beauty | Berries in the Snow

Unboxing: Glossybox December 2017

6. February 2018

// PR SAMPLE / BEAUTY BOX / AFFILIATE LINKS //

My last unboxing for 2017 is this beautifully designed box: the Glossybox December 2017! The topic of the December box were heart-warming products, and everything that makes you feel comfortable during these cold winter days. I want to share the content of this beauty box with you, which was kindly provided to me by Glossybox.

Glossybox is a monthly beauty subscription box containing a selection of 5 beauty and wellness products packed in a box and delivered to your doorstep. The box was founded in 2011 and has spread in over 10 countries all over the world. This is the Glossybox for Germany in December 2017:

“Cold days, warm hearts” – what a wonderful topic! I absolutely fell in love with the knitting design of the box, and even instead of the usual ribbon you’ll find a piece of rope. Loved it so much!

As usual, the Glossybox comes with a mix of different surprise products. The December box includes 6 different products, including full-sized ones and samples, too. Let’s have a look inside:

Doucce Freematic Blush Mono in Shade “Dubai Coast”

A wonderful and natural shade, which probably suits most people and skin tones. It has a satin and smooth texture and is oil-free. The product contains 3.4g and retails for 11.75€. The November Box had a fitting case included, but unfortunately, I don’t have it here to show you.

L’Oréal Botanicals Fresh Care Camelina “Seidigkeits-Ritual”

Actually, I’m currently already using this shampoo and this is now my back-up bottle. I’m enjoying this shampoo a lot and it really helps to make the hair feel smoother thanks to the Camelina oil. Moreover, it is free from silicon, paraben, and synthetic dyes. The bottle contains 400 ml and retails for 7.99 €.

mark. by Avon Glossy Tube Lipgloss

This gloss contains Vitamin E and shea butter and moisturizes your lips perfectly, while giving it a pop of color to battle the cold winter blues. 15 ml retail for 7.00 € and there are various colors available.

NutraSkin Silk & Smooth Concealer-Trio

Here we have three different shades of concealer and the idea is to mix your shade by selecting different amounts of the three concealers. I really like the idea, and it helps to find a perfect match for your skin color. The set of three tubes containing 3 ml each retails for 17.96 €.

Inuwet Eyeshadow Glitter Brush

You never can have enough makeup brushes…and you can never have enough glitter! This makeup brush is vegan and made from synthetic hair. It retails for 10 €.

Tetesept “Hallo Winterpflege” Cream Shower with Almond Milk and Plum

As sample a sachet of Tetesept cream shower. I love Tetesept products, so I guess this cream shower will be smelling very nice.

All the products are really nice, although I loved to have a back-up for my shampoo now. And I also like the concealer set to mix your personalized shade. But, most of all I’m in love with the box, with has such a pretty design. It makes a perfect storage or gift box…and even fits for Valentine’s Day, although it’s originally a Christmas/Winter theme.

Here are all the products of the “Cold days, warm hearts!” Edition, and it really warmed up my heart while unboxing it.

Glossybox is available as flexible subscription for 15 € per month. There are also other subscription options available, like a 3 month, 6 month or 12 month subscription for 14,50 €, 13,50 €, or 12,50 € per month, respectively. Check out www.glossybox.de for more information.

How do you like the content of the “Cold days, warm hearts!” Edition?

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Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by https://www.glossybox.de/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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Unboxing: InStyle Box Winter Edition 2017/2018

5. February 2018

//PR SAMPLE / UNBOXING / SUBSCRIPTION BOX //

I’m happy to be able to show you another unboxing of the InsStyle Box. This box is the Winter Edition and if you are curious what was inside previous boxes you can look it up >>here<<. Of course, topic of the winter edition would be products that we love and enjoy to use during winter. But it is also about what looks appealing to us from its outside. Many people feel attracted towards beautiful packaging design and I’m no exception. Just give me something cute or beautiful and I’m tempted to get it :D

The InStyle Box is curated by the InStyle Magazine, and provides you with trendy items for the season.

The Winter Edition of 2017/2018 delivers products that are useful in winter and that have a beautiful packaging design on top. Let’s take a peek inside.

Zoella Just Say Yes Beauty Pouch

If you have followed my instagram you might know that I have many beauty pouches….one might consider it as pouch addiction. Now, I have a new addition and it is so lovely to look at: I like the light pink color with dots and the saying “Just say yes”. Also does it have a good size that fits a good amount of products.

Frizz Ease Wonder Repair Shampoo & conditioner

There have been times when I only used Freeze Ease shampoo, because it was the only one that could handle my frizzy hair. But then I discovered asian beauty and loved to try out different asian hair products. Now, having the Wonder Repair shampoo and conditioner I’m really looking forward how it will work and if it will lighten up my old love for Freeze Ease again.

Skinmono Intense Nourishment+ Hand Mask

A hand mask is exactly what my dry hands need in winter! I’ve already planned to use this mask on this weekend for some extra pampering *_* And honestly, I love the dark green color combined with the gold of the packaging.

Real Techniques Concealer Brush

I heard a lot of good things about Real Techniques Brush. To receive one of these brushes made me super happy, although I don’t use concealer very often, but maybe it will work for foundation, too. I love the orange metallic handle by the way!

