Naruko Taiwan Magnolia Brightening and Firming Vitamin K Eye Cream EX Review

For a while I did not use an eye cream because I read Paula Begoun's article that they are not needed. Recently I have come to the conclusion that eye creams are indeed important, especially if your facial skin is oily. Generally, the skin around your eyes is much dryer and thinner than the skin on your face, so you don't want to use the same moisturizer formulated for oily skin around your eyes. You definitely need something richer and more nourishing, especially if you are older than 30. Being obsessed with Naruko cosmetics (seriously, try them), I chose their Taiwan Magnolia Brightening and Firming Vitamin K Eye Cream EX. It promises to "remove dullness, slackness and dry fine lines."

It comes in a 15 mg long plastic tube which is pretty hygienic. The amount is small, but I use so little that I think it's going to last a long time.

The consistency is light-weight, not heavy or rich at all. There is a light pleasant smell, nothing too strong. Upon application it is absorbed almost immediately which comes handy in the morning if you need to apply makeup after it. You are supposed to apply it twice a day, following with an eye night treatment in the evening. The instructions also suggest eye massage that is supposed to prevent circles under your eyes and generally protect from aging.

I follow Naruko's instructions religiously, including the massage, and I have to say it pays off. I don't really see any reduction in fine lines (you can't really get rid of them unless you are using Retinol), but the skin under my eyes feels moisturized all the time. My problem is under eye circles and puffiness (not sure what they are caused by), but I look less tired after I started using this cream. May be it is my imagination, but my skin looks brighter and tighter.

OVERALL: Highly recommended. I believe it has a brightening effect while keeping the under eye skin moisturized.

Ingredients: Purified Water (Aqua), Trioctanoin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cetearyl Alcohol, Tranexamic Acid, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, C14-C22 Alcohol, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Extract, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Plantago Major Seed Extract, Taiwan Magnolia Grandiflora (Michelia Alba) Flower Water, Xanthan Gum, Arbutin, Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Magnolia Grandiflora (Michelia Alba) Leaf Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytoferulin® Extract [Kalanchoe Spathulata Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Alpine Skullcap (Scutellaria Alpina) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Masterwort (Peucedanum Ostruthium) Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Alps Wormwood (Artemisia Umbelliformis) Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Alpine Willowherb (Epilobium Fleischeri) Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamolmilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract], Cyathea Cumingil Leaf Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Extract, Carnosine, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Methylisothiazolinone, Solidago Virgaurea (Goldenrod) Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Dipeptide-2, Phytonadione Carbomer, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Lioele Bee My Honey Sleeping Pack Review

My blogging has been interrupted by apartment searching, which is almost a full time job here, in San Diego. But, finally, we found a new apartment and I am back to business!

This review is for Lioele Bee My Honey Sleeping Pack which I bought online at Pretty and Cute. Lioele is a low-end Korean brand available online.

Sleeping packs or sleeping masks are not really popular here in the States yet, but from what I gather they are a new cool thing in Asia. They are pretty much masks that you are supposed to put on your face in the evening, keep them on while you sleep and then wash off in the morning. They have a multitude of great qualities, mostly moisturizing, but also reducing inflammation and soothing.

This particular mask is supposed to absorb impurities from skin and leave your face smooth, soft and supple. It contains 20% honey extract and a few other plant extracts.

It comes in adorable packaging and the container itself is made of sturdy glass which I will probably use for something else when I am done with it.

The consistency of the mask is gel-like. It is transparent yellowish color and smells like honey a bit. I really enjoy both the consistency and the smell.

I use it as the last step of my evening routine, after the serum, instead of the moisturizer. Upon application it feels very refreshing and cool. I apply quite a large amount, so that my face is covered like a mask. It is quite sticky, but don't be scared: you are supposed to massage it until there is just a thin layer left on your skin. After a while it is pretty well absorbed and you can go to sleep without worrying about ruining your pillow cases.

Generally such masks can be used every day, but are particularly useful after a stressful day or when you feel like your face is in a bad shape. I usually use this mask after a night out, a long day exposed to the sun or the wind or just when I feel like doing something fun with my routine. 

I really like the feeling of waking up in the morning after using this mask: my skin feels refreshed, clean and surprisingly plump. It definitely doesn't break me out, and in fact, I feel like it actually keeps my skin cleansed. I recently used in on a camping trip and I felt that it did a great job of protecting my skin against the elements.

