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asian cosmetics beauty Honeysu Official PR Sample review

Review: Whamisa Organic Facial Mask Pack Sea Kelp

2. August 2016

A Korean brand that was really in focus for many kbeauty bloggers in the last year was Whamisa, a natural cosmetics brand using certified organic ingredients for their products. The brand was hard to purchase outside Korea first but more and more online retailers started selling their products. Honeysu is one of the first retailers in Europe (based in Belgium) selling Whamisa products and I was more than happy to be asked to review a bunch of Whamisa masks. Eventually, you saw the picture on Instagram I posted. Today, I will tell you about my impression of the Whamisa Organic Facial Mask Pack Sea Kelp, whereas next time I’ll be focussing on their hydrogel masks:

The Korean brand Whamisa is relatively young and was founded in 2010 as certified natural cosmetics brand. Their key ingredients focus on plant based fermentation extracts. The brand name is written in Chinese characters which have the meaning of flowers and beauty and the use of four key components of natural materials in their products. The attractive ingredients are combined with a beautiful packaging design in light colors. Some of the products are decorated with flower illustrations.

The Whamisa Organic Facial Mask Pack Sea Kelp is quite a special mask because it is not a soaked cotton sheet or regular hydrogel, but it is made from 100% sea kelp, which is the reason why this mask has a green color. The mask is purely made of natural ingredients and consists in 90.37 % of organic ingredients. I want to point out some of the ingredients of this mask below:

Kelp

Kelp is not only healthy for eating, but also does it have benefits for the skin. It is rich in antioxidants and minerals and thereby benefits the skin in terms of anti-aging. In how far a mask sheet made of kelp influences the skin is not clear, since usually the effectiveness is correlated with the procession of the kelp, eg. by using the extract.

Lactobacillus/ Aloe Maculata (?) Ferment Extract

I’m a bit irritated about having Aloe maculata here instead of the commonly used Aloe Vera (Barbadensis). Aloe Maculata is a aloe plant growing in South Africa. The gel of this plant forms foam with water, which is why it is used as soap. It produces a yellowish gel, which has similar properties like aloe vera, so it is primarily moisturizing and antibacterial/ anti-inflammatory. I also read that Aloe maculata is more resistant to higher salt concentrations, so maybe this is one of the reasons why using this, since sea kelp is used for the sheet mask. I wrote Whamisa an email asking about the Aloe and hopefully they will reply and tell me whether there is a specific reason in using this Aloe specimen instead of the more commonly used Aloe Vera (also confusing: the import label says Aloe Maculata, whereas the official page of Whamisa in its English translation says Aloe barbadensis). Ferment filtrate is nutrients-rich. It contains many vitamins, amino acids and proteins and helps to improve the moisture level of the skin.

Licorice Extract

Licorice extract is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and skin-conditioning properties and brightening. It is also used for fragrance in some cosmetics.

You will find the other ingredients listed on COSDNA, and you will discover that most of them are plant derived extracts and oils. I love the ingredients lists in total!

The Whamisa Organic Facial Mask Pack Sea Kelp is targeting wrinkles and dull and swollen face. But not only: it also improves the smoothness of the skin and the moisture level and has been tested by Gyoung Hee University. The sheet mask is divided into two parts, an upper part and lower area, folded between plastic sheets. The sheet mask has a marine green color and feels like soaked paper, kind of thin and slimey. The first thing to discover is the scent it has: it smells very strongly of algae (it is 100% kelp, so do not expect anything else :D) and if you are sensitive towards these kinds of scents you will probably have a hard time to leave this on your face. Since I have a salt water fish tank myself I was well prepared and kind of used to the scent, although it is surely not my favorite scent for skincare. The kelp sheets were soaked thoroughly with a yellowish, sticky essence. They are so nicely soaked, that the lower part of the mask kept sliding off my face. I can advice you to put this sheet mask on and lie down, so it will stay on your face and you will have some time to relax. Generally, I would advice you to use this mask in the evening, since the yellow essence tends to make the skin a bit yellowish at first and needs some more time than other sheet masks to absorb. Once it absorbs it definitely leaves a tacky and tighter feeling on the skin and seems to brighten up the skin. It also gives a nice glow and feels moisturzing. I didn’t experience any irritations while using this mask.

