to pamper / amorepacific skincare

Amorepacific owns a ton of brands (including Sulwhasoo, Laneige) but the Amorepacific brand itself is not popular in Korea. My Korean friends often don’t even know that there are Amorepacific branded products!


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The Essence

I love the Amorepacific Vintage Single Extract Essence. Green tea leaves are picked by hand from Amorepacific’s green tea gardens on Jeju Island, naturally fermented for 100 days, then the tea extracted through a 24 hour process. The “vintage” is from the product of a single crop and the aging process. It is full of powerful antioxidants, which protect against sun damage and is touted to promote skin clarity, texture and elasticity.

I bought mine in Seoul last October and am almost done with the 4 oz bottle after non-daily use (I alternate with a Sulwhasoo water). I am a bit heavy handed with application. I shake some into my palm and spread/pat it on my face. It is very watery. If you use serums, essence helps your skin absorb the serum and you should apply them while your skin is still wet from the essence. My skin feels hydrated, dewy from using this essence in addition to healthy despite what serums I use.

The con? It is pricey. A full size bottle is 4 oz and $145. They recently started selling a 2.36 oz bottle for $95.

The Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder

This is a very popular item for AP’s sets. Chances are if you got a set, this was in it. You mix some powder with water and then massage it into your face, and then rinse. My skin does not feel tight, the pH seems to work well. A little goes a long way. I use it occasionally for a deep cleanse. I especially like using it before a sheet mask so the sheet mask can work off of a clean slate. Since it’s powder, it is TSA friendly. AP recently changed the packaging, I’m not sure if the formula changed at all. AP has an exclusive set of the full size powder and the mid sized essence for a good price (see below).

Other Products

  • Cleansing Oil – I’ve only ever tried this in the mini size. I like the formula but not the dispenser of the mini size. My face feels so silky smooth after I use the oil. It is scented and I don’t love the scent. I like trying new cleansing oils, so have yet to commit to a full size of this one.
  • Cleansing Foam – My friend loves this. It makes my skin feel a little tight, but after I apply my normal products, it feels fine. As someone who is deeply committed to the Cerave foaming cleanser for performance and value, I will use the free minis I get but will not commit to a full size.
  • Moisture Bound collection – This is their hydration line. I don’t like the scent so whenever I get something that has minis of this collection, I immediately gift it or it goes into the reselling pile. I especially hate the hydration spray. While the scent is also in some of their other products, it’s easier to tolerate when it can be washed off (cleansing product).
  • The Essential Creme Fluid/Vintage Wash Off Masque – I’m looking forward to trying these. The fluid is made with baby green tea leaves.

Where to Buy:

If you can get yourself to Korea…

  • Go to the Lotte Duty Free stores in the city. I went to one in Seoul and they had a great value set of the essence. I got 2 full sized bottles, 2 deluxe travel bottles, and a ton of minis/a roller for $209. This was not available on the app and I didn’t bother checking the airport.
  • Order on the Lotte Duty Free app for pickup at the airport and take advantage of the coupons (maximizing this would take a separate post).

In the US…

If you order from them, keep a record of your order confirmation screen. This didn’t happen to me on this site, but when I ordered from Sulwhasoo (sister site), I never got an order confirmation e-mail.

to shop / recent sales and musings (aug 2019)

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I’d been looking for a minimal baseball cap and found the answer at Everlane (referral link)! It is unisex, lightweight, and I like how it is not shallow. They are not a staple item and the colors get updated whenever they come back in stock. Of course I got it in black. It also comes in white, light grey, and light olive green.

I tried the day glove in leather and reknit. They felt the most comfortable sizing up, however, I did not like the style on my feet. I also noticed the reknit had a very slippery and thin bottom sole. Those aren’t anywhere near the Rothy’s, in case you were wondering.

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I’m really loving this season’s Uniqlo extra fine cotton shirtdresses (mentioned in my last post). It makes a perfect weekend outfit; I’ve found it a little too casual for work. It also has drawn random compliments from strangers. I got it in both stripe colorways (one is a brighter blue and the other is a darker navy blue) and light blue. I hang dry once I take it out of the washing machine and it dries mostly unwrinkled. It fits true to size for an oversized fit — I would recommend not sizing down. The pockets are also deep enough for water bottles, mini umbrellas, sunglasses, etc.

