San Francisco Japantown: The Face Shop

The Face Shop has several locations in the state of California, and finally another location has even added in San Francisco!  The latest branch of this famous South Korean beauty brand is located in Japantown, inside the Peace Plaza.  Its location within the center is very easy to find, right next to one of the center's entrances.

Kim Hyun Joong is still the endorser of The Face Shop, having his refreshing appearance splattered on posters and advertisements throughout the store.  Sadly this branch doesn't have a cutout and barely any KHJ merchandise!  However there are KHJ diaries exactly like the one I bought from the San Jose branch.

The layout is similar to the other Face Shop locations.  However, this location is much cleaner, refreshing and bright with its clean-end and minimalistic furnishing.  The category overheads are in a fun, curvy font with color backdrops that create a naturally cheery atmosphere.  On the shelves are handwritten post-its with keywords that describe the benefits of each product, as well as "best sellers" and "new arrivals."

There were three workers who were very attentive, asking if we needed help and handing out shopping baskets.  One worker I asked didn't understand English fully, and I had to reword "bar of soap" to have her understand.  Despite this mishap, she was very patient and was eager to help me.

I bought 3 products totaling to under $10 and my aunt's purchase was over $100.  Above are the three products I had purchased.  The Face Shop's prices are fairly reasonable for their moderate products, but for their more advanced products that use higher quality ingredients and for more severe issues (eg. wrinkles, sagging skin), products can be more costly.

Together, we received an abundance of samples that'll last for quite some time!  We received 12 random samples (3 of which were duplicates).  With a purchase of over $100, you can also choose an additional gift from a variety such as an acne travel kit, a bottle of hair conditioner, pore primer, mini brush set or a pouch. We thought the travel set was the best deal and chose that.  Despite such a large purchase, we still had to pay $0.10 for a bag.  I guess in San Francisco it's mandatory to charge for bags (though SkinFood didn't!).

I love this San Francisco branch much more than the San Jose branch because of its clean and fresh facade, caring staff and generous samples.  This location will definitely be my go-to stop from now on.

Stonestown Galleria: SkinFood and YesStyle Update

I originally posted about the SkinFood and YesStyle stores in San Francisco's Stonestown Galleria back in December 2012 (check it out here).  Here's my update (and mini haul) from my latest trip.

SkinFood

I bought the Coffee Body Scrub, and my purchase came in a slim paper bag with SkinFood's logo and circle design.  Because we are switching to paper bags from plastic, I guess SkinFood is following suit.

The worker asked me what my skin type was.  Replying with "dry," I received 4 facial samples: (2) Rice Mask Wash Off, Ginseng Mask and Facial Water Vita-C Cream.  I received both masks with my last purchase, but I'll review the cream sample in the future.

I also couldn't resist coming back, so a few days later I made another purchase.  I was interested in the egg pack line at the counter and right away the friendly worker (2 Caucasian workers; usually they're Asian so this was a surprise to me) descriptively elaborated on each of the products I was looking at.  She was very knowledgable (asking if I wanted a recommendation based on my skin type) yet not too nosy.

This time I said my skin type was oily to get different samples.  I received 3 samples meant for enlarged pores: Fresh Apple Sparkling Pore Serum, Fresh Apple Smooth Pore Cream, and Peach Sake Pore Serum.

My purchase and samples came in a clear zipper pouch.  This packaging is so unique and adorable and reusable!  I have never seen any store bag up their products in these types of plastic seal bags, and I definitely approve of this.  It can be used as a travel pouch or to store small, flat things (like samples!).

There were also several SkinFood pens in a jar on the counter, and my aunt asked if they were for sale.  The worker said they weren't for sale but that we could just take them for free.  What a pleasant surprise!

When making a purchase at SkinFood, don't forget the stamp card!  10 purchases worth at least $10 equates to a bottle of nail polish.  SkinFood's products are definitely pricy, but quality and the samples are worth it!  During my second purchase, the kind worker generously added 2 stamps instead of 1 despite my minimal purchase (my total was roughly $11).  Her rationale was that they offer a minimal selection of samples, which I must disagree because they have so many different samples to try!

YesStyle

Not only does YesStyle carry a large selection of clothing designed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, it also carries official Kpop posters due to its joint Asian media company, YesAsia. The posters available are framed and displayed on the top shelves bordering the store.  There are usually about 10 to 15 different posters on display.  The posters for purchase are rolled up in a box to the left of the cash register, and sometimes there are more posters available that aren't on display. However, it just depends on the worker (there is usually just one worker on hand) if she'll let you look through the posters or not.  When I visited YesStyle this week, they already had posters from Infinite's New Challenge (released in late March), 4minute's Name Is 4minute (released in late April) and new subunit N4 of T-ara (released in late April).  Each poster is $9.99, but if you spend over $40, each poster will be $4.99.  These prices are pretty reasonable comparing to ordering online (namely kpoptown, which costs roughly $10 including shipping).

