[REVIEW] LANEIGE BB CUSHION WHITENING

Good morning, dear friends! I hope you’re having a fantastic week so far. This week’s item I will be reviewing is a bit different from what I usually review. This is a cushion compact by the brand Laneige. This product was kindly gifted to me through Meibe Korea in exchange for a review. Meibe Korea has a fantastic range of products to choose from both skincare and beauty. They also include the cutest freebies in their packages.

Cushion Available on: Amazon|Meibe Korea (US)|Ebay

Refill: Yesstyle

What is a cushion compact?

Cushion compacts are basically foundation mixed with various essences, serums, and even SPF to form and a multi-functional face product that serves multiple purposes. You get your sun protection, a bit of skincare and coverage in a compact form. Once you are finished with the product, you just purchase a refill. I know some brands do not offer refills, which means you have to repurchase a whole entire new cushion to replace it. K-Beauty normally does offer refills for their cushions.

Ingredients

The ingredients may vary by the shade colour so I’m only just referencing off the one I own, which is shade #21.

WATER / AQUA / EAU, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, ZINC OXIDE (NANO), ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), PEG-10 DIMETHICONE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (NANO), CYCLOHEXASILOXANE, PHENYL TRIMETHICONE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL DICAPRYLATE/DICAPRATE, NIACINAMIDE, LAURYL PEG-9 POLYDIMETHYLSILOXYETHYL DIMETHICONE, ACRYLATES/ETHYLHEXYL ACRYLATE/DIMETHICONE METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, DIMETHICONE, DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, DISODIUM EDTA, DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE, MAGNESIUM SULFATE, MICA, MANGANESE SULFATE, METHYL METHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, SODIUM CHLORIDE, STEARIC ACID, SILICA, ASCORBYL GLUCOSIDE, ACRYLATES/STEARYL ACRYLATE/DIMETHICONE METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER, IRON OXIDES (CI 77491), ZINC SULFATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, CHENOPODIUM QUINOA SEED EXTRACT, TRIMETHYLSILOXYSILICATE, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE, PHENOXYETHANOL, POLYSORBATE 80, POLYPROPYLSILSESQUIOXANE, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, FRAGRANCE / PARFUM, IRON OXIDES (CI 77492), YEAST EXTRACT / FAEX / EXTRAIT DE LEVURE, IRON OXIDES (CI 77499)

Shade Range:

Now before you complain about the limited shade range, this seems to be quite common in Korea where they tend to only offer 2-3 shades and that’s because it’s marketed for Korean people in Korea. I really appreciate Laneige for putting the extra effort and are gradually expanding on their shade range. This particular Whitening cushion line has a total of 12 shades; the lightest shade is No. 11 Porcelain and the darkest is No. 37 Cacao. In comparison to western beauty foundations, a 12 shade range is obviously little but it is a start especially for a Korean brand. If you compared this range to other K-Beauty brands, you would agree with me.

Overall:

• Texture: 5/5 – Easily glides on the skin, does not cling onto dry patches or emphasize texture on the skin. It looks extremely natural and gives you the appropriate coverage and a glowy appearance to the skin. The coverage is between a medium to almost full coverage; I do like how you are able to control the amount you apply on your face.
• Scent: 5/5 – There isn’t a noticeable scent for this, on the ingredient list it says that there is some fragrance but the dosage is relatively low because it is featured on the lower section of ingredients.
• Price: 4/5 – I think the price is fair for what you are getting, very standard cushion pact pricing and it will always vary where you purchase this product from. There’s a lot of stores that sell Laneige products so the chances of you seeing this are quite high.
• Performance: 5/5 – The two notable ingredients I noticed that were in this cushion was green tea extract and also niacinamide, both are fantastic ingredients that serve different purposes. They’re able to soothe the skin and also brighten the overall appearance. I love the results I get from using this cushion because it gives the skin a really beautiful appearance to it without looking overdone/cakey. It looks and acts like a 2nd layer skin and leaves you looking so luminous. The longevity of this cushion is good and lasts me between 6 ~ 8 hours; be sure to pack a powder pact in case you need to blot.
• Packaging: 5/5 – It’s pretty looking! Simple and has a fun rainbow cover to it. The cushion pattern is neat and applies well on the puff. The puff is one of the better puffs I’ve tried. You can also use a makeup sponge such a beauty blender.
• Overall: 5/5 – I would repurchase this and I would recommend anyone to give this a go. Back when I was using foundation, I didn’t know the purpose of cushion pacts because they just seemed so gimmicky, waste of product and no value to them but boy, I was terribly wrong. There’s just something about cushion pacts being able to allow you to achieve that “my skin but better” type of look. A lot of foundations tend to make the face look so flat and that’s why a lot of people seem to like to follow up with contour. For cushions, I don’t really feel like I need to contour or even highlight (wow, who is she?). If you’ve been following me long enough, you would know that I absolutely am obsessed with highlighters and my collection of highlighters is kind of ridiculous but I’m proud of it!

