Hi guys! I have another super interesting Korean skincare review to share with you today! Tosowoong has kindly sent me this Monster Cocoon Pack to review and I must say it is by far the most unusual/scary face mask I have ever tried!
First off the ingredients in this product is what intrigues me the most. As the name suggests it primarily contains Cocoon extracts PLUS Volcano clay which helps to rid your skin from dirt and any toxins that may get left behind. It also helps to minimize and cleanse pores and target blackheads and excess sebum problems.
The packaging comes in a very simple black squeezey tube/bottle with red lettering and the product itself is very watery/liquid-y with a slight hint of citrus scent to it. This product also contains one other ingredient that totally blew my mind!..and that is SYN-AKE PEPTIDE. Yes..it was also the first time hearing of it for me too lol..Apparently this substance is made from components of the VENOM found in poisonous Temple Viper Snakes that are native to South Eastern nations.
It was first developed and introduced to skincare by a SWISS pharmaceutical company, "Pentapharm", which according to the company mimics the activity of waglerin 1, which is a polypeptide that is found in the venom of the temple viper.The substance promises anti wrinkle/ anti aging properties, which also help smooth away any saggy appearance of the skin within a short period of time and is known to have "age killing effects" upon use. It is essentially like botox in a bottle!! Anyway this piece of information alone for me was just simply mind blowing, since it was so crazy to even think of incorporating snake venom into skincare!
When I first applied the mask it goes on quite sticky..but as soon as I start massaging it into my face, it gradually starts to dry up and starts to stiffen up. They recommend you to leave the mask on for 15 minutes and by the 3rd to 5th minute, the product had already started to harden up on my face to the point that I could not smile or move my mouth!
It got scarier by the 12th minute onwards though, because the concentration had gotten so hard it starts pulling on my skin and yup I pretty much ended up looking like a granny haha..
Finally by the 14th to the 15th minute before I had to wash off my face, the mask starts cracking up into small flakey lines all over my face. I looked pretty scary by this point lol..no wonder they call it "Monster Pack!"..you do end up looking pretty scary by the end of it all haha >.<
Once I washed my face I felt so much relief from my skin! (I guess it was from all the pulling and tightening!) I really felt refreshed and my skin felt very soft and smooth. I guess if I used it on a regular basis I would get used to the 'cracking' phase of the process! Nevertheless I really enjoyed testing out this product it was very refreshing and innovative at the same time. I am still so impressed by the ingredients they put into this product, I will definitely be looking for more Syn ake peptide related products in the future for sure! x
If any of you guys are interested to getting yourself one of these anti aging "miracle masks"..You can get it right here! I think you can also try Amazon & Ebay too although the price might be a little steep so definitely shop around. Hope you guys enjoyed reading this blog and don't forget to watch my FULL REVIEW on YouTube! 'Til next time guys! Byee! ^^
The need for clearer, smoother and younger looking skin has always been amongst every woman's top ten priorities in the world of beauty...ESPECIALLY as we age! Eventually as the years go by, that priority will become our number one point of concern!
Facial brushes has become exceedingly popular over the past few years, with brands making promises of clearer looking skin after every use, but does it really work? and more importantly, do our skin really need all of that extra 'cleansing' as it were?
I was given the opportunity to test this theory out on myself after Vitagoods contacted me asking whether or not I would be interested to try out one of their top selling facial brushes 'Spin for Perfect Skin'. The name sounded promising enough so naturally I was more than intrigued to try it out. The shipping was nothing short of efficient, and I was impressed that within just a few days to one week I received my brushes!
There are altogether 4 different types of brush heads that came with the set (Click here for a more in depth look at each one!) and at first glance, the bristles were quite soft to the touch & I really liked that so many variety of brushes were provided to deep clean certain parts of your body. For the purpose of this review, I tested out primarily the main cleansing facial brush (the softest one) for a period of 3 weeks, therefore I didn't really get a lot of time to properly test out the other brush heads.
