SHEET MASK | Fan Beauty Secret Black Spruce Hydra-Filler Black Mask

Purchased by me

This week has been an interesting one as I have been very focused on the topic of mental health and though I hear about it all the time and understand how important it is, I never realized how much WORK it was to stay on top of it. It's like exercise or making something a habit and it's not easy. I won't get into the whys of why I have suddenly decided to start taking care of my brain more (at least not until it's less fresh), but I am going to be dealing with unpleasantness for probably the next year and I don't know how I'll do, but I guess I will take it day by day.

KBEAUTY | Mimiang Animal Mayu Wrinkle Mask #100DaysofSheetMasks

After these 100 days of sheet masking are over, I SWEAR you will start seeing me in some makeup! I promise! I'm sure most of you would believe me if I told you that I spend 24-7 of my day in a mask of some sort at this point and I almost want to try masking outside just to see if I would have the ladyballs to do it! When it comes to sheet mask reviews, I try to feature ones that are visually interesting or have something special going on. There are masks that are ho hum and perfectly fine, but wouldn't really be all that interesting to write about because they don't look like THIS ONE. When are you ever going to see me contemplating the wonders of the universe while looking like a zebra?

SKINCARE | My Beauty Diary 2 Step Asia Brightening Pack #LunarFebruary

How is there only one week left of February?! Granted the last two weeks after I got back from my staycation have been a whirlwind at work and where I have felt only a few days have passed, it has been two weeks. I look back and I don't even know what I have been doing. I haven't had much time to play with my beauty babies and even though I held onto my blogging streak for 15 days straight, I finally crashed around Chinese New Year and allowed myself to go down the #VirtueMoir rabbit hole.

SKINCARE | For Beloved Girl Extreme Moisture Mineral Cloud Silk Mask #LunarFebruary

Two weeks ago, I reviewed the For Beloved Girl Skin Renewal Silk Mask and loved it so I thought I would continue with my thoughts on the other five masks in the FBG series especially this one that I have been using during the dry winter months - the Extreme Moisture Cloud Silk Mask* (3 pcs/$12.99 CDN)! The focus of this mask is obviously moisture with a focus on sodium hyaluronate to give thirsty skin so much needed hydration. Let's see how different/similar this was to the last FBG mask I tried!

SKINCARE | *NEW* b.liv Age Eraser Youth Preserving Bio-Cellulose Mask

You guys know I love a good sheet mask and when you make it a bio-cellulose sheet mask, life is pretty much complete. While I had mainly positive things to say about my last b.liv sheet mask (here), the one thing that I didn't like was the tackiness of the essence that lingered for almost an hour. Tackiness is pretty common for MOST sheet masks, but it is still something my skin has not gotten used to. The neweset innovations from b.liv are a series of bio-cellulose masks aimed at: hydration, soothing and anti-aging with today's review being all about the b.liv Age Eraser Youth Preserving Bio-Cellulose Mask* ($35.00 USD)!

SKINCARE | Naruko Jing Cheng 60 Actives Routine

Alrighty, do you have a cup of tea on hand? If not, go boil some water because this is going to be a bit of a long post, not because I talk too much (if I do, please tell me to hush), but because there is a whole skincare routine to discuss! Last month, I reviewed a couple of masks (here) from Taiwanese skincare company, Naruko, and had such a great experience that I moved right into the hardcore stuff - using them as my main skincare exclusively for 6 weeks!   

PR samples, Affiliate links

SKINCARE | Epic Naruko Multi Sheet Mask Review Complete with "Melfies"

Yesss, new skincare! I can never resist a new skincare brand especially an Asian one because most of the innovative new products that we have seen in North America have often been out on the Asian market for YEARS. While I am more familiar with Korean skincare, I was fascinated by a Taiwanese brand that is new to Canada called Naruko. Mainly plant-based in ingredients, Naruko has a number of different products that focus on brightening, tightening, plumping and even DNA repair. This brand felt very technical which I know not everyone enjoys, but I hope I can point out a few products that I really thought were outstanding and/or worth trying.

