From the first day I study music, I have been hearing saying like this from everywhere (from professional to amateur musicians) --Expressing yourself in music is more important than singing (or playing) with right technique.
Well, that is partially true. Yes, no one would like to hear a machine singing or playing the piano. However, do you know how to express yourself in music?
We always hear the comments from some people saying that some performers are full of emotion and passion in their performing, they make people cry in this way.
Well, wake up!
Can you really tell a person singing with all heart or expressing the mood? I bet you not.
You can not feel it because very few musicians do it during their concerts.
You cannot hear it. You are just trying to squeeze tears out of your eyes because you feel you have to and other people say that this musician is full of emotions.....
Isn't that familiar with the story you and I have read from our very young age?
'The Emperor's New Clothes' !
Yes, people could not see anything on the emperor but they still pretended they did because they did not want to be called fool. Everyone kept pretending how much they appreciate their king's new fashion, until one kid, pointed out the truth, 'The king is naked! ' .
No! you cannot feel the expression in music. There's nothing wrong with your ear and your feeling. It's because those so- called 'musicians' do not know anything about music but create another level of noise. Somehow they are so famous because the media say so, therefore audience should be admiring them and people pretend they understand everything the so called musicians express.
But actually they do not express anything. They show you only weired facial expressions and monkey dances, which is accompanied by another level of noise.
Sunday 5 May 2013
Forever 21 lace peter pan collar shirt X Forever 21 winter shorts
The top is a mint color self-tie blouse with lace peter pan collar and the bottom is the winter short with shimmers, which is basically a winter short. I wear them at this time of the year because it's not too warm nor cold.
You can see the detail of this blouse. The collar is super cute that you do not need necklace on it. I wear size small.
The detail of the tie knot on the bottom of the shirt.
The details of the shorts. I wear size xs.
This is how they look on me.
How to sing? - The first step
When you get a new song as your assignment, try to do the following steps.
1. Try to sight read by hum all the notes there with the right rhythm.
This is the most important step to develop sight reading skills and you teach your ear and brain how to produce the right pitch with your voice.
One of the most important things for singer is to sing the right notes. Unfortunately many singers fail to do so, even some of the most famous ones.
Without singing right notes, hitting the right pitch, it does not make sense to learn singing.
2. Sing the notes with solfege and letter name.
Solfege works as guide for your right pitch. Never skip this step. If you do not know any solfege, well......better not to call yourself singer.
Letter name is very important for students in North America to pass the exams. (C, D, E, F, G , A, B)
3. Sing and Clap
Sing the right note with solfege and clap the right rhythm. Believe me, it is the most difficult part for students, but it's the best way to test yourself if you understand what are written on the sheets.
One of the most essential things in music is to sing(play) the notes at the right time with right rhythm. Rhythm is the heart of the music. If your heart stop beating you are dead, so do your music. Music is life, is art, is everything.
Do everything with metronomes. Starting with lower speed, and gradually speed up.
Remember, this is ONLY the very first step in your learning process!
1. Try to sight read by hum all the notes there with the right rhythm.
This is the most important step to develop sight reading skills and you teach your ear and brain how to produce the right pitch with your voice.
One of the most important things for singer is to sing the right notes. Unfortunately many singers fail to do so, even some of the most famous ones.
Without singing right notes, hitting the right pitch, it does not make sense to learn singing.
2. Sing the notes with solfege and letter name.
Solfege works as guide for your right pitch. Never skip this step. If you do not know any solfege, well......better not to call yourself singer.
Letter name is very important for students in North America to pass the exams. (C, D, E, F, G , A, B)
3. Sing and Clap
Sing the right note with solfege and clap the right rhythm. Believe me, it is the most difficult part for students, but it's the best way to test yourself if you understand what are written on the sheets.
One of the most essential things in music is to sing(play) the notes at the right time with right rhythm. Rhythm is the heart of the music. If your heart stop beating you are dead, so do your music. Music is life, is art, is everything.
Do everything with metronomes. Starting with lower speed, and gradually speed up.
Remember, this is ONLY the very first step in your learning process!
Review: Estee Lauder Perfectionist CP+R serum
(image from esteelauder.com)This serum is supposed to do something for people with wrinkles. I am in my 20s and do not have wrinkles, but I like to try any product anti-ageing.
Actually I am little bit disappointed with this product. It's so expensive. It retails at $110 for 50 ml. Basically it did nothing on my skin.
It has some light waxy texture to it and with a silicone feel, which I feel it's more for makeup products not for skincare. I suppose it is the texture that blurs lines so that people feel it works dramatically and instantly to reduce lines.
In my view, any cosmetic effect in skincare products is cheating. This serum is simply a primer with fancy skin care ingredients to me.
Review: Shiseido Super Refining Essence
(image from http://www.ca-e.shiseido.com/sc/product/view.asp?S=11304)I like shiseido's airless pump packaging for serums. It's more sanitary to use.
This essence is categorised as serum. The texture is between liquid serum to cream. It's more towards to light gel cream texture.
The cream feels very emollient on the skin and it's absorbed quickly. I can use it either alone or with cream. When my skin is not dry, I use it alone and it works well for me. Non greasy at all so I use it before my Clarins sunscreen.
It has some ' shiseidoish' floral fragrance in this product. I am not fond of this smell not do not hate it either. Just wish it was fragrance free.
