Beauty Review - MAC Cleanse Off

For years now I've sworn by my staple makeup remover oil, Shiseido Perfect Liquid, and stocked up on $4 bottles of it whenever I went back to Japan.  However, I recently run out and realized the extortionate markup on it at local shops and on eBay, so I decided to try something new.  MAC Cleanse Off has had top reviews on makeupalley and I always seem to have good luck with trusting the reviews from there.

I'm so glad I did.  While I thought my Shiseido oil worked well, the MAC one works noticeably better.  The oil is a thicker consistency and feels richer compared to the Shiseido-which I was surprised by considering Cleanse Off does not contain mineral oil.  Because of this, I was expecting it to be much runnier and watery.  I don't wear a ton of heavy eye makeup, but this gets my mascara off without any residue.  Before I still felt the need to use my Bioderma cleansing water after cleansing oil, but now I can skip that step completely which I love because I feel like I'm being less harsh on my skin.

My only gripe with MAC Cleanse Off is that it does require an extra step.  With my Shiseido oil, I would just rub it on and wash it off.  The MAC product works better if you apply just a little bit of water after applying the oil to your face.  This turns it milky, which you then rub over your face again and wash off-this is much more effective than just washing it off right away.  It isn't a big deal, but it means I usually make more of a mess.

My favourite aspect of MAC Cleanse Off is the fact that it is mineral oil free.  It is the only cleansing oil I have found that does not contain this ingredient-including the cult favourite Shu Uemura line.  I never had breakouts from the mineral oil in my old cleansing oil, but I much prefer to use a product without it just for the overall health of my skin.

I can't comment on the packaging, because the first thing I did when I took the bottle out of the box was to drop it on my tile floor and break the pump-so I've put most of the contents in a travel bottle for now.  At least it was a plastic bottle!

MAC Cleanse Off is available at MAC stores and online for $31.50 per 150ml

Scotland

Scotland was such a fantastic trip at a much-needed, incredibly chaotic time for me.  Even though the town my dad grew up in is starting to get run down and gain a bit of a bad reputation, seeing my family and being able to laugh and catch up with them makes me forget all about the fact that my Aunt can't fathom me being able to walk home alone at night in Vancouver.  It's tough for my dad to see, and after 40 years in Canada he says Scotland may be where his family is, but it isn't his home anymore.  I had a long conversation with my cousin, since the last time I was there I was debating between attending grad school for HR in Scotland or sticking with BCIT.  It was one of the toughest decisions I ever made staying in Vancouver, but career-wise I'm happy with my choice.  I absolutely love Scotland and plan to visit as many times as I can-but I'm glad I didn't make it my home.

And finally, blurry proof I was actually there....

Scotland in Instagram

At the bingo hall / Apparently Crocodile "tastes just like fish or chicken"

Famous Orangefield ice milk in Greenock / Slice (thick spam) with black pudding.  For breakfast

Ubiquitous Chip in Glasgow's West End.

Venison Haggis / Oatmeal Ice Cream

Scottish Breakfast (with tatty scone and black pudding) / The easter egg my dad bought me

If you're wondering, black pudding is basically blood, spices, and oatmeal in a patty.  As someone who dislikes red meat, I'm a bit ashamed to say it's DELICIOUS.

Vivienne Westwood Whisky / A $16,000 bottle of whisky

Scotland bound

I am so excited to be heading back to Scotland again with my dad this weekend.  Even though I'm only a Scottish citizen on paper, whenever I go back....it just feels like home.  For me, Scotland isn't so much about seeing the sights or hitting the high street shops.  It's all about the little things.  Sitting in an ice cream shop eating ice cream with a Flake bar.  Looking at the rolling hills while driving along the highway.  Stumbling home after a night at the legion with my dad (and having to hold him up so he doesn't fall backwards trying to get the key in the door).  Curling up in the morning reading a book with a cup of tea while my Grandpa does his prayers.  Wandering aimlessly through art galleries.  Tatty scones and deep fried anything.  Laughing with my cousins.

