Skincare empties (March 2020) – Korean, Japanese and Western skincare

March 25, 2020March 25, 2020 KimLeave a comment

6 months later, another empties post. You know the drill, keep on reading to see whether I loved/liked/hated any of these products.

Dr. Althea – To Be Eyeconic Eye Serum

Cost: $64 AUD, 20ml from yesstyle.com *

What attracted me to this eye serum was the packaging, I liked the idea of having the angled tip so you can dispense, apply and massage the serum directly from the product. A lot of eye creams are in jars for some reason. It claims to help with all that I and probably most people are who are over the age of 30 are searching for, a remedy for fine lines and dry under eyes. For someone with combo skin my under eyes are very dry. It contains green tea to soothe, adenosine to smooth out wrinkles as well as squalene and chamomile extract for moisturization. The product is light, didn’t irritate my eyes and I could use this alone for ample moisture. BUT, my problem with it was the packaging. I couldn’t really use that angled end to rub the serum effectively under my eyes, I still had to use my fingers for that so I found it gimmiky. Also the container is long and slim with no weight to it so it kept falling over when stored with my other skin care products. Damn it just fell over again…!

Would not repurchase.

Mac Fix+ – Watermelon

Cost: AU $25 (I think) from mac cosmetics . Limited edition. 30ml

Mac Fix+ is an oldie but a goodie and a reliable hydrating mist regardless of what scent you buy. They released limited edition scents mid last year and I grabbed the watermelon as well as the pineapple scent. I love both and they work just as well as the original. I’ve also tried the coconut one which I also liked.

Was worth a try but if I were to repurchase it would be the full size which costs $39 for 100ml, making it more bang for your buck.

SK-II Genoptics Aura Essence

Cost: $210 AUD, 30ml, from sephora.com.au

I suffer from sun spots and hyperpigmentation so I’m always looking for products to fade this damn discolouration. This serum offered brightening properties which included SKII’s patented hero ingredient Pitera.

The serum was milky, lightweight and easily absorbable. It has a light scent which was pleasant enough. I expected to see results but did not. I used up the entire bottle since it would be a crime at this price point not to. Liked it enough to use up but wouldn’t repurchase.

First Aid Beauty – Hello FAB Vital Greens Face Mist

Cost: Not sure, this mini size 30ml was in a set which is no longer available, full size is $29 from sephora.com.au

This is a nice spray, nothing unique but nice. It is cooling on skin and contains lots of plant extracts which gives it that lovely green colour. I’m not really loyal to face mists if I’m being honest since I want to try them all. The only ones I have repurchased has been MAC’s Fix +. Nothing to write home about here so will not repurchase.

Drunk Elephant – B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel

Cost: $35 as part of the Rise and Glow set from mecca.com.au

Another one bites the dust. To hear my thoughts and praises for this product you can find a quick review of it here in my last empties post.

It’s such a good mixing product and if you use enough of it by itself, it’s quite a nice hydrating serum.

I am still contemplating on buying the full size. TBD.

DERMA E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum

Cost: $34.99, 60ml from priceline.com.au (Australian Pharmacy)

I heard about this brand and product from Renee @ Gothamista. To date I haven’t found a vitamin c product that I’ve actually liked. I hated the Drunk Elephant C-Firma and didn’t like the smell of the Klairs Freshly Juiced drop. I’m pretty sure The Ordinary’s Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% broke me out.

Anyway I really liked this serum, texture was nice and light, easily spreadable, absorbed immediately and I really liked the fresh subtle citrus smell. I used it immediately after cleansing in the morning and as well as my complexion appearing brighter over time, my skin also felt plump and hydrated. During the summer, I would just apply this and sunscreen, skipping moisturiser.

Would definitely repurchase, it’s value for money and it’s actually effective.

Alpine Berry Watery Cream

Price: $ 73.10 from yesstyle.com *

I love this moisturiser, this is the second jar that I’ve finished and I already have repurchased. It is the perfect cream moisturiser which is perfect for my combo skin. It has a slight gel consistency making it easy to apply and spread. You don’t need a lot which is great. It contains an alpine berry complex which consists of blackberries and strawberry sprouts as well as hydrating ingredients such as glycerin and squalene. Never greasy and gives your skin a lovely glow, I will always buy this! Thanks Liah Yoo for sharing your love for this product, I’m hooked! I think this warrants a full review so keep an eye out for that if you’re interested.

Ok that’s all folks! What products have you finished recently? Do you tend to repurchase the same things or do you like trying new products out? Let me know!