It makes my skin smooth and radiant as it claims. I am not sure if it reduces the wrinkles because I do not have any. It keep my skin hydrated whole night and I wake up with glowy skin.
It retails at $88 CAD plus tax for 50 ml. As a department store serum the price is quite reasonable. But it works nothing fantastic on my skin, (actually there's no skin care products work that way so far) I think I will find something else works the same way with cheaper price.
Saturday 4 May 2013
Good music - Man Is For The Woman Made by Henry Purcell
Are you good at dealing relationship between men and women? How do you describe the relationship between men and women? As early as 17th century, our great musician told you the answer already. I cannot stop smiling each time when I listen to it.
Purcell said, ' Man is for the woman made and woman is made for man......as for digging is the spade.....as to cool us is the fan......'
Here is the link of the song. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp7OIRo6Pdo
Purcell said, ' Man is for the woman made and woman is made for man......as for digging is the spade.....as to cool us is the fan......'
Here is the link of the song. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp7OIRo6Pdo
Music exams
Many students want to pass the highest level of exam as soon as possible.
I have some students, after passing the highest level of exams with decent marks, do not know music at all.
They cannot sight read properly.
They have no knowledge of music.
They do not know the dynamics.
They do not use the right muscles to sing and play the piano.
They do not sing and play anything without asking teachers to show them....and more, etc etc.
Why?
Because for most music schools and music teachers, the more students pass exams, the better their reputations are. They will get more and more students by referrals.
So how do they teach?
Teach them like teaching monkeys.
How do students learn?
Learn by imitating everything teachers do.
So after exams, students forget everything. Music is imitation for students; Music means more and more students and money for teachers and schools.
I have some students, after passing the highest level of exams with decent marks, do not know music at all.
They cannot sight read properly.
They have no knowledge of music.
They do not know the dynamics.
They do not use the right muscles to sing and play the piano.
They do not sing and play anything without asking teachers to show them....and more, etc etc.
Why?
Because for most music schools and music teachers, the more students pass exams, the better their reputations are. They will get more and more students by referrals.
So how do they teach?
Teach them like teaching monkeys.
How do students learn?
Learn by imitating everything teachers do.
So after exams, students forget everything. Music is imitation for students; Music means more and more students and money for teachers and schools.
Japanese pianos....
Japanese are hard workers. But it does not mean everything they have made are good. At least the pianos, I really dislike their pianos.
I have Japanese cosmetics, Japanese skincare and Japanese recording machines, and they work quite well.
But their pianos are a big NO, especially the upright Y***** ones. All of them produce very bad sound, and the touch is so light that no one, even the youngest learners are not able to train their muscles by playing it, and the bad sounds can ruin their hearings.
I do not understand why people buy second hand Japanese piano than buying brand new German or American pianos. Used Japanese pianos here cost more than any good pianos.
Again, I do not recommend to buy Japanese (especially upright y*****) pianos at all. A total waste of money!!!
I have Japanese cosmetics, Japanese skincare and Japanese recording machines, and they work quite well.
But their pianos are a big NO, especially the upright Y***** ones. All of them produce very bad sound, and the touch is so light that no one, even the youngest learners are not able to train their muscles by playing it, and the bad sounds can ruin their hearings.
I do not understand why people buy second hand Japanese piano than buying brand new German or American pianos. Used Japanese pianos here cost more than any good pianos.
Again, I do not recommend to buy Japanese (especially upright y*****) pianos at all. A total waste of money!!!
Idol?
Idol or idiot?
Who can be an idol for people? A person who does not know notes, sings no bitch and dance like monkey can be a singer? A person who pretend she or he is singing a 'belcanto' way and call herself opera singer? Who wins the live show competition?
I am tired of all these winners from idol shows. Some call themselves great opera singers. For being a great opera singer, you need years of years of voice training. Not only voice training, you need many knowledge in music, in art, in math, in science, in language and so on.
Nowadays many people pretend to sing like opera singers on the shows. But if you have been being trained voice properly for years, you understand that is just another lie. They are just fooling people in such way to pretend they can sing better than others.
Yes, they win and they get so many chances to tour around the world as opera singers and earn billions of money.
But because they have more chances to be exposed to in public media, they are teaching people to act and sing in that wrong way.
They tell people that you do not have to learn any notes or knowledge of music, and you can be famous easily without learning.
They tell you the younger you are there, the more people call you talented. But actually everybody can mimic opera singers' way of singing. If that's for entertainment on tvs, that's fine. For being in real concert, that's a joke.
They tell you to make many mistakes as you can once you become stars. People will discuss you more. The more you are on news headline, the less people will forget you......
Who can be an idol for people? A person who does not know notes, sings no bitch and dance like monkey can be a singer? A person who pretend she or he is singing a 'belcanto' way and call herself opera singer? Who wins the live show competition?
I am tired of all these winners from idol shows. Some call themselves great opera singers. For being a great opera singer, you need years of years of voice training. Not only voice training, you need many knowledge in music, in art, in math, in science, in language and so on.
Nowadays many people pretend to sing like opera singers on the shows. But if you have been being trained voice properly for years, you understand that is just another lie. They are just fooling people in such way to pretend they can sing better than others.
Yes, they win and they get so many chances to tour around the world as opera singers and earn billions of money.
