Jane Tries: Nars Translucent Powder

When I was deciding what to buy at the Sephora Winter Sale, my friend raved about the Nars Translucent Powder, saying it was far better than any translucent powder she's ever used. Since she is not one to ever rave about any product, I was intrigued and I added it to the cart.

Upon use for awhile now, she's right. This is a great product for those with oily to combination skin. For me, a lot of the powders I use really do not keep the oil at bay, especially in the forehead and the nose. This definitely does a much better job than the others. I will let you know how it is during the hot and humid days, but for now, I feel it is far superior to the Laura Mercier translucent powder.

One thing I noticed about the Nars is how finely milled the powder is compared to other powders, which I believe, is the reason why oil absorption is better. Although the colour of the powder itself is white, it does not leave a white film on your skin, which I love.

I have found I have been using it after I use my Sulhwasoo cushion foundation and my 3CE blush cream but before my OHui Powder Sunscreen. I feel the combination of the two really helps fight the oil and gives me a soft semi-dewy look without making me look oily.

Is it better than the innisfree No-Sebum powder? For me, yes. But the innisfree is a very good alternative and I wouldn't be sad if I had to use that. Again, as I had stated, supra, I feel the Nars powder is finer than the innisfree, but that doesn't take away from how great is the innisfree No-Sebum powder.

Would I buy it again? Absolutely. Until I find a powder that can stave off the oil longer.

Until next time!

xo Jane.

Jane Tries: Cel-Derma T-Laser Hydrogel Mask

Today, I thought I'd talk about a mask I got from Korea. Whilst this is technically a sheet mask, unlike the usual sheet masks which generally provide a concentrated amount of essences, as they are soaked in a cotton sheet, this is very much a gel-like version of the sheet mask. These gel-masks (a good example is the TonyMoly Hydro Gel-Masks that have a similar effect as this one.

Like many gel masks, this comes in two separate layers. This separation, for me, is something I really appreciate, as I like to adjust the upper and lower half of the mask to my face, accordingly. The normal sheet masks do not allow such adjustment.

It's like Phantom of the Opera! The actual mask is clear.

Another difference with the usual sheet mask is the amount of time I put on this mask. I generally like to keep this on for HOURS, if possible. Lots of times, I like to sleep with it on. It feels so great on the skin and it really makes a marked difference the next day.

As for this mask, when I put it on, my skin was really red. I don't know if it's the heat or if it's because I sprinted to class but my face looked like a tomato and it wasn't a pretty sight. After I got home and I puttered around the house, I decided to put on this mask.

The one thing I really like about this mask is how immediately cool my skin felt after I put it on. I kept it on until I decided to wash up. My skin felt softer and less dry. Another thing I like about this mask is how it accounts for the nose and I can wrap the mask around the nose. I really like that.

Would I Use This Again? I would. I think any gel mask are a great option when your skin doesn't feel 100 percent.  To me, they are a better product than the general sheet mask. I got mine in Korea but there are loads of gel masks that do the same thing.

Until next time, xo Jane.

Sheet Masks: Do They Really Have What They Claim?

I like to use sheet masks, as you can see by my many posts about them But sometimes, even when I am using them, I wonder if they really have the products as advertised on the cover. And, even though I am not 100% sure for all, I do know the innisfree masks *do* have what is advertised.

When I opened the shea butter sheet mask, unlike the other masks, the essence was white, which means shea butter *is* included in the essence.

That is always nice to know.

Until nest time, xo Jane.

Korean Beauty Products in Target

I thought today I would talk about the ever growing Korean beauty finds in Target. Target really jumped on board with the Korean beauty trends before any other company and I am profoundly in awe of their acumen. Initially, when they first debuted Korean products, they only had Laneige, which is a good mid-range product, much like Missha, and I always thought this was a good move, as Laneige has always been known to be a solid choice for skincare and makeup.

In the past year, Target has really expanded their inventory to include other Korean brands as well, viz. Missha, Caolion, April Skin, Mizon, all brands that are mid-range and known to be solid choices for skincare and beauty.

