Hey there

It's been a hot minute since I've last updated this blog.  In the past year, I've graduated university and worked two different jobs...  I guess life just got busy and thus causing me to shove this blog somewhere in the depths of my mind.  Am I back?  I can't promise anything but I've been meaning to share my skincare routine for the longest time so I sat down today to do just that.

I think mid-year last year was when I really amped up my whole skincare routine.  Kbeauty started getting bigger and I started learning more and more about different skincare ingredients.  I'm not a pro at skincare, but I've landed on a mix of asian and western skincare that has been really working for me lately.

So to start off, I've had dry dehydrated skin all my life.  Growing up, I only used Johnsons' baby cream as a face moisturizer.  I know.  I felt that it was enough to keep my skin from having that tight feeling after washing and thought that was good enough.  As I grew older and started learning more about my skin, I realized I had to do much more than that.

I like the concept of layering several products on my face and quite enjoying having multiple steps in my routine, which is why I love asian skincare so much.  I'd say right now, I have an alright amount of steps, as I don't currently have any essences or serums in my routine- just the "basics".  So, I'll take you step by step on what my current skincare routine looks like.

1. Double cleansing
In my opinion, double cleansing is absolutely essential in a skincare routine if you wear makeup like I do.  I believe in order to get a proper and complete clean, you need an oil based emulsifier paired with a foam/gel cleanser to really get everything off your face.  I do this and use a silicon face scrubbing pad to really get a deep clean.

My current choices are Banila Co. Clean It Zero and The Face Shop Mango Seed Cleansing Foam.  I was also using The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Rich Cleansing Oil as a backup when I ran out of Clean It Zero.

I'm aware that Clean It Zero has broken some people out, but it works really well for me and leaves my skin feeling soft after.  I'm also aware that the Mango Seed cleanser has a super high PH level which most people would highly recommend against, however I've been using it for quite a long time and I don't find it drying or giving me that tight feeling after I wash my face.  I've sampled some low PH cleansers which have left my skin feeling super stripped and dry...  I'm not against finding a low PH cleanser but I just haven't found one that I like yet. 

2. Toner
I alternate between two toners that are quite popular: Hadalabo Gojujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion and Pixi Glow Tonic.  My friend recommended me the Hadalabo toner as hyaluronic acid is great for dry skin.  I pour one or two drops onto my palms and pat it into my skin.  If I'm being honest, I'm still not sure how I feel about this.  I've gone without it for some days and haven't noticed much of a difference.  I'm almost done this bottle so next I'm hoping to find a toner to balance my PH levels after cleansing.

During the day, I'll use the hyaluronic acid toner, and during the evening I use Pixi's Glow Tonic.  I picked this up on a whim just to try because of the hype and was interested in the exfoliation factor.  I will say that my skin felt instantly smoother after one use, but I didn't notice my skin "glowing" and I absolutely hate the scent (old grandma perfume, yuck!).  It contains 5% glycolic acid which I've heard is actually kinda low so I won't expect super high exfoliation.  Would I repurchase?  If I'm being honest, the pros are not high enough for me to get over the awful scent so while I'll finish up this bottle, I'm still on the hunt for my HG toner.

3. Exfoliation 
If I'm looking to do an actual exfoliation, I'll use my Cure Natural Aqua Gel before I cleanse on no-makeup days/mornings after I wake up.  I've heard mix reviews about this product now that the hype has slowly died down- some say it's the best, other say it actually doesn't exfoliate but rather the formula tricks you into thinking the beads are your dead skin when it's actually not.  I don't remember the exact explanation but some have said it creates a layer/film on your skin to trick you into thinking it's smooth and exfoliated when in reality, beads start forming even when you test it on metal with rubber gloves.  I haven't tried this experiment myself yet so I can't speak on that but in terms of how I like this product, I do like it when I'm experiencing flakiness on my skin (especially my nose).

As a daily night routine, I apply Herbivore Moon Fruit Superfruit Night Treatment and really rub that into my skin.  From my understanding, this is basically an AHA cream that works to exfoliate by resurfacing dead skin cells and promotes regeneration. It uses fruit enzymes, butters and hyaluronic acid.  Their description of the product is a little vague for me but I've come to understand that it's an AHA product.  Their instructions say to apply this after toner but before all your other skincare products (serums, creams, oils) for best results and advises you to use high SPF if you use this product lightly during the daytime.  AHAs and BHAs will make your skin sensitive to sunlight so this advice is super important to follow.  This is a pricey product but I've come to really love it and seen big results with it.  If I ever feel that I have heavy texture going on my skin (I tend to get closed comedones/whiteheads, between my brows), I apply this and it goes away almost instantly over night.

4. Eye cream
I've been using Belif's Moisturizing and Firming Eye Cream for over a year now and I really like it.  I saw some reviews on this product on Youtube and decided to try it out.  I've got to say, it actually does reduce some of my fine lines around my eyes.  This is why I've repurchased this once already.

5. Moisturizers 
I use not one, but two moisturizers on any given day or night.  Currently I am using Belif's Aqua Bomb first, as it's a gel and thinner so it can be absorbed into my skin easily, and then I layer The Face Shop's Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Lotion after.  I love the Mango Seed lotion and I've repurchased several times already.

