I don't know why or how I came across this lipstick, but I remember when I heard about it, I was so intrigued by it . It was introduced as the "most beautiful lipstick in the world" that changed to a different shade of pink according to whoever wore it . How does a product sound so damn magical ? Anyway the weirdly fascinating description made me want to buy it and try it out, so here's my experience with the fantastical product that is the Kailijumei lipstick !

General Overview

This product is pretty easy to get on places like eBay and amazon for around $6-$10 USD . I heard that this product originally came from Thailand, but when I read the packaging it says that it's from Germany ? Or to be precise "Kailijumei - Germany" ...it also says that it's Made in China . From what I see the brand seems to be Chinese . Well, the origins of it seem to be in a bit of a mess, but I'm placing my bets on the fact that it's probably from China . It comes in Baby Doll Powder 02, Flame Red 03, MinuteMaid 01, and Dream Purple 04 . I'm actually quite surprised because I thought that all the lipstick types produced the same colour, which was supposedly pink . But I guess that just means you have to be careful with whether you buy the original lipsticks or not !

To open the product you have to press the red button on it, which is on the opposite side of the product description (eg. Baby Doll Powder) . The product also has a mirror which helps when applying the makeup on . It's a super small mirror though, but it helps when you don't have anything else at hand haha . Now on to the best part, the actual lipstick itself . And I just have to say this right now, it is so gorgeous . the lipstick itself is clear so you can see that inside there are gold flakes and a flower inside . Sounds beautiful ? Yeah, 'cause it is .

Claims & Results

So essentially the product says that it:

• moisturises the lips
• smells sweet
• colour changes according to the temperature of your lips and PH levels 

So first off, does it moisturises the lips ? Yes it does, which I found kind of surprising . It's usually hard to moisturise my lips (the usual lip balms and even vaselline doesn't do it for me), so I was pretty impressed that it was able to do that .

Second of all, does it smell sweet ? I mean it does, but it has this odd plastic smell to it that really lingers . It's odd because I'm like wow, the sweet smell is really nice ! And then suddenly...I smell this slight plastic smell and I unfortunately enjoy the product a little less than before . ^^" Regardless, it's not bad enough that you wouldn't want to use it on your lips at all . But it can get...a little off putting .

The colour changes according to your lips ? Yes ! And it is pretty impressive ! It truly does feel like magic especially when the stick is clear, and the colour of the lips is rather bright and vivid as well . Also out of curiosity, I tried it on the back of my hand as well and saw that it also adds colour to my hand too ! haha .

Final thoughts + Would I purchase it again ?

I really like this product and it's the perfect partner for going out and impressing people haha . It is such a gorgeous product despite it's price and even though its mirror is a bit difficult to use, but you can still use it to help re-apply it on your lips when you need to . What I liked about it the most is the fact that even after you finish eating, some colour does still remain, which is surprising because I've seen many lip products does not do so . Apart from the plastic smell, I'm definitely a huge fan of this product .

So would I purchase this product again ? Yes I would ! For some reason when I first bought this product I was under the impression that it only changes your colour to pink, but I found out that you can actually get this in a red and orange tint as well, so I'm planning to purchase those ones next, actually . I think it'll be my next go-to lipstick for travelling since it's so pretty, and still keeps the colour on my lips even after eating . I definitely recommend you guys to go and check it out !

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .

I've actually had this product for a long while now . I suppose because it's skincare, I really wanted to observe the product and make a thorough review of it which was why I didn't mention it until now . But also, after the length of using this product I realised that there's a lot of pros and cons to to it, so a large and comprehensive review of this product was the best way to go about it . So here is my review on Wishtrend's Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced serum, and the differences between the OST Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum !

General Overview

In general, this product is around $20 USD on amazon and Ebay . On the wishtrend site it's around $25 USD . It is 30mL which can easily last you 6+ months if you use it once daily . This product often seems to be partnered with the Vitamin 75 Maximizing cream . It's main ingredient is Vitamin C which is ever so popular for brightening the skin, whitening the skin, fading acne scars and controlling acne in general .

While Vitamin C is most definitely an amazing ingredient, there's also a lot to think of when you're trying this product out . One of the main things to remember is that you should avoid using any products that contain high levels of AHA, BHA, Retinal and Ascorbic Acid (good example of this are products like clay masks) . What happens if these ingredients clash ? You breakout, like, hella . In other words, it'll be in your best interest to try and avoid anything with active ingredients or any other acne-specific fighting ingredients .

Another thing is about this product is that it should not be exposed to the sun nor excessive heat . If you do, the colour of the liquid starts to become yellow and it kind of stops the purity of the vitamin C in your serum . I've found that even if it starts to become yellow though, you are still able to use it and it will still help to regulate the skin . The effects just aren't as strong though (but I'll explain more about that in the Claims and results section) . 

The difference between the Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum and the OST Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum

Here's a quick and brief list of what I found to be the difference between these two products:

• The C21.5 is less stickier than the old serum, BLESS .
• The C20 serum also gets rid of blackheads whereas the new serum does not .
• The original C20 serum does a better job at whitening and recovering trouble scars .

I also found that the effects of the C20 serum lasted longer, but I feel like that's because I used it with the cream that was recommended, I used the C20 serum with the 9 to 5 crema whereas I used the C21.5 serum with snail cream .

Claims & Results

So here are the claims:

• decrease irritation of skin
• effective brightening 
• absorbs less stickier

So does it do both ? Yes, yes it does . I never saw my skin to be dull when I used this product, and it definitely helped to prevent massive breakouts . It was also less stickier which helped in terms of comfort level especially since the previous serum was definitely uncomfortable if you sleep on your side (and yeah you shouldn't be sleeping on your side and what not, but isn't sleeping about being comfortable anyway ? lol) .

What surprises me though is the fact that its claims are really different to the original serum ? I mean, why call it the new formula of the Vitamin C20 serum when it doesn't do things like recovering trouble scars or gets rid of blackheads ? Wasn't that the appeal point of the old serum ? 

