Feelin' Fancy: Sulwhasoo Hydro-aid Mist Review

Summer skincare usually consists of cleanser, chilled sheet masks, maybe a BHA chemical exfoliant to battle my oily and sweaty pores, and mists. Lots of mists. 'Tis the season for mists, because it's hot and humid and everyone is miserable, and mists are light and most importantly, refreshing.

Benefit of photographing a mist: you can use it in between shots to cool off. Which I dd. A lot.

Although this is a fancy full size bottle, I've actually used (and emptied) a travel size of this mist before. You might recognize the travel size from posts such as K-Beauty & Portion Control: Why Sometimes Good Value Can Be a Bad Idea, and Winter is Coming: Plotting My K-Beauty Skincare Routine for Colder Weather.

In this post

• Product details
• Ingredients
• 4 ways I use mists
• Where to get full and travel-sizes
• Final thoughts

Unfortunately, I have no idea where my travel size bottle has gotten to; it's probably sill buried in an unpacked box somewhere, like 99% of my post-move beauty stash. However, during the recent snail rout in NYC, I received a gift bag of goodies from Amore Pacific and conveniently a full size of this mist was in it.

So while bottle in these photos is from Sulwhasoo, it's a product I've already purchased and used on my own. It's no longer sold on their US site regardless. I haven't opened this one yet, but I'll happily commandeer it for photos.

Chemical Love: Make P:rem Capsule Sun Gel Review

Yes, the Make P:rem UV Defense Me Capsule Sun Gel SPF50+ PA+++ is an all-chemical/organic sunscreen. This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill: this a chemical sunscreen review, on my blog.  I know, I can scarcely believe it either.

If you told me two months ago I would be writing a review on a chemical sunscreen with anything to say but "it made my face break out into burning pimples of angry rage" I would never have believed you. All my life, chemical sunscreens have made me want to claw my own face off. It's been all-physical/inorganic sunscreens or bust for me.

When you're that friend who brings a tray and their camera to Sunday afternoon dinners because they need to take photos while the light is still good. #bloggerfriendproblems

It's fitting that the combined enabling powers of the HolyFan duo from The Snailcast are to blame for this unexpected development. During our first ever live snail rout in NYC, we converged on Fanserviced-b's HQ loaded with travel-friendly sample sizes and decants.

After wearing this sunscreen on my neck and chest without incident, I was willing to risk it. Drunk on the spirit of yolo (or maybe it was the White Girl Rosé) I patch tested it on my face, expecting the usual burning, itchy reaction. Nothing untoward happened, unless you count our decision to try freezing the dregs of the wine in an adult novelty mold. Which I don't. 🍆

In this post

• Product details
• Ingredients & UV filters
• My theories on why this isn't destroying my face
• Swatches
• Final thoughts, wear time, and how it plays with makeup

On the final day, I recklessly wore this sunscreen all over my face, determined to test it as much as possible in the time we had left. To my amazement, my skin didn't protest and I made it to my PM routine without incident.

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?! A chemical sunscreen! On my face! I have some theories on what might be going on, and after chatting with a few others who have the same sunscreen woes, there may be hope for us yet.

A Reluctant Review: Paula's Choice BHA Exfoliant

In last week's post Skincare SOS: My Recovery Routine When I've Been Bad, I mentioned I've been using the Paula's Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA to help undo the results of neglecting my skin.  While most of my Skincare Wardrobe is comprised of Korean beauty products and cosmetics from Asia, I can't deny that western skincare is still in the lead when it comes to acids.  Specifically, acid exfoliants, chemical peels, and prescription-strength "bring your skin to Snesus" topicals like azelaic acid and retinol.

Studies courtesy of my research frenzy for Cosrx BHA Power Liquid Exfoliant Review & My Descent Into BHA Research Madness

However, with a name like "Paula's Choice Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA", you would think it was a K-Beauty product, right next to other "ridiculously long product name" titleholders like the "Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Borabit Ampoule" and ... well, too many others to list.  Interestingly, Paula's Choice does make Asia-exclusive versions of their products, but this isn't one of them.

In this post:

• Product details
• Ingredients & how to apply
• How I was lured away from my usual BHA
• The good and the bad

 I'm somewhat reluctantly reviewing this product, because I'm not a big fan of the company, but dodgy science demos and flip-flopping shade parades aside, they make some gooood acids.

Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser Review: We Tried, But It's Time to Break Up

Yep, that's right, a review of the low pH non-foaming Milky Jelly cleanser from Glossier.  Your eyes do not deceive you; this is a non-K-Beauty, non-Asian product, despite my overall efforts to keep my blog content consistent.  I do try, and use, western products regularly, I just rarely post about them.  Since I'm all about that low pH cleanser life, and this cleanser was getting good reviews from other K-Beauty fans, it's been on my radar for quite a while.

We're visiting family out of state, who are bemused at me hauling around a giant white table top for photos.

While hemming and hawing over whether to grab it, my fellow Snailcaster Tracy of Fanserviced-b offered to send me a bottle since she had some spare store credit, I thought, why not?  Let's see what the fuss is about.  Now that I'm almost halfway through the bottle, it's time for a review!

In this post:

• Product details
• Ingredients & thoughts on the hype
• Demo as a dry & wet (first and second) cleanser vs double cleansing
• What I'd rather use instead

This review is going to be fairly photo heavy, because I had to pack a lot of stuff to work on this review while we were out of state for the long weekend and then felt obligated to use it, haha.

Cosrx BHA Power Liquid Exfoliant Review & My Descent Into BHA Research Madness

This has been a difficult post.  It was supposed to be merely a review of the Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid with a delicious little snack science on the side, like I did in Milky Dress Vita C+ Powder Review & It's Time to Get Nerdy About Vitamin C. Fun, crisp, & fluffy, with a satisfying aftertaste.

Unfortunately, this was not to be; I've spent days hunting down studies, tracking the muddled pawprints of sources in roving bands of reference herds, stalking my prey through stacks of marginally related papers, and all I've managed to uncover is some seedy research practices and what appears to be a multi-decade ongoing game of academic telephone.

Thankfully, there's more to products than just their INCI profile, and having gone through a good four or so empties of the Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, a daily BHA (beta hydroxy acid) chemical exfoliant, I feel confident in discussing my personal experiences with this product even if the exact details of its scientific pedigree remains murky.

Emptying a bottle and cracking into a fresh one is so satisfying!

Ultimately, reviews are (or should be) our thoughts on products that we've used, and I've certainly used this enough, by both time and volume, to be ready to review it; I just never did so as there's already excellent reviews of this product out there, such as fellow Snailcast podcaster Fifty Shades of Snail, and Sheryll of The Wanderlust Project.  However, I was keen to do another review-with-a-slice-of-science post, since I enjoyed the last one so much, so I decided to take advantage of our household's as-yet-unexpired university library subscription and hit the research papers.  I sort of regret that, but we'll plumb those depths of despair later.

In this post:

• Why chemical exfoliants are swoon-worthy
• Product details
• Ingredients & short review
• A research overview on the benefits of BHA and salicylic acid
• BHAs don't do what we think they do
• Why use BHA at all?
• Photoprotection, not photosensitivity
• Does it work on acne?

• Final thoughts

I'm going to keep the review portion short and sweet, so I can focus on the results of my research efforts; this way you can bail out of the rabbit hole if you're not into descending into nerdy madness.

Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion #13 Review & Swatches

I used to hate cushions.  I didn't like the unsanitary concept, the limited shade ranges, the high price point and low product volume, the lack of samples for colour matching before purchase, and after the DIY cushion method was a hot mess, I gave up on the idea as just a runaway hype train.

I was wrong, kinda.  Like their BB cream counterparts, shade ranges are limited although there are signs that's improving, and I was relieved to hear that cushions are apparently formulated with the maximum preservative concentration possible to offset the hygiene concerns.  There are now cushions for every budget and one really shouldn't be using them for longer than a few months anyway, but unfortunately there's still a dearth of options should you want to test to see if a cushion shade will fit you before you buy.  There are adorable tiny cushions out there, but they're rare.

That means swatches are critical to the "sight unseen" buying process of cushions.  As fellow Snailcast podcaster Tracy of Fanserviced-b put it during our episode on cushions,"people who swatch cushions are first in line for heaven" so it's time for me to pay it forward.

