A lazy post for a lazy week; a peek into my daily life through some 1x1s.
Currently listening to: Lucia - Light & Shade chapter.1
Wednesday 11 June 2014
A Day In My Life #1
A lazy post for a lazy week; a peek into my daily life through some 1x1s.
Currently listening to: Lucia - Light & Shade chapter.1
Monday 9 June 2014
Beauty: Innisfree Creamy Tint Lipstick in 1, 4, 16
I've definitely stepped out of my comfort zone with these colours that I've procured over time. True to how they were marketed, they are very pigmented (in a single stroke, no less) and true to the colour on the bullet. I find that they are rather long lasting as well, lasting a good half a day before it fades and I find the need to reapply - great for girls on the go.
I do find that the "creamy" aspect only applies to the application, where it very easily glides onto the lips. However the finish tends towards a more matte look, which while on point for this season, may be difficult to pull off. Applying a generous layer of lip balm and giving it time to sink in prior to application might be ideal for girls with dryer lips. That being said, the lipstick definitely does not sink into fine lines as dramatically as other matte lip products I've tried (side-eying the Etude House Lips-fit).
Cocktail Orange (4) is a nice vibrant orange, and I find that it looks slightly peachy on the lips. I personally enjoy these sort of darker vibrant oranges sheered out for an everyday, more mature look. Flower Pink (1) is your typical neutral pink that's perfect for a loud and youthful lip. I really enjoy mixing it with a little foundation for a nice and long lasting blush. I feel like every girl needs a good burgundy lipstick for the winter months to fulfil the French lady in a trench coat with perfectly on point makeup (???) vision. I like 16, because it is not overly dark that it looks sultry/venemous, and it complements Asian skin really well.
Overall, the lipstick has served me really well, and I find that dotting on the lips and blending that out gives the best everyday and natural makeup look which I do veer towards! I highly reccommend the Innisfree long lasting lip products.
Friday 6 June 2014
Beauty: Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Pact Review
This has been one of Innisfree's bestsellers for a long time now, and I've finally jumped onto the bandwagon to try this product out when I was on the market for another oil controlling finishing powder. While the loose powder version retails slightly cheaper, I wanted a easy to use pact instead. Loose powders are finer, so they are more "transparent" on the skin but can also more easily settle into fine lines.
Given my current penchant towards dewier and more natural looking skin, I only dust this powder lightly on my T-zone, as my U-zone tends towards normal. This powder really mattifies the skin exceptionally. In fact, it's a little more than what I am looking for.
One of my favorite Korean brands has to be Innisfree. I love their "natural" and "eco-friendly" beauty ethos, reflected in their packaging and the types of products offered. While not every product I tried hit home-run for me, they're a brand to try if you wish to cater to more sensitive skin on a budget.
I recommend this to girls that are oily skinned, and looking for relatively long lasting oil control. As with many mattifying powders they tend to cause a "flatter" look to the skin, so use sparingly. A good powder at a decent price.
Wednesday 4 June 2014
Fashion: SNSD's Jessica Airport Fashion
She probably has the most on point yet airport appropriate outfits amongst all the idols we see today. Classy, feminine and casual, with a phenomenal arsenal of exorbitantly priced bags, I honestly can look at Jessica's outfits all day.
Something that stands out for me is how her pieces all look impeccably coordinated, yet have the innate quality of effortlessness. I tend to not appreciate when idols deck in short skirts and 5" heels when dressing up for the airport runway, because they tend towards looking forced and uncomfortable. I look to people who dress comfortably in jeans and flats whilst looking perfectly put together with simple and clean cut silhouettes.
Obviously these outfits are not the most phenomenal nor fashion forward outfits, but they are stylish while being suitable for the occasion and that's the best combination. P.S I love a good white tee.
Something that stands out for me is how her pieces all look impeccably coordinated, yet have the innate quality of effortlessness. I tend to not appreciate when idols deck in short skirts and 5" heels when dressing up for the airport runway, because they tend towards looking forced and uncomfortable. I look to people who dress comfortably in jeans and flats whilst looking perfectly put together with simple and clean cut silhouettes.
Obviously these outfits are not the most phenomenal nor fashion forward outfits, but they are stylish while being suitable for the occasion and that's the best combination. P.S I love a good white tee.