Whamisa totally has four different sheet masks. The Whamisa Organic Facial Mask Pack Sea Kelp mask is one of them. Furthermore there are three different hydrogel sheet masks available, which I will review in a couple of days as well. Don’t they look beautiful together?

I do like the Whamisa Organic Facial Mask Pack Sea Kelp and it has been my first kelp mask and my first Whamisa product in the same time. I can also understand the raving of many bloggers about this sheet mask. The scent of the mask is something special though, which might put you off if you do not like the strong algae scent. It also does have a superb ingredients list and all the products are labelled whether they are certified or not. I wish that more brands will take such a way of labelling more serious. My only tiny downside is the price, since Whamisa products are more expensive than other Korean brands. On the other hand the high price is justified by the origin of the ingredients. After all it is up to you whether to want to spend more money and know where your ingredients are from that you are putting on your face, or you prefer the cheaper versions – which I didn’t try, so I cannot compare it for you here (Whamisa was the first kelp mask I got to know, but is no secret that Tonymoly came up with a kelp mask, too).

You can get this mask from the Belgian online retailer Honeysu for ~~12 €~~ 9 US$ sale until supplies last (Yes, the price is for one mask and yes, it is really expensive compared to other sheet masks)! They ship within Europe quite affordably and most important super fast- but they also ship to other countries (higher shipping costs though). Honeysu doesn’t carry many brands, but they focus on products with non-harmful ingredients. I must say I really like the looks of the shop and I love their Instagram account. The pictures posted are always so beautiful! For my readers from the US you can get this mask from Amazon, too (14.88 US$).

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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 https://www.honeysu.com 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: Elizavecca 3 Step Sheet Masks

12. July 2016

You might have stumbled upon the giveaway I did on my Instagram account in collaboration with BBCOSMETIC?! If not, there is still a little bit time to enter the giveaway. Today’s review will be about the prices you can win: The Elizavecca 2 Step Sheet Masks! There are three different types of this mask available called Anti-Aging EGF Aqua Mask Sheet, Pore Solution Super Elastic Mask Sheet, and the Aqua White Water Illuminate Mask Sheet, all packed in an adorable packaging:

The Korean brand Elizavecca has gained quite some popularity among asian beauty lovers. The Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask of this brand really made a round in the asian beauty blogger community, and to my shame I must admit that I didn’t try it yet. Actually, this is my first product from Elizavecca…:D And it is not only the first time I’m trying the brand Elizavecca, but also the first time trying a sheet mask with 3 included steps! I did reviews of a 2 Step Sheet Mask by Forencos, which included ampoule and the sheet mask before, and I do like the idea of having many skincare steps combined to one sachet. The Elizavecca 3 Step Sheet Masks contain a cleanser, a sheet mask, and a third skincare product which fits to the specificities of the sheet mask.

Each 3 Step sheet Mask comes in a sachet with some cute illustrations of girls wearing sheet masks. The caption says “Liar Beautiful Girl”, which doesn’t make much sense, but anyways…Each of the three steps is in a separate chamber of the sachet, labelled with the numbers 1 to 3. The descriptions on the backside of the sachet are in Korean only.

Aqua White Water Illuminate Mask Sheet

Aqua White Water Illuminate Mask Sheet is targeting skin elasticity for for baby-smooth skin. It contains nutritious serum and EGF as key ingredient. As a first step you use the Bubble Water Cleansing Foam, in the second step the Anti-Aging Elastic Serum is provided. The third step is the Anti-Aging EGF Aqua Mask Pack. The cleansing foam is a regular foam cleanser with a neutral pH of 7. It foams up nicely, but also leaves the skin a bit tight. It is NOT the most drying cleanser I tried though. The serum is a clear gel-like fluid which feels moisturizing and nourishing. The mask is made of a think, see-through cotton, which is soaked densely with the essence. This mask feels moist and refreshed and has also nice cooling effect.

Pore Solution Super Elastic Mask Sheet

The Pore Solution Super Elastic Mask Sheet is for clearing up the face. It contains nutritious essence and bird’s nest extracts are for pore care and elasticity. First step is the pore cleansing foam. Second step is the Play Back Moisture Essence, and the last step is the Pore Solution Super Elastic Mask Pack. Also here the cleansing foam appears a regular foam cleanser with a neutral pH of 7. The essence feels hydrating and moist and is a bit more fluid than the serum from the previous mask. The sheet mask itself is a black sheet mask though.

