Sulwhasoo Renewing Kit

Sulwhasoo Renewing Kit 2-items

I got the sample first because I wanted to see if this worked on my skin before buying the regular sized product. Everyone is craving and raving about this product.

It contained the first activated serum and the firming cream.

It was my first time using the firming cream, it has a medicinal fermentation scent but quickly disappeared when applied on my face. It is very light and glides on smoothly.

It doesn't firm as well as the sum37 time energy firming cream.

I think I will stick with finishing my sum37 cream and then go from there, but I don't think I will spurge on this $300 product, but I have ordered the First Care Activated serum full-sized product because I did see change in a week's worth of using this product. My skin brighten and spots did fade away.

 

Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liner

Clio gel eyeliners brought in Cosmed in Taiwan

I got three colors - 8(Chic Navy), 5 (Star Purple) and 3 (Golden Khaki). You twist and the product comes out, no need to sharpen it.
I have been waiting for my trip to Taiwan to get these eyeliners in person. I've left the Khaki at my workplace because the color is very casual yet sparkling.
But I guess I had high expectations that this eyeliner didn't really do it for me. It smudges a lot and comes off within a hour on top of BB cream or cushion foundation. The blue one doesn't smudge as much. I think it depends on which color you get. Maybe I got a bad khaki one. 

Not as excited as I thought I would be about this product.

Overpriced? Yes.
Anti-wrinkle anything? Nope.
Moisturizing? Yes.
Gentle? So-so
Suitable for sensitive and breakout prone skin? Yes.
Suitable for oily skin? - yes.
Day or night? Both

Jolse Order - Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Brightening

Date Ordered: October 24
Date Shipped: October 27
Date Arrived: November 12

Free shipping from Korea and they use first class international shipping with USPS.
Jolse is the second company that I know that has free shipping from Korea to the states.
They usually have sales or certain percentage off each week.

 

Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Brightening deluxe 15g x 3 [color: #23] Medium Beige

I waited half a year before buying my first Sulwhasoo cushion because my skin is very sensitive to products so I have to be extra careful when choosing. I wanted to use it for a good month and a half before writing a review. This 23 is darker than the IOPE N23. This color fits my skin-tone better. I think 3 cushions of this product is enough for me and I will move onto the next cushion foundation. I have noticed that I don't need any base make-up before putting on the cushion foundation, plus it even out my reddish tones. It's not good to layer over it throughout the day because it will look uneven. This cushion is better for dryer or colder weathers because it you sweat and use blotting sheets, your make-up becomes a mess.  NYC had a warmer Christmas this year (70F) and this cushion finish just did not do great. I had to wipe off all my make-up and start from scratch. I did not see any whitening effects.

However the down side is that the finishing made my skin look a bit older. This is best for people over their 30s.

Moisturizing - a bit over average

Coverage - medium

Wear - feels a bit thick even though I put on a very light layer.

Dewy Glow - healthy looking one

Lasting Power - it lasted me throughout my 8 hour work shift without a problem if you don't sweat.

Oxidizing - didn't see much

Scent - medicinal herbal when applied and dissolves afterwards

General Haul #17 - TGI wholesale #2

You know I do majority of my hauls are based on skincare, but occassionally I will add a make-up product depending on my mood. Today I got something from TGI - my second time ordering from them. 
Why I love them...free and fast overseas shipping!!!

Date Ordered : November 15
Date Shipped : November 16
Date Arrived : November 25

I got these 3 products:

1. SULWHASOO First Care Activating Serum, 90ml - $90
2. TonyMoly Bio EX Multi Cell Energy 120ml - $20
3. Primera Alpine Berry Watery Cream 15ml - $10

As you can see I wanted to finish my travel-sized of Sulwhasoo serum before ordering the full-size and luckily there was a discount on the website for this product which made me add it to my cart. 
I needed an essence, so I go this TonyMoly one. 
Plus winter is coming and your skin tends to look dull so the "cell energy" advertisement look worthy. 
I wanted to try out this Primera brand, so I got the travel-sized to see how my skin will react to the product and will go from there. 
OMG, the amount of Sulwhasoo and Hanyul samples they provided me with...heavenly! 
Individual reviews coming up.

