PR Sample | Berries in the Snow

Wishtrend November 2015 Coupons

5. November 2015

This month I’m in time for the Wishtrend November 2015 Coupons! Yeii! And there are quite some to share, too. You can use these new Wishtrend coupons and gifts for your shopping experience at Wishtrend. If you don’t know Wishtrend, but love Korean or Asian cosmetics and skincare products I can recommend you to check out their online shop, especially for one of my favorite products, the O.S.T. Vitamin C Serum. You’ll also find some products sold at Wishtrend on my Top 20 favourite product list for 2014,like the Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil. Also, they have listed brands like COSRX, Tosowoong and Mizon. You can find a list of all the products I reviewed from Wishtrend at the bottom of this post. Furthermore, they have really a great affiliate program for blogger and I can advice you to join it if you are one. Here are theWishtrend coupon codes for November:

As usual, I’ll start off with the 5 Us$ referral coupon you can receive if you are a new customer. The principle is easy as this: If you use my invitation code 17939205 upon registration you’ll receive a 5 US$ 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 get 5 US$ off, which is a great to save some money on your first order.

Second, there is also a 10% discount Wishtrend coupon available for November. Below, you’ll find the coupon code for this:

Coupon Code: WISH2015NOV
Requirement 1: Shopping cart order must be 55 US$ and over to be able to use the 10% off coupon
Requirement 2: Coupon code cannot be combined with any other discount or voucher code.
Only valid until the end of November 2015

The second promotion code is a special gift you will receive by using the code below. The voucher is valid on ANY orders at Wishtrend, but only in limited quantities! This months free sample is a free Skinmiso Nose Pack (Step 1 and 2) (3.30 US$ value). I heard these are quite effective, thus this would be the perfect time to try them for free.

Voucher Code: BESTNOSEPACK2015NOV
ANY ORDER
Only valid until the end of November 2015, limited quantities

Then I want to point out some other special discounts and coupons for this month:

There is an offer to try the Hello Everybody Biotin Treatment (3 EA) as free gift with your order. Simply use the coupon SAVEYOURHAIR on your orders until 9th of November (until the stock lasts). There is only a couple of days to go, so you should be quick about this one. Also, there is 5% off on your hair and body products orders with the coupon HAIRBODY5 until 12th November!

Also, every order receives a COSRX sample pouch and one patch of stickers!

Moreover, since some weeks Wishtrend is having a new promo each Tuesday called Try It Tuesday. They have different coupons each Tuesday that you can use to get a free sample or product on your order. This Tuesday you could get CosRX Sticker, but I also saw a fullsize Klairs Soap, a free Berrisom My Lip Tint Pack and so on. It is worth following Wishtrends Social Media (Facebook and Instagram) to see when they are offering this coupon.

Last but not least I wanted to show you a new item and brand I spotted on Wishtrend and I think it is a super adorable product worth mentioning: The Monstory Fresh Masks! Three of these Fresh Masks are available right now called Monstory Girly Mon Fresh Mask, Monstory CoolCool Mon Fresh Mask and Monstory Green Mon Fresh Mask. The packaging looks so cute that I ordered the Girly Mon Fresh Mask right away and I’m looking forward to review it for you guys!

I would advice you to check out their “Free Shipping Area”, so you don’t have to spend the saved money for shipping costs. They have quite some nice items available there, changing from time to time. At the moment they are providing the OST Vitamin C serum for 14.99 US$ in their free shipping zone! There is a discount when shopping via the online Wishtrend page from 5th to 12th November, too. You’ll get 10% discount on all skincare with the code SECRET10.

Also, I spotted they have a new Wishbox containing a D.I.Y. cushion, which is really a supoer cute idea. I’ve used a D.I.Y. cushion before and it is really fun, and this kit by Wishtrend contains the cushion case, decoration stickers, BB cream, serum and sunscreen and is a great value in my eyes.

Also, there will be Black Friday Sales soon, so I will be updating this post within the next days!!!

I did a couple of reviews on various Wishtrend products in the past. You might like to check these out, if you are interested in purchasing these:

Skinmiso Pore Corset Serum

Lailly 7 Seconds Make-Up Booster

Pongdang Mulbit Glow BB Cushion

COSRX BHA Summer Pore Minish Serum

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner

I’m from Honey Mask

Boutique Bebe Hair Salon Protein Treatment

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch

ElsihaCoy Aloe & Lavender Mask Sheet

Berrisom My Lip Tint Pack and Lip Tint Cleanser

OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum

Confume Argan Treatment Oil

Pongdang Donkey Milk Emulsion

Klairs Rescue Moisture Kit Part 1 and 2

Berrisom My Lip Tint Pack

CareLab Powerful Pudding Mask

Klairs Gentle Black Deep Oil Cleanser and Sugar Facial Polish

Rojukiss Multi Vita Cleansing Powder

Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Sheet Mask

Damoae Therapy Shampoo and Tonic

Skinmiso Rice Foam Cleanser

Klairs Illuminating Supple BB Cream

O.S.T. Pure Vitamin C20 Serum

Wish Formula Panda Eye Essence Mask

ONL Saladit Essential Juice Sheet Masks

Do you have any favourite item from Wishtrend? What would you love to try from their products?

Wishtrend June 2015 Promotions

beauty PR Sample review

Review: Lavera Illuminating Eye Cream

2. November 2015

If you are a user of natural cosmetics you will have heard of the German brand Lavera. A while ago I was lucky enough to receive this Lavera Illuminating Eye Cream for testing and although I’m not that consitent in grabbing natural cosmetics only I do attempt to try them more often than in the past. The Lavera Illuminating Eye Cream is an example for a good daytime eye cream made of natural ingredient.

