[Benton] Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream Review

 

Hello, my lovely beauties! Today I’m coming to you with a review of Benton Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream which I bought and tried quite a while ago but didn’t have time to publish the review fo it (I know, it’s just the matter of one click on the ”Publish” button, but what can I say- it just happened). So, without any further ado, I present you with my humble opinion on the cream from one of the most popular Korean skincare brands.

 

About the product

According to YesStyle website, the cream is meant to do five things: moisturize (without clogging pores), regulate oil-moisture balance (make the skin glow without looking greasy), repair damaged skin, whiten and provide anti-wrinkle benefits (fade fine lines and nasolabial folds). It is also recommended for acne-prone and sensitive skin as it’s formulated with mild, non-harmful ingredients.

The Benton Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream takes its ”Steam” name from the way its combined ingredients were treated- high-temperature steam is injected into the mixture to stabilize it. It also contains Bee Venom and Snail Secretion Filtrate, hence the part ”Snail Bee” in the name.

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Ingredients and Texture

Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Behenyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Palmitic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Carthamus Tindorius (Safflower) Seed  Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Ulmus Campestris (Elm) Bark Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, sh-Oligopeptide-1, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Carbomer, Urea, Arginine, Adenosine, Bee Venom, Pentylene Glycol, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Polysorbate 20, Lecithin

 

The good:

• most of the ingredients are rated green meaning they’re safe to use (the only exceptions being Tocopheryl Acetate, Urea and Polysorbate 20 which have a yellow rating)
• contains many skin-beneficial ingredients such as the staple Snail Secretion Filtrate (anti-aging and promotes wound healing), Sodium Hyaluronate (hydrating), Niacinamide (brightening and anti-aging), Arginine (increasing hydration and collagen production) and Adenosine ( soothing and skin-restoring)
• as well as quite a few plant-derived oils (e.g. Jojoba Seed Oil and Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil) that help with skin moisturization and can provide anti-oxidant benefits
• the cream also includes a number of plant extracts such as Plantago Asiatica Extract and Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract that provide the skin with a range of different benefits
• sh-Oligopeptide-1 in the cream which is meant to increase the rate of healing and renewal of the skin as well as slow the thinning of aging skin, thus minimising wrinkles, and Bee Venom that is supposed to even any existing wrinkles, acting as a non-invasive sort of botox

 

The bad:

• as already mentioned, there are a few ingredients which can be deemed as somewhat safe (yellow rating)
• although the oils in the cream are meant to benefit the skin, according to Skincarisma, they (Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Carthamus Tindorius (Safflower) Seed Oil and Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil) can also trigger a fungal acne
• as well as some other ingredients- emulsifiers (Palmitic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Myristic Acid)

 

 

 

 

 

In terms of texture, the cream is white and thickish but spreads and absorbs pretty well, but needs to be patted in as it is viscous. leaving a thin moisturizing layer. It’s moisturizing but doesn’t leave any uncomfortable tackiness and layers up with other products as well.

 

 

My thoughts

 

I bought this cream to deviate from the moisturizer I was using for years and years. My skin is very dry and sensitive so a good moisturizer is a must in both my AM and PM routines. And I used physical sunscreens as well so my moisturizer not only has to be very gentle but also has to layer up well with my sunscreen (if it doesn’t, then I’m left with visible white streaks all over my face). So I was looking at products from brands that offer good quality, rich products well-suited for sensitive skin. And I found Benton. I decided to go for a toner (Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner) and the Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream which I’m reviewing right now. I will review the toner in due time as well.

So what are my thoughts on the Benton Steam Cream?

When I applied it for the first time, I was worried it would break me out as it seemed too heavy, too thick. But I was positively surprised. It spread incredibly well and although it needed patting in to fully absorb, it didn’t leave my skin sticky or feeling overwhelmed by the richness of the cream. Its scent wasn’t overwhelming either- just a slight pleasant scent which I can’t even compare to anything.

In terms of effectiveness, the cream was moisturizing enough to cope with my dry skin but maybe too rich for the season during which I was using it- summer. I believe it would be better suited for the winter season. But although it felt a bit too rich for summer, it didn’t break me out, didn’t cause any other skin problems and layered up well with my sunscreen. However, apart from good moisturization, it didn’t do anything additional to my skin. Yes, the ingredients list was great, with all those skin-beneficial ingredients including Snail Secretion Filtrate, Niacinamide and sh-Oligopeptide-1, but it didn’t do much to my fine lines and a few wrinkles I already have. Nor did it brighten my skin. So, a big let down.

To sum up, Benton Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream is a very good moisturizer (especially for the winter season) that works well with physical sunscreens. But apart from that, it didn’t turn out to be as effective as it is marketed (at least on YesStyle) AND the tube is quite small for $15 (50ml)- after a discount. I finished it quite fast so in the long run, I’m not sure whether I’d like to spend so much money on a cream that just moisturizes well. There are other good moisturizers that I can buy for a much lower price.

 

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[A’pieu] Icing Sweet Bar Sheet Mask Review

Hello, my lovely beauties! And many, many apologies for such a long period of absence. I had a few things going on in the past two months that totally knocked me off my feet and I had to work hard to pull myself together. As many of you may know, I lost my only and very close grandmother and my mom was diagnosed with cancer a month after that and had a surgery fairly recently. Please, pray for her. 🙏

Due to the circumstances, I went silent here, on my social media and with skincare, sticking just to the basics. But I finally managed to get back to enjoying skincare and writing about it and so here’s a review after over two-month absence.

I tried this A’pieu Icing Sweet Bar Sheet Mask fairly recently (well, yesterday) so the review is as comprehensive as I could get it. And, obviously, very honest. I hope you enjoy it.

 

About the sheet mask

According to the packaging, the sheet mask is designed to provide the skin with hydration, to make it brighter and more translucent. It’s made of Tencel fabric (cellulose) that is meant to adhere to the skin well. The serum the sheet is soaked in (and it’s soaked really generously, with the serum dripping when unfolding the mask) is transparent and watery. The ingredients of the sheet mask’s serum are listed below (matching the ones on the product’s label).

