Kimi Wa Petto 07

Kimi Wa Petto 06

Kimi Wa Petto 05

Kimi Wa Petto 04

Kimi Wa Petto 03

Goodbye #149: Skin Care Products

I have to give away the Japanese Cherry Blossom sugar scrub that I got from Bath & Body Works Annual Sale more than a year ago. I was not able to use it for such a long time meaning that I won't be using it in the near future either. Too sweet for me. And my skin type need loads of oil to be moisturized.

The Botanics Brightening Toner was from my Boots Pharmacy Haul and luckily it is not yet expired. I had to give it away because I have too bottles of it. I was able to finish one bottle which was quite drying for my skin.

I had to give away also the Muji Moisturizing Milk that I got on sale last year. Expiration will be next year but since I have 3 variants plus some moisturizers from Korea this 2017 that I am afraid I won't be able to finish them all before the expiration date. So better than someone else benefits from it. Than it goes bad in my closet.

As of JULY 2017 I had been receiving again many SMS because Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret and Boots Pharmacy are having sale again. But I cannot bring myself to visit as I look in my stash I have everything I need. And as I look in my stash wave of regrets coming over me. I badly wish I saved the money I spent on hoarding whatever are there on my stash.

Kimi Wa Petto 02

Goodbye #148: New Look Dress

There was a time that I was only size 6. Because there was a time that I was not greedy when it comes to food. That I was not committing the sin of gluttony when it comes to food. But that was a long time ago. Have to say goodbye now to this New Look floral dress of size 6. It is no longer my style. And no longer fits. This one has been in my drawer for a few months or maybe years now. I am in a sharing flat here in UAE. So I do not have appliances of my own. All the material things I own are clothing, bags, shoes and little items. My goal is that all my earthly possessions should fit only in 2 luggage. That way moving will be easy. 

Daiso Items That Are Not Available in UAE (I wish they are!)

I don't know what is the deal with the Daiso UAE. Why they can't sell food? Or drinks? Is it because Japanese food are not Halal? But why Dean's Fujiya a Japanese grocery store in Dubai can sell food then? Am I wishing for too much? Am I asking for too much? Pork is available in UAE market but always come with a warning that it is not for Muslims. And everybody is fine with that. 

Why the skin care products in Daiso are limited? Someone told me that because liquid items are not allowed in customs or something like that. Then how about at least a hundred liquid items at the pharmacies from various countries are available? And let me tell you those 'liquids' are way more expensive than Daiso. Like the facial cleansers and toners. How about the Daiso BB Cream and Daiso Sunscreen? They are not liquids as far as I know.

Photo Source: www.prettymom.com

Right now the latest in Daiso Japan is the Espoleur makeup. The Daiso version of Canmake that sells only 100yen each or one dollar each. That is roughly 4AED when converted here.

JCo Donuts Dubai

I cannot remember what year it was. This is an old photo that I am sharing before deleting from my phone. Jco Donuts in Dubai. In Al Ghurair Mall. I do not know if is it still there. I tried it once but I never came back again. Too greasy for my taste.

Kimi Wa Petto 01

Goodbye #147: Elle Gray Skirts

Purchased these Elle gray skirts because they were on sale and I needed skirts. I wanted skirt. I used to wear skirts in the office. But the one size bigger than me. Still bought it anyway since it was on sale. End result? Was not able to wear it much. So it stayed on my closet for a months. So now it has to go. I will only keep the items useful to me. Items that I can really use.

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 16

Goodbye #146: Casper Shirt

Another item buried under the bed. A black shirt from 2006! Imagine that. 11 year old shirt of mine. I am always surprising myself with all the items that I find in my very small space.

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 15

Goodbye #145: Belts

Short belts from under the bed. And these are from circa 2007-2008. The shorts were no longer with me. Got rid of them when I started decluttering a year ago. I am now feeling positive that this decluttering will be all over by the end of this year. 

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 14

Goodbye #144: Puma Pink Socks

Found this Puma pink socks at the bottom of my big plastic box. I had been thinking of organizing and cleaning it since last year but I never get around doing. Finally did and surprisingly I found many items that I do not really need anymore. Like this one. Goodbye Puma and hello to a cleaner space of mine.

Have extra space and extra time, than have extra stuff - Becoming Minimalist

Meme 2

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 13

Goodbye #143: Ponds White Beauty

I bought this Ponds White Beauty Detox back in 2013 or 2014 in Westzone in Dubai./Sharjah. For the amount of less than 10AED. As much as I want to give a mini-review sadly I cannot remember anything about it anymore. All I know was I used it twice and kept it. Until I forgot about it. As that was the beginning of my hoarding phase. And one of the items I hoarded in the past was skin care products. Found it again in 2017 from one of the many plastic bags in my drawers. So saying goodbye to it now and looking forward to my future neat space.