Lavera, one of the well-known German natural cosmetics brands was founded 25 years ago and is known and available in 40 different countries all over the world. Their ingredients are mainly plant-derived and moreover they are against animal testing. The Lavera Illuminating Eye Cream is a good example for this, since it is free of paraben, mineral oil, silicon, micro beads, phtalaten, synthetic scents, -color and -preservatives.

The Lavera Illuminating Eye Cream has pearl extracts and caffein as key ingredients, but the ingredients list contains some more potential substances, like hyaluronic acid, titanium dioxide, shea butter and some other plant ingredients. You will find all the ingredients on the packaging, but the description is in German only. The ingredients are also labelled whether they are from certified organic agriculture or if they are natural essential oils. This tube of eye cream contains 15 ml of product.

The packaging is simple, yet pretty, showing some pearls on it. The tube is a regular small-sized eye cream tube made of plastic. I think that these tubes are reasonable for eye cream, although it is more convenient to have a pump dispenser.

The Lavera Illuminating Eye Cream has a cream consitency and a pale pink color. It contains shimmery pearl extract and glimmer, which reflects the light on the skin when blended in and makes the skin appear more bright and glowy. Tired eyes and a dull expression can be reduced this way. It has a creamy babypowder scent and absorbs quite quickly after patting it in. If you use conceiler under your eyes you should definitively give the cream enough time to set, otherwise it will not work with other products.

All in all, the Lavera Illuminating Eye Cream is a good product and especially for day time use. The reflection of the light gives the skin a nice shimmer, which doesn’t look to heavy or unnatural. Peaople sensitive to scents will find the scent maybe to strong. The scent definitively lingers when I try the cream on my hand, but under my eyes I do not notice it. You can also use the eye cream on your lips, cheeks or eye lid for some reflecting shimmer. The Lavera Illuminating Eye Cream retails for 9.45€. If you live in Germany you can find it in your local druf store. I can advise you to check out the official Lavera page. There is a 2 € coupon for the Lavera Illuminating Eye Cream available >>here<<. You can find some Lavera products also on Amazon!

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.dm.de/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

2 Comments

asian cosmetics beauty BNTnews PR Sample review

Review: Hanskin Super Snail BB Cream

25. October 2015

Hanskin BB creams have quite a reputation and whenever there is a chance to try a new BB cream I’m super happy to do so. The Hanskin Super Snail BB Cream is the first BB cream containing snail mucus I’m trying, although I’ve heard from quite some other brands with BB cream similar to this one. I’m using BB creams almost daily, so there are many I’ve tried in the past and quite a couple I’m using at the moment. I’ve been very fond of Missha’s BB creams in the past, but I’ll be happy if there will be other BB creams that are according to my liking, too. Here is my impression on the Hanskin Super Snail BB Cream:

The Korean brand Hanskin claims to be the first brand having released a consumer used BB cream and thus to be the original BB cream creator from Korea. They have a lot of different types of BB creams. The price of their products is in the midrange, so they don’t retail for super affordable prices. The packaging design of their products is simple and mature, kind of elegant, too. I’ve tried the Hanskin Bio Origin Wrinkle Talk BB cream and the Hanskin Bio Origin Royal Ampoule BB cream previously and I liked them (read my review >>here<<). The Hanskin Super Snail BB Cream doesn’t come in a purple tube like these BB creams but in a white bottle with a pump applicator.

The white color of the packaging in comination with the golden pump and the milky cap looks very elegant and pretty. The cardboard box of the BB cream contains the Korean description only. This BB cream contains 15000 mg of snail mucus and extracts of marigold, and okra for moisturizing on the same time as giving you an even complexion. It is paraben free, benzophenol free, mineral oil free, BSE free and free of tar color. Because of its moisturizing properties it is addressed to people with dry skin. I’m always happy about moisturizing products, because I have dry skin on the one hand, and winter is approaching and the cold wether makes my skin feel even drier. Also, this BB cream has SPF 30 PA++ and provides the skin with sun protection, too.

The downside of the Hanskin Super Snail BB Cream is that it only comes in one shade though. People with darker skin tone might find this BB cream to bright. The pump applicator on the other hand is really convenient to use. I love BB creams with pump applicators.

Luckily, the color can be adjusted to my skintone, although it is a bit brighter than my skin at the moment. Nevertheless, during the next months I’m sure the color will fit even better. It has a regular thick BB cream consitency with a medium coverage. It evens out rednesses and skin imperfections and leaves the skin with a subtle glow. For combination/oily skintypes it can be finished off with a loose powder especially on the T-zone.

Here is how the BB cream looks like on my skin. It has a bit of a grey undertone– a typical problem for most BB creams. It dissapears after some minutes though (I waiting some minutes before taking the picture). It blends in nicely after all and looks natural in total. In real life you will see that it is a bit too light for me but in the picture somehow it looks fine. When adding appropiate shading it even looks better. The consitency of the cream is soft and it feels nice and not heavy on the skin, maybe a tack sticky depending on your previous moisturizing steps.

The Hanskin Super Snail BB Cream retails for 25600 won from Hanskin. It is a solid BB cream nice for especially dry skintypes. If you have a lighter skintone and dry skin you might want to try this BB cream. I do like it and I will definitively use it up. But still Missha’s PErfect Cover BB is my favourite BB ream so far (although it has a grey cast aswell).

