Empties 3 (face focused)

reviewing products that I have finished, and liked/disliked.

Aēsop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque - i have a soft spot for clay masks which require some leave-on time, it psychologically convinces me that my face is being worked on lol. this masque contains a sturdy formula which applies on neatly, tightens my skin while doing its anti-oxidising magic, and smells more lavender-ish than parsley. i would classify it as a superficial cleanser though, as it doesn’t exactly remove impurities (especially from your pores), it does leave your skin feeling fresh and soft.

Aēsop Control - my current turn-to product whenever something extra pops up on my face! the formula is transparent, gooey, kinda reminds me of diluted honey; but oh does it disappear right straight into your little bugger blemishes! a lot of other pimple products work by sitting on your blemish as a protective layer and drying up your zit, which in turn dries up the skin around it too. but this claims otherwise, and by the looks of the ingredients list, i know i’m in safe hands.

Aēsop Camelia Nut Facial Hydrating Cream - absorbs well, light finish, smells peculiarly comforting. i used this on lazy nights where i don’t want to do much for my face, but its surprisingly enough for my skin to get through 7 hours of blasting aircon. the product comes in an unexpected shade of yellow, and apparently works best with dry skin. i might consider repurchasing this.

Laneige Water Sleeping Pack - no stranger to the masses, this is probably laneige’s most famous product. i remember first buying it when i was in college and treating it like a precious piece of gold. i strictly followed the instructions and applied it carefully lest i make a mistake on any of the mentioned steps. but now ha, i couldn’t care less. overtime, i and my skin have outgrown this product; to the point that i now use it on my legs and hair lol. the last time i used it on my face, it didn’t absorb well so i ended up sleeping with a sheet of product on my face, very uncomfortable.

Caolion Blackhead Steam Pore Pack - (an improved version has been released!) to remove impurities from your pores, you’ll need them to open up. and this product wins in that aspect because it heats up your face upon application, and remains heated till you wash all the product off. it also contain micro grains for ‘exfoliation’ purposes once your pores are open. very ingenious i would say! note of caution though, do not apply too much gloop at one time, the heat burns and induces tears haha #truestory

Hera UV Mist Cushion Long Stay - the 1st cushion pact i liked, and the only one i was faithful to. i honestly cant find a bad hera product! used this pact as my daily base and i’ve gone through 2 refills. the formula is very buildable, depending on how much coverage you’re after and how much product your puff is picking up. the finish isn’t the mattest of matte (typical of a korean cushion pact since 물광 is all the rage), but its a great improvement from the original formula and i really like the balance of both worlds. regarding the ‘long stay’ promise, it lasts throughout the day for me personally since i’m usually indoors under the aircon (sun melts me sorry). i’m not a fan of bringing my base makeup out and touching up midday so although the sophisticated case is bulky, it doesn’t affect me at all. i’ve actually bought even more refills for this, but while waiting for them to arrive i got impatient and moved on to the iope pacts, so till next time hera!

Aritaum Water Sliding Tint - finished another one!

Empties 2

reviewing products that I have finished, and liked/disliked.

Hera Cell Essence - my ABSOLUTE skincare necessity! not only does it moisturize, but it also gives my skin this slight glow and preps my face for smoother make-up application. now this is a product my face no longer can live without. i once ran out of it and tried another brand of bio essence, and all hell broke loose on my face as i started getting little spots and zits :( so lesson learnt, and i stock up massively on this every time i return to korea. Hera is quite hard to spot in korea though, its always either a random standalone store, or in a departmental store. my best bet is to visit Lotte near myeongdong every trip.

Vichy Thermal Spa Water - thermal mists constitutes the 1st step of my make up routine. and i have to say, out of all the thermal mists i’ve used, this has got to be my least favourite. i experienced both good and bad days while using this. good being my skin gets enough moisture, bad being my skin starts getting sensitive and itching. but to be fair, this has the easiest cap to open! haha

Aritaum Water Sliding Tint - initially hated this product because the colour pay off wasn’t strong enough. but after using it a few more times, it sort of grew on me because of how rich the water content was! my lips never felt parched at any time, and its actually great for a more natural look (ie, going out for a few hours). plus, its super affordable!

Sexy Look Super Hydrating Duo Lifting Mask - a friend bought 2 boxes for me so it took me some time to finish everything. but i must say this mask is one of the more effective ones i’ve come across. my preference is still taiwan masks over korean ones; something about the former just works better, and something about the latter just feels mass produced & commercialised. upon applying, i can literally feel my skin feeding off the essence, sometime it stings a little but the pain is worth it because my face feels so smooth after!

Skinfood Black Sugar Honey Mask Wash Off - an extension of the black sugar scrub i suppose? i hate the smell of this, and the smell stays on for a few hours after washing off! didn’t think i’d be put-off by honey, but with this product on, my face literally feels like a playground for ants hahaha. other than that, i didn’t really notice any difference in terms of my face becoming brighter, but definitely feels exfoliated.

Innisfree Green Tea Mint Fresh Scalp Scaler - comes in a pack of 3. innisfree actually does pretty good hair stuff on hindsight. this is a product i use once a week on my scalp; simply apply on the scalp (try to get past the hair), massage, wait about 15 minutes and enjoy the cool minty sensation, and then wash off with shampoo. it is mentioned on the product that you should use more shampoo than usual too when washing it out. after which, your scalp feels clean and fresh!

Aesop Immediate Moisture Facial Hydrosol - my trip to sydney back in february converted me into an aesop addict. walking into an aesop store makes me feel like a 5 years old in a candy store, i want to smell and try everything. but aesop is so expensive back here in sgp compared to au! heavy pricetags aside, i quickly learned that the products are really a hit or a miss haha. this one is a definite hit for me, although it doesn’t exactly immediately moisturize, but it does the trick in ensuring i dont feel like a desert. smell wise, rose petals and chamomile saves the day (but i hate the scent of rose ironically).

Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution - received this as a sample, but wow this product is unexpectedly good! i have a couple of new spots on my legs and this product lightened them quite a bit! wasn’t expecting to see miracles especially with a sample, but this experience proved me wrong haha. i might consider buying the full product now.