Interstate Driving

***Warning: this post may bore you ^.^

You already know hubby and I temporarily moved to San Francisco. We didn't actually "move" all our things. Rather, we just packed up our car with what we thought we'll need for a few months' stay and drove ourselves over. Now that I have a moment to take a breather, I thought I'd share some of the pictures we took along the way during our drive. We had specific goals for our rest stop by the end of each day: Salt Lake City by the first night, Reno by the second, then straight into San Francisco bay by the third. So these pictures were taken by me or hubby while the other was driving, because at no point could we stop for photos.

How do you like my fashionable interstate driving? xD Actually, the hat was to help with the sun, because sitting behind the wheels for hours will get you toasted to a crisp if you don't cover up properly.

Cle de Peau Beaute Intensive Facial Contour Serum

Been using this 4mL 0.13oz. tube of Cle de Peau Beaute Intensive Facial Contour Serum for a month now after finally finished up the burnt-rubber smelling DDF Amplifying Elixir. This was a part of an older set of samples from E(vil)bay, which I bought solely for the cute little glass bottles the Gentle Nourishing Emulsion as well as the Gentle Balancing Lotion came in ^.^

This sample set (left) includes, from left to right, the Gentle Balancing Lotion 15mL/0.5fl oz., Gentle Cleansing Foam 10mL/0.38oz., this Intensive Facial Contour Serum 4mL/0.13oz., and Gentle Nourishing Emulsion 6mL/0.20fl oz.

Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream

After Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream, I've been using this 5mL/0.17oz. tube of Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream. It came with the Best of Shiseido Spring 2013 GWP, in which for purchases of 2 or more skincare products you get deluxe samples of a cleanser, softener, moisturizer and a targeted specialty treatment, all in a nice large pink zipper case.

This GWP came at a perfect time too since I had used up my 2nd travel size bottle of Lancome Bi-Facil and needed a new makeup remover. So I picked up the The Skincare Instant Eye and Lip Makeup Remover (using right now, will review soon), and while at it, the The Skincare Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam too. I wanted something to compare with the recent Cle de Peau Beaute Gentle Cleansing Foam (they're both from Shiseido!), and I've already used Pureness Deep Cleansing Foam (loooong time ago, and it'd be way too drying for me now) and Benefiance Creamy Cleansing Foam before ^.^ And in fact, there are 3 foaming cleansers from The Skincare line, a Purifying Cleansing Foam, which I've used before also when I was living in Japan in 2005 and it broke me out, a Gentle Cleansing Foam, and an Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam. Given how dry my skin is now, I went with the extra gentle one. Let's hope no adverse reaction with this one :X

Caudalie Vinotherapie Crushed Cabernet Scrub

Traveling for the past few years, there are many items I inevitably forget about and/or left behind, because I either had limited space and could not bring all my favorite things with me or I didn't have access to them because they were packed away in storage. This mini 60g/2.1oz. Caudalie Vinotherapie Crushed Cabernet Scrub was one of them. I bought this way back in 2010 but thankfully the scrub is housed in an airtight container and remains fresh to this day!

L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Shield SPF40 PA+++

Had a few sample 1mL/0.03oz. sachets of L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Shield SPF40 PA+++, including one from the Brighten Up Collection I recently received as GWP. This product is a part of the recent Immortelle Brightening line, claiming to even out and brightens the skin tone while reducing wrinkles, promising to prevent dark spots via mineral physical sunblock, the 11.52% of Titanium Dioxide in its ingredients.

See below screencap for content details of the L'Occitane Brighten Up Collection.

Avon Moisture Therapy Vitamin Treatment Hand Cream

Just a quick review for this 125mL/4.2fl oz. tube of Avon Moisture Therapy Vitamin Treatment Hand Cream I had with me since Japan!

This is a straightforward hand cream and while it looks simple and boring, both hubby and I quite like it. It is decently thick and moisturizing but is not greasy at all. The moisturizing effect lasts for a good while too, although I will admit that it washes right off with water. I tend to put this on when I'm sitting down work and it keeps my hands nice and soft. It is scented with a generic hand cream fragrance, nothing special.

Given the fact that I paid $1.50 for it, I'd say it's a darn nice product to throw around in the living room ^.^ Too bad Avon discontinued it...

Stila Make Me Blush Cheek Color

Hopping countries every few months, sometimes I get frustrated that my favorite things are scattered all around. Of course I can always ask my parents or my sister to send me my stuff, but I don't like bothering my them with my frivolity. And of course I can get more too, but I always stop myself with the thought, well, what are am I going to do with the ones I already have at home, especially when I'll be visiting in a few months?

Well, those few months turned into two years, and this Stila Make Me Blush Cheek Color is one of those favorite things that were left behind. It was a Valentines 2011 limited edition that arrived at my parents' after I had already returned to Japan, and here I am finally getting to it T.T

Stila Make Me Blush Cheek Color. All pictures taken in natural light without flash. I accidentally threw out the box prior to taking pictures of it. Sorry!

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Glossy Tint Lip Sheen Part II

Having enjoyed Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Glossy Tint Lip Sheens, I chased down Sun Goddess and Blush Blush, the 2 colors that were unfortunately discontinued before to the line's packaging revamp.

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Glossy Tint Lip Sheen Sun Goddess (top) and Blush Blush (bottom). All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Media Pressed Powder

I bought this Media Pressed Powder at the same time as the Bright Up Powders, and at the same specialty Japanese drugstore in the Zhongxiao Fuxing-Zhongxiao Dunhua underground market too. It was also very fine, soft, and smooth, yet even more affordable than the highlighters at US$6.67 (NT$200)! Why not, right? There were 2 colors available, Lucent and Natural Beige. I bought Lucent, because I dislike any coverage foundation.

Media Pressed Powder Lucent refill, again with case sold separately. The case is the same as that of the Bright Up Powders, which were about US$3 (NT$90) each. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Media Bright Up Powder

Among the favorites in my Taipei haul are these Media Bright Up Powder. They are available in 2 variations, 01 Clear and 02 Warm, and I bought both not being able to pick one over another. What, did you think I'd leave Taipei empty handed? Not a chance, especially when Watsons sells Japanese cosmetics at about 20-30% less than Japanese retail! I know, they're evil, aren't they? ...But these powders were actually *not* from Watsons ^.^'

While I was in Taipei, I noticed only a select few Watsons branches carry this Media brand, and even then, not all of them have these particular highlighters. The only Watsons I found my area that had these was the Shida Night Market branch. I actually bought mine at a specialty Japanese drugstore, one that sold only Japanese import cosmetics and skincare, although I don't remember what it was called. There were 2 of these identical stores, one on each end of the Zhongxiao Fuxing-Zhongxiao Dunhua underground market. Again, the funny thing was that only the store on the Zhongxiao Fuxing end carried this Media brand and the other did not. I also found some of my favorite Japanese candies there, like the Kishiri Crystals.

Media Bright Up Powder 01 Clear (left) and 02 Warm (right) refills, with compact cases (top) sold separately. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.