Displays at the Grocery Store

I think I will miss Smoothie King the most from Korea. My favourite is the Peach Slice which has peaches and bananas. They have extra add on powers like vitamins, protein and such and I started to have mine with collagen haha. It's 500won extra but gotta start getting some goodies for my skin sooner or later. Each time I drink this I think about how Yumeko said you can add collagen to something like her curry udon.

I tried to take pictures of the displays at my local grocery store called E-mart. Just think Wal-mart but a tiny bit more expensive. There were too many SAs roaming around so I couldn't take many. I mainly wanted to take pictures of the Skinfood displays since it's an actual mini store inside E-mart, I couldn't get close enough because of those SAs.

I couldn't find some good Castledew displays since most of them were empty. Also, a lot of the products were in boxes instead of being displayed nicely. Yup, it's less than $5 for those shadows, cheap?

Kraze Day

I can't think of a better title and it wasn't really that kraze..you'll see why I named it that later..hehe.
This week I had Monday and Tuesday off for the Lunar New Year, but unfortunately, Wednesday to Friday I still have to be at school even though there are no classes. I get to leave at noon so it's a little bit more bearable.
On Wednesday I went to school as usual and I was the only one there. Just before I left for the day a package came, yay! I love getting packages, even if I ordered something for myself. Today's package was the swap I did with Mona, whoohoo! I finally have the MUFE Aqua Eyes in my hands! I can't wait to test it out. I also have the Sephora lasting e/l, Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera, some Lush items and candy. Mona was also nice enough to include a Shu eyeshadow, I loves it all and her! Thankq =)
Funny thing is, we both forgot to add something in the the packages, so I had to send a separate package to her and vice versa XD

On Wednesday after school, I went to get my new digi cam, the Panasonic Lumix FX38 because it was waaay cheaper than Hong Kong and the store was going to throw in some freebies. I was originally going to get the FX36 which cost about $350 at Costco, but the camera store had the FX38 for about $300, so how could I pass it up?
Anyway long story short, I didn't buy it myself, Tim bought it instead for my early birthday present. I had to argue with him a bit because I didn't want him to spend so much of his trip money on my present, but he ended up getting it anyway XD I also got a new strap for it.

I went to Myeong Dong, again, to eat lunch at a burger place called Kraze Burger. I showed a picture of the burger once, but these are taken with my new camera. It's got a fast food feel because you line up to order, however, they prepare everything to make it all nice and pretty for you to sit in their restaurant. Not too bad, but I still like Hero Burger more.
This is the view from my seat. We sat on the sofa chairs by the wall and we look at everyone else in the restaurant.

We both ordered the Matiz burger, but mine had no pickles and extra cheese. Just a regular burger with sauteed onions, bbq sauce and bacon. One thing I love about Kraze Burger are their buns, all buttery and toasted up, yum!

Chilli cheese fries! I love the pictures that my camera takes.

I had to stop at Krispy Kreme, even though I was stuffed from the burger. They had about 3 LE donuts for winter. We had the Apple Bear (similar to an apple fritter) and Snowman which had blueberry jelly. Taste wise...let's just say the Krispy Kreme original is still my favourite.

Orbis Cleansing Liquid

Happy Chinese and Lunar New Year! I wish I was at home, then I could get some red pockets XD
The weekend has been so boring, no shopping, unless you count groceries. I was hoping to get my new digi cam, but the store was closed for the holiday. I don't even know what I'm gonna do today.

This is the Orbis Cleansing Liquid. The pink bottle is LE which is why I bought it. I don't think I would have purchased the Cleansing Liquid if it wasn't for that reason. It sells for 17000won, but I got it when it was on sale for 16000won (haha like $1 off). I also purchased the refill for 15000won and there is 150mL in each item. I really like the refill pack because storing it is more convenient. (I had to take the pictures in the washroom because Tim was still snoring away)

Aside from being pink, the bottle also has some pretty flower designs on it. Although the bottle is plastic, it feels very sturdy and feel like it will keep its shape. The bottle is probably made better just so people can buy refills for it. The non LE bottle is just made with clear plastic.

