I wanted to write a post about myself when I was back in my early 20s.
I was recently watching my favorite Canadian talk show called The Social and I was listening and watching the four hosts, who were all women from multicultural backgrounds, I felt a sense of bond and warmth which permeated inside of my body.
I have always felt this bond as I have been watching this show consistently online for almost a couple of years now, but something in that moment propelled me to write a post and to share with others what I was thinking. I wanted to be and to feel honest with myself and I admit, writing has only been a recent affair; however, it is something I want to continue doing and to continue to honing my skills as doing so.
When I was watching the show and realizing my feelings of warmth and bond, I noticed they were feelings toward other women. Other strangers. Other women.
I remember when I was in my early 20’s and it probably continued until mid to late 20’s, I saw other women be someone whom I had to be in competitions with. These thoughts could have arisen from witnessing the whole mean girls scene back in elementary and highschool settings, but I noticed whenever, I would set foot into a new setting, I would scan and to look out for the potential mean girls. They might not have been necessarily mean, but if they were feigning beauty and the brain, they would be someone I would watch out and to envy on the sidelines.
During that time, I did not have much self- confidence so I did not think I could stand a chance against the strong and beautiful women (in my perspective), but they were someone I would stare from the side of my eyes and brood feelings of jealousness and negativism. Whenever I would change my style whether it be clothing to hair color, I would see how I compared to them. I just remember that on the outside, I would smile, and to seem cheerful, but inside, I felt horrid, confused, and alone.
And somehow, I had this weird sense of pride, that I also had to be the center of attention so when there was a new girl, prettier and younger, who might have needed my assistance, I would shut them down by ignoring or not paying them attention.
I knew somewhere inside, that was not the person I wanted to be. It was rarely the other women I was hating but only myself. I knew somewhere deep inside, I was a genuine, kind person but because I had self -confidence issues and did not have anyone who was there to help me navigate those awkward, indescribable feelings, my negativity spiraled until it dug a hole. Ill brooding feelings were trying to form into an ugly shape that I did not want to give it a meaning.
It is still a process but I can say I am in a space where I feel I can better support other women without fear, and scrutiny and to stand in solidarity with those that are constantly fighting for women’s’ rights. This was unintentional but I will be posting today to acknowledge International Women’s Day. Happy International Women’s Day.
Please comment down below if you felt any negative feelings toward other women in general and how you overcame those feelings.
Now, I do not like to review all the products that I buy or have, but I do like to review products that are well known (to my knowledge) that are supposedly “fantastic”, or products that I had bad experience with.
For this product, for my experience, this is one worth not buying. Now I have read that there are quite good reviews on this product but they have been reviewing the regular size (which I do not think there should be any difference) and not the sample size which I have reviewed for this post. Nevertheless, I have written up pros and cons so please keep on scrolling down~ go go go!
Tony Moly Banana Lip Balm (sample size)
Description
A deliciously scented lip balm that contains banana extract, coconut oil, milk protein extract, and Ceramide 3. Provides nutrition and moisture to treat dry and fatigued lips. Infused with a soft & sweet banana milk scent. Restores soft smooth & healthy looking lips. Features a pocket size with strap easy to carry around.
How to use
Apply a proper amount to lips to keep moist. Reapply as needed.
Cute packaging. C’mon. It is shaped like a freaken banana so major points for that. A lot of people complimented on the packaging and said how cute looked!
Can use as key chain after the product is finished because there is a strap attached to it! I am planning to put it with my keys
It is better than nothing! I do have to apply the product on my lips several times until my lips feel comforted so it is better than not using!
Cons
The product did not smooth or restore my lips to healthy looking lips like it stated on the website! I expect my lips to feel comforted and not chapped after using a lip balm and this product did not do what it was supposed to do! After putting the product on my lips, I did feel something was on my lips, but it still felt chapped and dry flakes were still present. When I put lip balms that actually work in the past, my dry flakes seemed to be smoothed over but this one did not do it.
No smell. Now, this can be considered pros because I know a lot of people do not want their beauty or skin care products to have strong scents. I do not mind scent here and there but when a product is packaged as a banana, I expect some sort of banana scent coming out of the product and well, this did not deliver the scent like it stated on the website!
Last but not least, and this can be a minor thing, but when I tried to squeeze the last remnants of the product, because I like to use up most of my products, it was a bit hard because the packaging was quite stiff. But like I said, this was a minor issue and I am just being nit picky here.
Overall: Recommend or no?
No!! I will not buy this product again!
I will only recommend to those who are obsessed with all banana packaging and only for those people!
Please leave a comment down below if you have any favorite lip balm or any horrible lip balm that you have tried in the past.
I know I am so late on writing posts. I just recently got a new full time jb so I am currently working everyday! I know it can be unhealthy, but that will be for another post.
Now, I will be doing a post on reviewing these two eyebrow pencils.
I was first introduced to Anastasia Brow Wiz eyebrow pencils probably in my mid 20’s when I really got into make up (I am a late make up bloomer). I only got them because a friend used to work for Sephora and she could get them for discounted price! So, the ones I have are all from the time I purchased from her which was like 5+ years ago (the case is a burgundy brown color instead of the black one).
I probably heard about this new eyebrow pencil called Holika Holika Wonder Drawing Skinny eyebrow pencil from one of the many You Tube videos I watched and heard it was a dupe to the Anastasia Brow Wiz, so when I went to Korea this year in April, I decided to grab one.
I wanted to compare these eyebrow pencils to see how they really are and here are my thoughts.
