japanese cosmetics Archive | Berries in the Snow

asian cosmetics beauty Kirei Station PR Sample review

Unboxing: Kirei Station Getsu Box November 2017

5. December 2017

//PR SAMPLE/ MAKE UP / JAPAN //

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

What is Kirei Station Getsu Box?

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

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

Sana Pore Putty CC Cream

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

Cezanne Gel Eyeliner

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

Shiseido Therapindo Oil Balm R

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

Kose Clear Turn Lift Astaxanthin Mask

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

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

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

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

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

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asian cosmetics beauty Kirei Station PR Sample review

Review: Kanebo Allie Extra UV Gel Mineral Moist Neo

19. March 2016

Another Japanese product review about the Kanebo Allie Extra UV Gel Mineral Moist Neo, which I received from Kirei Station together with the Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks. I really like that japanese sunscreen tend to be less greasy and do not leave a thick white cast compared to western sunscreen. On the other hand you have to differentiate between the sunscreens which are suited for outdoor activities and their sunscreens, which are only suited for every day (going to work and being exposed only to a minimum to sunlight). The sunscreen here is suited for outdoor activities and is also water- and sweatproof with a high UV protection and is a good choice for the upcoming sunny months.

Kanebo is one of the leading Japanese cosmetic brands and their history goes back to 1887! Their cosmetics production started in 1937 and since then they have grown with many different brands like Kate, Allie, Freshel, Coffret D’Or, Lunasol…or their western brands eg. Sensai (this is also available in Germany, but is is quite expensive). Allie was founded in 2000 and has launched several sunscreens from there on, until their newest update, the Kanebo Allie Extra UV Gel Mineral Moist Neo, which I’m reviewing here.

Like most Japanese products the sunscreen comes packed in plastic containing a large tube of 90 g! I was really surprised about the size, since the previous Japanese sunscreens tend to be quite smaller than my expectations :D. This sunscreen is made for outdoor activities with an SPF of 50+/PA++++. It is suited for physical activities outdoors, for beach and vacation and has a water-resistant formula, which is sweat-proof and sebum, too. Nevertheless, please reapply sunscreen regularly, especially after swimming, or you will risk sunburn! The sunscreen can be used on body and the face.

You can look up the ingredients on COSDNA and you will see that the key UV protection is given by these four ingredients: Zinc Oxide, Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (also known as Octinoxate), Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (Uvinul A Plus), and BisEthylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (Tinosorb S). Apart from the sunscreens the product also contains a bunch of moisturizers like Glycerin, Royal Honey and Hyaluronic acid. There are some potential irritants in the lists, but all in all the ingredients are safe to use.

Although the tube is designed in a simple way it is still pretty and looks neat. The tube is a regular squeezing tube with a screwing cap.

The sunscreen as a gel formula and applies easily, feeling moist and nice on the skin. It doesn’t give you this heavy or greasy feeling. It is not as runny as some other japanese sunscreens, but also has a light yellow color and a citrus scent similar to the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel. When rubbing it into the skin it feels very watery and moist and leaves a pleasant and refreshening feeling on the skin. It absorbs quickly, leaves the skin with a light glow without greasyness. Despite the glow the product does not lay itself onto the skin but seems to absorb completely, leaving a satin feeling on the skin. It also suits as makeup base therefore.

I’m very happy with the Kanebo Allie Extra UV Gel Mineral Moist Neo and it is a good alternative to the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel is you want a similar light sunscreen which is suited for outdoors. The Bioré sunscreen is not a sunscreen for outdoor activities, but it has similar texture and is great for everyday use. I received the sunscreen from Kirei Station where it retails for 3624 Yen (32 US$). You can use the discount code CODE-01 for a special discount.

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

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asian cosmetics beauty Kirei Station PR Sample review

Review: Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks

17. March 2016

I’ve been eyeing the Canmake blushes for a long time, espacially the Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks! These japanese blushes have such an adorable design! Thanks to Kirei Station I was able to finally try one of these precious products.

Canmake is quite a know Japanese brand, especially for their cute products and their blushes. They claim to have a really great quality and staying power. In first place the Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks has a vey adorable appearance with the flower imprint and the scalloped packaging.

