Beauty Haul

Moving to a new state where it’s cold every, single, day. My skin has been reeking havoc..I suffer from dry skin already but moving here where it’s bloody snowing every other week made it worst. I used to live in California, where I can go to Korea Town, Los Angeles where they have abundance of Korean skincare stores to help me in my desperate time in need. Since my buffet of LA’s beauty care is over, I’ve discovered a couple of new websites that allow me to have access to Korean skincare and beauty products. Product links down below!

SON & PARK BEAUTY WATER 

A multi-tasking toner and cleansing water. It has a mild exfoliation abilities to help sweep away dead skin cells, revealing brighter skin and texture. For normal, dry, combination skin types. I really needed to step up my toner game so when I saw this and all it’s magical promises I thought I would give it a try.

I got this from Sokoglam where they sell a huge variety of skincare and makeup from Korea. Click here check them out.

CLEAN IT ZERO BANILA CO. 

Before toning you must cleanse! I am horrible at making sure all my makeup is washed off. I usually just cleanse once and call it a night but due to recent skin problems I figured I should double cleanse. Clean It Zero is a sorbet-soft cleansing balm that transforms into silky oil on the skin. Very lightweight texture that effortlessly dissolves stubborn makeup without stripping your own natural oils.

This stuff is AMAAAZZING! Literally all your makeup will just melt off even with waterproof eyeliner or mascara. Leaves your skin smooth and makeup free.

Also bought on Sokoglam but you can purchase it on Amazon here

I’M CLEANSING OIL #1 

Followed by my new holy grail cleansing balm, I use this facial cleansing oil by I’M MEME. It uses good oils to cleanse away bad oils and cure dry, flakey skin. It’s watery lightweight oil gently removes makeup, dead skin cells, and pore-clogging impurities.

It left my skin feeling silky soft without that oily residue feeling. Discovered this on another great website called MEMEBOX. Purchase it here

SKIN FOOD RICE MASK

I really needed a good exfoliator to use 1-2 times week to get rid of the flakey dead skin thats around my chin and nose area. But I wanted something gentle to get the job done without risking more dry skin.

Rice extract is known to moisturize and brighten skin tone. With grounded rice mixed in, it creates a skin-softening exfoliator that will leave your skin with a lustrous complexion while getting rid of white and black heads. Purchased on Amazon here

BOTANIC FARM SALMON EGG HYDROGEL EYE PATCH

I never suffered from dark under eye circles until recently thanks to my wonderful dose of pregnancy hormones. I knew I needed extra help when my concealer lacked in covering my under eye area.

Botanic Farm’s Salmon Egg Hydrogel Eye Patch effectively eliminates these imperfections around the eye area in an instant. Infused with premium ingredients including salmon egg, snail slime filtrate and colloidal gold, each hydrogel patch gives the thin skin layer around the eyes more strength and elasticity to be able to prevent further damage caused by the environment’s harmful elements. It also contains aloe vera extract that gently soothes sensitive skin.

FYI, it doesn’t smell fishy incase you were wondering.

MEMEBOX for the win! Buy it here

KAT VON D LOCK IT FOUNDATION 

Not a skincare item but I wanted to share how awesome this foundation is! An ultimate full coverage foundation insanely long-wearing. I got this dynamic duo combo that comes with a full size Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation and a BeautyBlender for $46! This stuff is VERY full coverage, a little really goes a long way for this item. You definitely don’t want to apply too much otherwise you will have a cake face. It covered all my imperfections with just one layer and with the BeautyBlender I can achieve that airbrush finish.

Buy your combo here

And that’s a wrap to this haul! Hope you guys enjoyed reading! xoxo

Face Goodness

Hey loves! It’s been such a long time since I last posted, so sorry!! It’s been a crazy end of year/beginning so many things happened but we’ll get to that in the end! Even though I’ve been lacking on my blog posts that doesn’t mean that I’ve stopped hunting down some goodies to share with ya’ll!

