cleansing Archive | Berries in the Snow

asian cosmetics beauty BemusedKorea PR Sample review

Review: A by Bom Ultra Watery Eonseongcho Cleansing Foam

7. November 2019

//PR SAMPLE/KBEAUTY/SKINCARE//

A by Bom Ultra Watery Eonseongcho Cleansing Foam, a name that is hard to remember for non-Koreans, I guess. I had to doublecheck whether I wrote it correctly. But despite the spelling difficulties, I’m finally here with a review for this gentle cleansing foam.

Do you know A by Bom? A by Bom Cosmetics is another Kbeauty brand from the vast amount of increasing KBeauty brands on the market. Their motivation is to take care of people and nature. A.by BOM Cosmetics is made of natural ingredients of various vegetable oils and extracts such as rice, beans, camellia, jasmine, lotus, black teas, and so on. I reviewed the A by Bom Ultra Time Return Eye Cream before, which was perfect for anyone suffering from dry skin under or around the eyes. The A by Bom Ultra Watery Eonseongcho Cleansing Foam on the other hand, which I’m talking about today, is a very mild foaming cleanser suited for everyone.

The A by Bom Ultra Watery Eonseongcho Cleansing Foam promises a dense foam with non-irritating micro-bubble that cleans the pores and keeps the skin hydrated. Therefore, two key ingredients are used: 1. Phyto-Oligo complex and 2. Eoseongcho Extract. You might be wondering what Eoseongcho is after all, and if you are a skincare addict you have stumbled across this extract under another name: houttuynia cordata extract! Houttuynia cordata is great for skin conditioning and purifying. The foam cleanser contains 10000 ppm of the extract. The Phyto-Oligo complex is a patented substance that contains Aloe Vera and Hollyhock. It has calming and moisturizing properties.

The full ingredients are listed below:

Water, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Disodium Laureth,Sulfosuccinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Pteris Multifida Extract, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglycerl-10 Myristate, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-39, Potassium Cocoate, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Beta-Glucan, Fragrance 24

The product is paraben-free, sulfate-free, alcohol-free, silicone-free and free from EU allergens.

The A by Bom Ultra Watery Eonseongcho Cleansing Foam comes in a pump bottle containing 145 ml of product. The design is simple and yet cute with the green leaves all around. In order to use it, you have to apply the foam on your damp skin and massage it. Afterward, you can rinse it off. I used this foam cleanser as the second cleanser in my double cleansing routine. This means, that I used a cleansing oil or balm in order to remove make-up first. In a second step, I’m using the foam cleanser to remove the remaining dirt. You can see the foam in the pics below.

You can see from the pics that the foam is not as dense as I thought, to be honest. Also, I had to pump more than 5-6 times to get a decent amount of the product into my hands. I’m suspecting, that the foam dispenser was somehow not working properly. I’m wondering whether the product has a denser consistency with a regular pump. If you tried this product yourself, let me know if you had the same problem with this product. On the other note, the foam itself was indeed very gentle and didn’t feel drying on the skin. The skin was feeling clean without feeling stripped of all its moisture. I also love the short ingredients list and the two key ingredients used here. Despite the defected pump, I emptied this product to the last drops-or foam :D

You can get your hands on the A by Bom Ultra Watery Eonseongcho Cleansing Foam for 24 US$ on BemusedKorea.

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beauty beauty boxes InStyle

Unboxing: InStyle Box Spring 2018

8. April 2018

//PR SAMPLE/ UNBOXING/ BEAUTY //

It’s spring, and this means it is time for another InStyle Box! The InStyle box has become one of my favourite subscription boxes, for several reasons: first, it is not a monthly box, so you have enough time to use up the products that you receive. Second, it is always filled with so many versatile products, and really stands out among other subscription boxes. I received the InStyle Box Spring 2018 for reviewing purpose and here is what’s inside:

InStyle Box Spring 2018

The InStyle Box is curated by the InStyle Magazine, and provides you with trendy items for the season. I received some of the InStyle Boxes from previous seasons, too, and if you are curious you can have a look at the past boxes >>here<<.

Of course, for spring, the products are dedicated to the season. But it is not only spring that we feel with this box, but also summer and sun, thanks to a bunch of fruity and exotic products. The box is packed with 10 different products and a sample, together with a booklet with descriptions and more discount coupons.

InStyle Box Sticky Notes Cloud

The first thing that jumped into my seight were these cloudshaped sticky notes! I’m a sucker for cute stationary and this happy cloud sticky note just shot an arrow through my heart. A wonderful and happy design that makes us feel the warmer seasons (retails for 6.95€).

Korres Mango Lip Butter

This one looks so rich and smells yummy that you want to dip your fingers in. The Mango Butter is everything you need from a lip butter. It contains shea butter and rice wax for moisture, thistle oil for nourishment, and Vitamin C and E. Sounds nice and perfect to hydrate your chapped winter lips (retails for 9.99€).

Sexyhair Healthy Soy Renewal Hair Oil

This Hair oil contains soybean extract for nourishing and Argan and sunflower oil for giving your dry hair some glow. Moreover the oil is supposed to be lightweight and offers UV protection. and it will reduce the time for drying your hair (retails for 26,95€)

Bellapiérre Cosmetics Banana Setting Powder

I already received one of this Banana Setting Powder with a past Glossybox, and it is really a lovely color-correcting and mattifying powder. It also has the ability to make dark eye areas appear brighter. The fine powder has been raved about all over in the online community. (retails for 25€).

Rimmel London Royal Blush

This cream Blush in the color Coral Queen is the perfect shade for spring and summer. The blush claims to be lightweight and not greasy, but blend in nicely and leave a satin finish (retails for 6.99€).

Lord & Berry Conceal It Crayon

That’s the first time I have a concealer crayon. I’m used to liquid type concealers but this small crayon is perfect for carrying around and it also can be used for highlighting. A pity it doesn’t come with a sharpener though (retails for 16.00€).

Avon mark.Epic Lip lipstick

This lipstick comes in a beautiful shade that is called “Rosy Outlook”, a very versatile and spring suited shade that will suit most people. This lipstick is a long-lasting one containing primer in its formulation to make it stay for hours. I’m really curious if this will hold up to its claims. Apart from this shade there are 16 more shades available (retails for 11.00€).

Lancaster Micellar Delicate Cleansing Water

Micellar Waters are one of my favourites when it comes to cleansing.They are usually formulated in a mild way and don’t dry out the skin. I haven’t tried any products from Lancaster, so I’m really curious to try this one (100ml retail for 5 €).

Lancaster Sun365 BB Body Cream

Additionally to the Micellar Water, a BB Body Cream by Lancaster was included in the box. This sun cream with SPF15 helps with tanning the skin in spring without including any self-tanning ingredients. It also contains some bronzing particles to give the winter skin a first sun-kissed glow.

28 Black Absolute Zero Guave Passion Fruit

An Energy Drink without Taurin and preservatives, that is vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free. I’m personally not an energy drink lover, but I know some people who would love this alternative (250ml retail for 1.49€).

Heimatgut Coconut Chips

I love coconut chips and they always make me feel like living on an exotic island and enjoying the sun. The coconut chips from Heimatgut are available in two versions, original and caramel fudge. I tested the originals (of course they were the first thing to be eaten after taking the pictures), and they taste very delicious (40g retail for 1.79€).

