Starting a new leaf

My endless pursuit for memory keeping has led me into the lines of diaries, scrapbooking and bullet journaling which I would only pay attention to once I’m in the mood or if I have a shiny new notebook. Thankfully, 2016 gave me so much inspiration that pushed me to include this in my daily routine.

3 years later, my Leuchtturm1917 finally has to retire and my hunt for a replacement has begun and ended too soon. But before I talk about literally a new leaf, let me quickly share my love and appreciation for my first ever legit bujo.

I say legit cause I’ve only ever been a good starter but never really done anything or finished a whole journal/planner/diary until this one. Before I lose track, here are some of the things I love about the A5 Leuchtturm1917:

Numbered pages and easy indexing
Back pocket for all the bits and pieces
Minimalist design
Excellent paper quality
Option between lined, grid or dotted
Easy buy through Amazon Prime
Lasted me for 3 years

Although I really loved everything about it, I wanted to make my life a tad easier and explore something pre-filled with weekly/monthly calendars and space for random musings. I originally wanted Winnie Wong’s The Everyday journal but I’m still having troubles sourcing it so I had to find something similar locally that would satisfy my obsession with listing, writing and personalisation. Luckily, thanks to the internet and random related advertisements I found my next one from Papier!

I’ve geared off my normal black and gray plain hues only and chose a bit of a bold design which I felt that sort of represents me (?). Of course, the personalised title and initials won me over. I can’t wait to spend the next 52 weeks with this one and surely, you’ll hear from me again soon!

Aca-rtehan

Aca-artehan: August Edition

1. Sleeping Masks

I’ve already realised how important skin hydration is especially for my oily skin so I’ve been investing some time and money into using face masks to hydrate my and minimise my pores. I’ve tried the sheet masks but my lazy ass sometimes couldn’t cope with the 2 step process so I’ve ventured on sleeping masks. I’ve only hit pan on one product so far and I’m currently trying out another one.

Etude House Collagen Sleeping Pack. Bought at Amazon for £14. I might sound as if I’m exaggerating but with only 3 days in, I could already see a difference with my skin. It instantly made my skin look healthy and glowing, plus the grease has turned down a notch. I’ve also pulled some serious all nighters but I didn’t even break out nor needed to apply anything like full make up just to look more alive.

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask bought at P2bus Soho for £35 for 70mls. After Etude house (EH), I’ve decided to give Laneige a try. It is on the pricier side but I’m curious if it could live up to all the hype. So far, I am already liking the suppleness it gives me and the smell is very faint but so good. Although the consistency is watery but thick, it isn’t as sticky as EH post application. PS! It’s cheaper to buy it online rather than the store in Soho!

2. Lip Products

3Ce Take a Layer multipot in Cabbage Rose bought in Amazon for £22. · I think I’ve raved about this product on twitter but I thought I’d make it official (yesss, arte ko mamang!) and announce here my love for 3CE’s multi-pot! The creamy/powdery consistency seems to stay longer on my lips and cheeks compared to a liquid tint and it’s very compact so easy to fit in my kikay kit. I’ve been using this for 2 months now and I reckon it’ll last me until the end of the year since it’s very pigmented so a little goes a long way.

K-Palette 1-day Tattoo lasting Lip Tint stick bought at Ichiba or Japan Centre for £15. Another lip product I enjoy using. It’s so moisturizing and gives you a very subtle tint and makes your lip look healthy. I’ve used up 2 sticks already and my problem was where else could I source it from London. Luckily, my semi-favourite hangout after school sells it pala! You can buy it from Ichiba (sabay kain narin ng shoryu ramen + takoyaki) in Westfield Sheperd’s Bush or any Japan Centre shops.

3. Face

Canmake Mermaid Skin gel UV moisturising sunscreen bought at Amazon for £10. The summer heat here in London is getting worse each year and I finally convinced myself to start adding another element into my skincare: sun block! I’m still trying to get the hang of it, that is adding another step to my routine skincare but so far it isn’t as heavy and uncomfortable as the others ive tried in the past. It’s very easy to apply and I like the gel consistency.

It Cosmetics CC cream with spf bought at Boots for £10 (small size). Again, my laziness got the best of me so I tried to look for something inclusive and decided to try this which will be more or less used daily (if I’m in the mood) for work. I’ve been using this for a week now and although I got a darker shade (cause no stock) the way it handles my oily face surprised me. It looks very natural when applied and I don’t oil up as much as the others.

Aca-rtehan

Aca-artehan: New & old finds

Aca-artehan is finally back on regular programming! I haven’t posted anything in a while but for that period since my last entry (Aca-artehan: Current faves) & Aca-artehan: My Skincare routine (eh ano bang alam ko?), I finally found my staple products- well at least for now.

My criteria still stands: I want to be in A.W.E (pucha, ang arte ng paandar ko dito ha! hahaha). A – Affordable | W – Works for me | E – Easily accessible.

I’ve talked about the Garnier PureActive charcoal (£3.33) previously and I still use it up to now (I’ve got extra stash all the time, that’s how I love it!). I get too lazy at times so I try to look for products that are multi-functional (wash, scrub and mask) so pasok sa vanga! The only downside for me is that it can get a bit messy cause obviously, it’s charcoal but it definitely helped me and my oversized pores. Alternatively and/or subsequently, I also use the Cetaphil Oily skin cleanser (£5.99) which is a joy for my oily skin and the huge pores that come with it. In addition, I use the Foreo Luna PlayPlus (£39) to massage it all over my face and believe me, it unclogs my pores quite excellently.

I did rave about Etude House’s Wonderpore in my previous entry but since I wanted something within arms reach, I had to improvise. Luckily, I stumbled upon Garnier’s Pure Active Clarifying toner (£4.99) which I felt helped to manage my biggest issue – pores – plus, because of it’s salicylic acid component it helps with pimples too! Of course, Mario Badescu facial spray (£7) is still part of the routine and one that I may have forgotten to mention before, Mario B’s drying lotion (£16) which I use for spot treatment.

(1) Lucas Pawpaw in clear plus tints in red and pink (I saw this on TK Maxx and was around £10 for all 3 tubes). I’ve always been curious what the hype was about and I could say it does the job but I’m not it in love with it yet. I’m mainly using these for my lips and so far, it feels quite similar to Vaseline. I’m still waiting to have a change of heart, we’ll see.

(2) Neutrogena Hydro Boost body gel cream (£4.99). This is a new find and I am extremely impressed! A few weeks into using it, I could already see a difference. I wish I’ve discovered this earlier though (would be very useful in winter) but I can see myself using this for the long haul. I think I might also try to explore this hydro boost range.

(3) Finishing Touch Flawless brows (£19.99). Bought this because I’ve been so lazy and the online ads seemed so appealing. I’ve used it twice and it does save me from the pain of plucking or threading.

(4) Hycosan Extra (£8.65). I have a gland dysfunction which causes redness, pain and dry ever so quickly so this is my new essential. Reminds me so much of Eye-mo but it did help improve my symptoms plus it’s also compatible with contact lenses.