Holika Holika: Love Who You Are Palette Review + Swatches

• 

• 

• 

• 

It’s been a long while since I’ve done a makeup product review on my blog so here it is! This is the Holika Holika Limited Edition: Love Who You Are Eyeshadow Palette. Jolse kindly gifted me this a while back to review for you all. Because of COVID, I have not been wearing much or any makeup nor have I’ve been inspired to do any eyeshadow looks. I finally gave this palette a shot and used it during the holidays and this week so I’m ready to share with you how I feel about it.

My Thoughts:

I use to not gravitate towards K-Beauty eyeshadows because I found them too sheer for my liking but I’ve grown to really enjoy them for what they are, how natural and buildable they can be. I also find K-Beauty shimmer shadows waaaay better than western eyeshadows as they come in a nice variety of fine to bigger shimmers/glitters. This palette most certainly impressed me for it’s performance alone and with primer. It can pretty much last all day without primer and looks roughly the same from application time; very minimal creasing to no creasing without primer. There’s a good variety of transition shades that are matte and shimmers to play around with. Majority of the shimmer shades have that gorgeous multi-dimensional appearance to them. The camera does not go any justice for this palette and you need to see them in person to believe it for yourself. They’re sparkly but not in an obnoxious way and can be used as an everyday palette!

• Texture: 5/5 – Formula is dense and almost creamy to the touch, you can use brushes or your fingers. I personally find finger application best for shimmer shades as you can build it up and it has better even application when doing so.
• Price: 4/5 – It’s currently listed $24.79 USD | $31.63 USD on Jolse, which is somewhat expensive for an eyeshadow palette but the pans are MUCH better than most eyeshadow palettes around this price so you are getting your money’s worth when purchasing this. There’s also 13.5g of product in it so it will last you a while even if you use it as an “everyday palette”. I would prefer this over the Anastasia Beverly Hills Palette that everybody loves – I personally have grown out from loving their palettes and find their formula DRY.. it’s like a dry pigment even and I prefer more creamy, dense formulas such as this palette.
• Performance: 4/5 – I’m very impressed with the longevity of this palette as it survived through an 8 hour shift and I could skip primer if I wanted to with this one.
• Packaging: 5/5 – Super cute, iconic. Love the colours and it most certainly grabbed my attention.
• Overall: 4.5/5 – I’m pretty happy with this palette! I have no complaints about it and I see myself using it a lot during this coming fall because look at these colours! They’re gorgeous and so versatile for all year round.

HOW TO USE: A BEAUTY SPONGE

I’m sure you read the title and you probably got confused because it’s such a straight forward thing and most people use them specifically to apply liquid/cream foundation on. What if I told you there are other ways to use your beauty sponges as well? You don’t need to have the original beauty blender, there are blend of dupes out there that are just as great such as the QUO, Shop Miss A, eco tools, Real Techniques, and etc ones. Listen, if you love your makeup brushes, continue to use them. I’m just sharing my opinion and experiences with using a beauty sponge and how it’s worked for me!

Products you can use:

Powder: Yes, you can apply on powder using your beauty sponge. For this method, it doesn’t need to be wet because you’ll be doing the complete opposite of what you’re trying to achieve, a more matte appearance. Use a dry beauty sponge and apply a generous amount of powder onto it whether pressed or loose and apply the product directly onto your face. You’ll be surprised how effective this is and how even the application is compared to a brush application. I’m not too fond of using makeup brushes because they have a very splotchy application, you’ll have some oily regions and some matte, which is not a cute look. Don’t be afraid to come back in with a beauty sponge for touchups. Some of us get oilier than others and it’s fine to go back in to smoothen your skin’s appearance.

Cream blush: Who said beauty sponges were limited to one kind of product? I wear a ton of cream blushes and some can be more challenging to apply than others. Now, the best technique I like for cream blushes is usually using the warmth of my fingers and warming up the product so it blends easily but you can also use a sponge for more an even application. Apply a small amount of the cream blush and dot it on your face then use the sponge to blend.

Concealer: Whether it’s liquid or cream, application with a beauty sponge is most ideal with this step because the application is not only the easiest (user-friendly) but best. I absolutely hate brush applications with concealers and find it a very old school. Brush application often comes off as harsh and does not evenly distribute product out, it often emphasizes lines around the face because there’s just too much product there. Nobody wants a cakey, crepey looking concealer.