But hey, at least it's less stickier, I guess ?

Final Thoughts + Would I Repurchase It Again ?

I've found that after using this product I have a new found appreciation for the OST Original Vitamin C20 serum . It was just as much of a pain to take care of as the C21.5 serum, but I really liked the fact that it took care of blackheads and recovered trouble scars rather effectively .

I don't think I'd purchase the Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum again but I think I'd go back to the OST Original C20 Serum . If anything though, I think I'd make sure to purchase it during Winter, because it'd be far more easier to take care of since there's naturally less exposure to the sun and heat .

But if you don't have major problems with blackheads and acne scarring, maybe you'd like to try this out, I suppose ?

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .

After hearing much acclaim about this product, I decided to get this product . Luckily my friend went to South Korea and asked me if I wanted to get anything, so I decided that it was the perfect time to get this product .

General Overview

This product is fairly easy to get on places like eBay and amazon and sells for around $8-$10 USD . I've heard that buying this in South Korea though is far more cheaper (when they say Etude House is a drugstore brand, I mean it is hella a drugstore brand . I heard my friend got an eyeliner for around $1-2 there) . I got the original packaging of this product but I've heard that there are variants of the product packaging of this product . There is a Curl Fix Mascara version of their Pink Skull, Wonder Fun Park, and My Little Nut line from what I know . 

This product also comes in various colours, and from what I've seen the normal line has black and brown, while the Wonder Fun Park line has some bright pinks and blue . The selling point of this mascara is the fact that it keeps the curl, but this product also has a lot of other advantages as well . This is also a waterproof and smudge-proof mascara (though this point is sort of a double-edged sword, especially when you're trying to clean it off lol) . At first I thought this mascara helped to lengthen your lashes and I think it does to a very minimal extent, if that makes sense . But I've heard that there's a Curl Fix + lengthening formula mascara from Etude House as well, so perhaps that would be more fitting for lengthening the lashes .

Final Thoughts + Would I purchase it again ?

There are a lot of mascaras that claim to keep that curl, but doesn't . There's also a lot of mascaras that claim to keep the curl, and do, but at the cost of some really clumped or really undesirable looking stuff . So it came to my pleasant surprise that not only does this mascara keep the curl, but it does so with very minimal clumping, while volumising the eyelashes and giving the eyelashes more depth . When I use this I feel as though it makes me look like I'm wearing falsies, because it really emphasises your eyes .

So in general I really like this product for completing a full makeup look, but I think I'd stay away from using it for a natural makeup look . Overall, I think this product is seriously amazing for $8-10 though . Even for my full makeup looks I'd stray away from using mascara just because a lot of them had this sort of clumped up, non fanned out eyelashes look that I didn't like, but the Curl Fix Mascara really volumises the eyelashes without clumping them . Layering the mascara isn't too difficult to do either . 

For using the product to its full potential I suggest you make sure that little product is on the wand before you apply it, and just layer on the mascara . 

But how about you, what's your mascara preference ? I'd love to know !

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .

Bomber Jacket: Yesstyle.com

I know, Winter is soon coming to an end . But why do all the amazing looking products come at the end of the season ? I love the print and the looseness of this jacket though . Also, can we mention how the colour of the pink is really muted and cool ?

Perhaps, for the sake of a shorter title, I should make reviews for separate products at a time . But sometimes I find myself overwhelmed at the amount of products I've been meaning to review, but never get the chance to . To be honest I don't think I'll ever be able to catch up on that list, however I'll most definitely do my best to try ! haha . Plus since these all come from the same brand and line, it could sort of mould these products into one category . So here it is, a review on the INNISFREE No-Sebum Blur Primer, INNISFREE No-Sebum Mineral Powder, and INNISFREE No-Sebum Mineral Pact !

INNISFREE No-Sebum Blur Primer

This product is around $8 USD, and has around 25mL . When I first saw it I thought that it was very little product, but don't let that fool you ! Using very little of this definitely goes a long way, so much so that you'd be pretty surprised with how long this product will last for . And actually, if you use too much of this product it won't work properly-so remember to be weary of that when you're putting it on . This product is also pretty obtainable and can be found online quite easily . It has a matte finish .

This product claims to achieve a smooth skin texture by covering pores and wrinkles . In addition it also claims to cover bumpy pores, is not oily, and is long lasting . And of course, as the line suggests, it should help to regulate sebum control . First and foremost, I do agree that it most definitely helps to give your skin a smoother texture, and it is an excellent base for foundation . It also does a fantastic job of getting rid of fine lines . For the most part this is pretty long lasting, however in humid conditions this will not be able to last for a very long time, unfortunately . It will also make your skin feel a little uncomfortable, unless you use a really good powder finish if you use it in humid weather . And since this line is targeted for oily skin, I'd definitely avoid using this product if you have problems with dry patches since it will definitely accentuate them . 

Though I ended the results on a bad note, I am actually really rather fond of this product and it's one of my holy grails . Since it's colourless, or well it's skin toned, I don't have to worry about it leaving some weird cast . It also does a really fantastic job of smoothening the skin for a photo finish and for getting rid of smile lines . For more humid conditions I use a finishing powder that I know will try and compensate for what this primer lacks . But all in all, for its price I think it does a rather excellent job .

INNISFREE No-Sebum Mineral Powder

This product is around $5 USD, is around 5g, so it's quite small and petite ! It's honestly very cute haha . It comes with a puff, and even though that's probably more for applying the product on the face, I think it's much more suitable for just making sure the powder doesn't go everywhere . I am not a great fan of the packaging . That aside, this product will also last a long time if you use very little of it, and should only be used scarcely in order to get the best results as well . If not, you may look as white as a ghost ! (unless that's your thing, of course)

This product claims to regulate sebum as well and to control oil . And while I do agree that it does so, I think it only really works for climates that aren't so humid . When it's Winter in Japan or when I'm in Australia, this product works really well and will last for 5+ hours . In humid weather though, and I mean Japanese Summer humid, this product will only really last 1 hour, unfortunately . So though it's sebum regulation claim is not exactly true, I really love this product for the fact that the finish looks soooo good . I'm really not joking . It is wondrous how good this product makes you look in videos, photos, and real life for the price of $5 . It is also really excellent for dry shampoo, and mattifying your lipstick . 