The Saem Urban Eco Harakeke Root Ampoule Essence 55ml

The saem Urban Eco Harakeke Root Ampoule Essence 55ml

I know this brand is similar to Skinfood and Innisfree but I wanted to try this brand before I entered my 30s.
This Harkeke line uses natural ingredients from New Zealand which provides this product with its lovely scent.
Love this floral scent, it seem like this product has aloe vera which helps with moisturizing and soothing your skin.
I wished I brought a bigger bottle and I wished I knew about this line sooner than now. 
But that is why you start with smaller bottles to see how your skin reacts to the product.
It comes in a pump which is different from most essence bottles.
It is a little bit thicker than most essence.
This is a good essence for the harsh wintertime because you need all the moisture you can get.

This is perfect for oily combination skin because it's hydrating and absorbs well.

The Saem CHAGA Anti-aging Serum 25ml

The Saem CHAGA Anti-aging Serum 25ml

    

It comes in a pump which is very hygienic. It has a light floral scent which I prefer over the generic cosmetic smell. The texture is the same as the root ampoule harukeke essence. I do like this product being it has some anti-aging effects and I do like that it is packaged in 25ml to help customers determine if they want to repurchased it or not. One or two pumps is enough for your whole face and neck. You know how some products are 120ml and it you don't like it after one or two uses, you regret your purchase and don't know what to do about it. Anyway, this product is light and when I used it on my face, I feel this brand uses natural ingredients suh as the extract of the Siberian tundra's Chaga mushroom and the packaging looks very Eco-friendly.

Su:m37° Air rising Dazzling Base and Regenerating eye cream

Su:m37°Air rising Dazzling Base and Regenerating eye cream

Anything from this brand is good stuff.
The base is more like a whitening light lotion that makes your makeup look flawless. This is preferable in warmer weather than colder weather. I tried one sample when I was in Taiwan and another sample when I was in NYC.In Taiwan where it was 80F, my make-up look flawless with this base underneath. 
There Is a bit of a cooling feel if you applied it in a warm room, which I did. I don't think I will be purchasing the full size for the base cream because when I tried it in NYC, where it is 40F, it looked too thin and when I added my cushion foundation on top, it did not mixed well.

 

On the other hand,I loved this regenerative eye cream. My eyelids and eye area was suffering from dryness due to the aftermath of an eye gel that I was using for over 2 months. I had itchiness and my eyelid area was red. I turned to the su:m37 eye regeneration cream. Oh, it lived up to its name, it solved my previous problems with dryness and itchiness and it made my eye area looked brightened and pumped. I need to try it another few times because making the decision to buy the full sized product.

Beauteque December Mask Maven review 2015+ promo code

Beauteque December Mask Maven 2015 review

Beauteque's "Bit of Everything" theme

A Very Indulgent Variety!

Shipped : December 11

Arrived : December 14

Use promo code "ILENE" for a special something (10% OFF) at checkout at beauteque.com and/or beauteque.com/subscriptions.

Every month there could be 9-11 masks in every bag which can range anything including sheet mask, hand mask, wash-off mask, eye mask, foot mask and etc. If you buy it per month or up to 3 months it is $15, $14 for 6 months or $13 for 12 months.

I brought it for a year to try it out. 

The December theme for the Mask Maven bag is Beauteque's Bit of Everything - A Very Indulgent Variety!
Thank you for a mix of masks. I was getting a bit tired of the all about one theme every month.

1. SNP Animal Mask Tiger - Anti-Wrinkle - just a mask that helps with anti-wrinkles but didn't do much for me but animal masks are good mini gifts for guys who you want to give something skincare related to. But it has alcohol which my sensitive skin does not like.
2. Mediheal Dress Code Mask - Violet - another moisturizing yet floral scent. This was my first "lace-like" eye mask. It's cute to try this brand but also venture out for more.
   