Please note: links in this post marked with an * are affiliate links. They provide me with a small commission, if you should choose to use them for a purchase, without any extra cost to you

Skincare I’ve used up (September 2018)

September 30, 2018September 30, 2018 KimLeave a comment

I haven’t written an empties post since March…uh yeah this year has really flown! When I noticed that my pile of empties was becoming increasingly more difficult to store, I thought it was about time I posted so I could get rid of them.

I’m going to be breezing through (well I’ll try my best to) each of them, otherwise this will be very long. I’ve reviewed some of it in the past and will add a link to the review where applicable. Most of these products are minis, which I think is an affordable and smart way to try out new skincare, especially if getting samples beforehand isn’t possible.

All products were purchased by me (except for the last one which was in a members rewards box). There are no affiliate links in this post.

Simplistic Skincare – Essence wonder

Reviewed here.

Cost: $49 AUD, purchased from liliacandberries.com

My thoughts since the review remain unchanged. I didn’t think it did much for my skin, even after using it up, I didn’t miss it or notice any differences in my skin. It is hydrating and absorbs very quickly. Nice packaging but won’t warrant a repurchase.

Goodal – Mild Protect Essence Sun SPF50+/PA+++

Cost: $9.81 USD, purchased from ibbi

After hearing the ladies at Glow Recipe rave about this sunscreen, specifically about it’s gel texture, I knew I had to try it. It’s a chemical sunscreen which is what I usually go for because I can’t stand dry and difficult to blend physical sunscreens. I’m sure there are more elegant formulas out there now but I just haven’t found one I’ve liked yet.

The gel consistency makes it easy to rub into the skin which I liked. There were two things that I didn’t like as much with this sun gel and the first thing is that alcohol is the 7th ingredient in the list (cosdna). I noticed this after I bought it, rookie mistake I know! I do know that alcohol is common in sunscreens since it helps make the texture more spreadable but I would still like to avoid it when I can. It wasn’t drying and didn’t smell like alcohol so that was a plus. The second thing was that it left my face dewy…borderline greasy. This could be a great thing for drier skin types but on my combo skin, I did not need the extra grease in my t-zone. Might be a better one for winter. Because of these two reasons, I won’t be repurchasing.

Fresh – Soy Face Cleanser (mini size)

Reviewed here

Cost: $20 AUD, 50ml, purchased from Sephora

As a second cleanser, it was a good one. Like I said in the review, it doesn’t leave my face stripped. It instead, left it feeling bouncy, hydrated and soft. Would repurchase. Keen to try more products from Fresh 🙂

MAC – Prep and Prime Fix +

Cost: $36 AUD, 100ml, purchased from Myer

This is a classic product which I will always keep repurchasing. I use it after makeup to set my face and to add a natural looking glow to my skin. It also helps melt powder into the skin, to mesh with the other elements. It doesn’t work like a setting spray (like urban decay’s all nighter) so don’t expect it to prolong the wear of your makeup. I just love the way it makes my skin look which is a good enough reason in my books. The mister on the bottle is glorious too, very fine. Good for use all year around but especially in summer because it also feels refreshing 🙂

Belif – The True Tincture Cleansing Stick (Chamomile)

Cost: I can’t access the order details but I think it was around $20-30 AUD purchased from eBay.

This was another purchase inspired by Renee (Gothamista). She compared this to the Su:m37 Rose Cleansing stick which I loved but can’t seem to find anymore. Anyway, this stick was nice, it had little bits of chamomile petals in it so it also gently exfoliated the skin while cleansing. I didn’t really feel it to tell you the truth. It did have a subtle natural smell and it was a nice sensory experience to use it. It also didn’t strip my skin but it wasn’t the most hydrating cleanser I’ve ever used either. I felt like if I didn’t apply toner right away, my skin would feel a bit tight. A stick last a really long time, mine expired before I could finish it. I think I had it for awhile before use and didn’t pay attention to the date.

I probably won’t repurchase this. I prefer the Su:m37 Rose cleansing stick and Neogen Real Fresh Green Tea Cleansing Stick (Green Tea) over this one.

Amore Pacific – The essential creme fluid (mini size)

Cost: $25 USD, travel size purchased from eBay.

After hearing Liah Yoo and Jude (Fiddy Snails) rave about this moisturiser, I too also needed it. Especially when I heard that it contained 150 handpicked baby green tea leaves from AP’s own tea garden and that it’s a rich moisturiser disguised as a lightweight creme. Now Amore Pacific is impossible to get here in Australia. Managed to find a travel size on eBay which I probably overpaid for but oh well. I’m actually glad I only got the travel size because the full size is around $100 USD. I liked the texture, it was light and silky. My skin did feel moisturised but not that comfortable. I think it was the scent that bothered me, it smelt quite strongly of flowers I think, not a natural smell. Wish it smelt like green tea instead. For that reason I will not be repurchasing. Overall it didn’t feel unique enough for me to want to get past the scent. The good news is that Mecca, applicable to AU and NZ (I think), will be stocking AP products soon so it will at last be easily attainable!

