Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate

For my skin routine, I am always in search of a good eye cream.  Although I recently read that eye cream is a fake since the ingredients are the same as moisturizers, I do believe that good eye cream can perk up the eye area by brightening and reducing fine lines.

The Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate is a beauty blogger favorite with rave reviews from multiple sources.  At $70, it is not cheap for a 0.15 ml pot of this rich cream.  The texture is thick, creamy with just a small pinky swab is sufficient for each eye at night.  Because it's so thick, I only use it at night to avoid any creasing with concealer and makeup.  

This small container lasted about 6 months and did keep my eyes hydrated.  However, at this hefty price, I will keep looking for cheaper substitute.

Where to buy: Sephora

Teforia Teapot

A few months ago I discovered the b8ta store in Palo Alto, CA whose mission is to provide startups with a store front space for retail customers to discover new innovations.   Upon review of all the new gadgets, I came across the Teforia tea pot.  It was an interesting design with features similar to Keurig coffee maker.   The sleek design reminds me of Apple phone where less is more.   As an avid tea drinker, I was interested in how this teapot would make tea better or make my life easier. 

Similar to a Keurig coffee maker, the Teforia has pods with different kinds of tea.   The one that I tasted (and in the picture) was chamomile.  It took about 5-8 minutes to brew and my understanding is that once the pod has been used, the tea leaves can be brewed again.  Upon tasting the tea, the taste was subtle but not different or memorable.  Their selection of tea is also very limited, no sencha or matcha.

I googled Teforia today and it looks like the company is closing.  For $1,000 per tea pot, this is a very expensive hardware without dramatically changing how tea is made.  I will stick with my sencha and matcha bought from Japan.

Hotel Collection: Le Grand Bain at Sheraton Fairplex

When I travel for work I try to stay at SPG properties.  In my recent trip to SoCal I stayed at the Sheraton Fairplex and was happy to find that they've changed their hotel beauty products to Le Grand Bain.  Not only are the packaging more contemporary and functional but the products are more effective too.   The products include citron for faint fragrance, vetiver for calming effect, and aloe and vitamins for moisture.  These products are also paraben free.  Great change Sheraton!

SK-II and Tatcha at Sephora!

SK-II and Tatcha are two of my favorite beauty brands and I'm so psyched they are available at Sephora!  Beauty junkie rejoice!

My Beauty Diary - Platinum Mandelic Acid Brightening Mask

I love the My Beauty Diary brand and wanted to try more products.  I purchased this Platinum Mandelic Acid Brightening Mask from Taiwan back in April and have been itching to try it.   This sheet mask is super thick and feels more like a wash clothe than a mask.   There was not enough essence on the mask and it was hard to apply to the face.   This is not my favorite and I'm debating on what to do with the rest of the masks.

Where to Buy: Taiwan

Fairmont Sonoma Inn - Le Labo

I travel a lot for work and love trying out the beauty products at the hotel.   On a recent trip to Fairmont Sonoma Inn, I was introduced to the Le Labo brand.   This brand is based out of NYC.  These products are AMAZING!!!  I love the smell of rose and this Rose 31 is unique and memorable. The fragrance really lingers.  I was so in love with the products, I requested for more from the concierge.  I hope to re-create the rose garden at home =)

Travel Essentials

On a recent trip to Sonoma, I brought all my travel skincare essentials:

* Tatcha One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil

* Tatcha The Deep Polish

* Clarins One-Step Facial Cleanser (was planning to use this as a toner but it was a fail)

* Tatcha The Essence

* Cosrx Triple C Lightening Liquid

* Lirikos Marine Ampoule

* Tatcha The Water Cream

* EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46

Where to buy:  purchased on Tatcha.co, Sokoglam, and dermatology office

Fairmont Sonoma Inn - Willow Stream Spa

Last week I was fortunate to join a group of colleagues at an offsite at the historic Fairmont Sonoma Inn where we had a full day meeting followed by luxury spa treatments at the beautiful Willow Stream Spa.  I booked a facial and indulged in top line beauty products, facial massage, and total glam and glow makeover.   The only disappointment was the blackhead extractions which I'm never a fan of.   Since I have not had a facial for over a year, I had some blackheads in the T-zone area and had to brace myself on the pain.   This was followed by an extremely calming and relaxing facial massage which I loved!   

