Thursday July 23, 2015   

I finally got around to try the 3 new Japanese makeup products I bought a few weeks ago as well as a random lip gloss.

Heroine Make eyebrow pen – natural brown
Pmel under-eye color pen – beige
Love Fille Nude Face Veil
Royal Apothic Lip Tintie – Kissed

First the Heroine Make eyebrow pen. I’ve used this brand’s eyeliner many times over and bought this on a whim. I haven’t use anything besides the Anastasia Brow Wiz in a long time. I’ve used Japanese brand eyebrow pencils and powders a lot in the past before there were more eyebrow product choices in the US. Those brands were ok but I was always looking for a holy grail product. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by this pen! It’s not too dark or too red. It’s a more grey-brown and goes on as more of a tint rather than heavy marker. Lasts a while too.

Heroine Make eyebrow pen

Pros
Good neutral color
Easy to use

Cons
Too subtle for adding shape
updated: Dries out incredibly fast

The Pmel under eye color was more of a “cute treat” when I got it. An easy cheat! I hadn’t done this trend for a while. Is aegyo sal still trendy, I don’t even know to be honest. But this color is nice under the eyes either way. It goes on so smoothly. The pen is really nifty as it sort of twists and springs open and gathering the powder from the cap.

Pmel under-eye color

Pros
Easy application
Buildable pigments

Cons
Color wears off too easily

You only need to know 1 thing about the Love Fille pore minimizing face veil… it smells like roses. Fresh cut roses! And the fragrance lasts a while after applying too. But does it work? So far I’m unimpressed. It feels a bit drying and my makeup doesn’t look all that fresh throughout the day. Though I’m happy it has yet to break me out unlike a lot of similar products.

Love Fille pore minimizing face veil

Pros
Fragrant rose scent
Smooths out deep pores
No breakouts from it

Cons
Doesn’t add much of a lasting matte effect
Couldn’t stand up to my oily t-zone (combination skin)

Lastly a little lip gloss pot from Royal Apothic Lip Tintie I picked up from the sale section of Anthropologie. I had seen it online and nearly ordered it because the pot was so attractive. I didn’t realize at the time it was actually a lip butter and not a gloss. It’s very creamy and the shade is very opaque. It’s a nice nude “your lips but better“shade. But it’s definitely more lipstick than a gloss. Glad I got it on sale. Wouldn’t pay full price as it’s a bit boring.

Royal Apothic Lip Tintie

Pros
Attractive packaging
Neutral color
Long-lasting
Moisturizing

Cons
Bulky to carry around
Not as expected
Bit boring

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Tags: makeup, review
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Sunday July 12, 2015   

Last weekend I was in Canada for the Fourth of July. Second time I’ve gone there during “America’s Birthday” and the irony is not lost on the various Canadians I meet. The Fourth is so crowded here in DC. If you’re not heading out to actually see the fireworks then you still have to deal with the extra traffic of tourism.

The road trip was also the first vacation I’ve had since 2013. I didn’t realize it had been so long, but it had. I didn’t get many pictures because 1) I’m out of practice, and 2) I was always just walking. Walking walking walking.

The Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel where we stayed. I stayed at the Fairmont in Quebec City and really enjoyed it. This Fairmont was even more comfortable. The breakfast and room service were never disappointing!

The view from one of the windows in our room. I love when a hotel room has large swing open windows! I left them open at night to enjoy the cool breeze.

Ottawa’s ByWard Market area. This was just a block from the hotel. Ended up sitting next to a table of Players for the Senators here.

Stopped by the Bell Centre in Montreal and was surprised there are Canadien-themed residences next door. I hadn’t heard anything about these and the marketing strategy fascinated me. I checked out the website. This is apparently phase two going up.

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Tags: travel
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