SKINCARE | b.liv Feel No Sluggish ATP Revival Review with Obligatory Face Mask Selfie

Back in April, I started using Malaysian brand b.liv and their renowned Japan silk masks and was pleased with the hydrating results of the first mask I tried, Immerse Me Utmost Moisture (review). This last two weeks I have been trying another b.liv mask with the fun name of Feel No Sluggish* (1 mask/$2.50 USD) which is a rejuvenating mask for tired, haggard or just "bleh"-feeling skin that uses hyaluronic acid, CoQ10 and ATP to give skin the ultimate boost!

MAKEUP | For Beloved One Melasleep Whitening BB Cream in Ivory Review with Swatches

Earlier this year, Taiwanese cosmeceutical skincare brand For Beloved One, made its official launch into the Canadian market at none other than T&T Supermarket! For anyone that has been to the Metrotown T&T in Burnaby, you will know that it is skincare HEAVEN so if you are wondering whether a makeup launch in a grocery store is weird, trust me, it isn't! The day after the FBO event in Vancouver, I got horrifically ill with orthomyxovirus aka "The Flu" and didn't get a chance to experiment in full with the line until a few weeks after. I DID end up using one of their famed biocellulose face masks in an attempt to cool down my 104 degree fever (here) and it was VERY soothing.

SKINCARE | b.liv Immerse Me Utmost Moisture Original Japan Silk Mask Review

Asian skincare is dominating the North American market and I could not be happier to find my favourites in the aisles of Sephora and in Asian cosmetics stores downtown. I wouldn't say that I necessarily stay on top of Asian beauty trends, but I have been following Singaporean bloggers for the last 5 years and reading about what's hot and happening in Asia. Back then, all of it was so incredibly foreign that I remember having to order Asian beauty products from obscure online shops. When the Malaysian-based brand b.liv (my home country!) reached out for a collaboration, I was thought, "Where have I seen this brand before?" and I realized that their parent company is Cellnique, a more "medically-targeted" line that I had read about.

b.liv already has some hero products, mainly targeting blackheads and pores as the foundation of the brand rests on "pore management solutions". The packaging and website feel fun and youthful with product names such as "Off With Those Heads" and "Feel No Sluggish" to give you a bit of a laugh! I was sent a few things to try, but based on my skincare needs for the last month, I wanted some moisture! The Immerse Me Utmost Moisture Original Japan Silk Mask* ($2.50 USD each) was introduced in 2011 and provides skin with a massive dose of hydration with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and cogongrass extract, known for imparting immediate and lasting hydration.

SKINCARE | *First Impressions* of the Dr. Wu Hyalucomplex Hydrating System

When it comes to skincare, Asia is always 10 steps ahead than the North American market. During my stint in the skincare world, I rarely would come across an Asian client who didn't already have a fairly rigourous skincare routine. Being Asian myself, I can tell you that I take it all very seriously and I am curious to see whether any of this pays off in the next 10 years!

I am not one to rush skincare reviews, but there is a promo going on for the renowned Dr. Wu this Thanksgiving long weekend that you should ALL definitely take advantage of so let's DO this first impressions review! 

Histolab | Hyaluron Complex Ampoule 62

In Asia skincare is HUGE. Much more so than in North America. Asian women are used to having multiple steps in their skincare routine and even welcome the addition of more! I myself tend to use around 5-6 products at night making my night time ritual seem quite complicated. Although I have been blessed with good skin, I do take very good care of it. This means that I am also quite picky about what goes on it so when I was introduced to the Korean skincare line Histolab and the Hyaluron Complex Ampoule ($49.99 USD), I had a look at the ingredients and decided to give it a try.

So, what kind of product is this? In terms of WHERE it should go in your skincare routine, this is a serum for ALL SKIN TYPES and should be used right after toning. The key players in this ampoule are: sodium hyaluronate, grapefruit extract, snail secretion filtrate and rose water all of which serve to instantly replenish moisture and keep skin soft and supple. This quartet of ingredients are what form the hyaluron complex.