Anastasia Brow Wiz
Description
Anastasia’s Brow Wiz is an ultra fine pencil designed to shape, fill and ‘plump out’ sparse or unshapely brows. It avoids the ‘coloured in’ look using a skinny, mechanical nib that can mimic even the finest hairs, coupled with a brush for convenient blending. You can fake fuller brows in an instant thanks to a spectrum of natural shades – and you won’t be caught short sans sharpener – just twist. Nobody need ever know that your elegant, face framing arches were quickly drawn on in the back of the taxi!
Ingredients
FULL INGREDIENTS LIST
Hydrogenated Soybean Oil/Hydrogenated Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil/Hydrogenated Huile végétale, Zinc Stearate, Stearic Acid, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax/Cire de carnauba/cera carnauba, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, May Contain/Peut Contenir: (+/-) Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510) <8914>
From Cult Beauty Website
Product Info:
Color: It comes in 9 shades in total
Size: 0.08g/0.002oz
Pros
Packaging: It is a standard eyebrow pencil. It is quite easy to handle as in just take off the cap, and roll up the pencil (don’t really know what to call these things as it is not really a pencil per se?). It comes with a spoolie brush on the other end, so I can comb my eyebrows before and after. The brush is quite dense, so it feels quite smooth when brushed.
Color: It comes in 9 shades in total and I am using “brunette”. I also use “medium ash” when I have lighter hair color. The color brunette matches the color and it goes well with my black/brown Asian hair. Medium ash will match with people who have lighter hair color than dark brown hair and want a lighter eyebrown color.
Texture: It glides smoothly on my skin when drawn on my eyebrows.
Scent: None
Performance: The color is pigmented, and quite long-lasting but it is not a waterproof product so be careful when going in water. The pencil (will keep using the term pencil for now lol) has a fine tip so when I want to draw with precision, it works well.
Availability: Easy access as it is available in stores such as Sephora and online stores
Cons
Performance: It has a fine tip so it takes some time and precision when drawn. When I am running late, the last thing I need is a fine pigmented tip that needs to be drawn on my face with precision. Not going to work.
The price: It currently sells for $27CAD from Sephora and if I use it everyday, I will probably use it up within three months. I draw my eyebrows with multiple eyebrow products, so I try to savor(?) this pencil so that is why it probably last three months but if I solely relied on this product, it would have probably gone in two months. I just remember using it and realizing it got used up too quickly and felt I got scammed or something.
Overall: Recommend or No?
I would Recommend to people who have disposable income and want quality eyebrows products and all other products have failed them.
I would Not Recommend to people who are on a budget like me. It is a good eyebrow pencil but I feel it contains too little amount for the price so unfortunately, I would not get another one. I remember when using the product and when it was done, I thought I was getting scammed or somthing because it got used up so quickly.
1.5mm super slim type eyebrow helps easy and precise drawing. You can create sharp and thin end to your eyebrow line. With hard formula, it gives silky color without smudge. Porous powder particle creates a strong shield on eyebrows to work against sebum and sweat, keeping them in place all day long.
Packaging: It is a standard eyebrow pencil. It is quite easy to use as in just take off the cap, and roll up the pencil. It also comes with a spoolie brush on the other end, so I can comb my eyebrows before and after. Comparing with Anastasia, this brush is more sparse and when brushing so it felt more prickly on my skin. It is not so bad that I will not stop using it, but it was noticeable. It also is 0.03g bigger than the Anastasia pencil.
Color: Comes in 4 shades and I have the 02 Dark Brown. I guess it is better than just having more than 1 color so I put it in the pros section ha ha.
Texture: It is not that bad but I feel I do have to put more pressure on my eyebrows. More comments on cons section down below.
Scent: None
Performance: The tip is skinny so if I need precision it was there. Other than that, it was not too bad. The color lasted until the end of the day. Again, this is not a water proof product.
Price: I rememeber it was around $7 CAD approx. and there was 30% sale in stores so it came around $5 CAD so for this price, it is not too bad. Probably the biggest point for this product is the price.
Availability: Medium access as it is available online.
Cons:
Packaging: It somehow feels flimsier than the Anastasia one, but nothing too much of a concern.
Colors: Now dark brown does not come out as a brown like the Anastasia ‘brunette’ but it comes as slightly reddish brown color, especially in the sun. Because of this reason, I am not super liking it.
Texture: Now, if I did not compare it with Anastasia, I would have given it more of a thumbs up, but comparing it to the Anastasia eyebrow pencil, I do have to put a bit more force when drawing with Holika eyebrown pencil. Or maybe, it is because the color is not dark as it should be, I could be putting more force on my hands to darken the color on my eye brows.
Performance: It was long lasting as in nothing got wiped away. It is fall season in Canada, so I am not currently fighting with sweat other than working out, but even then, it is good.
Availability : Medium access as it is available online only and stores throughout Asia but not in North America.
Overall: Recommend or No?
I would only recommend if you like slightly reddish brown color with skinny tip and you are on budget. Also if the price was even lower, like if it goes on sale, I would consider but other than that I would not. I am always looking for dark brown that looks natural and this was not it. I am currently using an eyebrown pencil from Innisfree that has the color that I like with even cheaper price so if you guys are interested about this eyebrow product, please leave a comment down below 🙂
Anyways here are my reviews on Anastasia Brow Wiz VS. Holika Holika Wonder Drawing eyebrow Skinny Eyebrow and final overall is, I would not purchase either of them so onto the next eyebrow item~!!!
If you guys have any favorite eyebrown pencils or products, please leave a comment down below!
I will be doing a post on fall fashions that I have read from other bloggers and would like to add my thoughts as a non-fashionable casual dresser bystander.
