Essential CC Oil (for hair) review

actual product

My new hair cut has enabled me to constantly blow dry my hair, it just somehow ends up looking hideous if I don't, as a result, (you guessed it) my hair is terribly damaged. Split ends and dry ends (are they the same thing?) have developed and my hair looks dead.

While shopping at Watsons the other day, I saw a display promoting this hair oil from Essential, I was contemplating on getting it, I looked over and L'oreal (or some American brand) was selling their hair oil (in larger amounts) for $165 HKD... and while Essential's was only $65 HKD, so... you guessed it... I got this!...

product with Chinese translation

What it claims:

Non-greasy and invisibly light, the Essential CC Oil coats each strand of hair with a cuticle coat protection to fight the 5 most common forms of hair stresses. The cuticle coat protection leaves hair smooth and tangle-free all day!

• Unprotected hair is prone to friction damage caused by daily external stress factors 
• Essential CC Oil protects hair from the 5 hair stresses 
• Light, non-greasy oil is instantly absorbed by hair 
• Leaves hair smooth & manageable all day

more info

If you can't read Chinese or Japanese the 5 hair stresses include: 

tangling, broken pieces of hair, dried hair, split ends and static

I love Essential products, I have been using their Shampoo for a few months now and their hair mask for a few years... and so far, their products have not disappointed me. I had high hopes for this oil... but I knew that just like their hair mask, this oil won't produce immediate noticeable results.

actual product lasts about a month

impressions:

• a soft fruity scent
• very oily
• my hair absorbed every bit of it
• do not over use
• a little goes a long way 
• does what it says BUT not get rid of tangles
• after using it for 2 weeks, I noticed my hair to be more shinier and stronger

container was made out of strong plastic

How to use:

After you have washed your hair, let it be half dry (usually dry enough, after you towel dry your hair), then you apply the oil.

For long hair, they recommended 5 pumps. I tried that the first time but I did not feel that my whole head was properly coated so after trial and error, for my long hair, I do 3 pumps on each side. I would put 3 pumps onto one hand and smooth it out with my other hand than apply the oil to my hair. Concentrate on "greasing" your roots and for the leftovers gently massage to your scalp and roots.

this is all I needed for my long hair (5 pumps)

Score: 9/10

Website: no website

please check out my personal blog and follow me around Tokyo :)

KOSE Sekkisui Skin Care Set (trial) review

Sekkisui Skin Care Set

Hey everyone!!

I'm in Tokyo!! Konnichiwa!! :D

I'm in the land of great cosmetics and skincare products so the next thing I will review will be, of course, a skin care product!

I have heard of this brand so many times, I have seen them on tv ads, subway ads but I find that it is quite hard to buy... Most drug stores and department stores do not carry this brand... They either carry brands that are much cheaper/affordable (e.g. Naive, HadaLabo) or much more high end (e.g. Shiseido, SK-II).

info all in Japanese

To my surprise, I found this set at a 7-eleven right beside my house! It's a mystery how you can find almost anything you want at 7-eleven.

products and their consistency

random thoughts on these three products:

White Washing Cream

thick, but not as thick as other foam washes... compared to other foam washes, it is considered very watery, easy to foam up, cleans face well... but does not have that squeaky clean feeling.

Pure Whitening Lotion

very watery and barely visible (can you even see the product in the image?), it looks like water with a drop of milk, it is easily absorbed, it feels almost like water... ALMOST... I noticed there's a slight alcohol smell to it when I first apply this to my face (don't overuse!)... I didn't really like this because it did dry out my skin during the second week of using it.

in Asia countries, they call their toners lotions (quite confusing... huh?)

Pure Emulsion

this acts like a moisturizer (for those who are not familiar with Asian skin care products)
the consistency is similar to the Lotion (above) but it is thicker and stickier.
this is fully absorbed into the skin, my skin drinks this up like it is milk... literally :P (Don't overuse!)

impressions:

• my skin loves this set
• results are visible after 3 days of using this product
• my skin feels so soft and smooth (sometimes I can't help but touch it and touch it... *awkward)
• a little goes a long way (they claim you can use it for 15 times (1 week), I managed to use it for 30 times (almost 2 weeks))
• don't use too much product, not only will it not get absorbed, it will also give you pimples/acne
• I didn't like the "PURE WHITENING LOTION" it wasn't doing any good to my skin... 
• for short term use... it somehow starts drying out your skin slightly after 3 weeks (of using)

So now my next question is... after I have finished this trial... where do I find the full sized product? I went on their website, but they did not have these exact products... they were all a variation of it but not these exact ones...

However, that being said, please use this set with caution... after using this set for 3 weeks... I noticed that certain areas of my skin were getting dry... I'm not sure if it was a climate or other factors... but I suggest not using this product consecutively... one kit is good for once... when it's done... let your skin use other products before going back to this kit again.

