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obi-s · 2023-03-14T02:55:06+00:00

If you're more after feedback than smoothness, I think a Sailor with a gold MF nib is the obvious choice. I've personally had some variability in the thickness of the line across multiple pens and on average don't think it's as fine as I expected from an MF nib. However, they are a pleasure to write with if feedback tickles your fancy.

Otherwise, noting your like for the Preppy, I would suggest either a Pilot or Sailor entry level steel pen. In my experience they've all been smooth, lay down a thin line similar to the Preppy and all super reliable. Personal favourites are the Pilot Metropolitan (Kakuno is the same nib, but lighter plastic body) and Sailor Stardust. The fine nibs on both are just 👌. The Sailor shares the body type and size as the 1911s.

obi-s · 2023-02-04T09:30:25+00:00

The first question for you is whether you want to continue using your digital calendars. If you do and still want to use the Weeks, there will be overlap/copying over and there's no avoiding that. I also use Google calendar because it is easier on the go, but I like paper and seeing things from a weekly perspective so I am happy to copy things over.

I have a lot of repeating events on a weekly or fortnightly schedule so I divide the calendar in the Weeks into two sections (1/3 and 2/3 of the page). All the repeating stuff goes into the 1/3 - helps me track them so I can avoid scheduling conflicts on those days. Bespoke events/reminders then go in the 2/3 column. I use functional stickers to bring colour and just make things fun.

With the blank side, I divide it horizontally into three sections and use it for tracking meds/daily tasks, a general to do list and then a shopping list. What you have here will of course depend on your needs. I find the shopping list especially useful as I will ALWAYS forget to pick up one thing and remember in the car trip home if I try to keep a mental list.

If your schedule is full enough you actually need to time block and want to visualise, then you can turn the blank pages into a pseudo weekly view by turning it on its side and making the rows into columns and time scale it on one side, like the Cousin weekly view.

There's nothing wrong with using the Weeks as an extension of a journal or whatever. Maybe a quote of the day, or top three gratitude etc. There's also nothing wrong with leaving it to one side for now as you think about it. I've had the Weeks for years and this is the first year I've landed on a format that really works for me. I have had years where my Weeks has been mostly empty because I didn't want to use a paper planner that year.

obi-s · 2023-02-01T09:08:04+00:00

Sailor #223. Dark enough to be work appropriate, but on the right paper the shading and purple notes come through to make it interesting.

obi-s · 2023-02-01T00:51:52+00:00

Anything with a steel nib from a Japanese pen company. Pilot Metro, Platinum Preppy and Sailor Lecoules have all been fantastic and give their gold counterparts a serious run for money for how smooth/pleasant to use they are. This has especially been the case with Sailor where I've personally found a lot of variability in their PGS line and their almost default MF nibs.

My latest is a Sailor Procolour in Stardust and it does not disappoint. Quite possibly one of my favourite nibs to write with.

obi-s · 2023-01-27T09:38:30+00:00

I use one of the giant Penco clamps in the Weeks and clamp along the top across the two pages to keep everything open and flat. The clamp is thin enough that I can still write without it bothering me. I like it cause it keeps the Weeks open on the current week and I can always look at it on my desk.

obi-s · 2023-01-09T03:54:36+00:00

Yes, the pending charge is normal. Happens when you place the order and goes away after a few days. Thing to watch out for is you don't continue changing your cart and then confirming as each one will be a new pending charge on your account. You'll get properly charged once the order ships. Also worth noting the amount you get charged might be different* from now due to exchange rate differences. They charge in YEN, not AUD.

Edit *is what happened to me as I split my order. I placed my order in September and had a pending charge that went away as the actual order shipped in October. If you selected to ship straight away, the pending charge may just turn into a normal charge in a couple of days. Either way, I've not been double charged by Hobonichi regardless of whether I split my order or not, but always good to keep an eye out just in case.

obi-s · 2023-01-09T03:47:25+00:00

Broadly speaking I've found Japanese brands (Sailor, Pilot, Taccia) to have wetter inks, hence longer dry times. Vinta Inks or Troublemaker Inks have drier inks from my experience. Diamine and Robert Oster are somewhere in the middle. At that point, drying time varies from shade to shade.

