SACHIE

Caolion Face Pacts

Korean brands are absolutely killing the skincare game! It's safe to say that my favourite skincare products are all from Korean skin care brands (*cough* Laneige, The Face Shop *cough*) You guys know how much I love my fact masks. I have three Caolion pacts to share with you today. Each is housed within a plastic jar, and comes with a small plastic spatula.

Caolion Blackhead O2 Bubble Pore Pact

This is a self-heating wash-off mask—perfect for a weekly spa-like treatment. Even better, it’s appropriate for all skin types, including sensitive skin. The mask is formulated with 100% natural sparkling water and deep-cleansing charcoal powder work to eliminate impurities. Natural oat grains make sure your skin retains its moisture, and gently buff dead skin cells away.

Texture: Mud texture and applies smoothly, although there are little grains.

Scent: A light herbal scent.

Application: I love this mask - it's so cool!I've never tried anything like this. It looks like a standard charcoal mud mask, but it foams up when applied. After a minute or two, the black mud turns into a bubble mask.

Caolion Premium Original Pore Pack

I had a very interesting experience with this one! I didn't read the label at first and had quite the surprise when I put this mask on in the shower. This is a cooling mask, which means after applying, you'll feel an intense and refreshing cooling feeling on the face! This purifying formula tightens pores and enhances the complexion. Glacial clay, Alaskan glacial water, and menthol combine for a soothing, cooling, and relaxing experience that will leave you glowing.

Texture: A smooth, slippery, mud-like texture.

Scent: Smells like VapoRub or Tiger Balm... An herby menthol scent that isn't the nicest but isn't too intense.

Application: I didn't realize that this was a cooling pact at first, and was quite alarmed that my face started tingling when I was in a hot shower. I thought I was having an allergic reaction at first! It was a pretty nice feeling though, and it'll feel great during the sweaty summer months.

Caolion Pore Tightening Memory Sleeping Pact

Now, this one conflicted me. It looks gross, but it works! I'd compare it to Laneige's Water Sleeping Pact.

Texture: A light yellow/green, fairly sticky gel. I hate to say it, but it looks like snot.

Scent: Another mask that has quite a strong scent of Chinese medicine! Whyyyyyyy, if Laneige can make a mask that smells like pocky then why can't Caolion? :( It fades quickly after application

Application: Despite the weird scent, this pact makes a notable difference on the skin.
It's a thick moisturizing mask that feels a bit sticky when you first apply it. When you wash it off in the morning, your skin feels refreshed and hydrated! I have normal - dry skin and it really does give that extra boost of hydration.

Caolion Freshly Chitosan Foam Cleanser

This cleanser quite intense. It dispenses as a cream, but lathers up into a rich and luxurious foam. I wouldn't recommend this for everyday use because it really does deeply cleanse the skin, leaving the face feeling dry and a little bit stripped afterwards. It is fantastic for removing heavy makeup, and would be ideal for those with oily skin! I would compare it to The Face Shop's Rice Water Bright cleansing foam!

You can find all of the products mentioned in this post at Peach & Lily!

Overall, I definitely like the bubbling mask the best! I've been using it the most of the three pacts, and it's just so different from any other pact that I've tried. The heating and foaming effects are really relaxing, especially if you apply it during a bath.

Have you tried any Caolion products before?

xox,

Sachie

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*This post contains press samples, but as always it's 100% my honest opinion!

It goes without saying that I'm a fan of circle lenses - I feel like they're a significant part of the ~Sachie~ look. I placed an order with Honeycolor during the New Year as a few of my lenses were due to be tossed. There was also a buy-one-get-one promotion, so I got a pair of Super Pinky Blue lenses for free.

I've owned almost every colour in the line. Today I'll be reviewing the Puffy 3-Tone Violet lenses, but you can read my review of the green ones here!

Lenses from Honeycolor come packaged inside a mini cardboard box that is wrapped in bubble tape. The lenses also come with a colourful animal case! I love these cases (especially when they match the colour of my lenses), but I find that they sometimes due tend to leak! Make sure they are stored upright, not upside down or on their sides, just in case!

Puffy 3-Tone Violet Circle Lenses

My favourite style of circle lenses is definitely the Puffy 3-Tone line. They are defined by the three tones in colour - a dark outer limbal ring, a mid tone for the iris, and a lighter (often brown or beige) inner ring. They are a larger size (15mm) diameter, and I love them because they photograph so nicely! They look bright and animated in videos as well. In about 80% of my videos, and almost all of my cosplays, I am wearing Puffy 3-tone lenses.

I love these lenses because they are perfect for cosplay! They are bright but not too cartoony, and have a natural design that blends in well. The violet lenses are darker than the Puffy 3-Tone pink, but lighter than the Puffy 3-Tone blue.

You can find them here for $25.90

Super Pinky Blue Circle Lenses

This was the pair of lenses I received for free in the promotion. Honestly, I realized that blue circle lenses just don't work on me - they look really unnatural on me and I would only really wear these for cosplay purposes! Strange, because the violet lenses look more natural on me than blue! Ha!

They have a diameter of 14.8mm, so they are almost as large as the Puffy 3-Tone series. They are characterized by the thin, dark outer limbal ring, which fades into a multidimensional mid tone blue, and then a lighter blue. These lenses photograph quite brightly - I own the bright red in this same line, and it makes me look like a demon! They are fantastic for cosplay.

You can find these lenses here for $25.90.

If you're interested in these lenses, you can get them at HoneyColor!

xox,

Sachie

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Hello lovelies!

This is the first time I've ever done a feature for a certain makeup look that I've done. I really liked how my makeup turned out for my most recent video (an unboxing of Loot Crate Anime Box), and somehow remembered to take actual detail photos after filming the video!

My favourite style of makeup is neutral shimmery tones on the eyes, winged liner, long lashes, and coral cheeks / lips.

I've been loving Tarte Products recently, especially their new Rainforest Of The Sea Collection! It's just so beautiful. Tarte has quickly risen to the top of my list of favourite makeup brands.

Makeup Products Used

Base:

Tarte Rainforest Of The Sea Water Foundation in Fair - Light mixed with a drop of Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 2, to lighten the shade a tiny bit.
Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation in Fair Honey (reviewhere)
Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in 150 Neutralizer
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

Eyes

Puffy 3-Tone Violet Circle Lenses (15mm) - (review here)
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Eyeshadow Palette in Mermaid (lid), Starfish (crease), and Reef (outer V) - (review here)
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper (for wings and drawing on bottom lashes because I basically don't have any)
L'Oreal Miss Manga Rock mascara

Brows

L'Oreal Brow Stylist Pencil in Brunette
L'Oreal Brow Plumper mascara in Brunette

Cheek / Contour

MAC Archie's Girls blush in Cream Soda (review coming soon!)
Tarte Park Princess Ave bronzer

Lips

Sephora Collection Rouge Infusion Oil Lip Stain in Tangerine Stain (but it had kinda rubbed off by the end of the video)

So recently, my eyelids have been really puffy in the morning. Not sure why, maybe the allergy season is starting up a bit early? It's really annoying because one of my eyelids stretched out a bit and created a weird triple fold, making one eye look noticeably larger than the other due to the larger lid space. I have lots of folds on my eyelids, so I used a bit of my favourite lash glue (a brand called 'Magic', I got it on Pinkicon but it seems they don't carry it any more). It comes with a little brush so application is easier. I paint on the glue where I want my new crease to be and gently push in the skin with my double eyelid stick thing.

You cans see the makeup in action here ;)

I also used my current favourite, holy grail peach blush - MAC Archie's Girls blush in Cream Soda. Yes, I've only had it for a week. Yes, it is holy grail. Look out for a review post heading your way soon!

xox,

Sachie

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In 2013, I remember passing by the MAC store in my local mall. At this point I was just getting into makeup, and the MAC store seemed much too intimidating for me. At least in Sephora, I could walk around and swatch till my heart's content without much fear of a makeup artist asking me if I needed help. The outside of the store was decorated with images promoting their Archie's Girls collection launch!