But because they have more chances to be exposed to in public media, they are teaching people to act and sing in that wrong way.
They tell people that you do not have to learn any notes or knowledge of music, and you can be famous easily without learning.
They tell you the younger you are there, the more people call you talented. But actually everybody can mimic opera singers' way of singing. If that's for entertainment on tvs, that's fine. For being in real concert, that's a joke.
They tell you to make many mistakes as you can once you become stars. People will discuss you more. The more you are on news headline, the less people will forget you......
Who kills (good) classical music? Everyone
It has been in my mind for long time. To my mind, it is one of the most inconvenient and ugly truth in the world. My criticism may be harsh for the following related topic. But that is my real feeling. If you dislike it, leave the page.
Review: CLINIQUE Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Damage Corrector
(photo from thebay.com) Some people say this serum can be a dupe for EL ANR, well, for me it may be not the case.
The texture is slightly less thicker than EL ANR. If I do not apply any moisturiser right after this serum, my face feels tight and dry.
It claims to reduce wrinkles, sun damage and lines in 4 weeks. However after finishing the whole bottle I do not feel any difference. Maybe I do not have wrinkles yet and cannot see any result. But I don't even feel my skin is moisturised or in a healthy condition after this.
I would rather to spend on something else than buying this.
Review: ESTEE LAUDER Double Wear StayinPlace Powder Makeup SPF 10
(photo from thebay.com)Comparing to other higher end powder foundation I owned, this is an OK product.
The coverage can be built up to full, the staying power is more than 8 hours and it does not change colour.
However I found it is a little bit dry for my skin during cold weather.
Sadly, there's only SPF 10 in this powder, and there's no refill available.
For $45 CAD plus tax, I can find a better dupe in the department store such as Clarins everlasting compact SPF 15 or Shiseido sun powder SPF 35.
Review: LANCOME DualFinish Versatile Powder Makeup
(photo credit to thebay.com)This powder foundation does not impress me too much. The sales lady said it has been on the market for more than 30 years. Well, maybe it was a nice products at that time. After trying and collecting so many powder foundations, this is not something I would buy again.
The coverage can build up to full-coverage as it claims-from soft matte to flawless matte finish.
However there's one big con that I cannot stand at all.
What bothers me the most is the smell of the powder. It's so overpowering that I feel so sick after applying it on. It seems that the scent can stay there forever.
As a department store brand, it's not that expensive. The pressed powder has 19 grams for 49 CAD plus tax. Sadly there's no sunscreen ingredients in it.
We can easily find the dupe for it at the body shop. The body shop all in one face base works exactly the same as this lancome dual finish powder without overpowering perfume in it, and the tbs powder has quite wide selection of shades as well.
Review: SHISEIDO The Skincare HydroNourishing Softener
(photo credit to thebay.com)I got this in a gwp. It's in average not bad toner. It's hydrating and can be used like light serum when my skin is not dry. It has a nice scent to it. But nothing fancy. It's very similar to lancome tonique confort. This one is more expensive, 140 ml for$44 CAD plus tax while lancome has 200ml for $35 CAD.
Review: SHISEIDO Eudermine Revitalizing Essence
(photo credit to thebay.com)After trying so many lotions (toners), this is nothing special to me.
It may be a great product in 19th century--Shiseido claimed it to be introduced in 1897.
It is not a revitalising essence to me, it's just pure lotion with hydrating function. It does not dry out my skin, but does not work wonders like other toners that I reviewed in my blog.
It has a scent which I am really fond of. But that is the only thing that I like.
It's on the pricey. The essence toner retails at $78 plus tax for only 125 ml.
Review: SHISEIDO Refining Makeup Primer
(photo from thebay.com)I got this in a gwp. I must say I am happy to get it free because it does nothing for me.
First, It has no SPF in it. I know the US version has SPF in it. So it cannot be used as sunscreen.
Second, the tint-colour does not match me. It's a Asian brand, and I think it is supposed to have some shades match Asian skin tone, which is usually olive and yellow base. However it appears very pink and red on my face. It does not look natural on me at all.
Third, it's so dry for my skin. I may be able to use it in the summer time. I do not want and I do not need any primer to absorb oil from my face.
The only advantage this primer has is probably the good coverage. It evens out my skin tone ( strangely in a pinkish tone) and covers well the imperfections.
Overall, it's not a product for me. It can be best oily skin with pink skin undertone.
Dupe for Estee Lauder ESTEE LAUDER Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex- New ESTEE LAUDER Nutritious Radiant Vitality Energy Lotion review
(photo credit to thebay.com)This is the dupe for EL advanced night repair serum. In fact, it's much better than it.
Let's compare the price first, the EL advanced night repair serum is $96 CAD plus tax for 50ml while this nutritious lotion retails at $55 for 200ml.
You may say it's not fair to compare a serum to a lotion (toner). But to me they work in a similar way.
This nutritious lotion claims to infuses skin with moisture and energy for a look of radiant vitality. It does help my skin look radiant. I usually put it on before sleep, next day I wake up with hydrated, refined glowy skin.
It's a real high-performance treatment lotion that works like serum. The texture is similar to advanced night repair serum, but less thicker than it. To my surprise, I only need 2 drop of it to put on my skin while with the night repair serum, I usually put more than 3 drops of it.