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, Sea Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-yuen Seed Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethicone, Arginine, C12-14 Pareth-12, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance

 

 

My thoughts

So, after a short introduction to the product, let’s move into what I think about the sheet mask. First, the appearance. Can I just say how cute and yummy-looking the packaging is? After the first short glimpse at it, it made me want to eat it straight away and, when I finally opened it and smelled that delicious citrusy smell, I suddenly felt like I’m in the middle of the summer, somewhere on the beach, eating an orange fruit salad. Such a reinvigorating and pleasing smell!

The packaging was relatively easy to crack open (on the picture above you can see how clean the tear is- it was really easy to tear it apart) but unfolding wasn’t as much. The sheet was quite thin and so well-soaked in the essence that I had to do it over the sink not to spill anything on the carpet. But the dripping of the serum is always a good sign- it means the sheet mask won’t get dry quickly and you can easily enjoy that 20 or even 30 minutes relax with the mask on.

When I finally put it on the face, it adhered quite well but the cut wasn’t one of the best- my under eye area wasn’t covered at all because the cut was too small. The rest of the face was thoroughly covered with minor creases due to the imperfect cut but that wasn’t too bothersome to me.

I left the A’pieu mask on for 15 minutes. After I removed it, I tapped the remaining serum into my skin. It left a slightly tacky feeling but that too was bearable and I could put on my moisturizer after a few minutes without feeling I’m overwhelming my skin.

Now, let’s go back to the ingredients because this is something I pay close attention to when I use any skincare/beauty product. But particularly skincare products. All of the ingredients of A’pieu Icing Sweet Bar Sheet Mask are very safe (according to CosDna), apart from Fragrance which to some people may cause adverse skin reactions. It also contains a silicone (Dimethicone); however, although some people may be allergic to silicones, they don’t tend to cause/worsen acne nor do they seem to clog pores, unlike some popular beliefs claim.

Aside from that, the sheet mask is full of wonderful ingredients. It’s got Betaine (a gentle hydrating ingredient), Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid derivative that also acts as a potent hydrating ingredient), 9 plant extracts, including Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Fruit Extract and Citrus Junos Fruit Extract (both providing the skin with vitamin C), Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract (anti-inflammatory properties), Panax Ginseng Root Extract(boosts skin hydration, diminishes rough texture, helps fade uneven skin tone, and help visibly improve wrinkles by working within skin to bolster its natural firmness), Aloe Leaf Extract (soothes the skin) and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (potent antioxidant properties). The vitamin C delivered by the first two plant extracts helps to reduce the discolouration and brightens the skin. Additionally, Allantoin and Arginine, both act as great hydrating ingredients while boosting collagen production (Arginine) and increasing skin smoothness (Allantoin).

 

So, what were the results? My skin definitely looked healthier and more hydrated. It was bouncy, smooth and happy. 🙂 However, I didn’t notice any brightening effect or maybe there was one but I’m used to seeing better effects with a more potent vitamin C serum from Purito (the review will be coming soon). I was expecting something more but I guess you can’t get much with just a single use and such a vitamin C concentration. Anyway, I did enjoy this A’pieu Icing Sweet Bar Sheet Mask not just in terms of the packaging and its aesthetics but also in terms of the hydration and the healthy look it gave me. It’d definitely recommend trying this mask, if you have a chance. Or maybe you already have tried it? Let me know in the comments. 😉

 

 

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[Bellflower] Hibiscus Anti-Aging Serum Review

 

I haven’t posted a review of a serum for…. God only knows how long. Ages, it seems. So I’m coming to you with the review of this Bellflower Hibiscus Anti-Aging Serum. I received this product from Bellflower’s founder for review purposes but even though I got it from the brand itself, all opinions in this review are mine and only mine. So, with that being said, let’s jump to the review!

 

About the product

 

Bellflower is a rather unknown brand as it’s fairly new on the market. According to their website, they’re a brand that provides products which are intensive solutions to skin problems with an emphasis on ”naturalistic ingredients of EWG safety grade not including artificial scent and colors” and the ”necessary quantity of ingredients” rather than their number. And all that with a packaging that is simple and eye-pleasing.

When it comes to the product itself- the Hibiscus Anti-Aging Serum– it is a serum that aims to contribute to making skin healthy, elastic, moisturized and smooth. The health and elasticity of the skin are meant to be aided by Adenosine, Hibiscus Flower Extract, 7 type complex of Peptides and Collagen, while the moisturizing and smoothness effect is meant to be achieved with the help of Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Acorus Calamus Root Extract. That’s the only information on the serum’s packaging. On the official website of Bellflower, there’s a bit more information on the product (you can also buy it from there, just by the way) so if you’re interested, you can have a look. However, I’ll use some of the information from their website below to address the ingredients and texture so you won’t miss much.

So! Let’s proceed to the ingredients, my favourite part of reviewing skincare products.

 

 

Ingredients and Texture

Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Arginine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tremella Fuciformis (Mushroom) Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Caprylyl Glycol, Wheat Amino Acids, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Natto Gum, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1

 

So. The good and the bad. Let’s go.

 

The good:

• the ingredients in bold are the ones mentioned in the product description above (the ”staple” ingredients) and all of them are in the product, which is a big plus (I’ve seen products which claimed to have/not have certain ingredients and the ingredients list was showing something different)
• contains Adenosine (supposedly there’s 0.04% of it in the product) which has proven anti-wrinkle benefits (makes the skin look younger and smoother) and Hibiscus Flower Extract (there’s meant to be 15,000 ppm of it in the product, according to the serum’s packaging and the Bellflower’s website) which contains AHAs (gently exfoliating acids), and a powerful antioxidant in the form of vitamin C, helping the skin look fresher, healthies and more evenly in tone. Plus, there’s also Niacinamide (2% in the product) which helps to brighten the skin.
• contains 4 types of peptides (especially copper peptides) that encourage collagen production helping the skin stay elastic (as we age the amount of collagen in the skin diminishes)
• contains Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice that has soothing and antioxidant properties, as well as Acorus Calamus Root Extract that’s meant to smooth and help to moisturize the skin
• there are also a variety of other skin-beneficial plant extracts (e.g. Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract) and oils, such as Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil which has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties
• there’s no artificial colouring or artificial fragrance
• almost all ingredients are green-rated on CosDna meaning they’re safe to use on the skin

 

The bad:

