Being involved in the beauty world, it comes to no surprise that all my friends, family and virtually everybody I encounter, know that I revolve around a lifestyle that most people probably have no time for; that is, everything beauty related. With that, also means I get the few odd gifts from friends; things like fake lashes, lipsticks in shades I would never imagine myself wearing, and of course, extremely budget friendly eye shadows.
Oh my lord, the amount of eye shadows I have received in my life in uncountable, though, none I have received thus far have been anything CLOSE to drugstore. I’m talking about the products you’d find at the dollar store. Things that no beauty would ever THINK to even try. I am however, an experimenter and a person who likes to at least, try and utilize whatever is given to me.
I managed to keep two shadow palettes, so today, I really want to see what a $2 AUD eye shadow can REALLY do.
When I say these are less than drugstore quality, I literally mean they are less than drugstore friendly. These eyeshadows are so cheaply manufactured and made, even drugstores don’t want them. Introducing you guys to the Runway Glamour Eyeshadow Palettes, in the collections Berry Bloom and Blue Magic.
Each palette comes with 6 shades; all are shimmery with small glitters. This means, a general eye look can’t be made with these eyeshadows if you are someone who prefers matte eye looks, or prefer using mattes for eye contouring and definition. I for one, am part of that bandwagon, preferring a semi-matte shimmer at the very least to define the outer corners or shading in the crease.
Before doing anything with the eyeshadows, I took the time to look at what were in my hands, make a quick prayer, re-evaluate my position in life and have the phone ready for when I will admit myself into hospital. I already know how budget eyeshadows, ESPECIALLY ones that aren’t even drugstore friendly, can be weak in pigmentation, chalky looking, crumbly in the pan, full of fall outs and just, ugly in general. Even though I’m hoping that these eyeshadows aren’t to that nature, I am secretly aware that my expectations will become a reality.
Unfortunately (?) my expectations were true. Here’s the arm swatch for reference.
TOP TO BOTTOM using the best of my color descriptions as possible, as these had no names: BLUE MAGIC PALETTE – silver, lavender purple, light aqua blue, dusty turquoise, maroon, navy blue. BERRY BLOOM PALETTE – champagne, muted brick, dusty rose, copper, warm taupe, chocolate.
The blue shadow palette looked pretty in the pan, though they’re all colors I’d never use in my life. Maybe the plum and navy blue, but just those two shades. It also came with a tiny sponge tip applicator which was cute, though I’ll never use it in my life.
The pink palette was just as pretty, and actually had wearable shades, so I was the most excited with this one out of the two. However, I was super upset to see that this palette didn’t even HAVE a shitty sponge tip applicator so that made me real mad. Anthony was mad, then he became sad.
Since I’m dealing with eyeshadows, I decided to try and play around as much as I could while I was putting myself at risk for an eye infection or irritation. For reference, I started off with an already made up base, eyebrows, slight nose contour and highlight. I tried a variety of brushes including Pony Effect, Etude House, Missha and MAC. I ended up sticking with Pony Effect brushes, since they performed the best with these shadows.
Reference: I’m combination sensitive with acne prone skin. I used Sulwhasoo CC cream, Pony Effect Mattifying Blur Powder, Clio Conte de Brow and TCFS Artclass.Starting off with the Blue palette, I applied several layers of the light aqua. Several layers WERE necessary because lack of pigmentation.I used the lavender purple shade on the inner corner and the dusty turquoise on the outer corner. Again, I applied 5 layers.After blending the harsh edges, I topped off using the silver color, which literally did nothing to the eyes. I doubt you can even see anything in this photo, since I couldn’t even see anything in real life.Lastly, to test out the pigmentation, I used the navy blue color to line the eye in a cat shape. I was surprised color could come out since the lighter tones needed several layers for a glimpse of pigment.Onto the Berry Bloom palette, I tested muted brick, dusty rose and copper. All the eyeshadows looked way too similar with each other to distinguish the difference between the three. I decided to stick with the dusty rose shade, applying several layers onto the lid.With the warm taupe, I blocked off the inner and outer corners and blended to remove harsh edges.Again, I doubt you can see, but I used the lightest shade (in this instance, champaign) on the centre of the lid for variation.Lastly, I used the chocolate to line the eyes to test the pigmentation. After using below quality shades, I was taken aback by the chocolate shade even coming out with color.
Overall, the eyeshadows were lacking in pigment, and required a minimum of 5 layers for color to even show up. Since these eyeshadows are all shimmery, it makes the color on the lids even worse, as it makes the eyes more and more glittery, puling away from the color payoff it lacks.
The blue palette applied smoothly with fingers, and the pink did as well, bar the champagne tone, being really chalky and powdery in texture from finger swatches and application. Brush application was even worse, making the smooth texture become really powdery and difficult to apply. The amount of fallout though… don’t even get me started. Oh, BTW I also tried the shadows with a wet brush, and that didn’t do anything. In fact, it wiped off all the shadow I had with my lids. UGH.
To choose my favorite colors from these two palettes wasn’t hard. In the blue palette I really liked the wine and the navy shades respectively. Even though the wine wasn’t as pigmented, it still gave me a light wash of color. The navy was the most pigmented in the palette, and could be used as eyeliner, or as a contour shade for a dark smoky look. From the pink palette, I liked the copper and the dark brown shade. Again, the copper gave me color payoff more than I was expecting, and though the dark brown wasn’t pigmented enough for a strong eyeliner, there was at the very least, color coming off the brush I was using.
Would I recommend? Surprisingly, yes. I started off with Missha cosmetics, since Missha was the only K-Beauty retailer here in Perth at the time, other than The Face Shop, which was out of my way to go to. Since I applied makeup inexperienced, I had no clue what the hell I was doing, and ended up wasting products because I thought I was doing everything correctly.
For a beginner, these eyeshadows aren’t going to blow out your budget at all, have colors you can experiment with and being that these shadows aren’t strong in pigment, means you’re not going to leave the house looking horrendous; well, not as bad as I would have starting out with makeup. If you at the very least know your way around makeup products, then you can skip this recommendation because these shadows are shit.
If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to like, subscribe to my blog and share with your friends and family. Have you tried low quality makeup products before? Did your face burn off in the process? Let me know down in the comments below, or through my SNS, which you can find below.
The last post I made seemed to be popular, so I wanted to do another product empties post again. I was really upset, because I actually lost half of my products when I was cleaning out my stuff. I must have mistaken the empty bottles for trash and threw them all straight in the bin before I could take any photos of them, so unfortunately for me, I wasn’t able to get photos of my La Mer soft cream, the Creme de La Mer, POLA Grand Luxe, Albion Skin Conditioner, Sulwhasoo First Treatment Essence, Clinique Moisture Surge cream, Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask or The History of Whoo Whitening Ampoule set.
Nonetheless, I did manage to keep some items and so I will be talking about them here. Prepare yourself for ugly photos, dirty bottles and blurry pictures, because I am a professional blogger after all.
SKINCARE
ALLIE Sun block
I mentioned this product many times, and I believe that I did include this in my last empties post. I did end up repurchasing another 2 bottles, which both are now completely used up. I really love this sunblock as it has SPF 50 PA ++++, it’s light weight, absorbs nicely into the skin, gives slight white cast that appears natural on my skin and it’s wearable under makeup. The only problem I encountered with this sunblock is that locally, the prices were initially only $49.95 AUD, but with our ever declining market and dollar strength, prices for this baby are sitting at an average of $55 per bottle. Sure, the price was steep to begin with, but now I’m starting to feel it’s a bit ridiculous.
Would I repurchase? Probably, once the price stabilizes again, otherwise I might have to look for another sunblock that performs just as well as this one (which I can easily find because Allie UV blocks are comparable to Kanebo’s UV Milk/Gel and Innisfree’s Eco Safety IMO).
KOSE Speedy Cleansing Oil
A cheap spend, and a decent oil cleanser. Honestly, when it comes to cleansing, I don’t really care what product I use, provided it does the job effectively, is pH balanced suitable for the skin, and it is easily accessible to me. It’s very rare I stick to one brand of cleanser or cleansing oil, since I generally don’t care about it too much.
This cleansing oil isn’t an exception to my feelings of cleansing. It does the job very well, it’s gentle on my skin, breaks down makeup and emulsifies easily. I can’t really fault it at all, and it’s pretty cheap as well.
Would I repurchase? Sure, if this is the cheapest oil out in the AB market. Otherwise, I’d just go for the cheaper option, if there are any.
MANDOM Bifesta Cleansing Wipes – Bright Up
These have been a GOD SENT product. You guys know I absolutely DESPISE cleansing wipes, but these ones are enriched with the same liquid found in their micellar water, so I’m never worried whenever I use these sheets. I even wrote a whole blog post about them, which you can read about here.
Would I repurchase? I try not too, only because having cleansing wipes at the disposal can encourage laziness when it comes to skincare, but everyone knows that I’ll end up grabbing another package eventually.
MANDOM Bifesta Cleansing Lotion
Here starts the blurry photos.
Just like the wipes, I wrote a whole blog post on this product, so you can have a read of it here.
Would I repurchase? I like this micellar water, but I do prefer the Acne specific one from this range, so not necessarily repurchase the moist version, unless the Acne specific isn’t available. Actually, let me rephrase this.
I would repurchase depending on stock availabilities, in this order:
Acne Care
Bright Up
Moist Up
Q10 Enriched
So, to clarify, if the Acne Care isn’t available, then I would repurchase the cleansing water in the Bright Up formula and so on, so forth.
HELLO FACE Milky Drop Cream
Remember that DoctorCos branded cream I talked about ages ago? This utilizes the same droplet technology where the cream produced liquid droplets upon application to provide extra hydration for the skin. I found that this cream was a bit harder to absorb than the DoctorCos cream, but provided the same level of hydration as the DoctorCos.
Would I repurchase? Since this cream provided my skin with whitening care, that helped with hyper pigmentation, I would say I might repurchase it, since whitening care is so damn expensive. Otherwise, I’m inclined to go for different creams since there are better alternatives to this one in particular.
SECRET KEY Snow White Essence
I heard about this product back when I was working customer service in cosmetics retail, from a Muslim customer who only shopped skin whitening products. She basically told me this was THE product to help brighten the skin, and really stop your skin from getting darker. Since, back then, my peers and a few customers made me feel uncomfortable with my skin tone, I went out and bought a bottle to really “fix” my skin tone.
To clarify, I actually like my skin tone now; I think dark skin, light skin and everything in between are equally beautiful, and for me to think otherwise back then, was a bit stupid. Nonetheless, this is truly an example of how peer pressure or even bullying (if you can call it that) can affect someone’s mental state.
Back to skin care, I used this bottle hoping for a whiter and “more beautiful” me, but this bottle did absolutely nothing other than make my skin appear overly compensated with sebum.
Would I repurchase? HELL NO.
LEADERS INSOLUTION Wrinkle-Tox First Ampoule Mask
I was planning to do a separate blog post on this mask alone, but I lost my photos when I was doing my monthly clean out of images in my phone. Mistakingly, I deleted the mask images along with older blogging content that has already been published, so there goes my hard work down the drain.
Oh well.
As far as this mask goes, it was in this vial-like bottle seeped in serum and wrapped around a stick. The whole mask and design aspect itself was very interesting and nothing like I’ve ever seen before. Using the mask however, my skin was itchy and red upon application, and remained red for the rest of the day. The morning after, my face blew up with pimples.
Would I repurchase? Oh my god yes. I love getting allergic reactions and pimples all over my face.
if you can’t tell this is sarcasm, then you need to turn your locations on so we can chat.
ETUDE HOUSE Dust Cut Facial Mist
I don’t know why I bought this facial mist to be honest, but all I can remember was that the bottle was retailed for $35 AUD. Now, I’m not sure about you guys overseas, but here in Australia, Etude House is NEVER above $30, no sir. I say, that even though I don’t find it expensive at all, if you’re going to purchase a drug store branded item, then you’d expect to be paying drug store prices, right?
Overall, the mist itself was ok, albeit a bit dry on the skin. I mean, it’s to be expected if your mist claims to “cut the dust”.
Would I repurchase? Not at that price. Otherwise, I might get me another bottle.
AVENE Eau Thermale
AKA canned and compressed water.
What is there to say, other than Avene is EXPENSIVE here in Perth, and that it literally is water in a mist can.
