February 2023 Empties 月底空瓶

Finished a couple sunscreens this past month.   以下是我2月清空的护肤品.

 

Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen - Love the creamy texture and would repurchase, but I do wish it had higher spf.

Babo Botanicals Daily Sheer Sunscreen - Would never repurchase. because it leaves white cast and doesn't spread evenly.

January 2023 Empties 月底空瓶

Sorry for the belated post! Life got busy :(

Below are my emptied skincare products from January 2023! 以下是我1月清空的护肤品！

 

OLEHENRIKSEN Invigorating Night Transformation Gel - Really helped to smooth out my skin bumps. I would repurchase!

Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Cream - Thick, but moisturizing. Would recommend for cold and dry weather.

Vichy Capital Soleil Dry Touch Anti-Shine spf 50 -  Thick and dries matte, so I didn't enjoy using it.

 

Kitao Matcha & Chia Essence Lotion - Absorbed easily into my skin and made my skin pump and bouncy.  I would repurchase!

PrettySkin Vitamin C Ampoule - Fragrance free and soaked easily into skin in the mornings.

 

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Probio Ampoule - I like that it had no scent and I could see results within 2 weeks. So if I find it on sale I would repurchase.

What I read in 2022

A list of the books I completely finished in 2022 (我2022年读过的书):

1. Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism - Aja Barber
2. The Secular Creed - Rebecca McLaughlin
3. Silence - Shusaku Endo
4. Free Food for Millionaires - Min Jin Lee
5. A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer
6. The Lost Boy - Dave Pelzer
7. The Prodigal God - Timothy Keller
8. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo
9. Thou Shalt not be a Jerk - Eugene Cho

End of Year Empties 空瓶

I can't believe 2022 is over! 以下是我年底清空的护肤品！ Below's what I finished using towards the end of this personally crazy year:

Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C 24 Hour Moisturizer - Rose scent too strong, and broke me out, so I had to use the rest on my body. I do not recommend.

 

Dr Jart's Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Calming Gel Cream - I got to try this for free, because my sister handed it down to me when she moved to Tokyo. This face lotion is moisturizing and didn't feel sticky, so I do recommend and would use it again.

 

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA Surface Hydration - I didn't like the texture of this moisturizer, so I ended up using it as hand cream Lol

 

AmorePacific Vintage Single Extract Essence (Not pictured) - Great results, but expensive, so if I find it on sale again I would repurchase.

 

Thayer's Facial Toner Lavender - One of my fave toners. Would purchase again if on sale. 

 

Innisfree Dewy Glow Jelly Cream -  Smell nice, and absorbs quickly. This was a sample size, and I liked it enough so I purchased the regular size when it was on sale to use in 2024 haha

2022 Drama Recap

See below for a list of the tv shows I watched and remembered from 2022 (aka the year Covid became endemic):

1. Silent Sea
2. Extraordinary Attorney Woo
3. Old Enough!
4. Singles Inferno (Season 1)
5. Because this is My First Life
6. All of Us are Dead
7. The World of the Married
8. Anatomy of a Scandal
9. Alchemy of Souls (Part 1)
10. Bridgerton (Season 2)
11. Kim’s Convenience (Season 5)
12. Light The Night (Parts 2 & 3)
13. Derry Girls (Season 3)
14. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
15. The Empress
16. Royal Feast / 尚食
17. Love like the Galaxy / 星汉灿烂
18. Fighting Youth / 正青春
19. A Dream of Splendor / 梦华录
20. Mom, Don’t Do That! / 媽，別鬧了！
21. House of the Dragon (Season 1)
22. Rings of Power (Season 1)
23. Wednesday (Season 1)
24. Sh**ting Stars

Lanikai Beach (Hawaii 2022)

I was able to visit my favorite beach in the world again!! Lanikai Beach in Kailua, Oahu is clean, and has the most gorgeous water, and fine white sand imo.

Lanikai during the day, above, and during sunset, below.

Koko Head Crater Hike (Hawaii 2022)

Traveled to Hawaii this year with a large friend group to attend my roommate's wedding! I chose this hike because I wanted to conquer these stairs 👊

I'm grateful and happy I brought food and friends on this hike.

(going up!)

(close up on how they converted the old rails into stairs)

(almost to the top!)

(view from top - facing North)

(view from top - facing South)

(going back down!)

TIP: Start early in the morning if you want to avoid baking under the hot noon sun!