Unfortunately I forgot to bring my swimsuit and could not partake in the thermal spring pool but I did try the steam room where eucalyptus scent was added to the steam.  

I was fully invigorated and relaxed for the work dinner that ensued.    It was quite hard to come back to reality and the office this week.   Still dreaming about spa day at the Fairmont Sonoma Inn...

Pxe Anti-Acne Trace-Free Repairing Essence Mask

On a recent work trip, I brought along this Pxe Anti-acne trace-free repairing essence mask because with all long flights, timezone change, and summer heat, I wanted to prevent breakouts.   This masks were one of the dozen boxes I purchased from Taiwan trip back in April.  

The Pxe brand is not available in the States and I was curious about its claim of "removal of acne".   First of all, the sheet mask has an opening for the ear and requires one to fit the mask over the ear as well.  The fit is extremely weird and does not cover the face well.   The sheet mask is also too thick and did not include sufficient essence.   Since I was using this mask for preventative measures, I was unable to detect whether it truly helped in the removal of acne.   However, due to the lack of essence in the mask, I would say this mask is a dud.

Where to Buy: Taiwan

Timeless Hydrating Eye Cream

I'm always on the market looking for great eye cream.  I was looking for the next morning eye cream/gel to replace the erborian bamboo eye gel.   I heard about Timeless skincare through the fabulous Instagram beauty mavens.  Ladies were raving about the Timeless Vitamin C serum.  Since I am quite happy with the Cosrx Triple C Lightening Liquid, I decided to give the Hydrating Eye Cream a try.

It's been nearly a month now and I just love the Timeless Hydrating Eye Cream.  Similar to the erborian bamboo eye gel, this eye cream is light, almost gel like, yet hydrating.  It's great for the morning because it's not shiny and absorbs well into the skin.  My eye area instantly feels plumber.  And for less than $20/bottle, this one is a keeper.

Where to Buy: Amazon

Cosrx Triple C Lightning Liquid

I was really happy to buy into Charlotte Cho's collaboration with Cosrx for the Triple C Lightning Liquid.  I've been using this vitamin C serum for 2 months now and love it!  Compared to the klairs vitamin drop, this is non-sticky and not shiny.    I also like the fact that this comes in black bottle which means it's harder for the serum to discolor.

I only apply the serum at night after eye cream but before moisturizer.  I've applied it to my scar above my eye and it's starting to heal better.  

Where to Buy: Sokoglam

Espa at Sofitel Heathrow London

As part of the hotel collection, Espa products are used at the Sofitel Heathrow hotel in London.   The product is a mix of bergamot, jasmine and cedarwood - all pretty strong.  The lotion is thick, perfect for the cloudy and somewhat chilly weather (although there was a heat wave in June).

Naisture Aqua Brightening Mask

I have yet to try a Naisture sheet mask and thought this mask was intriguing because it included a 3-step process.  Not only did it include ampoule, but it also had essence and sheet mask.  I usually put the essence prior to sheet mask so it was a worth a try to see the difference in changing up the routine.

The ampoule was quite light while the sheet mask was thick.  After getting used to the Taiwanese sheet mask, the Korean kind does not compare.   The mask did last a while, more than 30 minutes.   Afterward, I waited until the essence from the sheet mask absorbed into the skin before I applied step 3 - refresh essence.  

The whole process took longer than normal and although I'm not a big fan of the sheet mask, my face did feel brightened and full of essence.

Where to Buy: pharmacy in NYC

My Scheming Raw Job's Tears Brightening Black Mask

After a long week of work, I decompressed by double masking.  I used the

Su:m 37 Bubble De Mask first and then applied the My Scheming Raw Job's Tears Brightening Black Mask.

From the packaging:  Raw job's tears, also known as dehulled adlay, contain rich Vitamin and dietary fiber on their outer layer of bran film.   With rich grain amino acids, they provide superior anti-aging effect for skin as well as soothing, nourishing, and moisturizing benefit on skin.  The protein in raw job's tears can decompose enzyme and soften skin keratin to reduce fine lines.

The Black Mask smells a bit like coconut but is smooth and nourishing.   After 30 minutes, it has not dried out and is still full of essence. 

After the two masks, my face feels refreshed and moisturized. 