It’s good for sensitive skin. BECAUSE IT’S WATER!
It helps to smooth and soften the skin. BECAUSE IT’S FUCKING WATER!!!!!!
Need I say more? Oh BTW I got the largest size and spent $59.95 AUD on it, so other than it being just a can of water, it’s also ridiculously priced. Who in their right mind is OK with spending close to 60 bucks on a can of water?
Would I repurchase? I’m notorious for spending and wasting money on unnecessary shit, but this is a bit too much. I’d rather buy a carton of carbonated water and use that as bathing water, than to repurchase this facial mist.
INNISFREE Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask
Cult favorite, my favorite. I have a Whoo clay mask that costed me a whopping $90 that honestly, performs less than what this mask can offer, and the Innisfree only cost me a quarter of the price. It’s a clay mask, it tightens, softens the skin, brightens the complexion AND it tightens pores. Needless to say, everyone can get their hands on it.
Would I repurchase? Of course; it’s cheap, effective, and it lasts a long time.
CLINIQUE Smart Treatment Oil
This is the beginning of dirty packaging as well.
I was pressured by the staff there to purchase a bottle. She literally made me feel like shit, left tissue paper tearing all over my face after I received a facial over there, and disregarded the fact my skin was literally burning when she applied not only a clay mask I’m allergic to, but also a toner that literally causes my skin to bleed. That stupid bitch made me look bad, feel bad, then came and said a few words that would have had me permanently removed from the shopping centre if I didn’t buy this oil. I was absolutely FUMING, but I couldn’t have myself permanently removed; I worked INSIDE the centre.
I bit my tongue and purchased the damn oil. What else could I have done? Sure, I could have told a few people and got them to help me out, but with no solid evidence, it would be word for word. A formal complaint written in handwriting would also have done nothing. Calling the store manager on her pasty ass? Again, word for word. Ain’t there a single thing I could have said or done to fix the issue.
Nonetheless, that’s in the past and I was stuck with a facial oil I didn’t really need. What did I think of it? Well, it was an oil, and it went on my skin. It absorbed terribly, made my skin congested because it sat only on the surface of my skin, and it smelt really weird.
Would I repurchase? I didn’t even want to purchase it to begin with. It felt disgusting during the facial massage.
ETUDE HOUSE AC Clinic Daily
If this is old packaging, and the new designs came out a while ago, guess how long I had THIS cleanser for.
Yes, I know this is the older formula.
Yes, I know I should have ridden this from my skin care a long time ago.
Yes, I know I ran the risk of skin irritation.
But, I didn’t get any skin troubles, I used it before the expiry date, given that packaging dates differ from the time you open the product and expose it to air for the first time, and I knew that after using this cleanser, I could compare this to the new AC Clean Up.
Would I repurchase? Well, no, because I can’t now. AC Clean Up cleanser, I would purchase it for Summer when my acne gets really bad. It’ll give me an indication as to how the new formula fairs against the classic I’ve fallen in love with over the years.
ETUDE HOUSE AC Clean Up Toner
This toner, compared to the original smells less chemically, but still has that medicinal scent to it. Other than that, the pricing point was the same, as so were the functions and capabilities.
Would I repurchase? Since I’m using a BHA active now, I’m not 100% sure I can, but otherwise I would, since it helps with acne and isn’t drying like other acne skincare products in the market.
POLA White BA Day Mask
Probably the ONLY high end product I was able to retain in my empties garbage.
This mask is somewhat of an extra step, and dedicated for all the extra people in the AB community. This is like a serum, except it is to be worn AFTER applying your moisturizers and such. That said, if you skip out on lotion, cream or whatever you use to keep your skin well hydrated, then relying on this mask is a huge no no.
I found that this mask was quite moist, kept my skin looking brighter, plumper and more glossy than if I were to skip this product altogether. However, being that BA is a collagen based product and intended for those with aging skin, it didn’t click in my mind that this wouldn’t be compatible with my dehydrated, yet, oily skin type at the time of usage. It goes without saying that this mask left me really oily after 3 hours, and it didn’t help my makeup if worn underneath. As a stand alone product itself though, I found this day mask was beautiful on the skin, even with the oily complexion, and it did keep my skin feeling hydrated throughout the day.
Would I repurchase? Since I can get my hands on POLA for a lovely price of $0, I don’t need to purchase it at all, but I did actually spend my money for this bottle, since my regular supplier of POLA didn’t have any Day Mask left, and I had to venture out to buy one for real. At a starting price point of $205 AUD, I think the fuck not.
HAIR CARE
POLA Emollient Oil Essence
This hair oil is the most pricey from what I’ve tried so far, sitting at $35 AUD per bottle. It isn’t cheap, but it worked wonders for my severely dry and damaged hair. I could wear the oil essence alone as a leave in, or use it as a pre flat iron treatment to coat and protect the hair itself. The scent is florally and light, which I liked, and the essence was thick enough to have an effect on my hair, but light enough that it didn’t weigh my hair down.
Would I repurchase? Definitely. It’s the best oil I’ve used to date, and I don’t think Western brand hair oils live up to the quality that POLA hair care provides.
FUDGE Clean Blonde Shampoo
Back when I had grey hair, this is all I used to retain the ashy color. It works wonders for people who want to achieve the ashy tone, or for those who want to maintain ash grey or silver hair. The only downfall is that the formula of this shampoo strips your hair completely of any moisture, leaving your hair dry.
Would I repurchase? Now that my hair is brown, I see no need for this shampoo. Maybe if I decide to dye my hair again, I’ll consider it.
FUDGE Clean Blonde Conditioner
OK this photo is unusable even for my standards.
Clearly I went for the blurry aspect of this photo. It’s my aesthetic.
Nah I’m joking.
I actually suck.
This conditioner is purple toned just like the shampoo, and is designed to act as a second wash of purple to achieve less brassy toned hair. However, the color is so light, that this conditioner does nothing to address hair tone whatsoever. On top of that, the conditioning capabilities of this product are so sub par that you’re better off wasting money on the cheapest hair conditioner you can find at the drug store.
Would I repurchase? I’d rather spend the $25 on food to sustain my hunger rather than this.
JOICO Intensive Hydrator Treatment
I actually asked the sales assistant to help me find a rich hair mask to keep my hair feeling softer and less frizzy, in which she suggested this product to me. Going home, I had high expectations for this hair mask, since the only other hair packs I liked were from Ichigami and Fino. This mask performed worse than those two, and left my hair feeling the same after washing, as if I were to not use it at all.
What a waste of $39.95.
Would I repurchase? No, and I’ll happily stick to my Fino for $19.95.
MATRIX Biolage Advanced Keratindose
Unlike other keratin hair care products, this one didn’t smell like I pissed all over my hands. That immediately was a good sign. The same lady that suggested the shitty hair pack, also suggested me this.
As a product, it really kept my hair feeling a little bit healthier and more glossy in appearance. I hate the spray nozzle though, since the keratin essence was too thick to be sprayed on in a fine mist. Nope, the keratin came out in jets of liquid. Overall though, not a bad product, but nowhere near $35 good.
Would I repurchase? If this ever went on sale, then yes. Otherwise, I’ll probably go back to smelling like piss again, with the cheap $6 Korean keratin essences.
TRESEMME Luxurious Moisture Conditioner
Everyone uses Tresemme because it’s big, cheap and easily accessible. I only bought a bottle because the AB stores didn’t have any Ichikami in stock, and that made me real sad. Nonetheless, as a fill in conditioner, it lasted longer than my Ichikami (I use a LOT of conditioner) and it worked fine too.
Would I repurchase? Sure, if I can’t find a replacement to Ichikami since it iS ALWAY S OUT OF STO C K
ICHIKAMI Moisturizing Shampoo
Speaking of the devil, this shampoo is my go to. It smells nice, works nice, and it’s $25 per bottle so nothing too crazy. I can wash with this and literally go without conditioner if I’m running late, and my hair won’t feel dry at all.
Would I repurchase? I don’t know, ask the AB stores when they’re getting their stock back.
ICHIKAMI Moisturizing Conditioner
Just like above, this works great, smells great and costs the same amount of money. There really is nothing else to say about it.
Would I repurchase? Yes.
YANAGIYA Hair Tonic – Super Cool
This tonic is supposed to stimulate the hair follicles to effectively keep your hair healthier and grow stronger. I bought this only because my head gets really hot, and I wanted a tonic to cool down the scalp in order to make my makeup last longer throughout the day. This tonic did just that.
I guess as far as it’s “actual” claims goes, it did alright. Nothing fancy.
Would I repurchase? Depending on my tolerance to heat in the upcoming summer, I might have to think about it.
MAKEUP
TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL Artclass By Rodin – Illuminizer
I don’t know if I can give a fair review on this since I was only able to use the highlighter 5 times before I accidentally dropped it and it smashed everywhere in my bathroom causing me to cry heavily for he next 300 years as I reflect back in my life trying to pinpoint where I went wrong as a child.
As far as a highlight goes, it worked beautifully from memory, the colors were really nice and the shimmer was natural since it wasn’t strewn with chunky glitters. Just like the contour, the powder itself is very smooth, and glides upon the skin for a beautiful yet skin like finish.
Would I repurchase? Well I have to, since I never even got to try it out properly.
TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL Artclass By Rodin – Contour
Speaking of contour, this is probably the 6th one I’ve used up completely since I first got my hands on it. I love contour, probably a bit too much. That’s probably why I always look muddy in real life, whenever people see me.
Would I repurchase? Well, I only used 6 so far, so I don’t know…
INNISFREE Long Wear Cushion
This is the OG cushion and not the new formula. I’m yet to try it out and see whether it’s the same thing or something completely different, but from what I had here, the cushion itself was nice, matte and stayed on for a very long time.
Would I repurchase? I actually want the My Cushions, you know, the ones with the hella fancy packaging where you can custom design your own case to make it match your cushion aesthetics. If I can get that, then yes I would love to buy another one.
NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray
I have been sleeping on NYX for so damn long, and I’m so mad with myself because NYX is actually so damn good! This setting spray included.
I can’t say much, since this literally goes over the top of your makeup, makes your base real glossy and sets makeup into place for the entire day.
Would I repurchase? It’s a couple of dollars, fuck the Too Cool For School one I was using before.
If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to like, subscribe to my blog and share with your friends and family. What are some of your empties you’ve tried thus far? Have you used or are currently using everything I have here on this blog post? Let me know down in the comments below, or through my SNS, which you can find below.
I’ve tried it all; soap bars, shampoo, dishwashing liquid, face cleanser, heck, even actual brush cleansing solution. Nothing really kept my brushes cleaner than what I’m going to share with you now. In saying though, you’ll probably be like “Anthony, what the fuck?”
Keep reading to see what I use to keep all my brushes and sponges free from makeup and dirt.
My secret ingredient for brush cleansing, is literally hot tap water, a silicone brush cleansing device (the one with all the grooves) and…
HOUSEHOLD LAUNDRY DETEGENT
I’ve tried using powder as well, and it works just fine. I would suggest dissolving in warm water, before adding it to more water, as the powder particles can get a bit annoying after a while. I don’t deal with that shit though, so I use liquid instead. Plus, this one here smells absolutely divine.
Yes, you read right. I remember one time, I got makeup all over my clothes, and I tried everything to get it off, and the only thing that remove the makeup from my stained clothing was laundry detergent, so I decided, why not use them on my makeup brushes as well?
Keep in mind that washing liquids of all types have a pH higher than 7; in chemistry terms, these agents are referred to as alkaline. When mixing an alkaline with an acid, you can neutralize the two agents to (hopefully) produce a neutral pH rated substance.
With this in mind, I always wash my brushes and sponges with a laundry detergent, and follow with a quick wash using a sub acid cleanser for extra precaution.
I don’t measure the quantity of liquid to water. I literally pour and guess the amounts each time, depending on the amount of brushes or sponges I am washing. For reference though, I usually try follow the recommended 1 cap-full of detergent to 5L of water guideline, as I would usually with my clothes.
Sitting at the bathtub, with my laundry detergent and hot water ready, I prepare all my makeup tools to the side, ready for washing them all.
I actually love the design aspect of the Pony Effect brushes being magnetic and able to hang upside down for perfect drying.
