Meishoku Organic Rose from imomoko!

Caved in and ordered the Meishoku Organic Rose Skin Conditioner and Skin Conditioning Gel from imomoko.com that I mentioned in my previous post. Imomoko had them on sale for $13 each and I used a 10% off coupon that I found on retailmenot. It is also available on adambeauty.com. 

Meishoku Organic Rose Skin Conditioning Gel

The first time I tried this, my face felt pretty sticky and was still sticky the next morning. I put on less today and while it is not as sticky, I still feel it on my face. It doesn't absorb into the skin as much compared to other gel moisturizers such as Baviphat's Apple AC Therapy Sleeping Pack (even if I apply a lot of it, it still gets absorbed). It is housed in a pink plastic jar and contains 90g. It smells medicinal and herbal to me. When I was applying it, I also smelled grapefruit. I didn't really smell any rose scent. 

Meishoku Organic Rose Skin Conditioner

I haven't tried this yet because I currently have two other rose toners and another one on the way from Gmarket. I think I'm good for a few years...(-__-). It contains 200ml. I'm also afraid to try it because I think it might smell like the gel (medicinal and herbaly).

All of my rose toners (so far)!

Left to right: Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Petal Skin, Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera, & Meishoku Organic Rose Skin Conditioner

I wanted to post a comparison of Holika Holika's Petal Skin and Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel, but I couldn't really discern any notable differences other than the scent (Holika Holika's is more floral and sweet smelling, Thayer's has that grandma rose smell) and how much dirt and makeup it removed (Holika Holika's removed more than Thayer's). Maybe I'll review them all once I receive Mizon's Bulgarian Rose Toner from my next Gmarket haul!

Gmarket Haul #5!

Made another order at Gmarket to get things for back to school and fall! Everything shipped a week after I ordered it and it came in the usual 3 days. Estimated shipping was 5.23kg at 55,600 won and actual shipping was 3.09kg at 45,400 won. I got 10,200 won credited to my Cash Balance. Shipping per item was $3.17 with the actual shipping cost.

Etude Haul

(Etude House is having a 10% off sale until October 3rd!)

Etude House Happy Teatime Aloe Tea Cleansing Foam

on sale for 2,700 ($2.45)

Etude House is phasing out the Happy Teatime Cleansing Foams (being replaced by the Happy Cleansing Foams) so I picked up the Aloe one. I love the Peach one I'm using right now. If they had all of the varieties I would have bought them all!

Etude House Hand Bouquet Rich Vitamin Hand Cream SPF15/PA+

on sale for 4,500 won ($4.09)

I actually wanted to get the Missing U Bee Happy hand creams, but they became out of stock : ( so I picked this up instead. I really like how this has SPF in it. I should have got this a long time ago to use over the summer! The smell is so-so (not overly sweet/fragrant smelling). It smells like lavender to me. It's a good size at 50ml, but I feel like I'm going to run out of it quickly because I use it 3-4 times a day!

Etude House Blackhead Heating Deep Clean Gel

on sale for 7,200 won ($6.54)

Tried this once and I was kind of disappointed because I didn't feel it heat up. It was also a little bit hard to squeeze out of the tube. I did like the ghassoul clay and scrubbing particles in it though! 

Etude House Princess 3D Mask in Red Wine and Honey & Milk

on sale for 1,800 won ($1.64)

So excited to try these out! I'm a little worried about the neck part though. I've never tried a sheet mask with a neck part. I feel like it may be difficult to work with. I also got the Pearl Extract sheet mask as a gift.

Holika Holika Haul

Holika Holika Pig-Nose Clear Blackhead Steam Starter

4,900 won ($4.45)

I tried this once and it really warmed up compared to the heating gel from Etude House. It has a thick gel consistency and it smelled citrusy like grapefruits. It didn't open up my pores that much but I think it was because I only left it on for a minute. It contains 30ml. I also didn't get a sample from Holika Holika : ((

Holika Holika Jewel-Light Waterproof Eyeliner in Pink Topaz

4,900 won ($4.45)

This eyeliner is really cute! I use it at the inner corners of my eyes to brighten them up. When I swatched it the pink color showed up (it doesn't show in the picture), but when I apply it to my eyes it doesn't really show up. Maybe it's because I don't apply a lot? I haven't worn this out for a few hours, but I did rub the swatch vigorously and most of it stayed except some glitter came off. It is VERY glittery. I read some reviews that said they use it in their waterline which makes me squirm!!! I wouldn't want to put glitters in my eyes in fear of irritating it. 