Drunk Elephant – Beste Jelly Cleanser (mini size)

Cost: Came in a “Hit it off Duo” with the Lala retro whipped cream – $29 from Mecca

I wasn’t a fan of the Lala Retro but I did enjoy this cleanser. It is hydrating, leaves my skin feeling similar to the Fresh Soy cleanser, which is soft and bouncy. There is no scent and I like how the texture is jelly like, so it doesn’t get messy.

I would repurchase, but lo and behold, my husband overheard about how much I liked it and gifted me with the full sized product for my birthday, yay!

Drunk Elephant – Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil (mini size)

Reviewed here

Cost: Came in a “Night Brights Duo” with the TLC Framboose Glycolic Night Serum, $40 AUD, from Mecca

I’ve already repurchased another Night Brights Duo before I finished it. I almost bought the full size but since I’m between a few oils, I thought I’d just buy it later because it’s quite expensive. I love this oil, it’s lightweight, easily absorbable, feels nourishing as well as moisturising. I like to apply it at night after my actives or retinoid. I don’t feel like to I need to apply moisturiser either. There’s just something about it sensory wise, it feels very comforting.

Acwell – Licorice pH Balancing Cleansing Toner (mini size)

Cost: $9.50 USD for two mini sizes from eBay

Charlotte from Soko Glam sold me on this when she curated it into their store. It all sounded pretty good, low ph, licorice and peony for brightening and green tea. Honey skin also sounded pretty damn good too and her skin is flawless! I actually really liked this toner, it felt gentle and my skin felt balanced and calm after using it. I don’t know if it alone gave me honey skin, which I still don’t have anyway. I still have another bottle left but it’s something that I liked enough to repurchase.

Too Faced – Hangover 3-in-1 Replenishing Primer & Setting Spray (mini size)

Cost: Free with my beauty loop box from Mecca (member rewards thing)

I’ve wanted to try this for awhile because I’m obsessed with anything coconut and this has coconut water in it. Too Faced says you can use it three ways, as a primer/setting spray/refresher, but I used it only as a setting spray (because it was so tiny). It’s more of a hydrating setting spray than something that would cement your look to last all day. I feel like it gives the same effect as MAC Fix + and now that they also have a coconut version (which I’m currently using), I haven’t made up my mind as to which I prefer. I can’t remember if this Too Faced one smelt like coconuts but I remember it being pleasant enough. Because of its teeny tiny size, I only got to use it twice or thrice so it’s hard to remember exactly. I’ll most likely purchase the full size once my current setting sprays are used up.

Ok if you’ve made it this far, you’ve done well! Phew that was a looong post, a lot of words. Let me know if you’ve used any of these products mentioned and if you have any questions, please post them below. Until next time 🙂

Skincare I’ve used up (March 2018)

March 11, 2018March 11, 2018 Kim1 Comment

Since starting my exploration into asian beauty I quickly accumulated a lot of stuff over a short period of time. I wanted to try everything so I kept buying and used parts of each product.

I eventually calmed down and started to focus on really understanding how my skin responded to each product and to do that properly, I started to concentrate on using them up. This also helped my (already crammed) beauty area as well as my wallet.

I like watching and reading other blogger’s empties videos and articles. I find that it’s a good way of seeing if they really liked the product or not. I find them to be way more useful than a haul or first impressions. With skincare, first impressions are pretty unreliable unless it causes an obvious reaction to your skin.

The products which I will be talking about were tolerable to my skin and decent enough for me to use up without any irritation or breakouts (no more than usual). I won’t be going into too much detail because this post will be super long. I will elaborate on some of these products in seperate posts.

Shu uemura Skin Purifier nutri:nectar

I wrote a full post on this a couple of months ago here.

What is it?

Its a cleansing oil which you use to remove makeup and the first step in a double cleanse. It has a soft floral scent and its texture is unique since its in the form of an emulsion. It effectively removed my makeup without leaving a residue.