My goal is no longer to get more done, but rather to have less to do - Francine Jay

Decluttering Update 🎉

A year had passed since I decided to take the path to minimalist and frugal life. And to be perfectly honest I cannot say that I am already neither of the two. But then I had to pat myself at the back as to what I have achieved so far. It is taking time because changing cannot be done overnight. Changing is not the easiest thing on earth. 

Living in UAE as an OFW, I do not own the flat. Therefore most of the appliances are not mine. I only have a few glass containers/lunch boxes which I can easily dispose anytime needed. In spite of not having  my own flat and having a very little space, I still managed to accumulate far too many material things. In spite of living a hand to mouth life, I'm still able to purchase many items in the past. I was not financial literate. And I was not thinking right. My earthly possessions are clothing, shoes, bags, makeup, skin care, toiletries and many little trinkets that put them all together they are garbage. Good for nothing. No value. That if I have an emergency tomorrow I cannot even sell them.

Books. Since I started working in UAE I do not have time to read books anymore. And even if I do have time, seems like I cannot afford to buy books anymore. When I was in Manila there were places that I can buy a book (2nd hand) as low as 1USD. But in UAE such shops are nowhere to be found. I love the smell of the book but then having books is a big no with my current life/budget/place. What I have done last year was download or ask around for PDF files. And saved them on my external disk. Who knows in the future I might find a time for reading again. And this year I tried getting audio copies. At least I can listen while I am working. So when I started decluttering there was not much books anymore for me to discard.

CDS. I was able to discard all the cds I own easily. Lucky for me at this age and time all the songs, tv series and movies I love or want to see are now available in the internet and so gone are the days that I need too many cds that will only become clutter inside the tiny flat.

I do not buy magazines and newspapers so I do not have any issues regarding with these two. I only have at least 3 cookbooks. Which are now all gone. So to make the long story short all the remaining items I have to reduced are the personal belongings that I mentioned above. As of the clothes I am not a fashionista. And the clothes that I would want to wear will not really look good on me because of my body height and shape. And since we do have a uniform at work I will survive even if I only have 2 pants and 2 tops that I can wear on weekends. But it does not mean that right now I only have 2 of each. I still have many but then again it is not bad. From having more than 500 now almost all of them are fitted in my closet. Imagine a person without a money can have that much clothing? How dumb I was? I should have kept the money in the bank.

Before I always buy a wallet that ends up broken every time. All the wallets I had are PU or man made leather. I thought I should buy something expensive and I bought a pink Guess wallet that did not even last for a year. Until someone has given me genuine leather wallet. A cowhide leather wallet! And until now there is no need for me to buy a new wallet because my current wallet will still be around even after I am gone. So what I have done with my bags was to discard all the PU and man made leather bags. Replaced them with genuine leather but affordable. The only downside is most leather bags are tend to be heavy. So right now I am looking for an alternative like if I will go on vacation.

Trinkets and small items. Well when I find one I do not think twice. I discard them right away. Last June I have thrown a lot. My goal was to get rid of at least 300 items which I was not able to do due to lack of time but nevertheless I was able to throw 30 or more which is not bad, eh?

The items that will take me forever or I might not be able to finish in this lifetime are the skin care products and makeup. I am giving them all until December. If that time comes then I would not have a choice but to just discard most of it. Only the unopened and not yet expired skin care will stay. 

Shoes. Sadly I cannot be fully minimalist and frugal when it comes to shoes. I had been observing myself and my shoes for the past year. Frugal means you will not easily spend money right? I cannot be frugal when it comes to shoes. For example I am working in an office environment and we need to wear black or brown formal shoes. And I find it the hardest task on earth. For how many years that I had been working now it is not easy for me to find myself a formal office shoes. Hard to find my size. Tried all the kind of heels. Hard to find a heel not too flat nor too high. As soon as I get uncomfortable the formal shoes has to go. Plus I cannot find something decent with my allocated budget. Boots and rubber shoes may last on me for a decade or so but not with formal office shoes. Heck, the sales lady even told me that I cannot find one that suites me perfectly because I choose to buy the cheapest and whatever it is on sale.

But then nobody seems to make formal office shoes in leather. The ones available can only last on me for a month or 3 months if I am lucky. So when it comes to shoe department I cannot save. And I cannot be minimalist. If only I can just wear rubber shoes in the office. My last converse shoes lasted for almost 8 years. They were still in good condition but I had to let them go when I started clearing up my area. And yeah that's all. I am not drunk just to be clear. I mean I know exactly the flow of my thoughts but my English or how do I write my thoughts may not really be coherent. 

