[REVIEW] TATCHA EYE PEARL EYE TREATMENT

Tatcha is one of the most well-known Sephora brands and they’re famous for their luxury Japanese inspired skincare and beauty. I stumbled across this product early of last year and wasn’t initially fond of it but it definitely grew on to me as I was always looking for a new product to try out. Could this be the new big thing? Stay tuned to see what I have to say.

Claims

A tinted treatment that awakens eyes with a pearl-like luster, hydrates, and reduces the look of dark circles and wrinkles — instantly and over time.

This 2-in-1 makeup and treatment formula breaks upon application to deliver both refreshing moisture and natural coverage for a healthy, well-rested look all day.

• Awakens: Light-refracting pearl pigments work with Akoya Pearl extract in an active skincare treatment formula to restore radiance by helping to address the three causes of under eye darkness: thinning skin, blue undertones, and pigmentation. The Pearl works to address dark circles, fine lines, and wrinkles by helping minimize glycation and the appearance of hyperpigmentation. It is boosted by niacinamide, known to visibly brighten and firm.
• Smooths and Protects: Silk powder smooths the look of fine lines and imperfections, while a blend of botanical extracts protects from makeup and pollution that can cause signs of aging.
• Anti-Aging Hydration: Lightweight cream powered by Hadasei-3™, a proprietary trio of Japanese anti-aging superfoods, and hyaluronic acid, which nourishes and hydrates for a plump, refreshed appearance.

Full List Of Ingredients

AQUA/WATER/EAU, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, DIPHENYLSILOXY PHENYL
TRIMETHICONE, DIGLYCERIN, GLYCERIN, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, DIMETHICONE,
SILK POWDER, HYDROLYZED SILK, SERICIN, HYDROLYZED CONCHIOLIN PROTEIN,
SACCHAROMYCES/CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF/CLADOSIPHON OKAMURANUS/RICE
FERMENT FILTRATE*, NIACINAMIDE, ROYAL JELLY EXTRACT, LONICERA
JAPONICA (HONEYSUCKLE) LEAF EXTRACT, ROSA CANINA FRUIT OIL, GERANIUM
ROBERTIANUM EXTRACT, CAESALPINIA SPINOSA FRUIT EXTRACT, PERSEA
GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL, PRUNUS ARMENIACA (APRICOT) KERNEL OIL,
MACADAMIA TERNIFOLIA SEED OIL, KAPPAPHYCUS ALVAREZII EXTRACT, SODIUM
HYALURONATE, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, PROPANEDIOL, SODIUM CITRATE,
HYDROGEN DIMETHICONE, PEG-9 POLYDIMETHYLSILOXYETHYL DIMETHICONE,
DIPENTAERYTHRITYL TRI-POLYHYDROXYSTEARATE, DIMETHICONE/PHENYL
VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, DIMETHICONE/PEG-10/15
CROSSPOLYMER, SODIUM CHLORIDE, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE,
ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, NATTO GUM, MICA, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE,
PHENOXYETHANOL, ALCOHOL. [+/- TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES
(CI 77491, 77492, 77499), SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE]
* HADASEI-3

How to use:

The container looks like it’s a pop open kind of jar however you need to twist the lid for it to come off. With clean fingers and clean face, apply a small rice grain amount of product on each under eye and massage the product to breakdown on skin. Please be gentle with also massage it until you see the product breaking down evenly into almost like a lightweight paste then pat it on like an eye cream.

My Thoughts

I really think this is a very revolutionary product because it’s an under-eye treatment that acts as a concealer that contains brightening and also hydrating benefits to provide the skin long-term and longlasting results. I personally found this so easy to use and the skin on my under eyes instantly looked brighter and smoother. I could actually get away with just using this and some powder for the day. I’ve tested this with makeup and how I prefer to use this is I would apply on my skin first then I go in with foundation to complete the look. I normally do foundation then concealer but because this is an under-eye treatment with hybrid concealer properties, I find it works best when applied directly onto fresh, clean skin.

