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 

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$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

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$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 

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$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

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$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

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$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.  

YSL v Pony Effect: Showdown #1

HI EVERYONE, I'm back! Today I'm going to compare two lip products, one high-end and one from a more affordable brand. I'm thinking I might make this into some sort of series, kind of like a high-end v affordable makeup, dupes kind of thing. Let me know what you guys think, should I, should I not? ANYWAYS, onto the two products we've got today with very similar colours but very different price tags.

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Oil-In-Stick v. Pony Effect Favourite Fluid Lip Tint 

Pony Effect shade #Simone Pure ($20)                                                YSL shade #15 Coral Intuitive ($57)     

There are 4 main things I look for in a lip product:

-pigmentation

-long-lasting 

-hydration 

-packaging

So today we will be look at the two lip products in terms of these elements. 

Pigmentation

The YSL goes on very sheer and you need a couple of layers for the colour to come through. This may be because of its high oil content which is good for hydration but not so good for pigmentation. If you have very red or very dark lips, I wouldn't recommend choosing a light colour from this range as you will have a hard time trying to cover up your natural lip colour. Also, because it has a very balmy texture, I thought it would be ideal for my dry lips however, the product does not sink into the lines on your lips nor smooth them out but merely sit onto like a layer of colour. 

The Pony Effect goes on very thick and pigmented like a thick layer of coral HOWEVER it is a very oily/watery texture (but not sticky) that when you rub your lips together the colour spreads and blends with your natural lip colour to make a really pretty shade. The pigmentation is definitely a lot better than the YSL and to apply I just dab a little bit of product to the centre of my lips and then blend it out. Unlike the YSL one, it feels like this product absorbs into your lips, smoothing out any fine lines. 

YSL (left) v Pony Effect (right)

Long-lasting

I'd have to say that both lip products are not very long-lasting. I have to reapply every hour or everytime I eat/drink for the colour to stay on. The only difference is that the YSL disappears completely whereas the Pony Effect leaves a tint (expected since it is a lip TINT ahaha). I have yet to find a lip product that lasts over the one/two hour period on me (Is it my lips?!). Please guys, if you've got any recommendations for me I'd love to hear about it!

After removing with a tissue

Hydration

Both products feel oily/balmy so in terms of hydration they are both pretty good. If I really had to pick the better, the YSL wins because as I mentioned before, it stays on the lips like a layer of butter whereas the pony effect absorbs and dries like tint a few minutes after application. I do find that after reapplying the Pony Effect a couple of time my lips do get rather dry, so using it in combination with a lip balm on top, is probably best. Although the hydration is good on the YSL, its not worth it because it doesn't pass the initial test of aesthetics (which is the #1 function of a lip product, right?). 

Packaging

To be honest, the YSL packaging is what won over my heart in the first place. I mean LOOK AT IT. Its a dream. 11/10, no doubt. The Pony Effect, in comparison looks quite plain however stand-alone it is also very beautiful with a simplistic rose gold tube. The YSL is made of some sort of metal and feels a lot more substantial in weight whereas the Pony Effect is plastic and thus a lot lighter. 

It's beautiful :')

At the end of the day, apart from the packaging there is not much I love about the YSL lipstick and I can definitely say I expected more from a lipstick with that kind of price tag.  I would 100% recommend opting for the more affordable Pony Effect lip tint as it delivers better results. Don't be like me and fall for the beautiful packaging, CONTROL GIRLS. 

Ok, that's it for today. Thanks for reading, bye~

xx H. 

Clarisonic Review

HI GUYS, I'm finally back! I've been binge watching the a korean drama called "W", don't know if any of you have heard of it? It's super confusing because there are like two worlds, the "real one" and the "webtoon/fictional" one. ANYWAYS, still haven't really grasped the storyline yet but the main guy is soooooo cute so I found myself drooling over his face 90% of the time. ANYWAYS, today I thought I'd do a review of the Clarisonic. For those you you who aren't familiar with it--basically its a electronic tool for washing your face with. First of all a disclaimer- this review is by no means sponsored (I wish it was T_T) and I purchased the Clarisonic out of my own curiosity!