The Saem Mom's Nagging Mini Doll Hand Cream in Peach and Rose

on sale for 2,100 won ($1.91)

Bought these two because The Saem was having a 30% off sale and I needed hand creams to stock up for fall! The packaging is very cute and contains 50ml which I think is a good size. I haven't tried these out (using up the Etude House hand cream first), but they smell very good!

M3117 Backpack (link)

6,900 won ($6.26)

Ordered this backpack to use for school. It was only $6.26!!! I like to think that most of my shipping cost went to this (instead of dividing it evenly among my items) because it's so cheap! The downfall: it smells like old, used sponges!!! The smell reminds me of hobos -__-. I feel so self conscious in class and on the light rail lol. I hope the smell goes away. The good thing about is is that is made of durable material and has plenty of pockets! 

Black Motor Money Clutch (link)

15,900 won ($14.43)

I saw this on zipia while window shopping online. Definitely look in gmarket if you like something from zipia! Most likely they'll have it. This is a really cute and functional clutch! It came with a short and long strap to use as a wristlet or cross-body. It has two big pockets inside on the sides and pockets for cards. The front zipper is a functional pocket! It also came with bobby pins and hair ties from the seller. I got black to go with everything, but this comes in a bunch of other colors as well.

Pleated skirt (link)

18,700 won ($16.97)

I really like this skirt! It has an elastic waist and a slip underneath. The color doesn't really show up in the picture, but it's a mustard yellow kind of color. It's a bit long on me because I'm short, but I fold the waist. It's a pretty skirt but I feel like it makes me look wider because of the pleats. I think the price is good and they have a bunch of other colors!

Black Ankle Strap Flatforms (link)

21,000 won ($19.87)

I saw these shoes on zipia as well. When I was looking for it in gmarket I found a pair that was the same style, but the bottom sole was a different color. I found the one I was looking for in another seller's shop, but it was $30! I kept on looking and finally found this one at $19.87. Woohoo right? Nope. When I opened these, it REEKED of chemicals. It makes me sad because these shoes remind me of the cheap wholesale ones from China and I bought these for $20! The shoes I have bought from Korea are usually better quality than the wholesale ones from China and don't reek of chemicals. I'm leaving them outside to air out, but I have a sinking feeling that the smell will never go away. Time to sell these to Crossroads lol!!!

Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Line Review

Finally reviewing the whole Bulgarian Rose skincare line now that I have most of the products. Holika Holika also has a rose oil and mist in the line, but I didn't purchase those. Note that I'm reusing the pictures and pretty much the same thoughts of the items from my previous posts. Also, I placed the items above in the order I would use them. My skin is combination oily (oily T-zone and normal cheeks). 


1. Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Petal Skin (150ml)

This toner claims to "hydrate the skin and tone complexion". It is alcohol-free. After cleansing, I shake it out onto a cotton square. You don't need that much to use all over your face. 

I bought this just to try it out and ended up liking it more than the current toner/lotion I was using which was Rohto Hadalabo's Gokujyun Lotion. It feels refreshing and it removes makeup and dirt that my cleanser missed. It also absorbs faster than Rohto's Gokujyun Lotion and hydrates nicely. I've been going through this pretty quickly and was planning on ordering more from Gmarket, but Holika Holika isn't having a sale this month : (. At the same time I'm also thinking that it's just too expensive to keep on buying from Gmarket. I just ordered Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel which I hope is similar. If I like it, I was thinking of just reusing the glass bottle when I finish it.

2. Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Eye Cream (30ml)

Description on box: Bulgarian Rose Eye Cream with ultra-moisturizing benefits: Reduce dark circles, puffiness, and signs of tiredness around the eyes with this gentle cream. Enriched with precious Bulgarian Rose Water and Rose Essential Oil, this cream will soothe, moisturize, nourish, and tone the delicate skin around the eys.

