Preview alert! So later today, I'll be releasing my haul from Singapore! (One of the benefits of following my blog... seeing things earlier than everyone else :D )While I was there, I picked up some Asia exclusives, Japanese beauty products, and a BUNCH of stuff from Laneige. I was looking for Singaporean beauty products, but I guess for the most part, they import a lot of their beauty. I took the opportunity, however, to look at some Asia exclusive products and pick up some other things because it's a little cheaper while I'm in Asia versus buying it overseas. Anyways, I'm talking to much so let's get into the haul :)
Let's get to the breakdown...
Laneige Beauty Products
Ok first let me say I did get all my Laneige products given to me. Laneige was a big sponsor of the Clozette Style Party, so they supplied me with all these goodies! Thank you so much :) Also, if you want more info on some of these products, let me know! For the most part, this is going to be a very pic-heavy post. Also, watch the video to get more of my thoughts on the products and the actual shade names. This post is for getting a closer look of the products :)
Laneige Skincare
From left to right: Water Bank Moisture Cream, Water Bank Eye Gel, Water Bank Mineral Mist, and Water Bank Essence_EX
From left to right: Clear C Advanced Effector, Multiberry Yogurt Repair Pack, Lip Sleeping Pack, Foam Cleanser Moisture_EX
From left to right: White Plus Review Original Essence_EX, Water Science Mist Sparkling Water, Perfect Pore Cleansing Oil, Firming Sleeping Pack
From left to right: Regenerating Sheet Mask, Capsule Sleeping Pack
Sun Block Sensitive SPF 30 PA ++
From left to right: Collagen Supplemental Drinks, White Plus Renew Sample Kit
Laneige Point Makeup Products
Two-Tone Shadow Bars (shades listed in the video)
Two tone lip bars
Whitening, Anti-Aging and Pore Control Cushions
From left to right: Intense Lip Gel, Lip Tint Gel
From left to right: Vibrating Pro Brush, String Longlash Mascara, Water Cushion Conceale, Brush Pact, and Cushion Highlighter
From left to right: Eyeshadow quad and Blush
Japanese Beauty and Asia Exclusives
These are what I consider Asia exclusives because I can't find these in the United States (well, they're a different version). From left to right: Maybelline White Superfresh UV Whitening Long-Lasting Two Way Cake and Super BB Super Cover Cream
Kiss Me Heroine Liquid Liner and Tube Mascara
L'areal Cushion Glow Blush in Pink Fantasia and Sunkissed Coral
Japanese Sunscreen
When I had a layover at the Hong Kong airport, I popped into the drugstore and picked up these sunscreens! I hear Japanese sunscreens are the best, so I wanted to pick some up to try :)
From left to right: Biore UV Perfect Spray, Biore UV Perfect Sun Milk, Biore UV Aqua Rich Whitening Sunscreen, and Sunplay 130 SPF Sunscreen
Alright guys, so that's my Beauty Haul from Singapore :) I hope you guys enjoyed and like I said above, check out the video if you want more info like my thoughts or shade names! Wishing you the best!
Hello loves :) I'm back from Singapore and while I was there, I picked up a TON of new goodies! You know how I do ;) Laneige was actually one of the sponsors for the events I was attending with Clozette, so they hooked a girl up! While I will be doing an entire Singapore haul, I wanted to show you guys close ups of these brushes in particular just in case you were interested in picking them up! Also, I've been using them for a bit now, so I wanted to give my thoughts as well :) Let's get to the breakdown...
So first off, these brushes are so soft! I love how they fell and they didn't really shed when I washed them. I would definitely say that this is a sufficient brush set... as in if you were to buy all of these you wouldn't need to get any other brushes. I mean realistically, you don't need any brushes. lol. But these are lovely!
One thing I have to note is that I have NO IDEA what the markings on the brushes mean. In the pictures, you can see that I sorted them by the color on the handle. However, I'm not sure what they mean because as you can see, they don't make sense. Like the eyeshadow brushes are not marked with the others and the foundation brushes are not marked the same. Hope that makes sense!
