[Review] Laneige Lip Glowy Balm – how does it compare to the iconic lip sleeping mask?

August 3, 2020August 3, 2020 Kim1 Comment

When Laneige released these lip balms (within the last year or so), I was curious to see how they would compare with their cult favourite lip sleeping mask. In my opinion this was the product which got a lot of hype and made Laneige a household name worldwide. Launching their line in Sephora also helped. I really like the sleeping mask, everything about it, except for the pot packaging. So when I saw these balms released in tube form, I hoped that they would be just as good as they are convenient.

I picked up 3 of the 4 shades, #Grapefruit, #Pear and #Peach. I couldn’t get a hold of #Berry at the time.

Claims

from laneige.com

The perfect daytime partner in crime to the cult-favorite Lip Sleeping Mask, Glowy Lip Balm is pocket sized for easy, on-the-go application. The formula contains murumuru and shea butters that provide powerful hydration and lock in moisture longer.

Price

$15.95 AUD, 10g, from letsfaceit.net.au

Ingredients

See laneige.com for the ingredients for all 4 flavours. Included ingredients from their website for Peach.

Peach: HYDROGENATED POLYISOBUTENE, PHYTOSTERYL/ISOSTEARYL/CETYL/ STEARYL/BEHENYL DIMER DILINOLEATE, HYDROGENATED POLY(C6-14 OLEFIN), DIISOSTEARYL MALATE, POLYBUTENE, PHYTOSTERYL ISOSTEARYL DIMER DILINOLEATE, MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX /CERA MICROCRISTALLINA / CIRE MICROCRISTALLINE, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, SUCROSE TETRASTEARATE TRIACETATE, SYNTHETIC WAX, ETHYLENE/ PROPYLENE/STYRENE COPOLYMER, MICA, EUPHORBIA CERIFERA (CANDELILLA) WAX / CANDELILLA CERA HYDROCARBONS / CIRE DE CANDELILLA, ASTROCARYUM MURUMURU SEEDBUTTER, BUTYLENE/ ETHYLENE/STYRENE COPOLYMER, CANDELILLA WAX ESTERS, FRAGRANCE / PARFUM, DEHYDROACETIC ACID, DIMETHICONE, POLYGLYCERYL-2 TRIISOSTEARATE, METHICONE, COPERNICIA CERIFERA (CARNAUBA) WAX / COPERNICIA CERIFERA CERA / CIRE DE CARNAUBA, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), YELLOW 6 LAKE (CI 15985), POLYGLYCERYL-2 DIISOSTEARATE, RED 6 (CI 15850), PRUNUS PERSICA (PEACH) KERNEL OIL, BHT

Without analysing all the ingredients in each one, which I won’t be doing, the hero ingredients do differ between the lip sleeping mask and the glowy lip balms.

From laneige.com:

Lip Glow Balm

Key Ingredient: Murumuru Butter, Shea Butter

Lip Sleeping Mask

Key Ingredient: Berry Mix Complex™

Comparison summary

Packaging

The packaging is a small and slim plastic squeezy tube, pretty common to other lip balms on the market. It’s easy to squeeze out your desired amount and you can use the applicator to also spread the balm on your lips. Hands free lip application is the most sanitary option, especially in these dark times, so I’m all for simple tubes because they do the job efficiently.

One of my pet peeves for lip products is having to use my fingers for application. I know that Laneige does provide this small spatula thing (which I already lost/threw away on day one) with the lip sleeping mask, but even if I did use that I would still need to keep it sanitised which requires unnecessary effort in my opinion.

Cost

The lip glowy balm only has 10g of product where the lip sleeping mask has 20g. Sephora sells the lip sleeping mask for $28 and the glowy balm for $23. So for an extra $5 you can get double the product of the lip glowy balm with the lip sleeping mask. I’ve used my jar for months (not consistently because of the packaging) and I haven’t made much a dent yet so I can vouch that it’s far better value. It will probably expire before I use it up. The cost of convenience however, is priceless. If I can get the glowy balms on sale (which I did), the difference isn’t that bad.

