♡ December Japan Crate [[UNBOXING]] ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

Amidst all this manic that is Christmas, my Japan Crate managed to turn up two days before Christmas Eve, not that I'm complaining because who doesn't want a delivery of (more) food over the festive period?

So just to re-cap, Japan Crate is that you can subscribe to three different kinds of boxes; mini, original and premium with either a recurring monthly payment (from $12 plus p&p) or you can pay for either 3, 6 or 12 months worth of boxes, therefore saving you a bit of cash at the end of it. You can cancel at any given time, so if you fancied just one box then you can enjoy one box without the pressure of payments. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3.

I'm still on my premium subscription, because the immense amount of goodies received in the premium box is just... well it's silly to pass up really. Like I said, this box was pushing it close to not arriving before Christmas itself, but luckily turned up on the 22nd... BOOM! And to make it even more lucky for myself, sunshine decided to make an appearance on the 23rd, so out popped my camera and, I swear, I have snapped enough blog photography to last me until Spring *whew* Anyway, back to this box and oh boy, I was not disappointed with this one!

In the first section (what would be in the mini crate) are; cheese, tonkatsu & veggie umaibo, bad kid beer, awa moco moco in strawberry and a Fujiya lollipop bag.

In this second section (what would be the original crate plus mini crate snacks) are; a cute tororin parfait DIY kit, pocky - demitasses, black bean  soy sauce flavoured scones and a naga-i swawgumi orange sweet.

And this final section (premium crate extras) are; the hia shuwa cola sweets, a pachishuwa dynamite melon soda, a celio lifeguard drink and a Legend of Zelda gachapod thing.

Any box that has Umaibo in it, is instantly a hit with me! I love those little crunchy sticks of flavour mhmmm yas! I'm a little gutted that January's box will be my last one because I love this subscription so much, especially with all those options you have these days but... being an adult must come first hmph. Until then, I am saving some of these pieces just for days when I need... something extra to get me through! But I have tried the lifeguard energy and wow... it is weird.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

♡ Favourite Skincare Products of 2015 ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

To continue on from my previous post on my favourite cosmetics, now it is the turn of skincare products because, well, I love taking care of my skin just as much as I love cosmetics!

Face

The first few items are from one of my favourite brands; Skinfood. I love the Black Sugar Perfect Essential Scrub, the Black Sugar Perfect Scrub Foam and the Black Sugar Perfect Cleansing Cream. Most of the ingredients involved in Skinfood are natural and some of them in these particular ones are black sugar granules, refined rice wine, and botanical oils to help remove dead skin cells and reduce impurities and BOY, are they right! My skin is much healthier and brighter, and I couldn't be happier about it. Next is MISSHA Time Revolution First Treatment Essence (Intensive) and this is pricey compared to the usual products - Skinfood ranges between £5 and £15 where as this product is £22 alone. Despite that, this product has really helped with firming up and hydrating my skin, it's quite honestly one of the best purchases I could ever ask for. There are times where I use whitening products, just to help even my skin tone out - damn red cheeks. And I don't always need make-up to help me with that as I have Skinfood's Premium Tomato Whitening Finisher to help me there. I only use this 3 times a week, maximum, and I mix it in with Etude House's Wonder Pore Balancing Cream, just to give it a little more oomph and help it last longer! As a sleeping pack, I've gone few a fair amount because most of them have made my skin break out overnight, but that was until I started using Tonymoly's Magic Food Banana Sleeping Pack! No break outs, it leaves my skin feeling soft and doesn't make it really greasy... just ugh. Oh and the smell, exactly like banana milkshake mhmmm! Finally, there is Etude House's Wonder Pore Clay Mask, the Wonder Pore Freshener and the Wonder Pore Tightening Essence. I do suffer from HUGE pores on certain areas of my face, but ever since I started using this range, around five months ago now, those pores really have shrunk in size. I never thought that it would actually work?! Such a shock but I'm relieved that it's a product that actually does what it's meant to do.