Initially, I was not convinced by the marketing for this product and what it did but throughout time, I gradually became more intrigued by the concept of it. Christmas came around and I got a Sephora gift card as a gift so I decided to pick this up to try for myself. There was a lot of mixed reviews on this when it first came out, some people were saying it’s lifechanging and it truly brightened the skin under their under eyes significantly and some said it was cakey, crepey. From my experience from using this product, you only need a rice grain amount of on each eye then you must break down the product and blend evenly throughout the skin. I truly do believe some of the negative reviews are due to user errors on using the product because all you need is a rice grain amount for each side. Another part of me believes that those who struggled with dry, cakey issues from using this product are likely not moisturizing that region enough therefore whatever you apply on top of the dried region of skin, it will reflect that way as well.

The reason why I speak so highly of this product is that I watched a lot of demo and review videos to have a better understanding of what exactly this is and how to use it prior to purchasing it. It is a very expensive product so I want to know what exactly I’m doing prior to purchasing it. I wouldn’t speak highly on any product if I didn’t believe in it and this is very likely going to be a repurchase because it’s just fantastic and there’s so much product in it.

Before     &      After

Overall

• Texture: 5/5 – The consistency appears to be a lightweight cream with a skin tone pigment and as you massage it in your skin, you will notice that it’s breaking down the product and pigment so it spreads more easily into your skin. It also has this hydrating factor to it because of the Koya pearl extract in it.
• Scent: 5/5 – Doesn’t really smell like anything to me, maybe like a really, really faint floral scent.
• Price: 4/5 – Arguably this could very much be expensive for many people and to be quite frank with you, it was expensive at the first glance for me as well but when I used the product and understood what it did for my skin, I was so impressed and honestly, I think this is definitely an item worth splurging on because it’s such a delicate and effective formula, I’m absolutely blown away how it’s brightened and also smoothened the skin under my eyes.
• Performance: 5/5 – Amazing, this product definitely wowed me and I really like what they did with the formula and I found my skin looking so much brighter and smoother right after applying it on. It’s almost like silk! No concealer, no eye cream has looked this nice on my skin. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve tried a lot of products and liked them but this has such an incredibly finely and well-developed formula where it almost looks like your skin! It doesn’t look like you’re wearing makeup or have some concealer on.
• Packaging: 5/5 – It’s Tatcha, are you kidding me? They have the best looking packaging and very aesthetically pleasing.
• Overall: 5/5 – Love it, would buy more of it, would repurchase it the moment I finish this. I have no complaints with this products and hope to see more awesome products from Tatcha.

Available on: QVC |Tatcha | Sephora

 

STYLEVANA |Affordable K-Beauty Shop

The holidays are right by the corner and I know how stressful it is finding the perfect gift for your loved one. Fear not, I’m always here to lend a helping hand during a stressful time. StyleVana teamed up with me in perfect timing before the holidays and were kind enough to send over 3 beautiful skincare products to share with you all and you just might be interested in picking these up for yourself or loved ones. Let’s hop into it!

Who is StyleVana?

There are so many online shops and it can get really overwhelming finding the perfect shop that provides timely shipping, quality customer service and also affordable prices; StyleVana is guaranteed to provide you excellent service every time. They are based in Hong Kong and ship all parcels through DHL. StyleVana sells a wide range of beauty and skincare products from Taiwanese, Japanese and even Korean beauty. Their deals are incredible and probably one of the cheapest I’ve seen so far. Did you know they also sell clothes and accessories as well?

Shipping details – How fast is shipping, customs and etc.

I can only speak from my experience and my package got to me within a week, which is amazing because if anyone who lives in Canada, knows how difficult and slow Canadian customs can be with packages but they got to be quite fast. I was charged by Canadian customs for shipping and handling fees and StyleVana stepped in to reimburse my fees, which was very kind of them to do so. Also, I want to put it out there that they reimburse all orders that have custom fees however, you must send them a copy of your invoice as proof in order for you to get reimbursed so don’t throw away the invoice! Most companies won’t honor this so it’s fantastic to see that StyleVana truly cares about their customers and continues to provide excellent customer service.

