My Mostly Korean Highlighter Collection

These days I've come to the realization that I will probably never finish any of my makeup before their expiration date and the only time I've seen pan was when my Wet n' Wild trios smashed. To be more mindful of what I currently own, I've decided to sort through my collection. I've decided to take pictures along the way to keep track of everything and to analyze what colours I tend to gravitate towards. 

Today I will be showing you guys my highlighter collection since it's the smallest collection out of all my cosmetics. Highlighters are beautiful but they're also something I always, always forget to use. Almost all of my BB & CC creams have a glow factor to them so adding highlighter on top tends to make me look like a grease ball. 

1. The Face Shop Lovely Me:ex (BR801): This was my very first highlighter and it used to be housed in a very bulky tin case. The Face Shop has repackaged this entire line with a clear, acrylic rectangular cases which are much more storage friendly and easy on the eyes. I believe this is now sold as #1 I Make You Brighter.  It is a beautiful, natural yet visible glowy highlighter that is more visible than the Tony Moly but less shimmery than the rest. It's similar to my skintone so it blends in really well. The texture is buttery soft, similar to how Urban Decay shadows feel. 

2. Urban Decay Flushed Palette (Native): This is very similar to but slightly warmer than The Face Shop BR801. Although I'm not  a big fan of the bronzer and am on the fence about the blush in this palette, the highlighter is definitely a winner. The tone of it is very similar to my skin so when I use it, it's really brings light onto my face without being visible as a product.  

3. Tony Moly Crystal Blusher (#16 Pink Bright): This my most natural highlighter and the only that  is matte.  It's very fine and soft. I've reviewed this product here.

4. Etude House Aloha V-Line Sim Maker (#02 Sun Pink/ Cherry Brown):  Sun Pink is very pretty but the only times I reach for it is when I use Cherry Brown (the contour half).  Etude House has discontinued the Aloha line BUT this product has simply been repackaged. It's now sold as the Face Designing V-Line Slim Maker and is part of their permanent collection. The design on it is not nearly as pretty as the one Aloha but the colours remain the same, Sun Pink and Cherry Brown.  Sun Pink is very pigmented and despite its name, it's got more of cool white than pink tone to it. I've reviewed the product here. 

5. The Body Shop: This is a shimmery blush that is part of the Leona Lewis Limited Edition 2013 collection. The white colour section is large enough to be used on its own as a highlight. The deer design on it was what made me purchase this product. It reminds me of Forest Spirit in the movie, Princess Mononke. As a highlighter, it's has a very beautiful pinky lilac iridescence to it.  Despite being so beautiful, I rarely use this highlighter as it's very stiff and tends to accentuate my pores.

I'm pretty satisfied with the highlighters in my collection. If I had to choose a favourite, it will probably be The Face Shop BR801 for it's natural colour and buttery soft texture. 

What's your favourite highlighter?

18 comments etude house, highlighter, korean makeup, The Body Shop, The face shop, Tony Moly, Urban Decay

[REVIEW] The Face Shop High Lighter Beam

The Face Shop ~ The High Lighter Beam 13ml ~ around 7 000 Won($7 USD)

As one of The Face Shop's best selling products, The High Lighter Beam should be familiar to most Korean beauty lovers. My first impression of this was that it looked a lot like the Benefit's High Beam. The entire bottle looks the same and even the name sounds the same. I've never tried the Benefit's High Beam before so I can't compare the two.

There is also a gold version called the Gold Highlighter Beam. I believe that one is for darker and warmer skin tones.

The product comes in a glass jar with a plastic lid. It reminds me very much of a large nail polish jar.

 The nail polish- like applicator is okay for precision. You can apply the highlighter to specific areas but it can often apply on too much product.

 The actual product is a pinkish pearl. It's a nice consistency that is not too watery nor thick. It doesn't contain any noticeable shimmer.