Liquid Highlighter: I don’t care what people say, liquid highlighter is definitely for more intermediate makeup users because it’s not as forgiving as a powder highlighter, if you apply too much, you’re likely going to end up looking like the tin man. The trick for a beautifully distributed, beaming highlight look is to dot a tiny amount of product on both cheeks and use your damp beauty blender to soften the look and blend. You can use your beauty blender dry for this however I find damp beauty blenders help melt the product better into the skin for a seamless beaming look.

Other ways you can use your sponge:

Makeup mistakes

We are all guilty for making small to big mistakes, no one’s really off the hook here. Even the most professional MUAs make mistakes because that’s how we learn and maybe we’re just having a bad makeup day. Eyeliner seems to be the most common thing to mess up because you can be a pro but if you wing it out too far, it’s too thick or it’s lopsided/doesn’t match the other eye, then you’ll need makeup remover to fix it. Once you remove the error, use your beauty sponge with the remaining product from the foundation and apply it to the area that doesn’t have makeup. It’ll save you a lot more time than going back with a “precise concealer” brush because sometimes it looks super obvious or we apply way too much product to conceal that specific region.

Cleaning

You don’t need to buy those beauty blenders solid soap cleaners to clean your beauty sponge. All you really need is a good cleansing oil. Yes! You can use this to remove your makeup off of your face and also your makeup sponge. You’ll also notice you’ll waste less product because you only need a small amount of cleansing oil to thoroughly clean your sponges. The one I enjoy using is the Fourth Ray BFD Cleansing oil and it’s amazing for removing off my waterproof eye makeup gently.

I hope these tips helped you and hope you get more use out of your beauty sponges! Feel free to comment below if you have any questions.

3 Easy Steps To Achieve Glowy Skin

I would like to confidently say that my skin’s overall appearance has tremendously changed for the better in the past 4 years of my skincare journey and a lot of what I did was trial and error and learn more about my skin. The biggest thing I want to share with you is to not follow other people’s routines step by step. If you’re interested in hearing more on my journey definitely check out this blog post I wrote early of last year.

1. Have a structure and elaborate skincare routine. Which means you don’t necessarily need 9 step routine. I personally can get away with a 6-7 step routine and it works for me. I don’t think it’s possible to achieve that skin glow with just 3 products (cleanse, tone, moisturize). I’ve tried this a handful of times and it just didn’t do enough for my skin. What I do is double cleanse, use a hydrating toner, brightening/resurfacing serum, hydrating serum, moisturizer, facial oil/sleeping pack. If your skin is moisturized, it will reflect that. If your skin is dry and dull, that means you’re not doing enough for it and you need to change up your routine. You also need to be consistent in order to see results, stopping/pausing on your skincare routine can potentially change the outcome for your skin.
2. Exfoliate, this is obvious but it also is very tricky. Many people including myself have exfoliated in the past and it can truly compromise your barrier and cause irritating. My skin can only tolerate chemical exfoliators and I can only use them once a week. If I really need it then I’ll exfoliate once more at the end of the week. The exfoliator I’ve been using a ton is the Paula’s Choice BHA Solution.
   
   
3. For makeup users: Choose radiant, illuminating makeup rather than opting for matte. When you use matte products, you’re doing the complete opposite of what you want to achieve. For oily skin babes, you need to be aware that when using illuminating products, you will likely need to touch up and blot more. I prefer using bb creams with dewy finishes, cream blushes, soft highlighters and tinted lip glosses/balms. I’ve been using a lot of illuminating bases lately and the one I’ve been adoring and I find very comparable to the Mac Strobe Cream but for a fraction of the cost has to be the Peach-C Peach Glow Base Cream.

I hope that was straight for you and helped you get a better idea of how to achieve that skin glow. Have yourself a wonderful week and good luck on your skin glow journey!

 

 

My First 2020 Beauty Wishlist

Happy 2020, darlings! 2019 was a rocky year but for the most part, a very lifechanging year, I almost want to call it the “turning point” year. I hope you all are having a fantastic start to your 2020, wishing you endless love, luck, positivity and prosperity. May 2020 be an incredible year for us. Now, without a further or do, let’s hop into my wishlist and why I may be interested in these products. I know I’ve released quite a few anti-hauls but how about things I want to try out and purchase.