Where to Buy: Taiwan

London Travel Glow

I travel quite a bit for work and for a recent trip to London, I brought all my essentials.  Little did I know London would go through a heat wave (over 90 degrees!) and it was almost stifling to walk outside.   Good thing I have some masks to make it through the week. 

Here are my travel essentials:

- CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

- Clarins Facial Cleanser (which I used as a double cleanser and toner)

- SK-II Essence

- History of Whoo Brightening Gel

- Lirikos Marine Hydro Ampoule

- CeraVe Facial Lotion PM

- Sulwhasoo Eye Cream

- Elta MD UV Clear Sunscreen

- Sheet mask for the first night: Nasture Aqua Brightening Mask

My Scheming L-Ascorbic Acid Whitening Mask

This is another find from my Taiwan trip.   My Scheming seem to be a big brand in Taiwan with a lot of choices.  I selected the L-Ascorbic Acid Whitening Mask because I want to target pigmentation.   L-ascorbic acid helps regulate uneven skin color while Arbutin enhances the protective function of skin.

This mask is truly invisible as it's thin and disappears into the skin.  Not sure if it's because I did a peeling mask prior to the mask but I do feel the tightness (and almost stinging sensation) of the acid in the whitening mask.   There is plenty of essence and the masks fits and stays on well.   Love this brand and this type of mask!! 

Where to Buy: Taiwan 

Apivita Royal Jelly Face Mask and Aritaum Fresh Essence Lemon Mask

When I have the time, I like to double mask because the sheet mask is best absorbed on super clean skin.  

I started with the Apivita face mask with royal jelly.  This brand is from Greece and I picked it up on my March trip to Barcelona.  It boast of natural ingredients with no paraben.   The face mask is silky and creamy like a moisturizer.  There's a bit of faint fragrance but not very strong.  The directions say to leave on for 10 minutes and after 15 minutes, my face did feel tightened.   Upon washing off the face mask, my face super tight - there's definitely some firming effect!!

I put the Aritaum Fresh Essence Lemon mask to restore moisture and essence back to my skin.   The mask is silky and fits well.  It has plenty of essence with a faint lemon smell.   The sheet mask lasted over 30 minutes and face felt refreshed with plenty of moisture.  After the double mask, I continued my night routine.

Where to Buy: Apivita purchased in Barcelona pharmacy and Aritaum mask gifted by a friend

Sokoglam #Onlygoodskindaysahead

I participated in the Sokoglam #onlygoodskindaysahead challenge by picking 3 kbeauty finds.   My list included the following:

- erborian Seve de Bamboo Eye

- Etude House Moistfull Collagen Emulsion

- Cosrx Triple C Lightening Liquid

I also included my new cosmetic travel purse by Coach - love pink and butterflies!

Taiwanese Black Mask

It's cherry season and what better way to celebrate but to put on a black mask? =) 

This black mask from Taiwan was gifted by a friend.  I'm not even clear on what the name of the mask is since I can't read Chinese very well - although the name does have 'beauty' in it.  The mask did have a refreshing cucumber smell.  The mask was full of essence and fits the face well.   Face felt hydrated.

Where to Buy: gifted by a friend

Rootfoot Rose Water

I love face mist, especially when I'm traveling.  I was gifted this sweet smelling Rootfoot Rose Water and love it so much I can't stop misting my face when I'm home.  Not only does it smells like real roses but the spray is powerful and lasting.   Two to three mist is all I need for a quick face pick-me-upper!

Missha Super Aqua Pore-Kling

I used up the SK-II Clear Lotion toner recently and was looking for a purifying toner for the summer.   I discovered the Missha Super Aqua Pore-Kling toner on Amazon and decided to give it a try. 

The Super Aqua Pore-Kling came in a beautiful green glass bottle.  The toner is light and refreshing.  I don't find that my pores have tightened with use but the skin did feel more purified.  The cotton pad contained more residue than before.  This toner is perfect for the summer heat and sun!

Where to Buy: Amazon

Gilchrist and Soames at Gaylord Palms Orlando

I stayed at the Gaylord Palms Orlando for a recent work trip and was blown away by the size of the property, glass atrium and the water park/pool.   My suite had two balconies that overlooked the atrium.  Although the size of the rooms were large, the furnishing could be updated.  It was sparse and a bit outdated.  