Score: 7/10
Website: http://www.kose.co.jp/jp/ja/product/brand/38

also... if you are interested, please check out my personal blog and follow me around Tokyo :)

a quick note and heads up

flight

Hey my sweetie dear readers,

so, if you have been following my personal blog, you will know that I have been and will continue to spend time in Tokyo... I just need to get away from certain things occurring (ok... this sounds bad... I am not running away! I'm not! lol)... so I am spending some time and finding stuff to review...

As some reviews are harder to write than others... (as I have to do research and such) the upcoming posting will be weird... as I will be combining my Hong Kong reviews with my Tokyo ones (there will also be some Toronto as well)...

anywayz...

xoxo
Steph

Glico Avocadooza (ゲリコ アボカドーザ) review

Avocadooza (¥195 JPY)

As some of you are aware, I was in Japan! I am in Japan as I write this review but will probably have left Tokyo by the time this post gets published... Anyways, hi from Tokyo! :D (but in this case... back in Tokyo :P)

One of my first stops was none other than the convenient 7-11!

I am surprised, I though Hong Kong 7- elevens were superior... Then I find myself in a japanese one and am amazed!

Unlike the 7-eleven's in Hong Kong, there are a lot more foods and snacks available... you can get all kinds of food there... anything from snacks like chips/candy to meals like bento, udon... etc. The prices are also very reasonable.

¥195 JPY (taxes included)

ゲリコ アボカドーザ

info... in Japanese

As an Avocado addict, I couldn't resist buying these when I came across them while walking down one of their snack aisles.

Translation of this image will be posted here... as soon as I can find someone to translate it... or I learn enough Japanese to... whichever occurs first! ;)

inside of container

Impressions:

• Coated in a light wasabi sauce
• Similar to cheesy crackers but in avocado taste
• Very rich flavour
• Crunchy
• quite filling

piece of Avocadooza

So, I love this stuff!! One of the best finds/snacks I have had in Tokyo! I highly recommend you to find it as it tastes really good... I love how crispy it is and the Wasabi coating really made it so tasty! I love how it slightly melts in your mouth letting you indulge the rich taste fully.

These are quite filling... I get full (from snacking) after 5 pieces!

I noticed that most convenient stores do not have this... so far, I have found it at a 7-Eleven in Shinagawa and the Tokyu Grocery store in Gotanda... not sure which other places carry it.

Score: 10/10 (these are really good!)
Website: https://www.glico.com/jp/product/snack/cheeza2

Japan McDonald' s (エッグチーズバーガー) Egg Cheese Burger review

Egg Burger and Iced Lemon Tea

For those living in Japan, like me, you will notice how heavily advertised this ¥200 エッグチーズバーガー(Egg Cheese Burger) was being promoted. I see its ads on subways, subway station, TV CMs, etc. I gave into the advertisement and decided to try it. At first, because of my poor Japanese skills, I thought it was just an ordinary Egg Cheese Sausage McMuffin in burger form... oh how wrong I was.  Instead, it is simply a hamburger (including the ketchup and pickles) with a melted slice of cheese and egg.

Egg Cheese Burger

impressions:

• this is hot! (temperature-wise)
• lots of ketchup... too much ketchup
• none other than a hamburger
• cheese taste is hardly noticeable
• egg is "too" well cooked

close up

Like most Japanese places... no... like ALL food places in Tokyo, the burger was served HOT... I nearly burned my fingers when I first picked it up. I need to start getting use to food being served here.

That aside. I honestly didn't find anything very special with this Egg Cheese Burger. I could hardly taste the Cheese. Egg didn't enhance the taste of this burger (besides added nutrition value). It was a well made burger, but I don't see (besides the added nutrition value) why I would need to spend an extra ¥100 to add an egg into the burger.

Suggestion! If their egg portion was less "well cooked"and a bit runny, the taste might be a lot better. Or maybe they can replace the ketchup with an egg mayonnaise, it would make more sense to be added. (just adding my two cents!)

Score: 8.5/10
Website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/campaign/otegoro/index.html (Japanese)

吉列豚肉專門店銀座梅林 Ginza Bairin @ K11 review

logo

First, I would like to apologize in advance. The restaurant had dim lighting so it was hard to take better quality pictures. >___<

different dressings

I got to try each of the dressings. The Sesame dressing was great with the salad. The Wasabi dressing and Tonkotsu Dressing were great for the Tonkotsu.

chopsticks and wet napkins.. I like their calligraphy font and colour

sashimi

Sashimi

Oooh, this was definitely one of the best sashimi I had in Hong Kong... Although I couldn't exactly tell the fish apart... how shameful of me.

This was their biggest Sashimi dish... I think they want to focus on their Tonkatsu instead of Sashimi. But if you are getting a Tonkatsu dinner (which you should!) this plate of Sashimi is more than enough (we shared it among 3 people)

Tonkotsu set

Tonkotsu!

Even with the bad lighting and blurry picture quality, you can see just how crispy these were.