MILK GLOW OILS

I have a fascination towards MILK products simply because of the vibrant colours and compact sizes make them so attractive and travel-friendly. I’ve already tried a handful of their products and I’ve enjoyed a lot of them from the cannabis mask, eye patches, kush mascara, holographic and highlighter sticks. They have a lot of amazing products. The product I’ve been dying to try but wanting to clear out my existing blush collection is their glow oils. These are antioxidant-rich tinted oils that can be used on your lips and cheeks for that gentle pop of colour and sheen. As much as I adore opaque, bold makeup for parties, I love the minimal, simple everyday look because it’s so easy to achieve and looks effortless! The shades I want are Astro, glimmer and halo.

Available: Here

RMS LIVING LUMINIZER 

If you haven’t heard of RMS Beauty before they are a clean beauty option and they’ve been around for quite a long time now. There are a few products I am interested in their range however the one that stands out most to me is their living luminizer. This product is formulated with biuriti, jojoba and coconut oil. It’s specifically to enhance skin’s overall look without being sticky, greasy or glittery, it has this soft reflective quality to it. The only thing that turns me away from this product is the price, this is 50 CDN, which is insane if you ask me. I’ve spent a lot of highlighters but for shimmery ones and brands that I am familiar with. I haven’t tried anything from this brand before which makes me kind of nervous to drop 50 on the spot.

Available: Here

REPLICA FRAGRANCES

I’ve always been curious about these fragrances. Every time I’m at the perfume aisle at Sephora, I’m always ripping through the Marc Jacobs, D&G, Fresh section but I always forget to smell the Replica Fragrances. That, or I’ve smelled far too many fragrances and my nose is stuffed with a bunch of different notes. My local Sephora doesn’t have any coffee beans besides the fragrance shelves. They really should consider adding those because it helps clear your nose palate so you can smell new scents without the previous scents interfering with the new ones. The one I am most curious about from their range is The Fireplace one. It’s ironic that I’m curious about this one as I don’t really like a lot warm scents but this is a warm + spicy scent. The only warm scent I like is the coco cabana fragrance from the Sol De Janeiro. It’s also really popular in the beauty community and pretty much everyone I’ve spoken to about this product really enjoys it. I also believe that fragrance preference is an extremely subjective thing so it’s best for me to go out and actually smell it prior to purchasing it because let’s be real here, perfumes are not cheap so it’s smart to know what you like prior to purchasing it.

Available: Here

GLOW RECIPE BANANA SOUFFLE MOISTURE CREAM

I really like Glow Recipe products especially the Watermelon facial mist, avocado sleeping mask and the watermelon moisturizer. Their prices are kinda steep for what they are but I guess a lot of it has to do with the glass packaging because their packaging is definitely not cheap looking an I appreciate the thought and creativity they put into creating these fruity, ice-cube like products. This cream is formulated with banana and magnesium, these ingredients can promote skin healing, hydration to calm and balance sensitive skin. There’s also a beautiful blend of ingredients such as Centella Asiatica, chia, and turmeric, this lightweight moisturizer resets and replenishes skin for a healthy-looking glow.

Available: Here

Well, that’s it for now, my darlings! I’ll see you in the new post. Have yourself a wonderful day and enjoy the rest of your week!

 

 

 

 

CYBER MONDAY GIFT GUIDE

Black Friday may have just past by but that doesn’t mean the party is over. Who wants to really go to physical stores and have to fight over the best deals when you can buy everything at home? That’s right, at home! Which means there will be a ton of deals online right now. Here are some products I think that would make great gifts and usually, during Black Fridays, there will be sitewide and store sales or specific door/site crasher deals; it really varies by store but hopefully you can snag these for a good deal.

Colourpop Super Shock Shadows

These gems are so affordable as is but they can be even cheaper during their sales. Who doesn’t love a good bargain? I most certainly do. They come in a wide range of finishes from mattes to shimmers to glitters and even duo-chrome shades. I like how their products are extremely reasonable prices and sometimes even perform better than actual drugstore quality. If you’re interested in purchasing these or any colourpop, fourth ray or sol body product, definitely head over to their website right now because they have a 30% off sitewide deal. Click here!

 

 

Laneige Cream Skin Refiner (or the mist, or both)

This bad boy has an amazing reputation because it has to be one of the most revolutionary products in K-beauty history. It’s essentially a toner that transforms into a liquid moisturizer. If you’re interested in hearing my full thoughts on this, please check my review here to see why it’s worth the hype and why it’s so good.

