THEFACESHOP Pomegranate and Collagen Volume Lifting Toner, Emulsion & Essence Review

I recently figured I could do with some collagen although I don't think I'm at the age where I need it just yet. I was a bit hesitant in buying this since I had not seen any reviews on it but then it was given to me as a gift from a friend :)

Toner
"This highly moisturizing and nourishing toner helps skin to feel firm and moist - urized as pomegranate and collagen extracts get absorbed."

My first thoughts when I pumped it out "Did I use the emulsion?" - it is a bit more watery than a gel, when I first pumped it out I thought I used the emulsion by mistake. I'm used to a toner being liquid whilst this one is more thicker. The cotton pad doesn't absorb it very well which is good since more of the product goes on your face :)


Although it looked thick it does glides smoothly onto my skin like a normal toner and get absorbed quickly - it dries really quick once applied onto the skin. I don't find it very moisturizing though, my skin felt tighter and firm after applying but not moisturized. This is not very moisturizing if you have dry skin.

Emulsion
"This essence-type enriched moisturizing and nourishing emulsion helps skin to feel firm and moisturized as pomegranate and collagen extracts get absorbed"

Whilst the toner was thick, I found the emulsion the opposite. This emulsion is slightly watery compared to other emulsions I have used, this maybe because it is a essence-type emulsion?. Again, for those with dry skin like me this is not moisturizing enough on its own. My skin isn't dry but it is not particularly moisturized although it does feel smooth - you may want to use a cream on top if you have dry skin. Like the toner it gets absorbed quickly leaving my skin feeling tighten and firm - visually my skin looks softer :)

Update: Essence
Since I quite liked this series I got the essence as well.

"This moisturizing and nourishing essence helps skin to feel firm and moisturized as pomegranate and collagen extracts get absorbed."

I was a bit disappointed when I got this. This essence is rather heavy/thick for me, it was thicker than the emulsion and felt a bit more like a cream. I'm used to the essence being runnier than the emulsion so it was weird for me. Due to it being kind of thick it feel a bit oily and combined with the emulsion my faces get oily as the day passes.

I do think its moisturizing but I don't like how its kind of thick....

Overall/ For those interested and care
There is actually only 1% pomegranate extract and 10% Marine collagen water in each product. Both products are paraben free.

Its fragrance is similar to hair spray with a hint of fruit - doesn't sound appealing but it is not bad. It has a medium strength scent when you first apply it but the scent quickly fades into a light fragrance which isn't very noticeable unless you sniff really hard (at least for me :D).

Repurchase?
Yes for the emulsion assuming I don't find a better collagen line.

THE FACE SHOP Chia Seed Watery Toner, emulsion & Sebum Control Mositure Cream Review

I originally brought the toner & emulsion as a set deal in Korea which also came with a sample of the cream & a serum. I ended up buying the full size of the cream since I fell in love with it :) I've used this line for 3 months.

Toner
"A moisturizing toner that instantly hydrates the skin, tones dry and patchy dead skin cells and moisturizes the skin as if water is absorbed."
 
Not much to say about this apart from it does what the description says :). It also removes any dirt residues that survived the washing procedure.I find it quite standard since it's just a normal hydrating toner in the end.

I like the design/colour of the bottle although its quite simple. The pump makes it easy for me to apply without using too much. The bottle is made from glass which I don't like since its heavy & I'm quite clumsy - I've already dropped it a few times, luckily it has broke yet.

Emulsion
"A moisturizing lotion that improves suppleness and moisturizes the skin a degree higher with nutrients in organic chia seeds"

Compared to other emulsions I've used, this is more of a light weight lotion. It doesn't moisture my skin completely, I need to use a cream afterwards. I didn't really see any improvements on suppleness for me :( For people with dry type skin that only want to use an emulsion & nothing else I wouldn't suggest using this.

The bottle is the same as the toner but slightly shorter. Despite the extra bit of toner, my toner is still my drained that the emulsion.