This product was provided to me by BNTnews for reviewing. Don’t forget to visit the other BNTGirls Kim, Bella, Mary, Celine, Alene, Joanne, Chermaine, ,Mitha, and Blair and check out their reviews for the August BNT Beauty Box. And visit BNTnews for the latest Korean news and trends:

Official Page |Tumblr | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter

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.bntnews.co.uk/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

7 Comments

asian cosmetics beauty BNTnews PR Sample review

Review: 3CE 2015 Lip Color Palette

24. October 2015

// PR SAMPLE / KBEAUTY / LIPS //

I liked the previous two items from Stylenanda’s 3CE so much that I’m know super excited to try out every other 3CE product, like the 3CE 2015 Lip Color Palette in this review. Many people like the 3CE lipsticks and I’ve read so many raving reviews about the quality of their lipsticks that I’ve always been eyeing with their products…but I have so many lipsticks that I try to avoid buying new ones at the moment. I was super happy when I received this lip color palette from BNTnews, so I finally can try out 3CE lip products- and 4 colors on the same time gathered in one palette! That’s pretty much awesome!

3CE stands for 3 Concept Eyes and was launched in 2009 as a cosmetic brand by Stylenanda. The packaging of the products is similar to MAC cosmetics and mainly black with the triangular logo displayed on the product. Although very simple I think that this kind of packaging looks somehow very trendy. The price of Stylenanda’s 3CE lies in the mid region, but since it is more expensive than Etude House for example, I never ended up buying any 3CE products myself and instead grabbed the cheaper versions from other brands before. The 3CE 2015 Lip Color Palette gathers the best lip colors of Stylenanda in a palette. Actually, there are three different lip color palettes! The palette I’m showing you here is called “Pink Trophy”, but the other two palettes are called “Gossip Red” and “Actress Pink”.

The palette comes in a black cardboard box with the Korean description wriiten on the bottom of the box. You will find the name of the palette on the box and the single lip color names. The single shades are also available as real lipsticks, so if you already have used regular 3CE lipsticks and have a favourite color you might spot it in one of the palettes aswell. As obvious from the name and the pictures the 3CE 2015 Lip Color Palette “Pink Trophy” consists of four different pink lip color shades. The shades in this palette are called #405 Glass Pink, #608 Hala, #408 Chuchu, and #807 Hypnotic. If you have read my blog before you might know that I hardly buy any pink lipsticks and when looking at the three avaiulable poalettes my own choice would have been the “Gossip Red” palette, but on the other hand this is a good time to try out other lip colors.

According to the description the 3CE 2015 Lip Color Palette in “Pink Trophy” containing shades from pink to raspberry fit for any outfit. By combining and mixing the colors you can produce different charms. You can for example create gradient lips by using the lighter colors as base color and add the darker colors in the center of the lips. Also all the shades can be used as cream blush aswell and so you have a matching blush for your lip color, too. Below you can see the swatches on the back on my hand for each of the colors. Unfortuantelly the palette doesn’t come with its own lip brush inside, which is really a pitty and makes it less travel friendly. Luckily, I have a lip brush so I could prepare the swatches and use the palette. The texture of these lip colors is a creamy one with a glow. They look really pretty when swatched and fit together nicely.

#405 Glass Pink is a lovely light pink color which looks almost natural. On my own lips it doesn’t show up to much, but it is a nice corali-ish, peachy cream blush color. #608 Hala is a soft milky pink color. I have my problems with these kind of pink shades, because my natural lip color is darker and all the brighter color accumulates visibly in the lines and accentuates dry patches. I personally cannot use this color on my lips, but also here it can be used as cream blush or for creating gradient effects or mixing colors.

#408 Chuchu is an extravagant neon pink and suits more to my lips than the previous color. It is less accentuating because of the darker shade. Lastly, #807 Hypnotic, a raspberry and dark pink color, which is my personal favourite of the palette. This is probably the shade which I will be using most often out of these four colors.

All of the four lip colors have a nice and soft texture. The colors are pigmented and if you have light natural lip color all of them will show up nicely. For darker lips the first two shades can be difficult to work with. The lip colors are moisturing, too. They contain natural squalane essence extracted from olives, shea butter and mango butter for creating a moisture layer for a long-lasting effect. Nevertheless, the darker the color again, the longer lasting is the stain of the lip color. You can see the swatches and description on the official Stylenanda site, too, if you >>click here<<. I personally miss the included lip brush inside the palette and I would have preferred the red color palette, but maybe that’s something I will buy on my own :D They retail for 32,000 won officially. You can find the on W2Beauty for 35.44 US$ with worldwide shipping.

Official Page |Tumblr | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter

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.bntnews.co.uk/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

5 Comments

asian cosmetics beauty BNTnews PR Sample review

Review: Nature Republic Ginseng Royal Silk Watery Cream

23. October 2015

// PR SAMPLE / SKINCARE / AFFILIATE LINKS //

This Nature Republic Ginseng Royal Silk Watery Cream has been a huge hit in Korea. The so-called ‘Miracle Cream‘ was praised by various Korean celebrities and even the Korean deputy prime minister Choi Kyung Hwan recommends it. This cream is supposed to improve wrinkles and to have whitening properties, too, using extracts from ginseng, silk, and royal jelly.

