The Face Shop Face It Oil Cut Pore Balm

The Face Shop Face It Oil Cut Pore Balm

I think I have finally found the perfect thing to keep my oiliness at bay! After buying a few mattifying primers and seeing no results (Black Radiance Complexion Perfection Shine Control Primer, Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Treatment, and Becca Cosmetics Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector) I was on the search yet again for another mattifying product. I saw Youngblood's Anti-Shine Mattifier, but the price ($36) was too much for me and the samples from the April Birchbox weren't being sold on ebay yet. I realized that The Face Shop had a similar item as well and immediately went to the store which is only 10 minutes away. (Kind of off the topic, but whenever I want to try or get something I feel like I have to get it now like I have to get in my car and get it and I can't wait for it to be mailed lol). 

I found out that one of my classmates works there which was awkward for a minute because we were looking at each other like "wait....they look like someone I know but I don't want to be wrong", but afterwards it was great! She gave me 10% off and a ton of samples! I'm so glad she gave me a discount because the pore balm goes for $18. I cringed at the price when I saw it (on ebay it goes for $11-13), but thought "Heck, I'm already here and I don't have to wait for it to arrive". 

Description on box:

Oil Control Balm perfectly filling visible pores and fine lines for porcelain-like skin.

This magic balm prevents sheen caused by excessive sebum and keeps the skin soft all day long. It improves adherence to the skin of products used in subsequent stages for a velvet-like smooth finish. Oil-Cut Complex: A patented phyto-complex containing mung bean extract, birch extract and curly dock extract to prevent skin problems by controlling sebum production.

Directions: After completing skin care and before beginning make-up, use a puff included in the package to apply lightly to areas that have troubled pores or appear excessively shiny.

Ingredients: Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Silica, Aluminum Starch, Octenylsuccinate, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Lauroyl Lysine, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Polyethylene, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Tribehenin, Hydroxyapatite, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Bark Extract, BHT, Butylene Glycol, Phaseolus Radiatus Extract, Rumex Crispus Root Extract, Water, Beta-Carotene, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Methylparaben, Fragrance, Citral, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool

The product is housed in a cute circle tin and contains 17 g/ 0.6 oz.  I can't describe the smell, but I love it! I'm betting it comes from the last few ingredients. It's not super strong, but you do notice it when applying the product. I don't notice the smell after a few minutes. I like the plastic part that houses the puff because it keeps it separate from the product. The puff gets pretty dirty with use so cleaning is a must especially when the product starts to cake on it. 

This product immediately mattes and blurs pores. It does a way better job of not emphasizing dry flaky skin compared to powders, but when it does show with this product it is usually because I haven't exfoliated in a while. 

My oiliness starts to show after 5 hours compared to 3 to 4 hours with other powders. It doesn't last all day, but I don't mind reapplying this because I love the scent and it mattifies nicely. It also looks more natural compared to a powder. One con is that fibers and baby hairs get stuck in the product if you can see in the following picture:

I would definitely purchase this again!!!

New Sunscreens!

CVS/Pharmacy Ultimate Sheer Liquid SPF70 & La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ulta Light Sunscreen Fluid SPF60

I picked up two sunscreens a month ago because it was getting warmer and sunnier and I didn't want to use my Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense sunscreen (mainly because of the alcohol content).

CVS/Pharmacy Ultimate Sheer Liquid SPF70 $12.79

I came in only planning to get the La Roche-Posay sunscreen, but bought this one because I had an $8 off $40 purchase coupon. This is supposed to be a generic to Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Liquid, but I bought this instead because it was cheaper. The ingredients aren't exactly the same as on the website so here they are:

Active:

Avobenzone 3.0%, Homosalate 10%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 7.5%, Oxybenzone 5%

Inactive:

Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Asorbic Acid, BHT, Bisabolol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Camelia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Dimethicone, Chlorphenesin, Cholecalciferol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Fragrance, Isomalt, Lecithin, Mannan, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyester-8, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Retinyl Palmiate, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Steareth-10, Steareth-2, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Cell Extract, Water, Xanthan Gum

Some of the claims it makes are:

-Perfect for daily use under makeup

-Light, clean & oil free

-Won't clog pores

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ulta Light Sunscreen Fluid SPF60 $29.99

Active:

Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 15%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Oxybenzone 6%

Inactive:

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denatured, Silica, Dicaprylyl Ether, Styrene Acrylates Copolymer, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Nylon-12, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Phenoxyethanol, Lauryl PEG/PPG 18/18 Methicone, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Methylparaben, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium EDTA, Cassia Alata (Candle Tree) Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Dodecene, Poloxamer 407

Claims:

-Fast absorbing, matte finish

Here they are compared to the other sunscreens I was using:

Out of the two sunscreens, I prefer the CVS brand one simply because it's cheaper and doesn't have alcohol (I plan on returing the La-Roche Posay one). I thought the La-Roche Posay one was drying out my skin due to the alcohol content, but my skin was simply dry and wearing foundation was making it worse. Still, I dislike the alcohol content in this sunscreen. It's third from the top of the ingredients list. When I apply it, the smell of alcohol is strong just like Kiehl's Super Fluid sunscreen.