Aqua White Water Illuminate Mask Sheet

The Aqua White Water Illuminate Mask Sheet is directed towards brightening and moisturizing the skin containing vitamins and glutathione as key ingredients. Here the first step is again cleansing the face, this time you’ll be using the Real Aqua Cleansing Foam. The second step is the sheet mask here. It is called the Aqua White Water Illuminate Mask Pack. As a last step you’ll use the Vita Aqua Moisture cream, a balm-type cream, in order to seal the moisture within your skin and give it a boost in hydration. The cream leaves a Sticky feeling and is better suited for the evening.

Below you can see the comparison between the textures of the sheet masks. The regular sheet mask on the left versus the black pore care sheet mask on the right.

I really like the Elizavecca 3 Step Sheet Masks. First of all, they are perfect for travelling, because you can take a small skincare routine in one sachet with you. Secondly, I like how well soaked the sheet masks were. Then, of course, they have a pretty and cute illustration on their sheet mask, too. :D Out of the three I liked the Aqua White Water Illuminate Mask Sheet most, because I loved the balm-type cream for sealing the moisture onto the skin. It is perfect for the nighttime routine. The other two were also suited for use during daytime. I received these sheet masks from BBCOSMETIC and they retail for 19.80 US$ for 10 pieces of one of the types and 12.99 US$ for 6 sheet masks (2 from each type). You can also use the voucher Q2C8JX9N45R3O in order to get 10 % discount on bbcosmetic. If you still have time feel free to join my giveaway on Instagram and you can test and try the sheet masks yourself!

What do you think of these multi-step sheet masks? Seems they are getting more and more common in the Korean beauty market.

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And don’t forget to take part in my Instagram Giveaway! You can win some sheetmasks there, too! :)

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

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asian cosmetics beauty Global Interpark PR Sample review

Review: Laneige Multiberry Yoghurt Pack

22. May 2016

Recently, I was contacted by Global Interpark, an e-commerce company in Seoul, whether I would like to chose any product from their shopping mall for reviewing. I didn’t know about Interpark before, but I learnt that they are the very first company to provide e-commerce service in Korea. There are over 800,000 items listed on their website and around 5,000 items are translated focussing on K-beauty and K-pop related items. I used this opportunity and selected the Laneige Multiberry Yoghurt Pack with had been on my wishlist for a long time.

Laneige is a Korean brand, part of the Amore Pacific Group. The brand name comes from the french word for snow which is “la neige”. The brand name reflects the beauty of young women between 24 and 32 years by focusing on water as source of life. Therefore the products design is more mature and clean, reflecting the image of moisture obtained through water. The Laneige Water Sleeping Pack is probably the more famous mask pack by Laneige, but the Laneige Multiberry Yoghurt Pack does sound super delicious and on top has a pink colored jar...so what to say more?! :D In contrast to the sleeping pack this pack has to be washed off after leaving it for a couple of minutes on your face.

The jar comes in a very simple cardboard box with the typical blue and white colors of Laneige. It doesn’t have many descriptions either, but inside the cardboard box you will find an instruction paper with descriptions, also in English. The Laneige Multiberry Yoghurt Pack is ‘designed to nourish the skin from deep inside and leave it supple’. It contains Soghurty, a specialized fermented yoghurt which promotes collagen synthesis and enhances the defense abilities of the skin from harmful external causes, according to the description. The berryblend complex, containing berry extracts from Raspberries, Blueberries, Wolfberries, Cranberries and Strawberries, supplies the skin with antioxidants and delivers nutrition. You can find a list of all ingredients on COSDNA. There are some minor irritants in the list, so be sure to check them out beforehand.

There is a spatula included in the packaging, so you do not have to worry about using your fingers for spooning out the pack. It has a creamy consitency and especially a very very delicious scent. I can only say that it smells like fruit yoghirt so I was really tempted to give it a try (but I didn’t!). The color is mainly white, but with a hint of pink. Spreaded it also feels like firm yoghurt and spreads easily, without being drippy. It will stay on your face and you don’t need to worry about dripping it all over. The pack can be left on the face for 5-10 minutes and washed off with lukewarm water afterwards. The skin feels – as promised- supple and nice and nourished and up to this point I cannot find anything negative about it.

