Irresistibly Cute // The Face Shop x KaKao Friends

BEAUTY RSS

Follow

---

Do you have a tough time resisting these adorable KaKao Friends, too?  Hope you've enjoyed this post and thanks for stopping by!

---

MORE FROM THE K-BEAUTY SERIES

---

24 Hours in New York City // Korea Town Beauty Shopping & Yummy Dessert Tasting

BEAUTY RSS

Follow

My brother flew in from Asia and one of his short stops was New York City, so I flew down there to meet up with him.  We had some great meals and museum visits, but of course, when it came to beauty shopping in Korea Town, he opted out.  No worries, my trusted roommate from college @concon95 (who lives in NYC) was more than happy to go with me since she's just starting to dabble into the exciting world of Asian Beauty!

Given my 24-hours time limit in the city, I could only afford to be in K-Town for 1.5 hours.  It's not an issue as it was a Sunday and all the shops were pretty quiet.  I drew up this so-not-to-scale map of the key part of K-Town we ventured to - On West 32nd St, between Broadway and 5th Ave.  In this short block, you can hit all the major K-Beauty brands and taste some super yummy Korean food and desserts.

~ FUeling up before our express shopping spree ~

I've been to a few really great dessert places in NYC, but I've never ventured into K-Town before.  I did some homework prior to arrival and found Grace Street as one of the new faces in the K-Town dessert scene.  It has some rave reviews and it sure did not disappoint! 

P.S. I included 2 honorary mentions on the map for food - BCD Tofu House (which I frequently visit in California and love their tofu stews) and H-Mart (which is a Korean supermarket...I don't think I need to tell you why it's a must-see!)

~ ready for some k-beauty shopping?? ~

With that yummy meal in our stomach, @concon95 and I said goodbye to Miss S and began our express shopping spree.  

 

// The face shop //

 

// nature republic //

 

// The Mask Bar//

~ must shop more! ~

I can't believe I live so close to New York City and I don't go down there more often!  But now that I know all the "treasures" I can find there, plus having found my new Asian Beauty shopping buddy, I'll be making more visits to the fabulous Big Apple.  I do want to venture into Chinatown on my next trips to explore other Asian Beauty brands that are not available in K-Town.  Any suggestions on other Asian Beauty brands I should explore?  Leave me a comment below!

~ and i want to share this with you... ~

Needless-to-say, @concon95 and I have collected quite a few pieces of new masks to try (and nose strips for her)!  It's been so much fun reading all of your mask reviews on Instagram and I love it when you ladies share some honest insights to help me figure out if a mask is "worthy" to be added to the stash.  With that inspiration in mind, I am launching a new series where me and a few guest writers will share our utmost honest reviews on sheet masks we love and, sometimes, meh, not love.  I hope you'll join us on this new adventure on Hula With Me!

Thanks for stopping by!

If you're curious about the other legs of my NYC adventure, click links below for previous posts:

The Food Edition @ Caracas Arepa Bar + Spot Dessert

All About MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)

---

MORE FROM THE BEAUTY SERIES

---

Did Someone Say "Hello Kitty"?

BEAUTY RSS

My fellow beauty lover on Instagram, @blanckittyyy, and I were sharing our favorite mascara on one of her recent posts.  I mentioned to her that, don't laugh, my fave was a Hello Kitty version I bought from City Super, a popular store in Hong Kong.  And she asked me to do a blog story about it, so here you go my dear...along with a few other items I picked up + a surprise!

Confession of a former hello kitty addict

Yes, when I was little, I was all about Hello Kitty, down to my nickname "Kitty".  I know, why would I confess to that, but in case someone from my elementary school in Hong Kong has a picture of me all decked out in HK gear, I may as well spill the beans here!  I remember first day of First Grade, I had pencil case, stationery, backpack and hair pins all in the classic red and white style.  I felt fearless even though it was a new school and I didn't know a soul there.  Funny how little things made us so happy when we were kids.  Fast-forward to today, I'm still a huge fan, just in a more toned-down version, but I'd still get excited when I see special Hello Kitty merchandise!