Insert in #13 via a buying service + Limited Edition Peony cushion purchased from 11st

One of the things I love about cushions is the ability to swap in different inserts but keep the same case; I managed to get my paws on one of the 2014 limited edition Sulwhasoo Peony cushion cases last year, although I purchased it in a shade I knew was wrong for me.  That's no barrier-- I simply purchased some refill inserts and swapped those in instead.  You can read more on how to use 11st here: Level Up Your K-Beauty Obsession: a Guide to 11st + My 1st 'Real' Cushion!

In this post:

• Product details
• Ingredients
• Comparison swatches of Mac NC15, Sulwhasoo Perfecting Brightening #17, and Sulwhasoo Perfecting #13
• Cushion demo & why I shouldn't apply makeup in my bathroom
• Instagram 10k thank-you giveaway details

In an effort to be thorough, I'll be providing both arm swatches comparing the Sulwhasoo cushions I have next to Mac NC15, and also face swatches as well, so you can see the coverage, finish, and what it looks like on a real face.  When I finish this review, I'm going to try to drink away the image of my bare skin in HD.  Clearly I need to get back on the PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) fading wagon after slacking off on actives for the summer.

Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask Review: Tested & Detested

Mid-week is the perfect time for a mini-review of the famous Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask.  (Update: my word counter tells me that "mini" review is a lie.  Eh, everything's relative!)  This mask is old news; it's a classic example of skincaretainment, and the product is more well-known for its entertainment value than the actual effects on the skin.  That's partly why I've avoided it until now, but it's summer and my skin is a slimy mess in this humidity so it's very ready for an occasional clay mask.  Why not one that inflates into a comically wide cloud of foam while on your face, making you look like a pixar character while doing double duty of first cleansing and clay mask style deep pore cleansing all in one go?

There is an inner jar lid/seal to keep air from reacting to the product.

Sounds too good to be true, right?  Plus, lots of people have used this mask, including fellow Snailcast podcaster Fifty Shades of Snail, so I purchased a jar of it and give it a try.  Then I dropped all irritants out of my routine and tried it again.  Sometimes, you have to just have to hurt yourself twice to confirm something is bad news.

In this post:

• Product details
• Ingredients
• What it did to my face
• What I'd rather use instead

Before using this mask the second time, I skipped anything that would compromise my moisture barrier for at least a week: no acid exfoliants, no manual exfoliants, no tretinoin, nothing to weaken my skin barrier or make me more sensitive.  I wanted to make sure there was no chance the culprit was just piling clay on top of sensitive skin.  Unfortunately, it still left my skin screaming for mercy and I smothered its cries with snail gel to recover.

Milky Dress Vita C+ Powder Review & It's Time to Get Nerdy About Vitamin C

I'm a fan of acid.  For someone who used to view chemical exfoliants with fear and distrust, I've certainly done a complete about-face on the subject; if I was at a cosmetics convention and you slid up to me whispering "Pssst hey Snow, I've got a new form of BHA derived from a kind of tree in northern steppes of Europe, and it's got twice the efficacy with half the irritation of Salicylic acid.  It's the coolest thing to happen since Mandelic changed AHAs.  It's under this trench coat, meet me outside if you wanna see it." I very well might blithely follow you, excitedly chattering about whether it's also pH dependent and whether it's commercially available yet, trench coat notwithstanding.

In addition to having AHA (Alpha hydroxy acid) and BHA (Beta hydroxy acid) in the "actives" category of my Skincare Wardrobe, I also have in my stable of acids a form of Vitamin C, called L-AA (L-ascorbic acid) and if you're a skincare fan, you've probably heard of the anti-aging powers of Vitamin C.  You've probably heard of the ridiculous $160+ price tag of some serums and expensive creams, the warnings to keep them away from light, air, and heat, making them difficult to use and prone to spoilage.

The version I use is a tenth of that cost, but it's just as annoying to use-- shuttling back and forth to the fridge, decanting small portions into other bottles, forgetting to use it for days on end because I do both my AM and PM routines half asleep, it's all aggravating.  It's tempting to latch onto other forms of Vitamin C which promise to provide the same effects but in stable formulations that won't have you pondering a mini-fridge for your skincare.  Lured by a demonstration on Korean beauty show Get It Beauty, I snatched up this powdered Vitamin C (SAP, aka Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate), amazed at how convenient it looked.  A powder that could be mixed into any, yes any, current skincare product without worrying about pH dependency, wait times, or oxidization?  Yes please!  Get in my cart!

