April Favourites

April has come and gone so quickly! And since it's the end of the month, it's time to talk about my monthly favourites.  I don't have a lot of beauty products this month; I ended up using a lot of the same products I've discussed in previous posts.  That said, here are a few things I really enjoyed in the month of April:

1) 3CE Cream Blusher in #Baby Peach: I've had this cream blush for awhile now and I never really enjoyed using it before because I honestly felt it sat on my pores and really wasn't a good look for me. I have, however, been using this on a daily basis after discovering that using it with a wet sponge (I used a Beauty Blender)  and spreading the products on my cheeks really gave it a soft and natural look without looking like as if it is just sitting on my pores.  What I really love about this product is how it gives my cheeks just a hint of colour.

2) Etude House Bling Bling Eye Stick: I've been using this a lot this month to emphasise my aegyo-sal. I don't use this product on my entire under-eye, but I do like to use this closer to the front of the eye than the back.

3) Missha Aloe Sleeping Mask: As the weather is getting warmer, I've been using this sleeping mask to hydrate my face. LA, while hot, is very dry and wreaks havoc on my skin. I feel I must always hydrate my skin regardless of the temperature. I like this mask because it is lightweight and doesn't feel as if it is weighing down my skin. I also like to use it sometimes when I go running because it is so lightweight. I've also de-potting this into another container because I'm not really a fan of the packaging but really enjoy the product.

4) Uniqlo Soft Bomber Jacket in Pink: I've been looking for a light jacket to wear for the chilly nights here in LA.  Since Los Angeles is not as cold as DC or Seoul, I've been relegated to wearing my thinnest coats and also my leather jackets, if that. I found this at Uniqlo and I love it. It adds a feminine edge to my outfits. The soft pink colour and the cut of the jacket is very on-trend for spring. I've been wearing it with dresses as well as pants. Such a versatile piece of casual wear.

5)  Heated Eye Masks: I really like to use these when I am really tired. These eye masks heats up after opening the package and placing them on your eyes. The heat on the masks is not so hot and it really feels so relaxing when you put them on. There are also a variety of scents, as well as unscented. I like the rose and lavender scents, but unscented is always a good choice. I found these in a Japanese market but I am sure you can find them on Amazon. They also are available in Korea at Costco and Olive n Young.

6) Sweet Matcha Powder: I got this when I went to Japan but I've seen a similar product at Trader Joe's. When I first got this, I made hot matcha "lattes" with heated almond milk but recently, I've added a tablespoon of the powder with cold almond milk and ice to make my own green tea latte. I love to drink this when I am feeling hungry but don't want to eat anything.

7) Samarai Gourmet//Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories: Both are Japanese series that focus around food. Based on the anime books of their same name, I loved how each episode of each of these series focuses on a food. I kept getting cravings for the food of the episode during each viewing. If you like quirky shows, do give these two a watch. They are so delightfully binge-able. (On Netflix.)

These are a few things that I have been really into this month. Do let me know what are yours.

xo Jane

Jane Talks: Eye Primers

The last remaining eye primers

Whilst not as popular as when they first came out, loads of people still use it and I wanted to talk about my experiences with eye primers. I'll flat out and say I'm not a fan. Primers are supposed to help with the product, i.e. if I was to use an eye primer, the primer would help bring out the colours of the shadow. What I find, however, is that the primer does not do a very good job of staying on my lids. Instead, most eye primers tend to pill and does not allow the shadow to blend. Not good.

I suppose if you have really oily lids, an eye primer might not be a bad choice but I personally would prefer just to dust a little powder and then use a fluffy brush to blend out the eye-shadows. Also, if you're using a facial primer, I generally feel that is enough primer on your lids.

Lastly, sometimes, I use the leftover primer as an all-around face primer. One word of warning: using the eye primer as a face primer can break you out, as I recently experienced. Even thinning it out with lotion still broke me out, meaning if you're acne-prone, it might be best to throw them out if you're not going to use it for its intended purpose. Technically, both face primer and eye primer have the same intended effect and theoretically, since the eye is far more delicate, one would assume eye primer would work for the face. As I just stated, however, this wasn't always the case.

If you do use eye primer, I would love to hear what you use and how you use it. I'm always open to new products.

xo Jane

Jane Travels: Oahu

Recently, I got the opportunity to travel to Oahu. One of the islands in the state of Hawaii, it also is the most populated and the most with a "city life." Hawaii is a state I could go back to again and again. The food is such an amasing fusion of different Asian influences as each of the different countries immigrated to the islands. The beaches are absolutely lovely, with the water so warm and clear.

Hawaii is a place where there is so much to do if you love the outdoors. You can hike up trails and there are hidden beaches you can go and enjoy the sounds of the waves crashing against the rocks.

