The Tokyo Affair 2014 - Matsumoto Kiyoshi Beauty Loot

Before I left for Tokyo I promised myself that there would not be a repeat of last year's frantic squishing of luggage, desperately trying to fit all my shopping into my bags.....and I did so well this year, that I came back with barely anything! Of course, it also helped to think of my overflowing 'beauty drawer' back home~ XP

Maybe it was because I was there with my husband. I didn't spend as much time browsing and only made 2 trips to the drugstore as opposed to...well...I dunno...8? =P

Let's start with the stuff in sachets!

From left: Choosy lip masks, hot bath salts, whitening bath salts

I'm a big fan of these hot bath salts, feels so good after I soak & sweat buckets! By the time I took this photo, I'd already used 4 packets of bath salts....totally regret not buying more =( But if I get desperate, there's always Nishino Pharmacy or Meidi-ya I guess~

These hydrogel lip masks look yummy and were available in soooo many colours! Everything from nude to reds, pinks and orange shades. They can also double as nipple masks. Yep, NIPPLE masks. I haven't tried them yet though.

Choosy lip masks in Milk and White Pearl (about 100 - 120yen each)

Dual use lip & nipple gel patch!

Formulated with Collagen, Vitamin E and Hyaluronic Acid, this hydrogel lip pack goes on after the lips are thoroughly cleansed. Leave on for anything between 5 - 30min and then gently peel off lips. Depending on which mask you choose, there are also other ingredients in the formula such as argan oil, grapefruit essence, jojoba seed oil, honey and aloe vera~

炭­酸宣言(tan san sen gen) Sparkling Water Pack - 388yen

 

This water pack supposedly will help expand the capillaries in the skin, allowing more oxygen to the skin. From my understanding, it basically improves circulation, activating skin cell metabolism whilst cleansing the pores, improving elasticity and moisture.

 

From the instructions I gather one should mix pack 1 with water then mix in pack 2, at which point a creamy foam will form. Next, immerse your face in the foam for as long or as many times as you want then rinse off with the remaining carbonated water (I'm presuming this is after the initial chemical reaction settles and the foam dissipates.). Pat dry and you're ready for makeup!

Next! Makeup!

(By the way, I am immensely proud that I didn't come back with like 12 different mascaras circa 2013. *fistpump*)

I got a few really basic items like lip gloss and nail polish from Kate cos it was just SOOOO cheap, as always~ And Maybelline Baby Lips in Sweet Beige! Why don't we have this colour in Singapore? Or have I been somehow blindsided again. =\ I actually also bought a lip concealer stick from Canmake...but....I...can't find it....=___=

Kate gloss & polish - 400yen each, Canmake eyebrow liquid - 540yen, Maybelline Baby Lips - 540yen

And then the new Cool BB Spray with UV from Esprique~

Esprique Cool BB Spray - 2,268yen

 

Cooling BB Spray formulated with hyaluronic acid, collagen and mint essence.....I played with the tester a little bit and only felt a little bit of the cooling effect, maybe it'll be more apparent when used over a larger area. Simply spray on a sponge and apply~

 

And that, is it for makeup. Amazing right?!??! Talk about downsizing!

 

In misc goods, I got a couple bottles of these clothes fragrance sprays! They smell SO GOOD! I spritz some on to clothes I'm gonna be wearing the next day or sometimes on my work clothes when they need freshening up. Again, something I regretting not buying more of.

 

Flair Fragrance - 299 yen (so cheap!!!)

And for my daily aching legs~

 

Night Aroma Cooling Sheets - 498yen & SlimWalk compression socks - 1,831yen

Now the cooling sheets were a godsend for the trip because they adhered really well and the cooling effect was really soothing on my aching calves~ I simply slapped them on every night and only removed them in the morning =)

 

The SlimWalk compressions socks/stockings were also pretty great because I have the first ones from Scholl and they were abit hot for Singapore....it's pretty gross to be sweating in them. These new ones are a summertime release and are designed to release any trapped heat, keeping you cool...and compressed! =)

 

Wow, that was really....not a lot of stuff! =\ *feels overly self-censored* I really need to establish a middle ground.... Well, hope you guys enjoyed this short post!

The Tokyo Affair 2014 - DisneySea

Ok so again, it's a belated post 'cos I actually got back last Monday (boohoo). A week was definitely too short for me and since I was playing tourist guide on & off for The Husband, everything was kinda rushed. But still, Tokyo is always a good recharger! =D

We took ScootBiz this year as I'd gotten the sale fare during the Boxing Day sale last year ^_^v Easy flight there and the Taipei transit wasn't as troublesome as I'd thought. Unfortunately, extra leg room doesn't really work for me when there's no leg rest. Note to self - bring a cabin bag to fulfill that purpose if purchasing extra leg room. Another down side was that the return flight was at noon so my last day there was completely wasted. I usually fly Delta so I'd gotten used to having about half a day before my return flight to Singapore. But anyway, I digress.