I remember seeing the displays and wanting to go inside, but at this point I was still learning makeup basics and $30+ for a blush seemed insane.... (Little did past me know that I'd happily drop that and probably more... Whoops!) I love Archie comics. I've been collecting issues ever since I was a preteen - I used to raid garage sales over the summer in search of Archies, Jugheads, and Betty & Veronicas... my hunts were usually quite successful! As a result, I have a box of comics stored away in storage somewhere.

For the past year or so, I've been looking on r/makeupexchange for MAC Archie's Girls releases. The 2013 collection was limited edition, and I had very little hope that I was going to find one. Fortunately, somebody was selling 2 (!!!) slightly swatched MAC blushes in Cream Soda. The exchange rate meant that it cost much more than I would have liked, but in the end, I finally got my dream blush - and my first MAC product!

MAC - Archie's Girls Blush in Cream Soda (2013 LE)

Cream soda is described as a neutral peach. I ABSOLUTELY LOOOOVE THIS. This is my ideal blush colour! It's a matte peach that has medium coverage. This colour works so wonderfully with my skin tone. It's a little bit powdery during application, so a soft hand is the trick! You could go a little overboard with this blush and it wouldn't even look too noticeable because the colour is so natural looking.

It isn't really that noticeable. It's the perfect blush for adding a flush of colour without being too bright. The perfect everyday blush.

Unfortunately, my love affair with this blush seems to be quite starcrossed. Why did this shade have to be limited edition? There seem to be some close dupes on Temptalia, but everything about this blush (down to the packaging - Betty being a cutie), is just so perfect!

If anyone has an extra, I'd be willing to buy it off you just so I have backups :)

Are there any limited edition collections you wished you hadn't missed out on?

xox,

Sachie

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Glossybox - March 2016

The March Glossybox had a pretty good selection - I loved 3/5 products that were included! Great brands too - Too Faced, Luxie Brushes, and Eyeko! I love it when boxes include a nice variety of items and sizes, ranging from full size to travel size!

Let's take a look inside...

I Love ... Coconut & Cream Super Soft Hand Lotion
Hmmm, I'm quite conflicted with this one. It's a full size bottle which is good, and the lotion itself isn't greasy or oily. The scent is just... so strong! It carries a very sweet and strong creamy coconut fragrance, Probably a little better for the summer months!

Luxie Angled Face Brush
A super soft angled face brush. I actually got one of these brushes a while ago in an ipsy bag! It has super soft bristles and I never experienced any fallout. It's my favourite brush for applying blush because it fits perfectly on my cheek!

Vine Vera Resveratrol Merlot Moisture Day Cream (x2 Samples)
I have never heard of this brand before. The Glossybox included to deluxe sample pots! I actually gave this to my mom because I'm at a point where I'm happy with my skincare regime, and I know what works for me!

Eyeko That's Where I Draw The Line Liquid Eyeliner Pen
Finally, an Eyeko product! I've never tried Eyeko before, since it's not really a brand that is widely carried in Canada. This is the Alexa Chung (aka my queen) collaboration, featuring an inky black liquid eyeliner pen with a felt nib. Very good for drawing on wings!

Too Faced Melted Liquid Lipstick in Chihuahua
Probably the most exciting item in the entire box. I've tested some of the shades in Sephora but couldn't bring myself to drop another $25 on a lipstick. Fortunately, one appeared in my Glossybox! It's about half the size of a regular tube. The shade 'Chihuahua' is described as a dusty mauve. I'm going to be annoying and say it's very 'Kylie Jenner', aka perfect for me.

What are your thoughts on the March Glossybox?

xox,

Sachie

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*This post contains press samples, but as always it's 100% my honest opinion!

Light & Fresh

March was not a particularly adventurous makeup month. The month came in like a lion, and it looks like it'll be going out like one as well! The weather was crazy, along with my skin. March was all about soft neutral colours and a light base, along with a focus on skincare. Here are some items that really stood out to me!

Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Repairing Mask

Laneige really saved my skin this month! This mask smells like strawberry pocky (aka absolutely mouthwatering delicious! I have no idea how they nailed this scent so well!) It's a thin, creamy, lotiony mask that I like to put one during a soak in the bath. Read my full review here!

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

Whaaaat? Another Laneige mask? Of course, I had to fit in another product from my favourite skincare brand! This light gel mask is the perfect sleeping mask. It absorbs quickly, smells fantastic, and most importantly calms and hydrates the skin. This was also featured in my post about Laneige 2016 releases, and is also one of the brand's most popular items!

Tarte Rainforest Of The Sea Eyeshadow Palette

I blame Desi Perkins for this one - her snapchats whilst on vacation with Tarte in Hawaii seriously captured my heart! She swatched these and the shades looked gorgeous - I snapped them up when they were on VIB preorder! This is the perfect combination of spring and summer inspired shimmery neutral shades. *happy tear* I swatched and reviewed it here! It's a bit more warm toned than my Naked 2 palette, which I think works better for me in the summer months.

Tarte Rainforest Of The Sea Water Foundation

As of right now, I've been mixing this foundation with a drop of my Armani Luminous Silk foundation... It's a shade too dark for me (*pale neck problems*) but it'll work really well in the summer time when I've tanned a bit! The formula is really nice and light, but the dropper packaging has proven to be quite messy...

Estee Lauder Pore Vanishing Stick

This stick has lived in my makeup bag ever since it arrived at my doorstep last month! Bye bye pores, seeya never. Read my review here!

Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in 150 Neutralizer

My foolproof neutral concealer. Some days I'll use this and nothing else! It's light and concealing without looking cakey, and it lasts all day!

Maybelline Color Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow in Bad To The Bronze

Still a fail proof base! It has worked very well with the Tarte Rainforest Of The Sea Eyeshadow palette!

Sephora Rouge Infusion Lip Stain in Tangerine Ink

These lip stains were on the sale section of the Sephora website, so I had to snap up a few more colours (although most were sold out.) I'm pretty sure Sephora has repackaged them in clear tubes, which looks much cheaper and not as luxe as the black tube. Tangerine Ink is a lovely neutral orange-toned shade!

MAC Archie's Girls Blush in Cream Soda

The almighty holy grail blush that I love love loveeeee!! I could ramble on for ages, but instead, you can just read my blog review here. The absolute perfect neutral coral powder blush.

What products have you been loving this month? I'm pretty sure that Sephora has their VIB sale in April so I'll have lots of new goodies to feature! Things on my ~list~ include the beauty blender and a new full coverage foundation for con season... I'm thinking Make Up Forever or Kat Von D!

xox,

Sachie

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*This post contains press samples, but as always it's 100% my honest opinion!

Glico Japanese Curry

If you know me, you'll know that I frickin' love curry. Indian, Japanese, Thai... Curry is just an all around winner in my book! I often post videos when I make curry over on my snapchat (add me - lovelyghost). Accompanied with rice, it's a hearty and filling meal that's great for chilly days and works well for leftovers for the next few days. Compared to other curries I've tasted, this one is a bit more savory and not as spicy.

I've used a few different types of curry paste blocks, but I found that the ones from Glico are my favourite. I buy the 'hot' flavour which isn't spicy, and this is coming from someone who can't do spice at all! I often add pepper to the recipe. It also works great without meat - I often make vegetarian curry.

Keep in mind that the smell is pretty strong... your clothes will probably end up smelling like curry so make sure to pop open a window and turn on your fan!

This recipe makes about 4 servings, and takes about 40 minutes to prep/cook.