I bought the Aqua Bomb cream due to the hype but I really felt like it doesn't do much for my dehydrated skin.  The gel formula is just too light for what I need and I love heavy thick creams, especially for night time.  I'm currently using this only to finish it up.

One that I do love is Innisfree's Orchid Intense Cream.  While it similar to a thicker gel consistency, it's heavy enough that it provides the intense hydration my skin needs.  Typically I'll use this after the Mango Seed lotion as my final step, however I'm all out of this cream and waiting for a new one in the mail.

6. Mask
I'm really lacking in my mask department.  I don't do this every night- actually I don't do this enough during the week.  I just havent found the time and product that I love deeply enough to do it regularly (aka 2-3 times a week).  Currently, I have a jar of L'Oreal Pure Clay mask and while I like putting it on my face, I don't find it does too much for my skin, which is why I'm just trying to use it up and move onto something better.  I'm looking into getting back to using sheet masks as those provide a boost of moisture to my face if anything, but I've been slacking in terms of purchasing those.  This is one area that I need to improve on.

7. SPF
Not pictured here, but I was using Biore's UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel as my sunscreen.  I have a bad habit of not using SPF during the winter months but now that spring and summer is here, I really need to get back into the game.  SPF is super, super, SUPER important, especially in the warmer seasons when the sun is at its peak.  Having SPF in your makeup is just not enough in the summer time (although I somehow convinced myself it's enough for the winter... it's not).  So while I liked the gel version, I think I'm going back to the "milk" version.

So that's pretty much it.  I know it's quite a lengthy post but I wanted to include all the details that I felt was important to mention as skincare is a lot more finicky than makeup.  I take skincare a lot more serious as it has what treats your base, your skin!  While you can cake on as much makeup as you want during the day, it's always important to take care of what's under.  Prevention is key and finding the right products and ingredients is a bit of a journey but I quite enjoy it.

Labels: banilaco, belif, cream, cure, hadalabo, herbivore, innisfree, loreal, lotion, mask, pixi, skincare, thefaceshop, toner

Hey there cutie,

Lush is one of those stores that I go to when I want to treat myself and last year, I bought myself a lip scrub for my birthday!

I've heard wonderful things about Lush like how they use natural ingredients and most, if not all of their products, are vegan.  Their bath bombs are really great but I haven't really ventured off to any of their other products.


A little background information; I have extremely dry, flaky and chapped lips.  I use medicated lip balms throughout the day and even the skin around the outside of my lips flake!  I would usually scrub my lips in the shower under running water when it has had time to soak in warm water.  Not anymore!


So this lip scrub is made up of sugar, sea salt, and a bunch of organic oils that help moisturized your lips.  The best part is that you can totally eat it!  Licking it off my lips and fingers is my favourite part.  I just take a pea sized amount on my finger and scrub my lips all over, even outside of my lips to get all the dead skin.  This stuff lasts for a while!



This was their Valentines Day special lip scrub that has a "sweet mandarin flavor".  I don't taste mandarin but I really can't point out what I'm actually tasting expect sweet, sweet and more sweet.  There's sprinkles in there, isn't that so fun?

The scrub totally changed my life.  Never has my lips been so smooth that actually lasts throughout the day!  Of course my lips require a light scrub every day but for normal people, I'd say a scrub twice a week would be fine.  This is perfect for prepping your lips before applying lipstick.

After using it for about a mouth, I noticed that my lips have healed a lot more than it ever has in the past.  My lip balms have been absorbing a lot better so the medication is really healing them well and I'm experiencing less and less flaking lately.  I'm hoping they will heal completely so I will no longer suffer from extreme chapped lips.

Rating: ★★★★★  5/5

I absolutely love this product!  I will be repurchasing this after I'm done this jar even if this particular flavour is not available anymore.  I really urge you to go try this lip scrub if you're like me and have super chapped lips.

Labels: cosmetics, lipscrub, lush, review, skincare

Hi cuties,

Today I'm going to talk about my everyday makeup staples.  These are some of the products I've been using every day on my face and most of these are HG worthy!

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original
This is probably my holy grail primer.  I've used the Too Faced version which was comparable, but I find UDPP makes my eyeshadows more vibrant and the formula is less oily.  I have to use this every time I use eyeshadow or liner on my eye.  It makes everything stay put on my eyes all day and night.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara/The Falsies Volume Mascara
I only use one mascara at a time, and therefore I was using Lash Sensational at the time, which was a nice mascara. It lengthened and fanned out my lashes well.  My HG is The Falsies.  It makes my lashes look full, long, and keeps them curled.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles in Fair
Everyone and their moms love this concealer.  I like this for concealing but most of all, highlighting my face.  It's a light formula so it does not cake up, however it does not have the fullest coverage out there so keep that in mind.  I love using this for light makeup days as well.

The Face Shop Lovely me:ex Design My Eyebow in 03 Black Brown
I really like this eyebrow pencil and I go back to it time and time again.  It formula is not too soft but not too hard so it's easy to fill in my brows to make them full and as light or dark as I want.  It's a twist-up pencil with an angle so it's easy to use and it comes with a spooly brush on the end for blending and combing.