Except that it sucked.

On the left, the watery serum in which I mixed the powder, and on the right is said powder displayed on the spatula.

(By the way, if you are wondering what that gorgeous bottle is, you can read more about it here: The Bottle That Stole My Heart: Sooryehan Hyo Biyeon Concentrated Brightening Essence Review.)

In this post:

• Product Details
• What's the fuss about Vitamin C?
• What I'd rather use instead

Like many things that seem too good to be true, this powder was highly disappointing although I'll freely admit that it may work really well for others.  Sadly I wasn't able to test it's long-term hyperpigmentation fading abilities vs a traditional L-AA serum, and while I certainly quickly formed an (irate) opinion on the product,  I felt so grumpy toward it that I wasn't ready to devote the time to research it properly.  Now that I've spent several nights squinting at PDFs and getting cockblocked by paywalls, I'm ready to get this off my to-do list.

Ciracle Pimple Solution Pink Powder Review & What I Should Have Used Instead

I admit it; I've been procrastinating on reviewing this Ciracle pink powder for weeks months a long time.  It's a spot treatment, so it doesn't get consistent daily use, and that makes it difficult to test it to my usual standards.  I'm now almost done the bottle, though, and it's time for me to just throw in the towel and admit this product doesn't measure up to its predecessors.

I managed to snap this before it rained, go me!

As you can see, I'm almost done this bottle so it's time to review this and get it off my To-Do list!

In this post:

• What is a pink powder/drying lotion?
• Product details
• Why I didn't like it
• What I'd rather use

This is my second pink powder product, and when I'm done writing this review, I'm going to run right back into the acne-thwarting arms of my first.

Sheet Mask Reviews & Empties: a Month of Getting #Sheetfaced

I like sheet masks.  I like them so much I use them once a day (also known as 1일 1팩) or even twice a day.  Some days, I might even #doublefistmasks-- aka using two masks back to back, coined during a discussion I had with fellow Snailcaster Fiddy of Fifty Shades of Snail, which I shamelessly borrowed from the rich tradition in Canada (and elsewhere) of having an alcoholic beverage in each fist to ensure one can more efficiently imbibe without pesky interruptions like having to get up for another drink.  Hmm, I'm seeing a theme: #doublefistingmasks, #sheetfaced, drinking wine with a straw while masking ... well, considering the alcohol in some masks, clearly I need to write this review with a drink in-hand, eh?

This means I go through a lot of sheet masks, and it occurred to me that people might like to see the wreckage left behind after a month or so of rampant sheet masking.  Once a day, twice a day, or if it's prepping for a special occasion, even more?

Mmm, sheet masks.

In this post:

• 47 empty sheet masks
• 24 mini reviews
• Assorted inebriated jokes

As someone with chronically dehydrated skin that hates occlusive products, I have to spend a lot of time sloooooooowly restoring hydration to my skin.  Too many layers results in a build-up of product residue on my face once it's sucked the water out of  any essences, serums, and creams I apply.

So, I combat summer heat, winter dryness, stress, and laziness by doing the slow cooker Korean beauty equivalent: sheet masks.  20-60 minutes of slow, sustain saturation replenishes my thirsty skin and lets me relax from the long and stressful hours of my day job.  Here are my thoughts on this giant pile of mask empties!

LS Cosmetic Oriental Herbal Skincare Premium Mask Pack Review: Four Flavours of Hanbang

I like sheet masks a lot, and I use them a lot, but I don't review them often as my blog would be nothing but sheet mask reviews if I did.  I'll sometimes review them on my Instagram, or I'll put them in a Best of post, or pick my top masks for a season's routine.

I'm making an exception for the LS Cosmetic Oriental Herbal Skincare Premium Mask Pack sheet mask set, of which I have types but one, as they're worth reviewing and people have expressed a lot of interest in hearing about them.  I'm sure this is due to 1. them being very, very Hanbang (한방, traditional Korean herbal medicine) and 2. being in ultra cute packaging that looks like different styles of Hanbok, a type of traditional Korean garment.  Normally cute packaging results in really disappointing masks, but these were a pleasant surprise.