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If you’re interested in something by J.Crew, check Net-a-Porter (US, Europe, Australia), Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, and 6pm . (I was surprised by the 6pm! They are owned by Amazon via Zappos.) Prices are not uniform across the board, which can work to your benefit.

My interest with J.Crew goes up and down so it is inevitable that something from a past season catches my eye and sold out, and monitoring popbacks is tiring. I was happy to find this Liberty chamomile red floral shirtdress (Nordstrom Rack, J.Crew, NAP US, NAP FR, NAP AU) and the buffalo gingham shirtdress (Nordstrom Rack, J.Crew) at other shops at reasonable prices. (I’m really into shirtdresses at the moment.)

Other recent likes:

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Ferragamos are my work and dress shoe of choice. My recent discovery is that all the European boutiques seem to default to the wide width of C for whereas the US retailers default to B. I prefer C only for patent styles. When the sales kicked off last month, I found deals thanks to the European sale prices + favorable exchange rate + free express international shipping. The wide width threw off my plans. Thank goodness for free returns! On a similar note, Bloomingdales is having a pretty good sale and some items get an extra 50% off. Ferragamo sale shoe selections update throughout the day. Gilt also has a pile of Ferragamo shoes but it’s disorganized. I avoid final sale when it comes to Ferragamos because I go between two sizes, even if it’s the same style.

There are still a lot of Repetto deals to be found, especially if you have tiny feet — Farfetch, 24S, Gilt, Shopbop. And Webster has one pink gingham pair for a huge discount (code on top of page). Watch out for final sale as well.

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I really like the APC Meryl quilted bag. They’ve brought it back this season in black, navy, burgundy, and a tan brown, but you can snag it in brick (red? orange?) on sale. There are also some sale bags at Shopbop and APC, but slim pickings.

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If you like Muji and Ikea home goods, you may or may not have discovered Yamazaki Home. As someone who loves white everything, I love their minimalist, thoughtful style. Their products are also carried at Bloomingdales, Amazon, Container Store, Urban Outfitters, West Elm, etc. Prices can vary. I admire more than I’ve actually purchased. If you like to hang clothes temporarily, I have a few of these over the door valet hooks at home. You do have to see if your door would scratch when you close it though.

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Hermes had a popup sale at Short Hills, NJ recently. A friend graciously gave me a ride. It made me think of the Paris soldes from years past (previous). I don’t remember the prices for the Paris sale, but this sale was 50% off US retail. I am the owner of a few more silks (as is my father). I need to research scarf rings. I was about to purchase Hermes scarf cards on eBay, when I found them in PDF on the internet.

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My favorite Drunk Elephant product is the C Firma vitamin C serum. It comes in a very mini 0.27 oz as well as the full 1 oz size. Late last year they released a limited edition midi size (0.5 oz) and included it in the Get Even value set. I’d never used such fresh C Firma before that. I went to look for more but Sephora and Drunk Elephant are sold out of the set. However, it’s still available in Sephora stores in JCPenney stores in the US (locate store and order) and at Space NK UK (they won’t ship to the US).

to shop / gap and uniqlo lately (june 2019)

I haven’t loved anything from Gap in a long time. Their site isn’t as easy to browse (I like to sort by what’s new ), but I love that they have petite sizing and easy, free returns.

This puff sleeve utility jacket is very Goop, without the price tag and petite sizes! I prefer it in khaki without the belt. The pockets made it perfect for travel. Despite the linen content, it does not wrinkle easily. Perfect for spring or any space with air conditioning.

The Polka Dot V-Neck Popover Shirt is made of a lightweight, synthetic material. Perfect for balmy summer work days. It does run long, a little big, and low, so once again petite sizing was a winner. It was nicely cut.

The cotton and Lyocell material makes the Girlfriend Chino Joggers light enough for super humid summer. Trust me, I tested it in 96% humidity and 90+ F. It runs big and I think  they stretched out. I like the dark color — the green one had lighter stitching which I did not like. I also tested the High Rise Culottes (not pictured), which I recommend if you’re looking for culottes. They are easy to match and structured/light enough.

On to Uniqlo…

I’m late in posting, but these pleated pants are so comfy. They run BIG.

