As I mentioned in my previous post I've been waiting for a parcel from Korea. It took it 3 weeks to arrive, a loooong 3 weeks for me because after research and mental/imaginary preparation I couldn't wait for my new preciosas, and effect of using them!
So why I decided to try Korean brands?
I tried some before, my love for their products started at some point when I first bought a Korean BB cream from Dr Jart in Boots. It was amazing, covered everything very well, looked like a second skin and all that jazz, but like Korean BB creams usually are, it was too dark for my very fair skin.
Then I started to search for other Korean brand and I found the whole amazing and cute world of Korean brands - skincare and makeup wise!
I tried some more popular brands like Etude House (not a fan), Missha (I still can't decide if I like it or not), but never tried Korean skincare before. Every Korean beauty website show beautiful models with a babylike faces: porcelain, clear and glowy. Who doesn't want to own face like that?!
I tried some more popular brands like Etude House (not a fan), Missha (I still can't decide if I like it or not), but never tried Korean skincare before. Every Korean beauty website show beautiful models with a babylike faces: porcelain, clear and glowy. Who doesn't want to own face like that?!
I decided to give it a go and find some skincare products that would heal my blemishes and inflammation on my cheeks, fade scars and even out my skin tone, clear my blackheads and closed comedones. Something more? Yes, hydration, and more precisely dehydration that is definitely my skin concern which I want to battle. It sounds like a special mission and it really is, my skin has never been so bad :(
Having this mission impossible to complete I did a research about skincare ingredients, and I read a thousand of reviews and beauty articles. I decided to give an AHAs a go. Finally I found an inexpensive, non complicated (in terms of ingredients) and very well reviewed product, which is COSRX Whitehead Power Liquid.
- AHA, you think what a hell is this? In a massive shortcut it's a one out of two type of chemical exfoliants. Yes, chemical! And no, it's not bad for your skin, it actually heals and helps your skin to clear itself. The second type is called BHA and is more known for battling a blackheads. Both exfoliate skin with two naturally occurred ingredients - glycolic acid (AHA) and salicylic acid (BHA).
If you want to know more about chemical exfoliants I will advise you to read this article from Paula's website.
Going back to my story.
COSRX Whitehead Power Liquid is a light gel-like which you apply directly to your skin after cleansing at night, follow with your normal skincare products and go to sleep. In the morning you wake up to slightly better skin, and after a couple of weeks you should see a visible results - less closed whiteheads (those nasty, stubborn bumps!) and blemish scars. Your skin should be also less dry in dry areas and less congested. You use it 2-3 times a week, and you must use a UV filter cream the next morning after using it - it makes skin photosensitive.
I only used it twice so far and I have high expectations. I'm going to use it every second day to give my skin some break, and I started to document my skin's ups and downs since I use it (hope for more ups!). I'll keep you all updated with the results!
The second thing to fight blemishes/scars and dryness of my face (I'm mostly suffer it on my forehead, cheeks and around my lips) that I purchased is COSRX Cantella Blemish Cream. I thought if I stick to one brand in my skincare I'd have better results or I'd avoid some ingredients to clash with others, if you know what I mean!
So this cream is a special cream, you only apply it on places where you have some problems, like blemish, pimples, scars, dryness, uneven skin tone - funny but it's actually my whole face, so I use it at night for my whole face :) It's quite light cream, easy to apply, glides on the skin, but it takes some time to sinks in your skin and stays in your dry areas. That doesn't matter however, because it doesn't make any harm to those areas, I even feel that by staying there it heals it overnight!
I use it for few days now and I must say I'm pretty impressed - so far it helped my skin to combat very painful hormonal breakouts, it made my skin way less red on my cheeks, fought inflammation and reduced dryness of my cheeks a little. So far so good, I will continue to use it and see.