There are many different devices to choose from in the Clarisonic range-- Aria, Mia, Mia 2, Mia Fit, Smart Profile and many many more. The one I've picked up is the Mia 2 and is the most popular design out of all their brushes.

Day to day our skin accumulates oils, perspiration, dirt, makeup and environmental pollutants. These combine to make a stubborn, pore-clogging layer of film over our skin resulting in an overall unhealthy look, roughness and a barrier preventing good absorption of our skincare products. This is why the cleansing step must always be done and done well. When washing our face with our hands, we tend to do it really quickly and miss important areas such as around our nose, eyes, chin and eyebrows and hence these areas are more prone to acne/pimples. The Clarisonic claims to clean 6x better than hands alone and the way it does so is by oscillating at a sonic frequency, producing more than 300 movements per second. The movements between the outer and inner brush also work to loosen dirt and oil, remove deep-seated impurities from the pores and thus preparing the skin for better absorption of skincare products.

The Clarisonic claims that around 2 weeks to a month after use, users will find increased pimple/acne growth due to the deep-seating impurities being drawn to the surface. After those pimple/acne recover, your skin will be the smoothest and clearest it has ever been. First of all, I'd like to say, I've had this product since January and have still not experienced that magic. At night I go through a double cleansing process, first with an oil to remove all my makeup and then go in with the Clarisonic and a foam/gel cleanser to remove any remaining makeup and/or dirt. I can see visibly that it does remove very well whatever makeup there is remaining and my skin does feel very clean afterwards. However, I have not seen any changes in terms of pore reduction, pimple growth or radiance in my skin, which their website claims it'll provide.

Keith Haring Limited Edition Mia 2

#1. Brush Heads

The brush heads are removable because it is recommended that they are changed every 3 months for hygiene purposes. They are easily removed by pressing down and rotating. I think that if you are someone that wears makeup everyday and/or don't have an oil cleansing habit prior to using something like this, it is probably better to change it every 2 months because if the brush isn't clean itself, how clean can it make you face? This device is definitely a long term investment, apart from the $200 you pay for the initial device you will have to fork out an extra $35 for a clean head every 2-3 months. There is a similar device from the brand "Foreo" that doesn't require changing brush heads. I believe that one is about $250 for the average size which is a little more than the Clarisonic but it'll be a lot more cost-friendly in the long term. I haven't yet tried that device but am quite interested. Perhaps my curiosity will get the better of me and I will try it soon :D

There are a number of brush heads to choose from depending on your skin condition at the time--Luxe Cashmere, Sensitive, Delicate, Deep Pore and Sonic Radiance. Personally, I've tried the sensitive and delicate ones just because I want to be as gentle as possibly on my skin (I believe the standard one it comes with initially is the Sensitive brush head). I haven't seen a difference in terms of what the brush heads have done for my skin but I definitely think the delicate (blue) one is more gentle.

Sensitive Brush Head

#2. Timer

Another thing I really like about this device is that it has a 1 minute timer. This minute is divided up into 20seconds for the forehead, 20 seconds for the nose and chin and 10 seconds each for the cheeks. It beeps in between each interval, telling you to move on.  Usually I feel that 1 minute is not adequate so I run the timer twice. I love this function because I'm the type of person who always stays up super late and when it comes to washing my face I like to speed through it. As I mentioned before, not spending enough time means that you miss important places and end up with a bad cleanse which can lead to all sorts of skin problems.

#3. Buttons

As you can see in the picture above, there are two buttons. The lower is the power button. The funny thing about this is, once you press it, it will run for the whole minute and pressing it again will not turn it off but instead pause it for 30 seconds. So sometimes when I press it accidentally, I have to leave it there vibrating on my vanity for a whole minute =='. The top button is where you control the strength and speed. There is 2 speeds to choose from- high and higher basically. 

