March Favourites

As you can see from the picture, the number of favourites I have every month are dwindling. It's mostly because I still have quite a small collection of make-up, so I usually use the same things more or less. I was thinking of doing this once every other month or every 2 months just so I have more to mention. Let me know what you think!

This month was hectic but I'm glad that uni is finally over...for now. -_- Since I spent most nights accomplishing few but heavy on my grades requirements, I didn't have time to wear a lot of make-up the next day. These favourites are half skincare, half make-up(ish) and I haven't mentioned most of them before.

The Body Shop Camomile Waterproof Eye and Lip Make-Up Remover

I bought this late February and talked about it in my make-up removers post, but I really love how easily it removes eye make-up. I haven't had a dual phase remover in years and now I finally see why its so useful to have. I just soak a cotton pad (well, most of it because I don't want to use too much product), press it on my closed eye for at least 15 seconds, and by then 90% of my eye make-up is gone. It's really gentle too and inexpensive, so I highly recommend it!

Clio Kill Brown Waterproof Brush Liner

I forgot which favourites I mentioned this in but obviously I still have it, and it's still going strong! I'm more of a brown eyeliner kind of person and I love how it adds a little more attitude without being as bold as a black eyeliner would. Plus, it has a brush tip versus a felt tip, so the point stays sharp and it has not dried out on me yet. 

Kiehls Skin Rescuer

I got this deluxe sample from my Christmas Haul. It addresses redness and stressed skin, which is exactly what I was looking for in a skin care product. It is quite hydrating to the point that it will leave a sheen on your face, so I use it in the evening. The next day, my skin is devoid of the usual irritated redness and looks much brighter. Despite my 'Only 5 non-drugstore purchases' regulation, this is definitely worth buying the full-sized version for.

Skin Food Black Sugar Mask

I only appreciated what this did for my skin when I used it sparingly. It's a great physical exfoliating mask that leaves skin soft yet hydrated after use. I love using it midweek when I'm feeling tired and when my skin has those teeny tiny bumps (I don't know what they are, if someone does please let me know!) because it adds a bit more life into my skin and makes it smoother for days.

There you have it! Let me know what products you loved for March - I'm always looking to try new things so feel free to leave me a comment below. Also, if you have any requests for posts you want me to do or think I should do, don't be shy to tell me because I'm open to ideas!

Hopefully (and I emphasize hopefully) my next post will be a review on a mascara I've been using and loving since the day I got it, so anticipate that for next week!

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Friday, March 27, 2015

March Favourites

By Pauline Read More

SPOTLIGHT: Skin Food Black Sugar Scrub and Mask

I rarely get to mention this but one of the first Korean brands I have ever bought make-up from was Skin Food. Their Mushroom Multi-Care BB Cream was the first BB Cream I've tried and I loved it for two straight years, using it almost everyday even when I wasn't going out. Since then I've tried three cleansers and one mask, which were all great except one, which I mentioned in my last post. Today I wanted to talk about two of their bestsellers from the Black Sugar range - the Sugar Scrub Foam and Mask!

These both contain Brazillian Black Sugar which, according to Skin Food, helps give the skin a glow and a moisturized feeling. It's also packed with minerals that are good for the skin, so you can say that it's nourishing as well. Because of the sugar particles, it also helps in softening and smoothing the skin. From that alone I can say I'm sold!

For anyone that's skeptical about sugar as an ingredient though, you should know that sugar is a humectant, meaning it draws in moisture from the air and brings it into the skin. It also has glycolic acid, which helps promote cell turnover by removing the dead skin cells on the top layer on your skin. I've also read that it was used to treat wounds, but I'll have to look more into that!

Heh, I snuck in a little science lesson again!

Skin Food Black Sugar Scrub Foam

I got this in my Korea April 2014 Beauty Haul and I'm happy to say I still have quite a bit left! It's a  yellow-coloured physical exfoliator with sugar crystals in the formula, which melt immediately when you massage the cleanser into your skin. It leaves everything nice, smooth, but still moisturized, which you don't get from a lot of cleansers in this category. 

I like that because my skin has been exfoliated, my makeup applies better throughout the week. I found that I only need to do this once a week since I changed my skin care routine, but it was a life saver prior to that!

Skin Food Black Sugar Mask

I got this recently and use it once a week as well, about half a week after the scrub foam. It's a wash-off mask that I leave on for 10-15 minutes as instructed. Like the scrub foam, it also has sugar crystals in it that melt whilst you massage it into your face. It's a little stickier and much darker in colour than the foam, but I suppose that's so it can stick to your face for longer.

The sugar particles are much larger than that of the scrub foam. I wouldn't encourage working this in too much or pressing it too hard against your skin as it makes it a little red afterwards, so just some really light massaging motions would do. This is so much easier to remove compared to my Innisfree Volcanic Pore Clay Mask, so I look forward to using this more!