My general impression of this ? I really love this product as well . The only gripe I have with this is the fact that it doesn't help so well in humidity though, even with the use of the blur primer . Because of this I tend to avoid using this product during humid conditions (which is Japan's summer) and I tend to go for something else during that time . Also, the packaging is terrible for travel and the puff that comes with it doesn't do the product justice . To fix that though I just use a kabuki brush and really make sure to put very little on this product when I put it on . And by very little I mean, to tap the kabuki brush 3-5 times before applying it on my face, making sure that a faint white cast is on my brush instead of just straight up powder .  Apart from that though, I love using this product, and is worth all the secret hassles to try and use it to the best of its abilities . Because at the end of the day, it's $5 . And the finish that you can get from it ? Priceless . 

INNISFREE No-Sebum Mineral Pact

This product is the most expensive of the line, and is approximately $10 . Perhaps it's because this is around 8.5g, compared to the No-Sebum Mineral Powder, which has less product . Surprisingly this product is pretty travel friendly compared to the Mineral Powder, and it also comes with a mirror which makes it super handy on the go . 

This product sounds really great right ?

But here's the thing . I hate this product . And sure, perhaps I should focus on its claims which is also just to control sebum, but at what cost ? You'd think that the Mineral Pact would have the same sort of finishing qualities of the No-Sebum Mineral Powder, but for some reason, it just doesn't . It doesn't make your face look any smoother and it just doesn't give that flawless complexion finish that the Mineral Powder gives (even when you use it with a kabuki brush) . 

I'm sorry but because I generally don't like the finish of this product, I don't see why you'd want to spend $10 on it when you could spend less for putting powder on your face . 

But on a better note

Even though I am definitely not a hype beast for the Mineral Pact, I do definitely love the No-Sebum Mineral Powder and the No-Sebum Blur Primer . The Mineral Powder isn't my no.1 product in its category, but if I lived somewhere that did not have a humid climate, I know that would probably be a completely different story . The overall price of this line is extremely good for the quality that you will receive .

So how about you, what's your go to powder finish and primer ? I'd love to know !

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .

Pullover: Yesstyle.com

I really like how this is a waist blouse that hangs onto the waist rather than hangs loose- I don't like the feeling of someone being able to look at my hidden muffin top lol . Also, since it's see-through, it's an easily deceivable top that gives you a bit of breeze during the summer even though it's long sleeved . It's a chic way of looking risque even though you're not showing much .

Cronuts, blooming hot chocolate, the DKA, and cookie shots . What does this all mean ? Or do you already know what they all are and it makes you salivate ? Well whether you know it or not, one thing is for certain . And that is: they're all available at the Dominique Ansel bakery .

So first, a definition guide:

Cronut: a fusion of a croissant and donut, and is trending in a lot of places right now such as Sydney and Los Angeles
The DKA: Short for Dominique's Kouign Amann, this is a signature dish of the bakery that is essentially a caramelised croissant . It has a caramelised crust on the outside and a super soft inside .
Blooming Hot Chocolate: This is a hot chocolate that has a flower marshmallow that opens like a blooming flower . Not only does it serve very wonderfully, its taste is really nice and mild .
Cookie shot: Are you an alcoholic ? Because it's basically like taking a shot but instead of some potent alcohol it's milk . Also instead of a shot glass it's made of cookie . Delicious cookie at that . 

The second half of this video features the blooming hot chocolate and the Dominique Ansel Bakery !

The Dominique Ansel Bakery is located in Omotesando, a place renowned amongst the Japanese for being the rich district and being full of designer goods . Amongst all that fab and glamour though, there are little backstreets where you can enjoy the quiet side of the metropolitan, and this is what is really charming about the Dominique Ansel Bakery . I expected the bakery to be located within the main street, but it's actually located in one of the little side streets . It's located in a very quiet place, but the bakery itself is never short of customers, that's for sure . The place has a cafe floor and a restaurant floor . If you plan to sit on the cafe floor the cookie shots are not available there until after 3pm . Meanwhile if you choose to sit in the restaurant section you'll need to pay an additional $10 per head fee . They say that you need to book in order to get a seat on the second floor but they don't take reservations for less than two people, and I was still allowed to eat on the second floor anyway even though I was a walk in .

Hampton Lobster Roll (small) and Blooming Hot Chocolate .

So yes, with those little details aside, the bakery really differentiates itself from other places because its menu is so unique . Not only this but you can tell that it's a famous place because there are quite a lot of tourists that are there as well . I'd also like to note that the staff are so, so nice and I was so surprised because usually upscale places have staff that are a bit rude and stuck up . The overall experience of eating at the Dominique Ansel Bakery was really pleasant due to the fact that it definitely had a nice, lovely bakery vibe-from the food to the staff .

I had the cronut there and it was definitely nice, but not mind-blowing . The Blooming Hot chocolate though is definitely a site to behold and the cookie shot's concept doesn't only look cool but is also really, really tasty . It's actually the favourite thing I ordered while I was at the Dominique Ansel Bakery . I also had the Hampton Lobster Roll and even though it's a rather simple sandwich, I could tell just by eating it that it was definitely at a different standard compared to other things that I ate . The Alaska ice-cream pie wasn't my favourite thing, but the intricacy of the layers and flavours was really something to admire

Alaska Pie and Cookie Shot .

The Dominique Ansel Bakery is a world class bakery that came from New York and is now currently located in places like Tokyo and London . It is the innovator in bakery creations and not only does it have the above recipes, it also has the frozen s'mores, Hampton lobster roll and much more created favourites that it's known for . It is slightly expensive but if you are a hardcore foodie that would like to see the birthplace of a worldwide foodie trend, you'd definitely would not want to miss out on this .


