Berries in the Snow

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. ♥

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Review: Lensvillage The Dolly Eye Crayon 217 Green Lenses

23. September 2015

The Dolly Eye Crayon 217 Green Lenses were provided to me for sponsoring by LensVillage weeks ago. My apologies for the late review! I love green eyes, but it is difficult to have natural looking green eyes with lenses if you have dark brown eyes naturally. Usually the colors don’t come through nicely, or it looks way to artificial, so you only can wear them for cosplay, costume partys or Halloween. Let’s see how these lenses by The Dolly Eye turn out!

I wear my regular contact lenses a lot, so my eyes are in general used to wear contact lenses. Some words about my eyes in advance: My prescription is -0.25 and -0.5, which is why I choose plano lenses mostly, because these small steps of prescription are usually not available for fashion lenses. Also, my eyes have astigmatism, which is the reason that lenses which are not adjusted to my base curve might feel uncomfortable more quickly than for normal eyes.

I received these lenses from The Dolly Eye from LensVillage. The lenses came in the typical vials, together with a buisness card and a regular lens case. I got the lenses without prescription. The vials are really cute from their design, because of the colors and the hearts on the labels. You can find the description of The Dolly Eye Crayon 217 lenses >>here<<. They are also available in 5 other colors: blue, grey, brown, pink and violet. Here are the properties for the lenses:

Diameter : 14.8 mm
Water Content : 38%
Base Curve : 8.6 mm
Life Span : 1 Year Disposal

Here are my thoughts on The Dolly Eye Crayon 217 Green Lenses:

Design:

The green of the lenses is a darker green color, almost turquoise. It is a pretty color and shows off on my dark eyes, too, but it doesn’t blend in naturally. It will look better on blue or green eyed persons and will probably intensify their natural eye color.

Comfort:

These lenses are not comfortable for m personally, but that is because of the base curve. The material of the lenses is soft, so I think that people with normal base curve will be able to wear these lenses for some hours, before feeling their eyes being dry.

Enlargement:

It has a visible enlargement, and since the color stands out heavily against my natural eye color it looks also dolly, almost creepy :D Perfect for Halloween or Cosplay.

These won’t be the lenses I would wear daily, rather these are better suited if you want to make an appearance. I think they can be also suited for a upcoming halloween costume. You can find The Dolly Eye Crayon 217 Green Lenses at LensVillage for US$ 19.50 >>here<<.

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 www.lensvillage.com, which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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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.

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asian cosmetics beauty review

Review: Tosowoong Syn-Ake Natural Pure Essence

17. September 2015

Although I’m using the Tosowoong Syn-Ake Natural Pure Essence for quite some time now I never did a proper review on it. I must say that I absolutely love this essence and I would be so happy if the Tosowoong Syn-Ake Line would be more widely available. I received this Essence with one of my many MeMeBoxes. I still hope MeMeBox will start to ship to Germany again :’D

Tosowoong is a Korean brand founded in 2004 and having the saying to make beauty innovations. The most popular items from this brand are probably the Tosowoong Makeon Princess Gel Pencil Eyeliner Pencil boxes which come with cute illustrations of various princesses. I didn’t know about any of the skincare products they had until I received some in my MeMeBoxes. The packaging of their skincare lines is usually simple, and the ingredients lists are rather short and functional. The Tosowoong Syn-Ake Natural Pure Essence is part of the Syn-Ake line, which is directed to anti-aging. Syn-Ake is a artificial peptide similar to snake venom and has been used and developed as anti-aging ingredient in Sweden. It had popularity amongst famous actresses and models, too, if I remember correctly. As you see the packaging of the Tosowoong Syn-Ake Natural Pure Essence is rather simple. It has a black color with white fonts. The front of both the cardboard box and the plastic pump bottle has listed the English key ingredients. The backside and sides are Korean only.

Rasberry fruit extract, Niacinamide, Bifida Ferment Lysate, rh-Oligopeptide-1 (EGF), and Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate are listed as key ingredients. Using google translate I could identify some other plant (flower and fruits, espeially all kinds of berries) extracts, Glycerin and Allantoin as ingredients. I honestly do love the ingredients and the fact that this contains two kinds of yeast ferment, plus all these berries and niacinamide on top.

