Banila Co. Clean It Smart

After waves of asian inspired beauty product sprung up in western markets, we are now seeing beauty wave from western market to asian one!

Banila Co. introduced their Clean It Smart rechargeable brush system to the market. Just like Clarisonic and other brands, the brush head is changeable and it offers several speeds. 

(banilaco.com)

Banila Co Floral Seoul

I used to follow Banila Co, however, they havent release anything interesting to me, until I saw Floral Seoul. 

Look at that cheerful floral illustrations... makes me smile... 

The collection consist of eye shadows, blushes, lipstick and lip crayon. It is interesting to see that Banila Co incorporated marsala (Pantone 2015 color of the year) in the collection. 

(banilaco.com)

Holika Holika Golden Monkey Glamour Lip

I am constantly in search of product to calm down my dry, peeling lips. Then I stumbled upon Holika Holika's Golden Monkey Glamour Lip. 

If you know why it is called Golden Monkey, do let me know...

So... this product is a set containing scrub pad, gel mask and moisturizer for glamorous lip. I want myself some glamorous lips too! 

The scrub is packed in a lip shaped non woven material... first, we scrub scrub scrub... honestly, it stings a little... may be I got too carried away with my scrubbing...

Then, comes the pink gel mask. also lip shaped! cute! The instructions says 15 minutes. it was cooling 15 minutes... I am enjoying this... 

The final step is the moisturizer. It is clear, thick solution to moisturize the lips. It give my lip glossy, moisturized feeling without feeling sticky. 

I dont get the pouty lips like the illustrated monkey then...

Will I do this again?. When my lips are super bad, I think I will do it again. I dont really fancy the scrubbies pad, I can do it easily with soft toothbrush as usual, I think. But I enjoyed the gel mask and the moisturizing pack. 

Etude House Dreaming Swan Shine Volumer #03 Twinkling Tutu

The last item I picked up from the Dreaming Swan collection is Shine Volumer in 03 Twinkling Tutu!

It looks like gloss, but it is a highlighter with lots of glitter... micro glitter (not shimmer) suspended in clear cooling gel. it is really shimmery and happy looking...

03 Twinkling Tutu is pinkish warm beige with golden micro glitter.  just little comes a long way... this product packs lots of glitter.. not chunky glitter, but more micro glitter. let me remind you, this is not subtle... unless your working place is glitter friendly, i dont recommend this to highlight anything. 

Etude recommends the product to highlight under the eyes and collar bone. I tried it as color for my outer part of my lower eyes. it stays put with no  problem with fallout or fading until 6 pm.

Bottomline, 

happy, warm tinted micro glitter to cheer up your life! be warned, apply bit by bit... not for the faint hearted...

Etude House Dreaming Swan Eye & Cheek #05 En Haut Pink

I picked up several items from the Dreaming Swan collection. Been using and playing with it for nearly a month now, but havent manage to write the review yet... So... here it is... 

What can I say... I am sucker for cute, pretty stuff. I am loving this launch... the illustration, pretty colors and all. Etude House has several blush color offered. I picked 05 en haut pink. 

The pretty warm pink with golden shimmer reminds me a bit of NARS' orgasm... Of course, as the name implies, Etude recommends this for both eye shadow and blush. I am not a fan of pink or coral shadows, so I didnt try it on my lids...

Dreaming Swan Eye & Cheek is packed in a matte cute tin packaging, with pretty packaging. However, since I have been using it frequently for a month or so... I noticed that the matte paint around the screw top is prone to peeling...

That aside, I am quite happy with the pigmentation. It is sheer enough not to accidentally pull a clown cheek, but still packs enough pigment to make me look fresher yet not powdery. 

Bottomline, 

I am loving the pigmentation and color. unfortunately, I dont think the pretty tin will stand the test of time...

Etude House Dreaming Swan Veiling Pact SPF 25 PA++

This compact finishing powder is part of super pretty and feminine Dreaming Swan release. I am just in love with the illustrations on the packaging… I got myself this pact, the highlighter and blush. Let’s first see the finishing powder.

I just adore the packaging… the blush color, matte finish, illustration… so pretty! It also offers generously sized mirror inside. The puff and compact powder itself, is separated in different compartment.

Color of the pact is a pretty bright blush-pink, which I think will be to bright for some … including myself. Like the other Dreaming Swan release, the pact is embossed with pretty ballet themed illustrations too. The powder is finely milled and lightly fragranced with lovely, bright floral perfume. It does linger a bit during application, but quickly dissipates after.