Today, I will share a few of the beauty finds I discovered when I was in Target. I tried to take some pictures but 1) the shelves were so disorganised and 2) I didn't want to be *too* obvious so I did the best I could. I will try and go back and update you.

When I went to Target, they were having a great sale on Laneige. They were USD$10 off and also you get a USD$10 gift card for each purchase. I ended up purchasing the Firming Sleep Mask. I know the Sleeping Water Mask is very popular but I wanted a mask that would not only moisturise but also tighten the skin.

If you wanted a starter foundation cushion, Laneige's cushion in Target is also a good one for first-timers. If BB Cream is more of an interest to you, Target sells a Missha BB Cream that is also brilliant.

The one thing I *highly* recommend getting is the Missha Time Revolution Essence. This is a good alternative to the SK-II Essence. If you've never tried this essence, it is definitely an essence that has made a huge difference to my skin. It has even out the skin and also decreased the amount of acne I have. The fact that Target sells it there is such an amasing opportunity that cannot be missed.

All these are great products but the middle one is my absolute favourite.

Another brand that I really enjoy is Mizon and they sell both the snail eye cream and the face cream. I really like how the cream goes on my skin. The secretion of snails are known to reduce the redness in the skin and I have definitely seen this happen to my own skin when I use products with snail secretion.  If you cannot find Mizon, Target also sells a cream Missha as well. Both are good products to try.

Missha//Mizon

I hope these reviews gave you enough incentive to go out and try out these brands! If you did, would love to know what were your purchases.

Until next time, xo Jane.

p.s. I also talked about Caolion previously. Their packs are also sold in Target!

Jane Tries: Caolion Hot and Cold Pore Pack

I don't remember exactly when I got this but I received this sample from Sephora. In the past few years, I've noticed Sephora has been an excellent place to try Korean beauty brands. They have products in both high and low price points; I highly recommend Sephora as a starting point if you are uncertain where to begin.

I accidentally opened the package before I took a picture. Oops

Caolion is a mid-range Korean beauty brand that I've noticed being sold in Sephora, Target, and Urban Outfitters. It's known for its packs (masks); I don't remember seeing any makeup products from them.

The sample had two packs which I ended up using back to back: the Blackhead Steam Pore pack and the Pore Original Pack. It seems the first one opens the pores whilst the latter tightens and soothes the skin.

The directions are such that the first pack, the blackhead steam pore pack, is to be massaged onto the skin for 1-2 minutes. The instructions caution that this is creates heat on your skin, which is does, and it has a gritty texture.  They also warn avoidance of the product in your eyes.  For me, I really felt 2 minutes was the longest I could go. The pack does create heat and it felt as if my skin was burning. I don't think I even made it 2 minutes. The instructions also tells you to wash your face with cold water. This is essential. Once I bathed my face in cold water, it felt great. And I will say my skin definitely felt much smoother.

You can kind of see that the colour of the pack is black. It's also very gritty

The second pack is to cool, soothe, and tighten your pores. This definitely cooled your skin and it was a clay-like texture that felt great on the skin. They recommend to leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes before washing it in lukewarm water. The instructions also highly recommends to leave the second pack in the refrigerator if you want an even greater soothing and tightening effect. I forgot to do that but I can see why this is a good idea, as your skin feels a little heated from the first step and by putting the second pack in the refigerator, it does instantly cool the skin.

This had a grey clay feel to it.

I ended up having this on for 20 minutes and when I washed my face, my skin definitely felt a difference. I really liked how smooth and soft my skin felt.  I did not, however, notice any real difference with my pores.

Would I Buy This Product? I wasn't a fan of the first pack, the blackhead steam pore mask, but I would absolutely buy the pore original pack. Next time, I would definitely put it in the refrigerator to have even *more* of a cooling effect. I believe this is sold in Target so if you see it in the beauty section, do be sure to put on in your basket.

I hope you enjoyed this quick review; do let me know if there is anything you'd like for me to review.

xo Jane.

Update: You can buy both products at Target! 

My Nighttime Routine (March 2017)

Today, I thought I would talk about my nighttime routine, viz. what products I use after I cleanse my skin. If you are curious on how I cleanse my skin at night, do let me know and I'll gladly provide information.