   
   
   
3. Holika Holika Baby Silk Hand Mask - I swear, I hate hand mask so I will be giving it away to my sister. I know people who love it but my own preference is that I do not like them because my hands won't absorb that much essence and I feel like my hands are suffocating.
4. Scinic My Juicy Bottle Mask Aqua Ampoule Juice - very moisturizing and alot of essence. The essence either absorbed quickly in my skin or it dried up fast.
5. Urban Dollkiss 3-Go Mask Sheet - Hyaluronic Acid - I always wanted to try these, these are so moisturizing! You can smell a bit of the familiar scent of something that includes hyaluronic acid when you open the mask. The sheet mask is sorta transparent-I tend to favor transparent mask sheets over the white cotton ones.
   
   
   
   
6. My Beauty Diary Imperial Bird's Nest Mask - I wanted to try these when I was in Taiwan, but I didn't want to buy a whole box. Glad that Beautque had this because I need as many wrinkle and fine lines reducing masks as possible. One complaint I have with the 'My Beauty Diary' brand is that the sheet mask is a bit small.
7. Dr. Morita Mask - another snail mask for my mom or sister.
   
   
   
   
8. TonyMoly I'm Real Lemon Mask - for brightening - I love these mask sheets because they are hydrating with essence and they work well for my combination skin. No need to explain why everyone loves them.
9. TonyMoly I'm Real Rice Mask - for brightening - OMG, I love this mask, after 30 minutes of this mask, it was still full of essence and when I took it off, my face was so radiant!!! 

Overall, I am satisfied with this month's mask maven. It had moisturizing, brightening and anti-aging masks. Thank you mask maven for ending this year with a great bag.

Beauteque December Monthly BB bag 2015 + PROMO CODE

Beauteque December Monthly BB Bag 2015 Review

Dazzling December  

An Array of Delectable Delights

Date Shipped - December 11

Date Arrived - December 14

Use promo code "ILENE" for a special something (10% OFF) at checkout at beauteque.com and/or beauteque.com/subscriptions.

Every month there could be 6-8 full-sized products in every bag which can range anything including make-up, skincare, body care, beauty tools, hair care, lifestyle products and etc. If you buy it per month or up to 3 months it is $24, $23 for 6 months or $22 for 12 months. The retail values can range between $65 to $85 in every BB bag.

I brought it for a year to try it out. 

1. Ladykin Elmaju Natural Broccoli Super Brightening Cream - This is about 60 ml worth of product for your face or body, but I would prefer to use this on my body and hands because the whitening makes you look like you have a white cast on your face. The broccoli smell isn't that bad. It does smooths and moisturizes your skin but I think I will use it over rashes or itchiness.
2. Somang Keratin Silk Protein Hair Aqua Essence - I was happy about trying this new product because I do get split ends in my hair. I'm a bit glad that they are trying to venue out to more hair products. It has a nice floral smell when you spray it on your hair. Plus 110 ml is a lot for a "hair spray" and you just spray and you are good to run out the door. My hair feel moisturized and smooth.
3. TonyMoly Easy Touch Lip Liner #5 Red - I prefer to have a beige one because this would be my very first lip liner and wasn't sure what to expect. It glides on smoothly as the other TonyMoly products do. It's creamy and has a brush applicator at the end. It has a matte finish and I can put the Maybelline 105 Pink Wink color over it without a problem.
4. Scinic Pig Collagen Jelly Cream - I'm not a fan of anything with an animal name in products such ask snail mucus, bee venom, horse oil and etc. But if you have tried the Holikaholika or TonyMoly version of Pig Collagen, this Scinic version is better than the previous 2 that I mentioned. It has a light floral scent which I like. This is best as a night moisturizer.
5. Urban Dollkiss Black Evil Nail Polish #2 Plum - 8.5 ml worth of cute-but-late-for-Halloween nail polish. This color is a bit red/pink for plum because when I hear plum, I think purple. It's pigmented.
6. Beauteque Rainbow Volume Brush - This is the body care product which beauteque has every month, with a mirror on the other side. 