First of all, I work in a field where my work wear consist of casual clothing, so I always wear casual clothes! It is kind of a bummer because I do not get to wear that fancy piece of dress, or top I bought a while ago hoping to wear some day. However I did work in a place where I had to wear suits everyday, so comparing to that, I am thankful for the casual work wear.
We are in already well into fall, but I know there are some of you who are still wearing those summer clothes trying to wear most out of them. So here it is~
Bomber jackets
One thing to note, I am trying hard to not spend money on clothing as much as before because that was where all my pay cheque went back in my highschool and 20-year-old days. Doe anyone resonate with me?
Anyways I bought a bomber jacket from F21 for around 30 cad and I am quite satisfied with the jacket! It is a casual jacket so I can wear this to work or even with a dress for a night out! This jacket can work with many types of outfits and it is such a classic and quite plain that I can probably wear this until it breaks and rips! A lot of brands are coming out with different fabrics such as satin, velvet and even terry cloth, so there is a jacket that will match everyone’s taste. Anyways, I am excited about this jacket and cannot wait to wear this out. This jacket would suit any ages and it is part of the athleisure trend that I so dear love. Except, when the bomber jacket trend goes away, this piece will be something which I would consider as my style wardrobe permanently. I would definitely recommend! This specific jacket I got was sold out but here is a similar onebut in different colors!
2. Military look
I have seen military looks come and go for the last few decades and it is something that will stay for the next decades to come. I also bought a shirt/jacket from F21 website that has a cute patch on the side that made it playful, and I again quite like this item as well! It can be work as a jacket in summer/fall season and wear it as a shirt during fall/winter season. This is another item any age can wear without screaming I am stuck in my teen hood which I suffer at times 😉
I will always go for the military look at any age but I will hesitate to wear top to bottom as I will get weird stares in especially in Korea. Men in Korea have to be in military as part of their mandatory service to Korea, so you might get weird stares as men often stress about going to the military and to think females just want to “look” the part where they do not even have join the military. I once thought about joining an army in Canada (I live in Canada) but I thought I was physically weak, so gave that up quite quick.
3. Velvet
Now velvet is a material where it feels luxe and soft but in some ways, it can feel like an “odd” material to wear. It can be seen as too much for work and casual settings; however it might not be seen as a luxurious material such as satin, so it can feel somewhere in the middle between casual and luxurious. Also, I found it hard to wear for all seasons.
For example, I had this velvet quarter sleeve top back in the days and I wore it during the summer time and I felt hot and warm; however, when I layered a jacket on top during winter, the sensation of wearing a jacket over a velvet material made my skin tingle in not a good way. And weird as in feeling weird and not bad weird. Now that sentence sounds weird.
Another funny thing is, when I was scrolling down F21 website, I found a black velvet floral kimono style pieceand I really wanted it!. It is currently selling for 40 bucks cad and that is too much for me at this time, so I will wait it out until I really really want it. Or hopefully it goes on sale..but probably not until January 2017. It looks a bit dark, moody, witchy, gothy..and what does that mean..? I do not even know. As long as it is not a top, I will consider buying velvet clothing again.
4. Animal print
Animal look can consist of whole bunch of animal prints such as cougar, cheetah, panther, zebra, lion, tiger etc. When you think about it, I do not know why we want to simulate wearing another living being skin on ourselves, but what do I know about fashion? har har. Anyways I do have a cheetah printed cardigan and it looked so bold at one point back in the days but now when I wear it, I just look like I am trying too hard. It also depends on what I am wearing with but the older I get, I look older when wearing this. Regardless, it is a classic item as it comes up and again in the fashion scene. You get to decide if this is a right look for you or not.
5. Patent
Patent was something that surfaced during mid to late 90’s when I was in elementary school/highschool. I remember all the “cool” people were wearing and I remember I was fascinated with the material. I did not understand how that resembled clothing as it was plastic and shiny. I also remember idols in Korea were wearing them. Does anyone remember that?
Anyways, patent just recently re-surfaced because of the surge of 90’s fashion and when 90’s fashion get recycled endlessly, and another era comes back, patent will probably disappear as they should be. I will not get any patent clothing and I cannot even wear with my current casual wardrobe. Not recommend.
6. Metallic
Another trend that seemed to be in the 90’s and probably other eras but I only know about 90’s and 2000 because that was when I went to highschool. Metallic works when added as a focal point mixed with other neutrals, but really, how often will you wear metallic clothing other than end of the year parties and maybe birthday parties? If that is the case, I will not spend too much money and to move on. I admit, I wanted metallic shawl a couple of years ago and I missed buying it. If I see it, I will definitely get it and wear it with pride 😀
7. Victorian
This is another trend that happened like 50 years plus? During the 90’s, I remember pinning old, antique brooch with a face of an unidentified person onto the lapels of my jacket. I remember I wanted one(weirdly), but I did not, because I felt creeped out wearing a random face on me.
When I think of Victorian, I do think of high necks, and lace details, and I think that is fine as an accessory but other than that, pass! I doubt women enjoyed wearing Victorian clothing at that time as I read women had bruises on their ribs by wearing tight bustier to cinch their waists. No thanks!
8. Plaid
Plaid is definitely classic as it comes up every fall/winter season. The plaid trend changes season to season, from checkered, and gingham and etc. But if you have a certain plaid pattern that look good on you, go for it! During spring/summer season, gingham was popular, and I tried to wear it, and I looked like I had a picnic table-cloth on. I have seen other bloggers wearing gingham like it was their own skin, but it just did not look good on me. Do try different styles of trend as you may never know what looks good on you but do trust your own guts if what you see looks good on you or not.