My first initial experience with the cleansing brush was actually a pretty good one! I have never actually used a cleansing brush before therefore when I used it the first time I felt as though it did what it was meant to do..deep clean my face and ridding it of all traces of dirt and makeup grime. However, the problem was what I experienced the following morning. I found a tiny cluster of small pimples around the middle area of my brows and a slight one coming up on my right cheek, which frankly left me feeling quite puzzled. I assumed that since I have never really deep cleansed my skin that thoroughly before, the cleansing process from the night before pretty much stripped my skin off natural oils causing my skin to promptly react and break out a little due to irritation. After using it consecutively 3 nights in a row, I decided to give up since my skin was already starting feel quite raw from using it too much. My skin is naturally very dry and super thin, which may be the reason why I could not personally use the cleansing brushes on a daily basis as recommended, and although the bristles felt soft but spinning against my face it felt very abrasive and rather harsh :( which was unfortunate because I was really prepared to like this product after seeing so many great reviews on it previously.
So...for me personally, I was not able to use this product on an everyday basis, however if I were to use it less regularly, say once every two weeks or even once a month, I am sure it would have served a better purpose. This product is best suited for ladies who are already quite familiar with facial brushes, since your skin would have gotten used to the bristles unlike mine. If you are a rookie at facial brushes like I am or if you have acne prone skin, look for something a little bit more gentle so that it won't irritate or cause breakouts!
Bottom line, this may be better suited for others but for me I think I am just going to stick to using my hands for everyday cleansing lol... and maybe once in a while use these brushes for exfoliating purposes!
Today marks the first official day of Fall out here in the States!..and although where I am at right now still feels like late Summer..I must admit that I am really looking forward to when I can start layering out my wardrobe again!...that and also ofcoz the excuse to wear dark vampy makeup all day long haha
So two days ago I FINALLY received my Carli Bybel BH Cosmetics...and my golly was it difficult to get my hands on this limited palette! After waiting anxiously for 4 hours straight on the date of its initial release, the BH Cosmetics website promptly crashes on me! This palette was selling like hotcakes and within the first 12 hours it was sold out =_=...By what seemed like my 100th attempt to purchase this palette (at which time I was about to give up seriously >.<) I was overjoyed to be put on their pre-order list....and to be fair for a mere $12.50 which is pretty much a drugstore friendly range, this palette absolutely did exceed its humble little price tag! I was pleasantly surprised by the creaminess and pigmentation of each colour, especially the shimmer ones! (which this palette had A LOT of)...I am initially a self proclaimed Matte eyeshadow bias, but after trying out all these gorgeous neutral shimmer colours I am extremely impressed. The thing is these shimmer shades are creamy enough to blend out without it looking too glossy...and it is a perfect addition to people like me who loves neutral shades yet when needed for that extra glam, there is an the option to do so seamlessly.
There are altogether 10 eyeshadow shades and 4 highlight shades in the palette. The top row are more cooler tones, with the most matte colours and one peachy shimmer colour that can be used as a brow and tear duct highlight. The second row comprises more of warmer tones and alot of shimmer! There's only one dark brown matte shade right at the end and the shimmers are gold/copper tones. These shadows can also be used as highlighters too and there is enough selection of shades to suit any type of skin tones. Finally the last row comprises of the 4 bigger pans of highlighters, ranging from pearly white tones to a deep and darker coral/gold tones..which I absolutely love. Carli really put a lot of thought into creating this palette so that it can suit with all types of skin tones which I think is cool.
The one thing I do like a lot about this palette is the fact that the colours are neutral with a great selection of cool and warm tones which is suitable for both everyday and glammed out looks. This palette is versatile enough for me to use on a daily basis..and for the price and the quality..I seriously can't complain! Extremely happy with my palette so far!...So..what do you guys think of the palette?
Hi GUYS!
How are you all doing on this glorious Saturday afternoon :) I am finally doing another kpop inspired makeup look for you all (decided it was time)..and this time it is based off SISTAR'S Bora makeup in their latest comeback "Shake It". Whether or not you are into kpop but I actually find this look to be very wearable and appropriate for the Summer! Super easy to replicate with great neutral pop of colour makes this look a great choice for everyday wear.
I am also happy to say that I will be featuring a pair of Pinkicon's contact lens to recreate Bora's gorgeous eyes. This pair is from the Twinkle collection and it is in the colour 'Sky Blue'. To some these contacts can look a little daring and very noticeable when you don't have any makeup on, but I think with the right style of makeup you can easily pull it off (the darker the better..ei ei ei)..
