5 Favourites From Japan

With my university days coming to a bittersweet end, my university roommates and I decided to take a trip to Japan! Being a lover of sushi and KitKats, this trip was everything and more than I expected it to be.

Here were my 5 highlights from this trip:

1. Harajuku

If you're into Japanese street style, cute shops, or Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Girls, Harajuku street is a must see. Funny enough, a ton of nostalgic Gwen Stefani hits were played in numerous stores when we visited that day. Although it looks underwhelming at the entrance in the picture above, it was absolutely packed inside! From Japanese makeup to trendy jewellery, you'll have never-ending shopping options on this street.

                                                   

      2. Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji was one of the most breathtakingly beautiful sights I'd ever seen, even though it was an 8h commute to get there and back. During the time we visited, it was the pink moss festival where rows and rows of pink (and other coloured) shibazakura flowers bloom. If you have the time, go down by the piers of the local town near the Mount Fuji station and take a speedboat ride around Fuji. The serenity of the water paired with the beauty of Mount Fuji was like nothing I've ever experienced. 

3. Nara Park

When I was 7, I was at an amusement park with my family where there were a ton of wild deer. My mom wanted me to come pet the deer with her but I was terrified and refused to get anywhere near the deer. Flash forward 14 years and I was once again quite nervous to be around so much wild deer. Eventually I warmed up to them (and them to me).

4. Sushi at Tsukiji Fish Market

No exaggeration, this deluxe sushi set from Sushi Zanmai was the best sushi I've ever had! Seriously though, I still have dreams about the fatty tuna and eel *drool*. And if you don't eat raw fish, they have many cooked options as well that were just as tasty!

5. Kyoto

Last but not least, the city of Kyoto holds a special place in my heart. Filled with zen temples and beautiful gardens, Kyoto was quite a contrast from the busy streets of Tokyo. There were many local attractions in this city that made this trip very memorable. One of which was Kitchen Rakuraku, where the chef Akira puts on a one-man show and entertains you with hilarious conversation as well as his impressive chef skills. This night created way too much inside jokes for me and my roommates.

The End of My Love Affair with Tory Burch Shoes

Anyone who knows me knows about my obsession love for Tory Burch, especially their shoes! The ones pictured are less than half my collection, as I have more at my house at school, and my boots in the shoe repair shop. Needless to say, I have a Tory Burch shoe problem.

What made me first fall in love with my first pair of Tory's (metallic pewter Revas) were their gorgeous design and quality leather. Although most of Tory's shoes aren't the most comfortable at first, they break in and become liveable. My first pair of Tory's are still in tip top condition, my other shoes not so much...

I'm super careful with my shoes and have never had my shoes form a hole or have the soles break off. When I noticed a hole forming in my suede Tory Burch boots, I shrugged it off as just a bad pair of shoes or the material being more delicate than normal. When my black flats and my leather boots formed this same problem where the soles first began breaking off, I knew it couldn't be a coincidence.

Although getting the soles of a pair shoes repaired isn't the end of the world and is a pretty quick fix, it does get expensive when countless pairs of shoes require fixing. Unfortunately, the quality of these shoes no longer fit the price which is why I am now forced to break up with my love Tory. I'm sorry Tory, your designs are beautiful but you're no longer worth it.

Out With The Old, In With The New Year

When I first started to really get into makeup at the age of 15, I had the mindset of wanting everything. I was watching these makeup collection videos of beauty gurus on YouTube and wanted to just try everything and have everything. After reading Allison's blogpost of her new minimalistic outlook, I realized I was having the same crisis in my life. I just had way too much stuff!

Above is the start of my makeup purge. I admit I am a bit of a hoarder and have a slightly hard time letting go of stuff (i.e. I still have magazines from 2008). However, I realized through my purge that most of the stuff I'm tossing is stuff I bought on an impulse (usually at some manufacturer sale) and didn't actually enjoy that much. As a result, I never got my value out of this stuff because I just didn't end up liking nor using it.

I don't think I'll ever be a full-on minimalist (at least not yet), but I see this change as exactly what Allison stated in her blog, "it's not about owning as little as possible, but only what you really use and love". With this in mind, it's more about the value you feel you can derive from the item. So in this upcoming year, the next time I'm choosing between buying an item that I really want and will get good use out of but costs a bit more, versus cheaper impulse purchases on items I'll use once; I'll be a lot more conscious about what I'm buying and whether it's something I would actually derive value from, or if it's something that will just collect dust in a week.

My Morning Skincare Routine

The past week has been hectic with my return to school. Of course, no matter how busy I get, I always make sure to follow through with my skincare routine.

After splashing some cold water on my face to wake up, I follow with a cooling toner like Biotherm's Biosource. The toning lotion feels refreshing while cleansing your skin of the previous evening's skincare.

To add hydration and prevent fine lines, I use H2O Eye Oasis. It's more of a gel consistency which feels great on the eyes in the morning.

