Yogi Life Archives - Kdrama Yogi

Seoulbox’s “Best Box” Tasting

January 16, 2023 No Comments

Overall Rating

 4/5

I’m delighted to share a box of Korean snacks I tried recently from Seoulbox. All of the snacks were pretty new to me and this Seoulbox is more of a Busanbox. Packaged neatly and delivered by DHL, the box arrived on my doorsteps without a hitch. If you’d like to try, you can find it here.

As an avid snack/chip eater, I have rated all of these from my least to most favorite.

#16. Brown Sugar Salted Caramel : This is by far the worst of the bunch. Tastes like a weird but bland toffee and was also expired as we received the package on the 2023.01.06. I don’t wish any person to eat this one…not even my enemies.

#15. Kkaebi Jelly: Smells and tastes artificial, tastes like blue raspberry and can blow bubbles in it for fun (not strawberry as advertised) Would just continue blowing bubbles and mixing for fun but would not eat this…

#14. Imperial Rice Cracker: Reminds me of Bin Bin, a little stale…ended up only eating one piece

#13. Fish Snacks: Not the spicy flavor shown, tastes like what I know to be dried fish snacks but more bland.

#12. Dalgona Stick Candy: has taste of dalgona and a little better tasting than the blue raspberry gel-like candy. It’s fun that you can see a shape like Squid Games.

#11. Jjin Cheese Chips: This is a lighter and not as good version of Cheeze-its with shape that is similar to Wheat Thins.

#10. Kkokko (Fried Chicken) Snack: Tastes sweet and looks like a tiny crunchy drumstick, looks > taste. Not a fan.

#9. Vegetable Omuk Chips : tastes like onion-flavor seasoning chips (light and airy)

#8. Paldo Ramen: Just doesn’t hit the same as Shin Ramen, was disappointed that this wasn’t the summer radish bibim myun as advertised…

#7. Plum Jelly: This is probably the best sweet gummy, there is a burst of flavor from this that reminds me of a peach gummy.

#6. Oat Heim: Korean version of a Pirouline vanilla cream wafer, interest take with oat milk for lactose intolerant folks 🙂

#5. Roasted Potato Texas Hot BBQ: Taste like a harder stick version of Pretz with BBQ seasoning

#4. Ground Pear Cider : Tastes refreshing with the ramen we cooked and it’s the perfect asian pear taste.

#3. Coffee Choco Cake This was a delicious choco-pie. Super surprising as it’s moist with good texture.

#2. Mediheal Aqua Linger Ampoule Mask: This was very hydrating and very comforting to use for sensitive skin during the winter months. I’ve been super dry this winder and would totally purchase this on my own.

#1. Roasted Gochugang (not Black Bean) Chips: As a person who can’t live life without chips, these tasted good with thin ridges, like Lay’s BBQ chips but better. These were my #1 fave snacks.

Bonus Item: Shooky BT21 Mini Hand Fan: This is cute, but much too cold right now to be using a fan…

All in all, some cool discoveries with Seoulbox and I like that they have a storyline to go with the snacks that you’re trying, this was a summer Busan-themed gift box. I’m a little disappointed that there weren’t more snacks that I enjoyed. But I’m definitely buying those chips and face masks!

#Seoulbox #Koreansnacks

Yogi Life

My Relaxing Summer

August 24, 2022 No Comments

My favorites for a relaxing summer of August. Aromatica has quickly become one of my favorite brands that is vegan and clean beauty product. There’s nothing better than watching K-dramas and using my Theragun these days.

#YesStyle #YesStyleReview #aromatica #ComfortingCalendulaDecoctionJuicyCream #Calendula #cleanbeauty #veganbeauty #skincare #selfcare #selflove @aromatica.global.

Yogi Life

Summer Skincare

June 10, 2022 No Comments

Summer brings in all the new skincare and now that I’m getting closer to mid-30s, it’s important to switch things up and somehow even upgrade. Here’s some of my recent favorites!