The material of the blush pan is made from clear plastic. Inside you will find a miniature blush brush, but no mirror. The Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks came packed in plastic with Japanese descriptions on the backside.

Shade No.5 called “Wedding Fleur” is a light pink shade combined by four different pink shades. The fifths shade in the left upper corner is a highlighter. The blush works nicely to pick up the shades by swirling it over all the colors or pick separate shades.

The Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks has a powdery texture with a little bit of shimmer. It gives a subtle glow to the cheeks. The pink color barely shows up on my skin, but is enough to give a light flush and sheen. For a powder type blush it is also long-lasting.

Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks is probably one of the prettiest blushes I own and a pity it was not yet in my collection when I made the Blush Addict Post. The color maybe light on my skintone but still I like to use it for the light pink shade and the glow it gives. Also the point that it is longlasting and does not look powdery on the cheeks is a plus! And the tiny brush is cute, too! …The Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks is available at Kirei Station, an online retailer for Japanese Cosmetics. It retails for 1464 Yen which is around 13 US$. You can use the coupon code CODE-01 for a special discount.

Did you try any products from Canmake?

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

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beauty

Valentine’s Day Special: Kissable Lips in 3 Steps

12. February 2016

// AFFILIATE LINKS / LIPS / VALENTINE'S DAY //

Valentine’s Day: Some love it, others hate it utterly! Either way, I have some pampering tips for you today, no matter if you celebrate Valentine’s Day or not: I will show you my 3 steps routine for achieving soft and smooth lips. ♥

There is nothing more bothering than dry and flaky lips. Especially in cold or very dry seasons almost everybody has made experience with dry and chapped lips. Not only does it feel bothersome, but also does it make any lip color makeup much more difficult. I hate it when special colors accentuate any dry flake on your lips! But apart from drinking a lot of water and using lip balm you can follow some easy steps to make your lips smoother and give them a nice pampering session.

First Step: Scrub Your Lips

First, you have to get rid of all the dead skin cells. Using a lip scrub is the most convenient way to do this. You can either buy a lip scrub, or make a simple DIY lip scrub using honey, sugar, and olive oil. I’m using the Missha M Soothing Care Lip Scrub and the Shara Shara Kissing Sugar Lip Scrub at the moment. I love the lip scrubs which come in a tube like the one from Missha, because you can take them with you while you’re showering and give your lips an occasional scrub. I’m using my fingers for scrubbing over my lips, but you can also use a tooth-brush (maybe another from the one you are using for your teeth…). The best way is to use circular motions to get rid of most of the dead skin.

Second Step: Lip Mask Patch

The second step gives your lips deep nourishment and moisture: Lip Mask Patches are hydrogel masks designed for the area around your mouth and for your lips. I love the lip patches from Pure Smile, but also other brands have these kind of lip patches. The Pure Smile Choosy Lip Patches have different types of essences: milky, fruity, honey, herb, peach, and many more! They contain Vitamin E, Collagen, and Hyaluronic Acid, which will make your lips soft and hydrated. The best part with lip patches is, that it looks ridiculously funny while wearing them, because the patch is shaped like an oversized lip.

Third Step: Lip Balm

The last step is the one we probably use mostly: Every woman has some lip balm somewhere in her handbag at least…or too many different lip balms which makes it difficult to decide which to use. After you scrubbed your lips and boosted them with a lip mask you can use a lip balm to seal them and keep them hydrated. My favorite two lip balms at the moment are the Tonymoly Mini Peach Lip Balm and the Classic Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm. I also do love the Smith’s Rosebud Salve, but my jar is almost empty and the tin is so worn off that you cannot read the label anymore :D.

When using these easy steps of lip care on your lips they will be like new! Smooth and hydrated lips, perfect for your Valentine’s Date or any other occasion you want to – or even just for yourself, to feel even more pretty than you already do! ♥

Where to get the products mentioned above:

Missha M Soothing Care Lip Scrub – W2Beauty for 10.43 US$, Missha Germany for 7.80 €

Shara Shara Kissing Sugar Lip Scrub – Testerkorea for ~5 US$ (currently sold out)

Pure Smile Choosy Lip Patches – Amazon.com for ~5 US$, also on ebay

Tonymoly Mini Peach Lip Balm – Qdepot for 8.99 US$

Classic Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm – Amazon.de for 5.79 €, Amazon.com for 6.98 US$

Smith’s Rosebud Salve – several stores for ~6 US$

What are your lip care remedies? Do you have any favorite products or DIY tips?