#4. Charging/Battery

Another thing I love about the Clarisonic is its charger. It comes with a magnetic charger that just clips onto the handle part of the device. I usually charge it overnight and it'll be ready to use in the morning. One charge can also last about 2 months before it starts flashing light to tell you it's run out of battery. The long-lasting battery is perfect for lazy people like me! :D

#5. Waterproof

The whole device is waterproof meaning you can take it into he shower without being afraid of being electrocuted. Also this allows you to easily clean the device, both the head and the handle!

Finally, I love that this particular edition I bought came with a lid and travel bag ( I'm not sure about the other brushes) making it very easy to take travelling with. I don't have to worry about the brush head being dirtied or damaged in my luggage!

So at the end of the day I think it is a convenient device especially if you do want to invest a little into your own skin. However, that being said, its not a necessity and I think similar results can be achieved if you are willing to spend the time to carefully cleanse. I definitely have not seen some of the results that it advertises but that could be attributed to a lot of other factors like diet, exercise, etc. If you ever try it out or have any suggestions on how I can use it better, please let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear from you guys! :)

Last thing I'd like to say is, if you are thinking of taking the plunge and buying one of these, it is best to do it off their website- clarisonic.com.au instead of buying it from Mecca. They often do seasonal/festive discounts near Christmas, mothers day, fathers day, etc so you can potentially get 10-20% off. The shipping is a couple of days to a week, so fairly speedy! 

Alright that's it for today. Bye guys!

xo. H

Huge HK Haul

HI GUYS, I'm finally back with the haul blog post I'd promised last time. So before I went to HK I had heard so much about it being a shopping paradise, how everything is super cheap and that there's lots of variety. Well, I'm not sure whether its because of the super low Australian dollar when I went, it was about 1AUD to 5.8HKD, prices were pretty standard, maybe a little bit cheaper than Australia but it really depended on what you were buying. I was planning on buying an iMac there because that is really a bargain, its like $300AUD cheaper than over here, HOWEVER, I was talked out of it by my bf. He kept saying how there's a newer iMac coming out soon and I figured by the end of the trip that there was no way I could fit something that size in my already packed suitcase anyways. So I'm just going to go ahead and share with you all the things I bought and their prices, shades, brands, etc just for your information in case you find something you really want! I won't go into too much detail about how I feel after using them though because I plan on writing some more in-depth reviews about some of the products later on :)

Starting with the beauty products. On the very first day we went to Harbour City and wonder into Lane Crawford's Cosmetics and Skincare section. I saw the Sulwahsoo counter and headed over to buy their First Care Activating Serum, a product that one of my favourite youTuber had recommended. MAN those ladies are good at selling. She sits me down and tells me that my skin is very dry and pre-maturely aged *cries* and basically builds a whole skincare routine for me. She made it sound like I HAD to get these products or by the time I'm 25 I'd be looking 30. Before I knew it, she had talked me into buying 6 things... SO in the span of 20minutes I had spent over $1000AUD on "some liquid" (according to my bf). I will do a review on how these wear, how much difference it has brought my skin, whether it was worth the money, etc. SO below's a list of the products I picked up:

-Sulwahsoo First Care Activating Serum EX 60 ml $110 (AUD)
-Sulwahsoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Essential Oil 20ml $148
-Sulwahsoo Snowise Whitening Serum 50ml $233
-Sulwahsoo Timetreasure Renovating Emulsion EX 125ml $135
-Sulwahsoo Timetreasure Renovating Water EX 125ml $122
-Sulwahsoo Timetreasure Renovating Eyecream EX 25ml $302
-Sulwahsoo Brightening Perfecting Cushion in #21 Medium Pink $80 (with one refill)

I also got gifted a number of samples of:
-Sulwahsoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream 5ml
-Sulwahsoo Pink Makeup Balancer (Brightening Makeup Base) 4ml
-Sulwahsoo Hydro-aid Moisturising Soothing Mist 30ml
-Sulwahsoo Essential Balancing Kit (water + emulsion)
-Sulwahsoo Clarifying Mask (peel off mask) 50ml
-Sulwahsoo Brightening Perfecting Cushion 4g
After trying the sample of the bb cushion, I did exactly what they anticipated--went back and bought the actual thing because it just made my face sooo radiant looking while at the same time not oily looking like the Missha one I was using, did (my face is normally very dry but IDKWHY the humidity in HK made it quite the opposite).