As I mentioned above, the Tosowoong Syn-Ake Natural Pure Essence comes in a pump bottle, which makes it easy to apply the product. I usually use 2-3 pumps for my face. The product has a clear, gel-like formula that absorbs quite fast into the skin. I feel like it brings out the effects of the Missha FTE even more and makes my face instantly brighten up when I’m struggling with a dull face. It doesn’t feel heavy and is not sticky. Also, it goes well with other skincare steps I use after applying this essence and never causes any flaking etc. It is practically scentless, too!

I’m super pleased with the Tosowoong Syn-Ake Natural Pure Essence and I want to repurchase it once it is finished. I know that Wishtrend has some Tosowoong products, but they don’t have the Syn-Ake line. I wish they would add it! The bottle contains 100 ml and it is available from RoseRoseShop (6.95 US$) and from ebay (around 10 US$). I can recommend you to give it a try!

BTW: the winners of my Japan Candy Box and Kawaii Box Giveaways were confirmed and they will receive their winnings at the end of the month :) Congratulations!

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beauty other tag

The Blush Addict Tag

16. September 2015

I would never have considered myself as a blush addict since I have way more lip products than blushes, but after being nominated by KimKine (please do check out her wonderful blog!) I discovered that I have a bunch of blushes and for people with only one or two this might already be considered as an addict. Hopefully, you will enjoy my collection of blushes, although most of them are no high-end blushes and most shades are similar :’D

1. What colour blush suits you the most?

I like rose shades, but I think coral/peachy shades suit me most…

Kiko Mosaik Blush Hypnotic Mauve, Skinfood Rose Essence Soft Cream Blusher, Etude House Princess Happy Ending Rose Cheek Blusher, 1028 Visual Therapy Muse Powder Blush, Kryolan for Glossybox Blush, Max Factor Pastell Compact Blush

2. Pressed/cream/loose blush?

I like cream blushes because it is so easy to use them on the go. Most of my blushes are pressed blushes though.

3. Favourite shimmery blush?

Usually I don’t buy any shimmery blushes. But my favourite of the two I own is the Etude House Princess Happy Ending Rose Cheek Blusher.

Etude House Princess Happy Ending Rose Cheek Blusher & Essence Cinderella Blush

4. Favourite matte blush?

At the moment it is Etude House Lovely Cookie Blusher in shade #11, before it was Bellapiere Mineral Blush Desert Rose.

1028 Visual Therapy Muse Powder Blush, Kryolan for Glossybox Blush, Bellapiere Mineral Blush

5. Favourite cream blush?

Skinfood Rose Essence Soft Cream Blusher and 3CE Creamy Cheek Stick

6. Favourite drugstore blush?

I used to buy the Manhattan Cream Blusher regulary, when I only used and owned one single blush.

Skinfood Rose Essence Soft Cream Blusher, Too Cool for School Art Class Blusher, 3CE Creamy Cheek Stick, Too Cool for School Dinoplatz Cushy Blusher

7. Favourite high-end blush?

My only higher-end blush is the Benefit Dandelion Blush which is part of my Benefit Feelin’ Dandy Kit.

8. Favourite bright blush?

I don’t have any bright blushes. the brightest would be 1028 Visual Therapy Muse Powder Blush.

Benefit Feelin’ Dandy Kit

9. Biggest blush disappointment/regret?

Holika Holika Love Fantasy Blusher. It is so pretty, but the lid doesn’t close properly and it largely depends on the brush you use whether the pigmentation is visible or not.

10. Best blush packaging?

Etude House usually does a great job in packaging, so I’m very easily tempted to buy them. I’m still lusting for Canmake blushes because they look super pretty, too, but I didn’t try any yet.

Holika Holika Love Fantasy Blusher, Etude House Lovely Cookie Blusher

11. What’s on your blush wish list?

Canmake blushes are on my wishlist. And the famous NARS Orgasm Blush is something I would love to try. Kiko also launched a new ollection with some beatiful cream blush colors.