Both of these sunscreens are shake types that have a milky consistency. The CVS one is more thick and has a fragrance, but I prefer smelling that over alcohol. Both of them don't really give a matte finish, but I put it over my serums anyway (compared to putting it over a completely bare face). 

I would repurchase the CVS one, but I'm starting to get tired of these milk type sunscreens. I saw a review on Missha's All Around Safe Block and got excited because it has a gel type consistency, but I was looking at the ingredients and the active ones only protect against UVB rays : (. So sad. 

Sephora Chic Week Haul

Philosophy Total Matteness Oil-Free, Mattifying Pore Eraser $40

Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector $36

I picked up two things at Sephora for their 15% off Chic Week. I went in only planning to buy the Becca primer but the makeup artist showed me Philosophy's Total Matteness serum.

I was really excited to try this out when I first got it. I've used it for a week now and I haven't noticed my oiliness getting better. The skin on my t-zone and nose (where I apply it) have gotten more flakier since I've used it. I'm still going to continue to use it to see if it will work.

I didn't use the Becca primer for the first few days after I got it because I wanted to see if the serum would work on its own. After I didn't see any improvement I started using the primer and it hasn't helped. By the time I get to work/school my face is shiny. 

Koreadepart Haul!

It's Skin Power 10 VC & VB Effector and Skinfood Black Bean Eye Brow Pencil in #3 Black Brown

I don't know why I didn't order from Koreadepart until now. Whenever I would search for more information on Korean skincare or makeup items I was interested in, Koreadepart would always show up. I didn't think you could actually buy from there! It's a good thing I know now because it's awesome!

I made my order on a Thursday and they received my payment the same day. With Koreadepart, you have to send the payment for the items and the shipping yourself through Paypal. I received the shipping fee notification 4 days later on a Monday and paid the shipping fee the day of. It shipped the next day on Tuesday and I received it 10 days later on a Friday.

I chose Registered Mail and it cost $8.54 for 0.5kg (They also have EMS). It had a tracking number but it is not as detailed as using EMS (where they show every single stop). It only showed when it left Korea (through track-trace) and when it arrived in the U.S. and at the post office (through the USPS website). 

My items arrived safely wrapped with plenty of bubble wrap. I received some samples as well! I picked up two Power 10 Effectors from It's Skin. VB got good reviews so I hope it helps me out with my oiliness! The VB Effector was $6.91 and the VC Effector was $6.79. 

Skinfood Black Bean Eye Brow Pencil in #3 Black Brown

I wanted to try out the eye brow pencil from Etude House but they didn't carry it so I got one from Skinfood instead. I went to the Skinfood store to see how the color would look like and was kind of worried because it looked too brown. The sales associate was insisting I use #2 which is Black Grey because she has black hair as well, but #3 works for me. 

As you can see, it is darker than MAC's Spiked. I'm not used to the darker color since I've been using the MAC one, but if I use a light hand and/or brush it out it looks fine. I find that MAC's eye brow pencil is easier to use because the tip is smaller and the product is softer so you can lightly brush it on. Skinfood's eye brow pencil is bigger and longer (like an oval) so it's a bit harder to stay within the lines. Also, the product isn't as soft as MAC's so you have to use a harder hand to get the color and that can make it look too dark. 

Even though it's not as great as MAC's Spiked eye brow pencil, I would still repurchase it because of the price. Even though MAC's pencil lasts me a few months, $15 is a lot for a simple eye brow pencil. Skinfood's eye brow pencil does the job and it's cheap! (Side note: I saw that it was $5 in the store. Even though it's cheaper on the website, with shipping costs it's about the same). Skinfood contains 0.12g of product and MAC contains 0.09g, so there isn't a big difference but you can get 5 Skinfood pencils for the price of one MAC pencil.

I think Koreadepart is wayyy better than Gmarket for buying Korean skincare and cosmetics. One of the biggest pros is shipping. Gmarket's shipping is SO expensive. I recently added two items to my shopping bag (It's Skin Power 10 Effector and a cell phone case) and the estimated shipping cost was around $40. I know that it's EMS and that they will use the actual shipping cost, but it's not worth it if you're only purchasing a few items. Koreadepart offers Registered Mail along with EMS which I prefer since I'm only buying a few items and I don't need it ASAP.