L.O.V Browttitude Eyebrow Contouring Palette

This is what I was most excited about! I love brow products and since my Etude House Brow Kit is hitting the pan and is getting old and expired I needed a replacement. And so this L.O.V Browttitude Contouring Palette came just in time. I already used it a couple of times since then and there will be a review for sure.

Tavana Big Five Lash Safari Keratin Volume Mascara

This is definitely a mascara that attracts by the packaging. I love the zebra pattern of this mascara. Since I have a lot of mascaras in use currently, I haven’t opened this one, yet.

Figs & Rouge – HA+ Hyaluronic Acid 3 in 1 Hydra Active Hero Cream

Moisturize, repair and support of the skin of your body and face are the main target of this multipurpose cream. I love the pattern of the lid of this cream, which comes in a tin jar. The pattern varies and there are different designs to choose from.

Veganz Bio Hanfriegel Apfel & Zimt

I love cereal bars like that and guess how quick I was about eating that bar from Veganz….:D I’m not a lot for apple taste in cereals and cereal bars, but it was a nice and unusual taste anyways.

Last but not last the box contained a tea candle and a bag for some nice and cozy moments. A really cute idea for the season.

As always, the InStyle Box contains a lot of products and shows versatility and gives a lot of information by the thorough magazine. The box really has a great value for its price and all the products will be of use during the next months. The idea with the candle was also a sweet gesture and perfect for the season. I already love the brow kit, and I’m looking forward to test the hand mask soon. The InStyle Box is available on shop.instyle.de for 29.90€ and comes with 3 e-paper versions of the InStyle magazine. The InStyle Box is released every three months, for each season.

What are your thoughts on the products from this box? Let me know in the comments below :)

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Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by https://shop.instyle.de/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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asian cosmetics beauty iUnik review

Review: iUnik Rose Galactomyces Essential Toner & Synergy Serum

25. January 2018

// PR SAMPLE / KBEAUTY / SKINCARE //

A while ago I was contacted by the Korean brand iUnik whether I would like to try and test their products. While browsing through their website I discovered the iUnik Rose Galactomyces Essential Toner and Synergy Serum and I knew that these would be the products that I would love to test. After all, I love roses and I love fermented ingredients.

IUnik is a newer Korean brand that has launched a couple of interesting skincare products. Their packaging design is simple but neat, and the products sound promising. you can check out the products >>here<< on the official webpage.

I selected the iUnik Rose Galactomyces Essential Toner and Synergy Serum because I love it when I have a serum and toner from the same line. Next to each other, they look very pretty and perfect. But not only from the outside, but the inside also contains some notable ingredients, too.

iUnik Rose Galactomyces Essential Toner

Let’s start of with the iUnik Rose Galactomyces Essential Toner. The toner has acne-fighting, brightening, and anti-aging properties. This toner helps to moisturize, re-balance and soften even sensitive skin types with rosa damascena flower water (70%) and galactomyces ferment filtrate (10%). Moreover, it is paraben-free, sulfate-free, and free from alcohol. The ingredients of the products can be checked via SkinCarisma. Rose Damascena flower water has anti-oxidative properties and acts skin conditioning. Fermentation extract is nutrient-rich. It contains many vitamins, amino acids, and proteins and helps to improve the moisture level of the skin. Adenosine has anti-aging benefits. Moreover, it contains Licorice extract, which has anti-inflammatory properties and acts brightening. The toner comes in a large bottle containing 200ml. the bottle is made from plastic and lightweight. The formulation is a clear and water-like one (I haven’t shown any pictures this time, because both look similar on them). It has a pleasant rose scent and absorbs quickly, leaving a tiny bit of tackiness behind. The skin feels very moist and nice after application and I feel it makes the skin feel more bouncy, too.

iUnik Rose Galactomyces Synergy Serum

The iUnik Rose Galactomyces Synergy Serum is dedicated to nourishing and pore control, as well as whitening and anti-aging properties. According to the description, it is especially great if you want to tackle your T-zone and even out the oil/moisture balance of the skin. You can check out the ingredients on SkinCarisma again. Here we have 50% Galactomyces ferment and 10% rose water. Other notable ingredients are niacinamide for brightening, allantoin for soothing, sodium hyaluronate for moisturizing and aloe extract for soothing. The serum comes in a glass bottle with a dropper attached. The consistency of the serum is not as watery as for the toner, but it is not very gel-like either. I feel that the rose scent is less noticeable than for the toner. The serum feels very moist and refreshing upon application and absorbs quickly, too. The skin feels more nourished than with the toner and kind of smooth, too. I’m at the last third of the bottle, but in terms of pore effects, I haven’t noticed any difference. I love the moisturizing and nourishing part though. Also, the serum works great with other products.

All in all, both products are really nice, and especially for the price and the moisturizing effects, I can only give it thumbs up. A pity, the serum didn’t show more effects on reducing the appearance of the pores, but then again, it does what I want from a rose and galactomyces product. Both products are moisturizing and softening the skin and they apply nicely with other products. You can buy iUnik products from unique4u.net.

iUnik Rose Galactomyces Essential Toner retails for 16.49 US$

iUnik Rose Galactomyces Synergy Serum retails for 14.99 US$

Have you tried any products from iUnik, yet?