If there is one thing that is a must-do, that is to go to the beaches. The water in the beaches are absolutely clear; it's the clearest beaches I've seen, even beaches in SE Asia. The one thing I will have to say is to be sure to apply sunscreen *before* you get to the beach, as there really is no good place to apply it there. And the sun is very hot and strong, regardless of the year, and you will get a nice tan if you're not careful.

Also, depending on the beach, the sand can be very silky or very rough; I highly recommend bringing a pair of flip flops if you plan to go beach hopping.

One thing I love about Hawaii is the local food. If I had a friend who visits Hawaii for the first time, there are a few items I would recommend:

1) Loco Moco: I know this is *the* local food people tend to know about but if you can get a good loco moco in Hawaii, get it. The brown gravy and the charbroiled meat patty over rice and topped with an egg is the most unimaginable yet perfect combination. A definite must.

2) Zippy's: This is a fast food chain and I absolutely love their food.  Their chili is really different and something for which they are known but, if you can, get the Portuguese sausage. The Portuguese sausage in Hawaii is a unique item and I haven't really found a good place in the mainland that carries this.

3) Plate Lunches: Plate lunches comes with two scoops of rice and mac salad. You pick the dish that you want with the rice and salad. I know there are plate lunches in the mainland but I generally find they are not as tasty as the ones in Hawaii. Get this and enjoy the food coma later.

Whilst this isn't the most extensive list of things to do in Hawaii, I wanted to share a little of my trip to you. I do hope you enjoyed it.

Until next time, xo Jane.

Life in Seoul: Hyundai Department Store in Pangyo

Although I have talked about the Starfield Department Store in Hanam-Si,  today I wanted to talk about the Hyundai Department Store in Pangyo, Seoungnam.  This particular department store is famous for its incredibly spectacular food court on the lower level.  In fact, when the department store first opened, it was so incredibly popular that there were such long lines to park and so many people.

Ryan!

When I went, it wasn't as bad, but there were still loads of people there.  Whilst the upper floors have some really cool stores, viz. A Land and a Kakao store popup, the Pangyo Hyundai Department Store is really known for their lower level food court. The food court did not disappoint. It was incredibly big and there was so much to choose from.  Not only had the traditional Korean foods but also really fun and interesting foods like a magarita bar and Italian. I believe they also have a Mr. Holmes as well!

We decided to try the Korean version of local food from Hawaii. We had the huli huli chicken and the poke.  The poke was basically the Korean hwedupbap and the huli huli chicken was kind of greasy. I wish we had more rice. I think next time I want to try their loco moco and maybe their malasadas.

Poke Bowl and a Passion Fruit Drink

When I am home, there is so many new restaurants and new foods to try. Easily accessible by subway, you can shop your hearts content and eat then, stroll down to the lower level and try a variety of foods in one location.

Until next time, xo Jane

Life in LA: Supper Clubs

Recently, I got the opportunity to go to a supper club in Los Angeles. I love this idea as it generally provides an intimate setting in unlikely areas.

I've been to supper clubs before and I will admit they are really inconsistent. The last one I went to before this one I left hungry and I ended up going out to get a burger afterwards, which defeated the purpose. It also is generally family-style, at least the ones I've been, which means you can just take as much as you want, since you need to be cognisant of the other people who are also probably as hungry as you. And, unlike a friend, since you are eating with strangers, you can't just take the last meatball, even if you are DYING to take it. (sigh)

The backyard

This supper club was bring your own alcohol, which is nice. They did, however, provide an aperitif when we first got there.  It had a smoky aftertaste which was really lovely.  Since I would be drinking, I chose to get an Uber, which was a godsend because I had driven to Dana Point that morning and I was too tired to drive to LA again.

Aperitif

In this reiteration, we were at the Schindler's House in North Hollywood.  I've never been here before and this place was absolutely gorgeous. Each room had one dining table and we were shown where we were seated by the "hostess." The setting was "shabby chic;" the eclectic vibe really worked well with the family-style meal and the familial setting of the supper club.

I loved how unique the table setting is

There was a group of musicians which played music and we started off with tomato bread and shisito peppers. The second course was this absolutely delectable salad of blood oranges and kale. I couldn't get enough. We then had meatballs which were so so good and the main was a whole fish branzino, aka European seabass. We finished the night with churros.

First course before the sun went down

Whilst supper clubs sound very exclusive, I think, if you have a chance, you really should give it a go. It's different and it's quite the experience.  And I really would like to argue that the exclusivity is just a facade; if you enjoy good food and you have a good friend who you enjoy the company, one night of hanging out with strangers and enjoying delicious food isn't a bad time.

Until next time, xo Jane.

