Hi!! I am not really dead but very much alive (offline)!!
It's been a while since I came back from the U.S.
It was such a long and short (really, it was both) holiday for me and my husband. We had such a blast and it truly was a huge adventure for us!
Now, from my experience of flying, I have collected some tips for traveling and formed my own personal "must-haves" in carry-on bag. Some parts changes overtime but efficiency and space is a big key when I think of packing for travel.
I am happy to share what's in my carry-on bag with you today, so I hope you enjoy.
What's in my bag?
~In equip shoulder/cross body bag~
Passport
Wallet
International Driving Lisence
~In Emergency Kit (Loberto bag)~
Portable phone charger
Cables
Plugs
Extra cell phone (Old Nokia)
Extra set of clothes
Today I am doing a comparison of beautyblender and Beauty Pod.
beautyblender has taken the world by storm with its unique shape and application of foundation. It claims to give you impeccable, streak-free foundation application.
What is unique about this product is probably how you use it. You dampen to use this sponge for maximum efficiency; although dampening a makeup sponge is not really a new technique.
When this sponge is wet, it puffs up to a bigger size and because it is damp, it doesn't suck up all the liquid foundations, thus wasting less product. It is cool.
You can also use this sponge for powder too.
Size comparison of dry and wet.
Dry
Wet/Damp
Since the birth of this beautyblender, lots of other companies tried to make the compatible makeup sponges. And while some people say that they found a dupe, many others say that there is nothing like beautyblenders.
Beauty Pod is one of the competitors, I'd say. And to be honest, I have been quite happy with this sponge ever since the day I purchased that I felt like I didn't even have to try the "real" beautyblender.
But the curiosity got the best of me. I bought the beautyblender.
Today, whether beautyblender and Beauty Pod are the same thing is not the issue.
The issue is how they are different.
Like I said, I was pretty happy with Beauty Pod for a long time, and I wanted to share how different they are without saying which is better or worth the money in the end.
They both have strength and weakness so you can decide on your own.
Personally, I love using damp sponges for liquid foundations because I have dry skin and dry skin usually doesn't like buffing technique with brushes.
Which sponge do I like better? It depends on the look I am going for. Also depends on how much time I have got for makeup application and maintenance.
It is the time of the month when I share with you all my monthly favourites!
So let's get straight into it!
Products mentioned:
~Hits~
Loreal Paris False Lash Wings/Butterfly Intenza
MUFE Ultra HD Foundation in 117(Y225)
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in 52 Vanilla
Cancer Coucil Active Dry Touch Sunscreen
~Misses~
EOS Lip Balm (Summer Fruits)
Tom's Long Lasting Deodorant (Honeysuckle Rose)
Loreal Paris Super Liner Blackbuster
Loreal Paris Super Liner Perfect Slim
Loreal Paris Volume Million Lashes So Couture
Today's video is another DIY video which I hadn't done in a while.
The last one was from Halloween (you can see the post and video here).
This time, I will be sharing my simple yet effective recipe for coffee body scrub!
The coffee scrub has been in the market for a while now and it's basically all the same: ground coffee beans + some goodies like essential oils.
Probably the most popular coffee scrub brand is Frank and now even Sportsgirl makes its own coffee scrub!
But it's basically just ground coffee beans after all, right?
I can't help myself thinking that it's just a mixture of some oil and coffee beans, which you get after enjoying your coffee for free (well you pay for coffee beans but you would toss it away after drinking coffee so basically free).
Ok, so you can make similar stuff for free/cheap, instead of paying so much for fancy packaging, because frankly (pun? HA!) they are pretty expensive if you want to buy the branded one.
I make coffee almost everyday. I start it from grinding beans so I get the ingredients all the time.
So I decided to look up some recipes and I made little changes and I have settled for this recipe.
I have been using the same recipe for almost 6 months and I love it so much that I don't need to make any changes.
It's so simple and so easy, yet very effective so I hope you love this one too!
Ingredients:
3 tbsp (extra virgin) coconut oil
1.5 tbsp natural sea salt
1/2 cup ground coffee (grind to the size of your liking)
Adding your favorite essential oils are optional, but I like the original coconut/coffee smell.
You just mix it.
Super easy, right? I know.
Like I said in the video, there are a few things you need to be careful with this scrub:
1. They can be pretty course, so don't scrub too hard! Always gently massage.
2. It can make a mess in your shower.
And this is an additional point.
3. It never happened with me, but in some areas and buildings, blockage of the drain might be an issue. Considering all the other scrub being so successful, I think it is something to worry though.
I hope you liked it!
And have a wonderful weekend!
Hey everyone!
There is no chit chat before the video today, let's get straight into it!
Subtle, but there is burgandy color.
Close up of the eye.
If you watched my video, you'd know that this is a look for Valentine's Day.
(Although this video is going up only a few days before the actual day.)
Let's see the products list.