Overall, just 6 products to close off the year. I was hoping for something better since it has been a full year since beauteque monthly launched, but it was diverse. I kinda wanted to see a Skinfood brand or something similar, but some unknown brands are ok. I think if you say about $25 per bag is worth it if you like the pig collagen cream, but my favorite is the hair aqua essence spray while the others were meh for me. Gold metallic pouch to close the year off is nice.

Glam Glow SUPERMUD Clearing Treatment

I didn't put much effort in thinking about this product until I used up my Sephora VIB points to get a sample.

I was surprise. 

After one use, your blackheads and whiteheads and sebum are all gone. 

This product is perfect for oily/combination skin. 

I really do not like the texture.

This is the miracle worker product however it is very pricey.

THE FACE SHOP Etiquette Fresh In Shower Hair Removal Cream 100ml

THE FACE SHOP Etiquette Fresh In Shower Hair Removal Cream 100ml
8,700 won
Weight - 156grams

  

This doesn't do much. 
It has the same smell as the Amini Hair removal spray that I previously used.

Aloe vera gel and licorice extract are some of the ingredients in this product which does help with smoothing and moisturizing your skin, but your main goal is getting rid of the hairs...

I believe this is for harsher hair, and I have used it more than once. I applied it to my skin, then followed the directions and waited 5 minutes and then used the sponge to scrub off. WTH is this product. It was useless. I tried this in the shower and out of the shower, it doesn't completely get rid of all hairs, but it does thins your hairs.  

General Haul #16 - TesterKorea #10

Date Ordered - November 5
Date Shipped - November 9
Date Arrived - November 21

Total Amount - 25,200won
Shipping Cost - 9,000won
Total - 34,200won --> US$31.20

1. MIZON Hannavi Hwa Yuun Serum 60ml
2. Hanyul Rich Effect Gift 5 items
3. Hanyul Anti-Aging Duo (2Items)
4. Ohui The First Cell Source 22ml
5. It's Skin Aloe Soothing Mask Sheet 22g

Individual reviews coming up soon. 

Hanaka Hydrogel Eye Patch

Hanaka Hydrogel Eye Patch

Similar to the lip patch, the material of this product gave me a headache because I was worried that I will break it because it is so thin. Sometimes I like eye patches, sometimes I think they are unless. They don't do much for my eyes with puffiness or hydration. This won't be a re-purchase for me. But I think that the clear eye patch was interesting as to the decoration of the packaging with Cinderella and her glass slippers.

       

MIZON Hannavi Hwa Yuun Serum 60ml

MIZON Hannavi Hwa Yuun Serum 60ml

Very heavy and nicely made packaging.

Is the serum worth it?
For its brand, this is one of their better products because it includes some medicinal herbs as its ingredients.
I have a problem with the pump, it comes out with bubbles or I have a defective bottle.
It has a bit of protection for sunscreen.
My skin did feel smoother (enriched portulaca oleracea), moisturized (from birch tree sap) and brightened (adenosine and arbumin) after a month's usage.
I'm not too sure about the skin feeling vitalizing from the cacao tree extract ingredient.
But I think I broke out around my forehead area when using this for the month. I have sensitive skin so I checked cosdna website for its ingredient irritation and they did found a few red flags including PEG/PPG-17/6 copolymer and Triethanol amine.

I will turn to my First Care Activated Serum from Sulwhasoo next.

   

TONYMOLY Floria Nutra-energy Cleansing Oil 190ml

TONYMOLY Floria Nutra-energy Cleansing Oil 190ml 6,000won

 

  

The texture includes argan oil which is very watery but it surprisingly does the job. 
This line of TonyMoly works best for people with dry skin and for those that want to fight aging.
My foundation and make-up comes off and I immediately follow with a foam cleanser. 
It has a very light floral smell. 
One time a little bit of oil went into my mouth and it tasted flowery. It didn't burn my eyes when it accidentally went into my eyes.