So far the InStyle Box never let me down. The products have a value that exceeds the price of the box and the products are nice choices for the warmer seasons . It is hard to decide which product is my favourite from the box, since I’m happy with all of them. The InStyle Box Spring 2018 is available on shop.instyle.de for 29.90€ and comes with 3 e-paper versions of the InStyle magazine. The InStyle Box is released every three months, for each season.

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

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InStyle Box Spring 2018

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

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asian cosmetics bbcosmetic beauty PR Sample review

Review: Labiotte Wine Sherbet Cleanser

27. February 2018

//PR SAMPLE / AFFILIATE LINKS / KBEAUTY //

Since I was talking about cleansing balms the other day on Instagram, I thought I might as well review the cleansing balm that I have currently in use: the Labiotte Wine Sherbet Cleanser. This cleansing balm was provided to me by BBCOSMETIC. But the review is so delayed, because I had so many cleansers to use up first…

Labiotte is a korean cosmetics brands that gained a lot of attention with their Wine Lip Tint. These cute, Korean lip tints came in a tube, shaped like a miniature wine bottle. Even I couldn’t resist to buy one of those, although I have more than enough lip tints. If you love these kinds of themed packaging designs, you can also fall easily for this product here: The Labiotte Wine Sherbet Cleanser is shaped like a glass of red wine!

The plastic jar is so adorable and it is hard to resist to take some themed pictures with it :D The jar contains 80 ml, by the way, and lasts for quite some time, if you are not a daily heavy makeup wearer like me. So, for those of you who never heard about cleansing balms or sherbet cleansers: These balm-type cleansers are made to melt off the makeup from your face. The firm texture melts down to oil by the warmth of your face, while you rub it on your face to remove makeup and other impurities. Then, when you wash your face with water it emolifies to a milky texture to wash all away. Usually, after using an oil cleanser or a cleansing balm, you are supposed to do second cleansing with a cleansing foam or gel.

When removing the lid of the glass-shaped jar you will discover a spatula and a second plastic lid. You can use the spatula to scoop out the balm from the jar and keep it more hygienic. The cleansing balm itself has a light pink color and a floral/fruity scent, which is pleasant. The ingredients of the cleansing balm are:

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Mineral Oil, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PEG-10 Isostearate, Polyethylene, C13-15 Alkane, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Branch/Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Wine Extract (1 ppm), Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Trihydroxystearin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Water, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance

You can check the ingredients via SkinCarisma. They really do a nice ingredients analysis on their page. The balm is free from talc, sulfates, propylene glycol, formaldehyde-releasers, dye, alcohol, parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, formaldehyde, PEG, coal-tar, triclosan, and silicons silicones. And yet there are some beneficial ingredients, too. You will spot Lactic Acid for skin conditioning, Wine Extract as antioxidant, Glycerin as skin conditioning ingredient, and of course oils, like olive oil, moringa oil, and grape seed oil. If you have sensitive, allergic skin and skin troubles a closer look at the ingredients list is always advised. Do a patch test before using cosmetics anyways.

Here you can see how the balmy texture turns into oil once it comes into contact with the skin. Nevertheless, I didn’t feel that it leaves a greasy or uncomfortable feeling after washing it off.

When it comes to makeup removing this cleansing balm takes everything off and is very reliable. So far it never has failed me and is really a nice cleansing balm, that comes with a cute packaging on top…and a nice smell. I can recommend to give it a try!

I received this cleansing balm from BBCOSMETIC where it retails for 16.65 US (I don’t know if the code Q2C8JX9N45R3O for a chance of 10 % off your order is still valid). You can also get the Labiotte Wine Sherbet Cleanser on amazon.com for 20.55 US$ or amazon.de for 16.40€.

Did you hear about the brand Labiotte? Have you tried any of their products? I also have the famous Labiotte Wine Lip Tint. Do you want me to review it, too?

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


 

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asian cosmetics beauty review

Review: Recipe Slowganic Cleanser Lemon

25. February 2016

I’m usually not picky about my cleansers and I love trying new ones…and to admit I have a bunch of unopened cleansers flying around, which are waiting to be tested. One of these cleansers I started using recently is the Recipe Slowganic Cleanser Lemon.

Recipe by Nature is a Korean brand which was introduced to me for the first time by MeMeBox and I’ve tried a Recipe by Nature Spray Essence Water previously. I really love the packaging design of their products. It is not cute, but clean and still modern with a vintage-esque vibe to it. The Recipe Slowganic Cleanser is a pH balanced cleanser made from 98% natural ingredients and is available in three different types: lemon, green tea and adlay.

Recipe Slowganic Cleanser Lemon comes in a pretty cardboard box with an illustration of the actual product jar. A lemon is displayed to show which of the three cleansers you have here. The description on the cardboard box is only in Korean, and also the official product page only has Korean description. You will find some English description on MeMeBox though. The ingredients are also listed on COSDNA and you can check them >>here<<. Most ingredients are green labelled and you will find many plant extracts in the ingredients list, but also discover that there are quite some potential irritants and three red-labelled ingredients. The red-labelled ingredients are Triethanol Amine, Methylisothiazolinone, and Benzyl Alcohol. The irritants are mostly the oils used for cleansing. If you have oily skin I can recommend you to use a second cleanser afterwards.

The product contains these plant derived oils: olive oil, jojoba seed oil, camellia oil, macadamia oil, marjoram oil, evening primrose oil, lime oil, lemon peel oil, basil oil, borage seed oil, brazil nut oil, sweet almond oil, argan nut oil, ylang ylang flower oil, sunflower oil, and wild geranium oil…quite a list!

When you open up the cardboard box you will see a large plastic spatula on top of the cleanser, which comes in a jar. I love the preserving jar style of the cleanser. It makes me feel like the product is hand-made. You can open the jar by removing one of the metal clips. Between the lid and the product you will find a plastic sheet.

Removing the sheet reveals a fluffy, white colored cream. It has a mousse-y and bouncy texture and has a fresh citrus scent. Using the included spatula you can take out an appropriate amount from the cleanser and apply it on the dry skin. By massaging the spongy cleanser it will take off the makeup and can be washed off with water. The cleanser has a pH between 4-5. I made a test using different makeup product on my arm and using the cleanser. I think it cleanses off nicely the BB cream and makes the skin feel very fresh and clean. It is not as effective with color makeup. Maybe I have to massage it for a longer time.

Despite the lack of power for color makeup I still think that the Recipe Slowganic Cleanser Lemon is a good cleanser and especially, it does not feel drying on the skin. It has a good pH between 4-5 and leaves the skin clean and refreshed. I really like to use it as first-step cleanser using a second foam cleanser afterwards. It doesn’t leave any oily residue, and sometimes I only use it on its own as well. I’d like to try the other two types of this cleanser, especially the green tea version. The Recipe Slowganic Cleanser retails for 18000 Won on the official site and contains 100g. You will find it for 20 US$ on MeMeBox, on testerkorea for ~18 US$, and for around 19 US$ on ebay. What is your favorite cleanser? Did you try any products from Recipe by Nature?

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beauty PR Sample review Vivant Skincare

Review: Vivant Skincare Skin Fitness System

9. February 2016

Did you ever get a customized skincare routine proposal? A while ago I was approached by Vivant Skincare and they asked me whether I would be interested in the Vivant Skincare Skin Fitness System. I was not sure, if it would be possible to stick to the products from Vivant Skincare for the recommended 30 days, but I tried my best and here is my thorough review for the products I received.

