[REVIEW] COSRX Advance Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

 I admit it, I've been out of the skincare game for a while now. It's just that with so many things happening, it wasn't at the top of my priority list (even though it should be somewhere up there). That's why I scourged sites for the top bestsellers and this game up. I've used products containing snail mucus before like the Scinic Snail Matrix Cream and even still I remember that it was super hydrating for the winter. 

I've been hearing tons about the brand Cosrx from YouTubers and bloggers. They seem to be really booming in Korea at the moment. You'll see a few more product reviews coming up as I did end up buying more than one thing from this line. 

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

"THIS ADVANCED SNAIL GEL LOTION PROTECTS SKIN FROM MOISTURE LOSS AND KEEPS SKIN SMOOTH AND HEALTHY WITHOUT THE USE OF HEAVY OILS"

Advance Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence is created from nutritious, low - stimulation filtered snail mucin and other great ingredients, in order to improve damaged skin.

The filtered snail mucin contained in Advance Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence penetrates under the skin into the invisible, working against damaged skin.

This 96%-concentrate ingredient keeps your skin moist all day and finds your lost vitality".

INSTRUCTION

1. On the forehead and the nose, lightly touch so as not to cause heaviness

2. On the cheek, spread a generous amount and rub enough to soak into the skin

3. For under eye area, tap as if playing the piano, to make the skin absorb the essence.

I really like how this essence comes in a slim, clear plastic bottle. The pump is flatter and shorter than other pumps I've used before. However, it's very easy to control just how much product I want and also see how much product is left. One bottle comes with 100ml. 

The consistency is quite watery with just a slight slimmy feel to it. However once applied onto the skin, it feels almost like water and absorbs quickly. I'm so happy to say there isn't any slim or shine left afterwards. 

I like to apply this after cleansing and drying my face. It feels really fresh and light on the skin and I follow after it with a cream.  I am able to apply almost anything on top of it afterwards because it doesn't interfere with the consistency of my sunscreen or makeup. I've noticed that after I started using this, my skin has become incredibly soft and smooth. In terms of physical changes in my skin, I haven't really noticed anything just yet but I can feel the differences!

INGREDIENTS

OVERALL

I've really feel that this product has been making some really good changes to my skin. It's light enough to apply underneath everything and still feel highly moisturizing. I've also purchased the cream from this line but am looking forward to trying more from this brand as a whole. Have you tried anything from cosrx?

Leave a Comment Korean, review, skincare, snail

[REVIEW] NYX LIP LINGERIE: 08 BEDTIME FLIRT

Liquid lipsticks are in and the NYX Lip Lingeries have been all over YouTube for the past six months. I wasn't that interested in it until a fellow makeup enthusiast told me how much she can't wait for Canada to have them. Just like that, I noticed they were stocked at Shoppers Drugmart. Shoppers has the full 12 shades priced at $10.49 CAD. By the time, I saw them, a lot of the colours were already picked up leaving a few shades left. It was actually quite hard deciding which colour to chose as the promotional pictures don't really do a good job in showing how the colour actually is. A lot of the colours look incredibly similar in the tube. Let's just say I stood in the makeup isle for  quite a few minutes puzzled about which colour to get.

In the end, I grabbed 08 Bedtime Flirt because I liked the name. It's cheeky and reminds me of Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow talk. In case you don't know me, I'm quite light with a cool undertone. Pinky nudes that are two shades darker than my skin tone works best for me while anything peachy, or peachy brown tends to make my skin look shallow and washes me out.

COLOUR

It's really hard to describe Bedtime Flirt as it seems to look a bit different depending on the lighting.  Every shade in this line seems to have a bit of a greyish base but Bedtime Flirt has just enough pinky brown nude to work for me. The best way to describe it is that it's a medium tone pinky brown with a grey base. On my lips, it's just a tad nudier than my natural lip colour so it's perfect for me. I'd say that this looks best in natural lighting. In florescent lighting, like bathrooms, this looks downright grey for some strange reason! It's like the yellow lighting sucks out the pink tones.  If you really can't decide on a shade, regardless of your skin tone, Bedtime Flirt is probably your best bet.

I love how it makes my lips look flirty and pouty.

PACKAGING

Many people complain that the wand is too long and not flexible enough to apply the product on well. Personally, I didn't have an issue with either. My hands aren't the most stable but I was able to apply this in one go. If the applicator is anymore flexible, it would just be a mess. With the current shape of the wand, I am able to apply the edges decently.

