Voluspa Candles Part II

I picked up these large 397g/14oz. jars of Voluspa Two Wick Glass Candles from Nordstrom during the winter of 2020 I think. They were cart fillers because I thought the etched glass jars were pretty, and they were. From the description of the fragrances, I chose two I thought hubby and I might like: Panjore Lychee and Japanese Plum Bloom.

Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Intensive Anti-Aging Eye Creme

Been using this generous 22mL/0.76fl. oz. jar of Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Intensive Anti-Aging Eye Creme as part of my morning routine for a couple of months now and liking it ok. Here's the funny thing: the eye cream has actually dried up quite a bit, but I'm still using it and find that I actually like its dried up version better. Weird, right?

RMK Cleansing Balm

Just finished this 100g jar of RMK Cleansing Balm yesterday! Woot! There's also a Moist version that I'm saving for the winter so I'll review that one later. Either way, both of these balms have been discontinued and replaced with a new Cleansing Balm Refresh and Cleansing Balm Rich, which I'll admit I'm pretty tempted to try as well given how much I like this version.

Grown Alchemist Detox Serum Antioxidant +3 Complex

Finished this 30mL/1.01fl. oz. pump bottle of Grown Alchemist Detox Serum Antioxidant +3 Complex in a snap so here's a quick post for it.

The Organic Pharmacy Radiant Day Shield SPF10

This is the next installment in my search for a moisturizing base to layer over my moisturizer but under my sunscreen, because my skin gets way too dry in the winter with sunscreen on.

Before this, I'd tried Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Moisture Balm Bare Glow. However, it was so moisturizing that it prevented my sunscreen to set, and it was way too "glowy" and pearly for my taste as well.

And before Bobbi Brown, I'd tried Paul & Joe La Tout Eclat Moisturizing Foundation Primer L SPF18 PA+, but it turned out to be full coverage, a completely opaque and pearly lavender base. Nope.

And before P&J La Tout Eclat, I was using 3 different Paul & Joe Pearl Foundation Primers which were actually working out OK until the weather got too cold and my skin got too dry.

So here I am now, with this 30mL/1fl. oz. dropper bottle of The Organic Pharmacy Radiant Day Shield SPF10 from the Day Plump & Glow Kit I bought over this past holidays season.

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Manuka's Cosmet Manuka Honey & Yuzu Hand & Nail Treatment

I have this 50g tube of Manuka's Cosmet Manuka Honey & Yuzu Hand & Nail Treatment at my desk that I reach for every once in a while, but I don't really like it.

Dr. Hauschka Lip Care Stick

Here's another lip balm tucked away and forgotten in a drawer: this 4.82g/0.17oz. full size tube of Dr. Hauschka Lip Care Stick that I got as part of a generous GWP from Beauty Habit some years ago. The tube had the manfacturer's shrink wrap and the balm itself was slightly dried up (it shrank a tiny little bit), but upon testing I found it okay to use still so I'm using it ^.^

L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Lip Balm

After a few years forgotten in a drawer, I finally dug out this tiny 2g/0.07oz. sample tube of L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Rich Lip Balm to use.

HABA Lavender Squalane & Squa Balm Set

Almost done with this  HABA Lavender Squalane & Squa Balm Set  and which includes a small 15mL/0.5fl. oz. bottle of Lavender Squalane and 3.5g 0.12oz tiny compact of Lavender Squa Balm. This was a limited edition set released in the spring of 2020. There's another LE Rose Squalane released in Japan but it's sadly not available here in the States or I would be tempted to try it as well!

HABA Squalane Oil Mask

Here's a mask I won't be repurchasing anytime soon: HABA Squalane Oil Mask. It wasn't the mask's fault. Rather, I should have known better--it was soaked in 20mL squalane oil diluted in a serum which was beyond generous and was just way too much!

Decorte Liposome Moisture Liposome Mask

Here's another Decorte mask, the Liposome Moisture Liposome Mask I received from an order last December.

Decorte Prime Latte Mask

Squeezing in a quick post for this Decorte Prime Latte Mask, which I liked a lot and will definitely repurchase. This was part of a GWP I received when I purchased the Makeup Coffret II in the winter of 2019.

Nursery Cleansing Balms

Wow, can't believe I went through 4 of these 91.5g jars of Nursery Cleansing Balms in less than half a year! There were four varieties: Lemon Lime, Orange, Yuzu, and Rose. 

Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet

These two Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheets, one Cucumber and one Aloe, were part of T.-san's lovely care package (thank you, T.!). She said she picked these up in Taipei where they were popular at the time.