Clarins Cleansing Milk with Alpine herbs: There was an awesome deal on this milk cleanser (2 for 1) and decided to try this out. It smells fresh and I’ve been using it in the shower and in the mornings the past month.

Sioris Calm Me Down Cream: Discovered this organic Korean skincare brand through JYP’s investment and have been using this calm me down cream as my night moisturizer. It’s super light and relatively inexpensive.

You can check it out here Yesstyle Coupon 10% Off: KDRAMAYOGI

La Mer Eye Concentrate: Eye cream is so important, wrinkle keep popping up everywhere nowadays. Definitely invested a whole lump of money into keeping those wrinkles at bay.

Neutrogena Original Rainbath: My favorite body wash for the summer as the weather gets up to 100 degrees.

Dr. Jart+ Face Masks: So calming and such a good hydrating mask for the summer

Yogi Life

Eye Cream

October 4, 2021 No Comments

 4/5

Got this eye cream from YesStyle and wasn’t able to use it until recently. Rating it 4/5 stars for:

1. Easy to use, squeeze out of bottle => comes right out. Small hole => right amount of cream

2. Smells pretty good, clean and light

3. Did not break me out, would use again once I finish my innisfree one

4. Travel-friendly, small enough to fit into a makeup pouch

5. Took away 1 star as I don’t know if it works to its full potential => need more time to test

#YesStyle #YesStyleReview @bentoncosmetic

Yogi Reviews

Netflix’s Twogether: Yoga Session

July 13, 2020 No Comments

Twogether: Lee Seung Gi (이승기) and Jasper Liu (劉以豪)

 5/5

I binge watched Twogether one weekend and fell in love with Indonesia, Thailand and Nepal. These places are so beautiful and the whole series made me feel as if I were traveling…even though that’s probably not possible in the near future…

Lee Seung Gi and Jasper Liu’s communication through English, Korean, and Chinese makes it even more delightful to watch. And the whole series is produced by a former Running Man PD. Too cool! I’m neither a fan of Seung Gi or Jasper but the whole series went by so quickly getting to know the food and culture of each place they visit.

I love it when the two have to compete in all the challenges to meet their fans. Their first at yoga was adorable. Nikki, the instructor had her olive green lululemon gear on to teach them a bit of partner and acroyoga. It was definitely struggles for them.

Even though it wasn’t a spa massage, the two seemed to have a lot of fun during the challenge. The whole series is just a feel good show. Highly recommend! It’s only 8 episodes…

Yogi Playlist

July 2020 Yoga Playlist

July 7, 2020 No Comments

Here’s my yoga playlist for the month of July 2020. Definitely all the feels with a core workout in between.

Intention for this month: Being Present. Really indulging in your practice: taking an extra breath in your downward dog, really sinking into your hips during Warrior II. Whatever it might be, breath and take it in.

“Everything you want is coming. Relax and let the universe pick up the timing and the way. You just need to trust that what you want is coming, and watch how fast it comes. You may not end up where you thought you’d be, but you’ll end up right where you’re meant to be.” – theloveinspired

Yogi Life

My Top 5 Yogi Items

July 5, 2020 No Comments

One pro about teaching yoga is that you get discounts to shop at most of the yoga brand (ranging from 25-30% off retail/sales price). So I’ve tried my fair share of leggings, mats, water bottles, etc. Below are my yogi faves.

Yoga Leggings

Lululemon Align Pant II 25″ (used to be known as the Lululemon Align 7/8). These pants are great for shorter yogis (I am 5’3″) and reaches my ankles at the perfect length. Taller yogis can opt for the 28″ They come in a variety of colors. I probably have 3-4 pairs in black and about 6-8 more in a colors of the rainbow. These pants have over 10,000+ reviews and feel like a layer of your skin.

Some others that are similar are the Alo Soft (not sweat wicking) and Athleta’s Elation. I have yet to try Nike’s Infinalon 7/8 but imagine it’s very similar.