12. Number 1 holy grail blush?

I don’t have a real holy grail blush yet, but I was positively surprised by the Etude House Lovely Cookie Blusher, because I didn’t expected it to be too good. It is one of my most used blushes at the moment.

I probably don’t have the most exceptional blush collection, but I hope you still like it. I have linked the blushes I reviewed in the text, so ou can read some more details about each blush if you are interested. You are also welcome to do the Blush Addict Tag yourself. I would have tagged Sharlynn for this post, but she already did the tag. she is one of the greatest blush addicts I know within my blogging friends :D. Other than her I will tag my sister MissLovelyAttitude, and Sooyoona, and everybody reading and enjoying these kinds of posts. :)

Here are the questions for the Blush Addict Tag:

1. What colour blush suits you the most?

2. Pressed/cream/loose blush?

3. Favourite shimmery blush?

4. Favourite matte blush?

5. Favourite cream blush?

6. Favourite drugstore blush?

7. Favourite high-end blush?

8. Favourite bright blush?

9. Biggest blush disappointment/regret?

10. Best blush packaging?

11. What’s on your blush wish list?

12. Number 1 holy grail blush?

Tell me about your favorite blushes :)

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asian cosmetics beauty review

Review: Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture

14. September 2015

// AFFILIATE LINKS / CUSHION / KBEAUTY //

I already loved the Missha M Magic Cushion, but here is another cushion version of Missha’s BB creams called the Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture! As the name says, this BB promotes a dewy/moist look of the skin which is quite popular these days- not only in Korea! Another reason why I bought the whole cushion and not only a refill is the limited edition packaging with the illustration of Betty Boop ♥

Missha is one of the worldwide famous Korean brands, especially their Missha M Perfect Cover BB cream is one of the most famous BB creams. They have a lot of online stores all over the world and are available in US/Canada, Australia and since some time they even opened up an online store for Germany, and a physical store in Ingolstadt in Germany! The products always come in a very luxurious looking packaging and the design is usually very mature and elegant and I think that it can be liked by almost everyone. The Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture regularly comes in a similar simple design like the Missha M Magic Cushion. Instead of the silver colored rim of the lid, the Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture has a rose-gold colored rim. This edition has additionally an illustration of Betty Boop on the lid. The cardboard box shows the same illustration:

You can find Korean description on the cardboard box (click to enlarge the image below). I picked up shade 23, which is the darker shade of the two available shades. Like the Missha M Magic Cushion, this product has SPF 50+/PA+++. The sunscreens used are Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, and Ethylhexyl Salicylate. The ingredients are listed on COSDNA >>here<< and are safe to use. The Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture contains some plant oils and extracts, so if you have any known allergic reactions please make sure to check the ingredients first. The product contains Niacinamide, like the regular Missha M Magic Cushion. Moreover, it contains yeast extract, which was not part of the ingredients of the regular Missha M Magic Cushion.

Like all the cushion foundations/bb/cc creams the product comes in a compact shape like regular powders do. You can flip open the lid and you will find a sponge applicator and a mirror inside. The product is stored in a container inside the compact, which is sealed by a plastic lid. This is also the part which can be taken out and replaced by a refill. The refills of the Missha M Magic Cushion and the Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture are interchangeable.

The product is soaked into a sponge inside the container and by pressing the application puff on the sponge with the BB cream you can get the product out of the container. By dabbing the puff now on your face (not pulling it over the skin!) you will get a nice and natural finish.

The Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture has thereby a light, flowery scent which is kind of a signature scent for Missha BB creams. It has a moist texture, like the name already tells you, and is not as creamy as the regular Missha M Magic Cushion. The soft, moist texture blends in a bit easier than the texture of the Missha M Magic Cushion, but both can blend in easily with the skin color. The finish of the regular Missha M Magic Cushion is a powdery/satin finish, whereas the Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture does not hide the natural glow of the skin.

Below you can see how the Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture looks on my skin. It makes the skin tone even and has medium coverage. It is a natural finish and the skin doesn’t feel dry after using it but rather refreshed. A quick reminder though: the dewier the finish of a BB cream is, the easier you can see marks on your face when you touch it. Eg. when I’m using a tissue on my nose I usually try to blend in the BB cream on the sides of my nose by dabbing a bit with my finger. Usually, this already does the trick…and for any other moments, you can always put the cushion compact in your handbag and touch up in-between.