I recently started using La Roche Posay's Effaclar K after hearing great things and being a hardcore fan of Effaclar Duo. Haven't formulated a full opinion on it but I'm sure you'll hear all about it soon in a future post!

For years on and off, I've been using Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream as my face moisturizer. It hydrates your skin for the entire day but never makes oily skin oilier. Just trust me, this is the only moisturizer you will ever need, no matter your skin type, so buy it in the large size. It doesn't look that big in this picture but I swear it's huge. Bigger than the size of my fists even , and I have large hands.

I'll be honest now, I don't remember to apply sunscreen most of the time... But when I do (usually once a week), Shiseido's Sun Protection Lotion is always the sunscreen of my choice. The best part of it is how thin and light it feels on the skin. Now if only I remember to use it more often...

Not really sure if Soap & Glory's A Great Kisser lip balm counts as "skincare" but nonetheless, I love it! Besides smelling like Georgia peaches, it moisturizes your lips and stays on! It has a slight nude pink tint that's barely noticeable but still really nice. I can't say enough good things about this lip balm.

Tuesday Tunes: #2

Picture from 1

With the amount of energetic Top 40 music I listen to on a daily basis in the car, it's nice to hear some laid back music to change things up. Most of these are old favourites from years back, but some are more recent finds through Spotify. Did I mention I finally have Spotify?! (We just got it here in Canada) Here are some of my favourites for blog writing, relaxing, or contemporary dancing.

5 Things: Beach Wave Products

I am in love with wavy Lauren Conrad like hair. Problem is, I'm quite lazy when it comes to my hair and am not the biggest fan of using heat. In a previous post, I mentioned my collection of wave enhancing products so here they are.

1. Aussie Sprunch Hairspray (6/10)
With a slightly stickier consistency, the product gives a hairspray like hold. Using scrunching motions, it  gives you a slight beachy like texture. However, using too much will leave hair crunchy, but not using enough will leave hair in its original state. The spray head needs to be rinsed after each use to avoid clogging.

2. Lush Sea Spray (4/10)
Adds texture but more of a "dirty" texture. A more thorough review here

3. Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Scrunching Gel (7/10)
Long story short, I saw Blair Fowler (juicystar07) and Ingrid (missglamorazzi) use this in a tutorial years ago. It worked for them so I assumed it would for me as well. My favourite way to use this is to apply a dollar coin amount in 80% dry hair and braid my hair into one long french braid. It's the only way this product works for me actually, but it doesn't give the most long lasting hold.

4. Garnier De-Constructed Beach Chic Texturizing Spray (8/10)
My newest and favourite of the five. Paired with a hairdryer or left in a french braid/bun overnight, this product gives the best hold. It also doesn't hurt that this product smells incredible (very fruity). Only downside with this is it makes your hair look a bit drier.

5. Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Spray Gel (5/10)
While this product isn't sticky, it does make your hair slightly clumpy. Again, another Missglamorazzi induced product from that same "Beachy Hair" tutorial. It adds a bit of shape for the first five minutes, then your hair remains being flat.

Any favourite wave enhancing beach hair products to add to my evergrowing list? :)

My Everyday Makeup: Back to Basics

It's funny how my everyday makeup reflects where I am in my life. Back in junior year of high school 3-4 years ago, I would always be sporting a super smokey eye à la Kardashians. I was extremely insecure about my acne prone skin, feeling the need to coat my skin in a super thick layer of foundation and a ton of eyeshadow so everyone would focus on my eyes, not my skin.

Face: Let's start with the base. I often just use an under-eye concealer and a bit of powder on a day-to-day basis. Currently, I'm using Benefit's Erase Paste to conceal; nothing fabulous but it does the job. When I do use a base, it's often a mix of the Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Gogi and the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 5.5. At first, I wasn't totally sold on Luminous Silk because the finish was a bit too glowy for me. When mixed in with Nars Sheer Glow, this has become my favourite combination as it forms the perfect colour and finish for my skin. To brighten my under eye, I add a tiny bit of Benefit High Beam to the inner quarter beneath my eye.

Cheek: I'm not a cheek person so let's skip to eyes!

Eyes: Usually, this section would be filled with a jazillion different products. Recently, I've been keeping it simple with just MAC's Rubenesque Paint Pot and Silk Teddy (from Too Faced's Natural Eyes Palette) all over the lid. Then, I add a thin line of liquid eyeliner (Loreal Lineur Intense Brush Tip) with a barely there flick and a few coats of Illegal Length mascara from Maybelline (one of my faves).

Lips: I love a good tinted lip balm and Soap & Glory's A Good Kisser in Juicy Peach is no exception. This lip balm hydrates your lips, adds a lovely pinky-nude glossy finish, and smells like a peach farm! I've been obsessed ever since I got it.

Yes, a lot of products for a natural look. If you made it this far, congrats! I truly mean it.