Etude House promises to cover up dull complexion for smooth, bright skin all day long. That’s a big promise… especially for me, with oily T zone and living in tropical country! Well, I have to say it offers coverage, if you are wearing it liberally. Unfortunately, the color of this pact is simply too bright for me. So I was layering it super thinly so that I won’t look like I just apply rice flour on my face. Needless to say, I started to notice my forehead getting oily by lunch time.

However, I do like the packaging where the pact and puff is separated, plus the generous mirror. It makes it easier for me to touch up during the day. 

Bottomline,

Finely milled, lightly fragranced finishing powder that does reduce shine, but not all day. I might love it more if it comes in range of colors instead of one size fits all. 

Etude House Spring 2015 Dreaming Swan Collection

What is there not to adore about Etude House's Dreaming Swan collection? With pretty illustration from Kerrie Hess, this collection just got a whole lot cuter!

Ballerina themed Dreaming Swan includes Shine Volumer - eye gloss / highlighter type of product to be applied underneath the eyes to brighten, and also to accentuate collarbone and to be used as highlighter. 

Also new is an array of sweetly coloured lipsticks.

Veiling Pact finishing powder and blushes... look at that emboss designs! So pretty!

Nude nail polishes...

Also make up pouch and casings!

Which one suits your fancy?

(etude.co.kr)

Holika Holika Healing Nails Finger Glove

Now... I've never thought I will see something that's like the reverse of fingerless glove a la Michael Jackson...

But look... here it is... Healing Nails Finger Glove from Korean brand, Holika Holika. It is promoted as 'mask' for your nails... for rough nails and dry cuticles to be precise. 

What's genius... the sheet masks are waterproof, so you can still tweet and instagram away while wearing it!

Are you interested to try it?

(holikaholika.co.kr)

Etude House Afternoon Tea Spring 2015 and New Face Brightener Line

This spring Etude House of Korea brings you pretty pastel colors from their latest Afternoon Tea collection. 

Afternoon Tea offers eyeshadow collection in pastel colors (of course!) and deeper colors too. Etude also offers new top coat and pretty nail polishes.

Etude also releases new Face Brightener Line, compact highlighter in three variants.

(etude.co.kr)

YSL Volupte Tint-In-Oil in 5 Cherry My Chérie

I have always loved YSL lip product… my latest crush was their glossy tint. When I saw in the website that they are releasing this last year, I cant wait to try one myself. To my delight, the wait is over. Finally I got my own Tint in Oil. 

So, the idea of tint in oil is to enhance your natural lip color with balmy comfort. YSL claims to be the first tint-in-oil tiny tint particles dissolved homogenously in oil. Plus, it features their ‘bouche a bouche’ 3D applicator. Let’s see if this combination makes my ultra dry lips happy…

The packaging is classic YSL with silver color and colored metallic neck to indicate the color inside. The tube is made of plastic, but the cap is metal. It, however, still feels substantial to hold. 

The tint-in-oil looks plain in the beginning, just clear gloss with cool pink tinge. The color, however, develops as time goes by. The swatch on the left was made 5-8 minutes earlier than the freshly made swatch on the right. You can see color developing… when I wiped off the gloss, there is pink stain left behind (little less intense color compared to the swatch you see in the picture).

Okay, honestly, these pictures dont do this lovely product ANY justice... trust me, the color is more pronounced than the faint pale hint of color you see in these pictures... Trying to capture this color better, below is picture of color transfer to the tissue that I used to wipe my hand swatch. See that pretty poppy pink...

The product itself feels like a very comfortable thin gloss with lots of slip, but it doesn’t feel like applying oil on my lips! It has light YSL-signature fruity scent, which dissipates over time. The fragrance is not as strong as other YSL product I must say. It turns to the beautiful, sheer, natural looking, cheerful cool pink. I am … in loooovvveeeee….

The curved applicator certainly makes my life easier… drawing lines is breezy with this baby. Plus, it grabs just enough amount of product at one go, no need to re-dip the wand to the tube!

The tint and gloss doesn’t migrate to my liplines! And this makes me very happy. I cant believe how minimal the color transfer is to my cup rim… almost none!

Bottomline,

You want hydrating, sheer gloss to give you my lips but better cheerful colors? This is for you. Meanwhile for me, I am logging off to grab more colors and stockpile this pretty baby….