This store also has a new beauty section.  I didn't pay much attention to their beauty selection before, mostly because there weren't any familiar Korean beauty brands.  This time I noticed SkinFood, Laneige, Missha and Skin79. The only SkinFood product was the Peach Sake BB Cream, which is the only BB cream that SkinFood the store sells anyways.  The Laneige product I saw was a travel kit for $10. Missha and Skin79 were mostly BB creams. There were other brands as well.

If you're ever around the area and in need for some Asian cosmetics and clothing, check out SkinFood and YesStyle!

Infinite: First Invasion 1st Mini Album Review

Out of all my kpop album purchases, this is the first time buying an album solely based on the tracks and not the photobook. Infinite's debut concept was a dorky, mismatching look. This concept reminds me a bit of older kpop eras, like Ss501 (A Song Calling For You) and SHINee (Hello).

The album cover for First Invasion is white and glossy, with a glittery red infinity sign as Infinite's first era's logo. The back cover reveals Infinite's dorky and preppy concept, with the members in solid Lacoste polos and slicked back hair. There is also the track list and authentication hologram. I like how Infinite's mini albums have always kept this same layout and design; it feels more consistent and "Infinite-style" this way. Once opened, the inside cover has single shots of the members in their polos. These photos also comprise of the official First Invasion poster.

As this is the first album, the quality and quantity of the photobook isn't as nice as even Infinite's second album, Evolution. First Invasion's photobook is detached from the album and is 26 pages long; it's more like a photobooklet. The pages are layered, staggering each letter of "Infinite" that make this photobook unique from Infinite's following photobooks.

Two pages are devoted to the members of Infinite, giving little information about each member. Though L is the visual, the overall look is sadly unflattering to me.  Another sad point is Sungyeol's name is written as "Sungryul," and I don't want people to misunderstand his name!

The last pages have group photos that further emphasize the dorky concept.  The top photo especially reminds me of Ss501's "A Song Calling For You" because of the mismatched articles of clothing and shorts with knee high socks.  These debut photos don't do justice just how gorgeous the members of Infinite are!

Now onto the tracks.  Sadly Sungyeol and Sungjong have very minimal parts (either single lines or backup/echo lines).  For the debut tracks, I suppose the focus was on the main vocals produced by Sunggyu and Woohyun.

1. The introduction, "∞," opens Infinite's career strongly with autotuned "Infinity" repeating throughout.
2. The debut song, "Come Back Again," definitely has a different sound than other Infinite songs. The chorus is so catchy and memorable, just as the Michael Jackson-inspired choreography. The music video is just as intriguing, with members riding in various random modes of transportation.
3. "She's Back" is the second main track of First Invasion.  This song portrays rather differing emotions from the main track, offering a fun and summery beat.  The song's catchy "She's Back" makes for the happy and bubbly atmosphere.  The lyrics are expressing the feelings of someone who is waiting for their special someone, and getting excited at the thought of her coming back.  This really reminds me of a dog waiting at home for their owner to come back at the end of the day.
4. "Wings" is almost like a pop ballad.  It begins with a strong "Baby just can't let you go" and transitions into an emotional ballad about a person who has gone through a very meaningful relationship and despite the ups and downs, wants to hold onto their special someone.
5. "Fixed Star" is a beautiful ballad that showcases the members' vocals.  It is very touching and balances the overall bubbliness of the album. 
6. The purpose of "Entrust" in this album is similar to that of "Inconvenient Truth" in the New Challenge album, purely in my opinion. Both of these songs strongly end the albums with an upbeat, positive tone. I absolutely can't get enough of this fun and carefree song.

Overall, as an Inspirit I wanted to collect Infinite's debut album. Its only weakness is that the quality of the photobook isn't up to par with later albums, but this isn't even a big deal especially because it's only the first album. Even from the beginning, Infinite's songs have been very high quality, powerful and uplifting, and for that, I'm so happy to have received Infinite's First Invasion album.

L's Bravo Viewtiful Review

As a fan of both Kim Myungsoo and of photography, I was very excited to order L's Bravo Viewtiful!  I am very inspired by Myungsoo, who despite having such a hectic schedule as an idol, still has time and energy to pursue his hobby of photography.   Seeing his dream come to life has given me encouragement to also pursue my own hobbies.  Heads up, this is going to be another photo-heavy post!