Cream
"Oil-free translucent cream providing hydration with moisture seeds & sebum control with cotton seeds" 

Absolutely love this! I know that there's a moisture version but I like this one more. I always hated the oily feel I get a lot from creams. My younger sister likes to call this a aqua cream because its transparent & feels like gel than cream. I can't say much on sebum control since I have dry type skin and am never oily. BUT, for people with dry type skin, this cream is quite good in my opinion. It provides me a good amount of moisture and I stay moisturized for the whole day without having to reapply anything. As this cream is gel-like it absorbs well without a oily/greasy feel, the best part (my opinions) is that it gives my face a "boing-boing" bouncy feel - elasticity :) I can use the cream by itself without the emulsion & still feel moisturized!

Not sure if it's just me but due to the spoon/ spatula it comes with I end up scooping too much - took me a few time to adjust to the right amount.

All 3 products have the same fragrance - the scent is a medium level (not light yet not strong). I find it hard to describe its scent since I don't think its similar to a floral/sweet/fruity/perfume smell - I still really like it though :)

Repurchase?
I did for the cream after I finished the sample. The other items are standard/basic in my opinion.

*ETUDE HOUSE* Lip Perfume Breath Mist Peach & Apple Review

These seemed interesting to me since I've never seen any other type of breath mist apart from mint/peppermint.

IT TASTE SO BAD!!! (In my opinion) - the taste is similar to mouthwash but stronger. The inside of my mouth felt refreshing, just like after brushing your teeth.

(According to my friend who smelt my breath :P) It gives off a candy-like apple/ peach smell. The smell itself isn't as strong/ concentrated as smelling it directly from the bottle - but whoever you are talking to can still smell it. Since I can't smell my own breath obviously I kind of find it pointless. It's good to use after eating strong smelling food since strong smelling breaths can cause discomfort (especially if the opposite side deems it as bad breath).

I don't know how long lasting normal breath mist are meant to be but in my opinion, the smell isn't as long lasting as advertised, it disappears when the fresh feeling inside your mouth disappears which is about 5mins later - I don't consider 5mins as long lasting.

Repurchase?
No, it taste really bad to me & doesn't really last long.

Fresh Light Bubble Foam Hair Dye - Caramel Brown Review

I am Asian & most dyes don't really work on me unless I bleach my hair, which I don't want. I decided to use this since it's a Japanese brand, I assumed it would work better since it's made for Asian hair. I've used this brand of hair dye many times with satisfying results (I've used melty cherry, vanilla beige & lemon blond). ^-^

The number of hearts = the level of brightness --> if you have dark hair & want the colour to come out more it's best to get one with 5 hearts.

I brought this in Hong Kong in a store called Sasa. It was originally on sale for about $30HKD then when up to $50HKD - still a good price for it in my opinion.

Contains:
1x hair colour 30ml
1x developer 60ml
1x treatment pack
1 pair of gloves
1 nozzle
instructions

After adding the hair colour and developer you would probably think 90ml of hair dye isn't enough if you have long hair ---> in truth it's more than enough. I have medium-long hair (about 55cm long) & that was still quite a bit left even after I used A LOT!

An Advice: after pouring the hair colour in the developer put the nozzle on (instead of the original cap) & sway it left & right - it's not recommended to shake it madly.

Before - My roots!! >.<

 After

I started with my roots since it's darker and I wanted the colour of my hair to be even all over.

Overall I like how this brand of hair dye actually works on my hair & that it's very easy to apply on yourself. I hate the smell since it's quite strong & makes my eyes watery even in a well ventilated place.

Repurchase?

I plan to when I go Hong Kong this month since the only place I can get it in UK is on ebay or in a shop in China Town which is ridiculously expensive (it's original price is £6ishGBP, on ebay its about £10+GBP shipped & in China town it's £18GBP!!!)

*ETUDE HOUSE" Look at my eyes NEW Eyeshadow (PK002, OR201 & BL601) Reivew

I really like Etude House's products and decided to give their eye shadows a try. The colours I purchased: PK002, OR201 & BL601 (& currently waiting for PP501)

This version gives a slimmer-y look which isn't too sparkly. 

