Good Girls Wear Peach

I'm sure bad girls wear peach as well but today, I'd like to share with you my peachy-pink blush collection which includes one of my favourite blushes this month and my favourite blush of 2015. Surprisingly, I don't actually have as many blushes as I thought, especially since I use them daily! Blushes are as staple to me as eyeliner is to my eyes. My face can appear quite flat and round if I don't put some colour to it. Peachy pinks are something I pull out whenever I'm not sure what to wear so they tend to be part of my most used items.

The blush that spurred this post would have to be Essence's Good Girls Wear Peach blush. I've always heard good things about Essence blushes so I picked this one up a few months ago. It's part of their Limited Edition Good Girl Bad Girl collection. I don't enjoy posting about Limited Edition stuff but it seems that Essence release their collections over a large span of time so things that were released in Europe over half a year ago may be just released in Canada. I don't quite understand it yet but for reference purposes, I'm going to post my swatch today.

Essence Good Girl Bad Girl (Good Girls Wear Peach) - I believe this is the only blush in this collection. It's one of the most powdery blushes I've ever own. However despite that, it does have a nice colour pay off. It's a true muted peach shade that is hard to find in the drugstore.  I'm pretty pale so it adds a light bit of colour on my cheeks and give them a bit of definition but not enough where I'm screaming blush. I really like this colour but I'm not sure this will show up all that well on deeper skin tones. Essence should really have released another shade as well so that there's options.  GGWP wore beautifully and at the end of 8hr day, I could still see it on my cheeks. In pan there's a bit of shimmer but on swatches, the shimmers don't really show.

Etude House Cookie Blusher (#6 Grapefruit Jelly): This is my favourite blush in 2015 and I love it so much, I'm already contemplating on buying a backup despite not having hit pan yet. I've reviewed it in its own post here. Comparing it to GGWP, it's much brighter and have a lot more pink in it. It's also not powdery at all. 

Tony Moly Crystal Blusher (#3 Pleasure Peach): This is very similar to GGWP but with a bit of pink added in and also brighter. I've reviewed the all the Crystal Blushers I own in this post. The texture is drier and more powdery than Etude House but less definitely less powdery than GGWP. It's also very long lasting. 

I'm wearing GGWP  - it's just a light wash of colour that is hardly detectable. On the lips I have Too Face Melted Lipstick in Melted Peony.

Etude House's Grapefruit Jelly is still my favourite but if you ever come across GGWP, it's not a bad idea to pick it up, especially since it's only $3.50 CDN. 

12 comments blush, collection, essence, etude house, Tony Moly, too faced

[COLLECTION] Best of Beauty 2015

Stock Photo from PinkPot

2015 ~ It wasn't my best year. There were a lot of changes and transitions that really force growth. Even now, I don't know if there will ever be a moment when I won't be growing. I think that's just life. You face challenges, you meet them, and then you deal with it to the best of your abilities. While in the meantime, indulge in things that make you happy - which in my case is playing with makeup.

MAKE UP

On the beauty front, I really stuck with simple, easy things that I knew I could depend on.  Here are my beauty favourites of 2015. This is the first time I'm writing this type of post and I'm truly showing everything that I would genuinely repurchase if I ever use up. Many, many of the things are stuff I've shown before and if you ever ask me for recommendations, these are the things I would suggest.

Too Cool For School - Artclass by Rodin: It's become my go-to-contour palette this entire year. Neither too cool nor too warm, I think it will suit a lot of skintones. (Reviewed Here)

Clio Touching Apple Cheek: This is my second favourite for contour. Simple and quick, it gives me instant cheekbones - though it's not as long lasting as the TCFS.

Urban Decay Duo Shadow in Sin/Mushroom: I love this combination. Sin is amazingly natural, bright, and beautiful while Mushroom is warmer and taupe. It's just an easy duo to have and to throw into my purse when I'm traveling.

Etude House Surprise Concealer: My go-to for amazing coverage under the eyes. Got to keep those bags under control!

Essence Long Lasting Lipstick (Barely There): I highly recommend this lipstick range for anybody. It's a drugstore gem. (Shown Here)

Dior Addict Lip Glow: This goes into my work bag everyday - simple, moisturizing, and gives a natural tint of colour.

Make Up For Ever Aqua Shadow 20E: Just about my favourite stick shadow at the moment. The colour is light neutral taupe.