Yoga Mat

Alo Warrior Yoga Mat: I have 3 of these mats… 2 in black and 1 in the pink Smoky Quartz. This is the most comfortable mat for all the quarantine exercises you want to do. I discovered the mat from practicing a lot of hot yoga. This one has the best grip (without a towel) and is super easy to clean with a wipe. I keep one at the office, 2 at home (1 for my husband and 1 for me). I highly recommend the black color as it seems the Smoky Quarts material is not as easy to clean.

A close second is either the Lululemon Reversible (Big Mat) or Manduka Pro Yoga Mat (6mm). I own the reversible and frequently use the Manduka one teaching at Salesforce.

Yoga Block(s)

Gaiam Yoga Blocks are lightweight but super sturdy whenever you need an extra assist. I have 6 of these and have used them relentlessly for modifications and support. Better quality than the CorePower Yoga ones.

Water Bottle

BKR Water Bottles are made of glass and have a silicone covering. I find it to be the perfect water bottle and has a cap for ease of transportation. I prefer glass to any steel-insulated water bottle. Partially because it increases in temperature with the room so that you’re not shocking your body from the inside after warming up (even though it might feel good to have cold water in a hot yoga room). And just not a fan of the steel taste…it’s there…I know it.

Often times, I’ve kicked or knocked my water bottle over getting into Savasana and this one makes the least amount of noise vs. loud clanging from the steel water bottles.

Others that are yogi favorites: Swell, Hydroflask, Yeti

Miniso sells a great dupe of the BKR water bottle (not sure if it exists anymore).

Hand Sanitizer

Trader Joe’s Grapefruit and Lemon Hand Sanitizer is great before and after yoga class. During assists especially when assisting multiple students, I meticulously use hand sanitizer in between. I recently bought some but for some reason, this new batch does not smell anything like the one I originally bought before. Not sure if quarantine has changed the availability of some ingredients… It’s still moisturizing with Vitamin E and Aloe even though it’s 74% alcohol.

Runner Up: GermX (not as a strong to strip the skin of all its oils like Purrell)

Yogi Life

Yogi Skincare

July 4, 2020 No Comments

Happy July 4th yogis! My skincare has changed so much in my 30s. I used to be an oily combination type in my 20s but now it’s just dry in my 30s. Below is everything I’m using on a daily basis to care for my skin.

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You can find most of these products on Amazon, Sephora, Costco, Innisfree, YesStyle, and many other sites via Google shopping. Some things that vary for me comes to serums, masks, and night-time creams depending on season and weather.

My Nighttime Skincare Routine

Step 1. Cleanser: Because my skin is so dry I start out with a basic cleansing oil. DHC’s Deep Cleansing Oil does a darn good job with cleansing without stripping my skin of all my natural oils. Smells just like olive oil.

Step 2. Exfoliant: I alternate the days I use the Pore Cleansing Facial Foam from Innisfree when I need to get more grime/dirt off my faces. The charcoal base makes my face feel really clean.

Step 3. Facial Mist: I mist myself after cleansing my face/shower with Avene’s Thermal Spring Water and when I need an extra lift, I use Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir. Smells herbally but I like it.

Step 4. Mask/Serum (optional): This is when I decide if I want to treat my skin to something different but on most days (because I’m lazy) I skip this step.

Step 5. Facial Oil: My face needs more moisture after hot showers so I use the Nuxe Multi-purpose oil and pat it in my face.

Step 6: Eye Cream: I also pat it Innisfree’s Youth-enriched Eye Cream to prevent wrinkles.

Step 7: Lip Balm: When I don’t drink enough water, Lucas’ Papaw Ointment is the way to go before I head for bed.

Other Products

Treating Acne: I use the CosRx Acne Pimple Patches overnight to get rid of any bumps. It flattens the pimple overnight. And if it needs and extra umph, Moa’s Green Balm does the same and has all natural ingredients.

