Etude House - Angel Kiss Lip and Cheek

Etude House - Angel Kiss Lip and Cheek

Price: 7500won (~$7.5)
Color : Darling Angel (Peach/pink)

Are you obsessed with cream blushes??? I am, they look so bright and young and fresh, and blend so easily! (that was a lot of 'ands')
But first the name.... Etude House - Angel Kiss Lip and Cheek in Darling Angel - That is a serious mouthful! Why in the world does the name need to be so loooooooooong!!!
I feel bad for the Koreans trying to translate it!

And the packaging.... eww. I'm not really into angel motifs. It's both too plain (just a clear jar with a pink cover and no style) and over designed (the useless 'angel wing' wrapper and the ugly picture on the cover.)

What do you think? I normally like Etude's packaging, even if it tends to be overly pink and frilly.

Inside, is ALOT of blush. For a cream blush. It's kind of huge, and deep.
It's also made of Glass, for anyone who wants to buy it, so it's kind of heavy to ship.

So the actual blush.
You can see that the color is a pale peach/pink. I used to be obsessed with peach/pink blushes, mostly because I had warmer toned skin and hair (I am am even paler now, if that's possible).
Now, I am not as keen on peach pink, because it doesn't work with my coloring. However this is a nice color. It is in between light pink  and peach, so it is a more flexible color, with good range. For a peach, it has a slightly cool tone. It applies a bit more peach than it appears.

The texture itself  is really nice, soft and creamy. It feels like one of those cream foundation compacts, as in thick and dense, but smooth and creamy.
It is also Super pigmented!!!!
It blends really well, but I have to be careful in application, its really easy to take too much. I have to use about 1/4 of what I would for a Canmake cream blush.  Again, it really does blend well, so just be careful!

So between the giant size, and the super pigmented, it's really good value for the money.
It also lasts well, for a cream blush. Better than I am used to.
oh.... and as a lip product - It's useless. But really when is a cheek product ever good on the lips? Really????

All in all, the product is really solid, I really want another color, maybe just pink!

Conclusion

Holika Holika Nail Polish - Peach

Holika Holika Nail Polish - Peach

Price : 3000won (~$3)

I am madly in love with the Holika Holika Cream nail polishes. So you can skip my review, and just go order it :D

This color is GORGEOUS. Peach is usually boring and conservative (or salmon and nasty). This color is gorgeous, and bold, and gorgeous!

The texture is beautiful, smooth, creamy, and just the right thickness.
I love love love it....
I have no negatives.... Honestly... Even the price is good!

Conclusion :

The Face shop - Matte Yellow Nail polish

The Face shop - Matte Yellow Nailpolish

Price : 4000won (~$4)

Matte polishes tend to be disastrous.... I like the look (sometimes), but it works out better with a mattifying top coat, then buying seperate matte nail polishes.

So streaky and so Neon!!

This color, kind of sucks. It has the weirdest texture!!! It is thick and CHALKY and flaky. It is actually really horrible to apply.

You have to put a lot on (since it is so thick), and the finish is really bad, unless you apply it perfectly.

Ugh, it's awful.

Indoor light - looks pastel!

On the plus side, It is neon. Really neon. Under florescent lights, it looks like something from the 80's. The color is kind of awesome. This is a color that REALLY changes in different lighting, you can see in the pictures it can look pastel, bright, or Neon. It's weird.

But the polish is terrible...

On the plus side, it didn't stain my nails!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yay!!!!!!!!!

Pass or Buy :

It's Skin - Honey Nutri cleansing foam

It's Skin - Honey Nutri cleansing foam

I am in love.
With this cleanser..... (Maybe that was a little bit too dramatic) This really is my favorite cleanser. Of all cleansers. 

What it is a creamy foaming cleanser, with a light honey scent(very light).  The cleanser itself is a light golden yellow. It's thick, and foams into tiny little bubbles.  

Why is it so awesome?

It's so simple.
I like all kinds of fancy cleansers, multiple steps, oils, powders, scrubs, etc.
But when I get up each morning, and sleepily wash my face, I don't have the energy or patience for anything complicated, I just want a quick simple cleansing, that leave my face feeling fresh, clean, soft, not dry and ready to face the day. That's what this cleanser is.

Are you thinking that I could get a simple cleanser from anywhere, any brand? Well yes, basic cleansers are everywhere. But rarely does one do the job so well.
It's not that the Honey Nutri cleanser does anything different or new, it just does things better. When I wash with it, it has a nice texture and is easy to use, it washes away cleanly. When I am done, my skin feels just a bit softer and younger, a bit fresher, than with other cleansers. After days and days, my skin always feels that lovely.