The beauty products provided were made for the property's Relache Spa by Gilchrist and Soames.   With green tea and lemongrass, the products were refreshing without heavy smells.   The packages were on the smaller size.

Beauty Love Diary Purity Mandelic Acid Skin Renewal Flawless Mask

This is another find from my recent Taiwan trip.  The Beauty Love Diary sheet mask reminds me of my fave brand, MBD.  This Purity Mandelic Acid Skin Renewal Flawless Mask is sheet is sheer, super light, and full of essence.   One mask can last over 30 minutes.  

My face feels plump, firm and glowing after.   Wished I had bought a bulk of these masks!!

Where to Buy: Taiwan

Molton Brown at the Las Vegas Wynn and Encore Hotel

In my attempt to cover beauty products at the hotel brands, this post is about the Las Vegas Wynn Resorts.   I recently stayed at the Encore and was blown away by the decor, suite size and view.   The bath products were sleek and provided by Molton Brown.   The products were without paraben and contained tea tree and coconut.   The smell was nice and subtle.  I liked the fact that the lotion was creamy and thick - great for the desert dryness.

Location:  Wynn and Encore Hotels in Las Vegas

Banobagi Vita Genic Hydrating Jelly Mask

One of the mask I purchased in Taiwan was this Banobagi Vita Genic Hydrating Jelly Mask.  I was interested in knowing whether there were any differences between gel, jelly and regular sheet mask.

The jelly mask is like a gel mask in texture.  It's thinner than a regular sheet mask, although comparable to MBD (my favorite brand) sheet mask.   This jelly mask was full of essence and lasted 30+ min.   It was a good investment given it costed less than $1 in Taiwan.   Definitely a great buy and wished I had gotten more!

Where to Buy:  Taipei, Taiwan

Love for SK-II

I started a new bottle of SK-II Facial Treatment Essence and want to proclaim my love for this product!  I've been using SK-II now for over 18 months and it has dramatically changed my skin texture, more so than any other products.   This is the real thing and deserves the high premium!  

Apivita Face Scrub with Bilberry

I discovered this brand when I was in Barcelona, Spain at the end of March.   It's made of 89% natural ingredients and the brand is from Greece.  I liked the packaging of this face scrub and since it's under 3 oz, it's a great travel face scrub.  I also liked the fact that it was for brightening.

The scrub contains microbeads and feels a bit rough when putting it on for the first time.  The directions state to massage with the face scrub and let it sit for 20 minutes.  My face tingled with tightness and felt raw afterward.  I highly recommend following up with a sheet mask after the face scrub to restore moisture.

Directions:  put face scrub on palm and massage onto face.   Let it sit for 20 minutes and rinse off.

Where to Buy: purchase in pharmacy in Barcelona, Spain

Sexylook Black Mask - Cucumber

One of my beauty mask haul from Taiwan!!  I'm not sure about sexy look but this black mask has plenty of essence, silky and fits generally well.   The mask could be longer on the forehead and around the nose area.   The mask lasts for over 30 minutes and dries out well.   Face felt moisturized with a bit of glow.

Where to Buy: purchased in Taipei

MyScheming Gudetama LazyBone Nourishing Mask

For spring week, I took a trip with my family to China and Taiwan.  Taiwan because it's a new place for all of us and also because it's the birthplace of tbeauty and good eats!

Taiwan truly exceeded expectations! The food was amazing - especially night market and snacks.  Even after the night market has closed, there are after-market street vendors!!  My favorite night market was in Tainan where they have every snack food imaginable, great souvenir stands (including super cute hair ties and clips!) and fun games.  My daughter who is turning 6 hates the smell of night market but made an exception for this one because the games were so fun.  

On top of good eats, there are beauty shops everywhere!!  There are abundant choices of sheet masks - so many that it was taking a VERY long time to decide which ones to buy.  I tried to buy a bit of those that are not available in the US and end up buying so much that I had  to buy a NEW suitcase to bring them back =)

This MyScheming Gudetama LazyBone Nourishing Mask is part of the big lull from Taiwan.  The packaging is super cute and egg based sheet mask is not something I have tried yet.  

This mask does not disappoint!!.   It is super silky, gel-like sheet; more so than my favorite tbeauty brand, MBD.   The mask is full of essence, so much so that it lasted more than 45 min.  This sheet mask is so good that I wished I have bought more!!