You don't need much of either product to achieve the effects it claims, and for the price of both, I'd highly recommend you try them out as additions to your skin care routine, or even just to swatch them in store to see if you like them. They're quite hard to get if you're not in Seoul, but online you can get them from iBuyBeauti.

What about you guys? Have you tried any of these products, or anything from Skin Food for that matter? Feel free to leave me a comment below!

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Friday, February 13, 2015

SPOTLIGHT: Skin Food Black Sugar Scrub and Mask

By Pauline Read More

Skin Care and Make-Up Regrets #1

It is with great displeasure that I write this post because of two reasons: first is that I don't really want to talk about products negatively, especially those that have worked so well on others. It is very possible that it just wasn't made for me, you know? Second is that thinking about all these things again just makes me wish I could trade it in for cash. Sigh, oh well. You need to experience the bad to know what's good right? Life similarities aside, here are some of the products I wish I could cash in (lol)!

Lioele Water Drop BB Cream

I've already made a review of this here but I regret this for so many reasons that I won't go into, lest this turn into a lengthy rant. This just did not live up to the hype and was the exact opposite of all its claims. I was determined to find a Korean BB Cream that actually worked and matched my skin tone (the best in terms of formulation and finish that I've tried being the Skin Food Mushroom BB Cream back when I was in high school). It's sad because the product itself is a lot at 50mL, and had it worked it would have lasted me a long time. 

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15 PA+

Where do I even begin with this foundation? I bought this for its claims of a skin-like finish that's invisible to the eye, the longevity of it, as well as the light to medium coverage. I got none of the above! It settled into pores I never knew I had, lasted 3 (3!!!) hours on my face even with primer and setting powder no matter what method of application, left my face looking like an oil slick, and was more of sheer to light. It was so bad I've become so paranoid about the bases I'm eyeing to purchase. This is the purchase I regret the most among all because it was the most expensive! I wish it worked for me because it does leave a nice glow when freshly applied, and is a perfect colour match.

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner (Brown)

Unlike the previous two products I don't think this is a bad formula at all. In fact, its an amazing gel liner that lasts and doesn't melt and smudge all over my face throughout the day. I regret it because I never have the time and patience to put this on, save for photo shoots which happen once in a blue moon. I wish I could swap it for another Clio Kill Brown Brush Liner since pen liners in general are much more portable and don't bring with it the hassle that gel liners in pots have.

3 Concept Eyes Lip Lacquer (Bonbon)

I bought this after seeing it in one of Jen's videos. The colour looked so pretty on her and I wanted to try something from 3 Concept Eyes so bad! The product is pretty good in terms of packaging and colour range, but falls short in formulation. It is so drying on the lips and the colour was so wrong for me! It made me look dead and washed out, which is sad because it looked great on other people. I wish they'd reformulate them to be more like the Sephora Cream Lip Stains I've read so much about, which have amazing pigmentation and lasting power but are not drying.

Skin Food Egg White Pore Foam

It took a while for me to admit I didn't like this because I had such a great experience with other Skin Food Cleansers like the Tea Tree Cleansing Foam and their bestselling Black Sugar Scrub Foam. This one just left my skin feeling tight and too squeaky without the complete clean-ness, leading to the overproduction of sebum and eventually pimples! It didn't really clean out my pores either or make them appear smaller, even after I've used this religiously. Sad miss from one of my favourite Korean brands!

Etude House Wonder Pore Freshener (Not in photo)

If you read most posts in my blog, you'll know I've mentioned this a lot of times and how it has turned my skin oily! It claims to leave skin smoother, cleaner, with less visible pores and all that jazz but in the long run it just dried my skin out and made me look like a tomato. I suspect its the alcohol content and other harsh ingredients but I'm glad to have it out of my life. I'm considering this my last Etude House skin care purchase because none of those I've tried ever worked for me. I'll stick to their primer and Play 101 Pencils instead!

So there you have it! I'll admit it feels good to finally get all of this off my chest and put it in one big post. I don't think I'll be doing a frequent post of this, maybe twice a year or every year? If you guys have tried any of these products, or have beauty products you regret purchasing, leave me a comment below!

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Friday, February 06, 2015

Skin Care and Make-Up Regrets #1

By Pauline Read More

SPOTLIGHT: Cleansers and Exfoliators

Hi, everyone!

I wanted to share with you all the cleansers and exfoliators that I use! Just to clarify, I don't use this all in one day, but they all serve different functions and I use one of them at least once a week. To me, it's essential to have more than one cleanser since your skin can get used to the one you're currently using. Also it's nice to switch things up once in a while!

Left to right: Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil, Skin Food Egg White Pore Foam, Skin Food Black Sugar Scrub Foam, Pond's Acne Clear White Multi Action Facial Foam + Scrub, Cure Natural Aqua Gel

Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil

This is what I use to remove my makeup, and its easy to see why this is considered one of, if not the best cleansing oil out there. It removes everything, even my mascara, without too much effort. It also leaves my skin soft and smooth, which is refreshing since a lot of cleansers can be very drying after use. I've also noticed that my pimples have reduced quite a bit since using this, but that might be due to the other products that I'm using as well. There are different variants to this; the one I have is the most basic one. 