It blends out easily. However, on my face, especially on top of makeup, I can feel this product blending a bit patchy. It definitely looks like I've got noticeable highlighter on. As a result it really looks like I've product on my face rather than the glow from within lit.  I would say the finishing result of this product appears more like a powder highlight than a liquid highlight. For a more flawless application, I recommend that you mix a bit of this into your foundation before you apply it. The staying power of this product is really nice. I could still see the product at the end of a long day.

Over all, I think this is worth a try if you are looking for a cheap liquid high lighter. The finish is a little bit too noticeable for my taste so I will just be sticking to my regular high lighters.

Thanks for reading!

2 comments highlighter, review, The face shop

[REVIEW] THE FACE SHOP: White Tree Snow Exfoliating Foam Cleanser

Hi everyone! How’s your day going? Today I will be reviewing The Face Shop White Tree Snow Exfoliating Foam Cleanser which is part of the White Tree Snow line up which describes itself as "The Face Shop White Tree Snow is a revolutionary whitening skin care line that contains vitamin A, B, E and also 200 times more vitamin C than apples, boosts an outstanding whitening effect while maximizing skin hydration. Mineral rich hot spring water soothes troubled skin, promotes skin renewal and protects skin from radicals and environmental damage.” 

"Rich foam cleanser with gentle micro granules lifts off debris and traces of makeup for thoroughly cleansed, lucent skin."

Extract of vitamin C-packed Finnish Vitamin Tree is fermented maximize its benefits. 

Mineral rich Spa Water of Yukawa, Japan, moisturizes thirsty skin and adds a dewy glow.

DIRECTIONS: Dispense a small amount into wet pass and lather up. Gently massage all over face and rinse thoroughly with warm water.

CAUTION: For external use only. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use on broken or abraded skin. Keep entirely clear of eye area. If product entered eyes, wash immediately. Do not rub. If irritation occurs consult ophthalmologist or physician. 

EXFOLIATING FOAM CLEANSER: Luminous revealing foam cleanser

Although it comes in a squeeze tube, I haven't had any issues of the product building up and sticking to the opening like I do with some other cleansers.

The micro granules are so fine that at a first glance, it looks like a regular foam cleanser.

Even spread out, it's still hard to spot the granules. 

You can kind of start to see them now.

Although it is a foaming cleanser, it only creates a little bit of foam. However, it's still milky and slippery when you add water to it.

PERFORMANCE

It’s important to note that this cleanser has real, solid micro granules. Although they are so small, they can still feel abrasive if your skin isn’t wet when you use them. This is why it’s really important to foam up this cleanser with water before applying it on the face. The foam makes it more more slippery on your skin and it’s less abrasive. 

Although I am not the biggest fan of exfoliators with granules, I find this product is pretty nice to use because it’s quite gentle and I can really massage the tiny granules into small areas like the sides of my nose. The granules are so small that unless I rub hard on my face (which I shouldn’t do in the first place), I can hardly feel them. It rinses off easily and doesn’t leave my skin feeling tender or squeaky.

Does it make my skin brighter as it claims? Most if not all exfoliators will claim to make your skin brighter - that’s the purpose of exfoliators! They remover dead skin cells and that alone allows your skin to shine. Despite having claims of vitamin extracts from a Finnish Vitamin tree and mineral water from Japan, I'm not quite sure how much these can do for your skin as cleansers tend to be only your skin for only a brief amount of time. If you're trying the whole range from the White Tree Snow line, then it's likely that those ingredients will be beneficial but as I am only trying the exfoliator, I'd say those claims are almost negligible.

Despite that being said, I would say that this exfoliator is one of the nicer ones I’ve tried. It gentle, non stripping, and not overly abrasive and it makes my skin look and feel nice and soft afterwards,If you are looking for an exfoliator with granules, I’d recommend this. 

If you're looking for exfoliators with granules that melt, I'd recommend trying the famous Skinfood Black Sugar Honey Mask, which I've reviewed here or the Skinfood Lavender Tea Salt Mask Foam which I've also reviewed here. 

Thanks for reading!