For now I will just keep on uploading videos on YouTube and try to finish some Asian series. But I will definitely continue my decluttering. I just need to rest my tired body. Because every time I declutter I am cleaning the area too. As well as organizing.

Meme 1

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 12

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 11

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 10

Skinfood Mineral Sugar Blend Eyes #4: Gold Mango Roll

I bought this Skinfood Mineral Sugar Blend Eyes #4 Gold Mango Roll in Ebay 2 months back. And I made the purchase out of curiosity. I do not need it really. And to be able to afford it I did not buy snack. You know when you are a poor OFW in the Middle East, if there is something you want you must sacrifice something in return. In my case I often sacrifice a delicious lunch or snack in the afternoon. 

I admit it was a purchase that I should have never done in the first place if I were to live a frugal and minimalist life. But anyway here it is. I got this for around 13.85USD and I used the company PO Box. It probably has taken less than 2 weeks to arrive in UAE but since I am not allowed to take any parcels in company PO Box even though the package is under my name, I had to wait when the authorized person will be available to get it for me. So I got it only this month and in spite of that I am thankful that it came in one piece unlike my broken Etude House.

I got freebies again. Not all sellers are giving freebies so upon getting some I am happy. Sorry for those who are on my page hoping to see swatches and review. It just that I am writing this post because I am happy upon receiving it and getting it in good condition. of course I can't wait to use it even though I know it will take time before I come to that.

Small and sturdy palette. It comes without a box and I do not mind. There is something in my birthday. That whenever my birthday is about to come there is always an urge to buy a new makeup even though I do not really use much makeup. Even me cannot understand us (women) why we do the things we do. Haha.

Hopefully I get to use it this weekend. And so far I am do not have any pending orders from Ebay. And for half a year that  I am ordering online I lost money twice. For the Yesstyle package of charcoal nose strips that never reached me, don't know whose fault was that. The seller or the Empost? And The Faceshop 300ML facial toner that I never got because it was not addressed to any PO Box and no tracking number or mobile number. Simply my name. And that's how I learned to really use a tracking number no matter what. No tracking number then do not buy it.

Please Beware of Rolanjona..

I still have so many things to do but then I cannot concentrate without writing it down first. And forgive the photos they lack imagination but at least were okay. Easy to recognize. Back in 2014 when I found out Baby Foot Japan in Carrefour. I did not read any reviews and no one told me about it. I bought it out of curiosity and I was satisfied but I never purchase again due to the price and it was never on sale in Carrefour!

Fast forward to 2017. I started purchasing from Ebay and thankfully I have not met any fraud yet. And I hope I never will. A few weeks ago I purchased cheap charcoal nose strips from China, surprisingly it is good. So good that it can compete with the expensive Biore nose strips from Japan. And so I was thinking that since it is good then maybe the foot peeling mask from China would be as good to.

But it is not. And yes I am writing it down to warn to you regarding this product. It is totally a waste of money. And I want to bang myself now against the wall because of the money I lost (wasted) on this product. But then if I haven't tried I would not know. Sadly I purchased 2 packets unknowingly. As you can see above there are two packages. One is 10 pieces for 10.99USD (more or less 40AED) and I know the that it is Rolanjona based on the photo. While the other one just simply says foot peeling mask, 6 pieces for only 4.99USD (and that is almost 20AED) and the product name was not shown so I thought I will be getting a different brand.

I am posting the front and back photos of the packet of Rolanjona foot peeling mask. One came from Malaysia and other one came from Singapore. But this is made in China. I do not have a choice now but to just hand it over to someone else who might use it as a foot essence mask. And move on emotionally from my wasted money. Because of this experience I will never buy any foot peeling mask again from China or some unknown brand. I will go back to Carrefour and buy myself Baby Foot Japan in spite of the price. I will just avoid eating from food chain or going to grocery again. [Welcome to my UAE life as an OFW. When I want or need to buy an item I have to give up something to be able to afford that].

Instructions were in Chinese and it would have been fine since the photos can explain properly. And those who tried foot peeling mask in the past will already know that it takes an hour or so to use. If you will look at the last photo I do not know what do you call this material okay, but it is completely useless. Not even a tape. And this material is so thin that the liquid instead of staying and being absorbed by your feet will be all over the floor. Used two of this tonight. But still nothing. 

Some might argue that you have to test a product for a few days before giving a bad review/comment. But then if something is not right you'll know immediately. Like when I opened the packet and see the thinnest material I ever see that cannot even hold the liquid. And the feels! Baby Foot will let you experience a tingling sensation but not in a bad way. A feeling you know that something is happening with your skin. The liquid trying to penetrate the skin.

