Here is a quick review card on one my favorite products at the moment! Innisfree Aloe Revital Soothing Gel is a bomb product. Read on for the full review!
I have been on a search for a good Aloe gel since dropping Benton a while back, and I think I finally found one! Innisfree came out with a new aloe line earlier this summer, and I snatched one as soon as I could. I have been swimming a lot lately, and I always needed a quick moisturizer after, because the chlorine in the water really dries up my skin. I bought this for $8 on the offical Innisfree global site! It is great deal considering it is friggin 300 mL!
This tube is pretty huge at 300mL! I don’t know why I took the photo upside down lol.
This ingredients list is super stellar.The first ingredient is Aloe, which is great at soothing gel from burns and irritation. Madecassoside is a chemical compound derived from the Centella Asiatica that also helps with heal burns. We see more plant extracts such as tangerine peel and orchid which are known for brightening properties.There are NO ALCOHOLS in this product, which is rare for an aloe gel. ALSO NO ADDED FRAGRANCE!
Ingredients aside, this thing actually preforms amazingly! After swimming, my skin can get flaky,dry, and irritated from the sun (even with waterproof sunblock), but I have been using this after swim, and the dryness/flakiness is pretty much gone. I also use this an aftershave gel to calm my skin, and it is...dare I say, the best soothing gel that I have ever used. The texture is a normal gel, which if you have read my other reviews...is my favorite texture haha. It is not that cooling, but if you keep it in the fridge, it probably will be. While there is no added fragrance, it does have a VERY VERY light chemically scent. Or it could just be me. You can’t smell anything like 2 seconds after you put it on though.
Lastly aloe gels can be used in many ways...
PROS: Cheap + Huge Bottle + Great Ingredients (No alcohol or added fragrance) + Great Texture + Multiple Uses ( Hair, Shaving, Sun Burn, Light Moisturizer, etc)
CONS: It is moisturizing, but not enough as a stand alone.
Here is the review card I made again! I hope you guys like them. I’m trying to make quick visual cards for products so people don’t have to read forever to get that a product sucks/is amazing/is meh lol. I don’t know, I feel like my review style changes all the time haha.
Hey guys! I just got this neat skincare trial kit from Etude House a few weeks ago, and I wanted to give some quick impressions for those interested in the newly upgraded Wonder Pore line!
I have been traveling a lot this summer, and I have been using this nice trial set for the last two weeks! I have already used three products from this line: The freshner was not a good fit for me. The black mask was average, but their whipping foam cleanser was a great PH balanced cleanser that I really wish was included in this kit instead of the regular foam one. My experience with Wonder Pore products have all been hit or miss, and this kit is noexception. I think in general, this line is more suited for people who don’t have sensitive skin and are looking to build a starter routine.
There are 4 products in this kit: The Wonder Pore Deep Foaming Cleanser , Wonder Pore Freshner, Wonder Pore Tightening Essence, and the Wonder Pore Clearing Emulsion.
Etude House also included a product order picture inside:
Now let’s go from step 1 to 4! I’m testing out a new style for mini reviews, so hopefully ya’ll like it haha.
Review: Etude House Wonder Pore Deep Foaming Cleanser:
This is the first step in the kit: Cleansing! This is a typical Korean foaming cleanser with a high PH. When looking for cleanser, I recommend you get ones that are slightly acidic ( Below 7 ; 5-5.5 is ideal) as your skin PH is 5.5. This is avoid disrupting or damaging your acid mantle. Now, there are some benefits in using a higher PH cleanser (most are super affordable and they can clean makeup off too), but there are better options. Etude House actually has a GREAT PH balanced foam cleanser, the Whipping Foam Cleanser, that I recommend instead.
There are lots of floral extracts in this cleanser as with most korean cosmetics. There are lots of stearates here, which gives the cleanser it’s soapy consistency and texture.
This has a light floral soapy scent. It foams up very well, and it does leave the skin clean....tight...but clean. I used this once, and I did not enjoy the tight. I don’t know what else to say haha, but if you need a new brush/puff cleaner, this is an affordable option!
Review: Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner
Okay, I have tried this toner many times in the past, and I already have an opinion on it. This is a good toner if your skin can handle the alcohol content. It is the one product that everyone raves about, so it was hard for me to drop it, but in the end, I knew that it wasn’t a match for me. The reason why it is full in the photo is because I did not even bother. I’ll explain more in a bit.
Like I said before..alcohol content. It is the 2nd ingredient on the list! Yes, there are lots of soothing extracts and moisturizing ingredients, but I honestly do not think this is for people with sensitive skin.
The texture is very watery and easily soaked into a cotton pad. The scent has a sweet note to it, but also ends in rubbing alcohol smell. I feel like this is more of an astringent than a hydrating toner/booster. This will definitely remove leftover junk on your face after cleansing. Now, the reason that I am not fond of it is because it leaves my face irritated. I don’t really have sensitive skin, but it has left red patches on my face consistently. It applies wonderfully, but for me, it is a miss. On the Plus side, it is PH balanced, so I would definitive recommend you guys try a sample of this before ordering the full size, because from what I gather, it is very hit or miss.
