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beauty NOTD review

NOTD: KIKO Mirror Nail Lacquer Golden Rose

13. April 2013
Honestly, I never went inside a KIKO store, although I have one near my place. But recently I heard about a mirror nail polish they have and I decided to have a look at their store, finally :D
I bought a bottle of KIKO’s Mirror Nail Lacquer in color No. 630 called “Golden Rose”.

Here is the description from http://www.kikocosmetics.co.uk:
Description:
Mirror Nail Lacquer, limited edition mirror effect nail polish with an ultra-radiant, metallic finish.
The special mirror formula is enriched with aluminum micro-pearls with a strong reflective power, creating a glossy metallic effect on the surface of the nail.
After application, the texture dries, leaving a chrome, ultra-radiant finish. Thanks to the metallic pigments, the nails are dressed in vibrant, chrome shades.
The flat shape of the brush ensures a perfect, smudge-free application. The length, flexibility and density of the bristles allow the ideal amount of polish to be released and applied evenly to the nail, reducing the risk of streaks.
Formulated without adding aggressive ingredients such as Toluene, Camphor, DBP or Formaldehyde.
Available in 15 metallic colours.
Hypoallergenic = formulated to ensure minimum instance of allergic reactions.
Results:
Chrome and glossy with a mirror effect. Thanks to the innovative Mirror Nail Lacquer formula, the nail is perfectly dressed in ultra-radiant, metallic colours.
Advice:
Before application, prepare the nail using the Nail File Glossing Buffer: use side 1 to smooth the surface of the nail and eliminate any irregularities, and side 2 to polish it.
Apply a base layer of nail polish to the nails, allow to dry and proceed with the first application of Mirror Nail Lacquer.
Once dry, apply the second layer of nail polish.
The perfect mirror effect can only be seen when the nail polish is completely dry.

I used a base coat and applied one layer of the nail polish. The consistency is a bit vicious, but it really opaque using only one stroke (although they recommend two stokes in the product description I think one is enough). due to the consistency it is not easy to achieve an eaven layer, at least I had some problems. It looks laso best on nails with a very smooth surface. I have some creases on a few nails from working and the nail polish doen’t look to nice on these parts. If you have healthy and smooth nails you won’t have a problem with it. The color is really nice and looks just like the color in the bottle. If you like the colors and you can get your hands on them, they are worth trying and a nice alternation to the glitter and sandstyle nail polishes ;)
A bottle contains 11 ml and costs 4,90 €.

Rating:

2 Comments
asian cosmetics beauty review

Review: Etude House Collagen Moistful Cream

12. April 2013
Here is a review for Etude House Collagen Moistfull Cream. Like Etude House’s Flower Moistful Cream I got a whole bunch of samples from my previous ebay haul.
Here is what they write on Etude House’s web page for the full-size jar. They also provide a describing image which in Korean:

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Product Description
Fight for the dryness!! Firming moisture cream with baobab tree and collagen extract improving your dermal structure leaving tight and moist skin.
Baobab Tree + Collagen combination improves dermal structure and moisture retention.
Capacity
50ml
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Here is a picture from one of the samples I used. The texture is the same like Etude House Flower Moistful Cream, a gel-like structure that absorbs really quickly into the skin.


When I tested the Etude House Flower Moistful Cream I really liked the flowery smell of the cream. Personally, I don’t like the smell of the Collagen Moistful cream so much as I liked the other one. Except for this both products are similar. You don’t need a lot of product for covering your face and the face really feels soft afterwards and not sticky or greasy. It didn’t make any problems combined with a BB cream on top of it and it didn’t look greasy at all. I have dry skin and this cream works perfectly for me. I can’t say anything for the effect of the collagen, I think you have to use it on long-term to see any effects.

If I would decide between this one and Etude House Flower Moistful, I would buy the Flower Moistful Cream because I absolutely loved the scent, that’s why I only rate it 4/5. Nevertheless, in quality both creams are similar.
60 ml in a jar together with a 20 ml bottle of Etude House Collagen Moistful First Essence cost around US$16 at ebay (here).
 
Rating:

4 Comments
beauty review

Cold-days Favourites: Neutrogena Hand Cream and Smith’s Rosebud Salve

5. April 2013
Hey ♥
Winter doesn’t seem to end these days and the cold weather makes me and my body totally unhappy, dry skin all over :( Especially hands and lips (also the whole face) seem to suffer a lot. Nevertheless, I figured out a good “winter-combo” for my handbag, which is my constant friend in these times. This combo is made by Neutrogena Hand Cream and a jar of my beloved Smith’s Rosebud Salve.

Neutrogena’s Hand Cream is a concentrated cream based on glycerin, hence it has not a creamy consistency. It is concentrated, that means little goes a long way, and it has a soapy clean smell. There is also a perfume-free version of this cream, which I gave to my boyfriend, because he started to complain about dry hands, too. This might be an alternative for scent-sensitive people. The main ingredient is glycerin, which is supposed to permeate through several layers of the epidermis and prevent the loss of moisture through it. A 50 ml tube costs around US$5 and it lasts for ages…
Here is the description from Neutrogena’s US web page, the German web page gives more information,  though:
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Neutrogena® Hand Cream delivers effective relief for dry, chapped hands.This clinically proven, highly concentrated formula rapidly heals dry hands. It noticeably improves the look and feel of your skin.Hands feel soft and smooth after just one application.