Most simple products are mediocre. This is perfect at being just a simple cleanser!

Holika Holika Candy Pop Nail Polish

Holika Holika Candy Pop Nail Polish
Price: 2000 won ($2!)
The Candy pop Nail series is all bright 'summery' gel polishes.
Gorgeous!

This color is my least favorite of the Candy Pop series. But I still like it....
It's kind of weird, because every other Candy pop color is clear, and gel like (is that what those kinds of polishes are supposed to be called), but this color is kind of creamy....
It's like half candy pop, half regular Holika line (blue tops are all creamy goodness).
So it's just very out of place, and doesn't do either way that well....

It's a solid 3 coat polish, which is how many I have on in the picture.
The color itself is nice. It's not my favorite, but It's a very wearable color for me, since it's a pinky purple!

Anyway, don't be scared off from the Candy Pop series by this review. The rest of the line is stunning!

Holika Holika Polish in - Orange!

Holika Holika Polish in - Orange!
Price : 2000won

For Halloween, I though I would review a couple of colors of orange nail polish. I bought this color, cause I liked it, not for the Holiday, but hey, it works for Halloween!

This is one of the Many Holika polishes in my collection, because Holika makes GORGEOUS Nail Polish.

This bright, almost pumpkin orange is no exception.
The texture is perfect, it's creamy, with 2 coat coverage, but smooths itself out, eliminating streaks.
 The finish easily looks impeccable.
I really love the creamy polished by Holika, they are such great quality!

The color, I love. Its so truly, unapologetically orange. 
The color also makes my hands look good.  It's not too yellow (makes my skin look dull), or too red (makes my skin look pink). It's just right.
...
So in the end, Iove it!!
Does anybody else think my skin looks blue???? I swear the nail polish is true to life!!

Worst Etude house item EVER!!!

Do you see the adorable little penguin? He's(or she's?) so adorable!

I was on my way out of Korea (*sob*), and in the Incheon Airport (Seoul), shopping at the little Etude/Missha shop.
Where they upped the prices soooo much it was ridiculous!
But the little Lip gloss pot was so cute! It says hug me (which is odd...)
 Plus it's an apple scent, I LOVE the smell of apple!!!! So I kinda overpaid for it.

Inside, is this really hard lip cream. It's hard like pots of cocoa butter.... Which is not a bad thing, since it melts at body temp, and moisturizes really well.

It's really smooth. 
The penguin is colorless, and with just the barest sheen.  
It's the perfect texture to toss in a bag, for those days when I am chapped, or just dry, or planning on doing some kissing.....

Doesn't it sound wonderful???

.....
I vaguely remember it being wonderful, but, I haven't been able to use it more than 3 times, because the cover sticks.
The little pot is made out of metal, and the top gets wedged on the bottom so firmly, I, even with a screw driver and pliers, can not get it open.
My Dad and Boyfriend, cannot get it open.

The stupid thing WILL NOT OPEN!!!!

I managed to get it open once after it got stuck, It just mysterious opened one day.....

But I couldn't leave it open, I had to put the top back on.
That was back in July.

I really wish I could open it.....

Holika Holika nail polish in Baby blue

Holika Holika nail polish in Baby blue

Price: 2000 won (Less than $2)

There is one word to describe this color - Gorgeous!
I LOVE IT!
You might be thinking it's just another baby blue.
Sure I could see that, baby blue is pretty common.
But this nail polish by Holika Holika is just gorgeous. It is really bright and fresh. So instead of being a boring pastel, the color really pops. It's oddly strong for a pastel. You have to admit the tone is gorgeous, it is super flattering, my hands look younger and brighter in this color.
 It's so good.
(Sorry about the rant :D )

The polish is also a wonderful texture, thick enough for easy 2 coat coverage, but this enough it applies like a dream. The finish is gorgeous, even when my nails are less than perfect.

This whole line by Holika has some of my favorite polishes!

Etude House Orjel Light Lipstick - Take 2!!!

Etude House Orjel Light Lipstick - Take 2!!!
Price: 8000won

Color: 2

Ages ago, when I first moved to Korea I bought the Etude House Orjel light lipstick color 4, and I didn't like it! But a lot of readers commented how they had liked it, and I had read on other blogs how much they liked it....