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Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by https://www.unique4u.net/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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asian cosmetics beauty PR Sample review Wishtrend

Review: Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask

19. January 2018

// PR SAMPLE / AFFILIATE LINKS / KBEAUTY //

By now it is no news that I love the brand Klairs. And of course, I’m always excited to test and review new products from the brand. Today I have a review for one of the newer products from the brand, the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask. I received this product from Wishtrend for reviewing purpose. This mask targets brightening the complexion and has anti-aging benefits and can be used during day or night.

Klairs is a Korean brand which is eco-friendly, producing products which are animal-testing-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free, artificial-color-free and recently they are vegan, too. Their products address people with sensitive skin and people who want to moisturize their skin. I reviewed some of their products before, like the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum (repurchased that one 3 times already!) or the Klairs Midnight Blue Cream, which both convinced me in their effects. I also love the Klairs Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner, which has been updated and improved by now, too. Their saying “Simple but Enough” really nails it and I think that many people will agree in that point with me.

Why Vitamin E?

Vitamin E, with the chemical name Tocopherol, has a lot of benefits for our body. But apart from the benefits it has when digested, it also is of good use when applied on our skin. Tocopherol is skin conditioning, has anti-oxidant properties, and reduced the skin’s water loss… probably, there are even more effects. Another advantage of Tocopherol is, that it protects other ingredients from oxidizing, and thus is a perfect combination to be used with oils to keep them from going bad. It is also great in combination with Vitamin C, since the two vitamins enhance each others properties, and Vitamin C stays stable for a longer time.

Getting back to the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask: First of all, I love the holographic packaging design, which fits to the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum. The Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask comes in a jar, and of course includes a spatula for taking out the product from the jar. The jar has a volume of 90 ml. The cardboard box contains all the necessary information in Korean and English and also a full ingredients list:

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carrageenan, Gellan Gum, Betaine, Algin, Mannan, Ceramide NP, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Fruit Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Phragmites Communis Extract, Adenosine, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil

If you are interested in the benefits of the single ingredients, I can recommend you to check out SkinCarisma. They really have a great cosmetics analysis tool, and I started to prefer this over COSDNA (but COSDNA is still great for quick use). There are several ingredients to point out: Niacinamide has brightening properties, but it also has anti-aging benefits. Also Adenosine and Ceramides have anti-aging properties, and are great in combination with Niacinamide. Cenetlla Asiatica Extract promotes wound healing and can be spotted as well. Additionally, you will find a bunch of other plant-based ingredients and oils. The plant-based oils are a critical point for sensitive skintypes though, so if you know that you react to any of these oils make sure to patch test the product before using it on your face.

Maybe you are wondering, why I haven’t talk about the Vitamin E yet. If you look at the ingredients list again, you see that one of the first ingredients mentioned is Tocopheryl Acetate. Tocopherol is Vitamin E, that makes Tocopheryl Acetate a derivate. When a vitamin derivate is delivered inside our body it will be transformed to the vitamin. Many cosmetics products use Tocopheryl Acetate, because Tocopherol is not stable, but the derivate is and thus has a longer shelf-life. It also has the same skin conditioning properties as Tocopherol, but it doesn’t have the anti-oxidative properties. In order to have anti-oxidative properties it has to be absorbed into the deeper layers of the skin. In watery solutions 50% of the Tocopheryl Acetate absorbs into the skin, in oily solutions it is probably only 5%. The Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask is rich in oily ingredients and also in the description of the product on Wishtrend is says that the Vitamin E is coated in oil. That would mean that the amount of Tocopheryl Acetate that is delivered inside the skin and can be transformed into Tocopherol and acts anti-oxidative is only very low.

However, the consistency of the mask is really interesting. It has the so-called “shape-memory” properties. Once you spoon out a bit of the jelly, or pudding-like cream the surface of the cream will go back to a smooth and even surface after few minutes. The white cream really reminds me of custard-cream or jello. Once you start rubbing it emulsifies into a gel-like consistency, feeling moist and cooling. Once rubbed into the skin you will see the oils of the product leaving a nice glow. Also, a little of the product goes a long way, so start out with fewer and add some more if you feel necessary.

I used the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask as sleeping mask mainly. It feels nice when applied and I love the consistency of the “shape-memory” cream. I could observe the brightening effects that the cream has, due to the niacinamide. It also feels really moisturizing and makes the skin feel nice and smooth on the next morning.

My final verdict for this cream is, that I love the application and feeling of the cream. I can see some positive effects of the cream, like brighteining and moisturizing. I’m not convinced fully about the Tocopheryl Acetate, to be honest. It has of course benefits for the skin, like skin conditioning, but I doubt that a lot of the derivate will be incorporated into the skin to be turned into Vitamin E and show its anti-oxidative properties. Of course, I’m not a cosmetics expert, and if you know any more information on that point, I’d be glad to hear about it.

If you are curious about the product yourself you can get it for 27.00 US$ from Wishtrend. Keep in mind the friend-referral program from Wishtrend: You can receive a 5 Us$ referral coupon if you use my invitation code 17939205 upon registration and you’ll receive this voucher immediately. There will be a specific field in your registration form called “friends invitation program” where you can put the code mentioned above. This way new customers can safe 5 US$ which is a great possibility to safe some money. Also, Wishtrend has a Free-Shipping Area, were you can find products that can be bought with free shipping. You can additionally use the coupon WISHJAN05 for 5% off in January. The coupon code is stackable, by the way!