Where to Buy: Taiwan

Apivita Express Beauty with Ginkgo Biloba

In addition to blogging about hotel beauty products, I look for local brands that are not available elsewhere.  I browse through local pharmacies to identify the brands and look for interesting beauty products.

The Apivita brand is from Greece but available in Spain local pharmacies.  There are full bottle version of face masks and scrubs but eye masks were only available in small "express beauty" packages.  Since I am always worried about my eye area - dark circles, crow eye, etc. - I selected the Express Beauty with Ginkgo Biloba eye mask.

The eye mask is a super creamy white lotion that is hard to put on top and bottom of eye.  Directions on the package say to put around the eye area and leave for 15 minutes before rinse.  However, in following the directions, some of the lotion got into the eye and although it didn't sting very much, the mask was quite inconvenient.   The nature of the lotion didn't change very much so after 15 minutes, it was hard to tell whether I was done with the mask or not.   I prefer eye patch instead of eye cream mask.

Eye area did feel more refresh after masking but this is not one that I would purchase again.

Where to Buy: local pharmacies in Spain

Skinfood Secret Nature Blueberry Mask Sheet

This is the last of my Secret Nature series by Skinfood.  I chose Blueberry mask sheet for firming features.  The sheet mask is ordinary with not much to distinguish this from others.  I like the fact that this uses natural ingredient and has Jeju complex (not exactly sure what this means but anything coming from Jeju must be good, right?).  The mask is not as clear or smooth as others but it's a good deal if you can get it on a discount.  It's also good for daily use.

Where to Buy: purchased at SF Japantown Tony Moly

Bonvivant Sodium Hyaluronate + Lotus

I was so psyched to be masking on my last day in Barcelona that I forgot to take a before pic.  I saved this Bonvivant Sodium Hyaluraonate + Lotus mask sheet for a special occasion.  

The mask sheet fits really well, clear, and thin (you can barely see it on the face).  It has a lot of essence and can last over 30 minutes.   It was definitely a good ending to a great work trip!

Where to Buy: purchased from Memebox

Rules of Skincare and Lirikos

I like to try new products when I travel.  On a recent London trip, I brought with me the Rules of Skincare Pore Minimizing serum and Lirikos Marine Triple Treatment essence.  I used the Rules of Skincare exclusively in the morning routine and Lirikos at night. 

I was a bit disappointed with the Rules of Skincare because there wasn't much in the sample and the serum was quite watery.  It didn't seem to minimize my pores.  

The Lirikos Marine Triple Treatment Essence on the other hand is a fave.  A little truly goes a long way.  Made of marine byproducts, the essence is light yet thick at the same time.  The essence instantly brightens the skin.  There's no fishy or marine water smell - actually there's no smell at all.  This is definitely a keeper for my travel skincare.

Directions: after cleansing and toning, apply serum/essence as part of morning and/or night routine

Where to Buy: purchased from TesterKorea

Pen & Ink Beauty Line

Since I travel quite a bit I get to stay at various hotels where the line of beauty products offered are usually local, organic, and interesting.  Thus, I decided to add them to this blog for documenting products that I find interesting.

First up is this Pen & Ink line offered at the Holborn Hoxton hotel in London.  The hotel is very hipster with lots of young, chic and hip people hanging out at the cafe/bar in the front lobby of the hotel.  The room decor is vintage with throwback to the oldies.   The Pen & Ink line is very fitting as it's a local organic brand with no paraben.  There's not much in each bottle and the lather is not as soapy but the product is still effective.  There's no perfumery smell and cleans well.

Where to find: Holborn Hoxton Hotel, London

Beauty Masks for Travel

This is part of the beauty sheet masks for my recent work trip to London and Barcelona:

Mediheal Teatree Healing Solution

Bonivant Botanical Mask Pack

MBD Apple Pore Minimizing Mask

Hello Kitty Print Mask

MBD Arbutin Brightening Mask

Double Masking

When I travel for work, I like to mask as frequent as possible to combat the late nights, travel breakouts and different environmental conditions.