If I were to use it as a foot essence, it cannot even hold a candle against the Daiso brand of foot essence. And besides I do not need any kind of moisturizer as I already way too many. I really need deep exfoliation of my foot. As you can see it has been 3 years since I had the foot peeling. And I am avoiding going to salon as I do not want to spend much money. Would rather buy products and do things on my own.

So if you are like me who wants to have a soft skin but cannot afford to go to salon you better buy Baby Foot Japan in spite of the price or any Korean brand counterpart of it. I can swear by a Korean brand. Because you know Japanese and Korean brands do mind a lot of their reputation. That's why even if they charge premium amount (at least for a poor girl like me) people still buy because of the quality. 

Goodbye #142: Sewing Kit

It has been a year since I started decluttering. But even so I still find so many items littering inside the tiny flat like this one. I got this sewing kit from a decade ago. But never used even once. I think I may have seen some threads that I will be disposing once I see them again.

If all were minimalists instead of conspicuous consumers, there would be less demand on the world's resources and we'd have a smaller, less berserk economy. We'd be less likely to harm the only planet we'll ever have, and the super rich would have fewer ways to exploit us - Robert Wringham 

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 09

Empty Plastic #114: Coffee Seaweed Soap

Hello there! I apologize if you are on my page right now hoping for an in depth review about this product. As much as I want to offer it. There are none. I mean I do not know what was on my mind back then, when I purchased this Be Organic Coffee Seaweed Soap. I bought it back in 2014. I wish I can explain why on earth do I have far too many soaps in my stash? For someone who says she is always broke and yet was able to buy so many little things and litter them all over the flat.

I am just documenting it. That finally in 2017 I was able to used up this Be Organic Coffee Seaweed Soap. I got it online and I cannot remember now how much I paid for it. But whatever it promises to do so, well it was just a marketing ploy. I did not enjoy this soap. First of all I want a soap that lathers up well. Whether that might be good or bad, I don't give a damn. I just want a good foamy lather o soap all over the body. Maybe that was the reason why I went gaga and spent a fortune on body washes in the past. And since basically by now I already tried all the soap you can find in the supermarket that I can say that I did not feel any difference when using this one.

So that's all. As of now I am still trying to finish off all the items I accumulated in the past. And after that when it comes to soap I will just buy whatever it is on sale in the supermarket. For they all the same. Or I could stick up with Dove because I love it's creaminess.

I am still in the process of tidying up my space. And reducing my earthly possessions. For the kitchen items I don't have anything to dispose anymore. And since I do not own the house almost everything in it are not mine. My current earthly possessions now consists only of clothing, shoes and mixture of little items (makeup, toiletries, skin care and god knows what else I managed to keep all those years). I think I will be able to finish it at least before the year ends because whatever it is that is no use for me in a month or two I am discarding. Its the make up and skin care that's taking time for me to finish. Or maybe I will not really be able to finish them in this lifetime. And so I reckon whatever I won't be able to finish by December just has to go. Even though it means of throwing away my money too. As I paid for it already.

I am endlessly cleaning the flat and yet I still see cockroaches. That I think the only way to banish them for good is if the space will be totally bare. Because all the things inside the house they can use as a hide out. I do not know yet how to do that but I know I will get there. Just like when I started this Pan Project I thought I will fail but look at me now. I managed to finish half or more of the items.

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 08

Carrefour Tea

I was looking for an instant tea that can taste good but without breaking my bank account. And here comes Carrefour tea. Taste wise I will not say that this is the best in the world. As I would still vote for the different tea flavors I bought from Istanbul last year. But then it tastes okay. To think that I do not normally drink instant teas. Remember how I dislike Barley Tea and how I never purchased another Mango Pudding Tea again? So yeah in my book of instant tea this Carrefour brand is already passable. And I got the box of it for only 6AED! Beat that!

And that's all for today. If I find something good or inexpensive again I will surely share it over here. Ciao!

1st Etude House (Cherry Blossom) Eyeshadow Palette 💕

This is the mistake I was talking about. I mean I am doing my best to lead a frugal and minimalist life. But once in a while I still do fail. I placed this order on Ebay even though I do not need it. I just wanted it. I wanted it after looking at all the Korean eyeshadows palette and I was like, okay it will be the last time so go ahead and order! It would have been 2 palettes but the other one the seller run out of stock. Which was a blessing in disguise. 

I do not have any issues or concern with the seller. Actually all the sellers I've ordered from Ebay were all okay. I mean I haven't met a scammer. Even though Ebay do not really have a very good reputation that even my own brother will not order anything from it. 

The quality of the photos for this post are not good as I used my camera again. There is nothing wrong with my camera. I just do not know yet how to work it out taking a close up photos. And I feel that I have to take a photo of the back of the packet too because I want to share how it looks like. You know it is not everyday that I get to order online.