Okay, there you have it. My take on Fall fashion so far.
What are some of your Fall trends so far? Please comment them down below.
Hello everyone! It has been sooooo long since I last posted. I am currently enrolled in a course called English for Journalism from Coursera and it goes on for 5 weeks so I have been pretty occupied with that.
It is not a excuse…(maybe a bit) but I finally have a new post!
First of all I am sooo into Korean drama called The Moon Embracing the Sun!! It is pretty old (2012) but it is soooo good!! Soo sad…but so good! I am currently listening to the OST on You Tube right now…sigh
Anyways…
I have been using sunscreen (or suncream, both the same thing) since I was 16 years old and it has been more than 10+ years! I read in magazine articles saying we should always wear sunscreen to prevent premature aging, and wrinkles, so I have been using them for a long time.
I still did not truly believe in putting sunscreen until I went tanning while I was on a Vegas trip. Before then, people commented how great my skin was and I only half believed them (self doubt…uggh).
I went tanning for the FIRST TIME in Vegas under a hot hot sun, and afterwards, I noticed my skin looked quite leathery! I was horrified and tried to find a remedy but to no avail. Afterwards, my skin never returned to normal. It could be also due to aging but it was a pretty drastic change from before. It has been 8 years since the Vegas trip, and I am still living with the consequences. So in retrospect, NO TANNING! 😔 (well at least for me)
*Quick note: My skin type is sensitive, and combination/dry. I am always interested in anti-ageing, and hydrating skincare.
So I have been using few sunscreens (for face only) and would like to give some pros/cons and wanted to share with you guys. Also while I was writing this post, I learned more about health factors and harmful chemicals that are in sunscreen so that changed my thoughts on some of these sunscreen.
I have read several blog posts and a lot of them referred to EWG (Environmental Working Group), which is a non profit organization that promotes to protect human health and the environment, as their main source, so check them out for safe and healthy eco- friendly products! When I was reading blog posts from sources such as Expatdoctormom and thegreenmama two toxic ingredients stood out to me and that is oxybenzone and retinylpalmitate.
Just to sum it up a bit before this post gets too long, oxybenzone gets absorbed into the skin and interrupts with your hormones so if you are putting them on a baby, that is definitely not good for the baby!
Retinyl palmitate is photocarcinogenic which means it is a substance that causes cancer after illumination.
I don’t mean to scare you guys off but just by reading these articles and posts, it scared me off, so I am just sharing my concern.
When I did the reviews of these sunscreen, I did not consider the ingredients, but I feel like I will do another post with these harmful chemicals in mind for another post.
“Provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection combined with skin soothing colloidal oatmeal sourced from nature, to protect baby’s skin from the sun’s harmful rays while gently caring for baby’s delicate skin. This non-greasy, skin-moisturizing oatmeal formula is waterproof, helps prevent moisture loss and is as mild as water to the skin. #1 Pediatrician recommended brand. Broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. Mild as water. Helps prevent moisture loss. Fragrance free, waterproof, non-greasy”.
-Walmart website
Pros:
– It is a pretty decent size (110ml) for the price (approx. 14 dollars cad)
– It felt gentle on my skin (the first time I tried it)
– Easily accessible for purchase at a local drugstore
Cons:
– My skin felt irritated when I purchased the second time and mind you, I tried other sunscreen between these two bottles
– Left a white cast on my face
– It felt heavy (most sunscreen feel heavy on my face but this one especially)
Will not repurchase: I would not purchase this again as it felt irritable on my face
“Get daily protection against sunburn with NEUTROGENA® ULTRA SHEER® WATER-LIGHT® Daily Face Sunscreen SPF 60. This sunscreen has a water-light texture that spreads easily over skin, absorbing instantly to an invisible weightless feel. It features HELIOPLEX®, an advanced sunscreen technology with broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, which shields skin from the sun’s damaging rays. The dermatologist-recommended sunscreen is waterproof, oil-free and non-comedogenic.. Use it alone or under makeup and moisturizers. This lotion comes in a 40-millilitre tube”
– Walmart website
Pros:
– My skin did not feel sticky and absorbed quickly as the sunscreen was in a liquid form
– It felt gentle on my skin
– Did not leave a white residue
– Easily accessible for purchase at a local drugstore
– It is not a complete dupe but it had a similar consistency to Shiseido Ultra Sun Protection Lotion
Cons:
– It is a small size (40ml) for the price (approx. $15 cad) so it was used up really quickly. I did purchase few more bottles but I just could not justify the price 😔
Will not repurchase: There are still so many sunscreens I would like to try so I probably will not purchase again. It just got used up too quick.
“Ultra Sheer® Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 100+ is proven to protect skin from over 99% sunburn damage. Plus, with an unbeatable PFA, nothing provides better UVA protection. Infused with a light, fresh scent, this elegant formulation is fast-absorbing, non-whitening, water resistant and lightweight. Neutrogena’s Dry-Touch technology provides an ultra-light, non-shiny finish and leaves skin soft and smooth”
– Neutrogena website
Pros:
– Easily accessible for purchase at local drugstore
– Price point perhaps (88ml for approx. $14 cad)
Cons:
– It felt sticky (not dry touch as it stated on the tube)
– My skin felt irritated
– Left white film residue on my face so I had to blend it hard to blend it away
Will not repurchase: I actually stopped using after few pumps and I rarely do that..but I did. I will not repurchase and it actually made me question the brand.
