Fresh Mask Reviews

HI GUYS, I'm back! It's already been a whole week since I left Sydney. Gosh, time really does fly.  Today we had orientation and a library tour but I felt like I didn't really do much and the whole day had just flashed before my eyes!

Anyways today I wanted to share with y'all my thoughts on the three types of masks I bought from Fresh, HK. I know I had promised to write this but had put off until now, sorry! Starting off I'll refresh your memories on what the three masks were:
1. Fresh Sugar Face Polish
2. Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask
3. Fresh Rose Face Mask

These three were recommended for me because I told the store assistant that I wanted something that would cleanse my pores and hydrate my skin. The lady explained that our pores are basically equivalent to bottle caps. At first remaining makeup, oils, dust and other debris build up on top of our pores, forming a layer which closes off the bottle cap. In order to cleanse within the bottle cap we must first remove this layer and that's done with the sugar face polish. The grains of sugar gently works away the debris and is a relaxing way to massage your face to improve blood circulation, giving you a better complexion. Then we use the clay mask to absorb all the debris which has sunk into our pores/bottle caps. As the final step, it is important to close up these caps so that further debris is prevented from falling in and hence we use the rose face mask which closes our pores and hydrates deep within, restoring elasticity and radiance in our skin.

First up the sugar face polish smells incredible and makes for a perfect first step in the pamper routine. Apply to a damp, cleansed face and massage in until the sugar grains dissolve and then leave as a mask for 5-10minutes. I love the fact that with all these masks the application time is so short and efficient. I'd imagine for many people, the excuse for not taking care of our skin is the lack of time in their busy schedule and thus with this we can take care of our skin amongst the thousands of other things we must tick off our to-do lists. This mask leaves my skin plump and hydrated and it feels as if there is almost a thin oily protective layer over my skin (although not oily to the point that its a problem).

The next step which is the clay mask is my favourite of the three. It is so quick, and by that I mean 3-5minutes. Thats pretty much the amount of time it takes to roll out of bed, so no excuses anymore! There are two ways to use this product, one as a mask or two as a pimple cure. The first way leaves my face refreshed and slightly minty feeling afterwards. The blackheads on my nose all lose their dark colour and pores are evidently reduced in size. When used the second way the almost-ripe pimples, ripen and by this I mean the white pus rises to the centre (making your pimple ready to pop, although I don't recommend popping them!). I feel like this product really speeds up the recovery process of a pimple and is very handy if you have an important event upcoming. This is a similar concept to the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask (which is very popular and well-known) but I can definitely say that I prefer this one. The cleansing results are more evident, especially on the nose area and it dries a lot faster, and those are the two main things I look for in a clay mask. I'm not saying that the innisfree one is not a good product because I, myself, was a big fan of it prior to discovering this one but in this case the saying "you get what you pay for" really does apply. I was thinking of doing a showdown post on these two but unfortunately I forgot to bring the innisfree one with me to Japan and so I can't take photos T_T. But pretty much that's my opinion of the two in two brief sentences ^^.

Last but not least, the rose face mask, one of Fresh's most popular products. From this one I actually see the least obvious results. It's main feature is hydration and obviously thats not something you can measure unless you let your skin get to a very bad state first. However, I can say that makeup application seems smoother and my skin feels softer after applying this mask. Again it is a 5-10 minute mask, so loving that! With this mask you can see big chunks of ingredients inside and thats always a plus, knowing that your skincare is made from only natural goodies :D

That's about it for today. I'll be going into the city area (Tenjin) for the first time tomorrow. YAY! Really can't believe I've been here a week and still not travelled much further than the countryside T_T. Well, thanks again for reading guys :) See you in the next one, bye~

xx H.

Japan Diaries #1

HI GUYS, how is it going? I've been very busy lately with settling in, opening bank accounts, getting a SIM card, attending orientations, the list goes on and on. BUT, I'm happy I finally get the time to sit down and share with y'all what I did on our Kyudai international students welcome trip :D I have decided to start a Japan Diaries series to share with y'all anything exciting I do while I'm here in Japan and these posts will be slotted in between all the beauty and fashion related posts. How does that sound?