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Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by http://www.wishtrend.com/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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asian cosmetics beauty PR Sample review

Top 10 (K-)Beauty Products 2017

14. January 2018

//AFFILIATE LINKS/KBEAUTY/BEAUTY//

As every year I want to share with you my favourite products reviewed in 2017. It is always nice for me to look back on my posts of the past and think about the products that I really liked and used a lot! The products are mainly related to KBeauty, but I also have few western brands included this time. If you have tried any of the products yourself write a comment and let me know about your experience! :)

Favourite Skincare 2017

I’ll start of with my favourite skincare in 2017. The biggest surprise for me personally was, that I started to use mists. The years before I always tried my luck with mists, but I kept forgetting about them. But in 2017 I really used one mist quite regularly, which is the SanDaWha Camellia Flower Hydrating Mist. What I love about this mist is the super short ingredients list focussing on the key ingredient, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, which makes up 92.52% of the product. The rest of the ingredients are also all natural and no chemical additives, and so on. If you are curious about my review for the mist you can head over to it >>here<<. The mist retails at Beautytap (formerly known as W2Beauty) and you can get additionally 15% off using the code berries15 until end of February (not stackable with other coupons and not applicable on sales items).

I also discovered the use of mandelic acid as mild chemical peeling alternative through the By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water. It is a mild exfoliation and a perfect start to get your skin to like AHAs. It makes the skin soft and smooth and can be used along with my regular skincare routine without any problems. If you are curious about the Mandelic Acid 5 % Skin Prep Water, too, you can read my full review >>here<<. It retails for 22.00 US$ and is available at Wishtrend. You can use the code WISHJAN05 for 5% discount in January.

I never thought that a scent of a skincare product can be so intriguing and relaxing in the same time. The Banila Co. Miss Flower & Mr. Honey Cream is the most delicious smelling skincare products I have tried! Apart from that it is such a great occulsive cream that locks in all the moisture and nutrients from the previous skincare steps. I really see it as a way of a spa-treatment for the skin. I wrote a full review on it >>here<< and you can get it from Amazon.com for 63.00 US$.

The last skincare product favourite of 2017 is the Innisfree Orchid Eye Cream. If you follow my Instagram, too, you are probably getting tired of me talking about this cream, but it is really a good eye cream if you are looking for nourishment for your under-eye area, but it also is suited to be used on your upper eye area. Moreover, the jar is huge and will last you some good time. My review of the product can be read >>here<< and it retails from Beautytap for 21.75US$. As mentioned above you can get 15% off using the code berries15 until end of February.

Favourite Make-Up 2017

My favourite cushion and also my favourite facial make-up product in 2017 was the Swanicoco Vita Triple Cover Swan CC Pact. This cushion CC cream had a natural finish and still a good amount of coverage. Moreover, the semi matte finish with the tiny shimmer particles makes your skin glow in a natural and healthy way. This cushion was my daily companion for most of the year, until it was finished off and had to be replaced with other opened cushions and foundations :D You can read my review >>here<< and if you are interested in buying you can have a look at Beautytap, where it retails for 30 US$. As mentioned above you can get 15% off using the code berries15 until end of February.

The lip product that I used the most in 2017 was the L’Oréal Infaillible Lip Paint Matte. I love the color “Apocalypse Red” and I love the velvet matte finish and feeling of the product on my lips. You can read my review >>here<< and buy the product from local drug stores or Amazon.com for 7.99 US$ / Amazon.de for 7.95 €.

The other lip product I enjoyed using last year were the Revlon Ultra HD Gel Lipcolor. The color selection was pretty amazing and they feel super lightweight and smooth on the lips, with natural color pay-off. I also like the long and slim shape of these lipsticks. Head over to my review >>here<< or grab your own in your local drug store or on Amazon.com for ~6US$/Amazon.de for ~6€.

For the last make-up product I’ve probably lived behind the moon, but I just discovered the greatness of the Tonymoly Black Gel Eyeliner last year! This gel eye liner is everything you need: smooth application, comes with a brush, pitch-black color and long-lasting. See my review >>here<< and get it from Beautytap for 10 US$. As mentioned above you can get 15% off using the code berries15 until end of February.

Favourite Sheetmask 2017

Okay, here come the last two products of my Top 10 for 2017. Finally, I have two sheetmask recommendations for you: The first and my favourite sheetmask for this year were the Leaders 7 Wonders Biocellulose masks. They had the perfect fit, cling, and I loved the effect they had on my skin. Moreover, look at that colorful packaging design! Simply beautiful and a recommendation for sure! Read my review >>here<< or grab than from Honeysu for 5€/pc or from Amazon.com for 3.89US$.

The other sheetmasks I enjoyed were these gorgeous laced hydrogel sheet masks from Chiara Ambra. When it comes to hydrogel sheetmasks I’m really picky because they keep sliding from my face. These Chiara Ambra Hydrogel Firming Face & Eye Masks were simply beautiful to look at and had a perfect fit. You can read my full review >>here<< and get these masks from Chiara Ambra: Chiara Ambra Hydrogel Firming Face Mask retails for 9.95€ and Chiara Ambra Hydrogel Firming Eye Mask retails for 7.95€.

