Here is another review for another one of the items I picked up in my Taipei haul: Dolly 3-Step Eyes by Etude House. I walked into Etude House that day planning to buy eyeliner and lip tint, but when I saw this palette, I knew I wouldn't be able to leave the store without it.

Most of my eyeshadows are of nude shades, and I've been wanting to bring more variety into my collection. When I saw this palette, I knew it would be perfect. I personally love bright and bold colors, so it's no wonder that this managed to catch my eye! From L-R: a subtle peach shadow with a satin finish, a shimmery hot pink, and a deep burgundy with a matte finish.

The color-payout is amazing! How you see it in the palette is how it shows up on your skin! I've had my fair share of eyeshadows that look pretty in the palette but does not look good when applied. I was pretty skeptic about the pink shade, at first. I honestly didn't think it would even show properly once applied but whoa. Was I proven wrong. Even without a base shadow or primer, the pigmentation is still solid. Unlike with most other coloured eyeshadows I've tried, there wasn't much need to build it up.

 That being said, the fallout is pretty bad, especially from the middle shadow. I've taken to applying eyeshadow before I apply my base whenever I use this particular palette. Still, the shadow is pretty resilient and when paired with primer, lasts through the day with minimal fading! 

I am very happy with this palette and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to try something bright and bold for a change!

beauty

Saturday, December 20, 2014

The first time I heard of Taiyou no Tomato was during my time as an exchange student in Tokyo. One of my professors recommended the place as it was near the university, and that it was the one place to try Tomato Cheese Ramen. I was pretty skeptical at first, because psh, Tomato Cheese Ramen? The tomato part, I can still comprehend, but the cheese? Not so much. Still, I ended up trying it out and when I did, I knew it was going to be one of those things I would surely miss once I left Tokyo.

As luck would have it, a branch recently opened in Taipei, right beside Taipei Main Station. I was ecstatic when I came across the place and dragged my dad along with me. There are quite a lot of other choices in the menu, but of course we ended up getting the signature Tomato Cheese Ramen. Though it may seem like buying an extremely soupy bowl of spaghetti, all it takes is one sip of the broth to find that it is anything but. The broth is rich, hearty, and wonderfully flavored. The savory, yet slightly tart flavor of tomatoes is brought out to its best, and complemented well by the generous helping of cheese. The grilled chicken also works really well with the broth, and I thought, made a much better choice than if they added pork.

They don't skimp on the servings too, and I rarely ever manage to finish one entire bowl by myself. In fact, whenever I know that I'm going to end up eating at Taiyou no Tomato, I make sure to work up an appetite. But on the off-chance I end up finishing all the noodles and am still a bit hungry, I order a bowl of risotto to which I add the leftover broth.  Trust me, you wouldn't want to let a single drop of that soup go to waste.

There are some side dishes available, but I often end up opting for the chicken karaage and the kimchi. Karaage for the simple reason that it is just impossible to pass up the chance to have really good fried chicken. The Karaage from Taiyou no Tomato is always perfectly seasoned and cooked. Nice and juicy – none of that overcooked, dry chicken. And Kimchi because ever since I've acquired the taste for it, it seems to round out a meal well.

More than just an amazing foodie experience, trying this out again brought a hint of nostalgia and fond memories from one of the best experiences in my life.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Hello everyone! I'm back with another make-up post! My Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream was running out, so I bought the UV White CC Essence by 1028 Visual therapy during my stay in Taipei. The Moisture Surge CC Cream was really pricey, so I thought to buy a cheaper alternative.

I ended up choosing the UV White CC Essence from 1028 Visual Therapy. Not only is it reasonably priced (usually at 420NTD), but it was on sale, too! Also, I own two other 1028 products: the Macaron Eyes Palette  and the Ultimate Oil Control Powder and neither have disappointed me so far. 

The CC Cream comes in only two shades: Light Beige and Natural Beige. I bought the Natural Beige one, though the difference in the shades aren't much. The Light Beige shade still matches my skin tone pretty well.

For a CC Cream, it certainly does its job. I've only used it twice so far, and though the coverage is light, it does well at concealing redness on the face– almost as good as my Clinique one. The consistency of the cream is pretty light, a tad bit more runny and smoother than my Clinique one. Which is probably the secret to my favorite thing about this CC Cream: I can't feel it. I usually opt out of using a base because I can literally feel it sitting on my face, no matter how light I apply it. However, after applying this CC Cream, it doesn't feel like anything at all. Even when I touch my face, I can only feel my skin getting a bit more smoother. Just like how it feels when its freshly washed. The only downside to this is that because I feel like I've applied nothing to my face, I end up using more of the CC cream because I feel like I haven't put on enough. 

It is also important to say that though I am used to applying my base with a sponge or a brush for an even finish, I found that the 1028 Visual Therapy UV CC Essence applies flawlessly even with just my fingers! 

All in all, I am looking forward to incorporating this into my usual make-up routine. :)

Until next time! 

beauty

Monday, December 08, 2014