Nature Republic is a Korean brand founded in 2009 and using the slogan ‘journey to nature’. They are one of many Korean brands addressing natural cosmetics and their consumers. One of their most famous products is probably the Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel, which comes in this huge container and is super affordable, too. I haven’t tried many products from that brand although many of their products really look interesting…somehow I decide to buy from Innisfree and Etude House in the end. And the moment I’m deciding to buy something from Nature Republic it is usually sold out…But apart from all this, let’s first take a moment and appreciate this gorgeous packaging design of the Nature Republic Ginseng Royal Silk Watery Cream:

This is absolutely stunning! The cream comes in a very pretty and high-quality box in the signature color green. Inside this box, you will find the square glass jar which is completely made of a see-through material, except the inner part and the lid. I was so surprised and happy when I saw this pretty design for the first time.

The box is surrounded by a paper which contains the necessary information in Korean and in English. You will find the ingredients listed on COSDNA, too. All of them are safe to use and I didn’t experience any breakouts or irritations during the period I used this cream. The key ingredients in the Nature Republic Ginseng Royal Silk Watery Cream are ginseng extracts, pure 99% gold, royal jelly, and gold silkworm. Its red ginseng extracts supply nutrients to your skin and the silk amino acids balance the skin’s oil and moisture level. Nevertheless, a short note: this cream contains alcohol and silicon.

This anti-oxidant and anti-aging cream is certified by Korean Institute For Skin And Clinical Sciences for its moisture, wrinkles and elasticity improvement. Furthermore, the Nature Republic Ginseng Royal Silk Watery Cream comes with an included spatula in order to reduce contamination with your fingers. The lid of the jar can be removed by twisting the handle on the top. This is the first time I had a container like that, so I was super excited, although there is actually no reason to be excited in the first place :D It’s a moisturizer after all.

Below the lid, you will find the golden colored gel-type cream. It looks so unusual compared to my regular cream-type moisturizers. If you take a closer look you will see the tiny gold particles inside the cream.

The gel-type cream is easily rubbed into the skin and leaves the skin bouncy and doesn’t feel sticky either. The cream gives your skin a pretty glow, too and you will see some sparkling from the gold occasionally. It feels hydrating, but also stays somehow mostly on top of the skin, nevertheless the skin feels super nice afterward. It can be used day or night, depending on your preferences. I personally prefer to use it as the last step of my night-time routine because it seems to lock the moisture of my previous steps inside. I also like to use it on its own during the daytime, but not combined with my makeup, especially when using glowing BB creams, this makes the BB cream slide around even more. On its own, it works great though!

All together I really like this cream! It has a great design, leaves a nice finish and gives your skin glow. I can definitively understand why it has been so hyped among celebrities, since it feels and looks luxurious, too. Natures Republic released base products such as the Ginseng Royal Silk Essence after the tremendous popularity of Ginseng Royal Watery Cream, too. The Nature Republic Ginseng Royal Silk Watery Cream retails for 66000 Won, and it is available at Beautytap for 66.00 US$ (check out my Coupons&Discount page for more deals and coupons).

Official Page |Tumblr | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter

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.bntnews.co.uk/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

15 Comments

asian cosmetics beauty Wishtrend

Wishtrend October 2015 Coupons

17. October 2015

I know . I know, October almost ended and I’m super late in posting these Wishtrend Coupons for October. Nevertheless, I hope it still can be helpful for some of you. You can use these new Wishtrend coupons and gifts for your shopping experience at Wishtrend. If you don’t know Wishtrend, but love Korean or Asian cosmetics and skincare products I can recommend you to check out their online shop, especially for one of my favorite products, the O.S.T. Vitamin C Serum. You’ll also find some products sold at Wishtrend on my Top 20 favourite product list for 2014,like the Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil. Also, they have listed brands like COSRX, Tosowoong and Mizon. You can find a list of all the products I reviewed from Wishtrend at the bottom of this post. Furthermore, they have really a great affiliate program for blogger and I can advice you to join it if you are one. Here are the Wishtrendcoupon codes for October:

Second, there is also a 10% discount Wishtrend coupon available for October. Below, you’ll find the coupon code for this:

Coupon Code: WISHOCT2015
Requirement 1: Shopping cart order must be 55 US$ and over to be able to use the 10% off coupon
Requirement 2: Coupon code cannot be combined with any other discount or voucher code.
Only valid until the end of October 2015

The second promotion code is a special gift you will receive by using the code below. The voucher is valid on ANY orders at Wishtrend! This months free sample is a free Skinmiso Handy Cleansing Kit (3.30 US$ value). I’m really curious about these kits, and I already bought some with my last Wishtrend order. So let’s see!

Voucher Code: WISHGIFT2015OCT
ANY ORDER
Only valid until the end of October 2015

I would advice you to check out their “Free Shipping Area”, so you don’t have to spend the saved money for shipping costs. They have quite some nice items available there, changing from time to time. At the moment they are providing the OST Vitamin C serum for 14.99 US$ in their free shipping zone! Also, I spotted they have a new Wishbox containing a D.I.Y. cushion, which is really a supoer cute idea. I’ve used a D.I.Y. cushion before and it is really fun, and this kit by Wishtrend contains the cushion case, decoration stickers, BB cream, serum and sunscreen and is a great value in my eyes.