Body

And to continue on with my love for Skinfood products, the Lemon Vervena Body Scrub is such a lovely body scrub, yes it's like other body scrubs but the smell is DIVINE. I do adore anything citrus scented - as well as eating plenty of citrus products.. for... diet... purposes. My other holy grail body products include the Quinoa Rich Body Milk, the Quinoa Rich Body Wash and the Quinoa Rich Body Cream from Skinfood (again). I have to be uber careful when shopping around for body stuff as my skin (literally) burns from certain products companies put in... the list of things I can't use is endless sometimes! But, when I got a sample of this range, I did a skin test just to see and after have no break outs, I got some more samples and almost cried with joy when my skin didn't burn/break out at all! It is relieving to find a product suitable for my poor skin, I swear!

Hair

I know this, kind of, falls under the skincare range - more body care instead? But I do adore the Etude House Silk Scarf hair care range... this stuff has helped my hair so, so, so much! Especially since I went blonde (gasps) my hair has felt dry with every hair wash bbbuuuttt... this range has really helped with pumping the moisture back into it! My favourites ones from the range are the mist spray, the hair pack, the hair serum and the intensive shot! Before I started using this range, I was using Skinfood's Argan Oil Silk Plus Hair Mask Pack  as argan oil is one of best things ever to have in my poor hair. After I seriously damaged it four years ago, argan oil masks were my saviour! And even to this day, I can't bear to part with them!

So there we go! When I've been asked "what's the secret to your skin?"... here is the secret! An array of different potions and liquids just to help my (indecisive, ridiculous) skin.

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

♡ Favourite Cosmetics of 2015 ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

2015 saw quite a few new cosmetics appear in my make-up bag, some have only graced it once, whilst others are now, permanently, stuck there. Not that's a bad thing... right?

Face

Etude House Precious Mineral Any Cushion in Mint is quite honestly, one of the best bases I could ask for. It helps covers my red cheeks, old acne scars and evens out my skin tone, whilst giving it a little brightness at the same time. On the same level, Etude House's Face Blur is another base/cream I can stick to. I love how that I can use this as a base underneath my usual BB cream (Skinfood Red Bean Cream) or I can use this for a (very) light cover - with powder over the top of course - and it can hide every.single.little.imperfection that my eyes can see. Pores, scares, redness you name it, it can hide it. Speaking of powder, Skinfood Buckwheat Loose Powder in Transparent is my loose powder love. There are days where my skin is oily beyond belief, and this powder is ah-mah-zing at absorbing all that excess oil, and leaving a matte finish on my skin. It smells lovely as well and feels super, duper soft once applied. I also use this powder after I've applied my moisturiser and before I apply my base/BB cream, as that helps keep those products on my face for longer throughout the day. Another powder love is Tonymoly's Cat Wink Clear Pact in Light Beige, and this compact is my favourite for bringing a teeny, weeny bit of colour on my face. Again, like the Skinfood loose powder, this one also helps with the absorption of oil AND it's handy to slip into my handbag. Heading towards the high end brands a little bit now, but the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Highlighter and the Yves Saint Laurent Concealer were impulse buys when I went to Stockholm back in May and boy, they were the best impulse purchases ever. I cannot fault these two products because they are fabulous in both their areas of concealing and highlighting, plus I feel a little bit like a Queen whenever I pull these out of my handbag because HELLO! Gold packaging!