Shiseido Integrate Melty Your Heart eyeshadow duo No. 1

Integrate is a brand from Shiseido. This cutie is from their 2014 fall collection called Love Sniper. In the past I loved their Pure Big Eyes palette, I am curious if I like their duo too. 

http://www.shiseido.co.jp/ie/point/

Integrate offers eye shadow in gel cream texture (pink) and shade fit powder (brown) to aid the color stay put and not faded. according to their test, it lasts 10 hours! I am interested! 

As usual, integrate website offers diagram to advise how to apply the shadow. Right now they offer 5 color combinations, No. 1 is limited edition. 

The eyeshadow is housed in plastic tub with plastic lid over the powder shadow. both colors has satin finish with minimal shimmer. Not the most pigmented colors, but they are a pretty combination nonetheless. the pink is cooler baby pink while brown has a tinge of plum.

The pink is buttery and glides easily. Brown shade is not as powdery as I originally imagined it to be, it is rather well packed yet smooth to touch and easy to apply. it just sticks nicely when applied over the pink gel.

On my eyes, I didnt follow the Integrate diagram. I used Dolly Wink liquid eyeliner, then applied Melty Your Heart eyeshadow duo on top. I applied a bit of Make Essence Face Powder on my browbone. 

well, as you can see... pigmentation is not the forte of this duo. but, it does stay put! the sheer pink and brown stays up to 9 hours on my oily lids.

Bottomline, 
if you want sheer, office friendly duos with lasting power. this is suitable for you!

Etude House Color In Liquid Lips PK006

Color in Liquid Lips promises light and smooth textured vivid lip color with transparent shine. I assume the transparent shine translates to glossy look. 

The promo pictures remind me of Dior Addict Liquid Lips. Unfortunately, I don’t own any of those, so I cant really compare the two. The tube of Etude House is made of sturdy plastic, which kind of covers the ‘bullet’ inside. The applicator is pointy, which I appreciates, making precise application easier. 

PK006 is pigmented poppy peony pink. Single swipe is all it took do deposit even color on my lips. It has glossy finish and doesn’t feel tacky at all. The lippie has faint fruity bubble gum fragrance, but no taste. 

It transfers easily on my cup rim, depositing pigment with each sip I took. In the beginning, the color looks even, by the time I took third sip from my cup; I can see pigments settling on my liplines, accentuating dry patches. 30 minutes to wearing this, the pigment started to bleed outside my lips, may be it will be better if I wasn’t having a bad, dried lip day when I tried this. Anyways, my advice, exfoliate your lips well before using this.

Bright color lasted for about 3 hours on me, with my almost constant tea sipping and snacking. It leaves a pretty stain, only if it didnt bleed, it will be perfect! Color in Liquid Lips dried my lips a bit. 

Bottomline, 
punchy, bright liquid lipcolor with zero tackiness. Unfortunately for me, it dries my lip a bit and feather as time goes by. 

Etude House Beauty Shot Face Blur SPF 15/PA+

New interesting stuff from Etude House! Beauty Shot Face Blur. You guessed it… it is a primer to ‘blur’ imperfections! Hooray to #Selfie!

etude.co.kr

The lightweight cream claims to:

- Covers pores and bumpy skin to make skin look flawless.

- Softening skin layer like filtert effect to give smooth and even skin layer.

- Natural whitening skin to make dark skin look bright and cover imperfections flawlessly while remaining invisible on-screen and in real life.

- Baby pixcel powder and cover powder compounds give 3-in-1 multi filter effect like adjusting light on skin.

That’s lots of claims…

The cream also features baby pixel powder, cover powder and airy skin powder. I suppose all this tech stuff is meant to help with all the claims Etude made on this product. 

I am loving the design of Etude bottle as usual. The pump dispenses perfect amount of cream on my palm.

Now, the cream itself. As you can see it is light in color with slight peachy tint. and… little goes long way… as you can see here on my hand swatch… I used approximately same amount of product with the drop on the left most side… it has to be blended ever so lightly, or else, it looks ashy even on my rather light skin. As for the blurring claim… honestly, after blending to make sure my skin don’t look ashy (the right most part, divided with grey crooked line), I don’t see the cream hiding my pores or concealing my skin imperfection and bluish-vein marks on back of my hand. 

Trying it on my face, after my regular oil moisturizer, it does feel lightweight and I don’t feel like im adding extra layer on my face. But… all the blurring and smoothing effect is not very visible at all. Plus, the ashy, white cast issue… makes me think that it work be suitable for beauties with deeper skin color… but I think, it will give whitening effect on the suitable light skin colored beauties. 

Bottomline,

Lightweight, yes. Blurring, smoothing etc…not so much.