The Face Shop Arsainte Ecotheraphy Extreme Moisture Tonic with Essential

Product Description: An essence toner that needs to be shaken before usage to mix the aroma essential oil and golden palm oil, uses bamboo extracts instead of water.

How to use: Shake the bottle for better oil mixture and pump adequate amount out and evenly spread out

Where to buy: Momomango - $20.99 (link)

The Face Shop Arsainte Ecotheraphy Extreme Moisture Daily Moisturizer

Product Description: A daily moisturizer that uses bamboo extract minimizes moist vaporization, which keeps the skin moist for a longer period of time.
How to use: Pump out adequate amount and evenly spread out after tonic with essential usage
Where to buy: Amazon - $13.49 (link)

The Face Shop Babyface New Zealand Clay Pack

Product Description: A wash-off type pore pack that cleanses inside the pores using hot spring mud from New Zealand

Features: New Zealand Rotorua Mud (Discharges wastes, astringent effects, anti- bacterial effects), Sebum controlling powder, Lecithin (Provides skin with moisture)

How to use: Gently massage onto skin and wash off

Where to buy: Ebay - $11.20 (link)

The Face Shop Babyface Collagen Massage Pack

Product Description: A massage type lifting sleeping pack that gives resilience to the skin with collagen massage

Features: Marine Collagen (Increases resilience), Pentanol (Restores skin barrier), Lavender (Calms nerves, induces sleep)

How to use: In the evening gently massage onto skin and sleep without washing off

Where to buy: Ebay - $11.20 (link)

The Face Shop Home Aesthetic Pack- Purifying Egg White

Product Description: A peel-off type pack that suits dry skin, keeps the skin porcelain smooth.

How to use: Get skin even by toner and place the product evenly for 15-20 minutes. When the pack dries, take it off and put extra toner

Where to buy: Momomango - $9.99 (link)

Tonymoly Prestige Snail Lip Treatment

Product Description: Lip treatment containing snail mucus. The best moisturizing, exfoliating, firming skin & regeneration. Transparent and tight balm type of treatment adhere to the lips quickly after applying. Can be used as a lip sleeping pack. Fresh lemon flavor

How to use: After washing your face or before the stage of makeup, spread the treatment lightly on the top of lips.

Where to buy: Korea Depart - $7.26 (link)

Tonymoly Panda’s Dream Good Bye Dark Eye Corrector

Product Description: Whitening functional eye corrector with immediate whitening effect. Synergy effect by 2 kinds whitening ingredient - Niacin Amide(whitening ingredient) : prevents melanin formation - Haloxyl : improves dark circle and dull skin tone silky and smooth eye cream immediate brightening effect

How to use: After washing face, apply 0.5cm amount on eye area and gently pat before applying cream. It can be used on entire face for the brightening.

Where to buy: C&C Korean Cosmetics - $11.99 (link)

Tonymoly Intense Care Snail Foam Cleanser

Product Description: It Contains 5% Snail slime with renew property. Fluent foam goes deep into pore to cleanse. Botanical hydrating ingredient. Fine foam perfectly cleanse without irritation.
How to use: Dispense appropriate amount to create foam on hands and gently massage and wash off.
Where to buy: Amazon.com $26 (link)

Tonymoly Latte Art Cappucino Cream in Scrub

 

Product Description: For both massage and scrub that effectively exfoliates dead skin cells and impurities and delivers nutrition. Heating feeling that can be felt with change of color removes impurities of pores. Creates smooth and radianct skin and delivers elasticity to skin.

How to use: Apply appropriate amount of cream on skin and gently rub it. When it changes its color, wash off in warm water.

Where to buy: Korea Depart, $10.07 (link)

{Review} Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil

About a week ago, I posted about information regarding the Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil. (see post here) I did a week-long "test" of this product and I must say, I was impressed!

First of all, I was very hesitant to buy this. Why? It's oil and for someone with an oily T-Zone, that just seemed silly to buy something that may aid that. But I went back to Sephora, told one of their salespeople about my hesitation to buy it and I was assured that it won't be the case. It just so happened that the guy I spoke with also had oily skin and he's used the oil before. And I must remind myself to go back and thank him for helping me out because I would've probably regretted not trying this out (although it is a splurge for me at $46, it is well worth it though).

