The Beauty Blogger Tag

I am so excited! I haven’t done a tag in a while. Thank you Cathy from her blog Coffee & Concealer for tagging me. She does awesome reviews on books and beauty.  You should go check her blog out. Thank you again for supporting my blog, Cathy!

Here are the 15 questions she asked:

If you could only use one makeup product for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I think with makeup nothing beats a good base. Since concealer can double up as also a heavier foundation, I think I would choose concealer. Plus, some concealers are so fluid and lightweight nowadays, they can easily double up as foundation. Although, I must say eyeliner comes in a really close second because it really brings life to my hooded eyelids.

What is your signature scent?

Sorry for being so disappointing, but I am allergic to perfume, so I haven’t worn it for a long time. The few scents that I do enjoy in products are usually more on the citrusy side. I also enjoy the scent of roses.

What is your favorite My Lips But Better lippie?

I have been really into natural and organic beauty the last few years. I love the shade “Undone” from the brand, Kosås.

What about your favorite pop of color lippie?

I’m still not confident enough to wear a red lip out, but I’ve been loving the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche shade in Beetroot. It is a beautiful dark red. To tone down the colour, I usually work it into my lips with my fingers.

What got you into beauty/makeup?

I don’t remember the exact moment I got into makeup, but I remember getting my first 4 pan MAC palette and choosing the colours. I think I was like any other girl when I was younger. You see someone wearing amazing makeup and end up wanting to try it yourself. However, I think I really started to wear a full face of makeup late in university and when I started to work. I got inspiration from magazines and when Youtube appeared on the scene, I just became really passionate about it. It was a fun hobby and you get to look good at the same time. So I thought why not?

What is your favorite thing about beauty/makeup?

I think my favourite thing about makeup is the application. I love anything that has steps, like knitting. So I love learning new techniques and applying them to my everyday makeup routine. Also, I find putting on makeup relaxing and such a great stress reliever for me.

Are you more of a minimalist, maximalist, or somewhere in between for your skincare routine?

I try to follow the 10 step Korean skincare routine, so I guess I am a maximalist!

What is your favorite place to shop for beauty products?

Sephora. It is less intimidating than a department store and you get to play and try out makeup as long as you like.

Are there any skincare or makeup products that you find unnecessary?

I don’t find this product unnecessary per se, but it is mascara. I just don’t often use it because I don’t have the time in the morning.  Plus, I don’t have a lot of lashes and I also wear glasses, so I find eyeliner makes a greater impact for me.

What is your favorite eye makeup look on yourself?

This is so hard to answer because it changes all the time. Lately, I’ve been loving a bronzy eye with black liquid liner. I am not a big fan of the cat eye, so I like to just wing my liner out so my eyes look longer.

Glossy or matte lip?

It used to be glossy but since falling in love with lipstick, it is now matte.

What’s the most recent book you’ve read?

The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne. If you have read the author’s The Boy with Striped Pajamas, you will enjoy this book. Even though both of these books are set during the Nazi’s rule, they are by no means depressing.  Instead, they are uplifting and complete page turners. Plus, they are both kids books, so they don’t get too graphic or realistic, which I tend to prefer.

What is your favorite fashion item?

I love big cosy sweaters. They just feel so warm and comforting in the cold winter months.

Are you an early bird or night owl?

Definitely an early bird. I can never get any work done at night or be of use when it comes to something that involves using the brain.

If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?

It has be to Japan. I am so in love with their cosmetics!

I nominate:

Don’t Give a Jam

Sum & Substance

Fluke Beauty

Maggie Simple Life

Sylliepie

My Questions:

1. What are your goals as a beauty blogger?
2. How do you test products, whether it is skincare or makeup?
3. What is your favourite form of social media?
4. Do you prefer dewy or matte foundations?
5. What beauty product do you usually skip in the morning?
6. Is there a beauty product that you wished worked for you, but didn’t?
7. What makes you happiest about blogging?
8. What makes you most frustrated about blogging?
9. Have you ever wanted to quit blogging?
10. Do you take photos first or do the writing first?
11. How many times do you proofread your blog before you post?
12. Do you find your spending increase due to blogging?
13. What do you consider as success as a beauty blogger?
14. What do you consider as failure as a beauty blogger?
15. If there is one thing you want to change on your blog, what would it be?

No pressure to do this tag.  I hope you enjoyed reading mine.

