If there's one big regret I have with regards to my skin, it's that I was never taught as a child to apply sunscreen to my face as well. As a result, I now have a fair number of sun spots on my face- and it definitely didn't help that I was out in the sun a lot with makeup on due to constant dance performances.

In the past few years, I've finally started to pick up the habit of applying sunscreen. When I first started out, Neutrogena was the only brand I was familiar with (and my aunt had given me a sample), so I purchased a tube of their Ultra Sheer sunscreen. I did find though, that it felt quite thick, and there was definitely a white cast. After a few months of struggling (and dealing with little bumps that resulted), I gave up and didn't think much more of it. Fast forward to a few more months later, I learned about Shiseido's Urban Environment UV Protector, and decided to give it a go. I was aware of the sunscreen in their iconic blue bottle, but I'd never seen this one before. At this point, I was desperate for a sunscreen that worked, as I'd started to use BHA/AHAs, and you need to follow up with sun protection after using those! I was so surprised at the texture of the product in comparison to the typical sunscreens I'd used before- it was fairly lightweight and dried down to a powder finish. The size is also great for travelling- I brought my bottle with me to Europe and ended up finishing it while I was in Portugal last year.

a'pieu grapefruit sun gel

After that, I was sort of floundering around- I liked the Shiseido sunscreen, but I also wanted to try something new. I searched around on numerous Korean retailers and discovered that sun gels were quite popular, and I instantly wanted to try it. I settled on A'Pieu's Grapefruit Sun Gel, since Yesstyle had a promotion where you could get 2 tubes for a really good deal (though they don't appear to be offering it anymore.....). I honestly don't think I'll be going back to creams- the gel is honestly so comfortable since it genuinely doesn't feel like you have anything on your face after applying. Of course, with that said, because it is a thinner consistency, the re-application time is shortened, and the amount of protection you get might be slightly less if you're in an area where it's extremely sunny and hot. The grapefruit scent isn't overpowering- it's zesty and quite refreshing, which I really love for summer. If you are a bit sensitive to fragrances though, you might want to stay away from this- I did get a few bumps in the first two weeks of using this, and then no more issues afterward.

shiseido uv protection cream

shiseido sports bb broad spectrum wetforce

Since then, I've amassed a tiny collection of sun care products- I received a UV Protection Cream & a Sports BB Wetforce sunscreen from Shiseido (thanks to Influenster), and unfortunately, both the products aren't up my alley. The UV Protection Cream is essentially what you expect from a typical sunscreen- it's slightly thicker and definitely leaves a cast....I think I may just use it on the rest of my body instead. As for the BB cream- I was slightly disappointed as I like the idea of having a sun care product with some coverage since I don't wear foundation (and I really like Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizers!), but the shade I was sent was just too dark on me even with my summer shade. The colour does tone down a bit after application, but it still didn't really work for me. Aside from that, the product isn't far off from the original UV Protector I mentioned at the beginning, but this in comparison seems slightly tackier after application. The other issue I had with the coverage was that I felt like it settled into my pores/lines more and just emphasized all the issues I have with my face. No thank you! I will say though, that these products have WetForce for water resistance, so if you sweat a lot/are planning on wearing this for outdoor activities, it may be the perfect choice for you.

celavive protective day lotion

Next on the docket is Celavive's Protective Day Lotion. As part of USANA's new skincare line, Celavive is backed by sciences and their patented incelligence technology- you can read more about it on their website, I won't go into too much detail on here. For me, this product is a good in-between of sun gels and the Shiseido sunscreens- it's lightweight and moisturizing. It doesn't feel as "invisible" as the gels, but it's a good option if you don't want to have to layer on products (as I do have to apply moisturizer before/after my gels to prevent flaking on my nose). The lotion is meant for combo/oily skin- they also offer a thicker day cream for those with dry skin.

klairs soft airy uv essence

Wishtrend was kind enough to sent me Klairs' new product that was released last month- their Soft Airy UV Essence (*this is an affiliate link btw- I earn a tiny bit of commission, but if you're uncomfortable with that, feel free to just use this link instead. thank you!!) If you've read this far you should guess by now how much I really do enjoy gels, so it's really no surprise that I love this product. I have tried Klairs' Blue Sun Lotion before, and tbh, I didn't really like it- but this is so unbelievably lightweight! In comparison to the A'Pieu one, the scent is slightly citrusy/herbal and calming; I do think it's somehow even more cooling & refreshing on the face after application, slightly reminiscent of Dr. Jart's Water Drop Moisturizer. From first use, I didn't experience any reactions to my skin and I've been using it every day since receiving the product. For the price, I think the amount you get is pretty generous. Despite it being so "airy", I do find that the product is moisturizing enough that I don't really need a cream on top, but if you do find it's not enough, the good thing about the product is that its lightness means you can easily layer a moisturizer over it without the feeling of having overloaded on products. Also, it's vegan friendly, if that's something you're looking for!