Tuesday 3 June 2014
Beauty: 2014 Skincare Routine
I've never really had too much commitment to the skincare products I use, preferring to change and try out new products. However these products have been what I'm leaning towards recently and for quite a while now, so I thought it would be a good idea to do one of them.
While the average Korean woman uses 6-7 skincare products every single day, I tend towards a mere 3-4 on a daily basis (which for me is excessive, honestly). Omitted (or forgotten) is my cleanser, which is just a mild gel cleanser by UK brand Simple which has worked wonders for me in terms of mild cleansing and not stripping my skin. I have oily skin, but my beauty ethos is to hydrate the hell out of my acne scars and flesh coloured bumps and it has worked pretty well for me.
For all you oily skinned ladies, I urge you to stay away from foam cleansers (or only using them once in awhile for extra deep cleansing) that excessively strips away surface oil and causes overproduction of sebum, to focus on hydration and to find any good spot treatment cream that works well for you. I used to suffer from severe hormonal acne and scaring, and while my skin is still far from perfect it has improved by leaps and bounds since then. The tipping point was when I stopped focusing on my acne, but instead on allowing my skin to heal naturally by moisturising products. I also find that alternating between spot treatment and hydration works best for me; focusing on only either acne treating or hydration in a single day. I currently tend towards the average ratio of 7 day hydration : 1 day spot treatment, but whatever works best for your skin condition.
On an average day I simply gently cleanse my skin with Simple Gentle Cleanser, then following up with Muji Light Toning Water which hydrates my skin with the glycerin in it while helping maintaining the natural skin pH value. I follow up with my Nature Republic Aloe Vera Gel, which is a cheap, cost-effective and multipurpose gel that I decanted into a sanitised pump bottle for easier daily access. Aloe Vera acts as a mild humectant, which coupled with the Glycerin, helps to prep my skin and fully absorb the effects of my current favourite moisturiser which is the Benton Snail Bee Steam Cream, a phenomenal cream which helps to heal my current acne scars and hydrating it to plumpness while not causing my skin overproduce sebum.
Every couple of days I use either a chemical exfoliant, a hydrating mask or a deep cleansing mask. The chemical exfoliant of choice is the Alpha H Liquid Gold, which always helps my skin feel fresher while gently exfoliating it. Personally I prefer chemical exfoliants, just because I always feel that physical exfoliants can get too harsh. While I'm not a hardcore fan of The Saem's O2 Bubble Mask (which I bought on a whim, sucked into the interesting concept of bubble masks), I still use it occasionally when I run out of sheet masks. Lastly, the Innisfree Jeju Super Volcanic Clay Mask has been exceptional on days I want deep cleansing of my pores. 15 minutes and I'm left with visibly brightened skin, cleaner pores and a skin not taut from an overly drying clay mask.
Should I have makeup on, I simply use any oil cleanser. Currently I'm using up my Nature Republic one, which is gentle and effective, though I do not feel any strong commitment towards it. I personally lean towards oil cleansers because they feel far more thorough to me, and I always double cleanse.
So that's it. Let me know if you want a more in depth review for any of these products, and I'll continue trying new skin care.
While the average Korean woman uses 6-7 skincare products every single day, I tend towards a mere 3-4 on a daily basis (which for me is excessive, honestly). Omitted (or forgotten) is my cleanser, which is just a mild gel cleanser by UK brand Simple which has worked wonders for me in terms of mild cleansing and not stripping my skin. I have oily skin, but my beauty ethos is to hydrate the hell out of my acne scars and flesh coloured bumps and it has worked pretty well for me.
For all you oily skinned ladies, I urge you to stay away from foam cleansers (or only using them once in awhile for extra deep cleansing) that excessively strips away surface oil and causes overproduction of sebum, to focus on hydration and to find any good spot treatment cream that works well for you. I used to suffer from severe hormonal acne and scaring, and while my skin is still far from perfect it has improved by leaps and bounds since then. The tipping point was when I stopped focusing on my acne, but instead on allowing my skin to heal naturally by moisturising products. I also find that alternating between spot treatment and hydration works best for me; focusing on only either acne treating or hydration in a single day. I currently tend towards the average ratio of 7 day hydration : 1 day spot treatment, but whatever works best for your skin condition.