Vivant’s history as a leading skin care brand goes back more than 50 years and is based on the formulations of researcher, cosmetic surgeon and dermatologist James E. Fulton, M.D., Ph.D., the co-developer of Vitamin A acid, known as Retin-A®. Vivant Skincare offers solutions for each and every skin concern, be it acne, hyperpigmentation, aging and even more. They have different series of cleansers, toners, correctors, hydrators, body care, masks and eye and lip treatments. I’m sure that there is a product suited for everybody within their product range. When they approached me and I agreed on reviewing their products and asked them for specific product suggestions. After a couple of days I received an email by the director of Vivant Skincare, Susan. She is the daughter of James E. Fulton and she gave me a very detailed explanations on which products she would advice me and what she will send to me. She also stated that she found my page through reddit, and you could see in her email that she was familiar with Korean skincare routines. She even send me her personal email and cell phone number in case of any questions, which speaks for a good customer service and availablity.

One of the key ingredients of the Vivant Skincare Skin Fitness System is mandelic acid. Susan stated the following when she emailed me about the products:

“One of [my father’s] discoveries was that Mandelic Acid, derived from bitter almonds, is a different kind of AHA; an exciting new 3 in 1 skin care therapy, effective in treating photo-aging, irregular pigmentation and acne. Developed for skin too sensitive for glycolics and benzoyl peroxide, it is perfect for sensitive skin that has a tendency to break out or is prone to hyperpigmentation from over exfoliation. I am sending you a Mandelic Wash and a toner, it would be a perfect AHA for you to try. If the toner is too much for your dry skin back off and try it one day on, one day off. The Cleansing Milk I am enclosing can be used one day on, one day off if the mandelic wash is too drying. I am also going to send you a Vivant Rejuv RX with peptides. […] I would like you to eventually start to use the Derm-A-Renew serum from the Vivant line but only after your skin has acclimated. “

So, the Vivant Skincare Skin Fitness System consists of 4 main products: a cleanser, a toner, a corrector, and a hydrator. In contrast to most toners known from asian beauty routines the toner here is meant to prepare the surface of the skin for better penetration of the skin by the Vivant Skincare serums. The Vivant Skincare Skin Fitness System comes with an insert which describes how to use the products. Within 4 weeks the skin is adjusted to the routine by slowly increasing the steps from week to week.

I received a total of 7 products: The Vivant Skincare Cleansing Milk, the Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Wash, the 3% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Toner, the Day Treatment Lotion, the 8% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum, the Rejuv RX Peptide Concentrate, and the Derm-A-Renew Gentle Peptide and Vitamin A. I used the products like this for more than 30 days, but after the first 30 days I made some adjustments, which I will describe at the end of this review:

Routine in the mornings:

1. Cleansing Milk or Mandelic Acid Wash

2. Rejuv RX Peptide Concentrate

3. Day Treatment Lotion

Routine at night:

1. Mandelic Acid Wash

2. Mandelic Acid Toner

3. Mandelic Acid Serum, after a while replace this with the Derm-A-Renew

First of all the packaging of the Vivant Skincare products is designed in a simple, neat, and clean way. It reminds of typical products you would receive in a pharmacy. The serums come in brown glass bottles with included pipettes attached to the lids. The small bottles contain 1 oz (~29.6 ml). The other products (cleansers, lotion, and toner) come in white plastic bottles. You can press the lids down on one side to reveal the opening. All in all the packaging design is convenient to use. Unfortunately, the caps of the plastic bottles may leak if you carry them around. This happened to me two times with the Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Wash. The other products however never leaked out, so it may be that it was only a problem with this bottle. Since I’m already speaking of the cleanser I will start of with their performances aswell.

Vivant Skincare Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Wash and Vivant Skincare Cleansing Milk

I received two different cleansers, the The Vivant Skincare Cleansing Milk and the Vivant Skincare Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Wash. The Madelic Acid 3-in1 Wash is a gel-type cleanser. It is a clear, light-pink gel which lathers up into a bit of foam. It is not a rich or dense foam though. The gel cleanser has a pH of 3 when mixed with water. It has a light bitter scent of almonds. It is not only a facial wash, but can be used on the body, too. And even more, it can be used as shampoo for fighting dandruff and acne. You can check the full ingredients list >>here<<, and as you can see the list is very short, which I like, and contains mainly safe ingredients, too. The key ingredients are Mandelic Acid, Green Tea Extract, Grape Extract, Kiwi Fruit Extract, and Honey Extract:

Madelic Acid: As we learned before the Mandelic Acid acts as a mild chemical exfoliant and is used as natural antibacterial to suppress pigmentation, treat inflammatory, cystic acne and rejuvenate photo-aged skin.

Camellia Sinensis (Japanese Green Tea) Leaf Extract: It is rich in Vitamin E and C and also known as powerful anti-oxidant with anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. It helps to maintain the collagen formation and healthy skin.

Kiwi Fruit Extract: This extract is high in omega-3. Kiwi has excellent antioxidant properties to rejuvenate tired skin and slow the aging process. It helps to diminish the appearance of fine lines and dark eye circles, making the skin appear more radiant.

Honey Extract: Honey is a natural humectant with long-lasting hydration. It contains enzymes with anti-bacterial properties to clarify the skin and has been used for centuries as beautifying ingredient.

Grape Seed Extract: Grape Seed Extracts is a potent antioxidant that shuts down free radical activity.

The Vivant Skincare Cleansing Milk is a lotion-type cleanser. It has a milky consistency and a nice, sweet scent. I prefer this scent over the scent of the Mandelic Acid 3-1 Wash. The Cleansing Milk has a pH of 4. The full ingredients can be looked up >>here<<. As with the above cleanser the ingredients list is very short and neat. The key ingredients are Grape Seed Extract and Glycerin.

Glycerin: Glycerin or Glycerol is a humectant present in all lipids. Glycerin combined with other emollients or oils is part of most moisturizers and in this way makes the skin soft and moisturized.

Both cleansers perform good on cleansing the skin from basic makeup, but they are weak when used on color makeup. Therefore, I would advise you to get rid of your makeup first by using any proper makeup remover. Below you can see that both cleansers are weak when cleansing lip products and eyeshadow. Eyeliner, BB cream and water-soluble mascara were removed by both cleansers.

Next products of my Vivant Skincare Routine are the 3% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Toner and the Day Treatment Lotion. Let’s take a closer look at these:

Vivant Skincare 3% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Toner and Vivant Skincare Day Treatment Lotion

As I already said before the 3% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Toner is not designed as moisturizing toner, but is an astingent toner. You will already see from the ingrdients list. The ingrdients list is short but it contains SD Alcohol in 2nd place. So, I know that many are wary when they hear that alcohol is inlcuded in a specific product. I shared an interesting article on this topic on facebook recently. Usually, SD Alcohol is used to thin down a product, which makes sense for heavier creams for example. The 3% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Toner is a clear, watery solution. The toner has a strong alcohol scent. The key ingredients are Witch Hazel and Mandelic Acid.

Witch Hazel: Witch Hazel has antioxidant properties. It acts as astringent and anti-inflammatory.

