Kate Mascara Base Review

I've heard many good things about this mascara base on blogs but it has to be one of the most difficult things for me to find online. I was so happy when Olive Young started selling Kate Cosmetics. 

This has fiber strands attached to a brush comb. The fibers are white like the Majorica Majolica and they attach to your eyelashes as you comb through. After combing through, I follow up immediately with mascara. The brush is like a thin mascara brush with many short bristles.

 Performance: I had really high expectations for this macara base because of all the rave reviews but sadly, it did not meet my expectations. The fibers did not attach onto my lashes easily at all. They tend to stick to the brush and I'd have to comb through my eyelashes several times. After they attached on, they didn't create the length that the Majorica Majolica did. It creates a very natural lengthening effect that doesn't clump. It barely volumized my lashes and it did not hold curl as well as the Majorica Majolica did. I think this is a decent base, better than many but not as good as the Majorica Majolica. 

What I Love About It:

 - It holds the curl fairly well

 - It creates natural length

 - It doesn't clump the lashes

 - sleek and simple packaging 

What I Don't Love About It"

 - expensive

 - doesn't volumize 

- doesn't create tremendous length

 - difficult to find 

Rating: B+ While it does create natural length and no clumps, it doesn't give me the length I need nor does it hold my curl as well as the Majorica Majolica. Nonetheless, it is still quite a decent mascara base and it might work better for those who different eyelashes from mine. My eyelashes are very short, straight, stubborn, and sparse. It's really difficult to find mascara products that will work well for it.

Leave a Comment base, cosmetics, japanese, Kate, mascara, review

Shabu Shabu Day

There is no such thing as Shabu Shabu Day but today I had it so I just thought I would walk you through my experience of eating Shabu Shabu in Korea (in case you've never tried it)

Shabu shabu places are relatively well known and common in Korea, next to samgypsol but much healthier. It is beef, vegetables, and dumplings boiled in a salty yellowish brown broth.

In other countries, shabu shabu may also be known as hot pot.

Basic Ingredients:

Broth

Vegetables, tofu, and dumplings

Beef

Dipping Sauce: Sweet hot chili sauce with minced garlic, seasame seeds, and some spring onions

Optional Side Dish: Kimchi

Optional: You can add long thin noodles into the broth to cook after you've finished cooking the meat and vegetables ( and etc.)

Let's Start!

First,  we heated some broth in a wok (?) over a gas range

Second, we added vegetables, dumplings, and fried tofu into the hot broth

Third, we added the thin slices of beef (it takes only a few seconds to cook)

Finished! We used a ladle to bring out the broth into an individual bowl and then added in the other stufff.

Here's how it looked like. There's some enoki mushroom, beef, and a fish cake.

I dipped the beef into the dipping sauce for a spicier taste.

Ta Dah! Finished :) Delicious!

Leave a Comment food, Korea, lifestyle

K-Palette Real Lasting 24HR 1 - Day Tattoo Eyeliner WP Super Black Review

Let me introduce to you, my favorite pen eyeliner of all times .... the beloved K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo in Super Black and Waterproof!

Performance:

This eyeliner has a thin brush tip that lets you easily control how thick or thin of a line you want. The product dispenses perfectly in just the right amount. Not too wet nor too dry. It provides a clean, pigmented and solid line.  It's even darker and better than the Clio Kill Black that everyone loves. It's easy to use as it is a pen type and you can easily flick the tip to create a very natural cat eye line. What more can you want from an eyeliner? (Well the tip is very thin and sturdy. You can poke your eyelid with it if you're not careful and it will hurt just a tinny bit.) 

Although, I've never worn it for 24hrs,  I have tried for 12 hr. I've worn it on several hot and humid days where there is literally sweat rolling down my face. I've even worn it once during hiking and once during rafting where I had dived into the lake.

 THIS THING DOES NOT SMUDGE NOR BUDGE.

It is the most dependable piece of makeup I've ever worn and honestly, I don't know how they can make it so good. 