Anyways,  the welcome trip was two days and one night and we stayed at a small りょかん (inn) in the mountains (apparently it is Kyudai's private holiday destination!). All the places we went were on the natural side of things and I guess thats one of the highlights of Kyushu, it really is somewhere where you can connect with nature and relax, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Our first destination was Ryumon Falls, an astounding waterfall. In the Spring lots of people actually come here for a swim and the waters are said to cleanse off any 'sin' or 'dirt' you have on you. However, because it is Autumn now, the water level was too low for us to swim.

Next we headed to '九重夢お吊り橋’ which is a suspension bridge hang over a mountain valley. It was the first time I'd ever gone on one and only about half way through when I felt the bridge shaking from side and side, that I realised the whole bridge was suspended from metal ropes instead of being supported by poles underneath! There was a sign on the bridge that compared the height of Godzilla (100m) to the bridge (173m) :O

We spent lots of time on the road and visiting those two places pretty much took up the whole day. We ended the day off with a nice sports session in the 体育館 (gym) and then an embarrassing yet relaxing 温泉(hot spring) session. At first when we were all told to strip on the spot it was overly overwhelming but after getting past the initial awkwardness, everything was fine. Apparently when you first join a Japanese company, they like to take a company trip to the hot springs because taking off clothes symbolises the breaking down of all social barriers, letting all the employees as well as superiors socialise and get to know one another on a equal platform. This is also the reason that lots of Japanese go drinking with their superiors after work! I think the reasoning is very understandable but still, I don't think I quite fancy seeing my superior naked if I've just started at a company... What do you guys think o.o?

The next day we visited くじゅう花公園, an extremely beautiful flower park. I also had a chance to try some chestnut ice-cream. Although, I didn't quite taste any chestnut, I thought it was quite an interesting idea. There was also lavender ice-cream... the Japanese sure are creative with their ice-cream flavours!

Our last destination was Aso Farm Land, an area near Mt Aso, an active volcano :O. Apparently, this trip normally involves going to a lookout which allows you to peak into the volcano and see its lava bubble however that along with Kumamoto Castle was destroyed in the Kyushu earthquake earlier this year :(. We did a bit of hiking up a mountain and it was extremely hot but totally worth it. The view at the top was beyond amazing!

The trip was definitely an experience I'd never forget and was the beginning of some very special friendships. So glad Kyudai organised this for us and this makes me look forward to the next half a year I will spend here.

If you are thinking about visiting Japan, it is definitely worthwhile to pop down to Kyushu for a couple of days! Thanks for reading guys. I'll see you in the next post. Bye~

xx H.

Landed in Japan!

HEY GUYS, I know I've been MIA for a while and that's because I was super busy with work everyday and a lot of preparations before I flew. Yesterday I finally landed in Japan, Fukuoka, after a hefty 17 hour flight D: For those of you that don't know, I'm here for exchange at Kyushu University for half a year OMG and it's the first time I've ever flown alone, lived alone and will be away from my family and friends for SO LONG. To be honest, above being excited, I was more frightened. Frightened of flying off to an unknown place where I literally knew no one. Luckily, my lovely friends did all come to send me off, so my trip started quite warm and fuzzy :D

ANYWAYS, I've managed to not miss a flight or catch the wrong flight so that's step one completed successfully AHAH. The thing that took me by surprise was the fact that Kyushu University is literally in the middle of the countryside. When the uni's shuttle bus came to pick us up, it drove towards the mountains. Now, I've heard about there being lots of mountains, so I thought maybe the city is just over the other side. BUT NOPE, we pretty much stopped on top of the mountain and that's where my dorm is T_T. Now I thought I would at least be prepared for the dorms because I had previously seen photos of it on their website. BUT NOPE AGAIN, it is a small apartment with a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom BUT when I say small, I mean that the whole 'apartment' is literally the smaller than my bedroom in Australia. The thing that took me by surprise most was the fact that the closest is hanging on the wall above my bed. ABOVE MY FACE when I sleep. WHAT.