Actually, I’m not sure why they used SD Alcohol here, since this is a toner and not a cream. The toner clears the remaining makeup from the skin, when used, but it also dries out the skin as far as I experienced. The toner might be suited better for oily skin, or skin with acne problems. Nevertheless, I used the toner 1-2 times a day during 30 days, but after that I changed to my regularly used toners for adjusting the pH.

The Vivant Skincare Day Treatment Lotion is a daily SPF moisturizer. It has SPF 15. The moisturizer is a thick, white-colored cream. It is similar to many of the heavy sunscreens, which I usually avoid using. But what I liked about this lotion is that it can be mixed with loose powder or mineral makeup for creating a tinted moisturizer. The moisturizer has a scent, but it is similar to the scent of pharmacy creams, not any perfumed scent. I did not like the scent too much. The full ingredients are listed >>here<<, and the key ingredients are Aloe Leaf Juice and Zinc Peptides.

The ingredients list contains some minor irritants and acne triggers. Octinoxate, Octisalate, and Titanium Dioxide are used as sunscreens.

Part of my Vivant Skincare Skin Fitness Systems were the Rejuv RX Peptide Concentrate during the day and 8% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum at nights. After three weeks I replaced the Mandelic Acid Serum with the Derm-A-Renew Gentle Peptide and Vitamin A.

Vivant Skincare 8% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum

The first serum to use during the Vivant Skincare Skin Fitness System is the Vivant Skincare 8% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum. At the beginning it is used every night. Later it is replaced by the Derm-A-Renew Gentle Peptide and Vitamin A. The Vivant Skincare 8% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum is an alcohol free and mild serum to treat acne, discoloration, and age spots. It also targets the appearance of fine lines. It is a clear water like serum. It has a bitter scent of almonds, too. The serum is very light and absorbs fast into the skin. I discovered that my skin feels smoother after using it for a week already. The full ingredients list is again quite short and contains safe ingredients. The key ingredients are mandelic acid, urea, lactid acid, and niacinamide:

Lactic Acid: Lactid Acid is an AHA (Alpha hydroxyl acid) aswell. It is derived from sour milk that hydrates the skin by sloughing off old dead skin cells. It has whitening properties and is an astringent.

Urea: Urea binds moisture to the skin and keeps skin smooth and supple. It promotes re-hydrationand has anti-inflammatory properties aswell.

Niacinamide: Niacinamide is a water-soluble form of Vitamin B, which has a firming effect with anti-inflammatory properties.

Vivant Skincare Rejuv RX Peptide Concentrate

The Vivant Skincare Rejuv RX Peptide Concentrate is a serum which enhances firmness and elasticity. It also relieves rednesses. The ingredients contain some minor irritants, but other than that it is short like all the products from Vivant Skincare I tried. The key ingredients are Oligopeptides, Lactid Acid, Urea, and Niacinamide. The downside is that this serum contains SD alcohol. Like with the toner I do not think that it is necessary to have SD Alcohol here. The serum is clear and watery, like the mandelic acid serum, but instead of the bitter scent this one smells of alcohol. It also doesn’t feel really moisturizing. After 30 days I stopped using this regularly, and I didn’t see any differences for my skin. By now I do not use this anymore, but instead I’m using the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum instead during day time.

Vivant Skincare Derm-A-Renew Gentle Peptide and Vitamin A

The last product I added to my Vivant Skincare Skin Fitness System is the Vivant Skincare Derm-A-Renew combines peptides and vitamin A for improving the skintone and texture. It is a milky, light yellow product. It is still fluid enough to be taken out with the pipette. It has a mild, nice scent and applies easily without being greasy. The ingredients list contains some minor irritants and it also contains a red labelled ingredient, BHT, a preservative. The Vitamin A derivate used here is Retinyl Propionate. Apart from this it contains Oligopeptides, Lactid Acid and Niacinamide.

Retinyl Propionate: Retinyl Propionate is a synthetic ester of retinol and propionic acid. While retinyl palmitate is an earlier form of retinol, it does not have the same effects as retinol. Instead, retinyl palmitate can be effective in boosting collagen fiber production in your skin, which can help you look younger. It does not have the same exfoliating effects as retinol however.

From the three serums this is my favorite since I like how it applies and how it smells. It feels like a nice boost to the skin, but does not feel too aggressive or drying.

My final thought on the Vivant Skincare Skin Fitness System is quite positive. First of all I like the customer service and the option of getting a personalized skincare routine kit. Therefore I think that it is great for people starting a skincare routine. I also had a couple of products within my customized Vivant Skincare Routine which I really liked, but of course there were also some products which I liked less. From the two cleansers I preferred the Cleansing Milk because it was less drying and had a nicer scent than the Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Wash. Both of the cleansers are great if you are looking for low pH cleansers. The Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Wash contains 8 oz (236.6 ml) and retails for 31 US$. The Cleansing Milk comes with the same amount and retails for 29.50 US$. The Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Toner was far too drying for my skin, even if only used occasionally. Sine it has the purpose to balance the pH and get rid of any excess sebum you can replace it with another pH adjusting toner with the same properties, maybe one without alcohol. 4 oz (119.3 ml) retail for 44 US$ which is also quite expensive compared to the ingredients contained here. I really appreciate the idea of a Day Treatment Lotion with SPF and I wish that more moisturizer would consider to add this to their formulation. The scent and the thickness of the moisturizer were not my cup of tea really, so I switched to my regular moisturizers and sunscreens. This adds an additional step to the routine, but I don’t mind that specifically. The Day Treatment Lotion contains 4 oz (119.3 ml) and retails for 33 US$. I do like the 8% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum and Derm-A-Renew Gentle Peptide and Vitamin A! I like the key ingredients used in booth serums and I like how they make the skin feel. The Rejuv RX Peptide Concentrate on the other hand was again too drying for me, probably because of the alcohol. It was not so bad as the toner, but still from the three serums I would choose this to opt out. The downside for the serums is that they are really expensive. The Rejuv-RX retails for 106 US$ and is the most expensive out of the three serums. The 8% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum retails for 50 US$ and the Derm-A-Renew Gentle Peptide and Vitamin A retails for 87 US$. The Vivant Skincare Skin Fitness System including the Mandelic Acid Wash, Toner, Day Treatment Lotion and the 8% Mandelic Acid 3-in-1 Serum can be obtained in a Kit for 130 US$. I’m really thankful that Vivant Skincare has offered me their skincare products to review and I hope that my experiences with the products will help you in case you want to go for any of the products.

Did anybody try products from Vivant skincare before? Or did you ever get a customized skincare routine and how were your experiences?

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

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asian cosmetics beauty

Top 30 Asian Cosmetics Products 2015

29. December 2015

2015 went by so fast! I cannot believe it is almost 2016! Like last year I want to share my favourite 30 asian cosmetics products which I reviewed in 2015 with you. My post last year was “only” a top 20, but it was too hard to me to decide for only 20 products and I ended up with 30 :D I tried to be as versatile as possible and divide the sections into different categories of make-up, skin care, masks, hair products… Here is my selection of products for 2015:

Asian Make-Up Products

Let’s start off with my favourite products in general, which are my beloved lip make-up products! My three favourite lip products 2015 are:

Innisfree Creammellow Lipsticks: I was already a huge fan of the Innisfree Color Glow Lipsticks, but these were even greater in terms of creamy-ness and gloss. Super moisturizing and so pretty colors. Check out my review >>here<<.