The actual packaging itself is pretty standard, it came in a long soft cardboard box and 5 pairs of daily disposable contact lens. This particular style were actually quite comfortable and easy to wear but you have to make sure you DO NOT continue to wear them continuously after one full day (after all they are for one day use only!)...Please look after your eyes ladies ^^..And for those wondering why not, it's because the design of these daily disposable contact lens are made so that they are safe to wear for only one day (as stated). The materials used for these contacts cannot sustain normal handling like extended wear contact lens can which can lead to serious damage to your eye if worn for longer period of time than you are supposed to! So please be warned! >_<
Now back to the fun stuff...:P..As you can see these lens are better suited for more dramatic/intense makeup. I personally liked the dramatic cat eye look with these lens..they go perfectly together!
Ladies...it's a known fact that many of us still struggle the hell out of our eyeliner routine daily, but nothing a little practice and A LOT of patience can't fix :) I am here today to share with you along with moral support, 8 super EASY (trust me) eyeliner styles you can rock this Summer!..and they're all WEARABLE! So you don't need to worry about going out looking like a futuristic model from a haute couture fashion magazine. All you need is your trusty choice of GEL LINER (I recommend this over liquid, pencil or any type since it is easiest to apply and control!) and a few minutes of your time to go through this tutorial with me :)
The gel eyeliner I will be using for these looks is my trusty TARTE "Tarteist Clay Liner" but you can choose any other brands you want. Another great and wallet friendly brand of gel liner I've also been loving is the MAYBELLINE Gel liner. Brilliant stuff and does the same trick as TARTE but just make sure you store it upside down in a cool dry place so that it doesn't dry out and lose its creamy consistency! As for the brush, I prefer pointy end brushes like this SEPHORA "Pointed Liner- Eyeliner precision 92" as it helps to create that perfect sharp wing that I like in my eyeliner looks.
"NATURAL"
So let's start off with the easiest then gradually move onto the technically 'harder' ones shall we? The first look I'll be sharing with you is the 'NATURAL' look, and yes this look is perfect for those lazy days or days when you just want to look beautiful in the most natural way possible! All you need to do is apply the liner as close to lash line as possible, draw thinner lines around the corners of your eye to your main lids, then gradually drag the line slightly downwards (without the 'flick') towards the tail of your eye...this will create fuller looking set of lashes and make your eyes look more prominent ^^
"PUPPY EYES"
Next is the "PUPPY EYES"..that cute endearing look that makes anyone swoon as soon as they see you! lol...This is actually one of my favourite looks and I personally do this look frequently. It just gives you that cute and innocent vibe to your makeup without being too much...very kawaiii! Great for everyday casual wear :)
Continuing from the 'NATURAL' look, what you want to do is pull the liner down a little further (the droopier, the 'cuter' and 'sweeter' you'll look) just make sure you don't go past lower lash line level and you'll be fine :P. Next, fill in that little outer triangular shape on the tail of your eye with some black eye shadow and pull the shadow 1/3 of the way into your lower lash line & Voila! you have your cute and innocent puppy dog eyes for your everyday look :)
"ANIME"
This is actually avery watered down version of the proper anime makeup, i.e. it is more wearable! Anime is actually a more intensified look of "PUPPY EYES", the lines are thicker, the wings are a little longer and of course there is that signature white waterline to make your eyes appear that little bit bigger :) Use your gel liner to go over the outer V corners of the look and bring the line 1/2 in along your lower lash line. Apply a pair of your favourite lashes and you are ready to rock your cute WEARABLE anime look :)
"ARABIAN"
This look really brings out your sexy side! You have probably seen this look numerous times and many people tend to have a hard time grasping the technique of how to create this liner look. It is actually a lot simpler than you think if you break it down. First start off with a simple wing liner look or a cat eye. Drag the wing 45 degrees upwards for that feline effect, thicken out the line then bring it inwards towards the inner corners of your tear duct area. Slowly build on the intensity as you go this way you won't run the risk of making them too thick or uneven. Use the sharp point of your brush to gently create that piercing inner corner line, you do not need to line the inner corners of the lower part :)
"CAT EYE & SMOKEY CAT EYE"
This is probably the most common of all eyeliner looks and a staple one at that! I know I am always rocking my cat eye on a daily basis :P But if you want to funk it up just a little you can also try smoking out the liner to give it that nice softer look with the same level of intensity and glam :D I always find it easier to flick out the wing first (for gel liners) then gradually bring the line back down at a 45 degree angle 1/3 of the way on your main lids, before working the rest of the line onto the inner corner eye area. Again slowly build up on the thickness to your liking as you go to avoid any mistakes ^^
"GRADIENT CUT CREASE"
This is as 'futuristic' as it gets out of this pack :P...and still super easy to to do! Just start off with a clean cut crease outline then slowly fill in the outer V shape with your gel liner. Take a black eye shadow and use a small eye blending brush and carefully blend out the gradient effect towards the main lids.. This look gives a nice edgy twist to your makeup and can totally spice up any wardrobe look you may have on for the day!