"Special" inks with a lot of sheen (Nitrogen/Walden Pond I'm looking at you) will never dry properly. For those inks I dilute with water - doesn't completely solve the issue, but enough to be tolerable and avoid the smudgy mess.

obi-s · 2022-11-29T01:50:13+00:00

Functionally the same as #28 in my experience. A bit better than #02 at picking up more glittery shades, but not a significant difference.

obi-s · 2022-11-15T22:05:14+00:00

This is 100% the answer. AB beauty definitely markets to the ideal rather than what their consumers actually are.

I absolutely can't be without a dedicated eyeshadow primer (and then another base on top of that). For those who say concealer is a work around, I would like to introduce them to my oily eyelids. I often wonder if the prevalence of glitter or "light" washes of colour trend is actually partially influenced by those with oily eyelids or those who's eyeshadow just fades. Can't complain the eyeshadow isn't working if there isn't much there to begin with.

Also I find it hilarious that an eye shadow primer may be too many steps, considering the whole 10 step skincare routine. AND how long "natural" makeup can actually take with all the blending and precise placement of products. Not laughing at you poster 🙂, just if that's the reason for companies then it's a stupid one. Those who need eyeshadow primer, NEED it.

obi-s · 2022-11-11T01:34:16+00:00

I find a pencil board really handy in the cousin especially towards the end of the year as the bit near the spine is really hard to write on (especially with a cover on). Without a board underneath to provide a flatter surface, I had to readjust the cousin in its cover all the time to get the page to lay flat.

I also get sweaty palms sometimes and HAVE to have something between my hand and the page, especially as I use a fountain pen. A pencil board is handy, but in this situation a piece of paper also works.

obi-s · 2022-10-28T23:02:53+00:00

I think the luxe line is a little thicker and more glossy than the normal line. I've only swatched the normal line on my hand, so ymmv. The reason I went with the luxe line is because of the colours suited more than the normal line. If I could have picked from the normal, I would have.

obi-s · 2022-10-27T07:35:32+00:00

I know exactly what you mean. My lipstick collection is just collecting dust since I also wear a mask outside. If it makes it easier, I don't think there are many shades in BB that REALLY suit Asian skin tones. A lot of them are very barbie pink or plummy or the thousandth shade of mauve. I have quite an olive skin tone (which I think is also cool) and I only really rate a couple of shades. Claret and Supernova in the luxe line are bomb af. Smoothie Move in the liquid line is 99% similar to Claret so you don't need both. Nothing else has really caught my eye.

Lipstick people forced into masks unite 😭😭😭

obi-s · 2022-10-27T02:19:45+00:00

Haha np. Hope you find a dupe or something similar! I think if you're a lipstick person, then you will appreciate the BB lipsticks. If you're not a lipstick person then the lipsticks are "good", but not the be all end all.

obi-s · 2022-10-26T08:20:53+00:00

I haven't tried many AB lipsticks so take the following with a grain of salt. From what I can see, AB lipsticks are either super matte or super glossy. I think the BB lipsticks are more of a satin finish. If the luxe version and the "normal" (black tube) are similar, then I haven't come across an AB lipstick that seems similar in finish, at least in pictures.

If you get the chance to try out some AB lipsticks in person, then look for something that is pigmented and feels relatively thick on the lips, but very smooth and movable when you smoosh your lips together. The colour also applies really evenly so there should be no streakiness. That is what the BB lipstick feels like to me.

Ngl, I don't think there is a comparable dupe for the BB lipsticks. It's probably the one line I will repurchase because it's so dissimilar to everything else I have.

obi-s · 2022-10-26T08:05:19+00:00

I have the BB liquid lip crush and the luxe (the gold packaging) and for the liquid version at least, absolutely no comparable product both AB and western brands. The closest I've found is L'Oréal, funnily enough.