Review:Etude House Wonder Pore Tightening Essence:
This is an interesting new essence. It claims to tightening and smooth out pores. The mini size comes with a nice pump nozzle, which I like lol. It is also PH balanced, so that’s good.
There are a few ingredients here that do back up some claims. There are various silicones in the list, which helps smooth out skin and fill pores. Once again, alcohol is high on the list. Fragrance is in the middle of the list, but I actually don’t think the scent is that strong.
The essence pumps out like a thick gel, which is a favorite texture of mine lol. The scent is similar to the rest of the line; light, floral,sweet. Does it work? Yeah, this actually does make my pores look smoother (thanks silicone!). This one didn’t irritate my skin like the freshner, so I will continue to use it as I do like how smooth it makes my nose. I do recommend that if you use this at night, to be sure to wash your face in the morning, because it is slightly sticky when applied.
Review: Wonder Pore Clearing Emulsion:
Wahhh, this is the last step in the kit and line! It is an emulsion (a light moisturizer) that claims to “ organizes pores with its fresh texture and light finish” (lol). What does organize pores mean haha? This is also kinda PH balanced. I think it is a 6, but it could be like 5.5 too. Sorry! I left my better PH strips at my apartment, so I had to make do with these crap ones D:!
This one has dimethicone as the 2nd ingredient, but less alcohol! Fragrance is the last ingredient, so that’s great too.
This has the consistency of a watered down cream..very light and spreadable. It smells the same as the rest, and isn’t as sticky as the essence. This is such a light moisturizer, that I don’t think it is enough for people who have dry skin, which I guess it makes sense since this line seems to be aimed for more oily skin types. I think this one is okay. I don’t think I will continue using this after my trial run since it is not enough hydration for me. Pore management wise, it also seems to smooth out my skin too, so plus.
So that’s it! The kit in general is a nice starter kit, but only if you have oily+alcohol tolerant skin. The only REAL miss was the cleanser. The freshner is not beuno for me, but I can understand why some people love it. The essence is the best out of all four products. The Emulsion is a little lackluster though.
Thanks for reading!
-Darien [PS. I know I have a lot of messages to go through haha. I will get to them soon!]
**This kit was sent to me for review by Etude House**
Etude House Pink Bird Unboxing [4 mini reviews+FOTD featuring my sister!]
You can purchases all these products from the official Etude House site!
SO without further ado..let’s get to the goods!
Here is what we got to try for this month’s box! We will do a mini review of each product below!
The box included:
Etude House Wonder Pore Black Mask
Etude House Precious Minerals Any Cushion pearl Aura in Natural
Etude House Play 101 Pencil in #44
Etude House Fresh Cherry Tint in OR201
..and now onto the mini reviews!
REVIEW: Etude House Wonder Pore Black Mask
This is a new addition to Etude House’s Wonder Pore line...which is just okay in my opinion. I did not enjoy the Freshner, but I know my sister actually likes the Wonder Pore Ever Primer.This mask is a new trendy black mask infused with charcoal. Ingredients wise, it has the classic Water+ Glycol + Glycerin Base just like 99% of all sheet masks so you know that it is going to be super hydrating. Alcohol is the 5th ingredient, so I would avoid this if you are sensitive to alcohol. Positives are that the fit is amazing and it has a pleasant smell that is not strong at all. It is hard to describe the scent, but I found that 5 minutes in, I couldn’t even smell the mask anymore (Fragrance is the last ingredient so that’s good). The mask also contains a bunch of floral extracts for brightening and hydrating, but nothing overly special.
As I said before, the mask has a great fit. I have a huge face, so being able to cover it all is already A+ in my book. RESULTS wise, it left my face hydrated and plump like any other mask. In conclusion, other than the novelty of a black sheet mask, this is not much better than the standard Etude House I Need You masks! Both masks are great though...just one cost twice as much haha. 3/5
Review: Etude House Pearl Aura Cushion in Natural + Comparison with the regular Any Cushion
So since this color is too light f me, my sister,Whitney, will be doing a guest review on these products with a FOTD! So from here, I will leave it to her!
This is the newest addition to Etude House’s Cushion Collection. It features a regular cushion but infused with many Pearl Aura Brighteners to give your face a super sparkly glow!
Compared to the regular cushion, the cases are the same thing.
The difference is...
the cushion itself!
The Pearl Aura Cushion has 6 highlighter spots to give your face some brightness. Compared to original cushions seen below.
The Cushion itself is nice and spongy. It has a cooling effect when used with the air puff.
The main feature is the pearl aura spots. A quick tip is to use a cotton swab to only get the pearl parts if you want a quick highlight. This seems like it would be great to save room in your makeup bag....since you have your foundation and your highlighter in one!
Here are the swatches (Darien was the swatch model, so excuse the hair HAHA). The Pearl Aura parts are actually a shimmery pink highlight while the cushion itself is a light-medium coverage bb cream.
The Cushion is nice. I was afraid since the pearl spots were not mixed with the bb cream, I would have patches of sparkles on my face, but when I blended it out..the results were pretty even! I decided to go with it and do a FOTD look featuring all the products from the box as well as my own Etude House products :D!
My product list is below!