In our dorm rooms, we don't get wifi so your computer can connect to internet through an cable but no phone. I can no longer habitually check Facebook and Instagram first thing I wake up in the morning nor watch youtube in bed at night, NOOOO. I'm hoping to get a mobile sim and some mobile data as soon as I can.

Another thing that I was totally not prepared for is the weather here. The seasons are opposite Australia so it should be Autumn heading into winter in Dec. So, thinking that it must be somewhat cold, I brought with me long sleeves and huge coats. HOWEVER, its like 30 degrees here?! That leaves me boiling in my track pants and jacket and hunting for some t-shirts in the malls. Japanese fashion is also very different to what I'm used to in Australia, everything is very feminine, lace, ruffles, you name it. Went around 5 or so shops yesterday and left with one clothing item. Now for those that know me, thats not a Hannah thing to do.

Yesterday was a full on day. We had orientation where we were told about rubbish division, water and electricity bills, rent, bedding rental, university events, sim cards, internet usage, Fukuoka city, etc. A total information overload there, wasn't really sure how much of that I actually absorbed... We then got assigned a mentor who took me to the municipal office to have my address put on my residence card and register for National Health Insurance. In Japan you pretty much pay something like 1700yen a month for NHI and it covers 70% of all medication/treatment fees. Sounds pretty good but I'm not planning on needing any medical treatment (*fingers crossed*).

We then went furniture/clothes/grocery shopping. I was going to do a moving-in haul for you guys but most of its like slippers, chopping board and cutlery so I decided it would be better not to bore y'all with that. What I realised with the furniture was you can go to a boutique and buy a pair of slippers for 2000yen or go to the 100yen store and get a similar pair for 100yen. HMMM, so you'd think my mentor would take me to the latter first. BUT NOPE. So just putting a warning out there, if you come to Japan for exchange, do be smart (unlike me) and visit the 100yen store first. There's really no point spending too much on furniture that you won't be taking back anyways.

Another shock I got was in the fruit section of the supermarket. Apples are sold at almost 200 yen EACH and because the exchange rate is so low for AUD atm, thats like $3 for an apple O.O I've heard about fruit being expensive in Japan but WHAT. The size of their apples is also eye-opening. Literally, the almost double the size of the normal ones in Aust! On top of that their price tags come with two prices, one with tax and one without tax. BUT WHY. I mean you've got to pay tax anyways so its not like the first price applies to anyone??

Anyways, I've got another orientation today and a introductory 2 day/1 night trip tomorrow! I heard we're going to explore the countryside... and got to the hot springs YAAAY. I'll update you guys as I get more things done, but for now, bye~

xx H.

Pearly White Teeth in 1 hour!!- Pure Smile Teeth Whiting

HI GUYS, I know it's unlike me to post two days in a row but I'm just so excited about what I did today so I HAD to share it with you all. I passed the Pure Smiles kiosk about two days ago on my lunch break at work and was curious so stopped to ask about it. I've always been looking for ways to whiten my teeth which are quite yellow because I drink a lot of tea. Gels, trays, whitening toothpaste, strips, you name it and I've tried it, all of which hadn't really worked. Pure Smiles is a bit different because they utilise a gel formulated of natural ingredients to cosmetically whiten your teeth.

They had some promotion on at the kiosk that day so $150 got me a 1 hour and 15 minute treatment. Although this may not be applicable on any given day they also have other discounts if you book on their website.

They lady was very friendly and understanding and even offered to take photos after I told her I had a blog!

The process:
-apply gel protectant to gums
-apply an activator to the teeth to speed up whitening process
-apply whitening gel for 20minutes and shone teeth under blue LED light
-clean whitening gel off
-apply again for 20 minutes
-clean it off
-apply again for 20 minutes
-clean it off
-apply peroxide treatment for 15minutes
-FINISHED!

The whole process was very comfortable in their egg shaped chairs but I've got to admit, I did get a little bit restless as I watched the timer tick. Overall the results were quite good, my teeth did become  a few shades lighter and people around me found it more noticeable than I did (I mean, compliments are always welcome ;)). The lady did warn me that there may be spotting for two/three hours following but that will clear up afterwards. It's been about 10 hours now and it has indeed cleared up. She also warned me of sensitivity in the hour or so after the treatment which I didn't really experience but am starting to experience now (which is kind of weird...).

