A Day of Shopping

I went to Hyehwa and Myeongdong today. I've been to department stores and shopping areas many times, but I rarely buy anything.
Today I bought a lot.
I'm going to make a personal post now.
I'm annoyed that I haven't published the celebrity ads posts yet. They're ready but I need to make an intro and do some more organizing. I meant to make those posts in March. I promise they'll be up this week.

Anyway

I did some shopping

I ended up with all this. I think it's the most I've come back with. (There have been a couple days where I got a number of K-Pop things though)

Now my nails look like this

There's a lot I could say about the cosmetics shops. First of all, there are a ton. I have no way of differentiating them because I know next to nothing about cosmetics and there are so many. South Korea is known for its good cosmetics. So I thought I'd try some. Just kidding. Actually, the real reason as to why I've bothered setting foot into cosmetic shops every once in a while is because my favorite K-Pop groups are endorsing some. That makes it much easier to pick a store, at least. Just go to the one covered in pictures of your favorite celebrity.

Some fans who visit Korea make sure to buy something at stores their favorite group or idol is endorsing, to support them or get products and gifts featuring them. For example, when I was at the G-Dragon concert I saw some people with bags from The Saem. If K-Pop fans are here I don't see why they wouldn't check out the store their favorite group is modeling for.

On the other hand, I don't want to be called a stupid fangirl. There are assumptions that people make about K-Pop fans and assumptions about fangirls. I'm not stupid. I know exactly what I'm doing. I am aware of how businesses and celebrity endorsements work. I know what they're doing and I know I'm buying into it. Maybe that makes me stupider, because I knowingly throw away money on some cosmetics I'd never use otherwise and don't need, but it's a decision I make. And why not. Everyone wins.

Anyway,

first I bought this

can you guess what I like

Mini combs!!! The first one I had broke and I somehow lost the second one a year or two ago (which is quite strange because I never lose things). I find mini combs extremely convenient because my hair tends to annoy me and they're small enough to fit in my pants pocket.

Also, the first time I saw Saure Pommes I refrained from buying them. I've been avoiding American brands and chains while I'm here (except for Baskin Robbins), and I thought I should do the same with this. But I really like them and I can't get them in the U.S. (where I'm usually located) and I already bought some at Lotte Department Store a few weeks ago. So I went ahead and bought them ^_^

Oh yeah, about cosmetics.

I spent an hour inside a Missha store today. I did some serious browsing and shopping. I don't like shopping districts sometimes because women stand outside the cosmetic stores and encourage you to come in. It's kind of annoying. Today I was walking by Tony Moly and I stupidly accepted a free face mask and was ushered on inside with a little basket. Well great. Sometimes I'm in a situation where I feel like there is no way I can leave without buying something. This happens to me sometimes with Tony Moly or Missha, because I stop to look or take a picture. I'm at a complete loss when it comes to cosmetics. That's why it's really frustrating to me that TVXQ and JYJ are endorsing cosmetics brands, because I have no use for them and I don't have a clue what I should buy. I feel really stuck. I want to buy something but it's incredibly hard to find something I want. It's not like I need anything. I don't use make up. I have no idea what toner or concealer or those other things are. I never use lotion. I don't paint my nails. I don't even use conditioner. I just don't know what anything is and I don't think I need any skincare products.

Anyway, that hasn't stopped me from desperately searching Tony Moly and Missha stores to find something I may have some use for. I've shopped at each store a few times. Sometimes I feel like it's a total waste of money, but other times I end up with something (from Tony Moly) that I like and use.

I'm not sure how this happened, but I was inside a Missha store for one hour today and spent enough money to get a TVXQ Missha gift. I was taking pictures outside. I usually don't take photos inside the stores because I feel awkward or uncomfortable. Also, it's not uncommon for the people who work at the store to keep an eye on you or follow you around or show you things. I don't feel like I can just walk in, take pictures of everything, and then walk right on out. I wouldn't dare.

So today I was taking pictures of TVXQ things outside Missha. Then a basket was held out for me and I went in. dun dun dun

During the long time I was inside, I was pretty much the only customer (there are at least four different Missha stores out of the sea of cosmetic stores in Myeongdong). Usually someone who works in the shop knows Japanese or Chinese. A woman spoke to me in English and asked if I like TVXQ. I felt more comfortable and not so timid. I still felt pressured to buy things, but it was ok. I took my time and got things I could hopefully use sometime in the future (when I have use for it or run out of the same kind of product I already bought at Tony Moly). These shopkeepers really paid attention to me. I was accompanied but I didn't mind.

As you can see in the photo, eight of my nails were painted. At least half a dozen different lotions and creams were applied to my hands. Things were showed to me and tested. Products were explained. Later on, two other women in the store started talking to me. One wasn't very good at English but she was funny. She complimented my nose and hair color. Yes they're natural. According to her I have good DNA. Things went on for a while, and still she tried to sell snail cream to me. (I've learned from being in Korea that snails are a very good, sought-after thing when it comes to cosmetics.) I can't really explain. Anyway, I spent an eternity in the store and had some enjoyable interactions with the people working there.

I went to The Saem later to buy clear nail polish, since some of the glitter polish I have feels rough. Today was the first day in all my time in Korea that I looked around a cosmetics store that isn't Tony Moly or Missha.

from Missha

I got these free samples and a second bottle of sunscreen for free

!!!!

:)

I felt a little better about taking pictures inside the store this time. I asked and it was fine. Besides, I bought a lot of things.

Actually, I guess it also depends on where you are. It's ok to take pictures inside Missha and no one has ever said anything to me in Tony Moly, but today at Banila co and The Saem I was told that I can't take pictures.

I tried to organize my shelf when I got home.

When I first moved in I thought I had too much furniture and plenty of space. Now my stuff is everywhere and I'm running out of surfaces :< 

Some things I got in the past.

I have more face masks than I know what to do with

free samples of things I have yet to use

they're accumulating

I don't even know what most of this stuff is

I got these two things from Tony Moly in February or March. I like both!

I was so happy with the peach hand cream the first few times I used it. I was really excited. It smells good!

After using up the samples I bought CC cream. I first tried the sample because it protects from the sun. I purchased it when the samples ran out. I think it makes my skin look much nicer. Maybe I'm imagining that. But I think my face can look much better when I'm wearing CC cream. I used to use it a lot in March, but I'm not used to putting stuff on my face and I'm lazy, so I haven't applied it in weeks (until today, actually).

I know a few JYJ fans who have said that they prefer other cosmetics stores. I honestly don't think I'd be able to tell and I'm not about to try different brands anyway. I'm too unfamiliar with skin products and make up so I don't care.

I still think there's no point to most of these cosmetics.

I bought these last month

I also have a few other things from Tony Moly and Missha. They're not entirely useless, but I admit most of it was unnecessary. =/

The only thing I use for my skin. I use this to wash my face every morning

My sunscreen. This is very important! I'm trying to get into the habit of applying this whenever I know I'm going to be outside. I burn easily. I think I should use this on a near-daily basis, or depending on what my plans are for the day, because of the season.

For when my lips get dry I've been using Labello and Burt's Bees for years.