Available here: eBay (best price) | Yesstyle

 

 

Nails INC Polishes

I think these would make amazing gifts for anyone who loves to paint their nails. I would honestly like to say that these are salon-quality kind of polishes because they don’t chip as easily and long-lasting. I’ve been using their nail polishes for many, many years and have really enjoyed them. They too, also come in different finishes where you can have glittery/shimmer, matte or duo-chrome finishes. The prices are pretty reasonable and I use the detachable silver cap allows my finger to rest as I apply the polish on for that finger. They often have duo sets for an amazing deal so you can always share a polish with a friend or keep it for yourself. I think these would be an amazing stock stuffer for anyone who loves high-quality nail polish. These are available at Sephora.

LANEIGE Kiss Me All Day Set

These LANEIGE glowy lip balms make incredible stocking stuffers for Christmas, birthday gifts and etc because who can’t live without lip products? They are essentials and a really nice unisex gift. This set comes in the berry, pear and peach scent so a good variety of different scents. You can pretty much find these at a lot of online shops.

I hope these picks have helped you a bit in finding a nice gift for your loved ones or yourself! Please feel free to comment below what sort of content you would like to see from me and if you haven’t already, follow me on Instagram and check out my daily uploads.

Available here: Sephora

Well, that’s it for now, friends! Til next time. I hope these suggestions allowed you to find some awesome gifts for this holiday season and share them with your loved ones.

 

[COMPARISON] GLOSSIER CLOUD PAINT & CANMAKE CREAM BLUSH

As much as I love powder blushes, I really like that dewy skin appearance and I definitely can achieve that with cream blushes because they create that fresh, glowy appearance to the skin; which I absolutely adore!

Could these be dupes? Keep reading to find out!

CANMAKE

CANMAKE is a very well known Japanese brand and it originated from Japan. CANMAKE is well-known for its classic cream blushes. They also do offer other products such as pressed powder, lip care products and foundation, however, they’re not as popular as their blushes. They offer powder blushes that have a few highlight pieces in them to create that illuminating effect to the cheeks.

Glossier

Glossier is more of a newer company, they were found in 2014 and they are originated in US. They also claim that their products are hypoallergenic, paraben-free, cruelty-free and vegan. This is likely to attract a big audience because there are a lot of people who are into clean, green beauty. I also find a lot of Glossier’s fans are people who strive for that natural skin appearance. Glossier makes a lot of great, sheer products that create that “my skin but better” kind of look.

Although both of the brands were from different origins, I do see the similarities in them with minimalistic packaging and branding. They don’t have to put so much effort creating flashy, bold packaging to get fans, they already have trusted fans because they’ve proven themselves and they continue to be successful.

CANMAKE CREAM BLUSHES

I personally find these blushes one of the best user-friendly blushes in the market. I’m not crazy about the cheap-looking packaging however, I really do love the product inside and also, you can see the colour on the outside of the packaging where you don’t have to flip over the product to see its name/open it to see what shade it is because you will come across that issue with MAC blush compact packaging. The only drawback I really see for some users is that it isn’t very hygienic because you’re dipping your fingers back and forth to apply on the product to your cheeks. These are pretty easily accessible online from eBay, Amazon, YesStyle and etc.

Available here: Amazon | Yesstyle | eBay

GLOSSIER CLOUD PAINT

These are awesome but I don’t find they’re very user-friendly simply because it may be hard to control getting the perfect amount product out. I find myself accidentally squeezing out more product out than I really need to. There is a colour for everyone in their range, which is fantastic and I am excited to see any upcoming shades they release in the near future because these are well-known, popular products and it would definitely spark interest to a lot of people. The packaging for this is a lot more hygienic because you can squeeze out the product without directly touching it every time. These aren’t easily accessible and not available for some countries in the world. The only place I know where you can buy these is from their official website.

Available here: Glossier

Verdict

Glossier cloud paints are a gel creamy consistency while the Canmake cream blushes are a gel, lightweight balm consistency. They’re comparable in a sense of finish, similar textures and how they layer on the skin. The longevity for these two is about the same and they’re long-wearing as well on the skin. I find these kinds of consistencies are best for those who have dry, normal and combo skin. As for the oilier babes, I would definitely set this if you want it to be long-wearing on the skin. The colours that Canmake offers are reds, corals and some rosy tones. As for Glossier, there is a nice range of colours to choose from however some would disagree and say it’s limited. I do believe Glossier cloud paints are not very forgiving for application and require you to apply little amounts at a time.