About city super

Quick intro to this awesome shopping heaven in Hong Kong.  It's dubbed the "mega lifestyle specialty store" - Think Whole Foods + MUJI + Container Store + Sephora all in one place.  Pricing is definitely higher than the local supermarket, but you're paying for the convenience of a one-stop-shop.  There are several locations throughout Hong Kong...I know it's not a typical tourist attraction, but if you're ever visiting the city, it's worth popping into a City Super for the experience and for some of their unique beauty finds.  For more info, check out their site.

~ bcl hello kitty edition ~

~ browlash ex long separate mascara ~

To Buy Online // YES STYLE or eBay (try to check for authenticity if buy on eBay!)

~ matomage x hello kitty ~

~ hair styling stick super hold ~

To Buy Online // eBay (try to check for authenticity if buy on eBay!).  This also comes in a red version for "regular hold".

~ hello kitty hand cream ~

To Buy Online // YES STYLE carries other Hello Kitty hand cream. Just search on their site.  Here's one offering - HK Shea Butter.

~ hello kitty cherry blossom ~

~ essence face mask ~

To Buy Online // eBay and various lesser-known sites (try to check for authenticity).

share the love with a

hello kitty x character giveaway

Hope you've enjoyed this Hello Kitty tour!  I want to share the love with all of you...enter this giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below for a prize pack that includes:

• 2 x Hello Kitty Cherry Blossom Essence Face Masks (as shown in this post).
• 1 x Hello Kitty Cherry Blossom Sakura Hand Cream (as shown in this post).
• 4 x SexyLook Disney Princess Character Sheet Masks (One each: Snow White, Ariel, Belle, Sleeping Beauty). To see what they are, go to my Instagram feed @hulawithme.
• Plus some surprise bonuses.

TO ENTER & QUALIFY

1. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. 
2. Very Important! Be sure to follow instructions in the Rafflecopter widget to complete the 4 qualifying requirements.
3. Also very Important! Entering your handle in the Rafflecopter widget does not count. You must follow and repost within Instagram app.
4. Participants must be 18+ years of age.
5. Giveaway, fake, or business accounts will not be considered.

DEADLINE + WINNER NOTIFICATION

1. All entries must be submitted by 11:59PM EST (Eastern Standard Time) on June 12, 2016.
2. One winner will be chosen at random and to be announced on June 14, 2016.
3. The winner's name will be listed in this blog post & on Instagram post.  Winner will also be contacted via IG.  Be sure to keep your IG account in “public” mode to receive notification.
4. The winner will receive prize pack as stated above.

DISCLAIMERS

1. Please use caution when trying a beauty product for the first time.  Spot-test your skin first to test for any reaction.
2. Winner is responsible for any applicable taxes and custom/import fees.
3. This is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Instagram.
4. By entering this giveaway, participants confirm that they are 18+ years of age, release Instagram and giveaway host of responsibility and agree to Instagram’s term of use.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

---

MORE FROM THE BEAUTY SERIES

---

Skin Health Series 1.2 // Taking Skin Health Beyond Rituals & Products

BEAUTY RSS

// Part Two //

Taking Skin Care Beyond Rituals and Products - Improving Your Skin Health Through Food

Continuing our skin health journey in this part two of the Skin Health Series.  If you've missed part one, where I've discussed in length the "what" and the "why" behind a multi-steps skin care ritual, I'd recommend reading that first (check it out here).  It'll help you connect to today's story much better!

I also used to focus only on the skin care and the associated products.  Nothing wrong with that at all as they are integral parts of our overall skin health.  At the same time, I've learned that what we eat and how we live also play a key role.

Oh gosh, I love to eat and my favorite foods may not be considered super "healthy".  But similar to skin care, we don't have to follow the trend because the key is to create balance - Eating my beloved Asian desserts every night wouldn't be the best choice for me, so I balance it with fruits on most nights.  Remember, key word here is "balance"!

A friend recently asked me if she should do a detox.  My own experience didn't turn out that great...I almost fainted at work!  I've since opted for adding more fruits and veggies to my eating habits as not to shock my body like that again.  The key here is the same as in skin care - Listen to your body!  For me, my body didn't like detox, so I look for a different way to cleanse my body.  I'll share some my of favorite foods along with their skin health benefits and super easy recipes that you can make! 

