say a scrub twice a week would be fine.  This is perfect for prepping your lips before applying lipstick.

After using it for about a mouth, I noticed that my lips have healed a lot more than it ever has in the past.  My lip balms have been absorbing a lot better so the medication is really healing them well and I'm experiencing less and less flaking lately.  I'm hoping they will heal completely so I will no longer suffer from extreme chapped lips.

Rating: ★★★★★  5/5

I absolutely love this product!  I will be repurchasing this after I'm done this jar even if this particular flavour is not available anymore.  I really urge you to go try this lip scrub if you're like me and have super chapped lips.

Labels: cosmetics, lipscrub, lush, review, skincare

Hi!

I'm back with another review for The Face Shop's mango seed line.  This is the final product I have from this line and it's my favourite one out of all of them.  It's the Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Facial Butter.

First of all, what is a "facial butter"?  This is the first time I've ever heard of that term too.  Don't Asians just come up with the darnest names?  Well, this product got it's name because of it's texture.  This is a thick cream for your face that actually feels like butter.









Like the other packaging from this line, there is also a printed "toy" inside the box that you can cut out and build.  I haven't done this yet but I think it's cute and fun.  I feel like it adds a little extra to the product you paid for.  You get your skincare item AND a toy, haha.  

Labels: cosmetics, cream, korean, review, skincare, thefaceshop

Hihi,

This year, I received The Face Shop Mild Papaya Peeling Gel as a birthday present and I've used it enough times to finally do a review on it.



So this is what the packaging looks like when you first get it.  There's some french on the back probably because I'm from Canada but whatever.  The back says:
 

A mild peeling product that contains natural enzymes from papaya removes the dead skin cells.
Directions: After drying face, pump the product 1~2 times and apply it on the entire face, avoiding the eye and mouth area.  Massage for 30 seconds and wash off when the dead skin cells come off.

This product is the same concept as the Cure Natural Aqua Peeling Gel.  The product is a clear gel consistency and when you rub it onto your face, you can start to see the dead skin cells balling up together which is what these white particles are.

The bottle says the strength is 2/5 while the moisturizing level (not sure if that's what it means, I don't read Korean) is 4/5.  It's meant for all skin types but I think it's especially good for sensitive skin because it's such a milk exfoliator.

After using this product, I can definitely tell that my skin feels more refreshed and smooth.  It really gets rid of that top dead layer of skin that you don't realize it's making you feel so gross until you remove it and remember how fresh skin feels like hahaha.  It's important to exfoliate your skin at least once or twice a week, especially if you wear a lot of make up, just so you don't get a massive build up and end up clogging pores and breaking out. a

They claim that this item is a 5 free formula (free from paraben, alcohol, animal ingredients, mineral oil, artificial coloring).

Rating: ★★★☆☆  3/5

I'm only giving this a 3/5 because I'm the type of person that loves a really intense exfoliator.  This one gets the job done but I personally don't like how it's so mild.  The scent is alright, it's sort of a fruity scent but if scents bother you, this might be a problem for you.  I recommend this for anyone that wants a gentle exfoliation for their sensitive skin.

Labels: cosmetics, exfoliate, gel, korean, peeling, review, skincare, thefaceshop

Hihi,

This is going to be a quick review on The Face Shop's Floral Water Mist.  I got this as one of my birthday presents this year.  There's not much to say about it, so this is going to be short and simple!

Labels: cosmetics, korean, review, skincare, thefaceshop

Hi you!

If you remember way back in November, I did a mini review on some samples I got of The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Toner and Lotion.  Well, a month later, I actually went and got the full sized version.






This is what the box for the lotion looks like.  Inside each box from this line is a printed "toy" that you can cut out and assemble together.  I haven't done that yet but I think I will do that when I get bored with nothing to do.





The lotion comes in a glass bottle with a pump that has a clear cap to go with it.  There's 125mL in the bottle and I find that one pump is enough for my whole face.  The texture is thin, perfect for day time use.



 


I went and bought the toner a week or so after because I realized I liked it more than I thought.  Originally I figured I didn't need the toner because I don't usually use toners anyway, but this toner is different from the rest.  It really does add that extra hydration that my skin loves.

As you can see, the product separates, so you have to shake it up really good before using.  It also comes in a glass jar with a pump and a cap.  The toner, however, has 145mL of product.  I assume that is because this is more liquid than the lotion which means you will end up using more.  I use about one and a half pumps of the toner, which conveniently makes both products equal in amount so I won't run out of one product before the other.