Physicians Formula Eye Booster Liquid Eyeliner in Ultra Black
This is my favourite drugstore liquid liner because it's super black and it has a brush tip.  It's the most similar to my favourite DollyWink liquid eyeliner for a slightly cheaper price.  I can't tell you if the lash boosting claim actually works though.

The Balm Bahama Mama Bronzer 
I love this brozer because it's a neutral to cool toned brown unlike most bronzers which makes it ideal for cool toned people like me and also doubles up well for contour.

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer
This is my favourite highlighter that I own.  It's a champagne colour that makes you glow like it's nobodies business.  I love this especially for a nose highlight.  The product is not glittery, slightly shimmery but overall just gives the perfect glow to the skin.  It's worth the money.

Labels: bronzer, cosmetics, eyeliner, favourites, highlighter, makeup, mascara, physicians formula, primer

Hey cutie!

So I'm back a year later with another cushion review.  This time, I'll be talking about Etude House's Precious Mineral Any Cushion.  I had two refills of this, and I'm just finishing my last one so I think I have a good idea of what I want to say in this review.







First, I want to say that the packaging is much bulkier in comparison to my Innisfree Water Glow Cushion.  If I can remember correctly, I've been told that Etude House cushions fit into other brands under Amore Pacfic such as IOPE, Hera, and so on.  Innisfree however, does not, and their sizes are different than other cushions.  If I had to choose, I do prefer the Innisfree compact better because it's a little slimmer and it's flat top allows you to stack it with other products with ease.  Etude House has a curved top which makes it impractical to store sometimes.

Second, let's compare the sponge.  I think the key to a good cushion is not only the formula but also the sponge.  Etude House's sponge is very airy and has a bit of a thickness to it which is ideal for cushions.  Innisfree's sponge is slightly less thick, but both sponge's texture are similar.  For this reason, I'll say Etude House wins this portion. 




I got this cushion in the shade W24 Honey Beige which is their darkest shade but I find it is super warm against my skin.  You can clearly see the difference in colour from the picture.  The texture of this cushion is a little thicker than the Innisfree Water Glow.  If you're tried the Precious Mineral BB Cream, it's the same product, just in a cushion form.  For both the BB cream and cushion version, I found it is heavier and a little cakey on my dry skin.  It has never been my favourite formula.




The coverage of the cushion is about a light-medium to buildable medium in my opinion.  It evened out my skin tone and reduced the redness of my cheeks and also brightened my face despite the yellowness of it. There is a slight perfume scent to it but it does not last on the face. I'd say this lasts about 4 hours into the day but anything after that will soon start to fade. The issue I have with this cushion is how cakey it tends to make my face look up close and it sometimes creases in my worry lines (I don't set my cushions with powder).  For this reason, I try to apply a thin layer upon application.



Overall, this is not my favourite cushion although I know a lot of people do enjoy it.  I much prefer my Innisfree Water Glow but this is a "slightly" (not by much) cheaper alternative.  If you have oily to combination skin, maybe this will work out much better for you.

Rating: ★★★☆☆  3/5


 

Labels: cosmetics, cushion, etude house, foundation, korean, makeup, review

Hey cutie,

School has been bombarding me with work so I haven't found time to get around to writing this post but I am today!  I just wanted to haul my "recent" purchases.  I bought these about a month ago and have had a fair amount of time to test each product out.

L'oreal Infallible Pro-Last Lipcolor in Neverending Nutmeg
I was anticipating getting this specific colour because many people claim it as a "dupe" for Limecrime's Cashmere.  If you look at swatches, they're not exactly dupes, but it's close enough that it made me excited.  The colour itself looks great on my lips; the cool-toned taupeness of it is right up my ally, however I really do not enjoy this formula.  It's one of those "2-step" lip lacquer lipcolours where you apply the colour first, wait for it to dry, and then apply a gloss on top to get rid of the tackiness.  It's similar to the Rimmel Provocalips however I find the L'oreal one flakes super easily and settles into fine lines.  After drinking with it on, the colour on the inner portion of my lips started to peel off in chunks and it's not cute.  So much for long lasting.

Sephora Collection Colorful Face Powder in Tranquil
I'm always on a hunt for a good cool toned contour powder and I think I've hit the jackpot.  Sephora came out for a whole blush collection that includes highlight and contour shades.  Tranquil is a straight up grey-taupe cool toned contour shade that's perfect for pale-light skin.  It's not too crazy pigmented that it'll make you look like you over-did your contour, but it's also not too sheer where it's not buildable.  I especially love it for a natural nose contour.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine
I've been avoiding this bandwagon for quite some time but when I found myself in search for a drugstore cream blush, I kicked myself in the butt and bought this.  The 'bouncy' concept to me is still a little useless/I don't really get it, but the product actually works really well.  Since it's such a dark colour, it's super pigmented and I only need a tiny amount to give myself a nice flush on my cheeks.  I love that you can use this with both your fingers and a brush, making it ideal for traveling if you don't want to carry too many brushes around.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush
What can I say?  Real Techniques just has great brushes.  I was lucky enough to snag this stippling brush (they are always sold out!).  I use it to apply my foundations; it's great to have multiple brushes just so you don't have to keep washing the same one every single day. 

MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick
I finally found my MLBB!  This colour matches my lips so well and it's matte.  I tell you enough how much I love this lipstick.  It's my every day to-go lip colour. 

MAC Nylon and Omega Eyeshadow
I was looking to get Nylon for an inner corner highlight for a while now and got suckered into getting Omega as well.  Omega is a good cool toned transition shade for your crease and I find myself using it every time I do my eyeshadow.

Labels: blush, brushes, contour, eyeshadow, haul, lipstick, loreal, mac, maybelline, real techniques, sephora

Hello cutieeeeee,

I'm gonna do a two-part concealer review on the Maybelline Dream Lumi and Fit Me concealers! First I'll be reviewing the Dream Lumi, then the Fit Me, and do a comparison at the end :)

*By the way, this has been in my drafts for a while so excuse my still-blonde pictures!






So this concealer is supposed to highlight and brighten your face so it's really great under your eyes and bridge of your nose; anywhere you want to highlight.  The tip has a brush applicator which makes it easy to apply on your face and even blend out if you don't dispense too much product at once.  I usually just use my fingers or my foundation brush though.



I got the lightest colour Ivory because I wanted the maximum highlight I could possible get.  My skin is relatively light so it actually matched well.  It blends out okay and you really only need a little bit.

Rating: ★★★★☆  4/5

Overall I like this product for the brightening aspect of it.  The only thing I don't like is how pricey it can be for such little product and how it can get a little cakey if you add too much.  Other than that, it's a pretty decent highlighting concealer but don't expect to cover blemishes with this!

Labels: concealer, cosmetics, makeup, maybelline, review

Hello again, cuties!

This is the second part to my concealer review.  I'll be talking about the Fit Me concealer by Maybelline, and then do a comparison at the end!

*By the way, this has been in my drafts for a while so excuse my still-blonde pictures! 



This concealer didn't come with lots of packaging which I liked because that's just less junk for me to throw out.  There's tape around the seal to insure it hasn't been opened yet.  I got the shade 10 Light which is more yellow toned. (I should have picked Fair which is more pink!)




Despite me getting the pinker toned shade, this concealer still managed to look yellow on me!  It blended into my skin okay but I was hoping for something more cool toned.

I got the colours mixed up and should've gotten Fair, which is why this was so yellow on me. My bad!

Comparison

Labels: concealer, cosmetics, makeup, maybelline, review

Hey there

It's been a hot minute since I've last updated this blog.  In the past year, I've graduated university and worked two different jobs...  I guess life just got busy and thus causing me to shove this blog somewhere in the depths of my mind.  Am I back?  I can't promise anything but I've been meaning to share my skincare routine for the longest time so I sat down today to do just that.

I think mid-year last year was when I really amped up my whole skincare routine.  Kbeauty started getting bigger and I started learning more and more about different skincare ingredients.  I'm not a pro at skincare, but I've landed on a mix of asian and western skincare that has been really working for me lately.

So to start off, I've had dry dehydrated skin all my life.  Growing up, I only used Johnsons' baby cream as a face moisturizer.  I know.  I felt that it was enough to keep my skin from having that tight feeling after washing and thought that was good enough.  As I grew older and started learning more about my skin, I realized I had to do much more than that.

I like the concept of layering several products on my face and quite enjoying having multiple steps in my routine, which is why I love asian skincare so much.  I'd say right now, I have an alright amount of steps, as I don't currently have any essences or serums in my routine- just the "basics".  So, I'll take you step by step on what my current skincare routine looks like.

1. Double cleansing
In my opinion, double cleansing is absolutely essential in a skincare routine if you wear makeup like I do.  I believe in order to get a proper and complete clean, you need an oil based emulsifier paired with a foam/gel cleanser to really get everything off your face.  I do this and use a silicon face scrubbing pad to really get a deep clean.

My current choices are Banila Co. Clean It Zero and The Face Shop Mango Seed Cleansing Foam.  I was also using The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Rich Cleansing Oil as a backup when I ran out of Clean It Zero.

I'm aware that Clean It Zero has broken some people out, but it works really well for me and leaves my skin feeling soft after.  I'm also aware that the Mango Seed cleanser has a super high PH level which most people would highly recommend against, however I've been using it for quite a long time and I don't find it drying or giving me that tight feeling after I wash my face.  I've sampled some low PH cleansers which have left my skin feeling super stripped and dry...  I'm not against finding a low PH cleanser but I just haven't found one that I like yet. 

2. Toner
I alternate between two toners that are quite popular: Hadalabo Gojujyun Hyaluronic Acid Lotion and Pixi Glow Tonic.  My friend recommended me the Hadalabo toner as hyaluronic acid is great for dry skin.  I pour one or two drops onto my palms and pat it into my skin.  If I'm being honest, I'm still not sure how I feel about this.  I've gone without it for some days and haven't noticed much of a difference.  I'm almost done this bottle so next I'm hoping to find a toner to balance my PH levels after cleansing.