Honestly, after using both, I honestly couldn't tell them apart. They both were pretty nice and light, had a decent amount of serum, scented with a mild fragrance, and was adequately moisturizing. I won't buy more, but I was glad to have tried them. Thanks again, T.!

Kids Stuff

Here's a post 5 years in the making. Just kidding! More like we've been so fortunate to have dear family and friends who gifted our boys fun and awesome things, and over the years I found some neat stuff as well so I thought to put together this long post about Kids Stuff.

These goodies from Japan are among the first presents we received when my oldest was born. Aside from the super cute and Made-in-Japan t-shirts and shorts, in particular the だるまさんが (Daruma-san ga...) book was a huge hit, much so I sought out the other two books in the series だるまさんと (Daruma-san to...) and だるまさんの (Daruma-san no...). Now both of my boys enjoy giggling to their Papa reading these books in Japanese in a funny character voice.

Hubby and I moved home from Tokyo when I was 3 months along with our oldest, and of course we went shopping for a couple of sets of jinbei for him, which his little brother now wears ^.^ Since then, we've also received more jinbeis from our friends in Japan, and we've gifted plenty a baby jinbeis which were--surprise surprise--big hits because they were just so darn cute.

This growing collection of Edison toddler cutlery started with a single pair of spoon and fork my sister brought home from her JET program in Shizuoka (the orange cream and pale blue at top). There were two pairs of training chopsticks as well but they became more like tabletop toys rather than utensils, so I didn't include them.

 

These forks and spoons are probably some of the best toddler utensils we've tried to date! They're very well-made (made in Japan!), sturdy, easily cleaned, have short handles that fit little hands perfectly (versus the long handles here), and the spoon and fork are curved in such a way that's natural for kids to use. The best part is that they're affordable: 680yen per pair of folk and spoon, and perhaps 900-1,200yen for limited edition collaborations with Disney, Hello Kitty, Thomas the Train, etc. Since then I've added several more pairs because, well, both boys are using these for every meal of the day!

This below was a care package from K., a friend and fellow teacher from my own JET days. K. happens to be in Tokyo with her hubby who's a pilot with Japan Airlines. She and I kept better touch then than now, although we did hang out a few times when hubby and I were living there. For example, K. and I had lunch a few times in Shinjuku, and we visited Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building with her little boy who was about 3 at the time. Hubby and I even helped K. and her husband move into their current home! Nowadays, it's just her most of the time with three kids at home (her husband flies 3-4 days of the week), so I can only imagine how crazy busy she must be! 

This miniature model of a JAL airplane was probably one of my 5-year old's favorite things, much so he used to carry it around with him all day. Then hubby and I had to put our foot down when the poor model plane started to lose bits and pieces, so it now perches on our fireplace mantel, with both tiny landing tires missing. Sigh. 

And of course my little E. also loved this miniature sticker book. So there was a time when there were stickers everywhere in my house, on the walls, the furniture, you name it. And of course he went through the whole book until there was not a single sticker left :(

This ノンタン ボールまてまてまて (Non-tan Booru Mate Mate Mate!) was one of his favorite books as well, and he always wanted me to "read" it to him in English instead of hearing it in Japanese from his Papa. Why? Because I went through the pages and made up a story from the pictures, and he liked that apparently xD

Here's another care package from Japan, this time from T.-san whom I befriended while living in Tokyo. We barely kept in touch, because after some amount of time inactive, LINE deletes my account and all the contacts I have, and each time I'd have to search for those contacts all over again and I don't always find them. This has happened at least twice already, and T. and I eventually lost touch :( But back in the spring of 2020 before the pandemic hit hard, she sent me this lovely care package with snacks and toys for my oldest (because my youngest wasn't born yet then). She had visited Taipei that winter, and she was so sweet to include some Taiwanese snacks for me, and even Korean skincare that was popular at the time as well (will post next)!

This strawberry bath sponge kept my then-2.5-year-old happy in the bath. He tore off the green leaf and the string pretty quickly, but the strawberry itself survived to this day. Now the younger 2-year old happily plays with it. Let's see if it'll survive him as well. Ha.

I'll admit that we haven't touched this at all, because it'll just be shredded to pieces. One of these days, I'll teach my boys to do origami. One of these days.

We own a few pairs of these Munchkin sippy cups, but I think the insulated ones are probably my favorite. They keep the temperatures well, and I especially like that my boys will have warm water to drink in the middle of the cold nights they're thirsty. These don't spill when tipped over, but water will seep out if the cup is left lying down for extended amount of time. So we keep one on the 5-year old's night stand and another wedged in the corner of the 2-year old's crib. Oh, and they have lids, which is nice.