For the pink and orange colour I got the lighter version since I never really liked colours that stood out too much but it seems that I should have gotten the darker ones. The colour is very sheer! When I wear the orange one it doesn't actually show any colour no matter how thick the layer is - it just appears slimmer-y, it's nice as a natural look but I would have preferred it having some colour.

2 layers

Although it's sheer it has a smooth and silky texture which make it easy to apply. Unlike some eyeshadows these aren't power-y which is what I really like about it.

Repurchase?

These should last me a while so I don't think there will be a need to repurchase it.

FOOD A HOLIC Royal Jelly and Collagen Mask Review

Since I really loved their coenzyme mask I decided to try out some of their other versions. I have a thing for tight skin and nutrition supply hence both these mask provide those properties.

Royal Jelly
Contains royal jelly extractions rich of diverse nutrition. This element creates a moisture film, maintaining the skin wet and tight.

Collagen
The concentrated collagen supplies moisture to the rough skin or parts exposed to the ultraviolet rays and thus making the skin tight.

Royal Jelly mask
When I first opened the package what I first noticed was the scent - it did not smell like honey like in the picture instead it had a lemon/orange citrus smell. I quite like the citrus smell so it wasn't a problem for me.

After applying this mask I did feel my skin tighten ^-^ and my skin looked moisturized giving me really soft skin. This mask also leaves me with a slight sticky feel which is probably because it contains jelly. The effects of this mask lasts quite long, my skin was still baby soft after a week :D

Not mentioned on the package: I think it has whitening/ brightening effect as my noticed that my face was whiter/brighter compared to before I put it on - it was really noticeable since my neck and face were of different tones :O and that was only after using it once! it did surprise me but I feel like I look more energized which was a plus :)

Collagen mask
Another unexpected scent! To me it's kind of off putting - it has a scent similar to the bubblegum-like scent from cleaning products used in public toilets. I'm not particularly fond of smelling like public toilets.... Luckily the smell fades very quickly to the point where you can't really smell it unless you sniff really hard :D

Unlike the royal jelly mask I didn't feel any tightening in my skin but it did leave my skin soft & moisturized. The effects only last for about 2 days. In terms of softness the royal jelly mask does a better job.

Also compared to the royal jelly mask, I find that the collagen mask leaves me with a stickier feeling which last for a day :(

Repurchase?
I would repurchase the royal jelly mask as it does a better job compared to the collagen mask.

*ETUDE HOUSE* Girl's Skin Bubble Peeling Dual Pad Review

Description
"Bubble facial wash and detailed dead skin cell care all at once!"

Bubble net
It does not really produce foam at the thickness level as shown on the picture. The foam does not have a long enough life span to be transferred from the pad to my face. Also a lot of the cleansing solution was needed to create a good amount of bubble needed for a face wash. I find it more efficient to use my hands like I did originally. 

Microfibre side
I found this side quite good. At first it didn't really feel like it was doing anything to my skin but after drying my face I noticed that it did a good job for me leaving me with very soft skin :)

THE FACE SHOP Real Nature Mask Aloe Vera Mask Review

Description
A soothing/hydrating mask sheet containing aloe extract, which hydrates and soothes the skin with a rich sense of moisturization, to provide instant care to puffy and sensitive skin.

From my experience - I have dry + sensitive skin
The description was a lie....for me. A few mins after putting on the mask I felt a slight burn on my face and before the recommendation time (15-20 mins) I could not bear it and took it off. This mask gave me instant rashes rather than instant care - my face was red and the rashes lasted a week....

From my younger sister's experience - she has normal + combination skin
This mask worked well for her. It moisturized her face well as gave her baby like skin for 3 days. Aside from the moisturizing effects, the mask also reduced the redness on her spots - the description was true for her.

Repurchase?
No - it's not right for me.

*ETUDE HOUSE* Moistfull Lotion Review

I brought this as my SKINFOOD royal honey emulsion was coming to an end and I wanted to try something new.

Description
It is lotion that delivers abundant moisture to dry skin by baobab with outstanding moisturizing power. It spreads cool as if bursting moisture, absorbs quickly and freshly finishes.