I started with the Wonder Pore Ever Primer to hide all those pores! Then I used the Mint Baby Choux Base to remove the redness from my face. The star of the look, the Pearl Aura Cushion was next. I did some light contouring and concealing with the #4 and #7 Play 101 Pencils. Next, I did my eyeliner with the #44 pencil they sent and finished off my eyes with a pair of their Volume Lashes in #3. Lastly, I added some color to my lips with the Fresh Cherry Tint in OR201.
The effects of the cushion lasted pretty much all day. I retouched once, and it was super easy with the cushion. However, I do not recommend over applying or even reapplying often. You will become a sparkly white vampire. Unless you are going for that look..then go all out twilight!
In conclusion, while this comes off gimmicky, it is very convenient. I don’t think it will replace my regular highlighter or bb cream, but it is decent option when you need do your face quick! 4/5
To try and not try this on for forever, the next reviews are super short, sweet, and to the point!
Review: Etude House Fresh Cherry Tint in OR201
Whitney: This is a great color for those who want to change up from red or pink lips. It’s a very pinkish orange that smells like candy.
The color is vibrant on the lips as seen in my FOTD above and is decently moisturizing.
Darien is really bad at taking photos, but you can see the color pay off without and with flash below!
These tints are already one of my favorites and I have pretty much every color now haha! 5/5
Review: Etude House Play 101 Pencil in #44
Darien has already done a review on these pencils here if you like to read it!
These pencils are awesome! It is a bronzy metallic dark gold that glides on so nicely. I used this as my eyeliner and tear liner as well in my FOTD look.
One thing Darien forgot to mention in his review before is that these pencils come with their own sharpener at the end so you can get nice tip everytime. One thing to note however is that the sharpener does waste a bit of product :(!
The color is beautiful and it doesn’t budge well...which is great for eyeliners....but not so great when trying to use this as a multi purpose pencil for something like eye shadow as it doesn’t blend as well. PLUS it is kinda hard to remove.
I give this particular pencil a 3/5, because I love the lasting power and the color. I wish it blended easier and wasn’t such a pain to take off!.
You can purchases all these products from the official Etude House site!
Fresh Cherry Tints!
Pearl Aura Cushion!
Play 101 Pencils!
Wonder Pore Black Mask!
Darien: Hey guys! Thanks for reading this super long post! If you guys have any questions or comments, feel free to share your thoughts on these products!
Review: Innisfree Forest For Men Ultra All in One Cream
Review for Innisfree’s Forest For Men ULTRAman all in one cream!!!
Okay, so first off, sorry for not posting as regularly as I used to...school, life, blah blah....anyways I’ll try and be better u_u;;
ANYWAYS, I got this shiny new cream a couple months ago from the global innisfree site for $15
I have been trying to reduce my routine since I always miss the bus to school due to routine shenanigans. This cream sounded like it was perfect for me since it says “all in one”. Forest is Innisfree’s for men line, and this is the upgraded version of their all in one cream. I have been using Etude House’s Dust Cut Cream for a while now, but I felt like trying something else.
This is what Innisfree claims this cream does:
[ 5-in-1 Deep hydration cream for dry skin]
1. 5-in-1 skin care for dry skin : Dryness + tightness + Dead cells + Dry skin texture + Itchiness
2. Fast absorption without any greasiness and suitable for oily skin
3. Relieve stress by phytoncide ingredients of pine tree, cedar tree, retinispora tree from Jeju island.
WELL okay, let me first start off by saying that my skin is combination. My T zone is oily as ef, but my cheeks can be as dry as the sahara. This cream claims that it is intended for dry skin but is also suitable for oily skin, so I thought it’ll work. Mm...It does work, but I don’t think it’s as good as it could be. Let’s examine the ingredients and I’ll explain more later.
There are a lot of fruit and herbal extracts in this cream. These all emcompass what Innisfree claims to be their Juju Phytoncide (which from wiki are "antimicrobial allelochemic volatile organic compounds derived from plants". Pretty much they supposedly help fight off bacteria and other free radical baddies in the enviorment. The most notable ones are the tangerine peel (Brightening) and green tea extracts (Soothing/Healing). There are also a lot of silicone in this product (labeled in light yellow below), which give the cream that smooth glide on texture. I would avoid this product if you are sensitive to silicone. Propanediol is the second ingredient, which is used to make the product more viscous and “solid” so that it isn’t “watery”. Glycerin is used to draw water moisture from the environment and hydrate the outer layers of your skin. While I think the ingredients list is fine if you can handle silicone, I still think there are a lot of unnecessary stuff in formulation. A lot of Asian products do tend to put unnecessary amounts of herbal extracts, and this is not an expectation haha.Oh and it also has a small amount of lactic acid, an AHA chemical exfoliant.
The cream itself is like a mix between a gel and a cream ( think Mizon Snail Repair Gel Cream). It has a light fresh citrus scent to it, which I like. The good thing about this cream is that this stuff is pretty thick....I really only need a small amount for my face (and I have a big ass face). Also this thing is amazing at hydrating my dry cheeks. It really does smoothen out my skin.
The downside is that it obviously leaves the skin feeling shiny and greasy if you have oily skin. I don’t know if you can tell, but my T zone (nose and forehead) look incredibly shiny after I put it on, and it stayed like that for a good while. It also feels slightly sticky on your face, which is not fun.