During the day, I'll use the hyaluronic acid toner, and during the evening I use Pixi's Glow Tonic.  I picked this up on a whim just to try because of the hype and was interested in the exfoliation factor.  I will say that my skin felt instantly smoother after one use, but I didn't notice my skin "glowing" and I absolutely hate the scent (old grandma perfume, yuck!).  It contains 5% glycolic acid which I've heard is actually kinda low so I won't expect super high exfoliation.  Would I repurchase?  If I'm being honest, the pros are not high enough for me to get over the awful scent so while I'll finish up this bottle, I'm still on the hunt for my HG toner.

3. Exfoliation 
If I'm looking to do an actual exfoliation, I'll use my Cure Natural Aqua Gel before I cleanse on no-makeup days/mornings after I wake up.  I've heard mix reviews about this product now that the hype has slowly died down- some say it's the best, other say it actually doesn't exfoliate but rather the formula tricks you into thinking the beads are your dead skin when it's actually not.  I don't remember the exact explanation but some have said it creates a layer/film on your skin to trick you into thinking it's smooth and exfoliated when in reality, beads start forming even when you test it on metal with rubber gloves.  I haven't tried this experiment myself yet so I can't speak on that but in terms of how I like this product, I do like it when I'm experiencing flakiness on my skin (especially my nose).

As a daily night routine, I apply Herbivore Moon Fruit Superfruit Night Treatment and really rub that into my skin.  From my understanding, this is basically an AHA cream that works to exfoliate by resurfacing dead skin cells and promotes regeneration. It uses fruit enzymes, butters and hyaluronic acid.  Their description of the product is a little vague for me but I've come to understand that it's an AHA product.  Their instructions say to apply this after toner but before all your other skincare products (serums, creams, oils) for best results and advises you to use high SPF if you use this product lightly during the daytime.  AHAs and BHAs will make your skin sensitive to sunlight so this advice is super important to follow.  This is a pricey product but I've come to really love it and seen big results with it.  If I ever feel that I have heavy texture going on my skin (I tend to get closed comedones/whiteheads, between my brows), I apply this and it goes away almost instantly over night.

4. Eye cream
I've been using Belif's Moisturizing and Firming Eye Cream for over a year now and I really like it.  I saw some reviews on this product on Youtube and decided to try it out.  I've got to say, it actually does reduce some of my fine lines around my eyes.  This is why I've repurchased this once already.

5. Moisturizers 
I use not one, but two moisturizers on any given day or night.  Currently I am using Belif's Aqua Bomb first, as it's a gel and thinner so it can be absorbed into my skin easily, and then I layer The Face Shop's Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Lotion after.  I love the Mango Seed lotion and I've repurchased several times already.

I bought the Aqua Bomb cream due to the hype but I really felt like it doesn't do much for my dehydrated skin.  The gel formula is just too light for what I need and I love heavy thick creams, especially for night time.  I'm currently using this only to finish it up.

One that I do love is Innisfree's Orchid Intense Cream.  While it similar to a thicker gel consistency, it's heavy enough that it provides the intense hydration my skin needs.  Typically I'll use this after the Mango Seed lotion as my final step, however I'm all out of this cream and waiting for a new one in the mail.

6. Mask
I'm really lacking in my mask department.  I don't do this every night- actually I don't do this enough during the week.  I just havent found the time and product that I love deeply enough to do it regularly (aka 2-3 times a week).  Currently, I have a jar of L'Oreal Pure Clay mask and while I like putting it on my face, I don't find it does too much for my skin, which is why I'm just trying to use it up and move onto something better.  I'm looking into getting back to using sheet masks as those provide a boost of moisture to my face if anything, but I've been slacking in terms of purchasing those.  This is one area that I need to improve on.

7. SPF
Not pictured here, but I was using Biore's UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel as my sunscreen.  I have a bad habit of not using SPF during the winter months but now that spring and summer is here, I really need to get back into the game.  SPF is super, super, SUPER important, especially in the warmer seasons when the sun is at its peak.  Having SPF in your makeup is just not enough in the summer time (although I somehow convinced myself it's enough for the winter... it's not).  So while I liked the gel version, I think I'm going back to the "milk" version.

So that's pretty much it.  I know it's quite a lengthy post but I wanted to include all the details that I felt was important to mention as skincare is a lot more finicky than makeup.  I take skincare a lot more serious as it has what treats your base, your skin!  While you can cake on as much makeup as you want during the day, it's always important to take care of what's under.  Prevention is key and finding the right products and ingredients is a bit of a journey but I quite enjoy it.

Labels: banilaco, belif, cream, cure, hadalabo, herbivore, innisfree, loreal, lotion, mask, pixi, skincare, thefaceshop, toner

Hey there cutie,

Lush is one of those stores that I go to when I want to treat myself and last year, I bought myself a lip scrub for my birthday!

I've heard wonderful things about Lush like how they use natural ingredients and most, if not all of their products, are vegan.  Their bath bombs are really great but I haven't really ventured off to any of their other products.


A little background information; I have extremely dry, flaky and chapped lips.  I use medicated lip balms throughout the day and even the skin around the outside of my lips flake!  I would usually scrub my lips in the shower under running water when it has had time to soak in warm water.  Not anymore!