You can use the product either in the morning before you put on your makeup or at night. I chose to incorporate this within my skin care regimen at night. So after I would wash (for the face wash, I used Skinfood's Sweet Chocolate Foam) and tone (for the toner, I used Skinfood's Fresh Juice Toner), then apply 3 drops of the Tsubaki Beauty Oil and moisturize (for the moisturizer, I used Etude House's Moistfull Collagen Cream, {product info here}). I also used my Innisfree White Tone Up Eye Serum for my eye area. At first I thought maybe the 3 drops would not be enough, but it is definitely more than enough to spread through your entire face. I dropped the oil on my forehead and both cheeks. Instead of getting an oily feel, the oil felt more powdery and as you massage this on your face, you can definitely feel your skin absorbing it. This is the reason why it doesn't leave your skin oily--instead of the oil sitting on your face, it is absorbed into your skin. So once you've finished massaging it into your skin, you can feel the surface of your skin is soft but not oily. It enhances the feel of the moisturizer, as if it helps the moisturizer absorb into your skin.

I was also told by the folks at Boscia over at my Instagram account (here) that you can use the Tsubaki Beauty Oil on your lips, hair, nails, and mixed with foundation. I personally have tried none, but I'm sure the oil does wonders on those areas as well.

Final verdict? Love it and how well it works with your moisturizer to get rid of dry skin. Though it is a bit pricey, the product will last for a while. After using it everyday for over a week, my bottle still looks like I haven't used any of the product.

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Cream

Product Description: Firming moisture cream with baobab tree and collagen extract improving your dermal structure leaving tight and moist skin

Where to buy: Amazon.com $25.01 (link)

Innisfree White Tone-Up Eye Serum

Product Description: With pure berries extracts and green complesx. An eye serum for instant brightening effect.

Where to buy: I couldn't find this on Amazon, but I found an online store that sells it: Cosmetic-Love.com for $22.98 (link)

Tonymoly Eggpore Real Egg Jelly

 

Product Description: 

• Pore jelly that clears blackhead out.
• Egg white (Astringent) cleanses and tightens pore.
• Egg yolk fills skin with nutrients and prevents blackhead.

How to use:

1. After toner, apply egg white on bothered area and let it absorb.

2. Apply Egg yolk gently and let it absorb.

Tip. Use a spatula to mix the content for easy usage.

Tonymoly Eggpore Silky Smooth Balm

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Product Description: Art Skin gel in this Balm type of primer hides loose pores, fine wrinkles and scars to give the skin smooth, soft and silky look. Porous power and Selemin AN combination manages excess sebum and takes care of loose pores and the level of oil. Helps the base make up to be applied smoothly. Additionally, Camellia Flower extract and Skin Growth Complex manage dead skin cells and excess sebum, strengthen elasticity of skin for skin-tightening effects.

How to use: Dot to pore or bulged on skin.

Where to buy: Amazon.com $7.36 (click here)

Side Note: This is meant to be used as a makeup primer, but I also read a review that this can be used as a night cream. Multi-tasking product, get double points!

Innisfree

Innisfree is one of the brands that I use a lot of product from. Here's some information regarding the company.

Innisfree, the pure island where clean nature and healthy beauty coexist in harmony.
Innisfree is a natural brand that shares the benefits of nature
from the pristine island of Jeju allowing for vibrant beauty and pursues an eco-friendly green life to preserve the balance of
nature.

The big kicker for me in using products from Innisfree is their Five Promises:

1. We pursue radiant health and beauty with “natural and reliable ingredients.”

2. We pursue“Ethical Consumption” by offering various quality products at affordable prices.

3. We promote an“eco-friendly green design” with the benefits of nature.

4. We practice “eco-friendly green life” to preserve nature.

5. We share “sensuous experiences” by capturing the various essences of nature

I love that I can purchase fair trade products because not only do I get to benefit from it, but also the farmers  who grow the plants/fruits that the skin care products are made from as well.

To read more about Innisfree, visit their website: http://www.innisfree.co.kr/global/en/eng_Philosophy.jsp?parm=0

Products Haul!

I am lucky enough to have a friend who lives in Seoul, so I am able to get my hands on any products I want to try or re-stock on from my favorite Korean brands (namely Tonymoly, The Face Shop, Etude House, Innisfree, and Skinfood). I received a big package from her today containing quite a few products that we stocked up on.