This is my first cleansing oil and I like it already. Previously, I've been using the Mandom Express remover. After I bought the Orbis cleanser, I started to use the Mandom remover for my eyes only and the Cleansing Liquid for the rest of my face. I wanted to make sure that my face was fully cleansed of all makeup and I didn't feel the Mandom remover did a good job anymore. It worked well for me the first few times, then I started to notice traces of eye makeup in the morning. I still gave the Mandom remover another chance but a few days ago, after using the Mandom remover for my eye makeup, my eyes started to sting >.<

I'm liking the Orbis cleanser because I can feel that my face is well cleansed and it does not leave a dry feeling like the Mandom remover. I can also use less than the Mandom remover to cleanse my entire face, including my eye makeup. I used 6-8 pumps for the Mandom remover and about a pump and a half (about a quarter sized) for the Orbis cleanser.
I use this on dry skin and rinse off with water. My face feels a little bit squeaky clean, but it does not feel dry or tight and this is a major plus for the winter months.

I'm not sure how the texture compares to other oil cleansers, but I like how the Orbis Cleansing Liquid is thick enough to stay on your face without dripping everywhere, yet thin enough to spread smoothly. There is no scent which is good for those who are sensitive to smells.

The ingredients on the Taiwan site:
WATER‧DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL‧PEG-20 GLYCERYL TRIISOSTEARATE‧PEG-20 GLYCERYL ISOSTEARATE‧METHYL GLUCETH-10‧PEG-8 CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC GLYCERIDES‧PEG-45 STEARATE‧BUTYLENE GLYCOL‧DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE‧SODIUM CITRATE‧TOCOPHEROL‧CITRIC ACID‧MELISSA OFFICINALIS (BALM MINT) LEAF EXTRACT‧ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF EXTRACT‧EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS LEAF EXTRACT

I applied some of the Orbis Liquid Foundation on my arm and you can see how the foundation is kinda clumped into oil blobs which rinses off easily.


I have a minor rant, my face is slightly paler than my neck!! I think I have to blame the Skinfood Snow Tea mask sheets. I've been using them twice a week for at least 4 months and it did help reduce my freckles as you can see in my previous post. I didn't imagine that my face would get that much paler from using the masks so I've stopped using them argh! I can't wait till spring.

Orbis Base Makeup

Yay! Officially 2 more weeks till I go to Hong Kong, and 2.5 weeks till my birthday @__@ I'm trying to decide if I want to go to the Agnes B cafe or do High Tea at Hagen Daaz XD Dinner will be with Tim's family and relatives because his aunt is celebrating her Lunar birthday the same day as my birthday. HMmm...I wonder what we're gonna eat.
A little rant: I saw the new Maquillage collection and it's GORGEOUS!!! The only catch, they will cost me an arm and leg!!
The cases for the blushes are sold separately (typical) but what disappointed me was how the shadow cases were sold separately as well! So in total for the blushers and the shadows, it will cost 62 000won each @__@ *sigh* Oh well, the blushers seem too complicated anyway. I think I'll just get the Design Cheek Colors instead, but I'll definitely get one of the shadow palettes.
The won also went down a bit compared to the HKD....arrghh!!!

I've started using my Orbis base products and Aqua Force skincare for at least a week already and so far so good with a few exceptions. I'll put a break down of each product after I show you my base makeup FOTD.
I'll start off with what I used today in terms of base makeup.

Orbis:
Liquid Foundation #03
Eye Zone Bright Veil
Smooth Mat Base
Color and Nuance Base in Mint Green
Paul & Joe Protective Foundation Primer
Sana Concealer
UDPP
Lavshuca Loose Powder in Lucent

I actually don't think the Orbis foundation is my best match, nor will they have a color that suits me. There's only 5 shades available. If I had chosen #02, I would have looked too pale, so as a result of this, when I use #03, I apply it very lightly just to make sure I don't look to dark.
The foundation is working quite well for me. It is formulated for all skin types and it gives you a matte finish. Some might not like it because the foundation doesn't give you a dewy finish.
I think this foundation is great at oil control. My face remains matte all day for at least 8 hours. The only areas that tend to get oily is my nose, but that's very typical for me during the day. When I blot my face with oil paper, some of the foundation comes off but enough to notice that I needed a touch up. I just hope this foundation will hold up in the summer months. The good thing is, Orbis offers a liquid foundation for those with oily to super oily skin, so I might have to pick one up for the summer. It is very humid in Korea..imo