Price: 18 000 Won (so overpriced in Korea) or 1 200Yen.

What I Love About It:

- easy to use

- convenient to throw into a bag

- long lasting -> smudge proof and waterproof

- extremely dependable

- easy to make a think line or a thin line

- very pigmented

- comes with a brush tip, I dislike felt tips

What I Don't Love About It

- a bit expensive if you can't get it in Japan

- tip can be a bit hard and pointy

Rating: A+ HG

This is my HG liquid liner of all times and has gained my trust with its dependable quality. I never have to worry about raccoon liner with this on. Even though it is expensive in Korea, I will purchase this again when I'm finished.

Leave a Comment eyeliner, hg, Japan

Aritaum Wannabe Longwear Shadow Sticks Review

These are SPARKLY ~ Probably the most sparkly make up items I've ever used

These shadow sticks along with the lip tints have been quite a rage in Korea this summer season. They are long wearing and easy to use.

I got three shades: Rosy, Caitlyn, and Raven. I think Rosy is the most popular of the three and it is also my favorite. 

I never used to be a fan of sparkley eyeshadows until I came to Korea. Something about the trend just makes sparkling eyes so attractive in the summer. I like to use Rosy as an all over color and then layer some matte eyeshadow over it to give it dimention and not to over bling my eyes. 

These are easily to apply on and once set, won't budge. I think you have approximately 30 seconds to smudge it with the brush at the other end of the stick.

             It comes in a stick pencil/marker form with a  brush at the other end. 

Performance: 

These do wear really long without budging or transferring. However, application can be quite messy especially if you blend it out. The sparkles can move everywhere. It is really easy to blend out if you brush it within 30 seconds of application but once set, it won't budge for the next 8 hours or so. I could rub my hands over it and it won't smudge.

If you over blend, the base color can sometimes disappear, thus leaving you with a whole lot of sparkles.

Texture: It's smooth, almost powdery if you blend it out right away. 

                                       Caitlyn - Rosy - Raven

What I Love About It: 

- smudgeproof - you can't believe how hard it is to find a good eyeshadow or good eyeliner that won't budge during the humid summer. ( I sweat more than most Koreans and literally have bb cream running down my face no matter how much I prime or fix-spray)

- long - lasting

- affordable

- easy to use

- pretty and packed with tons of sparkles

What I Don't Love About It:

- can be a bit too shimmery and sparkly

- hard to control the sparkles because the tips are a bit thick and sparkles can fly everywhere

- easy to over blend - thus leaving no color just tons of sparkles

Price: 6 500 Won. 

               Caitlyn: A dark bronzy gold base with silver sparkles. 

               Rosy: A pink base with gold and silver sparkles. I like to use this as an all over shade during the summer. It really blings up the eyes really prettily. 

                       Raven: A muavey - purple base, with gold sparkles

Rating: B+

The only reason this didn't get an A is because the base color basically disappears if you over blend.

These are great for the summer and have really great quality and are affordable as well. If you're not a fan of sparkly things, then I would skip these.

More Information

Leave a Comment Aritaum, eyeshadow, Korea, Korean, longwear, stick

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

Majolica Majorica Lash Bone Mascara Base Review

Here is a mascara base which I don't hear many rave reviews about (at least in English). It is the Majolica Majorica Lash Bone Black Fiber Mascara Base.

Performance:
I have really thin, sparse, short and straight lashes. No matter what mascara I use, I can never make my eyelashes stand out or noticeable... that is until I found this baby. It comes with a plastic white wand and a curved comb. There are tiny black fibers on the comb that detached and connects onto your own eyelashes. The  plastic comb allows me to get each of my lashes very easily and the curve allows me to get all my lashes. I notice a big difference when I use this before mascara and when I don't use it. It makes my eyelashes look longer, volumized and more defined, yet still very natural at the same time. The way it holds a curl blows me away because the curl does not droop at all. Basically, it does everything I expected from  a good mascara base. I love this more than the Kate Mascara base - review coming soon.

I can't really say anything about whether or not it prevents smudging as I believe that function belongs in the realm of the mascara.