Ingredients

1 box of Glico Japanese Curry (Hot) - I only use about 4 cubes of curry. It's a pretty well known brand and I think most Asian supermarkets carry it!
Vegetables (lots lots lots!) You can use whatever I want, but here's generally what I use.

Half a large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
A handful of frozen green beans
1 head of broccoli
1 large potato, diced and cubed
1 carrot, sliced
Half a box of mushrooms, chopped up into very small pieces
Sometimes I'll chuck in a bunch of frozen Asian style veggies.

1 large chicken breast (diced) , or about 500g of ground beef
A bit of vegetable oil
Salt / pepper.
Rice (to serve)

Directions

The first step is optional, but I like doing this for a pop of spice. Take your diced meat and rub on a thin layer of pepper (I also use texmex seasoning sometimes). Make sure to really work it in! Set it aside.

Pop 2 pots of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Add a dash of salt. Put in your potatoes and boil on medium for about 15 mins or until soft. In the other pot, boil your broccoli and frozen veg on low heat!

Place a large pan on medium-low heat. Add a dash of vegetable oil and pop in your onions. Saute them until they are start turning golden. Add in your meat and and cook thoroughly!

Add in the peppers, mushrooms, green beans, and carrots. Turn up the temperature to medium/ high heat and saute for a few minutes until meat is beginning to brown.

Until this point, it's pretty much your basic stirfry recipe.

It's looking pretty colourful right now! Next, take your box of curry - I'm using the hot variety from Glico. You'll find little paste blocks inside... It almost looks like chocolate (but definitely doesn't smell like it!)

Now, this is up to preference. I break off about 4 - 5 blocks, which is about half of the package. I like my curry to taste fairly strong. I would recommend using about 2 - 3 blocks and testing how rich you like the flavour from there.

Add in your frozen veg and potatoes - let them sit and cook with the rest of the vegetables for a minute. Take a bit of the potato water and add about 2 cups to your stirfry.

Break up your curry blocks and scatter them around! They'll slowly begin to melt into the water, creating a thick sauce.

Cover with a lid and let it simmer as the mixture reduces a bit. It should be quite thick.

Serve up your rice and top with a few heaped spoonfuls of curry! It will be nice and hot...dig in!

And there you go! ~Sachie's Specialty Curry~, aka one of my favourite meals to make. I don't make this too often because it is quite rich, but so tasttttyyy!!Save it for cheat day :)

Have you tried Japanese style curry before?

xox,

Sachie

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I've picked up a few products which I've really been loving lately - a little mix of skincare and makeup! Apart from the Bare Minerals powder, these are all readily available at the drug store.

Dove Dry Deodorant Spray (Original)

Aerosol deodorants and only recently becoming a thing here in Canada. When I lived in the UK, I noticed that deodorants were primarily sprays, and I liked them a lot better than the stick types; my favourite was the Dove Pomegranate spray! However when I tried it out, it seemed to smell different than I last remembered. The original scent is soft (kind of like baby powder), dries quickly, and claims to have 48hr protection.

Nivea Men After Shave Balm

This was another youtube impulse purchase. I've been loving NikkiTutorials recently, and she often uses this after shave balm as a primer! I never really use primers (sometimes they feel to siliconey for me), but it was on sale for $6 at Loblaws so I figured why not? It's a liquidy lotion texture when first applied, but dries quickly and leaves a slightly tacky surface that works well as a makeup base! It does leave behind a ~manly~ scent that definitely lingers for a bit (maybe an hour or so?). It's not too strong but I'm quite sensitive to scents and I kept picking it up after I had finished my makeup. A great budget primer!

Caolion Pore Tightening Memory Sleeping Pact

I'm going to be real here - the appearance and texture looks like mucus. It's a weird jelly consistency that's hard to describe, and it has a slightly herbal scent. But it feels so good on the skin! It's an ultra moisturizing sleeping mask that makes your face feel all cool and tingly. Read my full review here!

Bare Minerals Original Powder Foundation in Fairly Light.

This was given to me by a friend who originally bought it for herself but didn't like how it looked on her. Luckily... I love it! I like powder foundations, and I'm almost finished my little pot of the Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Powder Foundation (which I own in Ivory, but it's a shade too light for me right now.) This Bare Minerals formula is medium coverage and feels invisible on the skin. I've never tried any Bare Minerals before but I think I can say that I'm in love! This is the original formula, which gives your skin a satiny finish (not completely matte.)

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara

An oldie but a goodie. I tossed a bunch of mascaras last week so I decided to go back to one of my favourites as a teen! The wand is long and stiff, and works fabulously to lengthen and volumize my lashes. The waterproof formula holds a curl, and any mascara that manages to keep my straight-ass iron filings for lashes in place is a winner in my book.

Have you tried out any of these products? The Nivea After Shave Balm is a real steal of a deal if you can get past the man-deodorant scent! Raid your boyfriend's washroom cabinets because you might already have this lying around! ;) Luckily, I absolutely love colognes and after-shave smells so I can't get enough of this, especially for $6!
xox,

Sachie

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The Formula That's Been On Everyone's Lips

First of all - apologies for the silence this week! I caught the flu and was promptly out of service for a few days. I'm still recovering (the lingering coughs are the worst!!) but posting will go back on schedule! :)

Ever since the Amuse Bouche formula lauched as part of Bite's mega overhaul and reformulation of the Luminous Creme line, I've been lusting. Lusting haaaard. So many wonderful colours, such difficult decisions! I had $40 left on a gift card and decided the pick it up during the VIB sale - the 15% off ended up coming to about $28. Still a lot for a lipstick, but spoiler alert I'm in love!

Bite Amuse Bouche Lipstick - Sweet Cream vs Gingersnap

About two days after I picked up Sweet Cream, I went back and got Gingersnap. They are two very similar colours, but look slightly different when swatched!

Why would I get two very similar shades, you may ask? I'm super unadventurous with lipsticks - the wildest I'll go is a cool toned mauve (KVD Lovecraft.) I love my peaches and corals and pink nudes and warm mauves, and as much as I try to push my lip boundaries, I always come back to the safe sides. I figured there was no point in spending $30 on a lipstick shade that I wouldn't get full value from.

Can we just take a moment to talk about the packaging? So simple and chiq and the typography and colour palette and ahhhhhhhhh!!!! The lipstick comes in a simple cardboard box with a colourful and lippy sleeve. The bullet itself is rubbery with a slanted cap and will forever bother that twinge of OCD because dust sticks to the rubber.

Sweet Cream

If you're like me, you're probably at the loss at the huge colour selection! Which Amuse Bouche do I pick? Oh girl, I feel ya - I had a bit of a difficult time picking a shade. I knew I wanted an orange toned lip because they suit me the best, so it came down to Gingersnap (fresh peach - light orange toned), or Sweet Cream(muted peach - runs more of a red-tone). I fell in love with both shades, but I don't have any deeper orange-reds at the moment and thought it would be a nicer, safer, deeper pop of colour.

Swipe on bold, creamy lip color with Bite Beauty’s Amuse Bouche. Created and crafted by hand, Bite’s small batch, low-heat process preserves a balanced blend of lip-quenching nutrients, vitamins, and omega oils that are essential for achieving healthy-looking lips. Made with 12 edible oils and triple milled pigments, this lipstick provides saturated lip color with weightless coverage and a citrus flavor made from fresh pressed fruit.

The formula of the Amuse Bouche lipsticks is really nice - it lasts for quite a long time on the lips and feels creamy and light, but not sticky. It does transfer doing the kiss test, and requires application after eating. I don't even mind though, it's such a wonderful formula. It has a delicious citrus scent.

Gingersnap

Compared to Sweet Cream, the shade Gingersnap is much brighter and yellow-toned. I figured it would be a nice brighter pop of colour, perfect for the spring and summer seasons! The formula stains the lips and leaves a really nice coral colour behind.