The Lane Crawford loyalty "points" I got from buying all those things was enough to get me a Sulwahsoo Overnight Vitalising Mask 120ml valued at $60, so that was pretty good. The sales lady tried to talk me into buying some more stuff because I was 1000points away ($200) from getting another full sized First Care Activating Serum. I was already a bit overwhelmed that I had spent so much money in such a short period of time, so NOPE, wasn't about to fall for that. Plus, I hadn't bought an overnight mask, so that was the way to go :D

I'd just like to say that the service was pretty good, the lady was very friendly and informative. Only thing is I wish she weren't so good at selling >.> As I've mentioned before, definitely buy from Lane Crawford because they do have a points system (spread across a lot of brands) which can get you some more goodies, as opposed to buy from the individual stores.

Continuing on with skincare, I got some masks from Fresh. I had never heard of this brand before but my bf's mum uses it and she has BEAUTIFUL skin, you cannot guess her age to save your life, SO I had to get my hands on some. Again the service there was exceptional, they served us with rose tea and tried all the products on my hand. With these products I saw instant results on my hand and the prices were a lot lower than Sulwahsoo, so I didn't really hesitate before I bought the set the lady had recommended.

-Fresh Sugar Face Polish 125g $88
-Fresh Umbrian Clay Purifying Mask 100ml $88
-Fresh Rose Face Mask 100ml $88

They were having a promotion where if you spend over 1400HKD ($250AUD ish) you get a bunch of free samples. I originally was going to just get the face polish and the clay mask but after hearing about the promotion I was talked into getting the rose mask as well. WHY AM I SO EASY T_T But anyways, no regrets because I totally love all three of these products. I will also do a more in-depth review on these because you guys HAVE TO try them!

Samples:
-Fresh Peony Brightening Moisturising Facial Toner 18ml
-Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Face Serum 5ml
-Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream with 7 Complex 7ml
-Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Balm 2.2g
-Fresh Peony Brightening Moisturising Face Cream 2ml
-Rose Deep Hydration Face Cream 2ml

From Too Cool for School, I also got a few pieces of skincare.
-Too Cool for School Pumpkin Sleeping Pack 100ml $26
-Too Cool for School Egg Mousse Soap (face wash)150ml $10 (was on sale, normally $25)
-Too Cool for School Egg Mousse Pack 100ml $10
-Too Cool for School Egg Cream Sheet Mask $5

The actual Too Cool for School shop didn't have the egg mousse soap/pack so I sourced those from Sasa and Bonjour (these are like HK versions of Priceline but 100times better, the number of drugstore brands they have, Korean, American, Japanese, you name it, they have it). Also I'd like to mention the number of Sasa's in HK is eye-opening, there is one every few hundred metres. LIKE LEGIT I saw more Sasas than Maccas...o.o

These are the other things I gathered from Sasa/Bonjour.
-Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm 100ml $13 (total bargain, is way more expensive in Aust)
-Missha Eye Colour Studio Mini Palette in "Cony Pink" $30
-Pony Effect Lip tint in the shades "Fatal Allure" and "Simon Pure" $20 each
-Biore nose strips $5
-Fairy Naturals Daily Coloured Contacts in Brown $30
-Eyecurl II curling wand $9
-Heroine Make Waterproof mascara $15
-Heroine Make Quad in #4 Rose Garnet $13
-Heroine Make Waterproof Pen Liner in Dark Brown $13
-Canmake Mat Fleur Cheeks in #1 Matte Apricot $15
-Kate Designing Eyebrow Powder  $13
-Canmake Coluor Mixing Concealer $14
-Evian Mineral Water Facial Spray $10
-La Roche-Posay Mineral Water Facial Spray $12





Last but not least, I also had my eye on a brand called Kiko Milano a while before my trip. I was super excited because they actually have shops in HK. Their makeup is affordable and good quality at the same time (all manufactured in Italy). From them I picked up:

-Kiko Shade Fusion Trio Blush in #3 and #4 $17 each
-Kiko Velvet Passion Matte Lipstick in shade #303 $17
-Kiko Glossamer Emotion Creamy Lipstick in shade #103 $17
-Kiko Mirage Lipstick (limited edition) in shades #9 and #13 $16 each

So that's all the beauty related products I hauled in HK. Moving on, I also splurged on some more luxury things...