Empties: Guerlain L'Or Pure Radiance Primer

Empty//When Full

Makeup has gotten so very high-tech and I absolutely love it. One of the new products I love is primer. There are many different primers in the market in many different price points. The one thing about many primers I've used, viz. Benefit's That Gal, Makeup Forever HD Primer, etc, is that they either break me out and/or they don't really do a good job of working with my foundation.

The Guerlain L'Or does not have this problem. The key to using the primer is to be sure to immediately put on your foundation after priming your skin with this product. Unlike thicker primers, this primer is very thin, but I think it does the job if you're not keen on having the foundation "pill," which I really do not prefer.

To be fair, it doesn't really create a "flawless" look if you don't have flawless skin but I'd rather have that than the former. If you're going for the "no makeup" look perhaps this is a good primer for you to use. Do note this will not "blur" your skin like many of the popular primers will do. If you're amenable to this, then I highly recommend this primer.

Until next time, xo Jane

Review: Facial Cleansers

Today, I thought I'd review five face cleansers I've used in the past few months. As I've stated before, I double cleanse at night, which means I use a cleansing balm or oil to take off my makeup, which I then wipe off with Bioderma or any micellar water, and then a wash my face with a face cleanser. In the morning, I just wash my face with any one of these cleansers.

Perfect Whip (Japan): This foaming cleanser was a rage in Korea awhile back, and I still use it. I really like using it at night where I feel like it really cleanses the leftover makeup and the balm from my skin. It does, for me, strip a lot of the oils in my skin, which I feel I have to add back and is the primary reason why I like using this at night. I know there is a new technique where you create foam in the foamer. I haven't tried that yet and I am looking into trying this method the next time I use this face wash.

Trader Joe's Spa Face Wash with Tea Tree Oil: I've used many times and it's a good cleanser for its price point. It does cleanse the face, although sometimes, much like the castille soap, it feels like it leaves a film over my skin. If you do end up using this, I highly recommend you toning your face.

The other thing about this face wash is to really avoid this in your eyes. I have made the mistake of flying too close to the sun and having it sting my eyes. It really isn't fun. But, it *does* take off the makeup and it really makes you skin clear, especially if you're acne-prone, because of  the tea-tree oil. The price is also very very nice and I feel like this is one of the best lower-end face washes out there.

Andalou Naturals "1000 Roses" Cleansing Foam: Before this, I've used another Andalou face wash and I will admit I didn't like how it felt when washing my face. This, however, is different. The product comes out foaming and it smells amasing, if you like the smell of roses. The smell isn't too overpowering and is the scent when you are walking through a rose garden. I generally use this for the morning cleanse as this is very very gentle and I like how it takes off the overnight product without stripping the face.

GlamGlow Power Cleanse: I recently started using this product after I used up the Trader Joe's face wash. This is a dual cleanser in that it has one pump, and one side, with oil and the other pump/side with a clay cleanser. I have been using this at night.

I've been really enjoying this cleanser. It doesn't foam like the Andalou or the Perfect Whip, but the combination of the two really does create some kind of "soap" that really does cleanse my skin and take off any remaining makeup. I also really love the scent of this cleanser and it's like some aromatherapy that relaxes me in the evening.  the packaging is also lovely; in a way, I feel it enhances the decor of the bathroom.

Missha Frui-Tea Cleansing Foam: I've talked about this product before and I still stand by review. I really did like how it took off my makeup and I felt, like the Perfect Whip, a good evening cleanser but perhaps not gentle enough for a morning cleanser.  Also, like the Perfect Whip, when I repurchase, I will try it with the foamer and see if that makes any difference.

I hope you enjoyed this review. If you'd like to see more reviews like this, do let me know. If you also have any products you'd like me to try, let me know as well; would love to hear from you.

Until next time!

xo Jane

March Favourites

March has come and gone and it's time for March favourites!

This month has been a bit hectic and my skin definitely suffered, which is why I had to adjust.

Radha Beauty Hyaluronic Acid Serum: As I stated in my updated nighttime routine, this with the Korres Black Pine Sleeping Oil has been wonderful for my skin. As the weather changes, I love it absorbs into the skin and really moisturises the skin during the night. This is also USD$15 on Amazon! I think that price in itself cannot be beat.

Korres Black Pine Sleeping Oil: This on its face does not really do it for me. I felt it didn't really do a great job absorbing into to skin, viz. I felt the oil just sit on top of my skin. That said, once I mixed it with the Radha Hyaluronic Acid Serum, as mentioned, supra, there was such a change in my skin.  That said, I personally would not recommend just getting the sleeping oil, but in combination with the serum, the one-two combination really does wonders.