How do they compare? As you can see below, the two shades swatch quite similarly, but when worn, Gingersnap is much brighter.

Have you tried any of the Amuse Bouch releases?

xox,

Sachie

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It's that tiiiiiime again...

...Sephora spring sale! As per the usual spring event, VIBs had 15% off their purchases. Unfortunately for us Canadians, this pretty much just covers tax (13% in Ontario). Woo, no tax and 2% off! What's a steal! I'll take any type of discount I can get though - I used this opportunity to stock up on some items that are going to run out between now and the next sale.

I used ebates for the current 4% cash back - seriously, if you're not already doing this, get started! You use the site's affiliate links and get cash back through online purchases! It's great - check it out here! :D

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Gingersnap

I literally just did a post about my first Bite Beauty purchase - Amuse Bouche lipstick in Sweet Cream (which you can read about here). I'm completely addicted to the formula - it's so creamy and longlasting, and fades to a matte finish. It's a brighter peach colour compared to Sweet Cream, which is a bit deeper and red-toned.

I had $15 left on my gift card so I figured I may as well get Gingersnap since it's the perfect summer peach! So I only really had to pay $14 for another Amuse Bouche! Awww yeeeeea.

Urban Decay Chill Makeup Setting Spray

I've been using the UD Makeup Setting Sprays for years now! I've only used Deslick and I'm running low on my current bottle of All Nighter. I decided to try out Chill, which seems like it'll work well for the summer! One bottle will last me for a very long time, so I only ever buy it on sale. I find that all of the UD setting sprays are quite similar, but this one has a cooling effect on the skin, very refreshing.

To stop makeup meltdown, just Chill. Perfect for drier or combination skin, Chill mists on to keep makeup from smudging or settling into fine lines. Temperature Control Technology actually chills the surface of your makeup to keep it looking gorgeously just-applied for up to 12 hours.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

My holy grail face cream. The Ultra Repair Cream is amazing. It repairs and hydrates my dry skin super quickly, and works especially well during the winter months. I would have bought the larger tube but it was sold out, and I hate the tub designs. If you suffer from dry/chapped skin, this is a life saver!

Chloe Love Story Eat De Parfum Rollerball

Chloe scents are so lovely and romantic. My previous rollerball - the Chloe original scent- is almost finished, and I absolutely needed to pick up another one! Love Story seems a bit stronger than the original, and a bit sweeter. The rollerball format is more convenient as I keep one as a permanent resident in my purse, great for touchups and on the go.

Floral, fresh, and sexy, Love Story is the new unforgettable essence of seduction from Chloé. Orange flower oil opens the fragrance with a radiant, luminous, and intoxicating characteristic like the flush of new love. The seductive and joyful scent of stephanotis jasmine, often used in wedding bouquets, gives the fragrance its heart. Finally the scent is grounded by the sensual diffusion, strength, and freshness of cedarwood, creating a unified and complex base that endures.

I also decided to redeem some of my VIB points for a mini Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye & Makeup Remover (great for travel), and the Minnie Mouse tote bag for the Sephora collaboration! I don't really wear tote bags too often but the design is super cute and I figured it would be good to use as a grocery bag or something!

Aaaand finally, here are the three samples I picked up! I'm particularly interested in the Darphin oil as I love to try out new skincare and serums, especially floral scented ones!

I bought less than I originally planned - the Anastasia contour kit sat in my cart for a while until I finally convinced myself that I wasn't going to get full value from it. (I was thinking more for cosplay purposes, but I'm still not sure. Still trying to decide, but if I do get it, it'll likely be when ebates is at 8% cash back!) I also thought about getting the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation for something a bit higher coverage, but I'll probably get that from The Bay when they have a free gift with purchase offer!

Did you pick up any goodies during the Sephora spring sale?

xox,

Sachie

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#BeautyAttitudes

About two weeks ago, Sperrens and I were invited to the Toronto launch of The Estee Edit! As you may have heard, The Estee Edit is part of the Estee Lauder line, but with a fresher and more trendy approach! We walked down to The Distillery District (which I had surprisingly never been to - it's so rustic and cute!) The launch was actually held at a venue called Airship 37. The room we were in was chic and modern looking, decorated with white couches and blue lighting, totally on par with the brand's look!

There were makeup stations set up in the middle of the room to play with the products...

Of course, we had to try that crazy teal lip. (Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick in The Storm) I ended up swapping it out for a different neutral colour but Sperrens did her thang and rocked the blue lip!

Also check out that crazy swatch arm! You know you're a beauty blogger when...

They also included cute tote goodie bags featuring the Mattified Lipstick in You're Welcome (a true red), the Lip Flip Shade Transformer in Turn Up (yellow) and turn down (black), and the Peony Water Sleeping Mask! I've been using the sleeping mask and it's absolutely lovely - look out for an updated skincare post coming your way soon!

You can check out my reviews of the Estee Edit line here, here, and here!

Have you tried the Estee Edit before?

*This post contains press samples, but as always it's 100% my honest opinion!

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Lit From Within

(...Minus to $$$, but thanks for the catchphrase Charlotte!) Glow bases seem to be all the rage these days - a viral trend that seems to be taking over our blogs, our instagram feeds, and of course, our makeup kits! I'll admit, I'm not that into the glow. I have quite dry skin and I feel like sometimes a sheen can emphasize that. In the summer, I'm pretty sure I sweat enough that I could pass off the perspiration as "that new hourglass setting powder!"

I'm not super super into matte - I guess I lean more towards...satin finishes? Is that the term? Dewy, I suppose. Here are my top pics for the days I do feel like being lit from within.

Estee Edit Beam Team

I absolutely love this stuff! It reminds me of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector deluxe sample I received about two years ago (still 3/4 full because you seriously need the lightest touch.) Of course, the Estee Edit Beam Team is the newest glowing boost on the market, and for good reason. They say you can use it as a glowing moisturizer or primer under foundation, but that's a little too much for me. I like it as a light and sheer sheen across the tops of the cheeks on more natural days - highlighting without being too highlightery. Read my full review here!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light

100% hype-driven purchase because I'm a poor, poor sheep. I only ever use this in the spring and fall, it seems, or whenever I'm looking to achieve a very natural dewy effect on the skin. It doesn't too much for oil control but it does have quite a nice blurring effect. I use it to set the high points of my face. The packaging is lovely but I don't know if I'll ever get through this entire compact... Although I hear they do make a mini sized version, which I'm sure is more than enough.

Bourjois Java Rice Powder

A purchase from my days of living in England - this little pot of shimmery setting powder is all I need to feel girly and glowy. They had just released the vintage-style packaging of the Java Rice Powder, and I had to have it! It's superfine and looks quite glittery until applied to the skin, where it gives a very ethereal element to the skin.Oh, and it smells like Rockets (or Smarties if you're in the USA) .

Majolia Majorca Jeweling Eyes Eyeshadow Quad in BR792

Another one of my most treasured makeup items - this quad from Majolica Majorca. My friend Sunny and I did a swap a few years ago and she sent me a few Asian brands to play around with. This quad is all I need for a soft, sultry, and diffused eye look. The colour palette is gorgeous - a glittery white, silvery-rose, warm-toned copper, and dark chocolate brown. I only use it for special occasions because it also photographs beautifully.

Ofra Cosmetics Eyeshadow and Highlighter in Bliss

A highlighter that could rival the likes of Champagne Pop, this little pan arrived at my doorstep in an ipsy box! It's a highly pigmented cool-toned bronze that makes for a wonderful summer glow! It doesn't look too dark on the skin and is suitable for paler skintones. It doubles as a fabulous eyeshadow, with an intense foil effect when applied with a wet brush.

What are your favourite products for glowy skin? Have you tried any of these products before?