Products used:
elf Mineral Eyeshadow Primer
elf Mineral Eyeshadow (Socialite)
Coastal Scents 88 Original Palette (62, 74, 75, 76)
(Please read this post about placement in the palette)
NYX Single Eyeshadow (Flamingo)
DAISO Princess Liquid Eyeliner (Black)
Maybelline Great Lash (Black)
Ripi-reru Matsuge (false lashes)（05）
DUP Eyelash Fixer EX
Loreal Butterfly Intenza
LB Creamy WP Pencil (Beige Shine)
Beauty Cottage Chic & Charm Blusher (Bearberry)
Maybelline ColorSensational Lipstick (Pink Pleasure)
NATIO Mineral Lipgloss (Caramel)
Closer look of CS Eyeshadow Palette (Original).
Blush and some eyeshadows.
Color names... Just in case. :P
Apparently this is a discontinued color...?
Color names of the lip products.
Mascaras from Maybelline and Loreal.
Maybelline's Great Lash is literally great with false lashes because it doesn't clump the lashes and they are not outrageously volumizing.
I used Loreal Intenza mascara for lower lashes.
DUP(Dee-up) Eyelash Fixer EX in limited edition package.
False lashes I used.
These false lashes are from Japan and they are called "Ripi-reru Matsuge".
The stlye is #05.
The other side looks like this.
I hope you liked the tutorial.
Wishing you a Happy Valentine's day with someone you love!
Hey, everyone.
Am I the only one who feels like the time is running these days? It's already February, I don't believe it!!
Anyways, I am bring you today another monthly Hits and Misses video.
I hope you enjoy it, so here it is!
Products mentioned：
Hits:
HARNN Oriental Rose Body Oil Spray
MUJI Jojoba Oil
Beauty Cottage Chic & Charm Blusher in Bearberry
Hard Candy Baked Blush in Living Doll
NATIO Mineral Lip Gloss in Caramel
NYX Tinted Lip Spa in Sake
elf Conditioning Lip Balm in Mellow Melon
Face of Australia Sheer Gloss Lip Crayon in Sundae
LB Creamy WP Pencil in Beige Shine
(Soon to be replaced with Smudge Gel Eyeliner)
Shiseido Integrate Beauty Guide Eyebrow in Natural Brown(BR621)
Sigma Tapered Blending Brush E40
Misses:
Butter London Nail Lacquer in Trout Pout
NIVEA Sun Ultra Beach Protect SPF 50+
Close up on the smaller products.
elf lip balm and NYX lip spa in natural light.
elf and NYX lip balm in shade.
Beauty Cottage Blusher in sunlight.
Beauty Cottage Blusher in shade.
Color comparison of Beauty Cottage and Hard Candy blush.
BOOBOOs of this month. :(
That's it for today.
I hope you all have a great time this weekend! :)
Happy New Year!!!!!
It's been almost a month already, but what the hey, I'm saying it anyway because New Year's Day is a bigger deal to most of us, Japanese, than Christmas!
As new year starts, you are supposed to renew yourself in so many ways and improve your life so that you are better, healthier, happier and more successful! What a great spirit!
Alright, let's get to the video.
As the title says, it is a HUGE empties video.
I am sharing so much of my opinion about those things I finished in the last 3 months.
It is a long video so I recommend pouring a cup of tea and sitting on a very comfortable cushion to watch this!
Products mentioned:
Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Shampoo & Conditioner
Loreal Elvive Fibralogy Shampoo & Conditioner
Bioderma Sensibio H2O
Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising LotionSimple Spotless Skin Quick Fix Cleansing Wipes
Snail Face Mask
Cannes Vitamin C Face Mask
Ocean Potion Anti-Aging Sunblock SPF 50
Colgate Optic White Mouthwash
Harry Potter Magic Philter Natural Spray
Bath and Body Works Pleasures Sweet Pea Body Splash
Nivea Soft Moisturizing Cream
Nivea Pure & Natural Cleansing Lotion
Mary Kay TimeWise Age-Fighting Moisturizer (Combination to Oily)
Mary Kay TimeWise Night Solution
Excellula Brightening Lotion
Cancer Council Day Wear Face Sunscreen (Light Tint)
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Hydrating Gel Lotion
Adlay Moisture Lotion
Beauty Cottage Defined by Design Liquid Eyeliner in 02 Iron Brown
Revlon Luxurious Color Eyeliner in Black
Maybelline HyperSharp Wing Eyeliner
Maybelline Master Precise Eyeliner
Kiehl's Lip Balm #1
Mary Kay Lash Love Mascara in I *heart* Black
Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in Nude
CANMAKE Shading Powder in 03
What a long list!
Here are some closeup photos of the goodies (and some baddies) that I talked about.
Today, I'd like to share my experience of IMATS Sydney 2015.
This is Part 2 of the IMATS video.
Part 1 is a haul video which you can watch here.
So the first part of this video was about the shops. Mainly Hakuhodo and Crown.
But I'd like to share a bit more here.
I shopped at Scotty's Makeup, PM Studio, Hakuhodo, Royal and Langnickel, Crown.
