My favourite things from our 'KOREA, curated February 2016 discovery box'

I was really excited to receive our first ever, subscription box from KOREA, curated. I've been following a number of subscription boxes on Instagram and chose something that both my husband and myself can enjoy. My next subscription box may be a girls only thing, shh ;) 

Simple detail, but I  love that the box isn't taped.
It's packed in another box with all the ugly shipping details and when you open it, just leaves a very clean box. 

I did a reveal post when we received it, as well as an unboxing video that you can check out here (my first youtube reveal of anything), and here are some of my favourite things from the February 2016 box. 

This cell phone charm - I love it because it says 'luck' in Chinese, and I am Chinese, so you know... ALSO, an added plus for me is that I'm a bit obsessed with gold hardware on my bags lately, so if I don't put it on my phone, I can always hang it from my bags.

I also like the packaging for it - a simple, slim, black box that slides out. Again, I love packaging designs.

Cuteness! Preettty self-explanatory there.
Also, socks are something I don't like to buy, so to get free cute socks, is awesomeness

Spicy instant noodles and aaaamaaaazing candy. The candy is soooooo gooood

This is what the spicy noodles look like.I can eat pretty spicy and like to get my hands on pretty much any kind of spicy instant noodles. This, was good. The spicy doesn't start immediately, but slowly builds up as you keep eating. Then, before you know it, your lips start to get numb and burn, and you can start feeling it in your insides. I chased it down with my usual beer of choice - Kronenbourg Blanc 1664. I don't recommend it if you're used to having heart burn and the like.

Review - Formula X: The System manicure kit

I love nail polish - I always have and I always will. I used to spend hours playing with colors and when I was young, it didn't matter that it would chip after 10 minute because I'd already be on to the next color. Flash forward 20 years though, and for me to spend the time to do my nails, I'm looking for them to last. 

With that in mind, I halted all nail polish action for a long time - I just couldn't walk away chip-free within those same damn 10 minutes. I did try to use only light colors to avoid any chips and smudges from being noticeable but then I just got bored and missed my bold, and dark rich colors.

One rainy day, wandering Sephora, I saw 'The System' by Formula X. It had been so many years since I looked into nail polish that I just decided - why not? It boasted gel like nails without any of the equipment and difficulties. I bought the kit and 2 neutral light colors (in the event the kit wasn't all it was made out to be, I could still get by with the light colors) and made my way home. 

That night, I applied "Nude for You", a limited edition color by Aimee Song, an LA fashion and interior design blogger. I let 10 minutes pass, no chipping... we were off to a great start! I started to do things and get ready for bed - still nothing. I'm holding my breath here. 

The next morning I woke up and I was AMAZED. Yes, there was a little bit of smudging and one chip on my index finger, but to be fair, that was my fault because since it had been a while and I was testing out a new brand of polish, I wasn't use to its consistency and had applied a little too much and likely did not let it set long enough before I went to bed. BUT, overall, it had been the best set of nails I had done in a long time! 

I took day-by-day shots over 7 days to show it's decline. You'll notice that you don't start to see major change until the last 2 days, and that's ONLY because I got bored and started to actively chip away at it. It took effort, haha. To give some perspective, over the 7 days, I had packed, traveled to Vegas for 4 days, shot some guns, typed daily, and was constantly playing with poker chips. 

As an additional test, I tried it with an OPI polish on my toes, as I was advised that it only works with Formula X polishes, and contrary to advise, IT WORKS! I am still wearing the same polish I had 3 weeks ago - smudge- and chip-free. I think it's safe to say, it completely works and I'm looking forward to replenishing my polish collection and having a lot of fun! 

Getting down to the steps: (1) the cleanse - amazing, simple and straightforward alcohol you brush on to remove any oils; (2) prime - a base coat that is suuuper easy to apply. I use one layer and it dries very fast; (3) color! - I use 2 coats and the saturation is awesome. Also dries fast compared to most polishes; and (4) shine - I have difficulties with this right now. I find the consistency or texture, or the brush, is something I can't consistently get right so sometimes I don't apply enough and there are streaks or bubbles (mostly when I use my left hand since I have less control over it). Overall though, I'm not complaining. Dries fast. 

Overall score: I LOVE IT. I've been telling anyone that will listen haha. It is super solid with high shine, and I had to put a lot of effort into creating cracks, as well as actually peeling the polish off. When I use a remover though, it comes off without any problems.

Review: Tony Moly Banana Sleeping Pack - I'm glad it was a sample

I received this product as a sample and it is something I will definitely not be buying for myself.

I read a number of reviews before I tried it, and was excited to  use it, however when I did, I was disappointed. 

As the name suggests, you're supposed to put it on before you sleep and let it soak in over night. I applied it before bed and my experience is that, other than the lovely smell, it didn't work for me. 

The product is very easy to apply and the smell is a very relaxing soft banana smell - very lovely. After application I went to bed and having read the reviews, I prepared myself to experience some sort of discomfort as reviews mentioned it would be for those who aren't used to it. I was prepared for that. 

What I wasn't prepared for was the itchiness that I felt afterwards and the longer it stayed on, the itchier it got. I had to remove it in less than an hour. The next day, I got a pimple. 