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Neutral Naturals

...Say that five times fast! I've seriously been loving light and bright shades for spring - a stark difference from the berry and oxblood shades that have been gracing my nails these past winter months. Neutral shades are clean and demure, which fits quite well with the young blossoms of spring! It's finally getting warmer too - yesterday was a shocking 25C, considering it was snowing about a week ago!

There are some lovely soft neutrals on the markets lately - Essie is a real winner in my book! (With an honourable mention to Sephora's Formula X, but we'll get into that in a second. Here are my top four faves for neutral nails this spring!

Starting with the lightest shade...

Formula X Nail Polish in Invincible (mini size)

This was actually part of the Sephora Meet Your Match 2015 value kit (read my full review here). It say in my nail polish box for a few months until I recently decided to pull it out. Invincible is a beige-toned creme nude, which works better on my skin tone than something cooler toned. It's light without looking too light - essentially, it works well on pale skin.

Essie - Vanity Fairest

I'm pretty sure this is my third bottle of the stuff! Vanity Fairest is a sheer pastel pink polish with subtle iridescence which builds up to a fairly opaque coverage at about 3 - 4 coats. It's one of my favourite natural shades, and the subtle shimmer gives it a bit of dimension. I feel pretty girly whenever I wear it, and it works well with all of my clothes.

Essie - Topless and Barefoot

Topless and Barefoot is described as a barely there soft beige pink nail color. It almost looks like the Formula X shade with an ever-so-slight tinge of lilac and pink! Perfect for an effortlessly beautiful, beachy look!

Essie - Lady Like

A touch deeper than Topless and Barefood, Lady Like is an elegant soft mauve nail lacquer. I was absolutely obsessed with this colour and wore it for about a month straight until I wanted something a smidge lighter. The colour is beautiful and dainty, eyecatching but not too bright.

I absolutely love the Formula X and Essie polish formulations. I typically set a base coat of Sally Hansen Triple Strong Gel Hardener and Base, and top the polish with the Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat.

As much as I love neutrals, I can't wait to crack into the bright shades for summer! Here are some of my favourite summer shades in case you're wondering! :)

What are some of your favourite neutral polishes? Have you tried these picks from Essie or Formula X?

P.S. - I've switched up my blog layout! What do you think?

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Summer Glow... In A Box!

Sephora Favorites are some of my favourite makeup kits - they're a great way to try out a curated line of their most popular items...through a selection of deluxe sample and full sized products! I was scouring the Sephora website when I spotted their Sephora Favourites 2016 Bronze Bares-All set!

This 8 piece kit contains a range of products suited to give you that bronzey summer glow we're all looking for. (I'm super pale, and I'm hoping to tan a bit this summer...this kit is perfect!) I don't own any of the products in this kit, and I figured this kit would be the perfect opportunity. Eight items for $48... That works out to be about $6 per item!!! SIX DOLLARS!! For a mini Nars bronzer and a Becca Highlighter? Yes please!!

Let's take a closer look at my review and swatches of the Sephora Favourites 2016 Bronze Bares-All set! :D

Ingredient List

There was a sticker over the Smashbox item. I tried peeling it back to find out if a different item was supposed to be in the kit but I'm pretty sure it was just for a spelling error or something!

What's inside?

Pull off summer’s most stylish, neutral-inspired looks. This coveted collection features eight bronzy basics—from gold flecked glows to coppery shadows—for radiant, sunkissed makeup.

This set contains:
- 0.86 oz Vita Liberata Phenomenal 2-3 Week Tinted Tan Mousse in Medium
- 0.01 oz Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Liner in Penny Lane
- 0.08 oz Nars Bronzing Powder in Laguna
- 0.085 oz Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Opal
- 0.035 oz Tarte Amazonian butter lipstick in Park Ave.
- 0.15 oz BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Trail Blazer
- 0.13 oz Formula X The Colors - Revved Up in Rose Gold
- 0.05 oz Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Copper

Sephora states that this kit has a value of $115 US! Overall I think that this kit has a fabulous selection of brands and products. I've heard a complaint from some people that Becca's Opal was included in the last year's Bronzey Favourites. I've never tried any of these products before so I was excited for everything!

Face

There are two base products in this kit - a bronzer and a highlighter. First thing you'll notice - the size. These products are seriously weenie! I wasn't expecting a full sized product in this kit but daaaamn these are tiny. Not that big of a deal to me because it takes me forever to get through powder products that aren't foundations. If you're also someone who uses super light highlight and contour, I'm quite sure you'll like these!

Nars Laguna Bronzer

Temptalia describes the Nars Laguna Bronzer as a "medium-dark tan brown with warm, orange-yellow undertones and a golden shimmer-sheen finish." It's a cult classic! I'll probably end up using it as a travel-sized contour/bronzer.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector

Becca is touted for their beautifully pigmented highlighters, and I was so excited to see Opal included in this set! Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal is described as a "golden opal pearl," and works very well on my light - neutral skin tone. It also looks incredible as an eyeshadow!

Eyes

The two eye products included in this set are full sized! I must say, I absolutely love these two pencils. (Nail polish is Essie's Lady Like - read about my spring nail polish picks here!)

Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kohl Liner in Penny Lane

I don't wear kohl liners that often (I'm more of a liquid kind of gal), but I'm still a huge fan of brown liners nonetheless! Penny Lane is more of a medium chocolate brown shade with shimmer. This is a twist up pencil that sharpens itself when you twist the cap back on. It has long staying power! You'll definitely need a tough waterproof makeup remover or cleansing balm to take this one off though!

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Copper

Another full size product, and another one I'm falling in love with! The Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks are a favourite within the beauty community, and for good reason. The shade copper is intensely pigmented, and applies so smoothly across the eyelid. Easily blendable and a gorgeous shade! This full sized product retails for $35 on Sephora, yet it's included in this kit! Super great value!

I quickly swiped the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick across my eyelids and blended it out with my fingers. It's a warm copper-gold and looks gorgeous all around the eye! I'm in love! I then lined my eyes and made a quick little flick with the Smashbox kohl pencil - because it self sharpens, it was quite easy to make a wing!

Lips

Tarte Amazonian butter lipstick in Park Ave

At first, I thought this shade was going to be a brown lipstick (since their bronzer is also called Park Ave Princess - a natural assumption, right?) It's actually a soft peachy shade....queue the heart eyes! The Tarte Butter Lipstick is a creamy and glossy lipstick...it's more like a balm-lipstick hybrid. This shade isn't super pigmented though - if you want the true peach colour, you might want to use a little bit of concealer?

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Trail Blazer

I don't wear glosses that often, but I'm planning to make an exception for this. bareMinerals is a brand that I've only recently begun to explore, and I'm loving it! Trail Blazer is a thick and warm-toned peachy gloss with a slightly sticky finish. I think this might be a set exclusive because I don't see the full size listed on the Sephora (CA) website! I think it'll look beautiful when layered on top of a nude or orange lipstick!

Swatches

I'm super impressed by these items so far - the colours compliment each other so perfectly, allowing everyone to easily create a bronzey summer glow! Of all the favourites sets that I've tried in the past (Meet Your Match 2015 and Give Me Some Lip 2013) have contained items that I've given away or not used... All of the items in The Sephora Bronze Bares All 2016 are shades that I would wear on a daily basis!

Body

There are two additional body items - The Vita Liberata Luxury Tan in Medium. I've never used a self tanner before but I can't wait to test this out when it gets a bit warmer outside! Something to note though - the instructions say to apply with a mitt (to prevent streamy tan hands), but the kit itself does not come with a mitt.

There's also a beautiful "Revved Up in Rose Gold" nail polish by Formula X! It's super shimmery and glittery, perfect for summer. It's a mini size though.

Aaaand here's my look! I was wearing a lip tint before this that stained my lips a cherry pink - the lip products are actually more peachy coloured! I like how everything blended together though!

