I purchased a few Pixi products and sent them home to the States. I got one Glow Tonic medium-sized and travel sized for my mother and me.
I additionally purchased the Vitamin C tonic for myself and the Pixi Collagen & Retinol Serum for my mom. So far she’s said the smell is pleasant and the texture is sticky. Due to this, she’d instead only use the product at night. This product has diminished the appearance of smile lines on her face. As for the Glow Tonic, its brightening marks on her face and neck amazingly.
I’ve updated my mother’s skincare with a few anti-aging products like Shiseido Ultimune Eye Power Infusing Eye Concentrate, Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Night Cream, and Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Day Emulsion Broad Spectrum SPF 18. I’ve noticed tremendous improvement in her skin because she has a more youthful glow.
A more thorough review is coming soon! Plus tons of Korean skincare, First Aid Beauty, and SOL DE JANEIRO Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, and other products from Sephora. Honorable mention: the Sephora Collection Candle Hour smells heavenly, recommend the set 100%! The scent is strong but not headache inducing, smells like roses, spices, and fruit! The fragrance moves around the entire apartment. ❤
Quick unrelated announcements: I’m currently also prepping to apply to law school this fall. I signed up for Kaplan tutoring. I plan on sharing my LSAT tips after I take my exam and get my results. Also, I want to revamp my blog and blog more regularly soon. I really need to get into a more productive blogging groove. 🤓Long skincare post below, feel free to skim through:
I bought a few new Kiehl’s skincare products and got a bag with sample sized goodies at the store for free with my purchase! Good luck, right?
I picked up another bottle of Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser (USD 23). I had a few pimples pop up on my forehead, and after using this cleanser, they quickly diminished. I’ve used this product before, and I recommend it because it does what it advertises — gentle daily exfoliation. It’s great for summer when my skin is more sweaty.
I purchased another Midnight Recovery Oil in the medium size ($75). I think this oil mainly helps with skin texture, and it’s amazing as always. The lavender smell is very relaxing.
A product new to me that I got is the Super Multi-Corrective Cream with Beech Tree Extract, Jasmonic and Hyaluronic Acids (around $66 USD). I love how it melts into the skin, its so velvety and smooth. I sought out this product because it has Hyaluronic acids and my esthetician at the Shelbourne suggested I look for products with this to add plumpness back into my skin and fade expression lines.
The sample goodie bag is so cute with a black and white vintage Kiehl’s print interior! Included:
-Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Massque (so excited to use this on my upcoming 11 hour flight back home)
-Ginger Leaf & Hibiscus Firming Mask (love the light smell and buttery texture, skin appeared hydrated in the morning after use)
-Midnight recovery oil face wash (Its just like the face oil – I “somewhat” enjoy using oil face washes to remove make up (gentle wash) but I probably would not buy this because I prefer washes with lather or scrub)
-Rosa Arctica (I used a few times and love it, it leaves the skin very glowy! It shrank the pores on my cheeks. The reviews are stellar online as well)
-Ultra Facial Toner (Leaves my skin feeling clean without feeling stripped, but natural may be best like witch hazel as toner – I always use witch hazel after facial threading or waxing to prevent bumbs)
10 out of 10 recommend visiting the Spa at The Shelbourne! I had a magical experience there as a birthday treat. Happy Birthday fellow Geminis. ❤
Customers of the spa are allowed to arrive an hour earlier than their appointment, no time more prior, to use the facilities like the steam room, sauna, and pool. In the locker room, each customer has a locker set up with their name on a charming little handwritten name card.
I used the steam room and sauna before my appointment. I did the anti-aging collagen facial. My esthetician was super warm and kind and massaged my neck, shoulder, arms, and scalp about three times during the hour-long facial. Afterward, I was given a platter with delicious honeycomb ice cream, mixed berries, and cranberry juice.
I loved the kind customer service and cleanliness of the facilities. The lounge room is grand and vintage but due to its age a little downtrodden. The lounge overlooks St. Stephan’s Green.
Still, I’ve been to several spas within the United States in different states and a few internationality, I know sometimes spending more does not guarantee a relaxing or pleasant spa experience, unfortunately. But this spa is legit, worth every cent.
My facial amounted to around 173 USD (no tip asked, included), and I personally think that is a modest fee given the facilities, length of facial, and post-facial snack.