Random shots on the NEX! I was using the miniature mode thus the blurring on the sides (^__^;;)

This year was my first visit to DisneySea so I thought I would start with that!

Again, very easy to get there, just take the JR to Maihama station, purchase your tickets, hop on the Disney Monorail (with separately purchased tickets) and get off at the DisneySea station.

Once we entered, we joined the crowd for the Legend of Mythica show which was quite a production!

I was terribly fascinated by her wig and tail!

Right? Right? These barges were really beautiful and there was so much going on everywhere you couldn't decide where to look! We also caught Big Band Beat which featured a live big band (y'know, like Swing Girls?) and was a 30min Broadway style music theatre show with singers, dancers and of course the Disney cast. Nice!

Random cuteness.

Sneakshot of the girl beside me =P She was DRIPPING with pluto fashion btw.

The current theme was Spring Voyage so they had lots of these luggage displays scattered throughout the park~

Cute!!

One can also pretend you've visited Venice.

In the American Waterfront, you'll pass Hotel Hightower aka the Tower of Terror. I'd taken this ride in the States when I was much younger. And my brother has never quite forgiven my dad for conning him into taking this ride. What happens is after a tour of the mysterious *waggles fingers* hotel's various floors, you find yourself in a big elevator which is brought up to a niiccceee hiiiiigh height where the huge blocked up windows of the tower swing open to show you the beautiful view of DisneySea before dropping you. Twice. My butt left the seat and I swore never to take it again.

I know it doesn't look THAT high in the photo...but believe me, it is.

Meals weren't as expensive as I'd expected...or maybe I was on a tighter budget last year...and they have your options neatly categorized according to budget in the park map so that was helpful. Restaurant Sakura in the same park area offered a pretty good lunch for about S$50?

Chicken teriyaki set and Beef steak set, a little on the small side but yum!

.....yeah...fish so fresh and yet we didn't have any fish. =___= like seriously man.

The rest of the day was spent wandering around, just taking in all the sights and sounds. Compared to Disneyland, Disney Sea is more grownup so there was less of the It's-A-Small-World-After-All vibe and nowhere near as many mascots appearing for photo ops. Can't quite decide which is better though =\

But obviously, it's a beautiful place and its charm changes as the sun sets...

I also rediscovered those penny presses! Haven't gotten these for the longest time as I remember them from my childhood as rather murky but these new machines are really good! And so many designs to collect! I resisted the temptation and only got 4.

Conclusion - Disney is definitely the place to get your dose of cute and whimsy. Where else can you see 60 yr-olds decked up like Minnie Mouse, 2 thumbs up!

Overall it was a good day, even though the fireworks got cancelled AGAIN due to strong winds. 2 years in a row, what're the odds! Better luck next year huh~ =)

What's In The Bag - Tokyo Time!

It's that time of the year again! Off for my annual pilgrimage to the Land of the Rising Sun, Makeup & Fashion~

I really wanted to put in an entry before I left so I thought I'd share the contents of my makeup bag and accessories. Yeah yeah I know, this has 'filler post' written all over it >_<

Accessories first, I don't wear as much hardware as I used to back in the day but it's still an important part of my wardrobe...and these are my picks for the trip!

Unfortunately I can only tell that the 2 studded bracelets and chainmail-ish necklace were from H&M, the rest were from all over the place like Far East Plaza, online stores and previous trips. Oh excluding that Pandora bracelet up in the corner (^_^;;)

Really dig my 'good for a bit-o-luck' token that I got from a little store in Kichijoji last year~

And in the makeup section, I made a tiny pile.

=D

For base makeup, I brought:

• ClearLast Pore Smooth Base UV (purchased from Japan last year, probably gonna finish the tube this time)
• Clinique Even Better Foundation
• Kate Powderless Liquid for Cover
• Dasoda MG Mega Liquid Concealer

For eye make:

• Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 (Ok this one's for the face obviously =P)
• Maybelline the Rocket Volum' Express
• Maybelline Hypersharp Liner
• Too Cool for School 1 Day Tattoo Eyebrow

And lastly, lips:

• Edward Bess Ultra Slick Lipstick (in Sundown, it's my perfect perfect nudie lipstick)
• Ultrasun Ultralip SPF30 lipbalm (first time I've had the word 'ultra' thrice in 2 lines haha)
• Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar Stain Gloss
• Urban Decay Naked Ultra Nourishing Lip Gloss
• Revlon Colorburst Matt Balm
• Sleek Makeup Pout Polish SPF15

And that's the small part of my packing that I wanted to share today~ =)

Hope I'll come back with a more manageable haul this year, looking forward to share them with you guys when I get back! =D *poof!*

Belated New Year Greetings!