In the first picture, I only used the P&J primer, Color and Nuance Base and the Liquid Foundation. You can see how orange it is, so I'll probably look too muddy if I apply too much. I use my fingers to pat and blend it in, a sponge doesn't work too well for me, it leaves dry patches.
The Color and Nuance Base doesn't really neutralize all the redness, it does reduce it though. This base is very light and it spreads really easily. A little goes a long way because of those reasons.

In the second picture, I finished blending in the foundation I also used the Smooth Mat Base, Sana Concealer and the Eye Zone Bright Veil. Do you think there's a huge difference?
You don't really notice a lot of coverage with the Bright Veil. I don't really like it because it can get cakey after a few hours and it settles into fine lines. (I can't believe I already have fine lines, and I'm almost 24 @__@) The Bright Veil doesn't spread really smoothly, which is why I use the Sana Concealer underneath. I apply the Bright Veil under my fine lines so it won't settle into them.
The Smooth Mat Base is supposed to help conceal pores. I use this between the apples of my cheeks and the bridge of my nose. I won't risk using this on my nose as the pores can get clogged easily there. This base goes on translucent. It's got a sort of a thick putty like texture which finishes off with a really smooth powdery feel on my skin.
I use a few curlers on my bangs and the top of my head while I do my makeup XD

I finished off the base makeup with the Lavshuca Powder.

Now, the swatches. I've used the Skinfood Aloe Sun BB cream #2 as a reference on top of the swatches.
From left to right: Color and Nuance Base Mint Green, UV Cut Sunscreen On Face, Liquid Foundation #03, Smooth Mat Base, Eye Zone Bright Veil.

I have not used the Sunscreen On Face yet since I just got it. It is a lightly tinted sunscreen with an SPF 34 and it's got a light creamy texture to it. I think it goes on quite sheer, but it'll do for those days that I don't feel like using foundation. I got this for 14000won for 35g.
The foundation, Smooth Mat Base and the Bright Veil all have an orangey pink tone to it. The Bright Veil comes out a lot more orangey than the foundation, but I guess it helps with dark circles.

I think this will be my last major haul before going to Hong Kong. Remember how I purchased the travel sizes for the Aqua Force? There is supposed to be enough for 3 weeks, but I think I'll finish it in 2. I got the full sizes so I didn't have to make a second trip to Orbis. I also purchased a refill of the Cleansing Liquid so I don't have to purchase it in HK. I'll do a separate review of the Cleansing Liquid. The currency exchange kills me, so I rather stock up on Orbis before my trip.
The blue bottle is a spray lotion. It is intended for those who are prone to body acne. This spray is supposed to help control sweat and oil on your body while providing it with moisture. The cool thing about this bottle is you can use it upside down when spraying your back. It has a very strong alcohol and menthol smell to it which I hope will fade quickly. I have not used this yet, so another review in the near future!

How could I forget to show everyone the Orbis store! It's very small and the SAs are nice. I intended to show myself in the picture, but my face came out rounder than I wanted XD

I think everyone knows what this is, Melona! A creamy honeydew popsicle.

Lotte's version of Aero. Nothing too special, I like Aero more because it has more air bubbles inside.

What I Do At School

Movie time! Haha, this is what I did at school. No makeup today, I will do another post this weekend. For now, if you're bored or feel like a giggle, take a look at the mini movie I made with my students for the winter classes.
It's not the best because I only did 4 days of filming and this is the first time I made a movie.
You can barely hear the students so you gotta turn up the volume. I couldn't add subtitles in.
Tim helped me edit this, I have noooo idea how to use movie maker programs XD
Summary: There's a new girl at school and she starts dating someone, next thing you know, the girl cheats on her boyfriend and the boyfriend goes crazy. The boyfriend starts killing anyone that's associated with the girl or talking trash about him.