First off,

• NATURE REPUBLIC AQUA FRESH WATERY CREAM

Gorgeous packaging, right? This jar of hydrating gel goodness is the perfect last step to your skincare routine. Made of sea water and 30 different maritime extracts, it can provide ultimate hydration and protection from environmental pollutants. It has a very clean, refreshing scent to it which I really enjoy.

• TONYMOLY I’M REAL FACIAL SHEETS

Originally I had 3…but I’m a horrible blogger and couldn’t wait to use one, while throwing out the package before taking a picture of it…(insert shrug emoji)

Mask sheets! LOVE, LOVE, LOOOVE! I use mask sheets fairly regularly 2-3 times a week depends on what my skin needs/wants that day. Picked up some these last minute while standing in line for checkout at ULTA. Seriously, damn those aisle displays! Whoever thought of lining up extra products near the checkout counter is a genius cause I always get suckered into buying something.

We all know that aloe vera is very moisturizing but if you don’t know what “Makgeolli” is it’s Korean fermented rice wine. According to Google, Makegolli extracts brightens the skin and keeps it healthy looking. Sold. I’m a sucker, I know.

• NATURE REPUBLIC EYEBROW PENCIL

If you couldn’t tell already I’m a huge fan of Nature Republic, they just know how to make really good products at very reasonable prices. I’ve used all kinds of brow products, pencil, gel, brow dip, powder, but nothing comes close to this!

You can say this is my holy grail of brow care. It’s a pencil form but product itself is very light, if that makes any sense? It’s not dense like a regular pencil, it’s more like a powder in a stick form. It glides on beautifully, I can control how dark or light I want my brows to be depending on the pressure I put while filling my brows in. It’s so good I bought two for back up.

• PHYSICANS FORMULA 2-IN-1 LASH BOOSTING EYELINER + SERUM


If you’re a big fan of Kat Von D’s infamous Ink Liner but not a fan of the hefty price tag than this is a really good dupe for it for half the price! Discovered at my local Walmart I was lured in by it’s marketing promises. Not only is this just an eyeliner, it’s a lash serum as well.

“High-tech formula enhances the appearance of lashes while providing the instant definition of a liquid eyeliner, in one easy step.”

Longer eyelash promises to the side, the eyeliner itself is amazing! It’s everything you want in an eyeliner, precision with it’s fine-brush like tip makes application like butter. And for $10, why not? You can easily achieve that cat eye you’ve always wanted with this baby.

• LOREAL LUMI CUSHION FOUNDATION IN N3.5

After abusing the hell out of my Tarte’s Amazonian Clay I was on the hunt for a new foundation but wasn’t in the mood to spend $40. If you’ve been following other beauty gurus or your’e an makeup addict then you must’ve heard the phrase “cushion foundation”. This style of foundation is very popular in Korea, the sponge inside is drenched in liquid foundation. With the sponge applicator (I use a BeautyBlender but you can use the applicator that comes with it or anything you have in hand) you tap a bit of product and just start building your desired coverage. This picture below shows the before and after with Lumi, completely bare faced, no photoshop, just me, naked….not even brows…#nomakeup :P

As you can see the picture on the left is dramatically different from the right. My dark under eye is less noticeable, so is my discoloration in my cheeks. It’s light but build-able, and its gives this iridescent glow that I’m totally digging! I usually do a second layer just to build up more coverage but if you have perfectly good skin from the Gods than one layer should be enough. Final verdict? I would by a whole case of this if i could.

• LOREAL INFALLIBLE PRO MATTE GLOSS IN 314 NUDE ALLUDE 

Creamy, rich, long lasting, everything you’ve ever wanted in a tube of lip gloss/lipstick. I love matte lips, but they’re such a pain to achieve! I don’t wear much color in the lip department but I really wanted something that had a mauve nude tone just to bring some kind of color to my zombie lips. This color is perfect for my everyday look and it only took one coat! Unlike other matte glosses this one doesn’t dry out your lips so it does have a slight sheen to it which I don’t mind at all cause look at that color!

So, that’s it with my current favorites at this time. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing about them! In the beginning of this post I mentioned my lack of blogging due to recent changes. Well guys, I want to introduce you to….