I've also already used almost all of them, as you can see in this image below, so it's high time I review them before they're all gone.

Yes, I did save these empties for this post. You'd think that I didn't like the blue or green ones as I have 3 left of each, but actually I'm hoarding them because precioussss.

I purchased these in my Korean buying service haul from the terminally adorable Boyah Shop, which you can read about here: Boyah Shop Korean Buying Service Review + Haul of Hanbang & Sheet Masks, and at this time they're not available (affordably!) anywhere other than Korean sites, but if that changes, I will definitely update the review.  These were about $0.86 each before shipping, and I'm quite pleased with them.

Even the boxes are fancy, with pretty gold detailing on the edges:

Image from: Boyah Shop Korean Buying Service Review + Haul of Hanbang & Sheet Masks

Still, when it comes to sheet masks, it's what's inside the package that counts, so let's get to it!

In this post:

• Chaga Mushroom Sheet Mask - Wrinkle Care Type Review
• Shang Whang Mushroom Sheet Mask - Sensitive Type Review
• Silk Worm Sheet Mask - Whitening Type Review
• Wild Ginseng Sheet Mask - Cleansing Type Review

Each mini-review contains product details, comments on fit, scent, essence, ingredients, and other details, including which ones I will (and won't) be repurchasing.

Hada Labo Gokujyun Foaming Cleanser vs Medicean ER Nature Cleanser Review: Low pH & Fun-Free

It's taken me a long time to review the Hada Labo Gokujyun Super Hyaluronic Acid Foaming Wash, and not for interesting reasons.  It's hard to write reviews of unremarkable products-- sometimes products are really good or really bad, but most of the time, they're just bland.  Such is the case with the two self-foaming cleansers that I'm reviewing today as my newest "Dirge of Duds" post.

This outdoor image brought to you by SPF 50+ PA+++ sunscreen.

Ironically, my last Dirge of Duds post (linked above) also featured a Hada Labo product, but unlike the Hada Labo Gokujyun Hyaluronic Lotion which I actively disliked, I actually emptied the entire bottle of the cleanser, which is a pretty amazing feat considering that I've got a lot of cleansers in my rotation.  Part of it was just determination to empty a cleanser so I could purchase something fun that excited me more, and part of it was that it was an easy sell for my husband's nascent skincare routine, being both utilitarian and unoffensive.

Still, both of these cleansers were so boring that they added to, instead of mitigated, my ennui towards cleansing and that resulted in me skipping my routine more often than I'd like to admit.  I purchased these with the intention to try a very famous cleanser (the Hada Labo is a favourite of adoredee and many others) and to compare it against a similar Korean product (the Medicean) which was a relatively rare animal-- an openly low-pH Korean cleanser.

In this post:

• Product details
• Ingredients
• pH results
• How they compare
• Final thoughts

Before we jump in, I'd like to take a moment and remind people that skincare doesn't work the same way for everyone; many people don't care about Skincaretainment and just want their products to do the thing they're supposed to do.  I'm just jaded and can't get it up for bland products these days-- I need my products to motivate me to drag my exhausted backside into the bathroom and start my routine.

Both of the cleansers work just fine, and they're good options for beginner cleansers, which is why the Hada Labo cleanser appeared in my Beginner Friendly: Simple K-Beauty Starter Kits for 4 Skin Types series, which details 4 really simple beginner routines with only 5 products for a variety of skin types.  I just need excitement in my bathroom, and not the kind that evokes dead grandmothers and ignores safewords.

Sulwhasoo Herbal Soap Review: The Day I Hanbanged Too Hard

It's finally happened.  I've always been one of those reckless, flirt-with-danger, no-such-thing-as-too-hanbang, hanbang-me-harder types.  There are so many proverbs and fables that warn of this foolhardy approach, but I didn't pay any attention, seeking greater hanbang highs with every product, until it all culminated in traumatizing regret.  I'm talking about the venus flytrap of Hanbang products, the Sulwhasoo Herbal Soap set.  Don't be fooled by it's comely appearance; this product has no concept of boundary limits or safewords.

It looks so pretty, so enticing, so ... innocent.