Another thing Koreadepart has over Gmarket is that their website is in English. It's so hard finding other brands or items on Gmarket that are not the most popular brands (such as Etude House, It's Skin, etc.). I found it impossible to find items because I didn't know the Korean translation for it and I could only find some if they had English in the item name. With Koreadepart, you can search by brand or type which I think is awesome because I can search for things such as cleansing oils or primers from different brands. 

Koreadepart is an awesome place for us to buy Korean skincare and cosmetics and is a great alternative to Gmarket and ebay. I'll definitely be ordering from the again!!!

Gmarket Haul #8!

OMG...I've had so many problems with Gmarket lately. The two items above are from two separate orders so technically this isn't a haul but I decided to put it together anyway. First off the items and then the problems.

GY8024 Black Lace-up Ankle Boots

29,800 won (~$28.45) (discounted price)

Seller

I finally got a pair of black boots that I was looking for, but they weren't perfect! I ordered a size 240 (I'm a US size 7), but these were tight when I first tried them on (my toes touch the front of the boot and the boot shaft is slim). I feel like these are more of a size 6.5. I wore them out the past two days and they loosened a teeny bit so I hope that they will loosen even more with wear. Other than that these boots are great! The quality is very good. They didn't reek of chemicals. The sides of the boot and the insole are cushiony! I'm thinking of buying another pair (maybe in a size 245 instead) because these boots are the kind I'm looking for and this seller actually has it in stock (compared to other sellers where I've tried to buy boots from, but I'll explain more later).

Innisfree Apple Juicy Cleansing Oil

12,800 won (~$12.30)

Seller

I bought this back in January. I haven't been using it a lot because I want to finish the Kracie Purenavi Cleansing Serum but I've tried this a few times. The oil is slick and not thick. It emulsifies easily and it cleanses well. I feel like I don't have to follow up with a cleansing foam when I use this. This has that fake apple smell like apple flavored bubble gum but it doesn't bother me. This also does not include mineral oil.

Ok, so now onto the issues:

1) The Long Frustrating Journey of Finding New Boots
In my previous Gmarket haul, I got a pair of black boots but they weren't the ones I was looking for because the boot shaft was too short. In my next order, I ordered a pair of boots from a different seller along with the Innisfree Apple Juicy cleansing oil. A few days later, the boots were cancelled and it was too late to return the cleansing oil so I only receive that. Luckily I had a gift certificate from the Top Bloggers so I just paid $16.32.

For my next order, I order another pair of boots from a different seller. I check a few days later and see that it is "On Delivery". After a week I send an inquiry to both the seller and the Gmarket help center telling them that it's been a week and it still hasn't arrived at Gmarket and I receive an email saying the order was cancelled. I feel like if I didn't email them, I would be waiting forever for them to finally notice anything. Finally, I made the third order with the boots shown above. When I made the order I also added an item from Etude House but a day or two later, I put in a return request for it because I was so afraid of the same thing happening again. Luckily it didn't but I didn't want to take any chances.

Overall, it took a few times just to get the kind of boots I was looking for. One of the downfalls of Gmarket is having the item go out of stock and being cancelled even though it was "available" at the time of order. It wouldn't be so bad if I had ordered a bunch of other things, but nowadays I only order a few items. What I do now is wait a few days before placing my order in case an item becomes out of stock.

2) Not being able to pay
I feel like this is a technical issue, but sometimes I'm not able to pay. For example, when I click the "Pay Now" button it doesn't load or go to the next page. It happens when this shows up:



I find that it only goes through when this is shown:



Really random and weird but I've had this issue and it's extremely frustrating because you just want to buy the stuff and receive it already.

A Few Things From the Japanese Market!

Every time my family and I visit our relatives in Southern California, we always go to Mitsuwa and Marukai in Torrance. I picked up two things that I first saw at Mitsuwa, but bought at Marukai.

Juju Cosmetics Whitening Mist Peach Flavor

I saw this at Mitsuwa while looking around in the cosmetic/skincare section. They had a tester so I sprayed some on my hand. Later on I touched my hand and it was SO soft!!! We went to Marukai after where I bought it for $13.98. Mitsuwa sold it for $13.99. I don't really use facial mists, but I bought this one to use all over my body and for when I feel like I need extra moisture. The mist is very strong, but fine. I put it as far as my arm can go so I don't get showered in it. 