8 Comments

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 review

Review: Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel

18. June 2015

Of course with summer approaching everybody thinks of sun protection, but even in winter you should use your daily dose of UV protection for your face. UV radiation will not only cause visible and accute skin damage (like sunburn), but it also makes your skin look older by the time. It is responsible for getting more lines and pigmentations (freckles). Looking at asian cosmetics you will find daily useable sunscreens everywhere! One brand which is often mentioned when it comes to daily sunscreens, especially japanese ones, is the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Line. Many people have heard of the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence, but the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel I’m reviewing is a new product in this year in that line.

Bioré is a japanese brand within the Kao cooperation, a chemical and cosmetics company. It is knwon for mainly skincare products like cleansing, lotions and sunscreen. The Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel has an SPF 50+/ PA++++ and is a daily useable sunscreen for face and body. Not only does it protect your face from UV radiation, but also it can be used as a makeup base. One thing I have to point out here: most asian sunscreens are usually made for daily use, but not for sunbathing or outdoor activities! You should use a sunscreen made specially for that purpose if you plan on using it therefore. Moreover, the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel is not waterproof ( that means it is not sweatproof either).

You might be wondering why to buy an extra sunscreen for daily use if it is not sweatproof and not suited for sunbathing etc? You could go ahead and use your regular beach sunscreen daily and for protecting your face, too, but the problem I discovered with most of these sunscreens is, that they made my skin too greasy and heavy. They were not suited for base makeup either. The Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel is totally different here and I will describe my experience toawards the end of this review. But first let’s take a look at the packaging and the description:

The Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel and the Watery Essence have both a signature pale blue plastic packaging. In contrast to the Watery Essence, which comes in a regular tube, the Watery Gel comes in a squeezing bottle. It also contains 90 ml volume, whereas the Watery Essence tube contains only 50 ml (big size 75 ml). Like most japanese products it does not come in a cardboard box, but in a plastic packaging. The description is in Japanese only, but if you are curious about the ingredients you can check up COSDNA >>here<<. The key ingredients for sun protection are Octinoxate, Tinosorb S (BisEthylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine), Uvinol A Plus (Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate), Uvinol T 150 (Ethylhexyl Triazone), and Titanium Dioxide. Unfortunately, this sunscreen contains alcohol, but unlike aggressive skincare products with alcohol, this one didn’t feel uncomfortable on my skin. You will also notice a light alcohol scent at the beginning which vanishes quickly and leaves the signature citrus/lemon scent of this sunscreen. Apart from this, the Watery Gel contains moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and royal jelly and is thus also useable on dry skintypes like mine. If you want to read more about the description I can recommend you the my holy grail blog for asian sunscreen reviews, Ratzillacosme. Apart from descriptions for almost every japanese sunscreen you can also find reviews for tons of them. It is one of the most helpful sites if you are looking for an asian sunscreen.

So, the Bioré UV Aqua Moist Watery Gel is designed as a gel-type sunscreen which also moisturizes the skin. Since it is designed as a makeup base I have certain expectations for it, like to be non-sticky and not greasy. Like the product packaging also the bottle contains only japanese descriptions.

The cap of the bottle can be unwind easily. There is a small nozzle to squeeze the product out, but since it is quite runny in its consistency I would be careful not to squeeze too hard. Unlike you would think from the name the product is not a gel-type one, but it looks like a runny, light-yellow colored milk. It has a citrus scent to it, which I didn’t like in first place, but I got used to it eventually. It isn’t too strong anyways.