Innisfree Ampoule Intense Cushion: It's really hydrating but not overly dewy!

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Liner (Black Scotch):  I love this liner! It's seriously a great everyday special something colour. I see it on Sephora.ca so I guess, it's back this year? (Reviewed Here)

Tony Moly Peach Lip Balm: This is my favourite lip balm of all times. It's clear but really hydrating. I put it on before I sleep and in the morning I can still feel it. It smells really tastey too!

Dior Rosy Glow Blush: This is actually my second favorite blush of this year and every time I use it, I try to be really careful not to dent the design. My absolute favourite blush is Etude House's Cookie Blusher in Grapefruit. I've lost it somewhere though. 

Etude House Dr. Mascara Fixer: This mascara primer out performs a lot of more expensive lashes primers.

Physician's Formula Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio: I've been using these for years and I still can't find anything better. They last really well and does not smudge on my oily eyelids.

Etude House Drawing Eye Brow Pencil: This is a simple slanted pencil that twists up. It's really cheap and easy to use. I've gone through many of these.

Darkness Eye Lash Glue: The best eyelash glue ever. It's got a wand tip that allows for more precision.

SKIN CARE

Missha Flower Bouquet Cherry Blossom Cleansing Oil: It gets everything off easily and doesn't leave my skin feeling dry nor irritated. (Reviewed Here)

Mamonde Lotus Mud Mask: This draws out clogged pores without feeling overly drying. In fact, after rinsing it off, my skin feels pretty nice. (Reviewed Here)

Aritaum Fair Smile Fermentation Lip and Eye Remover: This really gets even the most stubborn eye makeup off easily. (Reviewed Here)

Physician's Formula Ultra Nourishing Argan Oil: I love adding a drop of this into my moisturizer just to amp up hydration.

Scinic Snail Matrix Cream: This stuff is wonderful! I pulled it out after my skin began having really dry patches again. When I use this I don't need the Physician's Formula Argan Oil. (Reviewed Here).

Origins Ginzing Eye Cream: This eye cream has a bit of cooling sensation as well as a peach tint so it's great in the morning when I'm in a hurry but I'm also feeling tired.

Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate: Really light, hydrating, sinks in quickly and does not mess with my eye makeup. The only downside is that it's expensive. I've just been using this at night time to ration out the sample. 

Bother Pure-Fect Skin Gel Cleanser: Although it may seem like a runny clear gel, it actually lathers up amazingly and cleans my skin without stripping it. 

That's it for my favourites 2015! I felt almost a bit guilty pulling this list together after realizing a lot of the products are things I've reviewed but I hope you've found it helpful. I'd like to know, what are your favourite item of last year?

6 comments Aritaum, biotherm, bobbi brown, clarions, Clio, collection, Dior, etude house, Innisfree, Mamonde, missha, Origins, physician's formula, scinic, Tony Moly, too cool for school, Urban Decay

[MOTD] Falsies + Berry Lips with Bite Beauty Kir Royale

Back in university, I used to be obsessed with falsies. It was when I first started using makeup and I was so shocked by how different my eyes could look with falsies. One of my friends who loved makeup at that time wouldn't leave the door without the Shu Uemura Farfallina daily. Unlike her, I didn't have the guts, and still don't, to wear falsies everyday. I also couldn't afford to bust out $20+ for it. So I started small with the drugstore Ardell lashes and progressed onto Quo lashes. Eventually I started accumulating so many pairs that I started storing them in a box. The fact is, I don't ever wear falsies unless it's a formal event and over the years, I haven't been to that many - at least not as many as the pairs of falsies I have.

Today, I decided to bust a pair out and just let my makeup crazed self go cray cray with the shadows and the falsies and as you can see - even at cray cray level, it looks pretty neutral. Normally I would have hid the lash band with a black liquid liner but my Kat Von D Tattoo liner just went out of ink today.

(*Ops almost forgot the star of the show - Bite Beauty in Kir Royale. )

Products Used

I'm wearing a pair of falsies I got from eBay many years ago. I can't remember exactly which seller I purchased from nor what the style is called. All I remember is that it was ridiculously cheap compared to how much I was paying per pair in the drugstore.  Here is a link to something that looks similar - falsies.