On an average day I simply gently cleanse my skin with Simple Gentle Cleanser, then following up with Muji Light Toning Water which hydrates my skin with the glycerin in it while helping maintaining the natural skin pH value. I follow up with my Nature Republic Aloe Vera Gel, which is a cheap, cost-effective and multipurpose gel that I decanted into a sanitised pump bottle for easier daily access. Aloe Vera acts as a mild humectant, which coupled with the Glycerin, helps to prep my skin and fully absorb the effects of my current favourite moisturiser which is the Benton Snail Bee Steam Cream, a phenomenal cream which helps to heal my current acne scars and hydrating it to plumpness while not causing my skin overproduce sebum.
Every couple of days I use either a chemical exfoliant, a hydrating mask or a deep cleansing mask. The chemical exfoliant of choice is the Alpha H Liquid Gold, which always helps my skin feel fresher while gently exfoliating it. Personally I prefer chemical exfoliants, just because I always feel that physical exfoliants can get too harsh. While I'm not a hardcore fan of The Saem's O2 Bubble Mask (which I bought on a whim, sucked into the interesting concept of bubble masks), I still use it occasionally when I run out of sheet masks. Lastly, the Innisfree Jeju Super Volcanic Clay Mask has been exceptional on days I want deep cleansing of my pores. 15 minutes and I'm left with visibly brightened skin, cleaner pores and a skin not taut from an overly drying clay mask.
Should I have makeup on, I simply use any oil cleanser. Currently I'm using up my Nature Republic one, which is gentle and effective, though I do not feel any strong commitment towards it. I personally lean towards oil cleansers because they feel far more thorough to me, and I always double cleanse.
So that's it. Let me know if you want a more in depth review for any of these products, and I'll continue trying new skin care.
Monday 2 June 2014
Music: Infinite - Last Romeo Album Review
The truth is I've been rather disappointed with the last three comebacks by members of Infinite, more so with the last two. I have been rather vocal about my disappointment with Toheart's project album, Destiny was subpar in my opinion, and while Man In Love is catchy and fun to watch, it wasn't their best as well and was carried only by Infinite's brand name. However, I have to say that I really enjoy this current album.
Going back to their typical girl-lusting and borderline creepy lyrics, and impeccable singing+dancing, I'm a huge fan of Season 2. Below, I will go through a couple of the tracks that stood out more for me.
Season 2
The introductory track of the album, and handsdown one of the nicest beats and sound in the album. It starts of with a simple piano tune before dropping some sick synths and comes off sounding fresh and modern. It also very well complemented their title track, transitioning very smoothly into the start of Last Romeo. Well thought out and encapsulates the album. Woollim always does amazing intro tracks, and I wish that Last Romeo had the more of the vibes that Season 2 gave.
Last Romeo
Infinite has always done best with "80's inspired". Last Romeo seems to be a nice nod to their public-favorites like Be Mine and The Chaser, while not appearing overdone. The first thought I had when I heard the song was how great it would sound live; and it sure did. As with all songs it showcases clearly the vocals of the members, even allowing some of their musically weaker members to play a larger role. I enjoy the song, and I personally enjoyed it as a title track.
I do have to add that I'm slightly iffy about the chorus' dance which strikes me as more feminine than strong; something that strikes me as rather unusual (as though adapting from Paradise's hip thrust to a feminine hip grind?). The MV, though well produced with great and non-awkward transitions from plot to dance, did not particularly strike me as exceptional as well and occasionally came off as cheesy (the hand reaching, and the /albeit beautiful/ dramatic paper dance with Woohyun).
Shower
Possibly one of my favorite songs and a potential great title track. It sounded like the American bands I grew up listening to; catchy, upbeat and with a repetitive refrain. One thing that I love about this arrangement is how seamless they transit from song to rap. Other K-Pop songs do have the general trend to "force" a rap sequence into an otherwise perfectly fine song, but the one in Shower was pleasantly short and comfortably fitted in. I might also be in love with Woohyun belting out "이따위 소나기" every few lines.
I'm Going Crazy (Infinite F)
This song ridiculously reminds me of past non-title tracks by Infinite. Is it a sped up version of 3분의1? Or is it a remake of Tic Toc? I can't shake away the familiarity of the track and how it gives me the vibe of a formulaic non-title track. However, the song is an upbeat pop song that can't necessarily go wrong, and it gives the chance for the remaining three members to shine musically with a song that's easier to execute.