Grinter's Sunflower Farm

Back in September, my friends and I were fortunate enough to visit Grinter's Sunflower Farm! Sunflowers aren't always in bloom, and once they do the petals can wilt within a couple weeks! Enjoy my pics if you never get a chance to see 🌻 in-person!

August Empties 空瓶

Below are my emptied skincare products from August 2022! 以下是我8月清空的护肤品！

Sekkisei Emulsion 2.3 oz - lightweight moisturizer that's perfect for summer/humid weather, would repurchase if on-sale again.

Innisfree Jeju Pomegranate Revitalizing Serum - liked it, but wouldn't repurchase unless it was on sale again

Pro Strength Hydrabalance Brightening Moisture Infusion - unlikely to repurchase because I didn't love the texture and it pilled sometimes

Exuviance Bright Eyes Eye Cream - my dark circles didn't get lighter, so I wouldn't repurchase

Cocokind Oat to Milk Cleanser - fine as a second cleanser, but I didn't like the strong scent or texture so I wouldn't repurchase

May Empties 空瓶

Below are my emptied skincare products from May 2022! 以下是我5月清空的护肤品！

Supergoop! Play Everyday Lotion Spf 50 - Applied easily. No white cast. I would repurchase.

Shiseido Revitalizing Treatment Softener - Effects difficult to see. And I didn't like the dispenser. Won't repurchase.

 

Exuviance Sheer Refining Fluid Spf 40 - Applied easily and was lightweight. Would only repurchase if on sale, because $50-62 is not budget friendly!

Cosme Nippon Sheet Mask - I wouldn't repurchase, even though the formula was hydrating, because the mask was too small for my face. For example, the eye holes of this mask touched the corners of my eyes!

Unlikable Cleansers

Here's a list of facial cleansers I didn't like and wouldn't repurchase:

Lancome Creme Mousse Confort - stripped my skin, and my face didn't feel clean!

Shiseido Senka Perfect Whip - This is a very popular product, however, it's too much work for me. To get the best effect you have to foam it up with a net or sponge, and I just do not have the patience to make the foam. There are great cleansers out there that do just as good a job, albeit at a higher price point.

Cocokind Oil to Milk Cleanser - Overly strong floral scent. Also, it didn't feel like it removed my sunscreen, so it's better as a second cleanser.

*Not all images are my own

Cosme Nippon Sheet Mask Review (400th post!)

Recently got the Japanese @cosme nippon root vegetables sheet mask (in carrot) to try for free from my sister!

This 10 pack comes in a resealable bag, so it's more eco-friendly, but possibly less hygienic than the usual 1 sheet-mask  per pack...

You're only suppose to leave this sheet mask on for 5 minutes!! Any longer and you might feel get tingly skin.

This face mask delivers serum, but I still applied my night time serum and lotion  afterwards since my room is dry.

I wouldn't repurchase, even though the formula was hydrating, because the mask was too small for my face. For example, the eye holes of this mask touched the corners of my eyes!

There's also no expiration date on the packaging, so I will try to use up this bag ASAP to avoid contaminants.

Shop here for free delivery

Shop here for a lower price

Mad por Madrid

A quick 3 hr train ride from Barcelona is Madrid, the capital of España. We could only stay for dos dias, but they were filled with delicious food and an exciting flamenco demonstration!

[Had my 32nd birthday dinner in Plaza Mayor!]

(Museo del Prado)

(Royal Palace of Madrid)

(Almudena Cathedral)

(EatMyTrip Brunch & Cocktails)

(Taberna 4 Tapas) 

 

The food in Madrid was muy delicioso!! 

 

Overall, the rainy and windy weather in Spain gave me a cold, and Spain didn't wow me like France, so I don't know if I'd visit again... but maybe I'm too judgmental 😅

Barcelona es Gaudí

After 5 days in Paris, we took a train south to Barcelona and reunited with a precious friend who flew up from Liberia!

 

It was my first time in Spain/España and I enjoyed the people, tapas, and sangria! However, I must confess that after 4 years of Spanish in high school, my speaking accent is horrible.

 

We visited most of Barcelona's major sites:

(Mercat dels Encants)

(Arc de Triomf)

(Palau Güell)

(Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria)

(La Rambla)
 

(Sagrada Familia)

(Casa Batlló)

(National Art Museum of Catalonia/Museu d’Art de Catalunya)

(Parc Güell)