The extra fine cotton A-line 3/4 sleeve dress runs much longer than my favorite shirtdress of 2018 and comes off more casual. But it’s not bad. It comes in solids and stripes. I prefer stripes. It runs more TTS than the asymmetrical version.

I wear the lightweight v neck cardigans every summer and love this year’s version.

Images from Uniqlo and Gap

to shop / recent purchases

I’ve been using Method hand soap in my Muji containers for years, but I guess more moisture couldn’t hurt. I like L’Occitane hand products, so when a promo gave out, I promptly ordered the Verbena shea butter liquid soap refill. I would’ve ordered the ultra rich soap if it had a refill. I fell in love with their Ultra Rich shea butter collection during a summer trip to the Canadian Rockies (it’s super dry there) and also highly recommend their newer intensive hand items. Use code FACE or BODY for 20% off, free shipping over $10, and an Almond Discovery set (mini Almond hand cream, skin oil, and shower oil). Doesn’t work on sale items.

Image: Nordstrom

These Melissa Papete + Rider Sandals are new arrivals at Shopbop, and I caught them during the recent sale. I opted for the nude/black combo over the neon or black options. They fit true to size and the nude bottom makes the wide Teva look much more flattering on my feet. I like that they are all rubber for ease of cleaning and rainy climates. Available at Shopbop (my color is OOS at the moment), Zappos, Amazon, and Melissa.

Image: ShopBop

Birchbox Skincare Multitaskers Kit. As posted on my Instagram (should I update more often?), I had Birchbox points to use up. I quite like some of Birchbox’s kits, value sets, and holiday sales. I don’t like their monthly boxes (review here) and think their website could be greatly improved, but the deals and brand curation keeps me as a customer. This kit has Huxley (have tried multiple products, love the smell), Dr Lipp (curious), Kiehl’s cleansing oil (curious), Sand & Sky (curious), and Mighty Patch (slightly curious).

Image: Birchbox

I think the Garnet Hill navy toile bedding has been on my wishlist for sooo long but I don’t like buying at full price if I don’t have to, especially for a flannel that is seasonal. The navy color (my fave) got discontinued and I was sold when I saw it was sale on sale.

Image: Garnet Hill

to shop / uniqlo u lightweight bag & ss 2019 mini review

My favorite item from the Uniqlo U SS 2019 collection is the U lightweight bag in black. I held back from ordering more t-shirts though, so that could have been a contender.


  • It’s a super lightweight nylon bag. It folds down easy for storage.
  • It’s meant for light, bulkier contents. Measurements: Height: 15.3″/39cm, Width: 19″/48.5cm, Length: 5.5″/14cm, Handle Length: 22.8″/58cm.
  • It hangs easily on the shoulder.
  • It has adjustable drawstrings on the ends. This makes it perfect for travel, especially if you want to protect any nicer bags. I personally hate putting most bags directly on the floor, x-ray machine, etc. The drawstring also makes the contents safer.
  • At $29.90, it is pretty affordable.

The Uniqlo U collection is always a big hit or miss for me. The fit typically runs oversized and tall. I was not into most of the color choices. Mini reviews for what I’d caught my eye online:

  • WOMEN U WRAP SLEEVELESS DRESS – Soft rayon material. Nice drape. If you’re ever the type to have to size up, you may need to size up for the best fit. Verdict: Maybe…
  • WOMEN U MIDI SKIRT – Soft rayon material. Runs big. Verdict: No, because I don’t need it/it’s too casual for work.
  • WOMEN U BIG LONG-SLEEVE SHIRT – Yes, it is called big and long. Maybe it would’ve worked if the material felt nicer? This was a great hit per the Uniqlo.com reviews. Verdict: Not for me.
  • WOMEN U COTTON DOUBLE FACE PANTS – Wrong cut for me, but if it looks like it would work for you, get it! Verdict: Not for me.
  • WOMEN U BALLOON HALF SLEEVE DRESS – It is a light knit sweater dress with a nice silhouette, but unfortunately, it is very clingy in the midsection, especially obvious in a bright color like green. Works best for those in great shape. The emerald green is so pretty.  The blue is not a true navy. Verdict: Not for me.
  • WOMEN U SHIRT LONG-SLEEVE DRESS – I didn’t have time to check to size chart for measurements. The material is very stiff. The fit is long and waist very slim. Verdict: Not for me.

See the rest of the collection.

Images: Uniqlo