The Laneige Multiberry Yoghurt Pack fullfilled my expectations in every point. I think that this is a good quality wash-off maks with a delicious scent and this might be the only downside for some people who do not like scented products. I was surprised to read that the yoghurt was fermented, because I didn’t know that before, and as a lover of fermented products I’m happy to have chosen this wash off pack. It will definitely stay in my collection and be used up to its end. The Laneige Multiberry Yoghurt Pack retails for 18.47 US$ from Global Interpark.

Did you try the Laneige Multiberry Yoghurt Pack?

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

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Allgemein

Review: Lamy Cosmetics Real 97% Rice Paper Eating Mask Pack

22. January 2016

When it comes to DIY sheet masks rice paper has been often discussed as possibility. Now, Lamy Cosmetics has come up with pre-cut and essence included rice paper masks: The Lamy Cosmetics Real 97% Rice Paper Eating Mask Pack!

Lamy Cosmetics is a Korean cosmetics company with 6 different brand. The brands are Renoma, Geo, Sortie, Lafine, Catalina Geo, and Mennen. I reviewed products from Lafine and Catalina Geo previously, so the company name was known to me, but I know that many of you will not have heard of these brands before. The Lamy Cosmetics Real 97% Rice Paper Eating Mask Pack comes in three versions: tumeric, green tea and black rice– Since the mask sheet is made of real rice paper (yes, the one you may know from your kitchen) the name “Rice Paper Eating Mask” makes somehow sense. Also the three key ingredients are widely known as ingredients from our more or less daily food.

Why using rice as main ingredient of this natural mask pack? The sheet masks claims to have a wearing sensation which is completely different compared to the others sheet masks made of synthetized material. This way the mask is suitable for sensitive skin types and can be used safely without any irritation.

Moreover, the ingredients of the sheet mask essence uses patented herbal ingredients. It contains diverse herbal ingredients such as rh-EGF capsulized with lecithin, plant stem cells, Chinese redbud, and fermented red ginseng to nourish, reduce irritation and skin’s stress as well as keeping its health. The ingredients and description for the sheet mask are written in English and Korean on the backside of the mask sachets.

The essence of all three masks has the same ingredients. The only difference between the three masks are the rice paper sheets. The Lamy Real Eating Mask Tumeric has a sheet made of Rice, Tumeric, Water, and Salt. The Lamy Real Eating Mask Green Tea has a sheet made of Rice, Green Tea, Water, and Salt. Lastly, the Lamy Real Eating Mask Black Rice has a sheet made of Rice, Black Rice, Water, and Salt.

The Lamy Cosmetics Real 97% Rice Paper Eating Mask Pack have to be used as following: First, clean your skin with a toner after washing your face. Then, spread the essence included in the package on your rice paper mask sheet. Let the essence be absorbed by the rice paper for around 2 minutes. Afterwards, you can put on the mask from the center of your face stroking it to the outsides. Remove the product after 15-20 minutes and then finish your routine with your base products. Since the rice paper will turn from its hard, paper-like consistency into a jelly sheet you should not pull the mask while applying, because it is easily torn.

The essence for all the mask contains a bunch of plant extracts-some known from traditional chinese medicine, like ginseng, and Rehmannia glutinosa. The list also contains Bifida Ferment Lysate and Lactobacillus Ferment Filtrate. Ferment filtrate is nutrients-rich. It contains many vitamins, amino acids and proteins and helps to improve the moisture level of the skin. Lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) extracted from milk, and honey and sugars (Trehalose and Raffinose) for nourishing and moisturizing are also worth to be mentioned here.

Below, you can see how the structure of the rice paper changes, after applying the essence on the rice paper. The essence has a light scent, but it is not heavy in my opinion. It is a clear liquid, with a consistency between gel and water. It distributes easily in the plastic container of the rice paper mask.

Once the sheets are soaked you will see that the consistency of the rice sheet masks resembles hydrogel masks. It is jelly and thin. The tricky part comes here: the difference between rice paper and hydrogel masks is, that the rice paper mask is much more prone to be torn apart. Honestly, I didn’t manage to use any of the masks without tearing at least a tiny bit of it. The second problem is, that it does not adhere to the skin as tightly as hydrogel masks…even not like regular cotton sheet masks (or whatever fabric used for the sheet masks). I could not wear the masks for longer than 10 minutes because it started to fall off at the one or the other side. Nevertheless, I must say that the essence is great. When absorbed completely the skin feels soft and smooth and no sign of irritation or anything.