On my lips is Bite Beauty's Luminous Creme Lipstick in Kir Royale which I got using my Sephora Reward Points last month. Although the pictures are picking out the pinks in it, it's definitely more red in real life. If you missed out on the Kir Royale mini kit, don't worry, I heard that they will be releasing a full size. I applied using the bullet and then smoothed out the edges with a brush. For a more accurate colour swatch, please take a look at this swatch. 

Additional Products

Aritaum Shine Fix Eyes in #13 Brown Bunny

Aritaum Shine Fix Eyes in #2 Pink Oyster

Innisfree Ampoule Intense Cushion #21

Nature Republic Botanical Cake Eyebrow

essence eyeliner in Teddy
Nars Laguna Bronzing Powder
Nars Orgasm Blush
Tony Moly Circle Lens Mascara
Darkness Lash Glue

2 comments Aritaum, Bite Beauty, essence, Innisfree, motd, Nars, physician's formula, Tony Moly

My Bronzer and Contour Collection

Finding a good contour shade is a true mission for any beauty enthusiast such as myself. I'm constantly on the lookout for the perfect shade that will give me those cheekbones. Part of the reason why its so hard is because we constantly use the words bronzer and contour interchangeably. It wasn't until I brought all my bronzing/contour stuff together that I realize there is a clear difference between something that's meant to contour and something that's meant to bronze. Bronzer to me is something that makes you look like you've got enough sun and contour is for creating shadows out of nothing.

Looking at my collection now, I can see what kinds of colours suit my skin and the shades I should gravitate more towards for future purchases.

Clio Touching Apple Cheek #05 Land Brown: This is probably my second favourite bronzer. It's the only cream contour in my collection and despite having a bit of red in it, it's cool toned.  I love how I can apply it without a brush. It's easily bendable - however over blending will lead to the product disappearing.  The only thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't twist up. Once I flatten the dome, its done.

Etude House Aloha (#02 Sun Pink/ Cherry Brown): I've made a dent in this product which is saying a lot. Cherry Brown despite its name is not overly warm nor cool and it's not too soft nor too powdery dry. With a gentle hand, it blends out easily and wears beautifully. I consider this a contour product. 

Nars Laguna Bronzing Powder (Mini Duo with Orgasm Blush): This is cult favourite is a beautiful warm brown with a golden sheen. It can add depth to the cheekbones but it will also add that golden sun kissed glow.

Tarte Off the Cuff Palette (Park Ave Princess): This is a highly pigmented warm tone bronzer. A little goes a long way! It's got a bit too much red for my liking.

Urban Decay Naked Flush (Native): Although I love the pigmentation and texture of this bronzer I'm not a fan of how it looks on me. My skin tone brings out the orange in this product which can result in me looking like an oompa loompa if I go a bit heavy.

Physician's Formula Nude Wear (Light Bronzer): When pictures of these cute little boxes were taking over Instagram, I went out and purchased this along with one of the blushes. However, this my least used bronzer. This product is meant to be used as a glowy bronzer to add that sun kissed look all over the skin. My skin's a bit pale for that to look natural so I rarely use this.

Tony Moly (#5 Brown Sugar): Although this is really too light to do any serious contour with, it's alright as a buffer shade. When I've got time, I add this first and then apply a darker contour shade on top. When swatching the bronzers together, I found that it's really similar to the Physician's Formula Nude Wear Bronzer.

Too Cool For School Contour: This is a really popular contour palette in Korea. The three different strips allow me to contour different sections of my face naturally. It's also cool toned which really suits my skin.

Phew~ I'm glad I finally have a post up again. Even though it's only been about a week since my last post, I really felt a void not doing this and it made me appreciate blogging so much more. Blogging  is an important creative outlet for me and the only space where I can really spend some "me" time-s selfish as it sounds. No one is ever kidding when they say "me" time is important, I'm just glad that I have that moment and also be able to contribute information to all the beauty enthusiasts out there at the same time. 

Thanks for reading my little blog. I really love interacting with you guys!

2 comments bronzer, Clio, collection, contour, etude house, Nars, physician's formula, tarte, Tony Moly, too cool for school, Urban Decay

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

[MOTD] Rosy Brown Lips with Essence's Barely There Lipstick

Nudes and browns have never been my color... or so I thought. I watched this Bubzbeauty video, and I was really inspired by her Mac Velvety Teddy lip color. It's hard to wear a brown lip color and pull it off on its own if you've got pale skin but I've discovered that if you combine the look with brown eyeshadow and contour, you can look really put together. 