After I wash my face and tone my skin, I like to use the Etude House "Tint My Brows" on my brows. I have posted a review if you're interested. I like to use this product on very clean skin, otherwise I find it does not set properly on your brows.

At night, I like to use products that sloughs off the dead skin which means acids and the like which will repair and cleanse without the fear of my skin being exposed by the sun. I don't like to use products that contain acids or retinols during the day specifically because I find even with a strong sunscreen, which I use, my skin still can get discoloured.  At night, I've been really enjoying using Drunk Elephant's TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. If this isn't your thing, I also really like Sunday Riley's Good Genes. Both are available at Sephora.

Squirtle my lil helper

Next, I like to "cool" my skin with IOPE's Plan Stem Cell Softener. Before, I would have used aloe vera in addition to this but I've gotten kind of lazy and just use this. Aloe vera is also good just on its own. I recommend the Trader Joe's Aloe Vera. I really like the smell.

After I put all this over my skin, avoiding my brows, I have been using a concoction of Hyaluronic Acid and the Korres Black Pine Sleeping Oil.  I bought this sleeping oil during my Sephora shopping spree when there was 20% off this past November. When I used this, I didn't really like how it didn't really soak up in my skin. I felt it kind of sat on my skin at night. I find, however, when I used it in combination with the Hyaluronic Acid, it really worked nicely on my skin and I noticed my skin became less discoloured. I use a 3:2 ratio of Sleeping Oil: Hyaluronic Acid.

You can find the Hyaluronic Acid from Amazon for USD$15 and the Korres sleeping oil I got from Sephora. If you're looking for a good acid to plump your skin, I highly recommend this one as it really gets the job done and is such a great price.

After the sleeping oil concoction, I like to allow the oil to really sink in with an emulsion. Currently, I can using the Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Emulsion and I really really love it. If you can get this, do.  At this time, I also use the Shiseido eye cream around my eyes and my smile lines. I only use this product at night only as it is very very creamy; I find when I use it at night, my eyes are not as dry the next day.

Finally, I use a thick moisturiser, which was in January favourites, so that my skin is healing and moisturising at the same time. If it's particularly drying, I like to use this honey mask from Aritaum, which I also talked about in my January favourites.

Et fin! It seems like a lot but it really is much faster than my writing this entire process.

Until next time,  xo Jane.

Happy White Day!

Happy White Day!

I talked about the three days of love on Valentine's Day. I hope you ladies get loads of chocolate today!

xo Jane

Jane Tries: Pig Collagen Nose Pack (3-Step)

Today, I am reviewing what is essentially the Biore pore strips for the nose but this is a three-step process instead of just putting the strip on your nose.

Step 1: After cleansing your nose,  (I ended up wiping it with a cotton pad soaked with Bioderma) you place this strip on your nose and wait for about 10-15minutes for the product to soak in. I did not precisely time myself; instead, I just let it soak until the sheet itself was mostly dried out. I'm assuming that was more than 15 minutes.

The actual strip did not cover all my nose, especially in the front, which would have been nice, but I suppose since this was a nose strip, that cannot be helped. Since it is an essence "sheet" mask, it felt nice on my skin.

Step 2: This is the actual strip that takes out the sebum from your pores. It's very tacky and you are to ensure your nose is wet before you lay the strip onto your nose. This is about 5-10 minutes, which I actually kept at the time suggested since I felt the longer I kept it, the more it would hard my skin.

When I peeled off the strip, I did see a few blocked pores become clearer, but I didn't see *so many* sebum plugs and I do have a lot on my nose.

As you can see, this doesn't cover the entire nose. The shape is the same for all three.

I think, to be fair, it may be because these kind of strips, in general, can only be effective where the strips contact the skin and the nose is not a smooth area for that. As you can see in the picture, supra, the shape of the strip is such that it does get to the sides of the nose but not the front; depending on where you need sebum removed, this might not be the best option for you.

Step 3: This was my favourite part. After you pull off the strip, this goes back in to moisturise and tighten the pores. This really did its job. My pores around my nose felt cleaner and tighter. I kept it in much longer than recommended and I just puttered around the house until the sheet was basically dry. I loved how my nose felt and it really did feel cleaner even the next day.