I hated color 4, it was sooo drying, it made my lips flake, and ewww, that is Not attractive!!!

I was in the airport in Korea, on my way back from Thailand, and I bought a bunch of lipsticks from Etude House and Missha  (they were merged together into this weird round store....

By accident I picked up a second Orjel light. I was trying to get a soft pink from one of the other lines, but I got the soft orjel pink....

Ooops.

Luckily for me, it was the color I wanted, not soem really ugly unusable shade!

So I started using it.

I LOVE it.

I was wrong.  I still hate color 4 but color 2 is different. (I even pulled out the peach color, and tried it again, it dried my lips out again!)
It isn't drying. It doesn't last long, but It isn't at all drying, it is soft, and the color is gorgeous.
It's sparkly, but only a bit. It's sheer, with enough tint to alter the shade of my lips.
It looks gorgeous, natural but better!

it has become my go to everyday lipstick. It's so sheer, it is almost a gloss, with a soft satin finish.

SO If you are looking to buy from the Orjel Light line at Etude house, be warned, it seems to be quite inconsistent.....

Ah well.

The Faceshop Apple Hand cream

The Faceshop Apple Hand cream

 Price : 4,400won ($4)

Size : 30ml

I may be addicted to hand creams…. My hands always end up so dry! I think It’s because I hand wash so many dishes.

A lot of Korean brands have been coming out with Fruit shaped Items, possibly ripping of the Japanese B&C which has been doing fruit shapes for ages.
So has Tony Moly. Now Bavi Phat is into, and the Face shop, and I am sure I have seen stuff at other shops!!

The Faceshop apple hand cream smell divine!  It smells like apple, still like perfume, but there is a freshness, and a realisticness to the scent that makes it enchanting.
The cream itself is really nice. It’s surprisingly white(Most moisturizers tend to be cream colored). It absorbs well, and has an almost gel-cream like texture. It does leave a bit of a greasy layer. I know some people hate that!
It’s really not bad though, it just leaves hands a bit slick. Just a bit.

All in all it’s a really nice hand cream, but other than the scent it isn’t anything special!

Holika Holika - Nail polish #27

Holika Holika - Nail polish #27
What do you think of the color?

I love it. I think.
I do the love polish though. Holika holika makes beautiful nail polishes. This color is very creamy. I get complete, opaque, coverage in two coats, but it is thin enough to apply very smoothly.
The finish is shiny, and very very even. It's not fool proof, but for such a light colored cream, it gives really nice coverage, and a beautiful finish.

Since the formula is so nice, the only question is do you like the color?

Holika Holika Single shadows

Holika Holika Single shadows

Price: 4000 won ($4)

Every Korean brand has its own line of single shadows. I  find, they suck. Even a normally nice brand cheaps out on its singles.

But, I like singles. Almost every time I buy a duo, trio or quad, I use up one color LONG before the rest.

There are just some colors I use a lot. So I have been in search of decent Korean singles. (lol) My search isn’t over. Holika’s singles are ok looking. The packaging isn’t bad. A clear top with a silver or black bottom (silver is for the metallic shadows). Their logo is imprinted into the powder.
They are also designed to be easily depottable.

Inside the shadows are pretty generic, but the quality is pretty good. Better than I usually see in singles. The colors are nicely pigmented, apply smoothly and last well.

I bought two colors, both are copper, in the same tone, that coordinate beautifully. One is a dark copper, the other is a lighter copper. The colors in the silver case, the 'metallics' are more pigmented. It is the darker and slightly more orange of the two. I use it as a liner and for shading. The lighter color is less pigmented, and applies a lot lighter than it looks in the pot. 

The colors are nice, not that exciting, and tend to be a little orange. The overall quality is decent, they last, and have decent pigmentation. They don't sound amazing, but.....honestly, they are the best Korean single shadows I have encountered.

Etude House – Juicy Pop Tube

Etude House – Juicy Pop Tube

Price: 2,500won ($2.50)

One of the very first things I bought when I got to Korea was a Juicy pop tube. How I love it, a lemon sweet taste, a beautiful color, a cheap price….. (check out my old review!)
And Etude house has redone their Juicy pop tubes. The packaging is different, the texture and taste of the glosses are different, and the colors are different.

I picked up an interesting color,  color #2, pale lavender.

It doesn’t taste the same as the old style. More like candy and less like lemon. The scent is also gone…. This is a big disappointment for me, since I LOVED the old version, but honestly both the taste and the scent of the new one are fine.

