April Goals ~

Hi everyone! I hope y'all had a good Easter~ I decided to write up a small blog post about my goals for the month, because I would really like to be more organized and get more accomplished with my time.

April Specific Goals
- Five hours of studying/revising per day for my exams after Easter break
- Get more organized with my study abroad situation next year (visa, bank account, classes, accomodation,e tc)

Blog Posts I would like to write

- Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream Review
- Missha Cho Bo Yang BB Cream Review
- Tony Moly Cats Wink Mascara (#1) Review
- Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar (Peach & Cherry) Review
- My Beauty Diary Red Vine Mask Review
- My Beauty Diary Arbutin Whitening Mask Review
- Spring/Summer Wishlist
- Various Haul posts (I'm expecting atleast 4!!) (◡‿◡✿)


Weekly Habits to work on
-Go to the gym 4x a week ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ
-Tidy up my room atleast once a week, i.e. do laundry, change bedding, take out trash, dust

Daily Habits to work on
- Hang up clothes at the end of the day
- Drink 3 litres of water
- Do my skincare routine twice a day

The biggest change is probably the cleaning and the gymming, haha. Anyway, I know this isn't very exciting or interesting but I thought I would share my plans with you guys. Are any of you working on making changes to  your life to be more productive? I think small changes are best, rather than trying to radically alter a lot of things at once. At the end of the month I'll revisit my goals to see how productive I was. Wish me luck!! ヽ(＾Д＾)ﾉ

Versatile Blogger Award

Hi! So I was nominated for the Versatile Blogger award by my lovely fellow Redditor over at Bunny Kiss Kawaii and Sie! Thanks so much y'all~

The rules are:

• Thank the person who gave you this award.
• Include a link to their blog.
• Next, select 15 blog/bloggers that you've recently discover or follow regularly.
• Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile blogger award.
• Finally, tell the person who nominated you, 7 things about yourself.

Just a fun and cute thing, I think.

Random Facts about me:
1) I grew up in Louisiana and Texas, but most of my family still lives in Louisiana! I absolutely love the food in both states.
2) I'm in a long distance relationship, and have been for almost 3 years. We're finally going to be a 'regular' relationship in August :)
3) I'm conversational in Norwegian~
4) Only one of my ear lobes is pierced... I got both pierced at 18, but then one got infected and wouldn't calm down so I just let it close up. I've been too lazy to get it redone so far, haha.
5) I didn't get my drivers license until I was almost 17, because I was lazy...

Blogs I recently discovered/follow regularly:
Sashimi Dolly
Lace a la Mode
Snow White and the Asian Pear
Airi's Blog
Field of Tulips
Mad about my Skin
Go Hálainn
Geisha Baby
Petit Poppy
Namjooooooo
Bubblipop
Mirukuseki
Y-oonyee

I didn't quite link 15 because I'm lazy.

My Beauty Diary Pearl Powder Mask Review

Meh. I had heard pretty good things about this mask, but it didn't live up to my expectations- read on to find out more!

My Beauty Diary Bulgarian White Rose Mask Review

And now for the first of what will most likely be a long series of reviews! If you saw my last Sasa Haul post, then you'd know that I got a lot of different My Beauty Diary masks! Most of then I got in a set of 2, but there were two types- the Bulgarian White Rose mask and the Pearl Powder mask- that I was only able to buy one of. Because of that, I figured that I would try those out first. So here we go ~

Sasa Haul #2 !!

Another Sasa haaaullll! Filled with MY BEAUTY DIARY FACE MASKS!!!! And some cream. I'm irrationally excited.

All the stuff! Super excellent image quality.

Sana HADANOMY Collagen Cream 

I tried some out as soon as I got it, and just from the one time I've used it it seems like a really good cream. It moisturizes well and sinks in quickly, and has a small brightening effect. I'm excited to keep trying it out! :)

My Beauty Diary Black Pearl Mask (Box of 10)

Hurray! Super excited to try these out! I've only heard good things about them.

My Beauty Diary Earl Grey Tea & Macaroon mask (x2)

Such cuuute packaging! We shall see if the masks themselves live up to the high standards their packaging has set! 0:<

My Beauty Diary Pearl Powder Mask (x1)

I wonder how much different these are from the Black Pearl masks...

My Beauty Diary Bulgarian White Rose Mask (x1)

I actually tried this out about an hour ago- I'll post a review in the next day or so. It does what it advertises. ^^

My Beauty Diary Mixed Berries Mask (x2)

I've also heard really good things about this one ~

My Beauty Diary Red Vine Mask (x2)

Antioxidants and stuff?