I'm not confident that I will be wearing brown lipstick often enough to invest in a Mac lipstick, so I searched online for the next best thing which is Wet N' Wild Bare It All. That's unavailable where I live, so the next alternative is essence Barely There.

 This is actually my second time trying a brown lipstick and I'm so glad I did. The first brown lipstick I tried was a mauvey brown lipstick that looked horrible on my skin tone. It made me look so sick that I was just convinced that browns and mauves aren't for me. While mauvey browns still don't work for me, rosey browns do! Once again, I am reminded that colours work for everyone as long as you find the right tone. 

The camera is picking up slightly more pink than there is in real life. 

Essence's 06 Barely There is an excellent way for pale people to test the water with brown lipsticks and it would also make a nice natural, My Lips But Better color for people who have darker skin tones. The rosiness makes it look quite natural but the brown gives it a slight uniqueness. The essence Long Lasting lipstick formula is quite moisturizing and creamy. It's really comfortable and easy to apply which is really amazing. Despite the name, I would describe the staying power to be decent but not what I would call long lasting. On my lips, it does come off onto things like mugs and napkins and when it does that, it fades beautifully. 

I've actually recommended Barely There to a couple of friends before and both backed from it due to how dark the lipstick bullet looks. In the swatch below, you can see that Barely There is a nice and natural colour. Nothing to be afraid of. 

This is more true to color.  This lipstick has lovely pigmentation.  If you want to sheer the color out, you can apply it with a lip brush instead of directly from the bullet. 

Products Used

essence 06 Barely There, Tony Moly Circle Lens Mascara, Etude House Surprise Concealer, Maybelline Color Tattoo in 80 Creamy Beige, Innisfree Eco Gel Liner in Brown, Too Cool For School Artclass, Tarte Off The Cuff Blush Palette (dark mauve shade), Holika Holika Single Eyeshadow in SBK01 (not in photo)

While trying to create a brownish smokey eye, I fell in love with the Maybelline Color Tattoo in 80 Creamy Beige. It's a few shades darker than my skin tone and the edges blended out beautifully. It really created a soft base for the other darker browns I pat on top of it. I finished off the look with a brown liner instead of black to keep the eyes soft. 

About essence

In case you are unfamiliar with essence, it's a German company that has recently expanded into North America over the last two years. You can find it at Shoppers Drug Mart if you live in Canada. They have a wide range of cosmetics with nothing over $5. What's amazing about it is that many of their products are fantastic for the pricing. As with all brands there are hits and misses. The hits of essence would have to be their Long Lasting Lipsticks, lip liners, and silk blushes. 

Have you tried essence? If so, what are you favourite items?

* As usual, everything was purchased by me. Not a sponsored post. 

8 comments essence, etude house, Innisfree, lipstick, maybelline, motd, tarte, Tony Moly, too cool for school

[REVIEW] Tony Moly Crystal Blushers #3,4,5,12,16

If you're a blush lover and want to collect many different colors for your collection, Tony Moly Crystal Blushers are a great option to consider. They currently have 16 colors in their collection.

When I first started purchasing Korean makeup I was looking for a good bronzer. Since Koreans don't wear bronzers the way that women in North America did, I had a hard time finding one. There were many options for glowy skin, but each Korean store I visited seem to only have one shade suitable for bronzing. At that time my friend recommended me #7 which had just won the Get It Beauty Blind test award. 

Read more »

8 comments blush, blusher, cosmetic, Korean, Tony Moly

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. 

Read more »

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

Recent Empties and Tossed Outs: Mini Reviews - Korean Cosmetics and Skincare

One of my favourite types of videos to watch and posts to read is recent empties. Although there is value in first impressions and mid-way reviews (which I do on this blog as well), there's something incredibly honest about an "empties" review. I have to admit they are quite difficult to post about because they take time and - I don't know about you but I always feel so satisfied throwing out an empty container. 

Anyways, over the last two months, I've been able to collect up quite a lot of empties as well as a few items that I will be tossing out. 

EMPTIES

SU:M37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick: I enjoyed this cleanser up to the very last bit. It's definitely worth a repurchase but as of the moment, I've found something I like better. You can read the full review here.