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Methylparaben, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Fragrance, Xanthan Gum, Placental Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Prunus Persica (Peach) Leaf Extract

Ugh, I just saw it had Placenta. I hope it's not from a pig!!!

Kracie Purenavi Facial Cleansing Serum Unfoaming

I also saw this at Mitsuwa first. I was looking for a new cleansing oil to try. I wanted to try this one because it is fragrance, paraben, and colorant free. It also does not have mineral oil which I think my skin reacts badly to. I totally forgot if I was looking at the cleansing oil or cleansing serum at Mitsuwa, but when I went to Marukai they only had the cleansing serum. I got it at Marukai for $12.98.

Ingredients: Water, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG-20 Glyceryl Isostearate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Alcohol, Glycerin, PEG-45 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Seed Oil, Sodium Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Trisodium Hedta, Lemon (Citrus Medica Limonum) Extract, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract

When I first tried this, it REEKED of alcohol. It didn't help that the first time I tried it was after a night of drinking vodka -__-. The second time I tried it, the alcohol scent wasn't as bad, but it was still there. After, I checked the ingredients and yup alcohol is the fifth ingredient from the top. Other than the alcohol scent, I think it's a good cleansing serum. I use 3 pumps for my face and another for my eyes. I've never tried or used cleansing serums before so I don't know the exact steps, but I apply this with dry hands and a dry face and just rinse off with water. I don't use a cleansing foam after because I feel like this does a good job itself and it doesn't leave any residue behind. After I wash my face with this, it feels clean and bright! I wouldn't purchase this again and I'm afraid to try the cleansing oil in fear of it smelling like alcohol too, but I'll finish this up! 

Mini Face Shop Haul!

Left to right: Rice Water Bright Cleansing Foam sample, Lovely ME:EX Angel Skin Makeup Base, & Oil Specialist Brightening Cleansing oil sample

I was looking for a green makeup base to cover the redness on my face. At first I wanted to try the ones Skinfood offers, but the stores in the U.S. don't carry them. I decided to go to The Face Shop since it's nearby. I tried the Radiance Makeup Base on my hand and it was really thick. The sales associate showed me the Lovely ME:EX Angel Skin Makeup Base and it was much more liquid. I got if for $14 and the sales associate gave me two samples. The cleansing foam is the same size as the makeup base!

Lovely ME:EX Angel Skin Makeup Base swatch

Unfortunately the makeup base doesn't cover the redness on my face completely. The redness still shows through even after applying a few layers. I do like how it brightens my cheek area under my eyes (that's where my skin is red). This makeup base turns white, but it's not thick so you can blend it in. I wouldn't purchase this again, but I'll continue to use it.

Rice Water Bright Cleansing Foam sample

I've been using this with the cleansing oil sample recently. It's not as thick as the cleansing foam I've been using (Etude House's Happy Tea Time) so it lathers up quickly. It does its job, but I don't like the bar soap smell it has.

Oil Specialist Brightening Cleansing Oil sample

I haven't really used cleansing oils before this except for the Laneige sample I got, but I only tried it once. I tried this out recently when I was traveling. When I first used it, it made my skin feel so soft! I like the floral scent it has. I love how it takes everything off, even my mascara and liquid eyeliner. Even though it's a whole other step, I prefer it to using a cotton pad and makeup remover to remove my eye makeup.

Sadly, I think my skin is reacting badly to it because I got pimples on my forehead and small bumps on my nose within the days of using it. I don't know if it's the mineral oil my skin is reacting to. It makes me sad because I really like this cleansing oil and most other cleansing oils have mineral oil them. I think I'll try this out another time to see if this really breaks me out. 

Omi Solanoveil Protect Face Milk SPF50+ PA+++

Woo finally able to blog again! I have so many things to post! First off is a sunscreen that I got back in August. I'm almost done with it so now I can review it!

Omi Solanoveil Protect Face Milk SPF50+ PA+++

I purchased this back in August from adambeauty. I bought it for $10.50 and paid $2 for shipping. It's a bit small at 40ml, but I'm at month 4 and there's a little bit left (with using it mostly everyday). The good thing about it being small is that it is travel friendly. 

This sunscreen contains hyaluronic acid and arbutin. It does not contain alcohol.

Claims:

- "light diffusing effect to cover skin imperfections"

- sweat & sebum resistant

- makeup base

It's one of those shake, milky-type sunscreens. I have to work with it fast because it's so liquidy, but it doesn't bother me that much. It kind of smells like gasoline (I don't know, I'm weird -__-), but I don't even notice the smell anymore. It has a very slick feel because of the cyclopentasiloxane. 