One thing that I noticed about the toner and the bottle is that when you shake it up and open the bottle to look at the straw, the product trapped in the straw doesn't actually mix.  Therefore, if you want an even mixture, you'd have to pump the remaining product in the straw, shake, then re-pump to get a good mixture.  This gets rather annoying and I wish they had thought about this problem while creating the packaging for this toner.

Other than that, my opinion for these products don't change at all.  I still love this line and would give it a 5 out of 5.  Look out for my review on the facial butter from the same time!

Labels: cosmetics, cream, korean, lotion, review, skincare, thefaceshop, toner

Hello cuties,

I hope everyone is doing well.  I've been a little better, but you know how things go.  Life is sometimes such a struggle, isn't it?  But we will all make it through eventually :)  I hope everyone enjoyed the eye tutorial I posted a couple of days ago.  I had fun doing it and I look forward to doing more in the future.

I never got to do a birthday haul, so here's what I got beauty wise!  My friends are the best and really know how to treat me^^


I was gifted the Kat Von D Spellbinding Eyeshadow book, The Face Shop's Floral Water Mist, and the Mild Papaya Peeling Gel.  I will have tutorials for all of these items as well!  So far, I love all of these products, especially the eyeshadow book.  The colours are amazing!  A big THANK YOU to all my friends for gifting me these presents.

Yesterday, I went to the drugstore and picked up some things that were on sale.  I was feeling a bit sad but once started picking up items in the store, I felt a lot better ;)  Retail therapy is seriously a girl's best solution, don't you think?


So I picked up some nail stuff and a lipstick I've been wanting for a while.  One thing that you must know about me is that I love matte.  All matte everything.  I don't know what it is about it that I love so much, but I've always loved matte things.  (Matte cars, matte eyeshadows, matte printing paper)  What's better than a matte red lip and matte nails?  NOTHING, that's what!  Also, I saw this mini nail kit on sale so I figured I'd pick it up and see if it's any good.  I've never heard of this "Witchcraft" brand and when I tried to Google this set for a review, nothing popped up.  So I'll surely be doing a review on it once I've used it a couple of times.  Come to think of it, I've never really put that much effort in taking care of my nails, but I have been lately.  I'm totally okay with that.

I celebrated my birthday a couple of days after because it landed in the middle of the week.  Everyone was too busy on a Wednesday night, so we all went to karaoke on the Saturday of.  We drank and sang our hearts out which was much needed for me.  I really enjoyed the night and got quite tipsy.


Half the group had to leave early so the rest of us went to get food and more alcohol.  If you can't tell, I absolutely love to drink.  Need a drinking partner?  Right here, baby!



This week has been a very design-filled week for me. Projects were due and my design textbooks came in.  Have you ever seen someone so excited for textbooks?  They're quite pretty, aren't they?  I was more excited for the HTML&CSS one more than the research one (which was the mandatory one), but you know. 



I spent the rest of the day in bed watching a movie while devouring a Whopper, and doing some sketching.  Sometimes it's so nice to get lost in some art.  It's something that I don't do often enough.  But I guess that's a good thing because when I do, it's a very refreshing feeling.




Today, I went to the bookstore because my brother needed to pick up a book for school.  He chose Oliver Twist, and I really liked the design of the cover.  There goes my design side of me again, huh?  Like I said, it has been a design-filled week for me and I'm loving every bit of it.

Exploring the bookstore really made me want to pick up a bunch of books and read them all.  I really want to find a good sappy romance book, so if there's any recommendations out there, send it my way!  Please nothing that is already made into a movie or is going to be made into a movie, because there's a high chance that I'll just watch the movie instead of reading the book.  I saw books like The Fault In Our Stars, The Notebook, Dear John, etc.  As much as I love those stories (and these are the type of romance books I'm aiming for!), I've already or will see the movie so there's no point in me reading the book.




I also finally picked up a portable charger.  I've wanted one for soooo long and Charming was going to give me one but you know, situations, and such.  So, I just went and bought one for myself and I'm glad I did.  It has 5200mAh and two outputs so you can charge two devices at once.  It also comes with several adapters for Apple, Samsung, and Sony products, and also two sizes of USB plugs.

Labels: charming, cosmetics, eyeshadow, food, gift, kat von d, life, lipstick, makeup, nail polish, personal, sally hansen, skincare, thefaceshop

UserName: Hyokii
Age: 23
Birthday: January 22
Location: Toronto, Canada.
Sign: Aquarius Sun, Gemini Moon, Aries Rising

Who are you?
I'm just an average girl studying graphic design in my hometown Toronto. I'm nothing special but I like to blog and document my findings :) I'm really into astrology so come and tell me your sign!

What do you blog about?
Mostly just about my life and occasional beauty hauls and product reviews.

What does 'babo gongju' mean?
It's Korean for 'stupid princess'.