What are your thoughts on this kit? Have you tried any of these products before? What are your favourite products for that summer bronze?

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Sailor Pluto Cosplay Progress - Part 1

Hello everyone! Today I'll be sharing some of the progress on my Sailor Pluto cosplay! If you've been following me on my other social media accounts like Instagram and Facebook, you'll have known that I've previously cosplayed Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter! I'm such a huge fan of the Sailor Moon series as it was quite dear to me growing up. Pluto will likely be my last Sailor Scout cosplay before I retire the bodysuit, and I've decided to post all of my progress.

I'm modifying my basic white Sailor Scout bodysuit, and the black skirt is a simple circle skirt pattern. The bow is borrowed from my Sailor Mars cosplay.

I have a few more updates to come, so stay tuned! You can check out my previous cosplay tutorials / progress reports under the Cosplay Progress tab.

This post will be covering the tiara, boots, and sailor collar.

Sailor Tiara

Sailor Tiaras have a very basic design and are super easy to make! The design is quite straight forward - it's a 'v' shape. Measure across your forehead and sketch out accordingly. Here's a template you can use!

I transfered the design onto craft foam, and then sandwiched two layers of worbla over top! I didn't bother smoothing out the worbla with gesso because most of it is hidden under the hair, and the textured design gives some dimension when photographed! I made the gem out of worbla scraps and painted over it with nail polish for that enamel gem look.

I attached ribbon to the ends. I tie the ribbons over the top of my wig cap and tuck the rest under the wig!

Sailor Collar

The sailor collars are super simple to make - I initially used this tutorial on the McCalls cosplay blog.

I traced the design from my Jupiter sailor collar and cut out two pieces of black material and one piece of white felt (which gives support and shape to the collar.) I sewed the pieces together and flipped it inside out, leaving the back straight edge open.

I folded and tucked in the back edge, pinned it, and sewed it! After that I ironed everything out so the seams were all flat and smooth. I also stitched two little button snaps onto the pointed ends of the collar (at the front) so they would attach to my body suit.

If you own a cat, you probably understand my pain. I filmed this vine a while ago while working on a cosplay project and it basically summarizes my entire life's struggle. The collar is detachable which makes getting in and out of the outfit a lot easier, and also hides a portion of the back seam.

Here's the suit so far. As I mentioned before, the white bodysuit was from my previous sailor scout costumes, and the black skirt is a simple circle skirt design. I also altered the white suit a bit so it would be a bit more fitted, since the fabric stretched out.

The bow is from my Sailor Mars cosplay - the colours were similar enough so I decided to use it! :D

Pluto Boots

Found these suede boots at a thrift store! They fit really well and the heel isn't too tall, which means I can actually walk around in them! (Wearing tall heels is super uncomfortable for me because I never wear them / not used to the feeling.) I was really debating between these and another hair with a higher heel though, because generally higher heels photograph better... Just look at my Jupes photos! Those were 3 or 4 inches I think, and hell to walk in....

The boots themselves have a really nice pointed toe, and side profile. However, they were much too baggy! As a comparison, I sewed the left one much tighter so it would be fitted to my leg, and not slouch as much.

I had to make the fronts pointed because that's the style of most Sailor boots. The shape looks a bit wonky but I'm buying some white bias tape fabric to sew along the edge so it'll be much smoother and pointier!

My next progress posts will cover wig styling, accessories, and the staff. This post was originally posted on my Patreon account! I post a lot of cosplay progress on there (much of which is exclusive to Patrons.) I host monthly livestreams and polls deciding on my next video topic, cosplay, and tutorials! I an unable to monetize many of my videos due to copyright so I really appreciate all of your support.

Let me know if you have any questions! :) Thanks again!

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Ooh gurl, your brows are on fleeeeeek!

Or at least, I'd like to hope! My brow journey has been a rough one. My early teen years saw them plucked to a curved thin line - Myspace scene kid aesthetic anyone? (Those photos will never see the light of day.) I manged to grow them out a bit but the stress of university introduced a little trich tick, where I pulled out almost half of my eyebrow hairs in order to cope. Finally, I feel like I'm at a place where I'm relatively happy with my brows, both in thickness and in shape. I've tried out a plethora of brow products these past few years and I'm here to share my secrets.

My Current Weapon of Choice...

L'Oreal Brow Stylist Pencil in Brunette - I absolutely love this skinny twist up pencil. My brows are quite full at the moment and only require so sketching and filling in. This pencil is great for creating shape in the brows. The spooly on the other end is thin and precise, ideal for diffusing harsh lines. My only complaint is that there's such a tiny amount of product, I seem to be going through one every month and a half.

& Other Pencils...

I've used various other pencils when my hair was both lighter and darker. Brow Master by The Face Shop (in shade 03 Dark Grey) is a great twist up waterproof pencil. The end is a bit chunkier than the L'Oreal Brow Stylist and I find that the formula is a bit waxier and allows light-handed application. Similarly, the Milani Easybrow (in shade Natural Taupe) is another great twist up pencil that is very similar to the Brow Master - with similar application and packaging. Finally, the Wet n Wild Coloricon Brow Pencil is a great budget pick. It needs to be sharpened, but comes with a pigmented pencil that requires so blending with the spooly for a natural finish.

Powders and Pomades

Anastasia Beverly Hills is a brand that is highly accredited for their fantastic brow products! When I had very thin brows, the Dipbrow Pomade in Soft Brown was a lifesaver! It's a pigmented pomade as the name suggests, and a little goes a long way. I like to apply it with a small angled brush - this one is from Essence!

As for powders, I've been using the Etude House Perfect Brow Kit for years and I've hardly made a dent. It's a light powder that's really nice for filling in sparse brows!

What are some of your favourite brow products? Do you have a brow routine? Are there any brow products that you'd like to try out?

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Japanese Food in Toronto - Gyugyuya Curry and Tsujiri Matcha Cafe

There's nothing I love more than finding new places to eat in Toronto - I'm slowly working my way through an endless number of restaurant recommendations! Last week, Mle and I decided to wander downtown and check out some new restaurants and cafes. Coincidentally, both places were for Japanese style cuisine.

If you're a frequent reader of this blog (or instagram follower), you'll know that I absolutely love Japanese curry! I even posted a recipe a little while ago! Gyugyuya curry had been on my list for a while and I was seriously craving a hot bowl of the stuff! Mle wanted to try out Tsujiri Matcha Cafe as well, which was just down the street. Lunch and some matcha sundaes? Sign me up!

Gyugyuya Curry

We took the train to Union Station - from there, we walked to University & Dundas which took about 20 minutes. (You can also take the subway to St Patrick Station.)

I discovered Gyugyuya Curry when lining up for Sansotei Ramen last month (read about that here), as it's right next door! Despite the small restaurant size, the bright yellow interiors of Gyugyuya and welcoming scent of curry are warm and inviting. I'd say it fits about 30 people, and seems to be a quick-serve restaurant.

We arrived at about 1PM on a Wednesday and were seated immediately as there was no line (hooray!) There seemed to be a few waitresses on hand to take our order and serve the food! The menu has typical Japanese appetizers like edamame and gyoza, but heads up, you'll probably want to save your appetite for the main dish.

I ordered the Nabeyaki Curry (which includes an egg, sausage, cheese, vegetables, and curry with rice.) Mle ordered the Chicken Katsu Curry (deep fried chicken with rice, egg, and cabbage)....

Our curry arrived after about 5 minutes or so? We were both super impressed about how quickly it arrived... My Nabeyaki curry was actually still bubbling and steaming so I had to wait a few minutes for it to cool down! I really enjoyed it, but I didn't think there was going to be so much cheese - the entire bed of rice was covered in cheese... (Not really a cheese fan.)