Now, I really do like the performance of the essence of this mask, but is it worth buying a sheet mask made from rice paper? Honestly, I would not buy the mask myself. I would rather to buy an essence with similar ingredients (or one that I really like) and a pack of rice papers or compressed paper masks (or even cotton sheets or pads). It will have the same effect, or even better, and you can mix in your favorite serum etc together with the essence and soak your preferred material. Surely, the Lamy Cosmetics Real 97% Rice Paper Eating Mask Pack is a great product for you if you are too lazy to cut your rice paper or whatever into pieces, but even that is not the biggest deal, is it? If you want to give it a try anyways you can find these masks at Lamy Cosmetics, or on ebay or Amazon.com. It retails for 6000 Won (or around 8 US$ from ebay/Amazon). Did you try rice paper masks already?

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 January 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

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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asian cosmetics beauty BNTnews PR Sample review

Review: Moonlab Real Cooling Thermometer Mask Skin Radiance

23. December 2015

This is the first time I heard of a cooling sheet mask containing liquid ice and the first time I heard of the brand Moonlab. The Moonlab Real Cooling Thermometer Mask for Skin Radiance is a Bio-Cellulose Mask with dual functionality of whitening and wrinkle improvement.

The brand Moonlab is a Korean brand, but is was absolutely new to me until now. There is an official webpage called PureskinWorld were you can find Pure Skin and Moonlab products, but for Moonlab there are only the Real Cooling Thermometer Masks which are available in three different versions, the Moisture Supply, the Nutrition Supply and the Skin Radiance Mask. I will show you the Moonlab Real Cooling Thermometer Mask Skin Radiance Mask in this post. As said before, the Skin Radiance mask is directed towards Whitening and Anti-Wrinkle. It is an ice cooling mask that cools down skin which is overheated by sun exposure, excessive exercise or external stimulation and helps to make the skin less dull and more radiant and bright.

The ingredients of the Moonlab Real Cooling Thermometer Mask are great, too. According to COSDNA all the ingredients are safe to use. You can have a look here for all the ingredients of this mask, but the list is also written in English on the sheet mask packaging. The two key ingredients are liquid ice and snow lotus extract. The liquid ice is responsible for the cooling effect and refreshes your skin. The Moonlab Real Cooling Thermometer Mask for Skin Radiance has a skin temperature decreasing effect of 6.5°C! Snow lotus extract has brightening and relieving properties. Apart from these two ingredients there are a bunch of other ingredients worth mentioning: Niacinamide for brightening, Hyaluronic Acid and Pseudoalteromonas Ferment extract for moisturizing, and even snail secretion filtrate for its anti-inflamatory effects. Also, there is a stable, water-soluble form of vitamin C that functions as an antioxidant (Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate) in the ingredients list. Last but not least, a whole bunch of plant ingredients build up the rest of this mask! I probably do not have to mention how much I liked this list of ingredients!

The sheet masks come in a cardboard box containing 4 sheet masks packed in separate sachets. The sachets have a thermometer displayed on the right side, which has a thermal indicator function. When the temperature of the mask is 15°C or less the symbol changes its color from silver to blue and indicates the perfect temperature for using it. But that’s only optional, but really a funny idea. Apart from that the design of this sheet mask is very medical/scientific, with a clipboard illustration and the bars showing the effect of the temperature decrease.

The Moonlab Real Cooling Thermometer Mask is a bio-cellulose mask, a gel type mask sheet made of fermented coconut juice with bacteria. It adheres very neatly to the skin and doesn’t slip around like some hydrogel masks for example. I really like how soft and jelly it feels nevertheless. Due to the fact that the sheet masks are made of bio-cellulose the thickness of the sheet may vary because it is made from fermented coconut water. The bio-cellulose mask is protected by a plastic paper from one side and a cotton type sheet on the other. The essence is a clear type with a fluid, but not completely watery texture. It has a mild scent, which is on the flowery side, but I couldn’t define it properly. You can use the mask for 10-30 minutes, but even after 30 minutes it still has its cooling sensation. And yes, the cooling sensation is really more obvious than with regular sheet masks! You really feel how your skin tightens up from the cold. Afterwards the skin feels brightened and vital and refreshed and really softened!

