My Korea Haul Part 3!

OK, OK, OK, this is SUPER late!!!!

I was only planning to make two posts about my haul in Korea!
However, I went and bought something at the duty free!!!!

The duty free at Korea is priced in US dollars!
They do take Korean Won (as well as Japanese Yen, Chinese RMB, etc), but the exchange rate at the store is not very good!
It's best to pay in US dollars, or to exchange money to Korean Won at the foreign exchage before shopping!!

On to what I bought!

The Face Shop White Tree EX Whitening Mask

The Face Shop Wrinkle Stop Neck Treatment
I've used this for a while and I'm really liking it!

The Face Shop Wrinkle Stop Eye Cream

The Face Shop White Tree EX Eye Serum
(Notice a pattern? Yeah, I need to take care of the skin around my eyes/neck!!!)

ANNNNDDD the highlight of my shopping!!!!

MAC eyeshadows and a 217 brush!
Satin Taupe, Honey Lust, and Carbon!

I was not planning to buy any MAC stuff at all!
BUT guess how much these were????
Eyeshadows: $16
(I know that is more expensive than the US, but they are normally $25 in Japan!!!)
217: $18
(even cheaper than the US!!! This is normally $32 in Japan!!!!!)

I was going to get a 187 brush (it is a whopping $70 in Japan!) but they didn't have any... Oh well!!!

One non-beauty related item:

A Starbucks mug

I collect Starbucks city mugs from cities I've been to on business trips.
Instead of the Seoul one, I got this one with ancient writing (similar to Kanbun in Japan).
Is it just me, or are the recent ones kind of simple? They used to be a whole lot cooler...

Off to go play with my MAC shadows!!

xoxo, K

quick love from Mayaari!

I got some love from Diana (mayaari)!!!

I bought some things from her blog sale, and she included some extras!
Check out her blog sale here!

I looovvveeee her handwriting!

Annndddd here it is!

What I bought:
MAC Bare Study Paint Pot
(I use this DAILY!!!! I am SO glad I bought it!!!)
Milani Beach Sand eyeshadow
(a nice highlighter!)

Annnddd the extras!
NYX trio eyeshadow (Diana realized I love neutrals!)
Bath & Body Works Body Lotion in Butterfly Flowers / Dancing Waters
(everyone knows I love B&BW!)
Sephora lipgloss
Strap Perfect (also on my wish list!)
CANDY!!!!!

She REALLY reads my wish list!
OMG wow!!
Thank you so much!!!!

xoxo, K

Weekend in Kobe!

This past weekend was a three-day weekend, and I went out to dinner in Kobe!


The Kobe Festival was going on!
It is usually held in June, but it was canceled this year because of the Swine Flu...
You can see what a big deal Swine Flu was in Kobe!!!

LOTS of people!!!
This is one of the main streets in Kobe.
They closed it off from traffic for this festival!

The shops sold lots of different things!
This is a sake tasting place!

Kobe is a great place to shop, but for some reason, there are a lot of Lingerie places...

In the summer, there are big ice blocks in the middle of the shopping street!
Look who I saw near one of them!!!

Don't know who he is?
That's Non-tan!!!
He's a famous character in Japanese children's books!
Here are a bunch of Non-tan books on display!!

Here's the Lush store!
I always peek in and never buy anything!!

I also saw Yasuo Tanaka as well (he's a famous Japanese politician).
He's the guy with the necktie in the middle!

We have an election coming up... that's why!
Oh and why is he in long sleeves even though it's super hot???
Because it isn't "proper" for Japanese politicians to wear short sleeves, apparently!

I was more excited to see Non-tan! LOL!

Annnndddd on to dinner!
Actually we ate everything so quickly that I only took a few pictures!

We went to a yummy Korean food place...
It was this hole-in-the-wall place, but soooo yummy!!!

Teokbokki

Garlic spears

We also had Samgyetang, Yukhoe, Namul, and Japchae...
But I totally forgot to take pictures!!!

We finished it off with a trip to Starbucks!
Here's my Lemon Green Tea Frappuccino!!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

xoxo, K

TAG! 10 random things about me!

10 random things that you may or may not know about me!!!

I was tagged by Anastacia! Thank you!!!

1. I recently changed my assignment at work. It is absolutely FANTASTIC!!! The only bad part is I now need to wake up more than 2 hrs earlier than I used to.

2. I do not like to open up new beauty products before the old one is used up. Even though I call myself a beauty blogger, I have only 2 lipsticks that are currently opened. Needless to say, I have 293847 more unopened ones.

3. My father likes to send me weekly text messages subtly reminding me that he would like a grandchild soon. I always ask my mother to get a dog for him instead.

4. I strive to find the most volumizing mascara around. When I was in high school, I would put mascara on, then put on a coat of powder (loose face powder, or unused eyeshadows) on it, and then put on another coat of mascara.
The result: SUPER THICK LASHES but super spidery lashes unless you were really good at it. This is before I found out about mascara primer.

5. Unsweetened tea is my best friend. Especially in the summer.

6. I hate socks. I rejoice every year when sandal/flip flop season comes around.

7. I hate umbrellas. When I was in high school, I wrote an article in my school newspaper on how much I hate umbrellas.

8. Wearing/Applying nail polish is a skill which is beyond my capability. I watch in awe as all the beauty bloggers show off their incredible nail skills. Strangely, I can't live without my toenails painted.