So this lip scrub is made up of sugar, sea salt, and a bunch of organic oils that help moisturized your lips.  The best part is that you can totally eat it!  Licking it off my lips and fingers is my favourite part.  I just take a pea sized amount on my finger and scrub my lips all over, even outside of my lips to get all the dead skin.  This stuff lasts for a while!



This was their Valentines Day special lip scrub that has a "sweet mandarin flavor".  I don't taste mandarin but I really can't point out what I'm actually tasting expect sweet, sweet and more sweet.  There's sprinkles in there, isn't that so fun?

The scrub totally changed my life.  Never has my lips been so smooth that actually lasts throughout the day!  Of course my lips require a light scrub every day but for normal people, I'd say a scrub twice a week would be fine.  This is perfect for prepping your lips before applying lipstick.

After using it for about a mouth, I noticed that my lips have healed a lot more than it ever has in the past.  My lip balms have been absorbing a lot better so the medication is really healing them well and I'm experiencing less and less flaking lately.  I'm hoping they will heal completely so I will no longer suffer from extreme chapped lips.

Rating: ★★★★★  5/5

I absolutely love this product!  I will be repurchasing this after I'm done this jar even if this particular flavour is not available anymore.  I really urge you to go try this lip scrub if you're like me and have super chapped lips.

Labels: cosmetics, lipscrub, lush, review, skincare

Hi cuties,

Today I'm going to talk about my everyday makeup staples.  These are some of the products I've been using every day on my face and most of these are HG worthy!

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original
This is probably my holy grail primer.  I've used the Too Faced version which was comparable, but I find UDPP makes my eyeshadows more vibrant and the formula is less oily.  I have to use this every time I use eyeshadow or liner on my eye.  It makes everything stay put on my eyes all day and night.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara/The Falsies Volume Mascara
I only use one mascara at a time, and therefore I was using Lash Sensational at the time, which was a nice mascara. It lengthened and fanned out my lashes well.  My HG is The Falsies.  It makes my lashes look full, long, and keeps them curled.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles in Fair
Everyone and their moms love this concealer.  I like this for concealing but most of all, highlighting my face.  It's a light formula so it does not cake up, however it does not have the fullest coverage out there so keep that in mind.  I love using this for light makeup days as well.

The Face Shop Lovely me:ex Design My Eyebow in 03 Black Brown
I really like this eyebrow pencil and I go back to it time and time again.  It formula is not too soft but not too hard so it's easy to fill in my brows to make them full and as light or dark as I want.  It's a twist-up pencil with an angle so it's easy to use and it comes with a spooly brush on the end for blending and combing.

Physicians Formula Eye Booster Liquid Eyeliner in Ultra Black
This is my favourite drugstore liquid liner because it's super black and it has a brush tip.  It's the most similar to my favourite DollyWink liquid eyeliner for a slightly cheaper price.  I can't tell you if the lash boosting claim actually works though.

The Balm Bahama Mama Bronzer 
I love this brozer because it's a neutral to cool toned brown unlike most bronzers which makes it ideal for cool toned people like me and also doubles up well for contour.

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer
This is my favourite highlighter that I own.  It's a champagne colour that makes you glow like it's nobodies business.  I love this especially for a nose highlight.  The product is not glittery, slightly shimmery but overall just gives the perfect glow to the skin.  It's worth the money.

Labels: bronzer, cosmetics, eyeliner, favourites, highlighter, makeup, mascara, physicians formula, primer

Hey cutie!

So I'm back a year later with another cushion review.  This time, I'll be talking about Etude House's Precious Mineral Any Cushion.  I had two refills of this, and I'm just finishing my last one so I think I have a good idea of what I want to say in this review.







First, I want to say that the packaging is much bulkier in comparison to my Innisfree Water Glow Cushion.  If I can remember correctly, I've been told that Etude House cushions fit into other brands under Amore Pacfic such as IOPE, Hera, and so on.  Innisfree however, does not, and their sizes are different than other cushions.  If I had to choose, I do prefer the Innisfree compact better because it's a little slimmer and it's flat top allows you to stack it with other products with ease.  Etude House has a curved top which makes it impractical to store sometimes.

Second, let's compare the sponge.  I think the key to a good cushion is not only the formula but also the sponge.  Etude House's sponge is very airy and has a bit of a thickness to it which is ideal for cushions.  Innisfree's sponge is slightly less thick, but both sponge's texture are similar.  For this reason, I'll say Etude House wins this portion. 




I got this cushion in the shade W24 Honey Beige which is their darkest shade but I find it is super warm against my skin.  You can clearly see the difference in colour from the picture.  The texture of this cushion is a little thicker than the Innisfree Water Glow.  If you're tried the Precious Mineral BB Cream, it's the same product, just in a cushion form.  For both the BB cream and cushion version, I found it is heavier and a little cakey on my dry skin.  It has never been my favourite formula.