Brand name is Etude House. This Korean brand of cosmetics do have a shop in Philippines but not in UAE or in the Middle East. The palette is called Play Color Eyes in Cherry Blossom. I think Cherry Blossom palette came out only this year. I like pink actually that's why I was drawn into having it because of the color. And if one must know the other palette I ordered but was not able to get was also from Etude House, their 2017 version of Personal Palette which consists of 20 eyeshadows.

I took multiple times of this angle. Just because I want to show how the back of the box looks like. As I've stated above I am having difficulty taking a close up shots using my camera. Unlike when I am using the iPhone. I wanted to throw this box away to lessen the items in my drawer but I can't because one of the eyeshadows broke. And so pigments are all over the palette even after cleaning. So I need to put it back to the box every time.

And finally here is how it looks look inside. One is broken. The pinkiest of them all. The color I love the most. And the powder is all over the palette even at the box and outside of the box of the palette! A way of telling me that I should have never ordered it in the first place for the very basic reason that I do not need it. But anyway what I have done cannot be undone. It is here already. I paid for it. So might as well use it.

I wanted to show the swatches but the way I am taking photos with this camera is bad enough. And I doubt that I can show the correct colors of the palette as the pink-reddish eyeshadow is all over at the other colors too. Lastly let me tell you about the price. I got this for 15USD. The cheapest I can find in Ebay. Shipping is included but I added 2.50USD so I can have a tracking number. If you do not own a PO Box in UAE do not ever think about of ordering online without a tracking number because no one will go to their stock room to look for your name. Or number. I know because I tried. And lost my money of 40AED.

In AED I spend around 92AED because in my computation I am also adding the 20AED I spent on taxi fare going back and forth from my place to Empost in Ajman. Plus the 5AED storage fee. If you really are using makeup then I would say it is worth it because the Western palette you will find in Sephora Dubai will cost you 260AED and above (Urban Decay and Too Faced for example). But if you do not really need it like me then it is a waste of money. 

Goodbye #141: Sixteen Black Shoes

And I am still doing my Goodbye Series post. And now I am saying goodbye to my high heel black shoes from Sixteen. A Brazilian brand of shoes that you can get in any Safeer Mall across the UAE. 

I bought it last 2016 and it was not even on sale. I bought it because I badly needed a black shoes for the office. For how many years now that I had been wearing either boots or black rubber shoes in the office while my colleagues are all wearing black formal shoes. I know it is not really a formal shoes due to the heels. But the thing is in the past I tried all the different kind of heels the said mall has to offer. All were Brazilian brand as they are the most affordable in UAE market. And good quality too. I just cannot find a good heel that will not hurt my feet. I wanted a black shoes that I can wear my socks on but with heels of at least 2 inches. I found one but they do not have my size. And so I ended up trying out different kind of heels. I mean even the heels have different sizes and shapes. I know women will understand what I am talking about.

As I continue to declutter my tiny space that I've decided to give it up. I can wear this but I do not find if practical with my environment at all. I am now always using a backpack. Backpack and heels this high doesn't look good together. And I am walking it the road with stones and sand so it will not last in that. If I will keep on wearing something like this the sole will always be out in a month or two. And there is no place here that fixes sole. So I would have to buy a new pair all the time. Which is not frugal or money saving situation.

I handed it over to my little sister. At least when there is a occasion in her school she might be able to use it than me. As you can see in the box the price is 92.00AED well honestly for me that is expensive. But I got the shock of my life when I last visited Payless Shoes that the prices of their China made shoes have all gone up, prices are now around 200AED. Double of the price of Brazilian brands. 

Even though I am saving money I will still look around for the kind of working shoes that I need but I will be checking only from Safeer Mall or any shops that offers Brazilian brand. Look Brazil made and China made may still have the same quality. But I am leaning more on Brazilian shoes because of the price. 200AED or more for a pair of shoes? Seriously? I will shed out that amount if we are talking about a genuine leather boots! And not just man made leather shoes that cannot even last for a year! OMG! I only paid less than 100AED for the genuine leather sandals from Massimo Dutti. If the shoes is made of leather they can demand a higher price because as per my experience leather shoes can really last for years. But if they are not and they want a premium amount, just no way!

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 07

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 06

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 05

Pan Project Continues [2017] ⭐☀︎

Only last year when I started doing Pan Project with beauty products that I accumulated during my hoarding phase. At first I have my doubts that it can be done. And now more than a year had passed. I still have way too many items to finish but I am getting there. Am I making any sense? Anyway in this post I just want to share what are the products I am using for a few months now. Using these daily just to finish them all off. 