You can get this here or if you're in the Philippines, check here for store locations. :) I would recommend buying in Japan as it is much much cheaper there.

Skin Food Egg White Pore Foam

This is what I use as my day cleanser, and it claims to deep cleanse pores, minimize their appearance, and control sebum. I would say that the effect of this for me is quite minimal, but I wouldn't say it is totally ineffective. It definitely lessens the oil on my face without completely stripping my skin of it, but it doesn't make my face feel tight afterwards which worried me a bit with purchasing this cleanser. There might be more of a difference for those with oily skin, but I still recommend you check this out!

From what I know, we don't have any Skin Food stores anymore (because it was ridiculously overpriced) but you can easily get anything from Skin Food from online sellers specializing in Korean products.

Skin Food Black Sugar Scrub Foam

This is Skin Food's bestselling cleanser, and for a very good reason. It uses Brazilian black organic sugar to remove dead skin cells but at the same time, deeply moisturize the skin. I've been really liking this for a night cleanser every other day because it is not harsh in any way. True to its claim my skin does feel hydrated and smooth afterwards. Highly recommended!

Pond's Complete Solution Acne Clear White Multi Action Facial Foam + Scrub

This is probably the most surprising of all cleansers because I personally didn't think it would work. I got this as a recommendation by my sister, and it claims to control sebum, whiten the skin, and clear pimples. Easily my favourite cleanser and it is very effective especially for pimples! It definitely calms them down (since I get cystic acne very often) and reduces their size in 3-5 days which I have never gotten from another cleanser. It does reduce oil but I'm not all too sure about whitening. I personally think no skin care product is capable of whitening. Anyway, this becomes my day and night cleanser whenever I have breakouts, and after my acne has calmed down I just switch back to the Egg White Pore Foam and Black Sugar Scrub Foam. 

This is readily available in Watsons and most department stores. 

Cure Natural Aqua Gel

Finally, this product is what I use to exfoliate my face twice a week. Unlike most exfoliators that contain micro beads which could reduce skin elasticity and strip the skin of its natural oils, this uses hydrogen water (though as a science major, I see this as a gimmick since I have not heard of hydrogen water ever) that when applied, brings out the dead skin cells while leaving the skin moisturized. This is easily my favourite out of all and I find this very satisfying to use. A word of caution, it can break you out as it did to my friend, Danie (I recommend you check out her awesome blog as well!). 

This is now available exclusively in Beauty Bar or in select online stores.

So there you have it! If you have any questions, comments, or even recommendations for cleansers and make-up removers, please leave a comment below! I'm always on the lookout for new cleansers and I would love to hear which ones worked for you.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter if you haven't already! Until my next post!

Friday, August 22, 2014

SPOTLIGHT: Cleansers and Exfoliators

By Pauline Read More

Seoul Skin Care and Make-Up Haul

One of the things that got me very excited for Seoul was the shopping. I've been an avid user of Korean skin care and cosmetics for years, especially after switching from the products my dermatologist prescribed. During my prior trip I hauled mainly Laneige products after the recommendation of my Korean foster sister when I was still in high school. Given it is one of the more expensive skin care brands, but anything that goes on my skin (and clears it) is worth it.

This time I wanted to stock up and try Innisfree, as well as new cleansers from Skin Food (as their Tea Tree Cleansing Foam helped clear up my skin a lot). I was also lucky enough to be there during Etude House's 30% sale, so I decided to try out some products that I never bothered to try back home. 

Reviews for the products shown will be up soon!

From top to bottom, L-R 

1. Innisfree Green Tea Moisture Essence | 2. Innisfree Canola Honey Serum | 3. Laneige Sunblock Aqua SPF 35 PA++ | 4. Etude House Wonder Pore Freshener | 5. Skin Food Egg White Pore Foam | 6. Skin Food Black Sugar Scrub Foam | 7. Laneige Water Bank Eye Gel | 8. Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX | 9. Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask

In comparison, my make-up mini-haul is much more modest. I didn't wear makeup for about 2 years since I was so busy coping with requirements at uni and by this time, my makeup had all expired and so many new products have emerged. I was going to get more from Lioele after reading reviews, but it disappointed me to know that they didn't have a store in Seoul yet. :(

From L-R

1. Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Pastel Upper Liner in No. 3 Mintade | 2. It's Skin Babyface Jelly Tint in Red | 3. Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever Pore Primer Essence | 4. 3 Concept Eyes Lip Lacquer in Bonbon | 5. Missha Gel Liner Brush

These products were mostly purchased on a whim, save for Goodbye Pore-Ever and 3CE's Lip Lacquer. Reviews will also be up soon!

© All photos taken by me using an iPhone 5s. 

Friday, May 02, 2014

Seoul Skin Care and Make-Up Haul

By Pauline Read More