So no, Innisfree, your #2 claim: “Fast absorption without any greasiness and suitable for oily skin” is not entirely true :/
I used this cream only on the dry parts of my face for a month now, and I am pretty sure I am not even 1/4 done. A little does go a long way. Overall I think I my skin texture has improved. It doesn't break me out and I like the scent. I will use up the rest of this, but I will not repurchase.
Pros:
Nice Scent (Light Citrus)
VERY hydrating
smoothens out skin
very nice texture
a little goes a long way
Cons:
NOT SUITABLE FOR OILY SKIN
greasy
lots of silicone
MEH product if you have combo skin
Overall, it was okay for me. I do recommend this if you have dry skin though. Oily skin people...avoid it!!
Hi guys! I've been getting a lot of good questions and while some I can answer privately right away, others the only way I can answer is to make a post on my blog. I don't want to spam it with Q&A's so I'm going to do these Q&A roundups once in a while! Also thanks for all the support too! -Darien
Etude House Play 101 Concealer Pencils #7,8,9,10 Review and Swatches
Here is a review on Etude House's Play 101 pencils. I got all 4 of the concealer colors to swatch and stuff, so if that sounds interesting to you....read on lol.
I got these from the official Etude House Global site for around $6 each, but of course you can always get them cheaper on TesterKorea or RoseRoseShop. They looked fun, so I decided to add them to a mask haul when they did free shipping and 50% off masks. I have around 200 etudehouse I need you masks chilling in my cabinets now haha.
6 didn't come, because he was afraid of 7.
Why?
Because 7, 8, 9.
So 10 took his place.
I'm not a makeup ingredients buff, so bear with me haha. I notice that are a lot of silicones in these products, which probably gives it that smooth glide on texture. Titanium Dioxide is present pretty high up there..I assume as a color agent? They don't specify that they have any spf, so I wouldn't expect much in regards to that. There is also coconut oil, which can be an acne trigger for some, so be careful if you're sensitive to that.
These pencils are twist ups with no fragrance. The product itself is very soft and creamy. These are matte and glide on very smoothly. They are about the size of regular pencil too.
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Cat Swatches of course. #7 is too light for me, but could be useful for concealing certain things I guess. #8, 9, and 10 are all really good mixing colors. A mix of #8 and #9 matches my skin perfectly, while #10 is a little more pink. My face is tad lighter than my arm, so it was a good idea to get a mix of colors to mix. So far, I am very happy with the colors.
These things are very blendable and will mix well into your skin. HOWEVER, once it's dry and been on your skin for a minute, it doesn't really budge, so work quick.
Now for a coverage test...on a bruise on my arm haha.
As you can tell, it covers decently...however it takes a bit of work. While the coverage is kinda build-able...it is really easy to make it look cakey. I tried my best, but it still looked bad. The bruise was near my elbow, so the area was kinda dry...and it looked it after the application. TBH I probably should have used something for color correction instead, but oh well. Oh also,the lasting power is pretty decent too. 5 hours later and I noticed it was still chilling fine as it was.
I give these a 3.5/5. They are affordable pencils and they come in many many more options. This review was based on them as concealers. The main issue is that it does accentuates any dry patches, so these are probably better for people with oilier skin. I think they are okay, but they do not layer well as they will get noticeable and cakey. However I am glad to find some good colors to work with.
My Beauty Diary Aroma Series Mask Collection Box Review
My Beauty Diary recently released this new Aroma Collection Box featuring three of their new aroma masks...and I found them at my local asian supermarket! Read on for in depth reviews of each new aroma series mask, as well as some bonus mask reviews in the collection box!
I found this at some random asian supermarket in Houston's Chinatown (Jusgo if you were wondering lol) a couple weeks ago. This was the last box that they had and it was $17! They were also selling the 10 piece boxes of the aroma masks as well. Not gonna lie, the packaging is what drove me to buy it...and well, I do not regret it one bit!
The box is so beautiful :')
Time to open the box!
There are 16 masks total.
5x My Beauty Diary Hyaluronic Acid Mask
5x My Beauty Diary Mexico Cactus Mask
2x My Beauty Diary Aroma Series Rose Brightening Mask
2x My Beauty Diary Aroma Series Citrus Firming Mask
2x My Beauty Diary Aroma Series Vanilla Moisturizing Mask
Now onto the aroma mask reviews!
My Beauty Diary Aroma Series Rose Brightening Mask:
The ingredients look the same as pretty much every other MBD mask. The main draw here is the Rose/rosewood oil and extracts here that make this mask smell like...roses! It's a pretty nice scent that lasts quite a while. There are an abundance of fruit extracts(citrus especially) that may call for some concern such as photo sensitivity, but they are in such small doses, and I really doubt you will hurting from them. If you're wary about that, then make sure you use these only at night lol. Other than that, everything is classic sheet mask greatness. Licorice extract is there for brightening the skin since this is a "brightening" mask.
These are soaked with essence!
There is a plastic backing to keep the mask in place/make it easier to unfold.