  • Long-lasting
  • Glycerin-rich
  • Concentrated
  • Available in Original and Fragrance-free
Ingredients:
Aqua, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate, Sodium Sulfate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Perfume

The second product I want to share with you is  Smith’s Rosebud Salve, a classic for most people, and I also really love it!♥ The one I own is the classic Rosebud Salve with it’s wonderful rose smell. It consists of a petrolatum base and has thus a similar effect to the Neutrogena hand cream by building a layer on the skin and preventing the loss of moisture. It is greasy as petrolatum is supposed to be, but it doesn’t feel sticky or unpleasant at all. The lips have a feel like velvet. The best about this product is, that you can use it for all other things, like for removing make-up, for putting it on rough and dry parts of your skin in general and it is good for nails and cuticle as well. It costs US$6 at sephora and contains 23 g in a retro style metal tin. This is quite a lot product and it will last you a while. At German stores you find Rosebud Salve sometimes, but it costs 12 €, which is way too much!

Here is the description from Rosebud’s web page:

Smith’s Rosebud Salve
A miracle in a can! Our world famous Rosebud Salve has been a family favorite since 1892. Celebrities love the consistency and emollient texture of this #1 selling lip balm and all purpose salve for chapped lips, dry skin, and minor burns. (0.8 oz)
Ingredients: Cotton Seed Oil and Aromol, with essential oils blended in a special petrolatum base.

Cosmetic Uses: 

Outline lips with lip liner of your choice about ¼ inches from the outside of your lips toward the center. Then use a lip brush to blend the salve to achieve a “pouty look”.
Use Rosebud Salve alone or over your favorite hue of lipstick to moisturize and give a “dewy effect”.
Apply Rosebud Salve to eyebrows to tame an unruly brow line while also giving sheen.
Rosebud Salve is great on fly-away or frizzy hair. Dab a small amount on the palms of your hands and apply sparingly to tresses.
Use Rosebud Salve as a subtle accent to cheek bones, collar bones, shoulders, or any other body part that you want to moisturize or enhance.
Apply Rosebud Salve lightly to the skin above the eye as a base for powered eye shadow, and then add the desired colors you wish to dazzle your eyes with. The rich emollient properties of the Salve will help to hold that look all day.  

All Purpose Uses: 
Rosebud Salve is perfect for travel as an eye make-up remover, cuticle softener, sunburn easier, dry skin healer, and frizzy fighter. Use Rosebud Salve around the eyes and on the throat for severely parched, dry, or wrinkled skin.

 

I really like both products a lot and they do a good job during these cold days and I recommend them a lot!♥
Rating:
5 Comments
asian cosmetics beauty review

Review: Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream

6. March 2013

As I already said, my addiction started when I discovered BB creams. I won’t bother you with any definition for that, because by now nearly everybody knows what a BB cream is, since the boom reached also the European and American market. If you don’t know what a BB cream is, you can have a look for it on Wikipedia, for example.My first BB cream was the Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA+++.

The description on the Official Missha Website (USA) says:


The M Perfect Cover BB Cream gives an even and natural-looking coverage with the soothing, moisturising properties of a cream. It is suitable for all skin types including acne-prone skin, and can be used as a makeup base or foundation.

Whitening + Anti-Wrinkle + UV Protection (SPF 42 PA+++)
 
Ingredients:
Water(Aqua), Cyclomethicone, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Zinc Oxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mineral Oil, Phenyl Trimethicone, Talc, Arbutin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Dimethicone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Adenosine, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Polyethylene, Beeswax(Cera Alba), Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Caviar Extract, Algae Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Ceramide 3, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance(Parfum), Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Citronellol
MAY CONTAIN[+/-; Titanium Dioxide(CI 77891), Iron Oxides(CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)] 
As you can see the list of the ingredients is rather long. I know, there are a lot of people that don’t like too many additional ingredients within the products they use on their skin. That’s definitely not the product I would recommend to those people. Nevertheless, this BB cream does its job! I use this cream for over 2 years know and it has worked great for my skin. It never made me break out or caused any other allergic reactions on my skin, although there might be many people freaking out if they see that this product contains mineral oils. I never had any problems with this BB cream.
This BB cram comes in 5 different shades:
#13 milky beige
#21 light beige
#23 natural beige
#27 honey beige
#31 golden beige
I’m using #23 at the moment.

This BB cream has a thick consistency, also you have to let it rest some minutes after appliance on your face. This helps the BB cream to adapt to your skincolor. Don’t be scared if it looks too bright at the beginning and has a greyish undertone. The color changes after some minutes.

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream has a good coverage. You can also build up layers to increase the coverage. The cream has a flowery scent, which I personally like, but those of who sensitive to scented cosmetic should not buy this BB cream.
I have rather dry skin, so I’m using a good moisturizer before and apply the BB cream on top of it, after the moisturizer absorbed into my skin. If I don’t use any moisturizer the BB cream will settle a bit in any fine line I have >_<  I don’t think you need to use anything before applying the BB cream if you have oily skin.
The full-size tube comes with a pump, but I prefer the travel size tube because it fits perfectly in every handbag :) You can buy the full-size tube (50 ml) for US$29,99 on Missha’s offical page. Or you buy it for US$ 21.13 at W2Beauty (if you use my affiliate link for signing up you’ll receive a 5 US$ coupon useable for orders above 30 US$).
Rating:

 

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