• it contains essential oils and while some of them are beneficial to the skin, others such as Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil can make the skin oversensitized; CosDna yellow-rates Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil and Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil in terms of safety, so although they have the potential to provide the skin with benefits, at the same time they may result in negative effects on the skin
• there are two ingredients which have a rating of 1 (the lowest but of some significance nevertheless): Butylene Glycol for acne and Carbomer as a skin irritant
• there’s Hydrolyzed Collagen in the serum which, although it doesn’t have any negative impact on the skin, it doesn’t bring in much either- collagen particles are too big to penetrate the skin to reach the underlying structures and stimulate the new collagen production

 

 

 

 

When it comes to texture, it’s very runny (almost water-like), pink-ish (sometimes it looks more reddish to me) and has quite a strong citrusy smell. It seems to be due to the Lemon and Orange oils mixed with other oils (Lavender, Basil and Clary) so it certainly doesn’t come from any artificial fragrance.  The serum absorbed super fast with every application, even faster than my essence which is more watery. It also didn’t leave any sticky feeling so I could easily apply my moisturizer on top of it.

 

 

 

 

My thoughts

 

I got this serum over a month ago and for a month I’ve been wondering what actually are my thoughts on it. As much as I love the ingredients list that is packed with skin-beneficial ingredients (especially peptides!), I haven’t seen any significant difference in my skin since I started using it. The only noticeable change I noticed is that my skin felt thicker. After a month there’s been no change to my wrinkles either (yes, I do have wrinkles despite my age) but maybe I’ve had too high hopes. Or maybe a month hasn’t been enough for the serum to show its full potential. I’ll keep using it and maybe when more time passes by I’ll see a difference to my wrinkles and will update this review.

As for now, though, I can voice my full thoughts on other features of the product. I love how fast the serum absorbed every time and didn’t leave my skin tacky. It’s quite runny and spreads very well and so one or two drops were enough to cover my entire face. It comes with a small pipette which makes it very easy to get the product out and the bottle itself is made of glass which ensures the ingredients stay stable. I already mentioned that, but I’ll say it again- I’m a big fan of the ingredients in this serum (although some of them may have a negative impact on the skin, such as some essential oils). I’m a dry and sensitive skin type but I haven’t experienced any negative effects.

Overall, I do like this Hibiscus Anti-Aging Serum from Bellflower. It had positive effects on my skin: moisturized it well, made it thicker and more radiant. However, what I counted on the most when I started using it was an improvement to my wrinkles. It hasn’t done much to them but I’ll continue using the serum and I’ll continue having hopes- maybe after two months of using it I’ll finally notice some changes.

 

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[MEDIHEAL] DNA Proatin (Aquaring) Sheet Mask Review

 

This month it’s Mother’s Day (at least where I come from) and I got this lovely Mediheal  DNA Proatin (Aquaring) Sheet Mask from my dear mom. She knows how much I love Korean skincare and whenever she sees something ”Korean” in the beauty sale, she buys it for me, God bless her (best mom in the world). But don’t worry- I sent her something for Mother’s Day too and she knows how much I love her. So by no means I’m mistreating her. As for the sheet mask, let’s jump straight to the review.

 

Claims

What is this mask supposed to do? Now, here, the back of the packaging of my sheet mask got damaged (don’t ask how, please) so I’m going to use this website’s description of the mask:

This Mediheal Defence: Natural Aquaring system with DNA Mask is made of bamboo cellulose and feels extremely soft and smooth. It is a Creamy Serum mask that creates a protein water lock screen to lock the moisture into the skin. The emulsion provides deep hydration without being sticky. It helps to recover the damaged skin barrier and improves its function to keep the moisture into the skin.

 

And because that tells me little (just that it’s hydrating without being sticky and repairs skin damage, but oh well, don’t most, if not all, sheet masks do that?), I found another website and looked at its product description as well:

Moisturizing, Whitening, Wrinkle Care Effect Creamy Serum Type: Creates Proatin water lock screen to lock the moisture into the skin.

Recover[s] damaged skin barrier and improves its function to keep the moisture into the skin.

DNA and various moisture ingredients give tired skin nourishment and nutrition. PT CELL sheet with friendly material bio and nano technology slowly lift[s] the face line.

 

 

Okay, now, both of those descriptions make me confused. The first one with its ”protein water lock screen” and the second one…well, the whole description is confusing as, apart from referring to the same ”protein water lock screen”, it also mentions PT CELL sheet (God knows what PT CELL actually is), DNA (is it talking about the DNA as in human DNA, that is, genetic code?!) and ”nano technology that slowly  lifts the face line” (hmm… what nano technology?). So what did I do? I kept looking for a third website, thinking, ”third time lucky”. So I found two websites, each of them helping me to understand the things the sheet mask is supposed to do better:

 

Website 3:

Mediheal Defense Natural Aquaring Proatin Mask restores moisture to your skin and keeps it hydrated. This blue package one works on moisturizing. It contains DNA ingredient, amino acid and collagen which can greatly and deeply replenish your skin. Proatin is made by protein and amino acid which strengthen your skin barrier. This enhances skin’s firmness and glossiness. Clearfit Mask can easily fit your face and stick on it. It helps absorption and lifting.

 

Website 4:

• DNA = Defense Natural Aquaring Proatin Mask (Defense : Natural Aquaring system with DNA)

• Main Functions: Moisturize water gloss, Whitening , Anti-wrinkle,

• Recover[s] damaged skin barrier and improves its function to keep the moisture into the skin

• Moisture protein mask prevents moisture loss with moisture barrier.

• DNA and various moisture ingredients give tired skin moisture and nutrition for vital skin care.

• Gives glow for moisture soft skin enhancement.

• Major ingredients: 19 Amino Acids, Peptides, DNA, Hyaluronic Acid, Aqua-Seal, ceramides, sodium hyaluronate, aquaxy – Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol / Xylitol, Sodium PCA

 

So, I’m still a bit confused by all those descriptions, but what they all seem to have in common is that the Mediheal  DNA Proatin (Aquaring) Sheet Mask is supposed to:

1. lock in the moisturise in the skin to keep it hydrated
2. enhance the skin’s appearance and make it glossy
3. recover the skin’s barrier

It possibly has also face lifting, whitening and anti-wrinkle properties but those are clearly stated in just one description (lifting in two). And the DNA seems to be an acronym (Defense Natural Aquaring) but the description that says that also adds ”Defense : Natural Aquaring system with DNA” just to make me even more confused. Help! How can you use genes in a sheet mask? That baffles me.