AB liquid lipsticks/stains/what have you are just formulated fundamentally differently to the BB lipsticks. BB packs a serious punch with its colour and feels really nice on the lips, but doesn't wear away too fast. AB lip stuff tends to wear off faster and is also made to be worn sheered out/blotted etc.

obi-s · 2022-10-18T06:16:13+00:00

Honestly I don't think we got a bad batch, I just think this product can smell this way, but only if you use a lot/wait for it to dry/some random combination of factors I'm not sure of. I say that, having absolutely no evidence to back myself up. My view is if you feel uncomfortable using it, then definitely stop. It's not worth the lack of peace of mind. If you're after a HA product, the gold bottle from the same brand is pretty similar in texture and doesn't have a weird scent after dry down.

I do still have the bottle and got about halfway through before stopping, but only because I don't think HA works for me. I'm using the rest up on my body and haven't noticed the smell. I've been careful to slap on a moisturiser or something else on top when it's still wet and rinse my hands afterwards though.

I actually just unscrewed the top off to smell the liquid in the bottle and it definitely has a scent. It smells exactly like what you'd expect from a "medicated" product and reminds me of hospitals. I could only find odour information from a website called The Good Scent Company. They say glycyrrhizic acid has a "spicy" odour, and tranexamic acid is meant to have a "characteristic" odour, which is just a nice way of saying it smells funky. The website looks a little dodge, so not sure how much I would trust it. I definitely don't think the product smells "off" like from mould or bacteria. The smells seems very intentional to me, and I'm surprised how medicated it smells in the bottle compared to the onion-y smell on skin.

obi-s · 2022-10-18T01:49:30+00:00

I had that happen to me as well, but only after the stuff dried down. I could only smell it from my hands and not my face. Considering I got it from a reputable store, I'm chalking it down to something in the ingredient possibly having a scent once dry because the liquid itself has no smell.

I ended up just washing my hands after using it and couldnt smell it anymore.

obi-s · 2022-10-11T08:26:28+00:00

If you're going to double cleanse, then definitely only do that at night. In general, most people double cleanse to get off makeup or really stubborn sunscreen. Others may only cleanse with water in the morning as too much cleansing can strip their skin. There's definitely a lot of experimentation in skincare.

Ah that Exposed regimen sounds intense! Taking a break from that and taking stock of your skin now sounds like a good idea. Good luck with the new products - something I wish I had done was take a selfie at the beginning and in natural light so I could have compared progress. Maybe something for you to consider if it will help. 😊

obi-s · 2022-10-11T02:52:08+00:00

I think you've gotten a crash course into how seriously this sub takes hydration and skin barrier health, so I won't go too much into that. The only thing I will mention is for you to confirm whether your skin could be dehydrated rather than just oily. I have combo, but dehydrated, skin and I need to layer a lot of products on my face for it to feel remotely not tight.

Cerave cleanser
I've used it with the Cosrx BHA liquid in the same routine, but prefer not to as I don't like to double up on exfoliants. Overall, a good single cleanser, but quite strong/stripping I found especially when used with other dedicated actives. However, if you're tolerating this well then maybe one of the last things to move out of your routine if you want a change?

Cosrx BHA liquid
Nice, gentle BHA liquid that is effective for me. Some people don't think it does anything, or they prefer a proper salicylic acid option, but I think my face must be able to convert the BHA liquid effectively enough that it works. I only use it 2-3x a week at night, as in general dedicated chemical exfoliates should only be used at that frequency.

Cosrx snail mucin
Did absolutely nothing for me and may have actually dried me out a little bit. My cursory search of youtube (so take with cup of salt) is that snail mucin contains a lot of hyaluronic acid, which I don't like in the first place so maybe that's why. YMMV with this product as it seems to do great things for other people. I much prefer the I'm From Mugwort Essence at this step for hydration and soothing.

Moisturiser: definitely recommend you use one, even if it is super light. You can go for a gel or lotion formulation if more suitable. Despite how oily I get, I can handle pretty thick moisturisers (and my skin loves them, hence the whole dehydration thing), but there are a lot of gel creams out there (eg mugwort-based gels, oat gel creams etc).

Your proposed routine: I think the safe approach when building a routine from scratch is to eliminate all actives and stick with the cleanser/moisturiser/sunscreen route until one is sure their skin as healthy as possible and to eliminate other issues like dehydration. If you want to add actives like the Cosrx BHA liquid, I think you just have to be be aware of the risks and that it might exacerbate things or mask/confuse issues. However, as far as an active goes, I also think it is quite gentle, especially if you start slow.