Garage Sale

Nothing much today, eagerly awaiting the weekend to do some more shopping at Orbis XD
I'm still testing out my Orbis products so I can't do a review yet =/

I'm having a mini sale on some of the pieces that I think don't suit me. If you're interested, do take a look =)
Miu Miu Makeup

In other news, I was looking up on all the prices of the skincare and cosmetics I wanted in Hong Kong. Turns out my won is so crummy. For example, something from P&J would cost me a lot, the Protective Fluid Foundation sells for $310HKD. When I convert it to won, it will cost me 55 000won. Then convert that to Canadian, it'll be about $50.
Oh well, what can I really do right? There are some things for sale in Korea that's much cheaper than Hong Kong, like Orbis and Lunasol, so I'll probably get part of Lunasol's new collection in Korea.

I also keep forgetting to share with everyone, this great site I found a while ago. It's called She.com. I believe it's Hong Kong based as everything is listed in HKD (duhh). The site is in Chinese and it talks about fashion, beauty and stuff that will interest girls.
I found some makeup demos using the newest Coffret D'or palette and the Lunasol palette, enjoy!

Orbis!

I've always seen Orbis in Japanese magazines, but I didn't have easy access to it, Ichibankao has it way over priced, but I found the store, hooray!
Orbis is a Japanese brand, and I believe most of their products are oil-free as most of their products are labelled as "oil cut". (I could be wrong cuz I don't understand Korean and I can't read the Chinese on the Taiwan Orbis site)
I've seen some ads for Orbis around Seoul but didn't think much about it. I thought it was another Korean brand and for some reason it didn't hit me that Orbis was the Japanese brand that I've seen in magazines and in Hong Kong.
I went to Myeong Dong (famous shopping area in Seoul) to do some gift shopping and I stumbled onto the Orbis store by accident! (Why do I feel like I've said this before?? lol)
I took their catalogue and compared the Korean prices with Hong Kong prices. It's cheaper for me to buy it in Korea because the won is so crummy and it'll cost me more to exchange my money to HKD to buy the Orbis products in HK. I went back the next day to do some major haulage.

Orbis packs everything in clear plastic bags instead of boxes. A little less garbage to throw out, which is nice. I didn't buy that many things, half of that pile were samples. I even got a membership card to get some points which gives me a certain percentage off my total. I don't really know how they calculate the points because I can't read Korean, but instead of purchasing my items for 106 000won, it was 84 000won with my membership card.

In the catalogue, it suggested a way to even out your skin while using minimal makeup. It also suggests when you can use other products like the masks and treatment essences.
I can't read Korean so I based this on the pictures. You start out with the UV Cut Sunscreen on Face, which is a tinted, a Color & Nuance Base, which comes in yellow, pink or green, the Eye Zone Bright Veil, Smooth Mat Base and Spot Concealer. (If you click around the site, they show you some ways on how to use each product.)
For a more polished looked, you could finish with one of their powders. Notice how it doesn't include foundation? If you follow those steps, your face should look pretty fresh and almost flawless, which is perfect for the hot humid days.
I bought everything from the bottom of the picture except the sunscreen, concealer and the powder. The store was out of the sunscreen so I'll probably be heading back this weekend. I definitely need the sunscreen as it's got an SPF of 34 and I'm going to Hong Kong after all. The sunscreen comes in 2 formulas, a light runny one or the regular creamy type.

I also bought the travel sized Aqua Force line, the Cleansing Liquid (because of the LE bottle XD) and the Liquid Foundation #3. If you're interested in looking at their foundations and other products, check out their website. This is the Taiwan site, but it has the English product names.
The foundation is something I've never seen before. I believe it is separated into 2 liquid layers and you have to shake it before using. The foundation was really runny, I might have to purchase a sponge just for this foundation. They only have about 5 shades available so I hope #3 works out for me.
I haven't used any of the products yet since I don't like to use much when I go to school. I probably won't be able to do a proper review until after the weekend.