This mask is definitely not for me =(

Review: Dr. Jart+ Blackhead Master Patch - nope, never again

I originally bought the one-time use, Dr. Jart Blackhead Mater Patch because I was just shy of free shipping from Sephora. When I bought it, I didn't realize it was another Korean product, but it is! I was excited to try it and used it immediately when I got home the day it was delivered.

They're advertised as: powerful yet gentle blackhead nose patches instantly remove blackheads and unclog pores while tightening and cleansing. Complete with a dry patch and wet patch for anytime, anywhere use, this two-step system features optimal pore-purifying benefits for clear, healthy-looking skin. 

The dry strip is similar to any nose strip pore remover but these did not have the slits to make it fit properly on the nose. I had to shift it down pretty far in order to wrap it around my nose. I waited longer than the recommended 10 minutes (as I usually do with these things) before removing it. I was VERY disappointed - the strip removed 3 blackheads and nothing more. I've tried regular Biore strips that work MUCH better than this. 

The wet strip, is very soothing and I did enjoy how it felt, but I had to hold it for a while before I could leave it my nose alone. It is very wet and probably would have been better if I had lied down, but I usually like to do stuff when I am waiting for my face stuff to work haha. Alone, the strip was soothing enough that I could render myself immobile for 10-15 minutes, but unfortunately, the dry strip didn't do enough for me to want to get to this second step.

One pack costs $9 and there is no way I will be buying this again.

Review: Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm - love it

Last week I was browsing the Sephora website and came across the Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm - since I had been experimenting with masks, I've been closely inspecting my face and felt I needed to try this (although I'm told that I don't have many black heads and my pores aren't that big, but I am a bit OCD...). It was sold out on the Sephora website, but I found it at my local H Mart for almost half the price - $12.99.

Why? It was described as: A self-heating balm targeted for blackheads that removes dirt and oil within minutes. I love anything that heats up, cools, tightens or hardens on my skin. It just feels so satisfying. 

Not to mention, it's incredibly cute looking. 

I used a small dab, about the size of a pea and it was enough to apply on the sides of my nose and across. It's easy to apply and spread around, but I didn't feel it heat up at all. Nothing. I was disappointed with that, but the smell of it is very, very pleasant and the end result was quite impressive. I left it on for a little over 5 minutes (it's recommended to be left on for 3 - 5 minutes). There was a noticeable difference in my pores and my nose felt very smooth, but it did lack the clean and airy feeling that I would get from using a nose strip. 

Would I get it again? Yes - a little amount goes a long way and I can see it lasting for a good year with regular use. For $12.99 you can't beat the value for an effective product. It's a very quick and easy, no-mess way to get results.

Sephora versus H Mart pricing for Korean skincare products

Lately I've been on a bit of a face-mask purchasing binge and while I was surfing the Sephora website, came across the Korean brand - Tonymoly. 

I placed 2 items (a blackhead steam balm, and an eye mask that makes you look like a panda  (so cute!!)) in my basket, only to find that they were sold-out. As luck would have it, I had a meeting the next day and walked passed my local H Mart and came across the exact same items (I didn't even know that part of the store had opened), selling for less than what I found them for on both Sephora websites.

The Sephora US site priced them at $18.00 and $3.00 respectively, and to account for the exchange rate, the Sephora Canada site price is selling them at $23.00 and $4.50.

I purchased them for $12.99 and $1.99 respectively.

For any of you interested in Korean products from Sephora, check your local H Mart first.

I will do a follow-up review post when I have had a chance to try these out. 

Review: Rocky Mountain Soap Company's Lavendar and Oat Face Mask

Just sharing my thoughts on the face mask sample I received from the Rocky Mountain Soap Company - I typically am very lazy when it comes to using face masks, but since I'm fast becoming a life-long fan of this company and its products, I couldn't wait to test it out.

 

I tried the Lavender and Oak Calming Face Mask -

 

The lavender smell is SO amazing and it was instantly cooling. When I was sitting there waiting for it to dry, I felt so calm and just couldn't help but relax. I added a few drops of water to get the consistency I wanted in the paste and it gave me ample time to apply before beginning to dry. I love the feeling of a mask hardening and waited 15 minutes before removing it with a face sponge. I was left with a clean tingling feeling and didn't feel I needed to apply face moisturizer immediately (like I normally do any time after washing my face due to my really dry skin). The second time I used it was because I felt my face starting to itch and wanted to cool it down - worked like a charm. For reference, I have extremely sensitive skin - one year I had a year-long reaction for no reason and my body would not heal itself properly (luckily not on my face)... just for reference.

 

I can't wait to try all of them - the next one on my list is the Tea Tree Deep-Cleansing mask and would definitely love to spread the joy of this Lavender one. Such amazingness!

I really like the cute little packets it comes in!

They're so pleasing to look at, all lined up like that!