Signing out,


-THE TEACOAST . 

March was a bit of a quieter season for me in terms of buying new skin care products . A lot of what I've gotten recently has actually been really beneficial for my skin and has been working for me very well . But then I remembered there were a few products that I have been thoroughly enjoying haha . So just a little heads up, there's no new skin care in this but a beauty product, new makeup and a few songs that I really liked !

Silicone Makeup applier

I want to say this right now, is this the best method to put makeup on your face ? No . I still think a damp sponge or beauty blender is the best way to go, but a silicon makeup applier is a fantastic and cheap alternative to the fore mentioned products . I like the silicon makeup applier because it's a better option to applying makeup with your hands since it doesn't absorb any product, and applies it much better . It's convenient since it's easy to clean unlike the beauty blender . And best of all, it is extremely cheap (I think it's around $2 ?) . If you don't want to compromise money, cleaning or good application of makeup on your face, the silicon makeup applier is an extremely excellent answer .

CANMAKE Perfect Stylist Eyes 14

For some reason Japan seems to not be digging the burgundy eye shadow trend, so I was absolutely ecstatic when I saw this palette on the CANMAKE shelf . If you guys are a bit confused by the brand, CANMAKE is an extremely popular drugstore in Japan, and the Perfect Stylist Eyes are eyeshadow palettes that come in a set of 4 colours, and a some glitter in the middle of the palette . Even though it doesn't have some good eyeshadow primer like KATE Tokyo-I really dig the colours that are in this series in general because they're quite diverse . If you're in Japan you should definitely look out for the cheap and pretty CANMAKE eyeshadow palettes !

ETUDE HOUSE Dear Darling Tint BK801 (Vampire Red)

While I live in denial that Winter's ending soon, I use this deep dark Burgundy Red on my lips as a gradient and I like it so . so . so much . A lot of lip tints are always bright, but I think there's something really cool and chic in gradient lips which use a more darker and deeper colour . This sort of colour is not a new invention to the Korean lip tint world, but I think ETUDE HOUSE's Deep Darling Tint line is not only cheap but also really good quality .

Now it's music time ♪

Junior Prom

I didn't recommend a song, but the band itself . Why ? Because I basically like the majority of the songs that they've released so far . They're one of those other indie pop rock bands that I love and I feel I'll never have enough of in my life haha . But I love that laid-back, festival party vibe that is inlaced with the majority of the songs . If I had to recommend songs to you from this band it'd be A Little Time, Stand, Everything You Want, Big Timer, Let's Make A Lot Of Money, Unknown Guilty Pleasures and Take It Back . Yes, I told you it'd be a lot of songs I like . But yes, if you're the type of person that likes the kind of song that sounds like it's having a fun time- I definitely recommend this band !

RM x Wale - Change

Yes, if you're not a stranger to my Youtube channel or my blog, you'll know that I love BTS, and that I love them a lot LOL . Rap Monster is my bias in BTS, and even though that might be an inkling reason why I really like this song, I was overall surprisingly impressed with it . First off, the song goes off, the bass drop is lit, and during my reaction video I had to remember about talking rather than dancing . XD" Secondly, RM and Wale sound really good together and their collaboration fits, instead of sounding like segmented parts . Third, it was greatly different from the topics RM talked about in his first single mixtape and debut song from that . 

I feel as though RM's train of thought has really grown from when he had made his first mixtape . Of course, I really liked the first mixtape . However I feel as though now RM really talks about fundamental issues rather than "yeah, I'm a mother freaking star and people that hate me suck" that a lot of song acts like to talk about . Not saying that those types of songs are bad, but I adore the fact that RM touches on issues that should be addressed while making an epic song to go along with it . 

Are you in or are you ain't ? $40 in the bank~

And that's a wrap for my March favourites ! I feel as though I'm kind of late to my Winter makeup game in this one haha . But heck, that means more for me to use in the next Winter . :P What were your March favourites ? I'd love to know !

Singing out,

-THE TEACOAST . 

This post is actually inspired from the video below by clothesencounters . I personally thought it'd be nice to have this somewhere on my blog since I think it would be really helpful for the fashionistas and OOTD people out there, and also for myself lol . So if you'd rather watch then read, I definitely recommend you check out the video of How to Pose for Photos by clothesencounters ! At the end I also have personal tips on taking these sorts of photos but for the most part, this will be a written version of the video . But yes, let's get down to it !

#1: The Lean

Is there a wall there ? Great, lean on it . Leaning on it to the side gives a cool and laid back vibe whereas leaning on it to the front makes your pose look more forward . A tip for this is to hunch forward a little while actually leaning back with your butt . Though this may look weird from the side, it's good for slimming your figure in the photo !

#2: The Crossing

Another good pose is to have your legs crossed or have one behind another when taking a picture . Doing this makes your pose look more dynamic and a little less flat . Not only this, but it does flatter the figure by showing the curves of your body, and it can make it look more elongated too . Clothesencounters suggests that if you're not wearing heels you should tiptoe in this pose as well .

#3: The Strut

This is kind of like crossing your legs, but this time you're actually walking, or moving a little bit . It's best to avoid actually walking around because it'll be difficult for your photographer to capture you . But rocking back and forth in a walking-like motion between your left and right leg really gives a great pose for a photo . If this pose is a little difficult try to look away from the camera and look forwards instead, and remember not to blink ! Warning though, it can make you look absolutely silly in real life while you're doing it . But hey, a moment of silliness for the photo of a lifetime sounds like the best of both worlds !

#4: The Coy Arms

This one is basically putting one hand on your other arm, and making you look a little shy . You can place your hand on your shoulder, elbow or wrist of the opposite arm too which really helps to make this pose very versatile . Also popping one shoulder up helps to make arms look more elongated as well .

#5: The Candid Hands

Rather than a pose, this is a general tip in terms of posing, and that is to keep your hands busy in one form or shape . This can be anything from tucking your hair behind your ears, and look as though you're a little bit caught off guard . This pose is excellent for looking a little candid and raw . Flip the hair a bit, adjust yourself, fixing the jacket that your wearing, things like this really help in terms of taking a photo while keeping your hands busy . If you do things like this, it can actually look quite flattering in front of the camera .