Tony Moly Floria Nutra-Energy Essence: I really loved the serum (reviewed here) in this line and but this essence was just mediocre in my standards. It's thicker than most essences out there and provides light moisture. I love that it's in a pump bottle but it didn't do anything special for me.

Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX: Most of you who are familiar with Korean cosmetics have probably heard of this one. It's got a light, watery consistency with a very relaxing scent. My skin felt moisturized and bouncy in the morning after but that's all. The results I received from this product is pretty standard compared to the other cheaper sleeping masks I've tried. 

Innisfree Green Tea Pure Sleeping Pack: This sleeping pack gives me glowy, moisturized, and bright skin in the morning. It comes as a white, almost translucent gel with white beads in it. The white beads break apart as you apply the mask on the skin. Two things I didn't like about it was that the scent was very strong and that it's slightly sticky. For the results that it gives me, I'm willing to put up with that.

Etude House Moistfull Super Collagen Ampoule Essence (Trial Size 25mL): Applied on its own will not give you much result. It's of a thin, gel-water consistency and feels like water when applied to the skin. However, it still adds slight moisture. I find that this product really prevents moisture from escaping my skin when I apply this over my daily moisturizer. (In the photo, the bottle is reused so I can bring my toner to the gym).

Etude House Moistfull Super Collagen Cream (Trial Size 10mL): I really liked the consistency of this cream. It's not too thin, nor too thick. It applies easily like a gel and absorbs right away and it has the same fresh scent as the Collagen Ampoule Essence. However, it doesn't provide as much moisture as I like. My skin still feels a little bit dry after the cream as sank in.

TOSSED OUTS

When products changes colour, gives off a bad smell, or starts separating - it's time to throw it out. Expired makeup can be really dangerous. It's better to protect your skin and your health than continue to use something that can harm you.

Aritaum World Glam Coating Tint in Seoul and London (reviewed here): I really loved these two tints. However, after neglecting them for a few months and coming back to them, I've discovered that the scent has changed. It smells really chemically off and not at all like how they were when I first purchased them.

Etude House  Color Lips-Fit (reviewed here): I've also neglected this tint for a few months now. When I went through my makeup, I notice that the liquid has separated from the solid. Thank goodness it's in a tinted clear plastic tube otherwise I wouldn't have noticed. It's instructed on the box that this expires 6 months after opening.

That's it for today! Thanks for reading.

1 comment amorepacific, ampoule, Aritaum, cleanser, cream, essense, etude house, green tea, Innisfree, Korea, Korean, korean skincare, laneige, moisture, review, Seoul, skincare, sleeping pack, su:m37, Tony Moly

February Favorites!

Skincare Products:

Skinfood Black Sugar Perfect First Serum Gold: I've used this before. Both times, I've seen immediate results. Highly recommend! A review will be coming up soon!

Tony Moly Mini Peach Lip Balm: My all time favorite lip balm. I put this on at night and by day its still on my lips.

Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner: I don't really use this for my pores. I use this for itchy skin. It's amazing. The winter has been so cold and dry that my arms and legs have developd rashes and itches. After spraying this on, the rashes go away really quickly.

Innisfree Apple Juicy lip & eye remover: This is an excellent waterproof makeup remover. It doesn't sting nor blur my eyes but gets all the makeup off without tugging. 

Banila Co. The Black 17 Sleeping Pack: Definitely a must in the winter to seal in my skincare. My skin feels so much softer and moisturized in the morning. 

Cosmetic Products:

Nature Republic Angel Lip Balms: Makes my lips look nice while still giving moisture and color.

Aritaum World Glam Coating Tint in Seoul: Perfect redish color. It doesn't feel drying at all.

Hera UV Mist Cushion: I didn't like this in the summer because sweat and humidity really lifts it up from the skin. However, during the dry winter it is perfect - moisturizing and hassle free. 

Majorica Majolica Lash Bone Mascara Base: A long time favorite. It makes my eyelashes more define and noticeable.

Hair Products:

Ryeo Hair Essense: When I'm too busy to use the Skinfood Argan Oil Hair Pack, I use this after I wash and blow dry my hair. It definitely makes my hair feel silky.

PSSSST Dry Shampoo: Best dry shampoo I've tried. It soaks up the oil and volumizes my hair really easily. Definitely a keeper.

Body Product:

The Body Shop Mango Shower Gel: This has to be my favorite scent in The Body Shop. Oddly, the shower gel doesn't smell like the body butter. If it did, I would've bought the whole line. The shower gel smells like sweet mango but it's not overwhelming.