Emily got the Chicken Katsu and it looked delicious! I think I'll try that one out next time.

Overall, I liked this restaurant. If you're looking for a quick place to try out that's filling, delicious, and inexpensive, check out Gyugyuya!

Gyugyuya: Address: 177 Dundas Street West, Toronto Ontario
Phone: 416-546-5629
Website:http://www.gyugyuya.com

Tsujiri Matcha Cafe

After filling ourselves up with piping hot curry, we set out for Tsujiri to get our sweet fix. Only a few shops down, Tsujiri is Toronto's hyped up Japanese Matcha Cafe - everything is matcha tea flavored! Like Gyugyuya, the cafe is very small and is mainly for takeout desserts, although there is seating. The cafe's popularity means that more often than not, the line extends out the door. We were lucky and arrived with only one person ahead of us! Shortly after, the line tripled in size.

The shop itself is decorated in a very Japanese style, from the color schemes, wooden paneling, to the inside seated area. The cafe offers a selection of hot beverages and teas, lattes, ice creams, shaved ice, cream puffs, and cakes. Although it's a matcha cafe, many of the ice cream options offer a matcha/vanilla swirl, or plain vanilla flavor soft serve.

Take note - Tsujiri only accepts cash.

Mle's friend had recommended the matcha sundaes - I ordered the Chiffon Cake Sundae with a mixed vanilla/matcha swirl, and Mle got the Tsujiri Sundae (also with matcha/vanilla). Although I like matcha flavoured sweets, I wasn't exactly sure how strong the matcha taste was going to be. The vanilla and matcha swirl is a nice balance as the vanilla gives a more creamy and subdued flavor.

So pretty much, if you've never tried matcha... go for the swirl!

The Chiffon Cake Sundae was absolutely delicious - the cake was a bit dry but had a soft and light texture. Beneath the soft serve was a layer of cornflakes, which lends a pleasantly surprising crunch! There was also a ball of red bean paste which I traded Mle for her chestnut because I don't like red bean....

The Tsujiri Sundae was a mixed swirl of soft serve atop a layer of granola, layered with red bean syrup and topped with a sakura cookie, rice mochi, and a ball of chestnut. The chestnut was really stinky for some reason but it tasted really nice!

Both sundaes were $7.50 each..

I also bought a green tea cream puff (not pictured)! It was a soft cream puff with a baked outer shell, filled with whipped matcha cream mousse. It had such a lovely flavor, but disappeared all too quickly because it was quite small and delicious.

I highly recommend Tsujiri. Their prices run a bit high compared to other bakeries around Chinatown, but worth it for the specialty Japanese cafe experience and flavors!

Try to avoid peak hours if possible - on the night we went to Santosei, the line for Tsujiri went out the door and past a few shops. The shop is small and only have a few staff, so don't expect the line to move too quickly!

Tsujiri -
Address: 147 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5G 1C5
Phone: (647) 351-7899
Website: http://tsujiri-global.com/

We were soooo full from eating that we had to take a break. We wandered around Eatons for a bit, walked to Nathan Philips Square, and sat for a bit. The weather was really nice, although it has gotten a bit cooler these past few days, down to about 10C! I don't really mind it but my nose always get stuffy and that means I usually end up rubbing all of my makeup off.

Tldr; watch the vlog! Trying out a new style of vlog on my channel so let me know what you think :)

Our food tour continues at Uncle Tetsu's Angel Cafe, aka Toronto's first maid cafe! I'm sure you'll all be curious so I'll be dedicating my next post entirely to our experience there... Keep your eyes peeled!

Have you tried Japanese curry before? Or Matcha flavored desserts? What are some of your places to eat around Toronto?

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Uncle Tetsu's Angel Cafe...

Tucked away in the heart of the Toronto is a huge Otaku secret. In their efforts to expand and introduce Toronto to Japanese food culture, the famous Uncle Tetsu's Cheesecake cafe has opened up a maid cafe.

Maid cafes are a prominent and reoccuring theme in Japanese anime and otaku culture, and can famously be found in areas of Tokyo such as Akihabara. Maid cafes combine elements of anime, and cosplay culture - it is often a small, brightly lit, and pastel coloured cafe. Customers are greeted with a hearty "Irasshaimase!" or welcome! Girls in maid uniforms (think more cute and reserved than kinky/sexy) serve desserts such as cakes, parfaits, and teas to visitors, as well as perform dances at set times.

Mle and I decided to visit Uncle Tetsu's Angel Cafe! Here's what we discovered...

Uncle Tetsu's Angel Cafe is hard to miss - it's located a block from St Patrick Subway Station, near Dundas Street and University Ave. There is a large pink sign, and when you look through the window you'll see bakers creating delicious 'Angel cheesecakes! The actual restaurant is on the second floor...

We arrive at about 2PM on a Wednesday, and the cafe was quite empty! There were only two other booths that were filled... I was quite surprised because I heard that this place sometimes has a line to get in. I'd recommend going early afternoon on a weekday to avoid the rush. We were greeted by brightly lit, pink room full of decor, sofas, and a small stage.

A maid led us to a side table and presented us with a menu that was composed of parfaits, cheesecakes, pastries, teas, and coffees. These were quite reasonably priced - around the same as Starbucks, but about a million times cuter! Mle and I both ordered strawberry parfaits. They were sweet, creamy, and moussey - I highly recommend them! We also ordered London Fogs (creamy earl grey tea,) which arrived in large mugs. Everything was super insta-worthy! ;)

Jpop songs and anime OPs and EDs played in the background... it made me feel really nostalgic for my high school weeaboo days! Haha. The maids were dressed in very cute outfits - there were even some male staff dressed as butlers.

My new phone case from Redbubble! It's got a Kiki's Delivery Service theme - super cute! I'll be doing a giveaway with Redbubble soon so keep your eyes peeled.

Overall, we had such a pleasant experience at the maid cafe. During the time at the cafe, we noticed a big mix of people - mostly teens and people in their early 20s, but also adults in their thirties and older! At one point, two older guys sat next to us and cracked weird jokes to us - after they left, a lady and a man sat down and had a real estate meeting? Quite a diverse group of people, which is great because I think everyday passerby's would see the maids and think the cafe was some type of kinky place.

We read that the maids performed jpop dances on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays, however we waited around for about two hours but there were no performances! We later discovered that performances happen at 6:30PM and 8:30PM.

If you ever happen to have free time around central Toronto, definitely check out the maid cafe!

Uncle Tetsu's Maid Cafe - Address: 191 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5G 1C7
Phone: (416) 591-0555
Website: https://www.facebook.com/angelcafetoronto

Have you ever been to a maid cafe? Does your city have a Japanese food scene? You can check out the experience in the vlog we filmed - enjoy! :)

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You know the saying...

April showers...windy days, frost, and spontaneous snow bring May flowers! The weather last month was absolutely horrible - every so often the sun came out and flirted with us before disappearing behind a screen of clouds and snow. April has come and gone, and it's time for me to share my monthly makeup essentials. I almost forgot about this post (as I usually post it at the beginning of the following month), but better late than never, right?

If my April makeup had a theme, it would likely be "Dependable Basics". Read on to find out more...

Base Basics

Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Powder Foundation in Fair Honey

I've raved on an on about my Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Powder Foundation for ages and ages. My skin is typically normal-dry, but for some reason I was a bit oilier this month and liquid foundations weren't doing much for me. This mineral foundation buffs flawlessly into the skin and controls oil quite well, serving up a dewy glow as opposed to an oil spill.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light was definitely a hyped up purchase. I realize how (and it pains my wallet to say,) I'm not really feelin' it. It feels like a regular old powder with a bit of a glow, but it doesn't make me ooh and ahh like a $50 powder should. I've been using it this month for the sake of using it. At least the packaging is nice.