I don't think this picture captured all of what I received in there... Here's a list:

• Eggpore Silky Smooth Balm (Tonymoly)
• Eggpore Real Egg Jelly (Tonymoly)
• Latte Art Cappuccino Cream in Scrub (Tonymoly)
• Home Aesthetic Pack, Purifying Egg White Pack (The Face Shop)
• Collagen Sleeping Mask (The Face Shop)
• Intense Care Snail Foam Cleanser (Tonymoly)
• New Zealand Clay Mask Pore Care Pack (The Face Shop)
• Panda's Dream Good-bye Dark Eye Corrector (Tonymoly)
• Prestige Snail Lip Treatment (Tonymoly)
• Arsainte Eco-Therapy Daily Moisturizer (The Face Shop)
• Arsainte Eco-Therapy Serum with Essential (The Face Shop)
• Arsainte Eco-Therapy Tonic with Essential (The Face Shop)
• Arsainte Eco-Therapy Essential Cream (The Face Shop)
• Arsainte Eco-Therapy Aqua Radiance Cream (The Face Shop)
• Kiss Kiss Lovely Lip Patch (Tony Moly)

Slowly but surely I will review these products. I'll also be posting product information and where you can purchase these.

But I also want to send a special message to my friend, without her help and time I would not have access to these (at local prices)...

나리아,

당신의 시간 동안 당신을 순전히 감사하고 항상 날이 제품을 살 수 있도록 기꺼이한다!

Skinfood Olive Mask

Product Description: A mask pack that is applied thinly and keeps moisture onto the skin to relieve severe dryness, flakiness, and puffiness with Spanish olive oil.
Spanish Olive Oil: The oil pressed from olives from sunny Mediterranean areas is enriched with vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids.
How to use: Apply an ample amount onto the face and massage gently, focusing on areas where more dead skin cells have piled up. Rinse off with lukewarm water.
Where to buy: Amazon (click for link) $19 or at a Skin Food store

Having dry skin most of the time, I was excited to get my hands on this mask (as I usually am with products that help relieve the dry skin). A little bit of this goes a long way! I would suggest using a pea-sized amount. The paste is very thick and as soon as it touches your skin it melts into a more softer paste that you can spread. There's also some exfoliating bits in there that exfoliates as you spread the mask on your face. It has a very nice and subtle scent as well. Once the mask has been rinsed off, it doesn't give the skin any oily feelings whatsoever (nor will you see oiliness either). The skin feels softer and smoother.

Skinfood Honey Black Tea Cleansing Cream

Product Description: This soft and refreshing cleansing cream contains honey, tea, and royal jelly extracts to provide moisturization and resilience to dry skin, while exfoliating. Lightweight and shine-free, it effectively cleanses pores as well as makeup.

How to use: Apply the desired amount and massage gently. Wipe off with tissue or wash with warm water to remove makeup residue.

Where to buy: Amazon (click for link) $10.28 or find a local Skin Food store (click for link)

This is one of the most effective products I've found to take your makeup off, but at the same time moisturizes your skin pretty well (multi-tasking products a big plus!). The jar is pretty big and a little bit of it goes a long way. It has a pleasant smell of honey which is a definite plus. It's a great value as well for the amount of product you're getting.

Here's a tip--you don't always have to use this to remove makeup. Sometimes when I don't have time to put the masks on, I dab a little on my face and massage it on (still wiping off the excess once I'm done). Honey is something that helps with dry skin as it has properties of a humectant and also it's an antioxidant. (For more info, read this)

Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil

Description on the package: An anti-aging botanical blend of cold-pressed Tsubaki (Camellia) Oil and protein rich Wakame (Japanese Sea Kelp), both of which provide serious protection against free radical damage. Hydrates and replenishes, leaving skin smoother, softer, and more supple. Helps prevent premature signs of aging by defending the skin against free radical damage.

Essential Ingredients: Tsubaki (Camellia) Oil - firms, hydrates and protects against free radical damage.

Wakame (Japanese Sea Kelp) - replenishes essential proteins, and increases collagen production.

Rice Bran Oil - reduces dark spots and increases micro-circulation for soft, glowing skin.

How to use: Apply two to three drops in the morning prior to makeup or at night. Blend with your moisturizer or foundation for instantly visible radiance. For all skin types.

Where to buy: Sephora (click for link) $46

The Birth of "The Skincareaholic"

3 days ago, I sent a text to my best friend. I needed to get something off my chest...

Here we are, 3 days later... I'm still a skin care product addict, but have also decided to share the little (but continuously growing) knowledge in regards to skin care. Another reason for the blog is because I've also personally benefited from others who have similar blogs in deciding whether to try a product or not. So if I can share my experiences with products to even one person out there, I think the purpose of the blog has been served.

Now here are the dynamics of how posts/reviews on this blog will work...
1. For products part of a basic skin care regimen (ie. cleansing, toning, moisturizing) I will post my reviews after doing a 7-day trial on the product. Basic info regarding the product will be posted right away.
2. For everything else (mainly masks, because I am addicted to those too) I will post reviews right away since I don't typically use the same masks on a daily basis.