9. I recently sorted out my makeup collection. I realized I have some doubles of some drugstore e/s palettes. I also found a lot of stuff that I want to sell. Look for a blog sale soon!

10. I firmly believe that if my job had a nap time everyday, my productivity would improve significantly.

So, what did you think?

xoxo, K

My Korea Haul Part 2! (Skin Food Stuff)

I'm FINALLY getting around to my haul in Korea Part 2!
This is going to be all Skin Food stuff!!!!

I went pretty crazy at the Skin Food store!
I dragged Millie there three times! LOL!!!

The LOOT!

And now the breakdown!
(with the name of the person who recommended this to me!
Thank you again!)

Mushroom BB cream - Izumi
Agave Cactus BB cream (a new product! review coming up soon!!)

Peach Sake Ice Mist - Aichaku, Sarah
Peach Sake Loose Powder

Buckwheat Loose Powder - Sabine
White Tree Mask Sheets - Miumiu

Fermented Pomegranate Whitening Sleeping Mask - Blair
Shea butter hair mask - Sarah

Aaannnndddd here are the samples!

Gold Caviar Lifting foundation
Pumpkin Au Lait Cream
Avocado Rich Emulsion / Toner
Cotton

Orange & Mint Body Essence
Makeup Pouch (which is now stuffed FULL with samples!)
Gold Caviar Lifting Eye Serum
Apple Vinegar Fresh Foam

Black Raspberry Eye Cream
Peach Sake Pore Serum
Black Raspberry Youngyang Serum
Hop Beer Hair Wash

Black Sesame Hot Mask
Salmon Brightening Eye Cream
Aloe Sun BB Cream

That's the entire loot from Skin Food!
Let me know if there is anything you want me to review
(or if you want to buy something off of me!)
Stay tuned for Part 3 (whenever I can get around to posting it)!!!!

xoxo, K

quick love from Whit!

Whit sent me some love for the candy I sent her!

MAC pigment samples
Falsies
A Rimmel Duo
A sample from Skin Food
Lip gloss

Let's take a look at the pigments!
Deep purple
Gold Stroke
Your Ladyship
Shimmer Time
Dark Stroke
and what is the glittery one in the middle??


It's my first time using pigments and I'm excited!
How do I use them???
I'm so scared that they will get EVERYWHERE!!!!
Please let me know your tips/tricks!

If you have seen Wuz's birthday gift opening session, you might remember that US customs took out one of the things I sent her...

Look what it said on the package from Whit!

Hopefully they didn't take anything!

Thank you again, Whit!

xoxo, K

In Kyoto with Mona!

By now, many people know about Mona's FABULOUS trip all over Asia!
I had the VERY special privilege of meeting up with her in Kyoto!

It was a fantastic day and Mona was such a sweet, fun girl!!!
Thank you for coming to Kyoto, Mona!

Kyoto is a city in western Japan which is basically the center of all historical things!
(Yume-chan, that's a good enough explanation, isn't it? hahaha)
Anyway, more on Kyoto here!

Kyoto is about 2 hrs and nearly 100 km (over 60 miles) from where I live, so I had to get up bright and early to meet her. That was a little bit tough considering we talked for 4 hours the previous night, until 1 AM! hahaha

When I got to Mona's hotel room, this was her status!
(yes, she knows I'm uploading these)

Mona's morning skin care routine

Straightening her hair
(and eventually giving up with the sucky flat iron)

Doing makeup!!! Wooohoooo!

Mona is the very first youtuber I subscribed to!
I've been a fangirl of hers for a while, so it was so unreal that I got to watch her get ready!

Mona also gave me her side of a swap we did!
Here are the goodies!



MAC Shadestick in Shimmersand
MAC Lipglasses in Pink Grapefruit and Wonderstruck
Mona's half-used TFSI (LOL!)


Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal (from my Wish List!!!!)
The Face Shop loose Eyeshadow

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Sample
Some Loose Eyeshadow samples
Benefit Color Plump

Thank you so much, Mona!!!

(By the way, these pictures were taken on Mona's bed!)

Of course, we had to eat before we headed out!!!
I had a Goya Champuru set meal! Yummy!

We headed off to Nijo Castle!
Mona knew more about how to get around Kyoto than I did!!!!




Fobby Mona, hahahaha



Then we headed off to Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion)



And on to Gion!


Yasaka Shrine

Mona and me in a bus
A side street in Gion

We finished off the day with some cold Tempura soba in Gion.
This was the best tempura I've had in a very long time!

Here are a few things I bought!

Yoji-ya Blotting paper
This must be the most famous blotting paper in Japan!
(and it is only sold in the Kyoto area!!!)

Juzu and a case
This is NOT a bracelet!
It is something which I need for Japanese funerals, similar to prayer beads.
But I wanted a pretty one anyway!!


Thank you again to Mona for spending the day with me!
I had a fantastic time!!!
Please come back to Kansai!!!!!!

And if any other blogger girls are coming to Japan...
Please come to Western Japan (Kyoto/Osaka/Kobe area)!
We've got good food and many beautiful places to go to!!!!

xoxo, K