I did a couple of reviews on various Wishtrend products in the past. You might like to check these out, if you are interested in purchasing these:

Lailly 7 Seconds Make-Up Booster

Pongdang Mulbit Glow BB Cushion

COSRX BHA Summer Pore Minish Serum

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner

I’m from Honey Mask

Boutique Bebe Hair Salon Protein Treatment

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch

ElsihaCoy Aloe & Lavender Mask Sheet

Berrisom My Lip Tint Pack and Lip Tint Cleanser

OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum

Confume Argan Treatment Oil

Pongdang Donkey Milk Emulsion

Klairs Rescue Moisture Kit Part 1 and 2

Berrisom My Lip Tint Pack

CareLab Powerful Pudding Mask

Klairs Gentle Black Deep Oil Cleanser and Sugar Facial Polish

Rojukiss Multi Vita Cleansing Powder

Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Sheet Mask

Damoae Therapy Shampoo and Tonic

Skinmiso Rice Foam Cleanser

Klairs Illuminating Supple BB Cream

O.S.T. Pure Vitamin C20 Serum

Wish Formula Panda Eye Essence Mask

ONL Saladit Essential Juice Sheet Masks

Do you have any favourite item from Wishtrend? What would you love to try from their products?

Wishtrend June 2015 Promotions

asian cosmetics beauty PR Sample q-depot review

Review: NoTS Silk Glow Stick Foundation

16. October 2015

I hardly use foundation despite on special occasions like weddings for example. Nevertheless, I was super curious to try a stick foundation for quite some time, which made me select the NoTS Silk Glow Stick Foundation when Qdepot asked me whether I wanted to try a product from the Korean brand NoTS.

Unlike brands like Etude House or Tonymoly the Korean high-end brand NoTS is yet not widely known among people outside Korea. NoTS stands for ‘noble through skin’ and was founded in 2011. It is supposed to be natural functional cosmetics with eco-friendly ingredients. Since it is a high-end brand the products are more expansive than drugstore brands like Etude House or Tonymoly. The NoTS Silk Glow Stick Foundation is part of their make-up range. It comes in two shades (21 and 23) and has SPF 30 PA++, which makes it a UV block functional cosmetics. The foundation comes in a mostly silver cardboard box of good quality. The description on the outside of that packaging contains English descriptions and ingredient list. Inside the cardboard box you will find the Korean description.

The NoTS Silky Glow Stick Foundation has a 5-free formula (free from artificial fragrance, mineral oil, tar, benzophenone-3, isopropyl alcohol) and is suited to all skin-types according to its description. It contains a couple of plant extract (6 plant oils and 7 flower extracts), too. The ingredients list is quite long though and you should check out whether you react on any of the ingredients. The lid of the cardboard box has a dark red color, the same color as the NoTS Silk Glow Stick Foundation container. The container looks really pretty and luxurious, although I imagined it to be larger. The size of the foundation stick fits nicely into a hand and therefore is quite travel-friendly. The cap of the stick has the same burgundy color as we found on the cardboard box. The rest of the container has a silver color. So a very sleek and elegant packaging, which also reminds of Tom Ford’s Stick Foundation.

These kind of foundation sticks are similar to a lipstick bullet, where you can wind up the product. The NoTS Silk Glow Stick Foundation only contains 12 g of product, which is not much, especially considering the fact that the price is rather high, since it is a high-end product.

Unlike liquid foundations you will have a solid bullet of foundation which you can stroke over your skin. It feels silky upon application and gives a nice coverage. The formula reminds a bit of concealer formula, but much lighter. It also says, that the stick can also be used as a concealer.

Shade 23 matches my skin-tone quite nicely and as you can see from the swatch on my hand, the color can be blended in in order to match even better. I used my fingers here to blend it in.

For applying it on my face I used various strokes around my face and blended them with a sponge like a beauty blender. I found it a bit hard to blend it in seamless using a sponge. Also, although the product name says that the foundation has a glowy finish the finish on my skin looks matte. The coverage is medium, but can be build up to high coverage. It is not sticky though, but could be not moisturizing enough for people with dry skin. I’m not sure whether a sponge is the best way to apply this foundation. Maybe a damp sponge delivers a nicer result after all.

I’m really happy I had the chance to try this new brand NoTS, but considering the price of the NoTS Silky Glow Stick Foundation and the low content (12 g) I think it is too expansive to repurchase it. The NoTS Silky Glow Stick Foundation is available in two shades from Q-depot and retails for 36.26 US$ at the moment. The formula of the product feels nice and I like the way it is not sticky and feels soft on the skin, but I miss the glowing aspect in this product. Also the fact that it is not easy to use on the first try, but that you have to try out which way of application is the best was a con for me. Probably, this foundation is better suited for people with oily skin-types.

If you are curious about NoTS and their products you can check them out on Q-depot, an online retailer for Korean beauty products. They have a already quite a variety of the most popular Korean brands and they keep adding products frequently. The site is easy to navigate, too. And they offer free samples for each order and free shipping for orders above US$69. What I like especially, that they have an extra section for cruelty-free products, which contains brands like Iope, Innisfree, Etude House, etc. I didn’t see that before for most of the online stores, so that’s something really innovative and nice. Also, they are committed to contributing 3% of their group’s net profit for social causes in different countries. So you can shop for your favorite Korean products and do something good, too. Also, Q-depot is having a promotion were you can get 5 US$ coupon upon signing up. The coupon is useable for a minimum purchase of 69 US$. By the way, Q-depot is having a “The Face Shop” sale with OFF 15% on all items. The promotion will end on 18 Oct 2015 (GMT+8 Time 00:00).