However, I’ve got the gist of what the mask is designed to do, so let’s proceed to its features and performance.

 

Ingredients and Texture

Ingredients: Water, Methylpropanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Althea Rosea Flower Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Xylitol, Betaine, Squalane, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Panthenol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Jojoba Esters, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Allantoin, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Behenic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Capryl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Adenosine, Stearic Acid, Tromethamine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Myristic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, DNA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Ceramide NP (Ceramide 3), Phytosphingosine, Tocopherol, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Valine, Threonine, Proline, Isoleucine, Histidine, Methionine, Cysteine, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caffeine, Xanthan Gum, Stearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum)

 

This ingredients list is quite long so I’m not going to talk about all the ingredients in detail as it would take AGES and I’m not an ingredient expert so some of those ingredients don’t tell me anything because of, well, lack of knowledge. But I’m going to list points about the ingredients of this sheet mask that I think are worth highlighting:

• it contains a skin brightening ingredient (Niacinamide) that is very high up in the list, meaning, there must be quite a lot of it in the serum (or emulsion rather, due to its thick consistency)
• it has the following anti-ageing ingredients: Niacinamide, Adenosine, Ceramide, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Peptides
• it contains healing ingredients such as Arginine, Allantoin
• as well as moisturizing/hydrating ingredients, for instance Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Squalane (also anti-ageing) and Xylitylglucoside
• and plant oils/extracts such as Althea Rosea Flower Extract and Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, also high up in the ingredients list;

 

I also underlined ingredients that are the amino acids as one of the descriptions mentions them. They ”maintain skin’s hydration, texture, resilience, and an overall supple, healthy appearance” and they work well with ingredients such as Peptides, Ceramides and Hyaluronic Acid (all of them present in the emulsion).

Overall, based on the ingredients list, the Mediheal  DNA Proatin (Aquaring) Sheet Mask certainly has a highly moisturizing, skin barrier restoring (healing) and anti-ageing potential. Some of those ingredients are supposed to repair the skin, some of them make it more resistant to ageing, some of them hydrate/lock in the moisture to keep the skin plump. And there are quite a lot of them, the majority being safe and effective in what they do. So the sheet mask is a real bomb in terms of active ingredients which is a big plus.

 

In terms of the texture, the sheet of the mask is white and quite thick. According to one of the descriptions, it’s made of bamboo cellulose and is supposed to fit the face (”Clear Fit Mask”) and stick to it properly.

The serum itself was rather thick, white and very… hmmm… heavy. It was more like an emulsion than serum although the second name of the mask on the packaging says ”Creamy Serum Aquaring Mask”. Why couldn’t they just call it ”emulsion” instead of ”creamy serum”?

Also, what it worth adding, I struggled to open the packaging itself. You can see the evidence in the picture below- it took me ages to rip that thing apart.

 

 

 

My thoughts

So now, it’s time for the performance review. Let’s start with the performance of the sheet mask while I was wearing it.

First, as I already mentioned, the packaging was hard to open (I struggled to open it for 5 or more minutes- it just didn’t want to open) and unfolding the sheet mask was also a challenge. When I finally opened the packaging and unfolded the mask to put it on my face (dirty job) it didn’t adhere very well and the fit was horrible (as you can see in the pictures above). The upper part kept sliding hence the noticeable bubble between my eyebrows. The poor fit resulted in the sheet mask almost getting into my eyes (I tried to pull it as high up as I could on my face to adjust it for the lip area) and my upper lip was totally covered (I don’t think that was the designer’s intention, but I may be wrong of course). I definitely didn’t enjoy those 20min of having to re-adjust the sheet mask to keep it in place and it was quite annoying to have something slimy on my upper lip. It was really uncomfortable to wear. So the claim that the sheet mask is an easy fit and adheres well is definitely not worth believing in.

When I finally took the sheet mask off it not only took a bit to absorb in but left a sticky and heavy (again) feeling on my skin. I don’t like emulsions in general as they usually clog my pores and give me break outs and this was the first time I sheet masked with a mask that was so thick both in terms of the material’s texture and the texture of the… liquid. As for the results, I feel like it did lock in moisture in my skin but not in the right way. It felt too heavy on my face yet I had a need to apply a moisturizer and that was definitely too much for my skin. I didn’t get any zits but I just had this uncomfortable feeling and my skin was shouting ”that’s too much!”. I didn’t notice any difference to my wrinkles (yes, I have some at the age of 23- due to my past experiences) and my pimple scars weren’t diminished so no whitening effect. I also didn’t experience any ”face lifting”. Was my skin more glossy? No, I didn’t notice anything like that.

What I did like about this Mediheal DNA Proatin (Aquaring) Sheet Mask, though, is that it did make my skin firmer. When I touched it it was incredibly bouncy and I don’t know if that will make any sense but my skin felt thicker.

I probably won’t repurchase this sheet mask anytime soon. It’s got an amazing ingredients list (full of wonders, indeed) and it made my skin firmer and more bouncy. But it didn’t fit my face well, didn’t adhere well either and was too heavy for my skin. I still think, though, that this is a good sheet mask to have in your stash. This mask will be my go-to when my dry skin feels extremely dry as I feel it wouldn’t have left such an overwhelming feeling if my skin had been more in need of hydration.

Would I recommend it? Possibly yes, but maybe not for oily skin. But every skin is different so if you have oily skin and already have this sheet mask, just give it a go- it may very well work for you better than it did for me.

 

Thank you for reading the review, luvvies! Before you leave, here are just two things I’d like to add:

1. The photos were taken by me and are copyrighted.
2. If you’d like to have your review of a k-beauty product/store featured on the website as well, just send me an email on email.kbeauty.reviews@gmail.com. I’ll be more than happy to publish it here! The more reviews, the merrier. 

 

PS. The sheet mask does contain DNA! And I still don’t know what to think of it…

 

 

 

[SNP] Jeju Rest Marine Water Mask Review

AUTHOR: BLUE

IF YOU LIKE THE REVIEW, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE K-BEAUTY RELATED STUFF.

Disclaimer: The photos were taken by the review’s author.