#6: The Hot Pockets

If an outfit has pockets, it's most definitely an excellent opportunity and chance to pose with them ! Not only does it kind of look candid but it helps to keep your hands warm . Anything from coat pockets to butt pockets can really help in terms of defining your look . You can try things like looking as though you're taking something out from your pockets, using pants pockets, or even putting your thumbs through the belt loops of your pants .

#7: The Prop

If you still feel a little awkward with your hands, a way to ease your camera shyness is by adding something like a coffee cup or a drink in your pictures . It doesn't necessarily have to be a drink, but as long as your hands are interacting with something it could really help in making you feel a little less awkward when you're posing for a picture . 

#8: The Sit & Stare

Another excellent place to take photos is anywhere that has a staircase or well, any form of stairs . Photos taken on these really help to give a street sort of style as well as give that relaxed and laid-back look . Putting your feet on different steps of the stairs help to create a more flattering photo and elongate your body even though you're sitting down .

#9: The Look Back At It

This pose is all about your body facing away from the camera but your face is looking towards it . This pose is also about looking a little candid and looks as though you're looking back as though (as clothesencounters puts it) "you called me?". This pose needs a bit of synchronisation with the photographer that you're working with, so a good idea is to have the photographer countdown when you're about to turn to look at the camera . The overall goal with this look is to have a bit of movement in your pose and hair . 

#10: The Peace Sign

Fascinating how years ago this was known as the pose that makes you look 'super asian', to now becoming the universal pose when you really don't know what else to do . Regardless, it's a lovely and cute pose with a lovely and cute meaning . And best of all, it's really easy and super manageable as one of the most common poses we all know and love . <3 haha

#EXTRA TIP: Get Low

One thing that most people don't know when it comes to taking photos of other people, is that the best way to take the photo is by having the camera not at the height of the eyes . In other words, you should have the camera lower than the height of your eyes . Try to have the camera at the middle of your chest or body and reach out your arms a bit so you have the ability to see the display screen of your camera . It's best to not have the camera at eye height, and better to have it around the middle area of your body, because it gives more of a focus on the outfit that you're wearing .

What are your 10 easy poses for instagram ?

Those are the wonderful tips from the video and what I've learnt overall from taking these sorts of photos and posing . Not only this but it was really great to see these points all sorted out especially since I'm quite the repeat offender when it comes to posing for photos (I'm a peace sign and look to the side sort of person, unfortunately) . I hope this article and information was as useful to you as it was to me ! Do you have any other posing tips you'd like to share though ? I'd love to know~

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST . 

Nihonbashi is part of the 23 wards of Tokyo and is easy to get to if you're staying in places like Shinjuku, Shibuya and Harajuku (aka main city Tokyo). Maybe the place isn't as popular among tourists as a place to go, but I think that's why I gravitated towards the place as it's not too busy of a place to go to . The following places take place near the Mitsukoshimae station which is basically apart of Nihonbashi . You'll be surprised when you first encounter this place as it seems like a huge Central Business District area, but regardless there's actually plenty to do in this underrated place ! So first to start off:

Flowers by Naked

Flowers by Naked is an amazing art installation that takes place at the beginning of the year . This year it took place at the department store of Mitsukoshimae station, known as COREDO . Flowers by Naked was first started in 2016, and it seems like it will continue to do so from the start of February to the end of March, it's around 1400 yen (approx. $14 USD) for an adult ticket . For anyone who's into art and photography, I definitely recommend you go and check out this art installation . It really is beyond gorgeous and will leave you amazed and fulfilled by the end of the exhibit .

Though the overall theme is flowers, the light shows and displays of the exhibit make you feel as though you've stumbled upon a scientists lab who experiments with flowers and plants rather than animals and chemicals . The display is a mix of ethereal, magic and flowers; with a strange feeling that you're in the water . This installation gives all sorts of fascinating feelings and experiences, especially when some of the exhibits encourage touching and interactivity . One of the displays only appear if you open the lid of the 'tester', another lets flowers appear as you touch it and fade away when your hand leaves the display, and another encourages you to blow on a large daffodil to see the lights fly and flurry around . All in all, if you're a fan of amusement park displays and would like to see it come to life and fruition, I definitely recommend you check this exhibit out if you come to Tokyo during the months of February and March . (Also, here is the link to the official Flowers By Naked site)

Edo Waterways Tour

By the river close to Mitsukoshimae station, there's a waterways tour that guides you through the same places that the Edo period once used as a form of transport . So for anyone that's a history nerd (hand up) or likes that period in Japan where they had samurais and warring states, then you might be interested in taking this tour . It's around 1000 yen and even though the tour is in English only, the tour guides are more than happy to take you in and show you around the place, and I do feel as though they were very sweet and accommodating . It runs once an hour and starts at every o'clock though, so you may have to wait another 45 minutes if you miss the tour .

The tour itself is around 45 minutes and takes you around places like the Sumida river, and the sea ways of the Tokyo city in general . To be honest I thought it was going to be a bit of a Gondola ride as it was described as 'a way to travel the same as the Edo period', but instead of riding a small boat with someone to paddle, you'll actually be on a fair sized boat with other people . Regardless, I still really liked this tour as it was a nice mix of narrow water passageways, going under several bridges, and also going through a big wide river and seeing Tokyo Tower . If you're a fan of being on the water on a nice sunny day, you'll definitely enjoy this nice and relaxing trip .

Enjoy having a nice and relaxing time in the CBD of Nihonbashi

It's surprising to see that even though Nihonbashi is actually quite the CBD, the things to do there are actually really nice and relaxing . I think because a lot of people come to Nihonbashi and Mitsukoshimae to work, it's a fairly relaxing and quiet place to go and sightsee around the metropolitan area of Tokyo . If you are the sort of person that likes photography, quietness and just a generally more relaxing time, I definitely recommend you check out these spots in the busy but quiet city of Nihonbashi .