I cannot say whether the regular Missha M Magic Cushion or the Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture is the better products because I like both equally. Usually, it depends on my mood and the finish I want to achieve. For hot days I prefer the satin finish of the regular cushion, but if the weather makes my skin feel dry I grab the moisture cushion. For those who want to have their favorite BB cream as a cushion, I can recommend you to try the Missha Magic Cushion Case, a DIY empty cushion, which makes it possible to create your own.

I love using the Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture and I love the packaging! The finish is very natural and keeps your face’s natural glow, which I do like a lot. Moreover, the Missha M cushions are not too expensive. I got mine at W2Beauty for 11.07 US$. The refill is for 8.21 US$. For those living in the US, you might want to check out the prices Amazon, too. On testerkorea there is also the cushion plus two refills for around 10 US$ available.

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Review: Eos Jewel Brown Lenses

9. September 2015

This review for Eos Jewel Brown Lenses by KLensPop is super late, similar to my other lens reviews, but I simply didn’t have any access to my old data these past weeks, which makes it super hard to write any reviews at all. Nevertheless, here it is finally!

KLensPop kindly send me these lenses and I received lenses from them in the past, but since some time they always send their lenses in these illustrated cardboard boxes, which is a very cute idea. Especially, since the backside of the box contains a cute comic on how to use the lenses. Furthermore, apart from the lens vials, you receive a lens storage container and tweezers. The box also contains instructions inside, also on how to care for your lenses. I love this idea they included into their delivers, since it is very important to take care of your lenses and be hygienic with them. You will put the lenses in your eyes and you don’t want to get an infection there, believe me! (Sometimes it happens nevertheless, that you will get some irritation, but if you see your eyes are getting to red, simply give them a break from lenses until your eyes look normal again)

Eos Jewel Brown are simple soft lenses with a natural pattern. They are manufactured in Korea. You can find the description of the Eos Jewel Brown Lenses >>here<<.

Diameter : 14.0 mm, Graphic Diameter: 13.4 mm
Water Content : 38%
Base Curve : 8.6 mm
Life Span : 6 month using period

Here are my thoughts on the Eos Jewel Brown Lenses:

Design:

The design is natural, but not too special. The dotted pattern blends in nicely with my brown eye-color.

Comfort:

These lenses are quite comfortable, since they are not overly large. I can wear them some time, before my eyes get tired. Probably, on eyes with normal base curve these are very comfortable. I had some problems at the beginning because they didn’t sit properly on my eyeballs.

Enlargement:

The lenses do enlarge slightly, but keep looking natural. It has no dolly effect.

These lenses work nicely with brown/darker eye-colors, but I guess it would look pretty with green colored eyes especially. The hazel-ish brown color makes the eyes pop a bit more than my regular plain brown eyes. It doesn’t look creepy with flash photography either.

And lastly, a selfie showing me wearing the lenses. The lipstick I’m using is Innisfree Color Glow Lipstick by the way. Since it is September it is time for cherry and burgundy shades again. Yeah!

All in all all, these lenses are nice for everyday use and come in a lovely packaging with all the information you need. You can get them from KLensPop for 25 US$. I would rate these lenses 7 out of 10, considering they are not perfect for me because of the base curve, but daily useable delivering a natural but still enhanced look.

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

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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.

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asian cosmetics beauty Missha PR Sample review

Review: Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Intensive

3. September 2015

// PR SAMPLE / SKINCARE / AFFILIATE LINKS //

In the last years many brands have started to release essences containing fermented yeast filtrate, similar to the famous SKII Facial Treatment Essence. One of these many products has been claimed a good dupe, or even an improved version of the SKII essence: the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence. I tried some samples from this essence in the past and I really did like it back then, but never purchased a full size version. Then, earlier this year Missha announced to reformulate the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence (short: Missha FTE), which was called the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Intensive. Many people were not happy about the reformulation. Nevertheless, I wanted to give this version a chance and started to in-cooperate it into my daily skincare routine after I kindly received this from Missha Germany for reviewing purpose. I do not have any direct comparison between the two versions (apart from my weak memory using the samples), but I will do a short breakdown on the new and removed ingredients. As far as I can tell I do like the new Missha FTE intense nonetheless!