5 Comments

beauty MapleHolistics PR Sample review

Review: MapleHolistics Natural Beauty Products

14. October 2015

I’m so sorry for the being absent in the last couple of days…or weeks, but today I’m back with a new review! :) Actually, here are 3 reviews I will be discussing in this post, all of them dedicated to a couple of really awesome MapleHolistics Natural Beauty Products. It could be especially interesting for those of you looking for products with a short ingredients list consisting only on the necessary…and of course for all of you who love natural beauty products! Upon request by MapleHolistics I was allowed to choose products of interest and they were so kind to send me all the products I was interested in, which were a argan shampoo and conditioner and a vitamin C serum. They were so kind, that they even included a lip balm on top! Since I really do like all of the products and I’ve been testing them very thoroughly I can really recommend you to keep on reading and maybe also take a look at the range of products by MapleHolistics.

MapleHolistics is a US based beauty company that has been around for the past few years. They develop and manufacture their own all natural cosmetics, which is also animal cruelty free, and focus mainly on shampoos and conditioners. Nevertheless, you will spot some skincare and bath and body products on their web page, too. I decided to do a review about the Argan Oil Shampoo and the Argan Oil Conditioner. Argan Oil is one of my favorite haircare ingredients, since it makes my hair less frizzy and manageable. I love the Argan oil products from Confume, for example and I’m using them almost daily. I also chose the Vitamin C Serum by MapleHolistics. I was drawn to this serum by the short and really good ingredients lists here. And last but not least I received a Acai Berry Lip Balm on top.

I’ll start of with the Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner: MapleHolistics Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner is designed for men and women. It comes in a red plastic bottle with a simple design. Some illustrations on the label make it still look appealing. Since the bottle of the shampoo and the conditioner is both red, the difference of the two products lies in the color of the label, which is red/brownish for the shampoo and white in case of the conditioner. Also the consistency of the products is different: The shampoo is more runny and has a milky color whereas the conditioner is a white balm product. The scent of the Argan Oil Shampoo and the Conditioner is very subtle and not heavily perfumed at all. In order to dispense the shampoo you can press the cap. This kind of bottle is convenient if you are traveling.

All the MapleHolistics Natural Beauty Products I received came with a information card. The card lists the effect of the key ingredients, but there is a full ingredients list on the label of the bottles, too. Here are the key ingredients of the shampoo as listed on the web page of MapleHolistics:

Argan: Also known as ‘Moroccan Oil’ and one of the rarest oils in the world, argan helps supply shine and a healthy look to hair with its abundance of vitamin E, carotene and essential fatty acids.

Peach Kernel: Contributes valuable regenerative and moisturizing properties, and is great for sensitive skin.

Jojoba: As it closely resembles sebum naturally produced by the scalp, jojoba is one of the skincare industry’s most favored ingredients and has a host of therapeutic properties.

Avocado: Enriches the formula with its high vitamin content, which includes vitamins A, B1, B2, D, and E.

Camellia Seed: Nourishes the complexion and helps condition the scalp, while providing healthy antioxidants to rejuvenate hair and scalp alike.

Almond: An excellent moisturizer,which is rich in proteins, olein glyceride, linoleic acid and vitamin D to help soothe dry and irritated areas on the scalp.

Botanical Keratin: Keratin is a family of fibrous structural proteins, which contribute to the composition of hair. As it is essential to hair’s formation, insufficient quantities of keratin may be a contributing factor to having frizzy and unmanageable hair. This naturally derived ingredient helps to replenish the ideal keratin content for strong, durable hair.

Honey and Vanilla: With their light and sweet fragrances, these ingredients enrich the formula for a balanced and soothing experience.

The Argan Oil Conditioner has these key ingredients listed additionally, apart from Argan Oil and Jojoba Oil

Shea Butter and Green Tea: These helpful ingredients are fast-absorbing and commit moisturizing qualities to dry and delicate hair strands. Shea butter, in particular, contains vitamins A and E, making it an excellent natural moisturizer for the hair. It locks in moisture without leaving the hair greasy or heavy. Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which strengthens hair roots, activates hair follicles and promotes hair growth.

Pomegranate, Hibiscus and Sea Buckthorn: Certified blend assists in repairing damaged hair follicles to revitalize healthy, flowing hair. Pomegranate contains ellagic acid, which prevents the moisture in the hair from drying out. Hibiscus (“the flower of hair care”) helps prevent dryness, dullness, and hair damage. It also prevents problems like dandruff, split ends, and premature graying. Sea buckthorn, on the other hand, contains high levels of Omega 3, 6, 7, and 9, as well as vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K that promote healthy skin and hair.

Both products work great on my hair and although the Argan Oil Shampoo is sulphate free it leathers up really nicely and generates a soft foam. Furthermore my hair does not feel dry after using these two, which is my main concern with other sulphate free shampoos. The hair is shiny and I can comb it easily even while it is still wet. I definitively like this shampoo and conditioner and it is worth to have a look at it, if you are on the look for a sulphate free shampoo at the moment. The bottles contain 8 oz and retail for 12.97 US$ for the shampoo and 7.89 US$ for the conditioner. It is probably more expansive than a lot of drug store hair products, but after all I think it is worth it.