My Beauty Diary Sake Yeast Mask (x2)

I was reading earlier about how yeast apparently has anti-aging properties? We shall seeeeeeee

My Beauty Diary Arbutin Whitening Mask (x3)

Got one for free with some quick Sasa deal thing. Look at how science-y it looks!

Skin79 Super+ BB Cream (Hot Pink) Review

Ahh, the well known and much loved Skin79 Super+ pink label BB cream! I hate it. I'll explain why after some general info~ 

Where to get it:

• prettyandcute.com - $21.96 for 40g (they also have a few other sizes!)
• sasa.com - $34.60 for 40g
• ebay.com - $11-$15 for 40g, depending on the seller
• bonjourhk.com - $11.60 for 40g
• yesstyle.com - $18.00 for 40g
• twofacemall.com - $27.50 for 40g
• testerkorea.com - $17.54

I couldn't seem to find it on the Skin79 website ):

Description:

With its whitening and wrinkle-free formula along with its UV protection SPF 25, this product stands out from others and has been one of the most-loved BB Creams available. Its whitening ingredients which is made of Adenoisine and Arbutin, is effective in whitening and brightening the skin for an even and lively skin tone. With its SPF 25 function, it intercepts ultraviolet rays UV A and UV B to protect your skin while it is exposed to sun. Whats special about this BB Cream is that it contains the new concept Osmopur ingredient made of mined sunflower, rice bran and ivy extracts to protect the skin from various harmful conditions. Additionally, this BB Cream contains Phyto-Complex which is great for skin moisturizing and is soothing to your skin.

Claims to

~ SPF 25
~ Whiten and Brighten
~ Moisturize
~ Have smooth application
~ Have 'healthy' ingredients

(from prettyandcute.com)

Ingredients:

Water, Propylene Glycol, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, titanium Dioxide, IsopropylPalmitate, Talc, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxtstearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Arbutin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Sulfate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Adenosine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Madecassoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water, Triclosan, Ceramide 3, Cholesterol, Lycium Chinese Fruit Extract, Helianthus annus (Sunflower) Extract, Cornus Offincinalis Fruit extract, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Extract, Schizandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Dimethicone/vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Poper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Trihydroxystearin, Glycosyl Trehalose, Aluminum Hydroxide, Alumnium Stearate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Methicone, Tobopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ubiquinone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytic Acid, BHT, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Iron Oxides (from prettyandcute.com)

More details about the ingredients:

• Adenogen: It smoothes away lines, leaving skin elastic.
• Latin America Hadatamo: It provides skin with moisture and freshness.
• Osmopur: This protective ingredient is extracted from sun flower, American rice and ivy.
• Tocopheryl Acetate: It provides skin with moisture and freshness.
• Madecasoshid: It maintains healthy skin.
• Butene: It leaves skin white and translucent.
• Coenzyme Q10: It protects skin from environmental aggressors.
• Lotus Extract: Its elegant fragrance allows spiritual enjoyment.
• Green Tea Extract: It protects skin from environmental aggressors.
• Aloe: It restores skin’s elasticity.
• Purslane Extract: It comforts damaged skin and hydrates dehydrated skin. (from sasa.com)

Packaging: Surprisingly nice! It has a good quality feel to it, and the holographic label thing is really quite pretty. The plastic container has a heavy feel to it which adds to the 'quality' feeling. The pump works well and dispenses a good amount of product. No complaints whatsoever. Hygienic and high quality (:

Scent: None that I noticed.

Swatch: Accidently pumped too much!! My mistake :0 The cream itself is a nice consistency, not too heavy but not too runny. As you can see, it does not quite match the color of my skin- too grey for me... this holds true when it's applied to my face, as well.

Results/Coverage: Okay. So. First- it doesn't really match my skin. Second- it is so greasy. I don't even have oily skin and it made me look like a shiny mess without powder! I don't think you should neccessarily have to apply powder to a BB cream, so that was definitely not okay. Anyway, on to coverage-

Before

Obvious hyperpigmentation on my left cheek (in the past couple of weeks this these have faded a lot, thanks to the vitamin C emulsion and cream I've been using!! hurray!)