2 comments Aritaum, Banila Co, etude house, Hera, Innisfree, Majorica Majolica, Nature republic, Ryeo, Skinfood, The Body Shop, Tony Moly

Tony Moly Backstage Gel Liner in #8 Khaki Black Quick Review and Swatch

Tony Moly Backstage Gel Liner is one of the best selling gel liners in Korea. They are super affordable, great quality, and have a wide selection of wearable colors (13 colors to be exact). So far, I've tried #2 Brown, #3 Pearl Brown, #8 Khaki Black and #13 Choco Brown. If you haven't read it yet, please check out my indepth review on #3 Pearl Brown. It's still my favorite color among the Tony Moly Backstage Gel Liners.

Today, I'll be swatching for you #8 Khaki Black. I picked it up because I was looking for something different from the typical black and brown liners. I already own dozens of brown eyeliners in various different tones and shades, so I wanted to try something different. I  kid you not. Korea is full of makeup brands with amazing quality cosmetics that tempt you to spend your money. I have had a shopping addiction since I started to get into makeup but this makes my spending habit100x worst.

As with all of the Tony Moly Backstage Gel Liners, This comes with a soft, useable brush that you can take out of the lid.

Khaki Black is a goldeny olive green. On the eyes, it's very similar to a more subtle black. It has golden shimmers but they're not very noticeable unless someone is extremely close. This is a great alternative to brown if you are looking for a defined eye look but want to try something other than brown.

The texture of this gel liner is creamy as always. It's not watery at all but glides across my lids very easily. It very easy to apply and doesn't make a mess at all. This liner doesn't smudge on me at all and wears for a long time without giving me raccoon eyes.

What I Love About It:

- very subtle and defining

- creamy and solid

- affordable

- long lasting

- smudge proof

What I Don't Love About It:

- nothing

Please check out my first review on Tony Moly Backstage Gel Liner in #3 Pearl Brown for a more indepth review.

4 comments eyeliner, gel, gel liner, khaki black, Korea, Korean cosmetics, review, Tony Moly

Tony Moly Backstage Gel Eyeliner Review

Hi everyone, today's review will be on the famous Tony Moly Backstage Gel Eyeliners!

These gel liners have been well raved on about in Korea as well as internationally and for good reasons. I most Korean girls will have this gel liner staple in their makeup pouch if they don't have the Bobbi Brown gel liner. This gel liner is one of Tony Moly's bestsellers.

Tony Moly Backstage gel liners have a wide range of colors to chose from, about 12 to be exact. They are all very wearable colors. The one I have is in #3 Pear Brown. 

They are very afforable - 8 600Won each and sometimes on sale for 20% off on Tony Moly sale days.

#3 Pearl Brown is a wearable bronze brown with slight gold shimmer.

Performance:

 I love all almost all the colors in the Backstage Gel liner range. They are fun and wearable. The color I chose is #3 Pearl Brown because I find that is the color I tend to gravitate towards the most. The color is pigmented with one swipe and applies smoothly and easily. The little brush  that comes with the package is usable and convenient. 

This eyeliner is smudge-proof after it sets and is long lasting as well as water resistant. I do find that it fades after about 6hrs but it disappears in small bits slowly, so it isn't very noticable.

I find that my eyeliner started drying out after about 6 months and it became a bit hard and difficult to apply. Which is sad because I've had my BanilaCo gel eyeliner for a year and it is still really smooth and pigmented.

Even though it is long lasting and water resistent, I haven't encounter any problems removing it with an eye makeup remover or a cleansing oil.

What I Love About It

• Tony Moly offers a wide range of beautiful and fun gel eyeliner colors - more than most Korean stores offer
• Affordable - 8 600Won
• Pigmented
• Smooth
• Long lasting
• Fades away in a very unnoticeable way
• Water Resistant
• Smudge-proof

What I Don't Love About It

• Dries and becomes hard to work with after 6 months

Score: A

I really love that it doesn't smudge on my eyes and that Tony Moly offers such a wide range of colors, but the fact that it dries faster than most of my other gel liners is a bit of a bumer. Anyhow, for the price  I think it is an amazing alternative to the Bobbi Brown gel liners.

Leave a Comment eyeliner, gel liner, Tony Moly

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

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