And lastly, my samples! Just a few essences, masks and a neck cream. I already used it yesterday as it was a one time sample. It feels like a a very silky cream that's not too thick and it absorbs very quickly. I might also have to purchase that this weekend XD
I know I've babbled on a lot about Orbis and I haven't even used anything yet, but I promise last little bit of reading...
Aside from the fact that they are supposedly oil free, Orbis uses less packaging and they also sell refills of most of the products in a baggy. Quite a neat idea!
Ok, I'm done yammering away. I saw this chocolate on Yumeko's blog and I HAD to get it! So freaking tasty! (I hope you're having fun in Hong Kong!)

These are from the February(?) Pinky magazine. Photos by Hudie.com
They feature some of the new Spring palettes and also the newest Majolica Majorca mascara!

Oh! I forgot to mention, it's Chinese New Year next Monday, the year of the Ox! I get a 4 day weekend because Korea also celebrates it, but they call it Lunar New Year. Too bad I'm not seeing any family or relatives, otherwise I could get me some red pockets! XD

Primer Galore

O-M-G....the other night I heard my annoying neighbour having sex! I actually didn't hear him, it was just the girl haha. They came back, talked a bit. I don't know if they were trying to keep their voices down cuz I could still hear some low grumbling sounds.
I woke up from my slumber around 11:45pm and I was pissed off of course. Tim was still using his computer at this time and I tried to go back to sleep. A few minutes later I start to hear some soft moaning sounds @__@ So I sat up to watch Tim's movie he made with his students which was about 7 minutes long.
Tim hasn't slept well since coming to Korea and he said he can hear the guy next door having sex sometimes and it doesn't last long.
Well I'll be damned...it only lasted 5 minutes!! HAHA. They were at it when I started to watch the movie and they were done before I finished watching it!
I've complained to that stupid guy before but to no avail. He talks very loudly at night on the phone in Korean and English and I've even heard him yelling at a girl once. He's so loud and the walls are so thin that I can hear what swear word he says... -___-

On to the primers....
This isn't really a review since I haven't used all my primers yet. I didn't realize how many primers I had so I've cracked open my sample packs to show you what they look like.
I've used the Baby Pink Jelly Base and I'm currently using the Lunasol Creamy Makeup Base. I looove the Lunasol base! It has a pink tone and it's so creamy and spreads like a dream. I might not get the full tube though. I have my eye on the P&J primer or the Lavshuca primer because they have sun protection. After using the Lunasol base, I notice my face is brighter but it does not neutralize much of the reddness in my face. I don't feel any sticky residues and I don't feel that my face gets any oilier because of the base.

Here's the Baby Pink Jelly base (18g). I got it in Hong Kong last year and I can't remember how much it was.
This isn't my favourite base. There's no sun protection and there's no scent. It's creamy but I don't really like how it's not smooth enough. I think I've been spoiled by the Lunasol base. The BP base says jelly, but it's more of a cream base with a yellow tone to it. I don't really notice anything after using it. I thought my face would be a bit more brighter but it's just like putting on lotion. I don't really have much to say about it since I don't really reach for this anymore. But now you know what it looks like! XD

Tim was also teaching English classes to his middle school students during his winter break. He got this little note from one of his students and also a keychain. Awww...how sweet. Can you read the English? There's a lot of errors, but you get the idea.

The cutest thing was, this letter and gift was from his male student...let's all say AWWWWW.... He left his e-mail and cell number too XD

Quickie Post

I have the urge to go to a Skinfood. I haven't been there for 2 weeks @__@ I'll be having a good ol time at Skinfood this weekend and I'll probably be headed to Kosney for some stationary. I need to get gifts for some people XD
I used Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 (what a long name) to resize my pictures. I haven't used Corel since...elementary and high school so I'm not used to it. Took me a while to just resize 2 pictures and get the marking right haha.
I got a package from the lovely Mona (aka Make Me Blushhh) she was nice enough to get me some samples from Lush! Ah! I could come kiss you (and Charlotte cuz she's so cute)! I love it! Thank you!!
She got me some facewashes, soaps and a bubble bar. Unfortunately, I don't have a bath tub, my box only has those stand up showers where your whole bathroom is your shower haha. The soaps smell lovely, especially Snow Cake! I used the Bohemian yesterday, I love the smell and how it lathers up so nicely! My skin also felt so soft. I think I'm gonna get addicted to Lush soaps. There's also some masks and a sample of the Anastasia brow powder. I think it's time I dive into brow makeup. I've never done them before, aside from the occasional plucking and threading. Love you Mona!!
Oh, I devoured the candies right after taking this picture haha.