After

Immediately After. The greasiness isn't immediately obvious... but just wait. The coverage is decent- I'd say somewhere between light and medium. It covers up discoloration around my nose and chin, but doesn't do a very good job of completely covering up my hyperpigmentation. ):

Before

Left side before. For some reason, this side of my face is just a lot less prone to blemishes. I'm not sure why.

After

Immediately After-  adequate.

And now for the grease...

Natural Lighting, 5 minutes after application. Just... ugh. It's too grey, it's too shiny, and it feels gross because of the greasiness. My face looks like a completely different shade from my neck :/ And touching my face was kind of disgusting without powdering it. Overall it was just really disappointing, especially after hearing a lot of great stuff about it.

Bonus decent indoor lighting picture. You can see a bit of the shine on my forehead and nose. :/

Conclusion: Final Score 2.5/5

Pros: 

• Nice Texture
• Nice Packaging

Cons:

• Too grey for me even after 10 minutes (NW20)
• Greasy on my normal skin, so probably even worse on oily skin
• Not enough coverage for me
• Feels gross on 

Overall I'm just quite disappointed. I'm sure it works for some people, but for me it was a big letdown. Oh well!

Maxstar Review!

Hi everyone! I thought I'd write up a small review about some new shoes I bought! Maxstar flatform sneakers!

I ordered it on Monday and it arrived on Friday- pretty decent for South Korea to Scotland (: I chose the expedited shipping because it was only a couple of dollars more than the regular.

There was nothing to cushion the shoes during the shipment, but I didn't see any damage done so I guess that's okay.

It came with a pair of extra shoelaces- black! I like black. 

Openin' it up.

Packaging!

Before lacing them up! I love them already, so cute. They do smell a bit chemical-y right out of the bag, but that quickly dissipates. 

Maxstar! Underside of shoe! YEA! They're good quality for the price (about $40 USD), comfortable, and surprisingly light.

Overall, I'm really pleased with them. They fit true to size (though if you'll be wearing thick socks with them, maybe go up half a size?), look incredibly cute, feel comfortable and light, and are a good price with fast shipping. I haven't worn them outside yet, but I'm taking them to Amsterdam with me on Monday so I'll get plenty of walking in them and maybe update this later. 

Sasa Haul!!

Hi! I've been busy lately with an essay for school, so I won't post my next review for a week or so. Regardless, I thought I'd do a brief entry about my Sasa haul I got in last week!

All in all it contained 5 products, 6 including the small sample I got.

AQUAMOIST Hyluronic Acid Whitening & Moisture Milky Lotion

It's an emulsion by JuJu Cosmetics with vitamin C! I really like it so far, and I'll be reviewing it in the next month or so! Vitamin C is supposed to reduce inflammation, promote collagen production, enhance effectiveness of peels and microdermabrasion, and lessen hyperpigmentation. Which I need :)

HadaLabo TAMAGOHADA Daily Foaming Wash
BHA is supposed to unclog and refine pore size and reduce breakouts, while AHA is a mild exfoliant, that repairs sun damage - both build collagen! I heard that if you just put it on and wash it off immediately after it doesn't do much good, so I've been trying to keep it on for a minute or two. A review will eventually be up!

JUJU Cosmetics AQUAMOIST Vitamin C Cream

Ahh, this one I'm not such a huuuge fan of so far. The first couple of times I used it, it simply wouldn't absorb. I've only found it okay after using the barest amount... I ended up ordering a different cream to replace this one, I just think it's not that great really :(

Kose SOFTYMO Deep Cleansing Oil

It's my first time trying a cleansing oil, and I really like it so far! Not much else to say at this point.

SELENA 5 Layers Cotton Pad

I actually keep forgetting to use these with my toner, but a lot of people are fans of them, and they were quite cheap ($3.40 for 80), so I figured it was worth a try. As you can see on the box, you use them to make toner face masks! It's a very popular thing in Japan, from what I understand. You can see an explanation of the process here. :)

Methode SWISS Whitening Spot Eraser

I've been using this on a couple of new pigmentation marks I have, and I *think* that it's working. I don't think I'll bother buying a full size though, as it's so expensive. We will see though...

So yea! That's about it. The next reviews I'll be posting are for makeup, but I'll get around to reviewing these after I've used them for atleast a month, that way I have an idea if they actually work. :)

My Beauty Diary Apple Polyphenol Mask Review

Sooo, as most of you probably know, MBD masks are really popular for their relatively low price and their effectiveness. I read a lot of reviews before deciding on these, and I'm really happy with my purchase! 