Alright, I bet you guys are busting to see the before and after so here we go. Please ignore my terrible teeth. I did get braces but was too lazy to where the retainers so they went back to their original state D;.

Also I discovered a really cool app today called "Beauty Cam" and its Pikapika function transforms your selfies into a very anime-like, doll version of yourself HA! So if you're wondering what happened to these photos, its that HAHAHA, cute eh?

The colour of my teeth here aren't exactly reliable btw.

Had to wear this plastic thing that stretched open your mouth. I LOOK HILARIOUS

Anyways, that's all for today. If your interested and want to know more about it please leave a comment and I'll answer any questions I can :) Thanks for reading guys, bye~

xx H.

PS. This post was not sponsored by Pure Smile.

Holy Grail Exfoliator- Neogen BioPeel Gauze Peeling Wine Review

HI GUYS, I'm back! I'm trying to update more often and break the one post a week routine. I will be trying my best but I presume the next week or so will be hectic because I'll be working everyday and then trying to pack my luggage/get everything organised before I leave Australia. However after I get to Japan, I want to aim to update at least twice a week!:D

Today I want to share with you my all time favourite exfoliator. We all know the importance of  exfoliating, ridding the dead skin cells that can clog up our pores and prevent the absorption of our skincare products. There are two main types of exfoliants: chemical and manual. Chemical exfoliates go deeper into your pores and clear out all dead skin cells and other debris and thereby promoting faster and better skin cell regeneration/turnover. This leaves us with clear and youthful looking skin. Manual exfoliants on the other hand are also known as physical exfoliants and just like its name it refers to products that contain some sort of rough material (beads, grains, etc) which buffs away the layers of dead skin that sits on top of your skin. This reveals the new skin underneath, after the product is washed away.

Now the Neogen BioPeel Gauze Peeling Pads takes advantage of both chemical and manual exfoliating technologies. It has a gauze on one side which you rub gently in circular motions around your face for about 5 minutes. You then flip over to the padded side and wipe down any debris remaining on your face.

Its main ingredient "Resveratrol" is a naturally fermented ingredient that comes from red wine and contains naturally occurring AHAs that help with the exfoliation process. It's also is high in antioxidants thus it has anti-ageing properties and can improve the elasticity of your skin for a radiant and youthful complexion.

First off, this product smells like berries and that definitely makes it an exciting part of my at-home paper routine. I like how fast it is and how convenient the individual pads are. You just have to use and then throw out, there is no liquid, no masks, no mess involved. Finally, the thing I love about it the most is that its gentle enough for use every other day and my face seriously feels like a baby bottom afterwards. I also feel like my skincare products absorb better and my makeup applies smoother after use as well.

As you can see I haven't got many pads left (need to stock up before Japan!) Definitely would recommend this product to everyone and anyone. Seriously guys, if you try it out, you will come back and thank me ;)

Lets leave it short and sweet today. Hope you are all having a lovely week and come back soon for a review of the masks I purchased at Fresh (there's seriously not enough good things I can say about them!!). Look forward~

xx H.

PS. This post is not sponsored :)

High End Product Regrets

HI GUYS, how are you all going? I've been super busy with work and the whole getting ready for Japan process so please forgive me for not updating! I can't believe how fast time has passed, its only one week until I fly away from all my family and friends for a whooping half a year!! I am excited and terrified at the same time because I've really not gone overseas alone, let alone for so long! I've always thought of myself as quite an independent person as I work for practically everything I've got (except for the roof over my head, super grateful to my parents for that) but now that I come so close to leaving everyone behind, I realise how much I depend on them mentally and emotionally.

Anyways, before I start writing a whole blog post about my current emotion state, I think we'd better get onto the point. Today, I want to share with you guys 4 high end products that I've recently purchased and kind of regret. I am not saying they are bad products (before y'all start getting defensive), its more that they didn't meet my expectations.