The first after I bought it, I use only drops of this lotion after washing my face. My skin did not feel tight even I did not put the moisturiser on immediately. It can stay more than 20 minutes on my skin alone without making my skin feel dry.
I have not finish this bottle yet and I believe it can stay quite long time if I use it as a serum. Will update later and say how long does it take for me to finish this 200 ml serum like lotion.
Friday 3 May 2013
Review: KATE mineral powder foundation spf15
The powder foundation has a light to medium coverage and can be built up ( but not to full coverage). The powder is smooth and silky. It has SPF 15 in it.
I am very fond of this product because the performance is average among Japanese powder foundation.
It's not cheap. It costs around $15 USD for refill only. I can find better choices with a cheaper price.
Review: Clarins Daily Energizer WakeUp Booster
(photo credit to thebay.com)Toners have many nicknames. Cosmetic companies call them lotion, softener, and booster......
This wakeup booster is supposed to be a morning toner. But of course I do not use it in the morning only.
It claims to enhance skin radiance. Since the toner is hydrating, it makes me feel that my complexion is radiant and luminous.
Clarins is famous for plant extracts ingredients, and this is no exception. I am not sure if there's any natural ingredients there, but I can be sure that there's artificial smell in almost all Clarins' products.
I prefer fragrance free products in general. But this smell does not bother me that much. It does not break me out but make my skin healthy and hydrating.
This is a rather cheaper department store toner. It retails at $15 CAD plus tax for 125 ml. Very good value. Because some drugstore toner can cost this much or even more ( if you buy toners at shoppers.) ......
Review: Lunasol FUSING POWDER FOUNDATION spf 20
(photo from adambeauty.com)It's one of my favourite powder foundation. Sadly it's only available in Asia.
Lunasol is a department store brand, it belongs to Kanebo's higher end products.
This powder foundation has a very creamy and silky texture. When I apply it on I do not feel it's powder on my face. The powder does not suck the moisture or oil out from my skin, instead, it keeps the moisture inside of it. So it's best for dryer skin types.
The coverage is superb. Really good coverage, yet the face does not look flat after applying it on.
The shade I use is yo02, it matches my skin tone perfectly.
The longer I apply it on, the more beautiful my skin looks.
It has a similar finish as Albion's powder foundation, but the lunasol powder stays longer and better on me.
I wish there's kanebo counter available here.
Review: SHISEIDO Revital Cream Science AA Ex
(photo from thebay.com)This cream retails at $260 CAD plus tax for only 40 ml!!
One of the most expensive creams I have ever had.
It works as it claims--filling skin with rich moisture. It supposed to make you look younger. It's targeted at 30+ customers. I am in my mid- to- late 20s so I do not know if it boost the collagen ( I know we lost it everyday). But it does work wonderful as a moisturising night cream.
I do feel the texture better than bio-performance ones. So do the scent. The packaging is as elegant as most Japanese skin care products.
However I do not think it's worth the money to buy a night cream for such high price. Benefiance wrinkleresist 24 works the same way and is about 4 times cheaper!
What I dislike about the cosmetic companies
I dislike when some companies:
1. Do not state a cream contains sunscreen ingredients. Rather, the sales lady always tell you that you can use all kinds of cream day and night. But I do not use cream with SPF in the night. Why companies do not say it clearly on their packaging that a cream is supposed to be used in day time only because it contains some ingredients to protect the UV rays?
2. Some powder foundations are with SPF while in Canada there's no SPF on it. I found that anything with SPF comes with expiry date. Maybe some companies do not want to let their products to be destroyed because of the expiry date?
1. Do not state a cream contains sunscreen ingredients. Rather, the sales lady always tell you that you can use all kinds of cream day and night. But I do not use cream with SPF in the night. Why companies do not say it clearly on their packaging that a cream is supposed to be used in day time only because it contains some ingredients to protect the UV rays?
2. Some powder foundations are with SPF while in Canada there's no SPF on it. I found that anything with SPF comes with expiry date. Maybe some companies do not want to let their products to be destroyed because of the expiry date?
Review: SHISEIDO White Lucent Brightening Serum for Neck and Decolletage
(photo from thebay.com)This serum retails at $75 CAD plus tax with 75 ml.
For me it's a waste of money to buy this serum. It does nothing like it claimed.
It clams to reduce the apperance of age and sun spots, but it does not. It does not even even out skin
It claims to provide generous moisture. No, it does not do it at all. After applying the serum, my neck and palms start feel dry.
Actually I doubt if it's skin care. To me it's more like makeup than a skincare product because it has some sparkle in the serum (they call it as 'light diffusing properties' ). I mean it's better to put this serum before going out for party.
However, I cannot even use it as a makeup primer because it does dry out my skin.
Thoughts on Japanese toner (softener, lotion) and other higher end toners
Japanese toners are more than toners.
Most toners work as a cleansing lotion after washing face, but Japanese toners seem to be doing more than that.
Most of the Japanese toner I have tried are very hydrating. Some of them are in light serum consistency such as Shiseido nutriperfect and future solution softeners.
The toners I have tried with serum feel are Lancome tonique confort, Estee lauder re-nutriv softening lotion and Estee lauder nutritious energy lotion.
Most toners work as a cleansing lotion after washing face, but Japanese toners seem to be doing more than that.