Aritaum Water Sliding Tints: Another super moisturizing lip product. Similar to the Innisfree Creammellow lipsticks these are super sliding over the lips and feel very moist. The color payoff is strong, too, despite the texture. Nevertheless, a great product which I love to use! Check out my review >>here<<.

Tonymoly Shaking Tint Delight: I’ve really become fond of these oil tints! The Tonymoly Shaking Tint Delight is so far my favorite in terms of color and feel on the lips! Definitively worth a try! Read my review >>here<<.

Next are my favorite Blush/Contouring products 2015:

Etude House Lovely Cookie Blusher: I discovered this blusher far too late, since it is not a newly launched product at all. Still, I love the subtle color and the cute and yet simple packaging…and it was one of the winners of Get It Beauty Blind Test. Read my review >>here<<.

3CE Creamy Cheek Stick: I love this convenient stick type application and the texture of this blush! And, to tell the truth, I’m also in love with the new Etude House Play 101 sticks, which have some similar blush-colors….(don’t worry, there will be upcoming reviews). Read my review >>here<<.

Too Cool For School Art Class By Rodin: I was never much into contouring but this contouring compact makes it easy and has some nice colors aswell. And the most beautiful packaging! Click to read my review >>here<<.

This year was mostly cushion BBs for me. I tried some regular bb creams, but it weren’t my favourite yet. My favorite cushion BB creams 2015 are:

Missha Magic M Moisture Cushion: I love the Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream and the Missha M Moisture Cushion turns out to be a great cushion bb aswell! I also tried the regular version, which I did like, too. But for my dry skin the moisture version is my favorite. Read my review >>here<<.

Innisfree Intense Ampoule Cushion: A lovely cushion. similar to the Missha Moisture Cushion but a bit more nourishing. Perfect for winter! Read my review >>here<<.

O’melon Chameleon Essence Queen Cushion: This is one of the most beautiful cushions I’ve seen so far…and it has three colors! It is super pretty and has a unique concept. Read my review >>here<<.

Asian Skin Care Products

Let’s get to the skin care products I reviewed this year and which ones I liked most. I’ll start of with my favorite cleansers 2015:

Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleanser Oil: I loved the scent of this oil cleanser. Honestly, I’m really a big fan of Klairs products, but from the whole line I had two favourites, which were the toner and this cleanser…and later this year I fell in love with the new Klairs vitamin C serum, too…Such a great brand! Read my review >>here<<.

Sum 37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick: Almost everybody who tried this stick cleanser fell in love with it…You have to like roses and rose scent and coconut oil for loving this. If you do, this cleanser gives you the maximum of luxury while cleansing your face. Read my review >>here<<.

Skinfood Rose Shake Point Make-Up Remover: Another favorite for rose scent lovers is this point makeup remover from skinfood. It is also available in a milk version, which I want to try next time. Read my review >>here<<.

My favorite toners 2015 are:

ElishaCoy Moist Up Hyalurone Ampoule Toner: I love the scent so much!!! I bought the cleansing water of the same line and I hope it will be as great as the toner. Read my review >>here<<.

Klairs Supple Preparation Toner: As I said above, I really enjoyed the Klairs products I tried this year. This is one of my favourite toners so far! Read my review >>here<<.

CosRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner: The brand CosRX had quite a go this year aswell…I still have some products which I didn’t review yet, but which are already waiting to be used. Probably they would be on this list if I already used them :D A great brand aswell! Read my review >>here<<.

My favourite cream-type products 2015 are:

Chico & Chica Astazet 4.0.: I enjoy the ingredients and the texture of this cream very much. I would say it helps to improve the skin, although it is hard to tell which products are really responsible when having an elaborate skin care routine. Read my review >>here<<.

BRTC Aqua Rush Cream: This cream has such a lovely texture, which is first like a balm and then magically melts away like water! Click >>here<< for my full review.

Delight 18 I.U Whitening Cream Glutathione: Another water drop texture cream with whitening properties. You could almost say it is a mixture between moisturizer and CC cream. Read my review >>here<<.

Some other favorite skin care products I tried:

Missha First Treatment Essence Intensive: This essence makes the skin feel so soft and smooth! And although reformulated it will not be less effective than the previous formula. Read my review >>here<<.

Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum: Compared to the OST Vitamin C serum this might not be as aggressive and effective, but still it contains some powerful and great ingredients. I started to like this a bit more for everyday use, especially if you have sensitive or not so troubled skin. Click >>here<< to read my review.

Tosowoong Syn-ake Natural Pure Essence: Cheap but efficient brand with great ingredients! Read my review >>here<<.

CosRX Acne Pimple Master Patch: I was amazed how much a patch can change. I do not have many pimples, but each time I spot one I cover it with this patch and the next day it is gone. amazing! Read my review >>here<<.

Asian Hair Products 2015

My favorite asian hair products this year were and are:

Shiseido Tsubaki Shampoo and Conditioner: This hair care line makes my hair super smooth and manageable! The scent is awesome, too, and I love the luxurious pump containers and the fact that you can buy refills. I’m on my second refill now, and still love it! Read my review >>here<<.

Confume Argan Treatment Oil: I love the scent and I love the texture of this hair oil. From the four oils I have I use this one the most! Read my review >>here<<.

Asian Sheet Masks and other Masks

3CE Water Wrapping Facial Mask: Super moisturizing and such a soft cotton sheet mask, which became one of my favourites. Read my review >>here<<.

Moonlab Real Cooling Themometer Mask: I reviewed this a couple of days ago, but it was such a great sheet mask that it had to be in my list for 2015. This sheet mask is super cooling and is made of coconut water. Read my review >>here<<.

From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack: This is my favorite alternative to the famous Laneige Sleeping Mask. It is not expensive at all and worth a try! Read my review >>here<<.

I’m from Honey Mask: I love honey and I love this wash-off mask, which has such a lovely scent and makes my skin super glowy and smooth! If you didn’t try this mask you definitively missed an experience! Click for my review >>here<<.

Other recommendable products:

BornPretty Dual Nail Dotting Tools: These make it possible to create so many different nail arts. And they are super affordable, too! Read my review >>here<<.

Smile Brilliant Professional Teeth Whitening Kit: This is no asian product, but still worth mentioning, since it is a super affordable way to whiten your teeth like at a dentist. Read my review >>here<<.

I hope you enjoyed reading my Top 30 Asian Cosmetics Products post and I wish you a happy new year! What were your favorite products in 2015? I will not be able to post any reviews until January, but I have a lot of new and interesting products for you in 2016! Take care! ♥

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beauty empties

Graveyard: May – October Empties 2015

7. November 2015

I realized my last product empties post was for March & April! I always took the pictures for the empties posts but never made one, so here is a massive May – October Empties 2015 post! As usual, I didn’t include any sheet mask sachets or sample sachets, because it would simply be to messy. But as far as posible I tried to document the products I used up in the past months.