The color, though it looks odd in the tube, applies clear, with a bit of a cool tint. Really it is lovely. I know in the pictures it looks pink, but that’s just me. The gloss has a thick but not sticky texture, it’s very wearable.  It really is very smooth and slick, but not greasy.  The color in the tube looks as though it would be pigmented, or might streak on the lips. It doesn't! It's surprisingly subtle.
Honestly, I think I really like it. Or I would, if it weren’t for my disappointment about the old style….

Holika Holika Sugar Syrub Gloss

Holika Holika Sugar Syrub Gloss

Price : 4000won ($4)

Color : 06

If you read the title then I am sure you are thinking ‘Sugar Syrub??????’. Yes, I agree, it should be sugar syrup. But the tube says ‘Syrub’.

The Sugar syrub line is Holika’s cheap line of lip glosses. Every brand has them, and they range in price from $2.50 to less than $5.
So this gloss is at the higher end of the spectrum. I have loads of these cheap glosses. I love them :D. Plus I Always lose my lip-glosses, so there really is no point in investing in good ones.

I was attracted to this one because of the peculiar opaque color. It looks like lipstick in a tube.

So as you might guess, it’s kind of strange as a gloss. The texture is like a gloss, so when you apply it, color doesn’t end up evenly deposited. It tends to look…. Uneven.

 A thicker coat even things out. It’s really weird though. It has the texture of a gloss, smooth silky, but looks like gloss over lipstick.
It can look nice, it’s not nearly as opaque as it is in the tube, and if it is carefully applied, it has a pretty, muted effect. 

See the streaks?

The taste is also… odd. It tastes like candy, like those sticks that come with candy powder (Fun-dip), with an after taste of lipstick. It’s not bad, kind of tasty.

  

I know this was a really ambiguous review….. I am kind of ambiguous on the gloss.  But I am fairly certain all the problems with it are due to the color. The rest of the glosses in the series are clear, more normal. I am willing to bet they are lovely, and will eventually buy some to test my theory!

Love Balm –in Rose – Nature Republic

Love Balm –in Rose – Nature Republic

Love Balm. Sounds dirty J

It’s so not *sigh*. So for all of you readers who were hoping for another sort of review, well I guess you are going to have to look else where.

The Love Balm is a potted lip gloss by Nature Republic.  I’ve be wavering between curiosity and dislike with Nature Republic. I so often find their products boring and lack luster.  Which with all the wonderful and exciting things in the Korean beauty care world, means I generally don’t buy.

But since Nature Republic replaced my favorite little Etude house shop, sometimes I would wander down there when I was bored.

When I am bored, I spend money on things I don’t need. Is there anyone out there like that???

Anyway, this lip balm comes potted, without an applicator. I have come to hate potted lip glosses.  Mostly because it gets under my finger nails, and I then need to wash my hands.

But, I love the scent. It smells exactly like the Moroccan Rose facial spray, which for ages was the ONLY thing from NR that I liked! This also means, if you don’t like rose scents, or potent scents, this is not for you.

I don’t think Korea has become aware of the fragrance free trend, everything seems to be LOADED with scent!

But personally, I love it.

The lip gloss base is nice, It’s thick smooth, and minimally sticky. It is certainly a balm rather than a gloss. I haven’t found it to be exceptionally moisturizing. In fact it’s a pretty average, pretty basic balm.

I do like it, I use it every night as a lip treatment, after using my rose toothpaste, before using my Rose Mask….

I’m a bit rose obsessed at the moment.

For you, I f you are looking for a nice basic balm, and like rose, great. This is the one for you, between that and the inexpensive price, it’s a good buy.

If you have to import it, or are expecting miracles, then this would be a….. pass!