Alone (Infinite H)
If you've read any few of the music posts I've made you'll know my absolute adoration for good Korean Hip Hop. I remember how shocked I was when I realised that one of my favourite hip-hop songs is by a duo from an idol pop band. While I don't see it as a particularly standout track for me, it is a kind of song that doesn't fail for me and I enjoy it immensely. I do feel that Hoya's vocals improved, and I personally appreciate Dongwoo's rapping more out of the duo. I can't wait for another album as exceptional as their first, and also for them to further hone their production and composition skills.
I am happy with this album with every song having a hint of growth and maturity on the side of the members while retaining a strong Infinite vibe. So little chosen from the 40 over songs produced for Last Romeo, I can't say that not enough effort went into the album. With this album, you see Woohyun's range as a vocalist beyond the typical powerhouse high notes he churns out with his solo "Close Your Eyes" that is a far more subdued ballad than anything else on the album, you see L reducing his "nasal" voice for the title track, you see Infinite F's results from producing various other songs and Hoya's overall improvement in rapping and singing.
The lives have been amazing thus far, and I can't wait to see more from them as a group - musically and as their dorky variety selves.
Going back to their typical girl-lusting and borderline creepy lyrics, and impeccable singing+dancing, I'm a huge fan of Season 2. Below, I will go through a couple of the tracks that stood out more for me.
Season 2
The introductory track of the album, and handsdown one of the nicest beats and sound in the album. It starts of with a simple piano tune before dropping some sick synths and comes off sounding fresh and modern. It also very well complemented their title track, transitioning very smoothly into the start of Last Romeo. Well thought out and encapsulates the album. Woollim always does amazing intro tracks, and I wish that Last Romeo had the more of the vibes that Season 2 gave.
Last Romeo
Infinite has always done best with "80's inspired". Last Romeo seems to be a nice nod to their public-favorites like Be Mine and The Chaser, while not appearing overdone. The first thought I had when I heard the song was how great it would sound live; and it sure did. As with all songs it showcases clearly the vocals of the members, even allowing some of their musically weaker members to play a larger role. I enjoy the song, and I personally enjoyed it as a title track.
I do have to add that I'm slightly iffy about the chorus' dance which strikes me as more feminine than strong; something that strikes me as rather unusual (as though adapting from Paradise's hip thrust to a feminine hip grind?). The MV, though well produced with great and non-awkward transitions from plot to dance, did not particularly strike me as exceptional as well and occasionally came off as cheesy (the hand reaching, and the /albeit beautiful/ dramatic paper dance with Woohyun).
Shower
Possibly one of my favorite songs and a potential great title track. It sounded like the American bands I grew up listening to; catchy, upbeat and with a repetitive refrain. One thing that I love about this arrangement is how seamless they transit from song to rap. Other K-Pop songs do have the general trend to "force" a rap sequence into an otherwise perfectly fine song, but the one in Shower was pleasantly short and comfortably fitted in. I might also be in love with Woohyun belting out "이따위 소나기" every few lines.
I'm Going Crazy (Infinite F)
This song ridiculously reminds me of past non-title tracks by Infinite. Is it a sped up version of 3분의1? Or is it a remake of Tic Toc? I can't shake away the familiarity of the track and how it gives me the vibe of a formulaic non-title track. However, the song is an upbeat pop song that can't necessarily go wrong, and it gives the chance for the remaining three members to shine musically with a song that's easier to execute.
Alone (Infinite H)
If you've read any few of the music posts I've made you'll know my absolute adoration for good Korean Hip Hop. I remember how shocked I was when I realised that one of my favourite hip-hop songs is by a duo from an idol pop band. While I don't see it as a particularly standout track for me, it is a kind of song that doesn't fail for me and I enjoy it immensely. I do feel that Hoya's vocals improved, and I personally appreciate Dongwoo's rapping more out of the duo. I can't wait for another album as exceptional as their first, and also for them to further hone their production and composition skills.
I am happy with this album with every song having a hint of growth and maturity on the side of the members while retaining a strong Infinite vibe. So little chosen from the 40 over songs produced for Last Romeo, I can't say that not enough effort went into the album. With this album, you see Woohyun's range as a vocalist beyond the typical powerhouse high notes he churns out with his solo "Close Your Eyes" that is a far more subdued ballad than anything else on the album, you see L reducing his "nasal" voice for the title track, you see Infinite F's results from producing various other songs and Hoya's overall improvement in rapping and singing.
The lives have been amazing thus far, and I can't wait to see more from them as a group - musically and as their dorky variety selves.
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