It was only a matter of time before it happened, to be honest.  My endless thirst toward all things Hanbang is even something I'm known for; the Hanbang tag on my blog is a deep, deep rabbit hole ... the kind that smells of rich earth and ginseng.  Hanbang (한방) is traditional Korean herbal medicine, and has its roots in TCM (traditional Chinese herbal medicine) but with its own local herbs and fermentation-heavy preparation methods.  Many people aren't into the intensely herbal scents of Hanbang, but dried herbs, teas, and tinctures were all forms of torture commonplace during my childhood and I find the herbal notes in Hanbang products an irresistible alternative to the sickly-sweet synthetic florals that pervade most K-Beauty products I've tried.

In this post:

• Regrets

Also includes: product details & ingredients, but mostly regrets.  Also, this review is going to be firmly NSFW so if you're unamused by concepts like safewords being used in a humorous context, turn away, this is not the review you are looking for.

Boyah Shop Korean Buying Service Review + Haul of Hanbang & Sheet Masks

I use Korean buying services a lot, probably more than your average K-Beauty fan, for reasons ranging from "I'm a spreadsheet nerd who likes to min/max my costs for the best deal" to "I'm dangerously close to being a K-Beauty hipster looking for the next obscure thing" to "I like putting weird things on my face."  I've used 3 Korean buying services to date, and liked all of them, and today I'm going to review Boyah Shop.  I'm also going to post some haul photos, as peeps requested on my Instagram.

My buying service order has arrived! My heart sank when I saw a giant leak or possible rain damage on the box, worrying that my preciouses might be damaged. But thanks to the stellar packing skills of @boyahshopkr, my products were safely sealed away from what turned out to be massive rain damage.😱☔💧💧💧 I also received a sweet note and I'm a little 😭❤😭 over how amazing this service is. I'm not even sure if I want to write about it on my blog, because I don't want her to be buried in an avalanche of thirsty #kbeauty fans looking for their buying service fix (RIP @Dowaja, you were not long in this world), but spoilers: this buying service is amazing. AH-MAZ-ING. I just ... I can't even. The responsiveness, the customer service, the cute ... so cute. A++++ 😍😍😍 I need to find something I want just so I can use her service again and bask in the cute. 😍😍😍 (in addition to great service, obvs) Working with her is like hugging a pile of kittens, but without allergies involved. #koreanbeauty #koreanbuyingservice #hanbang #haul #cremorlab #jungsaemmool #sheetmasks #snailunit #rasianbeauty

A photo posted by Snow White and the Asian Pear (@snowwhiteandtheasianpear) on Mar 14, 2016 at 3:44pm PDT

I suppose the caption of this is a bit of a spoiler, heh.

In this post:

• How a buying service works
• What Boyah Shop offers
• My experience with the ordering process
• What I bought
• Would I recommend their service

Also featuring some gratuitous unboxing photos of my goodies, because that's how I roll.

From Beginner to Expert Mode: Where I Buy K-Beauty & Asian Cosmetics

One of the most common requests I receive (blog comments, Instagram, Facebook, email, you name it) is where I buy my beauty products.  I do have several guides which I will link in this post, but it seems that a lot of people just want a straightforward list of shops that they can start with.  So, that's what we're going to do today!

Image from: A Haul Before the Storm: Eye candy, Details, First Impressions, & some Mini Reviews

I will be loosely categorizing the shops, but please keep in mind that anyone can buy from anywhere for any reason, these are just how I'd quantify the different shops that I have purchased from, or have plans to purchase from, or would happily recommend to someone looking for something they carry.

In this post:

• Domestic Retailers

Good for: Beginners, Lazy and/or efficient people, Instant gratification seekers, People concerned about counterfeits, Patrons of small business owners

• Domestic e-Markets

Good for: Small haulers, Pinpoint purchases, Deal-seekers with finite patience, People who are annoyed by shifting shipping costs.

• International Retailers

Good for: Deal-seekers, Moderate yolo-ists, People who don't know Korean, Large haulers, Comparison shoppers, Devotees of spreadsheets & min/maxing items vs shipping costs

• Buying Services & Korean Sites

Good for: Advanced users, Thrill-seekers, Hardcore yolo-ists, Spreadsheet nerds, Self-aware K-Beauty hipsters, People who know Korean, Masters of Google Translate,  Deal-seekers with infinite patience

All of the sites listed are places which I have either purchased, or would happily purchase from based off feedback from people I trust.