This is all in AUD by the way and cost varies depending on where you shop. This is more common for k-beauty since it’s sold through many different retailers. I would definitely recommend the Let’s face it online store (I’m not affiliated) if you are in Australia, their prices are competitive and shipping was super quick.

Performance

True to its claims, it does provide a lot of hydration and moisture to my lips, which are pretty dry but not cracked or anything. It makes my lips look very juicy with high shine, which I don’t mind since I’ve only been wearing it at home. It gives the same effect of the lip sleeping mask, glossy, non sticky lips.

In terms of its lasting power, I would say that it’s just as effective as the lip sleeping mask. You will need to reapply it after eating (depending on how heavy your meal was) but it does last if you’re just drinking and going about your day. I have applied it before bed as well and my lips have felt soft in the morning. The same result as using the lip sleeping mask. It’s marketed as use for daytime, but it also kept my lips moisturised throughout the night too. Either might not be enough if you have extremely dry or cracked lips, you might need to re apply during the night.

Shades

The tint is barely noticeable too so the difference colour wise across the different flavours is very minimal especially once on the lips. I would say they are pretty much transparent. Each flavour has its own scent of course, which is most detectable when freshly applied and isn’t offensive whatsoever. It doesn’t smell artificial which I appreciate. I’ve only used the Berry flavour of the lip sleeping mask so I don’t know if the other flavours have a stronger scent but the Berry one has a subtle yummy scent, as do these glowy balms. My favourite of the bunch being Peach. Grapefruit is a tad bitter which I don’t like as much but it’s also pretty subtle.

Laneige Lip Glowy Balm – Swatched from top to bottom: Pear, Peach and Grapefruit

Final thoughts

Rating: 5 out of 5 (Love this, will always need it in my beauty arsenal!)

I really like these Lip Glowy Balms from Laneige. I enjoy its fuss free packaging and don’t mind paying a bit extra for this convenience. I would actually get use out of them for this reason which is worth it. I would say it’s incredibly similar to the lip sleeping mask in terms of how it feels and performs on my lips. Would definitely prefer these over the cult classic lip sleeping mask. If you don’t mind using a spatula or fingers, the latter is better value.

Have you tried these out yet? If you already own the lip sleeping mask, how do you think it compares? Would love to hear your thoughts.

[Review] Laneige Stained Glow Lip Balm #Rich Red

March 27, 2020March 27, 2020 KimLeave a comment

I went on a big trip to Japan and South Korea last Christmas and came back with wayy too much skincare and makeup (keep on eye for many more reviews from me!).

I was looking for things I hadn’t seen before and things I couldn’t get over here. I also got to see/buy the latest releases which was exciting. Living in Australia, we don’t always get the new stuff as soon as they release, more like weeks/months after.

One makeup item that is new that I will be reviewing today is a lip product from Laneige called the Stained Glow Lip Balm. What initially drew me to the range was it’s packaging which is similar to Diors’ Glow Color Reviver Balm which I already love so I’ll highlight the similarities between the two.

Cost

About $20 USD from a Laneige store in Myeongdong, Seoul (Dec 2019)