In a hurry? They do offer express shipping via DHL for $10, this offer is only for the US only and is only available until December 19th.

Products I chose…

Cosrx Centella Cream 

This product is small but mighty, starting off the product showcase is the classic Cosrx Centella cream; this is a cult favourite product and for a very good reason. This cream is hydrating and creates a protective barrier to the skin while delivering active ingredients to promote and repair skin from irritation and blemishes. This formulated with Centella Asiatic Leaf Water for maximum hydration while calming down the skin. This product is suitable for all skin types and even, sensitive skin types because of how mild and gentle it is.  I specifically use this as a spot treatment throughout the face and I would use this continuously for a week and I will start to see results within the first 2 days of continuous use. This cream is an excellent product for those who have stubborn, inflamed breakouts that pimple patches cannot clear up on its own. The price may vary where you purchase this cream but StyleVana has by far the cheapest price I’ve seen so far. It’s currently only $14.69.
Available here

Tonymoly The Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream

So there are several variations to this cream – there’s this one which is formulated for normal-combination skin types, the intense cream (dry) and gel cream (oily). This cream is formulated with pure fermented green tea extract, which is rich in antioxidants, it also provides intense hydration without being sticky or too heavy on the skin. There is over 63% of fermented green tea extract which allows the skin to retain moisture for long periods of time by forming a thin hydrating layer on dry skin. This moisturizer contains a fermented Korean green tea called ‘ChungTaeJeon’. This green tea has fermented through sunlight for over a year. This cream is made with quality ingredients to ensure maximized hydration to the skin. It’s currently only $10.59 on StyleVana.
Available here

Annie’s Way Hyaluronic Acid

Want to know the secret to a brighter complexion and having a spa-like experience? Boy, wouldn’t you like to know! Aside from using vitamin C based products to brighten the skin because it can be too strong for the skin, a great and effective alternative to that is treating your skin to a jelly mask! This mask is from the Taiwanese brand called “Annie’s Way” and has been around for over a decade now. It’s a very popular item in Asia for a good reason because of it’s lightweight, cooling gel mask texture and how relaxing it is to have on. Unlike some wash off masks that can be messy, this is mess and hassle-free. You only need a small amount of this slathered on the face and it works wonderfully. This mask is able to moisturize, firm skin while improving the appearance of the skin’s overall appearance and cleanses pores.
Available here

Buy More, Save More

If you buy 2+ more items, you will get an additional 2% off of your purchase.
If you buy 4+ more items, you will get an addition 4% off of your purchase.
If you buy 10+ more items, you will get an addition 12% off of your purchase.

Pretty much you buy more, you save more and they’re really generous with their discounts too.

If you’re shopping at StyleVana, please use my code DORK20 for a discount on your purchase. It will help you out to scoring a fantastic deal+save and also support me. Once again, thank you StyleVana for collaborating with me.

This post is an AD and I make a small commission every sale if you use my code on their website. All proceeds will help me out for my blog & Instagram to keep it running for me to continue to create content for you. I appreciate all of your support and cheers to Holiday Season! May 2020 be a wonderful and productive year for us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[REVIEW] COSRX HYDROGEL VERY SIMPLE PACK

Anyone who followed me long enough knows that I have this undying love for Kbeauty. Kbeauty has been a huge part of my skincare and beauty journey. Cosrx was one of the first beauty brands that I’ve tried and enjoyed. I did try a lot of Kbeauty skincare products when I was a teenager however, they were very irritating and inflamed. This has to be one of the first that did not irritate my skin and they’re super budget-friendly. I would say they’re quite accessible – you can purchase them at a lot of physical Walmart locations, Amazon, Yesstyle, eBay and etc.

Alright, onto the exciting part – the review and my experience with this product.