That’s it! These were my personal Beauty Highlights in 2017 and I hope that this post will turn out helpful for you. If you have tried any of these or if you are curious about them, Id be happy to hear your thoughts! What were your favourite products in 2017?

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asian cosmetics beauty PR Sample review Swanicoco

Review: Swanicoco FGF Pure Ampoule R

5. January 2018

// PR SAMPLE / KBEAUTY / AFFILIATE LINKS //

A while ago I was selected for the second round of the Swanicoco Swan Program, and they send me a huge package containing a ton of skin care products. Previously, I reviewed the Swanicoco Bio Ferment F Fermentation Snail Care Skintoner and Emulsion and today I want to let you know about my experience with the Swanicoco FGF Pure Ampoule R.

Swanicoco is a Korean brand that stared off its business by creating naturally fermented soaps. Now, they have a huge range of products including skin care and make up products, but still all the products share the same believe in natural ingredients excluding artificial and chemical components. Swanicoco uses grains, fruits, herbs and oriental medicine materials as raw materials for their fermentation. By fermenting the products they can be much more easily absorbed into the skin, help retaining moisture and improve damaged skin. They state that instead of using purified water like in most existing cosmetics, Swanicoco has replaced the water with ferment filtrate. Additionally, pigments, synthetic perfumes, chemical preservatives, alcohol, mineral oil, paraben and benzophenones have been excluded from their products. Oh, and they are also free from animal testing!

The brand name Swanicoco is derived from the word “swan” and the term “coco”. “Swan” referrs to the elegance and feminine aspects of the bird we probably all know. “Coco” refers to the coconut, representing the natural ingredients. In the logo of the brand you will find the word “natural”, which refers to the brand as being a natural cosmetics brand. There is also a peony blossom in the middle of the logo that stands for richness and splendor.

The Swanicoco FGF Pure Ampoule R targets aging skin by providing a mixture of EGF and FGF for wrinkle care, nutrition and soothing. Typically for an ampoule the ingredients list is also very short and concentrates on the key ingredients:

sh-Polypeptide-11, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Carbomer, Arginine, Adenosine, Olibanum, and Rosa Damascena Flower Oil

If you want to check for the properties of the single ingredients I can advise you to look them up at SkinCarisma. The analysis shows directly that the product has anti-aging benefits and is free from alcohol, sulphates and parabens. Apart from the peptides that act skin conditioning, Allantonin and Tocopherol (Vitamin E) are great for preventing skin aging. They help with elasticity and regeneration of the skin. Olibanum and Rosa Damascena Flower Oil add to make the skin feel smooth and conditioned.

FGF and EGF

Let’s also talk more in-depth about the peptides FGF and EGF first: These two are the key ingredients of the Swanicoco FGF Pure Ampoule. What are these two and what do they actually do for our skin? EGF is the short-term for Epidermal Growth Factor. In the ingredients list you will find it as oligopeptide-1. The EGF targets specific receptors in the cell (EGFR) and is the necessary molecule for this receptor in order to work. From the name you can already tell that it promotes the cell growth, so it is important for our body, since dying and growing cells are a regular process in our body.

Short excursus: It is important to note the difference between the receptor and the EGF: EGF is not carcenogenic! Mutations in cells can cause overexpression of the EGFR for example, which means we have too many of these receptors in our cells, which can lead to uncontrolled growth of cells, means cancer. Other proteins can put the EGFR in a permanent on-state, which leads to uncontrolled growth of cells aswell.

FGF is the short-term for Fibroblast Growth Factor and this peptide plays a role in wound healing of the skin. The FGFs play an important role for the so-called Fibrobasts. Fibroblasts are cells that produce collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin.

So do peptides like EGF or FGF have anti-aging properties? Since the growth factors should address wrinkles in first place it has to affect the collagen production somehow in order to be beneficial for our skin. When EGF is applied with a cream it has to be absorbed into the dermis, the inner layer of the skin, to have any effect, and only a very, very small amount of topically applied EGF will be able to reach the dermis at all. And even if it helps to produce collagen it does not have any effect on the degradation of the old collagen. In conclusion we can say that the peptides may be responsible for a plumping effect of the outer skin layer, but it will not have any effect on the inner skin layer and therefore will not reduce deep wrinkles.

The Swanicoco FGF Pure Ampoule comes in a beautiful golden cardboard packaging with a lot of description and information available. The box can be opened up sideways, so you can take a look at the ampoule bottle directly upon first opening. The bottle is golden-colored like the cardboard box and comes with a dropper. I was surprised to see how light the bottle is, because it is made from plastic. Yet because of the golden color it doesn’t look cheap, but makes a valuable appearance.

The ampoule itself can be taken out with help of the dropper and has a milky color and a light rose/flower scent. The consistency is runny, but not as runny as water.