Royal Langnickel is one of the largest booth but they don't necessarily carry all/tons of products. It just is a big space occupied by this company. I could not find one of the brush I really wanted to get. The series they had discounts on was kinda limited, but it was the best deal (50% off) out of all, I believe.
Crown Brush was packed! Like I said in the video, it was very difficult to browse or even find the products you are after, even when you know exactly what you want.
Plus, they didn't seem to have any discounts. In fact, it was a markup, as it was mentioned in the video. I remember that most (if not all) the brushes were clean numbers. They were all like $7.00 or $24.00, no cents.
Hakuhodo didn't have much on the display but it was one of the highlights of IMATS, as always.
People of Hakuhodo are so polite, so knowledgeble and they are patient. They are not pushy, but recommends you stuff with confidence.
The pricing was very reasonable for Aussie brush lovers. As it is mentioned in the video, it is almost 25% off if you pay with cash (factoring in the conversion). If you pay with the credit card, you are paying the regular price in US dollars.
Scotty's Makeup was huge and open! Apparently "Scotty" is the head of ACMUSE (Australian College of Makeup and Special Effects), so there are a lot of students of ACMUSE trying to give you the college booklets and have a little chat. I was actually interested in the school so I asked some questions but they were nice people. Embryolisse was on 20% off.
PM Studio was also super busy but they had a better check out system.
You tell the store person which products you want (so you have to catch an attention of the person first, which can be a small challenge) and they will give you a ticket. You grab the ticket and go up to the register and pay. You can browse some more after you got the ticket and add some products to your "basket" as well by telling them your ticket number.
For Cover FX Custom Drop, it was almost 30% off. $54 to $38.
The same goes for MUFE Ultra HD Foundation, it was down to $44 from normal $62.
One of the greatest thing you can experience at IMATS is a chance to have one-on-one chat with professionals from Australia and overseas.
There are some professional makeup artists that I personally had a chat with.
Everyone I talked to was absolutely friendly and super nice!! So glad that I gathered up my courage to talk to them!
I get the feeling that those people are there to help you, guide you and inspire you. They are not necessarily there to socialize with you, but if you approach them with respect, they are happy to help as much as they can!
Keynote speakers of 2015!
I listen to all of the keynote speakers (at least partially).
Gino has some crazy technique that is so creative and it was so inspiring to hear him and have a brief conversation with him!
Rosher was really funny and I will never forget that he was so happy when the A/C was turned on.
Tami was a very determined makeup artist-to-be when she was studying! That movitation and passion she had was amazing. She is also really down to earth!
Liza Coggins was fantastically upbeat and friendly! Girl crush!
I personally had a chat with Liza and she is amazing!She was like a girl next door and super friendly. She even gave me a hug when she had to go. I am totally having a girl crush on her for how lively, friendly and talented she is!
Kiekie looked much more naturaly beauty than in this photo.
"Dry brush it!" Yes, ma'am.
I am Adam's big fan!
Adam Johansen was super sweet too. (I am fond of him and respect him too much to call him by his first name so I'm going to address him as Mr. Johansen.)
I asked him some questions that was very... well, practical but maybe not-so-easy to answer. He was politely picking words and I could tell that he is really a lovely gentle man.
Sometimes you can really tell if a person is so loving and kind or evil just by talking for 1 minute. (Like I instantly fell in love with Liza Coggins and Rae Morris for their cheerful charactor and humbleness)
For Mr. Johansen, I felt that from his talk show in 2013, then I felt it even more by talking to him personally this time.
At the first two IMATS, I had an honor to meet and greet Rae Morris. She was sweet and so gentle. I loved watching her demonstration because you learn so much! Unfortunately she was not on stage or in the booth on Saturday this year.
I missed you this year, Rae!!!! xx
That's my IMATS 2015 experience!
I hope you enjoyed the video and reading what I did on the blog.
Thank you so much for your suport and have a good weekend!
Hey guys! Sorry for being a little away from YouTube.
December is simply one of the busiest time of year! I bet you feel the same!!
So today's video is about IMATS.
I made two videos abotu IMATS this year. Part 1 is a haul and Part 2 is more like my experience.
In Part 2, I will be sharing my experience of shops, of people I met and tips I learned at IMATS this year. If you would like to know more about Crown Brushes, Hakuhodo and professional make up artist I had talked to, please check out Part 2 as well! (It will be coming soon!)
So let's watch the haul!
Products mentioned: (Please refer to the video for the price)
It comes with a info leaflet. Backside is some soft of skin self-analysis in French.
Royal & Langnickel Makeup Brushes
C401 All Over Eyeshadow
C400 Shader Eyeshadow Large
http://beautyusa.royalbrush.com/
Two of the new brushes I got from Royal & Langnickel.
Close up of the brush tips.
Left is the new one, Left is the old one of the SAME model.
Two of the same model.
The top one is the new one and you can see that the handle length is also different.
The top is the one that I have had for a while and I really like, so I wanted to repurchase (C405) but it was out of stock or something. They simply didn't have it.
THe bottom one is the new one which I bought instead of C405.
Close up of c405 and c400. Size is different but looks similar.
