Hadanomy Collagen Milk

I apply this Hadanomy Collagen Milk after the Concentrated Mist (and sometimes Lotion), just as recommended in the product guide below. This is a moisturizer milk that, despite looking thick, opaque, and scary in the bottle, is in fact quite a pleasure to use, much so hubby has started mooching it from me ^.^

Suggested routine for nights (purple section): 

1. Collagen Cleansing (for makeup removal, pink tube, haven't tried this yet; if you wear a water resistant Japanese sunscreen, you will need an oil cleanser to remove that first), OR

2. Collagen Wash (follow up cleanser, pink pump bottle, I skipped this and didn't bother with it)

3. Collagen Concentrated Mist, OR

4. Collagen Lotion

5. This Collagen Milk

6. Twice a week treatment: Collagen Mask (skipped this too) 

7. Concentrated Lotion (left this at home, but will review next)

8. Collagen Cream (haven't tried this yet)

Suggested routine for days (yellow section):

1. Collagen Wash

2. Collagen Concentrated Mist, OR

3. Collagen Lotion

4. This Collagen Milk, OR

5. Collagen Cream

***Hadanomy product guide from Hadanomy JP.

Hadanomy Collagen Lotion

Next up is the Hadanomy Collagen Lotion, which I was using daily while visiting with my parents but have since reduced usage to only occasionally when I feel my skin needs extra help. This is a lotion (toner) that is viscous, making it more of a water-like gel. It is thicker than the Collagen Concentrated Mist. While it does melt upon contact and becomes more watery in my palm, it's still not quite as runny as the mist. 

Suggested routine for nights (purple section): 

1. Collagen Cleansing (for makeup removal, pink tube, haven't tried this yet; if you wear a water resistant Japanese sunscreen, you will need an oil cleanser to remove that first), OR

2. Collagen Wash (follow up cleanser, pink pump bottle, I skipped this and didn't bother with it)

3. Collagen Concentrated Mist, OR

4. This Collagen Lotion

5. Collagen Milk (using right now, will review next)

6. Twice a week treatment: Collagen Mask (skipped this too) 

7. Concentrated Lotion (left this at home, but will review too)

8. Collagen Cream (haven't tried this yet)

Suggested routine for days (yellow section):

1. Collagen Wash

2. Collagen Concentrated Mist, OR

3. This Collagen Lotion

4. Collagen Milk, OR

5. Collagen Cream

***Hadanomy product guide from Hadanomy JP.

Hadanomy Collagen Concentrated Mist

This Hadanomy Collagen line was my "goodbye Japan" gift to myself ^.^ Of course I was being silly, because both the Hadanomy Collagen as well as AquaPlacenta lines are easily available via the internet as well as here in SF, and I have already spotted them all over Japan Town. Then again, I got these in Japan for a discounted price and no markups or international shipping :P

Anyway, I am reviewing this Collagen Concentrated Mist first. It is not the first layer of my daily skincare routine (that would be SK-II Facial Clear Lotion then Facial Treatment Essence at night, and currently The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner then Facial Treatment Essence again in the morning), but it is the first step after cleansing (makeup removal) and washing (follow up cleansing) according to the product guide. I started using it almost two months ago after hubby and I left Taipei.

The Body Shop Moroccan Rose Body Milk

Bought this Body Shop Moroccan Rose Body Milk on clearance last year because it'd been discontinued. I read that it's super light weight, so I didn't think much of it. Plus it being in a spray bottle and is probably a thin runny liquid, I didn't expect much moisturizing power either.

Herbacin Wuta Kamille Hand and Nail Balm

Love this Herbacin Wuta Kamille Hand and Nail Balm, even though I broke its dispenser tip (twisting the cap too hard) and had to leave it behind :( Picked these three 20mL travel sized hand creams  up at Taoyuan International Airport as I departed Taipei, knowing they're probably available here in the US (they are). Let's see, I wanted something to remember Taipei with (Herbacin is German...), had some leftover Taiwanese dollars to get rid of on impulse buys (while sweet hubby spent his last bucks buying me a jade charm, ha...), and I was bored out of my mind waiting for my flight and had to get lost inside an airport drugstore.

From left to right: Wuta Kamille and Glycerin Hand Creme (using now, will review soon), Wuta Kamille Soft Mild Hand Cream, and this Wuta Kamille (White Line) Hand and Nail Balm, 20mL each.