Concealer, Foundation, Eyeshadow and Paddle Brush
Initially, what drew me to the brushes was the number 02 brush AKA the foundation brush. When I was getting my makeup done by Laneige, the makeup artists used it to apply both my skincare and foundation.. it felt SO good! I thought that was interesting.. not that I would actually apply my skincare with it everyday but who knows! Maybe if I'm feeling special. haha. The others are nice, but pretty standard brushes.
Stipling, Powder, Smudge and Bullet Brush
Out of these 4 brushes, I'd say the powder is my favorite. The others are standard brushes but the powder brush is so soft and dense! I love how it applies my powder :)
Blush, Contour, and Lip Brush
I LOVE the blush and contour brush. I'm quite used to using a blush brush that is shaped more like a paddle, however, this one is more rounded at the top.. hope that makes sense. The makes applying my blush so easy and it looks perfect everytime! As for the contour brush, I love how dense this is and it's a bit more stout than other brushes I use. This makes contour super concise, yet blended. I don't really use lip brushes but it's handy to have one when I do!
Mini Stipling, Blending, and Eyeliner Brush
Out of these, I like the eyeliner brush the most. It's rounding so it makes drawing a natural line that is close to the lashes easier. The mini stipling brush is nice for highlighter and such. I find that the blending brush is actually too big for my crease. I think I'll start using it to set my under eye concealer!
Eyebrow Brush
This eyebrow brush is slightly thicker than the one I'm currently using. This is nice for making my eyebrows look soft. It's nice for a change! A spoolie is a must for me, by the way, because I always brush out excess product after filling my eyebrows in.
Well there's my new Laneige Brush Collection! I love them so much :) By the way, did you guys know that you're getting a preview of a video coming up? See, that's the benefit of following my blog too... you get sneak peeks ahead and time and get to see something first! Don't forget to subscribe to my channel, The Beauty Breakdown!
Alright, alright... this is a post I've been putting off for a little bit.. Probably because I can't stand to look at my poor skin in these pictures. SPOILER ALERT: This mask tore up my skin. I feel like you deserve a proper review however, so I'm relieving this horrifying experience.. for you guys! Anyways, today's review is going to be on the Tosowoong Monster Cocoon Pack. I should've known by the name of this product that this was not going to turn out good. Let's get to the breakdown...
Packaging...
The product comes in a squeeze tube. There's nothing complex about the packaging but I do like that it's spooky looking. As a Halloween fanatic, I love anything that reminds me of my favorite time of the year! The packaging is probably the only thing I liked about this product. haha.
Directions...
You're supposed to apply this mask on cleansed skin and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Then you rinse your face to remove the mask. YOU DO NOT PEEL THIS MASK. *sigh* So many people do not read the instructions/my comments/look it up online and comment on my video that I did this mask wrong. People.. this is a wash off mask. It's not a peel off mask. If I'd peeled this off my skin, my skin would've been really sad. haha. Oh and I'd like to note this was terrible to take off.. so hard to rinse off!!
Experience...
Within a couple minutes, this mask started to tighten on my skin. Now that's supposed to happen. Through tightening, it's supposed to tighten the skin and this also helps to remove dead skin cells. You're not supposed to really move your face during this part. I'm aware of this, so I tried to talk whilst barely moving my face. Now, I understand all this. However, this mask was WAY TOO TIGHTENING. I get that it's supposed to tighten, but if a mask tightens to the point where it's tearing your skin... it's a little too much. I feel like that was the biggest issue with this mask. In the process of trying to be interesting looking, it failed to be effective. Actually, it's was more harmful than anything!
Results...