L's Bravo Viewtiful was originally only going to be printed as a First Press edition in Korea and Japan, which includes the photo essay book, making of DVD, notebook, seven photocards and poster.  The notebook, photocards and poster are only for the First Press edition.  Apparently this photo essay book is in such high demand, that possibly more will be printed.  The packaged notebook and photocards are inside the brown envelope, which is bound together with the photo essay book by the white information strip.

The Photo Essay Book
L's Bravo Viewtiful is a 212 page photo essay book that covers 93 days of everyday guy Myungsoo, not Infinite's L, as he explores the world around him through his camera lenses.  During these three months, Myungsoo photographed in Korean and Japan, capturing images of a variety of subjects, from landscapes to food to Infinite members.

Here are the front and back covers of the photo essay book.  There is a mini book jacket at the bottom (I've never seen this before on any book-it's either the entire length of the book or none at all) that is identical to the white slip that bound together the book with its first press package.

On the binding, at the top it says 'part 01.'  Does that mean Myungsoo will release another photo essay book in the near future?  In an interview with Haru Hana Magazine (Vol. 18, May 24, 2013), he also mentioned that he regrets putting a picture of the Han River in  this book, but will definitely put it in his next one.  I'll anticipate for the release of his next project!

There is a table of contents, separated into 3 sections of his 93 day journey. The layout of each page is simplistic yet artistic, with a diagonal line leading to the page number.  This book was very well thought out and the little details make it that much more special.

This book is really like a journal documenting Myungsoo's daily life.  On each page he has photos and accompanying vignettes, all of which are dated.  Occasionally he also doodles on the pages and photos, adding more personality and making the pages come to life.

Many of Myungsoo's photos are of natural landscapes and of basic objects.  He captured such gorgeous scenery, such as this sunset with the parasail.  I love how he sees beauty in even the simplest objects seen in daily life, such as that umbrella, those playing cards and that jar of jam.

Myungsoo also documented his own life as an Infinite member.  He takes his audience behind the scenes of Infinite's daily life, such as while they're on stage, off stage, or just hanging out with each other.  The top photo is the poster of Infinite's 3D concert movie, the left is of Dongwoo's bright personality while Infinite eats at a BBQ restaurant, and the right is of Sungyeol being chic.  This photo of Sungyeol is such a beautiful portrait; the striking contrast, along with the movement, creates a unique composition (I had to bring my art history background into this critique)!

I truly appreciate Myungsoo branching out and writing in other languages as well.  He has kanji characters here and there, and on two pages he even uses English!  Myungsoo introduces himself in English, using basic sentence structure (all the sentences are practically the same).  The way he creates his 'O's and dots his 'i's are so adorable.  He also wrote a poem entitled "So Simply Style Cafe," which fits his simplistic yet cute poem.  I hope Myungsoo continues to learn English so he can write more vignettes!

I love how the photo essay book ends with 4 pages of "thank you's."  The members of Infinite always express their gratitude, and this project is no exception.  I feel even more grateful to support such gracious people.

The Making Of DVD

The DVD is in the inside of the back cover, held together by two small paper flaps.  Because of its fragility, I won't be taking the disc out often in fear that I'll tear the flaps.  This back cover also contains the hologram of authenticity.  The making of DVD contains 26 minutes of behind-the-scenes of putting L's Bravo Viewtiful together, as well as the teaser.  Sadly there are no subtitles, but the disc is still enjoyable. I'm rewatching this DVD a year and a half later, and I noticed that Myungsoo had his interview at Coffee Cojjee, a member of JYJ's coffee shop next to Infinite's hair salon in Gangnam! To know I've been there, wow hehe.

First off, I loved the soundtrack accompanying the 'making of.'  The songs consisted of a range of Infinite's songs, including solos and duets like Myungsoo and Kim Ye Rim's "Love U Like U."  This section also includes clips of the entire process of how L's Bravo Viewtiful came to be.  It's fun seeing Myungsoo as a photographer, and learning his perspective of how he views the world.  Here we see him taking photos, reviewing his works on his laptop, and going to various scenic sights.  I like how I can link photos from the book to the locations, as if Myungsoo is giving me a tour of these beautiful places himself.  The viewer is also taken behind the scenes to an Infinite H performance, which is interesting to see what it's like backstage.  This DVD also shows the behind the scenes for making L's Bravo Viewtiful teaser.  Throughout this 'making of,' Myungsoo speaks a lot.  Sadly without subtitles, I can only guess what he's saying.  But it is nice hearing his voice since he usually doesn't speak much in Infinite interviews.