The coverage of the cushion is about a light-medium to buildable medium in my opinion.  It evened out my skin tone and reduced the redness of my cheeks and also brightened my face despite the yellowness of it. There is a slight perfume scent to it but it does not last on the face. I'd say this lasts about 4 hours into the day but anything after that will soon start to fade. The issue I have with this cushion is how cakey it tends to make my face look up close and it sometimes creases in my worry lines (I don't set my cushions with powder).  For this reason, I try to apply a thin layer upon application.



Overall, this is not my favourite cushion although I know a lot of people do enjoy it.  I much prefer my Innisfree Water Glow but this is a "slightly" (not by much) cheaper alternative.  If you have oily to combination skin, maybe this will work out much better for you.

Rating: ★★★☆☆  3/5


 

Labels: cosmetics, cushion, etude house, foundation, korean, makeup, review

Hey cutie,

School has been bombarding me with work so I haven't found time to get around to writing this post but I am today!  I just wanted to haul my "recent" purchases.  I bought these about a month ago and have had a fair amount of time to test each product out.

L'oreal Infallible Pro-Last Lipcolor in Neverending Nutmeg
I was anticipating getting this specific colour because many people claim it as a "dupe" for Limecrime's Cashmere.  If you look at swatches, they're not exactly dupes, but it's close enough that it made me excited.  The colour itself looks great on my lips; the cool-toned taupeness of it is right up my ally, however I really do not enjoy this formula.  It's one of those "2-step" lip lacquer lipcolours where you apply the colour first, wait for it to dry, and then apply a gloss on top to get rid of the tackiness.  It's similar to the Rimmel Provocalips however I find the L'oreal one flakes super easily and settles into fine lines.  After drinking with it on, the colour on the inner portion of my lips started to peel off in chunks and it's not cute.  So much for long lasting.

Sephora Collection Colorful Face Powder in Tranquil
I'm always on a hunt for a good cool toned contour powder and I think I've hit the jackpot.  Sephora came out for a whole blush collection that includes highlight and contour shades.  Tranquil is a straight up grey-taupe cool toned contour shade that's perfect for pale-light skin.  It's not too crazy pigmented that it'll make you look like you over-did your contour, but it's also not too sheer where it's not buildable.  I especially love it for a natural nose contour.

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine
I've been avoiding this bandwagon for quite some time but when I found myself in search for a drugstore cream blush, I kicked myself in the butt and bought this.  The 'bouncy' concept to me is still a little useless/I don't really get it, but the product actually works really well.  Since it's such a dark colour, it's super pigmented and I only need a tiny amount to give myself a nice flush on my cheeks.  I love that you can use this with both your fingers and a brush, making it ideal for traveling if you don't want to carry too many brushes around.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush
What can I say?  Real Techniques just has great brushes.  I was lucky enough to snag this stippling brush (they are always sold out!).  I use it to apply my foundations; it's great to have multiple brushes just so you don't have to keep washing the same one every single day. 

MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick
I finally found my MLBB!  This colour matches my lips so well and it's matte.  I tell you enough how much I love this lipstick.  It's my every day to-go lip colour. 

MAC Nylon and Omega Eyeshadow
I was looking to get Nylon for an inner corner highlight for a while now and got suckered into getting Omega as well.  Omega is a good cool toned transition shade for your crease and I find myself using it every time I do my eyeshadow.

Labels: blush, brushes, contour, eyeshadow, haul, lipstick, loreal, mac, maybelline, real techniques, sephora

Hello cutieeeeee,

I'm gonna do a two-part concealer review on the Maybelline Dream Lumi and Fit Me concealers! First I'll be reviewing the Dream Lumi, then the Fit Me, and do a comparison at the end :)

*By the way, this has been in my drafts for a while so excuse my still-blonde pictures!






So this concealer is supposed to highlight and brighten your face so it's really great under your eyes and bridge of your nose; anywhere you want to highlight.  The tip has a brush applicator which makes it easy to apply on your face and even blend out if you don't dispense too much product at once.  I usually just use my fingers or my foundation brush though.



I got the lightest colour Ivory because I wanted the maximum highlight I could possible get.  My skin is relatively light so it actually matched well.  It blends out okay and you really only need a little bit.

Rating: ★★★★☆  4/5

Overall I like this product for the brightening aspect of it.  The only thing I don't like is how pricey it can be for such little product and how it can get a little cakey if you add too much.  Other than that, it's a pretty decent highlighting concealer but don't expect to cover blemishes with this!

Labels: concealer, cosmetics, makeup, maybelline, review

Hello again, cuties!

This is the second part to my concealer review.  I'll be talking about the Fit Me concealer by Maybelline, and then do a comparison at the end!

*By the way, this has been in my drafts for a while so excuse my still-blonde pictures! 



This concealer didn't come with lots of packaging which I liked because that's just less junk for me to throw out.  There's tape around the seal to insure it hasn't been opened yet.  I got the shade 10 Light which is more yellow toned. (I should have picked Fair which is more pink!)




Despite me getting the pinker toned shade, this concealer still managed to look yellow on me!  It blended into my skin okay but I was hoping for something more cool toned.

I got the colours mixed up and should've gotten Fair, which is why this was so yellow on me. My bad!