I took a picture of the lobby and have also added some google searched pictures of the lounge areas (I left my phone in my locker). ❤
Brother’s Dosirak is an inexpensive Korean fusion hole-in-the-wall restaurant. It’s inside of a Chinese supermarket. Food cost ranges from about 6 euros to 15 euros. There are actual Korean men making the food right in front of customers. Fair warning, there’s no restroom here and the nearest place to use the restroom for free is McDonalds or the mall in the neighboring shopping area.
I ordered Dakganjong chicken wings and Korean BBQ beef. The wings were fantastic, perfect flavor and crispness. The taste reminded me of the quality I’m used to eating in Koreatown, Los Angeles. The Korean BBQ beef tasted bland, chewy, and nothing like Korean bbq — I don’t recommend it. My friend ordered bibimbap and loved it. I highly recommend getting wings, especially the ‘special spicy’ or Dakganjong, maybe with a side dish. They have complimentary self-service water for customers and a 10% discount for students with ID. ❤
I’m a music lover and for years I tried to listen to music as I study. I get bored easily and wanted to make studying feel like a party with music ranging from hip-hop to piano instrumentals. 🥳🥳🥳But I’ve discovered loud music may help me begin my study session but it often distracts me from staying focused.
1.) My first tip is if you struggle like me to focus in complete silence but also struggle to focus while listening to music like ‘study piano instrumentals’ is to try out nature sounds. In my case, my favorite of all time (listening now actually) is the sound of a campfire from the Youtube channel Relaxing White Noise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsOUv9EzKsg
2.) Set a timer to twenty-five minutes – This is a tried and true method to push for productivity. I have a short attention span and the loop of twenty-five minutes of study followed by a 5 minute break is really helpful; especially if I feel extremely unmotivated.
3.) Study with Me Youtube videos – This genre of youtube videos is another way to kickstart study motivation. Bonus points if the studier uses the 25-minute framework, then you can just follow along without setting a timer yourself.
4.) Find the perfect study environment – I study best in my room. I really dislike libraries and coffee shops because I’m easily distracted by movement. Everyone is different, find the environment that works best for you. I personally prefer bare closed off study spaces or my own desk.
5.) Confidence – I think confidence is an important key to a successful study session. Believe you can accomplish something each day, even if it’s small because studying requires grit and practice, not brilliance. Any educational goal you have is doable if you put in the work and tailor your studies to fit your needs.
I purchased Dermaceutic C25 face cream a month ago from Elmes Skincare Clinic after an extraction facial. This face cream is very silky and light, perfect for summer. The best part is that it has 25% Vitamin C! I think using either this regularly, or Amazon bought Vitamin C serums on days I don’t wear it, have cleared up the small marks on my forehead. The combination of this day cream and La Creme Beaute Venom at night has left my skin more consistently clear than it’s ever been. (Plus, I’ve been more attentive to my skin in general lately.)
My esthetician at Elmes told me the key to maintaining clear skin (skincare wise) is Vitamin C and regular use of acids (like glycolic, salicylic, etc.) to exfoliate and dry down pimples. He advised that I avoid popping whitehead pimples because the white fluid I see is actually white blood cells and popping them can lead to acne scarring, or spread bacteria and create more pimples. Instead, he recommended that I use an acid daily and start out with a lower percentage. I’ve been researching products, and I’ll purchase Pixi Glow Tonic toner because it has 5% Glycolic Acid. In the future, I’d like to blog on a Pixi skincare haul. There are several Pixi products, specifically the Vitamin C line, that I have my eye on. ❤
I think the clothing store ForLoveandLemons has beautiful and unique clothing. I adore how feminine most of the dresses and blouses are. I recently purchased The Pierre Bustier Top. I love the detail of the little blue drawings on it. The quality is amazing as well, it’s very soft to the touch and supportive. https://forloveandlemons.com/products/pierre-bustier-top
ForLoveandLemons ‘The Pierre Bustier’ Top
From Réalisation Par I purchased The Ana – Red Squiggle top. They mailed me my purchase with a cute poster, card game, small storage bag, tote, and fan — very endearing packaging! The quality is also standout. I know I’ll wear this top for many years to come. https://realisationpar.com/the-ana-red-squiggle/
❤
Réalisation Par ‘The Ana’ Top – I now realize I tied the top incorrectly the last time I wore it lol, I’ll wear it correctly next time.