The First Press Package

The First Press edition comes with a package containing a notebook and seven photocards.  Each package is sealed with a golden "special edition" sticker.  

Sadly this packaging design was poorly created, because removing the sticker subsequently removes part of the cardboard.

After opening this package, the four flaps open to reveal the notebook on top and photocards underneath.  Another flaw with this design is once the sticker is removed, the only way to close this package again would be to use some adhesive, which would further damage the cardboard.  I am highly organized and always want my merchandise to look just as when I first purchased them, so having to damage my precious envelope crushed me.

Here is the notebook.  It is small and thin, perfect for bringing around to take quick notes if you were to ever use it.  But of course I'd never actually write in this notebook!  It's just too precious for using.

I'm not sure whether or not the notebook is different for the Korean and Japanese versions.  For my notebook, there are at least seven photos of the Infinite members printed throughout the pages.  Myungsoo's the subject for most of these photos, and then there are some...interesting (and cute!) photos of the other Infinite members. [Edit: I review the Japanese version here.]

The first half of the pages are lined and the second half are blank, all with "L's Bravo Viewtiful" printed at the bottom. 

The Korean and Japanese versions have a different set of photocards.  The Korean version comes with two photos of Myungsoo, one of Hoya, Sungjong, Woohyun, a snowy setting and of tame sheep.

The back of each card is white, with the logos of the photo essay book and associated companies.  It really is like a nice postcard!  Overall, I love how the photocards have a mix of the members and scenery photos.

The Poster

The poster (which shipped separately from the rest of the package) is quite large, with dimensions of 53cm by 77cm (or 1.74' by 2.53').  It's just as wide as my New Challenge poster but even longer (by 1cm), showing how Infinite's products are offering greater value than before.  I anticipated for this poster to be simply of Myungsoo aiming his camera at the audience, the same image as on the front cover, but I was wrong.  Along with the image I had in mind, there are also various pictures directly from the photo essay book.  Though all the photos comprising of the poster are nice, they make this poster look more like an advertisement or flyer for the book rather than an enhancement to the product itself.  I was looking forward to a poster of just Myungsoo, but this poster will just have to do.  Actually I think I'm being too harsh.  This poster really is gorgeous and does showcase the beauty of this photo essay book.

Overall, I'm so glad to have gotten L's Bravo Viewtiful!  The notebook, photocards and poster are beautiful additions to the physical book.  The DVD gives the viewer a glimpse at the dedication Myungsoo put into making this project come to life.  And the photo essay book is absolutely gorgeous!  I am so grateful to be able to see Myungsoo's passion flowing in his photos and anecdotes.  And most of all, I'm thrilled to support Myungsoo and his dream of actively pursuing photography!

My Kpoptown Packages! (Pre-ordered Photobook)

I realize that this is my third Kpoptown order review, but I wanted to review this company based on the different merchandise I ordered to show variation in delivery speed, packaging and quality. 

To avoid my New Challenge fiasco, which costed me in not getting first press release or the hidden track, I pre-ordered L's Bravo Viewtiful Photo Essay Book the day after its pre-order date.  I wanted to guarantee that I'd get the first press release that comes with a notebook and 7 postcards.  I ordered from Kpoptown.com on April 26th and its release date, which is the same as in Korea (while YesAsia's is May 20th) is on May 15th.

This is my second time pre-ordering from Kpoptown, and last time it took 4 weeks since its release date to arrive at my doorstep.  This time I have two separate packages coming: the photobook and the additional poster, shipped in a poster tube.

To my pleasant surprise, my packages shipped on the dawn of May 16th, just a day after its official release.  And now, my first package has arrived!  On the 30th, exactly two weeks after being shipped, my photobook came in a plastic envelope lined with bubble wrap.

Inside, the photobook is protected by a thin layer of bubble wrap.  Nothing was damaged and I'm quite happy with the product!

And my poster has finally arrived, on June 3rd!  It took about 2.5 weeks since I had ordered it, which is still pretty fast shipping.

My poster came in a sturdy cardboard poster tube about 2 feet tall.  The poster itself is slightly damaged at the side near the corner, just like my New Challenge poster.  But I think this is because the poster fits just perfectly into the tube and the metal cap at the end has to crinkle the poster a bit to secure the end.

Myungsoo has been my bias since December 2012.  Since then, I've been telling my friend how much I had wanted a photobook of Myungsoo.  But a photobook that Myungsoo actually created himself is so much more meaningful!  I'll review the photo essay book and poster in a later post.