Comparison

Labels: concealer, cosmetics, makeup, maybelline, review

UserName: Hyokii
Age: 23
Birthday: January 22
Location: Toronto, Canada.
Sign: Aquarius Sun, Gemini Moon, Aries Rising

Who are you?
I'm just an average girl studying graphic design in my hometown Toronto. I'm nothing special but I like to blog and document my findings :) I'm really into astrology so come and tell me your sign!

What do you blog about?
Mostly just about my life and occasional beauty hauls and product reviews.

What does 'babo gongju' mean?
It's Korean for 'stupid princess'.

Boyfriend?
Yes! He does Muay Thai and he's a Virgo.

Tell me about your skin type!
I have extremely dry dehydrated skin and really dry/flaky lips. Light; yellow with neutral leaning cool undertone. Currently wearing NARS Sheer Glow in Gobi.

Reviews:
Tonymoly Cats Wink Smooth Primer
Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever Primer
Skin Food Choco Smoky Eye Palette
Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Shine Deep Treatment
Real Techniques Core Collection Brush Set
Etude House Golden Ratio Contour Maker
Skin Food Coffee Creamy Sheer Lipstick (PP701 Plum Wine)
Etude House Real Art Cleansing Oil (Moisture)
Skin Food Bath Salt (Peppermint)
Etude House Miss Tangerine Cream Choux Blusher
Skin Food Red Orange Makeup Finish (Matte Type)
Tonymoly Cat Chu Wink Tony Tint (Cherry Pink)
Etude House Etoinette Crystal Shine Lip Lipstick (PPK001 & PPK003)
Etude House Etoinette Brush Collection
The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Special Set
The Face Shop Cotton Pads
The Face Shop Face It 07 Quick Top Coat
The Face Shop Lovely ME:EX Design My Eyebrow (01 Gray Brown)
The Face Shop Lovely ME:EX Style My Eyebrow (01 Gray Brown)
The Face Shop Face It Designing Cake Eyebrow (01 Khaki Grey)
Etude House Dear My Blooming Eyes (OR203 Mesmerizing Orange)
Nicole by O.P.I. Nail Polish (Iceberg Lotus)
The Face Shop Real Nature Mask Aloe Vera
The Face Shop Face It Styling Auto Gel Liner (01 Edgy Black)
The Face Shop Floral Water Mist
The Face Shop Mild Papaya Peeling Gel
Kat Von D Spellbinding Eyeshadow Book
Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick By Kate Moss (111 Kiss Of Life)
Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick By Kate Moss (102)
Sally Hansen Big Matte Top Coat
Witchcraft Mini+Cures Set
Maybelline Volum’ Express The Colossal Smoky Eyes Mascara
Nicole by O.P.I. Quick Dry Top Coat
Essence Kalinka Beauty 01 Babushka Me Lip Brush
Maybelline Volum’Express The Rocket Waterproof Mascara
Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Eyeliner in Midnight Master
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 10 Light
Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in Ivory

Etude House Nymph Aura Volumer (sample)
Etude House Mal;Gem All In One Emulsion (sample)
Etude House Mal;Gem Smoother Toner (sample)
Etude House Sun Prise Super Aqua SPF45/PA+++ (sample)
Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream SPF30/PA++ (sample)
Etude House Moistfull Collagen Firming Eye Cream (sample)
Skin Food Platinum Grape Cell Essential BB Cream SPF45/PA+++ (sample)
Skin Food Agave Cactus Emulsion (sample)
The Face Shop Chia Seed Moisture-Holding Seed Cream(sample)
The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Toner(sample)
The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Lotion(sample)
Updated The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Toner & Lotion (full size)
The Face Shop Mango Seed Silk Moisturizing Facial Butter(sample fullsize)
The Face Shop Volcanic Clay Black Head Aloe Nose Strip(sample)
The Face Shop Herb Day 365 Cleansing Foam Acerola (sample)
The Face Shop White Secret Whitening Body Essence (sample)


Tutorials & Tips:
How I Contour My Face
Tips On How To Drink More Water
2013 Summer/Fall Wish List
My Current Everyday Makeup Tutorial

Most Common:
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Haul

Brands:
★ Etude House
★ EOS
★ Forever21
★ Garage
★ Guess
★ Hada Labo
★ H&M
★ My Beauty Diary
★ Nicole by O.P.I.
★ Skin Food
★ Smashbook
★ Starbucks
★ The Face Shop
★ Tony Moly

Jin

. Put a lock on Seoul’s Namsan Tower's fence
. Visit the beach; any beach (063011)
. Party hard
. Starbucks date (072310)
. Learn to drive
. Star gaze (062812)
. Road trip (Summer`09)
. Be loved
. Visit South Korea
. Wedding; anyone's wedding (10.13.13)
. Be happy
. Bake cupcakes from scratch (04.06.10)
. Ride a motorcycle (08.21.14)
. Get my first tattoo
. Kiss in the rain
. Pull an all nighter
. Belly button piercing (02.19.14)
. Disney world/land
. Anime North
. Cosplay Rin
. Cosplay X-23
. Princess Cafe date (12.10.12)
. VVIP album(02.20.11)
. Visit Hong Kong again
. Graduate university
. Paris

to be continued...

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