Well, it's clear to see what happened to my skin. It got SUPER irritated from this mask. Like I mentioned above, through tightening this mask actually hurt my skin because it was pulling at it. I don't understand how they can actually say that this is designed for all skin types?! This would be absolutely terrible for sensitive or acne-prone skin types! I mean, there's not much more to say about this mask.. I won't be using it again and I think there are a ton of other masks that are more effective and gentle. Also, I do want to note that I always patch test products. Proper patch testing is to be done on the side of the neck/behind the ear since the skin there is about the same thickness of your face and because it's more similar to your face. My neck turned out ok but that goes to show.. sometimes with skincare you never know! Just proceed with caution :) Oh and my skin was fine after a couple days. Just a little tender and in need of some TLC but everything is fine. Thank you for those of you who left sweet comments! I love you guys :)
Overall: NO STARS! (well, except for packaging haha)
So I went to a sheep cafe. That's right... you read that correctly. A sheep cafe. Sheep cafes are an actual thing in Seoul, Korea so you know I had to check it out. I went there with my friend Taryn and we went to the Thanks Nature Cafe in Hongdae. In the video that I made for The Travel Breakdown, you can see that we got a little lost trying to find it, so hopefully this blog post will prevent that for you if you're planning on going and also give you some quick tips! :)
Let's get to the Travel Breakdown....
Getting There
Ah directions. I'm terrible at them. I wish I was a better navigator but alas I am not. I mean I'm really bad... I'd consider myself directly challenged. Now that we've gotten that fact out of the way, let me tell you how we were able to find the Thanks Nature Cafe. Well, first of all, the Thanks Nature Cafe to me is a little hidden. From the street, you would almost miss it. You can see in the travel vlog that Taryn and I ended up wandering around Hongdae for about an hour. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed every minute and took advantage of being lost by shopping and eating along the way :) How did we finally find the sheep cafe you ask?! We asked someone. Around Seoul, especially in the tourist-y areas, there are people standing around with red vests. These people usually speak English, Chinese and Korean and can help you find wherever you're trying to go. Plus, they supplied us with a nifty map :D
Address:
마포구 서교동 486 서교푸르지오상가 B121 Seoul, Korea
Phone Number:
+82 2-335-7470
When you finally find the cafe, you'll see that it's actually below the street level so you walk down the stairs and see the sheep enclosure. BOY WAS IT STINKY! haha.
You'll see a menu at the base of the stairs before you walk into the actual eating/drinking area so be sure to pick something! This is like your entrance into the cafe. There are lots of lovely options though :)
Once inside, you can't smell the sheep. At least I couldn't and I have a very sensitive nose. See that order here sign? Yeah that's where you order. haha.
I really enjoyed the interior of the cafe. Let me take you on a little virtual tour, yes? :)
Around the cafe, they had adorable little sheep accents. I also loved how open and airy the cafe itself was.
They had magazines there for you to look and they also had a little charging station for phones! I didn't take a picture but take my word for it! I thought that was a very nice touch.
They also had lots of potted plants around the cafe.
Tips
-Don't overwhelm the sheep! They had an enclosure within the enclosure that you're not allowed to go into. You can enter the first gate, just not the second.
-We went during the week around 5pm and it wasn't too busy.
-It is a little stinky. haha. So be prepared.
-Don't be afraid to ask for directions! Like I mentioned, the people in the red vests are there to help. We would have never found the cafe had we not asked.
-Check out their Facebook for updates! You can also see cute pictures of them out for walks :D
Taryn got some type of carbonated blueberry drink and I got an iced caffe latte :) Delicious!
Well thanks for coming to the Thanks Nature Cafe with me!! Isn't this fun?! It's like you're with me going to all the fun places!! Don't forget to follow my blog for more of The Travel Breakdown and of course, beauty posts! Love you! :)
Dog Cafes. Seriously a dream that has materialized right in front of my eyes. I've heard about them and have always wanted to go so when I was in Seoul, I made a point to go! I mean, let's face it. Seoul, Korea is the mecca for themed cafes so naturally, dog cafes, cat cafes, hello kitty cafes, charlie brown cafes, reptile cafes...the list goes on... are very popular. If you're every in Seoul, please check out a few of these fun cafes. They're worth experiencing! Back to the Dog Cafe though...
Let's get to the breakdown...