The next product I tried and really enjoyed using it the MapleHolistics Vitamin C Anti-Aging Serum. You know I love the O.S.T Vitamin C Serum and I repurchased it a couple of times already, but this one impressed me because of its mild formula and short ingredients list. If both versions of the O.S.T C20 Vitamin C serum are too strong for your skin I can recommend you to check out this Vitamin C Serum instead. Like all the Vitamin C serums I tried so far it comes in a brown glass bottle with a pipette attached to the cap. The liquid is almost clear with a slight yellowish tint. Unlike the Vitamin C serum from C20 this one doesn’t have the same watery texture, but a more serum-like, thicker texture which feels very soft upon applying it to the skin. Moreover, it has almost no scent. It absorbs fast without stickiness and works well with other products. Nevertheless, I always wait a couple of minutes after applying any vitamin C serum before I continue with the other skincare steps. The ingredients list is short and contains these ingredients:

Water, Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate), Vegetable Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Vitamin E Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ferulic Acid, Algae Extract, Pullulan Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate

So this serum contains not only Vitamin C, but also Vitamin A and E, plus hyaluronic acid and quite important Ferulic Acid to stabilize the Vitamin C. Really a lovely ingredient list! My skin didn’t react to this serum and I’ve been testing it for a month now. Definitively a very good serum! The bottle contains 30 ml and and retails for 11.77 US$ which is affordable compared to other Vitamin C serums.

Lastly, here is my impression on the Acai Berry Natural Lip Balm by MapleHolistics. This is a solid, but simple lip balm consisting mainly of Shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter and sunflower seed oil. Vitamin E and Aloe leaf extract give some extra moisture and nutrition to your lips. It has a fruity-sweet scent reminding of berries and does a good job in hydrating the lips. Moreover, it comes in this bullet shape and is more hygienic than lip balms which come in containers where you have to use your finger. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it in the shop, but this lip balm contains 4.25 g in total. It was really a nice surprise to receive this and I’m using it daily and I’m totally happy about it, too!

Although I didn’t know MapleHolistics before I’m very pleased and positively surprised about the MApleHolistics Natural Beauty Products. I liked all three of them and I can recommend you to check out their products if you have the chance. There is also the possibility to check out http://www.mapleholistics.com/free-products/ in order to get your hand on a free product. Moreover, I wanted to point out that their blogger connection is being sponsored by edumuch.com. Last but not least, I hope you accept my apologies for my rare postings in the last days, but I promise there will be a bunch of new reviews within the next time. ♥

2 Comments

asian cosmetics beauteque beauty PR Sample review

Review: Hanaka Macaron Facial Masks

21. September 2015

Here is another example of asian cosmetics and super cute packaging: The Hanaka Macaron Facial Masks! These mask packs come in small containers, which paired up form a macaron! This is such a cute idea and I fell in love with that concept directly, when I spotted these on Beauteque.

Hanaka is a Taiwanese brand. It is quite known for products with some cute packaging. The Hanaka Macaron Facial Masks come in different colors and each color is targeting another facial problem. There are 10 different kinds: Hyaluronic acid, Collagen, Q10, Arbutin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Tea Tree, Red Wine, Volcanic Mud and Glacial Mineral Mud.

I selected the Hanaka Macaraon Facial Mask Hyaluronic Acid and Red Wine Polyphenols. You can guess which color could be which :D

The Red Wine Polyphenol mask on the left (in the pink colored container) is a targeting firming, smoothing and improvement of elasticity of the skin by the antioxidants in red wine. This mask is supposed to be brightening, elastic, firming, hydrating, moisturizing, repairing, soothing, whitening, and have anti-wrinkles properties. It is suited for all skin types. The ingredients of the Hanaka Macaron Facial Mask Red Wine are:

Water, Helianthus Annus Seed Oil, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Cactus Extract, Phytocelltec, Hyaluronic Acid, Trehalose, Grape Seed Oil, Vitamin B5, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Red Wine Polyphenols, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Beta-Glucan, Cucumber Extract, Soy Isoflavones, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol.

If you check the ingredients in COSDNA they do not look like any harmful ingredients. Most of the ingredients have either moisturizing or antioxidant properties.

The Hyaluronic Acid mask on the right (in the blue colored container) has the main task of replenish, retain, and store moisture. It is suited for anti-aging, brightening, firming, hydrating, repairing, revitalizing, whitening. This mask is suited for all skin types, too. The ingredients of the Hanaka Macaron Facial Mask Hyaluronic Acid are:

Water, Carbopol, Hyaluronic Acid, Arnica Extract, Cactus Flower Extract, Fagus Sylvatica Extract, Punica Granatum, Beta-Glucan, Sapphire Powder, Copper Petide, Glycyrrhizinc Acid, Phospholipids, Perfume.

The ingredients list is short and according to COSDNA the single ingredients are useable without any risk (>>here<<). The list contains some moisturizers and some ingredients with anti-inflammatory effects.

The two masks I selected have different textures: The Hyaluronic Mask has a gel-like texture, whereas the texture of the Red Wine Mask is a yoghurt texture. Both masks are wash-off masks, so you leave them on for 15-20 minutes and wash them off with lukewarm water afterwards. The skin after using these definitively feels hydrated and since both masks are cooling the face feels refreshed, too. The Red Wine mask also makes your skin feel like you’ve used some cream or nourishing moisturizer. It really feels supple and soft. The Hyaluronic Mask contains some menthol or peppermint ingredient or scent (it is not listed in the ingredients, but it definitively feels like mint- ingredient on the skin), so if you don’t like the sharp cooling effect of mint/menthol product, I would not recommend you the Hyaluronic Mask. The Red Wine Mask on the other hand had a very pleasant, creamy scent. The Hyaluronic mask makes your skin feel cooled and refreshed in first place, but I found that the Red Wine mask was more beneficial in terms of making the skin smooth and bouncy.