Mini me! Well, half of me but you guys get the picture :) This scan is an oldie but he (yes, it’s a boy!) came out so perfect in this that I had to post it. I’m currently  22 weeks and I’m so excited for this new chapter in my life. It was a very complicated pregnancy in the beginning, I went to the ER twice for bleeding but thankfully the little guy is doing just fine. I did my second prenatal screening yesterday where they measured every inch of his body and checked out his anatomy, which came out perfect! He’s getting stronger everyday to the point where I can see my tummy move whenever he’s moving around. Ugh, I’m so happy you guys! I can’t wait to meet him, 17 more weeks to go!

Eye Need You

Gels, creams, pencils, liquids. So many options how do we choose? One of my beauty must haves is waterproof eyeliner, hence WATERPROOF. I have very oily eyelids, which is why I need to make sure I won’t end up with panda eyes at the end of the day. I was in dire need of a new eyeliner since the one I just purchased was such a disappointment. I went to my local Target with my sister and she pointed me out an E.L.F. product. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of their makeup products but I looove their angled brush to a point that I have backups of it.

I wasn’t having much luck finding a new eyeliner so I’ve decided to bite the bullet and try this sucker out.

When in doubt, check Amazon. At least that’s what I do…4.5/5 stars out of 200 reviews. Okay, screw it! To the check out counter I go!

Hmm..impressive. Glides on smoothly but how about the rubbing test? Waited a few minutes to dry then I abused the heck out of it. Rubbed my wrist to a point I ended giving myself an indian burn…I decided to wear it for the day to see what this stuff is really made of. But first, let me take a selfie(s)

Okay, overall I’m impressed. It didn’t run, or smudge, and it took a little bit of elbow grease to wash it off. This is probably the best dupe for M.A.C.’s Fluid Line, I honestly like it WAY BETTER than M.A.C.’s since that crap smudges. Not to mention the huge price difference!? I paid $20 to look like a tired panda on crack vs. $3, that right there proves “high end” products aren’t always the best option. Bravo, E.L.F. you made me into a believer.

xoxo, ji

Are those mine?

Have you ever seen a product and thought to yourself, “omg this is too good to be true..” so you refuse to buy it cause you didn’t want to get scammed but can’t help that “what if” feeling? That was my first thought when it came to this product. I’ve seen so many before & after photos, endless Youtube reviews, countless hours on Instagram, just to see what this product was all about. Now, I don’t mean to sound like a hater but to be very honest these girls who review this product ALREADY HAVE LONG LASHES to begin with! It’s like saying, “oh em gee, this diet tea makes me so skinny!” OH, BUT WAIT! Weren’t you skinny already? *rolls eyes* I wanted a review from someone who has similar eyelash struggles…short, straight, no volume, no Kim K va va voom, kinda person. I’m not a guru, I’m just an average person who appreciate honest answers. If that’s something you’re looking for then WELCOME TO MY BLOG! ♥

Alright, lets do this.

Younique 3D Fiber Lash Mascara 

Claims to increase your average lash volume by 400% while giving you that false eyelash look. I’ve been eyeing this product for awhile now but this sucker is $29! No, No, NO. Spending that kind of money on a beauty product that I barely use is ridiculous. But thanks to the glorious world wide web I was able to find it for a lot cheaper. At a whopping $10.98 on eBay (click here) I was finally able to try this sucker out!

It came with a beautiful velvet lined, hardcover case with two different mascara tubes, a transplanting gel and natural fibers. According to the instructions you: 1. Curl your lashes with your favorite mascara. Let it dry. 2. Apply transplanting gel 3. Immediately apply the natural fibers. 4. Seal it all with another coat of the transplanting gel.

The fibers will latch onto your lashes, giving you that extra length while pumping up your volume game.

Final results?

LASHES?! ARE THOSE MY LASHES?! Lashes that I didn’t glue on?! WHAT WHAT?! OMG this sh*t actually works, unless I’m having one hell of a placebo effect.