Where to get it:

• prettyandcute.com 1 Mask- $2.00 / 2 Masks - $3.90 / 10 Masks - $15.75
• sasa.com - 1 Mask - $1.10 / 10 Masks - $13.60
• walmart.com 10 Masks - $13.40 
• bonjourhk.com 10 Masks - $13.00

Description: My Beauty Diary Apple Polyphenol Mask contains Roselle Acid which removes dead skin cells and improves and prevents enlarged pores. Gentle Nono (AHA) prolongs pore-contracting effects. Hyalyronic Acid stimulates synthesis of collagen and improvens skin's firmness and resilience. Provides moisturized, smoothed, and firmed skin. Recommended for normal skin, especially those with large pores. (from prettyandcute.com)

Claims to:
~Remove Dead Skin Cells
~Improve Enlarged Pores
~Prevent Enlarged Pores
~Firm
~Moisturize
~Smoothe

Science

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Medica Limonium (Lemon) Peel Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Triethanolamine, Nasturtium Officinale Leaf Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Methyparaben, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Dimethysilanol Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolized Albumen, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance, Sodium Hydroxide

Packaging: I was surprised by how 'high-quality' they felt. I'm not sure what I was expecting, honestly, but the box was pleasantly heavy and the packaging is of good quality. Mine were from Pretty & Cute (I'm impatient and their shipping takes a lot less time than Sasa) and the box came with a small sticker in English explaining how to use them.

I never massage the remaining serum in, I just let it absorb naturally.

So shiny! Small features like that really contribute to the 'high-quality' feeling.

Scent: A really lovely apple juice-esque scent? I don't know- I really like it though. It's not super duper scented or anything, which is a plus. If you're sensitive to smells it might be too much. Either way, the smell doesn't linger once the mask is on. 5/5

More packaging to make up for my lack of before & after pics.

Fit: As MBD is a Taiwanese brand, the masks are probably cut for different features than mine... it didn't fit me super well.

My nose isn't made for these. Also, you can see that the mask covers my upper lip. I have to fold that up to make a little mustache.

However, the cotton is thin enough so you can make little tears to customize the fit, which I have to do for the nose bridge! The mask is also a bit big for my face, but I just fold over the edges a bit to avoid getting it in my hair. Unfortunately there are usually quite a few wrinkles around the jaw area as well, but with some adjusting I can get it covering my chin and cheeks decently. So overall, it doesn't fit me well, but with some careful tearing and tugging it's adequate. 2/5

Still not a great fit, but better?

Results: Honestly quite effective! It's highly moisturizing, as most of the MBD masks are (to my knowledge). It never makes me feel greasy after, just moisturized and glowing. It feels cool on the skin but warms up quickly and is comfortable to have on after 5 or so minutes. Sometimes I forget its there, but then I remember and get irrationally excited about using it. I am a big fan of my bi-weekly beauty treatments  (*´∀`*)

There's usually a lot of product in the packets, but never overly much. I always have enough left over for my neck and sometimes hands. I like using it on my neck especially, because that way I can touch my neck, rather than my face,  to feel how soft and smooth the skin is after without worrying about causing a breakout. I've never had any issues with drips either, hurray!

After I've removed the mask my skin is definitely 'glowing', smooth, and soft. I also notice that the relatively large pores around my nose are smaller and less noticeable, and that the effect usually lasts until the next morning- quite a while. I have read that some people only have the results last for that night, however, so keep that in mind! It just seems to work particularly well on me. It doesn't irritate my skin or cause breakouts either (:

As for improved skin texture with regular use, I think it does. Maybe it's just that when I use the masks regularly I also am being diligent about the rest of my skincare routine, but adding the Bulgarian Rose toner and these masks into my routine has definitely improved my skin texture! And after a few days when I haven't used a mask recently, I do feel like my skin's condition is slightly worse VS the day or two after? Maybe I'm just imagining it.

Unfortunately I only have a mediocre phone camera to take pics with, so I couldn't take a before and after pore picture ): I'll eventually buy a new charger for my proper camera though! So I'll update this with more pictures eventually.

Conclusion: Final Score 5/5

Pros:

• Effective (light exfoliation, brightens skin, tightens pores, the results last awhile for me)
• A lot of product, so you can use it on your neck and hands or wherever you feel so inclined to
• Smells good
• Feels nice and cooling
• Make you look like a serial killer
• Relatively low price

Cons:

• Why can't I afford to wear them every day?
• Poor fit for me