I find that washing your tools with just soapy water and your bare hands can prove to be difficult, so I picked up a cheap brush egg with grooves built in, to allow my brushes to be thoroughly scrubbed down and free from makeup, dirt and impurities.
I’m pretty sure I got this for $3 somewhere in Perth, but I could be mistaken. This gadget has been sitting in my bathroom for so long now, I forget the exact price I purchased it for.See the grooves it has? There are straight indents perfect for your larger brushes like foundation and powders, and tiny cylindrical indents perfect for your smaller brushes like brows and shadows.
From here on out, it’s as simple as dipping the brush in the water, giving it a quick swish around and scrubbing the living daylights of them all, to ensure they’re clean. With the laundry detergent mix though, I’m spending no more than 30 seconds per brush, so cleaning does not take long at all.
To be completely honest, this picture was taken after cleaning only 4 brushes. My fingers get darn pruney very easily.
For verification, I put to the test my most stubborn brushes to clean against this laundry detergent mix.
This is the Stippling Brush from Etude House. One of my favorite brushes for applying blush and shading.
I use this brush practically everyday to add blush to my cheeks, and blend out my contour. Sometimes, I’ll even dive right in with foundation if I want to be a little bit extra, or have a lot of time on my hands. My last cleanse with this brush, using a brush cleansing solution from a Western brand (I can’t remember which, but DB sounds familiar) left all my tools stained and not properly cleaned. I thought that this would be a good opportunity to see how it fairs against laundry detergent.
Directly after washing with the laundry detergent.
Though it”s not pristine white, most of the color did come off very quickly, and the water was practically clear giving the brush a rinse after a 15 second scrub. I guess, with brushes used for powder products, they clean almost immediately.
Honesty, my brushes tend to get dirtier than this. Unfortunately for me, this flat foundation brush was one of the more “cleaner” ones.
Next up is foundation. I use the Pony Effect Flat Foundation Brush virtually for all liquid products. Foundation, concealer on wider areas of the face, contour, liquid highlight. EVERYTHING. So in saying that, this brush was filthy prior to cleansing. Again putting the laundry detergent to the test, I wanted to see how liquid makeup fairs against it.
A tad longer than powders I must say, but overall, 40 seconds on a liquid makeup brush isn’t too bad either. Again, this photo was taken directly after cleansing with laundry detergent.
Clean. Not a single drama at all with laundry detergent. Had I used a specific branded brush cleanser, I’d probably be sitting at the bathtub for a good 10 minutes just on ONE foundation brush. Don’t even get me started on how shampoo and dish washing liquid works on them.
Etude House makes a good spooly brush in my opinion. As shown here, I like to bend my spooly on an angle for easier usage. Most brushes would snap, but this Etude House one hasn’t thus far.
How about a spooly? Such a weird brush to clean. Whenever I do my brows, I always use a wax to sculpt my brows, either powder or liquid to fill in, and then a coat of brow mascara to change the hair colors. With each step, I use my spooly to brush out the brow hairs into place, and to also blend the makeup. That said, this brush used every day, get’s a lot of gunk on the bristles.
I might have scrubbed too hard, a chunk came off at the top.
Not even 10 seconds, and the brush was clean. What else can I say, other than not to scrub this brush too hard as the bristles might fall off like mine. Oops.
NOW FOR THE REAL TEST
Brushes are easy to clean, but how about sponges? They’re the real devils when it comes to makeup tool washing. Again, just like the brushes, I’ve never actually had any good luck using everything else. Even specific brush cleansing solutions. The beauty sponges always stay dirty, and cushions don’t ever return to it’s former white color.
Too Cool For School marshmallow puff, since the original beauty blender isn’t available here from my knowledge. Speaking of which, I need a new sponge. Any recommendations?
Beauty sponges are one of the most daunting to wash; they absorb all the water and end up not even cleaning the makeup off properly. Even when you scrub and squish the living daylights out of them, they always remain dirty. How does laundry detergent fair though?
See the cracks? I definitely need a new sponge. Somebody help me!
I forgot my sponge was this shade of pink. Wow. That’s all I can say.
My arch nemesis – The cushions
“Yeah, but sponges are more easier to clean than cushions are.”
That’s very true. I’ve gone and seen many reviews on cushion cleansing, and virtually every single one I saw, nobody could get their cushions looking half decent no matter what they tried.
I mean, at least the cushion is white…
The liquid definitely made the cushion white again, which is definitely a relief, and the cushion itself is clean for sure. However, as the image shows, the Etude House band is stained from the foundation, and I wasn’t able to remove it at all. Nonetheless, this is by far the most cleanest I’ve ever got a cushion to, so I’m pretty darn happy.
After cleansing with laundry detergent, I go in for a second cleanse with face wash, and then lay all my brushes and sponges out on some kitchen paper to dry. Except for the Pony Effect brushes. I hang them upside down.
You can tell, most of my brushes are Etude House. They don’t shed at all when you wash them, and they stay feeling soft as ever, so why spend money on brushes when I rarely use them to begin with?The handy magnetic design means water can’t get to the base of the brush, dissolving the glue that keeps the bristles in place. Nonetheless, the fluffier brushes like the powder brushes and the blending eye brushes all shed like crazy, which defeats the purpose I guess.
After all the hard work, and probably 30 minutes in the bathroom, would I recommend using laundry detergent as a cleaning agent for your makeup brushes?
Well, it all depends. Of course looking at it from a skincare perspective, I’m sure we can all agree that laundry ANYTHING should never come in contact with our skin. However, the results do speak very loudly, and I guess, my answer is somewhere on the fence.
Until I can find a good makeup brush cleanser, I guess I’m sticking with Fab.
If you enjoyed this post, then don’t forget to like it, subscribe to my blog for future updates, and share with your friends and family. Do you have any secrets when it comes to cleaning your brushes? Maybe you’ve seen other methods that might be better than laundry detergent. Don’t forget to share ideas, or any feedback through the comments down below, or through my SNS.
They’ve been sitting in my bedroom for quite some time now, so I might as well whip them out and see what stick makeup products can actually do as far as makeup goes. I own 5 Etude House Play 101 sticks, a 3CE shimmer stick that I haven’t used on myself and an I’m Meme Shading stick that’s about to run out.
What sort of makeup look can I create with these products? Keep reading to see what kind of mess I get myself into today.
From left to right: PLAY 101 #3, PLAY 101 #12, PLAY 101 #13, PLAY 101 #11, PLAY 101 #10, 3CE Shimmer Stick #Peach and I’M MEME Shading Stick
Stick makeup isn’t new to the K-Beauty world by any means, but it is unfortunately one of the less popular beauty items in people’s personal disposal. I honestly bought these since each and every one I own were the only available here in Perth, and I felt like blowing my money on crap I didn’t need.
From top to bottom: PLAY 101 #03, PLAY 101 #11, PLAY 101 #12, PLAY 101 #13, PLAY 101 #10, I’M MEME Shading Stick, 3CE Shimmer Stick #Peach
As you can tell from the photos, the products aren’t as pigmented as I hoped for, other than the foundation stick and the shading stick. The others were lacking in pigment. Each formula was notably different as well. PLAY 101 #03, #12, Shimmer Stick and Shading Stick were all creamy in texture, whereas the PLAY 101 #10, #13 and #11 were more satin-powder type.To begin with the makeup, I always start off with a blank canvas, properly cleansed and moisturized. For reference, I use a pH 5.5 cleanser, tone with a pH 4.5 skin and moisturize with a gel type lotion.
Anthony is back at it again with the OLENS Russian Velvet in blue, which I got at Cosmehut for $36 a pair. They are too thick to wear comfortably in my opinion, and I’m hoping that, just like the OLENS x ANNA SUI lenses, these will become thinner over time and be comfortable. For now, I personally don’t recommend them.
I saw a sponsored Etude House video featuring beauty creator Pony, where she drew stripes across her face using the PLAY 101 foundation stick, so I took PLAY 101 #03 and did just that.I found that using this product, using a sponge gave more of a natural application than using a brush since the formula was so creamy. In saying that though, using a sponge only allows the product to apply up to a medium coverage, whereas a brush can stretch the foundation to a medium-full. Using a brush doesn’t allow the product to work well with the skin and emphasizes texture. It also makes the base look very cakey as well. Overall, the finish of the product wasn’t too matte nor too dewy. Somewhere in between, which I quite liked.
With two different shading sticks, I decided to use PLAY 101 #11 on one side, and the I’M MEME Shading stick on the other.
Beginning with the PLAY 101 #11, I applied the contour shade as per usual, but had to use 3 layers altogether just to get some color payoff. The overall tone was way too orange in shade for the product to be used as a contour, but I managed somehow.
I did the same with the I’M MEME StickJudging by the photo, you can immediately tell that the I’M MEME Shading Stick is way more pigmented, and has better color payoff. I only needed a single layer to achieve a contour.
In saying that though, the formula is extremely creamy, and thus, blending out for precise contour proved to be difficult. This can ultimately be fixed by using a brush and being careful; all I had no energy or effort for.
With contour done, I decided to do the same with the two blusher sticks; PLAY 101 #13 on one side, and PLAY 101 #12 on the other.
PLAY 101 #13 was sheer upon application and had fine gold shimmers throughout the product. Since this stick applied smoothly with it’s powdery-satin texture, it made my skin appear fairly smooth. However, blending the product out practically made it disappear. It was fairly disheartening.
In person, you can barely make out the blush color if you pressed your face against my cheekbones. On camera, yeah not a single trace of color at all.
PLAY 101 #12 was my hopeful product, since the formula was creamy type, and the color was noticeable upon application. However, just like the latter, this product blended out into almost nothing. At least in person, you can make out the color on the cheeks, but on camera, you can’t really see anything at all.
The last two sticks were the highlighters, which I was super keen on trying. I love me some highlight, especially cream type as they offer you natural glow that can either be worn alone, or be used as a base for your powders which strengthens the overall highlight.
Following suite, I decided to use PLAY 101 #10 on one side, and 3CE Shimmer Stick #Peach on the other.
PLAY 101 #10 was extremely brittle with it’s powdery texture, so chunks of the stick kept breaking off on my cheek. It was so damn infuriating to use and I really didn’t like it from the get go. The product was also strewn with chunky glitters which wasn’t appealing in the slightest. Overall, blending wise, it worked decently so I was at the very least, able to buff away the chunks of the stick sitting on my cheek bones.
I really don’t like 3CE much as far as their makeup goes, so I wasn’t expecting much when I was trying this shimmer stick.
However, to my surprise, it performed pretty darn well. The formula is on the creamy side, but blends out like a dream. Rather than chunky glitters, the shimmer stick has pearl pigments that actually make the skin appear as if it’s glowing.
After trying out the stick products, I finished off the base makeup by setting everything with a bit of powder, adding nose contour using the I’M MEME Shading Stick and filling in my brows.
For extra trials, I wanted to see how the blush sticks performed if they were to be used with a shadow brush and applied directly onto the eyelid.
With 6 layers, I used a small dense shadow placement brush to apply PLAY 101 #13 onto the entire upper lid, and halfway on the bottom lid. Since the pigment was weak to begin with, I wasn’t expecting the color to really peek through even with a brush, and I wasn’t wrong.
Using a shadow placement brush and PLAY 101 #12, apply the cream to the outer and inner areas of your eyes with preferably, 4 layers since the color wasn’t showing up at all.
I tried using the PLAY 101 #11 on the outer corners, but again, the color was way too sheer, so I opted for a dark taupe eyeshadow instead and placed that on the outer corners to contour the lid, and add color variation. I then set the rest of the eye with translucent powder just because the PLAY 101 sticks were creasing and moving around.
Since I wanted to at least finish off an eye look, I decided to draw a winged liner to tie everything into place.
Just to be extra, I added 3CE Shimmer Stick #Peach to the centre of the lids, inner corners and bottom eyelid for shimmer, and it performed excellently with just a single layer.
With that, finishes the eye look (unless you want to curl and add mascara as well) and gave me enough information to come up with a final judgement on the stick type products.
Overall, I am so dissatisfied with what I used today. The contour products were lacking on both sides since they were too orange, and the PLAY 101 #11 was just too sheer to even be seen on the skin with a single layer. At the very least, the I’M MEME Shading stick was somewhat useful.
