The First Two Weeks

Me featuring Westminster Palace | London, England

Hello!

My name is Justin Kammer.  I'm currently studying abroad at Regent's University London, in London, England.  Back home at HPU, I am pursuing my BSBA with a Finance concentration, and I will be graduating this upcoming May.  This is my first blog post, with more to come throughout my semester abroad....

First off, I want to give a shoutout to the Study Abroad Team at HPU.  The process to apply, register, and get started at Regent's University London was extremely easy.  Choosing to study abroad has been an equally as amazing opportunity as studying at HPU has been for myself, and I'm incredibly grateful I am here now. Whatever your concern to uproot your life and start a new adventure is, just know the benefits far outweigh the negatives (if any exist...).  

I am now entering my third week in London, and life is starting to feel more natural.  I'm almost an expert with the tube (subway/underground train) and public transportation, and I'm confident waiting in the queue (line) to order a pint - or two - at the pub.

My classes did not commence until September 18, and having arrived and moved into the on-campus dorms on the 11th, I've had plenty of free time to explore.  From Westminster Palace, to the London Eye, and Stamford Bridge (the home stadium of Chelsea FC), I am thankful to have this time to play tourist. 

Regent's University London has a great emphasis on student involvement and official events.  The first week consisted of several events for students to participate in.  The most memorable event was a Boat Party that departed from Tower Millennium Pier and cruised up and down the River Thames for an entire evening, offering river views of Elizabeth Tower/Big Ben and the London Bridge.

Cheers, for now...

Justin Kammer

London Eye via Westminster Bridge | London, England

More pictures can be found on my personal photoblog here.

Korean Beauty & Skincare

Let me tell you this: I’m ADDICTED to Korean skincare and beauty products!  When I first discovered The Face Shop, Nature Republic, and Tony Moly back in Hawai’i, I went absolutely CRAZY!  Besides the fact that it’s cutely packaged, Korean beauty products also deliver amazing results!  So you can imagine how thrilled I was to arrive in Seoul and see ALL the beauty stores lined up on each and every single block.

As I learned, skincare has always been deemed as important and critical in Korean culture, and it’s no wonder why many Korean women follow a 10-step regime every day.

As for the 10-step Korean beauty regime, it includes:

1. Removal of makeup (with cleansing wipes, cleansing oil, or a cleansing balm)
2. Cleanser (foam cleansers are usually recommended)
3. Exfoliation
4. Toner
5. Essence
6. Ampoule
7. Sheet mask
8. Eye cream
9. Moisturizer
10. Night cream (or SPF during the day)

When walking the streets of Seoul, it’s obvious that locals truly care about their appearance from their makeup, clothes, and hair.  There are beauty stores at every corner, even near my university.  So I guess if I ever need to restock on more products, it’ll be just a 5 minute walk from my dorm.

In Western makeup, women opt for more of a matte base and a contoured look.  But here in South Korea, women aim to have translucent, pale skin with a dewy finish.  In fact, contouring is rare among Koreans, but gradient, cherry-stained lips are all the rave!  Korean women place more emphasis on their skincare regime than their makeup in order to achieve a youthful glow.

If you are an exchange student studying abroad in South Korea (like myself), I HIGHLY recommend that you stock up on your own foundation if you have darker skin.  Majority of the foundation, BB creams, and CC creams in these beauty stores are in light beige or natural beige, which is obviously too light for my skin (otherwise you’ll have a white cast).

Do I consider myself influenced by Korean beauty?  Omg… yaaasss!  I, too, want to achieve clear skin, that way I don’t have to cover up so much.  But on top of that, taking care of your skin can help to prevent any further wrinkles, age spots, and sun damage.

For more posts, visit my blog website at sweetdudette.com