I like these kinds of tiny containers for wash-off masks like the Hanaka Macaron Facial Masks, and the fact that these look like macarons really is a major selling point. From the two masks I liked the Hanaka Macaron Facial Mask in Red Wine better than the Hyaluronic version. The cooling effect was too sharp for my face and I prefer the nourishment the Red Wine Mask provides to the skin and the feeling of like you just put on some good moisturizer. You can get the Hanaka Macaron Facial Masks from Beauteque for 3.90 US$ each. Each container comes with 8 g of product which is enough for one usage and covers your face properly. In order to have a cute macaron you need two of the containers. I saw there are also boxes containing 10 pieces, which look super adorable and like a perfect present. Maybe Beauteque can get their hand on these, too?!

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.beauteque.com/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

9 Comments

asian cosmetics beauteque beauty PR Sample review

Review: My Beauty Diary 2-Step Repair Mask Packs

8. September 2015

I chose two different kinds of the My Beauty Diary 2-Step Repair Mask Packs from Beauteque because this brand is not often seen on stand-alone Korean beauty online shops. I tried the regular My Beauty Diary Sheet masks in the past and liked them, but not the 2-Step Mask Packs. It sounds really fun, so I picked up the My Beauty Diary 2-Step Repair Mask Pack and the Fresh Repair Mask Pack.

My Beauty Diary is a very popular Taiwanese skincare brand, which has a wide range of sheet masks on the market. Their sheet masks are not expensive, but I heard that their are many fake masks on the market. It is good to know which resellers are trustworthy, before you blindly buy the masks. The My Beauty Diary 2-Step Repair Mask Packs combine a sheet mask with a cream you can apply after the mask to pamper your skin. The My Beauty Diary 2-Step Repair Mask Pack comes in a regular version (light purple packaging) and a Fresh Repair Version (light blue packaging). Both masks are formulated with snail filtrate and help to moisturize and nourish your skin. The Fresh Repair Version is especially recommended for dry and sensitive skin-types.

The packaging design of both masks is cute and the colors are very pretty, too. Both masks have illustrations of snails all over the packaging, which hints to the key ingredient snail filtrate. The backside of each sachet is filled with Taiwanese descriptions and directions. The ingredients are listed in English though. You can find English descriptions on Beauteque, too (>>here<< and >>here<<). Below you can see the sachet of the My Beauty Diary 2-Step Repair Mask Pack. It has a light purple color theme and is divided into a bottom part containing the snail mask and a upper part containing the snail repair cream. The direction is easy: after cleansing and toning you apply the mask for 20-30 minutes, then you add the snail repair mask on top to enhance and complete the effects of the sheet mask. I added the ingredients of the snail mask and the snail repair cream to COSDNA. There are some potential irritants and acne triggers included in the ingredients list like triethanol amine (snail mask) and cetearyl alcohol and myristyl myristate (snail repair cream). Also, the snail repair cream contains mineral oil. The snail filtrate is called “glycoproteins” simply, which made me first wondering where the snail filtrate was :D

The My Beauty Diary 2-Step Fresh Repair Mask Pack has a very similar design, except the colors are light blue and the illustration is a bit different. Also here the backside of the sachet is full of Taiwanese description, but the ingredients are written in English. Like with the previous mask the sachet is divided into a lower part containing the snail recovery mask and an upper part with the snail fresh repair cream. The ingredients are listed on COSDNA as well and are very similar to the My Beauty Diary 2-Step Repair Mask Pack above (snail recovery mask and snail fresh repair cream). Also here the potential irritants mentioned above are included. The Snail Fresh Repair Cream doesn’t contain any mineral oil on the other hand. The ingredients list of both products are VERY similar. Also, they feel both very similar on the skin and don’t differ in their results in any obvious way. One point, since the fresh repair mask is said to be better for dry and sensitive skin: the ingredients list here contains peppermint and menthol, and since I know that people react to this I wanted to point it out. The regular repair mask on the other hand contains licorice root extract and hydrolized rice protein, which both are quite a popular ingredients for brightening/evening out the skin tone. From using each mask only once I cannot evaluate any differences between the two masks though. Also, I do not know the concentration of the single ingredients on the list.

Regarding their performance both masks did a good job in moisturizing the skin. The sheet masks were attached to a plastic foil which had to be removed before using it. The material of the sheet mask was very thin and soaked fully with the clear essence. I would say the mask was even dripping from too much essence. The fit of the mask was not the best for me, but this depends on your facial shape after all. After leaving on the sheet mask for around 20 minutes the mask was not dried at all. I think it can be left even longer than 20 minutes. The snail cream included for step 2 is a rich and thick, white cream. It does not feel greasy, but dries off in a matte finish. It also absorbs quickly, even when you apply a thick layer. The sachet contains enough cream to really apply a thick layer, or use it at least two times. Both products, the masks and the creams have a very light fruity scent, which is barely noticeable. If you do not dip your nose right into the cream or essence I do not smell anything.

Both My Beauty Diary 2-Step Repair Mask Packs are good moisturizing sheet masks, but they do not differ very clearly from each other. I wished the ingredients lists would contain less irritants nevertheless. The idea of having a sheet mask with a second step is really a nice idea if you want to pamper your face from time to time. I also really like that the included creams dry off with a matte finish and absorb quickly, too. The My Beauty Diary 2-Step Repair Mask Packs can be bought on Beauteque individually for 3 US$ each. You can also buy it in boxes for 15.99 US$. Do you have a favorite sheet mask from My Beauty Diary?


		
		
			
			
		
	
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.beauteque.com/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

6 Comments

Older Posts

Newer Posts