Ingredients

From laneige.com

* LANEIGE Stained Glow Lip Balm No.2 (Rich Red)
PHYTOSTERYL ISOSTEARYL DIMER DILINOLEATE, BIS-DIGLYCERYL POLYACYLADIPATE-2, PHYTOSTERYL/OCTYLDODECYL LAUROYL GLUTAMATE, DIISOSTEARYL MALATE, DIISOPROPYL DIMER DILINOLEATE, BEESWAX / CERA ALBA / CIRE D’ABEILLE, OCTYLDODECANOL, POLYETHYLENE, OZOKERITE, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX / CERA MICROCRISTALLINA / CIRE MICROCRISTALLINE, SQUALANE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, POLYGLYCERYL-2 TRIISOSTEARATE, TRIBEHENIN, FRAGRANCE / PARFUM, YELLOW 6 LAKE (CI 15985), SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE, RED 22 LAKE (CI 45380), BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, ASTROCARYUM MURUMURU SEED BUTTER, RED 27 (CI 45410), LACTIC ACID, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), RED 7 (CI 15850), POLYGLYCERYL-2 DIISOSTEARATE, WATER / AQUA / EAU, PALMITOYL TRIPEPTIDE-1, TOCOPHEROL, POTASSIUM ALGINATE, GLYCERIN, PROPANEDIOL, BHT, ALCOHOL, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, PHENOXYETHANOL, LYCIUM CHINENSE FRUIT EXTRACT, RUBUS IDAEUS (RASPBERRY) FRUIT EXTRACT, VACCINIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM (BLUEBERRY) FRUIT EXTRACT, COFFEA ARABICA (COFFEE) SEED EXTRACT, SAPINDUS MUKOROSSI FRUIT EXTRACT, VACCINIUM MACROCARPON (CRANBERRY) FRUIT EXTRACT, FRAGARIA CHILOENSIS (STRAWBERRY) FRUIT EXTRACT, RUBUS CHAMAEMORUS SEED EXTRACT, CHENOPODIUM QUINOA SEED EXTRACT, MAGNESIUM SULFATE, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, BETA-GLUCAN, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, MANGANESE SULFATE, ZINC SULFATE, DISODIUM EDTA, ASCORBYL GLUCOSIDE

There are three shades available and the ingredients vary due to its colours. It contains the same Berry Complex and Moisture wrap technology used in their popular and now cult favourite sleeping masks.

Claims

from l aneige.com

Tinted lip balm offers hydrating moisture and fresh tinting color for lovely lips.

Shades

The stained lip balm comes in three beautiful shades.
I picked up only the shade No.2 Rich Red.

True to its name, since it is a balm, it is very sheer but contains enough pigment to brighten up the lips. I’ve never been able to get to that level of payoff in the picture due to its sheerness. Maybe if you wore a lip liner underneath or something. I love the subtle colour it leaves and being sheer, it’s also so easy to apply without a mirror.

Alike to Dior’s balm, it has its own smart tinting technology where the colour adapts to the ph of your lips, so the colour can look different on everyone which is pretty cool.

Scent

There is a light fruity scent but it’s very subtle and pleasant. I’m very sensitive to fragrance in makeup, but I enjoy this.

My final thoughts

Rating: 5 out of 5 (Love this, will always need it in my beauty arsenal!)

Firstly as you can already tell from my rating, love this product. As much as I like a full coverage matte/satin lipstick at the best of times, for my more casual days (like in self isolation at the moment) where I wear lighter makeup or none at all, I like to go for easier options. Which this balm definitely is.

Secondly it is much like Diors’ Glow Color Reviver Balm (such a mouthful!), heck even their names are similar. They are both easy to apply, provide a nice tint of colour using their own ph adapting tech and they both leave a nice shine to the lips which never feels sticky or uncomfortable. They both contain moisturising ingredients, providing lasting suppleness, juiciness and hydration to the lips. I hate it when I swipe on a lip balm and my lips get dry again just 10 mins later. As mentioned earlier, there is a subtle fruity scent to this lip stain where Diors’ balm has a light vanilla smell.

The price is probably the biggest difference, Dior’s balm is $52 AUD and the Laniege’s version is going for $37 AUD at Yesstyle.com at the moment. The shade range differs too actually, only 3 shades for this lip stain vs Diors’ which has 7 shades.

If you love Diors’ version, or if you tend to gravitate towards lip balms, I would definitely recommend giving this a try. I think it’s only released in Asia so far but it’s currently available from Yesstyle.com.

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

[Review] Laneige Moist Cream Cleanser

November 17, 2019November 17, 2019 KimLeave a comment

I’ve been really into cream cleansers of late and after having success with a couple of Laneige skincare products, I wanted to try more from the brand. I have to admit that the pretty pink packaging caught my eye in the first instance but it was its moisturising properties that sealed the deal.

If you’re interested in hearing about my experience in using this cleanser, please keep on reading.