Work has been incredibly stressful lately, and it seems this vacation is just perfect timing. I'm not the type of person to hold on to things, but I've been so worn down lately I haven't had a chance to take a breather and just focus on what needs to get done.  It'll be great to get away and forget about what is going on for a couple of weeks.

See you when I return!

BB Cream Review: Skin79 Gold and Missha Signature

I've struggled to find a foundation for my combination skin for years.  Most foundation starts to melt and dissipate around my t-zone after a few hours, and many of the highly recommended foundations don't come in a shade pale enough for me (you don't know how many times a MUA insists the lightest shade will work, only to swatch it on my face and say "I think we need to try something else").

I've been interested in bb cream for awhile, ever since my first trip to Japan when my friend raved about it.  4 years later, after being fed up wasting money on another expensive foundation, I decided to give it a try.  BB creams are between the coverage of a tinted moisturizer and a foundation, and most have added skin benefits like SPF, whitening, and anti-wrinkle.  The majority are by Korean skincare brands, although more and more European and Western brands are starting to get on the bb cream bandwagon.

Skin79 Super+ Gold BB Cream

This is actually made for dry skin (there is a pink one for oily skin) but after reading reviews I heard this one was great for oily skin too.  The consistency is quite thick and you need to blend it into the skin well.  It gives very good coverage and lasts through the day fairly well, although I do find it more visible on my face near the end of the day.  I noticed this mostly around the corners of my nose, but otherwise it still looked fairly good on my face at the end of the day.

This version has SPF 25 PA++ and is supposed to fight wrinkles and lighten skin.  I'm not sure how much I believe that, so I continue to use my faithful Chanel SPF50 sunscreen underneath this every day.  While SPF in a product is nice, in many cases we don't apply nearly enough to reap any SPF protection.  Therefore, I would still advice everyone to wear sunscreen or a moisturizer with SPF.  I haven't noticed any changes in the tone of my skin either.

My biggest gripe with Skin79 is the fact that it only comes in one shade, and this is too dark for my very fair complexion.  It made my face look ruddy and dirty-which I didn't really realize until I switched back to this for a day after using the Missha one for a few weeks.  If you are Asian or have more tanned skin, the colour will match you much better.

One thing I hate is the packaging.  It is bulky and cumbersome especially when traveling.  I have to leave this on the counter because it will never fit in my makeup bag.  It's also impossible to tell how much you have left.  I would much prefer a tube like most bb creams come in.

Missha Signature BB Cream

Unlike most BB creams, Missha comes in 3 shades to suit more skintones.  I bought this is #13 (Milky Beige) which is a perfect match for my fair skin.  This product also provides SPF 25 PA++ protection along with whitening and anti-wrinkle properties.  This is supposed to be great for sensitive skin as it is "7 free", which means it is non-chemical and free of parabens, mineral oil, alcohol, GMOs, triclosan, and benzophenone.

This product is much runnier and I didn't think it would provide nearly enough coverage, but I was impressed.  It is very easy to blend and only a little is needed to cover my whole face.  Lasting power is average.  My biggest complaint is that I find it a bit drying, which is surprising since my skin is on the oilier side.  If I wear it and take a nap, for example, I'll wake up to find the foundation rubbing off and looking very flaky.  Even during the day, I will end up with the foundation flaking on my cheeks by the afternoon.  This is one of those foundations I would need to reapply if I go out in the evening.  It could be that this is reacting poorly with my sunscreen, although I do wear a primer in between to mattify and keep things in place.

Comparing the Two

Originally, I really liked the Skin79.  However, the colour is not a good match for me.  I love the fact that the Missha one is free of many ingredients that can clog pores and make skin problematic-I have yet to find another bb cream that is free of all these ingredients.  If you have dry skin, I would not recommend putting powder over the Missha cream.  For me, the Skin79 is longer lasting and less drying on my cheeks, however the colour match makes it an automatic "no".