Review: Illi Total Aging Care Body Lotion, I Kinda Hate You But It's Not Your Fault

I've been putting off this review for ... months.  I actually purchased this product in the fall, yet we're heading into the final months of winter and I've yet to review it.  I knew when I purchased it that it was probably a bad idea, but I persisted anyway because this was going to be my First Real Winter In Eight Years, and I had to be prepared. #enablinglogic

I kept procrastinating, hoping as the weather worsened, I'd suddenly find myself in love with a product I didn't really like.  Worse, it's not even a problem with this specific lotion, which is actually quite nice, nice enough that I've managed to use it once or twice a month since I got it.

I was so pleased when I managed to find the empty box, as I'd stashed it somewhere 'safe'.

No, the problem is not with this specific lotion, the problem is that it's a lotion.  A body lotion.  I hate body lotions.  I actually hate lotions in general- hand, foot, or body lotions.  I'm actually sort of twitching a little just writing that sentence.  Why do I have an aversion to slathering cold, slimy, oily, thick, greasy lotion all over my skin? Ah, wait, that might be it.

In this post:

• Product details
• Ingredients list
• What I like about it
• What I don't like about it

I admit that the primary motivator of doing this review now, aside from the fact that it's good to have a mix of positive and negative reviews, is once I've reviewed this I can finally destash it to a friend who loves this stuff and goes through it quickly.

I know, intellectually, that it's a good product for body lotion fans- I even suggested it as a full-size hanbang option in my post Hanbang for the Holidays Gift Guide II: Full Sized & Wallet Friendly because I knew other people love it.  But I've come to the conclusion that it just doesn't suit me, so it's time for me to review this and send it off to its new home.

Lazy Morning Staple: Su:m37 Skin Saver Cleansing Water Review

If you follow me on Instagram, where I often post my daily routines, you may have noticed that the Su:m37 Skin Saver Essential Cleansing Water has been featured pretty heavily lately.  After I realized that I had only used my favourite foaming cleanser of 2015 just once in the last two weeks, because I had been reaching for this cleansing water every day, I figured it was high time I reviewed it!

Mmm, this packaging.  The opalescence of the bottle cap is so hard to capture!

This is the third cleansing water I've tried to date, and so far, I like it best of the three although I'm not passionately in love with it- hence why it did not make it onto the 2015 in Review: My Favourite K-Beauty Products of 2015 list.

That's not to say that it's merely the best of the available evils; I quite like this, and it's been my "dear saint snail I'm freezing my ass off and my bathroom is cold as hell and I don't want to wash my face because the chance of getting water on myself is too damn high" cleanser of choice.  It's also my "there had better be coffee when I sloth out of this bathroom like Jabba the Hut" cleanser, and my "I can't feel my fingers" cleanser, and also my "I've lost fine motor control functions because I'm wearing 8 layers to stay warm" cleanser.  It's the first real winter I've experienced after 8 years in the desert, and needless to say, I'm feelin' it.  Especially in the morning, when I look like one of those "before and after coffee" memes and I try to walk through walls and doors that have somehow leapt out to obstruct my path. Jerks.

So if you're like me and you 1. hate mornings in general, 2. hate cold mornings especially, and 3. can't manage to wash your face without splashing water all over yourself, cleansing waters are great.

In this post:

• Product details
• What is a micellar/cleansing water?
• Ingredients
• Packaging
• Demonstration
• Final thoughts & why I like it

I'm going to demonstrate this product's ability to remove makeup as some people use it as a first cleanser/makeup remover, but that's really not what I use it for.  I use it as a gentle, convenient, super-quick AM cleanse for mornings where I am super lazy and/or hate the world and everything in it because I haven't had coffee yet.

The weekend I broke up with 75% of my sheet masks

This weekend is going to be a light-hearted progress report and not an in-depth review, guide, or discussion, so if you're not particularly interested in how I attacked the contents of my sheet mask stash and culled the weak from the herd, check in next weekend when we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming!

I poured myself a coffee, hauled my sheet masks out of every nook and cranny of the house, & prepared to be savage.