I Really Wanted to Love You: 3 Beauty Products That Didn’t Work For Me

Whether a product is hyped up or had good reviews, there certain products that you really expected to work, but just didn’t. These are the type of products I am talking about it. These are not products I gave up on after one try. I gave them multiple attempts and still they just didn’t work for me. However, as always, everyone’s skin type is different, so they might still work for you.

Heimish All Clean Balm

I was seeing this cleansing balm all over the internet, and everyone was raving about how it was even better than the Banila Co. one, which was already a cult favourite among Korean skincare fans. So I purchased it without any reservations because I thought it would finally be the product that would make cleansing oils work for me. You see, previously whenever I used cleansing oils, it would always dry out the sides of my nose and my cheek area. However, this balm claimed to keep your skin moisturized after cleansing so I thought it might work for me. I do feel that after cleansing, my skin didn’t feel tight, but it didn’t leave my skin moisturized and plump like other cream cleansers I have used before.

Heimish also claimed it would be great for sensitive skin.  However, it left my cheeks red and sensitive after using it a few days in a row. I decided to give it another try after some encouragement from Sylvia from Sylliepie. Sorry, Sylvia, the same thing happened! I am sad that it didn’t work for me, but it I know many people love it. It has a the cutest packaging and the spatula is conveniently tucked inside the lid. The ingredients are also so nourishing, including 10 natural oils plus shea butter and coconut oil. I think, for now, I am staying away from oil-type cleansers. I don’t seem to have any luck with them.

Innisfree Eye Primer

I am a eye shadow primer junkie. Every time I hear about a new one, I want to pick it up.  As per the name of my blog, eye products just tend to slide off my oily eyelids, so eye shadow primers are a must! My next guinea pig in question is the Innisfree Eye Primer (At the time I write this review, I don’t see it on their main website anymore, so I wonder if it got discontinued.  I can understand why). I enjoy most Innisfree products, especially their skincare (I have repurchased their Soybean Essence many times). However, I hate to say this, but this is probably one of my least favourite primers ever.

This primer’s packaging is similar to the Nars primer with a doe-foot applicator. One difference is the doe-foot applicator comes to a slight point with flat sides. It is a light peach colour which blends clear.  The texture is on the light-side, like a light cream. One problem with this concealer is it can get a bit patchy, and it takes a bit of time to blend out.  It also has a slight fruity scent, which I am not too fond of.  I much prefer unscented primers.

It claims to enhance the vibrancy and wear time of your eye shadows while also preventing creasing.  I think it definitely does increase the vibrancy of shadows. However, the one big problem for me, is that it doesn’t control the oil production in my eye lids. Within a few hours, I see oil seeping though and the eye shadow breaking down on my eyelids. It also settles right into my crease. I much prefer my Nars and the Balm eye shadow primers, which are my two favourites.

Earth’s Nectar Jojoba & Tea Tree Scalp Oil

I picked up this scalp oil hoping it would be a contender to curing my itchy, sensitive scalp. I think this is a case where it wasn’t because the product didn’t work, but it was just notsuitable for my scalp. Earth Nectar is a haircare brand carried by Sephora. Their brand ethos is to produce natural and innovative products for curly hair. So I should have known from the start, the brand might not work for me because I have stick-straight hair. However, they claim that this scalp oil was ideal for curly or straight hair, so I decided to give it a try.

To apply, you spray the oil into your palm and massage it into your scalp. To increase blood circulation in your scalp, you should also massage your scalp 10 to 15 minutes every two weeks. It can also be used as a deep conditioning treatment by wrapping a hot towel around your head for 10 minutes. The jojoba and tea tree oil are supposed to help control oil production, combat dandruff, and help support hair growth. The tea tree oil scent is pretty strong during application, so if you don’t like tea tree oil, you might not enjoy this oil. Massaging the oil into the scalp feels nourishing and refreshing.

So did the tea tree oil help with the dandruff situation?  I think it definitely did a little, but my hair just got so oily after using it. Basically, I just felt like washing my hair right afterwards. I’m sure other hair textures would enjoy this product, but it was just not for me.

Thanks for reading! Do you have any products that others love, but just didn’t work for you?

The B+ Life (a.k.a., Achieving Balance)

In one of my previous blogposts, I mentioned a concept I called the “B+ Life.” I got a few comments about the idea and decided to do an entire blogpost. Basically, I equate the “B+ Life” as one where you feel balanced and content. Hopefully, it will also make you happier overall.