The PLAY 101 #12 and #13 were products I sort of had expectations for, which ultimately let me down in the end. They blended away to nothingness with a sponge, and didn’t show up very well with a dense brush. I can’t say anything positive about them, other than the #13 being pretty in shade if you looked at it from it’s packaging.
The PLAY #03 was surprisingly decent as a foundation when used with a sponge, The only fault is that the coverage isn’t the best, and you’d better not risk looking cakey if you’re using a brush.
The 3CE Shimmer Stick #Peach actually blew my expectations out of the water. I fell in love the moment I started blending it into my skin with my sponge, and when I used it on my eye lids. The color is beautiful, the highlight itself is very natural, working alone for a beautiful glow, or as a base for your powder highlights. Out of everything I tried today, I would only recommend you buy this one, since it performed well.
Have you tried the PLAY 101 sticks or stick makeup before, or are intrigued as to why I don’t like them? Maybe you own some stick products that I might like. Let me know down in the comments below, or through my SNS and tell me your experiences with Stick Makeup. As usual, if you enjoyed this post, then give it a like, subscribe to this blog for future updates, and share with your friends and family.
Yet another acid on the face. My desires to achieve the perfect skin and the ideal skincare routine that works for me throughout the day had me to explore some more BHA products and this little bottle sent to me from Style Story is of no exception. If you haven’t already read, then please check out Powder Wash and Blackhead Liquid from my Style Story range; as this toner comes under the same category, in which I got this bottle for free for reviewal purposes.
Unfortunately, I did want these posts to come out a lot earlier, but with being really sick and busy with SO much schedules blocking my way, I have been super behind with my posting so I do strongly apologize.
As per usual, this writer has troublesome skin. Not only is the skin dehydrated with a combination skin type (oily in the t and dry in the u), he also suffers from acne and sensitivities around the mouth area.
****side note: this review is indeed sponsored and I will be providing a discount code for you guys, but as any other review I make in this blog, all comments are made up of my own thoughts and feelings and in no way am I changing up anything to glorify or bash this product to see fit, unless that is truly how I feel. I also want to note that being a sponsored post, I will NOT be making any profits from any sales towards any of these products. If you feel uncomfortable making a purchase from this post, then feel free to shop elsewhere. Otherwise, the complementary code I will be giving you guys are free for your use. OK ONTO THE REVIEW!
PLEASE REMEMBER NEVER TO ALLOW ALL ACTIVE INGREDIENTS TO WORK IT’S MAGIC ON YOUR SKIN (about 30 minutes) BEFORE CONTINUING WITH THE REST OF THE SKINCARE. AVOID LAYERING ACTIVE INGREDIENTS ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AS THIS MAY CAUSE YOUR SKIN TO BECOME OVERLY SENSITIZED OR REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF THE ACTIVES USED PRIOR.
Packed with ultra beneficial ingredients such as aloe and salicylic acid, this toner hydrates and preps your skin to help with the absorption of skincare products in the next step in your routine. It has a pH of 6, which is ideal for skin.
Aloe: Soothes, moisturizers.
Salicylic Acid: Exfoliates, reduces sebum, and is anti-inflammatory which is great for acneic skin.
Snail Mucin: Supports natural cell regeneration and replenishes moisture to increase firmness
For all skin types.
This toner, being a BHA containing 0.5% active salicylic acid, helps those with acne prone skin, blackheads and rough skin texture to recreate a flawless skin appearance. With aloe vera extract, it helps to condition, soothe and restore lost hydration to the skin, snail filtrate to repair and treat damaged skin, and sodium hyaluronate to add vitality and moisturizing care. From what the toner claims, it helps to practically treat any skin condition that the average person may suffer.
Let’s check the ingredients to see exactly what we’re dealing with.
Ingredients that are highlighted have a safety reading of 4, which doesn’t mean much for a lot of people. It just means there MAY be effects to the skin if used improperly over a long period of time. This ingredients list is pretty darn good, with that 1 safety ingredient, that really shows some sort of alarm (that can be totally disregarded if you aren’t too conscious of minor safety labels.) Other than that, no ingredient causes acne, or irritations other than snail secretion that may irritate those who have severe dust allergies, or those who are allergic to aspirin. Salicylic Acid is an active ingredient in this product, so it is strongly recommended to steer clear away from direct sunlight if unprotected, and allow the product to work on your skin for about 30 minutes, before continuing with the rest of your skin care. Since your skin will become sensitized from actives, it is strongly recommended to wear sunblock every single day and avoid direct sunlight to areas of application, or mixing other active ingredients within the 30 minute time frame.
The first ingredient isn’t aqua which is so damn pleasing to see, and a common factor in all Benton cosmetics. Other than the last ingredient in the list, the product is virtually made up of floral, and natural ingredients which may also please a lot of people who are looking specifically for skincare that isn’t jam packed with additives and preservatives. Trust me, working in the skincare industry opened my eyes up to the fact there are so many people who refuse to use skincare that contain anything PEG (or alike), preserved or fragranced.
DO NOT USE or patch test if you are allergic to aspirin, dust, if you are prone to/suffer from erythema, tumefaction or urtication.
The packaging is simple and green colored. A sturdy plastic bottle with a small pump applicator and a very simple description. Honestly, it fits my aesthetic, but for other people looking at it, the Benton Aloe Skin Toner may look dull and plain. However, in saying so, the Benton packaging (for the entire stock and not just the toner) does give you that pharmaceutical feel to it, and doesn’t look cheap. In fact, it was a surprise to my few friends after telling them that Benton is on the affordable side of the K-Beauty realm and that it doesn’t cost an arm or a leg for their cosmetics. Since I used this toner WITH and without the COSRX BHA (for experimental purposes), I used this toner for longer than a month, and I’ve only hit a quarter of the 200mL of liquid it comes with, so this will last you quite a while.
For the product inside, the toner is clear with the viscosity ever so slightly thicker than water. It absorbs almost instantaneously into the skin, leaving your face sleek, smooth and less oily in texture. My skin never felt dry, nor did it feel sticky in the slightest, which was a shock to me as aloe tends to leave my skin tacky, and snail products end up leaving my hair glued to my face. There is an extremely slight scent in the product, that you can only detect if you stick your nose in the liquid, and it smells fairly fresh. Quite pleasing honestly, since I hate overly scented toners. I had no reactions to the toner, even if I were to cut my skin accidentally if I were to be too rough with my face razor, nor did it cause me any breakouts. In fact, since using this toner, I feel like my acne has subsided dramatically and whatever odd breakout that does occur on my skin, is healed within days with just this toner alone. I would say it is amazing, but I’m sort of angry, because I still need to review some acne patches and now that I’m not having breakouts these days, it’s really difficult to do so.
Again, just like the COSRX BHA, it is wise to check the condition of your hands when applying this toner, as after all, it is a BHA and some BHA products can cause your hands to peel. If that is the case, then I recommend to use a cotton pad upon application, though I haven’t had any problems with it thus far, and my hands usually ALWAYS peel.
Usually when I apply toner, I leave my face dampened after cleansing and apply toner directly onto the skin, with patting motions to fully absorb the liquid and the excess moisture from cleansing. I tried with this toner to see if I could do the same, but resulted in suds smearing across my skin. I recommend you to fully dry your face before applying this toner, taking a pump or two directly into the palms of your hands/cotton pad, and patting it into the skin to apply evenly and absorb well. From thereon, comes the waiting game, where I’ll probably take myself to bed and watch a few Youtube videos for half an hour before continuing on with the rest of my skincare.
From the duration of using this toner, I can definitely say my skin is nowhere near as oily anymore, makeup lasts a lot longer than what I’m generally used to and my skin looks and feels balanced. There isn’t any great changes in the appearance or cleanliness of my pores (well, what do you expect with only 0.5% salicylic acid) but there have been amazing results with treating and controlling the texture of my skin, and acne, which are my main two concerns and the actual claims for this product.
Prior to applying toner, I washed my face with a 5.5 pH cleanser. I started off with a moisture content of 34.7% and an oil content of 15.6%. Overall, skin was already adequately balanced.After applying toner, skin’s water content was 52.5% and oil level was 23.6%. Moisture levels increased by 17.8% and sebum by 8%. Overall, skin remained well balanced.
For price, one bottle at Style Story costs about $22.95 AUD, which, just like the Tosowoong Cleanser, is by far one of the cheapest toners I have used in my entire life. The cheapest toner I have had to date has cost me $22 AUD. With only less than a dollar difference in pricing, I’d definitely choose this toner again, over the $22 toner that comes from the Korean roadshop brand starting with the letter E. Why wouldn’t you want to get your hands on this?
An extra bonus for you guys; if you shop at Style Story and use the coupon code ANTHONY15, then you can drop the price even more by 15%, which then makes the price sit at $19.50.
If it still works that is, hahahaha.
PROS:
pH balanced at 6 on the pH scale, to work with your acid mantle barrier and your skin.
200mL is a decent amount per bottle
Being a BHA, it isn’t drying on the skin whatsoever, and didn’t cause me irritations if I shave too carelessly on the day.
Virtually has no smell.
Lasts quite a long time.
Makes skin really smooth, fights acne pretty well.
Very good ingredients list. The only concern was salicylic acid with the category 4 rating, which can ultimately be disregarded since it doesn’t really mean much.
There is no water/aqua in the ingredients list; it is replaced with aloe barbadensis leaf water.
CHEAP AS HELL
CONS:
Being a BHA, you have to wait 20 to 30 minutes for the product to work at is optimal state before continuing with the rest of your skincare.
Since you’re supposed to wear SPF every single day anyway, it’s not really a con, but you’re encouraged to wear SPF daily since BHA can make your skin more sensitized to UV rays and sun damage.
★☆☆☆☆ – I want all my time wasted and all my money back for this crap. If I could turn back time and tell my past self not to use this, then I would without a single doubt. If I find this in my collection or if someone gave it to me, I’ll set it on fire and pray to the All Maker to repent for using such a terrible product.
★★☆☆☆ – It’s pretty bad and I definitely wouldn’t recommend this to anybody, but it’s nice to give it a go for myself. I’ll only use it if it was given to me for free and I’m severely desperate.
★★★☆☆ – It’s nice but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get another one for myself. Maybe if it was on special then I’d consider buying it, otherwise there are better products that I like a lot more than this.
★★★★☆ – It’s quite good and I would repurchase definitely. It’s not a staple yet, but if I can’t find anything better, then I’ll happily stick to this product.
★★★★★ – OH MY GOD GET YOUR HANDS ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS A LIFE SAVER AND WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY EVEN IF YOU BECOME POOR BECAUSE OF IT OMG
Now that you know what the stars mean, you can figure out what I mean by my personal ratings.
VERDICT: Once again, I am thoroughly impressed with Lauren from Style Story, who recommended this toner to me, because I always thought nothing would be able to replace that Etude House toner I’ve been using for YEARS ON END. She really knows her skin very well, and I’m so glad to have made this discovery too. Not only does it contain only good ingredients, I can vouch for the claims it offers, in that it kept my skin so smooth, balanced and free from acne. I can’t ask for anything more. It’s also so cheap and effective, I’m probably going to ditch my History of Whoo skincare (which is a bit devastating).
Have you been sleeping on BHA products? Are you now intrigued by them and want to give them a shot? Or maybe you’ve used this product before, or have a different BHA that you’ve totally fallen in love with. Let me know down in the comments below what you think of the Aloe BHA Skin Toner by Benton. Don’t forget to like this review, share with your friends and family and don’t forget to add my SNS sites down below for extra content and everyday life.
So Anthony goes from washing his face with powder, to exfoliating his skin with ACID? Yes, the infamous BHA Blackhead Power Liquid is finally in my hands, and it’s thanks to Style Story for sending it to my house, along with some other goodies. If you haven’t already read, I have typed up a post on the Tosowoong Enzyme Powder Wash and gave it a good rating based on how it works alone. (YOU SHOULD READ THAT POST AS WELL). Just like the powder wash, this BHA product is a huge favorite amongst the KBeauty junkies, is all over Instagram as a HG product and has pretty much taken the world by storm. Even a few of my friends who aren’t about the Korean skincare life, have sworn by this one bottle of liquid and has told me many times to hurry up and grab myself one. So now that I finally have, let’s take a look as to why every single person seems to have fallen in love with this damn product.