I'm a day or 2 late but~

HAPPY NEW YEAR~~~~ ヾ(@^▽^@)ノ

 

What were you up to on new years eve? Relaxing with loved ones in the cool year-end weather or partying the night away? =D Either way, I hope you had a lovely night!

 

Yours truly? I was home with a most unglamorous cold! (and still am. =_=)

 

I wanted to recall 2013 in a single wonderful day...and it would have to be...

 

Tokyo Disneyland 30th Anniversary 2013!!

Yeah!!! Tokyo Disneylandddddd~~~~!!!! Because I'm a 4 year-old trapped in an adult body~~~!! The last time I was there, I was 1 year old. Now 30 years later, just in time for Tokyo Disney's big 3-0~ I had such fun there, it really really felt like I was a kid again and everything in the world was happy and easy and all smiles & laughter. (Screw you adulthood.) Looking forward to my next trip cos I'm hoping to bring the husband there~ (^_^)

 

So moving on, what's your resolution this year hmm? Mine's an oldie but a goodie. It's part of my resolution every year =P

 

This year, I resolve to~~~ NOT SPEND SO MUCH.

 

Yes. My goal is to prevent THIS (sohelpmegod) :

 

 

...from happening again. And again and again. >___<

 

But seriously, my flat will be ready around end 2014 so I really need to tighten them purse strings abit...... After all the year end expenditure, what with X'mas and all....just bought new Furla specs...upcoming holiday in June (no prizes for guessing where to)....ohh mann....*deflates*

 

Umm...I also resolve to eat less carbs. *coughs*

 

(｡^_^｡ )人( ｡^_^｡) Hope we all have a good 2014~~!!! (｡^_^｡ )人( ｡^_^｡)

 

The Tokyo Affair 2013 - Kawagoe aka Little Edo (Image Intensive!)

On my trip this April, we decided to pop by Kawagoe aka Little Edo. Kawagoe is a heritage site of sorts and the main streets have retained the old clay-walled warehouse style buildings (Kurazukuri). So what you get is a little town straight from the Edo period (1603 - 1867). It's a good place for a day trip but I think I need to go back next time 'cos we got quite distracted and ended up wandering around quite randomly (>_<)

From Ikebukuro, we took the Tobu line to Kawagoeshi 川越市 station. From there, there's a little map near the Lawson (right outside the station) that shows how to get there. Easy peasy!

The red arrows indicate our route from Kawagoe-shi station; the street upwards from Naka-cho is the main street!

After turning into the street, there're a few small-ish shrines along the way to pop into~

Got a lucky lot in the shape of a fan which is also a keychain! Yayy~~~

The next shrine we passed was residence to a Fertility/Childbirth Goddess I think?

 Nice little temple with a little café on the grounds where the older folks were chilling out~ ^__^

Hitting the main street!

Ok from here on it's gonna be a flow of streetshots for awhile k? =)

 

Busy busy~



OMG the smell was omg so good~~~

A Kawagoe specialty - Sweet potato with red bean! Loved it!

And then we hit the bell tower!



Ye olde bell tower =P



Just a few minutes from the bell tower is the kimono rental shop, Coedo Vivian! We were really psyched for that because the old town had such good photo opportunities! I regret that in my excitement I completely forgot to take a photo of the place but it's the only little shop just by the bell tower with a yukata (summer cotton kimono) displayed outside. You can check them out at THIS website~

Loads of kimono and yukatas and obis and hair accessories to choose from @_@ Being abit slow, I didn't realize that they had bags for us and ended up defaulting to a black kimono to match my black bag T__T I like black too but they had so many kimonos in pretty colours~~

The bags & hair accessories selection, above is a tiny portion of the obis available

But anyway, tadah!! And from this shot you can gauge where the shop is 'cos it was taken right out front~

With some of my girlfriends.. I kinda look like their mum >__<

We had the basic plan, which is they dress you and do your hair then you get to walk around the town and take photos on your own, just come back by closing time! And it was so cheap too! About 2,700 yen or something like that~

So of course that just sparked off a whole stream of camwhoring..

Hijacking an old bicycle =P



In one of alleys, everyone noticed this little white cat perched on the wall and just inside was a little room and porch where you could have a free cuppa tea and just take in the garden and the cats lounging around..

Yes they're umm..bonding.

  

At one of the many little shrines littering the town...you can see the other side of my hairdo here =) It was very simple, I suppose more befitting my slightly more *ahem* mature kimono =P



Trying to look like I'm the mama-san and failing badly =P

The super nice staff from Coedo Vivian~

One last shot before I go back to my street clothes

Love these streets...

I hope to go back and do the kimono thing again next time~ I really want to try the girly coloured ones! *squishes face*

You can get more info about Kawagoe on it's official website here~ ^___^