This lotion does do what its description says it would do. My dry skin is moisturized instantly in a nature looking way and it does absorb into my skin quite quickly. It doesn't give me any break outs or irritation which is a plus.

The problem I have with this is that once I've stopped using it for half a day my skin gets really dry - even more so than before I started using this lotion.

It has a perfume like soap fragrance which is medium strong when applying. The smell then goes to a light/ faint smell which last for about 30 mins for me.

Its opening is the same as SKINFOOD royal honey emulsion's bottle but the lotion itself is runny enough to pour out without having to smack/ tap the bottle as if having a war with it >v<.

Repurchase?
No - I don't think it's right for me.

SKINFOOD Salmon Brightening Eye Cream and Darkcircle Concealer Cream No.1 Review

I have always had a problem with dark circles and bags under my eyes ever since I hit puberty >.< Majority of eye creams I came across were not really for lightening dark circles until I came across this salmon line of products.

Description
Cream
Salmon roe extract, salmon oil containing Vitality and radiance to the skin. Your eyes bright and healthy. Functional whitening eye cream.

Concealer
Reduce the appearance of dark circles around the eyes  with the extract of salmon roe.

Cream
This worked wonders for me, after using it for a week (morning and night) this has definitely reduced my dark circles and bags. The great thing is that I don't get break outs, irritations or milia (white dots under your eye) from this.

It doesn't actually have a salmon fragrance but has a light floral fragrance ^-^. The cream itself isn't too thick in my opinion but does feel and look a bit greasy after applying.

 1 week ago - really bad!

Now - A lot better >v<

Concealer

This was a weird concealer for me since its in a pot. Rather than being a cream texture it was more solid and should be applied with warm fingers in order to "melt" the concealer. It does lighten my skin and fills the ceases well but it also makes my ceases look more obvious. 

Like the cream it doesn't smell like salmon at all but instead has an even lighter floral fragrance. The pot itself is very tiny but it will last quite a while - I've been using this for a month now and it only looks like I have only just touched it. 

Whenever I use this it gives a shine which makes it obvious that I'm wearing a concealer and always causes it to look like it's lighter that it should be therefore not matching my skin colour.

Repurchase?

Yes for the cream once I've run out.

Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly Makeup Fixer Review

Since my baby glow mist from Etude House didn't do much for me I decided to try out this spray.

Description (shortened)

• Refresh your skin and provide moist - you can feeling vitality and moisture
• Collagen from seaweed handle your makeup easily and keep your skin moisture whole day

For me this did do what it advertised it would do ^-^

My face was moisturized and my makeup was still the same after 7 hours - would have probably lasted longer but I washed my face >v<

Maybe during to it having collagen in it my skin felt like baby skin after spraying it but there was no firm/ tightening feeling like most collagen products.

There is a very faint (so faint to the point you have to sniff really hard) soap-like fragrance which gives a refreshing smell but since it's really faint you don't really notice it. 

As mentioned in it's name this product isn't on the same consistency as water, it's a bit gel/jelly-like but not thick - it's a very watery gel/jelly solution to the point it's the same as water just not there yet.

I'm not sure if it's just my bottle but I don't feel that the pump is good as it doesn't really spray well - it maybe due to it being a bit gel/jelly-like.

Repurchase?
Yes, unless I find a better one :D

*ETUDE HOUSE* Nymph Aura Volumer Baby Glow Mist Review

This got me when it said it gives a baby glow!

Description
Immediate moisture and light sheen transparent.

I was attracted to this this it was a baby glow mist but the description was a lie!....for me >.<

It didn't give me a baby glow or any glow or some sort. In a way it was similar to spraying water on my face but just with a floral perfume like fragrance. It does moisture my skin a bit but only for a short while before I need to spray myself again. The fragrance is medium strong and disappears completely after 30 seconds.

For my younger sister who tried it out, it made her shiny - this was not a baby glow. She looked oily/greasy from the shine. The moisture effect was also minimal for her.

Repurchase?
No - I wouldn't recommend this for anyone with dry-type skin

SKINFOOD Watery Berry Toner & Emulsion review

I got this free sample from a friend after he went on a shopping spree in Skinfood.