Cost

$17.74 USD from jolse.com

Ingredients

From laneige.com

WATER / AQUA / EAU, LIMNANTHES ALBA (MEADOWFOAM) SEED OIL, MYRISTIC ACID, LAURYL HYDROXYSULTAINE, LAURIC ACID, POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE, GLYCERIN, SODIUM CHLORIDE, STEARIC ACID, ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, FRAGRANCE / PARFUM, POLYQUATERNIUM-7, PEG-14M, DISODIUM EDTA, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, SODIUM BENZOATE, TOCOPHEROL, SILICA, BHT

Its hero ingredient Meadowfoam seed oil is the second ingredient and the second oil, Sunflower oil is towards the bottom of the list. Laniege claims that the cleanser contains 14.9% of plant derived oils.

Claims

from Laneige.com

The highly moisturizing cleansing foam containing plant-derived oil helps the skin absorb skincare products by filling the skin with skincare moisture starting from the cleansing step.

How to use

I use it as my second cleanser in the evening like I normally would any other foam or cream cleanser. I squeeze out a pea size amount on fingers and apply it onto my damp skin and spread it around, gently massaging around my face. I then rinse it off with warm water.

Texture

Laneige Moist Cream Cleanser – rich creamy consistency.

The texture is unique because it’s quite thick and solid for a cleanser but is still smooth and easy to spread around. Almost feels like a cream moisturiser with its rich consistency

Laneige Moist Cream Cleanser – when mixed with water it slowly starts to emulsify and eventually lathers up to be foam

Scent

This cleanser has added fragrance but the smell is subtle. It just smells clean and has a moisturiser type fragrance. I’m usually sensitive to added fragrance but this was fine.

My final thoughts

Rating: 3 out of 5 (it's ok but will not repurchase)

I had high hopes for this cleanser since it had a lot of claims to be very moisturising. The texture felt nice and it was different because it was quite rich, though can still easily form a lather. The good thing about this is that the tube is quite large and it’s filled to the brim with product. Because you only need a small amount, it will be able to last at least a couple of months with everyday use.

The downside is that my face felt tight after use. I would use it in the shower and by the time I reached my bedroom my face was feeling dry and a bit stripped. Not sure what the ph is on this but with all the oils I didn’t expect to feel this way. I’ve also tried using it in the morning but because it can form a substantial lather, its not always the cleanest thing to do at a sink. My face still felt dry and tight anyway which contradicts its claims.

I will keep using it until empty because it’s not bad and hasn’t had any negative effects on my skin but I wouldn’t buy it again. I’ve used way better second cleansers at a cheaper price point. Laniege is priced in and around the midrange bracket in k-beauty.

Let me know your thoughts if you have tried it.

Skincare empties (September 2019)

September 8, 2019September 8, 2019 Kim1 Comment

Keeping empty containers may seem like a silly thing to do but I have good reasons for saving them. I can’t post dedicated reviews on every possible thing I try so I tend to collect them for a bi annual post like this. I enjoy watching people review their empties because it gives me a good indication of whether they would repurchase having used up all the product.

Skincare, especially, is something that you (generally) can’t form an instant opinion on so having some more information after its entire use is more helpful than a first impression (compared to someone just rubbing it on their hand in a haul). As usual, I’m going to be breezing through (well I’ll try my best to) each of them, otherwise this will be very long.

DHC Deep cleansing oil

Cost: $20 AUD from yesstyle.com

This cleansing oil is a cult classic and one that I had always wanted to try. When I saw that Yesstyle had in this cute Alice in Wonderland packaging in a smaller bottle, I was sold. I can see why it’s a popular product, the consistency is in the middle, not too thick and not too thin. I can massage it easily around my face and it does a great job in melting down my makeup. I always follow with a second cleanser but after I use this oil, my face already feels clean and moisturised with no sticky residue. The main ingredient is organic olive oil.

Would definitely repurchase the larger pump style size in future.

IUNIK – Calendula complete cleansing oil

Cost: AU $24.81 from ebay *

iUNIK is a brand that focusses on natural ingredients so I thought I’d give this a try. Calendula has recently appeared in a number of skincare products across different brands. It’s extract can serve as an antiseptic to soothe and heal wounds and it’s also great for collagen stimulation. This cleanser contains a bunch of oils, the main ones being sunflower and canola oil. This performed fine, melted makeup well enough and didn’t leave a film on my skin but what I struggled with was the scent. This outright smelt like cooking oil with a hint of floral. So if you don’t like strong scents in your cleansing oil I would give this a pass.