"POP OF COLOUR"
And..finally we have our last look ^^ This is a super cute and simple look that is fun and summer appropriate! Start off with a normal cat eye wing look then add a pop of any colour you like along your lower lash line! I personally prefer to go with pastel colours since they give you a nice soft look to your makeup, but of course you can go with brighter colours if that is more your style! Here I am using my favouriteCLIO "Gelpresso" Pastel Linerin this beautiful milky turquoise and just popping it right there under my lash line for that summery and girly vibe ^_^
Thank you ladies for tuning in & I hope I have given you guys a few simple ideas to do your eyeliners for Summer this year! Have a wonderful week & I'll see you all in the next post!
Well....Hello there!! You must be surprised to see me still alive eh? Well my dears I am still live & kicking and once again my sincerest of apologies for disappearing on you for the past month and a bit..! There is just so much to do! You know the drill. Anyway I am back however with a rather much anticipated review for Anastasia's latest palette for this coming Summer..that's right ladies, it is the most talked about limited edition 'Artist Palette' and since its original launch date of around mid April I have seen them popping up everywhere, and hey why not jump on the bandwagon while it's still rolling?
To be quite honest with you though I was contemplating pretty hard on whether or not I should spend my hard earn $30 on yet...another palette lol..and well being a makeup addict and self proclaimed junkie, you know the ultimate answer to that question haha! At first glance I really thought this palette looked a lot like the Urban Decay 'Electric Palette', what with its vibrant selection of colours and shimmery finishes. However, on closer inspection I find that thankfully this palette comes in a nice mix of earth and neutral wearable tones alongside the brighter and more vibrant colours. There are altogether 12 shades that comes in both Matte & Shimmer/Velvet finishes, making this a wonderful palette to have as part of your summer collection! Which ultimately was the deciding factor for me and luckily I managed to snag the very last one at my local Sephora! Whooop!
Also if you are like me and have a hoard full of other neutral and earth tone palettes strewn around the house, you would probably appreciate a few nice colourful palettes here and there to vamp up your looks on those days when you want to look extra colourful! The pigmentation of these colours are of course super pigmented and blendable, however I do recommend you use a primer/eye shadow base or apply them wet because they do tend to get slightly powdery when applied completely dry.
Anyway here are some of the swatches of the 'brighter' colours I made comparing the UD Electric & ABH Artist Palette 'similar' colours together. You will notice that the UD palette is a lot more vibrant and has shimmery finish whilst the ABH has more of a toned down vibrancy but equally as pigmented.
Now onto the good stuff :P..
For today's makeup featuring this palette.. I've decided to include a bit of the 90's vibes and went with a pretty intense dark purple smokey eyes which I paired off with a gradient purple lips...Yuppp....very 1998 right?...Well since the ribbed choker is making a comeback this year, why not go back to digging the makeup look as well? ..This look may look a tad too intense for some but with the right combination of darker shades to balance out the vibrancy of the purple, it can be a very wearable look indeed.
Also I think this look would look GREAT for ladies with glasses! a bit of 'sexy nerd' doesn't hurt anyone right? :P Anyway guys I'm off to bed now & I promise I won't leave it this long for the next post! *Fingers Crossed*