Stylenanda’s 3CE Water Wrapping Facial Mask – I reviewed these before and I absolutelly love how soft the cotton of these sheet masks is and how soft and nice the essence hydrates the skin. One of my favourite moisturizing sheet masks so far. Click for the review >>here<<. Repurchase? Yes!
Innisfree Jeju Bija Anti Trouble BB Cream – This was past expiration date and had to be tossed. I used it mostly mixed with other BB creams because it was to drying for dry skintypes. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? No.
Heart Face Ultra Pore Care Sleeping Pack – I was super Excited to try this Sleeping Pack since it smelled so amazingly of Rose Water. Unfortunatelly, my skin didn’t like one of the ingredients, so I ended up using it on my dry body parts like knees and elbows. Worked fine for them, a pitty though that I couln’t use it as sleeping mask. Repurchase? No.
Innisfree Eco Safety Perfect Waterproof Sunblock – This was a lovely sun cream after all. I would think about buying the fullsize or one of the other versions of it. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? Maybe.
Skin House Face Calming Galactomyces Cream – I loved this cream! It absorbed nicely and made the skin feel bouncy. I used it up so quicly after all. click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? Yes.
Forencos Selene Project Silk Mask Series – I liked some of the sheet masks from this series and I also made a second in depth review on this set of sheet masks. I didn’t like the ampoule which was included for each sheet mask though. Click for my reviews >>here<< and >>here<<. Repurchase? Probably not.
Merz Special Beauty Talent – This cream was a complete dissapointment. I didn’t like the scent and it didn’t do anything for making my skin less dry, bumpy or anything it was promised to do. Repurchase? No!
It’s Skin Have A Pomegranate Cleansing Foam – Unfortuantelly, this Foam Cleanser was too drying for my skin. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? No!
CosRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid – I did like this, although I do not have any Whiteheads to begin with. But for a AHA product this one is great. I can recommend you to check out the COSRX products in general because they do a nice job. Click for my reviews on the other COSRX products >>here<<. Repurchase? Maybe.
Skin79 BB Cream Miniatures – This were past expiration date, too. I used all of them from time to time, but I cannot say that one of these was my HG BB cream. click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? No.
Etre belle Liplift Peel Exfoliator – Pretty much an average lip scrub. I like the tube it comes in. Repurchase? No.
Skinfood Rose Shake Point Make-Up Remover – I love this Point Make-Up Remover from Skinfood. It also comes in a Milk version which I want to try next. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? Yes!
Rituals Sakura Scrub – Another product which I absolutely love! It smells so great and I cannot stop smelling my own skin after using this scrub. Same for the complete Cherry Blossom Line from Rituals! Repurchase? Yes!
Alverde Body Butter Vintage Rose – Guess what, I bought this body butter for the pretty design! It had a nice scent, too, but not as rosy as I had hoped. Nevertheless, a good product and also natural cosmetics! Repurchase? Maybe.
Benton Honest Cleansing Foam – This cleansing foam was surprisingly mild and not drying like other cleansing foams. I really enjoyed using this one, although I was really wary, because I had a negative experience with the Benton Snail Bee Steam Cream. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? Maybe, if I have used up all my cleansers :D
Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel – So far my favourite suncream I used. Absorbs fast, doesn’t leave the skin sticky or oily, feels hydrating enough for dry skin. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? Yes!
Rituals Cherry Blossom Body Milk – Also here: I love the scent of this line! Definitively want to rurchase it!
Dermasel Shower Gel Pomegranade – Just a regular showe gel. Had a nice scent, too, but it was not so lingering as the Rituals scents. Repurchase? No.
Johnson and Johnson (Bebe) Beautifying Eye Cream – I like the illuminating eye cream from Lavera much better than this one. This one didn’T absorb completelly and always left kind of a film underneath your eyes. Repurchase? No.
Meishoku DET Clear Bright & Peel Peeling Gel – Another product which I love! I can recommend you to try the MEishoku DET Clear Pelling Gels. They are perfect for using in the shower, too! I’m so sad this one is empty. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? Yes!
Xaivita+ Goat Milk Whitening Cream – This cream is super great! I used it up quickly. It absorbs super fast and leaves the skin nourished. I still have a facial soap from this line and I want to make a review of both products together., so please be patient for more details. I can imagine to repurchase it! Repurchase? Yes.
Banila Co Clean It Zero – This mini jars of Banila Co Clean It Zero cleansing balm are great for travel! I already used the first of them, but I still have a couple more of these. There will be a review about these, too. Repurchase? Yes.
O.S.T C21.5 Vitamin C Serum – I like both vitamin C serums from O.S.T. and I can recommend you again and again to try a vitamin C serum for yourself. These are affordable and effective, too. At the moment I’m using a Vitamin C serum by MapleHolistics, but the bottle slipped out of my hand some days ago, so I will be out of vitamin C serum again…Probably I’m going for O.S.T again. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? Yes!
Coreana SHO EGFactor Eye Cream – One of the best eye cream tubes I’ve had so far. The seringe shape was super convenient and you could close and open it easily. The cream was nice, too. I still have one of these at my bf’s house. See my review >>here<<. Repurchase? No, too expensive.
Shara Shara Fairy’s Synergy Sun Cream – Despite the creepy doll packaging and the defect pump this was not such a bad product. Nevertheless, the packaging puts me off. Repurchase? No.
Schwarzkopf Gliss Kur Ultimate Oil Elixir – I like these large jars of hair packs and treatments. This one smells of cacao. Liked it. Repurchase? Maybe.
Etude House Help My Finger Quick Drop Dry – I love these Quick Dry Drops for Nail polish. I ususally don’t have enough patience to wait ad ruin my nails almost immediatelly. These are great to prevent some of that damage. I bought a similar quick dry drop from Essence this time. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? Yes.
Confume Argan Hair Treatment Ampoule – The Confume Argan Oil is one of my favourite hair oils at the moment. These treatment ampoules are great for a more intense treatment after washing your hair. I like them a lot. The review is still in progress though! Repurchase? Yes.
Dear by Eprani Believe in a Bottle Moistfull Booskin – One of the best Korean Toners (Skin) I tried so far! Lovely scent, makes the skin feel great and definitively worth a try! Repurchase? Yes!
Shiseido Hada Senka Hoshitsu Lotion – This Japanese Toner (Lotion) is great for homemade sheet masks or soaked cotton pads. Definitively worth a try, too. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? Maybe.
Nelafantasia One day Whitener Magical Whitening Lotion – This was also past expiration date. This whitening cream contains titanium dioxide and makes the skin appear brighter. The packaging is lovely, but I didn’t use it often after all. Repurchase? No.
Alverde Repair Hair Butter – I didn’t like that at all. It was too rich to be used on dry or freshly washed hair and too hard to wash out when using as a pack before washing the hair. The scent was not to my liking either. Repurchase? No.
Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Omega Repair Hair Mask – Another Hair Pack. I liked the version from above more, though. Repurchase? No.
Ingobeau Perfect Deep Clean One-Step Cleansing Water – My first cleansing water and now I’m eager to try more. I loved this so much and it was super effective in removing all kinds of makeup. It has a nice pH, too. There will be a review, soon. Repurchase? Yes.
Nivea Care face and body cream – This was not as heavy and rich as the regular Nivea Cold Cream, but lighter. If you like Nivea you might like it. Repuchase? MAybe.
John Frida Frizz Ease Dream Curls – I like this conditioning spray from Fritt Ease. This makes my curls look more defined and nice. I bought it in the past and I can imagine to repurchase it in future again. Repurchase? Yes.
Beautiful A.M. Moisturizer and P.M. Revitalizer – A pitty these are empty know, since it starts to get colder here in Germany. Facial oils are great for my dry skin in these times. These were light oils which absorbed fast and were not heavy. Click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? I want to try other facial oils.
O’SUM’s Aloe Vera Soothing Mist – I do not use up many mists, but here I am with one. I tried to make use of the benefits of mists more often this summer. click for my review >>here<<. Repurchase? I want to try other mists, too.