Most of the Japanese toner I have tried are very hydrating. Some of them are in light serum consistency such as Shiseido nutriperfect and future solution softeners.
The toners I have tried with serum feel are Lancome tonique confort, Estee lauder re-nutriv softening lotion and Estee lauder nutritious energy lotion.
Review: SHISEIDO Future Solution LX Concentrated Balancing Softener
(photo credit to thebay.com)This softener is more than a softener.
It feels like a light serum. I normally apply it without cotton pads. It's very hydrating. In summer time I do not even need a moisturiser afterwards.
However it has a very strong scent. Though I do not hate this smell, I do not enjoy it either.
It retails at $98 CAD plus tax for 150ml. If you use it as a serum, it cost less than other moisturising serums. However you can find a dupe for it. Shiseido Benefiance nutriperfect softener has the same function, cost a lot less and with less scent.
The body shop all in one face base
The body shop is famous for its body care products. However I found its makeup lines more interesting.
There are wide selections of shades. I found the colour 045 is very similar to my diorskin 021 linen.
The coverage is great, it covers up everything without feeling heavy at all. It does not accentuate fine line under my eyes.
It's not dry for my skin even apply it in the winter time.
The staying power is great, it can hold up to 8 hours without touch ups.
It comes with a mirror and sponge, and the refill is store in a portable round case.
The only one downside is that there's no sunscreen in it.
Otherwise it's a perfect powder foundation!
There are wide selections of shades. I found the colour 045 is very similar to my diorskin 021 linen.
The coverage is great, it covers up everything without feeling heavy at all. It does not accentuate fine line under my eyes.
It's not dry for my skin even apply it in the winter time.
The staying power is great, it can hold up to 8 hours without touch ups.
It comes with a mirror and sponge, and the refill is store in a portable round case.
The only one downside is that there's no sunscreen in it.
Otherwise it's a perfect powder foundation!
The body shop nutriganics softening cleansing gel-dupe for clinique take the day off
This is probably one of my favourite the body shop skin care products.
The cleansing gel is with thick gel consistency. When I am lazy to use eye makeup remover, I use only this to remove everything on my face. It works wonders.
It can be the best dupe for clinique take the day off cleansing balm. The only problem is that I use up this very fast, while clinique cleansing balm stays long with me.
The cleansing gel is with thick gel consistency. When I am lazy to use eye makeup remover, I use only this to remove everything on my face. It works wonders.
It can be the best dupe for clinique take the day off cleansing balm. The only problem is that I use up this very fast, while clinique cleansing balm stays long with me.
Shiseido Ultra Sun protection Lotion spf 50
(photo credit to thebay.com) I wish I could like this sunscreen, because it's so affordable comparing to other higher end sunscreens, it retails at $49 CAD plus tax for 100 ml!
The sunscreen is like it claims, very water resistant. Except being affordable and water resistant, I cannot find other pros in it.
First, the scent is so overpowering that I can still feel it before I remove my makeup at the end of the day. I do not mind some smell in cosmetics when I apply it on my face. But I do not want to feel it whole day. The scent makes me feel sick.
Second, it seems not compatible with any of my powder foundations. I normally do not use makeup base. I apply sunscreen and powder as my everyday base makeup. If I apply any powder foundation right after this sunscreen, the powder foundation becomes cakey and not easy to blend; if I apply powder foundation sometime after apply this sunscreen, it makes my foundation look a lot more thick than it should be.
So the best way to use this sunscreen, is to apply it alone on the body instead of face (or neck).
I really wish to like this sunscreen, because it has bigger size than other (department store) sunscreens. But it always makes problem for me when I apply it on my face. Otherwise it has such good value and sometimes I can get bonus with buying it.
Review: Olay complete spf 30 daily moisturizer
This is a sunscreen with very good value. It's around $16 CAD plus tax at walmart for 75ml.
I use it mostly in winter time. I would not use it in strong sunlight. Because of its hydrating and very affordable price. I think it's the best dupe for the new Estee Lauder day wear SPF 50.
I use it mostly in winter time. I would not use it in strong sunlight. Because of its hydrating and very affordable price. I think it's the best dupe for the new Estee Lauder day wear SPF 50.
Clarins uv plus hp multi-protection spf 40--dupe for Chanel sunscreen
(photo credit to thebay.com)It's the dupe for Chanel sunscreen. A lot cheaper than other department sunscreens who have only 30ml available. Not the cheapest choice of course. It retails at $40 CAD plus tax for 50 ml.
It's a very light liquid sunscreen, much lighter than Chanel's. It reminds me some Japanese sunscreens. I cannot say it's not hydrating in the winter time, but it can be slightly dry for me in very cold days. So I always put a lot of cream before applying for this sunscreen. But it works wonders in the summer time.
To my surprise, it holds my powder foundation as good as Chanel's sun screen. The powder foundations stay very well over 6 hours without touch ups.
Though it has scent in it, it never breaks me out. I have been using more than 5 bottles of this sunscreen and will keep using it until I find a better and cheaper dupe--a sunscreen that can protect my skin from UV rays and hold my powder foundation well.
Chanel UV essentiel spf 50
This sunscreen retails at $57 CAD plus tax for 30 ml only, it is probably the most expensive sunscreen I have ever had.
