Name:  Large Fried Chicken 大雞排

What it is:  As its name states, this is a HUGE piece of battered chicken that’s been fried, salted and fried.   The size is bigger than a grown human’s head!

Why I love it:  Move over KFC, the Taiwanese large fried chicken is as big in flavour as it is in size.  The coating is crunchy and packed full of tasty spices (you can get it with or without chilli powder), and once you bite into it, the chicken is oh so tender and juicy.

Be aware, these fried chickens are so huge, you’re likely to need 2, 3 or even 4 friends to be able to chomp through it in one sitting.

Where to get it: Hot Star Fried Chicken 豪大大雞排 111台北市士林區文林路113號

The most well-known franchise for large fried chicken in Taiwan, you can find a stall in most night markets in Taiwan.  I stick to its first branch: in Shilin Night Market.

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Incoming search terms:

• sweet recipe baby choux base

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The main difference between CC Cream and BB Cream is that the latter offers more coverage (as it’s designed to cover up the redness after laser treatments).  Now if you’re thinking “hmm a base product that offers sheer coverage and has sun protection?  Sounds like a tinted moisturiser to me”, I have to say I completely agree.  For that reason, I told myself I was not to purchase one, and even resisted when I had to buy 6 of them for my MBBE girls.

But all good reasons went out the window when I visited Korea about a month ago, and I picked up the Cathy Cat Wonder Moist Shine CC Cream as one of the mere 4 beauty items that I limited myself to (due to Mr Ronan’s plea).

I’ll review this CC Cream on the same criteria that I reviewed BB Creams:

1. Packaging
2. Coverage
3. Dry to touch finish
4. Natural skin feel
5. Fragrance
6. Longevity

Packaging: 4/5

Cathy Cat Wonder Moist Shine CC Cream is housed in a flat squeeze tube with metallic finish.  Like majority of the BB Creams on the market it has a small nozzle, which dispenses well and is hygienic.  The product is also a very generous 50ml which would last a good while even with daily use.

Coverage: 4/5

The Cathy Cat Wonder Moist Shine CC Cream actually has pretty good coverage, which is why I picked it up.  I wanted something that I could wear on the weekends that is not as paste-like as BB Cream; one that covers up the blemishes a bit but doesn’t “white-out” my entire face.

The formula is that of a self-adjusting formula: the slightly pink fluid turns to a beige colour upon application.

The finish is dewy, however it sank into the pores and the lines on my face (for some reason I didn’t notice this when I swatched it on my hand in-store).

Dry-to-touch finish: 0/5

This doesn’t really apply to CC Creams as much as BB Creams, but is important for me for any base product.  However, I rate this product a big fat ZERO as no matter how I tried, the Cathy Cat Wonder Moist Shine CC Cream just does not set on my face AT ALL.

With every swipe over my face as I apply this product onto my face, I leave finger marks everywhere I touched.  No matter which way I tried, this product just doesn’t blend into my skin, and stays wet, making subsequent powder application impossible.

Natural skin feel: 1/5

Mostly due to the fact that I can’t get the Cathy Cat Wonder Moist Shine CC Cream to blend properly, I end up applying more product onto my face than I should.  And for some reason, the “self-adjusting” formula adjust to an orangey beige, and I look like an Oompa-Loompa >.<

Fragrance: 3.5/5

The fragrance of Cathy Cat Wonder Moist Shine CC Cream is floral, with only a tinge of underlying sunscreen smell.  Both the floral and sunscreen smell linger, with the sunscreen smell coming through a bit more as time goes on, but is tolerable to me.

Longevity: 3/5

I can’t really comment on the longevity for certain; as due to the wet and uneven finish, I’ve had to pack on a LOT of powder when I wear this product.  But considering how dewy it is, it doesn’t do too badly – at the end of a work day I still have some product on my face.

TOTAL SCORE: 11.5/30

Perhaps due to the fact that the condition of my skin is not ideal right now, and that I got a bad tan from stupidly forgetting to bring my sunscreen to Korea with me; but the Cathy Cat Wonder Moist Shine CC Cream just doesn’t work for me at all.  It looked fine when I swatched it on the back of my hand in store, but when I tried to apply it onto my face, it’s uneven, sinks into lines, and makes me look orange.

Cathy Cat Wonder Moist Shine CC Cream retails for about 24,000 Korean Won and is available from Olive Young Korea-wide.  It’s also available in Moist-Cover (more coverage) and Moist-Tone Up (a slight greeny based) variants.