I know, last weekend when I posted my massive two-part megapost (2015 in Review, Part I: My Favourite K-Beauty Products of 2015, & Part II: My Favourite K-Beauty Tips, Concepts, & Trends of 2015) I said that I was taking this weekend off due to the double-post.  I was exhausted from a hectic season at work, family events, and writing a megapost that required me giving up sleep 4 nights in a row to finish in time.  I was determined to give myself a break this weekend, and maybe I'd finally tackle the giant, sprawling, terrifying catastrophe that is my office.

I had no intention of blogging this weekend; every once of mental fortitude was already spoken for this arduous task ahead of me.  So how did I end up breaking up with the majority of my sheet masks, and then staying up late posting about it?!

In this post:

• What possessed me to do this in the first place
• What I'm excited to use
• What I'm excited to try
• What I'm keeping, but not using, & what I'll be using up
• What's being given the boot- gifted, given away, and destashed
• What my mask collection looks like in the aftermath

There may be a few expired masks in the 'destined for destash' pile, so I'll be sorting through when I decide what to do with them, but it's such a relief to have culled so much from my stash.  Life is too short to be wasted on masks I don't want to use!

Powder Cleanser Comparison Review: Tosowoong, O'slee, Su:m37, & Tatcha

As I've mentioned before, it's really easy to write reviews of products that you either loved or hated, but it's harder to write about things which are simply mediocre.  Those bland reviews still have value, even if there's little to say about them, so I like to knock out a few at a time and compare them to other products if possible.

Today I'll be doing a comparison review of 4 powder cleansers I've used, and why only one of them has a spot in my cleanser wardrobe.

Secret weapon to create better foam with powder cleansers: konjac sponge or foaming net!

Powder cleansers are relatively new to me (as in, the last year or so), but I became interested in them when I discovered that many of them are actually low-pH as well as being super fun to use.  Since my dive into the research behind low-pH skincare was so compelling as to convince me to give up my old HG cleanser, I've been on a bit of a mission to find cleanser options that thrilled me in addition to being low-pH, since that's simply not enough on its own.

In this post:

• What is a powder cleanser?
• Tosowoong Enzyme Powder Wash review
• O'slee Rosehip Hydra-White Cleansing Powder review
• Su:m37 White Award Enzyme Powder wash review
• Tatcha Polished Rice Enzyme Powder review (sorta)

Before we jump in, I'd like to remind folks that skincare is the ultimate YMMV (your mileage may vary) so what worked best or worst for me is totally dependent on my skin and experience, and it doesn't necessarily mean that your skin will react the same way.

Let's do this!

One Shade to Flatter Them All: Clio Tension Lip #7 'Some' Review & Swatches on Fair, Medium, and Deep skin tones

Time for more fall-appropriate makeup adventures!  I'm quite excited about this post because not only do I absolutely freaking love this lipstick, thanks to the help of two lovely fellow K-Beauty bloggers, I'm going to be able to show how it looks on skin tones other than mine!

I not only love this lipstick, but it's been my go-to shade side I started using it in ... July?  (Seasonal appropriateness be damned, I love plum shades.)   I made a summer haul from Clio's official US site which included this lipstick, and was very excited about it as it was sold out on the site from which I'd been hauling, but to my sadness it didn't survive the trip.  When I opened it, the lipstick was nowhere to be found- it had melted and slid into the lid.  Nooooo!   I let Clio know about a (sunscreen) hiccup in my order which was my fault, I mentioned what happened to the lipstick, and to my delight, they offered to send me a replacement!

My pristine replacement tube, finally ready for photos.

When the weather cooled off, I contacted Clio to arrange to add my replacement lipstick to an order I was making- which is how got my hands on the new eyeshadow palette from Clio; you can check it out here: First Look & Swatches: Clio Pro Palette

In this post:

• Product Details
• Lip Swatches on NC10, NC35, and NC/NW45 skin tones
• Comparison swatches with other red/pink/purple lip products
• Final Thoughts

One of the drawbacks of looking for makeup swatches online is the swatcher may not have a similar skin tone as you- this is especially an issue with K-Beauty and deeper skin tones, which are distressingly underrepresented.  So for this post, I reached out to some friends who are both PoC K-Beauty bloggers on Instagram, and they agreed to test it out for me for comparison's sake!

Amazingly, all three of us absolutely love the lipstick despite having very different skin tones.  Swatches ahoy!