OVERALL: Highly recommended for oily skin. It does contain alcohol, so if your skin is sensitive or dry you might be careful. I generally advice you try Asian sleeping masks, as they are a great addition to your usual routine.

Ingredients: Water,  Honey Extract, Isopentyldiol, Clycerin, Alcohol Denat, Amorphophallus, Konjac Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Arginine, Acrylates/C-10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-60 hydrogenated Castor Oil, Camellia Sinesis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon )Lemon) Fruit Extract, rosmarinus Offcinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Betaine, Allantoin, PEG-90M, Glyceryl Acroylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, 1,2- Hexanediol, Sodium PCA, Ethlyhexyglycerin, Benzophenone-9, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Caramel, CI 17200,CI 19140, Fragrance

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Roasted Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes and Kale

This is one of my most favorite dishes (and I have a lot). It comes from Food and Wine Magazine, which I always use for inspiration. It is extremely easy to make, fast, nutritious and oh so tasty! It only takes an hour to make, but the results are amazing. I generally love kale, but in this dish it truly shines, particularly the crunchy parts.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds kale, stems and inner ribs removed 

1 1/2 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick  

1 medium onion, thinly sliced 

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil  

Salt and freshly ground pepper 

1 1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks

1 teaspoon paprika 

Lemon wedges, for serving 

Preheat the oven to 450°. Mix the kale, potatoes and onion with the olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread the mixture in an even layer in a very large roasting pan.  

Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika and place on top of the vegetables.  

Cover the pan with foil and place in the upper third of the oven.  Roast for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and roast for 30 minutes longer. The chicken should be cooked through and the kale crunchy and roasted.

Make sure to serve with the lemon wedges - it adds a certain kick and the final touch to the dish.

Bon Appetit! 

Skin79 Sweet Honey Sugar Review

Aaaaah, the morning when you wake up and your skin looks luminous... I am getting this feeling more and more often now since I started using Skin79 Sweet Honey Sugar. It is a face scrub designed to not only exfoliate, but also to moisturize and provide nutrition to your skin. It is made by a Korean company Skin79. I bought mine from Amazon, but it is available from Pretty and Cute, located in the US.

It comes in a 100 ml hard plastic jar with a spatula for application. The spatula assures that you are not going to contaminate the scrub with bacteria. It is a nice touch.

It has a really nice smell of sweets and honey. The consistency most closely resembles honey mixed with brown sugar. I love how it feels right out of the jar.

I use it in the shower twice a week (the instructions say that it is recommended to be used 2-3 times a week). It is supposed to be massaged gently onto wet face for at least a minute. It starts out kind of rough as the sugar granules feel rather abrasive. I personally enjoy the feeling because it makes me feel that it is doing its job. However, my skin is very tough and oily and it can take a lot of abuse; I heard that other reviewers found it rough for their more sensitive skin.

After some massaging the sugar granules begin to melt and the scrub becomes sort of more and more honey-like until it is completely smooth and glides on the skin without any resistance. It feels quite exquisite at that point. I massage it for a while longer and then wash it off with warm water. I like to follow up with a sheet mask while my skin is clean and receptive to absorbtion of nutrients after exfoliation.

To be honest my skin feels amazing after this treatment, especially when I wake up in the morning. The skin feels clean, not oily but moisturized, and it feels like it is shining from the inside. I definitely started getting less breakouts since I started this regimen.

OVERALL: Highly recommended for oily rough skin. Might be not suitable for sensitive or dry skin.

Ingredients: Sucrose, Mineral Oil, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Olea Europara (Olive) Fruit Oil, Butylene Glycol, Isododecane, Polysorbate 20. Trihydroxystearin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Ceresin, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Honey Extract, heobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylparaben, Propylene Carbonate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, BHT, Fragance, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract.