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Name:  Beef Soup Noodles 牛肉麵

What it is:  Beef shank or brisket that has been stewed for hours, then served with the beef stock broth and noodles.  The broth can be clear, or my favourite, braised, where soy and spices are added.

Why I love it:  The official national food of Taiwan – we even have annual Beef Soup Noodle Festival!  The pieces of beef are melt-in-your mouth tender, and the broth is a perfect combination of saltiness, sweetness (of the meat) and spiciness.

I like to add a big spoonful of pickled mustard, which absorb the grease and adds a nice sour crunch to the beef soup noodles.

Where to get it:  老王記牛肉麵大王 No. 15 Táoyuán St, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City

There are many places that do good Beef Soup Noodles in Taiwan, but this is my favourite, and Mr Ronan’s.  The big pieces of beef are super tender, with no fat or gristle.  Although the place has no signs, it still attracts hordes of customers every lunch and dinner time, including plenty of tourists.  As such it’s common to have to line up for a table, but as the service is super fast, the wait isn’t very long.

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Incoming search terms:

• taiwan pickled

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Seriously, how cute is this?  Baby Choux Base is a makeup base that Etude House claims to “creates baby choux skin with its moist inside and soft smoothness on the outside.”

The box and the jar are as adorable as the name, and comes with a spatula which is fantastic – hygiene is important for both skincare and makeup products!

The product itself is a light and fluffy soufflé, I picked up #02 Berry Choux as it’s suitable for pale skin.

Berry Choux has a fruity strawberry scent, which is cute but a bit too strong and too sweet for my liking.  It’s apricot in colour that looks a bit white to start with, but blends quite nicely with the skin tone.

On the face, it does a pretty good job of minimising the appearance of pores, and offers some coverage.  It leaves a velvet finish with a hint of glow.

However, this is where my praise for the Etude House Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base ends.  Although the texture is light and fluffy in appearance, when I rubbed it in there is a very distinct granule feel – so much so it feels a little scratchy on the skin.

I also found this product to be unsuitable as a base for powder foundations – my go-to Lunasol powder foundation looks patchy, cakey, and exacerbates the bumpiness of the acne  (how I wish my face will clear up soon >.<).  And as my powder foundation has a yellow undertone, it blends with the apricot colour of the base and gives a very unbecoming orange tinge to my face.

Summary:

I’m not sure if I got a faulty jar but I really don’t like the Etude House Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base.  The tiny powder granules feel scratchy on the skin, and doesn’t make a smooth base for powder foundations.  With some coverage, SPF 25 PA++ and a satin finish, I think it would be much better worn on its own, with a light dusting of translucent powder.  I would certainly do so when my face clears up, but for now, it’s into the storage drawer it goes.

Etude House Sweet Recipe Baby Choux Base retails for 11,000 Korean Won and is available in Etude House stores Asia-wide.  For non Asia residents please try reputable Ebay sellers.

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Name:  3 in 1 三合一

What it is:  The most common traditional Taiwanese breakfast consists of 燒餅 clay oven rolls, 油條 fried bread stick, 蛋餅 egg crepe, 豆漿 soy bean drink.  And my favourite way to enjoy them: ALL TOGETHER.

3 in 1 is made up of a clay oven roll filled with a thin spring onion omelette, and 1/2 of a fried bread stick.

Why I love it:  The clay oven roll is flaky and packed full with the aroma of toasted sesame seeds; the fluffy spring onion omelette, in Ross Geller of Friends’ words, acts as “the moist maker”; and the fried bread stick is just the right combination of chewiness and crunch.  I top the whole thing off with a cold soy bean drink.  High in carbs, high in calories, and so so high in satisfaction.

A 3 in 1 is the best way to start of the morning, and on the weekends, I enjoy it whilst watching my current favourite Chinese drama: The Legend of Zhang Huan

Where to get it: 永和豆漿大王 No. 102, Section 2, Fùxīng South Rd, Daan District, Taipei City.

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Breakfast is served from 5pm to 11am, so if you wish, 3 in 1 would also make an awesome midnight snack.

Incoming search terms:

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What They Say:

• Oil-proof, budge-proof, easy to use
• Removable with warm water
• Exclusive Japanese cotton tip
• Fine crystal powder

My Experience:

Solone Magic Tip Liquid Gel Eyeliner is in actual fact just a pen shaped liquid eyeliner, which dries to a matte finish.