Claims

• These hydrogel cooling mask patches deliver instant skin relief to overheated, inflamed or irritated skin.
• These can be applied on cheeks and forehead as they are drenched in essence that contains a gorgeous blend of ingredients that provide moisture, soothing and hydrating results.
• The three-star ingredients are ceramide NP, Hyaluronic acid, Centella Asiatica.
• There are 60 patches in each container.

Key Ingredients

Centella Asiatica is a plant-based ingredient that has multiple healing properties. The extract is rich with amino acids, fatty acids and etc that can help treat and prevent acne, calming down skin inflammation and promote collagen growth.

Ceramide NP – This is one of the types of ceramides. This can improve the appearance and texture of dry skin.

Hyaluronic Acid is a very well-known and popular ingredient that has some great qualities and benefits such as it can reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and also speed skin recovery. It also is fantastic for retaining moisture in the skin.

*bold = nice ingredients, italics = to be aware of. 

Ingredient List:

Water, Glycerin, Calcium Chloride, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Bambusa Textilis Stem Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP.

My Skin Type and concerns:

Combination | PIE | Congested | Dehydrated | (Occasionally) Sensitive

My thoughts

What I enjoy about these are they are excellent as a multi-purpose type of product where it can be used for skincare or makeup prep. I like to use these when my skin is feeling a bit inflamed or dry and usually do the try to give it hydration while calming down my skin. The only thing that turns me away from this product is the bergamot oil, I don’t understand why it’s there and it should be swapped out with a better ingredient. Niacinamide would be a nice replacement.

TIP: After cleansing, toning, apply these pads on your cheeks and leave them on for 10 minutes, when removed – pat the excess essence into the skin and carry on with the rest of your skincare routine.

Sunburn or skin irritation? no worries, refrigerate these and apply the pads on your skin, your skin should feel significantly calming and cool the moment the pad touches your skin.

Overall

• Texture: 5/5 – Great texture,  the hydrogel pads are not too thick nor are they too juicy where essence spills everywhere on the ground. They also don’t rip easily so that’s always nice. They also don’t slide off that easily like some hydrogel masks do.
• Scent: 4/5 – I don’t smell anything when using these but I will remove a mark simply because there is an unnecessary essential oil in this that is just for cosmetic reasons for the product. I think they should really reconsider reformulating this to unscented so that even sensitive skin folks can use this as well at ease.
• Performance: 4/5 – It does what it claims, I don’t have any complaints with it. I like how it leaves my skin feeling so soft and supple. It’s definitely something great to have.
• Packaging: 3.5/5 – I think the packaging is alright! It comes with a small set of tongs that can clip and great a grip of the pads for you without you digging your fingers in the container. I don’t have any issues with the packaging and how it functions. I think it would be safe to travel with these because I’ve traveled with these a few times and I had no issues with spilling in my bag.
• Overall: 3.5/5 – I wouldn’t say you need this in your collection, however, if you wanted this for a while or need something like this then buy it. For me, I can live without these and they’re likely not repurchase but that being said, they are a nice addition if you’re looking for some fun and soothing facial pads that are made of hydrogel.

Available here: Yesstyle | StyleKorean | Jolse

 

 

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.

 

[REVIEW] SKINFOOD AVOCADO RICH TONER

I’m sure we’ve seen a large number of products made with fruit and vegetables based ingredients, they also made huge entrance into to the beauty industry in the past couple of years. SKINFOOD was probably the first well-known K-beauty brand to come up with products like this. I was always intrigued by the concept of these kinds of products; They have their peach, celery, black pomegranate, royal honey/propolis, and etc lines. The one product that really stood out to me as of recently was their avocado line. I love avocadoes, they taste delicious and I would assume there are packed in nutrients that can provide the skin fantastic benefits as well!

As many of you may know, I have been working with Life Code Boutique and on the very first collaboration, they were so generous to send me some products to try out and I had the opportunity to pick out some as well. This is one of the products I chose out to try and today I will be sharing with you all my experience with it.