Perfection Doesn’t Always Equate to Happiness

When I was younger, I was constantly seeking perfection in all aspects of my life. In school, I wanted to get straight “A’s.” In relationships, I always wanted to be the best daughter, best friend, and the list goes on. I often equated happiness with perfection.  Of course, sometimes, perfectionism does lead to happiness. The A+ you got through studying for days certainly brought you great joy. However, I have found that seeking perfection all the time and in all aspects of my life, didn’t always make me happy. It just made me feel stressed. That is why I think it is important to pick and choose where you seek perfection. There are some things that are just not worth the stress and this can be different for each person. Ultimately, I feel life balance is a choice and something you have re-assess continuously.

It Doesn’t Mean Your Lazy

I used to think that not living life as an honour student meant that I was lazy.  However, I have learnt that you can’t always push hard in one area of your life without undermining another.  I often find that when I focus too much on work, I tend to undermine my health and my relationship with my close ones.  So it may seem lazy to not work those extra hours at work, but it means that you have worked hard on your personal life.  I have learned that there is no price you can put on your health and the relationships you hold dear to your heart.  Plus, a B+ job means you are doing a good job, and remember, an A is always within reach when you are up for it.

Pretend You Didn’t Read Any of This

As many people already know, balance is much easier to talk about than actually achieve. Ironically, it is just as easy to become obsessive over trying to find the “perfect” balance. To be honest, over the years, I have found the game of life is sometimes crystal clear and other times completely elusive. I guess, ultimately, it is the attempt that is important. There is no way we can get it right all the time. So I think I feel the same way about the B+ life, to seek is to find, right?

If anyone made any sense of what I writing about or have reached the end of this blogpost, thank you so much!

Review: Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Scalp Treatment

I feel like most people are either into makeup or hair (there are exceptions for sure).  I am definitely one of those makeup people.  All I do is put a comb through my hair in the morning or on really bad days, just pull my fingers through it.  Basically, I just hate fussing with my hair.  So that is why my itchy and flaky scalp drives me crazy.  I wish it would just stay balanced all the time.  I have tried loads of anti-dandruff shampoos over the years. Many didn’t work and some worked on and off. So I am happy to report that the Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Scalp Treatment has continued to work for me that last few months.

The Brand

You might have spotted the brand Briogeo while shopping at Sephora recently.  I actually first learnt about the brand through Instagram and decided to give it a try.  Briogeo is a haircare brand created by Nancy Twine.  She wanted to create high-performance haircare line using mostly naturally-derived ingredients.  On their website, I love how they list all their ingredients on their website and their EWG ratings as well.  They also use recycled or recyclable packaging, and are cruelty-free.  It sounds like there is a lot to like about this brand, but most importantly, do their products work?

The Ingredients

Let’s talk about the ingredients first.  A key ingredient in this formula is Binchotan charcoal, which originates from  Japan.  It is supposed to draw out impurities and remove buildup on the scalp. The other key ingredient is tea tree oil, which is an anti-septic and helps diminish inflammation. There are also many other ingredients, like peppermint oil, witch hazel, and aloe, which keep itchiness at bay and the scalp balanced and moisturized.

The Application

The formula is a housed in a glass jar with a dropper.  According to the instructions on their website, you are supposed to part your hair in sections and apply 1-2 drops in each section and then massage in.  It should be applied after shampooing and before styling and should not be rinsed out.

The Review

So did it work?  I would say yes!  Straight after application, I felt like my scalp instantly felt less itchy. After blowdrying, I felt that there were definitely less flakes.  For me, this was amazing, especially during the summer when my scalp tended to flare up more.  I usually sectioned my hair into 6 parts and just used 1-2 drops in each section.  I see the model in the video using up to 5 drops, and for the price ($32 USD), I don’t think I could justify that. After 4 months, I have almost come to the end of bottle using it about twice a week.  After continual use, my scalp is a lot less irritated, flaky, and oily.  There is one worry I have though.  I went to get a haircut and they washed my hair, and of course, I didn’t bring this treatment.  Afterwards, my scalp was noticeably itchier, so I wonder if it is a product you have to continually use to maintain the effect.

FINAL VERDICT: If you feel like you tried everything to get rid of that itchy, flaky scalp, I would recommend giving this one a try.