Biore UV Perfect Milk Face - Sunscreen for me is the most important skin care. Makeup is optional but not sunscreen. So far I cannot think of anything negative about Biore sunscreen, except of course that this is not available in UAE or in the Middle East. I have the complete variants to Biore sunscreens, but I am trying to finish off this white bottle first before moving on to the next one.

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence With BB - I may be singing praises regarding Biore sunscreens but not with this one. First of all I am not really into bb creams. And this one sometimes feel dry on my already dry skin. But since I bought it, I am just using it everyday just for the sake of finishing it and avoid wasting money. [I have two other opened Biore sunscreens that I am using on weekends Biore Watery Gel and Biore Watery Essence and both are equally good too].

Essence All About Matt Oil Control Makeup Base - Well to be honest I do not need it but I have at least 5 tubes of it as I bought them during the time that I was a stupid hoarder. And I was crazy about Essence cosmetics. It can hold off the oil in my nose for a few hours but then seriously face powder and blotting paper can handle that oil that I do not really need this product. I am glad that I managed to finish one tube. And I am still getting through the remaining 4 tubes.

Rimmel Stay Blushed - I am quite ashamed to admit that I have this since 2014 if my memory serves me right. Beats me if I know what was on my mind, when it came out in the market I felt that I have to buy it. I have to have it in all variants. Especially when it was on sale in Safeer Mall. And since I was not using makeup everyday that I kept it and forgot about it. Found it again when I started raiding my stash. Anyway it is good. Gives a natural sun kissed look. Will try to bring out my camera and take a photo of the swatch this week. [But what good will it make since it is no longer available in the market?].

Une Rouge Lipstick R10 - Une is a French brand of makeup that said to be organic. Whose mother company is Bourjois. It used to be available in selected Centrepoint in the UAE. But I do not know what happened when I looked for it at the start of 2017 it was nowhere to be found. Price was my only concern regarding the product. But the quality and colors are great. Perfect for everyday use especially in the office.

And the three kind of eyeshadows are (1) Essence 2 in 1 Eyeshadow and Eyeliner Rose Color (2) Essence 2 in 1 Primer and Eyeshadow Pink (3) H&M Cream Eyeshadow. What can I say about eyeshadows that women does not know yet? I am happy with the combination of these three. And nowadays I do not have hassle with eyeshadows as I no longer wear glasses. And I am wearing contact lenses instead. Glasses often gets in the way. That eyeshadow sticks to the glasses.

I do not know when will I will be able to finish the makeup. Unlike with sunscreen or any skin care that I can finish off within a month or two. But in makeup there is no way in telling. I will try my best to do so. That means avoiding Ebay as because of Ebay that I ordered Korean eyeshadow palette that I do not need!

Last week I was at Empost to collect the contact lenses I ordered from Korea. I had known that my package arrived because I received an SMS. I received the SMS because the seller has written down my mobile number in the packet. This week I have another package but I did not receive any SMS from Empost and I started to think that it was just because they are not consistent with their services. But I was wrong. The cannot send me an SMS because the seller did not include my mobile number in the package! But both times I only had to pay 5AED as a storage fee. And I had to bring my own photocopy of Emirates ID otherwise I will pay 1AED for photocopy at the typing center inside the Empost.

I do not have any regrets with the contact lenses I ordered because I do need them. While the eyeshadow palette? Well one of the eyeshadows has been badly broken and the powder is all over the palette. Even in the box. A clear indication I should have listened to the tiny voice telling me do not buy it! You do not need it. While my Korean toner without a tracking number has been lost forever inside the Empost office. They cannot help me because probably my mobile number is not even specified on the package. I lost 40AED on that one. Tsk.

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 04

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 03

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 02

Goodbye #140: H&M Skirt

Purchased this H&M gray skirt last year for only 30AED if I am not mistaken. It was on sale. Bought it because it has pockets at the back. I am crazy for skirts and dresses with pockets. But the sad part is I never got the chance to wear it even once. And it has been lying in my closet for many months now. So now I am letting it go. I am now at the phase of my life where I can live with clothes enough only for a week. 7 pairs of underwear. 7 socks in the same color. 

But of course I still have more clothes. I am getting rid of them one by one. You know they may just be clothes but even so there are times that it is hard to let go. I will find myself in a item that I am contemplating on discarding on and off until finally I can let go of it. This is a slow process but what can I do? I just need to tell myself that a slow progress is still better than no progress at all. 

My Name Is Kim Sam Soon 01

1st Order From KLensPop 💕

Contact lenses. I started wearing it last December but only on weekends. I remember my first time so well. I was so scared. And I thought it was my end. I was going to die. It has taken me a few minutes to wear one. And had no idea how to take it out. Well I tried wearing contacts because as my eyesight gets weaker, my glasses gets heavier. So I thought I will wear contacts while saving money to buy a premium lightweight frame.