$12 per one 28 gram pack, up to 3 servings
(I was surprised that my sample was a full sized sample)

 

I've used it twice already and can probably get another 3 uses, easily;
the sales associate said she got 6

 

That's how much I used -
I'd say about the amount that would tightly fill a bottle cap



Just add a little water to turn it into a paste; when freshly applied

 

When dried after 15 minutes

 

Review: Rocky Mountain Soap butters, hand lotion and deodorant

I want to do a follow-up post - earlier in the year I found these products and I have finally used the last of them. I wanted to share my experience with those who might by considering a change, or are curious. 

I chose these products due to their organic and toxin-free ingredients and this is fantastic for my sensitive skin. 

The body and hand butters - I originally was very excited about the packaging of these but after getting down towards the end of the tube, I wasn't too thrilled. It actually falls off easily towards the end and the way the butter is packed into the tube, there is actually a lot of wasted butter. If the bottom part of the package hadn't fallen out and rolled onto the gross floor, I could have scooped it out and still used it. The butter itself was great for my legs because they get suuuuper dry; I don't quite like it for the rest of my body though as it does get heavy and doesn't spread easily. The smell though, is really amazing. The hand butter, same deal, but it's a bit too greasy for my liking. 

The hand lotion - love the smell of it but I find the texture to be a bit on the thin side. It's great if you have normal hands that aren't very dry like mine, but for myself, I need something that is a bit heavier but not greasy (the hand butter is a bit too greasy; I put it on the top of my hand and it's ok). I have to reapply this frequently. The packaging leaves a lot of waste when you get to the end so I do suggest cutting the top of it off and scoop out the rest of it - I was able to get almost a week of use from what was left in the tube. 

(Yes, in case you haven't noticed, I am big on packaging and waste of product)

The deodorant - I am still un-decided about how I feel about this. I love the roller-ball packaging but I'm not sure if it's effective. The smell is nice and fresh, the feel of it is very nice and cooling and doesn't leave a wet feeling after application for too long. Later on in the day, the smell of it doesn't smell the same (I'm sure due to me sweating) but it doesn't leave me smelling bad - just different. I might try another scent and come back to review this particular item. 

Overall - I would get the body butter for travel purposes because it's very compact, and I'd keep a travel size one in my bag for emergency dry-skin problems. For every day use, I'd probably use it at night so the butter has time to absorb into my skin. I won't buy the hand butter or lotion again. 

They have toxin-free days where they give away samples of products - I received a lavender face mask this week and look forward to trying it. I will continue to explore their products - I'm looking forward to trying their lip-balms when I'm done with all of mine I'm trying to get through. 

McArthurGlen Outlet, Vancouver, BC - Canada's first designer outlet mall

 

On July 9th, Vancouver and Canada opened its first designer outlet mall - the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver Airport. On its first day, it attracted so much attention that it actually caused flight delays (of course, that may be due to some poor infrastructure and planning, but that's probably for another type of blog). 

I managed to check it out last Friday after work, and this was my experience - 

I left downtown Vancouver at approximately 7:30 p.m. via the Canada Line from Waterfront Station, and it took me about 25 minutes. The outlet is advertised as being 'across the street' from Templeton Station but that is sort of mis-leading (at least for me) - as you're riding the SkyTrain in anticipation to see this new outlet at the train's destination, you see the outlet AS you're riding the train, and then watch as is slowly gets smaller in the distance as the train keeps moving. When  you finally stop, you think "OK, I see what they mean by across the street..." BUT, it's actually the parking lot of the outlet that you're across the street from. From a marketing standpoint (and I know marketing and real estate quite well), I can see how they're spinning it. Now you're set to walk across the parking lot, which is about 5-7 minutes away. (Don't me wrong, it's not a big deal but just not what I expected)

Across the street from Templeton Station

Distance to outlet from 'across the street' of Templeton Station

Your guide to the outlet

The design of the outlet is really, really nice. Compared to everything in Vancouver it's unique and the outdoor feel is really refreshing. I was SO pleased to see that there is a Cole Haan shop as those are my favourite shoes, and of course, as expected, a massive line outside of Coach. You will hear the planes and they fly quite low, making it super loud, but you know, I don't mind it so much, I think it's kind of neat =)

This is just the opening of Phase I so there are still more stores to come, including a Gucci outlet! Hurray! Currently though, I am a bit disappointed by their 'deals'. I only had time to visit 5 stores - Banana Republic, GAP, Ecco, Cole Haan, and Coach (yes, I stood in that line) and nothing impressed me that much in terms of style or pricing. In Cole Haan, their deals were 50% off regular price, but their regular prices started at $300-$350 - this is vastly different from the deals I see in the States. In Banana Republic and GAP, there were deals ranging from 40%-70% off regular price and no clearance section (maybe it's too new to have one yet). Ecco was relatively reasonable but I didn't like any of their styles. Coach, similar to what I see now in the States only had made for factory items, no section for boutique items, and the quality was poor.

I'm willing to give the outlet another shot and look forward to the opening of more stores, and also taking more time to see the ones I missed, but I don't think I'll be back any time soon. It definitely is a great alternative to having to drive to the States, but if their variety and 'deal's continue to be like this, I rather make the trip because even with the poor exchange rate, gas money, and time, I still feel like I'm getting a better deal, if not a better range in variety.