TIP: When searching for specific shades online, be sure to type on the search toolbar the TYPE of cushion you want and also your shade. eBay has a lot of coupon deal events that happen on a bi-weekly basis so keep an eye out for those and save, save save. If you have not already, sign up for ebates to save while you shop online.

 

[REVIEW] Mamonde Vital Vitamin Essence ~ Bitter Orange

Hello, dear friends! Welcome back to another blog post~ This week’s product review is a product I have been using for 2 months now. Please do not be deceived by the image’s usage because I always take my photo prior to using the product. Who doesn’t love looking at a fresh product? This week’s product is a bit different and unique because I don’t really own anything like this.

Mamonde has a lot of unique products in their skincare and beauty line. There’s a wide range of products to choose from and they have a line for every skin type!

This product was kindly gifted to me from Jolse , in exchange for an honest review. Jolse is one of the most reputable online stores and known for their fantastic discounts, sales and also try-me events. They have a fantastic range of products to choose from along with FREE international delivery. The prices cannot be beaten and they hold one of the most fantastic sale events. Be sure to subscribe to their newsletter and bookmark their website to check for new updates on what deals they have for the week. I’m also a huge mask hoarder and always check out their mask value sets.

Available on: Jolse | Amazon | Yesstyle
100 ml – $22 ~ $32 * varies where you purchase this.

My skin type:

My skin type is combination (oily t-zone, dry cheeks), congested, dehydrated and somewhat sensitive.

Alright, let’s hop on to the product details and what it is shall we?

What is it?

This product is a facial essence. The purpose of having a facial essence in a routine is to prep the skin by beginning the process of cell reproduction. It assists shedding old skin and revealing new skin for an improved and radiant appearance.

This essence is packed with vitamin capsules that evenly distribute and cures dull and dehydrated skin. Its main features are being formulated with bitter orange flower, 7-vitamin complex (Bitter Orange Flower + 6 vitamins necessary to replenish and hydrate the skin), vitamin capsules packed with antioxidants and protect moisture barrier.

The 6 vitamins are B3, B5, C, E, F, and P.

B3 (nicotinamide) and B5 (pantothenic acid) are fantastic for softening the skin, improves the appearance of enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, dullness, and weak skin surface

Vitamin C is one of the most popular ingredients in skin care and known for brightening the skin. It also may be used to combat against acne, reduces the appearance of wrinkles and reduces skin inflammation.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant and effective for soothing skin burns and also diminishing the appearance of scars. It also can combat the effects of toxins in the environment.

Vitamin F is also known as linoleic acid. Linoleic Acid is able to strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and provides moisturizing and soothing benefits.

Vitamin P plays a role in supporting and enhancing the effects of Vitamin C. It helps to repair and renews the skin.

Overall:

• Texture: 5/5 – I adore it! I love anything that is in a gel consistency and spreads nicely onto the skin without leaving any sticky residue behind.
• Scent: 5/5 – There really isn’t much of a scent for this. Maybe there are a tiny bit of citrus notes but I barely smell anything from this product. I do appreciate and enjoy citrus scents but unscented things are fine with me as well.
• Price: 5/5 – Price is pretty good for the amount that you get! You get 100ml of product, a dispenser that is easy to control the amount of product that comes out. Jolse always has one of the best deals going on so I would highly suggest you head over there and see what deals they have this week.
• Performance: 3.5/5 – I did enjoy the capsules breaking and disappearing into my skin; the last thing I want is to have random specks of capsule pieces of my face that did not break down evenly or properly.
  It was okay, it was moisturizing, however, I did not notice any major brightening results from this. It is marketed to allow makeup to sit better on the skin, diminishes the appearance of dehydrated skin and naturally brightens dull skin. I mean, I chose this essence specifically for brightening purposes because whenever I see the keywords: Vitamin C, Orange, Lemon/Lime, I quickly assume it’s for brightening. If you’re looking for a brightening product, I would highly recommend the Klairs Vitamin Drop Serum . If you’re curious to see my results, please check out my Instagram post where I share a review and before+after shots on the product.
• Packaging: 3/5 – A tiny bit hard to read the writing from afar and hard to identify what exactly it is but it is gorgeous. I was actually hoping this would be a glass bottle for aesthetics and give it that luxurious appearance to it. The pump works nicely and gets the capsules out. I’ve seen a lot of capsule-based products pump not pumping out the capsules from the bottle but this does.
• Overall: 3.5/5 –  I like it but not enough to repurchase this and this bottle would probably last me a while anyway. Don’t get me wrong – it was a great product and gave me no irritation or negative reactions, however, the search for a brightening essence will continue. I still very much love Mamonde products and I would recommend you to try this if you’re looking for something that provides extra moisturization to the skin.