I use it for few days now and I must say I'm pretty impressed - so far it helped my skin to combat very painful hormonal breakouts, it made my skin way less red on my cheeks, fought inflammation and reduced dryness of my cheeks a little. So far so good, I will continue to use it and see.
Like other COSRX products this one has very nice, short and friendly ingredients list - no nasties, only good stuff. It's based on Cantella Asiatica Leaf water. Read more and buy here.
After a long time of being a consumer of beauty products I finally decided to start using toner! Why? I think because I felt that my skin lacks of something straight after cleansing and shower. I thought I read and find the information what is toner actually for, and I found out that a good toner can moisture and balance your skin in addition to a face cream! Good toner means a skin friendly product, without parabens, alcohol, unnecessary stuff. I found one that seemed perfect in COSRX again. It's Cantella Water 100 Alcohol-free Toner. This very simple toner makes my skin quite...relaxed and calm. Yes, it feels luxurious and pampered just by spraying this water on my face. Strange, but true. It contains 150ml, and only one thing I don't like about this product is it's spray applicator - I think it's a waste of product, when I spray it on my eyes, hair and in the air. I will try to figure out better way of applying it. As well as Cantella Blemish Cream this toner is based on Cantella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) leaf water, which claims to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Read more and buy here.
Being mostly focused on getting my clear and healthy skin back for winter, I only purchased one make up product and one nail product this time.
The make up that I needed was a new BB cream. I did research again and I also didn't want to spend too much on make up, so I decided to get something from It's Skin brand which looked quite professional and focused. Their Babyface range is just so cute that I couldn't resist to get something from it, especially that reviews were very positive and color seemed to be just perfect match for my porcelain skin. I risked, and spent this £5.75, thinking if it doesn't match my skin tone I won't cry. I bought Babyface BB cream in Moisture, the second type is Silky for more oily skin. I wanted to follow my skincare goal and help my skin to get more moisture for winter.
Some details about product:
35ml
SPF 36 PA ++ UVA UVB protection
very light and soft cream texture
the lightest BB I've ever had from Korean brand - if Bourjois Healthy Mix 51 is too dark for you this BB cream will be good ;)
Moisture type, created to retain moisture in the skin and help with skin dryness
lightly scented - didn't irritate my sensitive skin
light texture yet very good coverage!
light texture yet very good coverage!
My first impression about this product is very mixed and I still try to find the way to get the most of its claimed moisturizing power. So far it only gave me nice and healthy look straight after application, and very bad effect after few hours of wearing it...
It's very strange, and I really want to love this product, but so far I have more negative attitude towards it. I don't want to reject it yet, I'll give it a go few times more using other powders (I used talc based powder, mineral powder, pressed and loose so far), other face creams and primers (Laura Mercier didn't work), and I also have to figure out if the state of my skin cause the problem or this BB cream is just not for me and my dehydrated complexion (but it supposed to moisture, isn't it?) :(
Will see how it goes, so far I'll continue to use it because believe me it covers very nice, looks great after application, makes your skin glow and it's just so cute.........
Buy here if you want to try yourself.
Will see how it goes, so far I'll continue to use it because believe me it covers very nice, looks great after application, makes your skin glow and it's just so cute.........
Buy here if you want to try yourself.
Finally the last product bought was Innisfree Eco Nail Color PRO from Samcheong-dong Street ;)
I purchased color Banana Pan Cake feeling the lack of nude colors in my nail varnish collection. It's nice, pretty, unique color. Brush is thin, but application is easy due to its light formula and nice color pigmentation - you need 2 coats but only for more intensive color.
I will definitely buy more colors from this range, Strong Espresso and From Samcheong-dong street are already on my list to buy next time :) BUY here.
Banana Pan Cake on my nails
That's it my lovelies! This is my recent Korean mini haul, if you're interested in any of those products and how they perform ask, comment, discuss, give me a shout :) here or on my Instagram (@cocoonheart).
I hope you enjoyed the post, let me know if you used any of the mentioned products and will speak to you soon!
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