#1 Smashbox Contour Stick Trio

$67 from Mecca

I remember I went shopping with the Clinique Chubby Sculpting sticks in mind when I stumbled across these. I thought this is thiner so probably better in that I won't have huge brown lines across my face (I've seen people with that and it seriously ain't attractive). Also these were so creamy and slid so effortlessly across my hand, that I not hesitate one bit before I decided to buy it. Funny thing is, Mecca actually messed up and had the wrong price tag put in front of it and I thought $40 for 3, what a bargain! Then when I took the product to the counter, the lady told me it was actually $67 and I was like HUH but thats not what the sign said. So I end up buying it anyways because the lady was tomato red and apologising like crazy so I HAD to, right? Anyways, I do actually enjoy using the contour stick as its a fast and easy way to create natural shadows on your face. However, I'm not too fond of the bronzer which is sort of orange. Also, I feel like the highlighter just looks like another layer of concealer, with no coverage, after I blend it in. Instead of highlighting, I feel like it just cakes up my face. So pretty much, although the contour is nice, I feel like I paid that price for the single stick and ofc, if you think that way, there are a lot more better options on the market. 

#2 YSL Babydoll Kiss and Blush in no.6 

$60 from Mecca

I find it a challenge to visit a mecca store and not leave with at least one lip product, is that just me? The texture of this product is unlike any other I've tried because, it's not sticky nor balmy but instead feels velvety, almost like there is an amount of primer mixed into it. The thing I dislike about this is the fact that its too pigmented and that it's too bold for the daily look so I find myself not really reaching for it. I normally like to go for a gradient lip look because personally I find it more natural looking but with this it is almost impossible to achieve that because it is so easy to accidentally put too much product on. Also, when applied to the lip it dries quite fast and thus is hard to blend to get a gradient look. All of that is probably me being picky but the most off-putting thing about this is that, after being applied to the lips and exposed to air, the red turns a weird pink colour. Also, it really isn't long-lasting and I find myself having to re-apply every hour or so. I did however, discover that it is pretty good when used as a blush but again because it is so pigmented, if you are not careful, you straight up look like a clown. So pretty much all I can say is, from a product with this kind of price tag, I really expected more. 

#3 Laneige  Watery Cushion Concealer

$38 from yes style.com

I purchased this after Meejmuse recommended it on Youtube (love her btw!). She said that it was basically the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer but with better coverage. I really enjoyed using the Maybelline one, I felt it was pretty good coverage but they had very limited shades and the lightest was a little too light for me whereas one shade up was way too dark. So I thought, cool, this one is in my perfect shade and if it can do Maybelline but better, I will love it. However, after trying this one I feel like its not as hydrating as the Maybelline and does not glide on as easily. Also, the formula is thicker, thus it emphasises the lines under my eyes and creates an overall more cakey look. So I prefer to just stick to my trusty old Maybelline one, plus it's a fraction of the price!

#4 YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Oil-In-Stick in no.15

$57 from YSL Myer

This one I've talked about in my previous post where I compared it with the Pong Effect lip tin so I'm not going to ramble on more here. Go check that post out to find out what my opinions are of this one and why I regret purchasing it!

That's it for today guys. Hope you enjoyed reading about my shopping fails and maybe it made some of your shopaholics feel a bit better about your own recent splurges? AHAHA please let me know how your feel about these products if you've tried them and any product regrets you have (so I can feel a bit better about mine T_T). Until next time, bye~

xx H. 

Product Empties #theSKINCAREedit

HI GUYS, how are you all going? Is everyone busy preparing/doing their mid semester exams? I know whenever it comes to exams period I start to break out UNCONTROLLABLY because of all the stress, binge eating junk food and lack of exercise. SO I thought I'd share with you guys some products I've really enjoyed lately that could help your skin stay clear and glowing.