Keep in mind this writer has troublesome skin. Not only is the skin dehydrated with a combination skin type (oily in the t and dry in the u), he also suffers from acne and sensitivities around the mouth area.
****side note: this review is indeed sponsored and I will be providing a discount code for you guys, but as any other review I make in this blog, all comments are made up of my own thoughts and feelings and in no way am I changing up anything to glorify or bash this product to see fit, unless that is truly how I feel. I also want to note that being a sponsored post, I will NOT be making any profits from any sales towards any of these products. If you feel uncomfortable making a purchase from this post, then feel free to shop elsewhere. Otherwise, the complementary code I will be giving you guys are free for your use. OK ONTO THE REVIEW!
What is COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid?
An oil-soluble acid exfoliant the can clear the dead skin cells deep within the pores to minimize the appearance of enlarged pores and prevent break outs. With a light watery texture, it works with your skin to soften and improve over time, to provide a flawless, blemish free and brighter skin tone.
Unlike the majority of BHA products in the market, COSRX uses betaine salicylate as the main ingredient opposed to the more generic and more common, salicylic acid. This means that it is ideal for those who suffer from acne, as it can help to fight the signs of acne production before it occurs, and also helps to treat the pre-existing acne on your skin. It also contains willow bark water as the main ingredient unlike other branded products that use the generic “aqua” as their moisture ingredient. The BHA Blackhead Liquid can also help oily skin types to control the amount of sebum produced on the skin.
Being that it gently exfoliates your skin and helps to deep cleanse the pores at the same time, you can use the COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid everyday, opposed to your physical/chemical scrubs that you can only use once or twice a week. It is also balanced with a pH of 4, to protect your acid mantle whilst providing you with a deep clean for the perfect skin texture and appearance.
This product judging by the description, tackles everything I need in life. Not only does it work to minimize the pores, but it also helps to keep the pores clean from impurities or blockages, in turn helping those who suffer from excess sebum production. It also helps to control and fight off signs of acne, whilst gently peeling away the dead skin for a more softer and brighter skin tone. Overall, the claims offer you less oil, better pores, no pimples, brighter skin AND improved skin texture all in one. Now I must say, who wouldn’t want that? BHA, being an acid type, obviously needs a pH low enough to function properly, so it’s nice to see that this product sits at a pH of 4, which is slightly acidic to work well with your skin. Each bottle comes with 100mL of product, which is the standard for most road store branded toners and exfoliants.
On that note, let’s take a look at the ingredients and see how well this little list fairs against our skin.
Ingredients listed in bold have an acne reading of 1, and ingredients highlighted have a safety reading of 3. Since safety only measures the impact of how an ingredient will affect your skin with prolonged use over a VERY long duration of time, I don’t think it’s something really worthy of mentioning, considering so many other external factors are more likely to cause you harm than something that appears at the end of an ingredients list. Butylene Glycol, as I’ve mentioned in so many of my blogs, has an acne reading of 1 and acts as a solvent and moisturizer. This ingredient basically helps to prevent your skin from drying out, and is vital in a product like this BHA Power Liquid, since BHA tends to dry your skin out. I’d say the alarm is there only for those who suffer extreme cases of acne and may be alarmed by ingredients that show even the slightest probability of acne induction. As for normal people who usually don’t express acne, or someone like me who has only minor to moderate acne occasionally, this isn’t something to be wary about.
I’d say overall, the ingredients list is pretty darn good, and it’s nice to see there aren’t any artificial preservatives or artificial fragrances added to this product. I’d dare say that even a sensitive skin type person may be able to use this based on the ingredients list alone. COSRX uses 4% betain salicylate in the ingredients, which I personally find high, compared to other brands who use roughly 1 or 2% salicylic acid, so keep that in mind. Betaine salicylate is actually more gentler on the skin than salicylic acid is, which also makes it more easier to use for those with sensitive skin types. Also, note the first ingredient isn’t “water” or “aqua” but instead, it’s willow bark water. If you didn’t know, willow bark water has slight BHA properties in it as well, though compared to betaine salicylate, it isn’t worth the mention, other than the fact it replaces general water which usually ends up being a filler ingredient in most cosmetics.
DO NOT USE if you are allergic to betaine salicylate, or the other ingredients in the list. You also shouldn’t use if you incorporate any products that include retinoid (vitamin A) or vitamin C products as this will cause your skin to have severe irritations and backlash, and it’ll decrease the effects of both the vitamins and this BHA. Another note, if you’re allergic to aspirin, then I strongly suggest you visit a doctor or patch test before making a purchase of this product.
Unfortunately the camera couldn’t pick up on the liquid content inside the bottle, since the liquid is virtually clear toned as well. So far within the time of me trying out this product, I have used a little over half way down the black label (somewhere in between Power and Liquid).
For the packaging, the bottle is sleek; it’s see through and labelled black, with a clear cap and a black pump dispenser. Nothing screams out to me with the design, but being that COSRX is on the affordable side of the Korean skincare world, it doesn’t look nor feel cheap. The bottle itself is a sturdy plastic, meaning that if you’re a clutz like I am, you’re not going to damage the bottle if you accidentally drop it on the floor. Since the bottle is clear, you have a good indication as to when your liquid is running low, which is probably the best part of the whole design in my opinion.
As for the actual product inside, the liquid is clear and has the viscosity of water, only slightly thicker. It feels a tad oily upon application but absorbs almost immediately into the skin and leaves a sleek, but soft skin texture that isn’t too sticky, nor too dry. There is a very slight chemically scent present, but dissipates within minutes after application, and didn’t really bother me. I wouldn’t have noticed either way if I wasn’t sticking my nose into the liquid. I didn’t notice any irritations on my skin at all, unless I were to be too rough with my daily face shave and cause micro tears in the skin. Even then, the pain only lasts a few seconds before it completely disappears. The directions specifically state to apply with a cotton and as if you’re cleaning your skin, wipe against the skin texture in your toner/essence stage of skin care, and avoid the delicate eye areas. After application, be sure to use sunblock. I’ve read other reviews on this product, and the majority of people have also stated to use cotton pads, only if your hands start to peel; since this product is designed to remove dead skin. I’ve trialled this product for nearly a month now, and I’ve yet to see my hands shed, so I guess it depends on your skin and how your skin can tolerate it.
When I apply the BHA liquid, I generally tone first using a cleansing toner of some sort, otherwise I apply directly onto my skin right after washing. Using a cotton pad, I take a few pumps and I work my way up from my neck, then take another pump directly onto the finger tips and massage into my nose and porous areas of the skin. I then allow the product to work it’s magic in the space of a half hour wait. In this time, I generally sit around, watch a bit of Youtube or have a mug of coffee. The waiting game is the hardest part for me. The reason being, is that you need enough time for the product to fully absorb into the skin for the exfoliating to be at it’s most optimal, otherwise you run the risk of the product not working to it’s full potential, thus causing your skin to reject by producing blackheads or acne. After half an hour, I just go about my regular skin routine, making sure to have some form of SPF coverage, as BHA can cause your skin to sensitize, especially in direct sunlight.
Now, if you’ve been reading my blog posts for a while, then you’d know that I’ve always mentioned that my pores have been small and I’ve never really had any trouble with blackheads whatsoever. Well, ever since using this product, I can now apologize to you all because, this bottle of liquid magic has tightened my pores even more than I could ever imagine, and has kept my skin so clean that I am most probably going to revise my entire outlook in life. This means that I can stop my Meiji Collagen intake since this BHA liquid can do everything the Meiji did for me, without the expense of $50 AUD per month. I could probably even replace my HG essences with this one product. (GOODBYE MISSHA FTE). On top of that, using for nearly a month, twice a day (surprised my skin could even tolerate it) has only reduced the amount of liquid by a teeny tiny bit, so I can verify that this bottle will last you a very long time.
Most reviews I’ve read on “cult favorite BHA products” found in the Western market often state that they dry your skin out like no tomorrow. I was half expecting it to be the same with this COSRX product, or at a level comparable to Clinique’s skincare products, but I was surprised to find that my skin never felt dry, but at the same time, my sebum levels in the skin actually reduced by a ten-fold throughout the day. I am even inclined to say that my excessive oily t-zone is slightly shifting to a more normal to oily skin type.
I’ve taken 3 tests to check my skin condition prior to using the Power Liquid to give you guys an average indication of what state my skin was. The average water content in my skin was 50.9% and sebum at 22.8%. Overall, my skin was well balanced.After application, I retook the test 3 times. On average, my skin had a water content of 51.4% and a sebum reading of 23.1%. That means, my skin increased in moisture by 0.5% and sebum by 0.3%. Overall, my skin stayed well balanced.
For price, one bottle at Style Story costs about $21.95 AUD, which, just like the Tosowoong Cleanser, is by far the cheapest toner/essence/exfoliator (whichever you want to categorize this product as, that is), I have used in my entire life. The cheapest toner I have had to date has cost me $22 AUD, the cheapest essence at $48 and the cheapest exfoliator at a hefty $55 AUD. Of course, the COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid wins, and quite frankly, the effectiveness of this product compared to the three I mentioned put together, shits all over them all. Why wouldn’t you want to get your hands on this?
An extra bonus for you guys; if you shop at Style Story and use the coupon code ANTHONY15, then you can drop the price even more by 15%, which then makes the price sit at $18.65.
PROS:
pH balanced at 4 on the pH scale, to work with your acid mantle barrier and your skin.
100mL is a pretty decent amount per bottle
Being a BHA, it isn’t drying on the skin whatsoever, and only caused me irritations if I shave too carelessly on the day.
Slight smell that disappears really quickly.
Lasts quite a long time.
Makes skin really smooth, fights acne pretty well, brightens face complexion, clears pores from blackheads and tightens pores.
Very good ingredients list. The only concern was butylene glycol with an acne trigger of 1, which isn’t too bad as it’s more likely going to impact on the hydration levels of your skin more than it clogging your pores or aggravating acne.
There is no water/aqua in the ingredients list; it is replaced with willow bark water which has slight BHA properties to it, which is fitting for this product.
CHEAP AS HELL
CONS:
Being a BHA, you have to wait 20 to 30 minutes for the product to work at is optimal state before continuing with the rest of your skincare.
Since you’re supposed to wear SPF every single day anyway, it’s not really a con, but you’re encouraged to wear SPF daily since BHA can make your skin more sensitized to UV rays and sun damage.
★☆☆☆☆ – I want all my time wasted and all my money back for this crap. If I could turn back time and tell my past self not to use this, then I would without a single doubt. If I find this in my collection or if someone gave it to me, I’ll set it on fire and pray to the All Maker to repent for using such a terrible product.
★★☆☆☆ – It’s pretty bad and I definitely wouldn’t recommend this to anybody, but it’s nice to give it a go for myself. I’ll only use it if it was given to me for free and I’m severely desperate.
★★★☆☆ – It’s nice but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get another one for myself. Maybe if it was on special then I’d consider buying it, otherwise there are better products that I like a lot more than this.
★★★★☆ – It’s quite good and I would repurchase definitely. It’s not a staple yet, but if I can’t find anything better, then I’ll happily stick to this product.
★★★★★ – OH MY GOD GET YOUR HANDS ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS A LIFE SAVER AND WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY EVEN IF YOU BECOME POOR BECAUSE OF IT OMG
Now that you know what the stars mean, you can figure out what I mean by my personal ratings.
VERDICT: For me to turn around and say that I did notice a change in my pores, and the cleanliness of my pores went from what I thought to be extremely clean, to unbelievable changes, this definitely can’t receive a rating other than HG. There really isn’t anything else I can say other than for you all to go and purchase it online for yourselves before it’s sold out in every single retail store near you AND online.
Have you been sleeping on BHA products? Are you now intrigued by them and want to give them a shot? Or maybe you’ve used this product before, or have a different BHA that you’ve totally fallen in love with. Let me know down in the comments below what you think of the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid by COSRX. DOn’t forget to like this review, share with your friends and family and don’t forget to add my SNS sites down below for extra content and everyday life.