CONSISTENCY and PERFORMANCE

The consistency is really light and mousse-like wet but it dries down completely matte and when it does, the vibrancy tones down as well so it's not as dark as it looks in the tube. The odd thing is that once it dried, my lips felt sticky whenever I pressed them together. Nothing patched off but it's just so unexpected to feel that tacky sensation! With one layer I was able to cover my lips entirely but I like to go over it again just to make sure everything is covered. Also, once it dries, it does not transfer.  Without food, I did find this product to last really well. It didn't smudge or budge the whole day. It also felt really comfortable on my lips for the most part. After a few hours it was a bit drying but nothing overwhelming. I really appreciate how this product didn't cling onto any patchy areas of my lips too.

This liquid lipstick only seems to rub off when it comes into contact with oil - like from a lip balm, fries, or greasy food. Once the oil rubs into the lipstick, it will wear off easily so a reapplication is necessary after eating. To remove this, you just need a oil based makeup remover. It will come right off!

*Edit* I've just tried the Sephora Collection Cream Stains in the colour Marvellous Mauve. Everyone has been raving about these saying that they last all day long while being comfortable. I have to say, I really, really like Nyx's Lip Lingerie formula better, at least in the way that they've made Bedtime Flirt. Separate review will be coming soon.

OVERALL

Will I get any more colours in this line? I have my eyes on Exotic, a brick red, and Lace Trim, a light pinky nude. I don't think that it's necessary to get one in every colour since some of the lighter colours look similar. As this line caters to a wide range of skin tones, I would just recommend purchasing the ones that you think will work with your skin tone.

11 comments lipstick, nyx, review

[REVIEW] H&M LIPSTICK FANCY FREESIA

H&M completely revamped their beauty products last year. Instead of the generic makeup with H&M slapped on, they've now got fancy, vintage, distinctive H&M packaging with products that have been receiving raving reviews. Although I was eager to get my hands on some, I had to head downtown to Eaton Centre to get my hands on some. They got two ranges for the lipsticks, the black and white packaging for matte and the gold and white packaging for creams. Fancy Freesia is part of their cream line. 

Even though most of the reviews have been entirely positive, I've only picked up one lipstick. Quite often, overly hyped up products only lead to disappointment so I wanted to test the water before I purchase more. I'm happy to say, this lipstick is fabulously amazing. I also wanted to try one of their blushes in the colour Cameo Pink, a dusty nude pink, but it wasn't there.

 I've been looking for a good purple lipstick so when I saw Fancy Freesia, I knew I had to have it. Even the lipstick bullet is elegant isn't it? I'm truly impressed with H&M's packaging design. Hands down the best in the drugstore range market. This lipstick retail for 12.99 CAD but really looks a lot more expensive. I do have to admit though, that the plastic is pretty light. So even though, it looks expensive, it doesn't feel expensive. For 12.99 what can you expect?

They've a sticker at the bottom of the lipstick and around the outer box but as you can see, it's not really a true representation of the actual colour. The actual colour is less purple and more pink. It's gorgeous and very wearable. 

This lipstick glides like a dream - soft, opaque, smooth. I don't want to hype it up too much but in terms of all the lipstick formulas I've tried, this is truly one of the best. I'm quite interested to try their matte line as well. 

Fancy Freesia applied on smoothly and easily. It felt really thin on the lips so it was easy to forget that I had even got lipstick on.  It didn't catch onto lines nor dry patches and I was really surprised by how evenly and beautifully it wore. It really clung onto the lips like second skin for  a good 4 -5 hours. I had to use a lip brush around the outer edges of my lips but no lip liner was needed because the formula didn't feather. There's a slight vanilla scent to the lipstick but nothing overwhelming.

Overall, I highly recommend H&M's lipstick line!

3 comments h&m, lipstick, review

[REVIEW] SKINFOOD ROYAL HONEY COVER BOUNCE CUSHION

Skinfood is known for their amazing skincare line. However, their regular cosmetics lines have never really impressed me. When they came out with the Snoopy collection, I just completely fell head over heels for their cushion case cover. Isn't it just adorable? To this day, it's still my favourite cushion case - it's just a bummer that none of my other Innisfree, Herea, Iope cushions fit into it.

There are only two shades for this product. I have #1 Light Beige.  15g came with the case and refills are purchased separately. I purchased my cushion from TesterKorea. Although the Snoopy packaging is Limited Edition, you can still purchase the Honey Cover Bounce Cushion in regular packaging.

SCENT

It doesn't have a scent. 