Shida Night Market Eats, Taipei, Part II (師大路夜市, Picture heavy!)

Really struggling to put up these last Taipei food posts here...

Lantern Soy Sauce Braised (燈籠滷味) is one of the more well known and popular stands at Shida Night Market.  We actually stumbled onto it prior to reading the CNN 40 Taiwanese Food article and went in head first, not knowing what to expect. There was always a giant crowd gathering around the stand, and given there were several similar food stands at Shida Night Market that were often deserted, our curiosity couldn't resist the consistent stream of business this particular stand got and so we got in line ourselves ^.^

Basically, this is a Taiwanese version of the Japanese oden. Mind you, this is not to say "who came first". I honestly don't know and I don't give a rat's ass. I just know I love oden, and when I saw this I must have it, because I miss oden very much T.T Of course it's not identical to oden, but it's very similar in terms of ingredients: eggs (quail, versus chicken in oden), a wide variety of fish cakes, konnyaku, tofu,  mochi, a variety of vegetables (daikon, shiitake, enoki, green leafy greens, etc.), with added extras of noodles (cellophane noodles 冬粉, ramen, etc.), even meats, seafood, and intestines (a Taiwanese favorite!). 

Cle de Peau Beaute Gentle Protective Emulsion SPF25 PA++

I am a bit confused whether this Cle de Peau Beaute Gentle Protective Emulsion SPF25 PA++ is a moisturizing emulsion with dubious sun protection, or a wimpy sunscreen with an added benefit of a moisturizer. Either way, for the past week I've been stuck at home working, so I put aside my disdain for skincare with added SPF (I think they're useless...) and started using this 5mL tube that came with Cle de Peau Beaute Glow Fall 2012 Mook as an "indoor" sun protection ^.^ Please note despite this use, I still do not consider it a proper sunscreen (it's really not!) and therefore labeled it with "moisturizers" instead of "sun protection."

By the way, according to both the US as well as the Japanese official websites, you're supposed to apply this emulsion with a cotton pad like you would a toner O.o Yeah, my reaction exactly, especially when neither websites care to explain why. Nordstrom is just a tad better, saying using a cotton pad would provide "ideal application and absorption," but still no explanation as to what is it about this emulsion that requires cotton pad application. At least with a toner, a cotton pad provides the extra physical exfoliation in addition to making it much easier to apply a runny/watery liquid (unless you prefer to splash it directly onto your skin like I do with SK-II Facial Treatment Essence). Even if they say it's for the physical exfoliation, what to make of the two Balancing Lotions in the step before then, both of which also require cotton pad application? Double exfoliation, every single day? Is this luxury really to pamper or torture my skin?

Cle de Peau Beaute Cleansing Cream

This 9g sample tube of Cle de Peau Beaute Cleansing Cream was a part of the freebies from the Cle de Peau Beaute Glow Fall 2012 Mook. It was also the very first Cle de Peau item for me so I was totally excited to try it out, having read great things about the entire line.

Don't be fooled by the name of this product like I was. This was actually not a cleansing cream but instead a cream-to-oil cleanser, which really threw me in for a loop. Good thing the first time I used it I started with dry face and hands, not because I read the usage instructions like I should (Julia's lesson has yet to sink in, after all -.-'), but because I was too lazy to wet my face and I knew most cream cleansers work with dry face anyway. Ha. 

Cle de Peau Beaute Glow Fall 2012 Mook I picked up in Taipei.

Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream

Two weeks ago, along with Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream I also incorporated this mini 0.05fl oz/1.5mL sample tube of Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream into my nightly routine. The Sana Hadanomy Collagen line plus Steam Cream (will review both soon) as sealant moisturizer just didn't cut it anymore and is relegated to day use only now.

Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream

After Lancome Absolue Eye Premium BX turned out to be too light a night treatment for my eyes, I turned to this mini 0.03fl oz./1mL sample tube of Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream for relief.

This eye cream pretty much unscented to me. If it does have a fragrance, I don't notice it. It is just a tad thicker than Lancome Absolue Eye, with an almost mousse-like texture akin to the Pulpe Vitaminee Eye and Lip Cream but is similar to Lancome in terms of being light weight. It goes on smoothly and absorbs quickly, sometimes too quick and I would have to apply some more ^.^