Special mention: A'Pieu's Power Block Tone Up Sun Stick. You apply this kinda like deodorant (lol), and you can use it as a base for foundation or just on its own. They also offer this in a regular version, but I have the tone up one which leaves a slight pink hue that's meant to improve skin tone (kinda like colour correcting). This thing is tiny, and because it's not liquid, I do like having it on vacations- I brought it with me to Europe this summer and had no issues whatsoever. The important thing with this is that you reaaaaally need to blend it out since it doesn't dry clear and isn't a gel. There were a few times when I was in a rush and after leaving the house, my friend pointed out there was still a slight cast/residue on my face. That said, I do enjoy the tone up effect, and the product is so easy to use- although you might have issues with application in areas like around your nose due to it's solid form. Lastly, this does have a powdery scent- kinda like deodorant or laundry detergent, and it doesn't really dissipate- so if you're sensitive to scents, I might avoid this product.

a'pieu power block tone up sun stick

Don't forget, everyone- just because it's the fall/winter season doesn't mean that you should skimp on applying sunscreen!!

Last spring, Nordstrom capitalized on the K-beauty trend by featuring a number of more obscure Korean brands in their Pop-In shop. Naturally, as it's still a bit difficult to get ahold of lesser known brands here in Vancouver, I went and checked it out. Here's an eyeshadow from Belleme that I picked up:



As you can see, it's on its last legs- I've practically been using it daily since last May. When I first bought it, I'd been a bit worried that it was a bit too bronzey & bright for me, seeing as how I'd been sticking mostly to lighter browns and peaches prior to this. However, I ended up loving the shimmer in it, and it was just the perfect shade for summer.....and then it became the perfect shade for fall....and so on and so forth.

My everyday look.

Now, moving on the main point of this post- I can't remember exactly when and how I stumbled across this Etude House palette, but its packaging instantly got my attention.


I'm sure you can tell that three of the shades are nearly virtually sheer to the point of invisibility, haha. I do actually assume most Korean eyeshadows to be shimmery and sheer, and #7 is the highlighter, so I suppose it's not too big a deal. #1 is probably best used as a underbrow highlight or a transition shade, as it's also barely there. As for #6, which is their gold shade, I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's a bit grittier than the other shadows in terms of texture- it does contain more glitter than shimmer. Slightly disappointing on its own, but it performs much better when used on top of a darker base (so I've been using it with some Julep shadow sticks.)



The darkest colour (#4) is a bit chalkier than I like, and it's a pretty stark contrast to the other shades. #3, is the hardest shade to work with, in my opinion. Judging merely on appearance, I'd thought it would be a bit more of a darker burgundy, but it's actually quite bright and pink-toned, which, when worn alone, makes me look like I'm having an allergic reaction. Pony has done some gorgeous pink/red based looks which I really wanted to copy, but I think this shade requires full-faced makeup to balance it out. #5 was also tough because I'd expected a neutral brown and this one is also quite red/copper based. I've used this palette about 4 times now, and I've settled for using #4 mainly in the crease rather than a total eyelid colour.

All in all, I don't think it's a bad palette- you've just got to spend a bit of time with it and work out the best combos possible. That being said, I'm not sure how often I'll be reaching for it, and it also means I'm going to have to continue the search for a dupe of my favourite shadow.......

I'm very grateful to Influenster & Laneige for sending me Laneige's Water Sleeping Mask- however, upon learning that Sephora would now be carrying Laneige products, I instantly went and purchased their Brightening Sparkling Water Foam Cleanser as well!

I'm really quite glad that North America seems to be paying so much attention to Korean beauty products now- their skincare products have always worked wonders for me, and it definitely doesn't hurt that their packaging is always so darn cute! (The only downside to this is how much more expensive it costs here as opposed to Korea, sigh.) For anyone who's quite immersed in Korean pop culture, Laneige is definitely a well-known brand, especially since their spokesperson is the stunningly beautiful Song Hye Kyo! Despite this, I'd never owned any Laneige products as it was quite hard to get hold of in store.



First off- the cleanser. I've always been quite partial to foam cleansers, mainly since they're just so fun to use! I've tried Bliss' Fabulous Foaming Face Wash, and also Lancôme's Clarifying Self-Foaming Cleanser...which was my go-to daily cleanser until my dad accidentally threw away the bottle thinking there was nothing left in it. To clarify (aha!)- it's unique in that the product is all liquid, until you press the pump and foam magically comes out! I'm guessing my dad assumed that the liquid was just watered down soap. Needless to say, I was VERY irritated that day, especially since it cost $39!!! One bottle will last you a very long time though, so I'd recommend checking it out if you just need a simple cleanser. Anyway, I've gone off topic again, oops- back to Laneige! In comparison to Lancôme's, this cleanser dispenses a very thick foam, almost reminiscent of shaving cream. It's meringue-like firmness is quite amusing to press against your face, heh. Also, I love the grapefruit scent. I definitely feel as if my face looks brighter after use? Hopefully it's not just a placebo effect! My skin feels slightly tighter, but I do find that consequently, my skin also feels drier, so I apply toner and a slightly heavier night cream to compensate (I've been using Lancôme's Génefique Repair Crème.)

edit: it's been about two weeks since I first wrote this post, and having used this cleanser almost regularly, I think my skin genuinely has improved. Where the pores on my nose used to be constantly clogged with sebum and whatnot, the skin there is constantly smooth now (which used to only happen after using charcoal masks/nose strips every so often), and the difference is obvious when I apply foundation. My forehead has also been more or less blemish free. I'd say this is a must buy!!