The Swanicoco FGF Pure Ampoule absorbs quickly into the skin and doesn’t leave a trace or stickiness behind. It doesn’t feel oily either, but leaves the skin fresh and soft. Upon touch the skin feels smooth and nice. I used the ampoule in combination with the Swanicoco Bio Ferment F Fermentation Snail Care Skintoner and Emulsion and added a moisturizer on top for my whole skincare. The amount of moisture provided was enough for my dry skin type. I didn’t feel any reactions from the product on my skin either, but this varies of course from person to person.

I think that Swanicoco FGF Pure Ampoule R can be a nice add-on to your skincare. Although the effect of EGF and FGF on deeper skin layers is not very likely, they will at least act topically and make your skin feel smoother and elastic. I really like the short ingredients list and the lightweight packaging. If you are interested in a similar product containing EGF and FGF, but without Vitamin E I can advise you to take a look at my review of the Klairs Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drop.

You can also find Swanicoco products at Beautytap (formerly W2Beauty). The Swanicoco FGF Pure Ampoule retails for 53 US$. This week you can use the code SWAN30 to get 30% off Swanicoco products. And on the 10th of January the FGF and EGF Ampoule with higher concentration of 10ppm are on sale as special deal for 41US$!

Did you hear about Swanicoco already? See my other Swanicoco product reviews >>here<<!

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Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by http://swanicoco.com which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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asian stationary beauty home Kawaii Box PR sample

Unboxing & Giveaway: Kawaii Box November 2017

27. December 2017

//PR SAMPLE / AFFILIATE LINK / KAWAII //

With all the holidays it has been some time since I published a post here on my blog. This post has been quite delayed but today I want to share with you my unboxing of the Kawaii Box November 2017. Thanks to Kawaii Box for sponsoring the giveaway and sending me this box ♥:

I reviewed the Kawaii Box a couple of times ago and it is always filled with so many cute items from Japan and Korea, reaching from stationary, stickers, charms, and even plushies. Those of you who love these kind of overly cute items will have the chance to win a Kawaii Box for yourselves :D Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post. The giveaway is sponsored by Kawaii Box and we will pick the winner randomly and the prize will be send out by Kawaii Box to the winner. Please no cheating! We will check the entries ;)

As always the Kawaii Box was packed with 8 adorable products.

There was even a big plushie included which filled out most of the box.

Techi Techi Gomarachi Plush

Kanahei Soft String Bag

Kasugai Chibi Vege Ramune Candies

Harajuku Food Hair Clips

Rain Boot Ink Pen

Twinkle Jewel Seal Deco Diamonds

Gudetama Sticker Set

Let’s Go Mini Notebook

I loved the plush and the Gudetama stickers. The notebook and the pen also come quite handy and I use the pouch for carrying my headphones in my backpack. How do you like the content?

You can get the Kawaii Box >>here<<. There are different options of subscribing for the box. You can choose between several options: either to order only one box, to order three boxes (3 months subscription), 6 boxes (6 months subscription) or 12 boxes (1 year subscription). Each box retails at 19.80 US$. For the 6 months and the 12 months subscription you pay a bit less per box.

And here comes the promised giveaway! You can take part via the Rafflecopter widget below. Please keep in mind that the giveaway is hosted by Kawaii Box. They will send the box to you in case you win. It is open internationally. Good luck everyone! ♥

Berries in the snow Kawaii Box Giveaway

Good luck everyone! ♥

Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by http://www.kawaiibox.com which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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beauty brands you love PR Sample review

Review: Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules

17. December 2017

// PR SAMPLE / BEAUTY / SKINCARE //

Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum are the renewed and even more potent version of the famous capsules from Elizabeth Arden. I’ve heard a great deal about the brand and the capsules before, but this was the first time for me to actually try this product. I love serums as you know and these tiny capsules make it even more appealing to use them every day! The product was offered to me for reviewing purpose by “brand you love”.

“To be beautiful is the birthright of every women” is the saying and motto of Elizabeth Arden, who established the brand and beauty industry revolving around it a century ago. The products are well-established and many people love the brand for its scientific approach and quality. Moreover, the products have a time-less and elegant packaging design.

The Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum is a lightweight, silky-smooth serum targeting aging skin and helping to replenish the skin barrier using the key ingredient and name-giver ceramides. It comes packed in small, golden-colored, daily portioned capsules and looks super luxurious and elegant.

Ceramides

Ceramides help to make aging skin look younger and more elastic. Ceramides are naturally occuring lipids that fortify the skin’s moisture barrier. During aging the ceramide level in our skin decreases, which leads to wrinkles and loss of firmness, but applying ceramides topically can help to reduce the effect of the loss of the ceramides. The Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum contains three different types of ceramides which help to condition the skin and make it appear and feel smoother again.

The full ingredients list of the Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum is noted on the cardboard box of the product:

Iisononyl isonanoate, isodecyl neopentainoate, isododecane, isopropyl myristate, dimethicone, camellia japonicamseed oil, divinyldimethicone/dimethicone crosspolymer, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cyclopentasiloxane, ceramide 1, ceramide 3, ceramide 6 II, cholesterol, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, crithmum maritimum extract, dimethiconol, lecithin, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, medicago sativa (alfalfa) extract, phytosphingosine, retinyl palmitate, squalene, tocopherol

As you can see, there are some ingredients to point out here. First of all the serum is dermatologically tested, free from preservatives, sulphates, and alcohol, and the capsules are made from bio-degradable material. Also, it contains other important anti-aging ingredients, like vitamin A and E, apart from the three types of ceramides. Moreover, ingredients like coconut oil and camellia japonica seed oil are great for providing hydration and moisture. Nevertheless, on the downside, the serum also contains silicon if you have a closer look at it (dimethicone). Silicons act as skin conditioner, and while they are able to make your skin feel silky smooth they also act as barrier and hinder ingredients to act in the deeper layers of the skin. So the effect you will achieve is only topically.