I'm sharing my personal skin health journey with you and, same with skin care products, foods or habits that my body takes in well may or may not work for you.  Always listen to your body and cater to your own needs.  Also, always consult with your family doctor or nutritionist on any dietary needs or if you have any pre-existing health conditions. 

1. You start to think of your skin in terms of overall skin health that incorporates rituals, products and eating habits.

2. Always listen to your skin and your body. 

3. Skin health is a journey and there's no shortcut to it, but the rewards that you get along the way are simply priceless.

Ready to take your skin health one step further?

Let's go!!!

skin health super hero nutrients

As I was thinking about how I should write this post, I realize there are soooooo many nutrients and foods that have great skin health benefits and I can probably write a 100-pages blog post about them all!  But of course, who has the time to read that and I definitely want to give you something that you can easily absorb and, more importantly, take action on!  So I've narrowed down to these 3 "super hero" nutrients based on the foods I eat regularly and on the promise that the recipes are super easy to make.

~ 1. Antioxidant ~

~ 2. omega-3 fatty acids ~

~ 3. vitamin b6 ~

Now it's time to feed our skin some yummy goodness!

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a terrible cook!  Fortunately, my mom has some exceptional cooking skills and I occasionally figure out a way to copy some of her causally-whip-together recipes.  She's also probably the healthiest 60+ person I've known and it's because she understands how her food affects her body.  Despite our occasional disagreements, she remains my motivation in my quest to live a balanced life, inside and out.  Enough of my mushy stuff, let's move onto the fun part!

First, I want to share this chart with you - These are the foods I eat regularly and I dub them "Skin Health Super Foods" because they contain the skin health nutrients we've just talked about.

Now that you have a good idea of what skin health goodness these foods provide, I'm going to share below how I incorporate them into my everyday eating habits! I promise you that these are very easy to make!

~ Chia seeds + blueberries ~

Perfect For // Breakfast, Snacks

Substitutions // Any toppings will work!  If you want protein, you can add protein powder or bananas.

 

~ matcha + bananas ~

Perfect For // Breakfast, Snacks, pre/post workout snack.

Substitutions // You can use any type of milk.  I use almond milk because it's dairy-free.

 

~ carrots ~

Perfect For // Lunch, Dinner (with entrees or side dishes).

Substitutions // I would stick with carrots as the base and sub green carrots/radishes (if you don't like them) with tomatoes or melons.  You basically want at least two kinds of veggies to get a good flavor.  Note: Tomatoes are not suitable for people with GERD or suffer from heartburn.

 

~ carrots + beets ~

Perfect For // Lunch, Dinner (with entrees or side dishes).

Substitutions // I would stick with carrots as the base and sub beets (if you don't like them) with tomatoes or melons.  Note: Tomatoes are not suitable for people with GERD or suffer from heartburn.

 

~ avocado ~

Perfect For // Breakfast, lunch, pre/post workout snack.

Substitutions // You can use any kind of bread.  Also, you can switch out the toppings, but definitely stick with at least the boiled eggs.

 

~ strawberries ~

Perfect For // Dessert, snack.

Share The Love // This is a recipe by the fab Mary-June who runs Southern Meets Urban blog.  Mary-June is a nutritionist by training and a mom of twin girls.  She is always cooking up something in her kitchen and whipping up what I call magic with her Vitamix.  For more of her recipes, go check out her blog here.

Many thanks

I had so much fun writing this particular post because I get to talk about foods I love!  I hope you've enjoyed it as well!! 

In full disclosure, the list of recipes here is a combination of my trial and error, my mom's homecooking and word-of-mouth from friends.

I've narrowed down the content for ease of reading, but if you have questions about anything in particular, comment below or email me...I'd be happy to help dive in further!

I also want to say thank you to all of you who have been super supportive of this blog and just want to send you lots of hugs and kisses!!! 

---

MORE FROM THE BEAUTY SERIES

---