On to the mask. A few of my friends have raved about the product, so I was definitely excited to try it; of course, I also happen to loooove masks! My one concern was that this mask would only focus on rehydrating my skin, whereas I was hoping for a product that would help reduce blemishes overnight. I was surprised the next morning to find that whatever bumps had been on my face the night before had now disappeared, or were barely noticeable! I will say though, for a "water" product, once again, my skin felt slightly parched afterward, so I may have to give this a few more goes just to confirm that. I do really like the consistency and the scent though. Upon application, there is a slight cooling sensation which I really like, and the product itself is very soothing on the face. There are two other products I like that I'm reminded of- Shiseido's Ibuki Softening Concentrate, and also Etude House's Flower Moistfull Cream (which is hands down my favourite summer moisturizer!) As is common in Korean products, both the Laneige mask and the Etude House cream come with a little plastic applicator stick, which I'm sure some will abhor, but I personally don't mind.

All in all, I'm pretty pleased with both these products, and I'm looking forward to discovering more from this and other Laneige lines now that they're all so readily available from Sephora! :)

All my life, I've never been particularly lucky. As a result, I've learned to make the most of a bad situation. Not to be overdramatic, but here's the "bad situation" that lead to the topic of this blog post: the soft opening of Soft Peaks. For those who aren't in the know, a new organic soft serve shop has opened in Gastown, and the hype over it has been overwhelming. (As of now, it's officially opened already, but as always, I've procrastinated, and this post is rehashing an event that happened months ago.) You know how I am when it comes to ice cream...so of course, I wanted to be there on the first day of their soft opening to give it a try. Alas, when I arrived after class, this was the sight that greeted me....

Apologies for the bad phone pics. I have to heft my laptop around for school which makes it impossible to bring my camera too :(

As you can see, they definitely don't skimp on the custard. Mmmm....I'm craving one (or two) now....

You may find this hard to believe as I've called myself an ice cream aficionado so many times it might as well be my given name, but until last month, I'd never gone to Earnest Ice Cream before. I've wanted to since it opened, and I drive past it all the time....but somehow........I've just never been. Well, obviously this was a situation that had to be rectified. You see, on the day that Cybil & I went to Le Marché St. George, I'd planned on stopping by, but Cybil said it was too cold for ice cream (It's never too cold for ice cream, darling...but if you insist so.) Then last week, we decided to meet up to exchange Christmas gifts and she suggested Earnest- of course I was up for it! Ironically, it was even colder that evening than the day we were there =____=




It's usually quite packed, with the line going out the door, but that evening it was fairly calm- seats were filled but there were only 7 people or so in line. I, of course, went with the dark chocolate peppermint + cookies & cream. I genuinely have no idea what Cybil got...I'm guessing it's the cranberry walnut. She'd been trying to secretly pay for mine as well, but got distracted by the menu, and by the time she'd finished deciding, I'd already paid for mine. She's adorable, haha.

Hidden within a residential area near Fraser Street.....a little secret (that isn't really much of a secret nowadays)- Le Marché St. George. From the minute I discovered this gem online (possibly through Monocle- I honestly can't remember now)- I'd wanted to go...and that was over a year ago. What is it about living close to so many cool places but never actually going?! *cough earnest ice cream cough*

This month, I decided I was sick of waiting, and since school's technically done for the term, I arranged a date with my friend Cybil- whom I've shared many first time cafe/restaurant experiences with :') It was as quaint and perfect as I'd expected. I frequent their blog VERY OFTEN, so I already had a good sense as to what the general feel of the place would be like, but nothing compares to being there in person. Even with the many people seated in various areas inside, it's not so much boisterous as it is just plain cozy. The soft chatter and sounds of dishes being prepared in the kitchen blends seamlessly with the fragrant smell of pastries and hot drinks. Luckily, we went on a weekday afternoon, so we easily found seats at the table. I fell in love with the homey atmosphere- I felt as if I was starring in a lovely French film! (Let me live my dream of starring in my own version of Amélie, haha!)




After trying very hard to decide what to order, I went for the cinnamon sugar & butter crêpe, and Cybil chose the lemon sugar & butter. We also agreed that hot chocolate was the way to go and both opted for the Michel Cluizel option (which was a bit pricier, but so, so worth it.) Surprisingly, I'm not crazy about crêpes- I remember having my first nutella one in Paris and I didn't feel too good afterward...maybe that's why, haha. I did like the cinnamon sugar, but I couldn't really taste much butter, so it felt a bit dry. I think next time I'll definitely go for the savoury option, or try a quiche! The hot chocolate was genuinely scrumptious though. If you're like me and aren't fond of coffee, I would without a doubt give it a try. My total was less than $10 though- my wallet approves! (Also, check out their menu!)

27hr Eye Kohl on the very right. The two other swatches are of the Estée Lauder Pure Color Intense Kajal eyeliner duo, which I've been LOVING. You can see it in my previous post here!