 

*Some links on this post are affiliate links. This means that I will earn a small commission if you purchase from these links.

[REVIEW] NAISTURE TONE UP CREAM

Hey, hey friends!

I hope you all had a fantastic week so far. I’m just swinging by to share a fantastic new discovery in my skincare/makeup collection. The main reason why I am saying this is because this product is a cross hybrid between the two. It’s a tone up cream! Tone up creams are created to brighten the skin’s complexion and also keeping hydrated at the same time! The application process is quite similar to how you would apply self-tanner on however this is the opposite – where it brightens the skin. I’m sure you’ve seen me feature this a few times on my Instagram feed or even stories before and I’m back today to share my thoughts on this!

Available on: Naisture Official Website
Tone-Up Cream – 100g ~ $20 USD

Claims:

This cream is suitable for all skin types – dull, lackluster skin and also can be used on the face and body.
The four top beneficial ingredients are niacinamide, pearl extract, shea butter, licorice root.

Key Ingredients: 

Niacinamide: ability to stabilize and tighten your skin barrier + visibly shrinks the appearance of pores and diminishes skin dullness.

Pearl Extract: This extract is from freshwater pearl and is used for various things such as medicine and also skincare. This Ingredient gives the skin a healthy glow and instantly brightens it.

Shea Butter: is a very common ingredient in skincare in rich in fatty acids and vitamins to nourish and soften the skin. Shea Butter has healing properties and also acts as an anti-inflammatory. It can condition, repair and soothe the skin.

Licorice Root Extract: This is a very popular plant extract that provides the skin soothing properties. The extract is potent with antioxidants and can protect the skin.

 

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Stearate, Titanium Dioxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Pearl Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Oleth-10, Adenosine, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Simethicone, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone, Arginine, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance

My thoughts:

I find this tone up cream a lot more moisturizing compared to many of the tone-up creams I’ve tried in the past. Most tone-up creams have a very dry paste-like texture and tend to leave the skin slightly tacky. This cream was the least tacky of the bunch and was comfortable to wear for long periods of the day. I did a hand wash test with this cream on both my hands and it lasted for about 3-4 hand washes before it started to fade off, which is quite impressive! This can be worn with makeup on top however I like to wear this particular tone-up cream alone on top of my SPF and some powder for a “lighter” makeup day. The older I get, the more I realize I don’t really want to cover up my uneven skin tone. Instead of covering up, why not try to reduce it by being consistent with skincare? So that’s what I did, I decided to care for my skin a lot more and I’m seeing a bigger difference in texture and my dark spots are less prominent.

Back to this tone-up cream, here are before and after photos of the effectiveness of it. My left hand has the tone-up cream and my right does not have anything on it. See the difference?

Overall:

• Texture: 5/5 – The texture for this is easy to work with and applies nicely into the skin. Some tone-up cream require a bit of work massaging in the product evenly into the skin for an even application – I had no issues using this and it worked like a charm.
• Scent: 5/5 – No recognizable scent – I smell something very faint – almost like flowers but as you massage it in the skin, the faint scent turns into nothing. This would be ideal for those who are sensitive to scents or dislike having fragrance in their products. It smells like nothing to me.
• Price: 5/5 – Reasonable. For 20 dollars, 100g of this will last you a long time before you need to repurchase. You only really need a pea size for the face.
• Performance: 5/5 – Worked exactly how I expected to work and I’m thankful that it was drying or emphasized my texture.
• Packaging: 3/5 – Practical. You guys know I prefer jar packaging but this works fine. I’m just a bit concerned when I’m near the end of the product that it will be difficult to squeeze out. I’m not a fan of cutting my products open to dig in it either.
• Overall: 4/5 – This is an affordable, moisturizing and effective tone-up cream! What more can you ask for? I love it, I’m going to repurchase this for sure once I’m finished with it. It’s very similar to the april skin snow tone-up cream but gives less of a pasty, dry texture and glides onto the skin amazingly! Plus, feels moisturizing.