Eyes

Onto my favourite eye products - Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara was a happy coincidence in trying from receiving a mini tube as a sample. I love using this mascara when my sensitive eyes do not want to play ball with false eyelashes. This mascara just gives the bit of a va-va-voom! Next is the MUA Elysium Eyeshadow Palette, another impulse purchase because the colours looks really pretty in front of me, how ever could I resist?! The colours are lovely and pigmented, which for a bargain £6 eyeshadow palette, that is amazing! I love all the different colour combinations I can produce with this palette as well. Even though the Etude House Drawing Eyebrow Pencil in Brown isn't something I've found recently - it's actually been in my make-up bag for over four years now! But this little beauty is, hands down, the best eyebrow pencil I could ask for and I always go back to this time and time again, without fail. The Too Faced x Vegas Nay Stardust Eyeshadow Palette was something I fell in love with the moment I laid eyes on it and I'm glad that I've got it. I've only used it about 4 times since receiving it - because I'm a little bit sad and am making it last for as LONG as possible. And the final product is Fairydrops Volume Burst Mascara that I purchased in a little shop in Chinatown in London and let me just say, wow. I love using this as a base under my false eyelashes as it is such a light formula but it helps with that extra oomph!

Cheeks

There's only two products here as using cheek products has only been a recent addition to my make-up routine. The NARS Blush in Orgasm was another product from Stockholm and I adore the sort of 'doll effect' cheeks this colour can create against my skin tone. Plus if I accidentally put a little bit too much on, it can easily be buffed out to give a lovely faded effect, ugh dream blush. And the NARS Illuminatior in Orgasm obsession of mine started as a little sample bottle I had received with my Sephora haul back in Stockholm, to getting the full sized version when I realised that I NEEDED it more than anything! I adore combining these two items together as well, giving my cheeks a flushed, yet healthy illuminating look! Perfection.

Lips

It's no cosmetics list of mine without lip products. First off is Jeffree Star's Liquid Velour Lipstick in Celebrity Skin and Unicorn Blood and I freakin' LOVE the formula of this liquid lipstick. It doesn't dry out my lips, yes it shows the lines on my lips but not in a bad way. It's wearable, lasts an extremely long time throughout the day, especially after eating and drinking, and is able to be taken off easily. Not only that, one of my closest friends managed to get a couple of these lipsticks because I've been bugging her about getting them... HAH! Secondly is a collection of LASplash Liquid Lipsticks, and boy do I mean a collection of them. I have around 30 different colours over the range and I do not regret any of them. The formula is a little bit different to the Jeffree Star ones but, the pigmentation of the colours and the durabiliy of these lippies, I cannot fault. Next isn't a lipstick/gloss per say but a balm and it my LIFESAVER for my poor lips. The EOS Balm in Sweet Mint is a gorgeous balm that helps my dried, chapped lips become... well more lip like? I carry this little puppy around everywhere with me, and I use it as a base under ANY of my liquid to matte lipsticks, just to help my lips out that little bit extra. And the final lip product is a MAC lipstick in Pink Plaid. This one was a surprise for me in all honesty, I saw it originally in the Covent Garden store and thought the colour looked a bit iffy? But when I tested it out on the back of my hand, it's strange but you know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when something just feels right? Yeah, I had it with this lipstick and I haven't put it down since. It's my favourite vintage, rosy pink colour lipstick and I use it under LASpash's 'Rose Garden' just to give each colour a bit of a boost!

And there we go! No doubt 2016 will bring some other new products into my life, but I am so comfortable using these products and my skin loves them all as well, just because I'm not breaking out into rashes when I've come into contact with them. And I'm not going to lie, I've also been a bit of an influence on a couple of friends by being that initiator of MAKING them purchase certain products *coughs* You know who you are ♡

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

♡ Christmas Wishlist ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

Everyone has a wishlist, and I certainly no exception, even though I am probably the worst person to buy for as I am FOREVER indecisive on what to ask for!

Portable Light Box ｜Adult Colouring Books ｜Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette ｜VIXX 'Utopia' DVD ｜VIXX 'Chained Up' Double Version CD's ｜Jeffree Star 'Dominatrix' Liquid Lipstick ｜Jeffree Star 'Masochist' Liquid Lipstick ｜Jeffree Star 'Dirty Money' Liquid Lipstick ｜Unicorn Coin Purse ｜Puella Magi Madoka Magica Figure

This is what I managed to narrow down my wishlist too. I feel bad because certain things are so expensive but it's the first things that came to mind at the time?! I did, accidentally, find out that I've got a couple of items because my mum asked me to unpack shopping, and forgot about them... whoopsie!