Nuganic Customize Sun Block SPF 50 PA+++ (It was part of the deluxe sample from Memebox , a Korean beauty website)
Nuganic Customize Sun Block SPF 50 PA+++
Pros:
– Felt gentle for my skin
– Glided smoothly
– Did not leave white cast on skin
– Whitened face naturally (if you like that sort of thing)
Cons:
– Small size (40ml)
– Price was a bit hefty (I believe it was approx. 50 USD)
– Not easily accessible (It used to be available online but I cannot seem to find it anymore)
Recommend: I would still recommend it and I might revisit it later but I still want to try other products. I searched it on memebox website but I could not find the product. Does anyone know where to get it? Please leave a comment down below!
So these are some of the products I have used so far.
The photostable formula with Mexoryl XL®, a patented broad spectrum filter, along with other powerful filters, protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays. Photostable, the formula doesn’t lose its efficiency during sun exposure. Enriched with Vitamin E, it protects the skin against dehydration caused by the sun. This highly water-resistant cream texture hydrates the skin well. Ideal Soleil, the most pleasant textures with Mexoryl, no.1 recommended filter by dermatologists*.
efficacy
The photostable formula with Mexoryl XL®, a patented broad spectrum filter, along with other powerful filters, protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays. Photostable, the formula doesn’t lose its efficiency during sun exposure. Efficacy tested under dermatological control.”
-Vichy website
Pros:
– Good size for the price (I would wait to go on sale. I purchased mine for approx. 25 cad and original price is approx. 30 cad)
– Whitens face naturally. If you put it on high points of your face, it brightens the face like a highlighter but not like an actual highlighter)
– It does leave a bit of white cast but most of then disappears and it is easily blend able (I tap on areas, too)
Cons:
– The price can be seen as a bit pricey if it is original price but if it is on sale, it is pretty good! (5 bucks difference XD) I still feel it is a good price for the product compared to other pricey items.
– It still left a bit of white cast but still blend able!
Recommend: I would recommend. This is something I would seriously consider except I want to try this sunscreen which I will mention later down below.
I use eye sunscreen because skin under the eye is very gentle and sensitive so I thought eye area needs a special attention.
“This eye cream improves the look of delicate skin around the eye area while moisturizing, preventing the appearance of wrinkles and protecting against UVA and UVB rays.”
-Shiseido Canada website
Pros:
– I do not get major problems under area my eye area (other than wrinkles) but no sun spots so I guess it is working(?)
– Easily accessible online or offline
– It is small so it is convenient for travels
Cons:
– It is pricey (approx. 32 cad) for eye sunscreen but I have not seen eye sunscreen that was widely known as this product. Does anybody know any good eye sunscreen?
– It is small (15ml) so I do have to purchase it quite often
I bought TheSaem Light Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA+++ sunscreen from Korea when I visited there in April 2016. It was on sale 1+1 which is buy one get one free and total cost was approx. 10 cad.
TheSaem Light Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA+++
Pros:
– It was creamy like I was putting on a skin care lotion
– It was like skin care lotion so it blended easily and it did not leave any white cast
Cons:
– This may sound weird but because it did not feel like a “sunscreen” as in thick and creamy, I did not feel protected by wearing this sunscreen
– Smell is quite perfumy so that turned me off a bit
Would not recommend: I want my sunscreen to act as a sunscreen. This may sound like a hypocrite, but I am looking for a sunscreen that is “sunscreen like” if that makes sense. I am looking for a product that is easily blendable and does not leave a white cast on my face. I don’t like the perfume smell as well.
Sunscreen that I would like to try in the future:
My Vichy sunscreen was running out so I wanted to try the Avene sunscreen which was referred by my favorite Korean make up artist PONY; however, the saleslady said the brand La Roche-Posay ranks higher in quality so I got La Roche-Posay SPF 50 Sunscreen for children instead.
I am excited to try this out and the saleslady also said La Roche-Posay and Vichy are from the same mother brand but La Roche-Posay is higher quality brand as it contains less chemicals.
I also wanted to try out Innisfree Oat Mild Moisture Sun Creamas one of my favorite You Tuber SSINIM said it felt like a Kiehl’s sunscreen so I wanted to try that out.
This was a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong post so I will end it here.
What is your favorite sunscreen recommendation? Please leave a comment down below!
Mint app (this is a budgeting app where it records your spending habits and helps you to monitor which categories are getting close to your budget that you do get to pick your own budget or follow their budget guide. I just started using in July 2016 and I have gone over budget in some categories but at least I became more aware!)
Try to buy stuff on sale (even you are purchasing at discounted and affordable stores). I used to buy a lot of clothes from stores such as Forever 21 and thinking they are already cheap, I thought I did not have to buy them on sale. I continued this buying habit for two years and realized I spent on items just on a whim even though they did not really bring me joy. I just bought them because they were cheap! Can you guess how much I spent during those two years? I don’t even want to know.
Try the Marie Kondo method (Don’t just buy stuff because it is on sale or just cheap). Only buy if it really brings you joy when you touch it, feel it, and wear it. Even though you might look “good” in it, if you do not need it or not planning to wear for the next couple of months, do not buy it! By that time, newer styles have come out and there will be other clothes that you will look good in!
Also before you buy an item, do the in and out approach where if you are bringing a new item into your house, try to take one out. So before you bring the item to the cash register, really think if you actually need or want this item because you might have some similar items back at home.
Remember. Materials do not bring you happiness. Or at least not for me. Especially if they are from “want” category. Unless you give memories and feelings to the materials, they will never replace your happiness. I know this because there were a couple of times, I was obsessed with the item that I wanted to get for sooo long and that was all I thought about it for weeks and months! After I purchased the item, my obsessions vanished so quickly I wonder why I wanted them in the first place! That is empty promise!