Wait… Washing your face with powder? That’s right! Washing your face with powder isn’t a new thing for us Asian beauty lovers, but for some, it’s out of this world. I’m talking the infamous Tosowoong Enzyme Powder Wash, which I’m definitely sure you guys have heard of multiple times. It’s not only a cult product in the blogging world, but in the Asian beauty world as well, and I can definitely see why so many people love it so. However, keep in mind that this writer has very troublesome skin. I suffer from a combination/dehydrated skin type (oily in the T and dry in the U), is prone to acne and has sensitivity generally around the nose and chin. How will a powdered wash that closely resembles something you use in your laundry, work for my troublesome skin? Keep on reading to find out.
****side note: this review is indeed sponsored and I will be providing a discount code for you guys, but as any other review I make in this blog, all comments are made up of my own thoughts and feelings and in no way am I changing up anything to glorify or bash this product to see fit, unless that is truly how I feel. I also want to note that being a sponsored post, I will NOT be making any profits from any sales towards any of these products. If you feel uncomfortable making a purchase from this post, then feel free to shop elsewhere. Otherwise, the complementary code I will be giving you guys are free for your use. OK ONTO THE REVIEW!
What is Tosowoong Enzyme Powder Wash?
A powerful powder-to-foaming cleanser that washes away deep-seated dirt and impurities, revealing clearer, more moisturized skin. Enriched with Vitamin E, it also leaves skin feeling soft and fresh with a flawless finish.
Free from silicones, alcohol, formaldehyde, coal tar, talc, mineral oil, peg, phthalates, formaldehyde-releasers, dye, mit, parabens, tea, triclosan, propylene glycol AND has a ph level of 5.5, it’ll keep your skin soft, moisturized and balanced.
Not only are the claims impressive, the powder comes in a whopping 70g worth of product. I don’t know about you, but compared to other cleansers, you’re looking at a very LARGE amount and a lot of uses. A pH level of 5.5 means that it is well balanced for virtually all skin types and will work well to not only cleanse the skin, but protect the acid mantle from any damages. The description strongly emphasizes that it is free from so many bad ingredients, which gives you the impression that the cleanser will be packed with only good right? Let’s examine the ingredients list now.
OK so this list of ingredients, I can say isn’t the best mix for your skin. The ingredients that are in BOLD writing have an acne/irritation alarm, and ingredients HIGHLIGHTED in color show a safety rating alarm. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) according to COSDNA, has an acne rating of 5, which raises alarms for my skin since I am very prone to small bumps and pimples. Papain shows an irritation level between 0 to 3 and Alcohol Denat show an irritation level of 5. The ingredients in the light orange have a safety reading of 3 whereas those in the dark orange have a rating of 4. Now, with safety, it only raises an alarm as there is a possible chance there might be skin damages from using these ingredients, and basically comes to how your skin tolerates them, and of course, personal discretion.
I’m a little upset that this wash contains titanium dioxide, as this ingredient is commonly used in physical sunblock to protect the skin from UV rays and isn’t the most kindest to the skin if left there. Also, there seems to be an equal amount of “safe” ingredients to those that raises some sort of alarm, which is a bit disappointing. HOWEVER, and I want to strongly emphasize that, though the ingredients list seems absolutely shit, we have to remember that some of these ingredients (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Alcohol Denat in particular) work by stripping the skin IF the cleanser is sitting at a pH too high for our acid mantle to tolerate. With a pH of 5.5, these “nasty” ingredients aren’t as effective as they are made out to be and instead, are more likely to work only as a solvent or surfactant to clean the skin.
That said, I’d only really advise someone to not use this product if your skin literally can not tolerate SLS, alcohol denat and the other various ingredients. If your main concern for avoiding using this cleanser because the ingredients are stripping of moisture, then you have nothing to worry about.
Over to the packaging now, the bottle is quite large and made of sturdy plastic. The nozzle where the powder comes out from is covered with a blocker, to prevent powder from pouring out everywhere, and can be discarded if you like (which is what I did). Utilizing a flip top cap, you can protect the powder from contact with water to prevent product wastage. The actual opening for the powder is positioned in the middle, which is so convenient because it means only the powder in the cap comes out from the opening and not the entire powder. You can seriously control how much actually comes out from the bottle that way. Though, I find the packaging really nice, the only downfall is that you can’t see how much powder you have left inside, unless you give it a shake and judge from the sound/weight of the bottle. Everything else seems really good. Oh, people have mentioned that the wash is travel friendly because it comes in dry form, and I’d like to say that it is, though compared to the Suisai powder wash from Kanebo, yeah I think you’d all agree that the Tosowoong in comparison to that brand, Kanebo wins. Nonetheless, carrying your Tosowoong in your luggage bag isn’t going to cause you trouble at all.
The spout tip allows the powder to come out freely into the cap part of the packaging, whilst the dish carries all the powder that has been shaken out from the spout. If you kept your nozzle blocker, then you can remove and attach as needed, and is a useful addition to the design of this packaging that allows the product to be travel friendly.The cap is a screw on which makes it really easy to adjust and open the product for the first time. This also means that the cap will be secure in place and you won’t be accidentally spilling all your product everywhere.If you look at the opening, it sort of resembles a smiley face mouth shape.So of course, I had to edit in some eyes.
For the actual product itself, the powder seriously looks like something you’d use in your laundry. No joke, even the granules feel like it and smell so as well. Don’t mistake this for laundry powder! I usually take a small amount (and by small, I mean slightly less that the portion you get with the Suisai powder, which is roughly 0.4g) into my hands and add a few drops of water to form a lather. Whipping the powder into the water creates a thick marshmallow like foam that you can apply to your damp skin and cleanse like usual. Another alternative to using this powder is to leave a few teeny tiny granules in your foam and work it into the skin like an exfoliating scrub to remove the excess dead skin cells sitting on the surface of the skin. Either way, the foam very gently cleanses your face and gives you micro exfoliation each and every time you use it. This also means you’re gently exfoliating your skin twice a day, if you choose to use the Tosowoong wash morning and night.
The granules feel very solid when in dry form and strongly resembles laundry powder on texture, size and scent.When adding water, you only need a tiny amount to just dampen the soil to create your foam. It’s up to you whether you want to completely dissolve the powder into a foam, or leave a few granules in solid form to act as a foam type physical scrub.
Rinsing the face, I can immediately tell my skin becomes more brightened and so much more smoother in texture, and the most important, NOWHERE near dry. My skin is as soft and well nourished as ever, and I actually think I’ve found myself a new HG cleanser. I’m yet to experience an irritation, nor have I broken out from using it thus far. Most people usually use and review skincare after a month of trial, but I can already say that I am beyond impressed with this little powder using it in such a short time. I want to note that it works exceptionally well as a day cleanser, but as a night cleanser, it is gentle and though it actually cleanses your skin very well, I would prefer something a little more “heavy duty” feeling IF I am wearing heavy makeup on that day. For days like that, I would opt for my April Skin Magic Stone in grey, which you can read a review on here.
This might be a little bit unnecessary but I wanted to measure out my skin before washing my face. Since I wanted to be a little bit more accurate, I took three tests before washing my face to give you an average score on the condition of my skin. Prior to washing, my skin had an average water content of 33.6% and an average sebum content of 15.1%. Overall, the skin was imbalanced.Just like the previous test, I once again took three tests to give you an average score reading of my skin after washing my face. On average, my skin had a water content of 56.8% and a sebum reading of 25.5%. That means my skin increased in moisture levels by 23.2% and sebum by 10.4%. Overall, the skin is balanced.
The price of this is incredibly cheap. Let’s go back to the Suisai powder again for comparison. For 15 pieces of Suisai, it can cost you around $20 AUD and for a 32 piece pack, you’re looking at $35. Usage for the Suisai is strict, in the sense that one individually wrapped piece can only be used one time, so 32 pieces will only last you 16 days AT MAX. The Tosowoong Enzyme Powder Wash on the other hand? One bottle is $15.95 and shopping with Style Story, you can get three bottles, where the 3rd bottle is half price, sitting at $23.90. If we do a little bit of maths here, then three bottles of the Tosowoong sits at $55.80 AUD. If you want to get the Suisai powder for a similar price, then you’re looking at buying one pack of 32 pieces, and one pack of 15 pieces. That gives you a total of $52 spent, and only a measly 47 washes, whereas the Tosowoong can easily exceed 3 months per bottle, and on average, 9 months with 3 bottles? If that isn’t a bargain than I don’t know what is.
If that isn’t clear enough for you, then the cheapest ASIAN beauty face cleanser I have ever used in my life (ETUDE HOUSE BAKING POWDER SOMETHING WASH THING), sits at $18 AUD and lasts the same amount of time of usage, and frankly the Tosowoong is even cheaper than that. If you really wanted to, you could even stretch the powder distribution out to your own discretion and get even more uses out of it than the 3 months.
An extra bonus for you guys; if you shop at Style Story and use the coupon code ANTHONY15, then you can drop the price even more by 15%, which then makes the price sit at $13.55.
PROS:
pH balanced at 5.5, which is perfect for your skin.
Dry formula means you can transform a foam cleanser to a foam exfoliant with ease. The fact that the standout ingredient is Papaya, the cleanser naturally exfoliates your skin when used normally anyway.
Dry formula also means that it is fairly travel friendly and won’t cause you too much of a problem. If you’re comparing it to the Suisai however, then you will be disappointed, but otherwise, it’s really good in that aspect.
Gives your skin a strong brightening effect without stripping it from moisture or giving you that tight squeaky feeling.
So incredibly cheap, even without my special discount code you can use at Style Story. For a cleanser to sit at only $15.95 per bottle and $55.80 for three, it’s by far the most cheapest cleanser I’ve seen in the AB buyers market, in forever.
Gave me no irritations whatsoever, and didn’t break me out.
Gives me washing powder nostalgia; I love the scent of laundry detergents, and I love sniffing laundry so I instantly fell in love with this fragrance. Probably might be a con for you guys.
CONS:
Ingredients list will definitely raise eyebrows, but it’s not going to affect the final outcome of usage. You still will get really nice skin that feels soft, bouncy and looks refreshed and brighter.
I’d actually say it works exceptionally well as a day cleanser, but for heavy makeup users, I would prefer something a little more heavy duty. Don’t get this wrong though, because this DOES clean your pores after makeup very well; I think it’s more just my personal preference.
BECAME MY HOLY GRAIL CLEANSER AND IT’S SO CHEAP I’M BEGINNING TO QUESTION EVERYTHING IN LIFE
★☆☆☆☆ – I want all my time wasted and all my money back for this crap. If I could turn back time and tell my past self not to use this, then I would without a single doubt. If I find this in my collection or if someone gave it to me, I’ll set it on fire and pray to the All Maker to repent for using such a terrible product.
★★☆☆☆ – It’s pretty bad and I definitely wouldn’t recommend this to anybody, but it’s nice to give it a go for myself. I’ll only use it if it was given to me for free and I’m severely desperate.
★★★☆☆ – It’s nice but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get another one for myself. Maybe if it was on special then I’d consider buying it, otherwise there are better products that I like a lot more than this.
★★★★☆ – It’s quite good and I would repurchase definitely. It’s not a staple yet, but if I can’t find anything better, then I’ll happily stick to this product.
★★★★★ – OH MY GOD GET YOUR HANDS ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS A LIFE SAVER AND WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY EVEN IF YOU BECOME POOR BECAUSE OF IT OMG
Now that you know what the stars mean, you can figure out what I mean by my personal ratings.
VERDICT: It’s HG. Need I really say more? The Tosowoong Enzyme Powder Wash is perfect for day time use, and even night use. Though it doesn’t feel like your skin is clean from anything after washing your face with this, visible results will definitely speak for itself. I can’t believe I have been sleeping on this product for so damn long!
Have you used the Tosowoong Enzyme Powder before? What are your thoughts on it? Looking to make a purchase after reading this post? Let me know how you’re going as well, because I’d love to hear your experiences too. Is powder your thing, or is it a weird experience that you’re not budging to try? Don’t forget to check out Style Story and browse their online store, because they’re offering 15% off purchases using ANTHONY15 as the discount code. Don’t forget to like this post if you found it interesting, share with your friends and family, and stay tuned for the next blog update.
I’m pretty sure a lot of you guys have been in this situation before; going out to drink and going past the point of sanity and control, allowing your inhibitions to fully take over your mind and soul. I’m pretty sure you’ve also gone home and fallen asleep straight away, waking up in horror to find out you forgot to remove your makeup, or you did such a bad job washing that your skin ends up looking horrid the morning after. I’ve had my fair shares of hitting the sack with a full face of makeup on, contacts still in my eyes and vomit stained clothing worn to bed, so I definitely know the struggles of trying to make yourself look decent the next day. I wanted to share my guide to how to turn yourself from zombie to potato, because as I’m typing this post, I’m in this state and trying to utilize this time to the best of my abilities. I don’t know, maybe this little guide might help you one day.