On a recent work trip to London and Barcelona, I bought some of my favorite face sheet masks - My Beauty Diary along with clarifying masks by Sulwhasoo.  I started with the Sulwhasoo clarifying mask to get rid of any dirt in my pores.  The mask is dark, very herbal and thick.  It's a bit hard to spread across the face and very sticky, feels almost like a thick sticky gelatin.  The smell is extremely herbal - like the herbal tea that is given when one is sick.  It tightens the face quite a bit so after 15 minute or so,  I washed my face to condition it with My Beauty Diary's Bird's Nest Mask.   The sheet mask is similar to others where there's plenty of essence (enough to last more than 30 minutes) and ultra moisturizing.  It feels quite refreshing after the clarifying mask.

Directions: after cleansing and toning, apply Sulwhasoo clarifying mask for 15 minutes.  Wash off and then apply the MBD sheet mask

Project Empties

I get so psyched when I finish a product!  It means I now have the space to try out something new.  Although in the case of SK-II, it's a product I will keep forever.  My skin texture has truly changed with this essence!  I am truly obsessed!

The Skinmiso Pore Corset Serum was an interesting buy.  It did minimize pores but only if you consistently use the product.  I only used the serum as part of my morning routine because I wanted my pores as small as possible before applying concealers.  It did sting my skin for a while until my skin got used to the acidity in the serum.  

The Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule was a great buy - it has a potent concentration of snail filtrate and applies well.   This was part of my night routine where I rotated the Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule with the Lancome Advanced Genifique Youth Activating Serum.  It adds a nice plumpness to the skin in preparation for overnight recovery.

To more project empties!!

Skinfood Green Tea Mask Sheet

Not sure how I came about this sheet mask but I love green tea.  It has a ton of antioxidants with very light caffeine.  As for skincare, its ingredients are soothing and moisturizing.   It's great for those who have sensitive skin and/or prone to breakouts.

This mask is thick in texture but with the right amount of essence.  It doesn't last as long as other masks but does the job.  Can be used as a daily sheet mask.

Directions: after cleansing and toning, apply sheet mask

Where to Buy: not sure...but should be available at Skinfood stores

Tony Moly Secret Nature Aloe Mask Sheet

In general I like the Tony Moly Secret Nature line.  The mask sheet is thinner with more essence and lasts longer.  This Aloe Mask Sheet was very soothing and felt soft to the touch.  After a week of intense work meetings and after work dinners, I needed something soothing to restore some moisture. 

In comparison with other mask sheet, I would say it's comparable to my fave, MBD.

Directions: after cleansing and toning, apply mask sheet (although my own little secret is to apply SK-II essence prior to the mask sheet for double the essence!)

Where to Buy: purchased at Tony Moly store in SF Japantown

Valentino Rudy Platinum Nancolloid Mask

As I was going through my beauty product stash, I came across this unrecognizable sheet mask.  I don't know whether this was gifted by a friend or received as sample from a recent purchase.  I ventured to try this and see if it's effective.   I don't recognize the brand and can't tell if the mask is from Japan or China

This sheet mask comes in two parts that are attached - one for the face and another for the neck.  It was not easy to apply as the mask is thick and the openings don't fit well. There's a place for the mask to go over the ears which seems weird and made my hair wet.  The portion for the neck did not stick very well and after only 5 minutes, dried out and stuck out.   The sheet mask dried out quickly and the material is too thick.  Overall, not very effective and will not be a re-purchase.

Directions: after cleansing and toning, apply sheet mask for 20 minutes

Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel

I traveled to Oahu, Hawaii in February during Ski Week (this is post holiday winter vacation for Northern California schools).   We landed around noon and although I had suncreen on, my forehead was sunburn on the first day.  On the first night as I was washing my face, I saw that my forehead and portion of my cheeks were extremely red and tight.  

Since aloe is a great soothing agent for sunburn, I applied the Benton Aloe Propolis soothing gel on my forehead and cheeks twice a day for the next two days.  By the 3rd day, the sensitive and red skin disappeared!!  This is truly a miracle worker!  This gel is extremely light and clear in texture.  It does not leave an oily residue and is very soothing.   I will need to remember to bring this for future beach vacations!

Directions: apply on sunburn skin twice a day or use as an ampoule after toner

Where to Purchase: part of the Benton sample pack from Memebox

Travel Packing - Hawaii

This first half of the year is compact with personal and work travels.  For Christmas stocking one year, hubby gave me this great travel bag.  Not only is it in my color but it has lots of pockets and very roomy for all my skincare products.