PACKAGING

The cushion puff that comes with this product is unlike any that I've used before. It doesn't feel like blue ones that comes with the the Innisfree/ Iope ones. How much product it picks up shows right onto the cushion whereas with the blue ones, I feel like products sink and sit inside the puff. The cushion itself also seems to release a lot more liquid than the Iope/ Hera Innisfree ones. I merely need to tap the surface and a lot of product seems to come out. There's actually a slight curvature in the actual cushion so it's slightly domed whereas the ones I've used before has always been flat. I like that the puff picks up a lot of product because that means I don't have to jam it in like I do with a lot of others cushion foundations. 

COVERAGE

I'd say that this has medium coverage. It's actually the most that I've seen from all the ones I've tried. The finish is a semi-matte.

PERFORMANCE

I have mix feelings about this cushion. Although it's got really nice coverage, it's not really all that hydrating and blending is a pain. Because the coverage is so high, edges need to be blended out otherwise you'd end up with an obvious cushion mark on your face. However, often the case is  I end up having trouble doing that. The product doesn't seem to want to mesh together, especially around my nose. I always end up having trouble covering the pores there because the product just sits on top instead of filling everything in. It's also not very hydrating which is good and bad. It's good because the product won't slide around but bad because it's so hard to blend. When the product sits on top of my skin, it can look really patchy especially around dry areas like my nose. At the end of the day, I usually have a bit of redness peaking out from my chin and around my nose.

OVERALL
I'd say skip this. There's so many cushions in the Korean market that does a heck lot better.

7 comments cushion, review, Skinfood, snoopy

[REVIEW] Maybelline Color Sensational The Loaded Bolds: Midnight Merlot & Berry Bossy

Would you believe me if I said I've never purchased any Maybelline lipsticks until now? I've used a few of their Baby Lips in the past but the colour selections of their lipsticks in Canada have never called to me. I purchased these lipsticks from Shoppers Drug Mart.

The Loaded Bolds were just recently released for the Summer 2016. I saw a few swatch videos on YouTube before I went out and made my purchase. I've got to say, the colour selection of this line is incredibly out of the ordinary and I'm so happy for it. I'm not sure how popular this line will be since this is most of the colours aren't really the typical "safe" colours that people wear on the daily. When you're wearing any of these lipsticks, you're making a statement.

Maybelline offers a range of 20 colours in this line but as usual not every colour is available in Canada.  They've got some really unique colours like blue, black, white, violet, brown. I know that this isn't the first time these colours are made, but it's the first for the drugstore market isn't it?

Picture Source: Ulta

DESCRIPTION

Source: Ulta

Going - kind of - out of my comfort zone, I've purchased two colours: Midnight Merlot and Berry Bossy.  I wanted to try some of the other colours like Gone Greige and Violet Vixen, but I know that I'd probably never wear them outside so I didn't bother.

SWATCHES

Midnight Merlot is a dark, purple wine colour. People kept saying that it's like a burgundy but I've always imagine burgundys to be red with a brown base. This one is definitely a bit more like a dark purple with red base. It doesn't have any brown in it at all.  It's also like nothing I've own before so I'm kind of glad to have it in my collection. I can't imagine wearing it often though as it's much too contrastive against my skin.

It looks a bit scary in the bullet doesn't it?

This lipstick is a bit patchy. I really struggle to just get it within the lip lines. 

Berry Bossy is a fuchsia, true berry colour. I absolutely love this colour.  I was a bit worry that it would be too bold or dark on my skin, but it's perfect.

Also looks a bit darker in the bullet. The slight curve of the tip is perfect for application.

BOTH

These swatches are better representations of the shades. It's pretty true to colour here. 

PERFORMANCE

Although the tester in stores felt a bit hard and applied splotchy, I'm please to say that these are incredibly creamy. The slight curvature of the tip allows the lipstick to fit on my lips easily which is great because control and precision is definitely needed when applying these lipsticks. Although they are creamy, it's not to the point where they start slipping around and getting onto teeth. They are also pretty moisturizing.  Though at first they might have a slight creamy sheen, it starts to look a bit matte after a bit. After application, the colours can look a bit patchy, but if you press your lips together, it evens out a bit. Both lipsticks are very pigmented. With both, I had to use a lip brush to outline my lips first, Berry Bossy applied a lot smoother than Midnight Merlot. Feathering wasn't an issue for me but I recommend using a lipliner to keep everything in place as precaution. 