If you’d like to have your review of a k-beauty product/store featured on the website as well, just send me an email on email.kbeauty.reviews@gmail.com. I’ll be more than happy to publish it here. ^.^

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SNP Jeju Rest Marine Water Mask Review

 

 

I found this SNP Jeju Rest Marine Water Mask in TKMaxx the other day and I contemplated for a few days more whether I should buy it. It cost £1.99 and I already spent a lot that week and I just didn’t know if I’m prepared to lose another couple of pounds. Doesn’t seem like a lot but when I start overspending, then it’s really hard to stop. But! Nobody knows how long it would be available for in TKMaxx so I bought it the same week with no regrets.

What follows is the review of the sheet mask. But if you don’t have time to read it all here’s the main takeaway point: If you have a constantly dry and, in addition to it, sensitive skin, then I feel like I can highly recommend this mask for restoring the hydration to your face and peace to your soul.

 

Claims and Directions for Use

According to the packaging, the sheet mask is to provide tired and dry skin with relaxation and Jeju’s fresh nature (I thought nature is always fresh?) so that the skin rests and feels comfortable with it. This moisturizing mask contains marine mineral of Jeju seawater and quenches dry skin by forming a moisture membrane.

Okay, that didn’t make any sense to me, so I jumped to a website that sells it to see what they claim the mask does. According to this website that sells it, ”SNP Jeju Rest Marine Water Mask is a moisture replenishing mask that forms a moisturizing barrier on dry skin and keeps it fully hydrated with the marine mineral effect of Jeju seawater”. Now, that speaks to me better. So it should hydrate well. Does it? That’s to be answered later in the review. First, how to use the sheet mask, its ingredients and texture.

 

How to use:

1. After cleansing and toning the skin, place the mask on the face, centering around the eyes and the mouth.
2. Leave on for 10 to 20 minutes, then remove the mask.
3. Gently massage the remaining essence into the skin.

 

Ingredients and Texture

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Methypropanediol, Sea Water (1,000mg), Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Sprout Extract, Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract, Arctium Lappa Seed Extract, Locinera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Andrographis Paniculata Extract, Propolis Extract, Forsythia Suspensa Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycereth-26, Arginine, Carbomer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Disodium DTA, Glyceryl Acrylate/ Acrylic Acid Copolymer, PVM/MA Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance

 

When I initially saw the ingredients list of this sheet mask, I hesitated whether to buy it. I always try to avoid products which contain oils, Castor/Mineral Oil in particular. But in this case, although present, Castor Oil is one of the last ingredients on the list and the amount of it is most likely minuscule. Additionally, there’s Propylene Glycol (safety rating according to CosDna- yellow 3) and Fragrance (rating between green and yellow) but both of them feature at the end of the ingredients list, just like the Castor Oil. When I conducted the full analysis of the ingredients, I was positively surprised because apart from those three, everything else was super safe (all the safety ratings were green), largely non-irritant (apart from Carbomer that was rated as 1, but which is actually really low) and non-acne causing (apart from Butylene Glycol which had a very low rating of 1). When you look at the ingredients list it becomes clear that the vast majority of the ingredients is safe and, what’s more important, beneficial because there are a lot of plant extracts (Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Sprout Extract, Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, to name just a few), Propolis Extract (which is good for soothing, healing and balancing the skin), Sodium Hyaluronate that moisturizes the deeper layers of the skin, Arginine (boosts collagen production) and the staple Sea Water from the Jeju island which is one of the first ingredients on the list. The Sea Water is full of magnesium (alongside other minerals) which helps with moisture retention in your skin and diminishes skin issues (I guess that’s what ”quenching the dry skin by forming a moisture membrane” refers to in the description on the packaging).

In general, I really liked the ingredients in this sheet mask and I’m glad I wasn’t put off by that Castor Oil, phew.

 

In terms of texture, there’s nothing on the packaging that says what the sheet of the mask is made of. However, I found this SNPcos.us website which seems to be one of the main SNP products distributors and claims the Jeju Rest Marine Water Mask is made of porous pulp fabric with special air pockets that hold the essence in the mask for longer so that it can penetrate the skin without the sheet mask drying out. It’s also designed to smoothly wrap and strongly adhere to the skin. Which it actually did, as you can see in the picture above. It adhered exceptionally well and didn’t dry out much after 20 mins.

The mask’s essence itself wasn’t anything unusual- its texture was somewhere between the consistency of water and gel- less watery than water but more liquid than a gel therefore easy to spread but also easy to spill. There was enough essence to keep the sheet mask fully soaked but not enough to use it the following day on its own.

 

My thoughts

 

I loved this sheet mask! And I’m starting to love SNP. For my dry and tired skin, the sheet mask was a fully hydrating and soothing experience. It left my skin moisturized, better-looking and so smooth. I couldn’t stop touching my face! After I took off the mask and the essence was fully absorbed by my skin, a light film formed on my face. Initially, I thought it may be the remnants of the essence but after an hour the film was still there. I started worrying that my pores will clog because of that and after the first ”wow” effect of the sheet mask I was going to dismiss it as one of the disappointing products. But then I realized my pores were fine (no clogging whatsoever) and the film helped to keep my skin hydrated long after I removed the mask. I was curious how long it would last for so I didn’t apply my moisturizer after using it for about 2 hours. And although the film slightly diminished it was still there and my skin was still super smooth and well moisturized. After two hours I had to leave the house so I applied my moisturizer but I feel that if I’d left the film on its own overnight I’d have woken up with my skin still feeling the effects of the Jeju Rest Marine Water sheet mask (I need to add that when I applied the moisturizer I feared it might’ve been too much for my skin and I was expecting a few pimples. But somehow, the moisturizer worked well with the mask and nothing like that happened).

Overall, I think the mask does what it’s claimed to do- it strongly hydrates the skin with the ingredients being largely safe, non-irritant, non-acne causing and, of course, effective. It moisturized my skin very well for a long time, didn’t clog my pores, didn’t break me out and resulted in a generally very positive experience. Therefore, when I see another SNP sheet mask, I’m definitely going to buy it! …And maybe a few other SNP products as well.

 

 

 

[Mediheal] Mask Dress Code Violet Review

Author: Blue

If you like the review, you can follow me ON INSTAGRAM for more k-beauty related stuff.