Missha is one of the worldwide famous Korean brands, especially their Missha M Perfect Cover BB cream is one of the most famous BB creams. They have a lot of online stores all over the world and are available in US/Canada, Australia and since some time they even opened up an online store for Germany, and a physical store in Ingolstadt in Germany! The products always come in a very luxurious looking packaging and the design is usually very mature and elegant and I think that it can be liked by almost everyone. The Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence is no exception here: it comes in a hard plastic bottle (I think it was a glass bottle previously) with a silver cap, and the cardboard box is made of silver reflecting paper. You can see the lightly yellowish solution through the bottle, too.

The Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence is a highly concentrated essential essence, which is used as first step after cleansing your face. It rises the skin moisture and radiance level and has soothing and smoothing properties. It claims to have wrinkle repairing and whitening properties. The Korean and English description is included on the cardboard box (you can click to enlarge the image below). A label with the German description is added on the packaging, since I received the product from Missha Germany. The bottle of essence comes with 130 ml of product and has a shelf-life of 9 months after opening.

Ingredients: old vs. new

The ingredients are listed on the cardboard packaging, but also on the official Missha web pages. The list is also included in the COSDNA databank, and you can check whether the single ingredients are rated positively or negatively. Luckily, the Missha ingredients are safe to use, as you can check here. Since I mentioned the reformulation of the Missha FTE earlier here is a quick info about it. Below, the ingredients of the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence are listed:

SACCHAROMYCES FERMENT FILTRATE, BIFIDA FERMENT LYSATE, PROPANEDIOL, NIACINAMIDE, POLYQUATERNIUM-51, AMARANTHUS CAUDATUS SEED EXTRACT, BETAINE, ULMUS DAVIDIANA ROOT EXTRACT, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, PIPER METHYSTICUM LEAF/ROOT/STEM EXTRACT, WATER, TREHALOSE, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, HYDROLYZED CORN STARCH, PHENOXYETHANOL, BETA VULGARIS (BEET) ROOT EXTRACT, PHELLODENDRON AMURENSE BARK EXTRACT, CASSIA ALATA LEAF EXTRACT, DISODIUM EDTA, ADENOSINE, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, RAFFINOSE, TROMETHAMINE, ACETIC ACID, LACTIC ACID, DISODIUM EDTA, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, SODIUM HYALURONATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, HEXAPEPTIDE-9

The newly added ingredients are marked green. These ingredients are not included in the old version of the Missha FTE. I will go through the properties of these 8 new ingredients in the following:

Betaine: a anti-inflammatory stabilizator, which has calming/soothing properties for the skin

Trehalose: moisturizing properties

Butylene Glycol: has similar properties as propylene glycol, but with a lighter texture; skin conditioning properties and acts as solvent

Disodium EDTA: stabilisator, chelator, and preservative

1,2-Hexanediol: humectant, emolient

Caprylyl Glycol: skin conditioning and moisturizing properties, also a preservative

Potassium Sorbate: preservative

Hexapeptide-9: a synthetic peptide containing Glutamine, Glycine and Proline residues (different amino acids), it acts as skin conditioner/ smoothening

The ingredients which have been removed from the formulation are: Licorice Root Extract (Glycyrrhiza Glabra), Polyquaternium-51, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, and Pentylene Glycol.