And indeed, when I open up a capsule, containing more than enough serum to cover the face and decolleté, I feel the silky feeling at once, and it gives you that effect that is typical for silicon containing products, the skin appears instantly smooth and feels super silky soft. Unfortunately, the oils need a long time to absorb properly, too, since the silicon doesn’t really help them to be absorbed either. In order to open the capsules you need to twist tab around and squeeze the content of it onto your fingers. You have to be careful, because the serum is released instantly, and the first time I spilled almost everything on the floor. I really like the fact that it is portioned out,and that the capsules are biodegradable, but if you are in a hurry the capsules are not really the best thing to use. A pump or pipette would be better then.

I was really happy to see Vitamin A and E on the ingredients list first, since this is a perfect combination of vitamins to battle your wrinkles. Unfortunately, I guess that the silicon will prevent these two top ingredients to sink into the deeper layers of the skin. Also, since it contains vitamin A I do not feel comfortable to use the capsules during the day, instead I prefer to use them as last step during the night (no use to add any creams on top). During the days, that I have used the capsules I noticed the instant smoothing effect from the silicon, but I didn’t see any effects it had on my wrinkles in general.

All in all, I’m a bit dissapointed about these capsules! The ingredients are really high-end, apart from the silicon! And the silicon also hinders that the other great ingredients do their job properly and penetrate into the skin. That’s really a bummer, after all the Elizabeth Arden Advanced Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum is not cheap and has a good reputation. I would recommend these capsules at once if they removed the silicon in future, but as it is I can say that there are better and less expensive options to go for. The jar contains 60 capsules and retails for 78 US$ or 64.99 €.

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Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by https://www.brandsyoulove.de which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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asian cosmetics beauty Kirei Station PR Sample review

Unboxing: Kirei Station Getsu Box November 2017

5. December 2017

//PR SAMPLE/ MAKE UP / JAPAN //

I love Japanese beauty products equally much to Korean beauty products, but unfortunately, they are a bit harder to get. Remember when I reviewed some Japanese products from Kirei Station a while ago? Guess what?! Now they have also a subscription box to offer: the Getsu Box! Here is an unboxing of the first Getsu Box November 2017:

What is Kirei Station Getsu Box?

What Kirei Staion says: “Kirei Station Getsu (monthly) Box delivers unique Japanese products to you on a monthly subscription basis. All products are from a wide range of Japanese brands. There are a lot of Japanese products that works really well and are raved by the locals, some of them are often very affordable and convenient to use. Unfortunately, these products are not very easy for people overseas to get their hands on, hence the reason we decided to offer subscription boxes in our shop. Mainly to spread awareness of different brands and help other beauty enthusiasts find interesting and sometimes cute Japanese beauty products whether it is from a popular or an unknown brand and also to make purchasing these products more accessible for anyone at a low-cost. You might also find your holy grail products through our Getsu Box!”

This box came with 3 full-sized makeup products, one mask, and some cute samples and chocolate! *_* Of course there was also a description note for the single products included.

Sana Pore Putty CC Cream

This was my personal highlight of this box. I’ve wanted to try this CC cream for forever and here it is! And it has become my go-to daily CC cream for the last weeks. This CC cream offers a pore-less, skin-like natural finish, claims to be long-lasting, and contains SPF 50+ PA++++ and hyaluronic acid. Apart from the “natural matte” finish, which was part of the Getsu Box here, this CC cream is also available in “Enriched Moist” and “Bright Up”. It also was a part of the Cosme 2017 Mid-year rankings.

Cezanne Gel Eyeliner

Cezanne is also one of the more popular Japanese beauty brand. This brown colored gel eyeliner has a soft texture and a natural pigmentation. It doesn’t smudge or bulge at all and it was really a thing to remove my swatched line on my hand. It is waterproof and can be used as eyeliner, but also blended out for more depth. It is available in black, too, but in Japan brown eyeliner is really popular, because it gives a more natural look.

Shiseido Therapindo Oil Balm R

This oil balm bar by Shiseido is perfect for winter days. It is made with lavender essence and sesame oil. I haven’t used it yet, but I’m sure it will be useful in the next months. And look at this adorable packaging design! I wished the western Shiseido products would offer more of their girly designs here, too.

Kose Clear Turn Lift Astaxanthin Mask

You can never go wrong with a mask! This sheet masks contains Astaxanthin for firmness and anti-aging. The Kose Clear Turn masks have been number 1 in the sheet mask category in Japan from January 2006 to December 2016! That sounds like a really superb mask to me!