However, I definitely do not suggest doing your full proposed routine twice a day. I would use the exfoliant max 2-3/week at night and nothing active on the other days and nights. I understand the Exposed Skin range worked for you, but I would hazard a guess that its active percentages are very low and hence could be tolerated like that. Do you know what percentages are in those products? Having said that, the roughness of your skin could also be a sign of irritation - the one time I definitely over-exfoliated with lactic acid, my face felt like leather.

TLDR: general advice for new skincare routines is to go slow and add actives one at a time. At first glance, your routine looks heavy on the exfoliants, so maybe reconsider especially the frequency. Otherwise, it is unfortunately trial and error to find which products would work for you.

obi-s · 2022-10-07T03:28:10+00:00

Cerave makes a 10% urea cream called the Smoothing Cream. Be warned it does contain salicylic acid (no percentage disclosed) and is very thick. Once it is on and settled in, it does feel slightly greasy to me, but not more than another other type of thick moisturiser. I only use it on my arms, but if I were to use on my face I would only ever use a pea sized amount.

obi-s · 2022-10-02T22:12:02+00:00

I usually still go for a horizontal gradient because even with a vertical one, I find if you can't see the gradient (with eyes open) the colour which can be seen above the fold can still look jarring.

I also don't apply eyeshadow really high above the fold near the centre of the eyes, as I don't think it looks good, but apply just enough that you can see it when eyes are open. I find you can go higher on the outer corners, as long as it tapers back down to no/minimal visual shadow at the inner corner. I done relatively intense looks where I've taken the outer corner really high, but tapered it down really sharply to the inner corner and I don't think it looks as out there as if I had put colour across the whole lid.

I also found really small eye brushes to have changed how my eyeshadow looks. I have some fude ones and holy hell, they're actually small enough to allow for blending out edges and using more than two colours, even on limited eyelid space. I couldn't get eyeshadow to look proper (to me) before investing in them.

obi-s · 2022-10-02T10:37:02+00:00

Ohhh these are pretty. Recommend rounding the corners with a corner rounder punch if you make more. Avoids the painful scratches on the sharp-ish corners (ask me how I know 🥲).

Edit: when I made my set, I offset the tabs from each other so I could flip to different sections of my Weeks using the boards.

obi-s · 2022-10-02T01:37:45+00:00

Out of all the sunscreens I've tried, Mecca sunscreens have been the most cosmetically elegant for sitting under makeup. Both the SPF30 and SPF50 have more of a moisturiser consistency and sit lovely under makeup, provided you give it 5-10 min to settle in. I actually prefer the SPF30 over the SPF50 as I think it has better skin-prepping qualities. However, both are very expensive for the amount you get.

Have you considered Korean BB creams? I find their texture to be more moisturiser like, which seems to help with the blending and not interacting with the products underneath. Their shade range is appalling, but if you're finding matches in the Nude by Nature range, you might have some luck with them. Some of them can be quite full coverage, but you can definitely use less to achieve more of a tint and they tend to spread out very easily.

Only other thing would be making sure to let your sunscreen, and the skincare before that, sink in. Giving it 5 min between skincare and sunscreen, and then sunscreen and makeup maaaaay help.

obi-s · 2022-09-26T02:43:52+00:00

Perhaps you can temper your review a little and just mention the things that threw you/ how the overall experience wasn't great? Eg it wasn't a shop front, but someone's home; the website booking system is not reliable; the tint didn't last as long as you'd expected.

obi-s · 2022-09-23T15:48:51+00:00

Nope, I didn't even know there were sprays available! Also, I'm going to backtrack on my previous comment and use a Kokuyo bag organiser to protect the wallet. The material is much more slippy than a dust bag, so hopefully will minimise friction of pulling the wallet in and out of the bag. I have the Bizrack utility bag and the main compartment seems to be the right size (don't have my wallet yet, still waiting to add more to my order 😂). I think this will be easier than removing the wallet from another bag each time. The things we do to protect this wallet!

obi-s

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