So how about you, what would you like to see ?

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .

After a surprising amount of requests, I decided to do a ROMWE and Yesstyle review, as well as show the clothing I had gotten from them recently . In all honesty this haul isn't the first time I've ordered from them, but I think it'll be good since it will be a comprehensive review on using the sites and buying clothing from them . Yes there are a few things you'd want to be careful with when shopping on these sites, but in general, I do enjoy shopping from these places a lot .

ROMWE.com

Haul

This red coffee coloured sweater has got to be one of my most favourite things that I've gotten by far . It's a choker included sweater with closable zippers on it's sleeves . The end of the shirt is not really long but the sleeves are exactly as long as I want it to be ! I don't like to leave the zippers completely open so I open it up until half way . I do this because I'm kind of afraid that it might damage the clothing if I keep it completely open . I'm pretty happy with this purchase and I enjoy tucking it in at the front; it gives a cool but feminine look .

The second one is a woollen khaki top with a shoulder cut-out accent . I really love the style of this but everything's a bit shorter than what I'd like it to be haha . Regardless it isn't to the point where I don't want to wear this shirt though, but I'd prefer tucking it in rather than leaving it out . I think the colour suits Autumn and Winter, and the top in general suits really well with anything that's high waisted .

The last one is the cheapest one but the one I like the most from Romwe, and it's this long sleeved shoulder hanging top . I like using this one the most because you can actually just leave the top part hanging on the top of your shoulders and it makes you look kind of masculine (the way it's styled in the photo above) . On the contrary you can put it on your shoulders and it'll make you look extra feminine . I feel like it's a very versatile shirt for styling . Best of all, the sleeves and bottom part of the shirt is long, so you get all the extra sleeve and space to work with as well, yay !

General impression of Romwe

There are two main reasons why I like shopping at Romwe . First, of course, I really like the fashion there . Romwe's concept is taking runway fashion and making it available for the general public, as well as having a really street wear sort of style (which is essentially the current runway fashion anyway) . This makes Romwe's clothing a place I go to quite often . Secondly, Romwe offers model stats . These model stats will show the models height, and what size they're wearing, which I think is so important when it comes to choosing online clothing where it can be too easy to pick a size too small . However not all clothes come with people modelling them so it won't always be available, but for the most part it exists and it's really great and makes the site more trustworthy when it comes to picking sizes .

The only thing that I feel is a little iffy with Romwe is the coupon discounts . Everything is already displayed as '95% off' or so, so when you get a coupon that applies a 65% discount, three quaters of the time it doesn't affect the original price, because the original price says it's '95% off' . If it's confusing, it's because...well, it's super freaking confusing . But if you give up on using coupons, and remember to be a little weary of anything that only has one size with no model stats, then you'll enjoy shopping through the romwe.com store .

Yesstyle

Haul

For the cool and k-pop vibe pattern that it has, I was really happy to get this product for around $30 . It's got fleece within in it so it's also great for keeping you warm as well . This sweater looks chunky, but it feels smaller for what it actually is, in my opinion . The sleeves are definitely not as long as I wanted it to be and the bottom part is a little smaller than I'd like, but regardless, this sweater is still definitely comfortable . If you like loose fitting stuff and you're a petit person, I think this sweater would be perfect for you !

If you can't find this sweater when you're looking for it on yesstyle...it's because I bought this from the men's section . yes . LOL . I always wanted to buy stuff from the mens section because there are some styles where I think to myself "wow that looks cool", and one day, I just decided to act on that impulse and bought this jumper . I've got to say that I'm definitely not disappointed with the outcome though because it's as loose as I wanted it to be . And LOOK AT THOSE SLEEVESSSSS . I love the print, how comfortable it is, and overall style of this jumper . I definitely know that I'll buy from the mens section again after getting this haha . I also want to point out that this is XXXL even though it's the mens section, so yes . It just goes to show you the reality of how small these sizes can be .

General impression of Yesstyle

In general, Yesstyle clothing is more expensive . However I tend to like the style from Yesstyle more because it definitely focuses on asian fashion . Plus, the clothes that are more expensive generally have better quality and are much more larger than the normal "one size fits all" clothing . Regardless, you can still get good fashion at a good fit and a good price if you search hard enough on Yesstyle .

Overall I've always been a bit apprehensive when it comes to buying stuff from yesstyle, because more often than not it's smaller than I'd had expected . Luckily enough though, yesstyle has a men's section which always guarantees for bigger sizes (heh heh) . When it comes to shopping for jackets, jumpers and sweaters, I definitely recommend the men's section for people who want bigger and looser sizes .

Happy online shopping my loves !

Online shopping is definitely a technique that must be practiced and refined, but once you get the knicks and knacks of it, it becomes just as rewarding as it is addictive . So I hope this review has helped you guys in terms of shopping on the site and what to look out for !

If you guys have anymore questions or any online shopping stores to recommend for me, please feel free to comment down below . Spread the online shopping love . ;) haha .

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .

Just when I thought I had all the colours I wanted for my lips, I saw these new colours and thought that I absolutely had to get them ! For lip tint colours, I feel as though these colours are a little bit difficult to find . In general a lot of lip tints are bright, but I really like the fact that these have a deep sort of undertone to it . I know Winter is ending here, but I think these colours are still good to keep in the arsenal if you feel like you want to look a bit cool and mature .

General Overview

The ETUDE HOUSE Dear Darling Tint line actually come in a a huge variety of colours, but these were newly released together . However recently ETUDE HOUSE also released more for the Dear Darling Tint line called "Wonder Fun Park Dear Darling Soda Tint", so I guess you can say these colours are semi-new now ? haha . I'm not sure about the new Soda Tint's since they seem quite light in colour, but I know when they released these four new colours, ETUDE HOUSE stated that these are meant to have a longer lasting wear than it's original Dear Darling Tint line .