My Experience
Ok, first let me tell you about my experience going to one of these because boy, it was a not easy for me! I was determined to go in the morning right when they opened because I wanted to be the first to play with the dogs. I figured they'd have the most energy then and that I would get some great shots for my youtube channel, The Beauty Breakdown, and pictures for this blog post. All of which happened and was great. However, the actual operating hours seemed to be...flexible to put it politely. I kid you not, I went to this dog cafe 3 times at opening hours and found it wasn't open! Why put hours on the door if you're not going to abide by them?! I finally got in... 2 and half hours after when they said they'd be open. Ugh. Well, I finally got in, applied the hand sanitizer they require you to use before entering, paid about $10 USD for a coffee (that's the entrance fee... you're required to buy one drink!) and got busy playing with some doggies :D. The dogs were all high energy! The man who was taking care of all the dogs was running around cleaning up after them because yes, they just go to the bathroom on the floor. But he was pretty on top of everything so surprisingly, it didn't smell. It smelled like cleaning supplies haha. However, the floor would sometimes be wet, which the dogs would tramp through and then jump on you. So you do get messy. Keep in mind, this is a dog cafe. Dogs are a little messy and they are easily excitable so be prepared. All worth it though :) The dogs seemed like they were really taken care of... and this is where I want to make a quite note.
NOTE: From what I could see, the dogs really liked the man working there and would get visibly excited when he walked by. One of the bull dogs had an eye infection and I actually saw the man working there tending to it and putting drops in its eyes. So, to me, it seemed like the dogs were well taken care of. Some of you commented that in my video that some of the dogs looked thin and under nourished. However, you need to pay attention to the breed of the dog. I think most of you were pointing to the afghan hound because it's spine was visible. But these breeds are naturally very thin and that's just a feature of these dogs. Please look up photos if you don't believe me! They had a back room, where people are not allowed to go and there was dog food a little place to lay down if they felt overwhelmed. No, I do not know how often they get to go out. But I will say, I don't think they live there. Actually, one of the mornings I went before it opened and I couldn't hear any dogs barking. So they were not there that morning and I'm assuming were taken home (or at least out for a walk). The other two mornings that I went before they opened I could hear the dogs barking. So it was obvious to me that the dogs get taken out. I know this was a little long winded, but please be aware that I wouldn't go to a business that was not taking care of their animals. To me, the dogs seemed really happy and well taken care of. No, I can not be certain but I'm comfortable with my observations. Anyways...
When you're done and ready to leave, they have a station equipped with lint rollers, wipes, fabric freshener, and hand sanitizer. So you can get fairly cleaned up. However, don't prepare to go to any hot dates immediately after because I did still feel like I needed to take a shower. Again, all worth it :)
How it Works
-You're required to use hand sanitizer before entering. Don't want to expose the doggies to a ton of germs!
-The entrance fee is buying a drink. It depends on what you order, but this usually ranges from $8-$10 USD.
-The dogs go EVERYWHERE. So keep your drinks and belongings high.
-Enjoy your time playing with the dogs :)
Tips
-Don't bring anything fragile. The dogs go everywhere including tables, seats, etc and they will get into your stuff if you don't keep an eye on it!
-Wear clothes you don't mind getting messy
-The dogs are jumpy and jump on you so keep that in mind if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.
-Be careful not to step in dog mess.. they do just go on the floor but the workers clean up right after.
-Try to go earlier or right when they open because I know these places get busy!
-I would hope I wouldn't have to tell you this if you're going to a dog cafe but BE RESPECTIVE OF THE DOGS. Don't get in their faces, touch them when they're eating (their foods in the back room anyways and you're not allowed back there), and leave them alone when they looked tired. You wouldn't want someone bugging you while you're tired and trying to relax right? :)
Location
There are several dog cafes around Seoul (there's actually two in Myeongdong where I was!) but here's the location of the specific one I went to.
중구 명동2가 32-2 경도빌딩 3층, Seoul, Korea 100-809중구 명동2가 32-2 경도빌딩 3층, Seoul, Korea 100-809
Conclusion
I had a BLAST. I think cafes like these are so fun and worth going to once in your life :) It was really nice getting a little break from the busy bali bali culture of Korea and playing with some cute dogs for a little bit :) Have you ever gone to one of these? I want to hear your experience!!