Disclaimer: The photos were taken by the review’s author.

If you’d like to have your review of a k-beauty product/store featured on the website as well, just send me an email on email.kbeauty.reviews@gmail.com. I’ll be more than happy to publish it here. ^.^

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Mediheal Mask Dress Code Violet Review

 

 

When I sheet mask, I usually do it in my night routine which I then end with a sheet mask and skip the moisturizer. I skip the moisturizer because most of the sheet masks I’ve tried so far were so sticky and so… heavy that putting an extra layer on top of the shield that the sheet mask had left seemed… a little bit too much. There have been, however, a few masks that I liked a lot and deviated from that tendency because they were not only effective but also light (and non-sticky). This Mediheal Mask Dress Code Violet (I tried the Red one as well with the same effect) is one of those masks that I can follow with a rich moisturizer and my skin loves it. But let’s dive into the details.

 

Claims and Directions for use

The sheet mask ingredients make it a toning-regenerating sheet mask. It is supposed to brighten, regenerate and restore the skin’s pH level.

To use the mask:

1. Cleanse the face and neck, apply a toner and place the sheet mask on the face
2. Stretch the sheet towards the ears and upwards to adjust it to your face shape
3. Put the remaining essence from the packaging onto the neck and pat it in delicately
4. Leave the sheet mask on for 20 mins and after removing, pat in the remaining essence onto your face

 

 

Ingredients and Texture

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium DTA, Panthenol, Trehalose, Betaine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Olea Europeana Fruit Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Ginko Biloba Nut Extract, Methylparaben, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Beta-Glucan, Allantoin, Triethanolamine, Polysorbate 80, Adenosine, Fragrance

 

In terms of the ingredients, the sheet mask seems to have its pros and cons.

Pros: 

• lots of botanical ingredients- extracts (e.g. Hamamelis Virginiana Extract), water (Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water) and juice (Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice) that are nothing but beneficial and skin-friendly. According to CosDna ratings they’re not irritant, don’t cause acne and are super safe (top green satefy rating)
• one of the first ingredients on the list are Sodium Hyaluronate and Hydrolyzed Collagen which keep the skin moisturized (Sodium Hyaluronate) and contribute to its elasticity (Hydrolyzed Collagen) making it plumper and more wrinkle-resistant
• the mask also contains other beneficial ingredients such as Panthenol, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Allantoin and Adenosine that help to fight/prevent the signs of aging

 

Cons:

• it contains a few ingredients that aren’t considered too safe such as Tocopheryl Acetate (safety rating 3- yellow), Triethanolamine (safety rating 5- yellow) and Polysorbate 80 (safety rating 3 again). Triethanolamine can cause acne
• contains a paraben (Methylparaben) and Fragrance

 

 

Unfortunately, the packaging doesn’t say what the sheet mask is made of but my guess would be it’s a cotton sheet. It comes with printing in the shape of a carnival mask which is made of materials that don’t cause allergic reaction nor do they discolour the face. The essence in which the mask itself is soaked is transparent liquid a bit thicker than water but it’s easy to spill nevertheless (which I already did). Its fragrance isn’t overwhelming but very discreet and actually pleasant. I can’t really compare it to any fragrance as it doesn’t remind me of anything.

 

My thoughts

 

I generally like Mediheal sheet masks and this Mask Dress Code Violet didn’t disappoint me. It’s got a ingredients list full of wonders which do wonders. I did notice a significant difference after using it and I already did it a few times. Every time the effects were the same- my face looked a lot healthier and noticeably brighter (not significantly brighter, however, as I’m already pale but it did made my pimple scars less noticeable). My skin was also much more elastic and softer. The essence from the sheet mask absorbed super quickly and didn’t leave a sticky or heavy feeling so I could top it up with my daily moisturizer. The end effect was a fully hydrated, healthier-looking skin that I couldn’t resist to touch. There’s the abundance of the essence as well which lasted me for two more days so even though I threw away the (cotton) sheet itself, I still could enjoy the mask’s benefits for two more days.

The downside of the mask are a few ingredients that are potentially unsafe for the skin (such as Triethanolamine or Polysorbate 80) and made me a bit concerned. But they were further down the ingredients list, so their amount in the essence must’ve been scant. Methylparaben and Fragrance also made me a bit suspicious of the mask but when I saw it didn’t contain Alcohol (yaay) or Mineral Oil (yaay) I decided to give it a try. And I don’t regret- I’ve already repurchased it.

Would I recommend it? Definitely. But make sure you use a moisturizer afterwards, especially if you have naturally dry skin like me. The mask is brightening/regenerating, but it’s not moisturizing enough. So a good moisturizer on top of that and you’re ready to shine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FROM NATURE] Age Intense Treatment Essence Review

AUTHOR: BLUE

Disclaimer: The photos/videos were taken by the review’s author.

If you’d like to have your review of a k-beauty product/store featured on the website as well, just send me an email on email.kbeauty.reviews@gmail.com. I’ll be more than happy to publish it here. ^.^

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FROM NATURE Age Intense Treatment Essence Review

 

 

I’ve wanted to write a review about this essence for a really long time now but I kept postponing it, god knows why. It’s such a wonderful essence that I can’t stop blaming myself for not writing anything about it for so long. But instead of saying anything more now, let’s jump straight to the review.

 

Claims

The packaging is mostly in Korean (apart from the front of it and the list of ingredients) so I can’t really tell what the producer’s claims as such are. The only thing the packing says is ”Wrinkle Repairing & Whitening for the first step of skin care” so my wild guess would be it’s supposed to help with wrinkles and brighten the skin.

What does the website I bought it from say? Well, I’d love to tell you but they sell it on and off and now apparently they stopped selling it. I’m sure it’ll return to the online store but at the moment, as I’m writing this review, I can’t access the product’s description from their site. Accessing descriptions from other sites isn’t that easy either as they either don’t have them (online stores) or they are in Korean (eBay). So let’s just embark on the short but fortunately in English product description from the packaging. The essence helps with wrinkles and brighten the skin.