When applied the milky texture turns watery immediatelly. If feels moist and nice and not oily or heavy at all. It contains tiny white capsules which dissolve after blending the gel in and it absorbs super fast. When it is absorbed it leaves the skin neither greasy, nor matte and powdery, but just like healthy and moist skin. It has no white cast either. Although it contains alcohol I don’t have the feeling that it makes my skin tight or dry- on the contrary, the skin feels moisturized and fresh. Since it absorbs so quickly and isn’t oily or drying it works great as makeup base. I had no flaking or clumping problems with following steps.

I love the Bioré UV Aqua rich Watery Gel! Point! Despite the fact that I’m not the citrus-scent lover there is nothing I have to complain here. It is not greasy, leaves the skin healthy looking and not dried, doesn’t leave a white cast and absorbs fast. Oh, it is non-sticky, too! The application is watery and refreshing, too, and it works great as base make-up. I bought my tube from Adambeauty for HK$67 (~8.40 US$), but it is out of stock at the moment. It is also available on ebay for around 10 US$.

And something a bit off-topic: I repaired the link to my RSS feed and also put a link to my Email subscription list on the sidebar now. If you are interested feel free to subscribe :D

♥ And remember to take part in my 2nd bloganniversary giveaway! ♥

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Berries in the Snow 2nd Bloganniversary Giveaway

10. June 2015

Honestly speaking, this giveaway is 2 month delayed! I was going to celebrate Berries in the Snow’s 2nd Bloganniversary in March or April and now we have June already…time is passing quickly :’D When I started BitS I never thought about having it for any specific time, but seeing now that I’m still enjoying my reviews and other posts I’m kind of proud of myself. I never thought that people will enjoy reading my posts, but seeing that I have so many regular readers and blogger friends really makes me happy.

When I’m looking back to the first posts I made I feel a bit ashamed, too. Naturally, I didn’t know much about blogging (and I still know too few), and my posts were not the best ones. Sorry, for that! I’m also a bit sad that I didn’t have time to fix all the pictures from the old post since I transferred my blog from Blogspot to WordPress. I hope I will be able to change the blurry images soon. I started to overdo some of the reviews, but it is so time-consuming and sometimes it is simply more exciting to write reviews about the new products instead of taking care of the old posts :’D

Nevertheless, I want to thank all you wonderful people who kept reading my blog from long time ago, and I want to welcome my new readers. And there is no better way to say “thank you” than with a giveaway! I picked a couple of items, some of them I reviewed already, some I will review in the future. Berries in the Snow’s 2nd Anniversary Giveaway is open for all my readers living all around the world and these are the items that one of you can win:

Innisfree Skin Solution Mask Moisturizing

Innisfree Skin Solution Mask Total Care

Tonymoly Floria Whitening Mask Sheet

Tansan Kakumei Carbonate Revolution

Benton Snail Bee High Content Steam Cream

Etude House XOXO Minnie in the Nail Glitter #01 Minnie in White

Etude House Sweet Reciepe Candy Stick

Hope Girl Tinted Lip Balm #02 Love Peach

Essence Cinderella Highlighter Powder #01 The Glass Slipper

ÜNT Nail Lacquer x Hello Kitty

Banila co. Clean it Zero Cleansing Balm (sample size)

Missha Super Aqua Marine Stem Cell Active Toner (sample size)

I hope you like the selected items and I hope the lucky winner will have good use for them. I will pack up all the items in a small and secure box for the delivery!

Here are the rules for taking part into this giveaway:

1. The giveaway is open internationally.

2. You can take part through the Rafflecopter form below.

3. I will look through the entries and delete any wrong entries, so cheating won’t do you any good.

4. Please, be fair and do not like my blog, and unlike it after the giveaway has ended. This is my way to thank these people who like to read my blog.

5. The chosen winner has 3 days to anwer my Email and send me his/her address.

6. The giveaway ends on July 15th, 2015.

7. I’m not responsible for any damages/ lost items through postal services. I will pack everything safe and soundly and do my best to prevent these cases, of course.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks again to all of you for reading my blog! If you have any recommendations on how to improve Berries in the Snow feel free to write a comment or Email me. If you want to make a guestpost here, you’re welcome to (related topics to asian beauty/fashion of course)! Good luck to everybody! ♥

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asian cosmetics beauty review

Review: Shiseido Tsubaki Shampoo and Conditioner

20. April 2015

// HAIRCARE / AFFILIATE LINKS / BEAUTY //

Finally, after loving the Shiseido Tsubaki Shampoo and Conditioner for more than a year I decided to write a review for it. I bought the full size 500 ml pump bottles for both products and recently my refills for both arrived. I’ve used a different shampoo for the last 2 months while waiting for my refills and now that I can finally continue with my beloved Tsubaki shampoo I realized again how much I do love it and how much nicer my hair feels when using it. Actually, I’ve never used one shampoo brand for such a long time and have been so happy with it before!