The mask is the same as a regular MBD mask. They are cut on the chin part...which I hate, because it makes that part always dangle off. These smell like roses. It can be a little in your face with the scent, but if you've tried a MBD before, you know that they are already pretty fragranced. I have never tried the regular rose MBD so for all I know, they could smell the same haha. As for how well this worked..they are great! My face was moisturized after and in the morning. There was no dry patches, and everything was plump! Awesome! I can't say it did any better at brightening than my fave black pearl, but it was still noticeable. 4/5
My Beauty Diary Aroma Series Citrus Firming Mask
This is pretty much the same as before, but with more citrus extracts and my train of thought is the same as before. If you want to be extra careful, use this only at night. There is also Licorice root extract here, but in a lot less dosage. There is also an added retinol, which makes this a "firming" mask. Retinol is a vit A that helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
I love the smell of this. This smells like orange flavored chewing gum. It's very mild compared to most MBD masks, so that is different. . The mask shape is the same as before. As usual, these are soaked in essence. This one felt great. So far my favorite of the two. I woke up with a nice glow again haha. Awesome. 5/5
My Beauty Diary Aroma Series Vanilla Moisturizing Mask
Same as the other ones except with added vanilla fruit extract. I have never really heard of vanilla used in skincare, but this is a moisturizing mask, so it really doesn't matter what they put in haha. All masks hydrate. The smell is more like a magnolia flower. It doesn't smell like cake or vanilla extract. The scent is actually very natural and not that artificial which I like. This was another moisturizing mask from MBD!
BONUS! Quick Regular My Beauty Diary Mask Reviews!
My Beauty Diary Mexico Cactus Mask
Other than obviously the cactus extract (opuntia streptacantha), which is supposedly hydrating, there is licorice root extract (brightening), as well as a crap ton of floral extracts (per usual from a my beauty diary mask) from seaweed to mullberry.
This has a sweet scent and it was very hydrating. Not much more to say, than it was better than average as far as sheet masks go!
My Beauty Diary Hyaluronic Acid Mask
This mask includes hyaluronic acid, which is great for moisturzing because it can retain a lot more water in weight. Not much else to say that hasn't been already said haha. I'm sure ya'll are already tired of reading the same ingredients list!
These are a reliable favorite of mine. They smell like the generic sweet mbd scent for those "flavors" with no particular scent like black pearl, pearl, arbutin, etc. This was a hydrating mask for sure, and definitely one of the better MBD masks! These do leave my face a little sticky afterwards, but it's all good....just pat it in or let it dry.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Wow this box collection is awesome. I got it for a great price too ($16.99 for 16 masks). The aroma masks smell great, but they are not much different from the regular masks, which shouldn't be a surprise since they cost the same. All in all, these are all solid masks, and I would recommend them to anyone who likes mbd masks. The heavy fragrance may be a turn off to some, but I find them to smell very pleasant, AND they work wonders for my skin. As you can tell, 95% of all the my beauty diary masks share the same ingredients, so if one works for you, it is a good bet that they all will haha. Of course everyone is different, so patch test if you want :). Overall these masks are about 4-5 out of 5 :)
Beauteque Head to Toe Bag: Milk Edition! Review and Unboxing
This is a new Head to Toe Bag from the Beauteque! This time the focus is on milk!
Beauteque is a US based company that has started rolling out bags similar to Ipsy and memebox with quirky fun themes. They sent me this bag to review and this month is Milk! It seemed promising so I was excited to get it! This bag costs $25 and should come with around 6-8 products. Is it worth it? Depends...on what you need.
This is the bag it came with. It's kinda of canvasy in texture and actually kind of large. It has the b/w plaid look to go with the theme. TBH it is kinda ugly lol, but it seems sturdy so that is a plus.
Here is a product sheet to give a quick overview of the items inside!
Product 1: Secret Key Milk Brightening Toner
This is a full size toner that smells pretty nice. I will have to put this on hold for a while before trying it out, but this is a great value and almost makes up the cost of the bag already! So far this is a highlight.
Product 2: Milk Wash Off Sponge
Well this actually could not fit in the bag, so it was left outside the box. The packaging is cute and the sponges are soft...but it doesn't really seem like it would be worth $10. At least it is usable.
Product 3: 3W Clinc Fresh Milk Mask Sheet
Ahh a mask sheet! I have actually never used a milk "flavor" mask yet (unless you count yogurt), so this was a cool find. The mask was a little thin with a moderate amount of essence. It was just okay. Personally I am not a big fan of this brand anyways. Also 3W Clinic is a pretty low end brand, so there is no way this is worth $3. [Ex. RoseRoseShop has a 10 pack of these masks for $2]
Product 4: Skinfood Wildberry Milk Cleansing Foam
I wish I got the green tea one, since I have tried this before and did not like it. I am not a big fan of the scent of this cleanser. I don't know what wildberries smell like lol. The scent is kinda like some kind of wheatgrass, random not that sweet flower kind of smell. This cleanser has a PH of around 7, so it's not exactly PH balanced. I'll pass on this one.
Product 5: Secret key Milk Whipping Hand Cream
This hand cream smells like baby powder, which is fine with me. Contrary to the name, the hand cream is like a thin lotion. No whipping texture :(!! I used this a couple times, and I actually really like it. My friend actually had dry cracked hands and said this helped.