I wanted to eat ice cream yesterday from Baskin Robins. Initially, I was going to get a regular scoop, but somehow I ended up with a pint of ice cream!! The pint was 63000won while a regular scoop was 2500won, so this was already worth it. There's at least 3 regular scoops in this. The great thing about buying these pints is you can have up to 3 different flavours stuffed into the container!
I only had Chocolate Mousse and Campfire S'more....ohhhh man...these ice creams are to die for!!! The Campfire S'more is one of my favourites. It's mainly marshmallow ice cream with swirls of chocolate ice cream. There's also chocolate chunks and large pieces of graham crackers.

If you're travelling a long distance, they give you a few cubes of dry ice. I had so much fun with it afterwards haha, watching it melt and putting it into some water. While it bubbled away in the water, you could see the steam make little donuts of smoke!

What's Your Order?

I'm so irritated!!!!! My photoshop is asking for a serial number or else I can't run it. I've been using it since August 2008 so why does this happen now @__@ It isn't real..but it shouldn't have this problem, and I don't have my cd here grrRRR!!!! Now I dunno when I'll be able to fix it so I can't mark or resize my pictures. So no pictures for today, only magazine scans (besides.. I haven't taken new ones yet XD)

Anyway on to my post...
I never thought makeup application could be so complicated. Mind you, I was never this crazy about makeup, my interested started about 2 years ago.
When I first started using contact lenses, I would use only mascara because I didn't like how my eyes were so small. Next it was eye shadow. I would just use a little bit and this was rare. Then eyeliner, blush and eventually the full on base makeup and point makeup.
If you think about it, applying all these items can be quite complicated! I do pretty much everything on my face except concealer (I don't think the Sana concealer really counts) and my eyebrows. So with that said, how do you do your face? What's the order of the things you apply? And how do you apply it?
It usually doesn't take me more than 15 mintues. I use a light hand for base makeup and most of my time is used on my eye makeup. Up close, you will notice that all my spots and such aren't fully covered. I don't want a dramatic difference when I'm using and not using makeup so on days when I don't feel like using a ton of makeup, I don't look sickly or something XD

So here's my order!
1. Makeup primer or sun screen
2. UDPP, Sana Concealer and curl the lashes
3. Light application of BB Cream or Foundation (at the moment I'm using a sample of Cle De Peau and sample of P&J Dual Protective Foundation)
4. Lavshuca Loose Powder
5. Eyeshadows
6. Eyeliner
7. Mascara (if I'm using 2 different mascaras, I use the first one, apply blush so the mascara has a chance to dry, then finish off with the second mascara)
8. Blush
9. Lipstick/lipgloss

What's your order of application? Do you find it easier to do your eyes first or the base makeup?
I never use brushes for my eyeshdaow, I find that it gets everywhere. I just use the applicators that are in the palettes, most of them are shaped for the specific application. I only use a brush for my blush and my fingers for base makeup.

I couldn't find these magazines in full, so here's what I have. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the makeup tutorials.

February Can Cam (hudie.com)

February Vivi (hudie.com)

I've finished making my list of "to buy". Hopefully it isn't going to get any longer as I've added everything up to about $2500 like I mentioned in a previous post. Here's some of the items on my list that I'm drooling over.
P&J - skincare, cosmetics and 90% of the Spring 09 collection
Coffret D'or - eyeshadows and blushes
Lunasol - eyeliner and eyeshadows
Various things from Majolica Majorca, Lavshuca, Visee, Ettusais and Canmake
Fancl - skincare products
Orbis - Aqua Force Series
L'occitane - Red Rice skincare
Why must January be such a slow month.... -___-'

I almost forgot to mention, I recently discovered a site called Glow.com. I'm sure there's some of you that's heard of it. They sell some great goodies, including most of the things from P&J, which is great news for me when I go back to Canada.