These are the items I brought along whenever I started out my day while travelling in Korea. A lot of these items saved me from being drenched, having battery from running out, and saving me from getting sick!
1. Luggage scale
Okay, so this is not something I carried around at all times, but I wanted to mention it because it really was useful. It is a scale where you attach it to the suitcase and weighs how heavy your suitcase is! When you weigh the luggage, and it goes over the limit, you have the leisure and the freedom to disperse the items to another luggage and that will help you from headaches and help you save money in case your suitcase goes over the recommended weight at the airport. It is quite useful and sure buy for all travellers! We bought ours from the Winners but there is similar one available here!
2. Foldable Umbrella
I don’t care about having white or tanned skin. I do admit, I fell into the whole white skin syndrome when I was in my 20’s but after my skin was ruined after using whitening skin product, it changed my mind. No more! Love your own skin color 🙂
I also went tanning when I was travelling through Vegas and because of tanning, my skin felt and became leathery (especially my forehead) and lines were more prominent! No more! I am always under a shade or bring wide rimmed hat when I am out travelling in sunny weathers.
Also make sure to not bring umbrellas that have pointy metal at the end, because they will get taken at the airport because they can be seen as a weapon!
I recently got some beauty marks or moles removed from my face in Korea and they urged me to avoid the sun for few months after the procedure.
After the procedure, I carried and used umbrellas everywhere I went. I am even thinking of getting umbrellas exclusively for sun!
Aside from the sun, it can rain as well so the umbrella will come in handy! I agree with bringing umbrellas wherever you go for travelling especially during summer!
3. Power bank
First of all, it depends on the size. There are small to big and smaller ones have less charges and so forth. You can get this information when you buy them and they will have numbers such as ‘13000mAh’ and bigger the number, bigger the power. I had a portable WiFi called ‘egg’ and it was something I borrowed when I traveled in Korea. It was very useful and it can connect to multiple people, but due to that, the battery will drain faster.
When I used the ‘egg’ myself, it drained mid day and I had to recharge it by plugging the USB cable to the power bank and voila! Back to power!
Our power bank lasted for a whole day when I used it myself and it charged the ‘egg’ and my phone and still had two bars left of the battery at the end of the night. Awesome!
4. Egg ‘WiFi’
This is a portable WiFi that you can borrow at the airport for depending on the length of your trip.
If you are using airbnb, I would ask the host if you can borrow the egg WiFi for free or at a reduced price.
When I used airbnb once time, the host let us borrow it for free and the second airbnb host lent me for 3000won/day (approx. 3 dollars/day) and that is even a good deal if multiple people uses it. If you want more information on egg wifi, click here!
5. Water bottle
It is crucial to keep yourself hydrated to preserve your energy, to get rid of internal toxins and to quench your thirst! Either way, it is good to have a bottle of water by you. Mind you, if you are driven everywhere and have a water bottle in the car, then forget about it! But if you are like me walking everywhere, I encourage you to carry a bottle of water with you at all times! Because it is not encouraged to drink tap water in Korea, I usually buy a big water bottle at a convenience store and carry it around. Yes, it can get heavy and if that is the case, carry around a smaller water bottle and try to get water when you go to a place where there are water available. Yes, you might get the eyes from people, but you are a traveller and you will not see those people ever again.
6. Toilet paper
When I travelled to Korea in 2008, there were no toilet papers in washroom stalls other than department stores. When I travelled to Korea 2015 and 2016 I felt the toilet paper emergency was slowly decreasing as I have noticed more stocked washrooms with toilet papers. However, I did go to a concert in 2016 when I was in Korea, and there were NO TOILET papers… so that was one time I was saved! So if you do not want to bring a huge roll of toilet papers, I encourage to bring tissue paper packs to save space in your bag and for other usages.
7. Granola bars
I brought some granola bars thinking I would be eating those things everyday and boy, was I wrong! Now, I did include this item into my must haves to bring to Korea while travelling, so my reasons are, there will be times where you could get sick of the food that you are eating while travelling. Some of you might scoff or laugh but you could be at a place where there are no convenient stores or restaurants that you want to eat at! Also, cost could be a factor, so in that case granola bars can come in handy. You can bring one or two in your bag and whoever gets hungry or needs a little bit of energy, you can whip one up and eat them up in your own convenience!
8. Vitamin pills
Recently, I have been trying to be more conscious of my health and I decided to take vitamin pills. I feel getting vitamins and nutrients are best when I am consuming from food naturally, however, I do not eat the recommended intake, so I take them in pill forms. There are divided sides that can voice our their opinions but after I have been taking them, I feel I hardly got sick! When I travelled in the past, and everytime I got back from travelling, I would get very sick for few days! This time, I was pretty consistent on taking my vitamin pills everyday, and when I came back from Korea, I did not get sick! I mean it could be a placebo effect, but I am convinced. I take multivitamin, calcium pills, and omega 3! Which vitamin pills you take is up to you depending which area of the body you want to concentrate, but I do recommend on taking the multivitamin pills as a minimum intake! Unless, you eat the recommended nutrients per day naturally from food, but if not, vitamin pills are way to go!
What are your must haves while travelling? Please leave a comment down below 🙂
I recently went to Korea for 3 weeks and wanted to share some of the essential items I would recommend. First, I would figure what the purpose of the trip would be . Would it be backpacking? Going for work ? Meeting friends, or relatives? Going for a honeymoon?
While staying in Korea, I have attended a friend’s wedding, got medical check ups, met with friends and relatives as well. I brought clothes that would be relating to a party wear and something casual as well for other things such as meeting with friends and families, and doing errands.