Roast Chicken with Kimchi Smashed Potatoes

I love kimchi and try to incorporate it into my cooking often. When I saw this recipe on Epicurious I was immediately drawn to it: it has few ingredients, requires little chopping and is very quick. It quickly became one of the favorite dishes. It has just the right amount of spice and healthy goodness, and is very tasty.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds fingerling or baby Yukon Gold potatoes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 4 large skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds total) (I actually used chicken drumsticks as I like them better)
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 16-ounce jar Napa cabbage kimchi, drained, 1/4 cup liquid reserved
• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 4 cups trimmed bitter greens (such as mustard, mizuna, or arugula) (I found that arugula works amazing)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil and arrange them in a baking sheet. Add salt and pepper. Roast for about 10-15 minutes, stirring once until the potatoes brown a little bit.

While the potatoes are roasting, mix the chicken with garlic, salt and pepper. Make sure the chicken is rubbed with garlic really well. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Place the chicken into the skillet skin side down and brown it for 8-10 minutes.

Place the chicken skin side up on top of the potatoes and roast it in the oven for 15-20 minutes until it is cooked through.

Smash the potatoes with a large spoon, place the kimchi over it and roast for another 5 minutes.

Whisk together the kimchi juice, rice vinegar and 2 tablespoon olive oil. When the chicken is done, toss it with the greens and pour half of the dressing on the dish. Serve with the remaining dressing.

Bon Appetit!

Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner Review

For the longest time I believed that a toner is unnecessary. That was until I actually used one and realized how much makeup and grime my facial cleanser was missing. After that I started using a toner religiously to make sure my face is clean after the whole day of wearing makeup and being exposed to pollution. I also learned that a toner is supposed to restore and maintain your skin's pH balance, in addition to a lot of other wonderful things.

I came across Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner while researching Korean cosmetics (of course) and it got overwhelmingly great reviews. I ordered it from an Ebay seller because unfortunately I couldn't find it here, in the US. It comes in a gigantic 500 ml plastic bottle and the cutest box which has all the information on it.

 

This toner promises a variety of miracles, including minimizing appearance of pores and moisturizing. Upon its arrival I realized that it contained alcohol which originally really scared me as it is supposed to be really drying and damaging to the skin. I decided to try it anyway and see what it does.

It comes with an amazing no-waste pump which is super convenient. 

 

The toner itself is water-like. It has a slight alcohol smell, but, honestly, if I didn't know it had alcohol, I wouldn't be able to smell it I think. Generally, it smells very fresh. 

I use it day and night after cleansing my face. The directions say that you are supposed to wipe your face with a cotton ball dipped in the toner and then pat the leftover toner on your face for moisturizing purposes.  I find that this toner is not drying at all, and does not evaporate immediately the way other alcohol-based toners do. On the contrary, it evaporates slowly leaving your skin very moisturized, ready for the other steps of your routine.

I have been using it for about three weeks and do not notice any dryness or any adverse effects because of the alcohol. In fact, my skin feels amazing: fresh, moisturized and tight.  

OVERALL: Highly recommended. Leaves the face fresh and moisturized. Beware of alcohol though!

Ingredients:

Water, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Alcohol Denat, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26 Betaine, Sea WAter, PEG-60 Hydrogenated CAstor Oil, Dosium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Cycmbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Water, Uncaria Gambir Extract, Nelumba Nucifera Flower Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Leaf Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Chamaecyparais Obtusa Water, Pulsatilla Koreana Extractm Dosdium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol 

Mexican-Style Chicken with Penne

This is my husband's favorite dish and I love making it for him (mostly because it is so simple). Chipotle chilies add a nice kick to this simple pasta, and the cilantro and queso blanco transform it into something special.

The original recipe comes from Food and Wine Magazine, my go-to place for recipes. I follow it directly and it always turns out perfectly.

Ingredients:

 

3/4 pound penne rigate 

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil  

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch dice 

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper  

1 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice 

1 large garlic clove, minced  

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained 

1 large chipotle in adobo sauce, seeded and minced, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce  

1/2 cup frozen corn 

1/4 pound queso blanco, coarsely grated (1 1/3 cups) 

1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves 

 

1. Cook and drain the pasta.  

2. While the pasta is cooking, salt and pepper the chicken. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook for about 4 minutes. Lower the heat to moderate. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 4 more minutes until the onion is softened. The chicken should be cooked through. Add the tomatoes, chili and adobo sauce and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the corn and cook for 1 minute more making sure the corn is warmed up.

3. Add the pasta, 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and 1 cup of queso blanco and toss together. Serve with cilantro and remaining cheese.