Last but not least, some samples and chocolate!*_*

What do you think about this box? I will make use of all the products, so I’d say that this was a good one for me. My highlight is the CC cream, which I’m really using on a daily basis at the moment :) The Getsu Box retails for 30 US$ plus shipping if you want to opt for EMS or registered mail (SAL is free of charge). There are also options to get the Gestu Box for 3, 6, or 12 months. At the moment you can subscribe for the January Getsu Box, which will include 4 full-sized products and 4 other products (masks/travel sized/snacks/samples…).

I will make more detailed reviews on the single products in future. Are you especially interested in any of these? Let me know!

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Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by http://www.kirei-station.com/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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asian cosmetics beauty Eopenmarket PR Sample review

Review: Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum & Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum

3. December 2017

// PR SAMPLE / SKINCARE / KBEAUTY //

I’m always up for new skin care products and I love especially trying new serums. Some of my favorite key ingredients are vitamin C and snail secretion filtrate. A while ago I received two serums containing exactly these two ingredients: the Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum and the Purito Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum from Eopenmarket for reviewing purpose. I have tested these two products thoroughly the last weeks and here is my verdict regarding these two products. Additionally, there will be a giveaway on my Instagram account, where you can win both products!

Purito is a rather young Korean brand with cruelty-free and 10-free skin care products. The products are free from paraben, ethanol, surfactants, artificial coloring, fragrance, triethanolamine, phthalein, triclosan, petrochemicals, benzoyl peroxide.

Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum

The Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum is directed towards anti-aging and prevents the formation of new wrinkles as well. It is highly moisturizing containing almost 90% of hyaluronic acid. 10% of the serum is ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Vitamin C is always good to have in your skincare routine. I have tried a couple of serums in the past (check >>here<<). Vitamin C is an antioxidant and thus can prevent our skin from aging too early and from sun-damage. A high concentration of Vitamin C doesn’t mean automatically that it is more effective concerning anti-aging. Normally, a high concentration of Vitamin C aims at a visible effect, because it tends to operate as a chemical peeling by loosening dead and old cells. This is not a bad effect and stimulates the skin to regenerate itself, but keep in mind that it won’t affect the inner cell layers of your skin which have to be aimed if you really want an anti-aging effect. With 10 % vitamin C in this serum this serum lies between the OST C20 serum and the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop. The thing about Vitamin C is, that it oxidizes with time, and you have to use it up very quickly. You will see as the color of the serum will get more yellowish with time. A possibility to prevent the vitamin C from oxidizing is to stabilize it with ferulic acid or vitamin E or use derivates.

If you look at the ingredients list of this serum you will see that the ascorbic acid is not stabilized, so the only way is, to store it in a dark and cool place and use it up quickly, once opened.

ingredients: Sodium Hyaluronate (84%), Ascorbic Acid (10%), 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Arginine, Human-Oligopeptide-1, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Magnolia Liliflora Bude Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Tuber Magnatum Extract, Pyrus Malus Extract, Red Ginseng Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA

You can check for the properties of the single ingredients via Skincarisma. Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide have brightening and anti-aging properties, and also arginine is directed towards anti-aging. The ingredients are also listed on COSDNA.

As you can see my serum already started to get darker in color and it is time to throw it out. Yet when I opened it up newly it already had a light yellow tint. The serum is a quite runny formula despite being a serum and it feels very moist and hydrating on the skin. It has no specific fragranced scent either. Once applied it will dry down after a while. At first, it will still have a slightly tacky residue, which disappears after some time without a trace. I don’t have any before and after pictures of my skin, because I use a combination of many products which affect each other. But this serum definitely makes the skin feel softer!

Purito Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum

The second serum from Purito is the Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum and as the name says, this serum contains 91% of snail secretion ferment. Snail Mucus claims to be rich in hyaluronic acid and antioxidants and thus help our skin to regenerate stimulating the formation of collagen, elastin and dermal components that repair the signs of photoaging. Also, it claims to minimize the damage generated by free radicals that are responsible for premature skin aging (there is a Wikipedia entry for snail mucus, too). The snail mucus is not obtained by harming the snails, but it is collected is so-called snail farms.

The ingredients are also listed on the cardboard packaging:

ingredients: Saccharomyces/Snail Secretaion Ferment Filtrate (91%), Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Allantonin, sh-Oligopeptide-1, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cucumus Sativus Fruit Extract, Camelia Sinsensis LEaf Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcus Oil, Cananga

You can check out the properties of the single ingredients via Skincarisma or COSDNA. The Purito Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum contains more ingredients than the Vitamin C Serum, but mostly plant-based extracts and oils. Again, because of the oils added people with sensitive skintypes should be aware of potential reactions.

The serum has a clear color and feels a bit tackier upon application. But also here the product absorbs without traces after a while. This serum is free from any fragrance, too, and feels calming on the skin. I love using anything that contains snail secretion on irritated skin and troubles. I feel they help to reduce redness and irritations.

I’m really happy with both serums, although, I would wish that the Vitamin C in the first serum would be stabilized to make it last longer. I like the short and mainly plant-based ingredients lists and the fact that the products are free from 10 unwanted chemicals. Additionally, it is a plus that the brand is cruelty-free. On top, the price for the serums is super affordable with only 10.31US$!

If you are curious about these two serums you have the chance to win both of them on my Instagram account! Feel free to enter :)

Have you heard of Purito? And what serums are you using in your skincare routine?

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Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by http://eopenmarket.com which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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