Be sure to use the code WELCOME15 for 15% off your first purchase on the website and to sign up for their newsletter to see new product launches and deals!

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[REVIEW] Hello Skin JUMISO FIRST SKIN-BRIGHTENING MASK

HELLO, HELLO FRIENDS! Happy Tuesday~

What a fantastic way to end off a day with a refreshing sheet mask!

First off, I want to give a special thank you to Anna and her team from StyleKorean who have shipped out the lucky clover set of products to me and this is my very first review on one of the fantastic items they have sent me.

Product details:
1. Sheet mask is made with the mildest cotton yarn with the finest quality
2. Contains salmon roes to nourish the skin; Salmon roes is rich in Vitamin E & Vitamin A
3. Brightens the skin and minimizes the appearance of skin damage
4. Great for those who have poor sleeping habit lifestyles and dehydrated + dull skin
5. Breathable sheet mask with quick absorption into the skin
6. 26 ml/ 0/88fl. oz x 5 (1 box) for $14.40 USD = $18.54 CDN
7. Made in Korea
8. Contains 3 beautiful hydrating ingredients 2 TYPES OF CERAMIDES (NS+NP) AND NIACINAMIDE

Sounds pretty great, huh?

Currently, there is a deal available on StyleKorean for $8.39 USD = $10.80 CDN!!!!
BUY HERE
Buy it while quantities last because that’s a really good deal for a set of masks!

What skin type do you have?
My skin type is combination – dehydrated but oily t zone, sensitive and acne prone.
My cheeks and chin are often very dry.

My thoughts: 
First off, I want to say the packaging for this mask is adorable! I love the simple illustration of the girl relaxing with her cute fluffy puppy because I look exactly like that after a long day of work, hahaha! The serum is on the richer, thicker side of serums however that being said I do believe it is fast absorbing because the choice of material they used for this mask. The sheet mask material feels so soft and luxurious and I’m pretty shocked how affordable these masks are. Initially, I was concerned it maybe too expensive for my budget but no, I was very wrong! Very affordable and suitable for my budget for sheet masks~~ I personally didn’t notice much brightening results however I did notice how supple and soft my skin felt after using it. Usually any type of skincare that is “nourishing” will have some tacky residue. I personally don’t mind it for this only because it doesn’t feel uncomfortable where I want to scrap that layer of residue off my face. Usually what happens when products are too thick for my skin, my skin will feel like it’s suffocating and congested and the first thing I will do is itch it. I haven’t itched once after removing this sheet mask. As you can see on the ingredient list, everything is on the mild side on the hazard chart so that’s good. As for scent, I didn’t really notice any scent. It’s really faint in scent and very difficult for me to figure out what that scent it is but according to the ingredient list, you will see “wild cherry”, “cranberry” and much more fruit extracts. The mask fit is great, it is stretchy and fits snug. I found the mask had a very generous amount of serum to distribute throughout the face and neck. The price is great, it’s not harsh on my skin and it’s very affordable, I will most likely repurchase this after I’m done my box of 5. I’ve been treating myself to a lot of sheet masks because I’m trying to avoid the expiry dates. Nothing is more upsetting than having to throw away sheet masks that have expired.

Here is the list of ingredients and also the cosdna breakdown of each ingredient’s hazard level: COSDNA INGREDIENTS BREAKDOWN

Texture: 3/5 – I like more watery essence masks
Scent: 4/5 – Faint to almost odorless! I kinda was hoping it would smell like something but it’s probably more beneficial for me to not have any added fragrance to it
Price: 5/5 – amazing and affordable – would recommend to all ages. Very budget friendly~
Performance: 4/5 no noticeable brightening results but it did a great job soothing my skin and providing my skin moisture without making it so sticky and congested from the serum

Overall: 4/5

Until next time, friends!
Have a good night and treat yourself to a mask!