 

Packaging

As in the picture at the beginning of the post, it comes in a reddish colour (don’t ask me what kind of shade of red it is- I’m really bad with colours) that seems to be checkered and with a slight shine. The glass bottle in which the actual essence it looks like this:

 

It’s a kind of a ”frosty” glass so it’s partly transparent and you can see how much of the essence I have left. I bought it in mid-November 2018 and I still have so much left despite using quite a lot of it in my PM skincare routine every day. So it’s really efficient. The packaging itself is also very good as it’s glass and glass is less reactive than plastic meaning it’s a better storage material for chemicals than plastic. And of course, we all want our ingredients to work to the best of their capabilities and the glass bottle ensures the chemicals in the essence don’t react with anything as long as it’s properly stored (no direct sunlight and the lid is airtight). The downside of that packaging, though, is that it’s heavy. And heavy things cost more to ship, especially from Asia. But everything has its own price, right?

 

Ingredients and Texture

Now comes my favourite bit. The ingredients list is just wonderful. And it does wonders. Here’s the ingredients list taken from CosDna that corresponds to the ingredients list on the packaging which you can see in the video above.

Although the list is not long, almost all the ingredients are super safe and beneficial for the skin. Take for example Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate which is the first on the list meaning it’s the ingredient that is the most prevalent in the essence. So although I’m not proficient in Korean, I suppose the 95.7% refers to the amount of this ingredient in the essence. Moreover, surprisingly, water isn’t the next ingredient on the list. It’s Niacinamide which helps with evening the skin tone, lessening the appearance of wrinkles and skin dullness among others. Adenosine helps with skin smoothing and Sodium Hyaluronate with skin moisturization. And there are also a few plant-derived extracts that are skin friendly. The only ingredient that doesn’t excite me is Phenoxyethanol that has the yellow safety rating but it’s relatively low on the list and the benefits of the essence far exceed my worries about Phenoxyathanol’s potentially harmful effects. However, what it worth mentioning is that the FROM NATURE essence is paraben-, sulfate-, alcohol- and silicone-free.

 

When it comes to texture, the essence is really watery. It looks like water and behaves like water. The downside of it being watery is that sometimes I spill the precious essence on the floor because I can’t contain is on my palm. The bright side is that it absorbs really fast without leaving the skin very tight or too sticky. It makes my skin feel moisturized but still ready to take on more stuff such as a moisturizing cream.

 

 

My thoughts

So what are my thoughts? I LOVE THIS ESSENCE! One of the best skincare products I’ve tried in my entire life. It absorbs really fast but doesn’t make my skin sticky or so tight that I’m afraid if I smile it’ll leave permanent wrinkles around my mouth and nose. It’s a good mid-skincare product as it moisturizes but still leaves room for more products to be used. And the ingredients list….simply amazing. It’s got all the wonders-doing ingredients that help to fight wrinkles (or prevent them), even the skin and make it generally look better. And they actually work. After using the essence for about two weeks I noticed that my skin became much much softer and plumper. The skin tone is super even and if I have a really bad pimple that leaves the scar, the scar’s colour fades away really quickly. I have very few wrinkles and they aren’t that noticeable so I didn’t see much of improvement there but I noticed my skin became more elastic and although I’m going through a lot of stress (I’m telling you, because of that I’m aging 5 times faster than other people) I haven’t noticed any bad changes in it since I started using this product. People even started telling me I look much younger than I actually am. T^T  I know this product works for me and I’m not surprised why- it’s all due to the ingredients that it contains.

To put it simply- the FROM NATURE Age Intense Treatment Essence is…precious.

And worth purchasing! I already bought another bottle. Although because the first one has lasted me for 4 months already and I still have a lot of it left, I suppose I won’t have to buy another essence for at least a year from now.

 

Have you tried this product? If so, let me know in the comments if it worked for you!

 

 

 

[Etude House] Fix and Fix Primer – Mint Review

AUTHOR: kkochsongi

THIS REVIEW ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON HER BLOG HERE IN May 2017.

Disclaimer: The photos were taken by the review’s author.

If you’d like to have your review of a k-beauty product/store featured on the website as well, just send me an email on email.kbeauty.reviews@gmail.com. I’ll be more than happy to publish it here. ^.^

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Etude House Fix and Fix Primer – Mint Review

 

 

Primer is something I use pretty much every day and I’m usually one for a brightening one to help my rather dull skin look a bit healthier. That combined with a nice bright blush seems to give me a healthy complexion that I’m frequently complimented on. Thanks to Etude House, I was able to try a colour correcting primer for the first time in January in cushion form and I was quite happy with the results so I was more than excited to try a different form of the product. When asked which colour corrector I would like I chose Mint because I suffer from redness in my face and redness that increases as the day goes by. Etude House’s Fix and Fix Primer shares its shades with the cushion (aside from the strobing one is changed up for one that seemingly acts similarly to the Benefit Porefessional). But this time it comes in a tube form and a liquid-cream formula.

 

 

The packaging of this product is very sleek and the fact that it’s mint green as well bodes really well with me (I’m gonna say this a million times but it’s my favourite colour!). I love minimalist pastel packaging and this is nice and compact to take about in my bag with me.

 

 

As this is a tube, the product is squeezed out as expected and when it comes out you will notice the mint green is a very pale mint green and from what I have been able to see it is very similar if not the same shade as the cushion, so I was expecting the same result from it other than the application may finish differently due to not using a cushion to apply this time.

 

 

A lot of people when talking about the colour correcting primer from Etude House have mentioned a white cast on their skin as a finish. While this is true, and something I mentioned before, I actually did a bit more research on Korean blogs and articles into it to see why it does. Korea’s beauty trend has always tended to feature pale, flawless skin, but more recently, there’s been some acknowledgment that it can be difficult to achieve for some people with issues such as redness, dark spots or dullness of the skin and those with more tanned skin. Whitening skincare and procedures have been used regularly for a while, but these products are for the initial instances of skin troubles rather than skintone*, so the usage of what they call “tone up” make up (such as this primer) is becoming more popular to meet with this trend. So this pale white skin is obtained using a primer that creates a white cast and then is covered with a BB cream or foundation, then accentuated with a combination of a bright or soft lip colour. This is of course for those that want to follow this trend that a lot of celebrities are showcasing and has been quite a popularised look in Korea.

 

Because of this, I don’t see a lot of issue with the white cast for myself because I myself am already pale so this helps accentuate that. My only real issue is that because it is a green shade, it takes the warmth out of my skin which then comes back when I add my BB/Foundation on top, so this definitely isn’t something to wear by itself!