When I get used to wearing contacts, putting it on or off became easier. Takes only a few seconds for me to do so. But here comes another concern: money. Every month I have to shell out 120AED for a pair of monthly lenses and solution. And so since I wanted to save some dirhams that I turned to online shopping to see if I can get contacts in much more affordable price.

And that's how I found out about KLensPop and lady luck smiled at me because that time they were having a sale of 5USD or no more than 20AED for a pair of monthly lenses. Did not hesitate and placed my first order.

I cannot think of something I do not like from ordering from them. I checked other websites that offer contact lenses and so far they do have the most affordable shipping fee. Shipping fee is 5USD or 5.50USD using EMS or K-Packet. Website says that it might take at least a month or 45 Days before the package arrive in UAE. But based on my experiences any packages from Korea and some parts of Asia takes less than two weeks to arrive. In the case of my order, it has taken only one week. They are sending the K-Packet with Tracking Number and website where you can track it down. Placed an order last June 28, 2017. They sent my order the next day. And July 06, 2017 the package arrived in Dubai. I was able to pick it up in the post office in Ajman as soon as I got off from the office.

Here are my contacts. Each pair would cost 18USD (still cheaper than the brand I am buying here) but since it was on sale I got them for 5USD each pair. I used pink today to see how it is. It was fine. So far so good. No complaints from me regarding the product. I just wish I can buy an affordable solution in the biggest bottle.

And so that's all. I will be checking the website from time to time if there will be any major sale again. This is the difference money wise: one Freshlook monthly from UAE cost me 120AED versus five monthly from Korea cost me 150AED. 5 pairs for 5 months. 125AED for the product. 20AED for the taxi back and forth. And 5AED for Empost payment.

Actually I found out that in Asia (Korea, Japan and Philippines) contact lenses are very affordable. Even though those countries mentioned do have tax. It is because of the competition. A lot of companies are making/selling contact lenses. The more choices the lower the prices become. I may not be able to get the same amount anytime soon from Korea but still the prices are still lower than what I can buy from here. Actually Amazon Japan do have choices of affordable contact lenses too but ordering from them is so tricky. They are using DHL which has so many restrictions. But if I were to believe the restrictions being imposed by DHL then how come the items can be send without a fuss using Empost? DHL from Japan takes 4 days to arrive in my doorstep by the way. 

Speaking of Korea.. I am trying to upload some K-Dramas in Facebook and YouTube. But I am now banging my head on the wall due to copyrights. Facebook takes forever to upload. And sometimes totally not uploading which is a bummer. But you have a choice it will just give you a warning that the owner of the video will be able to view it (then decide I suppose if they want it remove or sue you I reckon). YouTube takes only 30 minutes to upload but then it comes to copyright they will immediately block the video you painfully posted. For Pete's Sake I uploaded a drama from a decade ago! So I can start deleting some from my external disk. They should be thanking people like me because once it is in the internet the future people can watch it. (Or are they seriously thinking in the future people will still pay for it?)

JULY 14, 2017: I visited KLensPop again and ended up placing another order. As they are on sale again. This time around it is their Silicon Hydrogen contact lenses which I read somewhere a supposed to be more advanced kind of contact lenses. As the eyes will be more able to breathe. I do not know until when the sale price will be. But what I noticed from the first time I placed an order, their sale usually starts at the 2nd week of the month up to month end. So anyone who wants to buy still have at least 2 weeks to do so. They are selling Silicon Hydrogen contact lenses for 60USD but due to sale price becomes 6.50USD which is not bad at all. I grabbed the chance so I can try if this choice of contact lenses is much better than the ordinary ones. 

The downside for me is I have to cut down my expenses on food. As my budget for a contact lenses per month is only 120AED. So even though I am craving for some nachos I have to say NO. It is fattening and it is 27AED. In that amount I would already have a pair of contact lenses that I can use for the whole month. I am craving for my favorite mochalatte (don't know the correct name) from Cinnabon but I have to say NO. The calories are so high and I am allowed only 1,200 per day if I want to lose weight. And price is 22AED. That amount is already a taxi fare for me back and forth from my flat to Empost when I am about to collect my order. And even though I am too lazy to cook, I still have to because eating out is a big NO. And before going out of the house I have to make sure that I am leaving the house on a full stomach to avoid buying snack outside. The sacrifices I have to make when I am buying something. And people who see my photos think I am oozing with money.. 

Goodbye #139: Topshop Miniskirt

I bought this Topshop mini skirt on sale back in 2009 but I wore it for only three times. I kept it in spite of that because to be honest all these years I was hoping that I can move to somewhere cold. What is the connection with the mini skirt? Well if you have seen Asian tv series you will see some Korean/Japanese/Chinese wearing mini skirts and tights and I think that kind of style is cute. But then I tried applying for some jobs with no luck. I have now gotten big that this mini skirt no longer fits me. So I am saying goodbye to it now. And maybe say goodbye to the rest of my dreams too.. 