Sunscreen: I bought a pack of Thank You Farmer’s Sun Project Water Sun Cream because it’s a moisturizing sunscreen that is 50+ and PA+++. SPF = 50+ in blocking UVB rays for 50 mins and PA+++ means it’s blocking UVA rays. (The Klog explains this way better than me)

Muscle aches: All yogis have experienced muscle aches and my favorite oil blend to use is Saje’s Peppermint Halo. It’s also great for cooling and soothing headaches and dizziness (especially after hot yoga).

And the *most important thing for skincare: Eating well, Getting Enough Beauty Sleep, and Drinking lots of water. Definitely helps with skin to look glowy and hydrated and no amount of skincare products can change that.

Yogi Life

Corepower Yoga Auditions

July 2, 2020 No Comments

CorePower holds its auditions on a monthly cadence in the Bay Area for any new instructors. The audition day usually lands on the last week of the month. If there are new studio openings, the audition dates will coincide with Intensives (training). Be sure to get on the email list of when auditions are happening as it’s difficult to get an audition slot.

My Audition Experience (May 2019)

Intensives:

After teacher training, I wanted to audition for CPY so I could start teaching asap. I opted out of extensions so I decided to do intensives for both Yoga Sculpt and C2. Intensives are a great and free way to get the training (similar to extensions). You learn to set intentions/themes and use music cues. Intensives are two whole days (usually a weekend) and you practice teach with the Master Trainer for your region.

Yoga Sculpt Audition

This was the first intensive I attended and I was super nervous when teaching with weights. The audition consists of a sculpt series* sections and auditions with about 4-5 other potential teachers in your group. For this audition, it is super important to do the muscle action cues. *Sculpt Series includes: Tricep Kickbacks, Narrow Rows, Wide Rows, etc. in chair post or crescent lunge (cueing from downward dog)

C2 Flow Audition

This was my second intensive and definitely a lot more similar to C1. This audition consists of a Sun B flow. Again, you book audition slots with 4-5 other instructors who will act as students in your class so doing assists and setting the intention here is super important.

In total, the individual audition lasts for about 5 minutes. The entire audition is 30 mins with all the other yogis auditioning. After the audition, the trainers will ask each person to describe how teaching makes them feel in one word (supposedly to tell them a lot about your personality?)

Overall, quite an interesting experience as I’ve never auditioned for anything else in my life. I had lots of fun learning and developing more teaching skills. *Tip: Auditioning with folks that you feel comfortable assisting helps. I had several yogis in my audition group that helped each other out that way. I passed the C2 audition and was able to “intern” right away (more to come later).

Yogi Reviews

Inside Weather – Review

July 1, 2020 No Comments

 3.5/5

I’ve been testing out boutique furniture brands, picking up a couple of things here and there to upgrade into adulthood from my Ikea furniture. Don’t get me wrong, Ikea is still the way to go for the sake of simplicity and it’s great prices. But definitely ready to get a few staple pieces for long-term use and support local businesses.

Inside Weather has a lot of cute decor items and accessories but one of the pieces that caught my eye was the Nordic Coat Rack. It looked simple enough to put together at first glance but actually took me a good 20 minutes, with the pieces falling over twice. But hey, no tools used. I’m not sure how it will hold up but it’s definitely not meant for moving around once you’ve put it together.

Delivery was less than perfect as there has been a multitude of delays of furniture shipments. The first reach out from their support team came 5 days after the confirmation stating that items in my order were delayed, but not specifying which items. After two follow-ups, the rep finally said some items were getting shipped out (again, very confusing which ones) when they were originally out of stock until end of July. Unsure what was happening next but then only half the items, one being the Nordic Coat Rack arrived two weeks later. I’m still awaiting an update on the rest of the items.

I give them 0.5 bonus points for adding these cute cat paw leg covers to stop the wood from scratching the flooring. Overall a decent shopping experience but probably won’t be repurchasing anytime soon because I’m not huge into customizing my furniture. I prefer simpler things.