Impressions

• Super crispy on the outside
• Tender on the inside
• Not oily 
• pork was so tasty

There is a reason why people like Black Pork (?) the most... I have never tasted such great tasting pork... not only was the flavour but there was just the right amount of fat to make it so tender, and it was perfectly moist making it super juicy!

The Tonkotsu was so crispy on the outside and the inside was so tender... although it didn't exactly "melt" in your mouth, it was very juicy. The right amount of fat made it perfect, not oily at all.

another view

The set included miso soup, rice and salad. The Sesame sauce (found on the table) was perfect for this salad (the other sauces didn't work so well... though they did produce an interesting taste).

one of the best Plum wines I have ever had

Plum Wine
They made their own Plum Wine, so unless you visit this place, you can't try it. I loved it... the plum taste was just right! This was the best tasting plum wine I have ever had... I see myself going on a journey to look for good tasting plum wine now :D

Score: 9/10
official website: http://www.ginzabairin.com/en/index.php
Hong Kong website: http://www.ginzabairin.com.hk/

Laneige Perfect Renew Trial Kit review

Laneige Perfect Renew Trial Kit

To be honest, I haven't had much luck with Laneige product other than their sleeping pack. Their serum/essence have done nothing for me. But a few days ago, I came across their trial kit and decided to give their products just ONE more chance... because the brand is quite well known... it SHOULD be good... kind of right? what harm could a trial kit do?

product details and amounts contained

For this review, I will be focusing on the whole kit instead of individual products since it is hard to give a review after using them in such small amounts.

Sorry guys, I can't read Korean and wasn't able to find a friend who was able to translate it for me. (if you know what it says (other than the product names) please let me know!

Products:

1. Perfect Renew Cream 10ml x 1
2. Perfect Renew Emulsion 10ml x 1
3. Perfect Renew Skin Refiner 10ml x 1
4. Perfect Renew Essence 5ml x 1
5. Perfect Renew Night Treatment 5ml x 1

Pack Size - 5 pcs



Replete with rejuvenating Ceramide Repair Water, the complementary products work in sync to hydrate skin and deliver skin renewing peptide right where skin aging begins.

How to Use: 

Apply skin refiner > Emulsion > Essence and finally Cream. 

For night use Perfect Renew Night Treatment.

impressions

• long lasting (but I didn't use it religiously)
• perfect renew... excuse me... renew...
• did not improve skin condition

all the products and their containers

So, you gotta give them credit, despite the small amounts offered... this stuff lasts... it can last for up to 2 weeks... but I don't care...

... I am breaking up with Laneige... or more appropriately, I am blacklisting their products (other than the sleep pack. Their products SUCK! And I'm not just saying this... after using this kit my skin condition not only stayed the same, it worsened!

Never in my life had I had pimples/acne problems... although I can't say that my skin was "perfect" I did not have your average person skin problems... BUT! after using this product for only 2 days, pimples started forming on my lower jaw area, acne started developing on my nose/mouth area, oil was present on my tzone (I had to use blotting paper to get rid of all that oil)... my face was a disaster! I don't understand why their products are so popular...

score: 0/10... sorry.... -10/10
website: (no website... but who cares.., you can see how mad I am...)

Cheesess Cheese Tart review

Cheesess shop

While waiting for a friend at K-11, I couldn't help but notice this cheesecake place. It was very simple (only 2 dine in tables) located right in the middle of the mall. I wanted to try the cheese cakes at this place from the moment I first noticed its presence... but my busy schedule did not let me.

Since Cheese Tarts are currently the talk of the dessert world in the city, I couldn't help but noticed their prominent Cheese Tart stand next to their cake display windows. I was surprised that they were only $18 each. Despite my busy schedule, I decided to buy take out.

packaging

I mean, where else would you buy Cheese Tarts other than a place that claims it has the best cheese cakes around?

Impressions

• Very soft and fragile
• Melts in mouth
• Strong lemon taste
• Coconut bites
• Reasonably priced

Cheese Tart (Original Flavour)

WOW... so... I wasn't expecting this! It was good... but not the way I have expected it to be. First, the tart, when it touches the warmth of your mouth, literally melts in your mouth. It just collapses, giving in to the warmth. Secondly, it wasn't too sweet, I find that most lemon desserts have too much added sugar inside, but I'm glad it wasn't the case for this, the amount of sweetness was just right! Thirdly, I loved the added coconut pulp (are they called pulp?)... well... the bits of coconut that were randomly scattered. It made a nice addition to the flavours and a nice added touch (so the whole tart didn't feel too slimy).

overflown with goodness

I was slightly... (I can't exactly call it "disappointment") bummed when I could hardly taste the cheese. The lemon and coconut taste was too overpowering. Now... I haven't had a Cheese Tart prior, so I'm not sure if that is how cheese tarts are supposed to be. But I would expect there to be a much stronger presence of cheese, if it were in the name.

Other than the "cheese issue" I loved this tart... it was so good!
score: 9/10
website: http://cheesess.com/hk/index.php?route=product/product_list&category_id=35&product_id=108