The tip is quite sharp and a little too hard in the beginning, but softens with a couple of uses.  It’s pretty easy to use, and you can draw precise, thin lines with it, however personally I still prefer a brush tip.

To use, make sure to quickly shake the pen 7 times, to mix the crystal powders with the pigments.

The thing I like the most about this liquid eyeliner, is that it’s oil-proof so stays on all day long on my oily lids, yet removes in an instant with warm water.

This is just an awesome feature for a lazy person like me, as I no longer have to take extra time in removing my eye makeup at the end of the day.  All I need to do is go over my face with cleansing oil or cleansing water, then wash my face with a foaming face wash mixed with warm water – and voilà!  All makeup gone!

It’s also really convenient for travelling – as I don’t have to carry an extra bottle of makeup remover, cotton squares and cotton tips.  LOVE it!

Summary:

I really like Solone Magic Tip Liquid Gel Eyeliner and will definitely be re-purchasing it once finished!  It’s easy to use, quite pigmented and dries to a matte finish.  Most importantly it manages to stay put all day long on my oily lids in high humidity, yet removes without hassle.

It’s become one of my daily essential makeup items, and I loved it even more when I took it to my short trip to Korea a couple of weeks ago.

Solone Magic Tip Liquid Gel Eyeliner is available in 8 colours and retails for NT$199 (so cheap!).  Available on Solone Yahoo Store or Sasa Taiwan-wide.  For non-Taiwanese residents please try reputable Ebay sellers.

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Name: Stinky Tofu 臭豆腐

What it is: Fermented tofu that can be eaten steamed, stewed, char-grilled and most commonly and the best way, fried.  The fried version is served with Taiwanese kimchi, soy paste and chilli sauce.

Why I love it:  Stinky tofu is THE national dish of Taiwan, and Taiwanese people, including me, just love it!  When fried, it’s crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside.  The kimchi relieves the oiliness and adds a crunchy texture, and the soy paste and chilli sauce adds to the aroma and flavour.

It’s hard to explain the deliciousness of something that smells like old socks in sewerage, all I can say is TRY IT!

Where to get it: 家鄉涼麵 No. 46, Dànán Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City

By far the best stinky tofu I have ever tasted in my life!  Rather than chopping the block of stinky tofu up and then frying it, they put the whole blocks in, wait for them to go golden, cut each and every block in half, fry until golden, and repeat the cut-and-fry process for another 3 times.

Due to the long cooking process and its popularity, the wait can be VERY long (I have waited 40 minutes for my one small serve of stinky tofu).  I suggest going early on a week night, or when it’s raining as the night markets are usually less busy then.

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• lioele di shillin taiwan
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As lazy as I am, I still found the idea of an 8-step program intriguing, and with a trial set retailing at a tiny NT$198, I just had to give it a go.

The 3-day trial sets includes all 8 products:

Oil-in-Gel Remover (7g) / Silky Cream Foam (7g) / Relieving Foam Mask (8g) / Intense Hydrator (8mL) / Vital White Essence (3mL) / Cream20 (3g) / Milky Veil Lotion (5mL) / UV Dress Cream (1g)

1.  Oil-in-Gel Remover

My score: 1/5

A gel cleanser that incorporates 6 types of natural oils.  It cleanses makeup well enough for me, however I didn’t find it to emulsify completely, leaving a slightly greasy film on my skin that I dislike.  110g retails NT$2000.

2.  Silky Cream Foam

My score: 3.5/5

I don’t really care for foaming face washes, but sadly this is what the majority of Taiwanese women like.  However I quite liked this product, as it cleans without making my skin feeling dry afterwards.  110g retails NT$2000.

3.  Relieving Foam Mask

My score: 4.5/5

A foam mask that gets absorbed into the skin.  I have to admit that I was not committed to the program enough to do this as one of the steps, leaving it for a once to twice weekly treat like I do with other masks.  But I really love this product!  The foam is deliciously rich, and does a great job at revitalizing the complexion.  80g retails NT$4800.

4.  Intense Hydrator

My score: 3/5

A skin softener that hydrates the skin and prepare it for the products afterwards.  The texture feels more luxurious than the average drugstore hyaluronic acid fluids, but the results are quite similar.  120ml retails NT$2000.