I would say their price points are quite similar, however, you get a lot more product in the CANMAKE cream blushes and you have easier control because for how forgiving they are and they apply in very light watercolor-like layers to the skin.

I think it really depends on what you’re looking for in a cream blush and if whether you would like to want something in a pot container or squeeze tube. I would recommend you to look up swatches and the colours they offer to get a better idea which is more fitting for your tastes and skin tone. I have a post for glossier cloud paint swatches so click here to see how the colours looked blended out. For me, if I had to really choose – I would probably go for the CANMAKE one simply because how easy it is to find online and they come in a lot of colours to experiment with and I like how easy it is to work with them.

 

 

 

 

LIFE CODE BOUTIQUE THANKSGIVING SET

Thanksgiving just past for us Canadians however, who said we couldn’t still celebrate our thanks and purchase wonderful gift sets for our loved ones or us. Treat them/yourself to new and exciting new beauty and skincare products! Life Code Boutique curated a beautiful travel set of 9 products at a value of $170 for ONLY $120. Let’s see what inside this incredible gift set! Special thanks to Vivian & Alice for coordinating this collaboration with me.

Website’s Features

• Free local pickup (no minimum purchase), they’re based in Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Fast shipping in Canada (maximum 1-week wait)
• Free shipping with any purchase of $50 CAD
• 10% off your first order as a welcome gift
• Every month, there are new products listed and monthly promotional discounts on different brands
• Become a member and subscribe for the monthly newsletter
• Free gift for members subscription

Current Deals

• Spend $80 or more – Get the C-Roland Day &Night Moisturizing mask (40 pcs) as a gift with purchase
• Spend $50 or more – Get the Cosmos Facial Wash Brush as a gift with purchase
• Spend $30 or more – Get the Etude House Eyebrow Pencil as a gift with purchase
• ANY Purchase – Get the SKINFOOD Bird’s Nest Mask

I have a promotional code if you wanted to shop for regular products on their website.

Use Code: Amy15 and get 15% off your entire purchase * not applicable for promo deals. (valid till 11/30/2019)

The code was originally valid till Halloween but extended for you guys!

 

 

C-Roland Purta Pu ~ Placenta Essence Collagen Mask

There is so much buzz about placenta based products for skincare for many decades and it supposedly is excellent for providing the skin fantastic anti-ageing results. I personally have not tried anything with the placenta in it however am very open to doing so. Japanese cosmetics always have such appealing looking packaging and I absolutely love how there are 40 sheet masks in here soaked in a generous amount of essence. You also can use this daily, which is fantastic.

 

Loshi Horse Oil Cream, C-Roland Horse Classic Oil and Cosmos Facial Brush

Horse oil is also another famous and well-known ingredient used in skincare for many decades. Although it may sound odd to some, it’s a very popular ingredient used in Korea and Japan – it’s specifically used to treat inflamed skin, eczema, burns, and cuts. How cool is that? I think these would be a fantastic addition and new discovery for those who have not tried products like these. The cosmos facial brush is so soft, it feels like you’re brushed a really soft rabbit’s fur. You can use this for a gentle and luxurious cleansing experience. I personally already own one but I’m going to save this one to bring traveling with me. One for home, one for travel!

 

Skinfood Avocado Rich Cream

I already own the avocado rich toner and currently am testing it out. It’ll be interesting to incorporate this into my routine. Since it’s getting a lot colder and drier outside, I naturally gravitate towards more rich, thicker and denser formulas because my skin really needs it. I know they have repackaged their products a few times now, I do believe this is their older packaging and I must say, it looks a lot better than the current packaging style they’re going for. This cream is formulated with 35% avocado extract and avocado oil and it’s to provide skin nutrition, moisture, and hydration. Long term use, it can provide the skin brighter and a healthier appearance.

 

 

 

COSRX Honey Ceramide Eye Cream

I was extremely excited to see this because I absolutely adore eye creams and am always wanting to out more. COSRX is a very well-known Korean brand for their famous pimple patches, the good morning low pH cleanser, and their Centella blemish cream. This eye cream contains both ceramides and honey extract which help to supplement the skin’s barrier. It also can provide long-lasting suppleness and day protection against moisture loss.