Licorice Root Extract: an antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory and skin-conditioning properties, also used for fragrance

Centella Asiatica: skin conditioning and calming/soothing properties

Portulaca Oleraca: anti-inflammatory and skin conditioning properties

Rosmarinus Officinalis: anti-inflammatory, used for fragrance

Chamomilla Recutita: skin conditioning/ smoothening

Pentylene Glycol: anti-inflammatory, emollient

Polyquaternium-51: humectant

When I’m comparing the two lists of the new and removed ingredients I see that mainly ingredients have been changed into ingredients with similar and same properties. So why did they change it at all? My first idea was, that they wanted to get rid of the fragrance ingredients the product had. The new formula doesn’t have a specific scent, or rather smells like many essences with fermented ingredients smell of. The old formulation didn’t have any specific scent to me either. The second idea is, that many people react to specific plant extracts. By removing some of the plant extracts and changing them to synthetic ingredients the risk for allergies is reduced. The third point might be that the cost for the new ingredients is cheaper than the old ones. The last idea seems to be the most likely one :D The only ingredient which is not really replaced properly is the Licorice Root extract. This is such a powerful ingredient considering brightening and anti-aging that it is really sad they removed it. Yet, we do not know the concentration of the Licorice Root extract in first place, so it is not really sure how much this effects the properties of the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence as a whole.

Apart from the newly added and the removed ingredients the key ingredients of both formulations are the same: yeast ferment filtrate, also known as “Pitera”. The Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence contains two types of yeast ferment filtrate: Saccharomyces and Bifida in a concentration of 80%. Yeast ferment filtrate is nutrients-rich. It contains many vitamins, amino acids and proteins and helps to improve the moisture level of the skin. Other great ingredients of the Missha FTE are sugars, like Raffinose and Trehalose, which have moisturizing properties and ingredients like Niacinamide and Lactid Acid, which have brightening properties.

I’ve been using the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Intensive since I received it 8 weeks ago almost every day twice (morning and evening routine). From time to time I switched to the May Coop Raw Sauce alone, mostly I used both together. There is no scent / light fermented scent. The consistency of the Missha FTE is water-y. It is clear and runny, but absorbs into the skin quickly. It feels the skin hydrated and smoothed instantly, like a thin film on the skin. I really like this feeling and it makes you want to touch your face constantly. The overall face looks brightened and less dull. Adding other products on top works nicely and doesn’t cause any flaking at all.

Unfortunately, I cannot compare the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Intensive to the old version directly, but I really love how this product works in my skincare routine. It leaves the skin with a nice feeling and -having tried the Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence before- I can say that I prefer the Missha FTE. The Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence has a much more intense yeast ferment scent (contains 90% of yeast ferment filtrate) and yet doesn’t leave the skin as smooth as the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Intense does. I’ve bought the COSRX Galactomyces 95 White Power Essence recently, but have not tried it yet (this one has even 95% of yeast ferment). I will be comparing it to the Missha FTE Intensive for sure. In terms of wrinkle-care I do not know how much the Missha FTE impacts on this, since every change will be also an effect of my whole skincare routine. Adding products with moisturizing properties is never wrong if you want to prefer skin-aging though. And the Missha FTE does definitively moisturize and brighten up my skin instantly and makes it feel super smooth. There are so many brands these days, each with their own yeast ferment filtrate essence that it can be difficult to decide for a specific one, but considering the price the Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence is definitively preferable to the SKII Essence. The Missha Time Revoltion The First Treatment Essence Intensive retails for 38.90 € from the German Missha store (49.00 US$ from Missha US!).

You can also get this product from:

W2Beauty for 38.50US$ (use coupon berries10 for 10% off and free shipping)

Amazon.de for 18.01€

Amazon.com for 28US$

Btw.: Missha Germany also deliveres outside Germany. So if you are somewhere in Europe it might be faster to consider ordering from them instead of Korea. My package arrived after 2 days, which is awesome when thinking about the 2-4 weeks of waiting when ordering from Korea :D Take a glance at their webpage, instagram, and facebook and support the spreading of Korean cosmetics within Europe! Also, Missha is one of the Korean bands which are against animal testing!

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

24 Comments

advertorial other Wishtrend

Wishtrend September 2015 Coupons

3. September 2015

Summer has passed and the season of autumn has started, and as with every new month I have the Wishtrend Coupons for September for 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 Wishtrend coupon codes for September:

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 August. Below, you’ll find the coupon code for this:

Coupon Code: WISHSEP2015
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 September 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! I’m really excited about this months free sample, since you will receive in addition to the usual free samples a free C21.5 Mask Sheet (2.50 US$ value).

Voucher Code: WISHGIFTSEP2015
ANY ORDER
Only valid until the end of September 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!