Shiseido is one of the most famous high-end brands in the world. I think everybody knows this Japanese brand in some way. In Japan, Shiseido has a lot of sub-branches, which also vary in their price range. They have cheaper sub-branches and more expensive ones and also others with very cute designed products. The Shiseido Tsubaki haircare belongs to the more pricey products with a simple and mature design. There are five versions of the Tsubaki haircare products, the Shining range or now called Extra Moist (red), the Damage Care range (white), the Damage Care Rich Premiere range (orange), the Volume Touch range (purple) and the Head Spa range (golden, I don’t know if this is available for the renewed versions). I was quite undecided which line to choose first because my hair is thin, but frizzy and quite damaged and tends to split ends as well…I finally chose the red line because so many reviews were positive.

As I said, I took the risk and bought the full-sized bottles right away. Both the shampoo and the conditioner come in pump bottles, which I love! The cap with the pump attached can be removed and the bottles can be refilled if you want. You can also close and open the pump and so it can be used while traveling, too, if you want to carry 500 ml with you :D…

The two bottles came together as a value set and were packed in a plastic bag, typical packaging for Japanese products. The back side of the plastic bag contained some Japanese description and so does the back side of the bottles. The ingredients are listed on COSDNA >>here<< (shampoo) and >>here<< (conditioner). The key ingredients of the Tsubaki haircare are of course “Tsubaki” or also called Camellia japonica. The oil is used in haircare not only as an emollient but also for smoothening the hair and making it shiny and nice. Camellia japonica oil is rich in oleic and linoleic acid and therefore perfect for hair nourishment.

The design of the two pump bottles is elegant and the color of the bottles is really a pretty red color. And although the bottles look quite similar you can know blindly which is the shampoo and which is the conditioner by touching the top of the pump. Recently, they renewed the design of the bottles and the design of the bottles is less round but looks a bit more modern..I personally like the old design better. Although the material of the bottles is good quality plastic it doesn’t look cheap but really elegant. The shampoo has a semi-see-through bottle, so you know when it is time to buy a new refill.

The Shiseido Tsubaki Shampoo and Conditioner have both an amazing scent. It is flowery and lasts while sometime in your hair. The shampoo has a runny consistency. It has a light, shiny and milky/yellowish color and it is very efficient. I only need one to two pumps of the shampoo. When I still had my shorter hair one pump was enough. It creates nice and quite some foam while lathering it in your hair. Some reviews said that the shampoo is a bit drying. Compared to most European shampoos I didn’t have that feeling. In my opinion, my hair feels already detangled while using the shampoo, but the conditioner works even more wonders. After using the creamy conditioner the hair feels super soft and detangled. I can easily comb my hair and it feels so smooth and nice! As I said, the scent is so nice, too, and my hair feels better and less frizzy. I almost don’t have to straighten my bangs anymore ( I have naturally wavy hair usually) and all in all my hair feels so much better than with the European drugstore shampoos. The only downside is that it is not really a cheap product. But at least you can buy refills, which are a bit cheaper. Below you can see the 350 ml refills for both the shampoo and the conditioner. As you can see, the refills are from the new version of the red shampoo. I don’t know if they changed the formula, I didn’t notice any significant differences yet, but if I will do, I will update this post immediately.

All in all, these are great hair products! I can recommend the Shiseido Tsubaki Shampoo and Conditioner to everybody with dry and tangled and frizzy hair. The scent is nice, it makes the hair super soft and it nourishes the hair with Tsubaki oil. I bought my refills and the bottles on eBay, but the retailer is no longer available. The products are also available on Amazon.com though, starting from 16 US$ per bottle.