 

I’ll showcase here the difference in my skintone. I’m actually quite happy with the condition of my skin at the moment asides from my scars, so there aren’t a lot of visible issues but you can see some redness to the cheeks and to the nose area, these tend to be the parts that I suffer from redness the worst especially when the weather is either really hot or cold. Applying the primer does take a lot of the redness away but you can see quite clearly that my skin loses it’s warm yellow tone to it (and you can see that tone remaining on my neck where it wasn’t applied).

I have found using this, that my skin doesn’t go as red as it normally would throughout the day. This is the same result that I found previously with the cushion. I think I prefer this tube style over the cushion as I find it’s simply easier to apply with my fingers and I also know how much product I have remaining (as cushions do absorb some amount of the product that’s put inside). Would I buy this again? Possibly, I want to try the colour correcting sticks from Etude House as well at some point and see how the two in combination work. I’m actually going to take this primer with me when I go on holiday to Spain in two weeks, so this will be going on top of sunscreen to protect my skin and hopefully reduce any redness in my face with the heat!

 

What are your views on colour correcting products? Have you tried any of Etude House’s? Which shade do you think would be necessary for you?

*This is taken from my research on the topic and I’m hoping I haven’t worded my sentences in regards to skintone in a way that may upset anyone, as I feel I’m not in a position to go too into detail in regards to any tone other than my own. If I have worded things poorly, please let me know.

 

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[Mizon] Multi Function Formula All in One Snail Repair Cream Review

Author: The Empties Diaries

This review originally appeared on her blog here. You can also follow her on Instagram here.

Disclaimer: The photo was taken by the review’s author.

If you’d like to have your review of a k-beauty product/store featured on the website as well, just send me an email on email.kbeauty.reviews@gmail.com. I’ll be more than happy to publish it here. ^.^

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Mizon Multi Function Formula All in One Snail Repair Cream Review

 

 

In today’s review, I will be talking about a veritable cult favourite: Mizon’s snail cream, or, as it is also known, Multi Function Formula Snail Repair Cream. As far as I can see, this is available online only. I have trawled quite a few blogs in both Korean and English, and even their company site, as far as I can remember, only delivers online. This, of course, can be tricky for those of us who would much prefer testing a product in person before buying.

EDIT: The company contacted me to advise that their products are also available through a store called Village 11 Factory, Sinsa, Garosugil. I have not personally been to this store, so if you have been, please share your experiences in the comments.

This retails for KRW39,900 last time I checked locally, though Mizon frequently puts these babies on sale. I remember purchasing them for about a manner (KRW10,000, roughly USD 9) in the past.

What it is

This cream is housed in a dark brown glass jar and comes with a protective plastic lid. To be honest, the packaging could be improved on. A pump would be much better suited to this product in my opinion, as the cream is quite runny and would lend itself to pumping or using a different kind of dispenser.

The cream is a translucent white gel cream.

How it applies

Due to its slightly gelly, viscous, slimy texture, this goes on very smoothly and spreads easily.

How it smells

Of pretty much nothing. Perhaps a slightly playdoh-y scent that does not linger and is non-intrusive.

How I felt about it

This is not meant to replace your regular moisturiser, it is meant to go UNDER your moisturiser according to Mizon. A lot of people seem to be confused by this concept. This is not meant to replace the last step of your current skincare routine – it goes on after toning. You then follow up with serums, moisturisers, oils, sleeping masks and the like. This is how I used the snail cream, too: I would tone first and then follow up with moisturising serums, essences, moisturisers, oils (evening routine) or sunscreens (morning routine).

When I was still using the cream, this was helpful in managing my acne and reducing overall inflammation. I did not find it to be very moisturising and thought of it as a treatment product for acne breakouts. It did indeed work very well when used in this manner, as my breakouts were reduced while I was using it.

When I first started using it, I saw the best results from a single product that I had seen in a long time; breakouts were reduced and future acne sort of went back in itself.

Final Thoughts

I would consider repurchasing this in the future. I just wish it were accessible instore somewhere, as I actually do not like online shopping. I also wish that it were a bit more hydrating. This was fine when I was in my mid-20s, however now that I am fast approaching 30 and my skin is getting a bit drier, this is slightly drying at this point in time. For now, I am using up different products and am focusing more on hydrating ingredients and moisturising skin care.

[Lioele] Water Drop Sleeping Pack Review

Author: Jojo (howdoibeauty)

This review originally appeared on her Instagram profile here.

Disclaimer: The photo was taken by the review’s author.

If you’d like to have your review of a k-beauty product/store featured on the website as well, just send me an email on email.kbeauty.reviews@gmail.com. I’ll be more than happy to publish it here. ^.^

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Lioele Water Drop Sleeping Pack Review

 

A little #TextureTuesdaybefore the night is over 🙃
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Happy to report that @sokoglam Best of K-Beauty Picks have never failed me 👏👏👏
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Picked up this @lioele_official Water Drop Sleeping Pack a while ago and have been using it intermittently in between my other overnight masks but used again this week because I’m back on the road and have to pay more attention to my skin’s hydration levels 💧
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First of all, LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL BLUE COLOR 😍 literally enough to make me fall in love haha ❤ I like that when I bought it the tube was sealed. Such a small thing, but makes me feel so much more confident in the freshness of the product when I receive it 😅
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There is a very slight, fresh fragrance which I don’t mind at allll 😊 The texture of the product itself is a lightweight oil-free gel that reminds me of the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask or the Mizon Good Night White Sleeping Mask. It applies a little viscous…not thick, but with a type of retentiveness to its texture, if that makes any sense 🤷‍♀️ But that viscosity quickly turns into a more watery substance on your skin as it gets absorbed whaaaatttttt haha but actually you can visibly see the gel changing into moisture droplets! 😯
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I usually apply a little more when using overnight masks but still the product gets absorbed quickly and there is no sticky residue afterwards. In the morning when I was my face I do feel like I am washing off a layer of product, but I don’t mind it because 1) it’s not at all heavy, 2) my skin feels so smooth and hydrated afterwards, 3) the layer feels more like a barrier that keeps the hydration in overnight than anything else 😁
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What’s your favorite overnight mask right now? 👇 I’m on a no-buy but taking notes for later haha