Leave a Comment brighten, cleanser, exfoliator, skincare, The face shop

What's In My Beauty Pouch

As someone who who is passionate about beauty, I've accumulated quite a lot of makeup over the pass years. One of the ways I've come up with to stay aware of what I already own and to actually use it is to put things in my makeup pouch. Imagine a situation where you are in a rush and you didn't have time to get ready, one of the things you want to bring along is your makeup pouch right? This ensures that you have all that you need and it forces you to use the makeup that you have. 

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2 comments bb cushion, blush, bronzer, Clio, etude house, eyeliner, Innisfree, K Palette, MakeUp Bag, mascara, missha, sephora, The face shop, Tony Moly

Korean Beauty Haul #3

IHi everyone! Long time no post. Today I have a collective haul post for you. Living in Korea is great if you have control but if not - watch your wallet or stop watching YouTube and reading blogs!

I post up my hauls to give you shopping suggestions but please feel free to request a review on anything in this post!

Innisfree Mineral BB Cushion - remember in my first haul I picked up the refill? It turns out it can't fit it in the Hera case so I had to get one with the Innisfree case. I think this is now discontinued as I can't find it in the stores anymore. They've replaced it with two newer versions: Water Glow and Long Lasting. I'm tempted to give the Long Lasting version a try as Korea's humid summer is coming and I'm desperate for something that won't slide off my face.

Pure Heals Propolis 90 Ampoule - I've been seeing this product around on blogs but I couldn't find it in Korean stores until I happened by shop in Seoul Station. It was pretty affordable at 14 000Won (around $14) so I picked it up.

The Face Shop White Tree Snow Exfoliaating Foam Cleanser - I forgot my cleanser when I went to Busan and The Face Shop was having a sale so ... I bought it. The exfoliating bits are like soft sand and it smells good.

Etude House Face Conditioning Cream - I saw Bubzbeauty rave about this on her April Favorites video. I really trust her reviews so I had to this out.

Tony Moly Nutra-Energy Essence - I really love the Miracle Serum in this line but since Summer is coming soon, I wanted to try the essence.

The Face Shop Super Perfect Sun Cream SPF 50 +++ - gotta have sun cream for the sunny summer weather. I plan to be outside a lot. 

V21 Volume Brightener x 2 - I saw this on Filia's blog (mysugarcoffee.blogspot.com). She raved so highly about it that I had to get it.

Banila Co. Prime Primer Hydrating - I'm sure that most of you are familiar with Banila Co.'s famous primers. They claimed to be the #1 best selling primer in Korea last year. I'm not sure about this year as Korea's always coming out with newer and better things. I've decided to give the Hydrating version a go. So far I'm really liking it. It doesn't have that silicon feeling at all!

3CE Creamy Lipstick in #9 Kitsch Biker - this was a gift that came with a Vogue Girl magazine. It's a hot orange based red lipstick.

Tony Moly Cristal Blusher #12 Pink Heart (핑크하트) - I heard this was one of their best selling colors so I had to try it out. I've about six of these blushers and I'm pretty satisfied with the quality.

Tony Moly Perfect Eyes Gel Fit Waterproof Liner in #7 Black - I tried this out in the store and was blown away by it's durability. I've been using it everyday since I got it - super impressed.

Missha Flower Bouquet Cherry Blossom Cleansing Oil - I really enjoyed my 30ml sample of this so I got the big bottle now. Sadly, they've changed the packaging and made the entire bottle pink. I prefer the previous packaging much more. (Not in the picture).

Missha The Style Green Tea Lip & Eye Makeup Remover - no reason, just a random purchase!

Aritaum Fresh Essense Mask - these are my favorite paper masks in Korea. They had a 1 + 1 sale so I bought 18. I've already used a few.

Etude House Moistfull Super Collagen First Trial Set - this line was released recently by Etude. It comes with the Ampoule Essence, Cream, and the CC Cream. So far, I'm really enoying everything!