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asian cosmetics beauty LunaTu PR Sample review

Review: Meishoku Detclear Peeling Jelly

24. October 2014

// PR SAMPLE / JBEAUTY / SKINCARE //

Just a warning ahead: This is a rave review because I love this product so so so much! Meishoku Detclear Peeling Jelly might not be widely known among most of you, but I figured out that this is one of the nicest peeling gels I have tried so far, so maybe it is time for you to get to know it.

Meishoku is a Japanese brand and what amazed me most is that their company homepage has an English version as well…Normally, even for more widely known Asian brands it is difficult to get some information in English, so I’m really happy they do have one. Their page contains detailed description to their products and is easy to navigate, too. Most of their products are focussing on skincare, but they also offer some make-up products. The DET Clear Line focuses on AHA/BHA peeling products. This line consists of four different types of peeling jelly, like the one I’m reviewing here today, a fruit enzyme powder wash and a peeling soap. I’m reviewing the Detclear Bright & Peel Peeling Jelly with Mixed Berry Fragrance. The other three peeling jellies have all different fragrances, like Rose and Jasmine, Mixed Fruit Fragrance and a Fragrance-Free version. So it seems that they also thought of people who don’t like fragranced products, which is great.

So we have here a chemical peeling jelly working with fruit-derived AHAs and plant-derived BHAs for getting rid of old cells on the surface of your skin. Since it is a peeling, you should use it 2-3 times per week, but not necessarily daily, although it is really a mild way of peeling compared to scrubs for example. So what do the AHAs and BHAs do? They exfoliate old keratin off your skin, which becomes smoother this way. This has the effect of a brightened up dull complexion, too. Meishoku Detclear Peeling Jelly also helps to free blocked pores and to help dry and flaky skin to get smooth again. The ingredients are unfortunately written in Japanese and also there is no list on their product page, but I figured out that most of the ingredients are plant and fruit extracts. As for the Fragrance-Free Version, it even says, that it is without artificial color, alcohol-free, paraben-free, mineral-oil free, and surfactant-free. In order to use the Meishoku Detclear Peeling Jelly, you have to clean your skin first, dry it up some, but don’t worry if your skin is still damp. You can use either dry or wet hands, too. I used in under the shower, too, and it still works. The product comes in a plastic pump dispenser, so you can easily get your 2-4 pumps, as needed, and distribute it on your face and neck. Massage the skin with your hands and soon you will see how the product forms peeling crumps. These are not your dead skin cells…neither here for this product, nor for any similar working product!

The pump packaging of the Meishoku Detclear Peeling Jelly is really convenient and the design of it looks nice, although it is not super special. It also comes with a clip for the pump, so you can take it somewhere in your bag if needed and can be sure that it won’t be pumped out. The bottle contains 180 ml and lasts quite a long time if you don’t use it daily. The texture of the product is like it supposed to be as a jelly: It is not a super solid kind of jelly, but a runnier type of product. The scent of this version of the Peeling Jelly is fruity, but not too intense. I, for my part, like it :) After rinsing the crumbs off, the skin feels clean and soft. Indeed the appearance of my skin is less dull. But all these points cannot be captured by pictures in a review. But what I can tell you and what was the most surprising thing about it is that my makeup lasted longer. Normally, when I apply BB cream in the morning, I start to see it flaking after lunch on my chin and around my nose. When I’m using the Meishoku Detclear Peeling Jelly I don’t have any of this issue and I can wear the BB cream all day long without worrying. The reason for this is the removal of dead and dry skin cells, which normally make it difficult to create an even surface. I love this Peeling Jelly now so much and I can recommend you to try it. There are other known (and more expansive) peeling jellies out there, but I can tell you that this one is also worth a try. ♥ I received my new HG bottle of Pelling Jelly from lunaTu. This UK-based shop for Japanese and Korean products sells this product for 15 £. Check out their shop, especially if you live in Europe. This will be a great chance to receive your loved Asian beauty products faster than usually. I also received the Shiseido Integrate Eyeshadow Palette from them, which I reviewed earlier. You can also get Meishoku products from Amazon.com.

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

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