Product 6: SkinFood milk Creamy Nail
Welp, this is kinda cool. The packaging looks like a baby bottle. I don't use polish, so I'll give this to my sis.
Product 7: Skinfood Shea Butter Lip Care Balm
This is not bad. It kinda feels like a Burts Bee lip balm. However, I prefer using Aquaphor lip repair instead, but I like leaving lip balms around the house so they are easily accessible...so this will come in handy haha.
All in all, this bag had 7 products, and has a stated value of around $65-85 dollars, but it is on sale for just $25. Comparing this to past bags such as the spa and mask bag, this is a little on the low end of usefulness for me. The products that were notable were the toner ($19), lip balm ($7), and the hand cream ($7.50)...everything else was less than meh. This bag, however is still a great value, and is pretty decent if you are just starting out with skincare, so that is who I'd recommend it to. If you're in it for the funsies, the stuff will probably not wow you, and I really doubt any of them will replace something in your routine if you already are using something.
***Also...If you liked these bags, Beauteque also has launched a sister site, Beautequemonthly that offers cool subscription bags. Here's a link to thatzxxxx.
The tube is actually a good size at 150ml. It will last a long time for sure.
I guess after the whole Benton fiasco, they added caution statements on this haha. I looked up some terms that may have been unfamiliar...because really Benton?
The ingredients list looks decent. There is potassium stearate, which is in a lot of soaps. I personally don't mind stuff like stearic acid, but I know some people do. There's some surfacents in here that help create a good lather and a bunch of floral/herbal extracts (Aloe, Lichen,Olive). It doesn't seem that bad to me.
However, the PH is around 8ish,which is a bit of a concern for people. Usually you want a slightly acidic cleanser so it doesn't disrupt your skin's acid mantle [4-5.5 is ideal for those who are cautious]
This thing foams up a lot quickly! The color is pearly and this is very common with products that is heavy with stearate..just like soap...
The cleanser smells like straight up cheap bar soap. Honestly, this is pretty much liquid soap foam. My face felt tight after I washed it, and I really didn't enjoy it other than foaming aspect. I used this for almost a week, and it didn't get better...so this is not going anywhere near my face again lol...
I got off Gmarket, but you can get it now on RoseRoseShop, W2Beauty, and Jolse...but uh...save your money.
This is a new US Based beauty box subscription service that curates Asian cosmetics at just $12/month! Is it worth checking? I would say so. Read more for the first unboxing & review!
When I heard about this new subscription box from Tracy of Fanserviced, I was sold on this affordable US based box. I paid only $12/a month so it is about the same as Ipsy or Birch, so I took the plunge and got a box. The lovely people at 3B were prompt to answering my questions and they shipped my box out the next day!
About the Box:
The 3B Box promises around 4-5 deluxe samples of various Asian cosmetics and skincare ranging from popular low end brands like Etude House to high end ones such as SK-II. Right now they do not ship ooutsidethe US, but they are looking into it! They just started a week or so ago, so I would probably let them get in their groove first before dismissing it!
The box came in sturdy white box with a 3B logo on it.
The box contains a purple pouch sack with the goods inside!
Info Sheet! 4 products for their first box!
Etude House Moistfull Collagen Kit ($4). These are 15mL each and I would estimate around $4 together, but honestly this is worth like a $1 haha. I've never tried this line before, but I guess I can now. On a side note, i really hate these types of sample bottles. They are hard to get any product out.
The Face Shop Herb Day Cleansing Wipes ($3)! This is $3 at my local FaceShop. It's useful and convenient. I've used these before and they're just okay, but it does the job.
This is a full size K-Palette 1 Day magic Liquid Eyeliner ($15)! This is a very popular drugstore eyeliner in Japan that can retail for around $15 in the states. Well this makes up for the box already! I don't use eyeliner, but I'm sure my sister would love this.
Nature Republic Nail Polish ($2) is the last product. Again,I don't use nail polish, so this will go to my sis as well haha. I know a lot people don't like polish (especially red polish) in their boxes, so this might make some people sigh haha.
Final Thoughts
The box costs $12 [shipping is included!] and the total value of this box is around $24, so it is not too shabby. You save a lot on shipping fees, it's actually a better deal. I am looking forward to when you can customize your preferences ala birch/ipsy so I don't get makeup or polish, but for now, this is a great box in regards to value!
To learn more about the 3B box, here is a link to their site!
Tea Tree is one of my favorite skincare ingredients, so I had a good feeling I would like this box! I wasn't wrong :D!
I came back from class and I had 4 memeboxes waiting for me! I should've gotten 2 more, but my innisfree bundle was canceled by memebox due to supply issues...boo. Anyways, here is quick unboxing for you guys! I will do the rest of the boxes as soon as possible too! Also I am testing out a new way of doing these unboxings by adding their card descriptions next to the products in photo form to make it easier!
What you see when you open the big pink box!
Product sheet 1
Product sheet 2
The first product is the Shara Shara Bee Tox Spot Cream ($15).
This is pretty interesting. I haven't tried much bee stuff besides Benton and Nature Republic, so I will definitely have to try this. I also needed a new spot treatment since the innisfree ones I bought were kinda lacking.