Heroine Make Volume and Curl Mascara: I've discussed this product before and my love for this product hasn't changed. Unlike a lot of other mascaras, I love how this product really lifts my eyes and gives me a more "awake" look. It's waterproof and really stays on your eyes, even after a good crying jag. If there is one mascara that I would recommend, it's this one.  Dasoda is a close second. Both are from Japan.

Tarte "The Sculptor" Contouring Stick: I don't use this to contour, as it is too dark for my face, but I do use it as a eyeshadow base on the lids of my eyes. I like to put a little on the base of my lids and then, using a finger, blend it in. I will then go over it with an eyeshadow, generally one that is lighter in colour.   I really like this as it gives my eyes dimension whilst allowing the shadow to still show through.

Etude House Sweet Recipe Cupcake Eyes: Yes, this is old, but I have been wearing it all month. Especially the champagne colour, which I like to blend over the areas where I used the Tarte Contouring Stick, supra, and on my aegyo-sal. I like how you can see the colour but it's not overpowering like many of the US brands.

Clearly, I've been using the light side incessantly.

Uniqlo Navy Midi-Skirt: This month has been the month of what I call "hobo chic." This skirt is the epitome of that. It has an elastic waist and it also hits my calves mid-length. Truthfully, this probably isn't the best look for me but it is devastatingly comfortable. When I'm feeling bloated, I will throw on a flowy sweater and when I'm less so, I will tuck in a shirt. I've worn this the majority of the month and at USD $19.95, I think it was a great choice. I'm sure there are better ways to wear it but I love the ease of it.

That's all of my March favourites. Would love to hear what your favourites are for this month.

Until next time, xo Jane.

Jane Travels: Beppu, Japan

Today, I thought I would talk about my recent trip to Beppu, Japan. A sleep beach resort, Beppu is in the southern tip of Japan and is famous for their hot springs.  When I was there, loads of Korean and Chinese tourists were there, so be cognisant that the tourist generally will trend towards the East Asian.

Beppu at night

Jigokus, or geyers, are prevalent in that area and when you take a bus around them, you can see steam coming out of pipes that create such a surreal look. It reminds me of what I would imagine how the factories looked like during the Industrial Revolution but obviously much much cleaner.

Since Beppu is known for its onsens, or hot springs, that is the one thing you must do. One thing, however, you must be aware is that the public onsens require you to go in the water in the nude. Which is why, if you can, do find a hotel that has a private onsen or has an onsen in your room.

One of the jigokus of Beppu, Yes, that is the actual colour of the geyser. Amasing.

Japan, like Switzerland, is expensive. Everything is expensive. Beautifully packaged, but expensive. If you're looking to find a way to cut costs, I recommend grabbing food at the convenience stores. I went to the 7-Eleven that was close to our hotel and grabbed some onigiri, beef and ume, as well as cup ramen. Not gonna lie, it was delicious after soaking in the hot springs.

There are restaurants and even a place that allows you to steam your food in the onsen water. Depending on where you go, the price for the meal *will* be pricey. I feel like, for that area, food is not what they are known for, unlike other areas of Japan, and you will be fine just eating simply. Spend your money in areas known for their food. That said, if you eat sushi there, which I did, it will  not disappoint. It was v v good. 

The sushi was so fresh and Oishii!!!

Whilst there, do go to jigokus, especially the Eight Fiery Hells. Each are unique and beautiful in their own way. There *is* an entrance fee but I believe you can get a package deal.  Also, while you're there, take a day trip to Yufuin. It's really touristy but I really did like walking to the lake and back. There are a lot of shops and if you're a girl, there are some cool things to eat and also buy.

Yufuin. Even on a cloudy day, the lake does not disappoint.

Beppu is a small town, and like any small town, there are both the good and the bad. There is one Starbucks, inside the main department store, and is where most people wait for the bus to take them to Oita airport.

If you can, do go to Oita airport. It's a tiny airport and I loved it. I loved how small it was and yet, unlike the smaller airports in the US, the food was so good and there was so much to buy and see. On the third floor, there is a ramen shop, a sushi shop, and a Japanese "fusion" shop. All were packed. You can also go outside and see the airplanes fly off, which is awesome.

One of the art exhibits at Oita Airport.

Speaking of airports, if you're coming from Incheon (ICN) there is a direct flight to Oita, but it is not everyday, as this is a smaller airport compared to Narita, as I mentioned. Most people come out of Fukuoka and take the local train, which is what we did coming to Japan. I highly recommend getting the bento box from the Fukuoka train station. It was kind of pricey, I believe it was approximately USD$14.

Get the bento!!! There is one line for fish, another for meat. SO GOOD!!

This is just a little tidbit of some of my experiences in Beppy, Japan. If you want to hear more about this trip, or any other trips, do let me know!

Until next time, xo Jane.