Description
A dewy moisture toner/ emulsion that promotes soft, glowing skin with berry extracts and sodium hyaluronate.

Toner
Cleans well leaving me with a refresh and cool feeling but also cleans away some of my nature moisture since it dries up my skin a bit. Although it leaves me with a refreshed feeling it leave my skin sticky....

Emulsion
The texture is similar to Skinfood's Royal Honey emulsion but a bit more watery but not to the point where it would slide about. This isn't moisturizing enough for me as I have dry skin - my skin doesn't look dry but it doesn't look/feel particularly moisturized. There also wasn't a glowy look on my skin nor did it feel soft... Skinfood recommends this if you want "more dry skin when seasons change". I personally think it's better for people with oily skin.

The watery berry line has a strong citrus + berry like scent but it disappears in less than 30 seconds.

Repurchase?
No, it's not for me.

FOOD A HOLIC Coenzyme Q10 Natural Essence Mask Review

I got 1 of these masks as a free sample gift and then ended up getting more.

I mainly like this due to it not irritating my skin and giving me rashes. This mask does tighten my skin and makes it feel firmer giving me baby like skin ^-^. Its moisture properties on the hand isn't noticeable. My skin doesn't look much moisturized but it does feel moisturized which is good enough for me since it's a moisturizer's job to moisturize my skin.

The effects of having baby like skin lasts for about 3 days for me and Food A Holic recommends you to use the mask 1-3 times a week.

It has a medium strong fragrance that I wasn't used to at 1st - I didn't hate it but neither did I like it.

What I don't like about this mask is that it's not a 1 whole piece of fabric-paper mask. It's 2 pieces (2x half of a face) stuck together in the middle causing the mask to not fit well on my face.

 Theoretically it should fit better but in reality it fits funny.

Repurchase?
I already did but I think I would like to try out the collagen version next.

*ETUDE HOUSE* Moistfull Collagen First Essence Review

I've always liked makeup products for Etude House and when I got a sample for their skin care products I was quite happy to try it out.

Description

Moistfull Collagen First Essence is a hydrating moisture essence with a 90% Collagen composition that lifts and tightens complexion to promote a radiant glow.

I can't say much for this product since I've only used it for a day but the effects were instant for me in a way. I've only used this for 1 day and had to stop since it gave me a break out after using it twice (morning and night). This did moisturize me skin and gave me baby-like skin after only using it for 1 day - this lasted for 2 days. I felt refreshed after using it but it didn't sit well with my skin which was a shame.

Repurchase?

No, since I got a break out from it.

SKINFOOD Royal Honey Emulsion, Toner & Hydro Cream Review

I brought this line of product after my skin recovered from rashes (from an allergic reaction).

This line advertises that it's products contains royal black honey and royal jelly extracts that replenished moisture and transforms skin into a nice honey-glazed complexion.

I've been using this for 6 months and it's did what it says it does ^-^ which I am very happy about this as I have dry and sensitive skin - it's hard for me to find something that doesn't cause a break out or irritation.

Emulsion

Keeps my face nourished throughout the day even when I use it alone. It has a light honey smell. It's consistency is more on the watery side but not so much - with the design on the opening I would have preferred if it was more watery, as I felt as if I was having a war with the bottle every time I had to tap the lotion out (sometimes too much comes out....).

The emulsion bottle need a pump!

Toner

Cleans well and doesn't dry out my face like what a lot of other toners do on me. My skin feels a little bit sticky after I use this which maybe because it contains honey - it's not on a sticky level where it would bother me too much or make me feel dirty.This is a little bit thicker than most toner but not to the point it's considered as a gel.

Hydro Cream

I don't usually use this a lot since it give me a greasy feeling after I put it on. I usually use this when I'm really dry (to the point of being flakey) and desperately need moisture. It does the trick and moisturizes my skin instantly. Compared to many other creams I've used, this cream is not very thick - my skin absorbs it quicker :)

Looks a bit like vaseline XD

Repurchase? 

Yes! I love how it doesn't give me a break out and actually helps my skin when recovering from a break out/ rashes from an allergic reaction.