I’ve used countless of mascaras from high end to drugstore that swears their product will give the consumer “bigger, fuller, longer, lashes” and every single time I get sucked into their market schemes I get nothing but flat, more noticeable, unflattering lashes with a dash of disappointment. Younique 3D Fiber Lash Mascara definitely blew my mind, it’s now my favorite thing in my makeup collection. I’ve been using this product for over 2 weeks now and haven’t found anything negative to say about it. I work long hours, but my lashes are still full, curled, and fabulous! I can’t believe it took me this long to buy this damn thing! I hope this review will help someone out there that’s skeptical about purchasing this, it’s truly amazing. I’m not sponsored, or a makeup artist. I’m just one hell of a satisfied customer.

xoxo, ji

Skin-ogrpahy Regime

Hey loves! Today, I would like to talk about 2 of my favorite products that I’ve been using relentlessly. I work about 50 hours a week, which wreaks havoc on my skin. But first, a little info about my skin type. It sucks. Got blessed with the best combo in the world, oily AND dryness. Thanks Mom! I’m mostly oily around my T-zone area especially on my forehead and the bridge of my nose and super dry on the corners of my nose, corners of the mouth and chin area. With that being said, I RELY on masks to help in the skin department. First off, Bioré Self Heating One Minute Mask with natural charcoal. I’m already a huge fan of Bioré products but a recent trip to Wally World (Walmart) made me a bigger fan. I’m absolutely IN LOOOVE with this! I wasn’t expecting it to get “hot” immediately when applied even though it does say heating on the package. What it does:

“Gives you purified pores in just 1 minute. This unique formula heats on contact with water to open pores & draw out pore-clogging dirt and oil, then cools leaving skin tingly smooth & refreshed.”

excuse the towel o_O

• With Natural Charcoal, known for its ability to draw out impurities & trap them.

Verdict? I 100% agree every single word. In order to open your pores you need heat. Throw in some charcoal magic to draw out all that nasty oil and dirt that I’ve been hoarding for the last week is a big bonus!

This isn’t a leave on mask which I didn’t realize until I got home to try this baby out. First, apply onto a clean face. This mask is activated by water so leave the face wet. Using dry hands, apply the product onto your face. You’ll immediately feel that charcoal doing its thang. Massage while spreading the product evenly for about 1 minute (I did it for 2. Seriously, it felt soo good). After however many minutes has passed, throughly rinse with water. Giving me that deep cleaning treatment result at a high end spa.

Depending on how my skin is after a long week of being a slave in the glorious restaurant industry, I would’ve just followed up with my normal skin care regime. But I had a bad week and I needed that extra R&R. This might sound crazy but have you ever heard of snail slime? Yes, you read that right…SNAIL SLIME. It’s all the rage in South Korea, the capital of great skincare. Snail extract has shown to enhance skin cell regeneration. Before you say, “ewww” and start judging think about this…lipstick contains fish scales and bird droppings are in spa facials. Now you can add glorious snail slime to your skin care collection!

Studies have shown that applying products with snail extract showed significantly reduced acne scarring, acne prevention, dryness and hyper pigmentation. I found this mask (shockingly) at Forever21 for $1.90!! I was obviously hesitant because F21 isn’t known for skincare products but I decided to go on and purchase a couple of these. So far, they’re my go to masks. I’ve been using these 1-2 times a week for the last month and a half. Like I said before, I have a lot of redness around my jawline and dry spots around my mouth are which has been dramatically reduced. Or it could be a placebo effect…..either way its only $1.90.

The mask itself is pretty good quality, the cotton is soft but very durable so it won’t rip like tissue paper. There’s a generous amount of serum that it’s soaked in so you won’t be worrying about if you have enough product to cover your entire face. I usually leave the mask on for about 15 minutes then rub the excess throughout my face down to my neck.

no makeup mondays

You can buy the charcoal mask at Walmart and if you can’t find the snail mask at your local F21 store here’s the link to buy it online. Click Here Remember, good skin is the best foundation for your makeup.

P.S. No snail were hurt in the process.

