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.......