Sorry for being emotional.. but how the world works is too crazy for me. I am seeing in the news or in the social media how some immigrants in cold places are creating havoc. I am not saying that all immigrants are the same. But the point I am trying to make it is, how come those people creating chaos are given a chance to live in a place I could only dream of? And here I am a law abiding citizen but the opportunities are so elusive? Does this world just belongs to bad people? Because you know bad people are manipulative enough to reach their goal. While good people are always going by the book. Me and my emotions..

Minimalism is the constant art of editing your life - Danny Dover

Daily Reminder

Photo Credits To The Owner

Innisfree Makeup

Not my photo. Got it from the website of Innisfree and I am not sure if this is a permanent collection or limited edition/ Sharing because I found Korean makeup to be more affordable compared to US and other Western brands. So if ever in the future I will be needing a makeup again, Innisfree will be one of my choices. All good shades of neutral, eh?

Goodbye #138: Brassiere

Don't worry I not post any photos regarding this topic. Haha. As I have said a numerous times that I am all for minimalism and frugal living although sometimes there are temptations (the makeup I purchased from Ebay that I might get next week). But in spite of this I am still continuously raiding the small space that I have and looking for ways to reduce my earthly possessions.

So tonight even though I was a bit busy, I managed to squeezed in a few seconds to check my underwear. To see what I can get rid of. To be honest I only need 7 pairs. But then I have more than enough. There was a time that I can go on 3 months without washing them. How do I rephrase what I am trying to say? I mean used to have at least a 100 brassiere. But I am definitely do not wear them again without washing them first.

This time I reduced what I own into no more than 10 pairs of bra and panty. I have to be notorious into deciding what will stay inside the house. Hopefully tomorrow I can shed more items. 

Fried Chilli

This is not my photo. Can't remember anymore the name so if you are the owner please don't shoot me. Sharing it because it looks and sounds interesting. You know Asian is such a huge continents that there could be an endless choices of condiments. Will update you some other time if this is yay or nay. 

Related to Empost again.. 💕

I am definitely not obsessed with Empost or online shopping but I was surprised that I have to share what happened. Well only November 2016 when I was brave enough to order from Ebay. That time I used the company PO Box since I do not have my own. And I got the items after a month. Which was fair enough as one month was the promised delivery time. But then after that I have concerns with subsequent packages. I was already thinking of stopping ordering from outside the UAE or through EMS because of the not so good experiences which has nothing to do with the seller nor the Empost at all.

One of the concerns was, since I am using the company PO Box, I am not allowed to take the parcel even though it is under my name. I am at the mercy of someone else who is not very keen into taking packages. And as an end result it takes time to get my parcel. As I write this it has been 3 months since I placed the order from Yesstyle for a few boxes of charcoal nose strips. Unfortunately it does not have any Tracking Number. I have a strong feeling that the package is lying in the post office only rotting away. But since I do not have the tracking number I do not have a proof. I was very down with this as every centavo counts. Saving money was the reason in the first place why I started ordering online.

Stupid me.. Only recently when I realized that most sellers from Ebay do actually have an option if I want to have my package to have a tracking number. Actually almost all the seller aside from Ebay do have this option. And it is okay if I do not use the company PO Box. The item will still reach me. After all there is only one Ajman, UAE in the world. And even if I have to pay 5AED per package ~ it is still worth it. I do not need a new makeup but I have given up to the whim of having one. If I will purchase a Western brand of eyeshadow it would cost me 260.00AED and above. But since I place an order from Ebay for an Asian brand it costed me only 50.00AED and so paying 5AED plus my taxi fare of 20AED back and forth from the Empost office is still much lower than buying something from Sephora. [But please don't get me wrong I am still very much advocating minimalism and frugal life. Buying the makeup was just one of my lapses.]

Ordering online helps when you need an item not available here or you want to save money. I started using contact lenses since December 2016. But a pair cost me 120AED and it is good for one month or 30 uses. In my quest in finding a cheaper alternative I found out that I have option of buying from Korea, Japan and Philippines. My first online purchase was from Korea. For 5 pairs I paid only 124AED since they are on sale. But even if they are not price will still be lower than what the UAE market can offer. Even without a PO Box my order arrived in the country safely. And it has taken only a week's time to reach here. Unlike when I was using the company PO Box and someone 'authorized' to get it, lucky me if I will wait for a month only. Just look at the case of my order from Yesstyle that has been gone for good. 

I will pick up the item later. And will give an update some other time. Ciao!