The sunscreen is in a light liquid formula, yet not drying for my skin. I can wear it in the winter time without feeling uncomfortable. It has the most beautiful scent in it. It's with white cast, but once I put powder over it, it's disappears.
I like the feeling with this sunscreen on my skin. But it's too expensive. Clarins UV plus is the dupe for it.
The sunscreen is in a light liquid formula, yet not drying for my skin. I can wear it in the winter time without feeling uncomfortable. It has the most beautiful scent in it. It's with white cast, but once I put powder over it, it's disappears.
I like the feeling with this sunscreen on my skin. But it's too expensive. Clarins UV plus is the dupe for it.
Estee lauder day wear bb multi-perfecting beauty benefit cream spf 35
(photo credit to thebay.com)This cream retails at $45 CAD plus tax for only 30 ml, quite expensive!
I normally do not use liquid foundation or BB cream as my makeup. I use this cream as a sunscreen.
This cream has a slight cucumber scent, which I am not fond of. But the cream is more hydrating than other sunscreens. I use it in cold winter, and it does not make my skin dry or tight. SPF 35 is more than enough to protect our skin from UV rays in winter time--if you do not ski.
I got the cream in light colour, which is the lightest shade available. However the shade is slightly darker than my skin tone (nc20). The coverage is quite good, it evens out skin and covers some imperfections.
All in all, it's a nice sunscreen for dry skin. It's for people want to skip the foundation step while having some coverage on the skin. I wish it could be fragrance-free and have one shade lighter available.
Thursday 2 May 2013
"My" best shops in Canada
Today I read an article about the "best Canadian shops". I was surprised shoppers was in top10. But it's other people's opinions and I respect them. I like shoppers' customer services online and onphone, but I dislike the service they provide in the stores. Anyway, it's just a thought.
My best shops in Canada, means that shops can be found in Canada. Not necessarily with Canadian businessmen owner or sell Canadian made products.
I list the store names randomly, not according to how much I love them. I love them all, and just want to share with you guys how great they are.
Loblaws
It sells grocery, clothes, cosmetics, and kitchenwares. I like that fact that I can basically find anything I want in the shop. The place inside is always clean, bright, and well-organized in any loblaw stores. The original prices can be higher than others, but we can find the best bargain there when things on sale. People there are very nice and provide the best customer services they can. It has wider selection of groceries than other stores. We can either scan n go or wait in line for cashiers to help. Also it opens very late until 11:00 p.m. while other stores tend to close at 10:00.
One thing that I would like to complain about is that sometimes some store play too loud music that I cannot stand at all. But it does not happen all the time and not in all locations.
T&T Supermarket
Asian supermarket that sells most of things Asian. It has the widest selections of Asian food among Chinese supermarkets. It's also very clean, bright and well organized. Some of the stores open until 12:00.
The customer service is great there as well. What I like the most is that cashiers hand in the receipts to you with both hands with smile, that is a real Asian way of showing how much they respect customers like you.
Sometimes the music can be too loud. But again it does not happen all the time.
The Bay
TheBay seems to have almost all kinds of brands from very high end to lower ones. It may not have everything in all locations, but it has online shop there. We can always shop online 24/7, though sometimes the web seems to be out of control....
The sales people are always very nice and provide the best customer service. If you go to a cosmetic counter where the lady who belongs to there are not there, sales lady from other counters will come immediately to help.
As HBC card holders, we can always get extra discounts with its credit cars, which is really good. We can collect points and redeem for anything we like.
Walmart Canada
Walmart may not be a Canadian shop, but it's great! It offers everything the best prices with nice quality. The super centre close to where I live is very clean and well-organized. Some discount stores may not look as clean as other stores to have an impression that they do not spend extra money on cleaning but on offering great prices to customers. People there are very nice and helpful as well.
My best shops in Canada, means that shops can be found in Canada. Not necessarily with Canadian businessmen owner or sell Canadian made products.
I list the store names randomly, not according to how much I love them. I love them all, and just want to share with you guys how great they are.
Loblaws
It sells grocery, clothes, cosmetics, and kitchenwares. I like that fact that I can basically find anything I want in the shop. The place inside is always clean, bright, and well-organized in any loblaw stores. The original prices can be higher than others, but we can find the best bargain there when things on sale. People there are very nice and provide the best customer services they can. It has wider selection of groceries than other stores. We can either scan n go or wait in line for cashiers to help. Also it opens very late until 11:00 p.m. while other stores tend to close at 10:00.
One thing that I would like to complain about is that sometimes some store play too loud music that I cannot stand at all. But it does not happen all the time and not in all locations.
T&T Supermarket
Asian supermarket that sells most of things Asian. It has the widest selections of Asian food among Chinese supermarkets. It's also very clean, bright and well organized. Some of the stores open until 12:00.
The customer service is great there as well. What I like the most is that cashiers hand in the receipts to you with both hands with smile, that is a real Asian way of showing how much they respect customers like you.
Sometimes the music can be too loud. But again it does not happen all the time.
The Bay
TheBay seems to have almost all kinds of brands from very high end to lower ones. It may not have everything in all locations, but it has online shop there. We can always shop online 24/7, though sometimes the web seems to be out of control....
The sales people are always very nice and provide the best customer service. If you go to a cosmetic counter where the lady who belongs to there are not there, sales lady from other counters will come immediately to help.