Would not repurchase.

NEOGEN – Real fresh foam – Green Tea

Cost: $15.58 USD, from bbcosmetic.com

This is already a repurchase and is my HG cleanser. I love its subtle scent and they way that it foams. The texture is soft but holds it’s shape so it’s easy to dispense and apply. It doesn’t strip my skin even though its ph of 7 is a bit on the higher side. This product is also sold in other “flavours” but I love this green tea version so much I haven’t dared to deviate. This one definitely deserves its own post and I will get to it once I get another. So it’s a definite repurchase for me. Myer (department store in Australia) also now sells Neogen so it’s much more accessible which is awesome.

ORIGINS – Make A Difference Plus Rejuvenating Treatment

Cost: $70 AUD, 50ml, purchased from mecca.com.au

This is ultimately a moisturiser despite its fancy long name and I was attracted to it because of its star ingredients which included Rose of Jericho, Lychee and Watermelon. These ingredients appear in all their Make a difference products and are great for hydration. I have combo/dehydrated skin and it was summer at the time so I needed something lightweight and non greasy. This is oil free so it seemed fitting. I actually really liked this moisturiser, it was rich enough to properly moisturise and hydrate but light enough for me not to feel it or mess with my makeup. It has a cream gel consistency so it was perfect for me since I don’t really like just gels in moisturiser form. I need a little bit more even in summer. It has a slight fresh citrus smell which I was ok with. Would repurchase.

GO-TO Face Hero

Cost: This was part of the Tiny Stuff set which was $39 from gotoskincare.com.

I like to support Aussie brands and I had liked everything I had read about this brand. It was founded by Zoe Foster-Blake and I resonated with her beliefs that skincare should be simple and fun. The aesthetics of the packaging and products appealed to me, always a sucker for pastels, so I thought why not give it a go. This sampler pack of their popular products was a cost effective way to try it. This oil was the first thing I tried and was the product that I was most interested in. It has a tonne of oils in it and is easily absorbable into the skin. It’s quite rich but lightweight at the same time. The scent of this oil is particularly strong, it’s derived naturally from the ingredients, but man it’s strong. It isn’t unpleasant but bad enough for me to not look forward to using it though I did finish it. It’s a shame because I did like everything else about it. I definitely favour my Marula Oil from Drunk Elephant over this any day. Will not repurchase.

Drunk Elephant – B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel

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

I didn’t like this the first time that I tried it because I tried to use it as a moisturiser. For my skin type, this definitely wouldn’t be enough. When I started to use it as a mixer to my acids, it became magical. Drunk Elephant’s products are designed to be mixed into one another and I chose to mix it with their Framboos Glycolic Night Serum at first. I’ve also mixed it in with my Paula’s Choice Azelaic Acid Booster and it really helps to make the product go further as well as improve spreadability.

Will definitely repurchase the full size once I’m done with my current hyaluronic acid serum.

Sunday Riley – Good Genes

Cost: Came in a The Flash Fix mini pack with their clay cleanser $24 GBP from cultbeauty.com

Sunday Riley has since reformulated Good Genes to use Glycolic Acid instead of Lactic Acid. I finished the old version and haven’t tried the new so I can’t compare the two. There was so much hype around this and the claims were that you would see brighter and more radiant skin, less wrinkles within a very short period of time, 3mins in fact! My skin never felt quite comfortable after application. I found it a bit hard to spread it around and I felt like I needed to use quite a bit to cover my face. The smell was a big turn off actually. I like the smell of lemongrass but this was way too strong and also had a chemical smell mixed in too which I didn’t like at all. Buying the full size of this is a big investment that I for one will not be making. The brand itself is a turn off altogether based on that drama with making their employees post fake reviews on Sephora…no deal. Won’t be repurchasing anything from their line again.

The Ordinary – Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

Cost: $12.90 from adorebeauty.com.au

This was first foray into hyaluronic acid (HA) and one of my first products from the brand. HA is pretty popular at the moment, it’s everywhere from skincare to makeup. The consistency is on the thick side and my face felt tacky after application. I usually used it at night so I would normally follow with an oil or moisturiser so I didn’t mind the tackiness so much. But it wasn’t my favourite. I have since used other HA serums/toners which I’ve liked much better which don’t do that so I won’t be repurchasing this.