Decided to try out this eye cream because I was running low on the current one I was using (MAC's Charged Water Moisture Eye Cream). The consistency of this eye cream is like Crisco: thick and solid. It easily spreads, but leaves a layer on the skin. The eye cream has a bit of the same pink sheen as in the face cream, but it's not that noticeable. This eye cream definitely nourishes and moisturizes, but I find it too heavy for my skin. When I wake up in the morning I still find a layer on my skin. Right now I'm only using it at night. At 30ml, it will last me a long time since I only need a tiny tiny bit. 

3. Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Serum (50ml)

Description: "intensive moisturizing effect for normal to dry skin" "leave the skin rejuvenated and help to retain moisture"

This is my favorite out of the whole line (I finished up one and ordered two more). I love the pump that comes with the container. It has a gel-like consistency and absorbs well. If I put too much on my skin still remains slightly sticky and my forehead and nose get oily so I only need a little bit. Now that it is summer I stop at this step because I feel like this serum is enough for my skin. Even though I moved to my second bottle, I still have a teeny bit left in my first one but it's impossible to get out even with storing it upside down.

4. Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Emulsion (150ml)

Claims: hydrate, soothe, soften, moisturize, firm, and improve overall skin complexion.

This is a light lotion to be applied after toner and serum (either use emulsion or cream after toner and serum depending on skin type). I don't use it right now because it's summer and I feel like I don't need the extra step, but I'll definitely use it during the winter when my skin gets dry. When I tried it before, I found that it made my skin too moisturized and oily, but I think that was because I was using too much product or my skin didn't need the extra step. 

The thing I don't like about it is that it's hard to get out of the glass bottle. I either have to shake it out or hit the bottle (kind of like removing ketchup from a glass bottle). I apply it by rubbing the product between my hands and patting it all over my face. It does hydrate, soothe, soften, and moisturize, but I haven't used it long enough to see if it firms and improves my overall skin complexion. 

5. Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Pearly Blossom Cream

Claims: rejuvenate, moisturize, soften, and retain moisture.

This is a thick cream to be used after toner and serum. It moisturized and softened my skin when I used it before. It contains pink shimmers and leaves a noticeable pink sheen similar to Etude House's Nymph Aura Volumer. For me, I don't see the point in the sheen because I only use creams at night. If my skin was super dry, I would use it in the day and the pink sheen would serve the purpose of making my skin glowy.  

6. Holika Holika Bulgarian Rose Petal Moisture Mask

I don't use masks, but tried this once for review purposes. It has a nice rose scent and actual rose petals in the mask. When I tried it, I wet my face and left it on for 10 minutes. It was a bit hard to wash off. This is a bit weird (it's the only thing that I can think of), but the product and my skin felt exactly like when I wash off Nair's peach sugar wax off the paper clothes they provide. My skin didn't feel soft and I didn't see a noticeable difference.

Pros of the line:

-Softens

-Moisturizes

-Lovely rose scent 

-Pretty glass bottles

Cons:

-Shipping is expensive when buying it from Gmarket

-Overpriced when buying it from ebay and other online sites 

-Glass bottles are not portable

-Hard to get out all of the product

Overall, I like this line because it moisturizes, softens, and has a rose scent. The only items I would repurchase are the toner and serum.  

Holika Holika Miracle Real Skin Finish in Combination/Oily

Got this along with my most recent Gmarket haul. I wanted to try it out because of all of its properties (sunscreen, whitening, brightness) and because their commercial was so cute!:

It is housed in a plastic jar and contains 50ml. I got it on sale for ~$6.78 during Holika Holika's 30% off sale on Gmarket.

It has a thick, mousse-like texture making it less easy to apply. A problem with the cream is that it makes your skin white. If you are very fair and light then it wouldn't be a problem. This cream is marketed as a light bb cream, but for girls with color this can't be used on its own. 

Bare face

With cream

As you can see, it makes my face unnaturally white and bleh so I have to use a foundation/tinted moisturizer/bb cream over it.

After 11 hours

After a full day of work, my face is still nice and bright. I like this cream because it makes my skin bright and lasts long, but I can't use it on its own and I'm a little disappointed in the SPF level.