Product 2 is a DD'ell Moisture Facial Mask in Tea Tree ($7). Whoa...$7 for a regular sheet mask is kinda steep. I will try this since I love sheet masks, but the pricing is a little whoa.
Product 3 is the Purederm Tea Tree Pore Freshner ($24). Again, memebox tends to overvalue products...I do not see how this small toner bottle could be $24, especially since Purederm is a low end brand. This looks promising however, and I like the scent. So far, so good!
Product 4 is the Tosowoong Tea Tree AC-Control Soothing Lotion ($19). In my experience, tosowwong products have been pretty decent compared some other less known brands memebox has put out, so I am looking forward to trying this. I don't have an emulsion that I love yet, so here's hoping this could be it! It's light weight and smells decent, so good.
Product 5 is the Pro You Tea Tree Oil ($24). There is no way this tiny tiny tiny bottle is $24. I could go get a larger bottle at whole foods no less for way cheaper. However, I love tea tree oil, and sorry if this is tmi, it works really well for my body acne whenever I get it haha.
Lastly Product 6 is the Purederm Tea Tree Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes ($7). I'm not mad about this, I actually could use some haha. These would be great for traveling and using once in a while in a jam. probably not going to open them until I need to.
The total retail value or box value of this box was $96, of which I paid around $27? This is great box, because everything is actually either useful or interesting. Thumbs Up!
What are you guy's thoughts? Good, bad, meh? What products would you like to see a review on?
Yay, Memebox has finally released another "for him" box! It's been almost half a year since the last for men box, so I was really excited to get this. I made a video if you like watching those as well! Read more for the pics!
No GQ box anymore :(
It looks pretty packed :O
The info cards!
Family Photo
The Full Size product: Nexcare So Natural Mouthwash ( What the hell? Are you kidding me Memebox...?) ; Simply When Sheet Masks in Cosmic Calm and Snow Song ( Not bad, but I don't really see sheet masks as full size) ; The Faceshop Quick Freeze Wax (Looks decent, will be a while before I get to test it out though)
The friggin mouthwash
Missha for men sample kit! It comes with the first treatment essence and the science activator ampoule! A++++ for this, memebox! I have both of these in full size already, and these are amazing! They brighten, moisturize, and tighten your skin like no other. Pretty much Holy Grail status stuff!
Cleanser samples... Dr Young Anti Pore Syok Syok Gel Cleanser and Belif Manology 101 Facial Foaming Cleanser
The Belif one has a PH of 7, and the Dr Young has a PH of 4, so I would choose the Dr Young one. Both have pretty much the same lemonhead candy scent to it!
Zonskin Special Scalp Essence: Okay, for reals? What is this =_=
I guess I could use this since I do have itchy scalp issues sometimes, but still? This is so weird to put in this box for men, because I'm a guy, and I'd like to say that I am pretty in the know about skin/haircare, but I have never heard of something like this before.
This was an average box at best. Total retail is around 70ish dollars, so the value is there, but I mean, really... half of these products are not interesting at all. The past boxes had aftershave, hairspray, creams, and even CC cream!!!! What happened? :(
Review and Giveaway! Dr Oracle Snow Queen Enzyme Powder Wash!
This is one the newer trends in Korea! Powder type cleansers that start off as a chalky powder and turn into a milky wash! Read more for a in depth review and a giveaway at the end...or skip the review and enter here lol.
Disclaimer:This product was sent to me to review by GlowRecipe, online Korean Pop-Up Store, but the entire review will be unbiased and frank as usual!
CO2 and Powder cleansers are currently getting more popular in Korea, as they convenient to travel and use. I've never tried a powder wash before, so I was excited to see if this really the next new thing or just another cleanser. The Dr Oracle The Snow Queen Enzyme Powder Wash is a powder cleanser that states that it utilizes Carbonated water and papaya enzymes to remove makeup and impurities. A cool thing about this powder cleanser is that it can double as a scrub and cleanser depending on your water to powder ratio!
The powder itself looks like baking soda or you know haha...
Dr. Oracle proudly boasts that this powder wash is free of parabens, SLS ( sodium lauryl sulfate), mineral oils, and synthetic dyes. Of course, these 4 ingredients in particular are not necessarily bad unless you specifically have an issue with them, but it is comforting that Dr oracle is using more natural ingredient sources, so props to ya. The list is also very short, which is generally a plus.
This powder wash contains sodium bicarbonate, or in other words, baking soda. Now baking soda by itself is too alkaline for the skin and can disrupt your acid mantle. However, this powder wash is acutually PH balanced! When you add a 1:1 powder to water ratio, the PH of the cleanser is around 5.5, which is a great PH for the skin, so that surprisingly checks out!
Now Dr Oracle also boasts about it's papaya enzymes to exfoliate your skin. This is where it gets sketchy. Papains ( papaya enzymes) are enzymes that DO exfoliate your skin, however,they are limited to the effects. When adding just a few drops of water to the powder to form a scrub, the enzymes activate with the water to exfoliate your skin. So it is a mixture of a scrub and a chemical exfoliant!
This powder has no smell to it, which I like. You can use this in two ways as I mentioned earlier. With a few drops of water, this becomes a really gentle scrub...or with a 1:1 powder to water ratio, you get a slightly bubbly cleanser. Performance wise, the scrub was actually really nice and hydrating. It was very gentle and did not strip my skin of moisture. The cleanser was the same. I did not get the dreaded tight face you get from a bad cleanser. So far so good!