Nars Laguna Bronzer (Mini)

I received this mini size bronzer in the Sephora Bronze Bares-All kit, and I love it! I finally got to try out one of Nars' most cult products and I'm so glad the shade works well on my skintone, and the travel size is so cute. I hardly use bronzer at all (only for a bit of cheek and nose contour with the slightest amount of powder), so the small size is really convenient for me.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal

Another mini size from the Sephora Bronze Bares-All. This highlighter is insanely pigmented, and Opal looks so lovely on my cheekbones and the inner corners of my eyes. Again, I love the small size for its convenience and packaging. I only use the lightest dab with my brush or fingers and get insane pigmentation! Besides, I can't forsee myself using this up very quickly either!

Etude House Berry Delicious Cream Blusher

Recently I've been getting back into Korean cosmetics! I used to be obsessed, and Etude House was one of my favourite brands. I'm trying to get into cream blushes for summer, and I've been alternating quite often with the MAC Archie's Girls blush in Cream Soda. This blush is more like a cream to powder consistency, and reminds me a lot of those bouncy Maybelline blushes.

Eyes

Maybelline 24hr Cream Eyeshadow in Bad To The Bronze

Once again, this makes my list. It's such a pretty cream eyeshadow and super low maintenance, just slap it on and go! I've been reaching for this quite often for lazy days, or as a base for my Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Eyeshadow Palette.

Laura Mercier Caviar Eyeshadow Stick in Penny

I'm in love. Yet another winner from the Sephora Bronze Bares All set, this incredibly pigmented twist up stick has been my go-to for a night out or edgier makeup look. It effectively creates a foiled metallic look when concentrated on the lid, or a lovely copper wash when sheered out with a brush. I love blending it with my cream shadow pot to create a shimmery light brown shade on the lids.

Maybelline Lash Stiletto Waterproof Mascara

Back to an old old old favourite of mine. The first type of makeup that I started wearing back in high school was mascara, and my favourite was Lash Stiletto! My lashes are like straight iron filings that can only be tamed into a curl with a stiff and straight mascara wand. The waterproof formula has great lasting power and does not smudge. An oldie but a goodie.

ClioWaterproof Brush Liner in Kill Brown

I love brown eyeliners, and I needed something after my KVD Tattoo Liner ran out! This shade is about two shades lighter (a coffee brown, as opposed to KVD being a dark brown.) I liked using it on more casual days for a sneaky natural cat liner flick. It has great staying power and didn't fade at the wings like my KVD one sometimes does.

Eyeko That's Where I Draw The Line Pen Liner

An inky black felt tip pen liner that I received in a Glossybox. It's pigmented, wet, and very black. I like using it for a bold cat wing (which I wore quite often in April). My only disappointment with this is that it smudges in the inner corner of my eye, but I've resorted to lining 3/4 of my eye with this pen and the inner part with a gel pot. It's also the Alexa Chung collaboration with Eyeko, which I love! Too bad Eyeko doesn't really have a presence here in Canada.

What were some of your favourite products in April? Have you tried any of these items before? Do you like travel size makeup products?

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Not a Morning Person.

I am definitely, 100%, not a morning person. If you leave me in a dark room with a cozy blanket, I'd probably sleep for 14 hours straight. I'm the type of person who needs to set an alarm or else I'll wake up at 3PM in the afternoon. (To be fair, I'm a bit of a night owl.) I love my bed, I love sleeping, and I absolutely hate waking up to an alarm in the morning. But the reality is I can't sit in bed all day, I've got to get up at some point. With this, I introduce the sunrise lamp.

A sunrise lamp? Probably one of the more unique items I'll review on this blog, but one that's quite interesting none the less. I recently purchased the Philips HF3520 Wake-Up Light on Amazon, and quite a number of you have requested a review! So here I am today, sharing my thoughts, opinions, and critiques to help you make a decision, or figure out why so many bloggers are raving about sunrise lamps!

Philips HF3520 Wake-Up Light

A sunrise lamp is a lamp / clock hybrid. You set an alarm, and a set amount of time before the alarm goes off, the light will turn on and increase in intensity, kind of like a natural sunrise. At the same time, your alarm sound (sound effects, music, or the radio), will also increase in volume. In this effect, you're eased into waking up naturally. Gone are the days of jolting awake in a dark room by a sharp alarm sound!

From the Philips website - Coloured Sunrise Simulation wakes you naturally. Inspired by nature's sunrise, light gradually increases within 30 minutes from soft morning red through orange until your room is filled with bright yellow light. This process of changing an increasing light stimulates your body to wake up naturally. By the time light has filled the room your chosen natural sound completes the wake up experience, leaving you ready for the day ahead.

Design & Features

Physical Design

The Philips HF3520 Wake-Up Light is a round, speaker shaped clock. It features a rounded face and is made of a hard plastic. There is a small display with glowing orange digits near the bottom which works as the clock's interface. There are buttons near the screen (touch-activated) which control the alarm settings, as well as physical buttons on the top for activating the lamp, changing volume, etc. The touchscreen buttons are a bit weird to use at first but it's pretty straight forward.

From left to right, there is the button to activate alarm 1, brightness (-, turn on lamp, +), volume ( -, turn on radio, +), alarm 2, and sunset lamp. My critique with these buttons is that they are very smooth and are not raised, making it quite difficult to distinguish buttons from just touch... This can be quite tricky when you're trying to change the buttons in the dark.

The lamp plugs into the wall but also retains a bit of power - if you happen to unplug your lamp or the power goes out,

Alarm settings.

The Philips HF3520 Wake-Up Light has two customizable alarms that you can set different times/ brightness/audio. In addition to the alarm settings, you are also able to adjust the regular lamp and clock settings.

There are 5 built in nature-inspired audio options as well! The sound effects you can choose from are birds singing, birds + music, ocean waves, soft music, and forest sounds. These are all super relaxing to wake up to, especially when it increases slowly from silence. You can also choose to wake up by FM radio.

Lighting / Brightness Settings

According to the website, the brightness of the display adjusts itself according to the brightness of the room. If the bedroom is filled with light, the brightness increases to keep the display readable. When the bedroom is dark the brightness dims so it doesn’t light up your bedroom when you are trying to sleep.

The Philips HF3520 Wake-Up Light can be used as a standalone lamp as well! You can adjust the brightness settings for the lamp, ranging from 20 (full brightness, yellow-toned light), down to 01 (dim, orange-toned light). These options are also customizable for individual alarm settings - for example, my lamp is usually set to a 15 when I wake up. It's still bright, but not as intense as a 20 because the lamp is on my bedside table and I don't want to be blinded when waking up.

Sunset Function

There is also a sunset option, which fades from bright yellow light to red - this feature is supposed to help you go to sleep. I love using this function in the evenings to help me wind down. You can change the speed in which the light dims - between 10 - 45 minutes. I usually it set for 45 minutes. I love this feature because the dimming is so subtle, and the fade from yellow - orange - red light is easy on the eyes.

Overall, I love this sunrise lamp. I'm the absolute worst at waking up in the morning, and this lamp makes that whole process a lot more relaxing. I'll also note that I, like many others, suffer from seasonal affective disorder during the winter. I feel tired, sluggish, and depressed during those dark days - the sunlight definitely has an impact on my work ethic and overall mood! I haven't used this in the winter months yet since I only bought it a few weeks ago, but I'm sure it'll help.

If you're thinking about getting one, I highly recommended. It's prettttty pricing for a clock, but it's definitely an investment piece. I mean, it's something you're likely going to be using every day, because waking up is a daily practice! I bought mine on Amazon for $119.99 CAD - I'd suggest doing this so you can test it out for a bit, and return it if it doesn't meet your expectations.

Are you a morning person? Have you ever tried a sunset lamp? Have you suffered from the winter blues?
Thanks for reading! x

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