I really loved using this mask and apart from the 3CE Water Wrapping Facial Mask, this has become one of my favourites! I can imagine that this mask is super great for hot seasons and weather, but also after exercising. I used up 3 of these already and saved one…A pity the box comes only with 4 pieces of this mask and the retail price of 26000 Won (around 26 US$) makes it quite an expensive mask, too. But I’d say it’s worth the money! I couldn’t directly see any longterm effect considering whitening or anti-aging with only three masks, but it has definitively a direct tightening effect because of the cooling..and it contains Niacinamide and vitamin C, so the chances are good that it does a tiny bit of anti-aging and brightening, too. Nevertheless, I would like to try the other versions of the Moonlab Real Cooling Thermometer Mask! Did you try a Bio-cellulose mask before? did you know about the brand Moonlab?

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 beauteque beauty PR Sample review

Review: Hanaka Macaron Facial Masks

21. September 2015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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asian cosmetics beauteque beauty PR Sample review

Review: My Beauty Diary 2-Step Repair Mask Packs

8. September 2015

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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asian cosmetics beauteque beauty PR Sample review

Review: From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack

31. August 2015

I’m really happy about writing this review, because I really like the From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack. This product was kindly sponsored by Beauteque, online retailer of Asian cosmetics. Some of you might have seen the bunch of products I selected from them for reviewing on my Instagram account :) I really like using sleeping mask, since I love the feeling of my skin on the next day after using these kind of masks. Usually sleeping masks or packs boost your skin over night with extra moisture or nutrition. Since the skin absorbs and works more efficiently during night such products are always a great idea.

From Nature‘s motto is “messanger from nature’s power”, and therefore this Korean brand uses natural ingredients in their cosmetic products. eChoice is a line by From Nature, and the From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack is what I’m reviewing here today. According to the description, this sleeping mask “infused with jasmine, rose, chamomile, green tea, and white tea extracts, boosts its oriental tea complex that works to deliver deep nutrition, moisture, and soothing effect overnight.” The From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack “creates moisturizing, transparent, illuminating, and water-based bright, resilient, luminous skin.” This sounds really promising for a sleeping pack.

The sleeping pack line from From Nature eChoice comes in two choices: the From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack and the From Nature eChoice Fermented Beans Sleeping Pack. Beauteque is currently only offering the From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack. The packaging of the plastic tube containing 70 g is simple, but it shows the image of herbs and a bowl of tea (probably). The description on the tube of the From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack is in Korean only, but you find the instructions and the short description on Beautque, too. The ingredients of this sleeping mask are listed on COSDNA, and the list is neither long, nor harmful. Most of the ingredients are plant extracts from jasmine, rose, green tea, white tea, and chamomile. If you know about reacting to any of these ingredients you should be careful when using this sleeping mask though. apart from these the key ingredient here is the Lactobacillus Ferment, which was the main reason for me to try this sleeping msk. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial activity when applied in concentrations of 5% or more. It has skin coditioning properties, too. So this fermented oriental tea complex from the plant extracts mentioned above has a concetration of 100ppm, as stated on the packaging.

The From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack has a light and almost transparent gel texture. The scent is very pleasant and lingers on the skin. It reminds me of the Laneige Water Sleeping Pack in its structure and scent and feel on the skin. It is very waterful/moisturizing when blended on the skin, too. In order to use it you apply a proper amount to your face as last step of your skincare before you go to sleep. Next morning, you wash it off with lukewarm water. After using this the skin feels very soft and nice.

In my opinion, the From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack is a great option for those who find the Laneige Water Sleeping Pack too expensive. The From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Mask does a good job in moisturizing and smoothening the skin over night and costs only 12.00 US$ at Beauteque. It has a very relaxing scent, too! Also, if you like fermented ingredients the From Nature eChoice Fermented Tea Sleeping Pack is a really recommendable product to try.