Ingredients: copied from my post:

ethylhexyl palmitate, acqua, glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, propanediol, peg-20 glyceryl triisostearate, sucrose laurate, sucrose palmitate, sodium methyl stearoyl taurate, salicylic acid, tocopherol, sodium hydroxide, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, ganoderma lucidium extract, isopropyl lauroyl, sarcosinate, isopropyl myristate, dicaprylyl ether, dicaprylyl carbonate, euterpe oleracea fruit extract, butylene glycol, maltodextrin, hydrolyzed opuntia ficus-indica flower extract, citric acid, perilla ocymoides leaf extract, magnolia liliflora flower extract, sodium benzoate, phenoxethanol, potassium sorbate, ethylhexyglycerin, parfum.

Would I repurchase?:

No.

I had received this as a gift from my partner and I would not buy this for myself. It is way too expensive for what it is. The product itself is fine, nothing wrong with it, but other less expensive balms and oils do the same job. It does remove makeup really well and with ease if compared to a cleansing balm but not that much more to warrant its price.

Lee Gee Haam Vita Propolis Ampoule

What is it?

It’s an ampoule serum which helps even out skin tone and gives your skin a glow amongst other benefits. It has 50% propolis extract as well as other ingredients which I love such as Centella Asiatica and Niacinamide. I usually apply this after my essence and before moisturiser in my skin care routine.

Ingredients: from glowrecipe.com:

Propolis extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Niacinamide, 1, 2-Hexanediol, Ethyl Ascorbyl Ether, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Bark/ Twig Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Carbomer, Arginine, Spirodela Polyrrhiza Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate.

Would I repurchase?:

Yes.

A product like this might not seem “necessary” but for me, I liked how my skin felt and looked whenever I used it. Layering it with other skincare was fine and it did not make me breakout. It also gave me a nice subtle glow. My only gripe is that its so small, 15ml. You only need a couple of drops but its still quite tiny for the price. I bought it from ebay and I think it was around $20 AUD.

Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch

What is it?

It’s a clear patch which you apply onto any active pimples. These pimples can either be already open or still closed/almost ready to erupt. I suffer from hormonal breakouts so this has always been my saviour. I put the patch on before I go to bed and in the morning, the pimple is less angry and noticeably flatter. Its a one time use product for each patch and its pretty gross when you peel it away, but cool.

Ingredients: From stylestory.com.au

Cellulose gum, Styrene Isoprene Styrene Block Copolymer, Polysobutylene, Petroleum Resin, Polyurethane Film, Liquid Paraffin, Tetrakis Methane

Would I repurchase?:

Yes.

I have continued to repurchase this over and over, from many different sellers. Its such a great product and for around $6 AUD you get 24 patches in each pack, which I think is totally worth it.

Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick

What is it?

A cleansing stick used as the second step in a double cleanse. It lathers and foams nicely and has a soft rose scent. The stick also contains real rose petals which gently exfoliate your skin. It also has a low ph of 5.5 and leaves my skin feeling moisturised. Even though coconut oil is the third ingredient, it doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin. I love its packaging, in the stick form, because its great for travel and easy to use without any mess.

Ingredients: From stylestory.com.au

Glycerin, Water, Coconut Oil, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Betaine, Lauryl Betaine, Camellia Oil, Rosa Centifolia Flower (0.5%), Pelargonium Graveolens (Rose Geranium) Flower Oil, Rose Flower Oil, Castor Oil, Green Tea Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Apricot Seed Oil, Ylang Ylang Flower Oil, Lime Oil, Orange Peel Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Basil Oil, Origanum Heracleoticum Flower Oil, Saccharomyces/Rosa Damascena Flower Extract Ferment Filtrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol

Would I repurchase?

Yes.

I was about to repurchase this recently but found that its sold out everywhere! Then I read some posts which indicated that it may have either been discontinued or reformulated. Which is really annoying! Its such a popular product as well. If and when it does come back, I will be buying it again.

Neogen Real Fresh Cleansing Stick – Green Tea

What is it?

This is also a stick cleanser used in the second step in a double cleanse. Green Tea is the hero in this product and I adore anything with green tea in it. It has real green tea leaves scattered in the stick which also provides gentle exfoliation while you cleanse. Sounds really similar to the rose cleansing stick right? The concept anyway. Just like the rose stick, its packaging is the same, handy for travel, messy free etc. With a ph of 5.5-6, its just as gentle as the rose stick. The rose stick felt a hair more moisturising though.

Another similarity is that coconut oil is once again third on the ingredients list and doesn’t irritate my skin.

Ingredients: from sokoglam.com

Glycerin, purified water, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, palmitic acid, stearic acid, lauryl betaine, betaine, camellia sinensis leaf(0.3%), camellia sinensis seed oil(0.1%), camellia japonica seed oil, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, helianthus annuus (sunflower)seed oil, limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, oenothera biennis (eveningprimrose) oil, tocopheryl acetate, citrus aurantifolia (lime) oil, ocimum basillicum (basil) oil, cananga odorata flower oil, citrus limon (lemon) peel oil, origanum heracleoticum floweroil, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange)peel oil, fragrance.