5.  Vital White Essence

My score: 4/5

A thick-ish serum that absorbs nicely into the skin, making it supple and bouncy.  I also really like the scent – a subtle citrusy sandalwood fragrance that is lovely and soothing.  30ml retails NT$4000.

6.  Cream20

My score: 3.5/5

A moisturising cream that hydrates and leaves a protective barrier on the skin, yet is non-greasy.  The description on the Domohorn Wrinkle website says that this product effectively regenerates collagen in the skin, however the trial size of 3g did not last me long enough to experience such difference.  30g retails NT$5200.

7.  Milky Veil Lotion

My score: 2/5

A milky runny lotion.  I found it weird to apply a fluid after the cream, and have to say I don’t really like it.  Even without the cream underneath, this makes my skin looking and feeling oily.  100ml retails NT$2000.

8.  UV Dress Cream (SPF31/ PA++)

My score: 5/5

A tinted moisturiser that smooths the skin tone and provides sun protection.  I LOVE this product as it makes the skin look so glowy and healthy!  It doesn’t have enough coverage for hyper pigmentation, so suits those with already good skin, or team it with a good concealer and set with powder.  25g retails NT$2000.

Summary:

I quite enjoyed using the Domohorn Wrinkle 8-step program, and felt that the products definitely work better together than individually.  The 3-day trial kit actually lasted me about 5 days (except for the mask, which I only used a couple of times), and my skin felt healthier and more supple.

The stand-out products were the Silk Foam Mask, Vital White Essence, and UV Dress Cream, all of which I would be happy to incorporate into my everyday skincare routine.

HOWEVER, whilst the price for the trial kit is very reasonable, the full size products are extremely pricey – comparable to prestige brands such as Chanel.  So whilst I liked the results Domohorn Wrinkle delivered, it wasn’t drastic enough for me to shell out so much money.  I would say 1/2 or 2/3 of its current price points would be a fairer amount.

Domohorn Wrinkle is available online and via phone orders only.  For Taiwanese residents visit http://www.domohornwrinkle.com.tw Hong Kong residents visit http://www.dwrinkle.com.hk

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Name:  Ophēlie Shoes

What it is:  One of the shoe brands by S-Fashion Taiwan Co. Ltd.  In the store you can also find their other brands, Miss Sofi, Sonia and Princess by Miss Sofi.  Prices range from NT$3000 to $6000.

Why I love it:  All 4 brands in Ophēlie stores are fantastic in design and quality.  I absolutely adore their range of flats – they are comfortable AND available in a huge range of colours (pastel and neon flats? Ingenious!).  The boots are made of oh-so-soft leather, and they also have such a cute range of little girls’ shoes!

Ophēlie triplets!

I have Val and Shiz to thank for introducing me to Ophēlie shoes when they visited Taipei early this year, and for gifting me a pair of their boots for my birthday <3

Where to get it:

The main stores (that stock all four brands) can be found in Taichung, Taipei and Chiayi:

Below map contains the Taipei stores

View ophelie shoes in a larger map

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The rise of Taiwanese Beauty Bloggers

Almost all Taiwanese blogs are hosted on community websites, the most popular being www.pixnet.net and www.wretch.cc that have a dedicated section for the blogs that are hosted with them.  Readers can easily trawl through these blogs by selecting the relevant category that they’re interested in, as well as by popularity.

Without any experience on using these platforms, I can’t give an accurate account on how to gain popularity as a beauty blogger in Taiwan.  But my observation is that beauty bloggers can rise to the top very quickly (in a year or 2), and have common characteristics in that (i) they writing great contents consistently, covering not just beauty but fashion and lifestyle (ii) are pretty, young, and skinny and (iii) award their readers with prizes with every single blog post.  I also can’t comment on the longevity of beauty bloggers in Taiwan, though I do know that some use the popularity and money to build side businesses (publishing books, become professional makeup artists/stylists, celebrities, opening fashion stores).

How brands contact beauty bloggers in Taiwan

Whether done in house or using an external agency, Taiwanese beauty bloggers are contacted via email almost exclusively, which is stated on the header of their blogs.  There is no Twitter (Taiwan can access Twitter, but not many use it) or an equivelant social media platform, which I believe makes the first contact and subsequent relationship-building more difficult.

How much do beauty bloggers get paid in Taiwan?