The Dear Darling Tint line is on average $6 USD, so yes, they are super cheap . The new colours that are reviewed in this is RD305 Jujube Red (RD305 대추레드), PK003 Sweet Potato Red (PK003 고무마레드), RD304 Hot Pepper Red (RD304 핫페퍼레드) and BK801 Vampire Red (BK801 뱀파이어레드) . I know that I've said it before but the fact that these have a deep coloured undertone really separates it from the other colours that are out in the market today, plus they are at a really cheap price compared to other similar lip tint colours out there . 

Swatch of the colours

This line in general does have a pretty impressive wear, just as long as you don't eat anything that has oil in it . It lasts through things like sushi, sandwiches, or drinking . It's cool to see that it doesn't leave much stain on the cup either . The really intense colour of these lip tint's won't last but it will still leave colour on your lips so it prevents you from looking dead at least haha . The only major con of this product is that it can be pretty drying, so you'll definitely want to remember to have some lip balm in hand when you're using this product .

Ok, now onto individual colours !

RD305 Jujube Red (RD305 대추레드)

This colour is a deep red that's like a stronger version of the next shade, PK003 Sweet Potato Red . It's a good colour that is on the darker side, and it looks really natural as well . It's a good colour for anyone one who wants to look like an academic, nerdy or smart haha . It's such a flattering natural colour in my opinion .

PK003 Sweet Potato Red (PK003 고무마레드)

This colour was the most difficult to find ! It's a super popular colour since it's a really excellent dusty rose sort of shade . It's the lightest in the line and in general, when I see this shade I generally think that it looks very sweet . I think it's a great natural colour in Autumn and Winter, but I think the gradient of this looks really lovely all year round ! If you want an everyday colour that's not very bright I definitely recommend you get this colour .

RD304 Hot Pepper Red (RD304 핫페퍼레드)

This tint is this Hollywood sort of red with some extra shimmer to really perfect the look . When I realised that it was going to be a bit sparkly I was not a fan of buying this, but when I tried it I absolutely fell in love with how subtle the little sparkle is . This lip tint is so glamorous and it's so flattering and eye-catching . You would definitely want to have this in your arsenal for those glamorous formal or party events ! This colour is also the brightest in the line .

BK801 Vampire Red (BK801 뱀파이어레드)

When I was getting this colour I really doubted whether I was going to enjoy it as well, but, to my pleasant surprise, I actually think this is my favourite one from the line ! Not only because it is hella cool and the gradient is so flattering, but this colour is so different from anything that's out in the current market as well . It's versatility from gradient to full lip is also a huge tick in my books . If you want a a safe edgy look I definitely recommend you get this tint colour ! Also did I mention I f r e a k i n g l o v e t h e g r a d i e n t . #TrustMeGirlsAndBoys #GetThisLipTint 

Colour Comparisons

Final Thoughts

Apart from the fact that it can be drying, the dark undertone of these new colours is the aesthetic that I've really been trying to find in the past few months, so I was so glad that I bought these colours . Not only that, but what I really like about this line is the fact that it's so damn cheap . I know some other lip tints that offer the same colour for $20, and usually I'm ok with buying lip tints for that price, but the quality of this product makes me think that is $14 too much haha . I love, love, love these colours so for anyone that doesn't want some bright lip tints, you must check these colours out .

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .

February was a short month full of wonderful weather and really interesting products ! I guess February is a charming month to me since it's also my birthday month too haha . I didn't do much for my birthday, but I did buy and enjoy quite a few things from this month haha . So here goes, my favourites for 2017 !

ETUDE HOUSE AC Clean Up Pink Powder Spot 15ml (x)

After years and years of living in a dry country, my skin suddenly turned into the oily skin type, and ever since then I really had to overhaul my current skin routine . While searching for a new skin care routine I found that spot acne treatment is a saviour among saviours, and is probably a must have for anyone with oily skin . At first my go-to treatment was the COSRX pimple patch and while I definitely like it for treating acne that's already popped, I found that the AC Clean Up Pink Powder Spot was excellent for preventing acne or pimples to begin with . When it comes to preventing pimples, calming pimples, getting rid of blemishes or red spots, this pink powder is amazing at doing the job . (Oh yeah, and it's ridiculously cheap too, bless the good quality and cheap prices of the Korean beauty market)

サボリーノ朝マスク・SABORINO Morning Mask 31 sheets (x)

Admittedly, I knew nothing about this product until I bought it because I saw the blazing COSME #1 sticker . It's not that all cosme no. 1's impress me...but most of them do . And this is no exception . I know this isn't the 2016 cosme mask of the year (that went to one of the LUSH masks), but it is so impressive and so different from other masks that I've heard of that I just had to chuck it in here . Essentially it's a face cleaner, moisturiser and makeup primer all in one for the morning . What makes it more impressive is that it works - amazingly . I'm suspecting that because of the cleaning agent, it kind of feels like you're putting mint or diluted toothpaste on your face though . But apart from that weird 1 minute moment when you leave the mask on to do its thing, the effectiveness of its job and how cheap it is has instantly made it one of my favourites .

SHISEIDO Benefiance Wrinkle Resist 24 Day Cream (x)

This was actually part of the COSME haul that I got in January, but I found that it started to really work its charm during the month of February . I did a lot of research on this product and I already found it impressive that it's an anti-wrinkle cream for the daytime, that also has SPF in it . Even though they say that it's recommended for people with dry skin, it actually works pretty well for oily skin just as long as you put a really minuscule amount on . I don't want to encourage putting next to nothing on, but let's just say I put a thin layer on my face whenever I use it . Anyway, I like the fact that it's a good and safe day cream for sensitive skin and definitely helps on reducing wrinkles (my smile lines) . It also makes your skin feel super soft once you apply it too, which is weird, but I lowkey enjoy it a lot LOL .

and now for products ! But it's only one thing, really . And that's-

The DAISO Kawaii Line

I'm not too sure if DAISO has reached America, but I know it's reached Australia . DAISO is basically a $1 store (or a $2.65 store, looking at you Australia haha), and sells various amounts of random goods or home goods . This month DAISO launched the Kawaii line which basically plays on the Harajuku culture that Japan is well-known for . I bought a pencil case, post-it note, plastic bowl, two water bottles and a cap from this line . I'm suspecting that it might be available outside of Japan since the cap that I bought says 'TOKYO' on it, and it kind of seems targeted to foreigners . Or I might be completely wrong and its merchandise specific to Japan only . Regardless, try and find it at your local DAISO store because not only is it really cheap, but it's also really damn cute and fun as well . It's cheap so it's not the best quality, but I certainly don't think it's bad quality either. I was actually super impressed with the water bottle because it doesn't leak, looks hella cute, is pretty sturdy, and is 108 yen (which is basically $1 USD) . 