Would I recommend it? If you're looking for a miracle product, this is not it. But if you want sthing that does take away some of those sebum plugs and does "pamper" you by providing moisturising sheets on your nose, this is a great product to try.

This also has instructions written in English which I know helps those who cannot read Korean. I also adore how the little pig's nose goes from clogged to clear. It's those little details that make me smile.

I hope you enjoyed this review and if there is anything you'd like me to review, do let me know.

xo Jane

Life in Seoul: Starfield Department Store (Hanam-si)

(Preface: I actually had written this a month ago but it got deleted by Blogger. I am finally re-writing it because I think it's a pretty exemplary of a place Korean like to go and I would be remiss not to talk about it.)

When I was home, my family and I went to Starfield Department Store in Hanam-si, which is east of Seoul. It recently opened a few months prior and the wait to get a parking space was hours.   When we went, the wait was about an hour to find a parking space but I am sure there is no wait at the current time. I also know can take the bus to this location, but there is no subway stop that directly stops to there yet.

The electronic store had this giant Iron Man

The department stores in Korea have a different feel from the department stores in the US. They feel more like a mini-mall, with stores within a store. In a lot of ways, they are similar to Nordstrom's or Bloomingdale's with a kick-ass market and food court in the lower levels.

Tom's had a cafe! It was pretty awesome to see.

The Starfield Department Store feels like an actual mall. The second floor has all the designer brands, viz. Balenciaga, Jimmy Choo, et. al, but for me, I love the first floor. Since Starfield is a subsidiary of Shinsaegae, who also owns E-Mart, there are a lot of their own brands like Daiz and Molly's. Starfield Department Store also has a Zara and H&M.

The best part of Starfield, for me, was the variety of food. So much food. I loved how there were so many choices, from sit down restaurants to a fancy food court. There is even a bar in the third floor! In addition to the vast amount of food, there is also a movie theatre and also a water park. The reason why I think this is and has been so popular amongst Koreans is that it isn't *just* shopping; one can make an entire day of it.

People waiting in line for steak.

Another great thing about this place is that it is dog friendly, i.e. you can bring your dog into the department store. For pet owners, this is a great thing since sometimes it's hard to leave the dog at home always. Not all stores allow for pets to enter and signs indicates which ones do. If there is a store you want to go, you can always leave your dog at Molly's cafe and they will take care of your dog. Their rates are per hour and not very expensive.

The information centre has a variety of languages, including Chinese, Japanese and English.  Koreans love to do sthing during the weekend, so if you're curious to know what is a typical weekend, do go check out this department store.

xo Jane

Jane Tries: From Nature's Multi-Effect Collagen Honey Mask and IOPE Essential Mosture Relief Cream

Today, I wanted to review two products I've been using: From Nature's Multi-Effect Collagen Honey Mask and IOPE's Essential Moisture Relief Cream.

Multi-Effect Collagen Honey Mask: As I noted in my February Favourites, using a sheet mask everyday in Korea is a trend many like to do.  Whilst I am not a stickler to this trend, I do tend to use a sheet mask almost every day. I recently got this when I got home; I think I got this at Vic's but don't quote me on that.  For me, I feel like most sheet masks, the essence ones, not the gel ones, generally are similar to each other. I wanted to review this mask because I don't think people realise that there are a variety of sheet masks available in Korea.

One thing I hate in certain sheet masks is the lack of surface area around the nose. This sheet mask did allow for coverage of the nose. There also were flaps which I think is to modify the eye area to cover the bags, depending on your face shape.  I was not a fan of the flaps but I did like how it covered most of my face.

According to the package, this sheet mask is good to use to deeply moisturise your skin as it contains honey and collagen. With that promise, I decided use it after a late night with some friends. My skin was feeling very dry and I decided to use the mask to soothe my skin and also moisturise, exactly what the package described. I put the mask on and I fell asleep watching a movie ("Sausage Wars." It was mindless but very raunchy.) When I awoke and took the mask off, my skin definitely felt a difference.