 

Kose – Kokutousei Hakkou Lotion

I love how Life Code Boutique always includes such unique, hidden gems into their sets and their store has a lot of great hidden gems as well. This is lotion created with fermented black sugar extracts. Black sugar extract provides vitamin B to the skin, which can help for cell reproduction. Not only formulated with black sugar extract, but it also is formulated with double HA, lipidure, and tree peony extract to provide long-lasting moisture and care. The texture is described as a pliable and gooey that easily melts into the skin.

 

Look how precious this looks? The packaging itself is fit for a princess. This is one of many of Japan’s popular items and I can understand why because I’ve been using this powder every single day to set my makeup and it really controls my excess oil from producing and keeps me matte without looking dry. I recall reading somewhere that you can wear this powder to sleep and it acts as a skincare powder, where it can minimize excess oil production throughout the night. I would recommend this to those who have normal and combination skin. If you’re sensitive to scents or have sensitive skin, maybe skip on this one because this does contain fragrance in it. It has a very soft floral scent to it, which I absolutely enjoy!

The Etude House Eyebrow pencil has been a favourite of many for many years. Not only it’s so affordable, but it’s also fantastic and quite comparable to high-end eyebrow pencils, they’re not too waxy like some western brand eyebrow pencils but is just perfect. It glides on nicely and provides the brows of the perfect shape. You can do light strokes with this and it’s very forgiving and you can build your way to your desired brow shape. You get this for free if you spend $30 or more!

Get your travel gift set here

That’s it for now, friends. Please check out Life Code Boutique to find incredible finds for a reasonable price. Take advantage of deals while they last because they don’t last forever and be sure to stay tuned every week to find new weekly deals!

 

Disclaimer: I do not make any commission off these links and that this discount code is specifically created for you to use and get a discount for your order. 

 

 

 

[REVIEW] Heroine x Kiss Me Eyeliner

 

Eyeliner users, I’m sure we all know how fussy and annoying some pencil liners can be. Some eyeliners transfer so easily and give your eyes that panda-like experience and some transfer on your lids if your lids produce too much oil. Look no further, I have a fantastic eyeliner recommendation for you all. *This is not the liquid liner version, this is pencil version. Special thanks to Alice from Life Code Boutique for sending me this beauty to try and review for you all! Canadian friends, be sure to use code AMY15 to get 15% off your order.

Life Code Boutique Website Features

• Free local pickup (no minimum purchase), they’re based in Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Fast shipping in Canada (maximum 1-week wait)
• Free shipping with any purchase of $50 CAD
• 10% off your first order as a welcome gift
• Every month, there are new products listed and monthly promotional discounts on different brands
• Become a member and subscribe for the monthly newsletter
• Free gift for members subscription

I have a promotional code if you wanted to shop on their website,
Use Code: AMY15 (valid till 10/31/2019). 

Available on:
Life Code Boutique (CANADA) | eBay  | Amazon (CANADA+US) | Yesstyle (WORLDWIDE)

MADE IN JAPAN – 04.ml
Waterproof, sweatproof 

 

My eyelids product a moderate amount of oil but I have really watery eyes and sometimes my eye makeup on my lower lid wears off or smudges because of that. I’ve tried pretty much all the drugstore, k-beauty and even high end from Stila to marc jacobs – nothing is long-lasting enough until I came across this beauty. This is a pencil eyeliner that is very popular in Japan for various reasons – It’s marketed as a waterproof gel liner pencil, with a 0.1mm tip and glides on easily.

TIP for the perfect wing liner: Practice line weights on the back of your hand, see what kind of line and thickness you want. Start at the mid half of your lid and gently apply soft strokes to see how far you want your wing to me and where it should end. Then once you get your desired length, draw a line from your tear duct to connect the line at the middle. Remember, practice makes perfect; I’ve been doing cat, winged liner since I was 15.