Also, what try to figure what the temperature would be like for your final destination? For Korea during April to May, the lowest temperature was around 10 degrees, and the highest was around 23 degrees.
For me, I actually plan my outfits day by day, so I made a list of what I will wear, including accessories on a piece of paper.
One rule that I follow is however many days I go on a trip, I would only bring clothes up to 2 weeks worth. If I would be going for more than 2 weeks, I would recycle wearing my clothes back to day 1. Also for bringing clothes, jeans and outerwear are heavier, so I would make sure I would be wearing them more than once. I would go wild bringing t shirts and leggings since they are a lot lighter.
For clothing, here is what I brought for this trip and my thoughts!
Airplane wear
Something comfortable such as T shirts, thin long sleeve shirts, and for bottom, leggings, sweatpants, velour pants would work. Also, instead of wearing a scarf in the airplane which it can get cold inside the cabin, I brought my trusted cape/poncho that I got from Forever21 during 2015 winter season. I wear it around my neck, so I do not have to fuss over whether it is falling down from my neck or trying to adjust it. It would just be there, hanging around my neck.
I bought it for my last trip and wore it well ever since for airplane wear. It looks a lot cooler than the blankets you get in the airplane. I usually use both of them in the plane in case it gets colder. For shoes, wear something comfortable where you can easily take them on and off, such as flip flops, or flats. I wore Birkenstock and overall, I would stick to this wear for my next trip as well.
2. Light tops and bottoms
ex) T shirts and leggings: Bring whichever amount you would wear for 2 weeks.
3. Denim jeans
I brought 3 pairs. (I was satisfied with this number since I was away for 3 weeks.)
4. Outerwear
I brought 4 outerwear(Now this is when I made a mistake). The outerwear that I brought consisted of a blazer and light jackets. Now, I drive back at home in Canada, so when it gets cold at night which is around 10-12 degrees (in April), I can handle the weather because I drive. When I was in Korea, I walked everywhere, other than taking public transportation, and the weather was too cold for my light outerwear. I tried to layer them but they were too bulky, so I had to purchase a jacket. It kind of worked out, because I was looking for a faux leather rider jacket but for next time, I would bring one heavier jacket that I can layer with everything for these kinds of weather. Even though it was a nice jacket, I spent needless money.
5. Dress
I brought 3, but I only wore it once. I am at a time where I am married, and I am surrounded by other married women, so dressing up and going to parties are practically non-existent in my world at least. Unless my purpose of the trip would be to party, I would bring less dresses. Wasted space: 2 dresses
6. Shoes
Shoes: I brought a pair of heels (for the wedding), and 2 sneakers, and 1 runners. I was satisfied with bringing 2 sneakers but make sure they are COMFORTABLE! I cannot stress this enough, especially if you would be walking everywhere. I made a mistake of bringing shoes that had no support for my last trip to Korea, and my feet especially suffered last time. This time, it was a bit better because they were slightly more comfortable sneakers, but for next time, I would recommend bringing one sneaker and one runner! Now, I mentioned I brought runners, and this runners is actually for working out. So, one sneakers and one runners for walking. So far, I have never actually worked out while travelling, but I would always bring it just in case I have the opportunity to do so. Anyways I still wasted space for this trip since I did not wear them: 2 sets of gym wear, and a pair of gym runners.
7. Accessories
Now, for accessories, I would go wild. This is how I can revamp old outfits and plain outfits to look more modern. I brought a necklace, and a hat which was useful. However, I forgot to bring a scarf and it was so freaken cold in Korea! There was a windstorm and it was soo windy! I suffered for a couple of days with no scarf and at the end, just bought them and they came in quite handy. However, I had a lot of scarves back at home that I could have brought. T.T Spent needless money.
Also speaking of accessories, I like wearing backpacks while travelling. I bought a backpack just before the trip; however, I wish there were more pockets and inside pockets. I could not find the perfect bag right before the trip, but I would just have to keep searching. Still, I was satisfied with the backpack I bought.
Aside from bringing a backpack, I brought a small clutch for the wedding, and another small bag with a strap. Now, if you are wearing these small bags, it would be good for going out in the evening or somewhere nearby from your place. You do not always want to look like a tourist, so bringing one “cute” bag would be okay. Here is an example down below:
8. Make up
I would bring what you would wear for one night time look, and a daily daytime look. That way, I would bring all the essentials I would need to look “gorgeous” but will not bring two of the same make up if that makes sense. If I want to tone it down, I can just use less make up and vice versa. For palettes. I brought one, and played around using this. I do not know the name of this palette as I received it as a gift and she forgot the name either. Just make sure it has both daytime looks ( beige, and night time looks in one palette.
Seriously, no one will notice if I have been using one palette for the whole duration of my trip. I am an eyelash junkie, so I brought 7 boxes of eyelashes. Half of them are for parties (thicker lashes), and half of them are more natural. The last pair I brought were ones that were cut in half, so when I want to look natural but have no time to put on a full set of eyelash, I would grab the half, and go! I would stick to this ratio for my next trip as well.
9. Skincare
Skincare: SAMPLES, SAMPLES, and SAMPLES! If you have abundance of samples of skincare or even cleansers, this is the time to use them up! I brought one tub of lotion that I use for day time, in case all my samples run out, and I can still use my day lotion for night if necessary. I brought my trusted AVENE in case I break out.
If you have not read my reviews for Avene, please read HERE!
Even for shampoos and conditioners, I brought samples!