That was quite a lot! I hope it’s useful for some of you nevertheless. Sorry, for the long and boring post! :’D

Do you know any of these and did you try them yourself? What is your opinion on these products I showed above? I’d be happy about your comments ♥

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asian cosmetics beauty BNTnews PR Sample review

Review: Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream

24. August 2015

Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream is another product which was provided for August from BNTnews. There are so many diferent kinds of cleansers, like foam, water, gel, oil, cream or balm/sherbet type ones that it is often not easy to decide which one is the favorite one to use. I usually like the double cleansing method, where you first remove your makeup with one heavy cleanser and then use a lighter cleanser for getting rid of additional oils and wastes on the skin. In the morning on the other hand I only use water, or a light cleanser which doesn’t irritate the skin too much. The Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream is suited for both times of the day in my opinion.

Lafine is the first brand of Lamy Cosmetics, a Korean Cosmetics Company which is part of CatalinaGeo. Catalina Geo imports their products into 12 countries, so if you have a look at their official page you might check out if their products are available in your country, too. Europe is not included or example, but US, Australia and a bunch of asian countries are included. The Lafine Vegetable line contains 3 different products: Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream, Lafine Vegetable Firming Massage Cream, and Lafine Vegetable Foam Cleanser. There are two different versions of the packaging, an old one, which looks lovely and is covered with a vegetable print illustration all over (I think this one is also the one which is imported to other countries), and a simple one, which I show you here. The Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream comes in a cardboard box showing pictures of the different vegetables which are the ingredients in this cleansing cream. The main color of this product is green.

The cardboard box has English and Korean descriptions, directions and ingredient list written on it. The ingredients are added to >>COSDNA here<<. This cream is made of five skin-friendly vegetables, which are cucumber, tomato, parsley, water parsley, and carrot. Moreover, this cleansing cream contains granules for a soft and deep cleansing. It is supposed to efficiently eliminate makeup residues and wastes and leave a soft and pleasant vegetable fragrance on skin. Apart from the vegetable extracts included here, there are also some other ingredients, which are more doubtful like Mineral Oil, Triethanolamine, and BHT. If you know about any reactions to these ingredients I would not recommend you to use this product. I didn’t have any negative experience with my skin so far. The cream is free from paraben, benzophenone, talc, animal oil, and triclosan, which is positive. It is not advised to be used for your eyes.

Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream comes in a simple, green plastic jar containing 200 ml of product. There is a plastic separator between the lid, were you will find a plastic spatula. I was very happy to see that, sine the last cleansing creams I tried never had any spoon or spatula included.

The Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream has a white color and contains small green and red colored grains. These granules disolve while massaging the cream on your skin. In order to use the cleansing cream you apply a good amount of the cleansing cream on your face and massage it until the grains are melted away and the makeup starts to dissolve. Then you wipe of the cream with a tissue and either rinse the residue with lukewarm water or follow by your foam cleanser. the Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream has a pleasant cucumber scent which is really lovely and refreshing, too.

The cleansing performance of the Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream is good, too. Testing it on my arm below, you see that it removes all kind of different makeup clearly. It makes the skin feel not dry at all, but feels like applying a cream already. If you do not like the residue it will be removed after using a second cleanser. Using water the skin will keep the moisturized feeling. The pH of this cleansing cream lies at pH 5, which will be good news for some of you on the search for low pH cleansers.

Lafine Vegetable Deep Cleansing Cream has surely some ingredients, which I don’t like too much, nevertheless I like using it! The cucumber scent is refreshing and lovely, and for a cleanser it has a perfect pH of 5 and works nicely in dissolving all different kinds of makeup. I love the feeling it leaves on the skin, since it makes it feel like you already have used some moisturizing products afterwards. If you don’t like that feeling the residue can be easily removed with lukewarm water or with your second (foam) cleanser. The version I reviewed here is a new version which has been produced this year and therefore it is still hard to find online (and the old version is out of stock), but I guess it will be available more easily in some time. Here is the official description of the product on >>CatalinaGeo<<.

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:

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

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asian cosmetics beauty BNTnews PR Sample review

Review: Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Pack and Soap

8. June 2015

// PR SAMPLE / KBEAUTY //

The Too Cool For School products I tried so far were mostly makeup products rather than skincare, but today I have reviewed the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Pack and Soap for you. This special duo can be bought as a set or each of the two products can be purchased and used on their own. These two products help to improve the elasticity and the moisture of your skin with the nutrients from eggs.

The design cosmetic brand Too Cool For School is a Korean brand, known for a unique packaging design. Their products are in the mid-pricey region and slightly more expansive than Etude House for example. The packaging design of the Too Cool For School products is always very creative and unique. I mentioned probably a thousand times how much I love their packaging design. The Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Pack and Soap are no exception. This special duo comes wrapped up in a plastic bag and contains two pump bottles of 50 ml (Egg Mousse Pack) and 70 ml (Egg Mousse Soap).

The pump bottles are mainly white, but have a cute doodle on the front showing mixing tools you usually use to beat eggs. The difference between the two products and the design of the bottles is obviously the color, which is yellow for the Egg Mousse Pack and blue for the Egg Mousse Soap. The pump is protected by a plastic cap and works like hair mousse products: You shake the bottle vigorously and push the pump. You will directly get a thick, foamy mousse product out of the bottle.

The backside of the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Pack and Soap bottles contains description in Korean only, but the plastic bag contained a paper sheet with Korean and English description and ingredient list (click the image below to enlarge). The ingredients are also listed on COSDNA and you can look the up >>here<< (Egg Mousse Pack) and >>here<< (Egg Mousse Soap). As the name says the key ingredient of both is egg or better egg yolk extract and albumen (egg white) extract. Albumen and yolk extract have moisturizing and conditioning properties for the skin and it is reported that egg white gives a temporarily relief to pores which leads to the appearance of tightened skin. The Too Cool for School Egg Mousse Pack and Soap contain each 450µg yolk extract and albumen extract, respectively 420 µg. The TCFS Egg Mousse Pack contains safe ingredients, but the Egg Mousse Soap contains two red labelled ingredients unfortunatelly: Triethanolamine and PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate. If you have very sensitive skin you might want to be careful in that case.

The direction for both products is super easy! The Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Pack is a soft whipping cream massage pack. It is supposed to warm up while massaging and be great to use before applying makeup. It brightens and nourishes the skin with help of the egg yolk and albumen. It is advised to use this pack 2-3 times a week, by pumping an appropiate amount of the foam on your dry hands and massage it on your (also dry) face. After that you can rinse off the pack and voilá! The Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap on the other hand is a pore washing item. It creates a very dense and tight mousse which can be used for skin cleansing, but also as shaving foam for men. Again you can pump an appropiate amount of the foam on your hands and cleanse your face in the morning and evening. Afterwards rinse it off with water.

Because you get both products as ready-to-go foam out of the bottle the application is very easy and straightforward. Both products are dense and soft foam, but the foam from the TCFS Egg Mousse Soap is stiffer than the one for the Egg Mousse pack. From the description I expected the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse pack to warm up while massaging, but the warming effect is not really as much as I expected. I was focussing very hard to feel it, if you know what I mean :D Nevertheless, the foam is very smooth and nice to apply. It has a fruity scent to it, which I didn’t expect. After washing it off my skin feels definitively tight, but soft. I didn’t see any differences in the size of my pores nevertheless. Although I expected the product to have a tightening effect I also have the feeling that my skin is drier, too, so if you have very dry skin I would not use the TCFS Egg Mousse Pack more than the advised 2-3 times a week.

The Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap is a super easy and quickly useable foam cleanser. It has a pH around 6-7 (I’m sorry for those lovers of acid cleansers). In contrast to the Egg Mousse Pack the Egg Mousse Soap doesn’t have that extreme tightening effect but brightens up the complexion after use. The foam is super thick and stiff and it is really nice to work with. Unfortunatelly, the cleanser is not the most powerful one. In the picture below you can see that it doesn’t really clean off the eye crayon, lipstick and bb cream, and also for the eyeliner and mascara I had to wash it very thoroughly. If you are a double cleanser you will probably not mind the weakness of this foam cleanser. I wouldn’t advise you to use this foam cleanser as only step, unless you don’t use makeup/sunscreen. It is a good morning cleanser though, since you usually remove all the makeup in the evening and don’t use sunscreen during nights. Oh, and surprisingly, the TCFS Egg Mousse Soap doesn’t smell fruity, like the Egg Mousse Pack, but it has a soapy scent. It didn’t feel drying on my skin either, but made the skin feel soft instead.

My conclusion for the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Pack and Soap is a positive one. It has some negative points for sure: The weak cleansing power of the Egg Mousse Soap is definitively a con for this product, but I love the easy application and the feeling of the skin afterwards. The thickness of the foam is also great for those who love rich and dense foams. I also like the idea that it can be used as a shaving cream, so you can share it with your husband/boyfriend…The Egg Mousse Pack definitively gives me the tightening effect it promises, but it may be too drying for dry skintypes. Since it is not a daily pack I can live with that point. I wished the warming effect was more noticeable though. You can get the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Pack and Soap Special Duo from the official Too Cool For School site. It retails for 18000 Won (18 US$) and contains the Egg Mousse Pack with 50 ml and the Egg Mousse Soap with 70 ml. If you buy the single products you will receive bottles of 100 ml (Egg Mousse Pack) and 150 ml (Egg Mousse Soap) volume, which retail around 12 US$. At W2Beauty the Special Duo retails for 27.85 US$. The large single bottles retail at testerkorea for around 10 US$ each.

This product was provided to me by BNTnews for reviewing. Don’t forget to visit the other BNTGirls Doris, Celine, Alene and Bella and check out their reviews. And visit BNTnews for the latest Korean news and trends:

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Here is my rating for the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Pack:

Here is my rating for the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap:

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.

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beauty empties

Graveyard: March and April empties 2015

19. May 2015

Here are my product empties for March and April and a quick impression on each product. I’m a bit late for the post, but hopefully you like it anyways :) As usual, I didn’t include any sample sachets or sheet masks masks, because it is too messy to keep these.

1. Rosemine Floral Remedy Foaming Cleanser. Repurchase? Maybe someday. I have to many cleansers right now.

You can read my review on this foaming cleanser >>here<<. I love the packaging and it had a nice scent. The foam was thick and soft and the cleanser contained rose petals.

2. Happy Bath Rose Essence. Repurchase? I would love to!

This bath and shower cream had the most lingering and nicest rose scent! If you are a lover you will love this…but I remember it was marked quite expensive, sadly.

3. Shib Jang Ceng Chun Ji Heang Hand Cream. Repurchase? Yes, please.

This moisturizing and nourishing hand cream has a long name, but nevertheless it does a great job as hand cream. It contains ginseng extracts, shea butter and olive oil and was not sticky, not greasy and I loved using it!

4. Lush Whoosh Shower Jelly. Repurchase? No.

I like the idea of shower jelly and it was quite fun. Nevertheless, this specific product scent was nbot my favourite, but I could imagine getting other versions of it.

5. Kerastase Elixir Ultime. Repurchase? Maybe.

I received this hair oil trial the last time I was giving my hair a cut. It is a nice and lightweight oil and I could imagine to try it again. Unfortunately, Kerastase products are quite expansive.

6. Boutique Bebe Hair Salon Concentrate Protein. Repurchse? Maybe.

You can read my review >>here<<. I enjoyed using these two hair treatments and I can imagine that I would repurchase them again from time to time.

7. Mise en scène Perfect Repair Treatment Pack. Repurchase? Yes!

This treatment was georgeous. It made the hair super soft and easy to comb after an instant. Although labelled for twice a week use I was using it almost every second day because I loved the effect. I would like to repurchase this again. Although I read in some that they think the scent is old-women scent, but I got used to it and even liked it after all. I still have the Mise en scène Perfect Serum and I’m planning to write a comparative post between a couple of hair oils.

8.Dewytree Real Collagen nutrition serum. Repurchase? Maybe.

There is still an upcoming review for this :D I enjoyed this serum and I love the pump bottle it has and the subtle rose/flower scent.

9. Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream. Repurchase? Maybe.

a hydrating cream which contains hyaluronic acid and is very nice on the skin. You can read my review >>here<<.

10. Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum. Repurchase? Maybe.

Another hydrating product from the Klairs Rich Moist soothing line. I was enjoying all the products, especially in winter. Read my review >>here<<.

11. Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil. Repurchase? Yes! As soon as I’ve finished my other cleansers.

This is the best cleansing oil I have tried so far and I can recommend you to try it! Read my review >>here<<. I love the scent, I love how it cleanses. A great product!

12. Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner. Repurchase? Yes!

Suprisingly, I fell in love with that toner, although I thought it will be my least favourite of the Klairs products. It has a nice pH of 5 and is really a good preparation facial toner. Read my review >>here<<.

13. Hanskin Bio Origin BB creams. Repruchase? Maybe the ampoule BB.

I wrote a comparison review on these two BB creams >>here<<. I liked the ampoule BB better than the other one, but both are descent products.

14. COSRX Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol. Repurchase? A good product to have in case of emergency!

I received this selfmade trial version of COSRX Natural BHA Skin Returning A-Sol in a giveaway by Sam Murakami from ColorCrush (check out her blog/videos). Thanks again for the lovely giveaway, dear ♥ I must say I had a positive impression on this product and I would love to try it for a longer time, if I have some more skin troubles (hopefully not). This treatment contains propolis, AHA/BHA and works great on troubled skin. It has an acid pH of 4 and should be used after a pH lowering toner and before your other moisturizing steps (including moisturizing toner/essences/serums/creams/ampoules etc). It is on sale at Wishtrend atm!

15. Yadah Vita-Whitening Aqua Gel and Puregreen Moisturizing Cream. Repurchase?No.

These two sample sized creams were a dissapointment. First: the lids were not closing properly, so I assume that some of the product either leaked out or evaporated/dried up after a while, although I didn’t open it before. Due to this my skin didn’t like the creams. One was to heavy balmtype and the other didn’t absorb either.

16. Tonymoly Eggpore Nose Pack Package. Repurchase? These, or other nosepacks.

I like to use nosepacks occasionally, although they say they are not good. But I love the feeling of seeing some dead skincells and dirt and babyhair pulled of by these kind of patches, although it is quite gross, especially when my bf does use these :D

Do you know any of these and did you try them yourself? What is your opinion on these products I showed above? I’d be happy about your comments ♥

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