What have you asked for Christmas? Send me your links below to your wishlists or just tell me in the comments! It is, completely up to you ♡

Thanks for reading
xoxo

♡ The Christmas Tag ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

As I am still easing into this whole "trying to post more than once per week" malarkey... this next post is something quick and simple... a tag post! I saw this particular tag post over at Makeupsavvy and she saw it over at Milk Bubble Tea~

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♡ What is your favourite Christmas Movies?

'The Grinch' is my all time favourite Christmas movie. I have never (and will never) get bored of it, and I tend to watch it around four times per week in the lead to Christmas itself... and even up until new year because y'know, it's still the holiday period right?!

♡ Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

Neither really? If it's early Christmas morning you mean then definitely neither. As we have horses and other animals, we always make sure to take care of them first, have a pancake breakfast and then if everyone has arrived by 11ish (or as close to 11 as possible) then we might open them then. If not... mid-afternoon early evening, after the animals have been sorted again. Everyone I meet and know of this routine are extremely shocked at how patient I am about it all... but I don't mind doing it because my animals come first... just like every other day.

♡ Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?

Spending time with my nan just before Christmas itself. We'd go shopping for food bits, go shopping for last minute presents/stocking fillers and finish off any baking that needed to be done. I still do this sort of thing with my mum, but I do miss my nan and doing this stuff with her... she was the other important female role in my life and now that she's gone, it hurts knowing that I can't do this with her any more but, I can do it with my mum and with my baby cousin when she gets older.

♡ Favourite festive food?

The ham. We are such a ham family because at Christmas, with any leftover ham we have left, we cook ham, egg & chips as a meal. Best. Meal. Ever. Oh and roasted potatoes and roasted parsnips! We always coat our parnsips in parmesan cheese and it's amazing! And the reason for roast potatoes... well I love roasted potatoes! Even the next day when they're cold mhmmm!

♡ Favourite Christmas gift?

This sounds super, duper corny but... I always get a Terry's Chocolate Orange in my stocking and it just makes my year to get that lovely, chocolatey treat in my stocking. 

♡ Favourite Christmas scent?

Cinnamon! And vanilla... and any floral scents! We always fill our house up with flowers over Christmas and do lots of baking that involve vanilla and cinnamon... so Christmas is a very scented affair in our family!

♡ Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?

Extra amounts of baking normally! Oh and watching a movie... wrapping up last minute presents... panicking about things... the usual I suppose?

♡ What tops your tree?

A very, very old (but very adorable) fairy! She's always been on top of our Christmas tree for as long as I can remember.

♡ As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?

A pony. We already have horses but when I was about 6, they were WAY too big for me (because I was short until I hit puberty) so I asked for a pony just until I grew... never happened OH WELL!

♡ What's the best part about Christmas for you?
Spending time with my family. My nan passed away before last Christmas, so last year was a little roller-coaster of emotions but my baby cousin was born at the beginning of this year (March) so this Christmas is a lot brighter (and more fun!) My family is only small - 12 members altogether - so spending time with them means an awful lot to me, because they're all I have and even if they do annoy my tits off, I wouldn't change them for the world ♡

So that's it. My Christmas tag post is over and I hope you all enjoyed it! Below, are the questions in case anyone cares to do them - and it saves you writing it all out ;) If you do do one, link me in the comments as I'd love to read all of your answers too!
♡ What is your favourite Christmas Movie/s?
♡ Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
♡ Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
♡ Favourite festive food?
♡ Favourite Christmas gift?
♡ Favourite Christmas scent?
♡ Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
♡ What tops your tree?
♡ As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
♡ What's the best part about Christmas for you?

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

♡ Favourite Christmas Films ♡

みなさん、こんにちは!

I'm starting with something simple to get the ball rolling with my Christmas blog posts, and where is the best place to start for a former film studies student? Christmas movies!! 