In fact, I can't say I'm really impressed by either of these bb creams.  I like both better than the foundations I have tested recently (which included Armani Lasting Silk, YSL Teint Resist, and Smashbox High Def) all of which looked TERRIBLE on my face at the end of the day.  These don't look great either, but at least it looks more like I just have dry skin rather than having foundation very obviously clumping on my face.  I would definitely be open to trying different bb creams, as I do like the consistency-more comfortable and "skin"-like than foundation but more coverage than a tinted moisturizer.

While I've heard bb creams are best applied using your fingers, I found this too much of a hassle especially for the thicker Skin79 one.  I just use a regular liquid foundation brush (although I've heard a stipple brush gives a great finish).  I also use a pigmented setting powder (Cargo blu ray) which helps bump up the coverage of both just a bit-on their own they wouldn't be able to completely cover my redness.

Have you tried bb creams?  What is your favourite?

Want of the Week - Barnett Jewelery

I love skulls.  My dad cringes every time I tell him I bought something Alexander McQueen (although he still proudly points out "He's Scottish!" every time I bring him up).  I'm glad to see the skull motif has made its way into everyday fashion instead of always being associated with punk or goth fashion.

I discovered this jewelry brand, Barnett, on a blog a few weeks ago.  I'm not normally big on jewelry-personally I'd rather just have a couple of pieces that go with everything and spend the money on other things (like shoes).  It's been a long time since I saw a jewelry line and thought "I need EVERYTHING".

The Barnett sisters (Kate and Bridget), who reside in Hong Kong, have no formal training in jewelry making.  They just started making pieces for themselves and their stylist friends, and it evolved from there-they've recently been featured in a number of editorials and been spotted around the necks of many Hong Kong celebrities and style icons.  Their current line, Headhunter, has a bit of a tribal feel to it while being very modern and wearable.  I can't wait to get my hands on one of these!

You can view more pictures at http://www.barneybarnett.blogspot.com/ and make a personal order through barnettthebrand@gmail.com (they'll send you their lookbook and price list).  The prices are very reasonable considering everything is handmade-pieces range from $70 for short, simple pieces to $120 for something more elaborate.

(All photos taken from the Barnett Jewelry Facebook page).

Travel in style - Part 2

In my last post, I showed some of my favourite picks for travel on luggage.  Another item I've been trying to find is a good travel bag-something to cram all my travel documents, DSLR, novels, and magazines to keep me entertained on long flights.  I usually use a large purse, but trying to carry that on my shoulder along with my luggage always leaves me sore.  I have been trying to find something that has a slot on the back that fits over your luggage, that way you can take the load off your shoulders and make sure everything is secure.

Lipault Reporter Bag - $90US at LuggageOnline
(Available at Wanderlust on W4th)

This bag comes with an adjustable shoulder strap, front pocket for easy access to important things like your passport, and zips on the back side to make sure it always fits tight over your luggage handle.  Comes in lots of great colours too.

Lo&Sons O.M.G. - $275 at Lo&Sons
(Currently sold out-expected restock in May)

I'm pretty upset I missed out on this bag when they put them on sale 35% off.  When you see the video it's just amazing how much can fit in here and it is so intelligently designed.  There's even a separate shoe compartment on the side and it holds a 13" laptop (the larger OG size fits a 15").  This one also has zippers on the back side so you can ensure that it stays snugly on your suitcase.  I wish I hadn't missed out on this one!  I can see it being great for weekend trips or just when I need to lug a lot of stuff.

Kipling Luggage Tote - $83US at eBags

OK, this one isn't as stylish as the other ones, but if you want something more utilitarian this is a great option.  The front pockets make it easy to keep things organized.  This one can fit over luggage but it doesn't have the adjustable width that the others do.