The plastic comb allows for easily application and the curve allows the user to reach most of their eyelashes. The small fibers detaches from the comb attaches onto the eyelashes, creating longer lengths for mascara to adhere to, thus creating longer and more volumized eyelashes.

 

Price: 18 000Won (I bought this at Olive Young, a Korean store) or 1200Yen (f you're in Japan )

 

What I love about it:

- The plastic comb is easy to use on my short and sparse eyelashes

- It holds a curl all day even on my stubborn lashes

- It makes my eyelashes more defined, longer, and volumized while still looking really natural

- Fibers adhere to lashes really well, so you don't need to worry about it falling off and getting into your eye (unless your product is dysfunctional)

 

What I don't love about it:

- Expensive, but well worth the money, especially if compared to department store brands.

- can be difficult to find if you're outside of Asia

 

 

Rating: A + (HG status)

 

I would and have repurchased this. Although it is a bit expensive, it is well worth the money as it performs better than anything I've ever tried. I love this. It is hard to find anything that performs this well on my Asian eyelashes.

Leave a Comment favourite, hg, japanese, majolica majorica, mascara, mascara base, olive young

Tony Moly Floria Nutra-Energy Miracle Serum with Argan Oil [ AntiWrinkle Functional Proudct] Review

I've been looking for a good serum for a long time. Moisturizer after toner no longer felt enough. Moisture, brightening, and wrinkle prevention are the things I look for in a good serum. Also, it should not clog my pores.

The first time I tried this serum was when I received a small sample of it with a Tony Moly purchase. I didn't expect it to be so oily. In fact I had applied it on my face right before boring a car to go on a trip. It didn't absorb very fast at all and left my face looking as if I had oiled it (which, truthfully, I did BUT I had expected it to absorb ). Anyways, my co-worker told me my face was much brighter than the day before, and thus I went out and bought the full size.

This serum is part of the Tony Moly Floria Nutra- Energy line. This line contains a well raved toner, emulsion, cream, essence, and i think a massage pack.

Claims:

" This rich & full - body textured serum which utilizing the natural and argan oil base, delivers skin empowering and moisturizing effects into skin. It gives rich and soft touch; and facial tone will look significantly lifted and visibly brilliant with the vibrant presentation "

Directions:

"After cleansing, apply adequate amount o fthe product to all over face and neck. Use morning and night. For all skin types."

Performance: This serum lives up to its claims, my face does feel so soft and moisturized the morning after application. It also looks a lot brighter.

You'll want to apply this only at night time as it does leave your skin looking very shiny and oily. I find that if you mix the serum with moisturizer, then it absorbs quicker and also cancels out the shiny and oily effect. 

Some people say serum should be used before toner, but I tend to use this after my Missha Time Revolution Essence and ampole. I feel as if the Essence helps the serum absorb better and also because I feel that anything applied after the serum will have a harder time being absorbed by the skin.

Price: 24 000 Won for 35ml.

What I love about it:

     - It is effective. I can see that my face looks much brighter the next morning.

     - It smells lovely, very relaxing.

     - It is very moisturizing

     - It doesn't clog my pores

     - Comes in a convenient pump dispenser

     - Bottle allows you to see how much product you have left (VERY important)

     - Made with a lot of natural ingredients

     - The ingredient list is impressive.

What I don't love about it

     - It takes a long time to fully absorb which leaves you with a face looking so oily that you'll just want to apply this at night only.

     - Expensive for a Tony Moly item, 24 000Won for 35ml.

Texture: thick and slick. It feels slightly thicker than olive oil but definitely oily. They say that if you use oil products on your skin, you're going to be less oily than if you had used a oil-free product. The reason for this is because your skin produces oil to keep your skin hydrated. If you use an oil base product then your skin may not need to produce so much oil on its own.

Availability:  I purchased this in a Tony Moly store in Korea but I'm sure there are many online stores or ebay that sell it. The prices are probably going to be higher than 24 000Won.