Current Loves with Reviews

I’m not a person who would go and spend a fortune on just one product. There’s no way! Have you SEEN the gas prices lately? Not to mention, I’m definitely one those people who would gladly pay $15 for a hipster burger than a lipstick. Sorry, food over anything. But I was in dire need for a new foundation, and couple other beauty products. I’ve been using them for about a month now so I guess it’s safe to say that I can give my honest opinion. I’m not a beauty guru, just a girl with honest (sometimes TOO honest) opinion. Yay! My first review post! *happy dance*

Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation SPF 15
With constant research and spending a life time watching beauty gurus review about this or that foundation. I settled with this. I was going back and fourth about getting this sucker because of the price whopping $40! Those damn Youtube beauty videos! I ended up biting the bullet since my last foundation was a drugstore brand, I wanted to mix it up. First off, it claims to be full coverage, and oil free. Definitely, full coverage without that “cakey” feel which is a major plus!

I have redness around my jawline and cheekbones, not to mention some freckles, and uneven skin tone, that I was blessed with. Thank you, genetics! Anyway, this bad boy covers alllllllllllllllllll of my perfect imperfections. Oil free, that’s a hit or miss as weird as that sounds. Whenever I’m at work (I’m a server by the way) it tends to get “shinny” look after awhile. Again, this could be me cause I’m running around the restaurant getting my job done to feed those impatient hungry customers. On days when I’m off like a normal human, no shine. Just that beautiful matte, satin finish. Overall, very impressed with this product. Good job Tarte!

Designer Impostors Light Blue D&G
The infamous Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue. We all know this scent, right ladies? That clean, fresh, linen, smell that just makes you feel so complete whenever you walk out that door for a day out. But do YOU like paying $60 when you run out of this sweet liquid? Did you say, “hell to the no!”? Well, then my virtual friends! I give you Designer Impostors! I stumbled on this while I was at Walmart. I was like, “WHAAAAA?!” opened it, sprayed it, smelled it, saw the price ($7) and then I was like…
Mmm..hmm. Girl, it smells just like the real thing! My sister was really shocked on how it smelled exactly like it’s higher end cousin that she went to go buy a bottle for herself. If you want a good dupe then this is a definite must try. Love you, Wally World.

Maybelline Colossal Mascara Waterproof #7
I’m blessed with straight, very stubborn, short lashes. THANKS MOM! As much as I love those falsies, I really wanted to be on the more natural side. My best friend has the same eyelash handicap as me. But one day over lunch I noticed these full, voluminous, lengthy, Kim Kardashian of lashes on her. And when she said she wasn’t wearing any falsies….I damn near tackled her to tell me what she used. To my already shocked face imagine what I looked like when I found out it was a drugstore product. I went to my local Target and threw money at the cashier. BUUUUUUUUT there’s no happy ending to my lash story…Unlike my friend, I didn’t get those Kim K lashes. I ended up with very clumpy, spidery, of freak show. Maybe I used too much product? So the next day I was very careful with the amount of product on that wand thingy. Still the same result (less clumpy tho!) I figured maybe it’s my eyelash curler? Either way, I was sooooo bummed out. Buy or no buy? I would say buy, cause I see what it does do. It does give you the length and thickness as promised. Just be careful on how much you put on, little does go a long way.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer
Probably my least favorite purchase out of the 4. I figured it was a good alternative to Benefits POREfessional Primer. That’s one of the down falls on being a penny pincher on beauty products, sometimes you get what you pay for. In all honesty I don’t hate the product, I still use it from time to time but definitely not during work hours. I noticed that I get soooo greasy looking after x amount of hours. On the positive side, it’s very light weight and easy to apply. The product itself comes out clear, so no added color which I like. I think I would recommend this product for people who has drier skin than oily. Does it fill in pores? I honestly couldn’t tell but then again I don’t have very large pores to begin with. I just wanted my foundation to stay on longer but instead I got greasy cake face. Boo.

Wow, doing reviews is hard work! But I’ve been dying to do some of these for a really long time. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I liked writing it. Also, I should put it out there that I’m not a grammar pirate. So if you see any misuse of any punctuation marks and you’re thinking, “omg she didn’t put a comma here or a semi colon there” well, here’s a potato

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