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There are so many amazing aspects of this holiday, but I definitely feel less guilty watching a Christmas themed movie at this time of year... even though I do watch these particular kind of films all year round *cough* But, they just get you in the right mood for celebrating! 

The Grinch (2000)
If you've never watched 'The Grinch', then you can march yourself out of my blog right now! No, but seriously. This film is amazing and a perfect Christmas film. Dr Seuss was an extremely talented author and his children's books are (almost) legendary. I even read as many of his books, as I can, at work to the children because... well even they need to know of his work. I can't wait to introduce him to my baby cousin when she gets a little bit older to understand and maybe next Christmas, she'll watch The Grinch with me!

The Muppet's Christmas Carol (1992)
Charles Dickens wrote 'A Christmas Carol' around the time Christmas was being explored differently in the United Kingdom, and I bet he'd never imagined that his book would be expressed in so many different ways almost 150 years later! The Muppets version of 'A Christmas Carol' is what introduced me to his work... I only vaguely remember it coming out as I was 3 years old back in 1992 but I appreciated it more as I got older. I adore the balance of serious yet comical storytelling, and The Muppets never fail in going a bit off in the wrong direction when telling a story!

Jingle All The Way (1996)
Ahhh... who can resist a corny Schwarzeneggar movie? I think I've seen all the 'bad' ones such a 'Junior', 'Twins' and 'Kindergarten Cop'... so it's no exception to miss out 'Jingle All The Way'! Based on real life events when a popular toy is sold out in stores, this film shows the dedication a father will go to to get the IT toy for his son. I have no clue why this film received a lot of negative feedback... they're all silly for that! Just watch it for the Schwarzeneggar silliness please, please, please!

Scrooged (1988)
This is an extremely good modernised version of 'A Christmas Carol'... well it is to me! I've always had a soft spot for films made in the 80s/90s and this one is no exception. It also has some references to the infamous 'Ghostbusters' that came out four years previous to this one, and of course, this film stars Bill Murray as well. I really recommend this film to anyone and everyone, just for a bit of a giggle around the holiday season.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Well it wouldn't be a Christmas movie list without some form of Home Alone on it... but it's certainly not the first one! I have never hid the fact that, and I really do, prefer the second film of this franchise to the first one because, and again my opinion, I feel that it's just that little bit funnier than the first one, especially with the two thieves and them getting beaten up and out witted by a child.

And voila! My favourite Christmas films! I didn't add any more because there are so, so, so many out there (TV movies and general, big shot, movies) to choose from. My mum is really surprised though, that I don't have 'It's A Wonderful Life' or 'Holiday Inn' or 'White Christmas' on my list, because she knows how much of a Classical Hollywood cinema fanatic I am... but hah! Wait...

Thanks for reading!
xoxo

♡ It's Christmas!! ♡

여러분 안녕하세요!

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It's officially December and that means it is time for all the Christmas festivities! And I have a small confession to make; a few years ago I, actually, went through a phase where I wouldn't have anything to do with Christmas... just because I was a grinch but now? I am such a Christmas snow bunny! I love baking, cooking, decorating, wearing and breathing in ANYTHING Christmas! I do have a slight problem though, my family doesn't share the same enthusiasm level I do, but that's ok... I can cope for now and work around it!

I must admit, I wanted to do the Christmas blogmas this year but alas... there isn't enough time with the fact I'm working full time at the moment and I have loads of coursework to catch up on before the new year. So sadly, no blogmas this year *extreme sad face* But... I will do some form of Christmas themed blog posts between now and the 25th!

It won't be many but I will give it my all! And I will stick to my usual reviews about a few things as I stumbled across some photography I took in summer time! It's ever so hard to take photographs during the winter, especially when the weather is gloomy and I tend to go to work when it's dark, and come home when it's dark as well, so it's a losing situation at the moment. Oh well. I won't babble on any more today... but keep a look out for some posts popping up during the week!

Thanks for reading!
xoxo