Rating: A+

This is by far the best serum I've used so far. I will repurchase this after I finish up this bottle. It comes in 35ml but it has lasted me for about half a year, as I tend to only use this at night time.

Leave a Comment argan oil, Korea, review, serum, skin care, Tony Moly

Scinic Snail Matrix Cream Review

I found this cream at Olive Young after reading it on FrontRowBeauty's blog (I love her blog - frontrowbeauty.com ).  You may have heard that snail mucous is the current IT ingredient in Korean skin care at the moment. It is suppose to be full of nutrients.

I have never tried anything from Scinic before nor heard of it before reading Reika's blog, but I'm glad I tried it.

Performance:

It feels very light and moisturizing at the same time. My face always feel moisturized with this product on. However, it does take 5- 10 minutes to be fully absorbed into your skin and during those 5-10 minutes you will have a very dewy, wet, sheen on your face. It has not clogged my pores nor irritated my skin. I use it both morning and night after toner. 

What I love about it:

     - Very affordable

     - Very moisturizing

     - Does not clog my pores nor irritate my skin

     - Makes my skin feel softer

     - Feels light enough for summer and effective enough for winter

What I don't love about it:

     - Jar packaging. Although it is a very pretty and elegant looking glass jar, it still bothers me when I get things under my nails. It doesn't feel very hygienic.
     - It doesn't absorb right away, it takes 5- 10 minutes to fully absorb.

Price: 10 000Won

Texture:

It's very thin but stretchy, kind of like school glue but not too sticky. It smells natural, I guess? Not smelly, nor floral, nor fruity, but kind of neutral, the way you would expect smell mucous to smell but lighter, almost no smell. It doesn't bother me at all. Even though I love fresh smelling things, added fragrance is not good for your skin. 

Rating: A +

I love how I can use this product both for summer and winter. Since Scinic is not a very big brand in Korea, I always have a backup or two, just in case it gets discontinued at Olive Young.

1 comment eye cream, scinic

Étude House Flower Moistfull Cream Review

The first thing I notice about this moisturizer is its smell. It is heavily scented.  It is not a bad smell, very floral and very pleasent. I remember my coworker asking me if I had sprayed perfume in the room after I had opened the jar, but maybe he is just sensitive to smells.

Although on the packaging, it says cream, I think it is definitely more of a gel.

Another unique thing is that it is made of various kinds of flower extracts. I was skeptical at this claim until I checked the ingredients on the box and indeed listed on the box are vairous flowers.

Claims: 
"Moistfull Flower is formulated with Baobab Tree extrct to relieve and replenish dry skin with abudant moisture and a Cherry Blossom Floral complex to help nourish, soothe and protect the face."

Directions: "Apply cream to all areas of the face and neck as the final step in skincare."

Performance: This is a great cream for the spring or summer seasons but too light for winter. It applies on smoothly and leaves a slight sheen. It requires a few minute to become fully absorbed into the skin. When you apply this into your skin, you can smell the soft, floral frangrance of the gel - cream.  I love that there are so many plant extracts in this cream but it didn't make my skin brighter or softer. It didn't clog my pores at all and it didn't irritate my skin. It just did the basics, which is keeping my skin moisturized, as well as making my skin smell good. Maybe on younger skin, it will have a stronger effect.

Texture: It has a gel texture which smooths onto the skin easily. If you look closely, you can detect a slight shimmer in the gel, when applied, the shimmers disappear.

Price: 16 000 Won for 50ml

I love the pink glass jar with micro shimmers in the glass. The cap is pink and plastic.

What I love about it:
- Lovely fragrance
- Gel texture
- Basic hydration
- Contains many plant extracts
- Cute glass jar

What I don't love about it:
- Didn't do anything special but provide hydration
- Doesn't absorb quickly


Rating: B
If you're young (teens) and looking for a great basic, affordable moisturizer for the summer or spring and is not sensitive to scent, I would highly recommend this. Don't expect it to do anything more than provide basic hydration though.