For hair, I usually get a haircut at the final destination, but for this trip, my priority was medical stuff so I did not get the chance to get the hair cut. If this trip was more for pleasure, I would have gotten a haircut, but, oh wells, next time! And for nails, I would also get them at the final destination, but this time, I did not have the chance to do them. So for both, I got my haircut and nails done prior to my trip.
Anyways here is my take of what to bring for clothing and accessories wise. I feel like I have a bit of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) so reading what others bring and incorporating to my current list helps me to feel less anxious so I hope this post kind of helps someone like me!
Thank you so much for reading so far! I will be writing a post of 5 Essential Non-Beauty/clothing Items to bring for travelling to Korea.
What are your must have for travelling to certain countries?
So I decided to wear a face mask for the night because why the heck not?!
Anyways, I tried this face mask called Freeman Facial Purifying Paper Mask in Star Fruitthat I received as a sample and this was the one where I put it on for the whole night (not listening to the directions) last time and basically ruined my face! And when I say ruined, I meant my face got small bumps all over my face( not trying to be too dramatic here ha)
I had one left, and this time I followed the directions carefully which stated to put on for 5-10 minutes. I wanted to do a review of the mask and so here it is.
After couple of minutes, I felt my face sting. Now for the sake of the review, I waited patiently and when it hit 10 minutes, I immediately took it off. Afterwards, I did not see any difference and sighed with relief that it was my fault back then when I did not read the instructions properly.
The next day….TADAHHH..
My face got ruined again…
Oh my…
The bumps…all over my face. Now it was not bad compared to the first time my face got ruined but still bad. These pictures are not doing justice because it looks worse in person compared to the pictures.
But mind you not! I just did an Avene review from my last blog. If you have not read it, read it HERE!
I took out my trusted Avene and put it on my face day and night hoping it will do the job.
What I did was after I washed my face, I would put a regular toner that is gentle and would put Avene on top of it. I would put my everyday eye cream on my eyes at night and carried on.
The next day, the irritations were prominent, but it seems the redness went down a bit.
A couple of days later, the bumps and the redness subsided a bit and I knew Avene was doing its miracle again!
I was religious on putting on the Avene cream day and night and after a week, my bumps have almost disappeared! After a week, there were little of remnants left but almost well as new!
This post was not supposed to be another review of Avene product but it seems like it is.
Advantages
It was not too expensive as I received in one of those monthly subscription boxes.
Disadvantages
The size of the mask was way too small for my face. Mind you, I was comparing masks to Korean masks that I normally use and they were fine.
Seems too harsh for my sensitive skin
Also another thing to note is, when I use Korean masks, I leave them on for the whole night (even though it says to leave them on for 20 minutes) and the next day, my skin is still soft.
What are your favorite face masks for sensitive skin? Please share!
I first filmed my first empties video #1 skincare and it is on my You Tube channel (krusty604) right now, so please check it out, like and subscribe!
The reason I am writing today is, in the video, I would like to recommend one product, which actually worked for me, whenever I used it. The product is called Avene Skin recovery cream. In my video, the cream was called, Avene calming moisturizing formula, and it seems the name got changed because I could not find the product on the Internet. However, I remember when I purchased the product, the sales lady said the name changed and the product was the same.
Anyways………
I first encountered Avene product when I got a breakout on my face. Now, I do not usually get breakouts thanks to my family’s genes(?), so when I got a break out, I knew it was not normal. Also, it was not like the usual acne where it was gradual, but it was a sudden outburst, all over my cheeks.
Avene is known for working well on sensitive skin and the one I bought had “Chatelaine 100 beauty winner” sticker on it, so that tells me this product is adored by other people.
I usually purchase this item from local drugstore called London Drugs for approx. 35 cad but when I searched it on Amazon, some listings came out as 25 cad, so, do your research for best prices! When I purchase it locally, I do wait for discounts heh heh
The cream feels nice and it does not feel sticky!
One thing to note! Sometimes, too much of a good thing is not a good thing. One time, when my irritants disappeared after using the product, I continued to use the product thinking it would give me additional benefits using it on a clear skin. However, that was not the case and I did not notice anything special or different. The product is not cheap, and I did not want my skin to get immune to this product, so I stopped using it.
Lately, I have not gotten any irritants, so I did not get the chance to use it, but it seems the product is still popular and widely known. If not, NOW YOU KNOW! 😉
Now there was one fact that I was not aware of. The product only have few essential ingredients in the product because of its special sealing system. When you squeeze the product, the end of the tube has a vacuum like seal, so it sucks the product back up to prevent any other bacteria from coming in. I thought this was kind of cool :0 I now remember, when I was at the end using up the cream, it was hard to squeeze and the cap would not budge! Now I realize, it was to protect the bacteria coming in! How sweet :p
Advantages
Ø Good for sensitive skin
Ø Helped clear out my irritants everytime!
Ø Still somewhat affordable. Approx. 35 CAD on London Drugs website, but on Amazon, it was listed as 25CAD so search up that engine for best prices!
Ø Accessible. I usually purchase mine at London Drugs when they have discounts but I might check out Amazon now!
Ø Not too much chemicals in the ingredients department. Less than 15!
Disadvantages
Ø It can be pricey for a small tube (50ml)…I hope it comes out as a bigger tube because once I start using it, it seems to get used quite quickly…but because it work, I keep buying……yaaaaaas..
So here is my take on this cream that I have been purchasing over and over and over and over.
Recommend?
YAAASSSS…..yes I totally would and I would continue to purchase it until the next thing comes along.
Please leave a comment if you have any products that work for you when you have sudden irritants on your skin.
minimalist minnie 