For my February Hawaii trip, I packed a few sample sizes since I know time (and space) will be limited.  Here's the content:

* Sulwhasoo Snowise Brightening Serum

* Sulwhasoo Goa Ampoule

* Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Eye Cream

* Sulwhasoo Timetreasure Renovating Eye Cream

* Sulwhasoo Clarifying Mask

* Kiehl's Super Multi-corrective Eye Opening Serum

* It's Skin Power 10 VC Effector

* It's Skin Power 10 WH Effector

Double Black Masks

Due to the dry heat, I've been really careful not to do too much clay masks as it can be even more drying.   Thus, it's been a few masks since I've used the Dead Sea mud mask.  I decided to add the Coni Beauty Hyaluronic Acid black mask to add back moisture.   It was a great combo!!  The Dead Sea Mud Mask cleansed and tightened my pores while the Coni Beauty Black Mask added moisture. Good thing the hubby wasn't around to get scared =)

Where to Buy: Dead Sea Mud Mask purchased on Amazon and Coni Beauty Black Mask was gifted by a friend  

Tony Moly Lemon Mask Sheet

The last time I was in Japantown I picked up a few Tony Moly Secret Nature sheet masks.  Since I needed a bit of skin brightening, I was glad I picked up this Lemon mask sheet.   This sheet mask does not smell particularly lemonish and has a great texture and full of essence.  If I had to compare, this mask is similar to My Beauty Diary mask - fit, texture and essence level is about the same.  But value wise, My Beauty Diary is definitely a better value.

Where to Buy:  Tony Moly store in SF Japantown

My Beauty Diary - Imperial Bird's Nest

I'm pretty sure I've posted about the Imperial Bird's Nest sheet mask from My Beauty Diary because but I'll post again because it's Chinese New Year and the packaging of this sheet mask fits perfectly for this holiday.  I am truly a MBD addict as I love every one of their sheet mask.  I have not been disappointed by the ones I've tried (and I've tried many).  Each is full of essence, fits well, and have a great sheet texture.  Try one and you won't be disappointed!

Where to Buy: gifted by a friend

klairs Pure Vitamin C

I've noticed increased pigmentation over the years.  To combat the pigmentation, I looked into Vitamin C extracts and serum.  This klairs Vitamin C extract was highly recommended from Sokoglam so I decided to try.

After two months of use, I don't see significant change in my pigmentation.  I started the first month with application twice a day and had to scale back to once nightly because the extract was too oily for day.  I find the extract to be light and easy to apply with the applicator but it causes a sheen.  For daytime it can make the face appear oily.  I plan on using this for another month before giving up and trying another brand.

Directions: after cleansing and toning, apply after serums but before emulsion and lotion

Where to Buy: purchased on Amazon

Balance Tread

I believe that beauty is not only about your skin, but your own being.  As such, for new year's resolution, my goal is to to workout once a week or at least twice a month (especially for months that I'm traveling).

I've been trying out a new workout gym called Balance Tread per my friend's Gina's recommendation.  It uses megaformer machine is a adaption of the pilates reformer.  On my first few classes, I was really struggling and the muscles ache/burn for days after.

No pain no gain, right?  =P

Mason Pearson Hair Brush

Mason Pearson Hair Brush: Mason Pearson Hair Brush

Updated Morning Routine

Now that my face has cleared up, I am back to a normal routine with my favorite products.   This includes:

Cleanser: Epionce Lytic Gel Cleanser

Toner: SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion

Essence: Asahi Hyaluronic Acid lotion and SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

Serum: Pore Corset Serum

Eye Cream: erborian Seve de Bamboo Eye

Emulsion: Etude House Moistfull Collagen Emulsion

SPF: EltaMD UV Clear SPF 46

Cute Taiwanese Sheet Mask

This mask was gifted by my friend Betty and since I don't read Chinese very well, I can't decipher the name or brand of the mask.   Can someone please help??

The mask was very light, sheer and had a ton of essence.  I would definitely buy again if I knew the name of the mask.  The packaging does seem strange since it has merely a sticker with some Chinese words.  Should I be concerned?

Where to Buy:  Gifted by a friend