Leave a Comment etudehouse, Korean, moisturizer, skin care

Tony Moly Pocket Bunny Moist Mist Review

This has to be one of the cutest packaging for face mists. I've never seen something so cute. Tony Moly always makes one of the cutest packagings for cosmetics.

                        Ok, so a little bit freaky when you take the cap off.

Performance:

When I spray this on my face, the mist is not very fine. It hits my face sparsely and I find that I have to spray it a few times to refresh my entire face, which also ends up leaving my face dripping wet. The spray reminds of the disposable spray bottles that you can get for travel. The mist makes me feel refreshed for a minute and then the effect goes away. 

It is a little bit moisturizing and leaves your skin smelling sweet, in an artificially sweet way. One pump of this and you can smell the slightly floral and sweet fragrance. The smell is very strong and artificial but not too unpleasant.

What I love about it:

     - very adorable packaging, you can leave this on your vanity table as a decoration

     - small size - it's easy to carry in my purse

What I don't love about it:

     - sparse distribution of the mist

     - artificially sweet scent 

     - feeling of freshness doesn't last long

     

Price: 6800 Won for 60ml at Tony Moly

Rating: C

I wouldn't repurchase this again because there are much better sprays out there that can make you feel refreshed for longer and not have product dripping down your face. The unevenness and sparseness of the spray really hampers the fresh effect. I would not depend on this on a hot day. I prefer micro sprays much more.

Availability: It can be found at any Tony Moly store in Korea.

Leave a Comment cute, facial mist, Korea, Korean, Tony Moly

Innisfree Canola Honey Pack & Cream Review

This was my first sleeping pack. I never realized the need for a sleeping pack until I tried a sample of this. After all the serum and moisturizer that goes into skin, I couldn't imagine adding another layer on top of that but I guess being in Korea, with the whole skincare craze, I've changed from being girl with one bottle of lotion to a girl who owns a drawer of skincare. 

As far as I know, the Innisfree Canola Honey line only has three products, the honey mist, serum, and sleeping pack & cream. I've tried the serum in packs and it didn't impress me at all. The sleeping pack is by far my favorite, even among all the other sleeping packs that I now own. 

Claims:

" Canola honey from Jeju island provides nourishing skin. A dual pack & cream that helps to create an elastic honey-kissed skin from deep within with its enriched hydrating and nourishing ingredients."

Directions:

" When used as a cream: following the usage order, apply an appropriate amount and softly smooth over your face and neck.

When used as a sleeping pack: apply twice the usual amount of cream and gently massage to allow formula to absorb.

When used as a wash-off pack: After cleansing, apply an appropriate amount and massage. Rinse off with lukewarm water after 5 minutes."

Usage order: Jelly mist-serum-pack&cream

Performance:

I only use this as a sleep pack because using it as a cream is far too heavy and sticky. I put this on after moisturizer before I go to sleep. When I wake up, I can still feel some of the sticky heaviness of it on my face. I rinse it off with lukewarm water and my complexion look so very bright, clear, glowy and soft.  See why I love this product? Very few products can give me this kind of result in such short time. Honey is suppose to be really good for your skin.

What I love about it:

     - makes my skin bright, glowy, soft, and clear

     - very moisturizing

     - smells like honey

     - washes off easily

     - fast results

     - 3 Free system 

     - Green complex

What I don't like about it:

     - very thick

     - a bit sticky ( I get my hair stuck to my face easily with this on )

     - Expensive 

     - definitely too shiney looking to be worn as a cream

Texture: I would say it is the same texture as real honey, a bit thick and kind of sticky. It spreads on easily but it's hard to get a thin layer of product on, which is another reason why I only use this a sleeping pack.

Price: around 23 000Won for 100ml. Sometimes, during Innisfree sales, it is 30% off.

Availability: I bought this in Korea. It will be more expensive if you buy it online.

Rating: A +

As I've mention before, this is my favorite sleeping pack. When I run out of it, I will definitely repurchase. 

   

5 comments cream, honey, Innisfree, Korea, Korean, skin care, sleeping pack