As HBC card holders, we can always get extra discounts with its credit cars, which is really good. We can collect points and redeem for anything we like.
Walmart Canada
Walmart may not be a Canadian shop, but it's great! It offers everything the best prices with nice quality. The super centre close to where I live is very clean and well-organized. Some discount stores may not look as clean as other stores to have an impression that they do not spend extra money on cleaning but on offering great prices to customers. People there are very nice and helpful as well.
Review: CLINIQUE Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator
( Photo credit to thebay.com)This is a gel-cream texture with a light scent which does not bother me. It hydrates me instantly once I put it on. I am not sure if it hydrates me 24 hours after I put it on but what I can be sure about is that it can work as good as night mask when I feel extremely dry some day in the winter.
Review: Diorskin Forever Compact Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Makeup
I love powder foundations more than liquid or cream foundations. To me it's essential that a powder foundation has spf in it though I never put makeup on without sunscreen as base. I prefer powder foundation with high coverage since I normally do not use concealer.
The diorskin's compact caught my attention when it was released in 2011. As a powder foundation junkie, I do not hesitate to try any powder foundation with spf & high coverage. I got shades in 010, 021 and 023 since I had some rewards to redeem at the bay. The compact foundation retails at$49 plus tax in Canada.
My thoughts on diorskin flawless compact:
1. It has a wide range of color selection for powder foundations. 020 claims to be neutural undertone; 021 is for golden undertone ; 023 leans towards to peachy while 022 is more pink undertone.
2. Though shade 023 claims to be peachy beige, it does not look super peachy on my skin. Actually it looks as natural as shade 021 on my Asian olive undertone skin. I have never tried shade 020 though many people use this shade. I use 010 to put on my undereye area to create a three-dimentional face.
3. Texture: The texture is extremely fine. When you touch the pan with your finger, you feel it's very buttery and creamy-- almost like a cream to powder foundation feel. When you apply it to your face, you do not feel it dry or powdery at all.
4. The finish: The finish is very beautiful after one hour of applying. It looks a little bit heavy when I first apply it on. However as the time passed, it looks as you naturally have flawless skin. Not super glowy or matte at all. I've gotten many compliments on my skin with this powder.
5. The lasting power is good in winter time with my normal to dry skin. When I did it in summer time, it did not looks as impressive as in winter time. I guess it's because I get oily t-zone in the summer. I also use it as under eye concealor. It conceals very well. However, as time goes by, it tend to slightly accentuate fine line under my right eye area.
Overall, it's a good powder foundation for people with normal to dry skin. It has flawless coverage as it claims. It covers dark circle and menstrual acnes. It does not look heavy. It's a good powder foundation to wear for some special occasions. Personally I do not touch up my makeup and the powder stays well around 6 hours. It has spf 25 and pa++ to build up the protection from sun damage. I feel I am protected when I put sun screen with powder foundation at the same time. All in all, it's a greate powder foundation with high coverage and decent hydration. It performs the best on dry skin in dry climates.
The diorskin's compact caught my attention when it was released in 2011. As a powder foundation junkie, I do not hesitate to try any powder foundation with spf & high coverage. I got shades in 010, 021 and 023 since I had some rewards to redeem at the bay. The compact foundation retails at$49 plus tax in Canada.
My thoughts on diorskin flawless compact:
1. It has a wide range of color selection for powder foundations. 020 claims to be neutural undertone; 021 is for golden undertone ; 023 leans towards to peachy while 022 is more pink undertone.
2. Though shade 023 claims to be peachy beige, it does not look super peachy on my skin. Actually it looks as natural as shade 021 on my Asian olive undertone skin. I have never tried shade 020 though many people use this shade. I use 010 to put on my undereye area to create a three-dimentional face.
3. Texture: The texture is extremely fine. When you touch the pan with your finger, you feel it's very buttery and creamy-- almost like a cream to powder foundation feel. When you apply it to your face, you do not feel it dry or powdery at all.
4. The finish: The finish is very beautiful after one hour of applying. It looks a little bit heavy when I first apply it on. However as the time passed, it looks as you naturally have flawless skin. Not super glowy or matte at all. I've gotten many compliments on my skin with this powder.
5. The lasting power is good in winter time with my normal to dry skin. When I did it in summer time, it did not looks as impressive as in winter time. I guess it's because I get oily t-zone in the summer. I also use it as under eye concealor. It conceals very well. However, as time goes by, it tend to slightly accentuate fine line under my right eye area.
Overall, it's a good powder foundation for people with normal to dry skin. It has flawless coverage as it claims. It covers dark circle and menstrual acnes. It does not look heavy. It's a good powder foundation to wear for some special occasions. Personally I do not touch up my makeup and the powder stays well around 6 hours. It has spf 25 and pa++ to build up the protection from sun damage. I feel I am protected when I put sun screen with powder foundation at the same time. All in all, it's a greate powder foundation with high coverage and decent hydration. It performs the best on dry skin in dry climates.
Review: Origins Brighter by nature Spf 30 powder
Origins brighter by nature powder foundation has spf 30.
The active ingredients are octinoxate 7.50%; titanium dioxide 3.00% and Octocrylene 1:00%, which means it has UVA&UVB protection.