In terms of longevity, I would say that these did really decent. They did smear onto cups and and rubbed off when in contact with something, but it wasn't horrendous. Both lipsticks left a berry - pink tint on my lips after they wore off. With Midnight Merlot, I had to be a bit more careful because the outer edges could leave a dark outline on my lips when the product at the centre starts wearing off. To increase the wear time, you could dust a bit of translucent powder on top. This will also make it more matte. 

SCENT

They've got a bit of a subtle, vanilla-y scent. I've seen quite a few people say that it's the typical Maybelline lipstick scent. 

INGREDIENTS

Source: Ulta

OVERALL

I'd highly recommend you go try a colour. These are not only incredibly unique in the drugstore market, they're also comfortable and affordable. 

* I purchased these

8 comments lipstick, maybelline, review

[REVIEW] Essence Shine and Sheer Lipstick 02 CUTE NUDE

Earlier on this year, I wrote about Essence's LongWear Lipstick in 06 Barely There. Since then, I've actually acquired more things from the brand - some which I love and some which are meh. A few months ago, I noticed that they repackaged/ revamped their Shine and Sheer Lipstick line. The colours have changed and the packaging have changed as well. I didn't give it much though since I'm not crazy about sheer lipsticks. However, during my frequent random beauty isle visits one day, I decided to pick one up.

I'm on a bit of a nude kick recently. I'm quite fair with cool yellow undertone which makes it hard to find the perfect nude. Joe Fresh's lipstick in Rose was the perfect pinky-nude and I still love that lipstick, but I'm sure all make-up enthusiasts can relate, we never stop even when we've found the perfect shade. The colour I picked up from Essence's Shine and Sheer line is 02 Cute Nude. At Shoppers (Canadian Drugstore), there were testers available. I believe there were 12 colours.  Though when swatched together, they all looked pretty similar.

PACKAGING

Although I can't exactly remembered how these looked before, I'm pretty sure they've made an improvement. The packaging is a simple clear, tinted cap with a silver bullet with a colour coordinated sticker at the bottom. It's not very expensive looking but to me, it's the product that's inside that truly matters + plus, did I mention this was only $3.49 CAD?

SCENT

A soft, sweet vanilla scent with a slight touch of synthetic lipstick smell. On the lips, all I can smell is soft vanilla though. It’s pretty pleasant.

COLOUR

02 Cute Nude is a soft nudey pink. It's very sheer though it can be built up just a bit, not a lot. If you've got pigmented lips, this will just slightly skim over the tops of the lips but it will still allow the natural lip colours to show through. It will not nude out the lips completely no matter how many layers you put on top.  The shine is also more of a moisturized lip balm type of shine rather than a glossy, slick shine. 

PERFORMANCE

I’m glad that they named this line Shine and Sheer because that’s exactly what these are. In addition to being slightly shiny and sheer, they’re actually pretty moisturizing. When I have it on, it’s got a bit of that Nivea lip balm feel. However, also like a lip balm, the wear time on these is pretty weak. I’d say this lipstick only lasts about an hour or two on me. However, since the pigmentation is pretty weak, re-application is easy. I don’t think you need a mirror for it. For $3.49, I can afford to have one in each of my bags so taking it out with me for reapplication on the go isn’t a problem at all. I’m also pleasantly surprised at how well it shows up on my lips. The swatch was pretty sheer so I had low expectations of this showing up on my lips at all. Even though it doesn’t completely cover up my lips, I still love how it tones it down just a bit!

Overall, I recommend trying a shade from this lipstick line. I find it quite refreshing from the trend of super pigmented matte liquid lipsticks that are raging around. Essence's Sheer and Shine lipsticks are just what they claim to be, sheer and shiny. If you don't like it as a lipstick, think of it as a tinted lip balm because they're that comfortable and moisturizing!

2 comments essence, lipstick, review, shoppers

[REVIEW] INNISFREE CREAMY TINT LIPSTICK #1 PINK BUD

Hello everyone, how's it going? It's suppose to be spring here but I've just witness random little chunks of hail flying everywhere! Today, I've have another lipstick to review - Innisfree Creamy Tint Lipstick in #1 Pink Bud. I've had this lipstick for a while now but I haven't worn it til now (which is not like me at all)! Since I'm going through my lipstick stash right now, I've decided to bring this out and try it. I'm glad I did because this lipstick reminds me of fresh spring flowers.