Skinfood Tea Tree and Lavender Toner for Men

Skinfood Tea Tree and Lavender Toner for Men

Price:$9.90 (9900won)
Size: 140ml
My boyfriend is not in the least metro sexual. I’d say he’s more of a flannel sexual (reference to According to Jim, awesome show!). Basically he has no interest in Skin care.
He keeps himself clean, and that the extent of it.
He’s happy with a bar of soap.
But since we’ve been in Korea, and I’ve been droning on and on about skin care stuff and Makeup (what a trooper he is for putting up with it) and dragging him to this store and that, I’ve somewhat piqued his interest.
So we picked him up some basic skin care products. Most of them from Skinfood, since I’ve been having such good results.
He has oily, acne prone skin. I have dry skin, with no issues with blemishes.
The Tea Tree Oil Toner, comes in a beautiful green glass bottle with a metallic top.
It’s some of the prettiest packaging available at Skinfood. It’s kind of odd that’s its for one of their Men’s care lines… But maybe I’m wrong to assume guys don’t care about pretty things….
Inside is a traditional liquid toner. Different from the more common Korean gel toners (My personal preference.) It is a bit astringent, and does contain alcohol.
I have used it myself, and it’s not nearly as astringent or Harsh as my toner’s I’ve used in North America. It’s the harsiest toner I’ve ever used here in Korea, but would be one of the mildest compared with back home.
And it does leaver my face soft, and not dried out. My Boyfriend who has been using it semi regularly for the past weeks has not noticed dry skin.
But his skin has been more consistently clear.
The toner does smell of lavender and tea tree. The scent is herby, not floral. It’s not distinctly masculine. And personally I don’t feel like I’m using a “men’s” product when I use it.

Overall, I really recommend this toner if you have problem skin and want a more gentle toner.

Skinfood- Black sesame hot mask

Black sesame hot mask

-This mask opens up the pores with a warm heat of salt and sugar powder and eliminates wast material in a rough skin affected by accumulated keratin. It provides an amazing silkiness to skin with nourishing black sesame extract.

Smells - very lightly of seasame, barely noticable, at least until I washed it off, then it was strongly sesame. A nice smell though. Not articifical at all. 

Texture- not that scratchy, but a bit rough, not rough enough to be a scrub.

It has big chunks of black sesame, which also aren't scratchy.

Until washing it off, then it felt very scrub like, and could be used as a scrub. Interesting how the wash of texture was different than the apllication texture!

Effectiveness- gets quite hot whe applied to a damp face. My face got quite hot, and very red, as the mask brought up lots of blood. But in a hot mask, this is a good thing. It actually made me sweat!

It was almost to the point of uncomfortable, which in my opinion is a good thing. Hot but not too hot.

Left my face very very smooth, softer, and very warm!

Buy? Yes. I am definitely going to get the large version of this. I generally find heat up masks are gimicky, rather than effective. But this one is not like that,  after one use this mask made my skin extra smooth. 

Skinfood - Honey Black Tea Jelly foam

Honey Black Tea Jelly foam 

-Honey black tea cleansing foam with a glutionus jelly texture. It contains honey extract effective for moisturizing dry skin and black tea for eliminating keratin and giving skin a boost.

Smells INTENSELY of Honey and tea. It's over poweringly strong, nice, but as though I smeared honey and 20 pots of tea all over teh bathroom. Sometimes Skinfood samples smell more intensely than the actual product. 

Texture- super runny, clear liquid, and did not foam AT ALL??? isn't it suposed to be a foam?
effectiveness - seems to very gently cleanse. Very light, very soft, very gentle

Buy?- No, though it's gentle and softens my skin, I don't 

Holika holika - A new Korean brand!!!!!!!

Holika Holika
Korea has come out with a brand new brand *snickers*.
I came across when in Seoul a couple of weeks ago, tucked away in meyong-dong, across from Forever 21.
Holika Holika

The building definitely makes an impact, all pink with a giant clock and witch riding a broom.
And the shop ladies are all wearing cute purple witch costumes!!!!!!!! I didn''t take a picture of the shop ladies though.... I thought that would be a little creepy!
It's seriouly exciting!

The store itself is really pretty, lots of magical themed displays, gold, purple, swirls, black cats. oooo

                                      

The poster is of Matsushima Emi. But Holika's main endorsement is CNblue.

                              

I got this folder, with a CNblue member on it, with some of the stuff I but at Holika!

Holika Holika only came out in March, I was there only a couple of weeks after opening (sadly I don't live near Seoul, other wise I would have found out sooner.
The brand is by the same makers of Enprani, but much much cheaper.
The whole theme of Holika Holika is witches and magic, which I think is too cute.
I immediately bought a ton of stuff!

Apple shine-peeling sheet mask, Cream shadow, peach BB cream

Garden recipe body scrub,  Pore cover mousse

My favorite item is this plumping cream. It's bizarre, and comes in a cute bottle!

My other favorite, a gel toner! Its super nice :) 


But I do have bad news for all my readers, the brand is so new, that none of the items are avaliable on G-market yet....
So you will all have to wait...
It probably won't be long though, because a second store already opened up in Myeong-dong, in Seoul. 2 stores in 2 months, that's quick :D