First things first, treat the morning after as if you’re cleaning yourself up at the end of the night. Whether you managed to remove your makeup successfully or not, there may be a risk of not cleaning your skin effectively, especially if you have had a few drinks too many. I always start off by removing all of my clothing, and with clean hands, apply a heavy duty cleansing oil to my skin (I used the DHC Cleansing Oil, enriched with olive extract), making sure I target the porous areas of my skin by massaging in circles to lift the makeup, dirt and sebum away. Hop in the shower and gently wet your face enough to allow the oil to emulsify and further massage your face for a minute before washing it all off.
You’re already in the shower which kills two birds with one stone, so take the time to wash your hair and body, taking extra care to lather up around areas you may have gotten vomit onto. Nobody likes a person who smells like puke. It’s honestly up to you whether you want to wash your face while showering as well, but I prefer to wash after I’ve gotten out of the shower, since I shave every morning, and prefer to shave before I cleanse my skin.
Now, remember I mentioned to treat your skin like it’s night time, so take a cleanser that cleanses a little better than your general morning wash (I use the white April Skin soap for it’s strong detoxing effects and pore management skills) and effectively wash away all of the uglies, making sure to target the pores and areas of concern. At least, by doing this, you’re making sure your skin is definitely free of built up makeup in the pores.
You’d think to use a clay mask or a detoxing mask right after, but you have to keep in consideration your skin may be dehydrated from all the drinking you had, so try and avoid any masks that may further dry out your skin. You’ve already used an oil and a strong cleanser so don’t make your skin even more parched than it already is. Instead, try and introduce moisture back into your lifeless face and tackle the deep cleans in the evening. For now, take a super hydrating toner (I used the History of Whoo Soo Yeon skin since it’s purely based on hydration) and with a cotton pad, gently wipe against the skin texture in an upwards motion to prep the skin for skincare and condition the skin texture from any damages.
I forgot what brand the DIY masks are, but you can find them in most Asian beauty outlets, stores like Daiso (or Miyu if you live in Perth) and other Asian small ware stores.
Now, this is where the skincare actually starts. Rather than a sheet mask you can by at any road shop store, make your own using a DIY mask pack. Here, I took a single piece of condensed mask and a hydration based essence (I used the IOPE Bio Essence because I ran out of the Missha FTE and had this on hand instead, since it works similar anyway). These masks are a great way to save money, and they’re so convenient to use, especially if you have too much toners, or your toner is about to expire. Take your mask and completely soak it in your essence. It will expand and elongate, almost looking like a miniature tape worm, and at that point, you can unravel it to reveal a full faced sheet mask. Apply the mask to your skin for a 5 to 10 minute mask pack that works just like a normal sheet mask. The reason I personally do this instead of using a regular sheet mask, is simply that the DIY mask keeps your skin feeling light but hydrated, whereas regular sheet masks tends to contain thick essences on your skin which may leave your skin too heavy feeling. The morning after a drinking night, your body tends to feel heavy and weak, so rather than making your face feel the same way, keep things light so at least your skin isn’t feeling fatigued either.
Excuse my choppy ass nails.On God I am so ugly. As you can see, this mask has a TERRIBLE fit and the sheet itself, the image shows you just how thick the paper is. But, being a DIY mask you really can’t (and shouldn’t) expect much at all if you’re fussy about the cutting and paper like me. Oh, and do you see the skin tone difference between my face and my neck?
Take your DIY sheet mask a step further if necessary; I drowned my face in mist (I used the Avene Thermal Spring Water; I had it in the bathroom but it’s literally just a can of pure water) and applied a thin layer of a light gel cream (I used the Naturie Conditioning Gel because it contains coix seed which is known for deep nourishment and moisturizing capabilities) on top of the mask to add extra hydration and allow my skin to drink up the gel cream slowly. This makes your sheet mask a little more saturated, again, without the super heavy feeling. Oh, forgot to mention, keep in mind the DIY mask material isn’t the best, nor does it have a nice fit at all. In fact, you’ll probably hate the material just as much as I do, yet it’s so much more simple than using a regular mask, and you’re cutting the usage time by almost, if not, half.
Any gel will do honestly, but I love the Naturie Conditioning Gel simply for the fact that it provides more hydration than the Aloe Vera Gel that I previously used, and this has brightening effects that can help to fight the signs of hyper pigmentation in the skin.
Now that you have the treatment done, you can go a little ham with the hydrating products. I tried keeping the skincare as simple as possible but maximizing the hydrating capabilities. First, apply a pea sized amount of serum to the driest parts of the face (I targeted my cheeks and under eyes with the History of Whoo Ja Saeng essence) using less than half a pump. Pat to absorb using the middle and ring fingers. Next, apply 3 to 5 drops of facial oil to the finger pads of your hands (I used the Innisfree Green Tea oil) and gently pat into the skin, again, focusing more on the dehydrated parts of your face. This combination works really well to replace the eye cream stage in your skin care, as eye creams tend to be heavy. If you’re an avid contact wearer, or your eyes just feel too heavy, this really helps to replenish the lost hydration without the heaviness that your regular eye cream may give you.
Honestly at this point, you can pick and choose what skincare you want to use, or your skin is crying for. This is just to show you some of the products I used today to fight of the signs of ugly from a night out drinking at the club.
Lastly is the final hydration stage. It’s honestly up to you whether your skin needs a lotion, a cream, a mist or all three. I used just a lotion (The History of Whoo In Yang Lotion) and mist (STYLENANDA 3CE Glossing Face Mist) for the entirety of my face, and a cream (History of Whoo Secret Court Cream) only on my neck to bump up the hydration levels, and give my skin a little bit of dewiness.
With skincare done, some of you might have to go out in the morning, or have a hectic schedule to complete by the end of the day. I have this problem where I enjoy drinking the day before I have work, a function or just something on in particular. So in saying that, after my skincare, I have to have something that makes my skin appear less zombie like and at the very least, potato like, but avoid using makeup. I’ve been loving this skincare powder from Club Yuagari which contains hyaluronic acid and collagen and applying it after my general skincare to lift the appearance of the skin. Unlike regular powders, you can wear this alone on top of your skincare and fall asleep in it without the risk of skin irritations, or implement it into makeup as a regular powder if you choose to.
My powder casing looks so terrible that I had to borrow the work tester to take this photo. Show of hands from the people who don’t care about their products and ends up with faded packaging, or dirty/smeared packaging. I know I’m not the only one!!
The powder itself, is finely compressed and applies to your skin white. It doesn’t leave your skin with a white cast with flash photography if used in an appropriate manner, and makes your skin naturally brighter. The powder comes in three scents; pastel rose (which I own), orange blossom and white flora. I bought my skincare powder from Cosmehut in Carousel for $35 AUD.
This photo, you can find on my Instagram, where I posted it there as well. Literally this is my bare face with just the powder on, and my eyebrows recovering from a failed tint. My friend said I look like a girl that I know, which made me feel both, happy and sad. Happy that I look like someone pretty, but sad that I’m not pretty enough to have my own identity as labelled “pretty”
I have a feeling that someone will ask me why I went out drinking, and in a hungover state, why I’m typing up a blog post. Well, Perth had it’s very first KPOP event and I really wanted to go (not only do I like KPOP, but I haven’t been out in a VERY long time and who knows when another KPOP event will happen here). Now, at the club (yes the event was held at a club, and a small one at that) there were lots of people and when there are too many people, momma has to have a few drinks to calm the heart because there were many fINE ASS BOYS THERE, but going with my friend, I guess I had a sense of responsibility and so I was successfully able to leave in one piece, and not drunk. So after the event, the both of us went back to her house, and since it was only 1am, I decided to go back out on my lonesome and play around a bit, got myself shit faced and here I am now, trying to utilize this time with something productive and this blog post is pretty much the end result.
If you too have any beauty tips and tricks to help your skin after a long night of drinking, please share them all below. This little guide is just a routine that I personally follow each and every time, and has not let me down yet. If there are any other KPOP events coming around in Perth, know that I will most likely be there and yes, you may see me being ugly, in a drunk state, or both. Be warned.
******ps I’m not going to GOT7 in Perth, sorry. I don’t think I will have time, since the concert falls on the day I have something planned from a whole 2 months ago. If you guys are going, please let me know how the concert was, and take lots of photos of Junior, Mark and Jackson for me please ❤
Another review, another sheet mask. I have been super busy as of late, constantly working and trying to juggle my hectic schedules with my alone time (that being me working up a sweat at home trying to clean the house, fit in laundry and do work on my days off whenever possible; what a life) and it was really nice to finally make some space for myself to indulge in a face mask. That said, I was actually given this sheet mask for free, to try out and give feedback on. Since I do blogging (mostly on my Japanese platform) I thought, why not share with you guys this little mask experience as well.
Here’s to me introducing you all the CPAqua Sheet Masks from the ever so famous brand from Taiwan hitting the shores of many different countries around the world, My Beauty Diary (or so I heard it’s from them, from a coworker).
***for reference, I have combination sensitive skin type (oily t-zone, normal to dry u-zone), prone to acne and my t-zone seems to get dehydrated very easily. My skin tone is sitting at NC30 while it is Summer here in Australia.
CPAQUA utilizes key ingredients to enhance skin moisturizing effects, and elasticity.
– Contains α-Arbutin in a high purity form to inhibit the formation of melanin in the skin cells, protect, block, restore and desalinate the skin for optimal skin health. The arbutin in the mask helps to alleviate darkened skin for a more brightened skin tone, for lustrous and translucent skin appearance.
– Condensed silk cloth sheet mask using breathable cotton material to allow for a thick essence to be absorbed into the mask, and thus transferring the essence directly into the skin for super hydration capabilities
***excuse my choppy ass translating abilities
Basically to summarize, the mask is claimed to improve the skin TONE and also provide brightness to the skin. Note that I did capitalize the word “tone” because this is an alpha-arbutin mask, and arbutin is deemed one of the “safer” whitening ingredients used to lift the skin tone to difference shades. The sheet mask also claims that it will keep the skin well moisturized, which is a huge hurdle to jump when it comes to whitening skincare products.
Whether it be a wash, a mask, toner, lotion, you name it, whitening skincare that helps to LIFT the skin tone up a few shades tend to leave your skin feeling (and looking) dehydrated, lacking of moisture and overall terrible. Sure, you get a change in skin tone, but at the expense of hydration. The other option is to retain the hydration capabilities at the expense of the whitening function itself. Instead of lifting the skin tone, your skin appears more brighter, in the sense it looks like you are glowing from within. There is no change to your skin tone whatsoever, but your skin looks more glossy and your skin is kept well moisturized.
With this mask, I want to see which category this falls into.
According to the back side, the mask is needed to be kept on for only 10-15 minutes, which is already less than the standard 15-20 minutes or the dreaded 25-30 minutes. It is also noted on the bottom left corner that the mask is made in Taiwan, so a little confused as to why the mask has Japanese writing on the front, but only Chinese on the back. Nonetheless, a sheet mask is a sheet mask, and I have had no problems with any Taiwanese sheet masks as of yet.
Ingredients highlighted in orange have a safety reading of 3 or 4, and ingredients highlighted in red have a safety reading of 5 or higher.
This is an analysis using CosDNA, which shows that though none of the ingredients have any alarms for acne or irritation possibilities, there is a few ingredients that MAY alter, or damage the skin over an extensive period of usage. I want to mention that though the hydrolyzed jojoba oil ester wasn’t raised as an alarm, jojoba extracts derive from jojoba itself, which categorizes as an essential oil over technicalities; essential oils clog pores which may cause acne and irritations in some. Just a little thought.
Ok, time for the part where I actually discuss the product itself, how the product came and what I though of the product. I started off by measuring my skin for a starting point to see how my sebum and moisture levels were affected by the mask. FYI I removed all my makeup using Shiseido Perfect Watery Oil, washed my face using The History of Whoo In Yang cleanser, and toned using Etude House AC Clean Up Toner.