CLAIMS

The Innisfree Creamy Tint Lipsticks describes itself as "a highly pigmented, long-lasting moisture lipstick that delivers rich color in a stroke." I'd say that this is half true. It's really pigmented - so pigmented that this is probably the reason why I haven't used it until now! However, I wouldn't call it moisturizing.

The colour at the end of the tube is the same as the colour on the inside so that's super nice when you're trying to find the colour you want!

CLAIMS

"Vivid Colour, creamy texture, long lasting, camellia oil, 3 - free system"

SCENT

I don't notice much of a scent so I'd say it's unscented. 

COLOUR

When I first looked at the lipstick, I really though that it was a simple, typical red-pink colour. However, when I tried it on, I really have to say I love it. Even though I've got so many red-pink / pink-reds in my collection, this one is truly differently. True to its name, I really think of a budding rose when I have it on. There's something vibrant and bright about it. One layer gives quite a lot of colour so sometimes I just apply a bit and smudge it out - this way I can get a bright lip and still be wearable!

I've accidentally smashed the top of the lipstick to the cap because I forgot to twist it down. Now it's all rounded and hard to get precision.  Regardlessly, I recommend you to use a lip brush simply because this lipstick is PIGMENTED.

There's something very florescent about this colour.

This is the lipstick full on. It really packs a punch!

 This is when I apply a light layer and smudge it out.

PERFORMANCE

I love this colour. It's fresh and springy - just what I need right now. It applies on smoothly and gives opaque colour in one swipe. Although it goes on like a cream lipstick, there's something powdery-matte about the finish. It does transfer when you eat or drink but it leaves behind a stain, which is typical because of the bold colour. I would say that this is a medium moisture lipstick that doesn't completely hydrate my lips nor dry them out. Lip balm prep is not necessary but I would recommend that your lips be in decent condition before you put this on. 

Overall, I'm really impress with this Innisfree lipstick!

2 comments Innisfree, lipstick, review

Joe Fresh Cream Lipstick: Rose

One of the brands that I've been really curious about is Joe Fresh. Joe Fresh is a designer that creates really affordable clothing. It's got a makeup line for a while now but I think things have been repackaged and redistributed. It's readily available in Shoppers Drug Mart (Canadian drugstore) yet there's hardly any information on it. The item that intrigues me the most are the lip products. I think you should know by now that I'm a huge lip junkie. I practically hoard products of the same color.

PRICE

$10 CAD

COLOUR

Although I've only picked up one colour, I was actually really impress with the beautiful color range of lipsticks. Most of the colors were very elegant yet unique. The tones and shades were wearable yet distinctive. The color I chose is Rose it's a soft, muted pink. It really appealed to me because I'm currently looking for a soft, nudey, cool - medium dusky pink. On my lips, it's really just like my lip color but slightly muted out. One of the other colors that I've got my eye on is Scarlett - a purply burgundy. Rose is a MLBB (My Lips But Better) shade. I used to not understand this term or why people were so drawn to colors that look similar to their lips. It wasn't until I started to really get into nudes that I find myself unconsciously looking for shades that are similar to my own lip color. That's the best way to find the perfect nude - something within the same tones as your natural lips. Rose also makes a great base for gradation lips!

FORMULA

The formula of this lipstick is unlike anything I've tried so far. Although it's a cream type, it's practically matte on my lips. I feel that the formula is quite unique because although it doesn't tug on the lips, it doesn't glide either and neither is it moisturizing nor drying. It's got a rather good grip on my lips where if I were to press them together, the lipstick doesn't smudge, smear, or travel (it still transfer though). So think of it as a very creamy matte.

SCENT

The scent is really hard to detect in this lipstick. I'd say it's like a powdery vanilla with a smidgeon of mint. Unless you're sniffing your own lips, it's practically unnoticeable. It's unlike anything I've smelt before.

PERFORMANCE

Although my lips are naturally quite pigmented, this lipstick is pretty opaque! It covers my lips well but feels very light. Like I've mentioned before, it does rub off onto cups but it fades pretty evenly. Seeing how similar it is to my lip color, it's really hard for me to see if there's still anything on my lips unless I wipe it with a napkin. After the lipstick wears off, my lips feel fine which is amazing. These days, it's been really dry and cold here so not having chap lips after wearing lipstick all day is amazing.

OVERALL

I really like this lipstick. It's the shade I've been eyeballing everywhere yet was right underneath my own nose. If you're close to a Shoppers Drugmart, definitely check them out. Some of the bigger stores have tester. I'm curious to try more items from Joe Fresh.

5 comments joe fresh, lipstick, review, shoppers