Doesn't it just ooze of kawaii ?

Now the music picks . I don't want to go into like an annotated description of each of these because it's music, I just want to let you guys listen to it haha . Of course BTS is going to be in there (their new album was released on February 13th), but the other two songs have an indie retro dance vibe that I'm a closet fan of haha . I definitely recommend you check these songs out if you're into super catchy beats !

• BTS - A Supplementary Story: You Never Walk Alone
• BTS - OUTRO: Wings (YNWA version)
• Great Good Fine Ok - Everything To Me
• Joan - Take Me On

So yeah, those are my February favourites ! A good mix of little things, which I think is a good reflection of my February as well haha . :) Do you guys have February favourites ? If so let me know !

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .

I bought these lipsticks at the same time so I decided to review them at the same time . Plus they all are generally sort of the same in my books so it'd be a waste of time if I decided to review these lipsticks separately . I think this review will be fairly short, but regardless I hope it'll still be of use to you . So here is my review on the ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Liquid Lipstick, KAT VON D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick, and SMASHBOX Always On Liquid Lipstick !

General Overview

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Liquid Lipstick (x)
Price: $20 USD
Shades available: 38
Shade I own: Kathryn

KAT VON D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick (x)
Price: $20 USD
Shades available: 30
Shade I own: Lolita II

SMASHBOX Always On Liquid Lipstick (x)
Price: $24 USD
Shades available: 20
Shade I own:  Out Loud

All these lipsticks are liquid and have a matte formula . Surprisingly, they aren't drying to the lips which is a maaaaasive plus for me, since the reason why I generally don't like wearing lipstick is the fact that it always made my lips ten times more flakier . The lipsticks move around pretty easily though, so it's really important to set it (and that is by putting your lips on tissue, or by putting setting powder on it) .

They do have a really long wear time just as long as you don't eat . Yes, unfortunately the perfect indestructible lipstick that will still have its colour there is still yet to be found (*cries) . But when drinking I've noticed that the colour still tends to remain . If you don't set your lipstick though, the colour will transfer .

I don't necessarily prefer one over the other, but I'm the least fond of the SMASHBOX Always On Liquid Lipstick because I feel as though it's the easiest to move around the most, and I've actually noticed that sometimes pimples form around my lips after I use it . So it's like it's a bit too moisturising haha . But hey, if you're into that then maybe you would want to try it out .

If anything, I think if you were going to choose from each brand, it'd be out of the lip colour choice that you want, which I'll include down below . Some of these have X's on them because I got these swatches from their official sites and it's run out of stock on those sites . But hopefully you get a general gist of the colours available in each lipstick line .

So the bottom line ? Just pick the one that you want based on the colour that you want, really . Just remember to set it though if you really want to have a good time ! Haha .



Signing out,


-THE TEACOAST .

Looking around on the site, it was interesting to note the variety of items that it sold so I decided to say yes to reviewing this site . Yes, these items were sent to me in order to review them, but I'll be honest regardless . So here is my website and product review of tosave.com !

I got two articles of clothing and one beauty product from the site . To put very simply, I do not recommend buying the clothing from the website . They do provide measurements of the clothing (but we all know no one reads that anyway) . The clothes in general will be much smaller than you expected, probably due to the fact that a lot of these wholesale clothing items come from an Asian manufacturer .

The front of the jacket

Not only this but I don't exactly think they're of the best quality either, because one of the clothing items that I got (the jacket) had red dye on the white part, and some streaks of dirt on the front . The grey sweater is different, but it's supposed to be quite baggy and hang off the shoulder, it is neither for me . I'd fact check the clothing to how it looked like in the picture but the articles are no longer available on the site . The review of the site isn't all bad though, because there was one thing I noticed .

Back of the jacket ft. is that red stain part of the design or-

If anything, the shop is like a internet, global version of a $1 store or a DAISO store, so when it comes to weird and wonderful cheap goods, you'd want to go shopping for it in this store .

I realised this after I used the the last item I received, which is a silicon makeup tool . A silicon makeup applier has started become an upcoming beauty trend so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that I can buy this at the store . It also comes from Taiwan, which is a cult favourite for beauty products . The silicon makeup applier comes in a re-sealable ziplock bag and can be bought for $1-$2 in the store as well . I was generally really happy with the last product .

The store carries all sorts of cult favourite beauty products like brush cleaners, fashion glasses, what I like to call the 'toothbrush brush' (which is apparently also a good makeup applier), and tools to get rid of blackheads and acne, all at a really cheap price . I've also noticed that free shipping has no price restrictions, so you can order something at the store for $1 without having to pay for shipping . I have to say I was most impressed by this feature of the site .

Useful, Cheap, Re-sealable, and very cute !

So if you want to buy clothes there ? Don't . But if you're looking to experience what it's like to go shopping in a $1 or DAISO store, I definitely recommend shopping there . Of course, you have to be careful with the quality of some things . But in general, the fascinating thing about any $1 shop is the fact that they always seem to sell something that's completely random and useful at the same time, and this shop is no exception . Even though I got stuff in order to review it, there are a few things there that I'm actually considering of buying as well . Why ? Free shipping and the availability of items I can buy that don't even exist in japan .

Quickly someone take my card away from me ! haha .



Signing out,


-THE TEACOAST .

Hair Extensions