You can't really tell in the photo, but it does make my skin whiter. I don't mind it because I put my foundation/BB cream over it anyway. I think that it did whiten my skin over time simply due to the SPF content. To me, it wasn't that sebum and sweat resistant because my skin started to become oily after 4-5 hours and the initial application leaves an oily finish. Again I don't mind because I'm going to put a powder over everything anyway. 

I would repurchase this again because it's cheap and has a high SPF content. I was planning on trying the whitening one, but I saw that one of the ingredients was pig placenta. Yeah, not going to put pig placenta on my face -__-.

Gmarket Haul #6

I had some problems with this Gmarket order. Finally coming around to posting it two months after I put in the order! First the haul:

It arrived in the usual 3 days. The estimated weight and shipping cost was 3.00kg and $44.07. The actual weight was 2.68kg. Shipping per item was $8.81.

Mizon Toners in Chamomile and Bulgarian Rose

9,900 won (~$9.15) + 2,500 won shipping fee

Link

This was the other rose toner I was talking about in the Meishoku Organic Rose post. I got it because it was a rose toner and it was really cheap. I haven't used it because I have all the other rose toners to go through. I did take a whiff and I can barely smell any rose scent. It is very subtle. It contains 210ml.

Laneige Snow BB Soothing Cushion SPF50 PA+++ in No.31 Brown Beige

29,900 won (~$27.63) + 2,500 won shipping fee

Out of Stock

I first saw BB cushions while looking at some Gmarket hauls online. I wanted to try it because of the dewy look it gave. I was thinking of getting the Hera one, but the shades they had were too light for my complexion. When I saw that Laneige had a third shade (the other brands only had two), I immediately searched Gmarket to find one for sale. I was able to find one seller who had the shade and could ship worldwide, but unfortunately it is out of stock now.

I am going to make a separate post reviewing it, but what I can say now is that it matches very closely to Missha's Perfect Cover BB Cream No.27. It is also very sheer and does not have any oil control. 

The seller also gave me a bunch of samples!

Black Faux Leather Jacket
41,000 won (~$38.71)
Shop: Migunstyle (Link)

I've been wanting a black leather jacket and looked around Gmarket for one. I found other shops/sellers with the same jacket, but Migunstyle had the cheapest price. I got a size 66/Medium. It looks big in the picture, but I prefer it loose. I think that if I got a Small it would have been tight around the shoulders. I can layer underneath this jacket and zip it up all the way without it being too tight. Overall, it is exactly what I was looking for. The only con to it is that one of the zippered pockets in the front is small so I have to dig my hand into there and my hand gets caught against the zipper. Ouch >_<.

Black Circle Skirt

6,900 won (~$6.38)

Shop: Migunstyle (Link)

I was looking for a simple black circle skirt as well. Other shops/sellers had black circle skirts, but I got it at the same shop because it was cheap and I was getting the jacket and other items as well. It is an okay skirt. I would say it's good for $6.38. 

So onto the issues with this order:

1) It took a long time to ship out

All of the orders I've made with Gmarket before have shipped out a week after I made the order. This order shipped out two weeks after I made the order. 10 days after I made the order, I sent an inquiry asking why it was taking so long. They replied back the same day apologizing and saying they "would contact the person in charge of the matter". After 3 days my order finally shipped. A few days later I saw in the News section that they were having delayed worldwide shipping orders because they were having an increase of them. I just made another order recently so now I know to keep that in mind.

2) Out of stock item and wrong item sent from the shop "Migunstyle"

One of the items I ordered (this grey Beatles tee) became out of stock so I was refunded the money. When I received my package, I received the wrong skirt from the same shop/seller. I looked at their shop and they weren't even selling the skirt -__-. First, I sent an inquiry to the seller, but they replied back in Korean. I put it through google translate and it said something about sending it back for a refund. 

Next, I sent an inquiry to the Gmarket customer service. They said to email them attachments of pictures of the wrong item sent. After a week of not hearing from them, I sent another inquiry and they answered 3 days later. That same day I got refunded for the skirt. Overall, it took a long time to finally get it resolved. It is frustrating emailing back and forth and waiting for their answer. I'm just glad it's over with, but now I'm weary of buying from that shop now that I've had issues with it.

Other Gmarket news:

YOU CAN COMBINE CASH BALANCE AND PAYPAL! WHOOO!

I saw in the News section that you can use multiple payment methods. On the order I just made, I used my cash balance and paypal. 

Here is a screenshot of the payment page of the order I just made:

This is pretty good news considering that we couldn't use our cash balance unless it covered the entire order. 

So overall, not a smooth Gmarket order. Hopefully I won't have any problems with my next one!!!