WATER CONTENT: 40.8%
SEBUM CONTENT: 18.3%
OVERALL: WELL BALANCED
Opening the mask, the product had little to no serum left over in the packet, and had me scraping the walls of the plastic for some essence to apply to my neck area. The immediate scent was that of a mild to moderate scent which reminded me of an alcoholic beverage I once had at the club. I think it was called a “Wet Pussy”. Terrible name, but not bad of a drink. I suggest you try one for yourself, to “see how the mask smelt like”.
The mask sheet itself was double protected; thick plastic backing paper for the back and a thinner plastic backing paper for the front. I found this a tad extra, like the mask REALLY didn’t need all of that protection. At the very least, I found out where all the serum that would have been at the bottom of the packet went, because both of the backing papers were completely soaked with essence I could have used them alone as sheet masks as well and would have gotten 3 for the price of 1 (even though the mask was for free anyway).
As for the mask itself, the sheet was incredibly thin, very similar to the My Beauty Diary classic sheet masks. The sheet fit nicely on the skin, with the tiniest bit extra just at the back of my jaw, which wasn’t a problem at all. What WAS a problem however, was the mouth cutting which was the most stupid part of the mask. They fricken cut a smile shape into the mouth area, like you’re supposed to smile with a sheet mask on? Really guys?
Bar that little mishap, the nose was a little small which is common with sheet masks, and the paper itself would have been very top notch in my books had it not been for those two little things.
The mask half dried on my face within the 5-7 minute mark, as was nearing dry by 10 minutes. I definitely do think their mask timing described on the packet to be incorrect, as most people would decide to take the mask off within 5 minutes of usage since it literally dries that fast. Remember, you don’t want to pull a sheet mask off when it is bone dry, but when it is dry to the point where moisture is felt, but not saturated; lightly damp to say. At 10 minutes, that was how the mask felt on my skin, so I felt obliged to remove the mask before I damage my skin from the cotton.
Right after taking the mask off, I could immediately see that my skin tone was a lot brighter than before (though the camera shows otherwise). The mask also appeared to brighten my skin, and the camera makes my skin look really moisturized and supple.
Looking at this photo now, I can see I got foundation on my shirt, gosh darn it. Anyway, patting the essence into my skin, my face slowly became more and more dry, dehydrated and really sticky. The essence absorbed really quickly, but left such a sticky residue which was odd, considering my face was parched dry. My skin was also slightly irritated around my mouth area towards the end of using the mask and the process of tapping the essence into my skin. I feel that this is best suited for night use, not only being a whitening mask, but the serum I find, is too sticky for day usage, and definitely way too heavy for under makeup.
Now for the final check-in, my skin not only looks brighter in skin tone, but it appears to be lighter in skin tone as well, at the expense of dry feeling skin. Results do show otherwise, with a 16.6% increase in hydration content, and a 7.5% increase in sebum content in the skin. However, even with the increase of moisture levels, results do show that the skin has lost it’s balance with the use of this mask, which is something to take into consideration for.
WATER CONTENT: 57.4%
SEBUM CONTENT: 25.8%
OVERALL: AVERAGE
PROS:
Paper was thin and felt like second skin on the face
Really nice fit around the perimeter of the face
Quick mask, averaging on 5 minutes of use per mask. Adequate for those who need a quick fix, have no time for sheet masks, or find masking uncomfortable
Lightly saturated, meaning you won’t get a heap of essence dripping everywhere all over the place like other sheet masks
Serum absorbs quickly
Brightened up my face
Actually lightened the skin tone of my face. With constant use, I think that this mask might even have permanent effects
CONS:
Drying on the skin and caused a moisture imbalance afterwards
Slightly strong alcoholic scent (well I found it alcoholic, you might describe it differently)
★☆☆☆☆ – I want all my time wasted and all my money back for this crap. If I could turn back time and tell my past self not to use this, then I would without a single doubt. If I find this in my collection or if someone gave it to me, I’ll set it on fire and pray to the All Maker to repent for using such a terrible product.
★★☆☆☆ – It’s pretty bad and I definitely wouldn’t recommend this to anybody, but it’s nice to give it a go for myself. I’ll only use it if it was given to me for free and I’m severely desperate.
★★★☆☆ – It’s nice but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get another one for myself. Maybe if it was on special then I’d consider buying it, otherwise there are better products that I like a lot more than this.
★★★★☆ – It’s quite good and I would repurchase definitely. It’s not a staple yet, but if I can’t find anything better, then I’ll happily stick to this product.
★★★★★ – OH MY GOD GET YOUR HANDS ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS A LIFE SAVER AND WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY EVEN IF YOU BECOME POOR BECAUSE OF IT OMG
Now that you know what the stars mean, you can figure out what I mean by my personal ratings.
VERDICT: I think for a whitening mask, it’s quite decent. The ingredients list isn’t the best, but it isn’t terrible. The cutting of the mask overall, isn’t horrid either (disregarding the horrid mouth part) and the sheet is very thin resembling that of second skin nature. Though the hydrating factor isn’t very evident in the essence contained in the mask, it is easily fixed with a highly moisturizing lotion or cream you can use after the mask. For a whitening product, this definitely does brighten the complexion and whiten the skin overall, so I guess the mask wasn’t wrong on that aspect. The fact that the mask was quick and easy to use, especially since I’m not big on masking in general, also gets bonus points. I wouldn’t personally repurchase this mask, only because I would rather a hydrating “whitening” mask to prevent my dehydrated skin getting much worse, but overall, I’d be happy to receive this as a gift, or purchasing when on discount/cheap.
Have you tried any CPAQUA mask before? Thinking to give it a try after reading this review? Please let me know your thoughts or experiences either by commenting down below or on my SNS as I’d love to know how you feel. Don’t forget to subscribe to this blog, give it a like if you found it informative and share with your friends and family.
Oh, and one more thing, I don’t post often these days; irregular in fact. If you want to know when it is I actually post, then don’t forget to allow for email subscriptions as to when a new post is released.
I usually don’t do empties posts, and I probably won’t for quite a while; but while I have a lot of empty products, I thought why not let the public know exactly what I have been using and my thoughts on these all. Welcome back to the Beauty Aesthetics, and for the first post of 2017, let’s rummage through my trash! (Quite literally, because I pulled everything out from the trash, so don’t expect clean bottles. The photos I took are pretty “trash” themselves.)
As a reference, in case some of you guys don’t know, during Summer I have oily sensitive skin, prone to acne, and enlarged pores. During Winter, I have combination sensitive skin, prone to acne. My pores seem to be manageable during Winter than it is during the Summer time. I have extremely damaged, color treated hair, with a slightly sensitive scalp all year round, and I have extremely sensitive skin around my armpits, on parts of my arms, thighs and delicate skin on my ankles.
I had to split this post up, because otherwise it’ll be WAY too long. This one in particular will only include items used on my body. Click the links below to read the other Empties posts
A 3-in-one multipurpose for men containing active charcoal to clean your body from bacteria, sweat and excess sebum, whilst removing odor for a fresh smelling self.
I only bought and used this because I was out of body wash one day and was desperate for something. Hearing from a lot of people that Nivea, despite it being a very cheap drugstore brand label, has a lot of products that are supposedly good for those with sensitive skin. I am one of those people and so I decided to give it a shot. I mean, it wouldn’t hurt right? (Other than experiencing excruciating pain, burning, peeling skin and constantly feeling like my armpits are on fire, but eh.) To my surprise, this worked really well with my skin, and I only felt like I was burning 1 out of 10 times. Not too bad Nivea!
It claims that you can also use this on your face AND hair, so explorer Anthony decided, why not? I was doing a lot of experimentation while I’ve been away. For the face, oh my All Maker, it sucks ass so bad. It literally does nothing other than dry my face out. Perfect for a “typical” man; me? Not so much. As for hair, this also does nothing and practically only dries it out. Again, typical.
I think considering the price, I will definitely repurchase easily, and I’m so glad that I had no reactions with something like this on my body.
BIORE Body Deli Body Wash Liquid Type
Biore Body Deli is a body wash that is said to be strong enough to clean your body that is covered in sun block, but gentle enough to skin that it keeps it feeling moisturized and soothed.
I can vouch that my skin always felt soft using this body wash, and that my skin was always clean after. The scent is very strong, consisting of citrus and floral sort of perfumes that fill your bathroom. One pump was enough for a thick lather to cover your entire body. I never experienced any irritations whatsoever using this body wash, so I knew I could rely on this whenever my skin wasn’t happy. As for repurchasing, I’m on the fence with this wash, since it was $20 AUD and compared to the Nivea that was retailed for about $4 per bottle, thats already 80% cheaper compared to this. I’d say, if it wasn’t so damn expensive, then I’d not hesitate to grab myself a few more bottles. As for now though, who knows. Maybe my desires for having the good stuff will take over my body, controlling my hands to reach into my wallet and passing the evil cashier all my money.
REXONA Men Motion Sense XTRA Cool
A body antiperspirant that is said to control sweating for 48hrs no matter the situation, be it that you sit out in the sun for 50 years, or constantly working up a “sweat” at the gym. Whatever your lifestyle may be, you won’t sweat with Rexona.
Now, to be frank with you all, I don’t sweat from my armpits a great deal, nor do I sweat much in general, unless I am literally out in the sun, or I am having a fever. I usually only sweat from my head, my palms, and my feet only, and that’s from HOT weather. Why the antiperspirant then? Since I have sensitive skin around my armpits in general, that means I’m prone to bacterial infection around that part of the skin, and so it’s best for me to use something that will not only kill off the bacteria, but prevent bacteria from producing there throughout the day. FYI sweat doesn’t cause stench, bacteria does. This antiperspirant was literally a random choice because it was on sale from $5 AUD to about $2 AUD. Glad I chose it, because this has the least scent out in the Aussie market, and it didn’t irritate me whatsoever. Also, it didn’t leave me with the dreaded white marks on black clothing. Repurchase? Sure, why not.
LYNX Dry Dark Temptation
Similar to the Rexona, this is supposed to help perspiration for 48hrs and give you a lovely scent that is supposed to “help you pick up chicks” with their “masculine” fragrances. I CALL BULLSHIT!
Ok, so I stole this off my brother cause I needed to use something desperately (I just finished work and I had to leave for an outing ASAP o no time to hit the showers, quickly spray myself and go) and I really hated this so much. It smelt so bad; whoever made the fragrances with these “scented” antiperspirants need to re-evaluate their life choices cause this is straight up nasty. Being real here, I didn’t even purchase it, but I did end up using the rest of the can up, so hence why it’s in my empties. Since I didn’t buy it, I can’t really say I will repurchase, but will I actually go out of my way to go get one? I think not.
ISSEY MIYAKE L’eau D’Issey Pour Homme
I don’t like fragrances much, but this has got to be one of my favourite fragrances in the world, alongside Acqua Di Gio. They both actually aren’t the best for my skin, and spraying directly onto clothing isn’t good either. My trick is to spritz this onto a THIN facial cotton and gently dab it onto my wrists, behind my ears and top of the shoulders. Not only does that get enough fragrance onto my body without it being too overwhelming, but it reduces the chance of me getting a reaction to the alcohol in these eau de toilettes. Definitely repurchasing because they are my all time favorite scents and my go to for nights out, or just in general whenever I want to smell nice.
CRABTREE AND EVELYN Caribbean Island Wild Flowers Eau de Toilette
I bought this not for the scent, but for the packaging. Before purchase, this comes in a white case that houses the fragrance. Literally, the day I bought this shit, I lost the casing and it made me upset but nonetheless. The fragrance is a muted floral sort of smell that isn’t too overwhelming, but enough to tickle your nose if you hate strong scents. i didn’t care for the smell actually; it was nice, but it wasn’t great. Sort of reminded me of old ladies, which I have no issues over, but… I don’t know, I enjoy smelling like an old lady from time to time, but this scent is questionable for daily use. I guess I’m sitting on the fence with this one whether I want to repurchase it or not, because in saying so, I would happily use it if I have it, but I won’t care if I don’t have it or not.
What are your empties for 2016/2017? Have you used any of these products before, or have any products for me to try out this year? Let me know in one of my SNS below, or leave me a comment on this blog post! Also, please let me know if you want any full reviews of any of these products (if one isn’t up already, or you want an updated review)
The Beauty Aesthetics 