Mise En Scene Perfect Repair Hair Treatment - I used a sample of this during my trip. After I blew dry my hair, it was so incredibly shiney. I went out to buy it the moment I landed back in Seoul.

Mise En Scene Perfect Repair Serum - I think this is the new version of Mise En Scene Damage Serum. It was on sale for 50% of so I picked it up. I'm really looking for products to make my hair shiney these days.

Writting this post really made me realize that the amount of shopping that I do is too much. There are so many cosmetics stores in Seoul that I tend to collect a few items each day. I see the stores everywhere I go. Literally everywhere - subway stations, shopping areas, streets that it's really hard to refrain myself especially during sales. 

I hope you enjoyed my haul post and please feel free to make a review request!

8 comments 3ce, bb cushion, hair, haul, Korea, korean beauty, lipstick, make up remover, mise en scene, missha, pure heals, Seoul, The face shop

Korean Cosmetics Haul: Nature Republic, The Face Shop, Innisfree

When makeup brands have sales, it's usually around the same time. It's like a huge competition for them and it makes my wallet a whole lot lighter. So when Nature Day happened at the same time as the The Face Shop and NYX happened to be on 70% off clearance (which makes it the same price as you would get it in the States. NYX is ridicolously marked up here) I had to pick some stuff up.

Mise En Scene 3NT DARK CHOCO HELLO! BUBBLE FOAM COLOR - I've used this before.  It's really easy to use and the color goes on evenly and lasts for a long time. It comes with a color packet, container, pump, plastic gloves, plastic cape, hair mask pack, and essence oil.

2x Nature Republic Forest Garden Chamomile Cleansing Oil: This had the Get It Beauty sticker on it and the sales assistent said it is soothing for skin. I've been waiting for Nature Day to get this as I have just ran out of my Shu Uermura Ultim8.

The Face Shop Lovely me:ex blusher in #5 Pink Affair - it was just too cute to pass up. The color shows up as a slightly cool-tone pink.

Nature Republic Angel Lip Balm in #01 Peach Tint Balm and #02 Cranberry Tint Balm - What a lovely name. Nature Republic always gets me with their sweet names. I bought #2 first because it was the only color the store had. After putting it on, I got so many compliments on my lips that I went for a hunt in Myeongdong for the more natural #01 Peach Tint Balm. They leave an awesome long lasting stain on the lips and feels quite moisturizing. Simply amazing.

Nature Republic Botanical Stick Highlighter - This was a total impulse buy. I swatched it on my hands, it gave a nice glow and it blends really well.

Innisfree Melting BB Cushion Refill: I'm not sure if this will fit into my Hera Air Cushion case (it doesn't) but its worth the try. I'm tired of having cases everywhere. I've heard many good things about this BB Cushion and I can't wait to try it.

NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee - I wanted to like this color but nudes just don't go well with my fair skin at all.

3 comments bb cushion, blusher, cranberry, hair dye, haul, highligher, Innisfree, Korean cosmetics, lip balm, lip gloss, lip tint, mise en scene, Nature republic, nyx, peach, Seoul, shopping, The face shop

The Face Shop Mango Seed Lip and Eye Makeup Remover

One of the things that drew me to this remover is ... the colors: I lover how cool and mango-y it looks. I always love dual phase make up remover because they look cool and because they usually do a great job at removing waterproof makeup.

Performance: 

Although this makeup remover removes all of my eye makeup, it does take s

Slightlynlonger than my Innisfree Juicy Eye Lip and Eye Make Up remover and my Neutrogena Lip & Eye Makeup Remover. Usually I shake the bottle to mix the two liquids, I soak my cotton pad with it, and then hold the cotton pad to my eye for about five to ten seconds. It usually removes half my eye makeup (eye shadow, liner, mascara). It definitely has a harder time removing my eyeliner and mascara than my eyeshadow. For your reference, I tend to wear water-resistant eyeliner and mascara. One thing I notice is that sometimes, the liquid just lifts and moves the makeup around my eye area whereas when I use the other makeup removers, the makeup would stick onto the cotton pad better. After a few more swipes with more cotton soaked cotton pads, the make up does eventually all come off. 