MUJI – Cleansing milk

Cost: $15 AUD (I think) from MUJI (in store)

I love both foaming and milk cleansers equally and everything about this cleanser was positive. It contains peach and apricot extracts, has a very subtle fruity scent, packaging is basic but easy to use with the pump. The texture isn’t as runny as milk so it’s easy to dispense and massage onto the skin. It rinses off easily and leaves my face feeling fresh and clean, not stripped. This product contains parabens but that doesn’t bother me. As long as the product is effective and works for me, that’s all I care about. Muji sells most of their skincare in different sizes so if you’re curious but not wanting to commit to a full size, there are mini sizes available too. Best of all, their skincare is very affordable, similar to drugstore prices. They also have an amazing cleansing oil which I adore. They don’t seem to sell skincare online though which is a bummer. Worth checking out if you have store near you.

Will definitely be repurchasing this one.

Ok so that’s it for my empties and product roundup. I need to do them more regularly so that these posts don’t get ridiculously long each time!

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

[Review] Innisfree – Smart Drawing Blusher

March 3, 2019March 3, 2019 Kim3 Comments

I would consider myself a blush fanatic. Ok a blush and foundation fanatic. These are the two constants in my makeup routine and definite must haves for me. Since I’m currently riding the cream blush train and had been curious about Glossier’s Cloud Paints, I picked this blusher up from eBay. It is sold in 5 colours and I picked it up in shade #04 Dried Rose.

Claims

from yesstyle.com

Cream blush gives cheeks a vivid dash of color while hydrating skin
Lightly adheres to skin for vivid and rosy cheeks with a non-sticky satin finish
User-friendly brush applicator allows for foolproof and precise application

Price

$12.23 AUD from eBay (roseroseshop)*

Packaging

The packaging looks like a paint tube. I like its aesthetics and it reminds me of the packaging of the Glossier Cloud Paints. The colour on the outside represents the shade and the combination of coral and white feels similar to the cloud paint in Dusk.

The brush tip, although it can get unruly after squeezing the product out, makes applying easy. You’ll still need to use fingers or a brush to blend it into the skin.

Innisfree - Smart Drawing Blusher - #04 Dried Rose - Brush tip — Innisfree – Smart Drawing Blusher – #04 Dried Rose – Brush tip can get a bit messy

Performance

This product once squeezed and applied to the cheeks, is easy to blend with a brush or fingers. It’s consistency is thick enough so it stays put after it is painted on. The issue I have with it is that it tends to blend away so I need a couple of layers for it to show up on my skin tone (NC30). Because it’s so subtle on me, it’s hard to judge it’s longevity because it doesn’t look like much in the first place.

Innisfree - Smart Drawing Blusher - #04 Dried Rose
Freshly swatched photo. Vibrancy fades once blended and has dried down. — Innisfree – Smart Drawing Blusher – #04 Dried Rose
Freshly swatched photo. Vibrancy fades once blended and has dried down.

The good news is, that even with the amount that I have to use, the finish isn’t sticky or tacky. I would agree with the claims of it drying down to a satin finish. This product also has an SPF 26 PA ++ which is quite rare for a blush. Since Koreans are generally very serious about sun protection (and we all should be), I’m not too surprised by this.

Final thoughts

I haven’t tried any of the Cloud Paints because we can’t get Glossier here in Australia but judging from reviews, they are quite pigmented and a little goes a long way. This Smart Drawing Blusher is the opposite, subtle and I need a lot for it to even show up.

This blusher does have the potential to be a nice product. I do like its formula and brush tip, but I think I’m too dark to be able to reap its benefits. When I wear blush, I actually want some colour to show, so this disappointed on that front.

If you have a fair to light skin tone, this might work for you. But if you’re any darker than that, I would give this a miss. There’s a red shade in #05 Shy Camellia Flower that could be more vibrant but I won’t be getting it.

Still lusting over the Cloud Paints so if you know of any dupes, please let me know!

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