Now as for removing makeup, I decided to do some swatch testing! Sorry ladies, I don't have access to lipstick or eyeliner, so I could only test with concealer and bb cream. This cleanser really does the job at removing simple face makeup! I only washed for a few seconds and all trace of the products were gone! I would still double cleansing anyways to be safe.
All in all, this powder wash is not a must have new innovation, however, if you're looking for something convenient that does the job, you should consider it! It is on the pricier side of cleansers at around $25, but this product will last you longer than a tube of regular foaming cleanser. You only need a small amount of powder to work with.
There is really nothing wrong with this product, but other than the added convenience factor of the powder, there is nothing that special either.
. If something does what it is meant to do and doesn't break me out, I love it. This is a great cleanser & exfoliator combo that I would recommend to people who want something gentle and travel friendly! 4/5
You can get this powder wash at Glowrecipe.com for $25! But the lovely people at Glowrecipe gave me 2 extra washes to give away to my readers!
To enter this giveaway, click here (or the image below) to go to the rafflecopter page!
Contest is Over! Winners have been emailed! Congrats to
This is a marker for your hairline! So basically hair concealer! Ooooh
I picked this baby up about half a year ago, but I haven't had a chance to use it until a couple weeks ago when I found it again. I have a pretty large forehead, and this is supposed to let your draw your hairline and fill in empty spots. Sounds too good to be true right? Ehh...it kinda is.
The cap is where all the product is in, so you need to screw the cap on to refill the brush.
Could not find the ingredients lists online at all, but from other similar products, it most likely contains silicone, and mineral color pigments such as iron oxides.
swatch for ya'll
Okay making it a marker may appear to be convenient, but the issue is that the long stick with the felt tip is just an applicator...as in the actual product is inside the cap! This means you have to screw it back on every time you need more product...which is OFTEN! This thing is not pigmented at all. You get like a few strokes in, and then the color is gone and you have to rescrew it back in...
Anyways, you guys like the results, so here they are.
I wanted to lower one side of my forehead and push my sides forward, so I drew on those areas on my hairline.
It is not as obvious in person, and it does look quite natural in person...the main issue is that if you have hair on a spot, and you want to make it look fuller by putting color on it? Forget it. This stuff won't work if you have hair on the area. Honestly I think using black mineral/powder makeup with a brush would be better. TBH, this was a disappointment. This is pretty much a shitty dark grey eyeshadow.
1/5
I'd say if you want a real hairline enhancer, just get something like toppik or xfusion. Better coverage , easier application, and looks better too.
I bought my Holika Holika Wonder Drawing Hairline marker from BeautynetKorea for $9
This was something I picked up from my Innisfree global haul a few weeks ago. It is a pretty expensive mask at $5 excluding shipping, so it better be worth it! I'm always looking for something that will brighten up my complexion, especially since I feel like skin gets duller in the winter.
The packaging is standard Innisfree...Very no nonsense and gender neutral.
This mask is special because of its "second skin material". All this really means is that is supposed to stick to your face as if you were wearing another person's skin! Crazy!
When you first open it, the masks looks weird. There's actually two pieces of plastic mesh sandwiching the actual mask! You have to remove one side's mesh and put the mask on your face , and once it is on your face, you remove the last layer on the outside. It is supposed to be very hygienic since your hands are not touching the actual mask.
This was after I used it, of course! As you can see, there are two mesh holders and the actual mask itself.
mesh closeup
First glaring thing you notice is the alcohol in it, which is not generally bad, but if you have sensitivity to it, you should reconsider this mask. Same goes for the silicia.
What's unique is that this masks features a couple cool extracts, such as soybean, Chinese plum, and lotus. Soybeans are generally used for its anti aging abilities, and the plum and lotus extracts are not commonly seen in cosmetics, so that's neat. There is lactic acid in here, but it is so low on the ingredients list, I think the exfoliating effects will not be seen.
All in all, a very average list with some common irritants.
This mask is very thin. It is a very thin hydrogel (I think the term is bio-cellulose mask) that really does adhere to your skin, so it lives up to its name for sure. The nose part was a little too small though...or maybe my nose is too big lol. There was a very light scent that I can't recall. It wasn't nasty though. Anyways, while this mask is a hassle to put on, has an average ingredients list, and does not fit my face perfectly, it does deliver in results! I don't have a before pic, but I noticed my face was noticeably brighter ( not whiter- brighter). I had a good glow, which I have never gotten from a hydrogel mask before. I had no irritations to the mask, and I left it on for around 30 minutes. The effects were visible for the rest of the day, and I was pretty happy with it.
The fit was kinda off though. The shape didn't allow it to conform to many spots especially my nose and between my eyes.
While it did work, there were too many off putting issues with this mask, that will make me not want to purchase it again such as the ill fit, hassle of using the mesh, price $$$$, and the whatever ingredients list.
I would suggest you try it if you want to try a hydrogel out or just need something light to toss in your shopping cart, but i would not go out of my way to buy this again. 3/5
Stay tuned! I have some wayyy more interesting products coming up to talk about!