Kpoptown Jewelry Review

I usually don't buy unofficial merchandise, but I'm a sucker for zipper fashion and had to order the Infinite Logo Zipper Bracelet from Kpoptown.  I speculated about its quality but subtly showing off my Inspiritness on my wrist was too good to pass up.

My bracelet arrived in an adorable, unexpected cardboard jewelry box with a cute bow and ribbon on top.

Inside, my bracelet was secured in a plastic ziplock bag that sat on top of a thin cardboard platform.

The bracelet itself is so adorable.  It is a zipper and you can zip it open, closed or in between.  It's edgy with the zipper design yet glamorous with its gold color.  And this Infinite symbol is my favorite of all the eras because it looks so elegant and royal.

Because this is an unofficial product, I correctly expected poor quality.  the Infinite symbol is off centered.  The gold paint is flaking off from the orange plastic.  I think other fanclubs' bracelets are nonmetallic plastic colors instead of an additional layer of paint, so they wouldn't have this flaking problem.

And I seriously can't figure out how to put this bracelet on my wrist!  It's too tight for me to slip it through my hand and I don't know how to open the plastic holding.  I don't even know if it's meant to be opened, or if I have abnormally large hands (which I don't).  The link says that the bracelet is 19 cm in length, yet it's too inflexible to go around my hand.

Overall, I'm not satisfied with my jewelry and probably will never order kpop jewelry again.  It's true that you pay for what you get ($3.90 without tax or shipping), but I at least want the bracelet to be wearable.

Update: I've figured out how to actually unfasten and fasten this bracelet now, which you can read in this updated post.

Korean Beauty Brand: Missha and Super Aqua Ultra Waterfull Cream Review

Missha is a Korean beauty brand that focuses on quality and reasonably priced products rather than packaging or "mass media advertising," according to the company's US website.  This brand's goal is to satisfy customers with the products itself, while other brands draw in customers with adorable packaging and celebrity endorsers (I'm a huge sucker for both packaging and endorsers, which is why I'm not too familiar with Missha...).  According to Missha's ideology, quality, lowest prices and customer satisfaction are the main goals of this company.

In 2009, Missha began focusing on the American market, opening stores in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas, and launching the US website www.misshaus.com.  This website is fully functioning in English, so it is very maneuverable for English speaking fans.

The prices definitely are more expensive than other Korean brands, but this company does seem to focus on quality rather than facade, so prices might be worth the quality.

Super Aqua Ultra Waterfull Cream

I received this sample from my purchase as Debbie in Markham Mall.  All of the information on the backside is in Korean, so I researched this product through Missha's US site; here is the link.

The description states that this product moisturizes skin from dryness.  This cream is made from desert plant extracts that survive year-round, supporting this product's effectiveness toward dry weather.  This product's page goes on to list specific qualities of the cream, like how this cream protects moisture from escaping from your skin, it makes your skin more elastic and how baobab tree extract helps to stop your skin from drying out.  Let's see if my face agrees with all of these statements!

This cream is very thick, like a coagulated solid.  The right photo illustrates how even when I tilt my hand to be parallel with the wall, the cream doesn't slip off or even budge from my palm.  The amount in my hand was enough to abundantly cover my face, excluding my forehead and eyelids.  Because of the thickness, a lot goes a long way!  Despite its solid form, once the cream hits my face, it melts on my skin, is very creamy and spreads well.  Also the scent is a very subtle, clean soap smell.

My skin is a combination of dry at the cheeks and oily at the t-zone.  When I apply this cream to my entire face, it leaves a smooth and matte finish that evens out my dryness and oiliness.  I used this as a night cream and when I woke up the next morning, majority of the cream was still on my face and hadn't been fully absorbed into my skin yet.

Pros

• This cream works well as a primer: it leaves a thick layer on your face that takes hours (20 hours later and I still feel a bit on the apples of my cheeks) to be absorbed by the skin.  This layer smooths over my rough spots and blackhead areas and lightens my acne scars like a concealer.  When I apply concealer onto my zits, it looks a lot more natural and flush whereas using concealer on my bare face created an unnatural look.
• As a primer, this cream lasts all day.
• This cream is a great, strong moisturizer for dry skin.  This seems perfect for the cold, harsh winds of winter!
• My face is left feeling smooth and healthy, not oily.
• After 24 hours, my abnormally rough skin is significantly softer.

Cons

• When applied to my days-old zits, the area does sting.

Overall, this is the first time that I really loved a product after using a sample.  After one use, my face feels highly moisturized.  I'd be willing to pay more money for the high quality of this product (roughly $30USD for 47ml).  I absolutely love how this moisturizer doubles as a primer!