O.S.T. Archive | Berries in the Snow

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 ♥

4 Comments

asian cosmetics beauty review Wishtrend

Review: O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum

23. October 2013

EDIT: A new version of the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum has been released, which is called C21.1 Advanced Serum. If you have sensitive skin I can recommend you to check out the review on the new formula >>here<<.

A couple of month ago I took part in one of Wishtrend’s giveaways and I was very lucky to be chosen as one of the winners. Around two weeks later I got a package from Wishtrend containing the popular O.S.T. Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum. I’ve read a couple of reviews for this serum before and it did seem to work greatly on most of the reviewers, so I was especially curious for the effects.

The brand O.S.T or C20 is best known for exactly this serum reviewed here. O.S.T or C20 belongs to the same manufacturer as COSRX and Ciracle and is a Korean brand. The signature packaging of the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum is the orange cardboard box containing a brown glass bottle with an orange label. Many people will ask themselves why to use a vitamin C serum in their skincare routine? Usually, Vitamin C serums help to keep your skin nourished. Vitamin C can help brighten your skin, it can act as chemical peeling when used in a high concentration and it has anti-aging properties. Sounds promising!

The O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum has a volume of 30 ml and a shelf-life of 12 months after opening, although, since it is a vitamin C serum which oxidizes by time, you should use it up as quickly as possible. The cardboard box shows the detailed Korean description of the packaging. You can find English description on Wishtrend.

Ingredients of the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum are:

Water, Ascorbic Acid, Ethanol, Sodium Lactate, Butylene Glycol, Glucose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosa Davurica Bud Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil. Sodium Hyaluronate, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Xanthan, PEG-180, Gluconolactone, Beta-Glucan, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Zinc PCA, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Tocopherylacetate, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ubiquinone, Diisopropyladipate, phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben

According to COSDNA the ingredients of this vitamin C serum are safe to use. There are some minor irritants though. Apart from vitamin C, the key ingredient, the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum contains a mostly different moisturizers, some plant extracts as antioxidants, but also alcohol (Ethanol). Methylparaben is also listed in the ingredients. Sodium lactate, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide are some of the positive ingredients here, acting as moisturizer and brightener. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and thus can prevent our skin from aging early. The content of Vitamin C in this serum is very high compared to other vitamin C serum. It contains 20 % vitamin C. You have to know that a high concentration of Vitamin C doesn’t mean automatically that it is more effective concerning anti-aging. Normally, a high concentration of Vitamin C aims at a visible effect, because it tends to operate as a peeling by loosening dead and old cells. This is not a bad effect and stimulates the skin to regenerate itself, but keep in mind that it won’t affect the inner cell layers of your skin which have to be aimed if you really want an anti-aging effect.

The orange color of the packaging may be simple, but it reminds people of orange fruits, especially oranges, which makes them think about vitamin C automatically. The bottle inside comes with a sealed cap and a separately packed pipette. The pipette is very useful for the application of the serum and makes it possible to apply the serum carefully. Since vitamin C can oxidize the brown bottle is a good choice to prevent this, but you are even more safe if you store it additionally in the fridge, because warm/high temperatures can degrade the vitamin C as well.

Also make sure to close the cap of the bottle always tightly! As you can see in the image above, the color of the serum is a very light yellow. The color becomes more pigmented the longer you keep the serum, so it is best to use it as soon as possible, once the bottle is opened. A strong yellow color only means your vitamin C serum has oxidized!

As to the structure of the serum: it is a bit less fluid than water, similar to oil and has a similar thick consistency. When applied on the skin it leaves the skin with stickiness. I had no problems with the stickiness as long as I applied it only before sleeping. During daytime I didn’t want to have the sticky feeling. Finally, I started mixing 2-3 drops of the serum with my toner or moisturizer in the morning, which worked great and was much less sticky than putting it on your skin alone. The scent reminds me a bit of oranges. So, what effects did this serum have on my skin? I tested it for around 2 months now and it does some nice work on the skin: my skin feels more even and smooth and appears cleaner. I didn’t see a whitening effect or any effects on my black-/whiteheads (but I really don’t have many of them to begin with…). It seems the peeling effect by the vitamin C works really nice and the skin regenerates itself a bit, resulting in the nice feeling of my skin which I had. Since I liked the effect of it I can recommend you to try O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum by yourself. Perhaps it improves your skin, too and/or even helps with the other skin problems. One negative part I recognized was, that the serum stings the first few minutes after application. After a while this effect is not noticeable anymore though. If you tend to have dry skin like me, this serum can be a bit drying, but you can either mix the serum with a moisturizer or apply moisturizer afterwards.

I really like the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum! It is affordable compared to other concentrated vitamin C serums and it is effective in terms of smoothing your face and making it look healthier. EDIT, since I can know compare this Vitamin C serum to the reformulated O.S.T C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum: The O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum is much more intense than the O.S.T C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum. On the other hand the C21.5 doesn’t contain any parabens or other artificial ingredients. It doesn’t contain alcohol either. Also, it is not as sticky and doesn’t sting as much as the C20. Nevertheless, I had the feeling that the C20 was more effective on my skin. I had more visible results on my skin. Which of the two is the better serum for your skin I cannot tell, but I can recommend you to try rather the C21.1 if your skin is very sensitive. Go for the cheaper C20 if you have quite normal skin. Both serum, the old and the new version can be purchased at Wishtrend. The old O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 comes with free shipping and retails for 14.99 US$ at the moment, which is really affordable for a vitamin C serum. The new O.S.T C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum retails for 24.99 US$. Both bottles contain 30 ml. Check out my blog for the monthly coupon codes for your shopping experience at Wishtrend. Also, keep in mind their friend-referral program: You can receive a 5 Us$ referral coupon if you use my invitation code 17939205 upon registration and you’ll receive this voucher immediately. There will be a specific field in your registration form called “friends invitation program” where you can put the code mentioned above. This way new customers can safe 5 US$ which is a great possibility to safe some money.

Rating:

43 Comments