SKINFOOD has been repackaging a lot of their products so if you noticed my bottle doesn’t look like yours, don’t be alarmed. They changed the appearance of their packaging just a tad bit.

 

Claims

• This contains 15% avocado extract, avocado oil and essential oils.
• It’s able to hydrate the skin while providing maximum nutrition and locking in the moisture to protect the skin.
• Provides a brighter, healthier complexion

Key Ingredients

All of these key ingredients are non-comedogenic (will not clog your pores).

Avocado oil is packed with fatty acids that are fantastic for providing skin moisture while being nourishing.

Olive oil is an incredible multi-use ingredient. It can be used as an eye, lip makeup remover, mask, facial oil and moisturizer. It has moisturizing, antibacterial and antioxidants.

Macadamia Seed Oil has anti-aging benefits and can deeply soothe and moisturize the skin. It’s also known for treating against skin irritation and inflammation.

Shea Butter is great for softening and repairing the skin. It can mimic the moisturizer in sebum. Thus, it convinces the skin into believing that it has enough sebum and helps slow down the process of the overproduction of sebum. It also can help out on skin discoloration by evening out the skin’s overall appearance.

*bold = nice ingredients, italics = to be aware of. 

Ingredient List:

Water, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Arginine, Cetearyl Glucoside, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Xanthan Gum, Glucose, Fragrance

 

My Skin Type and concerns:

Combination | PIE | Congested | Dehydrated | (Occasionally) Sensitive

My thoughts

I had very little to no expectations for this product, for two factors – SKINFOOD makes very hit or miss products and also, at this price – I never expect much when it’s affordable because sometimes, you get what you pay for. Luckily, I did not have that issue with this and I think this is very well worth the money because there’s a lot of fantastic ingredients here that provide the skin healing, soothing, softening and moisturizing benefits. I would say the only questionable ingredient was the added fragrance in this. I personally prefer if my skincare did not have added fragrance in it whether essential oils or artificial but I’m not against it. If it’s there, it’s there – I’ll just deal with it. I was glad to see there was Cetearyl alcohol in this, it’s fantastic fatty alcohol that has amazing emollient properties to it. Behenyl Alcohol is also another fatty alcohol that provides the same properties as Cetearyl and is specifically used in skincare as a thickener. These are friendly alcohols and should not be feared of.

 

Overall

• Texture: 5/5 – rich, milky consistency – this is not thick but leans towards on the runny side of textures. As you massage it in your skin, it feels almost like an emulsion. I would say this is a good hybrid product between a toner and emulsion because it’s a unique consistency.
• Scent: 2/5 – Ok, the scent isn’t unbearable but it’s not my cup of tea. It smells like baby lotion, I kid you not. The scent does eventually go away but I cannot help but think this is baby lotion every time I smell it.
• Price: 5/5 – SKINFOOD is always reasonable with their prices. For something made with “premium” ingredients and is their fancier line, I would like to say it’s quite affordable and the ingredients are pretty awesome.
• Performance: 5/5 – Fantastic, works like a charm. It’s very moisturizing for what it is and I would say this is ideal for fall and winter. During the colder seasons, our skin usually needs thicker layers.
• Packaging: 4/5 – eh. It’s alright. The stopper does a good job controlling the amount of product coming out and limiting it from spilling everywhere but sometimes I have difficulty getting the product out. The label is this cheap watercolor-like paper and is likely to fall off if this product comes in contact with water. I’m not crazy about the packaging but I don’t hate it. The newer one looks much worse so I’m alright with this one.
• Overall: 4/5 – I think it’s an awesome toner! This would be excellent for those who have dry, normal, combination and for those who suffer with dehydration issues.

Available on:  eBay | Life Code Boutique | Yesstyle |Jolse |

If you’re shopping on Life Code, please feel free to use code AMY15 to save % off your order and for Yesstyle, please free to use code DORKIE1 for % off your order.

 

 

 

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.