Will I repurchase?

Yes.

Even though I liked the extra moisturisation from the rose cleanser, I would definitely buy this again. It is a good alternative to the su:m37 cleanser if that did get discontinued or became impossible to buy. I just really like stick cleansers 🙂

Pyunkang yul Moisture Cream

What is it?

A face moisturiser which is good for both sensitive and combination-oily skin types. It is fragrance free, lightweight and easily absorbable into the skin. I read somewhere that it also cools down your body temperature so its especially great in summer and humid climates. I applied it as my final step in skincare before sunscreen and makeup. I appreciated how moisturising it was without any stickyness or oilyness. Its star ingredient is Coptis Japonica Root Extract which is known for its nourishing and anti inflammatory properties.

Ingredients: from beautyandseoul.co.uk

Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Isohexadecane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 80, Glyceryl Caprylate

Will I repurchase?

Yes but not for awhile. There are still loads of moisturisers I want to try out and I don’t like this one enough to repurchase just yet. My biggest gripe is the packaging, I despise jars for creams (yes I know its common for moisturisers). Its also not great for travel because its glass and has some weight to it.

Pyunkang yul mist toner

What is it?

It’s a toner in a mist form which you can use to hydrate your face anytime or as toner after cleansing. I really liked to use this spray for both purposes, especially when I felt too lazy to pat toner onto my face or find a cotton pad. The spray is really fine so it felt pretty relaxing to mist on the face.

Like the moisture cream, the star ingredient is also Coptis Japonica Root Extract.

Ingredients: from beautyandseoul.co.uk

Coptis Japonica Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate

Will I repurchase?

Yes.

I have a few products from this brand and I respect its minimal ingredients list. Will definately buy this again once I’m through with my other ones.

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know if you have and whether you would repurchase any of them.

[Review] Worst face mist ever! Innisfree Green Tea Mineral mist

November 11, 2017November 11, 2017 Kim4 Comments

There’s something about setting sprays and face mists that always draws me in. There are some good ones but far many more bad ones. This is one of them. This might be the worst one which I have ever tried. So of course I need to share my reasons why you need to steer clear of it! I’m not even going to bother providing an ingredients list because its not worth it!

My experience with Innisfree…

Innisfree is a major k-beauty brand and is known for their products containing ingredients from Jeju island, which has been described as Korea’s Hawaii.

Before purchasing this, I had only ever tried one other product from them which was a primer, their No Sebum Blur Primer. It was awful. It was pretty dry and pilled on my skin. Possibly the worst primer I have ever used. I chucked it out after the first go. I didn’t have this blog back then, otherwise I would have shared my experience.

I was browsing around in-store in Cosmo Cosmetics in Sydney when I spotted this mist. Green tea is one of my favourite ingredients and it claimed to hydrate and moisturise the skin. It was only small, 50ml, so I thought what they hey, let’s give Innisfree another go. What’s the worst that could happen? Famous last words…

Why its so bad

Its an aerosol can and like any aerosol can, it needs to be shook before use. I shook it a couple of times and sprayed in on my hand. The spray was spluttering and it outputted bits of foam and blobs of white dots. I shook it a few more times and it sprayed with less spluttering but still outputted visible white dots with its stream. What kinda scared me about this was the pressure of the spray. Yes the force was strong with this one 😛 Even the cockroach spray I used today was less intense than this…

innisfree-1 — Innisfree Green Tea Mineral Mist – Foamy mess!

I thought ok, let’s see how it feels on the face. I held it far away from my face as possible and it forcefully sprayed my face with white foam and droplets. It also kept leaking on the sides too making a horrible mess in my bedroom. Once it was on the face, I had to pat it in for absorption. I guess it did make my face feel hydrated but the mess and effort wasn’t worth it.

I have tried it a couple more times, to be fair, but nope the application doesn’t get any better. I’ve tried shaking it more, squeezing the nozzle with different push pressure, to no avail. I think I’ve actually almost used it all up after three uses too. I want my $11 back! It is also two years from its expiry date so that wasn’t the issue.

I don’t know if its just mine that was doing this, whether it was faulty. I would be surprised that a product behaving like this could be released into the market as is. Be warned that if you do try this, try it on a bare face and not over makeup like the directions also suggest.

Let me know if you have tried this and what your experience was with it. If you use any HG Innisfree products, let me know because my experience with the brand so far has been a flop.