Would I recommend it?: Yes; I think most sheet masks are effective, as I said before, supra. I also think this sheet mask really does moisturise without really irritating your skin.

IOPE Essential Moisture Relief Cream: During the summers, I like using a lighter moisturiser since the heat makes a heavy moisturiser difficult to use. I find, however, even if I want a lighter moisturiser, that doesn't take away of the need to moisturise. I find a lot of gel-based moisturisers really do not effectively give me the proper moisture I need and I end up producing more oil then usual.

The IOPE's moisture relief cream does not do that. It is a light-weight moisturise and immediately sinks into your skin.  I like how it doesn't fight with the other products I am using and I love the scent. It feels so nice to put it on my skin with the delicate scent.

Would I recommend it?: If you live in a humid environment, viz. Southeast Asia, I feel this is a good mid-price cream to use. If your summers are humid, this also is a good one. The fact that it is water-based yet really quickly enters your skin whilst moisturising really makes this a good purchase.

xo Jane

February Favourites

February has come and gone and I have a new batch of favourites that I really enjoyed this month.

1) Sulhwasoo Cushion Foundation: I've been using this almost everyday. Before, I used the Tarte foundation but I've become less interested in creating a full look and have been resorting to just using two Nars creamy concealers and patting this cushion on my forehead, as I have a slightly darker forehead than the rest of my face.

2) Nars Creamy Concealer (In Vanilla and Custard): In an attempt to minimise the amount of makeup I wear, I've really relied on these two concealers to brighten my eye area and then cover up my dark spots. I recently got some spots removed by lasers and they are still pretty red. I use the Custard to conceal the areas that are dark and use Vanilla to brighten my eyes.

3) 3CE (3 Concept Eyes) x Lily Maymac in Holy Rose: When I went home, I gave my Givenchy "Rose Dressing" lipstick to my mom.  That colour is really lovely on Asian skin and I highly recommend it, if you are feeling spendy. Since I was without, I decided to head to the Givenchy counter to get another one for me, only to find out it was sold out.  Gutted, I passed by the Style Nanda store and decided to take a look. I saw this collaboration and even though I an not familiar with Lily Maymac, I really love the lipstick colour.  It reminds me of a better version of the brown-red lipstick of the 90s. The only thing about this lipstick, however, is that it can be very drying. I like to use a lip balm prior to use.

4) Sheet Masks: There is a trend in Korea where people like to use a sheet mask a day, saying it helps them with their skin. In February, I decided to give this a go. I've always loved sheet masks and unlike the traditional masks where you apply on your skin, I find sheet masks have a cooling effect on the skin. That in itself really helps when you have trouble skin. I will, however, say that sometimes, I felt the mask broke me out, but generally that was when I didn't bother to wipe it of after use. Since I have combination skin, I feel like using this as an essence to give my face moisture perhaps gives me *too* much moisture. I feel if you have drier skin, leaving it on would do wonders. Regardless, I love the cooling effect and have been using a sheet mask almost every day.

5) "Descendants of the Sun" (태양의후예): Let me preface this by saying I generally am not this keen on Korean dramas. I know I talked about two before, but I was in Korea, so you know, proximity. After I got back to the US, and after I got a flu shot, I got the flu. It was awesome. I was so sick I slept for three days straight. After a few days of watching movie after movie on Netflix, this show came up on my feed. I know this show was very popular in Korea when it first aired last year,

but I couldn't be fussed to find it online.  I normally don't like to binge-watch shows because it really takes up a lot of my time, but since I'm sick, I thought, why not? This drama was incredible to watch. It really got my attention from the first scene. I will admit there were some parts that I put on fast-forward because I felt it was kind of heavy-handed and cheesy, but in general, that was perhaps less than 1% of the entire drama.

If this is any indication of how picky I am regarding shows and movies in general, I could not watch Boys Over Flowers. I watched the first four episodes and then I just watched the ending. I wasn't a fan of the four overwrought Heathcliffs and I kept rolling my eyes the entire time.  As you can tell, I am not a fan of Wuthering Heights, either.

I hope February was a great month for you and here's to an even better March!

xo Jane