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

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asian cosmetics beauteque beauty PR Sample review

Review: SNP Animal Tiger Wrinkle Mask

13. August 2015

There has been kind of a wave of these printed sheet masks, but the first ones I saw being reviewed in the asianbeauty community were the SNP Animal Sheet Masks. The SNP Animal Tiger Wrinkle Mask I’m reviewing here was kindly sponsored by Beauteque, online retailer of Asian cosmetics. Some of you might have seen the bunch of products I selected from them for reviewing on my Instagram account :)

SNP is a Korean brand developed by dermatologists and focusing on the creation of functional cosmetics combined with the knowledge of scientific cosmetic research. You may have heard from this brand before, mainly because of their sheet masks. I reviewed their SNP Bird’s Nest Aqua Eye Patch before and uü to now it is one of my favourite eye patches…I’m even using it on my smile lines and it is really cooling and hydrating. The SNP Animal Sheet Masks are available in different designs. I will show you the SNP Animal Tiger Wrinkle Mask, but the other masks available are: Dragon Soothing Mask, Otter Aqua Mask, and Panda Whitening Mask. Aterwards, SNP also released the Beijing Opera Aqua Mask. As you can tell from their names, each of these masks targets another skin oncern. The SNP Tiger Wrinkle Mask is an Anti-Wrinkle Mask to boost dull skin cells with elastic energy leaving skin radiant and resilient.

Like all sheet masks the SNP Animal Tiger Wrinkle Mask comes in a sachet. The design of the sachet is cartoon-y, with the illustration of a tiger on the front. The color of the sachet is a yellow/orange one and fits to the image of a tiger. On the backside of the sachet mostly all the description is written in Korean. On the bottom however you find the English ingredients and directions. The ingredients are listed in COSDNA, too, and you might want to look them up >>here<< or have a look at the image below. The main ingredient will be coconut water. Coconut water is said to be rich in elecrolytes and minerals, moreover, it is a good moisturizer and helps to replenish dehydrated skin with help of its aminoacids, when applied for longer time topically. In contrast to coconut milk or oil it doesn’t contain fat and larger proteins. Apart from the coconut water the mask contains some plant oils and extracts and hyaluronic acid. The downside is the alcohol and triethanol amine, which is also part of the ingredient list of the SNP Animal Tiger Wrinkle Mask. If you have sensitive skin you should be aware of these ingredients and also check about the other ingredients.

The SNP Animal Tiger Wrinkle Mask comes nicely folded in a sachet full of essence. It is almost dripping wet and there is more than enough left-over essence to cover neck and arms etc with it. The essence has a clear color by the way. I read a horrible review for the SNP Beijing Opera Aqua Mask on Instagram yesterday by Sam from samthebear.com. Her essence was stained red and after she used it her skin was super irritated and stained red, too! If you bought these printed masks, please check if the pigments of the mask have transferred into the essence already. I doubt that it is supposed to be that way! The sheet mask has a regular fit for me and does not fit perfectly, but good enough to not slip around on my face. It feels cooling and refreshing, and has a perfum-y floral scent. I left it as directed for around 10-20 minutes, took it off, patted the remaining essence into the skin and felt my skin being tighter from the cooling effect and the moisture. I really enjoyed this mask, although one use may not be enough to judge the longterm effects of the SNP Animal Tiger Wrinkle Mask. Another point I really enjoyed was the design of the mask and how it makes you look like a cartoon tiger. The mask design is quite detailled and pretty, too. The pink nose looks super cute! It was really fun and entertaining, also for people around you :D Below you can see my awkward selfie in combination with the Etude House Lovely Etti Hairband :D

The SNP Animal Tiger Wrinkle Mask is skincaretainment on a high level! I really enjoyed wearing it and taking funny selfies wearing this mask. The downside for some will be the alcohol in the ingredients list, but the other ingredients look quite okay though. My skin didn’t feel irritated after using this mask. The amount of essence is also great and the sheet mask won’t dry up on your face compeletelly when you wear it within the recommended time. I would also love to try out the other SNP Animal Masks just to see if they are different, and try more masks of this one to see wether its anti-wrinkle claims are true. You can get the SNP Animal Tiger Wrinkle Mask from Beauteque for 2.60 Us$. And yes, Beauteque does not only have great subscription boxes, which many of you might be familiar with, but they also sell individual products. Beauteque offers Free Standard Ground Shipping for all orders over $35 (excluding taxes) anywhere in the US, international shipping costs are based on international rates (per package weight). If you want to check out some other reviews on the SNP Animal Sheet Masks I can advise you to check out the reviews on KimKine, UrHappyBunny or EverythingaboutBella.

♥ If you have time feel free to join my giveaway! ♥

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