 

 

My thoughts:

I have very minimal to no issues using this. The application is simple and easy to use. The tip is very fine and small, allowing you to have perfect precision for application. It was really dark pigmented black, which really makes my eyes appear to be bigger and brighter. My lids can be oilier on certain days but I do like how this does not transfer all over my lids and seems to be long-lasting. This dries in more of a matte finish than the liquid eyeliner does. The liquid liner dries down into a vinyl-like finish. I find this issue with all lines I use on my waterline but it either disappears or smudges off. For this liner, I found it disappear a bit on my waterline. I would say after 7 hours of wear, it starts to wear off on my waterline but for my top lids, everything still looks awesome! I would recommend this eyeliner for everyone who likes an eyeliner that allows you to have precise + fine application and also something that is long-wearing that can withstand through facial mists and water activities.  I also really love how dark black. Overall, I really enjoy it and I see myself repurchasing this because it’s nice and quite affordable for the quality you are getting. Who said long-wearing makeup had to break the bank? See videos below of the water and smudge test!

Smudge test:

Water test:

 

 

Disclaimer: I was given this product in exchange for an honest review. All views and thoughts of this product are my own. What may work for me, may not work for you so please keep that in mind. Some links on this post are affiliate links. This means that I will earn a small commission if you purchase from these links.

 

[REVIEW] LANEIGE GLOWY MAKEUP SERUM

Hello, dear friends! I hope you’re having a fantastic day where ever you are. I received a couple of goodies from Jolse roughly a month and a half ago and have been trying things slowly. One of the products I received with my Jolse credits was the LANEIGE Glowy Makeup Serum.

 

 

30 ml | MADE IN KOREA

Claims

• This boosting serum that gives the skin a radiant, healthy glow.
• Enhancement of makeup attachment and persistence – increases the longevity of makeup
• Provides the skin a healthy and soft finish
• Lightweight and provides moisture care
• Light fit prep technology – lightweight feel with strong adhesion
• Ceramide moisture gel that balances oil and helps with moisturizing the skin
• “Pink Diamond” – Natural Mineral Diamond helps smooth the skin texture and helps reduce the appearance of skin dullness.

Ingredients

Water, Purified Water, Glycerin, Polyethylene Glysol, Polyethylene Glycol,C10-30 Alkyl And Crosspolymer, Thrpmethamione, Caprylylmethicone, Tridecane, Saccharide Hydrolyzate, Fructooligosacchride, Silica Dimenthylsiylate, Mica, Xanthan Gum, Olive Oil ,Capric, Myristyl Tylsiloxane, Synthetic Flourophosphate, Carmine, Diamond Powder, Kotony Extract ,Butylene Glycol, Tara Fruit Extract,Tinoxide,Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phosphatidylcholine, Ceramide Endothelium, Glycine,Serine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Proline, Threonine

 

 

My thoughts

Most of us already know what made me want this. The appearance of it, of course! It looks absolutely stunning and how I saw this was it was going to very much like the VDL Lumi-layer primer and it was similar but I find it pro-longed my makeup, the VDL Lumi-layer did not. I found this very comfortable to wear and although it was lightweight, it was a lot more moisturizing than I expected it to be. Not sure what “diamond powder” is exactly and if whether it’s good for long-term use, it does not sound like an ingredient that absorbs well nor can break down on the skin.

Overall

• Texture: 4/5 – Thick serum with very fine shimmery iridescent in it. In the bottle, it appears to have small capsule sized particles but they break down and spread really nicely into the skin. It dries to a glowy finish, I don’t find it sticky or tacky but more rather like a really nourishing facial serum/oil feel. I’m actually very surprised that this kind of consistency can prolong makeup wear and also acts as a fantastic primer.
• Scent: 5/5 – I personally don’t smell anything when using this if anything – it has a super, super faint silicone scent to it.
• Performance: 5/5 – Works like a charm, definitely worth the hype and nice. Do you need this in your collection? That’s really up to you, I personally see myself repurchasing this because it worked for me and I quite like it.
• Packaging: 4/5 – It’s cute! I have no complaints about it. However, I would love to see expand into a line, I think it would be successful. Maybe making like a glowy makeup essence, cream and etc.
• Overall: 4.5/5 – I liked it! I think makeup users who enjoy that glossier model, glow, the dewy look will appreciate this kind of product very much. I found this perform a lot better than any western primer I’ve tried in the past. Those silicone-based primers don’t do anything for me so it’s nice that LANEIGE released something that gives the skin that glass skin type of appearance.

Available on: Yesstyle | eBay

Disclaimer: I was given this product in exchange for an honest review. All views and thoughts of this product are my own. What may work for me, may not work for you so please keep that in mind. Some links on this post are affiliate links. This means that I will earn a small commission if you purchase from these links.