-Saint Laurent Monogram Envelope Chain Wallet in Powder $1706
-Saint Laurent Monogram Credit Card Case in Light Dusty Rose $370
-Valentino Rocketed Small Crossbody Bag in Pink $1275
-Louis Vuitton Sarah Wallet in Cherry $1258
-Dior Addict Perfume (Gift)
-Chanel Chance (Gift)
-Tiffany & Co. Mini Heart Tag Earrings $241
-FBY rings and bangle (These weren't that expensive but were kind of odd-one-out so I shoved it in here. The two rings and bangle were about $200 all together so the price is equivalent to say Pandora or Swarovski. Their products are all made in sterling silver and plated with gold, rose gold, white gold, etc and they use moissanite which is an alternative to diamond. I feel like the quality is pretty good because I wear the bangle in the shower everyday and it still looks good as new. Definitely recommend checking them out!)

I will probably do a review on some of these bags/wallets after I use them for a bit so that I can sus out whether I like them or not and share my thoughts with you guys :D

Finally, I want to say big THANKYOU to my bf's dad for gifting me the two perfumes, I love them both so, so much! Also, LV is super not worth purchasing in HK. I realised after I bought this wallet that its around $200 more expensive than if I had bought it in Australia. Other than that the prices were pretty standard and I wouldn't say you're saving much by buying it over there. Probably just buy it here because then you at least get to save on the flight!

That brings me to the end of this huge haul. Lesson learnt, the rumour that HK is the ultimate shopping heaven is only half true. Prices really aren't that low and quite comparable to that of Australia's. HOWEVER, if you're looking for variety, it is definitely the place to be. Literally, they have every single brand you can think of and plenty of stock too! A must-go place for shopaholic like me :D

That's it for today,  see you all in my next post. Bye~

xx H.

Travel Ideas for Hong Kong

HI GUYS, this is the last travel related posted I’m going to do for a while until October (when I go Japan :D). Thought I’d do this as a ‘places you should go in HK’ as opposed to a travel diary because 70% of the time I was in HK was spent shopping MWAHAH.

#1 Ocean Park

Ocean park is a theme park that is basically a combination of Sea World and Luna Park. There are only one or two rides worth going on (the rest are too childish) and you get to see seals, dugongs, fish, shark, pandas and lots of other animals :D It’s built over a mountain (not sure who thought that was a good idea…) and so you have access to half of the park on one side and then you have to take a cable car/train over to the other side for the other half of the park. Tickets are about $60-70 per person and there are also fast passes for $20-30 per person which allows you to skip the line for 5 “rides”. I can say we pretty much choose the worst day to go because it must’ve been at least 40 degrees (or so it felt) and the park was HUGE and the paths are like MOUNTAINOUS (up-hill… you know what I mean).

There is this underground display where all the seals are and you can watch them swim about and feel like you're underwater too! I swear these little things swim sooooo super fast, couldn't even get a photo with them T_T

The pandas are kept in a separate conservatory where the space is designed to mimic their natural habitat. There is no talking or flash photography in this area because we don't want to frighten the pandas! They only give birth to one cub at a time and there is only a certain small period during the year that they mate. If they miss out on this period they have to wait another year! That's why they are endangered :( I heard China donated 4 pandas to HK (YAY GO CHINA-HK RELATIONS) but um yeah I hope they are healthy and make more baby pandas soon :D Also, just want to let you guys know, at ocean park there is a chance to donate to these pandas if you ever go. I think it's a great cause and that we should all contribute, just that little bit, to save these fluffy babies!