Boyfriend?
Yes! He does Muay Thai and he's a Virgo.

Tell me about your skin type!
I have extremely dry dehydrated skin and really dry/flaky lips. Light; yellow with neutral leaning cool undertone. Currently wearing NARS Sheer Glow in Gobi.

Reviews:
Tonymoly Cats Wink Smooth Primer
Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever Primer
Skin Food Choco Smoky Eye Palette
Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Shine Deep Treatment
Real Techniques Core Collection Brush Set
Etude House Golden Ratio Contour Maker
Skin Food Coffee Creamy Sheer Lipstick (PP701 Plum Wine)
Etude House Real Art Cleansing Oil (Moisture)
Skin Food Bath Salt (Peppermint)
Etude House Miss Tangerine Cream Choux Blusher
Skin Food Red Orange Makeup Finish (Matte Type)
Tonymoly Cat Chu Wink Tony Tint (Cherry Pink)
Etude House Etoinette Crystal Shine Lip Lipstick (PPK001 & PPK003)
Etude House Etoinette Brush Collection
The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Special Set
The Face Shop Cotton Pads
The Face Shop Face It 07 Quick Top Coat
The Face Shop Lovely ME:EX Design My Eyebrow (01 Gray Brown)
The Face Shop Lovely ME:EX Style My Eyebrow (01 Gray Brown)
The Face Shop Face It Designing Cake Eyebrow (01 Khaki Grey)
Etude House Dear My Blooming Eyes (OR203 Mesmerizing Orange)
Nicole by O.P.I. Nail Polish (Iceberg Lotus)
The Face Shop Real Nature Mask Aloe Vera
The Face Shop Face It Styling Auto Gel Liner (01 Edgy Black)
The Face Shop Floral Water Mist
The Face Shop Mild Papaya Peeling Gel
Kat Von D Spellbinding Eyeshadow Book
Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick By Kate Moss (111 Kiss Of Life)
Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick By Kate Moss (102)
Sally Hansen Big Matte Top Coat
Witchcraft Mini+Cures Set
Maybelline Volum’ Express The Colossal Smoky Eyes Mascara
Nicole by O.P.I. Quick Dry Top Coat
Essence Kalinka Beauty 01 Babushka Me Lip Brush
Maybelline Volum’Express The Rocket Waterproof Mascara
Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Eyeliner in Midnight Master
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 10 Light
Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in Ivory

Etude House Nymph Aura Volumer (sample)
Etude House Mal;Gem All In One Emulsion (sample)
Etude House Mal;Gem Smoother Toner (sample)
Etude House Sun Prise Super Aqua SPF45/PA+++ (sample)
Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream SPF30/PA++ (sample)
Etude House Moistfull Collagen Firming Eye Cream (sample)
Skin Food Platinum Grape Cell Essential BB Cream SPF45/PA+++ (sample)
Skin Food Agave Cactus Emulsion (sample)
The Face Shop Chia Seed Moisture-Holding Seed Cream(sample)
The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Toner(sample)
The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Lotion(sample)
Updated The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Toner & Lotion (full size)
The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Facial Butter(sample fullsize)
The Face Shop Volcanic Clay Black Head Aloe Nose Strip(sample)
The Face Shop Herb Day 365 Cleansing Foam Acerola (sample)
The Face Shop White Secret Whitening Body Essence (sample)


Tutorials & Tips:
How I Contour My Face
Tips On How To Drink More Water
2013 Summer/Fall Wish List
My Current Everyday Makeup Tutorial

Most Common:
Reviews
Personal
Food
Tips & Tutorials
Fashion
Haul

Brands:
★ Etude House
★ EOS
★ Forever21
★ Garage
★ Guess
★ Hada Labo
★ H&M
★ My Beauty Diary
★ Nicole by O.P.I.
★ Skin Food
★ Smashbook
★ Starbucks
★ The Face Shop
★ Tony Moly

Jin

. Put a lock on Seoul’s Namsan Tower's fence
. Visit the beach; any beach (063011)
. Party hard
. Starbucks date (072310)
. Learn to drive
. Star gaze (062812)
. Road trip (Summer`09)
. Be loved
. Visit South Korea
. Wedding; anyone's wedding (10.13.13)
. Be happy
. Bake cupcakes from scratch (04.06.10)
. Ride a motorcycle (08.21.14)
. Get my first tattoo
. Kiss in the rain
. Pull an all nighter
. Belly button piercing (02.19.14)
. Disney world/land
. Anime North
. Cosplay Rin
. Cosplay X-23
. Princess Cafe date (12.10.12)
. VVIP album(02.20.11)
. Visit Hong Kong again
. Graduate university
. Paris

to be continued...

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