By my estimate, there are probably about 100 or so professional beauty bloggers in Taiwan, and their rates range from NT$25,000 – NT$55,000 (USD$800-$1800) per post, equivalent to a month’s salary for the average Taiwanese.  Multiply that by an average of 20 sponsored posts a month, 12 months a year and yep, a mind-blowing yearly wage by any country’s standard!

Top beauty bloggers (I’d say there are about 20 or so) also charge additional fees for using their images on the brand’s website/social media platform even if it’s to broadcast the blog post (up to NT$3000 per image), and appearance fees to events up to NT$6000 with no blog coverage on the event.

Do they deserve to get paid that much?

Whilst I wouldn’t go as far as saying the price is fair, as from my point of view as a brand, I do wish it doesn’t cost so much to get my products featured on blogs every single time, it is, nevertheless, deserved (except for appearance fees at events, I’d never pay that).

Firstly, I have to say that the quality of the content by professional Taiwanese beauty bloggers are great; each post has in-depth review of the product, step-by-step how to use tips, before-and-after; all illustrated with high quality photos.  I really admire them for the amount of hard work they put in to each and every blog post; it is something I don’t think I can manage on a on-going basis.  See an example from my favourite Taiwanese beauty blogger here.

Secondly, the rate per post is by majority, based on the blog’s traffic, which is openly visible on the stat counter on their blogs.  On average, it’s NT$1.6 per visitor – meaning that a top blogger who charges NT$55,000 per post, rakes in over 30,000 visitors a day.  So in essence, top Taiwanese beauty bloggers are celebrities, so expect to be paid as so; and brands oblige as it is an astronomically high level of exposure.

What about the “un-professional” bloggers?

Of course, where there are a hundred beauty bloggers who blog for money, there are hundreds more who don’t.  Brands still work with those bloggers, as some are up-and-comers, and also to gain breadth of search results.

But since there are just too many bloggers in Taiwan to keep track of, and that the beauty blogging “industry” is so commercialised as a whole, there is BlogAD – where brands list the products they want reviewed, and unpaid bloggers register and apply for free products.

How does commercialisation affect blog content control?

To put it bluntly, brands control blog content in Taiwan to a large extent.  This probably is an unhappy or even offensive situation, but when such a large amount of money is being exchanged, you can’t blame the brands to want only favourable returns.

For unpaid bloggers that apply for free products on BlogAD – the brands dictate the entire content: number of words, number of photos, keywords to include, what photos to include, key messages, time of publish are all commonly dictated elements that the blogger needs to comply with, should she want to apply for the gig.

Top beauty bloggers, of course, have more say in their content.  Like all good beauty bloggers who get approached by brands, they only choose those that are of interest to them. If they have adverse/allergic reactions to the product(s), they will not write about it/them.  And where the brands can request what angles the post be written from, top Taiwanese beauty bloggers don’t have to comply.

However, should these top beauty bloggers and brands seal the deal (and there are official contracts) on said products, brands have the rights to review the blog post before publish. It goes without saying that, like unpaid bloggers, professional bloggers can also only post favourable reviews.  Brands can also request, within reasons, amendments to the posts so that the key messages they want are contained.

What about disclosure?

Almost every beauty blogger in Taiwan disclose – and usually in the heading or the introduction of the post, so that readers know up front that it’s a “collaborative” piece (ie. sponsored or products provided free of charge).  Whether this is a legal requirement or not I’m unsure of, but regardless of, credibility is important to both brands and bloggers, and neither party want to be seen as doing “under table deals”.

For the readers, as long as bloggers disclose, it doesn’t affect their opinion of the blogger or the products featured.  As long as the content and photos show the results of the product, readers are happy to trust the review.

Summary:

I believe there are big pros and cons to the commercialisation of beauty blogging (and other types of blogging) in Taiwan.  Whilst I do love the fact that beauty bloggers are recognised and paid for their hard work, I don’t love the fact that it inevitably affects content.

For me, blogging is and always will be my creative outlet.  I like being able to write what I like, when and how I like it, even on the occasions when I hit a wall (like for this post, which I’ve worked on for a couple of weeks ).  As a brand, I love working with bloggers so much more when I can build personal relationships with them, and have them write about my products because they actually really like them.

Again,  I need to stress that this is not a reflection on the ”future of blogging”, should blogging for money becomes the norm.  But I do believe this may provide some food-for-thought on how things may be, and think to yourself: is this what I’d like to be a part of?

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