If you do get this in your eyes, your sight will be blurry but the blurriness is gone once you wash the oil off with water. It doesn't sting my eyes at all. 

It claims to contain Mango Seed Oil but I didn't find it more or less moisturising than the other makeup removers.

What I Love About It:

• the colors - I love how the liquid is like a mango yellow - very different from the typical blue and clear 
• removes all my makeup
• affordable
• contains mango seed oil
• Doesn't sting my eyes
• Doesn't make my eye area feel oily
• Easily rinses off with water
• Not drying
  
  
  

What I Don't Love About It:

• takes more effort to remove makeup than my other makeup removers
• more expensive and less effective than Innisfree Juicy Apple Lip and Eye Makeup

Score: B+

This makeup remover does the job but it certainly takes a bit more time and effort than my HGs. Nonetheless, it's still a decent and affordable eye makeup remover that does eventually get ALL the makeup off and doesn't sting your eyes.

If you catch The Face Shop sales when this is 50% off - I do recommend that you pick it up because it is effective and super cheap. If not then I suggest you get the Innisfree Juicy Apple Eye and Lip Makeup remover instead. If that's not available than the Neutrogena Deep Clean Lip and Eye Makeup Remover.

Leave a Comment cleanser, essential, Korea, Korean, make up remover, mango, remover, skincare, The face shop

The Face Shop: Arsainte Eco-Therapy Super Gel Review

I've always preferred gel moisturizers over cream moisturizers and when I found this, I was hopeful that this would be hydrating enough for the winter. When this went on sale at The Face Shop, I bought one.

Claims:

"Super size gel cream that contains iceberg winter provides moisture to skin, Phyto-hyaluronic acid water creates moisturized outer layer of skin, giving it a glowing radiance."

"Containing 1, 000mg of iceberg Water from Newfoundland, Canada and 1,000mg of Phyto-Hyaluronic acid water"

Directions: After using toner and emulsion, dispense an adequate amount and apply evenly to the skin in an outward direction. (or better cooling and soothing effect, recommended to keep it in the fridge.)

- Formula without 7 additives

- Dermatology tested

- No animal sourced ingredients

- Respect the environment

If you look closely at the gel, there appears to be micro shimmers. They don't appear on the skin.

Performance:

When I used this in the winter, I hated it. It didn't provide enough moisture and make my skin feel dry and hard.  Many reviews say that this gel is moisturizing enough for the winter, but I think that truely depends on your skin and where you live. When I used this in the summer, it made my skin feel really smooth and soft. The gel spreads easily over the face and absorbs relatively quickly. In the winter it created a layer that felt a bit slick but in the summer it is absorbed completely. (* I live in Seoul where the winters are very dry and the summers are very humid but the air conditioners are always on, thus more dry air). 

I think this is one of the most moisturizing gels for the summer. I really struggle finding a good moisturizer for the summer months. Creams like Nature Republic Super Aqua are too heavy, and aloe gel alone is too light. I find that this gel is heavy in moisture yet aborbs really quickly.

I don't know how to describe the scent of this product. It's not floral nor fruity. It's kind of strong and vaguely like lemons, kind of acid-like. Once, it is applied to the skin, you won't be able to smell it anymore.

Ingredients:

What I Love About It:

- It is a heavy duty gel moisturizer that is strong enough against the summer A/Cs

- It's  really affordable for 100ml of product

- Absorbs quickly

- Doesn't clog my pores

What I Don't Love About It:

- It creates a slick layer in the winter

- Not moisturizing enough to use year - round

- Smell takes a while to get used to

Rating: B

This gel is really good for dry skin in the summer but it is not enough in the winter. It doesn't do anything special either besides providing moisture and the smell is not for everyone.

Leave a Comment gel, Korea, Korean, moisturizer, skin care, The face shop