This is an even cuter version, the red panda!! Doesn't it look ADORABLE just hanging there... Wish i could live its life... so carefree :3

Also found one of these vintage looking telephone boxes that I just HAD to take a picture with!!

If you're the type that goes to theme parks for the rides, then this ones a pass (there is about one scary ride here), but if you're like me that enjoy a SEA world kind of experience then definitely a good place to visit if you get the chance. I mean its like a zoo and a theme park in one, kill two birds with one stone ;) 

#2 Moomin Cafe 

This adorable cafe is located in Harbour City (a HUGE shopping centre with just about every brand you can think of, a shopping MUSTGO). They make moomin-themed deserts and drinks. I'm not exactly familiar with moomin but I saw it a lot in HK so maybe its more popular over there?? ANYWAYS, look how cute these green tea lattes look? (Glass cup is cold latte and mug=hot). The waiters also moved these huge stuff toys versions of the characters to your table so you can enjoy the delicious drinks with your favourite character. The exit is through a small souvenir store that sells everything MOOMIN so if your into that, definitely check it out!!

#3 Town Square

In a lot of the shopping centres in HK they have these awesome displays. This one is of the recent movie, Finding Dory (which i LOVE btw) and I also saw Line ones, Rilakuma ones, Japanese Neko ones, etc. Awesome for snapping some cute pics while you shop!! There is also a huge Lane Crawford in Time Square (the equivalent of David Jones but fancier) and I heard they frequently do sales up to 70% off branded shoes and bags. I'd imagine around sales period in December it'd be even better. Also they have their own points reward system so rather than going to the independent stores, if you shop cosmetics, its just more worth to buy it there and gets some points along the way :D These points then can be traded in for discounts and products. 

These wide pants I actually got in ALAND for super cheap ($30-40 AUD). I've been seeing them in all my fav youtuber's clothing hauls so I felt pretty excited when I saw these ones. Plus they are a bit different because it combines the wide pants design with the design of dungarees. These were really good for HK because it was really hot and these were super airy but at the same time long enough to protect my legs from tanning (I got just about 5 shades darker in the 2 weeks overseas T_T). My bf thinks I look like a nun in these but MEH I like them :D

#4 Jumbo Seafood Restaurant

I didn't actually eat here but because its a floating restaurant, legit just in the middle of the harbour like an island all by itself, I hear it's a really popular tourist sightseeing place. The view is super pretty at night because all the lights get turned on. The craftsmanship on the building itself is amazing as well... so detailed o.o

#4 Victoria Peak

So to get to this peak you can either drive, take a train or walk up (don't recommend walking, I hear its a nightmare especially in the heat). We were lucky enough to have my bf's dad car us up (yes, that's legit what they say in canto, car us up HAHAHAH). The view is spectacular, especially at night. You really come to understand why they call HK a city that never sleeps! You have to check the weather report before you go though because it was super foggy when we went and that kind of ruined the view + photos (UNLESS they were clouds.... thats what my bf thought but really...?).
There is also a shopping centre up there so if you go in the day you can do some shopping and some sightseeing at the same time. You might be wondering why there a shopping centre on top of the mountains but apparently thats where the rich people live and they need to shop just like everyone else. Not quite sure why you would live on a mountain when you could live close to the harbour but OKAY...

There is a cable car service but the line was 45minutes long when we went (despite it being like 10 o'clock at night...). We were searching everywhere for a place that sold a selfie sticks but couldn't find one ANYWHERE (I broke my in Singapore T_T). Why wouldn't a touristy place like this sell selfie sticks? If that were China, they'd full take that opportunity... So my bf thinks maybe it's banned because you can totally use it as a weapon and whack people in the face?  Well, that's the closest to an explanation we got ._.

That's pretty much all the "sightseeing" I did in HK. As I said 70% of the time was spent shopping, 20% eating so...ANYWAYS, you might be wondering since she spent so much time shopping what did she end up buying? WELL. That brings me to my haul which will go up in my next post so stay tuned ;)

In the meanwhile heres a little sneak peak at a portion of what I hauled...

<3 H