#1 Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm 

💋💋💋💋💋

 

$20-30 for 100ml
I love this product so much that this is already the second container I've finished. I first came in contact with this product about a year ago when it first came out and was super hyped up. It was the very first cleansing oil/balm that I had ever tried and prior to that I used liquid makeup remover to remove my makeup. After using this balm I found that my skin felt smoother and more hydrated and the makeup was removed more effortlessly without having to rub and tug at my skin. After I had delved deeper into the world of cleansing oils however, I thought hmmm maybe its not this particular brand that was special but instead oil cleansers in general. SO, I tried a tonne of other cleansing oils including; the Tony Moly Aquaporin Sherbet Cleanser, the Innisfree Green Tea Fresh Cleansing Oil and the DHC deep cleansing oil. After trying all those, I realised that this product was not hyped up for nothing. After removing my makeup with an oil cleanser, I would go onto my second cleansing process with my Clarisonic and I realised that only with the Banila Co cleansing balm, I would have no makeup residue on my brush head.

This is a product with great cleansing ability yet is gentle and doesn't strip your face of hydration. I have already repurchased one (as you can see in the photos) because I seriously don't know what I'll do without it. Although it is slightly pricer than many of the brands I mentioned above, it is definitely worth it and I found that in HK you can actually get it for almost a third of its online retail price! If you are not going to HK however, I'd recommend testerkorea.com, it sells a lot of korean skincare/makeup at the standard korean retail price. Shipping is expensive though so treat yourself and buy a tonne at once :D

#2 Lush Tea Tree Water Toner

💋💋💋💋💋

$19.95 for 250ml
Another product that I seriously can't live without is this tea tree water toner from Lush. Normally when you think Lush, you think bath bomb and bubble baths but not really skincare. This product is seriously a hidden gem. It soothes and detoxifies my skin, keeping it clear and calm. I spray this all over my face (a serious amount of it) and gently pat it in before applying other skincare products. After coming back from overseas a month ago, my skin was seriously losing it but after about a week of using this, my skin has gone back to its usual one pimple here and there routine. This time I've used up a 100ml bottle and have just repurchased the 250ml one because I'm scared that I'll run out while I'm overseas in Japan (until March next year yikes!). This product is also very affordable and the 100ml bottle did last me a good 4months. 

#3 SKII Facial Treatement Gentle Cleanser 

💋💋💋

$101 for 120g
I really enjoyed this product. It didn't really foam up but I got used to that. I loved the smell and how it left my face feeling very clean but at the same time not squeaky clean. I think it's a good product and does what a cleanser should do but I feel like there are plenty of other cleansers out there that would do the same thing but at the same time, not carry such a high price tag. So I definitely enjoyed it but won't be purchasing it again!

#4 Too Cool for School Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser

💋💋💋💋

$25 for 150ml
I found this product really fascinating because the foam is unlike any foam I've seen before. It's super dense/fluffy and so much so that if you flip your hand upside down and it wouldn't drip! Because it is so dense, the feeling of it on your face is heavenly, it feels just like what I'd imagine egg mousse to feel like! Similar, to the SKII one, it leaves my face feeling very clean but also hydrated, although this one is obviously a lot more affordable. On top, this one just makes cleaning your face so fun and exciting! I haven't repurchased it and I'm not planning to in the near future just because I am going to Japan soon and theres a tonne of other brands I want to try there. 

#5 Innisfree Canola Honey Lip Balm

💋💋💋💋

$10 for 3.5g
This is a clear lip balm that is extremely creamy and buttery so it applies like a dream and it absorbs into the lips quite fast. It is made of honey and canola seed extract so super hydrating and yummy (let's admit it, we all like to taste our lip balms ;)). However, for me, I have extremely dry lips and very deep lines on them so this lip balm is only a temporary fix to use throughout the day. At night I use an alternate lip balm which is richer and more long lasting. Also, I'd appreciate it if the packaging looked prettier because we all know I'm a sucker for that. I don't have any thoughts of repurchasing this one  (actually technically I didn't even buy this one, I stole it from my bf MWAHAH) just because there are so many brands on the market and I'm always on the hunt for better ones.

That's all for today. If you do end up trying any of these products, please let me know how you felt about them. I wish you all the best in your exams and remember to take a few moments to relax, de-stress and treat your skin! Happy studying guys~

xx H.