My thoughts on Origins Brighter by nature Spf 30:
1. It has quite high spf protection for a powder foundation.
2. COVERAGE: It has medium to full coverage. It can conceal my dark
circles, minor imperfections & menstrual acne.
3. TEXTURE: To me it's quite powdery. It has no buttery texture like some other high end products (though it's quite expensive here in Canada-$37 CAD plus tax).
The texture feels like Japanese drug store powder foundations--if you've tried any Japanese products you know what I mean. BTW, this product is
made in Japan.
4. FINISH: Matte finish. I think those who have oily to combination skin could have more beautiful finish with it.
5. SHADE: I have both very light warm and light warm. Light warm is
slightly darker than my Asian olive NC 20 skin, but I use it very often as
(natural/everyday)concour.
IN CONCLUSION:This is an ok product to me.
I like it's coverage. However because of it's dry&powdery texure, it makes
me feeling dry.
I like it has spf.As a everyday powder foundation to protect you from uv
damage, this is a good product. But if you are looking for beautiful finish for a special occasion, it might not be the best choice for normal to dry skin.
I recommend it to those to are looking for full coverage with high spf powder foundation. For those who have oily to combination skin & tend
to use powder as foundation, this could be your best choice.
Review: CLARINS Perfect Shine Sheer Lipstick
The color I got was #16 pink coral. It is one of the best lipstick I have ever had.
The lipstick is as hydrating as lipbalms. It has a sweet fruity scent.
What I like the most is the color. It's just like my lip color, but better. The shimmer in it makes my lip looks as healthy and glossy as a baby's lips.
The price is average department store price, around $27 plus tax.
Review: Guerlain Parure Compact Foundation with Crystal Pearls SPF 20
(photo credit to nordstrom.com)
As you can see from the picture above, the powder refill is stored in a very elegant gold case.
This powder foundation is probably one of the best powder foundation I have ever used.
Like its name 'foundation with crystal pearls', the pressed powder foundation is with subtle light-reflecting particles. The powder is very fine--as finely milled as chanel's powder; the particles are very subtle that you cannot see it on the pan with a certain distance.
Because the powder is very finely milled, it does not sink into the fine line on my undereye area. It covers up my dark circles and light acne scars, hides my menstrual acnes, and of course, it evens out my skin tone beautifully.
When you touch the pan, you can feel how silky and fine the powder is.
After hours of applying this powder foundation, there's a glow showing on my face. I believe it's the help of the 'crystal pearls'.
What is good about this powder foundation, is that I can buy a refill here in Canada. There are very few brands have refill available. So I really appreciate it.
However, there are some cons with this powder.
It's very expensive. It's not as expensive as Chanel or Dior. But the refill is the price of Diorskin flawless pact, and 1.5 times more expensive than shiseido &clinique powder foundations.
The contents are so small, it has only 9 gram!! Comparing to other brands with 10 grams at least in the pan, and Chanel 's powder foundation comes in 13 grams, this is a incredibly expensive powder foundation.
There's a very suble scent that I do not enjoy. Though it's suble, it's there.
I must say, Gurlain's products are great. But they all contain the scents I dislike. I do not understand why French brands like to parfume their products so much......
Also, the shade selections are very limit. It has only neutral and pink undertoned available, but not yellow or olive undertoned. There's shade #32 available in Asia for yellow undertoned fair light skin. I wish they bring it here someday.
All in all, the powder foundation works everything as it claims and it has spf 20, pa++, which is also a big plus. However the price is high, and the powder has only 9 g available, which makes it more expensive. I will keep buying it by redeeming my hbc reward points because it gives me the most beautiful skin.
Wednesday 1 May 2013
Review: Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 intensive eye contour cream
(photo credit to thebay.com)I like this eye cream! It's more than an eye cream. I not only use it on my undereye area, but also on my lips and whole face.
The cream has very thick consistency, yet not greasy. It absorbs quickly. Since it's a little bit sticky, I use it as the last step of my skin care routine.
It says this is best for women around 40, but it works wonders for my mid-late 20s dry skin.
The sticky and thick consistency of the cream reminds me of cle de peau's intensive wrinkle cream (not sure about it's whole name, but it was a cream with airless pump.) It works better than cle de peau's cream. This eye cream can be the best dupe for cle de peau--inface, the whole line can be the dupe for cle de peau's older generation skin care lines.
The cream is not cheap, 15 ml retails at $65 CAD plus tax!
Review: CHANEL LE BLANC BRIGHTENING MOISTURIZING CREAM
The brightening moisturizing night cream is probably one of the cheapest Chanel's skin care products. It has 50 ml in it.
Personally I do not care too much about the brightening effects a product can bring to me. I simply like to try new products looks interesting to me.
The Chanel's night cream has a very classic and elegant look. The jar is quite heavy. The cream has some floral scent which I enjoy very much. I usually prefer unscented products. But the smell is so nice that I wish Chanel could make a perfume with the scent!
The cream is in gel-cream formula. Though it's not heavy, it's quite hydrating. When my skin is under normal condition, I can put a thick layer of it without topping anything else before sleep. When I wake up I do not feel dry, and skin is in well-balanced condition.
I am not sure how well it can lighten spots. But it makes my skin look healthy. Skin looks bright when it's healthy.
Overall, it's a good night cream that keep my skin moisturized and healthy. I like the texture and scent of it. I wish Chanel can make a perfume with that scent someday.
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